Gan Kim Yong
Singapore
“Consumer complaints relating to the secondary resale market for tickets to major events and concerts have generally remained low. Nonetheless, to protect the public from scams on secondary ticket resale platforms, the Police have imposed Code of Practice requirements under the Online Criminal Harms Act to require designated online service…”
“Singapore does not condone the use of forced labour. We criminalise forced labour in Singapore under various laws. Relevant Government Ministries and agencies, such as the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Home Affairs and Singapore Police Force, play their part in investigating complaints of suspected breaches in domestic laws that relat…”
“The Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) discontinued the PayNow nickname feature as scammers had been exploiting the use of nicknames to impersonate legitimate entities and trusted individuals.”
“As of end-2025, around 6,900 private residential buildings have registered their solar installations with SP Group for the export of excess solar-generated electricity to the grid. The installed solar capacity of these residential buildings is 115.3 megawatt-peak (MWp), or around 5.5% of all current installed solar capacity in Singapore.”
“The one-year pilot extension of liquor trading hours has seen strong interest from businesses. As of 31 May 2026, the Police have approved 88 applications for the extension of liquor trading hours from public entertainment outlets in these areas.”
“The Government does not make projections of domestic or regional demand for renewable diesel or sustainable aviation fuel. Demand depends on commercial considerations, evolving market conditions and regulatory developments across different jurisdictions.”
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“Sir, Ms Eunice Olsen raised a very important issue and, that is, some of these practices were actually carried out in the source country where the workers come from and these countries are beyond the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Manpower. So MOM actually has been working with the Embassies and the High Commissions who are in Singapore. We work through them and help them to disseminate information, especially with regard to employment agencies which are accredited, so that these workers who are attracted by the opportunities in Singapore have an avenue to find out more information of which are the agencies that are accredited so that they would be able to make an informed decision. Ms Olsen is right that MOM is working with Embassies who are here to help to disseminate this information to the workers back home before they come to Singapore. FOREIGN WORKERS COMING TO SINGAPORE (Measures to prevent rogue agents from duping) 13. Ms Eunice Elizabeth Olsen asked the Acting Minister for Manpower (a) what is being done to prevent rogue agents from duping foreign workers into coming to Singapore; (b) if they are being duped, whether the workers are considered to have committed any offence and therefore treated as criminals; (c) what can be done by way of refuge for these workers who are either sleeping on the streets or living in unhygienic conditions; and (d) what is being done to speed up the investigation of these foreign worker cases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as I explained in my speech, MOM is taking steps to tighten the regulatory regime to ensure compliance of employment agents as well as employers with this rule. MOM is taking a very serious view on this and we will step up our enforcement efforts. With regard to the workers who are affected by this rebate scheme, we will have to consider on a case-by-case basis on the scenario and background of these workers, and we will try to find ways to help them resolve their problems which they have with their employers.”
“These new conditions will make it clearer for employers and employment agencies that such practices will constitute an offence.”
“Sir, the Ministry of Manpower does not condone the practice of employment agencies offering incentive payments or rebates to employers for hiring foreign workers through them. MOM is currently investigating a number of such cases based on feedback received. Firstly, employers are not allowed to recover, directly or indirectly, the foreign worker levy from their foreign workers. Employers who receive "rebates" could be construed as being in breach of the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. If convicted, they will be liable to a fine of up to $5,000 or six months’ jail, or both. These employers will also be barred from employing foreign workers in the future. Secondly, MOM considers employment agencies that offer such rebates to employers, to be acting against the interest of the workers they are emplacing. MOM will therefore revoke the licence of such agents, and to forfeit their security deposit. Thirdly, MOM is working with its tripartite partners, such as the Singapore National Employers Federation, to raise awareness among employers of the consequences of such practices. Foreign workers are also made aware of the work permit conditions and the obligations of employers, through guidebooks as well as briefings when they attend mandatory safety courses. To tighten the regulatory regime for employment agencies and work permits, MOM intends to impose a new licensing condition on employment agencies, to make it an offence for them to offer, directly or indirectly, any form of payment to employers, in exchange for hiring foreign workers through them. A new Work Permit condition will also be imposed on employers, to make it an offence for them to receive such payments.”
“Sir, I think it is more important for us to look at re-employment where we allow flexibility for workers who have reached retirement to continue working and inject certain flexibility for wages and remuneration to be adjusted to reflect the worth of the job. For retirement age, at age 60, the wage adjustment that is in the retirement age is on the same basis that we provided this adjustment to the salary, so as to ensure that older workers will continue to be competitive, and mainly because of the historical seniority-based wage system that is inherent in the current wage structure. But companies are free to continue to pay workers what they are and for workers who are productive and performing well, companies may even give them a raise and increase. So we want to make sure that the structure itself does not prohibit workers from continuing to work and the structure should not make older workers less competitive. We want to ensure that the structure under even the Retirement Age Act continue to be flexible, and allow this adjustment to happen. But if the workers are productive and can contribute to the companies, I think enlightened companies will see value in these older workers and will continue to find ways to retain these workers within the company.”
“On the first question about women and employment, for the 39% that are employed, they are employed in quite a variety of jobs and women coming back to work face a number of challenges. Some of them have to also balance the needs and demands of their homes. That is why we introduced '30 minutes to work' to provide job opportunities within the vicinity of where they live, so that they will find it easier to go to work. We also want to encourage some of the companies to offer flexible work arrangement so that these women can also find it easier to get back into the workforce. And we believe that once they start working, even on a flexible work arrangement or part-time, over time they will get used to it and they will be able to go on full-time employment as well. I think it is important to get them to go back to work in a very flexible way and make it even more convenient for them to do so, and we will continue to do that. With regard to her second question, I have mentioned in my speech just now that for the CPF component, we will have to recover because that is in the CPF, and that is not an administrative problem. For the cash component, I have also explained that we would only recover when there is a future payment for WIS for this particular worker, which means that there will be a credit note or a debit note. In the event that this worker is eligible for WIS in future, we will offset against future payments to him. So, there will also not be any administrative difficulty for him as well.”
“In the meantime, the tripartite partners have worked out a checklist which we will use to consult the industry to work with employers as well as the employees to understand better the operational issues involved in re-employment so that these issues can be incorporated into the Re-employment Bill when we present it to Parliament. At that point in time, we will also consider what are the penalties or enforcement capacity that we need to incorporate in the Bill. In the meantime, our focus is on how to encourage workers and employers to adopt re-employment even before re-employment legislation comes into effect by 2012. So, this is the focus of our efforts currently.”
