Abdullah Tarmugi
Singapore
“As I have said, in most, if not all cases, we have a multi-disciplinary team to assess. In other words, even the protector himself or herself is subject to the assessment of this team. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.”
“Sir, I think that is a convenient tack to say. But AMP and others must also realise that the new policy applies to all NGOs which are co-located at community buildings, and not only to AMP. TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE ON PORTABLE MEDICAL BENEFITS (Progress report) 5.”
“Sir, this is precisely what we are talking about, ie, it is not just a question about numbers per se, and I would like to refer to what Mr Noris Ong said, about having three or more children, if we can afford it. This means, as I mentioned just now in my speech too, that we do not want children to be a burden.”
“At present, Sir, the policy is we will support up to three children. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Abdullah Tarmugi].”
“My Ministry will continue to look into ways of removing the obstacles couples face in having children. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. Dr S. Vasoo (Tanjong Pagar): Sir, we already have had eight days of long debate. I would be concise and you would be very relieved if all other speakers after me would be concise.”
“So we would leave it as it is and we only pay for working women. It is really to compensate the loss in income. He asked about the provision in the Bill on "lawfully married to the child's natural father". This is, as I said earlier, because we want to encourage child birth within wedlock and the family remains intact.”
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“Because when we talk about sports, we are talking of passion, commitment and discipline. When people play sports together, they develop bonds which help build a cohesive society. During those Malaysian Cup days when the Singapore team was playing, you would notice how the audience rooted for Singapore, how everyone became one. When our table tennis player Jing Junhong played at the semi-finals in the recent Olympics, everyone in Singapore - even those who did not know the difference between a golf ball and a tennis ball - rooted for Singapore. I would like to thank Mr Chiam for his support for sports and assure him that the Government has always been supportive of sports. We want to continue our sports promotion efforts and do more to raise the status of sports here. The Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) are already giving out several awards. This is in answer to some of the Members' questions on whether we are giving out sports awards to our athletes. We do. SSC, for example, awards sports scholarships. Nevertheless, we will see how we can further improve on this. Sports clubs and associations also have important roles to play in building a sports culture in Singapore and providing sports programmes to the public. Mr Goh Chong Chia mentioned having to develop our young in sports. We agree. In particular, we need to actively promote sports among our youth. We will see how we can help the clubs improve the quality of their programmes and services so that more Singaporeans can play and enjoy sports. Dr Vasoo asked if we should allow sports clubs and associations to manage sports complexes. There are strategic reasons for retaining the management of these facilities under the SSC.”
“Sir, I would like to thank Members for their views and questions on sports. This is something close to my heart and close to the hearts of many officials in MCDS. Let me address the issues and questions Members have brought up. What I would do is to sketch the broad plans of what the Ministry has on sports, and along the way address Members' concerns. Sir, my Ministry was renamed the Ministry of Community Development and Sports in April last year, to signal the greater priority the Government intends to give to sports. And we are ready to do more. Mr Charles Chong, Dr Vasoo and Prof. Toh See Kiat are keen to know what our plans are. Sir, over the past year, the Committee on Sporting Singapore (CoSS), which I chair, has been discussing the various ways in which sports can be further developed in Singapore. Our vision is that of a Sporting Singapore based on three pillars: sports for all, sports excellence and the building of a sports industry. We shared some of the key recommendations of CoSS at a public seminar about three weeks ago. I would like to repeat them. These are to: (i) Promote a sporting culture in Singapore; (ii) Strengthen the National Sports Associations; (iii) Establish a Sports School; (iv) Enhance sports science and sports medicine; (v) Develop the sports industry; and (vi) Build a sports hub. I am indeed very pleased to announce that the Government has accepted in principle the interim recommendations of CoSS. Let me talk about these in detail. Our sports participation rate was about 34%, according to a survey in 1997, an increase of 10% from 24% in 1992. Beyond improving the participation rates, we aim to get people excited about sports by nurturing a sporting culture.”
“Adjourned accordingly at Twenty-nine minutes past Two o'clock pm to a date to be fixed.”
“Yes. And if it is (used for other purpose), he can come to Parliament and question me again. With regard to the question by Dr Vasoo, whether the proposed fund can be used for those not under PA, the answer is yes. Indeed, the 25th AEF has been used for RUAS. It is used for temporary relief of those not under PA, but yet need help to pay for their arrears in rent and utilities. As I mentioned earlier in my speech just now, the fund of $44 million would be augmented; we will come back to Parliament to ask for more funds to help more needy people. With regard to the 190 persons that are currently under the fund, they will continue to be helped. As I mentioned earlier also in my speech, for all intents and purposes, the number of people under the existing fund will continue to be helped. With regard to Mr Jeyaretnam's question about how much we have in the fund, the amount is $5,168,439 as at June this year. Mr Chiam asked for the number of people seeking aid. Yes, it has increased. Actually, the average number of applicants for help last year, for example, was about 220 per month. But so far this year, it has gone up to 250 a month. So that is the extent of increase in the number of applicants that we have. We are watching this trend to see whether it stabilises or increases, and if they do, what are the causes for this increase. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Abdullah Tarmugi]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed." - [Mr Wong Kan Seng].”
“I would like to thank Members for their comments. With regard to the fears expressed by Mr Jeyaretnam, I can give a guarantee that people in distress would still be helped.”
