Amy Khor Lean Suan
Singapore
“Sir, NEA does conduct inspections of these premises from time to time. For this particular premises, they actually did six inspections since 2021.”
“The Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducts enforcement actions against drivers who are found to have provided illegal car-pooling services. An individual who provides an illegal car-pooling service may face a fine of up to $3,000, up to six months' imprisonment, or both.”
“We will also provide the first 500 private heavy vehicle chargers co-funding of up to 50% of the charger installation cost, capped at $30,000 per charger. These measures will narrow the lifecycle cost gap between an electric and internal combustion engine heavy vehicle and spur adoption of electric heavy vehicles.”
“With regard to the extension of the lower speed limit to school zones for full day, we will work with the relevant agencies on the enhanced enforcements.”
“They will provide a certain amount of protection to the pedestrians because, as I have said, the bollards will absorb the impact of the collision from the vehicles. So, there is a protection. But ultimately, of course, road safety really depends on a multitude of factors, including road user behaviour.”
“The bollards installed at pedestrian crossings by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are not of the K4, K8 or K12 standards stated by the Member. Bollards of these standards are typically security bollards. They are installed to protect critical infrastructure or at high security areas, such as Changi Airport, to be unyielding.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,285 lines we hold for Amy Khor Lean Suan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 17 of 46.
“Going forward, caregivers can do so by using the AIC's mobile app and also access useful resources. Members of the public can also register as Dementia Friends to learn about the signs and symptoms of dementia and to help keep a look-out for persons with dementia who are lost or wandering. We plan to launch this app later this year. Mr Murali Pillai asked about how we will work with MSF to implement a change for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) who need to apply for the FDW schemes. MOH will accept the Client Assessment Form which is already administered by disability care services, such as day activity centres, so that the PWDs need not have to go through an additional assessment. Next, let me touch on our healthcare workforce, a critical enabler in achieving our vision for community care. Given the twin challenges of rising demand for healthcare and slowing local labour force growth, we need to ensure the sustainability of the healthcare workforce over the long term. Our approach, as reflected in our Healthcare Manpower Plan 2020, must be to equip our healthcare workforce with future skills to provide better care, achieve higher productivity in healthcare and grow a strong local core. The growing healthcare industry offers good jobs, and we are stepping up efforts to attract more locals into the sector, from school leavers to mid-career professionals as well as older workers. Our local medical intake has grown from 350 to 480 students over the past five years, and we are on track to reach our target of 500 in 2018. The total nursing intake has also increased by 30% from 1,500 in 2012 to around 2,000 students in 2017.”
“In the area of Primary Care, we have rolled out a combination of mental health and dementia services in eight polyclinics. We are on track to meeting our target for one in two polyclinics to implement mental health clinics by 2021. More than 140 GP partners have been trained to diagnose and support persons with mental health conditions in the community, supported by allied health-led community intervention teams. To date, 16 of such teams have been established to support the GPs, community and grassroots organisations in caring for persons with mental health conditions. To date, some 8,800 patients have also benefited from the Institute of Mental Health’s (IMH’s) post-discharge "after-care" support, transiting smoothly from hospital to home. MOH will continue to work closely with IMH to enhance its capability to monitor these patients post-discharge. As mentioned by Miss Cheng Li Hui, we have established six dementia friendly communities (DFCs) to create a culture of awareness of dementia and inclusivity so that persons with dementia and their families feel at home and supported in the community. We plan to expand to 15 DFCs in the next three years or so. To date, we have reached out to over 23,000 people to support persons with dementia and their caregivers and will continue to do more. Similar to the Singapore Civil Defence Force Community First Responder app, AIC is developing a Dementia Friends mobile app to support seniors with dementia and their caregivers. We had initially considered building a national database of persons with dementia which Assoc Prof Daniel Goh spoke about. However, families we consulted preferred a voluntary approach where caregivers can register their loved ones.”
“And for those in need of end-of-life care, they can be supported by community nurses trained in palliative care. Senior Staff Nurse Noormala Hamid from the National Healthcare Group is one example. Noormala is experienced in managing palliative care patients, and works closely with other healthcare professionals to coordinate care plans, administer medication and monitor patients at home. She serves as a bridge between her patients and their doctors, and also provides support to families and caregivers who experience the psychological and emotional challenges that come with end-of-life care. A strong community care system also includes community mental health. Ms Joan Pereira asked how we are making mental health services more accessible, while Assoc Prof Daniel Goh suggested a national dementia plan. Dementia support has been a central component of our community mental health plan which I announced last year. We have strengthened measures to provide care for persons with mental health conditions and dementia, including making services more accessible for them. We have made good progress to date. Over 6,000 frontline staff from various Government agencies and community partners have been trained to identify and respond to persons with mental health conditions. AIC is the key agency that coordinates care and support of persons with mental health needs in the community across health and social care sectors, including SSOs. More than 1,900 individuals have benefited to date. In addition, AIC has worked with social service partners to establish a network of 33 community outreach teams to reach out to persons at risk of depression or dementia. They also educate the public on mental health and dementia conditions as part of our outreach efforts.”
“The consolidation allows us to make the delivery of services more citizen-centric, increases productivity by minimising duplication and ensures that no needy senior falls between the cracks. MOH will take the opportunity to review and inject more programming to enhance the SACs, such as conducting preventive health and wellness programmes, to keep seniors active and well in the community. Ms Thanaletchimi also asked about a one-stop centre for all relevant senior services. AIC currently provides a one-stop service to help seniors and their caregivers navigate services and schemes in the community, with several touchpoints to facilitate this. Many of our VWOs are also go-to points for seniors and caregivers. In parallel with our nationwide rollout of CNS, MOH will also invest in community nursing. Our healthcare clusters are doing more to support this shift to community care. In the past year, they have piloted eight geographically-based community nursing teams, to anchor population health and care for residents and, in fact, these teams have actually reached out to more than 10,000 patients. Our nurses are familiar with the services in hospitals and the community and can bridge patient care needs across both settings. We currently have a pool of about 130 community nurses from our three clusters providing care for residents with different needs across care settings, and we hope to increase this to 200 by end 2019. In the area of preventive health, for instance, community nurses can reach out to residents in the community and coach them to manage their health better. For residents who have been discharged from hospital and may have complex medical issues, the community nurse can provide direct care in their homes, for example, in wound care management.”
“We hope to create an equivalent platform to make it easy for seniors and their caregivers to find, customise and order community-based eldercare services, such as home care, medical escorts and transport and meals on wheels. They can do so via a mobile app and will also have the opportunity to give ratings on services and providers. We plan to collaborate with the industry to start a Health Marketplace over the next year or so. We believe that it is also important to integrate seniors within supportive communities so that they do not feel isolated, as mentioned by Dr Lily Neo. Our goal is to build an inclusive “Kampong for All Ages” through the Community Networks for Seniors (CNS) programme. As announced at Budget 2018, we will be expanding CNS island-wide by 2020. The Silver Generation Office (SGO) placed within AIC, also puts us in good stead through our SG Ambassadors to proactively reach out to new cohorts of Singaporeans aged 65 and above, bringing health and healthcare to them. And where help is needed, various Government agencies and partners will come together to deliver coordinated care to the senior, closing the “social last mile” for our seniors. Ms K Thanaletchimi and Dr Lily Neo asked about the benefits of our integration efforts. The transfer of functions from MSF to MOH, including services under the SCNs, will be accompanied by a transfer of staff and resources. No jobs will be lost. This will allow MOH to plan and develop health and social support services for seniors more holistically. The staging of SCN services already takes into account the demographics of each planning zone and will continue to do so.”
