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, youth delinquency is a serious problem, although thankfully the number of incidents remains under control. The Ministry of Education plays a very important role in managing this problem, as most of the delinquent youths are students. I understand that the current practice is that schools will expel or suspend these delinquent students if they are repeat offenders. It will take quite a while for these students to be accepted back to school and, in fact, a number of them have to go through a great deal of difficulties before they are re-admitted. Sir, I do not believe that the school's intention is to get rid of the problem. There are probably good reasons for this practice. I would therefore like to ask the Minister to clarify the policy intent behind expelling or suspending delinquent students from schools. More specifically, I would like to ask the Ministry the following questions: Firstly, are there any guidelines given to schools on suspending or expelling students? When a school decides to do so, do they have to consult the Ministry? Secondly, is it not better to keep these students under the discipline of the school rather than to let them loose? There was a recent press report on a 14-year-old school dropout engaging in the sex trade. I feel that it is far better for delinquent students to remain in school, so that the school can counsel and supervise them. They should only be suspended or expelled if their presence in school creates a nuisance or poses a risk to other students. 12.15 pm Thirdly, what are the criteria for re-admission into the school system and should the students return to the same school or another school? I feel that they should be encouraged to return to school as soon as possible.”
“They go back to their schools with a very different approach and attitude. We also provide opportunities for further professional development through the Academy of Principals and sabbaticals for principals. Prof. Ngiam Tee Liang asked how MOE dealt with unethical teachers. The Ministry takes a very serious view on such issues. Teachers are entrusted with a special place in the lives of pupils who come under their care. They provide not just guidance in their students' studies but also serve as role models on how they should lead their lives. We will dismiss any teacher we find unsuitable for the profession.”
“They included both the public and private sectors, for example, in banking and finance, e-learning, IT, law, media and communications, social enterprise, even the telecommunications industry, and tourism and hospitality industries. And the teachers who have gone on the Teacher Work Attachment programme have found the experience useful. Some have shared their lessons with their peers, not only in school but also at the cluster level. MOE is looking into how we can facilitate more of such attachments by building up linkages with the business chambers, with industries, and we have school alumni groups. Much has also been done to help teachers at the school level. Schools have the flexibility and autonomy to buy support services to assist teachers in their administrative duties by tapping on their manpower grants and the school operating fund. Schools can also use the school operating fund to engage people with specialised skills, such as music instructors, to help with CCAs. Our principals can decide on the resources and services that best meet the needs of their schools. Principals themselves play a key role in supporting teachers in their work. Teachers are more likely to sustain their dedication and enthusiasm for the job if school leaders lend their hand, show appreciation and give them a voice in things that affect them directly. This is why the Ministry takes a development of school leaders very seriously. We run a six-month course for principals that is regarded as one of the best in the world. We take the principals through not just the education side of things but how to manage people and how to run an organisation for change. We attach them to companies in the private sector, we take them to visit schools overseas.”
“NIE is undertaking a comprehensive review of its initial teacher training programmes. It intends to broaden the range of learning and development opportunities in these programmes. The curriculum will incorporate more experiential learning and more space for teachers to reflect on ideas, and experiment. 12.00 noon After their period of formal training at NIE, MOE provides various other development options for our Education Officers. Mdm Halimah asked about private sector attachments for our teachers. MOE started the Teacher Work Attachment programme during the November/December holidays last year. It is part of the broader range of options that we are providing under the Professional Development Leave Scheme. Instead of using the Professional Development Leave solely to pursue academic development, they can also use the Professional Development Leave Scheme for industrial attachments or for working with the community. They may also work on projects which help to enrich the classroom experience. The Teacher Work Attachment programme gives teachers the opportunity to step out of the school environment, broaden their experiences and gain fresh perspectives on education. And the teachers are keen on it. They are a forward-looking lot and keen on any exposure which helps them to develop. We started it small because we wanted to make sure that the first phase was a successful one, that their attachment was of a high quality and the teachers who came back would be able to share their experiences, and we would know how best to scale it up as we go along. The pioneer group of 72 teachers in November and December last year were attached to 28 organisations for between one and four weeks.”
“Using teacher resources in this targeted fashion is more effective than trying to reduce class sizes across the board. Dr Tan Boon Wan and Dr Amy Khor expressed concern about the administrative workload and pressures faced by teachers. Our teachers work hard and have a strong sense of responsibility for their students. As with any profession in Singapore, there is a certain intensity on the job and, occasionally, a degree of stress involved. We are addressing this. At the macro level, we will continue to recruit more teachers so that each officer's teaching responsibilities will be manageable. We will also continue to ensure that, more fundamentally, our teachers have the skills and experiences they need to do their job well and to do their job confidently. Mdm Ho asked what improvements we were making to develop our teachers. Our teachers enjoy opportunities for professional development throughout their careers. In fact, I dare say we have one of the strongest and most comprehensive training and development opportunities for teachers anywhere in the world. The National Institute of Education has undergone a complete revamp in the last five years and has restructured its courses to ensure they remain relevant to the needs of MOE and the schools. NIE offers good quality teacher training that strikes the right balance of emphasis on values education, pedagogical approaches and content training. NIE lecturers manage their classes to allow for discussion and participation, so that trainee teachers can transfer these same practices that encourage creative and critical thinking to the classroom. NIE is constantly looking forward, identifying new challenges and seeing how it can prepare our teachers, current and future, for the new challenges.”
“But there is a real trade-off between quality and quantity of teachers when we try to implement smaller class sizes across the entire system. We can double the size of the teaching force so as to halve class sizes, but we can only do so by lowering the standards we require of our teachers. The choice is between, quite simply, having 40 students taught by a good teacher, and two classes of 20, one of which will be taught by a teacher who may not be fit to teach by today's standards. Our approach is to recruit as many teachers as we can who meet our standards. We have not limited the numbers that we can recruit. Through EduPac, we have made a career in teaching more attractive and rewarding. We have been able to build up the size of our teaching force gradually over the last five years, from 23,500 in 1999 to 26,500 in 2003. However, it is unlikely that we can have a dramatic increase in the size of our teaching force without a significant lowering of quality. This will be particularly the case with the recovery in the economy and the availability of more options for jobs for graduates from our universities in future. Given these constraints, our position on deploying our teacher resources is to do so where the additional teachers can contribute most towards the learning of students. This is why we have focused our teacher resources to reduce class sizes at P1 and P2 in the first instance. That is where most research shows there is greatest benefit in having smaller classes. Another good example is the Learning Support Programme (LSP) where Primary 1 and 2 pupils with difficulties in basic literacy skills are taught in small group sizes of 8-12 pupils. It is a very teacher-intensive programme but we think it is necessary and it pays off.”
