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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“I also ask the Minister to re-examine the way the proposal for a National Office on Disabilities is implemented. I hear the office has been formed and populated by top civil servants, some of whom may not have seen or heard directly from the ground. I recommend Patricia Seybold's book "Outside Innovation – How your customers will co-design your company's future", which recommends the engagement of key users to co-develop successful products and services. Sir, more than one year has passed since the releasing of the Masterplan and we are waiting for the main course to be served. Lastly, I wish to specially thank the Minister and his Ministry for taking on what –”
“" The Charity Council, the Code of Governance, the training and audits are all means to the ends of serving the mission of the charities. We want to encourage and not deter good volunteers from serving, and for the target community to be helped. Let us keep a balance and not mistake the means for the end. Three, I propose that the Ministry and its agencies take on some duties directly instead of resorting to the default mode of outsourcing to a VWO each time a need arises. This is a special regard to the essential services I have mentioned. I applaud the recent decision by the police force and the NCSS to directly set up a Police SMS hotline for the deaf community, knowing that security is an essential state service even for the deaf. Sir, my next point focuses on the Enabling Masterplan for the Disabled. The Masterplan was released more than one year ago. It covered 30 main recommendations with many sub-recommendations. When I accessed the Ministry's homepage, the Masterplan was nowhere to be found. I found it only after I used the search function. Sir, if I may use an analogy – the person with disabilities is like a diner eating at a restaurant. He had come in response to an advertisement showing the Masterplan or menu of food items he could look forward to. The appetiser arrived in the form of some assurances. Desserts were sometimes served in the form of awards, but the chef had too much to do and was busy with the casinos and the Youth Olympic celebrations just down the street, and the diner was still waiting for his main course. Sir, I urge the Minister to appoint a focus team to eyeball the implementation of the Enabling Masterplan, refine the Plan, track and communicate its progress.”
“I urge the Ministry to review the proposed terms of reference, spelling the deliverables members in each board committee in the board – in audit, programmes, fund raising, HR, finance, etc – are accountable for. Many of these deliverables cannot be realistically expected of part-time volunteers. It is difficult enough to sign up good board members or even schedule board meetings convenient for everyone to attend. I suspect even the full-time Commissioner of Charities himself faces challenges in resources too because his last annual report in the charity portal is for the year 2005. Sir, I urge the Minister to continue to seek ground feedback on the progress of the current governance system and simplify the Code further without compromising the need for accountability. I ask him to consider funding the cost of not just installing but maintaining the governance systems that were recommended and other tangible ways to add value to the charities. Two, in conducting governance audits on the charities, sector administrators should stick to the basic principle of materiality, and beware of the excesses of the auditors' enthusiasm to surface every deviation. I received feedback from discouraged board members of several big charities which have recently undergone governance audits. I urge the auditors to treat the board members and staff respectfully and not assume that they are premeditating criminals where past lapses in governance are found. Those of us who have sat in boards of commercial firms know realistically that there is a limitation to what board members really know about the business or what they can do to prevent planned frauds. Albert Einstein once said: "Ours is the generation that has seriously mistaken means with ends.”
“Sir, I would touch on two areas which the Ministry oversees – the charity sector and the Enabling Masterplan for the Disabled. In the aftermath of the NKF incident, the charity sector is swamped by a wave of control measures to ensure charities do not get out of line. This included the launch of the Code of Governance for Charities and IPCs, the Charity Council, and transfer of the Commissioner of Charities from the Ministry of Finance to MCYS, and numerous governance training workshops and audits. Three levels of governance checklists now apply to a wide diversity of registered charities, churches, temples, homes for the aged, philanthropic foundations, special schools, community hospitals, and special interest groups promoting animal welfare, environmental protection and the arts. Sir, whilst I am all for accountability, we must not think that the magic pills of governance and audits will transform the charity sector. I have three suggestions for the Minister to consider: One, distinguish the different types of charities and provide more tangible support for those deemed critical. Sir, some services like step-down hospital care, early interventions, special education are critical functions which in some countries are undertaken by the State. Board members and key staff face tough challenges. Quite a lot of them need to raise funds to close the gap where Government funds fall short, but, more importantly, attract competent, technical and leadership talents in the face of fierce competition from the private and public sectors which have deeper pockets to pay their people. The same leaders are now faced with doing even more.”
“We cannot simply rely on volunteer patrol teams or grassroots leaders to solve these problems. The problems are not insurmountable and the appreciation for MOM will be further elevated if we can lead in removing the valid angst caused by the liberal foreign worker policy the Ministry has embarked on. Foreign Domestic Workers”
“Sir, I congratulate the Minister and his team for their stellar performance in the creation of new jobs. I also support the Ministry's policy of liberalising foreign worker quotas to address labour shortages, especially in the construction and manufacturing industries. More and more foreign workers are landing on our shores. I wish to urge the Ministry to avoid the ostrich syndrome and ignore the problems related to the influx of the many thousands of foreign workers in Singapore. Sir, not everyone who has grievances in this area is an ugly Singaporean, intolerant of foreign workers. Neither are Singaporeans unappreciative of the Ministry's good work or contributions made by foreign labour to our economy. Many know that foreign workers are also human beings and they need leisure time and place. In my weekly house visit last week at an HDB estate, which is nicknamed "Little Thailand", one lady resident pleaded with me to ask Government for an explanation on why citizens like her are penalised for throwing a piece of paper and yet the scores of foreign workers in her void deck can get away with blatantly drinking, partying noisily, littering, and sometimes urinating, exposing themselves openly. I assure Minister that this is not anecdotal and similar problems are also surfacing in other parts of Singapore. Sir, I urge the Ministry to take proactive leadership in addressing these issues before the social costs escalate further. Half-hearted multi-agency efforts have failed in the past and more teeth and resolve are required to assure more results. MOM should make a serious effort in assembling and leading relevant agencies such as HDB, commercial sector, town councils, NEA, Police, URA, LTA and SLA, where relevant.”
