Alex Yam
Singapore
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I know the Minister of State indicated that while it is still undergoing investigation, we should not speculate. I know also from her reply that they have removed the wrong classification of our trade deficit with the US.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Building on the point that the Minister-in-charge of energy had raised earlier about fixed rates. There is concern amongst consumers that the gencos and the electricity suppliers may, at some point, invoke a force majeure, and that would affect the supply contracts that are signed with consumers.”
“Chairman, therefore, I look forward to hearing how MCCY intends to further embed the ethos of "we first" across multiple aspects of society so that our national identity is formed through participation, not just persuasion.”
“Thank you, Chairman, 41 questions and 330 minutes later, I certainly think the Ministry deserves the $100 back. So, I seek leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $2,407,711,100 for Head X ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.”
“Thank you, Chairman. The Minister updated the House earlier about the importance of keeping pace with technological advancements as well as hybrid threats, especially in the cyber domain.”
“If we are intentional in leveraging the reach and influence of institutions like SAFRA, we can ensure that Total Defence can remain a lived national commitment and not confined to the uniformed services or to our schools.”
The complete record
Every one of 592 lines we hold for Alex Yam, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 12.
“Mr Chairman, the founding fathers of modern Singapore placed a huge premium on multiculturalism and racial harmony to help chart Singapore's course forward towards success and prosperity. But in our journey towards these goals, did we leave behind the resilience that we had in us and which served us so well, when standing up to the communists and communalists in our formative years? What has happened along the way? Did our new-found prosperity and confidence in ourselves lead us to losing our fundamental principle of being Singaporeans as one united people? Our children are taught the importance of unity and racial harmony in schools. But how much of it is retained in their later years? How big an impact is information gleaned online, so much so that intolerance takes root in our young? For those who are somewhat surprised by what I have said, I would, however, give in that when we look online, this is the situation that we see. The online chatter is disconcerting, to say the least, and leads us to wonder how digital communications may have poisoned the chalice. I hope the Ministry would be able to shed some light on this recent phenomenon and advise the House on the measures being taken to engage young people so that we understand their concerns and lead them on to become better Singaporeans who care for their own and the community at large. Only by doing so would we be able to chart our way forward to SG100. And moving on to the growing threat of radicalisation amongst the young due to the pervasiveness of online disinformation, what are the Ministry's plans to continue to build up national resilience and cohesiveness to safeguard unity in Singapore? Accessible Arts and Digital Engagement Mr Chairman, art challenges us, inspires us, enables us and provokes us.”
“Encourage employers to set aside proper nursing rooms for mothers, too. 5.00 pm On that, breastfeeding, the benefits are undeniable. But this most natural of instincts seems to sometimes illicit fear and revulsion even amongst members of the public. We, on the one hand, allow the disgraceful debasement of the female body and yet, we cry foul when half a bosom is exposed by a nursing mother. Single mothers received a much welcome boost yesterday. Their children deserve the same start as others. I, therefore, echo the call by Mr Christopher de Souza to correspondingly strengthen our adoption framework to allow those conflicted about the future of their children to know that adoption into a caring family is an option. While we spend billions on encouraging couples to have babies, why do we not do something for those already conceived? Mdm Chair, my wife and I were devastated when we lost our first child. It felt like that one piece of the puzzle that would have made this mosaic complete was missing. But we have been blessed. We now have two wonderful young boys. I will be the first to say that, along the way, with joy comes responsibilities and lots and lots of hard work. I would not give that up for anything in this world. We will regret not having spent enough time with our children and not the other way around. Marriage and Parenthood”
“The laws of probability are more than likely to prove otherwise. So, perhaps it is time for us to stop making excuses. I welcome the legislating of the two weeks' paternity leave. For those who feel that this and our maternity leave are too generous, I think it bears reminding ourselves that not too long ago, our own mothers would not have had maternity benefits. So, we should advocate the impossible and dream the improbable as, in one generation, we have achieved much in changes to our pro-family policies. Fathers should also be encouraged to play bigger roles not because they want to but because they should. Charles Ballard, an American fatherhood advocate, described fatherhood as such: "Have no fear. It isn't easy, it's the hardest thing you'll ever do and you would probably feel very, very lonely but know that you make a great difference." Fathers should not be seen just as breadwinners. They should be encouraged to have shared parenthood responsibilities. For that to happen, society and infrastructure must change. The worship of male machismo must be replaced by respect for fathering. As a father myself, I have faced many logistical nightmares when heading out with my boys. I have even changed nappies on my knees in the toilet for the lack of facilities for fathers. Usually, they are in the female toilets. In some places, even brand new baby rooms are perpetually locked up. When I ask why, the answer is, "prevent abuse". So, why build the baby room in the first place? We should work with the Institute of Architects, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore and even legislate requirements for new commercial buildings to provide family-friendly facilities in the same way we enforce barrier-free access.”
“Mdm Chair, today, family life is seen to intrude on life itself, that marriage and parenthood are seen as unnecessary obligations that are impediments to personal growth and space. Societal views do not help – we idolise the successful, we individualise the achiever, we are motivated to be the first to reach the finishing line, preferably alone. We do not celebrate family enough, not in the same way we celebrate individual success. Since 2001, we have committed billions of dollars in our Marriage and Parenthood Packages. If there is one thing we have learnt, money is not the motivating factor. In fact, I am uncomfortable even with the term "baby bonus". The baby itself is the bonus, a bonus from a happy marriage that forms the basis for joy and hope in family life. The top-ups, bonuses if we have to call them that, help, but they can never be the motivation for having children. To support that, the whole society must undergo de-evolution, to return to our focus on the family as a core unit of the nation, that children complete us, not conflict with us. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child. In metropolis Singapura, the kampung network of support has slowly faded away. Even at our workplaces, those on maternity leave are sometimes vilified, shunned and demotivated by unsupportive employers and co-workers. Motherhood, that most noble of vocations, is debased as a burden on the bottom line, a weighty problem for progress. One employer recently complained to me: "Your zheng hu (government) keeps extending this leave, that leave. Very soon, everyone on leave, I have to leave the business and my business will zup lup (close down)." Well, the question is: has any company actually zup lup because of pro-family leave policies?”
