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.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,190 lines we hold for Halimah Yacob, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 24.
“I thank the Minister for his reply. I have four clarifications to seek from the Minister. It is with regards to questions I have raised which were not answered. I asked about the low subsidy that is currently given to implants, other than the stent implants. The case I cited yesterday, where the procedure was carried out in a B2 ward. $2,457 was the implant cost, the subsidy was only $500, and the patient had to pay $1,957. For a low-income worker, that represents more than one month's salary. So I asked whether the Ministry could review this policy to provide a higher level of subsidy for implants for those in the B2 and C wards, particularly now that we have means testing, and the objective of means testing is to provide better support for those who need it and make it more affordable for those in the B2 and C class wards. The second question I asked was the issue of affordability. Now that the general guidelines on fees have been removed by Singapore Medical Association (SMA) because it is supposed to be anti-competitive – what, then, is the alternative if a patient has a complaint about overcharging? What mechanisms are in place for the patient to seek redress? Could doctors then turn around and say that there is no overcharging because market sets the rate and a patient knows how much is to be charged? We know that there is a great asymmetry when it comes to information between patients and doctors. I would like the Minister's comments on that. The third question I raised was on MediShield coverage for patients with mental illness. It is a very serious problem for families taking care of mentally ill people, because it is a long-term illness. It is a debilitating illness. It will break their backs if there is no insurance coverage.”
“Sir, last year for the first time, Muslims were automatically included under HOTA. That was a good move as the earlier opt-in system which requires individual Muslims to opt into HOTA did not work. Could I ask the Minister for an update on the response of the Muslim community to HOTA after the amendment? How many more Muslims have benefitted from kidney transplants after the Amendment came into effect? How many more Muslims donated their kidneys after the Amendment came into effect? What feedback has the Ministry received from the community on the change to HOTA? Could I also ask the Minister, other than the law, what other measures have been put in place to actively secure the support of the community and increase their confidence in the implementation process? For example, are there now more Malay-speaking counsellors familiar with the religious and cultural practices of the Malay community at our hospitals to effectively communicate with families before organs are removed from a donor, so as to smoothen the process? Also, do our doctors, nurses and other paraprofessionals involved in the transplants understand well the religious requirements of Muslims, such as the need for burial rites to be done quickly once death is pronounced, to enable them to refine the processes accordingly? Could the Minister also update this House on the number of Muslim patients who are now waiting for kidney transplants and whether the number of Muslims who suffer from kidney failure have increased? If so, what are the causes and whether there are any other plans to increase awareness and public education programmes for the community to address this problem. Hospital Disinfection Measures”
“Finally, I would also like to urge the Ministry to provide a lot more support to VWOs who run partially-funded or non-funded programmes for the mentally ill. They are doing a wonderful job but they lack resources. So they need a lot more support, but a lot of them are not included in the funding. Community Support for Mental Patients”
“One very important area is the importance of healthcare screening. People now go for screening after they have fallen ill but not before they fall ill. So how do we encourage and raise public awareness to educate people to make them understand the importance of going for pre-illnesses screening? Apart from awareness, there is also this issue of affordability. A lot of the low-income Singaporeans and elderly Singaporeans I spoke to are prepared to go for screening once they are made aware of it but they are concerned about the cost. Could the Ministry look at ways to make screening a lot more affordable to low-income Singaporeans and the elderly. Mental Illness Let me come to my next cut on mental health. There have been a lot of changes, improvements made and a lot of funding, and that is really good. But there are still a lot of gaps, and I hope the Minister could address these gaps. First, there is a lot of concern among those who are mentally ill and their family members on the cost of psychiatric treatment, including medicines for psychiatric treatment. I hope the Ministry will continue to look at ways to make psychiatric treatment affordable and accessible to all Singaporeans. This is a major concern because this is a long-term illness. Secondly, I would like to urge the Ministry to consider including people with mental illness under MediShield. For a long time, many of us have raised it, but the Ministry felt that it was not opportune to include them at that point of time, but mental illness is a long-term illness. So I would like to ask the Minister to review this policy of not including people with mental illness under MediShield.”
“Madam, allowing the use of Medisave for chronic diseases is actually a very good initiative. It has greatly helped the elderly as well as the low-income Singaporeans to manage their chronic illnesses much better. It has also encouraged the better use of family physicians amongst those suffering from chronic illnesses. I would like to ask the Minister whether he could give an update on the number of patients that have made use of their Medisave to pay for their outpatient treatment. What was the total amount withdrawn and how many doctors are now participating in the Chronic Diseases Management Programme (CDMP)? I have received some feedback from doctors however. They said that the paperwork and the process sometimes becomes a little bit too cumbersome and tedious, I would like to ask the Minister whether there is any way where we can try to streamline some of the procedures, make it a lot easier, so that the doctors will be a lot more encouraged, motivated and incentivised to take part in CDMP. I would like to ask the Minister whether he would consider increasing the cap of $300. I know he has mentioned that it is important that we do not deplete our Medisave resources. But bearing in mind that the Ministry has enlarged the use of outpatient treatment using Medisave, there is therefore a need to look at the annual limit. I do not think this is a popular thing, at least not currently, but at least I would like to register that point. My final point is to urge the Ministry to step up preventive efforts because it is absolutely critical that in dealing with chronic illnesses, we just do not deal with the end part of it but that we deal with upstream measures and issues, which is really dealing with helping people to better manage their own healthcare needs.”
