Abdul Samad
Singapore
“Chairman, I would like to ask whether the Ministry does any uninformed surveillance across our restructured hospitals of any unfair practice or biases that takes place towards the healthcare workers, for both nurses and even allied health personnel, whose duty is to help clinicians diagnose patients by running necessary tests.”
“To all my fellow workers, let us continue to learn, unlearn and relearn skills so that your management finds it difficult and more challenging to release you. For employers, always look around internally and ask if you have done justice to our resident workforce with your ratio of locals to foreigners. Support for Mature PMEs”
“In order to prepare for this transformation, both the union and the management formed company training committees, followed by rallying and re-energising their workers in order to develop a strategically adept and proficient workforce.”
“In my personal view, the Government has arrived at a nice balance – granting homosexuals the space that they need through the repeal, while recognising and upholding the traditional definition of marriage through the constitutional amendments.”
“Let us not leave our twilight years to chance, but instead, we ensure that we remain healthy for ourselves and for our loved ones. (In English): Madam, many of us would acknowledge that good health is the real wealth.”
“In closing, I remind myself and all husbands of a hadith, or saying, of the Prophet: “The world is but an adornment, and the best adornment to the world are the pious and righteous wives.” (In English): Sir, each and every man must learn to respect and protect every woman with love and care as though they are part of your family members.”
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“Once again, do not forget to join the union because for the union – members first, workers always. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“This call has been made repeatedly by Members of the House and I hope that it will not be taken lightly. Another worrying area is students doing internships at hospitals who are not getting any allowances but are doing work similar to the staff, which can be classified as free labour. I used to doubt such practices in the past when I heard about it, but reality hit me when my own daughter experienced it when she was did an internship at Sengkang Hospital in 2020. Hence, I call on the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and MOH to review this practice and disallow this sort of free labour to be practiced in Singapore. If the above practice is not stopped, it could hinder young Singaporeans from joining this meaningful sector. We need more young Singaporeans to join this sector as we prepare for an ageing population. New hospitals are being built and they appreciate the efforts of my fellow union brothers and sisters from HSEU and SMMWU who are working with management partners to upskill their members and workers for the advanced mode of today's work and preparing for the future. Please also ensure that our workers who have gone through such training will have better wages and better work prospects than before. (In English): Once again, I call on the relevant parties to remind ourselves about the importance of this group of healthcare workers and doctors, and never be shy to appreciate and say thank you to them whenever you visit hospitals, both restructured and private, polyclinics and even neighbour clinics. On behalf of all my fellow leaders from the Labour Movement, we would like to thank you for your efforts to look out for our families, friends and fellow Singaporeans.”
“On the lighter note, I do understand the ongoing tripartite efforts around the protection and prevention of abuse and harassment of our fellow healthcare workers. More severe action must be taken against any such abuse towards our healthcare workers, regardless of the magnitude. Please allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In our journey towards preparing for an ageing population, we ramped up our healthcare plans inclusive of fellow healthcare workers. Equipping the current ones with new knowledge and skillsets is vital in view of job demands and labour shortage. We need trained and caring healthcare workers to look out and take care of our ageing Singaporeans, both in hospitals and community homes. This job requires not just physical strength but also demands mental toughness when faced with difficult patients and challenging caregivers. As mentioned in my English speech earlier, there were, are and will be challenges for all of us. Please note that there are two unions, HSEU and SMMWU, that are your voices to hear and speak for you about your workplace challenges. Join them if you had not! Your unions are aware of your workplace challenges and will try their very best to advocate for your interest ranging from workplace matters to the provision of other welfare benefits. Do not be shy to provide feedback because I know that my union brothers and sisters will always to be there for you. Amongst the challenges are long working hours for those on shift, fatigue from extended hours, demanding patients and caregivers, and a salary that should be reflective of the workload, not just during crisis. I am appealing to MOH to seriously look into shift working hours at hospitals and not wait for an unwanted incident to take place.”
“I do not think you will cripple the hospitals' or MOH's finances to grant an allowance to these students as they are working in the real world, not in school. I call on the Ministry or hospitals to review this immediately and not make subject our students to free labour. Let us not make our children, the workforce of the future, a source of free labour for today. We should not be perpetuating such practices. Madam, as Singapore builds more restructured hospitals across the island, that means there will be more job opportunities. This will mean healthcare workers may be able to relocate to their preferred hospitals near their homes, or get better pay, or even both. Are we prepared for the pipeline of Singaporeans wanting to work in this healthcare sector, especially the young ones? While we remain open to foreign healthcare workers to help supplement our resident workforce, what are the steps in place to ensure that there will be sufficient Singaporeans to be the core of our healthcare workers? The above concern also represents a few of the many concerns that were shared with me by my fellow brothers and sisters in the unions. While much have been said for those at hospitals, let us not forget the healthcare workers at our neighbourhood polyclinics. The stress that they face at work is equivalent to those working in hospitals. Based on my interaction, some have highlighted that they hoped polyclinics operate strictly on appointments as they still see many walk-ins even when appointments are already full. This really stretches them and even the doctors there. Separately, there are those that hope that polyclinic operations can soon be reduced to a five-day work week upon review of operating hours.”
“Accordingly, I appeal to the Ministry to clearly have a team to independently observe the shift rosters that the healthcare workers are assigned. Let us not wait until an unforeseen incident happens before we start to investigate. We need to ensure that shift rosters pay close attention to rest time in between, as we need physically alert workers at all times to attend to patients and support doctors. I feel strongly for this because my daughter is one of the thousands of healthcare workers. I have witnessed first-hand the long working hours that she has had to go through during her past 10 years at Sengkang Hospital. Sometimes, I feel that it is not about the corporate shift policy, but the line managers who plan the rosters who may be biased toward their preferred choice of workers. She left recently and also shared with me that about half of her colleagues in the same team had also left much earlier. She is now embarking on the new journey at a new workplace. Ironically, prior to that, she was an intern in that same hospital in 2020 during her final year of studies in Republic Polytechnic. I was shocked then to hear that she received zero allowance during her internship. I did not raise this flag earlier as I was still doing my checks with my close friends within the sector. While doing my checks, I then recall this same issue was raised many years earlier at some dialogue sessions, and incidentally, my daughter also suffered the same fate. I would like to ask if MOH is aware of such situations where interns are not compensated for their labour. Let us not paint internships like another day at school. It is not and will never be the same between academic and work experiences.”
