Gan Thiam Poh
Singapore
“Chairman, the ComLink+ Progress packages aim to support the efforts of eligible lower-income families with young children to help them achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility.”
“Madam, our maritime sector has been a key growth engine for our economy and provide many jobs and business opportunities. In addition to being an international maritime centre, Singapore is the top bunkering port and busiest container transshipment hub in the world.”
“Chairman, in rating the quality of public transport, most commuters would consider the following factors, such as safety, affordability, connectivity, reliability, accessibility, frequency, speed and last but not least, comfort. All these factors contribute to our commuters’ experience, which many of us go through almost daily.”
“Chairman, many of my residents are appealing to have MRT stations in the proximity of their homes. Will LTA reconsider a new MRT line to support residents at Seletar, Yio Chu Kang, Fernvale at the central, north and northeast zones to the city at the south, and new Woodlands North, as well as to Changi Airport on the east and Tuas on the…”
“Chairman point-to-point (P2P) services play an important role being a convenient and, at times, essential supplement to our public transport system, by providing direct access to specific locations. Our main P2P providers are taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV).”
“Chair, our hawker centres are our national canteens and provide a wide variety of affordable food to suit more palates and budgets. We have had many popular hawker centres sited all over Singapore, which have served residents over many years.”
The complete record
Every one of 667 lines we hold for Gan Thiam Poh, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 10 of 14.
“Mdm Speaker, I support the amendments to the Act. Let me declare that I am also an employee of a local bank. The Act itself will enable MAS to regulate the consumer and corporate credit reporting business. The enhanced Act will afford greater confidentiality and security to customers in the protection of their credit information. I have some concerns and suggestions for the consideration of the Minister. Firstly, I would like to ask if more supervision can be applied to the format of the credit information collated by the LCBs. If the format is standardised, it will help ensure consistency and minimise confusion among the users. It would be a disservice to consumers and businesses if misunderstandings arise due to different presentations and layouts. While I understand that formats are usually not hardwired into legislation, credit reports are sensitive documents which can have an important impact on families and livelihoods. Hence, consistency and clarity are very important. Secondly, will there be grading guidelines or standard credit rating models for businesses to use, if such information is available? If different credit rating bureaus use different models of assessments, the conclusions of their credit reports for the same client can be very different. Standardised models help to enhance transparency. Hence, I would like to seek clarification on this aspect. Mdm Speaker, let me continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support MAS' decision to prescribe the process and turnaround time for updating credit records.”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. May I know, how many employers have participated so far in those schemes that the Minister had mentioned? And how effective have they been? And will the Ministry reach out to more businesses or companies to start these programmes, in order to reach out to more affected workers?”
“Finally, I would like to ask, on behalf of some employers, what provisions this tribunal have for cases where the employees had wilfully injured themselves in order to file claims against their companies. Can such cases be adjudicated through this tribunal?”
“Having a dedicated tribunal which can investigate and mediate will provide more assurance for our workers. It would be necessary to put a cap on the legal fees or provide legal aid so that suffering workers will not be deterred from making legitimate complaints. (In English): Next, I would like to ask what happens if the employer has filed to wind up the company or if the proprietor or partners have been declared bankrupt. In such scenarios, there will be a limitation as to how much the tribunal can help the employees. Would the Minister share with the House what provisions does the Court have in such situations? I note that under clause 15, the claimant may abandon the excess amount, so that the tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and determine the claim. However, once the claimant has abandoned the excess amount, he cannot recover that amount in a tribunal or any other Court. I feel strongly about it. I feel otherwise. I think that the claimant should be given the option to pursue the excess subsequently, even those within a limited time frame. We must understand that most of our population are working people with immediate financial needs to meet – children to feed, education, medical fees, mortgage and instalment payments, parents to support and so on. Page: 102 The expeditious recovery of salaries due is to minimise hardships to the claimants and their dependants. When the claimant's situation is stabilised later, he should have the chance to recover any additional funds. He should not be penalised for choosing a quick interim solution to reduce the negative impact on his family.”
“Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill, which will provide for the expeditious resolution of salary-related disputes through the ECT. I am happy to note that most employees, regardless of their salary levels, will have access to this resolution avenue. For now, civil servants, domestic workers and seafarers will be excluded as they have other avenues. However, I hope that they will be included soon to ensure universal access and reduce confusion and duplication. In addition, may I suggest that the ceiling for claims be pegged to our inflation rate so that it will be revised periodically in a timely manner? I am disappointed that other workplace disputes, such as emotional and physical abuse, discrimination and unfair dismissal, cannot be resolved through this tribunal. Workers will still have to pursue these claims through MOM, if they are covered under the EA, or through the civil Courts, which can be costly. Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Recently, one of my residents approached me for help as his employer in the marine engineering sector had been cutting his pay repeatedly to force him to quit. His case is not uncommon. There are also employers who place unreasonable demands on their workers or practise psychological warfare to pressure them to resign. Most employees cannot afford the legal fees to prove their cases and seek compensation for such maltreatment. Employers are aware of this and some exploit their workers in the knowledge that they will not be held accountable. Illiterate, mentally and physically disabled and elderly employees are particularly vulnerable. I urge MOM to look into this loophole and close it for better protection of our workers.”