“Sir, with regard to the first question why employees when they reach the retirement age of 62 and are re-employed, there will be adjustments to the salary, we have to take into account and look at this issue in perspective. Because of the historical factors, many of our employees today are on a seniority-based wage structure. They have been receiving annual increments for the last 30 or 40 years as they worked. This seniority-based component in their salaries has made these employees uncompetitive, compared to the current employment scenario where some of the salaries are now based on performance. So we want to encourage employers and employees to work together to find ways to adjust their salaries so that they reflect the value of the job, ability, contribution and productivity of the workers. Because of this change in concept and approach, and our desire to move into a performance-based system, we would want to encourage both workers and employers to consult one another and work out a remuneration system that would better reflect job worth, and this may result in adjustments to their salary downwards, especially in the case where there is a very high component of seniority-based structure in the salary. With regard to the question of enforcement of the Re-employment Act that we are working on, at the moment we are still in the process of drawing up the re-employment legislation. As I mentioned earlier, we are also in the process of preparing a set of guidelines on re-employment to help employers and employees work out their re-employment arrangement.”
“Ms Phua asked whether we can get close to the ground and get the feedback from the ground in developing a shared services model. The short answer is, yes. In fact, we have developed workgroups within the Ministry of Education, to work very closely with special education schools and we also have sharing sessions with teachers and principals to understand their needs. And we will continue to work closely with them to get feedback from them, to understand where their strengths and weaknesses are, where their needs are, and how we can help them to develop shared services as a business model.”
“Sir, the private education scheme, particularly EduTrust, is focused mostly on institutions that offer diploma certification and specialised academic achievements. So we will initially focus on private schools that offer programmes that lead to a formal qualification, but we will look at all institutions that offer training and education in the longer term.”
“Students also get to explore and experience various cultures at first-hand, including ethnic cuisines, through learning journeys to Chinatown, Malay Village and Little India. These curriculum and school activities help strengthen students' awareness and appreciation of Singapore's vibrant cultural diversity. Learning about each other's cultures helps connect students of different backgrounds and nurture their respect for each other's traditions and beliefs. Ms Denise Phua also spoke about children with special needs earlier. MOE shares her vision of helping special needs children to realise their potential to the fullest. Ms Phua suggested a shared services model for SPED schools. I agree that this is a useful approach in optimising resources and enhancing professionalism. MOE will study this further. Ms Phua also asked if MOE could send good officers for attachment in SPED schools. I am glad to inform her that MOE officers may request for secondment to SPED schools, and that such requests are usually supported. Last year, there were 30 MOE officers on secondment to special education schools, including three principals. MOE officers may also seek to be attached to special education schools under the work attachment programme for a shorter period, and 10 officers have done so last year. We are also developing a Quality Assurance Framework for special education schools, and we will take Ms Phua's feedback into account. I would like to reaffirm that MOE and NCSS are committed to continually improve support for education for children with special needs. *Cols. 2043-2044. Pre-School Education”
“In this regard, MOE has also set up the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning to garner community support for promoting the use of CL beyond schools. The committee comprises Members of Parliament, educators, publishers and representatives from CL Community Organisations and professional bodies. Mr Yeo is a member of this committee. Over the past years, the Committee has actively facilitated reading programmes, events targeted at pre-school children and other initiatives to promote the use of CL beyond schools. Mr Yeo also suggested that Singapore can develop into a CL hub. I, too, believe that Singapore has the potential to become a centre of excellence for the teaching and learning of CL. In particular, our unique bilingual environment offers conducive conditions and gives Singapore a competitive advantage in teaching and learning CL as a second language. We will explore ways to leverage on the strong foundation we have built. (In English): Mr Baey Yam Keng suggested introducing a new syllabus module on Singapore's multi-cultural aspects. MOE consciously exposes our students to Singapore's multi-cultural heritage through subjects such as Mother Tongue Languages as well as Civics and Moral Education. For example, in the Chinese Language curriculum, students are exposed not only to Chinese but also Malay and Indian traditions and customs. Through Civics and Moral Education, students gain insights on harmonious living in a multi-racial society. Mr Baey will also be glad to know that some of our schools also provide activities that are related to ethnic culture. Poi Ching Primary School, for example, has Teochew opera classes for its students, and Chung Cheng High School offers Nanying, a special musical instrument of Chinese ethnic origin.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Sir, I thank Mr Yeo for his interest in and comments on the Review of Chinese Language. The CL Review recommended a flexible curriculum to enthuse learners of different backgrounds and abilities as well as help them achieve their fullest potential in CL. MOE developed and piloted the new Primary CL curriculum at Primary 1 and Primary 2 levels in 2006, and at Primary 3 level last year. The surveys conducted during pilot implementation yielded encouraging results. They indicated that the new curriculum, with its modular approach and active-learning pedagogy, provided students with greater flexibility to meet their diverse CL learning needs. The modular curriculum is now being implemented in all schools at P1 to P4 levels. This will be followed by P5 next year and P6 in 2010. Structured training was provided to CL teachers to ensure that they can implement the new curriculum well. In addition, a 70-strong team, comprising Master Teachers, curriculum planning officers and teachers from the pilot schools provided curriculum support to the non-pilot schools. Resources such as teaching guides, assessment guidelines and digital resources were also provided. To implement the modular CL curriculum, all primary schools were given one more CL teacher last year. A second additional CL teacher will be given to primary schools by June this year. MOE announced recently that a learning roadmap for all Mother Tongue Language (MTL) teachers would be drawn up to guide them in their professional development. We will provide more development opportunities for our MTL teachers. These include courses on action research, pedagogy and assessment.”
