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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“We know, for example, in Germany, employers send their master craftsmen for further training to universities – the academic track – that emphasise the development of job-relevant skills, such as management and strategic leadership skills, too. Once key stakeholders, such as parents and students, can see that the two tracks are actually more porous, they will be less resistant to make a decision to take a nontraditional education pathway, when deemed appropriate. Critical success factor 2 – ASPIRE's ability to imbue excellence and mastery in schools and workplace culture. This is covered nicely by the Senior Minister of State Ms Indranee Rajah. I believe that although ASPIRE is about creating equality in opportunities, there is a strong case for putting even more focus on building excellence or mastery that will garner respect and recognition, whether one is in the university or non-university track. In his popular book Excellence, John William Gardner, the ex-Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under US President Lyndon Johnson argued that his country must push for both excellence and equality at all levels of society. John William Gardner said that the "society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy just because philosophy is an exalted thinking activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: and neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water." Most of us innately know the importance of execution excellence at all levels, even if many do not recognise or pay for excellence enough. As John Gardner would say, "A missile may blow up because the architect at the top was incompetent or it could also blow up because the mechanic who adjusted the last valve was incompetent.”
“On the importance of the public sector to set the tone and take the lead, I feel very strongly that it is very important that the Public Service must lead the way and signal strongly the spirit behind ASPIRE, which is very important for our country. Not only is the public sector the largest employer in Singapore, in recent years, it has also become the pacesetter for human resources (HR) practices, identifying and compensating employees. Instead of asking which jobs need degrees, I believe the public sector and the other employers should honestly ask which jobs do not need degrees and immediately open up these jobs for recruitment of those who meet the competency requirement, graduate or not. Next, on the importance of reviewing holistically the post-secondary education landscape, I believe that one of the flaws in the ASPIRE project design is its narrow scope. In separating the university track from the non-university track of polytechnics and ITEs, it appears as if the ITE and the polytechnic tracks are the ones that need fixing and improvement. But the polytechnics and the ITEs are the ones that have improved so much in recent years. It is also a known fact that employers lament that there are university graduates who are not quite work-ready. Twenty-first century economies with very short product lives and rapid technology changes form the setting of the future workplace of all school graduates, whatever education institutions they are from. ASPIRE would have been for the stronger had its scope cover all of the post-secondary school education and strengths and gaps analysed holistically – at individual, family, employer and societal levels. Page: 87 A greater emphasis could have been placed on the porosity amongst the various education tracks.”
“And we will miraculously achieve what we would like to see in systems in, say, Germany, Switzerland, Norway or Finland where there is a greater balance between the vocational and academic tracks. I believe that the biggest battle lies in the deeply entrenched paradigm that the degree route is the ticket to a better career and life. Even with the likes of whom I call Wendy Sim and Dennis Tan who had made good from their decisions to pursue their own dreams and not follow the paths more travelled. Even they decided that, for their own children, the ticket Page: 86 to a good career should still be a university degree, no less. This is a mindset that is further fuelled by an employment market that uses a degree as a proxy for one’s ability or potential to perform. It does not help that many leaders in our country hail from top universities in the world. Unless this mindset that the degree route is the only ticket to a better career and life is addressed, ASPIRE’s strong applied education pathways will remain just one piece of the post-secondary education eco-system. Not many more will buy into it and the potential of many of our students will not be maximised. It will not be a game-changer, and many people would still aspire for a singular education track of degrees and postgraduate degrees, where possible. When old mindsets do not change, then new behaviours do not follow. It is like keeping old wine in new wine skin. How long will it take to change a culture? The less optimistic say at least 20 years or one generation. The more optimistic give five to 10 years.”
“I think of Mr Victor Ong; a year 2000 graduate from Temasek Polytechnic's Diploma in Interactive Media Design. Victor started his career as a designer and was promoted very quickly to an Art Director in two of the largest global advertising firms in the industry. He then decided to contribute in the not-for-profit sector as a Creative Director. Then, there is Mdm Wendy Sim, the owner-operator of Nam Foong Furniture who neither attended a polytechnic or a university. Wendy successfully leads a team of carpenters in her family business and is a very popular, reliable and respected supplier. Another hero in the service industry is a Mr Dennis Tan who holds a GCE "O" Level certificate and today, is an Enrichment Unit Manager who serves thousands of children in an autism charity that I run. Singaporeans, such as Victor Ong, Wendy Sim and Dennis Tan, need not feel that they are now outliers who did not trod the usual graduate academic pathway. If ASPIRE were to succeed, they would have been guided, facilitated, recognised and rewarded for what they bring to the table. There will then be no need for future ASPIRE projects. Getting it right. Sir, I believe that there are three critical factors for ASPIRE to succeed. One, the ability to transform the mindset of key stakeholders. Two, the ability to imbue excellence or mastery in schools and workplaces. Three, the ability to work effectively with industry players. Critical success factor 1 – ASPIRE’s ability to transform the mindset of key stakeholders. Sir, I worry about what is unsaid in the ASPIRE Report than what is written. There appears to be an underlying assumption that all things will fall in place if we only strengthen the vocational track.”
“The ASPIRE project has been a long-time coming. I am inspired by ASPIRE's goals to strengthen the applied education pathway in our country's polytechnics and ITEs; and I want it to succeed. Although the ASPIRE report has not expressed it blatantly, one primary concern, I believe, it hopes to address is the potential problem of an over-supply of graduates. Graduate unemployment is already seen in East Asian countries such as Taiwan and South Korea. In a society that places a high premium on academic pursuit, Singapore runs the risk of facing the same fate. Sir, my support for what ASPIRE aspires to do is not based on whether it can outrun the potential graduate glut in Singapore. It is more than that. There is a strong case for the school of thought that is most famously put forth by Prof Howard Gardner from Harvard. Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory argues that people possess different types of intelligences and learning styles. Some of these intelligences include musical, visual-spatial, verbal-linguistic, logicalmathematical, kinesthetic and interpersonal skills. Howard Gardner believes that education should be about helping individuals "develop intelligences and to help them reach vocational and avocational goals that are appropriate to their particular spectrum of intelligences". Many of us are already aware of heroes from the Hall of Fame, such as businessman Richard Branson, IT honchos Bill Gates and Steve Jobs; award-winning actor Ben Affleck and tennis star, Andre Agassi, winner of eight Grand Slam titles. Despite their not attending Page: 85 college or dropping out of college, these heroes are known for excellence in their work. In my years of service in the private, people and public sectors, I have met many such everyday heroes.”