“I want to credit the Ministry for the tremendous effort made in providing childcare services for the residents. I have one question on this. May I know if the Ministry is on track to meet the projected demands for manpower and, if not, what is the contingency plan to meet the demands?”
“Madam, the Ministry has made substantial investments in the childcare sector in the past few years. One particular development which I must commend is the greater number of childcare centres set up at workplaces. This has increased by 50% from 2012. The 390 childcare centres at workplaces were also well spread out. This means greater convenience and peace of mind for Page: 80 more parents. Could the Minister share with us the key areas where improvements in the childcare sector have been made? How does MSF intend to build on these achievements in the next few years? Infant Care and Childcare”
“The Senior Minister of State shared that there will be a new hawker centre to be built in Fernvale, Sengkang. May I know whether it will include a wet market, as requested by the residents there? She also shared that since the removal of the reserve price, 45% of those who bidded to rent the hawker stalls got the stalls at $1,500 and below per month. I have heard before that some cases got the stalls for single-digit rental; how many of them were there? And two-digit rental, how many of them? Would NEA consider reviving the scheme to allocate hawker stalls to help those in the low-income group who wish to be a hawker to run a hawker stall using all these vacant stalls?”
“I think this is a valid and viable social objective today and we should continue to provide this means of earning a living to those who need it.”
“Mdm Chair, what are the plans to improve our levels of public cleanliness and achieve the kind of standards achieved in Japan and Taiwan? We used to have campaigns to urge Singaporeans and residents not to litter and to cooperate in keeping our public spaces and common areas clean. Since the campaigns stopped, our level of cleanliness has worsened over the years. We should seriously consider restarting the campaign in four languages. In Taiwan, the tireless public education efforts include ceaseless reminders in public areas not to litter and to keep clean. We can certainly learn from the effectiveness of the Taiwanese. With the amendment to expand the Community Volunteer (CV) scheme to allow NEA to appoint individuals as CVs, we will have more people to assist with enforcement on the ground. Would the Minister give us an update on the CV scheme? In addition, how many people have been caught for littering in the past year and what are the profiles of these typical offenders? How many had been fined and how many had to perform corrective work orders? Does the Minister think that corrective work orders and fines have been effective deterrents? Hawker Centres Next cut. I would like to ask if the locations of our new hawker centres in Sengkang have been confirmed. Can NEA look into plans to allocate hawker stalls to applicants from low-income groups and train and equip them with the skills to operate and manage the stalls successfully? Providing Singaporeans who may have no other skills with a way to earn a livelihood and support their families by running a hawker stall was one of our social objectives in the early days of nation building.”
“Mdm Chair, the prolonged dry season has a devastating impact on the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor which supplies much of our water to us. What measures can we take to reduce the loss of water there? I would also like to ask the Ministry what are our plans to ensure that we have enough water and ensure our water resilience? Our current water strategy has three parts: maximise collection, water treatment and desalination. Would the Ministry update us on the development plans to increase our water catchment areas, including our drains, canals and waterways? What new technologies have we adopted or developed to treat used water? Have there been any new advances in our desalination technologies? Water is precious, as my colleague has said, and we need to minimise wastage and leakage. Would the Minister share how serious is our problem of water wastage and leakage and what is being done to rectify this? Do we have plans to implement stricter criteria for buildings to ensure that they install water-saving devices? Page: 52”
“Mdm Chair, when I read about AMAP's recommendations to MOT in March, I was very worried about the recommendation that cyclists and users of PMDs share footpaths with pedestrians. I have heard of many cases of residents who had bad experiences with errant cyclists. Of course, I support cycling as a healthy activity and an environmentally responsible way of getting around. Unfortunately, it is difficult to enforce responsible cycling behaviour and it is almost impossible to get errant cyclists to take on responsibility for their victims, unlike in traffic accidents. They are not licensed. Neither are their bicycles. They do not even take the Highway Code. There is no recourse for the victim and also no proper legal framework for insurance claims or resolution of disputes. Vulnerable pedestrians, such as the elderly and young children, will face a higher risk from cyclists once they start sharing footpaths. I urge the Ministry to reconsider building separate dedicated paths for bicycles − in Mandarin − "请三思". Enforcement of Bicycle Rules”
“Mdm Chair, MSO was set up to resolve municipal issues, especially those which involve multiple agencies or where the lines of reporting are not clear. MSO's objective is to provide a convenient single point of contact for residents to make reports and coordinate multiple agencies or Ministries to help solve the problems at hand. I would like to ask the Ministry what some of the technologies are which MSO and its partner agencies have utilised to improve service delivery to residents so far.”
“For instance, the minimum occupation period for families under this scheme could be longer. Furthermore, the Government should look into the reasons these families sold their first flats in the first place. For instance, if the family had sold their first flat to pay off the gambling debts of a problem gambler within the family, then this problem gambler should be identified and referred to specialists for help so that history would not repeat itself.”