“The approach of tightening the mandatory registration system, stepping up enforcement and introducing quality certification is a balanced approach that will seek to ensure a baseline of quality in the industry while preserving a marketplace that allows for student choice. Over the next few years, MOE and the Council will focus on the effective implementation of the enhanced regulatory framework, ensuring baseline standards across the board and incentivising private schools to improve their standards. To succeed in developing Singapore into a Global Education Hub, a strong regulatory framework alone is not sufficient. We need the support and collective ownership of all stakeholders, including the private education operators as well as the students. Private schools must realise the need to constantly upgrade themselves to meet the increasingly competitive international landscape and the rising expectations of students. Students themselves must be more discerning and selective in deciding on their educational pathways. They should carefully assess the choices available and be especially cautious about organisations promising degrees in short duration, with minimal admission requirements and less rigorous coursework. Only when we work together, can we keep the learning experience in Singapore an attractive and enriching one. School Dropouts”
“The Bill will establish the independent Council for Private Education and empower it with effective regulatory and enforcement powers. The Council will be the approving authority for registration of private education operators and will administer the EduTrust certification scheme to incentivise private schools to improve their quality. To support the Council in carrying out its role, MOE will increase our capacity to inspect, monitor and investigate private schools. The new Bill will enhance and clearly spell out private schools’ statutory requirements to meet baseline standards required for registration. It will make registration renewable, clearly stipulate what constitutes offences, and provide for graduated penalties for different offences. MOE aims to introduce the Private Education Bill in Parliament by the end of this year. The EduTrust scheme will be launched by the Council for Private Education in early 2009. We will consult the public and industry stakeholders before finalising the Bill and the implementation details of EduTrust. To assist private schools to transit smoothly to the enhanced regulatory framework, MOE will allow for a transition period and work closely with industry associations. Sir, to sum up, the enhancements to the regulatory framework will better protect the interest of students. In consultation sessions with private school operators, we also found that students are not the only ones who welcome tighter regulation. Genuine and serious private school operators, too, collectively incur reputational damage whenever there are negative incidents that tarnish the Singapore Education brand.”
“They will also be required to have clear fee and refund policies, effective complaint resolution procedures and adequate student counselling and support services. Industry players can choose whether or when to be certified, according to their own assessment of readiness and their choice of business model. However, as with the existing CaseTrust, EduTrust will be mandatory for private schools that wish to enrol foreign students. That said, it is important to understand that risk cannot be completely eliminated. It can only be mitigated. Neither enhanced registration nor EduTrust can guarantee total student satisfaction, completely avert school closures or prevent regulatory infringements. What we can do is to reduce the likelihood of closures and violations. The introduction of EduTrust will allow private school operators to differentiate themselves and enable students to choose better-quality schools, which in turn will provide some protection against adverse developments. By stepping up enforcement, private school operators will be more mindful of their statutory obligations and take positive steps to constantly improve themselves. However, I must stress that ultimately, students themselves must exercise care in making a decision to study in a private school. They must find out more about the institutions and the courses they intend to pursue, understand the risks involved, especially when choosing the less established schools, and take the necessary precautions to protect their interests. To establish the Council for Private Education and to enhance the registration system as I have outlined, new legislation will have to be introduced. MOE will be drafting a new Private Education Bill for this purpose.”
“It will serve as useful deterrence against poor standards or behaviours, while giving errant schools opportunities to rectify their violations. The third component of the enhanced regulatory framework is a quality certification scheme called EduTrust to incentivise private schools to raise their standards and to enable students to distinguish the better quality players. EduTrust will build on the improvements in standards that have been achieved through CASE’s CaseTrust for Education scheme. CaseTrust for Education focuses mainly on protection of fees paid by students. EduTrust will introduce new requirements over and above those required under CaseTrust, including minimum standards of academic processes. After EduTrust is implemented, CASE will cease to offer CaseTrust for Education. Under EduTrust, private schools will be required to satisfy certain academic, financial and student welfare requirements. Examples of academic requirements include having qualified academic supervisors and teachers, as well as well-defined structures for programme development, assessment, progression and performance review. EduTrust-certified private schools will also have to demonstrate their financial capacity. Private schools that are unable to demonstrate adequate financial capacity will be required to make precautionary arrangements for their students to transfer to equivalent courses in other schools, at no extra cost to the students. These arrangements will only be effected in the event of the school’s closure to ensure that students can continue their studies. In terms of student welfare, EduTrust-certified private schools must protect students’ fees by depositing fees into an escrow account or purchasing student insurance.”
“Mr Lin was the architect of a distinctive pedagogical model that has been emulated widely in regional tertiary institutions, including China. The Council members will be drawn from highly-regarded individuals with expertise in education, quality assurance and business. Government agencies involved in developing Singapore as an education hub, including the Economic Development Board and Singapore Tourism Board, will be also represented. The Consumer Association of Singapore or CASE will also be represented. MOE will remain responsible for setting policies for the private education sector, but it will empower the Council, with its specialised expertise, to decide on all applications for registration and quality certification. The Council will also direct investigative and enforcement actions to be taken against errant private schools, where appropriate. Secondly, we will enhance the registration framework. Under the existing Education Act, private schools are required to obtain one-off registration with MOE before they are allowed to operate. Going forward, MOE intends to impose a validity period for registration by the Council and make it renewable, subject to certain requirements. This regular renewal process rather than a one-off registration will encourage private schools to consistently maintain their standards. 2.15 pm We will also strengthen our capability in enforcement of the registration requirements. Currently, a private school can only be de-registered and only under extreme circumstances. To better deal with schools that violate the conditions of registration, MOE will introduce graduated penalties, including fines, for errant private education providers. This will allow the Council to impose penalties that are in proportion to the severity of the offences.”
“Firstly, MOE will set up an agency that brings together the right expertise so as to provide greater focus on the industry and effectively implement the regulatory framework. Secondly, to ensure basic threshold quality standards in private schools, we will strengthen the existing registration framework and enhance its enforcement. Thirdly, we will introduce a quality certification scheme to allow better private schools to differentiate themselves, as well as to enable students to make informed choices. I will address each of these measures in turn. Firstly, MOE has considered if it is best placed to perform the regulatory function for the private education sector. After all, MOE's core focus and expertise still lies in the mainstream school system and the publicly-funded education sector. The private education industry is a highly diverse one. Private schools offer a wide range of programmes at all levels, in myriad subjects and for various purposes, including enrichment, full-time study and continuing education. The regulatory body should have the right expertise so that it can effectively address the regulatory needs of a wide spectrum of operators. After careful consideration, MOE has decided to establish an independent Council for Private Education to oversee the regulatory framework for the private education sector. The Council will also promote best practices in the sector. The Council will be chaired by Mr Lin Cheng Ton, who was the former Principal and CEO of Nanyang Polytechnic. Mr Lin needs no introduction among Singapore educationists and business leaders. Under his visionary leadership, Nanyang Polytechnic was the first educational institution to attain quality awards, such as ISO 14001, Singapore Quality Class, and Singapore Innovation Class.”
