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 6 of 6.
“Thank you for giving me the chance to ask the question about accessibility. Today, we have a Walk2Ride Programme that has been announced. I wonder if the Ministry is working with the commercial buildings to ensure the Walk2Ride scheme covers those commercial and industrial buildings so that accessibility, especially sheltered linkways to the MRT station, is also part-and-parcel of the Plan. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: The Walk2Ride Programme is something we hope to roll out in various parts of Singapore. Looking at the plans of the first phase of such programme, I am pleased to share with Members that we are looking at how we can facilitate the movement of our commuters and pedestrians to the MRT station. If, let us say, such buildings are part of the process or part of the journey in the process of commuters going to Page: 31 the MRT station, we will look into it and we will consider as and when it is necessary.”
“Question No 4, please. The Acting Minister for Manpower (Mr Tan Chuan-Jin): Mdm Speaker, may I take the next four questions together?”
“Madam, I thank the Senior Minister of State for taking into consideration our suggestion. Let me first declare that I am also the Executive Advisor for the National Taxi Association. Today, the costs incurred by taxi drivers not only include the GST that is levied on them for the daily rental of the vehicle but also the $5,100 a year diesel tax levy that is levied on taxis that are using diesel. Over the years, our taxi vehicles have moved towards Euro IV, Euro V standard which is less polluting and also more efficient in terms of the type of pollutants that are released to the environment. The $5,100 levy that was levied on older diesel vehicles, such as older models of taxis, should therefore be reviewed today because we have better models on the road. And that is also another option that we hope that the Ministry can consider in order to lower the costs that are incurred by taxi drivers on a daily basis other than just the vehicle rental but also this element of GST, in addition to the diesel levy of $5,100.”
“Many developers are only keen to show shopping malls, schools and facilities. Finally, the amendment to the Bill to improve quality of information given by the developers to the buyers is timely. One area which is not currently addressed is the information given by property websites. Many such sites have popped up recently and many buyers are turning to them for reference. Moving forward, I hope that the Ministry can look into ensuring that any representation or reproduction of housing accommodation and land use featured by these websites is accurate. Of course, there are many challenges dealing with property websites, but I believe this is an area which will be increasingly important. Madam, with that, I support the Bill. 5.08 pm”
“Some residents who bought units next to vacant land were upset when they found out that new Build-to-Order flats or new institutions would be constructed next to their blocks after they have moved in. They shared that the developer had not indicated any new residential development on that particular plot of land in the collateral. Instead, the artist's impressions showed the development set amidst lush greenery and even omitted some other existing flats. I reviewed some of the old brochures that they shared with me and it clearly showed unobstructed views. In fact, a staff from the developer informed me and the residents that all land use plans are available from URA, and buyers can go down to Maxwell Road to do their own checks to find out what are the actual plans around the development and to go to the Internet to check what "plot ratio" means. Yes, the onus is on the buyer to do his or her own checks before making a purchase. However, many lack the awareness and know-how to go about doing so. Some of the artist's impression drawings can often be misleading. I am glad that the Ministry has addressed some of these concerns in last year's changes to the regulations. I would like to propose that developers show accurate spatial distance between existing and to-be-constructed new buildings and land use plan. This should cover a two-kilometre radius around the housing development which is put up on sale. This two-kilometre radius is similar to the Primary 1 registration Phase 2C coverage because they specifically, in their marketing Page: 78 collateral, promote that as an attractive option. Whether there will be an educational institution, condominium or religious institution nearby should be made known to the buyers.”