“A number of these applicants could have been co-owners for their parents' flats because their parents could not afford or run into difficulties servicing their mortgages. Later, when these applicants get married, they would be considered second-timers, and by the time they wanted to upgrade or downgrade, they would be considered third-timers. Would the Ministry consider allowing them to do so, subject to the restriction that they can only sell the flat back to HDB? Helping Low-income Families Singapore is often credited for its successful housing policy. According to the latest statistics, the home ownership rate of resident households in Singapore is 90.8%. However, we must also consider the other 9.2% who do not own their homes. In particular, we should help the low-income families with young children secure home ownership. I would like to ask if HDB would consider increasing the number of 2-room flats that it is building. These will be more affordable for the low-income families. Those who are currently living in public rental flats would prefer to own their own flats eventually. Families with low incomes struggle to secure mortgages. It is especially difficult for second-timer families that are not eligible for the more generous first-timer grants and concessionary loans under HDB. These families should be given a second chance to secure a home. Not only would home ownership motivate them to stay in their jobs and work hard, it would also provide a stable environment for their children. 3.30 pm Hence, I strongly support the new Fresh Start Housing Scheme which would provide families with children in rental housing a second chance to own a home. Of course, measures should be put in place to prevent people from profiteering off this scheme.”
“Mdm Chair, the Executive Condominium (EC) is a good scheme and meets the aspirations of Singaporeans for affordable, higher-end flats with the finer finishing and facilities of private condominiums, such as swimming pools and function rooms. However, there are concerns that the price of ECs may be getting beyond the reach of middle-income Singaporean households. Would the Government consider putting an upper limit on the pricing of each type of EC unit or limiting the type of frills which can be included in the development plot so as to ensure that EC flats will always remain affordable? Removal of Income Ceiling I would like to propose the removal of the income ceiling for the purchase of flats directly from HDB for first-time applicants. Increasingly, many couples are getting married later due to the pursuit of higher education and work commitments. By the time they meet their other half and get married, their combined income would have exceeded the income ceiling. I hope we can give every couple a chance to own and live in an HDB flat. In addition, it may not be a bad idea to have a few more families with higher incomes live within an HDB estate. There should be more opportunities for people of different income groups interacting with one another for better community bonding. Removing the income ceiling could improve social integration and enhance social stability. HDB may consider selling flats to those with higher incomes with reduced subsidies. Third-time Applicants for HDB Flats Next, I would like to appeal to the Ministry to consider giving third-timer applicants another opportunity to buy their own flats. Some of these applicants might have run into financial difficulties or have personal problems which result in them having to sell their flats.”
“Mdm Chair, recently, there have been some issues with privately-run education institutions. The Council for Private Education (CPE), which is responsible for regulating our private education sector, has the challenging task of ensuring the quality of these schools. As of last year, only 57 of the approximately 300 private schools hold the four-year EduTrust quality mark. Page: 46 Many more courses in diverse fields will be offered under SkillsFuture. If CPE's experience can be used as a benchmark, it will be challenging to "patrol" so many programmes. In addition to setting up accreditation frameworks, we need regular enforcement to ensure the rigour and quality of the courses. How can we ensure that prospective students are enrolling in reliable and relevant programmes? Next Steps for SkillsFuture”
“— and the preventive measures that CNB is putting in place to reach out to our youths? I would also like to know if the CNB has any other plans to address the issue. Soft Drug Usage among Under 30s”
“The number of cases of youth drug abuse has been increasing. In 2015, almost 70% of the new drug abusers arrested were below the age of 30. "Ice" or methamphetamine and heroin are the most commonly abused drugs. "Ice" is more popular amongst young drug abusers who have the misconception that it is less harmful and less addictive than heroin. Youths who abuse heroin often do not fully understand the damage they are Page: 58 inflicting on themselves. "Ice" appears deceptively harmless as it has short-term upsides with delayed, long-term damage to the abuser. Upon consumption, ice acts as a stimulant and causes the user to feel more energetic. It also decreases appetite. Young drug abusers use "ice" as a party drug, to improve performance in studies or sports and to lose weight. However, "ice" has debilitating long-term effects, such as liver, brain and heart damage, leading to strokes and even death. According to the CNB report in 2015, there have been signs of an increasingly tolerant attitude towards drugs, especially amongst youths. Such attitudes could have been influenced by the legalisation of marijuana in several states in the US for medical and recreational use. However, Singapore has always had a zero-tolerance attitude towards drugs and I believe that we should continue to do so. Would the Ministry share with us what are the specific reasons for the rising number of youth abusers in Singapore —”
“The main reason is that women are better educated and have better opportunities in their careers. Parents have shared with me that sometimes, both husband and wife need to work late or travel overseas, and it would be ideal if they can leave their young children in their usual infant or childcare centres beyond the current operating hours. Nannies, compared to centres, are usually more flexible. Would the Government look into possible solutions for this problem? Twenty-four-hour care services will also be helpful for workers who work shift work. Alternatively, some parents leave their children in the care of their elderly parents. As a token of recognition for their contribution, the Government may wish to consider allowing them to claim the subsidies which would have been claimed by infant or childcare centres. I do not consider this to be monetising something which many grandparents do for the young in their families. Rather, the money would help to ease the burden of the young parents in raising a family. With this, I conclude with my support for the Budget. 1.36 pm”
“SkillsFuture will keep our workforce updated and versatile and well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of the job market. The quality of our workforce will play an essential role in attracting investments to Singapore. And, of course, the Government must continue to work hard to bring in good quality investments which will provide good jobs with attractive salaries or wages for Singaporeans. While we could possibly equip Singaporeans with skill mastery, multi-skill sets as well as lifelong skills learning in meeting the dynamism and rapid changing economic challenges, it may be necessary for all of us to rethink of our pursuits in life. This may mean it warrants a further review of our long-term commitment in life, such as HDB and private property prices. It may be prudent to reduce the property loan tenure to not more than 20 years in meeting shorter skill life with the advent of technological advancement and stiff market competition. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation for the various measures which support families with children. The Child Development Account (CDA) First Step grant, the KidSTART initiative and the Fresh Start Housing Scheme are thus useful and helpful. However, we would probably not see any significant increase in the number of babies next year. For our fertility rate to improve, we would need to invest more in building up our infant care and childcare infrastructure and system. While it is relatively easy to hire foreign domestic workers to look after babies, there is also a demand for good infant care. Finding such services in convenient locations and with well-trained staff is not easy. When I was a child, I recall that it was quite common to find homemakers who are also nannies. Today, there are far fewer women doing this work.”
