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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“E-waste Management E‐waste management is another important aspect as only 6% of our estimated 30,000 tonnes of e‐waste go into recycling. Two years from now, we will have a management framework based on the Extended Producer Responsibility where, among other things, producers have to ensure that their products are properly recycled at the end of life. Can the Minister share more details on how we intend to implement the framework? Solar Energy Sir, as we know, solar energy is the most promising renewable energy in Singapore due to our location. However, we are physically small with a limited amount of land to install solar panels. Singapore is surrounded by water and we also have reservoirs. Last year, it was reported that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) is exploring having floating solar panels in the open sea and that it is studying if such panels are suitable for our coastal marine conditions. This year, we have a huge floating solar panel system coming up on our northern shores. Can the Minister provide an update on our floating solar plans? Are there plans for PUB to deploy more solar panels at our reservoirs in the future? Zero Emissions Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member): Sir, air pollution is a problem even for highly developed countries like Singapore. Deloitte and InnoEnergy estimate that poor air quality in the European Union could cost €775 billion by 2020, based on premature deaths, healthcare costs and lower productivity. While we are all affected by regional air pollution from the haze, we may not realise that vehicle emissions also significantly affect local air quality. Conversion of our vehicle fleet to electric will reduce emissions, even after accounting for the fact that our electricity is generated by fossil fuels. 5.”
“Sure. Sir, 2019 is designated to be Singapore's Year Towards Zero Waste, a campaign to raise Singaporeans' awareness on waste issues. For Singapore to achieve our vision of becoming a zero-waste nation, Singaporeans have to reduce our consumption and also adopt a zero‐waste attitude in their day‐to‐day life, such as stop using single‐use plastics. Getting our recycling habits right is another way. We have to increase our household recycling rate. In my cuts for the Ministry of Education, I stressed the importance of inculcating our younger generation with green habits and lifestyle. After a discussion on Semakau Landfill, a young man went back to pick up the brochure he got when he visited Semakau as a student 10 years ago. To his shock, he saw that in this brochure, it shows that Semakau Landfill is expected to meet Singapore's needs for landfill space beyond the year 2045 but that today's estimate is 2035, that is, 10 years ahead. The trip made him more environmentally conscious, but it did not manage to make him feel the urgency to recycle or reduce waste! Every one of us has to take zero-waste and green lifestyle more seriously as a nation. Semakau is our only landfill. We need to work together to extend the lifespan of the landfill, we must cut down our waste. Can the Minister share what happens after 2035 when the landfill is filled? This brochure also showed that the first space of Semakau Landfill cost $610,0000 and four years to complete. It is a very costly project. So, it is important that we have a Zero Waste Master Plan. I would like to ask the Minister how the public and other interested stakeholders can share their suggestions and ideas on how we can move towards on a zero-waste nation together.”
“Mr Chairman, the licence application period for PMD sharing services has just ended earlier this month. Having learnt from the experience of oBike which left many users wondering if they could get their deposits back, I would like to ask the Minister if PMD sharing operators will require users to put up deposits. If so, how will the Ministry be requiring that these operators place a security deposit or performance bond? In addition, the usage of PMDs in the hands of the young and inexperienced riders can be potentially hazardous to both the path users and themselves. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister if there will be a mandatory age requirement for users to operate PMDs as age can be a form of indication on users' abilities to comprehend rules and operate PMDs safely. Inclusive Transport”
“Mr Chairman, as we move towards a car-lite society, the Government needs to ensure that our public transport is reliable, efficient, extensively connected and cost-effective. Sir, there has been an emphasis on last-mile connectivity by foot, bus, PMDs, bicycles and so on. However, residents often complain of pathways being unsafe because of the different devices on it, and parents and grandparents still feel that they cannot hold the hands of the children as it is not safe. It is safe for the children to walk in front of them. Can the Ministry share on their enforcement actions, such as staff strength, to make our pathways safer? Last year, an SBST bus collided with an SMRT bus along Jalan Jurong Kechil, leaving 33 people injured and LTA released a statement emphasising that safety is of paramount important. I would like to ask the Minister to give an update and provide statistics on past safety breaches for our public transport system.”
“A structured care environment outside of schooling hours is an important form of support which will enable children to develop good habits and routines from young. For many of these children, the challenging circumstances they face persist as they become teenagers. It is thus important that we continue supporting them as they make the transition from primary to secondary school. Some of our secondary schools have begun running after‐school programmes to engage students from disadvantaged backgrounds. I would like to ask the Minister for Education what are the outcomes of these programmes, and whether MOE has any plans to scale up such programmes across more schools. Furthermore, how does MOE ensure that there is a proper handover of these students like Jess from primary to secondary school? Person-centric Learning Approach”
“Therefore, right after the General Elections, I started a free bowling clinic for Financial Assistance Scheme students during the school holidays to keep them engaged, pick up a new skill and interact with students from other schools. Today, the programme is going strong with seven Tampines primary schools participating in it. Each session has over 100 children, including children with special needs. 6.15 pm Through the programme, I met a girl, Jess, not her real name, who is active, popular and bright but she was one of the 10 students in her school who had a tendency to self‐inflict harm. When I asked her principal what was the handing-over process of such cases to secondary school, she said they would inform the principal of the secondary school and they would try to engage the students. However, soon after, in Secondary 1, Jess was found smoking at the void deck by my volunteers and, despite our attempts to reach out to her and invite her back, she refused. In my interactions with young people, they begin to discover their freedom and independence in secondary school and feel that they have grown up. But they may still be naïve and gullible. I feel that more can be done to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds not fall into bad company at such a young age. Children from such backgrounds face a variety of challenges growing up. Their parents might also have to work shifts, long hours, or take on multiple jobs in order to meet the needs of the family. In such cases, the children have to spend most of their after‐school hours without adult supervision. They might not have the support they need to help them study effectively. For such children who face difficult circumstances at home, after‐school care becomes even more critical.”
