Chen Show Mao
Singapore
“Sir, a year before the Minister of Health declared War on Diabetes, four years ago, the International Diabetes Foundation reported that Singapore had the second highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations. Our children and young people were increasingly overweight.”
“Sir, zero waste is an effort that members of the public as consumers can be engaged in to great effect. All of us can take action to reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse waste. Twenty-nineteen was designated by the Ministry as the Year towards zero waste to rally Singaporeans to care for our environment and treasure our resources.”
“Sir, informal or unpaid care-givers enable other Singaporeans to carry out the economic activities that are figured in our GDP while their own care-giving is not. As of now, the burden of informal eldercare-giving falls disproportionately on unmarried women.”
“Sir, the COVID-19 outbreak will likely give a critical lift to the growth of technological applications that seem ripe for wider adoption now and in all likelihood will remain more widely-adopted post-COVID-19, for example, video conferencing.”
“Sir, support our older workers to improve their productivity helps provide our older workers with the choice of working longer if they wish, representing an opportunity to stay economically active, socially engaged at work and better provide for themselves in future retirement and, of course, work to the best of their ability.”
“Sir, the Ministry has taken a step towards buttressing the retirement adequacy of freelance workers in our economy with Contribute-As-You-Earn (CAYE) model for MediSave, whereby contribution is made as and when a service fee is earned.”
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Every one of 146 lines we hold for Chen Show Mao, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 3.
“Sir, a year before the Minister of Health declared War on Diabetes, four years ago, the International Diabetes Foundation reported that Singapore had the second highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations. Our children and young people were increasingly overweight. One in three Singaporeans had a lifetime risk of developing diabetes, with serious and costly consequences. Following the declaration of War on Diabetes, the Prime Minister spoke of diabetes as one of the three key long-term issues for Singapore. Sir, the importance to Singapore of the War on Diabetes cannot be overstated. Could the Minister give us a report of progress from the front? What are the results and lessons? What are our new and continuing efforts and plans; strategies and tactics? Living with COVID-19”
“Sir, zero waste is an effort that members of the public as consumers can be engaged in to great effect. All of us can take action to reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse waste. Twenty-nineteen was designated by the Ministry as the Year towards zero waste to rally Singaporeans to care for our environment and treasure our resources. May I ask for a review of its results and lessons in view of the goals enumerated in the Zero Waste Master Plan and for an update of the Ministry's efforts in this area. Recycling Bins”
“Sir, the COVID-19 outbreak will likely give a critical lift to the growth of technological applications that seem ripe for wider adoption now and in all likelihood will remain more widely-adopted post-COVID-19, for example, video conferencing. Sir, may I ask for an update of the Ministry’s views on how online learning fits into the education of our school children and the Ministry's plans relating to its development? Professional Development of Educators”
“Sir, I would like to renew my call for the learning of basic conversational Bahasa Melayu to be included in the regular curriculum for all our Primary school children who do not otherwise learn it. I understand that our school children have a great deal to learn already and we are concerned about their well-being. But, perhaps, they could learn the National Language without the pressure of examinations. I also understand that the school curriculum needs to reflect a balance of many different priorities. But it is precisely because of this that I call for its inclusion. And I do so in different years at our Budget discussions because teaching all our school children Bahasa Melayu speaks to many of our enduring values and our hopes that are reflected in successive Budgets – economic development through regional cooperation, building a strong and united Singapore. Sir, to begin with, learning Bahasa Melayu will be good for the cognitive and intellectual development of our children who learn it as a Third Language. It will also protect and preserve our multiculturalism and promote national integration and a sense of identity rooted in our geography and our history. Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) in Schools”
“Sir, informal or unpaid care-givers enable other Singaporeans to carry out the economic activities that are figured in our GDP while their own care-giving is not. As of now, the burden of informal eldercare-giving falls disproportionately on unmarried women. Our dependence on this group of Singaporeans is real, is substantial and very often unacknowledged. Eldercare leave and the statutory right to flexible work arrangements could well help relieve some of the pressures on informal eldercare-givers who also work at other jobs. But almost half of our informal care-givers to seniors do not work at other jobs, often because of the unpaid care-giving responsibilities that they have taken on, to their own financial detriment and to their own reduced retirement adequacy. For them, would the Ministry consider measures such as CPF top-ups and cash grants for full-time informal eldercare-givers in low-income households to help reduce the pressure of being under-employed and under-prepared for retirement as a result of taking on the responsibilities of caring for their loved seniors?”
“Sir, the Ministry has taken a step towards buttressing the retirement adequacy of freelance workers in our economy with Contribute-As-You-Earn (CAYE) model for MediSave, whereby contribution is made as and when a service fee is earned. May I ask the Ministry for an update on the progress in the implementation of CAYE and an update of its plans in the area?”
“Sir, support our older workers to improve their productivity helps provide our older workers with the choice of working longer if they wish, representing an opportunity to stay economically active, socially engaged at work and better provide for themselves in future retirement and, of course, work to the best of their ability. May I ask the Ministry for an update of its plans in the area?”
“Do these differences really represent a greater ability on the part of the workers to take care of themselves and their work that warrant the contractors/employers doing significantly less for them? Do they warrant exclusion from WICA coverage? How many hours of work and at what time of day or week are in effect readily available for the worker to choose from, and on what notice? How much of a capital investment does an e-scooter for food delivery represent, for example? Also, Sir, the Tripartite Workgroup on Self Employed Persons notes that the majority of self-employed persons in Singapore work in desk-bound non-manual jobs where the risk of injury is low. And for the smaller group of self-employed persons engaged in higher-risk occupations, it recommends that the Government promote the adoption of private insurance in higher-risk occupations through licensing controls or tapping on the Government’s role as a service-buyer, where possible. Sir, I look forward to reports in time from the Ministry on the progress that it will have made in this area.”
