Ahmad Mohd Magad
Singapore
“The participants were proudly spoilt and present their national attires, the mainland Chinese would tell stories about the differences in their culture and practices from ours and the Indians would cook their best sumptuous dishes for us.”
“Sir, anecdotal data suggest that there is an increasing number of families who have sold their flats twice but are unable to afford another flat from the open market due to cash flow or other financial problems. There are also others, for one reason or another, who are no longer eligible to purchase another subsidised flat.”
“I would also like to know whether HDB could process applications for sales of balance flats faster as feedback received suggests that applicants are frustrated by the long waiting time and the uncertainty of whether or not they are going to get their flats allocated. Income ceiling for HDB flats”
“Furthermore, for single mothers who are working, many of them are possibly unaware of the childcare schemes that they can make use of. I hope that MCYS, with the cooperation of Malay/Muslim organisations, can spread the message about the choices available to fulfil this need.”
“Many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing industries face challenges in sending their workers for training and skills upgrading.”
“Sir, 2009 also saw quite a significant shrinkage in maritime activities in Singapore. With the economy on the mend, could the Minister provide an update of MOT's efforts to prepare and capitalise on the economic upturn and enhance Singapore's position as a global maritime hub?”
The complete record
Every one of 470 lines we hold for Ahmad Mohd Magad, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 10.
“Another suggestion is to add another tier at the top of those earning more than $6,000 monthly contributing a larger amount to the fund, perhaps up to a total of $20, or even $25, a month. The increase at the top end could help offset the loss in doing away with the contribution at the bottom end if this proposal can be considered. Next, Sir, while I do understand the need to upgrade and repair old mosques, I would like to seek assurance from the Minister that only mosques with urgent upgrading needs are considered for upgrading work during this difficult period. Other non-critical upgrading needs can be shelved to a later period in better economic times. At the same time, I would also like to seek assurance that mosques in Singapore will continue to be prudent in their spending and in managing donations from the public. Sir, I say this because in recent years, there were reports of a few mosques with installations of fancy chandeliers and luxurious expensive carpets. While the public contributes towards the upgrading of old mosques, it is only fair to ask the mosques to be prudent in managing their needs and wants, even when items are donated. One other aspect which has drawn attention from the public is the proposal to use a part of the MBMF for funding teaching and training programmes in madrasahs. I understand and believe in the need for a collective approach in the funding of religious education for Muslims in Singapore. The community, as a whole, will benefit from having better qualified Ustaz and ustazahs in our madrasahs, in addition to having a religious elite and an exemplary madrasah education system, which can be seen as a model by other secular nations with Muslim minorities.”
“Sir, the MBMF has played a crucial role in providing funds for the building of mosques in Singapore and in supporting the needs of community organisations through Mendaki. However, some have questioned if the MBMF is in a dire state that the increase has to be done while the world is on the brink of experiencing what analysts have termed to be possibly the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Uppermost on many Singaporeans' minds are whether they will be able to keep their jobs in the face of a looming economic downturn. Many have started to tighten their purse strings and are finding ways to economise and stretch every dollar. While there is never a good time for any price increase, I would argue that there certainly are really bad times to do so, especially for the most financially vulnerable – in this sense, the lower-income workers. Under the proposed revision, the largest portion of the burden of the hikes rightly falls on those earning higher incomes. Workers earning $1,001 to $2,000 will contribute the lowest amount of increase, that is, 50 cents more than the current contribution of $2 per month. At the top end, those earning $4,001 and above will contribute the biggest increase of $5, bringing their total contribution to $16. Sir, I note that the last round of hikes to the MBMF in 2005 was done only for workers earning $2,001 and above. In the light of a gloomy economic outlook, I would like to suggest that the same be done this time around so that workers earning between $1,001 and $2,000 are spared from increasing their contributions. Instead, the increased amount of $0.50 should be channelled to those earning $4,001 and above as this group of employees are not likely to be as heavily impacted by the current crisis.”
“The reality is strong teenage marriages are often hard to come by, especially in the absence of solid social and family support networks. With the increase in allowable marriage age, Muslim women who find themselves bearing a child out of wedlock at age 16 or 17 may be faced with an even bigger conundrum. They may eventually be left with the option of bearing the child as a single mother because marriage would not be an option for them even if their partner may wish to marry them. In such circumstances, which I suspect will not be uncommon, I would like to ask the Minister what forms of social support will be made available for such young unwed Muslim mothers. I would also like to know whether the current shelters for such women are operating at maximum capacity and, if so, what measures will be taken to ensure that existing VWOs are able to meet the need should there be an increase in numbers of single unwed mothers needing shelter or support. I would also like to ask the Minister if the proposed Casa Raudha, a shelter meant for battered women, will admit young single mothers who have been turned away from their families due to such circumstances. I also note that the amendment provides for a kadhi to allow underage marriages under a special licence. I would like to ask the Minister under what circumstances would such special licences be granted. May I also know how many special licences for underage non-Muslim marriages have been given out by the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, and under what circumstances were these licences granted. Moving on to another aspect of the amendment, I would like to address concerns on the implementation of an upward revision of Muslim workers' contribution to the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF).”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, some say that the strength of a community lies in the strength of its families and institutions. The proposed amendment to the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA) seeks to implement several changes so as to further strengthen Muslim families and institutions in Singapore. These are noble causes which I support as they are critical for the building of a progressive and resilient Muslim community, especially in the face of many challenges brought about by globalisation. However, allow me to address some concerns I have regarding several aspects of the amendment. The move to increase the minimum marriage age for Muslims from 16 to 18 years old will put AMLA in line with the Women's Charter in Singapore. I support this change as it will go some way in addressing the problems of teen marriages, many of which end in quick divorces. After going through the motions, many teenagers, especially the younger ones, may find themselves unprepared for the rigours and demands of married life and parenthood and, hence, making their marriages more susceptible to breaking apart. While there are many reasons for teenage marriages, some of them occur out of what is perceived as a "necessity" due to the presence of a baby conceived out of wedlock. In the Muslim community, bearing a child out of wedlock is seen as religiously and culturally undesirable. Hence, women caught in this situation are often stigmatised and pressured. They are often left with no option but to carry on with the pregnancy, as abortion is also frowned upon by the community. Some parents feel that marrying off their teenage children caught in such situations will instil some sense of responsibility in the couple, while shielding them from being shamed by the community.”
