Denise Phua Lay Peng
Singapore
“Sir, as Singapore ages, disability and ageing will increasingly overlap. The line between disability services and elder care services will blur. Many adults with disabilities face similar challenges as seniors in varying degrees, but at a younger age.”
“But the SPED schools are run by a lot of the other professionals as well such as occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, coaches and so forth. And I ask for MOE, as it always looks at SPED educators, to also focus on this other very important group; because retention is capacity.”
“Are there other strategies that the Prime Minister will consider, like easier adoption procedures to have more people adopt, more of us Singaporeans adopting? The second is, in terms of immigration as well, to bring in people who are of the right profile and suitable profile to grow our Singaporean population?”
“Enterprise grants should include accessibility compliance requirements. Inclusion cannot rely on goodwill alone. It must be systemically built-in. And finally, move five: on strengthening intermediaries and social service agencies (SSAs). Sir, if AI is to be whole-of-society, then SSAs cannot be left behind.”
“When SSAs become AI-enabled, the most vulnerable of us benefit. In conclusion Sir, Budget 2026 sets an ambitious direction: AI ecosystems, SkillsFuture strengthening, innovation hubs such as Lorong AI and the future AI Park at one-north. Ambition is necessary, but it is execution that determines whether progress is shared.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her assurance, assuring the House that there are indeed alternative identification methods available for those who are unable to use facial recognition. Just a couple of supplementary questions. Number one, are these measures systemic and applicable for all fully digital or not fully digital banks?”
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“Madam, I would like to thank the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Education and all the Members who have put in all the questions and, of course, the Ministers, Minister of State, Parliamentary Secretaries and the rest of the MOE team for the good and diligent work that they are doing in helping us to secure the future for Singapore. And with that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $12,115,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $785,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have three questions. Grateful for all the plans the Ministry has shared. It looks like we are in good hands. A lot of the changes that are mentioned depend on mindset changes on the part of employers, families, parents and educators. I would like to hear from the Ministers how they intend to address these restraining forces, especially for the kind of educators that we would need for schools of the future. Is there an ITM for them as well? The second question has to do with DSA. I would like to ask how the Minister can assure the public and hon Members that DSA is not, indeed, a ticket to popular schools, that, as a result of DSA, certain schools do not become places where they assemble all the top brains and brawns because everybody just wants to go to these schools. Is there merit also in the long term to spread the talents across schools, which is a better reflection of the microcosm of society? My last question is for Minister of State Dr Janil. I know he has a big heart for special needs students. But my concerns about the gaps were not addressed and I would like to know what he feels about them and what can be done. Also, would MOE consider favourably my proposal for a SPED Academy to look at the lifelong learning needs, lifelong solutions and the potential of this becoming a centre of excellence worldwide for this community?”
“On the SPED Academy, I believe that the best strategy is to establish a SPED Academy that will cut across all Ministries and led by members with strong passion and relevant networks. A SPED Academy should look into specific learning needs, solutions and across the entire lifespan of persons with special needs in our country, underpinned by the important principles of digitalisation, innovation, scalability and partnership set out by the Committee for Future Economy and analysing how the future economy and ITMs can include persons who learn and contribute differently. A bus academy, a rail academy, had already been set up. Hence, I hope my call for a SPED Academy will not be ignored. If done well, I am confident the SPED Academy will be the first of its kind worldwide and can play an important role in the future education landscape and economy of Singapore.”
“One, beyond the curriculum framework drawn up by MOE's SPED department, there is a need to populate the framework with common resources. Subjects, such as daily living skills, a domain of learning required for all students, are left to the individual voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) to develop. Two, inclusion opportunities for many special schools remain low. Many SPED students interact with their peers from mainstream schools only during Community Involvement Programme (CIP) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and not on a daily basis. Three, talent identification, talent invitation and development in SPED schools remain challenging for the schools. There is not even a degree in special education offered by the Government-funded IHLs of Singapore. The SPED sector continues to compete unsuccessfully for health professionals, such as occupational therapists and speech therapists. But, Sir, my biggest concern lies in the dearth of learning opportunities for adults with special needs in our country. The continued education and training for persons with special needs is an area of high priority. Without continued training both in life and job skills, more and more will remain at home or will require external day-care help, all of which are costly options to the families and to the state. Singapore's local workforce is forecasted to experience zero growth if our population trends remain. The special-needs workforce can be an important strategic asset to take on either blue-collar or white-collar jobs. Today, the number of courses customised for the special needs workforce is miserable. There must be innovative ways by which the thousands of courses in the mainstream can be systematically customised to train others who learn differently.”
“Sir, I am extremely grateful that MOE's support for students with special needs has grown from strength to strength in the last decade. My inputs here are on how to take it to the next level. First, on mainstream schools. Today, all primary schools and most secondary schools are resourced with at least one Allied Educator. It is a known fact that this current support model is insufficient to effectively help those students to access the academic curriculum, not to mention the other life skills that they require in life. The small number and the bandwidth of Allied Educators in each school mean that they can do very little to educate these students. In schools where there are students with different types of learning disabilities, the stress on these professionals is even worse. So, we need more innovative and scalable models in this space. Next, in the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs), such as the ITEs, polytechnics and universities, thanks to MOE, most IHLs have now set up one-stop education support services for students and undergraduates with special needs. However, the type and quality of support are largely inconsistent. Handshakes between tertiary level students and the employers are either non-existent or quite weak, making internships and eventual employment dicey and at risk of failing. There is a strong need to develop a more robust framework of a minimum core set of services, standards and training. We need to strengthen the handshakes between IHL students and their employers, likely in the form of a Train-Place-Train model. For Special Ed (SPED) schools, the SPED schools of today are in a far better state, thanks to MOE. However, gaps remain.”
