David Neo
Singapore
“Take-up rates were approximately 80% of the 11,000 job taster opportunities in 2025. About 78% of the participants reported being more aware of the potential pathways to achieve their career goals.”
“From 2021 to 2025, the Office of the Commissioner of Charities received about 310 applications per year from charities wanting to obtain or extend their Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status. Within this five year period, less than 2% of the total number of applications received were rejected.”
“(In Mandarin): First of all, we Ministers have no time to watch movies. [Laughter.] (In English): But to the Member's question about the Hokkien and dialect classes, I think we work with the clan associations all the time and they are very interested in promoting their dialects, as well as all our own respective cultures, because like I s…”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her support. As I explained earlier, MCCY and MDDI are open to ideas about how can we preserve dialect cultures while upholding the importance of Mandarin, and we will continue to take in all the feedback and consider carefully the appropriate next steps on how to do this well.”
“Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise.”
“More than 1.78 million MyActiveSG+ members, comprising more than 42% of eligible Singaporean Citizens and Permanent Residents, claimed their SG60 ActiveSG credits. About 40% of them have used their credits at least once, most commonly for purchase of gym or pool passes, or booking of sport facilities, such as badminton courts.”
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“We agree with the member that integration is an ongoing and two-way process involving interactions between locals and foreigners. As such, in designing the Permanent Resident (PR) Journey programme, it already goes beyond one-off e-learning modules for new PRs to learn about Singapore's culture life, way of life and social norms. As part of the PR Journey, we encourage PRs to understand, engage with and contribute to our community. The initial phase of the pilot that was rolled out in November 2025 included experiential experiences for new PRs to visit selected museums or cultural institutions, or participate in a local community event. Since May 2026, we have also introduced volunteering opportunities for new PRs who are interested in contributing to the local community. Based on responses from the PRs who have participated in the pilot thus far, almost all gained a better understanding about living and contributing to Singapore after completing the programme. The Ministry will continue to assess participant feedback and outcomes from the pilot to ensure that the programme remains effective in achieving our integration outcomes and continues to be meaningful for the participants. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth will also be happy to support ideas from Singapore-registered organisations to enhance local-foreigner integration, through the Community Integration Fund.”
“From 2021 to 2025, the Office of the Commissioner of Charities received about 310 applications per year from charities wanting to obtain or extend their Institution of a Public Character (IPC) status. Within this five year period, less than 2% of the total number of applications received were rejected. The key reasons for rejection include, amongst others, observations of regulatory non-compliance, gaps in the governance, internal controls and administrative practices, concerns regarding the charity's financial sustainability and failure to satisfy the conditions or considerations required for IPC approval. As applicants may be rejected for more than one reason, a percentage breakdown by reason is not available. Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply for IPC status after addressing the gaps identified.”
“Sport Singapore is committed to ensuring that ActiveSG facilities remain accessible to all Singaporeans. Compared to 2023, the number of unique users securing ActiveSG facility bookings in 2025 has increased by about 60%. The current balloting system for high-demand facilities during peak hours is designed to give all Singaporeans a fair chance of securing their preferred facility slots. As such, the current system does not take into account users' previous ballot attempts. Sport Singapore will continue to increase access to sporting facilities, including working with the Ministry of Education to increase the number of school sport facilities under the Dual-Use Scheme. We also announced earlier in March that we will build 50 multi-purpose courts for badminton or pickleball over the next five years. There are currently no plans to adjust the existing balloting system. We will continue to monitor the booking patterns and review the booking algorithm when required. Should any future adjustments be made, Sport Singapore will ensure the system remains fair, accessible, transparent and operationally efficient.”
“The National Arts Council (NAC) provides multiple platforms to help Singapore artists, including music artists, showcase and promote their work. Last year, NAC launched an Arts Advocacy Campaign, "Life. Better with the Arts", that profiled more than 80 artists and arts organisations. Its second year will feature new content partnerships to profile our artists. This builds on Catch, a platform launched in 2023 to promote local arts and culture experiences. Catch provides arts groups with free event publicity and added reach through editorial and social media content. NAC has also launched the I Play SG Music (IPSGM) to help the public discover homegrown artists in public spaces. Through partnerships with Singapore Mass Rapid Transit Corporation, local music is played across train stations and bus interchanges, and artists have been featured on high-visibility billboards at selected Mass Rapid Transit stations. To date, IPSGM has showcased over 200 local artists and has expanded to partners, including Marina Bay Sands and Changi Airport Group. NAC also supports artists through schemes, like the Marketing and Audience Development Grant, which helps them market their work, build audiences and perform at international platforms and festivals. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and NAC will continue to work with artists and stakeholders to strengthen the visibility of Singapore music and cultivate wider audiences for our music artists and performers.”
“Take-up rates were approximately 80% of the 11,000 job taster opportunities in 2025. About 78% of the participants reported being more aware of the potential pathways to achieve their career goals. Other outcomes include being able to build professional connections, debunking myths about careers and industries, and feeling less pressured to decide on a career path. The National Youth Council (NYC) worked with 35 corporate partners, youth sector organisations and public sector agencies to create these opportunities. These span 14 different sectors, such as financial services, manufacturing, hospitality, and information and communications. The job taster opportunities are available for all youths, including those studying in junior colleges, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and NYC are looking at how we can further expand opportunities for early career exposure. More details will be shared at the launch of the SG Youth Plan in end-July.”