“The Government then steps in by giving tax incentives to both working individuals and employees who make their contributions to the fund. However, we must not forget that as we broaden the base to encourage higher skilled workers to go for training, it is most critical for training to reach those who need it most. It is ironic that these categories of workers, which include those who are lower skilled, elderly and have low incomes or living on a hand-to-mouth existence, are often the ones who find it most challenging to go for training, as doing so would mean a loss or reduction of their income. Many of these people work but continue to struggle paying for their families' basic necessities. I would like to ask if Lifelong Learning Accounts are set up, whether special consideration could be given to this group to make up for their loss of income when they seek skills upgrading opportunities. Such incentives can be in the form of credits being made into their CPF accounts or Government-subsidised make-up pay while they go for training. Other considerations can be by way of offsetting their utilities bill or subsidising the cost of other basic necessities. With that, Sir, I support the motion. 6.05 pm”
“In line with this, I would like to know what plans the Ministry of Manpower has in changing the mindsets of professionals that being better educated and having higher skills do not preclude them from having to regularly upgrade their skills as they too may face the prospect of becoming irrelevant in the face of a fast changing economy. While skills training and upgrading clearly contribute to the well-being of both workers and employers, it often also translates to employers, especially the smaller ones, having to make do with less manpower for the period their employees undergo training. It may also lead to higher turnover rates as losing their employee to another competitor in the industry does happen after the employee undergoes training and becomes more qualified. I would like to ask the Minister if specific mechanisms could be put in place to help employers, especially smaller ones, retain their trained staff after the investment they put in to develop their employees. Having such mechanisms will certainly go a long way in uplifting the productivity of the companies and, correspondingly, the nation. Widening the base of workers needing to go for training may also mean that higher skilled and salaried workers may have even higher expectations than the quality of training programmes. It is imperative that the Ministry and the WDA closely monitor the quality of training programmes conducted by training institutions. Naming and honouring good training providers and blacklisting bad ones could be one way. Sir, I join the call for the setting up of Lifelong Learning Accounts which are portable in Singapore. These accounts, such as those in the United States, encourage employer-employee contributions and can be used for education and training throughout one's lifetime.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the amendment to the Skills Development Levy Bill is timely as it complements the various initiatives put in place to expand adult training and education under our 10-year National Masterplan. I believe it will further strengthen the message of how important it is for our workforce to be continually trained, skilled and re-skilled to meet the changes and demands of a continually changing economic landscape. In terms of dollars and cents, the amendment will particularly benefit small and medium-sized companies while bigger companies, especially those with higher qualified employees with salaries higher than $2,000, will have to shoulder higher levies monthly. However, the amount will not be drastically high as the levy rate has been reduced from 1% to 0.25%, as the Minister has clarified, and is subjected to the first $4,500 of an employee's salary. This signals a shift towards recognising the need for training to cover all levels of working personnel and not just the rank and file. This is critical as our labour productivity rate declined by 0.9% in 2007. This is unhealthy and needs to be arrested as quickly as possible to prevent it from sliding further in the coming years. So far, a lot of emphasis has been given to lower-income and lower-skilled workers to go for training and skills upgrading programmes. I agree with the Minister that this should continue and, in fact, should continually be emphasised. However, the increasing shift of the economy towards higher-end and value creation activities has also made it necessary for higher paid skilled and educated workers to attend training and retraining programmes.”
“After they have shown the capacity to be self-sufficient, they can proceed with their marriage plans. *Cols. 2283-2286.”
“The situation is worsened if it involves a low-income man who is unable to pay maintenance for the children from his previous marriage. Then the man remarries another divorcee with children, or a single woman, and they start a new family. From one dysfunctional family, this low-income man might then start another dysfunctional family. Media reports say that the rate of remarriages, ie, second marriages, and so on, is higher among the Malay community a few years ago. It is the same for the rate of re-divorce. Does the Ministry have the latest figures? Today, Malay couples who want to remarry must attend a two-day course. I feel this is enough for couples who are emotionally, mentally and financially prepared. However, I propose that the counselling and mentoring process be extended to three groups, namely: (1) Couples where one partner has divorced at least twice; (2) Couples where the man does not have the financial means to start a new family; and (3) Couples where the man has neglected the responsibility to his children from his former family by not paying maintenance. A more advanced mentoring course that is more detailed, and maybe tailored for such couples, must be made. Without this measure, the problem of dysfunctional families can worsen. A media report in 2003 said that three out of four re-divorces or serial divorces involved unemployed men or women, or those with salaries less than $500 a month. Must such individuals be allowed to remarry when they obviously do not have the financial means to start a new family? In this matter, can ROMM delay marriages for such couples for the time being? These couples can be required to attend advanced counselling and mentoring courses, and be given job matching services.”
“(In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *. ] The issue of dysfunctional families is becoming an increasing concern to the community. These families usually involve divorced couples, single parents or children involved in negative activities. The issue of dysfunctional families must be controlled, as it can affect the community's progress. One main way is to encourage women, especially single mothers, to work and to be independent. I hope the Government will think of ways as to how we can encourage companies to establish a more flexible work system for women, especially single mothers. Besides medium and large enterprises, another system can also be introduced in every HDB estate where grassroots organisations, or the CDCs, can link up with stalls and service providers to offer job vacancies to mothers who are seeking part-time work. I hope the Government will consider these ideas and look for ways to give incentives for its implementation. Apart from that, more efforts should be done to help single mothers who are suffering because their ex-husbands neglect their responsibilities and do not pay maintenance to their children. Some are unsure of their rights and do not realise that they can bring their cases to court. I hope public education and awareness efforts can be increased in this regard. Social workers and counsellors must also make the single mothers aware that they should not let their ex-husbands ignore their responsibilities to their children. Sir, some of these divorcees then start new families. Although there is nothing wrong with this, the newly-married divorcees are not prepared emotionally, mentally and financially and this can bring about new problems when they remarry.”
“Sir, looking at this chart, which was also flashed on the screen yesterday, I can still vividly remember that when we were at this point in 2001 how bleak things were then. And to achieve the phenomenal progress that we have accomplished over the 5-6 years to where we were in 2006 and where we are today is certainly no mean feat. So, for this, I really would like to congratulate the Minister for Manpower and his team for the sterling performance, especially in creating an unprecedented number of jobs for Singaporeans. Most of everything else is academic if there are insufficient jobs for Singaporeans. I would like to thank the Minister, Minister of State Gan and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Hawazi for their comprehensive and detailed responses and clear explanations to the multitude of issues raised. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $687,107,400 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $37,738,300 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head I – Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports”
“Sir, I am deeply impressed with the chart displayed on the screen yesterday which plots our economic growth and job growth over the five-year period compared to several other countries. Clearly, it takes the best brains and meticulous planning to achieve such a superlative performance. Can I ask the Minister for Manpower to explain the extent of how well he thinks we can sustain this trend, going forward? Secondly, how could we tweak our open-door foreign talent and foreign worker policies such that it has a more uniformed favourable impact on our society – professionals, PMETs, and especially our older and lower-income workers who seem not to have benefited proportionately from our economic growth efforts?”