“One, accelerate the setting up of an e-campus so that students and other MOE staff and stakeholders can help themselves to good quality learning materials with content good enough that the typical students would not require to spend to go for tuition. Two, further support the not-for-profit organisations, such as self-help groups, the Community Development Councils (CDCs) and anchor preschool operators more strategically. Strengthen their ability to help those who need help. This can come in the form of training tutors, deploying MOE teachers to work in these outfits and investing in additional resources for their charges. Three, engage families who are willing and able to support their own children, for instance, in regular MOE-organised bootcamps to update them on syllabi, learning outcomes and assessment methodologies. Four, study ways by which the private tuition industry can be engaged and set up ground rules to ensure quality and affordability. And lastly, in the longer term, gradually lower the stakes by seriously introducing other forms of assessments so that the focus on academic rat-racing is reduced. Sir, it is time for MOE to not ignore the tuition phenomenon in our education landscape, lest this elephant in the room grows way out of control. Equitable Funding for Schools”
“Sir, increasingly, we are confronted with incredulous large advertisements, advertorials and media write-ups of Super Tutors who earn a hefty $1 million a year or more. At the rate they are glorified, celebrity tutors are on their way of reaching stardom, much like their counterparts in Hong Kong where their faces are splashed all over the train station billboards. The private tuition industry, said to be at least $1.1 billion large, is described as the shadow education industry by some. However, often, it is the elephant in the room that is being ignored, at least by MOE in public. There is a rightful place for additional education help outside school hours. This is especially so for students who are academically weaker and at risk of not being able to catch up. In fact, the self-help groups, such as the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), the Council on Education for Muslim Children (MENDAKI) and the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) have done good work supporting students who need the extra help. It is time that MOE review its position of ignoring the tuition industry, especially publicly. Besides having the tuition industry diminish the good work that MOE has put in, the habit of tuition, regardless of one's real needs, will produce students whose learning habits and styles may run counter to what is required in the future economy, the future economy being one which highly favours self-driven learners with a high learnability quotient, meaning a high degree of willingness and capability of learning new skills quickly. To this end, I urge the Ministry to adopt the following strategies to counter the further advancement of a "tuition-nation".”
“But our Singapore Government is different. We are not a company and it is formed for the purpose of meeting the needs of every citizen, not only those who can afford private education. Hence, I am convinced that if Singapore put our heart to it, we will be able to build even stronger schools for the future than Mr Jack Ma. MOE starts from a position of strength. Our definition of education, for instance, has expanded to more than the traditional limits of age through the SkillsFuture initiative. We are still a long way, of course, to creating a nation of learners who do not just carry an L-plate but we need to cherry Triple L-plates, which stands for Life Long Learners, Triple L. There is much to reflect and rethink about Schools for the Future for Singapore. What would the future literacy curricula cover? Who would we be educating in the schools for the future? How would content be delivered and by whom? How do we promote innovation and learnability? How do we assess learning outcomes? What are the roles, competencies and contributions of the partners of our schools for the future − the educators, employers and the families? Sir, education cannot be business as usual. We cannot afford to ignore sacred cows we reared − the high-stakes exams, the direct admission system, the over-reliance on tuition. We cannot tweak it a little here and there. We need to dare, we need to imagine, we need to innovate. We need an Industry Transformation Map (ITM) that includes the MOE professionals and partners. We need to build schools poised for the future. I, therefore, urge MOE again to assemble a team to review, reflect and report on how ready our education institutions are, indeed, for the future. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“We need students with character who will do good even when no one is watching; clean up after themselves and be comfortable in interacting on a daily basis with persons who are of different races, religions and abilities. A School OF Life, so to speak. I would like to speak about the school that Mr Jack Ma is building. I recently came across the concept of the "East-West Private School" that Mr Jack Ma, billionaire-founder of Alibaba, is intending to build. In the Chinese website describing this school called Yun-Gu, named after Mr Jack Ma himself, Ma Yun, I learnt of the several features advertised to attract top-notch families, local and foreign, to sign up their children. With the mission to raise every child to be the best version of himself, Mr Jack Ma said that the unique features are as follows: that it will be a 15-year school syllabi covering from preschool up to high school. There will be an open, sharing, green smart-campus with a strong foundation in technology, using big data, cloud computing and the works. There will be a curriculum based on bilingualism, porosity amongst schools, society and nature, strong Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) focus, physical wellness and life skills and an appreciation for the arts. And there will be individualised education plans and schedules developed with students and by students as well, based on their learning ability and their areas of passion. I was initially excited when I read about this school that Mr Jack Ma intends to build until I analysed it more carefully. You see, the school that Mr Jack Ma intends to build is meant for 3,000 young people; a staff-student ratio of one is to five; with a strict entrance assessment. It is not a school built for a nation.”
“They will need wholesale reskilling of existing workforces throughout their lifecycle." Schools for the future must surely be Schools FOR Life. Single-skillset jobs are also on the decline, they say. This means that many jobs that require only mathematical, including computational, skills would be automated. A coder's job, too, can be replaced. Similarly, jobs that require only predominantly generic social skills would not be paid well since the supply of this pool is usually large. Schools for the future must thus try to develop students who can successfully combine mathematical and critical soft skills. Next, on learn-ability or learn-agility. That is the essence of good future education. This is confirmed by workforce consultants, such as Manpower Inc and the Centre for Creative Leadership. When new skills are identified as fast as other skills become extinct, the ticket to stay relevant is one's learn-ability and, that is, the willingness, capacity and capability to learn. How do schools for the future promote and model learn-ability? One way, as some experts pointed out, is for the student of the future to be constantly exposed to and try new experiences, including unfamiliar subjects in school. School OF Life. But technical competencies are not the only deliverables of education, now or in the future. More so, the future education system needs to deliver students who are not frustrated or surprised by changes; students who in the face of change and failures, pick themselves up quickly and prepare themselves yet again; students who in the midst of changes retain an anchor and heed a compass that will help them retain their humanity, their loyalty and goodness.”
“Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Sir, truth be told, many of us have been sufficiently warned about the current volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) age. We heard the mantra: "disruptions are occurring at breakneck pace and if we do not retool, reskill ourselves, the likes of Ubers, Grabs, AirBnB, TripAdvsors, Alibabas will soon be eating our lunch!" Sir, I urge the Ministry of Education (MOE) to assemble a team of external and internal parties to take a deeper look at how schools for the future ought to look like, how different they are from the schools of today. What kind of future schools will support the future economy and the SG100 nation we want to build? Let me go through some recent observations in this space. The World Economic Forum (WEF), in a paper on the future of jobs, had called for a rethinking of education systems. The paper cited that most existing education systems provide highly silo-ed training, featured by a number of 20th century mindsets and practices that hinder the progress of today's talent and workforces. Two such legacy issues burden formal education systems worldwide. One, the traditional dichotomy between Humanities and Sciences and also the dichotomy between applied and pure training; and two, the prestige premium traditionally attached to tertiary-certified forms of education versus, say, skills mastery of other forms. There is the urgent need also to incentivise lifelong learning. Because of the declining population of the young in countries, simply equipping the young better in schools is not enough. The report says, "Ageing countries would not just need lifelong learning.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Minister for his responses. I have actual feedback from residents who are living in these Senior Group Homes or assisted living models that the arrangement where there are three tenants in one rental flat vs two tenants in a typical rental unit is really very crowded, especially, as the Minister has said, if wheelchairs are involved, and in the sharing of common facilities like the toilet in the rental unit. So, I would really appreciate it if the Minister could take a look and examine this model again to see if this can just be on par with the occupancy number in a typical HDB rental flat and when it can be done. For the next question, feedback received on the Senior Group Home as an assisted living model is actually very good. I would like to ask the Minister to see if it can formally develop and incorporate this as one of the additional models in the continuum of residential living for adults with special needs, and not just seniors. And also to ask when the Minister can look into this and give us a response in the sector. Third, there is also review that the current outcome of the Senior Group Home scheme does not seem to be as popular or as favourable as expected when it was first conceived and launched. Perhaps the Minister would like to share his views on this.”