“Minister, my question was: do we have any method of assessment for students applying for Northlight school because they might fail their PSLE repeatedly not because of family background but because of some learning disability? So I think the assessment is important. And if so, why is Northlight so different from the other special schools which are like step-children in the system and Northlight is treated as a direct descendant of MOE? I guess that is my underlying question.”
“Sir, clarifications for Minister of State Lui. Does MOE assess the root causes of the entry students who failed their PSLE and enter Northlight School? I was told that a number of the students actually have learning or intellectual disabilities. So what is the difference between Northlight School and the other special schools? That is my first clarification. Second one is: would the Minister comment on my suggestion to have MOE develop a communication matrix, for example, to explain to parents and students so that they can make informed choices about the many types of education options we have, like Science and Technology School, Mathematics and Science School, and so forth? The third one is for Minister of State Gan Kim Yong. I appreciate his openness for the shared services model for special schools. Can I request that the ground be consulted before this model is implemented by MOE so that it does not become an old wine in new bottle kind of syndrome?”
“Lastly, Sir, I wish to thank and congratulate the Minister prior to his departure from the Ministry for having boldly led MOE in transforming our education landscape very positively. Moral Education Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, in our quest for academic excellence, we must not overlook the need for character building and moral values. We have read about a nine-year-old who became pregnant, as reported in February last year. Crime statistics also show that 4,135 youths were arrested in 2007. A Health Promotion Board survey among 3,000 students shows that four in every 100 students have had sexual intercourse. The same survey recorded 19% of them had tried smoking before. With these numbers and a rampant littering habit, not giving up seats for elderly and pregnant women in trains and buses, need I say more on the need to devote more resources to providing a higher degree of moral education?”
“This model is already manifested recently with the collaboration of the Autism Association of Singapore and the Autism Resource Centre to adopt the shared services model to run the special needs schools under them. Sir, more can be done in the sector. (5) Deploy MOE staff to Special Schools for at least one to two years to install education fundamentals. In trying to help to level up the special education sector, what is required is not simply more governance. Many fundamentals, such as management systems and curriculum, are not yet in place. More thinking hands need to be deployed for execution work on the ground. Visionaries and critics are aplenty, but co-labourers in the field are scarce and overworked. Send the MOE staff out to work in the field. (6) Urgently clarify the roles of MOE and NCSS in the running of Special Schools. School leaders now have to answer to at least two parties, ie, the MOE and the NCSS. The overlapping administrative reporting performance evaluation systems, meetings and numerous surveys required by the two agencies can be reduced, so that schools can stick to the core business of education. In conclusion, Sir, I used to volunteer at a residential home for the disabled. There, I discovered that many of the adult residents were leading lives very much below their potential. Their lives could have been of a much higher quality had they received earlier and more effective education. Sadly, however, they were born in the dark ages of special education when expectations of them were very low and expertise to help them was very scarce. Sir, we must not let another generation of special needs Singaporeans pass us by without getting to their potential that they are given. Many need not end up disabled.”
“Even special needs therapy centres are advertising themselves as MOE-registered centres to clients. One such centre is even mentioned in the MOE website. There is little due diligence on these MOE-registered organisations, and our Singapore brand equity in education is at high risk of being tarnished. MOE must urgently put in place a tiered quality assurance system for all private schools, special schools, special needs intervention centres and even tutoring agencies. At entry level, minimum standards must be compulsory, not voluntary. The bar must not be too low. After compliance with minimum standards, these non-mainstream centres can then be encouraged to achieve higher levels of excellence, very much like the six-star system in the hotel industry. (4) Encourage the shared services model amongst like-minded special schools run by voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs). Special schools run by VWOs are sometimes criticised to be developmentally delayed themselves in the past. Quality is inconsistent and dependent on leadership capability, the type of staff that they are able to attract, and available resources. Out of the three sectors in the landscape - private, public and the people sectors - it is the people sector which can least afford to attract strong leadership and technical talent. The status quo need not remain. Like-minded VWOs who want the best for their students should be encouraged to adopt what is called the shared services model in the corporate sector. VWOs can put aside their territorial instincts and join forces in functions, such as HR, hiring and training, management systems, curriculum, pedagogy, therapy and psychology support.”
“Sir, I have six suggestions for the Minister to continue in the good work that MOE has started. (1) Ensure a clearer line of sight between MOE's desired outcomes of education and its performance measures. The desired outcomes of education as stated on the MOE website are: young Singaporeans who are able to seek and apply knowledge, gracious, global yet rooted, morally upright and who embrace lifelong learning. Looking at the some 20 performance indicators in the Budget Book, it is unclear which indicators are linked to the desired education outcomes. The most celebrated and well-known performance indicators in our country still remain academic results and CIP hours. Sir, it is timely for the Ministry to update its list of performance indicators to reflect its priorities and value-add. (2) Clarify the list of available education options to the public. In recent years, many exciting new school models have surfaced, eg, the Sports School, the Arts School, the NUS School of Science and Maths, the Northlight School, Pathlight School and the revamped ITE. This trend supports the Prime Minister's vision to provide multiple pathways for students with different talents and abilities. I ask the Ministry to develop a matrix that describes the target groups for which the different school models are developed and how they all fit in the landscape. This will clarify the options available to students and also highlight if any segments of the student population are over or under-served. (3) Urgently enforce a tiered quality assurance framework for all MOE-registered schools and education centres not falling within the mainstream sphere. Sir, the wave of negative publicity on the appalling standards of private schools does not augur well for Singapore.”
