David Ong
Singapore
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. A few supplementary questions: first, how effective is the HDB's current mediation framework in helping to resolve such disputes between co-tenants, because I do see quite frequent cases of co-tenants having disputes and having difficulties coping?”
“Two supplementary questions. A high rental cost has always been a point of contention between the event organisers and Sports Hub Pte Ltd. What more can be done by the Ministry to make this public-private partnership (PPP) work, to better align public service needs as well as private sector ones?”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Minister whether he can look into having a hawker centre in Bukit Batok because we do need one and I think without the hawker centre, the only place that people go for food is that food centre that is now being sold for $31 million.”
“Madam, I would like to thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have three supplementary questions. With the sizeable complaints of recent DBSS projects arising from an apparent mismatch of expectations, poor workmanship and accountability, can I ask the Minister of State on the roles which should be played in overseeing the DBSS sche…”
“Madam, some quick supplementary questions for the Minister. The Sports Hub is touted to be the centrepiece of the SEA Games, so, I would like to ask about the status of the hybrid Desso pitch that was much talked about and whether it could stand the robust tests during the SEA Games.”
“Thank you, Madam. I spoke quite passionately about Haw Par Villa a while ago and I know that it has got a very strong historical as well as cultural merit, and is worth preserving.”
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“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. A few supplementary questions: first, how effective is the HDB's current mediation framework in helping to resolve such disputes between co-tenants, because I do see quite frequent cases of co-tenants having disputes and having difficulties coping? The next question is: some of the flats under JSS are currently occupied by only one tenant instead of two. What actions is HDB taking to ensure that such flats are prudently and optimally rented out? My last question: although there is now the option of a rental flat with a partition, will HDB consider other rental flat options for singles, so as to reduce such conflicts of strangers living together? Perhaps, more of such schemes can be expanded to give more privacy to singles – maybe a single unit with shared toilets and cluster living options.”
“Two supplementary questions. A high rental cost has always been a point of contention between the event organisers and Sports Hub Pte Ltd. What more can be done by the Ministry to make this public-private partnership (PPP) work, to better align public service needs as well as private sector ones? The second question is: although it is still early days, what kind of engagement does the Ministry have with Sports Hub Pte Ltd and will it review the current PPP arrangement with Sports Hub, especially for national icons, such as the National Stadium?”
“For this particular resident of mine, I give her patience and a listening ear, keep working with the volunteer welfare organisation (VWO), the police and her neighbours. And over four years of trial and error, I have figured out a way to keep her steady – for another week. But Mdm Speaker, her life cannot be lived band-aided from week to week. Mdm Speaker, I started my speech by pointing out that "stupid policies" are not the domain of any one particular country. The Singapore Story is one of continuous experimentation, to test what works and to look at data without an ideological lens. This is our national signature. The Singapore Story at its birth was one of uncertainty and grim determination, of tight belts and hungry bellies. Today, we write the Singapore Story from what appears to be a position of strength. But we are a chain of people, as strong as the weakest among us. Even as we develop "faster legs and wiser minds", we are as weak as our fastest runner, as strong as the single mother, the mentally-ill. Whether rich or poor, Singapore is strong only if we stand together, strong only when no one stands at the margins, when we leave no one behind. This is our new Singapore Story, one which all of us must be proud to write. Mdm Speaker, I support the motion.”
“But building a society for all is not the job of the Government – it is yours, and mine. The President said, "Ours should be a society where the bonds of kinship run deep and people look out for one another. A society where we extend our concern for immediate families and friends to the broader community. A society consisting of generous hearts that treat one another with warmth and dignity." These are not matters of policy or of budget. These are moral choices we make as individuals. This is a choice especially true for the mentally ill. There are a few things we can and should do. First, the mental health stigma remains strong in Singapore. We need to address this with more mental health awareness and understanding to build an emotionally resilient and supportive society. There is a need for increased resource allocation to continue the development of services and infrastructure to ensure that we have sufficient capacity and capability to cater to the increasing mental health needs in Singapore. This would also include better understanding the mental health needs of vulnerable populations as well, for those with disabilities, persons from disadvantaged backgrounds, and catering adequately for their unique needs. Last, in terms of human resource, there needs to be a commitment to ensure there are sufficient psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals who cater to persons with mental health problems. Mdm Speaker, I am sure that there are other Members of Parliament on both sides of this House who have experienced what I have with regards to residents who are mentally ill. We want to help but a long-term sustained solution is needed, and if I may add, a professional one. I am not a counsellor, and I do not know what a medical condition requires.”
“We need to cast a wider net to find promising individuals and team sportsmen who can potentially win medals for Singapore, not just at the Olympics, but also the Asian Games. Can we have an NS Scheme for our elite sportsmen that allows these elite athletes in their prime to bring glory to Singapore on the world stage and serve their NS obligations later? Mdm Speaker, thus far, I have spoken about exceptions. Whether you are termed as a single unwed mother or an Olympian athlete, you are exceptional to the policymaker because you do not fit policy rules. Here is a third class of exceptions. Since I have been a Member, I have had a resident who has come to see me every week during my Meet-the-People Session. She is in her 40s and divorced. She looks perfectly well, but her family left her, she cannot hold a job, she cannot take care of herself, and yet, she has no one else. She insists on seeing me first, even though there is a queue of people in front of her. When she does not get her way, she will throw a tantrum. Neighbours have problems with her too, contributing to both her and her neighbours' woes. Madam, she has mental difficulties and I want to help her. As a fellow Singaporean, she deserves a place at the table too. Mental health as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) refers to "a state of well-being" and "not just the absence of mental disorder". It was previously estimated by WHO that about 450 million people have a mental problem. Madam, I will speak more about this during the Budget debate, but for now, I would like to focus on what the President has said of "fostering a caring society that is sustainable over the long term." Welfare spending will have to be judicious; it cannot be a blank cheque, nor a dishonoured one.”