“This new fund will be targeted at helping the needy and continue to fund existing schemes such as the Special Grant, RUAS and CFAC schemes. The new fund will also support selective programmes run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) for low-income families, with emphasis on those programmes that help build their capacities to break the cycle of poverty. An endowment fund by way of a Trust Deed will be set up, so as to give more flexibility in meeting the needs in the community. The combined balance of these two charity funds is estimated to be $44 million, while the gross expenditure is expected to be $2.5 million a year. My Ministry is currently working on plans to augment this sum with Government funds. Our plans for the new fund to uplift low-income families will be announced in due course. As the first step, however, towards the formation of this new fund, the SJF (Singapore) Act will have to be repealed. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“The 25th AEF also funds the Centre-based Financial Assistance for Childcare Scheme (CFAC) which provides children from low-income families early development opportunities while enabling their mothers to return to the workforce. There are currently about 600 families under RUAS and about 400 children under CFAC. The second charity fund is the Silver Jubilee Fund or SJF. It primarily provides a basic allowance for destitute persons, under the Special Grant scheme. All Special Grant recipients are non-citizens who are considered Permanent Residents. They are mainly the elderly or those unfit to work and without other means of support. There are currently about 190 such cases. Sir, my Ministry has been reviewing ways to strengthen the social safety net for low-income families and to help them break out of the poverty cycle in the long term. The 25th AEF was constituted in 1991 by Trust Deed from the balance of the funds raised during Singapore's 25th Anniversary celebrations. The SJF was set up in 1935 from funds raised during the Silver Jubilee of King George V, and historically it has been managed under statute. These two charity funds have similar objectives in serving the destitute and low-income families in Singapore. Merging these two funds will bring together their administration, reduce overheads and ensure their combined resources are optimised to meet changing needs. With the delegation of social assistance schemes to all CDCs next year, a common fund will streamline the approval processes for people to get help faster. My Ministry is therefore intending to set up a common fund, by pooling together the proceeds of the 25th AEF and the SJF.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, although the economic crisis has now receded, there are indications of a growing need for short-term financial assistance in the fast-changing new economy. The number of applications for financial assistance to MCDS and the CDCs has grown in the past one year, despite the end of the recession. It is still too early to say if this trend will remain or if there are more fundamental socio-economic factors at play. My officers will monitor any significant changes in the types and numbers of applications. It is important to adapt our social safety net to meet the challenges of the new economy. Fundamentally, we must help families overcome their difficulties through job training and re-skilling, job placement, family casework, and their children's early development and schooling. However, many of them will still need temporary financial assistance to tide their families over a difficult period. Some charities, the Community Chest, the VWOs, the CDCs and other groups have been providing this help. However, some aspects of our social safety net must be re-designed to weather the turbulence of the New Economy. Today, apart from the Government funded Public Assistance scheme catering mainly to Singaporeans requiring long term financial help, two charity funds provide relief to many families in temporary financial difficulty. The first is the 25th Anniversary Endowment Fund or 25th AEF for short, which helps low-income families in various ways. Under this Fund, the Rental and Utilities Assistance Scheme (RUAS) helps families in financial difficulty obtain waivers of their rental and utility arrears and provides grants for their monthly payments until their situation improves.”
“While it is good to make adoption a speedier or easier process for couples who want to adopt, it is necessary to balance this with sufficient safeguards to determine that the adoption is indeed in the child's best long term interest. Adopters need time to prepare for and appreciate the enormous responsibilities that they plan to undertake in adopting a child. We will continue to facilitate the adoption process as far as possible while working to protect the interests of children put up for adoption. Chart - Mediation Processes for Cases of Non-Registration and Dropout (Cols. 971-972)”
“The Adoption of Children Act (1985) stipulates the guidelines for adoption in Singapore. Prospective adopters petition to the Singapore Court for the adoption of the child through a solicitor or in person. The Court then appoints the Attorney-General (AG) who, as Guardian-ad-litem, will request MCDS to investigate and submit a social report on the suitability of the adoption. If the adoption is in the interest of the child, the Court then grants the Adoption Order. The whole process takes up to 6 months. Prospective parents who wish to adopt a baby from overseas apply to the country concerned and seek clearance with the relevant authority there before bringing the child to Singapore. In this respect, MCDS helps couples to expedite the process by providing a home study and suitability report of the prospective parents to the foreign authorities. Where the foreign authorities request supervision of the child after he or she is here and before adoption is concluded, MCDS also provides the service and submits progress reports of the child to the foreign authorities. The data on the number of legal adoptions investigated by MCDS over the past 10 years show an increase. In 1990, there were 595 adoptions completed and 721 in 1999. The number of foreign babies adopted in recent years has stabilised at an average of 430 per year. The adoption of foreign babies often depends on the preferences of parents and the ease of sourcing for babies from the respective countries. The current system of assessing suitability for adoption is a comprehensive one which balances the interests of both the adopters and the child.”
“Sir, any member of the community could always come to NCSS to seek their help. But, more importantly, members could go to the CDCs too. It is more convenient, it is within their location, and now that we are devolving more and more of our functions to the CDCs, they have full knowledge of who does what and, therefore, could easily refer anyone in need to the proper organisation, and they have Mandarin-speaking officers too. Quite apart from that, they can also go to the Family Service Centres (FSCs). The Family Service Centres would also have with them the organizations that are available to offer the kind of help that is needed by the persons who want them. Mr Gerard Ee asked for a further downsizing of the Board. In stating this, I can appreciate the need to downsize the Board, the need for the Board to be trimmed, to be flexible and to move fast. But at the same time, you have also views like that articulated by Dr Vasoo, ie, the Board should have proper representation from the VWOs. In my view, the amendment now proposed is not so much to downsize the Board but to rationalise the workings of NCSS. But certainly, he will be watching how the changed Board will proceed and how it will work and if there is need to further downsize the Board, I think that is something which we can consider in future. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Abdullah Tarmugi]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. WIDENING INEQUALITIES IN SOCIETY (MOTION)”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Members for their views and support. First, let me address the views and comments of Dr Vasoo. He asked whether we could provide further flexibility in the Council with the changes and also whether the representation is adequate. Certainly, there is flexibility, as has been alluded to also by Mr Ee, and the Board could always seek the views of resource persons outside the Board. And certainly in this IT age, the avenues open to the Board to seek views and comments from beyond the organisation are certainly there. In terms of representation, I think it is adequate. Mr Ee says that it is more than adequate and he is suggesting that perhaps the Board could be further downsized. Obviously, there are two conflicting views here. In terms of ownership and changes, there is definitely ownership, in the sense that you have representation by the various VWOs and this has been there all the time and it will certainly increase, given the growing civil society in Singapore and people wanting to do voluntary work and would also definitely want to involve themselves with the Board. I agree with the Member that participation and organisation are important and proper representation is also important. Mr Ang Mong Seng has got several views, both on the state of the NCSS and also on the community although many of them do not really impinge directly on the changes to the Act. But, nevertheless, they are sound views and I appreciate the Member articulating these views. There is one item though which the Member specifically wanted us to do, which is whether we could have a one-stop centre to enable people who want help to come to the centre and be referred to the proper organisation so that their needs could be addressed.”
“Clauses 7 and 13 of the Bill therefore amend the Act to empower the NCSS to investigate complaints, exercise control over and if necessary, discipline errant member organisations. NCSS will thus be in a stronger position to ensure that member organisations maintain acceptable standards of accountability and service provision. In this way, NCSS will be better able to safeguard the interest of clients who require the services provided by VWOs and the community which provides generous support to these VWOs. Concluding Remarks Mr Speaker, Sir, these proposed amendments will strengthen the Board's position as the umbrella organisation of the social service sector. Collectively, the measures enable NCSS to remain relevant and progressive in the face of a dynamic and growing social service sector. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Maintaining Standards of Professionalism Among Member Organisations NCSS plays an important role in ensuring that the voluntary welfare organisations affiliated to it are well managed and provide an acceptable standard of professional practice. As the voluntary sector grows, NCSS will need to play an even more critical role in ensuring that standards are met. Of particular concern will be the standards of service provision, fund raising, and financial management. VWOs provide services to some of the more vulnerable members of the community. Clients therefore must trust VWOs to provide sound and professional advice. The VWOs are also responsible for making good use of funds generously provided by the community. Although the vast majority of VWOs fully deserve the respect and trust of the community for their high standards of professionalism and service, there may be a need for NCSS to nudge a VWO or two to improve its management or services. NCSS provides grants and other assistance to its member organisations. It guides the sector by issuing guidelines, guide books, manuals on operating concepts and so on. It also guides and directs agencies through its selection of programmes to fund, through initiating new programmes with selected VWOs, and through consultancy advice. However, if an agency refuses to comply with guidelines on services or on other management issues like finance and fund raising, and this leads to a deterioration in services or mismanagement, NCSS can only remove funding. It has no power to investigate complaints or inquire into the management of its member organisations should the situation call for it.”
