Gerald Giam Yean Song
Singapore
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. The focus of my supplementary question will be on the film classification guidelines, which currently state that, quote, "Chinese films meant for theatrical release should generally be in Mandarin, in line with the Speak Mandarin Campaign.”
“Mr Speaker, we cannot allow physical infrastructure expansion to blind us to the shifting digital geography of global trade nor should we allow frontier technology to reduce the economic agency of our transport workers.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for his replies. I understand the difficulty in getting the exact numbers. But is there an order of magnitude that the Government can provide as to how many such fees were collected and what is the total quantum? Just an order of magnitude, does not have to be an exact number.”
“Sir, I thank Mr Ng Chee Meng for acknowledging my OJT proposal. I am aware of the work of CTCs, but my proposal goes beyond what the CTCs currently provide. First is the depth of the wage support, and second is the structural design of OJT.”
“I thank the Minister for responding to my question just now. I am glad to hear that there will be more precise matching with the help of SWDA's the integrated intelligence function. But can I ask if this function will be provided to all jobseekers who approach SWDA or its agencies, like e2i, to seek for job assistance?”
“Sir, can the Minister elaborate a bit more about how SWDA will enhance the job search assistance programme? Specifically, will career counsellors move beyond basic resume editing and portal referrals to leverage real time vacancy data for proactive matching and advocate for candidates?”
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Every one of 984 lines we hold for Gerald Giam Yean Song, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 20.
“Mr Speaker, COVID-19 was the crisis of a generation. Our frontliners, including nurses, doctors, cleaners and drivers, responded heroically in the face of an enemy that we knew little about before 2020. Words cannot repay the debt of gratitude we owe each of them. COVID-19 also took the lives of over 1,700 people in Singapore. I extend my deepest condolences to their families for their immeasurable loss. While I acknowledge that the Government has performed well in many aspects of its response to this pandemic, it is important that we do not get carried away, patting ourselves on the back to the exclusion of implementing the important lessons we learnt during the crisis. We need to better prepare ourselves for future pandemics, which are likely to be more frequent and severe, not least because of increasing globalisation and urbanisation. Healthcare capacity was stretched even before COVID-19 hit. The pandemic exacerbated this capacity crunch. Many healthcare workers reported working long hours overtime, being recalled for duty on their days off and even having no time for toilet breaks. The White Paper highlighted challenges in staffing hospitals with healthcare workers, resulting in existing workers feeling fatigued and burnt out from the prolonged crisis. We are now no longer fighting COVID-19 like before, yet the shortage of healthcare facilities and manpower still persists. For example, median waiting times for emergency cases that require hospital admission from January to September last year was about seven hours. This can spike to 50 hours during infection waves.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his answers. Are there some specific conditions in which the CPS will forcibly enter homes to check on the well-being of children whom they suspect of being abused? Were there any instances in the past five years where these conditions were met, but the CPS did not do so? And if so, what has MSF done to ensure that such protocols are adhered to in future?”
“Just one clarification for the Minister. I believe he said just now that section 50B of the PEA allows for the inspection and testing of voting machines and vote counting machines. I cannot remember the exact words that he used. However, I believe that section 50b(2) actually requires for the inspection and testing of DRE voting machines and direct recording electronic voting equipment. But it does not mention vote counting machines. So, can I confirm that vote counting machines will be included in this pre-election audit by the candidates and their polling agents?”
“4 titled "Activities from Writ of Election to Nomination Day", it is stated that "After the Writ of Election is issued and before the campaign period starts, activities, such as walkabouts, house-to-house visits, distributing election pamphlets, handouts and newsletters, and publishing of party manifestos and candidates’ biographical details will be subject to the applicable election advertising requirements." This implies that such activities are allowed subject to advertising requirements. The next paragraph in that same section states more explicitly that "Political parties and candidates may conduct campaigning activities, such as walkabouts, house-to-house visits and the distribution of collaterals." Based on section 2.4 of the Candidate Handbook, it appears that some types of campaigning, including walkabouts, house-to-house visits and the distribution of collaterals from the day the Writ of Election issued to Nomination Day, are allowed. However, the same language is not reflected in the Parliamentary Elections Act. Can the Minister please clarify if the ELD handbook is legally accurate in this respect? Mr Speaker, to strengthen our democracy, the accessibility, integrity and fairness of our election process is of paramount importance. I look forward to the Minister's addressing the questions and concerns I have raised.”
“Are potential candidates allowed to conduct house-to-house visits or visit markets and coffee shops, to either check on residents’ well-being or explicitly canvass for votes, while wearing their party uniforms and badges? Just before previous elections, some incumbent Members of Parliament and potential candidates conducted some of these activities. For example, a Yahoo News article entitled "GE2020: Josephine Teo to leave Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC to contest in Jalan Besar" reported that Mrs Teo was “seen during a People's Action Party (PAP) walkabout at Beo Crescent on Monday morning (29 June), together with Jalan Besar incumbent Members of Parliament Denise Phua and Heng Chee How, as well as new candidate Wan Rizal Wan Zakariah. They were introduced to the residents as candidates contesting the GRC.” That year, Parliament was dissolved on 23 June and Nomination Day was 30 June. This constituency walkabout took place within that period. In another article in The Straits Times, it was reported that the then-National Development Minister Lawrence Wong announced the PAP’s slate in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC at a walkabout in the Marsiling ward of the GRC on 28 June – again, within this period. There was even a video of the team, consisting of Mr Lawrence Wong, Mr Zaqy Mohamad, Mr Alex Yam and Ms Hany Soh, together with Mr Ong Teng Koon, the former MP of the ward, at a coffee shop wearing their PAP all-white uniforms. At least two members of the group were wearing a PAP badge. In the Candidate Handbook for General Election 2020 published by the Elections Department, under section 2.”
