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.”
The complete record
Every one of 726 lines we hold for Abdullah Tarmugi, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 5 of 15.
“I am not going to reply to all and, my officers have taken note of all the suggestions. But I would like to address what Mr Harun Ghani mentioned just now. I am afraid I cannot recite a pantun as he did, because in the translation of the pantun, it may appear differently. But he did say that we need not specify concurrent jurisdiction and, by doing so, the whole problem will be solved because de facto we already have concurrent jurisdiction. I am afraid that cannot be done because, as a result of the Lathibaby's case, the Civil Court has made it very clear that whatever is in the jurisdiction of the Syariah Court, it cannot be touched by the Civil Court. So we have to make this provision in the amendment. I would also like to address one particular point brought up by Mdm Claire Chiang who argued that we are in fact solving administrative problems through concurrent jurisdiction. It is not wholly true because, as I said, we are merely reinstating what has been happening all this time. I said just now too that we ought to adhere to the principle of not denying Muslims a choice of which forum they want to go to. So it is not a question of merely trying to solve administrative problems and therefore we resort to concurrent jurisdiction with the Civil Courts. I would like to touch on Mr Hawazi's speech. He made two interesting points. One is the appointment of amicus curiae (Friend of Court). This is a measure which we could think about and see whether it can be applicable. The other point is the appointment of female Muslim judges in the Syariah Court. I am not too sure what the implications are in terms of Syariah law. But, again, this is something perhaps we could look into carefully.”
“The fourth concern is that they hope that the concurrent jurisdiction, if it is unavoidable, ought to be temporary. As I said, we will monitor the developments both in the Syariah Court and the Civil Court. We hope to develop the Syariah Court to a level whereby it can be the kind of institution which the Muslim community hopes for and where the Muslim community will increasingly depend on. While I cannot say how long this concurrent jurisdiction will carry on, I would suggest that we leave the concurrent jurisdiction as it is first. We carry on and, in the meantime, we will continue to develop the Syariah Court. Because, ultimately, Sir, it is not whether or not there is concurrent jurisdiction, but how the Syariah Court is being perceived by the community as fulfilling their aspirations. How do we instil confidence and pride in the Syariah Court? The only way to do it is to assure that the Syariah Court is effective, it is prompt in deciding its cases and it has the requisite expertise, manpower and facilities to do the job well. This, as I said, we will continue to pay attention to. Ultimately, Sir, it is a question of choice. What we are giving here is that the Muslim community would have a choice of either going to the Syariah Court or the Civil Court. Being aware of their rights and what the courts can do, I think they are in a better position to make their choice now. I feel that we should not take away this choice from the Muslims. The community should adopt the attitude which Mr Ravindran proposes just now, ie, to see how the amendments are implemented and to give it a chance to be implemented. For all you know, the implementation of the amendments will satisfy what the Muslim community is hoping for. There are various specific questions asked by Members.”
“I understand, Sir, that in matters of custody especially - and this matter of custody is one of the most sensitive areas which the Muslims have brought up - when it relates to the children's religion, the moral and religious upbringing of the child is a factor which is considered by the court also. In any case, the interest and welfare of the child are foremost, which is the same also in the Syariah Court. The second concern is that concurrent jurisdiction may erode or dilute the stature and image of the Syariah Court. I disagree, Sir, because given the additional powers which we are giving to the Syariah Court now, indeed, it will increase the stature and power of the Syariah Court. I would like to supplement this with what I said just now that we will continue to develop the Syariah Court and look into how and in what areas the Syariah Court could be improved so that it can be an institution which the community can be confident and proud of and which can fulfil the aspirations of the community. Thirdly, Sir, there is the fear that there would be an exodus of Muslim couples, instead of going to the Syariah Court, now going to the Civil Court because of the concurrent jurisdiction. I, again, disagree, Sir. I think it has been pointed out by Mr Ravindran just now that, in all likelihood, there would be a decrease of Muslim couples going to the Civil Court because they are more aware now, especially with all this public debate about the Syariah Court and the Civil Court. Because of this awareness, I think there is a higher likelihood of Muslims now looking towards the Syariah Court than the Civil Court. Anyway, my Ministry and the Syariah Court are going to monitor whether this exodus does, indeed, take place.”
“Mr Rai may wish to know that, in fact, the Muslim Law Committee of the Law Society has submitted a report to me. Sir, it has been a very long day. Since the Bill will go to a Select Committee, I do not intend to go through in detail the replies. Suffice it to say that I would address the main points which Members have brought up. First, I would like to thank Members for speaking and the strong support given by my colleagues. I would like to specially thank Mr Ravindran for the clarification which he gave from the practitioner's viewpoint, especially the point about Syariah Court having made improvements which, unfortunately, not many people know about. But, anyway, we will persevere, and we will continue to improve the Syariah Court. Sir, I hope Members will bear with me, as I said, if I do not reply to all the questions in the interest of time. But I just like to highlight the concerns which the community has brought up. Of all the amendments, the main concern, which has been brought up by the Muslim community, is the matter of concurrent jurisdiction. Some of the concerns are the result of a lack of understanding of the full provisions. Some of the concerns are genuine in the sense that they feel that they do not fulfil the aspirations of the community. If I could somehow categorise these concerns, I would put them thus: First, there were concerns that the Civil Courts could reach decisions which would contradict Muslim law. As I said earlier, Sir, the concurrent jurisdiction has, de facto, been happening all the time. In fact, Muslims have been going to the Civil Court and Syariah Court all this time. So far, there has not been any complaint about the injustice or the decision of the Civil Court being against them.”