“To prevent any potential conflict of interest, clause 3 of the Bill therefore introduces a new provision to bar employees of the NCSS or member organisations from serving on the Board and from participating in the election of Board members. Powers to Establish Institutions NCSS currently does not have the power to set up autonomous entities or institutions. This limits its scope of action. Clause 7 of the Bill therefore introduces a provision to empower the NCSS to form bodies corporate or incorporate or joint ventures to carry out its objectives. I must emphasise here that this provision does not mean that NCSS will go into business. NCSS will indeed remain a non profit-making entity focused on its primary mission, which is to promote, develop and provide effective social services in Singapore. However, this change would enable it to set up more focused or specialised institutions to achieve its stated objectives more effectively. One such institution is the National Volunteer Centre (NVC), the recently established national body for promoting volunteerism. The NVC currently exists as a committee. With the proposed amendment to the Act, the NVC can become an autonomous entity under the NCSS Act. As an autonomous agency, the NVC will be able to focus more effectively on its mandate of promoting volunteerism in Singapore. It will enable NVC to establish its own administrative capability and so operate with greater speed and flexibility. The change will make for more effective decision-making and governance, as NVC will be able to focus on all sectors instead of just the social sector, as is NCSS' mission. It will also be able to develop a distinct identity and garner support more effectively as an organisation dedicated to the promotion of volunteerism.”
“These members were originally included to bring in additional expertise to the Board in specific areas (such as human resource, public relations and training). They cannot vote and are not fully involved in, and accountable for, the proper governance of NCSS. The Council would like to see all Board members being accountable and active participants. The proposed change will strengthen board governance. With this change, the NCSS Board will have a maximum of 23 members, from the current 25. It will be trimmer but it will be stronger. Representation on the NCSS Board and the Council The next few provisions deal with the proper conduct of representation on the NCSS Board and the Council. Currently, there is no prohibition against persons representing more than one member organisation. This entitles some members to multiple votes at the Annual General Meeting, if they hold positions in several organisations and are authorised by these organisations to represent them. There is a risk that one person or a group of persons could have a disproportionate influence on the governance of NCSS. While we have thus far been fortunate not to have encountered this problem, it is wise to prevent it from happening. With increased active citizenship, we can expect more people to be involved in the voluntary sector, and in more than one organisation at any one time. Hence, clause 11 introduces a provision to prohibit persons from acting as an official representative of more than one member organisation. Employees of NCSS or member organisations are also currently not barred from serving on the Board or participating in Board elections.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Sir, the National Council of Social Service or NCSS leads, funds, supports and guides voluntary welfare organisations or VWOs and provides the crucial link between them and the Government. The Bill seeks to amend the NCSS Act to enable the Council to remain relevant and responsive to the fast-developing social service sector. A decade ago, NCSS had around 180 VWOs registered as member organisations. By March this year, it had 259 members. The amendments will strengthen the Council's ability to lead and guide the voluntary sector effectively and develop professionalism in social service provision. This will benefit all Singaporeans who use the services provided by NCSS and its various member organisations. Strengthening the NCSS Leadership Let me now touch on the provisions aimed at strengthening the NCSS leadership. The first relates to the provision for an additional Vice-President. The NCSS Act currently provides for one elected Vice-President who assists the President, and assumes the latter's responsibilities in his absence. The President's responsibilities have been increasing steadily, in tandem with the rapid development of, and demands in, the social service sector. In view of this, clause 3 of the Bill introduces a provision for a second Vice-President to be appointed by the Minister, in consultation with the President of NCSS. Besides strengthening Board leadership, it will offer the President an additional avenue to groom potential successors, thereby enhancing succession planning in the Council. The second main change is the removal of the provision for three co-opted members on the NCSS Board.”
“This campaign is scheduled to start in the last quarter of this year. We will also continue to work with the Indonesian authorities to enhance the investment possibilities in the Riaus. Singapore will continue our efforts to play a catalytic role to help Indonesia recover economically. We will continue to encourage our private sector to look for suitable investment opportunities that could also help in Indonesia's recovery. However, their investment decisions will depend on the availability of commercially viable deals, and the perception of political risk.”
“More recently, Temasek Holdings teamed up with two leading palm oil companies - Golden Agri-Resources and Cargill - to own, develop and operate oil palm plantations in Indonesia. Cargill and Golden Agri-Resources will have equal share in the joint venture while Temasek Holdings will take only a minority stake. For the loan financing scheme, a seminar was held in February to elaborate on the details. It generated a lot of investor interest at the start. Participating banks received many queries. However, to date, the actual take-up rate has been low. About S$14 million have been committed in four projects. Participating banks have received feedback that investors are adopting a "wait-and-see" attitude, citing the country risk involved. Our private sector has taken the initiative to conduct business missions to Indonesia to assess the situation. Early this month, the Singapore Confederation of Industries (SCI) organised a mission to Indonesia. I understand that there was a fruitful business-matching session with the Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. A Business Action Plan was also signed between the Confederation and the Chambers, calling for closer cooperation between the two associations. As for the other elements of our assistance package to Indonesia, STB will continue to implement the S$2 million tourism and marketing package to help Indonesia restart its tourism promotion activities. Singapore sponsored Indonesia's participation in the PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Travel Mart 2000 in April earlier this year with 17 booths, showcasing the best in Indonesian travel products. STB is currently working on an advertising campaign to promote Singapore and Indonesia as complementary destinations.”
