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[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "that the following Address in reply to the Speech of the President be agreed to: 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament'." Sir, a week ago in this House, her Excellency Mdm Halimah Yacob, the President of the Republic of Singapore, delivered a speech on the priorities, policies and programmes of the Government for the remainder of the current term of office. A plain review of the President’s speech and the 21 addenda issued by the respective Ministries and Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) since, reveals much more than that. The plans go well beyond the remainder of the current term of this Government’s office. A good number of these plans, especially the ones dealing with the transformation of our defence capabilities, implementing our net zero ambition, developing our sustainable aviation and maritime hubs, transport systems and infrastructural capabilities and building an innovation economy will take decades to complete.[+24 sentences] These plans are not just incremental in nature. They are imaginative and involve stretch targets. They are aimed at delivering decisive advantages to Singaporeans of the future. And I fully support them. They are not at all easy to achieve. To materialise these plans, we require the strong support of fellow Singaporeans. We also need highly competent and dedicated leaders at all levels of government, including the political leadership, to execute these plans. This is the defining characteristic of this People’s Action Party (PAP) Government. It sees as its responsibility not just to take care of the current generation of Singaporeans for the near term. All our present-day advantages, hard won on the back of generations past are not considered, I quote, “a pinnacle of achievement, but as a base from which to scale new heights.” It sees as its bounden duty to lay strong foundations for future generations of Singaporeans. Indeed, this principle of steward leadership is specifically embedded in the concluding paragraph of the President’s speech. She urges us to, I quote, "keep faith with future generations yet unborn and build a Singapore that thrives and endures for many years to come.” The approach taken by the Government gives us in this House a unique opportunity. It is my hope that hon Members who will be speaking during this debate will nail their colours to the mast and unequivocally state where they stand on the Government’s ambitious plans to build an enduring and thriving Singapore for now and years to come. By doing so, we will be able to explore building a consensus on these plans. This will include an agreement on funding the projects involved in the plans. We will also be able to avoid the polarising effect of these long-term plans becoming political “footballs” of populist politicians. What we cannot afford to do as a small country with no natural resources is to adopt a “stop/start” or “feast and famine” approach in funding these important plans. Such an approach will quickly deplete our precious resources and will almost certainly spell doom for Singapore. Importantly, as I will be alluding to shortly in my speech, it is my belief that building consensus in this House on such key plans will help us retain trust and unity which the President has identified to be essential for the future of Singapore. I start with the issue of trust. The President stated in her speech that as we emerged from the pandemic, trust in the Government has strengthened. The President also emphasised that trust and unity are key to dealing with our priorities that includes securing our place in the world, growing our economy and refreshing our social compact. Indeed, today, Singapore is in a fortunate position to be a high trust country. I looked at the Edelman Trust Barometer 2023 that was reported on CNA on 15 March 2023. Trust in our Government as an institution was reported to be relatively high compared to a vast number of other countries.[+3 sentences] But we are not among the top three. So, we should not behave as though we have arrived. The results of the survey are consistent with anecdotal experience. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the strong trust between our people and our Government that led to higher levels of vaccination, which in turn ensured that we kept mortality rates low and allowed us to reopen our borders and rebuild our lives much faster than in many other countries.[+17 sentences] We also know, though, that the trust built today can be easily lost tomorrow. This is the impermanent nature of this “being”. Trust cannot be assumed; it has to be conscientiously built and nurtured. The question I raise is how do we ensure that this strategic resource in the form of the reservoir of trust between our people and Government can be retained and even deepened as our nation navigates through an even more challenging socioeconomic environment? There are many facets to this. I wish to draw focus on three areas: (a) the work of our Public Service officers; (b) the work of our political leaders in this House; and at the end of my speech (c) the Forward Singapore exercise conducted by our 4G Team. The Public Service plays a vital role in the maintenance of trust between our people and the Government. It will continue to play an important role in future. Sir, we are indeed fortunate to have very committed and hardworking public service officers dedicated to their respective organisational missions, the rule of law, securing Singapore’s national interests and improving the lives of Singaporeans. In my respectful view, the strong trust relationship that we enjoy today is attributable in a significant part to the blood, sweat and tears of our officers in discharging their solemn duties. To underscore this point, Sir, please allow me to share that, not infrequently, I receive detailed email replies from public officers, especially from the Housing and Development Board (HDB), to my queries on behalf of my constituents in the wee hours of morning! I cannot help feeling bad for them as they obviously sacrificed their personal time with their families to deal with official work. These officers have a strong sense of duty. We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. What I feel distinguishes our Public Service from others is that in both design and implementation, our officers have foremost in their minds the ordinary Singapore Citizen. In their roles, they serve to strike a balance between achieving policy objectives, exemplifying values such as compassion and fairness, accountability for the use of national resources and the desire to do justice in each and every case. Let me provide two examples by reference to my Meet-the-People Session (MPS) cases just on issues arising from Budget 2023 in the past few weeks. Last month, I wrote an appeal on behalf of Mdm Zhu, who had just given birth to a baby girl, seeking the enhanced Baby Bonus cash gift as announced in Budget 2023. Her baby, Qi Yue, was born at 5.00 pm on 13 February 2023. This was seven hours too early as the enhanced Baby Bonus cash gift, which would have been disbursed seven to 10 days after registration of the baby’s birth, was meant for babies born on or after 14 February 2023.[+2 sentences] Mdm Zhu mentioned that her baby was born earlier than expected. This turns out to be a significant ground of appeal. In fact, the Baby Bonus Cash Gift policy was designed to allow babies due to be born on or after 14 February 2023 but were delivered earlier to get enhanced cash gifts too.[+28 sentences] By being flexible and not mechanically applying the timeline, we managed to achieve a better balance between the policy intent and the legitimate expectation of the ordinary citizen. My reward was that I got a photo of Baby Qi Yue who happened to lift her head for the first time on the day that the Government allowed Mdm Zhu’s appeal! So, maybe she approved too. I now turn to my next example. In Budget 2023, an announcement was made on the GST Voucher - Cash (Seniors’ Bonus). The policy intent was to help lower-income senior Singapore Citizens aged 55 and above cope with the cost of living. To gauge the financial circumstances of the senior, the Government uses the income earned in 2021 as a proxy. It has to be less than $34,000. I had a situation where my resident earned more than $34,000 in 2021 but had a significant drop in income in 2022 owing to personal circumstances. Technically, my resident did not qualify. However, having regard to the policy intent of the bonus, the Ministry of Finance (MOF), in its reply to the petition issued by me on behalf of my resident, was prepared to be flexible. It sought documents supporting my resident’s claim that his income dropped significantly in 2022 before assessing whether it is prepared to provide him with the bonus on a discretionary basis. Again, this is an enlightened approach and there is much to commend the Public Service for exercising flexibility to ensure that the policy intent is met. Sir, I do not mean to advocate that all appeals are automatically granted, regardless of merit. Far from it. What I am drawing attention to is the process. Our citizens must feel that they were listened to, their views considered seriously and they received proper explanations in a respectful manner on the outcomes even if they may disagree with them. This approach will, in my view, deepen this strategic resource of trust between our people and the Government as an institution. Trust is the red thread running through the three points that the President made in her speech which made an impression on me. First, the President highlighted the need for us, as a little red dot, to close ranks and stay united against global forces which will continue to try even harder to influence our domestic public opinion, so as to uphold Singapore’s vital interests. Hon Members may recall the debate in this House on the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill that was passed in 2021 to deal with hostile information campaigns by foreign powers. What I thought significant then was the united view expressed by hon Members on both sides of the aisle that Singapore politics is for Singaporeans. As responsible politicians, we must continue to close ranks and hold the line on core issues of national importance. Second, the President highlighted that this unity as a nation will be important as we aim to secure economic opportunities amid a global economic slowdown to strengthen our position as a trusted and reliable business hub adding value to the world. On this, it may be useful to emphasise one important takeaway from this year’s Budget debate. The raison d’etre behind our economic objectives was never economic growth for its own sake. Rather, growth is a means to achieve our broader objectives of advancing the well-being of every Singaporean. We are already facing strong economic headwinds. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) reported last Friday that our economy grew by only 0.1 % in the first quarter of 2023.[+13 sentences] This affects our prospects for growth this year with inflation still running high. Economists are predicting a technical recession. The challenge facing us is clear. It seems to me what the President advocated in her speech about making sure Singapore is united in the context of a global economic slowdown has become all the more important now. Third, the President emphasised the need to strengthen our social compact through programmes aimed at uplifting the disadvantaged and vulnerable and to keep us as one united people. The President identified this effort as a priority of the 4G team which is engaging Singaporeans through the Forward Singapore exercise to renew and update our social compact. I will talk more on the Forward Singapore exercise later in my speech. The President also laid down the Government’s four key priorities to strengthen our social compact: (a) expanding opportunities for all, (b) strengthening social safety nets, (c) building a smart and liveable city and (d) deepening Singaporean’s sense of shared identity. In particular, the President stated that the Government will look into ensuring that advantages and privileges that may come with meritocracy does not become entrenched such that it weakens our society. This point about the need to re-examine meritocracy was probably the most quoted point by my residents about the President’s speech whom I engaged with before drafting this speech. All of them expressed wholehearted agreement with the President. They agreed with the Government’s call to devote more resources to our children who start out with less. The support, however, is not just a question of fact, but a matter of degree too in order that we can make a tangible difference for these children. The Government has already made substantial investments in our children from humble backgrounds, particularly at rental flats through programmes like the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KiFAS) and the Community Link (ComLink).[+6 sentences] One other area of potential support that the Government should consider is to address the housing environment of children living in overcrowded flats. This is a point that I have raised several times; the last being at the Ministry of National Development (MND)'s Committee of Supply (COS) 2023 debate during my speech on strengthening inclusivity in housing. In my speech, I said “each child is precious, and we must do our utmost to ensure that they grow up in more conducive housing environment”. To be fair, based on statistics provided by HDB, there are not many such cases, but I have come across a few. One possible way that can be considered is to provide for Social Service Agencies to run study centres for these children near rental flats that are open after school. In this way, our children will be able to study in a more conducive environment after school. In Bukit Batok, we have one example in the form of Tava by Talent Beacon, which is a non-profit organisation that sets up a study centre specially for children living in our rental flats, with the support of MND and HDB.[+6 sentences] Tava even provides study support and mentoring for these children. At the same time, the President emphasised the need for a stronger network of stakeholders to help provide opportunities for all, participate in nation building and build unity. This is not just the Government’s responsibility. I agree and I believe that all hon Members feel the same way too. The question is how can we achieve this? How do we get more committed stakeholders? During the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)'s COS debate this year, I highlighted that over the past five years between FY2016 and FY2020, the amount of tax-deductible donations per year remained more or less stable at $1 billion.[+15 sentences] I said then that we need to do something more fundamental to move this needle. I suggested that successful organisations and individuals must feel more invested in the lives of the less fortunate. They must know that we are bound together in one common destiny. We sink or swim together. This is clearly not an easy ask but we must quite clearly put in as much effort as possible to realise this objective. One area where stakeholders can help is to level the playing field when it comes to giving our children sporting experiences which are perceived to be within the exclusive domain of the well-to-do. Let me make my point through an example. I am not a golfer, but I have certainly read about the amazing story of Mr Mardan Mahmat, who was Singapore’s number one golfer for more than 10 years. His is a rags-to-riches story. He dropped out of primary school at the age of 12. A year later, he became a caddie at Jurong Country Club. As a teenager, Mardan frequently snuck into the club’s golf course when no one was looking and, by himself, learned how to play the game. He obviously had loads of talent because he managed to hone it by himself. Long story short, he became Singapore’s number one golfer. Mardan’s story is exceptional. The reality now is that children from low- or middle-income backgrounds will find it difficult to gain access to more expensive sports, such as golf.[+33 sentences] I do think though that something can be done through stakeholders with the appropriate resources to organise efforts to reach out to interested children, give them the sporting experience, suss out from among them the next Mardan Mahmat whom they can help to nurture to be a Singapore golf champion. I am aware that many of these stakeholders already do wonderful charity work. I do hope though that they can consider this as a worthwhile extension of their efforts. The idea here is to provide children with the requisite talent and drive, regardless of their background, with opportunities to pursue their sporting dreams and become national athletes. I now turn to the work of political leaders in this House. The President stated in her speech that the trust between the political leadership and the people is a key strength that we must continue to nurture. The President gave important guidance in this regard. She advised that our interactions as politicians be anchored on mutual respect and the shared goal of advancing the larger public interest. We should work through our differences, enlarge our common ground and draw strength from our diverse perspectives. I fully agree. We, politicians, are at our best when we present our arguments in a measured way, recognise the inherent trade-offs in each of the policy suggestions that we make and present cogent arguments as to why we feel the balance should be struck one way or another. What the President stated brought to my mind the speech that I made during the opening of the 14th Parliament when I advocated several proposals for Parliamentary reform of our evolving democracy. I said then that building consensus in this House is an important outcome of our work here. I described consensus as a process of contestation, persuasion and resolution. Equally important is that such engagement will enable Singaporeans outside this House to have a better opportunity to understand the points of agreement, points of disagreement raised by their elected representatives and, through that, they will be able to better appreciate how these points impact on the ordinary lives of Singaporeans. This is a form of accountability, too. Singapore has always preferred an undramatic approach to problem solving. This is our political heritage from the first generation of our political pioneers. Some of you may have recognised that I quoted a line from Dr Goh Keng Swee at the start of my speech – that we must consider our starting today merely as a base to build tomorrow. Dr Goh was one of our deepest policy thinkers. He said, and I quote, “Deciding on policy and determining a line of action is different from engaging in a debate. Cabinet government is not a debating society or an academic seminar. These are intellectual exercises. Views are aired and, if done with style and elegance, the participants go home happy. In Government, you have to live with the consequences of your decision. If you make a mistake, the results are painful. In political life, there is no alibi for failure.” I feel that we, in Parliament, should bear this in mind. When we deal with the real issues in this House, we know that they often matter to millions of lives. When we say that we are not “ideological” about something, it means that we are not wedded to whether the idea is from the left or the right, from the PAP or the Opposition, we are not wedded to repeating yesterday’s solutions tomorrow. We should be disinterested in merely sounding good. On their own, they do not serve the interests of Singaporeans. It is against this background that I argue the need for constructive politics in Parliamentary proceedings. Here, it may be useful to recount the debate that we had in this House on the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill.[+9 sentences] Before the Second Reading of the Bill in this Parliament, there were concerns within certain quarters about the broad language of the Bill and perceived lack of judicial oversight. My hon friends across the aisle proposed amendments to the Bill to address, among others, these points. Hence, even before the hon Minister for Home Affairs delivered his Second Reading speech, lines were already drawn. This led to the hon Minister making a plea in this House to hon Members not to use Parliament as a forum to read out prepared speeches based on lines that were already drawn before he rendered his speech. When I rose to speak on the Bill, I highlighted that whilst there were important differences between the views of the hon Members from both sides of the aisle, they were few, compared to the substantive areas of agreement between them. I do not remember a single journalist covering this point in his or her article. I am not surprised. In my speech on building consensus in Parliament, I said that, and I quote “agreement, collegiality, friendliness, all these make for poor headlines”. Contestation sells, not consensus. As a result, the public perceived that there was a wide chasm between the hon Members of the governing and opposition parties on Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA) than what was, in fact, the case.[+5 sentences] For these reasons, I advocate an introspection within each of us in this House to build the common ground that the President referred to in her speech. Parliamentary proceedings should not be turned into arenas for “entertainment” that we regularly see in other countries. This will erode our people’s trust and confidence in their elected representatives. That will be very bad for Singapore. Finally, and importantly, I turn to the Forward Singapore Exercise. As we all know, the Forward Singapore Exercise conducted by our 4G leadership involves engaging thousands of Singaporeans from all walks of life.[+15 sentences] These engagements are aimed at identifying the values, priorities and policies needed to strengthen our social compact and to build a better and brighter Singapore. I wish to make two points on the Forward Singapore Exercise. First, as we look forward, we should not forget the values that allowed us to make progress as a nation. I, therefore, feel that the President’s reminder that we should hold dear to our core values as Singaporeans is a timely one. This is the enduring legacy of our founding generation of leaders led by our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew. At the same time – and this my second point – I feel that it is important for the Forward Singapore Exercise to adequately capture the idealism of our youths so that they will be able to identify with and support our vision for the future. After all, they have the biggest stake in our plans for the future. A few weeks ago, during a house visit, I met my resident, Mr Sherman Chua, aged 21. He is working with a Silicon Valley company in the artificial intelligence (AI) space. As we all know, this space is simply “exploding” at the moment with the advent of ChatGPT and so on. He told me that as a result of his exposure to this space, he is convinced that life as we know it will change a lot through imminent and rapid adoption of AI. He expressed to me his concern that Singapore is not investing enough resources to get ahead in this area. In his view, if nothing is done in this space within the next five years, Singapore may be passed over and runs the risk of becoming a laggard. I invited him to drop me an email containing his views and I will link him up with the relevant pillar leads in the Forward Singapore Exercise. I am sure there are other young people like Sherman in our communities. It will serve the 4G Team well to engage such people so that their views on the shared vision for the future are taken onboard. I look forward to receiving the 4G Team’s report on the Forward Singapore Exercise that is expected to be issued in the second half of this year.[+4 sentences] Sir, let me conclude. If we are to consider Singapore as a base to scale and not a pinnacle on which we rest, we must recognise that the nature of the electorate is changing. It has been changing since World War Two ended – a generation that has never known war, communalism, death by gunshot or violence, days of hunger, or nights of terror. Today, a new generation is emerging, standing taller and brighter than the ones before. Their education is deeper, their social support tighter and with more social spending per person than ever before in our history. In health, education, housing and transport, we are doing much more to provide all Singaporeans with better services and to support the more vulnerable groups.[+15 sentences] As a result, we have, today, a generation that has never experienced hardship to the same degree and scale of the past. From the start of their working life, they understand that they can ask for work-life balance and mental wellness days, not as entitlements but as a fact of Singaporean life. These are the natural fruits of 60 years of careful tending. Our people today would naturally have different responses to Government policies than those of the past. Human response is not an artifice. This word “lived experience” is used quite a lot today. Some may feel uncomfortable at how it elevates subjective experience to a policy truth on which we often build an edifice of rights and allocations. The fact remains that people’s psyche will change and, as they do, their government must change and to a degree and at a speed unprecedented. We cannot be an analogue government in a digital world, if we are to keep faith with our fellow Singaporeans. All this is not to say that Singaporeans are less tough today than we were in the past or that we rise any slower to a challenge. We are a people new to pandemics and the world has not seen the scale and intensity of COVID-19. But Singapore overcame. History is a good teacher but, like PSLE mathematics, we do not need to have worked out the same sum before to get the right answer in a new one. We are a different people today and require a new style and substance in our policies. Two things which guided our leaders after the war must not change. First, to achieve prosperity so as to ensure happiness and peace for our people; and second, to ensure that Singapore continues to survive as an independent nation.[+3 sentences] The President’s speech, like those of almost all Presidents before her, speaks of the need to ensure that Singapore “endures for many years to come”. No large country suffers from this same paranoia. But this is the nature of small states – to be short-lived. We are either annexed or merged and, in fact, we ourselves thought this at the start. There is nothing external to ourselves, no partners or allies that will ensure the survival of this improbable nation.[+2 sentences] We must, therefore, trust one another, trust our leaders and trust our shared identity so as to build a brighter future together. Sir, I beg to move.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Seah Kian Peng.
Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade)1877 words
[+27 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, the President has asked us to broaden the way we conceive of "merit", which is another way of saying "who deserves what" in terms of opportunity and access to finite resources. Today, it has become fashionable to hammer this word "meritocracy", as if those of us who use it do not know it was originally coined as criticism. Michael Young, the British sociologist, in 1958, argued that a system that rewarded merit defined as "IQ plus effort" is as flawed as that one rewarding accidents of birth, because having cognitive ability is as much a matter of genetic lottery. This is true, except we may prefer to adopt this system, compensate for its shortcomings rather than adopt the alternatives which are random assignment, other criteria such as money, power or birth. Let me give you the Singaporean rendering of meritocracy which should be seen against our general governance model. In 1971, then-Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew gave a famous speech about 300 people in a jumbo jet. Most of us remember that speech for the graphic image of the jet crashing and a country bereft of leadership. But the main idea for me is this, how did these people get on the plane? Mr Lee said at the time, and I quote, "The main burden of present planning and implementation rests on the shoulders of some 300 key persons." He goes on to say, "Outstanding men in civil service, the Police, the armed forces, chairmen of statutory boards and their top administrators." And then, he goes on to say, "These people come from poor and middle-class homes. They come from different language schools. Singapore is a meritocracy. And these men have risen to the top by their own merit, hard work and high performance. Together they are a closely knit and co-ordinated hard core. If all the 300 were to crash in one jumbo jet, then Singapore will disintegrate. That shows how small the base is for our leadership." This idea that a man comes into leadership, or indeed, into any position of opportunity, by what he can do, how hard he has worked, the stuff he himself is made of, not who his father was, who his friends are, or how much money he has. This idea that one looks at a man and not his pedigree is as old as Plato's Republic and the Chinese Imperial Examinations. In Singapore, this must remain the only way to get on that jet. The fly in this ointment, of course, is that the two are not unrelated. How much a man is, determines how many advantages his son or daughter has, who this son marries, and in turn, the kinds of privilege he confers on his own offsprings. And so on unto generations to come. In Singapore, there are people who are born into HDB rental blocks that their parents live in, as well as those who inherit good class bungalows (GCBs) that their parents may themselves inherit. The Government can make sure that both have a roof over their heads, they have vaccinations in the clinics, that the sons of the rich serve alongside those of the poor in National Service, but there is no way that the first can afford everything that the second does. We talk often of income inequality and that is indeed an issue. But what I want today to speak about is wealth, because that is an even more glaring offence to the meritocratic ideal. There are 2,700 billionaires in the world – their money comes, not only from their income from work but also through their ownership of capital – property, stocks and the businesses that they owned. We could reset the game after each round – tax bequests heavily so as to erode the advantages of inherited wealth – but there are two constraints on this: the first is to recognise the ancient instinct which urges us to strive so as to be able to leave something for our family as our legacy; the second is a practical benchmark – that Singapore must set tax regimes for the rich, with an eye on the rates in the rest of the world, rather than merely responding to local pressures. Having said this, I do think that we can tax the rich further, especially in specific expenditures such as, super cars. I asked this in my Budget debate speech and I ask the Finance Minister, at some point again, to consider a separate category of Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) for super cars costing over a million dollars.[+5 sentences] The billionaires should compete among themselves so as not to allow the state to benefit from their preferences for luxury goods. The same goes for the tax for GCBs, country club transfer fees and so on. Net worth is not net income, and it is the first which may be a stronger force for fracture. My second point on inherited wealth is to ask for some data. The data on the Gini coefficient is clear. After adjusting for Government transfers and taxes, the Gini coefficient fell from 0.437 in 2021 to 0.378 in 2022, the second lowest on record.[+2 sentences] It is a sign that Government transfers are a good way to reduce income inequalities. But the Gini coefficient includes only wage income. It does not take into account capital income which is likely to be more uneven in distribution. I do not know what the wealth distribution is in Singapore, but the Government may consider releasing some data so as to help public discussion.[+12 sentences] I am not asking for a segregation of the super-rich in terms of everyday life, merely in tax regimes, as a matter of fairness. They are, of course, still free to enjoy $4 or $5 wanton mee at one of my coffeeshops at Serangoon Central. We need to keep common spaces open because these are, after all, financed by tax dollars. The second piece of the puzzle is, therefore, the redistributive function of the state. In order to keep us from fracturing along the lines of inherited wealth, we must also level the playing field for those who are not unto the manner born. In health, education and housing, as well as some elements of transport and financial planning, we must create a minimum standard of living for all Singaporeans. I would like to suggest one radical idea: the top 40% of each cohort already have access to state resources in the form of higher education. The budget of our top two universities here run to billions of dollars a year, with high resources inside the classrooms, the best labs, professors; and outside: with overseas travel, mental health and wellness and a close network of mentors. What about the rest of the other 60%? Can we think of some educational spending or resourcing for the 60%? Whether in terms of skills, continuous training, micro-credentials, or even the sort of non-academic opportunities, including sports, which Mr Murali has talked about, that Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) affords to their students? This latter could include opportunities in the arts, sports as well as access to community service and overseas exposure. Our SkillsFuture Credit framework that we have is good, but I think it should be further institutionalised with additional resources targeted for this 60% group.[+1 sentence] Singapore would then truly be a home which provides higher and lifelong education for all. Five years ago, in 2018, also in response to the President's Address then, I had said that we must make sure that a boy born to poor parents must have more from the state than one born from the rich.[+20 sentences] This aggressive redistribution, which is a hallmark of Singapore's socialism, must become even stronger and not just in fiscal policy, but in public censure of any pretence to social class. In this, I refer to the most recent incident where the resident of a condominium mocked, humiliated and ridiculed a security guard for clamping the wheels of his car. His utterance – flaunting his wealth, his contempt for the guard is abhorrent and has no place in Singapore. There are some things that money cannot buy and in Singapore, this includes the price of insult and derogation of any man doing an honest job. We have in 60 years indeed, gone from mudflats to metropolis and may now have a different level of wealth and income but we must not stand for those who think money buys access to a different class. In our schools, in our army camps, in this House of Parliament, we stand or fall as one. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have been a Member of this House since 2006 and it has been a true privilege to stand alongside my colleagues of all political colours. Our jumbo jet may be a lot bigger today, but entry is still by merit and there is still just one class. Today, as in 1971, we are still flying the same flag, with the same five stars: democracy, progress, peace, justice and equality. Today, the success of Singapore lies not within the few in a jet, but in the multitude of ideas in many people who live and work on this island. In 1971, Mr Lee was speaking of unity and the need for all Singaporeans to feel that we are, at the root of our identity, one people. At that time, his fight was to avoid being torn under and along racial lines. At that time, a Malay newspaper had been advocating "bumiputera" policies. One Chinese newspaper, on the other hand, has been playing up pro-Chinese Communist news. The English press at the time had been pushing for "more permissiveness in sex and drugs and worked up a campaign against National Service." In 1971, the way towards unity was to build common ground in a common language and culture, and a stake in a prospering country. Today, we may all speak a common language, our schools all teach in English and the power of different language newspapers may have weakened. But we still face provocations, falsehoods, dissension sown and manufactured, and we still face a world who has no interest in the success of Singapore. Aside from the fault lines I spoke of earlier, there are other challenges: foreign and other malign influences through social media, the rise of a victimhood culture where each special group stand on its rights and sees "micro aggressions", where subjective feeling and "lived experiences" take priority over objective truths and rational discourse. And as Singapore ages, the demands for state resources for older Singaporeans will rise, we can expect rising resentment among the young. In 2017, Greece and Italy spent around 15.5% of GDP on public pensions; Austria, France and Portugal spend around 13% to 14% of GDP. The entire Singapore budget is only about 18% today.[+6 sentences] So, this is a serious issue which we must tackle. The challenges today are as numerous as ever. It seems it is the fate of a small nation, to always strive lest we fall. This can exhaust and frighten, or it can inspire and energise. The choice is ours, all of us who have chosen to fly this jet together. Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang)3025 words
[+6 sentences]Imagine for a moment, if you will, being a teenager again. The awkward parties, the search for self, the facial breakouts. But one of the feelings that many of us will find inextricably linked to our adolescent years is one of exclusion. Now imagine the same feeling, only that you are now supposed to be a fully functioning, fully participating adult in society. Mr Speaker, Singaporean incomes present themselves as somewhat of an enigma. By some measures, we are among the richest countries in the world. Measured in terms of a common currency, Singapore comes in at fifth in 2022, ahead of Qatar and the United States (US), and just shy of Switzerland.[+27 sentences] When adjusted for actual purchasing power, we climb even higher; to third, just behind Ireland and Luxembourg, two European countries often used as tax shelters. But amid this wealth, we also see sharply dissonant scenes of the elderly picking up cardboard, selling tissue packs, or clearing plates at hawker centers, of an underclass of workers who live in dingy, overcrowded rental flats and rely on food handouts, of people who quip that in Singapore, you can be poor, or you can be sick, or you can die, but you cannot stop working. In her address last week, Mdm Halimah urged us to improve our social compact and strengthen our social safety net, emphasising how, I quote, "the fruits of progress must be shared fairly." I support the President's sentiment and the Motion, but in this speech, I will speak more about the apparent economic success declared by the headline numbers versus the economic precarity felt by a large group of Singaporeans. I will go on to discuss hard living in Singapore, especially after the pandemic, before concluding with proposals that can help us hopefully improve the circumstances of those who are struggling the most. Living in Singapore is not cheap. Look around. The market price of a 4-room HDB flat – all 970 square feet of it – ranges from $460,000 in Jurong East to a whopping $860,000 in Queenstown. Sengkang, the district I represent, recently saw a flat change hands for close to $1 million dollars. And island wide, close to a dozen 4-room flats sold for more than $1 million-dollar mark in the first quarter. Observers expect this trend to persist. The cost of a new Japanese sedan, like the Honda Civic that I drive, is $180,000, around five times the price of what it goes for in other advanced economies. Put another way, buying a car would cost close to three years' salary of a typical middle-income individual here, compared to around 14 months in the US. Our decades-old aspiration toward Swiss standards of living has, alas, also brought with it Swiss-style prices. Reports routinely place Singapore, tied with New York, as the most expensive city to live in in the world. While this Government has argued that such metrics do not reflect the typical experience of a Singaporean household who consume different things and have access to taxpayer-funded grants and subsidies for big-ticket items like purchasing an HDB flat, the sting is that many of these things the rest of the world deem affordable is, for us, not. That said, by some measures, Singapore is eminently affordable, at least when compared to other advanced economies. Delicious hawker meals, which we rightly celebrate as a part of our natural, intangible heritage, can be had for a few dollars, plus a dollar more if you happen to live in Sengkang. Our public transportation system is excellent and many of us commute on it on a day-to-day basis by paying relatively affordable, albeit rising, fares. Most of us are able to send our kids to school without the need to resort to expensive private schooling that would break the bank. Whence the discrepancy? It stems from the fact that for those among us that do not own or have access to capital, life is exceedingly hard. It is one of working long hours but barely getting by, of living out each day with little hope for the future, of seeing the enormous prosperity that our country has achieved but feeling that, somehow, this has mostly passed you by. But for those of us who own assets like stocks and bonds, who run or inherited a business, or were fortunate enough to get on the housing ladder early on, it is possible to enjoy the fruits of this wealth and rely on high-asset prices to cushion the effects of high prices of goods and services. Moreover, the challenges of the poor would likely have been compounded by the pandemic. Across the globe, economically vulnerable households have tended to fare poorly as a result of the COVID-19 shock. Detailed surveys from economies, both Western and Eastern, suggest lower-income groups experienced greater job market losses. In Singapore, two separate studies by DBS on account balances revealed that close to half of lower-income groups suffered significant falls in income, with around half within that group experiencing drops of more than 50% and had less than a month of emergency funds available.[+2 sentences] This may seem especially unfair, since the less well-off were often our essential workers and had to continue on in the frontlines, even as the rest of us sheltered comfortably at home. Unfortunately, the poor did not find much relief after the pandemic. Inflation hit hard, reaching peaks of 7.5% in August and September last year.[+1 sentence] While this has come down, inflation, in excess of 6%, continues to eat away at incomes. A more recent survey by DBS found that wage increases have failed to keep up with inflation and for the lowest income group, expenses have grown close to five-and-a-half times faster than their salaries.[+10 sentences] Even by the Government's own statistics, household real wages decreased in 2020 and 2021, and the small increase last year does not fully make up for the losses. In contrast, there are those of us who have been lucky enough to have sufficient savings to invest and, in some cases, have been able to tap on higher interest rates offered by the market to shore up our finances. But such discrepancies only serve to further exacerbate the discrepancy between the wealthy and the rest. Researchers who have devoted their lives to studying poverty tend to believe that its causes may be broadly defined into two groups. The first argues that low incomes constrain the ability of the poor to save, eat well and pursue educational opportunities. Since poverty causes poverty, the solution is to offer one-off transfers that help the poor extricate themselves from their plight. A second group believes that the poor are limited by their God-given abilities, talents or motivation, and they will always be among us and the solution is to provide small, but repeated, income support. I believe that there is merit to both these perspectives on poverty. Inasmuch as we want to offer opportunities for those of us to escape the poverty trap, the basis of most of the Government's anti-poverty policies, there are those that happen to be endowed with less potential, stricken by physical or mental disability, or who face persistent discrimination, and hence, require the support of society-at-large. And in a rich, advanced economy, I believe that doing so is the correct and compassionate thing to do. Regardless of which school of thought one subscribes to, the fact remains that if we are to help the poor, we must know who they are. But in Singapore, we have yet to establish an official poverty line.[+5 sentences] This is both puzzling and exasperating. We take pride in ourselves as people who are quantitatively sophisticated and highly efficient; we make and meet KPIs. Targeting the poor is impossible, or at least, imperfect, without an official, transparent benchmark. We have, instead, a confusing mishmash of thresholds that have been applied by different agencies at different times. We sometimes see reports for the lowest quartile, or quintile, being treated as the poor, or simply the halving of median household incomes. The HDB income threshold for rental happens to be $1,500, while the ComCare threshold is closer to $1,900. The Department of Statistics instead pegs the Average Household Expenditure on Basic Needs at $1,250, albeit this low figure was from two surveys ago and the calculation does not seem to have been updated.[+16 sentences] Other unofficial lines, based on ensuring social inclusion or allowing for relative, not just absolute, poverty would suggest higher amounts. These range from $2,500, to as much as $6,400. One may quibble with these numbers and this Government has certainly done so, by arguing that the high-end estimates overstate what are needs versus wants in the household. A poverty line is defined as the lowest income level that would be deemed adequate in a given country. This leaves a tremendous amount of latitude in terms of what is "adequate". What may be regarded as an absolute minimum necessary to purchase goods and services for basic needs in a poor country may be shockingly low, when set against expectations of needs in a rich country. Indeed, there is clear evidence that as countries get richer, the value of what is conventionally regarded as a basic need changes. And the fact is, we are no longer a developing country. The sort of things that we need to be as a full participant in Singaporean society has changed. Smartphones may seem like an unnecessary perk to some, but without one, many basic Government services become increasingly difficult to access. A holiday may strike others as a luxury, but for large families cooped up in tiny apartments, a brief getaway to Malaysia offers an important respite that can ensure the mental health of parents. And money spent on "ang pows" and gifts and celebrations are not just frivolous spending; they represent rites of passage and acts of reciprocity that speak to a moral economy and societal norm, which cannot be reduced to dollars and cents. It is, in my view, an insult to suggest to a family that the supplemental tuition that their struggling kids need to stay afloat in our overcrowded classrooms is not sufficiently "basic." Or that spending on deodorant in our hot and humid climate, particularly before an interview or a big date, is truly "discretionary". Part of the problem is a disconnect between what this Government has claimed to be basic, versus what Singaporeans themselves perceive as necessary for human flourishing. But if we can all agree that a good life includes opportunities to education and decent healthcare, employment with work-life balance and a sense of inclusion when one participates in social, cultural and religious activities, then why do we not extend these to the most economically vulnerable in our midst? Life is not just about making it day-to-day, but about thriving, as all humans, poor or not, have aspirations. It is time for an official poverty line.[+5 sentences] This line should be established based on components that go beyond just the crude, "basic" needs of housing, food and clothing. Set up a committee, with representatives, from not just MSF, but also leaders from civil society and experts from academia, to figure out what this should be. Then, peg all thresholds for Government assistance, especially ComCare, to this line or higher, but never lower. The Local Qualifying Salary, effectively our minimum wage for Singaporeans should likewise be tied to this line. Even after we have established a new threshold for ComCare, we need to recognise that the system can stand to be refined. At this year's COS debate, I suggested that the ComCare approval process can be intrusive, onerous and demeaning.[+6 sentences] While I agree with the general principle of being responsible with public monies, we should not become overzealous in the opposite direction. It is tempting to design a public welfare system that attempts to sieve out only those that we deem "worthy" of support. So-called "welfare kings or queens" should be excluded as such individuals undeniably exist. We may even have some "regulars" in our Meet-the-People Sessions, but they are few and far between. Most of my residents possess a lot of self respect and feel uncomfortable seeking help from the state, even when they are going through a tough situation not of their own making. A system that is stingy about financial assistance to the eight or nine folks that just want a little bit of support in a particularly trying time, just to deny the one or two abusers, strikes me as excessive and especially since all that effort translates only to a modest payout. Furthermore, support is often granted for an unbearably short time – three to six months in the first instance.[+18 sentences] With precious few exceptions, how can someone's lot improve in just three months? Even when we make appeals and reappeals to agencies, such as the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), we are often told that we should wait for six months before trying again, since life circumstances are unlikely to change much in the interim. And even if they did, providing some additional months of support would help those who are in need partially fill up the hole that they find themselves in. As my hon friend Mr Leon Perera has argued in this House, poverty imposes a non-trivial "bandwidth tax": the cognitive burden of poverty, in and of itself. Being in dire financial straits not only imposes mental stress as one searches for job opportunities; it can affect our handling of all-important job interviews, or our performance in a job during the probation period. It steals mental resources that are better spent on improving our situation or providing care for our dependants. It even reduces the little pleasure we receive from what we are able to consume. Think back on the last time when you had a tight budget before your next paycheck came in and how you had to worry about whether you could make the rent or the mortgage, pay for your meals next week or clear bills that would keep the lights on. Play out that exercise every single day and week, and you will sense what it is like to be poor. Layer on that, the need to "prove" that you are indeed poor every few months to a Social Service Office (SSO) officer, who has the power to snatch away the fragile lifeline that you have. We can reduce the need for such burdensome and intrusive pre-approval scrutiny by obtaining many documents directly from our public and semi-public agencies, such as rental or utilities. We can deploy conditional cash transfers (CCTs) in exchange for desired behaviour, such as supplementary educational expenses or preventative healthcare spending, and use the fulfilment of the condition as sufficient evidence to qualify for support. We could set the default that automatically qualifies all Singaporeans in rental flats for an extended period in the Fresh Start home ownership programme, as recently suggested by a local social sector leader. The Government might argue that beyond ComCare, there is the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS), our other key anti-poverty programme, that is also aligned with incentives. But, as I suggested before, not everyone who is poor is able to work and even when they can, circumstances might constrain how much they can. The WIS is based on an earned income tax credit (EITC) which, in turn, is a refinement of the negative income tax. Without going into technical details, it is sufficient to note that our scheme tends to be viewed more as a grudgingly offered financial supplement, conditional on one putting in sufficient work hours, rather than a genuine anti-poverty tool aimed at helping provide additional support to our low-income earners. This is in part because the amounts offered by the WIS are paltry, majority of which is not even accessible for meeting daily needs, since most of it goes straight to the Central Provident Fund (CPF). Even with the most recent revision, topped-up amounts come to $350 a month at best, and can be as little as half that. While any additional help is undoubtedly welcome, I have had many residents share that the support hardly makes a dent in high cost Singapore. This is exacerbated by our low-income thresholds – $3,000 a year – before one is disqualified.[+4 sentences] In contrast, the maximum income for the US programme is closer to twice that. The $500 minimum monthly income requirement introduced last year may also inadvertently exclude workers who are most in need of the flexibility afforded by our part-time employment. While the ostensible reason for the requirement is to exclude some of the more well-off families from benefiting from the programme, it seems like the more tried and tested tool – total household or spousal income or the annual value (AV) of one's residential property – would be sufficient to rule out the non-poor. Indeed, while we are reassured that those who are already on ComCare would automatically receive Workfare, I am sure that we are aware of many poor families, who for various reasons, are not on ComCare – perhaps because of the onerous documentary criteria I mentioned earlier or if they happen to have an estranged child who is also a high-income earner. Were these individuals to work only limited hours, perhaps due to health or age, the limited additional support Workfare promises would nevertheless not be available to them.[+1 sentence] Workfare also seems to be blind to the differential needs of parents with children. The WIS, to put it bluntly, is independent of dependants. This is in contrast to the approach in other jurisdictions where support is significantly higher if the household has one or more children. This approach makes absolute sense, since parents not only have more dependants to support, they also need to make arrangements for childcare were they to enter into the workforce formally.[+4 sentences] Finally, Sir, it is worth pointing out that there are age conditions associated with the WIS, where those who are younger receive less support than the elderly. But this is curious. Why would the youthful poor necessarily need less money than the elderly? This becomes more odd when —
Mr Speaker8 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Lim, you have half a minute left.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim48 words
— how Silver Support is available only to those aged 65 and above.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, we have been remarkably recalcitrant in our willingness to support our poor. We can do more, much more – if we want to truly call ourselves a first-world nation.[+1 sentence] Indeed, we surely must.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Vikram Nair.
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang)1553 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, Singapore’s Independence was a product of the post-war decolonialisation wave, that started in the late 1940s with the independence of India. That was also the period that saw the birth of the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB) and, in later years, the World Trade Organization (WTO). These organisations formed the backbone of the modern multilateral world we live in. Common values recognised in international law included the recognition of the sovereignty of nations and the prohibition against the use of force except in self defence. With the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the WTO, trade among nations grew and the world became more interconnected. This was a backdrop that was conducive to Singapore’s growth as a small nation since the rule of law is especially important for protecting the small and the vulnerable. The last few years have seen an unprecedented retreat from multilateralism. Russia’s attack on Ukraine was a breach of the UN Charter and the prohibition against the use of force.[+1 sentence] However, Russia, through its predecessor state, the USSR, is also a charter member of the UN with a veto in the security council. The breach of the UN Charter by a charter member is worrying for the rule of law and it is important for the rest of the world to take a firm stand on this if we intend to maintain the rule of law.[+2 sentences] Two of the biggest beneficiaries of the liberalisation of trade following GATT and the WTO are the US and China. They are now the two biggest economies in the world. Yet, the rivalry between the two is now threatening the system on which both prospered.[+23 sentences] Other countries are also taking their cue from the superpowers, and we see increasing calls for protectionism from different countries. In the long run, this is likely to create more silos and a divided world. The multilateral system is not dead, but I think it is important for those that believe in its importance to continue to speak up for it and help bring in those who are sceptical. The source of the scepticism is that free trade has sometimes exaggerated the differences between the rich and the poor in different countries. As jobs and roles move to different countries, there will inevitably be winners and losers at home. For those who believe in multilateralism, I think it is important for us to acknowledge some of these side effects and then have domestic policies that correct for this. I think the multilateral system has benefits for everyone, not least of which is greater security. And in this testing time, we need to win back as many of the sceptics as we can. Singapore itself has not been immune to some of these effects and this leads me to the second area I wish to address in my speech. The President’s Address acknowledged the importance of Singapore continuing to grow, but that these opportunities must be shared equitably. I believe this is fundamental to preserving our society where everyone has opportunities. Singapore’s growth over the years has been remarkable and, as we moved from third world to first, the living standards of almost all our people improved dramatically. However, now that we are a developed country and our GDP per capita is among the highest in the world, continuing to be a growing high-income country is more difficult. We need to find better, higher-paying jobs for our citizens. At the same time, with higher incomes all round, the cost of living is generally higher as higher incomes for citizens translates into higher costs for wages for businesses and higher rentals as people pay more and compete for the real estate. Additionally, global inflationary pressures and higher interest rates also add to pressures in the cost of living for Singaporeans. Against this backdrop, I think the measures in the President’s Address to ensure that Singaporeans continue to have opportunities to train and get employment throughout their working lives is vital. I would also suggest that this be coupled with income support while people undergo training. This should be enough to tide them over temporary rough patches. Going to an earlier stage, I think it is important for our schools to remain the great leveller for education. In the past, children would attend school and learn things like the alphabet from there. I recall entering Primary 1 without any knowledge of how to read or write Tamil, but it was still possible to learn from scratch. Now, with most children having preschool education, the entry benchmark has risen and basic literacy and numeracy is required for children attending Primary 1, failing which, more may fall behind. This means those who miss preschool, who are predominantly from lower-income families, will start off on the back foot. It is therefore even more important to ensure that preschool is attended by all children and either make this compulsory or have strong measures in place to encourage universal attendance.[+5 sentences] The next matter, which I think has been alluded to by some of the earlier speakers, is the proliferation of tuition, even after children attend school. Parents across all income groups try their best to supplement what their children learn in school with tuition. In HDB heartland malls, an increasingly larger footprint is being used for such services. While such services are helpful for children, there is a concern by parents who cannot afford such services that their children may lose out. I have some parents who come to MPS to seek assistance when they are going through a rough patch and they often indicate their children’s tuition expenses are part of their normal monthly expenditures. Of course, MSF rarely gives financial assistance to cope with such expenses. There are other self-help groups that come in to provide support for this but it will be good if we can develop a system that places less emphasis on tuition.[+3 sentences] Education in our schools is highly affordable and of a very high quality. It is important that parents believe such education is adequate for their children and that children who are unable to attend or afford tuition and enrichment classes do not get left behind. This is an important part of keeping our playing field open for children of all backgrounds to thrive. (In Tamil): The reopening of Parliament this time coincides with the Tamil Language Festival.[+15 sentences] This year there are 42 events being organised by a range of different organisations. This event receives strong but quiet support from the Government, which through the Tamil Language Council, provides grants for the organisation of events at this festival. I am grateful to the Government for its strong support for the Tamil language in Singapore. The Tamil speaking community makes up around 5% of our population and it is one of Singapore’s official languages. The Government supports the language in many ways. The Tamil Language Council supports the Tamil Language Festival. Another committee, the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee, otherwise known as TLLPC – which I have chaired for several years – offers support for the learning of Tamil outside of classrooms. The TLLPC team organises events and supports activities throughout the year to make the use and learning of Tamil language fun. Grants are also given for the production of local Tamil content by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) under its Public Service Broadcast Programme and this allows for the creation of good quality local content, which is monitored by the Indian Programme Advisory Committee. This support is commendable and has helped the Tamil language remain a vibrant language in Singapore. Tamil is now also widely offered across more schools. When I was in preschool in the 1980s, it would have been very difficult to find preschools offering Tamil as a second language. When my father was in primary school in the 1950s, he started studying Tamil in Primary 1, but had to drop it in Primary 3 when his teacher passed away and no replacement could be found. He then had to switch to the Malay language. We have come a long way from those days, with Tamil now available across many preschools and government schools. One issue that has arisen now though is the shortage of Tamil teachers in schools.[+2 sentences] As the number of Tamil students are small, there are fewer Tamil teachers than for other Mother Tongue languages. However, even though the number of children is small, the Tamil children in schools still have a variety of different needs, including children across different age groups and with different subject-based banding. Yet, because of the shortage of teachers, I understand some schools have been forced to combine Tamil classes with children in different subject-based bands coming together for the same class.[+5 sentences] This makes common teaching difficult. It will be helpful to know if the Ministry of Education (MOE) has any plans to deal with this issue. This may include plans on how we may develop a larger pipeline of Tamil teachers for our Government schools and preschools. The learning of Tamil in Singapore has come a long way, with quiet support from the Government going a long way. I am grateful for this support and hope it will continue.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied)2151 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, in her address to Parliament, the President called for a “broader and more open meritocracy that works well for all Singaporeans”. A lynchpin of our system of meritocracy is our education system, which is the subject of my speech today. Singapore’s education system has gone through several changes over the years, from the introduction of streaming in 1981, to the introduction of Subject-based Banding (SBB) in 2014, to the roll out of Full SBB starting in 2020.[+30 sentences] Yet, even with these changes, one major feature of our education system remains central – examinations. As a parent of two children who have gone through PSLE and are now in secondary school, I am rather familiar with both the joy and – more often – the frustration that parents go through when helping their children through major national examinations. Tutoring my own children has also provided me insights into the academic curriculum and its continued focus on examinations. I remember spending an inordinate amount of time working with my children through assessment books and past examination papers. I would often have to peek at the answer sheets behind, so I could teach them how to answer science questions with just the right number of points while putting up with taunts from my own offspring, which went along the lines of, “See, you also don’t know!” I would also have to repeatedly drill my children on mathematics problem sums. To get a good pass in Singapore’s examinations, students need to not only answer questions correctly, but also quickly, or risk the “horror” of having many unanswered questions at the end of the paper, due to examination time limits. Many mid-year examinations have been done away with, but these have been replaced with weighted assessments which occur throughout the school year. The major national examinations like the PSLE, "N", "O" and "A" levels always loom just around the corner. Perform poorly in any of these examinations and the students will find their future educational options narrowed down or delayed – a prospect that many students and parents fear, no matter what the Government says about the many pathways to success. There are positive effects of examinations. They can incentivise teachers to cover their subjects more thoroughly, a skill which our local educators excel in. Examinations motivate students to work harder to gain a sense of accomplishment. However, there are also negative effects of examinations. They can motivate students to aim for test mastery instead of subject mastery. Tests encourage teachers to narrow the curriculum and lose instructional time, which could lead to “teaching to the test”. Examinations, typically, assess only certain aspects of a learner's knowledge, potentially overlooking other aspects of their education. Examination outcomes may not be definitive since they are solely based on a student's performance on the examination day. If a student is unwell or performs poorly under stress, it could adversely affect their examination results and their scores may not be an accurate reflection of their grasp of the subject matter. If the student fails to achieve their desired examination results, they will have to settle for courses of study in secondary schools or tertiary institutions that they may not be so inclined towards. National examinations induce tremendous amounts of stress on students, as they determine their future educational pathways and, consequently, their future careers and earning potential. While it can be argued that it is good for young people to learn to cope with stress, when stress becomes toxic, it can have negative effects on learning and knowledge retention and, in extreme situations, could become chronic. By channelling their energies into preparing for examinations, students may forgo opportunities to experience the joy of learning and achieving mastery in what really is important for life. The streaming approach puts students through a standardised test like the PSLE, sorted them into good, average and weak students, and put them on different education streams in secondary schools with different subject combinations based on their test scores. The new Subject-based Banding approach also sorts students into good, average and weak students for each subject, and channels them into subject combinations based on their assessed ability in each subject. While subject-based banding is less rigid than streaming, it is still based on the same principle. A student has to meet a specific test score in order to study the subjects they are interested in. The ostensible reason for implementing this sorting mechanism is to provide some assurance that the student can cope with the rigours of that subject or subject level before being allowed to take it. This is probably why through-train programmes are currently available mainly to an elite few students who qualify for the Integrated Programme by virtue of their stellar performance in the PSLE. There is little risk that these students will become early dropouts of school. In contrast, the Workers’ Party has proposed a 10-year through-train programme from Primary 1 to Secondary 4 as an option for parents who want their child to bypass the PSLE. Our proposed through-train programme gives students 10 years to prepare for their first major examination at Secondary 4, allowing them to learn at a pace suited for them while developing other areas of interest.[+11 sentences] The 10-year through-train programme will pair up existing primary and secondary schools and complement, not replace, the non-through-train tracks in these schools. My hon friend, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, elaborated on this proposal in detail during the COS debate earlier this year. We need to make our education system less of a sorting mechanism for identifying students’ abilities and more of a launchpad for students to discover their strengths and interests and develop deep skills in their areas of interest. Students should not be channelled away from their interests just because they did not obtain a certain cut-off point in their examinations. There might be concerns that some so-called “kiasu parents” will push their children to take subjects that are far beyond their abilities. However, I believe that most Singaporean students and their parents are keenly aware of their own limitations and will not bite off more than they can chew. After all, if a student takes a subject at too challenging a level, they will have difficulty scoring the much coveted "A1"s in national examinations. I would now like to move on to another aspect of education which needs more focus in Singapore – financial literacy. Singapore is a major financial hub, with numerous global, regional and local institutional investors and high-net-worth family offices based here. Billions of investment funds are raised and managed in Singapore. Yet, Singaporeans generally lack the financial know-how and confidence to manage their own personal finances and plan for their future. In a private sector survey in 2022, more than half of Singaporeans considered themselves “financially illiterate”. The same survey showed that financial literacy is the lowest among the age group of 18 to 24, at only 35%. In the MoneySENSE National Financial Capability Survey 2021, four in 10 respondents said they lacked knowledge of basic financial concepts, such as risk diversification and simple and compound interest, and more than half had not developed a retirement plan.[+23 sentences] MoneySENSE is Singapore’s national financial education programme. In the two decades since it was started, it has launched various programmes and provided resources to help Singaporeans better manage their finances. However, the programmes seem to be mostly ad hoc and campaign-driven. Various surveys have been conducted on financial literacy among Singaporeans since its launch, but it is not clear how much the financial literacy of Singaporeans has improved over the last two decades, as these surveys do not seem to have followed the same scope or framework. Based on the results of the recent surveys, it appears that a lot more needs to be done to enhance Singaporeans’ financial capacity and literacy. And instead of doing more, it appears that some co-funding of financial literacy workshops for schools under MoneySENSE has been discontinued. For a developed country, with such high educational, wealth and income levels, and an established status as a leading international financial hub, the survey results show worrying statistics about the financial literacy rate in Singapore. To improve our financial resilience as a nation, there is a need to plug the current financial literacy gap among Singaporeans and empower Singaporeans with the knowledge and confidence to take greater ownership of their financial well-being. I would like to share three suggestions to systematically uplift the financial literacy of Singaporeans and empower them with the knowledge and confidence to manage their own financial health. First of all, I would like to suggest that the Government develop a National Financial Literacy Framework to provide a systematic basis for benchmarking improvements in financial literacy levels over time. In the Financial Literacy Survey conducted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 2005, a scoring system was mooted, covering both knowledge and action. However, it appears that the scoring system was discontinued in subsequent surveys. Aggregate financial literacy statistics of Singaporeans should be established, measured and tracked as part of ascertaining Singapore’s financial resilience. Second, I would like to suggest that the Government establish a National Financial Education Programme under MOE to provide proactive and comprehensive financial education for Singaporeans across all ages. I note that the Minister for Education had mentioned previously that financial literacy is infused into subjects such as Character and Citizenship Education (CCE), and that the Student Learning Space provides self-paced lessons for students to learn financial literacy. However, I believe financial literacy is such a critical subject matter that we should not adopt a “by-the-way” approach. Instead, we should equip Singaporeans across all ages with deeper financial knowledge and confidence. This should include not just MoneySENSE’s Tier 1 knowledge of basic money management but should also aim to significantly improve Singaporeans’ financial capacity in Tier 2, which is financial planning, and Tier 3, investment knowhow. Financial literacy should be included as a standalone subject taught in schools, as good financial habits need to be started from young. It does not need to be an examinable subject. Financial literacy clubs can be included as a co-curricular activity across all schools. These clubs can also be set up at all community and SAFRA clubs, with structured activities. Third, the concentration of household wealth in residential property assets needs to be addressed to give Singaporeans the financial freedom to explore other asset classes for their retirement planning in order to achieve better diversification and improve returns on their assets. According to the Department of Statistics, almost half of Singapore’s household wealth is in residential property assets.[+2 sentences] A DBS report has indicated that property will no longer be the best retirement investment in Singapore in the future. Having half of Singaporeans’ wealth in a single, relatively illiquid asset is a financial risk. Contrary to the common perception, other asset classes have also generated returns comparable to Singapore's residential real estate, even in the Singapore property boom period, especially after factoring in costs related to holding and transacting properties. [restates an earlier point]As I had mentioned in my speech on the Motions on public housing in February, we need to moderate the growth in housing prices and ensure they do not outpace Singapore’s economic growth. It is unlikely that Singapore’s economic growth will be anywhere close to what was achieved in the past few decades. Therefore, it is also unlikely that, moving forward, Singaporeans’ residential property assets can deliver a level of returns similar to what was previously achieved, without causing undue inflationary pressures. Equipping Singaporeans with better financial literacy will help them to become willing to have a more diversified asset portfolio and make more sound decisions while doing so, taking into consideration their risk profile and circumstances.[+9 sentences] This could, in turn, better secure Singaporeans’ retirement adequacy. Mr Speaker, in summary, our education system should provide more opportunities for our students to pursue their interests as long as they have demonstrated their commitment and ability to complete the whole course of study. We need to move away from the over-emphasis on preparing for high stakes examinations, and place greater focus on enjoying learning and achieving subject and skills mastery. Equipping Singaporeans with greater financial knowledge and confidence will enable them to take charge of their financial well-being and make better-informed decisions on their personal finances. Strengthening Singaporeans’ financial resilience will also serve to enhance our overall resilience as a nation. Finally, Sir, I would like to respond to what the hon Member, Mr Murali Pillai, said in his speech earlier on. Sir, unanimous agreement on both sides of the House is not a prerequisite for national unity. Rational and responsible debate in Parliament that focuses on policies, not personalities, is the way to express our diverse views and improve our policies, with the objective of improving the lives of Singaporeans while remaining united as one people. Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Raj Joshua Thomas.
Mr Raj Joshua Thomas (Nominated Member)1837 words
[+7 sentences]Sir, meritocracy is part of the Singapore ethos and is one of the key contributors to our success. It may be defined as a system, organisation or society in which people are chosen for or occupy positions of success, wealth, power and influence on the basis of demonstrated ability and hard work. In other words, it is a system in which there is a promise of reward in recognition of talent and industry. This promise of reward has encouraged many Singaporeans to set ambitious targets for themselves to achieve as best they can in business as well as in the Public Service. This has driven our economy and has also attracted global talent to Singapore who have contributed tremendously to us becoming an international business hub. Meritocracy continues to be relevant, and we should maintain it as Singapore's key societal organising principle. However, our form of meritocracy has also led to unintended consequences. First, professions of the mind have been over-prioritised over professions of the hands and has led to significant differences in renumeration.[+8 sentences] Second, intergenerational transfers of wealth threaten to create a permanent over-class which gives rise to inequity in access to opportunities. I thank the President for having raised these concerns in her speech. I would like to make some suggestions as to how we could tackle these challenges. First, we should look at recognising the value of the work done by workers who work with their hands or who are in the practical professions. The President specifically raised this. I submit that we should leverage heavily on the existing and any upcoming Progressive Wage Model (PWM) sectors to achieve this. How can this be done? Primarily, the PWM is a wage ladder. In this regard, I would like to encourage the Government, unions and industry to consider accelerating the wage increases of our PWM workers.[+29 sentences] Raising wages will help to effect the shift in our definition of merit by showing that the work done by these workers, even if not generally considered work of the mind, is also important and will of the reward. For example, cleaners ensure the cleanliness of Singapore which is a distinctively Singaporean characteristic that contributes to our comfort and health and the aesthetics of our country. It is important work and it is often backbreaking work. It is physically intensive. There is no reason why such work should be considered lesser than other work and less deserving of high reward. We should also accelerate job redesign by incentivising employers. One way would be to modify the wage rungs in the existing PWMs such that each has a basic and an enhanced sub-realm. In order to qualify for the enhanced sub-realm, workers must be trained in specific skills, for example, the use of technology. In return, they will be entitled to a higher wage floor within that PWM realm. Employers who hire more of these workers and pay at the higher rates could receive a progressive wage and hence, rung incentive. This will encourage more employers to transform their businesses to upskill their workers and to offer more sophisticated services to their clients. There is already a Progressive Wage Credit Scheme but this payout is across the board for all wage increases. Could we consider tweaking it so that it does not support all wage increases in the PWM sectors equally, but provides more support for the right types of wage increases? This will help to improve our workers not only in terms of what they earn but also redesign their jobs from being largely manual to being higher skilled, uplifting how their jobs are perceived, as well as how they themselves feel about their professions. Next, we can foster changes in mindset towards the practical professions by choosing our nomenclature carefully. Instead of referring to these sectors as low-wage sectors, perhaps, we could consider referring to them as maybe emerging wage sectors or emerging wage workers. The whole purpose of the PWM is to get these workers out of being low-wage earners. But, if on the journey there, we keep referring to them as low-wage workers, we may unwittingly create a stigma that will stick even after we have lifted them from being low wage. Second, I would like to propose that we also create opportunities in our education system for students to be exposed to the practical professions so that they can see and experience the work done by these sectors and learn to appreciate that all work is good work. Perhaps, one day, we will see our students seeking internships or apprenticeships as technicians, arborists or waiters, and not just in law firms and banks. Finally, Sir, as raised by the President, there is a need to address intergenerational wealth accumulation and the formation of a permanent overclass. I would like to suggest that the Government consider introducing a limited inheritance tax by way of a stamp duty tax on inherited real property. Inheritance tax is a form of wealth tax and can be gradated so that it is progressive in nature; that is, the wealthier will be taxed more and would pay more. The raison d'etre for this is that the rich presumably benefit more from state resources and also because progressive taxes act as a means to redistribute resources in society. In principle, I do not think that many would dispute the principles behind wealth taxes. However, we must be careful when designing and implementing any form of wealth tax so that we do not undo the features that underpin Singapore's success and prosperity in the first place. We must avoid becoming unattractive as a destination for foreign investment or to disincentivise our people from working hard and aspiring to grow their wealth. In other words, wealth taxes should not diminish the value of merit and should not affect our overall attractiveness as a business hub. Currently, inherited residential property is not taxed and does not even attract stamp duty. The Government can consider introducing a tax based on the percentage of the value of the property and the percentage of tax should be higher the more expensive the property inherited is. The minimum could begin from, say, a property value of S$5 million and gradated upwards from there. Inheritance tax in OECD countries can go as high as 40%. But I would suggest more modest rates, perhaps in line with the additional buyers' stamp duties, that can go up to 25% for Singapore Citizens and 35% for foreigners. The tax regime should be able to take into consideration the personal circumstances of beneficiaries and provide appropriate exemptions. There should, for example, be exemptions for beneficiaries with special needs and HDB flats should also be exempted from inheritance taxes – and hopefully, they will not reach that limit of S$5 million anyway![+19 sentences] There should also be provision for beneficiaries to be able to pay the tax by instalments over a period of time. Some would argue that some beneficiaries may not be able to afford the tax despite having inherited a multimillion-dollar property. My view is that they should sell the property to make payment of their dues to the Government. There are also mechanisms that an individual may take up, for example, life insurance that can cover any taxes that beneficiaries may have to pay after that individual has passed. Why do I suggest an inheritance tax on property? Inheritance taxes are different from estate duties. Estate duties tax the estate of a deceased person and, in my view, this could be seen as a form of double taxation because the deceased had already paid taxes while alive. In this regard, inheritance is anyway not treated as a gift under the law. It should be treated as a form of income received by the beneficiary and like all income, it should be taxed. The basic principle, Sir, of meritocracy is that one should be rewarded for his capabilities and hard work. Inheritance provides rewards that are not pursuant to capability or hard work. They are unmeritorious rewards that one is entitled to only by virtue of birth and/or bequeathment. It does not stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship or industry. In fact, it entrenches entitlement and it promotes indolence. Although it may be the impulse of parents to wish to provide for their children and to leave a legacy, inheritance, in my view, is a very antithesis of meritocracy. As a Scottish American industrialist, Andrew Carnegie said, "The parent who leaves his son enormous wealth generally deadens the talents and energies of the son and tempts him to lead a less worthy life than he otherwise would have." A large proportion of the wealthy at this point store their wealth in property. And, as a form of investment, it is generally less helpful to society at large than other things of wealth, like capital or shares, which contribute to economic output as well as to employment. Further to this, as for any text, we should also consider whether it would result in onerous administration and whether it is sustainable. Taxes on inherited real property are relatively easy to administer as valuation is straightforward and, in Singapore, transfer processes are transparent.[+1 sentence] It is therefore the lowest hanging fruit to promote equity and fairness and fair access to opportunities across generations based on merit. Introducing such a tax may have a collateral benefit of lowering property prices by easing house price inflation and properties being put up for sale that may not have otherwise come up on the market.[+9 sentences] This having been said, there are many serious considerations in whether it is appropriate to implement wealth and inheritance taxes. It is not something that we should rush into because it may itself have unintended consequences. But as the President said, as we prosper as a society, those who have already done well will seek to pass their advantages to their children, and this could lead to advantages and privileges becoming entrenched and persisting over generations. Inheritance taxes are one measure we could consider implementing to battle this. I do not think that we should seek to build a classless society or that children should not be allowed to benefit from their parents' hard work. What we should aim to build is an inclusive society where capabilities and hard work in every sector are recognised and rewarded, and where, even when one attains success, he does not feel that he has become superior or be given the right to look down on others but feels responsibility to help others to advance as well. We must also take steps to prevent an entrenched overclass from forming by rich families building wealth over generations and scions benefiting from nothing but the hard work of their forebears. All must feel the need to work hard in Singapore in order to earn our rewards. We must act on this; for if we do not, we risk descending from a meritocracy to an aristocracy and that, Sir, is what we must avoid at all costs.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]Minister of State Desmond Tan.
The Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office (Mr Desmond Tan)2342 words
[+24 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, the Labour Movement supports the broad directions of the Government set out in the President's Address. Underpinning these is the strong foundation of trust that was demonstrated and strengthened through our shared experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), our vision is for "a better and more meaningful life where workers of all collars, ages and nationalities can work, live and play together in Singapore." And we achieve this through Singapore's unique brand of tripartism in which the Labour Movement stands shoulder to shoulder with our partners towards the shared objective of growing the economy, to secure better wages, welfare and work prospects for all workers. In the pandemic, our local businesses and workers were heavily impacted. NTUC worked closely with the Government to coordinate assistance programmes to protect lives and livelihoods. Our support ranged from unions' ground efforts with companies to "cut costs to save jobs", to the provision of cash relief to union members and helping tens of thousands of workers with skills retraining and job placements. All these policies and programmes are not possible without the trust and value that tripartism had achieved over the years. As Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong had said in his speech at the May Day Rally 2018, "Tripartism has seen us through every crisis since Independence... Through our first major recessions, the oil crisis in 1970s, the major recession in 1985… It showed us through the Asian Financial Crisis, SARS and the Global Financial Crisis. Each time, the challenges seemed daunting, sometimes even overwhelming. But without the Labour Movement partnering companies, without the NTUC partnering the PAP in a symbiotic relationship, without the Government, unions and businesses sharing responsibility for Singapore's future, we would not have made it here." Tripartite trust built up over decades withstood many trials and tribulations in our young history and was strengthened after each and every crisis. COVID-19 was no exception and we must continue to strengthen this trust that is the basis of tripartism going to the future. Moving forward, the Labour Movement will persist in our efforts to protect the rights and to advance the interests and aspirations of all workers. The future of work will have new sets of challenges and difficulties: ever-evolving geopolitics, technological advancements and disruptions and sociocultural shifts. NTUC will continue to renew and strengthen our compact with our workers. To do so, NTUC launched the #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations (#EWMC) last year to refresh our compact with our workers and to give greater assurance that we will journey with them, alongside them and to champion their cause. Through the #EWMC, we have heard the voices of various groups of workers across all ages, sectors and backgrounds, and we will adjust our strategies to meet their needs and their aspirations. I will now share three main areas that NTUC will focus on going forward: (a) expand career opportunities; (b) enhance assurance and protection; and (c) ensure career resilience. Let me start with the first area – expand career opportunities – with a quote from the President last week, “Every Singaporean must have the opportunity to take on work they find meaningful and fulfilling, build on their talents, give of their best and be rewarded fairly for it.” At NTUC, we want to provide each and every worker with an equal chance to choose a career that they want and to advance as far as they wish in a way to allow them to grow and to develop. Let me highlight two worker segments and what are our plans for them. First is the skilled tradesmen. In early February 2023, the NTUC Secretary-General mooted the Career Progression Model (CPM) as part of our efforts to uplift workers in skilled essential trades, to develop their skills, help them attain mastery and build long-term potential careers.[+1 sentence] The CPM was a continuation of what the NTUC Secretary-General said previously in 2020, and again in 2021, about professionalising the solar technologists and plumbers respectively through a Career Development Plan. COVID-19 border restrictions revealed an urgent need to step up our efforts to uplift this sector. There are currently more than 50,000 local workers in skilled trades, ranging from electrical and electronic tradesmen, building and related trades workers, among others.[+1 sentence] However, there is also a growing concern of a “skilled trades gap” as the older generation retires, coupled with the lack of qualified candidates to step up to fill the gaps. According to the Singapore Labour Force Survey 2022, more than half of the craftsmen and related trades workers are currently above 50 years old.[+1 sentence] NTUC wants to ensure a sustainable supply of locals into these trades to meet our national needs. To start off, NTUC will prioritise three essential trades that have a direct impact on our daily lives – plumbers, electricians and air-conditioner technicians.[+14 sentences] Supporting these workers is also part of our social compact to be a more inclusive society, where we do not just recognise cognitive skills but also technical and hands-on skills. Another key group that we set out to engage is youths. Youths today are faced with a more competitive education and employment landscape. At the height of COVID-19 when there were limited jobs, the SGUnited Traineeships Programme has been a tremendous help. But NTUC thinks that our younger workers, embarking on the first steps in their careers, will need more support. We want our future workforce to be able to dream big, aspire high and achieve their fullest potential in whatever they wish to do in a wide range of career opportunities. Mr Raj Joshua Thomas will be happy to hear that we will be partnering many Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) to allow a lot more opportunities for our young undergraduates in this area of work. NTUC’s networks with industry and with workers of different cohorts make us well placed to link them up with internship opportunities and career mentors across different sectors. We will share more on our plans over the next few months. The second area of focus is to enhance career assurance and protection. We want to support our workers with their immediate concerns in tackling higher cost of living and also in addressing mid- to longer-term issues of job security, unemployment support, retirement adequacy and also caregiver support. For our lower-wage workers, the Labour Movement has been actively pushing for more workers to be covered under the PWM. We have made much progress in uplifting lower-wage workers and will continue to press on to cover all sectors and to implement PWM in good time. Our mid-career workers, especially those above 40 years of age, are another segment of workers who are very vulnerable to industry disruptions and restructuring. They are also in a particularly precarious position should they lose their jobs, as they generally have more dependents and more financial responsibilities. We will continue to advocate income support for those who lose their jobs, tied to certain active job seeking and reskilling.[+12 sentences] My fellow Labour Member of Parliament Mr Patrick Tay has been championing for unemployment support and protection in Parliament since as early as 2014 and on several other occasions in the House, and I am sure he will continue to push for it through the PME Taskforce proposal that was finalised in 2021. NTUC also recognises that more protections should be accorded to our freelance and self-employed workers, including our platform workers. The recent announcement on work injuries compensation, improving housing and retirement adequacy, and enhancing representation is a welcomed move. We will continue to work closely with the tripartite partners to see through the implementation and to further strengthen their representation. Our senior workers should also be tapped upon and valued for their experience and their industry knowledge. Our workers must also be assured that they are able to achieve basic retirement adequacy. Finally, workers with caregiving responsibilities often find it challenging to balance their career aspirations, finances and caring for their loved ones. We want to look into how we can better support them to reduce the mental and emotional load on caregivers. The third area of focus for NTUC is to ensure career resilience. As the global job market evolves, our workers will experience change and disruption over their lifetime in their career. And this increases the importance of career resilience and upskilling. To plan for a longer horizon, NTUC will support our workers to handle career changes by developing new and deepening existing skills to stay relevant and competitive. During the Budget debate, I have called for training allowances to be given to mid-career workers to give them greater peace of mind in undergoing longer and also undergoing the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme.[+5 sentences] I have also called for increased financial support and protected training time to enable workers to acquire deeper skillsets throughout their careers, or equip themselves to pivot to new areas. Going forward, this is an area that will need support from all tripartite partners to ensure our workers’ skillsets remain relevant and our businesses have adequate workers to sustain our future economy. Finally, I will continue to call on all employers to work with NTUC to form the Company Training Committees (CTCs). With the acceleration of digital and green economy, it is imperative for companies to plan ahead, to capitalise key trends and transform their businesses. Through CTCs, NTUC will support companies to do all that, plus redesign jobs, upskill and reskill workers and collectively achieve greater business and workers’ outcomes. CTCs are a win-win initiative for employers and workers, supported firmly by the Government through the CTC grant.[+13 sentences] Mr Speaker, Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, in order to better understand the aspirations of our workers and better serve them, NTUC has rolled out the #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations that lasted for one year, starting from August last year. Through more active communication with our workers, we want to work together with them to create a better future. NTUC will focus on three key areas in our future work: first, help workers to capture economic opportunities in the future; second, protect our workers' interest; and third, increase the career resilience of our workers. First, NTUC will help workers capture opportunities in the future. We hope that through the Career Progression Model, we can encourage more Singaporeans to enter craftsman and related trades such as plumbing, electrical works and air-conditioning maintenance and master a skill. This will also ensure the continuous development of these industries. We also need to ensure that our youth and young workers, no matter what economic situation our country is in, will be able to find suitable jobs, use their skills and contribute to our economy. Second, NTUC will continue to protect our workers’ interests. In the short term, NTUC will help our workers address higher cost of living; in the medium to longterm, NTUC will help address urgent issues including providing better jobs, unemployment insurance, retirement adequacy and care support. As the global economy and technology continues to advance, workers between the ages of 40 and 50 will continue to face higher risk of being unemployed or replaced. The Government, during the pandemic, has rolled out many programmes to help our workers retain their jobs. In the future, NTUC will work together with the Government to expand our programme to help more Singaporeans. In addition, with the number of platform workers rising and the development of the gig economy, NTUC will work together with our tripartite partners, through the Advisory Committee on Platform Workers, to enhance the retirement adequacy, housing security and work injury insurance for our platform workers.[+3 sentences] These will better represent the interests of our freelancers and self-employed workers. Third, improving our workers' career resilience. We must encourage our workers to continue to upskill and strengthen their competitiveness and adaptability in the new environment. During the Budget debate, I have asked for more training allowances and training time so that workers can receive long-term and deeper training with peace of mind. In addition, since 2019, NTUC has encouraged enterprises to set up their Company Training Committee (CTC) to help the company to transform and upgrade and allow their employees to participate in training to upskill and transform.[+6 sentences] We hope that with more enterprises joining this programme, more workers would be able to master future-ready skills and companies can enjoy stronger competitiveness too. In conclusion, our goals are very simple. We want to help our workers to find a job that they are proud of, protect their livelihood and create a brighter future with quality jobs and lives. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, in Singapore, generations of Government and NTUC leaders have worked hard to uphold personal integrity and trust in every aspect. And the dividends can clearly be seen in the way we have navigated through the pandemic. However, we must be vigilant to always nurture this trust because we are not immune to what is happening around us and around the world. As the Labour Movement, we will continue to advocate workers’ interests through improving wages, welfare and work prospects.[+3 sentences] As shared by Mr Lee Kuan Yew at a mass rally in Geylang Serai in 1959 and, thereafter, repeated at the NTUC’s 50th Anniversary Dinner in 2011, and I quote, “In Government, I have never forgotten that it is in the interests of workers and their unions that we must strive for growth and development. In other words, growth is meaningless unless it is shared by the workers, shared not only directly in wage increases but indirectly in better homes, better schools, better hospitals, better playing fields and, generally, a healthier environment for families to bring up their children.” The President Address last week sets out the Government’s plans to achieve just that. In the Labour Movement, our commitment is to always put workers first, ensure that workers will have better job opportunities, assurances and protection and the resilience to adapt, upskill and retrain themselves to remain relevant for the future.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker45 words
[+5 sentences]Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 3.50 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 3.32 pm until 3.50 pm. Sitting resumed at 3.50 pm.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang)1813 words
[+26 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, in my maiden speech three years ago in a similar Address of Thanks, I talked about the building blocks of our nation and society. I likened it to the Lego bricks that my son loves to play with. First, at the core of its structure, each brick must be strong. This is the family unit and each of us, fellow Singaporeans. Second, the interlocking connection between each brick must be strong. This is our social cohesion that makes building something bigger than ourselves not just possible but also durable in the long run. Third, the different shapes and sizes of each Lego brick not only complement one another but also when combined makes them unique and vibrant. This is our multiracial and multi-religious society that makes Singapore rich not only in culture but also diverse in views and expertise. This is why I resonate with the Address of the President, which reiterates the Government's commitment to strengthen our basic building blocks – our families and fellow Singaporeans – by holding on to our core values of fairness, inclusivity, mutual support and giving back to society. These values were embodied in the many success stories of our everyday Singaporeans working together with the Government, the community and the businesses to help all of us get through the pandemic together. For me, President Halimah's speech not only presented the Government's priorities and plans in the coming period, but it also acknowledged how we managed to overcome the pandemic and its challenges together as one society. The President's speech also reminded us that we face an important challenge to ensure that there remains continued trust between the political leadership and our people and between all of us fellow Singaporeans. This is not to say that we have to be monolithic or homogenous in our views and approach. We need courageous Singaporeans who are brave enough to experiment things differently, who dare to speak up and are willing to stand up for the issues that matter to all Singaporeans. Inevitably, this part of the nation-building process means that there will necessarily be divergent views – each with its own benefits and trade-offs. The rigour of debates and contestation of ideas on issues that are important to Singaporeans can help all of us formulate new ways forward for Singapore. Iron sharpens iron. However, at the same time, such discussions must be done respectfully and responsibly, based on facts and on honest terms. Whether these discussions are in the halls of this House or in the comfort of our homes, we can hold different opinions but we must believe in the same vision for the betterment of Singapore. This must be our pillar of strength – our unity in diversity regardless of race, religion or political inclinations. Through the Forward Singapore conversations, the Government's call to involve various stakeholders – employers, workers, community partners, civil society and, indeed, all Singaporeans – in our nation-building means that we would be able to tap on our nation's greatest resource; not our Reserves but each other's strengths and expertise. We must unlock our collective spirit to help one another. This is the principle of social solidarity where the people, through its government, bear equally the responsibility and burden for helping fellow citizens. The task of helping the underprivileged or vulnerable in our society does not fall on the shoulders of the Government or civil society alone but on all of us. But how do we maintain such social cohesion and solidarity? Just like the Lego bricks, we need to strengthen the interlocking connections that bind us and guard against threats and external forces that seek to divide us and undermining our painstakingly built level of trust in the institutions of our nation and society. During the first half of this Parliament term, this House has debated and passed various pieces of legislation to further put us in better stead to withstand against such potential external forces through amendments to the Online Safety Act, enactment of the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act and the formation of the Digital and Intelligence Service of the SAF.[+6 sentences] Externally, we must continue to remain vigilant and ensure our laws keep up to date with global trends, threats and developments. Internally, we must remain steadfast and committed to our Singaporean values of living in an open but multiracial and multi-religious society. The pandemic has laid bare the vulnerabilities of societies all over the world. Global studies have found that there is a correlation between the pandemic and explicit xenophobic and racial prejudices. Anti-discrimination or legislative guards against hate speech go some way but we also need a softer approach for a more enduring harmony. I look forward to the Government's plans to ensure that our laws remain relevant in maintaining our social and racial harmony. In particular, I am looking forward to the full implementation of the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act, first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during the 2021 National Day Rally speech.[+1 sentence] This will complement the existing Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act passed since 1990. The new law is meant to consolidate all current legal powers dispersed across the Penal Code and Sedition Act to ensure the maintenance of racial harmony in Singapore. It will not only provide the powers to restrain someone from committing an offence regarding racism but also compel them to learn more about the other race.[+8 sentences] This understanding and appreciation of one another's values and cultures is the key towards breaking the cycle of ignorance and racism. I hope that the law will also offer protection to whistle-blowers who report such instances of racial prejudices and unfair employment practices. Besides protection and safeguards on our social cohesion, we also need ways to promote social solidarity. I agree with the President that as we strive for success and progress for our nation, we must not allow our society to stratify into those who have and those who are left behind. We need to build a sense of collective responsibility among us. We must appreciate the interdependence between people in our society. We must make Singaporeans feel that they can improve the lives of others and, in the same process, uplift their own lives in a meaningful way. This begins with our young. As such, I welcome the changes to our education system to promote greater social mixing and competency-based subject learning and the infusion of value-based interactions and engagements in our children's educational journey.[+4 sentences] In adulthood and working life, we see more businesses – both employers and employees – dedicate more pro bono hours towards corporate social responsibility activities on various causes that are beneficial to Singaporeans. We must continue to promote and incentivise this "paying it forward" as part of our working culture here in Singapore and truly understand that there is no contradiction between doing what is best for the company and doing what is good for the community and nation. The President also emphasised that in paying it forward, we must help one another to stand tall with dignity and pride. This means that it is not patronising from the perspective of the person receiving. In this regard, I am glad that we have provided various uplifting measures that allow those who need a helping hand to get the boost they need to upgrade and upskill themselves in the path towards social mobility.[+1 sentence] This is a work in progress and we must continue to refine the approach and solutions in a targeted yet dignified and respectful manner without converting the social mobility ladder into a crutch of help that will be both belittling and debilitating. The last term of our Parliament session has also seen the Government afford more help through housing, healthcare and social welfare policies, passing legislation to form the Public Defender's Office to allow greater access to criminal justice and changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act, which affords greater vigilance against the scourge of drug abuse, especially on the vulnerable segments of our society.[+13 sentences] We must continue to keep a close eye on areas that will affect the social harmony and justice for the vulnerable groups in our society. Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): In my view, President Halimah's speech not only lays out the Government's priorities and future plans, but it also acknowledges how we managed to overcome the pandemic together as one people. At the same time, however, the President's speech recognised that the key challenge is to ensure that there was continued trust between the political leadership and our people and between Singaporeans. Our pillars of strength are peace and unity in diversity regardless of race, religion or political views. I agree that the approach and discussion of issues that concern our people and community should be discussed respectfully, responsibly, factually and judiciously. I agree that generally, for issues that are important to our country, many of us place national interests above individual rights. However, this is not always guaranteed and the critical challenge for all of us is to prioritise social cohesion and our country’s progress in an ever-changing post-pandemic world. Let us respond to the call for unity to ensure that while we achieve progress for our people and country, we do not overlook those who are in greater need so that they are not engulfed in the tide of modernity and change. We should not leave them behind because if everyone does not experience happiness and progress, our social fabric will be incomplete and imperfect – as the Malay proverb goes, it will be like an unfinished dress because the thread ran out and the needle broke. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, as our society grows through decades of nation-building, we have built a sense of identity and belonging as Singaporeans. However, who qualifies as a member of our society should not be narrowly defined and we should not be quick to succumb to the othering phenomenon and the pitting of "us" versus "them" – whatever "us" and "them" mean. The fault lines in our society can be easily exploited, knowingly or unknowingly, through the differences in how we look, where we come from, whether or not we can speak a certain language, whether we belong to the same social standing or whether we agree or disagree on a particular policy. We cannot allow these to seep into the language of our politics and divide us. I concur with the President's call for all of us to close ranks and stand united regardless of race, religion or political affiliation, especially when it comes to core national interests.[+3 sentences] SG50, SG Together, SGUnited, SG Cares – all of these campaigns are reminders of what we can achieve when we remain united in our hearts and minds. Let us continue to stand with one another. I stand in support of the Motion.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Lawrence Wong)5359 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, as the President highlighted in her speech, this new session of Parliament is happening at an important milestone of our history, indeed, of world history. After three years of the COVID-19 crisis, we now confront other formidable challenges. But as we have seen again and again in our history, we can find opportunities in every crisis and move quickly to take advantage of them. There are stark realities facing Singapore and the wider world. From the war in Europe to deepening big power rivalry in our part of the world, we all feel a palpable sense of danger – danger not just to the economy, but also to an open and stable global order. We will continue to be afflicted by these external headwinds. I know many Singaporeans worry about the unexpected twists and turns that may lie ahead. They see interest rates, prices and bills going up and impacting their livelihoods. That is why I had implemented comprehensive support measures in this year's Budget. These measures will help to cover the inflation-induced increase in spending for lower- and middle-income households.[+16 sentences] Some of the support has been given out, while others will be rolled out progressively over the year. We have and will continue to do everything we can to address the stresses and strains that people feel on the ground. Besides tackling the cost of living, sustaining growth will be more challenging in this new environment. We will have to redouble our efforts to attract investments and talent, and create good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans. We will have to intensify the pace of restructuring and transformation to stay ahead of the competition. All this will not be easy, but COVID-19 has shown that Singaporeans have what it takes – the grit and resolve to overcome tough challenges. The odds may appear stacked against us, but we can turn challenges into opportunity. With pride in our history and strength from our unity, we can forge ahead with confidence. So, I say – do not fear. Never lose heart. We will build on our strong foundations, but we must also have the courage to change where change is needed. This is what my colleagues and I have set out to do with Forward Singapore. Through this exercise, we are reviewing our policies across all areas. We will ensure that the broad middle of society and their children see continued improvements in their lives, and that we close the gaps for the more disadvantaged groups. We have heard from Singaporeans over the past months – your views, aspirations and ideas. The many conversations and partnerships have yielded fresh insights on what we can do differently in our next stage of nation-building. Today, I will share some of the key shifts that we will embark on as part of our new social compact: a new approach on skills; a new definition of success; a new approach for social support; a new approach to caring for our seniors; and a renewed commitment to one another – less about "I" and "me", more about "us" and "we".[+4 sentences] If we succeed in effecting these shifts, we can secure a stronger social compact and not just among ourselves, but between this generation and future generations to come. Let me start with our new approach on skills, for skills are the lynchpin to lifelong success. The skills journey begins early in life. We want every child to have a strong foundation that can propel them forward through life. We know that the first few years matter greatly in shaping a child's potential. So, we are scaling up the KidSTART programme nationwide to reach out to more lower-income parents and to close the early gaps in our children's lives.[+24 sentences] Beyond the age of three, we are stepping up the provision of MOE Kindergartens and Government-funded preschools. Enrolment in preschool at ages five to six is already near universal, but the attendance rate of children from lower-income families can still be improved. At ages three to four especially, more children from such families can also benefit from enrolling in preschool. We will study how to strengthen their participation in these early years of development, so that we can give the children in these families the best possible start in life. Once our children enter the school system, there is a comprehensive system in place to help them develop and grow. We already provide more resources in our schools to support children with greater learning needs. And we will continue to do more on this front, so that every child can realise his or her full potential. But there is a deeper challenge in our education system: our concept of meritocracy remains too narrow. Many feel caught in a rat race from a young age – under pressure to get the best grades, get into what they perceive to be the best schools so that they can get the best university places. Many parents, too, are anxious about their children's future. Some go to great lengths to maximise their children's chances to get into perceived brand name schools, even preschools. A decade ago, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that "Every school is a good school”. I fully agree with this. Because in Singapore, everyone can be assured that, no matter which schools their children are admitted into, they will receive a good education, and they will be well supported by their teachers. That was my lived experience too. I went to the primary and secondary schools near my home and reaped the full benefits of learning in those schools. That was decades ago. And the quality of our schools and teachers has improved dramatically since. These days, our teachers do not just focus on content and knowledge. They help our children to think independently and instil in them qualities and values that contribute to lasting success in life. Remember, at the end of the day, we are more than our grades. We are more than the schools we go to. This is an aspiration Singaporeans have voiced for some time now, from when we held Our Singapore Conversation a decade ago. Since then, we have made significant moves and slayed some sacred cows. Today, PSLE T-scores are a thing of the past. So will be the labels of Normal (Technical), Normal (Academic) and Express streams.[+19 sentences] In their place, there is full Subject-based Banding (SBB). We hope these moves will go some way to remove the stressors in our education system. But more importantly, we hope they will signal to all in society that we are serious about refreshing our system. I hope that our society too – every man, woman and child, young and old, rich or poor – all of us will be serious about refreshing our mindsets about schools and grades. It is not possible to change something that has become so ingrained in our nature by government decree. We must be the change we want to see in our society. Every Singaporean must want to give themselves and their children more breathing space to discover and develop their diverse talents and to maximise their potential. How do we achieve this? A key mindset shift is to recognise that formal education early in life is not the endpoint of our meritocracy. Far from it. Our refreshed meritocracy must be a continuous one, with learning opportunities, milestones and ladders at multiple junctures. All must have the chance to try again, do better and move forward in life, years after leaving school. So, the skills journey begins in schools but it does not end with schools. Our new approach on skills must include a fresh commitment to making continuous learning, reskilling and upskilling a way of life. In fact, this will become more important with slower economic growth, rapid technological disruptions and greater job churn. To remain an upwardly mobile society, lifelong learning will be key – not just upskilling once and being done with it, but multiple times, to become more adaptable and resilient, well-equipped and confident to face the future. To get there, education cannot be confined to the first 25 years of our lives. Learning must be a lifelong journey for the whole of our lives. We launched SkillsFuture in 2015. We have made some headway since then, but there is still much more to be done. We are therefore looking at major changes to strengthen SkillsFuture.[+31 sentences] We aim to reduce the costs and lower the barriers to training. We will work with industry partners to come up with effective training programmes, including work-based learning options. These courses will have to be better curated and vetted so that they translate into meaningful employment outcomes. We will discuss with tripartite partners how we can support workers to take time off to train. This will help the workers individually, but it will help businesses too. At the same time, businesses must shift their emphasis from hiring credentials to hiring skills and invest in the development of their employees. And Singaporeans themselves must be open to change. Sir, let me share with you the story of Afifah. Nur Afifah Bte Rakif graduated with a Diploma in Communication and Information Design 11 years ago, when she was 22. She later chose to teach in a preschool in 2013, took up various early childhood education programmes to reskill and upskill, and became the Deputy Centre Lead of the NTUC First Campus. To strengthen her skillsets, she is now pursuing a degree under the Singapore University of Social Science (SUSS) Work-Study Programme and will graduate later this year. Afifah exemplifies the spirit of lifelong learning and the value of reskilling and upskilling in pursuing one's passions. And I salute her. With this new approach on skills, how well you did in school should not define the opportunities you can unlock nor should it determine your entire life. You are not stuck at your highest formal educational level attained; you can update your skillsets, pivot to new careers, seize new opportunities and keep moving forward in life. Some other nations aspire to create a welfare society from cradle to grave. We will aspire to create in Singapore a full-fledged learning society – from cradle to grave. That is how we will become a people ready for the future and equipped to succeed. But what does success mean? Naturally, it means different things to different people, in different places. Yet somehow, as a society, we tend to converge around a few material definitions – the size of the paycheck or the property we own. How can we shift our lens and collectively adopt and embrace wider definitions of success? After all, success is really for each one of us to define. There is no model answer to follow. We should not feel pressured to compare with others or to conform to preconceived notions. The Japanese talk about discovering your "ikigai" – something that gives you a sense of purpose and joy. We should strive to be a meritocracy where everyone can be the best possible version of themselves and where there are many ways for diverse talents to contribute and earn respect in our society. Mindset shifts are necessary, but I do not think mindset shifts alone will effect societal change. It is not enough to say we will celebrate a variety of professions. Our economic structures, remuneration and career prospects in various professions must also be consistent with what we value. So, we will consider ways to tilt the scales and narrow the wage gap across professions. One specific way is to further professionalise skilled trades, like electricians and plumbers.[+7 sentences] Why not enable them to attain accreditation for their skills and set a clearer progression ladder as they take on greater responsibilities? We can ascribe the right values to such forms of labour and grant such workers greater remuneration as professionals. More broadly, we also want to give Singaporeans who graduate from ITE and polytechnics stronger assurance; that their wages and career prospects will not be too far below their university-going peers and will not be permanently conscribed to be below. So, they do not have to succumb to a paper chase to secure a good salary and a viable career path. They can excel in the professions that they have trained in and have the aptitude for, be it hospitality, infocomm, social services or others. There are many ways to make a difference, many talents to nurture and many forms of contributions to reward. Take lower-wage workers for example. Many of them serve in essential services, like security, lift maintenance and cleaning. We have been doing much to uplift lower-wage workers through Workfare and the PWM, and we will continue to do so: increase wages, set out a skills ladder, and provide opportunities to upgrade.[+14 sentences] We cannot close the gap altogether between lower-wage and median workers, but we can certainly stop their wages from diverging too far. Here, I have a plea to everyone: for a new definition of success to become a reality, all of us – as consumers – must be willing to bear a higher cost for the goods and services we consume. We must recognise the important work that our fellow citizens undertake to keep our society going and do our part to uplift them and boost their wage prospects. I know this is not an easy ask, given the rising cost of living. But we will do our best to manage the pace of change and to help everyone, especially our lower- and middle-income families, adjust to this new environment. And I might add too – all will gain when even the most vulnerable among us become better off. We will become a better people, a more just and a more equal society. In a more uncertain world, we must also relook our approach on social support. How can we assure both the broad middle and the vulnerable that they can meet their needs in life and not fall by the wayside or be left behind? For the vulnerable, we have been gradually shifting our approach from social assistance to social empowerment. We want not only to help people tide through difficulty, but also to boost their sense of drive and purpose, and strengthen their sense of agency and ownership over their own circumstances. For example, today, we have the Fresh Start Housing Scheme to help second-timer lower-income families, like Mr Gan and his wife Mdm Chai, own a home. The two of them work as cleaners and they lived in a rental flat in Redhill. But they were determined to buy a home of their own for themselves and their young daughter. Mr Gan and Mdm Chai joined the Fresh Start Housing Scheme and received personalised support and financial guidance from HDB and social service officers (SSOs) throughout their home ownership journey. They received a $35,000 Fresh Start Housing Grant and the rest of the loan will be fully serviced by their CPF contributions.[+10 sentences] Today, the Gans are proud owners of a 2-room flexi flat in Bukit Batok. They collected their keys two months ago and just moved in earlier this month. Their daughter is very excited about getting to decorate her own space. And over the next five years, our officers will continue to walk alongside them and give them the support they need. The Fresh Start Housing Scheme is, in effect, a means to uplift and empower the vulnerable. We want to expand this approach of empowerment to cover more forms of social assistance. For instance, we could provide additional financial help to vulnerable families who do their part to help themselves, such as staying gainfully employed and sending their children to preschool regularly. So, the more a family takes ownership of their goals, the more we will help you to reach even higher – a mutually reinforcing, virtuous circle. We also want to consider another group: persons with disabilities (PwDs). We will do more to alleviate the impediments they face in life and adopt new ways of caring for and empowering them. In particular, we want to reduce the financial burden on parents of children attending special education (SPED) schools and care centres.[+9 sentences] Equally important is to empower persons with disabilitiesPwDs when they reach adulthood. We will involve and enable them to contribute to society. The onus is on all of us to find ways to affirm the dignity of our differently-abled citizens and enable them to realise their full potential. Sir, all of us must come together to fight the ills of inequality. Singapore must never succumb to the kind of harsh inequality we see in so many other parts of the world. However treacherous the terrains ahead, so long as Singapore continues to progress, all Singaporeans must continue to progress, with none among us left behind. No less important in our social strategy is to assure the broad middle that they, too, can be confident of meeting their needs at every stage of life, even in the face of setbacks. Housing, education and healthcare – these are basic needs for all Singaporeans. This Government has delivered on all these fronts over the decades and we will continue to do so. We know that housing is top-of-mind – we have discussed this recently in Parliament, in the housing debate, and in the Budget. We are sparing no effort to ramp up the supply of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats and to catch up on the delays caused by COVID-19.[+10 sentences] We have tightened the rules, so that flats go to those who need them most, as quickly as possible. And we are doing more to help younger married couples and parents own their first home. We will get this work done and we will deliver the results. Affordable and accessible public housing will always be a key pillar of our social compact under the PAP Government. Our approach to social support also extends to how we will support our people in the face of setbacks. In a more volatile jobs landscape, we can expect more among us to be displaced from time to time. Today, we help the unemployed through schemes like ComCare and the COVID-19 Recovery Grant. They provide timely assistance while upholding our ethos of work and self-reliance. But we also know that losing a job is a major setback, which can easily destabilise workers and their families. So, the Government will consider doing more to support our displaced workers. We know that automatic unemployment benefits can, and have, often led to negative outcomes elsewhere, because displaced workers who receive generous benefits may find it more attractive to stay unemployed, rather than to get back into the workforce. So, we want to design a support scheme that provides assurance but avoids these negative outcomes: a targeted re-employment scheme that will reduce the strain on displaced workers to make ends meet, while still encouraging them to continue with their upskilling and job search.[+4 sentences] We intend to make this shift in our social strategy, so every Singaporean can be confident. In this harsh, unpredictable world, we will have your back and we will support you. We will cheer you on, so you can strive to achieve, do your best and bounce back stronger. Strengthening our assurances extends to caring for our seniors too – this is an urgent need, given our rapidly ageing demographics. By the end of this decade, one in four Singaporeans will be above 65, as Members are well aware.[+7 sentences] We must adopt a new approach to care for our seniors well and in a sustainable way. We embarked on Healthier SG recently to care for our seniors upstream. Healthier SG signals a shift from treating illnesses to promoting health. If we can help our seniors stay healthy, we will reduce the need for medical intervention and hospitalisation downstream. But care for seniors goes beyond physical health. As our seniors age, we want them to be cared for in their own homes for as long as possible, rather than in a nursing home. This way, they can remain active and purposeful in their golden years, surrounded by family, friends and familial activities. It will not be possible for everyone, but I believe we can make it possible for most. And we will invest in our infrastructure to make this happen: build more Community Care Apartments; expand the network of Active Ageing Centres; improve access to home-based care services; and work with community partners to prevent loneliness and social isolation.[+3 sentences] We will do all this and more, so we can create a home truly for our seniors. Our seniors must also be confident of meeting their retirement needs. We achieve this through our CPF system, which we will continue to evolve and update. The Government, in fact, now plays a larger role in CPF through higher interest for those with lower CPF balances, the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, as well as supplementing CPF payouts with Silver Support.[+18 sentences] We will study enhancing these schemes to better support our seniors, including those nearing retirement who have less runway to work and save. For younger Singaporeans, as long as you work and contribute to your CPF consistently, we will ensure that your needs in old age can be met through CPF. And for those who do not have the ability to work, we will find other ways to look after your retirement needs. This is our promise to Singaporeans of every generation. Let me move on to something that underlies our refreshed social compact: we need to be less about "I", "me" and "mine", more about "we", "us" and "ours". It was our sense of collective responsibility that saw us through the pandemic, and it is the same sense of collective responsibility that will carry us through our next bound. A social compact is not just about what Government will do for the people; it is also about what Singaporeans will do for one another. So, our refreshed social compact is not just about the Government doing more and Singaporeans depending more on the Government. Rather, it is about the Government, businesses, unions, workers, the community and civil society all doing their part for fellow Singaporeans. It is about all of us coming together, to forge a society of opportunities and assurance for everyone. One way to realise this is to nurture a broader culture of philanthropy and volunteerism: where we take responsibility for each other and especially to help those with less. This goes beyond money, it includes investing time and effort in nurturing others – from mentoring the young to providing those from disadvantaged circumstances with access to networks and opportunities. Another way is to create more opportunities for Singaporeans to partner the Government and one another in policy-making and co-creation. We will continue to involve Singaporeans and other groups in co-designing and shaping our neighbourhoods. We will provide more avenues and platforms for our youth to come up with policy ideas and build the future Singapore, for they are Singapore's future. The Government will never stop investing in our urban infrastructure, developing our HDB towns by providing more facilities and amenities, and making concerted efforts to become a City in Nature. But ultimately, it is up to all of us to contribute their own passions and energies to turn this city into an endearing home. Becoming the best home is also very much about the intangibles – among them, embracing a more holistic way of life. Be it working out flexible work arrangements; treating ourselves and one another with greater kindness and compassion, knowing that good mental health is a key part of good health overall, or creating a conducive environment for Singaporeans to start and nurture families. We made some moves in the Budget this year, such as increasing paternity leave and we will consider what more can be done.[+18 sentences] This project of making a better Singapore has always been, and will always be, a work in progress. It has been a relentless effort over the decades. We will never stop improving, not just for ourselves but also for future generations. This ethos of building for the future, rather than burdening or weighing down our descendants, is key to Singapore's success. The prudence of the previous generation has enabled us to find our way through the COVID-19 crisis. We must do the same for those who come after us. So, let us steward our resources well, so that our children and grandchildren will be well-endowed and well-prepared to tackle any challenge the future may bring – be it the climate crisis, the next pandemic, or the unknown unknowns which will come. Sir, I have provided a broad overview of what we hope to achieve through Forward Singapore. Over the next few days of the debate, my colleagues will elaborate further on specific aspects of the agenda. Taken together, what do these shifts to our social compact mean? In fact, some ask, has the 4G team shifted to the left? It is not so simple. Our governing approach is not so easy to characterise along the traditional political spectrum of left and right. After all, we have always strived to appeal to a broad base of Singaporeans. We have always taken care not to base our legitimacy on any narrow social group or class. We also do not blindly copy or replicate the models of other countries. Even the first generation of PAP leaders, who began their political lives as democratic socialists, spoke of a "Socialism that Works" – for they did not want any part of what they already knew was failing in Europe and elsewhere. The countries with more welfarist policies, in continental Europe and the Nordics have much higher levels of state-financed welfare provisions. Their governments typically spend above 40% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compared to 18% in Singapore.[+1 sentence] To fund such high spending, they impose high income taxes, usually much higher than 30%, even for the middle-income groups, with Value-added Tax (VAT) or Goods and Services Tax (GST) taxes ranging from 20% to 25%. Some may think this is a good model for Singapore, but from our point of view, from the Government's point of view, it is very clear: we do not intend to adopt such a model of comprehensive universal welfare.[+9 sentences] Instead, we will chart our own way forward, staying true to our core values. While we will indeed do more to strengthen social safety nets, we will move with prudence and discipline, and not end up inflicting heavy tax burdens on everyone. Today, our overall tax burden for the middle-income group is far lower than other advanced nations and we will strive to keep it that way. More than that, we will ensure that our programmes achieve better outcomes for our people. In fact, we are already doing better than many other countries in areas like healthcare, education and housing; doing better not in terms of how much we spend, but in terms of outcomes – the value that we achieve from every dollar of public spending. We are doing better and we can keep on doing better. That is the spirit and intent behind the shifts we are considering – be it skills and continuous learning, social empowerment, active ageing and retirement adequacy, or housing assurances. The changes will benefit Singaporeans from every walk of life – they will uplift the vulnerable and also advance the well-being of our broad middle. In fact, among the more advanced nations, Singapore is one of the few where people in the middle have experienced large increases of incomes in the last 20 years. The middle-income group in Singapore now has higher real incomes – real incomes after netting off inflations – than in many other places; higher than the US and most European societies and well above that in other advanced Asian societies, like Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea.[+15 sentences] We will continue to sustain real income growth for the middle. This is why economic growth is non-negotiable for us. We already know that our growth rates will gradually come down as our labour force expands more slowly and becomes older, but growth remains essential. If we do not grow the economic pie, there will be fewer jobs and less scope for social support. So, please do not be mistaken. This Government will and must always be pro-growth and pro-inclusivity. Securing our economic competitiveness will become more, not less, important in the next phase of Singapore. This is incumbent upon all of us, and upon my team: we will create good jobs and a good future for all Singaporeans. Underlining our governing approach is the core ethic of individual effort and personal and family responsibility. We want Government actions to reinforce, not negate, individual and collective responsibility. We want Government actions to catalyse more involvement by other members of society – employers, unions, community groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Then we can all chip in and do our part collectively, to tackle inequality, rekindle social mobility and move forward together. Sir, I believe the Opposition, and the Workers' Party (WP) in particular, broadly agrees with and supports the Government's policy directions. They want us to do more in certain areas, as we have heard from the speeches today and I am sure in the coming days, but there is general support for the moves that we have proposed. But there is one fundamental difference. When we plan to spend more, the PAP Government will always tell you plainly how we propose to raise revenues and ensure that our Budget remains balanced over the medium-term.[+1 sentence] The Opposition has offered some revenue alternatives, but their sums do not add up. We do not need to go through the detailed arguments again. But without the GST, which the WP still does not support – and I am not even talking about the increase in GST, but the entire GST which the WP still does not support – we will face a huge funding gap. None of the alternatives that the WP has suggested will make up for the shortfall.[+8 sentences] In this debate and over the course of the remaining term of Government, I look forward to hearing concrete alternatives from the Opposition – not just opportunistic or populist ideas to chip away, bit by bit, at the trust in Government, but a serious alternative agenda for an alternative government. That is how politics in a first-world Parliament should work. I have said this before: I do not assume that the PAP will win the next General Election or that I will inevitably take over as Prime Minister. Every General Election from now on will be about who forms the Government; not just what percentage of the votes the PAP receives and how many seats the Opposition wins. As we develop into a mature democracy, we must have not just a serious Government, but also a serious Opposition that thinks carefully about what it will do as government. Where the Opposition have good ideas, or where they can make a contribution to the ideas for improving our country, we welcome them. But we ask that you be upfront about the realities and trade-offs we face as a country, and be honest about your plans, policies and intentions. Mr Speaker, our world has changed; so too must our way of doing things. Our refreshed social compact will be our compass for the road ahead.[+6 sentences] Forward Singapore is a bold agenda, and it depends on all of us to realise. Though we will not see change overnight, we can each start to embrace the new social compact today. If we all do this, we can be assured that we, too, will benefit when others feel a deeper sense of responsibility towards us. We can then sustain a virtuous circle of uplift, progress and confidence, and thus strengthen our solidarity and trust as a nation. The more we put into this new social compact, the more we will receive in return. And society as a whole, Singapore, will grow stronger and fairer; more just and more united.
