Cheng Li Hui
Singapore
“To be fair to ourselves, despite the mistakes and inadequacies we see, when you take a few steps back, you would realise that relative to so many other countries, we have done pretty well. Please give ourselves a pat on the back.”
“Chairman, harmonious neighbourhoods are what we all hope for and work towards. However, having some disputes is unavoidable. While we work towards minimising such disputes, we must also pay attention to improving the ways we manage disputes such as the CDMF.”
“Chairman, in 2016, the Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP) was launched to further improve Persons with Disabilities' access to sports. PwDs deserve the same level of access to the sports that they wish to pursue as non-PwDs.”
“Chairman, motherhood is one of, if not the most, noble of aspirations. While I thank MOH for the steps it has taken in the right direction with respect to Elective Egg Freezing (EEF), I feel that the ideal destination is still some distance away.”
“Chairman, every Singaporean has a part to play in our whole-of-society effort to build a strong, secure and cohesive nation. New threats continuously emerge, while existing threats evolve and re-invent themselves. The addition of Digital Defence is timely, which forms the sixth pillar of Total Defence.”
“Mr Chairman, the safety of our service men and women is paramount. At last year's Committee of Supply (COS), Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How spoke about emphasising a strong safety culture in the SAF through audits and inspections.”
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“To be fair to ourselves, despite the mistakes and inadequacies we see, when you take a few steps back, you would realise that relative to so many other countries, we have done pretty well. Please give ourselves a pat on the back. Most importantly, let us all give a great big shout-out to all our frontline, middle-ground and backroom colleagues who have gone many extra miles in the past few years. The cycle continues. We must now begin to prepare for the next contingency. Change what we must, tweak what is needed and maintain what continues to make sense.”
“Disinfecting blocks when residents were infected, replenishing hand sanitiser bottles in every lift, enhancing the hygiene regime and many more. They gave residents peace of mind. Lastly, I want to recognise the People's Association (PA) staff who worked long hours distributing masks, sanitisers, tokens, temporary relief fund applications and many more. They were frontliners and were afraid too. They facilitated the first masks distribution without wearing masks nor have sanitisers for the pens that everyone was using to acknowledge collection. Some did not visit their extended families even after circuit breaker because of their exposure to the many relief schemes. My own sense is that there is much that our Government can and should do in any pandemic. We need to be better, faster and to prepare in "peacetime" before the next outbreak occurs. But having been involved in the work, it is also quite apparent to me that the Government cannot do everything. It is not possible to cater for the surge needs now in anticipation of future pandemics – it would be prohibitively expensive for everyone. We, as a society and community, need to stand up and take action. NGOs should also come forward. This is how a whole-of-society effort is mobilised to deal with a crisis. This was seen during COVID-19. We need to give thanks for these efforts by so many and we must not also take this for granted. We can and should have table-top exercises to refresh relationships and connections, establish some standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensure that everyone is on the same page and to, perhaps, even practise these mock exercises for various plausible pandemics.”
“Even as we drove from dorm to dorm, PPE and masks could not be taken off for fear of contamination. But there was a strong sense of duty, as we moved from room to room to check on workers' mental health and hygiene. I remember pulling open one huge metal door of a shed to see a COVID-19 case sitting on his bed with heavy equipment all around him. He was all smiles and said he was okay. He said he had to be considerate to the other people in dormitory and he will stay there until there is ambulance available for pick-up. Everyone in all the dorms were super grateful for the 50GB SIM card provided by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). The workers could watch movies and kept in touch with their friends and loved ones. I had great empathy for Malaysian workers in dorms as they chose to stay here because of the Movement Control Order (MCO) but were met with circuit breaker. Many of them did not have smartphones. So, even simple things like watching YouTube or ordering Grab food and other transactions were not available for them. I posted on my Facebook and residents donated food rations at my Tampines Town Council office for them. In the outreach work, there were so many officials we met on the ground and they were professional in their efforts and tried to do as much and as quickly as possible. The patience and forbearance of the workers are to be highly commended too. It was clear that the foreign workers were aware of what was happening back in their homes and were glad that they were working in Singapore where they were largely treated fairly and reasonably looked after. At the local level, I am grateful to our Town Council staff and workers who helped with all the additional work that was suddenly required.”
“And what we learnt and put in place in the aftermath, may not be wholly applicable in a new pandemic. When COVID-19 struck, I was no longer in the process industry but was involved in some work on the ground as a volunteer. I am grateful to the many people who responded to my Facebook call for mask-making in March 2020 and we received thousands per week. On the first day of the circuit breaker, I was outside Mustafa Centre. The streets were empty, except for the hundreds queuing for food handouts by charities, hotels and one hawker even provided fresh fruit juices. The workers were stranded, as their flights were cancelled and they were staying in units above the shophouses in the area. They had no masks and they did not know where to get them. We gave them care packs with handmade masks. After that, I volunteered with Crisis Relief Alliance as the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) had given each Non-Government Organisation (NGO) a list of dormitories to visit. There are many Purpose-Built Dorms and it is critical to leverage on these NGOs and other volunteer groups to assist MOM and the authorities to visit them, evaluate the conditions, assess the risks and also to ascertain what the needs might be. For me, being a volunteer was the fastest way to get the masks to the dormitories and even for the dormitories I could not visit, I used the headcount in the spreadsheet and threw bags of required masks over the gates. Many workers gave thumbs up and friendly waves from their windows. I salute the doctors, nurses, MOM officers and volunteers who went into the dorms in the early days. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and N95s masks were in short supply, the seriousness of COVID-19 was unclear, there was a lot of fear.”
“Thankfully, the H1N1 outbreak was nowhere as extensive or disruptive as COVID-19 was. So, right after that period, I rented a brand new 500-pax dormitory in Senoko and also planned the construction of our own dormitory. I was very clear. We needed better conditions for our workers and be prepared for the next virus and even isolation rooms for chicken pox and flu. For the new dorms that we were building, it was initially for 900 persons. New rules set in when we were submitting for approval, and it was finally approved only for 804. We wanted to factor in the possibility of quarantine by building shared toilets between two rooms, but that would end up building a dormitory for lesser than the 804 persons approved. The sums began not to add up and did not seem to make any business or efficiency sense. Businesses have to decide how much contingency is needed. The more we did, the more we managed the risks downwards, the higher the cost. Cost pressures for businesses are real. Is it worth spending $X million for a scenario that may or may not happen? This is not unlike how we can be under-insured sometimes. It is when we are hit by a major illness that we wished we had purchased the insurance when we could. Dealing with the pandemic is no different. If we leave it to businesses, their efforts to prepare will be patchy and that is where the Government needs to step in. But there must be discussions with the businesses in order to realise the real impact of these policies. If we are not careful, it can affect our competitiveness vis-à-vis the region. With hindsight, it is always easy to critique and say that one should have done this or that. But the reality is, every crisis is likely to be different.”
