Cheryl Chan Wei Ling
Singapore
“I note that Singapore has been pursing discussions with multiple countries over the past few years, regarding these cooperation activities. Will the Government be able to provide an update on the status of these cross-border discussions and whether they are progressing as expected, and aligned with our infrastructure plans and timelines?”
“Speaker, I have one supplementary question for the Minister of State. I want to ask the Minister of State, given the fact that we do this environmental impact study, will there be a study that will be conducted for every single oil spill and, if so, how long would the monitoring period be?”
“Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. As we go for more resource- and energy-efficient models of agri-tech production, would the Ministry consider taking a more active stand, beyond just grants, to look at areas of R&D, scaling and commercialisation?”
“Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the Minister. I agree with the Minister that these software systems are relatively complex and, generally, you do not just have a single supplier supplying to the overall system.”
“I have got a supplementary question for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. From now till when the official regulation is in place is still some time away. For home owners, they would not have a means to be able to detect formaldehyde levels because they would not know.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have one supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. I recognise the challenges and headwinds that the Senior Minister of State has mentioned, but the reality is beyond just capability building and the grants that are given.”
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“With the strong push for Community Network for Seniors (CNS), MOH can assist by working with these VWOs to identify a pool of known resources and accelerate the training of the individuals through funding or fill the gaps in resource deployment. As a start, these beneficiaries can be assigned to work within the community where they live in. The benefits are two-fold, as they can manage caring for their family and also be gainfully employed. Over time, I hope these women will also have more options in employment and can better care for their own elderly at home and be financially independent. Lastly, Seniors' Mobility and Enabling Fund (SMF). Today, SMF provides the seniors with subsidies for assistive devices and homecare items or transport. But there are those seniors whose annual value of property do not fall under the current criteria and may also face challenges. With the advent of technology, we should look beyond direct subsidies into social outcome to benefit the larger group of seniors. For example, social partnerships with the private sector in creating environment and alert tools from remote operating centres that can deploy assistance to those seniors in need. Or to provide home-based care products and services, where it also monitors health and movement conditions of seniors. Another way is to create new funds for app developers who can create socially engaging apps aimed at active agers or to draw experience from those who understand the mindset of how an elderly reacts, for example, like Mdm Masako Wakamiya, 82 years old, who is one of the world's oldest app developers.”
“Some areas for consideration I would like to put up are: (a) types of ready-processed food allowed to be sold in vending machines near the residential neighbourhood, medical facilities and Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs); (b) proportion of meal sizes sold in hawker centres and food courts at commensurate prices; and (c) inculcating the concept of discipline in healthy food intake rather than mere caloric value of every bite. As we understand there is a growing need for caregiving support to our elderly, we are constantly looking at ways to supplement this network of caregivers. This effort can enhance the supply and we must continue doing so. But as we extend this support through FDWs to future robots, we should not forget the human touch. The emotions and human interactions remain the backbone of caregiving. I would like to highlight a specific group which MOH can consider tapping upon. There is a pool of low-income women and single mothers, estimated to be 25,000, representing a third of Singapore's unemployed population. Some of them had roles of caregiving to their families, and certainly many still bear the brunt of caring for their own children. Their unfortunate family circumstances aside, these women require the necessary skills to gain confidence and rebuild their lives. But beyond themselves, what we can potentially change here is the provision of employment and lifting their families out of poverty in a dignified way. There are VWOs like Daughters of Tomorrow (DOT) which began in 2017 to provide professional training skills for these women in eldercare services. They have successfully placed them in the eldercare sector or as freelance caregivers.”
“Sir, accessibility and affordability are key in giving Singaporeans greater peace of mind about healthcare. But much of these actions are augmenting the support rather than preventive. As we extensively focus on how to enable the Baby Boomers to age in place, we must begin thinking of strategies to ensure that the Generation X/Y is managing their health on a different trajectory, a trajectory where the starting point of their mental and health state are healthier, with lower dependence on medication and the need for longer-term care needs in future. It is common knowledge that we must eat well and exercise frequently to stay fit. But apart from health campaigns or one-off activities like the National Step Challenge, Let Us Beat Diabetes, how has MOH engaged the Generation X/Y on a continuous basis to ensure that we have a future ageing population that is healthy? I say we need longer-term plans. First, on exercising. Given the busy schedule of our young working adults, accessibility to exercises is critical. The community exercise initiatives by HPB and Active SG are encouraging. It not only provides exercise options close to their homes but also encourages community bonding. Is there any plan for MOH to keep this interest towards a healthy lifestyle more sustainable? Second, healthy eating habits. Variety and ready availability of food choices today have spoilt our consumers at a young age. With their busy lifestyles, more families are dining out and consuming more, as shown in the National Nutrition Survey. While food preference may be individual, some policy adjustments can help with mindset change in dietary habits.”
“But one has to exercise some responsibility when feeding these strays and clear up the food left behind. Otherwise this will result in breeding of pigeons, rats and pests. I understood from the National Environment Agency (NEA) that the authorities do not consider it littering unless the food is left there for more than two hours. Why does NEA bother to spend valuable time and limited resources to monitor for two hours? By then, the feeders are nowhere to be found. Will the Ministry consider introducing stricter laws on animal feeding in public areas? Lastly, I am glad to hear the setting up of the Infrastructure Office to tap on infrastructure opportunities in Asia. I would like to urge the Government to give local consultants and contractors more opportunities to participate in large Government-led projects in Singapore, so that they can build their track record. After all, without a track record, how can they venture overseas? I was told that some of the prequalifications called for Government projects are so onerous that none of the local contractors or consultants can qualify. In cases like that, has the Government thought of how to involve the local companies instead of just having them as smaller players down the value chain? Elderly Poor and Home Ownership”
“Perhaps, there should be a review of the whole HDB application process to see how it could be streamlined and speeded up. Is the delay due to a shortage of manpower? Or excessive paperwork, asking for information after information, or staff resigned and documents left in the tray unattended? There was a case last night. A resident told me that she applied for HDB Flat Eligibility (HLE) since February last year and still no news. Another rule which I feel needs review is not granting HIP to flats built after 1986. The HIP scheme started in 2007. Then, the flats built in 1986 were 21 years old. Today, the flats built in 1987 are 31 years old, a full decade older. But they still do not qualify for HIP. About half of Nee Soon South was built in 1987. So, I can see that these flats need urgent repair. HIP will allow residents to do this at low cost and continue ageing in place. May I also suggest we learn from previous batches of HIP and finetune the detailing? One such example is clothes-hanging racks. Many residents also asked why we did not replace rotting timber at the opening for the air-conditioners. It is very expensive for residents to do it individually. There is economy of scale when done during HIP. Next, I would like to reiterate the difficulties faced in some repairing or construction work in landed properties. Not everyone is amenable to a neighbour's request to allow the workmen to carry out repair work, such as plastering on the neighbour's side. Will the Ministry consider a law where residents are required to allow access to carry out certain types of repairs or construction work? Next, I would like to move on to feeding of animals in housing estates. There is a growing trend for people to feed strays, especially stray cats, in housing estates.”
