Darryl David
Singapore
“Mr Speaker, Sir, just have two supplementary questions. While it is heartening to know that there have been no evidence of external influence in this case, I would like to ask if the Government does indeed keep track of possible cases that fuel the possible coordinated efforts of organisations and agencies that may not be made so public a…”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Just two supplementary questions for the Minister. The Minister mentioned earlier about the revamping of CCE. I would like to ask Minister that are there specific strategies or techniques taught to students, either within CCE or in other aspects of school, in terms of self-regulation, how to manage their emot…”
“Three clarifications, please. The first for the Minister. I suggested in my cut, Minister, about the possibility of using AI to create avatar teachers to to minimise or to positively impact the teacher-student ratio. Can the Minister share if MOE is willing to consider this?”
“I ask for leave to withdraw my cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $15,473,381,200 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,185,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“A dedicated AI CET centre could offer modular programmes ranging from foundational literacy to advanced applications in responsible AI governance, sector-specific problem solving and workplace integration.”
“By situating enrichment within neighbourhood schools, broadening the scope of learning beyond examinations and nurturing pathways for high-potential students, we can combine academic excellence with inclusivity and social cohesion.”
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“SkillsFuture was introduced with the noble intent to support workforce transformation and was designed to encourage Singaporeans to embrace lifelong learning and acquire new skills so that they can continue to be relevant in emerging industries. The intent of the programme must and should rightly remain so. The programme must therefore never be reduced to a numbers game where the focus is on introducing as many courses as possible so that Singaporeans have a wide range of courses when it comes to upskilling. But neither should it be seen as an avenue for some to turn a quick profit by cashing in on the Government's funding. Mr Speaker, I hope that the Government can share more information on the efficacy of the SkillsFuture programme in supporting career growth, and whether the various jobs-related schemes have led to actual and tangible career outcomes. In the same scheme, I would like to know whether SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) has conducted audits on the courses offered to find out their correlation with tangible employment outcomes. Would SSG thus consider tightening the number and the genres of courses offered and deregister courses that do not lead to strong employment outcomes? And lastly, apart from what Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) is currently doing, are there specific programmes to support long-term unemployed individuals or those who have chosen to take a break from the full-time employment to get back to work? Sir, Singapore celebrates SG60 this year. It is a wonderful accomplishment for us to come this far.”
“I believe that Singapore's future success depends on a bifurcate workforce strategy, comprising renewing the skills of our local workforce so that we are the most competitive, the most educated, well-skilled and productive workforce in the region. But at the same time, I hope that the Government will not neglect the efforts to nurture and develop Singaporeans with the potential to lead. I would like the Government to consider introducing a more programmatic approach on a national and international level to provide Singaporeans with the exposure and training that they need to step up to be global leaders. Ultimately, we do not want Singaporeans to known only as good workers, but also good global leaders as well. And the dividend of the bifurcation strategy will take years to realise, I understand that. But it will certainly pay off in the longer run when we have an ambidextrous workforce that is not only hungry, capable and competitive, but also excels in leadership and leading. I would like to talk also, Mr Speaker, Sir, on SkillsFuture. It has been a decade since SkillsFuture was introduced. Today, there are thousands of SkillsFuture and micro-credential courses offered by training providers and a plethora of funding schemes that Singaporeans can leverage on in their skill acquisition journey. But while this is good, my question is: how strongly are the SkillsFuture and micro-credential courses driving employment outcomes, especially for mid-career and senior Singaporeans? How do these courses translate into tangible employment benefits like job growth, career transitions and wage growth?”
“Of course, cost of living is a significant and righting concern for many Singaporeans, as with many aspects of our lives, like job security, raising a family, living a dignified life, retirement adequacy, inclusivity and so on. While many of these are "wicked" problems that do not have easy solutions, this year's Budget, I am heartened to say, has, to a significant extent, tried to tackle these challenges, especially the cost of living and helping our Singaporeans. The Budget has been lauded by many as a generous one that not only provides relief to alleviate immediate cost of living concerns of Singaporeans, but also one that aims to transform Singapore's economy in the longer run by nudging businesses to innovate and individuals to continue to embrace lifelong learning and upskilling. I would like to speak now about elevating our workforce, Sir. In this era where technological breakthroughs are occurring at an unprecedented pace and countries are trying to outdo each other to incubate the next tech unicorn or to develop the next global company, we need to continue to motivate Singaporeans to strive to be the best versions of ourselves and to inspire Singaporeans to chase their dreams both locally and on the global stage. I laud the Government's effort to support our local companies to innovate, as well as the range of schemes that have been put in place to support our workforce, especially lower-skilled workers and workers whose jobs are facing disruptions, to upgrade and upskill themselves. Amid implementing these schemes, I hope that the Government can consolidate our efforts to nurture Singaporeans to not just be the best versions of themselves as workers but also to be global leaders.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Budget 2025 debate is taking place amid some truly tumultuous times around the world. In the last 12 months, right-wing and ultra conservative movements have made significant in-roads worldwide, with Europe bearing the brunt of the surge in such right-wing politics. The Parliaments of several European countries are now held together by shaky coalitions that could fragment at any moment due to the fundamental differences that the coalition partners have with each other. Societies are also fraying, often due to tensions between immigrants and locals over access to economic opportunities and differing ways of life. Countries that could not transform their economies and workforces are struggling with persistently high structural and non-structural unemployment, with unemployment and underemployment among youths being particularly worrisome. Topping all this off is a capricious and less-dependent USA with mercurial policies that could sometimes leave the rest of the world scrambling for a response. Sir, these are not alarmist statements, but rather the reality that many countries, Singapore included, is facing. If left unchecked, each of these issues could easily derail a country from its trajectory, potentially plunging it into an irrevocable slippery slope. I started off this speech with reference to the global landscape because, in today's increasingly fragmented world, only good policies and good politics will ensure that we continue to thrive. Singapore's economy and social compositions are more complex today than 60 years ago.”
“I am glad that the Government is sending a strong signal on the importance of racial harmony with this Bill, because, in the words of someone very dear to me, who once lived through the racial riots of the past, we should "never, ever take Singapore's racial harmony for granted".”