“We should do more to change the mindsets of employers and colleagues, and to enable and motivate companies to restructure their workplace to enhance the productivity of our senior workers. We can do more to entrench a fair and just re-employment framework, continue to narrow the gap of their employer's CPF contribution so as to enable them to embrace a productive and fulfilling ageing. Another assumption relevant to our Singapore society is that if you supply the option for 18-year-olds to devote themselves to sports, and to defer their National Service, there will be a floodgate of higher physical adult young men clamouring for this privilege. This assumption ignores the fact that these are young men who are willing to spend many hours a day training in their sports, enduring injuries and pain, and with that special talent, the necessary financial and mental resources to enable them to do this throughout their growing up years. Madam, when I first raised a Parliamentary Question on this issue of deferment of National Service (NS) for male athletes in 2013, the Minister for Defence replied that deferment may be granted in exceptional circumstance to sportsmen who are assessed to be potential medal winners and bring national pride for our country. Minister Tan Chuan-Jin, the SNOC's President, has said he would wish to "push the boundaries" with MINDEF to see how they can collectively take a step towards including more promising athletes into the band for consideration. How can we help spur more promising and deserving athletes to reach their full potential, to be considered? Right now, only two young men have obtained deferment – Joseph Schooling, at 21 this year, and probably in good stead for another two more Olympics; and Quah Ting Wen, at 19, is another.”
“And third, some may assume that the benefit differentials are enough to outweigh their desire to separate from their abusive husbands, husbands to-be, or to reconcile irreconcilable differences. If we treat single mothers differently from divorced, widowed or married mothers, such a policy might be premised on the basis that the above assumptions were true. But social spending need not increase deviant behaviour. And we could, and should, treat single mothers as mothers, rather than singles. If our assumptions are false, I call on the Minister to consider making available to all mothers the same benefit across the board. Unwed mothers have half the maternity leave entitlements, do not get perks such as the Baby Bonus cash gift and the Parenthood Tax Rebates. They cannot have access to BTO flats or the ASSIST housing scheme and must also wait until they are 35 years old to buy a flat under the singles scheme. They are currently marginalised under our schemes, and more could be done to assist them in their time of need, especially if there are little or no grounds to differentiate them from other mothers. Madam, I would like to touch on our older workers. Our older workers are often perceived to be less productive, set in their ways, less healthy and cost more. Thus, we make them cheaper so that they can be more employable. Senior workers who put in the same amount of effort and time at work as everyone else, generating similar output, but receive less in their employer's CPF contributions or have their benefits and wages reduced at the point of re-employment. Why should older workers be discriminated in terms of their age, and see them more as a cost and liability, instead of seeing them as assets with experience and loyalty?”
“In Minnesota, which is a high-benefit state, officials have claimed that "busloads of individuals in Chicago would travel monthly to their state, which is about 800 kilometres away, to collect their welfare checks, only to return for the duration of the month." This picture appears probable. But the reality, however, is quite different. Research found that few recipients moved between states, and when they did do so, it was not a result of benefit levels. Poor people move, of course, but it is largely for the same reasons as rich people. They move for job opportunities, family reasons, or a fresh start in life. The writer said: "Much of the myth of welfare migration is premised upon several questionable assumptions. First, it assumes that the poor are rational calculators who make cost/benefit lifestyle decisions. Second, it assumes they have knowledge about different welfare benefit levels. Third, the benefit differences are enough to outweigh the costs of travel." He lists other assumptions which are questionable. Overall, the reality of migration is that it is the more affluent who move and who are mobile. Wrong assumptions are easy mistakes to make – it is wrong to assume that people would make socially deviant decisions once welfare benefits are made available to them. These may be the same assumptions that may lead a policy of differential benefits for single mothers. For example, we could assume that single mothers are rational calculators who will compute the cost and benefits of a divorce. Calculations that, say, just because they are eligible for the Jubilee Marriage and Parenthood Package, these women will stay married. Second, some may assume that the single mothers have knowledge about these differences in welfare levels.”
“Mdm Speaker, the President calls on us to write the next chapter of the Singapore story together. I fully support this call. As we are all aware, all grand narratives may include elements of hyperbole, and parts may require further interpretation. In the telling, we allow ourselves some artistic licence. Members who have spoken before me have painted vivid pictures of how we need to evolve, with "faster legs" and hearts of lions. Even as we do so, we need to be careful of the myths that have been perpetuated as part of our national narrative. We need to look at the margins of this story, and see those who have not been included in our story so far. Recently, I came across an academic paper and the title interests me – as a politician. The paper was called "Stupid Public Policies and Political Myths". The writer, David Shultz, a professor at an American university, claimed that such political myths often appear to "capture the imagination of political elites." By "stupid public policies", he means policies that are repeatedly proposed, and which do not work, and which have been proven by social science research not to work. "Political myths", he said, are ideas which "seem to circulate everywhere, often repeated or held up as true," even though there is no hard evidence to support them. One "stupid policy" he cited was the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act, which held the provision allowing states to deny higher benefits to recent migrants to their state. This was based on the idea that welfare recipients migrate to the state simply to seek higher benefits.”
“Yes, probably that specific location would be good.”
“Madam, I would like to ask the Minister whether he can look into having a hawker centre in Bukit Batok because we do need one and I think without the hawker centre, the only place that people go for food is that food centre that is now being sold for $31 million. So, I hope the Minister could work with NEA to give us a hawker centre in Bukit Batok.”
“Madam, I would like to thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have three supplementary questions. With the sizeable complaints of recent DBSS projects arising from an apparent mismatch of expectations, poor workmanship and accountability, can I ask the Minister of State on the roles which should be played in overseeing the DBSS scheme from design and construction to handing over of keys? What more can be done to ensure greater accountability of developers? With prices between private and HDB units, and the price gap between BTO and DBSS flats narrowing, what is the Ministry's direction on such premium HDB flats moving forward? Finally, on the corridor width of 1.2 metres, will this width pose safety and rescue concerns, especially for those in wheelchairs or with mobility assisted devices?”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of State what the penetration rate is like for GPs participating in CHAS in the HDB heartlands, and whether the Ministry is happy with the current state of affairs.”