“Finally, what are the measures to ensure, on the part of MOH, that step-down care for the elderly remains affordable and accessible to low-income families? I think this is a major concern for many families, particularly those who have to put their elderly parents in institutional care. Affordability of nursing homes and other places for putting the elderly is a major concern. I hope the Ministry can address that as well. Elderly Care and Support”
“MOH funding is tied to the number of visits a doctor or a nurse makes to a homebound patient, and therapy services are not funded at all. There is also a shortage of manpower to provide safe and competent care at home. Most doctors and nurses see homecare as less glamorous, less lucrative and physically more demanding than working in hospitals. As women outlive men in our society, we need to worry about their healthcare financing as they suffer a longer period of disability compared to men. And many women, as we also just heard, are still not covered under MediShield. I would like to ask the Minister the following questions: First, what are the Ministry's plans to meet the needs of our fast growing population? Has the Ministry studied the experiences of other developed countries in tackling the health care needs of a greying population and what can we learn from them? Second, what are the key areas needing critical improvement in the provision of healthcare services for the ageing, including funding and greater support for caregivers? Also how are the special healthcare concerns of older women being addressed? Third, what steps has the Ministry taken to improve the quality of step-down services, nursing homes or community hospitals, and the various centres catering to the needs of the elderly, including also home healthcare services? Fourth, what is the progress made in training our doctors, nurses and para-professionals for geriatric care? Fifth, could all our hospitals provide free geriatric screening for elderly patients that are currently provided at the Tan Tock Seng Hospital so that appropriate intervention can be mapped out as part of the strategy to cut down disability among our elderly?”
“Madam, we are facing a tsunami of healthcare challenges for the elderly. A 2006 NUS study shows that disability rates here are on the rise, much faster than other countries such as the US. Two decades ago, about 14% of those aged 75 and above could not do simple things such as move around, bathe or eat. By the time of the 2006 study, this had risen to 20%. To tackle this problem, we need policies and programmes which will provide an integrated and holistic approach in providing for the healthcare needs of our ageing population. We have to help our elderly live a life free from pain, be in good control of their faculties and are mobile. A rapidly growing number of our elderly are suffering from dementia. The MOH estimates that there are about 25,000 dementia patients in Singapore, up from 21,000 in 2003. Despite this increase, there are only five subsidised dementia centres catering to them, offering a total of 177 places although it is estimated that about 5,000 would need institutional care. Fewer than 10 of the 59 nursing homes have specialised dementia care wards which offer subsidised care. There is also a shortage of centres taking patients in the early to moderate stage of the illness. We also need to better develop our home healthcare services so that our elderly who are ill can stay at home instead of being hospitalised. There are nearly 70,000 people aged 65 years and above who even live alone or live with another elderly spouse. A Monash University study in 2000 has shown that maintaining a patient at home can lead to better quality of life and be cheaper as well by as much as 40%. Major concerns of home healthcare providers are lack of funds and shortage of manpower.”
“Finally, Madam, even as the Ministry tries to control demand as a way of curbing cost, there is also a need for supply side cost control and other regulatory measures to prevent unnecessary or over-utilisation of healthcare. With the dismantling of the guidelines on fees at the SMA, there is no mechanism for the public to complain if doctors overcharge and this may cause healthcare costs to go up. I would like to ask the Minister whether he is monitoring the situation. If patients today have any complaints against doctors for overcharging, how can they seek redress? Cost of Healthcare”
“And if the withdrawal limits are not raised, it will be a great strain on them; (b) Consider allowing Medisave to be used for overseas hospitalisation. Many Singaporeans I spoke to are in favour of this as they are already heading overseas for cheaper treatments in order to cut down on their medical bills, especially our retirees. Of course, there will have to be safeguards to prevent abuse and to ensure quality care, as the Ministry will have less control over overseas care. But I am sure these are details which the Ministry can address once there is an agreement on the principle. Some doctors may also be unhappy over this move because there could be an outflow of patients, but I believe we should put patients' interest first; and (c) Consider allowing Medisave withdrawal for other outpatient treatments, such as for mental illness and dementia, which I also have raised on previous occasions. The Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) has worked well, so there is scope to extend it to other chronic diseases. Thirdly, Madam, the Minister has estimated that we will need an additional 600 laboratories per year to cater to the needs of the population. A shortage of laboratories could compromise our quality of care, as people have to wait longer to be admitted or will have to leave the hospital faster. Some may also be forced to seek treatment at private hospitals and incur higher cost as a result. Hence, could the Minister enlighten this House, now that construction costs are coming down, to what extent will the Ministry capitalise on the lower construction cost to step up building or renovation programmes to increase its capacity and ability?”
“Let me cite a specific example from a real B2 bill for a unilateral total knee transplant. The cost of the implant was $2,457, the Government subsidy was only $500. The patient, therefore, had to pay $1,957. The rest of the bill for ward medications and consultations continue to receive the 65% subsidy. I urge the Minister to review this policy. [Mdm Deputy Speaker (Ms Indranee Rajah) in the Chair] 4.29 pm Madam, concerns among Singaporeans have also intensified with the introduction of means testing in January this year, especially among middle-income Singaporeans who will not get the full subsidy. When the bills are large, even a few percentage points make a big difference in terms of the amount paid. Much has been done over the last few years to the credit of Ministry of Health to refine our 3M framework to help manage healthcare costs. But I believe that much more can be done to keep costs affordable. In view of the concerns on ever-rising healthcare cost, I would like to ask the Minister the following questions. Firstly, what measures are in place to ensure that healthcare continues to remain accessible and affordable to all Singaporeans? Secondly, Singaporeans favour greater flexibility in the use of the Medisave funds than currently allowed. A common complaint from Singaporeans is "I have money in my Medisave but yet I have to pay cash for medical bills which I do not have." And this causes them stress and anguish. So I would like to request that the Minister review the following three areas under Medisave: (a) Consider increasing the Medisave withdrawal limits for higher ward classes in subsidised patients so that patients will pay less out-of-pocket expenses. With means testing, some people will have to pay more.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head O of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, I thank the Government for allocating more funds to healthcare. At 4% of the GDP, our health expenditure is one of the lowest in the world but this cannot be sustained for long because of our rapidly ageing population. While I am happy with the increased budget, I am disappointed that there is no Medisave top-up this year, which would have helped to lighten the burden of our elderly and low-income earners with little or no Medisave balances, particularly during these very difficult times. I hope that the Government could still consider Medisave top-ups for this year, which would be a great relief to many. In the meantime, I urge our hospitals and polyclinics to be more passionate and flexible in helping retrenched and needy Singaporeans. I ask them not to be too rigidly tied to some prescribed criteria and conditions when approving appeals for financial assistance. Sir, healthcare costs have been rising and are a major concern among Singaporeans. Average public hospital bills have increased across all ward classes. For instance, the Class C ward costs $1,112 in 2007, up 30% from $858 in 2006. As for B2 wards, it went up by 17% from $1,094 in 2006 to $1,284 in 2007. Also, although our C Class and B2 wards are highly subsidised, the same level of subsidy does not cover the entire bill. For example, a knee transplant may be done at the C Class or B2 ward, but the patient may not get the 80% or 65% subsidy on the implant used for the knee transplant. I raised the same concern over the lower subsidy for stent implants some years ago, and stent implants now have a higher subsidy, but other types of implants continue to have low subsidies.”