“While I believe that we should not – and I say it again – we should not unfairly shine the spotlight on newly naturalised Singaporeans or PRs, it is empirically difficult for the Government to police personal affiliations of individuals, both local born and naturalised alike. In this regard, I would like to suggest an additional safeguard that I hope that the Government can consider the implementation of a two-tier structure for designated entities. For designated entities that have a lower risk of foreign influence or are regarded as less nationally critical, the nationality-based restrictions on their governing bodies and leaders proposed by this Bill would suffice as safeguards. However, for designated entities that have a higher possibility of being influenced by foreign actors or are regarded as nationally critical if compromised – for example, co-operative societies, trade unions, mutual-benefit organisations, platform worker associations and the like – the Government could legislate more thorough background checks on their proposed leaders before these individuals are appointed into their governing bodies or leadership team. I believe that such background checks would help to provide additional guardrails by restricting local born and naturalised Singaporeans with tangible and established foreign affiliations from holding leadership positions in such designated entities. Mr Speaker, Sir, racial harmony in Singapore must never be taken lightly because it is an integral component of social cohesion and social trust in our multiracial, multi-religious society. A socially harmonious, cohesive and high-trust society will ultimately strengthen the stability of communities and the resilience of Singapore.”
“While we can mandate that offenders undergo remedial initiatives, the community must also embrace magnanimity and be willing to forgive the offenders if the offenders are contrite and they demonstrate willingness to make amends and rebuild bridges. I would like to now talk about how we can safeguard racial harmony from foreign influence. This Bill also introduces measures against foreign influence by requiring entities, including unincorporated associations, to abide by rules governing donations, affiliations and leadership. While it would be fairly legislatively simple to compel registered entities to disclose their source of donations, foreign affiliations, if any, and the composition of their governing body, how does the Government intend to compel unincorporated associations to do the same? This is under the assumption that these associations are informal entities and are loose gatherings of like-minded individuals that the Government does not necessarily have oversight of or has much information on. As such, I hope the Government can shed more light on how it plans to exercise supervision over these entities. Under the provision to safeguard designated entities from foreign influence, more than half of their governing bodies must be Singaporeans and the responsible officer for such entities must be either Singaporeans or PRs. While these nationality-based restrictions may, in theory, safeguard designated entities from foreign influences, such arrangements might not provide sufficient guardrails. For example, the leadership team of a designated entity could comprise mainly newly naturalised Singaporeans or PRs who may still have personal historical linkages to foreign entities.”
“An effective CRI must be supported by a structured set of interventions that are evidence-based so that it can achieve its intent to help those who are undergoing the intervention to understand the impact of his or her conduct, reconcile and make amends within the community. I hope that the Government can shed light on how such interventions are developed and delivered, and would like to ask if the Government will be setting up an expert taskforce to design, implement and oversee the CRIs. I would also like to ask how would the effectiveness of these CRIs be measured so that their efficacy can be assessed? And with each transgression being different, would the Government be offering targeted interventions so that maximum level of reconciliation can be achieved? Finally, would recalcitrant offenders be referred to for prosecution if the community remedial initiative fails to work for them, even though their offences might not be sufficiently egregious to warrant prosecution under the current Penal Code? I would also like to suggest that we consider using the Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) to rehabilitate individuals who are referred to the community remedial initiative. The IRCCs are already there. They are present and they have been a key pillar of helping to maintain racial and religious harmony in Singapore. Perhaps, the remediation process using the IRCCs could be similar to how radicalised individuals are currently being rehabilitated, but at a less severe, stepped-down level within the community. Ultimately, Mr Speaker, reconciliation is a two-party effort.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, not only this Bill but this issue of racial harmony is one that resonates deeply with me. As someone of mixed race parentage, I recall my late mother telling me about how, as a Chinese lady dating an Indian man in the 1960s in Singapore, there were more than a few occasions where they were subject to some rather unkind comments and there were even places in Singapore that she and my father could not go to as a mixed race couple because of a very real threat of physical violence. My mother also shared the story of how, as a teenage girl, she had to go to the hospital to identify the body of a minority race friend who had been killed when he was innocently swept up in a racially-charged act of violence and I can still recall the deep emotion in her voice as she told me this story, with a somber reminder of how "we should never, ever take racial harmony in Singapore for granted." It is with these words in mind that I rise in full support of this Bill. In this regard, I think it is timely that the Government introduces the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act as a standalone piece of legislation to deal with potential threats to racial harmony and to signal the importance of maintaining racial harmony in Singapore. I applaud the Government’s position, Mr Speaker, that criminal prosecution is not the first recourse and sole remedy to racial incidents, considering that a good number of such incidents were not committed with the intent to injure anyone’s feelings, but largely arising from lack of cultural understanding and sensitivity.”
“Some feuds can go on for several years, sometimes involving many family members from both sides. In some extreme situations, as my example from Hougang I cited earlier, multiple other households get drawn into the feud as collateral damage, and this leads to a largely unpleasant living environment for everyone involved. While I am a firm believer in using more amicable ways to de-escalate any potential community conflict, I am also heartened that the Government is taking this issue seriously and this new legislation will allow us to take recalcitrant offenders to task for the overall benefit of the entire community.”
“They could be compelled to attend mediation; they could be ordered to attend mandatory treatment if it is believed that they are causing disturbance due to mental health conditions; and in the most extreme situation, flats of the alleged offenders could be acquired as a last resort if they are recalcitrant and/or the nuisance created is very severe. It was recently reported in the media that an alleged offender who had caused six out of eight units on her level in Punggol to move out, had then relocated to Bukit Merah and is now continuing with her terrorising antics in that new estate. Would the relevant authorities consider preventing alleged offenders in well-known cases from relocating to a different housing estate until the matter can be resolved or the authorities are sure that they will not cause further nuisance to their new neighbors after moving in. I believe this is important as it ensures that we do not "transfer" a problem from one estate to another, which then brings a new set of issues into what was once, perhaps, a rather peaceful neighbourhood or rather peaceful environment. So, in this regard, I hope the relevant authorities can shed some light on how these alleged offenders can be managed if they have purchased a resale flat elsewhere or, perhaps, are in the queue for a BTO flat. Would the authorities also consider requiring all flat owners to sign a letter of undertaking as part of their HDB Flat Eligibility letter application, undertaking that they would refrain from creating noise nuisance or other forms of nuisance for that matter at the point of flat purchase and inform them clearly about the consequences of breaching these undertakings? Mdm Deputy Speaker, neighbour disputes are never easy to solve.”