“Madam, some quick supplementary questions for the Minister. The Sports Hub is touted to be the centrepiece of the SEA Games, so, I would like to ask about the status of the hybrid Desso pitch that was much talked about and whether it could stand the robust tests during the SEA Games. What are some of the marquee fringe activities and events that Singaporeans and participants can look out for? Of course, some of the events are already way over-sold. So, are there any plans to expand the capacity or even look at alternative sites so that it can accommodate more Singaporeans and participants to cheer Page: 21 Team Singapore on?”
“And also strengthening the alignment between these various parties can have a positive synergistic effect in many of the cases and disputes I have encountered so far. On that note, can I also ask what will be the role of MCSTs in condominiums if there re disputing parties that living space? Pertaining to the escalation to the Tribunal, what will be the steps and processes involved? I think the public needs to be clear about this as well. Can the Minister share with us the algorithm for a clearer picture for all to understand? Madam, this Bill is not about us setting up a list of commandments for being a good neighbhour. It is not meant to be prescriptive in that context but it is about being good citizens, good neighbours as we all strive to attain the true meaning of enjoyment of our residents and a peaceful and happy life. Also, importantly, there is a Chinese quotation that goes, "It is better for parties in dispute to settle than to hang on." Madam, there is, indeed, truth in that and we hope that we will all be able to share our common spaces, build more bridges and manage our egos. I support the Bill. 2.51 pm”
“Fourth, will CMC be getting more volunteer mediators and, if so, through what channels, bearing in mind that time is needed for training them as well? Fifth, what is the current workload of the mediators on average, and how many volunteer mediators do we have in the pool and how senior and what is the level of experience in conducting mediations independently? Will there be a higher level of training for the mediators to enhance their success rate with the passing of this Bill? After all, the quality, capability and experience of our mediators play a very important role as well. Similarly, we need to prepare the framework and SOP for the working of the Tribunal and make this very clear as well. How many cases are pending currently at CMC? When the Bill kicks in, what will happen to these cases? Will they be automatically channelled towards compulsory mediation or will they be considered null and void and a fresh application will Page: 78 have to be made? Madam, community mediation is unique and different from other forms of mediation and commercial mediations. It has to take into account values, culture, race, religion, face issues, rootedness, emotions and certainly, mindset of living in a multi-racial society. Thus, the handling by a training personnel who has sensitivity and deep understanding of these values and issues will certainly be helpful. As quite a significant number of disputes between neighbours happen in housing estates, how will CMC be working with agencies like Town Councils and the HDB? We know that the engagement and collaboration with community leaders, grassroots and volunteers group too play an important part. Are there plans for these to be made more formal?”
“Page: 77 Mdm Speaker, if I may also urge the Minister to consider speeding up more CMCs and up-sizing the training of a pool of community mediators. They must be more accessible to residents, in order to help mediate community disputes before they escalate to the Tribunal as a last resort. With that, Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill 2.46 pm Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Mdm Speaker, mediation must involve parties coming forward willingly to participate and eventually strive for a desired outcome or resolution. Over time, as a society, we seem to be having more cases that need mediation and the case mix also appears to be of a more complex nature. Thus, referrals from mediations may increase. However, the no-show rate currently by one or more of the disputing parties is still very high. It is at about 60% today. This means that there are still many unhappy parties with unresolved issues. Compulsory mediation will be useful for long-drawn recalcitrant cases with fixated mindsets over certain issues which, at times, surprisingly may be very petty in the eyes of others. The longer these cases drag on, the more entrenched they become and the chance of a successful resolution may get more remote. Education, advisories, counselling – all these do not seem to yield the much desired outcome in this area of dispute. With the passing of this Bill to make attending compulsory community mediation sessions, I have the following queries. Firstly, will the workload increase and what will be the projected figures for CMC? What is the average waiting time and how many cases can be handled every week, every month? Thirdly, will CMC be able to cope with the expected increase for mediations?”
“After the case has been moved to the regular Courts, the defendant may then abandon his counterclaim, and the plaintiff does not appear to have any way to transfer the case back to the Tribunal. In this regard, I would ask the Minister to consider including provisions for the corresponding transfer of cases from the normal Court system to the Tribunal, if and when the facts warrant it. I would also ask the Minister to consider inserting, in section 18, the possibility for a case which had been commenced in the normal Court to be transferred to the Tribunal, if the facts or claim fit within the Tribunal's jurisdiction. This would help avoid situations where a party to a neighbourly dispute, who desires to engage a lawyer to represent him, rushes to commence a case in the normal Courts, before his neighbour can initiate a case before the Tribunal. In summation, Mdm Speaker, that a law to ensure community harmony is only being tabled now is nothing short of amazing and speaks volumes about the community harmony that we have quietly enjoyed as a society over the years. We need to guard this harmony jealously. While the setting up of a Tribunal and the provisions in this Bill are designed to provide more teeth to settle complex and recalcitrant disputes, with the Tribunal given powers to impose judgement and sanctions, the Tribunal can also order both parties to go for mediation. For a quarrel amongst neighbours to be brought before a state-sanctioned arbiter is not an ideal solution, regardless the outcome, as the relationship between neighbours thereafter may have been irreparably damaged. However, it does create the possibility of a state-sanctioned solution, should all other methods fail.”