“Although there have been vast improvements in promoting fair job advertisements, the problem with biasness in advertisements has not been totally eradicated. A look at Saturday, 23rd February's Recruit section in The Straits Times proved this. There were advertisers asking for people "between the ages of 20 to 24 years old", "fresh school leavers" and "fresh grads". These are discriminatory advertisements and immediately disqualify capable applicants who are older. Some other advertisements are vague and state 'bilingual', without explaining which languages are needed for the job, or why. I would like to ask the Minister what the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices intends to do with such advertisers? Would legislation be effective in making sure that employers are not blatantly discriminating in their advertisements? While I recognise that legislation will not stop discriminatory practices, it will provide more bite to the process of having fair employment practices in Singapore, just like the Equal Employment Opportunity law in the United States provides. In the event that the Ministry feels that legislation is not appropriate at this juncture, I would like to propose the setting up of a monitoring system where the TAFEP is obliged to send out letters of reproach to such employers. It must also engage errant employers in a meaningful educational process on fair employment practices. Workplace Sexual Harassment”
“Sir, I would like to urge MOM to give more recognition and support to companies that come up with flexi work arrangement plans that involve full-time work which does not affect salary, benefits or time frame for career advancement of women. Some examples are: Flexi-time, where employees have to work during the core period but otherwise may choose to start and end time of work; Flexi-week, where employees work week may involve different permutations or what makes up a week; and Flexi-place where employees may work via telecommunicating. I believe these arrangements are critical in retaining female workers who are already in the workforce but have problems balancing work and home commitments, as well as also housewives who would like to return to the workforce without keeping a typical office hour day. Part-time work arrangements may be suitable for some women, but it is in a way simpler for employers to accommodate as compared to flexi-work arrangements. Currently, a lot of part-time or work-from-home jobs involve processes like data entry, and this may not be challenging enough for some mothers, especially those who are more educated. Will the Ministry offer further incentives to employers who re-design jobs which are currently not considered as traditional part-time jobs? What measures could be taken to change the mindset of employers that part-time or flexi-work arrangements do not necessarily mean a lower quality of work? Fair Employment Practices My second cut, Sir. The Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices was released in May 2007 to give employers a guide in recruiting staff and to make the workplace a discrimination-free place. These guidelines include a section on job advertisements and list some do's and don'ts for employers.”
“Another possibility is to enable grassroots agencies or self-help groups to help with the Medisave contributions of truly needy low-income workers so that they can benefit from the Medisave top-ups.”
“Sir, the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) has been of great help in boosting the incomes of older workers and lower-wage earners. However, I am concerned with the 100,000 or so low-wage workers who have not signed up for the WIS scheme. I understand that some of these workers may be illiterate and do not understand the mechanics of the scheme. Others may be casual workers or self-employed ones who do not make Medisave contributions because they have difficulty making ends meet and are struggling to finance their day-to-day needs. This includes the group of physically disabled people who work informally in workshops and earn low salaries. Sir, I would like to propose some minor changes to the WIS scheme. I feel that the WIS scheme should be tweaked for lowly-paid casual workers or the self-employed. Currently, these people would have to make a Medisave contribution to have the entire WIS payouts channelled to their CPF Medisave accounts. I would like to suggest that this group of workers have their WIS allocation divided into two portions. First, a smaller portion to be disbursed in the form of cash and the remaining bigger portion to be in the form of CPF Medisave contribution. A salary cap could be set for these workers, eg, those earning below $500 or $800 a month. Other factors, like disability, should also be included for qualifying workers. I believe it is important to tweak the system for these workers to incentivise them to continue working and, at the same time, have contributions made to their Medisave accounts. As these people may be too hard pressed for cash, making them contribute to Medisave in order to receive more money in the Medisave accounts hardly seems like an attractive option. This small cash incentive may persuade more to join WIS.”
“Sir, the Prime Minister recently announced a 10-year Masterplan for Continuing Education and Training. I first support the push for more workers to be trained and retrained so that they can keep pace with the economic changes. However, measurement yardsticks for the programme were not detailed. I would like to know what the main key performance indicators of this Masterplan are. How would the Ministry assess the success of this Masterplan? I hope the number of workers going for training will not be the sole indicator of success. I have received feedback from many residents on training courses which were said not to have been effective in helping them secure jobs or widen their job search prospects. Some were also unhappy with the quality of training programmes. I would like to ask if MOM or the WDA would consider implementing a trainers' recognition scheme to ensure that the training programmes conducted are effective and also of high quality. I believe how well a programme is conducted is to a very large extent also dependent on the quality of the trainer. I would like to know how the CET will reach out to structurally unemployed workers as well. Also, will the CET adequately address the issue of making older workers more employable and drawing more women back to the workplace?”
“Sir, at what point is the balance struck between creating enough and high quality jobs for Singaporeans and continuing to leave the floodgates open to foreigners in meeting the needs of employers during times of growth? Should there be another economic slowdown, will the foreign workers remain as a buffer that cushions the impact of retrenchments for local workers, as was the case in the last recession? Labour Market Update”
“Sir, employers in some sectors, such as manufacturing, construction and cleaning, continue to say that we need to employ more foreign workers on grounds that there are not enough Singaporeans to work in these sectors. This may not be the case for all employers as those in other sectors may not face the same image issue with Singaporean workers. For these employers, I would like to suggest that they be made to prove to demonstrate that they have put in sufficient effort to recruit Singaporeans before they are given additional quota to recruit foreigners. At the same time, I believe more needs to be done to build resilience in Singaporean workers. Even with job redesign, there are still Singaporeans who shun such jobs due to reasons like long working hours in the service sector, and embarrassment for doing cleaning jobs. Some older Singaporeans have shown resilience and taken up jobs in the cleaning sector but are outperformed by younger, eager and more efficient foreign workers. Other employers in the service sector have lamented on the attitude of some fair-weathered local workers who quit all too easily when the going gets tough, when the hours get long, or when there is a better job offer. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Matthias Yao Chih) in the Chair] 5.00 pm Moving forward, the economic situation for 2008 may not be as cheery as 2007, with an economic slowdown already apparent in the United States and a recession looming. Due to the growth of China and India, Asian economies, including Singapore, may be spared from a big bump but will nevertheless still feel some impact of the US recession.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head S of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, the employment scene in Singapore was exceptionally rosy in 2007, with employment levels reaching an unprecedented high and unemployment levels reaching a record low. The favourable job market condition boosted by a booming economic growth in 2007 saw more Singaporeans getting jobs. A recent report from MOM showed that Singaporeans have benefited from the job boom with more taking up PMET jobs and less of them taking up lower-paid jobs. I would like to ask the Minister for data on the types of jobs foreigners hold and the breakdown of the associated statistics. Could the Minister also provide a comparison of salaries for Singapore workers and foreigners at the different levels? While more Singaporeans are getting employment, more new jobs appear to be taken up by foreigners, ie, six out of 10 jobs in 2006. MOM has said that this is due to insufficient number of Singaporean workers available for the vacancies. Sir, I feel that it is our responsibility to maximise the chances for Singaporeans to benefit from new jobs, especially promising new sectors. What plans does MOM have to train and retrain Singaporeans such that high value jobs and new job opportunities in new industries favour Singaporeans than foreigners? One thing MOM and WDA can do is to increase efforts in identifying sectors with high job demand and subsequently advise local workers in the areas they need to consider to undertake reskilling efforts. This is specially relevant to workers above 40 who continue to struggle in getting appropriate jobs in spite of the rosy job market, as portrayed by Radha Basu in today's Straits Times.”
