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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“More importantly, this "joint ownership" of policymaking will become more important Page: 102 and relevant as Singapore matures as a democratic country. Can the Ministry share on how the Government is planning to involve more Singaporeans in policymaking and facilitating a better two-way communication between Government and citizens? What is the Ministry's diverse range of citizen-engagement platforms doing to meet the needs of different segments of our population? How effective is REACH, the Government feedback unit, in gathering feedback, engaging its citizenry in policy decision-making and closing the loop of feedback received? How is such feedback relayed to and considered by the various Ministries?”
“Madam, the pervasive use of multiple communication platforms, coupled with our heightened social and political consciousness, has raised public expectation and participation in policy formulation and decision-making. This is clearly evident from the recent discussions and debates on our Singapore Conversation, Our Population White Paper and, now, Budget 2013. The investment into advancing Singapore's information highway has spurred the public's consumption of more varied views and information. There is no doubt that more Singaporeans will turn to social media to be more vocal about their own views. These views posted on Facebook, Twitter or blogs can spread quickly and widely. One man's disgruntlement in a Facebook update can catalyse and rally a mass of people. In a way, these posts are symptoms of Singaporeans who want an outlet for their anxieties and who wish to be involved in the decision-making process of policies which will concern them. In the same vein, policy-makers, Ministers and Members of Parliament have embraced social media to better explain policies, push out an idea, issue or suggestion to solicit and engage citizen participation. 4.30 pm So, whether it is online, offline, traditional or new media, one can easily assess ground reaction, comments and views on any given policy or issue. People want a greater say in policy formulation, as public participation is regarded as a way of empowerment and as a vital part of democratic governance. Singaporeans are no longer willing to be passive, being fed policies concerning them. They want to be part of the policy decision process, to be consulted and have their views and feedback considered. This may well lend ground realities, better terrain assessment before policies are passed.”
“Madam, social media platforms can ease communication but, just as easily, cause tension and friction. Facebook is an outlet for expression, but innocent status updates can trigger religious and racial sensitivities. Singapore has had its fair share of irresponsible and intolerant Facebook updates that, when screenshot and shared, go viral. Like all viruses, they can inflict grave damage that is hard to mend. Last year, if the racist comments posted by Ms Amy Cheong regarding Malay weddings were to be posted online in Europe, she would have been taken to task, as the European Parliament considers racism not an opinion but a crime. It is easy to make seditious damaging comments online and hide behind pseudonyms and it is highly irresponsible. Creators of racist rants need not take responsibility for the after-effects of such comments even if it resulted in violence. In such eventuality, the damage done could have long lingering Page: 85 repercussions. Over the past year, we have seen several cases of netizens using the Internet and social media to post socially irresponsible comments with scant regard for the repercussions. In some instances, when the remarks were racially offensive, I was glad that the authorities were quick to take immediate action to nip the problem in the bud. But there may be cases that escape the attention of even the most vigilant of authorities. How does the Government plan to address this issue? How does the Government intend to balance Singaporeans being more outspoken online while encouraging awareness of the racial and religious fault lines in society? While there is a Media Literacy Council in Singapore to enlighten Singaporeans on responsible Internet use, how successful has such an effort been? What has it achieved so far?”
“Madam, information and communications technology are playing an ever-larger role in Singapore. It is now deeply integrated into the workings and infrastructure of our society. As we celebrate progress in our high computer and smartphone penetration rates, we must remember that groups in our society who fall behind in the adoption of infocomm will be increasingly disadvantaged. For senior citizens, ICT can play a major role in helping them stay socially connected and engaged. Simple things like browsing the Internet, accessing e-Government services, or even connecting to friends via Facebook can meaningfully affect their lives. Many senior citizens feel helpless when thrown into an unfamiliar ICT world. We should step up our outreach efforts to provide them with the skills to navigate infocomm technologies so that they can stay Page: 65 vibrant, active and social individuals. As Infocomm is becoming increasingly important for e-learning and education, students and children from low-income families should not be denied basic access to computers and Internet. For the disabled, can the Ministry look at how to better equip them with ICT skills and improving accessibility to disabled-friendly ICT technologies, assistive devices, such as alternative keyboards, low-vision and blindness aids, mounting systems and writing tools? We cannot forget that Singapore is a fast ageing population. And as droves of seniors leave the workforce, there may be fewer and fewer avenues for them to stay connected. What will MCI do to make sure that elderly and financially-challenged students and children, and also other groups like the disabled, are not left behind in the midst of this relentless pace of change in the ICT landscape? Mdm Chair, I look to the Minister for updates.”