“RAdm Teo Chee Hean: There are currently 7 primary schools and 5 secondary schools in Woodlands Development Guide Plan (DGP) zone which covers Woodlands New Town. Two new primary schools will be completed in 1999. They are Evergreen Primary and Woodgrove Primary. The scheduled completion dates are March 1999 and July 1999, respectively. The schools will hold classes at Woodlands Ring Primary in January 1999 pending the completion of the school buildings. With the completion of these two primary schools, there will be sufficient school places up to Year 2001. Four new secondary schools are proposed for completion from 1999 to 2002. These are Woodlands Site 15 (Woodlands Drive 16) in December 1999, Woodlands Site 25 (Woodlands Street 33) in June 2000, Woodlands Site 34 (Marsiling Road) in December 2000 and Woodlands Site 21A (Woodlands Crescent) in September 2002. These schools have not been named yet. Planning to meet additional demand for school places after Year 2002 in all DGPs is currently in progress. The needs of Woodlands will be covered under this new school building programme. The projections show that there will be a continual need to plan for more new schools in Woodlands to be completed after Year 2002. Package - OFF-BUDGET PACKAGE (Cols. 359 - 360)”
“The People's Association has no plan to build a sea sports club along the west coast as its current five sea sports clubs in Kallang Basin, East Coast Park, Changi Point, Pasir Ris Park and Sembawang have more than enough capacity and facilities to cater to all Singaporeans who wish to participate in sea sports activities. PRIME MINISTER'S BOOK PRIZE 9. Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for Education (a) how many students offering Tamil as second language were awarded the Prime Minister's Book Prize; and (b) whether the Prime Minister's Book Prize will be given to students offering non-official languages like German, Japanese and Hindi. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: Since the Prime Minister's Book Prize was first instituted in 1974 the following numbers of students offering Tamil as their mother tongue language received the award: PSLE : 31 GCE 'O' LEVEL: 27 GCE 'A' LEVEL: 9 The Prime Minister's Book Prize was instituted in 1974. Its objective is to promote excellence in bilingualism as reflected in students' performance in English and the mother tongue. The mother tongue languages considered are Malay, Chinese and Tamil and the non-Tamil Indian languages, namely Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu. Performance in the foreign languages, French, German and Japanese is not considered as they are not the mother tongue languages of our pupils. The prizewinners for the 1998 awards will be announced at the Special Academic Awards Presentation Ceremony on 14th August 1998. NEW SCHOOLS FOR WOODLANDS NEW TOWN 10. Mr Hawazi Daipi asked the Minister for Education what are the plans for new schools in Woodlands New Town for the years 1999 to 2003.”
“For FY 98, there is in fact an increase of 15.9% (or $9.37 million) over the FY 97 provision for both development and operating expenses for programmes run by VWOs. The Ministry is monitoring the situation together with the NCSS and will certainly assist VWOs to fund their programmes and services where necessary. USE OF RESIDENTIAL PREMISES AS WORKPLACES 28. Mr Chuang Shaw Peng asked the Minister for National Development whether he will allow officially the use of residential premises as workplaces so as (i) to optimise the use of Information Technology; (ii) to reduce operating costs; and (iii) to encourage the employment of part-timers, such as housewives.”
“I appreciate the hon. Member's concern on VWOs ability to raise funds during the current economic downturn. However, as mentioned in my previous response in Parliament, the various Ministries dealing with VWOs (i.e. MCD, MOE and MOH) are working very closely with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) to monitor the impact of the current economic slowdown on social services and the ability of VWOs to raise funds for their programmes and services. Most VWOs are still able to raise funds although in smaller amounts. It is important that they are clear in their aims, focused in their programmes, and are seen by potential donors to use funds effectively and efficiently. Donors are then more ready to give, knowing that their dollars will be well used. The success of recent fund-raising efforts by National Kidney Foundation, Metta Welfare Services, Thye Hwa Kuan Moral Society and TOUCH Community Services bear this out. I know some VWOs are reviewing their services and re-prioritising their needs and expenditures just as the Government and the private sector are doing. I urge all VWOs to do the same. The current economic situation poses a challenge to the VWOs to manage their resources more efficiently. If VWOs still find themselves short of funds even after tightening up on expenditures, the respective Ministries and the NCSS will work with them and assist them appropriately. The Government has not cut back on its budget for approved programmes run by VWOs and which receive Government funding. They will receive the same support from Government. The Government is also not cutting back on its development programme for needed community-based social services (such as family service centres, child care centres, before and after care school care programme and others).”
“Referrals to homes/institutions were also made. TYPES OF CALLS TO THE CDC HELPLINE Type Total Child and Youth Matters 219 (5.9%) Elderly Matters 64 (1.7%) Financial Assistance 159 (4.3%) HDB Related Matters 86 (2.3%) Health Related Matters 90 (2.4%) Job Placement 758 (20.5%) Legal Aid and Disputes 185 (5%) Family Matters 402 (10.9%) Mental Health Matters 71 (1.9%) Handicapped Matters 18 (0.5%) Education Matters 111 (3%) Immigration/CPF/Citizenship 57 (1.6%) Matters Neighbourhood/Environment Matters 66 (1.8%) Miscellaneous 1,413 (38.2%) TOTAL 3,699 (100%)”
“The CDC National Helpline was launched on 3rd January 1998 to provide a one-stop information, assistance and referral service to the public. With the National Helpline, the public will be immediately connected with the right people at the right place instead of having to remember different helpline numbers in Singapore and calling various organisations for assistance. 19 organisations are already linked with the CDC National Helpline to provide a good social service network and frontline service to those who call. The helpline partners include those dealing with children, youth, family, women, community, elderly, health and disabled. As on 30th April 1998, the Helpline received 3,699 calls (see details below). Among them, 20.5% requested for job placements, 18.5% for assistance on family-related matters such as counselling for child/youth issues and home placements for elderly/disabled person, 9.6% for financial assistance for daily expenses, rentals, utilities and conservancy charges, medical bills and children's education fees, 8.3% for legal aid and counselling and 4.8% for health-related matters. We do not track the particulars of the callers because of our assurance of confidentiality. Hence, we are unable to give her the profile of the callers. Those who were eligible for the social assistance schemes co-administered by the CDCs were given prompt approvals. These schemes include Public Assistance, Rental and Utilities Assistance Scheme, Small Family Improvement Scheme and Medifund. Besides these, interim financial help was also provided. Job seekers were matched to job banks in the Ministry of Manpower's Labournet and vacancies from local sources. Legal aid and counselling were given by professionals from various CDC partners.”