“Having lived in Singapore and raised their children here, some, to date, still remain as a foreigner due to different reasons. As they aged, it becomes even more difficult for them to convert to a PR or Singapore Citizen. The luckier ones may have children who have moved out to start their own family and are still able to support them. Others may not have any children or dependants. In the cases when the owner's spouse passes on, the plight of the living spouse will be quite tough. Finding a place to live in will become a tall order for many, especially if the women have little or no savings, having not worked throughout their life. Can HDB review the rules on how best to assist these individuals? Put Service before Rules Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Sir, MND's vision is "an endearing home, a distinctive global city". That is its true aim. And this makes a concrete difference to Singaporeans every day. However, there are times when its own rules get in the way of this mission. Let me raise a few examples. I am glad of the new housing grants for singles to buy resale flats to live with or near their parents. But there are those singles who can only afford a 2-room BTO. These singles still face a long waiting time. We must not forget that for every average waiting time, there are those who apply many, many times and are still unsuccessful. Can we build more 2-room flexi flats? Sometimes, it is not about the lack of flats, but rather HDB processes that prolong the process. One resident buying a balance flat told me that it took eight months from the time of application and yet the sale is still not transacted. After eight months, he is told to wait another six weeks for the grant process.”
“I have encountered residents in such a situation. One has a wife suffering from severe dementia for years and they have no children. Without a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) or living will, they cannot downsize nor go for regular housing options to better finance their remaining years. HDB has advised for them to rent their flat out. But for those with a mentally incapacitated spouse, indeed, it is difficult to have another stranger or another family living in the same flat, be it for safety or emotional reasons. So, how can seniors like them be better prepared for the situation, given the likely increase in dementia amongst our seniors? I suggest that HDB assist and inform all seniors, the joint flat owners aged above 55, to be automatically encouraged to sign up for LPA. Third, seniors living in short, as in less than 20-year leasehold private properties. Some seniors living in such properties are not well off. They might have inherited the property while others bought it when they were much younger. With a declining lease of the property, it poses a challenge for some to dispose of the property in the market. While we cannot cater for every condition, we need to begin considering the support safety net for these seniors. For these seniors living in such properties, will the Government consider exempting the review of the annual property value in their means testing for future aid scheme? Lastly, families where the spouse is a non-Permanent Resident (PR) and listed only as a flat occupier. In the earlier years, this is common for some family units to have only a single name listed as the sole owner of the HDB flat. Usually, the flat occupier happens to be the wife, who typically is the home maker.”
“Chairman, home is a basic necessity for any individual and family. Without a permanent shelter in which one can call their home, it is inevitable for individuals or families to feel much anxiety and stress. Indirectly, this has broader implications on the society and can result in weaker social cohesion. Over the years, MND had been introducing different options to cater for home ownership of Singaporeans at different stages in their lives. This effort is encouraging and must continue to ensure everyone has a place to call their own. I would like to highlight a few categories of individuals for whom more can be done to assist them. First, single parents with full custody of the children. Divorce is unsettling for those who have to undergo the unfortunate situation. It is not for us to judge the basis that triggered it. But for many who have children to care for, it is pertinent that they can provide a roof over the head of their young ones, especially if they are still schooling. For this, I am asking if interim housing over a short period of months can be provided to those who do not benefit from the sale of their matrimonial home, or if one party has been forced to leave the matrimonial home on short notice. It is increasingly difficult with small family units to assume that the divorcee can rely on their parents, siblings or relatives to help provide accommodation for them and their children. And it is even more difficult for those who are placed at shelter homes where the distance to commute is unmanageable for the children of different schooling age. Second, seniors living in 5-room or executive flats with mentally incapacitated spouse. While HDB encourages our seniors to downsize and monetise their assets, for some of them, this is not a choice.”
“Chairman, Sir, in Budget 2016, the National Trade Platform (NTP) was announced and subsequently implemented in 2017. NTP was designed as an open innovation platform which businesses and service providers can tap on to develop new applications to support evolving business needs. During that Budget, NTP was also presented as an example of an "industry-level transformation". It was then mentioned that the initiative will cost an estimated S$100 million, while it could bring about man-hour savings of about S$600 million to Singapore firms. Can the Minister provide an update on the implementation and whether it has benefited our economy and businesses with higher efficiency since its inception? As digitalisation continues to be a driver in our economy, NTP can become a showcase of how we can enable productivity improvements through streamlining digital information exchange. With the many ideas provided by industry stakeholders during this development, what are some further collaborations that MOF is undertaking with the private sector to co-create solutions for our businesses? Conceptually, NTP is an attractive one-stop trade portal for Business-to-Government and Business-to-Business services. On the back of a thriving e-commerce landscape and Singapore being a key trading hub, are there any plans to expand this platform for other trade opportunities beyond customs and logistics? How can the platform developers or sector players continue to provide inputs for future frameworks? Enhancing Citizen Experience with Technology”
“Further, how can our workers effectively transform and switch from one industry to another over a short period? Given the changes to multiple industries, how is the Government ensuring that workers can continue to possess the right skills in order to keep doing their jobs or take up new jobs that will be created? I hope MTI will consider the points raised and share the strategic plans for Singapore’s industries.”
“Why is such a review necessary? The impact on business continuity these days is no longer confined to business readiness but their ability to respond and foresee potential threats. Given shorter business cycles, the rise of technology disruptions and potential political sanctions, the possibility of businesses being displaced is higher. As a result, it will be difficult to have an executable ITM framework if the fundamentals are not firmly plugged in. I know the ITM needs to be a living document, one that allows elements within the industry to be added, changed and adapted to new landscapes. On the other hand, it will be difficult to scale up and have effective transformation throughout each industry cluster should there be a need for the base framework to be adjusted constantly. The Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) recommended that Singapore continue to build a globally competitive manufacturing sector and retain manufacturing at around 20% of GDP over the medium term. In today’s context, most industry cycles are cyclical in nature, including the emerging technologies, which themselves are volatile. Can the Minister share on how the Government plans to support this recommendation? On the same note that I have made earlier, the need to understand the industries better also has a bearing on how well-prepared our workers are for future industry evolvement. Unless we have more clarity on the longer strategic plan about the type of industry sectors in Singapore that we plan to pursue, we may end up in frequent pursuit of roles playing catching up. While we can entice companies to set up shop in Singapore, our workforce needs to be ready with the necessary capabilities in good time.”