“Mr Chairman, let me first thank the 20 Members who filed a total of 43 cuts across diverse topics, such as housing municipal issues, construction, agriculture, animal welfare, and even hot springs. With this all-rounded responsibility, MND and its eight statutory boards have their work cut out. There is perhaps no other Ministry that has such an intimate day-to-day relationship with Singaporeans as MND. I therefore, wish to record my thanks to Minister Lawrence Wong, Minister Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State Desmond Lee, Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon, and Permanent Secretary Benny Lim for their replies, and also to all the staff of MND for the hard work that they put in. With that, Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $2,549,842,400 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $10,992,651,200 for Head T ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Thank you, Chairman, two clarifications for Minister of State Dr Koh Poh Koon. One, I am happy to hear of the exciting vision to ensure food security. Dr Koh mentioned a review on the land lease for agricultural land. Would the Minister of State be able to share when this information will be made available and whether any criteria will be put in place for any longer leases? Secondly, for financial assistance, I mentioned in my speech, whether previous economic downturns have provided us with any lessons. I wonder if the schemes that the Minister of State had mentioned earlier are sufficient to prepare us for any future major downturns.”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have a clarification for the Minister with regard to the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. Could the Minister explain the rationale behind deciding the MOP as 20 years? The reason behind it is that if you set it at 20 years, it means that the average age of families who are entering this scheme would mean that most of them would not be able to move to a bigger flat by the time they hit the 20 years. 6.45 pm The second clarification is about the 1,000 families that the Minister mentioned earlier. This seems to be a small proportion of the total number families. Would this scheme be incremental after the first pilot? Lastly, for large families, the 2-room flexi flats are a little bit small. Would the Ministry consider any flexibility in this area?”
“Chairman, Sir, as Singapore rapidly urbanised, new blocks and offices mushroomed, while farms were almost completely weeded out. With agricultural land relatively scarce today, the farm-trepreneur needs to be prudent to ensure that their investment pays off. The $63 million Agriculture Productivity Fund (APF) was set up at the end of 2014 and helps farmers to boost yields and raise their general productivity. Yet, to the best of my knowledge, only slightly above 1% of the funds have been utilised till date. That is a rather low yield. The previous 2009 to 2014 Food Fund also saw only 60% of the $30 million set aside utilised. While APF is committed to driving up productivity, perhaps the key factor driving down adoption is the short tenancies, coupled with the longer time it takes for farm owners or farm operators to recover investments, and double coupled by the uncertainty of land acquisition. They currently have a basic 10-year lease with another uncertain 10, only if there are no other developmental uses for the land. How do we do business like that? As such, I urge the Ministry to consider providing for the flexibility of 15-year leases, which is half that of industrial leases. At the current moment, we import nearly 90% of our food produce and food security dictates that we continue to increase local productivity, innovate through mechanisation, and maximise land usage for better yields. We need to transform our local farming industry to make it a strong productive pillar of our economic defence.”
“Mdm Chair, rarely has one fishball stick meant so much on Government policies. Municipal issues may seem mundane, almost ordinary but the extra-ordinary efforts are taken to solve the problems of our citizens. What must really make the work of the Municipal Services Office (MSO) difficult in the last one year must be ploughing through, what I call, the three big mountains – a mountain of feedback to sort, a gunung of red tape to unravel and one bukit full of agencies to coordinate. While the Minister-in-charge has lauded partner agencies for the progress made by MSO, are there still challenges yet to be resolved? Though the response time has come down from eight to six and a half days, would MSO be setting a target for even better response time for the next one year? The OneService mobile app has been downloaded currently by close to 40,000 users, which is low. Does the MSO project more for the coming year and what other feedback mechanisms are in place, especially for the elderly? I am also sure I am not the only one to notice the app has a minor bug that seems to make the name the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) officer who worked on the app appear every time we load it. I think thanks are due to this particular staff and the team for their good first effort at an all-encompassing app. Would MSO also update on the integration of the systems with Town Councils? Has the pilot progressed and what are the major hurdles, if any? I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the MSO staff for all the hard work over the last one year. MSO – Delivery of Better Service”
“To this end, new towns should have this as a basic planning parameter, integrate facilities and different flat types, work early to create opportunities to form communities of support. For older towns, I also urge that the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) be expanded and made a staple of the revitalisation of towns with a focus on building communities. I spoke about my concerns over the Revitalisation of Shop Scheme in the Budget debate which I hope the Ministry will also address. Shops and services make community possible, but a simple paint job does not make town centres come alive again, especially with the competition from malls. Lastly, the Finance Minister made no mention of relaxing the crimps on the property market, despite having cooled down the bubble significantly. As I mentioned earlier, housing affects all sectors, a slowdown in the housing sector is a slowdown across many sectors. Such a policy would also have impacts across other policies. My hon colleague Mr Christopher de Souza, among others, has called for the lifting of the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty to stimulate demand. I agree, as the Total Debt Servicing Ratio and loan limits will still go along the way to calibrate the market. Mdm Chair, five decades have transformed squatters into stakeholders. Let us move into the next five as a community. I reiterate my call to continue a steady supply to meet demand, keep costs affordable, broaden choices for different home owner groups and promote all-round community building to achieve better homes for all. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Better Homes for Singaporeans”
“I, of course, also have a significant number of elderly 5-roomers in my estate. Many of them have asked about the scheme and so I would like to appeal for, over the long term, an eventual Enhanced Enhanced Scheme for them. Homes are aspirational after all; it gives us stability and grounding. I am glad that the Finance Minister announced the quantum for the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. Before formal announcement of the details, I would like to make a number of recommendations based on families that I have met and interacted with. One, full-fledged employment counselling programme to address job difficulties that these families face; two, community-based childcare or infant care facilities that they have priority for so that we will allow mothers to go back to work with ease of mind; three, minimal 85% school attendance for children to make them future-ready; four, enhance marriage and family stability through social work support; and lastly, five, bigger flats, with shorter leases beyond the 2-room flexi, to provide flexibility especially for those with larger families. We need to make sure that the Fresh Start Housing Scheme has a good start and not end up with a false start. Let us help rental families move out of rental into home ownership and give them a leg up for their future while keeping costs down for them. Lastly, "All around", 360° engagement. The next step in the housing landscape is to build communities, rather than just building houses. The kampong spirit of the past is not easily translatable from horizontal kampong to the vertical ones that we have today. Community space must be deliberately planned to create circulation for residents to meet, greet, interact and bond.”
