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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“Sir, I am pleased that the Ministry is putting more emphasis on a well-rounded education which goes beyond academic performance. It has begun none too soon to put more weight on other non-academic areas, such as CCA in sports. Schools have been given awards for their sporting achievements. However, only selected students and not all who wish to join are able to participate in a sports CCA. This could be for a variety of reasons, including inadequate facilities, and perhaps the schools' desire to excel in their chosen sports, so that only the exceptional students with the highest chance of excelling are allowed to participate. Sir, I would like to urge the Ministry to encourage schools to work together with grassroots organisations and parents to allow more students to participate in at least one sport on a regular basis. For instance, little leagues for football, netball, basketball, etc, could be formed, and parents and grassroots organisations could be roped in to help get these sports going for every child who wishes to participate, regardless of his or her aptitude. Sports inculcate in our students teamwork, mental strength, physical toughness, endurance and leadership skills, and help to develop our children into well-balanced healthy individuals. It would also help to reduce many children's tendency to become couch potatoes, sitting in front of the TV or computer for hours.”
“Hence, teachers nowadays work very long hours, shouldering both teaching as well as other loads. 11.15 am Anecdotal evidence suggests that a significant number of teachers are single. With such a heavy workload, one wonders how they can find time to socialise and find their soulmates. The many recent changes implemented in the education system will no doubt add to this workload. According to Mrs Carmee Lim, Executive Director of the Academy of Principals, teachers are so hard-pressed for time, they have no time to even read the newspapers. They are so caught up in their own little box, any opportunity to help them get out of this state is good. I would, therefore, like to urge the Ministry to undertake a thorough review of teacher workload to determine if the teachers can cope, and also if their workload can be reduced by devolving as much non-teaching duties as possible, such as CCA, counselling responsibilities, etc, from the teachers. This is to ensure that good teachers are retained and their quality of teaching does not suffer from stress due to work overload.”
“Sir, these should be exciting times for teachers, as many changes have been made to the education system which should give teachers more flexibility in their teaching methodologies, assessment models and, even some say, in student intake. A recent survey found that new graduate teachers from NIE maintain their poll position as top earners among 4,000 graduates from NTU, beating even the engineering, accountancy and business graduates. The Ministry's recent announcement to allow teachers to go on attachment with businesses, community organisations and even overseas schools shows MOE's commitment to help teachers gain valuable experience outside the classroom which they can share with their students. While the intention of this scheme is commendable, one wonders how many teachers can really benefit from this scheme, as feedback is that teacher workload remains heavy. Teachers with children, for instance, may not be willing to give up spending whatever time they have during the holidays with their children to go on industrial attachment. Sir, teaching used to be synonymous with a family-friendly career, as teachers used to work half a day and can spend the rest of the day with their family. However, over the years, in our quest for high quality education, which is a good thing by itself, teacher workload appears to have increased inordinately. I understand that a secondary school teacher, besides teaching from 7.30 am to 2.00 pm, carries a host of other duties, such as CCA, student contact time, counselling sessions, remedial classes, committee meetings, marking, setting tests and examinations, and other administrative work after school. Further, there are also the compulsory training hours that teachers have to clock.”
“They further argue that the bias inherent in CLB or learning Chinese using English leans towards westernisation, not so much Singaporeanisation. And the best antidote is a higher standard of Chinese language as an anchor to one's cultural and not really national roots. I think between these two sides of the debate, those most affected, the students themselves including my children, have often complained about the way in which Chinese is taught, principally through memorisation of characters and phrases, which kills the joy of learning. By contrast, some schools have successfully used a variety of creative methods to instill interest - comic strips to learn idioms, singing Stephany and pop songs, discussing characters and plots in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Teaching method is therefore one of the important keys to effective Chinese learning. I urge the Ministry to research further how Chinese can be taught in such a way as to sustain the interest of our students. Perhaps, for their pupils' sake, MOE might even have to conduct some for the Chinese appreciation courses of parents to raise their level of understanding and competency. This is a necessary, though not a sufficient, condition for effective MTL.”
“Sir, in response to feedback from parents and students who are less linguistically gifted in their mother tongue but who do well in other subjects, MOE has liberalised its rules on MTL for JC and university admission. MTL is now also taught experimentally using English. It is different strokes for different folks approach to tailor-make the programme to suit the learning abilities of the child to go as far or as near as their aptitude allows. Many students taking Higher Chinese have opted to continue to do so, even if they can switch to the lower CLB standard if they wanted to. Furthermore, some students taking CL syllabus have also sought to switch to Higher Chinese, perhaps out of interest. This change of policy has led to very opposing views. The Straits Times, in an editorial of 26th January, quite rightly, called this "a tale of two camps - the English-speaking camp and the Chinese intelligentsia". Many English-speaking parents whose home environments are not the most conducive to the learning of Chinese have warmly welcomed this move to reduce the struggles their children face. Those who favour the liberalisation move argue that the cultural bias inherent in language learning should be Singaporean rather than Chinese. Therefore, it is okay to under achieve in Chinese, even if one is a Chinese by ancestry. Because one is first and foremost a Singaporean who happens to be Chinese by race. Chinese intellectuals, however, argue that this move is capitulation to populist pressures and will result in lower standards of language learning and, ultimately, a culturally stunted generation of younger people whose learning of Chinese is purely functional, so as to gain an advantage in doing business in China. Allowing CLB is, therefore, a cop-out.”