“I am therefore glad to know that the Government is now considering an amendment to the Community Disputes Resolution Act so that we have more legal muscle to help our residents who have been suffering from such measures and my other colleagues before me. I hope that the pilot is a productive one and we are able to implement this scheme in other townships as soon as possible. In a statement released by MCCY and MND, it was highlighted that the CRU that will be set up would be given powers to issue direction for neighours to attend mediation and install sensors to collect data on noise. These actions, however, will be taken only after the neigbours have failed to resolve disputes amongst themselves. I am all for community involvement and for people coming together to try and solve issues as amicably as possible without the need for agencies to get involved, without the need for legislation. However, I do hope that the Ministries can provide more information on what is deemed to be "failure to resolve the disputes among themselves". How would the Ministries determine if the complainant has made sufficient efforts to resolve the dispute with the alleged offender? And what would be examples of evidence that the complainant must submit to CRU to prove his or her case that they have tried but failed to resolve the dispute? While I understand that certain objective criteria must be set so that the investigative and directive powers of the CRU will not be abused, I hope that the bar will not be set too high such that the CRU is inaccessible for most of the complainants. My second point is regarding how we would manage alleged offenders. I do understand that there are several ways in which alleged offenders could be managed under the proposed new framework.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, while this Bill covers various types of unneighbourly behaviour that leads to this Bill, I would like to focus my speech on noise offences. The deleterious consequences of noise pollution on physical and mental health is not trivial. It has been noted that prolonged exposure to disturbing and incessant noise can lead to adverse health outcomes like abnormal perception of loudness and noise, ringing in the ears and even distorted hearing. Equally worrying, exposure to prolonged noise is also related to a host of psycho-emotional conditions like irritability, frustration, anxiety and stress, and could also lead to sleep disturbance like insomnia. I empathise with residents who have been suffering from noise nuisance from their neighbours and the surroundings. In my constituency of Ang Mo Kio-Hougang, of all the different noise-nuisance cases I have had to deal with, a particular case dubbed the "Hougang Terror" stands out. This is a case that has been surfaced to the highest levels of Government agencies. I see Senior Minister of State Sim Ann nodding at me. It has also been featured on social media as well. I am particularly, personally familiar with the case having been on the ground to try and mediate this, without much success. Essentially, what started out as a dispute between two neighbours resulted in one neighbour incessantly beating a stick furiously against the wall of his neighbour for hours on end – and by "hours" I mean hours on end – which then led to noise pollution and affected the entire, the entire block, the entire carpark, even the blocks surrounding it. So, quite clearly, we have, from the current legal standpoint, exhausted available means to resolve the situation in our neighbourhood.”
“I would like to thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for that answer. Just one supplementary question. I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that the occupancy rate is 60%. This would suggest that there are vacancies in these shelters. Could the Senior Parliamentary Secretary perhaps provide some insight into the process, that is, how easy it would be, how quickly it would be for a homeless person or someone sleeping rough to get a place in these shelters?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to just ask a supplementary question on a very important point that the Minister made in his opening answer. The Minister mentioned that the students who are going to be selected for the enhanced abilities stream, we should not see this enhanced abilities stream in a way as a kind of streaming that will allow them added advantage for their mainstream subjects. I think this is key. So, could the Minister share how MOE would design the curriculum of the programme, such that the students who are selected for this programme, that it will not be a programme that will allow them to have added advantage, say, in their English and Mathematics at the Primary School Leaving Examination, should they be selected for the English and Mathematics enhanced stream, or the enhanced programme for these two subjects?”
“While I can understand the rationale of having a "light touch" approach on regulating ESCI and FDI because they are not CII per se, can the Government, at this juncture, provide more information on how the "light touch" regulatory approach would look like? Not requiring ESCI and FDI to submit audit risk reports or risk assessments to CSA and not requiring them to participate in national cybersecurity exercises might seem to defeat the purpose of designating and regulating them. Any forms of regulations, in my opinion, would need to be measurable, of course, assessable and contain penalties for non-compliance. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] In this regard, my question is, how we could ensure that ESCI and FDI live up to their respective cybersecurity obligations without taking for granted that they are not subjected to the Government's scrutiny. Mr Speaker, Sir, securing CII is essential to protect our national security and to ensure that our vital services are not disrupted by cyber-attacks carried out by malicious state and non-state actors. With cyber-attacks becoming more sophisticated and becoming a part of modern warfare that is used alongside conventional warfare, indeed, strengthening our oversight over the robustness of our cyber systems is paramount in safeguarding Singapore's interest. Notwithstanding the questions that I have raised in my speech, I am supportive of the amendments to the Bill.”
“Would there be funding or support that these companies could possibly tap on to strengthen their cyber systems, bearing in mind that different CII owners, suppliers and vendors could be at different stages of cybersecurity maturity and a one-size-fits-all cyber solution is unlikely to work. I would like to speak next on whitelisting STCC. Under the current Government procurement framework, institutions that intend to participate in joint Government projects are mostly required to submit a bid for those projects via an open tender process. One of the specific amendments in the Bill is to allow CSA to exercise oversights on STCCs and proactively secure STCCs to ensure the cybersecurity of their systems. While the open tender system will ensure fairness and transparency in the awarding of joint Government projects, this would also mean that tender specifications would need to include an extended elaboration on cyber security requirements, which potential STCC vendors might find difficult to meet within the tender period. This is especially so if the procurement of services by STCCs is on an urgent basis, for example, the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine, or something similar. Would the Government, in this instance, consider setting up a whitelist of STCCs vendors and help them secure their systems ahead of time and appoint them directly for future joint projects without a public tender? If the answer is yes, then how would the Government decide which STCC to whitelist and to ensure transparency in the whitelisting process? My final point is on the ESCI and FDI.”