“But for many lower-income Singaporeans facing complex issues, it is still elusive for them. Middle-income families also fear that their incomes are not keeping pace with the rising cost of housing as well as the cost of living. I, therefore, ask and seek the Ministry's reassurance to Singaporeans that public housing prices will be kept stable and affordable for the majority, especially young families starting out. As the economy slows, there is also the added fear that retrenchments may rise and loans defaulted. The current financial assistance measures by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) may not be sufficient. I, therefore, suggest for the Ministry to work with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and CPF on a variant of the Home Protection Scheme for coverage beyond catastrophic loss of income, due not only to physical incapacity or death, but also include an unemployment protection clause in the event of major recessions. Next, "Left and Right", broadening our overall choices. Mr Lee Kuan Yew once said that "If every family owned its home, the country would be more stable". The stability that we have today also challenges us to look beyond homes just for the masses. Today, many of our elderly are asset rich. The Enhanced Lease Buyback Scheme, which was introduced in April last year to help them further monetise this, is a step in the right direction. However, the last available statistics indicate that we only have close to 1,000 applications so far. This seems like a very low take-up rate as 75% of elderly households are eligible. Is it a matter of publicity and awareness? On my house visits, many older residents whom I speak to are unaware of the scheme. Good schemes like this cannot be hidden away. So, we need to do more to promote it.”
“Mdm Chair, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head T of the Estimates be reduced by $100." 衣食住行 – clothing, food, shelter, transportation – the basic necessities of life. In Singapore, there is one element of these four that has pervaded all aspects of our recent history, politics, policies, lives and perhaps even our future, and that is housing. Many key policies like the Central Provident Fund (CPF), education, employment, ethnic integration, social mobility are intimately linked with housing. When the People’s Action Party (PAP) was elected as the Government in 1959, it had two key priorities – provide employment and house the people – to feed and to shelter. Fifty-seven years later, we need to look further ahead to uphold the housing priority. I call it the "Up, Down, Left-Right and All around". First, "Up", supply. While we cleared cemeteries and backfilled mudflats to create living space over the years and build new towns, the question is: how much more and where? Eventually, we will reach a point of saturation. The Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) we can do selectively, but at greater cost. I, therefore, ask the Ministry to look to the far horizon, identify future sites early – be they greenfield sites, reclaimed sites, SERS sites – inform early, consult early, discuss widely, and plan prudently. What does the next 10 years look like for Build-To-Order (BTO) supply as well as public rental housing? What has previous economic downturns taught us about the housing market? Second, "Down", keeping prices low and affordable. As blocks go up, concerns about affordability also go up too. We often trot out examples of how families earning about $1,000 can afford a flat. That is true.”
“Could the Minister update the House on the current state of our relations with the US and future areas of bilateral cooperation and support and what, if any, are the challenges going forward? China-Singapore Relations”
“More than 180 years ago, freezing cold ice played a role in the opening of warm relations between Singapore and the US as prominent businessman Hoo Ah Kay, or Whampoa as he was known, started importing ice from Boston for his ice-house which was located just down the street from here. And this was in 1854, just a couple of years after the first US Consulate opened on our shores. The Whampoa factory, of course, is no more, but 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between our two countries have evolved into a healthy mutual respect that US Ambassador Kirk Wagar summarises succinctly as "a partnership built on the pillars of political, security, trade and investment, cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties." Singapore is also a strong supporter of US efforts in peace and security as both countries are committed to creating a safe and secure world where our children can live in peace. Prime Minister Lee, in his recent visit to the US, expressed concern that a less globally-engaged US would have implications for the whole world as the US is an important pillar of stability and openness. The Prime Minister also stated that the passage of the TPP trade agreement looks troubled with the US elections looming as well. I, therefore, add my voice to that of the hon Page: 107 Member Mr Vikram Nair and would like to seek the Minister's views on these concerns. The world, especially small nations like Singapore, looks towards the US as a key component in safeguarding global security and peace. Fifty years of excellent relations are a result of the far-sightedness of our leaders. How do we ensure this continues for the next 50?”
“Overall, to me, this Budget, even if skewed towards the industries, is a welcome and necessary change – a very slow and silent revolution. Businesses and industries fuel our growth and it is only right that we shower them with more care amidst a possible downturn. But I only hope that business owners and industries do not become too dependent on initiatives and funds from the Government. We hope these measures are temporary and wish that they serve as a catalyst for Singapore's growth. "Every School is a Good School" was Minister Heng's mantra when he was our Education Minister from 2011 to 2016. His tenure there left an indelible imprint on the education sector as his vision sought to bring out the best in every child. He has just started his innings at the Finance Ministry and I am sure his vision will also be embedded there. The current Budget runs in a similar vein, ensuring every industry is a viable one, re-emphasising that every worker is a productive worker, and every Singaporean an equal partner in Singapore's growth. And again, with an eye always on prudence, may every Budget be a balanced Budget. Spend well, spend wisely. Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget Statement.”
“During a recent dialogue session held by the PAP Seniors Group last week, seniors who participated in the session stated that more information is also required on some of the schemes, and more of their key concerns are with the Silver Support Scheme. At the same time, it was also suggested at the same dialogue that the Silver Support Scheme be enhanced to benefit the elderly on a monthly basis, rather than on a quarterly basis. With the need to sustain daily living expenses, participants felt that a constant monthly supplement for the elderly is in need and would be more helpful. The same discussion also focused on the establishment of Community Networks to help seniors discover health issues earlier and address them. The seniors in the discussion group urged the Government to pilot it in more than three to five precincts for there to be a better Page: 40 understanding of issues in different estates. Mdm Speaker, one other topic that is close to my heart is the announcement of the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. I am glad the scheme will help such families to own a 2-room flat with a shorter lease. However, the concerns, which I shared before, still remain. I also believe that the flexibility in the scheme for shorter leases will provide the impetus for younger families to upgrade to housing on full leases when they are ready and where possible. I hope that the cost of these flats could be kept low to allow them to regroup and move forward. We would also need more details on the criteria to identify these families that qualify for the Fresh Start Housing Scheme. Mdm Speaker, time does not permit me to go into detail and talk about all aspects of the Budget.”
