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.”
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“15 pm Recruitment, Single-session Schools and Financial Assistance”
“I would like to suggest that ample time be given to retrain existing teachers so that they are adept at setting mini tests that assess the understanding of pupils in the subjects before semestral examinations are replaced, and also to moderate parents' expectations. There are also a good number of parents who are worried that their children may not be able to adjust to taking major examinations in the upper primary once they are used to the mini tests in lower primary. Here, I would like to opine that such a concern may well be unfounded. My experience with one of my children who went to Montessori Kindergarten with absolutely no homework and tests is that they are highly adaptable. But MOE can help to throw more light on this to assuage parents' concerns. Secondly, parents are worried that their chance of getting their child into a primary school of their choice will be diminished with the move towards single-session as some of my parliamentary colleagues have already raised. Each year, after the allocation of Primary One places, inevitably, I will have parents coming to my MPS to ask me to appeal for a place for their child at a well sought-after Government-aided primary school in my constituency. Hence, in moving to single-session primary schools, I would like to urge the Ministry to assure all parents that the schools will still offer the same number, if not, more places for their children.This is especially critical for popular and very often "national", instead of neighbourhood schools, where the number of Primary One places for residents in the area is always lower than demand. Parents will not welcome the move to single session primary schools, unless their chances of getting their child into a school of their choice remain the same or are enhanced. 5.”
“Sir, two key proposals in the slew or recommendations from PERI, though welcome, are of special concern to many parents. Firstly, doing away with semester examinations at Primary One and Two, in favour of bite-sized tests spread through the year, and secondly, the moving of all primary schools towards single-session by 2016. Doing away with semester examinations especially at the lower primary levels can, in theory, make learning less stressful and more fun for our young and instil in them a real desire to learn during the crucial first two years of their education. However, parents have brought up two concerns and these have been aired in the media. Firstly, some parents worry if regular assessments through smaller tests for each subject will, contrary to the good intentions of the PERI, in fact create even more stress for their children. The worry is that teachers – no disrespect to them – who have been accustomed to an emphasis on academic achievement and school rankings, may make these tests as gruelling as semestral examinations. My observations and conversations with my daughter who is currently in Secondary Three of an integrated programme, where continuous assessments are the norm, also lead me to conclude that taking mini tests as opposed to major year-end examinations, can be even more demanding and stressful than a conventional semestral examinations, though some amount of stress is helpful to drive performance. Hence, many mini examinations could arguably make for more, and not less stress. Much will depend on how these tests are designed and administered by the schools and the expectations and demands of the parents. PERI's recommendations did not state when the semestral examinations will be replaced by bite-sized assessments.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his suggestion. In fact, we will be working with HDB and Town Councils on the issue.”
“Does the Ministry have a list of the coldest and the warmest Government buildings? I believe that what gets measured gets done. Finally, if the Minister is not able to convince his colleagues to lead by example and adopt these best practices in their respective buildings, I would like to ask Mr Speaker, Sir, that perhaps we can start first in this Chamber. When I last checked on Friday, the temperature setting was hovering around 23.5 degrees Celsius. So, inch it a little bit and we would be to where we should. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, as I have mentioned in my reply, the guidelines that we give to all Government buildings is 22.5 to 25.5 Celsius. So, rather than setting a number, we would rather give them a range and let them decide based on the level of comfort. I would not say that this is a requirement, but a very strong guideline that we work with Government buildings. So far, there has been no strong resistance in terms of compliance. But because of the range, some may go for the lower, some may go for the higher. So we want to leave it to the various occupants of the building to decide what is the appropriate level for their type of activities and the things that they do within those buildings.”
“First of all, it is not 75 decibels. I am not sure if the Member is aware that we have actually amended and tightened the noise limit set from 1st October, taking into account, of course, the increase in the number of complaints, particularly for night time and Sundays, as well as the rising expectations of Singaporeans for a better quality living environment. So we have tightened the noise limit set for these periods and also increased the penalties enforced. As I have noted in my reply earlier, the approach we have taken is really to set the noise limits to regulate the industry instead of enforcing a total ban at certain times, be it night time or Sundays and public holidays. And we are not the only country that does this. In fact, Hong Kong, which is equally compact and urbanised, also uses the same approach. As I have explained in my reply earlier, this is because we want to ensure that our construction can keep pace with the needs of the economy, in terms of infrastructure development, and so on. And, of course, there is also an implication on cost. We will continue to monitor the situation and continue to work with our stakeholders to review our management of construction noise, taking into account, of course, public feedback, as well as expectations and international best practice. So this is something that we are continuously monitoring. As I said, we have already tightened the noise limits since October 2007. Mr Seah Kian Peng: Sir, I suggested that Minister should direct all Government buildings to lead by example and adopt NEA's recommended temperature, ie, airconditioning be set at 24 degrees Celsius. I would like to ask the Minister what are the practical difficulties in implementing this.”
“Sir, I would just like to clarify that noise limits are set for night time and Sunday for construction sites that are near to hospitals, schools as well as residential buildings. As the Member rightly pointed out, within 150 metres from the construction site, there are noise limits for both intermittent and continuous noise, and it is the same level for night time. What the Member is asking is from 10.00 pm to 7.00 am. The noise limit is set for 10.00 pm to 7.00 am, which is night time. For Sundays, 10.00 pm to 7.00 am, sleeping time, it is actually set at a similar level, 55 dBA, and there is no difference. I think what he is asking is for longer hours on Sunday, say, from 7.00 am to 9.00 am. Mr Hri Kumar Nair: Sir, let me clarify. One of the examples I gave was that the contractor can start work at 7.00 am and he has a limit of up to 75 decibels on a Sunday morning. I used that as an example but, of course, any time before 7.00 am, say, midnight to 7.00 am. I had asked for just a few hours' ban on construction.”
“Companies can develop and deploy technologies and products that are more environmentally-friendly than today, and incorporate environmental considerations into their operations and procedures. Citizens must embrace a lifestyle that considers the environment and limits resource consumption in their daily lives. Government will promote sustainability by setting an example, demonstrating our commitment, and involving people. Sustainable development is a long-term process with long-term objectives. It means focusing on the horizon, rather than quick fixes; targeting prevention now, rather than putting right later; caring for the environment as part of our choices today, rather than dealing with the consequences of neglect down the line. We have heard the story of the Singapore River and it took us 10 years to clean it up. By considering the longer term implications of our decisions, Government, producers and consumers can achieve economic, social and environmental objectives all at the same time. Environmental improvements can reinforce long-term economic and social objectives, such as better health, more efficient use of energy and competitiveness, and vice versa. By working together, our economy, our society and our environment can grow and develop in tandem. In this way, we can secure a better and brighter future for our children.”