“The rest of the questions in this speech relate to this period. Parliament is dissolved when the Writ of Election is issued. When this happens, every Member of Parliament ceases to be a Member of Parliament, according to Article 46(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, and their allowances cease to be paid. After Parliament is dissolved, are the former Members of Parliament allowed to hold Meet-the-People sessions (MPS) in their constituencies, interact with residents and provide assistance to them? Can they write appeal letters to Government agencies or other organisations on behalf of their constituents and, if they do, are agencies obliged to respond to them? It should be noted that many residents will not be aware that Members of Parliament stand down after Parliament is dissolved and will continue contacting their Members of Parliament for assistance, sometimes on urgent personal matters or municipal matters that have safety implications. Next, do grassroots adviser (GRA) appointments cease when the Writ is issued? If not, can GRAs continue operating as per normal after the Writ is issued, including writing appeal letters to Government agencies on behalf of residents? Given that the People’s Association almost always appoints individuals who are PAP members as GRAs, would allowing GRAs to operate as per normal during this period circumvent the restrictions that are otherwise placed on election candidates and create an unlevel playing field for the opposition? Is "campaigning" allowed from the day the Writ is issued to Nomination Day?”
“" In Germany, this is provided under section 14 of the Federal Elections Act, which states that: "Persons eligible to vote who are illiterate or prevented by a disability from casting their vote may avail themselves of another person's assistance for that purpose." If the concern is that the person assisting the PwD will not keep the vote secret, they can be required to take an oath of secrecy, just like all the candidates’ polling agents and counting agents currently do. Incorporating this measure will better ensure that PwDs can exercise their right to vote in a smooth and comfortable manner, while upholding the secrecy of their vote and election integrity. Next, the Bill allows for votes to be counted by electronic means. This adds to previous amendments to the Act where electronic voting was permitted. When votes are counted by manual or mechanical means, counting agents appointed by the candidates and the candidates themselves are able to personally witness the counting of all the votes. They can physically ensure there is no mis-count of votes for each candidate. The existing Act sets out the details on the inspection and testing of electronic voting machines in the presence of the candidates, their election agents or polling agents before and during elections. However, the Bill before us today does not appear to mention the inspection and testing of the electronic counting machines or system. Can the Minister clarify how the candidates and their counting agents will be able to audit the votes counted by electronic means? Finally, I would like to seek more clarity from the Minister about what kind of election activities are allowed in the period from the day the Writ of Election is issued to Nomination Day.”
“Mr Speaker, the Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Bill takes steps to make elections more accessible for people with disabilities (PwDs) through the introduction of polling stations and mobile polling teams in nursing homes. In my speech today, I would like to make a proposal that could help PwDs more fully participate in the election process. Article 29(a)(iii) of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which Singapore has ratified, calls for political participation by disabled people by “Guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with disabilities as electors and to this end, where necessary, at their request, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice.” However, the Government has placed a reservation on Article 29(a)(iii), stating that to keep voting secret and to safeguard the integrity of voting, PwDs can only be assisted by an election official. According to the Government, the election official is obliged to mark the ballot paper in the manner directed by the voter and is under oath to keep the vote secret. Has the Government considered the possibility that some PwDs would prefer to have someone they know and trust to help them to vote? This is a concern also expressed by the Disabled People’s Association (DPA). Other countries, such as Canada and Germany, allow friends and family to assist a PwD with voting. In Canada, the provision is made under section 243.01 of the Canada Elections Act, which allows either a friend or a relative to accompany a voter who "requires assistance to vote.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. The Lien Foundation's long-term care manpower study found that the compensation of local nurses, local nursing aides and healthcare assistants in the long-term care sector, is low compared to their counterparts in hospitals. Are there any plans to bring local Intermediate and Long-term Care (ILTC) staff's pay and benefits up to, at least, the level of the restructured hospitals, so that they can better attract and retain local staff? Secondly, among the nursing homes, are there salary norms that are set by the Ministry of Health (MOH) that they are supposed to meet and what is the compliance rate of this among nursing homes?”
“Clarification. I am not sure the Minister addressed my question about creating more temporary nursing home places for respite care. This is something that quite a few of my residents have requested.”
“Sir, just now, the Second Minister said that the HCG already extends to households earning the median income. According to the AIC website, the household monthly income per person ceiling for the HCG is $2,800. But according to the Department of Statistics (DOS), the median monthly household income from work per household member in 2022 was $3,287. So, should the HCG not be using the $3,287 number instead of $2,800? In any case, can the HCG qualifying income be pegged to the median income?”