“I have but one concern about how these safeguards for lay litigants may be circumvented by parties who are bent on having a lawyer represent them, even in a neighbourly dispute. Such parties may exploit the limited jurisdiction given to the Tribunal in section 4, and the wide powers for transfer of cases from the Tribunal to the other Courts, but do not provide for corresponding transfer of cases back to the Tribunal. Section 20 provides that when a claim or counterclaim is not within the Tribunal's jurisdiction, a party to the proceedings may have the matter transferred to a normal Court, where all the rules of procedure and legal representation would apply. Given the restrictions on the Tribunal's jurisdiction, I would not be surprised if parties may be able to transfer the case out of the Tribunal by lodging a counter-claim which the Tribunal cannot deal with. Page: 76 Two examples come to mind. A defendant may claim that he was injured by unsafe conditions in the plaintiff's house, when the defendant had trespassed into the property, and thereby claim, whether with basis or not, for occupier's liability. Or two, a defendant who is a trespasser, may claim that he was injured by the plaintiff when the latter tried to evict him from the property, and lay a counterclaim for battery. In either case, the Tribunal appears to be unable to deal with the dispute and it has to be transferred to a normal Court. In these examples I have cited, the defendant may be the one wishing to have a lawyer represent him, and uses such tactics to move the case out of the Tribunal, and into the regular Court system, where the plaintiff may have inequality of arms. This is especially so if the financial strength of the parties are unequal.”
“Page: 75 Such tenants, too, deserve protection from behaviour which causes unreasonable interference to their enjoyment or use their place of residence that the co-tenant resides in. Madam, may I ask if the Minister can consider including, in the definition of "neighbour", such co-tenants in flats. This would provide a measure of protection and an avenue of dispute resolution for such aggrieved tenants. I gladly note that much effort has been put into the Bill to ensure equality of arms for parties appearing before the Tribunal. Section 29 mandates that all parties must present their own case, and only in narrow situations are another person possibly allowed to represent a party. Even more importantly, parties are not allowed to be represented by lawyers, unless all parties to the dispute agree and the Tribunal gives permission. In my view, this ensures that even if one party in the dispute has deep pockets or strong financial muscle, it would be difficult for him or her to over-awe the other side, or win the case through more skilful or persuasive presentation of a case by a trained professional. Similarly, by providing, in section 23, that the Tribunal is not bound by the rules of evidence as to what it can take into account, such a step makes it much easier for parties to present their cases in person. This is especially so if the parties have little or no understanding of the Courts, or are not familiar with how evidence should be presented in Court. Even more importantly, this section implicitly recognises the fact that Court proceedings, regardless of surroundings, are intimidating to the regular man on the street, and having more relaxed rules of procedures go a long way towards making things more comfortable for lay litigants.”
“We should guard against the development of a climate of litigation, where people resort to the court to get things done, or to have trigger-happy and vindictive residents abusing the Tribunal to punish a neighbour. In the spirit of this Bill, neighbours should use the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal as a measure of last resort, when all attempts for resolution fail. I am given to understand that the move for a Tribunal was partly prompted by the lack of success in resolving long outstanding disputes at the Community Mediation Centre. This is due to the high rate of no shows. The current no-show rate is 60% as attendance is not compulsory. As I have previously commented, the power of compulsion given to the Tribunal to ensure parties appear before the CMC for mediation should go a long way towards improving this statistic. Madam, I would like to seek clarification on section 4 subsection 4 of the Bill, which provides that a neighbour is an individual who lawfully resides in a place of residence but does not include an individual who occupies the same place of residence as the respondent. Madam, in the course of my Meet-the-People Sessions, I had encountered warring tenants living in the same flat, particularly singles sharing a flat under the Joint Singles Scheme. In many ways, they are effectively neighbours, even though they are living under the same address. In one such instance, a tenant had to avoid his co-tenant's bullying antics, by spending each night at a 24-hour fast food restaurant before returning back home to his flat in the morning to sleep. A solution is needed to provide relief to the bullied. More can be done to allow such disputes to be mediated and when all else fails, the recalcitrant tenants can be brought before the Tribunal.”
“We have all too often heard of cases where one party in a dispute is more than willing to give mediation a fair chance, but all efforts to go for mediation are hampered by the stubbornness of the opposing party, who resists all attempts to bring the matter for mediation. This is even when grassroots leaders step in to try to encourage mediation or some form of resolution. We, as a society, must not lose sight of the importance of first embracing socially responsible behaviour, adopt a give and take attitude, mutual consideration and tolerance. Neighbours must first try to negotiate and compromise when they encounter disagreements or conflicts. Even with the existence of the Tribunal, should a conflict arise, neighbours should first try and resolve them amicably. We need to have community builders like grassroots Page: 74 organisations, VWOs and residents themselves to promote good neighbourliness. Mediation should continue to be the first port of call for residents to resolve disputes. We can and should do more to promote formal and informal community mediation. What I see lacking is the accessibility of trained community mediators with the right skills and temperament to handle difficult conflicts between neighbours. More community leaders and volunteers can be roped in and trained to be mediators and be deployed on the ground to help mitigate conflicts, and prevent them from worsening. Mediation should be the bedrock of community dispute resolution so as to preserve community harmony and cohesion and making efficient use of public resources for conflict resolution.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill. Over a short 50 years, Singaporeans and definitely our pioneer generation citizens have seen the dramatic transformation of our housing landscape from kampongs to urban living. Today, some 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats. Our vertical community was designed with the common areas to promote social interaction. These common areas include void decks and common corridors. Whilst the intent of such spaces was to facilitate social interaction and cohesion among neighbours, it can also be a source of conflicts for others. Our living spaces and homes are planned with good designs for aesthetics and efficiency. However, these aspects only concern the physical infrastructure. It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home. We can have the best architects and urban planners to build our communities but it is the people who live in them that give it the spirit – the kampong spirit. As we live in close quarters to one another, sharing the same walls, ceilings and floors, it is inevitable that we are affected, sometime or another, by our neighbours' actions or their inaction. In the name of "Kampong Spirit", I am glad that in this Bill, the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal has the power, under section 30, to compel parties in dispute to first try to resolve their differences amicably through mediation, before the Tribunal commences the formal process of adjudicating the dispute. I am hopeful that the Tribunal will be generous in exercising its power under section 30, to refer cases for mediation. This compulsive power of the Tribunal gives it an important edge over other forms of community driven mediation for neighbourly disputes.”
