Ang Hin Kee
Singapore
“But the COVID-19 pandemic has already compelled even countries to relook at their longstanding economic strategy and even geared up to becoming less reliant on others.”
“Will the Ministry consider mirroring the approach taken in the pre-school sector? Childcare centres and kindergartens are licensed under the regulatory framework. This helps to enhance the affordability, accessibility and quality of our pre-schools.”
“Chairman, I have a clarification for the Senior Minister of State Lam. Beyond monitoring the take-up rate of training for aviation crew. I know that the Senior Minister of State takes a personal interest in many transport workers.”
“While we are happy to see those businesses continue to protect and look into the riders' interest but, in the longer term, we may need to consider whether we need to license the operators so that the responsible actions of a few will be the standard for all that are in the industry. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, on the quarantine allowance, over the week, we have spoken to some taxi drivers and private hire drivers, they are very assured that if anyone of them is quarantined, there is a $100 daily allowance given by the Government.”
“One further point of clarification. Grab and Gojek and the likes of Uber are platform operators. When they came onto the Singapore scene, we spent quite a lot of time to persuade them to co-contribute to the MediSave; to find ways to support them in their training; to support them for their healthcare needs although they are freelance dri…”
The complete record
Every one of 282 lines we hold for Ang Hin Kee, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 6.
“The second question relates to whether we will do more to celebrate the courteous engagement between the two, rather than focusing only on harassment cases alone.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I have two clarifications for the Deputy Prime Minister. One, the Deputy Prime Minister earlier mentioned the 400 over cases of harassment against Public Service officers. I would like to find out whether it was virtual harassment or face-to-face harassment, a physical presence. If it was a physical presence, then is PSD also checking the virtual harassment vis-a-vis things like email, Facebook posting or letters that were sent? The public officer may feel there was a harassment to them as far as how they have conducted themselves fairly. Secondly, will PSD also do more to celebrate courteous engagement between public servants and members of the public, in case we just focus on harassment cases alone?”
“The few offending members of the public can cause great distress to the officers and further delay others from receiving the same type of services. We must do our best for a more cordial engagement between our Public Service officers and members of the public. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Harassment against Public Officers”
“Mdm Chair, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head U of the Estimates be reduced by $100." Many Singaporeans have high expectations of the quality of service delivery by our public officers. There has also been greater emphasis on whole-of-Government coordination and no-wrong-door access for public enquiries and requests for service. The Municipal Services Office (MSO) is one such targeted effort by the Government to coordinate and ensure smoother delivery of municipal services, as well as to make public service more citizen-centric. Besides MSO, officers in the Public Service, especially those doing front-line work, should be equipped with the right skills and competencies to deliver good service. At the same time, there should be developmental opportunities for service staff so that they can acquire and broaden their capabilities and be specialists in these areas. With rising expectations on the Public Service to better serve Singaporeans, how is the Public Service Division preparing public officers to help them continue to deliver quality services and continually seek to improve their service delivery? Is there a recognisable training and competency framework targeted at enhancing service delivery? Can the officers look forward to clear career progression pathways for service-related and frontline jobs within the Public Service? Are there also plans to leverage technology to spearhead innovative service initiatives to augment service delivery format? I also want to urge the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to continue with its efforts to protect our officers from abuse and unfair treatment meted out to them by the public.”
“I have a short clarification for the Parliamentary Secretary. Earlier, he mentioned that ECDA will work with SSO for families with vulnerable children. My question relates to children in the care of a foreign spouse due to the Singaporean spouse either passing away or in a state of divorce or in prison. Will ECDA also work with ICA and MOM on employment opportunities and long-term staying rights for this foreign spouse? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Like the SSOs, ECDA will also work with other Government agencies to see how we can help fellow Singaporeans.”
“If not, they may have to leave the country with their children back to their home country. Does the Ministry have figures on the number of children who are impacted under such circumstances? What assistance can we offer to ensure that the children grow up in a supportive Page: 84 environment? Can we provide emotional support for the spouse, as well as education needs for the children and their childcare needs? For such spouses, can we give exemption to allow them to work and to bring up their children here in Singapore? Unwed Parents and Their Children”
“Mdm Chair, in my Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS), I have encountered cases whereby, after a married Singaporean passes away, the non-Singaporean spouse suddenly becomes the main caregiver of their Singaporean child or children. Sometimes, the foreign spouse may also have a non-Singaporean child from a previous marriage who is here on a Student Pass. This parent has to make a decision whether to stay in Singapore or to move back to his or her home country. This is a huge struggle that they have to grapple with when their spouse passes away. There are increasingly more marriages between Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans. Some went on to start a family with their child born in Singapore. For some, the Singaporean spouse is usually the sole breadwinner. The issue becomes complicated when the spouse passes away, becomes handicapped or critically ill, is jailed, or when the couple undergoes divorce. The foreign spouse suddenly has to take on the responsibility to support the family and their young children. Recently, several media reported on the plight of a Chinese national who gave birth to triplets after her Singaporean husband reportedly walked out of their marriage. Her children, who were previously stateless, were granted citizenship recently, with the aid of a helpful lawyer. I am not sure of the residential status of the mother, but I am sure it is a challenging circumstance for the family. For such families, it is most unfortunate that they have to be put through such difficult circumstances. Many of these foreign spouses are here on social visit passes, Long-Term Visit Pass or Long-Term Visit Pass-Plus (LTVP or LTVP+). For some of them, they can work if they have a Letter of Consent.”
