Halimah Yacob
Singapore
“Thank you. I think that is certainly a very good idea and that is what we want to do and wish to do, to have the integration of the facilities. As the Member said, it is to encourage inter-generational bonding and support. In fact, we have already started one in Mr Seah Kian Peng's constituency.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the clarification, and for his information, I have written twice to LTA. The answers have been negative. My question is, what is the alternative because the purpose of the overhead pedestrian bridge is for people to cross over but the elderly has difficulty crossing over?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am really happy to hear about the immense investment in helping households cope with the rising cost of energy. There will continue to be households that, despite these assistance measures, will face difficulty in paying for their electricity bills.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister: if the problem in Japan is not resolved within the next few months, what measures will be in place to assist sectors that are affected, notably, sectors like electronics?”
“Madam, I have two concise clarifications. My first concise clarification is to ask the Minister about the very low unemployment rate. Given this very low unemployment rate, does MOM have strategies in place to help people who want to find jobs, not just those who are already displaced but those who are currently employed?”
“Madam, on behalf of the House, I would like to thank the Minister, the Minister of State and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the very comprehensive and detailed responses given. This year, the Ministry of Manpower did not have the highest number of cuts. That honour went to the Ministry of National Development.”
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“Can the Minister give some indication as to how many people are likely to be affected by this change and what can be done to assist them? The third amendment that I welcome is the new section 16A, which now allows a CPF member or a prescribed person to authorise the withdrawal of a deceased person's Medisave to pay for his medical expenses incurred before his death. Under the current provision, CPF money of a deceased member does not form part of his estate and accrues to the person whom the CPF member has nominated to receive the money upon his death. The problem arises if this nominated beneficiary refuses to pay for the hospital bills of the deceased member. With this change, the Medisave can be deducted even without the nominated recipient's approval so long as it has been authorised by the deceased member before his death, or it is authorised by a prescribed person. There is, however, one point that I would like to raise here. To ensure greater clarity so that all Singaporeans understand better, perhaps the Minister could explain who are considered as prescribed persons who could authorise the deduction from the balance standing in the Medisave account of a deceased member to pay for his medical bills after his death. Are these family members or does it also include Government agencies? A clarification from the Minister would be really useful. Finally, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister for the rationale for not amending section 29(5), which continues to deny those who are 65 years old and above from the benefits of the Home Protection Scheme. On the one hand, we have been actively promoting policies to encourage Singaporeans to work as long as possible as we are living longer.”
“In other words, if a person is suffering from a medical condition leading to a severely impaired life expectancy or he is suffering from a terminal illness or disease, why is he not eligible to benefit from the HPS or the DPIS? Although in these situations, he may be allowed to withdraw his CPF, the point is that he may not have any CPF to withdraw, but his condition makes it impossible for him to continue providing for his family or to pay for his outstanding HDB monthly payments. The Minister's clarification on this discrepancy between the amended section 15(2) and the existing sections 28 and 40 would be appreciated. Could the Minister also provide information on how many people have benefited from the DPIS and HPS schemes, and how many have been allowed to withdraw their CPF on the ground of physical or mental incapacity? The second amendment which is worth noting is the amendment to section 13(6), which now allows the amount in a person's Medisave account that is in excess of the prescribed limit to overflow into either the Ordinary Account, Special Account or Retirement Account. In the existing provision, the overflow from the Medisave is only allowed into the Ordinary Account. As we now live longer, it makes sense to allow for overflows into the Retirement Account or Special Account, which is paid a higher interest rate and which will be used only for a person's retirement. It does not make sense, because in the current provision, the overflow goes into the Ordinary Account, and the person can then use it to buy shares or to purchase a bigger home. However, Sir, there could be some CPF members who do not have much savings in their Ordinary Account and who may need the money and now find that they cannot use it for their HDB instalments.”
“A person who is either suffering from a medical condition leading to a severely impaired life expectancy or someone who is suffering from a terminal illness or disease could now also apply to withdraw his CPF. These changes would greatly help a needy CPF member to provide for himself and his family, and lessen their financial burden. However, I would like to seek a clarification from the Minister on the reasons why there is no corresponding amendment to section 28, which deals with the Home Protection Scheme (HPS) and section 40, which deals with the Dependants' Protection Insurance Scheme (DPIS). Both sections 28 and 40 provide for the HPS or the DPIS to assist a CPF member when he becomes incapacitated. Under section 28, his outstanding HDB housing loan will be paid for by the HDB, and under section 40, his family will enjoy insurance benefits when he is incapacitated or dies. The word "incapacity" under both sections 28 and 40 are defined in the same way as the existing section 15(2). In other words, like the existing section 15(2), a person can enjoy the benefits of the HPS and the DPIS only if his physical or mental incapacity is of such a nature that it prevents him from ever continuing in any employment. I would like to seek the Minister's clarification as to why sections 28 and 40 have not been amended to bring them in line with the amendment to section 15, so that the Minister is given the flexibility to decide on the types of situations where a mental or physical incapacity is deemed sufficient for a member to benefit from the HPS or the DPIS. Sir, I would also like to ask the Minister on the reasons why the new grounds stated under sub-paragraphs (f) and (g) for the withdrawal of CPF money are not applied to the HPS and DPIS?”
“The CPF study could also consider the possibility of requiring wives to be notified should the husband decide to nominate a beneficiary other than herself. I wish to call upon the CPF Board to undertake the study and for this purpose, to consult with as many stakeholders as possible who are knowledgeable and can contribute ideas on how to better strengthen the CPF savings rate of our women. I believe that this is an important and urgent task and I hope that the Minister will respond positively to this request and even set a timeline for the commencement of such a study and the completion of its report. Sir, let me now touch on the three amendments proposed under this Bill which I consider significant and to seek clarifications from the Minister on some areas. The first is the amendment to section 15(2) which increases the number of grounds on which a CPF member may withdraw his CPF money. The existing law is very rigid. A member can withdraw his CPF money only if he is found to be physically or mentally incapacitated from ever continuing in any employment, which is extremely limiting. Before a member who is physically or mentally incapacitated can withdraw his CPF money, he has to show that he completely cannot perform any work. With the new amendment, the Minister is given greater flexibility to approve other situations where physical or mental incapacity exists but is not of such a nature that prevents the person from ever continuing in any employment. The addition of sub-paragraphs (f) and (g) are also welcome changes. These two sub-paragraphs provide two additional grounds for a person to withdraw his CPF money.”