“For instance, any walls that may have been removed for interior design needs should be accurately reflected in the show units, including the thickness of the wall on the floor and not just a solid line on the floor. I also hope that, in future, doors will be installed in show units as well. Secondly, let us move to what is outside the unit. In the past, residents were not informed by the developer regarding the dimensions of the balcony, aircon Page: 77 ledge and planter box. It was only until they moved in and did a physical measurement that they realised the dimensions of these areas. In fact, a floor area of 1,200 square feet could have up to 100 square feet of space occupied by these features, a point made in an article in today's The Straits Times Forum Page that indicate that the recent change of such a regulation is in the right direction because now consumers know what they are getting into and the developers are required to indicate what are the sizes of these areas. However, many continue to be unaware of the restriction concerning what they can do with the balcony area or planter box area. Some thought they can install full-height windows but did not know they were not allowed to. However, it was shown in the show units that it was there although it was for display purposes only. They now have to pay money to uninstall what they have installed. Developers should make it clear, not only in bold print in their collateral but also at show units that such fixtures are not allowed. It is not viable for residents to have to separately check with HDB, URA and BCA on the various restrictions. Thirdly, let us look at what is surrounding the unit.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. Many agents sell properties based on three reasons: location, location and location. But for many buyers, the decision to buy a property should be based on what is inside the unit, what is outside the unit and what is surrounding the unit. Let me share the experiences of my residents at a Design, Build and Sell Scheme project in Ang Mo Kio, feedback from others and my own visits to many show units recently. Firstly, let the show units accurately reflect the space inside the unit as well as what is available inside. Many were frustrated that their kitchen, living room and bedroom appeared smaller when they moved in. In some cases, show units that they visited had interior designs that gave the illusion that it will be spacious, similar to the point mentioned by the hon Member Mr Lim Biow Chuan earlier. Amendments to the regulations in 2012 requiring that developers indicate accurate to scale floor dimensions is a step in the right direction. But that is not enough to achieve "what you see is what you get". For example, one will notice that many show units do not come with doors. Upon collecting their keys, some were appalled that they could not even open the door to the toilet without it banging against the toilet seat. A resident showed me in his new flat how he could not open the door to his wardrobe after he put in his bed. He had to change the door to a sliding one because the design had not catered for that. Perhaps we can expand the regulations. When we visit a show unit, we should be able to see what we will be getting upon making a purchase.”
“Mdm Chair, this Budget made particular mention of a significant investment to nurture the arts, through the new Cultural Donation Matching Fund, to provide dollar-for-dollar matching for donations to arts and culture. Will the Ministry consider extending the grant to the upstream institutions that offer training and developing youths in the arts? The aim, of course, is for capacity building and for capability development. What I mean is, I am referring to training facilities such as LASALLE College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, as well as some of the clan associations. These places nurture our youth, develop local arts and encourage Page: 35 the cultural landscape. Will the Ministry consider matching the donation amount if the school or the clan association embarks on building or expansion projects? Consider also classes that they run that cover areas that have limited commercial value but very high in cultural content, such as calligraphy, Chinese traditional arts, Chinese opera and Chinese orchestra – just to name a few as examples. I think we all recall seeing the article in the newspapers some time back where an institute had to run tents for their students because they went out of space. Many are busy raising funds and I hope that the Ministry can consider matching their efforts so that more can be done for our next generation who are pursuing a career and their interest in the arts.”
“Two points of clarifications. One, will the Minister consider rolling out public image enhancement programmes for early childhood educators, the way they do for social workers in the last Budget? The second clarification, Minister earlier mentioned that they will do more to help the group of people who fail to meet the existing criteria by a bit as far as social welfare is concerned. I wonder if the Ministry is aware that there may be incidences or trend of social recipients who are trapped in an incentive trap. They currently do not want to earn a little bit more because they will lose out on a lot of social assistance. How are we going to resolve this matter of people who will want to see a gradual reduction in the incentives that they currently receive so there is motivation for them to break out from the incentives that they are currently receiving?”
“Mdm Chair, last night I met at my Meet-the-People Session, a couple – husband is a Singaporean, wife is a Vietnamese. I think many Members in this House similarly have such encounters concerning the marital status of Singaporeans and their foreign spouse. There is a growing number of Singaporeans marrying foreign spouses. I think we need better support for family and marriage education programmes for soon-to-wed couples so that they develop the right mindsets and attitude and understand what it means to get married in Singapore. Page: 40 In the Budget debate last year, I called the Government to make plans to provide greater support for these foreign spouses. I know there will be challenges, especially if marriages are registered overseas and not in Singapore. However, I think it is important for us to explore options to extend pre-marital counselling services and marriage preparatory courses to Singaporeans and their foreign spouses. The sessions can be conducted through face-to-face meetings, workshops, videos, social media, or I might even suggest, a mini movie as well. Let us prepare couples for better understanding as to what it means to be married in Singapore. What are the cultural experiences, and some of the processes involved; whether they come in as PRs, or holders of Long Term Visit Pass, Social Visit Pass Plus, and the likes of it. There are many complex issues each couple faced. I think many in this House like me play the "untrained" marriage counsellor each time we encounter some of these cases at our Meet-the-People Sessions. I recall many such cases raised during Parliamentary Questions. I hope the Government can take pre-emptive steps at the upstream to tackle some of these challenges faced by Singaporeans marrying foreign spouses.”