“(In Mandarin): First of all, we Ministers have no time to watch movies. [Laughter.] (In English): But to the Member's question about the Hokkien and dialect classes, I think we work with the clan associations all the time and they are very interested in promoting their dialects, as well as all our own respective cultures, because like I said, they contribute very distinctively towards our Singapore Chinese culture. And if there is a demand, I think they will be more than happy to extend their classes to more people.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her questions. Chinese dialect cultures are an integral part of our distinctive Singapore Chinese culture. When it comes to documentation, the NHB works very closely with heritage practitioners, clan associations and all who are keen, and they fund them as well, to research and to document our dialects and cultural heritage. One example is the Singapore Amoy Association, which recently published a book on the essays about the Hokkien culture in Singapore. Another example is Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre's Culturepaedia. That is a repository on Singapore Chinese culture and it has documented specific expects of the Chinese dialect cultures, with articles ranging from languages, all the way to music. When it comes to transmission and education, we also safeguard and we expand the space for our dialect cultures through initiatives such as the Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award. I think the Member was with me last year at these awards. These awards are to recognise individuals and organisations who take on the strong role in promoting dialects within our context. I am also very glad to note that one of the winners of the youth award is Mr Adrian Ong, who practises and promotes Hokkien string and glove puppetry. We will continue to work with all our clan associations, heritage practitioners and all who are keen to document and to expand the space for our Singapore Chinese dialect culture.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her support. As I explained earlier, MCCY and MDDI are open to ideas about how can we preserve dialect cultures while upholding the importance of Mandarin, and we will continue to take in all the feedback and consider carefully the appropriate next steps on how to do this well.”
“As the use of English continues to displace mother tongues, the use of dialects in Singapore, has continued to decline. We increasingly see dialect artistic materials, not as competing against the use of Mandarin, but as part of our heritage and cultural practices that deepen Singaporeans' appreciation of our cultural heritage. Hence, the National Arts Council supports arts groups that practises traditional forms of dialect cultures such as the Siong Leng Musical Association, which preserves Nanyin and Nam Hwa Opera, the Teochew opera group. The National Heritage Board recognises and supports practitioners and groups that transmit Chinese dialect culture. Clan associations, such as the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan or the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and Hainan Hwee Kuan also conduct regular dialect classes for interested Singaporeans. Our linguistic diversity and heritage are distinctive parts of Singapore Chinese culture. The Government welcomes ideas to preserve dialect cultures while upholding the importance of Mandarin. We will continue to take in feedback and we will work with the community to consider carefully what further steps are appropriate to support and to promote our distinctive Singapore Chinese culture within our multicultural society.”
“The Speak Mandarin Campaign was launched in 1979. By promoting a common language across the Chinese community, it helps Chinese Singaporeans from different dialect backgrounds to communicate with one another and it preserves access to the Chinese culture through Mandarin, rather than through separate dialects. By simplifying the linguistic environment, it also gives our bilingual policy the best chance to succeed. These objectives remain valid today. The Promote Mandarin Council, which comprises distinguished private and public individuals across all different sectors who are volunteers, regularly reviews the campaign to keep its framing, approach and objectives relevant and meaningful in Singapore's multicultural context. It is important to do so as the language environment continues to evolve. Singapore families are using English more at home and much as our young want to be better at Mandarin, the opportunities to do so may be insufficient. So, hence the campaign has evolved from promoting Mandarin as a common language, to strengthening their appreciation for our Singapore Chinese cultural identity and making the learning of Mandarin fun and enjoyable. Its current tag line, "讲华语，我也可以"，or "Speak Mandarin? Yes, I can", encourages everyone to learn Mandarin even as English becomes more dominant in daily life. In education, the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Education are setting aside more curriculum time to expose young Chinese students to Mandarin. For older students, we provide opportunities to those with the aptitude and interest to develop into bicultural talents. It is a challenging task and our Chinese teachers are working very hard. We will continue to do our best to continue to uphold the bilingual policy.”
“Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise. Emerging sports today can be part of Major Games tomorrow. Floorball is one such example – through sustained effort, community interest and a committed NSA, it was included as an official medal sport at the SEA Games since 2015. The Government will continue to invest in sports that Singaporeans care about as these are sports with the power to unite us and bring us together as a nation.”
“For high-performance sport, the Government places great importance on identifying and developing athletes, and has been increasing investments to help athletes compete better and longer. Developing a strong pipeline of youths in sports included in the Major Games is key to our high-performance strategy. We do this through structured youth pathways, deepening of coaching and specialist expertise, and close partnerships with NSAs to identify and nurture talent early. Just last week, we announced our largest-ever cohort of 247 spexScholars and spexPotential recipients across 41 sports. As a nation with a small population base and finite resources, we tier our support based on each sport's needs, readiness and potential contributions, with a focus on the Major Games as these are multi-sports and have the largest contingent of Team Singapore athletes, are most watched by and followed by Singaporeans, and most able to rally our nation and inspire the Singapore spirit. The Government has also been investing in emerging sports. Through the Athletes' Inspire Fund, we have supported athletes in sports, such as pickleball, powerlifting, dodgeball and kickboxing. We have supported NSAs in hosting international competitions, such as the 2023 World Youth Tchoukball Championship. With the Government's support, Tchoukball Association of Singapore attained Charity status in 2024, unlocking access to the One Team Singapore Fund where the Government matches donations dollar-for-dollar. With the formation of SpexSG last month, we will work more closely with and empower NSAs to be strong stewards of their sports. The sporting landscape is always evolving and the decision on which sports feature in future Major Games rests with international and regional multi-sport governing bodies.”