“Just like myself in the power industry, it is only when there are tariff hikes or power failures that we start to realise the importance of a stable and reliable power supply which we have taken for granted in our daily lives. Do not be ashamed to deny this reality in this real world. Madam, this House debated quite at length last year on the topic of Healthier SG. Many good suggestions and ideas were proposed by all in this Chamber for us to remind ourselves on leading a healthier lifestyle. While the focus was on developing healthy lifestyle, we should not forget the efforts of those who help us to develop healthier lifestyles, namely, our healthcare workers. Let us be aware of the challenges faced by the healthcare workers, including those by our administrative and support staff, not just doctors and nurses who are facing patients directly. Let us not forget the equally critical roles of those supporting at various other departments like radiology, pathology and more. This, then, brings me to focus on the welfare of healthcare workers now and preparing the future generation to serve in this industry. Prior to this Sitting, I reached out to not just the two unions, but also current friends in my network, as well as fellow Singaporeans, who observed first-hand the hard work of our healthcare workers. We acknowledge that while the Ministry has done their part to better support this group of workers via the hospitals' management, there are still areas that can be further improved like shift work, wages and more. I would like to touch on shift rosters and, in fact, note that the Ministry has repeatedly stated that it does not regulate such rosters and leaves the same to the hospitals' management teams.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, it is difficult to speak after two doctors who are experts in their fields. Nevertheless, I thank fellow NMP Dr Tan Yia Swam for allowing me to take part in the team rising this Motion. As I represent the voices of the working people, there are two main areas that my speech will focus on, namely, the welfare of healthcare workers and the challenges of enticing young Singaporeans to embark on a career in the healthcare sector – they are the future of our healthcare workforce. For a start, I would like to share with this House that the Healthcare Services Employees Union (HSEU) and the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers' Union (SMMWU), which represent nurses, allied health professionals and support staff, collectively have a membership strength of more than 35,000 members. We call on those who are not members yet to quickly join the unions. The reason is simple. Unions will not just represent your voice at the workplace, but will also be your voice for a reason. While the healthcare industry is not within my purview, I have nonetheless reached out to the leaders of both HSEU and SMMWU to get their feedback on their members' concerns challenges and aspirations, both in the near- and the long-term future. With the recent pandemic, we realise how much our healthcare workers are doing for Singapore behind the scenes. Indeed, the hours are long and from time to time, they are on the receiving end of abuse by families of the patients. The question is, why should it take a pandemic only for us to realise the importance of healthcare workers? Why do we need a pandemic to learn how to appreciate them? Sadly, this is a reality of life. It is only in periods of crises that we know the importance of these frontline workers.”
“Chairman, I would like to ask whether the Ministry does any uninformed surveillance across our restructured hospitals of any unfair practice or biases that takes place towards the healthcare workers, for both nurses and even allied health personnel, whose duty is to help clinicians diagnose patients by running necessary tests. The welfare of healthcare workers and even doctors, starts from management of the hospitals, from the CEO down to line managers. As fellow Singaporeans, we must never be shy to thank and appreciate them. We should not condone any forms of abuse towards them and penalise those who cross that line unnecessarily! In conclusion, thank you to all our healthcare workers and doctors every time and everywhere! Better Protect Healthcare Workers”
“Chairman, the topic of retirement adequacy has been attracting attention and interest among our fellow workers, from the young to the golden generation. I appreciate the Government stepping up their efforts to ensure that our workers have enough for their basic retirement sum when they reach 55 years old. At this juncture, I would like to appeal to our Government, Government-linked companies or even Temasek-linked companies, that are doing well to continue with their 17% contribution instead of reducing it when their workers reach the age of 55 years old. This will certainly help our workers CPF savings and make this as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). Can the Ministry share as of December 2022, how many Singaporeans have reached the respective Basic, Full and Enhanced Retirement Sums? How many actually take up the Enhanced Retirement Sum when they reach 55? How many Singaporeans have actually put their property as a provision to match the difference between the Basic and Full Enhanced Retirement Sums so that they can cash out at the age of 55? For every Singaporean, we dream to retire with enough wealth for our retirement years with income and good health as a serious matter. Once again, I strongly believe our fellow Singaporeans look forward to such support of not to reduce CPF contributions at the age of 55 for those that are doing well.”
“To all my fellow workers, let us continue to learn, unlearn and relearn skills so that your management finds it difficult and more challenging to release you. For employers, always look around internally and ask if you have done justice to our resident workforce with your ratio of locals to foreigners. Support for Mature PMEs”
“Chairman, I would like to make a call for all employers to make and ensure our Singaporeans become the Core of the total workforce. Our education system is considered one of the best in the world and we must be worried if this does not lead to job opportunities for them. Aside from our high standards of education system, we also have many adult training centres that should be able to equip our resident workforce with the required necessary skillsets. Employers should be receptive to Singaporeans who fall short of required skills but make use of the relevant funding support such as the Career Support Programme (CSP) and the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) that are provided by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). This support scheme allows an employer to received funding support from Government to recruit our resident workforce into their company while going through the relevant training to acquire the new skillsets for the new jobs. When NTUC launched Worker 4.0, it was aimed at transforming our resident workforce by going through trainings in three broad areas: Adaptability, Technological and Technical. The use of technology has started even before COVID-19 struck the world. With COVID-19, it only accelerated the use of technology at the workplace. I would like to remind and appeal to employers and management that it is humans that created technology and technology makes jobs easier and better. We should not make technology replace our workers but rather encourage our workers to embrace technology during their course of work for better outcomes. Employers should identify training providers that can provide technological knowledge for their workforce at both their and their workers' convenience. Do engage NTUC Learning Hub, whose theme is to "learn anytime and anywhere".”
“In order to prepare for this transformation, both the union and the management formed company training committees, followed by rallying and re-energising their workers in order to develop a strategically adept and proficient workforce. UPAGE leaders will press on to advocate for our members' rights and long-term employability, in an efficient and a productive way. So, would the Minister for Trade and Industry who takes care of the energy industry, please do not disappoint us. Empowering Trade Associations and Chambers”
“Hence, it would not burn a big hole in MTI's pockets to reward us. Chairman, the workers in this industry have gone through and overcome many changes and challenges together. Our next big thing is getting our fellow workers ready for new skill sets required for the new energy solutions. Calling and rallying workers to attend training is never an easy feat. In 2018, when SP Group embarked on Project Fusion, which meant future skills in everyone, my fellow union leaders and me, were given sarcastic remarks and bombarded by members and workers. We were labelled as pro-management. However, we believed in this project as it was meant to prepare our workforce for the job roles of tomorrow and the future. The training focuses on technological and technical fronts. With such focus, it will result in higher value-add jobs and meaningful careers leading to better wages, work prospects and welfare. Our leaders led by example and stepped forward earlier to attend the designated courses and progressively brought everyone on board. I am humble to share that we have succeeded in rallying 3,500 workers in acquiring new skills and achieved over 800,000 training hours. Amongst them, 200 workers have completed upskilling programmes and are applying their newly acquired skills in their new jobs. Importantly, management reciprocated by revising their wages after certain periods into their new job roles. We will not stop here but will continue to press on. Another example is City Energy, previously known as CityGas, who have decided to expand their business and move into new energy solutions, like green hydrogen and electric vehicles charging.”