“Mr Kenneth Chen Koon Lap asked the Minister for Finance what is the ratio of the workforce in the civil service compared to the private sector; and whether this compares favourably with Germany or Japan which has a ratio of 1.4% and UK which has a ratio of 1.9%.”
“I thank the Nominated Member of Parliament for her interest in the outreach programme. Last year, the Ministry of Community Development (MCD) embarked on a joint project with the Marine Parade CDC and the Tanjong Pagar CDC to pilot the outreach programme in 10 blocks of 1 and 2-room HDB flats in the two CDCs. A total of 167 volunteers from the CDCs, RCs and VWOs were enlisted to go door-to-door to 1,877 households to explain to the residents the various programmes and services listed in a booklet entitled "We're Just a Call Away" published by MCD. These programmes and services include financial matters, family/personal matters, child care, education, employment/skills training, legal matters, elder care and services for persons with disabilities. Copies of the booklet, in 4 languages, were also given to the residents. The purpose of the outreach programme is to brief the residents living in these flats about the schemes and services which the Government has put in place to help families in need and how they can obtain help when needed. It is not intended to assess the needs of the households. Notwithstanding this, the volunteers are advised to refer families requiring immediate help to MCD for follow-up. 32 families have thus been referred to MCD. The help given to these families ranges from assistance in job placement, financial assistance, payment of rent, utilities and conservancy charges, settlement of hospital bills, supplementary assistance for school-going children to befriender service for the elderly. MCD is pleased with the programme, and plans to work with the CDCs to extend the programme to the other 1 and 2-room HDB flats over time. RATIO OF CIVIL SERVICE WORKFORCE 55.”
“I have just got a ready "No" from Mr Wong Kan Seng. We will leave it to the CDCs because it is not MCD which administers the funds. Let me reply to Mr Zulkifli's question about multi-culturalism. I fully agree with the need for the self-help groups to see beyond the community. And really the important thing is the leadership of these organisations. The leadership must see the importance of going beyond their own communities and seeing themselves as part of the whole of the national population rather than as a small community which looks inwards into themselves. I have encouraged joint programmes between the self-help groups and the CDCs. They have in fact come up with a joint project of setting up a family service centre or social service centre which is at one of the CCCs in Toa Payoh. So we will try to encourage more of these joint programmes among the self-help groups.”
“With regard to the change of names of teams, I leave it to the teams themselves, whether they want to call themselves the "Tanjong Pagarers" or "Marine Paraders", instead of calling themselves the "Cobras" and the "Stallions" or whatever. But we are supporting the idea itself and we will certainly encourage other CDCs to do the same.”
“45 pm On sports, I wish to thank Mr Choo Wee Khiang for complimenting us on what we did for Toa Payoh Stadium. We have air-conditioned the stadium and I think the table tennis players now are playing in a much more comfortable environment than previously. As regards to funds for the NSAs, we are always looking at how we can help the NSAs. But the NSAs will also have to convince and show us that they are running the Associations properly and they have a proper management system. So we will be looking into these criteria and we will extend all the help that we can. On the problem of Gay World Stadium, the area is going to be redeveloped and, therefore, it is on annual TOL. So we feel that it is not economical for us to upgrade the stadium. But we have done something to the seating and whatever improvements we can, but we thought it would not be economical for us to invest too much funds to upgrade the stadium. I hope the Member will understand what we can and cannot do to upgrade or improve the Gay World Stadium. It is not because basketball is played by Chinese school students and therefore we are neglecting it. It is because of the circumstances which surround the stadium itself. On CDCs and S-League, yes, we agree with the sentiments of Mr Sinnakaruppan about bonding and the ability of football and sports to encourage bonding among citizens. We encourage the adoption of S-League teams by CDCs. Marine Parade CDC has done it. Central CDC and also Tanjong Pagar CDC have done it, and we will continue to promote the idea to all the CDCs. But really the decision would have to be on the CDCs themselves and on the teams.”
“The curriculum time and subject combination will be revised to meet the dual needs for a trained workforce and a qualified pool of religious workers for the community. More students will be encouraged to sit for the `O' and `A' level examinations. And these measures, hopefully, will help to increase the employability of madrasah graduates. MUIS is also looking into the streaming of students at the primary level, so that weaker students can be given more attention. This, together with better trained teachers, will help to reduce the high attrition rate in madrasahs, which is another concern about the system mentioned by Mr Hawazi. Mr Zainul may be pleased to know that National Education will be incorporated in the madrasah system. An MOE-MUIS joint committee on National Education has been formed to study and help the implementation of NE in madrasahs. MUIS has met the madrasahs and they have supported the inclusion of NE in madrasahs, which also plan to have joint programmes with mainstream schools as a way of enhancing the common Singaporean identity. These and other measures mentioned earlier will help to bring the madrasahs in tandem with national needs and aspirations, as proposed by the Member. Let me touch briefly again on the question by Dr Vasoo about what are we doing about the service conditions of social workers. The Ministry, as I mentioned earlier in my answer to Madam Claire Chiang, is looking into how the service conditions of the social workers can be improved. Because we know that they do onerous jobs and we know that we are really competing for manpower against the other industries. So we will be looking into how we can improve their service conditions and we will also be looking into their training needs, as I mentioned earlier. 2.”