“Sir, I welcome the many positive changes that are being proposed under this Bill. The CPF scheme is an important and integral part of our social security system and it cannot remain static. Changes have to be made to take into account new needs and to cover any shortcomings or gaps that are discernible as a scheme is implemented. So I view these changes positively and urge the Ministry to consider other areas where refinements are needed. Sir, one need that has to be addressed, and which has not been touched upon in this Bill, is the generally lower CPF savings rate that women today face. Women are living longer, require more medical attention but have lower savings rate. For instance, in 2000, males aged 50-54 had an average of $66,123 in their CPF accounts before retirement while their female counterparts had only $39,211. And this is a problem that is not only confined to older women although those in their 50s to 80s face bigger challenges. Even younger women may continue to face the prospect of lower savings when they grow older because of the lower labour force participation rate of women. In 2000, for example, only 55.5% of women aged 15 were part of the labour force compared to 81.1% of men in the same category. Sir, I would therefore like to suggest that the CPF Board undertake a comprehensive study on this issue and, in particular, look into ways of strengthening the CPF savings rate for women so that they too can age with greater security. The study could, for instance, look into ways of incentivising husbands to top-up their wives' CPF accounts. There have also been concerns about wives not knowing when their husbands nominate other beneficiaries other than themselves.”
“Sir, I have three questions. I just would like to ask the Senior Minister of State at what point and under what circumstances will the EV71 virus turn deadly. Secondly, the Senior Minister of State mentioned that in certain months, the disease seems to peak. What are the factors causing the disease to escalate in certain months and whether there is any way we can prevent it? Thirdly, there are some parents who are concerned, especially mothers, because when there is an escalation in the number of cases, and even if it is not hand, foot and mouth disease, the childcare centres and kindergartens are worried and they do not take the children. But mothers cannot take leave at short notice. So is there some service that can be provided by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with some agencies? These mothers cannot automatically take leave and stay at home to take care of their sick child. But, at least, if there is a daycare facility for them to put a sick child, this will be a great help.”
“Sir, many efforts have been done to enhance the status of the Malay Muslim community in Singapore and to establish an excellent community. One important effort is to strengthen the family institution which faces many challenges. The family institution has to be assisted in planning their vision and also to improve their skills, so that these parents can guide their families more effectively. Our effectiveness in helping to establish an excellent family depends on three things: Firstly, we need effective programmes with sufficient resources. Secondly, we need strong prime movers within our community, which are supported by community leaders who have the commitment and integrity to continue the endeavor. Thirdly, we need the involvement from those in the community who have strong determination and who want to see changes in their lives. Can the Minister provide us with information on what are the new community programmes that will be drafted for families and youths to achieve the vision of an excellent family? How can we continue to engage the participation of important institutions like the Syariah Court, mass media, MUIS and other Malay/Muslim organisations in our efforts? How can we keep the community progressing in tandem with these efforts? Minors and Sexuality”
“Just one more point, Sir. Would it not be more effective to extend more assistance now than later?”
“Sir, first I would like to applaud the MCYS and the Minister for increasing subsidies for child support, childcare subsidies, infant-care subsidies and student-care subsidies. I think those are really good initiatives and good moves. However, I am disappointed that these enhanced subsidies will only apply to the first two children. I had asked, and I would like to ask, for some flexibility in terms of these subsidies to be extended to more than just two children. Even if it cannot be extended to all the children, at least to the third child. Would the Minister not agree with me that it would be better for the mother to go to work even if she has three, four or five children? At least, in terms of the Workfare initiative that we are trying to put in place, that would set a very good role model for the children, as well as the whole family, that there is initiative on her part to stand on her own two feet to help the family. Would the Minister not agree with me also that if children of this family, because they do not get assistance in terms of higher childcare subsidies for the other children, the mother cannot go back to work? Would the Minister not agree that, later on, if the children become low wage workers, the Government will continue to have to put in a lot more money to upskill them, reskill them, provide further social support, and in that way we then have a new generation of low-wage workers? Would the Minister not agree with me that it would be better ---”
“Just three clarifications. The MOS said that MOM will be coming up with safety materials. I would like to request MOM to come up with materials in multi-languages, taking into account not just the local workforce, but also the huge presence of foreign workforce with multi-nationalities. The second point is on the Workplace Safety and Health Act. Whilst we put our focus on accidents at the workplace, I would also like MOM to pay special focus and attention to occupational diseases. Because in developed countries, which have the same regime that we are now introducing, accidents have gone down but occupational diseases have gone up. So I think there should be a parallel track on this. The third point is this. MOS said that, in the case of contract workers, employees should bring incidents of non-compliance of the law to MOM's attention. That is one way of seeking redress. But I would also like to ask MOM to be more proactive, in terms of trying to weed out unscrupulous employers of contract workers and bringing greater awareness on the need to comply and also the need to enforce the law.”
“Sir, the Tripartite Committee on the Employability of Older Workers has recommended the establishment of a tripartite alliance for fair employment practices. May I ask the Minister what will be the focus of this alliance? What will be the measures that will be put in place and, equally important, what kind of resources will be allocated to this alliance so that it can perform its work effectively? Sir, I would like to urge all employers to employ people based on merits, which has been the cornerstone of our meritocratic society. If employers start looking at other factors, over time, people would lose confidence in the system. Hence, as a society, I urge that we build a consensus to make all forms of discrimination, whether on the basis of age, gender, race or religion or any other factors, so taboo that it becomes intolerable for any employer to practise such discrimination. Sir, we have heard quite a lot of complaints about discrimination against older workers, pregnant women and also job advertisements that ask for Mandarin-speaking candidates when that is not required for the job advertised. May I ask the Minister what more can be done to prevent such discrimination in our workplace, how to change mindset, perceptions and stereo-types?”
“Sir, I just want to seek a clarification from the Minister. I note his explanation that a lot more high value-added jobs have been created. In fact, on the ground, that is the trend that we have also seen. Even as manufacturing companies relocate, more higher value-added jobs are created. We do note that in these sectors where high value-added jobs are created - high-value added manufacturing, aerospace, bio-medicals - there seem to be a strong presence of foreign workers. My question is: is there a strategy on the part of MOM working with EDB, maybe working with the Ministry of Education, in order to ensure that, over time, three-five years or so, there will be more Singaporeans actually going into these higher value-added jobs in some of these sectors?”