“In parallel, MOE is promoting more varied teaching methodologies to improve the learning experiences of Primary 1 and Primary 2 pupils and take the most advantage of smaller classes. Twenty-four schools are currently involved in a project we call GAIN (Grade-Appropriate Instruction and Assessment), a project to help schools think through how they can strengthen pupils' learning in their foundation years. The schools are identifying localised issues, classroom issues, that need to be tackled and are coming up with strategies to better support early learning, particularly in the context of smaller classes that are going to come on stream. Progress is also being made in implementing single session for Primary 3 to Primary 6, and we expect full roll-out within 10 years. Dr Ong Seh Hong had spoken of the possible benefits of single session and asked if we could implement it faster. With partial single session and smaller P1 and P2 classes, schools will have a smaller capacity. Schools that currently operate close to full capacity will therefore have to adjust their Primary 1 intakes, to gradually bring their total enrolment down to single session levels. Where physical capacity and the demand for school places allow, schools will transit to partial single session as soon as possible. The Ministry estimates that more than 100 schools - in other words 60% of primary schools - can implement partial single session by year 2007. There are 12 Government-aided schools which are already operating full single session, from Primary 1 to Primary 6. Members also raised broader questions of class size. Dr Ong had asked if we could extend small class sizes across the board. Ideally, we should have small classes across the board, every one of which taught by good teachers.”
“This will require a reorientation of the syllabuses and teaching methods to focus more on practice-oriented learning. We are also studying how to introduce alternative assessment modes, such as individual and team coursework, instead of pen-and-paper tests alone. This is a major curriculum review, and we will not rush to implement the changes to the Normal (Technical) syllabus. MOE will announce details of this review later. We will, however, introduce some flexibility in the Normal (Technical) course to allow students to offer one or two Normal (Academic) subjects, if they have the ability to do so. This is similar to Normal (Academic) students being allowed to take one or two 'O' level subjects, similar to the Express classes, within four years. Schools will extend this flexibility to the Normal (Technical) students in 2006. This will give the schools the time they need to prepare for the change, to make the necessary adjustments in the use of facilities and teachers and in scheduling. Schools that are ready to do so next year will however be able to proceed first. Primary Education Dr Ong Seh Hong and Mr Iswaran asked for an update on two major initiatives that we announced last year, in fact, at the Committee of Supply debate, at the primary school level - smaller class sizes at Primary 1 and Primary 2, and enabling Primary 3 to Primary 6 pupils to study in a single session environment. We have enough teachers to implement the smaller class sizes at P1 and P2, starting with the P1 cohort in 2005. All schools will be given additional teacher resources to support the smaller class initiative.”
“This is about 15% of the Secondary 4 Normal (Academic) cohort, not a small number. Ms Braema had suggested yesterday a 3-year Normal (Academic) course. The Normal (Academic) course currently leads up to the 'N' level examinations at the end of four years. Students who are able to take the 'O' levels then spend an additional year, a total of five years. This '4+1' system has worked well. 25% of our Normal (Academic) students do not progress to Secondary 5. The 4-year course provides them a sound foundation for post-secondary education. Further, even amongst the 75% of Secondary 4N students who do progress to Secondary 5, a significant proportion needs the full four years initially to cover the Normal curriculum. They will not be well served by a shorter Normal (Academic) course. Many of those who make it to Secondary 5, in fact, find the 'O' levels to be a major challenge, and do not do well enough in their 'O' levels to go on to pre-university or polytechnic. They are well-served by having gone through a 4-year Normal (Academic) course, which allows them to graduate with a useful 'N' level certificate that recognises what they achieved. Dr Khor spoke about enhancing the Normal (Technical) course yesterday. MOE has been reviewing the Normal (Technical) course, which is now in its 11th year. It has worked well. The core subjects in the Normal (Technical) curriculum, comprising English, Basic Mother Tongue, Mathematics and CPA, provide a broad-based foundation that prepares students well for both technical and service-oriented courses at the post-secondary level. We are studying how to build on these fundamentals, and further customise the Normal (Technical) curriculum to meet the needs of students with a practical intelligence.”
“With the removal of the distinction between the EM1 and EM2 streams, we will give schools the flexibility to use their own assessments of students' performance in the course of semestral examinations, the end-of-year examinations or other assessments, to identify students who are capable of studying Higher Mother Tongue in Primary 5. They would do likewise in identifying students who should be recommended to take the EM3 course. The Primary 4 examinations would therefore be like any other end-of-year school examinations at any other level. Schools can develop their own assessment items, or choose to select questions from the national item bank that MOE will maintain. They can also schedule their examinations later in the year, instead of in October currently, along with the school-based examinations for other levels. Schools will be given the flexibility to develop their own end-of-year Primary 4 examinations from this year. MOE will work with primary schools to ensure smooth implementation of these changes. Normal Course At the secondary level, we are also introducing greater flexibility across courses. As announced in 2002, from this year, Normal (Academic) students have been allowed to offer one or two 'O' level subjects at Secondary 4. Mdm Halimah asked about the progress of this initiative. For a start, Mother Tongue Language and Mathematics have been offered, as Normal (Academic) students are more likely to have done well in these subjects. Initial estimates from schools indicate that over 2,000 Normal (Academic) students have been assessed by the schools to have the ability and commitment to offer one or two 'O' levels, and are currently preparing to take the 'O' levels in Seccondary 4 this year.”
“I expect many schools may retain the present system of organising students according to their overall Primary 4 results. Some schools may decide to band students according to their language strengths - English Language and Mother Tongue respectively - for special attention. The arrangements will vary depending on the type of students in a school and how widely their abilities vary. How the students should be banded should be best left to the schools. We are able to combine EM1 and EM2 because they follow essentially the same course of study, leading to the PSLE, within the same span of time. There will be no change at the primary level to the Gifted Education Programme, which provides a different curriculum and teaching methods for exceptionally bright students - an enriched curriculum. EM3 will also remain a distinct course, focusing on foundational knowledge, for all the reasons I mentioned earlier. Our weakest students benefit from being taught separately, using a different curriculum, different classroom management techniques and different teaching approach. Flexibility in Primary 4 Examinations We have also reviewed the current arrangements for the Primary 4 examinations, which currently serve as a streaming examination. With the merging of EM1 and EM2, we will give schools greater discretion in how they assess their pupils in P4. Schools currently recommend a student's stream in Primary 5 based on a student's semestral assessments and an end-of-year examination at Primary 4. Schools select questions from a national item bank that is maintained by MOE, but they are responsible for marking and grading their own students. It is, in essence, already a school-based examination, but operating within a common MOE framework.”