“We also tackle littering and illegal discharges into our drains through regular surveillance and enforcement. Notwithstanding these measures, water quality is expected to fluctuate more widely during the one to two-year transition before the reservoir turns into a fresh water body. Some silty water can still be expected after a heavy rainfall. Sir, we have similar measures to improve water quality in our other catchments, including the new reservoirs at Punggol and Serangoon that are currently undergoing construction. There are a few sewage treatment plants in these areas and although they comply with strict discharge standards, we will phase out as many as possible to minimise the pollution risks. We will also rehabilitate ageing sewers in these areas. As Mr Masagos pointed out, any litter thrown into our canals in areas as far upstream as Ang Mo Kio will end up in the Marina Reservoir. While we have measures such as covering drains in litter prone areas, using gratings to trap litter, and stepping up surveillance and enforcements on littering, the public needs to play its part in keeping our waters clean. The ABC Waters Programme challenges a mindset: to keep our waters clean, do we keep people away, or do we bring them nearer? We believe that by bringing water into people’s lives, by encouraging them to come closer to the waters and interact with it, they will develop ownership and help to keep it clean. Ultimately, the continued preservation of our water catchments depends on the efforts of all Singaporeans to keep our waterways free from pollution. Sir, we have a shared responsibility to ensure sustainable development.”
“This living laboratory will allow hands-on and in-depth study into the interactions between biological organisms and water quality in urban water systems. In the longer term, there is potential to integrate the ABC Waters Design features into our urban stormwater management strategy. Efforts to ensure clean and beautiful water bodies will also be directed at the new Marina Reservoir. As part of continuing efforts to augment Singapore's local water supply, the Marina Barrage was completed last year and officially opened by our Prime Minister in October. The Marina Reservoir that is formed behind the Barrage will allow us to collect rainwater from the largest catchment in Singapore. The Barrage also serves as a lifestyle and recreational destination, and a centre to promote active citizenry to care for our environment and water resources. Since its opening, visitorship has been high, with nearly 200,000 visitors as at end January. Events held at the Barrage include the launch of Clean and Green Singapore, and the New Year’s countdown party. 4.15 pm With the Barrage in place, the absence of tidal flushing will result in the accumulation of pollutants in the reservoir. While advances in membrane technology enable us to treat the water to drinking water standards, the bigger challenge is in keeping the Marina Reservoir clean, to maintain its aesthetic quality and suitability for water-based recreational activities. To ensure silt from construction sites does not enter our waters, we require all major construction sites in the catchment to install erosion control measures. A series of programmes to rehabilitate ageing sewers was undertaken to reduce the risk of sewage leaks or overflow.”
“This is the best we can do, since the projects require detailed design and, more importantly, consultation with the community, which are important processes and should not be hastily done. For now, we will also concentrate on implementing the initial batch of the 27 projects, before we move on to others. Under the long-term masterplan, over 100 potential sites, including some in Sungei Sembawang, have been identified, and we will take in ideas and requests in deciding the next batch of projects. So, Dr Lim, please queue up. The ABC Waters projects have also offered rich opportunities for research and innovation. Features such as rain gardens, bio-retention swales and wetlands can be natural purification systems to improve water quality in our reservoirs and waterways. The PUB has embarked on a few pilot projects to test the feasibility and benefits of these features under local conditions. An experimental rain garden was developed with HDB at Balam Estate. This showed that up to 98% of suspended solids and 85% of nitrogen could be removed from stormwater runoff through natural vegetation and membrane treatment. With the results from our pilot studies, we hope to encourage the adoption of such features on a larger scale. A few agencies have visited Balam Estate to learn about the design and benefits, and explore the introduction of similar features in their developments. To help them get started, PUB will develop a design guide on ABC Waters features and conduct technical talks to build up industry capabilities. Under a research partnership with PUB, NUS and Delft Hydraulics, an aquatic science centre is also being set up along Sungei Ulu Pandan.”
“At Bedok Reservoir, work was completed on several new facilities such as a seating gallery, fishing deck and a floating stage. Bedok Reservoir has been transformed into an attractive venue for events, including water performances as part of the Singapore Arts Festival. There are also bookings to hold weddings on the floating stage and, recently, we saw the five MPs of Aljunied GRC releasing some fishes into our reservoir. Works are underway at other projects, such as Sungei Punggol, Lower Seletar Reservoir and Pandan Reservoir. Works will also commence at Alexandra Canal, Sungei Serangoon@Lorong Halus, Jurong Lake, Kallang River@Bishan Park and Sungei Whampoa@St George's Lane. Let me give a sneak preview of a few of them. The concrete canal along Kallang River@Bishan Park will be transformed into a picturesque river. Attractions will be created by the water, such as a promenade with an amphitheatre and alfresco dining. Together with NParks' plans to revitalise Bishan Park, visitors will get to enjoy a whole new "green-blue" park experience. At the Alexandra Canal project, a key feature is the urban wetlands, which will employ different wetland plants and their natural properties to clean the water. This provides an excellent opportunity for outdoor classes for the nearby schools and community learning. Support and buy-in from the community are key to the long-term success of the ABC Waters Programme. With experience gained from the pilot projects, we will continue to consult and engage grassroots, schools and residents and encourage them to organise and participate in activities in and around the projects. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked if projects under the ABC Waters Programme will be brought forward. Following a review, we have brought some of them forward by a few months.”
“I suppose I am answering also because I am the Mayor for Southwest District. Our investigations show that these items are, in fact, not trash but woodchips and horticultural waste kept within the premises of a charcoal manufacturing company in Jurong to be used as raw materials. The company has not caused any pollution to the environment, although the large stockpiles are unsightly and may pose a fire hazard. JTC and SCDF have been alerted and will be approaching the company to address these concerns. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, Mr Masagos Zulkifli asked for an update on the ABC Waters Programme. This is a strategic, long-term initiative to transform the urban landscape of our city. As Minister Mentor noted during a recent visit to the Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network, the ABC Waters Programme maximises our limited land space to give the most to everybody who wants to get out of the urban jungle. We will do this by carrying out 27 projects across the island by 2012. These will transform our drains, canals and reservoirs into beautiful and clean streams, rivers and lakes integrated into our neighbourhoods. By creating new community focal points and recreational spaces, the quality of living for residents will be enhanced. This is our vision of a "City of Gardens and Water". Two pilot projects have been launched. The first project at Kolam Ayer was launched last year with strong support from the community. In fact, many have organised activities such as morning exercises and gardening by the waterfront, which have also served as a backdrop for community events, such as the National Day Observance Ceremony and the Mid Autumn Festival celebrations.”
“Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked about the cleanliness of toilets. NEA supports the "Happy Toilet" programme developed by the Restroom Association of Singapore to promote clean public toilets. Participating public toilets are graded, and those which satisfy minimum standards are awarded a 3-star grading or better, up to a maximum of five stars. To date, the toilets in 71 hawker centres have qualified for the 3-star grading or better. NEA will continue to work closely with the Town Councils to maintain the high standards of cleanliness in the public toilets in our hawker centres. Sir, we would like to thank Mr Chiam See Tong for raising the issue on waste collection. Public waste collectors (PWCs) are licensed by NEA to ensure they have the proper vehicles, equipment and trained personnel to deliver quality and reliable refuse collection services. For instance, the drivers and workers are trained and certified under the National Skills Recognition Scheme. Refuse collection trucks are required to be washed daily to ensure the vehicles are clean and free from odour. NEA carries out regular checks on the PWCs to ensure that their vehicles and staff meet the service standards. When NEA comes across any lapses, warnings and financial penalties are imposed on the PWC. For instance, last year, there were five cases where PWCs were penalised for spilling refuse or sullage water. NEA also re-checks the errant PWCs to ensure the lapse in service standards has been rectified. We note Mr Chiam's feedback and assure him that NEA will continue to be vigilant in its enforcement to minimise the incidence of, say, dirty garbage trucks and unprofessional garbage collectors. I wish to address Mr Ang Mong Seng's concern on what he has described as "mountains of trash" in Jurong.”
“The only way to minimise the individual risk and disease burden is for each of us to prevent mosquito breeding as this is the most effective way to overcome the scourge of the disease. Littering”
“Hence, we will continue to work closely with premise owners like the nursery operators, and educate them on best practices. Having said that, enforcement action must be taken against those who persist in mosquito breeding so as to ensure that we do not miss our target. Singapore also collaborates with other countries in the area of dengue control. For example, under the Asia-Pacific Dengue Partnership (APDP) we worked with the Western Pacific and South-East Asian Regional Offices of the World Health Organisation to formulate a Dengue Strategic Plan for both regions. The Plan was endorsed by the Health Ministers in September last year and serves as a roadmap for member states to formulate their national plans for dengue control. We will continue to work closely with the international community to promote greater knowledge sharing in the region. In January last year, we detected the first local transmission of Chikungunya fever. A total of 718 cases were reported in 2008, about 75% locally acquired. Although Chikungunya is not considered endemic currently, we can expect sustained local transmission of Chikungunya this year. In January, 159 cases were notified, compared to 13 in the same period last year. As with dengue, vector control is the key strategy to prevent the transmission of Chikungunya. NEA and MOH are working closely in the surveillance for Chikungunya. As soon as a case is notified, NEA initiates vector control operations to clear the implicated areas of mosquito breeding. MOH also made the disease legally notifiable last December. This will contribute to timelier reporting of cases, and allow NEA to undertake prompt vector control measures. As Er Lee pointed out, Chikungunya can cause morbidity and strain our healthcare system.”
“Nonetheless, we must know where to focus our limited resources. Using a risk assessment approach, NEA has focused its manpower in areas that are highly susceptible to outbreaks, averting large dengue clusters. NEA will also continue to build up vector control knowledge and capability through research at the Environmental Health Institute where new tools are developed and evaluated. For example, a test that can simultaneously detect the dengue and Chikungunya viruses is currently under development with the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Sir, I agree with Er Lee Bee Wah and Dr Maliki that we must increase Singaporeans' sense of responsibility in reducing dengue and Chikungunya. Public education is a key element of our dengue prevention efforts. The results have been encouraging. An NEA survey showed that the awareness level for dengue prevention was high, more than 90%, with many respondents adopting good habits, such as changing water in vases on alternate days. The number of cases of enforcement taken for Aedes mosquito breedings in homes increased from about 5,000 in 2005 to about 8,800 in 2008 due to more inspections, not because there are more dengue breeding places, say, 100 households that we inspect. More positively, the number of homes found with Aedes mosquito breedings per 100 homes inspected, decreased from 0.53 in 2005 to 0.34 in 2008. I am heartened by the good support we have received from the public, but we must aim to do even better. Keeping our premises mosquito-free should become a way of life for Singaporeans. 3.45 pm I assure Er Lee that NEA is very clear that our target is to suppress the mosquito population.”
“We saw the beginning of a new cycle in 2007, and further increases in annual dengue incidence were anticipated for 2008 and beyond. I am pleased to inform the House that we bucked the trend last year. Instead of a rise, there was a 20% decline in dengue cases, from about 8,800 reported cases in 2007 to just over 7,000 in 2008. This would not have been possible without our collective efforts to prevent mosquito breeding. We must build on this and strengthen our efforts to control dengue. As Mr Heng Chee How mentioned during the Budget debate, dengue is still a threat and we must not let our guard down and continue to remain vigilant. Singapore is a travel hub with as many as 10 million visitors a year, and with workers transiting in and out of Singapore daily, it is continually at risk of outbreaks from mosquito borne diseases contributed by imported cases, be it dengue or Chikungunya. Keeping our mosquito population low through effective source reduction will serve to minimise such risk. Thus, NEA will continue to sustain its integrated approach to dengue control, with pre-emptive source reduction as the key thrust, complemented by active virus and mosquito surveillance, public education, research and enforcement We will continue to carry out intensive source reduction exercises to reduce the mosquito population ahead of the peak dengue transmission season from June to October. Source reduction has been assessed by the World Health Organisation as the most effective means of controlling the mosquito vector. But it is also labour-intensive. NEA has strengthened its vector control workforce since 2007, recruiting some additional 500 personnel. This has also strengthened our capacity to control the risks posed by Chikungunya, which I will elaborate on later.”
“NEA, together with LTA, URA and HDB, has explored measures to minimise the impact of traffic noise on residents living along expressways and roads. Measures which have been implemented include noise-absorptive road paving materials, buffer distances, and even siting industrial buildings, multi-storey carparks or parks between major roads and residential buildings to act as noise shields. In addition, new vehicles must meet noise standards before they can be registered, while in-use vehicles must comply with noise standards when they undergo their mandatory periodic inspections. Noise disturbances from motor vehicles arise mainly from the illegal modification of the exhaust systems. NEA will continue to work with LTA to take action against such vehicles. Singapore is a highly urbanised compact city with vibrant economic activities, and noise pollution cannot be eradicated completely. However, my Ministry will continue to work with key stakeholders to regularly review the management of construction and traffic noise, taking into account public feedback and international best practice. We also note Mr Liang's suggestions on community noise and NEA will look into them with HDB and the Town Councils. While some degree of noise is inevitable in our compact city, we agree with Mr Liang that if each of us shows consideration for our neighbours, all of us will enjoy a more pleasant living environment. Mr Charles Chong, Dr Mohamad Maliki and Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked about the dengue situation. In the absence of a vaccine, Singapore will continue to be susceptible to dengue transmission as we are located in a dengue endemic region. Historically, Singapore experienced dengue in cycles of six to seven years, with cases increasing each year and peaking in the 6th or 7th year.”