The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Lawrence Wong)81 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Sir. Actually, I only have one more paragraph left. But it is the most important paragraph because it is my final message to everyone. Faced with the stark realities of a troubled world, my message to Singaporeans is simple: there is no challenge we cannot overcome; no obstacle we cannot deal with.[+2 sentences] Singapore can remain exceptional. We can keep the Singapore Story going. We can move forward together as one people.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Yeo Wan Ling.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol)2091 words
[+13 sentences]Mr Speaker, while significant visibility has been afforded to matters of the economy and healthcare in the first session of the 14th Parliament and rightfully so, it is often the invisible social tenets that elude us – unnoticed. Nations globally are only realising now the true impact the crisis has left on social fabrics. In America, the erosion of authentic relationships between people has been dubbed the "friendship recession". In China, economic slowdown as a result of the pandemic has driven youths to "lie flat" or 躺平; and indeed, in Singapore, as we build a "new social compact" as a nation, many in our communities and in our neighbourhoods are picking up fragments left from the pandemic, to rebuild lives and livelihoods and to make sense of the post pandemic world. Have we considered the invisible implications of COVID-19 on the social fabric of our nation? I propose, Mr Speaker, that these invisible impacts are most felt by those driven further invisible in our post-pandemic society. I would like to talk about three such profiles: first, our women workers doubling up as sole caregivers at home; two, our freelancers caught up in a precarious, ever-evolving gig world; and three, our vulnerable adults with special needs – invisible and voiceless. Mr Speaker, today, women are not an invisible force in the workplace and indeed a force to be reckoned with. However, domestic and caregiving norms at home which have been in place for generations, have not caught up with these great strides in the workplace. Women in their dual roles, often in equal parts of working and of caregiving, are taken for granted and go unnoticed and underappreciated. As a result of the pandemic, the lines between these women's professional lives and domestic responsibilities have become even more blended. Work from Home or in the COVID-19-era slang – WFH – was a word that was both celebrated and feared by our women workers. At NTUC, our sisters and unions have been pushing workplace norms to embrace flexible work arrangements (FWAs) of which WFH is an example of, for decades. FWAs can enhance workplace productivity and can allow companies to retain women workers in the workplace and attract women returners back; of which by the way, there are 240,000 women of economic age not in the workforce today.[+2 sentences] COVID-19 created the opportunity for FWAs to be adopted widely, but it also brought into better focus, the challenges women workers and companies need to overcome for FWAs to continue to be adopted both widely as well as wisely. The realities are that FWAs or otherwise, will not shift the burdens of caregiving from the shoulders of mothers, wives and daughters, should women still be culturally expected to be the sole or main caregivers at home while balancing their careers. More practical support must be given to help move the needle in shifting cultural caregiving norms and the Labour Movement is appreciative that our workers' suggestions of shared parental leave and increasing paternity leave have been accepted by our tripartite partners.[+5 sentences] A wider scope for caregiving leave can also be considered, for our workers to be able to share caregiving duties outside of the typical parent, grandparent and child familial sets, to include family members such as uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces. Keep the number of caregiving leave days but allow for flexibility on who a worker can give care to. Now that normalcy has been restored to most of the workforce, more workers are called back to serve their nine-to-fives in offices. Let us not lose the momentum we have made in the progress for FWAs in the past three years. FWAs are a critical workplace philosophy to help our women workers balance their dual duties. The Labour Movement thanks the Tripartite Partnership in supporting and legislating in the near future, our workers' rights for individual FWA requests to be considered by employers.[+9 sentences] The Labour Movement on our part, will continue to support and push for companies to redesign jobs and to ensure FWAs are win-win and sustainable for businesses and workers. Another group of workers who have seen much changes since the onset of the pandemic are our freelancers and, in particular, platform workers who are the lifeblood of Singapore's gig economy. Having transformed the way we eat, shop and move and especially so in the thick of the pandemic, our freelance gig economy has grown in the past three years. Yet, as a community, they still bear invisible risks we do not fathom as a nation. These include risks to their physical safety in transit when delivering food or other logistical requirements, but also concerns over the adequacy of their retirement savings, health safety nets and housing. While the Government will continue to work with these platforms to ensure equitable outcomes for platform workers, Singaporeans should also bear in mind these invisible risks borne by platform workers the next time they tap into their services. As a progressive Labour Movement, the NTUC and our associations – National Taxi Association (NTA), National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), and National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA) have been engaging our ever growing freelance and self-employed community and garnering support to address their concerns with our Tripartite Partners – the ride hail platforms, delivery platforms, taxi companies, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the CPF Board, and the list goes on. The move from pandemic to endemic has certainly brought further light to the precariousness of our riders and drivers' livelihoods. As business models shift and adjust with the gradual opening of our economy and borders, this should not be done without due consideration that these moves have on the livelihoods of our platform workers. To a platform owner, the impact of a rise in platform fees of less than 50 cents, could be minimal in consolidated amounts, but to the driver or to the rider, the accompanying decrease in ride or delivery orders, will mean decreased earnings and less food on the table for their families, sometimes even for weeks.[+1 sentence] A poorly executed app update resulting in a few hours of glitching will impact earnings and even the safety of our riders and drivers. The Labour Movement has been championing the cause of our freelance and self-employed for many years now and in the face of a fast-evolving gig landscape, the Tripartite Partnership has formed the platform workers Advisory Committee to look into the protection and representation of our gig platform workers.[+22 sentences] This is an important move and draws visibility and, more importantly, public awareness and discourse to the issues that this evolving and growing group of workers face on a daily basis to their livelihoods and safety. Our drivers and riders are a proud, independent group of Singaporean workers. And I call on all Singaporeans to work with the Labour Movement and Tripartite Partnership on defining a fair, dignified livelihood for our platform workers in the new normal. On dignified lives, this brings me to the last group and arguably, the most vulnerable group of adult Singaporeans living among us. For those among us who are parents, do you remember the looks shot at you as you might have brought your wailing infant to a crowded mall, or worse, a fully occupied plane? You may have, on some occasions, muttered to yourself, "Just a few more months of this to get through". For some parents out there with children with special needs, they never really find solace from public scrutiny, even as their children reach adulthood. Mr Speaker, though presented conjecturally, many parents of adults with special needs are no strangers to this line of thinking. On my block visits in Punggol Shore, I encounter a good number of cases of adults with special needs – some of them undiagnosed, cooped up at home, rarely stepping into the outside world having fostered no real sense of independence. When I speak with their parents or siblings, I am often met with worries about how their ward might continue to upkeep a standard of living and quality of life should they pass on. Sure, state-centric solutions might exist, but all parents would wish upon their children a life of safety, choice and protection, at least one that goes beyond the confines of an institution. I would like to share the story of one of my residents, Mr Y, who has sadly passed on, but left behind his wife and a 21-year-old son from his first marriage who is on the autism spectrum. I met with Mr Y when he contacted my office and asked me to visit him at home as he was too sick to leave his home. I remember Mr Y laying on his sofa when I saw him in his flat; he was very ill, and his stomach was painfully distended. Even though he was relieved to see me and smiled a lot, he looked like he was in the jaws of death. Mr Y had last stage cancer and his doctor told him that he only had weeks to live. Mr Y told me that he was in pain and the only reason why he was still holding on was because he did not know what to do to ensure that his son and his wife continued to enjoy a good standard of living after he passes on. He was worried as his son has no language skills and his wife is a foreigner; and while she is a full-time caregiver to his son, after his passing, he wished for her to find work. He was also adamant that his son would be able to live and age in place in the flat that he owned and not to be confined to a home or institution. Mr Y was estranged from his family and there were no additional supporting networks for him. He had no will, no Lasting Power of Attorney; he did not even have a "Plan B" on how to ferry his son should the bus fail to turn up that day to bring his son to daycare. After listening to him, we knew we were running against time. Together with my volunteers, we spent the next five days setting up the necessary paperwork for him, visiting banks, getting the lawyers in, setting up a Special Needs Trust.[+2 sentences] We even arranged for job interviews for his wife and paid attention to his final funeral wishes. More importantly, we knew we had to set up the necessary safety nets for his son, while Mr Y was still of sound mind. Thankfully, things went smoothly and through community contacts, we managed to get things in order for him. He passed on that night after he signed the trust agreement, which actually took the longest to set up.[+4 sentences] That was two weeks after our initial meet-up at his sofa in his home. He was only then 58. Mr Y left a very long-lasting impression on me. His story is not unique among caregivers and guardians of special needs adults. Through understanding his wishes for his son and the hoops we had to jump through to coordinate the safety nets needed to protect Mr Y's son, I know that we need to do more for our special needs adults and their caregivers.[+10 sentences] Mr Y envisaged a warm model of care for his son and this was about his son living in the community he grew up well into his later years. It is, well, a care model around a village more than it is around an institution. What this means is that our adults with special needs would be able to live in a safe and dignified manner, fulfilled lives in their communities with the support of other members of the community. I believe that Singaporeans have what it takes to be that village for adults with special needs. No institution can give this great an assurance to families of our special needs adults than the community itself. Mr Speaker, what is unseen is often ignored and what is ignored often suffers. Together, this need not be true for the invisible slices of Singaporeans we have formed a blind spot, as a result of the pandemic. Strengthening the social compact begins with kindness and kindness begins with putting ourselves in the shoes of others. As I continue to tell the stories of those I champion, I will call on the Government to effect change and renew the kindness of Singaporeans to effect lasting change. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Fahmi Aliman.
Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman (Marine Parade)1557 words
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, today I would like to talk about three important topics that are integral to the building of a cohesive and resilient society in the face of challenges. As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to our nation. The rising costs of living, coupled with the economic impacts on the pandemic, have added further strain to many Singaporean households. Despite these challenges, I firmly believe that as a nation, we have the strength and resilience to overcome them. It is now more important than ever that we come together as a society and work together, towards a shared vision for the future. I will focus on three key areas that I believe are critical: one, the importance of Mother Tongue languages; two, strengthening the role of the M3's Focus Area Four (FA4) in supporting vulnerable groups in the Malay/Muslim community; and thirdly, building trust and prospects for our workforce. By embracing our cultural diversity, supporting vulnerable communities and investing in our workforce, we can build a society that is both resilient and prosperous. Allow me to touch on each point in greater detail in Malay. (In Malay): Mr Speaker, Mother Tongue languages are a cornerstone of Singapore's multiracial and multicultural society. They provide a vital link to our diverse heritage and cultural identity. In Singapore, each ethnic group has its own Mother Tongue language, such as Mandarin for the Chinese community, Tamil for the Indian community and Malay language for the Malay community. According to the 2020 Census of Population, 74.3% of Singaporeans are proficient in their respective Mother Tongue languages.[+19 sentences] This data demonstrates the significant level of proficiency and emphasises the importance of these languages in our society. In addition to serving as a communication tool within our respective ethnic communities, Mother Tongue languages have played a critical role in building social cohesion and national unity in Singapore. They have helped to foster a sense of belonging and shared identity among Singaporeans of different ethnicities, contributing to the country's success in maintaining social harmony. Beyond their cultural significance, research has shown that being bilingual or multilingual offers cognitive benefits such as enhanced memory, cognitive flexibility and decision-making skills. For example, a study by the University of California found that bilingual individuals performed better in cognitive tests than monolingual individuals, highlighting the cognitive advantages of being bilingual. Thus, the cognitive benefits of being bilingual or multilingual are numerous, making it a valuable skill to have in today's globalized world. As a Malay Singaporean, I can personally attest to the significance of the Malay language in my daily life. It is not only the language I use to communicate with my family members, but it also allows me to actively participate in the wider Malay community. For example, when attending cultural events such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri or weddings, the ability to converse in Malay allows me to connect with my fellow Malay Singaporeans on a deeper level and better appreciate our shared cultural heritage. Given their cultural and cognitive benefits, it is crucial for the Government to continue investing in the preservation and promotion of Mother Tongue languages in Singapore. This includes ensuring that Mother Tongue language education is accessible to all and providing resources to support its learning. By recognising the value and significance of Mother Tongue languages, we can continue to build a society that embraces diversity, promotes social cohesion and values our shared cultural heritage together. Mr Speaker, the Labour Movement has kept faith with workers through the decades, including COVID-19, and continues to break new ground in areas that contribute to Singapore’s economic recovery and transformation. This includes initiatives to support marginalised groups in the community amid economic recovery and transformation. One such example is Focus Area (FA) Workgroup within the ambit of M3. FA4 is an important framework that seeks to provide support and assistance to Malay/Muslim workers. FA4 is especially significant in today's context as the country continues to grapple with the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the pandemic has disproportionately affected certain groups, including those in low-wage jobs, gig workers and mature workers, among others. FA4 plays a crucial role in ensuring that these vulnerable groups in the Malay/Muslim community have access to the necessary support and resources to navigate these difficult times. Through a referral process, these workers are channelled to multiple agencies for assistance, such as NTUC's e2i and LearningHub, as well as the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI). By doing so, jobseekers are given access to job placement opportunities and skills upgrading courses, which can help improve their chances of securing better employment opportunities.[+4 sentences] As the Malay proverb goes; if you do not ask, you will get lost; if you do not row, your boat will drift aimlessly. FA4 is an important framework that seeks to provide support and assistance to vulnerable groups in the Malay/Muslim community, especially in today's challenging economic and social climate. By addressing the unique challenges faced by vulnerable groups such as platform workers, women, mature workers and youth, FA4 can help create a more inclusive and equitable society. This is important in the social compact of Singapore as it seeks to build a more resilient and cohesive community for the future. FA4 is just one example that illustrates how NTUC and M3 are committed to ensuring that workers are upskilling and adapting to the changing nature of work.[+7 sentences] As we look towards the future, it is evident that trust will continue to be a crucial component in shaping the workforce landscape. This is especially true at the tripartite level, where our ability to work together has enabled us to make significant progress on the national economic agenda. As we move forward, we need to maintain this trust and continue to collaborate to support workers and ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in the ever-evolving job market. Building trust with the workforce is a crucial factor in the success of any organisation. A high level of trust at the workplace fosters a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and supported, and this leads to a more engaged and productive workforce. At the national level, trust is strengthened by working together to create good opportunities for our workers and investing in training to ensure that workers build up resilience in their careers. Over the years, the tripartite partners in Singapore have made significant efforts to support the workforce, especially those who were badly affected during crises. We acknowledge that there are still gaps that need to be addressed, especially in supporting vulnerable groups. This is why we launched the #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations, which aims to engage workers from all walks of life to collectively define the workers' compact and hear their views on the future of work.[+3 sentences] Through these conversations, the Labour Movement hopes to build a stronger connection with workers and better understand their perspectives. Such feedback will also contribute towards charting our longer-term strategies in the road ahead. Looking to the future, the Labour Movement recognises the need to “future-proof” our workforce. As underscored by Deputy Secretary-General Mr Desmond Tan, one such effort by the Labour Movement is the Company Training Committees (CTCs). These CTCs involve unions and employers working closely together to identify skills gaps and look into scaling up on reskilling, training and career progression for their workers. In this vein, we want to form more CTCs to help businesses build a skilled and adaptable workforce.[+12 sentences] Building trust with the workforce is critical and the tripartite partners in Singapore have made significant efforts in the past to support workers during challenging times. Presently, the Labour Movement's #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations campaign has sought to listen to the voices of workers. Looking to the future, the Labour Movement recognises the importance of helping workers build resilience in their careers as well as a skilled and adaptable workforce. To do so, we plan to form more CTCs. However, more needs to be done to support vulnerable workers and youth and it is a call to action for tripartite partners to continue this trust-building effort with workers. By working together, we can create a workforce that is skilled, adaptable and resilient in the face of challenges. (In English): To conclude, as Secretary-General Mr Ng Chee Meng of NTUC, said, and I quote, "As the voice of workers, we at NTUC want to forge a new workers' compact, one defined collectively by the working people in Singapore." This quote encapsulates the theme of today's speech, which is the importance of recognising and valuing diverse perspectives and building collaborative partnerships in achieving progress and success as a nation. The importance of Mother Tongue languages, the role of M3's FA4 alongside PWM in supporting vulnerable groups in society and the other existing initiatives are all critical components of a cohesive and resilient society. By recognising the value and significance of our diverse cultural heritage, investing in the support and resources of our vulnerable groups and building trust with our workforce, we can continue to progress and thrive as a nation. Let us continue to work together to build a Singapore that embraces diversity, promotes social cohesion and values the well-being and success of all its citizens. I stand in support of the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Desmond Choo.
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines)2222 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join the debate. The global workforce has come under considerable strain. The Singapore workforce is also similarly affected. These strains are caused by increased international competition, outsourcing of business functions, generational transitions in the workforce and the speed of technological advancement. COVID-19 has also vastly changed the way we work. Many jobs are created while many are lost. The latest Randstad survey reported that 48% of respondents in Singapore are worried about losing their jobs.[+10 sentences] This anxiety is despite significant labour tightness. As uncertainty becomes more pervasive, we need to restore confidence by addressing underlying structural causes of such an anxiety. As President Halimah said, we will strengthen social safety nets so that in every stage of life, Singaporeans can better cope with uncertainties and look forward with confidence. It is impossible to shield Singaporeans from all such vagaries if we are to keep our economy open. An open economy is our livelihood after all. But we can certainly enable Singaporeans by pushing for training and reskilling and ensuring that all our workers are well-equipped to rebound and capture opportunities in the brighter areas of the economy. And if they do fall, they can bounce back quickly. The economic outlook globally is more volatile and uncertain. Transformation cycles are shorter. Skills are becoming obsolete faster. Researchers have found that 37% of the average job skills have been replaced just over the past five years. ChatGPT marks the first significant milestone that generative artificial intelligence (AI) is placed in the hands of many companies and consumers.[+22 sentences] Companies are racing to incorporate such capabilities into their work. It also heralds the acceleration of the loss of certain jobs, such as lower-level analysts and research jobs. Those slowest to react to such changes stand to lose the most. And out of these affected individuals, some segments of our workforce are in greater danger. I would like to focus my speech on three segments of the workforce. Firstly, our Singaporeans born in the 1960s to 1970s. They will be in their late-40s and 50s now; some of them are even in their 60s. This segment of individuals joined the workforce when Singapore was still in early stages of economic development. Many of them sacrificed their education to support their families. They have tended to work in one company, industry or function. Some have not upgraded their skills since entering the workforce. Many of them have risen through the ranks over the years in technical and managerial jobs. When faced with the need to switch jobs, they tended to see a sharp drop in income. Another group of vulnerable individuals comprise our self-employed persons (SEPs). We have seen the disproportionate impact COVID-19 had on SEPs. Through NTUC’s assistance in administering the Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme (SIRS), we are fully aware of the imperative to strengthen financial and career resilience for SEPs. Because of irregular contributions to CPF, it was also difficult to dispense loss of income support. Of course, next, are our older workers. They not only face difficulties in landing new jobs but they also find it more difficult to acquire new skillsets. They also face the perennial and perhaps trickiest issue of workforce ageism, which requires addressing of mindsets. As President Halimah also rightly highlighted, it is important for us to concentrate our efforts to improve social safety nets. At this point, I was pondering about Assoc Prof Jamus Lim's observations and suggestions on support to our needy Singaporeans. I agree that we must continue to work our hardest to help our needy Singaporeans and work must not stop. But the suggestion of having a single poverty line has inherent problems.[+39 sentences] It can have an unintended cliff effect where those below the line get the support but those above do not. The line also misses out on other issues that needy families face, for example, trying family circumstances, ill health and job readiness. It casts undue intention on just the financial circumstances of needy families. Experience from other countries has also shown that it is hard to simplify to just one figure and there is a tendency for people to want to stay below that figure; not too many of them, but certainly, there are. I fully agree that our poor need extra help, and we can do better, and we must do better. Thus, our policies are shaped to give more to those who have less. Their needs are also complex. Therefore, we have many assistance schemes with different ways of helping for different outcomes. And there is also some sense to have separate criteria for different schemes. For example, ComCare is for poverty alleviation, supporting them in their needs versus Workfare, which is to help workers level up, tackling some inequality. In my work as the Mayor of Northeast Community Development Council (CDC), I have often hoped to simplify the 60 schemes that the Northeast CDC run. But the more that we walk the ground, the more we realise that targeted solutions will work best and we cannot shine away from assessments. Not only does it reflect our prudence of responsibilities to public resources, it allows us to size the assistance to the needy appropriately. Therefore, an approach of providing support based on the varied needs of Singaporeans and their families might work better in a singular poverty line. It is rigorous in its assessment and flexible to the needs of Singaporeans. I agree that documentation can be a burden. I struggle with that in my work in CDC too. And we must continue to make applications simpler. It is good for both Social Service Office (SSO) staff and applicants. With greater digitisation in the Government, we can already see the benefits of streamlining and we will, and I think, can do more on that front. While we have different schemes with different criteria, what is most important is to make sure that while we streamline the application process, that the schemes are also effective. Our SSO officers work hard on the ground to do this, and I do feel, maybe I thought it incorrectly, but the way that Assoc Prof Jamus Lim characterised what they do might not be entirely fair. They seek not to take away the lifelines of the residents they serve. Our SSO officers work hard to help our needy residents. I am extremely proud of them and knew a lot of them through the work in ComLink. In fact, many of them take on duties beyond what I required of them because of the multifaceted issues facing lower-income families. I certainly know my Tampines and Sengkang SSO officers. They built strong relationships with our ComLink families, testimony to the dedication and good work. But I acknowledge there will always be gaps in our schemes with the families or residents who need help in the Northeast District which includes Sengkang, I will do my best to help them as Mayor of Northeast CDC. We must not also forget that helping more, which we must do, also requires that we earn more to pay for it. It is easy to say to do more, but it is much harder to pay more. Good growth, good jobs and good wages are clearly important to helping needy residents better and more sustainably. In our new social compact and strategy, we hope to mobilise more support from all of community: corporates, charities, volunteers and philanthropists. I have seen how donors, corporate donors, went from just pure financial support to volunteering personally to solve ground problems. Our Northeast CDC WeCare programme supports thousands of families, above the ComCare financial qualifying lines. It was funded by donations from religious organisations, temples, churches and mosques and funds from CDC. Only when we own the problems and solutions can we do more and build a stronger Singapore. Next, I would like to suggest a couple of areas of focus to help Singaporeans to be able to rebound from tough times in two distinct phases: pre-loss of jobs and post-loss of jobs. Firstly, on the pre-loss of jobs, we are experiencing a tight labour market now. With the tightness, actually, our median gross monthly income has increased in 2022 by more than $400.[+3 sentences] However, such a tight labour market also creates an environment whereby future-proofing opportunities may be put in the backseat. In this volatile economy, the key is to reskill to remain relevant in the workforce and to keep abreast of the changes. The first suggestion I have is that we can help employers to allow workers to reskill while being gainfully employed. One of the ways is to increase absentee payroll funding and the overall $100,000 annual cap for companies.[+5 sentences] This will allow companies to send workers for training while being subsidised for such costs. The costs of hiring temporary staff or replacement staff are increasing. The related costs of hiring and onboarding staff are also not insignificant. Hence, we can consider increasing absentee payroll funding support based on the age of employees, with older workers receiving greater support. Workers in vulnerable and sunset sectors can also be considered for enhanced absentee payroll support. Currently, there is a fixed level of support for SSG-funded certifiable courses at $4.50 per hour. The organisation's cap is also limited to S$100,000 per calendar year.[+26 sentences] We should increase this cap, considering the increase in overall business costs. Companies sending a larger number of mature workers for training should also qualify for a higher cap. Companies will be incentivised to hire mature workers and our mature workers will be incentivised to train. Next, on improving the post-loss of job support. Firstly, we can introduce unemployment support for workers who are involuntarily forced to leave their jobs, such as retrenchment, something that my colleague, Member of Parliament, Mr Patrick Tay has mentioned. This support can be linked to training and job search to preserve the work ethos of the workforce. This builds on the principles behind our Workfare and COVID-19 Recovery Grant. These are important Singaporean policy characteristics. We must not forget that the longer one stays out of the workforce, the poorer employment outcomes will be. Thus, our system of unemployment support should taper off with time to ensure that individuals remain incentivised to re-enter the workforce. Next, we can also enhance the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs). We can increase allowance and income support during the conversion process as workers will still need to care for their families. We can also extend the enhanced CCPs to our SEPs. Many SEPs in the profession are in there because of their need for more discretionary income. Some of them do want to go on to other careers, hopefully, more permanent ones. The next move is to extend career trials to SEPs as well. Currently, SEPs will not be eligible for career trials under the existing eligibility requirements. Could the Government look into expanding the eligibility and for those considering a job switch to undertake formal employment? While training and reskilling is an important feature of the nation's work ethos, it may be demoralising for workers to continually train but unable to secure employment. This is especially so for older workers whose runway is much shorter. While we cannot completely remove such risks, we can moderate the risk by having more Place-and-Train programmes. We can do so starting from the Public Service ecosystem, including the suppliers to the Public Service. More outreach efforts to potential host companies could be undertaken to increase the scope of such programmes and the Labour Movement stands ready to assist. Mr Speaker, please allow me to continue in Chinese. (In Mandarin): The working environment today is very different from what it used to be. The pace of economic transformation will be accelerated as geopolitical risks become more volatile. Our country and workforce will also be affected. We must actively strengthen the social safety net to give Singaporeans the confidence to move forward at every stage of their lives.[+3 sentences] We can promote and strengthen training programmes to ensure that Singaporeans have the skills that they need and capture job opportunities. Workers and businesses that are relatively slow to respond to changes will be hardest hit. Therefore, we have to prepare for the work environment before and after job loss so that Singaporeans can bounce back quickly from the tough times and seize job opportunities. For the unemployed, I hope that the Government will help them receive training during unemployment, such as the Career Conversation Programmes (CCPs). I also call on the Government to increase subsidies for the unemployed during this period.[+5 sentences] Job opportunities remain key to improving the quality of life for the people. The Government and the unions will do their best to help Singaporeans achieve this to ensure that all Singaporeans will not be left behind. Let us work together to create a better future. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, over the years, we have continued to strengthen our social safety nets. With an increasingly volatile global economy, we must help Singaporeans cope with the uncertainties and enable us to have the confidence to forge ahead. Good growth, good jobs and strong social safety nets are key to helping Singaporeans navigate the vagaries and vicissitudes of a rapidly changing economy.[+1 sentence] I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang)18 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, if I may clarify some points that the Member has just pointed out?
Mr Speaker6 words
[+2 sentences]Keep it to clarifications. Thank you.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim232 words
[+9 sentences]Thank you. The first is the Member, Mr Desmond Choo, had pointed out that there is a cliff effect. But if I am not wrong, this applies to all lines already in place. And I wonder if the Member is suggesting that we should therefore encourage the Government, by the same token, to remove all thresholds that they currently have because of the same cliff effects? The Member also suggested that there were many schemes for many outcomes. And, of course, I agree with this specific tailoring. But still, it does not strike me as precluding a clear benchmark for which we can tag all these idiosyncratic needs to a clear benchmark line. Just a third point, Mr Speaker, is that he mentioned that SSO officers have worked hard to support residents, including in Sengkang and, of course, I should clarify that I agree with this. But it is clear that they are constrained by the system. For example, the three- to six-month limit on short- and medium-term assistance is not decided by them but by MSF.[+3 sentences] So, my question goes back to him. If the Member may clarify, how having an official poverty line makes it harder to provide tailored solutions? It is like saying that just because you seek this, you set a passing mark of 50%, but we cannot help a student to actually score higher than that —
Mr Speaker10 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Lim, you can keep it more compact, please.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim3 words
[+1 sentence]I end here.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Desmond Choo.
Mr Desmond Choo316 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, the Member, if I can recap, has three clarifications? I think what he meant, if I get him correctly, when he asked for a singular poverty line, that there is a line cutting across all schemes by which different schemes will be benchmarked too. If not, then why would he be asking for a one singular poverty line rather than the current system that we have that will have different lines or different qualifying criteria for different purposes? And I think that, in our position, it is still better to adjust and be flexible to the needs of the ground, making sure that we size support appropriately for different schemes and not have a "one-size-fits-all" scheme. I do agree with him that even if you have a singular line, it is not mutually exclusive. And I am glad that he agrees with that; regardless of whether you have a single line or not, you still must understand that the needs of the grounds are complex and you do need to have targeted schemes for targeted problems. That is one part that, first, I wish to clarify. And the second one is whether they are constrained by the general policies. I cannot speak on behalf of MSF. But what I can speak on behalf is the schemes that CDC run. In the cases that I have seen, I have seen residents who have gotten support beyond three to six months, some even longer. We have also provided our residents through schemes with CDC through our WeCare support.[+1 sentence] Many of them were from Sengkang. So, I think it is not true that the MSF scheme necessarily handicaps or that we constrain our officers in the help they can dispense. I also want to extend once again that if the Member has families in Sengkang that require assistance, I will be more than happy to assist them.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim67 words
[+1 sentence]I promise to be brief. And just to quote exactly what I said in my speech, which was, I suggested and I quote, "to peg all thresholds for Government assistance, especially ComCare to this line or higher but never lower." So, the idea is that you would have a clear benchmark to map it to and you could have multiples to allow for these various tailored solutions.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Ang Wei Neng.
Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast)632 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, in her address, President Halimah Yacob spoke about strengthening the social safety nets so that at every stage of life, Singaporeans can better cope with uncertainties and look forward with confidence. I totally agree that this is very important and we have to pay particular attention to low-income families, especially those with young children. Last August, MSF announced that a one-person household on the ComCare Long Term Assistance scheme will receive a cash assistance of $640 per month or an increase of 6.25% from the previous cash amount of $600 per month. The qualifying criteria for Short Term Financial Assistance remain at a household income of not more than $1,900 per month or a per capita income of not more than $650 per month.[+8 sentences] There is no adjustment to the qualifying criteria despite a high inflation rate over the last two years. We understand that MSF has allocated about $601 million in its 2023 Budget to administer long-term and short-term financial assistance to vulnerable Singaporeans. But the question is whether this amount is sufficient? To have a better comparison, we can look at how other advanced countries are providing cash benefits to assist vulnerable families. The Organization for Economic and Cooperation Development (OECD) countries spent about an average of 7% of their GDP on cash benefits. As Singapore is not a welfare state, it may not be fair to compare us with most of the OECD countries. Perhaps, we can look at those closer to home, such as South Korea. South Korea spent about 3% of its GDP on public social expenditure in cash benefits and how is it compared to Singapore? MSF will be spending $601 million on long- and short-term financial assistance, including the manpower costs to administer the ComCare Assistance. This represents about 0.6% of Singapore's 2023 Budget or only 0.1% of Singapore's GDP.[+7 sentences] Now, 0.1% of GDP appears small, compared to 3% of GDP South Korea spent on cash benefits for public social expenditure. I am not advocating that we have to increase the ComCare expenditure by 30 times to match South Korea's. However, it is important that our support for low-income families keep pace with inflation. Singaporeans have been very much affected by the 14-year high inflation rate. We feel it every day as we buy our food, coffee, and groceries and pay our bills. According to an August 2022 study last year, it is the low-income households earning less than $2,500 a month which are the hardest hit, as they spend almost all their income every month. Given the high inflation rate for the past two years and the expected slow economic growth this year, there is scope to help families cope by easing the qualifying criteria for help schemes across the board. For example, the qualifying criteria for ComCare short-term assistance can be revised by 10% so that applicants with per capita monthly household income of not more than $715 can qualify.[+6 sentences] Likewise, HDB rental flat qualifying criteria can also be eased by 10% so that applicants with less than $1,650 monthly income can apply. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has indicated that it is “almost a certainty” that inflation will be higher and longer. That is, high inflation will be the norm for quite some time. To better help the low-income families, I would like to suggest that all the Government assistance schemes could incorporate an inflation component so that both the qualifying criteria and the quantum of assistance rendered could be adjusted annually in tandem with inflation. Mr Speaker, Sir, low-income families receiving financial assistance are living in much uncertainty, as described by Ms Cindy Ng in her article in The Straits Times last Saturday. We do not want inflation to add another layer of uncertainty for the lower-income families.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Darryl David.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio)2314 words
[+22 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. As Deputy Chair of the Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs) for Education, and Culture, Community and Youth, I will be focusing my speech on these areas as covered in the President’s Address. I would also like to declare my interest as CEO of an educational organisation. Mr Speaker, I become an educator more than 20 years ago because I believed, as I do strongly believe still, in the transformative power of education. Education can unlock potential; it can allow a child to transcend his or her humble beginnings to achieve success; it can inspire a mid-career switch from discouragement to determination; and it can empower a generation to believe that there is nothing that they cannot do, on account of their gender or ethnicity. Education, however, is more than just what is taught or learnt in formal, institutionalised settings. Indeed, as the writer Mark Twain once said, “Never let school interfere with your education.” For true education to be effective, we need to look at it from across all the multiple stakeholders in our society. Families, employers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs), social groups and communities all have their part to play, be it via advice and guidance you would give to your child or a policy that you would implement in your organisation. So, I would argue, as we move forward into this post-COVID-19 era, an era that is probably as uncertain and unsure as any before it, that it will be the education of our society that will be crucial to Singapore’s next phase of development and that this education will not be a whole-of-Government, but rather a whole-of-community effort. We live in an era where we are bombarded with information constantly and consistently. However, unless we have a way to process this information, it remains purely that – “information” that does not serve much use. Education used to be about helping to turn that information into knowledge. So, if information was just random facts, education helped transform it into knowledge, that is, the information now made some sense and it was something that we could use. However, the assumption then was that just because you knew something, you could put that knowledge to good use and actually do something. And, hence, it evolved into skills. So, now it was not so much about what you knew but what you could do. So, I believe, indeed, that one of the key objectives of education should focus on what we can do rather than on what you know. There is no point amassing degrees and certificates if you ultimately cannot perform in terms of the skills that you need to deliver. However, Mr Speaker, I would like to suggest that we should also aim to go beyond skills and to strive for the attainment of competencies as the ultimate end-goal of education. If skills are what you can do, then competencies are how you do it. And these are competencies that we should emphasise to ensure that our students, workers and people stay relevant for the future. The OECD Learning Compass 2030 has identified three “transformative competencies” that students and learners need in order to contribute to and thrive in our world and to shape a better future. These are: creating new value; reconciling tensions and dilemmas; and taking responsibility.[+7 sentences] Creating new value focuses on innovation and creative dynamism of thinking on how one can apply methods, processes and techniques in real-world and practical settings to either solve existing or emerging challenges, while working towards the betterment of community and society. Our system has had a long history of taking a fairly safe and established route to attain the results that we have been judged on. Hence, the obsession in the past with 10-year series and sample examination papers to see how we would perform in terms of being able to attain a particular set of results. Students and learners who aim to create new value have got to be courageously curious and regularly push the boundaries and challenge the status quo. I believe that we can take steps in this direction by not just encouraging our students, but also our educators and even our employers, to be courageously curious as well so that they can create new value for their students, learners and employees. The ability to reconcile tensions and dilemmas sees students and learners being able to apply themselves in real-life scenarios by taking into account seemingly contradictory viewpoints and opinions and opposing concepts in formulating potential solutions to situations in the real world. Real life is messy; real life is uncertain; real life requires you to work in the grey. For our students to develop this competency, I would suggest that we increase the focus on formative assessments, such as coursework, and less on summative assessments like examinations.[+3 sentences] And let us have the courage to apply this to that mother of all examinations, the PSLE. I have made this point before at the previous Motion of Thanks to the President in 2020. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not suggesting that we scrap the PSLE per se. But what I would like to surface again for consideration is to urge the Ministry of Education (MOE) that has done great work so far in being progressive towards the PSLE and looking at different ways of scoring and so on. But I would like to urge MOE to see how they can make each Primary 6 student a final combination of coursework and their PSLE examination score.[+18 sentences] This combination of coursework and examination is already practised in many other programmes, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), and I believe that we can apply a similar concept to the final Primary 6 students’ grade instead of making it purely about a high-stakes one-shot examination. Third, the competency of taking responsibility is a powerful lifelong concept that encourages students and learners to connect it to the ability to reflect on and evaluate their own actions in light of their individual experiences and also in their collective exposure to the world around them. Taking responsibility means that students and learners are proactive and focused in dealing with societal and environmental challenges and issues that present themselves, and the emphasis is not on waiting for “the Government” or “someone else” to do it, but to show initiative, be accountable and take responsibility in dealing with the matter at hand. In short, own it. The MOE Addendum to the President’s Address presented by Minister Chan Chun Sing talks about a “collective responsibility”, and I could not agree more with the Minister. Just as all of us have a part to play in shaping and strengthening our social compact, every stakeholder – the Government, educators, students, parents, employers – all need to work together also to ensure that we contribute to the development of students and learners who have the competencies to take on the challenges of the next phase of our nation’s development. Before I move on to the next part of my speech, Mr Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to also thank all of our educators – from our preschool educators to our primary and secondary school teachers, our polytechnic lecturers, our university academics, our trainers, those who work in continuing education – for the great work that they are doing and that they continue to do in the growth and development of our people. I would now like to move on to the second part of my speech, Mr Speaker, that talks about the trifecta of diversity, equity and inclusion, and why I feel that they are critical to Singapore moving forward. By its composition, Singapore is remarkable for its diversity. We have four major ethnic groups and Singapore’s inter-religious organisation (IRO) oversees 10 religions in our country. When you further divide the ethnic groups into sub-groups, such as the Teochews, Hokkiens, Cantonese and so on for the Chinese; or Tamils, Malayalees, Punjabis and so on for the Indians, then we truly have a rich palette of cultures not just co-existing but thriving together in peace and harmony. This is truly something unique and special and is due, in large part, to the many policies that, while not perfect, were critical and crucial in ensuring that the diverse groups in Singapore learnt to live together in one common community, especially in Singapore’s early days. Indeed, a look around this august Chamber would be a wonderful reflection of the diversity that I am referring to. In terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion and other demographics, I would argue that we have a good representation of different Singaporeans here. Again, while the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) policy might be criticised, I would argue that the diversity in this Chamber is a positive result of that. The one area I feel that we could do better would be to see how we can work on a greater diversity and representation in the Public Service leadership. I believe that some progress has been made over the years in terms of increased gender diversity. However, it would seem that we could do better in terms of greater ethnic diversity in Public Service leadership, especially at the senior levels. I am not suggesting, Mr Speaker, that we should resort to tokenism or to just have someone in a position because he or she is of a particular ethnicity. However, if the Government is one of our largest employers and if the senior public leaders are responsible for formulating key policies that would be responsible for taking Singapore forward into the next few decades and beyond, then I would hope there could be more ethnic diversity among the Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Statutory Board Chief Executives and Deputy Chief Executives, as well as other senior leaders in the Uniformed Services in a manner that would be more representative of the ethnic mix of Singapore society. Greater diversity in Public Service leadership would not just result in diverse perspectives, less groupthink and a richer quality of strategic decisions; it also introduces role models that Public Service officers of every background can relate to and look up to.[+8 sentences] I sincerely hope that this is something that the Government can look into when formulating its Public Service leadership strategy. Mr Speaker, I believe the concept of equality is important. Indeed, it is mentioned in our nation’s pledge that we believe that our society should be a democratic one based on “justice and equality”. And I could not agree more. In this regard, equality is important and crucial, but we must also take this in a particular context because equality is about being equal in status, rights and opportunities and making sure that individuals or groups are given the same resources or rights to other opportunities. However, I think that we should also seek to embed equity as something that guides us in our journey forward as a progressive and caring community. If equality is about everyone getting the same thing, then equity is recognising that not everyone has got the same means and resources. And for us to progress as a community, we have to see how different groups and individuals are provided with what they need rather than be given the same thing as everybody else. In this regard, those in our community who need more should be given more, especially from those who can afford more. This is something that the Government has been moving progressively towards in their more nuanced and differentiated taxation and redistribution policies over the years.[+1 sentence] I would encourage not just the Government to continue with this approach but also for our fellow Singaporeans and members of our community to develop and lead their own initiatives in this area as well. If equality sets the foundation of creating an equal playing field, then equity levels out the playing field by identifying disparities to ensure that everyone has what they need to achieve success.[+5 sentences] This is something that I strongly believe in and it is my hope that even as equality remains a core pillar of our democratic society, the concept of equity will become embedded not just into the core of our community, but into our consciousness as well. As the inclusion strategist Verna Miles once said, "Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance." It is not just about celebrating diversity in our community, institutions and organisations. We should also continuously endeavour to be inclusive by involving all those diverse groups and individuals in many ways and at multiple levels in genuine and open engagement. For example, in schools and institutions – I shift the focus back to education once again – let us actively promote inclusion by involving students from different backgrounds and with different capabilities too, so that they can learn how to learn and how to work together. While it is good, for example, to have dedicated schools to cater to those with special and unique learning needs, I hope that we can continue to work towards more integrative inclusive models where we can have students with differentiated learning needs studying together with those with more neurotypical backgrounds. Learning to care for your fellow student starts that journey towards developing empathy, kindness, compassion and generosity which, in turn, teaches you to care for your colleague, your neighbour and even a stranger in the future. This, I believe, will see us not only moving forward together, but doing so in a manner that reflects our commitment to being a kinder, caring and compassionate Singapore where – to echo Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong – it is less about "I", "me" and "my" and more about "we", "us" and "ours".[+1 sentence] With that, I end my speech in support of the Motion of Thanks.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Tan Wu Meng.
Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong)2027 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion. The world order is changing. Some of these changes are once in a generation, some might say once in a century. Not just the relationships between the great powers, the US and China, but the relationship between humans and technology, between humanity and artificial intelligence (AI). Just one year ago, if someone had suggested you could log into a server online, have a conversation with a software application, have it write a detailed essay that might be indistinguishable from some journals, you might have been told that was a bit speculative. Just one year ago, if you said you had an AI which could outperform many humans at advanced placement exams in the US, you might have been told that was a stretch goal. Just one year ago, if you said software could generate photo-realistic images of scenes and events which never happened just through some text instructions written and keyed in via a keyboard, you might have been told that was some way off. And yet, today, we have ChatGPT, GPT-4 architecture, Midjourney 5 – and that is just one year on.[+22 sentences] Now, imagine that technology developing five, 10, or 15 years from now. Just imagine. In short, the genie is out of the bottle. What has been invented cannot be un-invented, whether it is the light bulb, the computer, the smartphone, cloud computing or AI in its current form. What has been invented cannot be un-invented. That is the world we live in – a brave new world for Singapore and Singaporeans in the generation ahead. This means the world of SG100 will be very different from the world of SG50 just a few years ago. Some might say the world of SG100 will be as different from SG50, as SG50 was from the early days of our Independence in 1965. Just as today, we look back and reflect on what the founding generation of Singaporeans and leaders did, the choices they made, the directions we took, in SG100, there will be another generation looking back at what we decide today and in the next few years. And they will know whether we chose well. It is incumbent on us to make those decisions soon, given how quickly the world is changing. There is not much time. We have to move very quickly and very decisively. I will speak first on togetherness in our society. There is an old saying from Mr Lee Kuan Yew to the effect that "all other policies would 'bend at the knees' for our water survival." We still face existential challenges and dangers as a small country, whether it is water security, our ability to defend ourselves in an ever more hazardous world. But there can be no policy stability, no policy continuity, no ruggedness of policies to bend at the knee for other issues if as a society, we are fragmented, divided and splintered. We will be less than a dot if we are splintered. There can be no consensus on redistribution or a social compact, regardless of what view is put forward on any side of the House or in our society. There can be no consensus without that basic idea of togetherness – a togetherness that each of us sees fellow Singaporeans as our brothers and sisters. Before we can be our brother's keeper, we have to see that fellow citizen as our brother or our sister, as the case may be. So, I would suggest that in this new era, every policy in the Government must have one eye on the impact of governance and policy, on our cohesion and our social togetherness as a nation and as a people. AI will pose great challenges for social togetherness and social trust.[+3 sentences] What happens when any photo or video can be a deepfake? What happens when people can no longer trust what they see online, whether on a broadcast video, a WhatsApp message, a social media platform or something that is circulating around? What happens when people feel they cannot trust what they see and hear? You can imagine how foreign troublemakers will try to damage our society – circulating deepfakes of community incidents that never happened, deepfakes of opinion shapers or people in the news.[+3 sentences] That is the world we are going to have to deal with. This means every policy has to keep social togetherness and social cohesion – one eye on it, sometimes both eyes, but always mindful. In a world of unnatural AI, where the unnatural AI is the new natural, we have to assume that the natural workings of society are going to be very, very different. If you are a policymaker and you are not already thinking about how to strengthen social cohesion in this brave new world, then business-as-usual policies will actually mean the progressive weakening of our social togetherness in a world disrupted by AI and generative AI.[+7 sentences] I use the word "togetherness" with some consideration. You can have different views, come from different backgrounds, have different ideas, different perspectives, but that togetherness is what allows us to pull together and move forward as one people, especially in times of difficulty. This means we need to double down on how people meet, face to face, in the community. When HDB estates are designed, do the shape of blocks and neighbourhoods make it harder for people to come together when going out for work, to play, or to school? Or does the shape of estate designs make it easier for people to interact spontaneously or serendipitously? My Clementi residents tell me that the older blocks with void decks are not quite the same as the newer blocks, which do not have void decks and therefore have fewer shared spaces for organic interaction in the same way as before. My residents feel that about the newer blocks. When neighbourhood centres are designed and outfitted, do policymakers lean in favour of having more hawker centres and coffee shops as a way of bringing people together, even building, designing ahead of demand, or does the market get to decide after the fact?[+37 sentences] Do our policies bring Singaporeans of different backgrounds and different journeys together throughout life, especially from young – children who have come from different starting points and different stories, but who all can learn from mixing with one another? Because this too builds trust. When people connect, engage, come together, and learn from one another, that sharing and exchange of social capital lifts up a society. It deepens our closeness and identity as Singaporeans. And the beauty of social capital is that unlike fiscal capital, which when redistributed is a case of addition and subtraction. But when we have social capital, exchanging and sharing, it multiplies, makes our society richer, more interesting, more unique, deepens our identity as Singaporeans. We need to make sure that mixing, that face-to-face interaction happens all the more so in an era of AI. We also need to equip our students to compete in a world of AI. We cannot hide from it. Even if tomorrow, as some jurisdictions have talked about, we legislated against the use of ChatGPT and other technologies, that would not protect our students or our people – not when a competitor or another firm halfway around the world might be making use of AI. We have to recognise these new and challenging realities. So, each new technology, even as it brings new challenges, also brings opportunities. In the new world of technology, there will still be these opportunities, moving ahead. For example, AI content creation will change as more computing power becomes available. Today, it takes time – if you key in an instruction into Stable Diffusion, DALL.E or Midjourney 5 – to create that image, that one frame. But as computing power increases, imagine if those images can be created 30 times a second. That means you now create a complete AI-generated video. Imagine now, if you add in dialogue, sound and movement, you are basically making your own movies, your own content without Hollywood, potentially cinema-quality as well. The next step, of course, then is monetising, marketing and creating opportunities out of that content. Because if you have a very marketable AI content that you have designed, you can sell it to the rest of the world. Generate revenue in the same way that content is generated today on social media platforms. There will be these opportunities both in the content as well as in the backend – the AI programming, the infrastructure, the data centres, the engineering. There will be opportunities for Singapore as well, but we need to move quickly before others get there before us. We also need to continue nurturing and deepening the life skills and human skills which AI cannot replicate. That includes in the digital world, helping our students get better at building friendships, face-to-face interactions, communicating with fellow human beings, persuading, building networks, growing social circles. I debated this in Parliament some time back with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong when he was Education Minister in a Parliamentary Question. These life skills are more important than ever today. Today we already have computers studying us and what catches our attention. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, there are algorithms which look at what catches the eye, what draws your attention, what makes you more likely to click or move your mouse or manipulate the computer screen. The software is already watching us even as we watch the screen. E-commerce platforms do this; the social media platforms do this too. They use it to make money, shape consumer behaviour, and study what we want. In a world of AI, we can also leverage this to transform the education process. We already know that different students learn differently. Some students learn better by listening, speaking; they learn better through a verbal way. There are some students who prefer to learn by reading and absorbing. There are many students who learn best by doing things with their hands – building, creating, coming up with something with their hands and handiwork and craftwork. With AI, it will be possible to customise the learning process to each student's individual skills, understanding what works best for that particular student. This does not mean teachers will become obsolete.[+3 sentences] Instead, it means teachers can be freed up to focus on human skills, life skills, and helping prepare students for life. Life skills such as how to work as a team, how to connect with your peers, or how to grow as a person. No AI can replace this. It means educators could have more time to befriend students, understand each student's journey, be that cheerleader, that mentor, that shoulder to cry on in times of difficulty, or that person to motivate the student to grow beyond what they dreamed they could do.[+2 sentences] So, amid these challenges, many opportunities. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, five years ago, during the debate on the 2018 Budget, I had called upon this Government to make a big push towards in-house AI capabilities because even though there is a role for private sector capability and outsourcing, there is no substitute for having some of that capability in-house, within the Government. We need to make sure our Public Service deeply understands AI and its opportunities, whether in health, whether in defence, but across the board in policymaking. Amid a world of AIs, deep fakes and generative AI creations, we need to double down in our public policy on how we bring people together, on how we bring fellow Singaporeans together for these face-to-face interactions, which will be the key bedrock foundation of our society and inoculation against deep fakes and other AI disruptions. We need to strengthen human relationships, deepen human trust and we need policy to guide that direction in a world of AI disruption, so that amid big changes in the world, Singapore and Singaporeans continue having that sense of togetherness so that we can survive and thrive in a dangerous world and continue to dream and overcome whatever the world throws at us.
[+3 sentences]. (proc text)] [(proc text) 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.'." – . (proc text)]
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Jessica Tan.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast)1678 words
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. "A Different World", "realities we have to adapt to", "As a small nation, we must take the world as it is", "challenges" and "opportunities". These were points highlighted by President Halimah in her speech at the Opening of the Second Session of this 14th Parliament. But she reminded us that "we are far from powerless". Our history and what we have achieved as a nation today has shown that our strength has and continues to be our people and our will as one people, Government, businesses and citizens "working together to make the improbable, possible". There are many important aspects that President Halimah has covered in her speech and plans that the Ministries have also outlined in the various addenda to her speech. In my speech today, I will touch on two areas which I feel are important for Singapore and Singaporeans to be ready and more importantly, confident for the changes we are facing and to remain relevant now and in the future. They are: one, education and continual learning – to equip Singaporeans and expand opportunities throughout life for all; and two, a society that values and support families. Let me now touch on education and continual learning. For our young: with the fast pace of change and rapid digitalisation across many aspects of work and life, what we teach, how we teach and when learning happens has changed and will need to continue to transform. In schools, we are preparing our young for work and careers that do not exist today. The Ministry of Education's (MOE's) addendum to the President's Address outlines its commitment to quality education and strong foundation for every child, while breaking new ground to adapt to the changing landscape. It is heartening that MOE will invest more in preschool education especially for children from disadvantaged families. Studies have shown that access to quality childcare and early childhood education develops foundational skills and helps boost math and reading in children.[+19 sentences] For our young, building strong foundational knowledge and skills, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), is crucial. With rapid digitalisation, technology skills need to be part of core curriculum. With how technologies are evolving and the potential benefits and risks they pose, technology skills are essential not only to enable use and leverage of these technologies and tools. Equally important, is the understanding of the pros and cons to enable discernment and appropriate use. For example, the benefits of ChatGPT, which everyone has been talking about. ChatGPT gives the ease of use with human-like conversations, extensive applications to produce text, images, music and code – to just name a few. But just last week, an article in The Straits Times highlighted what seemed realistic artificial intelligence- (AI) generated images that surfaced in recent months and the difficulty to differentiate a fake photo from the real one. There are both benefits and risks as AI and new technologies continue to play a bigger role in our work and lives. With increasing use of technologies, there are rising concerns around privacy, biases and discrimination. Policies are needed to protect, but with a balance so as not to impede the benefits to be derived from these technologies. This is an area that the Government will need to continue to monitor and manage. In a fast-changing landscape and with disruptions, we will need to be agile and adapt quickly. Adapting is not just about being flexible and making changes rapidly, but making the right changes. The irony is that in order to deal with changes and to be confident in making the right changes, it will require effort to understand and discern. Acquiring knowledge is essential but not sufficient. The need to analyse data and information, to ask questions and understand in order to use and build on the knowledge is essential. To be adaptable, our students will need to build their problem-solving skills and creativity. With the pace of change and the complexity of the changing landscape, to prepare our students for success, we must also develop them to collaborate well with others and to communicate confidently to articulate their ideas and thoughts. As outlined in the MOE addendum, how teaching is done in our schools has evolved. An example is Subject-Based Banding (SBB), which caters to the diverse interest and needs of students by allowing secondary school students to learn subjects based on their strengths and learning needs.[+6 sentences] To support our students to be able to collaborate and communicate effectively, schools will also need to continue to provide ample opportunity for students to do team-based learning around projects and problem solving. These skills will train our students to collaborate with diverse groups and also require them to communicate effectively. This will prepare our students and give them life skills and the confidence for opportunities in Singapore and overseas, both in school and in the future. Let me now touch on those in the workforce. With people living longer and healthier, our workforce is multi-generational. The needs and experience of workers differ between generations in the workforce. This is an advantage if we are able to tap the diversity of the workforce. I have made this point in several of my speeches in this House, that we need to rethink the structure of work to make learning and training systemic for workers of different age groups and stages of life.[+3 sentences] With change, people of all ages in the workforce will need to acquire knowledge at each stage of their careers and lives. Apart from work, workers have to manage their different obligations and life stages, hence, learning has to be organised and accessible both online and hybrid-enabled access to learning to fit the learning needs and the different obligations, life stages and schedules of our workers. COVID-19 has also brought fundamental changes and shown us the possibilities of how work can be organised and where work can be done. These can provide opportunities to attract and retain workers as well as tap a larger pool of talent. But to do so, will require fundamental shifts in mindsets and policies around work arrangements, including flexible work arrangements (FWAs) and even retirement age.[+8 sentences] President Halimah touched on the need for broader and a more open meritocracy to allow every Singaporean to have the opportunity to take on meaningful work that tap on their strengths and to be rewarded fairly for it. I feel that our schools, institutes of higher learning (IHLs) and our SkillsFuture programmes, have and do provide pathways for learning, training, certification and credentials to recognise the skills acquired for our students and those in the workforce. What we need, is for businesses and society to recognise skills, competencies and experiences of workers of all ages and qualifications, and not just academic levels of attainment for job opportunities and qualification. Let me touch on our society and the value of support for families. The family plays an important and central role in our society. The family provides our sense of belonging in society and are our first line of support and care. With an ageing population and people living longer, families are multi-generational and caregiving needs will increase. With smaller families, some families need to care for both the young and seniors. Means-testing qualifying criteria for caregiving support for middle-income Singaporeans may work against some middle-income families that care for their family members.[+11 sentences] For example, a middle-income household living in a private property taking care of aged parents or siblings may not qualify for any relief or subsidy for eldercare services because of housing type. Let me relate an example from a recent house visit I did. Our resident, Mdm Lee – not her real name – shared with me her worries on the long-term care needs for her brother. Mdm Lee and her husband are in their 60s and do not have children. They live in a terrace house with her brother, aged 65 years old, her sister who is in her 50s and an aged mother in her early 90s. The family are a close-knit family. Mdm Lee's brother suffered from poliomyelitis, which affected his speech and mobility, and he is unable to care for himself. In fact, during the COVID-19 period, it was really quite trying for this family in terms of caregiving needs. Mdm Lee shared with me that the family does not qualify for any Government subsidies because of their housing type. As her husband, herself and her siblings are either retired or nearing retirement, she is worried about affordability for her brother's long-term care when his condition gets worse and he needs to stay in a nursing home. Mdm Lee and her sister currently pay for his medical expenses as he does not have any medical insurance coverage. The irony is that if Mdm Lee's brother or mother did not live with Mdm Lee but instead lived in a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat, her mother and brother would qualify for support for eldercare services and nursing home. But Mdm Lee and her family believe that staying together contributes to the overall well-being and care of their mother and brother. I appeal for a review of the criteria to qualify for support for eldercare services, intermediate and long-term, to better support families as they care for their loved ones.[+8 sentences] I am not saying that we discount means-testing, I think that is required. But we need to think about the flexibility and also, the circumstances. And sometimes, we do it on a case-by-case basis. As our population is ageing, we will have more and more of such scenarios. Mr Speaker, our people are at the core of Singapore's past, present and future. In this complex and rapidly changing world, while the Government has to do more, our businesses, citizens and society, too, have to do our part. Working as one people, we have been able to weather challenges and emerge stronger. I am confident that as one people, we will move forward together to address challenges and seize opportunities.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied)1837 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, as someone born in the 1960s, my cohort-mates and I find ourselves straddled between our seniors and the young. On the one hand, we are young enough to use many forms of social media, but not young enough to use youth slang like "OOTD", outfit of the day; and "IYKYK", if you know, you know. We are old enough to remember the feverish days of the Malaysia Cup; but are a little too old to banter about the latest K-drama heartthrobs – though to be fair, I can name one or two. Thus, placed between seniors and the young, I wish to focus my speech today on these two demographic profiles that bookend society at the opposite ends. I wish to ask how we could give greater confidence to seniors and the young, to assure them that they are indispensable parts of our social fabric. Put another way, how do we build a country for all ages? One attitude that will erode solidarity across generations is the tendency towards ageism. Ageisim can be directed against both older people and the young as well. I will touch on these today. First, on seniors. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Global Report on Ageism 2021, about one out of every two persons worldwide habours ageist attitudes.[+15 sentences] Ageism manifests itself in our minds, when we stereotype people based on age; it manifests in our feelings, when we harbour prejudice; and finally, it manifests in our actions, when we discriminate against people. WHO notes that ageism can exist at three levels. First, at the institutional level, when laws, policies and social norms restrict or disadvantage individuals based on age. Second, ageism exists at the interpersonal level, in interactions between two or more individuals. Finally, ageism could be self-directed, when it is internalised by those who are discriminated against, who then accept it and behave in ways that make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sir, there is ageism everywhere, though we may not call it such by name. Here are some instances. One of my residents, who is 97 and in excellent health, likes to go around asking anyone she meets in Teochew: "I am 97 years old this year. Are you afraid of me?" When we hear of someone so senior, some of us would, with good intentions, overprotect the person or assume that the person needs help without stopping to think that everyone ages differently. We have also come across single elderly people who need to rent rooms to stay, due to disagreements with their family, but are rejected by landlords in view of their advanced age. Think also, of the millions of dollars spent on hair dyes and anti-ageing products, so as to present a younger image of ourselves, for fear that we might otherwise not be taken seriously. There is also a sexist element to this, where professional men with grey hair are respected, but women with grey hair doubted; but that deserves a more detailed discussion on another day. Ageist attitudes are also familiar in the workplace. How often do we hear of middle-aged jobseekers who report that once their age is revealed to the prospective employer, they would receive a polite response to wait for a follow-up call, which does not come? Indeed, in a survey released last March, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) confirmed that ageist attitudes were still prevalent in the Singapore workplace, affecting older workers.[+10 sentences] The recent global COVID-19 pandemic, too, saw ageism rear its ugly head. A United Nations independent expert, Dr Claudia Mahler, noted that the pandemic restrictions and lockdowns had resulted in a wave of ageist comments and hate speech; older persons were blamed as the reasons for lockdowns and labelled as vulnerable and burdens to societies. To combat ageism, the WHO highlights three strategies: first, through laws and policies; second, through public education; and third, by increasing inter-generational contacts. How is Singapore doing in these aspects? At the official or policy level, there are positives in Singapore. We see many health-related initiatives toward active ageing, including the latest Healthier SG initiative. The Government is also looking into more options for seniors to age-in-place instead of in an institution and for assisted-living accommodation that preserves the individual's autonomy to make decisions. Such preservation of an individual's autonomy is a precious tenet that we can also see in legislation, such as the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). Under the MCA, donees and deputies must give weight to the preferences of the incapacitated person, as far as possible. On the employment front, there are policies to incentivise employers to hire older workers through wage offset schemes, such as the Senior Employment Credit. Nevertheless, for stronger protection for all workers, we are still eagerly awaiting the anti-discrimination legislation, which the Prime Minister announced nearly two years ago.[+7 sentences] Apart from laws and policies, the other two strategies that are likely to have more impact are public education and increasing inter-generational contacts. As far as public education is concerned, what more can be done? For our students, we could review our education curriculum from primary to tertiary, to remove any ageist stereotypes and dispel any misconceptions about certain age groups. On employment, I note the efforts of MOM to encourage our employers to hire older employees and embrace multi-generational teams. The Government should always lead by example. Another aspect is to watch our public discourse, including debates in Parliament. Ministers and Members of Parliament should avoid making statements that may inadvertently perpetuate ageism, such as: "By the year 2030, we will face a silver tsunami", which evokes all the wrong images. As for increasing inter-generational contacts, I fully support the HDB's move to evolve from building blocks with only senior apartments, to having mixed blocks of flats for seniors and flats owned by younger families.[+1 sentence] This provides opportunities for cross-generation neighbourly activities, such as gardening, games and mutual care. Another Singapore initiative was cited positively by the WHO – that of pairing seniors from activity centres with young people to play video games together.[+24 sentences] Research has shown that the benefits of such inter-generational contacts go beyond reducing ageist attitudes; they also benefit older people in improved health and psychosocial well-being, reducing distress and loneliness. They also strengthen inter-generational solidarity. We should continue to promote more inter-generational contacts. From older people, I next move on to the young. In the President's Address, the President highlighted that youths showed a strong interest to take action and initiate change on issues they cared about. She affirmed that the Government would engage the ideas, dynamism and energy of young Singaporeans. In the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's (MCCY's) addendum to the President's Address, it was further stated that the Government would encourage more youths to engage in constructive civic discourse, through platforms, such as the Youth Circles and the Youth Action Challenge. MCCY said it would continue to create new platforms to give youths the opportunity to shape Singapore. However, in a TODAY media report the next day, some young people expressed cynicism about existing forms of engagement. Several interviewees argued that the engagement had to go beyond just talking, but should enable young people to have direct participation in governance and policy formulation. One person doubted that the views of young people would be accepted unless those views aligned with the Government's own ideals. Whatever the views expressed, there was common ground that any engagement should foster in young people a sense of responsibility. I believe it is worthwhile to distil what the priorities of our young citizens actually are. What are the issues young people care about? While the President highlighted mental health and sustainability, it would be wrong to interpret this as meaning that young people only care about "woke" issues, such as climate change or discrimination. In my past work as a polytechnic lecturer, I could see in my students' concern about their parents, making ends meet and how to improve themselves and their families' station in life. In an article published in the Workers' Party (WP) Hammer last year, WP Youth Wing President Nicole Seah also shared that young people had many concerns that crossed generations, such as the affordability of public housing, cost of raising a family and employment opportunities. We must be careful not to pigeonhole young people's issues into a handful of areas and only seek to engage them on those. That would be a big turn-off and a disservice to our young. Besides not restricting the areas for youth participation, we must also ask what sort of participation would convince our young people of a direct role in governance and policy-making. There is some indication that the many conversations, so far conducted, have led to conversation fatigue and scepticism. Cynicism about talking and consultations is understandable, as these are simply input which will eventually either be incorporated or thrown out by decision-makers. Of course, the empowerment of young Singaporeans need not and should not be a top-down affair. Young citizens can and should seize the day and organise themselves around the causes they care about, adding to the richness of society through such ground-up initiatives. Nevertheless, I believe one change that should be made is to give younger cohorts a direct say in our national elections by lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 years. I raised this matter in this House 16 years ago and most recently again in this year's Committee of Supply debates.[+1 sentence] The Government's consistent response has been "no". This is despite Singapore being among a handful of countries in the world that has not reduced its voting age to 18 years, such as Bahrain, Cameroon, Tonga and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[+3 sentences] In the Government's latest response this year, the Minister basically said that those between 18 and 21 years old do not have the skillsets required to cast their votes. I wonder how many citizens agree with this assessment? Sir, it is worthwhile remembering that ageism can equally be directed against the young. To this end, it could well be argued that when we require male Singaporeans to serve National Service at 18 years, but only permit them to vote at 21 years, this is a form of age-based discrimination.[+7 sentences] As I said in February, in the 1960s, the movement in the United States (US) to bring down the voting age to 18 years gained momentum when youths below 21 were drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. The slogan ran: "Old enough to fight, old enough to vote!" Sir, let me conclude. For Singapore to fully harness the energy of every citizen, we must foster a dynamic environment where ageist stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination are blown away. This is not something for the Government alone but requires marshalling the whole-of-society. Each of us needs to examine ourselves too, to see how we individually can contribute to this endeavour in our everyday interactions. If Singapore is to be built to last, we must, together, build a Singapore for all ages.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Christopher de Souza.
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah)1479 words
[+10 sentences]Sir, as we move into the Second Session of Singapore's 14th Parliament, I would like to thank Mdm President for charting out the course ahead as we transition into a different world post-pandemic. Mdm President spoke of the need for our unity and to strengthen our social fabric through emphasis on our core values of fairness, inclusivity, mutual support and giving back to society. One avenue in which we can accomplish this is through expanding opportunities throughout life for all, regardless of individual backgrounds and circumstances. I believe this starts with education. Mdm President spoke of providing every child with a good education but not wanting to increase the stresses in an "educational arms race". I wholeheartedly agree with this. Earlier this year, during the Budget Debate 2023, I spoke on right-sizing our syllabus and increasing affiliations between schools. Today, I would like to elaborate more on that, for I feel it is in-sync with what Mdm President charted out last Monday. On education, firstly, right-sizing our syllabus involves asking ourselves how do we truly want to prepare our young people for a different world they are growing up in. The way our world has changed and keeps changing and – with the influx of knowledge and technology and AI – we cannot focus on getting the best test scores or merely having the most knowledge. Increasing affiliations between a primary and secondary school can lift the burden of thinking about which school to go on to after the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).[+9 sentences] We should not go down the route of an educational arms race. One key way to stop this is to reduce the syllabus. I am not saying it is the only way, but making the syllabus less voluminous will reduce the reliance on tuition to play catch-up. An educational arms race has incentivised a tuition culture. And if we do not stop the race now, our students are going to end up hitting a brick wall. We must avoid that. We must inject the joy of learning, instead of reliance on tuition to play catch-up on the syllabus. An educational arms race has built-in a tuition culture, where students are caught between doing school homework and tuition homework such that they are possibly, busier on weekends than they are on weekdays. Secondly, Sir, I would suggest reducing class sizes from 40 to less than 30. MOE's addendum to the President's Address, focuses on being able to better customise teaching and learning for students of differing abilities, to bring out the best in each child. I believe one way this can be accomplished, is to have a smaller class size to allow teachers to have more time with each student.[+5 sentences] This can lead to more individualised attention, a greater capacity to monitor each student's physical, mental and emotional well-being, and the ability to tailor to different learning speeds and to cater to different learning styles. Instead of students having to go for tuition, smaller classes can help better pacing, so each student can learn and keep abreast of the subject within class time itself. This can also allow students to have opportunities to speak out and participate more, which would be especially helpful for students who learn as they verbalise. Another focus is helping students with special educational needs in mainstream schools. By reducing class sizes, teachers will have more capacity to assist with the educational experience of these students and to allow the space for interactions between all the students in the class under the teacher's supervision. Of course, reducing class sizes must mean we need more teachers and I believe it will be a step in the right direction.[+17 sentences] Our teachers choose their profession because of the value they see in raising students to their full potential and derive much intrinsic joy from it. But the tendency for teachers to be overworked and burnt out is known, especially in the past few years where they have had to cope with many, many changes. Our teachers go far beyond just the academics, as they often counsel students and help those struggling with mental health. By taking on more teachers and reducing class sizes, we can build a better environment, both for students and teachers. That is, at least, in my humble view. In right-sizing our syllabus and having an appropriate class size, we put in place the foundational stepping stones to inculcate in our young, the love of learning. Perhaps, in tweaking our syllabus, that may make way to craft more opportunities for students to visit museums and libraries and have more moments to play, which is essential for creativity. Sir, I move onto my second point. Mdm President encouraged us to move ahead together, even in the face of many changes the world presents us now. Sir, this means caring for the vulnerable. A recent topical concern is protecting our vulnerable citizens from scams. Therefore, Sir, the other issue that deeply concerns me, as we progress as a nation, is the increasing prevalence of scams. Many of the residents I serve in the constituency, have come to me at the Meet-the-People Session (MPS) or shared with me during home visits, their distressing stories about how they have lost tens of thousands, if not, hundreds of thousands of dollars to scammers. Prevention involves both building an infrastructure of laws and harnessing technology to detect and dismantle criminal organisations as well as preparing our people, both young and old, to deal with this threat. The scale of this threat cannot be under-estimated. The variety of scams – from investment scams to e-commerce scams – all focus on one thing: targeting a specific vulnerability of a targeted group. The scammers are highly sophisticated in directing different scams to different age groups and taking advantage of cognitive biases to psychologically manipulate people into giving more details and transferring larger amounts of money. What accentuates this challenge is the transnational nature of the issue: with 90% of the scams from overseas and how technologically savvy the scammers are in using various digital platforms to carry out the scams.[+2 sentences] So, to tackle this, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) need to work with the Singaporean public, the banks and our partners from other countries. In particular, I believe we have to double down and raise a proper bulwark with our banking security systems. Instead of just saying what the problem is, I humbly suggest some solutions. These include placing limits on transactions, giving phone calls to owners of bank accounts to ensure that they do want to proceed on a transaction, spotting suspicious patterns in consecutive transactions and a kill switch which can be activated by the bank if it detects multiple and suspicious outflows of monies from citizens' accounts.[+8 sentences] In the constituency I serve and when I meet with residents, I have seen physically, bank statements of residents with multiple outflows of monies, just under the transaction limit each time. I have seen bank statements where this happens between 2.00 am and 8.00 am, multiple withdrawals under the limit. And then, when they wake up, the poor residents are $70,000 poorer. This should raise alarm bells and in my view, prompt the bank to halt the transactions altogether until further verification is obtained, or at least contact the customer to ensure that these are legitimate withdrawals. We have also to consider the new safeguards we should put in place. For example, e-wallets make transactions far quicker, but do they have the same safeguards in place? It is time that we consider what trade-offs we make between advancing "frictionless" transactions on the one hand and putting in place enough safeguards to protect our people. We must look at how we can mitigate the effect of the scam. The Anti-Scam Command has taken the commendable lead in this in freezing 16,700 bank accounts just last year and recovering over $146 million. But that is out of 31,728 scams just in 2022 and over $660 million were reported to have been stolen.[+1 sentence] In addition, I humbly think we also need to consider how we should put in place, better support and compensation for those who lose their life savings. For many of the elderly who are scammed, the loss is often at least six figures, which is close to their entire retirement savings.[+5 sentences] Often, the compensation offered by the bank is insufficient for them to retire on. That would leave many of our seniors having to find more work. That may not be ideal at all, if the couple is already in retirement. I really believe this is a group of people we must stand alongside. Sir, with these two priorities in mind in the field of: one, education and; separately, two, protecting vulnerable groups from scammers, I stand in strong support of the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied)3334 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, in my maiden speech in Parliament over seven years ago, I argued that the Singapore glass is half full. While there are always areas for improvement, we have done well with governmental efficiency and urban planning relative to other countries. However, back then, I said that we have not done as well in fostering strong non-state actors and institutions to balance a strong state. And I would add that we have not done as well in fostering a strong sense of participation in our democracy; a sense that we can speak out and, if needed, disagree with the dominant narrative, with our views actually having a chance to make a difference. An article by Tan and Preece in the Asian Journal of Comparative Politics in December last year reads, and I quote, "We find that mechanisms of diagonal accountability related to media and civil society have declined. Vertical and horizontal accountability remains weak." Published research from the book "The Well-being of Singaporeans" by Tambyah, Tan and Kay, in 2010, reaches similar conclusions. They cite survey data to show that 56% of Singaporeans agree with the statement that, generally speaking, people like me do not have the power to influence Government policy or actions, while another 23% are neutral.[+29 sentences] Only 20% disagreed. Countries that succeed in drawing strong participation in democracy will be more successful in fostering a confident populace, a people who deeply feel that this is my country, my home – a place where my voice counts for something, a place that I will sacrifice to defend. We all want Singapore to be a country where everyone feels that they have a chance at realising their full potential and giving life to their dreams. A place where tomorrow can be better than today for ourselves and, even more so, for our children and grandchildren. Not a place where many cannot even envisage a better tomorrow; not a place where economic pressure and ever-intensifying competition from school to workplace lead to ever greater stratification in living conditions, social capital and social standing. Sir, the first part of my speech will examine how we can cultivate an active citizenry while keeping politics and political discourse fair, vibrant and constructive. The second part will address how we can build economic optimism, so as to create a virtuous cycle of economic dynamism. The third part will suggest "a Singapore model" that can be a beacon for the region and also a bulwark against attempts by great powers to suborn or divide us. Firstly, on politics and political discourse. President Halimah's speech called for "an active citizenry" and "a passionate civil society". She also spoke of the importance of avoiding political polarisation and gridlock, having trust between "our political leadership and people" and keeping political discourse respectful and rational. Such calls are not new. But as I reflected on this, I found that my unease was captured in a public comment from former media editor and academic Bertha Henson. I will quote an excerpt here: "I am always bemused when I hear politicians warning Singaporeans against such 'polarisation'. Our politics is nowhere as partisan. We do not have a two-party system yet nor a civil society which will take to the streets. Yet, we hear about divisive politics as though we are teetering on the edge of an abyss…I don't think we should be guarding against 'divisive politics' but rather 'mono-politics': that there is only one narrative, one view and it must necessarily be the right or the best perspective – unless you don't trust me. That is too tall an order for any citizen to submit to." Let us unpack and interrogate some of these assumptions in what I term "the dominant narrative". Firstly, do we want an active citizenry that feels that it is worth participating in politics by speaking out, listening, caring and getting involved in political discourse versus just retreating into private life? I think we should and I hope all hon Members want that. And if we take that ideal seriously, we should never treat differences of opinion as necessarily equivalent to polarisation. Polarisation happens only if some groups of people oppose others for the sake of opposing and not in a reasonable, fair-minded way. Polarisation happens only if vindictiveness and tribalism trump thoughtfulness and basic human decency. No pun intended in the use of the verb "trump", by the way. Secondly, disagreement and agreeing to disagree does not imply disrespect. One can disagree with respect, courtesy and decency. It seems that everyone, nowadays, welcomes that well-worn phrase "robust debate". But we do sometimes hear in this House that the other side has not explained the trade-offs properly and, therefore, was being dishonest in some sense. During very major recent debates in this House, the Opposition explained how there were alternatives to a Goods and Services Tax (GST) hike that would slow the rate of growth of the Reserves; and that there were alternatives to a housing ecosystem based on the promise of asset appreciation and that these alternatives would lead to some weakening in the resale market.[+6 sentences] Were those trade-offs denied, hidden or glossed over? No. The trade-offs were explained. I think in our political discourse and even in our debates in this House, we should strive to treat Members' views and other parties' views fairly and accept when there is a philosophical or ideological difference, call it what you will, rather than being too quick to label the other side as "disingenuous". Such labels can affect the tone of discourse in the wider society, if alternative ideas become demonised or labelled uncharitably. Rather than chip away at trust in the Opposition with such labels, the Government should focus on explaining why it disagrees with the Opposition. Thirdly, on the need to keep political discourse rational, I do not think anyone would disagree with this. However, to have rational political discourse, we need transparency of information.[+1 sentence] We do not always get this. There are many examples of Parliamentary Questions that do not elicit the information requested without an explanation as to why that is the case. Sometimes, outcomes of public consultation are not made public.[+34 sentences] There is a great deal of public opinion surveying done by the Government, some of it through opinion-sensing agencies, like Rysense, for example. Not all of this is made available for public scrutiny and debate. Lastly, I come to the oft-repeated call for trust in Government. I think trust in the independent institutions of the state is a very good thing, where it is warranted. But should the public blindly trust the Government, as in the political leadership, regardless of whether relevant information has been shared; regardless of what the Government says or does? Surely not. That goes against the active citizenry which the President's speech referred to. Sir, some speak of a democracy of deeds. But surely, we do not want a citizenry that is active in deeds, but blind, apathetic or timid in thinking. Such a citizenry may engage in the wrong deeds. And to trust the Government – does that mean that, since the Government and Opposition sometimes disagree and not, hopefully, irrationally, does that mean that it is right that the public distrust the Opposition? Surely not. We should not strive for a political landscape where the public innately trusts the Government but innately distrusts the Opposition, or vice versa. If any Member disagrees with this, please, I would love to hear your views later. We should strive, rather, for a politically educated populace that accords trust based on facts and evidence from independent institutions that function as intended. What can we do to strengthen everyone's confidence that we have an open society, where citizens can and should care, listen, understand and debate policies? How can we make everyone believe that there is a more level-playing field for ideas and not primarily one dominant narrative that you would do well not to challenge? In the interest of time, I will suggest just a few ideas to advance towards this goal which WP Members of Parliament (MPs) have expanded on in previous debates in this House. One, delink the People's Association from the ruling party. The current system creates a sense that state resources are invested in promoting the Government's thinking and the ruling party's politicians, which unlevels the playing field for politics and ideas in our nation. My hon friend, Aljunied MP, Mr Faisal Manap, will elaborate on this. Two, create an ombudsman with investigative capacity to strengthen confidence that the state and ruling party are accountable and cannot simply shut down a grievance that may be politically costly or for other reasons. At the very least, a second unbiased opinion would be of value. I have argued for this at length previously, as have other WP MPs. Three, ensure that funding for civil society, the arts and so on is handled by independent committees who are not linked to the government of the day. This would certainly help build the passionate civil society that President Halimah spoke of and counter any fears that civil society groups that advocate alternative policies to the Government may be penalised using state resources. Four, since we do not have a Freedom of Information Act, we should publish every single public opinion poll and data collection effort conducted with state funds, redacted only for anything that has clear and strong commercial or national security sensitivities for better-informed debate amongst political parties, civil society groups and citizens. Five, allow Opposition MPs to engage school students in their MP capacity, alongside ruling party MPs and Ministers, a subject I have raised in this House before. We need to mould the mental habits of our citizens from a young age to nurture independent, critical thinking. Exposing them only to People's Action Party (PAP) politicians in schools and barring non-PAP ones in most student engagement contexts does not achieve this. Our future citizens need to be able to see both sides of a question, in a way that will inoculate them from the demagogues and foreign interference attempts of the future. Sir, we must not allow any sense to congeal that there is one dominant narrative and that everyone who has a different view has to be marginalised or go on the defensive. I now come to the second part of my speech on the optimism of Singaporeans. Will tomorrow be better than today? According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer survey, only 36% of respondents in Singapore felt that their families will be better off economically in five years' time. Only 36%, the lowest level for this measure since Edelman started surveying 23 years ago. This 36%, for Singapore, compares with the 40% global average across 24 countries.[+7 sentences] Sir, the Leader of the Opposition spoke of the risk of there becoming two Singapores. Right now, close to 50% of households live in 5-room HDB flats or more expensive homes, private homes and so on. A little over 50% live in 4-, 3-, 2- or 1-room HDB flats. At the risk of oversimplification, those who live in less expensive homes may be the ones feeling the economic anxiety and pessimism that the Edelman survey measures. They may struggle to compete in the workplace or academia, especially if they did not receive the inherited advantages of wealth or social capital that President Halimah spoke of. The elderly on fixed or no incomes, have to grapple with rising food prices. Whereas others, the optimistic 36%, may feel that they can thrive in this very competitive society with high prices and expensive homes. In fact, poverty and social inequality ranked as the third big area of concern in a national survey done in 2020 by Ipsos, after jobs and healthcare.[+6 sentences] At this point, I declare my interest as the Chairman of a Singapore company that undertakes market research and consulting. Sir, when we have discussions like this, it is often pointed out that real wages are still growing. But the Edelman survey, plus a great deal of anecdotal experience from my conversations with Singaporeans in the Serangoon ward of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and East Coast GRC previously, suggest that this anxiety is very real. Many fear that the way food, house and other prices are rising, the way the job market is becoming more competitive, those with fewer advantages will truly struggle to build a tomorrow that is better than today. Also, we should recall that real wage data may mask some things. Real wages may appear to be rising but that may mask the fact that certain demographic groups may feel the pain of inflation more than others. Previously in the House, I have called for Consumer Price Index (CPI) data to be published by demographic group, for example, parents with young children or empty nesters, as inflation affects these groups differently.[+16 sentences] Also, within each income decile, there will be those who do less well than the median for that decile. And lastly, the Edelman survey shows that whatever the real wage growth data suggests, the thinking of many Singaporeans about the future reflects a lack of confidence that they can thrive going forward. This economic pessimism could be one reason for our globally low total fertility rate (TFR). In the previous housing debate, I also cited academic evidence for a causal link between high home prices and low TFR in Singapore. If left to fester, such economic pessimism could lead to a brain drain as people leave for more liveable countries. If that happens, that may tend to create an over-reliance on foreign manpower. We need to address this economic pessimism fundamentally, not only through ad hoc measures, such as an additional grant here or an additional rebate there, helpful as that is. More far-reaching reforms are needed to make everyone believe that this society has their back. The WP has called for many such reforms in the past. In the interest of time, I shall not expand on these, but I shall refer to them. One, a national minimum wage. Two, a redundancy insurance scheme. This is something the WP has championed for some time and I was intrigued by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's reference to some form of unemployment support. Three, seriously tackling the issue of poverty and breaking the poverty cycle. I have called for a war on poverty in this House. My hon friend Assoc Prof Jamus Lim has also weighed in on this topic yesterday, as have other WP MPs over the years. Four, reforming the HDB housing system to lower Build-To-Order (BTO) prices by revisiting the formula for land valuation as well as introducing various other reforms, as we argued in the recent housing debate.[+2 sentences] Five, revamping trades or vocational jobs to overhaul them for higher productivity, pay and conditions. I have spoken about this in the House several times. Lest anyone say that the trade-offs have not been explained, these ideas, taken together, will slow the rate of growth of the Reserves, but will not draw down the Reserves.[+8 sentences] I believe slowing down the growth of reserves is wholly justified at this stage of our nation's history, given the needs we have with an ageing population in a turbulent world and given the much larger size of the Reserves now versus gross domestic product (GDP), as they were in the past. My WP colleagues and I have explained this repeatedly, on multiple platforms. We must invest to ensure a confident current generation, lest our fertility go so low that there will be few people in the generations to come. Sir, before I move on, I want to refer to Deputy Prime Minister Wong's comment yesterday that the Opposition should offer concrete alternative policy ideas. We have been doing this. We offer alternative policies that differ substantively from the ideas of the PAP, for example, on slowing the Reserves growth to enhance liveability, social justice and social mobility and reducing BTO prices based on tweaks to the land valuation formula. The alternatives we have championed in Parliament, in our manifesto, are too numerous for me to mention here. I only have 20 minutes. In fact, I only have less than five minutes left. We championed an expansive acute hospital bill insurance scheme and permanently delinking BTO from resale prices long before this was adopted by the PAP Government.[+20 sentences] We championed anti-discrimination legislation and redundancy insurance, policies that the PAP are now considering in some form. The Deputy Prime Minister and the PAP know this. They know it. Sir, I have a sense of déjà vu now, recalling how I was debating a similar issue about what the PAP said about our housing paper in this House just a few weeks ago. Mdm Deputy Speaker, let us be honest in our political debates. Honest. Not going for false but flashy soundbites that smear our opponents, that the media then viralise with huge headlines. I do not want my children to grow up in a post-truth society. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I come now to the third and last part of my speech, about the development of a Singapore model that can inspire the world. As I said in my maiden speech, we have got certain fundamentals right. The glass is half full. Let us fill in the other half with measures to enhance our active citizenry, civil society and engaged, rational politics. This thinking can extend to regional leadership in economic projects. Such projects can be designed to reflect Singaporean values of good corporate governance and efficiency, but also incorporating consultation and engagement with civil society and other stakeholders. And the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for such projects could advance goals, like poverty alleviation, reflecting Singaporean values of egalitarianism and inclusivity. Singapore has positioned itself as a leader in economic openness, having the most free trade agreements (FTAs) in the region. But one of our distant competitors is putting a twist on this approach. The UAE's diplomacy focuses on playing a supporting role to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and so on, who have much bigger populations and armies, even as the UAE positions itself as the business gateway to the Arab World and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. But the UAE has taken this a step further. It invests in overseas assets with a very outsized investment in renewables. The scale of this is extremely large – just the renewables arm of one of their sovereign wealth funds have targeted 100 gigawatts of renewables at home and abroad by 2030, quadrupling the current commitment and being worth around US$100 billion.[+1 sentence] By comparison, Temasek-linked Sembcorp's 2025 target is 10 gigawatts; Keppel’s is seven gigawatts. An example of UAE "dealplomacy" is where its government-owned renewables business, Masdar, committed to a 10-gigwatt mega-wind farm in Egypt in a deal on COP27's sidelines, which would save Egypt $5 billion in annual gas costs and offset about 9% of its emissions.[+3 sentences] In comparison, Singapore has supported renewable energy companies' expansion into the region and internationally, but largely on a commercial, non-diplomatic basis. Why green investments as the backbone of these regional leadership efforts? Because green energy is cheap, lasting, critical and has the potential to make a far-reaching impact. The International Renewable Energy Agency estimates that, if Southeast Asia were to build enough renewables to cut energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, it could also save US$160 billion as well as $1.5 trillion in health and environmental costs related to fossil fuels by 2050. But to pull this off, $7 trillion in investment is needed from now, till then.[+3 sentences] In 2018, I spoke in this House about the idea of Singapore leading a flagship project in the region on renewable energy or some such theme to serve multiple economic and diplomatic ends. Such projects need not be primarily government-financed, but can raise financing in capital markets globally. Leading and catalysing such a regional flagship project will help bolster—
Mdm Deputy Speaker11 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Perera, you have a minute. Please round up your speech.
Mr Leon Perera116 words
[+5 sentences]Yes, I am tracking the time. One minute. Leading and catalysing such a regional flagship project will help bolster Singapore's economy and also Singapore's soft power in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, a region which has a potentially important historical destiny, namely that of a bulwark and zone of buffering and balancing between the great powers of China and the West. And what if Singapore demonstrates how its traditional bureaucratic efficiency can be combined with policies that ensure openness, accountability and democratic ownership among an active citizenry? That could serve as a good example for this vital region that will inspire emulation and perhaps help form an ASEAN identity around such principles.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Chan Chun Sing.
The Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing)113 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you very much. I just wish to make a point of clarification to Ms Sylvia Lim's speech. I heard the Member saying that the Government essentially said that people under 21 years old did not have the skills to vote.[+1 sentence] May I check, when did we say this? Because if I am right – I just checked the Hansard – on 24 February 2023, in my reply to Ms Sylvia Lim's question, I said, "If we look at the rights and responsibility of all our people from the ages of 16 until 21, there is a gradation of scale.[+1 sentence] At different ages, they have different rights and different responsibilities."
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim108 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. In fact, I had raised my hand with Deputy Speaker because I also went back to check and I realised that my recollection of the response was not quite accurate. So, I accept what the Minister has said – the Minister did not say that the people between 18 and 21 did not have the skillsets to vote, but what the Minister said was that there is a different rights and responsibilities for people between 16 and 21. But I believe the question still remains as to whether those between 18 and 21 should be empowered to vote.[+1 sentence] I apologise for recollecting wrongly.
Mdm Deputy Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Chan.
Mr Chan Chun Sing13 words
[+2 sentences]I thank Ms Lim for the clarification. Indeed, we have not said that.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer)1784 words
[+4 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion to thank Mdm President for her Address at the Opening of the Second Session of the 14th Parliament. Mdm President has reiterated the importance of ensuring a broader and more open meritocracy that works well for all Singaporeans; one in which no one feels left behind. Whether it is in education or employment, the Government has made positive and concerted efforts to promote meritocracy. As a labour MP, I have been lobbying in the past few years against discrimination and have been part of the efforts in the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness to uphold the principles of fair and merit-based employment in Singapore. The interim report and update was recently issued and I look forward to seeing this piece of legislation next year, when it is introduced in Parliament. The issue of age discrimination and ageism as highlighted by hon Member Sylvia Lim is one area which will be addressed in this piece of legislation.[+14 sentences] On the education front, I can see the efforts at levelling the playing field and providing opportunities for all to maximise their full potential in the entire learning continuum from mainstream to adult education and continuing education and training both in and outside of employment. Yesterday, the WP through hon Member Gerald Giam proposed through-train schools for the first 10 years. This is not a new idea, as my fellow MOE Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) member and former Chair, hon Member Denise Phua, had suggested almost a decade ago and on different occasions. MOE, during the Committee of Supply, had explained considerations to right-site our students according to their learning needs and the associated challenges of implementation that we must carefully consider. There are also those who want to retain the PSLE and want to have a choice of the secondary school they want to enter at some interval. Likewise, with SBB to be rolled out across all secondary schools in due course, it will allow students to discover and pursue their passions and interests while deepening their strengths and abilities and have a more structured and less painful process for learning. We do not want an arms race or more stress due to examinations. We also do not want to cram children with even more content as character and values are equally, if not more, important. I am glad we have made significant changes to the education system and must continue to do so to improve. I, therefore, agree and support what Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned in his speech yesterday on our refreshed meritocracy, which is a continuous one with learning opportunities, milestones, ladders at multiple junctures through this learning continuum. It, therefore, holds true that it remains a treadmill journey and we need to constantly evolve and find new and innovative ways to imbue the love for learning in everyone; foster a lifelong learning culture and ensure our people stay ready, relevant and resilient – ready to do better, relevant to move forward in life and resilient to try again. In my recent contribution to ETHOS, a publication of the Civil Service College, I reiterated the importance of adopting a mindset of lifelong learning to address the issue of skills mismatch. SkillsFuture, the national movement to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout life, regardless of their starting points, is Singapore's initiative towards inculcating that mindset and embedding it within our culture. We have already seen how SkillsFuture has paid off for businesses. Results from a study conducted by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) showed that companies which tap on SkillsFuture to fund eligible training expenses report revenue benefits and higher productivity. Our research in the Labour Movement also revealed that majority of business leaders have observed positive changes in their workers post-training, such as higher performance at work and being able to take on new job responsibilities.[+22 sentences] These findings are promising and we certainly hope that all businesses will provide their workers that access to quality continuing education and training (CET) and upgrading opportunities. The Labour Movement will continue its work in advocating that employers provide adequate training support for their workers so that they may tap on opportunities that arise in the new economy and ensure a just transition for all. However, I feel we can do more for the individual Singaporean in ensuring that this system, that supports lifelong learning, works for them too. The vision to strengthen our SkillsFuture ecosystem, such that everyone is enabled to do significant skills reboot during their working lives, is one that I firmly believe in. Mdm President shared that such a skills reboot would help to keep Singaporeans employable or transit across to jobs in new areas of growth. I wholeheartedly agree with this. What the entire SkillsFuture programme does is that it provides us access to a toolbox. Call it a CET toolbox – a collection of educational courses and training programmes that are meant to support and equip us on this journey of lifelong learning, enabling us to accomplish skills mastery and even second-skilling ourselves. Just like the SkillsFuture Credit, which arms every Singaporean citizen from the age of 25 with this toolbox. However, not all of them open this toolbox, much less use it. Anecdotally, through my engagements with workers as well as with residents, this could be attributed to two reasons. First, there are just too many options for training programmes out there. Second, there is a perceived lack of guarantee that undergoing training would result in tangible outcomes for the individual's career, in terms of wages and progression. Returning to my toolbox analogy, what this means is that: first, there are just too many tools in our toolbox, leading to confusion; and two, a lack of knowledge on how using a certain tool or a combination of tools would help us accomplish certain tasks, revealing a lack of clarity or information asymmetry. The next question, then, is a straightforward one – how can we help Singaporeans navigate these tools, cut through the analysis paralysis, resolve the paradox of choice and have the confidence that the utilisation of these tools would empower them with the means to fix a leaky pipe, replace a light switch or assemble a table and become the version of the skilled tradesperson that they have always aspired to be? In other words, how can we tighten the nuts and bolts of our SkillsFuture ecosystem to generate outcomes that will ultimately be beneficial for Singaporeans and their careers and, eventually, our economy? Our workforce is made up of workers of varied profiles and it is imperative that we adopt a more targeted lifelong learning strategy for different worker segments – to ensure that everyone has fair access to opportunities, a level playing field for jobs, while, at the same time, balancing companies' manpower needs in the immediate and longer-term, to achieve equitable outcomes. We have skills frameworks and annual reports on skills in demand, which are very instructive and useful. But I opine that a more individualised and speed to market approach is needed so that time and resources spent on training and skills upgrading lead to clear outcomes in terms of wages and career progression and ensure every worker stays employed and employable. There is a way to enable this targeted lifelong learning strategy by tapping on the expertise of career coaches and counsellors. Professional, industry-accredited career coaches and counsellors work with us to explore our strengths and weaknesses, build confidence and chart our career paths. They are invaluable help and support throughout our careers. Unfortunately, such individualised career services are either availed to the high-potential segments of a company, only in large organisations and multinational corporations (MNCs) or those who are retrenched or unemployed. In the same vein, there is a lack of industry-led accreditation of career coaches and coaching in Singapore.[+1 sentence] For our young fresh graduates, mid-careerists in the throes of a mid-life or mid-career crisis and vulnerable segments, such as those who are not so young, as well as inmates and ex-offenders – having a career coach to mentor them, to help them navigate the journey of upskilling and retraining with them, can make a world of difference. As we navigate a skills and employment landscape that is increasingly complex, the assistance and guidance by a career coach is becoming more of a necessity than a luxury. Therefore, I propose that there be industry-led accreditation of career coaches and counsellors and expanding SkillsFuture Credit utilisation to include the engaging of professional career coaches and counsellors.[+9 sentences] The advice and guidance rendered by the career coach would complement what SkillsFuture, in its existing form, already offers. It may even reduce or resolve the psychological barriers to training and ensure all Singaporeans that they have equal chances and opportunities at all stages to develop their skills. Whether they are in the midst of a life transition, or just looking to upskill, Singaporeans can look towards SkillsFuture as providing the full suite of services that would support them in that journey. Toolbox in hand, Singaporeans can be confident that there is a master tradesman by their side to guide them in the effective use of tools to achieve skills mastery. Taking a longer-term view, the SkillsFuture initiative could then be what reduces the skills and jobs mismatch, thereby reducing under-employment and skills shortages. It would maximise our intended structural outcomes in progressing the development of our people and economy, while ensuring that Singaporeans continue to have access to opportunities – regardless of their life stage – to help them find their true north and realise their full potential. On a final note, I have previously lobbied in this House on many occasions in the past decade, the possibility of monetary support for those unemployed to help them tide over the difficult period before finding and landing the next job. The idea has been fleshed out in our joint NTUC-Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) Professionals, Managers and Executives in Singapore (PME) Taskforce Report recommendations and again during our recent #EveryWorkermatters conversations. All workers, including PMEs, especially those in their 40s and 50s, are visibly concerned and anxious over skills obsolescence and unemployment. In this respect, I welcome Mdm President's mention and Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's speech yesterday, which alluded that the Government would study how we will extend support beyond the pandemic – well, similar to the COVID‐19 Recovery Grant and the SGUnited Jobs and Skills programme, to watch our backs and help our workers tide over unemployment and get re-employed again.[+1 sentence] Mdm Deputy Speaker, with that, I support the Motion of thanks to the President.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied)98 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Mdm Chair. I note that Mr Patrick Tay said that the 10-year through-train-school idea is not new. Ms Denise Phua proposed it more than a decade ago. I have not had the chance to check the Hansard yet. But be that as it may and in the interest of arriving at the best policies for Singaporeans, regardless of who raised it first, do Mr Patrick Tay and Ms Phua agree that the 10-year through-train programme from Primary 1 to Secondary 4 would be a helpful option for parents who want their children to bypass the PSLE?
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan120 words
[+1 sentence]If I may give a quick response to the hon Member Gerald Giam, I think there are constraints and it was highlighted again in my speech. [restates an earlier point]I mentioned about MOE's response to this idea and suggestion by the hon Member Denise Phua. There are constraints because the Member is looking at the whole continuum from primary to secondary school.[+3 sentences] As of today, the teachers and staff already have very exacting requirements and demands on their time and resources. So, doing this will mean dedicating even more resources, and even stretching workers in this space and the entire education ecosystem. This requires serious consideration and, therefore, it is something we need to think carefully before we move on to the step.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Denise Phua.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar)187 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Madam. In response to hon Member Gerald Giam's question, I still think that there is potential good pathway to do away with the PSLE and have a pilot of an integrated 10-year programme. But I also acknowledge the challenges that Education Minister Chan Chun Seng mentioned in this year's Committee of Supply. So, the debate should not be on just having or not having that pathway, but really to go on to the next level, perhaps in the Forward Singapore conversations.[+7 sentences] As to what it will take to create a pathway like this – the challenges – and to solve some of the root issues that the ground faces and will be having. So, the debate is not just to have or not to have – that is like a 10-year-old debate; whether to have or not to have – but really to go on to the next level. What does it take? Why it should happen or why should it not happen? And what kind of resources? What constraints will come in if we choose that pathway? I do support that potential pathway still.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Janet Ang.