“I agree with the general approach in the Budget of taxing wealth, as taxing wealth has less impact on economic vibrancy than taxing income. Page: 121 Mr Deputy Speaker, before I conclude, although there are some things I wish this Budget can address and focus on, on the whole, I am happy with this Budget on many fronts. I am happy that this Budget is one which the Government wants to first and foremost look after the well-being of its people and, secondly, I am happy to note that the signal this Budget sends out is to call for our citizenry to live prudently and within our means. Any responsible government must prioritise its programmes to benefit the people. In this light, I am happy to note that the $3 billion allocation to preschool education is crafted with this intent. Although there are some Members in the House that are against the idea of Government giving grants to anchor operators, I think the objective of benefiting the masses cannot be in doubt. Concentrating on anchor operators allows the Government to influence and ensure affordable fees, and allow universal quality preschool education to all. With this, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Budget. 5.39 pm”
“Let me shift the focus from the elderly citizens to the traditional pains felt by SMEs as we restructure our economy away from labour-intensive to qualitative growth. Mr Deputy Speaker, the business community is ready to respond to the Government's call to increase productivity. However, several in the construction industry have fed back that some of the governmental regulations are, in fact, hindering productivity and need review. For example, manpower regulations require the presence of dedicated personnel to perform very specific job functions. Workplace safety officers, health officers and environmental control officers are not allowed to multi-task and companies will be penalised if they do so. Other examples include lifting, signalman and rigger. Regulations should be reviewed to allow for optimal deployment and utilisation of resources that can contribute to manpower efficiency and higher productivity. Our Government may do well to start looking internally on removing such counter-productive regulations. On taxes, while I agree that taxes should get more progressive, we should do it carefully and avoid a loss of competitiveness. Many companies decide on where to locate their high value hubs based on where their most valuable staff want to live. This applies to our high-end Singaporeans too, especially the young, who are also very mobile. Taxes are not the key consideration and rightly so. But, unfortunately, they are not irrelevant. We should ideally have marginal taxes at the top end. However, it is a reality in Hong Kong, which kept income tax at 15% effective tax rate for the highest income bracket. Therefore, I urge the Ministry to study any progressive taxation initiatives carefully before implementing them.”
“Thus, the increase in Public Assistance recently announced is a relief to many needy senior citizens. Healthcare cost is another concern for elderly citizens. Many elderly Singaporeans need constant and regular medical appointments which often they cannot pay out of their Medisave Accounts. These can be quite substantial when accumulated over the long term. I look forward to MOH's proposals on preventive care and other medical care-related measures to reduce out-of-pocket medical costs. Whilst the good news is that people are now living longer and healthier, the bad news is that many elderly people are lonely, sad or depressed. This is so even for those living at home with family members. It is a cause for concern as Singapore's elderly population is set to grow sharply in the coming years. In a study conducted by the NUH, nearly 21% of those over 80 years of age and 16% of those in their mid to late 1970s indicated that they were sad, lonely or in low spirits. Significantly, nine in 10 did not live alone. More must be done to look at preventive care and the mental wellness of our elderly. Support and Page: 120 investment on active ageing programmes by VWOs and the People's Association should be stepped up by reaching out not only to the current seniors but further upstream, to those in their mid-40s and 50s. When it comes to ageing in dignity, we should also not neglect how to uphold the elderly's quality of life in their twilight years. More can be done to ramp up the capacity of elderly homes as the current waiting time to get into a home is daunting. In addition, the Government could also consider extending MediShield coverage to cover a person's natural life time, rather than up to 90 years of age.”
“Our Government's focus has been placed on retraining elderly workers for new jobs, but has generated erratic results. Instead, we should approach the issue from the other way round of redesigning jobs to fit the existing skills of our elderly. For example, experienced cleaners in hospitals and polyclinics can be given additional roles as service ambassadors, guiding patients on procedures and providing directions. Value-adding their jobs in this way will Page: 119 allow the elderly to receive higher salaries. Our elderly workers represent a pool of untapped and experienced resource. It could also be a source of productivity growth. The newly introduced Wage Credit Scheme helps to encourage employers to increase workers' productivity in a general sense. To this end, further incentives can be targeted specifically to encourage employers to increase the productivity of our older workers by pro-actively redesigning jobs and the workplace. With improved health and nutrition, our seniors today are fitter and stronger. They are a "ready" solution in our tight labour economy, instead of an over-reliance on foreign workers. In a 2011 MOM survey, only 64% of our citizens aged 60 and above are employed. More can be done to enhance the employability of our senior citizens. Let us recognise our seniors' contribution in nation building, value them as productive resource and pay them a fair wage. Perhaps, the Government can take the lead to restore the employer's CPF contribution for older workers in the public sector. The rising cost of living is a huge concern for the elderly because it essentially diminishes the value of their life savings. This is especially a problem for those who are not fully supported by their children and cannot find suitable work.”
“With a shrinking workforce and an ageing population, the time has now come for employers to start looking at older workers as valuable resources that can contribute to their productivity and success, just like any other staff. They should not be simply made cheaper or more affordable for companies to continue to employ them because of their age. Mr Deputy Speaker, I have spoken in this House before on the review of the retirement age. Notwithstanding the Retirement and Re-employment Act, many seniors still suffer from discrimination in employment opportunities and employment conditions at work. They should not see their employer's contribution rate reduced, be set down for review for re-employment, re-deployment or even termination. Older workers should be given the right to work in dignity and the choice to work as long as they want to. Singapore should move ahead of other nations to do away with a mandatory retirement age and to reconsider paying economically-active elderly fair and equitable wages. The employer's CPF contribution for older workers 55 years and above was reduced in 1988. The intention was to ensure that employing older workers would not be a financial burden to them. Since then, with improving older worker employment rates and progress in reducing seniority-based wage rigidities, it is time for us to relook employer's CPF contribution for our senior workers. Whilst I am glad that CPF contribution rates were adjusted slightly upwards in last year's Budget, I would ask the Government to consider moving towards a full restoration of employer's CPF contribution, regardless of age. I am cognisant of the add-on costs to employers, but it is time we view the elderly as equal participants in the workforce.”