“For example, the financial burden on a Singaporean with a monthly income of $5,000 supporting three children is clearly heavier than if he is childless or has only one child. Also, on behalf of the disabled community, I ask that extra marks be given in the means test to young and old Singaporeans who are disabled and are not eligible for any medical insurance relating to their disabilities. They should not have to suffer the double whammy of being excluded from medical insurance related to their disabilities and then undergo means testing as well. I urge the Minister to pilot the administration system first before implementing the means test system. MediShield Coverage for those above 85 years of age”
“Sir, I believe there is a need for an overall means testing framework for public services so Singaporeans can know what to expect. The framework should clarify the assumptions of what the extent of State responsibility is. How does Government decide when means testing becomes applicable for what are considered traditionally basic State responsibilities? How can Singaporeans be assured that with similar rising costs, other essential services such as education, defence, security and use of public amenities will not one day be subjected to means testing? Sir, the different ways by which means testing is applied in the various public programmes should also be rationalised and made clearer. Currently, each Ministry decides when and how means testing is applied. Hence, for public housing, only those earning below a total household income of $8,000 are eligible. For MCYS' social services programmes, different per capita income criteria are applied and now the Health Minister has mentioned at a public forum that he is looking at a more lenient income range. Sir, lest it be mistaken that it is up to the imagination of each Minister, a formula by which eligibility and corresponding subsidies are fixed should be developed and communicated in the means testing framework. Lastly, Sir, whilst I appreciate the Health Minister's desire to keep the means test simple, it must not be so simplistic that it ignores important considerations. The Minister has mentioned about the use of a simple means test that looks at the patient's average salary in the last 12 months or his housing type. Social service experts have long found that means testing based on per capita household income is a fairer formula.”
“I would like to ask the Minister the following questions: (1) to provide the Report Card on Singapore's recycling efforts to-date and whether we will achieve our Green Plan target of 60% recycling by 2012; (2) to clarify how our targets for recycling benchmark against other developed countries, in particular, EU countries and Japan; (3) to update on the Ministry's effort to minimise the generation of waste going into the incinerators and our only landfill and update us on the projected capacity of the landfill, considering current and projected generation of waste based on major IR projects, the annual F1 race, the larger than expected en blocs taking place and, therefore, the waste generated from these projects and the increase in population of foreign workers to provide the services required for all these projects; 6.00 pm (4) to clarify whether the Minister would be prepared to legislate source segregation to improve recycling to meet and improve on targets set to minimise waste going into our incinerators and landfills; (5) to consider providing more incentives to attract companies with technologies to treat and create valuable bi-products using recyclables being segregated at source. This initiative will further enhance Singapore's position as a Technology Centre for Solutions for Waste Management which is scaleable regionally and will dovetail well with our eco-city master plan; and (6) to elaborate on the Ministry's medium to long-term strategies to dovetail with the overall eco-city master plan of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development. Smoking Ban and Young Smokers”
“Education of cleanliness and residents given incentives to recycle and simply providing an X number of bins per block for the recyclable materials are some easy steps to take. Third, in Sungei Road, which is on its way to being dubbed the slum in the city, my residents' frustration that the Sungei Road market – the litter, the unsightliness, unlawful storage of goods, security threats, illegal vendors, etc, – have been discussed in this House. However, there is a great opportunity to turn this problem around with a good solution that solidly supports the Ministry's waste minimisation strategy and even provide work opportunities for my needy and elderly residents. First, get rid of the illegal vendors by instituting a restricted licence system. Waste Management and Recycling Er Edwin Khew Teck Fook: Sir, NEA has done through its National Recycling Programme (NRP) to achieve the recycling rate of 51% in 2006, from a figure of 40% in 2000. Will Singapore achieve its recycling rate of 60% by 2012? Before I ask the Minister the following questions, I would like now to declare my interest, as I run a waste management and renewable energy company.”
“Sir, in 2006, Singapore generated about 2.6 million tonnes of refuse which has to be disposed of. Over the festive seasons, where many households spring clean their homes, I was appalled to see many useful things being thrown away – electrical appliances, clothes, toys, etc. It reflects the excesses of consumerism and the erosion of values, which is thrift and life simplification, in our affluent countries. Hence, I want to congratulate the Ministry for adopting a very sound strategic thrust of waste minimisation, especially at source. Unfortunately, the simple and important 3R message of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle has not taken root amongst Singaporeans yet. Sir, I propose three destinations to which resources can be directed to support this strategy. First, in the school system. Sir, I was very impressed when I stumbled upon a pre-school teacher teaching package in an NEA portal with the learning goal of implementing the 3Rs in schools. However, when my enthusiastic teachers look further for similar teaching resources for children beyond pre-school and tried to invite officers to teach the students, they were disappointed. I would urge the NEA to continue the good work it has started, and extend the 3Rs education initiative to older students beyond pre-school. And please not just for mainstream schools but also special schools. Second, in the Town Council system, I propose that all Town Councils seriously adopt waste minimisation as a key strategy in their yearly workplans and develop some KPIs for tracking and accountability. Ad-hoc efforts with a bin here and a bin there will not create any impact.”
“Sir, there are quite a number of cases where HDB dwellers, who are Singaporeans, actually collect multiple deposits from foreign students or foreign talents working here. Is the Police trying to stop this kind of crime? I would like to have the Minister's comments on this, Sir. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I think Ms Phua has a case where some PRC students have complained to her. I have asked Police to look at it. I think this is something we need not discuss in this House. But certainly, should there be cheating, it will be dealt with accordingly.”
“Sir, on the Mas Selamat incident, I appreciate it is always easy to finger-point or critique from hindsight after something happens. But before the investigation is completed, I wonder if there are some specific steps that we can take as a nation to at least attach some resources to high-risk criminals at this point so that the incident will not happen again. Secondly, how do we engage the rest of the population, including grassroots organisations like the CEP, CDEC, IRCC, and so forth, to ensure that the goals of trust, vigilance and harmony are still maintained?”
“Sir, a first-time candidate in the last General Election, I found that not all voting centres are barrier-free and elderly-friendly, with nearby amenities. Many elderly voters in my ward had to be assisted to make their way to the voting centres. Some had difficulty voting due to either lack of literacy or simply poor eyesight. I ask the PMO to be more voter-centric to include these Singaporeans. Sir, I also saw in the last General Election the predominant use of traditional media and methods, such as the hard copy newspapers, brochures, TV, radio, posters on selected lamp posts and garung guni type lorries and loudhailers. Singapore is one of the most plugged-in and Internet-savvy countries in the world, a world of blogs, SMSes, podcasts, webcasts and vodcasts. The benefits of new media are an extensive reach and access, anytime and anywhere. Overseas voters can also gain access to administrative details, candidate profiles and platforms. The downside, of course, is the potential inaccuracy of information and possible turning of General Elections to Hollywood stages where the most telegenic and persuasive get viewership. But there is no turning back of this trend of use of new media. So I ask the Government to consider starting the use of a more progressive blend of old and new media in the next election.”