“We will launch a new community-based Pharmaceutical Care Services pilot so that, in the future, seniors can get help with their medications at community touchpoints, such as senior care centres, where community pharmacists will be stationed, saving them multiple trips to the doctor or hospital. We will start with a pool of some 20 pharmacists from our polyclinics and retail pharmacies, such as Guardian, Unity Pharmacy and Watsons. This year, we will enhance the Seniors’ Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF) to enable seniors with frailty to age confidently. To date, we have disbursed close to $100 million since the launch of the scheme in 2011, with over 49,000 beneficiaries. As earlier announced at Budget, we will top up another $100 million over the next five years to further extend SMF subsidies to benefit more seniors. To lend more support to end-of-life care, we are extending SMF subsidies to clients on home palliative care services in the coming months. MOH will also review the SMF means-testing tiers for devices so that our subsidies remain effective and targeted at those who need help. Ms Tin Pei Ling asked for an update on Our National Innovation Challenge on Active and Confident Ageing. I am pleased to report that we have launched six grant calls to date, with around $33 million awarded across 23 projects. These include projects in areas, such as home monitoring solutions and assistive devices. To improve care navigation, we are leveraging technology, which Miss Cheryl Chan spoke about, to develop a Health Marketplace. Many consumers are already using e-platforms, such as "Amazon" and "Redmart".”
“The Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING) Singapore also works with public agencies and private organisations to develop national standards to support active ageing and senior-friendly infrastructure design. Beyond new "housing plus" models that combine housing with care, we also need to enhance current services to support the majority of seniors who are already staying in existing residential estates to age in place. For seniors in ageing rental precincts who are unable to afford domestic help, for example, we had piloted the Care Close to Home (C2H) programme in 2014 where care services are provided out of SACs. To date, over 2,500 seniors have benefited from the C2H programme. This year, we will expand the programme from the current 11 to another four sites in the Beach Road, Chai Chee, Chin Swee and Lengkok Bahru areas, so that more seniors can benefit. Today, our Active Ageing Hubs (AAHs) provide a suite of care services for seniors as their needs evolve over time. We have started two AAHs at McNair and Kampung Admiralty, and will be opening three more in the Toa Payoh, Queenstown and Bukit Merah planning areas. Overall, I am encouraged to know that home and community care services have gained traction among seniors in Singapore. Around 14,000 clients have benefited from subsidised home and community care services as of late 2017, more than the 10,000 clients who had taken up subsidised nursing home places. In fact, this has been the trend for the last three years. 5.45 pm MOH will do more to support ageing in place in the coming months. Today, seniors with complex medical conditions may be taking multiple medications prescribed by various doctors. There is also the risk of non-compliance or medication errors.”
“Thank you. Singapore needs to prepare for a rapidly ageing population in the next one to two decades. By 2030, the number of seniors aged 65 and above will almost double to over 900,000. The largest increase will occur between 2020 and 2025, with about 179,000 Baby Boomers entering 65 years and above. Our vision is a Nation for All Ages, where all our citizens can age healthily, purposefully and gracefully in place. Hence, we are investing efforts at three levels. First, at the individual level, we will create new options for ageing in place and empowering self-care. Second, at the community level, we will build a strong community care system for seniors. And third, at the national level, we will develop enablers to better deliver care services for seniors. Our models of care will need to evolve, as there is no one-size-fits-all option for seniors. Mr Leon Perera spoke about Silver Towns. MOH is working closely with MND, HDB and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to pilot new forms of housing developments that are twinned with care services and integrated within public housing estates. This will be our Singapore model for assisted living. Both Ministries are already studying potential sites for such "assisted living" developments within public housing as well as in the private residential market. Basic domestic services, such as housekeeping and 24/7 monitoring and response, could be offered to support independent living. Home care could be layered on, as needed, for frail seniors. We are collaborating with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and various agencies to explore how design interventions can help make our neighbourhoods age-friendly, as suggested by Ms Tin Pei Ling.”
“Chairman, with your permission, may I display some slides?”
“The CWO is actually issued by the Court. So, if they are repeat offenders, they go to Court and we do recommend CWOs. So, the Courts will decide on that. If they are first offenders and they cannot pay the fine, we will look at various ways to assist if we can.”
“As I have said, the lifecycle assessment study did show that for plastic bags, it has got the highest GHG emissions and energy used. But on the other hand, other disposable bags, for instance, biodegradable bags which are so-called more eco-friendly, also actually have some environmental impact in terms of production. Paper bags require lots of water to produce and, of course, there is this issue of land deforestation. We have to plant trees to produce paper pulp and so on. Another example with the oxo-biodegradable bag which actually is made of plastic additives that will help to accelerate the degradation of the bag and that is supposed to be more eco-friendly. But actually, because we incinerate our waste, including plastic, these oxo-biodegradable bags will still have the same environmental impact as plastic bags. If we actually place a charge or ban, where we have a ban on bags, what will happen is that there will be substitutes for using other bags. So, what we are saying is that because we incinerate waste, we do not have the same issue as many of these other countries which actually land fill directly. But we agree that we should curb or tackle the issue of excessive use of such plastic bags and other disposables. What we want to do is to tackle it at source. So, we will have mandatory reporting of packaging waste, as well as the waste reduction plans by businesses by 2021. In addition, we will work with the voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and other organisations to raise awareness and encourage people to reduce their use of such disposables. In our new hawker centres, for instance, we have already disallowed use of disposable crockeries and so on for dining-in.”
“So, there is some deterrence. As regards why not CWO on everyone, we also need to realise that there may be people who, for medical reasons, cannot do CWOs, for instance. CWO is actually harsher because, if it is a fine, they just pay. But CWO, they all have to take leave, they will have to go and do their CWO, and it may be in public places where they do not want to be seen.”
“I thank the Member for his questions. I am also pleased that he is extremely passionate about keeping Singapore clean. Asking me whether I think Singapore is cleaner now or not, I may not be the right person to ask. I might be biased. Actually, we have done some surveys. We had done a public cleanliness perception survey between late 2016 and early 2017 with 2,000 respondents. In the public cleanliness perception survey, it actually showed that 82% of the respondents said that they were satisfied with the overall cleanliness of Singapore ‒ hard as it may be for you. But it is a properly done survey, 2,000 respondents, 82%. But, of course, their satisfaction with different areas varies. So, they were most satisfied, for instance, with transport nodes, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and so on. They ranked that as they were most satisfied in terms of cleanliness. Areas where they were not satisfied with, which I think we all have some idea of, would be like HDB void decks, F&B establishments, that is, the eating establishments, as well as places after public events. They scored about 59%. So, it varies. NEA does work on having more enforcement, for instance, at hot spot areas, and also getting volunteers to turn these hot spot areas into Bright Spots. With regard to the efficacy, for instance, of enforcement, as I have said, we couple enforcement as a deterrence with education, and I agree with the Member that we need to start young, from schools. And that is what the Public Hygiene Council and Singapore Kindness Movement have done. If you look at enforcement, for the 30,000-odd littering offenders caught in 2017, for instance, about 5% are repeat offenders. So, there is a deterrent effect. Of those who have done CWOs before, repeat offenders are about 10%.”
