Eric Chua
Singapore
“Chairman, thank you for your indulgence. I would like to set right a couple of points in my speech earlier before Members seek clarifications. Firstly, I mentioned that enhancements we provide additional financial relief for 3,600 PwDs accessing our residential and community disabilities services. The number should be 3,800.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for her very passionate interventions over the past years as well. First, on job redesign. Under the existing Open Door Programme, there is a Job Redesign Grant that can already be applied for, so that is one potential avenue that we can point to.”
“And I behove all Members of the Chamber to also support these home-based businesses, because many of them, for instance, Bakes by Ben and his mum. They are making a living.”
“We must treat it as solvable. We cannot eliminate temptation, but we should not normalise harm. If technology has industrialised temptation, then our response must be to industrialise resilience: thoughtfully, proportionately, with care. Let us not hesitate simply because the subject is uncomfortable.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his clarifications. On the provisions of information in vernacular languages on the website, I think that is something that we can potentially explore and look at.”
“I am also grateful for the IJT members across the private and public sectors – lawyers, policy-makers, law enforcement officers, social service professionals, healthcare experts, community partners and caregiver representatives. Sir, to be sure, we face both challenges and disruptions, but also tremendous opportunities.”
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“Sir, I thank the Member for her clarification. On Certificate Issuers, indeed, it is a critical role that they are playing. That is why we are phasing out the implementation. We are starting with a smaller group of Certificate Issuers, we are providing training, we are giving templates just to be sure that the standards of recording are consistent across the board. With regards to the second question, I think this is a case where sometimes the heart and the brain go in different directions. I fully understand that, but I guess, other than just increasing or re-designing the Legacy Portal, perhaps what might be most important would be to speak to the hearts of the potential target audience, which many of them are our seniors in the community, and what would they be caring about. I think they will be caring about their family members, their loved ones, especially when they themselves lose mental capacity, and therefore, their family members and loved ones' peace of mind. And I think that is the biggest "sell" whenever we reach out to seniors, senior citizens in the community. That is, to pitch to them, that whatever they do actually adds to the peace of mind of their loved ones, and I think that is the key point that I would want to push across. On the third point, we are having a conversation with the Ministry of Finance and we will share more details when we have them. 2.59 pm”
“I thank the Member for the clarification. OPG actually will provide the Certificate Issuers with a standardised template for LPA certification. As part of this template, Certificate Issuers must document how they have assessed that the donor understands the purpose of the instrument, as well as the scope of authority that is conferred under this instrument, and that no fraud or undue pressure was used to induce the donor to create this LPA. As of now, there is no requirement for provision or submission of a video recording to the OPG, but we do want to mandate that the Certificate Issuer make a declaration in writing of the entire process, as well as the points I have mentioned earlier.”
“Our collaboration with various community partners, including the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), has thus far been positive and we will continue to work with them. Dr Wan Rizal asked about cybersecurity standards that the prescribed systems will be subject to, as well as if there will be regular system testing or independent audits. The OPGO system used for online LPA applications is hosted on the Government commercial cloud, which has inbuilt cybersecurity measures. We would like to assure the Member that the system complies with the Government's cybersecurity and data protection standards, and there are also regular security audits, including penetration testing and vulnerability assessments. Mr Fadli Fawzi asked about the anticipated take-up rate for remote witnessing. Based on earlier consultations, we anticipate that remote witnessing will be welcomed by members of the public who appreciate the greater convenience that it brings. To allow time for proper training and preparation, remote witnessing will start off with a smaller group of Certificate Issuers and donors before expanding to more Certificate Issuers. This gives us the chance to take in feedback from the users and further refine our processes and guidelines. Sir, in conclusion, I echo Senior Minister of State Murali's comment that this Bill represents the Government's efforts to use technology to improve convenience and lives of Singaporeans. Over the years, the Government has implemented several enhancements to the process of making LPA, and we hope that with the expansion of remote witnessing, more will come forward to make an LPA, and this will provide greater assurance of care arrangements to their family members and their loved ones.”
“At the point of LPA execution, Certificate Issuers verify that: one, no fraud or undue pressure was used to induce the donor to create the LPA; two, the donor understands the purpose of the instrument; and three, there is nothing else that would prevent an LPA from being created by the instrument. Certificate Issuers must also be satisfied that during the session the donor is executing the instrument in private by requiring the donor to pan the camera around the room to show that there is no third party present and if the Certificate Issuer assesses that the donor may be vulnerable to fraud or undue pressure, the Certificate Issuer has the full discretion to require an in-person witnessing or to refuse to certify the LPA. In addition, we have put in place administrative safeguards, such as having the Certificate Issuers document and submit to OPG records of the certification process, including the reason for any third party's presence and the identity of the third party in their notes. And this includes how they have assessed that the donor understands the purpose of an LPA and the scope of authority conferred under it. We will also provide training to prepare to prepare Certificate Issuers for remote witnessing, so that they are fully equipped to offer this option. Mr Fadli Fawzi also asked whether we could reach out to ethnic minority groups. Today, we already do so. Collaterals, such as those titled "Guides to the Lasting Power of Attorney", "LPA quick reference guides", for instance, are already made available in vernacular languages and there are also various LPA awareness workshops which are being conducted in vernacular languages.”
“Mr Fadli Fawzi asked about how the Public Guardian would ensure that there are no significant risk of fraud or undue pressure on the donor in the LPA making process, and that the donee will not act in the best interest of the donor. Before donors can have the LPA's witness remotely, the Public Guardian must assess and approve only donors who meet the legislated criteria. These prescribed criteria ensure that donors with lower risk applications are eligible for remote witnessing. On top of the age criterion raised by Ms Lee Hui Ying, remote witnessing is only extended to donors who intend to appoint donees who are family members or professional deputies and licensed trust companies. This is because family members are likely to act in the best interest of the donor and in addition, professional deputies and licensed trust companies are regulated, so there is a lower risk that they will abuse or exploit the donor. Mr Vikram Nair and Mr Fadli Fawzi earlier raised concerns about LPA related disputes involving family members. Most disputes involve family members, because most appointed donees today are family members of the donor. The whistle-blowing reports received by the OPG tend to come from other family members of the donor. We would like to underscore that, besides reviewing whether the donor's application meets the legislated criteria, the Public Guardian will also factor in other available information, such as the donor's history and past interactions with the OPG, as well as concerns raised by relevant individuals that may suggest that the donor is at risk of fraud or undue pressure. During the LPA certification process, be it through in-person or remote witnessing, the Certificate Issuers play a critical role as gatekeepers of risk.”
“Sir, I thank Members for their support for the Bill and for the queries related to the amendments to the Mental Capacity Act. I am heartened by the positive reception to the proposed expansion of remote witnessing to more donors in the making of the LPA. Since the introduction of the OPG online system in 2022, we have observed that monthly LPA registrations have almost doubled. In 2024, more than 95% of LPAs were made electronically. Many users have found the online LPA application process convenient and user-friendly. To Dr Wan Rizal's concern that there are segments of our population who may lack digital access or confidence, we fully empathise and will continue with community partners and ServiceSG Centres to provide the necessary support. I would like to assure Members that remote witnessing is intended to be an additional option, not the only one. Anyone can still visit a Certificate Issuer to do an in-person witnessing and n fact, we fully expect that some donors may still prefer to do so. Ms Lee Hui Ying asked how we decided on the age criterion of 75 years. MSF is guided by the 2024 study on the Well-Being of Singapore Elderly (WiSE) by the Institute of Mental Health, which found that there is a significant increase in the prevalence of dementia amongst those aged 75 and above. This also corresponds with our experience in practice, with the number of alerts to the Public Guardian on the well-being of individuals aged 75 and above, is about 3.5 times that those aged 65 to 74. MSF will continue to monitor trends and if needed, propose adjustments to the age criterion to ensure its relevance.”