“While I am supportive that the expanded coverage of the Bill which will allow the CSA to become more aware of the types of cyber threats that Singapore faces, the expanded coverage of the Bill will also impose significant responsibilities on CII owners to monitor systems that are currently owned by their vendors, which could be, at this juncture, beyond their immediate or direct control and supervision. This is especially true if their vendors are located overseas or if the infrastructures used by these vendors to provide the required cyber services are located outside of Singapore. How would the Government, in this instance, support the owners of CII to exercise oversight on these overseas vendors and suppliers, especially if these suppliers and vendors are not obliged by their own local laws to disclose instances of cyber incidents to CII owners in Singapore? Stemming from the above question, would the refusal or inability to comply with the amendments to the Cybersecurity Bill automatically preclude vendors from supplying services to CII owners; and would the Government consider such vendors on a case-by-case basis if they are supplying unique critical services that cannot be supplied by vendors elsewhere? Madam, one of the objectives of the amendment to the Bill is so that CSA can work with CII owners to secure their networks from cyber-attacks. Can the Government elaborate on how CSA would work with these CII owners and, possibly, their overseas suppliers and vendors to secure their systems? And would this involve the possible secondment of CSA consultants to CII owners, their suppliers and vendors to audit and re-design their current cybersecurity system?”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, as one of the most well-connected countries in the world, Singapore is constantly exposed to the risk of cyber-attacks and cyber crimes. Worldwide, countries are battling the rising scourge of cyber warfare, marked by an increase in numbers of attempted and/or successful attacks on CII by state and non-state actors. As we have heard already, such attacks should not be taken lightly. A successful attack on CIIs, say on the healthcare or emergency services, can lead to massive disruptions in medical delivery, potentially endangering lives of hundreds and thousands of individuals. As a case in point, Synapxe, the national health technology provider that supports 46 public healthcare institutions and 1,400 community partners like nursing homes and general practitioners in Singapore, was subjected to a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack in November 2023, which led to a seven-hour downtime in accessing the websites of public hospitals. Admittedly, the outcome of the cyber-attack could have been much worse. It is therefore timely that the Government is reviewing the scope of the Cybersecurity Bill to strengthen cybersecurity standards. Mdm Deputy Speaker, under the proposed amendments, CII owners remain responsible for the cybersecurity and resilience of the CII and they are now required to report more types of cyber incidents, including those targeting their supply chains and peripheral systems that have been outsourced and offshored.”
“Thank you, Chair. One clarification, which I believe could be for Minister of State Alvin. As many societies are being divided by issues and conflicts with ethnic and religious undertones, what are we doing specifically to pull our society together? And how are we in, our own small part, contributing to global efforts to build more cohesive societies?”
“Mr Chairman, as a multiracial country, social harmony is key to ensuring that our community stays together as one people, one Singapore. Yet, issues exist, and we are witnessing conflicts around the world with ethnic and religious angles and undertones that could have a possible adverse effect on our society. Several conflicts around the world have indeed taken on ethnic dimensions. The impact of the Gaza crisis has affected communities on both sides of the conflict that started on 7 October 2023. The Russian-Ukraine war is also an ethnic one, largely involving ethnic Russians and Ukrainians. The annexation of Crimea by Russia and the ongoing war in Donetsk and Luhansk since early 2022 have only heightened ethnic, linguistic and cultural divisions in the region. Sadly, neither one of these two conflicts look like they will end any time soon. Another long-drawn conflict in Syria is a clash of ethnic groups such as the Turkmen, Kurds, Arabs and Assyrians, among others. We have also seen civil war in South Sudan between the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups. The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria is another example of a conflict with ethnic and religious undertones. These are just a few examples and many other regions around the world experience conflict with ethnic and religious dimensions. Understanding and resolving these conflicts often require addressing deep-seated historical grievances, promoting inclusive governance and fostering inter-ethnic dialogue and reconciliation. Can MCCY share how we can continue to work towards facilitating social harmony and community cohesion in Singapore to ensure that our various communities are not duly affected by these global conflicts that have ethnic and religious undertones and that we can continue to live in peace and harmony?”
“NAC also provides a sustainable funding infrastructure through grants and arts housing support for the arts community to achieve a vision of Singapore as home to diverse and distinctive arts that inspire our people, connect our communities and position Singapore globally. Indeed, the arts can help foster connectedness, inclusivity and collaboration, strengthening social cohesion. In this regard, can MCCY provide an update on the efforts to ensure diverse art spaces that serve as touchpoints for both the public and artists? Using Arts to Promote Health and Well-being”
“And this rich history and legacy is manifested in a unique tapestry of places and is a placeholder for us to grow together even as we are anchored in this heritage and culture of the past. As we continue to welcome people from all over the world, our cultural heritage will grow to take a confident hold of the future while harkening back to the past – our roots. Can MCCY share how we will create opportunities to enliven these and other neighbourhoods, celebrate their rich heritage and foster a stronger sense of belonging and identity? Art Spaces Sir, my next cut echoes points that was made earlier by the hon Member Ms Usha Chandradas, and that is to look at the art spaces in Singapore. One of the strategies under our Arts Plan 2.0 includes widening the access of public arts in both public and private spaces so that Singaporeans from all walks of life can experience and enjoy the arts. Initiatives over the years have included the establishment of community arts and culture clubs across different neighbourhoods in Singapore to offer a variety of arts and cultural activities for residents to participate in. Another initiative is a strong emphasis on arts education in school, ensuring that students have exposure to various forms of arts and cultural expressions from young. Art education is premised on openness and diversity. NAC's Art Education Unit, I believe, works closely with the arts community and various agencies, including the Ministry of Education (MOE), the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and the Preschool Anchor Operators (AOPs) to provide an access to a range of well-designed arts education experiences with Singapore artists and arts groups.”
“Mr Chairman, Singapore is a multi-racial, multi-cultural country and there are several neighbourhoods that are representative of this and take pride in their unique identities. These neighbourhoods have escaped the wrecking ball through careful planning, rebuilding and restoration and new life has indeed been injected in them. One of these is Tiong Bahru, Singapore's oldest residential neighbourhood and is well known for its well-conserved art-deco architecture. Now the place is alive with hipster cafes, boutiques and a vibrant community for all walks of life. It evokes strong memories of our heritage. Kampong Glam is a historic Malay/Muslim neighbourhood featuring the iconic architectural and cultural features such as the Sultan Mosque, Arab Street and the Malay Heritage Centre, a reflection of traditional Malay architecture indeed. Chinatown is a bustling neighbourhood, rich with Chinese culture and heritage. Here we see traditional pre-war shophouses, together with street markets and cultural attractions such as the Thian Hock Keng Temple. Of course, Little India is another showcase of Singapore's Indian heritage and culture. This is home to the beautiful and bustling temples in Little India which date back to the 19th century. Besides the temples, Little India is dotted with colourful streets and Indian eateries. And, of course, Joo Chiat and Katong are unmistakably Peranakan neighbourhoods that are filled with colourful shophouses, wonderful cuisine and cultural landmarks such as the Katong Antique House. Sir, the point I am making here is that cultural heritage embodies Singapore's history and legacy.”