“Mdm Chair, two clarifications. One, for Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo: earlier she mentioned about safety for budget airline crew and that there are independent studies and there are standards to follow. But somehow or other, the crew themselves may not quite feel that these reports or studies gave them peace of mind. So, will the Ministry consider either publishing these reports or engaging the budget airline crew to assure them that these standards are adequate and that there is no excessive stress faced by them? The passengers who take the flights will feel more comforted that the crew are well taken care of. The second clarification is for Senior Minister of State Ng Chee Meng: he mentioned earlier that LTA will encourage taxi drivers and taxi operators to change their mindset with regard to third party private hire vehicles. I was wondering if LTA themselves will be bold enough to also change their own mindset with regard to quality of service rules and taxi availability standards. These proxy measures with regard to taxi service standards may, indeed, be obsolete in view of available technology and other measures of taxi services that commuter may want to experience today. 2.15 pm”
“Mdm Chair, air travel is now made more affordable due to the popularity of low-cost carriers or the so-called budget airlines. Through interactions with the budget airline staff in my capacity as an advisor to one of the airline house unions, I understand that the operating mode of low-cost carriers can potentially generate high levels of stress and fatigue among the flight crew. Budget airlines typically keep costs down by deploying the flight, cabin crew and aircraft in the most economically efficient manner. Furthermore, these low-cost carriers may get more red-eye flights, as well as less favourable arrival and departure timings, with short turnaround flights as well. By that, it may mean that the pilots have tight rosters and operate at or near maximum flight and duty time limits. As for the cabin crew, they may have to work extra hard to turnaround the plane within shorter timelines. Staff should have sufficient rest periods during duty time to perform at an optimal level, so that neither service delivery nor the well-being of crew is compromised. With hectic working hours, safety and welfare conditions of the airline crew should be looked into. Currently, there is little data or research done in this area. Will the Ministry consider embarking on a study to understand the needs, challenges and stress faced by the crew in budget airlines, as well as full-service airlines?”
“Furthermore, will we also consider banning e-bikes on the expressway?”
“Furthermore, in their education and enforcement efforts, LTA should also cover e-bike rental operators or delivery companies who issue employees the use of company owned e-bikes, even though these may not be as prevalent at this point in time. I hope that we also anticipate and address situations where dormitory owners may rent out e-bikes for their residents or other commercial users —”
“Mdm chair, the use of PMDs is fast gaining popularity in Singapore. AMAP has issued a list of recommendations on the rules and code of conduct expected of cyclists and PMD users. I agree that it is more important that they behave in a safe and considerate manner rather than focus on having more enforcement. It was recommended that e-bikes should be allowed on cycling paths and shared paths, but at a speed limit. E-bikes are also allowed on roads. The Panel also recommends that the Government consider registering e-bikes to facilitate identification and enforcement against errant riders. However, illegally modified e-bikes may have more powerful motors and some even have throttles installed. Some may even go up to the same speed as motorcycles. As such, they are a potential danger on the roads and shared paths. 12.30 pm Consequently, it is proposed that we increase the fine for first-time offenders using or selling non-compliant e-bikes. Repeat offenders may be charged in Court and have their e-bikes seized. Likewise, retailers found to continue selling non-compliant e-bikes or workshop operators modifying them illegally will be charged in Court. The number of offences involving the use of non-compliant e-bikes has increased significantly to over 1,000 notices in 2015. We also hear of incidents involving e-bikes and other vehicles on the roads, or with pedestrians. Besides educating e-bike users to exercise caution, there should also be stricter enforcement on illegal modifications and sale of unapproved models. I hope that when LTA engages retailers and workshops to update them on the changes in the technical requirements and penalties for not conforming, they should also consider involving them Page: 20 in educating buyers on safe riding.”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. I have a question of clarification for Acting Minister Ong Ye Kung. Previously, I was concerned that, with the efforts, the private training provider may be sidelined. But I am glad that the Minister has mentioned that there is always a place for private training providers. I hope to hear whether or not MOE plans to invest in strengthening some of our local-bred training providers like, SEED Institute for Early Childhood Education, and whether we will help them expand and deepen their capabilities. Secondly, the Minister also mentioned that he is open to having executive life coaches included in SkillsFuture credits. I was hoping that Minister could consider programmes with coaching involved in psychometric tests, like the Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance (DISC) or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and if such programmes can be launched soon or put on trial. 3.15 pm”
“This is a bold new area but also a pre-emptive effort to prepare our workers to be in control of the career of their life and to be future-ready, instead of seeking help only when a problem arises or when they get retrenched. I urge the Ministry to consider trying this unexplored area to help our workers take ownership of their careers and personal growth, to be fully aware of what their goals and aspirations are, and have the right drive and motivation to move towards realising them. Education and Career Guidance”
“Mdm Chair, I welcome the news that SkillsFuture credit will be strengthened with more training programmes being added into the course directory. The stepping up of the Professional Conversion Programmes (PCP) will also help more Singaporeans adapt, grow their skills and find a new career path. However, I have also received feedback that the sheer number and wide-ranging choices can be overwhelming for an individual to choose from. Some may just jump into the training bandwagon and sign on courses without giving adequate thought about the areas they really need to invest in. Others may follow in the footsteps of their friends or peers or succumb to the persuasions of advertisements. To enhance their decision making, I would like to propose that individuals be allowed to use their SkillsFuture Credit to attend sessions conducted by professional life coaches. Typically, life coaching sessions allow attendees to set clear goals, assess their current realities, run through options and determine the next best step forward. The concept of life coaching is still quite new in Singapore, but it is gaining popularity among working adults. Will the Ministry consider including life coaching under the SkillsFuture credit course directory? Coaching format can also be in a group setting besides the usual one-to-one sessions. With SkillsFuture, we want to empower our workers with skills mastery and inculcate a lifelong learning attitude. Through a life coach, I believe that workers can do constant checks and reviews on their skills gaps, career goals and pathways of growth.”