“The idea is to use this scheme to retain and upskill existing early childhood educators. What will this scheme entail? Basically, for every educator, if they complete a professional development module, they would be given credit points. At the end of the day, if they stay in the industry for about three years, they would be able to gain certain incentives, in recognition of their efforts to upgrade themselves and also to retain and remain in the industry. We have tested this idea with the operators and the teachers and many welcome such a scheme. They believe such a scheme would enable more to be attracted to the industry to remain and to develop themselves professionally. They are prepared to also co-share the cost of this scheme with the Government as part and parcel of the $3 billion spending. I hope the Ministry would consider this option. Enhancement of Pre-school Sector”
“Mdm Chair, many teachers and principals I spoke with recently welcome the $3 billion spending on pre-school education. They have two points to make. One is on retaining talent and the other one is to develop themselves professionally. They welcome the $3 billion spending on expanding the number of pre-school places and improving the quality of the education experience of children. They would like to thank the Minister for more scholarships and training grants to upgrade themselves and also more structured training and career development. However, many would like me to reiterate and I also support their move to call for greater and better recognition of early childhood educators and professionals. 12.15 pm I believe the Minister would recall the TV show on Budget debate that we went on last week where this point was also brought up by many of the participants in the show – that they would like to improve the image and professionalism of the early childhood educators. Page: 33 I have visited many different centres and spoken with teachers from different backgrounds, including those in the higher quality pre-school centres as well as those in the heartlands. Every teacher I spoke with is highly inspired and wants to do their best to better the lives of the children that they serve. They, however, have one point which is not every academic qualification is important. They would like to emphasise on professional development. So, it is not always that they need to acquire a degree or a Master's. However, in areas of professional development, they feel that that is another route to go. As such, we have worked together and developed a new incentive scheme that we hope that the Ministry can consider, and that is the Professional Development Incentive Scheme (PDIS).”
“Madam, recently I visited a block of flats near the MRT tracks in Ang Mo Kio. The daughter of the resident was studying hard but she had her earphones on to block out noise from passing trains in order to concentrate on her homework. Last year, I brought up similar concerns raised by my residents on the high noise level they have to deal with from passing MRT trains. Many have been encouraged by the fact that there has been successful installation of noise barriers at Jurong East and Bishan to reduce passing rail noise. And recently, LTA also announced that they would install noise barriers at three more sites. We also understand that LTA has completed noise measurement studies which began in 2011 and it covered the entire length of all elevated MRT tracks island-wide. We are very encouraged by these studies and we hope to hear from the Ministry on what are the implementation plans to build or install more noise barriers along MRT tracks. In particular, I would like to repeat my call for Ang Mo Kio to be included in this installation and especially so since the estate is fairly old and the MRT track has been there for many years. The new Cross Island MRT line will also cut through Ang Mo Kio and we hope that LTA and Page: 151 MOT will consider speeding up the installation of such noise barriers.”
“And employers are prepared in their workplace with certain incentive schemes to receive these groups of job seekers. I hope that the Minister can also review the plans to use the SEC scheme to enable more back-to-work women and ex-offenders to re-integrate back into society quickly. Mdm Speaker, I think it is important that we do more for the self-employed. It is not always through giving out more grants, although I am quite sure many will welcome it. For many, this career route was not their first choice. They may have lost their jobs in other arena and have to look for alternative ones. It is unfair to leave them alone, assuming that because they are self-employed, they can look after themselves. I believe that, with greater help and support, we can deepen their skills and enable more people to appreciate the self-employed and the work they do. It is equally important that we adopt the right mindset towards such career options and create the right working environment for them to thrive. Their jobs, whether as taxi drivers, adult educators or other forms of freelance work, must be considered as a viable long-term career. Every contributor to our economy, be they employees or self-employed, is critical and their inputs valuable. They, together, will make a better Singapore. Mdm Speaker, with that, I support the Budget.”