“Chairman, as much as it pains me to say this, the fact that Singapore has not been doing well recently on the international football scene is an understatement. FIFA first introduced a ranking system in the early 1990s and Singapore once had an all-time high ranking of 73 out of 211 countries. As of February 2024, however, Singapore is ranked 156th and we are sixth out the 10 ASEAN countries. While Singapore has clearly had success in the past, winning the AFF Suzuki Cup in 2012, the team's performance in recent editions and in other tournaments has, indeed, been below par. There has not been much success in finding a good head coach either, with the new coach joining in January after his predecessor lasted, I believe, less than two years. Can the Government please provide an update on the Unleash the Roar initiative and how this could help lift Singapore football to a higher level? Uniting Singaporeans through Sports”
“Chairman, to echo the point made earlier by my colleague Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, we have seen the rise of emerging sports in Singapore where our athletes are performing well internationally in sports, such as tchoukball and powerlifting. In 2023, Singapore won the hosting rights for World Youth Tchoukball Championships and, shortly after, our women's team achieved great success on the world stage. While tchoukball is not a major sport globally, Singapore has been proactive in promoting and supporting it alongside other sports. This continues the excellent work of athletes that are still flying our Singapore flag high and should be supported in some way by donors, supporters and the Government. We know that Singapore has a strong sports development system to support athletes across a variety of sports. This support system often takes several forms. Singapore's sports associations and federations often provide funding, training facilities, coaching and administrative support for athletes competing in their respective sports. Singapore has national sports institutes looking into athlete development and training as well. So, we provide funding and support for sports development through organisations like Sport Singapore, and this funding may be allocated to national sports associations, sports clubs and athletes to help cover training expenses, travel costs for competitions and other related expenses. While we are aware of these initiatives to support mainstream sports and may they long continue, can MCCY share what it is doing to support aspiring athletes in emerging sports to pursue their dream of sporting excellence? Singapore Football”
“Thank you, Chairman. I would like to thank Minister and the political officeholders for answering most of the queries I raised in the cuts. I just have one final clarification to make, which is the issue of Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) for primary school students. I believe I mentioned this in my Budget Debate speech and I mentioned it again in my cut. I am sorry if I missed a reply, but I was here for most of the responses. If Minister or our political officeholders have not answered that, could I please strongly advocate for that and perhaps get MOE's comment on whether this is something that they are committed to doing? I understand it will take time, but they have done a wonderful job with the secondary school PLDs. So, could Minister please respond to this?”
“I would like to ask if the Government could also consider, for the ITE Progression Award, to not just be applicable for enrolment and study in full-time diploma programmes or diploma programmes from the Government polytechnics, but also be considered for diploma programmes in other institutions and even for professionally-certified courses, provided these courses are conducted by reputable private education institutes (PEIs)?”
“Chairman, over the years, ITE has evolved significantly to meet the changing needs of Singapore's economy and workforce. Initially focused on providing basic vocational skills training, ITE has expanded its curriculum to offer a wide range of courses catering to various industries, such as engineering, design, business, hospitality and healthcare. This evolution reflects Singapore's shift towards a knowledge-based economy and the growing demand for skilled workers in the diverse sectors. One key aspect of ITE's evolution is its emphasis on providing students with not just technical skills, but also soft skills and employability skills. ITE, indeed, places a strong emphasis on holistic education, ensuring that graduates are equipped with communication skills, problem-solving abilities, teamwork capabilities and a strong work ethic. During my time in polytechnic, I had a chance to work with many such ITE graduates who went on to polytechnic, and I can certainly testify to the quality of these students. While ITE provides guidance and support to help graduates navigate future pathways and also informed decisions about their career aspirations, it is heartening to hear the Deputy Prime Minister mention the ITE Progress Award in his Budget speech. I also noted that Minister Chan Chun Sing had also talked about the ITE Progress Award in his Committee of Supply (COS) speech as well.”
“Chairman, Sir, I commend MOE for continuing to focus on enhancing its SPED system to better support students with diverse learning needs. Since 2021, I believe MOE has worked with SPED educators and stakeholders to co-construct SPED Teaching and Learning Syllabuses (TLSs) to raise quality of curriculum, teaching and learning. MOE has been providing additional funding, resources and training opportunities for teachers and staff to better understand and address the needs of students with such challenges. MOE has also recognised the need for clear career progression pathways for educators in this field. To address these needs, it was announced that additional funding for SPED schools would be provided from 2024. This funding is aimed at increasing teacher salaries and expanding professional development opportunities for key staff and leaders with the aim is of attracting and retaining talent as well as optimising the special education system. Overall, Chairman, Sir, Singapore's recent developments in SPED reflect a commitment to providing inclusive and quality education for students with diverse learning needs – with a focus on supporting their holistic development and preparing them for meaningful participation in society. With that in mind, while we continue to enhance special education and equip SPED students with academic and life-skills, can MOE also do more to work with perhaps MOM and the private sector, to ensure that SPED students are able to secure meaningful employment when they graduate? Can there also be some continuing education programmes tailored specifically for SPED students to ensure that they stay relevant and employable? SPED Schools”
“And with that framework already in place and the procurement process already familiar and the scheme to aid those students in secondary school who need financial assistance or PLDs already there, would MOE please consider also providing a dedicated PLD programme for primary school students – similar to the one that it has for secondary school students as well? This will really enhance the learning and development of the younger ones with regard to learning technology. Artificial Intelligence in Education”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, technology has a crucial place in Singapore's education system, as we strive for academic excellence and innovation. In Singapore, the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) in education has been a strategic priority to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. So far, technology including ICT and AI, are critical to education in Singapore and how it can be used to achieve learning objectives. Technology allows students to access a vast amount of information and resources beyond what is given in textbooks. Technology also allows for customisation and for personalised learning so that learning can be driven by individual needs and preferences. MOE has been actively promoting the use of technology in through the Masterplan for ICT in Education. Technology is pivotal to these initiatives to catalyse educational innovation, allow for pedagogical transformation and help to achieve continuous improvement in teaching and learning in Singapore schools and institutions. I would like to ask if MOE can share how it intends to continue to use ICT to enhance the learning and development of our students, especially with regard to AI? Also, Mr Chairman, a key part of learning technology – the devices that will be used to help support learning technology. I would like to surface a point that I had made earlier in my Budget speech, which is the provision of personal learning devices (PLDs) for primary school students. I believe that the Ministry has done a wonderful job by rolling out the PLD programme for the secondary school students.”