“I would like to follow up with a question on whether the Ministry will consider developing a Singaporean Core among the private education institutions for the academic and the non-academic staff, so that other than being a facility that will cater to mostly foreign students, we will also develop our Singaporean worker working in this industry.”
“On the one hand, we try our best to send graduates to the SMEs. I hope under this Earn and Learn Scheme, we can ensure that the supervisors and the workers will have good communication through proper training. In this way, we will have a good system for them to welcome the new workers. Besides new workers, when they decide to expand the business, there are some old workers who will feel worried because the ability to adapt to new technologies, the new skills, they need more help. Some old workers resist change because they have a sense of fear. They are afraid that they will not be able to do the job, they will not be capable of completing the work, and they may lose the job to the younger and new colleagues. The companies and the Government must give more time for training, so that they can adapt to the new technology. The Government can also send some mentors to help these SME workers, so that they will adjust effectively to welcome and accept these new contents. Finally, to help our SMEs and upgrade our workers, there are many challenges, we should not underestimate them. Just like the story of Travel to the West, there are many difficulties and our opponents are powerful. The Government and the enterprises should work together with our workers, so that we can move together and overcome these challenges in this uncertain market. The SG100 starting point has received the strong support of the Budget. I hope the Statutory Boards and the innovation partners will together be helping our SMEs, so that they can help them to overcome all the challenges they face along the way.”
“Fortunately, this year, the Government has introduced a creative scheme, a website, so that all relevant materials Page: 55 will be supplied to SMEs. SMEs can also seek help from U SME under the NTUC and the trade associations. The Minister has announced this LEAD+ scheme this year which will provide wider assistance in capital and schemes to attract more workers. This will help them to implement their projects. I took part in a seminar conducted by U SME recently for SMEs. Besides explaining to SMEs how they can innovate and revamp, it also helped them to interact among one another. I realised two points. First, many of the SME bosses are relatively older and their educational level is not high. I hope that this LEAD+ scheme will have a Chinese version in explaining the contents of this scheme. The officials should have proficiency in Mandarin so that they can help the SMEs. A good package must be repeated three or four times to be effective. When we provide help to SMEs, we must repeatedly explain the good points, so that they will receive the help just as how we implemented the Pioneer Generation Package through different channels and repeatedly explained the benefits to the Pioneer Generation. Second is the expansion of business. Last year, the Government introduced the Earn and Learn Scheme to attract more graduates to join the SMEs but the coverage of the industries is quite small and the quota is small. I hope more employers and graduates will be able to benefit from this scheme and that businesses will be able to attract more young graduates to help them expand their business. There may be another problem. On the frontline, the supervisor may not be able to guide and communicate with the new workers.”
“We should consider how to improve the communication with the workers and before the introduction of automation, let them understand the goals of this automation and how they can benefit from it. Secondly, we can consider how to do these in parallel – help them to adapt and implement automation at the same time. This will remove their worries and will be more effective. Second, the Minister has announced a scheme with $450 million on robotics but some people may be worried that the work will be displaced by the robots. If robots can help them improve their effectiveness and make their work safer, more productive and more innovative, then workers will be more willing to accept. In this process, I suggest that the automation and the Adjust and Grow upgrading scheme should be implemented together. So, in implementing the robotic scheme, we should also improve the attitude and adaptability of the workers. In addition, the Government, in assessing the schemes, should understand whether the enterprise can apply the schemes and whether the enterprise has given sufficient help to the workers, so that they will understand how these schemes can benefit the workers. Secondly, I hope that the Government, besides implementing the schemes, many of the application processes can be improved. SMEs do not have enough resources and they may not understand how to seek help. Some of them feel that to submit the application forms to many different agencies, they are quite troubled by this process. Some of them may not understand the schemes. Some of them may have to seek help from intermediaries. But with companies that have a shortage of resources, the application for help actually has become a burden.”
“Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.]: Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion. We heard earlier a Workers' Party Member of Parliament mentioned about the help needed for bosses of SMEs. I will address my speech on how workers in SMEs will benefit. This year, the Minister for Finance announced many measures to help SMEs. These are helpful but for them to be effective, we have to ensure that the bosses and workers understand how they can benefit from these measures. So, the publicity efforts should not be aimed only at the business. I think the Government and the employers should explain in detail to the workers. They should understand whether the workers appreciate what these measures mean to them. Workers, in looking for a job, not only consider the salary, they also consider whether the jobs are challenging and whether the career will have progression. They also hope to see that the business bosses have detailed planning and improvement in many areas, and this will help them to decide whether this company is worth staying on for the long term. We now know that SME workers account for more than 70% of our workforce. So, we have to ensure that we continue to attract people to work for SMEs. The Government can work with the SMEs in two ways. First is to optimise business. In optimising the business, if more SMEs can get help from the Government, their operations will be optimised. Robots will automate the processes. Some workers may feel that the bosses are trying to help them, but some others may be worried that they will lose their rice bowls.”
“I would like to enquire, whilst the Town Councils are responsible for lift replacements, whether MND will work on establishing a skills framework for lift technicians so that the industry is professionalised and the technicians managing and servicing the lifts will be of a higher level and calibre so that the maintenance will be up to standard. Similarly, would MND consider implementing a quality mark that stipulates that lifts that are installed in HDB blocks are of a higher standard and quality that the breakdowns and the need for maintenance will be of a shorter cycle and the lifts can last longer and are more reliable?”