“I believe it is so important to keep our young ones in school for them to continue learning, participate in new activities, mature in their thinking and explore their passion and interests. Secondary education is an important stepping-stone for students in our education system as it positions them for their future. It is an important transition period from childhood to young adulthood. While secondary education is not compulsory, it is crucial that we really counsel and help the students who want to drop out or have high absenteeism. I would like to ask the Minister, what are the long‐term absenteeism and dropout numbers, and whether MOE has a formal system in place to counsel students who want to drop out of secondary school education. Sir, last year, I also raised a cut on preschool absenteeism as the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme only requires them to attend one day of class per month for them to qualify for the subsidy. I would also like to ask if MOE intends to make preschool education compulsory. Uplifting Pupils Sir, I appreciate what MOE is doing to better support the needs of children from lower-income families. Schemes, such as the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme and the School Meals Programme, help to ease some of the financial burden faced by these children. However, I believe that more can be done to ensure that all our children are given a good start in life. I would like to bring up two points – after-school programmes for secondary school students and the handing-over of students from primary to secondary school. When I first went to Tampines, I regularly noticed primary and secondary students loitering at void decks, even after 10.00 pm. The problem got worse during school holidays.”
“Sir, a few years ago, during a house visit, I asked a 14-year-old resident where he was studying. He said he had quit school and was looking for a job. He asked me if he could go to Singapore Hotel Association Training and Education Centre (SHATEC) as he always wanted to be a chef. We appealed but was not successful. SHATEC said they required 10 years of formal education, which he did not have. Last year, I visited again and learnt the boy was now working at a handphone accessories shop. I told him we will follow up again when he is older and see if we can find a tradesman to teach him a skill. He is the only child of a blue-collar couple. I had thought that was a one-off case until I met another resident, a girl who did not attend the first month of her new secondary school posting. She was afraid to as none of her classmates got posted to the same school. Her father said that unless we could get her into the school of her choice, she would not have to attend school. "She is a girl. She can just get married", he said. From my earlier experience with the boy, I was worried that she, too, would drop out of school as well. We contacted both the primary and secondary school principals and managed to find the schoolmates that she knew and got her back to school in mid-February. Even then, we were worried she could not cope after missing the first month of school. After all, it could be quite intimidating to jump from four to eight subjects. Thankfully, the school helped her to settle in. Sir, thereafter, I filed a Parliamentary Question on making secondary school education compulsory. I was told the number of dropouts was small.”
“Schools can organise camps, talks and activities on eco practices that involve parents and family members, so that such green habits can be extended beyond the school. There are so many potential ideas that can be brainstormed. But most importantly, let our young understand what is happening to our planet, the perils of global warming, how our future generation will suffer the consequences more than the current generation, and allow them to explore and decide how they can all be a part of the solution. May I ask the Minister for Education if he will support such initiatives? Aptitude-based Admissions”
“45 pm Students who take their interest seriously often find that they do not know where to continue their interest after they graduate from secondary school. Having CCAs outside of school gives them a chance to continue their interest in community sports organisations. I hope MOE can work with the People's Association and Sport SG to develop some CCAs that can be pursued at the post‐secondary level. Sir, I fully support CCAs as they play an integral role in providing our students with a holistic education. I urge MOE to look into my suggestions so that we can help students enjoy a more enriching CCA experience. Teaching Green in Schools Singapore is proud to be a clean and green city. This concept extends beyond merely planting trees to being environmentally friendly, with many green initiatives ranging from green buildings to the 4Rs of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Refuse. Despite the various steps that have been taken so far, I believe that more can be done, especially on the part of individuals. Our schools, especially, can play a big role by educating our students on the importance of green initiatives and the perils of global warming. Make it part of compulsory curriculum as early as possible. Teach them what is recyclable, what is the correct way to recycle. Educate them on the Semakau landfills and incinerators. Schools can teach our children to make green actions a habit and lifestyle. Take the lead in reducing the use of single-use plastics, such as straws and plastic bags. Reuse textbooks by handing them down when students leave school. Today's Straits Times also carries an article on water conservation camp.”
“Sir, for many of us, some of the best memories from our schooling days involve our CCAs. CCAs allow our students to learn new skills, pursue their interests and passion. They also make like‐minded friends from diverse backgrounds as they learn, play and grow together. I recently met two boys who did Wushu in primary school. And a big factor behind their choice of their secondary school was that it offered Wushu as a CCA. However, upon their enrolment, the school decided to stop offering Wushu. One of the boys then tried to transfer to another school and also asked other schools in the neighbourhood who offer Wushu to allow him to join their Wushu CCA. Such was his passion. I also sometimes hear from students that they did not get into a particular CCA because they did not have the prior background from their primary school days. Other primary school students shared with me that their parents chose a less time-consuming CCA on their behalf so they can focus on their studies. If they decide that they have an interest in a sport later on in secondary school, they may not qualify without experience. I believe there is scope for more flexibility in the organising of CCAs for our students. Can MOE consider organising certain CCAs at the division, Group Representation Constituency or even district level? In this way, we can use the expertise and resources of national-level sporting bodies and associations to conduct these CCAs. The combination of students within the geography will also allow for more social mixing. Some students participate in activities outside of school on their own time, for example, football activities or training organised by the local grassroots Community Sports Clubs. Can MOE recognise this involvement as their official CCA? 5.”