“Mr Speaker, I support the extension of WICA coverage to a larger group of workers as proposed by the Bill and urge continuing efforts by the Ministry to afford comparable protection to the more vulnerable workers currently excluded from WICA coverage because they are classified as self-employed persons, namely, such workers in higher-risk occupations and those who earn lower income, and thereby are less able to weather the storm of work injury. Self-employed persons in this context are typically defined as workers for their own account. WICA coverage is available to workers employed under a contract of service, but not workers for their own accounts, whatever their occupation or income. The idea is that in some very important sense, self-employed persons as independent contractors can better take care of themselves and their work. For example, it is widely accepted that many delivery riders are contractors and not employees because they may choose their own work arrangements, such as riding their own vehicles and managing their own working hours. This is a fundamental and long-standing distinction traceable to the English common law, and for good reason. I would like to urge, however, that we be more ready in our own circumstances to re-examine critically the assumptions underlying this distinction, especially where lower-income workers in higher risk occupations are concerned. The bargaining powers of the contracting parties are often unequal. Let us continue to study how these more vulnerable workers for their own account are differently situated in meaningful ways from others employed under, say, a part-time or short-term contract of service.”
“For example, if an elderly is unable to carry out three out of six ADLs due to old age, stroke or dementia, including bathing, taking medicine, changing, going to the toilet, moving around and moving from bed to chair or to a wheelchair, they can file claims and they will be able to receive $600 in cash every month for the rest of their lives to pay for long-term care until they are fully recovered. However, Mr Speaker, how much can $600 buy in terms of life-term care, be it home care, full-time domestic helper, nursing homes, community day-care or other arrangements? If you have $600 in your pocket, do you have enough suitable options? Are the fees affordable for those who require long-term care? Mr Speaker, Sir, that is why I say that we can move another step forward.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, in helping Singaporeans prepare for long-term care, the CareShield Life Bill that is being discussed today is a step in the right direction. People say that you have children to prepare for old age. In Singapore today, just depending on our children for old age is not enough. In future, as the population ages, preparing for old age will be increasingly challenging. Last year, during the Parliamentary debate on the CareShield Life Committee Report, I said that the programme itself is self-sustaining but the implementation details need to be actively planned out. For example, how do we assist those who cannot afford the premiums and include them in the programme so that no one is left behind? The Bill tabled today has addressed this. Mr Speaker, why do I say that the CareShield Life Bill is a step in the right direction? What is the right direction for our social policies? What is our vision? There is an ancient saying that in great harmony the aged are provided for till their end, the disabled are cared for, and people treat one another like their own kin. By pooling risks, we are able to pool resources together to assist the elderly and the disabled who are unable to care for themselves. By pooling risks, we can pay relatively low and affordable premiums to get comparatively high and meaningful payouts when needed. The Bill today has provided a partial framework that is feasible and reasonable for our vision to care for the aged and disabled. But aside from the Bill, the entire package should be carefully planned out.”
“To promote the rule of law in opposition to the rule of man is also a growing aspiration in the East, making the rule of law increasingly a universal human value. But the rule of law is not achieved merely by a high volume of legislation. The existence of a large number of laws does not, in itself, effectively constrain the exercise of power. If the laws we make grant the Minister great powers, to be used at his discretion, if we do not clearly calibrate in the text of a law its constraints on power, then we will not be able to say that we have successfully met our challenge: that we successfully married the rule of law with our hopes for a rule of virtue.”
“As for that appeal, the Bill stipulates that the Court can only set aside the Minister's directives under three circumstances: if "the person did not communicate in Singapore the subject statement; it is not technically possible to comply with the Direction"; or if "the subject statement is not a statement of fact, or is a true statement of fact" – in other words, the information is not a falsehood. Even then, the Court will not be able to review the Minister’s determination of whether a false statement of fact has affected public confidence in the Government. Mr Speaker, some say, "Why worry? This is simply the Government carrying out its work. If the people are not happy, they can change the Government at the next elections. What is more, the Minister is a dependable public servant. Even if the text of the Bill grants him great powers, he, in fact, will not abuse them." This is a big topic which I touch on briefly here. I believe that the success of a political system in delivering results for its people, whether in the West or the East, depends to a large extent on effective checks on the exercise of power. These checks take many forms: democratic elections are one; so is the rule of law, also the moral and ethical codes that guide and constrain the behaviour of government officials and the people; the public disclosure of information, including online information; the freedom of speech, including online speech and so on. They are all mechanisms that provide checks on the exercise of power. They are not mutually exclusive. The more of them we can integrate and accommodate, the better. This is a worthy challenge for us. Let us talk about the checks on power provided by laws. The rule of law has had great success in the West historically.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] According to the POFMA Bill, individuals who disseminate falsehoods that undermine the public interest can be jailed up to 10 years, fined up to $100,000. Legal persons can be fined up to $1 million. It cannot be said that this new Bill does not contain harsh terms. According to the Bill, the Government can issue mandatory orders to individuals and online platforms to correct or remove falsehoods. Every Minister has the power to decide which information is genuine or false or against the public interest, and issue directives to correct or remove the information, even if the information has been amended or is no longer being disseminated in Singapore. Is a statement of fact false or genuine? And is it against public interest? The Bill has given every Minister ample discretion to decide. Under the Bill, "falsehoods" is defined as information that is “false or misleading, whether wholly or in part or whether on its own or in the context in which it appears". "Information" is defined as “any word (including abbreviation and initial), number, image (moving or otherwise), sound, symbol or other representation, or a combination of any of these". "Public interest" is defined to include public confidence in our Government. That is to say, if any Minister believes that a particular falsehood has affected public confidence in the Government, including confidence in the Ministry he is in charge of, he has the authority to require that the false information be corrected or removed. If the party involved disagrees, he can lodge an appeal with the Court after he has made the corrections or removed the information.”