“Madam, let me declare that I am the Executive Secretary of the Education Services' Union. My question relates to what the Minister commented about efforts to attract and retain people in the industry. I wonder if the Ministry would consider elevating the awards or the recognition to preschool teachers, similar to that of a Teachers' Day nationwide effort, so that members of the public, parents and everybody will recognise preschool educators as important in the education services and the delivery of the character development of our children.”
“I was told that banks, when assessing credit card applications, also take on very conservative approach when it comes to freelancers who apply for credit cards. Our system to help Singaporeans apply for HDB housing and prepare for retirement has worked well for those who hold conventional jobs. As freelance work grows to become a popular career choice, it is timely to tailor policies to be more inclusive and to benefit the freelancers. We talked about encouraging an entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit in our people. It is, indeed, a positive sign that there are increasingly more Singaporeans opting for freelance work. It is, therefore, crucial that we offer them the right support that can benefit them directly and enable them to thrive. Mdm Speaker, many of our older generation workers stick to one job for life. This current generation of workers change jobs many times in his career lifespan. That is how we respond to economic and business shifts. Our next generation of workers will have to tackle a different set of challenges. Freelancers, like many new working people, are seeking new earning options and it should not surprise us if, one day, our new job entrants' preferred choice of earning comes from freelancing. Page: 42 Freelancers are responding to the new competition and adopting approaches that we may deem unconventional. In fact, some of us regard their decisions to discard their well-paying jobs as a bold one. Perhaps, it is we who need the courage to adapt our mindset, to change our policies and offer strong support to our freelancers and the proper recognition due to them. With that, Madam, I support the Motion.”
“The number of new jobs created appears to be declining, but, based on sharing by freelancers themselves, the demand and offers for freelance work seem to remain steady. Perhaps, companies are already making structural changes as to how they assemble the resources needed to complete tasks in this changing environment. For these companies to work well with freelancers, they do not treat them as a cheaper option. Instead, they accord their appointed freelancers the same respect and treatment as they would a business partner. They make reasonable demands, respect intellectual property and make payment on time for the freelancers' services. For other companies contemplating the option of using freelancers, it is, therefore, wise to adopt the same approach. They can only tap on the best services if freelancers are allowed to grow well, earn decently and sustain their businesses. I propose that high among the service buyers' priorities must be to learn how to tap on the different capabilities out there and treat freelancers fairly to achieve a win-win situation. On our policies, we have good schemes to help our Singaporean working people. Schemes like SkillsFuture will benefit many workers, enabling them to acquire new skills to pursue lifelong learning while MediShield Life will offer them greater protection. However, some of our schemes and attitudes need to be reviewed to consider the needs of freelancers. For example, HDB housing loan eligibility for freelancers or the self-employed, even if it comes from an applicant who is about 30 years old, can appear to be conservative because they do not seem to have a regular income or able to produce an income pay-slip of six months or more.”
“On society's mindset, many still deem freelancing as a deviation from the norm and equate it to unstable earnings or being more suited for retirees or as a temporary stint. Since young, we are encouraged to study hard, get the best skills, secure a full-time job, preferably with the best employer in that field. With economic restructuring, however, companies and jobs could be impacted at short notice, and retrenchment, unfortunately, is an unavoidable outcome for some. People lose their jobs when they are unable to adapt or acquire new skills when companies go through major shifts or when product lines get obsolete. Society, too, needs to move away from the past notion of what is defined as a good job and a stable income. Page: 41 To many of us, freelancing may look like frontier town. Some of the rules appear unclear and the marketplace seems fraught with uncertainty. However, those who are in freelancing choose how to build their own security, overcome uncertainty and make adjustments, as well as collaborate with one another. Many are also refining their old skills and acquiring new ones to stay relevant, even before the Government announced strategies, such as SkillsFuture. They do not wait for someone else to navigate the path ahead for them. On our part, we need to change how we perceive freelance work and embrace it as part of the changing employment landscape. On the role of service buyers, companies, we know, are always on the lookout for new ways to do business and to reduce costs. For some, freelancers are a source of talent pool. With no actual headcount, they can keep costs low, have access to a worldwide pool of talent and are able to obtain services anytime, anywhere.”