“Adult educators gain expertise in their fields and have valuable skills that allow them to perform well in their job. Their work should be highly valued and their career choice respected. I hope that buyers of their services will want to work closely with them, respect their work and, of course, pay them in a timely manner. Finally, my second point is to help Singaporeans get a job quickly. I support Ms Mary Liew and Mr Heng Chee How's call to help more segments of Singaporeans to find good jobs quickly. Last year, the Minister for Finance announced enhancements to the Special Employment Credits (SEC) scheme. The Acting Minister for Manpower, in a recent reply to a Parliamentary Question, also shared that he is open to extending SEC or some variant form of it to ex-offenders who are under the Yellow Ribbon project. Previously, I had called for the SEC to be extended to other vulnerable worker segments, be it back-to-work women or ex-offenders. I have also visited the Prison to find out more from inmates about their employment concerns. In my constituency, I continue to meet many ex-offenders and back-to-work women who face challenges to return to the workforce. Some have shared that employers tell them that the cost of having to make adjustments for hiring them is not viable. For example, they may have to create a more flexible work schedule or create a mentoring system. And job seekers also share that they Page: 79 find it challenging or costly, sometimes, to attend courses and there are obstacles they face along the way. Perhaps, the Minister can consider bundling some of such support services together so that the job seekers are trained before they are sent to the employers.”
“In this Budget, many workers can look forward to benefiting from the enhanced Workfare and WCS. Many will see their wages and skills rise through the progressive wage model illustrated by Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Yeo Guat Kwang earlier on. Adult educators have not been left out in this effort. Together with the Institute of Adult Learning by the WDA, industry practitioners and the unions have been working on the progression pathways for adult educators. Today, they can progress from being a trainer certified under the Workplace Page: 78 Trainer Programme to attaining an advanced certificate, a diploma and even Masters in Training and Development or in Lifelong Learning. And the good news is these courses are co-funded by the Government. Such a pathway enables adult educators to deliver better services, handle more complex needs, such as assessing training outcomes and designing curriculum. Moving forward, they are able to better earn higher income and access new markets, both locally and regionally. Indeed, adult educators can seek the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance's consideration to give them more help, more funds. But as one of them remarked to me, the best help is to expand his market reach and deepen his professionalism, not more money. Hence, I call upon the Government and employers to speed up the recognition of training certification, whether it be WSQ or other certifiable courses. Such skills recognition is key to our efforts to embark on quality growth. We should also engage the services of training practitioners with the right qualifications. This is especially important since they have a significant role to play in bringing about positive impact to our workers.”
“Secondly, taxi drivers work very hard every day. What they hope to see is that the Government and operator can offer greater support to help them build up their CPF savings. They grapple with rising business operating costs, such as higher taxi rental, ERP charges, diesel tax levy, petrol costs and insurance premiums. They have suggested reviewing an existing old scheme and re-calibrating it to meet today's reality, and that is the diesel tax levy. With cleaner diesel technologies and more Euro IV cars on the roads, perhaps the Government can review the annual diesel tax levy and its utilisation. One way is to explore taking part of the levy collected from drivers and transferring into the drivers' CPF accounts. This way, resources can be directed towards giving them greater security for their healthcare, housing and retirement needs. Another group of the growing pool of self-employed is the adult educators. Efforts over the last few years by the Government in Continuing Education and Training have actually expanded the market for more local trainers. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency estimates that, today, there are probably over 15,000 training practitioners. I have spoken to some of them recently and they welcome the recent announcement that training for Singaporean workers would be boosted and the Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund will receive a top-up. To them, this represents a bigger market share – more people going for training, more businesses for the adult educators. Our brand as an adult training hub has also gone up among our regional neighbours. I am also the Executive Secretary of the Education Services Union and we recently conducted a survey among adult educators. Their main concern is about income security.”