“Chairman, the EU is our largest foreign investor and one of the largest global trading partners. So, it is good news that the strong EU-Singapore relations reached another milestone recently when the European Parliament approved the EU-Singapore FTA (EUSFTA) and the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement. It is good news that 84% of our exports will be able to enter the EU duty-free, while the tariffs for the remaining products will be removed from the third to fifth year onwards. There will also be better intellectual protection for companies and individuals. Overall, it a pretty optimistic outlook where Singapore and the EU have further opportunities in the many years ahead to strengthen our trade and investment relations as the companies have now improved access to each other’s markets. Mr Chairman, this year will also be a critical year for the EU because its key institutions will see leadership changes. In May, the European Parliament will have its elections, while the European Council and the European Commission will have new Presidents. As the overall political climate in Europe is likely to shift, can the Minister provide an update on how we are engaging the EU and its member states in the face of these changes? Key Partnership in Europe”
“Sir, Total Defence was launched in 1984 to galvanise all Singaporeans to play our part in building a strong, secure and cohesive nation that is resilient against any crisis. It is a framework for an all-round response to threats and challenges and it involves six aspects, one of which is psychological defence. Sir, in this day and age, our Total Defence, especially psychological defence, has become more relevant and important. Today, Singapore faces a range of challenges, one of the most worrying is disinformation campaigns. Such campaigns are dangerous because they target the hearts and minds of Singaporeans and are difficult to detect early. They also take several forms – from exploiting social fault lines in order to weaken our national unity, to eroding people’s trust in the Government. With the increasing use of the Internet and the social media, many of us are becoming more vulnerable to fake news and misinformation online. In this context, can the Minister share what MINDEF is doing to strengthen the psychological defence of Singaporeans in light of external pressures?”
“Chairman, since NS was introduced more than five decades ago, generations of Singaporeans had served in various capacities and contributed to our national defence. The commitment of Singaporeans to serve in peace time allows us to build and maintain a strong armed forces. Regulars and NSmen have sacrificed their lives in building up this strong deterrent force. We will be upgrading the Marina Floating platform to be renamed NS Square. Will the Ministry consider building a small memorial there or somewhere else to honour our fallen servicemen? MINDEF ACCORD”
“This year's River Hongbao was more colourful and exciting by using an exhibition to narrate Singapore's history and its development. (In English): Mr Speaker, there is simply no shortcut to earning the people's trust and confidence. The key ingredients are delivering for the people, having accountability and transparency, as well as being consistent in our communication across the board. I started my speech by recounting what my grandmother said many years ago, "You have no idea how important government is. This is the best Government in the world. They have taken care of us." I hope, and I am optimistic, that what she said then will continue to resonate with younger Singaporeans. With this Budget, let us persist and continue to work together for our people and our country, and do our part in co-creating the future we want for ourselves and our children. I support this Budget.”
“Last year, when I chaired the River Hongbao Organising Committee, I was showing my Parliamentary colleagues around and a man in his 40s came up and said "I saw the exhibition in the news. I thought what's the big deal. After looking at the old 3-room flat mockup and remembering my past, I came out and looked around at the skyscrapers and I am grateful. We have come so far". Pointing to his primary school daughter next to him, he said, "She does not know how I am feeling. She is fortunate". This year, the exhibition was taken to greater heights with an informative exhibition of our history. As this is only the beginning of our celebrations, I hope that down the road, we will have more and better opportunities to encourage interactions between our seniors and family and to nurture our Singapore Identity. In Mandarin, Sir. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, this year, we commemorate Singapore's Bicentennial. As we reflect our history, we must create opportunities and encourage our schools, families and grandparents to share stories of the past 200 years. Last year, when I chaired the River Hongbao Organising Committee, I was showing my Parliamentary colleagues around the exhibition, "My Home, My New Year". A man in his 40s came up to me and one of them said that before he came to that exhibition, he thought it was no big deal. But after looking at the mockup of an old 3-room flat and remembering his past, he walked out of the exhibition and felt emotional at the sight of the skyscrapers around him. He told us that this feeling was something that his daughter could not understand. He said we should be feeling grateful for the peace, prosperity and stability that we enjoy today.”
“It costs us $2 per year to drink two litres of water – clean safe drinking water that flows out of our taps 365 days a year. Therefore, it is understandable that when social media circulated that the Government shifted the payout age for the CPF Retirement Sum Scheme to 70, people thought they had missed some announcement. Today, the payout eligibility age for the Retirement Sum Scheme is still 65 for those born from 1954 onwards. This has been the case since 2007. But for people to think that the Government can secretly change the age shows that some people, and I hope is a minority, do not follow the news or tend to think the worst of our Government. I am glad my Parliamentary colleagues filed many questions on this, and Minister Josephine Teo has clarified. But it does show that we should work harder at our communication and make it more easily understood. Some Government agencies no longer have counter services or, perhaps, they are inadequate. Some seniors and even blue-collar persons aged 40 and above, who are not so comfortable with the Internet, still require face-to-face explanations. For example, give people an option to book an appointment at age 65 to meet a CPF officer. It is like buying an insurance annuity, the customer service should explain the details to the citizens. We cannot afford to have our people confused, then their trust and confidence in our Government would be affected. Mr Speaker, this year, the mood is reflective as we commemorate our Bicentennial. We must create opportunities and encourage our schools, families, grandparents to share stories to remember our past and not to take our current peace and prosperity for granted.”