“I would like to ask if MOE could please provide an update on SBB and how it could continue in the future? Funding for Bilingual Education”
“Thank you, Sir. To continue with the metaphor, I would like to focus on Vitamin F, which is flexibility. Subject-based Banding (SBB) is an educational framework implemented in Singapore's secondary school system. The establishment of SBB was part of MOE's aim to infuse joy of learning and to allow for multiple pathways to cater to the diverse strengths and interests of our students. I believe that full SBB was conducted in 28 secondary schools from 2020, and progressively, it is being rolled out to more secondary schools each year from 2022 to 2024. As mentioned, SBB aims at giving students flexibility, for example, to take different subjects at different levels according to their preferences, strengths and interests. For example, students may offer a subject at the Express level while taking other subjects at the Normal (Academic) or Normal (Technical) levels, to use previous older terms. In addition, it also allows for customised learning, so that schools can curate learning experiences to address the needs of different learners with differing needs. Our educators can also vary the learning support given and provide differentiated instructions. This helps them ensure that learning addresses students' individual learning profiles. At the same time, the stigma linked previously to streaming can be reduced. Students, realistically, can do well in the subjects they have a deep interest in, regardless of their overall academic stream. SBB also facilitates smoother transitions between different academic levels and is, therefore, far less rigid, allowing for much interaction amongst students of different academic abilities in different subjects. Overall, Sir, SBB is adaptive and inclusive and puts more emphasis on holistic development.”
“While a significant portion of the Budget is focused on providing near term support to cope with the cost of living in the form of CDC Vouchers, Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC), U-Save and income tax rebates, the Budget is also forward looking in providing support for seniors and mid-career Singaporeans. With Singapore due to become a super-aged society by 2030, ageing in dignity is one of the foremost concerns for many Singaporeans. I am heartened to know that the Government is taking active steps to address this concern early through the Forward Singapore movement and the following policies that it is rolling out. I hope the Government can accelerate the pace in which support programmes for seniors are being rolled out and to consider how to better cater to the needs of this group of Singaporeans who have contributed tremendously in early years to Singapore. Beyond providing top-ups to Medisave and direct financial support through the Silver Support Scheme, I also hope that the Government can also work towards building robust localised ecosystems that allow our seniors to age with dignity. With that, Sir, I end my speech in firm support of the Budget.”
“While MOE committed to providing PLDs to all secondary students by end-2021 to be used in tandem with the national e-learning platform Student-Learning-Space (SLS), would MOE now not also consider providing PLDs to children in primary schools as well? I think it is timely for MOE to consider providing PLDs to our students in the primary schools given how the education technology landscape has changed significantly in the past four years. With the procurement framework of PLDs for secondary schools in place, it is now a matter of extending the same procurement framework and financial support schemes to students in our primary schools as well. To reiterate some of the arguments that I have previously made: the ownership of PLDs for all levels of learners in Singapore is a bold and ambitious step in realising Singapore’s ambition to embrace smart learning. Such a device will enable students from across all levels of education to learn everywhere and anywhere and is the textbook of the future where all forms of education and submissions can be made on a single unified platform. Introducing the ownership of PLDs at an early age would help induct our students, our younger students, to the notion of self-directed e-learning, encouraging them to take ownership of their own learning pace and performance at a younger age. This undoubtedly, will have a knock-on effect when they are older, especially when e-learning and continuous learning on-the-go become second nature to them. Mr Speaker, this year’s Budget has continued the trajectory of the previous Budgets, with the Government providing targeted support to assist specific groups of Singaporeans, especially to navigate this uncertain space, this uncertain world that we are facing.”
“On the same note, I strongly urge our polytechnics to co-create new diploma courses with industry partners to take advantage of the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy. Rather than have mid-career Singaporeans join an existing diploma programme with PET students, specific industry-oriented programmes with different teaching methods, pedagogies and learning outcomes should be created for them. It is important for us to recognise that adult learners have very different learning needs and learning styles from teenagers or younger adults. Putting adult learners on the same diploma programmes is unlikely to help them to acquire the skills needed for a career switch or career step-up, since both groups of learners have very different levels of industry experience and cognition. Similar to how the teaching methods and teaching styles must differ between in a Masters programme and an undergraduate programme, for example, the diploma programme for mid-career Singaporeans must be designed and taught differently as well. I would also urge the Government to extend the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy to part-time diploma courses as well, not just full-time ones. I believe this would encourage more mid-career Singaporeans to take up such courses since they can still be employed full-time while undergoing upskilling and retraining. Sir, my final area will focus on Personal Learning Devices (PLDs) for primary school students. Almost four years ago, in June 2020, I made a speech that urged MOE to consider extending the provision of PLDs to all students in Singapore, particularly those in primary school.”
“Apart from supporting senior Singaporeans with their ageing, healthcare and retirement needs, I am heartened to learn that the Government is also putting increased emphasis on our middle-aged Singaporeans with the SkillsFuture Level-up Programme. In particular, I welcome the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up and the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy for another publicly funded full-time diploma programme. Sir, with the shelf life of skills declining rapidly, it is paramount that the skills that Singaporeans have can keep up with rapidly evolving industry needs. Having once spent many years working in Temasek Polytechnic, I am confident that our polytechnics and IHLs are equipped to design and develop CET courses that can help upskill our mid-career Singaporeans. That said, with industry needs evolving at such a rapid pace, our educators at the polytechnics and IHLs might not be fully equipped with the latest industry knowhows and insights to design and conduct courses that meet industry demand entirely. At present, there are very few courses offered at polytechnics and IHLs that are co-developed, co-taught and co-certified with industry partners. I would like to urge MOE to consider how we can incentivise our polytechnics and IHLs to work more closely with the industries to conduct co-certified Pre-employment Training (PET) and CET courses. Co-taught and co-certified CETs are especially important for mid-career Singaporeans in equipping them with the latest knowledge that can positively impact their career. After all, having attended a co-certified programme with a leading industry player sends a strong signal to employers that their employees have learned from the best in the industry, not just from the staff at the polytechnics.”