“As Singapore's population ages, the demand for intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) will continue to increase. A paper on the Future of Long-Term Care in Singapore by researchers from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, identified three main issues to tackle in this sector – manpower capabilities, infrastructure capacity and coordination across the sector. I will focus on manpower in my cut. Manpower shortages are a key challenge for the ILTC sector. The ILTC workforce includes doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and social workers. A high proportion are foreigners. The Lien Foundation has pointed out that Singapore's ILTC sector is more reliant on foreign workers than other fast-ageing economies, such as Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. More needs to be done to attract locals to work in the ILTC sector. What plans do MOH and ILTC providers have, to encourage more Singaporeans to join the sector and what results have been achieved so far? What progress has been made in enhancing salaries, work-life balance, organisational culture, professional development opportunities and fostering a greater sense of purpose towards the profession, particularly in the ILTC sector? The Ministry could also look at attracting non-practicing or retired nurses to return, perhaps on a locum basis, to help relieve the manpower crunch in ILTCs. Ms Sylvia Lim also called for this earlier on. Lastly, only 12% of registered nurses in 2021 were males. Is MOH looking to encourage more men to enter the profession, so as to boost the overall numbers of nurses? Supporting Our Healthcare Workers”
“Caring for elderly parents is a heavy responsibility that many Singaporeans bear. And it can take a toll on their physical and mental health, leading to burnout. Many caregivers are women or single adults who sacrifice their careers and/or personal lives to be caregivers. Our society must recognise caregivers' challenges and give them more support. The Home Caregiving Grant (HCG) is now between $250 and $400 per month. However, those who have a monthly household income per person of more than $2,800 do not qualify. A study by researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School found that the cost of informal caregiving time for a care recipient who needs help with three or more Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs, is about $53,244 annually, or $4,437 monthly. Can I propose that the Government extend the HCG to households earning up to the prevailing median income per household member? This will help more middle-income earners who struggle with the cost of caregiving. Second, caregivers sometimes need temporary nursing home places for their loved ones, so that they can occasionally travel or have some respite care. Can MOH expand the availability and accessibility of such temporary nursing home places? And lastly, I would like to reiterate my call – and that of many other Members – for Family Care Leave to be legislated. While this is not a panacea to address caregiving challenges, it can be part of a package of help that is extended to caregivers. Sir, caregiving is probably one of the most stressful responsibilities for anyone to bear. Implementing these suggestions will go some way to assure caregivers that they have not been forgotten in their difficult and often lonely journey. Healthier SG to Support Ageing-in-place”
“Thank you, Mdm Chairman. Just one question for Minister of State Faishal and one for Senior Minister of State Sim Ann. For Minister of State Faishal, can the Community Care Apartment (CCA) residents be allowed to opt out of this Basic Service Package, which I understand costs about $164, plus GST per month? I am worried that the cost of this package may be prohibitive for some retirees and may discourage them from applying for CCAs. Just to be clear, they could be allowed to opt in later when they need the services. And secondly, regarding HDB units with no direct lift access, if lifts cannot be built on each of their floors, would HDB consider installing stair lifts for those units? These are widely available and can be folded when not in use, to ensure that there is a wide enough fire escape pathway. And I believe it will help many residents with mobility challenges to regain their independence. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: The answer is no. As you can see, we also provide other options available to the seniors, so they can choose whichever options they are comfortable with. So, with regards to the Community Care Apartment (CCA), they cannot opt out.”
“By 2030, almost one in three people in Singapore will need some form of eldercare service. However, Singapore's limited assisted living options mean seniors have few choices beyond living unassisted at home, engaging a foreign domestic helper or moving into a nursing home. Nursing home residents in Singapore tend to stay for extended periods of five to 15 years. In contrast, the typical nursing home stay in the United States is about two years, in part due to its more diverse aged care options like retirement villages and assisted living. The high demand for nursing homes has led to bed occupancy rates exceeding 90%. More nursing homes should be built. But these are expensive to construct and operate. HDB's Community Care Apartments (CCAs) could be a cost-effective alternative for seniors who need assisted living but are not in need of round-the-clock care. What has been the take-up rate of CCAs so far? What is the projected demand and how many CCAs does HDB plan to build in the next 10 years? The Government could boost the availability of CCAs by purchasing and renovating existing HDB flats. This was suggested during a Roundtable organised by the Leadership Institute for Global Health Transformation and reported in The Straits times. I heard hon Member Cheryl Chan suggesting this earlier as well. By converting these fats into CCAs, seniors will be able to more conveniently access care services they need. It will help scale up the provision of CCAs to more seniors and enable more of them to age in place in familiar surroundings.”
“I thank the Minister for replying to my questions on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). Two clarifications on that. Will the Ministry also publish a SOL for skilled trades, industrial jobs and other essential occupations? For example, the UK's SOL includes welders, care workers for seniors, day care managers and healthcare workers. These are also occupations which are in such short supply in Singapore. So, MOM can then use this to work with the industry and educational institutions to close the skills gaps, in our local workforce. The second question I have is that I note that Minister said that the SOL will be refreshed every three years. I am not sure if this is sufficient, given the fast-evolving job market. Could MOM update the SOL more frequently to ensure it stays relevant with the constantly evolving job market and circumstances?”