“This will be a much more proactive approach and will underscore how seriously we view the problem of low productivity gains and our collective determination to overcome this challenge. Another issue which we have to address urgently is the growing number of PMETs who have been retrenched. The middle and older PMETs are particularly hard hit, and this is a group usually with mortgages to service and still supporting children in school and elderly parents – the typical sandwiched class. I am deeply concerned with the re-employability of these middle aged or older PMETs as they tend to be vulnerable in an economic downturn, becoming the easy choice of the company's cost-cutting restructuring measures rather than exhausting other alternatives, such as collective wage freeze and adjustment. I urge the Government to explore incentivising employers instead to keep the jobs for all these experienced PMETs. Mdm Speaker; the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) runs a Professional Conversion Programme to help jobseekers re-skill themselves and to gain the necessary knowledge and competencies to take on new skills. Unfortunately, this programme does not guarantee the same pay for the workers. Perhaps, we should allocate more funds to the Career Support Programme (CSP) which offers more opportunities to mature Singaporean PMETs for mid-level and above jobs. The CSP has a wage support component and makes it attractive for employers to hire such individuals in any job that pays a gross salary of at least $4,000 a month. With business cycles getting shorter, skills can become obsolete very quickly. SkillsFuture will come in very useful, not just for our PMETs, but all Singaporean workers.”
“It is like "sending charcoal in a snowy day". I also support the measures to enable persons with disabilities who is above 13 years old to be eligible for the Workfare Training Support (WTS) Scheme. Through working, persons with disabilities also hope to have a career, live a meaningful life and contribute to the family and the country. We therefore should give them more support. (In English): Next, on the subject of levy increases for S Pass holders in every sector and work permit holders in the construction and services sectors. While I can understand the rationale behind this decision, I feel that we must be cautious towards over-reliance on foreign workers. The impact on business costs is substantial and comes during a time when businesses are facing more difficult and challenging conditions. I feel strongly that we should rethink and keep in view the levy increases for all the businesses for this year. Higher levies just add onto the business cost burden without necessarily resulting in the desired productivity gains. This brings me to the next subject of improvements in productivity. There are various Government assistance schemes to help our companies work towards gains in productivity. However, there are cases when a company just does not know how to go about improving its productivity, let alone access the appropriate schemes. Also, different sectors have different problems, and within each sector, companies serve different niches which present their own unique problems. I appeal to the Government to provide expertise to our local enterprises to help improve their productivity as part of an entire ecosystem overhaul.”
“However, while their businesses benefit, they risk having lower revenues, too, in view of aggravated downward pressure due to lower material prices while faced with high capital outlay made in the last few years. Hence, we have to be careful when we measure productivity based on revenue or by its face value. Companies may have to work doubly hard to obtain the same revenue. Hence, our enterprises have to move to secure higher value jobs to compensate for the downward pressure of costs. At the same time, companies still have to tackle significant business costs, like rent which can be reduced further. For example, JTC can set the lead to bring down the cost component as it is a major player in the market. Great efforts by Government agencies with strong support from Singaporeans continue to be warranted to attract and bring in quality investment that can give Singaporeans the five "C"s – namely, comparative advantages, competitive edges, competencies, capabilities and capacities that can generate quality and well-paying jobs for Singaporeans. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I welcome the move by the Government to raise the income ceiling of the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) from $1,900 to $2,000, benefiting about 460,000 Singaporeans. In addition, the Government will also start paying WIS on a monthly basis instead of quarterly. This measure is welcomed by workers as they can receive WIS more quickly. Another welcome measure is that workers now only need to work for one month to qualify. Raising the income ceiling and simplifying the qualifying criteria will provide financial support for workers, and helping more workers to keep their jobs. Amid the current economic uncertainties, these measures are very timely.”