“I had asked a Parliamentary Question on this topic in July 2023 and I am grateful to the Government for responding with this policy change. This would give senior single Singaporeans more flexibility to unlock the value of their initial larger properties, or more valuable properties during the later years of their lives, without having to bear the financial burden of ABSD, which under the previous policy would have reduced their retirement nest egg by a significant amount. I believe that this this is an important policy change, assuming that single Singaporeans are unlikely to have the same level of economic support that married senior Singaporeans with children would have. Allowing a refund on their ABSD would help them to better meet their retirement needs. In the same vein, I would like to ask if the Government would consider extending the same ABSD refund scheme to younger single Singaporeans who are buying a smaller second private property to stay in, if they sell their first property within six months of acquiring their second private property. I believe this policy will give younger single Singaporeans more flexibility in their housing options if they wish to unlock the value of their private properties, especially to meet unexpected financial needs. The refund policy for younger single Singaporean could be scoped more tightly than that for senior single Singaporeans to prevent abuse and profiteering. For example, the younger single Singaporeans must hold their first property for a specific number of years before they are entitled to the ABSD refund on their second smaller property and, perhaps, such refunds can only be claimed once or a maximum of twice in their lifetime. My next topic will focus on SkillsFuture and continuous education training (CET).”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Budget 2024 is a budget that is set against major global uncertainties. Singapore continues to remain vulnerable to macro forces that are beyond our control and influence. While we continue to keep an eye on global developments with trepidation, I am glad that this year’s Budget has reflected the Government’s commitment to the Forward Singapore movement by introducing specific and targeted support to areas of concerns highlighted by Singaporeans. Sir, I will be focusing my speech on three main areas: (a) how the Government could refine the Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) scheme for Singaporeans below 55; (b) SkillsFuture and Continuing Education and Training (CET); and (c) how the Ministry of Education (MOE) could enhance the personal learning device (PLD) scheme to cover more students, specifically those in primary school. First, supporting “young seniors” and enhancing ABSD. I am particularly glad that the Government is providing additional support to seniors on ageing, healthcare and retirement during such times of uncertainty and rising cost. This is an assurance to seniors, including young seniors like myself, that the Government will provide older Singaporeans a social safety net during their silver years, particularly when senior Singaporeans are facing the twin challenges of ailing health and reduced incomes. Many Singaporeans aspire to own a private property because in some ways, it is an investment with high potential returns that could be unlocked during their silver years. I am glad that the Government now allows senior single Singaporeans above the age of 55 years old to claim for a refund of the ABSD on a second private property when they are downsizing.”
“This is something that we continuously think about, especially when we go towards the New Clearance Concept, where we want to enhance the travelling experience for not only our residents and PRs, and Singaporeans in particular. Because this is something that we want to make sure of: that when they go out of Singapore and then, they come back to Singapore, they feel not only happy when we land at Changi Airport or pass by our checkpoints, but they have the ease of entry to make it easy for them. So, we will continue to look at how we can enhance the travelling journey process of our Singaporeans.”
“I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. I am heartened to know that there will still be dedicated lanes reserved for Singaporeans and PRs and, more importantly, that these lanes will also be used or made available, based on the demand at the checkpoints. Just a supplementary question, Sir, which is, I understand that right now, there could be some Singaporeans – especially the younger ones – those who cannot use the automated lanes – children and so on – and their families, therefore, have to travel with them. I would like to ask the Minister of State if there are some measures that could be taken also to enhance the flow of such families of Singaporeans or PRs who might not be able to use the automated lanes through the checkpoints? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the question. It is a very important question and a good question, I must say. In fact, I visited Terminal 2 recently, during the festive period, to thank our officers for working during the festive period; and among the facilities that I saw was the special assistance lane. These are for families, especially those with young children, and also for those with additional needs. We had the lane very, very, very wide and it enables even those with very young children to go through. They can pass through as a group, as a family. So, if you look at what we have shared recently during the statistics release, we are building some of these lanes. For some, we have completed; for example, Terminal 2 that I visited, it is completed. And we are among the first, if not, the first in the world, to have these facilities.”
“I had received a written reply from the Minister to an oral Parliamentary Question that I had filed on DSA, prior to this. So, I would like to thank the Minister for that reply. And I have a supplementary question to ask. I would like to ask Minister: I really appreciate the fact that MOE has shifted the focus, quite significantly from the past, from the more academic-related DSA to the more sports-, arts- and interest-related DSA. While I believe MOE would review the areas of DSA that can be used, is MOE also receptive to the schools giving feedback? For example, if certain schools feel that there are some areas that they would like to suggest or nominate for DSA consideration, would MOE also be open to such feedback to look at how they can increase the diversity of areas that can be used for DSA to be admitted into secondary schools?”
“Thank you, Sir. I would like to thank the Minister of State for her reply. It is very encouraging to know all the work that is being done and I hope will continue to be done for PwDs. If I could ask a supplementary question, Sir. Is the Government prepared to consider setting up a more permanent or more dedicated department or structure which relies on Singapore's successful tripartite model of working with unions, employers and the Government, to specifically cater to the employment and job needs of PwDs. Is that something the Government can consider?”
“Once the numbers of mental healthcare professionals are brought up, would MOH consider setting up community-based mental wellness interventions and caregiver support programmes, perhaps, even in the polyclinics so that these resources are more widely accessible in the heartlands, leaving the proposed National Mental Wellness Centre to focus on more specialised and deeper interventions? Mr Speaker, Sir, early identification and intervention on mental health conditions are essential to the success of the national plan to promote mental wellness. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of mental wellness has taken on greater importance and urgency. I am glad that we are paying more attention to the issue today, and I hope that the Government and, indeed, the whole of society, will adopt a more targeted approach to promote the topic and to make mental healthcare more accessible to those who need it. I end my speech in firm support of the Motion.”