“Mr Chairman, according to the January 2018 figures released by EDB, Singapore's overall manufacturing output in 2017 rose by 10.1% and posted its best performance since 2010. This was largely driven by the chemicals, electronics and precision engineering cluster sectors. While having a rosy manufacturing performance is something we can cheer about, the concern will always be how long this cycle will last. I note that the electronics sector is likely to continue performing, given the strong external demand for semi-conductors and computer peripherals, but there are other sectors that we would have to review, like the transport, engineering and biomedical clusters, that continue to be on the decline for several quarters. In the early 2000s, the Government made a big push for biomedical and life sciences in Singapore. Soon after, we expanded and attracted companies to begin their manufacturing activities here. As with every industry and business segment, the landscape evolves with time. Look at the biomedical cluster today. The current decline in the cluster is not because the biomedical sector is becoming a sunset industry. Rather, the drag was from pharmaceutical manufacturing, which is volatile, while biomedical devices manufacturing is thriving and remains attractive. The question is how does MTI review the diversity of business segments within each cluster and ensure an optimal balance in business portfolio within the cluster to support local employment over time? This is fundamental to our long-term strategy and, possibly, the lever that is most impactful to our ITMs. Does MTI continue to review these businesses after they are established or have insights as to how the businesses are managing to meet future new challenges, say, within each five-year period?”
“Is this potential for making such a linkage between free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in general and the CPTPP, in particular, actively pursued as part of the ITM strategy?”
“I have three questions. First, I strongly support the achievement of CPTPP. I think it is a significant development to add to the current positive momentum seen in Singapore's trade prospects. Set against the setback posed earlier by the decision of the US to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), this is a remarkable turnaround that will further strengthen Singapore's reputation as a progressive partner in the movement to promote global free trade. Modified agreement is also significant because it demonstrated progress which should not have been possible without a deep engagement throughout the original TPP process. I would like to ask the Minister what the prospects are for promoting such an approach in other areas of multilateral trade negotiations. Second, the deep engagement by our trade negotiators will now have to be translated into tangible footholds by our businesses looking for internationalisation opportunities. In particular, SMEs still faced significant challenges when competing beyond Singapore, especially if they were not set up with such potential strategies in mind in the first place. How different would the prospects of CPTPP be for SMEs? And has the engagement process that enabled the transition from the failed TPP agreement to the revised CPTPP throw up specific opportunities which we can prepare SMEs for? Finally, my third question is about linking the CPTPP prospects early to the direction of industry transformation set out in the ITM. For companies looking to take advantage of opportunities to internationalise, it is important for them to develop capacity along the trajectory to match the broader direction of changes occurring under the ITMs.”
“Mr Chairman, since 1993, the ASEAN countries have grown their total trade from US$400 billion to US$2.5 trillion. Looking at the figures, this economic growth is impressive and the poverty rate amongst our neighbouring countries has been declining. When ASEAN Vision 2020 was established, one of the key objectives was to enhance economic growth and deepen intra-regional trade ties with the free movement of people, goods, services and investment capital in ASEAN. As it stands, the ASEAN intra-regional trade is still weak. While Singapore is one of the most open economies in ASEAN, our trade with other ASEAN states is just about a quarter of our total trade. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair] In a world that is becoming more protectionist and mercantilist, there is all the more reason for ASEAN to accelerate economic integration. Can the Minister share what are some of the challenges to this integration? Based on conventional wisdom, it is likely that having an open, competitive and integrated ASEAN implies better chances of new industries to establish in our part of the world. If this outcome is within reach, how then can our workers tap upon this opportunity to expand their working scope and skills? Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership Assoc Prof Randolph Tan (Nominated Member): Sir, trade is the lifeblood of the Singapore economy. Events of recent years showed that we cannot take for granted the expansion of free trade because the world would not see a reversal. MTI's continued vigilance to remove barriers as Singapore businesses have to access overseas markets is worth lauding. In particular, recent efforts on this Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a major achievement.”
“Hence, we should uphold the same principle, work hard and build strong reserves for future generations. As the saying goes, "The forefathers plant the trees and the descendants enjoy the shades". At the same time, we should have foresights to plan ahead and build more with less resources. Our forefathers did exactly that, and here we are today, enjoying the fruits of their labour. This is not a rhetorical question, but one that makes us think about the need for wealth preservation and beyond our entitlements. Unless we are prepared to do this for our children and grandchildren, the urge to tap on the Reserves and current surplus will always be tempting.”
“Over time, the social safety net may not be meant only for the low-income bracket. We should consider if strengthening this net signifies some intervention for the middle working class. As we continue to ensure social mobility is a key pillar within our society, the changing demographics do justify the need of changing the fabric of our safety net to give it the composite strength, without which, it can be difficult for working family members, especially those who are the sole caregiver, to juggle between their work, children and caring for aged parents without external support. I would like to ask if the Ministries will consider policy changes in these areas. First, to mandate that companies allow employees to convert unused medical leave to family care leave or eldercare leave for their immediate family members. Second, to enhance tax relief to children who are not living with their parents but are the primary caregivers. Third, to consider modelling a time bank incentive scheme that provides rebates or care options for families who have contributed their time for other elderly within the community when they are still able. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would conclude in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, as a Singaporean, everyone has a part to play for the country’s development. We need to plan ahead and think not only for ourselves, but also for the future generation. However, the country's future development is full of challenges. How can we sustain the multifaceted developments without burdening the next generation? The short answer is: we must take charge of our lives and be responsible for our own future first. Next, we will plan for our family’s future and work hard for it to create a better life.”
“What this means is that we must radically initiate at least one generation of healthy active seniors, where their needs are not dependent on healthcare infrastructure to manage multiple chronic illnesses or sickly conditions. Instead, we want to build an ecosystem that provides quality social care that caters for their well-being, one which is less medically dependent as the seniors are socially active and mentally healthy. Such an ecosystem will require investments of a different scale and in communal activities where the community or corporate organisations can be more actively involved. Second, continuous improvement on value-for-money projects. Over time, we are seeing more value-for-money projects which are large in both physical and financial scale. We often raise questions when large expenditures are in view. Naturally, people will look immediately to cost-cutting measures and easily follow the pursuit of low-cost solutions when, in fact, what we need is a balance between cost effectiveness and execution efficiency. On one hand, we understand the need to constantly scrutinise the projects under planning and development. We know the need to check whether projects are within budget, on time or whether any base parameters have changed with time and thus requiring adjustments to serve the primary purpose. On the other hand, as projects become more complex, what is not obvious and easily overlooked is how effective have we coordinated the execution efforts as a project team. How then, in the long run, can we ensure there is no wastage that collectively delivers more value than us purely squeezing the last dollar? Lastly, the changing fabric of our social safety net. With shrinking family sizes, the nature of support required also evolves.”