“The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) is one of the criteria in the COMPASS framework. MOM has said that the first SOL will be announced this month. It is expected to identify occupations requiring skills that are currently in shortage in the local workforce. Could the Minister share what occupations will be included in the SOL? Will the SOL take into account the pipeline of local ITE, polytechnic and university graduates in both local and foreign institutions? For example, if there are many local graduates in, say, information and communications technology (ICT) next year, the SOL should be revised accordingly. With the knowledge of skill shortages in the SOL, schools, tertiary institutions and adult education centres can better plan their curriculum and intake size to better prepare local students and workers to fill them. The Government should work closely with ITEs, polytechnics and universities to expand their intake of courses for occupations in the SOL. How frequently will the SOL be reviewed? I hope it will be reviewed frequently so that it can be responsive to changes in industry requirements and we will not have situations where an occupation remains on the SOL when there is sufficient local talent in that area. Finally, the SOL should be included as one of the foundational criteria of COMPASS instead of only being a bonus criterion. This could prompt firms to search harder for available local talent before turning to foreigners. All these can create more opportunities for Singaporeans in the workplace and reduce the heavy reliance on foreigners in our workforce. Update on Foreign Workforce Policies”
“Enshrining these provisions in the anti-discrimination legislation will ensure that it is effective in preventing PwDs from being excluded from the workforce. We need to change societal attitudes to foster inclusivity in the workplace for PwDs. Rather than viewing PwDs as beneficiaries of charity, we must recognise them as individuals and workers who possess equal rights and contribute valuable skills to the workforce. Is the Ministry looking to do more to highlight the contributions of PwDs in the workplace? Enhancing Workplace Fairness”
“Sir, about 78% of persons with disabilities (PwDs) have reported experiencing discrimination at the workplace, according to a survey last August by AWARE and Milieu Insight. Discrimination faced by PwDs can range from exploitation and denigration to stereotyping and displaying patronising attitudes towards them. The Government has announced its intention to enshrine the TAFEP Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices in a new workplace anti-discrimination law. It is important to ensure that this legislation provides sufficient protection for PwDs. To achieve this, the law should incorporate several key provisions, which have also been recommended by the Disabled People's Association. First, it needs a definition of disability that is inclusive of the entire disability population in Singapore. Second, it should require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to PwD employees. A reasonable accommodation is a modification to a job or work environment that enables a qualified PwD to perform the essential functions of the job and have the same employment opportunities as their abled colleagues without imposing an unreasonable burden on the employer. Singapore has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) a decade ago. Article 27 of the CRPD requires signatories to take appropriate steps, including legislation, to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to PwDs in the workplace. Examples of reasonable accommodations may include providing screen readers, installing ramps, offering FWAs or conducting meetings online. Third, the legislation must be enforceable in a timely manner and provide the necessary remedies and measures to prevent repeat offences.”
“Sorry, on the first question, I just want to clarify. What I was asking for is not the contracts that were awarded to Temasek-linked companies, but the expenses incurred by Temasek in terms of giving out face masks, various oximeters and all that. Was that part of the $72.3 billion or was that something that Temasek incurred on their own?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. Does the total COVID-19 spending of $72.3 billion include the amounts spent by Temasek Holdings, Temasek Foundation and other Temasek-linked companies for their COVID-19 activities? Secondly, the scope of the review requested by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) only covers whether the transactions were bona fide and that there were no erroneous payments. Will MOF and AGO also be reviewing potential wastage in the procurement process and ascertaining whether the value-for-money procurement approach was adhered to in all instances?”
“Sir, I declare that I am an owner and director of a company that provides software for the administration of SkillsFuture-funded courses. Persons with disabilities (PwDs) need access to training and lifelong learning just as much as their able-bodied counterparts. However, they sometimes face access barriers to attending courses. According to the Disabled People's Association, PwDs have encountered SkillsFuture-funded courses that use charts and diagrams with no text descriptions, creating difficulties for visually-impaired persons. Accessibility should be embedded in all SkillsFuture-funded courses. There should be a set of guidelines to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided. MOE could also establish a disability support office to provide support to PwDs and training providers to implement reasonable accommodations for SkillsFuture courses. I appreciate that SG Enable is curating courses suitable for the disability community and the Enabling Academy will assist in creating accessible courses. However, to be fully inclusive, PwDs need access to all courses which are open to the general public, not just a curated subset. 6.30 pm Can I ask the Minister what proportion of SkillsFuture courses are currently accessible to PwDs? How is SSG ensuring that most SkillsFuture courses are accessible and will there be a standardisation of accessibility in all SkillsFuture courses? Enhancing Support for Students with Special Education Needs”
“How is the Government tackling the challenge of getting seniors to embrace digital technology while also ensuring they are informed about basic precautions to avoid falling victim to scams? Online Safety”
“Sir, digitalisation has taken off in a big way in Singapore. Unfortunately, this has also left many elderly and less tech-savvy citizens behind. What takes digital natives a few seconds to complete can be painfully difficult for some seniors. Many struggle to come up with strong passwords and have difficulty typing them. Tapping a phone screen or double clicking a mouse poses dexterity challenges. The solution, however, is not to run manual and digital services in parallel forever. That would negate the productivity benefits brought about by digitalisation. Instead, firms and Government agencies should provide in-person assistance to seniors to navigate their digital services. 2.45 pm I am aware that ServiceSG centres have been set up to assist seniors with Government digital services. However, there are only six such centres, which may not be within easy reach of all residents. Can more ServiceSG centres be set up in every neighbourhood? More importantly, how is the Government raising awareness among residents of their availability? Are private sector organisations like banks expected to provide such services for their less digitally savvy customers? Many seniors are already wary of using technology. The threat of scams amplifies their fears. While seniors are not the only victims of scams, they tend to feel much more vulnerable. Their adult children, Government advertisements and the media are constantly sounding warnings to them. That message has sunk in to such an extent that many of them avoid using digital services like Internet banking altogether, for fear of being scammed. However, without Internet banking accounts, they will encounter many roadblocks in an increasingly cashless society.”
“My second question is related to the third question because if there were some enhancements done on the site, then would it be a waste.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I declare that I am an alumni of ACS but not ACS (Primary), and I am the parent of a student in one of the ACS secondary schools. Given the shrinking cohorts of students, will more schools in older estates in the future be moved to new estates in this fashion? And did MOE conduct any consultation with existing and future Tengah residents who are likely to be the parents of future ACS (Primary) students? Lastly, what would happen to the ACS (Junior) site on Winstedt Road after the school moves out in 2039? I understand that there might have been some recent enhancements done to the campus and would that go to waste when the campus is returned to MOE.”