Ms Janet Ang (Nominated Member)2834 words
[+4 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on the Motion put up by hon MP, Mr Murali Pillai. I join the hon Member to express gratitude to the President for her Address. Mdm President's speech on behalf of the Government, was uplifting and covered a lot of ground and I thank her for inspiring all of us to run the next lap as one Singapore amidst an increasingly complex world. We have come a long way since gaining Independence and achieved what many would consider an economic miracle. The Economic Intelligence Unit recently just ranked Singapore for the 15th consecutive year, as the world's best business environment over the next five years.[+5 sentences] Trust in Government, as measured by Edelman, remains consistently high and we should not take that for granted. Our political maturity has also come of age with this Parliament having its first Leader of the Opposition appointed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. However, all of us need to acknowledge that Singapore is at a point of inflexion. We have had a declining birthrate since 2017. And like many of the advanced economies, we are in the middle of a silver tsunami. To keep our economy vibrant and to support the needs of our ageing population, Singapore needs a large pool of foreign complementary workforce. Hence, the foreign residents today constitute 38% of the labour force and represent 27% of all residents in Singapore.[+2 sentences] Singaporeans are faced with a dilemma of accepting this reality and creating a welcoming culture of integrating our foreign guest workers into our communities, or, allowing the continued tight labour situation to (a) negatively impact our service quality and the Singapore brand; (b) cause the burnout of our workforce due to their having to double-up for the shortage of labour; and (c) limiting our companies' growth opportunities, just to name a few. I would like to call Members' attention to a Straits Times article on 13 April with the headline: SBF calls for foreign worker measures to be eased as workload on frontliners piles up. Singapore is, indeed, at a point of inflexion. It is timely that the whole-of-Government has engaged Singaporeans in the Forward Singapore exercise, led by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the 4G leaders, as a start to the refresh of our social compact.[+14 sentences] I salute the 14,000 Singaporeans from civil society and businesses who have stepped forward to co-create with the Government in re-imagining what success for Singapore 2.0 could look like. I attended a couple of the sessions myself and I could feel the love by so many of our Singaporeans for our country. Most heartening for me to know is – the affirmation that Singaporeans wish to hold intact the core values that we cherish, as Singaporeans, that is: fairness, inclusivity, mutual support and the desire to give back to society. In her Address, Mdm President spoke about the need for a broader and more open meritocracy that will work well for all Singaporeans. What would this Singapore-style meritocracy look like? The Collins dictionary defines meritocracy as a society or social system in which people get status or rewards because of what they achieve, rather than because of their wealth or social status. Hence, the idea behind meritocracy is that the most talented and hardworking individuals should be given opportunities to succeed, regardless of their background or social class or their gender. Many positive outcomes of meritocracy have been realised: (a) top of the list is social mobility and many amongst us can stand to be counted as beneficiaries; (b) another positive outcome is that meritocracy promotes a more efficient and effective workforce as individuals are rewarded for their achievements and their hard work; and (c) meritocracy is largely seen as a fair system, thus promoting justice and equality. That said, there are also pitfalls to meritocracy. Meritocracy assumes equal access to all opportunities by everyone. And this is not always the case since those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds may not have the same resources or access and that can limit their chances of success. Two, meritocracy can be limited by how we define merit. In Singapore's case, merit has been closely associated with paper qualifications and, hence, the phenomenon of the "paper chase". The narrow definition of merit to paper qualifications does not consider other qualities which, in fact, are competencies needed for the 21st century workforce and these qualities include, emotional quotient, creativity, ability to communicate with influence or even craftsmanship and other non-traditional skills. Most of our employers in Singapore recruit, pay, promote and advance their employees based only on paper qualification primarily.[+12 sentences] Three, meritocracy can also create social division as those who are successful may attribute their success as solely due to their own merit, rather than recognising the role of their family, the larger environment and society that has enabled and empowered them to be successful. This individualism mindset will, over time, erode the values of our society. Responding to Mdm President's call to action for a rethink of the approach to education and to work, so as to avoid the pitfalls of meritocracy, as it is today, I would like to start the dialogue along these two aspects and offer some "food for thought" along the way. First, let us re-imagine meritocracy in education and I will raise three themes. First and foremost, we need to go back to basics and remind everyone in the system of the following – embracing the dignity of the child and igniting in every child the joy of learning. It needs to be central in any education system and believed in by all stakeholders – parents, educators and teachers, principals, policy-makers and society. Singapore does a reasonably good job in this regard and our educators deserve a big kudos for all they do for our children. How we were able to keep our children in school throughout most part of COVID-19 with teachers having to pivot to provide hybrid-learning, is a case in point. The child is certainly central to our educators in Singapore. Next, I am heartened to see that, increasingly so, more attention and resources are being given to children with special needs. For youths whose circumstances are challenged, the Government is enabling more social services agencies to provide the appropriate care from preventive to developmental to rehabilitative. And community initiatives, like Yellow Ribbon, to give youths who have made bad choices in their lives a second chance, is to be applauded. And the Government's commitment to KidSTART and other programmes, which help to uplift the children in the lower-income households and give them an equal chance early in life to participate on a level playing field, is the absolute right thing to do. And for older students who may need extra help but cannot afford tuition, I would like to propose that MOE invest in some kind of after-school "study halls", facilitated by teachers and student ambassadors to help these students with their revision, homework and preparation for examinations.[+28 sentences] These initiatives will go a long way to narrow unequal access to resources and, in doing so, facilitate social mobility. Three, the biggest challenge lies in changing mindsets. Meritocracy inevitably drives individual achievements and that is how the individualism mindset gets ingrained. To break the individualism mindset, a few things need to be reset. First, expectations need to be reset for both the teachers, the principals, the school system and the parents: from focusing on grades to emphasising the dignity of the child; developing in the child the joy of learning and; inculcating in the child the values of fairness, inclusivity, mutual support and the desire to give back to society. I submit to you that the adults need to walk-the-talk and role model the way forward for the students. So, dialogue and alignment amongst the stakeholders would necessarily be the first step. Two, teach our students that "we are all in this together". For this, perhaps, we can take a page from the late Nelson Mandela, and I quote, "In Africa, there is a concept known as 'ubuntu' – the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in this world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others." Ubuntu is the philosophy of "I am, because we are". As Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said yesterday, let our language be "more of us and we, and less of I and me". Three, rewards motivate behaviour. The next step is to review the rewards system across the board. How are the teachers evaluated and rewarded? Are the students rewarded based on academic achievements primarily or behaviours of their values in action? How are parents engaged in the process to fulfil the common purpose of educating their child? Are students encouraged to share their knowledge and their skills with classmates who may need help? Rewards motivate behaviour. We cannot ask the educators to deliver one thing, but measure and pay them on something else. Likewise, for the students, how will their behaviours be rewarded, both in terms of the way they are graded as well as the way they will qualify for admission to higher levels of education? And so, I come to the next point. Specifically, admission criteria for students to progress can afford a rethink. How do we reward team spirit and team behaviour and perhaps, penalise negative individualistic behaviours when crafting admission criteria? While we do want to develop our students to their best potential and have them be the Edusave Awards for Achievement, Good LEadership and Service (EAGLES) and soar, we ought to take a lesson from nature as even eagles in the sky fly in formation and take turns to be at the head of the "V". This formation helps them to fly longer distances. Perhaps, MOE and the schools and the parents might take this lesson on board and rethink the criteria used for rewarding students' EAGLES. Five, rethink Government scholarships. I have heard stories of how smart students attain the Singapore Government's prestigious scholarships only to break bond and worse still, the intention to do that was already there even at the point of application. The Government might want to rethink the purpose of Government scholarships and perhaps, consider giving more scholarships to students who both have merit and financial need. The Public Service Commission may also want to review the penalties for persons breaking bond and make them punitive enough, likened to defaulting their National Service commitments, so as to incentivise the right behaviours and values.[+3 sentences] Breaking bond is a crime, as you rob a fellow Singaporean from the opportunity to access the education and the experience that the scholarship provides. Of course, there may be some scholarships which are in recognition of one's achievements. For such scholarships, perhaps, the Government can consider not imposing a bond but, instead, other forms of paying it forward. Another recommendation I have, is for the Government to send their scholars to serve their bond in local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).[+7 sentences] This will spread out the talent to our local industry and, at the same time, these smartest of the smartest of Singaporeans will have a better understanding of issues on the ground and be better policymakers when they return to the Public Service. Six, teachers play a significant role in all of this. The challenge of teachers is time. How can we help teachers by having them do less administrative work, so they have more student encounters? How can we help to unburden their stress and keep their mental wellness in glowing condition? A kind word, a thank you, a please, a smile from the students and from parents would mean so much. And I would like to add that teacher-student interactions play a big part in educating the child. As we have falling enrolments due to fewer babies born each year, one proposal that I hope MOE can consider and I heard it in the House just now as well, is to bring down class sizes to less than 30 students per class.[+2 sentences] This will really help enhance teacher-student interactions. Seven, it takes a village to raise a child. Can the Government consider giving tax rebates to singles – the aunts and the uncles – who sponsor their nieces or nephews for their continuous education or tuition, in the same way like deductions for foreign domestic helpers in the tax form?[+11 sentences] Let me now transition from education to the workplace. Unlike the past, our students today face constant disruptions. What they have learnt in the first 25 years will need to be constantly upskilled and reskilled to stay relevant to the industry and the workplace. Singapore's SkillsFuture is a brilliant and strategic vision. Its implementation will go a long way toward changing the view of meritocracy earned at point of graduation, to meritocracy earned over a lifetime. So, let us re-imagine meritocracy in the workplace. Just as MOE has developed multiple pathways for success, there should be multiple pathways for success in the industry. Allow me to focus my attention on the 60% of each year's cohort of students who attend the Institute of Education (ITE) and/or polytechnics. The industry has a big part to play to help themselves as this is the pipeline of their workforce. Over the years, the polytechnics and ITE have stepped up engagement with industry and in many instances, imbedded industry into the curriculum. This is very important to ensure that the students are skills-ready and job-ready when they leave the system. Today, almost all students have the opportunities to do internships and attachments with companies as part of their polytechnic or ITE education. I think that more can be done to incentivise companies to hire our polytechnic and ITE students as apprentices even before graduation and; for the companies' on-the-job training to be certified as stackable modules toward the diploma course which the students are pursuing, or even toward professional qualifications later on.[+3 sentences] MOE's Work-Study Programme has been designed to facilitate such a pathway. Singapore Polytechnic's Industry Now Curriculum has imbedded such elements. Outcomes have been positive. But we need more companies to come on board. This is where I see SGUnited Jobs and Skills, which was effectively applied during COVID-19, can pivot to incentivise companies to employ our polytechnic and ITE students as apprentices and progress them to full-time jobs after graduation.[+17 sentences] The target group should be the polytechnic and ITE students who are unlikely to take the university route right after attaining their diplomas. So, we can be more targeted. Next, pay for skills, pay for value. In Singapore, I said earlier, most employers still hire and pay by qualifications and not by skills and value. I would advocate once again that SGUnited Jobs and Skills may be leveraged to target certain jobs which we want to have more Singaporeans in the roles but whose compensation package is currently not appealing for the Singaporeans to be excited to step in and companies need to be weaned off supposedly cheaper foreign labour. The target jobs ought to be aligned with MTI's Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) so that the support and incentives can be more targeted. MTI's Accelerated Pathways for Technicians and Assistant Engineers grant to support manufacturing companies in training and hiring ITE graduates for critical technical roles is a good case in point. We should replicate that – fast. Next, Government to lead the way. Between the Public Service, the Temasek-linked and Government-linked companies, they hire a sizeable percentage of the Singaporean workforce. So, I hope that they can lead the way from all the points that I have mentioned and start now. Many of our SMEs do not have the same access to capital, tools, networks and leadership. How can we incentivise our MNCs and large local enterprises (LLEs) to bring along our SMEs who are the vulnerable community in the business world in their value chain and, in so doing, intervene to avoid the pitfall of meritocracy which SMEs may be disadvantaged? Government procurement, if open to SMEs directly or via the value chain, will certainly help minimise the pitfalls of meritocracy as well. In conclusion, my hope is for our Singapore-style of meritocracy to be one which values the dignity of every person – no matter their abilities or achievements, upholds the spirit of community, that is, as Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calls it, more about the we and us and less about the I and me; empowers attitudes of always learning and collaborating, embraces a culture of care and dialogue, compassion and giving, inspires each one of us to strive for excellence together for the common good and creates an economy that is at the service of society, where no one is left behind. I am confident that as One Singapore, we can make every tomorrow better than today. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member)1969 words
[+7 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion thanking the President for her Address. The President's Address points to the urgent need to refresh our social compact. This includes, helping Singaporeans with more job support, strengthening the social safety nets, broadening the definition of meritocracy and promoting a strong sense of shared identity, where every Singaporean feels that they have a stake in our country. These are noble aspirations which the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) strongly supports. However, to refresh or to redefine our social compact, PSP thinks that we need to, first, rethink fundamentally, some of the more important policies on jobs, public housing, education and work; and ultimately, what it means to be Singaporean. PSP has vigorously debated the Government on some of these issues, especially jobs and public housing, in the past three years. Ms Hazel Poa and I had demonstrated what PSP, as a responsible Opposition party, will do to allow the voices of Singaporeans be heard. Among many other actions, we have asked more than 300 Parliamentary Questions; tabled two full Motions on jobs and public housing; and three Adjournment Motions, questioning vaccination-differentiated measures, public expenditures on the Sports Hub and SPH Media Trust and the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3.[+20 sentences] We have proposed serious alternative policies, as a responsible Opposition party does. But regrettably, the Government does not generally seem to be prepared to consider our proposals seriously. The Deputy Prime Minister's message yesterday confirms that one more time. Based on our debates with the Ministers, we believe that the policy changes advanced by the Government are inadequate to address the problems on hand. For example, the job security of Singaporeans and the surging HDB prices. Notwithstanding that, PSP is committed to work with the Government and all political parties as one Singapore team to empower our people, renew our social compact and secure a brighter future for ourselves and our children. From my very first speech as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) in this Parliament, I have raised the concerns of Singaporeans who believe that the current socioeconomic policies are not working for them. Many Singaporeans are very concerned that the benefits of job growth and economic growth are mainly accruing to the foreign workforce in Singapore rather than Singaporean workers, even though our workers are well-educated, well-skilled and hardworking. We raised the widespread anxiety experienced by Singaporeans, regarding their jobs and livelihoods, during the debate on our foreign talent policy in September 2021. Regrettably, during that debate, instead of answering our questions directly and allowing the debate to focus on the more substantial issues, the Government tried to paint the PSP as a xenophobic, nativist and even racist political party. We categorically reject such allegations. The PSP has always maintained that for Singapore to achieve greater economic success, we will always need the right foreign talent to complement a Singaporean core. We welcome the right foreign talent. However, when the quality, number and concentration of Work Pass holders affect the job security of Singaporeans, we must speak out. Singapore is a global city state. Unlike the Americans in New York or the Chinese in Shanghai, our countrymen have nowhere else to go if they cannot afford the cost of living or are displaced from their professionals, managers, executives and technician jobs. There is no hinterland for these Singaporeans to retreat to. They will have to leave Singapore and go to another country. We must treasure our citizens and cannot let this happen. That is why, over the last three years, I have continued to ask so many questions and focused so many of my speeches on our foreign manpower policy, the wage and employment situation of Singaporeans and workplace discrimination. Some of the specific policies that we have proposed in the last session of this Parliament include, an Employment Pass (EP) levy of $1,200 per month, increasing the qualifying salaries for EP and Special Pass (SP) holders in stages over three years to $10,000 and $4,500 respectively; and to implement diversity quotas that limit the total percentage of a company's workforce from any given nationality.[+7 sentences] These are rational and constructive policy alternatives to level the playing field for Singaporeans. They are not meant to close our doors to foreign talents or target any nationality or race. We have merely sought to advance the interest of our Singaporean workers and to give voice to their persistent anxieties and concerns over our immigration policy and their livelihoods. It is dangerous for the Government to misconstrue our concerns as being motivated by nativism, xenophobia and racism. In this session of Parliament, let us live up to the President's exhortation last week – for us to have constructive, respectful and responsible political debates that are based on facts and sound analysis. At the end of the day, we are all doing our best for Singaporeans. And a Parliament that is a fair arena for all parties is one that will earn further respect from its people. In the last session of Parliament, the MOM has introduced many policy initiatives under the leadership of Minister Tan See Leng, such as the new workplace fairness legislation, the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) and an increase in minimum EP qualifying salaries. However, the many exemptions granted undermine the effectiveness of these policies, as the MOM is given a large discretion on how to enforce these policies.[+8 sentences] To be effective in restoring the balance in our local job market and levelling the playing field for Singaporeans, the PSP thinks that we need policies with hard targets – like the ones PSP has proposed. We hope that the Government will continue to strengthen support for the unemployed and underemployed workers and raise the wages of low-income Singaporeans at a faster rate. The PSP has proposed a minimum living wage to do this. We also look forward to contributing to the debate on the new workplace fairness law next year. We have also pushed for improvement of the financial security of Singaporeans, which is most affected by the affordability and accessibility of public housing. We had a substantive debate on this issue for some 12 hours in February, initiated by Ms Hazel Poa and me. The public housing debate is yet another example that shows the value of having Opposition Members in this House. We have reflected an issue that many Singaporeans are deeply concerned about, advanced Singaporeans' interest and aired their doubts on the Government's narrative about affordable housing in Singapore. Despite our very limited resources, the PSP has put up two key policy proposals to reset our housing policy – the Affordable Home Scheme and the Millennial Apartment Scheme.[+5 sentences] We have researched and thought through these policies before raising them in this House. They are rational alternatives that we believe will better achieve our desired outcomes of affordable housing and family formation, while delinking retirement adequacy from housing prices. I welcome the Government to provide statistics to substantiate their rhetoric that our alternative policies will cause a crash in the housing market. During this Session of the 14th Parliament, we will continue to scrutinise the Government's housing policies and keep a check on the Government's move to stabilise prices in the housing market. In particular, Singaporeans are anxious to know what solutions the Government has, to resolve the lease-decay problem. For a government which prides itself on efficiency and not shying away from politically difficult decisions, it is hard to understand why the Government has not announced further details for the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) or other solutions for the lease-decay problem in the past five years.[+18 sentences] We will continue to ask the questions that Singaporeans want to ask, but may not be asked by Members of the ruling party. That is our duty as a responsible and rational Opposition party. We will also continue to put up alternative housing policies that we believe will be in the interest of all Singaporeans. As always, we expect that these policies will be robustly challenged by the Government, but, we hope that these policies will not simply be brushed off as raiding the Reserves or crashing the housing market just because they do not fit into the Government's framework for the reserves of finances or challenge the Government's "sacred cow" policies, like homeownership. I hope that the Government can refrain from such posturing, so that we can have a more productive debate in this House. Like I mentioned earlier, a fair arena for one and all. During her Address in 2020, the President said, as masters of our own land, Singaporeans must have confidence in their rights and privileges of citizenship. Last week, the President spoke about deepening Singaporeans' sense of shared identity. These two issues are interlinked. All Singaporeans should identify with the notion that we are masters of our own land and our shared identity should be grounded in the rights and privileges of citizenship. PSP welcomes foreigners to complement the Singaporean Core. But first and foremost, the PSP will do all it can to protect the position of Singaporeans, as masters of our own land. PSP understands and empathises with many Singaporeans, who feel like they are second-class citizens in Singapore today. Life is tough for many. Singaporeans feel like they are draining their resources just to stay afloat, instead of being empowered to swim towards a better life. Naturally, they feel resentment when they see an influx of wealthy new immigrants setting up family offices and driving up property and Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices. During my walkabouts, many Singaporeans have expressed to me that they are aggrieved that many naturalised Singaporean Citizens, who have arrived in Singapore comparatively recently, enjoy most of the benefits of citizenship and can gain from the resources that past generations of Singaporeans have accumulated, without having to serve National Service or even volunteer service in the SAF Volunteer Corps. Eighteen-year-old Singaporeans make immense contributions to us being masters of our own land, by serving National Service. To recognise this, the Progress Singapore Party has supported lowering the voting age to 18, since our party was founded; and I repeat this call today.[+2 sentences] This is also the stance of the Workers' Party and Ms Sylvia Lim had just reiterated that in her speech today. In addition, we must do more to prioritise Singaporeans and redistribute economic gains, so that these perceptions can be corrected and we can empower those Singaporeans who feel like second-class citizens today. While we support an open economy, with the free movement of labour and capital, such movements must be carefully controlled and calibrated.[+1 sentence] In the labour market, the interests of Singaporeans must be prioritised. In the housing market, we must ensure that public housing remains affordable and accessible and that rising land prices, due to an influx of wealthy foreigners who are allowed to purchase private property, do not cascade down into the HDB resale market.[+2 sentences] PSP will continue to fight for all these during this session of Parliament. Mdm Deputy Speaker, the urgent need for a refresh of our social compact means that we must rethink and may even have to discard many of the old policies, in order to bring Singapore to greater heights. PSP believes that we need to have a new set of alternative policies that will serve us better going forward. In the last Session of this Parliament, we have proposed some of those alternative policies for providing good jobs and affordable public housing to Singaporeans. As members of a responsible Opposition party, Ms Hazel Poa and I will continue to propose more alternative policies for the rest of our term as NCMPs.[+3 sentences] We hope the Government will notice our serious alternative proposals this time. Singaporeans deserve better. For country, for people.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Wan Rizal.
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar)1818 words
[+15 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. Meritocracy is a core value that has been instrumental to our nation's success. It is the principle that individuals should be rewarded based on their abilities and achievements, regardless of their background. It has driven Singapore's economic growth and helped create a prosperous, inclusive and diverse society. However, we must also recognise that meritocracy is not a perfect system and I am glad Mdm President touched on this. It is important to acknowledge the role that socioeconomic factors and perceived structural inequalities can play in limiting opportunities for certain groups. To address these challenges, we must continue to promote our brand of meritocracy that ensures everyone has the tools they need to succeed and one that has a broad definition of success. And this is where education plays a crucial role: in not only being a vehicle of social mobility but providing multiple platforms for individuals with different interests and passion to develop. This will, in turn, foster equal opportunities for all. Madam, education is the cornerstone of our society, shaping the hearts and minds of future generations. In our pursuit of meritocracy, we must continually invest in early childhood education to provide a strong foundation for our children. Early childhood is a critical period in which cognitive, social and emotional skills develop rapidly. By nurturing these skills from a young age, we can ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of background or circumstances. In the fervent words of my maiden speech, I implored that we enshrine early childhood education as a fundamental right, a conviction I hold steadfastly to this day. For me, this transcends the mere number of children attending school; it represents a profound transformation in our collective consciousness, a shift that underscores the indispensable value of making education not just accessible but unequivocally compulsory. The Government has made significant strides in improving early childhood education. Therefore, I welcome the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF's) addendum outlining plans to strengthen preschool education and ensure affordable and accessible quality childcare. The KidSTART programme, for example, has successfully provided early childhood development support for children from low-income families, helping to level the playing field and give these children a better chance at success.[+25 sentences] Madam, in addition to early childhood development, we must ensure that our education system provides multiple opportunities for success. MOE has championed this cause by offering diverse educational opportunities to cater to our student's unique strengths and interests. Over the years, I have had students from various educational backgrounds in the polytechnic. Some came from the ITE, others through the Polytechnic Foundation Programme – they are actually "N" level students – and some were "A" level students, who decided to switch. Regardless of their background, I have seen them doing very well when pursuing their diploma in polytechnics – partly due to them pursuing their field of interest. Some continue to pursue their degrees afterwards, while others are in a job where their interests match. As an educator, all I want is for my students to develop at their own pace and fulfil their passion and potential; and I have yet to be disappointed. This is a testament to our education system, which has evolved over the years to accommodate diverse interests and learning styles, foster creativity and promote critical thinking. Madam, as an educator for over 20 years, I have been fortunate to witness, first-hand, the transformative power of education and its impact on the lives of our fellow Singaporeans. One of my former students, Ibrahim, switched from the A-level route to do a diploma. He came from a humble background and faced some challenges in his educational journey. Nevertheless, he persevered and completed his diploma. What stood out was that he was positive, hardworking and a natural leader – traits that go beyond grades. After a few years, he secured a place in university and landed a fulfilling job in his field of choice. Ibrahim's story is a testament to the power of education and the opportunities it can provide. In this rapidly evolving world, our education system must adapt and innovate to foster well-rounded individuals who can thrive in diverse environments. Ultimately, we, as a society, must recognise that success is not just about grades but also about developing character, values and life skills. By shifting our focus to this holistic approach, we can empower our youths to become resilient, adaptable and compassionate leaders of tomorrow. Madam, next, I would like to address an issue I have been pursuing throughout my stint in Parliament, which is mental health. Our society has made great strides in recent years, recognising mental health as a critical aspect of our overall well-being. We have seen public awareness campaigns challenging stigma and, most importantly, more people stepping forward to seek help. However, our work is far from over. We must continue our efforts to destigmatise mental health, recognising that it is as important as our physical health. We have a collective responsibility to create an environment where everyone can access the support they need, without fear of judgement or discrimination. The Government has recently invested in various initiatives to promote mental health. The efforts by the Inter-agency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being and expanding mental health services in polyclinics are commendable examples. As we forge ahead, I would like to suggest a few areas for consideration.[+1 sentence] Firstly, we must increase access and reduce costs as well as waiting time for mental health services. We can achieve this by enhancing the affordability and availability of mental health services through Government subsidies and expanding such services in the heartlands.[+18 sentences] Additionally, The Mental Well-being Circles must be adequately and rigorously trained and deployed to provide that much-needed first tier of support in the community. Secondly, let us continue to invest in preventive measures, focusing on early intervention. By providing mental health education in schools and the IHLs and equipping dedicated staff with the necessary skills and resources, we can identify and support students at risk of developing mental health issues. Lastly, we must continue to fund and increase funding for mental health research. Research not only helps us identify factors contributing to mental health issues, but also informs the creation of effective prevention and intervention strategies. Additionally, research findings can guide the improvement of mental health services and the development of policies and programs tailored to individuals' needs. As we strive to create a brighter future for Singapore, let us remember that mental health is not an issue that can be resolved overnight. We are better together. And it requires continuous effort and dedication from all of us, working hand-in-hand with the Government, healthcare professionals, educators and community partners. Madam, let me share a story that has left an indelible mark on my heart. I once had a student named Sarah, not her real name, who struggled with severe anxiety. Through early intervention, dedicated support from her teachers and her family's unwavering love, Sarah overcame her challenges. Today, she is a thriving young woman, passionate about advocating for mental health awareness. Her story is a testament to the transformative power of understanding, empathy and timely intervention. It is a reminder that, together, we can create a society where everyone has the opportunity to flourish regardless of the challenges they may face. As we work toward this goal, let us channel our collective passion, energy and commitment to ensure that mental health remains a priority on our national agenda. Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): The Healthier SG initiative is testament to the Government's unwavering commitment to the health of all Singaporeans. Through Healthier SG, the Government will enhance preventive care and empower citizens to manage their own health and undergo regular screening.[+3 sentences] Recently, Minister Masagos, in his speech at the M3 Healthy Investment Family Festival, underlined the importance of addressing health challenges directly and investing in preventive measures for a healthier future. I fully believe that the Healthier SG initiative will improve our community's well-being significantly. I had previously shared my efforts to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Last year, although I did not "appear" fat but through health screenings, I was told that, based on the Body Mass Index (BMI), I was overweight and I needed to make a major change in lifestyle. I am grateful that I managed to lose 15 kilogrammes and have managed to maintain the same weight since then.[+4 sentences] By encouraging regular health screenings, we can detect health problems earlier and prevent their condition from becoming chronic. Apart from health screenings, the Healthier SG initiative can improve our community's well-being by promoting a healthier diet, exercise and mental wellness. I urge community leaders to work closely with grassroots organisations and residents to develop a health programme that suit the unique needs of their respective communities. One example is the initiative by M3@Jalan Besar. At the end of the month, a pilot training programme for coaches lasting six weeks will be launched to build a network of like-minded community leaders to promote and manage healthy living activities. We aim to equip them with basic knowledge about healthier lifestyle programs and ways to plan programmes that are suitable for the demographics of their respective towns. They will also be trained to manage the Healthy Investment programme with the support of the Health Promotion Board (HPB), as part of the new Focus Area 5 area within M3.[+12 sentences] Madam, health is our personal responsibility. We are obligated to take care of our health so that we can prevent chronic diseases and lead a healthier life. When we are healthy, we will be able to better support our families and communities. (In English): Madam, in conclusion, let us be the voice for those who may be struggling in silence and let us be the agents of change that drive our nation towards a brighter and more inclusive future, a nation where mental health and well-being is valued and supported. As we move forward, let us remember that progress and success are not just about achieving individual goals. Instead, we must work towards building an inclusive and compassionate society where every Singaporean, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to realise their dreams and contribute collectively to our nation's success and progress. So, let us stand together, united in our commitment to this refreshed meritocracy. Let us continue to innovate, collaborate and co-create a brighter future for our children and future generations. In the words of our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew, "A nation is great not by its size alone. It is the will, the cohesion, the stamina, the discipline of its people and the quality of their leaders which ensure it an honourable place in history." Let us honour his legacy by striving for a better, more inclusive, compassionate and resilient Singapore. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Masagos.
The Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M)3223 words
[+45 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, across the world, social mobility has been a challenging issue. Many advanced societies have faced wage stagnation. Some youths in other countries do not believe that they will be better off than their parents. In addition, many wonder if they can achieve their aspirations or will they be kept in the social class they were born into. In countries where this hope has disappeared, the "have-nots" tussle with the "haves", there is a loss of unity and society is fractured, weakened. And when the absence of upward mobility is overlaid with racial or religious fault lines, the social fabric frays quickly. We must not let this fate befall us. In Singapore, we have kept social mobility alive across generations. This remains our promise. We want to build a country where there will always be opportunities for families to better their circumstances and where their children have hope of a better and brighter future. Let me share key features of our society and what we need to do to sustain social mobility. First, Government policies as enablers. Governments must always prioritise, invest in and preserve the social foundations of societies to provide a fair chance for everyone to move up in society. They must address the under-provision of at least three public goods: education, healthcare and housing. Society must accept policies that even out disparities to help address disadvantages families may face. Over decades, we have built a strong foundation in Singapore. We provide families with access to affordable education, housing and healthcare, enabling Singaporeans to pursue their aspirations and realise their potential. The story of Ibrahim cited by Dr Wan Rizal just now, is just one of many stories of Singaporeans that succeeded because of their education; and Sarah, for access to good health systems. Coupled with Government efforts to make Singapore attractive for investments, we enjoy economic growth and create good jobs for Singaporeans. Together, these have helped to uplift generations of Singaporeans. These fundamentals continue to undergird our strategy today. We continue to make significant investments into public education, affordable housing and quality healthcare. It is why Singaporeans continue to sit shoulder to shoulder and all can access quality healthcare at our public hospitals, and their children attend school together. Sustaining these policies across generations is no easy feat. But we have managed to maintain the provision and quality of these goods on an even keel, without ballooning social expenditures that, ultimately, the taxpaying public has to pay for. Second, a strong sense of personal agency and industrious work ethic. For countries to be successful, its people must be earnest in pursuing their aspirations and work hard to earn their success. From the day Singapore became independent, we understood that no one owes us a living. We had to work hard to get where we are today. This ethos is deeply embedded in our psyche. Singaporeans know this and respect those who have earned their success and similarly, want to work hard to do well for themselves, their families and communities. It is this spirit that will propel this country forward amidst headwinds. Third, those who have done well giving back to society. We have seen this in Singapore's early years where philanthropists and businesses raised funds and set up hospitals and schools. The community contributed to those in need among them. As our country prospered, we saw more individuals and companies giving back to society and uplifting others. We must keep this spirit of giving back alive. Giving back to society is a key ingredient of our country's success, where those who have done well acknowledge the role society has played in enabling the person to succeed and find ways to benefit others and help others succeed too. As I said five years ago, this is how meritocracy can be moral: when the successful demonstrate a sense of duty to society, when they share the fruits of success with others. And importantly, we all must work together for the common good. We must never underestimate the power of working together. When different entities can come together and work in sync towards a common goal, we can achieve a great deal. It is this quality of private, people and public sectors working together that helped us pull through during the pandemic and remain united. Not pulling in different directions and, ultimately, undermining society itself. Mdm Deputy Speaker, we must harness these qualities and work together to tackle the issue of social mobility and to uplift those in need in our society. The Government will strengthen our policies to uplift lower-income families.[+7 sentences] First, we will give all children a good start in life. We are convinced by evidence that investments in the early years build a strong foundation in our children's lives. This is why we have invested significantly in affordable and quality preschools. We are also providing more intensive support to support mother and child early on in life, through KidSTART. We do not wait for families to come forward. Instead, we reach out to parents as early as during the mother's pregnancy and work with a team of healthcare and social service professionals, volunteers and community partners, to support these children to give them strong chances early in life. This prevents disparities in the early years from snowballing into greater disparities down the road. Since we started KidSTART in 2016, over 6,000 children have benefited. We will intensify our efforts to start children from lower-income families on the right path. We will scale up KidSTART nationwide by 2026 and continue to facilitate priority enrolment for children from lower-income families in Anchor Operator Preschools and MOE Kindergartens. Investing in the early years is not just good science, it is also fiscally prudent.[+14 sentences] It gives us the best chance of setting children up for success and is more effective than tackling issues downstream. Second, we will provide more support to families. Over the years, this Government has strengthened social safety nets. We have provided transfers and subsidies and targeted assistance to those who need them most. We have designed schemes to keep people in employment and ensure wage growth. But we can do more. We will be proactive, because we know we need to identify issues early before they snowball into larger issues so that one thing does not lead to another: a health issue does not become an unemployment issue of another family member, which, in turn, affects their children's education. We will also ensure that lower-income families get the help that they need quickly and easily. Ultimately, we want families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility – the three "S"es. To do so, we will ensure our services are family-centric and easily accessible. This is what ComLink sets out to achieve, by providing wraparound support for families with children living in rental flats. ComLink is another programme that does not wait for families to come forward to get help. A befriender proactively reaches out to families to understand their various needs and aspirations and works with them to develop goals and action plans. Government agencies and community partners stand behind the befriender and work at the back end to coordinate suitable services and programmes for the families. From four pilot towns in 2019, we have expanded ComLink islandwide to 21 ComLink communities, each supported by a Social Service Office. We are further integrating social programmes under ComLink, such as KidSTART, UPLIFT Community Network and Project Dian@M3, so that families receive support from a single touchpoint. To make it easier for families to receive the support they need, we introduced scheme bundles so that lower-income families on ComCare assistance can access other assistances easily.[+25 sentences] As data is shared at the back end, families can receive assistance without submitting the same information to different agencies. We will ensure that our social services are comprehensive, convenient and coordinated, so that families can get the help they need quickly and easily. Third, we will reinforce and support the personal agency of families who wish to improve their circumstances. Many families want to secure a better future for their family and are taking active steps to uplift themselves and their children. During our Forward Singapore engagements, some have suggested that we should find ways to encourage families who take positive steps, such as securing stable employment and ensuring that their children attend preschool, but to do so in a manner that does not erode their sense of self-reliance and personal agency. When such families put in the effort, we know they are on the road to making progress in their lives. And as part of our social compact, it is good and right that we recognise such efforts. So, we are studying how to do this in a bigger way, under ComLink. Fourth, we want more social service partners across society to uplift communities across Singapore. Uplifting those in need goes beyond social services agencies. It involves businesses, community partners, neighbours and volunteers. It involves all of us. We need partners to share their resources and know-how and distribute their social capital to uplift those who have less. We want to harness the best of organisations to address the needs of communities in innovative ways. This means leveraging organisations' assets, expertise and networks to enhance opportunities for lower-income families. For instance, organisations can run mentorship programmes in their workplaces, widening the horizons of youths from less privileged backgrounds and inspiring them to work towards a brighter future. Businesses have an important role to play. It is timely, then, that many businesses are moving beyond traditional corporate service responsibility (CSR), to weaving social impact into their very core. They know that their success is tied to the success of Singapore. Recognising their responsibility to the wider community, they are reshaping their businesses. Businesses know they are a better and more attractive company when they put equal emphasis on environment, social and governance (ESG). They fulfil their social responsibilities from how they look after their employees, hire inclusively, to how they harness their businesses to make a positive impact on the community. We need businesses to lead the charge and role model the ways in which they uplift communities. We will guide businesses in better measuring and expanding their social impact. We will celebrate and recognise businesses and other partners in this Year of Celebrating Social Service Partners. We recognise that philanthropists, foundations and other entities, like family offices, also want to do good. We have extended our tax deduction rate of 250% for donations until end-2026.[+4 sentences] The Government will also do more to help private capital and family offices maximise their philanthropic impact. In our efforts, we must also tap on the best minds and translate the best research into practice to make a tangible impact. I am glad that many academics, researchers and IHLs have taken a keen interest in and are actively working to strengthen and support our families, from evaluating programmes that seek to ensure every child gets a good start in life, to examining ways we can enhance family resilience, so that our families can bounce back after setbacks. We must tap on the wealth of knowledge and expertise at these IHLs to better and more effectively uplift our communities. For example, drawing on its know-how in early childhood education and social work, the Singapore University of Social Sciences worked with the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) to launch a training programme to equip KidSTART practitioners with the knowledge and skills to better support the development of children from lower-income families.[+10 sentences] We will strengthen our collaboration with academics and IHLs to improve policies, social work practices and the delivery of services to meet evolving social needs in Singapore. In my speech at the President's Address debate in 2018, I called for a Singapore brand of meritocracy. Today, I call on our IHLs, academics and researchers to conduct original research and build up a robust body of knowledge of social science that applies to our context, one that is made for Singapore. Mdm Deputy Speaker, no Government can sustain social mobility by its efforts alone. Everyone has a role to play in supporting those in need. As part of our refreshed social compact, we must find ways to benefit others and help others succeed and do well together. Individuals, families and our society will be better for it. This is how an inclusive and caring society is built, by the hands of its people. We will achieve much more when we work together than going in alone. To better support families, we must join hands across society: businesses, social service agencies, community partners, volunteers and the Government working hand-in-glove. Over the past few years, we have expended significant efforts to organise ourselves better to support families, coordinating our collective efforts under ComLink.[+3 sentences] I recall a family receiving five bags of rice from five different well-meaning social service agencies and corporates, which the family had no need for. Our hope is that, with ComLink, community resources can be better harnessed to fulfil real needs. What this could look like is: in each ComLink community, a volunteer befriender works with families to refer them to services, such as career coaches, to help them secure a job and nearby preschools and after-school programmes provided by the community to support the education of their children. Companies step in to provide mentorship and internship opportunities to the youth to nurture and grow their aspirations. I have seen a glimpse of what is possible in ComLink@Jurong West, where UOL-Pan Pacific Hotels Group provides opportunities for children from lower-income families to access their facilities and enrichment classes through the National University of Singapore's (NUS') students stepping forward as ComLink befrienders to journey with families.[+18 sentences] Rather than each of us going at it alone and duplicating efforts, let us synergise our various efforts into an effective national movement to better support families in need. Let us cast our nets wider beyond our own sectors and work together in common cause to uplift those in need. Let us work together to keep social mobility alive in Singapore. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): Singapore must continue to be a country where there will be opportunities for families to better their circumstances. A country where they can fulfil their aspirations to secure a brighter future for their children and where our people believe that our brand of Singaporean meritocracy works. To achieve this, we need a strong partnership across sectors, with each sector doing its part: the Government developing policies that help our people progress; the community harnessing available resources to address its needs; and volunteers bringing their skills and talents to uplift the lives of those around them. The mark of a strong social compact is when successful individuals give back to society. We appreciate the efforts of our Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs) who have long played important roles in uplifting the community. Many of our Malay/Muslim professionals have also stepped forward to serve and contribute to those in need. For example, Lawyers@M3 brings together lawyers, legal professionals and individuals with legal backgrounds to conduct talks on legal matters, Lasting Power of Attorney workshops and pro bono legal clinics for the community. In their spare time, a group of soldiers also volunteer as mentors at ITE College East through Project Pathfinder, serving as role models for the students they journey with. The Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association also works with M3@Towns to bring health-related programmes and workshops closer to residential areas, to better benefit the community. One of the traits that our community can be proud of is the progress that we made over the years, with the community and Government working together, by putting their minds and hands together to uplift the community. The self-help group MENDAKI has become a model that many parties abroad are keen to learn from. It was formed 40 years ago, at a time when our community leaders were concerned about the educational performance of our Malay children. They were committed to helping Malay children reach their fullest potential and attain success. Today, MENDAKI remains relevant as it uses education as a key driver to uplift the community. MENDAKI successfully mobilised the energies and passion of its many volunteers to drive programmes, like the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme and KelasMateMatika, for students across all levels today.[+1 sentence] These MENDAKI volunteers understood our customs and culture and thus helped to augment the Government's efforts to improve Malay/Muslim educational outcomes in tandem with other communities. Today, 99% of every Malay student cohort completes at least 10 years of education.[+5 sentences] This is a meaningful achievement, as the 10 years of education provides the foundation to enable them to further their studies at the post-secondary level and enable them to pursue lifelong learning. I am heartened by the progress made by the Malay/Muslim community, which was possible due to the awareness of the importance of education as well as the hard work and close partnership of all parties. Let us continue the efforts to enable our children to achieve their fullest potential. Today, we must take reference from the latest findings from research and science. The research shows that the early years are crucial to a child's development. Therefore, a key aspect of our strategy to sustain social mobility in Singapore is early childhood development. We must ensure that children are enrolled in preschool by around age three. We are doubling down on our efforts to support families with young children through Project Dian@M3 and will also facilitate priority enrolment for children from lower income families into Anchor Operator preschools and MOE Kindergartens. Our Dian Ambassadors have started visiting these families fortnightly, working with families to read with their children and support the parents in being involved in the development of their young children.[+14 sentences] Over the decades, the Malay/Muslim community has made great progress on all fronts. This includes achieving stability, self-reliance and social mobility, while continuously giving back both to the community and to the nation. As we face new challenges and as our society continues to grow and evolve, we will continue to work closely with community leaders, MMOs and our many volunteers. This will bring the community closer together to excel and uplift the lives of the most vulnerable. I am confident that our Malay/Muslim community is well placed to forge ahead towards an even brighter future as a Community of Success. (In English): Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me conclude. We must be a society where Singaporeans will always have opportunities to forge a better life for themselves, regardless of their starting position. We must draw on the strengths of individuals and families, the social capital within our communities and resources from the public, people and private sectors to realise this vision. I know we can because we are Singaporeans. Ahead of the 100th anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's birthday, let me share a quote which I think is evergreen, though he said it in 1965. He said, "10 years from now, it will be better than now. Today, it is immensely better than it was 10 years ago. It is better, even, than last year. And it is ours, provided we have got enough sense to be together and nobody can keep an industrious people to work and fight for its future."
Mdm Deputy Speaker50 words
[+4 sentences]Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.35 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 4.12 pm until 4.35 pm. Sitting resumed at 4.35 pm.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Chan Chun Seng.
The Minister for Education (Mr Chan Chun Sing)3956 words
[+5 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. As part of our Forward Singapore conversation, much has been discussed about refreshing our social compact. This has also been the central issue at this debate, including in the speeches of the President, Deputy Prime Minister Wong and various Members. Many have asked: what is a social compact? Others asked: what is our social compact? A social compact, is simply our responsibilities towards one another, how we reward work and distribute the fruits of labour and success, and how we relate to and respect one another.[+24 sentences] So, three "R"s – our responsibilities towards one another, how we reward work and distribute the fruits of our success, and how we relate to and respect one another. Central to the Singapore social compact has been meritocracy. People are recognised based on merit and achievements. We aspire as a nation for all to progress through our abilities, rather than birth rights, family connections or inherited wealth. These principles have brought us this far. It has spurred our people to excel individually. It has allowed us to accomplish much collectively. Indeed, for a new country of immigrants, there did not and does not seem to be a better set of organising principles for people to operate within and excel. Many of our forefathers came to Singapore because this was a place that allowed them to realise their dreams, despite their starting circumstances and lack of connections. Many of us are also here today because of the opportunities afforded to us by this system of meritocracy. This includes Members from all sides of the House. Other systems, such as aristocracy, plutocracy and nepotism, serve the interests of the few, rather than of the many. These other systems would not have similarly motivated our people to aspire and strive, nor helped us to attract the best and brightest to commit their future to Singapore. While meritocracy has allowed us to avoid some of these pitfalls, it is now under stress worldwide. There are increasing questions if meritocracy is indeed fair or can it be fair, especially over the long term? The process is also questioned by some who are unhappy with the outcomes. To fix the problems, some real and some perceived, various countries have tried to fix the process in different ways. Some countries have tried affirmative action for the less privileged groups – by levelling the uneven playing field in resources and opportunities for the less privileged groups. It sounds fine, until we have to figure out who gets to decide who are the less privileged and what opportunities we should set aside for them. It becomes even more complicated when everyone feels relatively deprived or less privileged from their own perspectives. While meritocracy has generally worked well for Singapore so far, we also acknowledge that our system is not perfect. We must recognise that meritocracy, by itself, is not a panacea for all of our societal challenges. Let me list a few potential pitfalls; and suggest what we must do to keep our meritocracy sustainable and resilient. First, as the world and our society evolve, our needs are constantly changing. Indeed, our relevance and competitiveness as a country depend on our ability to evolve with the times. Hence, meritocracy based on any single, static and narrow metric for talent and ability, will not allow us to build a resilient society with a diversity of strengths to meet tomorrow's challenges.[+6 sentences] As society matures, those who have succeeded under the previous and existing metrics, will tend to want to perpetuate the same set of yardsticks – sometimes, to preserve their personal interests and comfort; and sometimes, they assume that what has worked will continue to work in a different future and do not think of alternatives that society may need going forward. We must not allow any single, static and narrow metric to define success which can easily cause our society to stagnate and become irrelevant. The second danger of meritocracy, beyond competing on a static and narrow metric, is to reward success based on fixed, defined and pre-determined points in life and time. Once the determining test is conducted and the results are known, then it is as if the life trajectories of our people are fixed and become too difficult to change. This cannot be our society. People develop at different paces and demonstrate different abilities at different times. For society to allow everyone to do justice to their gifts, we must have a system of continuous meritocracy where no single test or point in time determines the rest of one's life.[+7 sentences] This continuous meritocracy must extend beyond the education system, throughout life. Employers and society have as much a part to play to recognise the skills and talents of our people and not fall into the trap of credentialism of using any single dated metric. We must ensure that there is porosity in the ways that people can earn their spurs, contribute throughout life and allow them to bounce back from setbacks. The third danger of meritocracy is stratification over time. It is natural and perhaps inevitable that the successful will tend to mix amongst themselves, creating exclusive social circles instead of sharing social capital. It is also human nature to want to pass on our wealth and privileges to our children, be it through the accumulation of assets, like investments and property; or through access to additional education resources, like tuition. But these natural tendencies risk creating an endowment effect in society. Access to opportunities and rewards could increasingly be determined not just by the merits of this generation, but the transfer of wealth and privileges from the previous generations.[+3 sentences] Meritocracy becomes harder and harder for the less privileged, as their relative start state falls further and further behind the privileged. We must not leave this unchecked, or this will progressively stratify society, undermining our cohesion and eroding our higher purpose to draw on the talents and capabilities from all in society, instead of the privileged few. The fourth danger of meritocracy is the misplaced belief that one's success is attributed entirely to one's talent and hard work, without acknowledging the role that society has played in enabling the person to succeed; the need for them to give back, uphold the system and strengthen our society; and the need to continually push back against the forces of social stratification. To keep our Singaporean meritocracy resilient and sustainable, this Government, together with our people, will focus on six key strategies.[+1 sentence] First, we value our people's diverse abilities. We will continue to move away from evaluating our people's diverse abilities by any single, static and narrow metric – be it the PSLE results, grade-point averages or whether they hold a degree or diploma.[+1 sentence] Take Full SBB. With the implementation of Full SBB next year, our education system will become more flexible and provide multiple pathways to cater to different learner profiles.[+23 sentences] Students will have the flexibility to pursue different subjects at different subject levels, which allows them to customise their learning in each subject to a pace suited for them, while developing other areas of interest. This, coupled with our plans to leverage educational technologies, such as AI-enabled adaptive learning systems, will help to provide more customised learning experiences for all our students. We are also broadening the pathways in which students can access their education. With more opportunities for Direct School Admission and aptitude-based admissions, our students will be able to pursue studies based on their passion and aptitude rather than purely academic performance. We will continually review our admission policies to ensure that our schools remain open and accessible for students from diverse backgrounds while balancing other competing needs, such as preserving community ties and maintaining a variegated education landscape, to cater to different students' needs. We will press on with our efforts to develop 21st century competencies in all our students so that they can thrive amidst constant changes in our world. Our curriculum will continue to be refreshed regularly to meet our students' future needs. We will continue to emphasise important life skills and free up time and space for schools to strengthen learning dispositions and holistic development. This will allow our students to develop an empowering portfolio of skills that will serve them well in whatever they end up doing, including adaptability, resilience and the ability to think critically and inventively. To these ends, we need the support of parents. As parents, we must welcome schools to have their unique value propositions. This can better cater to the diverse needs of our children and help them to realise their full potential. Hence, it is not necessary or meaningful for us to constantly compare why one school's offering may be slightly different from another's. The more appropriate question is not "Is this a good school?", but "Is this a good or appropriate school for my child?" As parents, we must also not fall into the trap of allowing broader dimensions of merit to translate into greater pressure to chase down more and every yardstick to "beat the crowd". We must remember that broader dimensions of merit are meant to help our children fulfil their potential according to their diverse strengths and interests. This is not meant to provide more ways to compare our children with others in areas that are not suited for their strengths or interests. We must remember to teach our children that, it is more important to surpass themselves throughout life than to surpass someone else in an examination. Second, we will continue to create more diverse education pathways to allow greater porosity throughout life. Building on efforts, like Full SBB, in MOE schools, our post-secondary and tertiary pathways will provide more flexibility to better support students' learning and progression. For example, polytechnic students will be able to spread out their learning if they intend to pursue side interests or need more time to build up a stronger academic foundation. ITE's enhanced curricular structure will cater to a diverse range of learner profiles. Those who graduate with a Higher Nitec can look forward to further upgrading opportunities, such as the expanded offerings of ITE's Work-Study Diplomas. Our publicly-funded university degrees will also have a higher lifetime cohort participation rate so that more Singaporeans can look forward to obtaining a degree from our autonomous universities – not necessarily before starting work but at some point in their working lives.[+2 sentences] Third, we will invest in our people throughout life – not just in the first 15 years when they are with us in our schools, but also for the next 50 years beyond our schools. Our people will need to continually upskill and reskill across their lifetimes to evolve at their own speed, create new value and stay ahead of the competition. To support this, the Government has increased its investment in recent years in CET, including through the national SkillsFuture movement.[+3 sentences] We will not stop here. We will intensify our efforts to help our people stay relevant and competitive. As part of the Forward Singapore exercise, we will announce more details in due course on how we intend to help our workforce to upskill and remain relevant throughout life. Amongst the various ideas are more targeted training support for mid-career workers, including SkillsFuture Credit top-ups and how we make training more accessible for working adults with competing commitments and responsibilities.[+14 sentences] But the Government's efforts alone will not be enough. We will need the partnership of industry, the innovation of institutions and the growth mindset of individuals. Industries cannot wait passively for the perfect worker to be developed for them. They must be active partners in shaping students' interests and skillsets even before they enter the workforce. Hence, I welcome more companies to partner our schools in our Applied Learning Programmes. After that, industries must also be prepared to invest the time and resources to support our workers to upskill continually. I can understand the challenges for industries to commit to the training of our workers, especially in uncertain times. But if we do not grow our own timber collectively, we will all be fighting over a stagnant talent and skills pool. The Public Service, as an employer, will lead by example in supporting our workers to upskill continually. Our IHLs will continue to innovate and enhance their programme offerings, including through work-study programmes and stackable modules that may be more suitable for mid-career Singaporeans who wish to upgrade their skills. At the same time, our people will need to develop a growth mindset and passion for lifelong learning to make full use of these opportunities. We will need this whole-of-society effort to enable our people to stay relevant and our industries to stay competitive in an ever-more challenging environment. Fourth, not only must we respect a variety of professions, we must also fairly reward and remunerate the "heart" and "hand" work that is commensurate with the "head" work. Our society needs all these roles to complement one another to function well. As an example, MOE is reviewing the remuneration and career progression pathways in the Special Education sector to strengthen the professional development of our special needs educators and improve the quality of services to better support students with special education needs.[+12 sentences] We must ensure that our special needs educators who serve in diverse and demanding environments are recognised and appreciated for their efforts and contributions and for the challenging work that they do. We must also ensure that our special needs professionals have professional development opportunities, just like mainstream MOE teachers. Indeed, there should be much more cross-pollination of ideas and mutual support between the mainstream and special needs educator fraternity and, similarly, within the special needs education sector. I hope to have the support of all Singaporeans for us to move in this direction. MOE and MSF will work closely with all our social service agencies to achieve this vision for the benefit of our special needs professionals and our special needs community. We will need to work together. We can achieve more collectively to better take care of the professionals in this sector instead of just thinking of optimising individually in respective institutions. Beyond MOE, other workplaces that involve "hand" and "heart" work, including those in the essential services sectors, also need to play their part. They need to hire, train and reward workers fairly based on skills and competencies. But we all know that this may translate into higher costs for some services provided by our fellow Singaporeans, which our society must be willing to accept and support. Otherwise, no matter how much we broaden the definitions of merit in our school system, none of it will ultimately work because it does not translate into tangible differences in earnings and at the workplace. Fifth, as a society, we must always do more for those with less to uplift the less privileged. This has been and this will continue to be the guiding principle behind this Government's policies. That is why we set up the Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT), to rally the community to partner our schools in helping students from disadvantaged backgrounds to progress educationally and to achieve their full potential. That is also why we have a progressive tax system to contribute to the running of such initiatives.[+10 sentences] Everyone bears part of the responsibility, but those with more, bear more and those with less, get more. This is why we want to do more for the less privileged in terms of housing, retirement adequacy, healthcare and many other areas. This helps us to ensure that the gaps in society are not too stark, opening us up to the politics of envy and threatening the harmony of our society. It also helps us to avoid the need for affirmative action to decide who should or should not be given opportunities based on who they are rather than what they can do and what they can be. However, we must never degenerate into a system where everyone thinks they deserve more, relative to others. Indeed, I see this as one of our major challenges. I fear a day when we constantly feel a sense of relative deprivation from seeing someone else getting more help than us, instead of feeling a sense of gratitude at being helped or feeling a sense of satisfaction at being able to help someone else. We will then lose our social cohesion to the politics of envy. Perhaps, we need to regularly remind ourselves that it is more blessed to give than if we are to just receive. As the Chinese say, "施比受更为有福". The ultimate measure of our success as a society is not how many people we can help because they are unable to keep up, but how few people we need to help because we have enabled them to thrive.[+7 sentences] A sustainable and resilient meritocracy is one where the largest possible number of people are enabled to achieve and contribute to take care of the fewest number possible who are unable to achieve as much. The ultimate measure of our success as a society is not how many people we can help because they are unable to keep up but how few people we need to help because we have enabled them to thrive. Sixth, we need to imbue the right values in all our people from young so that they can grow to become individuals who are willing to give back to society and create more opportunities for others. All of us must recognise that our individual success is never just due to our own abilities and hard work, that without the opportunities that society provided us and the help from others along the way, we may not be where we are here today. So, even as we celebrate and enjoy the fruits of our own labour, we must not forget to give back to society and others around us, to share the networks and ties that have helped us so that others may also similarly benefit from the opportunities and access. Today, our schools already facilitate this sharing of social capital across different schools. Through cluster-based programmes like co-curricular activities, Values in Action (VIA) initiatives and other holistic development programmes, students from different schools can come together, get to know one another, learn how to communicate and collaborate with one another and form friendships that go beyond their own schools. Going forward, we will further strengthen our school cluster system to enable better pooling and sharing of resources and allow more students to benefit from wider networks and build their social capital.[+4 sentences] We can do more of these through co-curricular activities, VIA programmes and even selected curriculum. We encourage everyone in society to partner us in these efforts. Contribute your time and talent, beyond treasures. Show our students the way forward and help to nurture a more giving generation in time to come. Share your networks and opportunities with the next generation of students, not just in your alma mater but in other schools as well, to help them succeed like you did. I, therefore, call on the alumni of the more established schools to come forward, to step forward – to join hands with us – to contribute to the wider community of schools so that we can all progress together, faster and better.[+16 sentences] This is something that all of us who have gone through the system and succeeded can and should do. Some may ask, what can I contribute if I am not as successful? If I did not come from a school with a more illustrious history? If I do not earn a big salary, wear expensive clothes, live in a big house or drive a fancy car? My answer is simply this: those material achievements are not the only yardsticks of success, nor should they define our ability to contribute. Neither should they determine the respect and dignity that one deserves. Instead, we must define success by how much we contribute to others and the greater good and not just how much we achieve for ourselves. We should have the courage to step up and say, "I can always contribute something, according to my abilities, regardless of where I am in life". And everyone can say that and can do something about that. I look forward to the day when our society defines success not just by one's achievements but, more importantly, by one's contributions. When a true son and daughter of Singapore, who earns and deserves our respect, is one whose contributions not only commensurate with his or her achievements, but also one who contributes to the best of his or her abilities. Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me conclude. In an increasingly volatile and uncertain environment, we need to avoid over-structuring our system and processes to give our people a false sense of security while eroding their development to handle an uncertain and untidy world. Instead, we must provide multiple pathways with diverse metrics of success while equipping our people with the life skills they need to thrive in the 21st century, to allow our people to chart their own way forward according to their own strengths and talents. In an increasingly competitive world, we can easily fall into the trap of always looking at the right side of the bell curve and feeling eternally inadequate. Instead, we must remind ourselves of our gifts and responsibilities to help those who are less privileged than us. In an increasingly unequal and uncertain world, we need to strengthen our sense of solidarity and collective assurance without eroding the individual's responsibility and sense of agency. We must come together as individuals, as partners, as employers and as a community to celebrate diverse forms of abilities and contributions, to recognise and respect the dignity of those who contribute in different ways to society, to help everyone upskill continually and move up the ladder throughout our lifetimes and to give back to society and others who have helped us along the way.[+5 sentences] Finally, the Singapore Story is a living story. Do not be taken by hubris to think that we have "arrived" or can ever "arrive" and need not evolve or improve anymore. We understand the merits of our system and how far it has helped us to come this far as a society by unleashing our potential as individuals. Yet, we are not complacent to think that we can ever stop improving our system. Any living system that does not grow, will wither. The mark of our success is not just how well we enable this generation to achieve success, but how well we establish the conditions for the next generation to be even more successful than us. Only so will we be able to continuously write new chapters of the Singapore Story. There may never be a perfect system to develop all the perfect students or workers for our societal needs. But, we can all contribute our part to build a better or less imperfect system to continually inspire our people and all who believe in our dream to build a resilient and sustainable meritocratic system to bring out the best from all – to be a beacon of cohesion with unity of purpose in a troubled world; a society with a sense of collective responsibility towards one another; a society with respect for diverse abilities; a society that rewards hard work and talent; a society that recognises contributions beyond achievements; a society with gratitude for our blessings to want to do good for all beyond ourselves. And finally, a nation confident to defy the odds of history to survive and thrive beyond SG100.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Don Wee.
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang)1191 words
[+2 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I welcome the Government's commitment to improve social safety nets to help Singaporeans better cope with setbacks in life. One group of Singaporeans which I would like to appeal for more support is families with autistic children, in particular, those from the lower-income families. One in 150 children in Singapore has autism, higher than the global average of one in 160 but lower compared to countries, such as the US, Japan, Denmark and Australia, which is one in 60 to 70.[+8 sentences] Experts think that our high rates are partly due to greater detection from higher awareness and testing and, if data from developed countries, like the US, is an indication, we may detect more cases in the future. Hence, it is important that the Government expedites the set-up of a national infrastructure to provide holistic support for Singaporeans with autism, from diagnosis to end of life. Early intervention is critical. The Ministry of Health (MOH) can or may ramp up public education efforts to increase awareness among parents to diagnose their children as soon as possible if they notice the symptoms. Parents should be reminded to follow up with their children's developmental milestone checks at polyclinics, clinics or hospitals. Upon diagnosis, these children need to be given sufficient treatment and therapy at the optimal frequency to give them the best chance to develop to their highest potential. This is an essential and the best investment we can make in them, especially during the small window period when they are young, which will yield good progress and benefits over the long term. Parents should also be provided with comprehensive advice by an appointed Government agency on how to navigate our system for the best care and protection for their children. This includes sharing with them the trust services of Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC) supported by MSF and available insurance coverage. I urge the Government to work with the insurers to improve access to insurance coverage for persons with autism.[+6 sentences] They must not be discriminated against for unrelated risk factors, which is the most common and longstanding complaint. For low-income families, we must ensure that the treatment is affordable to them and provide the appropriate subsidies so that they will be able to keep up with the therapy. Counselling and adequate support should also be provided to the family members who often suffer from caregiver fatigue and burnout as well as depression. We need more activity and care centres for children and adults with autism to engage them and allow family members to work with peace of mind and caregivers to take regular breaks. For lower-income families, the lack of capacity in these centres often mean that someone in the family – often the mother – would not be able to work because she becomes the caregiver. This is a blow to their household income, plunging them into deeper financial difficulty. The new daycare activity programme by the Autism Association (Singapore) making use of community spaces, such as public libraries and schools, to address the issue of the lack of capacity in daycare activity centres for those over 18 years old is a good start.[+12 sentences] Autism lies on a spectrum, so while there are those who will be able to work and live independently, there are others are not able to do so. We need to establish care arrangements for them when their ageing parents and families are unable to continue taking care of them, especially the financially disadvantaged ones. As sudden changes to their routines can be distressing for them, advance planning is important. The preparation includes introduction and exposure to facilities, environment settings, volunteers and care professionals as well as financial arrangements and legal documentation. Next, I would like to appeal for more support and assistance for our SMEs. There are many schemes and grants available, but some business owners have trouble navigating and understanding the processes. They are confused by the red tape and even need external consultants to advise them on what they are eligible for. Unfortunately, the owners and consultants' own interests do not always align, as the consultants' earnings are based on certainty and quantity of their commissions. Accessible, timely and neutral advice from knowledgeable agency staff would make a very big difference. As the President noted in her Address, Singapore will face more resource constraints – land, labour and carbon – in the near future. In addition, governments of major economies are providing support to boost their own industrial bases. There will be a greater drive for nationalistic projects. The global business environment will become more difficult for us. I am heartened that our Government will provide more support to promising companies, including customised financial support for local companies to build sustained research and development (R&D) and innovation capacity and to go global and grow into Singapore global enterprises.[+7 sentences] Will the Government consider publicising and sharing more about companies tapping capabilities in the IHLs as well as the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and engaging on platforms, such as the Global Innovation Alliance? This will help to raise awareness, inspire and encourage more Singaporeans to consider entrepreneurship. Singapore is working hard to attain food resilience and the Government is stepping up investments in food R&D, such as aquaculture, urban agriculture as well as alternative proteins. This is an appropriate and important sector for our SMEs to participate in. We need to increase local demand so that the cycle of local supply and demand is sustainable. May I also urge the Government to work with SMEs to improve their access to procurement opportunities? It is important for our domestic capability resilience to nurture and build local expertise in as many sectors as possible. Decarbonisation provides generation-defining business opportunities and our Singaporean companies are well-positioned to lead the way. We need Enterprise Singapore to provide more assistance to SMEs so that they know how to measure emissions as many MNCs have started to request their SMEs suppliers to furnish their carbon emission data. SMEs need to keep down their business costs, of which their vehicles' COEs constitute a portion, a big portion.[+2 sentences] Presently, car dealers bid for the COEs regardless of whether there are clients buying cars from them or not. They can keep and hog the COEs for months and trade and sell these COEs to other car dealers. If only individual buyers or companies, which need COEs, are allowed to bid for them, it may bring down the COE prices of Category C. I hope the Government can consider this suggestion.[+1 sentence] Finally, I reiterate my appeal to MOM to review the foreign worker work permit quota since a number of SMEs, like the small or medium audit firms, face manpower constraints, especially those in the food and beverage sector. They are unable to hire enough Singaporean workers to meet their operational needs and are struggling to stay in business, even if they have enough demand and clients.[+1 sentence] I would like to conclude with my support of the Motion of thanks to the President.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Tin Pei Ling.
Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson)2051 words
[+3 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion of thanks. The COVID-19 pandemic was a crisis of our generation but also a test from which Singapore emerged more united and our trust in each other strengthened. But we must not take this for granted. As we reopen the Parliament, it is indeed timely to refresh our focus and renew our commitment to our people and Singapore.[+26 sentences] Looking ahead, our operating environment is increasingly complex. Pressures in and outside of Singapore continue to mount and these can threaten to tear us apart. Game-changing technologies, rising cost of living, shift in social values and heightened international contestation are some of the key forces pulling us in different directions. And none of these is abating. Therefore, even as we strive for progress and push for excellence, we must ensure that Singapore remains united. Our policies must remove barriers and minimise gaps, our Parliament must focus on building up trust, not tearing down and our society must be more inclusive and compassionate. President Halimah spoke of broadening meritocracy and making sure that it continues to work well for all Singaporeans. I agree. There is no better alternative to meritocracy, but we need to temper it so that it is more compassionate and more relevant to today's context. My take is that for those among us who can and want to excel, we ought not to limit them and should wish them well. For those who want to but cannot because of financial circumstances, then we must intervene more strongly to support and move them along. It is not just about giving equal opportunities but to direct more resources to help the abled but underprivileged. We also need to maintain our egalitarianism. One thing precious about Singapore is that despite our different jobs and roles in the economy, we still see ourselves as Singaporeans of similar standing and similar in other areas too, for example, in our taste for hawker foods. "Towkays" and workers can all turn up at the same coffee shop to queue for "bak chor mee" or "roti prata" and share a table to eat thereafter. There is no expectation that one should be deferential or give way to another. The expectation is that they will be treated all the same. Meritocracy can lead to differences in economic outcomes, but these should not lead to differences in social treatment. Our system must give all our people equal rights and opportunities. All of us must affirm our egalitarianism in both spirit and practice. Allow me to share some specific thoughts. First, on education and skills-based workforce. Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke of creating Singapore to become a full-fledged learning society, from cradle to grave. Indeed, we must. Disruptions brought about by technological revolutions have been a constant feature throughout history and the pace is gathering. The Great Reshuffle also means that jobs and skills needed are changing and will continue to change. For instance, according to LinkedIn's "Future of Skills", skills needed in the technology, information and media industry in Singapore have changed by 36.8% between 2015 and 2022 – just a span of seven years.[+14 sentences] And specific to this industry, seven out of the 10 top skills are considered new. These new skills, include new programming languages; but also softer skills, such as stakeholder management and strategic partnerships. Clearly, we cannot expect to learn the universe in school, but we can acquire the basics from which we continue to build. Our education should focus on inculcating a sense of curiosity in our young, so that they will always be intrinsically motivated to seek out new knowledge and skills. Over the years, changes have been made to the system, but we could do more to foster a culture of curiosity. For example, could we focus less on standard answers but more on imagination and creative solutioning? Indeed, our education system has done away from PSLE T-score and replaced streaming with banding – these are encouraging moves. But what about students who are inventors and storytellers or who have topics of interest not found in the textbooks? How can we recognise and reward them more formally? Can there be an "independent study" subject that allows the student to choose a topic of interest to deep-dive into and be given a grade that is just as important as an English or mathematics subject, so that we move towards learning that is more versatile, more blue-skies thinking and hopefully, less need for tuition, which is often cited as a costly endeavour that widens the gap? As pointed out, learning does not stop after graduating from the mainstream education system. In future, as industries continue to be disrupted by new technologies, we can expect to change tracks many times in our working lives. Mature workers starting afresh in radically new industries several times, within a lifetime, will become a norm and it would no longer be something to feel embarrassed about. To support this, adult learning should then focus less on long, structured courses with expensive certificates, but shorter and more targeted ones to build practical skills that can be readily deployed at work. Would the Government expand the SkillsFuture credits to enable this?[+4 sentences] And could we recognise these credentials by recording them as part of our national digital identity, creating a personal digital resume for each Singaporean? The Public Service can, perhaps, take the lead in formally recognising these short courses taken by officers. Second, a mastering technology and not be mastered by technology. A key development driving the next wave of disruption is artificial intelligence (AI). Goldman Sachs estimated that AI can replace 300 million full-time jobs.[+18 sentences] This prospect sounds scary. But what is scarier is that the stiff competition to lead in the field of AI could mean a willingness to overlook ethical considerations and other consequences. For example, ChatGPT caught the world's attention in recent times. We are all impressed by its almost-human capabilities. But has the company OpenAI really thought through the long-term social implications of ChatGPT before releasing it? Media reports would suggest that it had not. Consider ChaosGPT, which is the autonomous implementation of ChatGPT that is touted as, "empowering GPT with Internet and memory to destroy humanity". While ChaosGPT has yet to work out how to really destroy mankind, but, by its autonomous nature, it will keep going until it achieves the goal it is given. And with each iteration of technological advancement, one can be sure that ChaosGPT will also get better. Surely, OpenAI could not have invented ChatGPT to destroy ourselves. Even if there was a tinge of hesitation back then, it is now too late to pull back, because the launch of ChatGPT triggered a frenzy amongst tech giants, like Google and Baidu, rushing to release their own versions of generative AI. When technology confers power, an arm's race begins. Some questions arising from this are: while people are still struggling, in trying their best to keep up digitally, would we have inadvertently moved the goal post so much that we widened the gap between the digital know and know-nots? And between those who have access to powerful technology and those who have not. What happens if enterprises increasingly feel that it is okay to ignore ethics, to be irresponsible and just do whatever to make money? What happens if fakes get proliferated and it becomes too difficult to discern what is real and what is not? Given enough time, nothing is impossible with technology. But we, as humans, must collectively exercise the will to draw a line in the sand and be clear about what technology must never replace or do. In this case, Governments around the world have a duty to draw that line, coordinate legislation and enforce it.[+4 sentences] We must embrace technology to better lives, but we must master it and not be mastered by it. Third, on foreign investments and talents in Singapore, value-adding beyond the money. We should continue to welcome high quality and committed foreign talents and enterprises to Singapore, to supplement our Singaporean Core. The Global Investor Programme has been one way of welcoming investments to Singapore, bringing along invaluable industrial capabilities and availing job opportunities to Singaporeans. But we want them to do more than just putting money here. We should make it an explicit requirement for them to contribute socially and to integrate more. For example, requiring the Global Investment Programme applicants and Tech Pass holders to commit to: (a) delivering lectures to tertiary students or civil servants every year to enhance frontier industry knowledge; (b) mentoring local start-ups; and (c) adopting a community or charitable programme.[+9 sentences] By explicitly requiring them to take part in these activities, we create opportunities for meaningful interactions and, thereby, breaking down pre-conceived opinions and promote better mutual understanding. Having chosen Singapore as a destination, I am sure these distinguished business leaders will be happy to support good causes here. Fourth, on meaningful ageing so that every day is worth looking forward to. Over the years, Singapore has done tremendous work to create the conditions for our seniors to age in place. Looking ahead, we must continue to pay special attention to our seniors. As family sizes shrink, we can expect more seniors living alone for longer. Hence, we must work to keep them socialised and keep them healthy, even as we continue to emphasise family values and prioritising family support. Our policies and programmes will also have to be designed with future seniors in mind. In my opinion, learning is a great way to stimulate minds and build confidence. In embracing lifelong learning, we could introduce scholarships for seniors to pursue tertiary diplomas or degrees and celebrate these mature graduands, so that the scholarships are not just limited to youths or young people, but to our mature Singaporeans as well.[+16 sentences] Is it not exhilarating to defy age stereotypes and know that "I still got it"? In essence, seniors should not be "waiting to die". This would reflect a certain grief over losing mental and physical capacities. We must work hard to deliver a different, better future for our seniors. Ageing need not be a countdown to life. Entering the silver years can be a new beginning – where there is life, people, new dreams and new adventures worth looking forward to every day. Madam, often when we debate about income gaps and the way forward for Singapore, questions on whether economic growth should be a priority will inevitably arise. I believe that we should not be obsessed with economic competition or figures, but we must also not despise growth and progress. Because of our economic achievements, even the most vulnerable member of our society can access world-class education and healthcare, supported by bursaries and the 3Ms – namely MediSave, MediShield Life and MediFund. And because we have a strong Reserve, we have the fiscal capability to surmount the pandemic and the quiet confidence to face the unknown. Hence, we must excel in whatever we do, but for those who have moved further ahead, remember to look out for and help others who are still struggling. This is the more tempered and more compassionate meritocracy that we desire. We should aim for everyone to be one mass, not stretched thin and far apart and move ahead together. I think this is more powerful as an engine for Singapore. Finally, we as Parliamentarians, have an important duty and role to play in building a united Singapore. We are the voice of Singaporeans. During debates, we must allow diversity of voices so that issues can be considered comprehensively. But we must do so with the aim of illuminating the facts, explaining the trade-offs and bringing everyone to a common ground, not to drive wedges and deepen social fissures that will fracture our nation.[+1 sentence] We only have one Singapore. What we have today was painstakingly built over a whole lifetime and more. But to destroy this, could be as short as within just one day.[+2 sentences] We must not take this for granted. And therefore, I hope, as we reopen the Parliament, as we continue to chart the way forward for Singapore, we will continue to do so with Singapore in mind and to build a stronger nation for generations to come.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Dr Shahira Abdullah.
Dr Shahira Abdullah (Nominated Member)1171 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to respond to the President's Address. In February, news broke that Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), or ACS Primary, would relocate to Tengah in 2030.[+24 sentences] It garnered significant attention from the media and public, the alumni and parents. Some applauded the move saying that it would bring about a more diverse student population, which is a view I wholeheartedly agree with. You see, I am of an age in which many of my friends and colleagues are planning for the primary school admission of their children. Many of them come from very humble backgrounds, working hard to get to where they are today. They were able to do so due to our strong emphasis in meritocracy, and it speaks towards the success of our education system. For those with a more comfortable financial situation, these parents will naturally seek to pass on these advantages to their children. However, the quest to do so has turned the provision of education and learning into something akin to a competitive arms race. My child is just shy of one year old. Nonetheless, I, too, feel the pressure when my peers talk about selecting preschools, whether to choose Mindchamps or Odyssey versus the preschool right under the block. Or what kind of enrichment classes should they send their child to – from Heguru to Kumon, speech and drama classes, art class, swimming class or coding class? I hear of and know several parents who have moved to a location near a primary school of their choice, often paying a premium to do so. Some have resorted to renting houses near these schools. All very real things that parents have done to provide what is best for their children. But what about those who are not able to afford these opportunities? When pursuing the ideals of meritocracy, not everybody starts on a level playing field. Will they get left further and further behind? This ties in with the first key priority in Mdm President's Address, which is how the Government will expand opportunities throughout life for all, regardless of individual backgrounds and circumstances. Mdm President's concern was on how we "must not allow advantages and privileges to become entrenched and persist over generations". This is something I feel most strongly about. And this is what I will focus my speech on. In theory, a meritocratic society means that a person earns their success through their talent and hard work. Aspirational but, in some ways, also an illusion. As illustrated, a child with a more privileged family background and financial situation may be scaffolded in ways that may allow them to achieve success more easily. Education may be a social leveller, but access to education may not be equal. We must do our best to ensure that all children have equal access to quality education in Singapore. We have taken many bold steps in this – from removing PSLE T-scores to introducing Full SBB. We have also introduced an expanded KidSTART which seeks to provide a strong foundation for children from low-income households in Singapore by aiding their parents and caregivers in early childhood development.[+17 sentences] However, I would like to touch on the intense competition among parents to gain a Primary 1 place for their child. The Primary 1 registration system essentially aims to address many different goals and does strive to ensure diversity in the student cohort. My concern though, is that for certain more popular schools, more privileged families may have more advantage for the different phases. For example, a family may move to a location to have an edge in terms of proximity. Parents working to make ends meet may also be unlikely to be able to spare the amount of time needed to fulfil the volunteering hours needed to qualify for Phase 2B. Alumni places in prestigious schools in affluent neighbourhoods may also contribute to the risk that certain schools may become more exclusive with a more homogenous, higher socio-economic status student population. This is why I believe ACS Primary's move to Tengah is a forward-looking one. The move appears to have struck a chord among its alumni and has raised uncomfortable discussions on what we have to do as a society to achieve inclusivity and diversity. But it is a step in the right direction. Can I dare hope that this move also emboldens the boards of other popular primary schools, particularly those in certain affluent neighbourhoods, to do the same? Secondly, we need to promote a diverse range of pathways to success, valuing not just careers of knowledge and intelligence, but skills and care-based careers as well. These types of careers are equally important. At the height of the pandemic, we saw how the nation depended on the essential workers – our nurses, delivery drivers and cleaners – to carry on, even as the rest of the nation was safely sequestered at home. However, they are often overlooked. Our society tends to value paper qualifications. An ongoing study by Assoc Prof Irene Ng of NUS' Social Work Department found that, those with university degrees earned more than twice those of ITE qualifications and secondary or lower education. It is not enough to speak of an appreciation and respect for the nature of such work. To truly alleviate the dignity of such work or, in the alternative, to make such work viable for the highly capable among us to consider taking up, change must be reflected in the remuneration. Therefore, I am heartened that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister Chan reiterated that call in their speeches to make sure that the wages of skilled and care workers will be increased to reflect the mastery of their skills.[+3 sentences] In doing so, it sends a strong message to Singaporeans that skilled work is important and slowly shifts the social value placed on such work, creating a more inclusive and equitable society. A recent article in The Straits Times had asked: how would you respond if your graduate daughter dated a plumber? Let us hope that with this, the answer will increasingly be "no problem". Even in a highly automated world, humans are still able to offer a blend of knowledge, technical and care skills that surpass any present robot we have. As someone who works in the healthcare field, it is plain to see that robots just cannot replace the need for care and empathy from another human. Lastly, achieving a broader, open and compassionate meritocracy in Singapore requires not only policy changes but also a fundamental mindset shift. We must recognise that every individual has something to offer and we must be willing to acknowledge and remunerate them for it.[+2 sentences] We must send a message to our youths as well, that their value does not lie in academic qualifications alone but in their other strengths as well and that when they have achieved success themselves, they too have a role to build the next generation. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker6 words
[+1 sentence]Minister of State Gan Siow Huang.
The Minister of State for Education and Manpower (Ms Gan Siow Huang)2166 words
[+11 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I thank Members Mr Desmond Choo, Minister of State Desmond Tan, Mr Raj Thomas, Mr Patrick Tay, Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Tin Pei Ling and others, who expressed their support for lifelong learning, which is what underpins our national SkillsFuture movement. I also thank their many suggestions, on how we can make SkillsFuture more impactful and effective for Singaporeans. Deputy Prime Minister Wong spoke on a new approach to skills yesterday, one that requires a fresh commitment to making continuous learning, upskilling and reskilling, a way of life. We will work with industry partners and training providers to offer courses to meet different training needs, encourage employers to support the development of their workers and recognise the skills the workers have acquired and, of course, support individuals to take ownership of their lifelong learning journey. Mr Patrick Tay's analogy of a CET Toolbox is an apt one to describe the opportunities but also the challenges that adult learners face. There are three key things that are needed for the toolbox to work well. First, the toolbox must have a wide range of tools to cater to different adult learners with very different training needs. Some require skills top-up for new tasks or roles that their jobs require. For these learners, short courses, like what Ms Tin Pei Ling suggested would suffice. To cater to such learners, the IHLs are offering modular upgrading. SSG has also launched SkillsFuture series courses that are short courses designed to address skills needs in high-growth emerging areas. Last year, 32,000 individuals attended SkillsFuture series courses.[+4 sentences] Others required more substantive skills reboot by pursuing a full qualification especially if they have left former education a long time ago or they are switching to a new sector or new job role. Next, I agree with Mr Patrick Tay that people need to open the toolbox and know how to use it. With a toolbox of diverse tools, we acknowledge that navigation can be an issue for some. SSG is enhancing the MySkillsFuture portal to improve user experience and provide personalised course recommendation based on individual's careers and skills needs. We also have a team of SkillsFuture Ambassadors on the ground to provide advice to Singaporeans, who want to learn more about the courses and programmes available. We will study Mr Patrick Tay's suggestion to allow Singaporeans to use SkillsFuture credits for career coaching services.[+6 sentences] Third, I agree that tools must be able to get the job done. This speaks to our efforts to ensure that the courses are relevant to the industry and are of high quality; and the employers recognise the skills that their employees have acquired. SSG has reviewed the course fee funding framework to ensure that SSG's highest tier of subsidies are channelled towards courses that deliver the strongest employment outcomes. These changes will be implemented progressively to allow our IHLs and training providers to adjust their offerings. Employers must also play their part to recognise the skills that their workers have acquired through training, place them in appropriate jobs and remunerate them appropriately. To support employers in doing so, SSG is working with the trade associations and chambers and professional bodies to recognise skills attained through courses or on-the-job training in selected sectors. Moving to the subject of job security, our labour market move has posted strong growth last year. We are at full employment, with long-term unemployment at 0.7%. Our resident employment is higher now than it was pre-pandemic.[+41 sentences] However, we are mindful of the global economic uncertainties and how this may affect jobs here. At the same time, many businesses, especially SMEs, have told us about the acute shortage of labour. The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has asked us to allow businesses to ease foreign worker measures. Ms Janet Ang, just a while ago, also said that the shortage of labour here can cause burnout of our local workforce and limit our companies' growth opportunities. We thank Mr Leong Mun Wai for his suggestions, many of which had been raised and debated at length in the past two years. At this year's Committee of Supply, MOM outlined the strategies and measures to help Singaporeans seize opportunities in the economy and be empowered to take on the good jobs. We will walk with Singaporeans every step of the way through new initiatives, such as Career Health and Careers Finder. But MOM cannot do this on our own. We seek everyone's understanding that we need partnership with the industry, employers and the unions on this journey. Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me now speak on support for parents with young children. I have met many parents in my work at MOE and, also, as an MP. Most desire to be good parents and want the best for their children. But parents may not always know what is required, as every child is unique and constantly growing up. I will touch on the support for parents by three groups: fellow parents, employers and the community. It is important to have a strong ecosystem of support for parents to make parenting a fulfilling journey. I believe children are more likely to grow up resilient and confident if parents guide and support them well. First, on the support for parents, by parents. Almost all MOE schools have Parent Support Groups (PSGs) today. While the main objective of PSGs is to enable partnership between the school and parents to strengthen support for our students, they have also become a source of support for parents. Many of our PSGs are led by parent volunteers with experience in parenting and who are willing to serve as resource and peer supporters to fellow parents. Some of the parents continue to serve as PSG leaders after their children have graduated from school. I encourage parents to contribute or participate in the activities planned by the PSGs. There is much that PSGs can learn from one another too. MOE has set up the PSG support circles, which are communities for PSGs to come together to support fellow parents in nurturing resilient and confident children. Some of the common interest topics that they have chosen to cover, thus far, include cyber wellness, mental well-being of children and forging stronger parent-child relationships. These parent-led initiatives seek to equip fellow parents in detecting signs of distress in children, learn where they can get help from and how parents and teachers can work together to support the development of children. An example is the "Let Us Chat" Programme, that seeks to strengthen parent capabilities in building good relationships with their children to enhance their children's mental well-being. This PSG programme has been shared with at least 30 schools. It focuses on understanding ways to build children's self-confidence, self-awareness and self-regulation, encouraging an attitude of lifelong learning instead of an over-emphasis on grades and understanding the underlying causes of children's behaviour through productive parent-child conversations and relationships. Indeed, there is much more parents can achieve by learning together with fellow parents. Next, on support by employers. For parents who are working, having a workplace with supportive bosses and colleagues can make a lot of difference. It is understandable for parents with young children to need some time off occasionally to bring their child to the doctor, look after a child who has fallen ill or simply to cheer their child on who is receiving a prize or performing in school. For employees with genuine needs, we have to find practical solutions for them to continue to meet their responsibilities at work and at home. Over the years, the Government has progressively enhanced leave provisions for childcare, infant care, maternity leave and paternity leave. These are definitely useful and well-appreciated by parents with young children. I remember my maternity leave was eight weeks when I had my first child 20 years ago. When I had my second child, maternity leave was 12 weeks. By the time I had my third child, maternity leave was increased to 16 weeks. So, I really see, in my own personal journey, progression in Government policies supporting families. Today, a working couple has altogether up to 22 weeks of leave in their baby's first year. From 2024 onwards, Government-paid paternity leave will be doubled to four weeks and unpaid infant care leave will be increased from six days to 12 days per parent. Taken together, this means a working couple will have up to 26 weeks of leave in their child's first year.[+10 sentences] That is half a year of parental leave to bond and care for their newborn. This is helpful for most working couples, but may not be enough for those who have not found viable childcare arrangements and those who have greater caregiving needs. I encourage employers to create workplaces that are supportive of employees with children. Employers that value their employees' well-being could benefit from stronger talent attraction and staff retention. Employers who would like to find out more of what they can do, may refer to the Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony. The Tripartite Standard lays out a set of recommended employment practices that recognises the varying priorities of employees at different stages of their lives and also how employers can support them in managing both work responsibilities and personal aspirations. The practices in the Tripartite Standard include providing at least two enhanced leave benefits, such as extended childcare leave; and putting in place employee support schemes, such as annual family days, for employees to enjoy extra time-out with their families. We also have the Tripartite Standard on FWAs, which sets out best practices for employers to provide FWAs, be it flexi-place, flexi-time or flexi-workload. More companies are offering FWAs now than before the COVID-19 pandemic. This allows parents to better manage their work and family responsibilities concurrently. To entrench flexible work arrangements, MOM and the tripartite partners will introduce a set of Tripartite Guidelines by 2024. The Guidelines will require employers to consider requests for FWAs fairly and properly.[+11 sentences] While employers have the prerogative to accept or reject an FWA request, they must have valid reasons for their decision. At the same time, employees should be reasonable in their requests and use FWAs responsibly. Some FWAs may have resource implications for the company, which employers understandably need to consider when assessing the request. For FWAs to work for both employers and employees, adjustments may also have to be made to businesses and human resource practices, possibly also to the way work is configured, to allow for the flexibilities. I would like to encourage employers to press on with efforts to make FWAs a reality for their employees, where they can. In turn, I am confident that employers will reap the benefits of a more engaged and motivated workforce. This is a win-win outcome for everyone. Ultimately, successful implementation of FWAs requires trust between employer and employees as well as among colleagues at the workplace. Besides an understanding boss, a supportive workplace culture is important to enable working parents to achieve better work-life harmony. Finally, the community can make a difference in supporting parents. This is especially helpful for vulnerable segments in our community. Community initiatives, such as mental well-being circles, mentorships, free tuition, grocery distributions and respite for caregivers, are just some of the many examples of how the community can chip in to help families in need.[+5 sentences] Many of these initiatives are led by non-government organisations and grassroots volunteers. We should encourage more of these ground-up initiatives and coordinate their efforts to achieve the best possible outcomes for the families being supported. The year 2022 was the Year of SG Families. We want to build a Singapore that is made for families. My wish is that Singapore will be one of the best places to raise children. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about the refreshed social compact of collective responsibility, where we need to be less about "me" and more about "we".[+1 sentence] It is about what each of us can do to support fellow Singaporeans. The Government will continue to find ways to support families. We will do our best to build a more caring and inclusive society with affordable housing, healthcare, childcare and education to cater to the different needs. To help defray the cost of raising children, we have also enhanced the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, Child Development Account First Step and Baby Support Grant for eligible Singaporean children.[+7 sentences] But these steps alone may not be enough. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. Some families are blessed to have the help of grandparents and extended family in taking care of children at home while the parents are at work. Some families have alternative childcare support from domestic helpers, friendly neighbours and childcare centres in the neighbourhood. Not everyone is so lucky. Fellow parents, employers, colleagues and the community can play a part as well to make parenting a more joyful and fulfilling journey for all. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Joan Pereira.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar)744 words
[+1 sentence]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I join my Parliamentary colleagues in this Motion of thanks to the President for her Address. Indeed, I agree with Mdm President that Singapore is one of the few countries in the world where trust between the Government and the people had strengthened after emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.[+4 sentences] The events of the last three years highlight the important role Government leadership plays in unifying people and providing a clear direction forward for a nation to work towards. Not only must leaders be competent, they must also demonstrate in the things they do and say that they have the nation's and the people's best interests at heart. Only by working together can the people and the Government overcome the challenges in their path. Leaders need to understand the big picture, balancing, sometimes, conflicting interests and ensuring that the pursuit of short-term goals do not compromise our long-term prospects. The Government has implemented sound policies and measures but, sometimes, those who need help fall through the cracks for all kinds of reasons and we need to identify local community leaders and helping hands, including those in the private sector, who can close the gap in the last mile of assistance delivery.[+10 sentences] Madam, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Leaders need to understand the big picture and balance, sometimes, conflicting interests to ensure that the pursuit of short-term goals do not compromise our long-term prospects. The Government has implemented quite comprehensive policies and measures, but under certain circumstances, those who need help may not receive assistance for all kinds of reasons. We need to identify suitable community leaders, volunteers or private sector helping hands to close the gap in the last mile to ensure that they receive assistance. (In English): One example I know of was that of a family in distress. The head of this family was the eldest of a group of siblings. The family lives in my constituency. The eldest daughter was trying very hard to be independent and cope on her own, while tapping on various assistance schemes. A staff at an organisation providing help was able to earn her trust and managed to persuade her to accept certain changes in the care arrangements for her siblings. Without this particular staff, in spite of the many available assistance schemes, the family would not be able to benefit from them. The ability to plug the gap in the last mile can determine the success or failure of our measures. Very often, the person to bridge the gap is a neighbour or a volunteer who is not as constrained by the rules and regulations of the system and can thus take certain steps to close the loop.[+15 sentences] We certainly need to nurture and strengthen our social and neighbourhood connectedness to enable the desired mutual help to happen. Of course, the essential ingredient here is trust. Government leaders have to earn the trust of our people so that in times of emergency and crisis, people will trust that they are doing the right thing for the good of the community and country. Leaders also have to be very mindful of how they act and what they say. The impact of even very simple gestures and words can be significant on the lives of the people they interact with. If I may share another example. President Halimah graced the opening ceremony of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore Henderson Learning Centre in March last year. She spoke with a student, Ardyani. Ardyani's education therapist, Ms Miranda, had shared with the centre manager, Mr Bala, that since then, she had noticed that Ardyani has become a little bit more cheerful and confident, participating a little more during lessons and also talking a little bit more to her classmates. Ardyani's mother also noticed that her daughter is less shy in engaging others. Ardyani herself shared that she felt very much encouraged by the President's kind words and gestures during their interaction. Leaders should realise that the impact of such small gestures in inspiring others, be it to encourage someone or to provide some form of support, can really go a long way. There are many leaders amongst us – be it in the Government, private sector, social service sector or among community leaders. I certainly hope and urge all our leaders to continue to stay close to the ground and to our people, reaching out, touching lives and building more trust day by day. I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang)1688 words
[+9 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank Mdm President for sharing her views on the Government's plans and priorities for the remaining term of the Government. Today, I will focus my speech on the topic of ageing, specifically, the concept of productive longevity. We have made significant progress to support successful ageing in Singapore in the preceding half term of the Government. We raised the retirement age to help seniors stay active and engaged in society. Our Central Provident Fund schemes were updated to better cater to the changing needs of the ageing population. We have strengthened our healthcare system through Healthier SG by focusing on preventive care. We are also scaling up healthcare and long-term care facilities in the community to better support our seniors. But there is still much more to be done. Being a country with one of the highest life expectancies in the world, but also one having the lowest birth rates, we face a double whammy. We must address the reality that every household in Singapore will eventually have a senior member. It is projected that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above.[+18 sentences] This ratio is expected to increase further. This rapid expansion of our ageing population means that the productive engagement of our seniors is no longer optional. It will be an absolute necessity. We must encourage our seniors to engage in gainful activities that will not only benefit themselves, but also their families, communities and society as a whole. I will speak on three general areas – work, contribution and care for others – three areas which I believe are critical elements for productive longevity. First, Mdm Deputy Speaker, work. Steve Jobs once said, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do." Wise words, indeed. We can continue loving what we do even as we grow old. We must, thereby, support our seniors to work longer – for those who want to, are healthy enough and still have the passion to do so. The relevant initiatives in this year's Budget are a step in the right direction. It is heartening to note that our senior employability rate is healthy, compared to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Correspondingly, we should focus on creating quality jobs for our seniors. This enables them to utilise their depth of knowledge and experience obtained over a lifetime. The health benefits associated with ongoing mental engagement are numerous. Moreover, mentoring and job-sharing allow seniors to pass on their skills to younger and less experienced employees. That said, it is important to recognise that many older workers desire part-time work with flexible options which allow them to spend time on leisure and with their families. I fully support the call for more flexible work options for seniors, as previously emphasised in my Committee of Supply speech. There are several ways that we can implement these options, such as sabbatical leave, job-sharing, micro jobs and phased retirement.[+2 sentences] These concepts are relatively new to our workforce. As such, there may be resistance and scepticism from employers. The Government should take the lead and show how they can be implemented with minimal disruption while still reaping the benefits. I urge the Government to take more proactive measures to introduce and incorporate these concepts into more places of employment.[+21 sentences] Second, Mdm Deputy Speaker, is the concept of giving. We must actively encourage our seniors to volunteer and share their skills with others. Silver years can be a time for renewal where individuals can explore new passions and interests, engage in meaningful activities and continue to contribute back to society. The numerous benefits of volunteering for seniors include better self-rated health, higher life satisfaction and prevention of cognitive decline over time. Organisations, like RSVP Singapore, are excellent partners in growing senior volunteerism. However, we should assess our current volunteerism framework and determine how we can increase volunteerism rates. How do we compare globally with other countries on this front? Are there specific targets that we have set ourselves in this area? Besides, it would also be helpful to consider other demographic factors, such as income level, gender, race and religion, to ensure that volunteering opportunities are inclusive and varied. Third, Mdm Deputy Speaker, we should enable care. Care for seniors and recognising caregivers' contributions. This includes providing informal caregivers with more support and professionalising caregiving as a career to meet the rising demand for caregiving needs. The role of a caregiver is a challenging one that requires significant physical and emotional effort. With our demographic shifts, we are also now seeing a greater number of seniors caring for other seniors. In my Yio Chu Kang estate, I have a 70-plus-year-old daughter caring for a 90-plus-year-old mother. This is becoming a regular scenario. Regrettably, we often see the bulk of caregiving responsibilities being shouldered by a single individual – typically a wife, mother or daughter. There remains a significant gender disparity in caregiving, with women assuming a disproportionate amount of the workload. Can we take steps to encourage men to participate more in caregiving? Achieving this will require us to challenge the societal norms and gendered attitudes that place greater emphasis on men building careers and less on caregiving responsibilities. It is essential to enhance caregiver training. This is to ensure that caregivers have the necessary skills to look after their loved ones competently. There are currently over 40 training providers offering more than 200 Caregivers Training Grant-approved courses.[+5 sentences] Nonetheless, it is pertinent to evaluate the effectiveness of these programmes. What is the current take-up rate and how beneficial do participants find these courses? Additionally, we need to increase awareness about the availability of these courses and ensure that the accessibility and scheduling meet the demand. How can the Government provide additional support in this area? Expanding caregiver support is critical, as Singapore's population ages and more people require informal caregiving. MOH has taken steps to enhance caregiver support. Besides training, as mentioned earlier, over the years, enhancements have been made to financial support, caregiver respite services and platforms to help with care navigation.[+2 sentences] There have also been continued attempts to encourage FWAs. It is also good that we are recognising that caregivers themselves, too, need self-care to prevent burnout. Can we explore ways to improve caregiver support, such as offering additional caregiver leave?[+5 sentences] As the demand for caregiving services continues to grow, we should recognise caregiving as a viable career choice. Professionalising caregiving may attract more people to the profession and improve the quality of care provided. Presently, caregiving is often associated with tasks, like medical escorting, personal care and housekeeping. On the contrary, caregiving extends beyond these roles. There are opportunities for specialisation and leadership, including caregiver trainers, managers, schedulers and care assessment professionals, just to name a few. To formalise these roles and provide the necessary training, we need to develop a scheme to professionalise caregiving.[+34 sentences] As part of long-term planning, we should also consider formal education to provide a solid foundation for professional caregiving and certification. For instance, many community colleges and healthcare agencies in the US offer courses to obtain home care certification. Highly skilled caregivers have more opportunities to service clients, especially those with specific needs, such as dementia or physical challenges. In conclusion, Mdm Deputy Speaker, with higher life expectancy, how will the "good life" look like? How can we fully embrace the opportunities that comes with living longer? I have shared in my speech that one way is to embrace productive longevity. It is to be empowered to lead our lives the way we want to – to work, contribute and care for others. To do so, we must also reframe our concept of ageing: first, it is not about when, but now. I circle back to what I said earlier in my speech, an often-quoted statistic, that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above. But we must remember that ageing continues, as we speak. Currently, almost one in five Singaporeans are aged 65 and above. We see it all around us. I certainly see it in my estate in Yio Chu Kang. Over the past three years, I have seen how our residents have aged. It is very visible. More seniors are moving around in the neighbourhood with wheelchairs and walking aids. More requests for aged care services. More wakes to attend. Second, it is about opportunities, not about liabilities. Productive ageing requires a shift in our thinking from a paradigm centred on ageing as being problematic, to one which views seniors as resources – assets that can continue to contribute to society in various ways. It is about opportunities for growth and contribution, rather than casting the aged as a liability. Finally, we need to shift from "them" to "us". Ageing affects not just our seniors. Ultimately, it is about all of us. Growing old is inevitable. We will all grow old one day. A simple shift on using more inclusive terms, such as "we" and "us", in place of "they" and "them", helps all of us to remember that we are all ageing. Personally, I sometimes do get comments from my residents that I look young. But I remind myself that the operative word is "look" and that we will all grow old one day and be forced to reckon with our own mortality. We will all need to come to terms and embrace the experience of ageing. Finally, we all have different versions of what is the "good life". Notwithstanding, most will agree that to leverage productive longevity, we will need to embrace our silver years – to work, to contribute and to care and by acknowledging that ageing is not about when, but now. It is about opportunities, not about liabilities, and it is not about them, but about us. Only then, can we turn the good life into a great one.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Gan Thiam Poh.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio)1218 words
[+16 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion of Thanks to the President for her Address. Let me begin in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): I do not think anyone would object to the fact that more support should be given to our disadvantaged groups and lower-income earners to improve their lives and incomes. The key, though, is how we should do it more effectively and more sustainably. Just blindly subsidising people might leave them idle and run the risk of consuming the whole savings? As the saying goes, "It is better to teach someone to fish, rather than to give him a fish." A fish can relieve your hunger pangs in the short term, but not for too long. If you want to have fish throughout your lifetime, you must learn how to fish. That is the best policy. (In English): Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Hence, there is a need for the Government to continue to invest heavily in education, SkillsFuture, reskill and upskill training. The Workfare Income Supplement scheme, Progressive Wage Credit Scheme and Special Employment Credit and so on and so forth are equally important. Whatever more to do or to be done, we should continue to leverage and enhance on our existing schemes. I agree with the President that in an increasingly troubled world, we must stay united and strengthen our bond as one united people. We are not only facing an aged population; we are also facing a declining fertility rate. Our TFR hit an all-time low of 1.05 last year. Our old-age support ratio, computed as the ratio of the working-age population – meaning those 20 to 64 years old – per person aged 65 and above, has been declining, from 10.5 in 1990 to 3.8 in 2022, last year.[+7 sentences] However, the average education level of our population has increased over the same period and so has the average income. Hence, would the Ministry be able to advise if the current old-age support ratio is acceptable, in view of the rise in the average Singaporean's income and the continued investment in education and lifelong learning and training for Singaporeans? We may also need to consider if we should let each generation self-finance their needs in old age, for example, using their life contributions to the nation to avoid burdening our children and grandchildren. At the same time, to survive and stay competitive, Singapore must remain open. But there is a limit to how many foreigners or new citizens any country can absorb before the sense of shared national identity is affected. We must maintain our Singaporean Core and, at the very least, prevent our TFR from declining further. I certainly hope that it is partly due to 2022 being the year of the tiger in the lunar calendar, which usually sees fewer births among the Chinese and not another indication of a shrinking future generation. The pro-family measures announced in Budget 2023, with the Baby Support Grant extension, cash support, increased Paternity Leave and Unpaid Infant Care Leave, are, indeed, supportive of parenthood.[+14 sentences] I welcome the commitment made by the Prime Minister's Office in the addendum to extend more help to parents caring for infants. We, as a nation, must continue to try to do more to boost marriage and parenthood. Firstly, the Government may need to play a bigger and more active role to bring our young men and women together. The proportion of singles in the age group below 50 years has increased and, more significantly, the increase is highest among those below age 35 – the age group which is most conducive for having children. We understand that people generally prefer to meet members of the opposite sex in so-called "natural settings", even though, for many, their networks and social circles are limited. Nonetheless, we should review how we can improve on facilitating social interactions for our potential couples. For example, I think it would be helpful to review and get feedback on the activities and events organised by the Social Development Network (SDN). What kind of activities and events do the young find attractive and relevant in today's context? For example, do the participants get to learn or experience something meaningful, even if they do not meet someone special? If that is the case, SDN will be able to attract more participants, enlarging the pool and increasing the chances that singles will meet other interesting singles there, as SDN should also be able to offer a value-add, which is to provide the assurance that all participants are screened and they are who they claim to be. The Ministry of National Development (MND) is making the effort to ramp up BTOs for all applicants, especially for first-timer families. We welcome the good news. It has many supportive policies which I commend, but I would like to make a request for future flats to be built bigger, like the older flats built in the 1980s and 1990s. A sense of greater available space is more encouraging for families to have a second or third child. From our experience from COVID-19, there is a need to review to expand the programme to build early, before the sale of the BTO flats, with shorter waiting time of 12 to 18 months.[+5 sentences] Many families with young children depend on migrant domestic workers and nannies to help out with caregiving. However, the standards of their service can vary widely. Is there any way for MOM to set up a training, assessment and accreditation scheme, which parents can use to inform them of the capabilities of the maids or nannies they are considering to hire? There is a shortage of infant care, childcare and kindergarten teachers or centres in certain areas. For parents, it is important for their children to be enrolled in centres near their homes to minimise travelling for the kids. Will the Government look into the distribution of these centres and staff, how to attract teachers into these sectors and minimise the attrition rate? Next, I would like to move on to request for a review of measures to manage our national income gap.[+5 sentences] We have to continue our effort to minimise the social divide in our society. Values which divide high- and low-income groups should be discouraged, and harmonious social integration needs to be strengthened. This also applies to the workplace. There is a need for employers to establish policies to nurture a harmonious and caring work culture in our workplaces. A good leader in the company is not only measured by tangible results. He must be able to motivate all his team members with different capabilities and abilities to work hand in hand and care for one another as a team. We are a competitive society, but we must learn to embrace compassionate meritocracy, especially since we need to have more of the young in our workforce to support the aged. Last but not least, I would like to appeal for more assistance for the middle-income group who are burdened by inflation and rising costs and yet are not qualified for most of the assistance schemes, which are targeted at lower-income groups.[+1 sentence] I would like to conclude with my support for the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Foo Mee Har.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast)1543 words
[+20 sentences]Mdm Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion to thank our President for her Address. I support the determination of our Government to refresh our social compact and broaden meritocracy. Our efforts to build an egalitarian society where everyone will be treated equally with dignity and respect must continue. At the same time, we must reaffirm Singapore as an open society, expand our economic space and stay connected to global growth opportunities for Singapore to stay relevant and provide a bright future for Singaporeans. It is against this backdrop that I would like to speak about family offices in their role in contributing to Singapore's development. I declare my interest as the chief executive officer of the Wealth Management Institute (WMI). WMI is the host of the Global-Asia Family Office Circle, a network platform that provides a trusted environment for the family office ecosystem to convene as a community to learn about best practices in family office governance, as well as opportunities in Singapore and Asia in areas, such as innovation, sustainability, co-investments and philanthropy. The number of wealthy individuals and family offices in Singapore continues to grow, which is a testament to Singapore's strength as a hub wealth and asset management. There has been much interest about the arrival of family offices in Singapore recently. From my experience, they come from a diverse range of countries from around the world, including Greater China, South Asia, ASEAN, the Middle East, US and Europe. Many of them represent some of the most successful entrepreneurs and business owners across the globe, including notable investors, leaders in renewable energy, pioneers of world-changing technology platforms and leaders of Asia's largest family businesses. These families do not just bring capital but also knowledge, networks, skills and talents as well. These are assets we can channel to support new innovation and enterprise, allowing businesses based in Singapore to benefit from mutual technological innovation and talent transfers. Some of these families also bring long track record of giving generously, sometimes stretching back across multiple generations. They have built schools and hospitals, funded scientific advancements, supported conservation efforts and contributed generously to relief efforts, including disaster recovery and pandemic recovery. Madam, these family offices are coming to Singapore for a variety of reasons. Some are seeking safety and stability, whereas others are expanding to Singapore in search of attractive investment opportunities to support growth in Asia – and Southeast Asia, especially. We are also seeing greater involvement of the next generation of family principals who are increasingly focused on areas, such as impact investment, venture capital and alternative Investments. Madam, family offices are typically extremely private. So, recent reports of flashy and ostentatious behaviours are restricted to a minority. Inflows of funds are subjected to MAS' stringent rules of comprehensive client due diligence, including establishing a clear and legitimate purpose of the use of the family office structure, ascertaining the ultimate beneficial owners and corroborating the sources of wealth and funds. We should welcome this inflow of family offices because they can bring many positive long-term benefits, but more can be done to accelerate their integration and contribution; and most importantly, orientate them to Singapore's norms, values and ways of working.[+16 sentences] Madam, the arrival of family offices in Singapore is still a relatively new concept. We have seen strong growth in a short period of time. This means that the industry is still nascent and many family offices are still in the initial stages of development. Family offices typically go through three phases as they set up in Singapore. First, they set up the governance, then investment; and finally, philanthropy and impact. The first stage, governance, is about establishing an effective operational base and putting in place a governance framework under which the family office will operate. Good governance requires careful consideration. How should they set up their legal and trust structures? What systems should they put in place, from financial monitoring to cybersecurity? What should their board and risk management processes be? How can they attract and hire the right talent in Singapore? Who should they appoint as their advisors? How can they meet the evolving regulations in Singapore which have been introduced to raise the bar? As they establish themselves, family offices contribute towards job creation – both directly and indirectly. Even though family offices are typically small in team size, they have to meet requirements on hiring, annual business spending and local investments. The key impact of their set-up, in terms of job creation, will be driving the additional demand and job creation and professional services, such as wealth management, asset management, fund administration, trusts, legal, tax and consulting. Since 2020, WMI has had over 1,500 enrolments for family office-related programmes, in testament to the strong appetite for upskilling in this area.[+1 sentence] Madam, with the office and governance structure in place, family offices then focus on investments. Family capital is valuable because it can be a useful complement to institutional capital – it can be more flexible, agile and catalytic, often in line with the values of the family.[+7 sentences] Investments are often the main purpose of the family office. However, before they deploy a large amount of capital or any amount of capital, family offices need to build a robust understanding of the investment landscape so that they can home in on areas of opportunity. Fundamentally, they seek good financial returns and sound business models to invest in, and this often takes time to understand and evaluate the different investment options available. Also, the market environment in recent years has been challenging. They also need to find like-minded partners for co-investments. Many family offices tell us they prefer to co-invest with other families – but only with those that they know and trust. A newly-arrived family office will need to build up these trusted networks before they can co-invest effectively. One current gap is the lack of a systematic on-boarding process to integrate newly arrived wealthy individuals into Singapore's enterprise and investment ecosystem, so they can become active members of our venture community.[+13 sentences] There is also a need to help them become aware of the promising research and tech innovations that we have in Singapore from our startup communities and research institutes and where they can help commercialise and scale promising new ideas. Family offices tell us they struggle to navigate the fragmented and fast-changing landscape. They share that they need to work hard to understand who the credible players are and what the roles of different ecosystem actors are. Newly set-up family offices need more help to connect the dots of the full spectrum of what Singapore has to offer. We need to help orientate them towards the local ecosystem and curate a systematic introduction to the different areas within the innovation community. This will help fast-track capital deployment. Madam, the third area that family offices consider is how to contribute to impact and philanthropy initiatives, usually across a wide continuum of different ways of doing good. Many family offices actually have a stated objective to give back, in line with their family values. But conducting effective philanthropy is a thoughtful process going beyond chequebook giving. The inspiration is often deeply personal and tied to the values of the family. Based on these values, families will decide what their impact goals are and which causes to support, what assets they could contribute and how to leverage different giving structures. Giving structures take time to establish. Increasingly, wealthy families want to go beyond straightforward grant-making type philanthropy. They aspire to tap their financial resources and networks in creative ways to make impact. We must evolve our charity policies to support new forms of giving, including venture philanthropy, concessionary capital to impact investing.[+5 sentences] Madam, in my previous speech, I spoke about generations of Singaporeans having benefited from visionary philanthropists and organisations, including the likes of Tan Kah Kee, P Govindasamy Pillai and Ngee Ann Kongsi, among many others. They have contributed to important social services, public healthcare and education and cultivated a culture of giving that is central to Singapore's social compact. Today, many among the new generation of wealth owners have a similar aspiration to contribute meaningfully to society. So, what is needed is greater effort to drive awareness and momentum to support both local and regional causes. We should also encourage sharing from family offices who are already major philanthropists, to provide aspirational examples for others. Initiatives, such as the recent launch of the Impact Philanthropy Partnership, led by WMI and the Private Banking Industry Group with the support of MAS, will help galvanise more family offices in this area.[+1 sentence] Madam, in conclusion, today, as Singapore continues to be an attractive destination for global wealthy individuals, our doors will always be open for those who desire and can co-create purposeful wealth with us. To preserve our social compact, it is critical that they are orientated to integrate with Singapore's social norms and have the right support and access to networks, so that they can ramp up their contributions in terms of investments and impact.[+2 sentences] Through this, we can make the most of this unique opportunity to shape this growth towards a more inclusive society for the benefit of all. With this, I support the Motion.
Mdm Deputy Speaker10 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Murali Pillai, would you like to adjourn the debate?
[+3 sentences]. (proc text)] [(proc text) 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.'." – . (proc text)]
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Derrick Goh.
Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon)1959 words
[+17 sentences]Sir, Singapore’s growth from third world to first within a generation has been nothing short of remarkable. Through the triumphs and tribulations, our forefathers have forged a nation not just through resilience but also unity. The responsibility to bring Singapore forward now lies upon our shoulders. We face challenges and opportunities like our forefathers, though of a different nature amid evolving ideologies and complexities. The popular saying is that it is easier to grow an organisation but always harder to keep up its successes. So, it is, all the more, that we must be alert not to succumb to complacency. For me, the prorogation and our President’s Address provided valuable opportunities for introspection as a first-term Member of Parliament (MP); and today, I summarise my reflections in three key themes. The first is the importance of an effective Parliament. In an age of flux and dynamism, policy considerations are seldom linear and there may not be past blueprints and playbooks to rely on. In most solutions, society is overall better off but there is often a cost where a segment may not benefit, and this is where different views expressed during a debate is important for the clarity and transparency of all. In such situations where we articulate different perspectives, I would like to echo Mdm President’s message that our conversations must be constructive, respectful and responsible, so that we draw strength from our diversity. To uphold trust in the effectiveness of Parliament, we must conduct ourselves with integrity and civility, with truth and logic as the bedrock of what we say; so that at the end of the day, we galvanise our citizens towards a common direction. Like Singapore’s progress, we cannot take the effectiveness of our Parliament for granted. We should be careful not to follow the path of some parliaments in the world, where divisive politics and appealing rhetoric cloud genuine debates, such that they are not effective in making sound decisions and they confuse the people they serve. In an effective Parliament, the responsibility also lies with all of us to be courageous in tackling difficult and potentially unpopular issues, and to make tough decisions for the benefit of Singaporeans. Looking back at the first session of this parliament, I believe this House has done well and demonstrated decisive leadership. I had the opportunity to participate in many of these debates. In passing the multiple Budgets through COVID-19, we have protected lives and livelihoods, averting an economic meltdown; and even though we fared better and emerged stronger compared to many other countries, this House did not shy away from debating on how else we could have done better and how to proactively draw learnings from our experience to ready ourselves for future threats.[+2 sentences] In the repeal of section 377A, we tackled this important topic even though we could have dealt with this further down the road. Importantly, we did not push the responsibility to the Courts to decide what is good for our society. We debated this issue sensitively with maturity and empathy, and we arrived at a balanced and win-win outcome. And in increasing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate, we bravely acknowledged the need for fiscal sustainability and prudence to support higher and longer-term expenditures, yet effectively transformed what is a potentially regressive tax regime into a holistic and progressive system through the innovative use of enhanced GST Vouchers and the Assurance Package, so that those who are vulnerable are protected, while those who are more well-off contribute more.[+13 sentences] In these examples and others, considerations and trade-offs were put forth openly, so we could debate these robustly and transparently. As we look forward to the second session of the 14th Parliament, it is imperative that we continue to uphold the effectiveness, leadership and public confidence of this House. Sir, this brings me to the second theme of my speech – that is of clearly recognising the costs, trade-offs and constraints in the debates we make. Failure to recognise these “costs” defies the fundamental concept of scarcity in economics and could leave room for populist politics which will mislead and polarise our society. Singapore has enjoyed remarkable growth and development. While we continue to cheer and enable every citizen to maximise their potential and lift their ambitions, the hard truth is that it is impractical for our Government to fulfil all desires. Matching limited resources to meet ever-increasing and sometimes near-infinite expectations is an equation that cannot be solved by any government. Hence, this requires us to make choices and strike a balance for our policies to be sustainable. For example, in debating housing accessibility, we all fully agree with younger Singaporeans’ aspirations towards convenience and proximity to their parents' home. However, it is simply not possible for everyone to be availed a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in a mature estate as space in such areas are finite. The key question will then be how to allocate them. And in terms of affordability, how should the Government balance between buyers desiring lower prices and sellers expecting higher valuations? An even broader example concerns Singapore’s finances. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has already stated that Singapore’s expenditures will increase and is projected to rise to 20% of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.[+2 sentences] The many calls for the Government to do more will mean that spending can easily increase beyond 20%. It is important for us to address transparently, how we are going to fund these increases without kicking the can down the road. I listened carefully to the Workers’ Party’s (WP) position on this. They oppose not just the GST increase but also the overall GST system, that today contributes $17 billion to our revenues. The WP has offered some policy alternatives, such as to spend more from our Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) framework.[+3 sentences] However, the proposals are not viable to address funding shortfalls. I said, at the GST Bill debate, that to spend more from our investment returns and to save less is an attractive but not a responsible approach. Singapore’s Reserves serve as a strategic asset and insurance to support us during crises and provide us a long-term, recurring and growing annuity to fund our rising national expenditures. MOF has projected that NIRC contributions will be maintained at about the same percentage of GDP over the coming years; and we all know that norms in the economic and investment climate have turned to be more challenging. If we were to spend more from the NIRC now, it must mean that we leave behind less for our next generation.[+6 sentences] Should we take this path, I worry that our children will be the ones to bear the costs of a much bigger fiscal burden to fund future expenditures. The WP is entitled to a different view, and I respect that. However, they need to be honest about the full implications and costs of their proposals for current and future generations. We should guard against short-sighted policies that go against our values and principles of how we uphold fiscal prudence. If we do not manage this carefully, the trust in our fiscal stability, that we have painstakingly built over the years can be destroyed overnight. In its manifesto and in this debate, the WP has put forward many proposals, all of which will require more spending. In the coming session of Parliament, I look forward to hearing more from them the details of how the proposals will be funded, especially without GST.[+27 sentences] In our debates, there will be some areas where we agree and some that we do not, like in the use of Reserves. I am confident we will highlight our arguments and debate robustly about these issues. It will then be for Singaporeans to judge which is the more responsible and better approach to take Singapore forward. In the end, it is not a battle between political parties. This is all about us, Singaporeans. How successful we will be depends on how we approach these conundrums and trade-offs to make balanced policy choices for our society and for our society to see them as fair. It is challenging, but I can see that our Government is dedicated to doing its best; and better relative to many other countries including the ones where I lived in, which is why I chose to return to Singapore; in fact, it is exactly because our Government sensibly acknowledges costs and trade-offs that it is able to prioritise well and work hard so that our citizens benefit. A microcosm of this is reflected in my own constituency at Nee Soon Link, that has many new Housing and Development Board (HDB) Build-To-Order (BTO) precincts. I have worked with many agencies to initiate and improve amenities, including launching a new bus service and building many new bus stops when none were earlier catered for. And I am thankful to my residents who had moved in earlier for exercising patience, as we appealed successfully to improve the frequency of bus services when more residents settled into the estate. It is from this perspective that I can attest to the dedication of our Government agencies towards serving our residents, demonstrating empathy and flexibility in calibrating public resources to meet needs on the ground, while ensuring value for money. Sir, an effective Parliament and dedicated Government are essential; but both by themselves cannot ensure Singapore’s progress. The final theme of my speech is how we all need to be hands on; for all of us, citizens to play our part. In my maiden speech in this House, I spoke about how effective governance is not just about good policies but also about good execution. Through the various Ministries’ addenda to the President’s Address, I am heartened to learn about the strong reaffirmation and refresh of their plans to take Singapore forward. Ultimately, while the Government can steer through sound policies, it is for our businesses, community partners, families and individuals to take their respective steps towards building a better Singapore. In overcoming the crisis of a generation, we have seen first-hand how a formidable force is built from everyone playing a role, as well as from the partnership and trust between the Government and its people. It is also heartening to see that within our towering metropolis and residences, the kampung spirit of old is well and alive. I encourage all of us to uphold this sense of personal and collective responsibility, as well as to continue to look beyond personal interests, so we contribute to building a caring and more resilient society where no one is left behind. The Forward Singapore exercise, aimed at renewing our social compact, encapsulates this ideal best. This social compact is an implicit agreement across Government, individuals, families, community and businesses on what kind of society we want to live in and what each of us are willing to give – and give up – for one another. It aptly circles back to recognising trade-offs and requires all of us to answer, given constraints, what we desire to build and what we are willing to do more together with the Government for a better Singapore. Sir, we now live in a world characterised by volatility; and where our long-held notions of geopolitical peace, globalisation and trade flows, and economic stability are challenged. I started today’s speech on how the responsibility to bring Singapore forward now rest upon our shoulders. As we forge ahead in the new normal with cautious optimism, we ask not for a lighter load, but for greater strength. I am convinced we can surmount the challenges and capture the opportunities that lie ahead if we come together as one Singapore because we are, Stronger Together! Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)3202 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, in her speech, President Halimah spoke about shifts in the geopolitical landscape and the implications that this will have on the Singapore economy. She described trends that we have been concerned about for a few years now – growing obstacles to global trade and economic nationalism. Both of these trends are expected to persist in the years to come and both of these trends are inflationary. Indeed, the latest Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) data showed that core consumer prices rose by 5.5% year on year in February, with food prices up more than 8%.[+1 sentence] We have not seen food prices go up so quickly since 2008. Although the MAS expects inflation to “slow more discernibly in the second half of this year” and hopefully “reach around 2.5% year on year by the end of 2023”, the projection for core consumer prices to rise by 3.5% to 4.5% over 2023 as a whole and for headline inflation to average 5.5% to 6.5% is still elevated, compared to recent history and certainly out of the comfort range for many Singaporeans.[+1 sentence] Last year, wage growth for those of us who are employed full-time outpaced inflation but only barely. Real median incomes grew just 2% in 2022, almost half as fast as it used to grow in the pre-COVID-19 years.[+13 sentences] Working Singaporeans’ earnings power will be reduced again when the second GST hike kicks in in January 2024. I find it ironic that in its latest monetary policy statement, it appears the MAS took pains to highlight that the higher inflation rates we have seen at the start of the year “reflected in part the increase in GST” and that “when the impact of the GST increase is excluded, core inflation would be even lower and closer to the historical average”. Why add fuel to fire? The Government’s support measures are designed to ensure that Singaporeans “with greater means contribute their fair share of taxes”. But from an inter-generational equity perspective, you can see why so many younger Singaporeans feel anxious and uneasy about the future. Some have even given up on the aspirations to raise a family here. Even some senior citizens I have met tell me that they worry most about how the higher cost of living impacts their children and feel compelled to carry on working, even though they may not wish to do so. As workers and business owners, we will strive to be more productive and more competitive, and hope that our wages can go up higher than inflation. But I also hope that the Government can avoid introducing more pressure into the system through an untimely GST hike, especially if wage growth remains uneven or weak. Because when the cost of living – real or perceived – is too high, that hurts Singapore’s attractiveness as a liveable city, it weakens our younger ones' confidence to take risks and we become less competitive globally. Just last month, The Business Times reported that in a business sentiment survey conducted by the Singaporean-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, almost half of German employers in Singapore polled, or 44%, said “psychological distress and lower work performance is visible among staff” due to the unpredictable housing situation. My second point is about income security for workers who may find themselves displaced if labour market conditions deteriorate. Last week, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that inflation is much stickier than anticipated even a few months ago and the chances of a “hard landing” for the global economy have risen sharply. Here in Singapore, gross domestic product (GDP) already fell sequentially by 0.7% in the first quarter of the year, with goods producing industries seeing a sharper 4.1% decline.[+21 sentences] While the Government has not updated its expectations for GDP growth of 0.5% to 2.5% in 2023, the risk of a recession is only getting higher. Some of you would know that I work in the banking sector, for a bank which is the subject of an emergency takeover. The recent turbulence at our firm has taken a very deep emotional toll on my friends and colleagues. In Singapore, job security is especially vexing because there is no nationally defined social protection floor that our workers can stand on to feel secure. There is also no law mandating retrenchment benefits in Singapore, which could be critical in ensuring displaced workers and their families have sufficient liquidity to meet basic living needs. This is especially pertinent during periods of recession and labour market weakness, where a longer time is needed to secure employment. I was therefore heartened to hear President Halimah say that the Government will study how it can extend support schemes similar to the COVID‐19 Recovery Grant beyond the pandemic. We should explore how the administrative arrangements for the COVID-19 Recovery grant can be adapted for a wider redundancy insurance scheme. The Workers’ Party (WP) has consistently been pushing for a redundancy insurance scheme since 2011 and had also published a consultation paper on this back in 2016. As our economy matures and as economic cycles become shorter and more unpredictable, many of us will have no choice but to make more frequent transitions between jobs and career paths, even when we are not financially prepared to do so. By providing displaced workers with immediate income security, a redundancy insurance scheme can raise efficiency in the labour market and reduce underemployment. It will allow workers to take the time that is required to reskill and find a stronger job fit, instead of being pressured into choices that could hamper their longer-term career mobility, just so that they can pay the bills. With intensifying risks to our economy and labour markets, I hope that legislation on redundancy insurance can be put in place as soon as possible, even if it is called something else like a targeted re-employment scheme. Let us roll it out now before the next recession, when it will be needed. My third point is about a topic which is increasingly a key concern for many Singaporeans and that is housing – to which I wish to first declare my interest as an equity research analyst in a financial institution covering the real estate industry. We have had an extensive debate in this House about this topic just two months ago and I will refrain from repeating much of the points which I have raised back then. However, as I have shared in my speech on the housing Motion debates, the root cause of much of our housing woes today relate to supply and the solution really is for the Government to take urgent and decisive steps to increase the availability of public housing and ensure that the housing needs of all Singaporeans are met. After all, while President Halimah spoke of running up against more binding constraints in land, labour and carbon over the coming years, when it comes to having enough space for future generations, Prime Minister Lee gave us an emphatic assurance late last year that “Our problem is not finding the space to build enough flats, nor keeping homes affordable for Singaporeans. We know how to do that”. I am thus comforted to read that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared in a Budget roundtable discussion last month that the root of the problem is a supply issue. However, while I recognise Deputy Prime Minister Wong’s confidence in the Government’s ability to bring stability to the market again and perhaps this could eventually come when recession hits our shores, manifestations of the demand-supply imbalance in our housing market continue to persist in the meantime. House prices have continued to climb, where, based on flash estimates for the first quarter of 2023, private residential prices rose 3.2% in the quarter while HDB resale prices rose 0.9%, with both public and private prices up for 12 consecutive quarters now.[+1 sentence] Over in the public housing rental market especially, The Straits Times reported last week that “overall, HDB rents shot up 27.7 per cent in February compared with a year earlier – a rate of increase not seen in 15 years”, with January too seeing a similarly pace of increase. Based on estimates by the real estate consultancy quoted in the article, the town of Sengkang which I represent had the unfortunate honour of seeing rents rise the most across HDB estates, at 40.4% over a one-year period, with median rents now at $3,200 a month, compared to around $2,200 a month a year earlier.[+6 sentences] During the Ministry of National Development (MND) Committee of Supply (COS) debates last month, I called on the Government to support Singaporeans who may need to rent in the open market to address their immediate housing needs, given soaring open market rentals. At that point, Minister Desmond Lee shared that the Government will “keep an open mind and keep a close eye on the rental situation and will be prepared to take necessary measures in order to support Singaporeans”. I still hope that the Government will consider intervening in the market sooner than later, rather than continue monitoring the market, in order to preserve open market rental affordability. On that note, I am heartened to note that the MND recognises that we have more singles and caregivers in our society, and more young Singaporeans who aspire to live independently. In particular, I am excited to read that the MND is working on developing more inclusive housing options especially for singles, seniors and those with disabilities. Just as I have mentioned in my Adjournment Motion last year, I believe this is the right step to take for our public housing policies to be “inclusive” and to “reflect the diversity of our society”. As part of these options, I would like to once again reiterate my calls made in prior Adjournment Motions to support Singaporeans’ diverse aspirations through expanding on rental housing and to lower the BTO eligibility age for singles from 35 to 28 years old.[+3 sentences] Our younger Singaporeans aspire to have a place of their own and this is a trend which I believe the Government would have been closely monitoring as well. This is why I have called on the Government to significantly increase the stock of rental flats across flat sizes, thereby creating a viable and expanded public rental scheme, with an emphasis on ensuring that our lower- to middle-income households’ housing needs are well looked after. This is also aptly captured in a recent Mothership series on housing, which documented couples who are affected by the delay in BTO flats but are not lucky enough to secure a flat under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) and are faced with an option to either stay at their parents’ homes with no private space or pay an increasingly expensive rental lease. Even if the Government still believes in home ownership as a superior model, a pathway to ensure that younger Singaporeans’ housing needs are adequately met is to lower singles’ eligibility age for HDB BTO flats from the current 35 years to 28 years of age.[+4 sentences] This is when most Singaporeans would have been in the workforce for a few years and have begun to lead more independent lives. This proposal would be a critical change, yet a continuation of the Government’s efforts over the years to expand HDB options for singles while still allowing HDB to give priority to providing for families. In fact, we believe lowering the threshold for owning HDB flats to 28 years would go a long way towards HDB’s stated aims for Singapore’s public housing to be “inclusive” and to “reflect the diversity of our society”. Yet, even as we refresh our social compact on housing and reimagine a range of housing options for a more inclusive housing programme, the next chapter of our housing story still leaves one big question unanswered: what about the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) and the end of the 99-year lease? Together with my hon friends Mr Leon Perera and Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, I asked Senior Minister of State Sim Ann for more details about VERS at the housing Motion debates in February, given that we know hardly anything about it despite it being introduced about five years ago.[+10 sentences] I am sure the Government would have been monitoring and studying this issue for a long time now and I was carefully scrutinising Mdm President’s speech and the MND addendum to the President’s Address for any mention of VERS and solutions to address the elephant in the room – the lease decay issue – but to no avail. Is this an issue that the 4G leaders are prepared to address? At the housing Motion debates, my hon friend Assoc Prof Jamus Lim highlighted the fundamental tension between housing as a retirement asset and as a home. Our current HDB and CPF policies may be a dangerous game of musical chairs: if one is able to offload one’s flat before its price collapses – as it must, eventually – then we can retire comfortably; but then, the one holding the bag is a fellow Singaporean who bought your resale because they needed the space for a growing family and could not afford to wait for a BTO. Essentially, what goes up must come down. The higher the climb, the harder the fall. And it is not just the WP that is worried about this increasingly untenable link. In a commentary published by The Straits Times earlier this month, Assoc Prof of law Eugene Tan spoke of the trap of ever-spiralling expectations in the housing market, which will be too much to bear for all stakeholders. He shared that “looking ahead, the reality of leases decay – as flats built in the 1960s and 1970s rundown their 99-year leases – will increasingly bite harder. This sobering reality will have to be adjusted to as well even as older Singaporeans hope to leave their residential property to their children”. The WP had proposed a universal sale and lease back scheme that provides a floor price for HDB resale prices where the HDB is the buyer of last resort for all lessees, where each individual lessee is empowered to exercise the scheme and not be subject to a voluntary process which is out of the hands of the individual.[+5 sentences] Senior Minister of State Sim Ann shared the same notion of having the Government coming in as the purchaser of last resort, although it remains to be seen how this can pan out in practice if VERS, as the name suggests, is voluntary and subject to voting by residents in the precinct. But critically, I struggle to see how amid all of these concerns and the eventuality of the value of HDB flats reaching zero at the end of the 99-year lease, the PAP Government can honour its promise to all Singaporeans as shared by Prime Minister Lee last month, “that your HDB flat will be both a good home for you and your family, and a valuable nest egg for your retirement”. I of course hope that what Prime Minister Lee shared can materialise. But for the sake of the current and future generations of Singaporeans, it is imperative that we lay out our plans to achieve these increasingly untenable links between affordable housing and retirement adequacy. Mr Speaker, allow me to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): In view of the economic slowdown and weakening job market, I would like to urge the Government to roll out redundancy insurance for workers as soon as possible so as to enhance their income security.[+7 sentences] I would also like to know details of the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) and the Government’s plans to address the problem of decaying leases of 99-year leasehold HDB flats. Currently, the provision of retrenchment benefits is not mandatory by law in Singapore. However, this is critical in ensuring that jobless workers and their families have sufficient liquidity to meet basic living needs. It is especially important when there is an economic downturn and the job market is weakening, as workers may need a longer time to find employment during these periods. Since 2011, the Workers’ Party has always advocated for the implementation of redundancy insurance and we hope that the Government will legislate this as soon as possible. We must plan for rainy days and be prepared for the next economic recession. On the issue of housing, I am glad that the Ministry of National Development (MND) is aware that there are many singles and caregivers as well as many young Singaporeans who desire to live on their own. It is even more heartening to know that MND is focusing on developing more inclusive housing options. Thus, I would like to reiterate a call made during an earlier Adjournment Motion, which is to expand rental flat options to meet the diverse housing aspirations of Singaporeans and to lower the age requirement for single citizens to apply for BTO flats from 35 to 28 years old.[+3 sentences] Even as we update our social compact on housing and offer new housing options, there is still a major unresolved issue in the next chapter of Singapore’s housing story. With regards to the VERS and the problem of decaying 99-year leases, what are we doing to address these issues? I have looked into the President’s address and MND’s addenda in detail, hoping to find out the solution to the problem of lease decay but to no avail. Is this a problem that the 4G leaders plan to address? It is difficult to understand how the PAP Government will honour the promise made by the Prime Minister last month, considering the fact that the value of HDB flats will trickle down to zero when their 99-year lease ends.[+1 sentence] On the one hand, we need to ensure that flats remain affordable. On the other hand, we must enhance the value of HDB flats so that Singaporeans will have adequate reserve funds when they retire. So, the Government needs to come up with plans as soon as possible and involve Singaporeans in the discussion.[+6 sentences] (In English): In closing, I have one final reflection. This concerns President Halimah's remarks that in so many societies, political parties aggravate rifts instead of bringing people together. I hope it is clear to the House and Singaporeans from the positions that I and my fellow WP colleagues have put forth, that we speak always to advance the larger public interest. It would be foolish and self destructive for us to do otherwise. We are Singaporeans too and have just as much of a stake in the well-being of this country as the ruling party does. So, even though my colleagues and I do not enjoy the same access to information, networks and resources that some of our hon Members do, we continue to strive to make constructive contributions to the policy debates of this House. On that note, I look forward to having more robust yet respectful debates in this House – for let us not forget that the capacity to have respectful contestation of ideas and views is a key piece in building public trust in Singapore's institutions.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Melvin Yong.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas)1545 words
[+7 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise to thank Mdm President for her address. Before I begin, I declare my interest as President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Sir, as the world continues to evolve post-pandemic, the way we consume goods and services is also changing rapidly. The digitisation of almost every aspect of our lives has led to a new trend in consumer behaviour – and that is, convenience. Today's consumers have become accustomed to the instant gratification facilitated by technological advancements. With a few clicks on their smartphones, consumers can order anything they want, from delivery of their favourite meals to buying groceries from an online market. Companies that can offer the most convenient solutions are gaining traction among consumers, and this trend is likely to continue. A report released by Meta and Bain & Company in September 2022 forecasted that e-commerce sales in Singapore will reach $19.6 billion by 2027, despite slower growth in 2022 caused by inflationary pressures and COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions. A report released by Shopee Singapore in March 2023 found that there is growing adoption of e-commerce among older users, with 70% of respondents aged 55 and above indicating that they have integrated e-commerce into their daily routine.[+11 sentences] While e-commerce and online transactions have made life easier, they also carry significant risks and dangers. As more transactions are being conducted over the Internet, the number of online frauds has also increased significantly over the years. My speech today will focus on the need to enhance our consumer protection laws for e-commerce, strengthen safeguards for digital payments, and regulate trending consumer credit schemes such as Buy Now Pay Later services. First, let me start with the need to enhance our existing consumer protection laws for e-commerce. While the general position is that existing consumer protection laws are broad enough to cover online transactions, these were enacted at a time when consumer transactions were predominantly offline via brick-and-mortar stores. Our laws do not sufficiently address the distinction between online and offline transactions and correspondingly, the issues that are specific to online transactions. Sir, I have three proposals to strengthen consumer safeguards in the e-commerce space. First, we need to authenticate the sellers on online marketplaces. The duty of ensuring the legitimacy of sellers should be placed on the online marketplaces. By charging platform fees and commissions, online marketplaces are expected to ensure that the merchants listed on their platforms are genuine and legitimate. Online marketplaces should vet, verify and authenticate the credentials of sellers before allowing them to list and sell products on their platforms. Mandating seller verification, which is already being implemented in jurisdictions such as the United States (US) and the European Union (EU), will ensure accountability of sellers for their product listings, reduce scams and aid resolution of consumer disputes.[+6 sentences] Second, online marketplaces should ensure that there are mechanisms in place to protect consumers’ payments. One way to do this is to incorporate escrow into the transaction process. This means that when a consumer makes a purchase, the payment to the seller is temporarily held by the platform for a period and only released to the seller when the consumer confirms that the item is delivered in good condition. Mandating escrow accounts would give consumers greater peace of mind when shopping online. Third, we should extend our consumer protection laws to cover consumer-to-consumer transactions made through social media platforms. Today, our consumer protection laws do not adequately cover sales transactions made between two individuals via a social media platform such as Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. According to some analysts, the social commerce sector in Singapore is expected to reach more than US$1.25 billion by this year.[+19 sentences] To foster a safe and trusted online marketplace for consumers, CASE led an industry-wide effort in 2020 to develop Technical Reference 76, Singapore’s first national standards for e-commerce transactions. CASE also introduced the Standard Dispute Management Framework for E-marketplaces in 2021 to guide e-marketplaces resolve consumer disputes equitably and efficiently. I am happy to share that CASE will be launching a new CaseTrust accreditation scheme for e-businesses which will cover the entire range of e-commerce practices from pre-sale to post-sale and address common consumer pain points when shopping online. Sir, as e-commerce and online shopping become part and parcel of our lives, we must ensure that our laws provide the same protection for our consumers, offline and online. Next, let me move on to the Government’s push for greater use of digital payment, which has undoubtedly also facilitated and fuelled the increasing popularity of online shopping. Digital payment has risen sharply in recent years. The convenience of being able to make payments without having to carry cash or visiting a bank is a significant advantage. However, I would like to highlight three risks associated with digital payments. First is the risk of data breach. With digital transactions, there is a rise in data collection, processing, sharing and storage of personal information. Hackers can steal this information, which could lead to identity theft, financial fraud or other forms of cyber crime. Debit card fraud and phishing attacks are now a common occurrence, which could impact not only the individual but the entire banking system. Second is the risk of system failure. Digital payments rely heavily on technology and any system failure or technical glitch could result in significant problems. Last month, DBS customers were unable to log in to the bank’s online banking platforms, including its PayLah! mobile wallet, for almost a day. DBS' digital banking services previously suffered a two-day disruption in November 2021. Such incidences can create inconvenience and, in some cases, financial losses. Third is the risk of scams. The rise of digital payments has provided an opportunity for scammers to create fake e-wallets, websites and mobile applications to perpetuate their fraudulent activities. In October 2022, the MAS reported 610 cases of banking-related phishing scams involving PayNow transactions in 2021 and the first half of 2022.[+6 sentences] Victims lost large sums of money when the scammers deceived them into sharing their digital banking credentials. Sir, while digital payments provide convenience, it is important to be mindful of the risks that come with it and further strengthen our safeguards. Cybersecurity should be a top priority, and financial institutions need to implement advanced safety measures to prevent data breaches, system failures and fraudulent activities. More needs to be done also to educate vulnerable consumers, such as our seniors and those who are not technologically savvy, to stay updated and cautious when using these services. Finally, let me highlight the risks of unregulated short-term financing services such as "Buy Now, Pay Later", which is prevalent today in many e-commerce platforms, and the need to establish more stringent limits on such transactions. According to a 2021 report by Mileu, close to a fifth of Singaporeans aged 16 and above have used a "Buy Now, Pay Later" service. According to a report by WorldPay, "Buy Now, Pay Later" transactions are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40% between 2021 and 2025.[+8 sentences] Such short-term financing services can appear enticing with their zero-interest deals, flexible payment options and convenience of access, but they come with a set of risks that can put unsuspecting customers in financial distress, especially for younger consumers below 21, as many of them do not yet have a stable income. The first and most obvious risk is the accumulation of unforeseen fees and charges. Customers who fail to pay the required instalments on time are slapped with hidden fees and added interest, pushing up the total balance and making it harder to pay off the debt. "Buy Now, Pay Later" schemes also typically do not conduct credit checks, hence there is no pre-determined limit to how much a customer can borrow. This puts consumers at risk of overstretching their financial capabilities, leading to a spiral of debt. Another risk comes from the psychological impact of these schemes. With no immediate payment obligations, consumers may spend more than they would otherwise, as they feel less connected to the actual cost of purchases. This can lead to overspending and, in some cases, an addiction to online shopping. CASE has called for safeguards to be introduced, including limits to be set on purchases and penalty fees, credit assessment of potential users and integration of "Buy Now, Pay Later" spending data with credit ratings. Some of these proposals have been included in the industry’s Code of Conduct, which came into effect in November last year; but only some.[+7 sentences] We can and must do more. I urge the Government to impose regulations to better protect vulnerable consumers, such as the young and those already in debt, from exploitation by these schemes. Sir, in conclusion, e-commerce has made significant progress in recent years, from the way businesses operate, to the way consumers find and purchase goods and services, to the way products are delivered to our doorsteps. It has opened a new world of possibilities and opportunities, but also presents new risks and dangers to consumers, both young and old. We must therefore review and update our consumer protection laws accordingly. Our laws must provide the same protection for consumers, regardless of whether we shop offline or online. Sir, notwithstanding the above, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Muhamad Faisal Manap.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied)1821 words
[+13 sentences]Sir, I will deliver my speech in Malay. (In Malay): During the President’s Address on Monday last week, Mdm Halimah touched on several issues related to the steps which we need to take to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation. One of the things that caught my attention was about national politics. Essentially, good politics is necessary to further advance Singapore’s progress, harmony and stability. The opposite type of politics could spark polarisation and divisions. For my speech in this debate, I aim to share my own perspective on what would be considered as good politics. The content of my speech is meant for all participants in national politics, especially members of this House, including myself, and it is meant for all of us to conduct some self-reflection or introspection. In the words of a contemporary political phrase, “ownself check ownself”, in a positive manner. When we point a finger at someone else, we should be mindful that our other fingers that are pointing back at ourselves. Sir, what constitutes good politics? Among the factors that can produce good or healthy politics are firstly, having a level playing field; second, being able to agree to disagree; and thirdly, avoiding actions that cause fear among the public, or in English, “fear-mongering” especially during elections for the purpose of gaining support. Sir, having a level playing field is fundamental to achieve a democratic society, which is something that we want to attain as inscribed in the national pledge – building a democratic society. It is publicly known that Members of Parliament (MPs) who are not from the ruling party need to put in more effort at the grassroots level to meet the needs of our constituents. This is because we do not have access to the resources of the People’s Association (PA). This is because non-ruling party MPs who were elected to represent and serve their constituents during the general elections have been set aside in the appointment of Grassroots Advisors. The reality is, for a constituency won by a non-ruling party candidate, the defeated ruling party candidate will assume the role of the Grassroots Advisor.[+19 sentences] Conversely, for a constituency won by the ruling party, the elected ruling party candidate is concurrently appointed as the Grassroots Advisor. Sir, in reality, we, as non-ruling party MPs who are not appointed Grassroots Advisors, are unable to utilise the places under the purview of the PA such as the community clubs and the Residents’ Committee (RC) offices. Apart from the usage of such places, the PA funds meant for the benefit of the constituents also could not be touched. The same goes for manpower resources. The manpower provided by full-time constituency managers and directors is invaluable. This practice is not aligned with the phrase in our pledge which is to build a democratic society based on justice and equality. Why do I say this? Sir, the Grassroots Advisor is a position entrusted with the power and responsibility to manage public funds, which is collected through taxpayer money, for the use and benefit of the residents of a constituency. It certainly does not align with the values of justice and equality when the ruling party candidate who lost and was rejected by voters at the elections was appointed and recognised by the Government to hold the position of grassroots advisor while the non-ruling party representatives elected by the voters were set aside. To illustrate the circumstances more clearly, I will give an example. To date, after almost 13 years constituting two and a half terms which I have served as the MP in Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), I still hear comments from my residents during my house visits that the People's Action Party (PAP) seem to be organising more events than the Workers’ Party (WP). However, when I ask for details of those events, it turns out that they were referring to events held at the community club as well as those organised by the RC. They said so because they saw the PAP branch chairman, who is also the grassroots advisor, present at these events as the guest of honour or the event organiser. In fact, some residents also said that their children received their Edusave awards from the PAP. Undeniably, the funds utilised by the bodies under the purview of the PA are for the benefit of the residents in a given constituency. However, it is also undeniable that the existing system creates the impression and assumption that events organised by the PA are events organised by the PAP. Sir, I have proposed in this House previously that the position of grassroots advisor should be granted to individuals who are not linked to any political parties so that the PA may be released from any political elements. This proposal was also part of the WP manifesto in the previous General Election – ensuring the freedom of national institutions from party politics. I understand that some efforts have been undertaken in this matter. For example, in the Sengkang GRC, the appointed Grassroots Advisors are not members of any political party. Nevertheless, as shared in social media recently, a Sengkang branch chairman from the PAP was invited as a guest for the Edusave awards ceremony and took photos with the recipients and Grassroots Advisor.[+17 sentences] The question here is, in what capacity did this individual attend a ceremony which was jointly organised by the PA and the Ministry of Education (MOE)? What is the message that was meant to be conveyed? And why was the elected MP not invited? Or at least, have both of them invited to this event. Fundamentally and more importantly, where are the values of justice and equality? Sir, although we, the non-ruling party MP, lack public resources, we still serve with dedication and direct our total efforts to carry out the responsibilities entrusted by our constituents. I do not mean to complain, Sir. Rather, what I want to raise is whether this is the proper practice in our efforts to build a democratic society based on justice and equality as inscribed in our national pledge? Reflect on it! I now wish to touch on the factor of “agree to disagree”. Staying respectful while navigating differences is important and fundamental in our efforts to preserve and further strengthen unity in society. Differences of opinions and views are a fact of community life. The approach that should be taken in managing and balancing such differences is the “agree to disagree” approach. Failure to do so could lead to conflict and division. Sir, during the debate on the repeal of section 377A last November, there were differences of opinion among the MPs of the WP. Some of us supported the repeal while others did not. On this issue, the MPs of the WP had discussed and could not find common ground for agreement on this issue, and thus moved to “agree to disagree”. As such, the decision was made to allow each WP MP to vote on the matter as they saw fit.[+10 sentences] Although there were differences in this matter, we all agreed that we needed to embrace unity in diversity. In my perspective, what happened to the WP was a reflection of reality, in parallel to what was happening among Singaporeans on this issue, whereby society was divided into two sides – those who were supportive and those who were not. Despite the differences in opinion and principle, these differences did not cause divisions that could have damaged our society because of the existence of tolerance, mutual respect and a willingness to agree to disagree when facing a situation with no mutual consensus. This is what is known as unity in diversity. Sir, unity in diversity is a value that we must uphold as a democratic society as we traverse and advance to a new era of living whereby differences of opinion and principles will become more pronounced. Upholding these values will enable us, as a democratic society, to overcome “cancel culture”, which is a worrying practice because it could adversely impact our unity and lead to divisions. The final matter relates to “fear mongering”. Efforts to scare voters are unhealthy political practices that could lead to polarisation and division. For example, once upon a time, fears were raised that if a political party other than the ruling party is elected and runs the town council, it will lead to bad management to the extent that garbage will pile up as high as a two-storey flat. It was also remarked that the prices of houses in constituencies held by political parties other than the ruling party will be adversely impacted and plunge. In the 2015 General Elections, there were last minute efforts during the campaigning period to spread unfounded accusations to the residents of Punggol East. It was said that the WP had failed to explain what had happened to $22.5 million worth of funds which had been transferred from Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council to Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council.[+1 sentence] These are among the political practices which are unhealthy and should be rejected. In summary, Sir, in a healthy democracy, the decisions of voters in electing their political representatives should be made based on their considerations on the facts that have been put forward by all parties contesting in the elections and not because of fears which had arisen from unfounded claims.[+10 sentences] The practice of fear mongering by anyone is irresponsible and goes against democratic values. Sir, in conclusion, if we want to avoid political divisions and polarisation, worries which had been raised by Mdm President, we must practice and strengthen the aspects which I have mentioned, which are: having a level playing field, agreeing to disagree and, at the same time, rejecting “fear mongering”. If we are able to do that, it can also enhance the level of trust held by our citizens towards the national leadership system, which is another important factor mentioned by Mdm President on that occasion. Overall, it will strengthen our efforts to build a democratic society based on justice and equality as spoken each time we recite our national pledge. Sir, I wish to reiterate what I said at the beginning of my speech, that what I am sharing in this debate is not intended to point fingers at any particular individuals. Rather, it is an invitation to all Members of this august Chamber, our elected leaders and to myself in particular, to engage in introspection and self-reflection with a view to improving what needs to be improved so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for Singapore. May I say once again that when we point a finger at someone else, we must be mindful that our other fingers pointing back at ourselves. Nonetheless, sir, there is a saying in Malay that goes “whoever eats the chilli will be the one to feel the spiciness”. Let us self-reflect! Thank you, Sir.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio)2306 words
[+17 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, we are in the Second Session of the 14th Parliament of Singapore. The first Parliament of our nation was convened in 1965 and in 58 years, those who came before us built Singapore into who she is today. It is not lost on me that we are still a young nation, a little red dot with homes in the sky, willed into existence by the tenacity of our forefathers and carried by the resilience and harmony of our people today. Statistics show that as a whole, people are living wealthier, healthier, safer and more informed lives than ever before. But we are also facing new challenges that threaten our very existence, from climate change to social economic inequality, the rise of nationalism as the war rages on, reshaping our global order and threatening food security. But despite the uncertainty and fragmentation, there are reasons to believe that humanity and that Singapore is capable of overcoming the challenges facing us. As a society, we are more than a sum of our parts and we can work together. In her speech, President Halimah Yacob highlighted that we will continue to support the society where we care for and help one another, and pitch in to make a difference. I would like to thank her for her voice on issues that matter and for setting the tone. Indeed, it is our collective responsibility to shape our new social compact. Beyond providing support, the Government will also reinforce individual and family efforts and bring forth contributions including through committed businesses and a passionate civic society. To ensure that Singapore thrives in another 58 years, we must create an environment where complex challenges are collectively owned and solved, and where each part of society is empowered to play to their strengths where we do not take what we have for granted. My speech today will centre around three points. First is collective action. If there is anything I have absorbed as truth in the past two and a half years or so, is that the person I am, is made possible by the sacrifice and support of my loved ones, and the work that we are able to do on the ground is made possible by a team as well as residents who look out for each other and the many volunteers. I have witnessed so many everyday miracles that defy the natural divisive forces that threaten to tear social fabric, in particular, during COVID-19 and social distancing. When people on the frontlines went above and beyond their duties; corporates who sent regular food packs to those in need; when a resident receiving welfare put aside some of the money she had received to order confinement food for a new mom, her neighbour, saying that is what she wanted to do with the money; and an uncle who walked to the market despite his weak legs because he wanted to cook a meal for the volunteer befrienders from our amazing Chengsan-Seletar X-teams who came to check on him every week without fail. Over and above, the Government's implementation of schemes such as the temporary relief fund, COVID-19 support Grant, Job Support Scheme (JSS), and the disbursement of $236 million in financial aid in its financial year ending March 2021 – there was a sense of responsibility of what we owe each other as we operate in a society.[+7 sentences] Zooming out to a societal and global level collective action is critical in tackling issues like climate change which pose an existential threat to our island state. In the President's speech, she highlighted Singapore's commitment to decisive action to reduce carbon emissions and take resolute steps towards meeting our net-zero commitments. Individuals play a role in climate action, for example, through personal choices in consumption energy use and advocacy. But personal sacrifices can never be the sole solution. Systemic change requires large amounts of capital and mindset shifts which means states, institutions and companies have a duty to ignite this transformation. How do we encourage the different sectors with different primary objectives to work together? On this I would like to declare my interests as Legal Council and Senior Project Leader in Tri Sector Associates, a social impact consultancy working on cross-sector social innovation. In a speech last year at the Transition Finance towards Net Zero Conference, researchers highlighted that we are 55% below the emissions reduction required by 2030 and 35% below the investments required for net zero by 2050.[+6 sentences] Bridging this gap requires concerted and collective action and effective transition finance needs close partnership among the public, philanthropic, private and people sectors. While governments own the green agenda and can take good outcomes to scale, private and philanthropic investors play a crucial role in providing capacity building and concessional capital to new innovative ideas that may be untested. At this point in history, in order to meet climate goals, we must nurture a collaborative environment that truly embraces co-creation, cultivate solutions that restores not extracts and tries new ways in order to ensure a habitable planet for generations to come. Second is caring for our seniors. A whole of nation approach is not just important for climate change but also for issues like mental health. I was heartened to hear the commitment to tackle loneliness and social isolation in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's speech. Today, ageing research in Singapore and Japan has shown that lonely older adults not only lived at least three years less than their peers, but also spent less of their remaining life in good health. As of 2020, about 10% of Singapore residents aged 60 years and above lived alone.[+2 sentences] In their older years women are more likely to live alone than men. As a Member of Parliament (MP) to a constituency with many older residents, it was sobering when I first came in to see many empty nests or single seniors. Further, in 2020, in the heart of the pandemic, nationally, we saw the most number of elderly suicides since 1991 – among people aged 60 and above, a total of 154 took their own lives.[+7 sentences] I felt each elderly suicide that I knew of from the ground keenly. In their golden years, why did things feel hopeless? Is there anything we could have done better to offer a listening ear to have been what they needed at that point in time? At each wake, I unearth that while some had strong support from family members who were devastated and questioning what they had missed, others had invisible health conditions or burdens, which felt too great to bear – especially if they were alone. Research has also shown that chronic social isolation increases the risk of mental health challenges like depression, anxiety and substance abuse, as well as chronic conditions such as high blood pressure. It also raises the risk of dementia. Other advanced economies are grappling with this issue too. In 2021, Japan appointed a minister for loneliness. The UK has had a ministerial lead on loneliness since 2017, later announcing its inaugural loneliness strategy in 2018 and a loneliness engagement fund, which provided grants between £15,000 and £50,000 to organisations, which could engage at-risk groups. Here, in Singapore, an Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being was set up in 2021 and it was announced in 2022 that an SG Mental Well-being Network was formed, and that the establishment of a permanent National Well-being Office was being considered.[+26 sentences] I am grateful that we are moving the needle and hope that we consider more support along the mental health spectrum, including considering the availability of insurance that does not discriminate against mental health conditions, lessening the load on Institute of Mental Health (IMH) as an acute hospital and offering more varied inclusive options of care for the community as well as for those who care for them. A whole-of-nation approach is needed: peer support by friends, friendly neighbours by our people, responsible businesses to adapt and hire inclusively and targeted direction of resources by the Government. We may not be able to save everyone but we must try. In Chengsan-Seletar, we are building on our efforts over the past two years to implement strategic plans for our seniors using a three-pronged approach, based on the theory of change, to increase the awareness of available resources and to remind our seniors they are not alone. Early detection and screening, creating social support networks and making our elderly feel valued. We are training eyes and ears on the ground through partnerships among postmen and postwomen with SingPost, hawkers and trained psychological first-aid responders, running our 100x Seniors Club to encourage them to come out of their homes and targeting to launch Calm Corners in each of our residential zones to test out evidence-based programmes by ground-up initiatives. Through all this, I hope to remind our seniors that they are not alone and that they are valued. Third, our youths would lead us into the future, by population, youths are approximately 25% of the residential population today, but 100% of our future. Youths today are dealing with a more challenging landscape as they come of age, confronted with the climate crisis, fierce competition both in terms of placements for local Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs) and the global talent pool for work. Many also feel sandwiched. However, despite all these challenges, they are the ones who will lead Singapore into the brighter futures. We must invest enough in our youths to empower them to take us forward or face the consequences of them leaving for other pastures. Our youths are equal parts resourceful, creative and resilient and willing to put their hand up and be counted on. For example, two National University of Singapore (NUS) students, Tim and Jen, who volunteer their time on the ground by joining a National Parks Board's (NParks) working group targeting human wildlife conflict, to interview residents, conduct overnight surveys and actively participated in an Otter Relocation Exercise throughout the night. We are facing new unexpected challenges, and I am grateful to youths such as them, who are willing to take ownership in finding workable solutions. But youths cannot do it alone, I have called many times for more space towards ensuring meaningful youth participation not just for quotas or at dialogues. If we want youth to show up, we must also trust them and make space at the table for youths to have a say and stake in their futures. As the co-chair of People's Action Party (PAP)'s MAB Muda, it has been my privilege to meet youths from all walks of life with a variety of interests. For International Women's Day this year, two of our youth activists, Anatasha and Nadia interviewed everyday Malay/Muslim Singaporean women to give their stories, values and thoughts or voice via an interview series called "Dengar Suara Kita". They ran this independently and I am very impressed by their conviction to take quiet action on this matter close to their hearts. Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): This Ramadan has been a meaningful one for our community. For the first time since COVID-19, we witnessed our community coming together to break their fast and perform their prayers at the mosques with family and friends. In the earlier part of my speech, I highlighted some of my concerns and suggestions relating to seniors and youths. During a mass iftar recently in Ang Mo Kio, I teared up when a grandmother gently patted my face and told me she will pray for me to continue to have the strength to perform my duties. Many of the elderly attendees like her faced mobility challenges and required assistance from a caregiver and needed to use personal mobility devices, wheelchairs or walking canes. With the average life expectancy in Singapore being above 80 years, it is important for us to look into the quality of life in our seniors’ golden years. In order to do so, we must encourage more seniors to take care of their health and incorporate healthier nutrition into their lifestyles. We should raise more awareness among them that they should not be afraid to undergo early health screening because they will be able to take steps, if necessary, to take care of themselves and their loved ones.[+8 sentences] On youths in our community, I have confidence and faith in their capabilities. It is not only student leaders or scholars who are doing us proud, but everyday youths among us who are taking the time out to be active citizens. For example, during this Ramadan, there were various ground-up efforts by informal volunteer networks of students like the IM Volunteers Network SG, faith groups and motorcycle enthusiasts, for example, Kazoku Riders, who spend time to make volunteering a part of their life. We must continue to find ways to support such groups. In addition to us moving forward in a post-COVID-19 world, we must ensure that all walks of society are involved in building the future that they want. As the Malay saying goes, "Climb the hill together, descend the valley together" – we must continue embodying this spirit so that each generation can achieve an equitable outcome. As more people become involved in society, there will definitely be different views among them. The PAP does not shy away from different views and does not say that we have a monopoly on ideas. We hold many dialogues at various levels and welcome constructive discussions. However, good leadership and good politics should involve a willingness to raise difficult issues and explain its merits and disadvantages before making decisions in the best interests of Singapore and Singaporeans based on the facts available at that time.[+2 sentences] Sir, that is good politics and good leadership. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker39 words
[+5 sentences]Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 3.05 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 2.45 pm until 3.15 pm. Sitting resumed at 3.15 pm.
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, the last time Parliament opened in 2020, we were in the heat of battle against COVID-19. I am grateful we have come through the pandemic well. With minimal casualties, livelihoods intact and our people united. Not many countries can say this. We owe much to our healthcare and frontline workers’ steadfast efforts and sacrifices, and to Singaporeans for your trust and support. I am glad that we have smoothly transitioned to living with the virus. Last month, this House took stock of what we did right and where we need to do better the next time. Now we must stay firmly focused on the challenges ahead. As a small country, our external environment has a huge impact on us. Thankfully, relations with our closest neighbours are stable and positive. With Indonesia, we have made major progress. Last year, President Jokowi and I witnessed the signing of a set of three bilateral agreements under an Expanded Framework, comprising the Flight Information Region (FIR) Agreement, the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) and the Extradition Treaty (ET).[+12 sentences] Airspace, military training, and extradition – these are three long-standing sensitive issues in our bilateral relationship, going back decades. Airspace is vital for Singapore, and politically important to the Indonesians. The FIR agreement provides both sides a workable way forward. The DCA covers Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training, including in traditional areas in the South China Sea. It is particularly important for our Air Force and Navy. The ET is something that Indonesia has long pressed for, but it was not straightforward to do because our legal systems are so different. If we had left these issues unresolved, they would have festered and quite likely one day turned rancorous. This would have soured the entire relationship, which would have benefited neither side. I am very happy to have now settled these issues with President Jokowi. We signed the agreements in Bintan a year ago. Now, both governments have ratified them. So, we are almost there. Both governments have submitted the new FIR arrangements to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for approval. Once the ICAO has done so, all three agreements – FIR, DCA and ET – can come into force simultaneously.[+12 sentences] By putting these long-standing issues to rest, Indonesia and Singapore can move forward with greater confidence and trust and focus our energies on collaboration. We are working on promising new areas, like the digital economy, sustainability and renewable energy. We are making headway. We signed several memoranda of understanding (MOUs) on them when President Jokowi visited Singapore last month. With Malaysia, we also have a broad cooperation agenda. It spans many different areas like trade, investments and connectivity. At the same time, we have some significant bilateral issues to tackle, including Singapore’s development works at Pedra Branca, delimitation of maritime boundaries, water issues and airspace issues. I hope to make progress on them with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. It is important that both sides manage these issues well and not allow any single issue to dominate and disrupt our overall bilateral relationship. I am glad that we are maintaining frequent exchanges at all levels with Malaysia. I hosted Prime Minister Anwar in January for his introductory visit, and we met again recently in Boao in Hainan Island and took our discussions further. Also last month, at the invitation of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, President Halimah made a State Visit to Malaysia, where she was very warmly received. Our two countries have much to gain by working together, both in new areas, like the green and digital economies, also on ongoing projects like the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link between Singapore and Johor Bahru. We are building the RTS Link marine viaduct across the Straits of Johor, starting from both sides and meeting in the middle.[+24 sentences] Construction is progressing steadily. The next big milestone is when we complete the drop-in span to join up both sides of the marine viaduct. And I look forward to witnessing this with Prime Minister Anwar before too long. So, with our immediate neighbours – Indonesia and Malaysia – relations are stable and encouraging. But further afield, the situation has turned much more troubling, even dangerous. Singaporeans need to realise the gravity of the external situation. We are facing not just one storm, but several. And let me highlight three big ones. First is the war in Ukraine. After more than a year, the war is deadlocked, with no good outcome in sight. Neither side can win, nor can either afford to lose. In fact, things have been at a stalemate since last November. The Ukrainians are understandably reluctant to stop fighting before they reclaim all of their territory, but this will be very difficult. The Russians are most unlikely to be defeated entirely despite heavy losses. They have a large population and can still conscript more troops and mobilise more resources. There is always a danger of the conflict escalating. The US and NATO countries are supplying Ukraine with more and more sophisticated military equipment – like longer-range artillery, the Patriot air defence system and main battle tanks. If the Ukrainians, using these Western-supplied weapons, make a breakthrough on the battlefield, we cannot predict how Russia may react. What does this mean for the rest of the world? Even short of worst-case scenarios, the impact is bad. The war continues to disrupt global energy, food and fertiliser supplies. We are all feeling it in higher prices. There are also significant implications on international relations. Relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, the US and Europe, have completely broken down and will not return to normal anytime soon. Two months ago, Russia suspended its participation in the New Start Treaty, its only remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the US.[+13 sentences] For China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has presented a difficult problem. The US and Europeans want China to use its influence to get Russia to stop the invasion. China would prefer not to aggravate Europe and the US, by providing military support for Russia’s war in Ukraine. But China is hard-pressed to condemn Russia’s invasion, or pressure Russia to stop fighting. It shares a very long land border with Russia, and it has to consider its own substantial relations with Russia. So, the war has made it difficult for China to improve relations with Europe, even though I think both sides would like to do so. It has also complicated China’s already very troubled ties with the US. Which brings me to the second big issue – which is US-China relations. When I visited China last month, this was on everyone’s minds. Likewise, in all my recent meetings with US visitors. Between the US and China, there is deep mutual suspicion and fundamental mistrust. In America, the Democrats and Republicans disagree with each other on almost everything. But they are united on one issue – China. The prevailing view in America is that their efforts to work out a cooperative relationship with China have failed, and China’s growing strength and assertiveness is becoming a grave threat to US interests and values. And therefore, the US must go for “extreme competition” and maintain “as large a lead as possible”, in their words, over China, in foundational technologies such as semiconductor chips, quantum technology, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology and green technologies – all the things that count.[+2 sentences] And it is not just the US government. Negative perceptions are prevalent among the population too. The latest Pew survey found that over 80% of adults in the US have an unfavourable view on China, and nearly 40% – four in 10 – would describe China as an enemy of the US rather than as a competitor or partner.[+4 sentences] Surveys in China similarly show that Chinese public perception of the US has deteriorated. More consequentially, China’s leaders have become convinced that the US is seeking to “contain, encircle and suppress” China, in the words of President Xi Jinping. They believe that Washington wants to hold back China’s growth and weaken the Communist Party of China’s hold on power. They say the East is rising and the West is declining, and they think the time has come for China to take its rightful place in the world. They consider issues like Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet to be China’s domestic matters, vitally affecting its security and integrity, on which they see no room for discussion or compromise. But the most dangerous flashpoint of all is Taiwan.[+41 sentences] Singapore is good friends with China, and we are also old friends of Taiwan. Singapore rigorously upholds our “One China” policy and continues to support the peaceful development of cross-strait relations. China considers Taiwan as the most important issue and the “One China” principle to be the reddest of its red lines. But in the West, an alternative narrative is gaining currency – that the problem in cross-strait relations is a broader ideological issue of democracy versus autocracy. This is even though most countries, including most Western countries, have officially adopted “One China” policies. This difference of views is very worrying. Right now, tensions over Taiwan are high. All sides continue to make moves, responding to one another. After Dr Tsai Ing-Wen met US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy during her recent stopover in the US, China launched three days of extensive military exercises all around Taiwan. A CCTV report described them as "comprehensive and precise simulated attacks on the key targets in the island and surrounding waters". The risks of a miscalculation or mishap are growing. US-China relations will not improve anytime soon. Even if the two powers avoid a direct conflict, which thankfully, I believe neither side wishes to see, enduring enmity and bad relations between them will be very costly for both and will mean big trouble for the rest of the world. It is a very worrying outlook, but we still hope that relations between the US and China do not get worse, and that both sides can keep lines of communications open and with time, gradually repair their relationship on the basis of mutual trust and respect. The third big issue is that the global multilateral trading system is under siege. This has very serious implications, especially for small, open economies. For Singapore, a stable, well-functioning international trading system is vitally important. We cannot survive other than as an open economy. We rely on the free flow of trade and investments across the world and a common set of rules that applies to all countries, no matter their size. This has helped us greatly to compete against bigger countries, attract investments from around the world and to grow. For the last few decades, there was a broad international consensus supporting globalisation. Countries were lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers, harmonising rules, seeking win-win economic cooperation. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies talked about their vision of a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP). Even when countries clashed on political or security issues, they still continued to do business with each other. And, from time to time, countries might violate the rules set by the World Trade Organization (WTO), but even then, the exceptions had to be justified and defended. Now, things have changed. All over the world, countries are prioritising domestic and national security considerations. Countries no longer talk about trade being win-win. Too often, when countries quarrel, their bilateral trade becomes embroiled in these disputes. They impose restrictions on imports or exports. It depends – if you need my imports more than me, I restrict my exports. If it is the opposite, you will restrict your imports. So, sometimes it is high-tech items like semiconductor chips and sophisticated machinery. Sometimes it is agricultural products like bananas, barley or wine. They seek to inflict maximum political pain while blandly denying any hostile intent. It is a vicious cycle. Countries trust others less and less to play by the rules. Therefore, they are increasingly going their own way, and "on-shoring" or "friend-shoring" supply chains. This then triggers a tit-for-tat response from the other side. We are once again heading towards a world where protectionism is a default and trade rules are secondary, like what happened in the period between the First and Second World Wars. The economic cost to the world will be very high. The The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently estimated that fragmentation of the global economy could, in the long run, reduce global gross domestic product (GDP) by 7% cumulatively. Seven percent is a very high figure – but I think it is a conservative estimate because the reality is probably worse.[+7 sentences] Seven percent is the effect on goods and services not traded, but deglobalisation will also impact on the exchange of ideas and innovation, technology development and diffusion, as well as capital flows and cross-border financing – all of which to growth prosperity and human well-being. These are all vital for economic growth, especially for an open economy like ours. A deep decoupling of the world economy would undo what has taken countries decades to collectively achieve. What can we do? The current global situation, both strategic and economic, is graver than we have experienced for a very long time. Singapore has survived difficult periods before – the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and closer to home, the proxy fights in Vietnam and Cambodia; the Asian Financial Crisis and the Global Financial Crisis; public health crises like SARS and most recently, COVID-19. But what we have now is unprecedented. A hot war in Europe, deepening hostility between two superpowers, which are closely interlinked with each other, and protectionism undermining the foundations of the multilateral trading system. These three simultaneous crises will set in train a whole series of changes and shocks that will severely disrupt the world, our region and surely, Singapore.[+6 sentences] In such a troubled environment, what can we do? First and foremost, we must remain one united people. We have come through repeated challenges over the last six decades, because we worked together, took adversity in our stride and kept faith with one another. We painstakingly created the harmonious multiracial and multi-religious society. We avoided the schisms and factions that have troubled other societies. In recent years, we have tackled sensitive issues that could easily have caused deep rifts among our people. Two years ago, we allowed Muslim nurses to wear the tudung with their uniforms.[+23 sentences] Last year, we repealed section 377A of the Penal Code while safeguarding the institution of marriage. We handled these issues firmly and fairly, in a way that maintained mutual trust and understanding between different communities and kept ourselves together. You may think, "Nothing happened, so what was the fuss about? We should just have done it – and a long time ago". But look what has happened elsewhere – opposing groups getting worked up, mobilising their followers, pitting citizens against each other and dividing society. This could easily have happened here too and it can still happen to us. Many foreigners, especially our critics in the West, do not understand this about us. In Singapore, when faced with a divisive issue, our approach has always been to find a middle way, bridge the differences, strike compromises and heal divisions. Not grand posturing, not playing cultural or identity politics, not dividing and polarising people. Our instinct always is to keep Singaporeans together. We have to keep thinking and acting like this. Please do not take our harmony for granted. It is a very precious thing, very fragile. We must continuously work on it and build up our social cohesion and national strength. The troubled external environment will create new stresses and strains in our society. High inflation because of the Ukraine war will cause difficulties for many households, especially lower- and middle-income families. Tensions between China and the US will expose our population to emotional pulls, commercial pressures and influence campaigns, from one side or the other, to take their point of view and support their cause. The fracturing of the global trading system will mean slower, more uncertain growth and greater disruption to industries and jobs, businesses and workers. We must not allow these pressures to divide Singaporeans along fault lines in our society, whether old or new, like the "haves" versus "have nots", the "liberals" versus "conservatives", the "locals" versus "foreigners", "new" versus "old" citizens and above all, differences between races and religions. In this new troubled world, it is all the more important for us to close ranks. Divided, we stand no chance. We must do our best to see eye-to-eye on the fundamentals and try to appreciate each other's perspectives, even if we cannot always agree. We must not shy away from hard choices, but deal squarely with difficult issues based on facts and sound analysis. We must nurture the deep and precious trust that we have – between the Government and people, and also among Singaporeans – and work hand-in-hand towards a shared vision of our future. This is what Forward Singapore is about – bringing Singaporeans together to refresh our social compact and come up with a collective roadmap for our way forward.[+5 sentences] Members have heard Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and other 4G Ministers outline the Forward Singapore agenda earlier. We will make sure meritocracy works for all. We will leave no one behind, as Singapore progresses. We will enhance safety nets against the uncertainties of life. We will fashion a common understanding and purpose that binds us together. All this is absolutely essential and the Government will fully back this agenda with policies, programmes and resources.[+10 sentences] It is an ambitious agenda that will not be easy to realise even in good times. In these turbulent times, it is all the more important that we get it done and get it right, so that we can stay united as one people, one Singapore. But just being united will not be enough. It is equally important that we have the go-getter spirit of self-reliance and enterprise, to create prosperity for our nation and achieve the best we can in a very troubled world. This has always been our attitude. Long ago, in 1968, Singapore was heading into a major storm. The British forces were here, they contributed about one-fifth of the economy and they were soon to withdraw from Singapore. Our unemployment was already 10%, dangerously high. We faced the prospect of mass unemployment and economic collapse. Mr S Rajaratnam had just become Minister of Labour and was girding Singaporeans for tough measures and hard times ahead. Speaking in Parliament at the end of the debate on the President's Address – not this debate but that debate in 1968 – he said, and I quote: "Industrial development requires at all times a sustained effort, a willingness to mobilise savings, a readiness to take risks, a propensity for innovation, a passionate vision of the future, a willingness to make the painful adjustments required by modernisation and, most important of all, a readiness on the part of the people as a whole to postpone immediate rewards for greater gains in the future...If we are not prepared to pay this price", he said, then, there "will be little or no economic development".[+4 sentences] Mr Rajaratnam went on to say: "We in Parliament can, if we like, fool the people into believing that we can bring them prosperity without the tears and effort". But he warned that if we did that, then "we would go the way of many independent countries – into bankruptcy and despair". Only in Singapore, we do not have an "escape hatch", the hinterland, that many other countries have. This mindset of grit and self-reliance was crucial. Because Singaporeans heeded Mr Rajaratnam's words and set our hearts and souls to nation-building, we survived the withdrawal of the British forces, we overcame many more subsequent crises and created today's Singapore.[+38 sentences] Now, once again, we are headed into difficult times. Mr Rajaratnam’s rallying call more than 50 years ago remains just as valid and critical for us today. I can hardly improve on the words that the drafter of our National Pledge used. Again, we need “a sustained effort, a willingness to mobilise savings, a readiness to take risks, a propensity for innovation, a passionate vision of the future, a willingness to make the painful adjustments required by modernisation and, most important of all, a readiness on the part of the people as a whole to postpone immediate rewards for greater gains in the future”. This formula has long worked for us and it will continue to do so. There is good reason to be confident that Singaporeans have not gone soft and forgotten these fundamentals. Last June, I visited Rwanda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Africa is not the first place that comes to mind when Singaporeans think about venturing overseas. But there, I met several young Singaporeans living and working in Rwanda. One was running a poultry farm supplying chickens to restaurants in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital. Another was working with startups to raise financing. A third had started a distillery, brewing premium spirits; not just any hooch, but premium spirits. I asked him what it was, he said it is special rum. And he is hoping to make his rum brands as famous as single malt Scottish whiskeys. And there were a few more, too, including some women, who dared to take the path less travelled, and struck out on their own in these less familiar lands. Last week, at the reception after the Opening of Parliament, I met a student from National University of Singapore (NUS). He had spent a year in Silicon Valley on the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme and he found it exhilarating. He picked up new skills, was inspired by the culture of innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit of the people he met. I asked about his plans after graduation. He told me he intends to start his own business, together with a few of his NOC Silicon Valley classmates. He does not know if his business will succeed, but he is prepared to take that leap of faith to start a business of his own. And in my daily work, interacting with Ministers and their staff, I come across young officers who are passionate about their work, feel a sense of mission serving the nation and are keen to improve the lives of Singaporeans through their ideas and efforts. Many young Singaporeans think and act the same way. Growing up in Singapore, they have benefited from a good education system, opportunities, exposure, and stimulation. They have made the most of all this. They know that nobody owes them a living. They will work hard and blaze their own path forward. Mr Rajaratnam would have been proud and delighted. But we are not just asking Singaporeans to work harder as individuals. We have a strategy to make a living for our nation as a global city and an international hub. It will be tough because globalisation is going the wrong way. Countries with larger populations and bigger domestic markets are turning inwards. It will cost them. But maybe, they can afford to do so. But Singapore cannot turn inwards. We are a small island state. A little red dot. That is our reality. Our survival depends on our being able to do business with the world, to deliver value to others. So, our strategy must be to double down on staying open and connected to the world and continue making ourselves useful as a global city and an international hub.[+30 sentences] We must work hard to form good relations with other countries, big and small, and find ways to work with them. Even with wars, tensions, and protectionism in the world, countries still need to trade, there will still be opportunities and, therefore, we can still make a living. Hence, Changi can still be one of the busiest and best airports in the world. Our Singapore port can still be a highly efficient and reliable transshipment hub, connected to other ports all over the world. We can still be a financial centre, financing trade flows and infrastructure investments in the region and beyond. Our city can still be a magnet for talent and enterprise, a centre for technology and innovation, and a base for trusted services and advanced manufacturing. All these, we can still be. We just have to work harder and smarter than before. In a world of troubles, not every country will prosper, but Singapore will not perish. Of course, we must make the right moves to continue thriving. Staying open and connected means exposing ourselves to competition from the world. We must be able to do things more competently and efficiently than our competitors to maintain our edge. This means continually upgrading existing capabilities and building new ones, transforming and restructuring our economy to stay abreast of technologies and industries. Take, for example, AI, a rapidly developing field. You have all heard of ChatGPT and maybe even have tried it out. It did not write this speech for me yet, though it probably can already summarise it quite well. But ChatGPT is just one AI application out of many. AI will affect jobs across all sectors, including white-collar jobs. Some will be enhanced, others will be eliminated. At the same time, AI technology will create immense opportunities to improve productivity across the board. To respond to AI and many more technologies to come, our businesses will need to adapt and transform, to develop new ways of operating and explore new markets. Our workers need to upskill and reskill to do the new jobs which will replace the old ones. We need to complement our own talent with skilled professionals from all over the world who have the expertise and experience to help us make this transformation. And we have to integrate these foreigners into our workplaces and communities so that they fit well into our society. It will be challenging. We will feel tensions; we will experience disruptions. We will have to manage the problems and deal with the trade-offs thoughtfully and sensibly. But we have some things going for us. Most importantly, we stand out, compared to competitors. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently ranked the business environment of countries for the next five years. Singapore came in top among 82 countries that the EIU looked at from across the world.[+10 sentences] Singapore has ranked top now for 15 years in a row. Businesses, investors and talented individuals in the region and beyond show great interest in Singapore. They want to come here, to bring in their talent, capital and investments. We welcome them. We must welcome them. How can there be any doubt? Take pharmaceuticals, for example. After COVID-19, every country wants to be able to make its own vaccines. But not every country can. We have a strong base of biomedical activities, from R&D to manufacturing, and the prerequisites for building vaccine plants. The Economic Development Board (EDB) has secured several vaccine projects.[+1 sentence] Everyone has heard of Pfizer-BioNTech. Many of us have taken their COVID-19 vaccine. But you may not know that Pfizer and BioNTech are two companies and that both, separately, are making major investments in Singapore to produce drugs and vaccines for the global market.[+22 sentences] Other pharmas and other industries are keen on Singapore, too. They value the Singapore brand, they have a good view of Singapore, and that is how we can continue to create good jobs for Singaporeans. Which brings me to my next point – we must uphold Singapore’s good reputation and standing in the world. When I meet foreign leaders and businesspeople, whether here or on my trips abroad, many express their admiration for Singapore. They are not just being polite. They are effusive. They talk about having read Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s books; they tell me how they wish their countries could become like Singapore. Many Singaporeans take this good reputation for granted. They are glad to carry our red passport. Overseas, they are proud to identify themselves as Singaporeans and not be mistaken as someone else. But they do not realise how important this high standing we enjoy is to us, nor how astonishing it is for a small island state with no natural resources to enjoy this standing. What do I mean? Based on our land size, Singapore is barely visible on the world map. By country population, we are hardly worth mentioning. China and India are each 250 times our population. The US and Indonesia, more than 40 times. Malaysia is five times bigger than us. Even compared with other major cities, by population size, we are not in the top 50 in the world. If we did not stand out from the rest, there would be no particular reason why other countries and investors should pay much attention to this little island and no particular reason why Singaporeans should enjoy a quality of life and a standard of living that we can be proud of and is among the highest in the world. Yet they do, and we do. Why? It is because of the strong international reputation that Singapore has built up over the years. People know that the Singapore system works and COVID-19 has made our track record stand out even more.[+13 sentences] People know our people are of high quality, our workers are hardworking, skilled and reliable, our professionals are competent, honest and trustworthy. People know that we honour our commitments. We act based on principles, which we uphold consistently. Our leaders speak with the mandate and authority to deliver on what they say because they enjoy the support and confidence of the people. Our policies do not chop and change or get reversed from one election to another. Thus, when Russia invaded Ukraine, we took a clear principled stand to oppose this flagrant violation of the UN Charter. We did the same decades ago when the US invaded Grenada, and Vietnam invaded Cambodia. Any part of the world, any power, any decade, same answer from Singapore, because that is where our enduring interests lie. And people can depend on that. People know that we make useful contributions on global issues. For example, the Director General now of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – a UN outfit – is a Singaporean, Mr Daren Tang. Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is co-chairing the Global Commission on Water Governance, whose first report was discussed at the United Nations Water Conference held in New York last month. Our Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues, Ms Rena Lee, presided over negotiations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) – that means, on the high seas, belonging to nobody – and the negotiations had been going on for many years. Rena was President of the negotiations for the last five years and, last month, she successfully brought all the parties together to conclude a new international agreement – the BBNJ Agreement or High Seas Treaty – which is expected to be adopted later this year.[+9 sentences] There are many other Singaporeans working in different fields all over the world also distinguishing themselves and enhancing our international reputation. Because of all these and more, confidence and trust in the Singapore brand has grown. This is a precious asset in an uncertain world. So, I ask all Singaporeans, through you, Mr Speaker, to uphold our country’s reputation, especially when you are overseas. Make full use of the Singapore brand, but remember, never sully it. Build on it, enhance it for future generations. A high international reputation makes all the difference to Singapore. I have spoken about the importance of unity, a go-getting mindset and a good reputation. But the quality of a country's government and leaders matters too. Last week, I met the CEO of a major pharma company.[+1 sentence] We talked about his projects in Singapore. He listed the reasons why they had decided to invest here big time – high quality people, predictable policies and a government that is doing the right thing.[+14 sentences] He said that ultimately, companies value good government, stable politics and a system that works. He said, "What I want is a place that I can trust. This" – meaning Singapore – "is a country you can trust and which the world can trust." But there is no formula that can guarantee that our system will continue to work well for the long term. Last year, when the Parliament debated the importance of honesty and integrity in public life, I spoke about the importance and the difficulty of maintaining the ideals and values of a country beyond its founding generations. Honesty and integrity are a crucial part of our success formula, but it goes beyond that. It is equally essential and hard to keep the whole system working through the decades. Attitudes and mindsets change. New stresses and strains will appear. People forget the values and experience of the founding generation. Slowly, things can go awry and start to fall apart. Nothing can magically prevent Singapore from going down this road. What we can do to give ourselves the best chance of staying on the right track is to make sure that our economy is sound, and our institutions are in place and strong. Our people have the skills and instincts to work hard, work together and earn a living for ourselves. Our accumulated Reserves are well managed, well protected, earn credible returns and give us a critical advantage in major crises.[+16 sentences] Our leaders are capable, dedicated and trustworthy stewards worthy of their responsibility to Singapore, to this and future generations. To ensure good leadership for the long term is an unending and demanding challenge for successive generations, but what I and my older colleagues can do and will make sure of, is to prepare a strong and capable next team to take over from us. Then, the new leaders can take Singapore further forward and the country has the chance to produce and support new generations of leaders to come after them, who will be up to the job. This, we have done. The 4G team is in place. During the pandemic, Singaporeans experienced firsthand the importance of strong political leadership. Our population rose to the occasion. The public service performed magnificently. But our response and the results would have been very different without political leaders who could set the direction, make the tough calls and rally the people together. The Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) Ministers were in the hot seat, but the whole 4G team played a key role. It was a formative experience for the 4G ministers. Handling the crisis, they got the measure of each other and gained confidence in each other's judgement and abilities. The 4G Ministers are increasingly responsible for the safety and well-being of the country. They have a strong agenda to fulfil, domestically and internationally. But they cannot do it on their own. They need the support of every Singaporean, including Members of this House, to see it through. Last year, the 4G Ministers chose Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to be their leader. I ask you to give Lawrence and the 4G Ministers your fullest support. I ask you to give them your fullest support for now, as members of my team, but in due course when they take over the reins as the next leadership for Singapore. Help me make this leadership renewal a success for Singapore and for you.[+17 sentences] Show your support for a Government that works hard and works well for you. Elect leaders whom you can trust to take us forward. Give yourselves the best chance to keep our system working well for Singaporeans for many years to come. We are heading into a troubled world. This is probably the tenth time I have told you this – if there is no other message you are taking away from this speech. There is much work to be done and to be done quickly. Our forefathers worked hard to build up the Singapore that we have today. They did not let themselves to be constrained by our small size or limited resources. They were not powerful, but they fought hard to make our voice heard on the international stage. They were not well off, but they tightened their belts to create a better future for us – their descendants. Against long odds, they determined to forge a prosperous nation and a united people, and they succeeded. We, too, must embrace their can-do spirit and outsized ambition to be an extraordinary country – an exceptional place in the world, maintain our international reputation and build on our trusted Singapore brand of quality, reliability and efficiency, make full use of our strengths and turn opportunities into successes, stand up for what we believe in and uphold consistent principles to advance Singapore's long-term interests. This is the way for Singapore to be taken seriously and to count for more than our size. We may be a small island state, but we are not a small people and neither are our hearts nor our aspirations. Let us think boldly, aim high and seek far. Let us work together, Government and people, to build a Singapore that we and our children will all be proud of. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh)3008 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the President for her Address and I express my support for the Motion. Mdm President had shared that even as we leave the crisis of our generation behind us, we are entering into a different, dangerous and troubled world, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly mentioned earlier. Indeed, Singapore is at a new crossroad – an ageing population, rising costs and interest rates as well as greater global competition for business and talent force us to think about our future and our survival. It is imperative that Singaporeans trust and partner our 4G Government to combat these challenges, just like how we fought and overcame COVID-19 together. But as Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned a few days ago, beyond building infrastructure and hardware to future-proof Singapore, the future and welfare of Singapore is at the crux of it, the collective responsibility of all of us and not just the Government alone. Today, I intend to share three things that resonated most with me from Mdm President's Address. First, our ageing population is now a reality. I think Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and many others have highlighted this. As at June 2022, 18.4% of the citizen population are aged 65 and above. This number will grow to 25% by 2030.[+2 sentences] More and more Singaporeans aspire to live independently, which leaves more elderly couples living on their own. I am glad that Mdm President particularly highlighted enhancing retirement adequacy for Singaporeans. This is something I am very concerned about, having previously been involved in the last round of Central Provident Fund (CPF) changes as a member of the CPF advisory panel and have advocated extensively during my Budget debate and Committee of Supply (COS) speeches on this issue this year. I am heartened to hear that almost 70% of active CPF members are able to attain their cohort Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) at age 55 today.[+2 sentences] But our concerns must be over the remaining 30% and how far they are from reaching their BRS. Further, this does not even include inactive CPF members or Singaporeans who sit outside the CPF system like non-working homemakers or self-employed persons (SEPs). When I raised the issue of non-working homemakers at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) COS last month, Minister of State Gan mentioned the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS) introduced in 2021 to match top-ups of up to $600 annually to eligible seniors' CPF accounts.[+23 sentences] It may be useful to find out what is the MRSS' utilisation rate and most importantly, whether we need to do more to educate and encourage families to take advantage of such Government support. On SEPs, Senior Minister of State Koh said that MOM will continue to review if we need to go beyond encouraging SEPs to make voluntary contributions to their CPF accounts. Perhaps that exercise can include a study on the proportion of SEPs who can attain their respective BRS through their own voluntary CPF savings or private savings over the next few years. I also note that a fundamental review of our retirement adequacy policies is now underway under the Forward Singapore exercise. I am looking forward to eventual definite timelines for that review as the changes to our demographics would entail rapid changes needed to our retirement adequacy policies at an early stage. One area that continues to be important for Singaporeans is enhancing the flexibility of how and when CPF retirement monies can be paid out. New stresses are emerging and challenging the adequacy of the existing payout mechanisms. For example, I have mentioned this before, the 2% per annum increase of payouts under the escalating CPF LIFE plan may no longer gel with Singapore's long-term inflation projections, given the shifts in the global macroeconomy, supply chain and other factors. Other areas I hope we can make changes will be on how we can more regularly and dynamically revise the methodology for applicable interest rates on the Ordinary, Special and MediSave Accounts in the upcoming quarterly reviews and adjusting the allocation ratios such that a greater percentage is allocated into the Special Account instead of the Ordinary and MediSave Accounts, to avoid increasing the financial burden on both employers and employees – the former of which I had raised in my Adjournment Motion on "Helping Singaporeans Navigate a High-interest Rate Environment" last year. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): The latest changes in cancer coverage under the Integrated Shield Plan will also change the way Singaporeans plan for their healthcare and insurance needs at old age. An elderly resident, who used to work as a horticulturalist and recently found out he had Stage 4 cancer, contacted me for help just a few days ago. He is unable to work now, but fortunately he has received assistance through MediFund – which I think is an important source of help – but needs additional help to support his family and spouse. He has no insurance coverage, and I can imagine that, with recent cancer coverage changes, more of such cases will face financial challenges. This is an important issue that I hope we can analyse and find comprehensive solutions in future. Besides sufficient funds, we must also ensure that our seniors enjoy a good quality of life and dignity during their retirement. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's call on the importance of “collective responsibility” is appropriate and timely. To me, it is heartbreaking to read news about senior citizens who die alone at home without being noticed by anyone for weeks, months and even years. Therefore, although we build a more elderly-friendly building environment complete with special housing options and common space, we must supplement this hardware with people-centric policies. The return of large-scale activities organised by community centres and organisations is very helpful. But we also cannot ignore the less active senior citizens and those who are not physically active enough to go out and enjoy recreation. Therefore, I was heartened to hear Minister Desmond Lee and other Members of Parliament (MPs) mention the importance of cross-generation living. But not all estates will have this opportunity because we are ageing quickly. Perhaps, it is time for us to enhance or embark on a National Befriender Service for Seniors Living Alone programme and maybe consider some form of voluntary registration system, perhaps using technology, for seniors living alone, so that we can check on them periodically and engage them regularly at their convenience. I also welcome the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) announcement that it will expand the capacity of our nursing homes from 16,000 beds in 2020 to more than 31,000 beds in 2030, increase the nursing workforce and caregiver support from 49,000 now to 69,000 by 2030 and increase the nursing and caregiving support workforce.[+8 sentences] This has always been a sensitive topic because, as an Asian community, it is considered “unfilial” to “leave” one’s parents in nursing homes or old folks homes. However, as much as we want to ensure that we collectively support our seniors, there are still people who will need a place in nursing homes for the elderly. It is useful to find out the subscription levels for existing nursing homes and how MOH projects the demand until 2030 and beyond as well as plan ahead for possible increased demand. (In English): Turning to my second topic, Mr Speaker, I share Mdm President’s view that the global competition for business will intensify. The competition will not only be over business, but also over talent. Singaporean talent is sought after in many places in the world. Recently, Mr Chew Shou Zi dominated the headlines as he testified before the US Congress as the CEO of TikTok. I have also heard that junior Singapore lawyers are today being drawn to relocate to work in London, New York and Hong Kong. Our efforts to attract and retain talent will have to be multi-pronged. I was glad to hear when Prime Minister Lee announced in the National Day Rally 2021 that the Government will be enshrining the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) guidelines into law which is a major move to ensure fair treatment at the workplace, including tackling unfair hiring practices against Singaporeans.[+5 sentences] Such a legislation is pertinent in my view for a mature economy as middle-income Singaporeans are concerned over competition for jobs and opportunities at work in a future labour market that will be more contested. I had, since my maiden speech in 2015 and several Adjournment Motions, pushed for anti-discrimination laws that carry penalties, given my concerns about a more complex labour market going forward, so I really, really look forward to the final report on the tripartite committee on workplace fairness and the eventual legislation that will ensue. But one other key thrust to help us compete and retain talent will be building a more people-friendly and connected city. As Mdm President highlighted in her address, we must ensure our transport infrastructure and policies are refreshed from time to time. We are adapting to new commuting patterns after entering and emerging from three pandemic years. Our land constraints will become more acute as we add another 100 kilometres to our rail network which already has more than 140 stations across six MRT lines.[+13 sentences] Our green ambitions will force us to pivot away from decades-old solutions towards new innovations. Even more can be done, for example, in the addendum by the Ministry of Transport (MOT), cycling was stated to “aid first and last mile connectivity to the major public transport nodes and key amenities”. If this is the aim, we may need to complement our expansion of cycling paths with bike-sharing initiatives and with other enhancements. Those who own their own bicycles are unlikely to use their bicycle just to park it at the MRT station or bus interchanges near their house. I am conscious that private bike-sharing models have failed before and we may need Government involvement or intervention for bike-sharing to work. Possibly, has any study been done on why operators like oBike, Ofo and Mobike ultimately called it quits? Mr Speaker, and finally, I would like to talk about my third point on cost of living, rising costs and interest rates. Amid rising costs and interest rates in the past year, we are seeing more news that give us cause for concern over economic growth. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the US and Credit Suisse in Switzerland have sparked fears of a banking meltdown. Amid the uncertain outlook, I am particularly heartened by Mdm President’s call to deepen Singaporeans’ sense of shared identity and responsibility towards each other – the collective responsibility that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned on Monday too. We must remember to support one another and leave no one behind, especially as we are likely to face greater constraints in the future. Costs and prices may go up a little further in light of growing constraints. While we continue to explore innovative and creative approaches to manage our land, the fact is that land is scarce in Singapore and comes at a premium. The revisions to our foreign worker frameworks will not eliminate labour constraints, given the need to strike a fine balance between keeping our local labour force gainfully employed and attracting the necessary foreign labour to supplement the local workforce.[+6 sentences] Finally, carbon constraints are starting to bite as we make more commitments to save our planet and our carbon tax increase kicks in. Being small and import-dependent, we are a price-taker, including when it comes to interest rates. It is apt that Mdm President has called for us to better manage these growing constraints by being more adaptable and resourceful and, in so doing, compete stronger as a business and connectivity hub. This must be our longer-term strategy, so that Singaporean workers get good jobs, become more productive and get rewarded for the higher value they bring. In the short term, we need to help Singaporeans navigate this new environment of rising costs and higher interest rates. I will not repeat what I said during my Adjournment Motion in October last year, but I have some new observations to add. I read in the news last week that credit cards have become the most popular payment method in Singapore by transaction value. This is worrying especially given the 3% to 4% increase in interest rates just between April 2022 and April 2023.[+3 sentences] Going forward, I hope the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the relevant Ministries – and the Chamber, possibly – will discuss this, and we will have studied credit card default trends or data by age group and beyond the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR) limits, whether we need to additionally regulate such leverage assumed by Singaporeans. If not, then whether more upstream work can be done with our youths and our younger population. Also, more couples will need to be dual income in order to meet their increasing liabilities. A key policy impetus will be ensuring that there are sufficient and affordable care options for young children. I note the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)’s addendum which states that by 2025, 80% of preschoolers can have a place in a Government-supported preschool with affordable fees. What metrics will the Government use to price preschool fees and keep it “affordable”?[+10 sentences] Besides infantcare facilities, it is important to ensure that there are other new care options that MSF is studying to meet different preferences and needs. The final point, Mr Speaker, I would like to touch on is housing affordability. In this segment, I am talking about cost of living and rising cost, so I had to look at various reports and pieces. In particular, I came across a report that was co-authored by hon Member Louis Chua and his team on that issue. I was trying to weigh in some of the points that were found in that report. As an economist, I am actually more attuned towards more statistical and economic reports that bear strong statistical and data support. I tried to balance it with what many WP MPs have suggested – that housing is unaffordable for Singaporeans. The Leader of the Opposition too, had echoed sentiments, calling for the Government to intensify efforts in making public housing more affordable and accessible. So, I was surprised when I came across this report as I was trying to prepare this speech on the issue about housing affordability and cost of living. More recently, I was looking at the issue and found that this report in January, where WP MP, Mr Louis Chua, put up a considered, professional view in a report which was carried in the media, saying that housing in Singapore is affordable. In fact, if I may quote him, in his report, what was interesting, Mr Louis Chua and his co-authors reported and said that "despite cooling measures, a $1 million home in Singapore is estimated to be affordable for households on an overall average household income in Singapore".[+16 sentences] This is what he and his team of property analysts said. Also, he anticipated that, I quote: "the global housing slump will deepen in 2023"; yet he expects the converse in Singapore, with a modest price growth of 3% to 5%. Despite broadly higher rates, his scenario analysis suggests affordability continues to be healthy for the average household, given wage growth momentum amid a tight labour market. And then, on page 13 of his report, he and his co-authors went on to say this: contrary to the private property market, he finds a "more favourable and resilient situation in the public housing market, i.e., HDB". This is largely attributed to the rise in average income in relation to the price of a flat. He consistently estimated a mortgage servicing ratio (MSR) that stayed comfortably below 30% bestowing upon households the freedom to still take up other loans. Therefore, he is inclined to believe that HDB markets should continue to remain resilient, supported by healthy household balance sheets. And on the regional front, on page 26 of his report, he then assessed Singapore and our ASEAN region, and said this, I quote: "From a regional perspective", he notes that "affordability continues to be healthy in Singapore where residential price increases have lagged behind that of our household income growth over the last decade. Whereas the converse is true for neighbouring ASEAN countries. Higher relative affordability for the general population of Singapore adds to relative stability and resilience, amid a rising environment globally." So, as a trained central bank economist before, I was somewhat attuned to the property report that Mr Louis Chua and his co-authors highlighted, which is somewhat in line and supported by data as well. I was wondering if that is actually indeed Mr Louis Chua's professional opinion in January 2023. Then, it seems odd. As I try to reconcile, as I tried to prepare my speech, it seems odd that he and the WP said something else in Parliament in the February housing Motion. So, I just wanted to highlight that story, as the story goes as I prepare my speech. So, that is my third point, Mr Speaker. Before I end, Mr Speaker, our ageing population, spiralling costs and interest rates, and intensifying global competition for business and talent are just three of the major challenges we will need to target, adapt to and conquer as we stand on the cusp of a new world. I have shared, I have tried to look into cost of living, housing affordability and, indeed, as Mr Desmond Lee has shared during the housing debate, we have tried to ramp up supply, we have tried to make sure we can stabilise growth in the housing sector. I have shared some of my points earlier on. I think what is key is that if we can maintain the same people-government trust and partnership that saw us emerge from COVID-19 much better than other countries, I am optimistic about our future.
Mr Speaker6 words
[+1 sentence]Senior Minister of State Sim Ann.
The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development (Ms Sim Ann)3093 words
[+16 sentences]Mr Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): Thank you, Mr Speaker, for allowing me to join the debate. The first issue raised by President Halimah Yaacob in her Address was that of the global situation. How Singapore can stand firm in a turbulent world is a major challenge that the Government and Singaporeans must jointly face. It is commonly said in diplomatic circles that “foreign policy begins at home”. In other words, it is much easier to conduct foreign policy successfully when a country’s citizens share a common understanding of national interests. This is why it is also part of the Ministry of Foreign Affair's (MFA) role to attend community or school campus dialogues. The most commonly asked questions in recent years are: how does Singapore maintain good bilateral relations with the US and China at the same time? How should we continue to maintain this balance? Observers and analysts of global developments, media commentators, and Singaporeans who care about current affairs are all likely to have views on this topic. Take Prime Minister Lee’s recent Official Visit to China for instance. A friend remarked happily to me that the visit was excellent, because he felt that Singapore has been looking rather pro-US of late. It was time for balance! Maintaining a balance between the US and China appears to have become a yardstick by which Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans alike measure the success of our foreign policy. It is akin to a panel of judges assessing a gymnast’s performance on the balance beam. Based on this yardstick, if Singapore’s leaders made remarks that appear to favour one side, then balance must be promptly restored by saying or doing something that pleases the other side – to demonstrate ‘impartiality’ like holding a bowl of water in equilibrium. A Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) poll in July 2022 showed that 86% of Singaporeans felt that their Government should always act in Singapore’s best interests and not take sides between the US and China. Only 4% felt that Singapore should lean towards China and 4% felt that Singapore should lean towards the US.[+25 sentences] Some might think of our foreign policy in terms of not taking sides, keeping our head down and maintaining neutrality in all matters. Does Singapore’s foreign policy boil down to a balancing act? This is worth unpacking and addressing. I wish to make three points: first, our foreign policy is driven by our principles, not a quest for balance; second, the space available to Singapore depends not on our ability to perform a balancing act, but whether any basis for cooperation remains between major powers and third, Singapore will do its utmost to broaden the basis of international cooperation. As a small country lacking in natural resources and highly dependent on free trade, we need a peaceful and secure external environment, transparent and effective international law and a stable global order, and an efficient, well-regulated and globalised market economy system. Singapore depends on these factors for our survival, autonomy and prosperity. These are the core principles that shape our foreign policy. How does the perception of balance come about? In a highly harmonious world, where all bilateral relations are equally good, no one country would stand out for having particularly balanced or imbalanced relations with others. However, in a highly fractious world, it would be hard to maintain equally strong ties with countries belonging to different camps. Serious differences have emerged between China and the US, yet Singapore continues to maintain strong bilateral relations with both sides. This creates the perception of a so-called “balancing act”. But Singapore-China and Singapore-US relations were not built on the basis of Singapore unilaterally maintaining a balancing act. Rather, these bilateral relations reflect decades of substantive, win-win collaboration. Let us consider Singapore-China relations. We have longstanding and friendly relations with China. Over the past decades, we have witnessed profound and rapid changes in China alongside its development. Through its pursuit of market-based economic development, China has made great strides in uplifting the lives of its 1.4 billion citizens. We believe that China’s peaceful rise and growing economy will be an important engine of growth for the Asia Pacific and the world. Singapore has supported China’s continued reform and opening up and participated in China’s development journey over the years. Our three government-to-government projects have supported China’s economic development through various phases. The Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) was established in the 1990s during China’s rapid industrialisation; the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (SSTEC) was launched in 2008 in concert with China’s focus on sustainability; and the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity (CCI) started in 2015 to grow China’s linkages with the world, resulting in the establishment of the CCI-New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Trade and investment with China have brought tangible benefits for its many economic partners, including Singapore. We are one of the largest investors in China, who is our top trading partner in goods. Our eight Provincial Business Councils across China have brought about mutually beneficial opportunities for our peoples and businesses. During the Prime Minister’s Official Visit to China last month, Singapore and China upgraded our relationship to an “All‑Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”. This reflects both sides’ commitment to continually expand bilateral cooperation and pursue high-quality collaboration in forward-looking areas such as the digital and green economies.[+10 sentences] When Singapore-China relations are discussed, many would also think of the role played by the ethnic Chinese community in Singapore. Indeed, the fact that Singapore has an ethnic Chinese majority population means that most Singaporeans would be able to trace their ancestry to somewhere in China, usually the southern coastal provinces. There are ties of culture and kinship. Moreover, with Singapore’s bilingual education policy, many Singaporeans of Chinese descent would be able to use the Chinese language to some degree, even though English is our working language. The sense of familiarity and ease makes it more convenient for ethnic Chinese Singaporeans to communicate and work with partners from China. Without a doubt, people-to-people ties spanning culture, kinship and language help enrich Singapore-China relations. But to interpret Singapore-China relations from the cultural perspective may result in a skewed view or misunderstandings. Those who are not equipped with a deep understanding of Singapore might find it hard to hoist in this point. Singaporeans are citizens of an independent country, but may also identify culturally with being ethnically Chinese, Malay, Indian or others. National identity and cultural identity are two different matters. The Government encourages Singaporeans to appreciate the cultural heritage of fellow Singaporeans, celebrate the products of intermingling between different cultures, such as the kebaya, which Singapore is partnering four other Southeast Asian countries in nominating for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) intangible cultural heritage list, and honour and develop their own cultural heritage.[+15 sentences] This includes Chinese culture. At the same time, we seek to shape a highly unified national identity. It would be inaccurate to project Singapore’s position in international affairs based on what one observes of Singapore’s Chinese community. In an editorial published in Lianhe Zaobao early this year, veteran editor Mr Lim Jim Koon discussed how the newspaper has been assumed to take sides in geopolitical terms on various occasions. In an example he raised, Lianhe Zaobao’s website was identified as pro-China by a foreign news organisation. If a reputable overseas news organisation could espouse such a subjective view of Lianhe Zaobao, we can only imagine what those who do not know us well would think of Singapore. Historian Prof Wang Gungwu’s recent speech on “What does it mean to be ethnically Chinese in Singapore?” has created some buzz. Tracing the development of the Chinese community in Singapore over several centuries, Prof Wang made clear that the definition of ethnic Chinese in Singapore is a complex and indeed convoluted issue. As Prof Wang pointed out, Singapore is an independent sovereign nation state, a global city, situated at the heart and centre of Southeast Asia and under the umbrella of ASEAN. The following was put in particularly succinct terms by Prof Wang, who said : “…Singapore had started out with an extraordinary principle, not known in any nation I know of, one that recognised everyone born here as equal, and that the plural society would be the basis of a new nation. No other nation did that. As far as I know, every other nation began by saying that whoever was the majority would determine the fundamentals of nationhood… Singapore is the only one I know of in which it was the other way round; the majority accepted that they live in a plural society, in a neighbourhood in which they are a minority. They accepted that they had to treat everybody as equal and that the plural society was the foundation of Singapore’s nationhood. It was an extraordinary way to start the nation-building process.” Prof Wang’s expert analysis on the extraordinary choice made by Singapore in pursuit of national identity would be of great value to anyone seeking to understand Singapore better. Meanwhile, Singaporeans of Chinese ethnicity are very clear – they are Singaporean citizens and Singapore “huaren” (people of Chinese ethnicity), not “huaqiao” (“overseas Chinese”).[+10 sentences] Hence, Singapore’s foreign policy must stand for the interests of all citizens, including Chinese Singaporeans, Malay Singaporeans, Indian Singaporeans, Eurasian Singaporeans and so forth. These are reflected in our pursuit of a safe and secure external environment, a stable global order, and a globalised market economy. China’s embarkation on reform and opening up has created a broad basis of collaboration between Singapore and China. Hence, we have been able to build excellent bilateral relations. Singapore-US relations are similarly excellent, and established on the basis of the principles shaping our foreign policy. The US played a vital role in underwriting the world order that emerged after the Second World War. It paved the way for stability and prosperity in Asia by championing an open, integrated, and rules-based global order. By providing a security umbrella for the region, the US has enabled regional countries to trade and grow peacefully. American companies invested extensively in Asia, including Singapore, bringing capital, technology, and ideas, and contributing to the vibrancy of the region. The US continues to be a force for economic vitality and greater engagement will bring about benefits for the entire region. Today, the US is the largest investor in Singapore and ASEAN, and Singapore’s top trading partner in services.[+6 sentences] The US is also our third-largest trading partner in goods. US companies are well-regarded in Singapore for their innovation, business practices and commitment to growing talent. Our leaders have maintained good relations with their US counterparts. The Prime Minister visited the US twice last year while several Cabinet Ministers have visited the US in the past year. We have also hosted visits by key members of the Biden Administration and Members of Congress. Our security and defence ties with the US go back many decades. Singapore is a Major Security Cooperation Partner of the US, and we support the US military presence and its defence engagements in the region. Our Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed in 1990 and renewed recently in 2019, provides the US military with access to Singapore’s air and naval bases. Singapore joined the US’ Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) when it was launched in May 2022.[+14 sentences] The IPEF will strengthen the US’ regional economic engagement, and is in line with our interests for promoting an open, inclusive, and rules-based world order. Singapore hopes that the IPEF would bring about more tangible economic benefits. US-Singapore cooperation is also expanding into new frontiers like cybersecurity, digital economy, sustainable development, and even space. These areas of cooperation reflect the breadth and depth of our bilateral relationship. As with the Singapore-China relationship, it is not hard to see how the grounds for Singapore-US cooperation is inseparable from our principled pursuit of regional peace and security, a stable international order, and win-win economic collaboration through trade and investment. This approach is not limited to how we have built up our ties with China and with the US. We pursue our interests by strengthening and deepening our ties with all countries including the superpowers, middle powers, and our neighbours in the region. At this point in time, our relations with all countries are very good. We seek to make friends and keep friends, but above all, we must maintain our standing as an honest broker. This concept stems from our obligations as a free port, but is also how Singapore seeks to create value for our partners in international affairs. This means doing what we say and saying what we do; not just telling others what they want to hear; and not saying different things to different parties. At times and on certain issues, we have to be prepared to take a stand and even say “no” to a superpower on the basis of our own national interest. We do so carefully, after careful analysis of the principles at stake. We have not been afraid to take a position and make known our views, even where we disagree or what we do displeases others. Only when we persist in being honest, credible and trustworthy – not a vassal state, proxy, or stalking horse for one power or another – will our views be taken seriously.[+27 sentences] Mr Speaker, many important issues that the world is grappling with require cooperation between countries big and small, including public health and climate change. Cooperation can co-exist with competition. Cooperation can also co-exist with differences in values and ideology. The global market and trade in goods and services is one of the broadest mechanisms of cross-border cooperation. International law is equally important, providing a peaceful avenue for resolving differences and disputes. There has never been full agreement on all global issues. But differences do not and should not necessarily translate into conflict. With a rules-based international order, international cooperation is made possible, with conditions for all countries to trade, do business, and compete peacefully. Ultimately, these mechanisms depend on trust and respect between the world’s major players. In theory, global supply chains reflect comparative advantages enjoyed by various economies and promote the rational allocation of resources. Consumer welfare throughout the world depends on the division of labour between numerous businesses spread over different economies, particularly at a time of rapid innovation in complex technology products. In a world without mutual trust, national security considerations will fuel suspicions between economies, impacting cross-border division of labour. This is especially true of dual-use goods, software, and technology. Hence, international controversies surrounding 5G network equipment, the production of semiconductor chips, and even specific mobile apps have arisen. These controversies are extremely difficult to resolve without mutual trust. This could cause global supply chains, once tightly integrated, to unravel, to the detriment of all. It becomes harder for all parties to maintain confidence in multilateralism and globalisation, while nativist sentiments overshadow economic imperatives. If major powers treat each other with suspicion, misunderstandings and prejudices will only deepen, and the international order will inevitably be shaken. The erosion of the foundations of international cooperation would have grave consequences for regional peace and security, a stable international order and economic collaboration – all critical for Singapore. There will be significant missed opportunities to prosper jointly, and to tackle global problems. No amount of balancing would help in such a scenario. What should Singapore’s response be? It would be rather passive to focus on lying low and avoid taking sides. We want to see the global situation improve and will make efforts towards this. We will do our part by taking concrete steps to broaden the basis for international cooperation wherever possible. In our region of Southeast Asia, Singapore is committed to building an ASEAN-centred regional architecture. Beyond ASEAN, Singapore has championed and contributed to the rules-based multilateral system, which is key to effective governance of the global commons. This includes participating actively in the development of international rules and norms at the United Nations (UN). We followed up with our role in bringing about the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted in 1982, by facilitating the conclusion of an international legally-binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) last month.[+2 sentences] Our success in facilitating the conclusion of these landmark agreements reflects the trust that the international community has in Singapore to play the role of an honest broker, especially at a time when geopolitical rivalries are intensifying. We take climate change very seriously as it is an existential issue for a low-lying island like Singapore. Singapore co-facilitated negotiations on developing carbon markets over the past two years, thereby contributing to the world’s collective effort to limit global carbon emissions.[+1 sentence] On the economic front, we continue to uphold a free, open and rules-based multilateral trading system as embodied by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Beyond the WTO, we have also promoted inclusive economic integration through forward-looking trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as well as Digital Economy Agreements and Green Economy Agreements with countries like Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and the UK. Singapore has also played an active role in norms-setting and global governance on other issues in which we have a stake. We are helping to build a secure and peaceful cyberspace through chairing the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on Security of and in the Use of Information and Communications Technologies 2021-2025; and contributing to the global fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism through Singapore’s Presidency of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).[+6 sentences] Singapore participates and takes on leadership roles in these platforms to foster common ground on which countries big and small can work together; to encourage the restoration of strategic trust; and to fortify multilateralism as the way forward to address new challenges and opportunities. While there are limits to what we can do as a small country, we must act on our conviction on multilateralism and our needs for peace and security and economic development, and do our utmost to broaden the basis for international cooperation. Mr Speaker, let me return to the observation that “foreign policy begins at home”. The effectiveness of a country’s foreign policy rests on the understanding and support it receives from its people. I hope that what I have shared would help Singaporeans who care about international affairs gain more insight into what we hope to achieve with diplomacy. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)219 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a quick clarification for the Member Mr Saktiandi Supaat on the comments that he made just now. I just wanted to ask through you, basically, to put into context. The report that he was referring to was produced for institutional investors in a commercial context for their investment decisions. And I think if you look at the key conclusions that have been put forth in the report and what I have shared as recent as earlier this afternoon, in that the key constraint that I was speaking about is really the fundamental demand-supply imbalance issue. I spoke about how demand has been resilient, BTO subscription rates, private property take-up rates have been very high. And even the number of marriages has outpaced the number of BTO flats available on the demand side. And similarly on the supply side, I also spoke about how in terms of the private property market, the number of unsold units is at an all-time low.[+3 sentences] And similarly, the number of BTO launches has been lower than what it was, say, 10 years ago. And so, if you look at the demand and supply picture, I think that was consistent in what I have talked about in the last two months. If we look at the affordability that was —
Mr Speaker35 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Chua, it is a clarification, not to repeat what you had said earlier. I think if you want to, highlight the seeming discrepancy between what was in the report and what you have said.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis93 words
[+4 sentences]Yes, Sir, that is correct. So, essentially, in terms of the report, the private property prices continuing to rise may be seen as a healthy investment opportunity to some. But from our national interests, I wonder if Mr Saktiandi would agree that, especially as an economist, if you have house prices not conforming to, in a way, economic norms, whereby with rising interest rates, house prices typically should fall but yet, they continue to be very firm. Would that not be a concern from a national interest standpoint versus an investment decision standpoint?
Mr Speaker1 words
[+1 sentence]Leader.