“Recent interviews and feedback from teachers of these pupils are that many of these students, if given a chance, can be motivated to work hard and even take on leadership roles. Labelling these students as Normal and, by inference, not as good as their peers in the Express and other streams could be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The students may internalise this negative perception of themselves that they are weak, ill-disciplined students and, therefore, behave exactly as they are perceived. Sir, I urge the Ministry to speed up its review of the curriculum and teaching methods for this group of students on an urgent basis, as change is sorely needed here if we want to ensure that every student's potential is developed to the fullest. Further, the criteria for lateral transfer between Normal (Technical) and Normal (Academic) streams should be reviewed in conjunction with the syllabus, as it has been reported that making the transition from Normal (Technical) to Normal (Academic) is extremely difficult, because of the big gulf between the syllabi of the two streams. Moreover, since the stream started 10 years ago, no Normal (Technical) student has ever made it to Secondary 5, as the criteria required to go up the ladder are just too difficult to meet for the Normal (Technical) students. This, again, could be a demotivational factor for Normal (Technical) students, as they see the hurdle placed before them as being extremely difficult to cross, even if they have a dream to pursue. Mother Tongue”
“Sir, the many changes that are being made to upper secondary, JC as well as university education - have largely been welcomed by Singaporeans but will essentially benefit only the top 20% or so of the secondary schools, leading to the feeling of elitism by some. In contrast, time seem to have stood still for the Normal (Technical) education programme, as its curriculum has remained essentially the same for the past 10 years. In fact, a teacher in the Normal (Technical) stream recently told me that there is only one Mathematics text book for this stream - the very same one since streaming started. The Normal (Technical) students seem to be poor forgotten cousins in the grand edifice of our world-class education system. I understand that some teachers have been asking that the textbooks for the Normal (Technical) stream be rewritten, and they were recently told by MOE officials that the earliest the changes can be made is only in 2006, some three years later. With due respect, I do not understand why the Ministry needs three years to implement these changes. The Ministry's recent announcement that the syllabus and teaching methods for the Normal (Technical) stream will be reviewed has come none too soon. Allowing the better Normal (Technical) students to take up to two subjects, like Science and Mathematics, at the higher level, similar to their counterparts in the Normal (Academic) stream, is clearly welcomed. As noted by the Principal of Hai Sing Catholic School, Mrs Mary Koh, these changes would have far-reaching effects. But, more importantly, it will raise the self-esteem of these pupils and boost their confidence.”
“It will also reinforce the signal that we are trying to send out now to parents and students of the importance of an all-rounded balanced education, not fixated solely on examination scores. 4.30 pm I would like to ask the Minister if this special scheme can be expanded and also extended to neighbourhood schools which have also built up some niche areas that they would like to promote, such as the Arts and Science. This will enable our education system to allow more students to pursue their individual passions and develop special talents in our quest to broaden the students' exceptional experience and as the Minister has said, to achieve not just high averages, but many peaks of excellence. Of course, the principle of meritocracy should still remain the key pillar of our admission system, even while the schools are given flexibility, so that overall fairness and transparency prevails. Hence, the students admitted based on these special abilities should be interviewed and perhaps be subjected to some proficiency tests. Additionally, the school admission system could be subject to some audit, at least in the initial years of the implementation of the special admission scheme if this is taken up. Holistic Education”
“Sir, again, I am pleased that the MOE has accepted the notion that educational attainment can be broad-based and need not focus on academic results alone. Hence, the university admission criteria have been changed, such that the universities now have the flexibility to use their own discretion to admit up to 10% of the annual intake. In fact, the Remaking Singapore Committee had also noted in its report that ranking students based on the single aggregate score, including languages as a compulsory component, may be too rigid a way of determining admission to schools and universities. Sir, in line with this new mantra of education, which is diversity and flexibility in order to allow students to pursue their passions and develop special talents, I would like to ask the Minister if the admission system for secondary schools would be modified in line with the many changes at the post-secondary and tertiary levels. Presently, the autonomous and independent schools can admit up to 5% to 10% of their student intake who, they believe, will boost the schools' niche area of expertise but whose PSLE aggregate scores do not meet the schools' cut-off point. For instance, Tanjong Katong Girls' School's niche is in music, and Bukit Panjang Government High School's special areas are in Science and the Malay language. Such a scheme allows schools to look at the summary indicators, consider abilities not fully assessed in the PSLE system, and admit singularly talented students or students who have reached proficiency in most of the relevant subjects but whose aggregate scores may be dragged down by one or two subjects.”
“Indeed, the usefulness of the school ranking system will be diminished in future, as many of the current top schools offer integrated and through-train programmes in which students do not sit for the 'O' level examinations. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Chew Heng Ching) in the Chair] 4.25 pm The Ministry could adopt the Remaking Singapore Committee's banded concept of ranking but, at the same time, also highlight the other awards given to the schools in recognition of their effort to give students an all-rounded education. For instance, the value-added school ranking is a good system that should not only be retained, but more intensely publicised. Until now, the public's attention has been focused on school ranking. A Straits Times poll showed that whilst pupils have no trouble recognising the top ranked schools in Singapore, they are in the dark about value-added schools. In fact, a parent noted that it was not even clear about the concept of value added. Hence, besides modifying the ranking system and giving out other non-academic and best practices awards, these other awards should also be widely promoted and publicised, say, on the MOE's website and in the students' guide to secondary schools. School Admissions”
“Sir, the Minister's recent announcement that the school ranking system would be reviewed is yet another refreshing change taking place in the education system. Since its introduction in 1992, there has been endless gripe in this House and outside that the exercise, which is based heavily on academic performance and ranks schools individually, makes schools even more examination-oriented and leads to unhealthy pressure on principals, teachers, students and parents. All of us must have read reports of schools offering only subjects which students find easier to get good grades, as well as schools advising students to drop subjects they are likely to do badly in to avoid pulling down the schools' overall ranking. The system has also been criticised as it does not give a complete picture of the schools' achievement. MOE has, for years, stoutly defended the merits of the ranking system as a benchmarking tool for schools to know how they fare nationally, and for the parents and students to make informed choices when selecting schools. Partly, to overcome the negative impact of ranking, MOE had, over the years, introduced various awards to recognise the achievements of schools, not only academically. Nonetheless, the school ranking system has continued to be the main focus of the public's attention. The Remaking Singapore Committee had proposed that the current system of ranking be modified into a banded concept instead of individual school rankings. Ranking schools by bands will still give schools an idea of their performance in relation to other schools. But because there is anonymity in the exact ranking within the band, it would eradicate some of the unhealthy competition arising from jostling for a few places.”
