Desmond Lee
Singapore
“The Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service (LEAPS) 2.0 is a framework for recognising student participation and achievement in secondary school co-curricular programmes.”
“The Ministry of Education (MOE) is mindful of the impact that rising temperatures may have on our students, teachers and officials taking part in the National School Games. Matches are scheduled only after students have had the time to train and become progressively more heat acclimatised.”
“As shared in Parliament in March 2026, the proportion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools has remained stable, at around 7% of the overall student population. This stability is observed across both primary and secondary schools.”
“The Ministry recruits and assesses applicants based on merit and suitability for the teaching profession, regardless of gender. We look for individuals with a passion for teaching, a belief in the potential of every child, and who possess the values and character to make a positive difference in students' lives.”
“Over the past five years, an average of 750 teachers resigned from the Education Service annually, representing a resignation rate of around 2%.”
“MOE has also progressively strengthened open access within the Primary 1 Registration Framework through Phase 2C, which is open to students regardless of whether they have prior connections to the school. MOE had increased the number of reserved Phase 2C places from zero to 20 in 2014; and from 20 to 40 in 2022.”
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“Many changes were needed to ensure that workers were safe and despite significant Government support, many construction firms and workers continue to suffer badly. But this experience has also strengthened our resolve collectively to transform the construction sector, when the situation stabilises. We have to drive digitalisation and adopt more advanced building technologies to enhance productivity, and, through this transformation, try to attract more Singaporeans to join this sector. It will require the collective efforts of firms, workers and the Government. This crisis is neither a "pause" nor a "rewind" for Singapore. Instead, if we face this with the right spirit, we can turn this to a "fast-forward". Re-imagine new industries and markets for Singapore, learn new skills and discover new careers for ourselves and our children. Even as we deal with present challenges, we must prepare ourselves for the longer term. We must keep our resolve and look forward to emerging as a stronger society. The second area that Members discussed extensively is the social impact of COVID-19 and the challenges it has wrought in our society. COVID-19's impact is universal, but it is not equally felt. Some of us are fortunate to have jobs that allow us to work from home, or we are in sectors that have seen strong demand, like e-commerce. Others have suffered much more. In the hardest-hit industries, such as aviation, tourism, retail and F&B, workers face steep pay cuts and job losses. The road to recovery is rocky and uncertain. Older workers are worried about rising retrenchment figures. Breadwinners will struggle to keep up with financial commitments if they lose their jobs.”
“Our Government's immediate focus is to navigate Singapore through this pandemic and the serious economic downturn because of the very significant risk to our people's lives and livelihoods. The Government has committed $100 billion in the last six months, drawing on our reserves to cushion the economic and social impact of COVID-19 on our people. Two weeks ago, Deputy Prime Minister Heng further extended support to firms and workers. This week, we heard Minister Tan See Leng and Minister of State Gan Siow Huang share how tripartite partners are helping workers to retain their jobs or find new ones. But Members have also rightly emphasised the need to think longer term and position ourselves for a strong recovery. We cannot simply hunker down and wait for things to get better. Instead, we must prepare ourselves now so that we can capture new opportunities when they come. We are not starting from scratch, but are building on strong pillars and steady improvements over the years. In the last 10 years, we have invested heavily in early childhood and continuing adult education, enhanced our healthcare and social service architecture, implemented Industry Transformation Maps to strengthen different economic sectors. These fundamentals stand us in good stead to navigate the winds of change now confronting us. Let me just share one sector and how it is dealing with its present circumstances while seeking to keep an eye on the future. COVID-19 has dealt the construction sector a very heavy blow. Due to clusters in the dormitories and work sites, companies have had to put projects on hold for months. Even after workers were cleared, it has not been easy to restart.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this House has spent the past week debating the Government's response to COVID-19 and sharing their views for Singapore under the auspices of this Debate on the President's Address. It has been an engaging discussion, with many ideas and suggestions. It is clear to us all that COVID-19 has completely transformed our reality. Externally, Singapore's position – economically, geopolitically – is under threat. We are disproportionately affected by the global nature of the crisis and tensions between bigger powers. Within Singapore, our lives have been significantly disrupted and businesses have had to adapt rapidly to survive. Many of us hope for a quick recovery back to "normal". We are finding ways to live and work with the cloud of the pandemic over us, and stay physically and emotionally healthy. But I doubt that we will return to life as it used to be. We must adapt to the waves of change that are upon us. I would like to make three points as we reflect on the debate and think about what the future holds for Singapore. First, we have to focus our attention on our immediate challenges but also prepare ourselves for the longer term. Second, we must renew our compact as a society with justice and fairness as our pledge. Third, we must engage one another well, both in Parliament but also outside Parliament, and translate our conversations into action. We are still in the midst of an unfolding crisis. The pandemic is still raging across the world without any clear end in sight. Globally, more than 25 million people have been infected and an estimated 860,000 people have died in just eight months. To support economies and jobs that have been devastated, governments around the world have committed trillions of dollars, and debt levels are at record highs.”
“Earlier this year, we launched our One Million Trees movement with the support of community partners to engage Singaporeans from all walks of life to be stewards of our island's greenery. The Urban Redevelopment Authority's Master Plan, gazetted last year, was the product of extensive public engagement. We will continue to partner the community and industry, as we push ahead to lay the groundwork for major projects. This includes revitalising communities along the Rail Corridor, by working with stakeholders to celebrate the heritage of these areas and to introduce new amenities. We are rejuvenating our Central Business District to ensure that it remains vibrant and relevant, while bringing jobs closer to homes, through growth centres like JLD and Punggol Digital District. Longer-term projects, such as development of the Greater Southern Waterfront and redevelopment of the Paya Lebar Airbase site, will provide future generations more opportunities and new ways to live, work and play. We are never done improving Singapore. Each generation builds upon the efforts of the previous one. We will work with Singaporeans to build a better home for our generation as well as future generations of Singaporeans.”