“I hope taxi drivers and taxi operators will be able to strike a good partnership. Drivers should be viewed as co-owners, instead of the current taxi operator-hirer relationship. Take, for example, the Government has just announced a one-year 30% road tax rebate for commercial vehicles, including taxis. The immediate response by some taxi operators to the call by the National Taxi Association (NTA) to give back the savings to drivers is a good start. We hope all taxi operators will follow suit. Older taxi drivers I spoke with are also pleased with existing programmes, such as the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) by MOH, to help them manage healthcare costs. The NTA, together with dental and healthcare groups, has also rolled out discounted schemes to enable taxi drivers to enjoy affordable medical care. Recently, the Health Promotion Board has also stepped in to provide some level of support for taxi drivers. All the stakeholders have taken very proactive steps. However, with rising medical costs and needs, affordability remains a major concern. The drivers I spoke with welcomed the one-off MediSave account top-up of $200. In addition, they have two requests to make this Budget a more inclusive one. Firstly, this Budget enhanced the WIS and created the Wage Credit Scheme (WCS). This was good news to many. However, as self-employed, they hope Page: 77 that they will be able to receive the same amount in WIS as employees. Today, they also receive a smaller amount in cash. Mdm Speaker, many are pleased with the generosity of the WCS. But as self-employed and freelancers, they do not benefit from this programme. While there is no direct scheme to help the self-employed in this Budget, perhaps the Deputy Prime Minister could consider further refinements at a later date.”
“Mdm Speaker, I am encouraged that the Budget is designed to build a Singapore that provides better opportunities and a better future for all Singaporeans. I would like to make two recommendations for MOF and the Deputy Prime Minister's consideration. Firstly, respect every job and value every contribution. In the past, many freelancers and self-employed had indicated that they needed more support. They do not receive CPF contributions by employers, nor do they enjoy medical or leave benefits. Some have to deal with clients who do not pay up, or take a long time to pay for the services rendered. I have spoken with many of them recently and they have reiterated that these remain major Page: 76 concerns for them. This year's Budget has brought much cheer to them. Many will enjoy income tax rebates, GST rebates, enhanced Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) and MediSave top-ups. These measures will go a long way in helping them manage cost pressures. With the evolving economy, we are actually seeing more and swifter changes to job options. Many people are becoming self-employed and freelancers, whether they are taxi drivers, adult educators or tour guides, as examples. Many of them I spoke with hope that society will respect their career choice and not perceive this choice that they have made as a fall-back option. What they do every day contributes significantly to our economy. Our economic transformation should include the self-employed. We can do more to make their jobs more respectable and their choice a better one. Let me cite two examples to illustrate what I meant. First, taxi drivers. I would like to declare that I am the Adviser for the National Taxi Association, and many taxi drivers that I spoke with share their sentiments with me.”
“I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary a supplementary question. Perhaps to take a more whole-of-Government approach, for example, in my constituency there is a primary school which is going through upgrading programme and there is going to be a Build-To-Order (BTO) project next to it, many of the enquiries have been to give access roads to heavy vehicles that may be flowing through, to protect the Page: 30 safety of the students and the staff working in the school. The discussion so far has been quite convoluted because they will talk to MND, refer to MOT and then to MOE because multiple agencies are involved in the specific access of the road. So, I was wondering if, from a perspective of safety, MOT would take on a more coordinating role and work with the other agencies in order to ensure the safety of the students and teachers working in the Primary school. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to reassure the Member that we indeed take on a whole-of-Government approach. Nevertheless, we have to understand that each department or agencies have their own specific area. However, we find that it is very, very, critical for us to work together, and this is exactly what is shared by the Member, and we will continue to improve on this aspect.”
“Are there areas that the Ministry may consider amending or strengthening in the Employment Act to safeguard the interests of low-wage workers, beyond that of pay? Such as in the area of workplace safety, leave and medical coverage by the employers?”
“Many are worried about whether or not theirs would be the one which would be cIosed down and they may lose their jobs. I think it is important that we do not see Singapore purely as a number but we want to see a Singapore where everyone's needs are considered. Every job is respected and every worker is valued. We do not need to wait until 2030 to do that. Mdm Speaker, to achieve a dynamic Singapore, we require more than just pragmatic solutions and sustainable policies. Fundamentally, I believe it is also about adopting the right mindset – to be adopted by employers, society, workers and everyone alike. The type of mindsets we bring will determine the outcomes for Singapore in 2030. With that, I support the Motion and the amendments. 5.27 pm”
“Through my interactions with folks from Lasalle College of the Arts and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, I find that many could do with more support from their family and friends to pursue their dreams in the design and the arts. Whilst their friends opt to study in colleges and Polytechnics, they choose to study in an arts or design institution. Our mindset must change, and not perceive those who take a non-academic route differently. We can do more to help create a vibrant economy by supporting those who opt for an "unconventional" path. What about those who choose to be a plumber, carpenter or electrician? They gain expertise in their crafts and have valuable skills that allow them to perform well in their job. Recently, I observed a Singaporean carpenter at work while he was at my kitchen to repair a cabinet. It was apparent to me that he was very skilful with his tools and could do the job very quickly. The availability of such local craftsmen like himself is becoming harder to find. Many are older, and the younger ones opt to work in the corporate world instead. We should, therefore, apply our minds to transform our workforce and change our mindset about such professions. It is possible that a plumber or a taxi driver can one day earn as much and be as respected as an executive in the Page: 100 office. On this note, I would like to share a thought about a mindset change. Recently, many have welcomed the possible removal of a golf course from our land so that it can free up space for residential and other uses. Might I caution everybody to also consider that there are many workers who currently work in golf courses; be they landscape technicians, cleaners, security guards and service crew.”