“If demand is high, would the Government consider setting up another shelter for such families? I note that the Ministry of National Development is reviewing the policy regarding subsidised rental HDB flats. I would like to suggest that income level for qualified applicants be pegged to a per capita basis rather than the $1,500 monthly income currently. This would be a fairer way of gauging the level of neediness of a family for a rental flat. On that note, Sir, I support the Budget Statement. 5.00 pm”
“One family I know, who have seen me several times at my meet-the-people session, has been sleeping in a company van for many months, while another has pitched a tent at the beach. Most times, these people have to wait for many months before they are allocated a rental unit. Some are not so fortunate and continue waiting and appealing at the meet-the-people sessions. Not all find it possible to stay with their relatives or friends, as HDB flats are typically small and these relatives may not have the room to accommodate them. Sir, this is a relatively new problem that may affect the social reality of Singapore. Ten years ago, the problem of homelessness was something almost unheard of but, today, it is a growing problem. Each MP may see only two or three cases a month but, collectively and over time, this will add up to quite a sizable number of families. What should we do about this? Should we be less sympathetic to these families, because most of them got themselves into this predicament due to financial mismanagement? With increased cost of living, many find it hard to juggle their finances even if they earn $1,500 or $2,000 a month. Most of these families have utilities and service and conservancy arrears or other debts and have to support their families. Some have depleted CPF accounts, while others have to make a cash top-up to their monthly mortgage payments. While the supply of rental flats will be increased gradually from now till 2010, the current shortage may mean that some families will be homeless for some time more. I would like to ask the Government for the occupancy rate of the new Hope shelter for homeless families. Is there a long waiting list? If so, how many families are on the list, and what is the average waiting time?”
“The $400 million top-up to the ElderCare Fund and the $200 million to the Medifund will help address the needs of the elderly and needy. While all these measures are worthwhile as they will improve the standards of healthcare facilities in Singapore, I hope that the Government will continue to look for ways to keep healthcare cost affordable. While it is doing its bit to help ease the cost of the elderly and needy, more needs to be done, especially for the lower middle and middle income classes who may be most affected by the upcoming means testing scheme. I almost fainted when the hospital bill of my daughter's recent two-day stay for gastritis in a B class ward turned out to be $2,253. The doctor's fee for two 10-minute consultations alone was $650. This is really very worrying. Let me move on to my last point, Sir. Like my parliamentary colleague, Ms Indranee Rajah, who spoke yesterday, I too am very concerned about issues related to housing, especially subsidised rental flats. In the past, most of the cases of people seeking rental flats are likely to be poor, the low income person with no other family members to live with or the elderly. With the liberalisation of housing loans to the banks a few years ago, I have noticed a shift in this profile of people. While the old, poor and destitute continue to form part of subsidised rental flat applicants, a new group of people have joined the queue, and these are families who have defaulted on their bank housing loans and chalked up high arrears and, as a result, were either evicted from their flats or were pressured to sell them off at a loss. Like Ms Indranee, I too see cases where residents and their families turn to desperate measures because they have no roof over their heads.”
“While this does to some extent give some differentiation between different types of vehicles, it does not necessarily address the issue of poor consumption and carbon emission. With new technology, some cars with bigger fuel tanks may have efficient engines which can lead to lower carbon emissions. In the French system, buyers of new cars with high carbon emission rates face a green tax, while buyers of more energy friendly cars are given a bonus or rebate. Could our road tax system be tweaked such that it is based on fuel consumption and carbon emission, and not just the engine capacity of a vehicle? This will complement our efforts to promote a cleaner and green environment, as car buyers will be further incentivised to buy more fuel efficient cars and avoid petrol guzzlers. Such a system can be implemented quickly and will complement our other moves to go green, such as promoting compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles by giving green vehicle rebates. While CNG cars are definitely the way to go for the future, I do not foresee though that they will become popular or mainstream choices any time soon. It will take some years to build up adequate infrastructure support, and besides there is also a lack of variety in terms of car models. Sir, I would like to join my parliamentary colleagues who have made the call for more to be done in helping Singaporeans cope with healthcare cost. The Government is spending over $900 million in the next five years to upgrade and expand hospital facilities as well as to build a new hospital in Yishun. Another $1 billion will be spent over the next five years to recruit and train healthcare professionals, and $220 million on Medisave top-ups for those over 51.”
“If some problems are detected, students could then link them to a grassroots or welfare organisation, so that the elderly can then be attended to in a timely manner and given the appropriate help that they need. The visits or activities have to be done on a sustained basis so that it becomes a meaningful learning experience for the students and not just a mechanical exercise to earn CIP points. An initiative like this will involve many parties and it can enhance relationships and engagements between grassroots groups, schools and elderly residents. Students will learn the challenges in communicating with and taking care of the elderly while practising the values of taking care of the weak and vulnerable in society. The community, including the young, will then be the eyes and ears of the neighbourhood and be on the look out for these elderly people who may not know who to go to in times of need. Next, Sir, on environmental issues. Steps to encourage environmental friendly practices were also left out in the recent Budget. While we have the green tick system or energy labelling scheme for household appliances, I feel that a similar system should be put in place for vehicles. Vehicle buyers and road users should be given more information on the level of energy friendliness of their vehicles, such as carbon emission rate and not just the fuel consumption rate. With concerns on road and transport issues in Singapore, I would like the authorities to consider looking at the system like France's green tax on petrol guzzling cars. The current COE and road tax system works on the basis of engine capacity.”
“This may be in the form of higher Medisave top-ups, considering that they may not have other relatives to help in topping up their accounts, or slightly higher assistance for this group with bonuses or cash handouts could be given. Apart from financial assistance, I see the need also for more engaging and sustainable social bonding programmes for the low income single elderly. Sir, there were quite a few news reports recently on single elderly people living isolated lives and some even dying alone without anyone knowing about it for some time. It is time that we thought about more befriender initiatives which can bridge generation gaps and strengthen our social fabric. These befriender activities should involve the community at large and those living around these elderly people, and not just be confined to befriender clubs or social and welfare organisations. I would like to suggest that the Government come up with a scheme to encourage innovative yet meaningful programmes for schools, grassroots organisations or social and welfare organisations. For example, schools could tie up with grassroots organisations to adopt the low income single elderly people living in rental or 3-room flats in their areas and engage them in community projects. The students could connect with the elderly on a regular basis during or after school hours as part of their community involvement project (CIP). Before they start on a project, students could attend a workshop on befriending or caring for the elderly conducted by social organisations, and this could be counted as part of their CIP hours. Then, they could embark on the needs assessment initiative to understand the needs of the elderly and plan ways to engage them.”