“In the United States, divorced spouses have entitlements to their ex-spouse's social security, and in the United Kingdom (UK), spouses who are caregivers earn credits towards their state pension. What has the Ministry observed about the extent to which current and projected retirement gaps exist for own account workers and caregivers? What is the work done on policies that address these gaps, such as mandatory contributions to the RAs for own account workers, matching credits to CPF, and entitlements for caregivers and homemakers based on Government credits, or from spousal accounts? Older Workers and CPF Contributions”
“Retirement Adequacy for Non-employees Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member): Chairman, many were concerned when the Minister recently stated three-quarters of CPF payouts are less than $500 a month. But CPF payouts only form part of retirement income. The self-employed, caregivers and homemakers do not contribute to CPF and rely on private savings for retirement. Older generations were especially likely to have low CPF savings, because self-employment and informal work were more common. As for women, in 1990, about half of working-age women were out of the labour force and, even today, about one in four are out. Going forward, can we ensure that CPF becomes the basic retirement system even for the self-employed, caregivers and homemakers? There are two emerging concerns. First, technological disruption is likely to increase the extent of self-employment. While about one in 10 today are self-employed, this may increase in the future. Even a few years spent out of regular employment will have significant impact on CPF savings. Second, societal trends. Divorce rates have risen rapidly, and this has affected older women. While in 1980 less than 2.5% of women aged 40-59 were divorced, in 2018 about 8% were divorced. Many women have spent substantial time out of work to take care of their family. There are also fewer children to provide support. In 1980, six in 10 ever-married women had four or more children. But by 2018, six in 10 had two or less. Women have no statutory entitlements to retirement assets in divorce or widowhood. It depends on whether the Court orders distribution of CPF in a divorce, and also whether the deceased names the widow as the nominee for CPF. Statutory entitlements for divorcees and widows do exist elsewhere.”
“Sir, self-employed persons account for around one in 10 of working residents and, with the rise of the gig economy, may well increase significantly in the future. The Ministry has indicated that it is working on implementing the tripartite working group's recommendation of a contribute-as-you-earn model for MediSave, whereby contribution to the self-employed worker’s MediSave account of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) is made as and when a service fee is earned. I compliment the Ministry on its efforts. Could the Ministry also look into more ways to encourage gig workers to make further voluntary contributions to other accounts of their CPF by providing them with strong incentives to do so? There is substantial evidence from public policy efforts that positive actions can be induced through non-compulsory incentive mechanisms. For instance, could a "default" be established where CPF deductions, beyond MediSave, initially match those of regular-economy workers with the same job profile, but being non-binding, would permit opting into a lower amount? Alternatively, could gig workers receive information in their CPF statements about typical contributions by regular-economy workers in comparable employment circumstances, to encourage them to follow the "social norm"? SEPs typically face short-term cash flow needs, which may trump their longer-term economic interest in saving for future retirement. Could the Ministry look into offering incentives for SEPs who voluntarily contribute to their Ordinary Account (OA), Special Account (SA) or Retirement Account (RA) of CPF, including favourable tax treatment when they do so?”
“Sir, this Budget speaks of strategic plans for building a strong and united Singapore. It is important because a united Singapore is not only important to our future, but also to our sense of ourselves, of who we are and how we make our way in the world. Can we take the opportunity to complement these efforts with an increased focus in our schools on teaching Bahasa Melayu to all our schoolchildren? It is our National Language and a language of the region in which we are rooted. Can we help all our students attain some basic level of proficiency in our National Language? Sir, last year, I gave the same speech when the Budget spoke of plans for economic development that focus on regional cooperation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This year, again, the Budget speaks of strategic plans for building a strong and united Singapore. Year after year – and this is because teaching all our schoolchildren Bahasa Melayu speaks to many of our enduring values and hopes that Budgets try to address. Learning Malay will be good for the cognitive and intellectual development of our children who learn it as a third language. It will also protect and preserve our multiculturalism and promote national integration and a sense of identity. I understand we currently have conversational third language programmes for Malay at the primary school level as Enrichment but not as part of the regular curriculum. As learning languages is best done when young, could the Ministry look into making the conversational third language programme part of the syllabus for all our primary school students who do not otherwise learn Malay in school? Perhaps, included as part of the regular curriculum for every primary school student, but without the pressure of exams.”
“Sir, I would like to urge that we give importance to raising the productivity of older workers and to job redesign specifically as a means to achieve that objective by making it part of the ITMs, in addition to leaving it to the efforts of the individual employers. Could we expressly identify job redesign for older workers as a key component of each ITM? Could we set out among the suite of initiatives on improving productivity in any given industry, meaning, making job redesign for older workers part of the suite of initiatives for improving productivity in any given industry so that we may spur the collective thinking that can go into finding better solutions of job design for older workers and channel some of the industry's efforts in innovation in this direction? Perhaps, resources could be pooled by companies in the industry to develop best practices to modify tools and equipment for use off-the-shelf by older workers throughout the industry. As businesses in our industries think about how to change, or even disrupt processes in the workplace in order to generate greater value, on the back of better used resources, could we make job redesign for older workers a required part of the syllabus? We know productivity is one of the four pillars supporting the growth and competitiveness plans of an ITM. Could we envision job redesign for older workers as a key component of the ITMs perhaps as a third horizontal, along with promoting infocomm technology (ICT) adoption and skills development? It can help to support the industries and produce improvements across the economy in the face of an ageing workforce. Industry Transformation”
“Sir, I understand we do not currently provide legal aid for arbitration, as it is customarily a private, consensual dispute resolution process; and typically, arbitration is used for high-value commercial dispute resolution and involves much higher costs compared to Court litigation. But, Sir, it is increasingly not the case. Increasingly, in some standard form mass market consumer contracts that ordinary Singaporeans enter into without much room for negotiation, such as some insurance policies, there are contractual requirements that the parties go to arbitration in the event of a dispute. They must go to arbitration. No legal proceedings. Even for needy Singaporeans with good claims under their insurance contracts who have met the Legal Aid Bureau’s Means test and Merits test for aid. To belabour the point, these are needy Singaporeans who are poor enough, who have good enough claims, and who could otherwise have pressed their claims in Court with the help of legal aid if the contract had not contained this arbitration clause. So, there are many good reasons why an insurance company that drafts the policy would want such an arbitration clause. But one effect of such a clause is that it may keep a needy Singaporean from pressing a meritorious claim in the event of a dispute, since Legal Aid currently does not cover the costs of arbitration proceedings. Sir, even one such case that falls through this particular crack feels unnecessary. I would like to ask that the Minister look into extending aid to eligible recipients, namely, Singaporeans who have met the means test and the merits test for legal aid to help them cover the cost of arbitration proceedings to which they have been mandatorily directed by arbitration clauses in standardised contracts used in large volume.”