“Sir, Mr Charles Chong, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Hri Kumar and Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about efforts to manage noise. All construction sites must abide by noise limits set by the NEA. These limits vary by time period and by the type of premise affected by the construction noise. For instance, night-time noise limits are more stringent than day-time noise limits, and noise limits are more stringent for construction sites near hospitals and schools. The number of complaints on construction noise received by NEA increased from about 9,200 in 2007 to just over 14,100 in 2008. One of the reasons for this increase is the rise in construction activity in Singapore. Another reason could be the higher expectations from our public, as pointed out by Mr Liang. To ensure that construction activities do not unduly affect quality of life, NEA tightened the noise limits for night-time and Sundays and public holidays from October 2007. NEA also increased the maximum fine for construction noise violations from $20,000 to $40,000. Furthermore, contractors that repeatedly violate the noise limits will have the operation hours at their sites restricted. In 2008, 10 work restriction orders were issued. While we strive to improve our quality of life, we must allow construction to keep pace with our development. The current approach of setting noise limits to regulate the industry, instead of banning construction activities during certain times, allows the construction industry the flexibility to adopt solutions to minimise noise, and avoids imposing undue cost on the construction industry. Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Mr Charles Chong also raised the issue of traffic noise.”
“They have defaulted on their loans, piled up on their arrears, they tried to get private bank loans or, if they are on private bank loans, they try to get refinancing but they could not. So they are left in the lurch; they do not know what to do. And many a time when we make the appeal for HDB loans, the applications get rejected. They do not have a clear idea of what happened, neither do we. Like many of my colleagues, we feel that it is difficult to explain to residents. Maybe it is time to review the policies and what we can do for them because I see more and more of these families coming to the MPS for these cases. So I hope that the HDB or the Ministry can review this and help these families.”
“While it is not reasonable to expect all appeal cases to be resolved since not all may be deserving cases, providing some certainty and transparency through reviewing some relevant HDB policies will go a long way in mitigating the problem. Let me make four suggestions for MND to consider. Firstly, HDB should change its two-bite-of-the-cherry policy and allow downgraders to obtain a second subsidised HDB housing loan. This would allow even those who are not already in arrears but nonetheless have financial difficulties to downgrade. After all, the policy that only upgraders who are purchasing directly from HDB for the second time can enjoy a second subsidised HDB loan was implemented many years ago when upgrading was a norm. Times have changed. Second suggestion: HDB should make available flats to be sold directly to those in mortgage arrears with genuine financial difficulty to allow them to downgrade as quickly as possible, so that they do not accumulate even more arrears. Thirdly, HDB should also give some priority to those with severe financial difficulty and wanting to sell their existing flat, and then rent a flat from HDB. Finally, as a concession to badly hit households during this recession, HDB should also relax its policy on loan deferments or allow home owners to dip into their CPF Special Account to pay for their housing loans. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports and Minister for Transport (Mr Teo Ser Luck): Sir, I agree with the Minister that when they buy their flats, they have to be prudent. But, sometimes, when crises hit like the situation right now, we are seeing more and more cases of families that are looking to downgrade. And I have seen about 20% increase in the cases in my constituency.”
“As at October 2008, it was reported that there are 33,000 flat owners owing HDB arrears of three months or more. This is about 8% of the 420,000 households with outstanding mortgages. While this percentage is not very high, it cannot be said to be low either. In absolute terms, 33,000 homes in arrears for three months or more is cause for concern. Sure, some of these might be just slow in settlement for all sorts of reasons – busy, overlooked, travelling, prolonged illnesses, etc. But I am certain that a significant number of these 33,000 originate from genuine financial difficulty. Undoubtedly, as the economic thunderstorm ravages on, this number will certainly increase. All MPs, myself included, have our fair share of residents coming to our MPS to appeal for help to sort out their housing arrears or rental woes. In fact, the number of such appeals has risen significantly especially in the last two years. Proportion wise, such appeals are among the highest in our MPS case load. Whilst MND has time and again assured this House that HDB will assist households with mortgage arrears on a case-by-case basis, we continue to see mounting unresolved repeat cases as well as new arrears cases. Admittedly, HDB has been flexible and made exceptions for some of these cases to waive the debarment period, allow them to downgrade with a subsidised HDB loan, while some have been allocated a rental flat. But the number of resolved cases remains a small fraction of the number of appeal cases we receive. Is this a sign of recalcitrants or is there something deeper?”
“Currently, studio apartments and 2-room and 3-room flats are in great demand and more of these should be built at a faster pace. To increase affordability of housing, we should avoid building flats which look like condominium with value-added features. These should be left to the private developers. We should help the newly-weds start their own home. Is HDB thinking of other ways to help these couples? Housing is a basic necessity. Enhancement to the Additional Housing Grant”
“However, rapidly rising resale flat prices could cause public housing affordability for first-time buyers to lag prices unless housing grants are revised regularly. On the other hand, in a downmarket the prices of both new and resale flats tend to be more sticky as the Government could be cautious of the impact of reducing the sale prices of unsold new flats on existing home owners, whilst sellers in the resale market may hold out for better prices. I would, therefore, like to propose that the HDB commit to regular reviews of both the CPF and the additional housing grants at, say, yearly intervals to ensure that public housing remains affordable, at least to first-time buyers and low-income households. Furthermore, the HDB should also look at pegging the prices of all new flats to the market prices of comparable resale flats at, say, the beginning of the year. This is similar to JTC's pricing of its industrial premises. Such yearly revisions will give more transparency and certainty to the pricing of new HDB flats and help mitigate the problems of affordability of new flats regardless of the state of the market. I would also add to what my Parliamentary colleague Dr Lim Wee Kiak said, not help to cause spiralling in prices of both resale and new flats because they feed on each other. Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, very often my residents lament to me that they have been balloting for a new flat as many times as they had tried their hands at Toto and 4-D, and both end up having the same results. In my resident's words, "boh chai, boh chu " means no luck, no house. We certainly need more smaller HDB flats to cater to those who are getting married, the ageing population and those who are downgrading their residences because of the economic downturn.”