“Chairman, I want to record my appreciation to all my fellow workers in the power and gas industry for their tireless efforts to keep and ensure our lights on and the gas keeps flowing for our homes and businesses at all times, with or without COVID-19. Our fellow workers regularly face brunt from the public whenever price hike is announced. When we, as workers, do not even have control over the price. As a General-Secretary of Union of Power and Gas Employees, in short UPAGE, we represent about 6,000 workers in this industry, ranging from technicians, technical officers, engineers, admin assistants, managers, and even chief executive officers (CEOs). Our strong tripartism model also involves having regular discussions with the Energy Market Authority (EMA) led by their CEO. Chairman, prior to today, my fellow members have been pestering me for any recognition or even monetary awards from the Government, just like our healthcare workers, for their efforts to ensure highly reliable electricity and gas supplies during the COVID-19 period. We all know our hospitals are equipped with many highly sophisticated machines and needs highly reliable electricity and gas supplies for them to operate efficiently. Have we ever imagined how it will turn out if we have power failure that would have failed the machines in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic? Our workers also work round the clock but observed that we are hardly mentioned nor fairly rewarded. Hence, I am humbly appealing to the Minister to consider rewarding our workers for their efforts just as the Ministry of Health did for their healthcare workers earlier in November 2021. Our power and gas industry workforce is not as large as that in the healthcare industry.”
“Chairman, I am heartened by Minister's response to my Parliamentary Question on the subject matter for vocation and choice for our NSFs. The examples he shared ranges from air defence, artillery, intelligence, island defence signals and transport. This certainly makes the NS period more meaningful for Singaporeans who got their vocation choices, instead of dragging their soles to report back to camp during the duration of NS. I am speaking on this from my own personal experience in the past when I served my NS. Can Minister enlighten if any NSFs have decided to pursue a career in MINDEF when they were posted to their choice vocation? What is the probability of NSFs having a career in combat as compared to non-combat related? With regard to transport that was mentioned in his response, does this include engine technicians or the equivalent? What kind of career can the NSF look forward to, should they choose to be in engineering as compared to combat? Finally, does MINDEF provides any Work-Study Diploma opportunity for NSF enlistees that come from Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs)? I believe that the sophisticated combat vehicles can entice young Singaporeans to take the opportunity to have hands-on experience in the engines of such vehicles. Expertise-based Redeployment”
“On a personal note, I have friends who work as postmen and technical officers but manage to start a family with six to 12 children, still with the same one wife and residing in an HDB flat. This is because there is adequate Government support to ensure that every child gets the necessary assistance from childhood until they finish school at the tertiary level. Have faith that every child is a blessing. Do not just stop at two children. If possible, have at least three children. The more the merrier, and Singapore will not have to go through the trouble of finding outside talent in the future. (In English): Sir, before I conclude my speech, I would like to put forward four requests based on the conversations I had with a group of young union leaders. Will the support for those living in bigger HDB houses be reviewed based on income and number of dependants instead of just annual value of the house? While there are measures to support people with physical disabilities, will the Government also support families who have children with hidden disabilities like Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as these are equally challenging scenarios? Will the extended childcare leave of two days per year be extended to parents who have children above 12 years of age, perhaps till the child completes secondary school? Will there be additional support for families with more than two children and with their parents staying with them? In conclusion, the Labour Movement will continue to support our fellow members and workers because Every Worker Matters. Speaker Sir, I am thankful and support the Budget. [Applause.]”
“] This year's Budget signifies the Government's promise to help Singaporeans cope with the cost of living, raise families, empower Singaporean workers, and most importantly, to take all Singaporeans towards a new direction. This year's support is rather unique because the Government is focusing on efforts to expand the available support by increasing its amount appropriately. In fact, the Government also promised to continue monitoring both the economy and our people and is willing to render more support if the situation requires it. This can be seen last year when additional assistance was given to the people in their Assurance Package. But we must acknowledge the challenges faced by Singaporeans working in the platform industry who need to make CPF contributions. This is a responsible measure to ensure that such workers possess enough savings to own a home and secure their retirement later. Let us not see this step as an obstruction to one’s livelihood. Instead, it displays responsibility on the part of the Government. Many within our community, I believe, have the qualifications and capabilities that enable them to secure permanent employment. If it this is not the case, we should redouble our efforts in upskilling to secure permanent employment opportunities that are available. There are many Government support schemes that enable you to undergo training and acquire the necessary skills so that you can seize the available job opportunities. For Singaporeans who are newly married and intend to start a family, there are many support schemes available and the amount has been increased in this latest Budget. I would like to remind everyone that there is adequate support to raise a family and you should not worry.”
“Sir, training is fundamental for every worker to learn, unlearn and relearn skills that add value to them as individual and for their employers. Under the guidance of our Secretary-General, brother Ng Chee Meng, we envision the model, Worker 4.0. This model targets the training needs of every worker based on three broad areas, namely, adaptability, technology and training. With our workers attending the relevant training lessons and applying their new skillsets, we hope to achieve the wins for our workers; and also strive for better wages, welfare and work prospects. To achieve this mission, NTUC embarks on what we called the Company Training Committees (CTCs). This training is not just business as usual, but new skills to transform the workforce to meet the new business demands. The recently announced Jobs-Skills Integrators model is one that I really welcome and wholeheartedly support. It requires an intermediary body like NTUC to ensure that training benefits both workers and employers. After our workers attend the training, we hope and strive that workers will progressively achieve the "three Ws", while employers get better skilled workers. This would also make training more meaningful and not just clocking the hours and collecting allowances. Hence, I remind myself and call on fellow workers to learn, unlearn and relearn the skills to broaden your knowledge that will increase your value at current workplace. Do not miss out to seize any opportunities for growth and self-improvement that come with better pay and work prospects. Allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Besides standing up for the rights of our workers, how many of us can recall when NTUC volunteered to administer the Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) for self-employed personnel (SEP), where eligible individuals received a total of $9,000 from the Government? Many of the NTUC-Affiliated Unions and Associations (NTUC-ARU) staff and industrial relations officers were activated and mobilised to man the centres at Devan Nair Institute, One Marina Boulevard and Downtown East to assist our SEP in their claim submissions while in need. Also, let us not forget our social enterprise NTUC Club which supported our nation through the COVID-19 crisis practically and housed our affected COVID-19 patients. Sir, we must not take the peace and harmony in the employment front for granted. It took years of painful lessons to achieve what we have today. On this note, I want to record my appreciation for all my fellow union leaders for all your hard work at the workplace. Concurrently, I encourage all management partners to increase your appreciation for our union leaders in your company and industry. The peaceful and harmonious industrial relations that we experience today did not happen by chance, but only through the efforts, and sacrifices of our union leaders. Not forgetting also, I would like to thank the NTUC staff for their tireless support and efforts in going the extra mile to support the administration for the SIRS scheme and other schemes that NTUC rolls out for members and workers. While there is no doubt that NTUC and our unions have been the voice of workers, we will not and never rest on our laurels. We recognise the need for continuous training and upskilling of our workers, so that they will be skilled, efficient and productive contributors to Singapore.”