“With a limited and ageing workforce, I urge all hiring managers across the industries to keep an open mind, begin rethinking and take concrete actions around this topic, as you, the hiring managers, are the most direct and effective channel to create such change that we truly need in retaining the talents of both young and old. Apart from the various initiatives, like Place-and-Train, Adapt and Grow, that help some mid-career switchers or displaced workers, what more can be done? I suggest that the public and private sectors consider allocating some workdays off for their staff to attend relevant upgrading classes, or for collaboration between companies and course providers to offer customised courses in modules within the companies or the same industry in order to benefit more workers. As we move from growth to sustainability for the future, have we, as a country and Government, done sufficiently to enable this? For sustainable outcomes, I believe it is prejudiced to measure the outcomes purely on monetary terms. I would view this from three dimensions. First, we are building a social ecosystem, not an infrastructure. It is right to begin with the end game in mind. This will necessitate the need to plan, design and build ahead of demand. Take today’s healthcare in context, our healthcare capacity has yet to achieve an optimal point that supports all near-term needs, much less the future. As we build more hospitals, nursing homes and care centres, it is equally important to look beyond the hardware infrastructure. It is the holistic care ecosystem that we want our seniors to be able to age successfully in.”
“In the Motion, we said that we should treasure and value our seniors, leverage and build upon the knowledge that they possess. But where senior workers are concerned, I do not think the society has fully embraced this. It is true that skills gaps do exist in the marketplace today. But when the workers are equipped with new skills, will the industry hire those without prior direct experience or in the same field? I feel that the largest gap in the restructuring efforts lies with the current hiring process. Tripartite efforts with the private and public sectors are a necessary partnership. However, beyond encouragement from the Government, jobs creation for middle-age and senior workers can never be effected without a fundamental shift in the hiring process. Today, hiring managers are very focused on past relevant experience and not the potential or the value-add that each individual candidate can bring to the job. This will limit how we can leverage the skills of individuals in adapting to uncertainty at the workplace. I believe this is also one of the factors that stereotype and keep many in the mindset assuming older workers are a burden, whether in terms of health, efficiency or knowledge. Way back in 1998, Amazon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jeff Bezos hired people with a different perspective. Before he says yes to a new hire, there are three typical questions that he would ask: one, will you admire this person? Two, will this person raise the average level of effectiveness of the group they are entering? Three, along what dimension might this person be a superstar? Today, these questions remain relevant in hiring. He focuses on the value the individual can bring to the team, rather than what they have done in the past.”
“When I started out as a fresh engineer, there were many situations that I encountered which are not taught in books. It seemed there were always new applications to learn, new situations to grapple with that required me to think on my own feet. I recalled one incident where I was struggling and about to give up. This was what my then line manager told me: "Do not shy away from the issues. Be keen to learn or do more. Always think and go beyond your assigned tasks, continue to evolve, build your skills frequently as the company or even the global market changes. Someday, you will realise that you are the ultimate beneficiary of all the knowledge and skills that you have acquired in the process." I am glad to have heeded his advice as it has been one of the most practical and useful advice and has since been my mantra for skills upgrade and constant learning even before SkillsFuture emerged. It has been one and a half years since the economic restructuring efforts began. To have a future-ready economy, we need more than just future-ready workers. The companies also need to be forward-looking and continue in job creation. Can Minister Heng provide more insights on how our economic restructuring efforts have been, and how we have been encouraging partnerships in the private sector? Have more jobs been created in different sectors, particularly for those in the middle-age group to senior workers? In this Budget, much has been spoken about seniors aged 65 and above. From 500,000 seniors today to 900,000 by 2030, this is not an insignificant increase in a decade. Earlier this month, a Motion about strengthening support for seniors was raised in this House.”
“The results showed three areas of concern: one, future uncertainty – their jobs and Singapore's economy; two, cost of living; and three, shrinking family support. Upon further discussion, I understood where their concerns arise from. It is heartening to know that some of our younger generation do look forward to understanding what Singapore’s future is and think about how their future fits in the big picture. Given that Singapore is a mature economy and the nature of jobs are rapidly changing, many are worried whether the economy can sustain at healthy rates and jobs remain available over time. Unless we maintain a high employment rate and have reasonable income growing in line with inflation, it will be difficult for the working class to manage their living costs, contribute for future needs and save adequately for retirement. For a developed economy to maintain a sustainable growth rate of 1% to 3% is not an easy feat. Today, our competition is no longer local. The real competition is dynamic and beyond our shores. Regional, global markets with substantive scale and an active hunt for talents are what constitute our competition. As workers, we cannot rest on our laurels and expect jobs to remain status quo or to remain readily available for us. Instead, creating opportunities, being innovative and staying relevant are the new normal that we must learn to adapt to. We must possess the passion and drive to hunt for the next new and big thing. Thus, the need for constant upgrading of job skills, value adding in our work scope have readily become a requirement on our part to keep abreast with time. Let me share a personal account of my own. Many of you know that traditional engineering jobs involve extensive work with long hours.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Budget. Minister Heng Swee Keat referred to the 2018 Budget as a strategic and integrated financial plan for the long term. Singapore has long prided itself for planning with a long horizon and being prudent with our fiscal spending, to the extent that some sceptics may say we are very conservative. In the 2018 Budget, the statistics provided and plans announced are all focused to meet the projected needs in 2030. We know there are technological shifts that will impact our economy, an ageing population looms and we need to foster a caring society to strengthen the social aspects supplementing the Government’s efforts. But beyond awareness of trends, surely, we must do something about it. When I first began working, I used to ask myself what is Singapore's Budget about and how does it impact me? What is this annual ritual that gets people talking and fussing around the same time of the year? Like others, short-term handouts and schemes that directly impact us are what we are looking out for. Longer-term plans that are announced usually do not retain in our thoughts for very long. After all, the Finance Minister announces many initiatives or schemes in each annual Budget. To many, the crux of the Budget is how much will I receive and how much will the Government take in return? Herein lies the problem. To many, they view our Budget on a transactional basis rather than one that is about participative nation-building. Recently, I had a dialogue with a group of 30 youths and young working adults. At the dialogue, we did an instant poll to understand what concerns them most about their future and Singapore.”