“In answering this question, it is important for us to remind ourselves of what sport is and what sports stand for. Sports has the ability to bring people together, imbues character and promotes teamwork. And that is why we constantly promote wider participation in sports among our youths – because it is intrinsically valuable for youth development. It nurtures better Singaporeans. Broad-based sport participation and high-performance sport are mutually reinforcing and support one another. Developing a wider interest and love for sports through a diverse range of sports expands the pipeline for high-performance sport and means stronger community and national support for our national athletes. When Team Singapore athletes excel on the world stage, it, in turn, inspires our youth to take up sports and strive for excellence. The Government's approach to promoting sports programmes and competitions in schools goes well beyond those in the Major Games. Because sport serves a broader purpose for our youths – fostering interactions and social mixing among students and developing physical fitness and values, such as resilience and teamwork. In selecting sports for the National School Games (NSG), the Ministry of Education (MOE) therefore incorporates factors, such as its value to student development, interest levels, school participation patterns and the ecosystem's capacity, including facilities, qualified coaches and officials, and the National Sports Association's (NSA's) ability to support competitions. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and MOE will work with ready, willing and able NSAs to introduce more sports into the NSG to reflect the diverse interests of our youths.”
“We have supported NSAs in hosting international competitions, such as the 2023 World Youth Tchoukball Championship. With the Government's support, the Tchoukball Association of Singapore attained Charity status in 2024, unlocking access to the One Team Singapore Fund where the Government matches donations dollar-for-dollar. With the formation of SpexSG last month, we will work more closely with and empower NSAs to be strong stewards of their sports. The sporting landscape is always evolving and the decision on which sports feature in future Major Games rests with international and regional multi-sport governing bodies. Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise. Emerging sports today can be part of Major Games tomorrow. Floorball is one such example – through sustained effort, community interest and a committed NSA, it was included as an official medal sport at the SEA Games since 2015. The Government will continue to invest in sports that Singaporeans care about, as these are sports with the power to unite us and bring us together as a nation.”
“In selecting sports for the National School Games (NSG), the Ministry of Education (MOE) therefore incorporates factors such as its value to student development, interest levels, school participation patterns, and the ecosystem's capacity – including facilities, qualified coaches and officials, and the National Sport Association's (NSA's) ability to support competitions. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and MOE will work with ready, willing and able NSAs to introduce more sports into the NSG to reflect the diverse interests of our youths. For high-performance sport, the Government places great importance on identifying and developing athletes and has been increasing investments to help athletes compete better and longer. Developing a strong pipeline of youths in sports included in the Major Games is key to our high-performance strategy. We do this through structured youth pathways, deepening of coaching and specialist expertise, and close partnerships with NSAs to identify and nurture talent early. Just last week, we announced our largest-ever cohort of 247 spexScholars and spexPotential recipients across 41 sports. As a nation with a small population base and finite resources, we tier our support based on each sport's needs, readiness and potential contributions, with a focus on the Major Games as these are multi-sports and have the largest contingent of Team Singapore athletes, are most watched by and followed by Singaporeans and most able to rally our nation and inspire the Singapore spirit. The Government has also been investing in emerging sports. Through the Athletes' Inspire Fund, we have supported athletes in sports, such as pickleball, powerlifting, dodgeball and kickboxing.”
“This reply will also address the question filed by Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song for tomorrow's Sitting. [Please refer to "Resources for Sports that Are Not Yet Featured in Major Games But Have High Competitive Potential", Official Report, 7 May 2026, Vol 96, Issue 31, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] In answering this question, it is important for us to remind ourselves of what sport is and what sports stands for. Sports has the ability to bring people together, imbues character, and promotes teamwork. And that is why we constantly promote wider participation in sports among our youths – because it is intrinsically valuable for youth development. It nurtures better Singaporeans. Broad-based sport participation and high-performance sport are mutually reinforcing and support one another. Developing a wider interest and love for sports through a diverse range of sports expands the pipeline for high-performance sport, and means stronger community and national support for our national athletes. When Team Singapore athletes excel on the world stage, it in turn inspires our youth to take up sports and strive for excellence. The Government's approach to promoting sports programmes and competitions in schools goes well beyond those in the Major Games. Because sport serves a broader purpose for our youths – fostering interactions and social mixing among students and developing physical fitness and values, such as resilience and teamwork.”
“More than 1.78 million MyActiveSG+ members, comprising more than 42% of eligible Singaporean Citizens and Permanent Residents, claimed their SG60 ActiveSG credits. About 40% of them have used their credits at least once, most commonly for purchase of gym or pool passes, or booking of sport facilities, such as badminton courts. To encourage more Singaporeans to adopt active lifestyles, Sport Singapore (SportSG) has expanded its range of programmes to cater to an even wider segment of the population and range of interests, from pickleball and street dance programmes to Active Health programmes that promote muscle fitness, balance and nutrition planning. In addition, SportSG has also increased the ActiveSG credit offset limit for its youth and senior programmes, from a baseline of 30% to 60% and 100% respectively. This makes the programmes more affordable and encourages more regular participation.”
“Athletes can also tap on the spexBusiness Network's partners to seek entrepreneurship advice and practical assistance to set up their businesses.”
