Chia Shi-Lu
Singapore
“Chairman, I wish to thank all Members who have taken part in this debate and, of course, Minister Gan, Senior Ministers of State Amy Khor and Dr Lam Pin Min and Mr Edwin Tong and also Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin, together with all the staff at MOH for their replies and the work they have put in for the healthcare system for…”
“Nonetheless, I believe that a united society will be a key piece to this puzzle, and I look forward to the Ministry of Health's stewardship in this regard. May we all live long, live well and grow old together as one people. Thank you, and I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed.”
“Mr Chairman, high usage of air-conditioning and refrigerators contributes to global warming, and none more so than in Singapore where we love our climate control and air-conditioning. But as a responsible member of the global community, we should do our best to reduce our carbon footprint.”
“Management of E-waste Last cut. With the introduction of the Resource Sustainability Act last year, the EPR scheme will commence and a PRS operator I alluded to earlier will be appointed to collect and ensure proper disposal of electrical and electronic consumer products.”
“I thank the Minister for the update. I just have two clarifications about the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level – the acronym of the year, so far! First, some clarification about how this DORSCON is arrived at. Is it by independent committee that makes this decision and recommends to the Minister?”
“I just want to echo and express my thanks to Minister Gan Kim Yong for his statement of thanks and support for healthcare workers. Two short but slightly technical questions, I apologise. The first, the Minister touched about it earlier.”
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“MUBI saves policy-makers' time and bandwidth as it requires less inter-agency coordination and limits fine tuning of the policy to one dimension – the payment amount.”
“Not all will be confident they can protect their health and that of their customers. MUBI will allow such Singaporeans and many others like them, to decide, based on the risks at the time, to reduce or halt their services, instead of getting more business just to feed their family. Mr Speaker, there are also administrative benefits from implementing an automatic, universal payment scheme, instead of a means-tested scheme. We need to preserve the time of policymakers and social service agencies to assist Singaporeans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in other ways. When social workers have to navigate through different assistance schemes to find what is the eligible set of aids for each client, this takes up time and energy which could be better used for counselling and supporting clients. Our social workers also need time to respond to emerging issues. Social isolation measures in many countries have triggered an increase in family conflicts and violence, which may well occur in Singapore during this circuit breaker period. Other social problems that may worsen include the social isolation of elderly Singaporeans and care-giver stress syndrome, as many daycare, support and respite services have shut down. These issues require not only timely interventions, but a social service sector with the bandwidth to proactively identify potential problems and implement prophylactic measures. More importantly, policy-maker attention and time is a scarce resource. The potential flashpoints caused by the rapid development of the pandemic and measures other countries take to control it, require extensive coordination, leadership and creative thinking to develop the optimal response.”
“But MUBI will also be a symbol of how Singapore comes together to ensure that those hit hardest by the crisis are provided with vital benefits in this time of need. Through the tax system, more fortunate Singaporeans, who retain their earning capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic, will help less fortunate Singaporeans who suffer reductions in earnings. Mr Speaker, a universal benefits scheme without means testing will address the critical needs of Singaporeans today. Incomes and jobs will be volatile over the next few months. A family that is financially secure today may not be so next month. Means testing, moreover, is often based on lagging indicators. It may be based on income tax records, housing annual value and it may not reflect present finances. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are unpredictable, so it will be difficult to identify today which sectors, which jobs, will be affected the most, even though we know many people in aviation, tourism, retail and F&B, have already been hard hit. The universal approach will provide some assurance to everyone that there would be some income regardless of their circumstances. This approach is also equitable because many of our affected sectors have already made sacrifices to ensure the safety of other Singaporeans during this crisis. The certainty of having weekly payments to help put food on the table also means that Singaporeans will never feel pressured to choose between feeding their families and protecting public health. This will help Singaporeans follow public health advice, especially if that advice may hurt their livelihoods. For example, some Singaporeans provide essential home-based personal services such as home repairs and air-conditioning servicing.”
“The payout period can be extended at additional cost if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to severely disrupt the economy past these 12 weeks. But to ensure that the most help goes to those most in need, the payouts can be recorded as personal income, which will be taxable in the Year of Assessment 2021. Hence, the scheme’s net benefit to each Singaporean will eventually depend on the recipient’s taxable income in 2020 and their tax rate. So, the key feature of MUBI is that all Singaporeans will receive payouts for daily living expenses immediately. But the taxes to finance those payouts will only be paid next year, according to the usual schedule for tax payment. We have calculated that MUBI requires a temporary personal income tax increase of 4.25%. Even after the tax, the bottom half of taxpayers will benefit. The MUBI payment will be larger than their expected increase in taxes next year. The median taxpayer will also benefit on net if they have Singapore citizen dependants, as the full MUBI payout will be given to children and seniors, who are generally not taxed. Taxpayers who suffer a sharp drop in income due to COVID-19 will benefit because their taxes could drop below what they receive in MUBI payouts. For solidarity, high-income taxpayers will be asked to contribute to financing MUBI, unless they suffer a significant income loss due to COVID-19 or have many dependants. In that case, then the tax structure ensures they will not pay much. We call this the Majulah Universal Basic Income scheme for descriptive and symbolic reasons. In essence, MUBI will advance income from the future, when the economy and jobs are expected to recover, to the present, when it is needed the most.”
“That is why we must now consider shifting our approach from means testing and gatekeeping public support, to ensuring that all Singaporeans, on a universal basis, have some basic income necessary to provide for their families in the months ahead. Mr Speaker, I want to call on the public and the Government to consider implementing a temporary Universal Basic Income Scheme that provides weekly cash payouts to all Singaporeans for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. But more than that, I want to call on the public to make a sacrifice to finance this scheme through a temporary increase in personal income taxes. If we truly believe that we are only as strong as the weakest member of our society, we must be prepared to pay the price necessary to protect that fellow Singaporean. I have worked together with Dr Ong Qiyan from the Social Service Research Centre at the National University of Singapore, to produce a concrete proposal on this Universal Basic Income Scheme. We call this scheme the Majulah Universal Basic Income Scheme, or MUBI, for reasons that I will explain shortly. The MUBI Scheme’s key objective is to give all Singaporean households the certainty that they will be able to pay for basic necessities during these uncertain times. MUBI achieves this by giving all Singaporeans weekly cash payments without means testing, calibrated at the amount necessary to cover an average households’ cash expenditure on food, utilities, and telecommunications. Our initial proposal is to pay $110 per week to all Singaporeans for a period of 12 weeks, starting immediately if possible, through existing electronic payment channels for Government's cash transfers to Singaporeans’ bank accounts. This will cost $4.62 billion dollars.”