“First, the case of MediShield Life paying out only $4.50 of a senior citizen’s post-subsidy bill which amounted to nearly $4,500. Mr Speaker, Singaporeans were told that MediShield Life was introduced to provide them with peace of mind when they face huge medical bills. When it was reported that MediShield Life only paid $4.50 out of a $4,500 bill, it was quite a shock. Some of my residents thought that there had been a big mistake. Worse still, that the Government was trying to cover up or sweep the matter under the carpet. I am glad that MOH and the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) members have come out quickly to explain. MOH has also promised to review the MediShield Life insurance claim limits, and this is how the matter should be handled. If it was a mistake, just make things right again. If it was a misunderstanding or a special case, let us lay out the facts to the people. At the end of the day, if we provide a proper explanation to the people, they will understand, and they can be reassured that MediShield Life does work as intended. If we do not do that, there would be lingering doubts on what the Government had said about MediShield Life, and this is not good for the Government because trust and confidence will be gradually eroded. Mr Speaker, I had a discussion with my activists after the Budget speech and most felt that the Government does not explain matters clearly enough. But the fact is that our people also tend not to pay attention to things that concern them. For example, when I asked them what is the price of water and how much it costs if you drink two litres of water for 365 days, no one got it right. This is despite the Government’s efforts to communicate this over the past many years. By the way, the answer is $2.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Motion. Sir, when I was a little girl, I witnessed my grandmother's displeasure for the first time in 1984. It was polling day. My cousin had told her not to go to the polling centre since she walks slowly, with a limp. She jumped and said, "You have no idea how important Government is. This is the best Government in the world. They have taken care of us. I am going to vote." Needless to say, she got her way. My grandmother and her generation of Pioneers as well as subsequent generations of Singaporeans witnessed what the Government had done for the country and the people, and they trusted our leaders. They had faith in what the country can achieve together – people and Government hand-in-hand. Sir, I believe most people trust that the Government is doing a good job and they continue to look to the Government to make a difference in their lives, so that they and their children can get ahead and stay ahead. This trust has been built up over the last 50, 60 years by successive People's Action Party (PAP) governments. This is what made my grandmother's generation feel grateful for a good government. Sir, this faith in the Government is something very precious. In this day and age when trust in governments worldwide has been declining, we have to continuously strive to ensure that trust in our Government is not and will not be eroded. I know we have heard this before. But I still want to repeat it because it is important. Once lost, it is difficult to bring back. Unfortunately, in the last few months, a spate of accidents and incidents have grabbed the headlines and shaken this confidence in our Government. I do not need to repeat them all but there are two I wish to mention as they are of concern to my residents.”
“I would, therefore, like to take this opportunity to recognise the production team for their work and sensitivity in putting together this content. And perhaps Ministries can also put up a series on what are the schemes available to such families. There is no doubt the Singapore society is compassionate and kind. This increased awareness can help us think of what we can do individually to help Singaporeans who are less fortunate. It spurs us on to be more empathetic to our fellowmen. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is an understatement to say that our seniors play an important role in our society. For our senior caregivers, let us all exercise even greater empathy towards them and help them lessen their worries in their golden years. I support both Motions.”
“This group of less educated families do not know much about Government schemes or caregiver relief programmes. They fall between the cracks and, therefore, it is important for us to actively reach out to them. Another worrying area is medical treatments. Some seniors do not want to seek treatment or say they do not want to know if they have health issues. When I was a volunteer of the National University Hospital (NUH) MediFund Committee, social workers used to tell us that they needed to persuade seniors to seek treatment. They were reluctant as they do not wish to burden their children even if it is a $50 medication. Sometimes, a small knee problem without the right treatment and medication causes them to be wheelchair-bound over time and they lose their quality of life. In the upcoming Merdeka Package, I hope that incentives will be like the Pioneer Generation (PG) Package and encourage our seniors to seek treatment early. After the PG Package was introduced, we saw fewer of such cases, as the seniors did not want to lose out on the subsidies. They cannot "lugi". I am sure the Silver Generation Office will do good outreach to our Merdeka Generation, but I am concerned if there is sufficient manpower to reach out to such a large group of both the Pioneer and Merdeka Generations. Lastly, more awareness of the plight of these families and the schemes available to them should be communicated. After the airing of the On the Red Dot episodes, Singaporeans from all walks of life rallied to offer help and support. For many of us, this awareness would not have been made possible without the families’ sharing on such a public platform.”
“Mdm Musliah helps her daughter to bathe, transfer her from the bed to the wheelchair, contributes financially with her CPF monthly payout of about $250 and also care for Ms Zakiah's six-year-old son. The physical, emotional and financial stress that Mdm Musliah faces on a daily basis is overwhelming, to say the least. This is one case and she is not alone. Many of these seniors like Mdm Musliah also face strained financial resources as they dip into their savings or utilise funds supposedly meant for their retirement in the caregiving process. They are also likely to neglect their own personal well-being, such as not seeking medical attention for themselves, or missing medical appointments because of their commitments at home. At the other end of the spectrum are our seniors who are single, with no children and minimal family support. They are probably the most vulnerable part of society that we need to pay special attention to. Elderly singles or those who have lost their partners may also have to cope with the possibility of social isolation and loneliness. I believe there is scope for more to be done to help this group of seniors. It is important that we mobilise all resources on the ground to help keep a lookout and provide broader community support and awareness for isolated seniors and senior caregivers. Our grassroots, VWO networks and agencies, such as the Silver Generation Office, should collaborate and share data, if possible, to enable better outreach to seniors. In my experience, rental blocks are usually well taken care of by VWOs. However, the lower segment in the 3-room or 4-room flats, especially those who have resettled from kampungs and have not made much economic progress, are at a higher risk of not being aware of the help available.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of both Motions. The Chinese saying goes, "家有一老, 如有一宝". The senior at home is akin to a gem. If our society is a collective expression of individual homes, then our seniors must be a gem in our society as well. They have vast life experiences, accumulating wisdom along the way. Although they have worked hard, the reality is that not all will be able to enjoy retirement or their golden years. Some will have to continue working. Some may not enjoy the best of health, yet others have to be caregivers to their family members. And as we move this Motion in the House and discuss how we can continue to strengthen our support for our seniors, I would like to discuss, in particular, our support for seniors who are caregivers. In my house visits, I have come across more and more seniors who are primary caregivers to their spouse or to their adult children with special needs. Many of them share with me a common fear of their loved ones being stranded when they eventually pass on. This anxiety can undermine their mental and emotional well-being if they do not enjoy a wider family or community support. Channel NewsAsia's "On the Red Dot" programme recently produced a series on the lives of three families who struggle against rare disabilities. Like many Singaporeans, taking in the scenes of their daily living broke my heart, especially the story of 34-year-old Ms Zakiah. Ms Zakiah suffers from Buerger's Disease, an incurable disease of the arteries and veins in the arms and legs. It causes inflammation of the blood vessels, and she has lost her toes and fingers, except her thumbs. In the case of Ms Zakiah, she has no choice but to rely on the help of her 68-year-old mother, Mdm Musliah.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have two supplementary questions. The first is, have there been instances of foreign interference in Singapore? Earlier, the Senior Minister of State mentioned that Australia implemented some laws in June 2018. What are the gaps in our existing laws and whether new laws will be introduced to address foreign interference?”