“We encourage former national athletes to contribute back to the sport ecosystem and groom the next generation of athletes. There are many ways to do so – from serving as coaches, sport administrators, sport scientists and doctors, to managing sports academies. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and SportSG do not track the number of private sport academies run by former national athletes. Private academies form part of the larger sporting ecosystem – including schools, grassroots, ActiveSG Academies and Clubs, National Sport Associations (NSAs) and private sport academies operated by individuals and businesses. Collectively, they contribute to increased community participation and talent pipeline and pathway towards our national teams. SportSG works with NSAs, private academies and clubs to expand opportunities for children and youth in our communities to play and compete. For example, under the Associate Partner Scheme, SportSG engages qualified private academies to conduct quality and affordable programmes at ActiveSG and the Ministry of Education schools' Dual-Use Scheme facilities. For both active and retired athletes who are interested in setting up private academies and clubs, Sport Excellence Singapore (SpexSG) has programmes to support their ambitions. Athlete life management consultations help athletes better understand the support they need, and where to get them, to prepare themselves for post-sporting careers. The spexEntrepreneurship programme – a collaboration with the Action Community for Entrepreneurship – provides mentorship opportunities, access to essential resources and networking opportunities with entrepreneurial individuals and communities.”
“The Overseas Humanitarian Assistance Tax Deduction Scheme (OHAS) is a pilot program where individual and corporate donors can receive 100% tax deductions for qualifying overseas cash donations made through a designated charity from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2028. Designated charities are charities that substantially benefit the community in Singapore, with enhanced governance and controls against illicit fund flows, and whose charitable objectives also support overseas emergency humanitarian causes. Entities that are not registered charities, such as the United Nations agencies, are not eligible. The Government will assess the OHAS at the end of its four-year pilot. The OHAS pilot will be evaluated based on various metrics, including uptake, its impact on giving to both local and overseas causes from Singaporeans and qualitative feedback from designated charities.”
“Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise. Emerging sports today can be part of Major Games tomorrow. Floorball is one such example – through sustained effort, community interest and a committed NSA, it was included as an official medal sport at the Southeast Asian Games since 2015. The Government will continue to invest in sports that Singaporeans care about as these are sports with the power to unite us and bring us together as a nation.”
“For high-performance sport, the Government places great importance on identifying and developing athletes and has been increasing investments to help athletes compete better and longer. Developing a strong pipeline of youths in sports included in the Major Games is key to our high-performance strategy. We do this through structured youth pathways, deepening of coaching and specialist expertise and close partnerships with NSAs to identify and nurture talent early. Just last week, we announced our largest-ever cohort of 247 spexScholars and spexPotential recipients across 41 sports. As a nation with a small population base and finite resources, we tier our support based on each sport's needs, readiness and potential contributions, with a focus on the Major Games as these are multi-sports and have the largest contingent of Team Singapore athletes, are most watched by and followed by Singaporeans, and most able to rally our nation and inspire the Singapore spirit. The Government has also been investing in emerging sports. Through the Athletes' Inspire Fund, we have supported athletes in sports, such as pickleball, powerlifting, dodgeball and kickboxing. We have supported NSAs in hosting international competitions, such as the 2023 World Youth Tchoukball Championship. With the Government's support, the Tchoukball Association of Singapore attained Charity status in 2024, unlocking access to the One Team Singapore Fund where the Government matches donations dollar-for-dollar. With the formation of SpexSG last month, we will work more closely with and empower NSAs to be strong stewards of their sports. The sporting landscape is always evolving, and the decision on which sports feature in future Major Games rests with international and regional multi-sport governing bodies.”
“In answering this question, it is important for us to remind ourselves of what sport is and what sports stands for. Sports has the ability to bring people together, imbues character and promotes teamwork. And that is why we constantly promote wider participation in sports among our youths – because it is intrinsically valuable for youth development. It nurtures better Singaporeans. Broad-based sport participation and high-performance sport are mutually reinforcing and support one another. Developing a wider interest and love for sports through a diverse range of sports expands the pipeline for high-performance sport, and means stronger community and national support for our national athletes. When Team Singapore athletes excel on the world stage, it in turn inspires our youth to take up sports and strive for excellence. The Government's approach to promoting sports programmes and competitions in schools goes well beyond those in the Major Games. Because sport serves a broader purpose for our youths – fostering interactions and social mixing among students and developing physical fitness and values, such as resilience and teamwork. In selecting sports for the National School Games (NSG), the Ministry of Education (MOE) therefore incorporates factors such as its value to student development, interest levels, school participation patterns, and the ecosystem's capacity – including facilities, qualified coaches and officials, and the National Sport Association's (NSA's) ability to support competitions. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and MOE will work with ready, willing and able NSAs to introduce more sports into the NSG to reflect the diverse interests of our youths.”
“Against such a backdrop, we take a practical and long-term view to partner with our stakeholders and invest in sports that show potential, building pathways and community participation, because we value sport and the positive benefits it brings to Singaporeans in and of itself, in addition to being ready should opportunities arise. Emerging sports today can be part of Major Games tomorrow. Floorball is one such example – through sustained effort, community interest and a committed NSA, it was included as an official medal sport at the Southeast Asian Games since 2015. The Government will continue to invest in sports that Singaporeans care about, as these are sports with the power to unite us and bring us together as a nation.”