“I call upon on workers to reach out to your union leaders, join the union, be part of this family of the Labour Movement as we will always be alongside you because for us, "Members First, Workers Always". Sir, our recent battle against COVID-19 is not just purely about saving lives. It is also about ensuring that the livelihoods and dignity of our fellow Singaporeans are protected and being ready to step forward quickly to help workers when they face any issues or unfair practices at the workplace. One such example that I would like to highlight is the unfair retrenchment exercise carried out by Eagle Services Asia in July 2020. Our union leaders from the aerospace and aviation industry conducted a secret ballot to sanction legal industrial action against the company. Another example is concerning our security officers who were often subjected to verbal and physical abuse. Our leaders from the Union of Security Employees (USE) played a very active role to step in whenever they hear of such cases and ensure the perpetrators are dealt with by the respective authorities. Many of us remember recent cases such as the one where a luxury car driver had injured a security officer stationed at a primary school, or another, where a security officer was assaulted in a lift at a condominium located in Bukit Batok. For these two cases, USE made their presence felt and extended support for the affected officers even by helping to lodge Police reports. We are grateful that the perpetrators for these cases have since been charged in Court. This are just few examples of our unions in action.”
“I have had the privilege to get to know and work alongside many senior leaders in my short span of 16 years as a unionist to ensure that our members in the represented group of companies are rewarded fairly and well taken care of. Like myself, this group of people are not chosen by the management. Rather, we made the conscious choice to volunteer, or are volunteered by fellow workers, to be their voices at the workplace. Unionists are ever ready to represent their members in any instances of workplace grievances or issues relating to unfair practices. Cases are primarily settled amicably with management partners at the earliest possible moment. However, when the situation warrants, cases will then be escalated to either MOM or the Industrial Arbitration Court (IAC). With the presence of union leaders, I can attest and assure that such cases are few and far between. At this juncture, I would like to call on MPs who are advisors to our unions to consistently engage with them so as to hear, understand and feel first-hand the challenges faced by my fellow union leaders, especially when dealing with unsupportive and stubborn management partners. I strongly believe that you can value-add to the respective unions. I say this with the benefit of hindsight when I presented the case to our advisor and he exerted his influence over the management partners, hence ensuring that our workers were treated with dignity. This particular MP has since retired, but I will never forget his commitment to be by the side of the union leaders when we needed him most. This is just one of the few incidents that I have personally experienced. I also believe many other union leaders have had similar experiences like me.”
“Sir, prior to who I am today, I admit that I belonged to the group of Singaporeans that always complained that the Government was not providing sufficient support for our citizens, especially the middle-income group. As cliché as it sounds, all changed in 2004 when I had an exchange with my colleague on income tax matters. I was unaware that I could offset my income tax payment with the Parenthood Tax rebates. After writing to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to seek clarification and further advice, I was shocked and beyond overjoyed to see that previous payments for my income tax were credited back to my bank account within a month. Since then, I started to acknowledge and appreciate more, as the Government does support fellow Singaporeans in a fair and responsible manner. Curiosity got the better of me and the rest is history as I stepped into the shoes of a union leader, to be an advocate and voice for all workers, representing their interests in the areas of wages, welfare and work prospects. Since then, it has been an enriching and fulfilling journey, and I have not looked back. The group of people that I would like to give special mention to is none other than my fellow unionists. Many take this group for granted and often overlook their contributions. Unions are one part of what we call tripartism. This model is unique only to Singapore due to the strong collaboration between all three parties – unions, Government and employers – to achieve a common outcome of harmonious labour management relations resulting in better wages, welfare and work prospects for Singaporeans.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on behalf of my fellow union leaders, members and working people, I would like to express our appreciation for the various support measures – from mitigating rising costs through the Assurance Package, supporting Singaporean housing aspirations and my personal favourite item – piloting the Jobs-Skills Integrators. This would certainly make training more meaningful for both workers and employers. The enhancements to the existing schemes reflect the Government's continuous commitment to support Singaporeans. For example, the $300 CDC vouchers can now be used at participating supermarkets in addition to heartland merchants and hawkers. This is over and above what we have received recently. As the sole breadwinner of my family with three children over the age of 20, I have always been receiving various forms of support, ranging from subsidised school fees for my children, U-Save rebates and many more. Nonetheless, the Budget is not a "one-size-fits-all" and there will always be voices of unhappiness and complaints that the amount of support is not enough. Regardless, I have picked up this catchy phrase from my fellow technical officer – "life goes on!" Sir, the focus areas in my last two Budget debates were about strengthening our Singaporean workforce and providing support for the middle-income group. Today, I will reiterate on the former with a focus on desired outcomes for workers. But before that, I would like to give special mention to a group of fellow Singaporeans who sacrifice their personal time and commitments to be the heart of the Labour Movement by serving working people at workplaces. I will share more about their selfless contributions shortly.”
“Public housing should be made a priority for our people who can afford it and are eligible for ownership. We should make use of the support provided by the various Government grants. We must believe that the Government will always strive to make public housing affordable for all levels of society. Individuals, couples and families must make their own financial calculations and assessments before opting to buy a house. If the location of our dreams is beyond our means, we should be open to searching and buying a house that we can afford. The journey towards public housing ownership requires time and planning. Let us not take the easy way out and blame the policies without finding out what has been provided by the Government. Be fair to those who have been working hard in MND and HDB, who are constantly monitoring and making changes to ensure that Singaporeans can afford their own homes. (In English): Sir, our home is a place to stay and also an asset for our golden years. We have to acknowledge that public housing policies have helped thousands of families to own a house of their own as long as they choose a size and location that is within their financial means. This, in my view, is the correct approach to take as it strikes a nice balance between ensuring the public housing is affordable from the Government's end while encouraging Singaporeans to save and spend prudently within their means as responsible citizens. On this note, I hereby strongly support this Motion by Minister Desmond Lee to affirm that public housing is affordable and accessible for our Singaporeans. [Applause.]”