“BG George Yong-Boon Yeo (for the Prime Minister): Sir, in January this year, Prime Minister Goh led an international business delegation to Jakarta and announced a package of economic measures to help catalyse Indonesia's economic recovery. The principal elements that Mr Zukifli referred to are: (1) A US$500 million Singapore Co-Investment Fund for the major Singapore Government-linked companies (GLCs) to co-invest with other foreign investors in assets which IBRA wishes to dispose, and in other financially-viable investments. We hope that our co-investment can help to enhance international confidence in Indonesia. To avoid creating the wrong perception that the Singapore Government was profiting from such sales, the GLCs will only take a small stake in these assets. (2) A S$400 million loan financing scheme to encourage Singapore companies to look for commercially viable opportunities in Indonesia. The scheme is administered by the Economic Development Board through participating Singapore-based banks. In March this year, IBRA successfully disposed its stake in Astra - an Indonesian car maker, through an open tender. The winning consortium, led by Singapore's Cycle and Carriage, included the Government of Singapore Investment Cooperation (GIC) which invested US$76 million for about a 6% stake in the company. The GIC's role in the transaction was in line with PM's pledge that Singapore would act as a catalyst to enhance investor interest and encourage the flow of investments into Indonesia. The sale was reported favourably by the international media and both IBRA and the Indonesian Government have noted the positive role played by the Singapore Government.”
“Sir, swimming is an immensely popular sport in Singapore. In 1998 and 1999, Singaporeans made a total of 13.2 million visits to our Singapore Sports Council (SSC) swimming complexes. While we are encouraged by this healthy trend, I am very sad indeed to inform the House that we have had two drownings between 1998 and May this year in SSC swimming pools. My Ministry and the Singapore Sports Council take safety in sports very seriously. We need to ensure that the public can engage actively in sporting activities without putting themselves at risk unnecessarily. With regard to public education on the importance of water safety, the SSC sponsors the Singapore Life Saving Society to organise talks on drowning prevention and water safety. These talks attract a lot of interest from pool operators, teachers, students and also members of the public. The Council has also been actively providing assistance to the Singapore Life Saving Society such as letting its facilities at nominal cost. Under this arrangement, the Society has set up a Lifesaving Training Centre at Kallang Basin Swimming Complex. The Centre actively conducts courses, tests and seminars aimed at producing professionally trained lifesavers in Singapore. The SSC and the Singapore Life Saving Society will continue to work together to conduct more water safety courses and public education programmes. This will, we hope, help make swimming an even safer sport for everyone to enjoy. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO INDONESIA (Status) 14. Mr Zulkifli Bin Baharudin asked the Prime Minister what is the status of the various financial assistance offered to Indonesia in terms of trade financing facilities and loans to assist Singapore companies to purchase or invest in Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) assets.”
“This will be used as part of guided discussions about responsibility, consequences and choices with respect to one's sexuality. Topics such as AIDS and STDs will be included in this package. The successful implementation of sexuality education requires the participation and support of the school, home and community. All have different but important roles to play in the healthy development of our youths. Table - Number of Arrests from 1992 to 1999 (Cols. 199 - 200)”
“A total of 1,620 Public Assistance recipients receive their monthly financial assistance via GIRO. The payments are made through the DBS Bank into their POSB accounts. AIDS EDUCATION 5. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Education if he will include a component on AIDS education in the sex education curriculum of secondary schools to raise the awareness of the young to this potential threat. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: The subject of AIDS is taught in various Science and Moral Education subjects in the curriculum. Lower Secondary Science, a compulsory subject for all pupils, teaches the consequences and issues relating to pre-marital sex. There are lessons on the harmful consequences of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis, gonorrhoea and AIDS. In the Upper Secondary Biology syllabus, the spread of HIV and methods by which it may be controlled are discussed. The Human and Social Biology syllabus elaborates on the signs and symptoms and causes of AIDS as well as its spread and control. AIDS is also taught in the Secondary 5 Civics and Moral Education (CME) syllabus under the broad theme of "Responsible Dating". Pupils discuss the consequences of premarital sex such as contracting STDs and AIDS. Talks on STDs and AIDS are also regularly conducted by the School Health Service of the Ministry of Health to pupils in Secondary 3 and JC1. Presently, MOE is developing a more holistic approach to sexuality education, building on what is already covered in the existing curriculum and bearing in mind the different needs of students at different stages of growth and adolescence. A multimedia package is being produced which will examine concepts and attitudes in sexuality education in a structured manner.”
“MCDS assists families who are affected as a result of an alcoholic member in the family. For example, temporary shelter for families from an abusive drunkard, funding of crisis shelters which provide temporary refuge, counselling and support. Families facing financial difficulties as a result of the breadwinner's drinking problem get help from MCDS, Family Service Centres and Community Development Councils, eg, interim financial assistance and care for the child's well-being. More importantly, MCDS will help family members to develop life-skills to care for themselves and their children and educate them on the steps that they could take if their spouse refuses to seek treatment for the drinking problem. The appropriateness for MCDS to set up Alcoholics Anonymous for Women and to fund the setting up of half-way houses for women under the influence of multiple substance abuse As WH already has in place an existing framework for the intervention and treatment for recovering alcoholics and their families, MCDS would not want to duplicate this. Currently there are two half-way houses for women under MHA. One of them has a specific programme to help recovering addicts cope with their drinking problem. This half-way house is also open to members of the public. Government will continue to monitor the extent of alcohol consumption among young women and men. comparison - COMPARISON OF HYDE PARK'S SPEAKERS' CORNER AND SINGAPORE'S SPEAKERS' CORNER AT HONG LIM PARK (Cols. 77-80) map - SPEAKERS' CORNER AT HONG LIM PARK (Cols. 81-82)”
“The Ministry of Health's National Health Survey 1998 found that there has not been any significant change in the prevalence of drinking among young women. In 1998, 72.4% of women were non-drinkers. Of the remaining 27.6% who drank, only 0.8% drank on a regular basis. Among those who drank regularly, ie, more than 4 days per week, 0.5% were women aged 18-29 years. Capacity-building resources to curb increasing alcohol consumption among young women Whilst alcohol consumption among young women does not appear to be an increasing trend, nevertheless MCDS, together with other government agencies, volunteers and community groups will highlight alcoholism as an anti-social behaviour. This would be done through our regular talks and group sessions for youths, which are held to teach them to resist peer pressure and to practise responsible behaviour. Community groups also play an important role. For example, Project Access, a non-profit social enterprise runs programmes in schools and community organisations which seek to teach girls aged 13-16 years and young women leadership skills, personal effectiveness and professional development. The acquisition of positive life-skills is important to counter negative habits such as drinking and smoking. What intervention and treatment strategies can be developed to help families cope with alcoholic members The treatment for alcoholics comes under the care of Ministry of Health. For example, the Alcohol Treatment Centre (ATC) in Woodbridge Hospital (WH) has in place a counselling and support group for families with alcoholic members. Besides the ATC, private hospitals like Adam Road Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Hospital also offer detoxification and rehabilitation programmes for persons with a drinking problem.”