“The reserves also allow the Government to act quickly and decisively to support the people and the economy, which may not be achievable otherwise. However, none can predict how long the crisis is going to last or how much of our reserves we will deplete. Singaporeans cannot tide through this crisis by relying on our public reserves alone. Sir, the true strength of Singapore is not just in our reserves or in the strong balance sheet of the Government. The strength of Singapore must lie in the willingness of our people to make the necessary sacrifices to protect the weakest among us from the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the Singapore economy. Minister Desmond Lee noted last week that 60,000 Singaporeans have applied for the Temporary Relief Fund. Globally, unemployment claims have risen at rates far exceeding those during the Global Financial Crisis. Initial jobless claims in the United States for the week ending 28 March 2020 were over 6.6 million – an increase of about 30 times over the average rate the year before. The jobless data, moreover, do not account for reduced hours, cut allowances, reductions in commissions and no business for the self-employed. So, there are many Singaporeans in immediate need, and many more to come. The Solidarity Budget’s cash payment of $600 to all adult Singaporeans will make a significant difference, as will the Temporary Relief Fund, and other financial support measures. But because many measures are means tested to avoid waste, there is a real risk that Singaporeans will fall through the gaps. The rapidly evolving effects of the pandemic also mean that our schemes, carefully designed as they are, may be one step behind the needs of the public.”
“Last but not least, I hope that the eligibility criteria for MediFund will be loosened temporarily during this contagion period to assist patients who may not qualify during more regular periods. Finally, I would like to end by again thanking the Deputy Prime Minister, all the Ministers, civil servants, frontline workers for all their commitment and the hard work during this especially trying time for the nation. All of us are behind you and thank you for your hard work. Regarding our battle against SARS in the early 2000s, I recall a quote from the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew who said that: "We were united as one people", this was during SARS, "to protect the health and safety of everyone. The experience bonded us as one people regardless of race, language and religion". This COVID-19 crisis, terrible as it is, offers us another chance to emerge stronger as one nation and one people, and stronger we will be. SGUnited, SG Together. And I would like to conclude with my support for this Budget. 10.38 am Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, we are facing a rapidly evolving crisis. No one alive has seen a global pandemic of this scale, and none can accurately predict how the global economy will look like after the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why the Government is taking extraordinary steps in the Resilience and Solidarity Budgets to inject some certainty, some confidence into the economy and our society. Singapore is very fortunate that the prudence and hard work of our forefathers and past governments have left us with public reserves to help us through the current phase of the crisis. This illustrates how important it is for a country to maintain healthy financial reserves and a strong economy.”
“As to my final area of worry, with the anticipated reductions in disposable incomes, I would also like to ask if more help can be extended to lessen out-of-pocket expenses for essential medical services. Despite very generous Government subsidies, many Singaporeans still need to pay a portion of their medical expenses. During this trying period, more families’ finances will be stretched. Hence, could I ask whether the Government would consider a temporary, extended liberalisation of MediSave for both outpatient and inpatient essential medical treatments, and also for ILTC expenses? Now, this would not entail any immediate further expenditures for the Government. MediSave has also been looked upon as every citizen’s individual reserves for medical care, and surely the current economic climate provides a mandate to dip into this personal cash reserve for necessary medical use? Next, for the Medication Assistance Fund – both the MAF and MAF Plus – would the Government or MOH consider increasing the level of subsidy for more costly medications, up from the current band of between 50% and 85%? While these subsidies are generous, again, due to the high costs of certain drugs, the balance costs borne by patients and their families can still be fairly significant. I would also like to seek clarifications regarding MediShield Life premiums. Insurance policyholders can now apply to defer premium payments for up to six months while maintaining insurance coverage. May I assume that MediShield Life and integrated plan policies could be included as well? In addition, would MOM consider allowing SEPs to defer their MediSave instalment payments during the current climate of economic difficulties?”
“I know that some new measures have just been announced under the Solidarity Budget. But I would like consideration, perhaps, to be made for further help for SEPs who have more dependants. Of course, currently, we now know that under this scheme, SEPs will receive $1,000 a month for a total of nine months. Would MOM consider taking into account the number of dependants supported by the SEPs? SEPs supporting young children, elderly or disabled family members would probably require additional financial assistance during this difficult time. For SEPs who are also not auto-enrolled in the SIRS, I hope that the application and appeals process will be as expedient and as inclusive as possible. Next, I would like to also bring up the special plight of private hire drivers. In the early days of the COVID crisis, there had been some calls in some quarters for those who had seen reduced employment, or been furloughed, to consider supplementing their income with private hire driving. With this recent drastic reductions in social interaction and travel, many private hire drivers, along with regular taxi drivers, are facing severe constraints on their daily income. Whilst taxi companies have announced rental rebates and waivers for their drivers, many private hire drivers are still bound to their rental agreements, and some who have taken private leases on their vehicles are also finding it difficult to service these loans. I think for the latter, the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill, which was just introduced, should address some of these concerns. But I hope that he relevant agencies can work together to address these areas of urgent concern.”