“These principals and teachers alike have already said that this should raise the self-esteem and boost the confidence of many of the Normal (Technical) students, and I have no doubt it will do the same for EM3 students. As regards the GEP students, they should also co-mingle with the other students for non-examinable subjects, such as health education and social studies to foster greater interaction among the students. Also, the teaching methodology used for GEP students, which has been found to be more interactive and train the minds to be more analytical, should also be made available to other students. The primary benefit of streaming has always been said to allow students of different abilities to progress at different pace and, hence, keep all in schools for a longer term. Otherwise, the very weak students may give up and prematurely drop out of school. However, streaming, especially at a very young age, may inevitably penalise the laggard and cause irreparable psychological damage, such as low self-esteem due to the stigma of labelling. With the latest emphasis on different pathways to success, diversity and flexibility, as well as the various changes that have already been made, there is really no need to keep this sacred cow intact. I think it should be sent to the veterinarian once more for thorough re- examination.”
“Sir, the recent changes in education policy - easing of the MTL requirement for university admission, introduction of CLB, broadening the school ranking system - is a breath of fresh air for battered, weary parents and educationists, who have been groaning endlessly about the pressures of our education system. However, one favourite bugbear remains intact, and that is streaming. Sir, once again, in the new spirit of never say never and with a little bit more hope, I would like to comment briefly on this issue and urge the Ministry to dismantle the system, at least at the fringes where the merits of streaming are no more obvious. In fact, the cause of streaming, such as the negative self-esteem of the child, could far outweigh the benefits, if any, that can be achieved from streaming in these instances. Sir, at the primary school level, the only major material difference between EM1 and EM2 curriculum is MTL. That being the case, is there any good reason for retaining EM1 and EM2 in the first instance? Students in the present EM1 can take their MTL lessons at a higher level while all the other subjects can be co-mingled with their EM2 counterparts so that there is no necessity to separate the students into two streams. This will obviously encourage greater social interaction between the so-called superior and the less endowed ones. Doing away with the EM1 and EM2 classes would effectively mean causing much less stress to close to 90% of the parents since the EM1 and EM2 cohort makes up close to 90% of the cohort. Similarly, EM3 students should be allowed the option to take some EM2 subjects in the same way that Normal (Technical) students are to be permitted to take some Normal (Academic) subjects to provide a route for them to take their 'O' levels.”
“Applying NTU's approach inits revised admission standards for the discretionary 10%, proven sporting talent should form the first criterion for selection of the Sports School students. Then those with acceptable academic results, down to Normal Technical should form the next set of criteria for admission into the programme, subject to the number of places available. Sir, having invested millions in the Sports School, with more to be invested, it will indeed be a shame if the School has to settle for mediocrity in sports, and perhaps miss out on our future local Olympic gold medalist due to our fixation on academic achievement as our measure of success.”
“Sir, the opening of the multi-million dollar Sports School with the state-of-the-art facilities is a testimony of the Government's commitment to nurturing and developing our sporting talent and thus should be applauded. However, I read with dismay the Sports School's initial announcement that only Primary 6 students who had PSLE results that qualified them for the Express Stream in secondary schools can be admitted, while those who do not can only be admitted on a case-by-case basis. While I appreciate the Sports School's flexibility in eventually admitting some 30-odd students whose PSLE results did not meet the minimum academic criteria, I feel that this minimum set of academic criteria for the school goes against the grain of what ought to be the objectives of setting up the Sports School in the first place, which is to nurture children with sporting talent and maximise their potential in the field of sports, instead of being constrained by conventional norms of what constitutes success. Sir, I disagree that the school should be primarily for students who are both talented in sports and studies. If so, as one writer to the Straits TimesForum page noted, "We are then settling for mediocrity in sporting talent by not wanting to nurture children with outstanding sporting talent but who may fall short of the academic standards set". Furthermore, the very act of only allowing Normal stream students admission on a case-by-case basis is a signal that academic performance is still the yardstick for measuring success. At the same time, it is an indictment of Normal stream students and it seems to indicate that these students are not considered for the Sports School, despite their proven talent.”
“Since the National Waste Recycling Programme was launched in 2001 to encourage recycling among households, the recycling rate for residents in public and private housing estates has increased. I understand it is now 45%, up from 15% when the programme was first launched. For condominiums alone, the recycling rate increased from 4% in 2002 to 20% in 2003. These are indeed very commendable results. 4.30 pm I would like to ask the Minister what new initiatives would be launched to further improve household recycling rates, especially in condominiums since the recycling rate of 20% is still low compared to public housing. Would the Minister also consider implementing schemes which encourage households to actually reduce waste instead of just encouraging more recycling? For instance, would the Ministry be looking at, say, giving rebates to HDB precincts, condominiums and households in private estates which generate waste below various threshold levels to encourage residents to look at waste minimisation? As all habits die hard, and it is difficult to teach old dogs new tricks, it would be better to teach our young the value of waste minimisation and recycling. I would like to ask the Minister to give us his assessment of how successful the Ministry has been in reaching out to our young to inculcate in them greater environmental awareness, and what other new initiatives would the Ministry be implementing.”
“Sir, last year, the Minister gave a very colourful account of our environment and noted that the sky is generally a healthy blue. However, recently, some residents in Jurong have expressed concern about the air quality in their area. In fact, it appears that many Singaporeans prefer to live in the east, as they feel that the air in the east is fresher than in the west, because the latter is heavily industrialised. I would like to ask the Minister if there is any difference in air quality between the eastern and western parts of Singapore and, if so, what has been or will be done to ensure that the air quality in the west is within the healthy range. Recently, it was reported that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of children who have asthma, which is a sickness related to air quality and air pollution. Of course, we know that severe asthma can lead to death. I would thus like to ask the Minister: (1) How does our air quality compare to international standards? (2) Are we still one of the cleanest cities in terms of air quality and, if so, why are more of our children becoming prone to asthma? (3) Are there any other areas of concern regarding our air quality in the medium and long term, as Singapore continues to urbanise and our vehicle population increases? Further, I note that the NEA, together with other relevant agencies, has launched the use of some green taxis and buses in a bid to reduce pollution and ensure that there will always be clean air. I would like to ask the Minister what has and would be done to promote greater use of green vehicles and clean energy to ensure that Singaporeans will always enjoy clean air.”