“Two clarifications to ask the Minister. First, I would like to ask the Minister if, with the announcement that the Government is now going to create 18,000 new jobs, it means that the earlier policy that exists before the recession on a freeze in hiring no longer applies? Second question I would like to ask the Minister is whether, considering that there are now many concerns expressed, our civil servants are in touch with the ground. Whether there are any programmes in the civil service and public service to acclimatise and get our public service to understand ground feelings and issues, particularly members of our administration service?”
“Sir, at last year's Budget debate, the Minister assured this House that although the re-employment legislation would be enforced only in 2012, the public service will do better and will be ready by 2010. Although we are now in the midst of a severe recession, nonetheless, we must not lose sight of this important long-term policy and we know that the actions of the public service is watched closely by the private sector. I would like to ask the Minister to give an update on the measures adopted by the public service to re-employ older workers. How many older workers have been re-employed in the civil service as well as the statutory boards? What is the period of re-employment and on what terms? Could the Minister also clarify what are the jobs that have been identified for the employment of older workers and how has the public service redesigned jobs in order to make them more suitable for older workers? Could the Minister also give an update on the three pilot agencies – the Ministry of Education, the Singapore Police Force and the Ministry of Manpower – that have agreed to establish the processes needed to ensure a smooth implementation of the civil service re-employment policy by 2010? Internal Feedback”
“Just want to seek clarification from the Member. Whether Member is in fact, saying that it is better to help workers after they are retrenched, instead of having the Jobs Credit Scheme which is meant to help them before they are retrenched. Because I have heard the Member saying that it is better to help them after they are retrenched, but the Jobs Credit is meant to help them before they are retrenched. Second point, Member may not have heard my speech, where I also mentioned about a company, an MNC which compared our position with other companies, and whether the Member agrees that that particular company said that because of Jobs Credit, they would be able to save at least 200 to 300 workers.”
“But we also need all Singaporeans to rally behind these initiatives and to do their part too to help us upturn the downturn, as we have done so, in so many recessions in the past. With that, Sir, I support the Budget. 1.22 pm”
“It would also be useful for the Minister to clarify why companies are being reimbursed only once every quarter and not monthly as some, particularly the SMEs, are facing severe cashflow problems and may not be able to keep the workers for three months without any assistance. I also urge the Government to continue to examine all other cost of doing business in Singapore so that our companies can remain competitive and our workers can benefit from strong job creation. In conclusion, Sir, although we are one of the first Asian economies to enter into a recession, there is a strong sense that the Government is proactive and doing everything possible to help Singaporeans and companies ride through this recession, and equally important, continue to develop our capabilities to capitalise on future growth. The BBC this morning reported a completely different scenario in Europe where tensions are mounting in many countries. In France, about two million people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against what they consider as poor government-handling of the crisis. The General Secretary of the British Trades Union Congress, John Monks, summed up the general sentiments of the people when he said that anger is mounting in the European Union as there was a sense that people have been shortchanged by their governments. He stressed that it is important for governments in the EU to respond decisively and sympathetically. In Singapore, Sir, our Government with a huge budget of $20.5 billion has indeed responded decisively and sympathetically to assist both companies and families. The NTUC and our unions will leverage on our unique tripartite relationship to fully utilise SPUR and the Jobs Credits Scheme - the twin engines - to save jobs and save our CPF.”
“The Budget has provided a number of measures for low income families and the support is now more comprehensive and sustained. However, I urge the Government to continue to monitor the impact of this recession on our low income Singaporeans as many are still struggling with the high cost of living. Sir, I am glad that the Government has taken bold and decisive steps in order to address the concerns of both companies and families. I support the use of our past reserves as I think that the situation that we are in is truly exceptional and nothing like what we have seen in past recessions. We should not wait until companies are flat on their backs or Singaporeans are truly suffering before we consider it prudent for it to use our past reserves. Having said that, I also understand that there are some concerns as to what constitutes exceptional circumstances, that is, where is the threshold point when we start dipping into our reserves. Some have also raised the question of whether there is really a need to dip into our past reserves, considering that we have enough surpluses to pay for the $4.9 billion needed to fund the Jobs Credit and the Special Risk-Sharing Initiative for bank lending. As these are important points, I hope to hear the Finance Minister's clarifications on them. Perhaps the Finance Minister could also explain how the Jobs Credit of 12% of wages is derived at, as some feel that the amount could have been higher to be truly effective in helping companies stave off retrenchments. The figure of $2,500 is clear as it is pegged to the median wage but how the 12% is derived at is not so clear.”