“They have been told to go and seize the assets of the errant employers. So, I would appreciate if the Minister could consider publicising the slew of measures a lot more.”
“I would like to thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer and that he has got most of the ground covered. Just a couple of supplementary questions. First, for the upstream actions by MOM, is there a more certain way by which the Ministry can assure and ensure that the insurance coverage is for both local and foreign employees? As it is, I think there seems to be a gap somewhere, where some of the employers did not have their workers covered and, therefore, some of the issues arose. The second question is downstream. Looking at the comprehensive slew of measures that the Minister has described, I am not sure if many people know about them and so, is there a way by which MOM can facilitate and publicise a lot more on the actions that can be taken, especially for workers who are from foreign lands and who may not be clued in and where the language might be an issue? I think there needs to be a lot more work to be done in communicating the slew of measures that the Minister had mentioned. For example, I think the Minister is familiar with the cases that were mentioned about the Bangladeshi workers who had been told to —”
“Our effort and purpose are to enhance the lives of fellow Singaporeans and we will do that.”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the response. SG Enable and the Agency for Integrated Care are doing quite good work here. I guess my request is really to look further into the assistive technology landscape to see if there are some more gaps and opportunities that can be leveraged upon. Two ideas in particular. One, would the Ministry consider taking a deeper look into the total lifetime cost for the major disability groups? How much would it cost, including, for instance, wheelchairs, especially because our country is really on a very rapidly ageing trend? That is one, study the total lifetime cost of assistive devices. The second one is, really, if there are more and more people, for example, using wheelchairs, including specialised or motorised wheelchairs, is there some opportunity that can be identified, so that persons who need to replace them, who need to use them on a very regular basis, can be helped further? We can study to see if there are more economies of scale and what more can be done. Currently, under this free market mechanism, there are more and more models of wheelchairs, more and more specialised, more complicated models. And every time you see that, when the average lower-income wheelchair user wants to replace their wheelchairs, they have a lot of problems because either the parts are not available or the vendors are simply not interested. I hope that the Ministry would be able to look into it, especially these two areas, study the total lifetime cost for the use of assistive devices and look into opportunities for more economies of scale. Page: 21 Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. Indeed, we will take note of the Member's suggestions.”
“I thank the Minister for his response. Two questions. First, how can we increase the number of Singaporeans to complete the LPA? More of them instead of remaining at the current level, which is already an encouragement, but grossly still insufficient. The second question is: there is still much concern and lack of awareness amongst the families where the members are older than 21 and presumed to be lacking in mental capacity. Many of them are affected and could not proceed in quite a number of life decisions, for example, in healthcare, property and financial matters because they have not had their deputies to act on their behalf. So, for this group, what more can be done for them, because they are currently in a limbo? How can the state help this group of persons?”
“Many of them simply want to have access to opportunities in life, like the rest of us. So, let us go beyond compassion and adjust our lenses and behaviours to create schools, workplaces, public places of interest where persons with special needs are not just talked about, but seen, heard and their presence felt daily. On that note, I want to salute again the Paralympians and all those who stood and are still standing behind you. You are some of our most important torchbearers for a better world. Congratulations!”
“Next, lest we forget, the supporting teams from the SNPC – the then Chairman Dr Teo-Koh Sock Miang; Mr Ho Cheng Kwee, who is not able to come today, Chef-de-Mission of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, the SDSC, the Singapore National Olympic Council, Sports Singapore and the Singapore Sports Institute. Many are the unsung heroes who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make the road to Rio possible. Thank you all. To the rest of Singapore, I ask you to continue to look beyond the disabilities and celebrate the abilities of our Paralympians and other athletes and the rest of the special needs community. Last weekend, despite the rain, we had about 10,000 Singaporean residents from all abilities, all walks of life, join us in the city district to support inclusion and celebrate abilities in a movement known as The Purple Parade – a ground-up movement that gained the support of many, including our country's top leaders. But beyond the carnival and celebrations, what the organisers deeply yearn for is a transformed society that truly embraces persons with special needs in every aspect of Singapore life. Is there enough support, beyond awareness, to cause a change in our behaviours towards those who are different? Do we know persons with special needs only when they become celebrated Paralympians? Do we, in our social network, have any true friends with special needs? Do we, at our workplace, treat those with special needs with dignity and not pity? In many ways, people with special needs are like you and I, with similar needs and aspirations. Theresa told me she is a Spice Girls' Club fan. She and Pin Xiu just travelled to Europe, London, Burmingham, on their own, public transport, without any special help from the state.”
“We salute all of you. From you, we learnt the lessons of mental toughness, true grit, optimism and self-control. I pray that you will guard sacredly this privileged leadership position or space that you occupy. I know that many of you do not want to be defined by your disability and want to be seen, first, as athletes. But it is the unique identity, the package that you come in, abilities and disabilities combined, that enrich, humble and inspire the rest of us Singaporeans. If you can do it, then perhaps the rest of us can rise above our daily ailments, grievances and complaints and take on life the way you do, against the odds; making lemonades of the lemons we are handed in life. So, Paralympians, I urge you to be the evangelists for a better world – encourage others to do sports on a daily level; tell them how not to let what you cannot do prevent you from what you can; and how not to let failures deter you for longer than they should. Next, to the usually unsung heroes behind our athletes. I believe in the life-view that, in life, that everything we achieve in life, somebody helped us. It is thus also my privilege to congratulate and thank the people who have been supporting the Paralympians. First, the family members who had raised these young people and cheered them on in life, medals or not. I believe that no child with special needs, comes to a family by accident – no child anyway. It takes a special kind of human spirit to embrace a child with special needs in the family, give him space to pursue his passion whilst worrying about his future. Families of our special athletes, too, deserve a medal, in my book.”