“BCA should encourage Government departments to allow contractors with expertise and registration in different types of works – civil or engineering – to form joint ventures to tender for projects requiring different expertise. There should be no necessity for Government departments to require at least one of the contractors in a joint venture to have expertise in all types of work required as this would effectively bar many smaller and medium sized contractors. A case in point is the ferry terminal project at Marine Coastal Drive. I understand that for this project, even if there is a joint venture, at least one of the partners in the joint venture must have registration for both civil and building works in order to be eligible for the tender of this project. I would like to urge the Minister to look into these issues and concerns.”
“Sir, the construction industry has been contracting since the Asian financial crisis. In fact, conventional wisdom is that more contractors will go belly up in the coming months. Our construction industry has contributed much to Singapore’s physical development and would continue to play a role in the economy, albeit a smaller one. We must not forget our experience with the shipping industry which, up to just a few years ago, was considered a sunset industry destined to oblivion. Now on the back of enhanced international trade flows, it is a thriving industry again and one of the few industries able to offer jobs to our unemployed. Whilst the Government should not interfere in the market to help poorly managed, unproductive firms, we must take care not to implement rules and practices which add to the woes of our long suffering contractors. Last year, I had mentioned in my cut on the construction industry that many contractors feel that though Government regulations are well intentioned, it is as if they are being pushed to "pai tui tiou lou" – Hokkein for "Queue up to commit suicide". Indeed, I think the many high profile incidents of stalled work as a result of contractors going bust that took place subsequently proved this point – that many contractors had indeed submitted low suicidal bids due not only to the poor economy, but, according to many contractors, the competition for jobs at all costs in order to meet the requirements to remain on the BCA registration system. Besides modifying the requirements of the registration system to mitigate this problem, I would like to highlight another area that the BCA could look into.”
“I am sure we can see the value of facilitating cross-neighbourly interaction in this way, and this can form the basis of enhancing social networking, mutual support and promoting better multi-cultural ties of HDB dwellers. I would like to ask what are the Ministry's plans to research and pilot new forms of block designs that can further enhance community living in our high-rise environment. Aging HDB Flats”
“Ngiam Tee Liang (Nominated Member): Madam, following my parliamentary colleagues' "upgrading" requests, I would also like to add another request, what I term the "neighbourliness upgrading programme". Let me elaborate. Over the decades, HDB has greatly improved its designs of residential blocks of flats, in terms of the corners, lift landings, and other common areas, in keeping with changing environmental conditions and expectations of residents. Generally, this has helped to provide, to some extent, the opportunity for fellow residents living in the same block to interact with each other. However, I think more can be done to improve the layout of the common areas for residents to come together as neighbours in small groups. For instance, a principle could be adopted that for a small cluster of families, say, between 8 and 10 units each sharing a common corridor, we could have a neighbours' corner built into or along the corridor. The neighbours' corner could be a common space for residents living around it to use as a neutral ground for various interactional and social activities for their mutual benefit. For example, children from different units can play together outside their flats in this neighbours' corner and, yet, are within earshot and the watchful eyes of their parents or child-minders. Teenage neighbours can also gather together to discuss study matters or hobbies. In the evenings, their parents and grandparents can chat with each other also. During festive occasions, the neighbours' corner can be a lively scene as neighbours celebrate the occasion and tuck into meals they have cooked and shared with each other.”
“Madam, the granny flats or studio apartment experiment which started in 1998 has been quite successful, though take-up had initially been slow. I am pleased that the HDB will be building new studio apartments which will be integrated with other HDB flat types in the same block. This will definitely encourage some degree of social interaction between the seniors and families at earlier stages of their life cycles and promote the "ageing in place" concept and perhaps make these granny flats even more attractive. But, better still, if the children of these senior citizens requiring such flats are allowed to pay for all or part of the price of the flat using a portion of their CPF. To further encourage family responsibility, perhaps children who own a flat near their aged parents and who are looking at buying a granny flat nearby to accommodate them be allowed some form of a discount. I also urge the BCA to develop a Code of Best Practices on housing for the elderly so that both private and public house builders could incorporate such elderly-friendly features into their designs. We have a Code of Accessibility for the Disabled. We need barrier-free access for the elderly, not just within the block, but also between blocks within the precinct, between buildings and, say, across roads and other administrative boundaries. We create a seamless elderly friendly environment. The ageing population could, in time to come, overwhelm the rest of the population. We thus cannot ignore its impact. We need to give our senior citizens a sense that they are not a liability despite their age, that they are a part of our society, and that their interests are looked after. HDB Apartment Blocks Assoc. Prof.”
“However, with an ageing population, having lifts on each floor is fast becoming a basic necessity and not a choice. I would, therefore, urge the Ministry to adopt this new attitude of never-say-never to reconsider adding lifts to such walk-up flats. Advancement in technology and innovative designs could help to minimise costs. Otherwise, another option would be to tear down these blocks and consider alternative uses for the vacant site.”
“Madam, the highly publicised stalled upgrading works at Marine Terrace has caused many HDB residents to be wary of upgrading whereas they had previously eagerly awaited their turn for the precinct to be called "Yet Another HDB Upgrading Precinct". But despite the hiccups, such as the falling windows, delays and complaints of poor workmanship, all things being equal, upgrading has generally improved the value of HDB flats and the living environment for residents. However, for the MUP projects that receive the go-ahead, I urge the Ministry to review the upgrading package, cut away the frills and concentrate on the truly important components. In these days of belt-tightening and keeping in view the need for economy for long-term maintenance, the improvements planned need to be practical and useful to the residents. This will also help to make the cost more affordable to residents who have to co-pay more in the case of MUP. In one estate, the voting went narrowly against the upgrading programme to the chagrin of those who supported it. This is unfair to the majority. Presumably, this occurred because the dissenters do not wish or do not have the means to pay for their share. Having a more basic package could help make this more affordable and reduce the risk of this occurring. In the case of IUP-Plus, where lifts are added to every floor, with affected residents paying only a very small share, the majority of residents welcomed the initiative. In this case, the perennial bugbear is the exclusion of the 4-storey walk-up flats in the Lift Upgrading Programme. The reason given by the Government for the exclusion has always been the high cost of adding lifts to these flats for a relatively small number of beneficiaries.”