“By extending and enhancing our natural capital in this manner, Singaporeans will enjoy a higher quality living environment, and have greater access to the benefits of nature on our health and well-being. Our urban infrastructure will become greener too, as part of our climate change efforts. We are working with the industry and community to roll out the next Green Building Masterplan and raise building sustainability standards. We will encourage the adoption of best-in-class energy performance solutions through the Super Low Energy Buildings programme. We aim to green 80% of our buildings by 2030. At the town level, we will design new HDB towns for greater environmental sustainability, with plenty of green spaces. For instance, Tengah will have a comprehensive cycling network with dedicated cycling paths on both sides of all roads. It will also feature the first "car-free" HDB town centre where roads will run underground to free up the surface level for people. For existing towns, we will deploy resource-saving and other sustainable initiatives through the HDB Green Towns Programme, including rooftop solar panels for more HDB blocks, smart LED lighting in common areas, and the intensification of greenery in selected multi-storey carparks. We aim to reduce energy consumption in HDB towns by 15% by 2030. We will develop Jurong Lake District (JLD) as a model sustainable mixed-use district, with smart infrastructure and planning to optimise resources and reduce the carbon footprint, and as a potential platform for urban solution trials and other new opportunities. We invite every Singaporean to join us in shaping the future of our city and our home.”
“For those who are unable to afford home ownership, we will continue to provide highly subsidised public rental housing that is well-integrated with home ownership flats in good living environments. We also regularly review our housing plans and policies to better support various groups of Singaporeans with their housing needs, including multigenerational families, singles, and single parents. In addition, we will continue to rejuvenate our towns and keep public housing highly liveable, through various upgrading programmes. We will also continue developing our plans to progressively redevelop older HDB towns to keep them vibrant, through the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme. This will be a major and complex undertaking. We aim to develop "Healthy Towns for all ages", by planning and designing our HDB towns and estates to better support the physical, social and mental well-being of residents at different life stages. As part of the SG Together movement, we will also broaden and deepen community engagement, by involving residents to contribute ideas, as well as to jointly create plans to refresh and enliven community spaces. Through shared neighbourhoods, public spaces, and experiences, Singaporeans can build stronger bonds and a more united community. A City in Nature, a Greener Urban Environment We remain committed to our greening efforts island-wide, to transform Singapore into a City in Nature over the next decade. We will dedicate more nature parks for recreational activities, and protect our nature reserves from the impact of urbanisation. We will conserve more native flora and fauna, introduce more natural landscapes and waterbodies in our gardens and parks, and integrate nature into our urban areas and pathways.”
“We will grow local construction and consultancy firms to be industry leaders, which will not only serve Singapore's own needs, but also to seize opportunities overseas. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, we will continue to take care of Singaporeans' housing needs. In the near term, we will seek to assist households who are facing difficulties, for example, by allowing more flexibility in mortgage repayments. We are also working hard to ensure that construction projects can resume smoothly, to minimise delays in the completion of our Build-To-Order (BTO) flats. These delays have impacted families who have been waiting for their new homes. We will also monitor the housing market closely and take measures where needed to keep it stable and sustainable. We will ensure that public housing remains accessible and affordable, especially for young families seeking to own their first home. We will need to keep flats affordable as we inject more public housing in and around the city centre. This will ensure that our public housing estates remain inclusive and vibrant places where residents of different backgrounds can mix and interact. In line with our efforts to keep public housing inclusive, we will continue to cater to the diverse housing needs of different Singaporeans. For our seniors, we have expanded and enhanced our schemes to help them tap on their flat's value to supplement their retirement adequacy. We will continue to review and improve these schemes. We will also launch new assisted living flats that will integrate affordable housing with care services, to support seniors with care needs. For lower income families, we will continue to support them to buy their own flats.”
“In this term of Government, the Ministry of National Development (MND) will continue the work to make our city and our homes more green, liveable, and sustainable, in order to support the diverse aspirations of Singaporeans today and in the future. But we recognise that COVID-19 has significantly impacted our lives and our livelihoods as well as the way we live, work, and play. Some of these changes are short-term, while others may be permanent structural shifts. Most importantly, we seek to be responsive and agile in tackling these challenges together. The construction sector has been hit hard by COVID-19. One of our immediate priorities is to help the sector restart work safely and smoothly, as quickly as possible. Government agencies have been working hard to help construction and renovation firms restart. We have also provided significant financial support to help our firms tide over this difficult period. This will help preserve industry capacity for us to continue building and improving Singapore. To help the construction sector to get on a stronger footing post-COVID-19, we will step up the pace of industry transformation to improve productivity. This includes adopting advanced building technologies to allow for cleaner, higher quality, and less manpower-intensive construction. We will drive research, innovation, and digitalisation across the built environment value chain, from construction to property transactions services and facilities management. We will also enhance professionalism at all levels across the sector, to create new and better jobs for Singaporeans, guided by a comprehensive Skills Framework.”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to move that, "That the proceedings on the business set down on the Order Paper for today be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No 2." [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That the proceedings on the business set down on the Order Paper for today be exempted at this day's sitting from the provisions of Standing Order No 2." (proc text)]”
“In order to do so, it is not just to offer them assistance within the stable of programmes that MSF or PA or MCCY have, but to be able to understand what their needs are holistically and then, pull in the relevant schemes and programmes from other agencies, and indeed, from the local community as well. Through much better coordination, integration, data-sharing, that will allow us to provide a more seamless, integrated social safety net for those who are very hard hit by the on-going crisis.”
“Sir, when people apply for certain schemes at the SSOs and my officers identify that they are self-employed and would qualify or would potentially qualify, or should apply for SIRS, then they will make the necessary referrals across. I have also seen situations where the team that administers SIRS also refers cases over to the SSOs. Essentially, we need to ensure that agenices who have deep knowledge in the schemes that they administer, to be able to focus on their schemes but also have good awareness about related schemes and programmes that are beneficial to Singaporeans at this time, to be able to make the necessary referrals, link-ups and to also point people in the right direction. It is also very important to have good communications to make sure that Singaporeans know where to go to, whom to call, what the eligibility criteria of the different schemes are. And that is as much an important exercise in offering assistance, as is the actual administration of the scheme itself. So, in this regard, especially for those who are more vulnerable, low-income households, MSF, People's Association (PA) and MCCY will be strengthening of our SG Cares community networks where, in phases and stages, we will bring together the community of volunteers and staff to proactively reach out to lower income, more vulnerable households, beginning with those living in rental flats – just to check in on them, find out how they are doing. Because of their situation, they tend to be more vulnerable.”