“With close to 90% of our population living in public housing and owning their flats, public housing affordability is both a critical and uniquely Singaporean issue which affects not only the housing options of citizens and PRs but also has implications on the cost of living. Public housing affordability is a perennial issue, whether in good times or bad. Due to a strong economy in 2007 and the first half of 2008, prices of HDB new and resale flats continued to escalate, outlasting even the prices of private residential properties which had already started retreating. This has led many Singaporeans, especially newly-weds and potential first-time home owners to feel that they are being priced even out of public housing. As resale flat prices have recorded hefty price increases, many young couples are unable to afford resale flats even with a housing grant and say that their only option is to buy a new HDB flat. But here lies another problem. Due to strong demand for new flats in the last few years, many have been unsuccessful in getting a flat even after numerous tries. Increasingly, I am seeing young couples coming to my MPS to appeal for faster allocation of a new HDB flat. In the last two years, it is hard even to get new flats in outlying areas like Jurong West and Woodlands, once shunned as "ulu" due to strong demand. The move to increase the maximum Additional Housing Grant (AHG) from $30,000 to $40,000 and raise the household income ceiling from $4,000 per month to $5,000 per month are thus welcomed as they would help improve the affordability of public housing to first-time buyers, specifically low-income households. Since the AHG was implemented in 2006, it has been revised twice, once in 2007 and then this year under Budget 2009.”
“Admittedly, the majority of our middle class Singaporeans are far from the dire situation currently experienced by countless middle class Americans. However, as noted by the Minister for Finance himself, we have not seen the worst yet of this economic turmoil. We will have to monitor the situation carefully and consider our next steps, including the possibility of off-budget measures to help businesses and individuals cope. At the same time, we should also use this opportunity to reassess and further restructure our economic growth model that has spurred our growth but at the same time makes us highly vulnerable to swings in global demand. Last year’s popular animated film "Bolt" has a moral. At the end of the day, it is not super canine power that saved the day for Bolt and his mistress, Penny. It is his true grit and ability to accept and adjust to the reality of the situation that he is not a super canine as well as the support and encouragement from the friends he had made in his quest to save her – the somewhat cynical and worldly wise Mittens, the cat, and the highly adorable and trusting hamster, Rhino. Applied to us, fiscal firepower, however large the calibre of the weapon, will only go so far. The people of Singapore must each do our part to help one another. Mr Speaker Sir, I support the Resilience Package.”
“More resources and efforts should be invested to identify and devise suitable re-skilling programmes under SPUR to spur them on. These retrenched PMETs may also need some interim help to allow them to adjust to their new circumstances such as providing assistance to the family and the children’s education. In this regard, the Government could give assurance that over the duration of this downturn, more flexibility could be accorded to help agencies to deliver assistance to the PMETs who have been retrenched and are assessed to be in need of help by relaxing the guidelines in the interim and allowing a higher household income cut off, such as the lowest 35th percentile household income instead of the lowest 20th percentile as it is now. This way they can be assured that when they are down and out, help is at hand so that their families can continue to be cared for. Whilst there is already some flexibility at the grassroots and CDC levels in terms of their own local assistance schemes, in view of the severity of the recession and the likelihood that this could be long drawn, we would also need the criteria for the national assistance schemes to be relaxed, at least, for the duration of this downturn. It would also be helpful for the Government to exercise more flexibility towards arrears in housing mortgage and means testing for healthcare services during this period, especially for those who have been retrenched or have suffered drastic wage cuts as a result of the current recession and are assessed to be in need of help. Last week, President Obama announced the creation of a Middle Class Task Force which aims to raise the standard of living of millions of Americans hit hard by loss of jobs, savings and homes.”
“Whilst low income and retrenched workers whose household income is $1,500 and below will generally qualify for many of the Government's existing national assistance schemes such as work support employment or self reliance schemes, which include cash and other forms of assistance, PMETs who have been retrenched but whose household income is still above $1,500 per month will likely fall out of these schemes although there is some room for flexibility and exceptions. Additionally, most of the measures announced in the Budget to support families such as the GST Offset Credits are weighted in favour of the most vulnerable segment of the population, whilst the 20% income tax rebate capped at $2,000, although helpful, is similar to what was given in 2008's Budget when times were much better. Allowing income tax payment to be stretched over 24 months instead of 12 months for those who are retrenched is of limited help and offers little comfort. Tax, as the taxman vigorously reminds us, is still a liability, whether payable in one lump sum, over 12 months or over 24 months. The anxiety of the middle-income wage earner and especially the older ones, is palpable in this economic climate. Although SPUR has been enhanced for the PMETs, this may again be of limited use since many PMETs already have qualifications and professional experience and so re-skilling may not quite apply to them. PMETs adversely affected by this recession would need more focused efforts to help them tide over this period and get back on their feet again. The Government could, for instance, give some assurance that fair opportunity would be given to mid-career applicants who are most in need of help, for the 18,000 or so jobs created by the Government.”
“Applications by companies for foreign workers, be they for Work Permit or S Pass Holders, should also be more closely scrutinised although in reality such applications would probably have plunged from pre-crisis levels. While we acknowledge and value the contribution of foreign workers to the economy, in times such as this, when retrenchment is predicted to be from between 40,000 to as high as 300,000, we need to save as many jobs as possible for Singaporeans. Citizenship should have its privileges. A quick poll by REACH indicated that only 28% of the 885 respondents felt that the direct assistance measures to help families cope were adequate, with half of the respondents disagreeing. Based on feedback received, the group with the most concerns would be the lower-middle and middle-income – the sandwich generation – who have it the toughest with school-going children and, often times, elderly parents to care for. As the latest employment data shows, retrenchments in the services sector multiplied nearly six-fold to 3,200 in the last quarter of 2008 driven largely by lay-offs in the financial sector and wholesale trade. Many economists expect this figure to climb with much of the attrition coming from the services sector. Hence, more PMETs are likely to be affected. At the South West CDC where I am Mayor, we have already seen a 10% increase in the proportion of retrenched PMETs seeking employment assistance between September and December last year as compared to the same period in 2007.”
“To be able to extract maximum benefits for workers from this scheme for which about a quarter of the Budget has been allocated, the Government, through MOM and WDA in conjunction with NTUC and SNEF, should go on an intensive education blitz to enlighten, encourage, cajole, and persuade companies to make use of the Jobs Credit Scheme and SPUR to preserve as many jobs as possible or better still, create more jobs. MOM and NTUC should also closely monitor the efficacy and effectiveness of the Jobs Credit Scheme over the next few months to ensure that this Scheme ultimately benefits Singaporean workers as it is intended to and that companies will indeed pass on at least some of the benefit of this Scheme to the workers. Otherwise the Scheme should be tweaked to ensure some accountability by the companies. Whilst the Acting Minister for Manpower has said that it would be left to the companies to decide how to make use of the Jobs Credit Scheme, a completely laissez faire approach in this case may appear quite unproductive to Singaporean workers, concerned about their livelihood. Since it is a cash injection from Government coffers, arguably, the Government has the moral authority to compel recipients of the Jobs Credit Scheme to save jobs for Singaporeans as much as is reasonably possible. As an aside, MOM should review the foreign worker quota for the various sectors, since many of them were relaxed in the last few years to meet the labour shortage in better times. Now that the economy has taken a nosedive, these quotas should be reviewed so that only those industries with jobs that Singaporeans truly and clearly shun, might have their quota retained.”