“The court has also gained the confidence of the Muslim community in its ability to dispense justice efficiently, speedily and fairly. Thus far, there is no application made by parties to have their ancillary matters heard in the civil court. In other words, what has been feared that people will go to the civil courts in droves has not happened. The Syariah Court will strive to further enhance the level of its services to mirror the standards achieved and maintained by the civil courts. It is hoped that by doing so, it will continue to meet the high expectations of the Muslim community which it serves.”
“Sir, the Administration of Muslim Law Act and the attendant Muslim Divorce Rules came into force on 1st August last year. Since then, significant improvements to the court system and its work procedures have taken place. For example, four ad hoc Presidents have been appointed, two of whom are experienced syariah law trained judges, and two are civil law trained judges, in addition to the incumbent Senior President and President of the Syariah Court. With their depth of experience, they will add to the development of the Islamic law jurisprudence in Singapore. In fact, night court sessions have also been introduced to better serve the public so that more cases could be cleared. Sir, a Registrar, as you know, has been appointed to conduct pre-trial conferences (PTC) of cases daily, and the PTCs have been effective in instilling discipline and expeditious disposal of cases and enable the court to dictate the pace and progress of these cases. 3.15 pm Another aspect of the court which has been significantly improved is the introduction of the proxy power of the court, which empowers it to enforce its orders relating to the division of matrimonial property. In other words, if the husband refuses to transfer the flat or property to the wife, because he did not sign the transfer papers, the court will be able to exercise that power and transfer the property to the wife. With these appointments and procedures, the court has made significant progress towards maturing into a more efficient judicial organisation without compromising justice. At present, the waiting time for a case to be heard is about two to four weeks after the pre-trial conference. The number of backlog cases had been very much reduced from 421 to 175 at the beginning of this month.”
“Sir, I am afraid I cannot give the Member any details because, as I mentioned earlier, we are in the midst of preparing our five-year plan on this. As regards the exact timing, I am afraid I cannot tell her now. But I agree with her sentiment that we ought not to build all these centres simultaneously. In fact, we cannot do that. How much we will put aside to build these centres and what is the programme will be the very subject that we have to discuss when coming up with our plan.”
“: I can have a word with the National Development Ministry. But, Sir, we must be careful. The HDB has got very valid reasons for insisting on that policy. We want to be compassionate to unwed mothers, especially when children are concerned and babies are also involved. But we must also consider the kind of signal we will be sending to the community in terms of how we condone having babies out of wedlock. We have to consider this. Compassion is one thing. I agree that we have to think about how we could save the baby, or we could do as much as we can for the baby, but we also have to look, if not through the HDB way, perhaps at some other ways.”
“Sir, this is for HDB to respond, but certainly, if you are talking about unwed mothers, especially those unwed mothers who are about to deliver their babies, there are at least two VWOs which run such homes. In other words, they can go to these homes to deliver their babies and they will help on how the babies ought to be either adopted or to be kept within the family. But with regard to whether HDB will provide accommodation for unwed mothers, I think he has to approach HDB.”
“Sir, as pointed out by the Member, the DGP criterion is actually 20,000, and our plan is based on 20,000 dwelling units for one mosque to be built. This is what the DGP allows us to do. It does not place a higher population ceiling for each mosque. Anyway, Sir, as I have responded earlier, if necessary, MUIS will review the criteria for a mosque to be built in a constituency and also the ratio for the number of dwelling units in each constituency.”
“MCD runs social day care centres, for example, we run social activities and MOH runs other centres which have a higher health care content. I agree with the Member that sometimes the public are also confused about where to go, and sometimes they run from one type of centre to another, depending on the status and condition of their health. We at MCD are also concerned about this overlap and confusion and separation of roles which are not really clear for certain cases. We certainly agree with the IMC's recommendations and we are looking into it to see how this problem can be resolved between MOH and ourselves. Sir, I think I have answered most of the questions. Mr Harun bin A. Ghani (Hong Kah) rose ---”
“I am not too sure whether it is meaningful to cover such expenses because the treatments are generally affordable and are not low probability events. Treatment for chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, is heavily subsidised at Government polyclinics and public hospitals. And Singapore citizens aged 55 and above already enjoy a 50% fee concession at the Government polyclinics. They are thus generally already affordable. At the same time, these chronic illnesses are more prevalent, making the premiums for such insurance cover very much higher. So, in the end, the elderly might be better off saving the money from the premiums to pay for the treatment. But I share Dr Neo's concern that inappropriate use of medical facilities will lead to unnecessary healthcare cost increases. However, whether a patient ought to be cared for in hospital, community facility, or in his own family, should depend only on his medical condition. The decision has to be made by the doctor and not by the patient. Those who face genuine difficulty in paying for their outpatient medical expenses could apply for their fees to be waived at Government polyclinics. And needy Singaporeans who attend public hospital's specialist outpatient clinics may apply for Medifund assistance and no Singaporean will be denied essential healthcare services because of their inability to pay. Hence, Dr Neo's fear of patients abusing inpatient facilities for the sake of using Medisave or MediShield does not arise. Mr Low Thia Khiang said that the Ministry of Health has got the ECU (Elderly Care Unit), whereas my Ministry runs the EDD or the Elderly Development Division, and as he has rightly pointed out, they run different services. People are confused.”
“For example, some VWOs conduct seminars to help the young understand and communicate with their aged parents and grandparents. This will allow the young and the old to better understand and communicate with each other. Volunteers from various VWOs also regularly visit the elderly who are living alone. For those elderly who wish to equip themselves with relevant skills, the Senior Citizen's Division in People's Association organizes continuing education classes on a variety of topics in the community clubs. To help our younger people to prepare themselves for old age, my Ministry is working with the Civil Service College on a training programme for civil servants. We hope to share with the private sector employers a similar programme, perhaps at a later stage. Sir, there are now 17 day care rehabilitation centres and 14 social day centres. We have plans to set up more such centres over the next few years, as part of our Eldercare Services Masterplan. There are already guidelines on these centres and the guidelines will be progressively enhanced to ensure good service. Finally, Dr Lily Neo spoke on financing for step-down care. Arising from the IMC's recommendations, I am informed that the Ministry of Health is studying a Severe Disability Insurance, or SDI, scheme to protect against the high costs of care required by those with serious disabilities and are unable to perform normal activities of daily living without considerable help from other people. So it is being studied and MOH will have to decide on this. 2.30 pm The Member has also asked that the SDI scheme covers medical expenses of a chronic nature incurred in the outpatient setting.”