“These are set-ups that can scarcely afford a further increase in operational costs, and the mandatory additional 1% Medisave contribution to pay for the MediShield review will certainly impact them. I ask the Minister, MOH, the Government and the relevant Ministries to consider how these Small Enterprises and VWOs could be supported. Page: 72 So, these are the five suggestions. In conclusion, Madam, it has been said that "where your treasure is, that's where your heart is also". This Government has committed a hefty treasure of close to $4 billion over the next five years to provide every Singaporean with lifetime basic protection against medical costs so that they can have greater peace of mind. This move tells me that the Government's heart is in the right place – with the People. Thank you for agreeing to deploy the country's treasure to where it should rightly be – basic protection for every Singaporean, regardless of their health status. I thank the Review Committee and the Secretariat for its excellent work. A very well-written and reader-friendly White Paper. Thank you very much. I thank the Government for strongly endorsing the Committee's recommendations. I strongly support the White Paper on MediShield Life. 5.04 pm”
“On the recommendation that the Government works with the insurance industry for a Standard IP at Class B1 level coverage, Madam, I fully agree with this recommendation. But I would also like to ask the Minister to play a regulatory role so that key IP providers adopt fair and consistent practices so that persons with pre-existing conditions will not be at the mercy of or be totally left out by the for-profit providers. IPs, as the Committee pointed out, are of significant public interest, with 60% of Singaporeans having bought IPs of various forms. Persons with pre-existing conditions should not be denied and deprived of the choice of upgrading to Class B1 because of either unfair risk-loading practices or private insurers' lack of interest to cover this target group. I ask the Ministry to consider working out to offer a standard IP for all, regardless of health conditions, using the same principles of standard loading if need be, as the basic MediShield Life. My Suggestion Four concerns employer plans. At the job front, for persons with pre-existing conditions, I urge the Government to ensure that persons with pre-existing conditions are not excluded from plans that provide some basic employment benefits, such as Workmen's Compensation, Group Hospitalisation and Surgical Plans and Term Life Insurance Plans. I think these plans need to be aligned so that people with pre-existing conditions or congenital conditions will not be left out. My last suggestion refers to Small Enterprises and Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs). For small enterprises and the not-for-profit VWOs, I urge the Government to consider a rebate of sorts.”
“On the recommendation to apply permanent subsidies only for two-thirds of the population, I wish to ask the Minister to consider a subsidy formula that is currently used in Government-sponsored, for example, Early Intervention Programmes in MSF. This model applies a universal flat subsidy to All Singaporeans, whatever their income is; and then add a second component of means-testing to those of lower income. Considering that health insurance is a very basic essential service, I urge the Ministry to consider applying a universal flat permanent subsidy to all Singaporeans first, regardless of income; and then apply another layer of subsidy that is means-tested. Page: 71 Suggestion Two is regarding the premium loading for those with pre-existing conditions. On the recommendation of an additional 30% loading on the standard premiums for the first 10 years to be paid by individuals with pre-existing conditions, I would like to seek Minister's clarification on: (a) how this additional loading of 30% is computed; (b) how the duration of 10 years is derived at; and (c) the criteria by which individuals with disabilities are evaluated for this additional loading. Because, as most of us know, disabilities come in varying degrees of severity – some are mild, some moderate and some more severe. Just because someone has been to a Special School, just because he has a form of mild or moderate autism or just because someone meets a technical definition of intellectual impairment, for example, an IQ of below 70, does not mean that that person is automatically a high-risk profile, subject to the loading. Suggestion Three relates to the IP option for all.”
“Another encouraging baby step that was taken last year was when I was able to work with NTUC Income – thanks to then CEO Tan Suee Chieh and his team – they piloted and launched their first disability-specific insurance product for the autism community. So, that was really encouraging. But the real deal has now come in a reformed MediShield Life that features universal coverage – for life, for all; albeit with a recommended 30% loading for those with pre-existing conditions but with Government agreeing to foot 75% of the cost of inclusion. I am extremely encouraged by this show of moral courage of the Government in supporting this particular recommendation of the Review Committee to cover everyone. It is a move that has so far earned the support of most Members of Parliament, regardless of the party colour that they don; not to mention the many special-needs persons who previously were being denied health insurance. I have spoken to them and they are very, very supportive and grateful. Good leaders do the right thing despite challenges, despite difficulties. Including every Singaporean in a basic healthcare scheme – regardless of their age, condition, ability to contribute economically or other perceived liability – is the right thing to do. I therefore thank and salute the Minister and his team for strongly endorsing the universal coverage recommendation by the Committee. Thank you for putting your money where it matters – to pay for the bulk of the cost to bring the previously uninsured into MediShield Life. I have five suggestions to make, for Minister's consideration. Suggestion One is Universal Permanent Subsidy.”
“I had asked for Government and other key insurance providers to look into addressing this big gap for the several years that I have been in Parliament. To be fair, the attention and support given to the special needs community especially by the Government have been remarkable in the last decade. This is thanks to the clear signal sent by the Prime Minister since his inauguration. The call to consider the special needs community, those who are disabled, was also supported by the active leadership and good work of several Ministries, such as MSF, MOE and, more recently, MOT. But one important missing piece has always been health insurance. It is not an easy piece to fix. Inclusion has a price. Even as Singaporeans call for an inclusive society and to ensure that everyone has access to public health insurance and healthcare, not all the calls share the same degree of conviction. Many people do not mind sharing the cost of insurance for all, only if it means they are made to pay just "a little bit more". Many, of course, want the Government to pay the bulk of any premium increase. In my less optimistic moments, in the last year when MediShield was being considered, I had thought that the MediShield Life Page: 70 Review Committee and the Government will continue to leave the uninsured behind, citing cost as an obstacle. While all this is happening, baby steps, indeed, had been taken. MOH had cautiously introduced the policy of ensuring all children born after 1 March 2013 to be covered under MediShield, whatever their condition; leaving out only those who were born before March 2013.”
“Madam, I rise in strong support of the White Paper on MediShield Life. I would like to especially focus on a very significant feature Page: 69 of the Review Committee's recommendations – that of universal coverage. During the Our Singapore Conversations conducted with 47,000 Singaporeans, healthcare has emerged as one of the top three concerns for them. Many people worry that as the population ages and life expectancy increases, healthcare would not be affordable. It is clear that access to affordable healthcare throughout life is an important basic need of all Singaporeans. Yet, 7% or 270,000 Singaporeans and PRs are uninsured under the MediShield, which is our basic public insurance scheme. Out of these uninsured, 60,000 of them have pre-existing conditions of varying severity. Amongst those who are insured, another 65,000 are estimated to have exclusions. In total, I would say more than 100,000 Singaporeans and PRs have been uninsured for years For many years since I joined this House, I have asked for health insurance to be a "must-provide" service by the Government, for all. Health insurance and affordable healthcare are basic essential services that must not be denied to anyone in our Singapore family, whatever health conditions they are born with, or acquired during their lifetime either through accidents, old age or other reasons. I often wondered and had articulated in this House, why, for instance, a person with Down's Syndrome would be deprived of health insurance-paid hospitalisation if he should meet with an accident through no fault of his. Or why a person who acquired a heart condition or diabetes should be denied basic health insurance or other medical benefits that other citizens have access to.”