“In the meantime, we must, of course, all do our part to minimise further spread of the disease and continue contributing to our community and economy in a socially responsible manner. For many of us, one of our biggest monthly expenditures is mortgage repayments on our homes and MAS has announced that homeowners may apply to defer repayments for their residential property loans until the end of the year. This is of course good news to owners under financial pressure due to the impact from COVID-19. They can choose to defer just the principal amount or both the principal and interest payments. No interest will be charged on the deferred interest payments. However, they must take note that interest will continue to accrue on the deferred principal amounts. I understand that it may be difficult for the banks and finance companies to consider waiving interest on the principal amounts. Nonetheless, I hope MAS and the Government will consider persuading them to implement a reduced interest rate over this deferment period on those deferred amounts, or at least not to charge interest on the deferred principal amounts. This is probably in line with the fact that lending rates across the board are slowly reducing over the next few months. This special deferment arrangement also, to my knowledge, does not currently extend to individuals with commercial or industrial property loans. While owners are encouraged to discuss debt restructuring with their lenders, some guidelines for relief measures for this group would be helpful; and this way, the owners may, in turn, be able to extend arrangements for relief to their beleaguered tenants as well. Next, I would also like to appeal for a little bit more assistance under the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is probably not an exaggeration to say that with more than 200 countries affected, probably close to four billion people now on lockdown, the COVID-19 crisis is possibly the worst catastrophe the world has faced since the Second World War. Besides tackling the medical crisis, governments around the world are rolling out emergency stimulus and support packages to keep their economies afloat. These packages range from less than 1% of their GDPs to as high as 32%, for example, in the case of Germany. At 12% of our GDP and close to $60 billion, our Supplementary Budgets – the Resilience and now the Solidarity Budgets – lies probably in the middle ground. Still, it is by any measure an enormous package and quite unprecedented for us. On one hand, this massive injection of funds helps to boost confidence and goes some way in tackling the current and near-term economic challenges. And as we enter today into the first day of this circuit breaker measure, our fight against COVID-19 here in Singapore enters a critical phase. It is reassuring to hear from Deputy Prime Minister Heng that the Government is able to and prepared to do even more in the future should the crisis drag on, as seen in the further measures just announced under the Solidarity Budget. However, on the other hand, we all know that our reserves are not unlimited and some had urged caution about dipping too deep into our national savings, although virtually all the people I have spoken to or I have interacted with over the past weeks have expressed appreciation for the various assistance schemes. The worry is that no one knows how long this crisis will last and that we might need more funds further down the road.”
“I would like to thank both Ministers for their update and also for their leadership on the task force so far. Two clarifications for the Minister for Health. First, I was very happy to hear of this new move to decant some of the less serious cases to community facilities. I would just like to ask whether considerations have been made to do what some other countries have done and allow the milder cases to self-isolate. Because if we do see larger numbers, that may even exceed the capacity of these community facilities. That is the first clarification. The second is that I was also very happy to hear the very high level of testing in Singapore. Because there have been some comments over the past weeks that perhaps Singapore has not been testing as much as other countries. So, I was very happy to hear of the very high level of testing that we have had. The clarification concerns whether we should consider testing those who have completed their QOs or the SHNs. Because there have been some concerns raised by certain experts that these people have been quarantined, could actually have developed very mild forms during that period – the 14 days. And maybe they did not notice it. It was not picked up. So, it could be that they could still be carrying the virus at the end of the 14 days or they may even become symptomatic after the 14 days.”
“Chairman, I wish to thank all Members who have taken part in this debate and, of course, Minister Gan, Senior Ministers of State Amy Khor and Dr Lam Pin Min and Mr Edwin Tong and also Senior Parliamentary Secretary Amrin Amin, together with all the staff at MOH for their replies and the work they have put in for the healthcare system for the benefit of all Singaporeans. On this note, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $11,696,866,200 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,713,083,800 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Thank you, Chairman. I just have two clarifications for Senior Minister of State Lam and two for Senior Minister of State Edwin Tong. For Senior Minister of State Lam, besides building new polyclinics, are there any plans to redevelop or refresh existing polyclinics, given that many of the polyclinics are growing long in the tooth. Secondly, I asked the question whether there were any enhancements to the PHPC system. I may have missed his answer but I was wondering whether there are any plans to improve the system or to strengthen the system. For Senior Minister of State Edwin Tong, I think I am very heartened to hear about this new Nutri-Grade labeling system. But I saw on the slide that the label was "subject to change". I was just wondering whether Ministry has tried it out or done some test-bedding of these labels to see how effective they are, how clear they are. And my second question is, I note that he said that 70% of these pre-packaged drinks would be classified as C or D. I was wondering of that percentage, how many are actually under D. Finally, does this information also extend to those dispensed drinks, at soda fountains or at drink machines?”
“It has been demonstrated that health systems with a strong primary care sector produce better health outcomes by improving access to comprehensive care services. They also keep medical expenditures lower in the long run. Our primary care professionals are indeed the bedrock of our healthcare system here in Singapore. MOH had earlier announced that it would be building 10 to 12 new polyclinics by 2030, thereby expanding the total number to be between 30 and 32. Ten of the polyclinics' locations have been confirmed, with at least three scheduled to be opened by 2025. Are the other seven clinics on track to be ready by 2030? Would the Minister share details of the types of services each polyclinic will offer? Besides expanding our public sector primary care capacity, we should continue to strengthen our private sector as well. Our vast network of private General Practitioner (GP) clinics has the benefit of delivering the personal "one patient, one doctor" service. How will MOH support GPs in providing better holistic care? How close are we to the ideal of "one patient, one doctor" in Singapore? Under the Primary Care Networks (PCN) scheme, GP clinics can organise themselves into networks to provide team-based care. Would the Ministry provide an update on the progress of the PCN scheme? Are there any new models for primary care delivery that the Ministry is considering? The Public Health Preparedness Clinics (PHPCs) system has also proven its value during this recent COVID-19 outbreak. Are there plans to expand and strengthen this very useful initiative? Polyclinic for Bishan”
“Thank you, Chairman. One-third of the patients admitted into hospital here in Singapore were aged 65 and above and this ratio is set to rise year on year. By 2050, almost half of our population will be in this age group. As the elderly are four times more likely than younger Singaporeans to be hospitalised, there will be much greater demand for hospital beds. Would the Ministry share an update on how it will ensure that we have enough capacity in our hospitals, the corresponding number of healthcare professionals and other necessary medical resources? I would also like to ask the Minister if he has the capacity projections for our various healthcare institutions in the next 10, 20 and 30 years. These include general hospitals, community hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, day care and eldercare centres and, very importantly, day rehabilitation and dementia day care centres. What are MOH's plans to keep this care accessible? Another one of my concerns is how we can better regulate and balance the capacity growth in public versus private healthcare institutions. Is there room for closer collaboration and greater permeability between our public and private sectors to optimise healthcare resources, particularly in times of emergency and crisis? Presently, the Ministry already has such a partnership with Raffles Hospital for patients with non-critical medical conditions sent there by the Singapore Civil Defence Force emergency ambulances. These patients will benefit from subsidised care at rates similar to those at our public hospitals. What is the progress on the areas of cooperation with the private sector to expand our national capacity? Primary Care Next cut.”