“Thank you, Madam. I spoke quite passionately about Haw Par Villa a while ago and I know that it has got a very strong historical as well as cultural merit, and is worth preserving. So, I am going to ask the Ministry what plans the Ministry has in preserving this place and, of course, to remake Haw Par Villa to make it an exciting destination for the young and for all – not only the young but for the population at large.”
“In Korea, every South Korean man between the ages of 18-35 must serve in the military for about two years. This window of service allows their elite athletes to have no disruption to intensive training at their prime physical and mental condition. They believe that if their male athletes were to be drafted into Military Service, they could not catch up with their male counterparts from the rest of the world where there is no compulsory military service. Can MCCY work with Mindef to further enable our elite male athletes to wholeheartedly invest and develop their athletic potential at their prime? Can MCCY share with us the framework for grooming our budding talented athletes in both individual and team sports? Will the Ministry be looking at increasing collaboration with major sporting clubs around the world with opportunities for our younger budding athletes to develop and hone their skills on a bigger stage? Can MCCY update us on their engagement with various stakeholders in areas of high performance training, education and career development so that our athletes can wholeheartedly devote themselves to become exceptional sportsmen and sportswomen and bring glory to Singapore? Youths in Professional Sports”
“However, changing sporting landscape and growing competiton in the region prompted a timely call for a strategic review of the Singapore Sports School last year. We are delighted to see several of our Sports School graduands doing well in their sporting career. One such graduand is table-tennis star, Ms Isabelle Li, who caught our attention during Youth Olympics Games and has now fast becoming a world-class athlete in her own right. However, issues remain as students in the Sports School have to do a tough balancing act between studies and intense sporting regime. Now that the Sports School has been in operation for more than 10 years, I am interested to know of the outcome of the strategic review announced last year and the plans for the Sports School in the years ahead. Nurturing Exceptional Sports Talent Madam, on nurturing sports talent. Singapore is a small country. While it would help to have a large talent pool to choose from, national success in sports is not just about numbers. There were many examples of smaller countries achieving sports glory on the world stage. One key finding of such successes is what happens throughout the sportsmen's journey towards the top of their sport. This includes sound coaching knowledge, sports science, nutrition, sustained motivation, quality training pathways and appropriate competition opportunities. According to a study by the Institute of Biomedical Research and Sports Epidemiology in France, the peak age or "best" age of performance for athletes in track and field, swimming and even chess is 26.1. Thus, the years leading up to their peak are critical. Thus, for elite athletes competing at the top of their game, 18-26 years of age is often considered as the Page: 47 prime age.”
“Thank you, Madam. There are many benefits in an active sports culture. This is particularly so among our children as we not only start them early to have a healthy body and mind but, more significantly, picking up important lifeskills, such as sportsmanship, discipline, respect, tolerance and teamwork. MOE had implemented programme for active learning that expose children in Primary 1 and Primary 2 to sports and outdoor education. Our children must be given every opportunity to try out various sports and experience the fun and joy doing it. The benefits of physical activity are universal for all children, including those with disabilities. What is ActiveSG plan to encourage children with disabilities to embrace sports? The National Schools Competition is now underway and increasingly, we are seeing not just active participation from students in a wide variety of sports, but also parents who are Page: 46 growing in numbers, actively supporting their children and school. Indeed, parents form an important part of the school sports ecosystem and I look forward to ActiveSG doing more to outreach and engage parents and their children in sports. It is an excellent platform for family bonding. To achieve the goal of cultivating Singapore as a nation active in sports we need to begin with our younger Singaporeans. We need to encourage our kids to embrace sports as a lifestyle habit and foster a lifelong interest in sport. What will ActiveSG be doing to complement the school sports ecosystem to achieve this? Sports School Review The Singapore Sports School was opened in 2004 with a vision to make Singapore a sporting nation.”
“Also, in light of SG50, I would like to ask the Ministry what is being done to preserve and celebrate our heritage throughout Singapore, such as our heritage sites and national monuments.”
“Mdm Chair, it is not uncommon for Singaporeans, who had returned after several years away, to lament that Singapore has changed, with some of the old familiar buildings gone and that they cannot help but feel a sense of loss of their roots. During our growing years, many of us would have fond memories of family outings spent at some of these iconic places with tremendous heritage significance. Take a look at our photo albums and it will show up black and white or colour-faded photos of our younger selves in places like Botanic Gardens, Singapore National Theatre, Van Kleef Aquarium or Haw Par Villa, and, of course, the National Museum. Page: 34 For many countries, museums formed part of their cultural heritage but museums are not the end all and be all of a country's cultural identity. Apart from the tangibles such as physical structures, the intangibles include tradition, culture, cuisines and customs are important and need preserving. Haw Par Villa is one such example. In its heydays, Haw Par Villa is a sprawling iconic theme park. All of us can easily recall the infamous 10 courts of hell as parents would make this a must-stop place to expose their children to a quick graphic lesson on morality. Haw Par Villa is divided into several sections with thousands of figurines portraying stories and events on famous Chinese mythology, Confucius stories, folklore and legends. Today, the place is a little run down and low in visitorship. But Haw Par Villa has its own historical and cultural charm and is definitely worth preserving. I would like to ask the Ministry what plans it has to preserve and to re-make Haw Par Villa.”
“With the coming SEA Games, I just want to ask the Ministry how extensively will the free-to-air channels be deployed to bring the Games closer to the people.”