“I want to ask if the Minister or the relevant agencies would give priority for the Little India businesses, since more basic services, such as grocery, remittance businesses, are being set up as part of the new strategies in the workers' dormitories.”
“Thank you, Madam. Mr Lui Tuck Yew and I are the Members taking care of different parts of Little India and we want to register our thanks to the Home Team which has supported the residents and us even before the riot. Despite the alarming physical damage and the death of one man, we are very grateful that the riot was quelled the same night. Mornings after were back to normal and post-riot measures were decisive and effective and sent a strong message that we do not tolerate such riots. Again, we want to officially thank and salute the Home Team for its contribution, including the ground commander from Tanglin, who, I believe, has done what he could in the heat of action and without the benefit of hindsight. My question is this. I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he has taken consideration of the residents' response to what has happened in the last six months. In the last six months, the majority of our residents, including some restaurants and temples, have found measures, such as the alcohol sale and consumption restrictions, increased Police presence, improved transport arrangements – all measures which are very, very useful. There is a strong appeal to have these measures sustained for the long term. It has never been more peaceful. I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the residents' appeals could be given stronger and heavier weightage, compared to general voices from the public; in developing, especially the permanent measures in the residential zones and even the nearby zones. I have been heartened by the Manpower Minster's promise to ensure that the foreign workers' interests are looked after as well. I want to also speak up for the businesses which had depended primarily on the foreign workers in Little India.”
“Hence, until the majority of us agree on the social contract that governs our society, that governs how we treat each other, especially the least amongst us, I am afraid our best days may be over. Nonetheless, Sir, I still support the Motion of thanks to the President for his Address at the Opening of the Second Session of the Twelfth Parliament. I thank him for his vision. 4.46 pm”
“As a people, we need to examine and agree on some fundamentals, update them, so that, indeed, the best days lie ahead. For example, as we pursue First World ambitions, can we look up from our smart phones and tithe some of our time and resources for those amongst us who are disadvantaged, such as the severely disabled, the abandoned elderly, the ex-convicts and their families, knowing that it would take more than paid social workers and Government agencies to give them a fighting chance for success? Can we pledge that the family unit remains the fundamental unit of our society and the first port of call for love and help, that we do not abandon the care of our loved ones to the care of others? Can we continue to endorse the principle that work comes before welfare, that if we can work, we work, before we seek welfare? Can we agree that the doers who make things happen, the blue-collar workers who clean up after us, deserve a better lot and a better place in our society? Can we exercise not just courage to speak up for our own needs and causes, but extend consideration and courtesy for others who, too, have their own needs and causes? Sir, the Our Singapore Conversation has only just begun. I agree with other Members of this House who have asked for the national conversations to be continued. A friend of mine Page: 68 who runs a successful tuition agency, a very successful one, asked his students, all youths, what they thought of Singaporeans. The word "selfish" comes up often. When Minister Lim Swee Say recently called for Singaporeans to be better customers, there were a number of people who disagreed with him, claiming that it was bad service that trigger bad customers. But two wrongs – bad service, bad customers – do not make a right.”
“Three, the Public Service needs to redesign and resource a more effective communication blueprint that allows it to: one, proactively identify issues that matter on the ground; two, consults and co-shapes with citizens important policies and programmes that Page: 67 affect the lives of the people of Singapore, such as the CPF Minimum Sum Scheme or even the latest Pioneer Generation Package; and three, not only informs decisions that ultimately have to be taken, but also explains and takes feedback, not once but on an ongoing basis in order to finetune and hone its work in order to meet its purpose. Sir, in the possibility of a future of revolving-door politics where incumbent politicians may not stay long enough to dwell deeper into critical national issues, I feel there is a strong need to take stock of the strengths and weaknesses and update one of the most important key institutions of our country, the Public Service. In conclusion, Sir, I cannot agree more with the President when he said that an increase in Government spending, especially on social programmes, "does not necessarily create a wealthier, a better or a happier society". Neither will cheaper flats, lower COEs, universal healthcare coverage make us all happier, I suspect. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul? Ultimately, however strong or weak our political and public institutions are, our saving grace must come from within each one of us, each Singaporean. Each of us needs to invest in our moral fibre to do the right thing and not do what is populist and self-serving. Each of us needs to exercise the power of one and ensure that our conscience stays intact.”
“There is a need to rethink the kind of competencies we need for leadership in the Civil Service in the 21st century – 21st century competencies, such as facilitation, learning how to coax the best out of partners and staff, networking, communicating effectively in a digital age to citizens who have grown up digital. Is there still a need for an elite Administrative Service which primarily admits persons of a specific form of intelligence? Or should the Administrative Service scheme be replaced by a more open and robust system to identify different talents and competencies for different types of leadership jobs? Is there a space for a Civil Service Human Resource (HR) system that is less exclusive and more porous, so that those without the traditional pedigree and yet own the desired leadership competencies might stand a chance of being in the leadership team in the Public Service? Two, the Public Service also needs to upgrade its operating system in the way it recognises and rewards performances. The traditional system by which officers are ranked in groups amongst supervisors who hardly know the staff, calls for an update. There is rumbling on the ground by even civil servants themselves, no less, on the quality of a recognition system that is based in part on how aggressive one's supervisor fights for one's ranking against other similarly enthused supervisors similarly pushing for their own staff.”
“The series depicts how in a world of revolving-door politics, where politicians come and go, how senior civil servants are, in fact, running the country, believing that it is the Civil Service that knows best what is good for the country. The power games in the television series that were played were hilarious but, at the same time, sobering. As our political system becomes more vibrant, what is depicted in "Yes, Prime Minister" is not an improbable scenario. With the maturing of the political system and the gradual eroding perception of the politics of fear, the likelihood of revolving-door politics may one day become a reality in Page: 66 Singapore. The top echelon of the Civil Service, of the Public Service, is set to play a critical role to ensure Singapore's stability and survival. The Public Service, our Executive branch, is the largest employer in Singapore, employing some 139,000 officers in 16 Ministries and more than 50 Statutory Boards. Together with the other Government-linked organisations, they form our nation's backbone. In recent years, they even set the trends and pace in being one of the best pay-masters. The Civil Service picks the crème-de-la crème to join its ranks and grooms them to helm its many Ministries and agencies. Its top performers are sometimes eyed for political appointments. In my opinion, the Public Service needs to upgrade its operating system in at least three ways. One, in the way it selects and develops especially its leaders. We are In a day and age when a mere web-search will produce an avalanche of good ideas.”