“US President Obama is reported to have dropped a somewhat similar jobs tax credit plan, which he had initially touted as one of the chief provisions in the Stimulus Bill that is now being argued in Congress. The $3,000 per job credit to businesses for every job that is saved or created, was met with skepticism by both Democrats and Republicans. Many said that the scheme would be difficult to administer, prone to abuse and the potential cost could be huge. But, thanks to our capable MOF administrative officers, Singapore's Jobs Credit Scheme have ingeniously surmounted the administrative difficulty presented by President Obama's jobs tax credit plan by giving jobs credit to all companies – small or big, local or multinational, profitable or unprofitable – according to the number of employees on the CPF payroll. Implemented in this manner, it is, first and foremost, a fiscal stimulus for all sectors of the economy, regardless of whether jobs are saved. Helping companies, particularly those who still have viable business models ride out the storm, will also benefit the economy in the longer term by allowing us to retain capabilities and get back on our feet more quickly to take advantage of the opportunities again when they come. In effect, the Jobs Credit Scheme could also be viewed as corporate workfare to help companies tide over a global economic pandemic that they have largely no control over. The potential of the scheme to ease companies' cash flows, save jobs and avert a worse crisis is not in dispute, only its effectiveness.”
“Given that no one knows how long and deep this recession would be, the need for off-budget measures and even to break into our war chest again is not unimaginable. Hence, it is important at this early stage that the Government articulates clear principles and processes for which we can dip into our reserves. From the small businessmen to multinational corporations, Budget 2009 must be the most proactive and responsive budget ever. It has bolstered the confidence of companies in doing business in Singapore. Like someone described, it shows business that we mean business. But, whilst almost all would agree that the most sensible and practical way to help Singaporeans cope with the crisis is to help them keep their jobs, aside from the issue whether a superior outcome can be achieved by directly injecting the same cash into workers' CPF accounts or not, the more practical concern that many workers have is whether this primary objective will indeed be met. Again, this has been extensively debated in the House yesterday. Nonetheless, as the centerpiece of this year's Budget, it would be useful to examine how we can maximise its efficacy. Although the Jobs Credit Scheme is apportioned the largest budget in the Resilience Package, paradoxically, this is a measure that the Government has very little oversight of. In practice, no one can compel companies to share their cost savings with workers or to keep them on their payrolls. Multinational corporations, in particular, very often take their manpower cues from their overseas HQ and, thus, could be compelled to axe workers due to the global manpower reduction targets set by their HQ regardless, or perhaps in spite of, the Jobs Credit Scheme.”
“Senior Minister Goh has already set the tone by clarifying that past reserves should not be used for social assistance and permanent programmes and that it should only be drawn under "dire circumstances". It would be useful to provide some guidelines as to what would be deemed as "dire circumstances". Sir, I appreciate that it would be difficult to anticipate and spell out fully the boundary conditions for such a drawdown, but having some clarity on the matter would be helpful to prevent future governments from facetiously labelling any economic slowdown as a cause for making a draw on our reserves. Moreover, regardless of our present economic circumstances, our long-term growth is expected to slow down as our economy matures. Reserves, once drawn, will be harder to replenish and build up. Should there not be some guidelines on the maximum limit or proportion of past reserves any government can draw down from each time? Also, should there not be clarity on the process leading to Presidential Assent and the role of the Council of Presidential Advisers? The Straits Times journalist, Chua Mui Hoong, noted that the Government's pre-emptive tapping into past reserves appears to be a paradigm shift from its previous rhetoric that we should exhaust our own resources before tapping into the resources of others as a last resort. Will this unwittingly trigger an unhealthy mindset change among Singaporeans that it is all right to seek assistance from the Government before exhausting one's own resources, especially when we have consistently preached self-dependency as a virtue? Indeed, the very name of this Budget – "resilience" confirms where the Government's priorities lie.”
“Concerns have also been raised as to whether jobs will indeed be saved and credit unlocked with the Jobs Credit Scheme and the Special Risk-Sharing Initiative – the two major planks of this year's Budget. Arguably, we will always have our share of detractors and skeptics. But I submit that some of these concerns do warrant our collective action and attention. I would, thus, like to revisit three key initiatives of this Budget. Sir, my parliamentary colleagues before me have already debated this issue extensively and intensively. Even at the risk of sounding like a broken record by repeating for the 28th time, as I am the 28th speaker for this debate, I feel it cannot be over emphasised simply because the decision to use past reserves is unprecedented and will have a lasting influence on future decisions to use our reserves. Most Singaporeans agree that this is well and truly the time to use our reserves, but many, myself included, are taken aback by the speed with which this decision has been made. Their reaction is understandable, given the Government's steadfast resistance against tapping into reserves all these years, amidst strong pressures to do so at each recession. As this is the first time the reserves have been tapped into, and will set the precedent for future such actions, it is important that the Government clearly articulates the benchmarks and circumstances under which past reserves can be drawn upon. Such a disclosure would help to allay the concerns of some Singaporeans that this could set a dangerous precedent for future governments to go down the slippery path and take the easy way out of dipping into our reserves, every time there is pressure for them to do so.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, many Members of this House before me have spoken glowingly of Budget 2009, while critically assessing some of its proposals. All things considered, it is an uber budget – daring, highly imaginative, responsive and precedent setting in scale and scope. As Chairman of REACH, I have the privilege of being able to gauge, at close range, the ground reactions to the Budget. An e-poll conducted by REACH had seven in 10 of the 72 respondents agreeing that the Budget addressed Singaporeans' key concerns in the light of the economic downturn and slightly more than six in 10 agreeing that the Budget will be effective in saving jobs and helping viable companies stay afloat. The sample size may not be huge, but at least, whatever the merits of the arguments relating to the Jobs Credit, Risk-Sharing Scheme or any other aspects of Budget 2009 being debated, this snapshot of ground sentiment is a broadly positive one. Personally, I am comforted that the years of fiscal prudence and spending within our means, of resisting populist calls for drawing down our reserves have now borne fruit, in terms of the fiscal weaponry we can muster against the advancing economic thunderstorm. At a time when other governments around the world are putting their future generations in debt to pay for today's stimulus packages, it is very reassuring to know that Singapore is able to finance deficits entirely from our own savings without borrowing a single cent, and still have capacity to spend on infrastructure, invest in R&D and cut the corporate tax at that. Nonetheless, as we have already heard in this House yesterday, the uneventful manner in which the reserves have been unlocked, has raised some eyebrows.”