“I thank the Member for her questions. Firstly, for the karang guni man, as I have said, we think that the karang guni man will continue to have a role to play when we implement the EPR e-waste management system. They can provide convenient door-to-door collection of the used appliances and, where it cannot be reused, then they can actually send it to the recyclers through the PROs. With regard to the light bulbs, we are working out the details, taking feedback from retailers, as well as with the community, NGOs and companies who may want to do CSR on how we can more effectively implement the replacement of the light bulbs for the 1- and 2-roomers. Regarding littering issues in the basketball courts at Khatib, I am given to understand that the North West Regional Office staff from NEA are working closely with the Member's grassroots to address the littering problem at the courts. I think the issue is that there are multiple parties using the courts and it is very difficult to identify who the litterbugs are. But I know that closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have already been installed. So, we will work closely with the grassroots to do this. But at the end of the day, we need to ensure that people take ownership of the environment. If they use the courts, then they must take ownership and prevent littering. So, some kind of administrative process should be implemented so that we can identify who are the ones who are using the courts, too.”
“Together, we can continue enjoying tasty local food in our beloved hawker centres for years to come. Chairman, to paraphrase the Minister for Finance’s words during the Budget Debate, when he was referring to Reserves: "We are stewards of our environment, just like Reserves, preserving and enhancing it for ourselves and for future generations, just as our forefathers had done for us." Everyone can play a part and benefit from Climate Action. We hope that what we do collectively helps reverse the global tragedy of the commons and ensures Singapore’s development remains on a sustainable path. No action is too small or inconsequential. And for a start, I hope that all Members of this House, besides Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal, can lead by example and take the Climate Action Pledge online, and encourage your friends, families and constituents to do so. I can send you the quick response (QR) code if you wish, so that you can take the pledge. Together, we can build a liveable and sustainable environment now and into the future!”
“We hope that, over the longer term, there is no need to have such a system, after tray return becomes second nature. In the meantime, we also plan to introduce behavioural nudges and cues at these two hawker centres to further reinforce the message. Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Government has continually upgraded and improved hawker centres in terms of the design of the facilities, the way they are run and the approach to tendering stalls. This is done so that everyone can benefit as diners can enjoy affordable food, while stall holders have a clean working environment. We also introduced productivity initiatives, such as CDW and ATRS, to help the stallholders address their manpower issues and reduce their workload. They do not take away work from the cleaners but actually make their work easier so that they can focus on cleaning tables, improving their productivity. Diners also benefit as they can access clean tables quickly, and enjoy a more pleasant, hygienic dining environment. All these initiatives ultimately benefit all Singaporeans – diners, cleaners, as well as the stallholders. (In English): Another recommendation of HC 3.0 relates to enhancing the vibrancy of our hawker centres as social spaces. NEA launched the "Vibrant Hawker Centres" programme last June to encourage individuals, teams, organisations or institutions to organise regular activities at hawker centres. The response has been enthusiastic, and some 19 events had taken place across 12 hawker centres in 2017. Hawker centres will continue to prosper as a key part of our social fabric, if everyone plays their part – hawkers, private operators, and patrons like you and I.”
“Removing leftover food from the table addresses the bird nuisance issue and creates a cleaner, more hygienic dining environment. Returning trays with used crockery after meals is a small gesture of consideration for the next diner. Some people have said encouraging tray return deprives cleaners of their job. That is not the case. Cleaners are not going to lose their jobs just because we become more considerate and return our trays. Cleaning is not an easy job that attracts many, especially locals. Cleaning companies cannot hire enough cleaners and existing cleaners have difficulties coping with clearing crockery and cleaning the tables, particularly during peak hours. By returning our own trays, we allow cleaners to focus on cleaning tables, improving productivity as well as the quality of their jobs. We are trying various ways to improve our tray return rates. At the same time, we have piloted a project at Zion Riverside Food Centre and Adam Food Centre using behavioural "nudges" and visual cues to improve tray return rates. Under this project, cleaners encourage patrons to clear their own trays after meals, and they wear aprons displaying a message reminding patrons to return their trays. There are also posters on the tables with similar messages. The results at both hawker centres have been encouraging. At Zion Riverside Food Centre, the tray return rate increased by about 20%. These initiatives benefited cleaners at these centres, like 65-year-old Mdm Chin, a cleaner at Adam Food Centre who said she could concentrate on cleaning tables, making her job easier. NEA will roll out these initiatives to more hawker centres. We have also piloted an ATRS with a deposit system at two of our existing hawker centres to "nudge" patrons to return their trays.”
“Fifty-eight hawkers have been awarded this Grant as of last month, such as Mr Tay Chen Boon, a 74-year-old hawker who has been selling popiah at Block 93 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh for the past 45 years. His new continuous feed vegetable cutter saves him almost two hours of preparation time daily, as he does not have to cut the vegetables by hand. At the centre-level, the Government has funded initiatives like automated tray return systems (ATRS) and centralised dishwashing (CDW) services in existing hawker centres undergoing renovation. So far, we have introduced these initiatives to two existing hawker centres, working with the Hawkers’ Associations. We intend to roll out these systems in phases to up to 25 existing hawker centres over the next few years. We thank Mr Liang Eng Hwa for expressing his support for these new initiatives at his upcoming hawker centre in Senja. These centre-level initiatives allow hawkers to focus on preparing and cooking their food, saving them time spent collecting and washing crockery or employing someone to do so. They also do not have to invest in the crockery as these are provided by the centralised dishwashing vendor. Taken together, these savings should offset the fees they pay for centralised dishwashing services. The Government also co-funds up to 70% of the operating costs of the initiatives for two years, to lower the initial adoption cost. There has been much public discussion about the rationale and merit of encouraging tray return. We started encouraging tray return in 2012, primarily to ease the work of cleaners so that they can concentrate on cleaning tables, allowing for faster turnover of the tables which will benefit patrons. This also benefits hawkers as faster turnover means they can serve more patrons.”
“0) Committee's recommendations last year, which focused on addressing hawkers' manpower constraints, reducing their workload and improving productivity. Miss Cheng Li Hui and Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked about the progress of these recommendations. I am pleased to say that we have made significant progress. 2.45 pm We have opened up training opportunities and pathways for aspiring hawkers. NEA collaborated with the People’s Association (PA) to successfully launch the first season of the Hawker Fare Series of culinary classes for close to 100 participants from May to August last year. The second season has already started this year. NEA and the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) also jointly developed an “Introduction to Managing a Hawker Business” course, and more than 100 students participated in the inaugural class last year. Four more classes will be held this year. Two weeks ago, we launched the Incubation Stall Programme to give aspiring hawkers a chance to try out as a hawker. We have offered 13 incubation stalls in hawker centres across the island. Three stalls have been taken up so far, with another three applications received. The Government has set aside about $90 million to enhance productivity in hawker centres through stall- and centre-level initiatives. This includes stall-level initiatives, like the Hawkers’ Productivity Grant (HPG), launched last year to promote greater use of kitchen automation equipment and help hawkers overcome manpower constraints and reduce their workload through greater productivity. Hawkers can be reimbursed 80% of the qualifying cost of equipment, up to a sum of $5,000, within three years.”