“Let me first set the context. The private education landscape in Singapore has evolved rapidly over the years. The number of private schools registered with MOE has grown exponentially. It doubled in the 10 years between 1987 and 1997, from 150 to 305. It then quadrupled in the next 10 years between 1997 and 2007, from 305 to 1,200 private schools. The number of full-time foreign students enrolled in private schools also grew four-fold, from 9,000 in 1997 to 37,000 last year. With such rapid growth in numbers, it is inevitable that the private schools' standards differ considerably. The problem of students affected by lower standard schools has also grown more acute. In the last two years, a number of private schools have closed down, leaving many students, mainly foreign students, stranded. This has tarnished the Singapore Education brand. Given the significant evolution of the landscape, we need to adapt our approach to meet the changing circumstances. Over the years, Singapore has forged a reputation for excellence in its public education system. Students from all over the world are attracted to Singapore on the strength of our mainstream schools and world-class tertiary institutions. To strengthen Singapore's position as a global education hub, the private education industry should further develop to compete on quality, rather than faster time or ease of obtaining a degree. MOE announced during the last COS that we would study the issue and explore ways to enhance regulation of the sector. After considering various options, we have decided on a three-pronged approach to enhance regulation and improve standards over time.”
“I can understand students' desire to obtain a degree. However, I would urge them to be selective and find out more about the programmes and the institutions before making a commitment. They should consider carefully the rigour of the programmes and the track record of the institutions offering the programmes to ensure that they will benefit from these programmes. MOE is also not in a position to influence employers on the recognition of qualifications, as each individual employer has its own requirements and criteria. Employers will determine which qualifications are most relevant to their needs, and how much value to accord to different qualifications. The assessment of a job applicant will also take into account his or her own ability and aptitude, not just academic qualifications. As for admission to postgraduate degree programmes, the local universities will consider all applicants who meet the eligibility criteria, regardless of where their qualifications were obtained. NUS, NTU and SMU do not rule out degrees from any bona fide foreign universities. The universities will undertake a holistic assessment of the applicants' aptitude and suitability for postgraduate studies. They consider applicants' transcripts, recommendation letters, personal statements of academic and career objectives, standardised test scores such as GRE and GMAT, and work experience, where relevant. Sir, let me now move on to the issue of strengthening Singapore as an education hub. I would like to thank Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Mr Lim Biow Chuan, Dr Ong Seh Hong, Dr Amy Khor, Dr Lily Neo and Mr Teo Ser Luck for their comments and suggestions on the regulation of private schools. I agree with the general thrust of their views and I will address their well motivated questions.”
“These sessions can help to address students' questions about industry demand and the relevance of the degree programmes. UniSIM also organises regular Open House events to advise potential applicants on the appropriate choice of part-time degree programmes, depending on the applicants' employment background and career aspirations. Also, as I mentioned earlier, the universities have stringent admission, progression and completion criteria. This ensures that only students who can benefit from a part-time degree education are admitted, and are allowed to continue and eventually graduate. These measures on the part of the universities help guide workers with different aspirations and aptitudes to choose the appropriate CET option for their career development. Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim raised the concern that some who enrol in degree programmes may later on find that their degrees are not well-regarded by employers or by local universities for the purpose of postgraduate studies. MOE-registered private schools are allowed to offer external degrees awarded by bona fide universities which are recognised in their home countries. It is in the interest of these universities to ensure that the schools offering external degrees bearing their names are of acceptable quality to protect their own standing and reputation. As these foreign universities are recognised by their own governments, MOE does not grant any further recognition or accreditation for their degrees. However, even among these bona fide universities, there are wide variations in reputation and standing. If an external degree programme has undemanding admission and coursework requirements, it should come as no surprise that its value to the students is correspondingly low.”
“This is why MOE is making funding support available only for part-time degree programmes in the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU) and SIM University (UniSIM). We have selected institutions of high repute, which we are confident will continue to uphold their standards and requirements pertaining to admission, progression and completion. MOE has established a Quality Assurance Framework for NUS, NTU and SMU. UniSIM is the only private institution to date that MOE has assessed as being of sufficient quality to be accorded university status and to award degrees in its own name. With the Government now funding its programmes, MOE will put in place a process to ensure that UniSIM upholds the quality of its publicly-funded degree programmes. Second, we will continue to monitor industry and economic trends, and provide the information to workers who wish to upgrade themselves. MOM recently launched the Career Compass 2008, which can be downloaded from MOM's website. Career Compass provides students with a better understanding of opportunities in the job market. It covers industry and manpower trends, as well as occupational information, such as skills needed, employment conditions and wages. MOE will work with NUS, NTU, SMU and UniSIM to track their CET students' progress after graduation. This will enable the universities to further improve their part-time degree programmes. In addition, the universities themselves provide counselling and advice to potential applicants. NUS and NTU conduct pre-application briefing sessions as part of their admission exercises for part-time degree programmes.”
“Yes, Sir. The Government recently launched a 10-year Continuing Education and Training (CET) Masterplan. Under the Masterplan, we will work with our post-secondary educational institutions and credible private players to establish a number of high-quality CET institutes to support our manpower needs. The Ministry of Manpower, with MOE's support, is planning to quadruple CET capacity within just two years, from training 22,000 workers last year, to 80,000 workers by 2009. In line with our efforts to encourage life-long learning, MOE announced last year that the Government would subsidise part-time Advanced Diploma and Specialist Diploma programmes in the polytechnics, which are aimed at adult learners. We have now extended our funding support to part-time degree programmes as announced in the Budget Speech this year. These are significant moves towards our objective of creating a learning nation. I thank Mrs Josephine Teo for her support for the Government's efforts to improve accessibility and affordability of CET. I agree with Mrs Teo that it is important for Singaporeans who further their education or training with the aid of Government subsidy to derive meaningful value from the investment. This is particularly so for degree courses, as the cost in terms of time and money is considerably higher. While the Government cannot influence how employers pay CET degree-holders, as this is really up to the market to decide, there are two things the Government can do and has done so as to ensure that our part-time degree programmes will add value to the students. The first is to ensure that the programmes we subsidise are of good quality.”