“There are not many that will come forward even if we pay them to do so. Sir, I hope this suggestion could be looked into, as caring for a disabled person can both be time and resource intensive. A waiver of this levy can go a long way in helping to ease the financial burden for such families too. There was also an announcement on the Government-backed trust scheme for the disabled where families can set up a trust by contributing a certain amount of money or bequeath their property or insurance policies to their disabled children. When the parents pass away, the proceeds of the flat sale or of the insurance payouts go to the child's trust. This sounds like a good scheme, but I wonder how low-income families or an elderly single parent with a disabled child can come under this scheme. If they are low income, they may not have money or good insurance policies that can be bequeathed to the child. Such a scheme also would probably not be relevant to a single parent who lives in a rental flat with his disabled child. Ironically, these are the groups of people who need the most help, but will not be able to help themselves under this scheme. I urge the authorities to review the situation of such groups and come up with a plan which also addresses the needs of these people. The second group that I would like to talk about, Sir, is the low income single elderly. As our population continues to age and as the rate of marriages continues to decrease, this group of people could potentially grow bigger and may turn into a social concern in the not too distant future. This is especially so when they have no one to depend on. I feel more targeted help could be considered for this group of low income single elderly.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, amidst the increasingly gloomy atmosphere contributed by global inflation and a possible American recession, Budget 2008 has presented a glimmer of hope to Singaporeans. The year 2007 saw sterling economic growth which resulted in a historic level of job creation and the lowest rate of unemployment in a decade. But sharp increases in food and oil prices in recent months have many Singaporeans worried. Many of my parliamentary colleagues who spoke before me have praised the Budget for being generous. I shall not repeat what they have said but, suffice to say, that I agree with them that this Budget targeted the issues of increasing cost, education and retirement. It also has something for different groups of people, the low income, the middle income and even the higher income groups. Although the Budget is not the be-all and the end-all of the Government's initiatives for the year, there are nevertheless some groups and issues that I feel could have been given more attention. First, the disabled. I believe that more direct assistance should be given to the handicapped, especially those who are working and earning low salaries. Perhaps these people could be granted a special top-up under the Workfare Income Supplement in recognition of their strong will and industriousness in contributing to the economy despite their disabilities. More should also be done for caregivers of the disabled. Sir, recently, a scheme was introduced where families caring for a disabled person can apply for a $95 rebate from the $265 maid levy. But why only $95 rebate? Why can such families not be given a complete waiver of the levy? It requires a special group of passionate people to offer their services for the disabled.”
“The employees are happy and motivated when they feel that their bosses place workplace safety as a priority and care for their well-being and employers benefit from higher productivity and a more motivated workforce.”
“This could mean higher compensation costs for the affected employer as he would then have to compensate the employee for his total earnings, including earnings from another employer. I am also concerned that some of the employers may, as a result, terminate employees who hold multiple jobs. Would they have the right to do so? One change which favours the employers is regarding the clause which discharges employer's liability if an injury is attributable to the influence of alcohol or a drug not prescribed by a doctor. I believe it is only fair that the employer assumes responsibility for injuries caused in such situations and I therefore support this change. Sir, these changes mean quite a significant increase in costs for employers as it involves enhanced compensation for almost all staffing levels, including also executive directors. I feel that it is important for the Ministry to engage employers and keep them apprised of these legislative changes so that they will not be caught off guard when these changes come into effect. I also like to urge the Ministry to continue taking a tough stance on bogus claims by employees and ignorant and irresponsible employers who do not play their part in ensuring a safe workplace for their employees. In terms of statistics, the slight dip in the number of workplace fatalities in 2007 is encouraging. However, only three weeks into the new year, we have seen one fatality in the Integrated Resort site in Marina on 16th January. I believe that the best and most reasonable approach towards these issues would be to continue to enhance the level of safety at the workplaces so that accidents can be substantially minimised or, better still, prevented. A safe workplace is beneficial to both parties.”
“An example is the family of the late Mr Heng Yeow Peow, a foreman who perished in the Nicoll Highway tragedy a few years ago. They reached settlement with three companies involved which agreed to pay $380,000 plus an additional $30,000 in legal costs. If the family had sought to make a claim under the Act, they would have been compensated with just a maximum amount of $111,000. Although not every case would have the same result, it clearly shows that there could be great differences between sums. Choosing to receive compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act or WCA could be less complicated than suing parties in court, but it is clear that the increase in minimum and maximum compensation payouts in the WCA may be of no match for some parties who choose to sue. I would like to ask the Minister of State on the duration WCA cases are settled and if there are any other ways that can lead to speedier claims which can be a factor for families involved to consider rather than choosing to go to court. Whatever it is, at the end of the day, employers have to be wary that employees will always have the recourse to revert to common law should they feel that the provision of this Act is insufficient in meeting their needs. I would also like to ask the Minister of State to clarify whether employees who are covered under insurance, such as Group Term Life and Personal Accident, need to be covered additionally for the Workmen's Compensation as well. Would double recovery be allowed in such cases? Likewise, Sir, the amendment and compensation for employees with multiple jobs seem more favourable to the employee.”
“I would like to ask the Minister of State to reconsider the rationale behind in not making insurance coverage mandatory across the board. In line with this change, I am glad that the Ministry is amending the term "workmen" and in its place will use the term "employees" which is more gender neutral and more inclusive. Sir, I note that the coverage of the Act is not extended to people working for uniform groups and domestic workers. Domestic workers may not work in hazardous surroundings such as worksites, but they may still be prone to accidents and injuries at their workplace, such as fall from high-rise buildings. Currently, employers are required to obtain insurance for their domestic workers. Errant employers who intentionally put their domestic workers' lives in danger can also be punished but the coverage does not accord the workers the ability to claim full compensation benefits as provided under the Act. I would like to urge the Minister of State to consider including domestic workers in the Act. No one can put a price on an individual's life or on the ability of the person to function well both physically and mentally. Hence, I feel that entering into a debate on what is the correct amount of compensation to be given to workers in the event of death or permanent disability due to accidents at the workplace can be a futile one. However, I do note that inflation has contributed to increased costs and I therefore welcome the enhancement of compensation for such workers and their families. Previously, Sir, some workers and their families chose to sue errant and negligent employers in court as costs awarded can be higher than what are claimable under the Act.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, many changes have taken place in the local and regional employment scene over the last decade. In recent years, the economy in Singapore has taken an upswing, wages are on the rise and inflation is causing the cost of living to increase. Many industries in Singapore such as construction are growing. Singapore is attracting more skilled and manual workers from the region and abroad. It is, therefore, timely for revisions to be made to the Workmen's Compensation Act, especially when the last amendments were conducted in 1995, more than a decade ago. I, therefore, rise in support of this Bill. At this point, Sir, I would like to declare my interest as an employer. From the perspective of an employer, I am happy to note that many of the revisions are more worker-friendly. One example is the extension of the Act to cover all workers, regardless of salary. This would potentially benefit almost an additional one million workers, including white collar ones. While this change will hopefully incentivise employers to enhance safety at the workplace, I am concerned about the non-compulsory insurance for workers newly covered under this Act, ie, non-manual employees with monthly earnings above $1,600. I wonder what the implication of this change will be because employers remain liable for payment of compensation regardless of whether or not they purchase insurance for this group of people. Sir, while not having compulsory insurance for these non-manual workers may seem to present savings for employers, I worry if a workplace related accident were to happen, companies have to bear high compensation costs in the absence of an insurance policy for workers.”