“Sir, I would like to ask for more support and help for the PMETs, ie, Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians. In the last quarter, for instance, 37% of those who were retrenched were PMETs and, once retrenched, PMETs who are above 40 years old find it a lot more difficult to get jobs within the six-month period, ie, the benchmark we use to determine whether a person is considered as a long-term unemployed or not. Older PMETs need help in two key areas. (1) Job placement. As our current efforts are largely focused on non-PMETs, may I ask the Minister whether MOM can do more to create a job data bank for PMETs and help to match them to jobs? (2) PMETs need help in retraining, as their skills can also become obsolete after some time. Currently, the SDF does not apply to them. May I ask the Minister to put in place more initiatives to help reskill and retrain PMETs, to prepare them for jobs in sectors that need workers? If the SDF is not the proper fund, could MOM think of other ways to provide subsidised training for PMETs? This is an area that is important that we need to pay a lot more focus on, although hitherto a lot more attention has been paid on the non-PMETs. I think, as the economy churn takes its effect, it would also affect the PMETs and they also need some assistance.”
“Sir, last year, there was very strong job creation with more than 100,000 jobs created, and this is good because the experience of many countries show that economic growth alone does not ensure that there is job creation. So the need to be a specific focus on job creation. However, many Singaporeans are asking whether these jobs that are created have gone to Singaporeans or have gone to foreign talents. May I ask the Minister how many of these jobs have gone to Singaporeans, particularly in the high value-added sectors, such as the bio-medical and higher value-added manufacturing which pay much better? Secondly, may I also ask the Minister for his projection on the job creation for this year? How many jobs will be created this year and in which sectors? Thirdly, I would also like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry has done a longer-term projection of jobs. What kind of jobs will be created, in which sectors and what kind of skills are required? Sir, the concern is this. We still have a sizeable number of workers who have no secondary education. And we know that the projection of the Ministry itself is that by the year 2009, at least 45% of the jobs will require post-secondary education. We know EDB brings in jobs but two out of the three jobs are for professionals and require skills. In this regard, we are working very hard to recreate jobs and retrain low-skilled workers. But in the meantime, we still need an overall strategy to provide jobs for those without secondary qualifications. So I would like to ask the Minister what steps are being taken to ensure that our low-skilled workers and those without secondary qualifications continue to have jobs in the long term. 2.45 pm”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister and also the Senior Minister of State for the very comprehensive and insightful answers that they have given. I am personally very assured by the Minister's assurance that the Government is very mindful of ensuring that medical inflation is controlled and that healthcare costs continue to remain affordable to all Singaporeans. On that note, Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $1,809,997,570 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $200,371,800 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head K - Ministry of Education”
“I just want to ask the Minister two questions. My first question is: when will the review on the flexibility given to the use of Medisave be completed? My second question is this. The Minister has said that his Ministry will always review the quality of the services. I do note the special focus and emphasis on the elderly and also those suffering from chronic illnesses. But, there is also a need to pay a bit more attention to one area that is somewhat overlooked, ie, those people suffering from mental illness. I would like to ask the Minister if his Ministry would pay closer attention to people suffering from mental illness in terms of the quality and level of care provided to them, both at the hospital and the primary care setting, as well as in terms of educating the public about this illness and accepting mental illness sufferers better and helping them to integrate into society.”
“Sir, concerns over a potential bird flu pandemic remain strong, globally as well as in the region. With these concerns in mind, could the Minister please update this House on the measures taken to prepare Singapore for a bird flu pandemic. How prepared are our hospitals to treat bird flu victims? What are we doing to prepare Singaporeans for such a pandemic? One way of preparing Singaporeans for the possibility of a bird flu outbreak is through drills. Will the Ministry be conducting such a drill? In Parliament, the Minister had mentioned that the Ministry is actively looking at how Singapore can produce our own vaccine as there is a worldwide shortage of such a vaccine. What is the progress of this and do we have enough stockpile of the vaccine? Sir, in fighting bird flu, maintaining cross-border cooperation is important, particularly, amongst close neighbours. Several Asian countries have reported cases of the H5N1 virus infecting birds. In a few countries, the virus has spread to humans and had caused death. Could the Minister update this House on the status of the pilot project that it is conducting in Indonesia to help our neighbours fight bird flu?”
“Sir, I would like to urge a thorough review of our ElderShield Scheme which I think can be better utilised and specifically in the following areas: Firstly, relax its eligibility criteria. The rigid definition of "disability" which requires a person not to be able to do three out of the six daily routines can result in a ridiculous situation, where even someone who is wheelchair-bound is not considered as disabled. Secondly, I do not see why when a person is certified as disabled by a specialist in a public hospital, he still has to be assessed by a GP appointed by the insurance company. This restriction should be removed as it unnecessarily adds to the patient's cost. If an assessor is used, the fee should also be absorbed by the insurance company, and not the person claiming which causes hardship, as this insurance is different from motorcar or fire accident insurance. Thirdly, the waiting time of three months is too long and should be shortened. Fourthly, the restriction to five years of payment causes hardship and should be removed. At a time when a person needs the money the most, he is left stranded. Fifthly, $300 monthly payment is too little and should be regularly reviewed, taking into account the medical inflation rate. Finally, 42% of those who opted out of MediShield were low-income earners earning less than $1,500. Can the Government do something so that more of them can be covered under the scheme?”
“Also, in what way can the Ministry educate the public so that they can better understand the significance of quality indicators and, in this way, help them to seek better quality treatment and therefore further boost standards? Medisave Let me come to my next point, Sir, and this is on Medisave. Currently, the use of Medisave is allowed only in limited areas. I urge the Ministry to allow greater flexibility in the use of Medisave. Singaporeans' need for their long-term hospitalisation needs is well understood and cannot be denied. But it is difficult to explain to Singaporeans, who need cash to pay for their immediate medical needs, why they cannot make use of their Medisave savings but instead have to borrow or seek assistance from the CDCs or other places to pay for their medical bills. Those desperately in need of help cannot be expected to worry about future needs. But if they neglect taking medicine regularly or fail to seek regular treatment and fall seriously ill resulting in hospitalisation, that would put a serious strain on the resources of our hospitals. I would like to request for greater flexibility in the use of Medisave, particularly in the following areas - I am sure the Ministry can look into other areas as well - long-term chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, purchase of medical consumables, purchase of medical equipment, eg, ventilators, payment for medical tests, such as MRI for those already diagnosed with a serious illness, cost of home rehabilitation and step-down care. To prevent over-consumption and ensure prudence, the Ministry can consider imposing an annual withdrawal limit from the Medisave for these purposes or even limits based on each procedure or treatment.”