“Those who are receiving ComCare assistance and who have been further impacted by the pandemic, should be assessed for further assistance under the ComCare scheme and not the CSG. ComCare provides monthly cash assistance to low-income households who need help to cover their daily living expenses, including food and other basic living needs. ComCare also provides assistance with household bills and medical expenses. Based on the families’ needs and circumstances, MSF’s Social Service Offices or SSOs, also facilitate their access to other relevant services and support by government agencies and community partners. To further assist ComCare beneficiaries, those whose assistance would end between May and July 2020 have had their support automatically extended for a further six months. ComCare beneficiaries are invited to approach the SSOs for a review of their current support if their circumstances have changed, for instance, if they have lost their jobs or faced a reduction in income because of the COVID-19 pandemic. While reviewing their ComCare support, SSOs can also provide them with interim assistance if they have urgent financial needs. Those who are newly placed on ComCare will receive at least six months of assistance, providing them with a longer runway to regain stability. The Government will continue to review how we can better support those who have been adversely impacted due to COVID-19.”
“Mr Speaker, I will address Ms Denise Phua’s question on the eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) in this reply, as well as the question by Mr Liang Eng Hwa1, which was filed for tomorrow. Sir, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the livelihoods of many Singaporeans, causing job and income loss. CSG was initially designed to support lower to middle income households facing unemployment due to retrenchment or contract termination after 23 January 2020, when the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Singapore. Ms Denise Phua asks whether persons are eligible for CSG if they have not met the required eligibility of three full months of unemployment. Allow me to clarify that for applicants in this group, there is no requirement for them to be unemployed for three months before applying. Beyond supporting those who are unemployed, MSF has expanded the scheme to help employees who have been placed on involuntary no-pay-leave (NPL) for three or more consecutive months, as well as those who have lost at least 30% of their monthly salary for three or more consecutive months. The "three or more consecutive months" requirement for NPL and income loss scenarios is to ensure that help is channelled to those who have greater needs. Affected employees need not wait till they are affected for three consecutive months to apply. They are eligible for CSG now if they provide supporting documents, such as a letter from their employer, showing that they will be affected for at least three consecutive months. Individuals who are ineligible for CSG but require further support can apply for ComCare assistance.”
“Each application for cancellation will be reviewed by the Registrar before the Registrar cancels the notice. I would like to reassure Members that the Registrar will not allow frivolous applications to cancel notices of marriage. Let me thank Members who have expressed their support for the Bill as well as all our Licensed Solemnisers who continue to volunteer their time in this important first step of a couple's marriage. As I have said earlier, it is important during these challenging times that we ensure that Singaporeans can continue with their lives, especially for key life events like marriage. This Bill ensures that couples can continue to get married and embark on a new stage in life together by tapping on technology and keeping to the necessary precautions. I seek Members' support for this Bill. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. (proc text)] [(proc text) The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Mr Desmond Lee] (proc text)] [(proc text) Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. (proc text)]”
“I would like to clarify that the option to conduct marriage solemnisations via video link is an option for couples during these uncertain times. Those who can wait and prefer to solemnise their marriage in person can still do so when it is safe to do so. We will also review the need for these temporary measures regularly, taking into account the COVID-19 situation. Mr Christopher de Souza also asked whether the new Bill allows parties to cancel their notice of marriage, the rationale for doing so and under what circumstances notices of marriage can be cancelled. I fully agree with him that filing a notice of marriage holds particular meaning by signifying that the couple has made a considered decision to enter into marriage. Under normal circumstances, when a couple files a notice of marriage, they need to wait till after the three-month notice period lapses if they wish to reschedule their marriage to a much later date beyond the three-month period. However, due to the fluidity and uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to provide couples with more flexibility to plan their marriages. We provide this in two ways. First, we are extending the validity of the notice of marriage from three months to 12 months to help couples who need to push back their wedding date. With a longer validity period, couples need not repeatedly file notices of marriage and wait for the mandatory 21-day period for each notice to be over before they proceed to get married. Second, we are also allowing couples to submit applications to the Registrar to cancel the notice of marriage if there are valid reasons to do so, such as the need to postpone their marriage till much later.”
“Mr Speaker, Dr Intan asked for the number of civil and Muslim marriages postponed due to the circuit breaker. Between 7 April and 1 June 2020, a total of 2,723 marriage solemnisations were originally scheduled: 365 of these were Muslim marriages and the remaining 2,358 were civil marriages. About 1,100 civil marriages and close to 200 Muslim marriages have so far been postponed, and most of the remaining would also have to be postponed if there is no video link option. Dr Intan asked whether Licensed Solemnisers will be provided with training to solemnise civil marriages via video link. Indeed, as this is a new process, it is important to make sure that solemnisers are comfortable and confident performing solemnisations over video link and to ensure that the process is done properly so that the solemnisation is valid. ROM will be providing a set of guidelines and a basic training video to all Licensed Solemnisers called upon to solemnise marriages through video link. They can also approach ROM if they have any queries. Ms Joan Pereira asked whether solemnisers could tap on the video link to offer marital advice to couples as they embark on their marriage journey. I agree that this is an important role that solemnisers play beyond the process of solemnising the marriage itself. Like the current in-person process, solemnisers can certainly share marital advice during the solemnisation process through video link. If they feel that more time is needed, the couples and solemnisers are able to contact one another remotely, before or after the solemnisation. Mr Christopher de Souza commented on the need to regularly review the COVID-19 situation and whether there is still a need to allow for marriage solemnisation through video link.”