“Mr Speaker, I was working in the oil and gas industry in 2009 when H1N1 happen. I had about 400 direct workers on the island and totaling about 1,400 direct-hire foreign workers in the company. Many of us do not remember that there was contact tracing then, too. We learnt some lessons. When an engineer in another refinery contracted H1N1, the workers that he spoke to the days before had to go into self-isolation. Then, the workers in that dormitory room who were working in my jobsite, had to go in as well. Workers who took the same transport from jobsite, also went into isolation and it was tough to plan our work. The ideal situation would be for the workers in the same dormitory to work in the same jobsite. But that is not possible as there will be new hires, resignations and change of jobsites due to work the requirements every week. Human Resources (HR) staff would see which dormitory had spaces and put workers there. It was not an easy job, as sometimes, there may not be enough man-year entitlement (MYE) and they will send experienced workers back and re-hire them when MYE is available, but that dorm spot would be filled by other new hires. There is probably no ideal, practical solution because every situation is unique in its own way and we cannot have systems that can dynamically adjust all the time. However, most businesses will try their best to make things work. They have to, because their businesses depend on it. Some initiatives work only in theory, but in reality, can impose a lot of friction and we may be better off not having some of these solutions in the first place. Hence, businesses must speak up in trade and business dialogues. Because sometimes, not only are the desired outcomes not achieved, there can also be serious unintended consequences.”
“Chairman, in 2016, the Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP) was launched to further improve Persons with Disabilities' access to sports. PwDs deserve the same level of access to the sports that they wish to pursue as non-PwDs. This is regardless of whether the objective is for leisure or to compete at national, regional or international level. What is MCCY doing to support and provide more opportunities for aspiring para-athletes, especially for those who wish to pursue sports at a competitive level? Can MCCY also elaborate on its strategies to provide more inclusive opportunities through sports in the next phase of the Master Plan?”
“Thank you. Chairman, Singapore is a multi-racial and multi-religious society. Our unity in such diversity is something we have worked hard to achieve and have been working hard to improve. Racial and religious harmony is the lynchpin of our vibrant and rich Singapore culture. Last year, MCCY announced that that the IRCC would be renamed as the Racial and Religious Harmony Circles. The new Harmony Circles will serve as a platform to promote racial and religious harmony here, with presence in every Constituency. Can MCCY provide an update on its plans for the Harmony Circles and how it would ensure that it would be able to expand its outreach to reach more communities? Mental Health Network Mental health conditions at times manifest themselves less than physical ones. For this reason, they are harder to detect and can be difficult to treat. Mental health patients have traditionally also suffered more stigma. While we have seen increasing support for mental health, we should also strive towards its equability. We have all known, seen or heard of people hard labouring under mental health conditions. However, there perhaps remains some whose conditions are not known to themselves or others. Chairman, no one should ever have to suffer alone. Can MCCY share what initiatives there have been and will be rolled out the SG Mental Well-Being Network? Support SG Well-being – Company of Good”
“Chairman, harmonious neighbourhoods are what we all hope for and work towards. However, having some disputes is unavoidable. While we work towards minimising such disputes, we must also pay attention to improving the ways we manage disputes such as the CDMF. In the Committee of Supply 2022, MCCY announced that the CDMF was being enhanced. Can MCCY provide updates on the outcomes and ongoing efforts since then? In addition to establishing guidance to encourage self-management of the disputes, the availability of legislative levers to the Government is also important, especially for cases where self-management is unsuccessful. Perhaps to enhance CDMF, we should not only focus on efficacy and efficiency of managing disputes but also be sensitive to the fact that, neighbours in dispute more often than not will remain as neighbours. The mending and improving of relationships post-CDMF should also be one of the framework's key considerations. Can MCCY shares its plans for managing disputes under the proposed CDMF?”
“Chairman, motherhood is one of, if not the most, noble of aspirations. While I thank MOH for the steps it has taken in the right direction with respect to Elective Egg Freezing (EEF), I feel that the ideal destination is still some distance away. The decision to fix the upper age limit for egg freezing at 35 may be well‐grounded in scientific and medical arguments. However, egg quality declines significantly after age 35. Women who remain excluded from this option in Singapore hold the general view that "lower chance, lower quantity is still better than no chance at all". In MOH's response to my Parliamentary Question filed on 9 May 2022, the Minister mentioned that "MOH will continue to monitor medical advances and review the age limit from time to time". May I ask whether MOH is ready to raise the upper age limit for egg freezing? National Electronic Health Record”
“How can we reasonably expect our SMEs to compete with larger enterprises and Government agencies for manpower from the same talent pool? This is made worse by the current inflationary pressures. Chairman, I chatted with two Grab drivers during my rides. One was a project manager with 12 years construction experience and the second had 20 years in oil and gas and was also a certified NACE Level 3, a specialised coating inspector certification. In my heart, I lamented the loss in management and specialised skills for the industries. However, I also understand when they said that the Grab job meant the convenience of having a car and the comfort of working in air-conditioning. They are without the stresses of safety and the pressures of project delivery. I thought about the loss of dependency ratio too if the companies cannot find local talent to take over such positions. Chairman, many SMEs are and will remain increasingly hard-pressed to survive. SME employers' concerns stem from real issues that affect their companies and the livelihoods of all on the payroll, and the staff's families. I implore the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to address their concerns, real and perceived, to ensure that no SME is left behind in their journey towards growth and innovation. Workforce Competitiveness in Remote Work”
“Mr Chairman, it is trite that SMEs form the backbone of our economy. We encounter many SMEs in our day-to-day life, especially in retail, food and beverages (F&B) and commercial sectors. SMEs also form critical support for multinational corporations (MNCs). My speech today will focus on the manpower challenges and obstacles faced by SME employers. As of 27 September 2022, we have more than 290,000 SMEs following consistent growth in the past decade. In my discussions with SME representatives, the issues of hiring and retaining staff have been raised repeatedly. SMEs have shared that they are not able to compete with large enterprises on equal footing. Comparatively and in general, SMEs are not as well-resourced as large enterprises. In some SMEs, their HR personnel are performing dual functions on top of their finance or administrative roles. Consequently, the persons responsible for employment matters are not able to exclusively specialise and focus on their HR duties. This exacerbates the problem since they may not succeed in hiring or may end up hiring staff who are unsuitable for their needs. Having less resources also translates into being less able to put out attractive offers, the most important part of it would be remuneration. There is also the issue of perceived branding and the prestige of the company in question. Jobseekers may thus find larger enterprises more attractive and that their CVs will be bolstered for future prospects. For small companies, the runway for progression and development may be limited such that prospective employees deem taking up such positions as heading towards a dead end even right from the beginning.”