“Sir, I would like to take the question of madrasahs first, because I think it is important. Sir, madrasahs are important and established institutions in all Muslim communities. They are primarily set up to provide religious education for Muslim children and to prepare those who wish to pursue vocations such as religious teachers, leaders and scholars in madrasahs, mosques and Muslim organisations. The Government understands the importance of madrasahs to the Muslim community, and would like to assure the community that it is not the intention of Government to stop them from continuing. However, the madrasah system is not without its concerns and problems, and the community must be prepared to make changes to overcome these problems and concerns. One is as pointed out by Mr Hawazi on the issue of employability of madrasah graduates. As mentioned earlier, madrasahs will have to produce religious teachers and leaders required by the Muslim community. But not all madrasah graduates have the inclination or ability to go on to become religious teachers and scholars; nor do we need all the graduates of madrasahs to go into these vocations. This means that those who do not go into these vocations or who fail to complete their madrasah education will have to secure other employment. MUIS will continue to revamp the madrasah curricula to enhance the teaching skills of teachers and also to strengthen the management and administration of madrasahs. Apart from the existing core curriculum of religious subjects, English, Mathematics and Science are also taught in madrasahs. IT literacy programme will also be introduced in madrasahs.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates for the financial year 1998/1999, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“As I have mentioned just now, Sir, those who need help we will somehow find help for them. As I said, we have some schemes which are administered by the Ministry itself, but we also have other schemes which we can call on. In the community, there are other organisations which also provide assistance. So if we cannot do it ourselves we will help refer that person to the appropriate body or agency which can assist.”
“There are in place, in fact, various financial and non-financial assistance schemes, which my Ministry and other ministries administer, to help individuals and families who are in financial difficulty. Some of the schemes include assistance in job placement through the Ministry of Labour and NTUC, if he or she wants to obtain a job. There is also financial assistance from funds administered by my Ministry for those in genuine hardship to help them and their families tide over the difficult period. There is also assistance to meet the educational expenses and other support for school children, for example, school fees, school uniforms, supplementary fees, through MCD and also through the schools. There is also assistance in linking up the elderly to service providers and support services such as meal-help, home-help service and domiciliary nursing or medical care service. So there is already assistance in place and, if need be, we will multiply the number. The National Council of Social Service and my Ministry, Sir, are monitoring the impact of the economy on the individuals and families. NCSS has in fact provided NTUC and SNEF with information on the support services and other relevant information for distribution to human resource personnel and employees. Through this effort we hope the employers will know the kind of support that is in the community and that they can be referred to the appropriate agencies when needed. I wish at this juncture, Sir, to assure the House that every individual and every family facing financial hardship will be given help appropriate to their needs.”
“My apologies. Dr Vasoo and Mr Shriniwas Rai asked about it. At the moment, we do not have specific programmes or specific projects to help the retrenched workers. In our view, the best and most enduring help we can give to retrenched workers is to find them jobs and also to train them for jobs so that they can get new jobs if they want to. As you know, the NTUC and the Ministry of Labour have put in place several measures to help retrenched workers. This has been announced and Members may wish to know that my Ministry also has some help for such workers. We have in fact an interest-free loan scheme for skills training and skills upgrading for low income workers. Although this is for low income workers, this can be easily extended to retrenched workers. This loan actually complements the training award schemes which the various self-help groups now administer. Workers who wish to undergo skills training but cannot afford the cost can be assisted under these schemes. Members may wish to know that application forms are available in all the service counters of the community self-help groups and also at CDC counters, community clubs and town councils. For those who still have difficulty in paying the balance of the course fees after receiving the skills training, the community self-help groups will submit the names of these people who have problems direct to my Ministry for interest-free loans. In other words, they do not have to apply. The self-help groups will automatically send their names and we will extend the loan facilities to them. The Member also asked whether there is any assistance for family members of the aged.”
“Sir, as rightly pointed out by the Member, I think that Question should rightly be directed to the Ministry of Labour. ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE OF SINGAPORE FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1ST APRIL, 1998 TO 31ST MARCH, 1999 Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [4th Allotted Day]. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Head R (cont.) - Resumption of Debate on Question [13th March, 1998], "That the total sum to be allocated for Head R of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100." - [Mr Chew Heng Ching]. Question again proposed.”
“The Shared Values are an integral part of National Education. As National Education is about developing responsible citizenship and a sense of rootedness in young Singaporeans, the Shared Values fit naturally into National Education. The Six National Education messages are: - Singapore is our homeland; this is where we belong. We want to keep our heritage and our way of life. - We must preserve racial and religious harmony. Though many races, languages, religions and cultures, we pursue one destiny. - We must uphold meritocracy and incorruptibility. This means opportunity for all, according to their ability and effort. - No one owes Singapore a living. We must find our own way to survive and prosper. - We must ourselves defend Singapore. No one else is responsible for our security and well-being. - We have confidence in our future. United, determined and well-prepared, we shall build a bright future for ourselves.”
“Information on the various types of schemes and services available are provided in the "Directory of Services to Help Low-Income Families". MCD and the Community Development Councils (CDCs) have jointly launched a Public Education Programme On Social Services targeted at about 98,000 households residing at the 1- and 2-room HDB flats in December 1997. Volunteers from the CDCs, Residents' Committees and voluntary welfare organisations visit these households to explain the various schemes and services and how to go about seeking assistance in times of need. The booklet "We are Just a Call Away" is used to brief the households. Copies of this booklet which are available in 4 languages are also given to them. The CDC National Helpline launched in January 1998 enables residents to call for assistance. Residents need only remember the Helpline number to gain access to various services. The Helpline is published through a brochure issued by the CDC. The various CDCs are actively working with the voluntary organisations to set up new services and schemes to better meet the needs of the residents. SHARED VALUES 13. Mr Shriniwas Rai asked the Minister for Education whether the Government will give priority to the inclusion of shared values as a component of national education. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: The concept of Shared Values was first mooted by PM Goh in the late 1980s as a way for us to develop a Singaporean identity. The five Shared Values were then adopted in Parliament in 1993 after a nation-wide discussion and debate. The Shared Values are: - Nation before community and society above self. - Family as the basic unit of society. - Community support and respect for the individual - Consensus not conflict. - Racial and religious harmony.”