“Multi-layers of communication platforms were used, Page: 39 including the engagement of a host of stakeholders on the ground, such as grassroots organisations, hospitals, clinics and the staging of PGP Carnivals at heartland malls. Apart from the PGP, there are other policies, such as CPF, MediShield Life, SkillsFuture, that will need a public communication boost. Some of these can be more complex and emotive. With the diverse target audience more exposed, educated and discerning, what capabilities will MCI be building so that it can continue to better explain the rationale behind policies and to gain the public's understanding and support for Government programmes? PSB Content on Vernacular Channels”
“Thank you, Madam. Mdm Chair, Public Service Broadcast (PSB) programmes serve national and social objectives. Yet, at the same time, PSB has to do well in terms of viewership and public satisfaction of its programmes in a very crowded and highly competitive media space. Media consumption, particularly amongst our young, is constantly changing and will continue to evolve rapidly with new media technology and the ease of Internet access to a host of programmes from all over the world across a wide variety of mobile platforms. Whilst the recent achievement of PSB is commendable with Singapore-made TV content winning international awards, such as the factual entertainment series, "Very's Chasing Happiness" and the "Great Elephant Gathering", how can the Ministry further support and collaborate with media companies locally and regionally to sustain and enhance a healthy, vibrant public service broadcasting sector? What are the Government's plans to ensure that PSB programmes continue to be of high quality, appealing and relevant for our population? What can the Ministry do to improve its publicity and outreach to Singaporeans, especially the young and IT-savvy? Public Communication Madam, my second cut. The Government went on an overdrive in its public communication efforts to reach out and explain the benefits of the PGP to over 450,000 seniors, as well as their caregivers and families. I want to commend MCI's efforts in the way this Government initiative is explained and communicated. Its messaging is down-to-earth, yet fun and easy to understand.”
“Mdm Chairman, as a boy, I frequented the Queenstown Community Library as it was a short walk from my home. It was the Republic's first full-time branch with basic and functional design. Our then Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, highlighted that the Queenstown Library not only provided access to books which few could afford but because it also served as a "sanctuary of peace and quiet where concentration is Page: 28 possible". Since then, our libraries have evolved. The boutique Library@Orchard, for example, has impressed many with its modern, chic and cosy spaces. It is built with the user in mind. The library has four clusters for Music, Dance, Theatre and Film. This supports creativity, learning and entertainment. The Library@Orchard also facilitates community spaces where Arts can be brought to the public, as well as a cavern for peace and sanctuary for the individual user. I would like to ask the Ministry whether Singaporeans could look forward to more of such libraries being introduced to our heartlands. Apart from new libraries, will our older libraries in the heartlands be upgraded to incorporate such innovative designs and concepts? National Translation Committee”
“Sir, the infocomm industry is an important sector and a vital sector in our quest for a knowledge-based economy. The goal of the 2050 Infocomm Masterplan is to make Singapore a Smart Nation. We would be one of the first to tap the potential of Infocomm Media (ICM). This sector's revenue in six short years more than doubled from more than $64 billion in 2007 to more than $140 billion in 2013. This is a niche industry that we can excel and do well in. For this sector to continue growing, it needs to have vital manpower skills set and adequate human resource to support it. With the increasing digitalisation of our living spaces and our dependence on the Internet, coding and computational thinking are essential and important skills to have. I would like to ask the Ministry, what is being done to generate an early interest in ICM among our school children? As one of the focus areas of the Infocomm Media Masterplan effort is to strengthen the capabilities of the media manpower what strategies are being put in place to develop and nurture a media talent pipeline to support the Media Masterplan? What are the plans to help those already in this industry upgrade and upskill? Are there any success stories that may serve as inspiration to others? Page: 160 Support Local Cultural Goods”
“Thank you, Madam for indulging. I come across many people who have got very deep work experience, many years of experience. But in terms of skills, they have a problem using their skills because they have fallen short of the academic qualification to go into a Polytechnic. I wanted to check whether MOM can work with MOE to see whether we Page: 137 could have accreditation for relevant experience and have them to be able to qualify to do a course in diploma or a course in university based on their experience and from the related field they are in.”
“I would like to ask the Ministry what the report card is like on WorkPro so far. What can be done to encourage our older workers to invest in themselves and to adopt a lifelong passion for learning?”
“Mdm Chair, the Government does encourage companies to hire older workers with schemes, such as the Temporary and Special Employment Credits and WorkPro. However, many employers still shun hiring workers 50 years and above or, at best, under-employ them at a reduced pay and benefits. We often hear of older employees being told that their work is no longer up to par or that their skills no longer match the job. As such, it is not uncommon to see older employees being nudged closer towards the exit door. Interestingly, often bosses realise that it will take Page: 96 two or three new hires to replace the older and more experienced worker. Yes, it is a subtle prejudice, but it is a reality. Somehow, we accepted this myth and stereotypes about older workers, that those above 50 are slow to change, not tech-savvy, less energetic and less innovative. As such, employers would think it is a bad return on investment to develop the career of someone who is 55. Indeed, with the first cohorts of our Baby Boomers marching into their mid-60s, it is time for us to embrace a mindset and attitude change in the way we value our seniors and older workers. Workers of any age must feel valued and respected. Our Civil Service is one of the largest employers and I hope that they can take the lead in sending the right signal. HR policies on employment, re-employment, retirement and disbarment policies must support our older workers. Instead of retiring our military and police officers early, we can adopt an age-inclusive approach in continuing to develop our army and police regulars into a highly relevant and productive force beyond their retirement age. The intent of WorkPro is meaningful. The challenges, as in any scheme, are outreach, buy-in and outcomes.”