“If we simply look around us and our estates, shopping malls are popping up like mushrooms after autumn rains, they are competing for the same consumer pie. And every single mushroom mirrors the other – same type of shop mix. In the news last week was also a big head-on clash between two behemoths on Orchard Road – Ngee Ann City and Takashimaya; even Orchard Road is not unaffected by the challenges of productivity. While we can revitalise shops, spruce them up, what is still of concern is how HDB shop space is fast becoming another battleground for established brands selling the same generic stuff, while local merchants, small specialised merchants who have been there for many years, are being priced out by the competition. Resilience in Singaporeans. Apart from the industry-based boost to transform our industries, I welcome the focused support that Budget 2016 offers to the people of Singapore – be it the young, the old, families, the needy or the disabled. There is something for everyone. Investing in SkillsFuture has been one of the best initiatives that our Government has undertaken. Lifelong learning is a culture that should take hold in each and every one of us. The costs involved are not small. While the credits only began in January this year, I think we need some sensing on the progress and usefulness of the scheme to date, despite the very short period of time. With a large number of courses being made available, although we say hobbies would not form any part of this scheme, my fear is that some of these courses could become dominant within the course structure.”
“Deputy Prime Minister Tharman, our former Finance Minister, had always had a very positive outlook in life. His comments made during the recent Singapore Forum with regard to productivity growth were very encouraging. The provision of platforms for industries and businesses to hop onto and overcome the productivity conundrum is timely but the question is, for how long? Prime Minister Lee himself has also weighed in on this issue, saying all measures have been taken to boost productivity and to have more "faith". Page: 39 But again, for how long more? Should 2018 prove insufficient, would more tax dollars have to be spent to address this gap? What would be tangible results for the average Singaporean? They should be explained, too, in layman's terms. Therefore, the onus is also on our businesses to innovate and be productive. If they do not, and if their businesses suffer, who is to blame? We cannot drink water on behalf of the horses. In the name of prudency, we cannot also drink water that does not already exist. I especially like the comments made by the CEO of Qian Hu, Mr Kenny Yap, in a recent interview with 938LIVE. The outspoken ornamental fish exporter was reported to have said that an enterprise that shuns innovation will not survive. Allow me to quote him: "Any enterprise that does not embrace innovation, especially in Singapore, will not survive in the next three to five years. I guarantee you that." My only wish is that there are many more Kenny Yaps out there who would do us proud with their conscientious and competitive approach to business. I also welcome the Enhancement to Revitalisation of Shops Scheme. But in this area, my worry is not just about revitalisation.”
“Will WCS be seen as a wise investment used well or will we be none the wiser on how businesses use the funds? SEC, which has been mentioned by a number of speakers before me, has been extended till 2019. Again, it would be helpful for us to have a better in-depth view of how it has been benefiting companies and employees. Mdm Speaker, I ask these questions because some of the employees that I have spoken to, in their haste to retain their jobs, settle for much less while doing the same job or perhaps even more. Some are unable to successfully adjust to the pay cuts and a drop in their status from a change in their job scope. What are the measures therefore taken by employers to retain these workers and how does the Government monitor if the money doled out is properly accounted for? Again, we cannot be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Employees should not be taken for a ride by employers. As the hon Member Assoc Prof Randolph Tan mentioned, sometimes well-meaning policies may not be wise when placed in the hands of unscrupulous employers. I also welcome the lowering of the cash payment rate under the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) scheme and the scheme will also not be extended beyond the Year of Assessment 2018. The PIC scheme saw 142,000 claims in 2015, more than double the claims in 2014. But authorities have also warned that false claims are being made. And I am sure everyone has read with interest that a recently convicted online pimp had applied and obtained PIC payouts! Perhaps, very innovative, but productivity? Not entirely sure. The long-term investment by the Government is a wise one. But prudence requires us to ensure that it is used well and not well abused.”
“We cannot expect each Budget to be one bearing gifts aplenty. Unlike Santa Claus, we need to work within the Budget and we certainly do not have an army of elves turning out gifts by magic. So, we need to be wise with what we spend and spend what we do well. Industries and businesses, especially the small and medium enterprises, should take the opportunity offered by this year's Budget to upgrade themselves and stay competitive and Page: 38 productive and be prudent with what they spend on. In terms of wages and productivity, more than 95,000 employers in Singapore will receive about $1.9 billion in Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) payouts by the end of this month and SMEs will be the beneficiaries of about 70% of the disbursed payouts. WCS is very much favoured by employers because it extends a lifeline to their businesses and also helps them retain and train their staff. But my concern is: if and when WCS is discontinued, will these businesses, dependent on this scheme, therefore, fold? Should there not be some enterprise on the part of our enterprises to ensure their future survival without just depending on schemes and innovations? I hope proper auditing is carried out to ensure that the money ploughed into this scheme is wisely used for the purposes intended. I, therefore, hope the Minister would be able to enlighten us on the actual number of businesses that have benefited and, most importantly, the number of employees who have benefited from this scheme. Could the Minister share with us the statistics from these companies and the number of employees who were rewarded with larger wages? This scheme, amongst many others, is not meant to be a panacea, but I hope that WCS does not instead become an opium.”
“Mdm Speaker, first, allow me to congratulate the Finance Minister on his first Budget Statement. Minister Heng worked hard at the Ministry of Education to ensure that every school is a good school, and now, with an even heavier portfolio, he has, in his first Budget, made his mark in attempting to make every industry a viable industry, every worker a valued worker, every family a stable family, and every Singaporean an important pillar of Singapore society. His call to Singaporeans to come together to partner for the future is timely as we chart the path towards SG100. Mdm Speaker, our fiscal position for FY2016 seems healthy. It is also reassuring that the Minister seeks to reassure all of us of it being prudent. And we have arrived as a shining red dot because we have had a Government that has been accountable, innovative and yet prudent in our expenditure. Although I am impressed by Budget 2016, please allow me to voice a few concerns. I add my voice to the view that there is a need for long-term fiscal prudence both in Government and also in how society perceives the annual Budget. For FY2016, our total expenditure is $5 billion more than the previous one. Although we have endowed future Governments with the creation of large endowments, such as those for the Pioneer Generation package, MediFund and Workfare, we need to keep our eyes on the horizon and ensure that we have enough for our children and our future. Our Pioneers and founding fathers toiled hard to save us from seeing a rainy day. I am concerned that we do not reach the stage that we develop the habit of giving out fish rather than teaching how to fish. In trying to get feedback on the Budget, I received one email that simply said, "This year no ang pow".”