“The Elected President holds the executive right to block attempts by the Government of the Page: 65 day, including specified Statutory Boards, to draw down reserves that it did not accumulate. I share hon Member Mr Low Thia Khiang's reservations about the power given to the Elected President. If the government of the day is elected by popular vote, the electorate has to learn to live with its elected candidates and remove them at the next General Elections should there be better choices. Added to my concern is also how the Elected Presidency scheme has admitted candidates who were non-executive chairpersons of companies or portfolio managers with no strong substantive executive experience, expecting them to exercise the very critical executive functions asked of the Elected President. I long for the day of a senior statesman who can represent our country as a head of state in the likes of ex-Presidents Yusof bin Ishak and Dr Benjamin Sheares; statesmen who need not be lugged through yet another political campaigning process that divides the country instead of healing and uniting the people of Singapore. Sir, as a foundation for more good years to come, we should re-examine the Elected Presidency scheme. The Public Sector. Sir, the next suggestion I have to ensure that our country's best years are yet ahead, concerns another important key institution in our country – the Public Sector, the Public Service. I recently watched the play, "Yes, Prime Minister", which caused me to ponder on the key institutions of Singapore's national political landscape. The play was adapted from a British political comedy, a satire, a favourite television programme of ex-British Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher.”
“They are the very aspirations surfaced in the one-year-long national conversations, Our Singapore Conversation, engaging some 46,000 Singaporeans through surveys and numerous labour-intensive face-to-face focus groups. While I support the Motion of thanks, I, however, cannot agree with certainty the President's conclusion that "Our Best Years Lie Ahead". Our best years may not lie ahead. Sir, our best years can only lie ahead if we continue to labour on that which is unseen, yet highly valuable, in our country. Today, I would like to touch on two areas: one, the Presidency Office, and two, the Public Sector. The Presidency. Sir, it is not the first time that I have raised the issue of updating our political landscape and the need to review the Elected Presidency, the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) and the Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) schemes. In the debate on the President's Address in October 2011, I had called for the Government to examine if these created offices are still relevant in today's new political environment. And if the conditions under which they were introduced have changed, let us have the courage to slay these sacred cows before they become obese and unhealthy. I would like to focus on the Elected Presidency scheme today. The Presidency became a popularly-elected political office following constitutional amendments enacted in 1991. Until then, the President was a neutral ceremonial Head of State. The amendments gave the Elected President reserve powers over Government expenditure of the financial reserves of our country and also key public office appointments.”
“Sir, come 1 June 2014, Singapore will host an impressive group of high-level government and business leaders in the World Cities Summit, definitely a prestigious global event. Included in the programme are specially designed Learning Journeys to unique sites in Singapore. Summit participants will visit: (a) Punggol 21, a water-town of the 21st century; (b) The Marina Barrage, an engineering marvel that not only boosts Singapore's water supply and flood control, but is also a recreational destination; (c) The Sports Hub, our latest state-of-the-art, fully integrated sports, entertainment and lifestyle hub; (d) The new downtown at Marina Bay; and (e) Pinnacle@Duxton, the first award-winning public housing project and Singapore's first 50-storey public housing. Page: 64 For a young nation, Singapore has, indeed, much to show. Led by a Pioneer Generation of fearless leaders and a determined people who built this city, Singapore has made it, in a mere 50 years. Yet, we are not the happiest campers in the world. We are prone to complain about how many things in our country are simply not right or good enough; and how others should do more to make our lives better. Even our repute as one of the cleanest places on earth is under question, not the outcome of good habits. The Chairman of the Public Hygiene Council, Mr Liak Teng Lit, tells me with indignance, "We are a cleaned city; not a clean city, because an army of cleaners clean up after us!" Sir, the pledges and vision shared by the President in his Address, such as keeping pathways open to all, strengthening our social safety nets, caring for the vulnerable, poor and the old, are things that cannot be seen or quantified but things that count.”
“I would just like to ask the Minister of State what is the source of his information that the rental rate increases are generally aligned with the inflation rate? There seems to be some perception issues that are on the ground. I think it is quite important to address that. No matter what the Government says, that perception seems to be persisting. There are quite a number of data points that suggest that when retailers negotiate for a tenancy that is about to expire, they tend to get demands for increases as high as 100%. That kind of information goes around in the market. If that is the perception, I think that perception has to be addressed. My second question would be when this data would be published. Do we have to wait until everything is available? If not, can it be done as soon as possible so that, again, that perception is addressed?”
“Thank you, Madam. I thank the Senior Minister of State. I would like to ask if the Senior Minister of State would consider several measures. One, to consider increasing the cost cap for the LUP programme. In view of the fact that many of the designs were designs of old which were not really the fault of the residents, not their doing. If we could increase the cost cap, then we could avoid the situation where we ask the elderly or the more disabled to leave or to move away. The next thing that I would like to ask the Ministry to consider is before the final solution is implemented and developed, could there be some temporary measures to help some of the elderly residents to, for example, move from floor to floor, or to the floor where the lifts are available? I have seen in some homes wheelchairs that can slide down the railings. I wonder if the Ministry or HDB could consider some of these measures. And knowing this is not an easy problem to resolve, I wonder if there could be a programme by which we could engage a bigger group of Singaporeans to propose certain solutions, either through the tertiary organisations or the general public, whether temporary or permanent, to help resolve this, to me, a very important issue.”
“I want to congratulate the team in MSF for the wonderful work that is being done. Two clarifications. One, about families of adults, especially adults with moderate to severe disabilities. I was wondering if the Ministry could clarify, often these families are very helpless, frustrated, anxious and worried. How can we help these families in a more structured way to help themselves? Perhaps, help them do mapping with an end in mind; how to help these adults reach financial independence, physical well-being, social well-being and continued education as well. So, I was wondering if there are some more structured ways to do so or if there are plans to do so. And the second clarification is really about social service delivery. I understand now from what Minister has shared, the SSOs play a very pivotal and central role in the whole social service landscape. Can Minister clarify what the roles of the other players that hitherto have been very active as well, for example, the CDCs, FSCs, People's Association (PA), grassroots volunteers and other individuals and so forth? How do we structure it such that, like the Minister said, we are sharing the same goal and so that people are not over served, underserved or not served at all?”