“The Singapore I love was not depicted in the video - the melting pot of different races, different religions, different abilities, our HDB flats, our rich culture, our penchant for food, our Asian family values, our clean and green garden city, our schools and our struggle to help catch those who are risk of being left behind as we march on to become a corporate powerhouse in Asia. I wish we have more pride to show these unique aspects of Singapore to the world. This year's Budget with its conservative - what Bee Wah says is "xi sheng jing shen" (牺牲精神) - and octopus-reach, especially to help Singaporeans who are at risk to catch up, reminds me of the Singapore I know, the Singapore with many faces. Sir, with that, I support the Budget. 2.14 pm”
“For the long-term competitiveness of the Singapore workforce, the Ministry has been spot on in its strategy of making innovation pervasive in our economy. However, looking at the experiences of many successful and innovative global firms, it does not appear that the current incentives offered on individual R&D projects are sufficient to make innovation or creativity pervasive in our country. A more sustainable route for the Government's consideration is perhaps to help develop a culture of innovation in Singapore amongst as many Singaporeans as possible in schools and workplaces. In the book "The Elegant Solution - The Toyota Way", it was reported that the Toyota organisation implements one million ideas each year. It further describes that innovation requires pre-requisite skills like critical thinking and learning at all levels of employment at Toyota, and that humility is the base of learning. There is much we can learn from great global firms such as Toyota before Singapore can spawn great firms of its own. In conclusion, Sir, national budgets are merely allocations of resources to help realise the vision and aspirations of a country. Just like a house does not make a home, neither does the economy make our country, although it is important. I was at an international conference just two days ago, on a Sunday, watching a fast-paced video promoting Singapore to foreigners. It was a very busy video clip describing Singapore - a city state complete with integrated resorts, Singapore Flyer, skyscrapers, financial institutions, good-looking shops with good-looking women buying good-looking bags. It looked just like another international or modern metropolis city.”
“Sir, on the second segment of population for the Singapore workforce, I fully agree with the Minister's focus on training and innovation and propose some additional ideas to assure our long-term competitiveness. Sir, there appears to be an increasing number of talented young people opting for non-engineering and liberal arts subjects at tertiary levels. If this trend is true, I suggest that the Government analyse the situation and look into ways to ensure that we do not become lopsided in our expertise base in our country. And, Sir, instead of always relying on companies like Temasek Holdings and GIC to add to our economy via its returns on investments, we should look into building more local companies that can be scaled and compete in other countries. Companies that other people admire and companies that other people would like to buy or invest in. To do that, we will need to build real bench depth in management and execution capabilities in both public and private sectors and especially in local SMEs which have the potential to grow. We should learn from the best practices of global firms which not only train their entry level staff rigorously in many things - in critical thinking, problem solving, budgeting, marketing, scenario planning - but also ensure that these skills are aligned with the workplace practices and can be applied upon return to the workplace. Government should also refrain from the temptation to seduce all talents to join the public sector through high pay and benefits packages that Government bodies with deep pockets can afford. To ensure a vibrant economy and so a cohesive society, there is a need to ensure a balance of talents in all the public, private and people sectors.”
“Three, consider a one-time top-up to the Minimum CPF Sums and even the recently announced Trust Fund for the Disabled to help build up their financial security for the future. And, four, reduce the administrative jungle which beneficiaries have to go through in order to sign up for subsidies or help. Although tools such as the Central CDC's signposting booklets which are very good and the MCYS' ComCare hotline is meant to help, needy citizens still have to approach different agencies after that, who all seem to have different application forms and inclusion criteria. As per the corporate sector, we should consider assigning an account or a case manager at one primary base agency, eg, the CDC or a Family Service Centre, and have all agencies agree to one Master Application Form so that the poor beneficiary does not have to approach so many agencies and complete so many forms and interviews. In this respect, I want to commend the leaders of the VWO MILK Fund, who were wise and gracious enough to agree to share and accept their beneficiaries' case files, where reasonable, to reduce the administrative burdens of clients. We can even take it one step further and use information technology to make a shareable master case file web-accessible with password protection to save the completion of so many forms. Sir, Singapore ranks second in the world for the ease of paying taxes, says a report by the World Bank's IFC, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. In helping the needy, I am sure our Government can do better for a more efficient and more effective case assessments and follow-up system.”
“In employment, even our capable people's union - the NTUC - does not consider the disabled workforce a priority to represent. I urge the Minister for Finance, especially during Budget time, to keep this group of Singaporeans within the radar of the Government. MCYS Minister Vivian Balakrishnan recently expressed fear at a youth forum that the more cash is given to the disabled, the more people will label themselves as disabled to qualify for the cash. But, Sir, we must not let the fear of being taken advantage of, prevent us from doing what we know is right. This fear can be alleviated if proper measures such as clarity of eligibility criteria and proper certification from approved doctors are applied. Sir, here are a few measures that I wish the Government had considered for the disabled when planning for the distribution of the Budget surplus for the year: One, adopt a less stringent qualifying criteria in existing means-tested social service programmes, such as early intervention for children with special needs and day activity centres for the disabled. Families with young children requiring early intervention are now suffering further as MCYS continues to implement means testing over these few years by raising the income ceiling bar for subsidies. Two, exempt VWO-run community hospitals, day activity centres and special schools from having to apply GST on the fees they charge their clients. Currently, GSTs are applicable once the VWO providers show more than $1 million worth of revenues in their books. There is no reason why VWO with the vision and capability to grow their operations to serve more people should have to charge their clients more due to the kick-in of GST once it exceeds $1 million in size.”