“The Government's approach in helping low income families is to help them to overcome their difficulties and improve their well-being through the support given by both the Government and the non-government sectors. Through the Many Helping Hands approach, the Government, together with the voluntary sector, has developed a network of social services to assist families in need. The range of services and programmes covers the following: - Financial assistance through the Public Assistance Scheme, the Rent & Utilities Assistance Scheme, the Small Families Improvement Scheme, Medifund and other financial schemes of Government departments, charitable organisations and self-help and religious groups. - Counselling, information and referral services at Family Service Centres to help families to sort out their family and personal matters and help the children in tuition and supervised homework. - Centre-Based Financial Assistance Scheme for Child Care (CFAC) and the Subsidy for Before And After School Care (BASC) provide affordable child-care for low income families. - Training awards available at the various community self-help groups help low-income and low-skilled workers pay for skills upgrading courses. Such training awards cover between 75% and 95% of the course fees. - In the area of housing, HDB has various schemes such as the Low Income Family Incentive Scheme, Sale of 3-room Flats under the Registration for Flat System and Sale of Flats to Sitting Tenants Scheme to help low income families own HDB flats. - Families who have elderly or disabled members can use the various support services such as day care centres, counselling services, home care services, respite care services, day activity centres and residential care facilities.”
“My Ministry already has a Research & Information Technology Division which conducts studies and research. It is currently embarking on two major studies on the family. The first is on the Singapore Family which will provide data on the impact of work pressures on working couples and dual-career parents. The concerns raised by the NMP on issues relating to family and work and the increasing pressures and prevalence of dual-career families will be addressed in the study. The findings will enable the ministries and other agencies to formulate policies and programmes to strengthen the family. The second study is on the impact of foreign domestic maids on the care of young children. In both studies, MCD has consulted and involved other ministries and agencies to benefit from their inputs and to ensure that the findings will be relevant to them. MCD encourages other organisations to conduct research and studies on family issues. It will continue to network and collaborate with individuals, including those from tertiary institutions and other organisations, including ministries who have strong interest on family issues. A more decentralised approach will enable the Ministry to tap a bigger bank of research resource and improves the quality and relevance of studies and research on the Family. ASSISTANCE FOR SINGLE-INCOME FAMILIES 12. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Community Development what kind of public assistance, such as subsidized housing, educational grants, or outright financial grants, are currently given, or contemplated to be given, to single-income families earning less than $1,500 a month.”
“Lunar New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri and indeed all major public holidays are good occasions for Singaporeans of all races to celebrate together. We encourage activities which promote racial harmony and bring the various races closer to understand and appreciate each other's culture and tradition. Organising joint functions on this special occasion where the Lunar New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri fall so close together would certainly be appropriate. However, I feel that it would be more meaningful for such activities to be organised spontaneously by community groups rather than done at official or national levels. This is in fact already happening. I am told that several community centres, RCs and CCCs will be organising functions to jointly celebrate Lunar New Year and Hari Raya this year. We should encourage such initiatives. SINGAPORE ONE 17. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (i) how the households for the Singapore ONE pilot project were selected and (ii) whether it is possible for interested households to request for a link-up.”
“NMP Mdm Chiang has asked about the progress on the Ministry's plan to amend the Children and Young Persons's Act (CYPA). First, let me stress that the review of the C&YP Act is not prompted by the Winnie Ho case but came about as a result of a recommendation of the Inter-Ministry Committee on Dysfunctional Families, Juvenile Delinquency and Drug Abuse which was made in 1995. This Committee among other things had proposed that the C&YP Act should be amended to provide for more sentencing options to be made available for the management and treatment of juvenile delinquents. The C&YP Act had been quite extensively reviewed and amended in 1993. In the current exercise we will look at three broad areas, namely the: - treatment of juvenile offenders and children and young persons who are beyond parental control; - investigation and management of children and young persons in need of care and protection; and - administration and supervision of institutions for children and young persons. In the area of child welfare and protection, one of the amendments proposed aims to strengthen provisions to obtain the cooperation of parents or guardians in seeking treatment and help for themselves, other than the victims. This provision will ensure that the perpetrators and the children can be directed for necessary assessment and treatment. Such a provision is already available under the Women's Charter. I am glad to report that the review has been completed and an amendment Bill will be tabled later this year. ELECTRONIC COMMERCE IN SINGAPORE 14. Dr Lee Tsao Yuan asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (i) what is the current status of the development of electronic commerce in Singapore and (ii) how this compares with that in the United States.”
“The profile of offenders admitted into SBH `A' and our other juvenile institutions has changed particularly over the last three years. SBH `A' continues to face an overcrowding problem with an increasing rate of admission. The current population of boys is more aggressive in nature. 50% of them have committed violent offences such as rioting, involuntarily causing hurt, robbery, assault, etc. Three years ago, the group constituted about 20%. The premises of SBH `A' are a century old and its premises have been encroached upon with the development of the Open University next to it. Current facilities and space are inadequate for the conduct of programmes and activities for the boys. Fortunately in 10 months' time, SBH `A' will be moving into a new Boys' Complex in Jurong by the end of the year. The new Boys' Complex with better security features and better facilities will provide a better and more secure environment. STRENGTHENING THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS ACT 13. Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Community Development how far has his Ministry progressed in its commitment, after the Winnie Ho enquiry, to amend and strengthen the Children and Young Persons Act.”