“At the primary level, as part of the easing of rules governing Mother Tongue learning, MOE had announced earlier this year that we will allow EM3 students to offer MTL, instead of Basic Mother Tongue, which is the norm for EM3 students, if they obtain Band 2 or better in the subject in their Primary 4 examinations. We will consider whether there are educational merits to extending this to any other subject, for example, to let an EM3 student take Mathematics at the EM2 level, if he has strength in the subject. This is what was suggested by Mr Inderjit Singh and a couple of other MPs. It would complicate timetabling arrangements, but we will be quite open to letting any school pilot this, if it sees EM3 students with these abilities and is able to make practical arrangements. 45 am Merging EM1 and EM2 Dr Khor and Mr Gan Kim Yong suggested mixing EM1 and EM2 classes, since EM1 students only offer one subject, HMTL, that is different. MOE has been reviewing this, following the recent easing of requirements for students to take HMTL. There is an overlap in abilities of students taking EM1 and EM2. 20% of our Primary 5 students are in EM1. But almost half of the 20% are students who were first recommended by schools to take EM2, but whose parents chose EM1. With the enhanced flexibility for students to take Higher Mother Tongue, there will now be an increasing overlap in abilities between EM1 and EM2 students. MOE has, therefore, decided to remove the distinction between EM1 and EM2 in primary schools. Schools will decide on how to band their pupils, in ways that add the most educational value. They will be given the flexibility to organise the students in this broader programme according to their own criteria.”
“A third parent said that although her daughter had managed to clear her Primary 5 examinations in EM2 and could remain in EM2, she had opted for her child to go to EM3, because the child was too stressed with having to cope with EM2 subjects. In EM3 this year, she is happier. She has done very well in her Continual Assessment 1 (CA1), and has gained confidence. These are not unique accounts, and they are telling accounts. What our schools try to do is to encourage intermingling of students from different streams, so that they build friendships outside classrooms. CCAs provide avenues for this. Students in the same CCA support each other in common endeavours, they learn to work with each other and appreciate each other's strengths in different areas. This is something our schools will continue to encourage. And they will seek out more opportunities for interaction between students in different streams, by looking into different ways of organising school activities or PE, as Mr Inderjit Singh suggested yesterday. We will also ensure that the system is flexible enough, so that students can go as far as they can in their specific areas of strength. Where a student shows good progress overall and is able to transfer to a faster stream, we will let him do so. We do so each year, especially after Secondary 1. Where a student is capable of taking one or two subjects at a higher level, we will let him do so. This applies to EM3 students as well as our Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) students, which I will elaborate on briefly in a short while.”
“If each of us thinks back to our own primary school days, we would have known pupils who were with us who were very weak in class. In our time, there was no streaming. My own best friend in my early primary years repeated a year twice. He finally dropped out before reaching the PSLE. We did not have a slower course of study then, so those who could not understand their lessons and tests would repeat a year and, if they still could not cope, they dropped out. It was a bad solution to the problem then, and will be a bad solution now. I should add that the EM3 cohort is not a large group. 12% of students are recommended by the schools to enter EM3 after Primary 4. Because many of their parents choose to put them in EM2, the final number in EM3 is 7%. The students are by and large happy in EM3. They feel they are able to follow their studies, and have something to show. But parents often do not like the fact that the school has recommended their child to be in EM3, and that is the bigger part of the problem to be overcome. However, parents do come round when they see how their child benefits. I asked for feedback from parents of EM3 students. A sampling may give Members a sense of what EM3 really does. One parent said he was disappointed when he was told that his daughter had to go to EM3. He said he "lost face". But he recognised that his daughter was weak, and said he could tell that she was happier, because the work was simpler and she was coping well. A second parent said all his relatives had been advising him to put his son in EM2 instead of accepting the school's recommendation. But now that the boy is struggling to pass his EM3 subjects, he feels that his son is much better off in the stream.”
“The British recently released a report by Mike Tomlinson, former Chief Inspector of Schools, which proposes an overhaul of the British GCSE and 'A' level systems. As he put it, too many young people leave learning or fail to progress. And too many are left unchallenged and constrained by the curriculum they are offered. It is not a very different picture, as Members would know, from what we had in Singapore before streaming was introduced. So, let us stick to a system that is focused on achieving strong outcomes for all. The most unambiguous result of streaming is that we have helped our weaker students go much further. We are doing our EM3 students well. About 90% of primary 6 EM3 students proceed to a secondary education. 70% of them complete a secondary education. More than 50% of each EM3 cohort proceeds on to a post-secondary education at the ITE. I know of no other system which has had as much success in ensuring that students at the weakest end of the academic spectrum stay on in education, go on to a post-secondary institution and acquire real skills which they take into the workforce. As several Members have asked - Dr Wang, Dr Lily Neo, Mr Chiam See Tong, Mr Low Thia Khiang and Dr Ong Seh Ong - are we streaming too early in primary schools? I ask principals and teachers that from time to time. They are kind-hearted souls by nature, like most MPs. They do not like to conclude that the student is unable to cope with his studies and needs a different course. So I can tell the House that I believe teachers when they tell me that we would be doing most of our EM3 students a disservice if we keep them in the regular curriculum in Primary 5 and Primary 6. These are students who lag significantly behind the rest of the cohort, despite remedial teaching.”
“Is the student more stressed by being channelled into an academically slower course or by staying on in a course that he is unable to cope with, taking exercises home that he is unable to complete, having questions asked in class that he is unable to answer and, finally, being unable to pass his examinations? I think we know the answer. The fact of the matter is that confidence or self-esteem is much more a question of how well students do and how far they eventually go, than on whether they get to do the same thing as everyone else at the same time. Outcomes matter. And we are determined to help every student achieve the best outcomes he can - in school, when he leaves school and goes on to a post-secondary institution, or when he joins a workplace and has to count on his skills to earn a living. That is our best chance of giving every Singaporean a confident start in life. MOE is fully aware that many other systems do not stream students or stream them later than we do. It comes at great cost, ie, high drop-out rates, sometimes disguised by compulsory education up to the junior secondary years. And the academically faster students being held back, unchallenged and bored with their studies. Dr Tan Boon Wan just mentioned the issue of standards having fallen in British universities as a result of a rapid expansion. It is not just because of the rapid expansion in the university intake. It is also because of many years of experimentation with egalitarian policies in schools, leading to a lowering of standards so that as many students as possible can pass and obtain the same qualification. So much so that universities are now requiring first-year students to take remedial classes, including students who have "A" grades in the UK 'A' levels.”
