Gan Siow Huang
Singapore
“So, it is both regulatory codes and also review of existing regulations for us to move both new buildings and existing buildings toward higher adoption of solar as well as other environment sustainability measures. On the third question on strengthening our local ecosystem, that is a really good question.”
“Mr Speaker, BCA had conducted a public consultation to review various aspects of the Building Strata Management Act, and this includes the proposal to lower the resolution requirement for third-parties solar ownership models. They are exploring a reduction from 75% to possibly 50%.”
“This year, the Government has set aside $800 million under the Decarbonisation Grand Challenge, to support research and innovation in low-carbon technologies. This includes energy storage systems and grid modernisation.”
“I want to thank Mr Azhar Othman on his comments. I fully agree that data centres, they are energy guzzlers. In fact, data centres are also actively looking for alternative solutions that are more sustainable. Electricity imports, hopefully, if we can get that coming, using renewable energy sources.”
“Speaker, I would like to respond to Mr Fadli Fawzi's earlier question on petrol prices at the petrol stations. Singapore has a competitive and open economy, and prices naturally would fluctuate in response to various factors, including changes in global supply and global demand.”
“It is actually premature for us to give any meaningful and useful advice to companies that may potentially be affected by the Section 301 investigations. We are following up with the US authorities to try to better understand the reasons as well as the coverage of these Section 301 investigations.”
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“It is just an advisory and a caution issued to the exporters and the businesses. I want to also reassure Members here that the expanded search powers will not be exercised frivolously. Where a search warrant is required, its application must be made on reasonable proof that the premises contain evidence relating to the offence. To conclude, I would like to reiterate that this amendment Bill will do two things: first, strengthens Singapore's regulatory framework for the issuance of Trade Information Certificates by authorised certificate issuers; second, strengthens Singapore Customs' investigative powers to uphold the integrity of our trade regime. Mr Speaker, trade is three times our gross domestic product and is the lifeblood of Singapore's economy. With the support of the House today, this Bill will strengthen Singapore's position as a trusted and efficient trading hub and also maintain the competitive edge of Singapore's economy. Sir, I seek to move.”
“Against deliberate offenders, Customs will not hesitate to prosecute them and publicise serious fraudulent cases to reiterate the Government's zero tolerance for deliberate violation of Singapore laws. Finally, let me address the points raised on ensuring proportionality in the strengthening of Singapore Customs' enforcement powers. Members had questions and also some suggestions on safeguards and thresholds for granting search warrants for books and digital records. Providing powers for enforcement agencies to inspect computers and associated devices is necessary in today's digital age. The use of such devices in import and export transactions is now standard practice, with related documents often stored electronically and serving as key evidence. As digitally-stored records can be moved or altered quite quickly, it is crucial to grant investigators the powers to inspect these devices to ensure that the investigations are effective and efficient. I want to assure Members that every effort will be made to strike a balance between effective investigations and minimising disruption to legitimate business activities, and these are the majority. Most are legitimate. Customs will be very discreet and careful when applying for powers to search or to look through their documents. Singapore Customs' powers will be exercised solely to facilitate investigations into potential offences committed by businesses with the intent to defraud our trading system. I was looking through the breaches that Customs had detected in the past few years. The majority of breaches were administrative in nature. Some may be mistakes in the date of transaction or the number of the shipping container. For such mistakes, usually, Customs takes a very light touch.”
“At the same time, we need to ensure that proper safeguards are in place, to be confident that the Trade Information Certificates are credible. To this end, Singapore Customs will authorise only an applicant that is deemed "fit and proper" to issue certificates. In addition, the Minister may make regulations, imposing requirements that applicants must satisfy in order to be authorised certificate issuers. The amendment also provides for a transparent process under which errant authorised certificate issuers may have their authorisations suspended or revoked. Another issue highlighted by Members is on deterring and detecting offences related to Trade Information Certificates. Singapore Customs will continue to take a firm stance against deliberate false declarations on goods and will not hesitate to take action against violations of our domestic customs or trade regulations. For effective enforcement of our laws, Members would agree that Singapore Customs must take a risk-based, multi-prong approach in detecting, deterring and penalising offenders. To detect non-compliance, Singapore Customs uses data analytics, information received from domestic and foreign counterparts, and non-intrusive cargo screening technology to identify suspicious declarations or shipments. To deter potential offenders, Customs issues circulars to remind businesses on the criteria for determining country of origin of goods and warn companies of the seriousness of committing fraud. Customs will also be very careful about how they share the information and issue advisories, especially when the mistakes made are administrative in nature and are genuine honest mistakes by people who are not familiar with the rules.”
“Singapore Customs regularly updates businesses on new information or changes in procedures through its website and circulars. This includes new entities authorised to issue specific Trade Information Certificates and changes to the types of certificates allowed for issuance. Businesses can also seek information and guidance from the Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment. This is set up by Enterprise Singapore and Singapore Business Federation. Through the Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment, businesses may receive tailored support and practical business solutions. The Centre for the Future of Trade and Investment also regularly organises workshops, forums and seminars to assist businesses in enhancing their trade competencies and capabilities. Our SME centres will also similarly advise SMEs on grants and support is available for them to be able to comply and be effective in the trade system. Second, on matters related to non-governmental authorised certificate issuers. Currently, four chambers of commerce and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation are authorised to issue Certificates of Origin. These five organisations are required to carry out their duties in accordance with the Regulation of Imports and Exports Act. Singapore Customs regularly monitors these organisations to ensure that their verification of Singapore-origin goods is sufficiently robust, and this is helpful for businesses. With the amendment, other non-governmental and private entities can now apply to Singapore Customs to be authorised certificate issuers. This gives businesses more options on where they can obtain Trade Information Certificates.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the hon Members Mr Victor Lye, Mr Gerald Giam, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and Mr Ng Shi Xuan who have spoken in support of the Bill. I just want to clarify upfront that this Bill essentially seeks to preserve Singapore's reputation as a credible trade hub by ensuring that the Trade Information Certificates issued in connection with the Act are issued properly and the effectiveness of our enforcement against offences. Currently, manufacturers and exporters are expected to abide by respective record-keeping requirements stated in the preferential tariff arrangement or agreement. This Bill does not amend or add to these requirements. The introduction of the offence provision seeks to reinforce this requirement and ensure proper retention of records as specified in the preferential tariff arrangement or agreement. Such records would include copies of documents that were needed for the issuance of those preferential Certificates of Origin, such as commercial invoices and packing lists, which manufacturers and exporters are familiar with. Also, just to reassure Members here, the penalties prescribed are aligned with similar offences regulated under the Act. Let me cover a few other points that have been raised. First, on the impact of the Trade Information Certificates framework on businesses. Members have called for facilitative approaches and clear communication with businesses. I agree. I thank the Members for the practical suggestions made and we will consider them and take in feedback and further suggestions, especially from the businesses, trade association chambers, and exporters themselves. There are avenues for businesses that require assistance to understand their responsibilities and comply with the regulations.”