“Chairman, every Singaporean has a part to play in our whole-of-society effort to build a strong, secure and cohesive nation. New threats continuously emerge, while existing threats evolve and re-invent themselves. The addition of Digital Defence is timely, which forms the sixth pillar of Total Defence. How has MINDEF partnered the community to strengthen Total Defence? Civic Preparedness through Total Defence”
“Mr Chairman, the safety of our service men and women is paramount. At last year's Committee of Supply (COS), Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How spoke about emphasising a strong safety culture in the SAF through audits and inspections. What were the recent findings from such audits and inspections, including those conducted by the External Review Panel on Training Safety?”
“Chairman, we often have seniors appealing for PRs or citizenship as the rest of their families already are. Take for example, at last Monday's Meet-the-People's Session, Mdm Wong appealed for her mother’s PR as they have been residing in Singapore since 1984. Her father, siblings and families are all Singaporeans except for her mother. Will ICA consider more favourably on seniors' PR applications especially those who have been residing in Singapore for decades and with strong family ties here? During the Committee of Supply debate in the last two years, Minister Indranee mentioned that the numbers of new citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) granted in 2020 and 2021 were impacted by COVID‐19‐related travel restrictions and safe management measures. What were the numbers of new citizens and PRs granted in 2022 and were these numbers still impacted by COVID‐19? Population”
“An embryologist was there to explain things she felt she should have learnt in her first cycle such as the grading of embryos of 5AB, 4BB, 3BCs. And this is why online talks might be useful. She has decided this would be her last cycle as the psychological pain was too trying. She wanted to discard her last frozen embryo and the embryologist spoke to her for nearly half an hour and persuaded her to keep it first. Can we look at portable co-funding like portable subsidy in Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) for chronic kidney and nursing homes? Could we have private-public collaboration to help sub-fertile couples after they have had two failed in vitro fertilisation (IVF) attempts in public hospitals? Can we use co-funding or reduce the cost of pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) so that couples who have suffered miscarriages can have a better chance if they wish to choose a better grade embryo for transfer? The Ministry of Health (MOH) together with NUH had the pilot project on PGS some years ago. What is the outcome of that? Do we have more information to improve the couples’ chances with PGS? Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget for 2023 is generous in supporting young families and society and I wholeheartedly support it. I also ask for attention on some of the more nuanced aspects of addressing our TFR, including facility support for families in new estates and work-from-home support. For the women undergoing ART, we need more community support and information and simpler, easier and supported response from the hospitals.”
“It is cost effective and also efficient to have experienced nurses counsel couples. A few joked about how they went into the counselling room and were shocked that it was about financial counselling and felt that it was so transactional at a time when they were struggling with their emotions. We need more specialists. Some centres are too swamped and felt chaotic and rushed in consultations. Another joked that it was so crowded that they stood around waiting for appointment and it was like musical chairs, because when someone stood up, another would quickly take the seat. The good thing, of course, is the medical chit was always issued at the beginning of the appointment as the consultation and scan would usually take half a day. My final point is, can we consider opening a new fertility centre in the eastern region to serve our BTO estates in Tampines, Sengkang and Punggol? I would like to share the journey of Mrs Neo. She said her experience in Hospital B was not as good as in Hospital A. They are both public hospitals. She presented her set of known problems to Hospital B’s doctor, but the doctor did not really follow up on her medication unlike the doctor in Hospital A. But the doctor in Hospital A had gone into private practice and due to co-funding being only for use in public hospitals, she did not follow. She added that she did not get to see the doctor in Hospital B throughout the stimulation process or scans, and the nurses would just relay the messages. While the waiting time was shorter, she felt that the experience was less personable and felt like a wasted cycle. She is now on her fourth try, this time in a private clinic.”
“They are often in a confused state as doctors rush them through the consultation as the queues are long in public hospitals. In one hospital, they had to keep repeating their responses to the same questions at every appointment, since each time, it is a different doctor. They feel bad holding up the queue and wondered why the records were not updated. Different hospitals offer different experiences. What I know is the National University Hospital (NUH) used the same doctor from consultation to stimulation and birth, which some feedback that it felt more personable. Last week, I did a support group Zoom session with a small group of ladies who underwent ART in different public hospitals. It was to understand their experiences in the respective hospitals. After the session, a few ladies texted me to say the session was quite informative. It will help to prepare couples to prepare for what to expect in reality as they listen to the different experiences. They said that they want to listen to more such sessions in case they want to try again in future. One added that she had not thought of asking the doctor those questions and the support group had prepared her better. I realised that each and every hospital had their unique way of managing their client. Hence, I am going to make some suggestions on possible areas of improvement. Hospitals should hold more online dialogues to prepare couples better. Doctors and couples sharing would help them to have more insights and help allay their concerns as they embark on this journey. Provide couples with counselling. Some commented that they leave the doctors’ consultation feeling confused and discouraged and if they are lucky, an experienced nurse might notice and help them with their queries.”