“The vision should be a user-friendly plan that maps how families and other stakeholders can work towards such Quality of Life goals like financial well-being, physical fitness, social and community inclusion, and continued education and training. (e) Finally, I ask for the development and communication of a clear continuum of disabled adult service models from respite service, home-based service to day activity centres, to employment and residential homes for those with no family support. Help for Families with Cerebral Palsy Members”
“Some would like the Government and the VWO to take over the entire care, but not everyone wishes to abdicate their parental duty. The consistency of engagement and support is not evident during the adult days, compared to those in the younger days; yet, adulthood is the season that lasts for a good many years beyond childhood and youth. For this COS, I would like to surface five pointers for the Minister to consider. (a) An update of the Enabling MasterPlan and how this update might be better presented and made more accessible to, especially, stakeholders outside this House. (b) A specific sharing of the Ministry's plan for the adults with moderate to severe disabilities in view that there are not many options other than day activity centres which are expensive to run and which face serious manpower constraints due to lack of appeal. (c) Tiered funding for services that support those who are more severe, especially for those in DACs, the home-based services and residential homes, even if the duration of service is not for full-day attendance. Page: 174 (d) Structured and stronger family support by having paid and trained Life or Family Coaches from either disability organisations, Family Service Centres or SG Enable to work out with families of such adults what is commonly called "Person-Centred Individual Life Plan" during transition from youth to adult and then on a periodic basis. The Plan can serve as a signpost and roadmap to clarify what the end-goal is; and what services are available and what families themselves can do to get closer to the end-goal.”
“Sir, the focus on the disabled or those with special needs in Singapore has grown from strength to strength. Under the Enabling Masterplan 2012 to 2016 and the one before, support, indeed, has been enhanced, thanks to the good work of the Ministry, NCSS, SG Enable and the various partners. As expected, support for the adults, especially those who are moderate to severely disabled, tends to fall behind support for the younger and the milder. As a volunteer activist who helps to build services for the young and older ones, I have observed many challenges in the adult space. Page: 173 7.15 pm At a macro level, the quality of services is uneven and usually lacks depth and scale. There is the issue of manpower constraint, as not many Singaporeans choose to work in jobs that support the more severely disabled. And then, the issue of insufficient funding – funding for most adult programmes is means-tested and not tiered to reflect the higher support needed for those who are more severe. Hence, any qualified provider who chooses to operate, for instance, an adult centre, must be prepared to raise funds to cover its expected operating deficits for as long as the programme runs. There needs to be both funding and options, such as what was announced by MOH just now on home-care support packages. On the family front, parents of adult disabled children are getting on in age themselves and many are in a state of anxiety, helplessness or paralysis regarding the future of their children. It is clear that while the state feels it is doing more, the beneficiaries do not yet feel the same way. Not many of these ageing parents have clarity of the end-goal for their child's adult life or if they know how to get there.”
“(a) Clarify who and what the roles of the key players are now in the social service sector – the Community Development Council (CDC), the Family Service Centres (FSC), the Social Service Offices (SSOs), the People's Association (PA), the grassroots volunteers and other volunteer organisations and individuals. Page: 157 (b) Officially empower and resource the SSOs so that they can effectively work with the many key players to develop a social service needs analysis and delivery map to coordinate the many helping hands. (c) To develop a more aggressive and user-friendly Communications Plan to inform helpful members of the public and persons in need so they know who, what, where and how various types of social help are available. Childcare Sector Capability and Places”
“Sir, since July 2013, 10 Social Service Offices (SSOs) have been rolled out throughout Singapore to be nearer to those who need them. I am very pleased to have the services of an SSO in the Jalan Besar vicinity led by an excellent SSO General Manager and her team. A recent encounter reminded me again of the need for a better overall system to better coordinate service providers and volunteers on the ground so that those in need will not be over-served, under-served, or worse, fall through the cracks and not served at all. I had recently convened a meeting with more than 10 voluntary and Government social service providers. The goal was to adopt a more strategic approach to coordinate the many kind helping hands who, on their own, were providing some 300 to 400 free meals and free food vouchers on a daily basis. Most of the helping hands were unaware of one another's programmes or are reluctant to collaborate if left on their own. Another phenomenon I observe is the common response of some fellow Singaporeans when they see other people who may be in need – be it an elderly person pushing a trolley of cardboards on the street or a destitute sleeping at a void deck. Instead of contacting parties that may directly and more effectively study the need and render the appropriate support, one common response is to take a photo or video and then send it to social or traditional media and lament how sad or bad the situation is. Whilst some people do this for reasons that are less than noble, I would like to believe that there are many kind Singaporeans out there who do not know readily who and how to contact in order to get more direct and timely help for those in need. I, therefore, have three suggestions for the Minister.”
“Madam, may I thank the Ministry for the provision of the Silver Zone package. I realise that there are five areas that were chosen and I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to consider implementing the same package in areas, such as the hon Member Sam Tan's Redhill, Dr Lily Neo's Chinatown, and my Beach Road area where there is a higher percentage of elderly residents compared to the national average.”
“Madam, I am very delighted with all the good news that have been announced by MOE – really feel that they are going in the right direction like ASPIRE, school-based after-school services, dyslexia support and especially the Disability Support Offices (DSOs) announced by Minister of State Ms Sim Ann – I believe it is a game changer when done well. Just to seek clarification regarding the DSO and the SEN Fund. The announcement was primarily for physical and sensory disabilities, I think that is every important, but I am quite sure that the largest group who have learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism, must have been considered. I just need a clarification from the Minister of State that these groups also have access to the DSO and the SEN Fund services. The second clarification: I am also very glad that Senior Parliamentary Secretary Mr Hawazi Daipi and MOE fully support the school-parent engagement. But because many parents are working and not available to attend quite a number of these face-to-face engagements, I wanted to seek the Senior Parliamentary Secretary's confirmation that if more investments can be made at the HQ level to develop online learning, bite-size packages, so that things like values, National Education and the daily living skills support could be developed to complement and supplement what is currently happening for parent engagement efforts.”