“Madam, we are here to celebrate the abilities of some of the most special athletes from our land. Thank you for the privilege of honouring the stellar achievements of all 13 Paralympians who represented Singapore in the 2016 Rio Games. The Paralympic Games is the highest-level global competition for our athletes. I also wish to honour other athletes who trained hard but, for some reason, did not make it to Rio. When Theresa Goh won her bronze in Rio, her good friend and fellow medallist, Yip Pin Xiu, embraced and told her that nobody will know what they have gone through these 17 years. Indeed, many of us can only read about it but never really know the terrain of the arduous road to Rio – the gruelling trainings and the sacrifices behind a sporting career on the world stage. Take the feat of Norsilawati who trained six times a week while working as a freelance web designer; who entered the Rio games at the age of 39, undaunted. Or archery athlete Nur Syahidah, born with cerebral palsy, who similarly trained six days a week and spent most of her non-working days on practice. These stories are not uncommon amongst the rest of the athletes: Nurul, Sze Ning, Suhairi, Muhammad Diroy, Maximillian, Laurentia, Gemma, Jovin, Qian Yin, Pin Xiu and Theresa. Hence, to the Paralympians, thank you for showing us the power of the human spirit. Like the proverbial bumblebee which aerodynamically is not supposed to be able to fly, but it flies anyway. You are not disabled athletes. You are our very own Singaporean athletes with disabilities – disabilities which, instead of tripping you, have helped the rest of Singapore, open their eyes and see your true and powerful abilities. You face greater challenges than typical athletes and deserve recognition similar to or even beyond them.”
“I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for his response. Four supplementary questions. Firstly, how does the Government intend to address the mixed signals that come from this provision? On one hand, we say that gambling, especially remote gambling is pervasive and very undesirable, but on the other hand, it is kind of legal if you go to the exempt operators like Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club. Secondly, a total ban has happened for the last two years. I would like to ask the Ministry how the performance of this total ban has been. From what I have heard on the ground, the Ministry has performed quite well in terms of measures, enforcements, such as the blocking of the remote gambling sites. I would like to ask the Ministry for some details on that. Thirdly, if we are doing well for that, would the Government seriously consider investing even more resources in the enforcement of this total ban, which has happened for the last two years, instead of spending more money trying to manage things downstream? Fourthly, again, would the Ministry or the Government consider a total ban in view of the fact that Singapore has banned many less significant things, such as chewing gum and pornographic materials and so forth. Under what circumstances would the Government consider a total ban?”
“These systems are backed by a culture of centuries of ingrained mindsets that honour craftsmen and strong private-public education ventures. They are not hindered by bias that has plagued us for generations: our bias against sometimes blue-collar workers and our love for scholars and white-collar jobs. Singapore has our own ITEs and polytechnics. Let us forget about trying to become like the Germans and the Swiss. I suspect that in the future, the dichotomy between vocational, applied education and academic pathways will be blurred. So, let us gather a group of dream-makers and chase the rainbow, and create our very own Singapore excellence model in post-secondary education. A dream that will allow us to master skills to not just make excellent products and services like the Germans and Swiss, but also to market them well like the Americans, in the case Page: 53 of Uber, Airbnb and so forth. In conclusion, like a typical kiasu Singaporean, I, for one, believe that we can get there, that space. I am confident that SSG, under the Minister's guidance and the team behind him, can blaze the trail for post-secondary education, but only if it will not simply do business as usual. I am prepared to be part of the solution to contribute to SSG's purpose to secure the future of Singaporeans. And I guess Singapore can count on us. Madam. I support the Bill.”
“The cost of not helping them to continue learning and to renew their skills is high as they may otherwise seek higher cost social services, such as day activity centres, because they are no more relevant to the workforce. There is also an upside in that a number of adults with special needs may be able to take on jobs in our very tight labour market. But even those with special needs who found jobs earlier, will find that without continual customised training and support, they will soon lose their jobs. The current efforts by SG Enable need more boosting and scale. SkillsFuture for this group of Singaporeans is necessary but may have to innovatively take on a different complexion, with strong collaboration between SSG and other relevant Government agencies, voluntary welfare organisations and the private sector. One model that I would advocate in this regard is the formation of a Special Education Academy that can become the Uber or Airbnb in this learning space. This Academy, which may be a blend of physical and online presence, need not provide content itself, just like what Uber does, it does not own any vehicle. It should work with the key disability groups for proper needs analysis and development of curriculum and learning solutions for persons with special learning needs. It must align with the Bill's intent to focus on skills and the future. To support this, I propose that a fund be set aside, very much from the existing SDF, very much like the way MediFund is set aside in the 3M system in healthcare. And, lastly, for the Minister's consideration, to be Bold to Create and Chase Our Own Rainbow. We have spoken for too long about our admiration for the German and Swiss vocational and training systems.”
“Madam, there is a strong need to add to the repertoire of assessment modes, the currently popular ones being standard written tests and project work. Madam, we Singaporeans are known for our Page: 52 ingenuity in finding ways to ace examinations, especially written tests. But because PSEIs are a close link to the industry, how we assess and report on results will become the proxy by which employers evaluate the candidates they seek to employ. The SSG agency should work closely with industry to enlarge the assessment and selection toolkit so that there is more focus on skills, aptitude and not just standard academic results. Next, for the Minister's consideration, to become the Uber for certain service gaps in the post-Secondary education space, such as in special education. At this point, Madam, I want to remind the Ministry about the scope of this Bill, on whom this Bill is meant for. It is not a Bill just to future-proof those who can study in the existing PSEIs. It is for all Singaporeans. Singapore is a nation. It is not a business entity. It is not Singapore Inc. We do not leave behind those who are at risk. We do not throw the crumbs while the rest of us feast and continue to learn what others do not. Every one of us deserves to maximise our potential, whatever level that potential is deemed to be. Our Singapore brand of lifelong learning must be inclusive. It must include those of us who learn and contribute differently. I am thus a little bit disappointed to see no mention of persons with special needs or their educational needs in the Bill. The cliff-effect of learners, especially those who graduate from special schools, is real.”