“Many are appreciative of the generous support provided by the Government and this year’s measures are most welcome, it is still however only a small part of the total investment in a child over the course of their first 18 years. Many people I spoke to shared that if the cost of raising a child could be managed on a single income and/or with flexi-work arrangements, it would then be a much more appealing prospect. Modern couples want quality time, more hands-on parenting. If our society can evolve to allow both parents to take turns to be around, it will motivate more couples to have children and it will serve our next generation well too. During the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government encouraged the work-from-home model. Many that I have spoken to said it was a good thing for the family and enabled parents to spend more meaningful time at home. Perhaps this is a hint at what we can do to encourage more young couples to build and expand their families. Incidentally, it is about 14 months since work-from-home is no longer made default on 1 January 2022. I wonder if there has been an uptick in babies birthed nine months after the periods of work-from-home. Mr Speaker, I have often advocated for more assistance for couples undergoing Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART). This is a very important group of people that will help improve our total fertility rate (TFR) because they are determined to have children. However, they face challenges conceiving. And no, I am not asking for more money in co-funding – yet. I believe there are practical things that we can do to help them. Many couples told me that they give up because of the process. It was not just about the physical strain but it is incredibly, emotionally draining.”
“In order to support parents who want to be present and active in raising their children, it is essential that we provide them with sufficient infant care and childcare facilities near their home or workplace. I visit my new BTO estate Green Verge mainly on weekends. Why? This is the result of the lack of ready infant care and childcare facilities when they moved in. For new BTO estates, the tender for childcare and other amenities only go out after residents start moving in, resulting in a demand and supply problem. Therefore, some young couples continue to live with their parents on weekdays when they cannot get childcare places in their new estates and stay over in their new homes only on weekends. For example, Green Verge residents had to register for childcare in Green Meadows, Green Ridges and Sunshine estate’s childcare around them. As their children assimilate to the childcare centres, they usually would not move their kids back to Green Verge's new childcare centres that are now up and running. As a result, we end up with a tight situation in terms of childcare spaces in Green Meadows, Ridges and Sunshine, and the parents there have to in turn register their children in Green Verge’s new estate. The savvier ones in the upcoming estate, Green Court, have also put their children on the wait list there. So, at dismissal time, you will see parents, grandparents and helpers crossing roads to each other’s estate to pick up the children. Near, but not so near. This messy arrangement creates a lot of unnecessary anxiety on everyone. Infant care and childcare facilities are critical in new estates and should be ready as residents move in. A recurrent observation, and no surprises here, is that the cost of raising children is prohibitive.”
“Mr Speaker Sir, the 2023 Budget covered a breath-taking set of initiatives ranging from growing our economy and supporting businesses to safeguarding our climate resilience. Along with the many other policies introduced in preceding Budgets, we have a comprehensive coverage for Singaporeans and Singapore that is the envy of many. Today, I wish to dive a little deeper into the topic of strengthening our social compact and building a Singapore Made for Families. Whilst the Budget provides generous support in the form of Baby Support Grant, Paternity Leave, Baby Bonus Cash Gift and Child Development Account (CDA) to name just a few, I believe that there are many reasons why young couples still find it challenging to want and have children. In speaking with many young residents and many others who reach out to me, I often ask about these reasons and I will share some of them today. The Government has provided much housing support for young couples to stay near their parents so that childcaring duties can be shared. However, this may not be a suitable arrangement for some. There seems to be an increasing number of young parents who want to raise their children themselves, they want to be very much more hands-on and involved. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the children may sometimes bond more with their grandparents or domestic helpers. Grandparents also tend to dote on grandchildren and even "spoil" them, inadvertently undermining the relationship between the child and his or her parents. The parents would also need to step in to impose discipline and dial back on the indulgence.”
“When the day ended, their families picked them up in a trolley sort of wheelchair as they could not sit up straight. Some thoughts went through my mind such as – with this condition here, they will be in a nursing home or with a dedicated caregiver at home. Was it a lack of nursing home? What kind of training or qualifications are needed for some of the staff to manage clients with such chronic conditions? Will we see our daycare progressing to handle more chronic conditions? We will need a well-coordinated strategy that takes into account public health, sustainability, resilience, training, trust and our ageing population. Several of these topics are intertwined and the White Paper has done a good job in articulating these areas to address. Sir, I support the White Paper.”
“It is hard for some to send their loved ones to a nursing home. They will try and manage with some help from the Government. With more understanding of how senior day care centres work, the lower cost involved, I believe more families will be willing to have their loved ones in day care rather than nursing homes when they are still able to handle. We need to get our GPs to come on board to be a coordinator of care for the elderly and the Primary Care Networks (PCN) under Healthier SG to play a bigger role in our elderly care centres. We can engage our neighbourhood doctors who know their clients well to educate or refer them to day care facilities. Our Tampines GP, Dr Leong, even contacted us when he had extra flu vaccines that had some months left to expiry for us to ask our staff and clients if they would like to take the flu jab for free and many did. So, while some families hire caregivers and have helpers to multitask with housework, children and seniors, it lacks the exercise and activity elements that senior activity centres or day care centres provide. How can we further attract, train, support and retain the staff of these centres to take on the expanded roles as envisaged by Healthier SG? Sir, In May 2016, the PAP Women's Wing made a trip to Hong Kong. One morning, we visited their senior day care centre. I decided to spend the day there and what struck me was the heart and effort the staff put in in caring for the elderly there. For instance, one staff tried to feed a resident using a spoon. She tried three times before she switched to tube feeding. She explained that she did that so that the resident would still retain her ability to swallow and not just rely on tube feeding, which will aggravate her decline in her physical state.”
“I remember my first referral as a new Member of Parliament. During our regular house visit, the auntie said the flat is occupied by her and her husband who had suffered a stroke. For the past seven years, she was his only and main caregiver. I asked her if she was okay and the tears just rolled. She said, "Okay. I am tired. I cannot even go to the market for too long." Her eyes brightened up when I explained the respite services at our day care centre. She was happy she could get a couple of days off to go and meet her friends and have a walk, just like she used to. I was reminded of its importance of care centres during the pandemic when a resident approached me at a Tampines East vaccination centre. She said, "My brother-in-law is in your centre. He has dementia. It was so hard for us when the centre was closed. The day before opening, we told him. He seemed to understand and was in a good mood and went to bed readily. The centre is a great help to our family." Often, our mild dementia patients, our clients, will call me "teacher" and say they will go back and tell their "parents" about their day. I am not sure if they would remember to but we go with the flow on good days and manage their bad days. I want to take the opportunity to thank all day care and nursing home staff for their contributions to the many families. It is not an easy job. It is a calling. Sir, I had mentioned senior day care centres allow our elderly to age in place. Recently, a dementia client was supposed to be discharged from our centre. Her daughter cried when she picked her up on her last day at the centre. They were supposed to check into a nursing home that weekend as her condition has deteriorated. However, she was back on Monday.”