“Sir, I acknowledge the extreme complexity of the situation in Myanmar and I do not for a minute think that there are, sadly, simple solutions to it. However, I would like more clarity on the Minister's answers to my questions just now. I asked, has Singapore ever pushed at the ASEAN Summit for a decision to be taken, by a vote, on issues where arriving at a consensus is impossible? As the Minister alluded, this is provided for in Article 22 of the ASEAN Charter. Just now, the Minister mentioned that Myanmar's participation at the political level was reduced. Was that decision to bar Myanmar's participation at the political level arrived at by consensus or was it a vote? More fundamentally, is Singapore open to considering alternative decision-making mechanisms at ASEAN? Or is MFA's position that sticking to the consensus decision-making approach in all cases best serves Singapore's interests? The Minister has stated that decision by consensus in ASEAN is a feature, it is not a bug. However, does the Minister agree that sometimes features do not work well in all situations?”
“Is the Ministry working with schools, academic institutions, non-government organisations (NGOs) and business chambers here and abroad to engage, inform and involve them in Singapore's foreign policy? Women in Diplomacy”
“Of all the Ministries, MFA's work is probably the most esoteric to many Singaporeans. Some think that foreign policy is too complicated, that it is not as relevant to their daily lives as many domestic issues or that it is too sensitive to have open discussions about. As a result, foreign policy is often left out from public discussions. This is not healthy in a nation as educated and with as much access to information from around the world as Singaporeans are. In a speech in July 2017, the Foreign Minister stated that "our diplomacy is only credible, if we are able to maintain a domestic consensus on Singapore's core interests and our foreign policy priorities." If there is insufficient engagement with Singaporeans on foreign policy, it will be close to impossible to build and maintain that "domestic consensus", especially in the face of a plethora of news and information from abroad, including disinformation. How is MFA engaging Singaporeans on foreign policy matters and explaining our core interests to citizens of all ages and education levels? Do our missions engage overseas Singaporeans on foreign policy? How is the Ministry countering some of the narratives put out by foreign actors that attempt to influence Singaporeans' views on policies that may go against our national interest? During the debate on the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill in 2021, Minister K. Shanmugam acknowledged that a whole-of-society effort is required for public education and that he "welcome(s) everyone's assistance in helping to engage and educate the population." How is MFA facilitating this?”
“Sir, the WP supports Singapore's efforts to work with our neighbours to bolster ASEAN. The regional grouping plays an important role in fostering deeper social, cultural and economic ties, enhancing regional stability and integrating Southeast Asian economies. An effective ASEAN can help countries in the region, including Singapore, to punch above their weight when dealing with major powers. Despite all its benefits, ASEAN's flaws have been laid bare on several occasions, most recently with the crisis in Myanmar. A key tenet of ASEAN is the requirement for decision-making to be based on "consultation and consensus", effectively giving any member the veto power over decisions. This requirement can hamper ASEAN's ability to address critical security issues. How is Singapore working with ASEAN to overcome situations where consensus is hindered by a minority of member states? According to Article 20 of the ASEAN Charter, "where a consensus cannot be achieved, the ASEAN Summit may decide how a specific decision can be made". Has there ever been any push by Singapore at the ASEAN Summit for a decision to be taken by majority vote on issues, where arriving at a consensus is impossible? Has Singapore asked ASEAN to adopt stronger mechanisms to enforce its own consensus decisions? For example, little progress has been achieved by the Myanmar Armed Forces in the implementation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus to put Myanmar back on the path to peace following the military coup. Does the ASEAN Summit have the authority to decide by a vote to suspend Myanmar from participation in all ASEAN meetings and initiatives? This will send a strong signal to the country's military rulers that their violent actions against their own citizens are not compatible with ASEAN's principles.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply. I just want to find out what is the age of the oldest block that has yet to be selected for HIP and where is that block located, as far as constituency is concerned? And just now, the Senior Minister of State mentioned that one of the factors, besides age, is the geographical spread of the blocks. How does this factor into HDB's decision on choosing blocks based on geographical spread?”
“I thank the Minister of State for her answer. Does SGN work closely with our Missions abroad to engage Singaporeans on domestic and foreign policy issues that matter to them overseas as well as their families back home? This is related to also my cut on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) later, on engaging Singaporeans on foreign policy.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Is the main objective of SGNFP to encourage Singaporean talent abroad to return to Singapore and contribute to our economy and our society. And if not, what is the SGN programme's main objective? Secondly, what kind of events and activities were funded by SGN? The Minister of State mentioned that there was $570,000 that was spent. And how effective were they in achieving these objectives? I am not sure if I heard correctly that two-thirds were successful. What happens to the other one-third, then?”