“While the publication of hospital fees is a laudable move and has ensured that hospitals do not overcharge for the same type of procedure or treatment, much more needs to be done to inject transparency into our healthcare system. For example, if someone wants to have a cataract operation - the price being equal - how is he to decide whether to have it done at SGH or NUH? Yet, this is an important point. An ignorant or ill-informed patient may breed complacency in our healthcare system as he is not in a position to demand high standards. In March last year, Sir, Prof. Robert Brook of the US think tank, RAND Health, recommended that health institutions here start providing information about the quality of its services as well, so that people can choose a healthcare service based on price and quality. According to him, if the Singapore healthcare system wants to have meaningful competition and be world-class, then it must provide more than just pricing information to patients. I would like to ask the Minister what initiatives are in place to enhance medical standards and to publish quality indicators of our medical services in Singapore. With quality indicators, patients will be better able to make informed choices on where to seek treatment, and this will also provide transparent benchmarks on the comparative efficiency of our healthcare providers. I note, Sir, that the Joint Commission in the National and American Accreditation Agency already accredits some of our public hospitals. Patients treated at accredited hospitals can expect more consistency in hospital processes and treatments. The question is: why have all the hospitals not achieved accreditation from this Agency, and are private hospitals covered?”
“I am not talking here, Sir, about the ability of our 3M system to pay for the needs of the elderly today, but rather to assess how demographics, cost increases, advancements in diagnostics and medical technologies and many other factors would impact on the 3M system and its ability to provide for the future healthcare cost of the elderly. 1.45 pm On another matter, Sir, related to the elderly, I note that the Committee on Ageing Issues had concluded its work, and made many recommendations pertaining to our ageing population. I would also like to ask the Minister when the Ministry will be giving its response to the recommendations of the Committee on Ageing Issues, particularly on those matters related to health. My concern is that sometimes we have a lot of committees making recommendations but the follow-up may not be sustained. On the elderly alone, Sir, there have been many reports and committees, and what we need now is to ensure that there is effective follow-up on these reports. My third point is on the need to continuously improve medical standards. Singaporeans are concerned not only with cost but also whether they are provided with a good standard of medical care in Singapore. The quality and standard of healthcare that we receive is important to ensure that we recover quickly, do not stay in the hospital longer than needed or develop serious complications, all of which will add to our cost and agony. Yet, unlike the purchase of other goods and services where the customer can easily make a distinction in the quality of service or goods, it is not so simple for the average patient to do so.”
“Even those who are now healthy worry in case they fall ill one day and are unable to provide for themselves or their families. While I agree that we can contain our own healthcare cost by keeping healthy and cost increase is also due to advancement in diagnostics and medical technologies, I also believe that the Government can do more to control the increase in healthcare costs and to boost the productivity and efficiency of our healthcare providers. Otherwise, I do not see how we can maintain a tight lid on our national health expenditure and Government subsidies without the population suffering a fall in medical care. I believe, Sir, that we can better leverage on economies of scale, a more efficient use of manpower such as the advanced practice nurses and greater control over the use of new medical technologies, just to name a few areas. I would like to ask the Minister what measures would be taken to control medical inflation and ensure that healthcare costs remain affordable to all Singaporeans. Secondly, Sir, we need to pay greater attention to the long-term healthcare needs of our elderly Singaporeans. Those above 65 years have on average only about $5,300 in their Medisave, barely sufficient to pay for their MediShield and ElderShield premiums as well as the smaller hospital bills of specialist outpatient treatment. As our population is ageing rapidly, I would like to ask the Minister whether our 3M system is sufficient to take care of the long term healthcare needs of our elderly. I would like to suggest that the Ministry undertakes a comprehensive study of the long-term healthcare needs of our elderly and assess whether our 3M system can sustain their needs financially.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head O of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, many positive changes have taken place in the healthcare sector over the last one year, for which I must credit the Health Minister. We now have a more robust MediShield scheme where more of the bigger hospital bills are covered, providing immense relief to many Singaporeans suffering from ageing illnesses. Another development is the higher daily Medisave withdrawal limit which will benefit 50,000 Singaporeans. These changes have made our healthcare system much more robust and sound. However, we all know that healthcare is not a static subject, but is constantly evolving with new issues emerging all the time. I would like to raise three issues. Firstly, Sir, healthcare costs continue to be a concern to Singaporeans. In a 2004 Feedback Unit survey involving 1,064 Singaporeans, 67% were worried that they would not be able to pay for their future healthcare cost, while 60% were worried they would not be able to pay for their dependant's future healthcare cost. These concerns are not without basis. Healthcare costs have been rising as reflected by our medical inflation rate which, at 5.9% in 2004, was the highest in a decade and definitely higher than the general inflation rate of 1.7% in 2004. Households are also spending more on healthcare, with the lowest 20% of the income groups spending the most, about 7% of the household income compared to the highest 20% of the income group, which spends about 4.7% of the household income on healthcare. Although healthcare is not something that we consume all the time, it is a subject that occupies our mind all the time.”
“Sir, I just want to seek a clarification from the Minister on the housing grant eligibility criteria for the low-wage workers, where the Minister said they must have worked continuously for two years. My question is this: you can have a person who has worked for a few years and he loses his job and then he gets a job for a few months, and he wants to apply for the housing grant. But he is not eligible because he is not working continuously. But it is not through any fault of his because he has been retrenched. But he already has got a job, which he has just worked for a few months. Would the Ministry consider some flexibility for such low-wage workers so that they can qualify? Otherwise, they will have to start from zero base all over again, which is too harsh and too rigid for them.”