“--- as well as reducing the price to attract more buyers. Rental Flats”
“A reverse tender works like this: selling prices of HDB flats in a particular estate are predetermined, and private developers are invited to bid for the development. This would be like a variation of the present EC scheme. The developer's profit stems from how efficiently and effectively they build and launch these units. This ensures that public flats are still affordable while giving home buyers a wider variety of design choices. As regards the walk-in selection system implemented by the HDB for its surplus flats, I urge the Ministry to consider selling these flats on a daily basis, as each day that these flats remain vacant represents a wastage and misallocation of resources and costs to taxpayers. For instance, one of the estates at Jalan Bahar, which is within my constituency, has a high number of vacant flats, due primarily to noise pollution from the Tengah Air Base. In fact, in one of the blocks completed some five years ago, only two of the 80-odd units in the block are occupied. The HDB should adopt a more aggressive pro-active, pro-market and pro-customer approach to sell these flats, say, by allowing applications on a daily basis ---”
“Sir, I appreciate that the Build-to-Order (BTO) system of housing allocation is intended to be a more responsive way of housing provision by limiting the building of new flats to estates or blocks in which a minimum number of applications have been received. But this has the unfortunate consequence that those who are keen in a particular location cannot have a flat if the total applications fall just below the minimum target set by HDB. HDB then becomes the target to blame. The most recent casualty of the system is the much-touted 50-storey HDB blocks to be built at Duxton Plain. Additionally, this system brings uncertainty to applicants, many of whom are young couples planning to get married, as they cannot be sure when the estate will receive the minimum number of applications to trigger construction and, hence, when they can expect to get their flats. This could cause inconvenience and disruptions to their plans to get married, start a family, and so on. I would thus like to ask how the Ministry intends to overcome such problems arising from the BTO system. Besides closely monitoring the demand for the different types of flats and changing the mix, if required, to ensure good take up, the Ministry could also peg the minimum percentage of applications needed to trigger construction based on market conditions and responses. It could also provide applicants with more definitive target date of completion of the project, to accord some certainty and transparency to the applicants. Perhaps the Ministry can additionally consider one of the ERC's Land Work Group's recommendations that a reverse tender system be initiated to allow more suppliers and spread the risks that HDB faces from over-building.”
“At my meet-the-people sessions, almost without fail, there would be appeals related to downgrading and rental housing. In view of what appears to be a significant U-turn in demand preferences, I urge the Minister to undertake a comprehensive study to better understand Singaporeans' preferences and the need for the various housing options. At the appropriate time, the Ministry should consider reviving the building of 3-room flats, perhaps starting out as a small percentage of the total stock. This will provide families with tighter budgets an option to own a smaller flat that is more affordable. Furthermore, as Singaporeans begin to think of housing more in terms of consumption than investment, there is room for a larger and more active rental market. Besides catering to the lower income groups, there could also be young Singaporeans who do not wish to be tied down by a housing mortgage.”
“Sir, last year, the Minister had said that the massive restructuring of HDB is to enable a leaner HDB to react to market conditions more efficiently. The Minister also noted that the days of high demand for HDB flats are over and, with growing affluence, more Singaporeans will aspire to own private housing. The Government is thus scaling back its public housing programme and its medium term aim is to adjust the ratio of public to private housing to a ratio of 75:25. I would like to ask the Minister, since HDB's restructuring, what plans have been implemented or are afoot to enable HDB to better react to changing demand conditions, scale back its public housing programme and work towards the 75:25 housing mix and open up the public housing market to private sector developers. Within the public housing sector, the trend towards upgrading to larger flats has reversed in the last couple of years. HDB had stopped building 3-room flats on the ground that our citizens' housing aspirations have risen. But there is now a current glut of several thousand unsold HDB flats, many of them larger ones. HDB's building programme had halted because of a steep fall in demand. However, the resale market has been very active, especially for the 3- and 4-room flats. This is a clear reflection of the downgrading trend. While the current economy has been a major factor in this process, it is very plausible - with the tightening of CPF rules for housing purchase and the requirement to use increasing amounts of cash for downpayment - that this downgrading phenomenon may be entrenched for a long time. Our ageing population can also exacerbate this phenomenon. So besides this downgrading phenomenon, there are also more people desiring to rent a flat.”
“Sir, Singapore's population will age rapidly over the next 30 years. In 1999, about 1 in 15 of the resident population were aged 65 and above. This is projected to increase to 1 in 5 by year 2030. The dependency ratio for the 65 years and above will triple, from 1:10 to 3:10 over the same period. I am pleased that the Government has always adopted a pro-family stance. PM Goh, in his recent Chinese New Year speech, lamented the erosion of family values, and noted that strong and stable families make for a strong and cohesive society. DPM Lee has also reinforced this in his Budget speech. With an increasingly aging population, more and more of our workforce will be buckling under the strain of caring for both the young and old. While we hope that the procreation measures to be announced in August will reverse this, our singles population is also set to increase. An emerging trend is that the singles tend to end up being the ones to look after their aged parents, since most of them would be living with their parents. I would thus like to ask the Prime Minister to consider repositioning the child sick leave to family leave, and extending this leave to civil servants who need to look after their elderly parents and young children when they fall sick, regardless of the marital status. Ex gratia Payment”
“Mating and procreation are part of our DNA, ensuring the survival of a species. But beyond that, as any parent, myself included, can attest to, there is unspeakable joy in raising children. Caring for a baby, stroking his hair, watching him learn to walk, utter the first syllables, return from school with excitement at what the teacher has taught, watching him play with new friends, win a competition, eventually going through university, graduating, marrying and having his own children, this is, as one recent property advertisement would say, "priceless". As can be seen from the multitude of sometimes divergent measures that have already been proposed both in and outside of this House, there can be no one perfect solution as there will always be trade-offs. There will be some pain to be borne by employers, employees themselves, and the state. To me, the path to more babies must begin with the mindset change from all three parties in terms of their attitude towards women in the workforce, responsibilities of child-rearing and the perceived role of women in society. But above all else, Sir, I would like to stress that, even as the Committee on Procreation evaluates the multitudes of possible measures, I urge them to please listen to the women. With this, I support the Budget.”