“And now that Medisave can be used for some outpatient treatments, the Medisave savings scheme is even more important in helping Singaporeans pay for their medical care. So, Sir, this is actually one small disappointment that I have with the Budget, which I also want to register with the Minister for Finance. Sir, aside from the measures to save jobs, the $2.6 billion set aside to help families, particularly with doubling of the GST credits, are a welcome relief particularly for our low income families. Even as we focus strongly on how to turn around the economy, we must also help Singaporeans to cope with the current crisis. Families will be struggling with pay cuts and job losses, not to mention the high cost of living that still affects many. We have to make sure that Singapore's social fabric remains strong, despite this recession, and we must continue to focus also on long-term issues. The recent household income survey showed that for the first time in many years, the income gap is narrowing. This is also partly because of the huge budget surplus package last year for low income Singaporeans. Even then, the average per capita household income of the bottom docile of employed households was only $340. Now that we are in the recession, the income gap may widen again. This is a long-term issue that we need to tackle and one major contributing factor is the low pay of the low skill and unskilled jobs. One way, which the NTUC in partnership with the WDA e2i, is vigorously pursuing in order to tackle this challenge is to recreate these jobs so that with greater productivity wages can go up. But this process will take some time and there is also some inherent limits in terms of how far we can upskill some of these jobs.”
“However, although the timing may not be so opportune, as a matter of principle, I would still like to ask the Government to consider excluding the overtime payments and bonuses from the computation of the income threshold of $1,500. I have raised this on a number of occasions before and the answer was that the Government would review this at the relevant time. With the increase in the WIS payment, it has become even more painful for our low-income workers who do not qualify simply because they are hardworking and their overtime pay puts them out of the scope of WIS. We must not forget that even in this downturn there are still sectors that are doing well and where the workers are doing overtime. So I urge the Government to review this. Sir, as the Health GPC chair, I am indeed very pleased that the Health Budget has been increased quite significantly. The increased Budget will be used not only on infrastructure development but $500 million will be allocated to help in dealing with the long-term care needs of our elderly Singaporeans. A rapidly ageing population will, of course, pose very serious challenges to our healthcare system and we need to be adequately prepared. Otherwise, by the time the problem hits us it will be too late. However, I was expecting the Finance Minister to announce some Medisave top-ups this year as health care costs have been going up and we have just introduced means testing. In the current climate, where people are losing their jobs or are suffering from pay cuts, a Medisave top up would have provided some relief particularly for older Singaporeans. Although health care is highly subsidised, especially for the C and B2 class wards, there are costs that individuals still have to pay and not everyone qualifies for Medifund.”
“In the case of Delphy System Singapore Pte Ltd, which is sending 352 workers for SPUR training in batches, the savings will amount to $560,000, which is a very significant amount as this company supplies parts to General Motors in the US and is consequently affected by the troubles facing the automotive giant. When Delphy approached the union sometime in December last year, they were not aware of how to tap the SPUR programme to deal with their excess manpower. So we introduced them to our specialists in e2i who then helped them to develop a training programme tailored to their needs. This is the value adding of e2i which now has the capabilities which we did not have in the past to quickly assemble training programmes that are not just generic types but also can be more targeted for the needs of individual companies. So I see the refinements to SPUR – the two refinements referred to by Mr Inderjit Singh – as not an indication that our Government is not farsighted enough, but as an indication of their responsiveness. Because when you are doing training programmes, it is not possible to be able to conceive of every situation that can apply because there are different types of companies and workers with different skill sets and capabilities. So we really need to refine the programme as we move along and as these programmes are implemented on the ground, we take into account the needs of individual companies and workers. Sir, I also welcome the increase in the WIS payment by 50%. This would be a great help to our low-income workers and is really beneficial to them.”
“I want to urge companies, particularly those that are non-unionised and are still dragging their feet and have not introduced the flexible wage system, to do so quickly although a recession is certainly not the best of time to introduce any flexible wage scheme because the company is not performing well and workers' wages are tied to performance of the company. I would also like to congratulate the Government for being very fast in responding to companies and workers’ needs by allocating $600 million for the SPUR programme even before Budget Day. In fact, when I was discussing with some of our foreign trade unionists, they were quite amazed. They did not expect any government to come up with such a quick allocation. The allocation was made in December, even before this Budget announcement. And they were also quite surprised at the extent of the amount allocated to such a programme. The SPUR programme is a very important complement to the Jobs Credit Scheme. The Jobs Credit Scheme and SPUR are two critical engines, in my view, to help companies stay afloat and continue to employ workers. In the electronics sector, for instance, about 470 workers are already attending classes under SPUR. Companies have committed to send another 2,000 workers for training. So the SPUR Programme is not just something that is good to see but not so easy to touch, but actually it is something that is very relevant, practical and doable. The cost savings for companies utilising SPUR are very significant.”
“They are worried because any cut in the CPF would affect our workers’ retirement income as well as their ability to pay for housing and medical needs. We already see MPS cases where we see families coming to us for help in paying for their HDB loan instalments. We had a big debate on CPF LIFE Scheme last year and we acknowledged that there is a need to help Singaporeans save more of their retirement income. Therefore, any further cut in the 14.5% employers’ CPF contribution rate would, in my view, be particularly painful for our workers. So our unions are very relieved that we are saved from CPF cuts because of the Jobs Credit Scheme. Indeed, I would also argue that an across-the-board cut in CPF rates would be a double whammy for our workers, many of whom are already suffering from pay cuts due to slashed overtimes, shorter work weeks or temporary layoffs. In situations where companies do not cut executive pay, any CPF cut would have a bigger impact on lower-income workers as executives are not paid overtime. Also, unlike previous recessions, our pay today is a lot more flexible, as about 30% of the total pay is now tied to a company’s performance. Hence, in a downturn when companies are not making money, performing poorly, workers’ wages would already have been adjusted downwards. I am of the view that clearly there seems to be limited scope today, compared to before, to invoke the CPF as a quick cost-cutting measure. I am not trying to pre-empt the Minister for Finance in case he comes out with any off-Budget measures, but this happens to be one of the strongest wish on our part. So I am really glad that our Government has protected workers’ CPF by introducing the Jobs Credit Scheme.”