“We have now adopted the international norm of defining "senior citizens" as those aged 65 years and above, so that we can compare across countries for policy analysis and planning, and also for comparison of situations. The IMC on the Ageing Population has supported the call on bus operators to consider extending concessionary travel rates for senior citizens for the whole day. However, this is a proposal for bus operators to consider, and bearing in mind that being public listed companies, they are also accountable to their shareholders. So it would have to be their decision. On the issue of elder-friendly features raised by Mr Ang Mong Seng, the IMC has recommended "ageing-in-place" as the guiding policy for our environment. This means that elder-friendly features should be included in our housing estates and the transport system as part of the infrastructure, including elder-friendly lifts, ramps and other features to make our environment "barrier-free" for our senior citizens. These features will be gradually put in place as we build our new estates, and upgrade the older ones. Dr Ho Tat Kin spoke about eldercare leave and programmes to help change mindsets as well as to prepare the elderly. Sir, eldercare leave was one of the suggestions proposed during the feedback sessions in the deliberations with the IMC. However, this is a proposal for companies to consider as part of the benefits package that they provide for their employees. I agree that changing of mindset is essential not only for the population, for the younger ones, but also for the senior citizens themselves. But this requires collective effort and my Ministry is working with VWOs to draw up a public education programme or plan to address this.”
“Instead, we will embark on a programme to build Multi-Service Centres for the long term whilst continuing to facilitate the setting up of eldercare services where there are specific demands and needs. Mr Ong Ah Heng has asked about subsidies to be given to senior citizens for elderly day care centres operated by private companies or cooperatives, and services in the studio apartments. Sir, as part of the Masterplan for Eldercare Services, we are also determining how we can incentivise the private sector and cooperatives to provide eldercare services for our citizens. We will take Mr Ong's suggestion into consideration in drawing up our framework. Such Activity Centres will indeed be set up in studio apartments. Mr Kenneth Chen talked about the uniform age for defining "senior citizen" for benefits. Mr Ang Mong Seng also spoke about full day concessionary bus fares. Sir, there is now no common age to determine when one is or is not a "senior citizen", in order to qualify for benefits, as various organisations are free to determine how generous or restrictive they are willing to be. Also, some of the operations that stipulate a certain age to qualify for benefits as a senior citizen, such as bus concessions, are private commercial concerns. As our life expectancy increases, what would be considered "senior" now could also creep upwards in time to come. We would rather prefer to leave the cut-off age for dispensation of benefits to the respective organisations. For the purpose of compiling statistics and policy planning, however, we have used 60 years and above in the past to define "senior citizens".”
“My Ministry and NCSS will study the suggestion put forward by the NMP earlier in the review of the employment placement system, and will discuss with MOM where there are synergies to be got from working together. Let me now come to the issue of ageing. Dr Lily Neo and Mr Ang Mong Seng both talked about co-location of eldercare services. MCD is preparing an Eldercare Services Masterplan for the next five years until 2005. A key focus of this Masterplan is the setting up of Multi-Service Centres (MSCs) to cater for all age groups at the local level. This is to allow Community Development Councils (CDCs) to administer community-based social services, and where possible, the MSCs will be co-located at Community Clubs to make better use of land and other common resources. MCDS would also work out a regional masterplan of services for the next five years to guide the CDCs in the provision of eldercare services, tailored to local needs. A network of Activity Centres will also be set up around these MSCs as focal points for volunteerism in the community and where the elderly can be engaged to help other elderly in need. The Activity Centres are modelled after our existing Senior Activity Centres for the low-income elderly. However, the Activity Centres would cater to the needs of the elderly in the wider community, and not just the low-income. Thus, my Ministry's plan is similar to what Dr Neo described and had in mind. However, I would like to caution against overly unrealistic expectations. Our pace of ageing would only increase from 2010 onwards. Therefore building Multi-Service Centres immediately for every constituency might be over-providing infrastructure and straining our resources.”
“It not only looks out for new job opportunities but also provides follow-up services and support to those placed in employment to help them remain employed. Apart from BizLink, there are also other avenues which exist for people with disabilities, for example, several VWOs help their clients find jobs. And people with disabilities can also register with the Ministry of Manpower's Deployment Department or online with MOM's Internet job system. My Ministry and the NCSS are reviewing the employment placement system for people with disabilities to see how it can be further improved, including whether there is scope for more dedicated VWOs to complement what BizLink is doing. BizLink is already engaged in raising public awareness of the employment potential of people with disabilities. It telemarkets, for example, to potential employers and their HR departments for available jobs, and visits prospective employers to present what BizLink and its clients have to offer them. It also taps existing employers from its database to see if they have new openings and avenues for BizLink's clients. BizLink also provides free technical advice to employers on workplace modifications, if they are needed, to accommodate the disabled, and monitor the adaptation of clients in their workplace. Apart from feedback, BizLink also visits the workplace to find out how clients are coping in their work. Sir, I would like to thank Mdm Claire Chiang for her suggestion on encouraging more employers to open up more jobs and for an employment bulletin to publicise work openings for people with disabilities. MOM, in fact, is currently helping to urge employers to recognise that some people with disabilities can be as capable as any worker.”
“We also believe in exposing our people to volunteer activity from young, to inculcate in them an instinct to be responsible for and to contribute to the community they live in. One good example is the Community Involvement Programme, or CIP, which involves every primary, secondary and junior college student, and the centralised institute students, launched in October 1997 by the Ministry of Education. Certainly, MCDS will continue to explore ways to attract even more younger people to volunteer. Encik Harun Ghani asked whether there could be another mosque in Jurong West. Under the Mosque Building Programme, one mosque is built in one new HDB new town. He mentioned earlier the DGP criterion of 20,000 dwelling units. Sir, there is already a mosque, which is the Al-Mukminin Mosque, in Jurong East and the Assyakirin Mosque in the Jurong West New Town. There is therefore no plan to build another mosque under the project. In order to meet the increasing demand, the Assyakirin Mosque in Jurong West will be redeveloped, and the redevelopment project will begin from the third quarter of this year, and is expected to complete in year 2002. Once completed, the new mosque will have a larger capacity from the existing 2,600 square metres to 4,500 square metres. If there is a need, MUIS will conduct a review of the Mosque Building Programme. Mdm Claire Chiang spoke at length about empowering people with disabilities, and she mentioned BizLink. People with disabilities can approach BizLink for jobs. The centre, which was set up in 1986, acts as a central body for the job placement of people with disabilities. The centre is jointly funded by my Ministry and the National Council of Social Service and currently it has a job bank of over 1,700 employers.”