“These so-called "informal" caregivers are often forced to take up low-paying jobs with flexible hours and terms, or to leave the labour force altogether, thereby aggravating their low economic status in the family, and loss of opportunities to increase their CPF savings to meet future needs. I understand that the Government is prepared to study the feasibility of eldercare leave to help working informal caregivers also take care of seniors at home, like how childcare leave helps working mothers. As for non-working informal caregivers who stay at home fulltime to look after the elderly, especially those from low-income families, I hope the Government will consider CPF top-ups and other means to provide them with financial support.”
“We understand that the Government is reviewing enhancing caregiver support in areas, such as respite services, and working with community partners to offer more socio-emotional support to caregivers. Would the Government also consider socio-economic support, such as CPF top-ups for full-time informal caregivers in low-income households, to reduce the pressure of being unemployed or underemployed and unprepared or underprepared for retirement or for old age as a result of taking on the responsibilities of caring for their loved seniors? (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, "When the Great Way prevails, public society is shared equally by the people." In the society of "Great Harmony, the aged is provided for till their end, the able-bodied find employment, the young are nurtured, and the widowed and the disabled are cared for." Well, in our society, the burden of looking after the old, the young and the disabled falls mainly on female members of the family. Often, they themselves are old, and look after an even older member of the family. Influenced by traditional gender stereotypes, the spouse and the unmarried grown-up daughter are often seen as natural candidates as caregivers to seniors, with their own needs often neglected. While their caregiving is not included in economic data – not counted in the GDP – it brings real stress and burden that can lead to limited social life, stunted personal development, including career development, as well as declines in physical and mental health.”
“Sir, every two years, I make a speech in this House about supporting our caregivers, like many other Members do. Three speeches ago, I said that "it is not so much what is said, but what is done, that will be the measure of our progress." Together with others in this House, I look forward to the Government’s continuing efforts to lend support to our caregivers. There are different types of caregivers: some are paid for their caregiving, others are not and we call them informal caregivers. They take care of family members or relatives who are young, who are disabled or who are seniors. Today, I will talk about informal caregivers who take care of seniors. In many ways, informal or unpaid caregivers enable other Singaporeans to carry out the economic activities that are counted in our gross domestic product (GDP), while their own caregiving is not. As of now, the burden of informal caregiving falls disproportionately on women. Our dependence on this group of Singaporeans is real, substantial and very often unacknowledged. It is well‐documented that caregivers often suffer declines in their own financial circumstances and mental and physical health. If they also work fulltime or parttime at a paying job, their performance suffers. We understand that the Government is prepared to study the feasibility of eldercare leave to help working informal caregivers also take care of seniors at home, as childcare leave helps working mothers. This would be welcomed. But, Sir, almost half of our informal caregivers to seniors do not work at other jobs, often precisely because of the unpaid caregiving responsibilities that they have taken on, to their financial detriment and reduced retirement adequacy.”
“It follows that effective regulatory regimes would not be the same for both. However, western medicine constitutes the mainstream of modern medicine and healthcare and has relatively comprehensive professional training and regulatory frameworks worthy of learning from. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, support for TCM in Singapore is premised on its scientific modernisation and integration with modern medical technology. I hope we can lengthen our stride and quicken our pace in this direction, the better to make our contributions in bringing more benefits of TCM to the world. I hope that TCM remedies which have proven to be effective and safe following thorough clinical experimentation can be integrated into our healthcare system without delay for the benefit of more patients. At such point, the Government may adopt complementary measures so that TCM may be more widely available to all, such as the increased scope for payment in MediSave funds for TCM items, the provision of subsidies for TCM treatment under CHAS or PG), or the recognition of MCs issued by TCMPs.”
“Sir, the Bill before us aims to regulate and professionalise further the practice of TCM in Singapore. It does so through tightening existing disciplinary processes and implementing new mandatory CPE requirements. The enhancement of professional standards that this Bill aims to bring about is welcomed. Sir, as TCM practice grows more regulated and professional, I urge the Ministry not to spare complementary efforts to integrate TCM into our healthcare system to the fullest extent warranted by existing evidence of efficacy and also safety. Since 2013, the Ministry has provided $8 million in funding for collaborative research projects among researchers and practitioners of TCM and those in our universities and hospitals. As these projects and also research and trials undertaken elsewhere in the world lead to increased adoption of TCM in our healthcare, I hope complementary changes can then also be considered with a view to making the benefits of regulated and professional TCM more easily available to Singaporeans, such as the provision of subsidies for TCM treatment under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) or under the Pioneer Generation Scheme (PG), the increased scope for payment from MediSave funds for TCM items, or the recognition of medical certificates (MCs) issued by TCMPs. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, today's Bill aims to strengthen the regulatory framework for TCM practice in Singapore, and to enhance the professional standards of TCMPs through mandatory CPE requirements, so that local TCMPs and acupuncturists can "keep up with the times". I welcome this move. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we know that TCM and western medicine differ in origin, nature, professional training and industry structure.”
“Even as we redouble efforts at public education to promote various non-cash payment methods, we should also permit people the choice of their preferred payment methods, including in physical currency, such as coins and banknotes.”