“How does MOH plan to keep healthcare affordable for Singaporeans, particularly for senior citizens? Thank you. Enhanced Flexi-MediSave for Seniors”
“Chairman, our healthcare spending is expected to jump 16.2% this year. The increase of $1.9 billion will go to fund higher subsidies and contingency measures for the COVID-19 outbreak. With our ageing population and the increasing burden of chronic diseases, will Government subsidies be able to keep pace with ever rising medical expenditures? At $13.4 billion this year, healthcare is the second highest expenditure after defence. How will MOH ensure that our healthcare expenditure remains sustainable? MediSave, which is one of the central pillars of our healthcare financing system, is meant to provide for bigger medical expenses such as hospitalisation, day surgery and also outpatient expenses. However, very often, surgeries and hospital stays could be averted with early detection and intervention. If we could encourage more Singaporeans to work closely with their primary care providers, take preventive measures and actively monitor their medical conditions to arrest or slow their progress, we would be able to cut our healthcare expenditure significantly. Hence, would the Ministry consider implementing measures to further reduce out-of-pocket expenses for primary care costs, including liberalising MediSave for more categories of outpatient expenses or fine-tuning, tweaking some of the existing Flexi-MediSave systems? The principle of co-payment underpins our healthcare financing system. It was meant to encourage prudent and responsible use of healthcare resources to motivate Singaporeans to stay healthy. However, for the elderly, it is more challenging for them to keep illnesses at bay. Many of them worry that even with Government subsidies, they might have difficulty affording the co-payment component of some of the medical expenses.”
“Sir, our efforts in tackling the COVID-19 outbreak have shown good results and won plaudits from around the world. WHO had shared that it was "very impressed" with our measures. Dr Zhang Wenhong (张文宏), Director of the Infectious Diseases Department at China's Fudan University, even drew parallels between our healthcare strategies with the famed Wudang (武当) martial art fighting techniques. Would the Ministry provide an update on the COVID-19 situation? What are our contingency preparations in readiness for possible scenarios ahead? Specifically, what are our plans should community transmission within Singapore become more widespread or the evolving pandemic worsen, increasing the risk or reported infections once again. Have we considered the scenarios in which the virus becomes endemic? How then can we learn to leave with the virus? Globally, many healthcare workers at the frontline have been infected while caring for patients and some have even lost their lives though fortunately, not to the same extent as was seen with SARS. What actions are being taken to enhance protection for our frontline healthcare workers. Finally, I note that contact tracing is a key pillar in our containment strategy and recent studies have also suggested that early detection improves survival from the disease. I know recent cases in Singapore where individuals have been charged for being evasive about the movements. Is the Ministry considering expanded powers to access location and other related data from mobile devices of patients and close contacts for contact tracing? South Korea for instance has enacted laws after the MERS crisis in 2015 on managing the information of patients in an infectious disease outbreak. COVID-19”
“Nonetheless, I believe that a united society will be a key piece to this puzzle, and I look forward to the Ministry of Health's stewardship in this regard. May we all live long, live well and grow old together as one people. Thank you, and I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Healthcare 2020, Quality and Affordability”
“I have previously asked about progress on integrating data analytics and perhaps even personalised medicine into our healthcare ecosystem and would like to ask if the Ministry has any updates on this front. I believe that fostering a united, whole-of-society approach to health, would require better health information accessibility and integration. The excellent system of information dissemination during the COVID-19 crisis by battling disinformation and misinformation has certainly contributed much to controlling the outbreak and maintaining societal confidence in the measures the Government is taking. Does the Minister have any updates on the roll-out of the National Electronic Health Records system? Next, an ageing population portends that a greater proportion of the health seeking population may have physical or cognitive impairments that makes it difficult for them to physically access health services. If you are old, your eyesight is not so good, you have trouble moving, it may be more difficult for you to go to your nearby polyclinic or hospital. Outbreaks like COVID-19 also bring into stark relief the benefits that telemedicine or remote medicine and remote consultation can bring. I would like to ask whether there any updates on how telemedicine or remote medicine can be promoted and facilitated in Singapore? Finally, as a nation, we have made great strides in our healthcare system and indeed, in our health, over the past decade. Our excellent performance by most measures, paradoxically means that it becomes harder and harder to make meaningful improvements in the future, as quality of our health is a more nuanced assessment than looking at crude rates like life expectancy or disease burden.”
“Further to this, I would like to ask the Ministry what updates have been made to our national vision for healthcare in the coming decade and beyond? How can we work together to encourage each and every one of us to work together towards common health objectives? Some of the major shifts that the Ministry had announced were to shift care from hospital to the community and to move from healthcare to health. I believe that this can be facilitated by rethinking some of our basic models of healthcare delivery and I hope that the planning of future healthcare facilities like polyclinics and hospitals will consider new models of care, with better integration and interaction between healthcare and community stakeholders. The newly established Alexandra Hospital, which serves many of my residents from Queenstown, has piloted new care delivery models where patients are looked after by a team of healthcare professionals grouped functionally rather than by medical specialty. The hospital also provides novel community outreach programs, for example, we have a free, regular bus shuttle services from the nearby neighbourhoods which they serve to the hospital. The hospital itself may be old and some parts are even heritage properties, but the way it functions is very much at the cutting edge of healthcare service provision. I foresee that there will be increasing disruptions to the way healthcare is delivered and consumed. Hopefully, these disruptions would mostly be beneficial by improving efficiency and improving quality and accessibility and in this way, reducing costs as well as manpower requirements.”
“Just as whole-of-Government actions are needed to tackle complex issues confronting our country, a whole-of-society approach would be needed to cover that last hundred yards in our healthcare journey. And in order to do this, we really need the unity of purpose amongst all Singaporeans. This is certainly something that is not easy to achieve and certainly very difficult to budget for. Singapore's response to the COVID-19 situation is a timely illustration of the importance of societal unity to meet medical shocks. Many commentators have commented favourably on the quality of our disease preparedness planning, healthcare facilities, medical manpower, contact tracing, border controls and so on, and allow me to join my Parliamentary colleagues to put on record my sincere appreciation for the sacrifices that all frontline personnel, whether medical or otherwise, have made since the situation unfolded from the start of the year. But one of the key elements to the success of the strategy is community involvement and how the whole of Singaporean society has come together to face this challenge. This is one critical element that Prof Dale Fisher, who was part of the WHO-China mission to Wuhan, noted as one key reason why China seems to be succeeding in controlling this outbreak and why Singapore is likewise having some success in managing the outbreak thus far. And such community involvement would likewise be critical if we are to succeed in winning other wars we have, for example, the war on diabetes, on controlling dengue, bringing smoking rates down and getting everyone to eat better, sleep better and exercise more. At this juncture, I would like to ask the Minister for an update of whether it is "mission accomplished" for Healthcare 2020.”
“Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head O of the Estimates be reduced by $100". This year's Budget aside from the understandable focus on the evolving COVID-19 situation, has emphasised the importance of staying united and advancing forward as one people, to meet the challenges of the next decade and beyond. This is a strategy that should be applied to healthcare planning as well. And we have to come together as one people to think, to talk, to act and to prepare our country for the health challenges we face as we move towards 2030 and beyond. The human body works well if all of its various component parts – the cells, the tissues and the organs – work together. Disease and illness occur if one or more of these parts lose their close cooperation and their balance with other parts. The traditional model for the practice of medicine involves a close but often exclusive doctor-patient relationship, although not always with the same unity of purpose. Health and healthcare policies in the past have also often proceeded on a typically prescriptive and directive approach, presumably because there is often a fair degree of information asymmetry, and also because admittedly, many of us could not always be relied on to make the right choices for our personal health. The Healthcare 2020 Masterplan that was enunciated by MOH in 2012 outlined clear goals in terms of healthcare quality, affordability and accessibility, and put forward concrete, quantitative objectives in terms of manpower, infrastructure and financial targets. 12.30 pm But health is not simply a numbers game and I was very supportive of more recent announcements by MOH that encouraged a mindset and strategic shifts.”
“Management of E-waste Last cut. With the introduction of the Resource Sustainability Act last year, the EPR scheme will commence and a PRS operator I alluded to earlier will be appointed to collect and ensure proper disposal of electrical and electronic consumer products. For non-consummable products, producers will have to take back and transfer the equipment to licensed waste collectors or e-waste recyclers. Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste a year and the amount is expected to grow year on year. I would like to ask whether we have sufficient local recycling capabilities to process the expected volume of e-waste collected under this EPR? What measures will the Ministry implement to ensure the proper treatment and responsible disposal of all this e-waste that is collected? High-rise Littering”
“Mr Chairman, packaging forms a significant portion of the waste that is generated by domestic sources, which include households and trade premises, such as shophouses. Statistics from NEA show that one-third of our waste is packaging waste and 55% of that packaging waste is plastic. Considering that only 4% of our plastic waste is recycled, there is certainly potential to further reduce packaging and plastic waste. The Ministry had earlier announced plans to put in place an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework to deal with packaging waste, including plastics, no later than 2025 or, perhaps, even earlier. Under the EPR approach, producers bear the responsibility for the collection and treatment of their products when they reach end-of-life. Would the Ministry share more details about how NEA intends to implement and enforce these plans? Next cut. Responsible E-waste Disposal I am very happy with the Resource Sustainability Act which was passed last year. It is, I feel, one of the most important pieces of legislation introduced to deal with the increasing amounts of e-waste, food waste and packaging waste, including plastics, due to their quantities and low recycling rates. The Act will give effect to the EPR scheme for e-waste. The Ministry announced that a Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) Operator will be announced to collect and ensure proper treatment of regulated electrical and electronic consumer products on behalf of the producers. For non-consumer products, producers will be required to provide free take-back of all end-of-life commercial, industrial and electrical equipment before consigning them to licensed waste collectors or e-waste recyclers. Would the Ministry share the progress of the scheme's implementation for e-waste?”
“Chairman, even as we battle the COVID-19 outbreak, another health threat is already facing us and it has been facing us for a long while. Since the beginning of the year, the number of dengue infections has been increasing. Last week, NEA reported 110 dengue clusters, of which 25 are at red alert level. Even as I speak, my constituency of Queenstown has three active dengue clusters and one could argue that the dengue problem could pose an even larger and more real threat to Queenstown and to the rest of Singapore than even COVID-19. Singapore has been seeing warmer temperatures in recent years as a consequence of global warming, punctuated by more frequent showers, which provide fertile grounds for mosquito breeding. How will the impact of climate change affect our dengue management strategies? What are the Ministry’s plans for dengue management in the future and how does Project Wolbachia fit into our national strategy to combat the dengue menace? Will the Ministry please provide an update on the project to date and whether it would be expanded to other areas in Singapore? 2.00 pm In addition, I would like to ask whether the Ministry is satisfied with the results of our public education and campaign to prevent mosquito breeding? And how have industries and households responded to enforcement measures?”
“Mr Chairman, high usage of air-conditioning and refrigerators contributes to global warming, and none more so than in Singapore where we love our climate control and air-conditioning. But as a responsible member of the global community, we should do our best to reduce our carbon footprint. Ideally, our cooling appliances should be energy-efficient and operate using refrigerant gas with a lower global warming potential. Many refrigerants have a global warming potential that can be over 1,000 times as potent as carbon dioxide. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol aims to reduce hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants by over 80% over the next 30 years. I would like to ask to what extent are refrigerators and air-conditioners and other cooling equipment which are both energy-efficient and use refrigerants with low global warming potential available in our market today? How will the Ministry help our consumers make more climate-friendly choices for their household appliances? Tackling Climate Change”
“Chairman, Malaysia and Singapore are close neighbours bound by geographical, historical, cultural and family ties. We have always been highly interdependent and our Government agencies, business entities and people have maintained their close connections through economic cycles and changes in both regional and global politics. There is substantial trade and co-investments between our two countries. For example, an estimated 250,000 commuters cross the border at the Causeway daily, and in addition, we have more movement via the Tuas Second Link and also by air. I would like to ask MFA for an assessment of our bilateral relations with Malaysia, particularly in the light of its recent political changes with the swearing in of its eighth Prime Minister just yesterday. Would the Ministry provide an update on areas of cooperation and the progress of projects we are pursuing together? What are some of the challenges that we face? What efforts are we making to expand and deepen our engagement with Malaysia, such as building ties with the various Malaysian states? Deepening Relationship with ASEAN”
“I thank the Minister for the update. I just have two clarifications about the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level – the acronym of the year, so far! First, some clarification about how this DORSCON is arrived at. Is it by independent committee that makes this decision and recommends to the Minister? Or is it through any other process? The second question which I think many Singaporeans would be interested in is what are the parameters by which the DORSCON level may be adjusted? In this case, specifically, what are the parameters under which they would consider lowering it from Orange to Yellow?”