“Regardless of the outcome of the tariffs negotiation, I think Singapore will continue to look at how we can go to more markets where we think it makes business sense for our pharmaceutical exports.”
“I seek Speaker and also Members' understanding that the negotiations are still ongoing. And I think it is sensitive for us to disclose information about companies that are considering coming to Singapore at this point.”
“I will answer both questions together. Indeed, it is in our interest to try to continue to be an attractive place for investments and R&D in the pharmaceutical sector under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan. We have committed $28 billion for research and innovation with the intent to accelerate human health and potential as one of the key focus areas. This includes funding to drive research and translational efforts in the biotech and life science sectors. We will be announcing the research funding under RIE 2030 later this year. At the same time, we will continue to invest in talent development, both our local as well as drawing foreign talent, so that we can have a competitive sector to attract businesses and R&D to Singapore.”
“We are still having negotiations with the US administration. In particular, Deputy Prime Minister Gan just had a virtual meeting with US Secretary Lutnick last week on a broad framework and the details are being followed up. The negotiation details are confidential. I am sure Speaker and Members in this House will clearly understand this point. I think we also have to take note that the preferential tariff rates secured by countries like Japan and Korea for their pharmaceutical exports were part of broader negotiations with the US on reciprocal tariffs. We have to be realistic at this point, but at the same time, we are working our best to negotiate for the good of our Singapore economy and the companies here.”
“The Singapore Government is still currently in discussion with the US on preferential tariffs arrangement for our pharmaceutical exports to the US. I think it is really too early for us to tell whether the prices of pharmaceutical products in Singapore will be affected. But we will certainly make sure that healthcare will continue to be accessible and affordable for Singaporeans.”
“It is actually really too early to tell if there would be a change in the manufacturing and R&D investments in Singapore arising from this set of new tariffs on the pharmaceutical products. But also, I think we have to understand that beyond tariffs, companies will consider a range of other factors in making their investment decisions in Singapore, including our political stability, rule of law and the pro-business environment that we have here, global and regional connectivity that we will continue to enhance, and best-in-class infrastructure and access to skilled workforce. We will continue to look at how we can diversify our sectors in our economy. As I said earlier on, the ESR is looking into this and will be providing an update on the strategy going forward.”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary questions. As of 2024, 13% of our domestic exports to the US were pharmaceutical products. And this makes up 19% of our pharmaceutical exports to the US. It is unclear at this point on the details of the tariffs, differentiating between the patented and the non-patented products.”
“[Please refer to "Impact of US Tariffs on Singapore Companies and Economy, Update on Negotiations and Support for Key Sectors", Official Report, 22 September 2025, Vol 96, Issue 2, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.] We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide further support as needed. Our economic agencies continue to attract new manufacturing and R&D investments from global companies, provide support to our local enterprises and create good jobs for Singaporeans. However, the US tariffs and related global developments do point towards a changed world with greater uncertainty. The five committees undertaking the Economic Strategy Review (ESR) are developing recommendations on the strategy to grow our economy for the longer term and will provide an update in due course.”
“Mr Speaker, on 25 September 2025, the US announced a 100% tariff on any branded or patented pharmaceutical product with effect from 1 October 2025, unless companies are building manufacturing plants in the US. It is unclear whether they will be subject to the tariff, once their building works are completed. The implementation of this tariff has since been delayed to allow time for pharmaceutical companies to negotiate exemptions with the US administration. The pharmaceutical industry is a key contributor to Singapore’s economy, with eight of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies having manufacturing, and research and development (R&D) activities here. Between 2022 and 2024, Singapore’s pharmaceutical exports to the US averaged S$3.7 billion per year. These are primarily active pharmaceutical ingredients instead of finished products like tablets and capsules. We do not have a breakdown by branded and non-branded pharmaceutical products. We have been engaging Singapore-based pharmaceutical companies on the impact of the US tariffs. Many already have plans to build new capacity or expand their existing facilities in the US and are awaiting further details from the US administration to confirm that their plans would qualify for the tariff exemption. We are also in discussion with the US administration on a preferential tariff arrangement for Singapore’s pharmaceutical exports to the US and will provide an update when ready. On the immediate support measures for Singapore businesses, including pharmaceutical companies, a written reply had been provided to a similar question raised by Mr Saktiandi Supaat at the Sitting on 22 September 2025.”
“I thank Ms Valerie Lee for her supplementary questions. First of all, I would like to emphasise that the Pulau Ubin micro-grid users are already paying a lower electricity rate compared to the actual operating cost of this micro-grid. And it is also lower than most other non-micro-grid users on Pulau Ubin, who are relying on diesel generators. It is true that the micro-grid electricity consumers are paying 80 cents per kilowatt hour. This is largely determined based on the cost of generating electricity using the micro-grid. We are reviewing this and we do hope that there will be newer technologies to help generate electricity for the Pulau Ubin micro-grid at a lower cost. In the meantime, if there are households, especially those who are vulnerable or elderly who have difficulty paying the electricity bills, we will be very glad to work with Ms Valerie Lee, as well as the residents, to look at how we can provide some financial relief for them. I think we also have to take a step back at this point to look at pricing of services and goods on Pulau Ubin. There is a very different treatment from mainland users who are using the SP grid. For example, car owners on Pulau Ubin, they do not pay the Certificate of Entitlement and also for those who are drawing water from the wells, they do not pay water bills. So, I think it is a bit difficult for us to just simply look at one piece of the cost of living issues and use that to determine then what we should do in terms of equalising the electricity tariff for the residents and the business consumers on Pulau Ubin.”