“SUPPLEMENTARY SUPPLY (FY 2007) BILL "to provide for making supplementary provision to meet additional expenditure for the financial year 1st April 2007 to 31st March 2008 (both dates inclusive)", recommendation of President signified; presented by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam; read the First time; to be read a Second time after the conclusion of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY 2008/2009, and to be printed. ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [15th February, 2008], "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1st April, 2008 to 31st March, 2009." - [Minister for Finance]. Question again proposed. 12.28 pm”
“Sir, as I mentioned, we have been able to fill most of the vacancies in the Special Education schools. There are still some vacancies and we are recruiting appropriate teachers. At the same time, we also provide training and upgrading for the Special Education teachers as well as to look at seconding our mainstream teachers to the Special Education schools to provide additional input and professionalism, and to provide support for the Special Education schools. We are at the same time looking at opportunities for Special Education teachers to be attached to our mainstream schools to expose them to mainstream curriculum as well as the systems that we have in mainstream schools. I think these exchanges will also help to make Special Education a more attractive and sustainable career. We are working towards improving the career for the Special Education teachers. BILLS INTRODUCED 12.25 pm SUPPLY BILL "to provide for the issue from the Consolidated Fund and the Development Fund of the sums necessary to meet the estimated expenditure for the financial year 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009 (both dates inclusive)", recommendation of President signified; presented by the Minister for Finance (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam); read the First time; to be read a Second time after the conclusion of proceedings on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY 2008/2009, and to be printed.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Member for the suggestions. Indeed, we are working very closely with the Special Education schools on the ground, and our staff have formed special task forces to work with selected Special Education schools to help them put in place stronger governance systems as well as to help them develop curriculum appropriate for the students, especially those who are pursuing mainstream education curriculum. We are also looking at ways to upgrade the quality and qualification of the Special Education teachers. NIE is providing training for some of the teachers from the Special Education schools as well. Certainly, we will also look at ways to enhance the feedback system from Special Education schools and work towards helping them to improve their quality.”
“The student-teacher ratio differs from school to school. It ranges from eight for some autism schools to 13 or 14, depending on the different types of schools.”
“Sir, on the first question of job matching agencies, we have distributed career network in Singapore tapping on the network of our community organisations, including the CDCs as well as voluntary organisations, like self-help groups and so on, to reach out to those who are looking for jobs. And as I mentioned, we have been quite effective in raising our overall employment rate and reducing our unemployment rate. With regard to the second question on dependency on foreign workers, our flexibility in our foreign workers policy has been a key strength of our economy. Over the past few years, our experience has shown that we have been able to adapt quickly to changes in the economic environment. We will continue to diversify our sources of foreign workers. We will ensure that our workforce remains resilient and our economy and companies remain responsive to changes in the external environment, so that we can remain competitive and our economic growth can besustained. SINGAPORE'S INVESTMENT IN ASEAN COUNTRIES (Update) 5. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) if he will provide an update on Singapore's investments in the respective countries of ASEAN; and (b) whether Singapore continues to draw investments from ASEAN countries.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am glad that the Member recognises that foreign workers play an important role in our economy. In fact, they provide the engine for us to continue to fuel our economic growth, particularly so as we approach a very high employment rate already. Our employment rate exceeded 75% in 2007. As we reach the limit, there will be fewer and fewer Singaporeans who are not yet working and are ready to enter the workforce. Therefore, looking at the foreign worker supply is an important issue for us to address. Of course, in admitting foreign workers, we are very mindful to strike a very delicate balance to ensure that these foreign workers will help us to continue to raise our economic growth and at the same time to also create new and better jobs for Singaporeans. Column No : 345 FOREIGN DOMESTIC WORKER (Waiver of requirement for passing of English Entry Test) 11. Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Manpower whether his Ministry will consider waiving the requirement for passing the English Entry Test for a foreign domestic worker (FDW) if the employer is able to communicate with the FDW in a language common to both of them.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, some of the programmes I mentioned earlier, such as the tourism-related programmes, were just started last year. So it will take time for some of the programmes to take off, for enrolments to increase. Specifically, on the construction sector, the CORE programme that I mentioned in my answer earlier, in 2007, a total of 245 workers were trained through the CORE programme. We recognise that this is a very tight labour market at the moment and there is a great demand for workers. This is a problem and a challenge that we recognise. But it is a good challenge and problem to address. As I mentioned, we will continue to work with various industry players, including the developers and the construction sector, to address and look at how we could be more flexible in our manpower policy. Flexibility in our manpower policy has been one key strategy and strength of our economy to allow us to respond to the changing landscape in our economy and the ups and downs in the demand as well as the economic cycle. So, I agree with the Member that we will address this issue and try our level best to improve our processing time for Work-Pass applications which at the moment is already quite efficient. We will continue to improve our efficiency and look at how to remain flexible and responsive to industry needs.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as I mentioned in my answer, while we look at foreign sources of workers, at the same time we also encourage Singaporeans to take on tourism-related service jobs, and we have put in place quite extensive programmes to train and upgrade them as well as to encourage existing tourism-related workers to take on bigger and better jobs and upgrade themselves. As for foreign workers, we have a fairly comprehensive system of work passes and control systems in place to ensure quality foreign workers are admitted. We are also working very closely with the key players in the industry to try to understand their needs better and to work with them to look at how to fulfill their manpower needs. So I would assure the Member that we are working very proactively with the industry to address the manpower needs of the industry, going forward. Er Lee Bee Wah: Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask MOS what is the take-up rate of the Skills Retraining Scheme that he mentioned just now for the construction industry. Based on the feedback from contractors, engineers and architects, there is an acute shortage of manpower in the construction industry. Does MOM intend to do more to help to ease the manpower shortage problem? Would MOM consider relaxing the S-Pass requirements and reducing the processing time? Would MOM also help to bring in more construction-related professionals from overseas?”
“The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Gan Kim Yong]. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair]”
“For claimants who fail to secure workmen's compensation and are in financial difficulties, they can apply for financial aid from either the Workers' Fund administered by MOM or the Singapore Labour Foundation Special Relief Fund administered by NTUC. Over the last three years, MOM granted four workers financial aid amounting to about $93,000 from the Workers' Fund. Mdm Halimah also asked how are injured foreign workers helped to make their claims once they have returned home upon the expiry of their work permit. Sir, generally, injured foreign workers prefer to remain in Singapore to facilitate their recovery and processing of claims. However, if the worker wishes to return home, MOM will continue to liaise with him through the overseas contact information he has provided us or through his legal representative or the relevant Embassy. Ms Jessica Tan asked what we can do to deter fraudulent claims by employees. I mentioned earlier that nine workers were convicted in 2007 for providing false information. This is a small number but, given that the compensation limits and the stakes have been raised, we need to do more to educate our workers so that they are aware of the penalties, and we will also be more vigilant in processing the claims to prevent fraudulent claims. Sir, the proposed amendments to the Workmen's Compensation Act are timely. The enhanced system will contribute to the overall workplace safety and health framework. With Members' support and in collaboration with employers, unions and workers, we will be well placed to achieve the goals spelt out in our safety and health vision for 2015. This will be a win-win outcome for all. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House.”