“For high-performance sport, the Government places great importance on identifying and developing athletes and has been increasing investments to help athletes compete better and longer. Developing a strong pipeline of youths in sports included in the Major Games is key to our high-performance strategy. We do this through structured youth pathways, deepening of coaching and specialist expertise and close partnerships with NSAs to identify and nurture talent early. Just last week, we announced our largest-ever cohort of 247 spexScholars and spexPotential recipients across 41 sports. As a nation with a small population base and finite resources, we tier our support based on each sport's needs, readiness and potential contributions, with a focus on the Major Games as these are multi-sports and have the largest contingent of Team Singapore athletes, are most watched by and followed by Singaporeans, and most able to rally our nation and inspire the Singapore spirit. The Government has also been investing in emerging sports. Through the Athletes' Inspire Fund, we have supported athletes in sports, such as pickleball, powerlifting, dodgeball and kickboxing. We have supported NSAs in hosting international competitions, such as the 2023 World Youth Tchoukball Championship. With the Government's support, Tchoukball Association of Singapore (TBAS) attained Charity status in 2024, unlocking access to the One Team Singapore Fund where the Government matches donations dollar-for-dollar. With the formation of SpexSG last month, we will work more closely with and empower NSAs to be strong stewards of their sports. The sporting landscape is always evolving and the decision on which sports feature in future Major Games rests with international and regional multi-sport governing bodies.”
“In answering this question, it is important for us to remind ourselves of what sport is and what sports stands for. Sports has the ability to bring people together, imbues character and promotes teamwork. And that is why we constantly promote wider participation in sports among our youths – because it is intrinsically valuable for youth development. It nurtures better Singaporeans. Broad-based sport participation and high-performance sport are mutually reinforcing and support one another. Developing a wider interest and love for sports through a diverse range of sports expands the pipeline for high-performance sport and means stronger community and national support for our national athletes. When Team Singapore athletes excel on the world stage, it in turn inspires our youths to take up sports and strive for excellence. The Government's approach to promoting sports programmes and competitions in schools goes well beyond those in the Major Games. Because sport serves a broader purpose for our youths – fostering interactions and social mixing among students and developing physical fitness and values, such as resilience and teamwork. In selecting sports for the National School Games (NSG), the Ministry of Education (MOE) therefore incorporates factors, such as its value to student development, interest levels, school participation patterns, and the ecosystem's capacity, including facilities, qualified coaches and officials and the National Sports Associations' (NSA's) ability to support competitions. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and MOE will work with ready, willing and able NSAs to introduce more sports into the NSG to reflect the diverse interests of our youths.”
“The Kallang Group (TKG), which operates The Kallang, does not have an exclusive arrangement with any ticketing service provider (TSP). Through a fair and transparent open tender process, TKG selects a panel of TSPs for events at The Kallang. Selected TSPs are required to maintain robust systems with capabilities, such as effective queue management, bot protection, scalability and secure ticket delivery. Event hirers at The Kallang may choose any TSP from the panel. As is international standard practice, hirers have the commercial discretion to decide on the booking fee charged by the TSP, just as they do with ticket prices. For transparency, booking fees are stated on the event page and throughout the ticket purchase journey.”
“The National Arts Council (NAC) administers the Busking Scheme, which issues Letters of Endorsement (LOE) for buskers to perform at more than 90 designated locations islandwide. Currently, almost 140, or around one-third of the over 500 busking acts, book slots at these locations at least once a week. Both aspiring and renewing buskers participate in auditions where they are assessed by their fellow industry professionals on competency, expression, audience engagement and innovation. This is to ensure that they are able to deliver quality street experiences for Singaporeans. Once endorsed, buskers can access all designated locations, in line with NAC's approach of keeping the Busking Scheme inclusive and accessible. NAC engages the Busking Consultative Committee (BCC) and busking community on how standards can be collectively upheld. NAC supports buskers through platforms, such as Buskers Connect, which facilitates networking and learning from one another. NAC also partners *SCAPE to offer workshops and performance opportunities for endorsed and aspiring buskers. Additional performance opportunities at ArtsEverywhere@CDC Street Performances help buskers reach new audiences and gain broader performance experience. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth will continue to work with NAC and the broader community of stakeholders to strengthen the busking ecosystem.”
“The Presidential Council for Minority Rights (PCMR) consists of a Chairman and not more than 20 members, of which up to 10 members may be permanent members appointed for life. Permanent members are individuals of distinction, chosen from those who hold or have held high offices, including Cabinet Ministers. Non-permanent members are mature citizens who have either rendered distinguished public service or attained eminence in their fields. They may be appointed for a period of three years and are eligible for reappointment. Under Article 73 of the Constitution, a PCMR member, whether permanent or non-permanent, shall vacate his seat in the PCMR if he ceases to be a Singapore Citizen, or resigns, or becomes subject to any of the disqualifications in Article 72. For example, a person who is of unsound mind or an undischarged bankrupt is disqualified from membership of the PCMR. Cases of misconduct that result in a person being convicted of an offence and sentenced to at least one year's imprisonment or a fine of at least $10,000, would also result in that person's disqualification for membership of the PCMR.”
“This question has been addressed on 8 April 2026 in the reply to Question 19 from the Order Paper No 28.”
“In 2026, NAC also launched the Audience Development Playbook, which provides actionable insights into audience segmentation, planning and engagement, providing arts practitioners with the knowledge and skills to expand their reach. With one-third of Singapore's arts workforce comprising self-employed persons (SEPs), NAC will also introduce new programmes to help arts SEPs build entrepreneurial capabilities, strengthen their legal literacy and enhance access to legal support. We will continue to review our efforts to develop the arts ecosystem and create good jobs and opportunities in the sector.”