“Sir, MINDEF's total expenditure of FY 2023 is projected to increase 5.6% for over FY 2022, on top of an 11.3% increase from FY2021 to 2022. In the revenue on expenditure estimates for FY 2023/2024, military expenditure is just a single-lined item with an amount of $17.0 billion, without any further breakdown. MINDEF does explain that operating expenditure includes the payments for the purpose of military equipment, maintenance of equipment and camps, allowances for National Servicemen (NSmen) and salaries of regular servicemen and women. While I understand the need for military secrecy, can MINDEF minimally provide the estimated expenditure for just these four items. This is a common practice in public budget estimates in other territories, including Taiwan, Latvia and Finland, all of whom face real and existential threats. I am aware that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) conducts scrutiny of the Government's expenditure and accounts, including the defence budget. However, does the PAC have access to any breakdown of military expenditure? If not, it will be difficult for the Committee to scrutinise the defence budget, given that military expenditure comprises almost 95% of the Ministry's total budget. Sir, I am proud that I served my full-time NS and completed all my operationally-ready NS cycles. I support the need to maintain a strong and credible SAF to effectively defend Singapore. This is why I believe that more thorough scrutiny of MINDEF's budget and expenditure will help maintain public confidence that the $17.97 billion allocated to the Ministry, the highest among all the Ministries, is going entirely towards achieving its mission. SAF's Capability Developments”
“Additionally, since only first-timers will benefit from the increase in the CPF Housing Grant, non-first-timers may end up having to pay even more for their resale flats. I hope the Government can provide more information on its projections to help Members assess the net effect of the CPF Housing Grant increase. More fundamentally, is increasing housing grants going to continue to be the Government's main approach to making resale flats affordable? Has the Government considered the alternative proposals which I shared during the debate on the housing Motions earlier this month to moderate resale flat prices? This include: one, providing more help to empty nesters who are prepared to sell their larger flats to obtain 2-room Flexi flats and community care apartments; two, requiring future buyers of private properties to sell their HDB flats; and three, incentivising those who currently own both a private property and a HDB flat to sell their flat by rebating the additional buyer's stamp duty they paid on their private property. These proposals may provide longer-term solutions to moderating the prices of HDB resale flats. Mdm Deputy Speaker, as we contemplate the future, it is natural that Singaporeans are apprehensive, especially for their children. The soaring property prices have made it increasingly challenging for families to purchase a new home. The Deputy Prime Minister has cautioned that we may continue to confront a period of high inflation, which is highly to persist throughout the first half of this year. In these trying times, it is imperative for us to keep our minds open to workable solutions, regardless of where they may emerge from, so that we can help our fellow Singaporeans in need and progress and prosper together as a nation.”
“Our success in reducing dependence on foreign workers and professionals relies heavily on being able to raise local talent in these occupations by providing better pay, training and career pathways and better work-life balance. By increasing awareness of these industries among young people, we can attract more locals to work in these industries and reduce our dependence on foreign workers. Finally, I would like to discuss the increased CPF Housing Grant and its effect on home buyers. The Government has announced that it will raise the CPF Housing Grant for first-time home buyer families purchasing resale HDB flats by $30,000 for those 2-, 3- and 4-room flats and by $10,000 for those buying 5-room or larger resale flats. First-time singles will get half the increase given to married couples. This increase in the CPF Housing Grant will be welcomed by many first-time home buyers, especially those who are looking to get a flat in a mature estate near their parents' home but have been unsuccessful in balloting for a BTO flat in a mature estate. However, some property analysts have cautioned that the increased grant amount may also raise demand and prices of resale flats. The hon Member Hazel Poa also raised this concern in her speech earlier. This could potentially offset any progress made towards enhancing the affordability of resale flats. As such, it is important to understand the Government's projections on how this increase in the CPF Housing Grant would elevate HDB flat prices over the next two years. Has the Government projected any resale flat price increases as a result of the CPF Housing Grant increase by modelling the huge amount of housing transaction data available to HDB?”
“Food delivery riders work long hours, with many cycling around town for over 12 hours a day. The job can be dangerous, with one-third of riders having been in accidents that require medical attention, and the median income is less than $2,000, according to a paper by researchers at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). The IPS paper also found that our platform delivery workers who intended to leave the food delivery industry for other industries were looking for higher salaries, longer-term career pathways and opportunities to learn new skills in their next jobs. A significant number was seeking flexible work hours, although less than a third were looking for jobs in air-conditioned offices. If the industries that are currently lacking in local workers can provide these benefits, they will be able to attract more locals to join them. Some progress has been made in attracting more locals to work as nurses and early childhood educators. The same effort could be undertaken to upgrade other industries which are facing local worker shortages. However, even if these human resource matters are resolved, these industries may still face difficulties attracting job applicants from Singaporeans due to a lack of awareness of jobs in these industries. To address this, there is a need to increase awareness of these industries amongst students early on their school life. Schools can work with industry representatives to introduce these career opportunities to students even as early as lower secondary school. By doing so, students and their parents will be more aware of the career prospects in these industries and be better equipped to select suitable subject combinations in Secondary 3 and eventually make informed career choices when they are graduating from school.”