“I am worried that, instead of staying to fight, they may flee at the first sign of trouble. Sir, our education system must not only impart to our children the necessary knowledge and skills but also strengthen their character and prepare them for the challenges ahead, so that they will not buckle under pressure but, instead, they will rise to the occasion. The Acting Minister for Education (Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam): Streaming in Schools Sir, several Members have spoken on the subject of streaming in primary and secondary schools. Let me first address the more general observations that Members have made before informing the House of specific refinements that MOE will be making in primary school streaming and in the Normal course in secondary schools. Streaming has done us well, and it remains an educationally sound policy. It recognises that different students have different abilities, different types of intelligence and different ways of learning. It seeks to provide them with the curriculum and teaching methods that help them develop and sustain an interest in their studies. It helps every student to go as far as he can. Some Members - Dr Lily Neo, Mdm Cynthia Phua and some others - have said that streaming results in stress and a loss of confidence. It is not an irrelevant concern. I do not doubt that there is some loss of confidence when a student is differentiated from his peers and advised to take a less challenging or more extended course of study. No one likes being told that. It is a human reaction. But the issue is less simple than that.”
“Sir, as we endeavour to build a strong society, we must start by building a strong character in each individual. What better place to start than in the schools? I am glad that the Ministry of Education has included character building as one of its core focuses and one of the factors in school ranking. However, recent incidents in schools are of concern to us. They involved students committing suicide because of results, and the most recent case is one that involved a student that committed suicide when his affair with a schoolmate was discovered. These events prompt us to ask whether we have been doing the right thing and, if so, why do some of our students yield so easily under pressure and stress. I would like to make a few suggestions. Firstly, I think we should review the method adopted by our schools in teaching character building. We should evaluate whether they have been effective, whether there are better ways to deal with character building. Secondly, teachers should be trained and equipped to deliver lessons on character building effectively. This is not an easy subject to teach as it has no textbooks. Thirdly, we should introduce a monitoring system to determine whether we are making progress in strengthening the character of our children. This is not an examination subject, and the risk is that schools may pay less attention to it. Sir, it is critical that we strengthen the character of our next generation. Singapore will most definitely face greater challenges in time to come. I do not worry about future challenges, as we have been through many. But I am more worried that our young people do not have the determination and the resolve to deal with these challenges when they come.”
“If the Ministry agrees to carry out a review, I would like to urge the Ministry to consult all the stakeholders, eg, teachers, students and parents. This will help us evolve a better system.”
“Sir, we have waited till the cows come home for changes to the streaming system. Now, it is time to slaughter the cow. At least, even if we do not want to slaughter the cow, we could dress it up to look like a sheep, because the form is also equally important as the substance. Even if the Minister does not think that the system is fundamentally wrong, at least, as a result of MPs' persistent pestering, he could keep an open mind and carry out a review on the streaming system. The current system, while effective in channelling students of differing abilities, suffers from the existence of labels. Students and parents resent the labelling, and it imposes additional stress on the students. The concept of streaming is really not new. I remember, even during my time, there was some form of streaming, where the better students were grouped into certain classes, while the slower ones were grouped into other classes so that more attention could be given to them. There was less problem then, as there was no labelling, such as EM1, EM2 or EM3. In fact, it was intentional that the A class was usually not the best, and all of us eventually graduated from the same school with the same PSLE certificate, and no one ever asked, "Which class did you come from?" I would like to suggest that the Ministry consider doing away with the labelling of EM1, EM2 or EM3. We can revert to the old system where we simply grouped students into classes according to their ability. We can offer a Higher Mother Tongue language as an option for those who can cope better. This way, we retain the cow but make it look like a sheep. There are, of course, many other possible models that we should explore. In fact, we could allow selected schools to carry out trials before a final decision is taken.”
“Therefore, I would urge the Government to consider reviewing the qualifying criteria of the PCPS so that these people will also benefit from the scheme.”
“Sir, last year I urged the Ministry to review the Primary Care Partnership Scheme with a view to broadening its scope. The then Minister replied that more time was needed to gain experience in the scheme before expanding it. Sir, I would like to ask the Acting Minister whether the time has come for him to reconsider it. Under the PCPS, senior citizens who meet the criteria are allowed to seek treatment at neighbourhood private clinics at subsidised rates instead of having to travel all the way to the Government polyclinics. This has benefited many residents, and save time and travelling costs. The cost to the Government is arguably the same, as they would have enjoyed the same subsidy had they gone to the polyclinics. In view of the benefits of the scheme, I would like to urge the Ministry to consider expanding the scheme to cover at least the following categories: First, the handicapped people who are less mobile. It would be good to cover them under the PCPS to reduce the need for travelling. Second, patients requiring long-term medication or treatment. It would be an added burden if they are required to travel to polyclinics to seek treatment or medication on a regular basis. We should consider putting them under PCPS so that they can receive treatment and medication from nearby private clinics. Third, low income families, particularly families who are receiving financial assistance from the Government, should be covered under the PCPS regardless of their age. It would not make sense to incur additional travelling cost and time when they are already having problem to make ends meet. Sir, I believe that these groups of people are quite clearly defined. Expanding the PCPS to cover them is unlikely to lead to major abuse.”
“Sir, I am very happy to hear Acting Minister mention that one of his priorities is to develop Singapore into a medical hub. I think it would be an exciting and challenging initiative. It will capitalise on the professional reputation of our medical expertise as well as take advantage of the excellent infrastructure we have already developed, such as transportation, communications, etc. Being centrally located in Asia will also give us an added advantage. But, Sir, I would like to take this opportunity to share with the Acting Minister some of my concerns and suggestions. Firstly, we must be focused in our efforts. While our professionalism and expertise in medical services are generally well regarded, we must identify certain areas where we have a competitive edge and focus our efforts in developing these areas of excellence. This will ensure that our limited resources are not dissipated. Secondly, we must adopt a total approach. To become a medical hub, medical excellence alone is not sufficient. We must also ensure that the non-medical supporting system is also tuned up. For example, we must ease the application process for visas and we must provide one-stop services. It may even be necessary to create a new category of visas called "medical visas" to facilitate foreigners who are travelling to Singapore for diagnosis and treatment. Thirdly, we must ensure that Singaporeans' interests are not compromised. In this regard, I am pleased that the Acting Minister has given his assurance earlier that Singaporeans will always come first. Sir, I think we have what it takes to transform Singapore into a medical hub for the region. I would like to ask the Acting Minister to elaborate more on his strategy and plans. 12.45 pm”
“In the introduction of means testing, the higher income group must expect lower subsidies. It would, therefore, be crucial that they be covered by some form of healthcare insurance. Therefore, it would be timely to review the MediShield scheme for this purpose. Lastly, communication is vital. I would urge the Ministry to conduct extensive public consultation so that the final scheme would take into account feedback from all segments of the population. The Ministry must also take pains to explain the scheme to the people to ensure acceptance. In this regard, I am sure grassroots leaders and MPs like us would be more than happy to help.”