“To them, a cashless society often signifies greater difficulty rather than convenience. There is need to enhance education and training for the technologically disadvantaged, as the Minister mentioned, and the Government can provide more services that promote digital literacy. According to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) report, Sweden is set to become the first cashless society in the world. However, in recent years, the Swedes are increasingly concerned that doing away with cash altogether may well lead to problems for the elderly and others. For example, most banks have stopped providing over-the-counter teller services, and shops no longer accept cash transactions. In addition, with an open web environment and the deployment of distributed systems, the increasing prevalence of e-payment may well have other risks. User-profile, consumption behaviour and personal habits and preferences are increasingly collected and mined, making it harder to protect privacy. Furthermore, for the country, the society and the financial system as a whole, the concentration of payment and settlement data in the hands of a few private companies and Government agencies may well pose increased risks of disruption to the stability of the financial system or economic security. Of course, there are obvious benefits to doing away with coins, banknotes and to go cashless in our payments and settlement, and we should continue to promote the idea of progress towards a cashless society. However, I hope that this cashless society will be an inclusive one, which provides our people with choices. I believe that different payment methods and settlement systems should be allowed to co-exist in the foreseeable future.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, the Currency Act currently provides for a limit of $2 for 5-,10- and 20-cent coins, $10 for 50-cent coins and no limit for $1 coins, for legal tender. Today, we are amending the Act to provide for a limit of 20 coins to apply across all denominations. Of course, a payor and a payee can mutually agree to transact in any quantities of coins above the limit if they wish. I believe these amendments are reasonable and do not foresee any particular difficulties in their implementation. I would, however, like to emphasise the broader and related point that in our drive towards a "cashless" society, we should take care to leave room for the co-existence of alternative payment methods, including physical currency, such as coins and banknotes, so that members of the public may have a choice in the payment methods they prefer. At a National Day Rally not long ago, the Prime Minister heralded the advent of a cashless society in Singapore, and local e-payment businesses are experiencing robust growth. A recent research report by UBS highlighted that many Asian countries are implementing measures to go cashless. For example, the Indian government has done away with the 500-Rupee and 1,000-Rupee banknotes and the Korean Central Bank plans to stop minting coins after next year. Technology development has increased the scope for inclusive financial services, but it can also widen the gap between the disadvantaged and mainstream society. Disadvantaged groups often lack digital literacy and we need to pay attention to this "digital divide". For example, most of the elderly habitually use cash for transactions and are unfamiliar with the various e-payment technologies and devices available.”
“And there, it has grown its own variant of a two-track-roadmap for the provision of more senior workers, as a supervisor or as a specialist technician. Short of a national minimum wage plan pegged to household expenditures on basic needs, I urge the Government to take the lead in further adapting and extending its PWM to cover more sectors of our economy to better support more low-wage workers, so that they have, along with a ladder ahead of them, a floor beneath.”
“Sir, this Bill before us provides, among other things, for an enhancement to the PWM as applied to workers in the cleaning sector. A licensed cleaning business will now be required to pay an annual bonus, on top of wages, to its cleaners. This will be mandatory for cleaners who are Singaporeans and Permanent Residents and is encouraged in the case of cleaners who are foreigners. As Members know, PWM, developed by the tripartite committees, took effect beginning 2015 with the aim of uplifting low-wage workers in the cleaning, security and landscape sectors. In these sectors, wages had stagnated due to widespread cheap sourcing and due to the more limited scope for collective bargaining, as prices are locked in once service contracts are signed, which are typically for the long term. The PWM aims to secure for the workers a minimum starting wage and also increases in future wages in line with training and improvements in productivity and standards. In this light, I welcome the provisions in this Bill instituting an annual bonus for cleaners, which will carry a minimum amount to be specified by the Commissioner of Labour. Cleaners, like many other low-wage workers, often live from pay cheque to pay cheque and find it difficult to save for the future. Today's Bill takes a step in the direction towards minimum wage protection for low-wage workers in the cleaning sector, consistent with helping businesses better attract and retain their workers. The fact that we are passing today enhancements to the PWM in the cleaning sector offers some cause for optimism that the wage model is taking root in the sector, it is adapting and growing and making progress. Indeed, PWM has very recently been extended to workers in a fourth sector: lift technicians.”
“Let us help this growing and often vulnerable group of workers with the support and protection that they, their dependants, their work and their enterprise deserve.”
“The question is, how can we provide them with better support, including through income tax amendments? The Government has accepted the Tripartite Workgroup's recommendations for "Contribute-As-You-Earn" model whereby a MediSave contribution is required as and when a service fee is earned. And intermediaries and corporate service buyers are required to make the deductions whenever they pay the self-employed person. With "deduct as you go" and consequently with smaller pay cheques, it is likely that short-term cash flow crunches will get worse for the gig economy workers, making it even more difficult and challenging for him or her to make voluntary Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions in a disciplined way. As the Government studies the implementation of "Contribute-As-You-Earn", may I urge that it also look into tax incentives for self-employed persons to encourage them to make voluntary CPF contributions that will help with their retirement adequacy in future? The Government has also accepted the Tripartite Workgroup's recommendation that the tripartite partners work with insurers to make available to self-employed persons insurance products that will provide daily cash payouts in the event of loss of income due to prolonged illness or injury. Will the Government consider tax incentives to encourage the take-up of such insurance products by gig economy workers, including along the lines of existing income tax relief for life insurance? Sir, as I indicated, the provisions in this Bill that work to the greatest ease and benefit of PHC drivers are welcome. I urge the Government to examine more generally the overall regime of tax incentives faced by gig economy workers.”
“Sir, I wish to return to the implications for gig economy workers in the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill before us today. To begin, I would like to express my appreciation that MOF has been responsive to public feedback to simplify and increase the allowed tax deduction on car-related expenses incurred by PHC drivers. Tax simplification is always welcome, both to promote compliance as well as to improve the efficiency of administration and enforcement. Sir, the participants in our gig economy include many PHC drivers and taxi-drivers who constitute the largest category of our self-employed persons. And that is how we typically think about the gig economy worker – a self-employed person, an independent contractor, and not an employee protected by the Employment Act. In fact, the Tripartite Workgroup Report whose recommendations on gig economy workers were recently accepted by the Government is intituled "Support for Self-employed Persons". And as the recommendations themselves make clear, we have focused on the risks of self-employment that have been laid bare and exacerbated in recent years by the gig economy, such as unstable income that can fluctuate much more sharply and quickly than for more traditional self-employed persons outside the gig economy, such as stallholders in a hawker centre. Sir, gig economy workers can be a very diverse group – drivers, delivery persons, accountants, coaches. And the group includes substantial numbers among the lower-income, more vulnerable groups in our population. Because of the temporary and uncertain nature of gigs, these workers are more likely to be living from pay cheque to pay cheque and finding their short-time cash flow needs often trump their longer-term economic interest in saving for future retirement.”