“Mdm Speaker, I welcome this Budget. I am glad that the Government has decided to opt for an expansionary fiscal policy this year with 7.3% higher total spending over last year. We are indeed fortunate that we can afford such an increase due to increases in both Operating Revenue and higher Net Investment Returns Contributions (NIRC). Can the Government provide more details of the projects to be launched this year with the fiscal expansion and how many of them are likely to benefit our local SMEs? I hope the Government will look into launching proportional higher number of projects that can be undertaken by SMEs which employ about 70% of Singaporean workforce. I am looking forward to the changes the Industry Transformation Programme can bring to our business landscape. It aims to offer a more targeted and sector-focused approach to restructure our companies and drive their growth through productivity gains and innovation. I certainly hope that our SMEs will be proactive in their approach to these new measures and work with the Government agencies to take their business to the next level. Many companies are so focused on their day-to-day operations or meeting deadlines that they fail to take advantage of the benefits of the various schemes the Government has launched due to their circumstances. It is also challenging for them to make the short-term adjustments which are inconvenient but necessary for them to progress. The present economic environment presents a good opportunity for many companies to leverage on the low commodity prices and work on projects with reduced costs of production.”
“Coming back to the question of the "unsuccessful rate", the Parliamentary Secretary just mentioned about the financial capability of the spouse. Besides that, are there any other major reasons for the rejection?”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. Are there plans to increase any benefit for LTVP+? I understand that they are also not counted as part of the foreign worker quota for employers.”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, I would like to know how the authorities deal with those high-rise littering units when we cannot ascertain who in the family did the act. Another problem we all encounter frequently is that some HDB residents would leave rubbish in the public space around the rubbish chute, instead of disposing it properly or bringing it to the rubbish collection centre downstairs. I think NEA and the relevant agencies should explore how to solve this problem. I agree we should give the volunteers enforcement powers. I also feel NEA should make efforts to use technology to improve their enforcement efficiency and avoid human errors as well as unnecessary disputes. At the same time, the enforcement officers could perhaps conduct their duties in plain clothes to achieve better outcomes and efficiency. Mdm Speaker, recently a foreign friend of mine told me that it is easy to tell whether someone is a Singaporean overseas. One telling sign is that, if you hear someone asking, "Where is the rubbish bin?", then surely this person is a Singaporean! This remark proves that Singaporeans do have a very good habit of not littering. They usually would look for a rubbish bin. Ultimately, what we want is that even when there are no rubbish bins around, we can still keep our environment clean and hygienic, just like the Japanese and the Taiwanese. (In English): We are capable of creating a new improved social norm where every Singaporean will take an active part to maintain an enjoyable common living space through the amendments of this Bill. I support the Bill. 3.44 pm”
“Just as our police and traffic police are equipped with cameras and recorders to support their enforcement work, all environmental officers and CVs should all also be similarly equipped. This will prevent abuse by offenders and reduce disputes. There had been some concerns over the selection criteria for CVs. I hope the Ministry will ensure a stringent screening process to choose suitable candidates. They must have the right public spirit, good communication skills and care deeply about our environment. Adequate training and periodic re-training should also be provided to keep our CVs updated. This, together with the technology used, I believe, would address the concern raised by another Member of Parliament just now. I would like to make a suggestion regarding offenders who have to perform Corrective Work Orders. They should be made to perform their work orders both at the place of the original offence and in the estates where they live. The sense of responsibility towards one's environment must also be nurtured from young. Everyone must feel the sense of community ownership and the need to protect one's surroundings, and to keep it clean and liveable. Hence, I welcome the announcement by MOE to involve our students in the daily cleaning of our schools; it is being done in Japan and Taiwan. Not only will we inculcate the right attitude towards the environment in our young, they will also pick up real life skills. Of course, the tasks must be age-appropriate. Our students will also realise how difficult a cleaner's work can be and refrain from irresponsible behaviour such as littering. They will also learn to respect the work and learn the value of work, regardless of whether they are white or blue collared. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin.”
“Mdm Speaker, I welcome the Bill. It is timely in view of the growing problem of littering. Last year alone, the number of littering fines hit a six-year high of over 26,000. This was a huge 32% increase over 2014. The number of corrective work orders for littering had more than doubled from 688 in 2014 to 1,300 last year. Seven in 10 of these litterbugs, in fact, were Singapore residents. This is consistent with a survey by NEA in 2010 which found that one third of Singaporeans would litter, if they thought they could get away with it. I find it very disappointing, frustrating and puzzling that a nation which has made so much progress and has such a well-educated population should have so many citizens with such a disregard for their surroundings. It is time for stronger measures to be implemented to drive home the message that littering will not be tolerated. We must have a sense of urgency to combating littering due to the surge in the number of dengue cases and the emergence of the Zika virus, both of which are transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. Litter, especially plastics and cans, act as receptacles for water from our frequent rains and breed mosquitoes. The amendment to expand the Community Volunteer (CV) scheme to allow NEA to appoint individuals as CVs will provide a boost to the headcount available for enforcement. Presently, only members of environmental-related societies or a council gazetted under the EPHA can apply to become CVs. In addition, the amendment to explicitly appoint Auxiliary Police Officers as authorised officers will be useful. With more eyes and ears on the ground, we are taking a step in the right direction to eradicate littering.”
“I thank the Minister. I just want to find out if maintenance cost will also be considered, besides the capital cost in the study.”