“They had seen a significant decline in orders and little prospect of turning around over the next few months to help keep the workers even with a 12% cut in payroll. After working with the union on various other alternatives, the company then decided to retrench as a last resort. But there are other companies struggling with cashflow problems where the Jobs Credit will provide good relief. Most of these companies want to keep their skilled and experienced workers but this can be quite painful for them if they are bleeding at the same time. The Jobs Credit Scheme is also clearly pro-Singaporean workers. I think this is the point raised by Mr Inderjit Singh on the need for the Budget to be more pro-Singaporean. The Jobs Credit Scheme is clearly pro-Singaporean workers because it favours companies that employ a significant number of Singaporean workers. Let me cite to Members the example of Fujitec Corporation Singapore Ltd where they employ about 760 workers, 76% of whom are Singaporeans. With the Jobs Credit Scheme, Fujitec will be able to save $125,000 a month which comes to about $1.5 million a year. Now, even for Fujitec, this is a very significant amount because as Mr Sugumaran N. Pillai, the Regional Director of the company, said that they are also facing intense cost pressures, and therefore the Job Credits Scheme which helps them to save $125,000 a month – because they employ a significant number of Singaporeans – is clearly helpful. The second most important point about the Jobs Credit Scheme is that it helps to save us from CPF cuts as it consists about 9% of the employers' CPF contributions. This was the biggest and most important worry among our workers and our union leaders since the onset of this recession.”
“One electronics company which produces hard disk drive data storage peripherals told us that in this global downturn when pressure to cut costs from their HQ is high, the Jobs Credit Scheme would give the Singapore plant an edge over their other plants overseas. This company employs 2,500 workers, of which 1,750 are production workers and 750 are office staff. Let me just quote the Human Resources Manager of the company who talked about the Jobs Credit Scheme. He said, "Yes, it does help. We have been under tremendous pressure from HQ to trim headcount, especially for the directs group (meaning the production operators) which is very volume dependent, and have been struggling with all ways to try to hang on to our 200-300 excess headcount as it is quite a tough situation for them to lose their jobs now. The Jobs Credit Scheme is a very good move for our Singapore site as our sister sites in Thailand, China and the Philippines have all begun resources actions or are seriously considering them. This may not be a long-term solution but it helps to delay the actions at our site." Sir, the Jobs Credit Scheme, viewed from the perspective of this MNC that I have just mentioned, gives Singapore a certain comparative advantage especially when global companies decide where to trim their workforces. We may not be able to save 100% of the jobs that are currently on the line as this is really not realistic to expect of the Jobs Credit Scheme. A case in point is Chartered Semiconductor which is affected by a double whammy. The semiconductor business was already not doing well even before the global financial crisis struck in September, and of course the crisis made their situation worse.”
“No matter what help the Government provides, nothing can replace the certainty, stability and security that a regular, monthly income provides to workers and their families and that can come only from having a job. Once workers are out of a job, it would be a lot harder to get them into one. And the whole family suffers too especially if the worker is the sole breadwinner. Hence, the focus in this Budget on helping companies to stay afloat and to incentivise them to keep their workers is absolutely crucial. So, in my view, yes, the Jobs Credit Scheme is pro-company because it helps to defray part of a company’s wage cost for one year. But, to me, helping companies is not an end in itself, it is only the means for this Jobs Credit Scheme. The ultimate objective of the Jobs Credit Scheme is saving jobs and it is therefore a very pro-worker move. By taking on part of the cost to employers for keeping excess workers, the Government helps to reduce the pressure on companies to retrench workers. So I do not agree that the Jobs Credit Scheme is pro-business. It is truly pro-worker and the union leaders whom we have spoken to, discussed with, are very highly reassured by the Jobs Credit Scheme. Sir, I must really congratulate the Government and the Finance Minister for coming up with the Jobs Credit Scheme. It is indeed an innovative scheme. And I note there are similar schemes in Canada and Australia but they apply in a very limited aspect to workers with certain disabilities or only to workers who find it difficult to continue in employment or to get employment because of their low skill levels or low education levels. We have also spoken to some electronic companies to gauge their feedback as to what is their sense about the Jobs Credit Scheme.”
“Also, when top executives take the leadership in pay cuts and show that they too are prepared to sacrifice, such as the case of Chartered Semiconductor where the senior managers took up to about 20% pay cuts, it is a lot easier for workers to accept cost-cutting measures, as well as even to accept retrenchments if this is necessary. We also remind companies that wage cost is but one component of the total cost of production, so they need to see things in perspective and examine other costs as well. We have a Japanese company that cut their costs by invoking more kaizen activities, which are really small directed teams aimed at improving productivity which utilise the workers in core groups. And this particular company also leverages more on their just-in-time production so that they do not have to incur huge storage and inventory costs. Companies and workers have reaped tangible benefits from our cooperative approach in facing the downturn. For example, by working closely with Hitachi Chemicals, we helped them to cut costs and save at least $3.5 million. These cost-cutting measures were achieved through a shorter work week, non-renewal of the contracts of 55 foreign workers, 10% cut in the pay of the senior managers and placing the workers on the SPUR programme. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me now touch on the Jobs Credit Scheme which is the centerpiece of this year’s Budget. It is, in my view, an excellent scheme, and is frankly much more than I had expected out of this Budget. The Jobs Credit Scheme serves two purposes. It aims to make Singaporeans more attractive to employ and retain, and it also protects our CPF.”