“If the resident is still, let us say, 10 years into their lease, that would mean the voting rights belong to them?”
“Thank you, Minister. I also have a question on the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS). Do the voting rights for VERS, the Selective En Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) and HIP belong to the LBS tenant or HDB? And if the homes then come under SERS, VERS, what happens to the tenants under the LBS?”
“I thank the Minister. Are the appeals considered at branch or the Toa Payoh Headquarters level? The reason I ask is because there was an answer in the Forum Page in The Straits Times that HDB will consider some flexibility. But then, last week, I received a third rejection for my resident who is aged 65 and going blind. He cannot work because he can only see shadows. His wife is 62 years old. HDB just said that because she is 62, they cannot do the Lease Buyback Scheme. They have been trying to downsize their flat to a 2-room, but they could not get it because of the balloting system. They never got a queue number for it. So, I just want to know how it is considered.”
“Mr Speaker, safety issues regarding PMDs are not confined to the pathways. We have seen frequent cases of PMD-related fires and there was such a fire case in my ward just last month. The mattress caught fire from the battery which was being charged. Fortunately, the residents were home and put out the fire and no one was injured. On the ground, we have been advising residents not to overcharge devices or leave them charging overnight. We need to do more to educate good safety and user habits. Mr Speaker, Sir, notwithstanding my suggestions, this Bill is a step in the right direction and I support it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Bill. There are currently two major groups of PMD users – the leisure users and the people who need them as a tool for their daily work. Most commonly seen on the streets are food delivery persons. The current proposed registration regime requiring all users to affix an identification mark prominently on their device is the first step towards striking down errant users and penalising them for their reckless riding habits and behaviour. The feedback I have heard from my residents is that it is often the food delivery riders who speed and ride more recklessly. It might be because they are remunerated on a per-trip basis. I would, therefore, like to suggest that the food delivery service providers also play their part in taking responsibilities towards the riding culture of their representatives. For example, they should provide third-party liability insurance for their riders. We know that incidents caused by PMDs can be fatal or cause very serious injuries. The victims' medical bills can run high. Therefore, mandating some form of insurance coverage for users who utilise PMDs as a tool for work is beneficial for all stakeholders. Delivery service providers should also take charge of their riders and incentivise or penalise them according to their track records. It is the basic right of everyone to feel safe on our footpaths. Every injury or fatality caused by PMDs is unnecessary and avoidable. I, therefore, support measures to enhance enforcement capabilities. Of course, we ideally hope to live in a society where everyone is a considerate and gracious road and path user. But the current state of affairs is such that more enforcement is needed to curb errant PMD users and improve the safety of our footpaths.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. Some questions. I would like to check how is fare affordability checked to ensure that no one falls through the cracks and they have the suitable concessions that they can apply for. The concessions formula was also reviewed in 2012/2013. Will there be a review soon to keep up with the changing needs? The other thing is, with the increase in the number, how are the fare concessions funded? Because with the numbers, can the current funding model continue to fund when the number of seniors or the people on concession increase substantially? Will there be enhancements soon, especially for the Workfare Supplement scheme?”
“I wonder if more of such successes could be had, if we had a more inclusive education system, especially targeting those of the lower-income group who have the least family support and most difficult challenges. Deputy Speaker, Sir, Singapore has built a world-class education system from scratch and, because of that, we have been able to navigate the uncertain seas and come out better than before. Education will continue to be one of the most important factors to affect Singapore’s future, giving our young the right skills, tools and knowledge to chart their futures. It is imperative that we continue to educate and mould our future generation to be ready for the world, and for their future. Not just with technical knowledge and skills, but also with an empathetic heart and soul. Thank you, Sir. I support the Motion.”
“00 am train every Saturday to the same home in which they were volunteering then. I believe we can seed the caring heart of the next generation. On higher learning. Last weekend, at our Tampines East ITE Edusave Award Ceremony, I shared the story of one of my colleagues in my company. Chris started working for my company at age 16. She started as an hourly paid admin assistant. When she did not get into the course she wanted in polytechnic, we offered her a permanent job as HR assistant. Through the years of her employment, the company sent her for courses and she now holds a Diploma in Business Management, and Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) HR-related certificates. Ten years on, she is now 27, and a HR manager in a subsidiary of 300-strong. She is not the only one taking the path less travelled. Another lady told me she scored 199 for her PSLE, failed English at GCE "O" levels and dropped out of an engineering course in polytechnic. She worked and did a part-time accountancy course and, today, aged 28, she is doing well in the company and recently bought a condominium. We must continue to ensure our young have different pathways to success and the necessary environment to achieve their aspirations. A D7 grade in English should not be a death sentence for someone who is passionate about Accountancy or Chinese Studies. No one must be left behind due to our stringent education system. I am glad that there are so many examples of people today who have not travelled the typical journey and have made it. But each time the story is framed around the immense challenges they had to overcome.”