“The social service sector is not the sole responsibility of the Government and each of us has a part to play in ensuring that we indeed live up to our ideal to be a caring and gracious society. Mdm Chiang also quoted yesterday a case study of the Bukit Ho Swee Social Service Centre. I would like to point out that the Centre did not approach my Ministry to develop a second FSC. What happened was it was working with the central CDC to develop a youth centre, and when that did not materialise, it planned to relocate its social service centre to another site, so that the existing site can be used for the proposed youth centre instead. My Ministry, as you know, funds new FSCs, but not the relocation of existing centres, especially where we feel the existing locations are good or ideal. 2.15 pm Mr Ang Mong Seng moaned the fact that the young are not coming up to volunteer and only the old volunteers remain. Sir, it is not surprising that there are more elderly people involved in volunteer activity than the young people, because those above 60 years of age are likely to be retirees who may have more time and less competing demands than younger people. However, this does not mean that we should not encourage more young people to be active volunteers. I agree with him. My Ministry and the NCSS had worked out jointly to set up, which I mentioned earlier, the National Volunteer Centre (NVC) in December last year, and this is to promote volunteerism as a way of life among Singaporeans. The NVC will try to match volunteers of all ages with the voluntary organisations that meet their interests. In addition, the centre would train volunteer leaders and volunteers so that they can be better equipped to carry out their voluntary work.”
“This can be achieved through training of VWO staff and board members to equip them with better governance and management skills to deliver a better standard of service. NCSS, in fact, has been planning and organising such training courses. Today, it has put together a workshop on board governance which provides training for VWO board members on good governnance skills and has also developed a Senior Management Development Programme which will be implemented in due course. The Executive Directors' Network has also been set up to enable EDs to learn through sharing from others in the network. NCSS is also exploring the possibility of starting a Diploma Course in Non-Profit Sector Management with one of the local polytechnics as well. My Ministry has also helped fund and saw to the setting up of the National Volunteers Centre (NVC). The NVC will strengthen the work of VWOs by linking volunteers to VWOs and also training them. My Ministry is also actively involved in the effort to enhance the role of CDCs when they take on the role of local administrator for community-based services. By strengthening the links between VWOs and CDCs, they can capitalise on the outreach capabilities that both parties have and there will also be greater synergies in the use of scarce resources in the social sector. Mdm Claire Chiang has also asked how much is enough and who is funded to do what. Last year, we spent $58,736,210 on non-health related social services, such as services for the aged, disabled, the families and children. I think the issue is less on whether funding from Government is enough, but rather whether we have a system in place that tries to ensure that no one who should be helped is left totally neglected, whether by the Government or by the various partners in society.”
“Again, MOE has no immediate plans to make figure ice skating a CCA in schools. However, pupils who take up the sport with an approved organisation can get CCA bonus points as provided for under MOE's recently announced scheme to recognise approved activities outside schools. SSC will continue to work with the Figure Ice Skating Association to develop and promote the sport. The support for the sport will increase correspondingly with the demand and popularity of the sport. Dr Vasoo and Mdm Claire Chiang have spoken about the need to give more help to the VWOs and for my Ministry to review the funding formula. Under the Government's Many Helping Hands approach to social services, my Ministry works very closely with the VWOs, the National Council of Social Service, which is the umbrella organisation of our VWOs, and increasingly now, with the CDCs, together as stakeholders in this social sector. We complement each other's work to ensure that we provide a responsive and seamless social service delivery system, and my Ministry coordinates this effort. VWOs have been receiving and will continue to receive Government funding for capital and recurrent funding. We are, in fact, reviewing our current funding policies. The review will also consider how we can widen the range of services beyond meeting the basic needs so that those who are prepared to pay for more services could have access to them. And to ensure that an increase in the funding will lead to better standard and effectiveness of services, we will be looking into linking funding to outcomes. We would also like the VWOs to take responsibility for maintaining good and effective service.”
“Sir, although SPEX 21 is targetted at sports with medal prospects at the international and regional games, the Singapore Sports Council also funds other types of sports, such as volley ball and other team sports. The Sports Associations of non-SPEX 21 sports receive between $8,000 and $120,000 per annum, depending on their annual programmes. As Members know, funds for sports promotion are limited. The Singapore Sports Council has to be judicious in its allocation and will not be able to meet the financial needs of all NSAs. Sir, it would be difficult to work on a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 funding formula, as suggested by Mr Ang, because even the core and merit sports under SPEX 21 only receive between one-third and two-thirds of their funding from SSCs, and they would have to source the remainder from corporate and other sponsors. Mr Ong Kian Min wanted to promote figure ice skating in Singapore. He has made two suggestions to promote figure ice skating both as a sport which we could excel in and as a career path for Singaporeans. He has suggested building a world class ice skating rink for the promotion of the sport. Currently, we have two ice skating rinks. In providing for world class facilities for promoting sports excellence and in land scarce Singapore we have to be mindful of the many competing sporting needs of our population. Therefore, we will have to be selective and promote certain sports for excellence based on a set of criteria and put them under SPEX 21 programme. At the moment, there are no strong reasons, to my mind, to include figure ice skating as a sport we could excel in. His second suggestion is for the Ministry of Education to encourage students to take up ice skating as a co-curricular activity.”
“Nevertheless, we will continue to see how best we can provide NSAs with the requisite facilities as our resources and manpower allow. Dr Ho Tat Kin asked about careers in sports. Sir, one of our strategies in making Singapore a sporting nation is to ensure that we have viable career options for people who choose to continue their interest in sports. But it is a fact of life in Singapore that most parents and children give their priority to education and to career over full time commitment to sports. This is inevitable and understandable, given the highly competitive environment we are in. However, we are encouraged that there is an increasing number of young Singaporeans who are prepared to put their education and career on hold to achieve sports excellence and glory for the country. The SSC will nurture them and provide all the encouragement and support to help them achieve their aspirations, including scholarships, financial and future career options and assistance. The Sports Council will help retiring athletes get certification as coaches if they wish to, and if they meet the standards. For example, we have sent Sheik Allaudin, through a scheme for national athletes, to attend coaching courses under the National Coaching and Accreditation Programme (NCAP). He has earned his qualification and assumed the national coach's position. As Members know, footballers, Fandi Ahmad and Malek Awab, have also benefitted from this scheme. SSC also provides career counselling and guidance. But more can be done to develop a sports industry which offers a career in sports and its related fields. We will continue to study and promote the development of this industry in Singapore. Mr Ang Mong Seng has asked for more grants to NSAs.”
“I think I have already responded to this point in my earlier speech, but I would like to thank the Member for Bukit Timah, Dr Wang, for his two suggestions to boost fertility, ie, to consider additional tax incentives for the third and fourth child and to teach our girls the joy of larger families. I will pass on this suggestion to the working committee to consider. As for family support services which Prof. Low has asked about, I had earlier mentioned a number of them, including childcare centres, student care centres, family service centres, and promoting family-friendly work places and family life programmes, such as parenting courses for the various age groups. My Ministry is committed to regularly review and improve these programmes and services to support individuals and families in making life decisions such as getting married, having children and the care and upbringing of our children. Let me touch on sports now. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang had given several suggestions on how we can make Singapore a great sporting nation. I would like to thank Mr Yeo for his suggestions and my Ministry will certainly take his views into consideration, as we work with all the relevant stakeholders in the sports fraternity. The Sports Council also supports the idea of providing housing schemes for these various NSAs, of both recreational and competitive sports. That is why we have given much support to provide a home for each of the core and merit sports. We have also provided some accommodation for some active NSAs, ie, non-core and merit sports. The Sports Council also provides office space at subsidised rental rates to NSAs. However, with the limited land and space that we have, we need to be realistic as well as pragmatic in our distribution and provision of such resources.”