“When we re-introduce the tray-return system, cleaners will still be needed. In fact, when we first introduced this on a pilot basis at the Zion Riverside Food Centre, besides providing for the tray-return system and also the other necessary infrastructure, we also had the cleaners going around the hawker centres to ensure that the tables are actually cleared, because not all patrons participated in this initiative. ANNUAL GROWTH RATE AND INFLATION The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Ho Geok Choo – 17. To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of the easing of oil prices and food price hikes (a) whether Singapore's annual growth rate needs to be revised; and (b) whether Singapore's inflation rate is falling.”
“Providing adequate facilities for holding these used crockeries is certainly important because we want to encourage the formation of such good habits, but due to space constraints and other physical limitations in some of our hawker centres, it may not be possible to provide facilities for holding crockeries in all our hawker centres. So, we will be implementing the system at selected hawker centres for a start. If we were to eventually introduce this in all our hawker centres, we will, as far as possible, be working around these limitations and revise the workflow of the table cleaners to create an environment that will make it easier for them to return the trays. I would also like to add that the Government can only do so much. Ultimately, this involves changing behaviour, changing mindset, it will take time. We will facilitate such good behaviour through providing the necessary infrastructure but we need Singaporeans to take ownership and to desire that they want to see a more gracious society and, therefore, lead by example.”
“Sir, regarding the first question, to the best of my knowledge, for countries with food centres similar to our hawker centres such as Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, there are no tray-return facilities provided at the food centres in these countries. Similar to Singapore, the cleaners or stallholders will clear the crockeries and clean the tables after their customers finish their meals. For western countries and Japan, patrons return their food trays after their meal to tray-return facilities at fast-food outlets and other eating establishments. Many of them practise this good habit out of consideration for others, with or without any conscious intervention by the authorities. It is generally their culture to do so. While the authorities can help to improve the design of the premises and put in place the necessary infrastructure to facilitate tray-return, it is ultimately the behaviour of the patrons that will determine whether a positive and reinforcing culture could be formed. Regarding the second question, as I have noted in my reply earlier, NEA is now exploring with the Singapore Kindness Movement to look into the feasibility of re-introducing the tray-return system at some of our centres. Tray racks will be provided at these centres, if we decide to re-introduce this tray-return system at convenient and strategic locations to make it easy for the patrons to return the trays. In addition, we will be providing posters, signages and table-top decals to advise patrons to clear the tables and return the trays. In the initial phase, we would be putting officers to politely advise the patrons to return the trays after their meals.”
“Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim asked the Minister for Education what are the current initiatives to engage non-citizen students and integrate them within the schools and the community.”
“First, IDA's NEU (NEw and Used) PC PLUS Programme helps needy students to purchase desktop computers or laptops complete with software and three years of broadband access at a subsidised price of $285 and $730 respectively. All Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents from families with gross monthly income not exceeding $2,000 or per capita monthly income of not more than $500 are eligible for the programme. Since the launch of the NEU PC PLUS Programme in end 2006, a total of about 5,000 students have obtained their computers under this programme, with 1,350 in FY2006 and 3,650 in FY2007. Second, those who need additional help to pay the subsidised rates can tap on MOE's Opportunity Fund, which was set up in April 2006, and the INSPIRE fund set up by IDA with the industry in November 2007. For the Opportunity Fund, schools decide on the subsidy amount and the eligibility criteria. Under the INSPIRE fund, in lieu of the $285 or $730, they would otherwise have to pay for a PC or laptop, they render six to 12 hours of community service such as helping out at old folks homes and children's homes. To date, schools have disbursed a total of about $900,000 under the Opportunity Fund and INSPIRE fund for the purchase of computers, with about $66,000 in FY2006 and about $860,000 in FY2007. This is estimated to have benefited some 4,000 students. Thirdly, students can also seek funding support from agencies such as SINDA, Yayasan Mendaki, and CDAC, as well as their Schools' Advisory Committee and Management Committee, and the Lee Wee Kheng Fund. In short, MOE, IDA and community organisations have put in place various schemes to ensure that as many of our students as possible have access to computers at home. NON-CITIZEN STUDENTS (Integration within schools and community) 10.”
“We are looking at the various options, and we are looking at various pricing rates for domestic as well as non-domestic consumers. So the indication really varies, depending on the rates that we will be using. But, like I said, what we will seek to assure the House is that we will mitigate any negative impact on the consumers. PURCHASE OF LAPTOPS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS (Financial assistance to needy students) 9. Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for Education in view of many schools requiring students to use laptops in their school work (a) whether there are financial assistance schemes for needy students who cannot afford to pay for the laptops and new computer programs; (b) under what circumstances will these students qualify for free laptops and computer programs from the schools; and (c) whether the Minister can give a breakdown of the financial assistance granted to needy students for purchase of laptops and computer programs during the fiscal year 2006/07 and 2007/08. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M) (for the Minister for Education): Sir, infocomm technologies (ICT) have become an integral part of students' learning in Singapore schools. There are adequate ICT facilities and computers in schools for use during and after school hours. Based on a recent survey by MOE, about 90% of our students indicated that they had access to an Internet-connected computer at home. For students without such access, some schools also loan out notebook computers to them to work on their assignments at home. At the same time, MOE works closely with the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) and other community organisations to help needy students gain access to an Internet-connected computer at home.”
“But I would like to assure the Member and the House that we will definitely consider prevailing cost and economic environment when we decide to move, and we will seek to mitigate any negative impact on the consumers with the view to ensuring that on average most of the water users would be no worse off with the revised price structure.”
“I thank the Member for his question. First, I would like to say that our motivation to restructure the used water charges really is to rationalise the current pricing structure. This is to remove some anomaly because some consumers with more sanitary appliances would have to pay more even if they use the same amount of used water. This is also to remove the perception of double-charging as the current pricing structure has got the Sanitary Appliances Fee component and the volumetric Waterborne Fee component. In addition, a fully volumetric rate with no fixed charges will strengthen our water conservation message because it will be 'you-pay-for-what-you-use'. I think this is also in line with the pricing structure that is adopted in some other developed cities like New York, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, and so on. So the restructuring of the SAF and WBF per se is meant to be revenue neutral. However, the removal of the SAF, when we shift to a new single-volumetric pricing structure, would entail a structural change to the used water fee. So there will inevitably be a sector of consumers who would experience some decline in their bill size, as well as another sector of consumers who would experience some increase in their bill size. We are mindful of the current cost environment, so we are studying the impact of this new pricing structure on the households very carefully. We have not come to a decision as to the rates to charge, as well as to the implementation date.”