“Madam, while MOE has the COMPASS Council to strengthen home-school collaborations, many parents and schools are still not actively engaging each other. Some barriers to parent involvement include: lack of time by families and school staff; prior negative contacts between teachers and parents usually when students misbehave; and lack of strategy and skills in engaging parents effectively In a culture where teaching of daily life skills and character-building are either missing or outsourced to schools, equipping families in this area is a potentially meaningful way of engaging them. At a recent meeting with educators, I heard that there are students who have not peeled an orange or cooked a meal for themselves before. One way that MOE can facilitate win-win school-parent engagement is the provision of easily accessible online or face to face modular learning workshops so schools can engage families to coach their children in topics, such as social etiquette and other daily living skills applicable to the home, community and global settings. Page: 11”
“I recommend: (a) Funding for MOE to set up Disability Support Offices within these IHLs to serve as a first port of call for registration and for help for them; and (b) Funding for these students to have access to needed services, such as note-taking, sign interpreters, exam accommodations, note-sharing and other forms of learning support. These special students have crossed many hurdles in their young lives to reach the doors of the IHLs. Let us give them a further leg up to cross that next hurdle. Finally, I want to thank the Minister, the Minister of State and other members of the MOE team for the hope they have given to the special ones who learn differently in our country and for the good things they have taken to raise them. I seek MOE's serious and favourable consideration of my inputs.”
“I recommend that MOE and its key partners conduct a strategic visioning of what the landscape can be in the mid and long term. MOE should start consolidating the sector and consider identifying and nurturing anchor operators in the key disability areas – not-for-profit players who have positive track records in delivering student outcomes and management bench strength. These anchor operators can then be partners in three areas: (a) Create competence frameworks and solutions to help train and equip stakeholders, such as teachers, specialists, allied educators, caregivers and even shadow teachers, a group which, up to now, is run by private operators and usually accessible to only those who can afford; (b) Fill the gaps in the current missing areas, such as online or blended lesson packages, to teach core subjects, such as daily living skills, literacy and numeracy; and (c) Consolidate current specialist and management expertise and scale faster so that a continuum of education support and inclusion models can be applied in all schools, mainstream or special. With passionate, nimble and competent anchor operators, the special education sector will stand a higher chance to move faster, be more future-ready and more relevant in the 21st century. Page: 141 Next, the next "C" – continuum. Madam, I am very heartened by the good developments for special-needs students who are younger. However, for the older ones who are able to move on to further studies at the IHLs, I want to again advocate that a continuum of support be extended to these students.”
“Madam, the support for students with special needs in schools has grown from strength to strength. There is, of course, more to be done, but we must give credit where credit is due. In special schools, MOE has clearly moved from being a reluctant arms-length funder a decade ago to an active leader and partner. The Special Education Branch has done a commendable job and much has happened: (a) Improved funding for special school operations; (b) Financial assistance and even breakfast meals for the needy; (c) Annual student recognition awards; (d) Development of curriculum frameworks; and (e) Strengthening of vocational training. In mainstream schools, there are now Allied Educators in every Primary school and in half of the Secondary schools to support those with milder special education needs. Recently, school-based support for those with dyslexia – the Page: 140 biggest group of students with learning challenges. And also at institutions of higher learning (IHLs), such as the ITEs, Polytechnics and the Universities, where MOE's presence has historically not been strong, Minister of State Sim Ann and her team had been diligent in identifying the education support gaps in this space through a series of consultations with the undergraduates, the graduates, VWOs and some caregivers. I believe MOE is now considering these rich inputs from the ground. Upon this good foundation, I would like to give two key recommendations for the next lap. One, on consolidation in the sector. At the macro level, it is timely for MOE to think about connecting the dots to increase (a) the depth of expertise; and (b) the breadth of impact in the special-needs education landscape.”
“The vision for this pilot incorporates other key features, such as: (a) No streaming, and offering of a mix of core and elective subjects at either the foundation, standard or advanced or gifted level according to one's abilities and strengths; (b) A good mix of both formative and summative assessments to locate one's mastery level; (c) Incorporation of what is already excellent in the current system such as character building, citizenship and socio-emotional development; (d) Service to others as part of daily school life; (e) Daily living skills training at four levels – self, family, community and nation; (f) Learning support for those who have learning disabilities; and (g) Stronger support for those who are disadvantaged. This is at least the sixth time I have given inputs to MOE regarding the issues of the high-stakes PSLE and/or through-train schools in this House; not counting the other discussions I have had with MOE leaders. I seek an update from Minister on his thoughts on what the next steps might be. Integrated Schools”
“Madam, I would like to repeat the call for a pilot for a cluster of 10-year through-train schools from Primary to Secondary school levels. The PSLE is an important Primary school end-goal for most students, their parents and the schools. PSLE results determine whether a student joins the normal or express streams in Secondary 1. Doing well also gives more options of one's choice of Secondary schools. It is, hence, common for some schools and tutors to use much of the Primary 5 and 6 years to prepare their students well in their academics for this high-stakes examination. Contrary to the perception of some, removing a high-stakes examination like the PSLE, will not lead to falling academic standards. Designed and executed well, the time taken to hot-house students for the PSLE can instead be used to master their academics even better. There is more time to develop Page: 126 special talents in either the academics, IT or music, arts or sports which the busy PSLE students have little time for. Problems relating to Secondary school choice and admission would also become irrelevant by removing the PSLE. My proposal for the pilot programme goes beyond the mere removal of the PSLE.”
“I urge the Government to provide more funding to allow MOM to source learning content, pedagogy and assessment that are more relevant to the 21st Century. Two, MOM should study the profile of the new extended workforce and include them in the Ministry's efforts to attract, train, develop and retain talents. The CET masterplan and any other efforts to improve productivity through schemes, such as the PIC, should seriously take into account self-employed individuals or smaller scale local employee-owners. Lastly, but not least, I urge MOM to take an even stronger interest and be one of the lead Ministries to innovatively identify and stitch jobs and contracts for those who are at risk of being left behind – the elderly and those with special needs. This cannot be simply left to charity and compassion. If properly trained and supported, they can perform many work tasks for the Government and other employers and free other human resources to be redeployed to more suitable areas of work. Raising Wages of Low-income Workers”
“One, MOM should update the mode of teaching and learning of the 21st century workforce in the new CET masterplan it is developing. Three groups of people that make up the workforce of the future in the next decade and beyond will need different types of learning support: (a) the digital natives who are born into the world of iTune, smartphones, apps and playlists; (b) digital migrants – many of us here – those who have to learn how to retool and learn to work in the world of digital tools and language; (c) digital outcasts – those who, for various reasons: age, ability or deprivation – are aliens in the digital world and are at risk of being outcasts Page: 33 forever if they are not supported. For all of them, it is important to identify and develop the core skills and prioritise elective skills that each group needs in order to maximise their full potential. Even for vocational skills training, there is room for current MOM-approved CET solutions to move from a more traditional face-to-face methodology to a more updated pedagogy. For instance, to learn how to make a bed, it is likely that a typical WDA trainee will be taught through face-to-face Powerpoints and demos from a trainer. How much more efficient and consistent it is if there are online resources, such as good quality bed-making YouTube clips that will allow the trainer to repeatedly use to ensure a consistent best way to make a bed; and the trainee, if he is able, to first learn at his own time, pace and place and then meet his trainer face-to-face for more individualised coaching? Blended online face-to-face instructions; and flipped classrooms are already common practices in the education system.”