“Sir, the Government has proposed the introduction of means testing in healthcare services. I agree that with the given limited resources, we must refine our subsidy system to ensure that those who need it most will get it. I believe means testing is a workable service. However, the Ministry has not provided sufficient details on the proposed system. It is a bit like watching a mystery movie - you are kept in suspense until the end. Many Singaporeans are confused and concerned. For example, they do not know who will be affected by the change and whether they are in the low income group that will benefit from it, or they are in the high income group that will have to pay more in time to come. They also do not know how much more they have to pay. Sir, this known/unknown is very unsettling, and I hope the Ministry can disclose more details as soon as they are available. I have received feedback from some of my residents. They think that the Ministry is using this means testing to reduce the overall Government subsidy because of the budget deficit. I think the Ministry should clarify its intention so that there will be no misunderstanding. In working out the details of the means testing, I would like to urge the Ministry to define the qualifying criteria clearly. Income should not be the only factor. Family obligations, such as handicapped family members, mortgage obligations, etc, should also be factored in. As I mentioned earlier, we should adopt a tiered system. I would suggest the Ministry studies similar systems implemented in other countries so that we can develop a comprehensive, fair and transparent system. I hope the Ministry will also leave room for some flexibility to cater for exceptional cases.”
“Does the Minister agree that the better use of IT and technology could lead to better efficiency and productivity, and thus reduce costs? Can the Minister also explain what steps MOH is taking to help reduce healthcare cost and keep it affordable?”
“It would also be more convenient for the residents. Thirdly, establish a medical cost index. We should compare our medical cost with that of the other countries with similar standards of healthcare provision. This way, we will know whether our medical cost is reasonable, and whether there is room for lowering the cost. The Minister for Health is very concerned with ever-increasing medical cost, and has introduced various solutions to endeavour to constrain its expenditures. This is indeed praiseworthy. I hope that the Ministry of Health will continue to work hard to ensure that our medical cost is maintained at the lowest possible level, without compromising the quality of our healthcare service. This is not an easy task, but if our Government, the people and the healthcare providers could cooperate, there is hope of success. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed: Madam, I think SARS has brought new meaning to MOH. MOH, under the leadership of the former Minister, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, and Dr Balaji and a team of their SARS busters, has brought much respect to all and hope to Singaporeans. However, there is one concern that is still nagging and very much on the minds of most, if not all, Singaporeans, that is, cost of healthcare. Many feel that healthcare cost has been rising far too fast. They worry whether healthcare costs will be kept affordable. Madam, many Singaporeans, from feedback that I get, also find the Hon. Minister Khaw Boon Wan's eight priorities very exciting and inspiring. Many, however, are wondering how these will translate into holding, if not reducing, healthcare costs. Will more use of IT and technology, for example, reduce or increase costs? They fear medical care will cost more.”
“Madam, medical cost has all along been one of the major concerns of our people. I am glad that the Government has repeatedly assured our people that no one will be deprived of medical treatment just because he could not afford it. But the fact remains that if we unfortunately run into some catastrophic illnesses that require long-term treatment, it will cost a lot of money, to the extent of wiping out the major part of one's life-time savings. Even if the patient is eventually cured, he will run into financial difficulties. I therefore urge the Government to continue with its efforts to contain the medical costs in Singapore.I have a few suggestions to make: Firstly, enhance the coordination and cooperation among the hospitals so as to reduce the cost of duplication and enhance efficiency. For example, the case history and laboratory test reports of the patients could be mutually shared among the hospitals so that in the event of the patients' transfer from one hospital to another, there would be no need to repeat the investigations and tests. This will save time, effort and money. The hospitals could also pool their procurement of common drugs so as to reduce the price of medicine. Secondly, cut down on unnecessary wastage. For convenience sake, some clinics may prescribe three months' medication to the patients. Because of various reasons, such as changes in the situation of the illness or the patients being uncomfortable with the said medicine prescribed resulting in the medication having to be altered, the remaining medicine from the earlier prescription would be thrown away. This is plain wastage! If we allow the patients to purchase the medicine from the neighbourhood pharmacies, then it would not be necessary to prescribe so much medicine on each visit.”
“We should therefore consider extending the childcare subsidy to such cases, perhaps with some safeguards to prevent abuse and maybe with a lower amount, since the cost of homecare is likely to be lower than professionally run childcare centres. Sir, I hope the Minister can consider these three suggestions.”
“Sir, in line with our efforts to help couples cope with the difficulties in raising children, we should improve our infant and childcare system, so that they can benefit from it. In this regard, I would like to make three proposals. Firstly, in terms of cost and subsidy. Today, the costs of such services are very high. The subsidy of up to $150 a month is helpful but may not be enough. This is also low compared with Government’s subsidy of $300 per month for students in the primary school. In fact, for childcare and infant care centres, the operating costs are higher because of the lower teacher to student ratio. Although lower income families can apply for centre-based financial assistance schemes, the income ceiling of $1,500 is also too low, especially if the family has more than two children. Perhaps a per capita income ceiling would be more equitable. Secondly, in terms of convenience, some parents prefer childcare centres nearer to their workplace of work so that they can reach their children easily and quickly when an emergency arises, and they can also visit them during lunch breaks. We should perhaps consciously promote childcare centres at industrial and commercial centres. We should encourage larger companies to join hands and operate their own childcare services. Some incentives could also be provided to them. Thirdly, informal care services. Some parents would prefer to seek help from their relatives to look after their babies. In fact, grandparents play a crucial role in providing childcare and encouraging our young people to have children.”