“For this group, they pick freelancing as their first option. The types of freelance jobs have also expanded. I have met many who offer services in photography, copywriting, translation, web design, sports coaching, and the list goes on. There are also websites today that allow a freelance worker to be registered for assignments, connecting them to offers of jobs both locally and overseas. Such one-stop hubs allow free service buyers to have access to a wide pool of talents, both in Singapore and elsewhere, to engage for projects. Options for those who wish to pursue freelance work have also opened up. Some even see it as a viable long-term career option. I have met former employees who moved out of a stable and regular income job to become their so-called own "bosses". Some do so at the prime of their careers. And there are those who also started off by holding down a full-time job and taking on freelance projects on a part-time basis. Gradually, as they become more aware of the market, they moved to become full-time freelancers, bringing their former skills to the marketplace. Some are also learning new skills and offering different skills options. For example, there are trainers that I met who also double up as translators. What used to be popular among stay-at-home mums, retirees and undergraduates looking for some earnings has become more viable and stable. Freelancers, Mdm Speaker, are working people, too, and we, in the Labour Movement, are embarking on efforts to assist them. What can the rest of us do? With freelancing becoming a viable career option, there are three key areas I feel that our society, buyers of services and the Government can do to support them.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion of Thanks to the President. Our employment landscape has changed much over the decades. Most workers from my parents' generation held only one job since they started working and served the same company until retirement. Recently, I witnessed a colleague receiving her 35- year long service award. Many were amazed that it was her first and last job. These days, it is not surprising for a worker to change jobs four to five times in his career. Some even take on jobs in different industries. Indeed, technological shifts and rapid changes in customer tastes have led to traditional jobs or tried and tested ways of making a living becoming less reliable. Page: 40 To make sense of the fast moving dynamics and in response to changes on the jobs front, some workers have taken on a new earning option, that is, to freelance. It is fast becoming a viable career option. A conservative estimate today puts the total number of freelancers in Singapore at about 200,000. This figure is likely to go up. Many in our midst probably think that it is about having the courage to change course from being a salaried employee to becoming a freelancer. However, having spoken to many of them on why they decided to forgo jobs which provided them with a steady income every month, I am beginning to understand that it is about wanting to break free from becoming accustomed to a previously secure situation and being oblivious to the need to adapt in view of rapid changes. Freelancers want to adapt. Some look to freelancing to offer variety and scope of roles that their current jobs do not offer them as an employee. Of course, there are those who enjoy the flexibility and, naturally, prefer not to be bounded by employer-employee arrangements.”
“The Minister earlier mentioned that chauffeured service vehicles, basically, will regulate their drivers, put them on training and the like, but the reality in the market today is, a lot of the limo leasing companies are urging individual drivers to register themselves as a company. After you register yourself as a one-man company, you go ahead and rent a vehicle from this limo services and you take on bookings from the third-party apps. In essence, they are flying under the radar and trying to operate without having to be a company with drivers assigned to themselves. They are themselves one-man shows. This in itself leads to many behaviours and activities on the ground, such as vying for taxi stand commuters, operating very much like taxi drivers. So, I hope that LTA will pay particular attention to this category because, to all intents and purposes, what they are basically doing is to operate like taxi drivers without having to comply with any of the regulations. In reality, if this phenomenon is allowed to grow, it will really put a lot of delays in our efforts to try to ensure that the third-party taxi booking services in Singapore grow in a proper manner whereas you have another group that is basically behaving in an illegitimate manner.”
“People do not need to necessarily board the taxi at the same point, but they can be dropped off at points near to one another. Furthermore, the prevalent use of third-party apps has already hit our shores. We should also find ways to acknowledge their role in addressing taxi availability and also take a relook at the Taxi Availability Indicators, especially in relation to the 250-kilometres daily mileage requirement where, with better taxi matching, there has been less empty cruising and enhanced taxi availability at remote locations. Page: 108 Mdm Speaker, beyond taxi booking, it is important that our early efforts in regulating app booking or matching services send the right signal to investors, inventors, users and businesses. To this end, I believe Singapore can be the right place to promote innovations of technologies to solve urban needs – not just taxis but other urban needs – and yet, be the unique location to have the right-sized regulations to ensure that all the stakeholders' interests are safeguarded. I would only like to urge that at the end of the day, no one single operator or industry player should be allowed to have huge control of the market share, whether in terms of customer base or drivers' fleet, to the extent that the dominant player ends up dictating the service delivery and terms, benefiting neither the commuters nor taxi drivers. With that, Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill. 6.15 pm”
“Thereafter, they will lease a car to these drivers and send them bookings through their third-party apps. In reality, limo rental companies and third-party booking operators should employ these drivers instead. Mdm Speaker, we need to right-size our rules. I agree that we need not start off with too many rules to reduce all the risks that commuters and drivers may be exposed to. We should instead take note that commuters' habits are changing and that it may be better to regularly review the rules governing the relationships between commuters, taxi drivers and taxi operators. For example, the existing tripartite framework involving LTA, taxi operators and the National Taxi Association can also be expanded to include the third-party taxi booking service operators. Incorporating them into this framework may enable them to emulate efforts by existing taxi operators, for example, by contributing towards helping taxi drivers with their MediSave contributions and other positive efforts that they can do to create a better industry for all. Under the new regulatory framework, I am also uncomfortable with the restriction that says taxi booking services cannot ask commuters to indicate their destinations. Third-party booking apps allow us to consider the possibility of implementing a taxi shuttling service. While this is not available today, this service can help us resolve some level of our taxi availability issues and make every taxi work harder, but not necessarily every taxi driver. These smart apps can easily calculate the fare for each driver based on the pick-up and drop-off locations, offering separate meters for each commuter in the same taxi. The driver can pick up two to three commuters along the way if the apps can assign the jobs effectively.”
“Currently, taxi operators in Singapore have to meet strict service and availability standards set by LTA. They have also sunk in huge investments to meet these licensing conditions. In fact, not long ago, a taxi operator had to surrender his taxi operator licence and sell off his fleet because he failed to meet the standards. Today, not many cities in the world have ventured into legislations on the use of third-party taxi apps. This is despite the fact that many taxi operators and their hirers have taken their displeasure to the streets with the uneven level playing field available to third-party booking services. As such, LTA's move to ensure some level of consistency and business operating conditions for third-party booking operators should be a welcome move by the taxi operators in Singapore. The fourth group is the new group of players in this market and these are the third-party service operators. Disruptive technologies, such as those brought on by third-party taxi booking apps, are bringing about new urban transport solutions and prompting existing Page: 107 operators to explore new possibilities to stay competitive. As these apps are able to link commuters and drivers from all taxi fleets, they have maximised the matching processes. While these have been popular and convenient, some of their practices, however, are questionable. For instance, some operators have been advertising through their apps that their fares using their own private limousine services can be cheaper than taxi services, leading commuters to feel that the two are the same. These operators have also urged drivers to set up their own transport company and legally become a one-man private limousine service.”