“This clause provides flexibility in prescribing a limitation period for specific occupational diseases. If the incapacity or death happens beyond the limitation period after an employee ceases his employment, he would not be eligible to claim compensation under the Act. As the intent of the clause is quite clear, I do not intend to change the wordings. Ms Sylvia Lim also asked if an incident of death happens, how does the Commissioner decide who is entitled to the claim. The Commissioner will take into account various factors involved surrounding the death of the employee, the claims that were presented to him and will make a decision on who will be receiving the claim according to the Act. Mdm Halimah has asked for a whole series of information. I will try my best to address and to respond with some of the statistics that Mdm Halimah has asked for. She has asked for the breakdown between local and foreign workers who have claimed compensation in 2007. About 58% of the claims in 2007 were filed by foreign workers. She also asked how many employers have been prosecuted for failure to insure their workers under the WCA. In 2007, six employers were convicted for failing to purchase valid workmen compensation insurance for their workers. Mdm Halimah also asked what happens to workers whose companies failed to insure and cannot pay, and she asked what can we do to help these workers. Currently, if an employer does not pay compensation after being ordered to do so by the Commissioner, the employee can enforce the order in the civil courts. I have also mentioned that the new section 40 will provide an additional avenue for recovery, as the Commissioner may apply to the court to order the convicted person to pay up the amount owed to the employee.”
“This includes the time for the injury to be sufficiently stabilised as well as for a medical practitioner to determine the extent of the permanent incapacity. It is important to understand that we need to ensure that each case is thoroughly investigated and the compensation awarded is fair to both employees and employers. Let me assure Members that MOM will continue to look for ways to raise the efficiency of the system and the proposed changes to the Act will enable us to do so. Let me now clarify some of the remaining issues that were raised by Members. Dr Ahmad Magad, Mdm Halimah and several Members emphasised the need to reach out to employers and employees on the changes to the Act, and I fully agree with them. In the coming weeks and months, MOM will partner various organisations, such as the Singapore Business Federation, National Trades Union Congress, Law Society of Singapore and the General Insurance Association of Singapore to conduct public seminars on the changes to the Act. MOM will also continue to create greater awareness amongst all stakeholders of the rights and responsibilities under the Work Injury Compensation Act. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang commented just now that this Act is like the Chinese poem, "qian hu wan huan shi chu lai, you bao pi pa ban zhe lian". I would like to respond by saying that we all hope that, one day, we will see "lu shan zhen mian mu". But for us to see "lu shan zhen mian mu", we have to work together collectively amongst all the tripartite partners so as to achieve the objective of reaching out to all our workers. Ms Sylvia Lim suggested rephrasing clause 8(b) of the Bill. I would like to thank her for the suggestion. The current text together with the explanatory statement accurately reflects the intent of the clause.”
“Whereas, by imposing an overall cap, the employee will have the flexibility to decide on how to utilise the cap within the various treatments recommended by the doctor. The one-year cap is also quite adequate as most injuries will typically stabilise within a year from the accident. Employees who wish to claim the full medical expenses beyond the $25,000 cap can choose to do so under common law. Genuinely, needy cases can also apply through the hospital's medical social workers for further assistance on a case-by-case basis. On employees holding multiple jobs, Dr Ahmad Magad asked if this favours the employees. On the other hand, Ms Jessica Tan was not sure if this benefits the employee. So, I think, there is a fine balance. Sir, this amendment really enhances employees' access to the WCA by relaxing some of the criteria for multiple jobs that are undertaken by the employee. Under common law today, all employees are entitled to claim compensation for all the earnings from all the jobs that he undertakes. Under this Act, employer will only be liable if he is aware of the income from the multiple jobs that his employees are undertaking. So there is a certain limit to the liability of the employers. Next, let me talk about enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. Mrs Josephine Teo asked if MOM would set a time limit to process the claim so that employees can receive the compensation promptly. MOM has always been very mindful of the need to expedite the compensation process. Where the claims involved minor injuries, the Ministry, upon being notified of the accident, will direct the employer to pay to the injured worker his medical leave, wages and medical expenses. Where an injury was more serious, the Ministry took about four months to assess the compensation amount.”
“It is important that we strike a balance between updating the compensation levels frequently and providing certainty to employers of their liability under the Act. The three-year timeframe suggested by Mrs Josephine Teo is a reasonable one. Going forward, MOM will review the compensation levels and caps on medical expenses every three years. Mrs Josephine Teo also suggested using the median income of full-time employees and not all resident employees as a basis for future review. Since the revised Act will cover almost all employees, including part-time workers, pegging the compensation limits to the wages of all resident employees is, in principle, more appropriate than using the wages of only full-time resident employees. On medical expenses, some Members asked whether we could have some flexibility for injuries that need longer healing time or need longer-term treatment. Ms Sylvia Lim also asked what is the rationale for imposing an overall cap, rather than continuing with itemised limits. In this review, we have been mindful of the need to maintain a balanced approach so that the amended Act will remain acceptable to employees and employers, as the WCA is predicated on a no-fault limited liability basis. We will have to set a clear limit to the compensation for medical expenses in order to provide certainty to employers. Nonetheless, Mdm Halimah and Ms Sylvia Lim can be assured that the $25,000 cap will fully cover the medical expenses incurred in more than 95% of cases where hospitalisation was required. By imposing a global cap instead of individual limits will also allow greater flexibility because certain limit on certain treatment, once it is breached, the employee will no longer be able to claim compensation for that specific item.”
“And our experience has shown that, generally, non-manual workers face lower workplace risks and incur fewer injuries. So, it is therefore better to leave it to employers to decide and to discuss with their workers on how to cover the risks. I should also stress that employers are still liable to pay compensation even if he is not insured. I agree with Mdm Halimah that it would be prudent for employers to insure themselves anyway. MOM will review this periodically and may require a specific sector to be insured if the risks warrant it. Dr Magad also asked whether employees who are covered under insurance, such as group term life and personal accident insurance, need to be additionally covered for work injury compensation as well. He also asked if double recovery from these various policies was possible. Sir, there is no change to the current approach. Employers are allowed to buy one or more insurance policies to cover all their liabilities under the Work Injury Compensation Act. In assessing the amount of compensation payable under the Act, the Commissioner may take into account other payments made by the employer to the employee for their injury. On compensation norms, Mdm Halimah Yacob and Mrs Josephine Teo suggested that we should review the compensation levels and the cap on medical expenses regularly. I fully agree with Mdm Halimah and Mrs Josephine Teo that the compensation levels should be updated regularly. Since the last increase in 1995, MOM had been cautious about revising the compensation levels during the volatile periods after the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the economic downturn in 2002.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, let me thank the Members for supporting the Bill - Dr Ahmad Magad, Mdm Halimah Yacob, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Ms Jessica Tan, Mrs Josephine Teo and Ms Sylvia Lim. They have all spoken on the Bill and I am glad that there is general support for the Amendment Bill. The proposed amendments will ensure that the work injury compensation framework continues to offer a fair, simple and quick way to settle compensation claims which will benefit both workers and employers. I shall now address the specific points raised by Members. First, on the broader perspective of the implications of this amendment. Dr Ahmad Magad asked about the exclusion of foreign domestic workers. I have explained in my speech that due to the unique nature of their work, it makes it difficult to determine whether the injury is sustained as part of their work or otherwise. So it is therefore better for foreign domestic workers to rely on personal accident insurance that is provided for them. Or, if they wish, they can also pursue civil claims under the common law. Dr Ahmad Magad was also concerned that employers are not required to purchase insurance for non-manual employees earning above $1,600 a month. As I explained earlier, I think we need to adopt a balanced approach. We want to enhance the benefits and protection for workers. But, at the same time, we want to ensure employers' liabilities are not unduly onerous. The amendment has expanded the coverage of the Act quite considerably. An additional 850,000 workers will now be included - 70% more than before. This is a significant move. To require employers to also purchase insurance cover for this new group could be too onerous.”