“This example is not just unique to me. I am sure there are many Singaporeans out there shared the same experience. In fact, I have heard of many, including my fellow Members, who have upgraded from public housing to staying in private apartments or even some landed homes. For the record, these are not necessarily high earners. Some are even normal working people like myself with stable job and progressive income over the years. I appreciate Mr Leong Mun Wai's efforts in providing a big breakdown of the amount required to own a new home yesterday. However, it will be more useful for Mr Leong and his team to, likewise, provide examples of fellow Singaporeans who have profited from the sale of their HDB for the purchase of private properties so that a more balanced view is canvassed. Sir, we need to be truthful on the real challenges and help to find solutions by helping to create more awareness, rather than planting doubts in our fellow Singaporeans in owning a home. Let us not take away the efforts of our fellow Singaporean policy makers in MND and HDB who monitor and review housing policies regularly with a view to making public housing affordable and accessible since our Independence till now and even in the future. Allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support the Motion on the affordability of public housing for Singaporeans. Lately, we have heard many people expressing their concern over housing prices that keep increasing. However, we should acknowledge that there are housing grants being made available to the people. This will alleviate the burden of debt, and the price of the flat is discounted after deducting the grant amount.”
“Practically, this also includes their choice of flat ranging between 2-room and 5-room flats, depending on the couple’s financial ability. Government grants of up to $80,000 for new flats while generous amount of up to $160,000 for resale flats are also available where applicable. If an individual’s choice of home in terms of size and location does not match their financial capability, it does not automatically mean that public housing is not affordable. Take myself as an example. My wife and I were hoping to stay near my in-laws in Toa Payoh when we married and wanted to settle down in 1999. However, prices in Toa Payoh were high considering it being a central location and popular estate. We considered purchasing a new flat but the long waiting time deterred us from doing so. As such, we discussed and identified possible areas with 5-room flats within our financial means. We finally set our roots in Yishun, which was just a 15-minue walk to near Northpoint. In short, we got our 5-room within our means, accessible to many amenities and best of all, many primary and secondary schools, all within 10 minutes of walking distance. We are also thankful for the grant extended to us, which was at that time was a mere $35,000. We stayed in our matrimonial home for five years and have since moved a couple of times before settling down at our current jumbo-sized home in Woodlands. This may or may not be my final residence as our needs change as we age and we may not need a large space in the future. Over the course of the years, we had on certain occasions lost monies in particular transactions and profited at a later stage. However, on balance, we have earned some monies through the sale and purchase of our homes which will be used for our retirement.”
“Mr Speaker, on a personal note, I have never experienced a BTO flat before in my four times of shifting but I can affirm resale prices were affordable during my 20 years of shifting houses. Hence, I rise in support and agree that public housing in Singapore is indeed affordable and accessible. It is also an asset for many young Singaporeans, who either wish to live there for the foreseeable future until their lifestyle needs have shifted; or live there for the long term. Accessibility to and ownership of a HDB flat is a key factor in determining whether young couples wish to settle down and start families in Singapore. The negative public sentiment against the rising cost of public housing is not new and has been there for some time and also the recent hike in resale prices. This we know is mainly due to supply and demand for houses especially within the mature estates which are usually more popular. However, it is unfair to say that public housing is unaffordable as prices are determined through a negotiation process between sellers and buyers. In fact, a valuation process is required by HDB for every sale to take place. The sentiments on public housing varies based on the engagements that I have had with my fellow union leaders, members and workers. Their two main concerns are the waiting time for BTO flats and the price of resale flats. Another concern to note is the quality of workmanship of the new BTO flats. From my exchange with them, we acknowledge that new BTO flats are affordable as long as buyers choose locations that they can afford, with or without opting to utilise the available grants. This accords with the principle that we should live and spend within our means.”
“In my personal view, the Government has arrived at a nice balance – granting homosexuals the space that they need through the repeal, while recognising and upholding the traditional definition of marriage through the constitutional amendments. In closing, I echo what our Prime Minster said at the National Day Rally that we must maintain the mutual respect and trust that we have painstakingly built up over the years and stay united as one united people. I stand by and support the decision to repeal section 377A as well as amendment to the Constitution because Every Human Matters! I also call on fellow workers and employers to treat every worker equally regardless of their gender, because Every Worker Matters!”
“We are all aware of the emergence of such groups and it is a grave concern for our society, present and future. The repeal can be seen as a minor success for this group. Is it possible that in the future they will continue to make more demands based on equal rights for all in society? Will the Government also support and allow the same thing, just as it does now? There is nothing wrong with expressing concerns, but we must accept that the world belongs to all of creation including humans, fauna, mountains, flora and countless others. This group of people are also human beings just like us. We should rightfully share the vastness of this world with all of God's creations. Let us not alienate them, just because of their sexual preferences. Let us spread kindness to all humankind and recognise the challenges that they face. They never asked to be that way, but we who claim to be of sound mind and body should take up the role of advising and sharing with them the natural state of life. Let us cultivate respect, instead of being judgmental, based on our own different opinions, positions, and beliefs. We must avoid spreading slanders that can divide our society. The harmonious cohesion that we built over the years that is founded on mutual respect must be maintained and strengthened. United we stand, divided we fall! (In English): Sir, I am sure that the repeal of section 377A will bring some form of relief and comfort to those who have previously felt oppressed by the same – in knowing that our societal norms have shifted and we, as a society, are ready to accept and grant them the space needed.”
“Nevertheless, I am glad that this issue is canvassed before us presently, as such a law which has far reaching implications on Singapore’s family structure and societal norms should be decided by Parliament, which has the people’s mandate, and not the Courts, which only interpret and apply the laws passed by Parliament. At this same juncture, I applaud the Government’s decision of introducing Article 156 into our Constitution. Article 156(2) provides that the Government and public authorities may, in exercising their executive authority, protect, safeguard, support, foster and promote the institution of marriage. This is wholly consistent with what most Singaporeans want – which is to maintain the current family and social norms, where marriage is between a man and a woman, and children are brought up in such a family structure. We hope that the existing measures, such as public housing policies and financial benefits for married couples, as well as education and media policies continue to promote and safeguard the institution of marriage. Sir, I will now speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, our discussions on the repeal of Section 377 and amendments to the National Constitution have gained the attention of our citizens, regardless of race or religion. Many have expressed their concerns about the impact on our way of life if Section 377 is repealed. Sadly, not many people have given equal attention to the Constitutional Amendment through the addition of Article 156 which clarifies and strengthens the definition of marriage and family. Many are asking whether the Government agrees with the actions of such groups to the point that it acknowledges and gives in to their demands.”
“Prime Minister Lee also mentioned during his National Day Rally Speech that the Attorney-General and the Minister for Law have advised that in a future Court challenge, there is a real risk of section 377A being struck down. Sir, our union members and fellow workers are also residents of the Members of Parliament here. They, too, shared their concerns with me either in person, over calls, messages or even emails. I have received emails from multiple individuals and groups calling for the retention of section 377A. This view is commonly held by more conservative and/or religious groups as they are concerned with what the repeal of section 377A represents – that there would be an erosion of family values and the traditional definition that marriage is between a man and woman could be challenged. There is also another view that the Government should not intervene nor police private and sexual behaviours between consenting adults. Accordingly, it should be removed from our books, especially if the Government would not actively enforce it. With all being said, I hope the Government can enlighten laypersons like myself on the relevant processes for legislative and policy reforms. Under what circumstances would the Court be empowered to strike down the laws passed by Parliament? What can be done by Parliament to avoid the striking down of the laws? Should the matter be canvassed before Parliament for Parliament to consider repealing the same first? What is the difference between these two processes? Can an infographic illustrate these processes to make it easier for people out there to understand?”