“But while we do not want to encourage children born out of wedlock, we also recognise the trauma that unwed mothers and their child face and their need for support in their plight. This is why we provide services in my Ministry's Child Protection and Welfare Service, social service agencies, or medical social workers at any Government restructured hospital which the unwed mothers could turn to for help. Arrangements can be made for the mothers to stay in a temporary shelter pending delivery, if she requires alternative accommodation. Should the mother want to give up her baby, the Ministry will assist in adoption placement. Where the unwed mother is a teenager, the Ministry and social service agencies will generally work with the girl's parents to provide the support and guidance needed by the girl. Dr Ho asked if my Ministry could consider a baby deposit scheme like the one in Hamburg, which the newspapers highlighted recently. Sir, it must be clear that this option is akin to abandonment, albeit of a different nature. We note the different views among the Germans and even among Singaporeans who read about this, and the views are divided. I would like to advocate a careful and closer study into this before we adopt similar methods in Singapore. There is a need to look holistically at the social issues of abandonment, the needs of the mother and the child, and the wider societal values and legality involved. I believe our current approach balances the need to preserve our traditional family values and the welfare of both the unwed mother and child. But we will continue to monitor the Hamburg scheme and we will keep our minds open. Prof. Low Seow Chay and Dr Wang raised the issue of marriage and procreation and on the setting up of an Inter-Ministry Committee.”
“Given the wide spectrum of issues to be covered under family life education and the diverse groups of people we want to reach to, MCDS cannot do this on our own. We must continue to engage and partner the public, private and people sectors in our efforts and, indeed, we welcome feedback and suggestions on what and how we can best bring this message to our families. Dr Ho Tat Kin asked about abandoned babies. Sir, the truth is that we do not know who the parents are in the majority of cases of abandoned babies. In the few instances where the parents are identified, they are not always young people, as commonly perceived. The number of abandoned babies is actually small, ranging from 3-7 a year over the last five years. Of these, the mothers of only seven babies were traced, and only one of them was a teenager. I agree with Dr Ho that public education on responsible parenting is critical, and that is why my Ministry emphasises continuous family life public education programmes which cover a variety of topics including marriage preparation, parenting, family enrichment as well as effective parent-child communication, especially on sensitive issues such as teenage sexuality. For the young people, we need to tackle the problem at source, ie, parents must take the responsibility to spend time with and instill the right values in their children, and to supervise and guide them wherever they can. Some of our programmes help parents to spot tell-tale signs of teenage pregnancies and to point them to the support services available in the event their children get into trouble. 2.00 pm Sir, abandoning babies is against the law. That must be established.”
“We have also established a Central Repository of training and resource materials, and we also organise regular sharing of best practices among experts in the field. We have formalised a structured comprehensive family life education delivery system by appointing family life ambassadors from all walks of life. This was announced by my Senior Parliamentary Secretary earlier in the week. We are also producing a Malay video tape to equip divorcing parents with effecting parenting skills for children affected by divorce called Anak Amanah Kita Bersama. It will be launched on 25th March and it will be screened at the Syariah Court and social service agencies. My Ministry will be working on other language versions. Lastly, Sir, we will feature case studies and family issues on TV along the lines of the popular series Extraordinary People, and supporting the Young Parents of the Year Award. We will continue to pay special attention to at-risk groups and we partner social service agencies in this effort. In this connection, I would like to commend Dr Lee for initiating the programme Healthy Style for couples and families which her hospital identified as needing special and closer help from social agencies in their parenting and family responsibilities. Mdm Chiang would also be pleased to know that the committee on the family has a work group on parenting and another on stresses on the family. They are actively reviewing what more can be done to strengthen and support families and parents. We agree with both Dr Jennifer Lee and Mdm Chiang that much more can and should be done to create awareness and to educate our people on the importance of the family as the basic building block of our society.”
“We also encourage and promote support groups for parents and carers. MCD also adopts a multi-prong and multi-channel approach based on the following four strategies: (1) Spearheading family life education and parenting messages based on studies on family and parenting needs. (2) Coordinating and extending outreach by partnering the people in the private sector in the production and distribution of family life and parenting messages and programmes. This enlarges the network and customises the messages for different target groups and brings the programmes closer to the community. (3) Developing and sponsoring resource materials and training of family life educators. The resource materials for parents are differentiated according to significant age groups of children, eg, pre-school, primary school and teenagers. And we sponsor a graduate certificate course in parent education conducted jointly by Swinburn University of Technology, Australia, and the Family Resource and Training Centre here. The number of graduates for 1998 and 1999 were 26 and 18 respectively. Another class, I am told, will start next month. The Ministry also sponsors training and management of parent support groups. (4) The fourth strategy is media activities organised to generate awareness and mass outreach. We also publicise family life programmes in the press, radio, magazines, at bus stops and MRT stations and through our web site. We also have new initiatives in the pipeline which includes the production of a guide for family life educators, and the title of the book is Learning About Parenting Young Children. It will help social work professionals and volunteers who conduct parenting programmes.”
“I would like to draw Members' attention to the study on the Singapore family released last year. The study found that 78% of married respondents agreed that "although the husband may help out, the wife is responsible for the housework." And it is notable that more women than men held this view (85% and 60%). This suggests that there are many couples who are quite comfortable with the traditional division of roles in the family. However, the same study also found that younger couples are more likely to share household and parenting duties. We can encourage and educate couples to share household responsibilities, but I do not think it is appropriate for the Government to insist on a change of roles if the individuals are comfortable with them. What roles the husband and wife would play must be left for them to decide. We can only encourage. Dr Lily Neo, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Dr Ho Tat Kin and Dr Jennifer Lee have also asked about infant and child care. My Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Mrs Yu-Foo, will answer all these questions on my behalf. Sir, let me now turn to family life education. Both Mdm Claire Chiang and Dr Jennifer Lee had called for more targeted and extensive parenting and family life programmes to strengthen families and parents as carers. My Ministry agrees that families today, especially parents, need strengthening and support, both as nurturers of the young and carers of the elderly. Sir, this is no mean task in this age. We work with VWOs and various civic organisations to help parents at different stages of their parenting life cycle in their nurturing and caring functions, eg, by organising parenting talks and distribution of age-appropriate resource materials, and producing video tapes and pamphlets for carers of the elderly.”