“We hope that this Bill will give couples more options to plan their next step in life and reduce the disruption arising from COVID-19. We understand that this period has caused a lot of uncertainty and concern to couples who are planning to get married. The teams at ROM and ROMM have been working hard to reach out to couples who have had their wedding plans affected, to work with them to postpone their weddings and work out alternative arrangements. From 1 March to 30 April this year, ROM and ROMM have reached out to about 3,500 couples. Besides thanking these couples for their understanding and patience during this period, I would also like to record my appreciation for the hard work of our frontline officers at both ROM and ROMM who are supporting and helping our couples. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] 5.08 pm”
“The COVID-19 (Temporary Measures for Solemnization and Registration of Marriages) Bill will allow marriage solemnisations and registrations for both civil marriages under the Women's Charter and Muslim Marriages under the Administration of Muslim Law Act or AMLA, to be performed through a live video link during the COVID-19 period. This will give couples the option of making their statutory declarations and having their marriages solemnized via video link, if they prefer not to wait to do so in person. There are a few conditions. First, the couples, their witnesses, and in the case of Muslim marriages, the wali, must be physically present in Singapore. Second, couples presenting foreign-issued documents for verifications will still need to do so physically. This ensures that greater scrutiny can be given to the veracity of the documents and the identities of the parties. Third, the Registrars will still have the power to require any couple to go through the marriage processes physically instead of through video link. This enables the Registrars to ensure that cases that require more careful scrutiny are still handled in person, when it is safe to do so. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, it is vital during these trying times for us to ensure that Singaporeans can continue with key life milestones, with precautions and safeguards put in place. We have to adapt to the current climate, and prepare ourselves for possible new norms in our social lives. Through process re-engineering, tapping on innovation and technology and making adjustments to the way we conduct our lives, it is possible for us to cope, adjust and adapt, even under the cloud of the global pandemic.”
“There are also other logistical arrangements that need to be considered, such as the booking of wedding venues, photography, wedding gowns, wedding suits and so on. Given the uncertainty over when the COVID-19 pandemic may end, clause 2(2) will allow couples to get married within 12 months from the date of filing their notice of marriage, instead of the current three months. This means that marriage notices filed up to three months before the commencement of this Act, and which have not been cancelled or not expired, will automatically have their validity extended to 12 months. Couples do not need to re-apply for this extension. We hope that the extension of the validity of the marriage licence will allow couples greater flexibility in planning their marriage solemnisation date as well as reduce the administrative burden. The temporary measures effected by this Bill will apply and last until the COVID-19 pandemic improves. If these temporary measures to allow the marriage process to be carried out via video link prove to be well received by couples and we are satisfied that there is no compromise to the integrity of the marriage process, we can consider extending this option beyond the COVID-19 period. This will require an amendment to the Women’s Charter and to AMLA. Mr Speaker, allow me to speak in Chinese. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] As the COVID-19 pandemic evolved, we have had to put in place different measures to respond effectively. We have had to change many aspects of life that we are used to. Many of us had to adjust our plans or put them on hold. Currently, marriage solemnisation must be conducted in person. As a result, many solemnisations have had to be postponed during the circuit breaker period.”
“First, the Registrars must be satisfied that the overall administrative and technological facilities and arrangements are sufficient to ensure that the marriage is legitimate. This includes ensuring that all parties involved have access to a computer or other smart devices that enable all parties to be adequately seen and heard and have their identities verified. Second, consistent with the law today, the couple, their witnesses and, in the case of Muslim marriages, the wali, must all be physically present in Singapore. Third, couples presenting foreign-issued documents for verification will still need to do so physically. This ensures greater scrutiny can be given to the veracity of the documents and the identities of the parties. As a start, we are also prioritising video link processes to marriages involving at least one Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident. I will add that while the Bill allows for solemnisations via video link to take place, it remains up to the solemniser and the couple to decide if they are comfortable and confident with doing so. Even with this option in place, we will seek to conduct solemnisations in person when it is safe to do so. Finally, to help couples cope with the uncertainty arising from the COVID-19 situation, we will also be extending the amount of time that couples have to get married after filing a notice of marriage under the Women’s Charter. Currently, couples have to get married within three months from the date that they file their notice of marriage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many couples have had to cancel their notices as they were unable to proceed with their wedding within the three-month period.”
“First, clauses 2(1), 2(4), 3(1), 3(2), 3(3) and 4 will make it clear that certain key processes relating to marriage, which currently must be done in person, may be done via video link instead and will be equally valid under the law. This applies to the verification of documents and the making of statutory declarations by the couple as well as the wali in the case of Muslim marriages, which currently must be done by the couple in the physical presence of a Commissioner for Oaths. This also applies to the solemnisation of marriages. While the temporary measures are in force, we will dispense with the requirement for the couple, witnesses, wali, as well as the licensed solemniser, Kadi or Naib Kadi to be physically present at the solemnisation venue. Second, we will put in place safeguards to ensure that only legitimate marriages are solemnised and registered through video link. For example, there may be a small number of cases where the identities of the couple and relevant parties cannot be easily ascertained over video link, or where the case may involve a potential marriage of convenience, or parties possibly being coerced into marriage. Therefore, clauses 2(1) and 3(1) will give the Registry of Marriages and the Registry of Muslim Marriages the discretion to decide whether a video link can be used for verification and statutory declarations, as well as marriage solemnisations, for each marriage application. This enables the Registrars to ensure that cases that require more careful scrutiny are still handled in person, when it is safe to do so. Besides this broad discretion, we will also put in place several key criteria.”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time". As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had to curtail and change many aspects of life that we are used to – school and work, but also family life and daily routines. Many of us have had to adjust our plans or put them on hold. We have had to accept greater uncertainty in our lives. During the circuit breaker period, 2,723 couples were originally scheduled to have their solemnisations between 7 April and 1 June this year. However, as marriage solemnisations must currently be conducted in person, many have had to postpone their solemnisations. This includes both civil and Muslim marriages. I would like to thank these couples for their patience and understanding during these difficult times. It is not easy to cope with the uncertainty, especially for important life events, such as getting married and starting a family. While some couples may prefer to wait until it is safer to celebrate their big day in person with family and friends, others may not wish to wait any longer or may face extenuating circumstances that make postponement challenging. We want to support them. I am, therefore, putting this Bill before the House. If passed, it will allow marriage solemnisations and registrations for both civil marriages under the Women's Charter and Muslim marriages under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), to be performed through a live video or live television link during the COVID-19 period. This will give eligible couples the option of making their statutory declarations and having their marriages solemnised via video link if they prefer not to wait to do so in person. I will now highlight the key provisions of this Bill.”