“We made friends and played games like basketball and volleyball together. I would like to encourage more of such cases, so that students can transcend the social divide and bring down barriers of class. Deputy Speaker, Sir, while our education system continues to mould our younger generation in their formative years to have grit, determination and the drive to achieve, we must not neglect the softer side of education, specifically, empathy. It is a hugely important issue that I cannot emphasise enough of. In today’s high-tech, fast-changing world, we tend to favour communicating via devices over engaging personally in person. This results in a certain apathy towards others as we lose that human touch. Empathy is an essential skill that can help to strengthen relationships, understand the perspectives of others and make our society more gracious. We need to start bringing back this specific skill to our young, via our education system. My suggestion is to enhance our Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) and Social Studies. The current syllabus focuses on the classroom and the imparting of theoretical knowledge. While that is important, we must give students practical opportunities to impart empathy, getting them to walk the talk. Schools can adopt a kindergarten, old folks' home, voluntary welfare organisation or pet shelters in their neighborhoods. The students will be responsible to help run the facility, the programmes, engage the residents or helpers so that they can learn the responsibility of caring and attending to the needs of others. I am heartened to know that a group of 10 university students who clock their Community Involvement Programme (CIP) in their secondary school in an old folks' home continue to take the 6.”
“When these disadvantaged children start compulsory education at Primary 1 and realise that they lag behind the rest of their classmates, it discourages them and generates a sense of low self-esteem and other disruptive notions. This lack of foundation leads to a vicious cycle, right from the very start. I would, therefore, like to urge MOE to legislate to make preschool studies part of compulsory education for all children. Parents must recognise the importance of foundational learning and make every reasonable effort to give their children a complete preschool education. It is commonly regarded that Singapore’s education system is world-class. However, I see a dark cloud looming over the horizon – elitism amongst the school children and apathy towards others. A recent survey by the Institute of Policy Studies shows that children from so-called “elite” schools tend to socialise exclusively with others who went to similar schools. Even though there are existing opportunities, such as the Outward Bound School (OBS) for students of different backgrounds and schools to mix, we must do more to reduce these artificial "class" barriers that have been built. For a start, schools in the same cluster can conduct their co-curricular activities (CCAs) and related trainings together, to encourage social mixing. Such partnerships among schools should be made formal, and students will have the opportunities to build more established friendships based upon passion and common interests with their peers in other schools. In my own youth, my secondary school, which was highly regarded in my neighbourhood, shared a common field, facilities and CCAs groups, like the Marching Band, with a neighbouring school of lesser fame.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, Mdm President’s inaugural Address laid out several important concepts and our 4G leaders’ philosophy on good governance and leadership. She has also said, “Singaporeans want to live in a fair and just society, one based on meritocracy, but at the same time strives to leave no one behind.” This is the crux of the topic I want to raise today. Education has been a key driver of social mobility. Our successful transition to a knowledge-based economy within one generation has been a direct result of our education policies. But more importantly, education has levelled the playing field for families with varying resources, allowing children of all backgrounds the potential to rise to the best of their abilities. Looking at the horizon, we can do better to ensure education continues to be an enabler of social mobility. The setting up of MOE Kindergartens is a big step in the right direction. Access to quality preschool education will ensure children from disadvantaged families would not be deprived of foundational learning prior to formal primary school education. However, most help is needed for disadvantaged children from the lowest income group. On the Early Childhood Development Agency's (ECDA’s) website, it states that a child must meet the minimum attendance of one day per month in order to receive the Kindergarten Fee Assistance Scheme (KIFAS) subsidies. Teachers feedback to me that they have had to persuade some parents to send their children to school regularly, beyond the minimum one-day requirement. There are obviously families out there that, for reasons of their own, do not see the importance of their children going to preschool. How can a child focus on learning and keep on par with the others if they do not attend school regularly?”
“The Evidence (Amendment) Bill will, therefore, provide another layer of safeguards against hurting victims in Court. This is a significant amendment as it is often the thought of going to Court and facing the defence counsel's cross-examination that is most daunting to the victims. Mr Speaker, I am encouraged that the investigative processes have also been improved to ensure that a victim is treated appropriately and sensitively from the time he or she reports the offence. Firstly, with the One-Stop Abuse Forensic Examination (OneSafe) facility, victims reporting an alleged rape to the Police will no longer have to face more stress and scrutiny of being taken to a public hospital for medical examination. Instead, the examination of the victim is done in a private setting, away from the public eye. Secondly, investigators will be trained to speak to victims in an empathetic way to approach issues from their perspective. This will help the victims recount their ordeal without causing more hurt and trauma. Mr Speaker, Sir, I applaud the proposed amendments made to the Bill. They are humane, compassionate and reflect a society that not only looks after, but is also respectful of the vulnerable members within. Let us try and help the victims recover from their pain and move on with their lives. 1.51 pm”
“With the amendments, victims can be assured that their identities will be protected. In addition, they will be able to give their evidence in a closed-door hearing. The Bill will also allow for the use of screens that will prevent victims from having to see their attackers. In some cases, the mere sight of one's attacker may deter the victim from testifying and cause more psychological trauma to the victims. This can compromise the victim's ability to give their evidence in Court. The Evidence (Amendment) Bill will allow the Minister to introduce rules about the type of questions that may be asked of the victim in Court. MinLaw has announced that under these rules, the Court's permission will be required before the victim can be asked questions about their sexual history that do not relate to the charge. This will help debunk the myth that the victim's dressing or behaviour somehow suggest that they consented to sex or that their report of a sexual offence should not be believed. Legal counsel who abuse their position by posing insensitive questions which do not have any relevance to the case have been reprimanded by wise Judges in the past and I am, therefore, particularly heartened by the Evidence (Amendment) Bill. I remember reading about such a case recently. A lawyer was rapped by a District Judge when he suggested that it might have been the molest victim's dressing which increased the tendency for people to commit the sexual offence against her. In other words, it was her fault that she was molested. The Judge had then said that the lawyer's conduct had been completely unacceptable and fell short of expectations of lawyers. He had also noted that such questions are forbidden in Court under the Evidence Act and also proscribed under the Legal Profession Rules.”