“So, I am heartened to read in The Sunday Times about Uncle Seng, who, at age 86, is still going strong and working at the Tanglin Club. Keen to keep on working, Uncle Seng added, and I quote: "I don't want to retire. There is nothing to do at home, I will be bored, so I might as well keep on working. It's like my exercise." But, more importantly, it is more than just an exercise for Uncle Seng. It is about his sense of self-worth and fulfilment and being able to be of value to the company. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Seah Kian Peng) in the Chair] 5.30 pm I am sure there are more like Uncle Seng who do not want to retire and the likes of Uncle Seng's employers who value and retain older workers. Many seniors have told me that they want to continue working as long as they can. Whilst I am encouraged with Uncle Seng's story and the many older workers who were recently featured in the papers, I am also aware and concerned with the many older workers who are discriminated because of their age. One of my residents, Mdm Khoo, aged 64, who has a certificate in nursing care and is a certified service professional, is eager to work in the healthcare industry. She tried repeatedly to get a job but was unsuccessful. In her own words, prospective employers do not give her a chance for an interview when Page: 118 they learn of her age. She now works as a cleaner because she needs a job to make ends meet. From such examples, we observe how an elderly's dignity can be affected by such discriminatory mindset in workplaces. I would like to call on the Government, as well as our tripartite partners, to embrace a mindset change in the way we view older workers.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to participate in the Budget Debate. Budget 2013 is about quality growth and an inclusive society. It has so far garnered many labels – progressive, prudent, fair, balanced and innovative. Budget 2013 has also been called a Robin Hood budget where wealth is re-distributed for greater social cohesion and an expanded social safety network for those in need. This Budget seeks to navigate Singapore through a difficult period of deep restructuring by ramping up on labour, capital and land productivity. More importantly to me, this Budget signifies the return to basic and core values. This Page: 117 is exactly what this Budget is about, looking after those who need help and sending a strong message of prudence in managing our finances. Singapore is at a major crossroads today. It is confronted with multiple challenges. Our baby boomers have come of age, the low fertility rate among married couples in the face of an ageing population is worrying, compounded by the inflow of immigrants and the rising costs of living and doing business. These deep structural changes over a short period of time led to growing pains experienced among many segments of our society. Mdm Speaker, today I focus on the challenges confronting our seniors as well as our SMEs. We have 378,000 residents in Singapore who are 65 years and older now, and this number will triple to 900,000 by year 2030. Our baby boomers and the generations before are the Singaporeans who have helped to build up our nation to where it is today. I am glad that our Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance spoke of a Budget that will provide a home with strong families and where our seniors can age in dignity.”
“Mdm Speaker, my supplementary question is whether the Ministry can look at the qualification or the eligibility of the FDW Levy Concession for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) Scheme. It is currently based on three of the five Activities for Daily Living (ADLs). Can the Ministry look at reducing the number of ADLs? Not being able to do just one of the ADLs is already tough for financially-challenged families to cope with care-giving. So, I hope the Ministry can look into it.”
“Mdm Speaker, three supplementary questions, please. Do we have a policy of granting PR or Singapore citizenship to prominent foreign citizens even before they reside in Singapore? If so, how many were granted? Question two: what is the Government's stance on foreign spouses, especially those with children born in Singapore in the event of the demise of the Singaporean husband or wife? I do see instances where the entire family, especially that of the foreign spouse and children's residency status, is in limbo following the demise of their Singaporean spouse. The last question: with the large number of PRs and foreigners residing, studying and working here in Singapore, how can the Government better engage them, their employers and schools so that they can be better integrated into our social habits, norms and culture?”
“Question No 3. The Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mdm Speaker, with your permission, I will take Question Nos 3 and 4 together.”
“I wish to thank the Acting Minister for the reply. One supplementary question is whether the Ministry can ensure that the buyer of these naming rights does have a strong local flavour, a strong local character and identity that can connect with the community. And, of course, how can we ensure that there is longevity to these naming rights so that we do not keep changing names when we change the buyer?”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker, I have a couple of supplementary questions for the Acting Minister. I know it is still early days, but I would just like to check if the Ministry has received any feedback on fee increases at childcare and infant care centres operated by the Anchor Operators, as well as the commercial operators, following the announcement of the Marriage and Parenthood Package. The second question is: given the high demand for such centres, the worsening crunch in manpower in this sector, rising rentals and the quest for us to get better teachers, what can the Ministry do to mitigate the probable fee hikes, which may negate the effects of higher subsidies?”