“Sir, to help low-wage workers own their own flats, the Low-Wage Workers Committee has recommended that HDB build more 2-room flats to widen the affordable housing options for low-wage workers. It also recommended that low-income families which are in difficulty and which want to downgrade to a smaller flat or even to subsidised HDB flats should be assisted to do so to alleviate their financial burdens. I would like to ask the Minister what steps are being taken to achieve these recommendations. Firstly, when will HDB start building the 2-room flats and when is the completion date? How many units will be built? What is the price range and in which locations? As the objective is to make it possible for our low-income earners to buy their own homes, the HDB's pricing of these flats should be made very affordable. As a recent report shows, the prices of 2-room flats have gone up by 25% because of the surge in demand, particularly from singles. Secondly, Sir, like my other colleagues, currently, I note that HDB is very selective in allowing someone who wishes to downgrade to a smaller flat because of financial difficulty to do so. This causes hardship and immense frustration to those who are affected and who struggle very hard to settle their debts. Can the Minister enlighten this House whether this policy will be reviewed to make it easier for those facing financial difficulty to downgrade to a subsidised flat and secure a HDB loan?”
“Sir, much has been said about how rapidly our population is ageing, living longer and hence the need for Singaporeans to work longer to provide for their needs. It is important for the public sector to take the lead, as it is the largest employer in Singapore and its HR practices have an impact on the private sector. The Committee on the Employability of Older Workers has made many recommendations on how to help older workers above 62 years old stay employed. In this light, I would like to ask the Public Service Division the following questions: Firstly, what is the policy on the employment of older workers above 62 years in the public sector? Secondly, how many per cent above 62 years old in the public sector over the last three years have been extended or re-employed? Thirdly, what is the target the public sector has set for the employment of those above 62? How many percent will be extended in employment or offered re-employment? Finally, will the employment of those above 62 be automatically extended or re-offered and, if not, on what conditions will they be denied re-employment or extension of employment? Registration of Criminals Act”
“This is again something unique to Singapore. Globalisation may have diminished the voice of workers in many countries, leading to a sense of marginalisation and loss. But, in Singapore, workers' voice remains strong and powerful, as we were fully represented on these Committees and actively participated in contributing our ideas and in representing workers' interests. Sir, I applaud the Government for this farsighted, socially inclusive and humane Budget. I fully support this Budget.”
“Women also make up a high proportion of singles that take care of their sickly parents or other disabled relatives. So, they suffer a double whammy. With such responsibilities, women usually find it difficult to get married and have a life of their own - something which the Government is trying very hard to promote- yet, at the same time, they also find not much support from policies to help them take care of their aged parents. I hope that the Ministry of Finance can also review this policy and allow singles, who take care of their elderly sick parents or other incapacitated family members, to pay a lower maid levy. Sir, as GPC Chair for Health, I am very pleased with the Medisave top-ups of between $100 and $800 for those above 50 years. Elderly Singaporeans, especially those above 65 years, have low Medisave savings but require more medical attention. I hope that such top-ups will be a regular feature in future Budget years if there is a surplus. Let me conclude, Sir, by pointing out one aspect of the Budget that many have missed, and that is the extensive consultations that took place with many Singaporean stakeholders before these Budget measures were announced. Many of the Budget measures arose from the recommendations of three Committees, ie, the Low Wage Workers Committee, which recommended the six key measures to help low-wage workers level up, including the Workfare Bonus and the housing grants; the Employability of Older Workers Committee, which recommended setting aside $70 million for the Job Recreation Programme and the ADVANTAGE Scheme; and the Committee on Ageing issues which recommended the Medisave top-ups. Sir, these Committees were represented by a cross-section of the society, and workers had a strong voice.”
“I think it is possible for us to change this situation, so that the outcome will be win-win for everyone. Employers can make more effective use of their resources, especially they can have greater flexibility in managing their manpower cost depending on their needs. At the same time, workers are paid decent wages and enjoy the minimum benefits stipulated by labour laws. People see the public sector as a model employer and expect it to uphold high HR standards, and they are not wrong, as having dealt with both the public and private sectors extensively, I can vouch for the public sector's fair and humane treatment of staff. Hence, on the issue of outsourcing or best sourcing, I would like to ask the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance what is the policy in the public sector when it outsources. Are there sufficient safeguards included in the contracts to the vendors or service providers to ensure that they do not exploit the workers and fully comply with labour laws and pay CPF? What follow-up action is in place to ensure such compliance? Sir, I have spoken on previous occasions on the need to reduce the maid levy for singles taking care of sick relatives and parents. Our population is ageing very rapidly and the elderly suffer more from medical problems and other disabilities. We want to encourage families to take care of their elderly, as we feel that the elderly will fare better in a home environment than if they were to be put in institutional care. This is also one of the key thrusts of the Committee on Ageing Issues which recently made known its recommendations. Ageing issues are becoming predominantly women's issues, as women live longer, have less savings and need more medical care.”
“Sir, in last year's Budget, Prime Minister had mentioned that about 20% of the non-core functions in the public sector will be market tested and, if found suitable, best sourced. Following this, we have seen a number of best sourcing initiatives carried out in the public sector. The argument in support of best sourcing is for the public sector to avoid doing things which are not core to their work and for which they do not have the expertise or economies of scale. In such situations, it is better for the public sector to buy such services from the private service providers. However, Sir, generally the use of outsourcing in Singapore has caused some concern. In some cases, or in most cases, I may add, once a decision is taken to outsource, tenders will be called and contracts awarded according to the criteria set, one of which would be the pricing of the services offered. Because of the practice of awarding the contract to the lowest tender, contractors try to outbid each other in order to secure the contract. The service provider is then measured strictly by the outcome or output that is defined. Usually, there will be nothing in the contract between the agency using the contractor/service providers on the workers' welfare - that they should be treated decently, the contractor should comply with labour laws, cover the employees with adequate insurance protection, pay CPF and decent wages and pay them on time. In a few cases, where this is stipulated in the contract, there is no follow-up mechanism to ensure compliance. As a result, contract workers employed under such arrangements are worse off compared to permanent workers. In such a situation, Sir, best sourcing can become cheap sourcing.”
“The Manpower Management Framework, Sir, was introduced in 2004 and was meant to apply for three years. Under the MMF, Ministries and statutory boards are required to reduce their headcount by 3% per year. The MMF had caused some concern among public sector employees. Many were worried that this policy meant that they would lose their jobs if normal attrition is insufficient to make up for the 3%. There was also the problem of how the MMF policy relates to the current policy of raising the effective retirement age. With the MMF in place, there is no incentive to employ anyone beyond 62 years, for if a public sector agency does so, it cannot reduce its headcount. Also, where there are new services or when existing services are expanded, it is difficult for public sector agencies to increase headcounts as they would then be contravening the MMF. Sir, I was hoping that the MMF would be discontinued, so that we will not see a conflict in the current policy to employ more older workers and extend older workers' employment and the MMF. Since this policy will continue for one more year, I would like to seek a clarification from the Prime Minister whether this would inhibit the ability of public sector agencies to recruit and extend the employment of older workers. Also, I note that from FY07 onwards, there will be a headcount freeze for three years. Although this is an improvement over the MMF, I would be grateful if the Prime Minister could also clarify on the meaning and impact of this policy. Specifically, how will this affect recruitment in the public sector and the policy to engage older workers and re-employ those who have reached 62 years of age?”