“Mr Tiong asks about preschool salary enhancements in 2022. To give better context, ECDA has been working with AOPs and POPs to raise salaries and deepen professionalisation since 2016. In 2022, we signalled salary increases, paced over two years to maintain competitiveness relative to the broader labour market. Before the 2022 announcement, salaries for early childhood educators in Government supported preschools had already increased by 20% on average since 2018. Sir, preschools play a key role in meeting families caregiving needs and complement parents in supporting our children's development. I can say so because I think about this every day when I send my five-year-old son to preschool in the mornings. The average Government expenditure per preschool age child has increased from $7,900 in 2020 to $13,000 last year, with a higher amount spent per child in both AOP and POP preschools and on children from lower-income families. In 2019, we made a decisive move to expand Government supported preschool places to cater to 80% of preschoolers, so more Singaporean families can benefit from good access to affordable and quality preschools by the end of this year. We are getting there, but our work is not done. We will continue to evolve our policies to improve access to affordable and quality preschools across the sector – so that every child can have a good start in life. [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn." (proc text)]”
“Without due consideration for skills development and safeguards, such a move may run the risk of fee escalation without corresponding increase in quality of teaching. In contrast, the Government has continued to make significant sector-wide moves over the past decade to invest heavily in professional development, enhance career progression and improve working conditions of early childhood educators. And one such example is the setting up of the National Institute of Early Childhood Development in 2019. As a result of these concrete efforts to uplift sector quality, salaries of early childhood educators and leaders in AOP and POP centres have increased by at least 19% on average from 2022 to 2024, reflecting the deepest skills and contributions of our early childhood professionals. I now address some other suggestions made. Mr Tiong suggested using vouchers to advance support for children with special needs. The Government has been enhancing support for children with developmental needs. We have enhanced subsidies for early intervention services and accelerated the increase in the number of Government funded places for children requiring moderate to high levels of early intervention support by almost 80% since 2020. ECDA is piloting a new Inclusive Support Programme (INSP) and we will expand the pilot by another 600 places from 2026. On tenders for HDB and primary school sites, HDB sites are allocated to Government-supported preschools to avail affordable preschool services to residents soon after they move in. Nevertheless, I want to assure him that there are HDB sites open to all operators to bid competitively for, even as ECDA works with HDB to ensure that there are sufficient sites allocated for affordable preschool places today.”
“The Government provides all Singaporean children with basic subsidies of up to $300 each for full day childcare as well as means tested additional subsidies for eligible families. As a result of both fee caps, as well as subsidies, we have been able to effectively reduce out-of-pocket expenses, while ensuring access and choice of quality preschools for families. Full day childcare expenses before means tested subsidies will be similar to what households pay for primary school and after school care fees combined in 2026. From January 2026, a dual income family with a monthly income of $10,000 will pay $235 per month for full day childcare in an AOP preschool after subsidies, half of what they would have paid in 2019. Mr Tiong has implied that the preschool voucher system would give parents more autonomy to choose a preschool that suits their children's needs best and allowing for a market mechanism to work. This incentive is already built into the nature of childcare subsidies which preschools receive based on the number of children enrolled. Parents today are discerning when choosing preschools that best meet their child's needs and preferences, and this has promoted healthy competition among preschool operators and consequent improvements in quality. A third plank in our strategy is to work with the sector to provide broad based support to uplift sectorial standards. Mr Tiong suggested using targeted voucher supplements to advance national objectives such as raising teacher wages. Salary increases must correspond with higher professional skills and contributions. A proposal to provide vouchers to preschools may not necessarily raise educators' salaries.”
“To ensure that our AOPs and POPs maintain high standards of quality, operators go through a rigorous selection process, not one that is opaque as the Member suggested. Criteria consider factors such as the applicants' track record in providing quality childcare services, financial sustainability and accessibility of centres and local preschool demand. Applicants must also demonstrate commitment and ability to meet the AOP and POP scheme requirements, which includes the ability to provide affordable and quality preschool services and enhance, professional development and career prospects for early childhood professionals. Mr Tiong suggested removing direct operator grants and replacing them with a per child subsidy via preschool vouchers for families. Implementing a vouchers scheme alone may result in unintended consequences such as increases in preschool fees without corresponding improvements in accessibility or quality, as experiences in some countries have shown. In Hong Kong, where the preschool voucher scheme was implemented in 2007, but eventually discontinued, it worsened in equity as affluent families utilised vouchers for extra educational programmes. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, a nursery voucher programme implemented in 1996 was also discontinued shortly, because rather than improving quality and choice, it created unfair competition, reduced provider diversity and potentially harmed educational outcomes for young children. On the demand end, we adopt a comprehensive approach to preschool affordability by keeping fees for Government-supported preschools low, and providing both universal and means tested childcare subsidies to parents.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank Mr Kenneth Tiong for moving this Motion. This Government is focused on outcomes. We are committed to providing every child with a good start in life. Preschools play an important part in supporting our children's development, while meeting parents' caregiving needs. Over the past decade, preschool enrolment in Singapore has steadily increased. Today, around nine in 10 Singaporean children, aged three to six, are enrolled in preschool. We have enough full-day preschool places to accommodate every resident child aged three and above. The Government has no plans to nationalise preschool education. We value a diverse preschool sector where private preschools offer niche programmes that meet different preferences and needs of parents. We intend to keep the market open so that parents can continue to have choices. Our foremost objective, as rightly mentioned by Mr Tiong, has been to ensure accessibility, affordability as well as quality of our preschools for our parents' children. And we do this today through a mix of measures. First, on the supply side, we provide operator grants and impose fee caps for Government-supported preschools and 80% of preschoolers can have a place in Government-supported preschools by the end of this year. Second, on the demand end, we provide a suite of subsidies. And third, to uplift overall sectorial standards which will not happen organically, we work with the sector to provide broad based support. On the supply side, we fund private operators on the AOP or POP schemes to ensure they keep within fee caps while investing in quality improvements. In January this year, we reduced full day childcare monthly fee caps for AOP and POP by $40 and will further reduce it by $30 dollars next year.”