“What will then be our Government's contingency plan should that happen? I believe the White Paper on Population is a living document and not a plan cast in stone. I am hence glad that many key Ministers have given assurance that projections of the White Paper are for a "worst case scenario" and a basis to frame its infrastructure planning and investment. Although we have started on our national conversation, it is important that we continue to communicate changes and be upfront with our citizenry on the challenges and changes confronting Singapore. More importantly, Mdm Speaker, Singaporeans should be able to define the agenda of this conversation. While the visceral response to this White Paper has been rather negative, there is still cause to be optimistic. It does illustrate that most Singaporeans Page: 69 care and are willing to invest in time and energy to help build a better Singapore. It is thus my wish that this White Paper will serve as a catalyst to help bring forth the aspirations of the Government and Singaporeans for a better Singapore into a reality. For this, Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion. 3.22 pm”
“We can zero in on certain types of medical care such as renal care where there is a growing number of people suffering from diabetes Page: 68 at a regular pace of 11% of our population or more than 400,000 people currently. There are probable outcomes that we can foresee with some definite certainty. As in healthcare, transportation, housing and cost of living, we are currently constantly chasing after needs and catching up on demands. We would have failed the trust of the people have in us if we do not have the infrastructural needs in place when the needs arise. While the advantages and necessity of an increasing population will bring economic growth, prosperity and progress for Singapore, we should not side-step the increase in social costs and social tension. The current economic indicators, like GDP, focus on material consumption and do not measure quality-of-life factors. Thus, it is important that the Government strives to strike a balance in managing the population growth and social well-being of Singaporeans. I agree that it is difficult to have a 20/20 vision in projecting demand and supply against a population over a medium and long term. However, we need the Government's assurance that it can solve today's issues on affordability and accessibility with its current population size for Singaporeans to have a bigger "buy in" on the White Paper. Our population challenges are complex and multi-faceted. Global scenarios are ever changing and one cannot assume that Singapore will always remain an appealing destination to attract foreign talent or labour. Should big economies like the US and China reinvest in their own countries, their appetite for workers will rise against a shrinking population.”
“They desire to work as long as they want and are disappointed that they have to either retire or be re-employed at a lower level, take a pay cut and a reduction of the employer's CPF contribution. These older workers have a wealth of experience at their disposal and it is a waste to eliminate these experiences through retirement. Older people who are still able to work pass their retirement age should be supported to do so. With a growing greying workforce, I would like our Government to consider the relevance of the prescribed retirement age. Perhaps, it is time we did away with age discrimination at our workplace. In addition, we can also tap on our latent workforce of stay-at-home mothers and housewives to attract them back to the workforce with flexible work arrangements. We should also provide more opportunities for our youths. Such initiatives of growing our workforce by placing the interest of Singaporeans first can also be adopted to attract overseas Singapore talents back to Singapore. Mdm Speaker, I am in agreement with the White Paper that adapting to our population changes is an important policy matter. The trend of a greying Singapore population would march on regardless of what we throw in its path. We cannot stop preparing for this eventuality. Madam, while planning future demands necessarily involves some amount of crystal ball gazing, there are some things with probable outcomes that we can plan for. Take for instance, even without the projection of a larger population size of more than 6.5 million in 2030, we can expect a population of 900,000 people aged 65 and above. There will be greater demand and consumption of healthcare and eldercare products and services.”
“Accordingly, I would like to ask the Minister to share with us what would be the Singaporeans' projected share of the labour force by 2030? Mdm Speaker, more can and should be done to encourage more Singaporeans to join or re-join the labour force. For many of our seniors, they do not suddenly become inactive or less productive at their workplace just because they had reached the prescribed retirement age. In light of this, contrary to the general stereotypical perception that an ageing workforce will be unproductive, I strongly believe that they are a force to be reckoned with. The retirement age is nothing more than a number that is arbitrarily arrived at. With advancement in medical science and our people living longer, our retirement age had moved from 55 years to now 62 years. As people continue to live longer and enjoy better healthcare, the retirement age is likely to change again. An ageing workforce can be productive and valuable. This should be harnessed to continue their contribution to their companies and the economy. Page: 67 We need to step up efforts with our Tripartite Partners – to change employers' mindset to accept older workers as an invaluable pool of manpower resource. Employers must embrace a new mindset and treat them not as liability but as a valuable resource equal if not better than any staff. Employers can pay them a fair wage for the value they bring. Employers can also help re-engineer job functions and re-design workplace so that they can create a conducive environment for older workers to continue to contribute effectively. Many seniors I met have expressed their ability and willingness to continue to work with the same vigour and energy.”
“But for Singapore, the effects of this would be felt more acutely and quickly due to our limited size. How else can we look at boosting and growing the Singapore Core first before growing our new citizens? In 2011, 9,000 Singaporeans married foreigners. Some immigrant families have sunk their roots in Singapore or immigrants have formed new families with Singapore spouses. We want to start building the Singapore Core with this Page: 66 group. In this way, there is greater possibility of a foreign immigrant being more rooted and integrated to Singapore through marriage. It is an interesting fact that the number of additional births this nation needs to replace itself is nearly the same number of babies or pregnancies that we see aborted each year. One solution to boost our low birth rate is to improve our family and social support to unwed mothers or even mothers in families caught in a difficult situation. The Government can do more to encourage and support married women who account for more than 50% of the abortions in Singapore to keep and raise their children. For unwed mothers and those who for one reason or another cannot raise their child, we must help provide a viable and worthy option of placing the child for adoption. From feedback gathered from VWOs, many couples want to parent a child but are unable to have one of their own. Mdm Speaker, preserving the Singaporean Core workforce is another important key component of this Population White paper. While the White Paper forecasted that foreigners will make up slightly less than half of Singapore's population by 2030, this is likely not the whole picture. With about 900,000 baby boomers reaching the age of 65 and exiting the workforce by 2030, I am concerned with the Singaporeans' share of the labour force.”