“For example, the initial cash payout of $600 per month under the enhanced scheme is higher than the $400 currently payable under ElderShield, but how much more long-term care it can help procure will depend on the mix of care alternatives available and how much they cost, such as home nursing, foreign domestic workers, a bed in a nursing home, a place in daycare centres and so on. For a real solution in providing long-term care to Singaporeans, quite beyond the payouts under a disability insurance scheme, such as CareShield Life, we need to develop an ecosystem rich in disability-care options, as well as effective policies that would nudge Singaporeans towards choices that meet not only individual demands for affordable and inclusive care, but also the public’s interests in sustainable care.”
“The Committee says that CareShield Life should be self-sustainable, that is, a balance should be struck between the premiums received and payouts made and payouts should not outstrip premiums. But while the scheme may be self-sustainable, the details of its implementation, or even related work outside the ambit of the scheme, remain to be actively planned for and carried out. For example, how do we help and extend coverage to those who cannot afford the premiums, so that they will not be left behind? Another example, $600 is more than $400 by $200. But how much more of long-term care can you buy with this additional amount? A full-time maid, nursing home or the day care centre – are there enough options of care available out there, even with $600 in your pockets? And are the costs reasonable and affordable? Mr Speaker, Sir, we have more steps to take and further to go. (In English): The Review Committee's recommendations are a step in the right direction for long-term care support. They embrace the principle of risk-pooling to address the growing needs of long-term care for those Singaporeans who, whether through age, illness or circumstance, become severely disabled. The Committee recommends Government support through: (a) permanent means-tested premium subsidies; (b) transitional subsidies; and (c) additional premium support for Singaporeans who are unable to pay their premiums, even after subsidies, so that no one will lose coverage. Sir, the Government's support for premiums for lower- and middle-income Singaporeans needs to be an important feature of CareShield Life to ensure that all Singaporeans can have coverage. We welcome the Government’s commitment to providing that support to lower- and middle-income Singaporeans. Sir, more work remains to be done.”
“What is more, CareShield Life will be administered by the Government, and not by the insurance companies. When it comes into force in two years’ time, the monthly payment will be $600, that is, $200 higher than the present $400 under ElderShield. What risks does CareShield Life cover? Among six daily activities, if you cannot perform any three, then you will be considered "severely disabled" and eligible for claims under CareShield. The six ADLs are bathing, eating, changing clothes, going to the toilet, walking in the house, leaving the bed for the wheelchair or chair. From 2020, those who have reached 30 years of age with severe disabilities will be able to make claims under CareShield Life. What about the elderly? They must first opt in and join CareShield Life. Thereupon, when they are no longer able to look after themselves, whether because of stroke, ageing, dementia or otherwise, and cannot perform three out of the six ADLs, then they will be eligible to make a claim and receive monthly payouts in cash to help meet their mid- or long-term care needs for life, or until they fully recover. Mr Speaker, Sir, why do we say that the CareShield Life is a step in the right direction when preparing Singaporeans for their long-term care needs? Which direction should our social policies be aimed at? What is our vision? When our ideals are realised, people will not only look after their own family members or children, but the old will be cared for and the disabled looked after. Through risk pooling, we pool our resources to look after the elderly and the disabled who cannot look after themselves.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, when it comes to preparing Singaporeans for their long-term care needs, the Motion under discussion today, CareShield Life, is a step in the right direction. There is a saying that we have children so that they can look after us when we grow old. But today in Singapore, depending solely on our children for care at old age is clearly not enough. As our population ages, the challenges of long-term elder care become ever greater. Who else can we depend on? Charities? The Government? Many people say we depend on ourselves, be it under disability insurance plans, such as CareShield Life or ElderShield, we all have to pay the premiums ourselves in order to receive payouts. Yes, it is probably fair to say that, to a certain extent, we do depend on ourselves for our care. However, I think it would be more accurate to say that we depend on one another. We depend on one another to pool our risks together, so that we can pay relatively low, affordable premiums and receive relatively high, effective payouts. This is very much like the advertisements of insurance companies that say, "All for one, and one for all". Why do I raise this point today? Because I wish to remind everybody, especially the more elderly among us, that when we evaluate the premiums versus payouts and consider whether to convert from ElderShield to CareShield Life, we should remember this point: the more people we have pooling the risks, the more stable the premiums and payouts will be. CareShield Life is an enhanced version of Eldershield. The enhancements include lifelong payments, compared to the six-year maximum at present under ElderShield.”
“The President said that the focus of the future work before us would include the following: to work with regional partners to strengthen ASEAN centrality and unity, maintain an open and inclusive regional order and strengthen our position internationally, including in our region; to encourage local businesses to stay relevant and venture into oversea markets, including our regional markets; strengthen the education of different age groups, promote proactive lifelong learning among our people and be adventurous to venture beyond our shores. Learning the national language will help us achieve these goals. In the 21st year of the reign of the Qing Emperor Guangxu, Li Zhongyu recorded that Malay was commonly spoken in Southeast Asian islands and the Chinese born and bred and living in Singapore had all learnt the Malay language. In other words, modern language, approximately a hundred years ago, all Chinese living in Singapore could speak some Malay with some facility. Former Member of Parliament Mr Lim Huan Boon was a pioneer in encouraging the learning of Malay among Chinese Singaporeans. He took part in and won the 1963 Legislative Assembly Elections in the Bukit Merah constituency and represented his constituency in the Malaysian Parliament as one of the Members representing Singapore. In Mr Lim’s words applied to today’s Singapore, Bahasa Melayu is our national language, it is an important tool of nation building and promotes the communication among the three main races in Singapore: the Chinese, Malays and Indians. Learning Malay can help promote cultural exchange among our different communities and it is the duty of every Singaporean to do so.”