“I think we need not lose heart. We are entering this recession, in my view, with a lot more of gunpowder and ammunition compared to the recessions in 1997, 2001 and 2003. Why do I say that we are entering this recession with a lot more gunpowder and ammunition? It is because of the two very important Budget measures, and that is the SPUR programme and the Jobs Credit Scheme. These are two very important key pillars under this current Budget and which will help us a great deal in terms of helping us to save jobs as well as to overcome the recession. --> But that alone is not sufficient. If we were to compare to the recessions in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003, our training infrastructure was not so well developed. But this time round, we have the Employability and Employment Institute which is meant to train workers and to help them find jobs, as well as to help those who are already employed to continue to reskill, upskill and keep their jobs. Our unions and companies are also better placed now as we have a clear process on how to deal with excess manpower partly because of the tripartite guidelines on managing excess manpower that were reached by the tripartite parties. Our message to companies is clear. Retrenchments must be the last resort. So, when companies approach us, we would first ask them to look at the alternatives and we then sit down and work out with them on how to cut their costs without having to retrench workers. So, we explore various options such as rescheduling working hours, shorter work weeks, temporary layoffs, or non renewal of the foreign workers employment contracts. We also expect companies to cut other costs as well such as unnecessary travels, entertainment, replacement of cars, to name a few.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Budget. For many of us who have gone through previous crises before, this is probably one of the worst. I would not say probably, I think it is definitely one of the worst. The speed at which things have unravelled and the severity are clearly unprecedented. And I want to tell Members that that is probably the single most common words that we frequently heard when we spoke to companies. Only a few months ago, we met a number of big electronic MNCs to discuss with them about the future growth of their companies, and almost all explained to us their plans in order to grow their companies. But, today, the same MNCs that we spoke to are facing severe capacity problems. Many of them have seen their volumes gone down a lot – in some cases, almost 70%. What is even more worrying is that many of them were not even sure when the upturn will take place. Some even shared with us their difficulty in making projections for this year, as there were no orders coming in. Workers, too, have been badly affected by this recession. Many have had to take pay cuts. Overtime, which constitutes about 20% of total wages of workers, has been slashed. And about 20,000 workers in the electronics sector, for instance, are now on shorter work weeks and others are affected by either temporary layoffs or by rescheduling of their work. As there are about 90,000 workers in the electronics sector, this represents about one-fifth of the entire workforce. From the last quarter of 2008 to the end of March 2009, companies have projected that the total man days lost will be about 189,000. But we need not lose heart because we hear so much of gloom and doom everyday, like Ms Jessica Teo mentioned, in the newspapers and in this House as well.”
“The question, Sir, could the Ministry please comment on this apparent disconnect between what is happening on the ground and the statistics that the Ministry receives. That relates to the next question on whether there is a need to review the Ministry's existing enforcement mechanism on the matter.”
“Sir, we have been told by Senior Parliamentary Secretary that there are thousands, like in 2006, for instance, there were 6,000 over complaints received related to employment but only 3% were from part-time and contract workers. The number seems to be pretty small compared to the anecdotal evidence that we received on the ground about non-compliance with employment related laws as well as CPF payments. Is the Ministry concerned, therefore –”
“Sir, I have three follow-up questions. First supplementary question to Senior Parliamentary Secretary is to ask, how many complaints has MOM received with regard to non-compliance of Employment Act terms and conditions for those employed as part-timers and contract workers. Secondly, I would like to ask MOM's Senior Parliamentary Secretary what additional measures would we put in place to provide better protection to part-time and contract workers because we can expect the numbers to escalate in the current downturn. We have already seen the numbers escalate. Thirdly, I would like to ask Senior Parliamentary Secretary what effective mechanism is put in place to ensure that employers comply with the Tripartite Advisory on Responsible Outsourcing.”
“Sir, as the economic situation is worsening and utilities is a very basic necessity, I think it is important that SP Services exercises greater flexibility and be less forceful in pushing for arrears of utilities because there will be families whose breadwinner would have lost their job although there would be reduction in household income. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether he can comment on that and whether there is anything MTI can do, although I know that you must look at it from a commercial angle but utilities is, if I were to repeat, a very basic necessity.”
“I do appreciate the difficulties because of the great uncertainty and that you depend a lot on the bottoms-up information on the number of jobs created. But can I ask the Minister, what is the base of coordination of all the bottoms-up approach? What is the total number of jobs available, particularly there are some reports that new school leavers and university graduates will be hard put in getting jobs? What is his comment on that? I would also appreciate his comment on the other question about the number of jobs that has been created for PMETs?”
“I would like to ask the Minister – he mentioned some figures – what is the total number of jobs expected to be created this year. I would also like to ask the Minister, of those numbers of jobs created, how many of these jobs will be for PMETs and how many for non-PMETs. And what is the expected unemployment rate for this year?”