“Many of the operators I spoke with share that they would like to retain their staff and many pre-school educators want to remain in the industry. Page: 99 I would like to propose a scheme, an initiative – we can call it a Professional Development Incentive Scheme. The idea is to retain and up-skill our educators. Under this scheme, if an early childhood educator completes certain professional development courses, she will be eligible for the Professional Development Incentive Award. For example, the award can pay somewhere between $6,000 and $10,000 at the end of three years if the person remains in the sector. The amount should be co-shared by the Government and operator. I tested this idea with some operators and teachers and many welcome such a move, of course, with some variations. Through better image, retention and capability development package, only then can we attract more Singaporeans as early childhood educators. This will also give parents the assurance that their children will receive quality education. Beyond pre-school, I think it is also important that we address the types of opportunities our next generation, like my nieces and nephews, will have by the year 2030. For example, recently, I was at the kindergarten and I saw children there experimenting with various art forms and performing at concerts. Having piqued their interest at a young age, many may eventually venture into one of these areas as their choice profession. Our youths today have a good choice on whether to pursue an academic track, vocational track or specialised in arts or the sports.”
“Perhaps the Government can consider giving Special Employment Credit to employers who are pro-hiring of working mothers. I previously proposed this idea and I think this is the right time to reinforce and reintroduce this concept. This may send the right signal and further incentivise companies who are keen to offer flexible work arrangements and attract more mothers to return to the workforce. As co-workers, we also need to change their attitude towards their working parent colleagues as well. When they need to be excused to look after their young children, do show them greater understanding. Beyond the workplace, to encourage more Singaporeans to have babies, we need to also address their other concerns. At this juncture, let me declare my interest as the Executive Secretary of the Education Services Union. For example, many parents share with me that it is important to have quality pre-school education. Recently, I met with a group of childcare teachers. I was deeply impressed with their passion in the work they do, and how they are continuously on the lookout to deepen their competencies. However, they also heard that there are better pay and career prospects in other sectors. What is worse, some parents have even labelled them "nannies". Recently, some told me that they have been asked to double-up as cooks in the childcare centre, and to be trained as bus attendants in case the children got to go on excursion. This is shocking because, in this way, we are further demeaning the role of pre-school educators. It is no wonder that many are tempted to leave the profession. To hire and retain experienced and good teachers, more needs to be done to enhance their image, pay and career prospects.”
“Might we not be better served if we take a whole-of-Government and whole-of-business approach? Instead of depending solely on MOM to manage and resolve grievances involving either local or foreign workers, perhaps other agencies should step in and take greater ownership. Let me illustrate. For example, the Singapore Tourism Board can play a more active role to resolve manpower issues involving tourist guides. I am also glad to know that LTA is keen to play a more active mediatory role for taxi drivers, and is in the midst of discussing how to structure a dispute resolution process. Taxi union leaders I spoke with welcome this move by the LTA. The crux lies in our mindset. I urge that the various agency and industry association should not abdicate their roles, and depend solely on MOM to resolve manpower-related issues and disputes. I also agree with Minister Lim Swee Say that husbands need to participate more actively in raising a child, not only on weekends. But of equal importance is how employers view the local workforce, Page: 98 in particular, working parents. Many, as yet, do not see flexible work arrangements and work-life culture as key strategies. Some parents I met shared that their employers and co-workers are not showing enough support at the workplace. Bosses are concerned about having to find staff to cover the duties of working mothers or parents when they are away. Their co-workers lament about having to do more work. How do we view working parents? It cannot augur well for efforts to boost local fertility rate if parents with young children are viewed as an inconvenience. Employers need to adopt a right attitude towards parents, especially working mothers.”