“Together, these initiatives combine knowledge-building with hands-on experience. During these work-based training programmes, trainees who are self-employed receive training allowances and course fee subsidies where applicable. For trainees who are required to work in the arts sector after their apprenticeships, we match them to suitable opportunities. Strong arts companies create quality employment opportunities. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and NAC support the growth of our arts companies in a broad-based and sustained manner through organisational funding schemes, such as the Major Company Scheme, and we attract private and philanthropic resources into the sector through the Cultural Matching Fund. Lastly, but not least, developing audiences is essential to sustaining demand for the arts and ensuring opportunities for arts sector workers. In 2024, NAC launched the ArtsEverywhere@CDC series with the People's Association and Community Development Councils to bring quality arts experiences to major heartland nodes. In 2025, we announced renewed efforts to cultivate audiences from young, through NAC-Arts Education Programmes which will be extended to all Government-supported preschools by 2027. This year, NAC will enhance funding under the Artist-in-School Scheme (AISS) for traditional and multicultural arts programmes. These provide immediate additional work opportunities on a sustained basis for artists. We also introduced the SG Culture Pass in 2025 to encourage Singaporeans to access local arts and cultural offerings, with the aim to engage them to continue paying for local arts productions.”
“Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts scheme provides selected artists and arts workers a weekly allowance for three years. The scheme recognises art as a public good and aims to enable creative practitioners to focus on their artistic work by lightening their financial pressures with the weekly payment. Singapore shares this objective of supporting our artists and recognising the intrinsic value of the arts. However, while Ireland's scheme is well-meaning and directly addresses artist remuneration over the three-year period, the challenges of limited fiscal resources remain. Only a limited number of artists benefit from the scheme and they might still face financial pressures and uncertainty once their funding cycle concludes. This approach, whilst providing temporary relief, may not fundamentally address the broader structural challenges facing the arts sector. Singapore seeks to support arts groups and artists through a multi-dimensional ecosystem approach – through developing workers' capabilities, strengthening arts organisations and growing demand for the arts – so that our artists will have more and better jobs in a sustained manner. To maximise employability, we introduced the Skills Framework for Arts, jointly developed by the National Arts Council (NAC) and SkillsFuture Singapore in 2023 to help practitioners understand the skills they need to acquire, build capabilities and forge career pathways. We also introduced work-based training programmes for participants to upskill while gaining industry experience and networks. These programmes include technical theatre training with Esplanade Academy, special needs teaching with Rainbow Centre Training and Consultancy and early childhood pedagogies with Singapore Drama Educators Association.”
“We also work with corporates and community groups to help newcomers studying, working and living in Singapore to familiarise themselves with Singapore's social norms and values and integrate well in our community. We are actively expanding the common space for our people to interact, bond and identify with each other. We are bringing youths to interact through inter-school sports events and multi-school teams, as well as bringing our local arts and heritage to various parts of Singapore to activate communities, through initiatives, such as ArtsEverywhere @ CDC. A cohesive society comes from building a society where different people feel that they have the opportunity, despite their diverse backgrounds and talents, to succeed in their own way. Hence, we have been stepping up various development programmes, such as mentoring, to develop our youths as well as to enhance the pathways for our young artists and athletes to develop and succeed. Finally, we create giving and volunteering opportunities for Singaporeans to care for one another so we can build stronger bonds, deeper trust and a greater sense of ownership. One example is the Community Foundation of Singapore's Collective for a Stronger Society, which brings together philanthropists, non-profits and Government agencies to support programmes that offer holistic support in education, employment, health and social assistance to lower-income families. It takes the collective efforts of a whole nation to stem the tide of rising social insularity and build a "We First" society. We welcome more ideas and partnerships as we continue with our multi-pronged approach to build a more cohesive society.”
“The recent 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer highlighted that economic anxieties, such as job security and cost-of-living, are drivers of rising social insularity. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) does not have a local study that has identified economic anxieties as the drivers of social insularity or measures the relationship between such drivers and social insularity. Nonetheless, the Government recognises the importance of tackling cost pressures and job anxiety and is taking active steps to refresh our strategies and strengthen our social compact. The Government has convened the Economic Strategy Review to chart our forward-looking economic blueprint to drive growth and create good jobs for Singaporeans. We are doing more to build resilience and skills of our workforce to support lifelong learning for all Singaporeans. The Government has helped Singaporeans manage cost pressures through broad-based support, such as the Cost-of-Living Special Payment, U-Save rebates and CDC vouchers. Initiatives, such as Jobs Nearby @ CDC, also directly support Singaporeans in their job search and address job anxiety. Strengthening social cohesion requires sustained efforts across multiple fronts. How cohesive our society is depends very much on how much people identify with one another, the strength of person-to-person relationships and the extent of involvement of citizens in community building. MCCY works together with agencies across the public service, as well as stakeholders in the people and private sectors to strengthen our shared values as a nation. For instance, we partner various stakeholders to promote interfaith dialogues and also to strengthen racial and religious harmony.”