“Would there be some flexibility, they want to know, to deal with genuine cases where the interruption in the work is due to reasons beyond their control? Sir, in response to a question which I had raised in Parliament, which is also covered under the Low Wage Workers Committee's Report, the Minister for MCYS promised to look into enhancing the social assistance programme to support women to remain or re-enter the labour market. I hope that, in the course of this debate, we would get more details of the enhanced KiFAS, childcare and student care subsidies that low-income families will be able to enjoy. Sir, in his Budget Statement, the Prime Minister had mentioned about the enhanced childcare subsidies for the first and second child. I welcome this benefit as it will certainly help low-income families to improve their finances as mothers can now go out to work. However, Sir, some mothers have lamented that restricting this benefit only to the first and second child is too rigid. They have asked that the Government consider extending the higher subsidy to the other children in the low-income family, or at least to the third child. If the rationale, Sir, is to encourage self-reliance and make it possible for mothers from low-income families to go back to work, then it really makes sense to extend this higher subsidy to more children, and not just the first two. This flexibility, Sir, is necessary, in my view, to prevent children from low-income families from becoming low-income workers of the future, costing the Government much more to retrain them and to provide social assistance. I hope that the Government will consider this request. Sir, let me now touch on the headcount freeze for three years and the Manpower Management Framework (MMF).”
“Another group that may need special help are those who are confined in institutions, such as those in our penal institutions, nursing homes or hospitals, especially IMH. The MOF should also work with GROs, as well as tap the resources of the self-help groups and VWOs, to help reach out to these groups. The Ministry could also rope in employers to help in explaining to their workers, just as unions will do our part in reaching out to our members. Sir, on the Workfare Bonus, I have also received some feedback from Singaporeans who work as temporary, casual or part-time workers. They are unsure whether they can claim the Workfare Bonus because they are not clear on how to interpret the requirement that they must have worked for a period of at least six months continuously. For some of them, although they have worked for six months they may be working only sporadically when work is available. For example, if a worker works for six months but only for a few days in each month depending on the availability of work, will he qualify for the bonus? Or, for instance, he had worked continuously for the first six months of 2005, but later lost his job and is now unemployed, will he also qualify? Perhaps a clearer explanation from MOF of these issues would be helpful. Sir, I have also received some feedback on the housing grant. Some are not clear on the requirement that they have to work continuously for two years before they qualify for the grant. A question asked was whether they would qualify for the grant if they had been working for some time but lost their jobs because of retrenchment before fulfilling the two-year requirement. In such a case, would they have to start from zero-base and count again once they start working in a new job?”
“In the long term, this is the most tangible and sustainable assistance that we can render to low-wage workers. Now that these funds are available, I hope that employers will take advantage of them to train their workers, especially the SMEs, which do not train their workers as much. I must say, Sir, that I am a bit concerned when I read in the papers about the different ways in which some Singaporeans intend to spend their Growth Dividends. There was even one person who was quoted as saying that he wanted to use it to buy 4-D. I think that it is better to save this money to be used for a rainy day. As jobs are now more volatile and uncertain, it is possible for us to lose our jobs at anytime. In such a case, this amount will come in handy to tide us over until we get a new job and will help to pay for our daily needs such as utilities, service and conservancy charges and costs for children's schooling as well as other daily needs. I hope, Sir, that Singaporeans will spend their money wisely. Let me now come to some specific aspects of the Budget. Sir, I have received a lot of feedback that Singaporeans are somewhat confused about the Progress Package. One university student I spoke to did not know that he would be getting $800, which is more than enough to offset three years of university fee increases. Some thought that they will not get anything since they are not working as they have mixed up the Workfare Bonus with the Growth Dividends. The elderly are worried that they may miss out as they did not know how to register to get the money on 1st May. So, I think there is a need for MOF to explain more clearly and also to reach out to Singaporeans who need help to explain and assist them.”
“In Singapore, we can show that it is possible to build a fair and inclusive globalisation process. As the World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalisation argued, "seen through the eyes of the vast majority of women and men, globalisation has not met their simple and legitimate aspirations for decent jobs and a better future for their children." Hence, Sir, this Budget is significant as it will help to create decent jobs where our low income Singaporeans can earn enough to feed their family. At the same time, there are also measures to ensure a better future for their children. A sustained effort is needed so that our lower income workers and needy and poor can continue to have hope and see a future for themselves. If we fail to address their concerns, Sir, this will result in social tension and, in the long run, everyone will lose. I am glad that our Government is putting in place systems and structures to help our unemployed, low wage workers and older Singaporeans own a stake in our society and curve a future for themselves. Sir, while I understand that a lot of attention has been focused on the immediate benefits to be gained from this Budget, such as the Workfare Bonus and Growth Dividends, I also urge all Singaporeans to focus on the long-term benefits as well. The substantial funds allocated to the Job Redesign Programme, the ADVANTAGE scheme and the Lifelong Learning Fund will greatly help NTUC and WDA in our efforts to recreate jobs for low-skilled and older workers and to retrain them. Through the JRP, we have already helped create 7,200 jobs and place 4,600 workers in better paying jobs in 16 sectors, and we aim to create 10,000 such jobs a year. In this way, we help to create decent jobs and make it possible for everyone to level up.”
“In fact, evidence shows that when governments take a strong and interventionist role in helping the most vulnerable and needy in society, the benefits of globalisation can be better harnessed for the good of everyone. So crucial is the need to ensure a more inclusive and humane globalisation process that in 2002, the ILO set up a Commission on the Social Dimensions of Globalisation which made many recommendations on how countries could ensure a fairer globalisation with benefits spread out more evenly. With this Budget, Sir, our Government is sending out a very strong signal. Our Government will not allow the weakest and most vulnerable members of our society to bear the brunt of globalisation, a pattern that we see repeated in many countries, and which is building up a lot of resentment against globalisation. Yes, we must continue to restructure and change in order to maximise the opportunities that come along. But we can also do much more to help all Singaporeans benefit instead of leaving this to market forces alone. Jeffrey Sachs, an economist, argued in his book The End of Poverty that, "when the pre-conditions of basic infrastructure (roads, power and ports) and human capital (health and education) are in place, markets are powerful engines of development. Without those pre-conditions markets can cruelly bypass large parts of the world, leaving them impoverished and suffering without respite. Collective action, through effective government provision of health, education, infrastructure underpins economic success." Markets alone, Sir, without strong and active labour market policies, cannot correct the imbalance in progress and income that comes about because of globalisation.”