“With better understanding and support all round, we can change attitudes and help those who are suffering in the clutches of addiction recover and rebuild. Sir, I support the Motion. [Applause.] 7.32 pm”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Addiction knows no borders. It can affect people of any age, social class and background. Today, I want to focus on “sexually compulsive behaviours” brought about by technology. Whether it is non-criminal behaviour, such as browsing pornographic websites and becoming addicted as a result; or criminal behaviour, such as voyeurism or upskirt filming, the statistics paint a worrying picture. Addiction is generally viewed as a moral failing or lack of willpower on the part of the addict. Feeling shamed, many addicts try to hide their struggles and avoid seeking help. They fear being judged or bringing disgrace to their families. Usually, by the time they actually seek help, addicts are already deeply trapped and their addiction is beyond control. Addiction is a chronic, progressive and easily relapsing disease that causes many negative effects on an individual's physical and mental health. Regarding this issue, how should Singapore adopt better preventive measures in our communities? And how should we help our families mould themselves into a safe haven? We have only one ultimate goal: to let the younger generation feel the warmth and love of home, to let them deeply understand that when they encounter problems like addiction or other sensitive issues in life's marathon, their families will never discriminate against them or judge them. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, let us do better. Let us confront the issue of addiction openly. Let us not shy away from uncomfortable conversations but normalise safe, constructive dialogue, especially with our children. Let us work together to strengthen our support ecosystem so individuals suffering in silence feel safe to emerge from the shadows to seek help.”
“Our homes must be safe harbours where our young ones feel comfortable enough to talk about anything under the sun. Families must be the default go-to as our young ones take on adulting and life’s many other challenges. Parents must meaningfully engage in our children’s lives, debunk myths purported by wayward sources such as pornography, and be their role models, as our young ones seek out the true north when calibrating their impressionable moral compasses. Mr Speaker, I seek your indulgence once again as I digress into some personal sharing. Like many Members in this Chamber, I run a tight schedule day-to-day. What little leisure that remains come in the form of post-midnight Netflix binge watching. I recently clicked on a title that appeared on my "recommended" list, Adolescence. The series initiated me to the world of incel, manosphere, red pills. I watched all four riveting episodes in a single sitting. Quickly realised I made a subpar choice for leisure and relaxation. But what an educational and eye-opening tour-de-force Adolescence was in framing and illuminating some gripping challenges that youth of this generation faces. So, for several sleepless nights after Adolescence, I thought long and hard about how I might broach these issues with my son in a few years to come. I took heart in practical parenting tips I had received some time ago, which I thought offered good lessons. Where and when might I talk about sensitive topics with my little one? That was my question some time ago. The reply was “Consider a long drive!” That way, the setting is relaxed, father and son need not meet eye to eye. And when things get too awkward, turn up the stereo; and a few tracks of K-Pop Demon Hunters should help smooth things over. Sir, in Mandarin, please.”
“And across our healthcare landscape, can an addict receive adequate and affordable treatment from diagnosis to full recovery in a structured manner? Like other chronic medical conditions, prevention is always better than cure. But any course of action begins with the admission, “Yes, we do have a problem.” Steps can be taken to arrest the problems before they even start. We Care shared that many clients learnt about sex from online sources including pornography at a young age. Such early experiences shaped undesirable sexual scripts that emphasise availability, instant gratification, objectification. Early exposure to online pornography is also a common risk factor for sexual offending. The response to this cannot be outright bans, but we can introduce age-appropriate addiction and media literacy programmes in schools and in the community, to inoculate our young ones against such risks. As an Asian society where conversations on topics such as the birds and the bees are generally still avoided at home, we are at risk of delegating parenting responsibilities to peer groups, or worse, shady Internet sources. Addiction expert Gabor Mate theorised, and I quote, “how a lack of healthy adult guidance and unresolved childhood trauma and frustration can lead youths to seek out peer groups for their moral compass, a poor substitute for natural parental guidance.” But I will be one of the first to admit. It is not easy. As a dad to a five-year-old boy, I often ask myself, how or where do I even begin? My parents did not quite have those conversations with me when I was younger. But hard as it may be, we must equip parents with the language and the tools to talk about these and other sensitive topics with their children at home.”
“Often, by the time help is sought, the addict is in crisis as the addiction would have by then already spun out of control. The staggering level of stigma associated with such deeply personal challenges would also mean that it is extremely difficult to size up just how pervasive this issue is in our community. For every addict that comes forward to seek help, just how many remain in the shadows? No one knows. But given prevalent societal norms and attitudes, the hyperconnected lives that we lead and the ease of access to explicit materials online, it would only be fair to assume that what we are seeing in reported statistics is but only the tip of a large and deep iceberg. There is good scientific evidence that addiction is not as much a personal failing as it is a chronic, progressive and relapse-prone illness that affects an individual both physically and psychologically. In the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, the World Health Organization defines compulsive sexual behaviour disorder as an impulse control disorder. It is an illness for which there should exist a structured medical treatment plan. We Care runs a Non-Contact Sexual Offending therapy programme, combining individual counselling with group work to support individuals struggling with compulsive sexual behaviours. The programme helps participants understand the causes and consequence of their behaviours, address underlying psychological factors, and develop healthier coping skills to break the cycle and prevent re-offending. Client testimonials and outcomes from this programme show that a structured program is key to helping an addict recover and re-build. So, can we as a society accept that addictions of this nature is an illness needing proper treatment?”
“They shared with me that the referral of sexually compulsive behavioural cases to them rose sharply in recent years: 198 cases in 2024, compared to 115 in 2020. And in the first eight months this year alone, there have been 142 referrals, and We Care anticipates that the total number of referrals for 2025 will exceed 200 for the very first time. At the same time, statistics from the Police show that the number of voyeurism cases, which include upskirt offences, increased from 476 cases in 2023 to 519 cases in 2024 last year. The number of “outrage of modesty” cases increased by 21% from 666 in the first half of 2024, to 807 in the same period this year. The statistics are worrying, to say the least and two questions come to mind. First, are we providing sufficient avenues and options for treatment and early intervention? Second, what preventive measures can we take before such addictions take root in our society? To be sure, Singapore has in place an ecosystem of support for those battling different addictions. The National Addictions Management Service at IMH, the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association and the National Council on Problem Gambling are familiar go-tos. There are also ground-up efforts: We Care Community Services which I have earlier referenced and One Hope Centre, which helps addicts recover from gambling, sex and pornography addiction; and there are also private clinics that provide support for addiction treatment. Yet, challenges remain. First, it does not help that addiction is traditionally viewed as a moral failing or a lack of willpower on the part of the addict. Due to stigma, addicts would hide their struggles and avoid seeking help, for fear of being judged or for bringing shame to their families.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in this debate. Fellow Members, thank you for hearing me out. I would try to make this worth your while. I furiously cut out some two paragraphs worth of content but the substantive points remain. Today, I would like to speak on a hidden social issue in Singapore. It is an issue that many find uncomfortable to speak about but increasingly lurks in the shadows for some: addiction. Addiction knows no boundaries. It can affect a person of any age, class, background. Addictions destroy relationships, break up families, consume lives and we are battling addictions of different forms. Kpods need no introduction. There are those who are addicted to gadgets and smartphones – gaming, excessive use of social media, doom-scrolling – and others like binge-eating, gambling and alcoholism complete the gamut of addictions afflicting modern life today. What I would like to focus on today, however, is the serious and emergent threat or trend of sexually compulsive behaviours, one that is often facilitated by technology. I look at this through the lenses of two broad archetypes. First, the invisible, and perhaps more insidious non-offending compulsive behaviour like addiction to pornography. Such addictions silently chip away at an individual’s productivity and positive relations in his or her life. And second, offending behaviours such as voyeurism, upskirt videos, acts which cause significant harm to victims and carry serious legal consequences. I visited the We Care Community Services recently. We Care is the first non-denominational, outpatient addiction recovery centre in Singapore.”