“Families normally would not go and seek help until they are already in deep trouble. Then, it may beto remedy the situation. So if we can take preventive measures to prevent the problems from being aggravated, then we would have better chances of success in dealing with them. We must have channels for them to approach for help. Community organisations and religious bodies are the best channels. I hope that we can look into the possibility of engaging these organisations in the effort to improve our services to the families in trouble. Thirdly, we can also go to the schools to conduct seminars and talks for the parents. Normally, when such seminars are conducted by the schools, the parents would be more enthusiastic in attending. So, this is one possibility which we can look into. By enhancing family cohesion, the environment would be more conducive for the children's education. Fourthly, we can make it mandatory for divorce petitioners to go for counselling so that they know what the consequences of his or her intended divorce would be, and in the process see if something could be done to salvage the marriage. No doubt, no matter how hard we try, it is just not possible for us to solve all the problems of the families. But, we should at least try and minimise the problems and lighten the grievances of the members of the family in such family crisis. Assistance Schemes”
“Sir, from statistics, we notice that there is a decline in family cohesion in society, problems like divorce, problem children and family violence are on the increase. These are matters of great concern to us. In my constituency, many residents came to see me at the meet-the-people session with all kinds of family problems. Some are separated, some are divorced, and they have other related problems coming their way. Because of these family problems, many suffer from financial hardship, children find themselves lagging behind in their studies. If we do not nip the problem in the bud, I think such problems will be aggravated. We should conduct a survey on the status of our voluntary organisations, Family Service Centres and counselling centres to see if they have enough facilities and resources to give them the necessary capacity to help those who need counselling. In Chinese, counselling is fu dao. Literally, fu means to assist and complement, while dao means to direct and guide. If counselling is conducted properly and professionally, then it would become fu dao, meaning helping to collapse. We need to have professional and proper Family Service Centres manned by variousdifferent models with different targets. Sir, of course, they have different levels of resources. We must also review the kind of services that can achieve the objectives set out. I would like to ask the Minister whether he has new models to help the critical families in crisis by offering them better services. With all the changes in this world, the nature of family problems is also changing. So it is time for us to conduct a review. Apart from official family centres, we also encourage registered societies and religious organisations to promote family cohesion. I think this is very important.”
“Finally, Sir, what effect does these changes have on the recent HDB's policy to divest the provision of market rate loans to commercial banks? For downgraders and bankrupts who might not be able to obtain such loans from banks, would HDB grant them concessionary loans? Housing Policy”
“Sir, I think it would be wrong for us to push this group of people who are already stretched to go beyond their means by insisting that they take on a big flat. I would therefore urge the Ministry to review HDB's policy and consider offering more 3-room flats. Alternatively, I would like to suggest that the HDB offer shorter leases, such as 20 or 30-year leases, so as to keep the costs low and allow tenants to extend later if their financial position has improved. I believe shorter leases are already available for the senior citizens under the neighbourhood links programme. Perhaps, it can be extended to people who fall within these three categories. Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed (Aljunied): Sir, a growing number of Singaporeans are worried that they and their children will not find HDB housing affordable anymore. Quite a number of Singaporeans are turning to MPs to seek help. At my Eunos MPS, and I am sure at other MPSs too, many have appealed to downgrade because they could no longer afford to pay mortgages. Could MND give us a fuller picture about this request to downgrade at the national scale? Sir, we know MND has assured before that HDB housing would remain affordable. But could the Minister explain how MND measures affordability? How does MND ensure that affordability will remain true despite the financial crisis, economic restructuring, the end of our high wage era, jobs lost because of economic slowdown, the effects SARS had on the economy, CPF cuts and greater application of the flexi wage system? Does the Minister agree that the profile of affordability has changed and what effect does it have on MND and HDB's policy and development? For example, like my other colleagues from MND GPC requests, would HDB review its policy and build more 3-room flats?”
“Sir, the Housing and Development Board has played a critical role in the early years in providing public housing for Singaporeans. It also ensures that the cost of housing remains reasonable and affordable. Today, almost all Singaporeans own a flat or a private property. Furthermore, over the years, the private sector developers have gradually matured and have taken on a bigger role in the housing market here. Therefore, I think it is timely for us to review the priorities of the HDB. I notice that, in recent years, the HDB has stopped building the smaller 3-room flats and instead focus more on the larger 4- and 5-room flats. Sir, I think this is wrong. I feel that HDB should continue to build more 3-room flats to cater to the lower income group. There are mainly three types of people who need lower cost housing. Firstly, those who are facing financial difficulties. They have to sell their flats in order to repay their debts. Some of them have become bankrupts. Some feel it prudent to downgrade to a smaller flat to reduce their exposure. Firstly, they would be debarred from purchasing or renting another flat for a period of time under HDB rules. Next, if they are given permission to purchase a flat, they would not be able to afford a large flat. Secondly, those who have undergone divorce, as a result, most of them have to dispose of their matrimonial flat. The women who often have the custody of the children would have difficulties supporting a large flat, at least in the immediate future. Thirdly, those who are starting a family and young couples who are also starting a career, would not want to over-stretch themselves by buying a large flat.”
“There is therefore a need to look into the financing needs of companies going overseas. Thirdly, staffing. It is always difficult and expensive to send Singaporeans overseas. Very often, companies need to take care of their children, their spouses, loss of income, etc. Perhaps the Government can consider providing some kind of tax relief, especially for the smaller companies, such as double tax deduction for expenses incurred in sending people overseas. Sir, our companies must get plugged into the world quickly. However, many of them are not as big as the MNCs or the GLCs, and they do not have the resources on their own to venture out. I would therefore like to urge the Government to recognise these problems and provide the necessary assistance. Perhaps appointing a one-stop agency will provide better focus and accountability in our efforts to help our companies expand abroad. Singaporeans Living Abroad”
“Sir, many years ago, when PCs were still a new thing, I purchased a system for my staff in the office. They were all very excited when it came and they went about setting it up. After a while, one of them ran to me and said, "It doesn't work." So I went over to check. Everything was set up all right, except that the power cable was not plugged in. Sir, in this rapidly globalising world, we cannot afford not to be plugged into the world economy. Our economy cannot be limited to our physical boundaries alone. Only a few years ago, we were encouraging Singaporean companies to go overseas, to China and, more recently, India. Now, many Chinese companies are coming here to be listed. In India, many companies are also looking at expanding overseas into this region. Even China and India are rushing to get plugged into the world. So, if we do not transform ourselves and get plugged in quickly, we may be marginalised. Sir, I am optimistic. We have a good start with the several FTAs signed with other countries. We have laid the foundation. We must now push our companies to take advantage of these FTAs and we must help them to do so. In particular, we must help our companies to invest overseas. But any company who wants to invest overseas for the first time will invariably face difficulties, I will just highlight a few. Firstly, the lack of local knowledge. This is by far the greatest obstacle, and our various overseas representative offices can be more helpful in providing assistance to our companies with regard to local information, such as contact, market information, regulatory regimes, etc. Secondly, the lack of financing. It is very difficult to raise financing for overseas ventures, especially in view of the higher risk involved.”
“If not, their PR should be revoked and they can still continue to work under the Employment Pass and contribute to the economy.”