“As we all know, this debate over globalisation and its impact on workers in society is a long-drawn one and is not over yet. My meetings at the ILO are never complete without someone, usually trade unionists, criticising globalisation and its ill effects on the workers and the poor. Needless to say, championing globalisation are usually employers, with some governments oscillating between the two views. Globalisation creates winners and losers not only between countries, but also within countries. In Singapore, we have seen how the salary of our bottom 20th percentile has stagnated. Globally, the same grim picture has emerged. According to the ILO, in 1960, the income gap between the wealthiest fifth of the world's population and the poorest fifth was 30 to 1. By 1999, it was 74 to 1. In 1995, average per capita GDP in the richest 20 countries was 37 times the average in the poorest 20 - a gap that has doubled in the past 40 years. Often, Sir, the debate over globalisation is stuck in an ideological quagmire with neither side being able to see beyond their own limited sphere. This debate is also important in Singapore, although it has not been as intense nor are we stuck in ideological battles. But we too need to understand what are the forces that shape globalisation and plan strategies to help create more winners rather than losers. For this to happen, one thing is clear - the Government plays a crucial role in ensuring a fair and inclusive globalisation process. Those who argue that governments have no role to play and should leave it to the market to sort itself out are wrong.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget is indeed a very generous and pro-worker Budget. On behalf of the workers, I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the Government for the generosity in sharing prosperity with the people, especially the poor, the low-income earners and the elderly. There were some people I talked to who were quite incredulous at the amounts that they would receive but they were grateful that the money would help to pay for their arrears with some leftover for future contingencies. When Government shares during times of prosperity, it makes it a lot easier to get Singaporeans to accept difficult policies in bad times as the trust is already established. Sir, we all remember the difficult years of 2001-2003. Many workers lost their jobs, had to tighten their belts and took pay cuts. Even last year, a number of big manufacturing companies retrenched workers and thousands were affected. Older workers were particularly affected by the restructuring. Those among them who lost their jobs found it more difficult to get new ones as the reality of structural unemployment hits home. This Budget, Sir, is indeed a fitting recognition of all Singaporeans' sacrifices. It will go a long way towards helping them deal with the pain of adjustment in the labour market and, at the same time, incentivise them to stay employed and be motivated to upgrade their skills. At the same time, Sir, the job creation focus of this Budget cannot be overlooked. By ensuring that Singapore continues to remain economically sound and competitive, our workers can continue to look forward to new and better jobs being created and, therefore, assured of a secure future. Sir, this Budget is also significant in the way it aims to help Singaporeans deal with globalisation.”
“For this, we need to have a significant change in mindsets and considerably enhanced capabilities of all stakeholders. Without the total commitment of all parties, we will not be able to achieve a zero accident workplace. Sir, I urge all employers to take safety and health at the workplace seriously. This should not be viewed only as a cost factor but, more importantly, it deals with the lives and limbs of our workers which should never be compromised under any circumstances. At the end of the day, although the Bill includes other stakeholders and expands their role, making sure that a workplace is safe is fundamentally the responsibility of employers and this Bill does not dilute that. Sir, for accidents do not just happen - they are caused - workers have a right to a safe working environment. On that note, Sir, I support the Bill. 5.11 pm”
“Sir, now that individual workers are made responsible for their actions that will compromise safety, they must first know what are the hazards and be sufficiently empowered to do something once they are aware of the presence of such dangers. The fifth area, Sir, is resources. For the new framework to be effective, clearly more resources are required. In March last year, the Minister mentioned that there were only 100 inspectors to do inspection work and that more would be employed. Can the Minister enlighten this House how many more inspectors have since been recruited to implement this Act? Also, do the inspectors have the expertise and are fully equipped to perform the new roles that are required of them under the Act? This role is no longer just punishing employers when an accident takes place but, more importantly, to ensure that there is an effective safety management system at work and that employers comply with that system even before any accident takes place. This requires special and in-depth knowledge of the industry, the work processes involved and the risk posed. The sixth area, Sir, which was also mentioned by the Minister last March, was that MOM would make safety records of employers available to the public and insurance companies. Can the Minister also update this House on this initiative? What has been done so far? In conclusion, Sir, I wish to stress that this Bill provides a useful and progressive framework to improve safety and health at work, and I certainly applaud the MOM for coming up with this Bill. Now that we have the framework in place, the key challenge for all stakeholders, Government, employers and workers alike, is to ensure that it is implementable.”
“Clause12(3)(e) provides that it is the employers' responsibility "to ensure that the person at work has adequate instruction, information, training and supervision as is necessary for that person to perform his work". There are two aspects to this issue. Firstly, there must be adequate measures to make sure that all workers, including foreign workers, are sent for training on the requirements of the new Act. It is difficult for workers to comply with the legal requirements, if they do not know what is required of them under the Act but which will cost them as they will now be exposed to specific penalties. Training should be done on a continuous regular basis and in a language that the workers understand, something particularly important in sectors where there are a lot of foreign workers. Secondly, Sir, MOM should review the safety training framework, to ensure that workers have full knowledge of the various hazards at work. All workers should be equipped with skills to identify work processes or anything in the environment which are hazardous to their safety and health. This is important as technology and the type of chemicals used at work have expanded so much that it would not be possible for workers to rely on past knowledge and experience alone. Once a hazard is identified, workers should be empowered to stop work or request for relevant expertise to remove or eliminate the hazards, before starting or resuming work. Under clause 21(2), for instance, only the Commissioner can issue a stop-work order but no power is given to the individual worker who is aware of a danger to his safety or that of his co-workers from stopping work.”