“Mdm Chair, CPF remains the key pillar for our social security systems in retirement. However, changing demography contributed to a widening gap between retirement and life expectancy. The early intent of the CPF system is to help Singaporeans own their homes and now 90% do. However the unintended outcome is one of constrained retirement adequacy with low cash balances. Retirement adequacy ranks highly in the minds of Singaporeans. Some Singaporeans may have difficulties meeting their mortgage payment when they reach 55 as their CPF monies will be consolidated into the Retirement Account. About half cannot meet this CPF Minimum Sum still due to home ownership, paying for their medical fees, their children's education as well as investment. We have to tackle CPF adequacy problem further upstream and work remains the most effective way of building one's CPF savings. Although, I am heartened with the full restoration of CPF contribution of our matured workers aged 55 to 60, I do like to nudge the Government to do more for our older workers aged above 55. Even after factoring the CPF increases, older workers above 55 to 60 still see an 11% gap whilst those in the above 60 to 65 age band see a wider variance of 20.5% when compared to their younger colleagues. Those aged above 65 should not be ignored, as job participation rate for this group has been encouraging and set to expand in lieu of our fast ageing population. In this regard, can the Ministry also look at enhancing CPF contribution for these older workers, who will receive 24.5% less in CPF, compared with their younger "mature" colleagues? CPF for Freelance and Part-time Workers”
“Mdm Chair, many of us here in Singapore may not be very familiar with the goings-on nor the growing significance of the northern polar region. However, developments in the Arctic, thousands of miles away, can have profound impact on us here in Singapore. The impact of climate change in the Arctic is attributed to extreme weather, such as the longer than usual dry spells and massive rainfall in Singapore. As ice caps are melting irreversibly, scientists predicted that the sea level is set to rise in Singapore by close to a metre by the end of the century. This will erode our coastal borders and land mass. The development of the Arctic Shipping routes and some term it as the next "Silk Route" – is able to connect the Atlantic with the Pacific. Whilst the transpolar sea and the northwest passage posed navigational challenges due to thick multilayer ice, harsh weather and complex straits for now, the Arctic shipping routes, however, remain a real possibility. With melting ice sheets and better ships, such as the Double Acting ships and stronger ice breaker freighters, the opening of these sea routes would have profound impact on our trade, shipping and port industry. What is the Ministry's political assessment of the developments in the Arctic? How can Singapore's role as a permanent observer in the Arctic Council help deepen its diplomatic ties with nations in the Arctic and further represent Singapore's interests?”
“While it is important to work out the domestic concerns and introduce measures to uplift our citizens and improve our living conditions, we must always cast an eye out internationally, to make sure the shifting fortunes do not eventually affect us. We must remain prudent, spend in a sustainable way and continue to strengthen our future revenues. With this, I support the Budget. 5.24 pm”
“It will go against the spirit and intent of this meaningful scheme if children take a step back, reduce or stop their support for their elderly parents because, now, they can have help from the Silver Support Scheme. Budget 2015 saw an $11 billion rise in expenditure compared with the previous year and will set to increase in the medium and long term. As we have heard from the Budget debate thus far, several ideas were thrown up and the gaps identified by Members of this House. These require more Government spending. With future pressure to impute inflation into these schemes, the Government will need to draw on more revenue to sustain them. We are in a fortunate position to tap on the Net Investment Returns Framework to help balance our Budgets, but we cannot take it for granted that these returns will be constant and bottomless. Singapore should never be in a position, like some of the oil-producing countries today, who had committed huge long-term social spending and subsidies when life was good and oil prices were high. The relentless collapse in oil prices over the past several months have shocked many economies, such as Russia, whose national budget revenue depended heavily on the energy sector. Hard choices and drastic economic measures will have to be undertaken to prevent the state deficit from running out of control. Madam, the smallness of Singapore is an oft-repeated fact. While the strength of the Singapore dollar had grown in the last few years, the minuteness of our economy in the ocean of the global economy is not an exaggerated fact.”
“Can the Silver Support Scheme payout be made more flexible, given that financially-strapped seniors will have a need for more cash-in-hand to help them cope with their monthly expenses? I understand that the scheme will take some time to implement and, thus, provisions and qualification criteria for the Silver Support Scheme are thin on details. I hope this scheme may not be cumbersome to the people who need it and that those who need it are not denied. We have done well in communicating the Pioneer Generation Package to our Pioneers. Let us draw on our past learning so that qualification for the scheme is made seamless and payouts are made in a timely and efficient manner. Mdm Speaker, I would like to caution on using household data as proxy in deciding qualifications to Government schemes, such as Silver Support and the GST Vouchers. I refer, in particular, to the Annual Value (AV) of their residence. Take, for instance, a residential unit in a private condominium may have breached the AV of $21,000 but have three generations staying under one roof. On paper, they are well-off and, thus, do not qualify for any of the social schemes but are, in fact, struggling. The elderly folks who live with their children have no property to their names and are near barren in retirement savings and receive little or no allowance from their children. Hence, family structure needs to be considered, as families with more young and elderly dependants would need more help than a smaller family. If they have sick elderly or special needs members, they would face even more challenges. These are families with mitigating circumstances that need help but are denied by the determining qualifying criteria. Page: 108 The Silver Support Scheme represents strong family values of care and support.”
“Incentives should be given to help companies re-engineer their workplace and to make our mature workers more productive and for an age-friendly working environment. Older workers can now tap on the SkillsFuture credits to take on a new skill or for self-improvement. I am glad that there is no expiry date as this reinforces lifelong learning regardless of age. The challenge lies in the outreach and engagement of our seniors so that they can gain easy access to such courses. SkillsFuture would go a long way in boosting the strength of our workforce, but would end up as a white-elephant if the majority of our Page: 107 citizenry are not aware of the courses, or find it difficult to access them. Some may not utilise the credits due to a lack of time or are not motivated to invest in themselves. For SMEs and those not in the workforce, perhaps the Government may assume the national human resource role to mobilise and develop its people. Hot on the heels of a generous Pioneer Generation Package comes the permanent Silver Support Scheme. The Silver Support Scheme will help lift a huge burden off the backs of our elderly Singaporeans. For a long time, many of those struggling with little or no savings in their banks or CPF accounts, now have another long-term scheme to help with their daily needs. This can be a crucial missing piece of the social safety net for our elderly retirees. It is a nice gesture to break away from the usual conservative approach and provide those who have little in their senior years with a lifetime pension-like allowance for this group of elderly Singaporeans, including home makers who have not worked for the most part of their lives. I would like to urge the Ministry to consider a couple of suggestions.”