“But, more importantly, the sapping of our fighting spirit which we may find it hard to recover from. There are suggestions of even lower economic growth and this will push our future even grimmer. As echoed by our hon Member Mr Teo Siong Seng with regard to SMEs, with acute manpower shortages and reduced population size, I think Singaporeans' livelihood will ultimately be affected. Mdm Speaker, it is an undeniable fact that we have to grow our Singapore Core. We must work on improving our TFR. Gone were the days when in 1966, KK Hospital delivered 39,835 babies, earning it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the "largest number of births in a single maternity facility". Whilst I am heartened that the recent Government's Marriage and Parenthood package may stall the falling total fertility rate and help build the core of Singapore citizens, I am equally cautious that there is a limit to how much impact it will have in the long run. Whilst I want to be optimistic, the current social trends and norms make me doubtful. The global fertility rate makes it unclear the latest package of benefits will bear fruits to achieve an acceptable level of birth rates. With the projected enlarged population size of 6.5 million to 6.9 million, against a backdrop of persistent lower fertility rate, the future population prospect of the Singapore Core appears to be grey. We have put some of our best brains behind this issue and have thrown in a lot of resources in solving our TFR problem in the past but with very little results to show forth. Lower birth rate is not a phenomenon that affects Singapore alone as many other Western and Asian countries are confronted with similar problems.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to participate in the Population White Paper debate. Like many Singaporeans, my first reaction to the White Paper's recommendation of 6.9 million Singaporeans was one of discomfort and anxiety. Singapore is a small country and citizens are still facing real issues on affordability and accessibility. Crowded trains and buses, high property prices, competition at the workplace, cost of living are some issues confronting Singaporeans today. Hence, Singaporeans feel that there is a glaring disconnect between the present realities and the narratives of the White Paper. That drive towards economic growth and sustainability comes at the expense of Singaporeans. The White Paper has, since its release, caused tension amongst average Singaporeans, the business community and the Government. Whilst tension is being pulled in different directions, we are in fact reining in towards the same destination – towards a better quality of life for Singaporeans and ensuring that our young and old will continue to have a bright future. Ultimately, the question we are asking: "Is having more people good for Singapore and Singaporeans? How can we ensure that having more gives hope Page: 65 and improves the quality of life of its core citizens?" To do so, we must remain adaptive to the changes around us. Certainly none of us would wish Singapore to be shrinking, ageing, stuck in protracted economic gloom and losing our economic competitive edge and hope for our young. I am concerned that by settling for lower economic growth of 2% to 3%, Singapore's long-term vitality may be impacted, not only by a possible stagnation in our standard of living but also a deterioration in our quality of life.”
“Madam, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. Does the Minister of State agree that with the rising COE prices, even for small cars up to 1,600cc, to over $90,000 now, the COE system is skewed in favour of the wealthy? Will the Ministry also really look at a review and probably a reform of the entire COE bidding system in cognisance of the current socio-economic situation of Singapore, as well as the role of car dealership in the COE bidding process?”
“Madam, I have two supplementary questions: one is whether official approval has been sought by the developers when they marketed the expensive ECs, like the now infamous $2 million EC. Second, if official approval has been sought and granted by the Ministry, would it be a violation of the good intent and spirit of the EC programme? And why was the approval given by the Ministry?”
“Is there a high number of appeals in terms of income criteria? Some of them are odd job labourers and they work piecemeal, so their income fluctuates. I would like to know if there is a high demand for appeals due to the income criteria.”
“The job of the MDA and the BFC is really to find that common ground which is as large as possible for us to allow the film to be screened, because we do want to support the film industry in Singapore. Page: 1058”
“I thank the Minister for the clarification. The change in classification after a film is produced may send a very negative message to budding and potential filmmakers. I just want to ask the Ministry to shed some light on similar cases where such classification had been changed or reversed. And is there a lack of engagement or perhaps the clarity of MDA's decision-making process to these filmmakers? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: I think the second part about engagement is a very good point. I do know that there have been many industry consultations done by members of the BFC. But, ultimately, as I mentioned in my reply, they have to screen over 13,000 titles and therefore it is very difficult for them to go out to the public to get responses every now and then. I do not think this sends a negative message because the number of instances in which we have to change the classification is few and far between. In fact, my record shows in 2010 and 2011, there were no such instances. This year alone, we only have two, of course, the film in question and there was another earlier film which was basically an imported film. So, by and large, we are quite satisfied with the classification process and the way in which we have engaged the filmmakers. But I take the Member's point that as society evolves, we have to continue to relook at our processes and how we can engage a wider cross section of the community so that we can get a better sensing. But, finally, I think we must all agree that when a classification is made, there will be some people who disagree and there will be some people who agree.”