“Sir, I support the enhanced penalties which have not been revised for a long time and which, if left unchanged, will have little deterrent effect on errant employers. I would also like to take this opportunity to urge the Ministry to exercise greater vigilance and ensure that companies comply with the minimum standards stipulated under the Act for all the employees. Our experience shows that there are still a number of employers who violate the Act, and the most vulnerable are the low-skilled, low-pay contract workers. There are employers who continue to deny them of their basic rights under the Act like sick leave and annual leave, not to mention CPF payments. They are victims of cheap sourcing, and employers make use of them as cheap labour to tender cheaply for contracts. I urge the Ministry to exercise greater vigilance and eradicate such unscrupulous practices because we can have the best law in the world, but if the enforcement is not effective, particularly for the most vulnerable like the contract workers, we will have a problem. In conclusion, Sir, these amendments were the result of tripartite consultations. It is yet another example of how our practice of tripartism has enabled us to reach consensus on such a potentially divisive subject matter. In many countries, amendments to labour laws are agonising affairs, often resulting in industrial action or greater polarisation between the government, business and labour. It shows that we have a mature industrial relations system and responsible employers and trade unions that are able to look beyond their narrow interest to discuss issues objectively and reach agreement for everyone's benefit. On this note, Sir, I support the Bill. 4.31 pm”
“I would like the Minister to clarify under what circumstances this deeming provision will apply where an employer is considered to have complied with his legal obligation to pay for the medical examination fees of his employees. What kind of healthcare schemes will be considered as fulfilling this requirement? This clarity is important and, in my view, only healthcare schemes that are beneficial to the workers and more superior compared to the basic provided under the Act should qualify. One example of such a healthcare scheme would be the Portable Medical Benefits Scheme (PMBS) where the benefits are superior to the minimum standards of the law. I would like to urge the Minister to make clear the conditions where the Commissioner will allow companies to deviate from section 89, and to formulate guidelines to cover this aspect. Sir, I welcome the new definition of what constitutes a dismissal which now covers a termination of service with or without notice whether for misconduct or otherwise. This is an improvement as it will provide workers with better protection against unfair dismissal as it is linked to section 14(2) of the Employment Act which provides an avenue for workers to appeal against unfair dismissals. In the past, we have had cases where employers argue that since they terminate the service of a worker with notice or salary in lieu, the Minister has no power to investigate into such a termination because it is with notice and it is not termed a dismissal. This amendment removes an ambiguity that has long existed in our law causing frustrating delays for workers seeking redress for unfair dismissals under section 14(2) of the Act, and I support it.”
“The last review was done in 1995, about 13 years ago. We hope that the next review of the salary ceiling for both workmen and non-workmen will not take another 13 years. We urge the Minister to review the salary ceiling – both for workmen and non-workmen – regularly, at least, once every three years. On the redefinition of part-time work, Sir, the amendment has redefined part-time work to cover those who work less than 35 hours a week, up from those working less than 30 hours a week (the old definition). This redefinition is useful as it will help to promote employment of Back2Work women and also the re-employment of older workers. Employers will now have greater flexibility in organising work and working hours in a manner that suit their needs. However, one concern that has surfaced is whether some employers will take advantage of the situation and start converting full-time workers to part-time workers as there are some full-time workers who work less than 35 hours a week. I would like to ask the Minister what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that there is no abuse of this new definition by companies, especially in those sectors where part-time work is more prevalent or where full-time workers now work less than 35 hours. On medical benefits, Sir, under section 89 of the Act, an employer is obliged to pay for the medical examination of his employees. However, the amendments allow an employer to be deemed to have fulfilled his obligation to bear the medical examination fees of his employees if the Commissioner for Labour so directs, upon the satisfaction of certain terms and conditions including the provision of a healthcare scheme for his employees.”
“Although all the workers from our affected sectors are currently covered under collective agreements which provide for such payments, nevertheless, they are concerned that after the collective agreements expire, employers will cite the new law as the basis to refuse further payments under a new collective agreement. As this is a valid concern, I would like to request that MOM monitors the situation to ensure that employers who are in a position to pay and have no valid reasons whatsoever to cut back on these payments will not take advantage of the new law to deprive these workmen of benefits that they are currently already enjoying. Such a move will create serious morale problems among the affected workmen most of whom are paid high wages because they are highly skilled workers and truly deserve those salaries. Although their number is small, nevertheless, their interest, too, deserves full attention and support, and I urge the Minister to address this concern adequately. We also strongly welcome the increase in the salary threshold for non-workmen from $1,600 to $2,000 which will extend the protection of the Act to an additional 82,000 employees. This increase is necessary and timely as the Act's coverage has diminished because of the increase in salary levels. The Act now covers only 45% of the workforce, a situation which will deteriorate further if there is no increase and which will undermine the relevance of the Act. Some felt that the increase from $1,600 to $2,000 is rather modest and would have preferred it to be pegged to the median wage of $2,300. But we have taken into account employers' concerns over costs and have agreed to a limit which they are also comfortable with. But our concern is that review of the salary ceiling takes such a long time.”
“I urge employers to give their full support to these amendments as it will not be fair to workers to have to wait until the downturn is over and we start experiencing strong growth again, which may be at least a few years down the road. These amendments were the result of tripartite consultations and have taken into account the different needs of the economy, employers and workers, and they in fact provide very basic employment standards which every decent employer should subscribe to regardless of the economic situation. Let me now, Sir, make some specific comments and observations on the amendments. For the first time, a salary ceiling has been imposed on workmen earning $4,500 per month. About 5,000 workmen will be affected by this change. This means that workmen earning this pay will no longer be automatically entitled to overtime, rest day and public holiday pay unless these are stipulated under their contracts of service or collective agreements. The NTUC has had extensive consultations with our unions that are likely to be most affected by this change. Our affected unions understand the rationale and appreciate that the amendments also provide for the increase in the salary threshold of non-workmen to $2,000 which will benefit a significantly larger number of workers. Nevertheless, they have also voiced some concerns which I wish to highlight. Workmen who currently earn more than $4,500 are concerned that some employers may take advantage of the change in law and start cutting back on their overtime, rest day and public holiday pay.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill. These amendments to the Employment Act are long overdue. The amendments will provide better protection to workers in several respects. The scope of coverage is now wider as it covers more workmen because of the increase in the salary ceiling, and for the first time, it covers non-workmen. And for the first time, confidential staff will also be covered. The exclusion of confidential staff, many of whom do not earn very high pay, is no longer practical or fair as they also need the same protection as other workers. I am also very happy to note that junior managers and executives now have access to the Labour Court in order to enforce their salary claims. Hitherto, these employees have had to pursue their claims in civil court which is beyond their means and thus constituted a major obstacle for them to enforce their rights. Giving them access to the Labour Court is therefore equitable and fair. The amendments also enhance the sick leave provision and remove the restriction in collective agreements providing better maternity benefits in line with current needs. But this improved protection for workers has not been at the expense of business flexibility. The amendments will benefit employers too as better and clearer standards also mean workers are motivated, open to change and more productive because their interests are better taken care of. There are also specific areas of greater flexibility which are relevant for employers such as the redefinition of part-time work and a salary ceiling for workmen. So I hope that employers will look at these amendments in their entirety, as I am aware that there are some concerns among employers on the timing of these amendments considering that we are in the midst of an economic downturn.”