“I thank the Member for raising the two supplementary questions. I think our policies have to be taken in our local context – looking at the lifespan of seniors in Singapore and also to calibrate all our policies according to our local needs. We will, however, continue to review our policies so that they are kept relevant and also support households that are in need. To the question of reducing or providing concessionary levies for all households in Singapore hiring MDWs, I would like to reiterate the point that the purpose of the levy as a pricing mechanism is to regulate the number of MDWs in Singapore. Today, we already have a growing and quite a large number of MDWs. We need to have some lever to be able to regulate the overpopulation of MDWs to keep it sustainable. If there are households that the Member is aware of who are in financial need and require domestic help, please highlight to MOM. We will look at the case. 1.01 pm”
“Mr Speaker, the foreign worker levy is a pricing mechanism to regulate the number of migrant workers in Singapore so that the employment of migrant workers is commensurate with need. The levy is currently $300 per month for the first migrant domestic worker (MDW) and $450 per month for subsequent MDWs. To support families with greater need for MDWs, a concessionary levy of $60 per month is granted to local households with caregiving needs, defined as having either: (a) a Singaporean child below 16 years old, (b) a local elderly person at least 67 years old, or (c) a local person with disabilities living in the household. For other households, the concessionary levy of $60 will not apply. Households that require help for lighter domestic chores may consider engaging part-time housekeeping services under the Household Services Scheme which could cost less than employing and providing for the upkeep of an MDW.”
“Singapore's unadjusted gender pay gap has reduced from 16.0% in 2002 to 14.3% in 2023. Our adjusted gender pay gap, which adjusts for differences in occupation, industry, hours worked, age and education, narrowed from 8.8% in 2002 to 6.0% in 2023. Singapore's adjusted gender pay gap compares favourably with other countries, such as the United States and Canada, both of which are around 8%. The key factor driving gender pay gap in Singapore is occupational segregation. In other words, there tends to be a lower share of females in higher paid occupations, such as business development managers, managing directors, chief executives and general managers. Likewise, for STEM-related occupations, there is still a higher proportion of men than women although the proportion of women in STEM jobs has increased over time from 28.8% in 2013 to 35.2% in 2024. We will continue to work with tripartite partners and community stakeholders to support women's participation in the workforce and help them enter and remain in occupations of their choice, including in traditionally male-dominated industries. This way, women do not fall behind their male colleagues in terms of career, experience, progression and hence, wages. This includes measures, such as FWAs, promoting shared-caregiving responsibilities at home, as well as career drives, networking and mentorship programmes. The Workplace Fairness Legislation will also help further reduce the gender pay gap, as women will be protected against discrimination based on their sex that could inhibit their entry into and progress in careers of their choice, especially in the male-dominated and higher-paying occupations.”
“Chairman, as I said earlier, the decision on which public holidays to observe was only reached after very careful consultation with religious groups in Singapore in the past which, undoubtedly, required difficult decisions for the leaders from each faith to take. Any move to reinstate a festival, such as Thaipusam, as a public holiday, may invite competing claims from members of other communities, both religious and non-religious. Maintaining the current balance has served Singapore well and continues to be the sensible approach. Regardless of the intervening years and the progress that we have made, this is a sensitive issue. We should not take Singapore's economic progress for granted and look to introducing additional public holidays at every opportunity. And while we cannot designate all important festivals public holidays, there must be understanding and regard given for Singaporeans to observe occasions that are significant to them. That is why we urge all employers to show understanding and flexibility in this regard.”
“Members may also access these materials through the MP@SGPARL application. As Minister Tan See Leng shared yesterday, the Government is committed to supporting every Singaporean in their career journey at every life stage, and with greater support for those in need. While the Government has a role to play in empowering our people, we also recognise that true transformation requires the support and action of those at the heart of our economy – our businesses, workers, tripartite partners and community partners. For that, I thank all those who have worked closely with us. Together, we can break down barriers, challenge stereotypes and continue to build an inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to contribute meaningfully and play a role in our shared progress.”
“This will help them start accumulating retirement savings earlier and benefit from CPF compound interest. 11.45 am (In English): With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I ask the Clerk to distribute an infographic that summarises the support schemes available at different life stages?”
“A key initiative is the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-Being at Workplaces introduced in 2020. It provides practical guidance on measures that employers can adopt, such as tapping on Employee Assistance Programme to offering counselling support for employees. Beyond the consultations and workshops offered by the Total Workplace Safety and Health Programme, SkillsFuture Singapore has also funded various courses relating to mental wellness for self, peers and employees. Training Providers for such courses are able to contextualise the content to suit the needs of organisations, including SMEs. Further support is also available through the Well-being Champions Network and National Council of Social Service’s Peer Support Specialist Programme, which offer additional resources and training for workplace mental well-being. Mr Chairman, I will now say a few words in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] To encourage employers to provide job opportunities for persons with disabilities and ex-offenders, MOM will extend both the Enabling Employment Credit and the Uplifting Employment Credit until 2028. Under the Enabling Employment Credit, eligible employers who hire persons with disabilities can receive up to $400 per month in employment credits. This amount will be increased to $800 per month for the first nine months of employment if the newly hired employee with disabilities has not been employed in the previous six months. Under the Uplifting Employment Credit scheme, employers who hire ex-offenders can receive up to $600 per month in credits during the first nine months of employment. From 2026, we will also expand the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme to benefit eligible persons with disabilities regardless of their age.”