“The second clarification is on whether a Tribunal for Maintenance will be considered by the Ministry in the near future.”
“Thank you, Madam. Just three quick clarifications for the Minister. I note the Minister's point on the mandatory parenting component for minor couples. Will the Minister consider extending both programmes for all couples before marriage and not just minor couples? The second clarification is on the Tribunal for Maintenance. Will the said Tribunal be considered by the Ministry in the near future? Lastly, I thank the Minister for the clarification on safety at crisis shelters. But how will this be ensured for those who are under the care of fit persons who do not have the benefit of security measures or closed circuit television?”
“Mdm Speaker, we have come a long way since the original Women's Charter was passed in 1961. Women form the core of a family and are the pillars of strength of society. They have contributed much and will contribute even more, as the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew has stated. This is one Bill that has brought bipartisan support from across different parties. It is therefore incumbent upon us to honour and treasure this Charter and it is timely that we make the necessary amendments so that it protects not only women but their families, and marriages, too. In the words of Mdm Chan Choy Siong, in her opening remarks on the debate on the Women's Charter, "[The Women's Charter] will bring about revolutionary change in society." I believe that this Charter will continue to be revolutionary, and all the more so with these amendments. I would not call them belated, but perhaps a timely evolution. While we take small steps with each amendment, women have taken giant leaps forward and, therefore, in this context, Page: 58 Mdm Speaker, I support this Bill.”
“The Minister, in his proposed amendment, has indicated that, in certain circumstances, women and children can be placed in the care of a fit personnel. But in cases like these where they are not placed in places of safety, such as a residential care home or a crisis centre, will their safety be compromised, because they do not have a proper set up for security measures? These places of safety are supposed to offer a sanctuary to abused women and girls. And if this sanctuary fails to provide the promised protection, we will be deemed to have failed in our duty. With regard to voiding marriages of convenience, it is timely that deterrent action has been taken to reign in the number of sham marriages. The number of those convicted has gone down – from 284 in 2013 to 170 in 2014. This is a positive development. ICA has mentioned that the women in some of these marriages are sex workers or are made to prostitute themselves after the so-called legalities of the sham marriage. Under the amendment proposed in this Bill, would a statutory declaration be enough to further deter such sham marriages? Agreed, it will void the marriage of convenience. But more proactive action is perhaps required by the respective agencies in ensuring that the matchmakers involved in bringing over foreign brides are bona fide and are not mere pimps in disguise, masquerading as arrangers of marriages of convenience. With regard to remote communication, facilitating provision of sexual services under the new section 146, I would like to seek clarification from the Minister on how the Ministry will deal with sites that are located overseas. A simple Google search will reveal that there are many such sites but there are no provisions under section 146 for this.”
“I would, however, like to know if the Ministry could share, if available, the number or estimated number of incapacitated ex-husbands in Singapore who would benefit from this proposed amendment. What are the parameters as well, as alluded to by the hon Member Ms Tin Pei Ling, to determine the level of incapacity and how will ex-husbands be deemed to be fully incapacitated? I hope the Ministry would shed more light on this area. An upgrade from the proposed single MRO under the set of amendments, as mentioned by the Minister earlier, is a suggestion to set up a formal Tribunal, akin to the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents, to free the Courts and to determine and enforce maintenance payments for both ex-husbands and ex-wives. The late Mdm Chan Choy Siong advocated for Marriage Counselling Courts in 1959 and this came to fruition only in 1995 with the setting up of the Family Justice Courts. I hope that while maintenance for husbands took 19 years and the Family Court took 36 years to find realisation, it will not take another similar length of time before a tribunal is Page: 57 considered. With regard to enhanced protection for women and professionals at places of safety, according to a 2013 report on the International Violence Against Women Survey conducted in Singapore, the prevalence of violence against women in Singapore shows that nearly one in 10 of the 2,006 female respondents surveyed, or 9.2%, reported having experienced at least one incidence of violence by a man in their adult lifetime since the age of 16. These findings, of course, showed that over one-third of victimised women, or 35.8%, received some injuries during the most recent incidents. I believe that, for some, their ordeal does not end there.”
“In other words, how do we so reshape our policies that we can educate them; that they will have full career opportunities that the valuable well-educated, whilst making a big contribution, will, at the same time, ensure their contribution to the next generation?" The generation that Mr Lee referred to so stirringly in that speech made more than 30 years ago, is this generation. Since then, women in Singapore have been breaking, in fact, smashing the glass ceiling. The Women's Charter is about empowering our Singapore women, and their financial standing has grown in tandem with their contributions to our nation, from bread-makers in the kitchen to breadwinners in this generation for their families. This amendment also finally lays to rest the anomaly of section 46 of the same Charter, which states that husband and wife are both "mutually bound to cooperate with each other in safeguarding the interests of the union and in caring and providing for the children" and under section 46(4), "have equal rights in the running of the matrimonial household". Before this amendment, there was mutual obligation under the Charter but not when deciding maintenance. This amendment will also put an end to the dysfunctional carryover from common law that will fully restore equality to women in marriage. Although such an amendment to the Women's charter was not considered in 1996 nor subsequently in 2011, this is an important first step. I, however, hope that, at some point, we reach parity beyond just, as I mentioned, providing for those who are incapacitated. Therefore, in all fairness, if the wife is earning more, maintenance payments to incapacitated ex-husbands must be in order.”
“It made us realise that courtship and marriage are two very different kettles of fish. With the support of counsellors and experienced couples who journeyed with us, all of us "junior" couples had the opportunity to ask each other questions that would be too unromantic for courtship but all the more important for a life to be spent together. To be truthful, through the many marriage preparation courses that are available out there, there are couples who spilt up after attending the courses, but I feel this is for the better. I hasten to add that many of those whom I know have remained friends with one another. Page: 56 With that in mind, I, therefore, strongly believe that just as courtship does not prepare us for marriage, a wedding does not prepare us for parenthood. So, a mandatory course will equip couples with the ability to stay together and raise a happy family together. On maintenance for incapacitated men, I feel this is an important step. But I hope that, at some point, we reach parity beyond just providing for those who are incapacitated. As many Members before me have pointed out, it is not just for parity's sake but it also points to the fact that women in society have improved their social standing by leaps and bounds and this must be applauded. The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, at his 1983 National Day Rally, mentioned that our economy is dependent on women and their contributions to Singapore and this is invaluable. He said: "We've got to go one step beyond and try and fit in the problems in a new context.”