“Sir, I agree that we must make a strong distinction between the privileges of permanent residents and those of our citizens. We must create value for our citizenship. I hope the Prime Minister's Office will look into the benefits to be reserved for Singaporeans only. But I think we need to go beyond just financial benefits. I visited a company in India earlier this month and I had a chance to meet some of its young employees. I asked them what motivated them to join this company. They told me that the main motivation was not the pay but because they were proud to be part of the company. They explained that the company was not just a commercial entity. It provides housing, healthcare, education and even provides utilities for the employees and also for the community around the company. The employees have developed a strong sense of loyalty to the company. Sir, genuine loyalty does not depend on financial benefits alone. We must continue to make Singapore a land of opportunities, not just financially, but also for arts, sports, fun and also a good place for bringing up our family. At the same time, we must also review the process of conversion from permanent residence into citizenship to make it easier. In particular, the requirement for younger males to serve national service may be a deterrent. Of course, national service is an integral part of a citizen's duty. However, the idea of national service may be quite alien to these foreigners. For them, to overcome the apprehension may not be easy. It may help if we can consider relaxing some of the requirements somewhat for the first generation PRs. Sir, PRs should also be given a definitive timeframe, say, five years, to decide whether they want to become a Singaporean.”
“I would like to propose to the Government to consider offering shorter lease flats or rental flats to the retirees so that they could realise some of their cash for their retirement needs. Private pension scheme is another way to ease the retirement burden and this could be considered further. To conclude, Sir, we are at the beginning of the economic recovery cycle. We need to allow our economy to deepen its roots so that it can grow in a healthy and sustainable manner. The Budget aims to do that. At the same time, we must work towards building a strong society to ensure our survival as a nation, not just as an economy. We, as a family, must make sure that the strongest members among us will continue to thrive and help bring the rest along. We must also make sure that the weakest among us are not left behind, but are given a helping hand. This spirit of kinship, of interdependence and of mutual help is what made us successful so far and that same spirit will continue to be crucial to our success in the future.”
“Before we could acquire control, employees of the company were paid fixed wages pegged to the local market practice. After we acquired control, we introduced the foreign management know-how. We started the performance-based wage system. It all sounds very well. And, as a result, productivity improves and employees take home a much higher pay package. That is good. However, our local partner made a comment that set me thinking. He said that in the past, the employees in the company had a strong sense of loyalty to the company. They worked hard because they felt that the company was their home and the company took care of them. Now, with the performance-based wage system, they work hard because of the higher pay. There is a paradigm shift among these employees. The positive factor is that they will work harder for the higher pay and this will continue to work for as long as the company remains profitable and able to pay. The negative effect, however, is that they will readily hop to another job so long as the other job pays higher. Therefore, to create value for citizenship, we must go beyond financial values. We must create emotional values too. This too is an affair of the heart. I hope to talk more on this during the Committee of Supply debate. Lastly, in ensuring adequate finances for retirement, the Government has introduced changes to the terms of CPF withdrawal to ensure adequate finances for retirement. However, many Singaporeans are not poor per se but their wealth is tied up in assets, mainly in the real estate. They are truly in a cashless situation. I believe the key is to find the way to unlock these assets to free up cash.”
“As DPM pointed out, even if we do everything right, it is almost impossible to reach the replacement rate of 2.1. Therefore, other than producing Singapore babies, we must also bring in permanent residents and then convince them to become citizens. Many of my friends are permanent residents. When I asked them about their reasons for not taking up citizenship, the reasons given are quite varied. Some of them are here purely for the employment and have no allegiance to Singapore, and there is no need to talk about citizenship. Others have family members who are still in their home country and they could not sever the ties totally. A number of them, however, find the process of gaining citizenship rather painful, especially the younger ones who may be liable for National Service. I would, therefore, urge the Government to review the process of conversion from PR to citizenship to see if it can be simplified. Lower the threshold so that more will become citizens. Other than making babies and converting PRs to citizens, we must also stem our losses through emigration. I am pleased that the Government will be reviewing the privileges for citizens versus PRs. Indeed, there is a need to make the distinction more substantive and meaningful. To fuel our economic growth, we need to attract foreign talents to work here and we have to make it easier for them to gain employment pass and permanent residence. However, we need to balance that with the need to preserve the rights of our citizens. We need to create value for Singapore citizenship. However, this value must go beyond dollars and cents. To be impacting, it must go beyond their pockets and reach their hearts. Let me share with you an experience which I had with a joint venture company in China.”
“Children are called "ai qing de jie jing", which means they are products of love. They are the glory of love, they are the celebration of love. And we want to share our love with our children. Were we worried about the future? Were we worried about the cost of bringing up our children? Sure, we were. But our love and the desire to share that love overwhelmed our concerns and we boldly took that first step forward. Sure, there were problems and difficulties that followed. But these challenges add colour and richness to life. If you ask parents today, I am sure few of them would regret having babies despite all the difficulties. And I can see Dr Tan smiling! Therefore, instead of focusing on all the difficulties and run the risk of overstating these difficulties, it is perhaps important for us to step up our efforts to promote family values among our young, especially when they are still in school, before they are caught up in the rat race of the society. We must help them see beyond themselves and appreciate the joy and fulfilment brought about by having a family. Without this change of heart, without this element of love, we will not be able to reverse the trend. It is like driving a car. We have an excellent engine, whether it is a Toyota or Lexus - like Mr Khaw Boon Wan likes to refer to - we have the best driver, the best lubricant and even a full tank of fuel, but when we turn the key, the car does not start. The reason is that there is no spark in the spark plug. Perhaps, we should add that spark in the car. So, I am suggesting that we should introduce an annual campaign to promote family values. Call it the Spark Campaign or Love Campaign. This will help to add spark into the lives of our young people.”
“I would like to spend a bit more time on this issue, although I am not going to propose another 28 suggestions because many speakers before me have already done so. They have made many useful suggestions, and I am sure the Government will consider them carefully and come up with a comprehensive package by National Day. I was a little bit concerned though that there was a proposal to give special consideration to women with higher income. While I understand that they need to make greater sacrifices and therefore may need greater inducement, I disagree though that women who earn less or are unemployed deserve less help. The lower income family would need as much help, if not more, to cope with the cost of raising children. I would suggest that we should provide the same incentives, regardless of the income status of the mother. Sir, while these financial incentives will help make it easier for couples who want to have babies, I believe it is ultimately very much an issue of the heart. Many young people today ask, "Why should I get married? Why should I have children?" They are worried about the responsibility. They are concerned about the opportunity cost, and they are reluctant to give up their lifestyle. Maybe they are missing the most important element in all these debates. I believe there is such a thing called love. I am not the romantic kind of guy, but I am a pretty traditional one. I remember during my time, we never had to consider whether to get married or whether to have children. We just fell madly in love. We wanted to spend the rest of our lives with that special person for reasons that cannot be explained. Then, we wanted to celebrate our love by making babies. There is a Chinese term for children which I thought was very appropriate.”