“As learning languages is best done when young, could we look into making the conversational Bahasa Melayu programme part of the syllabus for our primary school students who do not otherwise learn Malay, perhaps included as part of the regular curriculum for every primary school student, but without the pressure of exams? Sir, the President reminds us that the Singapore Bicentennial in 2019 will be an occasion to trace our roots and draw inspiration for the journey ahead. We will reflect on what it means to be Singaporean and on the common values and beliefs that bind us together. The President says that “our diverse cultures and traditions are now interwoven…we have succeeded in nurturing a distinct Singapore identity.” Sir, I am not as confident as all that but I believe that we will be taking a step firmly in that direction when we make the learning of our national language a bigger part of our national education. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, the President said that in the last 52 years, through the education system, we adopted a common working language in English that enabled our diverse communities to interact with one another and succeeded in nurturing a distinct Singapore identity and that we have come far. I suggest that we complement this nation building effort in the next 50 years and enable, through our education system, all non-Malay students to study Bahasa Melayu, our national language, to basic levels of proficiency.”
“Sir, the President outlined the tasks ahead of the nation in five groups of priorities: securing a place in the world for Singapore, including our region; building a well-connected world-class city for Singaporeans; developing a vibrant economy with more opportunities for workers; forging a cohesive, caring and inclusive society; and nurturing an identity we are all proud of. Sir, I have a small suggestion. I believe we can aid our efforts in each of these areas, to greater or lesser degrees, by an increased focus on our school curriculum on teaching Bahasa Melayu. It is our national language and a regional language. It is rooted in our geography, in our history. It is not only important to our sense of who we are and where we are rooted in the world; it is also important to securing our future in the region and share in the growth of the region. Could we help those students who do not currently learn Malay in school to attain some basic level of proficiency? I know our children have a lot to do already in school, including learning English, Chinese or Tamil to ever higher levels of proficiency. Many Members have spoken in this House on the importance of such learning and they are right. But Bahasa Melayu is our national language. I believe it would be to the good if all our children could learn it to some basic level of conversational fluency. Such learning will be good for the cognitive and intellectual development of our children. It will also protect and preserve our multi-culturalism and promote national integration and a sense of identity. We currently have conversational third language programmes for Malay at the primary school level as enrichment, but not as part of the regular curriculum.”
“Sir, in 2015, the International Diabetes Foundation reported that Singapore has the second highest proportion of diabetics among developed nations. In 2016, the Minister for Health declared War on Diabetes. In 2017, the Prime Minister spoke of diabetes as one of the three key long-term issues for Singapore. Sir, the importance to Singapore in the War on Diabetes cannot be overstated. Our children and young people are increasingly overweight. One in three Singaporeans has a lifetime risk of developing diabetes with serious and costly consequences. Could the Minister give us a report of progress from the front? What are our new and continuing efforts, plans, strategies and tactics? In this connection, could the Ministry explore avenues for working with the food manufacturing industry and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) to apply existing incentives and support local food manufacturers to release low-sugar snacks and drinks? The Industry Transformation Map (ITM) for food manufacturing is more advanced than most other ITMs and seems well-placed to develop and promote low-sugar products on an industry basis. Primary Care Transformation”
“Sir, on the subject of Eldercare Leave for employees caring for their parents, the Minister announced last month that the Ministry is prepared to study the idea in consultation with the tripartite partners though we should also give businesses some time to adjust and adapt to recent enhancements in Family Leave. As the Ministry looks into the matter of Eldercare Leave for caregivers who are also employed in full-time or part-time jobs, I would like to urge that they will also consider ways of providing assistance to those caregivers who are not. Sir, in many ways, informal or unpaid caregivers enable other Singaporeans to carry out the economic activities that are counted in our gross domestic product (GDP), while their own caregiving is not. As of now, the burden of informal caregiving falls disproportionately on women. And our dependence on this group of Singaporeans is real. It is substantial and very often unacknowledged. Eldercare Leave could well help relieve some of the pressure on informal caregivers who also work at other jobs, but almost half of our informal caregivers to seniors do not work at other jobs, often because of the unpaid caregiving responsibilities that they have taken on to their financial detriment and to their reduced retirement adequacy. Would the Government consider measures, such as Central Provident Fund (CPF) top-ups for full-time informal caregivers in low-income households to reduce the pressure of being underemployed and under-prepared for retirement, as a result of taking on the responsibilities of caring for their loved seniors?”
“As learning languages is best done when young, could the Ministry look into making the conversational third language programme part of the syllabus for our primary school students who do not otherwise learn our National Language, perhaps included as part of the regular curriculum for every primary school student, but without the pressure of examinations? Supporting Students with Special Needs”
“Sir, the Budget speaks of plans for economic development to focus on regional cooperation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Many Members have spoken of the importance of our region to our future. I agree with them. Actually, our region is not only important to our future, but also to our past, to our sense of who we are and where we are rooted in the world. Can we take the opportunity to complement these efforts in economic development with an increased focus in our school curriculum on teaching Bahasa Melayu? It is our National Language and a regional language. Could we help those students who do not otherwise learn Malay in school attain some basic level of proficiency? I know our children who do not otherwise learn Malay have a lot to do already in school, including learning English, Chinese or Tamil to ever higher levels of proficiency. Many Members have spoken of the importance of that, and they are right. But Bahasa Melayu is our National Language. I believe it would be to the good if all our children could learn it to some basic level of conversational fluency. Such learning will be good for the cognitive and intellectual development of our children. It will also protect and preserve our multiculturalism and promote national integration and a sense of identity. We currently have conversational third language programmes for Malay at the primary school level as enrichment, but not part of the regular curriculum.”