“Because we operate in an eco-system in which one part affects the other parts of the system, the Government needs to also exercise rigour in forecasting the impact of one Ministry's policies on the others, and the non-financial impact of its actions. For example, in outperforming the KPI of the number of jobs created by the Manpower Ministry, there is a corresponding need to forecast the pressure that success adds to the current transport, recreational and accommodation needs of the foreigners needed to fill the gap of unfulfilled jobs. Sir, on a positive note, the unexpected FY2008 Budget surplus does provide Government the means to further both immediate and longer-term goals of our country. I would like to ask the Government to consider measures that are within its control to address the needs of specific segments of the population. This is against the backdrop of alarming inflation or, worse still, a stagflation - rising inflation in a potential economic slowdown. Sir, on the special needs community. The special needs or disabled community appears to have been forgotten in this Budget. The problems faced by the average citizen are magnified in the lives of those with disabilities. Many moderately to severely disabled citizens are already facing discrimination and difficulties in the areas of education, healthcare and employment. Not only are early intervention and education support expensive for the younger ones, those who are older are themselves affected by rising costs in basic essentials, transport, healthcare and potential displacement by lower-cost and able-bodied foreign talents. In basic healthcare, children with special needs are excluded from national healthcare schemes for medical problems arising from their disabilities.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, like several other Members of the House, I share the same concern over the lack of what NMP Ms Olsen calls "budget marksmanship" of Government. Certainly, a variance of $7.1 billion is not easy to explain away. Thankfully, the variance leans towards the positive side and we now have a happy problem of a substantial Budget surplus. However, I urge our civil servants not to over-compensate in the face of this allegation of forecasting inaccuracy and adopt a knee-jerk reaction of now rigidly sticking to an outdated Budget even if there are reasons to change it in the course of the year. The Government Budget is after all an accumulation of the budgets and plans of different Government Ministries which all have differing financial proficiencies and operating environments. Singapore is an integral member of a dynamic global economy. We are not cocooned in a silo - how would we know that we would bag the bid for Youth Olympics last week? Does it mean we cannot now factor the fiscal impact of that successful bid into the Budget? Government must not react with a knee-jerk reaction to preserve Budget forecasting accuracy for accuracy sake. Nonetheless, Sir, I would like to suggest, like major corporations, for Government to consider releasing of more regular financial results and KPI performances of each Ministry. Where necessary, like the corporations, issue surplus or deficit warnings so that Singaporeans understand better the context for major national policies and are less surprised at the end of the fiscal year. It also reduces the hype surrounding the annual Budget and minimises any unrealistic "goodie bag" expectations. In addition, good forecasting is not just about financials.”
“Sir, besides providing funding for the Special Education schools, would MOE: (1) consider playing a more active role, eg, rolling out a tiered quality assurance framework, so that there is quality education for the kids; (2) deploy HQ staff to the ground to help install these systems; (3) conduct some due diligence of the starters of these schools, eg, making sure that curriculum and trained teachers are in place before the schools are started; and (4) consider a 360-degree feedback regularly to ensure that quality is assured in the course of providing the education?”
“Sir, many Singaporeans would like to take public transport if it were more accessible. How does the pace of improvement of public transport compare against the pace of implementation of ERP gantries?”
“Sir, when MOE registers private schools and special needs education centres, the requirements are very basic. But when these centres start to advertise that they are MOE registered centres, then it gives the public the perception that they are endorsed by MOE and the quality is assured, because of the positive MOE branding. My question to the Minister of State is: if MOE is not willing to do more due diligence on these centres, may I ask MOE to consider not permitting these centres to use the term "MOE registered centre" in the publicity materials to the public, especially to the parents? My second question: may I also request MOE for the sake of the children and the students to publish a set of education practice guidelines, very much like the clinical practice guidelines in the health sector? I believe the Government has the moral authority to enhance the quality of these centres for the sake of the children.”
“I thank the MOS for the assurance. I just want to ask MOS: when were the last audits conducted on the IT best practices she mentioned, and what do they reveal?”
“I look forward to that plan. I would want to put on record the hard work that was put in every weekend by the LTA, Police and NEA officers. It still looks like a slum to me, but I am sure a lot of work will be put into it, and I appreciate that. I have photographs to prove that as well. CLIMATE CHANGE (Survey results with regard to business attitude) The following Question stood in the name of Mdm Ho Geok Choo - 12. To ask the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources what are (i) the recent survey results with regard to business attitude towards climate change; and (ii) the Ministry's programme on reaching out to Singapore businesses on this subject.”
“Thank you, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, for your response. I took a drive yesterday at Sungei Road and it still looks like a slum in the city with many locals and foreigners alike (foreigners probably on Social Visit Passes) peddling in the makeshift sheds there. Two questions for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. The first question: can the Ministry and the relevant stakeholders support us to ringfence the residential zone in that area so that the shops and HDB flats in that area are not used as storerooms or even toilets for the Sungei Road hawkers? The second question: could the Ministry and the relevant agencies decide on what would be a desired future for a place like Sungei Road? Is it a flea market to sell secondhand goods in the name of recycling, a tourist spot to attract tourists, or a place to allow needy citizens to make a living there?”
“Disability covers a whole range of severity from mild to severe. Currently to say a blanket "no" to all special needs is probably fairly superficial. There is a group of volunteers who are willing to study together with the Ministry of Health to see if we can segregate or, at least, categorise different disability groups to see if there are some ways that we can help at least the lower and average-income group families cover this medical cost. To ask the VWOs to find some more funds will be quite difficult to bear.”
“Families do not ask to bear special needs children. Many of them have defects probably before they are born. They are also sons and daughters of Singapore. So when congenital or pre-existing medical conditions are excluded, families have to pay lump sum expenses themselves. This is especially hardship for the low-income and even average-income families. I would like to ask if, since MediShield itself is administered by CPF, the Minister would consider studying having MediShield include pre-existing or congenital conditions for these children up to, say, a maximum claim limit of $200,000, which is the current MediShield limit. And if there is a need for extra loading, then perhaps those who can afford can pay themselves. But the Government can do something for those who cannot afford. So I would like to ask the Minister to consider this.”