“We need to abandon the traditional mindset of discarding or hijacking ideas that are "not invented here". There is no way that career educators, who are used to working within the confines of school buildings, systems or classrooms, can hold the monopoly of ideas. SSG must try to research, invest and build bandwidth in "sunrise" new industries. Not an easy task but very necessary. Next, on SSG's expertise on Pedagogy or How to Deliver Learning. Over the years, I have spoken at length on how e-learning platforms and blended learning platforms are the future of the day. I spoke on how our students, many of whom are digital natives, cannot be left to learn only as far as their adult teachers can or will learn. I spoke on how best education resources and best practices must be made available online and otherwise so that more learners can access them, to level the playing field. I spoke about the potential of an open architecture to which content developers can contribute, where content can be curated and transformed into modules that can be distributed to more learners. I am not the only one thinking about this. At the school level, MOE has promised an e-learning space. At the tertiary level, I have observed different IHLs trying out different Learning Management Systems, some of them re-inventing the wheels of locating, negotiating the best platforms. I believe it is the role of the Government and, in this case, the SSG agency, to consolidate and share these learnings in pedagogy as I fear that by the time we think we are ready, the game is over and our investments hitherto would have been wasted. Building SSG's expertise on Assessment or How to Test if One Has Learnt or Mastered a Skill.”
“As it scrutinises the current and potential initiatives, SSG must administer the acid test of whether all these ideas will help Singaporeans future-proof themselves and maximise their Page: 51 potential. We must strive towards the day when fewer and fewer of our people and businesses are surprised when they find that their jobs or those of their loved ones become irrelevant or, worse, suddenly disappear, disrupted by business models or technologies or the sharing economy revolution that we did not see coming; or did not do anything about even if we knew they were coming. The new SSG agency is, therefore, our bastion of hope to secure our future; to ensure that the major remains the major and not lose focus that we are trying to build a future for our people. For the Bill to live up to its name, there are three areas I would urge the Minister to consider: (a) to build strong expertise in the three critical pillars of Content, Pedagogy and Assessment; (b) to become the Uber for current service gaps in some post-education spaces, for example, I will talk about a Special Education Academy in special education space; and (c) to be bold enough to Create and Chase Our Own Rainbow. First, on building strong expertise in the three critical pillars of Content, Pedagogy and Assessment. Content or What to Learn. Madam, futurists have predicted that more than 50% of jobs will disappear by 2030, replaced by new jobs requiring new skills and new competencies. For content, we must build a 21st Century Curriculum that provides access by individuals and businesses to new literacy subjects ‒ more than just English and Mathematics and so forth ‒ to add on, such as basic coding for some of us, or basic e-commerce for some of our businesses. It is not business as usual. We need to consult.”
“As a member of the former SkillsFuture Council and now the combined Council for Skills, Innovation and Productivity (CSIP), I have sat through enough meetings led by the Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shamugaratnam, to "double confirm" that the intent of the SkillsFuture movement is to future-proof the skills of Singaporeans and Singapore businesses. The Minister himself, no less, said that people often mistake SkillsFuture for a funding scheme, training programme or an organisation. He said it is not any of those. Rather, it is "everything we do to create a future that is different and better than today, in the way we look at work and careers, and the way we develop ourselves and our next generation". SkillsFuture is not simply about tapping on the $500 Credit to attend the big menu of courses at our Community Centres. As they say, "Don't use, so wasted!" or in Mandarin,"不用白不用". It is not simply an active ageing programme. It is not just a scheme to persuade one to either not sign up for university or to sign up later. It is not about reviving the Training, Consulting or Mentoring industries. It is not just about doing up Sectoral Human Resource Manpower Plans to see how we can attract more talents for each selected industry sector. It is not just about doing the same thing that we have to do anyway and then branding it as SkillsFuture – what I would term "old wine in new wine skin". SkillsFuture has to be more than all that I have mentioned. And the new SSG Agency established with the passing of this Bill, must live up to its name – focus on Skills and Future! All members of the agency must envision the future of the industry, of our nation and future-proof the skills of our Singaporeans.”
“Madam, this Bill seeks to set up a Statutory Board, SSG, to focus and coordinate the operations pertaining to the national SkillsFuture movement. As I studied this Bill, which I understand is meant to be operational in nature, I cannot help but feel that there is nothing very exciting mentioned on either skills or the future. It belies the significance of SkillsFuture as a national movement to provide Singaporeans with the opportunities to develop their fullest potential throughout life, regardless of their starting point. The SkillsFuture website promises that a variety of resources will be deployed to help Singaporeans own a better future with skills mastery and lifelong learning. I, therefore, hope that when the Bill is passed, the tone of the Act is merely an understatement of the exciting mission and breakthroughs that SSG is expected to deliver. Kudos to the many supporters of the SkillsFuture team and the many agencies behind it. So much has indeed happened since the SkillsFuture movement was launched two years ago. Let me name a few. Of course everybody knows the $500 SkillsFuture Credit; Education and Career Guidance (ECG) at schools; Earn and Learn Programmes (ELPs) for ITE and polytechnic students; Enhanced Internships; Individual Learning Portfolio which is coming out in 2017; Study Awards; Mentoring Scheme and Sectoral Manpower Plans. While all the pieces make sense each time they are presented, I fear the day when we cannot see the forest for the trees.”
“The first one is on how the Ministry can ensure that freedom of expression is not unnecessarily muzzled whilst upholding the principle of fair trial and innocence of defendants till proven guilty and, in the process, help ensure that the vulnerable in their lives and the lives of the accused are not subject to trials by courts of media and public opinion. The second clarification is on how the Bill can prevent abuse of the privilege of government, current and future, to exercise its right to comment on matters in the name of public interest; and for the Minister to provide illustrations of the circumstances, beyond SARS and runs on banks, under which this right is exercised. With that, Madam, I support the Bill.”
“I refer to the accused parties involved in high-profile cases which may or may not have gained public sympathy, such as Mr Yang Yin, the ex-tourist guide, for alleged misappropriation of monies from an elderly widow; and former chief of Central Narcotics Bureau Mr Ng Boon Gay for alleged corruption and who has since been acquitted. In the case of City Harvest, in which six church leaders were prosecuted for alleged misappropriation of funds, the investigation and trial spanning six years had seen much adverse comments being cast in media and by members of the public in public forums. Some observers were of the opinion that the accused might have already been tried and convicted in the Court of public opinion. I especially empathise with those with young children who are paying the price of such conduct. Regardless of our personal sentiments on those charged and the nature of their charges, the principle of according each defendant the right to remain innocent until proven guilty and a fair trial must be upheld. I am thus supportive of the Bill in defining sub judice as one of the primary acts of contempt of Court. As an American judge once said of unbridled reporting allowed in the name of freedom of speech and expression: that "free speech which is the strength of the nation can be the cause of its destruction". In conclusion, Madam, I would like to ask the Minister to respond on two major concerns raised in regard to sub judice.”