“Highlighting selected characteristics or scenarios may not achieve this broader intent and may give the impression that characteristics or scenarios which are not mentioned are not covered. I would like to reassure the Member that we will continue to collaborate with community groups to raise awareness on the TGFEP and refer any individual that faces workplace discrimination to TAFEP for advice and assistance. On supporting the well-being of workers in the workplace, I would like to thank all those who have raised suggestions. Ms Hazel Poa suggested increasing the number of public holidays by three days for Hari Raya, Thaipusam and Chinese New Year. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim asked for the inclusion of Thaipusam as a public holiday, echoing similar requests by other Members such as Mr Gan Thiam Poh in the past. The current configuration of public holidays in Singapore is the outcome of careful deliberations and consultations with various religious groups at the point of Singapore’s Independence. Over the years, we have learnt to live harmoniously as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, with everyone making some compromises for the greater good. We encourage employers to make it possible for Singaporeans of all faiths to observe their respective religious festivals. Maintaining the current balance has served us well, and it continues to be the sensible approach for Singapore. Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Mr Edward Chia and Miss Rachel Ong asked how we can continue to promote mental wellness in our workplaces, especially amongst SMEs that may not have built up dedicated infrastructure to support such initiatives. To equip companies, especially SMEs, with the resources and know-how, the tripartite partners have rolled out various initiatives.”
“I am heartened that the proportion of firms offering FWAs increased in the last year from 68.1% in 2023 to 72.7% in 2024. Firms such as Sheng Siong are continuing to explore how they can leverage FWAs to better attract and retain talent. On supporting women to take up leadership roles, Mr Desmond Choo suggested mandating that 40% of company boards comprise of women. I thank him for his support for women. But such measures to mandate some kind of quota, if there are not enough women who are ready for such roles, could actually unintentionally affect the credibility of women at the workplace over the long term. Singapore has put in place voluntary targets to accelerate the representation of women on boards and we have seen good progress. Through the Council for Board Diversity’s efforts to shift mindsets of boards towards appointing more diverse candidates, as of end December 2024, the percentage of women on boards of top 100 Singapore Exchange-listed companies reached 25.1%, which is a more than three-fold increase from 7.5% in 2014. To build inclusive workplaces we have taken steps to strengthen fair and merit-based employment practices. The Workplace Fairness Bill, which was passed earlier this year, will provide an additional layer of protection against workplace discrimination. Mr Louis Ng suggested clarifying on TAFEP’s website that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is covered under the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP). To reiterate, the Government does not tolerate any form of workplace discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The TGFEP covers all forms of workplace discrimination and the listing on the website is not meant to be exhaustive.”
“As Mr Sharael Taha pointed out, building inclusive workplaces requires a shift in workplace culture and norms. The Tripartite Guidelines on FWA Requests launched in April last year aim to facilitate this. Mr Edward Chia would be glad to hear that we are working closely with trade associations and chambers, as well as our community partners, to raise awareness of the guidelines and help both employers and employees understand how the guidelines can help them. Some partners have even gone further to develop resources to support their members in adhering to the Guidelines and implementing FWAs. For instance, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) has helped raise awareness of the Guidelines through briefing sessions and these have reached more than 650 companies thus far. Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked for an update on the outcomes of the Guidelines. As these Guidelines have only been in effect for three months, it will take some to observe its impact on workplace norms and culture. However, I am happy to see that the Guidelines have prompted more open conversations about FWA requests. One such employer is Sheng Siong Supermarket. As an employer in the manpower-tight retail sector, Sheng Siong is leveraging FWAs as part of its strategy to retain employees. The company recently introduced staggered working hours for their office employees, as well as options for alternative work schedules for those in frontline operations. For example, instead of a standard six-day work week, frontline employees may request for a five-day, four-day or even three-day work week, with commensurate adjustments in the salary. With a formal FWA policy in place, Sheng Siong is able to observe trends in their employees’ needs, which helps the company identify ways to support their employees.”
“We are enhancing the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) to support reskilling of mid-career new hires and employees on jobs with flexi-load arrangements. CCPs provide employers with salary support when they reskill mid-career new hires or existing employees into growth job roles identified under the Industry Transformation Maps or Jobs Transformation Maps. These roles span about 30 sectors, including financial services, retail, built environment, and information and communications. The CCPs currently cover only full-time jobs. However, from 1 April 2025 onwards, we will enhance CCPs to support reskilling of mid-career new hires and employees in jobs with flexi-load arrangements such as part-time work. To qualify, they must be reskilled into growth job roles and be employed on permanent terms or contract terms of at least one year. For instance, a cybersecurity company looking to hire a part-time employee can now tap on the CCPs to hire and reskill a mid-career worker from another sector. During the training period, WSG will fund up to 90% of the worker's salary, capped at $7,500 per month. Besides making part-time work more viable, we are building on our efforts to foster family-friendly workplaces so that workers can give their best at work and at home. Mr Louis Ng has called for parent care leave to support caregivers of elderly parents. We are open to ideas on how to better support caregivers, including those who wish to work. When considering additional leave, we must be mindful to balance caregivers’ needs with the potential impact on businesses. Working caregivers have also highlighted that flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are a more sustainable way to manage work and caregiving responsibilities, which is something that we have made progress on.”
“Today, John’s company continues to support his professional development by employing him in upskilling courses. For John, the reintegration process has been challenging but rewarding. Reflecting on his journey, he shared: "The hardest part of reintegration was believing in myself again. I am grateful to the company for hiring me and trusting my ability to value add to the organisation. This job has been crucial in rebuilding that self-confidence". As John continues to grow in his new role, his success story is helping to reshape perceptions of ex-offenders, paving the way for more inclusive hiring practices in Singapore. Next, I will share more on our efforts to support the employment of women and caregivers. Many women shoulder the caregiving responsibilities for their children, elderly parents or family members with disabilities. Some caregivers have had to take a break from their careers to care for their family members full-time. While others are able to continue working, they deal with challenges like burnout as they try their best to balance the demands from work and family. Whether at home or at work, we want women and caregivers to feel supported in managing their roles and be empowered to pursue their career aspirations. Women in Singapore have made progress. The employment rate for women aged 25 to 64 increased from 73.3% in 2019 to 78.3% in 2024. This means more women who wish to remain in work or return to work have found the opportunities to do so. However, as Mr Desmond Choo, Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Miss Rachel Ong have pointed out, there is room to do more, and we agree. Mr Mark Lee suggested better support for training of part-time workers.”