The Leader of the House (Ms Indranee Rajah)35 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I am sorry, Mr Saktiandi appears to have stepped out. So, I do not think he heard the clarification. Perhaps he can respond to Mr Louis Chua later when he comes back.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Hany Soh.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee)1559 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise to thank Mdm President and speak in support of Her Excellency's Address. Before commencing my speech in proper, I would first like to declare that I am a practising lawyer. Mr Speaker, I concur with Her Excellency that one of the values that shape the Government's agenda is to look into ensuring that in every stage of life, Singaporeans can better cope with uncertainties and look forward with confidence. The COVID-19 period has taught us that just as businesses must have the business continuity plans, families should create their emergency preparedness plans to deal with unforeseen circumstances, such as losing a financial pillar in the family due to sudden death or terminal illness. But one group which we should pay particular attention to in this aspect is our seniors. As shared recently by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the book launch of "Singapore Ageing: Some Issues and Challenges Ahead", our Singapore population is not just ageing, but ageing rapidly. By 2030, almost one in four Singaporeans will be over 65.[+7 sentences] Apart from investing in the appropriate infrastructures in public housing and healthcare, I have shared on several occasions with this House that in my opinion, helping Singaporeans enjoy their golden years with greater peace of mind begins with comprehensive estate planning. This entails the making of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) nomination to appoint your desired donee, so that: one, he or she can manage your assets, welfare and affairs, should you become mentally incapacitated one day; two, making of CPF nominations, to make sure that your desired beneficiaries need not wait too long to receive the financial aid which you have left behind through your CPF savings; and thirdly, making of wills, to ensure that your final wishes pertaining to your legacy are respected. Comprehensive estate planning brings about benefits, not just for your own personal interests, but more particularly, for your loved ones as well, in terms of convenience and saving in costs and time. Proper planning will eliminate the need to deal with tedious paperwork, while grieving over the sudden unfortunate loss of a loved one at the same time. Over the years, the Government has worked with relevant agencies and community partners, stepping up its efforts to increase Singaporeans' awareness in this aspect. For almost a decade, Community Development Councils (CDCs) have been partnering with law society's Pro Bono SG to conduct law awareness weeks to educate residents on basic legal knowledge through legal talks conducted across the five districts at various community centres (CCs) and residents' committee centres (RCs). The talks tailored for those who are not legally trained, are easily digestible and ensure that attendees are equipped with basic legal knowledge, which will come in useful in times of need. In recent years, we have also seen agencies, such as the CPF Board and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), who have embraced digitalisation, streamlining the e-filing process of registering a CPF nomination and LPA respectively. And more recently, to appeal to the general public in ensuring that legal instruments, such as LPA, remains affordable for all, the OPG has yet again extended its $75 application fee waiver to 31 March 2026 for Singaporeans who register for LPA Form One.[+9 sentences] This is, in fact, the fifth extension since its first extension in 2016, as an effort to encourage more Singaporeans to plan ahead and apply for an LPA. But despite these efforts, the take-up rates of Singaporeans making comprehensive estate planning remain less than the majority. I had the opportunity to speak to several seniors during one of the recent law awareness talks organised by our Woodgrove PAP Branch, where our young PAP volunteers who are legally trained, took the opportunity to explain the importance of doing an LPA and walk residents through the process of registering for it. One shared with me that she can understand the importance of doing an LPA, but she hoped that she can sit on this issue for as long as possible, and that "touch wood", she will never need to rely on it. Another couple whom I have spoken to shared that they will not want to trouble their working children to sign the papers as they are all very busy. While I respect their opinions on the matter, it may be that they are simply kicking the can down the road. Just as what Minister Masagos has shared in his speech yesterday, I concurred that Government policies should be deemed as enablers. As policymakers, there is a need for us to be proactive because we know we need to identify issues early before they snowball into larger issues for Singaporeans in need. As such, I think that perhaps the real way to resolve the problem that the seniors and their families may face subsequently, is not to just encourage them to do an LPA now, but to look at how their immediate next-of-kin can assume the responsibility and power to manage their affairs more quickly, without the need to go through a stringent deputyship Court application, should the day come when one becomes mentally incapacitated before an LPA has been made. Currently, if a person becomes mentally incapacitated without making a prior LPA nomination, his immediate family members will have to apply to the Family Justice Court (FJC) to be legally appointed as deputy of the incapacitated patient.[+1 sentence] Notwithstanding, while the FJC has now offered a simplified deputyship application, the process is still viewed as cumbersome and costly. A simplified process still takes at least four to six weeks or so to complete and the time frame may be prolonged if the case gets more complex, where the Court will prompt the intended deputy to retrieve for more information.[+4 sentences] Moreover, consent of immediate family members and relevant persons will need to be sought. In such instances, these requirements often cause more dispute among family members. Siblings or distant relatives of the bedridden patient may feel that the applicants, such as the spouse of the patient, should not be the appointed deputy. This cumbersome procedure may not eventually even lead to a desired outcome, as sometimes, the patient might have passed away halfway through the application. Aligned with what Minister Masagos has shared yesterday, that there is a need to ensure that our social services are comprehensive, convenient and coordinated so that families can get the help they need quickly and easily, to avoid going through such unnecessary hassle, I humbly suggest that the Government consider reviewing the Mental Capacity Act and recommend adjustments such that in the event where no LPA has been made, a certain category of the immediate next-of-kin can assume such responsibility to be the default deputy, upon proof to the OPG that the patient is now mentally incapacitated. This category can be aligned to what is set out in the Intestate Succession Act, where in the event that the patient is married, his or her spouse may be deemed to have the first of right to be the applicant to apply to become the deputy. In the event the patient is still a bachelor when he becomes incapacitated, then either or both of his parents may be deemed to have the first of right to be his or her joint deputies unless either renounces his or her rights.[+1 sentence] In Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): As our population ages, to ensure that Singaporeans and their offspring have a peace of mind, the Government should not only educate Singaporeans about the benefits of estate planning but also delve deeper into exploring ways to assist Singaporeans in the event of unforeseen personal circumstances, for example, when a spouse suddenly suffers a stroke and is bedridden or when the sole breadwinner of the family passes away suddenly.[+11 sentences] We have to find ways to lighten their burdens and worries, especially when they have to deal with onerous legal procedures. (In English): In closing, Mr Speaker, I wish to quote an abstract of a speech by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at one of the National Day Celebration Dinners which he attended in 2009. "We have done well for the last 50 years since 1959. We overcame many difficulties in the early years from 1961 to 1965. After we achieved the steady growth in the mid-1970s, we met setbacks. We overcame them because, together as a people, we faced our difficulties squarely and worked together to resolve them. Had we evaded the problems, hoping that they would go away, we would have failed. Singapore is likely to do well in the next five to 10 years. We can reach a new level of development, but difficulties will crop up and we must always face them squarely, work together and resolve them." Fast forward to today, nearly 14 years since the late Minister Mentor made his speech, we went through his departure, the COVID-19 pandemic and many economic and geopolitical uncertainties, but I am glad and heartened that we have overcome these challenges and will continue to overcome future challenges with the leadership of the People's Action Party (PAP) Government who do not evade problems ahead but face them squarely, working hand in hand with fellow Singaporeans to resolve them. Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the suggestions that I have made earlier in my speech, I support Mdm President's Address.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Sharael Taha.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol)1907 words
[+25 sentences]Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion of Thanks to Mdm President. Before I touch on my two points, I would like to respond to Mr Faisal Manap's speech earlier. Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): In his speech, he said that one of the characteristics of good democracy is that we must be able to agree to disagree. I agree with that, and I respect that because among the PAP Members of Parliament (MPs), there are also differences in opinions with one another. On the issue of the repeal of section 377A and strengthening the definition of family, each Workers’ Party (WP) member took a different position based on the principle of “agreeing to disagree”. The debate on section 377A was a very sensitive one. A leader’s responsibility is not just about opening up space for disagreement. We are also responsible for uniting people with different opinions, move forward and not become divided. It is not just about them expressing different opinions. Therefore, although I agree with what he said about “agree to disagree”, that is simply half of the truth. We cannot shirk our responsibility as MPs. After debating, we make the best decision to enable everyone to move forward. Not to become divided but to stay united. Nonetheless, the most glaring point is not about an incomplete principle. In his speech, I did not hear him highlight an equally important principle in Parliament. It is the principle of integrity and honesty – honesty to the Parliament, to the people and to the nation. (In English): I would like to come back to my speech and touch on my two points. Firstly, amid economic challenges, the Government, businesses and workers must stay united to remain globally competitive and provide good jobs for our people. Secondly, it requires a whole societal approach and it is our collective responsibility to create real and sustainable opportunities for vulnerable groups such as seniors, persons with disabilities, caregivers and special needs workers. Allow me to elaborate on my first point, which I have shared in previous speeches. Singapore faces challenges in maintaining global competitiveness due to geopolitical uncertainties, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and the rivalry between the US and China, which can impact global trade and economic growth. Major powers prioritising their own advantage instead of promoting interdependence and multilateralism also pose a challenge to Singapore's position in the global economy. The high labour cost in Singapore and high inflation globally have increased the cost of doing business. Additionally, the tight labour market has made it challenging for businesses to attract and retain talent, posing a significant challenge for many industries. The business landscape in Singapore is facing additional challenges, including the impending increase in carbon tax and the implementation of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) 2.0 initiative.[+12 sentences] These challenges, along with existing cost pressures, make it more expensive for businesses to operate in Singapore. Furthermore, the US and other countries are offering aggressive tax breaks and subsidies to attract investments and revitalising their domestic manufacturing, which poses competition for Singapore. To remain globally competitive, Singapore must reposition itself and find new opportunities amid economic headwinds. This requires being nimble and agile, responding quickly to new challenges and seeking new opportunities. Staying united and working together is key, with the Government nudging businesses in the right direction but not fostering a sense of dependency. Businesses must be willing to pivot and transform, workers must upskill and retrain, and unions must work together to seek opportunities. In the era of disruptive innovation with artificial intelligence (AI), Industry 4.0, and new business models, stakeholders must focus on working together to maximise opportunities for all. Businesses must be proactive in finding opportunities. They should focus on improving productivity, attaining new capabilities and driving best value instead of depressing wages to remain competitive. Businesses and workers must work together to remain agile. Businesses must invest in developing talent and skills, unlocking new areas of growth. Wage growth must be accompanied by productivity growth, otherwise, it will just increase the cost of doing business, leading to less competitive businesses. The expansion of the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) into other industries and the topping up of the National Productivity Fund with $4 billion is encouraging, but for the National Productivity Fund, how do we ensure the funds are effectively used to drive productivity improvements that will help lower the real cost of doing businesses?[+2 sentences] There will be times that despite productivity improvements, we must be being prepared to pivot, change business models or exit non-competitive businesses. To avoid structural unemployment due to skills mismatch, workers must also be comfortable and confident to retrain seamlessly into growing industries. The Jobs-Skills Integrator pilot in precision engineering, retail and wholesale trade is a positive step towards this goal, but how do we speed up this pace of rollout to other industries?[+2 sentences] To navigate the economic headwinds, Singapore needs to stay united and work together between the Government, business, unions and workers. The tripartite partnership between the Ministry, the unions and employers is unique and must be leveraged. The focus should be on protecting workers and preparing them with the skills required in the evolving economy rather than protecting jobs that may no longer be relevant.[+10 sentences] It is thus essential to strengthen the tripartite alliance to avoid the breakdown of trust and disastrous consequences seen in other countries. Secondly, Mdm President has highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened social capital among Singaporeans and strengthened the sense of being Singaporean. We have shown much care and compassion to each other, acting as concerned citizens helping one another in the face of incredible adversity. We should not let this deepened unity dissipate with the decreased threat of the pandemic and instead, we should harness to expand opportunities for all citizens at every significant stage of life. Mr Speaker, education remains a key lever in nurturing and shaping our future, providing opportunities for all. To ensure equity, we need to mitigate the negative impact of meritocracy by prioritising the distribution of need, where the less well-off gets added resource and support to help them. We must also re-evaluate how we value skills and qualities beyond academic achievements, such that those more skilled with their hands or who are empathetic and employed in community service are also equally rewarded. Providing multiple pathways to success will be key to fulfilling every citizen's potential and moving away from an education arms race. Let us value pursuits beyond paper qualifications and ease the pressure and stress on our young. We have started on a journey of creating equal opportunities long ago and though there is much more that we can do, we have made significant progress in gender equality. We have also begun to pursuit at pace on equality and addressing discrimination at the workplace through our Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) guidelines.[+1 sentence] They are all works in progress. However, we have not been as successful in providing equal opportunities for seniors, persons with disabilities, special needs workers, caregivers and back-to-work mothers.[+8 sentences] We need to do more to support these individuals and ensure that they have access to opportunities to fully participate in society and contribute to the economy. Our seniors, persons with disabilities and special needs workers still face an uphill task in finding meaningful employment and opportunities to contribute to the economy. We have heard much anecdotal evidence – stories shared by our residents – that the opportunity a senior felt that they have was in the conservancy or cleaning industry, which requires long hours on their feet and physical work, is to their disadvantage. This could possibly be due to several limiting factors such as literacy and digital literacy among our current senior workers. However, our next generation of seniors in the next 10 years will be more literate and more digitally capable. We need to prepare them for future reemployment. How do we then design jobs and leverage on remote working so that our future senior workers will have even more opportunities? Similarly, how do we redesign jobs and leverage on remote and flexible work arrangements so that we can provide opportunities for persons with disabilities, caregivers and back-to-work mothers? While there are grants and schemes to assist with their employment such as Senior Employment Credit, Part-Time Re-Employment Grant and Uplifting Employment Credit, what is the percentage of companies that have taken up these grants? Have we done enough, given that by 2030, 900,000 or one in four of our Singaporeans will be above the age of 65 and 3.4% of our resident population has some form of disability? While we have grants and schemes to help nudge behaviours and attitudes, we must substantially move the needle and provide equal opportunities for all. It is our collective societal responsibility to ensure that designing jobs for seniors, persons with disabilities, and special needs workers is our national priority.[+17 sentences] Mr Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): The COVID-19 experience has taught us the importance of staying united, believing in one another regardless of differences and working together as a community to overcome challenges. Over the past two years, at M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol, our volunteers have conducted many programmes such as Get-Together at Pasir Ris-Punggol where more than 1,000 families participated in a children's games festival, and among others, held the KelasMatematika programme to help preschool children by developing their basic mathematical skills. Each month, the M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol volunteers also distributed care packs to underprivileged families. They also conducted a Back-To-School programme where around 160 children from underprivileged families have been given bags, stationery and joined Mathematics classes and the Mendaki Tuition Scheme. M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol also held a Learning Journey series to encourage youths to explore careers in the engineering and 3D-printing industries, as well as the #HashTech hackathon, where students had the opportunity to enhance digital and cybersecurity skills from tech professionals. These programmes were implemented with the support of volunteers, agencies like Majilis Ugama Islam Singapore (MUIS), Malay Activity Executive Committees Councils (MESRA) and Mendaki, as well as industry partners. Our social compact is about society understanding how we communicate and support each other. It reflects our values where it is not only about self-interest but also about the interests of the community. I urge individuals who have made it to give back to the community so that we can further uplift our community especially those less fortunate. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, the past three years have taught us the importance of staying united, trusting one another regardless of differences, and working together as a society to overcome challenges, no matter how hard it can be. We have seen how in other countries issues can be divisive and societies fall apart with deep divides that will take generations to mend. We have learnt that by staying united, trusting one another, we are able to overcome challenges and emerge strongly as a more closely-knit society having gone through adversity together. Our social compact is our collective responsibility. Our shared understanding of how we relate to and support one another will be critical in shaping our future. While we shape our social compact, it is important to avoid creating a culture of dependence on the Government and, instead, we work collaboratively as we tackle the challenges ahead. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua)1456 words
[+16 sentences]Mr Speaker, in her address, President Halimah spoke about the need “to enhance support for persons with disabilities, so they can pursue their aspirations and participate fully as contributing members of society.” Last August, we launched our fourth Enabling Masterplan, EMP2030. Since the launch of the first Masterplan in 2007, we have made good progress in areas, such as early intervention, education, our built environment, public transport, assistive technology and societal norms. But clearly, however, more needs to be done. After the launch of EMP2030, two task forces looking into “alternative employment models” and “independent community living” were set up. Work is underway. Be that as it may, I am dedicating my speech today to persons with disabilities, to speak about some of the challenges they still face today, to keep disability-inclusion on the agenda of Singapore society and suggest how we can do better, collectively. For the central ideas I am going to mention in this speech, I owe a vote of thanks to a few individuals, namely, Karthik, Kelvin, Sze Wee and Judy. We often speak of persons with disabilities as though it were one homogeneous population made up of individuals with similar needs and common challenges. That cannot be farther away from reality. Disability is extremely diverse. Let us take a moment to try to imagine what our world might be like if we were autistic, visually impaired or if we had lost the function of our limbs. The onset of disability can be congenital, traumatic – as in the case of traffic accidents – or progressive, as in muscular dystrophy, to describe just a few possible trajectories. Naturally, the impact on each individual differs. Consequently, service provision in the disability sector demands a keen eye for detail, as diversity is the order of the day. How disability-inclusive a society is can be defined by how well we understand and appreciate the diverse nature of the disability sector and, by extension, how our policies and programmes are designed to cater for the multitude of needs and challenges across disability types and spectra. With these thoughts in mind, I outline today three suggestions to strengthen disability support, particularly in the post-18 space.[+7 sentences] First is the adoption of a case management approach. In the course of their lives, a person with disabilities will interact with support services across different domains, including education, healthcare, employment and social support. A young child with disability typically receives a diagnosis in our hospitals, is referred for services in the early intervention centres and may go on to mainstream or special schools. In his or her adult life, he or she may receive services from employment support programmes, day activity centres or residential homes. Depending on specific healthcare needs, he or she may concurrently receive healthcare services. To ensure that persons with disabilities can access the support they need in a seamless manner, transition coordination is paramount. This can be achieved with an effective case coordinator or manager. Whilst the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) have done much to tighten transitions from early intervention to the schooling years, and from the schooling years into the community, there is a need to strengthen case coordination services to support persons with disabilities (PwDs) throughout their post-18 years. Today, our post-18 services, such as Day Activity Centres, are centre-based. This means that persons with disabilities who do not quite fit into any of the existing service models fall into a service gap. Also, the centre-based approach, as opposed to a person-centric approach, places the burden of sourcing for the right service squarely on the shoulders of the persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Hence, if a person with disabilities does not join any post-18 centre-based services after their schooling years, they also cease to receive much needed case management support.[+8 sentences] So, in this case, a case manager is needed for this group to continue to support the young adult with disability and his family members. For example, the case manager could (a) help navigate the various agencies and systems these young adults are interacting with because of their multiple health, behavioural, employment and/or social care needs; (b) support them to access the necessary support services and grants based on their needs; and (c) connect them and their caregivers to others in the community and enable their meaningful participation and prevent social isolation. Second, we need to recognise that the condition of a person with disabilities does not remain static throughout his or her lifetime. In addition to strengthening case management for persons with disabilities in the post-18 space, we should also adopt a more continual and holistic approach towards assessing and understanding their specific support needs. We cannot solely assess their needs at specific, pre-determined milestones, such as when they graduate from school. Instead, we must review their support needs throughout their lives, as these needs will change from the time they finish school through their adult and, finally, senior years. For example, a person with disabilities’ health condition and level of functioning may change as they age, requiring a different intensity of medical support and personal care services; their work support needs may change, too, as they transit to different types of jobs across their career; or their social and emotional support needs may change as caregivers age and family circumstances evolve with time. We should empower disability service providers, case managers and befrienders to adopt a more person-centric approach, one where they listen to the person with disabilities and their family members, understand their changing needs and support them in navigating the various services they may need to enable them to live independently and continue participating in the life of their home, workplace and community. Third is the provision of integrated, social-health support.[+8 sentences] We should also consider how we can provide more integrated support for PwDs across the health and social sectors. For example, some PwDs need a whole range of home-based services, such as therapy to maintain their physical and mental well-being, personal care services to assist with activities of daily living, such as showering, and befriending and social activities to reduce social isolation. Today, some of these services are provided by healthcare providers, whilst others are provided by social service agencies. Persons with disabilities and their families must navigate a complex web of multiple service providers across different domains. We should simplify this system to provide more coordinated, holistic home-based services for those who need them. Similarly, we should also consider how disability services such as Day Activity Centres and Adult Disability Homes can better meet both the social and health needs of the persons with disabilities they serve simultaneously, such as by providing nursing or therapy services in these centres based on clients’ needs. This would improve the support for adults with physical or multiple disabilities who experience mobility issues and may find it challenging to travel to other facilities just for healthcare services. Applying the same logic of strengthening the social-health integration, we could also consider how our financial assistance schemes can be more integrated for adults with disabilities, especially across the health and social sectors. For example, MediFund provides a safety net for patients who face difficulties with remaining medical bills after receiving Government subsidies and drawing on other means of payment, including those who need intermediate and long-term care in facilities, such as nursing homes. Can we consider extending its coverage to Adult Disability Homes which also provide long-term care?[+4 sentences] Of course, we must study this in detail and ensure that any such move is financially sustainable. But I raise this as an example of how we should consider more integrated social-health support for persons with disabilities and their families, approaching policies from a more person-centric lens. Mr Speaker, because of my work in the disability space, I have been privileged to have been part of some very meaningful and powerful conversations, with PwDs, caregivers, and passionate professionals who have dedicated their lives to serving in this sector. There is broad acknowledgement among them that we have come a long way since the first Enabling Masterplan in 2007. But there is also consensus that there is much more we can, and must do, including in the areas I have highlighted today. We must push ahead with our ongoing efforts to implement EMP2030 and forge a more caring and inclusive Singapore where including and supporting PwDs is part of our everyday lives, where inclusive businesses and services are the norm in our communities, and where PwDs have access to the opportunities and support they need to pursue their aspirations and realise their fullest potential in their everyday lives, just as anyone else would.[+1 sentence] Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat80 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank hon Member Mr Louis Chua for his clarification earlier. I duly recognise the report is meant for institutional clients as he mentioned. But the professional assessment and conclusion in the report is very explicit. Public housing in Singapore today remains affordable, I think I have highlighted the quotes just now.[+1 sentence] Indeed, it is affordable because of the Government policies. I am glad that Mr Chua agrees with us on this matter.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis69 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, Mr Speaker and I thank the Member for his clarification. I just want to reiterate that if he looks at the report, the key conclusion there really is that the key issue which I highlighted consistently across, is that it is really a matter of demand and supply, and what may be favourable from an investment perspective may not exactly be favourable from a national interest perspective.
Mr Speaker8 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Saktiandi Supaat, do you want to respond?
Mr Saktiandi Supaat42 words
[+1 sentence]Speaker, I just want to reiterate again, same points. The bottom line is that Mr Chua's report explicitly states public housing in Singapore is affordable and that in Mr Chua's professional assessment, we are glad to have his agreement on this matter.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)2360 words
[+28 sentences]Sir, in the past eight years, I have tried to speak up for the marginalised, the unheard and the voiceless. But as the saying goes, "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen". And so, in the past eight years, I have also listened. I have listened to painful stories of injustice, discrimination, stigma and hurt. I have shared these stories in this House because we should not be a nation focused only on hardware. As important is the software and the heartware that I spoke about in my maiden speech in this House. Those are the things that make, as President Halimah said in her speech, a Singapore "where we care for and help one another, and pitch in to make a difference to our community". In the past eight years, I have also seen so much positive change. I have seen how the impossible can be made possible when the Government and civil society work hand in hand. "Nothing is impossible, miracles take time". That was what was drilled into me during my NSF days and indeed, nothing is impossible if we do not give up and if we persist. Senior Minister of State Amy Khor recently commended me for my persistence and so I shall persist. In this second session of the 14th Parliament, I will continue to speak up from my heart about issues that matter. I will continue to speak up for a more equal and just society where heartware matters. I will also continue to speak up for giving our people the most valuable thing of all – time. Every Budget, this House debates how our Government should spend its money to support Singaporeans. Every Budget, I have stressed that we cannot just give money; we also need to give time. In my Budget speeches in the past three years, I have spoken up for teachers, social workers and most recently, nurses. They build the heartware of this nation by helping others. But they need time to help themselves too. I spoke up about how we can provide more support to them so that they can help others better. I will continue speaking up for them. But not only do our teachers, social workers and nurses need more time. Many others in Singapore are overworked too. They, too, need more time. Surveys after surveys show that we are one of the most overworked cities in the world, one of the most fatigued countries, one of the most stressful cities, and one of the worst when it comes to work-life balance. I do believe it is time for us to seriously rethink our policies when it comes to work-life balance; time for a reset. I have two suggestions to make. First, I repeat my calls to legislate the right to work from home. Second, I repeat my calls to increase the minimum amount of annual leave entitlement.[+12 sentences] I know I sound like a broken record again but these are important things that will help countless people. President Halimah spoke about wanting a society that values and supports families. Let us give people the time to spend with their loved ones for a start. Let me start with my repeated calls to legislate the right to work from home. I recognise that the Government is looking into work-life harmony and balance. I know we have the Tripartite Standards on Work-Life Harmony and we will soon have the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements. These are undoubtedly good steps forward. But they are far from enough. Before COVID-19, many of us in this House fought hard for legislating the right to flexible work arrangements. We were told that we could not legislate this. That there would be unintended consequences. It took a pandemic to show that work from home is possible. When COVID-19 hit, we legislated and made work from home compulsory for most.[+20 sentences] We aggressively shared how work from home benefits everyone – employers, employees and the whole of Singapore. It benefited our transport system, healthcare system and even addressed gender equality. The right to work from home benefited so many people, including one mother who messaged me last week saying: "Flexibility to work from home has been so crucial in terms of being able to send my daughter to school, given that I commute from Canberra to Jurong Island and don't own a car like many Singaporeans. Also, work from home allows me to work out during lunch hour without sacrificing time with my child and elderly parents. Without this, I would definitely be neglecting my health in favour of family time and chores. I genuinely believe work from home enables a happier society and will facilitate Singapore's move towards being the sort of family-oriented, health-conscious society we want to be. It is especially crucial given the ageing population we expect, and the increasing burden on the working generation. It is not just about having time to support children and elderly parents for appointments or events but having time to form foundational emotional bonds to build strong families across generations". That really sums up the importance of the right to work from home and I could not have said it better. We made great progress during the pandemic when it came to working from home. We could have ridden this momentum. But somehow, we did not. We repealed the work from home legislation and plan to only introduce guidelines on flexible work arrangements (FWAs). We are taking steps backwards. Why? Guidelines send a weak signal. Furthermore, it is strange that the penalty under the guidelines for not providing FWAs would be to curtail a company's Work Pass privileges. If you do not give your employees FWAs, you cannot hire foreigners. How does that make sense? I am not asking that we make work from home compulsory. My first suggestion is that we legislate the right to work from home and give people the choice.[+4 sentences] Employers can still require employees to be in the office for specific business-related reasons. This will truly help in the work-life harmony we are all fighting for. We know through many surveys that people want this right. We should listen to the calls and provide this to help reduce the stress and fatigue in our workforce. Next, we should also give our people more time to rest. We should increase the minimum amount of annual leave. The current minimum of only seven days of annual leave is extremely low.[+21 sentences] I have spoken up about this many times in this House. How many of us sitting here would want only seven days of annual leave? Many other countries in this region provide a higher minimum number of annual leave including Malaysia, Bangladesh, Japan, Myanmar, East Timor, Sri Lanka, Laos, Mongolia, South Korea, Qatar, Yemen, Iran, Kuwait and Indonesia and many more. Many of these countries not only have more days of annual leave, they also have a higher number of paid public holidays. Last week, one netizen shared with me: "I'm honestly shocked that seven days is the minimum annual leave we have. I have 15 days from an MNC and that's the least I've ever had. While we don't have to be as generous as European countries, really seven is embarrassing for a developed country that seeks to allow for its citizens to find some semblance of balance outside of work, for a more sustainable workforce if we need to be pragmatic." I do understand that we need to balance this carefully against what businesses can sustain. But we have an overworked workforce and we need to sustain our workforce too. Our people will always work hard to top global rankings in all industries. But let us make sure we do not top the ranking of the being most overworked city in the world. They need more annual leave. Finally, Sir, I hope that we can continue building the heartware of this nation by being more inclusive. As President Halimah said, "We want every person to be treated equally with dignity and respect." And "we want to reaffirm the core values that we hold dear as Singaporeans – fairness and inclusivity." As we work hard to ensure a less stressful environment for workers, we also need to make it less stressful for women, for breastfeeding mothers and single unwed parents. I repeat my calls to make sure our policies are inclusive for them. In my speech on the Motion of thanks to the President in 2020, I called for more inclusive workplaces for women. I am glad we are making good progress on this by having workplace discrimination laws. This will send a strong signal. I have two further suggestions on how we should further tackle discrimination and be more inclusive. My first suggestion is for breastfeeding mothers and that we ensure the proposed workplace discrimination law will also cover the discrimination breastfeeding mothers face at work.[+9 sentences] In my Adjournment Motion for breastfeeding mothers, I described the shame and discrimination they face at work. The stories are heartbreaking. These mothers are only trying to feed their children, but they are shamed and discriminated against by their co-workers. The difficulties breastfeeding mothers face continues. A nurse who had recently returned to work after her maternity leave shared with me last week that her managers asked her three times on separate occasions to pump in the toilet. When she mentioned that it is not hygienic or sanitary, she was shocked to have them reply saying that other mothers have been pumping in the toilet "all these while". She was appalled by the lack of empathy, understanding and even the sense of basic hygiene. We should provide more help and support. We should ensure that the proposed workplace discrimination law will cover the discrimination breastfeeding mothers face at work. My second suggestion is for single unwed parents and that we do a whole-of-Government review to ensure our policies are inclusive for single unwed parents.[+17 sentences] President Halimah spoke about how "no one should feel left behind". As we work hard to ensure that we strengthen protections against workplace discrimination, the Government should take the lead and ensure that our own policies do not result in any discrimination and that single unwed parents do not feel left behind. For single unwed parents, we know our policies do discriminate and we really should change. After many decades of discrimination in our housing policies against single unwed parents, I am glad they now have fair access to public housing. In 2019, I shared the story of Ema, a single unwed mother. Ema came to see me to appeal for a rental flat. She brought with her a letter from her baby's doctor stating: "As she – the baby – is currently staying in a shelter, she is frequently in contact with other residents who are unwell and hence predisposed to recurrent infection. As such, it will be greatly appreciated if her application for the HDB rental flat can be expedited." Ema told me that she was not asking for sympathy and was simply looking for a roof over her head and her baby's head. I appealed to the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to allow her to rent a flat and I am glad the appeal was successful. HDB replied that: "We are pleased to inform you that we have obtained special approval for you to rent a 1-room flat with your daughter on compassionate grounds." Since I shared her story, Ema has been living in a rental flat with her daughter who has grown to be a happy, bubbly and, most importantly, healthy child. I raised that we are stigmatising single unweds and their children when we tell them that they can only get a roof over their heads through special approvals on compassionate grounds. I am glad that HDB has since updated its website to make clear that single unwed parents can approach HDB for assistance with their rental housing applications. Just last month, a HDB officer told me how HDB is actually not the Housing and Development Board but actually the “好心” Board or, translated into English, the "Good-Hearted Board". Indeed, they are. I have seen HDB officers with big hearts, like Bee Lan and Jeffrey from the HDB Yishun Branch, and Zing, who heads HDB's Rental Housing Department. I have seen how we can make changes to our policies in the spirit of inclusiveness. But again, there is more that needs to be done to tackle the stigma and discrimination that still persists for many single unwed parents.[+3 sentences] I was recently asked in this House whether I want more single unwed parents. Imagine being a single unwed parent or a child of a single unwed parent, watching the debate at home and hearing those words. Imagine a child wondering whether Mummy is wrong for being a single unwed parent. Single unwed parents are just trying their best for their children in difficult circumstances. I hope again that we will review our policies to ensure that they are inclusive and fair for single unwed parents. We are not asking to incentivise being a single unwed parent. We are asking that we provide them a level and equal playing field so that they and their children can have equal opportunities in Singapore.[+3 sentences] Meritocracy should apply to them too. In conclusion, Sir, in my speech for the Motion of Thanks to the President in 2020, I said that, "I will continue to fight for a more caring, compassionate and inclusive society, a society with a strong heartware." This fight continues and continues for so many other causes – for our migrant workers, refugees, climate change, animal welfare and – no, I did not forget – secondhand smoke, cats in HDB flats and childcare leave. I will continue to speak up because our lives begin to end the day we become silent about issues that matter.[+1 sentence] Sir, I will continue to actively speak up on issues that we do not usually actively debate in this House. I support the Motion of Thanks to the President.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Shawn Huang.
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong)1210 words
[+23 sentences]Speaker, in a couple of years, or 843 days, Singapore will celebrate her 60th, our Diamond Jubilee. It would be a significant milestone. It is easy to say from where we stand that we have achieved, but we should not forget the difficult journey and the tough decisions taken to be where we are today. Many from our Pioneer and Merdeka generations, the generation of our parents and our grandparents did not have the same opportunities we have today. At that time, infrastructure was basic, resources were limited and many of that generation made deliberate sacrifices to give up their education early to work, not because they were uninterested. They sacrificed their progression so that a brother or a sister had the money to go to school and enough money for food, to survive. They did so, so that their brothers and sisters could have a better life despite their own detriment. Two volunteers recollected an incident when they responded to a community distress call recently. An elderly lady in her 80s had a suspected cardiac event and needed CPR. They did their best to keep her ventilated and the AED was ready. The ambulance soon arrived and she was taken to hospital. As the two volunteers spoke to the granddaughter, they could not help but notice that the elderly lady's home was full of family photographs. On the wall were the photographs of many of her grandchildren who were university graduates in their graduation garbs – a proud legacy for the family. She started working in a rubber plantation. Her children did well and her grandchildren did even better. In Singapore, in two generations, the entire family was uplifted. This elderly lady is the epitome and paragon of that generation that enabled us, with much certainty, for us to celebrate our Diamond Jubilee. The world today faces a myriad of challenges unprecedented in scale and complexity. We just survived the global pandemic. We now face increasing geopolitical tensions, the challenge of climate change and rising global economic uncertainties ahead. Domestically, our ageing population is one of our gravest concerns. To put it into context, our boomer generation had an annual birth of about 60,000. Today, the number is about 33,000. In 2010, one in 10 were above 65 years old. By 2030, it will be one in four. As our population ages, we will face several challenges, such as increased demand for healthcare services, rising healthcare costs, a shrinking workforce, increased demand for social services, retirement funding, ageism and social isolation.[+10 sentences] And because of this ageing population, we must be mindful of our future economic survival and competitiveness. We will need to accelerate our pace of innovation and technology, drive growth and create new industries. Our institutions must continue to evolve and remain relevant and trusted. We must maintain our skills and capabilities, connectivity and modern infrastructure. We must remain open to trade and investment and maintain our strength and ambition through a strong entrepreneurship culture. Singapore has faced several existential challenges since Independence with much fewer resources. Since then, we have progressed from strength to strength in a continuous journey of nation-building. As we look ahead, we must build a clear vision for our future and imagine what our country and our society would look like. How should we Singaporeans work together to overcome the challenges of today and work towards our future? Most certainly, in our minds, this vision must be inspiring, ambitious and achievable. The Forward Singapore exercise is how we collectively explore our values and priorities and strengthen our social compact for the next bound of our nation's journey.[+17 sentences] How do we empower, steward, equip, care, build and unite for our future? This is our continuous work of nation-building. At its core, it is about building a strong national identity and promoting social cohesion among citizens. It requires the active participation of individuals and communities at all levels of society, from Government leaders, industries, voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), grassroots organisations and every citizen. All of us Singaporeans can contribute to nation-building. This includes being an active and engaged citizen, participating in community events and initiatives, volunteering and providing resources to help others and supporting policies and programmes that promote the common good. How can we help one another take the next step forward through mentoring, volunteering, helping a colleague improve, training junior staff, caring for a neighbour, helping an industry partner become more competitive or partnering a local competitor to win larger overseas projects? How can we collectively push our nation forward? We must work together and empower one another. This means setting aside our differences and working towards a shared vision for a better future for all citizens. It also means investing in education, innovation and infrastructure to create a strong and competitive economy that can provide opportunities for all. It starts with us – individuals and then families, communities and then inspiring others to do more. Every Singaporean plays a vital role in nation-building. To our seniors, we want our seniors to be able to live longer and healthier lives, one that is filled with meaningful social interaction, where our seniors can continue to be relevant and, to the best of their abilities, continue to contribute to society and the community. Many of them are experienced and have much to give back. Above all, we want them to be valued members throughout life. It is a precious and worthy intangible achievement, probably moving from lifelong learning to lifelong teaching. To the youths, we want to give our youths opportunities to expand and live to their fullest potential, unbridled. Our youths must have the determination, ambition, passion and, more importantly, be centred on a strong set of values, identity and culture, to have that curiosity and eagerness for adventure, not just to travel, but to explore new worlds and domains, to build expertise and develop networks and, at every step, be an ambassador of Singapore that values identity and culture – to be proud of being Singaporean. To those doing their level best, those with elderly parents, young children, a family member with chronic illnesses or disabilities and those facing pressures and hostile workplaces, to those who had and needed second chances in life, there are days when you feel alone, facing insurmountable challenges.[+8 sentences] But fear not, for you are not alone. There is strength in our Singapore collective and our community. In unison, like a tug of war, we will drag, we will push, we will pull, with a full heart and full effort and, collectively, we will help one another achieve a full and meaningful life. To Singaporeans and Team Singapore, we strive for Singapore. Yes, a rising tide can lift all boats, but remember that we are all on the same ship, whatever the tide. We must survive. If the waves are relentless, we must be able to submerge and explore below the choppy waves. Where there is no water and we have run aground, we must hover and fly. For our future generations, we shall build the pathways today that will propel us forward with greater strength.[+3 sentences] Let us all work together to build our nation and home for future generations. Majulah Singapura. I stand in support of the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Poh Li San.
Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang)1882 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, President Halimah opened the 14th Parliament by charting out the direction, challenges and priorities for a Singapore for everyone. She emphasised the importance of inclusiveness, the need for a refreshed social compact and, regardless of our different backgrounds, the support for one another in our next phase of nationhood. To be inclusive, the Government must consider the needs of different groups of Singaporeans in their policies and implementation of social programmes. For many decades, our policies have been pro-family and increasingly so over the past few years. These policies are not slowing down even though our total fertility rate continues to plunge year after year, hitting an all-time low of 1.05 in 2022.[+23 sentences] Policies related to housing, caregiving and taxation are causing a divide that favours married Singaporeans more than singles. This policy bias has created growing dissatisfaction among singles. Given the change in lifestyle priorities, singlehood has scaled up to around 30% of Singapore’s population. Broadly speaking, for every Singaporean couple, there is a Singaporean single. This percentage will continue to be more prevalent. The proportion of singles in the age groups below 50 years old has increased and the rise is higher among those below 35. An inclusive society like Singapore should not allow any group, let alone such a significant group, to feel left out in contrast to their married siblings, friends or colleagues simply because of their marital status. Like married individuals, singles work and contribute at workplaces, in communities and take care of their families. They must not be left to feel disengaged, disappointed or even disenchanted. If we do not look into taking better care of this group of Singaporeans, they may well decide to work overseas or even migrate altogether once after their parents pass away. I hope that as a society, we can better appreciate Singaporeans who choose to remain single. Singles contribute to society and they should be provided equal support from the Government and the community. They, too, will need help to cope with the challenges that are more particularly felt by being single. I would like to call for more inclusiveness in our social policies and programmes. There are three pertinent aspects that we should highlight, namely, caregiving for parents, ageing with support and advance care planning. At a certain old age, regular visits to the doctors, frequent hospitalisation or taking care of health conditions that require 24/7 care, such as advanced dementia, is inevitable. With our rapidly greying population, longer life expectancies and smaller families, caregiving duties for elderly parents typically land on singles. Most singles will stay with their parents if their siblings are married with kids. This is seen as the right thing to do. There are even some who decide to remain single so that they can be caregivers and take care of their ailing parents. These caregiving responsibilities require substantial time off work. Often, the health conditions of both parents may deteriorate at the same time, doubling the caregiving load. Not all employees in Singapore get extra leave to care for their parents. Companies in Singapore are required to provide maternity, paternity, childcare and unpaid infant care leave, but not family, parent or eldercare leave.[+13 sentences] Some companies may provide a few days of caregiving leave but this will not suffice if the elderly parent suffers from chronic illnesses. Often times, the caregiver will have to use their annual leave or even apply for unpaid leave to care for their parents. The lower-income groups will tend to face more challenges because most are unable to afford additional resources such as domestic help. Should the caregiver be an unmarried sole breadwinner, he or she will have to continue working while attending to the ailing parents. Having time off for medical appointments and caregiving leave for ailing parents is much needed for singles who are also primary caregivers. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to say a few words in Malay. (In Malay): Not all workers in Singapore get additional leave to look after their parents. Companies in Singapore are required to provide maternity leave, paternity leave, childcare leave and unpaid infant care leave but not family leave, parental care leave or eldercare leave. Some companies may give a few days of caregiving leave but this is not enough if the elderly parents of the workers suffer from chronic diseases. Usually, the caregivers have no choice but to use their annual leave or apply for no-pay leave to take care of their elderly parents. The lower-income group will face more challenges as most of them cannot afford additional resources such as domestic help. If the caregiver is the sole breadwinner who is still single, he or she must continue to work while taking care of his or her frail parents. Having leave for medical appointments and leave to take care of elderly parents who are unwell will be a boon for unmarried caregivers who are also the primary caregivers. (In English): I would like to call upon the Government to consider some medical appointments leave and caregiving leave for parents, to be a mandatory benefit for all employees.[+4 sentences] This benefit will likewise apply to married individuals. Most singles end up living alone upon retirement and after their parents pass on. Divorced and widowed individuals may also live on their own. There will be more and more seniors staying alone. But living in isolation is not a good option and social interaction is essential for one’s cognitive and physical health. These days, sadly, it is no longer uncommon for news reports of seniors found dead alone at home.[+3 sentences] HDB has embarked on assisted living facilities in December 2020, such as the pilot Community Care Apartments in Bukit Batok. These apartments are very small. It is only 32 square metres and will not solve the concerns of the singles as many seniors will still eventually end up staying alone after their spouses pass on. The problems of seniors living in isolation will not be addressed. I like to call for HDB to consider leasing out some of the existing HDB flats in mature estates where the seniors are familiar with and are served by nearby neighbourhood amenities, to set up co-living options for singles, divorced and widowed Singaporeans.[+12 sentences] We could consider developing spaces for three to four singles living together comfortably. These could be leased apartments catered for senior citizens who live alone. To make it work, single seniors could have the option to sell their own properties and invest in such a retirement co-living space. We must provide the support for these single seniors to age well and allow them to enjoy their time together with their flat mates. They could be playing mahjong games, growing plants, cooking or whatever. To add, the co-living flat mates can also help to look out for one another, especially during medical emergencies and request for assistance in a timely manner. The lease could include basic service package comprising cleaning, cooking, marketing and emergency response services. Services could be outsourced to private senior care operators. That way, a group of singles can have the option to stay together and take care of one another in their golden years. Other than securing a roof over their head, singles may also be concerned about securing their finances. In particular, the elderly are more likely to be vulnerable and exploited by scammers and other criminals. They may be preyed upon their confusion due to new technology. Recent scams via phones and online sites had depleted the bank accounts of many senior citizens, even those who are highly educated. I strongly urge the Government to set up trust arrangements for the elderly, especially for singles who do not have partners nor children to help them.[+3 sentences] We do not have to reinvent the wheel. In fact, we can tap on current infrastructure, such as the CPF and accredited insurance companies, which are members of the Policy Owners' Protection Scheme under the Singapore Deposit Insurance Corporation. With economies of scale, the trust arrangement fees can be kept quite low. Their funds can be managed by the trusts which will pay for their expenses such as medical bills and release their pocket money monthly. I urge CPF to consider offering such financial services to retirees, especially to single seniors, so that their retirement funds can be well-managed and protected.[+6 sentences] Mr Speaker, I would like to say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): During the final phase in life, many singles may be concerned that they do not have people whom they trust to assist them in preparing for their final days. For instance, they may need help with their Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for decisions to be made should they lose their mental capacity. They would also need guidance and advice to lodge their medical care preferences through an Advance Care Planning (ACP) session as well as Advance Medical Directive at recognised healthcare institutions. End of life discussions pertaining to tube-feeding and Voluntarily Stop Eating and Drinking (VSED) may be made in advance with qualified medical practitioners and counsellors. Many may require assistance to review their CPF nominations and draw up or review their wills. Perhaps they may have assets that they wish to bequeath to charitable organisations but are not familiar with the arrangements. I urge the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and volunteer welfare organisations (VWOs) to look into setting up such services to assist them, so that they can leave the world with a peace of mind.[+16 sentences] If these singles do not have children, they can contribute their assets to benefit the community after they have passed on. (In English): Social programmes are essential to create community ties and to keep our singles deeply rooted to Singapore. Singapore has to be a place that is attractive, accessible and affordable for our seniors, so that they can live their final years comfortably. Involvement in community work will help singles feel more connected; friends, family and neighbours give them a purpose to stay on and contribute to their homeland. I hope the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth (MCCY) can work with the PA and VWOs to attract more singles to participate in community work. In particular, cause-based programmes. There are many programmes that are designed to engage families with young children, but singles may feel they do not fit in and are not keen to be a part of such programmes. We need to make singles feel welcomed. Mr Speaker, Sir, fairness and inclusiveness have been brought up by singles in feedback sessions frequently. We must review our social policies to ensure that singles are not left out. While we encourage people to get married and have more children, pro-family and single-supportive policies need not be mutually exclusive. Whether you are single or married, we are all part of a Singapore family. We do what we can to take care of our siblings and elderly parents. We would not want our well-resourced singles who do not have close relatives anymore, retiring in countries like Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Let us make everyone feel more included and rooted, with an equal stake in Singapore’s future. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.
[+3 sentences]. (proc text)] [(proc text) 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.'." – . (proc text)]
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Ng Ling Ling.
Ms Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio)2114 words
[+10 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion of thanks. In my maiden parliamentary speech, I spoke about engendering and ensuring the collective and holistic well-being and happiness of our people. This remains a key thrust of my efforts as a Member of Parliament (MP). I thus resonate with the important points made by Mdm President in the Opening of Parliament for the second half of this Government term. As we continue to transit from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a purposeful and comprehensive legislative agenda ahead, I would like to speak on three "M"s that are close to my heart. Not the usual three "M"s debated in this House, but important three "M"s that I will champion to further contribute to building a better Singapore for all. They are: Mental Health, Mentoring and Motherhood. Firstly, my residents in Jalan Kayu know that I strongly advocate and promote healthy living. Through the new Jalan Kayu Community Health Club opened in February, our grassroots leaders partner our regional Central Health system, anchored by Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and the general practitioner (GP) clinics in the neighbourhood to increase health screening awareness and disease management knowledge among our residents. Through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) sponsorship of smart watches, we empower our residents to know and monitor their health better. Two months into operations, more than 600 residents above 40 years old have signed up.[+1 sentence] While we are starting with physical health and common chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar in line with the national Healthier SG roll-out in the next few months, we will also be looking out for the mental health and wellness of our residents. According to the data from the Samaritans of Singapore, a non-religious and not-for-profit charity focusing on crisis intervention and suicide prevention, 378 people here took their own lives in 2021, with the largest group aged 10 to 29 years old.[+5 sentences] Slightly more than one life a day and one too many lives lost. We need to equip more parents with the basic mental health knowledge and skills to help their children and youths when they are going through mental distress beyond normal levels. In super-ageing societies, such as Japan and South Korea, increasing age is associated with increasing depressive symptoms, largely due to poor physical health status and lack of extended family networks. With our fast-ageing population and increase in seniors living alone or only with another senior, we too must be alert to these issues. While early efforts like the National Mental Health Blueprint in 2006, the Community Mental Health Masterplan in 2012 and most recently, the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being in 2021, have all worked towards expanding psychiatric programs and shifting towards more community-based care to increase accessibility to mental health support, the most recent spike in mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated further transformation required in the delivery of mental health services and support, especially for our young and old at the early risk or onset stages of mental health struggles. In this regard, I would like to urge the Government to speed up augmenting mental health treatments and support, currently mostly delivered through hospital psychiatric wards by specialists like psychiatrists or psychologists, in three ways. One, by providing more training and subsidies to family doctors in GP clinics, to make them the first line of care for mental health.[+25 sentences] Walking into a GP clinic is way less intimidating than walking into a psychiatric section of a hospital for most parents, children, youths, young adults and seniors. Most GPs have the basic training but as common mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, are more complex to treat than coughs and cold, many GPs need refresher training, specialists’ peer consultation, teaming with counsellors and higher subsidies for the longer consultations usually needed. Two, by enabling simple-to-use, clinical evidence-based and privacy preserving technology to augment prescription of medicines by GPs and specialists. Innovations like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Based AI chatbots, to provide lower cost counselling, has been progressing worldwide. More can be done to insert these tools to the medical-social team for integrated care of medicine and counselling at a lower cost for patients. And three, by empowering more in the community, including parents, students and grassroots volunteers, with mental health first-aid skills. I will be piloting “Be a Samaritan (BAS) Programme” by SOS in my constituency soon. This is a two-part programme with a one-hour e-learning and a two-hour physical role-playing workshop, which will teach participants the basic skills to be first responders to those facing mental crisis, suicide ideation, or affected by suicide. I hope that more support can be provided to proliferate such skills in the community, like the way we have been training grassroots leaders in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) or Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Let me move on to my next "M", Mentoring. I agree with Mdm President that Singapore must not allow advantages and privileges to become entrenched and persist over generations in a small group. To broaden and make more open the idea of meritocracy, it will require conscious efforts from the whole of society, not just the Government. Young people today continue to have high aspirations and expectations. According to IPS’ “Future of Work Singaporeans Want” survey conducted in October 2022, young people are more likely to value growth, learning and career advancement to job security. In another survey published by TODAY Online in 2022, it was found that although fresh graduates are landing in full-time jobs with higher median salaries and better-than-expected starting pay, those between 21 and 34 expressed lower upward mobility compared to older respondents. This is intertwined with the global macro-economic challenges and competitive realities that our young Singaporeans face. I believe that corporate and business leaders can do more in mentoring our young people. I visited Israel in 2017. Among the many lessons I learned, one that stood out for me was how their older people were willing to mentor all younger ones. I was told that this has been their survival instinct through the generations, so that as many of their people can continue to succeed as possible despite the Jewish Diaspora and traumatic persecutions their people experienced through history, like the Holocaust in World War II. Singapore has several traits like Israel. We are a small nation where our people are our most precious asset. We have our collective memory, formed in our fight for independence and national hood, shaped by threats and opportunities of larger countries and regional powers around us, often outnumbered in size, but not in the will to survive and thrive. Singapore business sector can proliferate a stronger culture of mentoring. Personally, I enjoy mentoring and will be formally or informally mentoring several younger people between five and 25 years younger than me in a year. In my constituency, I have partnered the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Women and Family Division to widen the pool of mentors through the Women-Supporting-Women Mentoring Scheme.[+1 sentence] I learned about the Australian Business and Community Network or ABCN for short recently at the inaugural Singapore Volunteer Management Conference. ABCN is a purpose-led, not-for-profit platform established by a group of like-minded CEOs who collaborate to maximise their impact, especially in making a difference to kids facing poverty, violence or drugs.[+14 sentences] The CEOs know that education is crucial for lifting young Australians out of disadvantage and partner almost 200 schools to empower students through a structured mentoring by volunteers at all levels from companies in the network. I hope to see such collaborative mentoring model replicated and scaled by the business community in Singapore too. Lastly, on the tough but rewarding role that I most value, being a mother. I have never regarded having children as a duty but a joy. Whether by natural delivery or by adoption, parenting teaches us many things in life beyond self. However, there remains a gap in Singapore for young people who aspire to be married to do so, and for young couples desiring children to have them. During my Budget speech earlier this year, I recommended for more upstream and local resources to enable social interactions among our young people. I was involved in a REACH-Friendzone Conversations @Me event in my constituency recently. While it is certainly not a dating platform, the interactions and sharing were most authentic among the participants, majority of whom are 26 to 30 years old. They shared many similar struggles and hopes. Many said they could come after a long day work, because the get-together was near their homes. I am a firm believer that an authentic friendship is the foundation of any enduring relationships, sometimes leading to marriage like for me. This event would have been a one-off if not for a kind sponsorship I personally obtained to plan more sessions in the months ahead. I hope that the Government would consider empowering MPs with more funding support to regularise such thoughtful local social interactions opportunities for our young people in our constituencies. Our total fertility rate has hit record low last year. The Government has done a lot in increasing financial incentives like raising the Baby Bonus, the subsidies for assistive reproduction procedures, infant care and childcare. These are all important measures but according to the 2021 Marriage and Parenthood Survey, besides financial costs, stress and difficulties in managing work and family demands remain the other top reasons why Singaporeans are not prepared to have more children.[+9 sentences] For sandwiched dual-income families, caregiving of both elderly parents and young children can add to further burden. As such, besides financial incentives, I hope that the Government will continue to press in on the tripartite approach, to implement more physio-social support and flexible work arrangements for more employees in Singapore. Even in positions like frontline service staff and intense workplaces like in the healthcare, legal and financial sectors, where flexible working arrangements seem difficult today, I think bolder human resource policies, including employing slightly above establishments to cater for peaks and surges must be trialed to manage work stress, especially for our younger couples. Mr Speaker, please allow me to say some words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the President for the speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government. I hope to raise three suggestions here to contribute to a better Singapore. First, in view of our high-stress society and an aging population, I hope the Government can speed up the delivery options for treatment and support of mental illnesses. Currently, psychiatric illnesses are primarily treated by psychiatrists or psychologists in hospital psychiatric wards. However, I believe that mobilising neighbourhood GPs as the first line of care defence for mental health is a good strategy. For most of the children, youths and adults facing mental health issues at the early stage, it would be less stressful for them to walk into a GP clinic than to go to a psychiatric ward. Most family doctors would have received some basic training, but as common mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, are harder to treat than coughs and colds, many family doctors need continuous education and training, as well as peer-consultations opportunities from their peers and specialists, and collaboration with counsellors. Consultations will also take a longer time and they will need higher subsidies for consultation with patients struggling with mental health.[+2 sentences] I hope that the Government can provide more subsidies and training to GPs with regards to the treatment of mental illnesses, so that they can play a greater role. Secondly, youths today still have high aspirations. According to an IPS survey on "Future of Work Singaporeans Want" in October 2022, young Singaporeans prioritise personal growth, learning opportunities and career progression over job security.[+6 sentences] I believe that companies and business leaders can play a greater role in mentoring young Singaporeans and further promote a mentoring culture. Lastly, on the issue of encouraging our young people to marry and young couples to have children, besides the financial incentives that are important, I hope the Government can press on in the tripartite approach in providing greater support and more flexible work arrangements for more employees. (In English): Mr Speaker, I would like to end with a message of unity. As Singaporeans, we possess the spirit of kindness, drive, and hope. As we start the second session of this Parliament, may we stay united, combining our national will and grit with good stewardship of the hard-earned resources availed to us, to create a better future for ourselves and for our future generations to come. With that, Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang)2888 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Speaker, in Mdm President's speech and over the last few days, we have heard that many of us in this House agree that we must stay united in order to face the turbulence in our journey ahead of us. In an increasingly multi-polar world, I hope that we will, at the same time sharpen our skills and ability to maintain unity in diversity; whether this is the diversity of different backgrounds, cultures, abilities, or even political views and allegiances. It is not a foreign concept in fields such as management and relationship counselling, that disagreement – done respectfully – can be turned into an opportunity to strengthen bonds and build a stronger team. And it is my hope that we can sharpen our skills and ability to do this Singapore and to lead by example here in this House. Indeed, greater inclusivity and respect between diverse individuals and groups has to go beyond lip service – the multiple cross-Ministry and cross-agency task forces, national conversations and consultation exercises set up to look into this matter are only one step in the work to be done for us as a nation to move towards greater inclusivity and accommodation for all. The principle and embrace of our diversity must form the backbone and core of our systems in all areas, whether they be the education system, our built environment, or the workplace. I recall from my growing up years the oft-repeated refrain that our people in Singapore are our only – and greatest – resource and it is this that I will focus my speech on today. To strengthen inclusivity amongst our people, I believe these groups of workers need further attention – our invisible workers who undertake the unpaid labour that forms the backbone of our families and society and our blue collar workers, including migrant workers. Some of these points have been made time and again in this House, but they bear repeating, because we have a ways to go when it comes to moving the needle in a meaningful way. On our invisible, unpaid workers, the Workers' Party (WP) manifesto calls for greater recognition of unpaid labour, as a first step to develop policies that guard against these essential workers ending up with a lack of resources and even becoming indigent in what should be their golden years. In my maiden speech in 2020, I had called for quantification of the work done by these workers, asking for time-use surveys to be a part of our national statistics system.[+7 sentences] This would make such work more visible, better valued and ultimately, allows us to concretely measure the magnitude of the work undertaken and also the success – or not – of our policies in supporting our unpaid workers. And while it is important to get the economics right, we must also ensure that holistic support coming from the entire surrounding ecosystem is in place, from ensuring that flexible work arrangements and meaningful accommodations are accessible to individuals who have to juggle additional caring responsibilities on top of their paid work. As brought up by many in this House, legislation in the forms of right-to-request or even anti-discrimination legislation have an important role to play in bringing this about. And even when such schemes are implemented, we must also continue to remove internalised barriers that prevent our caregivers from leaning in to take advantage of these schemes and accommodations, and make them feel that they should not have to hesitate to use them for fear of being perceived by their employers to be less valuable as a colleague who does not have the same domestic responsibilities. Moving to our blue collar and migrant workers, we appear to be forgetting many key issues that captured our attention during the pandemic. The work that they do may historically have been lower wage and lower status, but without them, where would we be today? The Met Service recently released their report on the urban heat island effect being pronounced in Singapore and I hope that this would underscore the urgency in tackling issues relating to heat inequality. The disproportionate effect that a warming world has on blue collar manual workers and also our more vulnerable households, needs to be better understood and addressed and this is particularly urgent, given last week's logging of a temperature of 36.1°C in Woodlands.[+5 sentences] We need to do our best to alleviate discomfort for workers as well as ensure that workplaces – particularly outdoor workplaces – are safe. Many of us on both sides of the aisle have also spoken about the topic of worker safety, following the number of workplace related deaths and injuries in recent years. While it is likely that casualty rates could fall this year as the pressures of worker shortages and COVID-delays ease, we must reflect deeply on tackling the structural issues that contribute to unsafe working environments for our workers. It is a positive step that the Government has continued to take a tough stance through our criminal justice system against safety violations, but I cannot help but note that these responses only take place after the casualty occurs. I therefore reiterate the calls made by my colleague, the Member for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Mr Leon Perera at this year's COS to reduce the imbalance between migrant workers and employers with a view to improve safety standards and ultimately protect lives and livelihoods. His proposals include better protection to allow workers to feel more comfortable in calling out unsafe practices by instituting whistle-blower protections to ensure confidentiality for such complaints.[+9 sentences] And for migrant workers in particular, it sometimes seems that there is a dignity deficit in the way we treat them. These are people who literally build our country. Recent episodes relating to the way we address the most basic needs of our workers – from inadequate nutrition to poor food handling practices such as lunches left out by the road side exposed to pests and the elements, to the debate over whether standards for new foreign worker dormitories are enough – show that we still have far to go in treating these essential workers with dignity and respect. This also extends to the way we handle their transportation. Just last month, I was driving down the expressway with my five-year old, when he suddenly blurted out, "Why are there so many workers riding on the back of that lorry over there? Isn’t it dangerous? Why do we have to buckle our seat belts and use car seats to keep us safe, when those workers are sitting like that? Is their safety not important?" I had no answers for him and would like to reiterate calls that I made during the debate on the amendment to the Road Traffic Act in 2021 to ban the ferrying of workers in this manner. To address concerns about adding to the business cost, I hope that we can properly quantify what cost this would entail, both as an absolute number across the industry and as a percentage of total construction costs, as a first step to find effective solutions to replace this outdated practice.[+7 sentences] I note that Members in this House have been asking about the possibility of using buses to ferry workers all the way back to at least 2010 – 13 years ago. There is dignity in ensuring high safety standards for all. I hope that we can be bold and commit to a timeline for this to happen. Beyond broad calls for better inclusivity, I would like to hone in on a specific piece of upcoming legislation: anti-discrimination legislation for the workplace. In Mdm President's speech, she reiterated the importance of ensuring a broader and more open meritocracy that works well for Singaporeans. I believe that anti-discrimination legislation is a key tool in achieving this goal. The workplace fairness law was announced by the Prime Minister during the 2021 National Day Rally and we are glad that this is in line with the WP's 2020 manifesto's proposal that we enact legislation to take this step to join the majority of countries that legislate against discrimination at the workplace. With the Milieu Insight report last year finding that one in two workers in Singapore experienced workplace discrimination in the last five years, the enactment of anti-discrimination legislation for the workplace cannot come soon enough.[+1 sentence] In this regard, I noted that the interim report was published earlier this year by the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness and would like to share some thoughts on its contents. First, while the interim report proposes new prohibited grounds of discrimination such as nationality, pregnancy status, mental health conditions, on top of existing TAFEP grounds of age, race, gender, religion, marital status and family responsibilities, it does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.[+7 sentences] This is glaring in the wake of last year's repeal of section 377A of the Penal Code and our Prime Minister's acknowledgement that members of the LGBTQ community are our "colleagues, our brothers and sisters, or some of our children". Second, the interim report does not contain a definition of discrimination and it is unclear whether or not, indirect discrimination will be covered within its ambit. This was noted by the law firm Baker McKenzie, who also published commentary stating that in jurisdictions such as Australia and Hong Kong, both direct and indirect discrimination is unlawful. For those unfamiliar with the concepts, "direct discrimination" refers to intentional discrimination against an individual, while "indirect discrimination" refers to a situation where a person is disadvantaged by a requirement that applies equally to all persons, but has the effect of creating disadvantage against a particular group of people because of a particular characteristic; an example of which would be a ban on headwear at the workplace for all, but has the effect of disproportionately affecting Muslim women or Sikh men more than other groups. Clarity in the new legislation is important for both employers and employees. Upcoming legislation should make clear that all forms of discrimination will not be tolerated in Singapore and prohibit all types of discrimination. This is important, considering that the Milieu survey found that the most common form of discrimination is indirect discrimination. In addition, in line with best practices around the world, the denial of reasonable accommodations should also fall within the meaning of "discrimination" in the new legislation.[+6 sentences] This would also fulfil our international law obligations as a state party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are adjustments at the workplace that are afforded to a person with protected characteristics to assist them in enjoying equal employment opportunities. This issue is especially important to the disability community, which continues to face issues of severe unemployment and under-employment. Reasonable accommodations, such as the provision of screen readers or an accessible office environment, are important for disabled people to contribute meaningfully to our economy. They are also important for other groups, such as breastfeeding mothers, who may require a lactation space in the office, Muslims who require time off to go for Friday prayers and carers who may need flexible work arrangements. Finally, in realising our aspiration to be an inclusive society, I also hope that we can make the procedure for bringing a discrimination claim more accessible, especially for disabled people. As the Disabled People's Association noted in their response to the interim report, many disabled workers do not report the discrimination they face because the reporting channels are themselves not accessible to them.[+7 sentences] We should also make the process of trying to enforce these laws as simple and user-friendly for workers who may not have the time or energy to go through a lengthy or complicated process to seek recourse. Currently, the process that a worker must go through before reaching the Employment Claims Tribunal (ECT) can seem complicated and daunting to someone who is not familiar with the law. The Tripartite Committee should consider how the system may be simplified and streamlined. One way is to empower workers to decide whether they wish to attempt mediation or go directly to the ECT, instead of requiring mandatory mediation. Forcing parties to mediate may be counterproductive in some situations and could also re-traumatise workers who have had particularly bad experiences at their workplace. Additionally, the upcoming workplace fairness legislation is but a first step towards a more diverse and equal Singapore. It does not address the important principle that discrimination cannot be tolerated in every aspect of life. In December 2022, the UN called on member states to enact comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation which goes beyond the workplace.[+16 sentences] I am sure that many of us have heard troubling accounts about discrimination in schools, in the housing rental market, in healthcare and beyond. The role of the law is indispensable in sending a clear signal that discrimination is not tolerated in Singapore and I hope that we can consider our part in enacting a comprehensive anti-discrimination law to ensure that nobody in Singapore has to feel like they are not equal to or less than others. Finally, I would like to share my thoughts on the topic of trust – another recurrent theme of late. It is true that a healthy, good relationship is always built on a bedrock of trust and that the maintenance of this trust is a constant work-in-progress and it shifts and flexes with the effluxion of time. The Government often quotes the high levels of trust our people have in Government and public institutions as being key to our success as a nation. And it is true that we have largely avoided the deep political divide that is believed to have contributed to phenomena like the partisan response to mask mandates and vaccine roll-outs in countries like the US, and that this greatly benefited us in our whole-of-nation fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, what this narrative often neglects is that for any healthy, resilient relationship to properly function, trust has to be present in both directions. During COVID-19, I saw the best in people, not just when we trusted the institutions in their new mandates, but when members of the institutions trusted in people to do the right thing, be it residents who stayed home even when no one was watching, or residents who checked in and bought food for their vulnerable neighbours who had to isolate. People do the right thing. Maybe not always, but very often they do. Apart from expecting and demanding that our people continue to trust in public institutions and leaders, we also need to find ways to repay that trust, to be able to show that we can trust our people. Which makes it an appropriate time to ask the question: after all these generations of nation-building, do we trust our people? And if not, why not? And how can we move to building systems and networks where we can reap maximum benefits for the greater good of our nation that are built on strong mutual trust? One concrete way in which we can start to display and build the trust we have in our people is to look at the information that we make available to all. We should start finding ways to trust our people to be able to maturely and responsibly handle more information, rather than assume the worst of them. In this regard, our Manifesto contains a proposal for a Freedom of Information Act to be enacted, with exceptions for matters relating to national security and defence. Having more information in the public domain leads to a more informed society and builds a democracy where citizens are exposed to all shades of opinion, because public interest is served through enhanced transparency and where communities are best able to make informed choices.[+4 sentences] For example, greater knowledge and transparency on the Budget process let our people understand the sometimes-difficult trade-offs that policymakers have to make and to get buy-in on why we have to push ahead with certain unpopular policies. Indeed, a 2016 paper by Hollie Russon Gilman found that more information leads to collaborative decision-making which, in turn, improves processes and delivery of services, as communities work towards sustainable development and engaged civic innovation – which I cannot help but note is the ostensible goal of the Forward Singapore exercise. On reservations expressed about the costs of enacting such laws, or concerns that civil servants may start trying to take truncated notes as ways to get around freedom of information requests, I hope we have more faith in the integrity and the professionalism of our civil servants and to entrust that they will find means and harness technology to make the administration of such requests more efficient and less costly. After all, as noted in a 2019 article in the Harvard Business Review, when trust is given, you empower the recipient and, in doing so, you develop team members to become stronger contributors and this leads to further empowerment of leaders. The next lap for Team Singapore then is how to continue to build mutual trust between the Government and the people in a world that changes ever more rapidly, and how to keep working on this trust as a strong foundation to fulfil our ultimate aim of unity in diversity.[+1 sentence] I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Edward Chia.
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah)2484 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. Today, I would like to address the important topic of empowering our seniors. Our seniors are not a monolithic entity. They are a diverse group. Importantly, our seniors have the capacity to contribute to our communities and lead purposeful lives. According to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) report on key socioeconomic outcomes across cohorts, 32% of the Merdeka Generation cohort progressed beyond secondary education, while 49% of seniors born between 1960 and 1969 made it there.[+9 sentences] Education levels over the years have increased, and these differing archetypes also mean that seniors have different expectations and capacities in their golden years. Newer cohorts of seniors, who are more educated and healthier due to advanced healthcare, will feel they have more to contribute to our society. In my speech, I will further discuss how we can further support older men, such that they have a solid support system after retirement, the importance of creating more opportunities for seniors with interests to contribute back to society, civic engagement with seniors and the necessity of inclusive workplace policies. Statistics have shown that men are more likely to experience loneliness in old age compared to women. This phenomenon can be attributed to various factors, including societal norms and expectations around masculinity. Men may have been socialised to be more independent and self-reliant, which can result in fewer social connections and support systems as they age. Additionally, traditional gender roles may have limited men's opportunity for socialisation outside of the work and family roles, leading to fewer social connections in later life. As a result, older men face increased risks of loneliness and its associated negative impacts on physical and mental health. It is important to recognise and address the unique challenges that men may face in terms of loneliness in old age and to promote strategies and interventions that support healthy social connections and well-being in this group of the population. A 2010 study on older men and women in Singapore found that having a strong social network outside of the household moderated depressive symptoms among older men.[+16 sentences] In other words, men living alone with weak social networks were reported to have higher depressive symptom scores, compared to those with strong social networks outside the family. There is an interesting idea I chanced upon: Men's Sheds. They refer to any community-based, non-profit, non-commercial organisation that is accessible to all men and whose primary activity is the provision of a safe and friendly environment. A major objective is to advance the well-being and health of their male members. They are community spaces designed for men to connect, converse and create, and have become one of the most widespread and effective tools in addressing health and well-being, especially for older men, in many countries, including the UK and Australia. Men's Sheds provide a supportive environment for men to engage in a diverse range of activities, from technical skills like furniture-making and woodwork, to simply grabbing coffee and talking. This movement originated in Australia around the 1980s as a way to improve the health and well-being of older men, recognising that men may be more reluctant to talk about their emotions and seek help due to societal expectations of toxic masculinity. Men's Sheds are often run by the men who use them, in a bottom-up approach, which can elicit stronger feelings of fulfilment and achievement. In the UK, many Men's Sheds are run by grassroots organisations, such as Age UK, while in Australia, there are management committees responsible for creating a safe and welcoming environment for men to work on community projects of their choice. Men's Sheds provide an important avenue for older men to combat isolation, loneliness and depression and to regain a sense of value and productivity in their communities. A 2021 study on the impact of Men's Sheds provided a model that showed many different and interlinked ways in which Shed activities can positively impact the behaviours and attitudes of Shed users, in the areas of increased health seeking behaviours, improved perspectives on personal and management of health and improved ability to manage and overcome physical and mental illness and recovery among men. The model also demonstrated some of the less obvious ways in which activities can have positive health outcomes. For example, men may attend a Shed simply to engage in practical activities. However, this may lead to unexpected improvements in their ability to cope with adversity by finding a social network that they could experience support and understanding from. These findings are significant from a policy standpoint because they suggest that initiatives like Men's Sheds, while not directly delivering a health service, can contribute to engaging men in health improvement practices and increase their health knowledge, thereby strengthening the case to push for such initiatives. Similar to Men's Sheds, Senior Activity Centres (SACs) in Singapore's context function as centres to provide support for seniors through various programmes, activities and outreach. As of 2019, there are more than 50 SACs serving approximately 40,000 seniors in Singapore. However, a 2011 study on social networks and depressive symptoms among older adults in Singapore revealed that men, 40%, are under-represented, as compared to women, 60%, among frequent users of SACs. In the Fei Yue Seniors Activity Centre at Zhenghua where I serve as a Member of Parliament, the current membership of females is 56.8%, while for males it is 43.2%, roughly equal. However, the participation rate for females are three times higher than males: 75.8% for females and 24.2% for males.[+32 sentences] We can see that membership rates at this centre are fairly even, while participation rates are skewed, with more women taking part. Possible reasons shared by our staff are that some male members are still the breadwinners of their family and they do not have the time for such activities. Male members may also be more closed-off and do not wish to be engaged at all. Activities, such as craft sessions and Zumba, are generally held in many centres but may not be appealing to the male members. However, activities, such as drone flying and carpentry which are more attractive to men, are hard to come by due to space and cost constraints. The need for dedicated Men Sheds and activities, hence, becomes even more important to engage men. Hence, can the Government work together with operators of SACs to better understand the factors that result in men being less likely to frequent SACs? Such data will be helpful in enhancing the current slew of programmes offered in SACs to better cater to the needs and preferences of older men. This information is also important to ascertain if current SACs possess the capacity to support older men or if dedicated facilities for men, as in the case of Men's Sheds, are necessary. Moreover, if the data eventually reveals that present programmes in SACs can be tweaked to better encompass the needs of older men, can the Government consider implementing a consolidated framework across SACs that streamlines key objectives, approaches and outcomes for older men? I would also like to call on the People's Association (PA) to look into providing more programmes to encourage grassroots participation among older men. At present, PA, through the Women's Integration Network Council, manages a network of Women's Executive Committees (WECs). WECs run a range of programmes to meet the needs of women from different backgrounds, ranging from health matters, parenting, managing work-life balance, financial literacy and employability. WECs also help to form interest groups for women to interact with one another over shared interests and volunteering opportunities. Can PA consider similar approaches for men that, in particular, focus on providing more tools and programmes to better meet the needs of older men? Mr Speaker, Sir, it has been a privilege meeting seniors in my constituency and they often inspire me and my team. Mr Abas bin Jaffar is one such inspiring resident in Zhenghua. He is 68 years old. His first job was in a shipping company, where he worked from 1976 to 1989 as a pattern-maker and excelled in the role so much so that he received the NTUC Model Worker Award in 1984. Later, he became a hawkerpreneur for 30 years from 1989 to 2019 at various locations. He then joined the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkletots as a part-time cook in 2019 and, from 2022, now works full-time as their chef-in-residence. Throughout the shift in his career paths, he has found tremendous fulfilment and enjoyment in his various professions. Cooking allows him to be creative and he loves experimenting with new flavours and techniques. Moreover, the joy of seeing young children at PCF Sparkletots enjoying his dishes is incredibly rewarding. Overall, this third wave of his career has been a perfect fit and he looks forward to providing nutritious meals to our children for many years to come. This made me reflect on the untapped potential that other seniors have, and how we must utilise it, such that they can contribute to society in whatever ways they find meaningful. Many studies have shown that the way to longevity and health is the constant stimulation of the mind through social relationships like work and continuous learning. Two themes consistently come up. One, social relationships that you can gain from continually working and staying connected and, the other, continuous learning. This is very important moving forward as our population ages and our senior workers continue to form an ever-increasing share of our workforce. Enabling companies to provide inclusive workplace policies continues to be crucial in addressing age discrimination in the workplace. Employers can take steps to integrate older adults into the workforce by offering informal and formal "second or third wave of career pathways" that allow older adults to re-enter or remain in the workforce. The Government has initiated inclusive workplace policies such as the Senior Employment Credit where wage offsets are provided for employers who hire seniors aged 55 and above and other policies like the Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant.[+2 sentences] While these policies enable companies to provide inclusive workplace policies and prevent age-related discrimination in the workplace, I believe that initiatives can go beyond just a senior's employment longevity. Like younger workers, our senior workers are also required to keep up with the ever-changing workforce and economy. Notably, in the recent Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Committee of Supply (COS), MOM shared about CareersFinder being a viable resource to help employees climb the career ladder, stay current and employable, regardless of whether one is in their early, mid or later stage of his or her career. Will the CareersFinder through the Jobs Transformation Maps (JTMs) be available to seniors beyond the official retirement age?[+14 sentences] Are there any concrete training programmes identified in these JTMs that would benefit seniors and ensure they continue to stay relevant in the workforce? Apart from formal work for our seniors, there can be more opportunities for seniors with interests to contribute back to society as a way to feel purposeful in their golden years. Such opportunities could be in the area of volunteerism. Today, it is heartening to see many volunteering programmes that bring together young volunteers and seniors to engage in activities to build intergenerational bond. For example, the YOLDEN programme helmed by Youth Corps Singapore brings together our young and senior individuals through activities like the senior befriending programme. What if there could be volunteering programmes where our seniors are instead the volunteers and our young ones are being engaged in activities? With the same intention but different execution, it could create a sense of fulfilment amongst our seniors. During my Meet-the-People session at Zhenghua, I am often heartened to witness the robustness of our senior volunteers in registration for our residents and even assisting with the administrative matters that involve the use of digital gadgets. Often, our young volunteers and I draw on our senior volunteers' language and dialect abilities to assist in engaging residents in need. Watching how our young and seniors serving collaboratively at the People's Action Party (PAP) Zhenghua Branch, is one of my greatest joy. In fact, this is one of the actionable ways to address ageism. By providing opportunities to serve collaboratively, we break down corrosive stigmas. It is important that we continue to be innovative in engaging our seniors, be it through employment or other forms of active ageing that is purposeful and fulfilling. Another important aspect would include civic engagement with our seniors. Age-friendly civic participation and employment is a crucial domain in the World Health Organization's framework for age-friendly cities.[+6 sentences] Civic participation involves the active involvement of seniors in collective decision-making processes, ranging from sharing of information to participating in public consultations and community ideation. Research shows that seniors who engage in civic participation tend to feel more invested and valued in their community, fostering a sense of belonging and meaning in life. Mechanisms used to engage seniors in community decisions also have a social component, facilitating the formation of new social ties and strengthening neighbourhood social capital. However, there are barriers to civic engagement among seniors. Barriers such as ageism and mobility challenges can make it difficult for seniors to access places where decision-making takes place. Additionally, age-related declines and impairments in physical and mental functioning may pose challenges to seniors' participation in civic activities. The civic engagement process encompasses four stages: informing, consulting, partnership and complete ownership. However, due to the challenges mentioned above, engagements with older adults may be limited to informing and consulting, rather than involving them in partnership or complete ownership of decision-making processes. As shared earlier in my speech, the new cohort of seniors will lead healthier lives through Healthier SG and with more focused engagements for key demographics such as men and more formal employment and volunteering opportunities, our seniors will be able to take part fully in the civic participation process.[+8 sentences] This in turn creates a positive virtuous cycle that ensures our seniors are valued, included and actively contribute to our communities. The ForwardSG exercise is an excellent opportunity to do so. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have shared in this house before that we should not view ageing as a silver tsunami but instead view this as a silver lining. Our seniors have the capacity to contribute and we must, we must, purposefully engage them. Like Mr Abas bin Jaffar who is experiencing a third wave and numerous senior volunteers at the PAP Zhenghua Branch, many more can contribute. We must energise them and provide pathways to do so. By doing so, we will effectively respond to the President's address that "we want a Singapore where everyone belongs and every citizen has the chance to achieve his or her fullest potential". Indeed, this is relevant to our seniors as well as they have the potential to give back multi-fold to society in many aspects.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Minister for Law (Ms Rahayu Mahzam)2216 words
[+28 sentences]There is something sacred about the Parliamentary process. And in Singapore, in this House, we take great effort to honour this process and preserve the sanctity of Parliament. This House is often a place of disagreement, but we strive to debate with decorum. We all seek attention so that the views of our constituents and the people we serve are heard, but we have to do so tastefully and without theatrics. And beyond just talking about issues, we have to take action. In particular, the Government has to translate the debate, to the policies and execute them, to address issues and make lives better for Singaporeans. Whilst there may be a general understanding by the public that Parliament is an important place where issues of significance are debated and laws of the land are made, there may not be full appreciation of the rigour and decorum that members have to abide by and the work it takes to bring forth meaningful debates. The words uttered in this house are not merely our thoughts alone but represent the voices of the Singapore community we serve. All Members of this House have a responsibility to seek out feedback, listen, discern, prepare and convey the views constructively. For many of us, this entails hours of block visits, going through residents' appeals, dialogues, meetings and research. Parliament is not the only channel for us to raise issues and nudge for change, but it is certainly a significant platform. I have seen what transpires in other Parliaments and I am glad we do things differently here. I believe in the Singapore way of doing things. An approach that is substantive, data-driven, pragmatic, forward-looking and constructive. We learn and imbibe furiously lessons from the developments and advancements in other countries, but we always acknowledge and adjust to our local context, often cautious and calibrated so as not to dismantle all that we have built. We should continue to take this approach as we discuss the refresh of our social compact. In the book "What We Owe Each Other", Minouche Shafik said and I quote, "The way a society is structured has profound consequences for the lives of those living in it and the architecture of opportunity they face. It determines not just their material conditions but also their well-being, relationships and life prospects." Minoushe explains that the structure of society is determined by institutions such as its political and legal systems, the economy, the way in which family and community life are organised. She believes the social contract – the norms and rules the society has agreed to, is the most important determinant of the kinds of lives we lead. The impact of the structure of society on an individual's development and well-being cannot be underestimated. I am a woman, from a minority community, born to parents who were not highly educated and who had modest income. In some other part of the world, my circumstances would have set me back and denied me of many opportunities – education, opportunities at work, a chance to speak in Parliament. Honestly, often, I find that because I am from a minority community and a woman, I am given many opportunities as there are institutions, establishments and people who seek to embrace diversity and support those who do not start with much. I am not oblivious to the fact that some may not have the same experience as me. And therefore, as many in this House have espoused, we must ensure access to opportunities for social mobility are available to all. I am heartened by the different efforts by the Government over the years to build the architecture of opportunity. One effort is in developing early childhood education. The findings in the Growing Up In Singapore Towards Healthy Outcomes, GUSTO study, had been informative.[+10 sentences] We know that early childhood experiences can impact the child's trajectory in life. So, we start early. We make early childhood education affordable and support parents who need help. One of my favourite programmes is KidSTART. It is an upstream programme supporting pregnant mothers and children from low-income families aged zero to six. I am very glad the programme has been scaled up to benefit more children. Another area I am particularly excited about is in mentoring. We all know the virtues of mentoring – in particular, to help open world views, exposing young people to new sectors they would otherwise not know exist. Through the National Youth Council and the YouthCorp, there have been many programmes supporting youth development. There are also now specific efforts in the mentoring space. In 2021, the Mentoring Alliance for Action was set up to develop common resources and share best practices on mentoring to raise the standards of mentoring in the youth sector and help young people achieve their full potential. A year later, an independent office, Mentoring SG was set up to continue building on this effort. In the Malay/Muslim space, I oversee the youth mentoring and empowerment efforts in M3, aimed at making mentoring programmes available and accessible to our young people.[+10 sentences] While the Government can help provide structures for key areas, there will never be enough resources to go around and we need stakeholders to step up to fill in the gaps. President Halimah spoke about the strengthening of collective responsibility. Indeed, as a society, we need to internalise the important role we play individually and collectively to build the society we want to see. In the course of my work serving in Bukit Batok East, I have seen residents, people in the community doing just that. One of my residents, became a temporary caregiver to her neighbour who fell ill and became immobile. She would bathe her, feed her and care for her daily till she regained strength. She did that completely out of goodwill and her compassion is inspiring. I am also inspired and grateful to a group of business owners, elderly gentlemen who have consistently donated to my food pack programmes. They hardly speak English and I can barely string a sentence in Mandarin but we would meet every once in a while for an update on the programme and I would make a request for continued support for donations. I am grateful to my volunteer Mr Desmond Sim for always coordinating this and also always donating towards the cause. As we call for more stakeholders to play a role, I would like to propose that some attention be given to build two areas – capability and culture.[+4 sentences] I am referring to building the capability and skills of volunteers and nurturing a healthy culture of social responsibility and sense of community in all aspects of our lives. I will focus on the workplace as an example. More and more now, we will be relying on volunteers to help execute national programmes, for example for the ComLink efforts, or in mentoring programmes, or for M3. The volunteers today need to be skilled because they have higher order roles. They do not just arrange tables and chairs but are expected to engage families or individuals with challenges or give guidance on existing Government resources.[+1 sentence] These engagements require a certain skillset. I note that often training is provided before the volunteers are brought on board a certain programme but it is imperative, that we take a strategic approach in growing the volunteer pool, maintaining the interest, tapping on existing volunteer groups, rationalising the competing needs in various sectors for volunteers and having a sustainable volunteer development path.[+11 sentences] We would also want our volunteers to grow, take ownership, develop strategies, leverage on technology and think about better ways of doing things. I therefore think it is important to make an investment in capability building. Mr Speaker, in Malay. (In Malay): M3 is the Malay-Muslim community's effort to uplift lives, in particular, of those from low-income families. Volunteers form the backbone of all the M3 efforts that we have carried out. On this occasion, I would like to thank all who have contributed to this noble cause. A lot have been done with the past three to four years, but a lot more has to be worked on. In particular, I feel we need to think of our community's strategy as we discuss collective responsibility. I know many of us care about the wellbeing of our community and have our own ideas on how to carry out certain programmes. This is something to be proud of. But I would like to call on volunteers to pause and reflect on the effectiveness of the effort carried out. What is the need of your target group and what can be done to make more impactful changes? We do not always need to have new programmes but maybe we could collaborate on an existing programme so that we can strengthen that programme, if it is effective.[+21 sentences] We should also move towards long-term programmes which can truly help the families or youth that are targeted, to change their lives. For example, instead of giving food donations once a year, could we see how we could continue to connect with the family or be a mentor to the young child in the family. Because consistent efforts, when done in a rigorous manner, may be more effective. I hope we can continue to improve our efforts in helping families who face challenging circumstances. (In English): The other area we should look at is in building a culture of collective responsibility and a sense of community in all aspects of our lives. I would like to focus on the workplace. The workplace is where we spend a large part of our lives. What we do at work has an impact on the organisation we work for as well as the larger community and the economy. The work and work culture also have an impact on our well-being. We want workers to feel excited about their roles, take ownership in what they do. This can only happen if they feel valued and treated with respect, where their strengths are nurtured and where they can thrive. There was a Lianhe Zaobao article by Mr Liu Jiakeng which commented on the “I’m just an employee” attitude. He recounted his personal experience with a shared car-renting service. In summary, he was concerned with the rather robotic responses he received which reflected a lack of initiative and a lack of a sense of responsibility. He feels it is troubling if many young people have this attitude. On the other hand, I have had conversations with some young people who shared why they feel uninspired or are just doing the bare minimum at work because they feel they are just numbers. One of them shared about how a recent mass lay-off and the way the company treated the staff made her not want to give so much of herself in her new workplace for fear of being burnt again. Another person, whose company also had a mass lay-off, but was not laid off himself, also had similar sentiments. Work has become transactional for them. I have also heard about those who would very much like to upskill but are not given the time and opportunity to do so. This is a source of much frustration. The relationship between the employer and employee is a two-way street. I would assert that there is a lot more that employers can do in taking the responsibility to create a positive and thriving work environment.[+1 sentence] I urge employers to take more effort in doing so, as there are clear benefits that arise from investing in goodwill with your employees. Have frank conversations about expectations, respect needs and aspirations of your staff, explore creative solutions and arrangements that can be a win-win for your team. We have learnt some lessons during the pandemic, for example, on the value and feasibility of flexible work arrangements (FWAs). I urge more employers to press on and make FWAs a permanent feature of the workplace. Doing so may require adjustments to be made to your businesses and HR practices, possibly also to the way work is configured so that the load can be effectively and flexibly shared. However, I believe this can result in improved productivity.[+8 sentences] I hope as more employers become more conscious of their roles and take real steps to create a healthy workplace culture, we will see a more dedicated workforce that is energised and committed to ride the wave of challenges that will come. Mr Speaker, Singapore is a constant work in progress. Our society has matured, where, in general, our basic needs have been met. We now need to nurture the soul of our society. The President’s Address to this House on the direction of the Government in the second half of our term has come at an important juncture of our history, as we are maturing as a nation, as we transit to living with COVID-19 and as we seek to navigate the challenges in this troubled world. We face an important challenge of rallying everyone to a common vision. I hope people are encouraged by the passion shown by Members of this House and respond to the call to step up and walk this journey together. I stand in support of this Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Henry Kwek.
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru)1814 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Motion. I would like to speak today about the youths and our evolving social compact. Most youths I talk to understand and appreciate their importance to society. Nevertheless, Forward SG gives us the chance to listen to our youths, to understand their hopes and dreams so that we can revitalise our social contract. Since Forward Singapore began, I have spoken to a number of youths from 16 to 35 years old in groups and in person. They broadly understand and support our social compact, believing that Singapore can help them to reach their goals. However, as circumstances change, we may need to finetune our policies. I have identified two groups of Singaporean youths who may need more support from the society. The first group are youths from very modest backgrounds, a very small group, and the second group are youths from the middle class who have done very well, and this is a larger group for whom we can do more to preserve their ambition to succeed.[+19 sentences] Let me start by examining the challenges faced by the first group, the youths from very modest backgrounds. Many of them grew up in rental or 3-room flats, usually in the sandwich class. These youths face financial pressures from the moment they receive their first paycheck. They must often care for their parents, a responsibility that can be especially difficult if somebody falls ill. When it comes down to settling down, while housing is affordable, saving for a downpayment for them can be a challenge. These youths also feel overwhelmed when compared to their more accomplished peers. They may not have the same breadth of experience in education or co-curricular activities (CCA) because they spent most of their youth doing part-time work. They also lack access to social capital when faced with life's obstacles. This is, as I said, not a very big group of Singaporeans, perhaps maybe 10% of all youths. Many of them are tested by COVID-19; they are hardworking, realistic and resilient. Let me paraphrase what I have heard from this group: “Singaporeans think that we are the strawberry generations. But we have been dropped to the floor and rolled over by life. We may not have grown up into durians but, hey, we are still standing. We are tougher than people think. We understand that the world is complex and disruption is the new norm. But we do not know much beyond what we read online. We wish that there were knowledgeable people in different walks of life and different industries who care about us, who can guide us in our career path. We do not seek shortcuts; we just want help to reach our fullest potential as soon as possible.” For this group of Singaporean youths, we can do more to support their aspirations in three ways. First, I hope the Housing and Development Board (HDB) can consider helping them with their cash flow by allowing them to pay only half the downpayment and increasing the loan quantum that they can enjoy.[+3 sentences] As they are still young, they are likely to be able to afford higher monthly instalments. For poor families living in rental flats, HDB has consistently leaned forward and exercised considerable and, I might say, admirable discretion to help them buy the homes through programmes, such as Fresh Start. So, I hope that, in the same vein, HDB can provide more support to this small group of Singaporean youths to finance their flats, so that they have the cash flow to pay for basic renovations and to settle down. Second, we can also better support these youths with career mentoring and peer support outside of the traditional school environment.[+8 sentences] My volunteers at Kebun Baru plan to partner volunteers and social enterprises in two ways. One, we observed that youths spend a vast amount of their time online and have a limited social circle, which comprises mainly of friends from school. They hunger for friends in real life but, frankly, they do not know where to start in befriending more people. Kebun Baru would like to partner groups like Friendzone to spark friendships among youths in our neighborhood. Two, we have many capable residents who love to mentor the youths in career and life. We will partner The Astronaut Collective to guide our youths to help them match their passion with their careers. There are many such efforts where the people sector partner together to help our youths. I hope that the Government can also incentivise such projects and social enterprises, for there is much work that must be done. Thirdly, I hope that the Ministry of Education (MOE) can consider teaching our youths more life skills.[+18 sentences] This will disproportionately help youths from disadvantaged backgrounds, given the fact that they face more challenges and possess less social capital. An important area is financial literary. Our youths today need greater skill in navigating very different economic lives compared to generations before. A lot of their decisions, such as balancing needs vs wants, must be made through a lens of financial prudence. Financial literacy is an important thing to teach. Second is meditation, which is taught in a secular way in some school systems in the world. Why meditation? Here is the thing. We are living in an age where our youths are overloaded with information. With artificial intelligence (AI), knowledge is practically free. What is needed in this brave new world is wisdom to apply the relevant knowledge and information, and it is difficult to be wise unless a person is emotionally balanced. And mediation is a powerful way for one to centre one’s mind. We can and we must teach our youths this. Let me move now to the second group of youths, our successful youths from the middle class. They are not overly concerned about their careers due to their educational success and their resources. They possess social capital to navigate through adulthood but face a bigger financial burden in purchasing a home compared to a decade ago. Their good salaries and career progressions make them ineligible for a new Build-To-Order (BTO) and not all parents can assist them with the purchase of a resale flat or private condo. Fearing prices will only increase, they often buy houses before they are financially prepared. To address this issue, I hope that HDB can consider, over time, raising the income ceiling for BTOs and also locking the income criteria to within three years of successful booking of the flat.[+3 sentences] This means that if applicants have an unexpected career progression and a pay jump, it can be accommodated if it is not excessive. I have met more and more young, successful couples who are considering taking a backseat temporarily because of this potential cliff effect. They are worried that if they take on this promotion, they will have more pay and they will miss out on HDB and they might be pushed to buy condominiums which are more expensive. I understand that HDB's current priority must be to complete the existing backlog of flats, and relaxing the application criteria now would only lengthen the waiting time for all. However, if the Government intends to adjust this sometime later, after the housing shortage is resolved, I hope that the Government can signal its intention after the completion of Forward Singapore to reduce anxiety and moderate housing demand for this group of youths. Additionally, I hope the Government can also consider more measures to moderate condominium prices, particularly in non-city core areas by non-Singaporeans.[+24 sentences] I understand that beyond the current approach, such as much higher Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD), there are no easy answers. Let me now round up my speech by suggesting how we can also get our youths to understand and support the inclusive Singapore that we have built. Over the past few decades, past two decades in particular, we have built an inclusive Singapore. We have taken major steps in the last decade to raise wages, particularly for low-wage workers and seniors. We have boosted our social safety net and made strides in environmental protection and, now, more than 50% of our Budget is for social spending. Fortunately, Singaporeans are willing to make the trade-offs in terms of higher cost of living and taxation. However, let us not assume that our youths will automatically sign off to pay for this fair and just society. It may be a surprising thing to say, as there is a strong national consensus on this today. But we only need to look at many developed countries, developed democracies, to know that this is not a given. Many of their citizens today are now questioning the generous social compact and debt that they have inherited. When I speak to our youths, I realised that many of them are more pessimistic about the world, at least compared to my generation at their age. This is even as our society has now a lot more resources to care and nurture them, compared to my generation. Many of them do actually worry about bread-and-butter issues and how to keep their aspirations and passion in the face of reality. But if we look the world through their lenses, it is possible to understand why. When I was their age, Singapore and the world were brimming with optimism. We were celebrating the end of history, and we were at the cusp of the Asia Pacific century amidst balanced and positive US-China relations. Then, technology and the Internet brought a seemingly endless promise. Social media has yet to accentuate the perception of reality or hobbled democracies. Climate change was not even a thing and everybody read the newspapers, especially the Straits Times. Now if you open the social media feed of our youths today, you will see a vastly different world. They may not be able to fully articulate the uncertainty of the unprecedented times but they certainly feel it. Building a fair and inclusive Singapore is, to me, a crowning achievement for this generation of elected leaders in this House. The consensus, I strongly believe, cuts across party lines, and I believe more Members, all Members in this House, believe that, on this issue, we are on the right side of history. Therefore, through Forward Singapore, let us make an extra effort to make sure that the youths are firmly rooted on this fair and inclusive Singapore. Let us share with them our future plans and persuade them that we have the resources and creativity to achieve these despite the troubled times and convince them that if we preserve the spirit of personal responsibility, if we maintain good governance and internal unity, if we support one another in good times and bad, there is a world of possibilities for them and for Singapore.[+1 sentence] With that, I stand in support of the Motion.
The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung)5337 words
[+8 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. This is just in case I have one paragraph left and the time runs out. I rise in support of the Motion. Every generation needs to confront their unique challenges. For this generation, it has to grapple with climate change, geopolitical tensions and uncertainties the Prime Minister talked about yesterday, rapid technological advancements that can disrupt jobs and industries. What about domestically? I think the biggest social transformation for this generation will be ageing, which is the topic of my speech today. Ageing is unlike other elements of health – it is human condition which we can neither prevent nor cure. The United Nations (UN) defines a country as "ageing" if the share of its population aged 65 years or older crosses 7%. So, magic number 7% means you are ageing. It is considered "aged" if the share exceeds 14%, and once that share reaches 21%, it is considered "super-aged".[+7 sentences] That is the UN definition. So, let us look at some countries. France took 115 years to transit from "ageing" to "aged", and it became "aged" in 1980. Sweden took 85 years and then became "aged" in 1975. The US took 69 years to become "aged" in 2013. Singapore? We took 19 years and became "aged" in 2017. One hundred and fifteen years, 85 years, 69 years – and we, 19 years. And then the gap for Singapore between "aged" and "super-aged" is estimated at only nine years, which means we will attain "super-aged" status in 2026.[+22 sentences] Today, we are one of the fastest ageing countries in the world. We are not alone. Many countries, such as Japan, South Korea, Germany and UK are already where we will be in 2030. The impact of being a "super-aged" society is profound. Just let me cite a few. First, it causes population dispersion as young people gravitate to cities to seek better jobs and opportunities, leaving rural areas old and depopulated. This is happening in Japan. It is projected that by 2040, close to 900 municipalities, which is nearly half of Japan's total, could disappear. To counter this demographic polarisation, Japan is taking some aggressive measures. They are giving cash incentives to young people to say, "Move out of the cities, come back to the rural areas". They are also merging towns. Second impact: when people get older, the way they consume, they save, they learn and the way they work change. And this has significant economic consequences. One immediate concern is the shrinking workforce. China has confronted this issue for some years already, but it came to further prominence when China reported a fall in their population by 850,000 in 2022. So, that is the first time China's population shrank in the last 60 years. Notwithstanding, with a large population, China is in no danger of running out of workers. It still has eight million or more graduates every year. But the demographic shift has probably prompted China to rethink its economic development path, away from growth in labour intensive, export-driven industries, to higher quality, higher productivity activities. Third, ageing has cast a big question mark over the sustainability of social welfare systems. Many pension systems around the world are becoming no longer viable. Because there are more and more older people drawing from the central pension pool, and fewer and fewer young people contributing into it. France has projected a pension system deficit of 10 billion Euros a year.[+46 sentences] The country has enacted new laws only recently to raise its official retirement age, and hence also its pension age, from 62 to 64 – just two years. But that alone has led to massive public protests. Finally, ageing is driving the ballooning of healthcare spending, especially in OECD countries. The UK National Health Service is facing a crushing patient load. It is described as facing the "scissors of doom": one blade represents patient load and disease prevalence and that is going up; the other blade represents resources and manpower and that is going down. In Singapore, we have been thinking about the problem of ageing for a long time. We first started thinking about changes to the retirement and CPF system with the Howe Yoon Chong Committee 40 years ago. The Government set up the Committee on Ageing Issues almost 20 years ago and formalised it into the Ministerial Committee on Ageing in 2007. So far, the Ministerial Committee has coordinated and launched two comprehensive action plans. If you are wondering, the Minister for Health is the Minister-in-charge of the Ministerial Committee. Because of this strong foundation, we are in a position to cushion the impact of ageing and perhaps even reap dividends from it. Sir, today, I will speak on how we are preparing for an ageing society. If we continue pressing on along this journey we started, we will have a bright, dynamic, vibrant and happy future. While Singapore will inexorably become a "super-aged" country, it can also remain a superb country. My speech will cover five key areas of impact. Together, they are the enablers for Singaporeans to live a meaningful and happy life, whatever their age. Let me start with the first area which is in urban development. We fortunately do not face the challenge of population dispersion like Japan. We do not have many rural areas – the furthest is Lim Chu Kang, maybe. We also have a significant advantage in that 80% of our population live in public housing and HDB can play an active central planning and development role in ensuring inclusive communities. A few years ago, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua hosted me for a constituency visit to Queenstown. It is one of our oldest towns, with more than 20% of its population aged 65 and older. So, Queenstown at that time is almost a "super-aged" town – 1%-point short. But Queenstown is like a time machine that gives us a glimpse of what the future will look like in every town in Singapore. By 2030, most towns in Singapore will be like Queenstown, in terms of the residents' age profile. Last week, I made another visit to Queenstown. I can see that the place is transforming. It is now labelled a Health District, an initiative that I launched with Minister Desmond Lee some time ago. As a Health District, many agencies came together to implement various initiatives to improve the health and well-being of Queenstown residents. This includes integrated planning, evidence-based design of the living space, and then many community initiatives, including physical activities, befriending programmes and healthcare services, to support seniors. What left the deepest impression on me was HDB's effort in planning ahead. To ensure inter-generational mixing, HDB is redeveloping the old areas, launching new BTO projects to inject a younger population into the town. A BTO project now occupies what used to be the former Queenstown town centre. Stallholders from the former Commonwealth Drive Food Centre have moved into a new two-storey Margaret Drive hawker centre located in the development. I was told that the chicken rice stall is still there; it is preserved. Another BTO project integrates a block of Community Care Apartments for Seniors and is strategically located next to the soon-to-be redeveloped Alexandra Hospital. As we redevelop and rejuvenate older towns, we continue to encourage inter-generational mixing in younger towns, such as Sembawang – my constituency. HDB has incorporated a range of flat types, including studio and 2-room Flexi apartments, into new BTO developments in places like Sembawang, and they cater to singles and seniors, and as a result, we have a more inclusive town. We have the Proximity Housing Grant, priority schemes for parents and children to live with or near each other, and larger 3-Gen flats which further encourage inter-generational mixing in all our housing estates. These are changes at the town level. At the neighbourhood level, the physical environment is becoming more friendly and liveable to all ages, all over Singapore. Wherever possible, Active Ageing Centres, three-generational playgrounds and childcare centres are located side by side. Such facilities are a mainstay now in HDB estates. There are visibly more congregation and rest points, exercise parks, lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges to allow barrier-free access and roads redesigned to slow down traffic through implementation of more Green Man+ and Silver Zones. When I was growing up, living in HDB estates, I could see the traffic circles disappearing, replaced by traffic lights junctions because they are more efficient in carrying heavier traffic. Now, at this age, I am seeing the junctions being replaced by traffic circles again in order to slow down traffic, to cater to a more senior population. At the flat level, HDB has selected more than 300,000 flats built up to 1986, for the Home Improvement Programme (HIP).[+1 sentence] It has been a massive effort and HDB is now moving on to select newer flats built in the following 10 years. HDB has also announced earlier this month that the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme will be expanded to include more features, such as customised ramps and wheelchair lifters.[+5 sentences] So, you can see that our living environment is bending its form to suit today's society's shape. All these are deliberate efforts to help us prepare for an older society. The second area is that we need to adapt our economy to an ageing population. The most imminent impact is on the labour force. The growth rate of our resident labour force has already slowed down. Between 2002 and 2012, it grew by 30%; but in the next decade, it only grew by 15%.[+3 sentences] But the fact is that we still managed to continue to grow the workforce, despite the onset of ageing in the past two decades. This is due to a few reasons. One, more Singaporeans are able to stay economically active for longer. The labour force participation rate for resident seniors aged 65 and above has almost tripled over the last two decades, and it is about 32% now.[+50 sentences] We should continue to support the aspirations of older workers to continue working and contributing. We have also been gradually raising the retirement and re-employment ages, from 60 and 65 in the past, to now 63 and 68. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) aims to raise them to 65 and 70 by 2030. I think it is worth noting here that raising our retirement and re-employment ages does not affect the retirement savings that people have built up in their CPF accounts, and it is unlike in France and many other developed Western countries. Hence, the main impact of raising these ages is that workers are protected from being dismissed due to their age by their employers. Workers can choose to retire early should they want to. Hence, raising the retirement age in Singapore is an unmitigated good to workers. Employers must certainly do their part, for instance, through job redesign and reskilling, and learn to benefit from tapping the silver workforce. Two, and equally important is female participation in the labour force. With universal education and greater opportunities, labour force participation rate for women increased from about 51% to 63% over the last 20 years. This House debated the White Paper on Women's Development last year. Our work to ensure equal opportunities between men and women must continue, so that our wives and daughters can fulfil their full potential. The Workforce Singapore has launched the herCareer initiative to support women to come back to work. By 2024, we will give this a further push by introducing the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements. Three, we complemented our local workforce with foreign workforce. The quality of the Singapore workforce is world-class, but there are just not enough Singaporeans. So, in many labour-intensive industries, we will continue to need foreign manpower. Some of these, like construction, are sectors which locals are less likely to join. Others, like healthcare, need more manpower to take care of more seniors. We will need more foreign manpower to complement the local core, which will remain the majority. For Employment Passes, MOM will continue to calibrate its policies, to bolster our local talent pool with an international pool. The Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS) evaluation system is more sophisticated, sensitive to both economic needs and the social impact of foreign manpower. Four, our economy will continue to upgrade and evolve, to rely more on brain than brawn, to enable machines, computers and AI to augment the ability of the human worker and indeed, drive growth through productivity improvements. That is why we are driving research and development through the National Research Foundation, implementing Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and growing high technology and high value sectors, such as biomedical, financial services and information technology (IT). Governments around the world have two common manpower worries. We are concerned that technology will replace human workers and then, if that happens and on a large scale, there will be too many workers and too few jobs. We are also concerned about the imminent shortage of manpower due to an ageing population and so there will be too few workers and too many jobs unfilled. So, instead of losing sleep over contradictory worries, one perhaps may be the solution for the other. The confluence of both major trends, AI and technology and ageing, can be an opportunity to elevate our economy. But education, training and a personal responsibility to evolve our attitude towards our career with age, that will be key to unlocking this potential and this possibility. Sir, Finland has a per capita GDP of over US$53,000, lower than Singapore, but high. It is already a super-aged society, as more than 20% of its population is 65 and above. Yet, pre-COVID-19, it had been growing at around 2%-4% a year. It had produced several world-class companies. It had a vibrant startup sector. Singapore will become older, but we can remain economically dynamic and vibrant, as long as we continue to remake our economy and prepare our people for it. Let me move to the third major aspect in preparing for a "super-aged" society and that is, retirement adequacy. I mentioned the pension crisis earlier. Many pension systems were designed when life expectancy was much shorter, between 50 and 70 years old. Now, with people getting older and fertility rate falling, pension systems have become unsustainable. Some governments have had to borrow to plug the funding gap. The accumulated national debt is then passed to the next generation to shoulder. In Singapore, we are fortunate to have the Central Provident Fund (CPF) system. For many Western developed countries, the starting point is "defined benefits". This means there is a national pension pot. Everyone pays into the same big pot while you are working and after retirement, every retiree dips into the pot to draw their defined pension benefits. The starting point of our CPF system is "defined contribution", where workers save up in their personal accounts, employers and the Government contribute into the accounts too, and workers draw down from their own personal accounts when they retire, until the funds run out. With the CPF system, we avoided the major problems faced by pension systems around the world. The CPF system, however, is not without its challenges. One challenge is that life expectancy differs from person to person. So, those who live longer may see their CPF savings run out before they pass on. Hence, in 2009, we introduced the CPF LIFE scheme. Singaporeans turning 65 in 2023 who meet a stipulated level of savings in their CPF accounts are automatically enrolled in CPF LIFE.[+1 sentence] When they retire, CPF LIFE uses risk pooling to provide a steady stream of monthly payouts for as long as they live. Another challenge is that some segments of society do not save enough in their CPF accounts. Hence, in 2007, we introduced Workfare, to top up the salaries of lower-income workers so that they can save more for retirement. In 2016, we implemented the Silver Support Scheme, which provides cash support for seniors who have accumulated less retirement savings in their working years.[+14 sentences] The scheme was further enhanced two years ago. MOM will continue to look at ways and means to improve retirement adequacy of Singaporeans. The fourth area is to reform the healthcare system, what I feel is probably the most important. Like pension systems, most health systems in the world are designed when life expectancy was much lower. These systems focused on hospital care, which is the most costly part of the whole healthcare ecosystem. But so long as the population is young, the system works fine. But as life expectancy rose, so did the disease burden. The old designs start to break down. It is like you have been training very hard for a sprint and then, you realise your race is a marathon. The situation is also like an overflowing kitchen sink. We can keep mopping and soaking up the water on the floor, but the work is endless and the effort increasingly trying. At some point, we need to figure out how to turn down the tap. In healthcare, this means slowing down the onset of severe diseases and making people healthier. If this cannot be done, the sheer disease burden driven by ageing will overload the healthcare system. Worse, it can cripple the finances of governments. Hence, building on the foundation established over many years, we developed Healthier SG, our preventive care strategy which we will launch in July this year.[+5 sentences] Healthier SG delivers preventive care by building up primary care, family physicians in community and polyclinics and it becomes the foundational layer of healthcare. But at this level, family physicians in primary care, they cannot work alone. For the minority of more serious cases, they need to escalate the care upwards, to secondary and tertiary care in our hospitals. But then, for the great majority of less serious cases or even healthy residents, they need to devolve the care downwards to community and family care. The communities we live in, the families we hold dear to, are places that create and sustain health. Studies show that 60% of health is determined by social factors, within communities and families.[+5 sentences] It is about having a good family environment, hygienic living conditions, nutritious food, education for children, good employment opportunities and public amenities like parks, libraries and sports facilities. And where health interventions are needed, they are more social than medical and often verge on common sense – sleep well, eat well, have rewarding relationships, exercise, do not smoke, undergo periodic health screening and vaccinations. However, it is the common-sensical easy things that always get put off because there are no immediate consequences and therefore, they fall prey to inertia. Community support can help us overcome those inertia. In particular, with community support, there are great opportunities for seniors to age healthily in communities. And this is the next area where big changes need to take place. Hence, beyond Healthier SG, the next major area of priority for the Ministry of Health (MOH), is to build up community care, to get us all to do what is right for our health, to support ageing in communities.[+5 sentences] I am glad that quite a number of Members has spoken about this. It will be a continuation of Healthier SG and as a national programme as ambitious and extensive as Healthier SG. Forward Singapore has been described as a refresh of our social compact. A social compact is usually understood as an unwritten contract between the individual and the state, the responsibility of the individual to contribute to the larger good and the obligation of the state to provide assurances and opportunities to its citizens. So, under Healthier SG, how does this concept apply? The Government will provide the support and structure for individuals to take care of their own health.[+62 sentences] But then, beyond the relationship between individual and the state, the community is at the core of the healthcare social compact. Finally, the fifth area. There is also the significant factor of good governance. Preparing for ageing, be it in the areas of urban planning, economic development, retirement adequacy or healthcare reforms, requires anticipatory policy-making, which is the hallmark of the Singapore Government. We have made preparations for an aged society in these areas well ahead of time. We have had more than a decade of head start before the problem caught up with us. Good governance also involves responsible stewardship. I described how the pension systems in the Western developed countries are contributing to significant national debts, which burden future generations. So, inherent in the pension crisis is the Government's inability to look after both the current and future generations of their people. We consciously avoided those problems and, in fact, have built up a national nest-egg in our reserves. We are drawing income from it and want our future generations to continue to benefit from it. Sir, since we are on the topic of governance, let me respond to the points made by Mr Leong Mun Wai – but he is not here today but Ms Hazel Poa is here – and also Mr Leon Perera on Tuesday. Mr Leong Mun Wai alleged that the Progressive Singapore Party (PSP)'s concerns and questions were often dismissed by the People's Action Party (PAP) Government and there were occasions where the PSP was painted as, I quote, "xenophobic, nativist and racist". The Government has always acknowledged the concerns raised by various Members of the House, including by the PSP Members. This includes Singaporeans' anxieties about jobs and competition in a globalised and fast-changing economy, affordability and accessibility of HDB flats and so on. We have always acknowledged those problems. And it is raised by all Members of the House, regardless of their party. And we are working hard to adjust policies and make deliberate efforts to address these issues. But I hope Mr Leong Mun Wai will also acknowledge the serious concern we have in the way he raises and debates issues. I was personally involved in a couple of these issues. This House would recall that we had a debate on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India. That was July 2021. Running up to the debate, there was much demonising of CECA, that it allowed unfettered entry of Indian nationals into Singapore. The discourse took on a worrying racial undertone. As a former FTA negotiator, I asked to deliver a Ministerial Statement in this House. And that was July 2021. I acknowledged the concern amongst Singaporeans on jobs and livelihoods. I explained to the House how an FTA works – in particular, the chapter on movement of natural persons – and how CECA preserves our right to immigration policies and setting work pass conditions for foreign nationals who want to work in Singapore. I also had a fairly long exchange with Mr Leong. But when Mr Leong filed a Motion on foreign talent policy in September 2021, two months later after the Ministerial Statement debate, he continued to refer to CECA as a cause for widespread anxiety among Singaporeans on jobs and livelihoods and did little to reduce the raw emotions and misimpressions on CECA that had been stoked. It was as if my Ministerial Statement and explanation in July 2021 did not take place. I recall during that Motion debate, he eventually conceded that some people would think that his statements on CECA had racial undertones, against the Indian community. In January 2022, Mr Leong made an allegation that teachers in Ministry of Education (MOE) were treating vaccinated and non-vaccinated students differently. I was Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) chair and I got quite worried whether our vaccine-differentiated safe-management measures (SMMs) had somehow inadvertently been imposed on young children. Because this was a serious allegation, Minister Chan Chun Sing stood up and asked for details. Mr Leong then clarified that his information source was a Telegram chat and there were no details. All of us, including Mr Leong and the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), and everyone in the House, we know that race issues can be played up, especially in multi-racial Singapore. We can debate, we can spar, but we should not pit one group against another, over and over again, always looking to tear at the seams of our society and if we keep doing that, it will sow disunity and divide our society. In multi-racial, diverse Singapore, our harmony is hard earned. Let us not take it for granted. In fact, let us be very careful to preserve it. Mr Leon Perera had asserted that the Government tries to push a single "dominant narrative", without regard to the alternatives raised by the Workers' Party (WP). I think it cannot be true. If not, we would not be having such extensive debates on so many issues in this House and hearing out each other. Further, every political party will have its own dominant narrative based on its manifesto, based on its values. PAP has it. WP has it. It is part and parcel of political contestation. Many Members, including WP Members of Parliament, have raised many ideas in this House. You have. We welcome them and where appropriate, we take those ideas in while formulating or reviewing our policies. And where we have a different view, we will explain why. I would say that many of the ideas raised in the House, including by the WP, are not fundamentally at odds with existing policies. They build upon the policies that we already have and make them better, cover more areas. Sometimes they are shades of the same policy and we need not exaggerate their differences. In the case of preventive healthcare or carbon tax, WP's proposals are actually similar to the Government's policies. Very often, WP, as Opposition, wants more of what is already being done. Whatever the Government proposes, ask for more. So, here is one difference between our two Parties. I do not think it is a major one and it is again part and parcel of political contestation. But a fundamental difference arises when it comes to WP's ideas for the Budget. Why is that so? Because to do more, one has to spend more, and one has to say where the money is coming from. However, the WP never supported the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system.[+5 sentences] So, an alternate budget without the GST simply cannot work and is not a viable alternative. The sums just do not add up. You cannot give up a major source of revenue and yet want to spend more in so many areas. I am new to this subject. I may have misunderstood WP's position. Perhaps, it has changed its long-held position and now accepts that GST is needed, but merely objects to the increase from 7% to 9%. Then to make up for the loss of two percentage point of GST revenue, the WP has proposed, amongst other things, changes to the Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) formula. So, instead of drawing half of NIRC for Government spending, WP proposes to draw a higher amount or a higher percentage at 60%.[+5 sentences] The PAP Government will not agree to it and this is a fundamental difference too because it has to do with our beliefs and our values. We debated this issue in the Budget Debate last year and Deputy Prime Minister Wong had explained the Government's position. Let me try to explain again but now using a little bit of my own words. Our view is that the reserves belong to all generations of Singaporeans, current and future, even though they are not born, they cannot vote and their voices have yet to be heard. As responsible stewards, we will nevertheless safeguard their welfare and interests. To achieve this, the current formula is deliberately designed to divide the NIRC equally – half for current generation to spend and the other half adds to the savings for the future.[+13 sentences] The half-half apportionment is a formula that is simple, is fair, and I think, is wise. It is very tempting, even seductive, to say let us shift half-half to 60-40. But we debated and enshrined the fiscal rules in our Constitution not that long ago. We should not at the first sign of need, push for changes in the rules, just to take the easy way out. We should hold on to the equal apportionment principle for as long as possible. This is good stewardship and it is the PAP's position and that is why there is a fundamental difference here. Sir, I mentioned earlier that ageing is the unique challenge of this generation. But previous generations had their unique challenges too, be it the plague, the industrial revolution, the World Wars, unravelling of the global monetary system, threat of nuclear holocaust, Cold War. Specific to Singapore, this and earlier generations had to weather the threat of communism, racial riots, becoming an independent nation, severe recessions, COVID-19 and we overcame them all. It is the overcoming and not the problems and challenges, that defines a generation. I had earlier said that ageing is a part of the human condition. As someone who is one Zodiac cycle away from becoming an "aged", and as the Health Minister, I consider ageing a stage of life to be greeted like an old friend and certainly not a pathology. Sir, I spoke about Finland's positive economic performance earlier, even though it is a "super-aged" society. Another interesting fact about Finland is that the World Happiness Report ranked the Finns as the happiest people in the world, six years in a row.[+1 sentence] A recent New York Times article caught my eye, reported that the reality of the state of happiness in Finland is actually more complex. The report says the Finnish people are happy about their strong social safety net, but they also worry a lot about their security and domestic political situation.[+7 sentences] The report went on to say this, "the happiest people in the world aren’t that happy…more like content." It went on to say that there is a way of life in Finland called "sisu", which roughly translates to "grim determination in the face of hardship" that apparently brings you happiness. You can understand how "sisu" came about, given Finland's harsh climate living conditions and a strong sense of insecurity due to a long common border with a big and historically unfriendly neighbour, Russia. When you have such a long yet inaccurate English description struggling to translate a specific concept, you know this must be some kind of unique characteristic embedded in the DNA of a particular people and in this case the Finns. For Singapore, what is it? They have "sisu". I do not think we want to say "kiasu". But for Singapore, a small island along the equator, in the middle of Southeast Asia with a diverse population at the intersection of the world, I think we have a different trait, a quiet unity, optimism and stout heartedness that we can together, overcome all challenges.[+1 sentence] Sir, it is ironic that the challenge of ageing came out of good things – people living longer due to medical advances and better quality of life, fertility rate coming down as aspirations changed and women get more educated. But perhaps the state of being a "super-aged" society can ultimately and overall be a good thing too – where people live long fruitful lives; where there is health, longevity; where there is warmth and care in every community, and we look out for each other. And perhaps one day, after we tackle the challenges of a "super-aged "society with our Singapore spirit, we can reach the stage where society treats age as nothing but a number and 65 need not be that artificial line that divides the two sides of the dependency ratio.[+2 sentences] One may be advanced in age, but still feel young and even if the body feels old, the heart remains young. Thank you, Sir.