“Over the years, staff in Thuja Home worked closely with Beatrice in various areas. This includes regular check-ins as well as referrals for psychoeducation and employment. With their care and guidance, Beatrice succeeded in securing employment. Today, she has secured a Housing and Development Board rental flat and will soon be discharged from the home. To the staff in our homes, thank you for all that you do. Your dedication to uplifting the lives of those in need is the reason why residents, like Beatrice, can rebuild their lives, regain independence and step into the future filled with hope. Finally, I thank Members for their support for this Bill. I believe this Bill is a much-needed step as we strive to uphold the good quality of care provided to residents across the sector and ensure that every single resident is kept safe and well in our homes. [Applause.] 4.03 pm”
“Mr Speaker, having addressed the comments and suggestions raised by Members, I would now like to take this opportunity to place on record, my deepest appreciation for staff in these homes. Many of us may not be familiar with the work that these homes do and the residents that they care for. This is because the majority of our 4,000 residents live in the homes 24/7. Today, I want to spotlight the dedication of staff in these homes. These 4,000 residents are cared for by about 2,000 staff, many of whom are care staff doing shift work to supervise and assist residents with their activities of daily living. Social workers are another key group that play an important role in journeying with the resident through the challenges and milestones in life. Many of the residents have no one else in their lives to advocate for their needs and to ensure they have access to various resources and opportunities, except for these staff. To be clear, the work that the home staff do is tough. It is not for the faint-hearted. But it is extremely meaningful. Under their care, residents are given the help they need to facilitate their recovery, to preserve their health and cognitive functions and be meaningfully engaged. Residents with the potential to live independently or return to their families are also equipped with relevant independent living skills, such as personal care, household chores, budgeting, money management, social skills and help-seeking skills. This ensures that residents are set up for success when they are reintegrated back into society. I want to share the story of Beatrice, a resident of Thuja Home at Pelangi Village. Beatrice was admitted into the Welfare Home in December 2019 with schizophrenia.”
“We will work closely with the sector to co-create the future of social residential homes. Earlier, Ms Ng expressed her appreciation to the individuals who have readily volunteered to be members of the Board of Visitors. I echo Ms Ng's appreciation for Board of Visitors volunteers and would like to share the example of one such volunteer. Ms Sharifah Masturah Shahab-Yokoyama. She is a veteran special educator with over 30 years of experience working with children and adults with developmental needs. As the Vice Chairperson of one of our Boards of Visitors, Ms Sharifah used her expertise to provide valuable insights to homes on how they can improve the care they provide to residents. Volunteers like Ms Sharifah play a pivotal role in ensuring that good quality care is provided to residents. Let me share an example from the Singapore Boys' Hostel, a children's home. The Board of Visitors had alerted the management team to feedback from residents on the lack of variety in meals. To address this, the Singapore Boys' Hostel has engaged two caterers to provide greater variety in the food menu. The close partnership between homes, Boards of Visitors and MSF ensures that residents' voices are heard, a point that Mr Yip earlier alluded to with his suggestion for a separate Residents' Bill of Rights to engender dignity, choice and respect for residents. Under this Bill, MSF will be expanding the Boards of Visitors to cover all these licensable homes. I would like to call upon more interested individuals with the relevant experience and expertise to step forward as our volunteers and join MSF in this journey of caring for the most vulnerable amongst us.”
“We will continue to ensure sufficient capacity to meet projected demand over the long term, an issue that Mr Yong also spoke about. As caregivers age and with shrinking family sizes, we expect a slight increase in demand over the next decade. At the same time, MSF and the Ministry of Health are ramping up our support for persons with disabilities and seniors to age in place and for those in homes to be reintegrated more quickly back to the community so that fewer of them need to stay in institutional care. With the slight increase in demand, manpower needs will also increase. We will continue to invest in technology and process redesign to enhance workforce productivity. Relatedly, Mr Yip noted that the Bill empowers the Director-General to set capacity limits on homes and expressed concern that this could lead to turning residents in need away. To be clear, the key objective of setting capacity limits is to ensure that quality care can be provided to residents. These limits are determined based on practical considerations, which include, physical space requirements, infrastructure capabilities and staffing ratios. As I had mentioned earlier, MSF will continue to monitor demand and supply trends to ensure sufficient capacity. Mr Tan asked why the Bill would need to provide for the possibility of housing different client types or profiles together. Let me share an example. Some seniors may have acquired disability while some persons with disabilities have aged and have become seniors themselves, so we may need to equip our homes to cater to both types of needs. We are in the early stages of reviewing how the sector can evolve over the longer term to improve care quality, leverage technology and build capabilities for better client outcomes.”
“In my Opening speech, I shared about our reviews of the Skills and Salary Guidelines to ensure that staff are paid competitively and about NCSS working closely with social service agencies to develop stronger organisational capabilities and a supportive workplace environment. To attract and retain talent in the sector, MSF has also embarked on a job redesign pilot with selected homes. Through this pilot, we hope to enhance the value proposition of a career in the sector, specifically, by improving the working conditions and supporting the career development of care staff. Mr Yip also asked about the support that MSF provides to ensure that homes have sufficient trained caregivers, including those from foreign countries, and whether foreign worker ratios need to be relaxed. To this end, MSF will continue to work with MOM to ensure that homes have sufficient work pass quota and flexibility to recruit foreign care staff whilst also ensuring opportunities for local staff to progress in their careers. Mr Yip spoke about the need for adequate capacity. MSF keeps a close eye on the demand and supply of the capacity of our homes. For Adult Disability Homes, which includes Adult Disability Hostels, we are actively addressing waitlist management through several initiatives. We are expanding capacity by adding new facilities and are optimising placement processes to ensure cases with urgent needs are prioritised. Additionally, we are strengthening community-based support services to provide alternatives to residential care, where appropriate. One example is the Enabled Living Programme pilot, which is an alternative to residential care and seeks to enable persons with disabilities to live and age in the community.”
“Funding will be customised based on the needs of each home. In addition to the one-off Transition Support Package, Ms Ng and Mr Yong suggested setting up a long-term capability building fund to support homes in building up their operational capabilities and staff competencies. Investing in sector capabilities is one of our key priorities and we have several schemes and grants available to help social service agencies level up. NCSS administers the Transformation Sustainability Scheme that provides funding to social service agencies to enhance their strategic and organisational capabilities. With this funding, social service agencies are supported in improving staff retention, strengthening volunteer engagement and thereafter, successfully delivering on other capability-building projects. The Charities Capability Fund, formerly known as VCF that Ms Ng mentioned, continues to be available to social service agencies. It covers a range of capability building matters, including governance and management training for charities' board members and staff. Ms Ng suggested exploring bulk procurement of common equipment to optimise public funds and resources available to the homes. We thank her for the suggestion. MSF and NCSS will work with social service agencies to optimise resource utilisation and adopt solutions that would best meet their needs. Mr Yip and Mr Yong asked if staff in our homes are paid fairly and are sufficiently supported to ensure that they do not burn out while caring for residents. Mr Dennis Tan asked a related question about how we intend to support homes' manpower needs. We are invested in the manpower sustainability of this sector.”