“For example, a 25-year-old person with disability who receives a top-up of $2,000 every year up to the lifetime cap of $20,000 will receive about $110,000 more just in CPF interest alone by the age of 65, as compared to an individual who receives top-ups from 55 years old. We hope such efforts will help persons with disabilities build up their nest eggs early and approach retirement with a greater sense of security. Let me move on to how we are strengthening employment support for ex-offenders. For ex-offenders looking to rejoin the workforce, the idea of reintegration can feel daunting at times. However, they are not alone in this journey. WSG partners with Yellow Ribbon Singapore, which provides employment assistance and post-placement support to inmates and ex-offenders. These initiatives are further supported by the Uplifting Employment Credit which provides wage offsets to employers that hire ex-offenders. In 2024, the Uplifting Employment Credit supported the employment of more than 1,500 ex-offenders hired by about 700 employers. Building on the positive responses, MOM will be extending the Uplifting Employment Credit for three years, until 2028. Under the Uplifting Employment Credit, eligible employers of ex-offenders can receive a wage offset of up to $600 per month for the first nine months of employment, amounting up to $5,400 for each new ex-offender hired. One such individual who has benefited is John, not his real name, who secured employment with a communication services company in 2023. As an associate engineer, John provided backend support for customer accounts that were assigned to him. Over time, his duties expanded to include tasks like data analytics work.”
“Mr Sharael Taha and other Members would be glad to hear that since its introduction in 2021, the EEC has contributed to the steady increase in the employment rate of persons with disabilities, which rose from 28% to 34% over the past five years. One individual who has benefited from the EEC is Emily. Despite the challenges she faces due to her intellectual disability, Emily has been keen to work and persevered through her job search. After completing training at the Centre for Inclusive Employment at the Enabling Business Hub @ Jurong, her job coach matched her to a job in packing and order fulfilment with Zyfas Pharma Pte Ltd Singapore, a pharmaceutical products wholesaler. With support from her job coach and supervisor, Emily is doing well in her job and has been converted to permanent employment since January 2025. Besides attaining greater financial independence, Emily's new role has enabled her to become more confident through greater participation in the community. We also want to support persons with disabilities to save more for their retirement needs. Today, under the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS), the Government provides a dollar-for-dollar matching grant to encourage CPF top-ups for eligible Singaporean seniors from age 55. 11.30 am As announced by the Prime Minister, the MRSS will be expanded to include eligible Singaporeans with disabilities of all ages from 1 January 2026. This will help individuals like Emily to accumulate their savings for retirement earlier. They will be able to benefit from the compounding effect of CPF interest over a longer runway.”
“Chairman, much has been said about our workforce and workplaces transforming. What remains unchanged is our commitment to ensure that every member of society is able to participate fully in the workforce and achieve their aspirations. Allow me to, first, share how we are enhancing support for persons with disabilities. To foster inclusive workplaces for persons with disabilities, we are developing a tripartite advisory for reasonable accommodations. Our objective is to raise awareness and shape mindsets around the concept of reasonable accommodations in the workplace, guiding employers and employees to discuss accommodations that will suit their specific work context and needs. This will support persons with disabilities in employment, giving them the chance to thrive in the workplace. The Government also encourages the hiring and training of persons with disabilities through SG Enable's Open Door Programme, which provides grants and employment support services to organisations that hire persons with disabilities. Each year, about 630 persons with disabilities are successfully placed into jobs through this programme, and more than 80% of them remain in employment for at least six months. To further facilitate the employment of persons with disabilities, MOM will extend the Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), for three years, until 2028. Under EEC, eligible employers of persons with disabilities receive a wage offset of up to $400 per month. This goes up to $800 per month for the first nine months of employment if the new hire was previously not working for at least six months.”
“I have also replied that for our university graduates, we look beyond the last three years. We look at the last decade. And I think it is important that we not just look at a longer timeframe to ascertain the trend and whether there is some intervention that we require, but also look at beyond the six-month mark. So, beyond six months after graduation, what is the employment and employability of our graduates? I think that is more meaningful.”
“But I would like to say that while there was a decline in the graduate employment for that group, there are also more and more polytechnic graduates whom we see would want to upgrade themselves beyond a diploma. That also affects the employment outcomes for this group. So, I think it is useful for us not to over-generalise the graduate employment of our polytechnic and our university students together. And to the question of whether it has become harder for university graduates to find a job, I explained quite extensively earlier on. The Graduate Employment Survey is just a snapshot of the employment situation at the six-month mark after graduation. I think it is important for us to take a step back and look at the employment of our Singaporean adults in the age group, say 25 to 29. What we see is that the trend has been quite stable. The employment rate is 95% and the long-term unemployment for this group is very low. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister of State for Education", Official Report, 7 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 160, Correction By Written Statement section.] Rest assured that we will continue to look out for our graduates' employment outcomes and we are ready to make adjustments so that graduates will be able to find fulfilling jobs that meet their aspirations and needs.”
“For the two supplementary questions, I will answer the second one first. Certainly, yes, we believe in a broad-based education for our students. From the time they enter our mainstream education, we already start equipping them with different sets of skills and with some specialisation as they go into our tertiary education institutions. And even in the tertiary education institutions, students actually have the ability to choose various other modules beyond their specialised courses, so that they will have also adjacent skills that help broaden their employability. And certainly, we will continue to review the course syllabus and offerings to our graduates. We do this in close partnership with the industry and the sector agencies. Actually, beyond the technical skills and the professional skills, it is also important to equip our graduates, whether from polytechnics, the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) or universities, with useful life skills, so that they are able to navigate uncertainties and also be able to pick up new knowledge and skills beyond graduation. And I think that is important. So, lifelong learning, getting our graduates to understand that what they have learned or picked up in the first 15 years of their education, while it is enough for them to be able or for most of them to be able to get jobs, they still need to upgrade themselves. And if they are in a sector that is disrupted due to external environmental conditions, then all the more it is important for them to have the relevant life skills and the gumption to pick up new skills. On the first question, Mr Pritam Singh made reference to polytechnic graduates. The Minister for Education gave a very long reply. I will not repeat it.”