“Sir, all stakeholders – the Government agencies, the commercially-inclined service providers and the general public – have done much to put us where we are today. It is a reputation worth guarding in attracting fast-evolving information technology industries to set up shop here. We had benefited and would continue to stand to benefit when the cutting-edge IT industries do not bypass us because of stifling regulations. Page: 843 In this regard, the passing of the PDPB law must not lead to a trigger-happy litigious society in Singapore against the business society. We are not a litigious society and must zealously guard against it taking root. The California Federal Court dismissing the class civil suit against social media, Facebook, is a case in point. Although the final verdict was in favour of Facebook, the latter was unwittingly forced to commit time and financial resources to defending itself. This, Sir, surely cannot be the intent of this Bill. In passing the PDPB, we must strive to prevent a dent in our international reputation with the global IT companies from investing here in Singapore. Sir, if there is anything that I would call on the Government to do more in relation to this Bill is to not over protect it till it stifles business creativity and innovation, increases business costs in compliance or deters companies from investing in Singapore. While the PDP Bill will help put in place the necessary safeguards to protect consumers' personal data, it remains important for individuals to remain vigilant and take responsibility for their own personal data. With this, Sir, I support the Bill. 3.56 pm”
“The long delay was, in part, because of the need for more amendments and, in part, because of the need for extensive consultations with stakeholders from the business community. In many quarters, MICA's intent in proposing this Bill is perceived to help businesses and commerce to flourish rather than to stifle and impede. As such, communication with stakeholders is both necessary and vital. It is, therefore, helpful that the PDP Commission can embark on an extensive education and outreach effort to help organisations better understand and embrace the new law. More importantly, it should engage stakeholders to bring about an organisation accountability approach to effectively implement sound data protection procedures. The need for extensive consultation with the business community cannot be overlooked, especially given the international business climate in general and the local Singapore economy in particular. Sir, the business community, especially our SMEs, are already facing rising business costs brought on by many factors beyond their control, such as rental and manpower costs. Thus, the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB) must strike a balance between consumer protection and the need to keep compliance costs manageable for businesses. From feedback gathered during the recent consultation exercise, I am glad to note that several requirements have been relaxed, for example, business-to-business marketing calls and messages are now excluded from the Do Not Call registry requirements. In a World Economic Forum Report in 2011, Singapore was named second, after Sweden, as the world's most digitally connected economy.”
“In recent years, individuals, multinationals and local businesses that operate in Singapore have jumped on the cloud computing bandwagon. Companies and individuals where these cloud data centres are based are mostly located overseas. Internet and cloud technology allow fast and easy transportation of data across national boundaries and technologies that facilitate the increasingly complex and cheap collection, storage, use and disclosure of data. This means that personal information about individuals in Singapore may often be processed overseas, frequently without the explicit knowledge or consent of those individuals. This raises issues, such as the security of such data, who may have access to it, and for what purposes and what rights the individual may have to object. How many of us, when given a choice to read through our rights and its comprehensive terms and conditions of use, would simply scroll down through all the legal jargons and straight down to "accept"? Many of us are guilty of failing to take responsibility for ourselves and, when mishaps happen, it is hard to plead ignorance. Page: 842 It is noteworthy to say that, with this Act, Singapore's regulation of personal data collection, management, use and abuse would be aligned with international standards. In the United States, this Act is as important as the First Amendment. Many facets of this Bill incorporates many common elements, such as notice, consent, access and data security common in many European countries, South Korea and, more recently, the Republic of China. Equally noteworthy is that, in Taiwan, although the Bill on Personal Data protection was incorporated in 2010, the law was only passed most recently.”
“There is a heavy reliance on data by companies, Government agencies and VWOs to function and perform optimally. The push towards better and more efficient customer relationship management practices places great emphasis on soliciting, management and use of personal data. Whilst these have indeed brought us immense social and economic benefits, they have also generated greater public awareness and concerns on how our personal data, when collected, is stored, shared, managed, disclosed or used. With regular scam emails from people we do not know or unsolicited calls and SMSes from marketing companies to sell their products or services, there is no doubt that new rules for the protection of personal data must be put in place. Sir, I rise in support of this Bill as it is about protecting our basic human rights to privacy. This should be guarded and enshrined in our Constitution, and when an item of business content is not solicited, consumers can have the right to refuse. Whilst I understand the need for commercial entities to resort to such persistent and, at times, aggressive sales tactics as they are the cheapest and quickest form of outreach to potential customers, but if they are unwanted and objectionable, such aggressive telemarketing techniques tread on the fine line of harassment. Sir, I am happy that this Bill would go a long way to protect citizens from unwanted sales pitches and would also help to protect personal data from being compromised and misused. With the growing number of senior citizens amongst our population, many may unwittingly give their personal details or sign away their rights, landing themselves in commercial deals that are not beneficial to them or which they do not need.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB). The efforts to introduce a Data Protection Bill in Singapore had been on the backburner for years. Against the proliferation of data in the use by individuals, companies and organisations, many consider the introduction of personal data protection legislation in Singapore a timely move. This brings the Singapore privacy and data protection laws in line with the global benchmark. In addition, legislation will also render adherence and observance mandatory. To raise social awareness or recognition of privacy rights in a civil society, the Government has to take the lead in creating awareness and in setting the standards and expectations of protection. While the PDPB is intended to be a baseline law which will operate along with the existing sector-specific laws, the PDPB is fairly ambitious in proposing to extend its provisions to organisations which may not be physically located in Singapore but are engaged in data collection, processing or disclosure of such data within Singapore. While MICA acknowledges there may be difficulty in enforcement against organisations with no physical presence in Singapore, it was thought that extending coverage to overseas organisations would act as necessary deterrence. This is especially so in the borderless world of e-commerce and the age of Internet proliferation. Page: 841 The exponential growth of computers, hand-held mobile devices of all shapes and sizes, ease of access and connectivity, the thriving e-commerce economy, e-health, e-Government services and, now, the widespread use of cloud computing, have revolutionised how we live, work and play.”