“Mr Speaker, Prime Minister Lee first announced in his National Day Rally Speech in August 2022 that section 377A would be repealed. Since then, this matter has been deeply debated by members of the public as well as Members of this House. Based on my interactions with my friends, colleagues, union leaders and members, I have gathered that there are sentiments of worry and unhappiness amongst Singaporeans on this topic, despite the many engagement sessions carried out earlier involving various groups of leaders and fellow Singaporeans. We have heard today and yesterday from more than 20 Members of Parliament and Nominated Members of Parliament on this thorny and sensitive subject matter. I am heartened by the passion and conviction of the various speeches by the Members of this house and their commitment to safeguard the natural institution of marriage and family structure, as reiterated by many. On the other hand, I am also comforted, knowing that we are according the necessary space to those who had previously felt oppressed by the existence of section 377A in our books. I would like to thank both Minister Masagos for his explanation on the implications of the insertion of a new Article 156 into our Constitution with regards to marriage as well as Minister Shanmugam's explanation on the importance of repealing section 377A in this House instead of being struck down by the Court. In fact, many in our society may not have known that prior to this announcement, there have been constitutional challenges filed in Court against section 377A on the basis that it violates the Constitution.”
“Let us not leave our twilight years to chance, but instead, we ensure that we remain healthy for ourselves and for our loved ones. (In English): Madam, many of us would acknowledge that good health is the real wealth. It is one where we can enjoy benefits of our hard work, instead of sacrificing our savings and wealth to pay for our medical costs. Let us work together to eat healthier food and adopt a healthy lifestyle so that we can all achieve our mission towards a Healthier SG. In conclusion, I support this Motion.”
“Madam, I will speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] This Motion, that calls us to strive towards a healthier society, is the right move. It will help us to achieve a healthier life compared to a situation where we have to suffer in pain, regardless of whether we are young or old. Among the challenges that our society faces are diabetes and being overweight, just like me, which can lead to various other diseases. However, this must be changed from early on. We must gradually change our eating habits that always crave for sugary drinks and fatty food, so that we will choose less sugary drinks and healthier food, as well as consume lesser portions. I have personally witnessed family members, relatives and friends who had to live in pain at a young age, as early as their thirties, suffering from various diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and so on. There is an Arabian proverb which says that every disease has its cure except death, but that does not mean that we should let ourselves go until we get sick, and then we start to get medication. It is certainly very challenging to change our unhealthy habits into healthy ones. However, we must accept that this change is meant for our own good. We also do not want to trouble our children when we get old, whereby, they need to take care of their sick parents and have difficulty leading their own lives. Let our old age be full of healthy activities, such as playing with our grandchildren and taking care of them, being able to walk to the mosque and so on. All these can be achieved by ensuring that we lead a healthy life from a young age. It is true that death can happen at any age, but a healthy and active body and mind will be more beneficial for us.”
“In addition to this, UPAGE started to provide additional subsidy since 2018 to encourage our members to go for additional testing during their health screening. This subsidy ranges from $50 to $100 per member, depending on the cost of additional tests that our members would like to take. We are pleased to share that we have supported more than 2,200 members with a total subsidy of more than $150,000 as of today and we intend to reach out to more members. We are only able to do this because of our close partners' strong support and generosity for workers in the power sector. Please note that this subsidy applies to UPAGE members only, not for all. With so many support measures and subsidy provisions, I always believe that the union membership fee would be beneficial to all, if not many. Hence, I would call on the Ministry to acknowledge and work together with the Labour Movement and our affiliated unions as one of your community partners to reach out, engage and encourage our fellow workers to strive for a healthy lifestyle. This will then align with the Government's vision of Healthier SG. At this juncture, I would like to put forward four requests to the Ministry. First, can the Ministry provide a guide on the kind of medical checks that everyone should prioritise for their own well-being at different age groups? Next, can the Ministry provide more designated centres for our fellow Singaporeans to do their health screening? Can the Ministry also allow an individual to use their MediSave for additional medical checks that they want to do for their own well-being? Finally, can the Ministry provide an enhanced infographic that not only states the risk of poor health but one that instils the importance of starting a healthy lifestyle at a very young age?”
“Minimally, we encourage our management partners to provide regular complimentary health screening for our members and workers. Regular health screening is critical to identify any symptoms of sickness that each worker has, and they could then be provided with the necessary early intervention measures before the sickness worsens. While providing these complimentary health screenings looks simple, mobilising and encouraging workers to take part is never an easy task. There were times when some management partners wanted to discontinue this, due to the low take-up rates, but our union leaders rejected strongly and worked with management partners, to maximise outreach efforts to increase and optimise participation. Allow me to share some examples of two unions that have gone beyond what their management partners do for their workers. First, is the Union of Security Employees, in short, USE, which has set up a healthcare advisory booth provided by the HPB at their customer service centre for any member to walk in and request for assistance. These members take the opportunity to know and understand health advisories while waiting for their turn to be called up. Another example is one of mine, the Union of Power and Gas Employees, in short, UPAGE. We started this movement many years ago with one of our management partners. Initially, our members were offered $50 if they chose not to take any medical leave for the year. We have replaced that with an annual health screening worth close to $150. We are happy to share that most of our represented companies today provide basic complimentary health screening for our workers either at their workplace or at a designated healthcare or medical centre to provide that flexibility for the workers.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, as a union leader and representative of fellow workers, I rise in support of this Motion to drive towards Healthier Singapore. This Motion clearly emphasises the need for and the importance of living healthily to start at a young age. This will then pave the way for healthy daily living and mobility as we grow old to enjoy the fruits of our hard work during our early age. Furthermore, unions also want to ensure that our fellow workers can continue working beyond the retirement age, knowing that one of the criteria is about the medical condition of the worker. My speech today will cover the role of unions in strongly focusing on preventive care and building strong partnerships with community partners to support our fellow workers who are taking care of their own health and wellness. Madam, I am not sure how many in this House or members of the public know the complete suite of benefits our unions provide in supporting our fellow workers. While many may be aware of the workplace grievances handled and social benefits provided by our NTUC social enterprises and affiliated merchants, unions do so much more than that. Of the many cases that unions handle, only about 10% are on workplace grievances. Hence, we need to provide unique, value-added services to the remaining 90% of our members, one of which is to provide support and subsidies for our members in terms of health and wellness. Unions continuously innovate to serve our members better because, for the unions, it is "Members First, Workers Always". Allow me to enlighten the House on the three different ways that our unions and our leaders have supported members and workers in the preventive healthcare journey. This role is not new to the unions.”