“Mr Yong expressed concern that the enhanced penalties may be excessive and could inadvertently discourage operators or staff from joining the sector. The penalties under this Bill are commensurate with that of comparable offences under other legislation. One notable example is the Healthcare Services Act, which licenses the provision of nursing home service. Much like our homes, residents in nursing homes are vulnerable and reliant on the home for 24/7 care. The safety and well-being of our homes' residents are no less important. We recognise that some homes may be anxious about the enhanced penalties. To provide the various stakeholder groups, such as board members, with greater clarity about their duties, we will set out their roles and responsibilities in the Subsidiary Legislation and Codes of Practice. We will not be punitive from the outset. Instead, we will work closely with homes to ensure that they are well-supported to meet the regulatory requirements under this Bill. Next, I will move on to questions and suggestions pertaining to capability building for our homes. Mr Melvin Yong and Mr Dennis Tan asked about the regulatory costs arising from this Bill and the support to homes to transit to the new licensing regime. We do not expect the regulatory costs to be significantly higher than today, as the requirements build upon existing legislation and service requirements that homes are familiar with. Nonetheless, MSF and NCSS have set aside a $33 million Transition Support Package for all licensable homes. Mr Tan will be pleased to know that with this funding, homes will be able to invest in training for staff, updating or installing CCTV systems and change management efforts as they transit to this new licensing regime.”
“Whistle-blowers come to MSF to share information privately rather than broadcast identifiable details of clients in the public sphere. In addition, under clause 53(2) of the Bill on whistle-blowing, a person who whistle-blows to MSF in good faith cannot be held in any legal proceedings with respect to any restriction on disclosure imposed by any rule of law. Such a provision was included in our Bill precisely to encourage whistle-blowers to step forward if they have such concerns. Ms Ng Ling Ling raised several questions on the level of approval for the Codes of Practice, calibration of penalties for breaches of Codes of Practice and the lines of accountability for regulatory breaches. First, the Codes of Practice that are issued to homes are approved by the Director-General. Second, the type of regulatory action taken will be calibrated, depending on factors, such as degree of harm caused and if it is a repeated breach by the home. In some cases, we may suspend approval of specific individuals working in the home. In others, we may shorten a home's licence while giving the home guidance on issues that need to be rectified. Third, in deciding who to take regulatory actions on, please be assured that we have every intention to be fair and reasonable. We will not be overly punitive to our stakeholders. Allow me to illustrate with a hypothetical example. We intend to introduce a regulatory requirement on the licensee to ensure that staff are adequately trained. If a staff member of the home fails to meet the minimum first aid training requirements and is, thus, unable to promptly attend to residents' need for first aid, we may take action against the licensee.”
“Thus far, only one home underwent a change of operator as the operator had decided not to continue running the home following a thorough evaluation of the organisation's resources and strategic direction. MSF, the affected home as well as the incoming home operator worked closely to ensure a smooth transition for staff and continuity of care for residents. Mr Ng and Mr Yong also asked how MSF would prepare other licensed homes to take over the operations or residents of a failing home. MSF will work closely with both the incoming and outgoing operators to facilitate the handover processes, including the care arrangements for residents during the step-in period. We will also ensure that capacity is sufficient. Our priority is to ensure that the continuity of care for residents in the affected home is assured. To be clear, activating another licensed home to step-in is only one option that MSF may take under step-in powers. Other options, include appointing a third-party to advise the licensee on the home's operations or revoking the appointment of an existing key appointment holder and reappointing another individual to take over the responsibilities. Mr Ng asked whether whistle-blowing protections under clause 53 apply to individuals who report offences under the Bill to the Police. The whistle-blower will be referred to the MSF inspecting officers to assist investigations of the offence and will be conferred protection under clause 53. Mr Yip asked if whistle-blowers would be constrained in reporting poor living or care conditions because of the restriction on publishing information about residents. The answer is no. Clause 38 protects the identities of residents in these homes from being published or broadcasted.”
“In particular, the reasons for excluding them from this Bill, whether these Homes are subjected to the same standards in this Bill and who is responsible for ensuring the quality of care in these Homes. The Singapore Boys’ Home and the Singapore Girls’ Home are operated by the Government and are excluded from the licensing regime under this Bill. However, this does not mean that they do not need to meet the standards of care. In fact, they are held to the same standards, if not higher. To ensure good quality care is provided in the Singapore Boys’ Home and Singapore Girls’ Home, these Homes are subjected to independent inspections, as well as regular visits by a Review Board. Similar to the Board of Visitors, the Review Board comprises independent members of the community, who review the living standards and standards of care in these Homes. Next, I will address the queries raised on the enforcement framework against errant operators. Mr Louis Ng and Mr Yip Hon Weng asked if MSF will have a framework to decide when the step-in powers will be exercised and which arrangements will be ordered. The answer to this is yes. In determining when and how to exercise the step-in powers, MSF will thoroughly assess the facts of each case, such as the severity of harm caused to residents. I wish to emphasise that these step-in powers are meant to be a measure of last resort, after all other avenues are exhausted. Accordingly, the use of step-in powers will cease once the operations of the affected home have stabilised and we are assured of the residents' safety and wellbeing. Mr Yong asked about the number of homes that have required a change of operators in the past 10 years.”
“To address the Member’s underlying concern on accountability, MSF works closely with Homes in the case of incidents to ensure that residents and their family members are aware of the situation, what is being done to address the concerns and to involve them in decisions regarding their care arrangements, where possible. We will consider practices in other countries to strengthen public accountability. The goal should be to help the Homes enhance their performance and accountability, and create a culture of continual improvement. Mr Yip and Mr Yong would also be assured to know that we have multiple channels in place for residents and family members to provide feedback on Homes. A Board of Visitors consisting of independent members of the community, such as private and social sector professionals, will visit Homes at least once a quarter. The Board of Visitors may also visit certain Homes more frequently, if there is a need to monitor them more closely. These visits are unannounced to enable the Board of Visitors to check on residents’ living conditions and speak with residents to hear any concerns they may have. Residents and their family members may also provide their feedback to MSF via our hotline or email. Through these channels, we can promptly address concerns and foster greater accountability from Homes. Mr Dennis Tan asked if there were any shortfalls or uneven standards of care across the Homes. As mentioned in my opening speech earlier, MSF introduced this Bill to codify the good progress that has been made in raising the quality of care over the years. It is not in response to uneven standards of care or any incidents of a serious nature. Mr Yong raised a few questions on the Singapore Boys’ Home and Singapore Girls’ Home.”