“Give me one more minute, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In the General Elections last year, Singaporeans sent a very clear signal: Singaporeans want a stable, safe, prosperous, caring and harmonious society, a Singapore that is fair and just, where all are treated equally, regardless of race and language. They want a responsible, efficient, clean and good Government that is willing to serve the country and the nation, to create a beautiful home together with the people. They also want an ideal and reliable Opposition party in Parliament, to have more voices in Parliament without affecting the Government's efficiency or crippling the administration. Therefore, I agree with the Prime Minister's political reform proposals. They will be able to meet the needs of the country and expectations of Singaporeans. 6.39 pm”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I also agree with my fellow Parliamentary colleagues with regard to Australia's measures to prevent property speculation by foreigners. We can follow the example of Australia, whereby foreigners, including permanent residents, can only sell their houses to Australians. In terms of the design of 2-room flats provided for singles, I also hope that the Government will bear in mind the needs of these singles during their twilight years. I support HDB's policy of co- Page: 78 locating 2-room flats with other flat types within a block of flats. This will prevent single flat owners from facing the difficulties of living alone. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, it is better to teach our people to fish rather than to feed them. We have to strive to give every Singaporean lifelong opportunities to not only pursue one's interests but also do well and be the best, if not the best of the best. This will ensure Singapore will continue to attract quality investments that provide quality jobs for Singaporean entrepreneurs and workers.”
“On executive condominiums (ECs), I also hope that the Government will consider regulating the prices of ECs and use the pricing model of new flats as a basis to determine the prices of ECs. This will prevent the re-emergence of a bubble in our property market. At the same time, it will provide a relatively stable environment that allows Singaporeans to make long-term plans to upgrade and work towards achieving their dreams.”
“Several new public housing schemes introduced during the term of the previous Government were well-received by Singaporeans. These good policies stabilised prices and assured Singaporeans. In the previous term, I spoke on the state of housing prices and resale flats at that time. I felt that the strong demand was, to a certain extent, a panic reaction to the rising property prices. This is similar to stock market reactions: when the stock market is hot, investors will chase after the market; once the bear market emerges, investors become hesitant and stay on the sidelines. To a certain degree, this also reflects the state of the property market today. Those who need to sell their existing private property or HDB flats now, find that there are not many buyers. This is in stark contrast to the flurry of activities seen previously. Many who want to sell their properties now face the dilemma of reducing prices to sell their house, or face the pressure of falling prices. There must be continuation of good policies and I hope that the Government will continue to delink the prices of new HDB flats from the open market and use the average annual salary of Singaporeans as the basis for determining prices, so as to ensure that Singaporeans and their descendants will not have to worry and that they will always be able to own a flat that they can afford. Let me suggest that the Government further consider fixing HDB flat prices such that it does not exceed a maximum mortgage tenure of 20 years. This is to encourage Singaporeans to manage their finances and not over leverage. I also hope that this term of Government will consider extending the Lease Buyback Scheme to bigger flats and not just 4-room and smaller flats.”
“These are third-timer families which had tapped upon housing subsidies or grants twice, sold their flats and have become public rental tenants. Many of them had sold their flats due to poor planning or very difficult personal circumstances or unfortunate circumstances. However, they now want to have their own homes again. Everyone deserves a fresh start. To ensure affordability, the BTO flats under the scheme will be smaller – 2-room – with shorter leases. We also need to put in place conditions to ensure that the scheme is not abused, such as restricting them to only reselling their flats to HDB. One of my concerns with the families involved is that they face multiple problems – financial, relationship and at work, or the lack thereof. The Government would have to assist them beyond their accommodation needs and provide longer term counselling, especially if there are children in Page: 77 the families. We must help prevent their children from getting caught in the vicious cycle of low education, poverty and unemployment. Another worry I have is that a number of these families have more children and may also have elderly members living with them, so the living conditions will be cramped. Is there any way we can help these families cope by offering them some form of advice on how to maximise their interior layout and living arrangements? Mr Deputy Speaker, continuing in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The success of Singapore's public housing policy and Home Ownership Scheme is universally recognised. More than 80% of Singaporeans live in HDB flats and many Singaporeans are proud to be owners of their HDB flats. Many foreigners are envious that Singaporeans can own their own flats and hope to learn from our experience in public housing.”
“There are implications for our economy, security and defence if we do not have enough Singaporeans from our next generation to replace us. Our total fertility rate (TFR) has grown slowly from 1.15 in 2010 to 1.25 in 2014. That is good news. The Government has provided many incentives to encourage couples to have more babies, but the response has not been as good as we would like it to be. In my view, one of the most effective measures so far has been the easier access to accommodation and flat ownership. The correlation between the availability of accommodation and fertility has been very encouraging. More than 100 babies were born to couples living in the first batch of 1,150 temporary flats under the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS). I hope the Ministry will continue to ensure a good supply of flats. Perhaps, the Ministry could consider maintaining a year's worth of BTO flat supply ahead at any point of time, for example, between 10,000 and 15,000 units. With shortened waiting times, our couples will find it much easier to plan for their families. I would also like to suggest that we build more affordable, bigger flats to encourage families to have more children. These flats will be different from the usual 5-room HDB flats. They may have four or five bedrooms built over 1,600 square feet with absolute priority given to families with four children or more. Such flats can be built in both mature and new estates and buyers can choose between leases of 99 years or the shorter leases of 60 years, which may be more affordable to them. Next, I would like to voice my support for the Fresh Start Housing Scheme which will help public rental households to own homes again. I hope this scheme can be extended to include third timer families.”