“These have helped thousands of seniors remain connected and engaged through the most difficult times of the pandemic. We should continue with the momentum to enrich their lives for them to stay connected, not isolated and yet not addicted. There is a small issue of addiction to gadgets which may aggravate isolation. Some of you know I am very close to my nephew. I am very conscious about children's gadget time. I am even more concerned about my senior residents' gadget time. Many of them have learnt to download movies and dramas and are hooked to them. My volunteers and PA staff work hard to create programmes to draw them out of their homes to have a healthy and active social life. Programmes must be targeted at pre-retirement age so that they will continue their active social life post-retirement. For the not so socially active seniors, I was heartened to read The Straits Times article on 28 September 2022 on retired timber worker Lim Thiam Teng who warmed up to volunteers and is now an advocate of care centres. Sir, I have spoken several times in this House on our Tampines East three-in-one centre. The auntie who started walking to the centre before she went blind so she could familiarise herself with the route. Her meals were provided for in our centre and she could listen to the news in the afternoon, amidst other activities. The auntie who no longer needed plasters after daily exercises at the centre. She also found someone there who loves singing Cantonese songs like her. Most recently, we had our youngest dementia client in her early fifties. We could feel the increasing need for more senior care centres. I am delighted to read that MOH has plans to increase these centres. These allow our elderly to age in place, with their family and in familiar surroundings.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Healthier SG White Paper. Sir, allowing our GPs to play a bigger role in our healthcare system is something close to my heart. In my Budget speech in 2016, I brought up coordinated care, about GPs playing a more prominent role in the overall well-being of our people. Eighty percent of our GPs are in the private sector and only 20% of them are in polyclinics and hospitals handling 80% of our population. I was told the ratio has improved since. I hope that with the focus on primary care, we can look forward to stronger GP-patient rapport. COVID-19 has showed us the importance of reducing our load on public healthcare institutions. Trust and rapport are implicit in healthcare. Often, this trust overlaps generations and is passed between family members. This trust transcends doctor and patient and goes into areas of digital privacy. In my 2016 speech, I mentioned I was surprised to see the GP in Australia pull out the x-ray and surgical records of the next patient from his computer and it really made me ponder on the importance of coordinated care. The availability of our healthcare records will empower our GPs to make informed care decisions for us. We need to trust our doctors with the data and that the systems that hold our healthcare records are safe from bad actors, hackers and lapses. In 2016, I also mentioned that isolation is one of the biggest problems for seniors. During the pandemic, due in part to the Seniors Go Digital programme, many seniors learnt to harness the power of technology and stay in touch with their loved ones. They were taught communication skills like video calls, connecting to WiFi and basic cybersecurity.”
“The role of the media in educating the public was crucial in this. When I first raised egg freezing in 2016, The Straits Times carried it as the top story in The Sunday Times. When I asked a Parliamentary Question (PQ) in 2017, Zaobao had a half page article to educate their readers on egg freezing. Over the years, there have been many articles to spread awareness – CNA, TODAY, Mothership, Her World and many more. Celebrities, like Ase Wang, also shared about her egg freezing journey. We were together on a radio show last year and she shared her views quite candidly with the audience as well. Dr Ann Tan, Dr Loh Seong Feei and many more were taking interviews and advocating for the cause. With more conversations, better knowledge and counselling, we, women, can shift mindsets, stay updated and make sensible choices for ourselves and our future. I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“From the Instagram live session, I learnt that people are curious. We discussed cost, the process, success rate of live birth, how many eggs were needed, what is the annual maintenance cost and, of course, other questions. But before the session started, I asked the team if they had considered egg freezing and if they had also seen a gynaecologist before. Almost all replied no. Sir, I often asked the same question when I met participants and activists who are single, and journalists, both at egg freezing dialogues and interviews. Most would tell me they have spoken to friends or are researching on it but, so far, I have not had anyone who said they had been to a gynaecologist. Women need to be better informed and understand their bodies. They need to consult their gynaecologist earlier in order to understand their fertility health. I have met many couples in their late 20s and early 30s who struggle with fertility issues. Many young couples who struggle with fertility issues were surprised to be in that situation. Many assumed that the problem is only after 35 years old. Ladies do not screen early enough to detect the possible issues. Some common issues, such as endometriosis and PCOS, affect 20%-30% of women of reproductive age and these can cause infertility. Early detection can help them significantly. On this topic of female fertility wellness, I would also like to bring up the possibility of funding for female fertility screening. I hope that the Government can implement a subsidised ladies' health check for women in their late 20s to early 30s or allow MediSave withdrawal for such screening and consultations. Mr Speaker, Sir, this step forward is a recognition of women's rights and trusting our ability to make our own choices.”
“I have spoken to so many women and this seems rather clear. When I did the Journey to Parenthood survey in 2019, those in the 25 to 29 age range took a neutral stand to egg freezing. It is just not something they are thinking of at that age. They are focused on better jobs and pay, dating, clubbing, travel. The world is their oyster. Before they know it, they will be in their 30s and may be in the situations not unlike the stories I shared earlier. Where did the time go? How can I find the right partner? I find it a huge pity that the age limit is set at 35 and that this policy is underserving a very important age segment, that is, those aged 36-40. My sense is, even with the new policy, it will be women in their 30s who will form the majority who choose to undergo this procedure. If I may humbly ask, can we have more discussions on the age limit and finetune the legislation? Another reason why women in their early 20s are not likely to undergo elective egg freezing is the issue of cost. Many understand that egg freezing is an elective procedure and if they want it, they know they have to save for it. The cost of $10,000 to $12,000, while not cheap, is saveable for many. However, this tends to happen when there is a certain level of financial stability and that only happens when one enters one's 30s. A fortnight ago, before the White Paper was out, I did a live Instagram session with Dr Janice Tung, a gynaecologist, and Nicole, a moderator invited by Love Bonito, a local fashion apparel company. About 9,000 followers tuned in that night and we had a very lively discussion on egg freezing. Many commented that egg freezing is the right of the individual woman, a personal choice – a women's right to preserve her chances of motherhood if she so chooses to do.”