“We announced in 2015 that we will build 20 new hawker centres by 2027, and since then, seven new hawker centres have opened, including three last year in Woodlands, Yishun and Jurong West and one in Pasir Ris this year. These naturally-ventilated centres have better layout with wider stall fronts, larger circulation spaces, family seating areas with lower tables for young children, and even spaces for performances and other community activities. The remaining new hawker centres will be built in areas like Sembawang, Sengkang, Punggol, Bukit Panjang North and Bukit Batok in the coming years. We will continue improving the design of our hawker centres as we develop new ones and renovate existing ones to meet the changing needs of Singaporeans. Besides hardware, we also continually seek new ideas to better manage our hawker centres. One way we are doing this is by implementing alternative management models for new hawker centres. We have appointed socially-conscious operators to manage our new hawker centres, tapping on their experience managing other F&B operations to enhance the dining experience for patrons. They introduce new concepts and ideas and improve operational efficiency while ensuring affordability of food. These operators must also monitor food prices at their centres to prevent unreasonable price hikes, and ensure hawkers offer at least a few affordable entry-level meals. In almost all the new centres, more than 90% of the stalls offer such meal options at $3 or below. We must also sustain the hawker trade by both attracting new entrants and supporting existing hawkers. The Government accepted the Hawker Centre 3.0 (HC 3.”
“Food catering involves the advance preparation of large quantities of food at the premises of consumers, while food delivery service providers generally transport smaller quantities of food from various eateries to customers for immediate consumption. These service providers, therefore, do not pose the same level of risk as caterers. Food delivery service providers do have the responsibility to ensure that delivered food is not contaminated during delivery, and that the interiors of their delivery vehicles are clean and free of pests. Failure to do so is an offence under the Environmental Public Health Act. If there is food poisoning arising from malpractice during delivery, such as if the delivery person mishandles or deliberately tampers with the food, the delivery person can also be charged for possessing food which is unclean or unfit for consumption. Given these, we have no immediate plans to introduce additional regulations over food delivery services. We will, however, continue monitoring the industry closely and, if necessary, tighten food hygiene requirements to maintain high food safety standards. Finally, I will speak about hawker centres. Chairman, many Singaporeans have told me that hawker centres and the food they offer are what they identify with and miss most when they are overseas. The Government has invested significantly in developing and enhancing hawker centres over the years to ensure that we and future generations can continue to enjoy our unique hawker culture. To achieve this, hawker centres undergo cyclical repair and redecoration works about once every seven years. In 2001, the Government also started a $420 million Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP) and upgraded more than 100 hawker centres by the end of the programme in 2013.”
“We agree with Mr Lim Biow Chuan that it is important to keep Singapore clean and we couple education with enforcement measures to tackle littering. In 2014, we doubled the maximum fine for littering offences under the Environmental Public Health Act (EPHA) to enhance deterrence. We have stepped up enforcement against littering over the years, issuing more than 32,000 tickets last year compared to around 26,000 in 2015. I thank Mr Lim Biow Chuan for his suggestion to impose mandatory CWOs on all littering offenders. Generally, more callous littering offenders would be more culpable and liable for stiffer penalties. CWO, which is issued by the Court, is meant for more severe cases like recalcitrant litterbugs, and it would be excessive to impose on all littering offenders. Mr Lim Biow Chuan may also wish to know that foreign workers convicted and fined more than $2,000 or jailed for littering-related offences may have their work passes revoked and banned from employment. The Public Hygiene Council (PHC) has been working alongside the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM), to promote the values of picking up after ourselves and keeping our environment clean. It is not sustainable to keep intensifying enforcement against littering. Instead, everyone should take ownership of the cleanliness of their homes and communities, and I hope that everyone can join us in our efforts to keep Singapore clean and litter-free. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked if we have plans to regulate new food delivery service providers like Foodpanda and UberEats in the same manner as food caterers. Unlike food caterers, food delivery service providers are not involved in the preparation of food.”
“For example, Foodpanda is working on a trial where customers can opt out of disposable cutleries when ordering food. Zero Waste Singapore also launch an innovative Bring Your Own (BYO) Singapore campaign last year to incentivise consumers to bring their own reusable bags or containers to eateries and supermarkets to earn discounts or free gifts. We will continue to support such efforts while holistically tackling the broader issue upstream by reducing all types of packaging waste at source. By 2021, we will mandate that businesses report on the type and amount of packaging they put on the market and their plans for reduction. We will start industry consultations this year. Mr Leon Perera also spoke about microplastics, an issue receiving increasing international attention, which we are working on closely with our international partners. To ensure that Singapore does not contribute to marine litter and microplastics, we have stringent and comprehensive regulations to control pollution and manage waste. We enforce strict anti-littering laws and incinerate our waste and conduct cleanups of waterways and beaches to minimise marine litter. Our island is also fully sewered and all used water is collected and treated to international standards before discharge. During used water treatment, microbeads, a form of microplastics, will be substantially removed as sludge and disposed of by incineration. In addition, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) conducts regular food safety tests on locally-sourced as well as imported fish. During these tests, AVA monitors for chemical contaminants found in microplastics, which may affect the safety of the fish for consumption. AVA will continue to monitor this issue and introduce appropriate food safety measures, where necessary.”
“Building on this, we will put in place a mandatory reporting framework for packaging waste management by 2021. Miss Cheng Li Hui and Mr Dennis Tan asked about our efforts to deal with plastic waste and, specifically, whether we will impose a charge or ban on single-use plastic bags. Unlike many of the countries that have imposed a ban or mandatory charge on plastic bags, we do not directly landfill our plastic disposables but incinerate them. Hence, we do not face the land and water pollution issues that plague those countries. Plastic bags are also necessary for responsible and hygienic bagging of waste in our moist, tropical climate. Unbagged household waste attract more pests like cockroaches and rats, creating serious environmental and health problems. A recently concluded lifecycle assessment (LCA) study on carrier bags and food packaging, commissioned by NEA, found that every type of disposable bag, not just plastic bags, but also bio-degradable bags and paper bags, for example, impose different environmental impacts, whether it be carbon emissions, heavy water usage or significant land clearance. This is particularly so as we incinerate our waste and we do not directly landfill. Hence, imposing a charge or ban on disposable plastic bags and substituting them with other types of disposable bags is unlikely to improve environmental outcomes. The study concluded that consumers can generally reduce their environmental impact by using reusable bags and food containers instead of disposables. In Singapore, a more sustainable approach is to tackle the excessive consumption of all types of disposables. We will step up engagement with stakeholders to cut down on the excessive use of plastic bags as well as disposables like single-use food containers.”