“In addition, how does the Ministry ensure that our kindergartens maintain the standards set by the framework? Do we have a reliable evaluation method and consistent audit? Given the importance of pre-school as foundational learning for all children, the MOE should ensure that the quality of pre-school education, their teachers, curriculum and resources conform to some minimum standards. I am thankful that the Government has set minimum requirements for the qualifications of pre-school principals and teachers to ensure that they are trained for the job. The Ministry informed us last year that 82% of pre-school teachers are now certificate or diploma trained, and 70% principals diploma trained. Has this ratio improved? Are there any plans to ensure that all teachers and principals have the relevant qualification? 3.45 pm In conclusion, Sir, I believe that the quality of our pre-school sector should be further improved for the sake of our children to give them the right headstart for their education journey. MOE must continue to pay attention to children from lower income backgrounds, and help them gain access to high quality and affordable pre-school education. It is a long-term investment, but this is one of the most effective ways to lift an entire group of Singaporeans out of the poverty trap and give them a chance to make good in life.”
“Sir, most children entering Primary 1 today have some level of numeracy and literacy skills. Thanks to the enthusiastic parents who start them from as young as two-and-a-half years old in all kinds of play school and early learning programmes. I understand that a number of these schools even charge fees higher than the undergraduate programmes in NUS. But middle and upper class parents generally spare no expense to give their children a headstart. Because this is so widespread, it might even have caused the primary school curriculum to be consciously or otherwise level up to cater to the higher level of preparedness of the cohort entering Primary 1. Unfortunately, we have a segment of children in each cohort, about 5% or less, who do not attend pre-school at all. These children have difficulty keeping pace with the syllabus once they enter primary school. What these children need is a right start to their educational journey. I urge the Ministry to consider deploying a team of social workers to identify such children and counsel their families, show them ways to resolve their problems and motivate them to send their children to pre-school. To nip the problem of future low education, low skills and low income workers in the bud, we must tackle this problem aggressively and thoroughly and early enough. Half-hearted efforts relying on untrained volunteers, while their efforts are certainly deserving of praise and appreciation, will be simply insufficient. The other issue is that of uneven standards of our kindergartens. Last year, the Ministry informed this House that almost 90% of our kindergartens have adopted the kindergarten curriculum formulated by the Ministry. Would the Minister give us an update on how many more kindergartens have adopted this framework?”
“Many of them also advertise themselves as MOE registered centres, giving the public the perception that they are endorsed by MOE. Sir, Singapore's brand name will certainly be ruined if this state of affairs is allowed to continue. It is not enough to rely on the industry's self-regulation or intervention by Case since these are reactive measures. Hence, I welcome MOE's move to set some minimum mandatory standards for these private institutions. That said, as the schools offer a diverse range of courses, it will not be easy for MOE to require some minimum standard of quality for the courses offered, the teaching staff, the management of the school and its facilities. To do this, the MOE would have to put in resources and manpower with relevant expertise. Perhaps the MOE could also enlist the help of the relevant professional institutions and our existing publicly funded polytechnics and universities to help accredit the diplomas and the degrees offered. The oversight of these private schools to ensure minimum standards must be comprehensive and should cover the adequacy of the facilities and infrastructure provided, the school's administration and management structure and practices as well as the quality of the courses offered and the teaching staff. Private Schools”
“Sir, it is estimated that there are currently some 1,200 operators of private schools in Singapore offering courses ranging from English language and computer classes to diplomas and degrees. Private education is now a significant business sector with some 37,000 foreign students. The implications of this sector on the economy, efforts to promote Singapore as an education hub and the integrity of the Singapore brand, are quite obvious. It is none too soon that the Education Ministry will be putting in place tighter measures to ensure minimum standards in the private education sector. Singapore's reputation for its high quality public education system has laid out many foreign students to our shores but the reality is that these private schools are of very uneven quality and strength. Presently, an aspiring school operator only needs to register the school with the MOE and those who want to enrol foreign students need only to have the CaseTrust education mark. But there are no measures to ensure minimum standards in the teaching and the quality of courses offered and there are still many schools with questionable credentials preying on the unsuspecting students. Reports are rife of private schools who put out misleading advertisements about their facilities, the quality of their teaching staff and the courses offered. Some, as my colleagues before me have noted, are de facto degree mills which give out degrees to students who do little or no academic work. It was even reported in the press that two school owners are actually involved in the running of karaoke, KTV bars and night clubs. If proven true, this is indeed a shameful state of affairs.”
“There is thus clearly scope for this fourth university to be distinguished from the three existing universities. A technical or applied university with emphasis on practical skills and knowledge for industry would be more suited for the many polytechnic students who form the largest cohort of potential students for the university, although this does not preclude other students from the more traditional routes to apply. I believe, Sir, that polytechnic education is no longer deemed as second rate. Indeed, many bright "O" level students opt for a polytechnic education, instead of the traditional "A" levels route. Why should a university that caters to these students be treated differently? Sir, I also believe that there is a place for a Liberal Arts College since such colleges are typically small and the cost for this has been significant. But because the cost of setting up such a Liberal Arts College is significantly higher, it might be more sensible to set it up as a niche campus of an existing university such as the NUS, so that the college can tap on the resources and expertise as well as the reputation of the former.”
“Sir, I was sorely disappointed and I am sure many others felt the same when the proposal for a fourth university was abruptly dropped in 2003 when this idea had already been mooted since the 1990s. Many, including myself, are surprised that just after about four years, a short span of time in the planning horizons of economists and policy-makers, there is now yet another U-turn on this issue, although I must say that I do welcome this resurrection. I had always supported the idea of a fourth university, given the growing number of polytechnic graduates who flock to overseas universities each year because of the limited places in our three publicly-funded universities. Many of them do exceedingly well in the top quality universities abroad and some eventually do not return to our shores. One of the key concerns for being hesitant to open another publicly-funded university has always been that we do not want it to be seen as a second class university for those who cannot qualify for places in the existing publicly-funded universities. I believe that with each cohort, the batting average is increasing. More and more widespread tertiary education can only be better for the workforce and the nation as a whole. Furthermore, experience from SMU has shown that standards can be maintained with careful differentiation strategies. Additionally, a survey of universities around the world reveals, as the most recent study team led by Minister of State Lui Tuck Yew has found, the diverse shape and scope of these universities. They range from technical and applied universities in Europe and US, like the Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands, to the Liberal Arts Colleges of the US, such as Amherst. Each has enormous standing that is undiminished by its size.”