“Mr Speaker, today I would like to raise the uncomfortable topic of rape, how it psychologically affects its victims and what we can do to provide aid and restoration to the victims. In November 2017, The Straits Times reported a burglary-rape case that the High Court passed sentence on. In the case, a man broke into a house with the intention to burgle. When he saw the young victim in deep sleep alone in her bedroom, he decided to rape her and physically assaulted her by raining blows on her to beat her into submission and stop her resistance. Following the traumatic ordeal, the High Court heard that the victim had become so fearful of people barging into her room that she now sleeps with the lights on and keeps a pair of scissors by her bedside. The victim has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Following the breakup of her engagement due to the ordeal, she has thoughts that she is unworthy of others. She also blames herself for not sleeping in her grandmother's bedroom that night, thinking that she would not have been raped had she not slept alone that night. In the sentencing of the case, Justice Chan Seng Onn told the perpetrator that words cannot fully express how much pain and suffering he had inflicted on the victim. "You have wrecked her life," said the High Court Judge. Sir, the Bill in discussion today will provide additional measures to support rape victims. I support and welcome the additions to the range of safeguards that currently exist. Specifically, the disclosure of the victim's identity and having to recount a traumatic experience in the presence of the general public may not only be embarrassing, but traumatising and may undermine the individual's recovery process.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have three supplementary questions. First, how are teachers trained to identify at-risk children? Second, for every child, how do the schools then work with their family, Family Service Centres and mental health clinics to help them? Third, for the children who are identified in Primary school and moving on to Secondary school, is there a process for the schools to pass information to the next education institution?”
“Sir, in the past, nursing homes were mainly operated by voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs). Recently, private companies have been taking over the operations of nursing homes. How does the Ministry ensure that nursing home prices are kept at an affordable price? My main concern is whether the objectives and goals of the private companies are able to be aligned with the business model of the nursing home. If the profit maximisation approach is adopted by these companies, then we could see the undesirable rise in charges that will inevitably drive up the cost of nursing care. When needed, how does MOH get the private nursing homes to meet changing trends to include new services that the nursing homes might not previously have, services, such as home personal care, home nursing or nursing posts to help residents change bandages and so on? Successful Ageing”
“Sir, with an ageing population, we will see an increase in the number of Singaporeans with dementia. There are a few types of dementia and it is possible to lower the risk of dementia through lifestyle choices and habits, such as staying mentally active, socially engaged and physically active. Knowing the warning signs and symptoms of dementia can help patients and their families discover their condition earlier and help them better manage. MOH has previously launched a few dementia friendly communities (DFCs) where the community at large knows what dementia is and better support the persons and their caregivers. Can MOH give us an update on DFC's efforts and what plans does the Ministry have in the pipeline to further enhance our current efforts to better cope with the higher number of Singaporeans with dementia? Community Mental Health”
“It has been more than a year since bike-sharing firms started. Over the year, we have seen many cases of shared bikes indiscriminately parked. However, with the setting up of more designated bike parking zones near bus stops and drop-off points, this has improved. In anticipation of more bike-sharing companies setting up here and a larger bike fleet size from existing incumbents, it leads to a concern whether there will be sufficient designated bike parking places. Failure to provide a sufficient number of designated bike parking zones could worsen the situation. To address this concern of a large influx in bikes but inadequate parking zones, the authorities can consider imposing a cap on the number of bikes allowed under each bike-sharing firm. PMDs (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Last month, the AMAP appointed by the Government suggested that electronic scooters be registered with LTA, just like electronic bicycles. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of accidents allegedly involving PMDs. Between January and September last year, there were 110 such accidents, with an average of three accidents occurring every week. PMDs, especially e-scooters, make it convenient for users to commute. However, when PMDs travel at high speeds, they pose dangers to pedestrians. Some PMD users are also reckless and have little regard for the safety of other road users. Nevertheless, I believe that most PMD users are responsible. They are, therefore, concerned that the registration process would be inconvenient and incur extra costs for them. I would like to ask the Minister to address the concerns of this group of PMD users.”
“Given that operating costs have increased drastically, it is surprising to see PTC has granted three consecutive fare decreases. With regard to this, I would like to understand why fare decreases were granted, despite significant operating cost increases for the last three years?”
“With the recent announcement of North East Line, Sengkang and Punggol Light Rail Transit (LRTs) to move on to the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF) on 1 April 2018, LTA has successfully completed the transition of all MRT and LRT lines to NRFF. Under NRFF, LTA will be the owner of all rail operating assets which allows LTA to build up, replace and upgrade the assets in a timely manner. In return, the rail operators can then focus on providing reliable and well-maintained rail services for commuters. This framework has distinctly segregated the roles and responsibilities of the Government and the rail operators into (a) asset renewal and (b) operation and maintenance. However, given that there were past incidents of rail operators’ negligence in carrying out maintenance works, this leads to a question on whether there are existing provisions to ensure that rail operators will always remain committed in maintaining and investing in the rail network. Public Transport Subsidy Under today's fare review framework, the allowable public transport fare adjustment is based on a formula that is pegged to macroeconomic factors, such as core Consumer Price Index (CPI), Wage Index and Energy Index, which track inflationary price changes. For the last few years, we have seen significant expansion in the capacity of our public transport network through the introduction of more new buses and trains, bus services and rail lines. However, the additional operating costs were clearly not captured in our current fare formula setup. As a result, operating costs have increased drastically while fares have lagged behind for the last few years. This needs to be urgently addressed for a more sustainable public transport system and to prevent an increasing burden on taxpayers.”