“Sir, as I have said earlier, we will automatically extend ComCare for a further six months for existing ComCare beneficiaries and provide six months of assistance as a default for new applications which are approved. As for resources to support other people, I think we need to make sure that we take care of our ComCare beneficiaries, and our officers will reach out to them, support them to make sure that if we need extra resources, we will provide them with it. We will make sure that there is adequate manpower and resourcing nevertheless to process applications for the COVID-19 Support Grant, just as we have processed large numbers of applications for the Temporary Relief Fund. 2.33 pm”
“If any of these households face greater needs during this period, they can contact our SSOs who will assess their circumstances and provide the necessary support. Our SSOs can conduct their interviews and assessment processes electronically, and applicants can submit their supporting documents via email. ComCare SMTA and Interim Assistance have income eligibility criteria of a monthly household income of $1,900 and below or per capita household income of $650 and below. These are not hard thresholds and each case is considered on its own merit. SSOs take into account the applicants’ circumstances and needs and exercise flexibility as needed to provide the necessary financial assistance and social support. To help lower and middle income households affected by COVID-19 tide through their financial challenges, the Government has also introduced several help schemes. The Temporary Relief Fund provided one-off assistance in the month of April this year. From May, the COVID-19 Support Grant will help affected employees, while the Self-Employed Persons Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) will support self-employed persons. These measures are part of the Government’s response to mitigate the broad-based impact of COVID-19 on Singaporeans. They complement the mainstay of our social safety nets, including ComCare. The Government will continue to assess the situation and provide more support to affected Singaporeans if needed.”
“Mr Speaker, including the commitment from the Unity Budget and interest from the ComCare Endowment Fund, MOF committed about $180 million for ComCare in FY2020. This is an increase of about 9% from the previous financial year. As the global economic situation rapidly deteriorated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government committed another $60 million for increased ComCare flexibility under the Resilience Budget in March. In sum, the total budget for ComCare in FY2020 is about $240 million. Social Service Offices (SSOs) have been exercising flexibility to provide immediate assistance to affected individuals through ComCare Interim Assistance. In April this year, SSOs approved 125 applications for ComCare Interim Assistance. This is higher than the monthly average of 72 approved applications in the preceding six months from October 2019 to March 2020. SSOs are also providing a longer duration of support for ComCare households, which would provide greater assurance to families and individuals whose livelihoods have been affected by COVID-19 as they seek new jobs or retraining opportunities. Since April 2020, SSOs have been providing at least six months of assistance to new recipients of ComCare Short-to-Medium-Term Assistance (SMTA). In April this year, SSOs approved 1,441 applications with six months of assistance or longer, which is higher than the monthly average of 946 approved applications with six months of assistance or longer in the preceding six months, from October 2019 to March 2020. Households who are already on ComCare will also have their assistance automatically extended for a further six months without them having to approach the SSOs.”
“The COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) assists Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who were employed but lost their jobs or are placed on involuntary no-pay-leave (NPL) for at least three consecutive months due to the impact of COVID-19. These individuals may apply for the CSG from 4 May 2020. Employees who lost at least 50% of their income for three consecutive months will also be eligible for CSG and may apply from 11 May 2020. These changes in employment or income situation should have occurred after 23 January 2020, which is when the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Singapore. Applicants should have been in full-time or part-time employment prior to being unemployed. Individuals whose employment offers were revoked before they started work or who have no valid employment contracts are not eligible for the COVID-19 Support Grant. Low-income individuals and families who need help with their basic living expenses may approach our Social Service Offices (SSOs) to apply for ComCare assistance.”
“The Temporary Relief Fund (TRF) sought to provide timely assistance to lower- and middle-income Singapore Citizens/Permanent Residents affected by the economic impact of COVID-19, for the month of April 2020, before other assistance schemes kicked in. Individuals who lost their jobs or faced an income loss of at least 30% due to COVID-19 could apply. As at 30 April 2020, we have received about 594,206 applications and approved 444,786 applications. The main reasons for non-approval include applicants not meeting the qualifying criteria of job loss or income loss of at least 30%, and applicants exceeding the qualifying income criteria of monthly per capita income of not more than $3,100 or gross monthly household income of not more than $10,000. TRF applicants may also apply for ComCare if they need further assistance with basic living expenses. We do not have readily available data on how many ineligible TRF applicants were subsequently provided with ComCare. We are investigating all alleged fraudulent TRF applications. Investigations are ongoing and we do not have a confirmed number of fraudulent cases yet.”
“SSAs can also tap on the SG United portal to recruit volunteers to augment their manpower, to support them during this period. We will continue to work closely with the FSCs to support them and their clients during this challenging season.”
“Family Service Centres (FSCs) are community-based social services that support low-income and vulnerable individuals and families to achieve independence, stability and resilience, through social work intervention. The number of social workers in the FSCs has increased over the past few years, from 588 in 2017, 680 in 2018 and to 706 in 2019. This translates to an average of about 15 social workers per FSC in 2019, with the variance depending on the size and needs of the town it serves. FSC caseloads vary across centres and are generally stable from quarter to quarter. The FSCs see an annual average of 350 clients each, with social work practitioners managing an average caseload of 23 in 2017, 25 in 2018 and 22 in 2019. Each FSC distributes the cases among its staff according to the needs of their centre. MSF and NCSS work closely with our FSCs and Social Service Agencies (SSAs), both in normalcy and during challenging periods like COVID-19. During this period, MSF has been in regular contact with FSCs to understand their concerns, and issues advisories to FSCs on the precautionary measures to be taken to cope with the evolving situation. MSF also provides funding to FSCs based on their caseloads, with more funding provided for complex and high-risk cases. This ensures that FSCs have the resources and flexibility to hire more staff when needed. In addition to the support measures announced in the Resilience Budget, FSCs being NCSS member agencies are eligible to claim $3,000 from the Community Chest to help them cope with COVID-19-related expenses. NCSS will also support SSAs in adopting digital tools through the existing VWOs-Charities Capability Fund, and these tools can enable FSCs to continue serving clients remotely during this period.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That Parliament do now adjourn." [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Support For Home-Based Businesses During COVID-19 Circuit Breaker Period 7.48 pm”
“Mr Speaker, copies of the Bill have been provided to the Clerk, who will distribute it to Members now. [Handouts were distributed to hon Members.]”