“I sincerely hope that the Government will take into consideration these factors in reviewing the subsidies for the tertiary institutions. Perhaps, greater efforts could also be put in place to review the operating costs of these institutions to ensure cost effectiveness. And if eventually the fees are to be raised and the loan scheme is to be introduced, I would urge the Government to ensure that the repayment terms do not overstretch the young graduates who may be trying to start a family and a career. Next, keeping healthcare affordable. Healthcare cost is one of the greatest concerns of Singaporeans, especially among the older generation. The Government has given assurance that healthcare will remain affordable here. There was a proposal to introduce means testing in healthcare services, especially in the hospitals. Means testing may be a good way to channel our limited resources to those who really need them. However, I would like to urge the Government to proceed cautiously and to consider several factors. Firstly, we must assure people that the Government is not taking this opportunity to reduce overall subsidy as a means to reduce the budget deficit. Secondly, the criteria for the means testing must be transparent and fair. Household income should not be the only criterion. There should also be some flexibility when there are special circumstances, such as handicapped members in the family. Thirdly, a tiered system is preferable rather than an all-or-nothing system. This is already the case for some of the Ministry's existing subsidy schemes. I would suggest that greater public consultation be carried out before means testing is introduced into our system. Next, building the next generation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in his Budget Speech, DPM Lee outlined the Government's strategy for building a strong society. He highlighted four areas of focus: a) Achieving excellence in higher education; b) Keeping healthcare affordable; c) Building the next generation; and d) Ensuring adequate finances for retirement. Sir, I would like to share my views on these areas. Firstly, higher education. Indeed, our people are our strength and our most valuable asset. The Government has consistently adopted an education strategy that allows our people to realise their potential to the fullest. Subsidies were granted generously to finance our education programmes from pre-school to tertiary education. This strategy has served us well. Therefore, I am concerned when DPM mentioned that a review would be carried out on the subsidies given to tertiary institutions. I feel strongly that we should be cautious in this review and that it is perhaps not the right time to raise fees in the short term. There are three reasons for my concern. Firstly, a higher fee may encourage more Singaporeans to study overseas. This would run counter to our efforts to increase university enrolment. Over time, this may also lead to an increased outflow of talent, if some of these Singaporeans decide not to return. Secondly, degree holders are naturally expected to enjoy higher income. This will translate into higher income tax payable. Therefore, it will be a double jeopardy for them if they are required to pay higher fees for their education. Thirdly, the economic recession in recent years has already stretched many Singaporeans, and it would be an added burden if they have to shoulder higher fees for their higher education.”
“Does the doctor do nothing and allow a Christian of that sect to die without giving him a blood transfusion so that his much-wanted organs can be donated to sick patients who are in grave need of those organs? I know these are difficult medical and ethical questions, but they have to be discussed openly and, hopefully, a consensus can be arrived at.”
“Since the Bill has now widened the list of organs to be extracted for transplantation from a dead person, the important question one would ask is: when is a person dead? Is a person dead when his brain is dead? Again, I would like to get the Minister's assurance that Singapore has all the know-how and the medical equipment to diagnose a person to be brain-dead. Not long ago, a Taiwanese lady was thought to be brain-dead when she was in England. But when she was rushed back to China and given treatment, she recovered, so the report goes. I hope that such incidents shall never happen in Singapore, otherwise it can be embarrassing for Singapore, which is working to be a medical hub of this region. I am informed that Singapore, like the United States of America, has acceptable standards of what constitute brain death. I believe so. But I would still like the Minister to comment on this. This Bill raises many medical and ethical issues. For example, how can a doctor take a human organ from a donor and at the same time not explain to him that there may be a risk to his life, or that he may develop health complications later on? Or how can a doctor convince himself that a donor has really given his full consent to donate one of his organs? After this Bill is passed, it would appear that a doctor can legally take the organ of a deceased Muslim for transplantation when that Muslim has not opted out of the Act. Will the doctor do that, knowing that many Muslims interpret their religion as prohibiting the donation of human organs? In the case of Jehovah's Witnesses, their branch of Christianity prohibits the transfusion of blood.”
“When there is evidence of trafficking in human organs in Singapore, I urge the Government to be strict on those wrongdoers, especially when a criminal offence is detected. As regards the relationship between the donor and the donee of the human organs, it would appear that the Government still insists that there must be some kind of a close relationship between the donor and the donee of the organ. This is illustrated by the recent case of Ms Andrea De Cruz and her fiance, Mr Pierre Png. In that case, I was told that a Buddhist monk had volunteered to donate part of his liver to Ms De Cruz, but the Director of Medical Services rejected that offer on the ground that there was no close relationship between the monk and Ms De Cruz. The rationale is that where there is no close relationship in terms of family members, there is always a doubt as to whether the consent by the donor was genuine. In that case, Ms Andrea De Cruz had a happy ending, as she was saved by the donation of part of the liver by her fiance Pierre Png. In my view, in cases of living donors, I hope that the Director of Medical Services shall still insist on a close relationship between the donor and donee of the organ to ensure that there is genuine consent on the part of the donor of the organ. If the close relationship is comprised of a blood relative, it shall all be for the better, because the organ donated shall have a better match with the donee and the chances of rejection shall be less. As regards the First Schedule of the Bill, it allows, in addition to the kidney, the liver, heart and cornea to be removed from a deceased person for transplantation.”
“In addition to the enlargement of the list of organs allowed to be harvested from deceased persons, the Bill, when it becomes law, shall allow living persons to donate their kidneys and part of their livers for transplantation to another living person. Doctors soon shall also be allowed to harvest organs from dead persons who have not died from an accident. All in all, this Bill, when enacted, is a breakthrough in medical science in Singapore. The scope for getting organs from deceased persons shall soon be very much widened, and donations of organs from living persons shall also be allowed. Although I agree to the donations of organs by living persons, at the same time, I sincerely hope that the Minister shall satisfy himself that there are sufficient safeguards against abuse and trafficking of human organs. I note that the punishment under new section 15A(4) is only a $10,000 fine and a maximum of 12 months' jail and, under new section 18A, the Director can compound an offence under the Act for only $2,000. Under these kinds of seemingly light punishment, some people may think it is worthwhile to flout the law and indulge in trafficking of human organs or induce an unwilling person to sell his kidney for, say, $10,000. In turn, the trafficker may market the kidney for 10 times that price to a desperate rich man who needs a kidney transplant to save his own life. As regards the jail sentence, normally a prisoner can get a one-third remission of his jail term. So, a person who trafficks in human organs can get off with an 8-month jail term and come out to enjoy his $100,000, less the amount he has paid to the seller of the organ.”