“According to a noted psychologist and researcher, Dr Judith S Wallerstein, who carried out studies on the effects of divorce on the children over a 25-year period, "Divorce is a life-transforming experience. After divorce, childhood is different. Adolescence is different. Adulthood – with the decision to marry, to have or not have children – is different. Whether the outcome is good or bad, the whole trajectory of an individual's life is profoundly altered by the divorce experience". The MPP under section 94A is a welcome move. Our current law requires parents with children under 21 years of age to attend mediation and counselling after a divorce writ is filed. But the proposed amendment makes it compulsory to attend the programme before filing for divorce; this is welcome. Through MPP, one can only hope that the child's physical and mental needs are taken care of by both parents. The programme would be more fruitful if feuding parents could patch up after these counselling sessions, which should be introduced to those considering divorce. It is encouraging that the mandatory programme at CFRC has been quite successful in helping divorcing couples focus on the best interests of their children. The Family Justice Courts' CFRC programme has been extended to cover all divorce cases with children below 21 years of age. But I would like to suggest and urge the Ministry to consider pushing this even further: to take a bold move which matches the historic impact of the Women's Charter and, that is, to move this MPP upstream, together with the Mandatory Marriage Preparation programme. Before I got married to my wife, we needed to attend a compulsory marriage preparation course called Engaged Encounter. Though it was just one weekend, it was intense and emotional.”
“MPP. Mdm Speaker, in any divorce, to say that the child or children suffer the most is an understatement. A broken home does no wonders to a child's self-confidence, esteem, educational development and health, and many studies attest to this. Divorce is a battle of attrition, as MSF has rightly pointed out. Children are the losers as they bear the brunt of the collateral damage in any fight between father and mother. It is not fair to the Page: 55 children. Some may be more resilient and march on bravely in the face of a newly radicalised family environment, but there are many more out there who are left broken, bitter, by divorce. In many of the cases I have seen at MPS and in block visits, and I am sure many Members can attest to this, it is the children who need the most help. Over the years in various Parliamentary Questions, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and subsequently MSF, has provided various statistics on children affected by divorce. Between 2005 and 2009, an average of 6,025 divorces was filed at the Family Court and 1,780 at the Syariah Court. It was stated that half of the Family Court's and 70% of the Syariah Court's cases involved families with children and these figures continue to climb. Back then, 4,700 and 2,600 for marriages under the Women's Charter and the Administration of Muslim Law Act respectively, and the figures for 2014 have gone up even further. These are alarming figures, indeed. One can only imagine the fate of the child pre- and post-divorce. The mental and physical nature of the fights, the ensuing loneliness, and ultimately, the feeling of abandonment would have the child traumatised.”
“"This Bill is making a very great change in the personal lives of the greater majority of our citizens. It marks a complete break from the past and it is a big step forward. And it is just for that reason that we have thought it important that we consider this piece of legislation as something outside the ordinary stream of legislation that we consider it to be, in the real sense of the word, a Charter for the women of our State." Mdm Speaker, these words were spoken in earnest by our first Labour and Law Minister Mr K M Byrne during the Second Reading of the Women's Charter Bill on 6 April 1960. The Bill was the culmination of the People's Action Party's (PAP's) rallying call in the 1959 Five Year Plan – "The Tasks Forward". To give a sense of how important a subject it was, the Five Year Plan dedicated an entire chapter called "Women in the New Singapore". Mdm Chan Choy Siong, the late hon Member for Delta, should be lauded for her tireless efforts in making the Women's Charter possible. We last made amendments to the Women's Charter in 2011 to enforce maintenance in divorce cases. But now, after five years, more amendments are needed to finetune the Women's Charter, in view of the evolving needs of women and children. This Bill has seen numerous and seismic amendments, a sure sign of the importance of the Bill and the difference it has made in society. The proposed amendments in the Bill are largely focused on five key areas: (a) taking care of the child/children's interests through the MPP for divorcing parents; (b) maintenance for incapacitated men; (c) enhanced protection for women and professionals at places of safety; (d) voiding marriages of convenience; and (e) remote communications facilitating provision of sexual services. I will go through them one by one.”
“Mdm Speaker, two clarifications for the Minister of State who mentioned that 42 tenants in the last three years had been granted exceptions. Can I ask the Minister of State for greater granularity, as to how many were for medical exceptions and how many were for other circumstances? I do not recall that a number was provided for those who are currently staying alone but not evicted because they have difficulty getting along with fellow tenants. Is there a number to that and does the Minister of State feel that this could become a potential issue? That is, if I want to stay alone, I just be very difficult with my co-tenants and I will, therefore, have the flat to myself?”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. I just have one supplementary question. With regard to control of visits by overseas religious leaders, is there a protocol or Standard Operating Procedure for the approval of the visit pass? In a recent incident involving a particular preacher, publicity had already gone out for his visit to Singapore before his visit was denied by the authorities.”
“Mdm Speaker, for amateur astronomers and star-gazers the world over, the five weeks from 20 January are a rare moment in the celestial heights with Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, Venus, Mercury and our own moon visible together in the night sky, almost in a diagonal line from north to east.”
“Question No 13. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim) (for the Minister for Transport): Mdm Speaker, a motorised bicycle is Page: 31 allowed to carry a pillion passenger if it has a seat for the passenger, the passenger is at least 16 years old and both the rider and the passenger wear helmets. There were 13 accidents involving motorised bicycles in the last three years. The Government's policy is that only motorised bicycles that meet the Land Transport Authority (LTA)'s specifications can be used on public roads. LTA enforces this by affixing approved bicycles with a serialised seal for ease of identification. This mode of enforcement is more appropriate than restricting importation since some motorised bicycles may be imported for use on private property or for re-export. As announced in March, LTA will be conducting a public consultation on the rules governing the use of bicycles and other personal mobility devices, including motorised bicycles.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister for his update. There have been some recent improvements but, at its peak, there were occasions where buses waited about 20 minutes just to come in and out of the interchange. My parliamentary colleagues from the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) have also given some feedback. But in terms of the medium term, could the Minister be more specific in terms of the projected timeline within the next five to 10 years?”