“Post-COVID, we saw a sudden surge in demand for workers in ICT and also a spike in the starting salary for graduates in this sector. I recall seeing some of these headline figures, some companies offering $8,000 and above for fresh graduates from our universities going into this sector. The market has kind of stabilised in more recent times. We know that there are some graduates in ICT who are able to get employed very quickly and still being offered very high salaries. But the demand has tapered and so, we are also seeing some graduates who feel that perhaps if they wait a little bit more, they might be able to still find a job with similarly attractive high salaries. I think there is transition going on now. We do ask our graduates who are still looking for a job to speak to career coaches and keep in touch with the Career Centres in the universities so that they are more updated on the industry trends. On graduates who are in ICT, there is actually still a very high demand, although we also know out there in the market, there is some churn, some consolidation, some retrenchments as well. So, it is understandable that the hiring of our graduates in this sector has softened. There are enough jobs though in our economy. And as you can see, the full-time employment rates of our employed graduates in the 25 to 29 age group remains decently high – about 95%, if I recall correctly. It means that our graduates from ICT actually do have the flexibility to go to jobs that are in adjacent sectors too.”
“We will continue to do our best to support every graduate out there to be able to find a job that suits their needs.”
“The higher median salary that we are seeing reflects the market trends and also how more of our graduates are being drawn to the growth sectors. Over the years we have also adjusted the university places in courses that we deem to have higher market demand, as well as high interest of our students. So, actually, in terms of absolute numbers of our fresh graduates from the AUs, it has grown over the last five years. And we see that more are going to the growth sectors with higher salaries. Hence, there is this increase in median salaries of our graduates as a whole. To the Member's question, whether there could be skills gap, our universities always work with the sector agencies and industry leaders to look at the skills required for the jobs that are available today. We try as well to project ahead what might be the future skills. It takes about three to four years in the universities for our students before they graduate. And it is therefore important that we always update the curriculum to make sure that our graduates are equipped with the relevant skills by the time they graduate. Also, in my earlier point, in response to Mr Xie Yao Quan's question, the Graduate Employment Survey just gives us a snapshot at the six-month mark. We do know that amongst those who responded that they were unemployed after six months of graduation, actually, about half of them had received job offers, and about I think two-thirds of this group that received job offers that had still not yet started work, they were going to start work in due course. And the remaining one-third of this group that had job offers reject the job offers for various reasons. So, the texture is not as straightforward as what is seen.”
“To put things in context, the Graduate Employment Survey provides a snapshot of graduate employment outcomes approximately six months after graduation. The employment rates for Singaporeans aged 25 to 29 have remained broadly stable over the decade along with low long-term unemployment rates. In 2024, about 95% of this age group were in full-time employment. This suggests that our graduates do not have prolonged job search difficulties. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister of State for Education", Official Report, 7 March 2025, Vol 95, Issue 160, Correction By Written Statement section.] There are fluctuations in sectoral employment rates and these are to be expected given the cyclical nature of the economy and the labour market. We will continue to work with the sector agencies to monitor these outcomes to see if there is a more persistent trend. For specific sectors, such as the Built Environment and Manufacturing, and in addition to the cyclical effects, these have also tended to be sectors that have faced greater challenges attracting graduates into the sector. There are ongoing efforts by the sector agencies and industry to review how they can better attract graduates into these sectors. On the second question, to ensure that our graduates are equipped with skills that are needed to access good employment opportunities, MOE regularly reviews together with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Ministry of Manpower the forecasts of sectors' investments and from there, adjusts the university places for each course. This takes into account the employment prospects of graduates from various disciplines alongside national manpower needs and of course, the students' interests.”
“These continuous efforts will enable our curriculum to remain relevant and responsive to market demand. The AUs will continue to engage industry partners to organise industry talks and career fairs to expose students to emerging sector trends, in-demand skills and connect them with potential employers. Alongside the broad-based employment support and career guidance offered to all students and graduates, personalised career coaching is also available at the respective AUs' Career Centres. Graduates who require further support in their job search may reach out to the Career Centres, even after graduation. They may also tap on the career matching services and online resources offered by Workforce Singapore and the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC’s) Employment and Employability Institute (e2i).”
“Employment rates are affected by various factors such as economic and labour market conditions. The employment rates of fresh graduates from Autonomous Universities (AUs) have remained broadly stable over the decade, with some year-to-year fluctuations due to cyclical changes. The labour market saw a strong recovery in 2021 and 2022 post-COVID. In comparison, while the labour market was still tight, there was lower hiring demand and fewer job vacancies in 2024. We also observed some graduates taking longer to secure full-time employment in 2024. These may have contributed to the reported decrease in full-time permanent employment rate and increase in the unemployment rate of graduates from our AUs at six months post-graduation. Even as there was a broad decline in full-time permanent employment rates, some clusters such as Health Sciences and Business continued to see strong employment outcomes. Median salaries for fresh graduates have also continued to rise, with a year-on-year increase of 4.2% in 2024, even as the total number of fresh AU graduates increased over the past five years. This indicates that employers continue to value the skills of our graduates. It also reflects the Government’s commitment to creating good jobs, especially in the growth sectors. Beyond cyclical fluctuations, we will continue to monitor broader social trends, such as evolving market demand, changing job preferences and aspirations, including more work flexibility and higher salary expectations, that may also affect the employment of our graduates upon graduation. Apart from the Graduate Employment Survey, which tracks employment outcomes six months after graduation, the Government also monitors medium-term outcomes of our graduates through periodic labour market surveys.”
“Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 1, 2 and 3 in today's Order Paper, as well as related Parliamentary Questions (PQs) by Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Leong Mun Wai, which are scheduled for 10 and 11 March, together.”
“And this presented a clearer pathway for individuals to enter the cybersecurity field and also for existing cybersecurity professionals to understand what kind of skills and training that they have to go for if they want to advance further in their careers. And individuals who go for such training are being recognised by employers. I think this type of collaboration is helpful to get employers to see the benefits of skills-based hiring. Not to forget, of course, HR. HR is another group that we need to develop for them to be able to support the employers and co-workers in understanding the benefits and operationalising skills-based hiring. So, there are lots of work that we need to do in addition to the very long list of things I mentioned in my speech earlier on on how we can support employers to take on skills-based hiring.”
“Mr Patrick Tay asked how he can nudge more employers to take on skills-based hiring and employment practices. I think we need to understand the "why" and the "how" for the employers. Why would they want to do it? We know that Singapore has a very tight labour market. It is quite common to hear the feedback that employers are unable to find suitably skilled or the number of workers to fill the jobs' needs. We are working with the trade associations and also with employers to help them see how, by going for skills-based hiring, by breaking down the skills, analysing the skills that they really need, instead of just broadly stating, "Oh, I need a university degree. I need a diploma in that", which are very broad and maybe not very sharp in defining the skills that they really need. By taking on skills-based hiring, employers can better find employees that meet their business needs and make the business more competitive. So, the "why" is something that we are working on. The Career Health SG that I mentioned earlier on, something that WSG and SSG are working on to get more employers on board, is an exciting development. It is not going to be an easy feat. Indeed, a lot of effort needs to be put in to help employers see the benefits of this programme. The other thing that I want to bring up would be leveraging Queen Bees, for example, and also the skills development partners. An example is the Singapore Computer Society. Singapore Computer Society, together with SSG, launched the skills pathway for cybersecurity last year.”
“These are currently being studied and we hope to share more soon. Before I conclude, I would like to quote our former Deputy Prime Minister Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who first spoke on SkillsFuture in 2014. He said: "We must be a place where everyone has the opportunity to build on their strengths, developing the skills that enable them to maximise their potential, earn their own success and contribute to society. It's about respecting the innate dignity of every citizen – the sense of fulfilment that comes from playing their full role and being valued for their contributions to society. It is the way we create a truly inclusive society." Mr Tharman's vision of SkillsFuture remains relevant today. To realise the SkillsFuture vision, we must build strong partnerships with employers, unions, training providers and empower individuals to make informed choices on lifelong learning. The Government will play an enabling and integrator role. Together, we can help every Singaporean realise their potential and enable businesses to thrive, even in an age of disruptions.”
“These support measures I have mentioned also apply to freelancers that Ms See Jinli Jean asked about. Freelancers aged 40 and above could use the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit to offset their out-of-pocket training fees and also apply for the training allowance when pursuing training full-time or part-time training. Finally, SkillsFuture requires the support of the Training and Adult Education sector that provides the crucial last-mile delivery of training to our adult learners. Mr Patrick Tay suggested consolidating the CET ecosystem to break down programme silos. Today, we have taken a market-driven approach, allowing diverse training providers – IHLs, accredited CET Centres and private training providers – to provide training. This has helped to expand CET capacity and enabled the CET system to be responsive to diverse and evolving needs of different sectors and CET learners. On the Members' suggestions to streamline programme offerings where needed and strengthen course accreditation, SSG has stepped up its quality assurance framework, to regularly prune the CET system of poorer-performing courses and training providers. We are also continually improving our sign-posting of training opportunities for both individuals and employers, so that they may better navigate the ecosystem. Just as important, we must push for higher quality and professional standards within the Training and Adult Education sector. Today, the Institute for Adult Learning supports adult educators through training courses to keep their skills current with industry developments and professional development programmes. Going forward, we will also explore new ways to support adult educators and professionalise the Training and Adult Education sector.”
“After 30 years in the defence and maritime industries, Mr Song's role was unfortunately made redundant during the COVID-19 pandemic. He saw the potential to make a meaningful career switch, choosing the healthcare sector. He took up a five-month SCTP in Therapy Support at the HMI Institute. After receiving 90% course fee subsidies, he fully offset the remaining out-of-pocket fees of $1,300 using the $4,000 SkillsFuture (Mid-Career). Mr Song graduated from the course in September last year and is now working as a Therapy Assistant at St Andrew's Community Hospital where he finds meaning in supporting elderly stroke patients in their rehabilitation journey. From next Monday onwards, mid-career Singaporeans who pursue full-time training like Mr Song can apply for the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance. The training allowance is sized at 50% of their average salary over the latest 12-month period and the payout will range from $300 to $3,000 per month. From next year, we will further extend the training allowance to selected part-time training, fixed at $300 per month. Eligible part-time programmes will include part-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme and part-time full qualifications and the stackable micro-credentials constituents offered by our IHLs. More details will be shared later. Individuals can receive training allowance for a maximum of 24 months, regardless of full-time or part-time training. On Dr Wan Rizal's question on support for lower-wage workers' training, MOM will enhance the Workfare's Skills Support to provide a similar monthly training allowance to lower-wage workers aged 30 and above who pursue long form full-time or part-time training.”
“I want to say that since the expansion of the Lifetime Cohort Participation Rate from 2023, we have seen more students admitted to our AUs. This means that more Singaporeans have the opportunity to take up significant training, not just at 18 years old but throughout their lives. Our approach is not to perpetuate a paper chase. Rather, our approach is to support purposeful, timely attainment of relevant knowledge and skills, with the qualification serving to reflect the mastery attained. We remain committed to providing opportunities to realise the diverse strengths and aspirations of our students, while keeping in mind the needs of our economy and employers' confidence in the quality of our graduates. We have significantly enhanced training support for mid-career Singaporeans aged 40 and above, who are at higher risk of skills obsolescence. Since launching the SkillsFuture Credit (Mid-Career) top-up of $4,000 in May 2024, I am heartened to see that more than 28,000 Singaporeans have tapped on the $4,000 top-up. To ensure that the Credit utilisation ultimately supports meaningful careers as pointed out by Ms Foo Mee Har and Ms Mariam Jaafar, we have curated over 7,000 courses with stronger employability outcomes, including market-recognised full qualifications and their stackable micro-credential constituents offered by the IHLs and SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme (SCTP) courses and so on. SSG will work with sector agencies, industry and training providers to provide these courses and to refresh them regularly. This is to ensure that the courses are of high quality and can support economic and manpower needs. Mr Song Wentao who is 56 this year is one beneficiary of the SkillsFuture (Mid-Career) top-up.”