“To achieve this, JTC could expand its market share for industrial space and offer more low-rent options to SMEs and the Housing Development Board (HDB) could also offer lower rent commercial spaces allocated by ballot to stimulate micro-businesses and entrepreneurship in the heartlands. Next, I would like to discuss the challenges faced by workers in Singapore, particularly those in industries that rely heavily on foreign workers. In recent years, the Government has implemented various work pass restrictions to manage the inflow of foreign workers and professionals. Additionally, the Government has allocated funding to help local companies become more productive and manpower lean. However, there needs to be more emphasis on attracting Singaporeans to work in industries that are currently overdependent on foreign workers, such as the marine, manufacturing and construction industries. The Government has introduced several programmes such as career conversion and professional conversion schemes to equip those who have decided to switch to these industries. However, there has been less success in urging our local workers to switch to these industries in the first place. While the Government has been working to raise awareness of the job opportunities and career prospects in these sectors, more needs to be done to address the perception that these industries are less prestigious than other sectors like finance, technology and law. It is commonly believed that Singaporeans are not interested in these industries due to the long hours, shift work, low pay and difficult working conditions. However, the popularity of platform food delivery jobs indicates that many Singaporeans are willing to work in physically demanding jobs.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, as we step out of the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore continues to face numerous challenges as we navigate the uncertainties before us. In my response to the Budget Statement, I would like to discuss challenges faced by three stakeholders in our society – businesses, workers and families. The Singapore Business Federation's latest national business survey highlighted that the key challenges faced by businesses in Singapore were an increased and overall business costs, the availability and retention of manpower and the main cost pressures include raw material cost, energy cost, manpower cost and rental cost. Singapore is generally a price taker on raw materials and energy. Higher manpower cost, while challenging to businesses, can improve the welfare of our workers by increasing their income. As long as the wage increases do not set off a sustained wage price spiral. High rental costs, however, benefit a smaller segment of society, namely landlords and property owners, and come at the expense of tenants, especially SMEs who may struggle to afford the rent. They can also affect the competitiveness of these businesses which have to allocate more resources to rental expenses and less to other productive aspects of their operations. The Government needs to look for ways to moderate industrial and commercial rental costs for SMEs. This will benefit a broader base of businesses which plays a critical part in growing our economy and providing good jobs for our people.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. Since NS allowances were last increased in March 2020, the cost of basic upkeep has increased significantly due to high inflation that started around mid-2021. So, can NS allowance increases be pegged to the significant increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) core inflation measure, so as to minimise the lag between the increases in cost of living and the adjustments to NS allowances? Secondly, when will the next review of NS allowances be held and can that be brought forward in view of the high and persistent inflation that we are facing?”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I have a clarification for Minister of State Muhammad Faishal. I thank the Minister of State for responding to my request for HDB to build more 2-room Flexi flats for the elderly. During my speech, I shared that the demand for these flats still exceeds the supply by quite a bit. And given that our population is ageing and there are, by my calculations, about 71,000 senior households that potentially would want to right-size their flats, does HDB plan to further increase the number of 2-room Flexi flats in the coming years, and if so, by how much?”
“The longer we allow these two objectives to be conflated, the more unaffordable housing will become for future generations. It is time that we stopped kicking the can down the road and focus on HDB's original mission of providing quality and affordable housing for all Singaporeans, especially the lower- and middle-income earners.”
“Has the Government given further consideration to the possibility of future buyers of private properties being required to sell their HDB flats? When I asked the Minister for National Development in November last year, he said that the Government has been "gathering views from Singaporeans as part of Forward Singapore and will study these as well as other views and ideas carefully". For those who are already concurrently owning both a private property and an HDB flat, the Government could incentivise them to sell their HDB flat by rebating the ABSD they paid at the time they purchased their private property if they choose to sell their HDB flat. This would encourage private property owners to free up their HDB flats for others who cannot afford to buy private property. This policy should be prospective so that it will not compel current HDB and private property owners to dispose of any property. It will only affect those who currently own an HDB flat and decide to purchase a private property after the policy takes effect. If this policy is implemented prospectively, it will not immediately add to the supply of resale flats. However, in the medium to long-term, it will better promote the owner-occupation intent of public housing and better ensure an adequate supply of affordable resale flats. Mr Speaker, housing is a basic human need. Singapore's public housing policies were a great success in the first few decades after our independence. But the Government got distracted along the way when it started pairing the objective of affordable housing with that of asset enhancement. As a result, public housing has become unaffordable by some international measures.”
“Another area that the Government should look into to increase the supply of resale flats is to prospectively restrict the concurrent ownership of HDB and private property. Currently, private property owners who want to buy an HDB flat are required to dispose of their property before buying an HDB flat. The Government has stated that this is to prioritise our limited supply of public housing for residents who do not own other properties. However, the reverse is not true – HDB flat owners are allowed to buy private residential property without selling their HDB flat. They can do so if they meet the Minimum Occupation Period and pay the Additional Buyer Stamp Duty (ABSD) of at least 17% on the purchase of their second and subsequent residential property. The Government has stated that this is allowed because HDB recognises that the financial position of HDB flat owners may improve over time and some may aspire to own private residential property. While I acknowledge that this is a valid aspiration of many higher-income Singaporeans, realising this aspiration cannot come at the expense of less well-off Singaporeans who are only looking for a roof over their heads. As at October 2022, about 3% of HDB flat owners owned at least one private property. This translates to about 32,600 units. Of these, 45% are not living in their flats. So, there are about 15,000 HDB units which are not occupied by their owners who live in another private property that they own. This represents a not insignificant number of HDB flats that could potentially add to the resale flat supply and moderate the price of resale flats. I do acknowledge that many of these flats are rented out, adding to the supply of open market rental flats.”
“The Government has already introduced the 15-month waiting out period for private property downgraders to reduce demand. I will focus on measures to increase the supply of HDB resale flats. There is potentially a large stock of HDB resale flats that can be put on the market. Many seniors live in flats that are larger than what they require after their children have gotten married and moved out. It becomes difficult for them to clean and maintain such a large flat on their own. As at 2021, there were 71,000 flats that are 3-room or larger which were owned by married persons over the age of 65 whose children had moved out. These flats could potentially be sold on the resale market if their owners are prepared to move into new 2-room Flexi flats on short-term leases. Many of these 2-room flats come with elderly-friendly fittings and nearby amenities, which seniors find quite attractive. However, not all elderly applicants for 2-room Flexi flats are successful. The application rates of BTO 2-room Flexi flats allocated to elderly households as at September 2022, ranged from 2.0 to 4.6 times in non-mature estates, and 9.9 times in mature estates. If a larger proportion of the 71,000 senior households decided to sell their flats and buy 2-room Flexi flats, the demand will far outstrip supply. By 2030, 25% of our population will be over 65. The number in need right-sized flats will only grow as the years go by. The Government needs to provide more help to seniors who wish to right-size their flats by building more 2-room Flexi flats. Doing so will have the twin benefit of increasing the supply of resale flats for new hone buyers and moderating their prices.”