“Two, where sub judice is concerned, the Bill provides for the defence of persons who are communicating in private or who have no reasons to believe that their content of discussion would be seen or heard by members of the public. Persons exercising editorial duties are not liable for publishing or distributing contemptuous content, if the latter was done without their authority, content or knowledge. And one that I fully applaud is that provided in clause 21, where there is honest and reasonable failure to obey a Court order, as in the case of persons who might be illiterate or genuinely unaware of his or her obligations, the Court will consider this to be a strong defence and not rule the act as contempt. I appreciate the fact that where there is currently no limit on the punishment which may be imposed for contempt of Court, a ceiling is now put in place for punishment. Madam, I would like to touch on one of the biggest concerns that has been circulating about a potential clamp-down on freedom of expression when citizens and the media are not allowed to publicly express their views on ongoing Court cases. The freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds is regarded as a human right in international law. However, it is also a human right to be entitled to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty according to the law. Therefore, Madam, whilst I fully respect the need for the freedom of expression, I believe that public discourse must not come at the expense of those who should be presumed innocent until proven guilty, upon completion of Court proceedings.”
“Madam, I stand to support the principles behind the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill. At the same time, I would like to seek the Minister's clarification on several concerns. Madam, this is a Bill that seeks to ensure that Court orders are effectively enforced so that persons can receive protection of the law; that persons receive fair trials and that the high level of trust in Singapore's legal system is preserved. I find it useful that the Bill seeks to codify the current law on contempt so that members of the public will not have to second-guess what constitutes contempt of Court. For the layman, the Bill clearly lays out in Part 2 the types of conduct that amount to contempt; the key ones being: one, sub judice or publishing content that may interfere with or prejudice an ongoing Court case; two, scandalising the Court through acts that impute improper motives or attack the integrity or impartiality of the Court; the strength of the Judiciary being founded in the confidence and respect of the people in the justice system; and three, intentionally disobeying a Court order or breaching an undertaking to the Court. As someone keenly interested in social service matters, I am particularly glad that the Bill makes it clear on the consequences of defying Court orders when obligations of maintenance payments are not fulfilled. Just as important for the layman, the Bill provides for defences in Part 4 of the Bill and, through this, clarifies what is not contempt. One, clause 14, where scandalising the Court is concerned, reports made to the Chief Justice, the Police or a law enforcement agency concerning a judge's alleged misconduct or corruption is not considered contempt. These are avenues by which concerns on the Court can be channelled.”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Acting Minister for the reply. AGO has advised MOE to incentivise the banks to ensure more expedient loan recoveries. I would like to hear from the Acting Minister how he would balance this so-called instruction with the need to be sensitive to cases where there is genuine hardship.”
“Although MediShield Life, thankfully, does not exclude them, the needs are still high and this group needs help. Centres for adults with more severe disabilities, receiving only means-tested financial support and insufficient for long-term viability. They need the support of the rest of us. Parents who are in urgent need of legal assistance as they are no longer able to make decisions for their adult children deemed as lacking mental capacity; decisions, such as on surgeries and housing – they need help. Family caregivers who are emotionally at risk of taking their own lives and those of their children with special needs – they need help. How can the Government and the rest of Singapore support them? We cannot pretend they do not exist. We need to dare to confront these difficult challenges. Page: 95 Persons with special needs are more than their diagnosis. They are not simply the objects of our charity. Someday, many of us may join this club when we lose our sight, our hearing and our mobility. Some of us may even lose our mental capacity. The only way to predict the future is to help create it. Let us dream big, dive deep and dare to deal with the difficult.”
“The adults who are visually impaired need a greater variety of jobs so that more of them can find work. More must be done upstream to train them and find jobs beyond the respected traditional professions like masseurs and buskers. The autism community has organised itself, formed the Autism Network Singapore and is in the process of developing its own Enabling Masterplan. Their worry is also for the adults in their midst. Administrators and policy writers must themselves dive deeper, too. It is old-school to only use a person's ability or inability to perform physical Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) as the eligibility criteria to schemes, such as the Foreign Worker Grants for the disabled. Just because someone is able to physically dress himself and go to the toilet independently does not mean he does not need supervision in other key aspects of life. To achieve excellence, the Government and all of us in the sector need to go beyond threading water and dive deeper. Lastly, we must dare to deal with the difficult issues confronting the special needs community. There may be no easy solutions for some of these issues and that is precisely the reason why we need to surface them, alert the relevant agencies and tap on the rest of the Singapore family. I would like to highlight a few. Regular health screening and consultations by doctors, dentists and even optomologists capable of treating Persons with Disabilities. This is a real need. Dr Chen Shiling from the Happee Hearts Movement has a vision of starting a specialised health centre for People with Disabilities (PWDs). Check her out. Children with rare diseases whose medical costs can chalk up to $300,000 per year.”
“In the special needs sector, we can leverage on our nation's advantage in technology to be the game changer to develop, scale and spread excellence so that more can benefit. Go for excellence. Dream big. Dive deeper. To truly embrace the special needs community, the Government and other stakeholders must go beyond the usual general public consultations with focus groups in developing policies and programmes, especially for the upcoming Enabling Masterplan. There are several key disability types – intellectual, physical, developmental, sensory, learning – and groups with multiple disabilities. Persons with Disabilities and their caregivers are not all the same in the issues they face. There are different levels of challenges, commitment, abilities and excellence amongst the service providers and agencies supporting them. We need to do more than ground sensing. The usual general frustrations and disappointments will surface, but dive deeper we must, if we wish to excel. Encourage each major disability group to study their own terrain and derive a mini Enabling Masterplan that highlights the pivotal needs of their charges, prioritise them, identify the gaps and recommend solutions. The Government must invite and study these plans. We know that not everything can be addressed by the Government, but it can surely play the role of Integrator and Facilitator to identify partners who can co-source or co-develop innovative solutions to address this area of growth or Page: 94 pains. The Singapore Association for the Deaf has attempted a mini-Enabling Masterplan highlighting the needs for effective early intervention. Other deaf activists have raised the need to make captioning and sub-titling a default feature for all key national communications.”