“Specially for all our esteemed teachers, I would like to share another Malay quatrain as a tribute to your service – which states that I received so much from my teachers, and those memories remain after all these years. (In English): I am appealing to the Minister for Education to consider a special bonus to recognise our teachers for their effort in managing extraordinary workload and stresses during the pandemic while continuing to educate our students. This gesture is also similar given by MOH for all their healthcare personnel in managing the pandemic. To the parents out there, continue educating our children to always respect their teachers and most importantly, please, parents, respect the teachers' privacy and time. Avoid sending any unnecessary messages beyond school hours, if we believe that we, as career-minded parents, need work-life balance, the teachers need that too. In conclusion, I would like to share a quote from an American advocate in the 1800s by the name Dorothea Dix. I quote, "The duties of a teacher are neither few nor small, but they elevate the mind and they give energy to the character." On that note, every teacher matters!”
“Therefore, I would like to share this Malay quatrain, which emphasises the importance of students always showing respect to their teachers, because teachers are the providers of knowledge. In preparing my speech, I have also engaged and obtained feedback from my union colleagues as well as my acquaintances who are teachers. It is sad and heart-breaking to hear their issues and grievances arising from the challenges of handling the discipline of school students, parental interference, encroachment of their personal hours outside school hours and many more. There are also those who have not seen any improvement in their career progression after several years. However, this was changed recently when MOE made policy revisions in relation to teachers' careers. On this note, I appeal to all parents with school-going children to respect the teachers' personal hours and not to indiscriminately send messages, e-mails, or worse, expect a response as soon as possible. I am sure that the challenges I mentioned have received MOE's attention and support, and at the same time, MOE should be more cognizant of teachers' contributions and not place excessive responsibility on teachers. I appeal to MOE and school principals to think about this issue and find the best solution. I would like to recommend that all teachers who are union members should approach your union. Similarly, to trade union representatives, you should always approach your union members who are teachers in order to listen and receive feedback about their challenges and expectations as a teacher. Above and beyond getting feedback, the ministry and school principals should accept it with an open mind and avoid punishing those teachers by marking them down in their annual appraisal.”
“However, parents must always respect teachers' private space and time. Parents can play a role in becoming constructive and complementary partners of teachers to support the students' growth and development. The final one is about reducing teachers' workload and calibrated expectations. As teaching becomes increasingly complex and there are competing demands on teachers' time, more could be done for this final area. Teachers need more time outside of classroom teaching to attend to marking, preparing for lessons and working on student guidance. To then load them with committee work, non-teaching-related duties and meetings as well as constant, non-stop WhatsApp messages from multiple chat groups is unwise and untenable. The expectations must be calibrated vis-a-vis ranking and appraisal as well as reducing non-teaching-related workload ought to be reviewed. As teachers go beyond the call of duty, it is even more vital that there is curtailing of teachers' official duties and calibration of expectations. Sir, I would now speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The recent incident between a student and a school teacher is quite disturbing and worrying. Throughout my experience as a student in a neighbourhood school, fights and similar incidents are common among students, be it within my school or in other schools. But we could never have imagined an era where students disrespect their teachers. This is totally unacceptable, and as parents, we should be ashamed if our children behave that way. Parents must be firm in educating our children so that they respect their teachers, instead of doing the opposite.”
“Notwithstanding the above, the unions believe that MOE could do more in terms of policies to address teachers' concerns and hence, setting policies that would at least set a baseline for school practices. Further, MOE ought to expect school leadership to support teachers more and better. I believe it is the school leadership which is the fulcrum. Collectively, school leadership plays a pivotal role in school culture, work-life harmony, workload, expectations of teachers as well as shielding teachers from abusive parents and students. Hence, I would like to put forward three areas for MOE's consideration for more support for our teachers. First, it is about managing students' discipline. More support must be given to teachers by school leaders, MOE and we ourselves as parents. Students must be made aware and reminded continuously that any misbehaviours, rudeness, aggressiveness, or worse, threats, will never be condoned and they must face equal-like consequences. The school leadership must support the teachers in disciplining students and stand firm when communicating with parents on disciplinary matters. While approaches to disciplining matters may differ, teachers must feel that these approaches are effective with the strong backing of school leadership. We must ensure that the dignity of teachers is maintained and that the restorative practices are also implemented to resolve conflict, repair harm and heal relationships. This is also to maintain and uphold the students' dignity and well-being. Next is on work-life balance. Our teachers have their personal lives and family to attend to. We, as parents, need to understand that teachers need their work-life balance as much as us. Even with this, the teachers would always go beyond the call of duty.”
“At times, it is much worse when parents do the same towards their children's teachers just to defend their wrongdoings and hide beneath their "guilt-tripping behaviours". Hence, I call on the Ministry to give guidelines or even empowerment to school principals or even the victimised teachers to report any rude or harsh incidents teachers faced to the relevant authorities, as a means of self-protection from any abusive behaviours from both parents and students. Whilst preparing my content for this Motion, I recently reached out to my fellow union leaders from the Singapore Teachers' Union, Singapore Malay Teachers' Union, Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union and also Singapore Tamil Teachers' Union. In addition, there are many more that represent educators from early childhood to Institutes of Higher Learning. I also managed to speak to few friends and cousins who are currently teaching too. It is to my surprise that annually, these unions received more than 1,000 cases of grievances alone, aside from feedbacks. The grievances and feedbacks range from managing students' behaviour, abusive attacks from students' parents, work appraisal, mental health and on a lighter note, career progression. The unions acknowledged that MOE had been supportive towards them in resolving conflicts and take feedbacks positively on salary scale and career progression. One recent example was the recent announcement of pay revision and increase for teachers ranging between 5% and 10%, the introduction of a new grade; and a 30-year retention scheme which hopefully can motivate our teachers to continue their careers in educating our children and students. This announcement signifies MOE's continuous commitment to constantly monitor and review the teachers' salaries, welfare and work prospects.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, let me start my speech by wishing all our teachers "Happy Teachers' Day". In fact, a celebration in appreciation of the efforts put by our teachers should not just be tied to a single day, but we should explore a month-long celebration and more importantly, a lifelong recognition. On this note, I would like to record my appreciation to my Primary school teachers from Mei Chin Primary School, from the cohort of 1979 to 1984, and from Yusof Ishak Secondary School, cohort 1985 to 1988. This group of teachers taught me not just academic subjects, but also moral education and values, that I hold on until today. Of the many teachers, one that remains a strong memory is my Secondary school form teacher Mr Cherry Chacko, who taught me English and Literature. In fact, he was the one that gave me the opportunity at such a young age of 15 years old, to address the school during assembly, an opportunity and experience that I will never forget till today. Thank you, Mr Cherry Chacko. Not forgetting all my other teachers from both Primary and Secondary school: Teachers, without your dedication and commitment to educate me with the right values, I would not be able to be where I am today, both as a principal technical officer and a union leader in the power industry. Sir, I decided to raise this Motion arising from an incident that recently went viral of a student in St Andrew's Secondary School. I strongly believe and affirm that no student is allowed to disrespect their teacher and what more to threaten in such nature? I have a feeling that such an incident of that nature is not an isolated one or few, but there is so much more. In fact, I do hear similar stories of teachers experiencing similar disrespectful moments.”