“Sir, many Members have spoken on the importance of our older workers to our future. I agree with them. I would like to urge that we give importance to raising the productivity of older workers and to job redesign as a means to achieve that by making it part of the ITMs, in addition to leaving it to the efforts of individual employers. Could we expressly identify Job Redesign for Older Workers as a key component of each ITM to be set out among the suite of initiatives for improving productivity in any given industry, so that we may spur the collective thinking that can go into finding better solutions of Job Redesign for Older Workers, and direct some of the industry’s efforts at innovation in this direction? Perhaps, resources could be pooled by companies in the industry to develop best practices, to modify tools and equipment for use off-the-shelf by older workers throughout the industry? As businesses in our industries think about how to change, even disrupt, processes in the workplace in order to generate greater value on the back of better-used resources, could we make Job Redesign for Older Workers a required part of the syllabus? We know productivity is one of the four pillars supporting the growth and competitiveness plans of an ITM. Could we envision Job Redesign for Older Workers as a key component of ITMs: a third Horizontal, along with promoting ICT adoption and Skills development? It can help to support the industries and produce improvements across the economy in the face of an ageing workforce. Non-discrimination in Employment”
“Sir, self-employed persons account for around 8% to 10% of working residents and, with the rise of the gig economy, may well increase significantly in the future. The Ministry has indicated it accepts the TWG's recommendation of a contribute-as-you-earn model for MediSave whereby contributions to the SEP's MediSave account of CPF is required as and when a service fee is earned. As the Ministry further studies its implementation, could the Government also look into more ways to encourage gig workers to make further voluntary contributions to their CPF by providing them with strong incentives to do so? There is substantial evidence from public policy efforts that positive actions can be induced through non-compulsory incentive mechanisms. For instance, could a "default" be established where CPF deductions, beyond MediSave, initially match those of regular-economy workers with the same job profile but, being non-binding, would permit opting into a lower amount? Alternatively, could gig workers receive information in their CPF statements about typical contributions by regular-economy workers in comparable employment circumstances, to encourage them to follow the "social norm"? SEPs typically face short-term cash flow needs, which may trump their longer-term economic interest in saving for future retirement. Could the Government look into offering incentives for SEPs who voluntarily contribute to their Ordinary, Special or Retirement accounts, including favourable tax treatment when they do so? Women as a Valuable Manpower Resource”
“Sir, we learn from the Ministry that rental costs generally make up a small share of total business costs for SMEs in Singapore, accounting for 8% or less in most services sectors. In some sectors, it is higher, substantially higher. Retail rentals make up 30% of total business costs for SMEs in the retail sector in Singapore. Presumably, in the food and beverage (F&B) services sector, rentals also account for a substantial portion of business costs for SMEs. Commercial rentals have decreased over the last few years. As the Ministry said, on the back of a decline in rentals, only 13% of some 2,500 SME respondents in a survey cited high rental costs as one of the top business concerns in 2017. Looked at conversely, for these particular SMEs, high rental costs remain a challenge even in an environment of falling rentals. It would not be far-fetched to think that in this minority of SMEs that remain most concerned about high rentals, many are in the retail and F&B services sectors. Sir, retail and food are among the most important services we find in our heartlands. These businesses have a special importance in shaping our living environment and contributing to our quality of life. Innovation in their service offerings and business processes bring benefits that are felt immediately by the community. Can we encourage that? Could the Ministry consider targeted assistance, for example, rental rebates directed at qualifying startups and SMEs in retail and food services, so as to bring added diversity and vibrancy to our heartlands? Support for SMEs”
“Sir, the Legal Aid Bureau (LAB) currently provides legal aid to needy Singaporeans, roughly 10,000 cases a year since I have been a Member of Parliament (MP), if you include legal advice, legal assistance to draft documents, and legal aid in representation in civil proceedings. In order to qualify for legal aid, Singaporeans will need to pass two tests: the means test to show that they are needy; and the merits test to show that they have a good claim. It is not easy to meet both requirements, and we have all met Singaporeans who applied for, but were found ineligible for legal aid. However, even needy Singaporeans with good claims, who qualify for legal aid from LAB, may not be able to press their claims with LAB's assistance in the following circumstances. In many standard form contracts that Singaporeans enter into, such as insurance policies, there are contractual requirements that the parties go to arbitration in the event of a dispute. They must go to arbitration. No legal proceedings. There are many good reasons why an insurance company that drafts the policy would want such an arbitration clause, but one effect of such a clause is that it may keep a needy Singaporean from pressing a meritorious claim in the event of a dispute, since legal aid currently does not cover the cost of arbitration proceedings. I would like to ask that the Minister look into extending aid to eligible recipients, namely, Singaporeans who have passed the means test and the merits test for legal aid, to help them cover the cost of arbitration proceedings, to which they have been mandatorily directed by arbitration clauses in standardised contracts used in large volume. Access to Justice”
“This Bill gives Government Ministers powers to direct all Singapore public sector agencies relating to certain matters so as to “uphold the values of the Singapore public sector.” This includes powers to give directions relating to the management of official records. Today, the management of public records falls under the purview of NLB, which controls and directs the National Archives of Singapore. NLB conducts a records management programme that includes the retention and preservation of public records. The Board has the authority to decide which records of the Government or another public office are of national or historical significance and should be transferred to the National Archives. No records of the Government or another public office may be destroyed or disposed of without the authorisation of the Board. Nor may any person excise, mark or otherwise deface or send out of the country any public records without the authorisation of the Board. How would the proposed powers of the relevant Minister to direct public sector agencies or public bodies in the management of official records work in conjunction with the existing powers of the NLB relating to the retention and preservation of public records? Could the Minister clarify? Sir, the proper retention and preservation of our public records are of great importance. Many of us tell ourselves that things may be the way they seem now. But time lends perspective and, with the proper keeping of public records and, in time, with greater accessibility to them, history can be the judge.”
“That is, different strokes for different folks. My question is not about why Mr Lee Kuan Yew's private wishes should be taken into consideration but why do we look beyond a will that has been granted probate, that has been proven in Court, for his last wishes relating to the house? From all we have heard, that is what the Ministerial Committee concerns itself with. And the Prime Minister just now, in his response to questions about what he would do on the will, said it really has no public interest component. So, does the Deputy Prime Minister not agree that these enquiries by the Committee beyond the will for clues of Mr Lee's wishes really undermine the work of the probate Court?”