“Madam, I have observed three trends that will change the face of the workforce of the future in Singapore. One, trends that are closer to home, the Singapore labour market: (a) trimming of the foreign workforce; (b) rise of the blue-collar workforce; (c) entry of more fresh graduates into the workforce with the new targeted 40% University enrolment rate per cohort; and Page: 32 (d) the continued push for productivity improvements through IT, process engineering, job enrichment and lifelong learning. Two, trends that arise from the unstoppable pace of a digital global world. This is an age where work is not bound by geography, where learning is not confined to physical classrooms and face-to-face lecturers. This is the age of not only full-blown Massive Open Online Courses but also simpler "playlist-type" of learning models where digital citizens can personalise what they want to learn, sometimes from just YouTube or Google education channels without being obliged to take full certification courses. Three, trends that relate to an expanded and changing pool of contributors to work. Beyond the confines of the enterprise wall with its core set of permanent staff is a critical new extended workforce – a global network of outside contractors, outsourcing partners, vendors, strategic partners and other non-traditional workers. Many of them may be one-man self-employed workers or "portfolio workers" who serve several clients; whose work can range from being gardeners to plumbers to webmasters to bookkeepers or even lecturers. Some are partners in small start-ups, similar to the founders of companies like Facebook and WhatsApp in their early days. I have three recommendations for the Ministry's consideration as it maps manpower plans for the future.”
“Madam, when vulnerable persons are detained and interviewed by the Police, they often do not understand the questions, the significance and the intent of the questions asked, nor the significance of their replies due to their mental state or capacity. These persons are not limited to only children or those with intellectual disabilities. They include those with other learning difficulties like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and high-functioning ones with Asperger Syndrome and others with mental or personality issues. The Appropriate Adult (AA) Scheme is a common feature in progressive Police and criminal justice systems. For instance, in the United Kingdom, the role of an AA was created alongside the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984. The AA supports, advises and assists the vulnerable person especially Page: 60 during Police interviews. In Singapore, a workgroup comprising members from the Law Society, the Attorney-General's Chambers, Bedok Police Station and several others started a pilot programme. They convinced a group of volunteers to sign up to support AAs. The feedback is overwhelmingly positive. I seek the approval of the official adoption and funding of an Appropriate Adult Scheme by the Ministry and to include (i) all key disabilities, and (ii) across all Police Divisions.”
“Budget 2014 clearly reflects where our hearts and treasures are – the pioneers who helped us build this nation. Many in the House have shared about their support, especially for the Pioneer Generation Package. They shared their personal stories of how their parents, their grandparents, their great grandparents have contributed to our land. My parents did not have the standing of political luminaries like our founding Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew; neither were my parents leaders in the Army or Police; nor professionals like Member Mr Yee Jenn Jong's parents. Page: 104 But like many other ordinary Singaporeans of the time, they immigrated to Singapore in search of a better life. When this dream seemed threatened in the post-1965 independent Singapore, these pioneers stood by the country, they did not flee and return to their homeland; and they raised my generation and beyond. I, therefore, thank the Government and especially Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Senior Minister of State and the team who, beyond words and rhetoric, did the hard work of listening to the feedback from the ground. Thank you for working out the features and thank you for working out the sums to make this package a reality. Madam, I strongly support this Budget. 4.35 pm”
“In view of the tightening labour market, I propose that the Government set up a team in each Government and Government-linked agency to: (a) identify Page: 103 and aggregate piecemeal or full jobs or contracts that are suitable for the elderly and those with special needs. Take the extra mile, provided the quality standards of work can be met, allot extra points to ensure that work of this nature, contract of this nature go to the more vulnerable; (b) develop incentive and recognition schemes to encourage these Ministries and Government-linked agencies to purposefully work with the people-sector players for longer-term work arrangements. Take, for instance, the annual packing of thousands of National Day Parade bags by our National Servicemen. There is no reason why this work cannot be outsourced to the disability and elderly platform and have these able-bodied, young, likely more educated men to be redeployed to other areas of Total Defence. Take, for instance, the need to archive the numerous records in our different Ministries and agencies. There is no reason why work like this cannot be specially given to folks with special needs who can be properly trained and supported. I look forward to the Government's support specifically in this area. In short, what I am proposing are: (a) MediShield Life guarantee for the younger disabled; (b) expertise to help the SMEs scale up and survive and expand; and (c) jobs and contracts for the elderly and the special needs folks in our country. Finally, I would like to say something about our Pioneer Generation Package, this special feature of Budget 2014. A wise man once said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also".”
“SMEs with good core product or service offerings but who are less than tech-savvy need skills and expertise that complement them. We need to find the right kind of experts to walk the journey with them – leveraging on these SMEs' core product knowledge and innovative spirit, help create needed blended physical-online business presence and, where appropriate, help them to widen their distribution channels. SMEs led by younger and possibly more digital-savvy entrepreneurs should move beyond the popular and over-populated F&B space or cupcake-type of businesses. They can do with additional and different help. Beyond the cheques, make available easy access to expertise and counsel for them to create the 21st century's sustainable blended physical-online or purely online business models. As in the people sector that I serve in, transforming organisations require more than the writing of cheques. We need to move to the next level of facilitation for both business and even for the not-for-profit organisation transformations. Next, on the elderly and those with special needs. Madam, I would like to propose help to develop income streams for the vulnerable, such as the elderly and those with special needs. Many of these vulnerable individuals may not be able to hop on the productivity wage ladder but, nonetheless, can be engaged more meaningfully through some form of work. They are capable to work, perhaps not full-time, sometimes part-time, but there is, currently, insufficient coordinated support for them. Some of them spend most of their time indulging in social activities in senior activity centres, day activity centres or at home.”