“For example, we are piloting Jobs-Skills Integrators in the precision engineering, retail and wholesale trade sectors that have higher concentrations of SMEs and mature workers. Job-Skills Integrators (JSITs) play a critical role in identifying jobs and skills needs in the sector, connecting employers with appropriate solutions. Skechers Singapore is a company that has benefited from this pilot. Working with JSIT-Retail, led by the Singapore National Employers Federation, in partnership with the NTUC and WSG, Skechers implemented redesigned job roles and training, to streamline and automate its inventory tracking and goods retrieval system. Skechers successfully achieve a higher productivity operating model and upskilled its workers to take on higher-value roles such as data analysis and route planning. Encouraging employers to adopt skills-first HR practices will be a key next bound focus. To support that, WSG and SSG have launched Career Health SG, which seeks to equip employers with tools and resources to support skills-first hiring and develop their workforce. More details on the initiative will be progressively rolled out in this year. Next, maximising individuals' potential. Career Health SG also signals a key shift to bridge careers and skills. Through the initiative, we hope to empower individuals to plan their careers and chart their careers and skills journey. More details on the Career Health SG will be covered in the MOM COS segment today. To support individuals taking ownership, we have expanded opportunities in upskilling. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim asked whether entry criteria to certain local universities could be eased to take in all students as long as they meet the absolute entry criteria.”
“The success of the SkillsFuture movement must ultimately be measured by whether Singaporeans have the confidence and competence to seize emerging opportunities in life and also whether enterprises can find skilled workers among the local workforce to capture new business opportunities. To this end, we must continue to strengthen the key partnerships between employers, individuals and training providers. They are the cornerstone of the SkillsFuture movement. 4.45 pm Let me highlight the priorities for SkillsFuture going forward. First, deepening the involvement of employers in skills development and training must remain a key priority. Employers complement the Government in skills investment and create enabling conditions to support workers' upskilling. They help inform individuals' training decisions when they identify their skills needs and articulate them. Employers can also create greater confidence for workers when they recognise the skills and competencies attained. We will double down on our current suite of support measures in helping employers and enterprises, especially SMEs, take relevant skills action. For example, by providing jobs and skills insights, online resources and tools as well as substantial support to defray training and other workforce development costs such as generous SSG's course fee subsidies at up to 90% for SMEs, a fresh $10,000 SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit from second half of 2026, which will be enhanced to allow out-of-pocket costs to be offset upfront and corporate tax deduction for eligible training that has been enhanced from 100% to 400%, up to $400,000 per year, under the Enterprise Innovation Scheme. We cannot achieve this alone and will require the partnerships of our sector intermediaries.”
“In the last three years, SSG disbursed about $440 million annually in course fee subsidies. More than 40% of the subsidies went to trainees who were sponsored by their companies. Companies that sponsored workers for training also saw positive returns in productivity, as seen in a Ministry of Trade and Industry study in 2021. In line with these efforts, the Government has been stepping up expenditure on CET, from $0.5 billion in 2015, to more than $1 billion in 2024. With the investments, we significantly enhanced our landscape of industry-relevant training programmes, catering to training needs for adults across different ages, professions and sectors, and we have helped more individuals and employers access such training through enhanced subsidies, especially for mid-careerists and SMEs. While the training participation rate of the resident labour force fell, we saw an increase in the number of employees sponsored by their companies for SSG-supported training programmes. In 2024, more than 550,000 individuals, and that is about one-fifth of our local workforce, took up training with subsidies from SSG, about a 7% increase compared to 2023. Ms Foo Mee Har suggested that we target funding at programmes with stronger employment outcomes. We fully agree with that. In fact, SSG has already moved in this direction. From this year, the highest level of SSG's funding is given only to courses that deliver strong manpower outcomes, such as the SkillsFuture Work-Study Programmes which combine classroom learning with structured on-the-job training. Today, SkillsFuture has become one of the key pillars of our refreshed social compact.”
“Mr Chairman, our nation's SkillsFuture story started in 2015. Our aim was to help Singaporeans develop to their fullest potential throughout life and also to build a fair and inclusive society. In the same year, we introduced the SkillsFuture Credit Scheme, giving $500 to Singaporeans, to empower adults to continue to learn, upskill and reskill, whether in their early career, mid-career or silver years. Singaporeans use the Credit to improve their employment prospects or simply to pursue their interests and acquire skills to lead more fulfilling lives. In 2020, we embarked on the Next Bound of SkillsFuture to strengthen enterprise ownership of upskilling. It is challenging but necessary to strengthen the link between individual upskilling, employment outcomes and business competitiveness. We stepped up efforts to support employers in building up workplace learning and capabilities in upskilling their workers. We also pioneered the SkillsFuture Queen Bees. This marked a key shift to engage industry leaders as queen bees to uplift their sectors with skills advisory and training support for companies. Today, SSG has appointed 37 SkillsFuture Queen Bees in 14 sectors, benefiting 5,300 companies in these sectors. ST Engineering Land Systems Ltd is the latest appointed SkillsFuture Queen Bee, supporting the precision engineering sector. It will work with National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC's) Company Training Committee, allowing companies in precision engineering to also benefit from NTUC's expertise and resources. This deliberate shift in focus has seen results. The number of employers participating in training supported by SSG has doubled from around 12,000 in 2018 to more than 24,000 in 2024 and the majority are SMEs.”