“Early last year, the Hawker Centre 3.0 Committee submitted its recommendations to the Government with the view to improve hawker centres and promote the trade. We love our food and hawker centres. I definitely do. Keeping the hawker trade alive and vibrant is thus important although operating a hawker stall has its own challenges. In view of that, the proposal back then was to introduce a few ways to sustain the hawker trade and to support the injection of new blood. Can the Ministry share what is the receptiveness of the public towards this programme, such as the number of people who enrolled or even dropped out along the way? As in any trade and sector, the need to be productive is important but costly. I would like to know what is the uptake of the Hawkers' Productivity Fund. Is it sufficiently utilised and how many have tapped on it? Anti-littering Campaigns”
“Catered food must come with a time stamp and delivered in hot boxes and insulated bags to minimise food poisoning risks. Food delivery services are now reaching a similar scale that could adversely affect public food safety. Is the Ministry planning to regulate food delivery services in the same manner as food catering? Hawker Centres”
“Some military camps also have canteens where servicemen could purchase food, notwithstanding the fact that meals have been catered for them. As such, whichever food contractors in camps prepare food based on the weekly forecast of servicemen, it is inevitable that there will be food waste generated. Therefore, perhaps a proper waste management system would be good. Let us be more conscious of our food wastage. Food Delivery Services Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, Sir, there have been news reports about a food delivery app war in Singapore with tech companies Deliveroo, UberEats and Foodpanda ramping up their food delivery services here. It was reported in The Straits Times in November 2017 that Deliveroo created jobs for 4,000 riders and planned to create 3,000 more. Deliveroo and Foodpanda are also investing in delivery-only kitchens to create and meet demand. This is good news for the food and beverage (F&B) sector and consumers, but there are environmental costs and possible public health risks we need to tackle. First, on environmental costs. The rapid growth of food delivery services in China have led to a crisis of mounting waste of food boxes, wooden chopsticks and plastic cutlery. The NEA's study of disposable food packaging materials and their environmental impact was supposed to be conducted and concluded in late 2017. Can the Minister share the results and implications of the study? Further, is NEA monitoring the waste produced by the growing food delivery services? Second, on public health. Currently, NEA regulates food caterers through licensing and publishes guidelines for consumers ordering catered food for events.”
“It was reported that, in Singapore, more than 822,000 tonnes of plastic waste were generated in 2016 but only 7% of that was recycled. These figures are alarming and calls for the introduction of a levy on the use of plastic bags to act as a disincentive to shoppers. Will NEA be imposing a plastic bag levy? How do they intend to reduce the excessive use of plastic bags in packaging? In Singapore, we are not doing too badly because we reuse plastic bags to bag household refuse and the waste is incinerated and not directly landfilled. As a result, the concern regarding non-biodegradability of plastic bag does not really affect us. In any case, the excessive usage of plastic bags is still undesirable and wastage should be kept as low as possible. NEA did a study on lifecycle assessment, cost and environmental impact of bags used in Singapore. Are the results available for sharing? Food Waste Management Last year, I spoke on the food waste management and the eco digester centre in our Tampines hawker centre and Chong Cheng Primary School. NEA recently launched a two-year "love your food at school" project in some schools. This project is good on two counts. First, in the long run, Singaporeans involved in the project will be more aware of the importance of food waste recycling. Second, being part of the campaign also means consciously asking for smaller food portions if they are unable to consume much. There are also many places with canteens, such as army camps, prisons, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) training centres and Home Team National Service (NS). For example, in military camps, daily meals are catered for our servicemen, which include active personnel and those who are back for reservist training.”
“The National Recycling programme was started in 2001 with the commingled blue bins. It was a good start to encourage Singaporeans to start recycling. However, as the recyclables are sorted out by the workers at the Material Recovery Facility and not by Singaporeans themselves when they recycle, is it time for us to up the game by progressively doing away with commingled blue bins and encourage Singaporeans to start sorting our own recyclables? Key to the recycling effort also involves Singaporeans knowing what can and cannot be recycled and encouraging the knowledge and habit of sorting their own waste and unused items. In that sense, the recycling culture in Singapore lags behind some countries including Australia, Taiwan and Japan. Waste management is typically perceived to be the responsibility of the Government. How can Singaporeans and businesses play a role in contributing to Singapore's vision of a zero-waste nation? E-waste”
“Under the Paris Climate Agreement, Singapore is committed to reducing our emissions intensity by 36% in 2030 compared to 2005 levels and also to stabilise our emission level. In line with this commitment, it is announced in Budget 2018 that, next year, we will introduce a carbon tax of $5 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions. So far, we know that it will affect the emitters of greenhouse gases, such as power stations. The tax will also be applied upstream on large direct emitters, defined as those that emit 25,000 or more tonnes of greenhouse gases each year. By that count, it was reported that between 30 to 40 emitters in Singapore will be affected. Each emitter is different and various industries have their own sets of needs and challenges. It might not be as easy for some industries to transit to clean energy. Over the long run, we have to ponder if a carbon tax is the most effective way to incentivise industries to reduce their emissions. What will the carbon tax revenue be used for? Water Pricing and Policy”