“(a) Cause of Incident On 17th December 1997, a group of boys fought in SBH `A'. This fight was a culmination of some unhappiness and personal conflicts amongst the boys over a few incidents, ie, verbal insults, complaints of kicking and spitting of some boys by others. The fight took place just after the boys had finished their dinner and were assembling to return to their dormitories. It was triggered when one boy hit another boy and this escalated with other boys joining in the fight. The Police was called in to help stop the fighting. (b) Measures Taken to Prevent Such Occurrences in Future The incident is regretted. On measures taken to prevent such recurrence, my Ministry is reviewing the management of the Home as well as its security. Since an earlier incident which took place in the Home, the Ministry has taken steps to upgrade the security of the Home. The measures include the installation of closed circuit cameras in all dormitories, a second layer of fencing creating a buffer zone and a distress call alarm to alert all staff. The Prisons Department is also assisting the Home to review its physical security and security management and conduct training courses for Home staff to better prepare them to deal with an increasingly difficult lot of residents. Arising from the incident, the Ministry has also engaged the services of CISCO Police Officers to enhance the security of the Home. A distress alarm system has been installed to activate the Police in the event of an incident. The present staffing ratio is inadequate and we are reviewing it to ensure more effective supervision and management of residents. Comments My Ministry together with the Ministry of Home Affairs is reviewing the current regime and the types of boys who are admitted into the Home.”
“My Ministry and the Housing and Development Board are working closely to look into the types of social services and other support facilities which can be provided for the benefit of the elderly who will be living in the new type of HDB apartments designed and built specially for the elderly. The needs of the elderly in this new type of housing are being studied. On whether Government will provide incentives to non-government organisations for the provision of such facilities and services, I wish to inform the NMP that my Ministry currently provides financial incentives to non-profit organisations for services for elderly living in 1-room rental flats (i.e. under the MCD-HDB Joint Project to Improve the Living Conditions of the Elderly Living in 1-room HDB Rental Flats). If in future there are to be social services and support facilities for those living in the special housing for the elderly, MCD will similarly consider providing financial incentives where appropriate. RIOT IN SINGAPORE BOYS' HOME "A" 12. Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Community Development (a) what was the cause of the recent riot in Singapore Boys' Home "A"; and (b) what measures have been taken to prevent such re-occurrences in the future.”
“The issue of accreditation and registration of social workers has been studied by the Ministry of Community Development (MCD) together with the Department of Social Work and Psychology of the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW). In principle, we support the proposal to accredit and register not only social workers but also other human services and helping professions (such as family counsellors, family therapists and others) and to raise their professionalism. The issue is how and when such a move should be implemented as it has wide implications. A good number of people currently in social work do not have social work qualifications. However, they have accumulated good experience and knowledge through attendance at various courses and years of work experience. How this pool of good workers will be treated and other issues would need to be resolved. My Ministry together with the Department of Social Work and Psychology of NUS and the Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW) will continue to study the matter and accreditation is one of the issues being considered.”
“Mdm Claire Chiang See Ngoh asked the Minister for Community Development if he will review service standards by professionalising social workers through a programme of accreditation which will require mandatory training and regular upgrading of required counselling and therapy skills.”
“There are many causes of child abuse and the father is as likely as the mother to commit child abuse. One cause of child abuse is the lack of parenting skills and the understanding of the child's needs. Another is conflict between the parents resulting in innocent children being used as punching bags. Yet another factor is the lack of bonding between the abusive parent and the child. Parent education and family life education programmes are therefore essential. MCD has since 1985 embarked on programmes to promote family well-being and to enhance parenting skills. The parent and family life programmes provide information on support services which individuals and families can turn to when in need of help. MCD is also promoting public awareness of family violence and child abuse and the services and support programmes available. Public education materials on family violence are distributed widely to professionals as well as individuals in the community. Talks and workshops on child abuse are conducted by the MCD as well as voluntary organisations with the support of the Ministry. Workshops on child abuse and family will also be conducted for staff of child care centres, kindergartens and schools. Family service centres also provide support services to families who require help. All these concerted efforts provide a wider coverage for detection of child abuse in the community and provide support to families. MCD is also amending the Children and Young Persons Act to strengthen provisions to get the cooperation of parents and guardians in seeking treatment and help for themselves and the victims. RAISING PROFESSIONALISM OF SOCIAL WORKERS 7.”
“Sir, in fact, for several years now, MUIS has been appealing to the Saudi authorities to increase the quota. For example, for the last haj, the quota was 3,000 and MUIS managed to get another 1,000 added to the quota. Even then, the number who went to the haj exceeded the number. For this year, we will do likewise. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD (Conduct of examinations for housing agents) 9. Mr Ang Mong Seng asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board has any plan to conduct examinations for housing agents who do not qualify for the Common Examination for House Agents.”
“Sir, MUIS has received information that amounts between US$600-$1,000 have been charged for these visas when, in fact, they are free. MUIS will be looking further into this to see what further action it could take.”
“Moreover, MUIS plans its medical and welfare services according to the official quota allocated to Singapore. The additional unofficial numbers would therefore strain these services. MUIS therefore holds a serious view of the problem as it concerns the safety of all Singapore pilgrims. MUIS will take up the issue of overseas visas separately with the Haj authorities in Saudi Arabia. MUIS has made it clear that the practice of obtaining haj visas from outside Singapore undermines the haj quota system and adversely affects the welfare and interest of all Singapore pilgrims, apart from being unfair to the registered pilgrims. MUIS has issued letters of reprimand to travel agents who have flouted the quota. It is also considering taking appropriate actions against these travel agents. In the coming haj, travel agents will have to give an undertaking not to be involved in obtaining visas from outside Singapore when making their applications as approved travel agents.”
“Sir, there are four parts to the question. I will reply to each one in turn. In the last haj, MUIS was informed that there were about 950 pilgrims with haj visas issued by Saudi Arabian embassies outside Singapore. Did these pilgrims pay the $206 administrative charge? The approved haj package price charged by travel agents, in fact, includes the administrative charge of $206. And since the haj applications of those pilgrims who obtained their visas from outside were not submitted to or registered by MUIS, the Council did not receive the administrative fee from this group. The Saudi Haj authorities informed MUIS that Singaporeans who want to perform the haj should obtain their visas from the Saudi Embassy in Singapore. MUIS, therefore, does not condone the practice of obtaining visas from outside Singapore as it may lead to complications in the management of the haj by MUIS. Sir, MUIS is concerned that pilgrims with these foreign visas may put themselves at risk and uncertainty. For instance, they could be sent back by the Saudi authorities when they reach Saudi Arabia. The Saudi authorities allocate sites and facilities in Makkah based on the pilgrim quotas specified for each country. But the actual number of pilgrims from Singapore exceeded the official quota because of the presence of the unregistered pilgrims. As a result, there was overcrowding and inadequate facilities in the areas meant for Singapore pilgrims. This is unfair to those pilgrims who were registered with MUIS. MUIS is also greatly concerned for the safety of the unregistered pilgrims because should anything happen to them in Makkah, MUIS has no means of identifying them since they are not in MUIS' records.”