“Considering that our median wage is only $1,800, this amount is high for the average worker who would, in most cases, already be penalised with a dismissal if he is found to have caused an accident. Thirdly, Sir, workers are grateful for clause 18, which prohibits employers from dismissing or threatening to dismiss a whistle-blower but they feel that this provision does not go far enough. They pointed out that short of a dismissal or threats to dismiss, an employer can inflict a whole host of other acts of intimidation and harassment against a whistle-blower such as withholding promotions, paying lower bonuses or generally making life so difficult that the person may be forced to resign. I think, Sir, we need a much more comprehensive framework than this to protect whistle-blowers. And I would like to suggest that the Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee consider devising such a framework as part of the compulsory standards on occupational safety and health that all companies in the four sectors covered by the Committee will have to adopt. Inter alia, Sir, the framework could cover things like how complaints are to be made, to whom, how would staff confidentiality be protected, what follow up action will be taken and what staff can do in the event that they feel that they are being victimised for whistle-blowing, short of dismissal. The objective, Sir, should be to educate employers that whistle-blowing is indeed an integral part of an effective safety and health management system and whistle-blowers should not be treated as enemies of the company. The fourth major area of concern, Sir, is on the training of workers.”
“It is indeed artificial to draw a line at some workplaces and exclude the workers from the protection that the law accords in other workplaces. Let me now come to some specific aspects of the Bill, Sir. Firstly, Sir, public sector unionists are concerned that the Bill has exempted some Government agencies, like the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, from its scope, when currently they are covered under the existing legislation. They fear that supervisors from these agencies have no clear benchmarks and are not bound by legislation when enforcing safety and health standards which could be detrimental to workers. Our unionists, Sir, are also worried that they have no legal basis to fall back on should they want to discuss about safety and health issues with their management. Under clause 29(2) of the Bill, for instance, there is a mandatory requirement for a Workplace Safety and Health Committee comprising representatives of employees of the workplace as well as employers to review circumstances that will affect the health and safety of persons at the workplace and to do inspections. If these agencies are excluded, Sir, how will workers' voice be represented? I would like to seek a clarification from the Ministry on the reasons for excluding those public agencies and an assurance that the exempted agencies will still comply with safety standards set by the Bill. A second concern raised by workers, Sir, is the hefty fines imposed on workers for a subsequent offence. For the first offence, the maximum punishment is $500 but for a subsequent offence the maximum fine is $2,000.”
“So the Ministry should set more robust targets to bring our accident rate down as otherwise, by the time we catch up with the rest of the world, they would have leapfrogged even further. The other major area which this Bill has not addressed is the tendering system in Singapore which encourages companies to tender as low as possible in order to secure contracts and which could then lead to shortcuts, thus compromising safety. This method of tendering can be seen in all sectors and is certainly most prevalent in the construction sector, where accident rates are one of the highest in Singapore. And because the tender price is low and due to pressures to meet deadlines to avoid hefty penalties, other forms of exploitation may occur, such as making workers work excessively long hours, thus making them prone to accidents which is detrimental to them as well as their co-workers. Sir, a University of Massachusetts study on 11,000 workers over a 13-year period shows that long working hours increase a person's chances of illness and injury. It shows that routinely working at least 12 hours a day posed 37% extra risk over those working fewer hours, while a 60-hour week was associated with an increased risk of 23%. If we do not address this problem, which is the way our tender system works, then I am afraid that we will continue to have employers and contractors who will try to cut corners to save costs and this would have an impact on safety measures, regardless of the new law. I hope that the MOM's newly established Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee could also address this issue as part of its overall measures to raise safety standards in the four sectors. Sir, we also welcome the move to cover more workplaces under this Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Workplace Safety and Health Bill. Workers welcome this Bill. Memories of the major industrial accidents that occurred last year claiming a number of lives are still fresh in our memories and we hope never to see a repeat of that again. This Bill provides a fundamental change from the current prescriptive framework under the Factories Act where managing safety and health is through penalties when an accident occurs, to a more proactive and robust safety and health framework where those who create risk are held responsible for their actions. This Bill is also timely as our progress in health and safety has stagnated and is behind that of many developed countries. Our fatality rate of 4.9 deaths per 100,000 workers is far higher than the 2.5 average for 15 European Union countries. Sir, what is important under this Bill also is that an employer can be penalised not only after an accident has taken place but even before that, if he fails to comply with the OSH management system that is in place. Also, the penalties for offences have been enhanced. In the wake of the NKF saga and the raging debate on whether or not the Government should introduce legislation to protect whistle blowers, clause 18(2) of the Bill is indeed a progressive move and I must applaud MOM for their farsightedness, although, as I will explain later, I think that even this provision provides limited protection. Sir, I would also like to ask the Minister whether MOM could set a more robust target. Halving our current occupational fatality rate by 2015 is, in my view, too long a period, considering that many developed countries are already way ahead of us.”
“Sir, of the 287 complaints of unfair dismissals received by the Ministry, how many orders of reinstatements and how many orders of compensations did the Ministry make? There have also been some comments made on the need for a more open and transparent process of unfair dismissal cases. Would the Ministry consider having a tribunal perhaps to look into unfair dismissal cases rather than having it done behind the scene?”
“Two supplementary questions, Sir. Firstly, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether there is an increasing trend of contract workers not being paid CPF and whether he can provide statistics on how many contract and non-contract workers had not been paid CPF last year. Secondly, Sir, I would like to request that MOM collect statistics of contract workers who are employed for more than one year contract, as currently statistics are collected only for those employed for a year or less than a year. But this may not give us an accurate picture of the situation.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister of State whether she agrees that the current laissez-faire approach in dealing with such issues is sufficient in the light of the recent high profile case where a person was convicted for luring a young Vietnamese girl into marriage when it was a sham one. Would the Minister of State please comment on that?”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister, for those who are facing difficulties, what kind of assistance will be rendered by the HDB in servicing their bank loans. Secondly, there is a concern that the banks are using hard-sell tactics in order to get HDB buyers to take loans from them. What can be done in order to prevent HDB buyers from succumbing to such hard-sell tactics? Thirdly, the Minister mentioned that about 19% of downgraders who are not eligible for HDB loans are getting bank loans. I think there is a concern with the increasing bank loan rates. HDB flat owners who are on bank loans will face difficulties, particularly for downgraders who are actually already facing difficulties. They are downgrading because of financial reasons and so on. Will the HDB review its policies in not granting HDB flat downgraders from getting a concessionary loan from the HDB?”
“My question is: will the Ministry still consider a whistle-blowing legislation, Sir?”