“Take, for example, Janet, 38 years old, who is struggling with IVF as there seemed to be issues with the quality of her eggs. She wanted to freeze them at 33 but did not because she could not fly out due to work commitments. She met her husband at age 35. She said she always dated with marriage as an end goal, but the dating scene was limited for her as a 30-something woman. Now that she is ready, her eggs are no longer quite as ready. Another, 33 years old, said she is a PHD holder of a Government scholarship and is single not by choice. She tried online dating, asking friends for help but things just did not work out. She said "educated women are not overly picky" but she feels she has not been lucky. She added that she just came out of an abusive relationship. Is it better for her to settle and have a child grow up in a potentially abusive environment, or end it, recover and start her search again for Mr Right? She wants to try again and she looks forward to being a mother one day. She needs to buy some time. The reality is that, for various reasons, marrying and starting families early are not always possible. Even if it is the ideal scenario, sometimes, things just do not work out. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to suggest we extend the age limit for elective egg freezing to 40 years old. While I understand scientific evidence shows that the quality of a woman's eggs depreciates significantly after the age of 35, we all know that it has now become relatively common for women to conceive between the ages of 35 and 40 and, some, even in their early 40s. Sir, while I am delighted with the proposed recommendation allowing women to start freezing their eggs from the age of 21, most women really only think of egg freezing when they are in their 30s.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development. Firstly, I want to say "thank you" on behalf of the many women out there. The proposal to legalise elective egg freezing for women aged 21 to 35, regardless of marital status, is an incredibly important development. For us women, the passage of time affects our bodies significantly and our health and fertility may not hold up until situations finally allow us to have babies. For couples who have difficulties conceiving, the road to parenthood can be so very tedious, frustrating, demoralising and expensive. In 2020, we took concrete steps to help women and couples fulfil their dream of parenthood with measures, such as removing the age limit for women undergoing IVF and enhancing the Government co-funding for assisted reproduction technology (ART) procedures. Today, we are able to take another step forward with elective egg freezing for all healthy women aged 21 to 35. This is a topic close to my heart and I have been raising Parliamentary Questions on this since 2016. Last year, I devoted my entire Budget speech on egg freezing. Why? In 2015, I started the Baby Joy Programme in Tampines East, where I would visit families with newborns. I brought diaper cakes to congratulate them on the arrival of their new bundle of joy. It was at all these house visits that I heard the stories of their journey to parenthood. For many couples, the process was not easy at all. It was clear to me that, with today's improvement in medical technology, we can definitely do more at so many levels to help women make informed and individual choices to preserve their right to motherhood.”
“These programmes were very welcomed by their parents. These children require special guidance and there is a lack of suitable programmes for them. It would be wonderful if they can join their families for cycling or bowling events after this training. On the national stage, many Singaporeans also cheered on Yip Pin Xiu and our Paralympic team in the Tokyo Paralympics last year. Can the Ministry elaborate on its strategies to provide more inclusive opportunities through sports in our Disability Sports Master Plan? How can we provide more opportunities for our aspiring para-athletes to pursue sports at a competitive level?”
“Mdm Chairman, in December 2021, it was reported that about 85,000 fans turned out at our National Stadium to watch the 16 Suzuki Cup football matches. That was the biggest mass sports event in Singapore since the pandemic. It brought together many Singaporeans from all walks of life to cheer on the Lions. For some of us, the matches certainly brought back the fond memories of the Kallang Roar at the old National Stadium. Many of us who grew up watching Malaysia Cup will fondly remember Fandi, Sundramoorthy and super-sub Steven Tan. Actually, my family really scream every time Steven Tan comes on. Those were the days, but Mdm Chairman, the recent Suzuki cup is a good first step to revive our national sports scenes and to reignite interest in sports. Such sporting events unite Singaporeans and foster a strong sense of pride. I would like to ask the Ministry for an update on the "Unleash the Roar" project and its vision to unite Singaporeans of all ages, races and gender through football. Madam, since the pandemic hit us in 2020, the various measures put in place meant that we had no choice but to reduce our participation in sporting events and matches. National sports participation has also been severely disrupted and the facilities bookings limited. What are the Ministry's plans to restore national sports participation and reintroduce mass sports events in a safe manner? Madam, before the pandemic, we used to hold free bowling clinics in Tampines East during school holidays for children from lower-income families. We would reserve two lanes for differently-abled children and engage a coach from the Bowling Association for Disabled (Singapore) to guide them. Subsequently, Our Tampines Hub also held a once-off beginner cycling session for differently-abled children.”
“Madam, religious and racial harmony is an important part of our social fabric. We are all aware of how racial riots rocked Singapore in the 1960s. Although many years have gone by, that period holds important lessons for us. From time to time, racist incidents happen and we are reminded that building a multiracial and multi-religious society is, indeed, a work in progress. Take, for example, last year, there was a viral video showing a confrontation between a man and an inter-racial couple. We may not have the full facts of what happened, but many of us were rightly disturbed and worried after watching it. We must never waver in our commitment to promote harmony among our people. Therefore, the role of our IRCCs is even more important. When I was a young volunteer, I remember IRCCs organising excursions to Hindu temples, churches and we had buka puasa over nasi dulang in mosques and got to know one another's religion better. Unfortunately, IRCCs stopped having these programmes years ago. What are MCCY's plans to ensure the relevance of IRCCs and its role in strengthening our social cohesion?”
“Madam, over the past two years, we have weathered the challenges brought on by COVID-19, hand-in-hand, both the Government and people. As a result, we are in a much stronger position today even as we ride out the current Omicron wave and look forward to a better future. I was reminded of it recently during the Tampines East Edusave Ceremony when this lady said "Hi Miss Cheng, we finally meet". It turns out that she is the chairlady of her company's CSR and she had mobilised the team to help out in our mask-making during the circuit breaker. We had only corresponded via emails and phone. I remembered then, Standard Chartered Bank also listed my email on their CSR portal and I would get dozens of emails daily asking "How can I help?" The logistics company, taxi driver and fabric supplier who helped, all declined payment. It was their way of contributing to fight the pandemic. Many would have also heard of neighbours helping one another with grocery purchase, mask and sanitiser collection, especially for their elderly neighbours. Our cohesiveness as a nation has strengthened over the pandemic years. 3.45 pm Chairman, this cohesiveness among our people and the trust in the Government that we have in Singapore are precious. In many other parts of the world, we have seen how the pandemic had aggravated existing fault lines and even created tensions between the government and people, with anti-vaccination and anti-mask protests. These tensions made it more challenging to deal with the pandemic. Can the Ministry share how we can continue to build upon this spirit of care and strengthen community cohesiveness in Singapore? How can we make volunteerism and care a part of our lives and match like-minded people to the causes that they are interested in?”