“Mr Speaker, I beg to introduce a Bill intituled "An Act to provide for the use of remote communication technology in matters relating to the solemnization and registration of marriages under the Women's Charter (Chapter 353 of the 2009 Revised Edition) and relating to marriages and the revocation of divorces under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (Chapter 3 of the 2009 Revised Edition), and related matters, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic". [(proc text) Bill read the First time. (proc text)]”
“Mr Speaker, I have a Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures for Solemnization and Registration of Marriages) Bill, to be laid upon the Table. [(proc text) Certificate of Urgency signed by the President in respect of the Bill, laid upon the Table by the Minister. (proc text)]”
“So, likewise, even during this pandemic period, we have been reaching out to people who are homeless and see that they get the support they need, including working with CPF Board and other agencies, so that they get the Solidarity payment and other support. For homeless people, our partners reach out to them and tell them about the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF), COVID-19 Support Grant and SIRS, have the forms and brochures with them available. In fact, in February, I visited one of our S3Ps and our shelters, and spoke to the social worker who had been given the material for the TRF by the MSF officers and given the forms for TRF. I believe that would be in March instead, not February. And these social workers then helped the homeless people to fill in those forms and to make the necessary applications.”
“The Member asked, first, how many homeless people have been booked under the Destitute Persons Act. There is no punitive penalty against a person being homeless. The Destitute Persons Act is a legislation of last resort for people who are unable to care for themselves and have no support. A small group of these homeless people are destitute and are subject to this Act. Even for that group, we persuade them to take shelter, and persuade them to admit themselves to a welfare home to get the support they need and we reserve the use of the legislation as a matter of last resort. So, that is number one. I think the Member actually means to ask how many homeless people have been served with composition fines under the Control Order. I do not have that number. I think we have to ask MEWR for the latest data. But I think MEWR, together with social service agencies, are mindful that there are some people who have underlying issues behind their being out in the open. So, that is a very important aspect of exercising enforcement and discretion. The second question the Member asked is how do we ensure that people who are homeless and have no access to, say, a mailbox, get the support provided under the various budgetary measures. In fact, even before the COVID-19 pandemic,our PEERS partners, together with MSF and the other agencies, in reaching out and befriending homeless people have been working with them to ensure that they get the benefits under the GST Voucher, Merdeka Generation and Pioneer Generation packages and when they encounter some challenges, for example, because they do not have ICs and other issues, we have worked with the relevant agencies to make sure that those obstacles are removed to get the help that they need.”
“Sir, over the course of the work of the PEERS Network, we have reached out to and befriended many homeless people to understand what are the circumstances behind their current plight. While some have no home, a number actually have homes they cannot return to because of family disputes. To the extent that we know them, we have reached out to them through our network of partners to bring them into the S3Ps in order for them to be sheltered from the open, in order for them to get help and in order for them to be kept safe during this circuit breaker period. There are, of course, other rough sleepers and homeless whom our network do not know. Even during the circuit breaker, as an essential service, they continue to reach out and look out for people who are in need of help. There are, of course, some people, including seniors, who are unable to go back home, especially in the day time, because of their family circumstances, because of disputes with other members of the family. Our safe distancing ambassadors, as you have read in the newspapers, have gone around with the help of social workers to identify people who are out there in the open, not because they refuse to comply but because they have serious underlying issues back home. These social workers then work with the network and with other partners to try to resolve those issues and in the meantime find a temporary space for them to take respite. This work is on-going and the more partners we have in this network, the more effective we will be in making sure that every Singaporean remains safe.”
“A number of our S3P partners in the PEERS Network are prepared to provide these spaces beyond the circuit breaker. In fact, even prior to circuit breaker, a number of our PEERS partners, both religious and secular organisations, who already run activities on an on-going basis on their premises, have set aside space as a shelter. So, quite a number are able to provide that commitment beyond this period. We, of course, respect that a number of others may not have the space available after this. Having said that, we continue to establish transitional shelter spaces as well as spaces in S3Ps to support them. The key, of course, is to work with them to resolve the underlying social, family and personal circumstances in order for them to return home, in order for them to find permanency and shelter.”
“There is a small proportion of homeless individuals who may be destitute as they lack family support and are unable to care for themselves. There are currently about 1,900 such individuals housed in Welfare Homes. We provide care and rehabilitation at Welfare Homes to improve their physical and emotional well-being and, where possible, re-integrate them back into the community. MSF encourages potential destitute persons to admit themselves to Welfare Homes for their own safety and well-being. We do not track the number of individuals who decline help. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked how many residents in Transitional Shelters and Welfare Homes have relatives. We do not have that information readily on-hand, but 90% of individuals in Transitional Shelters and Welfare Homes are single, divorced, widowed or separated. Ms Anthea Ong asked about the learning gathered from our strategy on the homeless with the COVID-19 crisis. The crisis has reaffirmed the importance of close collaboration between Government agencies and community partners. Together with our partners and other members of the community, we have been able to more quickly extend help to the homeless during this period. Our aim is not only to keep homeless people and rough sleepers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, but to help them resolve their underlying challenges and to get back on their feet beyond this period.”