“Ignoring the realities that not all Singaporeans can and want to work nor interested in financial planning will be over-simplifying things. Another over-simplification could be for planners to forget that beyond the current Minimum Sum and longevity insurance, are other input factors towards the retirement planning equation, input factors such as healthcare costs, one's asset portfolio, one's desired lifestyle, the HDB flat buy back, ElderShield, MediShield and the DPS. The retirement equation must take into account all these other factors. The second type of simplicity, a more desirable one that Holmes implied, is the result from the ability to seeing past the apparent chaos of the complexity to develop an elegantly simpler and more optimal solution. This is what is termed as the "elegance on the far side of complexity" - a challenge I would pose to the longevity insurance committee and to all others who are working on the final details of these reforms. In conclusion, Sir, I applaud the Government for its moral courage to address and not procrastinate this important aspect of financial security of Singaporeans. I urge that in developing the final details, the people's voices are heard and the needs and concerns of major groups of Singaporeans are addressed, especially the vulnerable Singaporeans, and that as far as possible, no Singaporean is left behind. Sir, I support the reforms. 6.04 pm”
“This top-up can be done by, eg, through potential progress package funds, through proceeds from the IR operations, through encouraging philanthropists and foundations to help some of these vulnerable Singaporeans purchase DPS or top up their retirement accounts. Sir, in promoting financial literacy, we can take reference from the United States Department of Treasury and develop our own "Made in Singapore" blueprint for a National Strategy for Financial Literacy. A coordinating Ministry should take the lead and coordinate agencies, such as the CDC, self-help organisations like the CDAC, MUIS and SINDA, or even private sector firms, to enhance the financial literacy and security of our people. Again, I caution against the one-size-fits-all approach. Do develop a matrix of mix of communication channels to effectively reach the target groups. Portals and interactive web-based financial calculators are only for specific segments of Singaporeans. Many Singaporeans, especially those who are less IT-savvy and less educated, need to be reached differently. Some of the more vulnerable Singaporeans will even need to be hand-held and financial planning done for them sometimes. Sir, effectively, balancing the tension between over-simplification and over-complexity is one critical success factors behind the reforms. Ex-United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that he would give his right arm for "the simplicity on the far side of complexity". This quote has challenged many leaders in both private and public sectors to develop simpler and more elegant solutions to important problems. Holmes implied there are two types of simplicity. The first is what we can call "counterfeit simplicity" - the result of ignoring hard realities and complexities.”
“Sir, the task of finding the sweet spot for the right final solution without over simplifying the subject matter will require skill and wisdom. Here are a few suggestions I hope the committee will consider. We all know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to meet the diverse retirement needs of a few million people. Whilst there is no way any government can provide a boutique solution for each Singaporean, it is necessary for policy-makers to identify key demographic groups and provide at least a simple menu of options in (1) retirement planning; (2) promoting financial literacy; and (3) communicating with Singaporeans on the retirement policy reforms. For a Singaporean who can work, wants to work and needs to work beyond 62, legislation, employer incentives, job redesign and retraining are indeed the key solutions. For the more vulnerable Singaporeans who are disabled, I want to challenge job-creation and job-design agencies, such as the NTUC and the Ministry of Manpower. The Disability Office that was recommended under the Enabling Master Plan this year for the disabled has yet to physically meet. I ask that the co-coordinating Ministry to please include the NTUC and MOM in their mission so that younger disabled Singaporeans can look to jobs as a means of ensuring their own financial independence, so that they can look towards paying income tax instead of collecting welfare. For families who are hit by the double whammy of both low income and disability, I urge the Government to look into measures to help top up their retirement accounts.”
“Sir, there is a big groan out there on the ground by both elderly and younger Singaporeans who want to retire early and stop working. Many have the psychological clock in their minds and want to drop their vocation for the vacation they feel they well deserve, whether or not they have sufficient funds to retire. Sir, the third reality is that not all Singaporeans know how much they need to retire for different reasons. Financial security surveys in recent years in Singapore have concluded that the level of financial literacy amongst Singaporeans is appalling, even amongst the educated and English-speaking Singaporeans. Some of them are averse to numbers. Some suffer from what I call the "ostrich syndrome" and prefer not to know the risks the future holds, either due to lethargy, indifference or fear of the big gap between what they have and what they need. The fourth reality is that not all Singaporeans fully accept the Government's approach, and some of them think that they are being denied access to money that rightfully belongs to them. Sir, ground feedback has surfaced many key messages that will need to be addressed. The more educated, affluent and financially savvy Singaporeans are grumbling that this is yet another testament of Government's paternalistic style of "I know what's best for you." There are even rumours that the Government is running out of money; that the whole CPF exercise is leaving the people to fend for themselves and Government is bearing no cost, and questions of where the additional GST revenues have gone to. All these questions need to be addressed. Sir, many of these perceptions may be untrue but perceptions are realities and must be addressed and crucial dialogues, not monologues, need to be held.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, we should give credit where credit is due. A political leadership that is not responsible would have opted to delay this difficult issue of retirement security for at least a few more election terms. Hence, I salute the Government for deciding to tackle this potential time-bomb head-on. Key thrusts There are two key thrusts behind the slew of CPF policy changes: One, to help Singaporeans work longer, and, two, to ensure Singaporeans have enough savings to last their life expectancy. Realities Behind these key thrusts are four major realities or restraining forces that Government must address if the desired outcome of financial security in old age is to be achieved. Sir, there are vulnerable groups of Singaporeans who could be left out in this reform exercise unless policy-makers acknowledge them and take a lead in helping these groups. One vulnerable group comprises Singaporeans especially from the average and low-income families - housewives or single Singaporeans who stay home to look after their children or elderly parents not by choice but by necessity. Another vulnerable group is made up of Singaporeans with mild to severe disabilities who will not be able to find sustained employment and, therefore, no CPF contributions unless more impactful support is given by Government. A third vulnerable group comprises Singaporeans with adult disabled children or people who not only have problems taking care of their own retirement, but also have to look after their disabled dependants. Even if they wish, these are folks who cannot afford to apply the typical airline advice to "put on their oxygen mask first before they help their disabled dependants." The second reality, Sir, is "not all Singaporeans want to work".”