“This can enable three-generation families to purchase units next to one another and encourage stronger family units or allow better social mix where the younger families can look out for the seniors next door. I also encourage MND to plan having town audits throughout Singapore to ensure that the basic amenities and designs fulfil the needs to support an ageing population. For the mature estates, to consider giving guidance on how we can better refit the amenities to suit the growing needs. This will be beneficial in the long haul and save substantial spending when the final designs are constantly constructed with a senior-friendly state in mind. In closing, Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to draw reference to a book titled "The Colours of Ageing" by Prof Kua Ee Heok. The "Colours" in his book’s title represents the hope, will and the imagination of an "undefeated mind", which is, in my view, as crucial, if not more, to living with one’s faculties intact. In order to have an "undefeated mind" and be physically healthy in our golden years requires proactive actions from early on. I think this Motion is timely, from personal prevention to social activeness, senior-friendly townships to social care networks. It is time we begin to work cohesively as a community towards achieving a country of vibrant seniors whom we treasure and, they, who can live their golden years in comfort. I strongly support the emphasis for us to begin doing more as a nation towards this goal and, together, we will and can become sprightly seniors.”
“This would be a known, safer environment and provide assurance for all the parties. We can also consider having a caregiver support network at the same location to give caregivers the opportunity to share experiences, talk amongst themselves or even offer free volunteer care services like hair service, massage, healthy meals prepared for these caregivers, who usually have no time for themselves. Another option is to manage this through a knowledge-based approach and central management system to match the needs, to work with nursing homes or day care centres to provide respite care for a few hours at subsidised rates. I ask that MOH consider the subsidies not only by household means testing, but to include consideration for whether alternative affordable caregiver option is, indeed, available, given today’s smaller family units. Lastly, conscious planning and integration of housing with senior friendly infrastructure. We often talk about ageing-in-place. This can only happen with conscious planning, both infrastructures and programmes. We need to consider integrating housing for seniors within the community. Back in 2016, together with the PAP Women’s Wing, we made a study trip to Hong Kong. One of the projects we viewed was an area where the public housing flats of seniors’ studio apartments were integrated with the regular public housing of 2- and 3-room flats for the seniors staying on the same floor, within the same building. This makes it less of a retirement village and enables the elderly to be constantly engaged by immediate neighbours with younger families living nearby. HDB could consider if moving forward we can build the 2-room flexi short lease flats within the same building constituting 3- or 4-room flats.”
“It can prevent situations where the elderly wish to downgrade or monetise their property to support expenses but are unable to do so due to the mental state of their spouse. Similarly, an LPA will allow the seniors to decide in advance on their preferred palliative care if they do require it someday. Third, caregiver support. Respite care today is scarce and relatively high in cost. We would hope that care support begins with the family and each would play their part and make the effort to provide the needful relief for the caregiver. While the thought is good, caregivers, in reality, face different challenges even in their keenest desire of taking a break. Many say this is where community involvement should begin. I say it is "Yes" and "No". Yes, to the extent that we can find community befrienders and match them to provide relief for caregivers and give them some time off. No, as there are other considerations that need to be in place. One example is how do we protect the befrienders and the beneficiary, as the person to be cared for has a different engagement and mental state? Can the families entrust their loved ones and the home to a stranger for a period of time? What is the basis of understanding on the tasks that a befriender is supposed to undertake or, for that matter, not to be taken advantage of? As a start, I would ask the Ministry to consider partnering senior day care centres within each neighbourhood. Once a month, make the centres available on a Saturday or Sunday for those caregivers who wish to place their seniors for a few hours at these centres. At the same time, we can introduce community befrienders to these centres. With the presence and support of the centres’ trained professionals, the befrienders can help to care for the seniors.”
“By simple mathematics, he recounts that his MediSave funds will way outlive him. Instead, the larger risk for him is when he cannot afford the regular medication to manage his conditions and thus result in complications. To him, his MediSave funds will be worthless if he dies from diabetes or heart attack. For chronic patients like him, I think being able to use their funds freely and at ease will be a huge relief as they need not worry about the cash outlay for requisite medications that sustain their lives. Second, to promote and encourage seniors to make an LPA by age 55. From the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WISE) study in 2015, it showed that by 2030, one in 10 Singaporeans aged 60 and above is likely to suffer from dementia. That is an estimated 80,000 seniors who may have dementia in their golden years. Early protection is beneficial to both the seniors and their caregivers. Everyone would wish to live their lives in their preferred way and be given a choice. However, many seniors are not aware of the benefits of an LPA and how to go about it. I know that in order to encourage more Singaporeans to pre-plan to protect their interests, the Office of Public Guardian (OPG) has extended the LPA application fee waiver for two years till 31 August 2018, at least for those filing the LPA Form 1. We should maximise this opportunity to bring the LPA certificate issuers together with the community as we are concurrently doing outreach and communicating about elderly programmes or schemes to seniors. This will be useful for many seniors, especially in Singapore, where couples are usually co-owners of their property.”
“Furthermore, funding such initiatives will come at a small price, compared to the subsidies that are required for the medical bills and also more medical infrastructural expansion. Apart from health programmes, community involvement is pertinent for broader awareness outreach and having our seniors to be constantly engaged. I trust that we are doing so in different ways on the ground and will further enhance these areas over time. Meanwhile, let me raise four aspects related to ageing that I would like to highlight for the Ministries to review. First, to increase the MediSave usage limit on outpatient treatment for seniors aged 70 and above, those with chronic illnesses but have met their Basic Healthcare Sum (BHS). I understand the current position is to decide the appeals on usage on a case-by-case basis. However, I would like to ask MOH to reconsider and put in place a rule for a higher utilisation limit for those seniors who fulfil BHS in their MediSave and/or Minimum Sum in their Retirement Account (RA), particularly if they do not use this for their annual scans or diagnostics. During my house visits and dialogue sessions, seniors have expressed the same request to use more of their MediSave funds for the outpatient medical fees instead of using their cash or their spouse's to up their funds as they are also elderly. Take the example of a 73-year-old resident of mine who is diabetic and has a heart condition. He shared that he needs to be on permanent medication to manage his health condition. With only $400 allowed to be used from his MediSave for outpatient treatment, he needs $800 out-of-pocket cash for his regular medication each year. But he still has over $55,000 in his MediSave account.”