Mr Speaker24 words
[+5 sentences]Order. I think the key to happiness is having a tea break. I propose to take a break. But unfortunately, not. Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied)317 words
[+11 sentences]Sorry to stand in the way of the break. I will keep it very brief. I just wanted to thank the Minister for his responses to my speech and I just have two points of clarification. One is, I think, the Minister did refer to the fact that we have different views on the NIR ceiling, so I just like to ask Minister if he would acknowledge or agree that there is philosophic difference, but it is not a difference that we have not explained. We have, when we put out our proposals, talked about where the financing is going to come from. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and another WP Member of Parliament have explained and put forward proposals for financing and different ideas that we put across and the Minister referred to one of them which is raising the NIR ceiling. So, would he acknowledge that, that has been done as opposed to not being done? And would he also acknowledge, in the same vein as some of the things that he said that we do put forward concrete ideas and the PAP may disagree with some of those ideas and we can debate them and agree to disagree, but they are alternatives and I mentioned some of those alternatives that we have put forward in the past in my speech. That is the first one and the second one is really on the point about future generations. I would ask Minister if he would agree that it is a balancing exercise because if conditions become too difficult, if liveability becomes damaged too much for the current generation, that would affect our fertility and there may be fewer people in the future generations to enjoy the benefits that the reserves and other things are meant to provide. So, would the Minister acknowledge that there is also some balancing that needs to be done on that front.
Mr Ong Ye Kung481 words
[+1 sentence]Let me address the second issue of balancing. And, of course, Deputy Prime Minister Wong is the Finance Minister, but I am expressing my view. I think the balance is best struck when it is 50-50, with equal apportionment.[+10 sentences] If I may, Speaker, there is a Hokkien song, "Jit Lang Jit Pua, Kam Qing Buay Suah" (一人一半，感情不散). If you divide things in half, you preserve the relationship, you preserve the peace. And the song did not go "Jit Lang Luck Chup Bak Xian, Jit Lang Sze Chup Bak Xian, Kam Qing Buay Suah" (一人60%，一人40%，感情不散). No, it does not say you have 60%, you have 40%, you preserve the peace. There is wisdom to half-half. There is – I do not know if Members remember when we were young – we learnt the story of the fox dividing the meat amongst two parties and the fox deliberately tear it 60-40. The one who gets the 40% of the meat protested to say the other piece is bigger. So, the fox took a bite of the 60%, he deliberately took a bigger bite and then the situation got reversed. The other one who got a smaller piece said that the other piece is bigger and so the fox kept taking bites, until in the end you have nothing left. I remember that lesson, not because it is an interesting story – because at a formative age, that was to me a lesson in values. It was not a lesson in reducing the growth of meat consumption for the long term but it is about how we preserve peace and sometimes, 50-50 is the best and the most wise way of doing so.[+1 sentence] That is our position. It is a matter of values, principles, for future generations that are not born, we should honour "half-half" and it is in our Constitution now.[+7 sentences] We do not want to change it too easily. On Mr Leon Perera's first point, as I said in my speech, yes, there have been many ideas raised by the WP, as well as other Members. But on GST and the Budget, I still do not know – and this could be due to my ignorance because I am not in finance – I still do not know if the WP supports the GST system. And in your alternate budget, whether you are contemplating not having the GST system, because I do recall WP has always been against the GST system. And if that is the case, I would say that that your alternative does not make sense. It is not a viable nor serious alternative because without that source of revenue, it is not possible to do more. But if your position is: you accept the GST system, but stay at 7%, and not go to 9%, then I think I may have a different view; and I will explain.
Mr Speaker16 words
[+2 sentences]As I was saying, I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting —
Mr Ong Ye Kung17 words
[+1 sentence]Sir, Speaker, I had a question and I wonder if the hon Member would like to clarify.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+2 sentences]Alright. Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera21 words
[+2 sentences]Sir, I thank the Minister for the question. So, our position, as explained in the debates relating to the GST —
The Government Whip (Dr Janil Puthucheary)40 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, I am sorry to interrupt, but may I offer some advice to Mr Perera that, perhaps, he might like to speak a little bit louder so that the microphones could pick him up for the benefit of all.
Mr Leon Perera184 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, yes, I have a very soft voice. I get that from my father. My response to the question is that if you go back to the debates in this House that we have had about the GST hike from 7% to 9% and the positions we laid out, the position that we have adopted, at least from that time, which I believe was 2018, is that we accept the reality of a GST at 7%, because the amount of revenue that is generated by a 7% GST is so substantial and has become such a structural part of the Government revenue mix, that to want to bring that down to zero would involve too many other trade-offs. So, we do accept that the GST at 7% is something that we do not oppose, but we oppose the hike to 8% and 9%.[+2 sentences] That was the position that we have conveyed and debated in this House from those debates from 2018. I was there as well until the current time. But I think some of our Members may also expand on this subsequently.
Mr Ong Ye Kung874 words
[+1 sentence]I thank the Member for that clarification. So, the difference between us is the 2%-points in GST and how you make up for it.[+47 sentences] In your proposal, amongst other things, it is to shift the NIRC – which, as we explained, I think we have a fundamental disagreement on that. But may I say this, Speaker, that we can debate the issues, we can point out where are the shades of differences, where are the areas where the PAP Government says, "we do this" and the WP Opposition says, "let us do a bit more"; and where are the areas with fundamental differences. In the end, for this whole system to work, for this House to be a constructive Chamber for debate, for us to serve the people well, we have also to decide between us, that we have to uphold good politics. What is it that the people really want? What is it that Singaporeans really want? From the ruling party's point of view, we say "Singapore is a vulnerable small place, we will have significant challenges. We need a strong, competent Government – clean, with integrity and able to deliver the goods; and we will have checks and balances, but we need the agility and the strength, in order to serve Singapore well. For the Opposition in WP, you will tell the people, "You need a checker against the ruling party. You need a co-driver. There has to be checks. There should be checks and balances." What is best for Singaporeans? I say the answer to many Singaporeans is probably both. They want a strong, competent Government, but they also believe that power cannot be absolute. There should be checks and balances. And so, it is our duty, if we want to serve the people well, to make sure we have good politics between us. What does that mean? If I may just offer my view – for the ruling party, it means being able to recruit good people, with strong integrity, strong Government, competent. In particular, we need to be able to listen to people more, empathise, understand pain points and be able to address them. And where we have to implement policies that are not so popular, that will even cause a bit of pain, but for the long-term good of the people, we need to explain sincerely, honestly, why we need to do this. We need to put in place institutions, systems, checks and balances within our system; it is part and parcel of institution building. Then, for the Opposition, the main thing you need to do is to present alternatives, so that people have a basis of decision, have a basis to compare. And, in doing so, first, you got to do homework, put forward proposals that are credible. There is so much data out there, there should be no excuses that there is not enough data. In any case, if you need specific data, you can always submit a written question to ask for specific data. And then, when there are sensitive issues, like section 377A, take a stand and not hedge. Because it is important to take a clear stand, so that the people have a measure of what the party truly stands for. Third, when it comes to alternate proposals, take principled, consistent approaches, have consistent considerations. It cannot be that in 2015, you proposed zero population growth for foreigners; and then, when there are not enough workers – now what? It cannot be that in 2019, the housing paper said cut back and do not build too many houses, but now that we are short, you say build more and the contexts are different. So, you need consistency in your considerations in your policy proposals. Finally, because all oppositions always ask the Government to do more, you also need to explain how benefits are to be financed. And then, applied to all political parties, we need to ensure our leaders and our representatives carry ourselves well, so that people know that we are people of integrity and honesty. That we have a heart for the people, we are doing this for the people. And then, there will be moments of truths. When bad things happen, members misbehave or something illegal gets uncovered within the party, how we handle them. These are moments of truths. They give people a deep evaluation of what is the core of this political party. So, this is what I feel all of us need to do, to ensure there is good politics that serve the people. We are opposing parties, we are contesting. A lot of words are said to each other, it is part and parcel of political contestation. But in many ways, we are also working together. At a time when the political landscape of Singapore is evolving, the people want a good, strong Government, but yet they want checks and balances in the Opposition. Every election, they are thinking through what is the equilibrium? And so, the situation is evolving. We are contesting, but we are also working together to find the equilibrium for Singapore. I share what I think we need to do to uphold good politics, because then, we will serve the people well.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Hazel Poa.
Ms Hazel Poa (Non-Constituency Member)137 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will just respond on one point that Minister Ong raised earlier and leave my colleague Mr Leong to give a fuller response when he is back in Parliament. And that is the point about targeting a particular race. I just want to clarify that we are not targeting any particular race. At the debate on the Motion on foreign talent policy, what we did was to point out that the growth rate of foreign manpower from a particular nationality is growing at a much faster rate than other nationalities, and that is factual. And so, today, we have COMPASS, which includes nationality as one of the criteria. So, I think that is recognition that this is a valid concern. I just want to specify that it was never a matter of race.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Ong.
Mr Ong Ye Kung185 words
[+14 sentences]I thank the Member for that clarification. We have always acknowledged the angst and the anxiety of Singaporeans on many issues, but we will see. Let us see how the debate moves on from henceforth. I just want to remind Mr Leong, and also, Ms Hazel Poa, how we raise issues matters a great deal. Many of us Members of Parliament, we tend to the ground in our constituencies. There are often neighbourly disputes. Sometimes, disputes between two units with occupants of different ethnicity. So, you can have problems like noise, or your flower pots along my corridor. You can approach it based on what the problem is – find a way to remove the flower pots. Or you can approach it with a certain racial undertone, the same problem, but different ways of approaching, different ways of describing it; and the latter can create sworn enemies out of neighbours. So, have a care. In Chinese, there is a saying: "人言可畏" – words can be very scary. So, be careful what we say. We need to preserve the harmony that is so hard-fought and hard-earned.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera430 words
[+10 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just very briefly to respond to the Minister. I thank the Minister for acknowledging that, and I fully agree, I think all of us would agree that at the end of the day, while we may have philosophic differences in the means to achieve the end, we all share the same goal in the end of a stronger Singapore, a better Singapore, a better country for all our future generations. So, I thank the Minister of acknowledging that. I just want to make a few points very quickly in response. One is that, he talked about the role of the Opposition as offering alternative ideas. A few of us spoke about alternative ideas – just in the course of this debate and also previous debates. I want to point out that we have offered differentiated policy proposals. In some cases, the Government has moved closer to the proposals we have made in the past. In some cases, not. But I think that it is clear that we have offered differentiated alternative policies and I cited a number of examples in my speech.[+1 sentence] The second point is then on financing. So, now that I have clarified that we are talking about – assuming that we have 7% GST in the revenue mix but opposing an increase to 9% – I would point out again that the financing proposals we have put forward in the past, which would generate approximately $3 billion to $3.5 billion in incremental revenue, would address that GST shortfall.[+1 sentence] It is not that we have not explained it; it is not that we have hidden the trade-offs; it is not that we have no explanation for how to finance that gap. We have explained it multiple times in the past. And the last point I make is on the reference to the housing paper that the WP put up in 2019, we did not actually propose a cutback in BTO supply or halting BTO supply. The proposal that we put forward was that BTO supply and construction should continue, but should taper down when flats start to hit year 70, because we had a very specific proposal on what can be done when flats hit year 70.[+3 sentences] That is going to happen only in, I think, about 12 years' time. So, it was not a call for an immediate cut or any kind of cut in BTO construction at the time. I think I have explained this multiple times, but I just thought that, clearly, I need to just explain it one last time.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Ong.
Mr Ong Ye Kung335 words
[+9 sentences]I will also explain my side of the story one last time. As I mentioned, substantively, what matters to Singaporeans is that they want to see what is the difference in policies between the two parties. And, as I summarised just now, there are a lot of policies on which we are actually on the same page. I mentioned carbon tax, I mentioned preventive care, and there are others which are really shades of the same policies. But as the Opposition, you will always ask the Government to do a bit more. It is your job to do so and it is our job to think about it. For example, we just discussed worker safety. MOM is totally on top of this. But there are additional suggestions and MOM will think about it. But I think what matters most to Singaporeans in deciding between the parties are the fundamental differences. And here, I think there is one, when it comes to NIRC, because value systems and belief systems are involved.[+9 sentences] I talked about healthcare, that we got primary care; above that, we have secondary and tertiary care; below that, we have community care. I think just debating policy differences is just "primary care". If you want a full-fledged good political system that serves people, we got to go beyond that. The ruling party needs to do what is required – listening to people, explaining things well, including difficult policies, keeping yourself clean and honest, always think of the long term, correct mistakes, if it commits mistakes and constantly refresh itself. And for the Opposition party, do its homework, do not say "no data" as an excuse. Take a stand, even on sensitive issues, such as section 377A. Take a principled, consistent approach to your policies and explain how benefits are to be paid for. And for all of us, carry ourselves well, ensure we are parties of integrity, honesty. And if anything goes wrong, handle it well, so that the people know where we stand.
Mr Speaker54 words
[+6 sentences]And on that note, we need not "sisu" anymore. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the chair at 4.05 pm. Order. Sitting accordingly suspended at 3.45 pm until 4.05 pm. Sitting resumed at 4.05 pm.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Grace Fu.
The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien)2987 words
[+17 sentences]Mr Speaker, what has clearly emerged from our debate in this House this week is our common desire to build a better Singapore for Singaporeans, not just for today, but also for the future. This has been a clear theme throughout our development as a nation. Since Independence, we have looked beyond our immediate needs, taken a long-term perspective to plan for Singapore's growth, and incorporated environmental stewardship in our development. Take tree planting, for example. As the Chinese saying goes, 前人种树，后人乘凉. When our forefathers planted trees, it was to create shade for the future generations. The trees our forefathers planted continue to provide us shade today, creating lush green spaces where we can rest and recharge. Another example is our efforts to clean up our waterways. When our forefathers cleaned up the Singapore river, it did not just solve the immediate problems of public hygiene and public health, but also transformed the Singapore river over decades. Today, the river channels into the Marina Reservoir, providing clean water for our daily needs. It is now a distinctive icon of our bustling city. Like tree planting and waterway clean-ups, our efforts in environmental stewardship are made possible through the dedication of many generations of Singaporeans. As President Halimah Yacob said in her Opening Address last week, and I quote, "We are here today only because of what previous generations of Singaporeans did." Times may have changed, but we need to preserve our forefathers' values of putting before self, the interests of the family, the community and the country; of self-sacrifice; and of hard work and determination in the face of adversity. As we respond to a changing world and its new demands, we will need to find ways to steward Singapore towards a new and more sustainable future. There is a growing awareness that mankind's current reliance on fossil fuels is no longer sustainable. Humanity needs a fundamental change in the way we power our economy, our way of life. The Paris Agreement signalled a global commitment to cap global warming to 1.5°C and there is a clear need for the world to act fast to reduce emission quickly. Even so, the cumulative greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have already created deep and lasting impacts on our ecosystems, raising temperatures and sea levels, increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, disrupting food production and exacerbating the risk of infectious diseases.[+2 sentences] There is a need for us to adapt and prepare for a future that is warmer, with more unpredictable weather and their full consequences. We have also realised that our pursuit for convenience through the linear "use and throw" consumption model will have to change. It depletes our planet's scarce resources and burdens our environment with the waste that it generates, often degrading the surroundings that we share with other living creatures. And as we consume more and dispose more in Singapore, we exhaust the finite space left in our one and only Semakau landfill.[+11 sentences] To keep Singapore going and sustainable for future generations, we must adjust how we live as a society and how we grow our economy. How can we achieve economic and social development, while protecting the environment that gives us life? How can we account and be accountable for our environmental externalities? How do we change our societal norms and behaviours to live more sustainably? What does it take to prepare ourselves to be a more environmentally sustainable and resilient country, so that we can have a better Singapore for tomorrow? I would like to echo the many Members who spoke on sustainability during this week's debate. Many Members, such as Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Murali Pillai, Mr Louis Ng and Mr Shawn Huang have reminded this House that sustainability remains one of the integral issues during our time. Mr Don Wee spoke about positioning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to capture green economy opportunities. Mr Leon Perera spoke about renewable energy and the investment opportunities it brings to the region. And Ms Nadia Samdin called for collective action to support the sustainability agenda. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about how we have to adjust our social compact, not just among ourselves, but between this generation and future generations to come. In charting our model of sustainable development going forward, our social compact is our guiding light as we navigate the colossal change that climate action entails.[+43 sentences] We need to re-examine and reaffirm our social compact at three levels. First, the social compact between "me" and others. How do I, as an individual, relate to other individuals? What is my obligation and responsibility towards others around me? Second, the social compact between "my group" and other groups. Every one of us is part of a group or several groups in the society. We may be part of a for-profit business, a public sector agency, an organisation in the people sector or a special interest group. In our social compact, what are the respective roles of our group vis-à-vis others? How should we come together to address the complex challenges of today and advance our common interests? Third, the social compact between "my generation" and other generations. What should my generation do and more importantly, set aside for the future ones? What should the current generation invest in? What can we afford to let our future generations do and decide for themselves? What are the common values that thread and weave across multiple generations of Singaporeans, binding us together and making us stronger as One People? The social compact between "me" and others. We live in a dense, urban environment. Our choices and actions impact not just ourselves, but others around us. Take our hawker centres, our community dining rooms where people from all walks of life go for their daily favourite local fare. Our hawker centres are microcosms of our everyday relationships. They reflect the societal norms and accepted behaviour across all segments of society. As diners, when we return our crockery and clear our tables after our meals, we are being considerate to other diners who use those tables after us. When we bin our used tissue after a meal properly, we reduce the risk of infecting our fellow patrons, our cleaners and our stall holders. This reduces the risk of disease transmission. As diners, we cherish and support our hawkers who serve up delicious, yet affordable food tirelessly. We want our hawkers to have a better living, to have a standard of living that progresses with the rests of us and we are prepared to pay more for their hard work over time. We must also be prepared to pay more for cleaning services over time so that our cleaners can also enjoy higher wages and a better living. This helps to keep our hawker heritage alive and encourages the next generation of hawkers to join the trade. Simply said, our individual choices and actions matter. Not only do they directly impact those around us, but collectively, they shape our norms, our cultures and determine the collective tone of our society. We must normalise good habits and exhibit sustainable behaviour. We owe it not just to our environment, but also to one another to keep our shared home clean, green and safe. The social impact between my group and others. Our efforts are not only confined to what we do as individuals, but also when we contribute in our capacities as members of groups and organisations. I have touched on dining in hawker centres and let me move along the food chain and look at the retail of foods. At the heart of a sustainable Singapore is all of us being more resource efficient. We need to move away from our use-and-throw culture. The buy-use-throw consumption model is a convenient one. However, it also puts a tremendous amount of stress on our resources, both in having to produce more and having to throw away more. The shift to a more sustainable consumption model requires all groups in the society to play a part. Consumers bring reusable bags when grocery shopping and recycle the packaging of goods where possible. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and schools help spread the message and educate the public in using alternative packaging for bagging garbage in the households. Businesses redesign their processes to reduce the resources we use to produce and the waste that we dispose. For example, to reduce packaging waste, businesses use the right materials to increase the rate of recycling, use the right design to make recycling easier and reduce the amount of packaging materials used. The Government introduce policies such as the Extended Producer Responsibility framework and measures like the disposable carrier bag charge and Beverage Container Return Scheme.[+7 sentences] Industry organises the collection and treatment of recyclables and help shape consumer behaviour by making environmental costs more visible. Closing our waste loop is challenging but achievable. There are costs involved and it requires change of habit across all parties. But as we reduce our draw on earth's resources, we use this common mission to form new partnerships and discover creative solutions. I would like to give two examples of how businesses, community groups and the Government collaborate to co-create and co-deliver sustainability solutions. CRUST Group is a food tech start-up that works with other companies to turn surplus food ingredients, like bread and fruit peels, into beers and sodas. CRUST group has partnered bakeries, hotels and supermarkets to upcycle their surplus ingredients and create new unique products, which can bring in additional revenue while reducing their own food waste. Another example, the community in Tampines, with funding support from the National Environment Agency (NEA), installed a food waste digestor that converts food waste into compost and nutrients for vegetable farming and landscaping. Food retailers in the neighbourhood, such as wet market merchants and supermarkets, segregate food waste for the digestor. This cuts down the resources needed for disposal: reducing the number of trips made by waste collectors from four to one per day; decreasing the amount of waste sent to the incinerators by 400 kilogrammes every day; and saving the carbon emission from waste treatment.[+9 sentences] They also generate compost to replenish and nurture the community garden and landscape. These initiatives show how our social compact is shifting in the right direction. Groups pool together resources and expertise to collectively address complex issues. We are encouraged by such efforts and will continue to find ways and means to further catalyse such partnerships. The inter-generational social compact — the social compact between "my generation" and other generations. I started my speech by paying tribute to the work of our forefathers and stressed that we must do the same and pay it forward. While the full impact of climate change may not hit us now, it is clear that we need to make the investments now to secure a brighter future for our next generation. The inter-generational social compact is clearly illustrated in our approach to coastal protection. Sea level rise emerging from climate change is an existential threat to Singapore. About 30% of our land area is less than five metres above mean sea level.[+6 sentences] Without effective adaptation measures, rising sea levels, storm surges and extreme high tides could result in transient sea levels rising up to five metres. This will pose great risks to our community, our infrastructure and our livelihoods. The work to strengthen Singapore's flood resilience against sea level rise is a multi-generational one. It will take many decades. It will take long-term investments in adaptation solutions and the capabilities needed to bring these solutions to fruition. These investments will need to start today and from today's generation if we are to successfully meet this long-term future challenge. At the 2019 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee said that around $100 billion or more may be required to protect Singapore against rising sea levels.[+5 sentences] Most of this will be spent on coastal barriers, both nature-based and man-made, and drainage infrastructure to protect Singapore against sea level rise. We have yet to determine the specific solutions that we will put in place, for each segment of our coastlines. We have started the site-specific studies, starting with the stretch from the city to the East Coast. What we know is that this requires steady investments over the years. The solutions will take time to put in place and we need to put the pieces together in good time, ahead of the rising tides. Even as we work out and implement our adaptation solutions, we will need the capabilities and knowledge to do so. We have a $125 million Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme (CFRP) to support the development of innovative coastal protection and flood management solutions, and we established the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) earlier in 2013, 10 years ago, to understand the science of climate change and to model its effects, as the basis of our climate adaptation efforts.[+4 sentences] These are the ways we see the inter-generational social compact, in how the current generation does it part for future generations. Another example is our food security. We currently import more than 90% of our food needs. We have ample supply and we have access to a rich variety of foods from all over the world. However, if we look beyond the immediate term, we see the mega trends of climate change and extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions and disease outbreaks that will cause volatility to food production and place increasing pressure on our food sources. This is why we have set our "30 by 30" goal – to have the capability and capacity to produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally by 2030.[+4 sentences] This is about buying insurance against systemic food supply disruption, so that future generations are in a better place with food security. This initiative, at its core, is a commitment to future generations. Our journey will take years. It will require sustained contributions from the private, people and public sectors and for all parties to stay the course. The Government will do our part to support and enable our farms. We will set the stage through infrastructure developments like the Lim Chu Kang Masterplan (LCKMP), which will transform the area into a high-tech, highly productive and resource-efficient agri-food cluster.[+22 sentences] We will invest, now, in infrastructure works such as land preparation, coastal protection, power and water supply and waste management facilities. Farmers take bold steps to increase the productivity of the farms through investing in technology. They are not starting from scratch; several are second or third generation farmers who inherit the experience and wisdom of their forefathers. Green Harvest is one such farm that has combined farming expertise with technology. As a joint venture between Kok Fah Technology Farm and Teambuild Construction Group, Green Harvest brings together their collective expertise in agriculture and construction to break new grounds. They have constructed Southeast Asia's largest hydroponics glass greenhouse, which uses high-tech automation to grow vegetables efficiently and productively without the use of pesticides. The farm has started production since July 2022 and I have already seen some of their produce on our retail shelves. As our local food supply ramps up, consumers and industry buyers also step forward to provide the demand that our farms need to be commercially viable. When we buy local, we are supporting our local farms and F&B businesses that use local produce. We are co-investing in our food resilience for the future. It is a symbiotic relationship – the local farmers give our F&B industry and consumers certainty in supply and quality; and reduce the vagaries caused by extreme weather events. The supermarkets and F&B buyers in turn give our local farmers certainty in demand, thus reducing their business and financial risks. Local produce may cost more but they are more reliable and fresh, attributes that are valuable to consumers and businesses. By building up our local food production today, we are gaining food security for tomorrow. Building a resilient future requires investment today. Our current generation must make the long-term investments in capability-building. Through research and development, we sow the seeds for a broad spectrum of innovation and technological solutions that will allow us to thrive in a more uncertain world. By pursuing innovations in sustainable novel foods, or planning and building long-term for coastal protection, or investing in energy-efficient water treatment technologies, we ensure that Singapore can remain resilient to climate change into the future. By pioneering the deployment of low-carbon energy in support of our net zero ambitions, we lay the foundations for building a green economy in a carbon-constrained world. By deepening our understanding of climate science and its regional impacts, we discover new opportunities for international collaboration. By collectively changing our consumption and living habits, we reduce our footprint on the environment and support sustainable businesses. We recognise that we are caretakers and stewards of a country that will endure beyond us. Even as we live in an increasingly uncertain and disrupted world, characterised by resource constraints and climate change, we are not helpless bystanders.[+1 sentence] Our forefathers showed what could be done in our early years of independence. It required grit and determination, and a belief that we needed to place environmental stewardship alongside socioeconomic growth and development. It required investment in infrastructure and capabilities that only the future generation can draw benefit from. It required making difficult trade-offs like setting aside financial resources, or transforming our industry, so that our limited resources work better for us in the long run. Just like our water story, through long-term planning and careful deliberations, not only do we overcome our resource constraints, we turn our challenges into our strengths.[+2 sentences] As we face the new challenges ahead, let us continue to translate our convictions into actions. When we work together, as we have in the past, we can create a sustainable Singapore in the decades to come.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Xie Yao Quan.
Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong)2463 words
[+36 sentences]Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. I would like to start by talking about our meritocracy. Meritocracy has been a central topic in the first two days of this debate, so, as one of the few speakers remaining, I thought it is perhaps fitting that I round back to this topic. But rather than talk about what more, or what else, the State can, or should, do with regard to our meritocracy – be it more intensive redistribution, wage restructuring or reforms to our education system – I would like to focus instead on what else each of us, citizens, can and should do for our meritocracy. And each of us – all of us – can and should do much more. Why? Because in Singapore, I believe that meritocracy represents both a privilege and a responsibility of being Singaporean. Meritocracy represents both a privilege and a responsibility of being Singaporean. Let me explain. First, meritocracy remains the best basic organising principle for our society. I think no one in this House will quibble with this point. There is broad agreement within this House but I think it is worthwhile to also highlight the point for society at large, for Singaporeans at large. And the point is that we do have a consensus in Singapore, that we will use "merit" as the basic principle to determine who is sorted to which station in life, at which stage in life, across our life courses. This consensus may have been more tacit than explicit but it exists. It is a robust consensus and it is also useful to bring this consensus to the fore from time to time and remind ourselves clearly of its existence – that meritocracy remains the best basic organising principle to keep the Singapore Story going. But in order for this meritocracy to work, we must also allow meritocracy to operate fully and be fully expressed in our society. We cannot and should not put an artificial lid on meritocracy. We must allow it full expression. This means, in the simplest terms, allowing the best, the most "meritorious" amongst us to run as far and as fast and soar as high as they can. They will not be held back. Instead, they will be supported and cheered on by the system. This is the privilege that our framework of meritocracy in Singapore provides to Singaporeans; that every person can look forward to run and fly and chase rainbows and fulfil his or her full individual potential within the framework of meritocracy that we have. It is not a half-hearted meritocracy because we as a society have committed to allowing it full expression and it is one privilege of being Singaporean – to be able to operate and flourish within this framework. But with privilege comes responsibility. They are two sides of the same coin. A framework that allows each of us to run far and fast and chase rainbows will also lead inevitably to some amongst us who cannot keep up, who need a lot more help to keep up. And so, it becomes our responsibility, our personal responsibility, each citizen's responsibility, that while we enjoy the privilege accorded by our framework of meritocracy, we also each do our part to make sure that no one falls too far behind nor falls permanently behind. Each of us has a responsibility to reach back, pull others along and help everyone to keep up. It is in our collective interest to do so, but I think, more fundamentally, it is also our basic responsibility as Singaporeans, our basic responsibility to one another and to society at large to do so. Now, if I may put it another way. Decades ago, when we started out as an improbable nation, meritocracy defined Singapore. Regardless of race, language or religion. Instead, ability, industry, merit; these would make the measure of a man or woman in Singapore. And these would also make a society, our society based on justice and equality. And so, on this basis, our improbable nation got everyone onto an escalator, the escalator of progress and prosperity. And we not only survived, we succeeded. The escalator of meritocracy moved us from Third World to First. But as we continued being successful and our framework of meritocracy created some winners who could pass on more opportunities and other advantages to their children, it became clear that we need our meritocracy to be updated and rebooted. We need our meritocracy to be broader and more inclusive, if it were to remain fit for purpose for Singapore and Singaporeans. And so, work on the next lap of meritocracy began more than a decade ago. And in Senior Minister Tharman's words back then, moving our society from a hierarchy of grades to a meritocracy of skills.[+4 sentences] It also means opening up a whole range of pathways, a whole range of escalators, not one but multiple escalators that Singaporeans can get onto, all escalators going up, progressing in tandem. And this work continues today, as Deputy Prime Minister Wong has laid out in his speech on Monday. Much more remains to be done to make our meritocracy ever broader and more inclusive. But I see a third lap, a third chapter, in the evolution of our framework of meritocracy going forward. One that is not only broader and more inclusive but also emanating from each citizen's basic responsibility, a meritocracy that is ever more participatory, a meritocracy in which every citizen is an active part of the solution, actively reaching back, helping each other keep up, so that even as the best among us run ahead, the gap is never pulled too wide and the gap is never permanent because everyone is helping everyone else to keep up.[+14 sentences] In this third lap of our meritocracy, we can make sure that no one is left by the sidelines of the multiple escalators that we have, unable or unwilling to get onto one. It would take each of us to care, to step off the escalator from time to time to get those of us by the sidelines onto the multitude of escalators, onto some escalator, so that all of us can move up together. I call this third lap of our meritocracy a generative meritocracy, not just broader and more inclusive, but generative. Generative because I believe it will set forth a new wave of active citizenry in which all of us recognise and embrace our basic responsibility to keep meritocracy going and take action. This will be active citizenry at its best. And generative because the difference that we can make through this movement is not only to help others, but as Minister Chan Chun Sing has put it in his speech in this debate, we can enable others to thrive. We have an opportunity to apply ourselves to enable others to do well for themselves. That is the difference we can make. And finally, I believe it is generative because instead of a meritocracy in which some winners take all, together, we can create a meritocracy in which all are winners. And this is not just a hope that can be left to the state, the Government to make happen. It will take all of us to make it happen. Embracing our responsibility, active citizenry at its best. And in my mind, this will be a wonderful manifestation too of what Deputy Prime Minister Wong has described as our "renewed commitment to one another in the path ahead". I hope we can find application of this renewed commitment specifically in our meritocracy, make our meritocracy a key plank of this renewed commitment to one another and make our meritocracy a generative one that keeps going because of all of us, because of our collective efforts to one another. And one final point I will make on this, is that in our efforts, we have to focus especially on the next generation, the children of those with less and make sure that they, the young ones in our framework of meritocracy, they especially can keep up. We have got to double down on breaking the chain of transmission of disadvantages and stymied opportunities from one generation to the next.[+11 sentences] And it takes all of us. How so? Well, for one, I hope we can do much more to come forward as mentors to these children. Mentors, on a sustained basis, committed to the long haul. Mentors, who start by meeting the child where he or she is, mentors who accept before attempting to fix. I hope many of us can come forward to be such mentors, be role models and just be there for children born to lesser means. In this way, we can help them to keep up in a generative meritocracy, help them to get onto the multiple escalators, enable them to thrive and do well for themselves. Mr Speaker, besides meritocracy, there is another core value that I hope to affirm in my speech today and that is multiculturalism and multilingualism. This is a precious thing in Singapore and we have got to cherish it and keep growing it. First, we need to do more to celebrate our traditions, embrace our traditions, preserve and sustain them. I think it means, among other things, that ethnic, cultural and religious organisations all need to look at renewal, drawing in younger Singaporeans and being deliberate about succession. Second, for the majority race, I think it bears remembering always that it is harder to be a minority in Singapore. So let us be sensitive, reach out and strive for an ever deeper understanding of one another. And third, for all of us, we should take extra effort to make sure that the words we utter and the deeds we do, would not end up being misconstrued, misappropriated or even weaponised by others to cause hurt and division especially in this world of social media.[+8 sentences] Because things can be easily appropriated in this day and age, sensationalised, amplified and once the genie is out of the bottle, sometimes damage done cannot be undone. So let us all be extra conscious and extra deliberate. Perhaps only in Singapore do we have, just this month alone, folks observing the ancestral festival of Qing Ming, in fact, some groups observe this for up to 10 days beyond the actual day, and at the same time, we have Jewish friends this month celebrating Passover, friends celebrating Puthandu or the Tamil New Year and we have Christian friends concluding their observance of 40 days of Lent while Muslim friends were getting into the thick of their observance of Ramadan. And of course, in a couple of days, our Muslim friends will be celebrating Hari Raya Puasa. All in the same month, only in Singapore. It is a beautiful harmony and long may we, all of us, commit ourselves to keep this going. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): In this debate, meritocracy in Singapore has been a topic of particular interest, and the Government has also laid out ways to improve the system. In actual fact, our meritocracy encompasses a very important and fundamental social principle – that there is no ceiling for meritocracy. This is our core consensus and commitment with regards to meritocracy, and it also implies that those who reach the top based on this consensus have a greater responsibility and obligation to help those at the bottom.[+7 sentences] In other words, the social consensus of not setting a ceiling for meritocracy means individuals need to have the awareness and sense of responsibility to help those at the bottom. In this way, meritocracy will no longer be based on competition and distribution. Instead, it will be based on mutual assistance and benefits, as well as a win-win mindset, with a vision to create a new meritocratic system as one united people. Therefore, I hope that as the Government works to improve the meritocratic system, every Singaporean will better understand their individual social responsibility, and take on this responsibility more proactively, by actively helping Singaporeans lagging behind in the system and lend a helping hand to those at the bottom. I think this is critical for all Singaporeans to move forward together. Meritocracy is one of our core values in nation-building and governance, while another core value is multiculturalism. In the social media era today, good things are seldom propagated, but bad things are particularly viral. Even without foreign intervention, if we are not careful, domestic views or behaviour may become the very weapon that weakens our multiculturalism.[+5 sentences] Hence, I hope that we will be more prudent and exercise greater caution when we speak and act, to think carefully before we speak or react, in order to protect our precious multiculturalism. (In English): Mr Speaker, I have spoken about meritocracy and multiculturalism and the role each of us can play to keep these going. Meritocracy and multiculturalism are core values in Singapore. Let me conclude by making a broader point about our core values and about our confidence as a people. In this debate, we have heard polls being cited, polls indicating that Singaporeans lack confidence, lack optimism in our future. Actually, I have seen similar polls myself, polls that have not been cited in this debate, but polls that show confidence or optimism even in the single digits by percentage for certain metrics. But I think we got to be circumspect in drawing conclusions from these polls. For one, the design of survey questions itself is a notoriously difficult issue that can skew survey results.[+3 sentences] But the bottom line is I think, I believe that we can all be confident of our future, together. We have every reason to be confident. And chief amongst these reasons is our collective core values, like meritocracy and multiculturalism. We have imbibed these values so much that sometimes, they just operate in the background and we do not realise that they are with us, that they are us. But these core values, like meritocracy and multiculturalism, were what our founding generation got right from the beginning and these allowed them – the founding generations, who had much fewer reasons, and much less resources to be confident about their future back then – these core values allowed them to pull through nonetheless, to succeed spectacularly and hand over to us the Singapore that we have today.[+2 sentences] And these same core values, if we remind ourselves of them, stay alive to them, refresh them as it may require to meet needs of the hour and draw optimism from them. I believe these same core values, our "sisu" will drive us forward and help us forge ahead, confidently, as one Singapore.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]Minister of State Alvin Tan.
The Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan)3306 words
[+18 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion. Three years ago, I delivered my maiden speech in Parliament in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. I ended my speech describing a scene in JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. The wizard Gandalf was mentoring the young hobbit Frodo Baggins. Frodo wished that the terrible events that had befallen the world need not have happened in his time. To that, Gandalf responded, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us". I also shared that "years from now, in this very House, our future generations will judge us by how we have met that moment". We have done much with the time given to us during the pandemic and have since met that moment by most accounts. Collectively, we steered Singapore through the proverbial “crisis of our generation”, just as Frodo and his team did at the end of the story. Today, I will focus on our young Frodos – our youths, since Members have already spoken about other segments of society this week. I will share how our youths have indeed met that moment together with us and how they can continue to serve, shape and lead our country even as that moment passes and another moment approaches. Mr Speaker, I have been working closely with our youths for almost two decades, including the past three years in my many roles in office – in the social and economic spheres. Every week, I meet with youths in my capacities as Deputy Chair of the National Youth Council (NYC), Advisor to Young PAP and many youth organisations, also in businesses, schools, unions, the interfaith community and the community. Ms Nadin Samdin raised the importance of ensuring meaningful youth participation, not just for quotas or at dialogues. I cannot agree more. So, please allow me to share with this House and our fellow Singaporeans, how our youths are taking action and how we are continuing to enable them to shape, serve and lead in our social and economic spheres. Let me begin in the social sphere with inter-racial and religious harmony, a topic we just touched on. We have youths carrying the torch lit by our founding leaders to strengthen racial and religious harmony. Youths like Nazhath Faheema, Benjamin Tan, Mohd Anas, Farisha Ishak and Joakim Gomez worked closely with Ms Nadin Samdin and I and my Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) team to refresh our Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) into our new Harmony Circles, making them more diverse, more youthful and more digital.[+8 sentences] Last month, at Masjid Khalid, I met with 75 Harmony Champions, mostly youth leaders from the ground-up organisation, Roses of Peace, to discuss how to continually refresh our interfaith work on the ground. In my local Harmony Circle, we just welcomed 39 new volunteers. There are many youths, many women and many members from diverse backgrounds, including the digital savvy team at Masjid Al-Falah, led by the young Ustaz Khairul Anwar who is my Harmony Circle Vice Chair, and our secretary Lily Lim, an outstanding young Singaporean undergraduate of Iranian roots. Why is interfaith work important? Look within and around us. I have always cautioned that if we take our eyes off this important work, we will not have the foundations upon which to build our society and our economy. It is imperative that our youths continue to carry this torch. We also have youths who care deeply about our people's mental well-being and they have followed-up with action. Shane and Shamantha Yan's Growth Collective, Sabrina Ooi's Calm Collective, Simon Leow and Sherman Ho's Happiness Initiative, Asher Low's Limitless and Cho Ming Xiu's Campus PSY are just some of the many ground-up youth initiatives that are driving our Singapore Mental Well-Being Network in its efforts to raise awareness of and destigmatise mental well-being issues, as well as train peer supporters to support one another.[+1 sentence] In my Moulmein-Cairnhill (MOCA) Division, my Youth Network is working with our Neighbourhood Committee to build our local Mental Well-Being Circle. Nationally, we have thus far six of these Circles and counting, 400 trained volunteers and around 30 partners, and we are scaling up these efforts across the community and to workplaces.[+4 sentences] We also have youths who care deeply about migrant workers living among us and who are helping to build Singapore. Youths like Rachel Divashini from the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO), Benjamin Kuan from HealthServe and Wesley Lim from It’s Raining Raincoats (IRR) are working with us on the ground to care for, recognise and create space for our migrant worker friends. In my MOCA constituency, youths like Alister, Aaron, Andy and Qi Wei set up OMG for Our Migrant Guests, to bring our residents and migrant workers together to celebrate festivals and recognise their work. They are partnering with the voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) I mentioned earlier in this meaningful and important work. Our youths are also serious about tackling climate change and are actively participating in our SG Green Plan.[+12 sentences] Youths like Woo Qiyun, Samantha Thian and Tan Shi-Zhou are leading the way in this regard. In MOCA, one of our most successful initiatives is "Our Green MOCA", where youths are involved in activities such as greening our Cambridge Neighbourhood, Green Hackathons, Climate Conversations and even led a mural painting project at Our Green Hub. Last year, our young Green MOCA Young Ambassadors also connected DBS with ACS Junior on their sustainability game outreach to raise awareness about food waste, e-waste and conservation locally. So, our youths care about and are taking action on the issues I just highlighted. But we are also keenly aware that bread and butter issues, social mobility and progress and opportunities are top of mind. Ms Sylvia and Mr Henry Kwek spoke out on these issues in their speeches. There are many ways that we are collectively addressing this. I will touch on a few. For example, we are partnering with our youths as they lead ground-up initiatives and efforts to equalise opportunities, through initiatives like mentoring. Youths like Kelley Wong at Young Women’s Leadership Connection, Clarence Ching at Access Singapore, Hafiz Kasman at Kinobi and Mock Yi Jun at Advisory, are driving our Mentoring SG movement, ensuring that youths have access to mentors and opportunities to learn, grow and thrive in their areas of interest. The Astra Collective which Mr Henry Kwek's Kebun Baru team is partnering is a member of Mentoring SG and we are supporting their work and helping them to expand their reach into communities like Kebun Baru. Mr Xie Yao Quan's calls for mentors is thus also pertinent and relevant. Mentoring SG has thus far created 4,000 mentoring opportunities for our youths, supported 40 mentoring organisations and welcomed 13 corporate partners and these numbers are growing. When we set up the Mentoring SG office later this year, we will look to track the jobs and careers outcomes of our national mentoring efforts.[+24 sentences] This is an important upstream effort to prepare our youths for the fast-changing world and economy. So, please do join Mentoring SG which is a key initiative under our Forward SG Movement. Beyond mentoring as a way to equalise opportunities and guide our youths, another key way to tackle social mobility and bread and butter issues is to create jobs and career opportunities for them, ensure also that they have the skills to take on these opportunities. Allow me to share how we have created these opportunities and examples of youths who have turned up, seized them and are distinguishing themselves in their careers and shaping our economy in their own unique ways. When I left the private sector to join the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) back in 2020, I was asked to help look after our tourism sector, which was hardest hit by the pandemic. During the depths of the crisis, I met weekly with many of our tourism workers, gathering feedback on how best to support them and help the sector recover. At this month’s Tourism Industry Conference, I shared about a young SHATEC trainee I met during the downturn. She told me she was picking up skills at SHATEC during the downturn to "catch the wind" for when tourism recovers. Another young Singaporean in the tourism sector is Matthew Yong who is now Assistant Chief Culturist in Capella Hotel Sydney. During COVID-19, Matthew decided to upgrade his skills, believing correctly that the hotel sector will thrive and boom post-COVID. These youths made the right call. They took the down time to upskill and many like them are trailblazing new ideas to build a more sustainable tourism sector. I have also met youths who are seizing opportunities in emerging sectors that we are growing, like tech, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, robotics and agri-food tech. Let me share a few examples. I serve as Advisor to Cyber Youth Singapore (CYS), led by Ben Chua and his team. CYS prepares youths, including those studying in Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and polytechnics, to acquire cybersecurity skills and secure internships and jobs in the cybersecurity sector which we are growing. I meet them regularly to help shape their programme and direction. Leading up to their Cyber Youth Summit in June, I had a fruitful exchange with student leader Marcus Tan and his fellow students at ITE College Central last month to share about opportunities in the cybersecurity space. Our youths are tech-savvy and passionate about shaping our digital future and are in good stead with leaders like Ben and Marcus taking the charge. Our youths are also taking on new and exciting jobs in the emerging advanced manufacturing space that we are nurturing. When I visited companies like the semiconductor manufacturer Micron and biotech firm Amgen, I met young employees using Augmented Reality (AR) and robots to produce innovative products for the semiconductor and biopharma markets respectively. We will continue to support them through our various SkillsFuture offerings, trade associations and unions to prepare them to take on these jobs. We are also preparing our youths for a future of automation and robotics, a theme I shared at our MTI Committee of Supply (COS) in February. At the Sixth Anniversary of the National Robotics Programme (NRP) at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), I met youths from Victoria School and Raffles Girls’ School who were deeply involved in the design, programming and deployment of reconfigurable robots. Singapore has the second-most robot intensive manufacturing sector in the world, just after South Korea.[+6 sentences] We will continue to support the use of robots in high-tech manufacturing and create futuristic jobs for our people through our work at MTI and the National Robotics Programme (NRP). Another area we are literally growing is agri-food tech. Last week, I inaugurated the launch of a new agri-genomic farm by Singrow, an agri-food tech startup that develops and grows the world’s first climate-resilient strawberries. While there, I met many youths from National University of Singapore (NUS) and our polytechnics, including Janice Tong who is studying Biomedical Sciences in Singapore Polytechnic. They were using AI and Machine Learning to improve crop yield. Janice is a smart and confident young lady. She explained to me how she first interned and then got a full-time role in one of the agri-tech companies located in our Science Park. We are supporting these companies and workers like Janice through our Enterprise Singapore schemes as they deploy robotic arms and digital monitoring systems to automate our agri-food tech sector.[+5 sentences] I also regularly visit our startups regularly to get feedback about our StartupSG and other Enterprise Singapore schemes. I was at Block 79 recently to engage startup founders and ecosystem players and attended the NUS Entrepreneurship Society’s University Conference (UNICON), its flagship student-led entrepreneurship and tech conference that features many promising startups. Through my engagements with this industry, I have met many young startup founders looking to break ground, including Alexandra Zhang from Factorem, a precision engineering startup manufacturing 3D printed parts for larger firms using AI. Startups, like Factorem, are making strides and we are supporting them to realise their potential. While doing so, we are also continuing to help our young business owners navigate the various schemes and grants we have available and find one that is suitable for them, in order to address the challenges that businesses might have in identifying schemes that meet their needs, as Member Mr Don Wee raised. Startups and SMEs looking to grow beyond Singapore can also tap on platforms such as our Global Innovation Alliance.[+1 sentence] Next, our financial sector. Our financial sector is a bright spot in our economy. It accounts for 14% of gross domestic product (GDP) and close to 200,000 jobs, with many offering higher wages relative to other sectors and we are continuing to grow the sector.[+26 sentences] And financial institutions and fintech companies are looking to hire our students across universities and polytechnics. Next week, I will be at Ngee Ann Polytechnic for the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Institute of Banking and Finance's Growing Timber series, where we will plan how to grow opportunities for our youths in the sector and help them take on these jobs. I will share more details at the event and look forward to meeting our youths, including many who have made their mark in the sector. I first joined the financial sector as a youth 13 years ago in Boston and New York, and then moved to Hong Kong, and then back home in Singapore. I have seen many of my former batch mates in the financial sector now leading their organisations or building new companies. We will grow our timber in the financial sector and our youths will benefit from this work. Mr Speaker, I have barely scratched the surface of what I have learnt of and about our youths today. Many have been leading and taking action on social issues crucial for our nation-building and preparing for, seizing and even creating job opportunities to secure their future. There is cause for optimism. And our youths have indeed met the COVID-19 moment with us and have accomplished much since. But as Prime Minister Lee cautioned yesterday, there are many storms ahead of us, with geopolitical challenges and new risks and opportunities to contempt with, such as artificial generative intelligence and climate change. Our youths will need to navigate these waters and we will, of course, brave these storms together with them. Sir, in my many meetings with our youths, they will typically ask what advice I would have, drawing from my experiences in the private and public sectors. I have always responded with two words "turn up". At this point, please allow me to speak directly to our youths and unpack what I mean by "turn up". First, turning up means being present. Much has been said this week about ChatGPT and the mainstreaming of Artificial Intelligence (AI). A Financial Times article by Ian Hogarth cautioned against the perils of opportunities of "God-like AI" and Stanford University, the State of AI report, explored issues around Artificial Generative Intelligence or AGI. How then should you, as youths, navigate the future? AGI cannot build society. It cannot build racial and religious harmony. It cannot strengthen mental well-being or mentor a new generation. Rather, you must turn up, gather physically, attend one another's festivals/events, learn about one another's beliefs and backgrounds, meet face-to-face, hold someone's hand and guide them and journey with them through life by being present. Be human in the coming age of "Gold-like AI". Second, turning up means being prepared. Our collective handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has further strengthened Singapore's global reputation and appeal. Despite the pandemic, we attracted over S$51 billion in Fixed Asset Investments (FAI) over the past three years and created new and exciting jobs in the sectors I have described earlier.[+8 sentences] To reap the benefits of these investments, our workers, our people and you, our youths, must be prepared to take on these jobs, create new ones within our growing ecosystem and build value for themselves, for society and for others. It has often been said that no one owes Singapore a living. I have worked in the private sector most of my career. I have learnt that we need to create value, show value and share value to be relevant in the market. We must produce what the market wants. We do not have the markets and opportunities bigger countries have. But you can tap on the many schemes and programmes we have designed for you. Use what you have learnt through our educations system. Use SkillsFuture to pick up skills throughout your lifetime.[+16 sentences] Use our economic schemes to help your enterprises grow and succeed. Take on internships, apply for jobs and excel in them. Create value. We need to be prepared, remain exceptional and strengthen our raison d'etre. Third, turning up means to persevere. We did not come this far just to sit on our hands. While we continue to create value and stay relevant, we also need to be mindful about recent global trends, like quiet quitting and lying flat, which will slow us down and set us back. The world and its challenges will not be kind. That is the hard truth. You must be courageous, diligent, determined to keep innovating and pushing barriers. I agree with Mr Shawn Hwang that our youths must have determination, ambition, passion, centred on a strong set of values, strong set of identity, strong set of culture, youths with a "go-getting spirit" that Mr S Rajaratnam described that Prime Minister Lee quoted yesterday, youths who will not just run the race but stay the course, rise to the occasion and meet the many moments that will come your way. Mr Speaker, in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the wizard Gandalf was helping young Frodo and his band, often behind the scenes, providing guidance, support and resources, rallying troops. But the battle and adventure was Frodo's and Frodo's alone. So too his decisions, the outcomes of his decisions and the lessons he had to learn. Gandalf gave Frodo the platform to learn, grow and thrive. And at the climatic end of the story, Frodo and team played a decisive role. Like Gandalf, we must continue to provide a conducive and enabling environment for our Frodos – our youths, to learn, grow and thrive.[+1 sentence] To try, to create, to innovate, to fail, to learn, to try again. The Ministry's addendum to the President's Address outlined our Government's plans to continue to build such an environment for our youths and Singaporeans at large.[+8 sentences] Sir, I enjoy engaging our youths. They are full of ideas, passion and energy. Recently, I hosted three Forward Singapore exercises with youths, living and working abroad. It reminded me of the nine years I spent abroad as a youth living overseas. These youths are exploring the world, connecting with people, making their mark. They remind me of my friends and cohort of youths who were overseas. Some in my cohort had gone on to fund companies, lead global firms, making their respective differences in the social and public sectors to which they had been called. As I spoke with these youths, we exchanged ideas of the Singapore we hope to shape. One of them asked me what opportunities are there for them back home. I encouraged them to stay overseas, explore, learn more, make their mark but always have Singapore in their minds and in their hearts; and to ultimately come home with the skills, networks, ideas and organisations they are building to build our country.[+1 sentence] After the session, I have received a few LinkedIn messages from the youths. One of them which simply said, "we will".[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker26 words
[+2 sentences]I am now trying to figure who is Smeagol or Gollum in this whole narrative. Certainly, it is not Miss Rachel Ong, who will be next.
Miss Rachel Ong (West Coast)1909 words
[+8 sentences]Mr Speaker, I speak in support of the Motion of thanks to our President. In her speech, the President outlined key priorities for Singapore for the remainder of this term of Government – one being the need to expand opportunities throughout life for all, an inclusive meritocracy. This right and necessary work for Singapore's next growth phase lies not only with our Government. The President's speech is indeed a clarion call for a closer and more intentional partnership between our people, public and private resources. To ensure Singapore becomes a more inclusive meritocracy for our persons with disabilities, or PwDs, and their caregivers, I believe the active participation of the non-SMEs in inclusive employment is critical. May I take this opportunity to applaud the initiative taken by some of our non-SMEs who have embraced inclusive hiring. They include Uniqlo, Cushman and Wakefield, Shangri-La Hotel, UOB, NLB as well as others who have tapped into Workforce Singapore's Open Door Programme to support employment of PwDs. Thank you for being our pioneers of inclusive employment. Non-SMEs or enterprises with turnover exceeding S$100 million contribute to 29% of enterprise employment, or 1.3 million jobs. Given their scale, even if only 1% of their workforce is committed to PwDs, 13,000 jobs will be created. This equates to employment for 60% of the 21,000 PwDs of working age, who are still outside of the workforce.[+30 sentences] But the impetus for non-SMEs to build a more inclusive workforce cannot be rooted in social responsibility alone. There must be a clear understanding of the tangible competitive advantages PwDs bring to the workplace, even after factoring in adjustment costs. Accenture rightly coined this, "The Disability Inclusion Advantage". Here is why. The first advantage is that inclusive workplaces lead to higher work productivity. Last week, I had the opportunity to spend some time at SPD Contact Centre, a partnership between SPD and startup firm Octopus8. Octopus8 is a business process outsourcing and software firm with an intentionally inclusive workforce. What I found interesting was that Mr Lawrence Luan, founder of Octopus8, did not start this work with the intention of being a social enterprise. In fact, he had not heard of the term "social enterprise" until much later. Prior to starting Octopus8, Lawrence worked in a multinational company (MNC) serving clients in business process services. Lawrence was asked how he decided on this uncommon workforce profile from a solely business perspective. He shared that at his previous work in the MNC, he saw how PwDs in his workplace provided fellow colleagues a different perspective of life. Lawrence shared that when his colleagues learnt of how a PwD staff took painstaking years to learn to speak, fellow colleagues were themselves convicted for using the ability to speak on grumbles and complaints. When another PwD staff would take over two hours to commute to the office each way, the rest then saw the privilege of work. The lived realities of PwD colleagues continue to inspire greater productivity and grit in daily work done by non-disabled individuals. This, in addition to the fact that a well-placed PwD can well perform or even better than the average non-disabled staff. In the course of his consulting work, Lawrence also observes that when an organisation includes PwDs as part of their workforce, it often leads to a review and simplification of their business processes. This ultimately benefits everyone and raises productivity. The outcome is also corroborated by SG Enable's commissioned study published last year. The second advantage is that PwDs foster innovation and problem-solving skills. Reena Rajas-vari was my very close friend and colleague of eight years before she passed away last year, to cancer. I share her story because she lived a most remarkable life despite turning blind at a prime age of 28. After taking years to grieve the sudden loss of sight, Reena regained purpose and committed to creative ways to unlearn and relearn how to go about the daily tasks and be independent again. An athlete by nature, she took up sound-tennis while going on regular hikes and mountain climbing. Her love for fashion gave her impetus to create her own system to coordinate her clothes, shoes and jewellery despite not being able to see. On the work front, no one could inspire and facilitate corporate programmes on resilience and innovation as effectively as Reena did. Her creative problem-solving skills and tenacity shared in training workshops, went on to inspire our corporate clients to do the same. When someone wakes up thinking about how to do mundane things differently, that is innovation on display, a skillset. If companies would take time to uncover these innate and valuable skillsets in PwDs, place them in positions to thrive, I have no doubt that we will find some of the best gems in our local talent pool. Far from being anecdotal, the business case for an inclusive workforce is backed by a 4-year research conducted by Accenture on 140 companies. The paper revealed that the 45 companies that excelled in disability inclusion achieved on average: (a) 28% higher revenue; (b) double the net income; and (c) 30% higher profit margins than the remaining companies.[+8 sentences] Appropriating the “Disability Inclusion Advantage” fully requires both PwDs and enterprises to take risks and be open to making adjustments. May I share the six proposed adjustments. First, willing to redesign jobs and leverage technology. A young man with cerebral palsy had come to interview for a data-entry job as that had been his training. However, during the role assessment, it was evident he was unable to perform the task efficiently. But this young man had a noticeably sharp mind and engaged well in conversations. As such, the recruiter encouraged him to give Digital Marketing a try. Though he had not been offered any other position apart from data entry, he decided to take on the opportunity. The employer then made arrangements to provide this young man with assistance in typing tasks linked to the marketing role, allowing this staff to focus and eventually excel in client engagement. He flourished in this lane and was eventually offered a job at a Government agency with double his original pay.[+29 sentences] This young man discovered his niche and progressed at work because his employer cared enough to take the time to identify his talent, redesigned the role to maximise his genius. This intentionality proved to be life-changing. Our enterprises need to be willing to invest in their PwD talent. The good news is with technological advancement, some of the tasks that once hindered PwDs from taking on job roles can now be automated. Work that once required onsite presence can now be done remotely by PWDs with mobility issues. We need only take the first step to give our PwDs an opportunity. Second, improving skills identification and training capabilities. The training support accessible to each PwD in their earlier years, differs. Placement officers in companies or social service organisations may need to work more collaboratively with PwDs or their caregivers to further uncover skills that may have been overlooked due to early training bias, as in the case of the young man with cerebral palsy. I hope our Enabling Masterplan will continue to build Singapore’s capabilities to identify and train PWDs in skill sets that amplify their abilities and self-confidence. Third, engaging PWDs in tech-enabled work. As our nation moves towards a digital economy, technological advancements can work to the advantage of our PwDs. For example, Profileprint is a Singapore tech startup located in Enabling Village that uses AI to perform accurate food grading without the need to taste, see or touch it. Such job roles open employment opportunities for both PWDs and non-disabled. I am encouraged to see that tech startups not designed as social enterprises, are choosing to leverage technology to engage PwDs in meaningful work. I hope that we will see more startups like Octopus8 and ProfilePrint who proactively consider PwDs as a viable part of their workforce. Meanwhile, as non-small and medium enterprises also digitise and upgrade their work processes, they could also proactively explore how more PwDs can be integrated into their workforce. Fourth, incorporate inclusive management skills. Supervisors must also be trained to manage staff in a diverse workplace. If management is perceived as overly empathetic to PwDs or does not correct staff for poor performance, it negatively impacts workplace culture for both PwDs and non-disabled staff. At the same time, it is vital that non-disabled staff are properly oriented to the value of inclusion and her application at work. Without proper onboarding of all staff, PwDs may still feel excluded or discriminated against. Fifth, community outreach programmes. I shared at the recent COS that some of our PwDs do not participate in work because they may not be aware of or do not believe that there are jobs or workplaces that can accommodate their disability. SG-Enable and their partner NGOs have done a tremendous amount of work in engaging the disabled community. Corporations with established inclusive workplace practices can also collaborate with schools and grassroots organisations; to run community outreach programmes to share how PwDs are engaged in their workplaces. I hope that the lived examples of how PwDs are empowered to do meaningful work in their organisations can inspire PwDs and their families towards a greater hope and future. Sixth, Government incentives to contract inclusive suppliers. I note with interest the multinational corporation (MNC) Lawrence Luan had worked with. There, he witnessed the real-world benefits of an inclusive workforce. This MNC also became increasingly open to hire PwDs because of a government tender won. This tender had a clause that stipulated for a percentage of project staff to be from vulnerable groups, such as seniors or disabled.[+1 sentence] This caused his former firm to be more open to hire PwDs across business divisions. The good news is when the contract ended, all PwDs hired for the project continue to remain with the firm, and today seven years on, are still meaningfully employed.[+11 sentences] Government project tenders can be a great lever to encourage suppliers to participate in Singapore’s inclusive workplace agenda. In addition to such “set-aside” clauses for tenders, our Government could consider a preferred purchase programme for suppliers with the Enabling Mark. I have spoken extensively about what enterprises can do for our PwDs. Many of the adjustments shared can also be applied to support the caregivers of severely disabled PwDs. I quote Baroness Minouche Shafik, Director of London School of Economics and Political Science, and former Deputy Managing Director of the IMF: “Harnessing everyone’s talents is not an issue of fairness; it is also good for the economy. A new social contract is not about higher taxes, more redistribution, and a bigger welfare state. It is about fundamentally reordering and equalizing how opportunity and security are distributed across society.” We have an opportunity here in Singapore, to once again be at the forefront of what makes good sense economically and what is also good for our collective citizenry. There need not be a trade-off if we fundamentally structure intentionally the inclusion of PwDs and their caregivers into our workforce. Mr Speaker, I close with this statement by our President: "Every Singaporean must have the opportunity to take on work they find fulfilling and meaningful, build on their talents, give of their best and be rewarded fairly for it." May this become the lived reality of our PwDs and their caregivers in the near future.
Adjournment›Motions1 turns · 25w
· 0 highlighted
motion-2173
Speaker not recorded25 words
[+2 sentences]. (proc text)] Adjourned accordingly at 4.06 pm.
Primary School Children with Limited or No Access to Digital Devices and Network Connection for Learning›Oral Answers to Questions3 turns · 171w
· 2 highlighted
oral-answer-3186
Speaker not recorded76 words
[+1 sentence]The following question stood in the name of Mr Darryl David – 1 To ask the Minister for Education (a) what is the current percentage of primary school children who have limited or no access to digital devices and wifi for learning and education; and (b) what are the available schemes at the Ministry to ensure that these children have access to such digital devices and wifi so that their learning and education are not compromised.
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar)4 words
[+1 sentence]Question No 1, Sir.
The Minister of State for Education (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister for Education)91 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has provided all primary schools with sufficient Internet-enabled devices to support students' learning in school. MOE also periodically reviews the level of provision to ensure that it meets the needs of schools' teaching and learning programmes. In cases where primary students need to use devices after school hours but lack digital devices, schools can loan computers and Internet-enabling devices to students who need to use devices at home for school work. Our students also have the option to use the computing facilities in school.
Assessment of Practice where Insurers Offer Additional Coverage for Cancer Treatment through Riders›Oral Answers to Questions16 turns · 2,221w
· 11 highlighted
oral-answer-3187
Speaker not recorded52 words
[+1 sentence]The following question stood in the name of Ms Mariam Jaafar – 2 To ask the Minister for Health (a) whether insurers offering massive additional coverage for cancer treatment through their riders is a cause for concern for the Ministry; and (b) whether such riders undermine efforts to contain cancer drug costs.
Mr Yip Hon Weng76 words
asked the Minister for Health (a) in the past year, what is the proportion of cancer patients who have exceeded the annual claim limits of $1,200 from MediShield Life and $600 from MediSave for their cancer treatment; (b) what assistance is available for such patients; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider creating a separate claim category for the coverage of elective cancer drug services to avoid exceeding the claim limits for essential cancer drug services.
Mr Yip Hon Weng98 words
asked the Minister for Health (a) how will the implementation of enhanced riders offered by Integrated Shield Plan (IP) insurers to offset limits on oncological treatment coverage affect the Ministry's efforts to curb rising costs of cancer treatments in Singapore; (b) whether MediSave will be permitted to pay for premiums of these riders and, if so, whether this will contradict the Ministry's intent to impose limits on cancer treatment coverage; and (c) whether policyholders who opt for these enhanced riders will be required to have a minimum co-payment of their medical bills subject to a cap each year.
Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong)3 words
[+1 sentence]Question No 2.
The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung)16 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 2 to 4 together, please?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Mr Ong Ye Kung901 words
[+4 sentences]My response will also cover the matters raised in the questions by Mr Louis Chua1 and Mr Saktiandi Supaat2 which are scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. I would invite Members to seek clarifications, if need be. If their questions have been addressed, it may not be necessary for them to proceed with the questions for future Sittings. Let me first provide some facts that have been requested. The annual number of Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who received cancer drug treatment and services increased from 22,500 in 2017, to 31,500 in 2021, which is a 40% increase.[+2 sentences] Eighty-four percent received treatment in Public Healthcare Institutions, or PHIs, and 16% in private medical institutions. This proportion has remained stable over the past few years. A Member asked about the adequacy of the MediShield Life claim limit for cancer drug services. We have received similar feedback earlier and have recently increased the claim limit for cancer drug services from $1,200 to $3,600 per year.[+9 sentences] So, it has increased by three times. This is sufficient to cover the essential cancer drug services incurred by more than nine in 10 subsidised patients in our PHIs. Other Members raised concerns that generous insurance coverage, especially Integrated Shield Plans, or IPs, and IP plus riders provided by commercial insurance companies, will continue to contribute to the rapid escalation of cancer drug prices. I thank the Members for sharing the Ministry of Health's (MOH's) concern which gave rise to the recent policy changes. But first let me explain the key reasons for the rapid rise in cancer drug prices over the past years. Firstly, as a small market, Singapore lacks the negotiating power and can pay higher procurement prices. With the Cancer Drug List, or CDL, announced in August 2021, drug companies have lowered their prices in order to include their drugs in the CDL so that they can get financing coverage, namely subsidy, plus MediShield, MediShield, MediShield Life and IP coverage. Since these changes, we have negotiated an average cost reduction of 30% for most drugs, and over 60% for some drugs. We can plough the money saved on procurement costs into more subsidies. Annual Government spending on cancer drug subsidies increased from about $12 million for about 50 drugs before the CDL announcement in August 2021, to around $80 million for more than 100 drugs from September 2022.[+12 sentences] Secondly, because of the high level of anxiety surrounding cancer, high-cost cancer treatments are often prescribed even where costs are not commensurate with the established clinical benefits. Overseas studies have found that about half of new cancer treatments were introduced without evidence of benefit to survival or quality of life. However, patients and their loved ones all hope for a cure. "As-charged" insurance policies, including IPs and riders, are policies where coverage can be effectively limitless and patients have limited co-payment; they further encourage this practice where non-cost-effective cancer treatments are prescribed. These are "as-charged" insurance policies. The CDL also addresses this issue. It sends a strong signal to patients and doctors to use clinically proven and cost-effective treatments, which are covered by subsidies and MediShield Life from 1 September 2022 and IPs from April 2023. There are riders which can still cover non-CDL treatments, but with the policy changes effected by the CDL, the costs of these treatments will have to be reflected in the rider premiums, rather than loaded onto MediShield Life and IP premiums for the broad majority. In other words, the high cost of non-cost-effective drugs will not be socialised. Thirdly, the mark-up of cancer drugs by some healthcare providers may be quite significant. This is, again, encouraged by "as-charged" IPs and riders, which provided for effectively limitless claims. MOH had, in 2018, taken steps to moderate this by requiring all new riders to have a minimum co-payment of 5% and typically capped at $3,000 a year, for treatments from panel doctors. From 1 April 2023, we took another step to require IPs to set claim limits for cancer drug treatments, instead of having no limits at all.[+10 sentences] So, the IPs ceased to be "as-charged". For cancer drug treatments, most IPs provide coverage of up to five times that of the MediShield Life limit for treatments on the CDL. This is sufficient to cover cost-effective CDL treatments at up to 2.5 times that of unsubsidised PHI prices. A few Members have also raised concerns that the new CDL limits for riders – such as 18 times of the MediShield Life claim limits – continue to be high and can push up cancer drug prices. MOH shares the concern. We will review how to improve the transparency of cancer drug prices to help patients make informed decisions and encourage providers to calibrate their mark-ups. We are also monitoring cancer drug claims and coverage closely and will work with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to take further steps to regulate IPs and riders if costs continue to escalate. In the meantime, we urge individuals to consider the long-term cost of the insurance products they purchase against the level of protection they need. The fact is that our CDL is more extensive than similar listings in most developed countries, including South Korea, Australia and the United Kingdom. MAS also requires insurance intermediaries to properly assess if a health insurance product is suitable for a customer's needs and financial situation before recommending the product to the customer.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang)102 words
[+5 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. First, would the Ministry be prepared to work with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) to develop a platform like Price Kaki, which will allow patients to compare cancer drug prices across the public, as well as the private hospitals and clinics? Second, pharmaceutical companies may be selling the same medications to Singaporeans at higher prices than other countries with comparable economic situations. Would the Ministry be prepared to work with MTI and CCCS to investigate this?
Mr Ong Ye Kung297 words
[+12 sentences]Thank you. The first question is a good idea. I think MOH can work on this together with the Singapore Medical Council and the medical community, without involving the CCCS. Such price transparency itself will be quite useful. So, it is something that we will study and I had mentioned that in my reply. On the Member's second question, differential pricing across countries, this is widely practised by many global suppliers, including by pharmaceutical companies. I should first say that pharmaceutical companies are our close partners in healthcare. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they are the ones who provided us with vaccines and a way out of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. So, they are our partners. But we also understand that they incur quite a lot of research costs which have to be recovered through drug costs when something is approved and able to be distributed. In so doing, they too, maximise their revenue by pricing the drugs in different markets differently. So, differential pricing is commonly done. Internationally, this is not considered something illegal; neither can MTI or CCCS do anything about it, because they do not have the extraterritorial power. But what we have done through the CDL, is that it gave us some negotiating leverage to talk to the pharmaceutical companies, to say, "Please lower the prices for the drugs that you supply to Singapore.[+4 sentences] If you do so, it crosses our cost-effectiveness threshold, it can be in the CDL, and therefore, it can be subsidised and enjoy MediShield Life claims." So far, we have been quite successful. I should reiterate a point raised in my former reply just now. Today, our CDL is actually quite extensive and, in fact, longer and more comprehensive than many similar listings in many developed countries around the world.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)98 words
[+7 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just one supplementary question for the Minister. I understand that the CDL is a positive development for our healthcare system. But at the same time, a lot of the insurers are responding very quickly to this legislation and introducing various riders. I understand from the Minister's response that the Ministry is looking into this. So, my question is whether the Ministry will look into whether insurance companies are profiteering from this. And eventually, the concern is whether or not this could all end up as higher premiums for the various policyholders as a result.
Mr Ong Ye Kung459 words
[+21 sentences]I thank the Member. Before I directly answer the question, let me explain what is happening now. In the past, as we know, MediShield Life provides the basic level of protection. Above that, there is IP; and above whatever IP does not provide, riders would provide. So, you look at the cake as three layers. In the past, what happens is, an IP has limitless claims. We call this "as-charged". But it requires some co-payment and riders to sit on top of IPs to cover part of the co-payment. But with the recent changes, that relationship has been flipped. Because an IP now has quite a strict coverage of four, five times of MediShield Life. So, IP has lower coverage; it also does not cover so many drugs because non-CDL drugs are no longer covered; IP coverage has shrunk. But now, the ballon is squeezed out into the rider space. Insurance companies now come in with riders with 18 times coverage – so, not "as-charged" but 18 times or a very high absolute number. I think there is an impact now where it is no longer "as-charged" but the entire IP plus rider is now capped, albeit a very high cap. I think we need to monitor this. The way consumers respond will be quite key. If consumers heed our advice, that if you just look at our CDL which is quite comprehensive and that IP coverage is actually quite adequate; and if they stick to just buying IP, then I think the problem can be addressed. When it comes to the riders, they should look at the price. Riders have to price in higher coverage plus more drug coverage, so they will be priced higher; and you cannot use MediSave – you can only use cash. So, if rider demand goes down and most people think IP is enough for them, I think we have addressed the problem. But if consumer behaviour does not change and consumers continue to buy riders, notwithstanding high premiums, then, I think I agree with the Member, we may have a problem. In which case, as I had mentioned just now, together with MAS, we will be prepared to regulate IPs and riders.[+7 sentences] The Member mentioned the word "profiteering". I am not sure I would describe the insurance sector that way. I think they are competing. I am not sure they are profiteering from it. But because they compete, they try to fight for market share, they offer a wide coverage – sometimes, it is, in the long term, not very sustainable for their business. In healthcare, it is a very complex system. Regular market economics do not quite work and if need be, if we have to regulate, we will do so.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member)22 words
[+1 sentence]Speaker, can I ask the Minister one supplementary question: will the payout, the claims on the rider, affect the MediShield Life greatly?
Mr Ong Ye Kung84 words
Based on the current design, our sense is "no", because now, we have isolated MediShield Life and IP with the CDL, with a limit.[+3 sentences] So, the rider itself is an outlet; and we can cover more drugs and higher limits, and it should be priced accordingly. So, we will observe. My sense is that based on today's design, the answer is "no". In the past, the answer is "yes", and it is not fair to the great majority who do not use non-cost-effective drugs.
Causes Behind Major Disruption to System at ICA Checkpoints on 31 March 2023›Oral Answers to Questions21 turns · 2,518w
· 16 highlighted
oral-answer-3188
Speaker not recorded99 words
[+1 sentence]The following question stood in the name of Dr Lim Wee Kiak – 5 To ask the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the immigration clearance disruption due to a computer glitch at ICA checkpoints on 31 March 2023 (a) whether there is a backup system to automatically take over the operations under such circumstances; (b) what is the standard procedure for any work carried out on major IT systems to anticipate any glitches; (c) why is upgrading work not done during off-peak hours; and (d) how many travellers have missed their flights and whether they are compensated.
Mr Ang Wei Neng52 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the main causes behind the major disruption to the immigration system at the ICA checkpoints on 31 March 2023; (b) how many people are affected by the disruption; and (c) what lessons can be learned from the disruption to prevent a future occurrence.
Mr Murali Pillai77 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the estimated number of people who were affected by the five-hour system disruption at the land and air checkpoints on 31 March 2023 arising from a scheduled system upgrade that caused a system overload; (b) why was the problem hitherto unanticipated; (c) what is the Ministry's assessment of the contingency plan activated to deal with the disruption; and (d) what steps will be taken to strengthen the plan.
Mr Alex Yam32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry is satisfied with how ICA handled the recent service outage on 31 March 2023; and (b) how future outages can be prevented.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong77 words
asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what was the cause of the system breakdown which led to the long delays in clearance across all immigration checkpoints in Singapore on 31 March 2023; (b) how many people were affected by the delay; (c) whether the ICA has worked out a solution which will prevent similar breakdowns in the future or, if not, at least to ensure that the system will be restored in a much shorter time.
Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast)4 words
[+1 sentence]Question No 5, Sir.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for Home Affairs)19 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take together Questions Nos 5 to 9 in today's Order Paper?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim1022 words
[+3 sentences]Sir, my response will also cover the matters raised in the questions by Mr Desmond Choo, which are scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. I invite the Member to seek clarifications today, if need be. If the Member feels that his questions are addressed today, it may not be necessary for him to proceed with them during the next Sitting. On 31 March 2023, at about 10.40 am, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) was conducting a pre-scheduled trial needed for an upgrade of the Multi-Modal Biometrics System (MMBS).[+23 sentences] The MMBS facilitates automated immigration clearance using travellers' biometrics. Unfortunately, the trial caused a severe system overload. Automated clearance lanes at all the departure halls in Changi Airport, and certain automated lanes at Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints were impacted. The rest of the automated lanes, including those at the sea checkpoints, remained operational. Prior to the incident, ICA had been upgrading its systems progressively and cautiously, with 10 out of 12 systems enhanced. Only MMBS and one other system had not yet been upgraded. For MMBS, the system upgrade would involve replicating the large biometric database to an upgraded system. This has to be done continuously over a few days and the MMBS has to remain operational during this period. Our standard procedure for any system upgrade is to conduct tests in the User Acceptance Test (UAT) environment before deployment. The UAT tests were successful. Subsequent trials in the production environment were also stable. Next, we had planned to conduct further controlled trials during different times of the day, to ascertain that the system upgrade would not disrupt operations during the wee hours, off-peak hours and peak hours, before proceeding with the actual upgrade. The wee hours trial was conducted on 15 March 2023, from 1.30 am to 3.30 am. The trial was successful. The trial on 31 March 2023, when the incident happened, was the off-peak hours trial, to take place from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm. The vendors were on standby onsite and the plan was to recover the system within 30 minutes if the trial did not go well. The trial caused the storage systems to overload at about 10.40 am and the process was aborted immediately. However, the extent of the overload was much more severe than anticipated and the vendors who were onsite had to work with their global support team to diagnose and reboot the servers. In the end, the recovery process took about four and a half hours, and MMBS recovered around 3.00 pm. ICA immediately activated its Business Continuity Plan (BCP) once the system went down. Off-duty officers were recalled to help man manual immigration counters and perform crowd control. Across all the checkpoints, the failover process kicked in, and all the manual counters and certain automated lanes switched to back-up systems. Not all the automated lanes have this failover capability, as different models were procured over the years. At the land checkpoints, travellers experienced delays of up to 30 minutes at the onset of the incident.[+9 sentences] At Woodlands Checkpoint, there was later another hour of delay for cars as the car arrival zone had to be converted to clear motorbikes manually. About 55,000 travellers passed through the two land checkpoints during the disruption. Immigration clearance at the Airport's departure halls was significantly impacted. Travellers were re-directed to manual counters for immigration clearance. ICA immediately stepped up the manning of the manual counters through a combination of measures, such as recalling off-duty officers, deploying administrative staff and retaining the officers from the outgoing shift. Changi Airport Group (CAG) assisted ICA by deploying additional Changi Youth Ambassadors and office staff, along with CAG's Duty Terminal Managers and their Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Team. They helped identify travellers whose flights were departing soon, so that their departure clearance could be prioritised. Public announcements were also made to appeal for such travellers to step forward. During the disruption, about 30,000 passengers on 113 departure flights and 111 arrival flights, cleared immigration. Despite the measures taken by ICA and CAG, 21 out of the 30,000 cleared passengers missed their flights at Terminal 4.[+10 sentences] These travellers were subsequently offered to rebook on alternative flights within a week at no extra cost. In light of the incident, ICA is reviewing the approach to the upgrade. The alternative approach that ICA was initially offered by the vendors was not tenable. It involved upgrading the system directly without replicating the database but may require five days of system downtime. Even with the implementation of BCPs, degradation in service standards was inevitable, given the volume of travellers, and especially, at the onset of the incident. We apologise to affected travellers for the inconvenience caused and thank them for their understanding. I would also like to thank the ICA officers and CAG staff who had worked tirelessly, without complaint, to deal with the situation. Going forward, ICA is in the process of implementing a multi-year plan, known as the New Clearance Concept (NCC), to transform immigration clearance across all the checkpoints. NCC will provide more seamless clearance and help ICA, with limited manpower resources, cope with the ever-rising traveller volume. Under NCC, all manual counters and automated lanes will be replaced in phases with the next generation Automated Border Clearance System (ABCS) gates, which will allow travellers to continue using automated clearance, even when MMBS is down. In the meantime, the resiliency of existing automated lanes that have yet to be replaced by the ABCS gates will also be enhanced in the second half of 2023.[+1 sentence] Sir, Singapore is one of the first countries in the world to implement NCC-type capabilities. Some of these capabilities will be implemented in a form and manner not used or tested elsewhere, as we customise them to suit our operational needs. As such, while we will work closely with all stakeholders to further minimise technical disruptions and enhance system resiliency, the reality is, disruptions will still happen now and then.[+2 sentences] When they do, we will make sure we have robust contingency plans in place and try to recover as fast as possible. I hope for the public and Members' understanding.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Alex Yam.
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee)86 words
[+3 sentences]Speaker, first, allow me to thank the ICA frontliners on what is, perhaps, is going to be the busiest weekend this year, with an estimated two million to pass through our checkpoints for this Hari Raya weekend. I have two supplementary questions for the Minister. One, during the period of the glitch, was there any loss or breach of data detected? And as the disruption lasted over close to five hours, were there any instances of mis-clearance at immigration or security concerns during the incident itself?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim89 words
[+1 sentence]Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. There was no loss or breach of data during the incident.[+1 sentence] And in fact, ICA checks showed that there were no unusual activities found. With regard to mis-clearance, there were back-up processes in place, so that itself minimised the risk of mis-clearance.[+1 sentence] What we did was that we continued to verify the traveller's identity using the back-up system and also, just to be on the safe side, the ICA officers also did face-to-face checks with the passport for identification purposes.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Ang Wei Neng.
Mr Ang Wei Neng (West Coast)164 words
[+3 sentences]Speaker, Sir, we also like to thank the CAG staff for helping during the disruptions, to minimise the flight disruptions – only 21 passengers missed their flights, which is very commendable. I have a couple of supplementary questions. One is that the Minister of State mentioned that during the disruptions at Changi Airport and the land checkpoints, the sea checkpoints were not affected. So, the question is that why did we not do the upgrading at the sea checkpoints first, rather than to do it straightaway at the busiest part of the Changi Airport, as well as the land checkpoints? And two, during the whole upgrading, did the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) check out what is the cause of these disruptions; and for the overloading of the database, if it was the fault of the contractors, are we imposing any liquidated damages?[+1 sentence] And thirdly, how could we have some assurance that during this Hari Raya weekend, a similar thing will not happen again?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim251 words
[+13 sentences]Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. The travel volume at the sea checkpoint on 31 March 2023 was generally manageable. And, in fact, ICA manual counters across all checkpoints and the automated lanes at the sea checkpoints remained operational. So, essentially, these were not affected. The passenger volume in that sea checkpoint were relatively low and travellers were able to clear via the automated lanes and they were not affected. As I shared in my answer, some of the models of these lanes were procured at different periods. As such, they responded differently to the whole process. I thank the Member for the next question, whereby, we needed to do the trial at all the checkpoints at one time, because this MMBS is integral to all checkpoint operations. As such, the trail was done at the backend common infrastructure that supports the MMBS system, which in turn supports all the checkpoints. So, it was not possible to conduct the trial, checkpoint by checkpoint, or just doing it at the sea checkpoint, or doing it in batches. Nevertheless, in an effort to test the system load before proceeding with the actual upgrade, our approach was to conduct additional controlled trials during different times of the day. This is something that we thought we should do so that we can prevent more serious disruptions when the system upgrade has been done. However, as I have shared earlier, we have contingency and mitigation plans, whenever there are such disruptions that happen.
Mr Speaker15 words
[+2 sentences]Dr Tan Wu Meng. I believe some of your Clementi residents were affected by this?
Dr Tan Wu Meng (Jurong)136 words
[+7 sentences]I thank Mr Speaker and the Minister of State. I can indeed confirm there were Clementi residents who were affected and concerned by what happened. I also want to put on record my thanks for the ICA and CAG officers who did their best under these unexpected and very difficult circumstances. Can I ask the Minister two supplementary questions? Firstly, given that the MMBS would be considered critical information infrastructure for our checkpoints with ICA, what existing back-up redundancy is there during business-as-usual? That is the first question. My second question is whether there are best practices throughout Government or internationally, on how we can take lessons from such situations to improve the resilience of our critical information infrastructure, especially at checkpoints where any delay can lead to very extensive backlogs and implications for Singapore's reputation?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim254 words
[+12 sentences]Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. As I shared earlier, we are actually at the frontier of technological development, with regard to clearance matters, especially border security. If we look at what ICA has been doing, especially in recent years, it is really to see how we can improve technologically, to provide a more seamless experience and travel experience for the passengers, whichever checkpoints that they go through. We also have very good contacts with our counterparts overseas. More often than not, they would like to come to learn from us. Nevertheless, we are always open to learn from the other countries too. So, I assure the Member that this is a process that we have been undertaking and we want to make sure that we provide one of the best services. But looking into the security aspect of it, as Members know, it is not only about efficiency, but we must make sure that Singapore remains safe and secured. With regard to the MMBS, currently, we have the back-up system. As we saw during the disruption, we were able to go into manual clearance and we were able to bring out other aspects of the BCP. However, when NCC is rolled out, this would be where, even though there will be disruptions, the system will enable the passenger to still be able to use the biometrics component in the travel experience. So, we are essentially building a system that is more robust and will have more resiliency in the future.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang)29 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. I have one supplementary question – whether there are any claims faced by ICA arising from the delays, coming from passengers or from any commercial companies?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim100 words
As I have shared earlier, 21 travellers missed their flights, and these affected travellers were offered to rebook on alternative flights within a week at no extra cost. Of the 21 passengers who had missed their flights, 11 passengers rebooked their flights and departed on the same day, four passengers rebooked their flights and departed the next day on 1 April 2023, while another two passengers departed by land and two passengers remained in Singapore.
Policy Stance on "99-to-1" Arrangements for Stamp Duty Payment in Property Transactions and Measures to Prevent Recurrence›Oral Answers to Questions20 turns · 1,658w
· 9 highlighted
oral-answer-3189
Mr Yip Hon Weng85 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance with regard to the "99-to-1" arrangement for stamp duty payment for property purchases (a) how does IRAS differentiate between wilful avoidance and honest mistakes in such arrangements; (b) what criteria does IRAS use to determine an honest mistake; (c) under what circumstances will IRAS audit cases involving the "99-to-1" arrangement for stamp duty payment; and (d) how will IRAS work with the Council for Estate Agencies to identify and penalise property agents who promote such arrangements.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis81 words
asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) what is the assessed number of cases in each year over the last five years where first-time buyers of private residential properties have signed fresh agreements to sell 1% of the same property shortly after exercising the purchase options; (b) how many audit letters have been sent by IRAS questioning such transactions in 2023; and (c) what is the impact of such transactions on the residential and mortgage markets in Singapore.
Ms Mariam Jaafar62 words
asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance in light of the probe by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) on property purchases structured in a "99-to-1" manner for the purpose of avoiding the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD), what are steps that the Government is considering to hold agents and other marketers of such potential tax avoidance schemes accountable.
Mr Don Wee72 words
asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance regarding IRAS' investigation into cases of property purchases structured in a "99-to-1" manner to avoid the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) (a) how many cases have been uncovered so far; (b) what are the three most common relationships between the property owners; and (c) why has it taken IRAS more than a decade to start investigations as the ABSD was introduced in 2011.
Mr Murali Pillai80 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) how many cases suspected to be structured in a "99-to-1" manner to avoid Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) are being investigated by IRAS; (b) what is the estimated aggregate amount of ABSD that is avoided as a result of these suspected transactions; and (c) whether IRAS also investigates the role of facilitators to the purchase transactions with a view to establishing whether they have abetted the buyers to avoid ABSD.
The Senior Minister of State for Finance (Mr Chee Hong Tat) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance)15 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 10 to 14 together?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Mr Chee Hong Tat585 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you. Sir, my response to these Parliamentary Questions will also address the Parliamentary Quesiton filed by Mr Desmond Choo1, that is scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. Mr Choo may wish to withdraw his Parliamentary Question after this Sitting, if he is satisfied with the reply to his question. When a residential property is jointly purchased by two or more buyers, the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) rate arising from the buyer with the highest ABSD profile will apply on the entire value of the purchase. Hence, when a single purchase is split up into two or more steps to reduce the tax payable, the Commissioner of Stamp Duties is empowered, under section 33A of the Stamp Duties Act, to disregard the individual steps and assess stamp duty as a single joint purchase and to recover the rightful amount of ABSD due.[+1 sentence] The "99-to-1" property purchase arrangements typically involve individuals without any prior property count buying residential properties in their name initially and then, within a very short period of time, selling the 1% interest to another individual who has a higher ABSD profile. From 2018 to 2021, about 0.5% of private residential properties transacted involved such "99-to-1" or similar arrangements, where the owners sold a partial interest in their property to another buyer within a short period of time.[+7 sentences] The buyers were typically spouses or other immediate family members, with a higher ABSD profile, but with the ability to secure financing for the property. By structuring the transaction in this manner, the parties involved have effectively reduced the ABSD on the purchase of the property. Individuals may enter into various property purchase arrangements for different reasons, both tax and non-tax-related. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) adopts a risk-based approach to detect and enforce against non-compliance and tax avoidance. As part of its surveillance efforts, IRAS detected a small but rising number of "99-to-1" arrangements in recent years. It has therefore initiated audits of such transactions to better understand the circumstances of each case and ensure that buyers fulfil their rightful stamp duty obligations. Whether a "99-to-1" arrangement involves tax avoidance depends on the facts and circumstances surrounding the specific case. Should IRAS determine that tax avoidance has occurred, it will recover the rightful amount of stamp duty from the buyers and may impose a 50% surcharge on the additional stamp duty payable.[+9 sentences] There is no statutory time limit for stamp duty audits. As these "99-to-1" arrangements make up a very small proportion of the overall residential property market transactions, their impact on the residential and mortgage markets in Singapore is not significant. Other than the buyers, the Government also takes a serious view against individuals who promote or facilitate such tax avoidance arrangements. IRAS will refer those identified of doing so to the relevant regulatory agencies. In the case of property agents, which Members asked about, IRAS will refer them to the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) for investigation and disciplinary action in accordance with CEA's Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care. Depending on the severity of the breach, agents may face financial penalties and/or suspension of their registrations. IRAS takes a firm stance against tax evasion and avoidance. The large majority of taxpayers are compliant and pay the taxes that are due. We thank them for their contributions to our fair and progressive system of taxes and transfers, where individuals with greater means will contribute more and those who are vulnerable and earn a lower income will receive more help.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang)50 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. I just have a very short supplementary question. Will the Ministry of Finance (MOF) also consider working with the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the banks to monitor the structuring of such loans for property purchases?
Mr Chee Hong Tat73 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, the main concern that we have is about tax avoidance and not so much on the risk to banks. The financial institutions do not assume additional credit risks for mortgage loans structured in a "99-to-1" arrangement. This is because the borrowers are jointly and severally liable for the mortgage loans, regardless of the proportion of legal ownership of the property; and any party will be fully liable for the mortgage loan.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Don Wee.
Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang)47 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, will MOF consider working with Ministry of Law or Law Society, to look into this matter as its members also have a duty to highlight such risks to their clients when drafting the agreements?
Mr Chee Hong Tat80 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I mentioned in my main reply that we will be looking at the different groups of individuals who are involved. And I said in my reply that we take a serious view against individuals who promote or facilitate such tax avoidance arrangements. So, besides the CEA which oversees real estate agents, if there are other groups of individuals who are involved in such arrangements, certainly, I think we will work with the relevant regulatory authorities on this matter.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Chua.
Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang)98 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just two short supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. The first is in relation to the question within the Parliamentary Question that I had asked, in terms of the number of audit letters that were sent out by IRAS recently questioning these transactions and based on IRAS findings, what number or percentages of these transactions were bona fide and which are tax avoidance? The second supplementary question is in relation to the various property agents or conveyancing lawyers, has the Government similarly send out audit letters to these parties to the transactions?
Mr Chee Hong Tat118 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, I mentioned the aggregate percentage of all the private residential property transactions. And I said in my main reply that this is about 0.5% where we observe such arrangements and we have sent out letters to those cases that we want to look into further. As the investigations are still ongoing, I seek the Member's understanding that I am unable to reveal more details at this point in time. But we do want to take a close look and get a better understanding on the transactions on a case-by-case basis, because the circumstances for each case will be important for IRAS to determine whether this is a genuine case or whether there are tax avoidance concerns.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Foo Mee Har.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast)56 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. Just two quick clarifications. Firstly, of the cases that are currently considered to be under investigation, what would be the estimated total tax that should have been collected? The second is: what would be the consequences for those who have been caught flouting the rules and the penalties that would apply to them.
Mr Chee Hong Tat140 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, I thank Ms Foo for her questions. As to the amount of the tax that is payable, it is too early for me to give a number now because the investigations are still ongoing. But if there are cases where the rightful amount of ABSD is not paid fully, as I mentioned in my reply, IRAS will be able to ask the buyers to pay for the full amount and may impose a 50% surcharge in such cases.[+3 sentences] Taxpayers who wish to come forward voluntarily to disclose and make good any underpayment of taxes may do so. Of course, IRAS will look into each case on a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances. But in general, I would say that if you come forward in such cases to voluntarily disclose, IRAS will look at the case more favourably.
Actions by Hospitals against Patients who Abuse or Harass Healthcare Workers›Oral Answers to Questions9 turns · 733w
· 10 highlighted
oral-answer-3190
Speaker not recorded95 words
The following question stood in the name of Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song – 15 To ask the Minister for Health (a) what is the range of consequences that public healthcare institutions (PHIs) can impose on patients who abuse or harass healthcare workers; (b) how are these specific consequences made known to patients, apart from general notices that abuse of staff is not tolerated; (c) in each of the last three years, how many times have patients been prematurely discharged due to such behaviour; and (d) how do PHIs ensure the well-being of such patients.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang)4 words
[+1 sentence]Question No 15, Sir.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam) (for the Minister for Health)246 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, in accordance with the recommendations of the Tripartite Workgroup for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment of Healthcare Workers, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will work with public healthcare clusters to develop the details of the standardised zero-tolerance policy. This will be completed in the second half of 2023 and will include guidelines to help institutions protect staff from abuse and harassment while fulfilling the duty of care for patients in need. In particular, as explained during the announcement of the policy on 17 March this year, for patients who require urgent care, care will be delivered regardless. Likewise, patients will only be discharged when clinically assessed to be ready to do so.[+6 sentences] The suggestion that hospitals may prematurely discharge patients due to the zero tolerance against abuse policy creates a false dilemma. The great majority of patients are respectful and appreciative to healthcare workers. As for the very small minority who are abusive, they typically do not require urgent care and may not even be patients. It is also not difficult to identify such behaviour and actions, which the common man or woman will find unacceptable. As for the rare instances where a patient requiring urgent care is abusive, we will manage them sensitively and, as was also previously explained, care will be delivered as needed. Ultimately, the zero-tolerance policy against abuse is about drawing a line between right and wrong, and being fair to healthcare workers and the great majority of patients.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru87 words
[+6 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a quick supplementary question. Are there a series of warnings or other types of escalating measures that healthcare institutions can take with patients and/or their family members for behaviour that constitutes abuse or harassment? For example, would there be any intervention from a social worker or someone with conflict resolution training to ensure that healthcare staff do not deal with the situation alone? And how many warnings are issued? What is the process before any punitive action is taken against these individuals?
Ms Rahayu Mahzam240 words
At this juncture, our public healthcare clusters have policies in place to handle abuse cases. The staff are trained to assess and de-escalate potential conflicts and manage abusive situations and, in the event of an incident, they know how to activate protocols to escalate when patients or caregivers turn abusive. Signs are displayed at the premises to prominently remind visitors to treat healthcare staff with respect and, where necessary, security officers' or Police intervention would be sought. So, at the moment, there are some measures that the hospitals have put in place, including issuing a warning, disengaging by refusing unreasonable requests or discharging abusive patients who are clinically assessed.[+1 sentence] These are all things that are available to them at this juncture. But generally, the hospitals do not do this.[+1 sentence] They still treat the patients. Hence, there is actually a need to come up with this framework, and this is the framework we are working on to provide something that is standardised for all the public healthcare institutions to apply, where there is a commonsensical approach to deal with such situations of extreme cases where there is a need to actually deny service to them.[+2 sentences] But at this juncture, there are already efforts in place to de-escalate, to give warnings, to make sure that it does not come to that situation. We are working on this framework and, hopefully, when this comes out, it will be a better situation for all.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Ms He.
Ms He Ting Ru20 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a quick follow-up. I am just wondering when this framework is going to be ready.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam35 words
[+3 sentences]My apologies. I believe we had made some announcements and indication of the next phase of the efforts of the Work Group. We will inform the public and give updates on this in due course.
Assessment of Whether Leaked Classified US Military and Intelligence Documents Relate to Singapore›Oral Answers to Questions13 turns · 1,584w
· 10 highlighted
oral-answer-3191
Mr Alex Yam50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Defence (a) what is the assessment of the purported leak of top secret security documents in the US; (b) whether any of the information relates to Singapore; and (c) how does the Government reduce the risk that sensitive discussions or information is leaked or spied upon.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song72 words
asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether any of the apparently classified US military and intelligence documents that appeared online addresses Singapore; (b) how does the Government ensure that information and intelligence that it shares with other countries are not compromised by those countries; and (c) in the event of a leak of information, whether the Ministry has damage assessment and mitigation protocols in place to protect related sources, information and intelligence.
The Senior Minister of State for Defence (Mr Heng Chee How) (for the Minister for Defence)15 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 16 and 17 together?
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, please.