“I would like to suggest for MOM and MCI to run awareness campaigns about the differences between the two and to destigmatise help-seeking behaviour by educating the public that those who seek help for mental wellness issues are not "crazy" but are merely unwell, very much like how someone could have caught a flu or some illness during a particular influenza or season, where people tend to fall ill more regularly. To further support the public education on the differences between mental health and mental disorder and to promote help-seeking, I would like to also suggest to MOH to consider splitting the functions of IMH into different institutions. Just as we have specialised medical centres like the National Skin Centre, National Heart Centre, National Cancer Centre and so on, can we not have a National Mental Wellness Centre that focuses on subsidised interventions for mental health, while IMH continues to provide medical interventions mainly for psychiatric disorders? So, delinking mental health interventions from psychiatric interventions provided by IMH will further help to "de-label" and destigmatise help-seeking. The lynchpin in the national mental healthcare plan is the number of mental healthcare professionals and the availability of caregiver support programmes in Singapore. I would like to ask if MOH has specific plans to train more mental healthcare professionals in Singapore and to bring these numbers up, closer to the number of general healthcare professionals here?”
“I would like to suggest for an inter-Ministerial workgroup comprising MOH, MOE, MOM and the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) to look into how we can better promote mental health awareness in schools, workplaces and the general public. I would like to ask MOE to consider blending mental wellness practices, such as mindfulness and grounding techniques, into the formal school curriculum or co-curriculum in primary, secondary and even post-secondary levels to promote the understanding and the importance of mental wellness at a young age, and to teach our young students in school how to deal with these mental challenges in what is, admittedly, a rather stressful time of their life, especially in primary school, such as the lead-up to the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), for example. In a similar vein, I hope that MOM will consider setting up a demand aggregation contract at a national level to strengthen the adoption of Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) which are confidential professional assistance programmes designed to help employees manage work and non-work stressors among companies in Singapore. To mitigate the cost and complexities of setting up EAPs by individual companies, I would like MOM to consider pre-selecting a panel of EAP providers for companies to send their employees to. This will bring affordable and professionally managed interventions into workplaces instead of having companies to design their own support schemes from scratch. On the public front, a greater level of awareness must be created on what constitutes mental health and how having poor mental health or poor mental well-being is different from having a psychiatric disorder or psychiatric illness.”
“The general unwillingness to acknowledge that one is experiencing mental wellness challenges in fear of being labelled as a “failure” or being perceived as “weak”, the low ratio of mental health professionals to population and social stigma of seeking interventions at IMH for mental health issues will exert and is already exerting a toll on the community. We thus need to consider the social cost of not seeking treatment for mental health issues. First, not seeking early and timely intervention due to stigma and the lack of accessibility to mental healthcare will erode the human capital potential of those experiencing mental wellness issues. Their overall well-being and functionality could be compromised, limiting their ability to realise their full potential as well as their ability to lead a fulfilling life in the long run. Second, the caregivers of those experiencing mental health challenges are likely to be their immediate family members who might not be equipped with the right knowledge to provide care. We have heard many Members already speak about this. These family members are likely to experience the stress of caregiving due to the lack of caregiving knowledge and training, possibly experiencing mental health challenges themselves in the long run. Sir, the social impact of not seeking intervention early is not insignificant. We need to pay more attention to how we can better support early intervention by making structural changes to our mental health ecosystem and the wider social attitudes towards help-seeking. I would like to offer some suggestions here. First, to talk about how we can enhance the mental health ecosystem. One of the ways to encourage individuals to seek help early is to normalise help-seeking.”
“What is telling from these studies is not the number of people reporting poor mental health, but the low number of people who have proactively sought interventions for their mental health conditions. Only a quarter of those suffering from mental health conditions in the Duke-NUS Medical School and IMH study sought intervention from a mental health professional. One of the reasons provided by the Ipsos study on why the treatment gap exists despite the general belief among Singaporeans that mental health is just as important as physical health, is because of the belief that the national healthcare system in Singapore does not reflect the same level of importance for mental health as it does with physical health. Perhaps, there is a kernel of truth in this belief. According to a Parliamentary reply by MOH in 2021, there are 4.5 psychiatrists and 9.7 psychologists per 100,000 residents in Singapore. This is far lower than the ratio of 280 doctors to 100,000 residents in Singapore. In the same vein, there is only one mental hospital in Singapore, the IMH, that is serving a population of more than five million people. There is also a perceived social stigma of seeking treatment at IMH since IMH sees both patients experiencing mental health and mental disorders, and people tend to associate individuals seeking treatments at IMH, regardless of their underlying conditions, as “crazy” even though they might not be suffering from mental disorders. The fact that IMH is colloquially referred to as “Siao Lang Keng” or the “mad house” in Hokkien is a reflection of this.”
“All of us probably have had mental health issues at one time or another, just like how we have all probably had issues with our physical health. Having a state of poor mental health does not necessarily mean that we have a psychiatric disorder, although persistently poor mental health over prolonged period could lead to mental disorders. It is therefore important that we identify symptoms of poor mental health early and provide targeted interventions before mental health challenges progress to mental disorders. I would now like to talk about the cost of poor mental health. In the World Mental Health Day 2023 Report published by Ipsos, close to half of respondents in Singapore placed mental health as the biggest healthcare challenge faced by the country today, with cancer coming in second, and stress, which is highly correlated with mental health, in third place. Close to 50% of respondents reported being depressed to the point of feeling hopeless for weeks and roughly one-third of respondents had self-hurt and suicidal thoughts. The same study also reported that about a quarter of respondents experienced debilitating mental health and stress-related issues that impeded their daily lives on several occasions in a year. Close to 40% of respondents took time off from work due to mental health and stress, with 15% having done so on multiple occasions. These results correspond with a similar study published by Duke-NUS Medical School and IMH in June 2023. This study has been referenced already in the debate so far. It reported that up to 15% of the sample showed symptoms of poor mental health, and when extrapolated to the national level, poor mental health could cost Singapore $16 billion a year in terms of loss in productivity, absenteeism and medical care.”