“Now, our seniors can have individual coaching sessions from the healthcare professionals to take charge of their health and improve on it. While these efforts are laudable, they are not preventive. The way for preventive action is, of course, to maintain a healthy and active state from young. Since last July, we have worked with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and Active SG to introduce weekly exercises within the neighbourhood. My residents are excited with the variety of exercises that are available every day, from Mondays through Sundays. Our young working adults now can also enjoy and exercise with us. And for the retirees and seniors, there are day exercises for them, too. Seeing our seniors, working adults, children and grandchildren all in tow participating, I am cheered by the overwhelming response. This is a headstart for our busy, working adults and it is actually a good start for the journey. I remember one of the residents who told me that she is glad to be on this journey with us now. She said, "It is best to do so before one's body becomes stiff and weakens. When a person is affected by illness, even the most willing heart will be demotivated to exercise." And I totally agree with her. My concern is: will HPB or Active SG continue these in a long run? Are there sufficient trainers to conduct these sessions? I urge MOH to consider supporting and enhancing this great initiative. MOH can consider collaborating with the People's Association (PA), private organisations and freelancers or to train community interest groups in order to sustain a wider pool of trainers for the future. While these sessions are free of charge, the impact it has on the community and country will be lasting. After all, prevention is better than cure.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, we often hear people saying they want to live long and live well, to age gracefully and successfully. These are common wishes of many seniors as they age. But the irony of ageing is that everyone wants to live as long as possible, and yet, also do not want to live too long because of the various aches and indignities that old age brings. Personally, I feel we need to view this in a positive light. Ageing may be inevitable, but the key is to understand the process and identify situations early, thereby enabling us to take preventive actions and decide how we wish to age. It is never too early to ask ourselves what we must do to achieve this. A person's state of health is by far one of the strongest determinants in our ageing process. I am heartened that MOH has widely promoted the need for basic health screening since September 2017 and heavily subsidised it. While noting that cost and concern about the outcome of health screening are the main deterrents for many seniors, MOH has made the basic health screening free of charge for our Pioneer Generation, and at very low cost for Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cardholders and other Singaporeans. Also, these screenings can now be done at the polyclinics and regular general practitioner (GP) clinics. This move is an encouraging step for many seniors and has been well-received. Many seniors whom I met in Fengshan have told me that they have since undergone their health screening. Follow-through actions post-health screening is another key area that is neglected by many seniors. We need to encourage them to understand how to better care or improve their conditions in certain areas. In Fengshan, we are thankful for the support of MOH in establishing the Community Health Post for this purpose.”
“I have two supplementary questions for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. The first one is: we know that condominiums are confined communities, so are there trials or tests that are being done to see how prepared they are in times of emergencies? The second question is: how can the community play a more active role to help in the rollout of the entire CPR/AED programme?”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for her comprehensive answer. While I understand the importance of fundamentals and MOE is trying to develop a holistic approach for the students, the question that a lot of parents have is: are we doing too much and too early? At a recent education award ceremony, I had quite a lot of parents coming to tell me that they find that if they do not send their children in Primary 1 and Primary 2 for tuition, they are already left out of the train, and they find it very hard to catch up. Even the parents have difficulties following the methodologies to teach their own children. So, do we need to break that cycle in order to help the students, or are we teaching them too much?”
“I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, with the change in trend and having more students willing to continue and pursue further studies, would this actually impact the Earn and Learn Programmes that we are trying to encourage more of the Institutes of Higher Learning students to take up over time?”
“I take the Senior Minister of State's note that enforcement is not the panacea and it probably cannot solve all the problems. But without enforcement, it will not be a proper deterrent for many of the smokers because, clearly, they are socially not that responsible. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether there would be considerations if the public can do more. For example, since there are not enough enforcers on the ground, if members of the public do have evidence of frequent smokers at the same location, can they submit that for the National Environment Agency (NEA) to take actions against those offenders?”
“I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State a question. I think part of the issue is about the demand and supply, probably because of the cost of the bicycle. How is LTA monitoring and managing this with the BSOs in terms of the growth rate with which they are putting the bicycles out?”
“Second, allow more Bills with societal impact or related to family to a wider public consultation process. Provide more time for the public to provide objective, constructive views both online and offline and in in-person sessions to seek views extensively and have more thorough discussions before the Bills are passed. Lastly, increase the current local training and communication of policies through dialogues by the public servants to the local community. Mr Deputy Speaker, I trust that many Singaporeans, public servants or not, hold this country dear to our hearts and want the best for Singapore. While we are thankful for what the public servants have been doing, we need to look beyond the current. Encourage more to think out of the box, take initiatives, be comprehensive, thorough and thoughtful throughout the service delivery. Should this mean the public sector has to change and adjust where required to meet the current times, we have to do it. If new yardsticks, new measures must be put in place to better protect and account for public funds, service interaction and so on, this must be continuously reviewed, redesigned and implemented. Likewise, we, too, hope that our citizens will play their part as we build our nation and be encouraged to volunteer, build a sense of ownership and belonging for Singapore, and fellow citizens demonstrate active citizenry and, therefore, they should have the options to embark on this journey with us sooner. This two-way process should be the mark of our continuous engagement and fundamentals of our nation-building as we progress. With this, I support the Bill and hope the Public Service sector continues to uphold the standards and raise the bar to greater heights.”
“Thus, any changes to enable the inter-agencies, voluntary groups and individuals and the community to collaborate must be built upon the fundamental principle of personal choice as set out in PDPA. Three, partnership with citizens. With time, our society has become more plural and diverse. It is a fact that we have to embrace and adapt our policies to. Governance is no longer restricted to the public sector. It requires our citizens to be a part of the process. The more our citizens take an active role in it, the more effective our implementation will likely be and plausible for future changes to take place. As mentioned earlier, Ministry-led community projects being one such example. The quantity of programmes is a poor indicator of quality and effectiveness of outreach. At times, it competes for the same pool of resources. It may also result in our inability to scale up on programmes and only having to scrap and replace with yet another programme. Thus, we should utilise the community knowledge and data-driven approach to strengthen our social safety net. Moving forward, how can we enable our citizens to become communicators and partners of future policies on the ground? While setting major strategic directions of a country continues to be the Government’s role, our citizens can take an active role in discussion and feedback on community and societal topics. I would like to suggest a few areas to be considered and taken further from its current form. First, increase the depth and exposure of our school-going children to our Constitution and policymaking process earlier in the education curriculum. Let them understand what the various committees represent and do, how and what the annual Budget actually means to their lives.”