“We will continue to explore which food waste solution works best in Singapore. For example, around 90% of eligible stallholders participated in the food waste digester pilot at Ang Mo Kio, Block 628 hawker centre, which processed around one tonne of food waste a day for the past two years. Food waste digesters have also been installed in four of our new hawker centres. Digesters will be installed in two more hawker centres in Bedok this year, and in more hawker centres subsequently. Miss Cheng Li Hui asked how food waste in military camps and Home Team premises is managed. To minimise food waste and food wastage, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) use weekly forecasts of meals required to ensure that the right amount of food is prepared. NEA works with both Ministries on food waste management initiatives, such as with the Central Manpower Base, on NEA's Food Wastage Reduction Outreach Programme. Several army camps are also participating in NEA and PUB's food waste pilots, where source-segregated food waste is collected and transported to a demonstration facility at Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant. There, food waste is co-digested with used water sludge to generate biogas. Finally, I will touch on packaging waste. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked about packaging waste produced by food delivery services. While NEA does not monitor this specifically, the total amount of packaging waste has remained fairly constant over the last few years and makes up around a third of the total domestic waste in Singapore. The voluntary Singapore Packaging Agreement (SPA) has cumulatively reduced almost 39,000 tonnes of packaging waste since its inception in 2007.”
“We will set collection targets in consultation with the industry and review them before implementing a penalty framework eventually. The European Union (EU) started with an overall collection target of four kg per capita in 2003. After 13 years, the target reached 45% of all electronic products sold on the market by weight. We will study the practices in other countries to design a cost-effective system. By aggregating e-waste and enabling more efficient collection and processing, there will be greater value captured from e-waste, which is one of the more valuable waste streams. This will help offset the cost of operating the e-waste system. We will consult relevant stakeholders to work out legislation and implementation details. Some companies have already taken the initiative to implement voluntary e-waste management programmes. For instance, StarHub runs the REcycling Nation’s Electronic Waste (RENEW) programme in partnership with DHL Express and TES-AMM. I am pleased to see retailers like Courts, Gain City and Harvey Norman coming on board the RENEW programme. There will soon be e-waste collection bins in some of their outlets. The mandatory e-waste system will help both the environment and the economy. EPR systems have generated new business opportunities and jobs in the e-waste management and recycling industries in other countries. In France, for instance, more than 3,000 e-waste recycling jobs were created since EPR was implemented in 2005. We will integrate and support smaller industry players so they can benefit from our national system, including the karung guni men who provide collection services. Next, I will talk about food waste. I am glad that our food waste recycling rate has increased from 12% in 2012 to 16% in 2017, which is about 133,000 tonnes.”
“Thank you. Dr Chia Shi-Lu and Mr Louis Ng asked for an update on our national e-waste management system. MEWR will implement a mandatory e-waste management system by 2021 to ensure that electrical and electronic products are disposed of in an environmentally friendly way and allow for safe recovery of useful materials. For a start, this system will cover five main categories of products, namely, information and communications technology (ICT) equipment like mobile phones and computers, solar panels, batteries, lamps and certain large household appliances like refrigerators, air-conditioners, washing machines and dryers. Together, these products make up close to 90% of e-waste in Singapore and generally pose more harm to the environment if not properly treated. Our e-waste management system will adopt the EPR approach, which is also implemented in other countries like Sweden and South Korea. NEA will set collection targets for manufacturers and importers to take back a proportion of the products they put on the market. They will be required to work with NEA-licensed Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), which will organise the collection, transport and proper treatment of e-waste, and help the manufacturers and importers achieve their targets. For example, PROs will work with large electrical and electronic retailers to set up in-store e-waste collection points. All retailers must also provide free one-for-one take-back service for their products. Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked about recycling larger e-waste items. Apart from the take-back service provided by retailers, Town Councils also provide bulky waste disposal service, which will ensure collected e-waste is properly recycled.”
“30 pm Dr Chia Shi-Lu asked about the e-waste recycling rate for businesses. As Dr Chia shared, based on the results of an e-waste study by NEA, currently around 6% of residents place their e-waste in e-recycling bins. We estimate the e-waste recycling rate by businesses to be higher, due to take-back arrangements that are usually in place between businesses, and manufacturers or importers. However, more needs to be done. Mr Chairman, with your permission, I would like to show some slides, please.”
“Many companies have reached out to us in support of the Year of Climate Action, with over 110 firms, including the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS), SembCorp, City Developments Ltd (CDL) and Ricoh, making Climate Action SG pledges. Many of our SMEs have also pledged. These companies recognise it is possible to do good and do well at the same time. We hope more companies will voluntarily pledge and take climate action. MEWR will support community efforts to educate the public about climate change and encourage climate action. Grassroots organisations can apply for both the new Climate Action SG Grant and the existing 3P Partnership Fund from NEA for environmental programmes. We will be launching a bulb replacement programme for 1- and 2-room HDB households to encourage the use of energy-efficient light bulbs to reduce energy use. NEA will also be organising an Energy-Saving Challenge this year to raise awareness about energy efficiency and conservation. Community engagement in climate action is a challenging long-term journey that goes beyond 2018, but we will stay the course to get every Singaporean on board. Last year, I outlined Singapore's overall waste management strategy and the three waste streams we are most concerned about: e-waste, food waste and packaging waste. As the Minister mentioned, we will focus on e-waste this year. Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. That is like every person in Singapore throwing away 73 mobile phones every year! E-waste contains heavy metals and hazardous substances that can seriously harm the environment and public health, if not properly handled. Some heavy metals can also be extracted from properly recovered e-waste and reused, which is more sustainable than mining for virgin materials. 2.”
“Mr Chairman, in the Year of Climate Action, MEWR will rally everyone to take action against climate change, this year and beyond. We hope all Singaporeans will join forces to ensure Singapore remains our best liveable home and a vibrant, sustainable city for generations to come. Since the Year of Climate Action was launched in January, the video on MEWR's Facebook page has received over 160,000 views, and I am glad that more than 21,000 individuals have made Climate Action pledges online. Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked what role businesses and the public can play in climate action. My Ministry will intensify engagement to galvanise action amongst NGOs, businesses, communities, households and individuals. Let me elaborate. NGOs have always been passionate about sustainability, and many took the initiative to work together even before this year began. We will reinforce and support their ground-up efforts. I had a dialogue with NGOs in January this year, where we agreed that climate action collaboration and coordination across all stakeholders could be stronger. Arising from this dialogue, Ms Jessica Cheam, Managing Editor of Eco-Business, brought together NGOs and business leaders to form the Climate Action SG Alliance to advocate climate action and raise public awareness on climate issues. It will be chaired by Ms Cheam in her personal capacity. MEWR will support this ground-up initiative and I have agreed to act as the Advisor. We will also be launching a Climate Action SG Grant. NGOs and grassroots organisations can apply for this grant to defray some of the costs of organising programmes in support of the Year of Climate Action. Upon application, each eligible organisation can be provided with up to $5,000 on a reimbursement basis.”