“In closing, I remind myself and all husbands of a hadith, or saying, of the Prophet: “The world is but an adornment, and the best adornment to the world are the pious and righteous wives.” (In English): Sir, each and every man must learn to respect and protect every woman with love and care as though they are part of your family members. Once again, I repeat, Respect, Protect and Care for Women at all times! In conclusion, if the Labour Movement or Unions have a tagline for our workers, such as "Every Worker Matters", then it is only appropriate that this Motion can be a catalyst for the tagline "Every Woman Matters", to protect our female workers against any unfair treatment relating to work and employment.”
“Although family violence like these usually results in separation, there is one person who continues to protect the family's core. This is the sacrifice usually made by women because men do not have the same emotional capability as women. In this situation where separation is inevitable, it is useful for the couple to make informed decisions in the interest of their children. Each divorce does not only involve the couple, but others in the family, too, because it will have an emotional impact on their children. I also hope for more support for single parents who need to manage between earning a living and taking care of their children. Is there a centre that can provide child-minding services so that the affected parents can feel reassured while they are at work? I urge the ex-husbands to show more concern towards your former life partners for their sacrifices in raising your children, by ensuring that the payment of maintenance is done in a timely manner. Please do not make them wait or, worse, plead for the money needed to raise your children, who are born out of the love you once shared with your former partner. In addition, find the time to be with your children so that your ex-wife can have her own personal time, just like you. I would like to remind myself and my fellow husbands and fathers, to love and protect the women in our lives, just as our mothers took care of us from the cradle until the time they depart this world. Furthermore, especially for the wives, please love our wives, pamper them with the things that they want whenever we have the means to do so. Please remember that no amount of money comes close to a wife’s sacrifice when she bears our children, and cares for and nurtures them.”
“A female leader and worker recently shared with me a summary of her observations on the workplace challenges faced by women and I quote in her own words, "To be honest, over the years, there has been constant advocating against such societal stigmas, and we know, no matter what, the issue of gender inequality and stereotypes still exist today, regardless of within or outside of the workplace. The key question is, how do we provide the platform whereby these guidelines can be put into action and is more legally binding? Perhaps, setting a criteria framework of sorts for companies to adhere to? In short, we can go on and on and on advocating, but what is the outcome since then and now?" Sir, I can only comfort the leader but, deep in my heart, I know what she said is the real truth and the improvements could have been more and better. Hence, I certainly welcome the move to introduce the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements and boost its adoption of Tripartite Standards on Flexible Work Arrangements. Sir, I will now speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, the position or status of women in our society has progressed over the years and we have seen many women excel in their careers, on par with the men. Notwithstanding their achievements in their careers, we also cannot ignore the ongoing perpetration of violence against women, both physically and emotionally. More efforts are needed to protect women from such violence committed by men, and the worst ones involves victims of any sexual harassment. I certainly welcome the move to increase the punishment for these sexual offences aimed at enhancing protection and support for victims or survivors of any family violence.”
“Understanding women challenges, employers must also do their part by adopting and practising FWAs at their workplace, while, at same time, also applying fair performance appraisal towards women in their organisations. I mentioned fair performance appraisal because this is also an area of concern to some women workers that I spoke to before. While they hope and wish for an increase in the duration of maternity leave from the current four months to six months, deep inside, they are also worried about the negative repercussions for those who have to be away in view of their maternity leave. While these women really hope for the increase for a much-needed rest after each pregnancy and delivery of a child, they also expressed concern that there are instances where they knew of fellow workers losing out in their performance bonuses during this absence, or worse, some do even get less because they are seen to be less capable than their male counterparts. Hence, I call on employers to be more accommodative and understanding towards your female workers in such circumstances. Let us not demoralise the women for their absence but evaluate their contributions in a fair, constructive and also productivity-related work outcome. Hopefully, by embracing an objective performance evaluation through adoption of tripartite standards of fair employment practices, this will, certainly, further increase and improve their morale. Sir, the daily routine of women is much more challenging than men, as after a day at work, they still need to attend to their children and also not forgetting, their husband. Luckily, the clock is just 24 hours because the way women get things done, the clock does not seem to be just 24 hours.”
“Sir, I rise in support of this Motion that clearly reiterates the importance of the role of women in our society. Let us continue to explore more initiatives to provide the continuous and necessary support for women in our journey towards a fairer and more inclusive society. When this White Paper was released, I reached out to my female fellow union leaders, both young and mature, who are also female workers. From the exchange I had with them, I will just focus my thoughts on workplace opportunities and challenges, while in my Malay speech segment, highlighting the importance of appreciation and protection for women. As we all know, in a recently released labour force participation survey in Singapore for the years from 2012 to 2021, it is very heartening to note and observe an increase in women's participation, from 57.7% to 64.2%. The question is, could it have been more and higher up the ranks? Our collective immediate response must be an affirmative yes! Then, how do we entice and encourage women into the workforce, putting in measures and support that ensure not just a higher labour participation, but further raise the capabilities of our total workforce? In addition, what are the areas that we can identify, so that these women can both bridge the gap in capabilities, if any, and also towards achieving higher productivity, which can, in turn, boost our economy? This may look easy on paper but, in reality, we need more employers to be more welcoming and embracing of women in their organisation, and also emplace them in leadership roles. Women should continue to be given more opportunities for a higher role, based on their capabilities and merits.”
“Thank you, Sir. I just have one supplementary question. Can MOM consider a higher funding for companies intending to embark on CTP and may also engage the unions through our Company Training Committee for a more balanced assessment, to ensure that there is a structured plan for a transfer of capabilities?”
“Sir, I have a question to ask the Minister for Trade and Industry regarding the price hike. Can I know who actually decides on a price hike of electricity prices? Is it the Government, EMA or SP Group? I am stating this as a concern because I am also an employee of SP Group. Whenever there is a price hike that is being mentioned, my fellow members and workers at the workplace and facing the public will always be asked, "How come you have a price hike?" So, I hope, if that challenge can be left to EMA to announce the price hike, compared to SP Group, that would actually help to eliminate the stress that is faced by my fellow members and workers.”