“Their parents are also able to help care for their children when they are at work. Many home buyers also prefer living in mature estates were amenities and transport links to the city are better developed. Only resale flats can meet many of these requirements. This is also why BTO flats in mature estates are so popular. Many of my residents have approached me to ask me for help to appeal to HDB for priority to get a BTO or Sale of Balance Flat in a mature estate, after trying many times to secure one in balloting exercises and failing. When I suggest using a resale flat and using Government grants to help with the downpayment, my suggestion is often met with great scepticism, because resale flat prices feel so far out of reach for them. The median house price to income ratio or HPI after grants for first-timer families who bought a resale HDB flat in the last five years was between 4.6 and 5.0. This ratio is the resale flat price divided by the household income of the buyers. According to the International Housing Affordability ratings by Demographia, such a median multiple would be rated as "seriously unaffordable". The median multiple would need to be 3.0 and under to be considered affordable. This has pushed many of my residents to either rent at high open market rates or compete with other home buyers to ballot for BTO flats. We need to moderate the growth in resale flat prices. Our goal must be to moderate the growth, not to make the prices collapse, because the latter would negatively affect many existing flat lessees who are depending on their flats as a source of future retirement income. There are two ways to moderate resale flat price growth without imposing price caps by government fiat. These are: to reduce demand and to increase the supply of resale flats.”
“These flats will decline in value after the 50- to 60-year mark, as illustrated by Assoc Prof Jamus Lim yesterday. Those who bought HDB flats in the 1980s and 1990s may be glad to see that their properties have increased in value. However, to unlock the value of these assets, they will need to sell and downgrade their properties before their leases start to decay. Those with adult children would realise that the situation is much more precarious for their offspring. Many parents of young adults nowadays worry that their young children may not be able to realise the same dream they themselves achieved to own a home of their own. Those who are better off had gone ahead and bought properties for their children to move in when they get married. Others have migrated to Australia, New Zealand and Canada, where they are able to buy landed property for the price of an HDB flat. But where does that leave the rest of Singaporeans who do not have wealthy parents and want to remain in this country to build their homes, careers and families? While many who graduated in the 1970s were able to afford a landed home after a few years of work, private properties are now out of the question for most younger graduates. Even resale flats are now out of reach for many of them, leaving BTO flats the only remaining option. My hon friends Louis Chua, Leon Perera and Jamus Lim have tabled proposals on making the price of BTO flats more affordable. In the remainder of my speech, I will focus on moderating the price of resale flats. Many young couples buying their first flat prefer to live near their parents. This provides them the familiar surroundings that they grew up in and the companionship they can offer to their parents and vice versa.”
“Soon after the 1997 GE, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong assessed that linking the upgrading programme to electoral support was the single most important factor in the vote swing to the PAP and that it was decisive in tipping floating voters in the PAP's favour. The PAP's votes-for-upgrading election strategy continued into the 2006 election when PAP candidates promised $180 million of upgrading projects for Hougang and Potong Pasir if voters tossed out the Opposition there and voted for the PAP. Hougang and Potong Pasir voters did not bite the carrot offered. However, by 2015, Opposition-held wards like Hougang eventually started getting their lifts and flats upgraded. The scheme lost its effectiveness as a political tool. In fact, in my conversations with many residents in Hougang, it was this perceived unfairness that prompted them to vote against the PAP. It is natural for people to not just desire a home to live in, but also to own an asset which grows in value. Many people think that their salaries alone will not make them rich. Properties, including HDB flats, are seen as very attractive assets to grow one's wealth. For the first two decades of the Government's asset-enhancement policy, the property asset drive mindset worked like a charm. HDB resale flat prices increased 382% in value from 1990 to 2010. Many HDB lessees saw eye-watering increases in their property wealth. However, this pathway to wealth requires ever-increasing property prices to sustain it. Every property bought would need to be sold for significantly more than the purchase price. Yet, perpetual property price increases are neither sustainable nor in the public interest. There are currently about 70,000 flats that are more than 40 years old, with remaining leases of 59 years or less.”
“Mr Speaker, a public housing flat should be an affordable home for our families to live and grow up in. The original mission behind the Housing and Development Board (HDB) when it was set up in 1960 was to alleviate the severe housing shortage at that time by building affordable homes for the population. However, in 1989, public housing flats took on another role as an appreciating asset for their lessees when the Government announced several major policy changes with regard to HDB resale flats. First, the income ceiling for the purchase of resale flats was removed. This allowed people to buy HDB flats even if they were higher-income earners. Second, Permanent Residents (PRs) were allowed to buy HDB resale flats. This supported the Government's liberalisation of immigration policies to attract more middle- and higher-income foreigners to come to work in Singapore. And third, HDB flat owners were allowed to purchase private property for investment purposes. These measures added liquidity to the public housing market which pushed up prices. The Government also introduced various upgrading programmes for HDB flats and estates. In addition to improving the living environment of HDB flat dwellers, this also bolstered the view that HDB flats are an appreciating asset. Flat upgrading was pitched to voters by the PAP during the 1997 General Elections (GE) as a benefit they would enjoy priority for if their precincts voted for PAP candidates. Voters were told that after upgrading, their flats will increase in value. Conversely, precincts that voted for the Opposition risk being placed further back in the upgrading queue.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, I just have one supplementary question. Has the Government ever been aware of Singaporeans paying bribes to foreign officials but decided not to take them to task on the basis that bribery is sometimes seen as necessary to win contracts in countries where corruption is rife and that winning these contracts benefit Singaporean companies and Singaporean employees?”