“Assurances must be given that their concerns, such as some tax relief for looking after their aged parents, like in the form of foreign maid relief or family leave instead of maternity or paternity leave to look after the aged sick, could be considered. Singles, particularly women who are single by default and not by choice because they hitherto had been unable to find a suitable life partner, need help. At the individual level, the dilemma facing them as well as working women is not very different: how to balance work with their personal or social life? At the national level, how to balance the need for manpower, or more correctly woman power, in the workforce with our drive to raise the fertility rates? I would urge the SDU to continue redoubling its effort, even if the success rate is not very high. Each successful match gives the potential of at least one more baby. Perhaps SDU could start programmes even at the tertiary institutions, say, in conjunction with orientation and later perhaps a preparatory course for final year students on grooming, communication, social and interview skills to prepare them for their work and social life and allow them more opportunities to meet. I also urge the Government to relook at rules to permit adoption of children and guardianship by single women. Perhaps there is concern that such children growing up in an incomplete family environment will grow up dysfunctional. But I believe the risk is worth taking in order to confer the joys of motherhood and satisfy the maternal instincts of single women who, for biological or other reasons, are unlikely to be able to find a mate and procreate. Indeed, the decision to have children is ultimately not about the incentives but rather the whole experience of parenthood.”
“Firstly, there was much confusion caused as some staff swapped their Saturdays for various reasons. Secondly, productivity was low on Saturdays as inevitably many exhibited the "weekend is here, time to go slow" syndrome. Since we started on a 5-day work week, we have not suffered from any loss of productivity of business and, of course, staff are much happier. Additionally, it must be noted that a 5-day work week does not mean that an organisation cannot remain open on Saturdays. For Government and other organisations that need to do so, a staggered 5-day work week could be implemented. I understand, for instance, that IRAS is already on a 5/5/6 schedule. With some effort and a little imagination, the 5-day work week can be instituted without loss of quality of service or productivity. With the 5-day work week and with other flexi-work arrangements, family members could spend more time with each other and perhaps our divorce rates, which have been increasing, could be reduced. Finally, my third point, re-assuring the singles. In all the discourse about procreation and motherhood, we must not unwittingly discriminate against the singles. There is a need to assure our singles that they are an equally important part of our society and equally valued. Single women aged 15 years and above, for instance, form a sizeable portion of our workforce, 38%, or about 350,000 as at June 2003, of all employed women in Singapore. The absolute number is even higher than the number of employed single males aged 15 years and above, which is about 320,000.”
“If the civil service were to become a model family-friendly employer to set the example and lead other organisations, then all civil servants who are in charge of staff must be convinced that the organisation will benefit from such arrangements. Private sector firms too need to be convinced of the merits of allowing flexi-work arrangements as these are hardly found in most private sector firms now, except the MNCs. The Manpower Ministry, together with WDA and NTUC, could develop best practices, go on a publicity blitz and highlight case studies of how overseas and local organisations can successfully implement such work arrangements without suffering from negative impact. They could form a tripartite task force to work with companies seeking to develop such practices, similar to what was done for the flexi-wage system. I would also like to ask the Government to seriously reconsider adopting the 5-day work week as one of its family-friendly practices, as many of my parliamentary colleagues before me have spoken on. When this was first proposed by the Remaking Singapore Committee to allow Singaporeans more time to spend with their families, build stronger bonds and improve their quality of life, it was opposed rather robustly on grounds that it would reduce our productivity and competitiveness which we can ill-afford. However, having a 5-day work week does not necessarily reduce productivity. Firstly, many manufacturing companies, as well as numerous other private sector companies, are already on a 5-day work week. My company, for instance, was on the alternate Saturday-off system, as we felt that clients may want to meet us on Saturdays. Three years ago, we implemented the 5-day work week as we felt that there was not much achieved staying open on Saturdays.”
“But, I also know that there is a thin line between the loss of our competitive drive and the desire to have a more flexible life-style choice, because nobody owes us a living. Couples need to re-balance work and family life and employers can help to provide a more family-friendly work environment by being flexible in their HR practices. Best practices would include things like alternative work schedules, flexi-time, part-time job, job sharing and such. Such flexi-work arrangements are not just beneficial to employees with young children, but also those with elderly to care for. With an increasingly ageing population, more and more we are having a workforce that is buckling under the strain of caring for both the young and the old. Companies in the West which implemented family-friendly work practices have found that instead of hindering productivity, there has been lower staff turnover, reduced absenteeism, more motivated employees and enhanced performance. This has in turn enabled the company to attract a quality workforce and boosted profits. HP in the US reported that encouraging employees to work flexible hours has led to a turnover rate which is lower than the industry average, whilst at a Xerox customer operations site, there was reduced absenteeism when flexi-time was implemented. The Straits Times dated 5th March 2004 reported that although the civil service has a number of family-friendly work practices in place, in the last five years, just 900 or 1.5% of the 60,000 civil servants have some kind of flexi-work arrangements. There may be some resistance from immediate supervisors unable to see the long-term benefits of a family-friendly approach because of short-term cost and disruptions.”
“One concern some of my male parliamentarians have shared with me as to why longer paternity leave or some other permutations will meet with resistance from the Committee on Procreation, is that this will add to the current leave employers will have to give to our NS men for reservist training and thus again add to employers' cost. My rejoinder will be that if making children is now considered as crucial as fighting for the country, surely one solution could be to look at offsetting at least part of the extra days of paternity leave from the reservist training period. Additionally, tax incentives, such as child relief and maid levy, should not only be made more attractive but also allowed to be taken by either the husband or wife so that it is not only working mothers that can benefit. Let me share that it takes much more courage and sacrifice for the women to decide not to work in order to look after their children and this should again be applauded and not penalised. In sum, parenthood and not motherhood should be promoted so that women would truly feel that there is gender parity and need not have to vacillate between career or child-rearing. They can opt for both if they desire. Secondly, re-balancing work life. One of the victims the stresses of a fast-paced and competitive environment have claimed is the low fertility of Singapore couples. Even those who wish to conceive may find either time has passed them by because they have focused so much attention on growing their career just to keep up with their peers, or that they face stress-related biological difficulties. Sir, I am greatly tempted to argue for a slower pace of life so that we can stop and smell the roses.”