“I also hope the Ministry would take firmer, which may perhaps be unpopular, steps to ban or severely restrict the use of certain types of single-use plastics, and the most common example would be straws. As a small nation which imports most goods, our ability to negotiate with global manufacturers for more sustainable packaging may be limited. Nevertheless, we should still make brave attempts, persevere and work with neighbouring countries to exert pressure on big multinationals to repackage their products in environment-friendly materials. The question at the top of most people's minds would also be what would this impact be on our economy and our business competitiveness. I would imagine that, in general, costs for some sectors would increase but I am sure that other sectors could benefit from this shift towards more environmentally-responsible practices. Could the Minister share with us his assessment of the economic impact from these amendments? Which sectors will be affected? Could there be assistance schemes to help affected companies during the transition phase? How about the impact on our economy from the Ministry’s other initiatives to nudge companies to adopt environmentally-responsible practices as well as various measures towards a "zero waste" nation?”
“First, for those plastics which are not recycled, how much is burnt and how much is buried? Second, is the capacity of our landfills sufficient to meet the growing amounts of plastic waste that are generated? Third, for recycled plastics, how much is processed here and how much are we actually exporting? Fourth, are we looking to step up our capability and capacity for recycling our own plastic waste? Fifth, how developed is the plastic waste recycling infrastructure in Singapore? Sixth, will there be resources to support the research and development of plastic waste treatment here? Seventh, as the hon Member Mr Christopher de Souza has just asked, what is the treatment for special categories, such as microplastics? Ultimately, we must reduce the use of "short-term" plastics to cut down on plastic waste, such as minimising the use of single-use plastics, particularly in non-critical areas, perhaps versus critical niches, such as in healthcare settings where it may be more difficult to replace. Take our food and beverage (F&B) sector, for example. I am surprised that in some hawker centres and food courts, even for customers dining onsite, disposable ware is still being used. The reasons, of course, include costs, convenience and, perhaps, hygiene. What is often not factored in is the cost we all pay for the long-term damage on our environment. I appeal to the Ministry to work more closely with F&B providers to come up with a viable and sustainable, nationwide solution. Due to higher costs and manpower constraints, if left to the free forces of the market, food and drinks sellers and establishments will actually have very little incentive to opt for durable, washable utensils or participate in the use and collection of reusable wares for customers who do takeaways.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I speak in support of this Bill which will ensure Singapore’s compliance with the Basel amendments which will come into effect next January. The Basel amendments are part of the global efforts to combat pollution from plastic waste, one of the biggest environmental problems our world faces due to its sheer quantity as well as the durability of plastics. The vast amounts of plastic waste polluting water and land ecosystems are not only threatening to us and other life forms on our planet, but also to future generations. Singapore recycled a paltry 4% of about 950,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2018, down from the recycling rate of 6% in 2017, and less than half the rate from five years ago. Most of this waste was exported for recycling. With these amendments, we hope to contribute to the efforts to regulate the international trade in contaminated plastic waste. Hence, only limited types of plastics, such as resin products and specified fluorinated polymers that have been sorted and cleaned, will be exported without restrictions. Other categories of plastic waste will have to be approved by the destination countries before we can export them. I full heartedly support this responsible practice. Nonetheless, it is still very disturbing to note that 96% of the plastic waste we generated has not been recycled, and plastics form the largest category of waste by weight, way ahead of other categories, such as food, paper and cardboard. Even worse, our plastic waste per capita has been increasing, by about 20% over the last 15 years. So, even as we today sharpen our policies regarding the import and export of plastic waste, I would like to ask the Minister for more details of how we ourselves are disposing of our own plastic wastes.”
“I just want to echo and express my thanks to Minister Gan Kim Yong for his statement of thanks and support for healthcare workers. Two short but slightly technical questions, I apologise. The first, the Minister touched about it earlier. I think many Singaporeans are looking forward to the day when the first of the novel coronavirus patients are discharged from hospital. Could I just ask what are the criteria for discharge? Because there does not seem to be an international consensus on it, as far as I know. The second was concerning transmissibility. One of the key hallmarks of the SARS virus was that there existed these subsets of patients known as "super spreaders". So, if you look at this novel coronavirus, the ratio of transmission as we reported, about 2.2, which is, on the average, one will pass to about 2.2 persons. SARS was much lower, but then there are these "super spreaders" which caused a havoc in our healthcare sector. I was just wondering whether there is any information coming up from anywhere whether there exists such "super spreaders".”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her replies. I just have two short supplementary questions. The first is regarding enforcement of smoking in common corridors and also in stairwells. I note the efforts of NEA, but I still receive a lot of feedback from residents about recalcitrant smoking in stairwells and common corridors, which is probably a bit difficult to enforce, particularly at odd hours of the day or even at night. I was wondering whether there were any efforts to improve enforcement in these areas, perhaps using cameras that are already in some of the corridors put in by the Singapore Police Force. The second supplementary question I know is a common question. We still have much feedback about second-hand smoke coming from the smokers' own residences. And I know that the Senior Minister of State has replied on this. But I was wondering if there was any update on any measures that we can take to mitigate this problem as well.”
“On this note, would the Minister share an update on the measures MOH will implement to ensure that licensees protect health information in medical records? Going digital and implementing NEHR will enhance continuity of care for patients and boost productivity, but patients understandably are also more concerned about their data privacy and their data protection. In the past, one had to physically break into a clinic or hospital to steal patient data. Today, these crimes can be conducted far, far away from their targeted victims and many more patients’ data can be obtained in one fell swoop. At the macro level, how then are we fortifying our digital defences to keep up with and keep out fast-evolving cyberattacks on our databases? On the ground, how is MOH working with individual licensees to boost their cybersecurity? What kind of technical assistance, funding and resources are available to help them set up secure systems and maintain their digital systems? I look forward to these clarifications and I support the Bill.”
“For example, under which circumstances would a medical professional be permitted to make a diagnosis and prescription remotely, and when should such face-to-face interactions be required? What about the liability risks for practitioners in telemedicine? And would inter-country services be allowed and under what sort of regulatory framework? Another area of concern which has been brought up in the past is how this Bill would deal with Third Party Administrators (TPAs) and medical concierges, although I do note that these do not fall within the scope of this particular Bill. However, both provide some form of healthcare-related services by referring patients to designated or to preferred providers. Currently, this is discouraged under the Code of Ethics, which also limits their application, but there is presently no law which specifically regulates their use. I would like to seek clarifications regarding these services either under the current proposed framework or future frameworks. Last, it should be remarked that one notable aspect of this Bill is what it omits, and the elephant in the room is that the setting out of the legal framework for a National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system is not included in this Bill. As we strive to become a Smart Nation, a unified electronic health record is a critical step towards a truly future-ready healthcare system. The hacking of the SingHealth computer system has understandably led to a pause in this regard, but it should not inflict a mortal blow to our efforts to have a robust and comprehensive digital health record system which will have many benefits for all Singaporeans, both in sickness and in health.”