“Mdm Speaker, whether we support or oppose the Motion, whether we do things the same way or differently, one Page: 97 projection will come true. Citizens aged 65 and above will triple to 900,000 by the year 2030. I did a calculation. I will become one of them. I will belong to the 65 years old group. We will fill five Ang Mo Kio towns. As our population grows older, we will need more eldercare and healthcare workers. Making aged care, support facilities and services accessible and affordable is a priority. More nursing homes, senior care and activity centres will be needed. To meet increasing demand, we will also need foreign workers alongside locals, to build and work in these facilities. Many people understand that we need to complement our local workforce with foreign workers. To reduce our dependence on foreign workers, we need to do more to enhance the image, pay and career prospects of those jobs where not many Singaporeans go into today. For instance, about 16,000 healthcare staff recently received better pay through initiatives that include training, job redesign, and better use of devices. Other sectors should emulate this as well. We must continue to make more jobs more attractive to Singaporeans. On top of that, employers should not just rely on the current way of deploying workers. Self-service payment kiosks such as those at supermarkets and AXS machines are good examples of labour-saving devices and business model. The reduction of the need for counter staff is a significant benefit. Apart from redesigning jobs, I also welcome the Acting Minister for Manpower's plans to look beyond the statutory duties of his Ministry to set up an independent body to deal with manpower disputes. I do have a suggestion.”
“Many have lamented that, unlike other industries, the image of early childhood educators has been labelled by some to be "nannies". As compared to the Ministry's efforts to increase the profile of social work over the last one year, many have hoped that the Ministry will consider increasing the public perception of what this profession is and enhancing the image so that more will want to join and remain in this industry as a professional. Would the Ministry consider such an initiative?”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. Let me declare that I am the Executive Secretary of the Education Services Union. I have spoken to several principals, operators and at least close to about 100 teachers concerning their issues with regard to career prospects, image and pay. Many attributed these to affecting the number of people who are retained or attracted into the sector. When faced with challenges from other industries, other sectors which are providing better pay, better image, better training allowance and course fee support, many are driven to these other industries. I would like to ask the Minister, with our efforts to increase the number of centres by 200 over the next few years, are we considering additional enhancements to our existing efforts to attract and retain teachers with passion in this sector?”
“Thank you, Sir. A follow-up question for the Senior Minister of State: when I liaised with HDB about the BTO projects, they made reference to the fact that a lot of the plans are reflected in the URA Masterplan for 2008, and indicated to residents that they could refer to the URA website, or the publicly available information concerning the URA project plans, housing plans and plot ratios and the likes of it. It is not co-ordinated within the HDB domain, or within the HDB website to describe to people what is going to happen. You have multiple agency information that requires individuals to navigate in order to understand the development on the ground. I hope that in the co-ordination effort with HDB, they could synthesise some of the information so that residents have a better idea as to what is going to happen to their town, what kinds of developments are going to take place over the next few years, and how the masterplan will affect their living environment as a whole. Then, they are better informed and know what choice they have to make, what neighbourhood they are going to stay in.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. First, some of the residents in an Ang Mo Kio DBSS project claim that HDB had previously publicly committed that there will not be any building of BTOs in mature estates. I hope that Minister can clarify whether there has been such a policy, or if there were other factors that could have led to such perception. Secondly, notwithstanding that there is a contractual relationship between the buyer and the developer, I wish the Minister would reconsider if the HDB could take a more active stance in mediating the differences and disputes that arise between the residents and the developer. Page: 718”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for that assurance. In the Ministry's process of retrofitting the hawker centres, whether the new ones or those undergoing HIP, some contractors I spoke with have given the feedback that the design of the tables and chairs, and the spacing between them do not allow for mechanised cleaning equipment to go in and clean under the table. So, that simple retrofitting will need to take into consideration cleaning equipment. Secondly, the location of the cable power points. They are located too far apart so you have the long cables to bring the equipment in. So, in the process of retrofitting the hawker centres, I hope the Ministry can take those factors into consideration as well. Page: 705”