“Schools also work very closely with community partners and Government agencies, such as the Ministry of Social and Family Development's ComLink+, self-help groups, social service agencies to provide some of these upstream wraparound support for the at-risk students. I am sure the Member, being a very good grassroots advisor, would also have some of these programmes for at-risk youths in her constituency, as I do have in Tampines as well. There is a huge network of youth and social support programmes, but in broad, MOE focuses also on that wraparound support for our students, to make sure they have a holistic and also very importantly, a good home care environment, to prevent them from dropping out of school. To the Member's question about tracking outcomes, today, MOE tracks outcomes of students. But once they are not in the school education system anymore, we do not track those further. But as part of our manpower statistics, as part of what SkillsFuture Singapore and Workforce Singapore are doing, we do have some of the other indicators. As a whole, I think what we do want to do is to make use of a combination of these indicators to make sure that we have all the appropriate programmes to help all Singaporeans continue to upgrade in life.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. And indeed, it is our goal to make sure that all Singaporeans, all students have good pathways through life. Ms Yeo spoke about early upstream intervention. Yes, indeed, we do early upstream intervention. We do it in schools. What we want to do is to strengthen at-risk students' engagement and a sense of certain connectedness to the school. In fact, once any of our students show any signs of disengagement, they are individually tracked and they are supported. Form teachers and school counsellors reach out to our students to understand and to address any of these challenges. A lot of this, like the Member pointed out, could be issues at home and otherwise. And every effort is made to counsel and to dissuade these at-risk students from dropping out of school, including engaging their parents to provide a more holistic support. Also, to strengthen at-risk students' motivation and a sense of connectedness to school, the Ministry of Education (MOE) also provides resources and guidance for schools to create a supportive school environment and also, provide a conducive after-school support for the students. This is usually done in collaboration with many community partners. Depending on their needs, students are also referred to school-based programmes where they can be engaged through befriending or mentoring by community partners and volunteers, as well as interest-based activities that build peer support and relationships, which can help improve their social emotional connectedness.”
“Sir, it is our goal for all Singaporeans to have education, training or reintegration pathways through life, regardless of when or how they left school. And those who wish to continue their education may approach the school in which they were last enrolled. Alternatively, they can approach the Ministry of Education's Education and Career Guidance Centre for advice and guidance on suitable educational pathways. If they are assessed to be age-appropriate for re-admission, they can be enrolled at a secondary school. The receiving schools may assess these students and provide bridging programmes to smoothen their transition back into mainstream education. While for students who prefer other education and training options, there are also alternative pathways. So, students with minimal academic qualifications can consider the Institute of Technical Education General Education programme, which allows adult learners to obtain their GCE "N" or "O" Levels. This, in turn, then allows them to subsequently enrol in Higher Nitec and Diploma programmes in our institutes of higher learning. SkillsFuture Singapore also provides subsidies for a wide range of industry-relevant training programmes to meet the upskilling needs of Singaporeans throughout their careers, regardless of their education or academic qualifications.”
“We receive such feedback occasionally. The names of our public holidays are well-established and understood. Nonetheless, some in the community do choose to use different terms, depending on the purpose, context and audience. We encourage all to make such greetings in the spirit of respect and inclusivity.”
“Sport Singapore renovates its ActiveSG facilities from time to time to ensure that they are well-maintained and aligned with residents' needs. SportSG will inform residents of any facility closures in advance via the ActiveSG website and physical notices at ActiveSG facilities. The notices will also share information on alternative nearby locations, such as ActiveSG Sport Centres, Sport-in-Precinct facilities and Dual-Use Scheme facilities. To minimise impact on users, organised groups and class instructors are engaged early on displacement plans, such as to other ActiveSG locations. SportSG will also avoid doing renovation works in multiple nearby ActiveSG facilities at the same time.”
“The SG Heritage Business Scheme, administered by the National Heritage Board (NHB), provides designated heritage businesses with support in brand visibility, publicity and marketing. They receive special branding markers and a marketing toolkit to help them brand themselves as an SG Heritage Business. Designated heritage businesses may also tap on NHB's Organisation Transformation Grant to support transformative and innovative projects that contribute to their sustainability and long-term viability. Some examples of the digital projects supported by the OTG include (a) the development of an Augmented Reality application by SG Heritage Business Pek Sin Choon to help the business' Chinese-speaking staff cater to English-speaking customers; and (b) the development of an online game for custom kebaya dolls made by kebaya maker, Ratianah Tahir, to foster appreciation and interest in this heritage dress among children. Additionally, heritage businesses may also tap on grants, such as Enterprise Singapore's Productivity Solutions Grant, Enterprise Development Grant and Market Readiness Assistance Grant, to transform, adopt digital solutions and expand their presence locally and internationally. In the coming months – in respect to the SG Heritage Business Scheme – NHB is looking to (a) develop a promotional campaign on NHB's channels; (b) develop an online register of designated businesses, which can be used to promote the businesses to local and international audiences; and (c) identify industry partners who are keen to collaborate and partner with these heritage businesses.”