“In the first, a lower floor neighbour has endured dragging furniture, cigarette butts, human excrement, bags of urine, packets of leftover food being thrown down into their balcony over a number of years! The family is traumatised but almost helpless because the person involved has a history of mental illness. His own family has tried their best, resorted to almost boarding up their entire house but still to no avail. It has been referred to the CMC but it is also something that CMC has been unable to settle. In another case, two neighbouring families have lived next to each other for many years. No major issues till the mentally unsound son of one family attacked the neighbour. The Institute of Mental Health or IMH stepped in for a short while but the dispute spread because the offender's family now became openly hostile to the aggrieved family after the son was released from IMH. So, I would like to ask what provisions will the new framework have to handle cases such as these. How would the Tribunal address cases that turn up parties with underlying medical issues? Overall, I welcome this Act as it is a vast improvement over the current CMC provisions. Credit must go to the many mediators and community volunteers who have tried their best under the old system to solve issues. Madam, I support this Bill. 3.58 pm Page: 102”
“Community mediation should be the first course of action, rather than direct referrals just to the Tribunal. So, I do hope that more can be given to assist them in dispute resolutions under this new framework. My second concern lies with what would be deemed as "reasonable noise" or what would be considered as impinging on the enjoyment or use of place of residence. This has been mentioned by a number of Members. Let me give one case to illustrate – a family living below another. The family above has young children, two of them, who are of the active sort. The family below has an elderly mother who is ill and on a ventilator. The children run around the house during the day Page: 101 playing games and, occasionally, they pushed the furniture; all part of growing up, perhaps. But it affects the rest, including the elderly mother below, and so a dispute arose from that. On the surface, it could be reasonable to expect that both parties have a valid claim. The children are just being children, but the elderly mother also needs her peace and quiet rest. Mediators have stepped in to resolve the issue but it is still at an impasse. So, the last thing we really want for the Tribunal is to set up precedence in too many minute areas that would make for uncomfortable living for everybody and, therefore, I ask if there could be proper illustrative ways to set the boundaries before any such cases can be brought before the Tribunal. My final concern lies with a peculiar form of neighbourly dispute that does not seem to be addressed directly by this framework. This is when cases involve one or more parties where mental incapacity is brought into the equation. Let me quote two of the five cases I have encountered.”
“Mdm Speaker, having pursued this matter with a number of other Members of this House, for the last few years, I certainly welcome the Community Disputes Resolution Bill. Under the old regime, there was little bite to the Community Mediation Centres Act. Trained mediators do excellent work but as long as one party in the dispute walks away from a session, there is little further opportunity for resolution. So, the Tribunal to be set up under section 14 of the Act provides a last resort provision under section 30 that will serve to bring all parties of the dispute to the table so that they can have a calm and objective discussion. The provisions under sections 6, 7 and 10 to impose punitive measures for contravening the orders of the Tribunal are welcomed, too. I come across several examples where signed agreements of the parties before the CMC hold no weight after, as this enforcement is entirely voluntary. It is a little bit like getting a cat to agree not to eat a mouse. The agreement is based purely on trust. Yes, many of the agreements do hold but some fall apart and cause another round of protracted conflict. There is much to be said about the involvement of the community volunteers in mediating disputes, and I am immensely proud of my team as well as many other volunteers in different constituencies in Singapore for doing all they can to help to keep the peace in the neighbourhood. I also understand and feel their frustration when complex cases find them drawn into the conflict as well. Some volunteers have been accused of being not objective in dealing with certain issues despite their best efforts. I, therefore, hope that more can be done to support the volunteers on the ground.”
“Mdm Chair, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the reassurance that MSF is committed to caring for families. But coming back to my point, the elements of the HOPE Scheme have seemed to run counter to this. Yes, there is support for families, but if you have more than two kids in some families, we are very sorry we cannot give that to you. And the amount of benefits that the HOPE Scheme provides is quite significant, so, it can be an offer that is hard to refuse for some of these families. So, how does the Ministry reconcile this? Secondly, does the Ministry keep track of figures of any children that have been aborted because of the HOPE Scheme? And, lastly, yes, there is an option for them to withdraw from the scheme if they would like to keep their third child, but what are the penalties, because they have already received quite a lot from the Scheme? Is there anything that they need to give back and does that become a barrier?”
“I was confused slightly by the statement, until I realised that it was not so much the cost of raising the child she was afraid of, but the cost of losing the HOPE scheme. Never did I imagine that those words would be so impactful – "afraid to lose HOPE". Tried as we did, she quietly went for an abortion. Yes, we could say that the family could have practised better family planning. But what if families do have another child? This was the child that she shared she really, really wanted. How many children have we potentially lost? How can we better improve the scheme that was set up to provide hope – not take it away? The scheme has certainly made improvements to the majority of families who have come on board, compared to before they joined the scheme. But I am certain that we do not track some of the hidden costs for providing HOPE. The sample size is not large. The last update that the Minister gave to this House was that an average of 300 families have joined the HOPE scheme in the last five years, on average, and about 3,000 families have benefited since 2004. This is but a small portion of needy families. Is there more that can be done to expand the scheme and remove the painful moral burden that it places on families already saddled by many challenges? The HOPE scheme was designed to give hope. I hope we will not allow it to take hope away instead. Social Safety Net”
“Mr Chairman, when the Small Families Improvement Scheme was enhanced in 2004 and renamed as the Home Ownership Plus Education Scheme, I applauded and welcomed the scheme as one which was comprehensive and would serve to provide a way for families to break out of the poverty cycle. Yet, today I speak with a somewhat heavy heart. I believe that a good policy is one that has moral weight but not one that places a difficult moral burden on those that it seeks to help. The scheme is generous: $60,000 in Housing Grant paid out over 20 years; $1,000 in utilities; $6,000 in training incentives; $10,000 for employment incentives and $3,000 annual bursaries for children. Yet, in two recent encounters, the scheme has come with a moral burden. The scheme requires families to have no more than two children. Let me share just one case to illustrate this point. I met Mdm A at my MPS, she had just moved into my town and needed some financial help as her husband had just lost his job. She needed a childcare place for her daughter as well. I thought, "Okay, a straightforward case". We have many available interim schemes to help them. But then, she added that she believed that she was three to four months' Page: 164 pregnant, but had not seen a gynaecologist. She was afraid of the cost and was considering aborting the child. She had lost two previous children and went into depression. Over the next two weeks, my team and I made numerous phone calls and a gynaecologist, a paediatrician and even a private hospital stepped forward, volunteered to care for her and her child free-of-charge. We kept up contact with Mdm A but she waivered, somewhat hesitant. Then, in the phone call she said the reason is because "I am afraid to lose hope".”