“Sir, in conclusion, the extension of coverage of the Act will make available basic work injury compensation to over two million employees and bring our compensation framework in line with international practices. Updating the compensation norms and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the system will encourage employees to use the system. This also benefits employers as their liabilities will be capped. With these changes, MOM, together with the industry-led Workplace Safety and Health Council, and the cooperation of employers and workers, will be well-placed to achieve the goals spelt out in its safety and health vision for 2015. Sir, I beg to move.”
“Hence, the new section 35 makes it an offence for any person to knowingly make a fraudulent claim under the Act for compensation. The maximum penalty is a fine of $15,000 and a jail term of 12 months. Streamlining accident reporting requirements Finally, we have streamlined the accident reporting requirements under the Act with those under the Workplace Safety and Health Act. This will simplify the reporting requirement for employers, thus reducing overall compliance costs. Instead of having to report all accidents, including minor ones, section 12 and related regulations will be amended such that an employer is required to report an accident only if it results in a death, or it results in the injured employee being unfit for work for more than three consecutive days or being hospitalised for at least 24 hours, or if the employee contracts an occupational disease. For minor injuries, the current statutory reporting requirement will be removed, but the obligation to compensate the employee remains. This will benefit the employees, as the employers can directly compensate their employees. However, in cases where employees face difficulty in obtaining compensation, they can still report to MOM, which will enforce the employer's obligation. Reaching out to employees MOM will continue to reach out to employees on their rights under the Act through its publications and mandatory safety training courses. Nevertheless, to further increase worker awareness of the available avenues for compensation, all stakeholders - the community, union leaders, employers - have a proactive role to play. MOM will work with them to create greater awareness among our employers and workers.”
“The penalties in the Act were last revised in 1990. A new section 35 will be introduced to increase the penalties for selected offences. For example, an employer who illegally deducts his employee's salary to defray the cost of work injury compensation insurance may be fined up to $5,000 instead of $2,000, while the maximum jail term has been kept at six months. The new section 35 also makes it an offence if any person fails to comply with an order to pay compensation. A new section 40 allows the Commissioner to apply to the court to order the convicted person to pay up the amount owed to the employee, over and above the penalty for the offence. This amendment will provide the employee an additional option for recourse. Currently, if an employer does not pay compensation after being ordered to do so by the Commissioner, the employee's only recourse is to enforce the order on his own in the civil courts. This may not be practical as the injured worker may not have the means to do so. With this amendment, MOM would be able to enforce the payment of compensation on the worker's behalf. As we tighten the rules against errant employers, we also need to ensure that workers do not abuse the workmen's compensation system. There have been instances of abuse and fraudulent claims. The existing Act contains limited remedies against such behaviour, as it is currently not an offence under the Act to make a fraudulent claim for compensation. MOM can only proceed against them on a lesser offence of providing false answers. In 2007, nine workers were convicted for fraud on this basis. With the increase in compensation quantum as proposed in this amendment Bill, we must also ensure that the Act can effectively deter fraudulent claims by a small number of workers.”
“Nevertheless, even after our amendments, we still allow adequate time for claimants to decide on either route whether to claim damages or compensation for their injuries through WCA or through the civil courts. At present, an injured employee has up to one year from the date of the accident to decide whether he wishes to file a claim under the Act. The one-year period to claim under the WCA remains unchanged, and if he decides to seek compensation under the Act, his claim will be processed, and the Commissioner will notify him of the assessment of his compensation amount. Upon receiving the notification, the amended section 33 allows him up to 28 days to decide if he wishes to pursue his claim under the Act, or withdraw his claim. If he decides to pursue his claim under the Act, he will generally no longer be able to withdraw his claim and institute fresh proceedings in the civil courts. Flexibility in paying and distributing compensation Next, the existing Act also contains restrictive rules that require compensation in death and total permanent incapacity to be paid to the Commissioner, rather than directly to the employee, or his dependants. This can delay the payment of compensation to the employee. Hence, section 9(1A) of the Act will be amended, to allow for all work injury compensation to be paid in three different ways: to any employee who is 18 years or older, to the employee's estate or his dependants, or to a committee and estate of the employee appointed under the Mental Disorders and Treatment Act. These amendments will enable us to keep the workmen's compensation process efficient. Enhancing penalties and offences We are also enhancing the penalties and offences under the Act so that the system will continue to work effectively.”
“In the last five years, there were only a handful of such cases in which the injured employee was employed by multiple employers. Nevertheless, it would be more equitable to amend the Act such that an employee will be compensated for his total earnings with different employers, except for earnings that are from contracts of service that the employer does not know about. This exclusion is necessary and fair so that employers are made aware of their potential financial liability under the Act and can insure themselves accordingly. Overall, these changes ensure that the workmen's compensation system continues to be relevant and serves as a sensible alternative to the common law process. Efficiency and effectiveness Thirdly, we will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the compensation process. Preferred route of compensation Under the present Act, workers can only claim for injuries from the common law or the workmen's compensation system. They cannot do so from both. This makes sense because the WCA was indeed created to serve as an alternate and more expeditious route to avoid protracted legal proceedings. However, some claimants abuse the system by filing claims for both but withdrawing the WCA claims at the last minute to switch to a civil suit. This imposes significant commitment of resources, as time and effort would have been invested to investigate and prepare the case. Involved parties such as witnesses would also have committed their time to the adjudication process. Employers will have to repeat part of the process in the courts. Processing time for each case becomes unnecessarily prolonged and as a result, compensation is delayed. We will streamline the process, so that claimants through the WCA can have speedy compensation.”