“Even for Love Bonito, taking the business global will require further expertise than what the local SME Centres and the public servants can provide. Madam, the mystery of why many of Singapore's SMEs have not crossed the chasm to the land of milk and honey is yet to be unlocked. I was given a brochure by a friend, printed by SPRING Singapore entitled "Quality Growth Programme for Businesses". Within it are simple English descriptions of the: (a) Wage Credit Scheme; (b) Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) Bonus; (c) Corporate Income Tax Rebate; (d) Innovation and Capability Voucher; (e) iSprint on using packaged or customised IT solutions to improve or innovate business operations; and (f) Contact details of five SME Centres. I believe Singapore has one of the most active governments in the world to assist its local enterprises in transforming themselves for survival in the 21st century and beyond. But the outcomes have been less than encouraging, not for lack of trying, as evidenced by the many Government assist schemes. Beyond the current good work, I urge the Government to seriously investigate the root causes of some of these challenges that are mentioned many times on many platforms by the SMEs. I suggest a few actions for Page: 102 consideration. One, analyse the root causes of the key pains of cost hikes, especially in business rental and the replacement of transport for business purposes. Consider cooling measures, especially for business rental, and provide alternatives to encourage promising budding SMEs. Two, go deeper and help differently for different segments of the SME sector in order to help them scale for long-term survival.”
“Mr Yeo has the spirit and the drive of an entrepreneur but he runs the risk soon of a declining business due not only to mounting costs but also the lack of ability to scale and grow his business. To assist Mr Yeo, I showed him the business model of Signarama. US-based Signarama holds the world's largest sign franchise and provides a full range of signs and graphic services to clients of all industries. Signarama earned the coveted No 1 spot in Entrepreneur Magazine in 2014. I asked Mr Yeo, "What is stopping you from becoming the next Signarama?" He replied in Chinese, "不是每一个人都能拿笔的", that is, "Not all of us can hold the pen". And he needed help to scale his business while he focuses on what he does best – production and delivery. The same can be said of many businesses which do not seem able to scale for long-term survival. These include those in F&B, cleaning services, hotels and including even Singapore's highly admired education system of which SGMaths is now becoming a coveted offering internationally. Online, also brick-and-mortar. Helping businesses to scale to reap economics of scale in cost and multiplying their income streams is an expertise that needs to be nurtured, something that the SMEs need very badly. Page: 101 I was totally impressed by an online retail group which call themselves "Love Bonito" – Singapore's leading online fashion retailer with 65,000 Facebook likes, many of whom are very enthusiastic customers. Word has it that there are instances when new designs, fashion designs or promotions are announced online, and there will be a group of customers, sometimes boyfriends of their customers, hawking at the keyboard to buy, to devour the new promotion items. Alas, there are not many businesses which can scale this way.”
“These include: (a) Restoration of CPF contributions for the older workers; (b) Higher progressive wages for the lower-income groups; (c) Higher vehicle and ERP charges to manage car population and avoid congestions seen in other Asian cities; and (d) Tightening of low-skilled foreign manpower to make way for locals and, hopefully, higher productivity and value-add. To me, Madam, one specific cost item that needs the touch of the state is clearly business rental. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) launched by institutional landlords and their need to meet the expectations of financial analysts had been adding to the mounting cost pressures of SMEs. Many of these landlords, in addition to charging a base rental, have been collecting a percentage of the sales turnover of their tenants without any ceiling whatsoever. There is also little restraint on the new rentals that are imposed upon these Page: 100 small business operators upon expiry of their rental leases. This is something that needs to be taken care of. Sad will be the day when the only tenants that can afford retail space are luxury brands and those that can afford good office space who are mostly non-SME tenants. Scale: there is also the challenge of scaling and expansion by local SMEs. Many local entrepreneurs with the product know-how do not have the mindset and the process expertise to scale and expand their business to reap economies of scale for long-term survival. I recently came across a neighbourhood sign-maker, Mr Yeo, who is Chinese-speaking and a small enterprise operator. Mr Yeo owns a flatted factory making and delivering signboards of all sorts – road signs, building signs, paper-signs, stainless-steel signs, complete with lights, no lights, LED lightings and lights of all types.”
“I, therefore, look forward to the Government's active leadership to ensure that every Singaporean has access to affordable and available public healthcare; Page: 99 and, at least, at the same coverage level as every other member of the Singapore family. We have done so with the very commendable Pioneer Generation Package, ensuring that those who are disabled and elderly are included. But the younger ones with pre-existing conditions, whether born or acquired later in life, must be included. I urge the Government to ensure that sufficient resources are set aside each year to ensure that this basic healthcare for every Singaporean is provided. Madam, I would like to next advocate for two other groups of Singaporeans: (a) the local small, medium enterprise (SME) operators; and (b) the elderly and the disabled. On SMEs: Singapore SMEs form the backbone of our economy. They employ seven out of every 10 workers and contribute nearly half of national GDP. Without them, not only our economy and jobs are put at risk, the energy and spirit of entrepreneurship are also at risk of being extinguished. The voices of the smaller local enterprises regarding their challenges must be heard before they snowball further. Cost: there is the challenge of cost faced by these SMEs which is often not supported by rising consumer demands for things cheaper, better and faster. Many of the recent calls for hikes have strong rationale and should be supported.”
“Madam, I rise in support of Budget 2014. The annual national Budget is not a goodie-bag exercise where everyone gets a special bonus each year. Neither is it a lucky draw, where only the lucky ones return home with a prize. The national budgeting exercise is a strategic allocation of our precious resources to meet our short- and long-term priorities. It is a tool by which the elected government carries out its duty of ensuring the sustainability, availability and affordability of essential basic services for all its people. These essential basic services are public housing, public transport, public healthcare, public education, public order and security, and sufficient economic opportunities to ensure jobs for our people. As the demands of Singaporeans rise, it is very important to constantly go back to this core duty of government and ensure that these basic priorities are met. It is also important for the Government and people to be clear about what the "must-provide" items are and what the "nice-to-have" items are. A case in point is the recent review of MediShield Life. Madam, to me, this is a "must-provide" item. I applaud the review committee's strong proposal that all Singaporeans, including those currently uninsured, are covered for their healthcare and, especially, for their bigger hospitalisation expenses. Healthcare is a basic essential service that must not be denied to any of our people, whatever health condition they are born with or acquired during their lifetime. It will not be right for a person, for example, born with Down's Syndrome or a person who acquired a heart condition or diabetes to be denied healthcare insurance or other medical benefits that other citizens have access to.”
“I want to know how Home Team officers deployed in future similar situations can be better equipped and protected. And, lastly, I would seek an update of actions taken so far to address the root causes of excessive congregation of visitors, both locals and migrant workers, in not just Little India but also other popular destinations, such as Beach Road/Golden Mile, Geylang, Page: 112 Lucky Plaza and so forth. So, Madam, in conclusion, I just want to repeat this. I support the Bill. I support the Bill for one main reason and, that is – better safe than sorry. [Applause.]”