“As Muslims, all of us have a responsibility to save human life and this is the way to prove it. I also hope that all of you will be able to sit with your family and close friends, and urge those who are still doubtful, to support this noble effort to save lives. *Cols. 191-194. 5.43 pm”
“The operated dead body is handled properly and respectfully, and the surgery is done carefully. The ethical standard on this organ transplantation will be carefully monitored and reviewed constantly. One other major feedback is on the delay in burial so that organ transplant can be done. I am sure that all of us have seen our family members and close friends carry out the process of burial as soon as possible. Some of us are concerned whether the delay in the burial in order to carry out organ transplantation is wrong in Islam. It is true that Islam prohibits us to delay burial without a permissible reason. However, delays done to save human lives are considered a good reason, which is permissible in Islam. The Government has given due consideration to this feedback. MUIS will work together with the Ministry of Health to overcome such concerns. We will do our best to handle this issue, especially on the aspect of respecting the deceased and expediting the burial procedure as much as possible. The fatwa which allows organ transplantation is proof that the local Muslim community is a progressive one; a community which wants to play its part to overcome the challenges faced by Singapore; and a community which not only receives, but also gives. This fatwa portrays Singapore Muslims as a community that practises the true spirit of Islam and wants to save the lives of all human beings, regardless of their religion. I would like to end my speech by expressing my thanks to the Muslim community for their support in the public dialogue sessions, especially those who have assisted the organ failure patients in whatever way. I am confident that, as a community, we will show our support by choosing not to opt out of HOTA.”
“With an income of only $800 per month, his story showed the difficulty of patients facing organ failure. A few patients are luckier. Mr Mohd Selamat Mohd Ali, who received a heart donation, had first suffered a heart attack in 1998. Luckily, he was given a new lease of life in 2001, when a Chinese family consented that the heart of their relative who passed away, be donated to him. Their consent at that time was by chance only because there was no long-term treatment for heart failure. Mr Mohd Selamat's experience has encouraged members of his family to pledge their organs. The issue of organ donation is not new. However, I am happy because the Muslim community today has given solid support in this effort to overcome a challenge that we have faced for some time. We are a progressive community and we do not hesitate to face challenges. We realise how big this challenge is and we welcome effective solutions that are introduced to overcome it. Based on this stand, and supported by advancements in the medical science technology, the MUIS Fatwa Committee has reviewed this issue and allowed the Muslim community to be included in HOTA. I understand some of them are quite concerned about the issues of organ transplants. We are aware that Islam, in general, forbids us to do things which are against Islamic law, such as disrespecting a dead body. However, Islam allows surgery on a dead body in order to save lives, for example, for post-mortem Caesarian section on a woman who has passed away, in order to save the baby that she was carrying. This is not considered as a mistreatment of a dead body, which is forbidden in Islam. In Singapore, the Ministry of Health ensures that the surgery on the dead body is the same as the surgery on a live patient.”
“It also shows how Muslims in Singapore are flexible and able to make the necessary changes for the greater good, as pointed out by Dr Fatimah. The proposed amendment to HOTA is a blessing for the Muslim community and Singapore that will save more people suffering from organ failure. To help make this happen, I sincerely hope that few people will choose to opt out if the Bill is passed. I am pleased to note that feedback from our community leaders and members of the public during the consultation sessions has indicated that few people have any intention of doing so. Madam, the amendment proposed today to include Muslims under HOTA has the support of the Muslim community. It has been a long journey, and the proposal will resolve a long-standing challenge facing the community while at the same time help strengthen the community's resolve to be a dynamic and progressive pillar of the Singaporean society. Madam, allow me to continue my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*. ] Mdm Deputy Speaker, the problem faced by a patient with a failed organ is not a new issue. I am saddened by newspaper reports about patients who have to wait many years to undergo organ transplant, but have a very slim hope to receive a suitable organ. The hardship of these patients and their families is aggravated by the financial burden and physical difficulty due to their dialysis treatment, making them unable to enjoy a normal life that sometimes we take for granted. Let us look at the experience of Mr Mohamad Nazel Ahmad. In July last year, Berita Harian brought to our attention the story of Mr Nazel, who is 44 years old with two children. He went through dialysis for 20 years.”
“Nevertheless, we do acknowledge that there is a segment, as pointed out by Dr Ahmad Magad, that is not supportive of HOTA, but we cannot afford to wait until everyone is convinced before proceeding. We respect the decision of those who wish to opt out and have made the opt-out forms easily available for them. Public education Madam, I would like to reassure Dr Ahmad Magad, Dr Fatimah Lateef, Mdm Halimah Yacob and Prof. Thio Li-ann that our public education efforts will not stop should the Bill be passed. Our efforts to help all in the community appreciate the urgency of suffering organ failure patients and understand the need for organ donation will continue, and will be intensified. MUIS is producing an information booklet to address religious matters and will continue to respond actively to all who may have queries. More public dialogues will also be held, and these dialogues will include the asatizahs and the Muslim doctors, as suggested by Dr Ahmad Magad. I also welcome Dr Ahmad's suggestion to implement a HOTA Ambassadors programme to spearhead the public education efforts. I think this is a good idea, and ask that the Ministry of Health and MUIS look into implementing it. Prof. Thio has also asked the question whether Muslims can receive from or donate organs to non-Muslims. The answer is yes. There are no restrictions in the religion, and Dr Ahmad Magad has also made the same point raised by some people within the community. Conclusion Madam, the inclusion of Muslims under HOTA will be a milestone in the progress of the Muslim community. I would like to thank all Members for their support to include Muslims under HOTA. As mentioned by Mr Zainudin Nordin, it reflects a positive change in the mindset of the community.”
“In fact, there were only 87 new Muslim pledgers in 2006. At the same time, there are still many patients on the waiting list. Some have passed away while waiting for an organ transplant. Madam, allow me now to explain the process by which we gained support, leading up to the fatwa. To heighten the community's awareness of the issue, senior religious officials from MUIS met the community and presented to them the religious perspectives of the issue in three public dialogue sessions in July last year, and discussed the organ donation issue in the sermon during Friday prayers at mosques all over Singapore on 6th July 2007. These were reported extensively in the Malay media, such as Berita Harian, Warna and Suria, and attracted much public discussion, including several calls from the community for the authorities to amend HOTA to include Muslims. MUIS also sought the views of the asatizah community or the religious teachers. The majority were supportive, and some expressed the move as "long overdue". The overall feedback confirmed that the Muslim community was largely supportive of the pressing need for organ donation to save lives. Islamic virtues, such as ihsan (kindness) and rahmah (compassion), require us to find solutions to problems, to actively help those in pain and save lives. These factors were key to the deliberations on the inclusion of Muslims under HOTA. In the days following the issuance of the fatwa, MUIS informed me that they received over 50 calls, the majority of whom were supportive of the move. This finding is consistent with the feedback received during public consultation sessions and feedback received via email and telephone.”