“There are currently no penalties imposed on these no-shows but, conversely, if a taxi driver does not appear on time, he faces disciplinary action by the taxi operators, and now, he, too, faces disciplinary action by third-party taxi operators. And taxi drivers may also be blacklisted from future bookings or even be called up for interviews by LTA should the commuters send in a complaint. Thirdly, taxi drivers also shared how drivers of private limousine services start to show up at taxi stands to pick up customers they have secured using third-party booking services. There have been instances of those who even tout their services at taxi stands, cruise terminals, tourist attractions, hotels and night spots and even compete for street hail jobs using their metered functions in the apps. We have surfaced the feedback to LTA and it is important that educational efforts be enhanced and enforcements be undertaken so that the drivers and commuters know where the regulations lie, relating to these two different types of transport services. Fourthly, should there also be regulations governing the licensing of private limousine services and the types of drivers they hire? Currently, these drivers do not need to possess a vocational driving licence and there are no requirements for retraining, unlike those imposed on taxi drivers. Some have called for these drivers to undergo security screening, medical check-ups and compulsory MediSave top-ups and LTA's Vocational Licensing Points System be levied on them. For a level playing field, it may be necessary for LTA to also regulate third-party bookings and drivers for private limousine services. The third group of persons who are affected by this new regulation are taxi operators.”
“They do not have huge investments in vehicle fleet to at least be held financially liable should the need arise. Some drivers shared with me that they did not receive prompt payment of their fares from these operators, causing them cash flow problems, such as rental fees, fuel costs and ERP charges, that they incur daily. So, if there is a delay in collecting payment, they would have to find other ways to pay for these costs. Some drivers have also gone as far as to worry whether these operators will exit the market suddenly, taking along with them monies and incentives owed to taxi drivers or even refunds owed to commuters. The second concern is: how do we ensure that third-party taxi booking operators treat our taxi drivers fairly? These new operators have started to choose taxi drivers, using their own internal rating systems to deactivate taxi drivers' accounts with the third-party taxi booking services. This is of particular concern as these app companies are seeing fast growing numbers of registered drivers and users. Whilst it is important to create new urban transport solutions, we have to be mindful that checks and balances need to be in place to ensure that no one operator becomes the most dominant and end up with the power to dictate the way services are delivered, how fares are set and how drivers are selected. Taxi drivers also shared with me that there are increasingly more incidents of commuters who made bookings but did not appear at the pick-up points. A driver recently Page: 106 related his experience where the commuter he picked up using his taxi operator's call booking system also made a booking using the third-party apps, resulting in two taxis arriving at the same location to "fight" for the same commuter.”
“Some commuters have been reported to be confused, not knowing whether to reject the car that came to pick them up or how to deal with or lodge complaints against these drivers should disputes arise. Page: 105 Fourth, the next concern relates to how some of these drivers and app service operators operate. Unlike conventional private limo services which only levy flat charges, some commuters are surprised when they find surge pricing levied by the new private car hire services they took on via these third-party apps. For example, during rainy weather or peak demand periods, such as concert, end of concert, end of major events, such services levy higher charges and many commuters are unfamiliar or unaware, feeling aggrieved that they may have been ripped off. Private limousine services should also not be offering metered charges but yet, their apps allow them to contain fare meter options similar to a taxi meter, whereby drivers can use it to take on street hails or driving by taxi stands or popular tourist attractions to offer their services to commuters and tourists. The second group that may be affected are taxi drivers. To that end, I would like to declare my role as the Executive Advisor of the National Taxi Association. There are, indeed, increasingly, more taxi drivers who use these app services so that they can take on additional bookings on top of their taxi operator's booking, street hails and commuters waiting at taxi stands. I would like to urge that LTA be ready to intervene when it is clear that the interests of taxi drivers may be compromised and there are four concerns that I wish to highlight. First, how do we ensure that third-party taxi booking operators are held financially accountable?”
“First, I am glad that the regulations address concerns, such as whether the taxi driver dispatched by the third-party taxi booking apps has a proper vocational driving licence; and whether a properly inspected taxi is being used instead of a private car where issues, such as insurance coverage remain hazy; or whether the commuters will end up having to pay for hidden surcharges for using such services. Secondly, most third-party taxi booking apps require commuters to set up an account and provide sensitive information such as credit card details. This raised concerns over how the service providers may use the data. I hope the Ministry can offer assurance whether the Personal Data Protection Act or other regulation will be able to address this particular concern. Thirdly, there are also commuters who asked if non-taxis could be used for bookings made through app service providers. This is especially so as the same third-party apps operator can have different products and services to meet the needs of commuters, either for normal taxi hire or for private limousine services. Invariably, this will lead us to consider the role played by operators, such as Uber and Grab. You see, in the market, I think there is some confusion. For Uber, they have various sub-products ranging from UberTaxi, UberX and Uber Exec. For Grab, you have GrabTaxi and GrabCar options. Commuters need to know under what conditions such private limousine services are allowed. For instance, some operators have this convenience built into their booking systems where after three unsuccessful taxi-matching efforts, commuters will be prompted with an offer for a private limousine service.”