“Sir, in my estate, there are many elderly Singaporean men who remarried, usually younger and maybe not-so-educated women, thinking that if they got married to a Singaporean, they would be able to reside long term in Singapore. Is there any way that the Ministry can work with other agencies, like the Registry of Marriages, to raise the awareness that marriage does not guarantee approval to reside in Singapore, so that these young women will reconsider marriage? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I think it is a well-known fact because, every year, in the Committee of Supply, this topic comes up. It is a well-known fact that marrying a Singaporean does not automatically entitle the foreign spouse to stay. But if the media can help publicise this, I think it will be a good thing.”
“Sir, may I even suggest that for the sake of Singapore, we should release the 32-year-olds who, after serving their bonds, may want to respond to a different drum beat in their lives or simply want to expose themselves to a different work environment whilst they are still young. If they stay on, because they are handcuffed by a super pay scale or their pension, it is a lose-lose situation for them and the Government. In conclusion, Sir, the issue of pay is a sensitive one. Someone earning $1,000 can never fathom another who is earning $10,000. A person earning $10,000 will never understand how another who is earning $100,000 a month still feels is not sufficient. For someone like Minister Mentor who will be remembered by all of us as the father of Singapore, how does one even find a price tag big enough for his contribution? What is enough? We may never agree. But let me end with the writing of Charles Handy who said, "The philosophy of "enough" cannot be imposed on a society. It is a matter of norms, not law. But norms are set by the elite, whose examples set the fashion. What the top people do today, the middle level imitates tomorrow, and the bottom aspires to, some day." The people who follow us are watching us. Our young people are also watching us. So it is the people sector, where many are professionals who volunteer their service and money unconditionally all these years. Sir, I urge our leaders to give some more thought on what is reasonable enough for top leaders' salaries, whilst considering the five compensation practices I quoted. At the same time, I urge that together, Members of this House will make it a priority to ensure that everyone in Singapore has a real chance of also being able to reach their personal level of "enough". 3.30 pm”
“Adopt a broader band pay range for each position that we are talking about, to cater to appropriate salary levels for incumbents ranging from those with entry-level skills to those critical skills experts or long-term outstanding performers. Hence, hypothetically using $1.2 million as a mid point for a Minister's pay and a minimum-to-maximum spread of 60%, the minimum pay for entry-level Minister can be $840,000, or 30% below mid point; a mature performer gets $1.2 million and a consistent top performer gets close to $1.6 million, or 30% above mid point. So, adopt a broader band pay range for each position. Practice 5. Cultivate more lasting and non-monetary motivators to usher in and retain good people to join the public sector. Simply throwing money at the problem does not solve it. There is no quick-fix solution to talent attraction and retention, and there are numerous best practices in this field. Many employers, though, find it harder to walk the talk. In March 2007, a Harvard Business Review article entitled "What it means to work here", the authors lament at their HR equivalent of keeping up with the Joneses. The authors said that in their quest to find and retain top talent, organisations often try to match competitors' salary offers and training opportunities. They forget that people will become long-term deeply engaged employees only if their work experience is what they expect it to be, and they are intrigued and excited by a vision that they find inspiring; a leader they want to follow and work roles that match their passion and their talent.”
“Do not simply use one global helicopter KPI like the size of Singapore's GDP as the basis for performance-based component like bonus. How does the Health Minister, for instance, see his Ministry's good performance linked directly to the GDP? Compensation best practice dictates that there be a clear line of sight between one's pay packet and his direct performance. In the case of public servants, I believe that performance-based pay can tie in to at least three tiers: (1) country's performance, not just economic; (2) each Ministry's performance; and (3) each individual's performance. Surely, performance indicators like the customer's or the citizen's feedback to major public services, the number of jobs created for local Singaporeans, percentage of Singaporeans in the lowest-income bracket, the number of Singaporeans who choose to migrate, etc, are all KPIs that can be incorporated in a balanced score card of our top leaders. Practice 3. Adopt a more commonly acceptable salary benchmarking formula. In the private sector, it is rare to see the use of the current salary benchmarking formula which targets only a very small number of top wage earners in the sector that they compete in. Actually, one key questionable underlying assumption of the current formula is that 100% of all the political office-holders, every Permanent Secretary and every Administrative Officer will surely end up as top wage earners in Singapore. Most firms I know set their target competitive rates at either the 50th or the 75th percentile of target employee categories in selected companies and industries, but never at such a small number of top wage earners. Practice 4.”
“Finally, Sir, if Government wishes to pay and benchmark public servants against private sector pay instead of against other governments, then it should simulate the work environment as close as that in the private sector. In addition, start adopting some principles around compensation practices that resemble more closely the private sector. In this regard, I propose five compensation practices for consideration. Practice 1. Set up an independent senior salaries review body comprising independent representatives from various key sectors in Singapore. The principle of not writing one's own pay cheque is very key in addressing public disquiet on this issue. The United Kingdom Senior Salaries Review Body, which proposes political and civil service pay, for instance, comprises senior executives from the private sector, HR and finance consultancy, academia and so forth. Public perception of this body's independence is just as critical as the body's real independence. In the corporate sector, there is already an uproar over how some CEOs influence their boards to write themselves excessive pay cheques, even to the extent of being paid hefty sums upon exit due to poor performance. A 2005 study on "CEO Skill and Excessive Pay" by Professors from Stanford, Wharton School and the New York University concluded that particularly in big stable firms, a high salary does not necessarily mean that a CEO is more competent. Practice 2. Establish a line of sight that shows clearly the link between pay and performance of political and civil service leaders. Make key performance indicators (KPIs) transparent so that the people of Singapore know how the leaders have contributed to the Prime Minister's vision of an inclusive and vibrant Singapore in which no one is left behind.”