“Madam, as Singapore moves towards becoming a Smart Nation, one of the key sectors that could see benefits is the healthcare sector. IT has the advantage of increasing quality and productivity within the healthcare industry as well as Page: 91 reducing medical errors and, thereby, helping to keep overall costs low. In the last decade, various breakthroughs in IT have contributed to the ease of info gathering, medical research, innovative treatments and better communication of health informatics among healthcare professionals and patients. As a wired nation, the Internet has also become an easy source of medical information. Improved technological research has also made healthcare even more effective than before. Patient care and worker efficiency have also improved. Healthcare trends are also easier to track with technology. Therefore, what plans does the Ministry have in place to increase productivity and further invest in IT? Has the Ministry also thought about using IT enablers to promote healthier living? Rehabilitation”
“Mdm Chair, the SEA Games are just 85 days away and it will be a major high point as we celebrate SG50. It is a moment for Singaporeans to be proud of that a small nation like ours can pull off a major games like the SEA Games and the inaugural Youth Olympic Games previously. 1.15 pm What is perhaps even more important are our athletes. Each generation finds its own champions and I am certain we will have many at the SEA Games. But someone made a comment to me recently that many of our young athletes from the Youth Olympic Games are no longer in professional sports. From my own experience and observations in the NSAs, the retention of good young sportsmen and women is difficult considering the pressures of studies and parental concerns. The Sports School has gone some way to provide good support and I look forward to the results of the review. What plans does the Ministry have in better encouraging young Singaporeans to take up sports as a career? How do we sustain and support them and also convince parents that Page: 48 it is a viable option? What can we do as a society to give opportunities for our future champions? The theme for this year's SEA Games is "Celebrate the Extraordinary". I hope we can sustain the extraordinary beyond the Games itself. Singapore Soccer”
“Mdm Chair, I have spoken on youths and their aspirations for the last few years, and I am glad to see the progress that has been made to better engage and give opportunities to them. This year, as we mark 50 years of Singapore's Independence, it is equally important that we look ahead to the next 50, perhaps even 100 years. The people best placed to imagine and create this future for Singapore are our youths. A new generation of Singaporeans bring with them new creative visions for the Singapore of the future. How then is the Ministry making full use of the opportunities of SG50 to showcase the talents of our youths? Will national youth spaces such as *SCAPE be enhanced to support the aspirations of young Singaporeans? How does the Ministry plan to have youths help co-create their aspirations for an even better Singapore? The past was shaped by our pioneers, let our youths be the pioneers of Page: 43 their own future. Reviewing the Role of CDCs”
“Mdm Chair, Lau Pa Sat is only open on Saturday and, if you are a wandering spirit from Central Europe, you will need a visa to visit Singapore during the seventh lunar month. Confused? Well, so were many others when Lau Pa Sat was translated on our road signs in Tamil to" Lau Pa Saturday" or "sani" in Tamil and the Your Singapore tourism website translated the "Hungry Ghost Festival" to "Zhong Ya Li Gui Jie" which is "Hungarian Ghost Festival". These are just two of the examples of how important it is for translation standards to improve. Therefore, I would like to ask the Ministry's update on the progress of the National Translation Committee in standardising official translations and raising translation standards. Translation and Language”
“Mr Lee Kuan Yew at the 2012 Temasek Society dialogue said, "The SAF has done better than I hoped. That was because the generation that grew up, knew the stakes that were involved." Page: 121 As the Minister has mentioned, 2015 is significant for two reasons: it is our nation's Golden Jubilee and also the 50th anniversary of the SAF. In 1965, we had the small luxury of still having the British forces stationed in Singapore. But with their accelerated pull-out in 1971, that meant that our early SAF pioneers had to build up a credible defence force in double quick time. I attended the launch of the SAF50@Vivo with members of the SAF Veterans' League. It was a humbling moment to be in the midst of men like CPT (Ret) Shamsudin bin Shadan, an old friend who, despite his now mellowed years, still displays the tenacity and iron will of the strict Regimental Sergeant Major that he was in 1966. I welcome and fully support the role of our SAF veterans and pioneers in educating and guiding the next generation of pioneers for SAF. I also look forward to more in SAF50 to commemorate this significant milestone. But more importantly, I hope that we can do more to recognise and honour our pioneers. Some of those who were in the earliest batches of SAF and National Service do not qualify for the Pioneer Generation Package. But serve they did. Would the Ministry consider any way to recognise these stalwarts similarly so that their sacrifices would not be forgotten? National Day Parade”
“There will be challenges but, as we have seen in our history, we can surmount them and come out stronger. Fair and Equal Deployment”
“Mr Chairman, "The most dependable guarantee of our Independence is a strong SAF. A strong SAF, in turn, depends on the political will to make the effort and pay the price." These are the words of the Father of SAF, the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, in 1984. Since the formation of the SAF 50 years ago, the defence of Singapore continues to be dependent on the will of Singaporeans to support the policy of having a strong armed forces and taking personal responsibility to be involved in our defence. The global and local landscape is changing. Our challenges are evolving, too. External challenges have moved on from conventional warfare to asymmetrical threats. Internal challenges have also emerged, key of which is demographic changes in Singapore, a shrinking population and, thus, a shrinking base from which our armed forces can call upon. The world view of Singaporeans has changed as well. To many, dangers to our sovereignty are less apparent today than in the past. Support for National Service, that rite of passage for Singaporean men, remains high, but we must guard against complacency. We need to recommit ourselves to the defence of our country, to return to the spirit of our early Independence. We are a country lacking in a real tradition of soldiering and seafaring. Therefore, much more effort is required to re-emphasise the importance of the SAF to Singapore's long-term future. In the words of Mr Lee Kuan Yew: "Without a strong SAF, there is no economic future, there is no security." How will the Ministry ensure continued commitment by Singaporeans to defence? What is the Ministry's reading of the long-term prospects? I, therefore, urge the Ministry to fully engage Singaporeans at this important milestone of SG50 and SAF50.”