“As more employees are required to travel outside Singapore for work, the amended section 14 allows medical expenses incurred outside Singapore to be compensated if the accident happened when the employee was working overseas and immediate medical treatment was needed. In addition, an employer's liability for hospital expenses is subject to numerous sub-limits for different expense items, such as ward charges, operation fees, and physiotherapy fees, etc. We will simplify how medical expenses are compensated. The Bill removes the existing sub-limits for hospital charges and instead introduces an overall cap on an employer's total liability for medical expenses. The proposed cap of $25,000 per accident per employee will fully cover the medical expenses incurred in more than 95% of claims where hospitalisation was required. This cap will be revised regularly, to keep pace with changes in healthcare costs. We recognise that there may be that remaining 5% where hospitalisation expenses are very high. As the WCA is predicated on no-fault, limited liability as an acceptable alternative to both employers and employees, we will have to set a limit to compensation for medical expenses. Affected employees who wish to recover the full medical expenses can exercise their option to do so under common law. Finally, section 8(2) of the Act, which deals with situations where the injured employee holds more than one job, will be amended. At present, an employee with multiple jobs can claim compensation for his multiple earnings only for jobs in the same occupation. In comparison, if a claim was brought in the civil courts, his total loss of earnings would be claimable. The number of workers with such a scenario is small.”
“The maximum compensation will also be raised to $140,000 and $180,000 respectively. Let me just illustrate. With the amendments to compensation norms, the family of a deceased 25-year old who earned $1,500 a month would receive $140,000, an increase of $29,000 or 26% more than current. If the worker were 55 years old, his family would be compensated $129,000, which is an increase of $18,000 or 16% more than under the current system. Next, existing compensation rules allow for an additional 25% compensation to employees who suffer total and permanent incapacity, in order to reflect the higher cost of care. However, it requires the employee to prove that he would need the constant care of another person for the essential actions of life. About half the employees who were totally and permanently incapacitated in the last few years did not qualify for the additional award as the injured employee may find it difficult to prove that he fulfils the condition. Under the new Act, this additional condition will be removed, while the additional 25% compensation is retained for all employees who suffer total and permanent incapacity. We have also amended section 18 to allow the employers to seek indemnity in the civil courts against a third party who was responsible for causing the injury, even if the employer was partially at fault. Currently, the employers can only do so if they were completely not at fault for the injury. The distinction between no and partial fault may be too fine to determine and the removal of this pre-condition will not affect the payment of compensation to the injured employees who choose to claim under the WCA. Next, medical expenses. Under the current Act, only medical expenses that are incurred in Singapore are compensable.”
“However, for the non-manual employees earning above $1,600 a month who are previously not covered under the Act, we will not require compulsory insurance coverage. Our data shows that generally, non-manual employees face lower workplace risks and incur fewer injuries. Hence, we can leave it to the employers to decide whether to buy insurance for them. This will help businesses manage their costs. Nevertheless, the employer is still liable to pay compensation to the employee in the event of a work injury. MOM would also review our data periodically and may require specific sectors to purchase insurance if the risks warrant added protection. Compensation norms Second, this Bill updates compensation norms. This is laid out in the Third Schedule of the Act. As before, the compensation takes into account the employee's loss of future earnings due to his injury which are determined by the worker's monthly wage and his age. As the younger worker would have had more potential years to earn, the compensation is a higher multiple of his wages. And as before, the computed amount of compensation is subject to maximum and minimum limits specified in the Third Schedule. This is to ensure that eligible workers will receive a minimum amount of compensation while the maximum limit caps the liability of employers. At present, the minimum limits are $37,000 and $49,000 respectively for death and total permanent incapacity, while the maximum limits are $111,000 and $147,000 respectively. These limits will be adjusted to take into account the increase in wages since the limits were set in 1995. With this change, the minimum compensation for death and total permanent incapacity will be increased to $47,000 and $60,000 respectively.”
“Under the amended Act, members of the Singapore Police Force as well as members of the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Central Narcotics Bureau, the Singapore Prisons Service and Singapore Armed Forces will be excluded due to the unique nature of their work environment. These personnel can face inherent risks in the normal course of their duties at work. They would already have specific work injury compensation provisions in the relevant legislation, comparable to what this Act provides. The second group are domestic workers who were and remain excluded as they are employed by households and typically work and live in the same premises. As a result, it will be difficult to determine whether any injury sustained in the premises was due to work-related activities or otherwise. While excluded, foreign domestic workers are still protected under the personal accident insurance which their employers must purchase. The personal accident insurance in effect has a wider scope than the WCA and provides compensation to foreign domestic workers in the event of permanent disablement or death, regardless of whether or not the accident was work-related. In tandem with the updating of the compensation limits under the Act, MOM will increase the insurance coverage requirement, from $10,000 to $40,000. This will apply to all new applications for foreign domestic workers submitted from 1st July 2008 onwards. For existing foreign domestic workers, the new requirement will apply to work permits that expire on or after 1st July 2008. The current Act requires employers to purchase insurance for all workers covered by the Act, unless otherwise exempted.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all who have contributed, in particular, the Singapore National Employers Federation, the National Trades Union Congress, the General Insurance Association of Singapore and many other industry associations. This Bill proposes changes to the WCA in three key areas. First, the coverage of the Act has been expanded. Second, compensation norms are updated to keep pace with wage increases and changing circumstances. Third, changes are made to streamline the process. In proposing the changes, MOM has been mindful of the need to maintain a balanced approach so that the amended Act would remain acceptable to both employees and employers. Sir, let me elaborate. Coverage First, the coverage under the Act will be extended. Currently, all manual workers, and non-manual workers earning $1,600 or less per month, are eligible for compensation under the Act. We will now include non-manual workers earning more than $1,600 a month so that they too can be compensated under the Act rather than have to go through the legal process under common law. We are not the only country to have done this. In other jurisdictions such as Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, the compensation framework does not make a distinction between manual and non-manual work. We will therefore amend sections 1 and 2 of the Act to include all employees, except those specified in the Fourth Schedule. This will increase the coverage of the Act by more than 850,000 employees, or 70%, to 2.1 million employees. Consequently, we will remove the term "workmen" and amend the short title to the Work Injury Compensation Act. The Fourth Schedule lists two groups of employees who will be excluded from the Act. Police officers are currently excluded.”