“Many Singaporeans know the painful journeys that successful technopreneurs like Sim Wong Hoo of Creative Technologies, Olivia Lum of Hyflux and Wong Ngit Liong of Venture Manufacturing went through before they finally got their millions. Hence, it is the general perception of many Singaporeans that the degree of job security in the Singapore public service is relatively high and working there is not exactly working in Wall Street. Sir, not all highly-paid CEOs of legal firms or banks are top candidate choices to be Ministers or top civil servants. By the same token, not all top political and civil service leaders may excel in the private sector. So I do agree that those precious few who are able to thrive in both public and private sectors are Singapore's crown jewels and they are worth millions of dollars. Even so, I think once that special leader crosses over to serve in a public office, it is futile for him to keep looking over his shoulders to yearn for what he could have made. Alan Greenspan, economist and former US Federal Reserve Chairman, who spent almost 20 years serving four Presidents, was reported to have accepted an annual pay of only US$180,000. When he finally retired in 2006, he still had a fruitful career due to his influence and expertise. He donated free service to the UK Treasury and is now also a highly sought-after speaker with a price tag of US$100,000 per talk. Alan Greenspan is a good illustration of a respected and skilled leader who is highly capable of working in the private sector but chose to serve his country below his market value.”
“This power to swing national policies and even the power of king-making does not carry a price tag that is easily written, and is a very significant component of that position. Besides power, money is the other top motivator behind many people. Put together, power and money can be potently addictive. As responsible leaders, we must be careful not to leave behind a system or structure that combines power and monetary rewards to such high levels that incumbents are so handcuffed by this lethal combination that they find it hard to let go. And worse, it creates an office that potential candidates are so attracted to that they may go for broke just to get there, whether they are suitable or not. This potentially can do more harm than good to Singapore - something that will not augur well for our country. My next point is on public versus private sector. I would submit that working in the public sector is not exactly the same as working in the private sector, and I do not mean state-owned enterprises. Ex-Permanent Secretary Ngiam Tong Dow was yesterday quoted in the House on how he did not have to lose sleep over the bottom line when he was serving in the civil service. One of my fellow volunteers in the Enabling Master Plan for Disabled and a Managing Director of a foreign bank told me that his job can disappear tomorrow if he does not perform or if there is a corporate reorganisation somewhere in headquarters. When I was working in a local conglomerate and involved in company turn-around projects, I witnessed first-hand the high drop-out rates of top executives-turned-entrepreneurs who could not stomach the tough work of producing consistent enough profit levels that qualify them for public listing.”
“I share their names, not to put a badge of honour on them, but to illustrate this following point. Minister Mentor is right in many things about Singapore. But his opinion that the real world of Singapore does not surface leaders who are willing to make sacrifices, to do something that they believe in, I say, is a tad too pessimistic. In fact, I know of a number of people who have tasted corporate success and are willing to rise above their power suits and perks to move on to serve in the non-profit sector. Not all of them have left and some of them are still looking for an inspiring vision and team to lend their talents to. I myself have served with many volunteers who gave of their time and money unconditionally. The spirit to serve without asking for much in return is still alive in Singapore. In fact, many of us still admire the courageous political heroes who took on Singapore's British colonial masters then, to create a family and nation of our own. Next, Sir, I would like to touch on power and money - the potently addictive motivators behind many human behaviours, and to caution this House that we need to be careful not to leave behind political and civil service officers that combine excessive levels of power and money. I know the general argument is this. If we do not pay leaders high enough, we will never be able to attract the right people. I ask the House to consider this contrarian view. I say that if we do not balance and we concentrate too much power and money in top public officers, it might not attract the right people. On the contrary, we might attract the wrong people. Sir, public office holders and top civil servants wield the most power in our country.”
“Sir, pay is a very personal issue. In all my years in human resource and leadership work, I have never met anyone who told me that their pay is enough, whether they belong to the lowest or the highest income strata. When asked once, "How much money is enough money?", John D Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men in US history replied, "Just a little bit more!" That is why management philosopher, Charles Handy, wrote about the 'Doctrine of Enough' in his book, "The Hungry Spirit". He recommended that each of us needs to find our own personal level of what is "enough", so that we can be liberated to pursue our dreams and our purpose without being chained to our appetite. Sir, I wish to make three key points today. (1) I believe that the spirit of serving and giving is still alive in Singapore. (2) We need to be careful not to leave behind political and civil service officers that combine excessive levels of power and money. (3) If Government wishes to benchmark public servants with the private sector, then there are some principles around compensation practices which should be adopted, to simulate more closely private-sector norms. First, why I believe that the desire to serve is still alive in Singapore. This week is a very special week for me. Two fellow volunteers - Linda Kho, Managing Director of a training consulting firm, and Mrs Ng Sock Kian, a Vice President in a bank - decided to take the plunge, turning their backs on the private sector to work full-time with me in the non-profit special needs community. They join another ex-Goldman Sachs HR regional director, Goh Boon Keng. All three ladies took pay cuts from half to two-thirds of their pay to serve in a cause they believe in.”
“I would like to ask if the Government can provide some more help since 41% of the stallholders opt to choose the temporary market as a way of extending their livelihood. Currently, I am involved in two HUP projects and the grassroots organisations, grassroots leaders and the stallholders themselves are advised to get involved in selecting a site together with Government's help, but they are also supposed to get the tender, collection of money, millions of dollars, and get involved in operating the market. I really hope that the Government can provide more help. I was even told that they are advised to start a private limited company to do this. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I would be most happy to ask my NEA officers to work with Kampong Glam division to sort out the problems. This is not new. We have done it in all our centres. I am sure we can sort out the problems. But ultimately, the responsibility must rest with the local community. I have just completed one HUP in my division. It is manageable. And other centres, like the one in Dr Lily Neo's constituency in Jalan Besar GRC, is quite huge and costing a lot of money. But she managed it all by herself. So I am sure we can sort out the problems. Let me get my NEA officers to work with you closely on this.”