“Mdm Speaker, let me first declare my interest as a staff of NTUC and categorically mention that NTUC has no relationship with ComfortDelGro, as far as taxi services are concerned. Mdm Speaker, there are four parties who may be affected by this new regulatory framework; namely, the commuters, taxi drivers, taxi operators and third-party booking operators. Let me first share on commuters. We have all heard that the third-party taxi booking apps are fast gaining popularity among commuters. Besides making it easier to match taxi drivers to commuters, it also helps commuters at remote locations to find a taxi more conveniently. Whilst LTA has reiterated before that taxi services are de-regulated, efforts now to regulate third-party taxi booking Page: 104 should not be seen as a reversal of policy. Rather, it will give LTA the power to safeguard the interests of commuters. Many of us learn of the concerns of third-party booking apps from news reports elsewhere in other cities, highlighting safety concerns and risks that commuters faced. Protests by taxi drivers in other cities against such apps and private hire cars also raise confusions on the legitimacy of such services. In fact, in many cities, if you read the news reports, the initial euphoria of cheaper commuting and greater flexibility has since evaporated and replaced by risks and concerns that commuters may face. For our commuters, there are four concerns which I wish to highlight for which LTA may need to take steps to address.”
“Good and passionate teachers are instrumental in the delivery of quality preschool services. Can the Ministry provide an update on its efforts to attract and retain more to join as early childhood professionals, as well as give us an update Page: 152 on the progress of the initiatives that it has rolled out to uplift the early childhood sector over the recent few years? Furthermore, our Government has increased subsidies for childcare for working parents. I would like to know whether the operators are indeed using the higher subsidies to defray their operating costs? Or is it a case whereby whenever there is an increase in Government subsidies, this will translate into higher fee adjustments? How does the Ministry therefore ensure that a larger share is being channelled to raise the wages of preschool teachers or to send their teachers for professional development? Are the subsidies also being used to, say, enhance the curriculum and the content of the quality of teaching in the childcare centres. As announced in this year's Budget, parents with young children will benefit from more affordable and quality childcare through a new programme called the Partner Operator (POP) Scheme. This will require childcare operators to commit to quality improvements, and keep fees within reach. Can MSF share more details of the scheme and whether it will benefit our early childhood professionals as well? Preschool Capacity and Mother Tongue Language (MTL)”
“I would like to seek some views of the Minister. Apart from the satisfaction level with public transport, will the Minister also be monitoring the fatigue level of bus drivers, train drivers and taxi drivers? Because as we push our satisfaction level higher, I am worried, from conversations with some of them, that they are working more overtime, they are stretched and, therefore, it may impact on the safety of the commuters that they ferry around.”
“For them, mobility is an issue. I hope HDB can expedite the process for them.”
“They took time off from work to wait for the contractors to do the HIP works and realised that they only spent maybe an hour while they waited the whole day for them to come. In this case, we hope HDB can look into more effective ways for these officers to do their work or the contractors to be more expeditious so that the entire process can be less time-consuming and less disruptive. Finally, can HDB also look at expediting home improvement works for households with the elderly and those who are physically disabled.”
“Mr Chairman, many residents welcome the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) but there have been negative experiences from some. There are three that I would like to share. Firstly, one common issue is the occurrence of ceiling leakages. Most often, it happens when the unit above has some waterproofing problems and it will be compulsory for the owner to do repair works if the tests for water leaks proved to be coming from his unit. But there have been instances whereby owners do not see the need to or do not want to spend the money to do this repair work. Such behaviour delays the repair unnecessarily and the residents staying below will suffer the inconvenience and having to deal with the leaking ceilings. In December last year, Minister Khaw shared in a blog post that cases of ceiling leakages in HDB flats can remain unresolved for months due to the uncooperative nature of some neighbours and that the Government is looking at amending laws to allow HDB officers to enter such flats to investigate and carry out repair works. Several of my residents also suffer a similar plight and I support this amendment. This particular amendment is more pertinent Page: 147 for those involved in the Home Improvement Programme (HIP). When a block of HDB flats has been identified for HIP, eligible households will be notified to do a polling to opt in or out for the upgrading works. Some flat owners may have rented out their flats and could be staying elsewhere or overseas. Such incidents delay the upgrading works or leave water leakage concerns unattended to and owners have, at times, proved hard to be located or were uncooperative. Secondly, some residents also shared with me that there were times that they spent time waiting for the contractors to come to their house.”
“Of course, there is some risk involved but let us find ways to establish how this group can access the appropriate amount of housing loan to buy their HDB flats. Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme”
“Mdm Chair, first-time HDB buyers enjoy substantial subsidies when they buy new flats. For those who wish to buy a resale flat, they can, of course, apply for housing grants to help them. However, I have encountered many cases whereby the maximum HDB loan some young couples can apply for, based on their current income, is insufficient. This is especially so for those with a larger proportion of the income based on commission, whether it be sales, individuals or airline stewardesses, stewards. A large proportion of their income is based on commission. Or there are those who are freelance and self-employed workers. For this group, they have no fixed CPF contributions, are unable to provide a regular exhibition of their income in order to compute their housing loan, unlike that of a salaried worker whose employer will provide that information quite readily. I also heard from them that HDB will typically assess their housing loan application based on their savings or whether they are financially able to commit to such a long-term loan amount. That is a very prudent approach but I do hope that the HDB can re-assess the way the housing loan amount is computed for this group – the freelance and self-employed Page: 120 workers, as well as those based on commission. One way to do so is to assess the loan requests based on the median income of the applicants' cohort – people of about the same age, same background – and use the median income to compute the housing loan amount that this group may be eligible for. Furthermore, the demographics of a workforce are changing and more are becoming self-employed and non-salaried workers. So, I hope that HDB can look into this option.”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. During last year's Committee of Supply, I asked PMO to share the Civil Service's efforts in helping low-wage workers in the Civil Service to earn higher income and improve their employability. Deputy Prime Minister Teo shared that PSD will be conducting a pilot study into the future work of the lower-wage officers, as well as the skills and training needed for them to take on these new roles. Would the Ministry or the Division be able to share an update on the status of this pilot study? What will the scope of their new roles be like? What lessons did we learn from the pilot study and what training will be needed to help our low-wage workers move up their career ladders and earn higher wages? Will there be available details to share on the salary adjustments, if any, and is this pilot ready to be extended to the rest of the workers in the Page: 58 Civil Service?”