“I will consider the Member's suggestions.”
“The approach that MCD takes is to try to put complementary care programmes for the aged together or nearby so that at least they can take advantage of one another and provide a kind of a synergy in terms of provision of care for the aged. But certainly, if we can put them all into one location, it would be ideal. As I have said earlier, this is something which could be encouraged and we would certainly try to encourage VWOs to take up the Member's suggestion.”
“Sir, I cannot agree more with the Member for proposing a holistic approach to care for the aged. She mentioned the three-in-one facility which she has in the constituency. We in MCD are all for the CARE approach, as she calls it, and we will encourage the development of CARE projects, or projects similar to CARE, to all VWOs. But service providers at present, Sir, try to take a holistic approach in the provision of service to the aged, although in the service delivery per se and the emphasis sometimes follows the mission, the focus and the expertise of the respective voluntary welfare organisations. We should not, I think, Sir, dampen the initiatives and the interest of these VWOs in trying to provide the kind of service which they think the community needs. Indeed, I think we should encourage the proliferation of such services to the community. The Member may wish to know that there are currently actually two types of day care programmes for the elderly. One is the rehabilitation programme which is run by the Ministry of Health. They are what we call rehabilitation centres. They are for the frail elderly who need rehabilitative help. The other is the social day care centre which is run by my Ministry. These are for the elderly who need to socialise and for whom we can provide programmes and activities. On Dr Neo's suggestion of enlarging the Senior Activity Corners, Sir, to provide all the three requirements, I will ask the People's Association and the Town Councils to take a look into her suggestion as Senior Activity Corners come under their purview.”
“I am afraid, Sir, I also do not have it available here. Again, I could give the Member the details of the ratio of supervisors to inmates later.”
“I do not know whether the statistics which were quoted by Mr Low have this differentiation between those who abscond from the home and those who abscond outside the home. As for the rehabilitation programme, I am afraid I cannot give him the details now. If he wishes, I could send him the details of the rehabilitation programme of the Boys' Home. His last question is whether inmates are charged in court for offences committed inside the home. If it is a fighting offence, for example, there would be an internal investigation. If police help is required, they are called in and if they have to be charged in court they would be charged in court. The example is the latest incident. Late last month an inmate hit one of the supervisors with a brick from behind and the matter is still under investigation. If the police finds that the boy could be charged, and AG's advice is that the boy could be charged, then he would be charged. So it depends on what kind of offence.”
“The Member also mentioned that some parents treat BASCs as tuition centres This is understandable because BASC is a concept that is being promoted widely and it is still new. So parents are still confused between the actual role of BASC and tuition centres. The problem is that being before-and-after school centres, students who go there sometimes do their homework and study, and some supervisors supervise their studies and where it is possible sometimes they give tips or advice on their lessons. But this is not tuition per se. So I hope parents would understand the actual role of BASCs. They should not expect BASCs to operate as tuition centres and expect the children coming out from BASCs to be properly tuitioned and doing better in school. Mr Low Thia Khiang asked about the underlying causes of escape from the Boys' Home. There are many causes why inmates escape from Boys' Home. Sometimes they feel they are bullied or exposed or they have to undergo a harsh regimen. So indeed there are many reasons for people who want to escape. If he is talking of escaping or abscondment from the Boys' Home, the actual number of people who abscond from the home itself is very small. For example, in the first six months of this year, out of 16 abscondment, only one actually absconded from the home. The other 15 absconded when they were outside the home. In other words, when they were going to school or when they have to go out to seek medical treatment or when they go for outings, and things like that. So they do not abscond from the home itself, as it were. They abscond when they were outside the home, although they are inmates of the home.”
“As has also been mentioned yesterday, there would be some problems in getting the manpower for these BASCs, but we will assist and try. Dr Yaacob asked why there was a high turnover of staff in BASCs and some parents treating BASC as tuition centres. Sir, staff turnover is not a new issue, as has been mentioned by the Member himself. It happens in childcare centres. Indeed, it happens in a lot of other institutions and organisations, especially in a very tight labour market like ours. Yesterday, I did say that the demand for social workers or for people who could do social work and community service is increasing and they are also competing for such workers. So the high turnover is nothing new actually in that sense. We will be monitoring the situation and try and find ways of improving the manpower situation. With regard to standards, the Member may wish to know that we have guidelines on how BASCs ought to be run, the ratio of supervisors and clients, the size and what kind of facilities ought to be provided to the boys there. So there are standards. Of course, you can argue whether these standards are enough, but again, my officers will be monitoring the situation and, if need be, we will tighten up the standards to ensure that the quality is maintained. As to whether we have tracked the performance of BASCs, I am afraid we were actively just promoting BASCs only last year. So I think it is a bit too soon to see both the effect of BASCs and also the performance of the BASCs themselves. But if I can here sound a note of caution: the BASC is not a panacea for the various problems of our youths and also to reduce the incidence of juvenile delinquency, but I think it is one measure which we could try, apart from other measures that are being put in place.”