“This is so that we do not place vulnerable residents at undue risk of harm through exposure to individuals with a record of egregious offences. Mr Ng also asked how long the pre-approval would take and also, support for Homes with recruitment planning. Generally, we endeavour to inform Homes of the outcome of the assessment within two weeks. Concurrently, MSF is reviewing ways to complete the process even faster, including through streamlining or automating some parts of the suitability assessment processes. Ms Ng Ling Ling asked about the accuracy of background checks on foreign staff. Under this Bill, all prospective foreign staff in licensed Homes will be required to submit a self-declaration if they had committed any offence in any country, as specified by MOM. If we find out that a false declaration had been made, the individual may be liable to regulatory actions under the Bill, such as cancellation of approval to work in the Home, and/or prosecution under the Penal Code. Mr Yong asked about the number of cases of Home staff that were investigated and taken to task for excessive use of force. Such cases are fortunately uncommon. Over the 2020 to 2024 period, MSF received an average of six reports per year on resident abuse, including that of excessive use of force. Several were not substantiated, and where substantiated, staff were taken to task. MSF adopts a zero-tolerance approach towards the use of excessive force on our residents and will thoroughly investigate these allegations. Mr Yip suggested creating a public rating system for Homes, so that family members and the public will be made aware if a Home is performing poorly.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Members for the robust debate and support for the Social Residential Homes Bill. Let me now respond to the Members’ questions and suggestions. Firstly, on measures to ensure residents’ safety and well-being. Mr Yip Hon Weng asked why MSF does not stipulate minimum staffing ratios for Homes in the Bill. Today, all Homes funded by MSF, which includes most Homes licensed under the existing Homes for the Aged Act and Children and Young Persons Act, need to abide by minimum staffing ratios set out by MSF. This Bill will allow MSF to set out minimum staffing ratios for all licensed Homes. Mr Melvin Yong also asked about the evolution of sector standards over the years. As mentioned in my opening speech, we have enhanced our care models. In addition to Children’s Homes, Adult Disability Homes, Sheltered Homes and Welfare Homes have also adopted a tiered approach to provide more intensive care and targeted support to residents with higher care needs. As the sector continues to grow, our standards of care will also evolve to meet changing needs. Mr Louis Ng asked about the types of duties carried out by individuals who require MSF’s approval prior to deployment in the Home. Broadly, these duties would include first, those relating to the overall governance, leadership and management of the Home, such as management of the Home’s financial accounts. We want to be sure that any individual who takes on any leadership or management responsibilities, such as key appointment holders and person-in-charge, is of good standing. Second, those involving direct unsupervised contact with residents, such as helping residents who are less mobile with their personal hygiene and meals.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Xie for his clarification on CALM and adaptive sports programmes. The two programmes that are offered at the Active Ageing Centres are free of charge, but outside of the Active Ageing Centres, seniors can also participate in these two programmes at the Active Health Labs, which are located in the Active SG Sports Centres. While the seniors are at the Centres, they can make use of all the other programmes as well as facilities like swimming pools, gyms, that are also made available free of charge for our seniors who are 65 and above. In addition, there are other programmes, for instance, SportCare conducts adaptive morning exercises. These are conducted on a weekly basis at the locations that are near where seniors live. So, this is just another example of how we are engaging seniors at locations and with programmes which are convenient for them.”
“By fostering inclusion in every game, every match and every Singaporean journey, we can weave a stronger fabric of diversity into the very DNA of Singapore society. Let us make inclusion not just a goal, but a living and breathing part of who we are.”
“The new platform addresses concerns that some users were abusing scripts to monopolise bookings. Now, everyone can only have one account tagged to their Singpass and peak hour slots are allocated by ballot. This ensures that everyone has an equal chance of booking their preferred slot and facilities, which has also increased the number of individuals with successful bookings. We have also enhanced the platform, based on feedback, adding features like high-demand indicators and improved search filters. We continue to welcome feedback as we continue to work to improve the platform. To conclude, Sir, I have spoken several times in the past in this Chamber about how through sport, one can defy the odds and redefine the deck of cards that life deals each of us. In past COS, I have shared about the story of boccia para-athlete, Aloysius Gan who despite being quadriplegic and non-verbal, shows us clearly that the human spirit triumphs disabilities. Last summer, I was privileged to have joined Jeralyn and Pin Xiu and Team Singapore para-athletes in Paris, as they brought home an historic haul of Paralympic medals. I am extremely proud of all of them and I am also sure that they will agree with me when I say that true inclusion in sports is not merely about catering carve-outs for persons with disabilities or for our seniors for that matter. It is about creating common spaces where all, regardless of age, abilities and persuasions, feel welcomed, respected and valued. We need to start from young and we can start with each of us. Sport has always been a powerful force for unity, transcending differences, bridging divides.”
“(In English): Sir, through the Sports Facilities Master Plan, we aim to provide most Singaporeans with affordable sport facilities no more than a 10-minute walk from their homes by around 2030. Mr Xie Yao Quan asked for an update on this. To-date, we have renovated three sport centres and completed 15 of our committed development projects, as part of our Sports Facilities Master Plan. This includes two sheltered basketball courts and four open surface courts at the new ActiveSG Sport Park @ Bedok North, which will open later this year. In addition, this year, residents in Ang Mo Kio and Queenstown can also soon enjoy renovated facilities in their neighbourhood at the Queenstown Sport Centre and ActiveSG Sport Park @ Ang Mo Kio. The Sport-In-Precinct (SIP) initiative is yet another key strategy by SportSG to bring facilities closer to Singaporeans and their families. To date, we have completed 10 SIP facilities, with another 24 in the pipeline. Out of these, six SIPs are already under construction. Residents in Keat Hong, Tampines North, Pasir Ris East, Whampoa, Ulu Pandan and Choa Chu Kang can look forward to their completion over the next few years. To keep pace with demographic shifts, we will also build sport facilities that cater better to the needs of seniors and working adults. An example is the upcoming "Active Health Fitness Trail" at Mei Ling, which has specially designed equipment and architecture to create a safe and effective exercise environment for seniors. This is an important feature of the broader Health District @ Queenstown. To ensure fair access, SportSG introduced the MyActiveSG+ booking platform in June last year, as pointed out by Mr Xie Yao Quan and Mr Faisal Manap.”
“For Mdm Mak, she even shared that she had mostly stayed at home for the past three years before joining the programme. Now, thanks to CALM, Mdm Mak likes to bake treats to share with her fellow seniors at Active Ageing Centres! Through my visits, I have also seen the enthusiasm that seniors have for adaptive sports. Some are very competitive! I have played many of these games and lost many games with them! So, for seniors who have joined CALM or adaptive sports and enjoyed it, I encourage all of you to invite your friends to join in. I also look forward to more Active Ageing Centres offering both the CALM and adaptive sports programmes at your centre. Sir, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Exercise not only keeps us physically healthy, but also help maintains our mental acuity and agility, making our lives more fulfilling. To help seniors actively participate in sports, SportSG and AIC have specially launched the Frailty Prevention Programme, which includes the eight-week CALM programme. These courses are conducted at Active Ageing Centres located in our neighbourhoods, where professional coaches provide careful guidance through exercise, nutrition and good lifestyle habits to help our seniors maintain a healthy lifestyle. Seniors who have participated in the programme have reported significant benefits, noting improvements in both their physical strength and quality of life. I hope they share the benefits of this programme with their friends and family. We welcome seniors who have not yet participated in this programme to sign up at their nearest Active Ageing Centre. Let us enjoy our golden years together through staying active, interacting with those around us and exercising actively!”