“Instead, the notion should be one of shared responsibilities between the husband and wife in all aspects of family life, including child-rearing, which should not fall squarely on the wife, just as the joys of parenthood are not exclusive to the mother. It is, therefore, timely that the Government should look into harmonising policies on medical benefits for women in the civil service and citizenship rights of children born to a Singaporean mother but non-Singaporean father. The justifications for these policies have basically been that we are an essentially Eastern Confucianist and patriarchal society where the husband is recognised as head of the household. These policies should be harmonised so as to signal the equality or parity of treatment of both sexes and the Government's support for the family. Moreover, as we seek to increase our birth rates, should we therefore not send signals to show that we welcome the foreign-born child of the Singaporean women with foreign husbands just as we do if it is the father who is Singaporean. To further reinforce the message of shared responsibilities of men and women in parenthood and offset the concerns of discrimination of women due to extended maternity leave, fathers could be given longer paternity leave, up from the current three days to, say, at least 7-10 days. Even Japan, a traditionally patriarchal country, has funds set aside by the Government to encourage fathers to go on leave as it recognises that the willingness of men to help care for the child and do household chores will affect their wives' desire to have children.”
“But deeper than that, we need a change of mindset that puts the family - in the fullest sense of the word, and not merely referring to husband, wife and children - at its rightful place in the social psyche of our nation. This third aspect of the "baby blues" problem is what I wish to deal with and that relates to changing minds and creating life. Let me talk about the 3Rs - re-distributing gender roles, re-balancing worklife and re-assuring the singles. First, redistributing gender roles. The issue of procreation is linked to the larger issue of gender roles facing women and how Singapore society perceives them. Due to societal and cultural norms still held by many Singaporeans, signals from the Government which speak of a patriarchal and male-dominated society and our own drive for self-actualisation as a result of better education, Singaporean women are torn between demands of work and their duties as wife, mother and daughter. Sometimes, subtle or not-so-subtle discrimination which women face at the workplace adds further stress to us and, in fact, helps to compel women into an either/or situation - either a career, in which case, marriage, child-bearing and child-rearing can wait, and all the while the biological clock is ticking away, or extended motherhood, and the Singapore workforce is thereby impoverished by the loss of women who choose, even if temporarily, to leave their jobs to fulfil their other calling. As women become increasingly more well-educated and more join the workforce, there will be more women earning more salaries than their spouses. Hence, the notion of a patriarchy is becoming more and more irrelevant.”
“Common reasons cited by Singaporeans for this baby strike range from more women choosing to remain single, opportunity cost of a career versus motherhood, emergence of the 24/7 work culture, forcing employees to work even longer hours and therefore have little time or energy for bedroom exploits, job insecurity due to erosion of the concept of lifelong employment, lack of infant-care facilities, and many people's favourite bugbear, the stressful education system. Like numerous other working mothers in Singapore, I have also experienced many of these concerns. I struggled with the decision of starting a family after I got married and deferred motherhood for six years as I had wanted to focus on my career first. I feared that I could not cope with both having children and a career and I also wanted to further my studies. Nonetheless, I had my first child at 31, after seeing how proud my friends were of their children and the family, love and bonding they shared. My husband and I have never looked back on that decision since. Now we have three children. We could have more if I had started earlier. Raising three children and having a career have not been easy. But I have been very fortunate because my husband has always shared the responsibilities of child-rearing with me and my parents are able to help me look after the children. I know that many other working couples may not be able to rely on their parents and may face a host of problems arranging for suitable childcare. Therefore, as is widely acknowledged, a holistic approach is needed. We need the fiscal incentives to prod couples to have more children, and we also need the physical and social infrastructure to facilitate child-minding.”
“Hence, we need to focus on what DPM Lee calls "building the next generation". I am particularly pleased that DPM Lee did not simply entitle this part of the Budget "making babies", because, in truth, the issue is not merely about having enough people to fill the slots in our production lines, or meet the Ministry of Manpower's projections on the number of PhDs we need to achieve our goals for growing the biotech sector. These, we can, to some extent, import. Instead, we need to produce many crops of young Singaporeans who are able and willing to take up arms to defend our country, to feel a bond for this place we call home. In a nutshell, we need to build future generations of Singaporeans, born and bred here. The enormous amount of sometimes conflicting opinions and proposals that have been received goes to show that there is no quick fix nor a one-size-fits-all solution. This vexing issue has challenged our finest minds ever since the problem was first highlighted by the then PM, SM Lee, more than 20 years ago in 1983. Despite various measures introduced in 1987 and 2000 to arrest the birth decline, our 2003 TFR at 1.26 is even lower than the 1.6 TFR of 1983. Yet, an MCDS' survey on the social attitudes of Singaporeans in 2001 indicates that the vast majority, ie, 84% of Singaporeans, agreed that it is better to get married than to remain single, and 89% agreed that married couples should have children.”
“Workers' pay cuts have also generally not been restored and this is painful for many families. Analysts and businessmen alike believed a cut in the personal income tax rates could help stimulate domestic consumption demand and put the recovering, but perhaps still somewhat fragile economy, on an even firmer footing. On top of this lack of "goodies" for individuals, the advance notice that university fees are set to go up, the introduction of means testing for healthcare subsidies, as well as the recent announcements of the deadline for the implementation of a flexible wage system, have brought on concerns, especially for the lower-middle and middle income groups who may be at the margins of disposable income. For this group of people, there may be the feeling of a middle income squeeze. Some assurance is needed here that the Government will take these concerns into account when the policies on means testing and university fee revisions are deliberated and implemented. There is also some fear that the new "S" employment passes for middle-level skilled foreign labour with a minimum salary of $1,800 would compete unfairly against our local labour and nudge them out of some jobs. The MOM and WDA must assure workers that the "S" pass holders are only for industries where there is a shortage of relevant skilled workers. They should keep up efforts to help our workers, particularly the older ones, find jobs and remain employable. My next point on building the next generation. This year's Budget acknowledges that our twin problems of a declining birth rate and an aging population could deplete our most valuable resource and thereby threaten our economic survival. We have neither land nor natural resources to speak of. What we do have is our people.”