“At the same time, the special needs community, comprising Persons with Disabilities, their caregivers, the professionals, VWOs and other agencies, must be future-prepared. They must acquire skills mastery in what they do. They must attain innovation capability and learn to form enlightened partnerships in order to survive and, hopefully, thrive in the world of the future. Dream big, dive deep, dare to deal with the difficult. I believe that is the way to go. Dream big. Singapore signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The Convention advocates the important view that Persons with Disabilities should not be simply objects of charity, medical treatment and social protection. The Convention sees them as full and equal members of society with rights to such important things as education, healthcare, housing, justice, mobility and safety. Singapore must dream big and cast the vision of fully embracing the special needs community as its rainbow to chase. In every key aspect of life, Persons with Disabilities must be included, by default, in the main chapter of policymaking and not as an after-thought; or, worse, forgotten. A Smart Nation is not so smart if it creates a digital divide between those who can and others who cannot or are not included to partake. The SkillsFuture movement does not promise much of a future if it does not tangibly provide for those at risk of being left behind – the vulnerable, including Persons with Disabilities. If lifelong learning is the way to go, then there is nothing to say that MOE's special schools cannot be resourced to become lifelong learning hubs so that persons with special needs can learn and contribute for life.”
“Sir, I will use the term "special needs" with the commonly used term "disabilities" interchangeably in this speech. Those of us who have been following the development of the special needs landscape in Singapore know that much has been achieved in the last decade. The first salvo to include those with disabilities was launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong when he was inaugurated. His inauguration speech set the tone and momentum of things to come. There were a few breakthroughs. MediShield Life which covers persons with congenital conditions and/or pre-existing conditions; universal base funding on top of means-tested fundings for Early Intervention, and the immense MOE support for Special Education schools. These are some of the positive breakthroughs. Singaporeans should visit the SG Enable Village to see the dignity and support given to persons with special needs who might be suitable to work. Today, we have amongst us in Parliament, a respected Nominated Member of Parliament, Ms Chia Yong Yong, a lawyer with peroneal muscular atrophy. I have personally witnessed the quiet, commendable efforts made by the Parliament staff to ensure this Chamber and even our restroom facilities are accessible to Yong Yong. Kudos to them. The third five-year Enabling Masterplan for Persons with Disabilities in our country is now underway. These are exciting times for the special needs community. But they are also alarming Page: 93 times, judging from the fast pace and ways by which technology can disrupt our world. The directions laid down in Budget 2016 are just as relevant to this special community. We must, as a country, address the community's near-term challenges.”
“Madam, Education is the social leveller, transformer of lives, potential game changer for the future of people in countries. So, I just want to thank the Acting Ministers, Minister of State, the Parliamentary Secretaries and the rest of the MOE team for their commitment, their diligence in sticking to this journey of delivering excellent education for all of Page: 72 us, regardless of our age and abilities. Thank you so much for doing this. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $12,140,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $660,000,000 for Head K ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Madam, I would like to pose two questions to the two Acting Ministers. One, a lot of the plans that were outlined by the Acting Minister is for what you do for the students and to the students. But I said in my sharing that I think the education sector is not immune to the changes of this world. I wanted to hear the Acting Minister's views on what SkillsFuture plans MOE has for itself to address the new economy. How does the Ministry plan to help its staff meet these challenges and also adjust to these challenges? Two, this is for Acting Minister Ng, on the PSLE review. It is definitely an improvement so that it is not such a fine score to work on. However, at the end of it, it still boils down to grades. I am just wondering what the Acting Minister thinks will be the game changer or the key that will unlock Singaporeans from our habit of chasing the grades and chasing the scores through tuition and, definitely, wanting to go for a degree for that matter. So, I am just wondering how the Acting Minister feels about that.”
“Page: 9 Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the author of the classic "The Little Prince", was believed to have said, "If you want to build a ship, don't herd people together to collect wood and assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them first to yearn for the endless immensity of the sea." I look forward to both yearning for the sea and building a ship with the Ministry and my fellow Singaporeans. [Applause.]”
“As Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it, "Your actions speak so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying". Three, that serving others must be the rent one pays for being here on earth, and to whom much is given, much is also expected. There are so many ways by which the education sector can contribute to the making of a caring and resilient society. Ad hoc or piecemeal efforts bear little impact either for the giver or the receiver. One of the ways is to adopt a targeted approach to adopt causes on a committed basis and serve those who need a leg up. One, develop academic and non-academic support schemes so that those who are stronger in some areas can buddy and coach those who are less so. Two, encourage graduates to make use of their school holidays or gap years to serve students at risk, localising the "Teach for America" model that is quite well-known to suit our specific local needs. Third, go for bolder and more audacious initiatives, such as co-locating and co-running special schools within mainstream school compounds. Four, help address key painpoints in society that are often talked about and not easily resolved, such as the homeless, the karang guni peddlers, families with members with rare diseases or other severe disabilities. In conclusion, Madam, MOE is one of our largest Government agencies. As the captain of the education industry, it has to not only address its near-term challenges but also envision and transform itself to be a key game changer so that Singapore will be future-proof and will be here for many more 50 years to come.”
“Resources ought to be invested heavily in developing the future-ready mindsets and skillsets of educators and parents. Lead by example. That is for SkillsFuture. Next, to future-proof our education sector, I feel there is the need to speed up the application of technology to bring excellence to many more. Besides its plan to launch an online learning space for its students, can MOE build an open-source platform to allow participants to develop, evaluate and contribute education ware? Madam, I also believe that MOE needs to assemble a team to study the potential disruptions in the education model we are used to in this country. Page: 8 Some of us have heard of The Independent Project where United States (US) high school students are allowed to start a mini school for themselves. But that is at the extreme. Across the world, there are dream-school projects which are collaborations with researchers and innovative businesses, born out of a need for more effective and future-ready models for content, delivery and assessment. MOE should give space to develop dream-school projects that can address current hot buttons and further future-proof ourselves. Lastly, on education for a caring and resilient society. I commend MOE’s recent plans to have all students clean up their school on a daily basis. I also support its plan to build resilience in our youths through its National Outdoor Adventure Education Masterplan. The goal of an excellent education must be the character of a person and must be based on a few key principles. One, that values are caught, not taught. Students gather their morals and values from their experiences. Two, that seeing is believing; and the modelling of the significant adults in a student's life is worth many lectures on good character.”