“To further broaden the reach and impact of the SG Culture Pass and to encourage Singaporeans to engage more deeply with Singapore literature, or Sing Lit for short, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) has expanded the Culture Pass scheme to include local literary works from 1 March 2026. Since 1 March, Singaporeans have been able to use their SG Culture Pass credits to purchase physical books from participating bookstores across the island. Eligible titles include fiction, poetry, plays and literary short essays in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, authored by a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident at the point of publication. MCCY will take into account the response and feedback from this first phase in considering other literary works that could be purchased with Culture Pass credits in the future. There are currently no plans to introduce a separate credit scheme to encourage the purchase of Sing Lit books, as this can already be done with Culture Pass credits. MCCY and NAC will continue to support and invest in the broader literary ecosystem, which includes nurturing Singaporean literary practitioners through capacity building programmes and growing audiences for Sing Lit at major literary events, such as the Singapore Writers Festival.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. Well, we will certainly be very keen to study as well as pilot possible programmes after dark, whether it is in our museums or otherwise, and certainly NYC will have a big role to play in this. I also want to assure the Member that this is something that we are continually looking at. So, instead of after dark, NYC has also done programmes overnight. They have brought youths to stay overnight at the National Museum of Singapore, the National Gallery of Singapore and Changi Airport. So, the short answer is yes, we are open to studying and considering it, especially in the context that we have an existential problem, maybe this will help bring up our total fertility rate.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. I was under the impression that his original suggestion was meant for seniors, which is why the reply was that actually, for seniors, they require quite different machines. They require machines that ideally have pneumatic weights so that they can be increased at small increments, as opposed to the standard kind of weight machines that we have, and therefore, the HUR machines that are available at the majority of our Senior Care Centres. When it comes to general weight training for Singaporeans, with SportSG as well as the private gym landscape in Singapore taken together, I think Singaporeans have a lot of different possibilities and accesses to whether it is gym weight machines or otherwise. To the specific suggestion about weight machines and our constituencies as well as HDB fitness corners and all that, that is something that we have provision for in some areas. It is also something we are looking at. For example, there is a trial in Woodlands, if I am not wrong, where we are also looking at adjustable weights for outdoor machines. These are all things we are looking at and when we have sufficient data and confidence that some of these things work well in an outdoor setting, we will proceed to roll them out.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. Well, like SportSG, I think we adopt a very practical lens to this. So, as I said in my speech, it comes down to whether the location is suitable, meets the specifications. If it comes to having to do a lot of mitigation just to make it work, then we have to ask ourselves whether this is the best use of Government funds. So, I think that will be it.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his questions. In sizing up the support for the NSAs, we work quite closely with all the NSAs to understand what their needs and requests are. It is our assessment that we should be okay. Our approach to supporting the NSAs is always one whereby we want to make the NSAs better. A lot of the initiatives that I mentioned in my speech, about seconding people to the NSAs and all that, it is about building up their capability. Beyond that, we also get our NSAs to work together, to share best practices. For example, one of our NSAs has had good success in digitalising their operations and we are getting them to share that across the NSAs. So, the approach really is about making them better and also working very closely to understand their demands. My assessment is that we should have enough resources to support them. 6.00 pm”
“Sir, I will address the first two clarifications and Senior Minister of State Low will address the third one. On the first question about Athlete Life Management beyond carding, Sir, it has always been our approach that we will meet our athletes where they are. It is our commitment to support our Team Singapore athletes as best as we can. In instances where they require athlete life services or other services after they cease being carded, it is not a problem. They can just step forward. It is a tight community, we all know each other and we will be happy to support them. On the second question about the DSA criteria, whether MCCY can help the NSAs work more closely with MOE – when I meet up with all the NSA presidents and vice presidents, my commitment to all the NSAs is that MCCY will be the Government conduit. We will help them navigate any and all difficulties or issues that they encounter with any Government agency. That is our commitment to the NSAs. When it comes to specifically DSA with MOE, likewise, we will do that for them as well.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his clarifications. From 1 April, the company limited by guarantee called SpexSG will be in effect. Because the entities are currently present, we anticipate it will take some time for them to come together. To be fair, a lot of the things that I said we will be doing are already work-in-progress. It is things that have already been going on. But we do expect to take the better of the next year or two before we can fully reap a lot of the benefits of the consolidation that I talked about earlier.”
“To help Singaporeans benefit from the SG Culture Pass, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) has partnered social and community agencies that work directly with groups that could face barriers to access. Through our partnership with the Agency for Integrated Care, MCCY has organised outings with Active Ageing Centres (AACs) for seniors to attend Culture Pass eligible arts and heritage events. We work with AACs to curate suitable events, arrange transport and logistics, and assist seniors with ticket purchases using their Culture Pass credits. For seniors with mobility challenges in nursing homes, we arrange for eligible programmes to be conducted onsite. MCCY works closely with People's Association to reach communities through their Resident Networks and Community Centres, organising outings to help Singaporeans utilise their Culture Pass credits. We will bring more Culture Pass eligible events to the heartlands so that Singaporeans can access them easily. The WeCare Arts Experience (WCAE) fund has also been expanded to include Culture Pass eligible programmes. This means that Social Service Agencies and grassroots organisations can apply for the WCAE to defray transport and other logistics costs, so that their beneficiaries (including low-income families and seniors) can more conveniently access and participate in the programmes offered by the Culture Pass. MCCY will continue to partner social and community agencies so that even more Singaporeans can enjoy our local arts and heritage through the SG Culture Pass.”
“The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the National Arts Council continually review our strategies and support for the literary arts and Singapore Literature (Sing Lit) so that our writers are nurtured, and the impact of their work can be felt in Singaporeans' daily lives. We also regularly study and learn from the strategies of other nations. We note that views on the Fixed Book Price scheme are mixed. Some claim that it has reduced deep discounting practices while others have cautioned that it limits consumers' ability to benefit from price competition, and that similar objectives could potentially be achieved through more targeted support measures, such as grants or direct subsidies. As Singapore is an open and highly digitalised market, readers also buy books through international e-commerce and parallel channels. A Fixed Book Price scheme may also impact the affordability and accessibility of Sing Lit to local readers, particularly lower-income Singaporeans. Therefore, instead of setting a minimum price, MCCY has expanded the SG Culture Pass scheme to include local literary works from 1 March 2026. This will help promote Sing Lit to more citizens.”