“Chairman, last year. I spoke extensively on the need to lift the restrictions on egg freezing for singles. More Singaporeans are getting married later and having children later, which may have some impact on fertility. For the singles who had wanted to go overseas for egg freezing in the past two years, they could not and their eggs' quality and quantity would have declined. Singapore has been experiencing low Total Fertility Rate (TFR). While immigration helps to moderate the impact of ageing and the low birth rates in our citizen population, it is by no means a silver bullet to tackle our longer-term demographic challenges. Couples who have wanted to seek cheaper IVF procedure or Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) procedure overseas would also have difficulties doing so with the COVID-19 situation. How is MOH helping Singaporeans with the total fertility health as part of their parenthood journey? Individual Ownership of Health”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. My supplementary question is for the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth. Our Tampines Hub (OTH) is very popular with residents. So, I would like to know if the operations, events and services at OTH have been affected by observations highlighted in the AGO report.”
“I also want to take this opportunity to thank the many families who shared their stories – some inspiring, some heartbreaking – but it helps us to understand what you are going through, so that we can speak for you and improve on it.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I refer to Member's Ms He Ting Ru's reference to the Workers' Party 2020 manifesto on enhanced fertility support. Members in this House know that I have been speaking on egg-freezing since I came into this House. I feel that this is an important topic and, along the way, I met with some setbacks. After all, it is not something that everyone can agree with. I am glad that there has been some progress, and this is also part of the PAP Women's Wing's recommendation. I am also glad that the Workers' Party supports this position. Over the years, I have also raised questions on IVF, PGS and requested MOH for updates on egg freezing and sperm bank. In July 2019, the PAP Women's Wing also did a survey on journey to parenthood. We had 716 respondents. By then, I have also visited over 400 Tampines families with newborns. I had a chat with them on their journey to parenthood. We raised the concerns and survey results to MOH. And in late August 2019, Minister Josephine Teo and Senior Minister of State Dr Amy Khor announced enhancements to the Marriage and Parenthood scheme by removing the age ceiling to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and also, the cap on the number of times a woman can undergo ART. They also added subsidy for couples undergoing Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) at public assistant reproduction centres. I think there is also no need for another national fertility centre, as we already have three public fertility centres in KKH, SGH and NUH. The waiting time for all three clinics has been cut considerably. In fact, since mid-2019, couples can proceed with fertility treatments the following month, after completing their consultation and counselling.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have two supplementary questions. Given what we have seen, especially in recent weeks, do we need to substantially tighten our laws or even introduce new rules to deal with racial outbursts and discrimination? Two, I hear the Minister's points on CCA and social mixing. During Committee of Supply 2021, I spoke on the need for more inter-school mixing through arts, culture and sports programmes. This is especially so for missionary, madrasahs and the culturally oriented schools. Does the Ministry plan to expand the current CCA or Youth Sports framework under SportSG and MOE?”
“Chairman, there is a need to boost the exposure of arts and culture to help nurture Singaporeans to enhance their expression, creativity and shape individual and collective personality. I recently visited the studio of Mr Lim Tze Peng, a Cultural Medallion recipient. Mr Lim may be a hundred years old but he never stops reinventing the way he paints. His old paintings of shophouses and mama shops brought back fond memories of the corner provision shop that my grandmother used to run in the single-storey shophouses in Princess Elizabeth Estate. Mr Lim is currently into abstract tree paintings. What is MCCY doing to celebrate and raise public awareness of our local artists and their contributions? Currently, not enough emphasis is placed on the importance of arts and culture. Even as we have strong arts programmes at the National Gallery, Singaporeans are not exposed to these because of insufficient outreach. We should use the public spaces and expose people to the different forms and medium of expression of arts and culture. Would the Ministry encourage more arts organisations and artists to use public spaces to display their art works? We can also have host-schools in constituencies encouraging students from other schools to visit.”
“Perhaps between missionary schools and madrasahs or other culturally oriented schools. Look at our handphones. How many friends from other races do we count among our contacts? This would say something, will it not? This social mixing can start from our school days. We should start to re-introduce inter school programmes and activities, allow our rich diversity to be the strength in our social bonds. 1.00 pm Some ideas from students are: (a) have schools inform students regularly of volunteering opportunities outside of schools; (b) encourage more long-term volunteer work such as solving community problems together so that they can work on a project for a longer period and have longer interactions; (c) provide more funding for inter-school CCAs in niche activities such as board games, fashion design, cultural and sports events. The IRCC should also play a bigger role. In the past, it was easier to integrate new citizens and PRs as they interact with the community. Now, with social media and chatgroups, they tend to form their own chats within their circles. New citizens, PRs and work pass holders should be educated on our social norms so that they can respect the multi-racial, multi-religious and multicultural aspects of our home. Singapore Culture Capital”
“Thank you. Chairman, since the circuit breaker, Singapore and Singaporeans underwent a dramatic transformation, quickly learning to adjust to the new normal of working and playing from home. Whilst social distancing and the strict no mixing rules are essential, there is a downside. Humans are social creatures. If you limit social interactions in person, we will seek it online. We form chat groups and the online space quickly becomes an echo chamber. Our preciously woven social fabric will start to fray. The case of the self-radicalised Christian boy who was planning terrorist-style attacks on two mosques here is a case in point. If he had more exposure to Muslims teens through social interactions, would things have been different? Another case, in February 2021, a 16-year-old Indian boy was missing and last seen in the Bukit Batok vicinity. The SPF appealed for public help to spot the missing teen. What followed, however, was an ugly episode of racial slurs and comments whether he was a native-born Singapore Son or not. All these can be found online, in public. These two prominent cases happening cannot be isolated incidents. These are the initial clarion calls of a deeper, more troubling reality. Is this the outcome of people flocking online? This is especially worrying for the youth, due to the higher internet penetration rate and the availability of radical and extreme literature online. What can be done about this? We must rethink our approach to how we can systematically encourage people of different walks to engage with each other. I heard good reviews about Racial Harmony Day in schools but what about schools that do not have a representative number of races? Can we do more inter-school programmes?”