“To meet the need for more shelter spaces, we have worked together with both existing and new PEERS Network partners to offer their premises as Safe Sound Sleeping Places, or S3Ps. Since the start of the circuit breaker, our PEERS Network S3Ps have expanded both capacity and operating hours to keep our friends indoors as much as possible. They have allowed their homeless guests to remain in the S3Ps throughout the day and provided them meals. PEERS partners, such as the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Catholic Welfare Services, Good News Community Services and New Hope Community Services, have also stepped forward to run new S3Ps as we expected that there would be more people needing shelter during this crisis. Twenty seven new organisations have answered our call for action, bringing the total number of organisations setting up or operating S3Ps to 35. Some of these are the Singapore Anglican Community Services, together with the Anglican Diocese of Singapore, Kassim Mosque, Ang Mo Kio Methodist Church, Pasir Panjang Hill Community Services, Assyakirin Mosque and Tao One Ltd. HDB has also provided vacant rental flats to our community partners for them to operate S3Ps during this crisis. Together, all the S3Ps are able to accommodate some 700 rough sleepers. Currently, we have about 400 spaces available. We would like to thank all our partners for generously welcoming our homeless friends of the street as guests into their premises and operating the S3Ps round the clock at this time. There are currently about 70 families and 75 individuals in our Transitional Shelters. These shelters provide a safe place for residents while social workers help them address their social issues and work towards long-term, stable accommodation.”
“As the COVID-19 outbreak evolves, ensuring the safety of those who are homeless and rough sleeping is of paramount importance to MSF and the PEERS Network, which stands for Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers. The PEERS Network currently has 26 members and includes Government agencies, social service agencies and ground-up community groups. We have seen an increase in the number of people seeking shelter over this past month. When the PEERS Network was formed in July 2019, less than half of the 65 people engaged were willing to accept help. During the circuit breaker, nearly 300 have come forward so far to seek shelter and assistance, including many who were affected by travel restrictions. Since the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 were effected, we have worked closely with our colleagues in the frontline agencies, such as the Police and NParks, to refer homeless people and rough sleepers to our shelters, to our Social Service Offices and to relevant social service agencies for shelter and financial assistance. Those who are homeless will not face penalties under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020, if they are assisted by us. We are deeply grateful to our community partners and social services agencies in the PEERS Network who have continued their efforts amidst the COVID-19 outbreak by reaching out to homeless people and providing social intervention. We have also distributed care packs with hygiene kits and surgical masks to temporary shelter residents, as well as homeless persons in the streets, alongside encouraging them to accept shelter and help.”
“Mr Speaker, I will address Mr Gan Thiam Poh’s and Mr Murali Pillai’s questions on homelessness in this reply, as well as the question from Ms Anthea Ong1, which was filed for tomorrow.”
“Already this crisis has taught us invaluable lessons – shown us areas that we will continue to work on, long after COVID-19 is over. We will take a hard look at these areas and also position ourselves to seize opportunities when the thunderstorm starts to clear. How we organise ourselves and support one another, use technology to stay connected, stay healthy, keep isolated if needed, but not lonely. I am encouraged by many who have gone beyond the call of duty, and looked beyond their own interests and difficulties to help others: colleagues in our pre-schools and social service agencies, and volunteers who, at short notice, helped us to roll out new schemes on the ground to help large numbers of people. This is our strength as a society and people, and we will get through this together. This test will be our legacy to the generations after us. 1.09 pm”
“Under the Solidarity Budget that Deputy Prime Minister announced yesterday, adult Singaporeans will receive $600 of cash support in April. For those who are better off, individuals and families who do not need this cash payment from the Solidarity Budget, and are considering donating them, you can do so to families that you know who are in need or to one of these funds or to donate it to charities through Giving.sg. Mr Speaker, COVID-19 is a test of our resilience on many fronts – economic, social, health and psychological. Younger Singaporeans may not have encountered a crisis of this magnitude, while older Singaporeans are reminded of tough times early on in our history. Our daily routines have been sharply curtailed and many have had their livelihoods threatened. Such stressors and tensions, if prolonged, can have wider repercussions on relationships, marriages, families and communities. Hence, beyond financial and material support, we must shore up our own emotional and psychological well-being and enmesh this sense of community, that we are all in this together. We will set up a National CARE Hotline to offer emotional support to anyone who faces stress, are anxious, or simply need someone to talk to. This hotline will be manned by Government psychologists, counsellors and other trained personnel. But we would like to make a call for more support. If you are a registered professional – a psychologist or counsellor or trained to provide counselling on marital and family issues, please join us. Some SSAs have already come forward, stepped forward to offer their professional resources, to come under this National CARE hotline umbrella, and we are grateful to them for stepping forward.”
“We have seen an outpouring of support from companies, unions, volunteer groups, grassroots and religious groups. Many have also stepped forward in their personal capacity. The Community Chest has received more than $8 million of donations to The Courage Fund, to support our healthcare and frontline workers, and lower income families affected by COVID-19. We have disbursed grants to a frontline worker who contracted the disease. We have also reached out to family members of the others who passed on due to the virus and will be disbursing the support to some of them by this week. As a community, we also want to enhance our support to our social service agencies. Many have been working hard to help vulnerable persons, but their donations and fund-raising efforts have been significantly diminished, at a time when they really need to find new ways and bring in new technologies to continue to reach out, to assure and to support vulnerable people in these difficult times. So, the National Council for Social Service or NCSS, will be setting up a new fund, The Invictus Fund, which will be built up from private donations. This Fund will channel private donations to Social Service Agencies or SSAs, that deliver critical services to vulnerable groups in our community. The additional support will help our SSAs maintain their operations, make technology investments to better serve their users, and emerge stronger through this period. MSF and NCSS will share more details on this fund soon. In addition to financial support, NCSS is also working closely with our SSAs to help them with business continuity and technology adoption, so that those providing critical services can continue to do so remotely during this time.”