“When the PDPA was introduced, I felt it was a great move. PDPA gave individuals the choice to opt out of communications they found irrelevant and what not to be shared. However, with the advent of technology, more data are generated from the sources we interact with on a daily basis. And as reflected in some of the initiatives in collaboration with the Ministries, data has shown to effectively assist the individuals, especially the vulnerable. Take, for example, under the South-East Community Development Council (CDC), the programme that is called "Neighbours for Active Living", volunteers have been successfully matched as befrienders with vulnerable elderly who are living on their own, those who are also frequent admitters to hospitals. The regular visits by the volunteers have reduced the admission rate of those vulnerable elderly and certainly given them friends who became their friend and their "family". As our population ages, how can we encourage more of such initiatives to assist the elderly to age within our community? For more effective outreach, there will come a point when it is difficult for the Ministries to roll out more programmes on the ground solely with internal resources, especially if it requires intense, frequent follow-up with the individuals. How then can we harness external resources, for example, the ground-up voluntary groups, the voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), beyond the Ministries to assist the needy and vulnerable in our society without infringing their privacy through sharing of data, knowledge or relevant information? With this said, I do recognise that individuals’ privacy and wishes must still be respected and honoured.”
“I am sure many have heard that to enable a better first- and last-mile connectivity, LTA has put up covered walkways within 400 metres of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations. By default, the walkways will cover the different exits of each MRT station to the immediate surrounding pathways. What happens if one of the pathways to be covered is not a frequently used route by pedestrians? Or what if it is known that there are future works currently in planning that may require this covered pathway to be taken down within a short time after it is installed? Should the works still proceed as the contract has been awarded or should it be partially deferred for the future? On the same note, some of the works involve various agencies as it encompasses matters ranging from underground utilities to the trees. Without proper cross-coordination in its implementation, the disamenity created can be huge and constant. With better coordinated planning and implementation among these agencies, I believe we can look forward to reducing wastage of resources. With that, I mean finance, time and workers. Additionally, this can enable the lead agency to have the ability to stop or reprioritise projects if the objectives or needs have changed. To be accountable for public services, we need the courage to pull the plug or make changes as projects progress and not continue when the final impact on the public is less than desired. Two, data governance. The digital world has changed our lives, the lives of every common man. Has the digital world made our lives better or worse? I think it is up to us to leverage the best and harness the power of digitalisation. Every individual has their rights to decide if information should be provided and be respectfully protected.”
“Through my interactions with the agencies, I have worked with good-minded Public Service individuals who go the extra mile for the community. But we need more such individuals. Given the complexity of projects moving ahead, we need even stronger cooperation and coordination among the inter-agencies, from planning to implementation. Less silo is absolutely necessary. For better implementation, it will be best when one of the agencies can take the lead and be responsible in any joint project. It is critical for clear accountability, and necessary should there be no revolving doors. This is also equally applicable to Government-linked companies. Public service workers should be encouraged to give their best of ways and not worry that their actions are not the usual approach. In public service, it is the results and the positive impact on the community that matter and not the process. Increasingly, there are more challenges that we will encounter which may never be prescribed or previously documented. We need the working level in the Public Service to be empowered and supported to take such initiatives. There is no absolute right or wrong approach in the Public Service. Each needs to be tried and adapted to the needs of the target group for their purpose. This is also the spirit that we are trying to promote in schools and inculcate in our young to try and know that it is okay to fail. Certainly, there is more than a single approach or solution to every challenge, and not trying but leaving things to the status quo will make us worse off in the long run. Let me cite a typical example of common public works where accountability, open communication and effective communication between the agencies and the community are important.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, as a country, we have come a long way and achieved many accolades and a good reputation on the international stage since Singapore was founded. These would not have been possible without the vision and the good governance from our forefathers. Like many other young Singaporeans, I want this going for Singapore to SG100 and beyond. As the global environment changes, so has our country. Some things can no longer remain status quo. "Good" is probably insufficient at times; more often, we need more than "good". But I believe it is this changing new world and its challenges that help define us and even bring new dimensions to nation-building. If we continue to adapt, raise the bar and challenge what we are able to achieve and be guided by good governance, both the public sector and as citizens, Singapore can continue to shine brightly. Internationally, Singapore is reputed for good governance. For this to be maintained, we need to do more and better each time. So, what exactly is better or best in governance? I do not think there is a single definition or milestone that fully embodies what governance is. In my view, I would consider better governance as one that is strategic, forward-looking, continues to adjust or set new benchmarks befitting the circumstances and has effective ground implementation with proper accountability. This Bill has set out some aspects of this nature but I would like to highlight three areas for consideration by the Public Service. One, encourage a more positive culture and accountability. With the many years of public service in Singapore, it is undeniable that a positive working culture does exist.”
“The question is (a) under what circumstances, for example, how many warning letters would PEB issue before revoking the licence; (b) would the warning letters be issued against PEs or the companies that they work for; (c) when PEs undertake private contractual jobs and disputes arise, is the general public able to seek advice and recourse through PEB? Two, contractors can be exempted from applying for a licence to supply PE services if the PEs are providing services for the contractors' own projects. How can checks and balances be put in place to ensure endorsements and regulations are complied with? Three, it is a positive move to remove the need for a three-year stand-down for deregistered PEs, especially those who were deregistered under current rules for minor violations, for example, no contact address provided in Singapore. This change would help those PEs under such circumstances to begin practising sooner lest their skills become irrelevant after being detached from the industry during the stand-down period. On the other hand, discipline and upholding standards of a PE is critical. I suggest for PEB to create a clear listing of rules for those violations which fall under no disciplinary actions required and show a differentiated list by gravity of offence that warrants deregistration of PEs. With this, Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill.”
“Nothing beats having a known professional community to advocate for the profession, as it goes beyond the role of the registrar, regulating quality and the conduct of engineers. However, such advocacy must be shaped with the objectives of lending support to our engineers in the trade over time. PEB should be cognisant that such advocacy is not simply one with a focus on social presence but, more importantly, to develop the education front, continuous learning within the trade and building networks. It is heartening to know that PEB organises events for accreditation of partners and recognition of exemplary engineers. Through this, I hope PEB can put more emphasis in working with the education and industry sectors to see how best to maintain cohorts of engineers and assist agencies like the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) to strengthen partnerships with employers who are willing to offer internships and job placements for our aspiring engineers. It would be of PEB's keen interest to creatively find avenues for engineers to have cross-discipline training throughout their career and take on challenges in new areas or advancement overseas. Thus, PEB must build the global and local networks to support the profession in scaling up over time. On this positive note, I have some questions and suggestions to raise. One, under the current practice, PEB can only revoke the licence or impose a penalty up to $20,000. With changes in the Bill, PEB will have the power and discretion to censure licensed firms providing PE services. It is good that PEB is benchmarking the penalty against other industries.”