“They have clarified misconceptions over concerns, such as burial delays, for example, by explaining that Islam requires that bodies be buried as soon as possible, unless there is a good cause to delay it. Donating organs to save lives is certainly a good cause. The practice of organ transplantation, as pointed out by Mdm Halimah Yacob, is not new, even in Muslim countries. Muslim jurists and academics locally, and from the region and beyond, hold the same view, as can be seen from a seminar convened by a key Malay-Muslim community organisation, Jamiyah, as early as 1994, where they explained in great detail the jurisprudential perspectives on the permissibility of organ donation. Fatwa ruling The Fatwa Committee, chaired by the Mufti and with leaders from the Muslim religious community, agrees with these Muslim jurists. To help facilitate organ donation by Muslims, the Fatwa Committee has unanimously decided to allow the inclusion of Muslims under HOTA. Some people, including Dr Ahmad Magad, have asked why this fatwa has only come into being now, after more than 20 years of HOTA. Madam, the fatwa institution is evolutionary in nature, and responds to changes and circumstances to meet the interests and welfare of the community. The fatwa on HOTA has evolved gradually over the last 20 years. During these years, the Fatwa Committee has continued to give the issue of organ donation careful thought and consideration, and assessed the effectiveness of each fatwa over time in meeting the needs of those suffering from organ failure. Despite the fatwa of 2004 which sought to facilitate organ donation by removing the requirement of consent of waris or next-of-kin, the number of Muslim pledgers has not increased substantially.”
“Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Mdm Deputy Speaker, I wish to share the Muslim community's perspective and feedback on the issue of including Muslims under the Human Organ Transplant Act, or HOTA. Outlook of Muslim Singaporeans Muslim Singaporeans have always adopted a progressive outlook. Over the years, we have responded to the emerging needs of society while staying true to our faith. In line with our Singapore Muslim identity, the Muslim community has also adopted a balanced and rational approach in dealing with issues. We dialogue and consult to resolve difficult challenges. Religious concerns Over the years, the community has become well aware of the health challenges and suffering of patients who need organ transplants. A higher proportion of Muslims suffer from diabetes, yet very few have opted in under the Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Act, or MTERA. Muslims are over-represented on the waiting list for organ donations. Very few Muslims who need an organ donation actually get one. And over the years, my colleagues and I have met many Muslims who are open towards donating their organs to help ease the suffering of patients but were not completely sure of the religious permissibility of organ donation. Some believed that the body had to be buried intact. Others felt that their organs were not theirs to donate, believing that, once deceased, their bodies and organs belonged to God. There were others who were uncertain whether the delay in burial resulting from organ donation was allowed. Muslim religious scholars, through many dialogues and interactions, have assured the community that saving lives is paramount in Islam.”
“I suggest that a public awareness campaign be launched by the Ministry of Health and MUIS with the cooperation of others, especially the religious teachers and religious leaders in the community. Malay-Muslim doctors also have to play their part because they can bring a different perspective in this issue. Mdm Deputy Speaker, there are those in the community who always raise the same issue, that is whether the organ from a Muslim body will be used by organ patients who are Muslims. I think such view must be changed because it is against the universal value of compassion. Many Malay organ patients have benefited from the organ donation of other races. We do not want to be seen as a community that only receives but does not give. Let the issue of assessment of suitable organ recipients be done by medical experts. I hope the community will accept this change calmly and not emotionally. If there are those who want to be excluded from HOTA, make the decision after getting the full information about related issues, and not based on emotion and feelings. Those who want to do so must also realise that if they have organ disease in the future, the chance of getting a transplant is very low, because individuals who exclude themselves from HOTA are given less priority in the transplant list. Nobody will know what will happen in the future and the possibility of getting organ disease can happen to anyone and at any time. With that, I like to urge the Malay-Muslim community of Singapore to give full support towards HOTA and together give support to this noble and compassionate effort. *Cols. 189-190. 5.27 pm Assoc. Prof.”
“While I am against the idea of giving monetary rewards for live organ transplants, as it may be a prelude to organ trading, I would like MOH to consider offering some incentives to encourage live organ donation amongst family members. Perhaps, a donor medal of honour could be considered for living family members who donate their organs as recognition of their sacrifice and bravery. Another possibility is to offer a fully paid life or disability insurance scheme for such donors, or to extend extra leave from work that would be paid for by the Government. Madam, allow me to continue my speech in Malay: (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*. ] The Malay-Muslim community in Singapore is making history as the first Muslim community in the world that has a fatwa that allows a system of presumed consent for organ transplant. It is a change that should be supported because it will help save lives and increase the quality of life of some organ patients. With this system of presumed consent, Malays with organ diseases in the future do not have to wait too long if they have to be put in the organ transplant list. It is not contradictory with the nature of Islam that emphasises compassion and gives room for changes through the process of consultation, if there is a dire situation like currently, because it involves someone's life. Apart from issuing a fatwa, the support given by PERGAS shows that what is being done is consistent with Islamic teachings. However, I was told that there are those who are not convinced or not sure on certain issues, like declaration of brain death, how their organs will be removed, when the body will be buried and such matters.”
“I would like to highlight the importance of including two specific groups in outreach efforts - they are the Muslim religious teachers and Malay-Muslim doctors. Technical details must be explained clearly and of utmost importance is the stress on the fact that the MOH will respect the sanctity of the dead, as this is a very serious issue for the community. Apart from this, the message of prevention is also important. The public must be advised on the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and how they can help themselves in preventing organ diseases from developing. I would also like to urge MOH to ensure that there are qualified Malay-speaking counsellors with a good understanding of Islam who can advise families in hospitals on the organ transplant procedures when death occurs to a person who has not opted out of HOTA and has organs that are deemed fit for transplant. The language ability and knowledge of Islam will enable such counsellors to advise families with sensitivity and tact, should there be any disagreements or misunderstandings of the system of presumed consent. Madam, with respect to the provisions in the Bill, I would like to seek clarification from the Minister on empowering MOH officers to conduct investigations of offences under HOTA. I would like to know what would be the differences in approach compared to having investigations done by the Police. I would also like to ask the Minister what would be done to ensure proper training of officers and what checks would be in place to prevent any abuse of power and authority by such officers. As there is a limited supply of organs obtained through cadaveric transplants, I would also like to urge the Ministry to continue to look for ways to promote live organ transplant between family members.”