“In response to Mr Xie Yao Quan, Mr Darryl David and Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, I would like to share about the Active Health initiative and its Frailty Prevention Programme (FPP), which was introduced by SportSG in collaboration with AIC and features an eight-week Combat Age Related Loss of Muscle (CALM) programme. Seniors in the programme participate in exercises involving resistance bands and dumb bells, along with guidance on nutrition and sleep. The FPP also offers adaptive sports such as sport stacking, ladder toss, boccia, disc golf and seated floorball – activities which are modified to enable players of differing abilities to participate. Aside from providing a good workout, these sports promote teamwork and interaction amongst seniors, reducing the risks of isolation and loneliness. To bring sports to seniors where they are, FPP is being conducted at Active Ageing Centres in our communities. To date, 54 Active Ageing Centres have completed the CALM programme and we aim to double this to about 100 Active Ageing Centres by end of this year. We also aim to provide adaptive sports equipment to about 100 Active Ageing Centres by end of this year too. To ensure successful roll out, we aim to train staff and volunteers from all Active Ageing Centres who come onboard the FPP. From my chats with seniors, I have heard directly from them about how the FPP has improved their lives. Recently, I met Mdm Tham Yoke Cheng, Mdm May Mak and Mdm Lam Ngiat Yin who were participating in the CALM programme at Chong Hua Tong Active Ageing Centres in Moulmein Cairnhill. I was glad to hear that CALM has helped them to strengthen their muscles and improve their walking gait, especially for Mdm Lam who has issues with her knees.”
“Third, we want to support the aspirations of PwDs who desire and have the potential to pursue sports at the high-performance level. We will continue to build the capabilities of disability sport coaches and support personnel. We will also establish a para-sport National Training Centre within the home of TeamSG at Kallang Alive and set up Para Sports Community Hubs across the island so that PwDs can access sports closer to home. \We have set up five such community hubs to date and plan to add more. These hubs are intentionally set up at ActiveSG centres, so that both PwDs and members of the public can enjoy sports together in the same space. I was told that this has actually allowed for PwDs to make friends with members of the public and this integration is exactly what we hope to see. Lastly, based on feedback from our engagement sessions, we will launch a new Enabling Sports Fund in the second half of this year to support more community initiatives in disability sports. We target to have at least $10 million in the fund by 2030, where $5 million will be raised through donations and the other $5 million matched dollar-for-dollar by the Government. We encourage everyone to contribute actively to this Fund. Sir, Singapore will become a super-aged society by 2026; and by 2030, more than one in four residents in Singapore will be 65 years or older. With this comes a growing concern – frailty, a condition which reduces the function and health of older individuals. Aside from inactivity, poor nutrition and social isolation, frailty is related to muscle loss, also known as sarcopenia, which begins as early as when we are in our 30s or 40s. And by the age of 70, we may lose up to about 25% of our muscle mass!”
“Chairman, let me next move on to sports for PwDs, a topic Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Ong Hua Han spoke about. Sports enhances quality of life for PwDs and can help transform societal attitudes toward disability, by spotlighting strengths, instead of disability. We first launched the Disability Sports Master Plan in 2016. Since then, we have seen an increase in sports participation rates amongst persons with disabilities, from 28% in 2015 to 45% in 2024, and our para-sports athletes have also consistently performed well at major games. But we wanted to do more. We set up the Enabling Sports Taskforce, engaged stakeholders and launched a refreshed masterplan last November, which aims to raise sports participation rate of persons with disabilities to 70% by 2030. This plan focuses on three "A"s: first, to increase accessibility; second, to raise awareness; and last but not least, to fulfil aspirations. 5.30 pm First, we will continue to increase accessibility by further increasing the capacity of our disability sport programmes and make ActiveSG sports facilities more inclusive. Take Ms Diana Yap and her son, Aaron, whom I recently met, for example. Diana shared that Aaron did not like playing sports initially but fell in love with badminton since joining SportSG's Play-Ability and now looks forward to every single badminton session! With better outreach, we hope that more PwDs can enjoy sports like Aaron! Second, we will raise awareness of disability sports and inclusive sports activities by expanding initiatives, like Play Inclusive, so that all Singaporeans can play and enjoy sports together, regardless of ability. This includes working with MOE to have all students in mainstream schools experience at least one disability sports by 2028.”
“Sir, sports enrich our lives and help to foster inclusive, healthier and connected communities. We are committed to enable more to "Live Better Through Sport", by making sports programmes and facilities accessible to all Singaporeans. I will cover initiatives to boost sports participation among three groups: children and youth, persons with disabilities and seniors. Sir, I have a young son at home, so I fully appreciate that introducing children to sports early fosters healthy habits, builds character, reduces screentime and nurtures their talents. Mr Xie Yao Quan and Mr Mohd Fahmi will be glad to know that we have been and will continue to expand the opportunities for our children and youth to play sports, both in and outside of schools. We partner MOE to promote sports in schools through programmes, such as the Strategic Partnership Co-Curricular Activity (SP-CCA). This enables students to pursue CCAs beyond what their school offers and, at the same time, encourages inter-school mixing. As mentioned at MOE's COS, we have expanded SP-CCA to include canoeing and we plan to add hockey by 2026. Outside schools, children can engage in sports through the ActiveSG Academies and Clubs (A&Cs) and lower income families may tap on the SportCares Bursary to fully cover programme fees. Children and youths can take part in sports activities and interest groups organised by the People's Association's Community Sports Networks, such as the PAssion Community Football Programme for children aged five to 16 years old or the PA Community Championship and Pesta Sukan for youths. We also work with National Sports Associations (NSAs), private academies and sport clubs to broaden the sports programmes available to all Singaporeans.”
“And we feature individuals, such as the Goh Chok Tong Enable Awards, with Mediacorp and also, at the same time, we hope to change mindsets and deepen the DNA of inclusion in Singapore society.”
“Sir, it is not so much the Enabling Services Hubs, but the Enabling Business Hub. Actually, we support businesses of all sizes, including SMEs in inclusive hiring. Under the Inclusive Business Programme, businesses that commit to having at least 20% of the hired workforce made up of PwDs actually can be directly allocated HDB shop spaces, for instance. And beyond the Open Door programme, SG Enable also actively supports businesses in job redesign, employer training; there are grants available for companies and these grants can be tapped on. At the EBH at Jurong, they have also engaged local business communities, like the Federation of Merchants' Association, Singapore; Bukit Gombak Traders' Association and Taman Jurong Hawkers' Association, to reach out to the neighbourhood shops to try to promote inclusive hiring. On the Member's third clarification, I believe it is about awareness. I thank her for her passion. I think she has also raised previous Parliamentary Questions on this topic before. We agree with the Member that greater awareness, appreciation and understanding are definitely needed for a more inclusive society and to bolster these efforts, we established the Public Education Standing Committee in 2024. This is co-chaired by myself and Mr Adrian Tan, Chairman of Ad Planet Group, to really support the "i'mable" movement, the public education initiative by SG Enable, and Ms Carrie Tan has mentioned in previous Sittings before about the power of stories, and exactly, the "i'mable" public education initiative works with partners to highlight the strengths and contributions of PwDs through storytelling, media representations and collaborations.”
“I think it is a little bit early days; we will still need to evolve some of these pilots as we go along to make sure that we can possibly see a much more thoughtful and well-managed spectrum of services that we will see hopefully, in time to come.”