“Whilst the Government does help to mitigate the cost pressure with schemes, such as Temporary Employment Credits and the enhanced Special Employment Credit for workers, it is time for us to embrace a mindset change in the way we value our seniors and mature workers. Ageism or age discrimination has no place in our first-world workplace. During my interaction with residents, several seniors lamented that while they are still healthy and want to stay socially engaged through work after retirement, they encounter tremendous difficulties in finding another job. Even though they are fit, spirited and possess the right skills, they are sidelined when prospective employers learnt of their age. One resident who has been re-employed recently told me that not only is his pay reduced, his leave entitlement has also been cut. This is, indeed, disconcerting, given the tight employment situation in Singapore. If our senior workers are doing the same work with the same amount of effort and time, they should be paid fairly – be it in wages, benefits or even employer's CPF contribution. We should not discriminate against older workers and make them out to be cheap labour in order that they can be hired or re-employed. Profitability cannot be at the expense of our older workers. I echo Minister Lim Swee Say's call earlier that we must value every job and value every worker. I would like to add that we must also value every worker, regardless of age, gender and race. I call on the Government to do more to shift mindsets in how we view and value older workers and how our seniors view themselves. Rather than seeing mature workers as liabilities, they should be viewed as assets with experience and loyalty to boot.”
“So, today, Mdm Speaker, may I be so bold as to again make another pitch for our mature workers? Many still want to be socially engaged in work, be it for active ageing or for sustenance. There is still a lot left in the tank even when they are in their 60s or 70s. I cheered when Finance Minister took the "final step" to fully restore CPF contribution for workers aged 50 to 55. However, I winced a little when he mentioned "final step". I would like to nudge the Government to do more to further narrow the gulf in CPF contribution for those above 55 years old. Even after the increase of between 1% and 0.5%, older workers aged 55 to 60 still see a 11% gap, whilst those in the 60-65 age band see a wider variance of 20.5% when compared to their younger colleagues. Employer's CPF contribution, in particular, fell from 17% for those 55 and below, to just 9% for those in the 60 to 65 age group. Those above 65 years old should not be ignored, as the job participation rate for this group is set to expand in lieu of our fast-ageing population – perhaps, another category of 66-70 age band can be considered to enhance their CPF savings. For many of our seniors, it is a double whammy as they not only see their wages and benefits reduced at re-employment, but also their employer's CPF contribution. While I cheer the increase in CPF contributions, I believe we can definitely do more, as many older Page: 106 Singaporeans do not have enough in their retirement funds. I can empathise with the employers' anxieties about rising business costs and how an increase in employer's CPF contribution will make the employment of older workers more costly and, hence, affect their employability.”
“Mdm Speaker, I applaud this year's Budget which is progressive, inclusive and will provide the cornerstone for building our future. Over the years, this PAP Government has consistently placed her people at the heart of its Budget. It has helped move Page: 105 Singapore forward tangibly, helping those with less, recognising the contribution of its people and enabling each generation to be better than the one before. This Budget is also a response to our changing demographic and economic landscape and to calls made by the people and the Members of this House. For instance, the deferment of the foreign workers' levy recognises that the business sector is facing a tight labour situation. While the Finance Minister has stated firmly that we will not back-pedal on our endeavours to increase productivity and reduce our over-reliance on foreign workers, the pains faced by many business enterprises does not fall on deaf ears. Over the past Budget debates, I have made calls on improving the employment and perception of our senior citizens, especially our mature workers. I have spoken on the removal of the retirement age, provision of fair re-employment conditions, restoration of employer's CPF contribution and tackling ageism at our workplaces. Hence, I am very thankful that CPF rates will be increased for our older workers for this year and the next. This is, indeed, in the right direction in addressing the issue of retirement adequacy. People in their 50s and even 60s today can hardly be deemed "old". I – and I am sure many of you – have had the experience of working or interacting with these so-called "young seniors", who are no less productive, energetic, colourful and enthusiastic.”
“Madam, allow me to clarify. The "standard" which I referred to is to provide shorter pedestrian overhead bridges (POBs), that is, for any POB that connects a housing estate to another housing estate. I have two POBs in Bukit Batok that are not covered yet. I also know that one of the criteria is to have high pedestrian traffic. But for some bridges, they do not have high traffic but they do give tremendous convenience to our residents who want to connect from one estate to another estate. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Again, I would like to reiterate that we will cover all POBs over time. With regard to his covered linkways, maybe if he could share the specific details with me, I am sure our staff at LTA will work closely with him with regard to the POBs in question. So, I look forward to receiving details from him.”
“Madam, a couple of supplementary questions. Working towards an enhanced pedestrian walking experience, would the Ministry consider incorporating standard shelters across all its overhead bridges connecting housing precincts other than meeting the criteria of connecting transport nodes, schools or even public institutions? Because I have two such bridges across the PIE in Bukit Batok for which many residents have made appeals. So, I hope that the Ministry can consider that. Page: 22 The second question: since we are on the issue of overhead bridges, can the Ministry also update us on the status of LTA's efforts in making our overhead bridges more accessible to our elderly, wheel-chair bound commuters, cyclists and parents with prams? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to thank the Member for the questions. Essentially, as I have mentioned earlier, we would cover all the overhead bridges and we would give priority to those which have higher pedestrian flow as well as those which are connected to the Walk2Ride programme or are within 400 metres of a rail station. With regard to the standard, I would like to clarify what is meant by "standard". Secondly, it is about the facilities for the elderly. In fact, we have started a long while ago to provide such facilities and we are continuing our efforts to do so, as part of these plans for an ageing society. It is not only done by LTA or the Ministry of Transport; it is an inter-Ministry effort. And I would like to assure the Member that it is something that is a high priority on our agenda as part of the process of providing for an inclusive society. Maybe the Member could share with me about the "standard" that he mentioned.”
“Mdm Speaker, SACs encourage our elderly to remain socially engaged and to stay active. They also come with alert alarm systems which give peace of mind to the elderly as they can activate the alert systems during times of emergencies. So, two supplementary questions, Madam. One, I am not sure if more SACs in the pipeline will be delayed; so, what measures are there for HDB to have a prompt handover to MSF, so that the senior residents' social needs and safety will not be compromised due to such delays? Can the Ministry also work with MSF to make operational the alert alarm systems so that senior residents can be better served when they move in?”
“What is the current psychiatrist-to-population ratio today and are we able to cope with the current number of people suffering from mental disorders?”