“I think of the gargantuan budget deficits which USA is now grappling with to finance their Iraq war effort, battle terrorism and boost consumption by cutting taxes, and I shudder to think of the long-term consequences that this may have on the mighty US economy and the rest of the world. Unlike many countries, Singapore has generally acted prudently - some would say, too prudently - in its public finances. However, I would urge the Ministries to ensure that the standard of service delivery to the public will not be affected by such cuts. More importantly, in their drive to protect their own bottomlines, Ministries and statutory boards should not resort to raising fees, because this will place a heavier burden on individuals and private sector businesses. Nor should they compensate by reducing best sourcing projects to the private sector. Indeed, I am quite confident that the outsourcing of non-strategic projects to the private sector will yield cost savings and help towards achieving the 2% expenditure cuts. Therefore, while the Government should be practising prudence in its financial affairs, it should not allow their practice to be too prudent. My next point relates to the middle-income squeeze. Individuals are generally disappointed that there was no cut in the personal income tax rates or any other income tax reliefs, as well as no announcements of any further rebates for utilities and HDB service and conservancy charges. Many, though not expecting much, were expecting at least some form of tax incentives or rebates as the economy was just beginning to recover. Moreover, the impact of this recovery has been quite localised in some industries, for example, some sectors in manufacturing, and has largely not filtered through to the economy as a whole.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, to my mind, the most striking motif of Budget 2004 is the manner in which it lays out the critical social issues that loom in the not-too-distant horizon. Hence, I would venture to call it the nation-building budget. But the Budget is also an acknowledgement that the Government has no magic wand to wave. At the end of the day, there are many trade-offs that have to be made. Let me, first, deal with two of the more mundane but nonetheless important short-term aspects of the Statement. Then, like those before me, and I am sure, those after me, I would like to say my piece on the subject on everyone's lips - making babies. As a woman MP, I feel compelled to lend my voice to this great Singapore baby debate, knowing full well that I am really going to sound like a broken record, if only to impress upon the Government to give weight to our - that is women's - perspectives on this issue. My first point relates to the Government expenditure trimming. Is this prudent practice or practising prudence? Increasingly, the economy drive the Government started some years back seems to be shifting into higher gear. Government expenditure for almost all Ministries will be trimmed by 2% for Year of Assessment 2004 and further next year, if appropriate, to instill financial discipline. It is interesting that this is being implemented at a time when there is widespread belief that the global and domestic economies are recovering. That is a clear recognition that public sector profligacy is a temptation that needs great effort to resist.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister three questions. The first question is on vaccination of chickens. I understand from a report that they are even considering vaccinating the healthy chickens and only culling the affected chickens. Since ours are not infected, why is vaccination not considered? The other question relates to Pulau Ubin. Judging from the long queues that were formed yesterday at Pulau Ubin, free-range chickens remain very popular. Would the farmers be allowed to rear chickens and ducks again when this whole episode blows over? My third question relates to ex-gratia payment for egg farmers should their chickens be culled. How would this be determined? And as I noted earlier, consideration should be given to waive land rentals payable, property tax, etc, in order to help them restart operations in future, as the Minister has hinted that it may not be economically viable.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister three supplementary questions. Firstly, what is the probability of human-to-human transmission and how prepared are the hospitals and our public healthcare system if this should happen? Secondly, how long will it take for the egg farms to restart operations and production, if they were to be shut down, and what would be the impact on supply and demand, and would this shutdown period be taken into account when determining ex-gratia compensation for the farmers? Finally, can the Minister update us on the situation in Pulau Ubin, as I have heard that some farmers are unhappy over the need to get rid of their ducks and chickens? Would they be allowed to restart operations in future?”
“Sir, could not the issue of a borrower having too many credit cards and therefore getting into trouble be handled by the credit bureau?”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister if the Malaysian side has formally raised the issue of the now preferred straight bridge on our side of the Causeway.”
“Sir, again, I would like to thank the Minister for saying that the Ministry will review the criteria. But I would like to ask the Minister to consider whether setting the criterion at Express Stream and not Normal (Technical) or Normal (Academic) would not also be a signal of an indictment actually of the capabilities of Normal Stream students as to their future potential, should they fall out of the Sports School and look for another career. Why should it be set at Express Stream? Should it not be reviewed seriously to take into consideration that Normal (Technical) students could also have other future? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, it is for that reason that we have admitted 26 Normal (Academic) and two Normal (Technical) students, because we think these students have the potential to excel in both. In other words, they are able to complete the academic requirements of a Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) course and yet, at the same time, they display high potential talent in sports and, therefore, we are of the view that they can complete both and do well in both. What are the post-secondary options for these kids? I think it would be best left to the school to decide. We have to establish the criteria but, over time, we should study them and evolve as we go along. As I said earlier, we should give the Sports School a chance to start off. This is the first time we are doing it and, over time, as we learn from these experiences, we will be able to look at it in a more holistic manner.”
“It is still a secondary school and, therefore, at the end of the day, it must meet those academic requirements that we have set for students in Singapore.”
“Sir, first of all, I would like to thank the Minister and the Sports School for exercising flexibility in the admission of this batch of students. But, having said that, I would like to ask the Minister whether setting the minimum academic entry criterion for the Sports School at Express Stream would be a signal that academic performance is still pre-eminent. Would this not be contrary to what the Government has recently been preaching, that we recognise different pathways to success and different abilities of individuals, and would not this be contrary to the very objectives of actually setting up the Sports School? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, on the contrary, as I have stated in my reply, we are looking at students who are talented both in sports and in their studies. So, I do not think we are sending a mixed signal by selecting the minimum criterion as the Express Stream. At the end of the day, we must ensure that when we allow the students to come to the school, they will continue to receive secondary education to ensure that they can complete and go on to post-secondary options. Having said that, Sir, I think we must allow the Sports School to evolve. This is the first time that we are doing it. We have exercised some flexibility in allowing about 30-odd students to come in to the Normal course. We will continue to monitor the situation in the succeeding batch. We will study the requirements and see whether or not we can relax further. In the longer term, the Sports School will look like an ordinary secondary school where we will have the bulk of the students in the Express Stream, with a couple of classes for Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical).”