“They can make use of these alternative child care facilities to expose their children to this socialising process. Dr Lily Neo asked whether the Government could set up more before-and-after-school-care (BASC) centres and offer extra incentives to schools so that they can set up these centres. As at 1st July 1997, there are 67 non-profit BASCs, including 30 BASCs which are run by commercial operators. We have a total of about 107 BASCs. We intend to increase the non-profit BASCs from 67 to 170 by the year 2000. Indeed, this is more than what the Member has asked for. She has asked for 60 more. With regard to incentives, with effect from December 1996, Government funding has been provided to non-profit organisations to set up BASCs, including grassroots organisations. The financial help comprises up to 90% of capital cost for conversion or renovation of the premises, up to 90% of capital cost of purchase of furnishings and equipment, and also Government subsidy to assist organisations in the initial stages of their operation because in the beginning they may run a loss. So Government subsidises them for a while. There are also fee-subsidies to help low income families. 1.00 pm For school BASC, Sir, the Government also provides financial assistance in that if there are no premises to run these BASCs, my Ministry will provide containers for them to use for such purposes. On the speed of development of BASCs, my Ministry indeed is very conscious of the need to increase the number of BASCs because of the problems that are around and we will be working closely with HDB on the identification of sites for the BASC centres. But there are some difficulties here because we have constraints.”
“The objective of the subsidies, which are $150 and $75 if it is part-time, is to encourage women to go out to work, which means that the subsidy would only be available to working women who send their children to child care centres. As such, the subsidy for child care centres will be available to them. Subsidies for BASCs are also available to working women only. Where children can be taken care of in the home environment, preferably with a mother around, we would always encourage that. To extend this subsidy to all non-working mothers, I am afraid, would create an artificial demand. But if we limit it to only a certain proportion of non-working women, then we have to set up criteria, we have to decide who can get this subsidy and who would not. Quite apart from these difficulties, I think the basic principle is that we would rather that the child be taken care of by the mother in the home. If that can happen and if that can be done, we would encourage that. But for non-working mothers who have genuine problems, which means that they have to put their children in child care centres, we would find alternative ways of helping them. There are, in fact, VWOs who help them out in terms of helping to pay for the fees of the child care centres. The Member also mentioned that some women use the part-time child care centres to expose their children to an unstructured learning and for socialisation purposes. The Member may wish to know that besides child care centres, there are also other pre-school facilities such as kindergartens, nursery programmes and play schools which provide similar opportunities. These are programmes between 2-4 hours which are short enough to be considered as part-time by the parents. So non-working mothers do not need full-time child care facilities.”
“With regard to whether child care centres would accept children below two years old, child care centres, in fact, are allowed to take in children right down to two months old. However, the child care centres usually take in children from 1 1/2 years and above, because they do not find it economically viable to take in infants or toddlers below 1 1/2 years old. We had centres which used to take in very young children, and this group of centres, I am afraid, have folded up, because they found that they were not economically viable. The solution for such young children is the family day-care programme, where children can be looked after in the home environment. In other words, children are fostered out to baby sitters who have their own homes, and they can be taken care of in a home environment, and not in an institutional environment. My Ministry, in fact, is looking into encouraging the development of more family day-care centre services. We used to have it last time, but somehow it had to be stopped because of some problems. But the system is workable, and we will be relooking into the system to see whethere there are ways to improve it, and to see whether there are ways we could encourage VWOs or foster mothers to take up the programme. Dr Yaacob is concerned with child care needs. He asked whether we could subsidise non-working mothers to send their children to child care centres. First, I would like to reiterate MCD's stand that we think both working women and non-working women contribute to society. We are not saying that working women contribute more than non-working women. Let us have this straight. Having said that, the Government has no plans, as of now at least, to extend these subsidies to non-working women. The reason is this.”
“In fact, it was increased in May this year. By the way, it was publicised in the newspapers. The increase in the rates is indexed to the CPI. Sir, Dr Lily Neo asked whether we could build more child care centres, and also whether these centres could be more conveniently located for the convenience of families needing them. As at July 1997, as I have mentioned yesterday, there are 442 child care centres run by both profit and non-profit organisations. We plan to have about 550 centres by the year 2000. We monitor the use of these child care centres periodically and if we need to increase the number, we would do so. In planning for these child care centres, we do take into account the demand. We also take into account the convenience in terms of location and we also take into account the availability of the supporting resources in the area. So they are not centralised in that sense, but in fact located within the HDB heartland itself, in the HDB estates. So they are as convenient as possible. But to make the catchment smaller, Sir, would mean that we would need smaller centres, and the financial viability of these centres would come into question. There are economies of scale which can be gained from centres which have large enrolment. Our assessment is that a centre of about 70-100 children is about the most economical size of a child care centre, as this would maximize the supervisory staff and also the space that is available. In principle, we have no objection to smaller size child care centres, and also to have HDB estates being peppered with child care centres. Much depends on the operators and on their assessment of the viability of their centres.”
“We also hold talks and briefings for voluntary welfare organisations, schools, unions and grassroots organisations on the kind of help the Ministry is dispensing, and also what are available in the community and the set-up of the VWOs. Recognising that low-income families have somehow special difficulty in getting at these usual channels of publicity, my Ministry is also working with the two CDCs that have been set up on an outreach programme. This involves knocking door to door and to tell the people, especially those in the 1- and 2-room rental flats, about the services that are available and that could be of help to them. We hope this would increase the reach to people who really need such assistance. Coming to the public assistance (PA) allowance, the Member asked about the means test that has to be done, and also the forms that have to be filled. Sir, different services would need different criteria. There are different criteria that have to be fulfilled, and they have different objectives also. To get information from the applicants, we have to have forms as some information have to be collected from them. And we try to make it as simple as possible. We try to collect the minimum that is needed for us to be able to assess or to evaluate the applications. When there are instances of people who need help in filling up the forms, there are VWOs and FSCs who are willing to help out with filling up the forms. They are quite used to the format of the forms anyway. Dr Ho also asked about the increase of the PA rates. I do not know whether the Member is aware that we increase the rates once in every two years. It is correct, as he pointed out, that the last time we increased the rates was in 1995, and indeed we have raised the rates this year.”