“Mr Speaker, we are at a juncture when we are encouraging the growth of the engineering profession and looking to retain expertise within the field of practice. It cannot be more timely to review expanding the functions of the PEB and enhance the scope of professional services. This will help to deepen expertise within the industry and bring about opportunities for more cross-disciplinary training. I note several key improvements in this amendment and would highlight a few here. Firstly, PEB maintains a register of persons authorised to work with the PEs. With the increasing number of infrastructural projects and heightened awareness of workplace safety, provision of a new register of authorised persons who can work with the PEs will give rise to accountability and mitigate risks. Such a register, for example, the Registered Foreign PEs, also provides recognition and becomes a springboard for our engineers with broader job opportunities in another jurisdiction like the developing ASEAN market. This will be further facilitated under the existing ASEAN MRA on Engineering Services. Secondly, it allows companies that are licensed to provide PE services to engage specialist PEs as subconsultants in cases where they lack the expertise. Indirectly, this enables the smaller companies to undertake more complex projects, scale up and be not only restricted to projects where they have the relevant inhouse PE expertise. Over time, when the companies are willing to invest in cross-training their staff, these workers can enhance their skills through on-the-job training as they work alongside other experts. Thirdly, the role of advocacy that PEB needs to promote.”
“Under this clause, it requires developers to provide approved maintenance charge in the Sale and Purchase Agreement. The approach is useful in preventing wide disparity between what is committed at sales launches and the actual charge upon Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP). Can BCA elaborate how the Commissioner assesses the proposed maintenance charges are justifiable for the facilities that have yet to be built? Before issuance of TOP, if the site assessment reflects that the prior approved maintenance charge by the commissioner may be insufficient to cover subsequent maintenance, are the developers allowed to make adjustments, capped at a specified rate, or will BCA request for actions to be taken before TOP? To prevent such risk, should a range be suggested instead to ensure the approved maintenance charge have adequate considerations for facilities under frequent operation or for post-warranty periods? Lastly, MAs. I would suggest BCA further consider this area for MAs in future. From my discussion with different MCSTs, I understand the current pertinent issue is the lack of professional MA companies and the quality of the MAs that are available in the open market. It would be helpful if BCA could consider the need for MA companies to comply with some basic service standards, staff qualifications and audits conducted on its procurement processes. Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill and look forward to these amendments bringing about better clarity for some enforceable rules.”
“For smaller developments, for example, the walk-up apartments and mixed development condominiums, I understand that some do not have sufficient members to form a council and thus appoints the Chairperson and two other key members on a rotation basis. Such smaller developments may have fewer common facilities but due to the age of their development and class of use, there is likely a more pressing need for collective decisions to be made in upkeeping the place. I have such condominiums in my constituency and, with age, some of the developments have more residents who are elderly and do not effectively have much sinking funds available. Such disputes arise and there is a need to replace or repair the facilities for safety reasons but it is always opposed by a few members. How can the other SPs seek assistance for intervention to mediate a resolution? Second, consent of nominees for election as council members. I certainly support this change and feel this should have been the default arrangement when BMSMA was first introduced. Council members are residents of the development and any service they provide to the estate is considered voluntary. It is unfair to have anyone nominated and elected without their knowledge or not of their own free will. The real challenge for many developments is, however, a lack of willing individuals who want to step forward and serve, given the responsibilities and thankless chores within the estate. I would like to know what plans BCA has moving forward if more condo developments encounter the issue of having few or no council members to form a functional MCST? Third, mandated approval of maintenance charges before sale of units.”
“Mr Speaker, with the increasing number of private residential projects and executive condominiums, there is a need to ensure that the interests of residents in strata-title developments, particularly residential, are looked after. Over the years, we have heard of stories related to disputes and legal suits filed because of non-consensual actions and misrepresentations within such developments. Thus, the amendments in this Bill have been long overdue and would certainly provide greater clarity to the rules that can circumvent abuse or mismanagement by the representatives of MCSTs and preserve the rights of SPs. There are several enhancements introduced in this Bill. I would like to seek further clarifications on a few areas. First, tightening of proxy system. While the approach of limiting proxy votes is useful to prevent any individuals from garnering proportionately large numbers of proxy votes to influence decisions, how can we ensure that MCSTs do not pass resolutions that may override the benefits of a tightened proxy system? For example, by establishing special subcommittees to oversee or approve certain expenditure projects, the MCST could introduce such committees to enable a separate group to pass decisions or indirectly garner more proxy votes through other options. Is the new proxy system applicable for all decision matters that need to be passed by MCSTs or only for major decisions during AGMs? If it is the latter, would it not be effective to consider compulsory enforcement of proxy voting, specific to certain categories of estate matters, that is, sinking funds, land strata-related matters?”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker. I have two supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. We know that in the construction industry, it is typical for these main contractors to have multiple subsidiary companies. So, how are these taken into account, especially if the subsidiary companies had previous safety lapses, in the overall assessment if the award is being tendered by another company within this whole holdings? The second question is, because of this complexity or the scale of the project, it is typical to have multiple sub-contractors. How does the main contractor ensure that the sub-contractors actively take measures against all these safety lapses?”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker, I have four clarifications to seek from the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. First, we know it takes two parties, at least in this case, to bring a conflict to closure. Post this Parliamentary debate, if the Prime Minister's siblings refuse to back down and continue to publicly air their allegations of abuse of power by the Prime Minister, what would the Prime Minister and the Government's next step be? Second, from time to time, committees are formed. Public opinions these days are aplenty and any position taken will always have opinions for and against it. As we continue to uphold the rule of law, how do we ensure that we do not act merely upon public pressure and herd mentality? Rather, decisions are based on what is the issue at hand and whether it is in the interest of Singapore as a top priority. Third, this debate goes beyond the defence of the Organs of the State. Members in this House and Singaporeans have asked for a quick resolution to this matter. But we all know that the expectations of reasonable resolution differ from one person to another. How then do we move forward as a country if we cannot see beyond these differences? And lastly, yesterday, Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned that there are 72 buildings gazetted for preservation and 7,000 others conserved to date. How does National Heritage Board (NHB) actively look out for potential architectures that are likely to be preserved, particularly those privately owned, and inform the private owners duly with ample time before a decision is made? If this situation had happened to an ordinary citizen instead of a high-profile family, do they have any recourse? 2.09 pm”
“Madam, I have two supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. The first one is whether there is a list of these simple or minor procedures that is available at the different polyclinics and can that be made available to the public. The second one is: if the patient goes to the polyclinic and the situation is not an emergency, can they not be referred to A&E but given the option to visit or consult a specialist at a public hospital on a later date for the procedures?”