“The critical nature involving the increasing number of Muslim patients with end stage renal disease makes it imperative that the change be made. This is an issue where religious and community leaders have to show leadership and guide the community to do what is right and what is needed without going against the principles of Islam. However, as this is a matter of not just the head but also the heart, it is important that the public is further prepared for such a change. I am also happy to note that there has not been an outcry or adverse reaction to the fatwa. I hope that this is because people are more aware of the related issues and not that people are resigned to accepting what they think is fait accompli. This brings me to the point on the importance of continued public education and engagement efforts. The passing of this Bill does not signal an end to this but rather a new beginning. I believe there are three groups of people out there - those who say "yes" and support the inclusion in HOTA; the fence-sitters who say "may be" and those who say "no". I would like to urge the MOH and MUIS to continue to engage the public so that we can strengthen the belief of the group that says "yes", address the concerns of the fence-sitters who say "may be" and convince those who say "no". For this to happen effectively, I would like to suggest that HOTA ambassadors be appointed to spearhead the efforts. These ambassadors can be people from different backgrounds - people who have undergone organ transplants, professionals, Malay grassroots leaders and the elderly and housewives who strongly believe in the merits of HOTA.”
“More than $1 million has been spent on publicity and educational programmes, yet many Muslims who wanted to opt in face problems, such as getting approval from their paternal Muslim male relatives or waris. The Mufti and the Fatwa Committee took a cautious approach by making several incremental changes to enable more Muslims to pledge their organs, ending with a fatwa requiring any two Muslim males as witnesses. However, the number of pledgers continued to plunge to the extent that there were only 87 new pledgers in 2006. The process was clearly a stumbling block arising from many cumbersome procedures. Mdm Deputy Speaker, Islamic jurists from Muslim countries worldwide have long declared organ donation as permissible. However, the issue of presumed consent is different from the opt-in systems that many of these countries have. The presumed consent framework overcomes all these stumbling blocks and makes the process of pledging an easier one. According to MUIS, Singapore is the first country to have a religious edict permitting Muslims to be under a presumed consent system for organ donation. Though it is a long time coming, it is nevertheless a courageous and progressive move reflecting on urgent social needs, the spirit of compassion in Islam and the flexibility in the religion which allows room for change in dire situations, especially where saving of lives is involved. I believe that the issuance of a fatwa on presumed consent will boost up public confidence in this Bill. Another critical factor is also the statement of support from other organisations, such as the Muslim Kidney Action Association (MKAC) and the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PERGAS). Let me also categorically state my wholehearted support for this life-saving Bill.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, it has been 20 years since the Human Organ Transplant Act (or HOTA) was instituted for non-Muslim Singaporeans. It has been 20 years of analysing, discussing and trying to understand the complexities of organ pledging and donation, both from the social and religious point of view. It has been 20 years of trying to cajole and convince Muslim Singaporeans to pledge their organs, in particular their kidneys, through myriad ways. Madam, 20 years is a very long time, especially when the issue has to be with life and death and to deliberate a worthy change on the subject. For many Muslim kidney patients, it has been 20 years of anguish, suffering and pain and, unfortunately for some, the end of their lives as they waited in vain for a chance of an organ transplant. Just over the last two years, 30 Muslim kidney patients had died. There are stories of recovery and hope for those who underwent transplants but these are few and far between. This is why I believe today is a very important day for Muslim Singaporeans. The Ministry of Health has estimated that 30 more patients will benefit from these changes every year. The changes will not truly solve the problem for organ shortage but more lives will be saved. Assuming the likely passage of this Amendment Bill today, Muslims who did not opt out of HOTA will be on equal footing with other Singaporeans under HOTA, should they ever develop organ disease and need to be put on the waiting list for a transplant. Fundamentally, there is no doubt about the urgency and relevance of this Bill. I personally feel that this is the only way to go for Muslim Singaporeans as the opt-in system has clearly not yielded the desired results with an estimate of only 16,000 pledgers out of a potential pool of 300,000 Muslims.”
“I am sure that the scheme that will be introduced at the national level has not been fully understood by many. The scheme, which is to ensure that senior citizens who are 85 years old and above should at least have some money each month and not be in distress, should be explained in greater depth. It is important as statistics show that more Singaporeans are living beyond 85 years old. In Malaysia, there is Takaful Annuity Scheme which is offered under the Islamic banking system based on the concept of Al-Mudharabah or profit-sharing. Perhaps, now is the time for banks in Singapore which offer Islamic banking to study whether such schemes should be introduced. This annuity scheme is still at the deliberation level and I hope that the community will follow its development in the mass media and direct their enquiries, if any. Mr Speaker, in conclusion, what is important is that our community should continue to show our spirit of self-reliance and self-worth during our sunset years. This can be achieved by taking care of personal health, being thrifty when spending and cautious when making investments using their savings. These measures will ensure that our community will not live in distress or have to seek charity from others during our sunset years. In facing this challenge and for the interest of the future, the community should act now. 4.45 pm”
“I am not sure what is the statistic for the Malay community. Maybe, the Ministry of Manpower can provide this statistic and if it is very much lower than the national average, something has to be done immediately. Nonetheless, the society has to realise the importance of continuing to work after the age of 62. The virtue of working hard to support oneself is an act of fulfilling the religious order which is also encouraged in Islam. Therefore, even if one is being offered a different role or a lower pay after retirement, such opportunities must be seized because it will help one to be self-reliant during his old age. The same goes with lifelong learning. If an employer organises self-improvement courses or courses to gain knowledge in other fields, an employee has to seize this opportunity as this will boost his self-confidence and enhance his working abilities. Employees have to ensure that the skills that they have are in line with the needs of the economy, even during their sunset years. However, the bigger concern is on the lower income earners who are unable to accumulate sufficient Minimum Sum in their CPF accounts. What should be done? The move made by Government to increase the interest rate for a portion of the CPF savings will increase the amount of savings that they have, but this is insufficient. Lower income earners should be prudent when using their CPF savings for housing so that they do not overspend. They should be taught to manage finances, spend thriftily and effectively and they should try to have their own personal savings, because this will also help them in the long run. Public education on the annuity scheme should also be carried out for the Malay community.”
“Beyond the measures taken by the Government, every individual has to practise financial prudence from the early years of his working life, and ensures that he leads a healthy lifestyle so that he is able to work and support himself for as long as it is possible and necessary to do so. Sir, allow me to now say a few words in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *. ] Mr Speaker, I hope that the local Malay community has followed the discussion and the changes that have been announced with regard to retirement needs. These changes are very crucial and have to be understood by every adult, especially those who are approaching their sunset years. It involves important changes in their way of thinking with regard to retirement. In the past, retirement was deemed as a time when one could stop working - rest, stay at home and shake legs, look after grandchildren, etc. *Cols. 1657-1660. Now, the meaning of retirement has changed. Due to increasing cost of living, the increasing number of older citizens and advancement in medical science, as well as the quality of life which enables one to live longer, someone who retires at the age of 62 years old might not be able to enjoy a comfortable life after retirement, especially those with little savings. This trend does not only occur in Singapore but it is happening all over the world. The difference is whether or not the government of a country is quick to react before something terrible happens. The Singapore Government chose to react early by introducing several changes to ensure that the people's interests during retirement are being taken care of. Statistics show that 53.7% of Singaporeans between the age of 55 and 64 years old are still working.”