“So, I will just make one clarion call and that is for all stakeholders involved – Government, community, people sector, private sector, individual volunteers – to come together to really work together to be sure that our efforts at alleviating poverty, at helping to uplift Singaporean families can have an outsized and multiplier effect when we go out together. I think we will be stronger for it. That is my first reply to her first clarification. My second reply pertains perhaps more to the disability sector. I think she is also trying to allude to the fact that we have so many programmes and so many pilots now. To me, that is a testament and reflection of the challenges that we face in providing for the sector in a sense that we have the different disability groups, the disability types – sensory impairments, physical disabilities, neuro-divergence, visible, invisible – and everything occurs on a spectrum. Even within each disability, there is a wide spectrum as to what the needs are. So, in terms of what services should be planned and designed for each of these groups, I think the number of pilots and the number of things that we are doing now speaks to the exact challenge of this specific sector, which is why we have so many things that I have announced – the Home Support Programme, the Enabled Living Programme and so on and so forth. And her point about how we can get everyone to see all these different pilots on a spectrum, I think we are not quite there yet in terms of forming a thoughtful continuum of services, if you will. I do not think we are at a stage where we are sufficiently mature to say that we have possibly covered all and at the same time, from the resource, resource deployment and management perspectives, maximised our outcomes.”
“Sir, I thank Ms Phua for her very enthusiastic clarifications. I suppose I will attempt a reply to her first clarification and I suppose I will take it in two parts. Her first point was really about a broad general comment about how generally the social sector is. For instance, in rental flats, the Member mentioned the word "pounce" in a positive way, that residents tended to get pounced upon, because of all the different types and sources of help that go to rental flat residents, perhaps also at specific intervals or times of the year. There is a certain season to things. This alludes to also another piece of work that I do in the Ministry and that is the Charity Food Workgroup. Oftentimes when it is the year-end, festive season, or when it comes to Chinese New Year, or after Ramadan, upcoming is Puasa, you see a lot of goodwill being poured into the rental flat communities. Here is where I think I want to just point to just one point. And that is really about Forward Singapore. Forward Singapore, what is that all about? To me, it is really about how the Government, the people sector, the corporate sector and individual volunteers, how all of us can pitch in and better coordinate our resources. Because if we just leave it be, good things will get done, we will still have a lot of corporates and a lot of self-organised groups and in a way parachuting things onto our rental flat residents, as Ms Denise Phua would have characterised it. But that is possibly not the best way to organise ourselves. That is also possibly not the best way we can maximise the potential of our giving.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. I believe many of the schemes that I have talked about in my main speech would apply in the specific instance, especially for workplaces. So, what do I mean? Last year, late last year, October, I believe, we launched the Employer Development Grant. That really seeks to grow the culture of inclusion from within the organisation, because often times we can say that we want to show companies how to be inclusive from external. But why not do it from within the companies? And that is why we have embarked on that journey to really grow inclusive hiring and inclusive employment practices from within each company. I think that is a good start. And coupled with that, other measures that I have mentioned in my main speech which I will not belabour the points of – about job coaching, having those support become more intensive, and also, as I mentioned in response to Ms Denise Phua earlier, about having the job coach duration be longer than its previous usual one year tenure. I think all those would add to making sure that our workplaces have a good chance of becoming more inclusive over time. Because it is not just about setting a quota. It is very much also about making sure that our culture and the softer parts of the workplace can shift in the direction that we want to go. Attitudes, behaviour, values within society – and I think that will take time.”
“All of us have a part to play, whether by volunteering to support lower-income families or being inclusive towards the PwDs that we see in our communities. By extending a helping hand, we enrich our lives but, at the same time, we also strengthen our community. We create a society of opportunities and hope, where all are empowered to realise their aspirations. We become the Singapore we want to be.”
“] Chairman, Singapore is our motherland and home, and many Singaporeans hope that Singapore becomes a more loving, inclusive and beautiful home, full of opportunities where all families can thrive, regardless of the challenges they face. For lower-income families, we are not only increasing our assistance through enhancements to ComCare, but also empowering families through ComLink+ to help these families to achieve independence and a stable life, breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. In our latest slate of enhancements to ComLink+, we are integrating services across the health and housing landscapes to enable families to access support in these two areas more easily. For PwDs, we are making strides to increase their employment opportunities after school and lifelong learning channels. Our employment strategy will focus on six key areas and support businesses through various means, including legal protections, wage offsets, workplace modifications, capability building and recognition frameworks. At the same time, we have launched a series of pilot programmes, such as the Enabled Living Programme, Home Support Programme and Enabling Skills for Life Programme to provide PwDs with more choices and support, helping them fulfil their aspirations to live independently in the community for the long term. (In English): Chair, allow me to conclude by observing that many societies around the world today are becoming more and more divided. This occurs because those facing difficulties feel that society works against and not for them, and their efforts do not result in progress. And this is exactly why MSF strives to make Singapore a place where all families thrive, regardless of their challenges. But to be sure, we cannot do this alone.”
“These centres will be key touchpoints allowing PwDs to undergo assessment for straightforward assistive technology needs and to gather more assistive technology information and resources, while Tech Able, jointly managed by SG Enable and SPD, continue to play a central role supporting PwDs for specialised assistive technology needs. Another key enabler is providing convenient services and opportunities for PwDs to participate in local communities. To that end, we have begun operations at two more Enabling Services Hubs (ESHs) in Jurong, as previously mentioned, and Punggol. ESHs provide a regional touchpoint for PwDs and caregivers, providing crucial information and referral services. Ms Carrie Tan asked how we are facilitating the integration of PwDs in the community. ESHs provide opportunities for PwDs and the community to come together through activities, such as sports, gardening or volunteering. With two new ESHs, there are now more opportunities for interaction between PwDs and wider society, which is key to enabling them to participate in the community. Lastly, as Prime Minister Wong announced, we will increase subsidies for adult disability services and extend them to more households with effect from next year. Mr Ong Hua Han will be glad that we are raising the maximum qualifying per capita household income for those services and the Assistive Technology Fund to $4,800, from next year. This helps defray the cost of services and devices for PwDs and their families. Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Today, most PwDs live with their families and would like to continue doing so. However, many have ageing caregivers who may soon be unable to care for them. Without other options, they may end up institutionalised. To plug this gap, we will launch the Home Support Programme in 2026, to support PwDs with low to moderate needs to live at home as long as possible. For example, a person with physical disabilities may live with a caregiver who is frail and unable to provide support with daily living. This family could tap on the Home Support Programme's visiting services, such as monitoring and coaching for independent living and social skills. Other PwDs are not able to live with their families and may need additional support for their residential arrangements. For instance, a PwD who is earning a lower income and whose aged caregivers have passed may be concerned about long-term living arrangements. For them, we will pilot the Enabled Living Programme in the second half of this year to help them continue living in the community. Under the Enabled Living Programme, such lower-income clients will live in designated public rental flats, and receive support, such as basic supervision, referrals to financial assistance, and coaching on living and social skills. Beyond new community living models, we will strengthen enablers for independent living, starting with assistive technology. Today, PwDs go to touchpoints, such as at public hospitals and social service agencies, for an assistive technology assessment. This can be time-consuming or inconvenient. From 2026 onwards, PwDs can enjoy shorter waiting times for an appointment with the launch of two new assessment centres supported by SG Enable.”