“In regard to co-location of services, I would like to seek clarifications over what determines whether co-location with non-licensees will be permitted. With the continuing push from healthcare to health, I think the demarcation between health and wellness services continues to be blurred. And what about beauty and aesthetic services? Since we are talking about new paradigms in healthcare, what about digital providers? For example, if you provide a telemedicine platform, how do we regulate how these services co-exist in the digital sphere? Next, I would also like to ask how the Ministry intends to deal with certain service entities, such as ambulances and also standalone telemedicine providers, under this new regulatory framework. I had previously voiced my concerns about the costs and level of expertise of private ambulance providers. So, will there be stipulations regarding the construct and equipment on board medical transport and emergency ambulance vehicles? How about the training qualifications and expertise of the personnel providing such services? Will the Government regulate the range of their charges and also their fees? Users of such services, we note, are usually in a vulnerable state and are in an unfavourable position to research, compare and negotiate fees. As for telemedicine, it is a service which can be provided from anywhere to anyone so long as there is an Internet connection. This remote medical service will attract many new providers and big information technology (IT) conglomerates to this sector. How will the Ministry ensure the quality and integrity of such services so as to safeguard our patients? There are so many aspects which have to be considered and made clear.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill, which is timely, given the vast changes in the way that healthcare is organised and delivered. As the Senior Minister of State has just elaborated, a key feature of this Bill is the change from the current fixed-type licensing framework, which is based on physical premises, to a framework which is modular, with the flexibility of customisation based on the services provided. This is a major and necessary transition, which will accommodate newer healthcare services and also healthcare delivery modes. Not only will this new licensing structure enable the Ministry to better regulate and govern our growing healthcare sector, it also facilitates innovation while offering patients better protection. As with any major transition, the process of porting over will involve some work for current licensees. So, my first question is to ask if the Ministry would share how it will help existing medical service providers, especially the smaller players, with this conversion to the new licensing regime. Will the overall licensing revenue be increased with the enactment of the Bill? And how are we helping our licensees to meet the expected costs? Is there also a significant difference between the regulatory costs to MOH and the licence fees and, if so, who is paying for this gap? I seek the Minister’s assurance that costs for healthcare providers will not be increased inordinately such that patients are the ones that end up paying for this shortfall. And if for some reason under the new structure, certain licensees’ fees are, in fact, reduced, would the Ministry consider measures which will encourage such savings to be passed on to patients?”
“I just want to clarify – does the assistance rendered by the Legal Aid Bureau also extend to various miscellaneous administrative fees? For example, with certain Court fees, does the Legal Aid Bureau extend financial aid to cover those fees as well? And if not, what avenues can the applicants go to, to get aid for those fees?”
“Similarly, in Western Australia, in addition to a lump-sum payment capped at AUD$232,000, there is a provision for a periodic child's allowance for dependent children. In the United Kingdom, on top of compensation from the compulsory Employers' Liability insurance bought by companies, affected employees can receive between £35.80 and £179 weekly under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme, depending on the level of disablement. In the US, there is no federal oversight nor minimum standard. Every state has its own workers compensation system and they vary widely. Some cap benefits for permanently disabled workers at 450 weeks while others allow benefits for life or until the worker reaches the age for Social Security benefits. Finally, in Japan, a worker may receive his Disability Pension Benefit either as a lump sum or as a pension. Hence, I would like to suggest that for workers who suffer permanent disabilities, the Ministry consider some form of pension arrangement as an option, as well as regular financial support, perhaps for their children up to the age of 18. Thank you and I support the Bill.”
“Under this Bill, compensation will be equal for both, but I would like to ask if there are definitions of what injuries can be addressed with light duties versus medical leave. In addition, I would like to seek clarification on surveillance on reporting by employers. There may still be employers who do not report smaller injuries. What measures are in place to minimise this problem? Employees are required under WICA to inform their employers of any incidents as soon as possible. Is there a way whereby the employee reporting process informs both their employers and MOM simultaneously, possibly through a one-step reporting system at the health professionals' office for greater efficiency? Such a system will also ensure that employers do not have the opportunity to under-report. Finally, I would like to make a brief comparison with a few other developed nations for a sense of how we are aligned. I noticed that a key difference is that a number of these countries offer the option of pensions for workers who suffer permanent disabilities. Here, in Singapore, workers can only claim a lump sum. Fixed amounts offer certainty for employers and insurers but may impose greater hardship on employers as we live longer. The disbursement of such a large sum of money all at once has the risks that it may all be spent too quickly or unwisely. For example, in the Federal Republic of Germany, under the statutory occupational accident insurance, such workers receive a pension until the age of 65, unless he or she begins receiving old-age pension earlier than that age. They can also opt for the pension to be paid out as a lump sum. Furthermore, in the event of death, any children they have who are under 18 years of age will receive an orphan's pension.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to declare my interest as a doctor who looks into work injury cases. I stand in support of this Bill which will, first, provide for affected employees to receive compensation for work injuries more expeditiously; second, ensure that the insurance policies meet minimum standards; and third, employers maintain full insurance coverage for their liabilities. First, I welcome the amendment to commence claims processing upon the Ministry's or the insurer's notification of fatal or serious injuries, thus removing the requirement for employees or their dependants to file compensation claims applications. This is an improvement from our current system, reducing time spent on paperwork by all parties, particularly the victims and their families, during a very stressful and difficult time. I would just like to seek clarification on instances when claims assessment on injuries are delayed because employers are slow in paying for or guaranteeing the necessary medical examinations. Presently, they or the insurance companies pay for clinic visits or hospital stays but not necessarily for outpatient tests, such as scans. Would the Minister elaborate on any changes or improvements, if any, for such cases that are provided for in this Bill? Next, I have a question regarding the proposal to compensate employees placed on light duties due to work injuries. Where such light duties pay less, going forward, employers will need to compensate them up to their AME. The intention of the Ministry is that these workers should not be worse off than those who are given medical leave. Currently, injured employees on medical leave are compensated with their AME.”
“This should certainly be happy news to policyholders at that time, but it also led to questions about whether the premiums and calculations were, in fact, overly conservative, and secondarily, whether this could have led to excessive profits gained by the private insurers who were then underwriting the scheme. I look forward to the clarifications from the Ministry and I support the Bill.”