“Remember that our SMEs employ 70% of our workforce and their survival is critical to their employees and their families who depend upon them for their livelihoods. As we have already in place quotas for foreign workers in every sector, the levies are unnecessary as a mechanism to regulate demand by businesses. I appeal to the Ministry to consider reducing the levies to lighten the load on our SMEs. To incentivise our SMEs to become more productive from mechanisation and technology, the Government had implemented measures, such as the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) Scheme. I hope that the Government will continue to provide tax breaks and cash incentives to our SMEs so that the drive to move to more productive technologies will be maintained. Constant renewal and updating of technology should become a culture of our SMEs. Page: 76 It would be good if our SMEs can link up with our tertiary and research institutions to work on productive advancements jointly. Our SMEs need the edge to break through to the global market as our domestic market is too small. I also hope the Government will double the Special Employment Credit from 3% to 6% to support workers above 65 years old who wish to work. This would be at a level which many of our SMEs will find very useful, as manpower is one of the key components of their business costs, especially when our population is ageing. Nine hundred thousand Singaporeans will turn 65 years old in 14 years' time in 2030 and, probably, we will be only left with two working adults to support an aged Singaporean if nothing is done. To support our ambitious plans for the future, we have to tackle the root of the problem of our manpower shortage which is our low fertility rate.”
“Hence, I am glad that MOF had announced in its Addendum that the Government will be putting in measures to transform our economy from one which focused on value-adding to value-creating, to develop innovative and differentiated products and services. MTI's Addendum also listed out the Advanced Manufacturing, Logistics & Aerospace, Biomedical Sciences and Smart & Sustainable Urban Solutions Growth Clusters which it will be focusing on. I am excited by the opportunities these sunrise sectors will be offering us as a nation and for our people. To meet the requirements of these industries, we have to equip Singaporeans with the knowledge and skills and update technology regularly to take on these new challenges. Otherwise, our prospects will diminish if our competitors make it with the same skillsets and lower wages. Shielding Singaporeans from the reality of competition from other countries and their people will prevent us from improving. In the meantime, we will not be updated on a timely basis of how much advance the competition has made. It is better that we recognise and face up to the challenges and overcome them together. Next, I would like to speak on our SMEs, particularly, the need to reduce business costs. I support the recent call by the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) to set up a cost review committee to look into the main contributors to rising business costs. Rising manpower, rental and compliance costs and foreign worker levies are a burden on our companies in a slowing global economy. For smaller firms which are struggling to make ends meet, the combination of high costs and slowing demand could deal an irreparable blow which they will not be able to recover from.”
“Not by providing them with fish but teaching them to fish for themselves. SkillsFuture is not about pursuing qualifications. Its many modules offer training across a wide range of sectors and levels of mastery. A new mindset towards broad-based and lifelong learning is important. We have to go beyond the paper chase and broaden the definitions of success in our society. SkillsFuture will enable Singaporeans to stay relevant and ahead of competition throughout their lives. It enables skills acquisitions and constant improvement in a fast-changing environment where the lifespan of a know-how may be increasingly shorter. Page: 75 May I suggest that for SkillsFuture, the Government raise awareness of its benefits through public education, similar to the efforts CPF has been making to get Singaporeans to start planning their finances for the future early? SkillsFuture is the key to Singapore's success. It will strengthen the Singaporean Core as we will be less reliant on foreigners in highly skilled and niche areas where fulfilling and better paying jobs will be available. I agree with the President that in the face of a very competitive global environment and with our limited resources, we have to restructure our economy. The journey ahead will not be easy. Singaporeans must stay resilient and united and forge ahead as our forefathers did. We cannot afford to shut our doors in this competitive world. Protectionism will do more harm than good. We will continue to need foreign investment and promote free trade with other countries.”