“It will provide a grant of $800 per month, for three months, while applicants participate in a job search or retraining programme. Those who had applied for TRF earlier and had given us their consent to be assessed for the COVID-19 Support Grant, do not need to put in a separate application. They do not need to visit the SSO again and the SSO will contact them if they require further information. For self-employed persons, MOM will also be implementing the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) from May. In parallel, we are also adjusting existing schemes and processes to accommodate the dynamic situation. We have simplified our ComCare processes for lower income households who qualify. They can submit supporting documents even via email. Longer ComCare support is also provided for new cases – typically around six months. SSO officers work with grassroots volunteers to provide practical support, for example, to elderly residents who are quarantined and need help to purchase groceries. The Silver Generation Office has arranged for meal deliveries for seniors who live alone and have mobility issues and communicated COVID-19 precautionary measures to help keep them safe. For Singaporeans who are homeless or rough sleeping, our Partners Engaging and Empowering Rough Sleepers (PEERS) network continues its work. With 28 partner organisations, Government departments, religious and secular organisations and uniform groups, they have been reaching out regularly and stepped up measures during this process. During the crisis, some of our Safe Sound Sleeping Places have gone 24/7 to enable homeless persons and rough sleepers who need help to stay in shelter during the circuit breaker.”
“" There are many others who have stepped forward – silent heroes who are making a positive difference during this crisis. Let me give an update on some of the things that we have done and what more we will do on the social sector. The economic impact of COVID-19 is wide-ranging, affecting many beyond the low-income. Ten days ago, the Deputy Prime Minister launched the Resilience Budget. Under this Budget, MSF has put up two new schemes to help lower and middle income households, who have lost their jobs or a significant proportion of their incomes because of the crisis. Last Wednesday, MSF rolled out the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF) for those who need immediate assistance in April. This is a one-off cash disbursement of $500. We have received more than 100,000 applications so far. We are doing our best to process them quickly, accurately, and responsibly. With the latest circuit breaker measures, we anticipate that more will need help. We will also need to implement greater safe distancing measures, at our SSOs and CCs. Yesterday, thanks to our partnership with GovTech, we launched an online application system. Applicants only need to fill up a short form, and attach some form of proof of income or job loss, such as a letter of retrenchment or payslips. Those who have absolutely no documentation, can make a legal declaration on the form. We received 27,000 online applications yesterday. Applicants can also download application forms from the website, fill them at home and drop it off later at any SSO or CC without having to queue. Those who have lost their jobs due to retrenchment or have had their employment contract terminated as a result of this crisis, will be supported by the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG), which has a longer runway.”
“Public health measures to "flatten the curve" are necessary, but they impose a huge toll on people – loss of jobs and livelihoods, uncertainty, social isolation, fear, psychological distress. This is the public health fight of our lifetime and my colleagues at MSF, ECDA, NCSS and in the social sector have stepped up to play our part in this wide-ranging battle. These included tapping on existing schemes such as ComCare and the Courage Fund. But we have also had to quickly roll out new support schemes. The Temporary Relief Fund for April started last Wednesday and the COVID-19 Support Grant will start from May. We are making adjustments along the way in response to feedback as well as operational and situational constraints. We seek your patience and understanding as my colleagues at the frontline are doing the best they can to help Singaporeans and residents in need. I also thank all who have stepped forward to volunteer and donate. In this exceptional time, we are encouraged by your generosity, spirit and support. For example, visiting our Social Service Offices (SSOs) and Community Centres (CCs), I have come across colleagues and volunteers who have been personally hard-hit by this crisis but who continue to soldier on to serve others who need help. I received a message last night from a couple. They are self-employed persons. They described how all their jobs and assignments had been abruptly cancelled and have had no income for some time. But their only ask is, "Since we will have no work for the foreseeable future, we would like to see how we can take this time to do something meaningful using the skills that we have to connect people, helping them to ease their fear and loneliness. We want to help but don't know how we can go about doing it.”
“Mr Speaker, not long after the SARS crisis, I was posted to the Ministry of Health as a legal officer. One of the things we worked on with colleagues was pandemic preparation. Among other things, we helped prepare and vet agreements for public health stockpiling efforts. And in 2008, we worked with then Minister for Health Khaw Boon Wan on amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act to ensure we had the tools to implement important public health measures to protect people and save lives. One of these measures was safe distancing. It is a very extensive and wide-ranging provision, requiring people to stay home, closing places, restricting movement, prohibiting events and gatherings, to stem the transmission of disease. Minister Khaw said in Parliament in 2008 that, "invoking such a provision has serious implications as it will cause major disruptions to the businesses and the daily lives of Singaporeans. Such a decision will not be taken lightly." He also said very clearly to the House that public health measures are not the role of just the Government but really involve every person and the entire community. I remember discussing with my colleagues then, as we were working on the drafts, that if we ever had to implement extensive safe distancing, it would be at a very critical juncture, and that it would only work if everyone understood the gravity of the measure and played his or her part. These are measures we prepare for but wish we would never need to use. But here we are today, drawing on many of these measures as part of a major circuit breaker to keep Singaporeans safe and to save lives. So let us all play our part. Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have seen the severe impact it has had on ordinary people's lives.”
“Apart from increasing awareness and facilitating easier adoption of FWAs, MOM will also work on shifting societal norms to make FWA more acceptable. We will continue to encourage the people, private and public sector organisations to work together towards having more women on boards and in leadership positions.”
“I assume she is thinking of whether we can restrict the number of boards a person can sit on to allow for more people, especially women, to be appointed. Such information is available. But I think it is better not to be too restrictive as it may not be helpful to the organic growth that we want to see in the number of women on board by having them appointed on their own merits. If a person has the capacity and the capability, he or she should not be prevented to serve on more than one board. Besides the efforts to get more women on boards, the Government also supports the multiple roles that women play in our society. Women are active in leadership positions at work and in their community. Currently, Singapore is the only ASEAN country with a female Head of State. We have three female full Ministers, several other Political Office Holders and senior Civil Servants, including Permanent Secretaries. We have 24 women Parliamentarians in this Thirteenth Parliament, which is about 24% and about the same as the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s world average of 24.5%. Women also make up half of our public service and Judicial Officers posts in the State and Supreme Courts Our approach is to empower women with choices to pursue their aspirations, be it career, family or both. As such, we will continue eliminating barriers for women at the workplace, in the community and at home. To do so, we need a whole-of-society movement to change mind-sets, attitudes and expectations. Our colleagues at the Ministry of Manpower recently announced plans to enhance the implementation of Flexible Work Arrangements, or FWAs, after hearing from the citizens' panel on work-life harmony.”