“There are quite a lot of negative feedback from those recently completed BTO flats – Jade Spring, Dew Spring – and even condominiums, like NorthWood, which has been completed for two to three years and still there are no OpenNet services. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, the nine months timeframe is not given by IDA. It is a submission by OpenNet and they have sub-contracted it so that they finish the remaining buildings and homes beyond the 95% mark within the next nine months. There are several reasons that they have given to us as to why there was a delay. One of which, which I have mentioned in my reply, is that they have some commercial arrangements that they have to make with the sub-contractor beyond the 95% mark. We have been pressing them for an early resolution. We have now been able to get them together and they have agreed to have the rollout as soon as possible. They will submit the plans to IDA and IDA will look at them very carefully to ensure that the rollout plan will meet the demands, as mentioned by the Member. But, certainly, we must recognise that beyond the 95% mark, the area that they have to cover is very, very wide and so, it is not possible for them to cover each area with the same speed and frequency as we expect for the 95% rollout. But, certainly, we will continue to press OpenNet and their sub-contractor to ensure that they can roll out the remaining 5%, in this case, more than 5%, because of the new build, as soon as possible. Page: 818”
“I want to thank the Minister for the comprehensive response. I have three supplementary questions. The enterprise take-up of NBN services has been much slower than expected. My first question is how many orders OpenNet is able to process each week, and whether the quota has increased and by how much so that service activation delays for its customers asking for services are minimised? The last question is what happens if OpenNet does not meet the Universal Service Obligation (USO) after 1 January 2013? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: I thank Mr Ong for the questions. On his first question regarding the orders and the quota, he may have heard that the recent NetCo interconnection offer ICO revision, OpenNet has already increased their provisioning capacity to 3,100 orders per week from the 2,050 previously, that they have agreed upon. They have further put in place the mechanism to adjust the provisioning capacity on an on-going basis to meet the changing demands and reduce the waiting time for service activation. On his second question, as I have mentioned earlier, Sir, IDA remains concerned and will continue to press OpenNet for a quicker resolution. Should OpenNet not be able to meet the USO on 1 January 2013, the regulator, that is IDA, will have to carefully examine the conditions under which they are not meeting the obligations and decide on the appropriate responses. Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Sir, I would like to ask Minister for clarifications. Just now, Minister mentioned that they are given nine months to complete all the rest. Is that correct? And, I would like to know what is the reason for the delay – is it shortage of manpower?”
“Whilst the Bill is timely, we have to look at mitigating such contraventions by having a comprehensive workforce strategy – aligning talent needs with educational institutions, improving pipelines, tapping on our latent workforce, renewing our trained and skilled foreign labour, attracting foreign talents, upgrading our existing staff and enhance productivity. Page: 757 Mr Speaker, Sir, creating a just and fair employment environment will no doubt send a clear and strong signal to show our social graciousness and appreciation to the contribution of our local and foreign workers. Sir, with this, I support the Bill. 4.59 pm”
“Another channel of enforcement is to set up a framework to encourage the public and victims to blow the whistle on employers' wrongdoing and to report malpractices that could be improper, illegal or negligent behaviour. Whistleblowers are also to be protected for public interest, to encourage people to speak out if they find malpractice in any organisation or workplace. Singapore workers are already working one of the highest numbers of hours per week. We are in a full employment situation. Many companies are experiencing real problems of a shortfall of labour, and I believe the Government and related agencies are not spared too. With the further tightening of foreign workers' employment, what would be the implication on our Singapore economy? Yes, the influx of foreign workers was at a pace that caused some uneasiness and placing a squeeze on our infrastructure. But we must guard against drastic cutbacks and forcing companies to scale down, close or relocate altogether because they simply cannot find sufficient workers. Singaporeans too will also be displaced when this happens. Our unemployment currently stands at the low end of 2%. This is the envy of many countries around the world. Although it is a happy situation, it poses a challenge to many companies in Singapore, from the service, manufacturing to construction sectors. Many companies are struggling to fill up job vacancies in their organisations and many more are finding it increasingly tough to employ Singaporeans, especially in meeting their employment of foreign workers' quota. Sir, this tough, aggravated and rather desperate employment situation will only prompt more employment agencies and employers to be more creative with the law.”