“Mdm Chairman, Singapore has some 5,700 km of water pipelines, supplying potable water to 1.6 million customers island-wide. Ageing waterpipes, corrosion and changing soil conditions can lead to pipe leakages. When pipes leak, precious water is lost and wasted from the system. There have been cases of large leaks or pipe bursts where a huge volume of water shoots out from the ground. Water supply is thus disrupted in some cases, causing inconvenience to some residents and businesses. As most of the pipelines are underground, small leaks can go unnoticed and may eventually develop to bigger leaks. What are the steps by PUB to manage these pipelines and whether they are new technologies that can be adopted to better detect and prevent leaks?”
“Mdm Chair, in past years' debates, I have asked about MOE's plans to incorporate climate change and environmental education into the curriculum. Our schools play a key role in educating students on the importance of green initiatives and playing a role to combat climate change. While environmental education is already present in our school curriculum, what more can we do to enhance the teaching and learning of sustainability concepts? I am glad to hear of MOE's commitment to support the Singapore Green Plan. School is the place to inculcate responsible 4Rs habits and how to recycle properly. Can the Minister share more on MOE's plans in areas beyond curriculum?”
“Chairman, SMEs in Singapore are among one of the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those whose workers are housed in dormitories. With new standards for migrant worker dormitories to enhance workers' well-being, dormitory operators said it would see at least 50% higher cost to implement in existing dormitories. Under new MOM specifications, dormitories will have no more than 10 beds per room, with only single-deck beds and 1 metre spacing between them. Each room now holds 12 to 16 beds. I am fully supportive of giving our foreign workers better living conditions. We value them and we must treat them humanely and give them proper housing. JTC used to run these dormitories before they were privatised and taken over by commercial operators. In the 1970s, to attract labour for the industrial estate, flats were constructed by JTC, which was responsible for developing and managing Singapore's industrial estates and their related facilities, was providing low-cost accommodation for workers. Will JTC help SMEs by coming back into this role of managing some dormitories? This can offer some competition with the privately-run dorm so that there could be healthy competition helpful for SMEs. Management of Foreign Workforce”
“Mr Chairman, there are some jobs that Singaporeans are just not interested in. In my engagements with residents, I know that some would shun jobs in the marine, off-shore, maritime and manufacturing sectors. Some parents would even hope that their children working as safety supervisors, engineers and technicians could change to safer occupations or office jobs. In November 2020, there were reportedly 6,370 jobs are on offer in the manufacturing sector, with one in 10 from the hard-hit marine and offshore sub-sector. Within the sector, electronics, precision engineering and food manufacturing had the greatest number of available openings. We can do all what we can to persuade, to promote these jobs but Singaporeans are just not interested in taking up jobs in these sectors. The foreign worker quota for S Pass workers in the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors will be cut. The cuts to the S Pass sub-Dependency Ratio Ceiling, or DRC, is in two phases. The first tightens the sub-DRC for S Pass workers from 20% to 18% on 1 January 2021. The second step will cut this further to 15% on 1 January 2023. If these sectors are not able to attract sufficient Singaporean workers despite job redesign, improved wages, then their business operations would hit a standstill. Where there is justification given by these employers, can the MOM consider giving more latitude for the issuance of S Pass and Employment Pass so that the business can keep on going? Verifying Qualifications of Pass Holders”
“Mr Chairman, MCI has made a good effort to help seniors in this digital age. The pilot project at Geylang East Public Library one-stop access to over 200 selected digital government services, such as CPF nominations and CHAS applications is very useful. Will this be implemented across all libraries? Since the Seniors Go Digital programme was launched in 2020, how many seniors have been coached? How will IMDA scale up its digital literacy efforts to equip more seniors with digital skills to support their everyday needs? Digitally Inclusive and Ready Society”
“Chairman, on 13 February this year, the Singapore Air Force scrambled our fighter aircraft in response to a suspicious aircraft. In any given year, our Air Force response to and investigates more than 350 suspicious air threats in order to protect Singapore's skies. On average, that would mean an air threat almost every day. Defence of our country is of fundamental importance. It extends beyond air defence and concerns our ability to effectively and safely deal with external threats and to safeguard our survivor. It is only when Singapore is secure and safe, that Singaporeans can live our lives and pursue our aspirations with peace of mind. Sir, our defence capabilities over the years come at a cost and sustained investment into our men and women as well as the best technologies. I would like to ask the Minister how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted our defence spending and whether it has any impact on MINDEF's and the SAF's long-term plans?”
“Sir, since the Marriage and Parenthood package was introduced in 2001, there has been few rounds of enhancements, with the latest enhancement in 2019. However, this has not arrested the declining Total Fertility Rate, or TFR. Singapore’s TFR is at our historical low. The low TFR is not a situation unique to Singapore alone. For example, South Korea’s TFR fell to 0.92 in 2019. This is likely due to changing social norms and values, as many continue to prioritise their careers over marriage and parenthood. In the Parenthood survey that I mentioned in my Budget debate speech, there was question: "What would encourage you to have more children?" Some answered “Nothing”, “I want my life back”, “Enough”, "My parents are getting too old to help." Others said, "Trusted care-givers such as grandparents", "infant care near home and work", "I must have time for each child." But it would seem the Government have a tough job encouraging some couples to have more children. Given the on-going COVID-19 situation, Singapore’s TFR may dip in the near term. As young couples may choose to defer their marriages due to safe distancing capacity limits imposed on weddings. Uncertain economic conditions may also cause couples to postpone their child-bearing plans. Overall, this would impact our immediate marriages and fertility outcomes. Hence, I would like ask the Minister for an update on the impact of COVID-19 on our marriage and TFR numbers. I would also like to ask the Minister on whether the Government plans to review its existing strategies to encourage more Singaporeans to marry and have children, especially given changing life priorities and societal values. Population Strategies”