Mr Heng Chee How506 words
[+2 sentences]Thank you. Mr Speaker, with regard to the incident highlighted in the Members' questions, no classified information from Singapore has been reported or detected so far. There were two pieces of information related to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) contained in those "leaks", but they are not sensitive and they are information that is already in the public domain, namely, that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) uses the SPYDER air defence system and that a British Defence Singapore Support Unit is located in Sembawang to provide support services to visiting vessels from Australia, New Zealand and Britain as members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.[+4 sentences] The need to protect our secrets is paramount and is a perennial preoccupation of MINDEF and SAF. As the dictum goes, "loose lips sink ships" and even our country, too, if the plans and capabilities of SAF are compromised and our defences weakened. Guarding our secrets securely requires a systemic approach and layers of safeguards, both physical and virtual – something that all defence establishments and militaries put into place to prevent leaks of important and vital information. I will assume that the Members' questions relate more to protecting information online and will not deal with the protection of physical assets. At the highest level of security, highly classified information is stored in air-gap systems with only internal connectivity and strict protocols for access and monitoring.[+11 sentences] This keeps the information secure but there is always a trade-off which impacts on efficiency for the organisation. Apart from productivity, classified information needs to be shared when plans are reviewed or when dealing with quick cycle events where information is needed expeditiously. All defence organisations face this conundrum through levels of classification, in order to strike that balance between protection and utility. When dealing with external parties or external partners, whether they be commercial or government-to-government, there are agreements for protection and handling of classified information and mutual obligations to protect both parties' classified information. But there is a limit despite these agreements in which MINDEF/SAF can control or compel standards of protection in their systems. Therefore, their security standards form an integral part of the assessment when MINDEF awards contracts. In some cases, companies assessed to have inadequate security standards have been dropped from consideration even when their products may be superior or competitively priced. In all systems, even ones with the most stringent protection, humans are a potential source and cause for leaks. Attempts to enter into secure systems by exploiting the vulnerabilities of selected individuals with access, using phishing emails or other means are an everyday occurrence. Proactive steps are taken to educate our personnel to mitigate against this vulnerability. MINDEF/SAF has also a cyber-monitoring centre that is stood up to detect malware and other threats posed online. When security breaches occur, there are established processes in place to thoroughly investigate and ascertain the information compromised and the extent of the damage incurred.[+1 sentence] The causes of the breach are also examined, and mitigating or improvement measures will be implemented, as necessary.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Alex Yam.
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee)83 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, two clarifications. In the incident in the United States (US), the access to the classified documents was by relatively low-ranking individuals within the service. How does the Ministry/SAF ensure that personnel who have access to classified documents in Singapore are properly and regularly vetted to prevent any leak of information? And how do the agencies continue to ensure that there is no untoward or unauthorised access, retention or removal of information, such as the incident that we saw in the US?
Mr Heng Chee How214 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. I think the start point is the acknowledgment that our systems, like systems everywhere, can be vulnerable to exploitation, either technologically or through human intervention. So, we must, therefore, develop systems in order to secure ourselves the best we can and part of that would include constant 24/7 monitoring to pick up abnormal patterns of behaviour and to be able to then react quickly to them and effectively. On the human front, as I explained in my answer, this is also an acknowledged source of vulnerability. And as the Member himself has also mentioned, there is a system of vetting and re-vetting.[+3 sentences] And this happens not only with incumbents periodically, but also whenever there are changes of personnel who are to be granted access to classified information. It is not foolproof, I agree, but, at the same time, we do it very systematically and rigorously to make sure that, to the extent possible, we take down that risk. At the same time, we constantly emphasise on reminding, educating, as well as emphasising the consequences of breaches to all related personnel, so that everybody knows that this will not be tolerated and the full force of the law will be applied when there are breaches.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied)220 words
[+9 sentences]Thank you, Speaker. Two supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. To the best of my recollection, this is probably at least the third time where confidential or information shared with the US government has been leaked. I think we know of the earlier Wikileaks episodes and this is the third time. So, my question is whether our Government has made changes in the way that it communicates any sensitive information with the US, or other governments, to minimise the risks of such leaks? And the context of that is that in 2011, in the wake of Wikileaks, I had asked the then-Foreign Minister George Yeo about whether we would change the way we communicate on the diplomatic front and he had said that "Well, we have to because if it happens once, it will happen again". So, my question is whether the Government has actually changed the way it communicates information, especially sensitive information, with the US or other governments? The second question is, it was reported in this recent incident that information from ST Electronics was also leaked, and that is, of course, not a Government department as such. So, does the Government actually work with such entities that may have sensitive information, to minimise the risks of such information wrongly getting out in the public domain?
Mr Heng Chee How215 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. On the first one relating to the sharing of information with foreign governments, these are done through government-to-government agreements, such as the one that we have with the US. Certainly, wherever there are instances or incidents of a breach and so on, then these are all very specifically investigated in order to establish what might be the vulnerability, and what might be the additional measures that must be put in place in order to minimise the risk of such recurrence.[+5 sentences] And I think the Member would also agree that this will be an endless endeavour in the sense that you can never predict what might be the next breach but it is constant vigilance and established processes in order to mutually review and to tighten them up. The sharing of information is itself important for the ensuring of security in so many different aspects and, certainly, the utility of that is also not to be compromised. At the same time, we must look at how best to safeguard, especially, as technology moves and especially as perpetrators look for new ways to do it. That is the first one. With regard to the second question, Mr Speaker, may I ask the Member to just remind me.
Ms Sylvia Lim33 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, the second question related to the recent incident where it was reported that at ST Electronics, which is not a Government department as such, some information was leaked in the recent episode.
Mr Heng Chee How168 words
[+3 sentences]I thank the Member. As part of my reply earlier, I alluded to that, where we have external partners, external to MINDEF and SAF, and this could be commercial partners, vendors that we use or they could be government-to-government. So earlier, my response was with regard to government-to-government. ST Engineering, where it provides a service to MINDEF and SAF, would be doing so under a commercial arrangement. And as part of my explanation earlier, I have also explained that MINDEF takes it very seriously, how we assess a provider, in terms of the standards of its cybersecurity in deciding whether or not to award a contract, of whatever classification that will be appropriate to that vendor.[+1 sentence] And where there are weaknesses exhibited in the systems of that vendor, we would certainly take that into account immediately, in working with that vendor on what happened, how do you strengthen your system to prevent recurrence and how MINDEF should take that into account in the future evaluation of contract awards.
Companies Facing Difficulties Re-negotiating Contracts Signed Before PWM Wage Rungs Were Set›Oral Answers to Questions5 turns · 1,038w
· 12 highlighted
oral-answer-3192
Ms Yeo Wan Ling48 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower for companies implementing the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) and effecting the higher wage rungs, what assistance and interventions from the Ministry are available for such companies facing difficulties renegotiating ongoing multi-year contracts that have been signed before the PWM wage rungs are set.
The Senior Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad) (for the Minister for Manpower)293 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, the Progressive Wage schedules for each Progressive Wage Model (PWM) sector is negotiated by sectoral tripartite cluster committees, which comprise representatives from the unions, service providers and service buyers in each sector, as well as the Government. The tripartite cluster committees recognise that in sectors where outsourcing is common, such as in cleaning, landscape maintenance, security, and lift and escalator, service providers typically enter into multi-year contracts with service buyers.[+2 sentences] This is why the tripartite cluster committees negotiate a multi-year schedule of wage increases for each PWM sector, to provide both service buyers and service providers with clarity on how progressive wages will increase in the years ahead. The wage schedules are also announced in advance, so that service providers and buyers entering into new contracts do so with sufficient information, and those midway through existing contracts can discuss whether the contracts need to be re-negotiated. The current PWM wage schedules for all sectors where outsourcing is common were announced in 2021 or 2022, ahead of their six-year implementation from 2023 to 2028.[+2 sentences] Tripartite Partners encourage service buyers to work closely with service providers to re-negotiate ongoing contracts where reasonable. The Government is also doing its part to offset increases in labour costs through the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS). Under the PWCS, the Government funds up to 75% of wage increases that employers provide to lower-wage workers, for five years from 2022 to 2026.[+3 sentences] This includes wage increments given due to Progressive Wage requirements. Beyond this, service buyers should consider moving towards outcome-based contracting. This will encourage service providers to invest in productivity solutions and deploy manpower more efficiently, which is a win-win outcome as it supports sustainable wage growth and can also lead to better services to service buyers.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Yeo Wan Ling.
Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol)191 words
[+3 sentences]I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. Business owners who are service sellers in multi-year contracts have given me feedback that they may be locked into contracts which may be up to 10 years, especially if this is related with longer-term municipal and infrastructure maintenance projects. This may go beyond the length of Government support, like the PWCS which is five years. Reviews of PWM wage rounds, especially in that earlier rolled out sectors may see wage increases of more than 20% and it will be critical for them to align this with service bias to remain sustainable even without Government support. However, in the re-negotiation process, business owners have told me that some service bias have communicated that they were blackmarked their businesses, even with successful re-negotiations of the current contract in their future contracts, as they were deemed to have not fulfilled the conditions of their current contracts.[+2 sentences] What recourse would businesses have should they be faced with such challenges? Would the Ministry investigate such claims and educate service buyers, especially in the PWM rollout process as uplifting our lower wage workers is a whole-of-community effort?
Mr Zaqy Mohamad502 words
[+6 sentences]Mr Speaker, the issue of re-negotiating multi-year contracts occurs largely in PWM sectors where outsourcing is more common, such as in cleaning, landscape, security, lift maintenance, for example, where the contract periods may vary, to the best of my knowledge, mostly within three to five years. There are some exceptions, as the Member has mentioned, but these are typically in the minority with some peculiarity, such as waste management, for example, which runs up to seven years. But that is one feature of our PWM's negotiations, in the sense that the Tripartite Partners are all involved – you have got the unions, the industry, service buyers, and even the Government being a service buyer too, are involved in the negotiation of the wage ladders. Therefore, there is that realism that is injected where we, the Tripartite Partners in the cluster committees, understand what the practices are, what the typical renewal cycles are and how the contracts are structured to make sure that this is sustainable. Therefore, it is expected that as we implement wage ladders, these have to be realistic in terms of the multi-year schedules. In this case, with the recent increase, I acknowledge that we are in a phase where there are stronger growth prospects that we expect or we want for our low-wage workers. Therefore, I know the industries are probably feeling how the wage growths are accelerating a lot quicker than they expected. Hence, that is why we gave one to two years advance notice and the Government has also stepped in with PWCS that covers some of the 75% of wage increases in the next coming two years and runs for about five years, although at different rates.[+1 sentence] But these are how we manage and try to support the industry, to make sure that it does not overburden the industry. Having said that, I find it quite disappointing to hear that there are service buyers who wish to blacklist service contractors, when in fact, it is clear that these wage schedules are put out in advance, over a six-to-seven-year period, where you have time to adjust and re-negotiate and most contracts do have clauses in which you do have opportunities to re-negotiate midpoint. It is not right, it is not nice if you have to put a strangle hold on outsourced providers and force them to accept these kinds of terms. However, I have to also say that these are commercial contracts which are entered into, between service buyers and vendors, and we do not want to get in the way. Having said that, as far as the Government is concerned, we will do our best to support our workers. We support businesses through the PWCS and other schemes as required.[+2 sentences] More importantly, over the long term, we hope that this remains sustainable. I hope that the Member takes this into account and the unions can also do their part to help to mediate between the service buyers and contractors, for the benefit of their workers too.
Regulatory Framework for Artificial Intelligence Governance in Singapore›Oral Answers to Questions5 turns · 663w
· 9 highlighted
oral-answer-3193
Ms He Ting Ru67 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Communications and Information in view of the proposed regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence (AI) governance in the European Union and China (a) whether the current approach to AI regulation in Singapore is being reviewed; (b) whether there are any areas in the field that are currently being prioritised for regulation; and (c) what is the anticipated timeline for the introduction of any regulation.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Communications and Information)212 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, Singapore supports the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI), so that its benefits may be enjoyed in a trusted and safe manner. We have introduced tools to help us achieve these goals. One example is the Model AI Governance Framework. Companies such as DBS, HSBC, Visa and Microsoft have adopted this framework to address key ethical and governance issues when deploying AI solutions. Another tool is AI Verify, a self-testing framework and toolkit to demonstrate responsible deployment of AI. It has attracted the interest of over 500 companies. The Personal Data Protection Commission will issue Advisory Guidelines on the Use of Personal Data in AI Systems under the Personal Data Protection Act within the year.[+1 sentence] We engage our industry and international counterparts on AI-related issues through our Advisory Council on Ethical Use of AI and Data as well the Global Partnership on AI. Similar to how we regulate data use, cybersecurity, misinformation and online harms, we will continue to review the state of the technology, our regulatory approach and its effectiveness, in order to uphold trust and safety in digital developments.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang)75 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just a quick supplementary question. Given the rapid development of AI and the specific nature of AI which might be different from more traditional technologies, I was just wondering whether there was anything more particular or specific schemes or any protections to be put in place to protect citizens against AI-powered scams, for example, voice cloning, and whether these are actually being considered and what is the expected timeline for implementation.
Dr Janil Puthucheary305 words
[+5 sentences]Sir, I thank Ms He for her questions. I would take this opportunity to point out that in her questions is an assumption that AI is "one thing", and this is something that the public and commentators often treat it as. AI is a group of technologies. Currently, there is a lot of excitement around ChatGPT, which is an example of a large language model based on machine learning techniques. When it comes to the issues of how we should deal with the impact of AI, its impact is going to be quite different in different domains and the impact is going to be quite different in how we regulate it, depending on the various components of what the AI tool rests on. When the Member asks about what we will do to protect citizens from scams related to AI, it is not necessarily something that we need to be specific about AI regulation, it is something that we need to deal with in terms of our scam efforts, our initiatives around fraud and cybersecurity and criminal activity.[+1 sentence] And our colleagues in this House have spoken about that and we will continue to address that. Similarly, when we talk about what we are doing around data, cybersecurity, online harms and misinformation, it is not that that is separate from what we are doing with AI, because those are things that AI-related tools may influence and may subsequently introduce harms to our public. I just want to reassure the Member that we agree with the concerns, that we do have to address how technology is being used, make sure that the technology and the technological spaces are trusted and allows the development of initiatives that will benefit all of us and this includes protecting citizens from scams and efforts associated with that, whether AI-related or not.
Instances when Appropriate Adults were Not Present for Cases Involving Offenders with Mental Disabilities or Young Suspects›Oral Answers to Questions7 turns · 619w
· 8 highlighted
oral-answer-3194
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang89 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in each year for the past five years for cases involving offenders with mental disabilities or young suspects, how many instances have there been where an Appropriate Adult was not present during law enforcement interviews; (b) how many more volunteers are necessary to ensure that all eligible cases will have at least an Appropriate Adult present; and (c) what will be done to increase the recruitment of volunteers for the Appropriate Adult Schemes for Young Suspects and for Persons with Mental Disabilities.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Home Affairs)246 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, Sir, Appropriate Adults (AAs) are currently activated for all cases involving young suspects below 16 years old and where the Investigation Officer assesses that the suspect is a person with mental disability. As I had announced in Parliament in July 2022, we are in the midst of implementing the increased age threshold for the Appropriate Adults Scheme for Young Suspects (AAYS) to include 16- and 17-year-olds. This will be done in phases and has started from 1 April 2023. In the past five years, AAs have been successfully activated for all cases where the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have requested for these AAs based on the activation criteria.[+2 sentences] That said, there may be extenuating circumstances which necessitate the LEAs to exercise discretion not to activate an AA for the interview. For example, urgent interviews may be required to prevent the disposal of evidence, detain accomplices still at large, or prevent the commission of another offence. As of December 2022, there were 359 and 328 active volunteers for the AAYS and AAs Scheme for Persons with Mental Disabilities respectively. The service providers are the Singapore Children Society (SCS) and the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS). They are able to support all AA activation requests today.[+2 sentences] SCS and MINDS publicise volunteering opportunities for AAs through social media channels and during their community outreach. The Member may refer to media features in October 2022 for more information on the schemes and the volunteering experience.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon)68 words
[+5 sentences]Thank you, Sir. I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Could I just ask what are the number and percentage of cases where the AA was not activated? Secondly, could I also ask whether the same AA can be assigned to the young or vulnerable suspect for all the interviews? I think that would help to provide some sense of security for the suspect as well.
Ms Sun Xueling53 words
[+4 sentences]I thank the Member for his questions. As I mentioned, in the past five years, AAs have been successfully activated for all cases where the LEAs have requested for the AAs, based on the activation criteria. Sir, if I could trouble the Member to repeat the second question? I did not catch that.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang83 words
[+4 sentences]But, firstly, Sir, the first question really was – I think the Minister of State mentioned that there were some cases where the Police did not activate the AAs. How many cases were there and what was the percentage of the number of cases where they were not activated? The second was whether the same AA can be provided to the same suspect throughout all the interviews rather than just at one? Or maybe that is already in the current standard operating procedures?
Ms Sun Xueling77 words
[+1 sentence]I thank the Member. As I also mentioned in my main reply, there may be extenuating circumstances where it is required – though it has not happened in the past five years. On the second question, indeed, where it is possible to have the same AA follow the same case, we do so.[+1 sentence] But we will have to look at the timing of the interviews and we will have to schedule to the best of our ability.
Ensuring Stall Rentals at Trade Fairs and Bazaars Remain Affordable›Oral Answers to Questions5 turns · 1,372w
· 8 highlighted
oral-answer-3195
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap29 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth how does the People's Association ensure that stall rentals at trade fairs and bazaars that it manages remain affordable to stallholders.
The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai)520 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, trade fairs and bazaars which are organised on state lands are done through an open tender process to appoint a professional fair operator to manage and operate the event. Whilst the People's Association (PA) does not run the trade fair or bazaar, it sets the relevant conditions and specifications for the successful operator to ensure that the event is held in a suitable, conducive and safe environment for stall operators and patrons alike.[+2 sentences] This is done through the terms of an open tender, which include ensuring the adequate supply of utilities and amenities and the provision of suitable logistical support. A successful tenderer will have to comply with the terms of the tender. The successful tenderer then also sets the relevant rental rates for the stalls, having regard to factors, such as the duration and location of the event and the type of business based on market rates.[+15 sentences] An entity or individual who intends to bid for a stall will know in advance the rental rates which are proposed to be charged as well as the other details on which the trade fair or bazaar is operated. They can then assess for themselves whether to make a bid. In the case of the ongoing Bazaar Raya Geylang Serai and Hari Raya Light Up, which I will call "the bazaar", organised by PA since 2014, the above framework that I have just set out would apply. There were several bids for the operator and the tender was then awarded to a consortium of operators. In considering the tender, price is one factor, amongst others. In the case of the bazaar, the award did not go to the bidder with the highest price. Since 2019, Wisma Geylang Serai has taken over the organising of the bazaar and is responsible for the overall place-making and programming at the bazaar, which has traditionally been held in the month of Ramadan, leading up to Hari Raya. Wisma Geylang Serai curates the programming at the precinct, including the bazaar. The curation of the programming includes the Light Up, concerts, cooking and talk shows and other programmes – all of which add buzz and festivity to the occasion. It also generates additional footfall to the bazaar. In addition, the Singapore Tourism Board also promotes the bazaar as a destination for locals and tourists. This year's bazaar, at 36 days, is the longest festive bazaar on record. In total, almost 700 stalls were taken up. Of this, a substantial number of stallholders had previously either operated a stall at the bazaar in a previous year or at some other trade fairs organised by PA or the merchants' association. A fair number of the stalls at this year's bazaar also took up more than one stall at the bazaar. In an effort to support home-based businesses, a section of the bazaar is reserved for them where they are given stalls at a low-cost rental, which is at $55 per day. Various community groups, such as the National Kidney Foundation, the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM) and also Jamiyah Singapore, are provided with complimentary space at no charge.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Faisal Abdul Manap.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied)158 words
[+7 sentences]I thank the Minister. Sir, I have one supplementary question that pertains to the Geylang Serai bazaar. The Geylang Serai bazaar has gained great public interest and attention. There were two different reports mentioning two different things regarding the affordability of the rent. One reported that some business owners claimed that by the end of the second or third week of operating, they were already speculating that they may not be able to earn a profit or recover their business costs; whereas the other reported the opposite. In view of this, I just want to know whether PA would consider conducting a survey or study to find out: (a) how many businesses face losses and also the range of losses, (b) the number of businesses breaking even, (c) the number of businesses that make profit. And more importantly, to make the findings public so as to provide a proper closure in addressing the public concerns on this issue.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai661 words
[+2 sentences]Sir, as I explained, the bazaar, like in previous cases, both in Geylang Serai as well as other similar bazaars or trade fairs, is managed by a professional operator. They come in, there is a tender. The open tender, which is conducted, reflects the market price.[+2 sentences] So, this is the market price that is reflected in an open tender. Parties come in, they decide what the market price would be and they make a bid for that. As I had mentioned, the point is not to get the bidder with the highest price but the bidder with the best expertise and the best proposal.[+2 sentences] In particular, for a bazaar the size and scale of Geylang Serai, which is not just the bazaar itself but in conjunction with the festive occasion, the Ramadan Light Up and so on, it is important to get the programming, as well as the way in which the bazaar will be operated in a safe way, for both the stall holders as well as the patrons. That is why we looked for a professional operator as well as one who has the experience and ability to provide the environment. To the point that Mr Faisal makes, the operator publishes the rates that it wants to charge.[+3 sentences] So, no bidder comes in without knowing what the rates would be and that is an important consideration. They have to make their own calculations, that is why I mentioned the market price. So, the bidder knows in advance what the price would be and then they decide. To Mr Faisal's point, whilst we do not require all the stallholders to declare their profits or otherwise to PA, we have some anecdotal evidence to suggest that some of the stallholders some time around the midway point had recouped their rental expenses.[+13 sentences] Others, perhaps, might take a longer period of time. It is really a question of which stalls, what their offerings are, how popular they might be and so on. In any typical bazaar or market, there will always be a variety, and there will always be a differential in terms of the takings of the stalls that are there. I think you cannot expect all to make money and all to be at the same level of profit-taking. But the point to be made is that they know in advance what the cost would be. The other point which I made in my answer earlier is that a fair number of these are not inexperienced stallholders. They have come from previous trade fairs and other bazaars. In fact, a fair number, quite a substantial number, not only came from previous years' Geylang Serai bazaar – so they know what it would be like – but they also came and made bids for multiple stalls in this bazaar. Again, that is something they have to factor into their own consideration when it comes to market price, what they think they can afford, what they think they can sell and whether they can realise and recoup. For Wisma Geylang Serai, which operates the entire event, their role, of course, encompasses the bazaar and that is in the hands of the professional operator. But in addition to that, whatever is tendered, a substantial amount then goes back into the Light Up, the organisation of the event itself and ensuring that the programming, which I had mentioned earlier, drives footfall to the event, and also ensures that the festive occasion is celebrated appropriately, which is PA's and Wisma Geylang Serai's main agenda. When you look at that collectively, that is the way in which this bazaar had been run previously, and had been run this year too. Of course, we will continue to take soundings from not just the stall operators but also the consortium operator, the patrons and people who deal with the security and other aspects of this bazaar, to learn from it so that in subsequent years, it will be better.
Rationale for Singapore Being Potential Claimant from Loss and Damage Fund Set Up in COP27›Oral Answers to Questions10 turns · 1,024w
· 7 highlighted
oral-answer-3196
Mr Leon Perera52 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment what is the rationale for Singapore being a potential claimant from the Loss and Damage Fund set up in COP27, in view that many other potential claimant countries from this fund have much lower levels of GDP per capita and income than Singapore does.
The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien)60 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, this Question has been raised and answered in Parliament on 24 February. I have no update to provide to the House. The Member may wish to refer to that reply.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied)102 words
[+2 sentences]I thank the Minister for her reply. I think in the last exchange, the Minister mentioned that Singapore is currently considering to be either a claimant or a donor to the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) Biodiversity Fund. So, my supplementary question would be would the Government consider being a donor rather than a claimant, given that it behoves us as a developed country to do our part to maintain global biodiversity vis-à-vis countries such as, for example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has much larger land and biodiversity resources and also less funding to manage that issue.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien175 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, I would just like to refer to my reply and I will repeat it here: we have not reached an understanding on what the fund entails; we did not have a chance to discuss this internationally and therefore, we have not decided whether we would contribute or claim from this fund. So, our position is open, and this is part of negotiations at the international level. We will take into consideration all views, Singaporeans as well as the needs of the international community, as we enter the discussion at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.[+3 sentences] But maybe I would like to thank the Member for his support for the Loss and Damage Fund and in helping developing countries. If I may, Mr Speaker, maybe ask the Member for his position, whether the Workers' Party supports contributing to the fund and if so, what amount should we contribute and to which countries. Besides the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where would he draw the line between developing countries and least developed countries?
Mr Leon Perera133 words
[+8 sentences]I thank the Minister for her question. I will not speak for the party. I can share my personal opinion. I think we should make a reasonable contribution. And where do you draw the balance point on that? I do not have a figure, but I think we can take reference, perhaps from other developed countries with a similar size of economy, of gross domestic product (GDP) as ours and use that as a reference point. How should those funds be disbursed to different developing countries? I think it should be in proportion to the needs and the resources of those developing countries, meaning to say in proportion to the land area and biodiversity challenge that those developing countries face, and the funding, GDP, availability of government funds that those developing countries have.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien118 words
[+5 sentences]I thank the Member. I take it that the Member would recommend that we tag our contribution or donation to the fund at the GDP level, regardless of whether it is a developing or developed country, or whether it is taking into consideration things like population size. I would also like to perhaps clarify from the Member whether he would suggest that we move away from the agreement that we have reached in Paris. Because so far, the Paris Agreement is the basis for all discussions and, in the Paris Agreement, there are certain understandings that have been reached. Is the Member suggesting that for the Loss and Damage Fund, we should move away from established agreement internationally?
Mr Leon Perera192 words
[+10 sentences]I thank the Minister for her reply. Basically, just to reiterate what I just said, because I am not sure if what the Minister had recapitulated reflected what I said. I was suggesting that, in terms of the donation that we make to the COP27 fund, reference can be taken from what other developed countries of a similar size or GDP to ours are donating. That means you look at what other developed countries are doing and you normalise that according to GDP. That was my suggestion. And for where those funds should go, that should be distributed according to the challenges that the developing countries are facing in terms of biodiversity scale and the resources that those developing countries have to address the issues. This is just to clarify what I said earlier. Should we move away from the Paris Agreement? No. In fact, I would like to ask the Minister to share whether donating to the COP27 fund necessarily involves deviating from previous agreements made in Paris. It is not my understanding that it does, but perhaps she has a different perspective and some information to share on that point.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien124 words
[+1 sentence]Sir, I appreciate that this is the second question the Member has filed two months after my first reply. In the first reply, if the Member had gone through it in detail, he would notice that I have taken pains to explain that we are discussing this and there is a principle that all parties are adhering to, which is, the Paris Agreement. And in the Paris Agreement, there is a clear definition of who the developing countries are and who the developed countries are. And we do not belong to the developed countries. So, if the Member is now suggesting that Singapore is a developed country and should be benchmarked to the other developed countries, that is a deviation from the Paris Agreement.
Mr Speaker66 words
[+4 sentences]Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Order of the Day. [(proc text) [Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.] (proc text)]
[+2 sentences]. (proc text)] [(proc text) 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.'." – (proc text)]
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Murali Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok)111 words
[+4 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I seek a clarification of a response given by the hon Member Mr Leon Perera to Minister Ong Ye Kung yesterday. As may be recalled, the hon Member Mr Perera mentioned, in relation to the Goods and Services Tax (GST), that the Workers' Party (WP) accepted the GST at 7% and conveyed this in 2018. My interest is that I actually spoke about the WP's position from 1993 when the GST Bill was being introduced all the way to date, and I checked the Hansard. So, I would like to seek clarification from the hon Member as to when and where this position of the WP was articulated.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied)233 words
[+1 sentence]I thank the hon Member Mr Murali Pillai for that question. What I had said, and I will repeat that here, is that if you go back to those debates in Parliament in 2018, we opposed a hike of GST from 7% to 9%. At no point in that debate did we call for the GST to be lowered from 7% to 0%.[+2 sentences] Mr Pillai makes reference to positions that were articulated by the WP in the 1990s. I do not know whether it is fair to bring up positions that were taken in the 1990s and have a debate about that. By the same token, I could bring up positions that the People's Action Party (PAP) has taken in the 1990s and table that for discussion here, such as the Graduate Mothers Scheme, such as votes for upgrading, for example. So, I think the point here is that – since the idea of a GST hike from 7% to 9% was first mooted and put on the table here in Parliament, which was in 2018 as I recall, at no point did anyone in the WP call for the GST to be lowered from 7% to 0%.[+1 sentence] And if there is anyone or if there is any evidence or reference that the Member can make, for anyone in the WP making that specific call, then we would be glad to discuss that.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai176 words
[+3 sentences]I thank the hon Member Mr Perera for clarifying that the acceptance of the stance of GST being at 7% is to be implied from the fact that in 2018, when it was proposed by the Government to increase the GST from 7% to 9%, the WP did not ask for a reduction of the percentage. Just on a point of elucidation, GST was not being increased for the first time in 2018. It was actually being increased progressively from 3% to 4% to 5%. And, in around 2007, it was increased from 5% to 7%. So, I take it that as far as my learned friend, or rather, the hon Member Mr Perera is concerned, this implicit decision to accept GST was made in 2018 when the Government conveyed its decision to propose an increase of GST from 7% to 9%.[+1 sentence] And if that is the case, then I think we have a happy situation because the gulf or the gap between the WP and the PAP is now narrowed from 9% to now 2%.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Perera.
Mr Leon Perera210 words
[+6 sentences]I thank the hon Member for his statements and, just to reiterate, when this idea of GST was mooted, we did not call for any reduction of the GST rate from 7% to 0%. So, that is, indeed, the position and that would be borne out if you go back to those debates from 2018 until now. I would again remind the Member, with respect, that if we are to bring up policy positions that had been taken decades ago and table them for debate, then I think the policies of the PAP from decades ago should also be put here and tabled for debate as well. But I do not think that that would be constructive because everyone evolves their position as conditions evolve. And I think for us in the WP, and it may be the same for the PAP, whenever we have to make a decision on whether to take a position on a policy, you look at all the options that are there on the table and you decide what is in the best interest of the country, what is rational, what is fact-based, and you take a position at that point in time on that particular issue. But I thank the Member for his comments.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai91 words
[+3 sentences]I thank Mr Perera again for his answers. And maybe, Your Honour, if I could clarify, my interest in relation to raising the position of the WP from the 1990s is, with respect, not unfair because what we need is clarity on where the WP – and, for that reason, any party – stands on important issues. So, if it, indeed, had evolved, then it will be incumbent on any party to then make that position very clear, so that the public understands where the parties are on these important issues.
Mr Speaker14 words
[+3 sentences]I am honoured, Mr Murali. But this is not a Court. Mr Dennis Tan.
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang)1817 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, I support the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address during the Opening of the second session of the 14th Parliament. Mr Speaker, we read in the news this week that the Certificate of Entitlement (COE) premium for smaller cars crossed the $100,000 mark to reach a record high of $103,721. New records were also set in the larger car and open categories at $120,889 and $124,501 respectively. And I read that the latter is the highest price ever posted for any category of COEs.[+1 sentence] The President of the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association, Mr Neo Tiam Ting, told The Straits Times that the companies that are supplying cars for ride-hailing services are a key driver behind the demand for COEs in recent years. He said that these companies which grow their fleets aggressively and pushed up COE premiums in the process, are able to pass on the higher cost in the form of relatively small increases in daily rental rates while private buyers have to stomach the premium hike in one go, with a bigger loan. This is not a new issue and I am aware that the Government stated in a Parliamentary Question reply to my colleague, the hon Louis Chua, last year that there is no evidence that private hire car (PHC) companies have caused the increase in COE prices.[+22 sentences] Be that as it may, as prices spiral out of reach for many Singaporeans who aspire or need to buy a car for different reasons, can we not do more to review how we can ensure that businesses, whether ride-hailing companies, car-leasing companies or car dealers, do not push up the COE premiums at the peril of private buyers who need to buy a car for various reasons. Such reasons can include using their vehicles for work purposes, taking care of their families with young children, taking care of elderly family members or handicapped family members. For some of these people, operating a PHC from a ride-hailing company or using Grab or taxis may somehow not be a suitable substitute. Can we also see to it that COEs for commercial vehicles are not subject to similar pressures? The rising COEs for this Cat C have contributed to rising business costs and present further challenges for our smaller businesses. And added business costs also contribute to the increase in cost of living for everyone. In the past week, when we have been talking about combating stratification and building social compact amidst rising costs of living and rising property prices, we should be wary of the possible social effects of spiralling COE prices. Mr Speaker, I welcome and support the Minister for Transport's statement in the addendum to the President's Address, that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) will further encourage the adoption of cleaner energy vehicles through regulation, incentives and infrastructure. Indeed, President Halimah stated in her address that we have committed to decisive action to reduce carbon emissions and are taking resolute steps towards meeting our net-zero commitments. The Minister also said that we will review financial incentives to encourage the adoption of electric cars and monitor related developments in other vehicle segments, such as motorcycles and goods vehicles. To date, the pricing of electric vehicles (EVs) is still relatively unattractive, compared to internal combustible engine (ICE) vehicles. I agree that the Government should further review to see how we are better able to encourage and incentivise more people to switch to EVs and reducing the number of new ICE vehicles on the road. Mr Speaker, a recent CNA article dated 11 April 2023 reported that parallel importers face limits in what EVs they can put on the road as compared to the authorised dealers, partly because of how road tax is calculated, which is pegged to the EV's power rating. One importer reported encountering problems with the homologation and/or registration for EVs. It was also reported that EV models with dual electric motors require proper documentation from manufacturers that confirm their power rating, and this makes it tougher for parallel importers to register these cars for road use as, unlike authorised dealers, they do not have direct contact with the car makers. Another importer stated that EV options are quite limited for parallel importers and they hope for, I quote, "better support in terms of clarity on importing rules". I hope the Government can look into the concerns of these parallel importers to clarify and review the rules and documentary requirements for EV sales and registrations, which may be more disadvantageous to parallel importers. More importantly, I hope the Government can provide more assistance to parallel importers to encourage them to focus on getting higher volumes of EV sales as opposed to ICE vehicles. Mr Speaker, still on the transition to EVs, I move to the issue of the electrification of logistics vehicles. In my Budget debate speech in February this year, I expressed my concern that it remains unclear how soon certain logistics fleets, including but not limited to light goods vehicles, will be switching to EVs entirely and I said that a number of prominent logistics companies have not yet had any plans, or have not announced any plans for EV conversion or some have preliminary plans for only limited initial conversion. Indeed, I have brought up my concerns for the green transition in last-mile logistics and asking for our plans for conversion of goods and logistics vehicles variously in the Committee of Supply (COS) debate in 2022 with the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and during the debate for the EV Charging Bill in November 2022. In the MOT COS debate last month, I also asked whether the Government will actively engage logistics companies directly on their plans to convert to EVs and to speed up the process. Senior Minister of State Amy Khor replied that, and I quote: "On logistics companies' transition to cleaner vehicles, we are working with them, but it is now limited by the availability of this kind of vehicles in terms of technology".[+7 sentences] Sir, during the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment's (MSE's) COS debate in 2022, I have already said that we have also seen electric light commercial vehicle models increasingly being rolled out by manufacturers, such as Renault, Opel and BYD. More recently, we read that, in the United States (US), Schneider has delivered its first short-haul logistics EV trucks while Tesla has also delivered EV trucks to PepsiCo. Mr Speaker, while I appreciate MOT's efforts to engage our logistics companies in this area thus far and, admittedly, some manufacturers may have only started to build such electric commercial vehicles not too long ago, I hope that the MOT will increase its engagement with logistics companies to persuade them to have step plans for the conversions. I hope MOT will have a dedicated roadmap on the conversion of the logistics and goods vehicle fleet operating in Singapore in the next few years and will work closely together with logistics companies on such a roadmap. Mr Speaker, during the EV Charging Bill debate in November last year, I also mentioned that we have a large number of goods vehicles which are coming from Malaysia on a daily basis. I hope the Government will have a plan to handle this large group of foreign ICE vehicles coming into Singapore and travelling all over Singapore every day, even if this may take even more time, given that they are foreign vehicles. Yes, we may need the goods and supplies these goods vehicles bring in every day, but it will be good to know that the Government has a plan in respect of these vehicles, even if it may involve foreign government or agencies. We should not let their emissions delay our zero-emission goals indefinitely.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, I also like to congratulate MOT and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) for the launch of the first electric ferry, the Penguin Refresh, on Monday, to carry Shell workers, contractors and visitors between Shell's Pulau Bukom premises and Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal. It is also commendable that MPA is working with Shell to allow other electric harbour craft to access their electric charges in due course. This is a first big step in the decarbonisation of the harbour craft fleet in the Port of Singapore. Under MPA's maritime decarbonisation blueprint working towards 2050, all harbour craft will operate on low carbon energy solutions such as blended biofuels, for example, the B100 fuel, or hybrid diesel electric propulsion by 2030 and by 2050 will operate on full electric propulsion of net-zero fuels in order to achieve 15% reduction of 2021 levels by 2030, and 50% of 2021 levels by 2050.[+4 sentences] I support these plans and I hope we can achieve the targets ahead of time. In the course of my professional work over the years, I had to use harbour launches to board vessels lying in nearby anchorages and I hope the familiar smell of the engine fuel of the old harbour launches will be a thing of the past. In fact, I can remember in the past, I would have to pick one of the many harbour launches lying alongside Clifford Pier, effectively like water taxis and the piercing smell of the fumes. Mr Speaker, while it is noteworthy that Shell estimates that it can save more than 6,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, the ferry operation is far from being the mainstay of Shell's business. In my Budget debate's speech on 2022, I mentioned that Shell had, in November 2021, announced that it was halving its crude processing capacity at its Singapore hub and reducing fuel exports.[+7 sentences] The oil major, a major part of our oil and gas industry, is intending to transit from fossil fuels to cut emissions and meet global low carbon energy needs. I acknowledge that this is part of a wider global trend in a transition towards low carbon fuels and undoubtedly, will affect Singapore in some ways. Mr Speaker, I hope the Government will continue to update the House on the transformation of our petrochemical sector on a green transition process in this sector, whether Singapore will continue to attract and retain parts of the petrochemical industry in Singapore. They are relevant for the green economy. I hope the Government will provide updates on our efforts in attracting more businesses in areas, such as biofuel refining or sustainable aviation fuel production or storage for such fuels, as well as updates on carbon capture and sequestration at petrochemical plants. And finally, I hope the Government will continue to update the House on the just transition in manpower for our workers working in Shell and other companies in the petrochemical sector, what we are doing to retain and retrain workers in this sector as the sector transforms within Singapore. Mr Speaker, I support the Motion of thanks to the President.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied)5876 words
[+12 sentences]Mr Speaker, the Government's direction as encapsulated by the President's Address continues in the same vein from the last term of Parliament. A significant part of the information contained in the addenda to the President's Address has been made known previously even before Parliament was prorogued. The WP Members of Parliament (MPs) have therefore raised issues that remain at the top of the public mind, such as Housing and Development Board (HDB) matters, the cost of living issues that affect seniors and the young, and matters of fairness and inclusivity. For my part, I will cover three broad points. First, I will speak about foreigners in Singapore and restate my call to the Government to ensure that our foreign talent policies translate to tangible benefits for Singaporeans. Secondly, I will revisit my call for proficiency in English as a requirement for new Permanent Residents (PRs) and new citizens. Third, I will address the Deputy Prime Minister's remarks on the WP as an opposition that seeks to chip away at the people's trust in Government. I will also address the Deputy Prime Minister's questions to the WP concerning the GST and list several policy proposals made by the WP, which have been adopted by the Government. First, foreigners in Singapore. WP MPs know from our engagement with the public that a unique Singapore identity – proud and distinctive – has formed but continues to evolve. Insofar as a new social compact is concerned, Singaporeans seek a fairer, more inclusive and more caring society. The Government recognises this, and my colleagues have signposted areas where these objectives can be operationalised. In his addendum, the Minister in-charge of the Strategy Group under the Prime Minister's Office, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence has committed to carefully manage foreign worker and immigration flows to ensure that these translate into tangible benefits for Singaporeans and separately, to help newcomers integrate better into society.[+1 sentence] With respect to tangible benefits for Singaporeans, the WP has made that specific point repeatedly and we continue to see it as an important requirement to ensure society remains welcoming of foreigners. The WP has also made calls for a report card on the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and job outcomes for Singaporeans.[+8 sentences] The publication of outcome-based indicators of Government policies would be useful tools in ensuring continued public support, or at least, understanding of the Government's foreign talent policies. Providing evidence of how foreign talent policies help Singaporeans in concrete ways will help prevent xenophobia, something we must always guard against. To this end, it is useful for me to restate the point the WP made on the Parliamentary debate on free trade agreements and the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in September 2021, a point that Minister Ong Ye Kung brought up yesterday. As that debate proved, getting the PAP Government to reveal information on the number of intra-corporate transferees (ICTs) from India that worked in Singapore upon the introduction of CECA was like squeezing blood out of a stone. Parliamentary Questions had been filed by the WP on the issue from 2016, but forthright answers were not forthcoming. In the meantime, pressures and tensions on the ground built up as a small number of Singaporeans became emotionally charged about CECA, using it as an adjective and in very uncharitable and downright racist ways. The WP sought information, answers to which could have shed light and reduced heat before things reached a boiling point. Unlike as suggested by Minister Ong yesterday, sometimes filing a Parliamentary Question does not guarantee receiving an adequate and substantive answer from the PAP Government, from which alternatives can germinate. Moving forward, another potential tinder box that the Government should look at closely is the growth of family offices, inflows of foreign wealth and how Singaporeans are taking to these developments.[+8 sentences] There are already murmurings of discontent that are led by emotional perspectives, created by facts such as the mass buying spree of properties in single developments by foreigners. If the Government does not step in early and fill the information vacuum on how outcomes for Singapore and Singaporeans are enhanced, this subject may turn ugly too and it would be important for the Government to be on top of this. In future, the PAP must not see calls for information as a Trojan horse for ulterior motives or a red herring. When there are requests for detailed figures, the PAP must not turn defensive in response to the Parliamentary Opposition of the day playing its role checking the Government of the day. In moving this Motion, MP Mr Murali Pillai stated that we must recognise that the nature of the electorate is changing and today, a new generation is emerging – standing taller and brighter than the ones before. He also said, and I quote, "People's psyche will change and as they do, the Government must change to a degree and at a speed unprecedented." Likewise, the interventions of the Opposition in this House, the questions it asks and the proposals it advances must reflect this new psyche. Going forward, the 4G PAP Leadership cannot be dismissive, or breezily use national security or sensitivity, as reasons for withholding information without good reason. In fact, I foresee that a greater openness to releasing information will be fundamental to the refreshed social compact that the 4G Leadership seeks to forge with Singaporeans through the Forward Singapore (ForwardSG) exercise.[+1 sentence] On the point of the Prime Minister's Office's Strategy Group's addendum covering better integration of newcomers into society, I had proposed an English requirement for PRs and citizenship applications in last month's COS debate. A few weeks later, in a demographically representative poll of 500 Singapore-born citizens aged between 18 and 69, a CNA MediaCorp survey reported on 3 April this year by CNA found that almost 80% were in favour of an English test for new PRs and citizens.[+19 sentences] Prior to the release of the survey result, in some limited quarters, the proposal for an English requirement was incorrectly understood as a divisive one, with the implicit point being that mother tongue languages would somehow be compromised or that an English requirement was actually a test for "Singaporeaness". But these criticisms missed the key point of the proposal, which was focused on integration. I am gratified that the demographically representative survey respondents did not miss the point. The wide support for an English requirement, as shown by the survey, can perhaps be traced to the historical use of English in Singapore, as established by the Pioneer Generation of PAP leaders. In the 2012 publication, Singapore's Bilingual Journey, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew said, and I quote, "When Singapore celebrated its 21st National Day on the 9th of August 1986, it also celebrated a different sort of milestone. It was the first-time emcees of the event used English to lead the audience, where before they had to use three languages – Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. The crowds, likewise, responded in English. Where before the different races in Singapore were like different tanks of fish in an aquarium together before your eyes but segregated from one another, now they have a common language linking them together. They still retained their mother tongues whether Chinese, Malay or Tamil? But a common knowledge of English enabled them to share together the joys of the occasion. I was a proud man that day." On the occasion of the 100th year of his birth, this year, those words of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew are timely. The late Prime Minister was clear. English would be a functional language with which to access the knowledge of the world and a tool for survival. The mother tongue is the cultural language used to transmit the culture's traditional values. More than three decades since his words in 1986, Singaporeans understand that immigration is necessary to top up our population but they also instinctively appreciate the importance of a lingua franca for better integration with newcomers and the signal it sends of Singapore as a multiracial and multicultural nation not just in form, but in substance. So, no one should be surprised at advocacy for our lingua franca, namely English, to bind Singaporeans together. At the same time, however, we must never sever our cultural roots. All of us must remain proud and celebrate our individual cultures, including our mother tongues. One legitimate concern, however, is the possible difficulty of an English requirement for foreign spouses who apply for PR or citizenship.[+2 sentences] Sir, WP – in its 2020 manifesto – called for the fast-track naturalisation of foreign spouses on the Long-Term Visit Pass Plus, subject to certain conditions, such as having at least one Singaporean child. I would suggest that an English requirement for foreign spouses can be one of the criteria for fast-tracking these applicants. My proposal calls for, all other things being equal, that additional points or consideration be given for PR and citizenship to foreign spouses who have a working proficiency in English.[+16 sentences] As the Government has openly stated, our immigration policy and immigration intake are calibrated to preserve the racial balance and by extension, an English requirement would not favour one racial group over another just because applicants in one racial group already use English and the other does not. Sir, a fast-track for foreign spouses would give families in Singapore with one Singaporean spouse much peace of mind. In effect, for foreign spouses, the English requirement would serve as a plus one criteria or bonus criteria. It would nudge and better align immigration policy with our bilingualism policy, which is a fundamental aspect of the Singapore system. For the record, this WP proposal does not contradict any of the eight principles of Singapore's bilingualism policy established by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Mr Speaker, the Singaporean identity continues to mature. For a young nation, this is a positive force. One that instinctively drives us towards inclusivity. It is wholly consistent with the values professed by the Government's agenda that seeks, and I quote, "a deepening of Singaporeans' sense of shared identity and mutual responsibility towards one another". I hope the Government can explore the best ways to reinforce the importance of English as a common language in our daily life, as it makes a big difference to the lived experience of many Singaporeans. The signalling effect on the centrality of our multiracial and multicultural society is immense. Sir, let me move on to my third point. I did not expect the Deputy Prime Minister to use his speech on the President's Address to attack and accuse the WP of advancing opportunistic or populist ideas to chip away, bit by bit, the trust in Government. The PAP shifted its position yesterday in the course of the debate, when Minister Ong Ye Kung conceded that the WP have brought up many good ideas. But both Ministers were consistent in calling for the Opposition to present an alternative agenda and even an alternative Budget. I will deal with this point in the course of my speech. To address Deputy Prime Minister Wong, if all we were doing was putting forward populist, unrealistic policies, we would not see the Government actively considering some variation of the WP manifesto ideas on anti-discrimination legislation, minimum wage and redundancy insurance.[+7 sentences] If chipping away at trust in the Government was our real agenda, we would not see the Minister for National Development acknowledging the WP point highlighting the inherent inequity of the HDB taxpayer subsidies as currently applied between mature and non-mature Build-To-Order (BTO) flats. It is a most unfair charge levelled at the WP which, in reality, chips away at the integrity of our Parliamentary democracy as an important platform for the exposition and contestation of ideas. In fact, we welcome the PAP taking up WP points because the real beneficiaries are not the WP or the PAP – but the people of Singapore. Mr Speaker, please allow me to list just a few of our policy proposals to demolish this idea that the WP has not put forward serious alternatives. Number one, verifying educational qualifications of Employment Pass (EP) holders. In our 2020 General Election manifesto, we called for the introduction of EP credentials assessment. We said that all EP and S Pass job applicants with university degrees and diplomas should be subject to mandatory educational credentials assessments, with cost to be borne by the applicant. On 1 March this year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced that companies in Singapore would need to verify the educational qualifications of EP applicants from 1 September 2023.[+15 sentences] Number two, broadcast Parliamentary Sittings live. In our 2020 and 2015 General Election manifestos, we called for the live, unedited broadcasts of Parliamentary Sittings. From 4 January 2021, Singaporeans were able to view livestreamed sessions of Parliament. Number three, national hydrogen strategy. Aljunied Group Representation Constituency MP Gerald Giam called for a national renewable hydrogen strategy in Parliament in January 2022 during the Motion on a low carbon society and again during Budget 2020. On 25 October the same year, the Energy Market Authority announced that Singapore was launching a national hydrogen strategy to accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions and to strengthen energy security. Number four, equalised maternity leave of 16 weeks for single unwed mothers. In our 2011 and 2015 General Election manifestos, we called for equitable support for single parents. In our 2011 manifesto, we stated that while having children outside of marriage should continue to be discouraged in our society, children born to single parents should not be denied the benefits that children of married parents receive. The children are innocent parties and should not start life being disadvantaged. We said that single parents should receive the same parenthood benefit packages as married parents. In our 2015 manifesto, we reiterate our call to grant single and wed mothers the full 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. In addition, we argue that single mothers should be made eligible for both the Working Mother's Child Relief as well as the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy relief. Excluding single mothers from these schemes unnecessarily penalises vulnerable children and single mothers. We added that the Government should extend the same help to single fathers. On 9 November 2016, the Government announced that from January 2017, unmarried mothers would have 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, equal to their married counterparts and fathers would have two weeks of paid paternity leave.[+4 sentences] Number five, BTO priority and forfeiture for non-selection. In our 2015 General Election manifesto, we called for the "three-tries BTO". We proposed that first-timer BTO applicants on the fiancé-fiancée scheme be given priority up to their third try in selecting a flat, so as to minimise the waiting time for couples to buy a flat and plan for starting a family. We called for the priority to be forfeited if the first-timer BTO applicants were invited to select a flat in any one of their previous tries but did not book a flat. On 2 March this year, the Government announced that first-time BTO applicants who give up their chance to select a flat would lose their priority status.[+6 sentences] From the August 2023 BTO exercise, first timers who fail to choose a flat once will be deemed second timers for a year in the computer ballot. Second timers who accumulate one non-selection count, down from the current two counts, will have to wait one year before they can apply for flat again. Number six, impose a charge for the use of plastic bags. In our 2020 General Election manifesto on curbing the use of plastics, we called for the introduction of a single-use plastic charge, phased in over five years to encourage a reduction in plastic waste while looking for alternatives. This is what we said: the value of the charge would need to be sufficiently high to change behaviours but remains sensitive to the needs of lower socioeconomic groups and PwDs. We called for a nationwide public education campaign to raise awareness of the effects of single-use plastics and other more sustainable alternatives. On 2 March this year, the Government announced a plastic charge at most Singapore supermarkets from 3 July 2023, with two-thirds of all supermarkets imposing a charge of at least five cents for each carrier bag.[+14 sentences] Number seven, one family paired to one general practitioner (GP). In our 2015 General Election manifesto seven years ago, the WP called for the family doctor pairing scheme. We argue that pairing families with GPs would encourage patients to remain with one family doctor who would be more familiar with their background and medical history. This would facilitate earlier detection of illnesses, provide more accurate diagnosis, reduce duplication of treatment and improve coordination with other care providers. We proposed all resident families be paired with a GP near their home and that Singaporeans could be given the option to change their assigned GP. In October 2022, this House debated the Healthier SG White Paper, which among other things put forward the Government's proposal for one family physician and one health plan for everyone. Under the plan, each resident chooses the family doctor or clinic. Flexibility will be provided for residents to change their enrolled doctor if they need to do so. Number eight, flexible work arrangements (FWAs). In our 2015 General Election manifesto seven years ago again, the WP called for the fair regulation of mandatory FWAs, where companies should be obliged to cater for a work-life friendly environment for workers. We suggested that employees who work for a company with more than 20 employees for more than six months should be allowed to make requests for FWAs. Employers could refuse the request on reasonable business grounds but must discuss the options available with the employee. The discussion must be duly documented, and employees may appeal the refusal if there is a dispute on the grounds for refusing a request. We also called for tax breaks and enhanced work-life grants to be made widely available to help companies accommodate the FWAs relevant to their respective industries. In the course of this debate no less, Minister of State Gan Siow Huang has reiterated that to entrench FWAs, MOM and the Tripartite Partners will introduce a set of tripartite guidelines by 2024. The guidelines would require employers to consider requests for FWAs fairly and properly.[+27 sentences] Sir, this is a non-exhaustive listing of the WP's alternative proposals. There are of course proposals that were long advanced by the WP MPs, for example, on criminal legal aid which was strenuously rejected by the PAP. For example, on criminal legal aid, the PAP's long-standing position was that it could not accept the taxpayer simultaneously funding both the prosecution and criminal defence. But they shifted positions, and criminal legal aid finally became a reality in the last session of Parliament. When the WP raised the matter of anti-discrimination laws and redundancy insurance, the PAP similarly offered many reasons why it could not be done then or were unmoved and not persuaded, only to shift its position later and take up the suggestion. One specific point which the Deputy Prime Minister reopened in this debate was the GST and the WP's approach to it. This is rather strange because the debate over the last few years has been about the GST hike and not the GST per se. Even so, as the Deputy Prime Minister spoke on Monday, I wondered why the Deputy Prime Minister would want to raise the GST question at this debate because those questions ought to have come during the Budget debate. Had the question on the WP position on the GST per se been asked then, the answer would have been obvious. The WP policy positions cannot be immutable and have to evolve with the political realities of the time. We may not have supported the GST when it was first introduced decades ago, but we recognise it as part of the system. But accepting the GST as it stands does not mean accepting every GST hike put forward by the Government. The WP went into the last General Election opposing the hike in the GST. We did not ask for the removal of the GST completely since the GST has been an endemic feature about tax system for many years now. At least from the time I entered this House, the WP's position concerned the necessity of GST hikes because the GST hurts the poor and middle class the hardest. Mr Speaker, Singaporeans know that no GST offset package lasts forever. Singaporeans are also acutely aware that a 1% increase in GST this year does not mean that the prices of goods and services will only rise by 1%. As we all know, for the men and women on the street the rise can be compounded many times, especially for basic things. Even with the Government's newly enhanced permanent GST Voucher (GSTV) scheme in 2022 by the Ministry of Finance's (MOF's) own reckoning, for low-income households who do not have elderly members, the GSTV scheme will offset about half of their total GST expenses. I am aware that in February this year, the GSTV cash component of the GSTV scheme was increased by up to $350. However, I have not been able to find an MOF statement that sets out in parallel how much this increase will offset the total GST expenses for a low-income family without elderly members. Sir, the WP's view is that if there are options to stave off this 1% or 2% rise in GST to fend off concomitant price rises in basic things, like food at the coffee shop or hawker centre for the men and women on the street, as a responsible Opposition that has the welfare of Singaporeans at heart, the WP has to ask – why not consider them? And debate them? That is what we must be expected to do in this House, rather than just accept whatever the PAP says. The Deputy Prime Minister does not want the WP to relitigate the alternative ideas we raised to make up the GST hike by saying that the sums do not add up. I believe when he says this, he means the sums do not add up if you want to remove the GST completely. But the Deputy Prime Minister would be acutely aware that this House was never debating the total removal of the GST in the last session of the Parliament, nor have we been doing so as long as the Deputy Prime Minister has been in this House. This is a distraction and the PAP should be upfront about it since we have been clearly talking about the GST hike from 7% to 9%, and what alternatives there are for it.[+1 sentence] I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Government still intends to proceed with the GST hike from 8% to 9% next year or whether it would consider a pause in view of persisting inflationary and cost-of-living pressures; and secondly, to accommodate changes to our corporate tax receipts that will inevitably crystalise further in the wake of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting 2.0 (BEPS 2.0). This is especially since the Government has announced at this year's Budget that it would implement a domestic top-up tax that will raise multinational enterprise groups' effective tax rate in Singapore to 15% in 2025 – less than two years from now. Should the corporate tax revenues look respectable and sustainable for the short to medium term without any real compromise in our attractiveness to foreign investors, it may not be necessary to introduce another hike to the GST from 8% to 9% for 2024 if corporate tax revenue, which contribute 25% of our tax revenues today, goes up further.[+10 sentences] Sir, the WP's interventions, including our proposals of alternatives to the GST hike, seek better outcomes for Singaporeans. If our agenda was rank opportunism or populism, as suggested by the Deputy Prime Minister, the people will reject our brand of politics. But many Singaporeans do not want the cause of the Opposition in Singapore to fail and instinctively recognise the importance of a rational, responsible and respectable political Opposition in this House. For that reason, the public expectations of the outcomes in General Elections are not necessarily in synchrony with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's point that every election from now will be about who forms the Government. What the Deputy Prime Minister is true in a theoretical sense. The elections are about who forms the Government. But as the PAP itself likes to tout, Singapore is unique. The political reality in the Singaporean context – a combination of the first-past-the-post system, the size and footprint of Opposition parties, certain grassroots organisations' manned by PAP apparatchiks and an Electoral Boundaries Review Committee that comes under the Prime Minister's Office, amongst other factors – all these reveal that the real prospect for a change of government during General Elections today, conceals the advantage of the PAP's incumbency far more than the Deputy Prime Minister cares to let Singaporeans in on. The Deputy Prime Minister has asked us to be honest about our plans, policies and intentions. On the heady dreams of displacing the PAP and forming the Government, the reality is the WP is a small party and we have a long way to go. Our medium-term objective is to ensure that one-third of the seats in this House are not in the PAP's hands.[+2 sentences] I said this in 2018 in a speech to WP's members, which is publicly available under the "Key Speeches" section of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition website and this was reported by the mainstream media. Why the significance of this figure of one-third and why is it important? The Constitution – the highest law of our land – which all other laws must take reference from, can only be changed if two-thirds of the MPs in this House agree.[+6 sentences] Should any political party with more than two-thirds of the seats in this House decide to change the Constitution arbitrarily, there is nothing that can be done to stop them. Today, the PAP does not just have a two-third majority, it has a supermajority of more than 75% of the seats. If we exclude Nominated MPs who cannot vote on constitutional changes, the total denominator is 93 elected MPs and two Non-Constituency MPs. That brings the PAP's supermajority at close to 90% today. We are not playing "masak masak" when we make changes to the Constitution. These are serious matters that involve the lives of Singaporeans to a very acute degree. In order to pass a constitutional amendment with a two-third majority, the PAP needs 63 votes in this House.[+6 sentences] The PAP has 83 MPs today. The PAP can even change the entire Constitution at one go, with 20 MPs to spare. Let me give an illustration of how and why these numbers are important. On 21 March this year, just last month – in fact, exactly one month ago – the Parliament passed amendments to the Constitution. Some of the changes included amendments to Article 9, that sought to ensure that laws relating to the misuse of drugs that authorise the arrest and detention of any person for treatment and rehabilitation, remain valid under the Constitution. A separate change involved the introduction of a legal mechanism to reduce the balance of the Contingencies Fund so as to maintain discipline in how the Government manages its finances. Unbeknownst to many members of the public and voters, there were only 67 MPs in the House present when that constitutional amendment was passed on 21 March last month.[+19 sentences] These 67 MPs included seven WP MPs. If all the WP MPs had not been present in the House at the time of the vote, the Constitution could not have been amended as sought by the PAP as only 60 PAP MPs were present. I want to emphasise that the WP's intention is not to block all the changes to the Constitution proposed by a PAP Government. Far from it. If constitutional amendments are in the interest of our people. we will support them. But if we assessed that the proposed changes to the Constitution are detrimental to Singapore and Singaporeans, we will speak against them and vote against them. Voting against Constitutional amendments is not something that PAP MPs will be able to do if their party whip is not lifted. They can talk all they like in this House and go to the ends of the earth claiming to make a principled stand, but they cannot vote other than how the PAP leadership dictates. Sir, the WP seeks an evolution of Singapore's politics towards a permanent presence of elected Opposition MPs so as to ensure sufficient balance in our political system against an extraordinarily dominant PAP. We do not seek a revolution that includes a change of government at this stage of Singapore's political development. Based on my reading, this view is consistent with the general public's sentiment. But the PAP should not rest on its laurels because this can change, and it is because of that question that has been asked before – what if a rogue government sprang from the bosom of the PAP? The PAP knows that as long as the WP is not in government, it will never have the full breadth of considerations and access to detail the PAP is privy to – Cabinet briefings and papers, access to hundreds of classified public surveys and, of course, the intellectual and operational engine of the Civil Service. So, the Deputy Prime Minister demands that we come up with a serious alternative agenda and an alternative budget at this stage, knowing that there is a more than likely chance that we will inevitably fall short on details, owing to obvious information asymmetries. And come election time, the PAP can tell the public that no serious alternatives have been presented. But where we have alternative ideas, we have advanced them. We will continue to do so, in spite of the political realities. We have been open with Singaporeans and nailed our flag to the mast in the course of campaigning for the people's votes to put us in Parliament. Our manifestos have not been an amalgamation of broad statements of purpose and glossy pictures, but specific proposals with a view to better the lives of Singaporeans. If these proposals that I have highlighted earlier were not serious, why did the PAP take them on board and devote fiscal resources to fund them and policy resources to implement them?[+4 sentences] At its core, Mr Speaker, respectfully, what the Deputy Prime Minister has to appreciate is that the public expectations of the WP in Parliament as elected MPs differ from the PAP's expectations from the WP – and rightly so. For many Singaporeans, the key operative consideration in making their vote count goes far beyond and transcends just a change of government. There are real political questions the voters have to consider, which they are acutely aware of. Firstly, Singaporeans want an Opposition to check the PAP because in their heart of hearts, we all know that "ownself check ownself" is not realistic. The inherent nature of power makes this unrealistic.[+1 sentence] Secondly, it is in our collective self-interest that no one party can amend the Constitution – the highest law of our land – at will. So, it is wise to have at least one-third of this House in a Party or Parties other than the PAP. Thirdly, in the same vein as the Prime Minister alluded to in his speech in this debate, Singapore's future is not a given. It follows that no one can ignore the possibility of a rogue government springing from the bosom of the PAP. Our people should have real political options if or when that happens. These are the reasons why there should be a strong Opposition presence in this House even before we talk of a change of government, alternative agendas and alternative budgets.[+22 sentences] In fact, PAP MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim has said in the course of this debate, "Iron sharpens iron. The rigours of debates and contestation of ideas on issues that are important to Singaporeans can help all of us formulate new ways forward for Singapore." He could not have put it better. At some point, in the name of inclusivity and a united Singapore in the face of grave external challenges, I hope the PAP can rise above political partisanship and acknowledge the political contribution of the WP towards the betterment of Singapore and Singaporeans. In conclusion, Mr Speaker, just as the President has set out the direction the Government is taking, let me set out the approach of the WP for this second session of Parliament of the Government's term. The WP's approach involves an acceptance that the political reality in Singapore is the overwhelming dominance of the PAP today. Part of that PAP's supremacy comes from the performance of the PAP in delivering what citizens want, especially in the early decades of Singapore's self-rule, then Independence. Part of that dominance has also come from hardball political tactics that also hosted policies with collateral purposes that suppressed the growth of an Opposition, such as politicising ostensibly community-focused organisations such as the People's Association (PA), which does the bidding of even unelected advisors. What is the appropriate response to such dominance? Some believe, perhaps naively, that it is best to work within the system, to change things from within the establishment. Is that a realistic possibility? Perhaps it is. If you make it to one of a handful of top positions. But even the late President Ong Teng Cheong, who was very close to the top of PAP politics as the then-Deputy Prime Minister and seemingly right at the top of our political hierarchy as the then-President, could not get the information he wanted. How much less realistic then for those lower down the establishment's pecking order to achieve substantive goals for change? The alternative in responding to PAP's dominance is to appeal directly to the people – by contesting in elections and leaving it to the voters and having faith in their judgement. This is the path that the WP, its MPs, members and volunteers have chosen. So, the direction the WP must take while in Parliament is to worthy of the votes that have put us in Parliament. Just as the Government is essentially continuing its last term and also the previous session of Parliament, so are we. We will continue to raise alternative proposals within the limits of our resources and the information we have or is made available. We will be glad to see the PAP implement policies we have suggested, whether they say that those ideas were already in their pipeline or whether they merely adopt them without attribution. But most critically, no matter the challenge or obstacle, the Opposition must be focused and continue to endeavour, work for and defend the interests of Singaporeans and Singapore, as equal and fellow Singaporeans, together in the same boat, rowing in the same direction, be it in or out of this House.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Tan See Leng.
The Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan See Leng)361 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, thank you. I would like to seek a point of clarification to Mr Pritam Singh's speech earlier on. In his speech, he said that asking the MOM to release statistics is like drawing blood from a stone. I want to highlight the point that on his question on the number of ICTs, on 6 July 2021, in the Ministerial Statement, I had already provided the numbers. There were 4,200 ICTs working in Singapore the year before – that is, 2020 – a number that has remained consistently small.[+10 sentences] And, of course, the rest of it is available in the Hansard. It is also published in The Straits Times as well. I think the point to highlight to everyone, every Member of the House and particularly in response to the Member's statement is that many of the questions that were asked – both by the WP as well as by the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) – were not just on the numbers pertaining to ICTs. Indeed, the Member has also put the questions together on the breakdown of whether the jobs went to Singapore Citizens (SCs) who were born in Singapore or who were naturalised Singaporeans, amongst other types of confidential information that was not readily released. Notwithstanding that, in the interest of addressing the issue in Parliament, to the best extent that is possible, our MOM officials came up to put the statistics up required by MPs. I hope that we can have this social compact – and let us make no mistakes about it that the vitriol and the raw emotions at that particular point in time, I hope was really something that we should all try to avoid. And I hope that they were not due to other factors outside of what the questions were intended to be. And I hope that they were not due to deliberate efforts to frustrate our social compact. To the Member's point about the confidential information that could have been released earlier, I believe that it cannot be the reason for the ugly xenophobia, the racial undertones surrounding CECA. I think that is the point that I would like to clarify.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh409 words
[+5 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Before I go into the nub of the matter as raised by the hon Minister for Manpower, in terms of the xenophobic elements which the Minister raised, we are at ad idem. We do not want our compact to be disrupted and overturned because of these reasons. So, to that extent, we are on the same page. But let me just share with the Minister that when I referred to the ICTs, Minister would recall in the debate that Minister refers to, that the Parliamentary Questions were asked well before the answers that he gave in Parliament in July. Mr Leon Perera had – if my memory serves me correctly and I stand corrected, Mr Speaker, I am going based on memory alone – asked the question on the number of ICTs in 2016. And the answer in Parliament from the Minister for Manpower was, "we don't reveal these numbers." And the point we were making – and the point I made in my speech again today – was if those numbers were released, because the numbers were low – they could have punctured all that xenophobia quite early.[+9 sentences] And the point I am making was I could not understand why it was difficult to provide the information in 2016, but then when things are descending into an abyss, the numbers start coming out. I made this point earlier. I made this point in the course of that debate and this was then Minister Ong Ye Kung's reply. I made the same point and there is no real difference in the point that I am making now. And this is what he said in my response to releasing information earlier: "I take to heart what the Leader of the Opposition has said that, with information, we can quell such falsehoods much earlier. We work in a bureaucracy. Some data is classified secret, confidential and so on. So, we are not at liberty to always disclose them. But what you say is true. Some information, it is better for it to come out early and then we can move on, especially as you said when it concerns issues like racism or xenophobia, it is much better to credit early." Sir, I hope that response addresses the point put to me by the Minister for Manpower. I am suggesting that in certain issues of great significance, the Government is better off providing more information rather than less.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Tan See Leng.
Dr Tan See Leng99 words
[+3 sentences]First and foremost, given the low number of ICTs and, as the Leader of the Opposition has persistently said that these are matters of national interest, it appears that in every single debate that we have, every single issue has now been put up as national interest. I am glad that he acknowledges and shares my point about having this common social compact. But I hope that in terms of, perhaps, prioritising some of these questions and having a more precise and surgical differentiated way of asking these questions could be one way of making it a lot easier.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Ong Ye Kung.
The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung)298 words
[+5 sentences]I was not intending to speak but the Leader of the Opposition mentioned my name a few times. What the Leader of the Opposition said in his speech, I think it was a similar point that he made in the July 2021 debate, which was that if only MOM released the number early, you could have quelled all the xenophobia. I took that point. And my answer in July 2021, I think it is the same answer today. We take to heart the feedback that the Member gave. If we had released, perhaps, it would have quelled all the xenophobia and all the raw emotions. But as Minister Tan See Leng said, that data was graded confidential or maybe even secret, I am not sure. But it was not ready for release, because when you release ICTs of a particular country, others may compare, it can have other ramifications.[+2 sentences] So, it is not something that Ministry officials will readily say, "Let us release it for Parliament". But the situation became like that, CECA became a big issue with a lot of raw emotions and it got debated here. In the end, these Ministers had a serious discussion and said "Let us release it".[+3 sentences] And so, we take the Member's point, however it is not that straightforward a matter but nevertheless. I think what Minister Tan See Leng is also trying to say is that after all this, let us not blame this whole debate and raw emotions around CECA on MOM because they never released ICT data. It is not because of that, no. If we are honest with ourselves, it is not because of that. It could have quelled it, but I think many other factors took place resulting in those raw emotions, which is most unfortunate.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh245 words
[+11 sentences]Mr Speaker, I actually did not intend to bring up this point in the course of my speech today. But because Minister Ong mentioned yesterday in the context of presenting alternative budgets, alternative agendas, he said, "just file a question, you'll get a written answer". I think that caused me to pause. Because the answer that was given in 2016 – and again, I stand corrected if my memory fails me – was not that the reason we are not releasing the ICT data was because there could be commercial sensitivities and so forth. In fact, there was no reason given at all, if I am not wrong. It was "We don't release this figure, period". So, again, I think the question really comes back down to thinking carefully about whether that information truly is going to be problematic and what is in our interests, given Singapore's situation, given how some of these agreements can be problematic. And I have to add, again, I am going back six years. So, I remember the question of CECA did not just drop from the sky in 2015, 2016, 2017, around that period. Factually, the Government website also had to come out and clarify some of these issues. So, in that context, I am not blaming MOM or pointing the finger at MOM, but making a larger meta point about how important it can be for information to be released and to take a different attitude towards it.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Lawrence Wong)710 words
[+14 sentences]Sir, on the larger point that the Leader of the Opposition Mr Singh had highlighted, I am glad that he agrees with me that we do need both serious Government and serious Opposition in our maturing democracy. I made the point in my speech. He has a different view on the way I have characterised some of the proposals made by the Opposition. That is his view and I accept that. I think we may well have to agree to disagree. But I made this broader point about how our democracy will evolve because I do worry when I look at how democracies elsewhere have evolved. Look at the great democracies of the world, democracies far bigger, far more developed than us and look at where they are now – how their societies have become divided and polarised, how their systems have become stuck in gridlock. It is not as though their people are unloyal to their countries, not at all. But how is it that these countries have become so dysfunctional where politics is concerned? And what makes us so sure that Singapore is immuned and we somehow can avoid such a fate happening in Singapore, down the road? So, I think there are lessons for us. And the lessons are, if you look at many of these countries, populism has taken root and populism has damaged greatly their societies; divided and polarised their people. What is populism? Populism is politics that suppresses the truth, shades the truth, gets into post-truth, distorts the facts for political advantage. Populism is politics that pretends there are simple answers to complex issues, because there are not. And if such populism were ever to take root in Singapore, well, in the short term, parties that push out such populist policies may gain some advantage, but in the longer term it will cause great damage to Singapore and Singaporeans.[+3 sentences] So, from the Government's point of view, our stand is very clear. We reject all forms of populism. We make sure and we uphold honesty and integrity in policymaking. If the Government were ever to fall short of these standards, we expect the Opposition to call us out and say so.[+12 sentences] Please do. You have to do it. We expect you to do it. Conversely, if the Opposition were to propose ideas and policies that we feel are populist, we, likewise, will highlight them and highlight our concerns, rightfully so. So, I hope that is our common understanding of how we can take Singapore's politics and democracy forward. Mr Pritam Singh said that Singaporeans believe in the cause of the Opposition and does not want the cause of the Opposition to falter and fade away. I believe there is a role for the Opposition to play in our politics, in our democracy and it is a very important role to campaign for the WP's ideas and proposals to hold the elected Government to account and to offer serious alternatives to the Government. Mr Singh says it takes time and that they are not ready to form the next Government. You take one step at a time, one-third. But in politics, things can happen very quickly. So, I am glad Mr Singh is mindful that there is an important role for the Opposition to play and I think he should start thinking about how he and the WP can, indeed, perhaps, not sit on that side of the aisle, but on this side of the aisle in the future, down the road. What sort of agenda you would offer Singaporeans and what you would do if you were to form the Government? If there is one thing that I hope all of us can take away from this debate and, given that there is, in fact, I would say, some common understanding of this, from what I hear from Mr Singh's speech, one outcome that we might be able to say to Singaporeans, it is this: that together in this House, both sides of the House, we stand for a democracy that is maturing, a serious Government and a serious Opposition. We say yes to all that, but we say no to populism and political opportunism ever taking root in this House and in Singapore.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh193 words
[+5 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Let me just deal with the last point made by the hon Deputy Prime Minister. I do not think there is any difficulty for me or my colleagues to agree to that. And I think that coming back to the Prime Minister's speech, which I think a lot more Singaporeans should listen to, we know the future is not exactly smooth. There are a lot of unpredictable factors that we have to contend with and, in the course of debate in this House, we will be going back and forth at each other's proposals and ideas. But insofar as populism and opportunism are concerned, I am quite certain that the Deputy Prime Minister means that it ought to work both ways. It cannot be a case of pointing fingers at the Opposition and accusing them of that when certain actions of ruling party politicians on the ground are no better.[+1 sentence] But having said that, I accept the Deputy Prime Minister's concerns of our democracy and, certainly, the WP, and I hope the Opposition in general, will be mindful going forward and work towards the betterment of Singapore and Singaporeans.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai (Non-Constituency Member)235 words
[+7 sentences]Speaker, I would like to thank, first of all, the 4G leaders led by the Deputy Prime Minister, to have initiated this very frank discussion as to how our democracy is maturing and also what and how should be the way we work in Parliament. Unfortunately, I had been observing the proceedings at home for the last few days because of my family's medical problems; and I also thank Speaker for being so indulgent in allowing me to have my absence. First of all, I would like to say that the PSP is also very in agreement and supportive of the view that in a maturing democracy, we need both a responsive Government and also an Opposition that can put up alternative policies. However, I think what we have discussed so far in the debate is that there are two areas that we hope the Government would realise. One is, from the point of view of the PSP in the course of all my debates with the Government is: one, data is really not enough; two, which is quite obvious over the last few years from my experience in this Parliament, is the attitude of the Government towards the Opposition. And that point stands out very strongly, especially recently when the Deputy Prime Minister made the point that Opposition parties have not put up serious alternative agenda or policies. So, I would like to —
Mr Speaker10 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong, just to clarify, are you asking some clarifications?
Mr Leong Mun Wai170 words
[+6 sentences]Yes, yes. So, on the issue of data, can I ask the Manpower Minister, Dr Tan See Leng, that I was the one who initiated the job debate in 2021, and the purpose of initiating that debate is to really determine whether Singaporeans, overall, have been affected by the foreign talent policy or not. But until today, would the Minister agree that we do not have enough data to conclude, with certainty, that Singaporeans have not been displaced from the job market? In 2021, we raised this point that the Minister has claimed — I raise this point again that the Minister had raised the data that in the 15 years from 2005 to 2020, 380,000 professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) jobs had been created for locals, which also include the PRs. But then we took the data and we looked at it, and then we asked, but this includes all the PRs in the definition of locals, right? So, during the same 15-year period, we have 650,000 new —
Mr Speaker15 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong, if I may ask, what is the clarification you are specifically asking for?
Mr Leong Mun Wai28 words
[+2 sentences]Yes, so, the Minister has not provided enough data to prove conclusively that Singaporeans have not been displaced from the market. Can I ask that first question first?
Dr Tan See Leng223 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, and to all Members of this House, I have consistently been providing the data. Perhaps the Member may not understand my overarching English, maybe the proficiency of my English. Today, in Singapore, we are at full employment. Our long-term unemployment rate is at 0.6% to 0.7%. In fact, in my reports, as I have shared, for the year ending 2022, the number of resident employment, that means, locals – SCs, PRs – resident employment has gone up to even before pre-COVID-19 days, before 2019. In all of my interventions, in all of my speeches, I have consistently shared that for the foreign talent that have come in, it has resulted in an increase in the number of jobs created and employment opportunities for Singaporeans.[+6 sentences] This is precisely my point earlier on to Mr Pritam Singh. When you want to go and dive into the data between whether that SC is born here or born elsewhere and then become naturalised, or how many generations, I think those kinds — no, no, I am not conflating it, Leader of the Opposition. I am not conflating. I am just saying, using it as an example to say that this is the type of data we do not release. So, I hope that he does not conflate the entire discussions together. I rest my case.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh48 words
[+3 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Just for the record, I need to state this for the record because the WP never made a request for information on people born in Singapore. So, I just want to be very careful about that, because that gets us into very dangerous territory.
Dr Tan See Leng4 words
[+1 sentence]Thank you, thank you.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai8 words
[+2 sentences]Speaker, however, PSP disagrees. PSP thinks that —
Mr Speaker22 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Leong, this is not meant to be a debate on that particular issue. Your clarifications, please. Do you have other clarifications?
Mr Leong Mun Wai31 words
[+1 sentence]In that case, can we sort of agree to disagree here, that the Minister thinks that it is because the data is so sensitive, we cannot get to the bottom —
Dr Tan See Leng4 words
[+1 sentence]Point of order, Speaker.
Mr Speaker2 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Tan.
Dr Tan See Leng22 words
[+2 sentences]I was providing a point of clarification to Mr Pritam Singh's speech. So, I hope that we can keep it as that.
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Leong Mun Wai.
Mr Leong Mun Wai11 words
[+1 sentence]Speaker, I do not understand what is the meaning of that.
Mr Speaker10 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Tan See Leng, Mr Leong does not understand you.
Mr Leong Mun Wai6 words
[+1 sentence]Meaning I cannot ask a question?
Dr Tan See Leng20 words
[+1 sentence]Perhaps if he would like a separate debate, he can file another Parliamentary Question on the issue of jobs statistics.
Mr Leong Mun Wai26 words
[+3 sentences]But, Speaker, just now I raised a clarification, right? So, the Minister had answered me. So, now, I ask for another clarification, that is okay, right?
Mr Speaker3 words
[+2 sentences]Yes. Please do.
Mr Leong Mun Wai56 words
[+3 sentences]In that case, can I clarify that we agree to disagree? The Minister said that we cannot get into the breakdown of those numbers because he does not want to differentiate Singaporeans, naturalised Singaporeans, locals, PRs, all that. And, as a result, we cannot get to the bottom of whether Singaporeans have been displaced or not.
Mr Speaker50 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Leong, if I may, I think Minister Tan responded by explaining as to the employment situation in Singapore, as to how employment is being created. So, I think that was his response to your query about the displacement and so on. So, if you have further clarifications, please proceed.
Mr Leong Mun Wai38 words
[+1 sentence]Yes, Speaker, but I would also like to make the point that the unemployment data and the overall employment figures sometimes can hide some of the other relevant information about what are the changes in the job market.
Mr Speaker5 words
[+1 sentence]And your clarification would be?
Mr Leong Mun Wai9 words
So, never mind, I will rest the case.[+1 sentence] Thanks.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Ms Mariam Jaafar.
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang)2960 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Speaker, I stand in the support of the Motion. I declare that I am the Managing Director and Partner of a management consulting firm that does work in the areas of digital, artificial intelligence (AI) and skills development.[+10 sentences] At the start of this Parliament term, I delivered my maiden speech titled "The Nation that Learns the Fastest". I spoke then about what I felt was needed for Singapore to thrive in a rapidly changing world: the importance of lifelong learning; the need for companies to take responsibility for their employees' learning; the need for companies to give more Singaporeans a chance and to look beyond paper qualifications; the need for stronger anti-discrimination protection; the need for each of us as leaders to go beyond telling people to be better, faster; work harder to providing emotional support, networks and social capital; and the need for companies to be better corporate citizens and proactively address critical social issues in order to earn the social licence to operate. So, it is with the greatest humility that I express my appreciation to the Government for the significant moves that have been made in the past two and a half years on each of these, and the significant moves that will be made in the next two and a half years, some of which have been announced in the past weeks and days, and some that are yet to come but were foreshadowed in the ForwardSG conversations. I do not claim to be the first to bring forth any of these ideas. There is no such thing as a monopoly of ideas, but if my analysis and the voices of my residents and other Singaporeans that I have surfaced have had even a small impact on their thinking, I think the past two and a half years would have been well spent. On the announcements, there are a few areas where I would offer a slightly more nuanced view. Take, for example, the idea of supporting workers to take time off to train. The reality is, many companies, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), find it challenging to give "time off" to train and this is exacerbated by the experience that some SME owners have shared with me – that their employees do not seem to bring something useful back to the business after going for training, so, it is almost like sending them on a holiday. This is not good for employees either – the forgetting curve I referred to in my maiden speech tells us that they will quickly forget what they have learnt. Sir, it is really as what Minister Chan Chun Sing has said before – business transformation and workforce transformation must go hand in hand. Decoupling training time and working time is less optimal than designing training to be integrated with their jobs while those jobs and the companies they belong to are being transformed.[+7 sentences] We have to push both, not separately, but together. An even more joined-up approach among the economic, workforce development and skills development agencies, would be incredibly useful. But generally, the policy questions being considered and positions being taken address a lot of the preoccupations on my mind two and a half years ago. So, this could be a rather short speech, if the environment around us had not changed. But in that same two and a half years, some things have changed or accelerated, significantly and suddenly. Prime Minister Lee and other Members have talked about the different storms and opportunities that preoccupy us today. I wish to speak today on one of these things that has become a preoccupation on my mind and that of many business leaders, that is, the rapid advancement of AI, precipitated by the explosion of interest in generative AI (GenAI). GenAI has been developing quietly for some time, gaining attention in recent years with the launch of technologies, like DALL.E, Image Generation, Mind Journey, Stable Diffusion. But it got a massive shot in the arm with the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, which became the fastest growing app in history, reaching 1.6 billion visits in March.[+6 sentences] Suddenly, in the words of Andrei Karpathy, one of the founders of OpenAI, "English is the hottest new programming language" and anyone could access ChatGPT to generate the most likely output to any query and take advantage of its key distinguishing feature – the ability to generate new realistic content – text, image or video. In effect, GenAI has democratised AI – and when democratisation happens, revolution is usually swift to follow. Much as the launch of the first Web Browser MOSAIC in 1993 democratised the Internet and triggered the Internet revolution, ChatGPT and other GenAI technologies are triggering the AI revolution and will transform all industries and societies. The possibilities opened up by GenAI are well documented. The hon Member Dr Tan Wu Meng, and others have referenced some of these in their speeches this week. GenAI enables greater productivity and the turbocharging of innovation to solve unsolved problems in business, but also in education, in healthcare and in other areas that are going to help a lot of people. Insilico Medicine uses GenAI to identify a novel drug candidate for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in just 21 days, compared to years in traditional drug discovery.[+18 sentences] But there are also a lot of risks and worries about GenAI and rightly so. Anyone who has used ChatGPT will know that the model can generate nonsense output. There are also real issues of output that is not factual or bias, due to bias in real world data. Businesses engaging in AI are grappling with the risk of data leaks, copyright infringement and uncontrollable shadow AI in their organisations. Companies and societies worry about socioeconomic displacement, the potential of job losses at an unprecedented scale, including of "knowledge workers" – marketers, lawyers, accountants, architects, developers, engineers, analysts, and, yes, even management consultants. No less worrying is the risk of ever more sophisticated phishing, deepfakes and fraud at the hands of bad people – cybercrime has never been easier! – the potential impact on security and defence, and the very institution of democracy itself. Then, there is the fact that a few companies control a large share of the technology, tech that is now moving from open source to proprietary ownership by companies with a for-profit motive, leading to an AI arms race among companies and countries, for bigger and better algorithms, data, computing power and talent. And what about the environment? If you thought Bitcoin's energy consumption was bad, well, an OpenAI study showed that the energy cost of training an AI algorithm is increasing at an exponential rate, which if it is continues, by 2027, in just four years, the largest model's cost will surpass the gross domestic product of the US. Then, we have the speculative doomsday scenarios, where machines attain human level intelligence or artificial general intelligence (AGI), and take over the world, destroying humanity in the process. Speculative or not, so great is the worry, that the Future Life Institute put out a call for a six-month pause, or moratorium, on training AI models more powerful than OpenAI's GPT-4 model, and some very smart people have signed this proposal. In reality, we are further away from AGI than the recent hype may suggest. As Yann Le Cun of META put it, we humans are very language oriented. "We think when something is fluent, it's also intelligent, but it's not true". And I think that resonates with many of us. I will not go into the merits of the moratorium proposal – others much deeper in this field than me have opined on this, but as a believer in progress through knowledge, the idea seems unfruitful and impractical. For me, the real question is not whether machines can attain human intelligence, or even when that might happen, but rather: how do we, as a country, best prepare for the eventual future and have a voice in influencing how it all develops to protect and advance our interests. The time has come for governments to recognise that we are at a precipice and that they must act to determine the position they want to hold with respect to AI, the impact on their people and the required adaptations and the policies they must make going forward, to ensure the effective and ethical development and deployment of AI and GenAI. Singapore launched our National AI Strategy in 2019, which reflects our commitment to being a leader in developing and deploying scalable, impactful AI solutions, in key sectors of high value and relevance to our citizens and businesses along with five National AI Projects and five ecosystem enablers. AI Singapore has partnered with businesses to nurture the development and adoption of AI models in key sectors like healthcare, transportation and finance.[+1 sentence] It also runs the AI Apprenticeship programme. In this year's COS, Minister Josephine Teo, shared that AI Singapore will double the number of AI Apprentices trained over the next five years from 200 to 400.[+14 sentences] All this is good progress. But if we are standing at the precipice of an AI revolution, do we need to revisit the ambition, scope and pace of our national AI strategy and our AI policies, to avoid being left behind in the arms race, and to create more value for the world and for ourselves? Today, I want to focus on two potential areas to double down on: one, building an AI and GenAI-ready people; and two, leading the way in promoting better and safer AI and GenAI development and deployment. First, building an AI and GenAI-ready people. This AI revolution will have a massive impact on people and jobs. There are four things we need to do. First, anticipate. Anticipate how jobs will change in a GenAI world. Instead of creating content or code or preparing or processing documents, people will be supervising first drafts by AI while focusing more on strategic thinking, building customer relationships and developing more complex campaigns using AI tools. Some jobs will be eliminated. This is not new – we are used by now to technology disruption. But what is going to be different is the scale and speed at which this will happen. So, reskilling and re-employment, at scale, at speed, alongside managing the impact on people's professional identity and self-esteem, is going to be a serious challenge. And we will need to face up to the possibility, the probability that some will be left behind and this will require a new tilt towards redistribution. During this year's Budget debate, I raised that the time may have come to consider retrenchment support and Deputy Prime Minister Wong suggested in his speech that targeted re-employment support is being considered.[+10 sentences] It is timely today, but think about what might be needed 10 years from now. We need to anticipate this and time the shifts appropriately. In making these shifts, I hope we will remember that AI itself could be part of the solution, removing some traditional trade-offs. For example, AI can help in personalised reskilling at scale. We could also look at using AI in social services to provide tailored social and re-employment support at scale – rather than compromising someone that tolerated it for the sake of ease of implementation. All this will require public trust in AI and Public Officer's proper adoption of AI. Second, develop. Develop talent for the range of AI roles required – data scientists, but also designers, engineers, ethicists and so on. Remember it is possible that AI will create as many jobs as it displaces. AI talent will be needed in business, academia and public service. And sorry, but we are not talking 400 people here. So, we will need training programmes at scale, at speed, to build a workforce that will be AI-competitive 10 years from now.[+23 sentences] Third, attract. Attract the global talent with the new skillsets for the new jobs that AI will create. I think we do not have to explain that. And finally, engage. Engage Singaporeans to not fear this AI revolution, but to embrace it and this is a massive change management effort. I once received an email from a resident. He observed the challenges and stress that people have adapting to technology, and asked, why does Singapore have to move so fast to adopt the latest technology? Why are we so obsessed with becoming a Smart Nation? Why can we not make the choice to stick to low technology or non-technology approaches on some things to make life easier for our people? We need to make people understand it is not a matter of choice. The AI revolution will not wait for us. But we need to assure people that humans are not going anywhere – humans are needed to deploy AI effectively and ethically. We need to inspire people – it is not all about avoiding displacement – there are all these very exciting opportunities that a general purpose technology like GenAI allows the young and not so young, to find application in all facets of the economy, of life, that can create value for a lot of people and help a lot of people and that should be empowering. And we need to monitor the pulse of our people and make interventions along the way. Second, leading the way in promoting better and safer AI development and deployment. As Minister Ong said, responsible stewardship is a hallmark of our policymaking. AI governance and ethics is already a key pillar of the National AI strategy. Earlier in the day, Senior Minister of State Janil had talked about AI Verify and some of the tools that we have already developed by Infocomm Media Development Authority and Personal Data Protection Commission. But the many ethical and legal concerns that people have about AI point to the fact that research in AI governance and ethics has lagged other aspects like compute power. There are big questions yet unsolved on issues like liability in the event of harm or bias, like data protection, privacy protection. How to prevent ChatGPT from becoming a tool for spreading misinformation and bias? As we move towards to AGI, how to ensure that AI systems behave in ways that are aligned to human values will be critical to advancing the progress of AI. So, regulation of AI is gathering momentum globally. More than 60 plus countries and territories are considering some 800 measures.[+1 sentence] Prominent among these is the European Union (EU) AI Act, the first broad regulatory framework on AI, unveiled in 2021. The Act sets out different rules and bans certain practices and imposes stiff penalties, up to 6% of a company's global revenues, for those in breach and the scope is global.[+7 sentences] But the rapid advances in GenAI show how difficult it is for regulations to keep up, with EU lawmakers struggling to reach consensus as to how to deal with them in the Act. In Singapore, the Model Governance Framework lays out principles, but not penalties. It seeks to build public trust and understanding and to balance innovation and protection. There is no AI-specific regulation, but deployment of AI requires consideration of other existing regulations. I think this approach is pragmatic, but some have wondered if it is too top down and does not do enough to ensure that responsibility cascades down the organisation. And others have asked if more regulatory power is needed given our status as a global financial and technological hub. So, how could Singapore be of value to the world in this regard? One, invest in AI governance and ethics research; two, ensure that ethical guiderails and legal protections keep up with the rapid advancements in GenAI; three, support businesses in setting up responsible AI programmes; and four, serve as a global reference point to contribute to the development of global standards.[+14 sentences] Global standards are needed but difficult in a world where the global governance order is collapsing and on an issue that is so ideologically charged. But therein lies the opportunity for Singapore. As a colleague commented: "Singapore's middle ground between the East and West is uniquely interesting. The US or Western logic of absolute freedom of expression is hitting the limit of fake news at scale with GenAI. The Chinese over control is hitting the limit of tech progress". He continued "I find policy making in Singapore much more nuanced when approaching those questions. Less dogmatic. So, for me, it brings legitimacy." His comments raise an interesting question as to the role Singapore could play in leading a global effort. Whether we strengthen ethical guidelines or put more teeth with regulations and legal protections is something to be evaluated against the trade-offs between innovation and protection. But there can be more regrets in increasing understanding. How can we increase understanding and align others to work together to manage our common concerns? Forums with technology providers, civil society and governments help. Could the approach taken in dealing with online falsehoods and Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Regulations be something to consider – rigorous public hearings and a national debate to study the risks and issues and recommend strategies to deal with them? And hopefully, this time, we can all agree that it is for the common good and avoid its politicisation.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, the progress in AI is exciting and worrying at the same time. I agree with Dr Tan Wu Meng, that in a world of AI disruption, togetherness and trust is more important than ever before.[+1 sentence] But that alone is not enough. We need our AI strategies, policies and people to keep pace with the breathless development; so, let us buckle up!
Mr Speaker4 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Sitoh Yih Pin.
Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir)1420 words
[+3 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Motion. At the address for the Opening of the second session of the 14th Parliament last week, Mdm President spoke on the geopolitical and economic challenges we face on the horizon and the need to refresh our social compact. She also set out the Government's agenda for the next half term of the 14th Parliament. In doing so, she reaffirmed the core values of Singaporeans: fairness, inclusivity, mutual support, equality and a sense of belonging for all regardless of background so that every Singaporean is afforded the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential.[+10 sentences] These core values may appear intuitive to most Singaporeans in the context of the present day. It is almost like an unwritten code that forms part of the psyche of being a Singaporean. And yet, we sometimes forget that these core values underpinning our social compact is not an inherent trait nor did it happen by chance. It is the result of hard work, deliberate effort and, dare I say, a lot of gumption and guts by our founding leaders in their efforts to build and forge social cohesion and unity among a diverse group of disparate migrant communities who have come to Singapore in search of a better future. Sir, in preparing to speak today, I chanced upon a speech that then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew gave on 11 December 1965 at Serangoon Gardens Circus. It was just after Independence – four months, in fact. Then-Prime Minister Lee was brutally frank and honest about the immense challenges that Singapore was facing post-Independence, but he also made it crystal clear the direction and values upon which Singapore was to be built upon moving forward. A part of his speech I thought summarised our social compact very well. He said, "Anyway, the end result was that we were kicked out of Malaysia after two years. And I say that we make it succeed – from here. First, this belongs to all Singaporeans, regardless of race, language, religion. Second, when there is progress, we ensure that the progress is spread equally, regardless of race, language or religion. There will be the same schools for all, the same hospitals for all, the same low-cost housing for all – regardless of whether you are brown, black, yellow, green or any other spectrum of the rainbow.[+33 sentences] Provided you are loyal, you belong, you intend to make this place tick. I say you are a partner with me in this enterprise. And slowly, over the years, something is going to happen." Sir, that something did happen. In 1976, I started studying at Serangoon Gardens Secondary School as a 13-year-old, a stone's throw from the same Serangoon Gardens Circus the speech was made a mere 11 years earlier. I was the middle child of three boys to a pair of Chinese language teachers living in the promised low-cost housing, attending the same school with my Malay, Indian and other Chinese schoolmates from varying socio-economic backgrounds. Looking back, Sir, it is an absolute privilege to have lived through the earlier years where we worked towards this social compact together as a nation. Sir, to put things in perspective, embarking on this multiracial and multicultural path with an inclusive social compact was a unique one at the time. As Mr Lee Kuan Yew also shared in his speech, the other path, which was arguably an easier and more popular route by other countries of the time, was communalism, where one appeals to one's race, one's language, one's religion, oftentimes that of the majority. But we were determined, together with our successive leaders, to hold on and continue to build upon the core values of a multiracial, multicultural society that leverages diversity as a strength towards creating a shared sense of belonging and identity. In so doing, we have also allowed different communities to be free to preserve and promote their cultural heritage and to practice customs and beliefs while always being mindful of the rights and sensibilities of others. Sir, we were never a homogenous people speaking a common tongue or practicing a common religion and I believe we never had any aspirations to be one. We were diverse but united in our belief that we are here to build a nation that every single one of us, regardless of race, language or religion, had a stake in. Being unique took many years of hard work and consistency in nation-building and I will be the first to say that while we have come a long way, we are far from the finished article. In fact, this is likely to be a continuing work in progress for as long as we believe that this is the social compact we want for Singapore. There are some who point to instances which suggest the polarisation of Singapore's society along socioeconomic status, race and nationality. There have also been vocal discussions on many social issues involving these topics. These topics that relate closely to our social compact. I had also raised these issues at the COS debates for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) in the last two years. Sir, I think, however, that such discourse can be useful if discussed in a constructive and respectful manner. It can also prompt a deeper reflection about our values and what it means to be Singaporean. From another perspective, if we were instead a nation of one race, one language and one religion, then such discussions would surely end in a tragic outcome, as shown elsewhere around the world. Being able to constructively discuss such sensitive matters freely speaks volumes on how far we have come since Independence. We exhibit concern over these matters because they are vitally important to us. We take collective action because it goes to the very core values of the social compact that we have so painstakingly built over the years. It is therefore with much anticipation that I look forward to our Government's efforts and agenda in refreshing our social compact. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to add that I listened to the speeches by the hon Members of the WP, Mr Leon Perera and Mr Faisal Manap. They made some comments about PA that I disagree with completely. Mr Leon Perera and Mr Faisal Manap are quite wrong. PA and its members are here to serve fellow Singaporeans and not to advance the interest of any political party. In fact, there are very strict rules on PA's activities, its roles and its objectives. Mr Leon Perera and Mr Faisal Manap's statements do not do justice to the contributions of many thousands of grassroots leaders, staff and volunteers in our PA community. These people come forward to serve the community and fellow residents and build a better Singapore. Mr Faisal Manap had also made comments about wanting to have the resources of a PA network and to be able to do things like give out Edusave awards.[+1 sentence] He only asked to be involved in some small selected part of the work of the grassroots advisor. He is not going to do the equally important work of explaining difficult Government policies. He is not going to go out into the community and explain the need for GST to be increased or for public transport fares to be adjusted or for any number of popular but vital and important policies, where as community leaders, we have to convince residents that the long-term interests of Singapore are best served by taking these steps.[+5 sentences] He has asked to only do the nice things – hand out awards, take photographs, congratulate families. Yes, these are nice things. Events to celebrate. As a grassroots advisor, I am glad to be able to be with the families and share their joy and pride. But these are the results of Government programmes and Government policies. If Mr Faisal Manap is going to be honest about this issue, he needs to admit that he cannot fulfil the role of grassroots advisor on behalf of the Government when he disagrees with so many of the Government's policies and with how the Government raises money to fund its progress.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, Sir, PA does important work for the good of Singapore and Singaporeans. It also handles the difficult work of engaging the public on the hard truths involved in making our society harmonious, peaceful and sustainable.[+1 sentence] I thank the hardworking staff and volunteers for all that they do for all of us.