“And four, provide better support to those with special needs in special schools and mainstream schools, including IHLs. Next, I want to touch upon future-proofing the education industry. Madam, we have heard how the world has changed and how technology and disintermediation – the removal of the middleman – disrupt the jobs of not manufacturing but also service industries, such as in journalism, travel, real estate and retail. Our education sector is not immune to the fast-changing world that Budget 2016 has warned us about. The need to fend off disruptive advances, move from value-adding to value-creation, getting into the Internet of Things are, I believe, as real in the not-for-profit education landscape as it is in the business sector. How do we future-proof our education system? Surely, there is a similar need for the Ministry of Education (MOE), like the rest of Singapore's key industries, to develop an industry future-proof transformation plan to look into deepening innovation capabilities and to help our people adjust and seize new opportunities. SkillsFuture was the first salvo to future-proof our nation. It represents a strategic and new look at how Singapore looks at schooling and learning – instead of a paper chase – and skills mastery, lifelong and self-driven learning. Minister Heng has announced a SkillsFuture or a future-ready toolkit that will be available from Primary 5. What about for our educators and parents? How about learners who continue to learn long after their traditional school exit at the age of 18 or 21? How can the current schools, including special schools and IHLs, be relevant to all of them? Besides doing things to our students, we should work with partners to develop an Education Sectoral Manpower Plan.”
“Others fear that meritocracy is at risk of losing its place as a social leveller as those in the higher-income groups self-perpetuate themselves. Woe be the day when a child's postal code determines his destiny. Then, for those who learn differently, whether in special or mainstream schools, including the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), quality of support is still inconsistent. Education excellence for this group of learners is still an aspiration. But all is not lost. As a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education for many years, I know that the Ministry has been diligently confronting these mountains. They and many other Singaporeans know we must level the playing field so that every child has the opportunity to excel. In January this year, I had spoken at length about the unhealthy trends of our preoccupation with academic success; "parentocracy" and the physical segregation of students based on their learning abilities. I had also given several suggestions, including removing the high-stakes PSLE at the age of 12, but retaining the rigour of academic learning; and a review of the current model of sorting students into geographically different physical schools which may not reflect the microcosm of society. Page: 7 It leaves me to seek an update from the Minister on how he intends to: One, further level the playing field for students of lower socio-economic backgrounds. Two, use technology to empower students, families and educators to access the best education practices and resources in content, pedagogy and assessment. Three, review the PSLE, the Gifted Education Programme (GEP) and DSA systems and reduce the obsession with academic scores and perceived "elite" schools.”
“Madam, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated to Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100." Madam, I believe that everyone, regardless of their age, income, connections or ability, deserves equal access to an excellent education. Singapore's education system is said by many to be one of the best in the world. Many countries look at us with envy. However, we are not perfect and we face our own giants. I would like to use the language of Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat's "Budget speak" and share on three areas: (i) addressing near-term concerns in education; (ii) future-proofing the education industry; and (iii) educating for a caring and resilient society. First, addressing near-term concerns. At a recent Meet-the-People session, a couple with three children asked me to appeal for more childcare subsidies for her younger ones. When I asked for more details, they shared that they are paying more than $500 for their eldest, a Secondary 1 student, for tuition. The tuition fee is more than 10% of their household income. Tuition is, indeed, too prevalent to ignore. It is still thriving as a shadow education industry. And as though the $1-billion academic tuition industry needs another boost, another form of tuition for Direct School Admissions (DSA) has arisen. It was reported that there are tutors who can help pupils build DSA portfolios at the rate of up to $300 per hour. The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) cut-off points for entry into secondary schools of one's choice are a key performance indicator (KPI) for not only many students, but also their parents and school educators. Some educators feel that the education rat race has begun even before one enters Primary 1.”
“Thank you for the oral responses from the Ministry. I would like to ask the Minister two questions. First, thank you for walking the ground with us at Little India last month. Page: 83 My first question is for the Minister to maybe share his thoughts about what he found on the last visit to Little India, if he thought anything needs to change or to be done further. My second supplementary clarification is on the Ministry's views on what criteria should be used for deciding the locations to allow operators of licences, such as pawnshops, moneylending businesses, sale of alcohol, cyber-game cafes and so forth. What are some of the criteria for MHA or Police to decide on where these businesses should be located? Should they be located at places, such as void decks and in estates, whether they are public or private housing, because these are actually where residents live day in day out and they are there for the longest time? And would the Ministry not agree that it is better for places, such as void decks and communal spaces, to have more wholesome community services, such as childcare, SSO or the Senior Activity Centres? I would like to hear some views from MHA on the location of businesses, such as moneylending, pawnshops and so forth, not just in Little India but also in places like Waterloo Centre.”
“The contributions of the foreign workers benefit our entire nation as they help build much of our nation's infrastructure. We need them and we accept that foreign workers, like the rest of us, have social and leisure needs, amongst other needs. The issue is not a Little India locality issue. It is a national issue that can only be solved by carefully balancing the needs of all stakeholders – the workers, residents, businesses and the rest of Singapore. Road Safety”
“Mr Melvin Yong and I are the local Members of Parliament taking care of the residents of Little India. We wish to speak on behalf of our residents to ensure that the Little India riot of December 2013 will not happen again, the riot being the worst public disorder in Singapore in more than 40 years. We are thankful for the post-riot recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry (COI) regarding alcohol restrictions, beefing up of Police operations and patrols and the decentralisation of crowds to recreation centres in the rest of Singapore. Recently, I was at Little India with Home Affairs Minister Shanmugam and members of the Police Force. It was obvious that the pre-riot crowds have returned to Little India. Madam, congregations of such high density are walking time-bombs and public disorder incidents waiting to happen. It is important that we do not take our eyes off this matter, lest we want history to repeat itself. I, hence, wish to ask for the Minister's update of his plans in regard to this matter. I also ask for his favourable consideration of the following suggestions: (a) Form a high-level multi-agency task force to mitigate the security and dis-amenity risks of high congestion of visitors to Little India; (b) Ring-fence the communal areas of residents, such as the playgrounds and void decks so that the old and the young get to use the space meant for them; (c) Continue with and do not stop resourcing the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry viz-a-viz alcohol consumption restrictions and patrol teams; (d) Decentralise further by building more recreation centres outside Little India; and (e) Engage regularly, through planned dialogues, with all key stakeholders, the foreign workers, agents, businesses and residents.”