“The proposed introduction of a National Electronic Health Records system and, of course, the recent incidents of data leaks and hacks, notably the hacking of SingHealth's information technology (IT) system have thrown the issue of data integrity and security into sharp focus. So, I would like to ask how would the administrators of CareShield Life safeguard policyholder data that is being collected and also that is being used for the purposes of the scheme? The GPC has acknowledged in our paper that there were concerns regarding the adequacy of payouts, related to uncertainties regarding the pace of cost-of-living increases and also medical inflation. Thus, we had urged that the quantum of payouts be reviewed at fixed intervals and revised according to a formula that takes into account both general consumer and medical inflation. We had further proposed that there be a framework for periodic review of the premiums to ensure that the scheme remains both sustainable and affordable. The Minister has touched briefly on how this would be done. But I would like to understand a little bit better as to exactly how and how often the Ministry intends to review and adjust payouts and premiums. In concluding, I would like to ask the Ministry to what degree information will be released to the public regarding the administration of CareShield Life, and whether the Ministry would be transparent about how the fund is managed and how the premiums are priced and how payouts are disbursed. For instance, in the early years of ElderShield, it was found that claims were, in fact, below what was essentially projected, and rebates were, of course, duly given back to policyholders as a result.”
“Would the Ministry be able to comment whether private insurers will, indeed, be prepared to provide such Supplements for additional coverage for CareShield Life, and whether Singaporeans will be able to use their MediSave to purchase or to cover such additional coverage? I would also like to ask if the Ministry is aware if any of the private insurers is currently planning to introduce a Supplement whereby perhaps payouts can be activated at a lower threshold, specifically when a policyholder has two instead of three affected activities of daily living (ADLs). This was the feedback that has come up here and there, and there were questions on why three instead of two ADLs. The GPC actually felt that there could be scope for private insurers to meet these gaps. And if not, what are the reasons that this is not being considered by the private insurers? Finally, I have several clarifications regarding the administration of CareShield Life itself. I am happy that the Ministry is taking steps to facilitate functional assessments in regard to qualification for payouts. There has been some feedback in the past about the claims process for ElderShield, that the pool of disability evaluators was limited and the process of evaluation and re-evaluation was both onerous and unwieldy. For instance, there was feedback that for claimants, the requirements for re-evaluation could be too frequent. So, I would appreciate clarifications regarding how the claims process for CareShield has, indeed, been streamlined, while at the same time I would also like to know how we can guard against fraudulent claims and ensure that the payouts actually reach their intended targets.”
“To quote from the GPC's recommendations on CareShield Life, we noted that, and I quote, "a careful balance has to be struck between increasing and expanding benefits so that the programme remains relevant and useful, and yet keeping the scheme both affordable and sustainable for the long term. If ElderShield is to be universal with mandatory enrollment, then the GPC believes that the Government will have to provide targeted financial assistance to ensure that all Singaporeans will be able to participate in this social security programme, which is designed to increase peace of mind in the event of severe disability." Hence, I would appreciate clarifications from the Ministry as to how it intends to maintain premium affordability for CareShield Life, while ensuring that Singaporeans are suitably buffered against rising long-term care costs, particularly when they are only either mildly or moderately disabled and thus requiring financial support? What are the criteria for granting additional premium support? I note that the Minister just mentioned that the criteria would be the same as for MediShield Life Additional Premium Support. But my question is: should the criteria be the same, given the fact that the operational circumstances for CareShield Life and MediShield Life are fundamentally different? The GPC also supports that Supplemental Plans from Private Insurers continue to be offered for CareShield Life and I am glad that a mechanism is built to provide for that, as it was the case for ElderShield. This will certainly grant flexibility and meet the needs of Singaporeans who feel that they would be willing to purchase additional coverage.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Bill, and my views are essentially unchanged from those I expressed during the debate on CashShield Life in this very House in July last year. I thank the Ministry for accepting most of the recommendations that were put forward by the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Health in our paper on Enhancing ElderShield, which was presented to Minister Gan Kim Yong in January last year. I am also reassured by some of the additional provisions in this Bill, such as ElderFund, which seek to strengthen the framework of long-term care in Singapore, because although CareShield Life aims for universal coverage, there are necessarily some situations where it is not scoped to address. But now that we are here at the business end of things, I have several clarifications for the Minister. CareShield Life will be mandatory for all Singaporeans born in 1980 and later, but will be optional for those who are born earlier. I understand that enrolling older Singaporeans into the expanded benefits schedule of CareShield Life would be costly, but would the Government consider further measures to financially support older cohorts to encourage them to either enrol or switch over from ElderShield to CareShield Life? And how will the Government support older Singaporeans who are unable or unwilling to enrol in CareShield Life, should they become significantly disabled in the future? For instance, how can disbursements from the soon to be established ElderFund be calibrated to support these disabled seniors and will payouts from ElderFund be also adjusted according to medical and cost of living inflation?”
“I thank the Minister for the clarification. Just one clarification. Part of the problem is climate change and something we cannot alter. I was wondering whether we have looked at ways of changing the micro-climate around the reservoirs. Because this only happens in certain reservoirs and I agree that it is because of the water. But there have been some studies that looked at the vegetation and the micro-climate around the banks of the reservoirs. Can we look at that?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore's safety and security enable us all to perform at a high level, contributing to a good standard of living. However, like many other countries, we still face terrorist threats and other challenges from the evolving nature of crimes. Hence, it is necessary for us to utilise technology to enhance the capabilities of our Home Team. I stand in support of this Bill. But I have two brief clarifications. First, setting up a dedicated agency to gather expertise in science and technology to provide customised, dedicated solutions for the Home Team sounds very logical. However, in setting up this new agency, I would like to ask whether scarce research and development resources could be divided and diverted from current research and development (R&D) institutions. I also want to express my concerns about the substantial budget allocated to this new agency and the accountability in the way funds are distributed and spent. I would appreciate it if the Ministry could share more details on how it justifies the amounts allocated and the measures to ensure accountability and transparency in its spending. My second clarification concerns this – that the new organisation will focus on areas critical to the Home Team's operations, namely, sense-making and surveillance, forensics, robotics and unmanned systems. I would like to ask if the Ministry would also consider measures to look into how we can counter biological threats. Could more be done in this area of research to defend us against the threat of bioterrorism or biological attacks? I would like to conclude with my support for the Bill.”