Mr Speaker6 words
[+1 sentence]Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Heng Swee Keat)3977 words
[+2 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, over the past few days, we have heard diverse views on how we can take Singapore forward in a more uncertain and contested world. The Prime Minister spoke about the grave geopolitical and economic outlook and how we must stay united, be go-getting and uphold our good standing in the world. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence laid out five key shifts to create a stronger social compact to take Singapore forward.[+24 sentences] Members have offered perspectives and suggestions across a range of issues and concerns. I will not attempt to sum up, which will not do justice to the range and quality of ideas that have been raised in this House but allow me to commend Members on two counts – first, for identifying difficult issues early, putting forward ideas and solutions to address them and highlighting the trade-offs. Second, that even in proposing changes, many Members abide by certain fundamentals precious to Singapore, such as fairness, multiracialism and our approach of tripartism. This is what ForwardSG is about – building on strong foundations and at the same time, having the courage to do things differently from before if needed. It is befitting that this debate is taking place in the year that we commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Some 30 years ago, I was at a meeting where Mr Lee asked a successful American venture capitalist why he had asked Mr Lee to meet with him. The American replied that Mr Lee was the "ultimate entrepreneur". While he, the venture capitalist, helped build successful companies, Mr Lee built a new nation – two remarkable lifelong learners learning from each other. Indeed, the newly independent Singapore was akin to a startup – figuring out our economic strategy, attracting companies to invest, building up our workers' capabilities while ensuring national cohesion and security. Mr Lee did not do it alone. He had a team of capable comrades like Dr Goh Keng Swee, Mr S Rajaratnam, Encik Othman Wok and many more. Together, they laid a strong foundation for Singapore to take off. The best way for us to remember Mr Lee and our founding fathers is to learn from and build on this. Indeed, this is what Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence and the 4G team are doing – to refresh our social compact and bring Singapore forward. Like Mr Lee and the founding fathers, the 4G team must win the trust of Singaporeans by setting out a clear plan to secure a better future for all. Our plans must address Singaporeans' aspirations and concerns, given today's context of an ageing population, greater economic disruption, a worrisome international environment and differences in starting points. This is why the ForwardSG agenda sets out the shifts we need to make to refresh our social compact. This unity and clear sense of purpose is crucial if we are to continue to secure our place in the world. As the President said in her address, we must "take the world as it is, and not what we wish it to be". Over the years, our policies and hard work have earned Singapore and Singaporeans a good reputation. The next lap will see new challenges as geopolitics become more unsettling, technology and innovation disrupt jobs more rapidly and our constraints of land, labour and carbon become tighter, but I am optimistic that we can, once again, turn challenges into opportunities and secure a bright future for Singapore and Singaporeans. Within our short history, we have managed to survive and thrive through even more difficult circumstances. A key lesson is that to continue to succeed, we must stay relevant and useful to the world while deepening our social cohesion and national unity. As we look forward towards the future, allow me to touch on three things we need to get right, in addition to the many that many of you have suggested. First, we must grow a vibrant and innovative economy.[+16 sentences] Second, we must develop every Singaporean to their fullest potential and empower each one to thrive and succeed. Third, we must remain open as an economy, as a society and as a people. Let me start with growing the economy. Some may ask whether we should move beyond economic growth to focus on other pressing domestic issues, such as caring for our seniors and uplifting those with disadvantages. After all, we are almost at full employment and the constant call to upgrade and reskill can be tiresome. This is a false choice. Throughout our history, growth has never been for growth's sake. Growth is critical for giving us the means to build a better Singapore and better lives for Singaporeans. Growth allows our people to access good jobs, fulfil their aspirations and raise their families. It generates the resources for our nation to fund needs and priorities, such as supporting families, caring for our seniors and uplifting those with disadvantages. Thinking longer term, growth coupled with prudence has enabled us to build a buffer to weather many storms. Our national reserves were created through the surpluses generated by strong economic growth. Our founding fathers and successive governments were disciplined about saving for a rainy day. Within my career, I have experienced many of such rainy days – the Asian Financial Crisis, the dot.com bubble, the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, which plunged us into one of the worst recessions. We supported our workers and companies through these crises and retained their capabilities. This enabled Singapore to bounce back quickly. During the COVID-19 crisis, we rolled out five Budgets in one year and eventually drew down around $40 billion from past Reserves to save lives and livelihoods. Most remarkably, we did not borrow a single cent, which would have burdened future generations.[+3 sentences] I am grateful, as a citizen, that we could do this. Without strong growth and the discipline of setting aside resources to provide a buffer against the unexpected, Singapore and Singaporeans would have been worse off. So, let us resolve to not just think about the next election, but to think long-term, about the future of Singapore and Singaporeans. We must do our best to build up the capability and resources for future generations of Singaporeans, just as the previous generations had done for us. This is why we should think carefully when the WP says that they reject the GST hike because one alternative that they have been constantly offering is to increase the proportion used from returns on investments.[+16 sentences] This will slow down the rate of accumulating reserves, leaving future generations with less resources. Sustaining growth and creating good jobs for our people will become harder in the years ahead. Besides getting our fiscal and monetary policies right, we must address structural changes that are sweeping across the world. Let me mention just three. First, scientific and technological innovation will reshape every sector of the economy even more rapidly than before. Industry 4.0 is reshaping jobs and skills. Today, robots can enable factories to operate round-the-clock. In fact, I myself have seen several dark factories, where it is not even lighted up, because the robots were all doing the job and they did not need lights. And an AI can spot disease on x-rays as accurately as a human radiologist. Ms Mariam Jaafar spoke about the impact of AI earlier. New sectors like the digital economy and renewables, biotech and a whole range of others are advancing rapidly. There is now a more dynamic corporate landscape of startups and smaller companies, pushing the frontiers with greater agility. Many traditional firms and workers will find this competition unsettling. Competition not just from other countries or from foreigners, but from greater automation and AI. Yet, these advances also offer the best hope for addressing global challenges like climate change and ageing populations, from extending healthy longevity, to new low carbon technology that can bring us closer towards a net-zero world. We must learn to harness the best of science, technology and innovation, while supporting our workers and companies to ride these advances and blunting the sharp edges that they bring. Second, as countries realise the critical importance of technology, technological supply chains will increasingly bifurcate and fragment into competing blocs.[+8 sentences] The shift towards national security considerations and industrial policy will reverse the past three decades of globalisation and free trade. These will reduce efficiency and innovation. What does this mean for Singapore? Singapore's small open economy, which has benefited from an open, multilateral framework, can be badly affected. We must stay nimble and adapt quickly. Third, ageing populations, especially in the developed world, will be a challenge for many governments. Ageing can significantly affect personal consumption, retirement adequacy, healthcare consumption and economic dynamism. In many countries, the social compact is being strained as societies confront this crisis. Singapore is facing similar challenges, and we will have to make difficult policy moves like raising taxes to support growing social needs.[+6 sentences] More fundamentally, we need to grapple with the difficult but critical issue of talent and immigration, which I will speak more about later. These three structural changes will transform the global economy. To succeed, we must press on with efforts to transform our economy, with the Government, businesses and workers working closely together. We had made a good start seven years ago. The ITMs mobilise companies and workers in every sector to prepare for the future. We are now into our second iteration. ITM 2.0 includes two additional pillars – resilience and sustainability.[+19 sentences] Resilience to address shocks in the supply chains and sustainability to address carbon constraints. There is also a sharper focus on the future of jobs and skills, to better deploy technology and prepare for an ageing workforce. I visited two companies which leveraged technology to redesign higher-value and better jobs for their older workers. One automated their entire processes. The founder explained to me that he trained a staff in his 60s to supervise the new automated system. I should tell Mr Leong Mun Wai that the founder was a foreigner who has been working here for many years and the older worker was a Singaporean whom he cared about and said, "I'd better redesign the process to keep him employed". This staff was very qualified to do this because he had gone through the difficult manual work before and if there was any breakdown in the system, he would happen to be the best person to be able to do that. He was thoughtful and caring enough to redesign the whole job and train him to do it. Another company adopted the use of exoskeletons to enable their staff to lift objects safely. The broader point is that job redesign can be empowering and inclusive, a point that Miss Rachel Ong mentioned yesterday about helping PwDs. Besides enabling older workers who wish to continue working to do so in a fulfilling and safe manner, it can enable differently-abled people to take on good jobs and fulfil their potential. With science and technology determining the next bound of growth and competitiveness, we must deepen Singapore's investments in research & development (R&D), and tighten the linkage between our R&D and industry transformation efforts. In a more contested world, we should position Singapore as a Global Asia node of technology, innovation and enterprise. This way, we can attract, create and capture value in Singapore, which will benefit not just ourselves, but the region and the world. Over the years, we have invested in and grown our research, innovation and enterprise capabilities. We have strengthened our research capabilities in our universities. The National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University are now ranked among the best in the world. Besides anchoring multinational enterprises, we have also developed a lively startup ecosystem, connecting venture capital and private equity with innovative startups and companies. Our efforts have yielded good outcomes. Singapore is ranked among the top 10 most innovative economies in the world.[+12 sentences] In an age of contestation, we must build bridges, not walls. Positioning Singapore as a Global Asia node is of strategic importance. We seek to be a trusted partner with strong regulatory frameworks and rules, and connected to different parts of the world. We can be the place that facilitates collaboration between like-minded partners and countries. We must continue to welcome the best researchers and scientists and entrepreneurs from around the world. As several Nobel laureates who were in Singapore for the Global Young Scientists Summit earlier this year told their audience, "Science is global. By building bridges, we can stay relevant and useful to the world". So, I was glad to hear Mr Pritam Singh say earlier on that the WP is not xenophobic. I have spoken about growing our economy. Let me now move on to the next point. Ultimately, economic growth is about creating tangible benefits for all. To do this, we must develop every Singaporean fully, and enable each to maximise his or her potential and seize opportunities. The World Bank ranks Singapore as the best place in the world for a child to realise his or her potential.[+14 sentences] It reflects our investments and shifts, particularly in education, to support different pathways, skills and inclinations. And we plan to further widen the notion of meritocracy, as Minister Chan Chun Sing said earlier. Through our education system, we prepare our young people to navigate shifts and seize opportunities with confidence. One aspect is nurturing "Asia-capable" students who can operate and build connections in the region, which is a vast and growing market. Bilingualism and the experience of growing up in a multiracial society bring advantages. We nurture competencies like global awareness, cross-cultural literacy, communication and collaboration skills. And we provide opportunities for overseas exposure throughout the schooling journey, from internships to immersion programmes. These enable us to shape an outward orientation and acceptance of diversity from young. We also prepare our young people to harness and complement technology, by building skills that machines and AI cannot yet deliver well. For example, creativity, empathy and building connections are areas where human endeavour remains superior, at least for now. This is why we focus on building socioemotional competencies and enable our students to put scientific principles into practice through the Applied Learning Programme. Coupled with scholarships and study awards that span industries and sectors, our young people receive a continuum of support to build relevant competencies, pursue their passions and join the workforce with confidence. But developing our people must go beyond the schooling years. Success in a more disruptive world requires continuous reskilling throughout life. We must, as Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence said, strive to be a "Learning Society – from cradle to grave". We will strengthen our SkillsFuture movement to ensure Singaporeans are resilient and well-equipped to face the future.[+13 sentences] This goes hand-in-hand with jobs transformation and business transformation that we mentioned earlier. It also complements ongoing efforts at the industry level to develop Singaporeans, including ongoing efforts by the Singapore Business Federation. And there is scope to partner companies to develop Singaporeans for regional and global leadership roles. What does success look like when we put the efforts to develop our economy and our people together? Let me cite two concrete examples. In our universities and research institutes, we have top academics and scientists working alongside Singaporeans who studied in the best universities in the world. This builds a strong ecosystem that attracts collaboration with the best researchers and universities. Our students benefit because they get to learn from top professors, interact with peers from all over the world and strengthen their cross-cultural skills. Overseas, we are seeing enterprising Singaporeans and Singapore companies chasing opportunities and building new partnerships. When I visited Ho Chi Minh City last year, I met a startup formed by a young Singaporean and his Vietnamese friend. They had studied together in Singapore, and the both of them gamely ventured forth, the Singaporean staying in Singapore to run the business operations, and the Vietnamese in Vietnam, running the IT operations. These two examples illustrate the final point I would like to raise, that is, for Singapore to continue thriving, Government-led efforts to deepen collaboration, be it in free trade, investments or research, is not enough. To reap the full benefit of these collaborations, Singapore and Singaporeans must remain not just open and connected, but relevant and useful. Remaining open in this era of contestation enables Singapore to capture new value and flows and strengthen our capabilities.[+12 sentences] An open mindset and eagerness to venture beyond our shores enables Singaporeans to capture opportunities in the region and beyond. We must continually think about how Singapore and Singaporeans can be relevant and useful, and what special role we can play. Our value proposition is building connections across cultures and economies, and we must strengthen this. Openness is not new to Singapore. It is, in fact, core to our identity and values. Our plural, multiracial society reflects this open-mindedness. We chose to organise ourselves to ensure opportunities for all, regardless of race, language or religion. Just a few minutes earlier, we heard from Mr Sitoh Yih Pin a very moving account of his personal experience as a young student. It is an extraordinary principle, as the eminent historian Prof Wang Gungwu pointed out. Singapore, Prof Wang said, is the only nation that he knows of where the majority accepted that they had to treat everyone as equal and that a plural society was the foundation of her nationhood. This open-mindedness, coupled with our stable environment and strong governance, no doubt has resonance in today's more fractured and fractious world. I am happy to see many of our people, especially our youths, venturing abroad. Our Global Innovation Alliance – a network of 17 innovation hotspots around the world – has enabled our entrepreneurs to incubate their ideas and find partners overseas.[+13 sentences] Many local companies are also internationalising and finding success overseas. Our companies tap on their diverse workforce to navigate foreign markets. This spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship in our people is commendable. The value of being a Singaporean will rise if we remain dynamic, outward-looking and effective in building connections with people around the world. We must continue to encourage Singaporeans to venture out and to integrate the foreigners who are studying and working here, so that we can draw energy and capabilities from diverse sources. Let me repeat that. The value of being a Singaporean will rise, if we remain dynamic, outward-looking and effective in building connections with people around the world. We must continue to encourage Singaporeans to venture out and to integrate the foreigners who are studying and working here, so that we can draw energy and capabilities from diverse sources. At the same time, we must recognise that when the old encounters the new, this could spark off both opportunities and friction. While we pursue opportunities, we must also address frictions. Growing up in Singapore with fellow Singaporeans, we have developed a certain set of norms and behaviours. New citizens, PRs and work pass holders will likewise bring different sets of norms and behaviours. It may be uncomfortable experiencing these differences when we encounter newcomers. We may also be concerned about wealth inequality, more severe competition for jobs, or even unfair workplace practices. These are issues that the Government is addressing, by adjusting our policies, strengthening our frameworks and developing Singaporeans fully. Our commitment to openness remains unchanged, but we, too, can refine our approach to openness to ensure that it is fit for the times.[+17 sentences] Mr S Rajaratnam, in the early days of nationhood, said that "being a Singaporean is not a matter of ancestry, it is a conviction and choice". Conviction and values remain fundamental when we consider newcomers who seek to be a part of Singapore. If there are those who share in our convictions and values, let us encourage them to contribute and invite them to grow Singapore together. Many already are and we will further nurture the philanthropy ecosystem. At the same time, having developed a set of norms and behaviours that is precious to us, we should set out these expectations and exhort newcomers seeking to sink roots in Singapore to adapt to these norms and behaviours. On the part of Singaporeans born and raised here, we must have the patience and empathy to help newcomers settle in and integrate better. This is how we can remain open yet cohesive as a society; open-minded yet proud of our Singapore identity; and successful as a nation and a people. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): Since our nation's independence, openness and diversity have been critical to Singapore's success. Today, Singapore's ability to stand firm in a volatile world depends on how open-minded we are. To create a bigger stage for Singapore, first, we need to fully develop local talents. At the same time, we must continue to attract the best companies and the best talents. Foreign talents and the local labour workforce complement each other. When we attract high quality companies to set up shop here, we can create more jobs for Singaporeans. But foreigners could also compete with local workers. When local workers could not secure job offers or lose out on promotions, they might feel unfairly treated. On the other hand, when some foreign workers and their family members do not fully assimilate into our society or do not adapt to our social norms, this could result in conflicts with Singaporeans. I understand that Singaporeans are worried and concerned about these issues.[+1 sentence] The Government has fine-tuned its policies. We have stipulated specific requirements to address the quality of foreign talents and to prevent concentration in certain sectors.[+11 sentences] The Government is also doing more to develop and train Singaporeans to enhance their competitiveness. At the same time, I would like to encourage foreign talents and new immigrants. As long as you are determined to make Singapore your home, put in effort to assimilate and contribute to our Singapore society and build a sense of belonging, you will be one of us. Only then, can the Singapore society remain cohesive and our people united, with everyone working together for the prosperity and progress of our nation. An open and diverse Singapore society allows us to connect with the rest of the world. This is unique to Singapore. Only when our society remains open and diverse, can Singapore continue to embody our values and shine internationally. (In English): Let me conclude in English. Mr Speaker, Sir, as we debated the Motion of thanks these past few days, I am struck by the President's reminder to this House of our responsibility to steward Singapore for the next generations, just as previous generations have done for us. I started this speech with a story of a venture capitalist who described Mr Lee Kuan Yew as "the ultimate entrepreneur", for building a nation out of a colonial outpost. Since our Independence, we have navigated major changes well and innovated in many areas. In the coming years, securing our future will require us to continue transforming our economy and creating new opportunities for our people. We must continue to have this spirit of pushing our frontiers, to harness technology and innovation to improve the lives of Singaporeans. We must take care of the most vulnerable segments of our society, while ensuring that our broad middle continue to see improvements in their lives. Most importantly, we must continue to build on the foundation of our national pledge – "regardless of race, language or religion" – to stay united in this contested world while deepening connections with people around the world.[+2 sentences] This way, Singapore and Singaporeans will stay relevant and useful to the world, and stay united and successful. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker45 words
[+5 sentences]Order. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 3.10 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 2.55 pm until 3.10 pm. Sitting resumed at 3.10 pm.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Minister Edwin Tong.
The Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Second Minister for Law (Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai)2293 words
[+11 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have had several requests over the break to cut down on the speech. I am also mindful of colleagues who are celebrating Hari Raya and I want to wish them in advance "Selamat Hari Raya". Sir, over the course of this week's debate, we have talked about the many challenges that we see ahead of us, the shifts that we need to make in an increasingly difficult and changing environment – to face a harsher, more uncertain economic climate; to guard against growing inequality. Members have spoken about how we can strengthen our policies and our socioeconomic infrastructure, in areas like education, employment and housing. Sir, we have heard many good ideas and have had a lively, robust cut-and-thrust debate and I believe all these steps that we have heard in this House, they are all important, in and of themselves, as key success factors for Singapore. But equally critical and urgent is for us to be able to achieve all of this together, working in unity. All of us, a people of different backgrounds and persuasions, a diversity of cultures, faiths and languages coming together to build consensus, create space and forge a compact that can see us thrive and which can also help us withstand the growing external threats on the horizon. One shining example of how unity and cohesion have served us well was in how we tackled COVID-19 together, as a nation. The Prime Minister spoke about this on Wednesday. Our nation's collective sacrifices and efforts, with a high trust quotient for Government and institutions, saw us through COVID-19 and we came out stronger and more united after COVID-19 than we were before. In a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Centre on how advanced economies were affected by COVID-19, Singapore was found to be less divided and more united, after coming out of COVID-19.[+22 sentences] In fact, Singapore was ranked highest by quite a distance. This has, in turn, led to other positive outcomes, with our unity being a key driver behind the confidence we have in our healthcare system, as well as in our economic outlook and recovery. Working together, caring for one another, having trust in our institutions – these qualities have seen us through the crisis of a generation. Compared to many other countries, some of which were deeply divided to begin with – they came out even more fractured after the experience. It is therefore vital for us that we continue to grow the reservoir of social capital that we have worked so hard on, over the years, to accumulate. As various Members have noted in this House, we have long recognised the need for our country to be special, to forge a unique path as a multiracial and multi-religious society, to be one that celebrates our ethnic diversity as a strength, while having a shared sense of belonging and identity. Few societies around the world have succeeded in ensuring its citizens live harmoniously together, let alone one with as much diversity as Singapore. I have no doubt that even as we have done well and we have. Our unity, our ability to stand together, will continuously be tested. We were an unlikely nation to begin with and perhaps, we still are. We must never lose sight of our roots. In 1965, we were forced out on our own. At that time, we had a diverse population with a Chinese majority. We were surrounded by much larger Muslim-majority countries around us. And as Mr Sitoh Yih Pin so emotionally and eloquently shared earlier, those were the founding circumstances of our country. And almost counter intuitively, our founding leaders chose the path of most resistance. We chose to go against the grain and embraced multiculturalism and diverse ethnicities, to recognise and to uplift everyone to make our country a Singapore for all – not just for Chinese, Indians or Malays – and having a space for all religions. It was this bold step, born out of extremely difficult circumstances which became the original seed that has allowed our unique multicultural society to grow, to become more cohesive over the years and to flourish. We will continue to draw strength from that unity. It makes us stronger and it certainly gives us a basis to move forward, and we are stronger than the sum of our parts for that unity. I would add that we did not just proclaim that we want to be a multicultural, multiracial society. We worked hard at it, we worked hard to make this happen, through our policies and through our institutions. Our founding leaders, for instance, set out in our Constitution, the most basic document that we have in Singapore, for the government of the day to always have regard for the interests of our racial and religious minorities. We set up the Presidential Council on Minority Rights (PCMR). In almost no other place in the world is there an institution like the PCMR, whose role is to scrutinise legislation after they are passed in this House to ensure that they are not disadvantageous to any particular racial or religious community.[+4 sentences] We have laws like the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, which set out clear parameters to deter hate speech and other derogative comments on religious communities. And we do so because we want to ensure that every minority, whether in race or religion, will have the space and freedom to practise their religion and culture as much as possible. Our electoral system guarantees minority representation in Parliament. And by doing so, no political party can prevail by narrowly appealing to only one racial or religious segment of society. Our Ethnic Integration Policy allows us to have a balanced ethnic mix in our public housing, so that we do not have racial enclaves like we see in many other countries.[+6 sentences] This is a policy that has ensured that for all of us, in our lived experience day-to-day, where we go, where we live, where we do our supermarketing, we will come across a diverse range of different ethnicities at our doorstep in our daily lives. It helps us foster a strong relationship between our people and it shapes who we are and how we approach ethnicity and diversity in Singapore. Yet, even while we have made our diversity a pillar of strength, the uniqueness of Singapore, we must recognise that if we are not careful, it can very quickly become a point of vulnerability. When a society is as diverse as we are, harmony is not the natural order of things. And it is something that we must constantly work on, to jealously guard it and to be always fearful that it is taken away from us. Around the world today, we see societies becoming more pluralistic; and as they do so, they also become more fractured. The most recent edition of the Edelman Trust Barometer shows that trust continues to decrease in many countries around the world. Not just trust in government, but in all institutions – businesses, the media and even in non-governmental organisations.[+8 sentences] As various Members in this House have said, it is exceptional that Singapore has so far bucked that trend. This global trend of falling trust levels leads to deeper apprehension and suspicion. The shared common space is reduced and divisive ideologies take hold. These are not just foreign concepts or phenomena; these are developments that affect us in Singapore here as well. The increasing interconnectedness of the virtual world means that many concerns that were once distant and foreign to us, now have the same immediacy and resonance as much as local ones. As Mr Seah Kian Peng has pointed out, it opens the door to foreign influences seeking to create divisions in our society, to target and to accentuate existing fault lines, or perhaps even create new ones by churning out increasing amounts of emotional, emotive, provocative media, with little or no basis in truth and we must assume that these foreign influences exist here, right here, on our shores. So, we cannot be complacent and take our cherished unity for granted, and we cannot for a moment assume that we will be immune to this. This is why our ForwardSG exercise is so important. One pillar of this exercise is the "Unite" pillar, where we bring Singaporeans together to explore what keeps us going as one people.[+9 sentences] This is, of course, not a new agenda – national unity has been one of our foremost priorities for many years. But aspirations change, challenges are different, they have shifted and the context in which we tackle these issues must also change. And so, we must be alive to all these changes, be cognisant of them and work out what would be the new approach in this new compact, to tackle these issues. For instance, how do we create deeper personal, social bonds – particularly in a world that is so digitally connected? How do we nurture what is common between us, while at the same time celebrating our individual diversity? How do we stay united in the face of global headwinds? I have attended several ForwardSG dialogues, met a range of people from different backgrounds, exchanged many views – some of which I will share here. And I must say that overall, I am very encouraged by what I have heard. I have come away with a significantly renewed sense of optimism, that Singaporeans care deeply about that unity, they appreciate how fragile it is and they want to come forward and proactively play a part to contribute, to ensure that we do not lose that unity. One key takeaway is that this unity is not an abstract concept – unity, cohesion, harmony – sometimes, if you do not pay attention, you might think it is just an abstract concept, but it is not. And we achieve it not by ideas alone, but more importantly, by having it embedded in our daily lives: part and parcel of what we do, where we go, who we see and the people we socialise and work with.[+12 sentences] It is realised through these shared experiences, the various social and communal interactions that we may have and the spaces that we have to do so. I have been Minister at the MCCY for almost three years now. I started almost three years ago when we were in the thick of COVID-19 – we could not come together, safe distancing measures meant that we had to keep people apart when our very mission was to bring people together. But over the last half a year to a year or so, I have been fortunate to be, in my capacity, at the intersection of so many different touch points of our community, where people from a broad cross-section of society come together to pursue their passions. Whether it is in sports or arts, heritage, culture, language, the youths, the grassroots network, or the various Chinese clans and associations that I meet on a regular basis. All of them come together at the different intersection points and all these sectors of our community represent tremendous opportunities for us to build our social capital and enhance our sense of cohesion and unity. These are the platforms on which people can engage with one another, day to day, and through such interactions, begin to foster deeper relations and build trust and rapport. We cannot force unity and cohesion. But we can institutionally create the environment for people to come together to intermix across different fault lines, across different segments of our society. So, let me share some thoughts on what MCCY has done and has in mind, to ensure that we continue to foster this deep sense of unity. First, Mr Murali Pillai, when he spoke and talked about sports as a tremendous opportunity for us to level the playing field. Dr Tan Wu Meng spoke about togetherness and, indeed, all of these are different ways of expressing that we need to have avenues for us to have social mixing between different segments of our society. The key to fostering stronger unity is to have both occasion and opportunity for people from different backgrounds to see and enjoy spending time with one another, through the passions that they pursue so that we are not stratified and constantly in our own social circles only and in our own echo chambers. Stratification is very unhealthy and it can lead to entrenched intergenerational stratification as well if we are not careful. So, we need to break down these barriers, not just along racial or religious lines but also between other fault lines in our society – like local and foreigner, the different income groups, between the young and old, as well as intergenerational conflict.[+5 sentences] On this note, I am very grateful for the good work that has been done by many ground-up organisations. I have visited many of them, as I am sure many of my colleagues here have – whether it is the social service agencies or voluntary welfare organisations, clan associations, self-help groups and so on. Through their own initiative and effort, people are brought together in a variety of ways. For example, within churches, mosques and temples, and other places of worship. These places of worship might serve a specific religious community, but they are completely agnostic when it comes to running programmes with a broader social reach and impact. Many of our religious institutions work together, to benefit their neighbourhoods and in so doing, provide opportunities for their congregation to intermix and to get to know each other.[+1 sentence] For instance, the Al-Mawaddah mosque, Sengkang Methodist Church and Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnanamuneeswarar – and I hope I got that right.
The Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam)2 words
[+1 sentence]No.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai3698 words
[+14 sentences]No. My apologies. And I will have to work on my pronunciation. They work together constantly – and while I may get the names wrong – they all come from different faiths, but they come together to serve underprivileged residents in the vicinity, the neighbourhood in which they operate. Different faiths bound by a common social purpose. I was recently at the Masjid Kampung Siglap for buka puasa, again, as I am sure many of my colleagues here were. What was special about that occasion? The mosque had invited groups from the surrounding temples and churches, and lay people in the estate to come and join them. And when I chatted with them, I found out that many of them had never seen the inside of a mosque, let alone experience buka puasa. It was a special occasion to be able to share that experience together. Young children who were seeing this for the first time, I am sure, would have been left with a better understanding of the Muslim faith and of the meaning of Muslim practices. And so, the next time they step into a mosque or the next time they engage with a friend who is from the Muslim faith, who is fasting, it no longer feels strange or unknown to them. This how we foster understanding and build unity, bit by bit, at a very micro-level, but coming together, stronger than the sum of our parts, as I said. And we want to go beyond just religious tolerance, to a better understanding and appreciation; and grow as a country to embrace differences in our multicultural and multi-religious society. That is after all our aspiration. To this end, MCCY has also recently refreshed our Racial and Religious Harmony Circles.[+3 sentences] At the local level, Harmony Circles provide the structures that foster friendships and build mutual respect in local networks. These circles have served us well, over the years, to bring different stakeholders in our neighbourhoods, coming together. But to reach more and newer sections and, perhaps, younger segments of our community, MCCY will further support their efforts to digitise and expand their programme offerings so that we bring more people in to participate and get to know each other. Starting from this year, we will also be dedicating July as our Racial and Religious Harmony Month – not just a day but a month, to highlight the efforts of our Harmony Circles and our community partners and organise more activities to celebrate and to promote racial and religious harmony, so that the significance of the day and of the occasion and the learning points go beyond just spending a day celebrating one another's special occasions – coming in a different attire, perhaps, or costume, celebrating by exchanging goodies and gifts associated with festivities of other races.[+3 sentences] Going beyond that, to connect with one another through these traditions and share the understanding of these traditions, to deepen an understanding and inculcate the value of openness and appreciation. Another step that we are exploring is a joint initiative we will have with the Ministry of Education. Students, as you know, are allocated to their schools based on their academic merit. But there is no reason why this same configuration should also hold for co-curricular activities (CCAs). So, the Strategic Partnership CCA initiative allows secondary students to join in various CCAs outside of their own schools, increasing the variety of the CCAs that students will have access to.[+14 sentences] But this initiative has other social benefits. It allows students from different schools, different backgrounds to take part in their chosen CCAs, and helps them to come together outside of school to form friendships. Our students may attend different schools based on the academic curriculum offered, but these non-academic interactions need not be confined by the same terms. So, outside of the subjects they study, they are more enriched when they engage with the wider social network, mix with and form friendships across different schools. Second, as we build a better home for ourselves, staying united as a country also means being inclusive – having a space for all of us. In this debate, we have heard a lot about meritocracy and how we will uplift our workers, our families, our children to ensure equal opportunities for all and how, for certain groups, we will have to actively intervene and shape the environment so that there can be better opportunities for all. At MCCY, there are also several ideas we are pursuing. My colleague, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua, spoke on Wednesday about enhancing the landscape for PwDs to alleviate the impediments that they face so they can come along together with us. And beyond that, how we should open up opportunities for persons who are differently-abled and differently-interested to fulfil their passions and their potential. For PwDs, one area we would like to spend a bit more time on is in sport. To spur greater sport participation among PwDs, we have updated the Disability Sport Master Plan (DSMP) for this reason. Indeed, as I am sure many Members who have had experience in this sector will attest to, sport can be a transformative tool, especially for PwDs. It allows them to acquire vital social and communication skills, develop confidence about themselves and feel no inferiority complex. Through sport, PwDs are also able to reduce the social stigma associated with their disability and are empowered to realise their potential. Launched in 2016, the DSMP has contributed to increased sport participation rates among PwDs, rising from 28% in 2015 to 50% in 2019.[+18 sentences] Our target is 70% by 2030. We will develop pathways for aspiring para-athletes so that there are equal opportunities for talented Singaporeans, with ability or disability, to compete at the highest levels. This includes growing the pool of coaches and better coaching individuals with disabilities by developing their own professional and technical expertise in disability sports. We have also introduced a range of programmes, including learn-to-play programmes and the annual Play Inclusive campaign. The Play Inclusive campaign is where students from both the Special Education and mainstream schools come together. They train together and they compete together in unified sport competitions, for example, in goalball. By playing together on the same team, they bond because they understand one another far better. Our students who participate in these programmes say that these help to normalise what can otherwise sometimes be an awkward situation. It reduces the curious stares and the moments of being overly polite when someone does not quite appreciate the circumstances that they are in. It also allows them to interact in a positive context and challenge assumptions about what they can or cannot do. An inclusive society is also one where diverse skills and talents can be better appreciated and valued, and those with these talents have opportunities to develop and to advance. We have done much to open pathways in the arts. The School of the Arts, for example, has made it possible to have high quality specialised arts education from the age of 13 and the University of the Arts now allows us to culminate with a degree in the arts in Singapore. We have invested in this to provide a comprehensive arts education so that those who see this as their strength and as their passion, there will be rich opportunities. We will continue to invest in building up our creative industry, to grow a flourishing and globally connected creative economy for the arts through new business models, development pathways and internationalisation opportunities. We are unlocking these new opportunities with the next iteration of Our SG Arts Plan and Our SG Heritage Plan so that we do not just stop at providing added qualifications but also create an entire cultural ecosystem and value chain for those interested to embark on a career and fulfil their aspirations and their potential. I think this is central to our notion of unity. We have also stepped up our support for those who excel in sports by providing pathways through the High Performance Sports system and enabling our TeamSG athletes to perform at their very best. A key part of this ecosystem and this plan is the Sport Excellence Scholarship (spexScholarship) which is offered to our athletes with the potential to excel at major games or world-level events.[+1 sentence] Take Shanti Pereira, for instance, our national sprinter. Many of you, I am sure, would have been very proud to have seen her break her records, making great strides recently, quite literally.[+1 sentence] Shanti returned last November to the spexScholarship. She spent some time away from the spexScholarship, but after a while, having discussed with her coach and the National Sports Association, decided to come back full-time and was supported by the spexScholarship, which grants her an allowance and benefits, and allows her to access support to sport science and sport medicine.[+4 sentences] She now trains full-time and competes overseas, all supported by the spexScholarship. Her decision, as Members would know, has paid off well, with her recent performances. We expanded the support so that athletes with the potential can focus full-time on their sporting pursuits and do us proud in Singapore. Beyond supporting our top athletes, we will also enhance the accessibility of our programmes and facilities so that even more can participate in sports, perhaps not just for fitness but also socially, as a platform for bonding and mixing, as Mr Murali Pillai has suggested. Recently, at Budget 2023, I had announced that we will put in an additional $100 of credits in the ActiveSG accounts of children aged four to 12, so that they can start accessing these programmes, not just for fitness but from a social mixing perspective from an early age.[+7 sentences] Sir, in this House, over the last few days, various Members have highlighted that Singapore's concept of meritocracy could be too narrow. It needs to be refreshed to look beyond academic domains of schools and grades, where diverse skills and talents in non-academic domains such as the sports and arts are also recognised and everyone is given an opportunity to pursue their passion, hone their talents and do their best in their chosen field. We agree with that. That is why at MCCY, our work is focused on opening these different pathways in arts and sports, for instance, for us to celebrate and include those of different merits. Sir, on inclusion, Mr Pritam Singh earlier spoke about the English proficiency test. Let me share my thoughts in this House on the test. Sir, I know many people have different views on this and I respect them. I think there is range for a variety of different views on what weight you might place on this. But my own view is that the knowledge of English at a working level, while helpful, should not be a defining or, indeed, a limiting factor, which might happen if you introduce it as a single-point test.[+19 sentences] After all, a significant proportion of Singaporeans throughout our history has not been able to speak English well, many of our parents and grandparents amongst them. My own grandmother would not pass this test. She is 96 years old today. She probably still would not pass this test today. But she continues to be a source of joy and value to the family in different ways, many of them intangible. If we had applied this test years ago, then someone like her may not have made it into Singapore. So, we have to think about that as well, as a consideration. That is why I urge this House, as we talk about this and think about this issue, let us not close our hearts to this, but to be open. Mr Pritam Singh said the key is in integration. I think that is the point that I have been emphasising. How do we integrate them? Is a single-point English test the best way of doing this? Or perhaps that we look more broadly at the process of integration, which I believe is a long-term process. After all, our Constitution sets out the criteria. You have got to be in Singapore for a period of time as a resident. Integration requires sustained efforts from all parties. It is a holistic approach. Sir, our immigration framework was tightened significantly in 2009 so that a broader range of factors can be considered to assess – not just the applicant's ability to contribute, but also his or her ability to integrate well into our society and, perhaps, also importantly, their commitment to want to sink their roots here. This includes factors such as the length of stay, which I have mentioned, family ties to Singapore and whether the applicant has studied in a national school or done National Service, for example. I believe these are equally, if not perhaps in some cases, more effective as a marker of integration. We currently do not have a single-point English test or proficiency requirement for naturalisation, unlike some other countries.[+3 sentences] If you look at Japan, South Korea or the United Kingdom, I think they have a language test requirement. It is likely to be because they have a single, more common, more unified operating language. But that is unlike Singapore, which has four different official languages. Indeed, as Mr Pritam Singh would appreciate, the Constitution itself currently provides that one of the markers for naturalisation is working knowledge of any of the four official languages.[+21 sentences] So, I would not say that English proficiency is not important – I think there is value in that – but let us not make it a single qualifying test or single-point assessment for citizenship. Sir, let me now turn to our youths. The ForwardSG exercise is about charting our way forward. Youths are an important part of this journey. To forge a viable compact, we must understand as well as support their dreams and aspirations in a completely different paradigm from when we were growing up. We must also give them a stake in Singapore's future and have a voice. Our young people today must come to terms with a myriad of complex world issues – challenges and constraints such as climate change, economic uncertainty, slowing social mobility, and they will be growing up in the context of the ageing population that Minister Ong has spoken about. For all of these, there are no easy or quick solutions. Yet, as my colleague Minister of State Alvin Tan and many other Members of this House have articulated, our youths are undaunted. They are not deterred. They have expressed a keen desire, on the contrary, to be a key part of the solution. In my own engagements with the youth, I have found them to be very much seized with the issues of today. They know that the solutions that they can contribute will make an impact on their lives tomorrow. After the President's Address last week, I came across an article in TODAY online. Several youths were interviewed on how they wanted to be involved in nation-building. Some of them made comments and there were reactions which piqued my interest. So, I arranged to meet with a few of them and several other youths to learn and hear first-hand for myself, what they were most concerned about, how they saw their role as future leaders and what more we could do to partner with them, to engage them, so that they can be part of that solution. One point which came up was the desire for a more in-depth discourse. They hoped for more details as to how their feedback and suggestions on policies, which were being considered by the Government, might result in some trade-offs that they had perhaps not thought about. We agreed that instead of taking an adversarial approach to policy suggestions, we could perhaps engage on these trade-offs and share views on opportunity costs, develop a deeper understanding of these considerations that would be helpful to making policy suggestions. These were all very constructive suggestions. With this in mind, we will introduce youth panels later this year.[+10 sentences] Youth panels will be for youths to develop policy recommendations together with the Government, with some differences. They will be youth-led and will be resourced by agencies like the National Youth Council and perhaps the appropriate agency, depending on the domain. They will work on a topic or a policy which resonates with the youths of today – something that is topical, that has traction, interest and a fair number of young people support a discussion on the topic. We will share our policy considerations and trade-offs, exchange data points and most importantly, think with them on these questions. Against this backdrop, we will create space for our young people to take the lead in the deliberations and formulate suggestions. Through these panels, we want to engage our youths in meaningful and constructive discourse where they can also listen not just to us in the Government or the agencies, but also to the experience of other people in their position, appreciating that opinions may differ from their own and weighing competing priorities, looking at both the short term as well as having a longer lens perspective of these trade-offs. Together, they will develop policy considerations and present them to the Government. In turn, these recommendations will be taken seriously. We will make a conscious effort to close the loop with them, whatever the outcomes might be. Those which merit further discussion, we will consider for them to be presented here, in Parliament. MCCY can consider sponsoring a White or Green Paper on the proposal, so that they can be considered in this House and we can then all have a robust debate on them.[+9 sentences] Those involved in giving views or preparing the recommendations can see the impact of the work that they do. We are formulating this carefully and more details on these youth panels will be provided when ready. Over the next few months, we will consult with youths on the panels and on the key policy issues that they wish to see under the youth panels. We look forward to the active participation of our youths to shape the future of our country. Sir, I am confident that our youths will welcome this opportunity. I have always been encouraged by the heart that they have in bringing Singapore forward through my interactions with them. Sir, let me now conclude. Earlier this month, President Halimah and I met our Youth Corps leaders at the commencement ceremony of the leaders' programme. One of them, Lim Jia Yi, led a project called We+65. Started in 2022, this project reaches out to the less mobile seniors in Sembawang, with activities that helped to improve their mobility as well as their cognitive functions. And it was borne of her realisation that perhaps the seniors were less connected and had less resources available to them. This was done as part of a volunteering programme with the Agency for Integrated Care and Blossom Seeds Limited, a charity operating in that area.[+14 sentences] If you speak to Jia Yi, her sense of responsibility of her commitment to the community will shine through clearly. She is passionate about reaching out across generations to befriend seniors, even as she herself is currently a full-time medical student. Busy as she is, she volunteers her time in many other charitable projects and events as well. And while she is young, her leadership was apparent – to bring and convene her fellow youths together to rally them to support her cause. Sir, Jia Yi is remarkable, but she is also not an outlier. She is one of the many Singaporeans who continue to step forward, without being asked, to contribute their time and their treasure. And we will continue to work with people like Jia Yi, striving to be those granules of sand which connect us to the bigger blocks of our society and our institutions collectively make us stronger across generations, across racial and religious groups and across the diversity of our population. When I meet people like Jia Yi, I am reminded that, in fact, we are already different from so many others in the world, with what we have – diversity and harmony that has resulted from a system that structurally fosters equality, social mixing and integration. This is what the wisdom of an earlier generation of leaders have given to us and has allowed us to build on a strong foundation to chase our dreams and fulfil our ambitions. So, let us not throw out what has worked well for us over the years. Sometimes, you must look back to look forward. And these are the elements, the fundamental building blocks that has made it work for Singapore. To continually work at fostering harmony between diverse communities of different races and faiths, creating opportunities for people of all abilities, talents and interests to excel, powered by a culture of inclusion, care and volunteerism. Sir, the "Semangat Yang Baru": Forging a New Singapore Spirit exhibition opened yesterday and I went to visit it. I encourage Members here in this House to visit it. It is at the National Museum of Singapore and it is free for Singaporeans and PRs.[+4 sentences] It was an evocative and inspiring exhibition; also, thought-provoking. I left it, feeling a deep sense of pride. If there is one lesson that I learnt from this exhibition, it is that as a nation, we do not have much. We never did. We do not have natural resources and we do not have the blessings of a natural hinterland that we can take advantage of or, indeed, space – which comes at a significant premium for us.[+2 sentences] But what we have is our people. We have always had that. We have always done much better, punched above our weight, gone further with our people.[+1 sentence] And if we can continue to stand as one united people, as we declare in our national pledge, then I have no doubt that we will overcome these challenges with confidence. And we will see a vibrant, thriving Singapore for generations to come.[+1 sentence] Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh398 words
[+4 sentences]Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for his speech and for referring to the point I made about an English requirement. Sir, I have two clarifications. The first is this. I did not say that an English requirement would be a single point of consideration for PRs and new citizenship applications.[+9 sentences] I think that the Minister, in his characterisation, framed it as a sort of litmus test. In fact, I made it clear in my speech today that it was a nudge to align our immigration policy and our bilingual policy. And for individuals like foreign spouses who would have some difficulty, especially if English is not a common language that they use; or with respect to the Minister's family member who is now very old, for which a test may have been problematic a long time ago – the test is not in that context a veto factor. The existing criteria would apply and it would be a consideration when an immigration decision is considered – that this person already has a common lingua franca that many Singaporeans actually share. So, I think the point was a little more nuanced than what the Minister enunciated. I think the second point is international students who are today foreigners; if they want to enter our primary school system, they already have to take a Cambridge English qualification test. So, it is not as if this is really a left-field suggestion or something which is too off the mark. And to that end, I refer to the survey in my speech. I think the Minister would have seen it. The Minister referred to various criteria that we broadly know, with respect to immigration. But that survey found that the ability to communicate in English ranks number one. In fact, the number one position was shared with economic contributions to Singapore.[+4 sentences] And in that context, I think it is a good time to include what MP Murali Pillai spoke about the psyche of the nation and how people's views change through generations and how important this is becoming as a consideration for some Singaporeans. But I do not want to lean too much into one survey alone. I am sure the Ministry may have a more global perspective of opinion. I am just suggesting that this is something which I felt was important for the Government to consider.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai252 words
[+14 sentences]I thank Mr Singh for that clarification. And perhaps, with your clarification, it now appears that we are not that far apart, because you did use the phrase "English test" when you first raised it. I think it was during COS. And so, when I heard your speech then and earlier today, a test is a test you either pass or fail. And there must be consequences if you do not pass. So, it was in that context that I said let us not use it as a single point consideration. But I am glad we have clarified that and you are now saying that is one of several factors that we look at. On the survey, I understand, and as I said, it is not an unimportant consideration and I accept that. I think we all want to ensure that we can communicate with the people we see in Singapore, at least to a basic degree. And I can see where that is coming from. I can accept the sentiments conveyed in that survey. It is one survey, yes, but it does reflect sentiments in our society, and I think we must take heed of it. But the point about international students, I think, comes from a different perspective. They are taking a qualifying test for a different reason. Because there is an academic element to their entry into the schools in Singapore. So, I do not think one should conflate the two different tests.[+1 sentence] They are meant for different purposes.
Mr Speaker3 words
[+1 sentence]Mr Murali Pillai.
Mr Murali Pillai2067 words
[+9 sentences]Mr Speaker, Sir, we have just reached the end of the five-day debate on the Motion of thanks to the President. From my rough count, we heard 67 speeches in this debate. I am happy to note that all hon Members of this House who spoke are united in their support for the Motion. Just a short while ago, before the break, I left this Chamber to visit the loo. There, I bumped into an hon Member, who said to me, that he was really looking forward to seeing me deliver my wrap-up speech. Pleased with his exuberance, I asked whether he was interested to get a sneak preview of what I intended to cover later. He, however, demured. He clarified that what he meant was that once I stand up to speak, it will be a cue for his family, who is seeing these proceedings "live", that the debate would shortly end. So, just like the hon Minister Edwin Tong who spoke before me, I get the drift. Hon Members will be happy to note that I will only make three short points in my speech. First, I wish to thank the hon Members who spoke for sharing their valuable insights about the Government's plans outlined by the President.[+19 sentences] This debate is significant because of the sheer breadth and depth of topics highlighted by hon Members for the Government's consideration. I am not able to exhaustively set out all the topics, but I will mention a few of them. The topics covered included: ensuring that economic growth benefits Singaporeans from all backgrounds, strengthening the tripartite trust, developing our skilled tradesmen, the need to reskill middle-aged workers for them to remain employable and decisively tackle workplace discriminations. All these points persuasively put across by our hon Members from the Labour Movement, such as Minister of State Desmond Tan, Mr Desmond Choo, Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman and Mr Patrick Tay. Concerns about our social compact, the need to strengthen help for the have-nots in our society – a point that several hon Members, including Mr Seah Kian Peng, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Mr Leong Mun Wai, made. Ensuring better educational outcomes and prospects for children and youths from less privileged backgrounds – this was raised by, amongst others, the hon Members Mr Vikram Nair, Dr Wan Rizal, Dr Shahira Abdullah and Mr Henry Kwek. Keeping a keen eye on and addressing the impact of cost of living and inflation on our people – a topic that, again, a number of hon Members spoke on, including Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Louis Chua. Highlighting the potential threat of AI on our social trust and togetherness, and at the same time, the need to capture opportunities from this technological advancement – points that were eloquently put across by the hon Members Dr Tan Wu Meng and Ms Mariam Jaafar. Ensuring that trust is a two-way relationship between our people and our Government, the need to promote active citizenry and retention of our core values as a society – points raised by the hon Members Ms Tin Pei Ling, Ms He Ting Ru, Mr Leon Perera and Mr Shawn Huang. Moving away from credentialism and valuing skills and competencies instead – something that several hon Members spoke on, including Ms Janet Ang. Looking out for the needs of the differently abled – a topic that the hon Members Mr Don Wee and Miss Rachel Ong touched on. Ensuring that our families remain the building blocks of our society, promoting marriages and parenthood, and at the same time, supporting these families as they become smaller and caregiving responsibilities increase – something that the hon Members including Ms Jessica Tan and Mr Gan Thiam Poh, spoke on. Providing our rapidly ageing society with a better support structure, tackling ageism and at the same time, empowering them to contribute to our community – points raised by the hon Members Ms Sylvia Lim, Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Edward Chia. Protecting our aged and vulnerable citizens from scams as we continue to digitalise our economy – a topic raised by amongst others, the hon Members Mr Christopher de Souza and Mr Melvin Yong. Providing more support to people with mental health issues – an important topic that was covered by the hon Members Ms Ng Ling Ling and Ms Nadia Samdin. Opening up a whole range of pathways to ensure that our meritocratic society is more inclusive – a good number of hon MPs spoke about this, including Mr Xie Yao Quan. Concerns about the environmental issues that our country faces were expressed by several Members, including Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Dennis Tan. Concerns about the impact of unbridled asset acquisition in Singapore by the increasing numbers of wealthy individuals from overseas who set up family offices – a point made by the hon Leader of Opposition. And finally, upholding public confidence in this House and ensuring good politics, strong leadership and good governance at all levels – areas that the hon Members Mr Derrick Goh, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Faisal Manap touched on. Notwithstanding the diversity of the topics covered in this debate, I noted unanimity amongst hon Members on the importance of retaining our core values that have been ingrained in our nation by our founding generation of leaders and stood us in good stead for several generations.[+5 sentences] This is the point that Mr Sitoh Yih Pin emphatically made. He said that our values are and must continue to be hard coded in our psyche as a people. I agree. This is our secret sauce. This is what will allow us, as a nation and society, to continue to forge forward to secure a fair share of opportunities for our people to lead fulfilling and dignified lives. Moving on to my second point, I wish to highlight that hon Members had provided a surfeit of suggestions in this debate. These suggestions deserve examination with a view to see if the future plans of this Government that have already been laid out, can be further strengthened by their incorporation. They include: Linking unemployment support for citizens with their agreement to undertake skills upgrading and active job searching – a suggestion raised jointly by the hon Member Mr Desmond Choo.[+8 sentences] Attainment of transformative competencies by our children in school – a suggestion of the hon Member Mr Darryl David. Financial literacy programmes for our children – a suggestion raised by the hon Member Mr Gerald Giam. Protection of whistle-blowers who report on discrimination and unfair employment practices – a suggestion by the hon Member Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim. Equipping community volunteers with mental health first aid skills – a suggestion by the hon Member Ms Ng Ling Ling. Redesigning of the Progressive Wage Models to provide for more wage rungs to enable workers to climb more easily – a suggestion by Mr Raj Joshua Thomas. To evolve our charity policies so as to support emerging forms of giving by potential grant-makers – a suggestion by the hon Ms Foo Mee Har. Tapping on our seniors to get them to volunteer and share their skills and experience with others – an idea raised by the hon Member Mr Yip Hon Weng. Legislating the right to work from home – an idea of the hon Member Mr Louis Ng. Providing caregiving leave to take care of elderly parents – an idea of the hon Member Ms Poh Li San; and Encouraging our non-SMEs to embrace inclusive hiring and employ more PwDs – an idea floated and passionately argued by the hon Member Miss Rachel Ong Several hon Members from across the aisle lamented that their suggestions have not been taken up by the Government.[+3 sentences] I appreciate that they feel strongly about their ideas and are convinced that it is for the larger good of our country. I wish to point out that there are also numerous cases of suggestions made passionately by PAP backbenchers which also have not been taken up by the Government. So, they are in good company! I think we can all appreciate that, in assessing the viability of implementing ideas from hon Members, the Executive arm of our Government bears the heavy responsibility of governing. They have to strike a balance between a wide range of factors including policy intent, competing viewpoints and resourcing priorities.[+3 sentences] In addition, for some of the ideas to be implemented, there is a need for progress to be made over time – a point that was eloquently put across by the hon Member Ms Denise Phua who had advocated the integrated 10-year education programme from Primary 1 to Secondary 4, almost 10 years ago. Hence, I would not read too much into the Government's decision not to adopt all the suggestions made by hon Members. In fact, if anything, it would be surprising if all the ideas have been accepted without exception. The Government has unequivocally stated on many occasions that it is agnostic as to who and where good ideas come from.[+23 sentences] As the hon Leader of the Opposition stated in his speech just now, over the years, the Government did implement several policies that have been brought up by the WP. But of course, the Government, being accountable to this House, has a duty to set its position clearly on suggestions made in this House and articulate its reasons should it not take up the suggestions. This is Parliamentary democracy at work. This is what our people expect. In the same vein, for the purposes of establishing common ground which the President has identified in her address to be an important aspect of our work in this House, it would be good for hon Members from the Opposition parties to also entrench the policy of acknowledging, where appropriate, where they feel to be good ideas emanating from the Government. This approach entrenches the shared goal of advancing the larger public interest even as we acknowledge that the political process naturally involves a level of contestation. A great example of this happened just a few hours ago, when hon Member Mr Dennis Tan congratulated MOT and MPA for launching an electronic harbour launch recently, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Sir, I now turn my third and final point. From the debate, it is noteworthy that there is broad agreement to the Government's plans, as articulated by the President, to secure our nation's future. In my opening speech, I drew attention to the ambitious nature of these plans. They involve high levels of creativity. I spent some time highlighting the broad spectrum of plans affecting everything, from defence to the economy to the environment, as well as the fact that a long-term view has to be taken to implement these plans. I, therefore, congratulate the Government for presenting these plans that have secured this broad agreement in this House. This, however, is merely the start. To an extent, this may be the easier part of the process. Collectively, we need to secure the all-important buy-in of fellow Singaporeans to make the plans work for the benefit of Singapore and Singaporeans. Whilst this is not an easy task, there is every reason to be confident, in my personal view. This is where what the President stated in her address about moving forward with confidence becomes relevant. She said: "We are now in a much stronger position – better poised to overcome our vulnerabilities and armed with crucial resources to push forward with confidence, however stormy the weather. Our collective experiences have strengthened the mutual trust between Singaporeans and their confidence in our system of Government. This virtuous circle relies on us partnering one another and working together to make the impossible, possible." I therefore call on all Members of this House, on both sides of the aisle, backbenchers and frontbenchers, to double down and work together to build happiness, prosperity and progress for our people. [(proc text) 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.'." (proc text)]
Breakdown of Officers in Administrative Services including Scholarship Recipients and Mid-career Entrants›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 217w
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written-answer-13218
Mr Leon Perera53 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister of the officers in the Administrative Service as at end-2022 (a) what percentage of them are (i) state scholarship recipients versus non-scholars (ii) mid-career entrants from the public sector and (iii) mid-career entrants from outside the public sector; and (b) how has this breakdown changed from 10 years ago.
Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister)164 words
[+7 sentences]From 2003, the Public Service has ceased to appoint fresh graduates, including scholarship recipients, directly into the Administrative Service (AS). Public Officers generally have to serve at least a few years in various parts of the Public Service before they are assessed for suitability for appointment to the AS. At end-2022, around nine in 10 Administrative Officers (AO) have been appointed to the AS after a few years in their public sector careers rather than at the point of entry into the Public Service, an increase from around three in four 10 years ago. Similarly, most mid-career entrants from the private sector serve in various Public Service agencies, before being considered for possible AS appointment. The number of officers who were directly appointed to the AS from the private sector has, therefore, been small. As at end-2022, around 11% of AOs were not recipients of Government scholarships1. This is an increase from 10 years ago, when around 7% of AOs were not scholarship recipients.
Singapore's Contribution to ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management to Help Rohingya Refugees›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 197w
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written-answer-13219
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs for each year in the past five years (a) how much has Singapore contributed to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) to help Rohingya refugees; and (b) how much has the AHA Centre spent in helping Rohingya refugees.
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan147 words
[+5 sentences]Singapore contributes US$90,000 annually to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre). In the past five years, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) sent officers to support the AHA Centre in the distribution of relief items in Rakhine State in 2018 and its Preliminary Needs Assessment (PNA) in 2019. Singapore has also contributed over S$1 million in bilateral aid to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of displaced persons from Rakhine State. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN's) work is primarily focused on helping to improve ground conditions in Rakhine State to create conducive conditions for repatriation, including through the PNA conducted by the AHA Centre and the ASEAN Secretariat's Ad-Hoc Support Team established to monitor the implementation of the PNA. Singapore is prepared to send further consignments of aid and stand ready to support future comprehensive needs assessments once repatriation commences.
Officers on Live Video Stream of Emergency Video System to Communicate with 999 or 995 Callers in Dialects or Other Languages›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 116w
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written-answer-13220
Ms Joan Pereira59 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to the live video stream function on the Emergency Video System which allows "999" or "995" callers to provide real-time location and visual information of the emergency incident, how will it be ensured that there are officers who can communicate with callers who can only speak in dialects or other languages.
Mr K Shanmugam57 words
[+2 sentences]The Emergency Video System operators are the same pool of operators who answer and process "999" and "995" calls. The Operations Centres of the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force each maintains a pool of operators with the ability to converse in Singapore's four official languages, as well as some dialects commonly used in Singapore.
Regulatory Requirements on Owners of Shopping Malls and Public Buildings to Ensure Robust Security System in Place to Handle Security Emergency›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 331w
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written-answer-13221
Mr Murali Pillai59 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether there are regulatory requirements on owners of shopping malls and other public buildings which regularly attract large numbers of people to ensure that a sufficient robust security system is in place to handle any potential security or emergency situation that may arise and take proactive steps to prevent overcrowding at these locations.
Mr K Shanmugam272 words
[+10 sentences]The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) regularly reviews the Fire Code, which stipulates the fire safety requirements for buildings in Singapore, such as the maximum occupancy load based on the usage and size of spaces in the building. The Fire Code also requires sufficient escape capacity, through exit staircases and doors, to be provided. Non-compliance, which could lead to overcrowding in a public building that might render escape in the event of a fire difficult, is a fire hazard offence under the Fire Safety Act. For larger buildings with a gross floor area of over 5,000 square metres or an occupancy load of more than 1,000 persons, the respective building owners are also required to appoint a Fire Safety Manager (FSM) under the Fire Safety (Fire Safety Manager) Regulations. The duties of the FSM include ensuring that the occupancy load in the building does not exceed the capacity prescribed under the Fire Code. The FSM also conducts fire drills for the occupants at least twice a year. The SCDF takes enforcement action when building owners are found to have breached the Fire Safety Act and its regulations. It will require the owners to take rectification actions, failing which they may be prosecuted in Court. In addition, some buildings which are iconic or have high public footfall are designated as Special Infrastructures, or Special Developments in the case of new buildings, under the Infrastructure Protection Act. The owners are then required to incorporate security measures, such as Closed-Circuit Televisions and vehicle barriers, upfront in the design of such new buildings before they are constructed, or for existing buildings, when they undergo certain works.
Biometric Identification for Automated Clearance of Babies and Children Passing through Immigration Checkpoints›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 129w
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written-answer-13222
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim27 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs how is the Ministry resolving technical issues surrounding biometric identification for automated clearance of babies and children passing through immigration checkpoints.
Mr K Shanmugam102 words
[+4 sentences]As the physical features and biometrics of children aged below six are still developing and may not provide a reliable means of authentication, such travellers would require additional assistance at automated lanes. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has since November 2022, catered for Special Assistance Lanes (SALs) at the passenger halls of Changi Airport to facilitate automated clearance of family groups of up to four persons, including children aged below six. ICA officers will be on hand to manually verify the children's identity. SALs will also be installed progressively at the land and sea checkpoints from the end of this year.
Risk of Dark-coloured Cars Getting into Accidents in Singapore›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 113w
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written-answer-13223
Mr Don Wee55 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport in view of international research findings showing that dark-coloured cars are at higher risks of getting into accidents (a) whether this is so in Singapore; and (b) if so, whether the Government will consider introducing measures, such as imposing higher taxes to reduce the number of dark-coloured cars in Singapore.
Mr S Iswaran58 words
[+3 sentences]The Land Transport Authority (LTA) assesses vehicle safety using internationally recognised vehicle safety standards. Currently, there are no safety standards involving the colour of the vehicle, as it is not common international practice to assess vehicle safety by colour. As such, there are no strong grounds for LTA to introduce measures to reduce the number of dark-coloured vehicles.
Proposal to Make Adult Monthly Travel Card Cheaper to Encourage Switch to Public Transport›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 119w
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written-answer-13224
Ms Mariam Jaafar30 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport whether the Adult Monthly Travel Card can be made cheaper to encourage more people to switch to public transport as their default mode of transportation.
Mr S Iswaran89 words
[+4 sentences]Public transport is heavily subsidised in Singapore and this has helped to keep fares affordable. The Adult Monthly Travel Pass further lowers the cost for heavy users of public transport. Any reduction in the pass price will reduce revenues and need to be offset by fare increases for other commuter segments and/or other measures. The pricing of the Adult Monthly Travel Pass is regularly reviewed by the Public Transport Council as part of its annual Fare Review Exercises, balancing the affordability and financial sustainability of the public transport system.
Studies on Microplastics Contamination in Our Reservoirs and Water Sources from Foreign Countries›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 137w
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written-answer-13225
Mr Yip Hon Weng54 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether any studies have been conducted on microplastics contamination in our reservoirs and water sources from foreign countries; and (b) whether there are any independent studies or data available locally on the intake of microplastics in Singapore and the potential health risks associated with it.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien83 words
[+4 sentences]The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has conducted biennial surveillance of the level of microplastics in water from our Four National Taps, since 2017. The latest testing results in 2021 showed that microplastics were not detected in treated water, while microplastics counts in raw water sources, including reservoirs, remained low, at fewer than 10 particles per litre. There have been no local studies done to date on microplastics intake and its health risks. PUB will continue to monitor international scientific developments on this issue.
Proposal to Allow Hawkers above Age 60 to Hire One Foreign Worker to Help with Food Preparation›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 159w
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written-answer-13226
Dr Tan Yia Swam55 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether there can be consideration to allow hawkers who are above the age of 60 to hire one foreign worker to (i) help them with tasks such as food preparation and (ii) train them the preparation of such dishes to help preserve some of the hawker culture.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien104 words
[+3 sentences]To safeguard and preserve the local identity of our hawker culture, only Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents are allowed to operate and work in hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) or NEA-appointed operators. To address manpower challenges faced by our hawkers, we have introduced some schemes to help them adopt technology which could allow them to achieve higher productivity in food preparation and service delivery. For instance, we recently enhanced the Hawkers' Productivity Grant, which provides hawkers with up to 80% co-funding support capped at $7,000, for stall-level kitchen automation equipment and digital services solutions, such as e-ordering and queue management.
Number of Reports Made in Relation to Abuse and Harassment towards Social Worker Investigated and Convicted›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 133w
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written-answer-13227
Ms He Ting Ru61 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in each of the last five years (a) how many reports have been made in relation to abuse and harassment directed towards social workers; (b) how many of such reports are referred to external law enforcement agencies for further investigations; and (c) how many of such reports have resulted in convictions in Court.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M72 words
[+5 sentences]The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) takes a firm stance against abuse and does not condone egregious behaviour towards social workers. In their frontline work, social workers do come across clients who exhibit abusive behaviour. Social service agencies (SSAs) are required to have clear policies and protocols on staff safety. Each year, SSAs make about five reports of abusive behaviour to the Police. MSF does not track the investigation outcomes.
Breakdown of Balance in CPF MediSave Accounts for CPF Account Holders who Passed Away before 85 Years Old›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 262w
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written-answer-13228
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan62 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health in each of the past five years, what is the number of CPF account holders who passed away before 85 years old and had monies of (i) between $5,000 and $10,000 (ii) between $10,000 and $20,000 (iii) between $20,000 and $30,000 (iv) between $30,000 and $40,000 and (v) more than $40,000 in their CPF MediSave accounts respectively.
Mr Ong Ye Kung200 words
[+6 sentences]It is more instructive to look at MediSave balances at the point of death for Singaporeans who lived till at least 85 years old. Otherwise, it will give a misleading picture of excessive MediSave savings. The requested data for those who passed away aged 85 or older has been provided in the reply to Question No 7 for Oral Answer on the Order Paper for 27 February 2023. Nevertheless, if we want to examine the data for Singaporeans who passed away at a younger age, the median MediSave account balance of Singaporeans who passed away at aged 65 or older between 2017 and 2021 is about $9,900. Among these, about four in 10 had $5,000 or less, three in 10 had between $5,000 and $20,000, and three in 10 had more than $20,000 left in their MediSave accounts at the point of death respectively. Please note that this includes many Singaporeans who passed away before the average life expectancy, and who naturally will not have sufficient time to draw down on their savings.
Availability of AstraZeneca Vaccine in Singapore and Concerns of It Linked to Thrombosis›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 61w
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written-answer-13229
Mr Yip Hon Weng49 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health with the withdrawal of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Australia due to concerns of thrombosis (a) whether there have been such issues with the same vaccine in use here; and (b) whether the AstraZeneca vaccine is still available in our private clinics and hospitals.
Mr Ong Ye Kung12 words
[+1 sentence]The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine has not been authorised for use in Singapore.
Update on Zero-tolerance Policy Against Abuse and Harassment of Healthcare Workers›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 216w
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written-answer-13230
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song37 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) when will the standardised zero-tolerance policy against the abuse and harassment of healthcare workers be formulated; (b) what protections will it include; and (c) whether it will be passed into law.
Mr Ong Ye Kung179 words
[+7 sentences]The zero-tolerance policy will include a common definition of abuse and harassment across healthcare institutions, an effective reporting and escalation protocol, practices for a supportive culture of reporting, and clear consequences that are implemented and enforced. As was announced previously, the Ministry will work with public healthcare clusters to develop the details of the standardised zero-tolerance policy in the second half of this year. There is no intention to pass this into law. However, healthcare workers will continue to be protected under the Penal Code and the Protection from Harassment Act, and we will not hesitate to report egregious cases of abuse to the Police for investigation. Legislation aside, it is critical to build mutual trust and respect between healthcare workers, patients and their caregivers. The Ministry of Health Holdings will be launching a national public education campaign to promote respect for healthcare workers and to align expectations of healthcare workers' roles. We call on the public to support these efforts to ensure that healthcare works can carry out their duties effectively in a safe and conducive working environment.
Career Options and Prospects for Trained Singapore Oral Health Therapists›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 279w
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written-answer-13231
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong51 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) what are the career options and prospects for trained Singaporean oral health therapists who have diplomas or degrees in oral health therapy; and (b) whether the Government will consider creating different career pathways for such graduates like their counterparts in other countries, such as Australia.
Mr Ong Ye Kung228 words
[+9 sentences]Oral health therapists (OHTs) have a wide range of career options. As their training incorporates the skills of dental hygienists and dental therapists, they are qualified to work in any dental clinic in the private or public sectors. They may choose to practise in general settings, such as school dental services and polyclinics, or in specialist settings such as national specialty centres. OHTs may also choose to take up non-clinical roles such as in education and administration. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working to broaden the clinical scope of practice of OHTs to meet the demands of an ageing population. A training roadmap on new expanded clinical roles for OHTs will be introduced later this year to ensure that OHTs are competently trained and upskilled to provide oral health services across all ages and in a variety of care settings, including in community and residential settings. MOH also plans to explore the expansion of OHT career pathways to include other formal career tracks, such as in research and administration. There may be some OHTs who wish to go on to dentistry. To that end, the Nanyang Polytechnic's Diploma in Oral Health Therapy has been accredited for entry into the Faculty of Dentistry at the National University of Singapore since 2022, where eligible graduates from the diploma course may apply for further degree studies to become a dentist.
Encouraging Hawkers to Adopt Healthier Cooking Methods and Practices›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 175w
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written-answer-13232
Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong49 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health beyond the current efforts under the Health Promotion Board's Healthier Dining Programme (HDP), whether the Ministry will consider how it can better encourage all hawkers, including those who are not currently part of the HDP, to adopt healthier cooking methods and practices all round.
Mr Ong Ye Kung126 words
[+5 sentences]Through the Health Promotion Board's (HPB's) Healthier Dining Programme, 60% of stalls across all hawker centres and coffee shops have at least one healthier option on their menus as of December 2022. This healthier option may be either a lower-calorie meal, or is prepared using wholegrain staples, healthier oils or lower sodium sauces and seasonings. To encourage hawkers to adopt healthier cooking, HPB has facilitated easy access to healthier ingredients through HPB's Healthier Ingredient Development Scheme. Examples of healthier ingredients are wholegrain rice, wholegrain noodles, lower saturated fat cooking oils and lower sodium salt, sauces and seasonings. HPB also generates consumer demand for healthier options through regular events and rewarding purchases of healthier options through the Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge on the Healthy 365 application.
Percentage of Healthcare System's Carbon Footprint due to Desflurane and Plans to Reduce Its Use›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 153w
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written-answer-13233
Mr Leon Perera64 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) what percentage of our healthcare system's carbon footprint is due to anaesthetics; (b) what proportion of our anaesthetics usage is accounted for by desflurane; and (c) whether there are plans to reduce, or even phase out desflurane use in medical contexts where it is substitutable by other types of anaesthetics, in view of its extremely high carbon footprint.
Mr Ong Ye Kung89 words
[+5 sentences]The Ministry of Health (MOH) measures the carbon footprint of public healthcare institutions through their direct and indirect emissions of greenhouse gases arising from fuel combustion and electricity consumption. However, MOH does not collect data on the impact of medical gas emissions on our carbon footprint. There have been ongoing efforts in recent years to minimise desflurane use where medically appropriate. In 2019, the proportion of desflurane use ranged from 28% to 68% across the different institutions. This has decreased to a range of 5% to 42% in 2022.
Number of Speech and Language Therapists Registered to Practise and Waiting Time to Get a First Appointment Through Public Healthcare System›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 118w
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Ms He Ting Ru49 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health in each of the last five years (a) how many speech and language therapists are registered to practise in Singapore; and (b) what is the average waiting time to get a first appointment with a speech and language therapist through the public healthcare system.
Mr Ong Ye Kung69 words
[+2 sentences]The data on the number of registered Speech and Language Therapists in Singapore in each of the last five years can be found in the Allied Health Professions Council's (AHPC) Annual report 2022 on AHPC's website: AHPC | Announcements (healthprofessionals.gov.sg). The average waiting time for the first appointment with a Speech and Language Therapist in the public healthcare system for each year from 2018 to 2022 is five weeks.
Proposal for Married First-timer Home Ownership Measure to be Rolled Out Earlier›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 129w
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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan38 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development whether the measures recently announced to facilitate home ownership for first-timers who are married with or without children can be rolled out sooner to take effect from the May 2023 BTO application.
Mr Desmond Lee91 words
[+4 sentences]At the Ministry of National Development's (MND'S) Committee of Supply debate on 2 March 2023, MND announced enhanced support for eligible first-timer families with children aged 18 and below, and young married couples aged 40 and below to secure a new flat. The moves will take effect from the August 2023 Build-To-Order exercise. They were announced early to give the public some time to understand how the changes may affect them. The Housing and Development Board also needs some time to stress-test and implement the system changes needed for the moves.
Rewilding Efforts Resulting in Wild Boars Recolonising More Green Spaces in Singapore›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 305w
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Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song66 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether rewilding efforts by NParks have resulted in wild boars recolonising more green spaces in Singapore or whether the current trajectory of their population growth indicates they soon will; (b) whether wild boars pose risks to park and park connector users even if not deliberately provoked; and (c) how is NParks mitigating the risks posed by human-wild boar encounters.
Mr Desmond Lee239 words
[+12 sentences]The wild boar population in our nature reserves has remained stable. This may be attributed to National Parks Board's (NParks') habitat restoration efforts, such as the replacement of introduced oil palms, which are food sources for wild boars, with native vegetation. NParks will continue to monitor the wild boar population. To minimise human-wild boar encounters and mitigate their risks, NParks adopts a community and science-based approach to managing the wild boar population. This includes habitat modification and conducting studies to better understand their distribution. In addition, NParks works with public agencies and developers to erect hoarding to prevent wildlife, such as wild boars from straying into nearby residential areas. NParks also implements population control measures, where needed, to protect public safety. NParks also works closely with stakeholders on public education and outreach, to promote safe and responsible human-wildlife encounters. This includes discouraging and taking enforcement action against the illegal feeding of wildlife, which can alter their natural foraging behaviour and lead them to rely on humans for food. Similar to other wild animals, wild boars can be unpredictable in behaviour, and can pose a risk to public safety even if not deliberately provoked. As wild boars primarily become aggressive when they feel cornered or threatened, members of the public are encouraged to remain calm and keep a safe distance if they encounter a wild boar. NParks will continue to engage the community on how to respond to wildlife sightings.
Time-limited Special Funding Support for Town Councils to Deal with Higher Cost of Maintenance›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 234w
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Mr Murali Pillai43 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development whether he can provide details of the time-limited special funding support for Town Councils announced on 2 March 2023 to deal with the higher cost of maintenance and external factors, such as the spike in energy prices.
Mr Desmond Lee191 words
[+5 sentences]To offset the costs of estate maintenance for Town Councils and residents, the Government has been providing substantial grants of around $240 million a year to Town Councils via the Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) Operating Grant, the Goods and Service Tax Subvention Grant, the Lift Maintenance Grant and the Lift Replacement Fund Matching Grant. Given the sharp and steep cost increases faced by Town Councils due to external factors, such as COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and global supply crunch, the Ministry of National Development had provided additional funding support to Town Councils for projects under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme and Community Improvement Projects Committee in May 2022. In addition to the above support measures, the Government is prepared to provide further support to Town Councils considering the exceptional and sustained cost pressures faced by Town Councils. As mentioned during the Committee of Supply debate on 2 March 2023, to support Town Councils that need to adjust their S&CC rates to meet long-term financial sustainability, the Government will provide a time-limited, special funding support to cushion the potential impact on residents. More details will be shared with Town Councils when ready.
HDB Accommodation Options for Persons with Disabilities in Public Rental Housing and New BTO Developments›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 271w
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim29 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development what accommodation options does HDB provide for persons with disabilities in (i) public rental housing and (ii) new BTO developments, including flexi apartments.
Mr Desmond Lee242 words
[+9 sentences]The Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates and precincts are designed to be inclusive and accessible to all residents. All new public housing developments, including rental and Build-To-Order flats, are designed in compliance with the Building and Construction Authority's prevailing Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment, which includes requirements on minimum accessibility provisions for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). Universal Design principles and features, such as barrier-free routes and ramps, are also incorporated in new public housing developments to create inclusive environments. Apart from infrastructural support, PwDs living in HDB flats can also access home-based care services if needed, such as the Home Personal Care service for those who require support with their daily needs. Government agencies continue to actively study options to support PwDs and forge a more inclusive Singapore. Under the Enabling Masterplan 2030, a task force comprising Government agencies, disability social service agencies (SSAs) and PwDs has been formed to look into developing new community living models for PwDs, including those that may be sited in HDB estates. The task force aims to understand the needs and wishes of PwDs and their families, and will recommend alternative housing and care models to enable more PwDs to live and participate in the community. The task force will release its recommendations later this year after it concludes. Meanwhile, HDB will also continue to work with disability SSAs and other agencies to support PwDs with their housing needs as far as possible.
Support Freelance Exercise Professionals to Obtain Certificates to Register on National Registry of Exercise Professionals›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 333w
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Ms Joan Pereira66 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth whether the Ministry will (i) support freelancing exercise professionals to obtain the certifications to register on the National Registry of Exercise Professionals (NREP) and (ii) work with industry stakeholders, such as registered fitness coaching businesses and gyms, to better understand how to utilise the NREP appropriately as the registration of exercise professional in the NREP is not mandatory.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai267 words
[+8 sentences]Sport Singapore (SportSG) will launch the National Registry of Exercise Professionals (NREP) in phases, as part of the longer-term strategy to professionalise the fitness industry and build capabilities, especially in the areas of safety and knowledge. In the first phase, from April 2023 to March 2024, exercise professionals, including freelancers, may register for the NREP as long as they (a) have Standard First Aid with Automated External Defibrillator and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation certification; (b) acknowledge the Exercise Professional's Code of Ethics; and (c) have relevant fitness or exercise accreditations, such as Personal Trainer, Yoga, Zumba, or general ones, like group fitness instructor. Exercise professionals who do not possess the Standard First Aid certification will still be able to register for a provisional NREP membership, which entitles them to subsidised rates for the certification. This subsidised certification is provided for under the free one-year National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA) membership that all NREP members are eligible for during the first phase of the NREP. NICA membership provides exercise professionals with access to training support and grants, among other benefits. In addition, the SportSG has been engaging over 400 exercise professionals, gyms and fitness coaching businesses and working with industry stakeholders, such as the Singapore Fitness Alliance (SFA), to raise their awareness of the NREP and its benefits, and encourage businesses to have their exercise professionals sign up on the NREP, as well as consider NREP as a criterion for hiring. Overall, the response has been positive towards the NREP. SportSG, together with NICA and SFA, will continue to engage the stakeholders through all implementation phases of the NREP.
Assessed Quantity and Nature of Labour Shortage for 27 Occupations under Shortage Occupation List›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 249w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis28 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower what is the assessed quantity and nature of labour shortage for each of the 27 occupations under the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) respectively.
Dr Tan See Leng221 words
[+8 sentences]The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) evaluate occupations for the Complementarity Assessment Framework Shortage Occupation List (SOL) based on three criteria: (a) the importance of the occupation to Singapore's economic priorities, (b) the degree and nature of labour shortage, and (c) the sector's commitment to developing the local pipeline to address these shortages. The degree and nature of labour shortage for each occupation is assessed based on a set of quantitative indicators. This includes data on vacancies that were unfilled for at least six months from MOM's Job Vacancy Survey (JVS), and the ratio of job applicants to vacancies from the MyCareersFuture job portal. The JVS also provides the underlying reasons why these vacancies were hard to fill by locals. When identifying occupations for the SOL, we focused on vacancies that were hard to fill due to a lack of specialised skills among the local workforce. The quantitative indicators are one part of a holistic assessment across the three criteria. They are supplemented by qualitative input from the relevant sector agencies and feedback from industry and tripartite partners, including on the sector's commitment to developing the local pipeline to address these shortages. The SOL is a dynamic list and will be regularly reviewed by MOM and MTI to ensure it remains responsive to industry conditions.
Number of Companies Adopting Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs in Past Five Years›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 62w
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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang28 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower for each year in the past five years, how many companies have adopted the Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs.
Dr Tan See Leng34 words
[+1 sentence]The number of companies that are adopters of the Tripartite Standard on Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs has increased from 2018 to 2022, per the table below, covering about 430,000 workers in 2022.
Retrenchment Benefits Per Year of Service for Each Retrenched Worker Broken Down by Industry and Unionised and Non-unionised Companies›Written Answers to Questions2 turns · 189w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis39 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower over the last five years, what is the median and average retrenchment benefit per year of service for each retrenched worker as broken down respectively by (i) industry and (ii) unionised and non-unionised companies.
Dr Tan See Leng150 words
[+6 sentences]To be eligible for retrenchment benefit, employees must have at least two or more years of service with their employer. As stated in the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment, the prevailing norm for retrenchment benefit is between two weeks and one month salary per year of service, depending on the financial position of the company and the industry norm. Based on retrenchment notifications received between April 2020 and March 2023, about 90% of eligible employees received retrenchment benefit. Of these employees, about 90% received at least two weeks' salary per year of service. The quantum of retrenchment benefit varies significantly across industries, but the overall median of retrenchment benefit paid is one month of salary per year of service. For employees in unionised companies, the median retrenchment benefit paid is one month salary per year of service while that for employees in non-unionised companies is 0.8.
Guidelines Governing Interactions between Grassroots, People’s Association and Government Outreach Efforts›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 360w
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Ms He Ting Ru55 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what are the regulations or guidelines governing interactions between grassroots, People's Association, and Government agency outreach efforts involving politicians and community groups, and the publicity relating to such interactions; and (b) how are political events and Government agency outreach efforts distinguished from grassroots and state events.
Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai305 words
[+12 sentences]The People's Association (PA) is a Statutory Board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. It has full-time officers who work closely with grassroots leaders and volunteers. PA was set up in 1961 to promote social cohesion, and to act as a bridge between the Government and the people. PA plays a key role in last mile communications – explaining Government policies to citizens, listening to their concerns and gathering their feedback so that the Government can refine, adjust and improve its policies to better meet the needs of Singaporeans. PA works closely with Government agencies to inform and engage residents on key government initiatives. For example, during the COVID-19 period, PA worked with Ministry of Health to raise awareness of safe distancing measures, and to explain and assist in the vaccination programme. PA spared no effort during the pandemic to look after our residents, going door to door, providing a calming assurance to our residents, and going the extra mile even when it meant risking the health and safety of staff and volunteers. PA also delivered urgent services to residents – including distributing masks, TraceTogether tokens and delivering food during the circuit breaker period. The PA appoints Grassroots Advisers to guide the grassroots organisations; as well as grassroots leaders and volunteers to help us communicate and implement the policies and programmes of the Government. This includes explaining difficult and sometimes unpopular policies that the Government believes are necessary for the future of Singapore, such as the Goods and Services Tax increases, which the Opposition rejects, the increase in retirement age and the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, for example. Like other Government agencies, PA does not conduct any activity with any political party. PA does not allow its events or venues to be used for partisan purposes by any political party.
Application of Quiet Hours for SAF Overflights›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 138w
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Defence (a) whether respect for existing quiet hours from 10.30 pm until 7.00 am applies to SAF overflights; and (b) if so, whether the overflights will respect the extended quiet hours from 10.00 pm until 8.00 am recommended by the Community Advisory Panel on Neighbourhood Noise.
Dr Ng Eng Hen88 words
[+4 sentences]Less than 1% of the Republic of Singapore Air Force's flights, helicopters and planes, take place from 10.00 pm to 8.00 am over Singapore. Some of these flights are in response to emergencies such as those activated for search and rescue operations or to deal with aerial threats. One recent example took place last October when two F-16s responded to a bomb threat onboard a Singapore Airlines flight, SQ33. Our fighter jets scrambled in darkness to escort SQ33 safely back to land at Changi Airport at 6.00 am.
Effectiveness of "War Against Diabetes" Effort›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 145w
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Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan32 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health since the declaration of war on diabetes in 2016, how successful has the fight against diabetes been in managing and reducing the number of diabetics in Singapore.
Mr Ong Ye Kung113 words
[+6 sentences]The "War on Diabetes" is a multi-year effort. With longer life expectancy and an ageing population, the prevalence of diabetes and number of diabetics can be expected to increase if nothing is done. Based on the National Population Health Survey, there was a slight decrease in the crude prevalence of diabetes in adults, from 8.8% in 2017, to 8.5% in 2022. After adjusting for ageing effect in the population, a reduction in the age-standardised prevalence of diabetes, from 7.8% in 2017, to 6.8% in 2022 was observed. These statistics suggest some progress in blunting a hitherto increasing trend. The Ministry of Health will continue our efforts in tackling diabetes and monitoring our progress.
New Variants and Resurgence of Infections from Recent Spike in COVID-19 Cases›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 200w
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Mr Alex Yam Ziming48 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the recent spike in COVID-19 cases at the end of March 2023 are of concern; (b) whether any new variants have been picked up; and (c) what can the public do to continue to be vigilant against a resurgence of infections.
Mr Ong Ye Kung152 words
[+8 sentences]We expect COVID-19 waves to occur from time to time, similar to other endemic diseases. For the past month, we have been going through another COVID-19 wave. Although COVID-19 cases have been rising, estimated infection numbers are a small fraction of previous infection waves. Average weekly hospitalised cases are not high and the number of intensive care unit cases remain low. Several new Omicron subvariants are currently circulating in Singapore, but there has not been evidence of increased severity among recent new subvariants. The Ministry of Health continues to closely monitor the situation. We urge those with acute respiratory infection symptoms to wear a mask if they must leave home and reduce their social interactions, especially with vulnerable persons. Vulnerable groups, such as those aged 60 and above, immunocompromised persons and those living in aged care facilities, are strongly encouraged to receive a booster dose one year after their last booster dose.
Rate of Myopia among Primary School Children and Programmes to Address Uptrend›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 107w
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Mr Darryl David34 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the rate of myopia among primary school children over the last five years; and (b) whether there are any programmes or plans to address this issue.
Mr Ong Ye Kung73 words
[+4 sentences]The prevalence of myopia among primary school students has been stable at about 29% for Primary 1 students and 51% for Primary 4 students over the last five years. The Health Promotion Board will continue their existing efforts, such as the National Myopia Prevention Programme. Required regular outdoor time for preschoolers will continue. Children at high risk of high myopia will continue to be fast tracked for specialist assessment for myopia control treatment.
Review of Operations and Design at ICA Checkpoints Following Recent Accident Involving Auxiliary Policeman›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 475w
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Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong84 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs regarding the accident at Tuas Checkpoint on 24 March 2023 where an auxiliary policeman was hit by a car and sustained a severe head injury (a) whether ICA will review its operations as well as the design of the approaches to the checkpoint to see whether the risks of a similar accident can be avoided or minimised in the interest of the safety of work personnel and members of the public; and (b) what are the lessons learned.
Mr K Shanmugam391 words
[+20 sentences]The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) takes the safety of travellers and of our officers, including Auxiliary Police Officers (APOs) working alongside us, very seriously. At the approaches to the land checkpoints, we have installed preventive road safety measures such as road humps to deter speeding. There are signages to remind motorists of the speed limit and to maintain lane discipline. Officers who are performing traffic control functions are deployed in pairs and are required to put on safety vests, use traffic wands and blinker lights to enhance their visibility to motorists. ICA also ensures there is adequate lighting of the roads, and we take firm enforcement action against those who breach traffic rules. The accident site was at the Observation Point, where APOs perform protective security functions, such as preventing unauthorised vehicles from entering or exiting the checkpoints. Preliminary investigations revealed that a 42-year-old Singaporean male driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed up the viaduct leading to Tuas Checkpoint. He allegedly lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the Observation Point area, hitting the drop arm barrier, concrete bollards and the 28-year-old APO on duty. At the time of the accident, the APO was wearing a reflective vest and a blinker. The APO sustained a severe head injury and the driver suffered lacerations. We are not able to share more as investigations are ongoing. We are very sad that a colleague working with us at the checkpoints is critically injured and remains unconscious. ICA and Certis CISCO are in contact with his family and will continue to provide help and support. As would be noted, the Observation Post was protected with a drop arm barrier and concrete bollards. There are thousands of vehicles every single day and there has been no issue so far. In this case, the driver was allegedly intoxicated and driving at high speed. We are now considering additional measures, including if the Observation Post can be shifted further away from the path of the oncoming vehicles, and whether more barriers need to be erected. We cannot emphasise enough that motorists must play their part to ensure road safety for themselves, as well as other road users. They must abide by traffic rules and directions given by officers and should never drink and drive. The cost is high, as this accident has shown.
Circumstances under which Replacement Fee for Identity Cards and Passports are Waived›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 94w
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Mr Darryl David37 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) under what circumstances will the ICA waive the replacement fees of identity cards and passports; and (b) how many of such waivers have been given over the last three years.
Mr K Shanmugam57 words
[+2 sentences]The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will consider a waiver of the identity card (IC) or passport replacement fee in situations where the loss or damage was due to circumstances beyond the holder's control. From 2020 to 2022, ICA granted a total of 12,163 and 410 waiver of fees for the replacement of ICs and passports respectively.
Dealing with Neighbours who Persistently Breach Noise Limits at HDB Blocks›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 187w
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim38 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Home Affairs how does the Singapore Police Force deal with persistent noise violators in HDB blocks who have been issued prior warnings and who are distinct from residents involved in bilateral neighbour noise disputes.
Mr K Shanmugam149 words
[+10 sentences]The majority of noise complaints often arise from some issues between neighbours. Some arise from inconsiderate behaviour. Whatever the cause, noise issues can cause considerable disamenities. They have to be dealt with. The Government's view is that the issues should be addressed through a community-based approach, where community partners, the Government's social or municipal agencies, and grassroots leaders work together to resolve them, with some legal framework, to allow steps to be taken to deal with the noise nuisance. These are not issues that Police need to, or should, deal with. The Police will, however, respond to incidents where there are additional law and order concerns. For example, when the noise arises from fights or large congregations that pose safety and security risks. In such cases, Police will dispatch frontline resources to maintain law and order. Where criminal offences are disclosed, the Police will investigate and take appropriate actions.
Assessment of Tech Capabilities and Competencies for Employment Pass under COMPASS›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 303w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis67 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower with regard to the five-year employment pass for experienced tech professionals with skills that are in shortage, how does the Ministry (i) assess the level of tech capabilities and competencies of the applicant and (ii) verify whether the actual job scope for the applicant is in line with the job specifications for the respective tech occupations on the COMPASS Shortage Occupation List.
Dr Tan See Leng236 words
[+8 sentences]There will be checks at the application stage, as well as after the pass holder has started working, to ensure there is no abuse of the five-year Employment Pass (EP) for experienced tech professionals with skills in shortage. At the application stage, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has worked with Infocomm Media Development Authority on the verification requirements to ensure that experienced tech professionals who apply for the pass have the skills required to perform their respective tech role from the Complementarity Assessment Framework Shortage Occupation List. The verification requirements include whether the applicant possesses the relevant qualifications and work experience for that particular tech role. The submitted qualifications need to be verified by background screening companies to demonstrate that they are authentic and awarded by accredited institutions. After approval of the five-year EP, the employment of the EP holders will be restricted to the specific shortage occupation. This means that if their employer wishes to deploy the EP holder to a different job role, the employer must submit a new EP application and their eligibility for an EP will be assessed accordingly. MOM will also conduct random audit checks and investigate cases surfaced by whistle-blowers to detect EP holders who are not performing the role specified in their application. MOM takes a stern view of employers who attempt to submit fraudulent information in work pass applications and will not hesitate to impose stiff penalties on offenders.
Recourse for Retrenched Unionised and Non-unionised Employees who are Paid Retrenchment Benefits that are Less Than Prevailing Norm›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 256w
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Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis42 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower what is the recourse for retrenched unionised and non-unionised employees who are eligible for retrenchment benefits but are paid less than the prevailing norm of between two weeks to one month of salary, per year of service.
Dr Tan See Leng214 words
[+7 sentences]Employees who are not paid retrenchment benefit according to their employment contracts may file contractual claims at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management. If mediation is unsuccessful, the claim will be heard at the Employment Claims Tribunals. For employees who are not paid retrenchment benefit according to their collective agreement, their union can bring the dispute to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for conciliation, failing which the dispute can be arbitrated at the Industrial Arbitration Court. If there is no provision of retrenchment benefit in the employment contract or the collective agreement, the quantum is to be negotiated between employees, or the union in the case of a unionised company, and the employer concerned. In such a case, if the employer is unwilling to pay the prevailing norm stated in the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower and Responsible Retrenchment (Advisory), which is two weeks to one month salary per year of service, affected employees in non-unionised companies can approach the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) for assistance. TAFEP will engage and urge the employer to adhere to the Advisory. In the case of a unionised company, the union or the employer may also seek MOM's conciliation if the parties are unable to resolve the dispute at the bilateral level.
Investigation into Dormitory Operators Who Allowed Packed Food for Migrant Workers to be Left Unattended›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 225w
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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang57 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower in each year of the past five years (a) how many dormitory operators have been investigated for allowing packed food for migrant workers to be left unattended in the open; and (b) how many of these companies have been issued (i) warning letters (ii) compound fines and (iii) prosecuted in court, respectively.
Dr Tan See Leng168 words
[+9 sentences]The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has not received complaints that resulted in enforcement actions in the last five years. However, in the course of our regular inspections, MOM inspectors have come across food storage and drop-off points that fall short of our expectations and dormitory operators have been instructed to make the improvements. These include ensuring that food storage points are adequate and sheltered. Dormitory operators took immediate action to make the needed improvements and no enforcement action was needed. MOM is investigating the cases that were reported recently in the media. We will take the necessary enforcement actions if there are serious breaches of regulations that require dormitory operators to ensure their residents' access to safe catered food. Dormitory residents with food-related issues can approach MOM's Forward Assurance and Support Team officers on site or report the issues via the FWMOMCare mobile application. MOM will follow up with the relevant dormitory operator and employer to rectify the issues. In serious cases, MOM will take appropriate enforcement action.
Extent of Protection with Move to Limit Proposed Legislation against Workplace Discrimination to Five Characteristics›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 258w
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Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang36 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Ministry is concerned that limiting the proposed legislation against workplace discrimination to five characteristics may create unequal protection and tolerance within Government and society towards other forms of discrimination.
Dr Tan See Leng222 words
[+14 sentences]Our national policy and stance on discrimination is clear – all forms of workplace discrimination are not tolerated. This does not change with the introduction of legislation. The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) set out the principles of fair and merit-based employment. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) takes every discrimination complaint seriously and will provide assistance to those affected. Enforcement action will be taken against errant employers. Introducing workplace fairness legislation is a major step for Singapore. We cannot legislate broad principles. The legal obligations and responsibilities that are placed on all parties need to be clear. Many other countries with discrimination legislation also specify a list of protected characteristics in their workplace anti-discrimination laws, even if the list may vary. The Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness has proposed for legislation to provide protection against the common and familiar forms of workplace discrimination. This approach will cover most of the discrimination complaints received by TAFEP and MOM. Legislation will work in tandem with the TGFEP, which will continue to cover all forms of workplace discrimination, and strengthen our framework for workplace fairness. Anyone who has faced any form of workplace discrimination can approach TAFEP for advice and assistance. TAFEP will be able to look into issues covered under the workplace fairness legislation and the TGFEP.
Inclusion of Restraint of Trade Clauses in Labour Contracts for Non-top Management Positions›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 364w
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Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim41 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Ministry monitors the inclusion of restraint of trade clauses in labour contracts, especially for middle-management and low-wage positions; and (b) whether the Ministry condones the inclusion of such clauses for non-top management positions.
Dr Tan See Leng323 words
[+14 sentences]The tripartite partners' position is that employers should only include restraint of trade clauses in their employees' employment contracts if there is a genuine need for such clauses to protect legitimate business interests. Restraint of trade clauses must be reasonable – they must balance employers' needs to protect their businesses and employees' ability to earn a living. The Courts have set out clear principles on when such clauses are unreasonable and not enforceable. Employers should generally avoid including restraint of trade clauses in the employment contracts for lower-paying jobs. This is because employees in lower-paying jobs are unlikely to have access to information that would significantly harm their current employer's interest. Restraint of trade clauses are also likely to have a greater impact on the livelihoods of these employees. Higher-paying jobs, such as middle-management jobs, are more likely to interact substantively with employers' legitimate business interests due to the nature of the work and position in the organisation. There could be more occasions where employers may have reason to include restraint of trade clauses in the employment contracts of employees in these jobs to protect their legitimate business interests, compared to lower-paying jobs. Tripartite partners are committed to ensuring that unreasonable contractual clauses do not become the norm in our workplaces. Employees who believe that they have been subject to an unreasonable employment clause in their employment contracts may approach their unions, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) or the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for assistance. Over the past few years, TAFEP has received around 20 cases of unreasonable contractual clauses each year. When engaged by MOM and TAFEP, employers have generally been cooperative in removing or not enforcing such clauses. MOM and tripartite partners are currently developing a set of tripartite guidelines to shape norms and provide employers with further guidance on the inclusion of restrictive clauses in employment contracts. Details will be made available in due course.
Data on Households That Paid for Purchase of HDB BTO Flats without Using Cash Payments›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 150w
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Ms Joan Pereira44 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development in each of the last five years (a) how many households have paid for the purchase of their HDB BTO flats without using any cash payments; and (b) what are the types of flats which these households bought.
Mr Desmond Lee106 words
[+4 sentences]Between 2018 and 2022, around nine in 10 Build-To-Order (BTO) flat buyers who took up a Housing and Development Board (HDB) housing loan did not have to make any cash payment at key collection. About eight in 10 BTO flat buyers who took up an HDB housing loan were able to service their monthly mortgage instalments entirely by Central Provident Fund without any cash outlay. These proportions have remained relatively stable over the last five years. Among these BTO flat buyers, about 11% bought a 2-room Flexi flat, 12% bought a 3-room flat, 56% bought a 4-room flat, and 21% bought a 5-room or 3Gen flat.
Defect Rates and Time Taken for Resolution of Defects for BTO Flats Built Before and After COVID-19 Pandemic›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 233w
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Ms Mariam Jaafar47 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development in comparison to HDB's BTO flats that were completed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (a) whether there is an increase in the (i) defect rates and (ii) time taken for the resolution of defects; and (b) if so, what are they.
Mr Desmond Lee186 words
[+8 sentences]The Building and Construction Authority's Construction Quality Assessment System (CONQUAS) score is an objective industry standard to measure the quality of building projects. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has consistently achieved high CONQUAS scores, with an average score of 95 over FY2020 to FY2022, comparable to the scores achieved by private residential developments over the same period. It is also higher than HDB's average CONQUAS scores of 92 over FY2017 to FY2019. As part of HDB's commitment to quality, HDB provides all new HDB flat owners with a one-year Defects Liability Period, during which flaws and defects can be reported for the Build-To-Order (BTO) contractor to carry out the necessary repairs. Prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of flat owners who submitted feedback on defects within this period remained the same. Most of the reported defects were minor imperfections, such as scratches or cracks on timber surfaces, walls or tiles. More than 90% of all defects reported were successfully rectified within 14 working days. This figure remains the same for the HDB's BTO flats completed prior to and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monitoring of Maintenance Standards at HDB Car Parks›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 316w
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Mr Murali Pillai70 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development (a) how does HDB proactively monitor the maintenance standards at its HDB car parks; (b) how does HDB track the performance of parties contracted to maintain its car parks; and (c) whether the flat fee payment arrangement under the current contracts between HDB and Town Councils for maintenance of HDB car parks may be reviewed to promote the timely maintenance of HDB car parks.
Mr Desmond Lee246 words
[+10 sentences]The Housing and Development Board (HDB) appoints Town Councils as the maintenance agent for car parks. The Maintenance Agreement between HDB and the Town Councils requires Town Councils to carry out routine maintenance, keep the car parks in a state of good and serviceable repair and carry out yearly inspections. HDB conducts checks on the maintenance of the car parks through audit checks by HDB officers and checks by HDB car park service providers. In 2021, following a review of the Maintenance Agreement, HDB moved away from a flat fee payment arrangement, in which Town Councils were paid a flat fee depending on car park type and location, to a performance-based payment model based on maintenance outcomes. HDB also introduced Liquidated Damages clauses in the Maintenance Agreement to ensure that maintenance standards are met. A new integrated Estates Management System (iEMS) was also introduced to track the maintenance status of HDB properties including car parks. The iEMS will allow HDB to monitor the timely rectification of defects and provide HDB with better oversight of the condition of the car parks. HDB is now in the initial phase of onboarding Town Councils to the iEMS. When fully implemented, HDB will be able to more closely monitor conditions of the HDB car parks, ensuring that the maintenance of the car parks is carried out in a more timely manner. HDB will continue to strengthen the maintenance regime of car parks, to better serve the needs of our residents.
Companies Involved in Construction of Illegal Floor at The Alexcier Building›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 197w
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Mr Leon Perera33 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for National Development why are the companies involved in the construction of an illegal floor at The Alexcier building not charged but issued stern warnings "in lieu of prosecution" instead.
Mr Desmond Lee164 words
[+7 sentences]Approval must be obtained from the relevant authorities prior to the commencement of addition and alteration works on buildings. These include planning permissions from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), plan approvals and permits from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) for building works, and approvals from the Singapore Civil Defence Force for fire safety works. For this case, the owner of the unit had appointed Communication Design International (Singapore) Pte Ltd and Furnisteel Systems Pte Ltd to construct the unauthorised mezzanine floor at The Alexcier. The owner was charged and convicted in Court for contravening the Building Control Act and Fire Safety Act, with other charges taken into consideration. He was fined $50,000 for the offences. Following consultations with the Attorney-General's Chambers, URA and BCA issued stern warnings to the two companies appointed by the unit owner to construct the mezzanine floor. This decision was made after considering the evidence and other relevant circumstances, including the extent of the companies' involvement in the offences.
Recent Declines in Reference Points for Salaries of Care and Senior Care Staff›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 342w
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Mr Leon Perera76 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Social and Family Development in view of the Ministry's announcement that social service staff salaries are expected to see increases between 4% and 15% from April 2023, why have the reference point salary for Care Staff fallen to $2,280 and the starting and reference point salaries for Senior Care Staff fallen to $2,330 and $2,910 respectively in the National Council of Social Service salary guidelines for the social service sector in FY2023.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M266 words
[+12 sentences]I would like to refer the Member to a report by The Straits Times on 13 April 2023, which addressed this issue. Briefly, the FY2023 Sector Salary Guidelines took into consideration the Skills Frameworks for Social Service and for Healthcare, as well as changes in job sizes and responsibilities. As a result, some job roles were merged and some right sized. Hence, not every job role in the FY2023 guidelines is directly comparable to those listed in the previous years' guidelines. In particular, the "Senior Care Staff" role was previously mapped to the Social Work Associate grade. The review found that "Care Staff" and "Senior Care Staff" should more appropriately be tagged to Social Service Assistant grades. The competencies and work performed by some Senior Care Staff under the old guidelines would be commensurate with a higher job level of Social Work Associate in the FY2023 Guidelines. This is especially so for staff already earning at levels that exceed the FY2023 salary range for Senior Care Staff. In implementing the FY2023 Guidelines, social service agencies (SSA) should evaluate the job sizes and roles of their Senior Care Staff. They should then use the relevant benchmarks for the purpose of setting the salary, and to update job titles to better reflect the role. Existing Senior Care Staff with the same competencies and job sizes as Social Work Associates should continue to be paid similarly to Social Work Associates. To support SSA leaders and human resource practitioners, National Council of Social Service has organised a series of webinars, workshops and clinics on how to implement the FY2023 Guidelines.
Probe into White Discharge Found in Outlet Drain along Hougang Avenue 10›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 161w
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Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song68 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what are the contents of the milky white discharge found in an outlet drain along Hougang Avenue 10 on 27 March 2023; (b) where is the exact source of the discharge; (c) what has caused the discharge to enter the waterways; and (d) what enforcement action has been or will be taken against the entity responsible for the discharge.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien93 words
[+5 sentences]The Public Utilities Board's (PUB's) investigations traced the white discharge seen in the Hougang Avenue 10 outlet drain on 27 March 2023 to paint products used at a construction site in Serangoon North. PUB had directed the site contractor to clean up all remnants of the white discharge from the drains. We are unable to provide further information on this case as investigations are ongoing. We take a serious view of pollution to our waterways. Appropriate enforcement action will be taken against those found to have contravened the Environmental Protection and Management Act.
Further Mitigation Measures to Address Urban Heat Island Effect›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 153w
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Ms He Ting Ru72 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in view of the report by the Singapore Meteorological Service on 23 March 2023 which found evidence for the urban heat island effect in Singapore, what is the assessment on whether further mitigation factors are necessary to address this; and (b) what is the progress of the inter-agency work group, which was set up in 2019, in tackling the urban heat island effect.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien81 words
[+2 sentences]This question has been raised in this House on 2 August 2022 by a number of Members, including Ms He, and answered jointly by Ministry of Sustainability and Environment and Ministry of National Development. We have no further updates at this time. [Please refer to "Measures to Mitigate Effects of Extreme Weather Conditions" and "Measures to Mitigate Rising Temperatures and Create More Conducive Working and Living Environments", Official Report, 2 August 2022, Vol 95, Issue 66, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
Proposed Installation of Daytime Running Lights in Vehicles at Selected Places›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 156w
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Ms Joan Pereira38 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider mandating the installation of daytime running lights in cars for the safety of motorists and pedestrians in places with less lighting in the daytime such as multi-storey carparks.
Mr S Iswaran118 words
[+5 sentences]The purpose of daytime running lights or daytime running lamps (DRLs) is to make the vehicle more easily visible during daytime driving. This is useful in countries that experience prolonged low visibility conditions in the day, such as during winter and foggy conditions. We do not experience such conditions often, so there is no strong need to mandate DRLs in Singapore. Nonetheless, there are quite a few car models that have DRLs installed. In dimly lit environments, such as multi-storey carparks and in other low visibility conditions such as heavy rain, motorists should ensure that their headlamps are switched on so that they are able to see the road clearly and can be seen by other road users.
Upgrading Plans for Changi Airfreight Centre›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 211w
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Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong50 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Minister for Transport (a) whether he will elaborate on the plans to upgrade the Changi Airfreight Centre; and (b) whether further development plans for the expansion of the Centre will be resumed or stepped up in light of the full resumption of construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5.
Mr S Iswaran161 words
[+6 sentences]The Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) work closely with the Changi Airport Group (CAG) and air cargo stakeholders to support and grow the Singapore air cargo hub. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reviewing the demand for air cargo over the next decade to determine the upgrades needed at the Changi Airfreight Centre (CAC). This review will consider various macroeconomic factors, such as global trade and air cargo demand, as well as shifts in global supply chains. CAAS and CAG are also working with the air freight terminal operators, such as Singapore Airport Terminal Services, to employ greater automation and digitalisation to increase productivity and capacity at the CAC. Works have also resumed on the planning of the Changi East Industrial Zone, which will be ready in the mid-2030s. This is expected to double Singapore's air cargo handling capacity, from about three million tonnes per annum today, to up to 5.4 million tonnes per annum.
Banking Disruptions That Have Lasted More Than An Hour in Last Five Years›Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time2 turns · 733w
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Mr Ang Wei Neng46 words
[+1 sentence]asked the Prime Minister (a) how many major banking disruptions in the last five years have lasted more than one hour; (b) how many banks have been involved in such disruptions in the last five years; and (c) what are the lessons learned from these disruptions.
Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam (for the Prime Minister)687 words
[+29 sentences]Mr Ang Wei Neng asked about major banking disruptions in the last five years and the lessons learned from these disruptions. Mr Desmond Choo1 raised a related question on DBS' recent second major disruption to its digital banking services and asked how the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has been working with the bank to identify and remedy its problems for the next Sitting. This response will cover the questions raised by both Mr Ang Wei Neng and Mr Desmond Choo. There are seven domestic systemically important banks (D-SIBs) in Singapore serving the bulk of our retail banking customers2. Disruptions to services provided by these banks can cause considerable inconvenience to the public. Since 2018, these seven banks have reported a total of 17 disruptions to their digital banking services that lasted more than one hour. The disruptions were mostly resolved within two to four hours. The root causes of these service disruptions are varied, ranging from lapses in managing system upgrades, to software bugs and misconfigurations, in digital banking systems as well as back-end systems and components. MAS requires banks to make every effort to ensure that customers have a high degree of access to their digital banking services and to maintain business continuity when systems malfunction. This means banks must ensure that their relevant information technology (IT) systems are robust; identify and remove single points of failure in their systems; put in place processes to promptly restore their systems following any IT disruption; and regularly validate the effectiveness of these processes. When banks fall short of MAS' expectations, they are required to identify the root cause of such lapses and take effective remedial actions. MAS also assesses the adequacy of banks' compliance with these requirements through regular on-site inspections and off-site reviews and any gaps are conveyed to the banks for immediate rectification. Relevant observations as well as lessons learnt from IT incidents are also shared through MAS advisories, regular dialogues and industry forums. In the case of DBS, there were two major disruptions over a period of 16 months, the first in November 2021 and the latest one in March 2023. Following the November 2021 incident, MAS directed DBS to appoint an independent expert to conduct a comprehensive review of the incident. The expert had conducted a thorough assessment of DBS' digital banking system resilience and the effectiveness and speed of its recovery actions. DBS has since undertaken measures to mitigate the identified gaps. The bank has committed to enhance the resilience of its digital banking system. It is focused on enhancing its access control architecture, by building in more redundancy, monitoring its key system components more closely and improving its system restoration processes. DBS has also committed to strengthen its in-house technical expertise to facilitate faster response to system issues. DBS was to complete the validation of these remediation actions and report its progress to MAS by July 2023. Despite these ongoing efforts, there was another prolonged and widespread disruption to DBS' digital banking services on 29 March 2023. In early April 2023, MAS directed DBS to conduct a fundamental assessment of the effectiveness and adequacy of the people, processes and technology supporting its digital banking services. DBS has since established a Special Independent Board Committee to oversee the investigation by qualified independent experts. While the cause of the March 2023 incident appears to be software bugs that are unrelated to the issues leading to the November 2021 disruption, the Special Independent Board Committee is overseeing a thorough investigation to determine if there are common underlying weaknesses that prevented a prompt recovery in both incidents. MAS will take the necessary supervisory actions against DBS following the completion of the independent review. Given the growing scale and complexity of banks' IT systems, we can nevertheless expect brief disruptions from time to time. When these disruptions do occur, banks must quickly identify the problem, swiftly restore access to their services and communicate effectively, clearly and transparently to affected customers. MAS will continue to work closely with the industry to ensure the resilience of banks' IT infrastructure, to maintain stability and trust in the banking system.
Clarification by Minister of State for Home Affairs›Correction by Written Statement3 turns · 272w
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Speaker not recorded55 words
[+1 sentence][(proc text) The following statement was made in the reply given by the Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) during Question Time for the combined questions on "Causes Behind Major Disruption to System at ICA Checkpoints on 31 March 2023" at the Sitting of 21 April 2023: (proc text)]
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim)148 words
[+4 sentences]21 travellers missed their flights, and these affected travellers were offered to rebook on alternative flights within a week at no extra cost. Of the 21 passengers who had missed their flights, 11 passengers rebooked their flights and departed on the same day, four passengers rebooked their flights and departed the next day, while another two passengers departed by land and two passengers remained in Singapore. I wish to make the following factual correction to the reply given during the Parliament Sitting of 21 April 2023. My reply should read as follows:
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim)69 words
[+2 sentences]21 travellers missed their flights, and these affected travellers were offered to rebook on alternative flights within a week at no extra cost. Of the 21 passengers who had missed their flights, 11 passengers rebooked their flights and departed on the same day, four passengers rebooked their flights and departed the next day on 1 April, while another four passengers departed by land and two passengers remained in Singapore
Clarification by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information›Correction by Written Statement3 turns · 186w
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Speaker not recorded48 words
[+1 sentence][(proc text) The following statement was made in the speech given by the Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary) during the response to the question on "Regulatory Framework for Artificial Intelligence Governance in Singapore" at the Sitting of 21 April 2023: (proc text)]
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary)113 words
[+4 sentences]Another tool is AI Verify, a self-testing framework and toolkit to demonstrate responsible deployment of AI. It has attracted the interest of over 500 companies. I wish to make the following factual correction to my statement made during the response to the question on "Regulatory Framework for Artificial Intelligence Governance in Singapore" at the Sitting of 21 April 2023. My statement should read as follows:
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary)25 words
[+2 sentences]Another tool is AI Verify, a self-testing framework and toolkit to demonstrate responsible deployment of AI. It has attracted the interest of over 50 companies.