“The survey that the Member has referred to is, I think, the PWC Customer Satisfaction Survey. That was last done for the period 2015/2016. We had more than 8,500 respondents who participated in this customer satisfaction survey. It is done by a consultant using established survey methodologies, so, we think that this is reflective of the level of public participation in recycling. But we welcome any further suggestions to improve the accuracy of this survey. 11.15 am”
“Regarding the question of how much we spent, we do not specifically track the amount spent on outreach programmes and campaigns for NRP because this is actually done in-house by NEA together with other outreach campaigns, such as the Clean and Green Singapore, Keep Singapore Clean and Do the Mozzie Wipeout campaigns. In addition, NEA does outreach and educational efforts to engage and educate residents on the 3Rs, including NRP through, as I have said, social media posts, as well as on our websites and on our myENV mobile app. Regarding the 44,200 tonnes collected in 2016, it is just the collection of recyclables under NRP carried out by the public waste collectors. This is about 10% of the total amount of recyclables we collect for the domestic sector.”
“Together with community-based organisations, we have made efforts to promote awareness of end-of-life issues and palliative care, and we have also launched an exhibition on ageing called Dialogue with Time, at Science Centre, which has attracted over 10,000 visitors since its opening last November. We will continue to invest in public education. Longevity is a blessing and not to be spent in sickness or loneliness. If we can work together, ageing need not be feared. We can enable seniors to age positively with purpose and grace, empower strong families that can care for seniors, and build a cohesive and resilient community able to thrive in the face of population ageing. MOH and the Ministerial Committee on Ageing look forward to working with all Members and Singaporeans to realise a "Nation for All Ages". Mr Deputy Speaker, please allow me to conclude in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] After hearing Mr Kok Heng Leun's speech, I was very touched. I agree with him fully. Illness and death are inevitable, but it is important that we enable our seniors to age positively with purpose, gracefully and with dignity. The Government will continue to work hard to build a Nation for All Ages that is caring and inclusive and embrace seniors as an integral part of our community. But family and kinship are priceless and irreplaceable. We should honour the elderly as we do our own aged parents. Let us show our love and create a warm society for our seniors.”
“We would like to thank our Members who have spoken out in support of these initiatives and helped with bringing our communities together on the ground. The CNS initiative was introduced in Budget 2016 as a pilot of what would eventually serve as a national community-based support system to help our seniors age well. In essence, it coordinates a strong local network of health and social care partners to support seniors, as a complement to family support, enabling our seniors to age confidently in the community. For well seniors, we want to keep them active and healthy for as long as possible. For those who are lonely, we find them a friend. And for those with multiple needs, our aim is to get them holistic help quickly. CNS has been piloted in Tampines, Choa Chu Kang and Marine Parade. As Members have heard from Miss Cheng Li Hui, it has been well-received by all stakeholders. To date, CNS has activated more than 70 RCs to hold regular preventive health and active ageing activities and engaged more than 70,000 seniors. There are now more than 1,500 senior attendances for these programmes on a weekly basis. CNS has also matched more than 600 seniors to befrienders and assisted about 800 seniors who have complex social and health needs. Based on what we have learnt from CNS, we plan to strengthen this effort. More details will be announced at the Committee of Supply this year. However, our success in building communities of care hinges on support and partnership from the wider community. Therefore, I fully support Mr Kok Heng Leun's suggestion to step up public education and promote greater awareness of the process of ageing and the needs of seniors.”
“Third, at the community level, we want to build stronger communities of care to complement families in supporting our seniors. This is especially important as family size shrinks and increasingly more elderly will live by themselves. An area of focus for MOH is to work with both community-based voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and our healthcare providers to integrate health and social support for our seniors. For instance, AIC has worked with VWOs to station care teams within senior activity centres to do regular checks and support the activities of daily living of seniors living alone in rental precincts. We agree with Dr Lily Neo that technology can present new opportunities to bolster our community support for seniors. For instance, in the SHINE Seniors project at Marine Parade, sensors are placed in the homes of seniors living alone, so that VWO staff or volunteers can respond to calls for help. Another example is Changi General Hospital's Care Line, which is a 24-7 call centre that can respond to calls for help from seniors living alone in the community. We are also conducting a nationwide pilot of tele-rehabilitation that allows seniors to follow up with their rehabilitation exercises in the comfort of their homes, post discharge from hospitals. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is also using telehealth consultations to support new nursing homes in better managing residents who are near the end of life. Given the magnitude of population ageing, formal services alone are not enough. I agree with Mr Henry Kwek, Ms Tin Pei Ling, Miss Cheng Li Hui and Ms Rahayu Mahzam that we need to rally the whole community to come together to support our seniors.”
“ElderShield is also currently being reviewed to provide stronger support for disability in old age. The ElderShield Committee had provided an interim update last week, with recommendations to make the ElderShield scheme universal for all future cohorts, to lower the inclusion age to 30, for the Government to administer the enhanced ElderShield scheme, and for the claims assessment process to be improved. We welcome the recommendations and will work with the Committee to consider how best to target support for those who may need more help with their premiums. There have been some questions on why the Committee recommended lowering the inclusion age to 30. The Committee explained that lowering the inclusion age for ElderShield distributes an individual's own premium payment over a longer period during his working years to pay for his own future needs when he grows old. This will make premiums more affordable. The premiums paid are for their own long-term care needs and are not intended for the young to subsidise the elderly for their long-term care needs. In fact, the very intent of tapping on insurance is to avoid shifting the financial burden to the young. I also note Ms Joan Pereira's suggestion to review our nomenclature for ElderShield. The current name of the scheme reflects its objective, which is to protect Singaporeans from the costs of long-term care, in particular, during their older years where the risks of severe disabilities are higher. We acknowledge the feedback, however, and the ElderShield Committee will be reviewing the name of the scheme. We would like to assure everyone that no Singaporean will be denied appropriate healthcare. For those who continue to have difficulties with their healthcare bills, additional support is available through MediFund.”
“Helping our elderly with their healthcare costs is a joint responsibility with the Government through subsidies, collective risk pooling in our community through insurance, and individual and family support through MediSave and personal savings. This is a hallmark of a caring and inclusive society. We have enhanced the reach of Government subsidies over the years. Through CHAS, we have made outpatient care in the community more affordable, including for the management of chronic diseases. To Ms Rahayu Mahzam's query, we continue to review the CHAS criteria. And, as with all schemes, there could be people who fall outside the eligibility criteria. But we are open to consider such cases on appeal. With the PG Package, all Pioneers enjoy special CHAS support above the CHAS blue tier, and an additional 50% off subsidised treatments at polyclinics and public specialist outpatient clinics. We have also made it easier to utilise MediSave for healthcare needs. The number of conditions covered under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) has been progressively expanded over the years, and Singaporeans can now use MediSave to pay for 19 conditions. Singaporeans aged 65 and above can also utilise an additional $200 of their MediSave through the Flexi-MediSave Scheme. We will continue to review our healthcare financing schemes to ensure affordability for Singaporeans while also ensuring sustainability of our healthcare system. We made MediShield Life a universal health insurance scheme in 2015. To ensure affordability, premium subsidies are extended to the lower- and middle-income. Pioneers receive special PG subsidies. This has been a relief for many older Singaporeans and a valuable assurance that their large hospital bills are covered by insurance.”