“We did not have water; we now have four national taps, including NEWater. We even sell treated water. We do not have oil, but we process oil and is the hub for the fuel trade in Asia. We may be small but we have a big impact. Let me share an example. In September 2011, a fire broke out at Pulau Bukom refinery. It was Shell's largest refinery in the world. This incident caused the premium of October oil gas swaps over November to increase to the highest for an inter-month spread in three years in anticipation of an oil shortage. We may be a little red dot, but whatever happens here also can move the markets in the world. To survive, we constantly reinvent ourselves. We evolve, as hon Member Mr Ong Ye Kung had described so poetically on Monday, "to adapt to the changing global environment". We have to be the first country in the world which gives free lifelong scholarships to everyone through SkillsFuture – I call it scholarship, no other country I have heard of so far is giving this scholarship to every citizen – so that our people can upgrade themselves while pursuing their interests and passions. Minister Mentor Lee studied until he passed on. He showed us the true meaning of lifelong learning 活到老, 学到老, 甚至学到死. We upgraded our new skills, we are equipping Singaporeans to be multi-skilled and versatile so that they would qualify for fulfilling future jobs. When one is in a vocation one loves, then a job becomes fun and satisfying. People who work at jobs they love are usually good at them because they are motivated and naturally inclined to put in their best. This is working hard and working smart. With Singapore's natural constraints, our workers have to be among the best for Singapore to survive. SkillsFuture is the way the Government takes care of Singaporeans.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I enjoyed the speech by the hon Member Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. I agree with her. She mentioned that to retrench one Singaporean, the company must cut one Work Permit. I think it is not enough. Because in Singapore, it depends on the sector and there is a dependency ratio. For the services sector, the ratio is one is to five, if I am not mistaken. So, it should be proportionate to this dependency ratio, then, it would be fair. I wish to support the Motion to thank the President for his Address. Last year was a watershed year for us. We celebrated 50 years of Independence. The founding father of modern Singapore, Minister Mentor Lee, passed away. Twenty sixteen is the first year of the post-Lee Kuan Yew era. The world is watching us, as they have been for the past 50 years. Can we make it? Well, we have proven to ourselves and the world, over and over again, yes, we can. We sing lots of patriotic National Day songs every year. Page: 74 In particular, one song "We are Singapore" expresses best for me what I want to say today: "There was a time when people said that Singapore won't make it, but we did. There was a time when troubles seemed too much for us to take, but we did. We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together for peace and harmony." We have overcome lack of resources, lack of water, a few rounds of recessions, the Asian financial crisis, SARS, Lehman crisis. Time and again, we have emerged stronger and more resilient. At the last General Elections, we witnessed a show of unity. We demonstrated our determination to carry on the Singapore spirit, to forge ahead like our forefathers did. We had nothing and now, we have everything. In Chinese, 我们什么都没, but 我们什么都有.”
“Thank you for the comprehensive reply. May I know, how long it normally takes for ICA to assess and also give approval?”
“I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. With the reported outbreak of Zika, which is transmitted through mosquitos, may I know what are the measures that have been taken, and what other steps can the Ministry take to help Singaporeans and to prevent this disease from spreading in Singapore?”
“Minister Lui, I wish you could stay on for you have done so much for us, so much for the country. You will be sorely missed in this House. I wish you the best. Thank you. [Applause.] 4.09 pm”
“London's bus system, in particular, seems to be a success after switching from a single, nationalised operator to the current contracting model, with high ridership, service reliability and customer satisfaction. Its incentive-penalty scheme has been credited for its contribution to service reliability. I understand that we will be implementing a similar system and wonder if the Minister can share more details with us. With different packages of routes awarded to different operators, one of the concerns I have is about potential problems which may arise from the different systems and technologies they use. Does the Minister foresee any problems with service integration and what are the plans to overcome potential system compatibility issues? Page: 63 Next, I would like to suggest that LTA put in place measures to ensure the transfer of expertise from foreign operators to Singaporeans working in the operations and management of successful bidders. In the event foreign operators, for whatever reasons, are unable to continue their work here, at least, we will have teams of Singaporeans who can continue to do so. I would also like to suggest that LTA consider issuing public bonds to finance the assets – buses, interchanges and depots – to enable direct public participation, especially the retail investors. Last but not least, I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation and thanks to Minister Lui Tuck Yew. He has been such a dedicated Member of Parliament and Minister, putting his heart and soul into serving this country, and we have all benefited from his tireless efforts. Despite taking on a very challenging portfolio, he has done so much to improve our public transport system, with this bus contracting model being one of the most important.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. The Bus Services Industry Bill will provide for the restructuring of our public bus sector to a contracting model, in which routes are tendered out to be run by private operators for specific periods, while the Government assumes the ownership of all buses and bus infrastructure, such as depots and the fleet management system. LTA will take on the functions of regulator, contractor and planner of bus services. I am sure that with these changes, the management of bus services will be more holistic in the future. Competition will keep operators on their toes and ensure good services. Unlike our current model, where the operators have to cover their capital and operating expenses through fare revenue, successful bidders know upfront the fees they will collect to operate the services. Hopefully, new operators will be able to focus on meeting service standards since they do not have to be concerned with capital expenditures and fare revenue. Many countries, including the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Sweden and the Netherlands, contract out public bus services to both domestic and foreign operators. For example, PostBus, the leading bus company in Switzerland's public transport network, won several public tenders to provide bus services in France in 2009 as well as the public tender to provide bus services in Liechtenstein for a 10-year term starting in 2011. On the other hand, it was reported in June this year that Arriva Netherlands was awarded a 15-year bus and rail contract by the Dutch province of Limburg.”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for the reply. May I know whether the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will try to reach out further to those people who have yet to apply and what are the plans it has? Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. We are encouraged by the increase in the take-up of the various schemes. Quite a number of these schemes are new and many people have shared with us that they have benefited from such schemes. We will continue to reach out to the various agencies and organisations as well as to the public at large, to enable more of the public and commuters to benefit from the concessionary schemes that we have.”
“My question is: I believe out of this 2%, it could be that, for some units, the cost could be slightly higher than those eligible under LUP. For that kind of scenario, will the Ministry consider still going ahead to offer to the residents, for them to put a vote to it, for them to consider if they still want it if they were to pay slightly more? They can look at the amount to see how much higher they have to pay. I do get this feedback on my house visits, where residents say, "Show us the cost. It is for us to decide." Will the Ministry consider that? Page: 15”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. May I know if there is a timeframe for these trials to be completed and how soon can a conclusion be made so that it can be rolled out to units that can possibly implement them?”