“Madam, I would like to seek the Minister's support, perhaps, to look at this in selecting the courses that are eligible for SkillsFuture Credit. In 2008/2009, we had this structure Skills Programme for Upgrading and Resilience (SPUR) where the Ministry worked with the tripartite partners, both the employers and unions, to determine what were the courses that would receive enhanced funding and what were the training providers that could be qualified to provide the level of training that workers would need during the period. Earlier, the Minister mentioned that the courses will be determined and the criteria will be decided among the public agencies – like MOE and MOM. So, I was hoping that the Minister could also consider reactivating this structure that was eligible during the SPUR period to consider it for SkillsFuture Credit.”
“The Council may want to consider supporting these measures with things such as screening by agencies, such as the NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute, to make such courses eligible for SkillsFuture Credit? Diversify Skillset Training for Those Above 50”
“Madam, for workers who wish to upgrade or deepen their skills, some courses are currently funded by the Government, with individuals paying the balance; while others are fully or partially supported by their employer. SkillsFuture Credit is a good initiative. It allows workers more access to training opportunities, to take personal ownership and to use it to pay for the unfunded portion of Page: 46 their training courses. There are two areas which I hope the Ministry or the Council can consider when developing the criteria for the use of the credits. Firstly, we should try to include courses beyond those under the WSQ system. Especially if those courses are specific to licence, acquisition, or already receive good industry support and are able to help workers perform better in their jobs. Secondly, employers should not use the credits to pass on some of the course fees to the employees. They should continue to invest in the training for their staff and allow employees to use SkillsFuture Credit for other purposes or other training. Being a new initiative, there are bound to be areas which may be unclear. It is important that the system is designed in such a way that it benefits the majority of users. For instance, in developing the courses and criteria, how would courses, such as Class 3 driving licence be regarded? Some people hold jobs as sales people, property or insurance agents. They may acquire a driving licence to do their job properly. In other cases, there may be those who require a Class 3 licence to be a delivery man or a taxi driver. Do we then consider Class 3 driving a useful skill for people to acquire that skill to make a living, or just to drive their car around for commute purposes?”
“(In English): Mdm Speaker, in addition to helping our freelancers and self-employed workers, I hope we can do more to assist our back-to-work women find a more pleasant and more efficient way to return to the workforce after their maternity leave. With that, I would like to support the Budget. 1.39 pm”
“This model will allow us to have more reliable and convenient childcare services. Page: 41 My second suggestion is to have better measures to help working mothers. Many mothers have problems adjusting back to working life after their maternity leave. Some may suffer from post-natal blues and find it difficult to cope with work and family responsibilities. And they may need to take leave quite often as newborns tend to have a weaker immune system and fall sick easily. They may need to leave work early to pick up their children from the childcare centre. For a working mother, it is a challenge to juggle and balance between being a good mother and a good employee. Helping working mothers should not be limited to improving childcare and providing better maternity benefits. Some companies will choose to employ temps when staff are on maternity leave, so that the temps can hand over their work to the working mothers when they return from maternity leave. Can the Government provide subsidies to help companies cope with the cost of employing temps? There can be two phases: pre-natal and post-natal. The pre-natal phase is for the expectant mother to hand over her work to the temp. The post-natal phase is to allow the new mother to adapt to shouldering family and work responsibilities. This initiative can help companies solve their manpower issue while giving working mothers a sense of assurance. We should work on strengthening childcare services, families and work environments to support and help parents. By doing this, I believe more mothers can return to the workforce and increase their family income.”
“Similarly, we have different types of childcare centres and facilities. Some are privately owned, some are run by non-profit organisations. Some children are looked after by neighbours or nannies. Over the recent years, the Government has introduced a series of policies and measures to help working mothers. And we are seeing some results. As at 2014, the employment rate for women aged between 25 and 64 is 70.5% is at a historical high. I have two suggestions and hope to help more working mothers. First, family nannies. Most parents either place their children in childcare centres or let them be looked after by grandparents or domestic helpers. A small minority will be cared for by nannies. These nannies come from diverse backgrounds and most of them are middle-aged housewives whose children have grown up. They are not highly educated but love to look after children. Currently, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) provides a matching service through some childcare centres to help connect interested parents with people providing family childcare services. The nanny will undergo training on family childcare development courses and receive relevant certification. Perhaps, we can consider expanding these matching services. Actually, more and more companies are providing childcare matching services. They will match a suitable nanny based on the parents' requirements. Some even include transport services and the pickup locations can be decided by the parents. Parents are also able to share their experiences online and even praise or criticise the nannies. Currently, parents can receive subsidies if they use infant care services. Perhaps, we can expand the scope of such subsidy so that parents who leave their children with the nanny can also receive the subsidy.”