“If they are from lower- and middle-income families and are caring for an elderly person or a person with moderate disability, they can get an additional FDW grant. We recognise that new cohorts of seniors will have differing aspirations. Our active agers will want to plan ahead for themselves and stay independent for as long as possible. We are evolving new models of care and studying new forms of housing that provide seniors with support services as they age. Minister Desmond Lee will touch on this in his speech. Dr Lily Neo spoke on the importance of mobility, and I fully agree. Over 800,000 seniors have benefited from the Passion Silver card since its launch in December 2016, which lets them benefit from cheaper transport and merchant discounts. Our Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) has also partnered Uber to launch UberAssist. Caregivers and seniors can now use the Uber app to call for a car to take them to their medical appointments. Around 800 drivers have also been trained to date to help assist our seniors, so that they can have a safe journey. More than 96% of our public buses are also wheelchair-accessible, and all will be so by 2020. All Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations and bus interchanges, and 97% of bus shelters are barrier-free. Ms Joan Pereira also suggested that we design the signs and notices in public transport to make them easier to read for seniors. Since 2012, all new MRT stations have directional signage with high-contrast colours and larger font sizes. The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is in the midst of making similar enhancements to the signs at the older MRT stations. Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Ms Joan Pereira and Miss Cheryl Chan raised suggestions on healthcare affordability. We share the sentiment of Members that peace of mind is important.”
“Hence, we piloted the Care Close to Home programme to support the care and social needs of rental block seniors from Senior Activity Centres. Care Close to Home is an example on how we enable seniors to age in place by effectively turning these precincts into in-situ "care homes" with assisted living support. At the same time, we have started building larger day care centres to serve as "Active Ageing Hubs" for seniors that can provide a range of services, from active ageing programmes for healthy and ambulant seniors to day care and rehab services for frail seniors. One such hub is at Whampoa, which now serves more than 600 seniors across its active ageing and care services. Several Members also asked about respite for caregivers. We have various options today. For caregivers who need help for a few hours over the weekend, they can leave their elderly at one of the 10 senior care centres across Singapore, where they will be looked after. For those who need respite for a longer period, they can have their elderly cared for at nursing homes for several days, up to a month. At least 40 nursing homes are providing this service since it was introduced in May 2013. To date, over 1,600 people have tapped on these respite care services. In addition, the Eldersitter Programme provides an eldersitter to look after seniors with dementia at their homes when caregiving arrangements are not available. In the past five years, over 1,200 seniors have been supported through this arrangement. Today, caregivers also benefit from tax reliefs of up to $14,000 for taking care of an elderly parent with a disability. On top of this, they can also benefit from the lower foreign domestic worker (FDW) concessionary levy if they hire an FDW.”
“Now, eligible Singaporeans will only need to pay no more than $5 for screening and the first post-screening consultation at Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) general practitioner (GP) clinics. Close to 25,000 Singaporeans aged 50 and above have attended screening under the programme in the last five months. Second, at the family level, we want to empower caregivers to better support seniors to age in place with peace of mind. I agree with Miss Cheryl Chan, Mr Kok Heng Leun as well as Mr Gan Thiam Poh that caregiver support and strong families are critical. Our efforts to enhance home and community care services are aimed at supporting seniors in the day, so that their caregivers can go to work with peace of mind. We have worked to increase the capacity, improve on accessibility and also raise the quality of our services. Between 2011 and 2017, we have increased the number of home and centre care capacity by 120% to 13,000 places. In 2016, we started Integrated Home and Day Care packages, which give seniors flexibility to be cared for, either at the centres or at home. We are also building nursing homes in the community to support those who are too frail to be cared for at home. Miss Cheng Li Hui said that she cannot wait. I ask for her patience. I am sure it is worth waiting for. Miss Cheng also spoke on improving the design and programming for our eldercare facilities. We agree and have been injecting more common spaces and greenery within our facilities. We are also co-locating eldercare and childcare facilities, where possible, to facilitate intergenerational activities, to engage our seniors. We also agree with Dr Lily Neo that it is important for seniors to age in place in the community.”
“At the same time, other seniors may seek purpose in their silver years, not by working but by developing their interests or pursuing their own passion or causes. To support seniors’ interest in learning, we launched the National Silver Academy, which has engaged over 13,000 seniors in learning across more than 900 courses, ranging from information technology (IT) and media courses to art and wellness. Dr Lily Neo also suggested that the Government set up policies and programmes to promote volunteerism amongst seniors. I am happy to share that in 2015, we established a $40 million Silver Volunteer Fund (SVF) to support programmes that offer volunteer opportunities to seniors. To date, we have funded 22 volunteer programmes. One such programme is the Community Befriending Programme (CBP), whereby the SVF provides programme funding to recruit, train and deploy active agers as befrienders to older seniors, including covering some out-of-pocket costs for these befrienders. Today, we have more than 850 volunteers befriending 2,500 seniors in 47 constituencies under CBP. We expect this number to grow. We note Ms Joan Pereira’s suggestion and would be happy to explore time banking in future where there is ground-up interest. Confidence and purpose in our silver years are only possible with good health. We agree with Dr Lily Neo and Mr Gan Thiam Poh that the promotion of health and well-being of seniors is key. We have brought preventive health services to over 44,000 mature workers in seven sectors, and exercise programmes and health talks to over 400,000 seniors in the community to keep them in good health. We have also enhanced subsidies under Screen for Life (SFL) to encourage more Singaporeans to go for health screening and follow-up.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, MOH supports this Motion. As the Chinese saying goes, a senior in the family is like a treasure in the family, or in Chinese, "家有一老，如有一宝". We agree with Dr Lily Neo that our seniors are assets to our society and our country. Our seniors are key pillars in families, as parents and grandparents. They not only raise us but also educate and bring up grandchildren with the right values and traditions. Many of our seniors are also leaders in the community, contributing their wisdom to community development. Today, more than one in three of our PG Ambassadors and around one in two of the HPB Health Ambassadors are over 60. At the economic level, many seniors are experienced business owners, while our silver workforce is also emerging as a key driver of our economic development, complementing a younger workforce that is likely to shrink in the future. Our vision for Singapore is a "Nation for All Ages". The Ministerial Committee on Ageing launched a $3 billion Action Plan for Successful Ageing in 2015 with more than 70 initiatives across 12 areas to achieve this vision. In particular, we want to deepen our efforts to achieve positive ageing at three levels. First, at the individual level, we want to enable our citizens to continue to develop and grow as individuals, regardless of age. This includes enabling them to work for as long as they choose to. I am happy to share with Ms Joan Pereira that the number of nurses working past the retirement age of 62 years has increased. In 2017, over 1,400 retired nurses aged above 62 were working, compared to 1,200 in 2015. MOH will continue to work with our healthcare institutions to support flexible work arrangements for older nurses, so that they can continue to contribute.”