“Audits and checks should be done to ensure that such personnel attained the "Certificate of Employment Intermediaries" and equip themselves with the necessary knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations. Sir, before coming to Singapore, many of these foreign workers borrow huge amount of monies to pay their recruitment agencies. As a result, most of these new Work Permit holders work almost for free in their first year as the entire year's salary goes towards paying off these debts. It is only in the second year that he gets to keep anything of his pay. Whilst I understand that the Manpower Ministry have regulations to manage and control how much employment agencies can charge foreign workers, such regulations are not widely known, much less these foreign workers. Many companies will still find ways to be creative and contravene these regulations. How may MOM be more vigilant in guarding such contravention? Page: 756 Finally, I support the legislative amendments to strengthen our enforcement capabilities and tighten the integrity of the work pass framework. The increased penalties and imprisonment against errant employers, employment agencies as well as workers with less than genuine qualifications will not only deter breaches of the work pass system but also help to create and protect employment opportunities of our local workers. However, Sir, all these laws and penalties would amount to nothing without enforcement. I hope that the Ministry will put teeth to these amendments by devoting adequate resources so that errant cases can be expeditiously investigated and resolved.”
“We need to also enhance our enforcement against errant employment agencies and employers from profiteering from foreign workers. We need to send a strong signal of our intent to be a civil society by respecting the rights of the foreigners who have left behind loved ones to make a living here. I am happy to note that section 25 would address this anomaly. The Ministry of Manpower has done much to improve our employment practices of foreign workers such as the living conditions and transportation safety. I would beckon the Ministry to continuously strive to review and raise the standards of our recruitment practices of foreign workers. Currently, all employment agencies are not restricted to who they can employ to perform recruitment or placement work. Recruiting workers to do work that they are not qualified or employed for will lead to shortcomings and malpractices as evident in the case of the Nightingale Nursing Home. Sir, I have been told anecdotally that such malpractices are not confined to Nightingale Nursing Home. Rather, it is just a case that the Nursing Home was more unfortunate than many to have been caught whilst others are still lurking in the shadows. We have also heard of cases where foreign workers were paid less than the amount stipulated in the S Pass applications, paying exorbitant agency fees, kickbacks and received unfair employment terms. We need to continually ensure all key appointment holders and staff performing recruitment or placement work are appropriately qualified so as to raise the standards and accountability of the employment agency personnel.”
“Our forefathers, who are immigrants themselves, have contributed to the development and progress of Singapore. We are where we are today because we are a migrant society. Our foreign workforce complements our local workforce in areas of inadequacies of manpower and skills set. To continue Singapore's path of growth, the contribution of foreign workers is inevitable. We need to appreciate their contribution and respect them as fellow human beings. Thus, having good recruitment and employment practices, pertaining to foreign workers, will strengthen Singapore as an attractive and credible destination for experienced and skilled foreign workforce, who can help us achieve productivity-driven growth. In the management of foreign workers, employment agents play a key role. In recent years, especially with the spurt in the number of foreign workers in Singapore and low barriers to entry, employment agencies have proliferated to about 3,000 now. As a result of stiff competition for business, many employment agencies have resorted to cutting corners contributing to a spike in the number of complaints against errant employment agencies. Page: 755 In 2010, the then Minister of State for Manpower, Mr Lee Yi Shyan, told this House that there were more than 1,200 complaints from employers, foreign workers and members of the public regarding employment agency malpractices. This represents an 80% increase compared to the year before. I hazard a guess that with more than one million foreign workers and 3,000 employment agencies now, the number of complaints on errant employers and employment agencies can only go up. Hence, there is an urgent need for more legislation on employment agencies that play a key role in managing foreign workers.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in the debate. The introduction of this amendment could not have come at a better time as we engage in our National Conversation to decide the kind of society we want Singapore to be. I am certain that the narrative of a big-hearted society includes the graciousness and respect accorded to our fellow men, both locals and foreigners alike. Certainly, in our Singapore Conversation, we do wish for our country to be an inclusive and gracious one; a country that cares for her citizens and others who live and work here; a country that not only optimises its local talents but also welcomes and appreciates foreign talents to supplement and complement its workforce. The latest World Economic Forum Report ranks Singapore second, next only to Switzerland, as the most competitive economy, and first for efficiency of its goods and labour markets. As we pride ourselves for being a First World economy, we must never become Third World employers where the rights of our local and foreign workforce are compromised. Our local workers should not be marginalised nor our foreign labour be cheated, used and abused. Sir, I fully support this Bill. We must send a strong and clear signal to unscrupulous and errant employers, employment agencies and syndicates who deliberately contravene the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act to profiteer from the work pass framework. For these amendments to yield the desired results, we need strong deterrent laws coupled with rigorous enforcement and ample avenues for such cases to be surfaced. Working in a foreign country can be challenging for anyone, including Singaporeans. Thus, it is wrong and naive to believe it is different for foreign workers.”