“Therefore, I call on Members of the House to give their support to this Bill. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan.] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“While LPs can do so, they must directly supervise and sign off on the works carried out by the unlicensed plumber. Should there be any non-compliance with the requirements and standards stipulated by PUB, the LP who signed off on the works would be held responsible. More importantly, even as we enhance the regulatory system, PUB will work with SPS to enhance consumer education so that consumers will be aware of the importance of using LPs for critical plumbing works. Ms Joan Pereira suggested encouraging LPs to develop specialised skills in specific fields of work. While the LP scheme requires plumbers to be proficient in both water and sanitary plumbing works, they are free to elect the field of work that they wish to practise in. Currently, to help consumers make a better choice when engaging a plumber, the register of LWSPs on PUB's website also indicates the types of services that some plumbers are offering. When the new scheme takes effect, PUB will extend the listing of types of services offered for sanitary plumbing on the register of LPs on PUB's website as well. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked whether the courses offered at ITE are continually reviewed to keep pace with industry needs. The courses offered are in accordance with Singapore's current plumbing standards, and PUB will continue to work with educational institutions like ITE and BCA Academy to ensure their courses keep pace with industry needs. To answer Mr Louis Ng, LPs are also required to attend PUB's refresher courses once every three years to be kept abreast of the latest industry standards. To conclude, the amendments to this Bill are an important step forward to ensure that Singaporeans continue enjoying clean and safe water.”
“Mr Cheng was glad that SPS and PUB have been assisting and facilitating him to transit to the LP scheme. (In English): As for financial assistance, PUB waives the fees of its conversion course for all existing plumbers on their first attempt and, beyond that, on a case-by-case basis. For the Builder Certificate course, a variety of subsidies may be used to offset up to 85% of course fees, such as the SkillsFuture Mid-career Enhanced Subsidy. Individuals can also use their SkillsFuture Credit. Most plumbers whom PUB has engaged thus far have no issues with the course fees. Nonetheless, if any plumbers face difficulties, I encourage them to contact PUB, and we will see how to further assist them. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Mr Gan Thiam Poh expressed concerns over unlicensed foreign plumbers operating in Singapore. It is illegal for foreigners to work in Singapore without a valid work pass. Foreign plumbers with valid work passes who wish to practise in Singapore will need to be licensed. Let me emphasise that consumers who engage the services of unlicensed plumbers do so at their own risk. Plumbing systems have a significant impact on the quality of tap water and on public health. Enforcement action will be taken against the unlicensed plumber and the consumer. I urge consumers, when hiring plumbing services, to go to the register of LWSPs on PUB's website, or call PUB's 24-hour Call Centre at 1800-CALL-PUB, to find these plumbers or verify their status. This register will be expanded to cover all LPs once the new scheme is implemented. LPs will also be required to carry an authorised licence card from PUB for verification. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah also brought up LPs subcontracting works to non-licensed plumbers.”
“Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Mr Png Eng Huat and Mr Louis Ng expressed concern that some plumbers, especially the older ones, may have difficulties getting certified due to language requirements or financial difficulties. Sir, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] A minimum working proficiency of English is necessary, so that licensed plumbers can understand the regulatory requirements, read plans and submit forms to PUB. While the courses are conducted in English, the instructors take a practical approach in helping participants understand the content. To accommodate plumbers who cannot manage the written assessment of PUB's two- or three-day conversion course, PUB facilitates oral assessments in other languages, such as Mandarin. PUB has also worked with the BCA Academy to recognise the "Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Level 4" certificate for entry to the Builder Certificate course. So far, the plumbers who have engaged PUB are willing to take this course. Take the case of 50-year-old Mr Anthony Cheng Lai Swee. He used to work for plumbing companies that carry out plumbing and sanitary work and is now doing freelance sanitary plumbing works. When the LP scheme was announced last year in April, he was initially concerned that he did not have the minimum proficiency in English to register for the Builder Certificate course. In the end, Mr Cheng decided to register for the “Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Level 4” course and passed the test, which allowed him to register for the Builder Certificate course. He has since completed the theory part of the Builder Certificate course and will be taking the practical part in March 2018.”
“Of the remaining plumbers, around 10 will complete the Builder Certificate course by the middle of this year and around 20 will need to successfully undergo PUB’s two- or three-day inhouse conversion course. Additionally, as noted in my speech earlier, another 25 who have the requisite experience but were neither licensed nor registered with SPS, have completed the necessary courses and will be able to become LPs when the Act comes into effect. Essentially, these are plumbers with the requisite experience but did not have the licence. They will be licensed when the Act comes into effect. During the six-month transition period, water service plumbers and those currently or formerly registered as sanitary plumbers with SPS may continue practising their respective trade pending their licence. For those who have not completed their licensing requirements by the end of the six-month transition period from the effective date of the legislation, they can approach PUB which will assist them on a case-by-case basis. While we encourage and help as many as possible to upgrade their skills and be certified, there continues to be a role for those who do not have the new licence. First, they can carry out plumbing works as long as they are working directly under an LP who will manage and sign off on the works. Second, they can carry out non-critical simple plumbing works for consumers on their own, such as clearing chokes and installing sinks, bathtubs and showers. There will continue to be a market for such work and a full list of unregulated works can be found on PUB’s website.”
“Mr Speaker, first, I would like to thank the Members who have spoken for their support and comments on this Bill. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Louis Ng have spoken on helping existing and would-be plumbers to continue to serve in this important trade and facilitating their entry into the new LP scheme. We share this important objective. Let me first address the issue of providing sufficient time for transition to the new scheme. PUB announced its intention to roll out the new licensing scheme some 10 months ago, in April last year. Even prior to the announcement of the scheme, PUB had engaged SPS extensively. After the announcement via several media channels – newspaper, radio, television, including in vernacular languages, as well as circulars – weekly public briefing sessions were held for 10 consecutive weeks to share details with interested stakeholders. All of PUB’s LWSPs and members of SPS were invited to the sessions. Other plumbers and members of the public also attended the sessions. To facilitate the transition to the new scheme, additional runs of BCA Academy's Builder Certificate course and PUB’s short inhouse conversion course were mounted. As noted in my opening speech earlier, to date, over 96% of the 863 existing plumbers, who are either LWSPs or plumbers registered with SPS, have already obtained the qualifications to become LPs when the legislation comes into effect. In fact, among the 800-odd plumbers who have qualified to become LPs, more than 70% are aged 50 and above. Among them, there are plumbers who are in their 80s and have qualified to become LPs.”
“I think this is quite similar to the questions posed by the other Members, including Ms Joan Pereira, about having a campaign to educate smokers. First, we have extended smoking prohibition to common corridors, covered linkways, pedestrian overhead bridges. So, it is illegal to smoke in these places. If there are persons who are doing this, as I have said, we do carry out enforcement actions, particularly in hotspot areas. But beyond that, Members can provide us with further information on such errant smokers.”
“We piloted the DSAs in Orchard Road last year because Orchard Road has a very high footfall or pedestrian traffic. This is an area where many people may be subjected to second-hand smoke. That is a key reason why we have done it there. We are studying and evaluating the results, as I have said. We will take these into consideration in deciding on future plans for DSAs. Indeed, we are exploring the feasibility of designating other areas as smoke-free zones in order to achieve the Government's long-term goal of prohibiting smoking in all public areas. We need to study the results of the DSA pilot in Orchard Road to determine how effective it is in reducing smoking in other public areas, getting smokers to be considerate to smoke only in the DSAs, as well as the location, design of DSAs and so on. With regards to DSAs in residential areas, as I have said, we are looking into the feasibility of expanding designated non-smoking areas, but we will look at the study and see how we can scale this up.”