“I would like to thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. I have three questions to ask. Firstly, the quality of childcare centres depends a lot on the quality of the staff but, at the same time, the salary and working conditions of childcare staff are low, therefore making it difficult for the industry to attract good quality childcare staff. Could the MOS share with this House what measures are being considered to improve the salary and working conditions of childcare staff, so as to improve the quality of childcare centres? Secondly, as we all know, infant care fees continue to remain high despite the higher subsidy given by the Government. Are there any additional assistance that the Ministry is planning to introduce to assist parents with infants and encourage people to have more children? Thirdly, could the MOS also share with us whether the five years' timeline is realistic, or whether – considering that we want people to have more children – the Ministry should consider a shorter timeline?”
“Clarification, Sir. My reference to mosques going beyond the basics is not in relation to the functions of the mosques but in relation to the upgrading works in the mosques. Now that the MBMF will be extended to cover upgrading of the mosques, there must be a mechanism to ensure prudent use of funds for upgrading purposes. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: I thank Mdm Halimah for the clarification. I agree with her that that is something which we should be prudent about and I will assure her that MUIS, as the guardian of the funds, will continue to monitor this very closely. As I have mentioned in my speech, only those which are necessary for the proper function of the mosque will be upgraded, anything else which is ancillary is best left to the mosque committee to decide. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. – [Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. STATUTES (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) (NO. 2) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 5.46 pm”
“While we help dysfunctional families, we also have to ensure that we do not end up making them dependent on assistance only, as we need to help them build their own resilience and self reliance. Financial assistance schemes should be tied to willingness to work and upgrade their skills. In this way, we help them in a more sustainable manner and not just to meet their immediate needs. It should also be based on efforts that ensure their children stay in school. Sir, in helping dysfunctional families, there is a need to adopt a case management approach and not just financial assistance. So I hope that the additional funds raised under the MBMF will be used to train more counsellors so that they can follow through the cases as most dysfunctional families have multiple problems which are interrelated, such as drug addiction, low educational achievements, unemployment, etc. Sir, we are in the midst of an economic downturn. I urge the community to be prepared before the thunderstorms hit us. Be ready for possible job losses by saving as much as we can now, so that we have at least a few months of savings in case we lose our jobs. For those who are working, do not be complacent, always go for skills upgrading. Take advantage of new national schemes that will be made available, be proactive, and use the schemes that are available by the Employability Network under the Community Leaders' Forum. Sir, I am confident that with this amendment to AMLA, the present national schemes and the concerted efforts of the Malay-Muslim bodies - like Mendaki and others, together with the our own community's spirit and resolve, we will be able to overcome challenges that resulted from this financial crisis and the challenge of globalisation. *Cols. 867-870.”
“And there are schemes, such as KIFAS and CFAC, where they can put their children in child care centres at little or no cost when the wives are working, so that their children's welfare is not abandoned. We may ask what has this got to do with the prevalence of early marriages and teenage pregnancies in our community. I suspect that the lower value that we attach to women working and holding their own career in our community has an effect on the kind of values that our young girls hold, until they become predisposed to early marriages and early pregnancies, rather than thinking of how to work, pursue a career and be self-reliant. In my view, we need a more open discussion in the community on how the values, perceptions and biases that we hold can influence and have an impact on the values of our young girls, regarding marriage and having children at a young age. I also welcome the amendment that helps women claim maintenance from their husbands. Under this amendment, there will no longer be a need for such women to register a Syariah Court order in a District Court before it may be enforced by the District Court. This will significantly cut down the time and hassle for the women, in particular, to enforce the Syariah Court awards on custody or maintenance. The running around, which most women currently have to suffer, is most frustrating and not helpful at all. These women are already facing an uphill task in getting maintenance for their children. Thus, the more barriers to enforcement that we can remove, the better it will be for them. However, having more funds alone is not the answer.”
“Currently, Muslims have the lowest minimum marriage age compared to the other communities. At the age of 16, many are still in school or are not fully mature to cope with the very complex responsibilities arising from marriage and subsequent parenthood. The statistics on early marriages reflect this. Young couples suffer from a higher divorce rate compared to those from the older age groups. The problem is compounded when they have children and are unable to provide for their children due to their low education and low skills, and they cannot find proper jobs. However, a change in legislation solely is not enough to change the attitude of our community towards the issue of early marriage and parenthood. We require a whole mindset change. In education, our community no longer discriminates between girls and boys and both are sent to school. But what we need to see more of is the community putting greater support towards women having a career and contributing to the family. For now, only 12% of Muslim households have two or more working persons. This leads to two-thirds or 67% Malay families having a household income that is much lower than the national average, as the other communities have more working women. For instance, in the Malay community, 54% of the women are economically inactive compared to 37% for the Chinese and 48% for the Indian communities. I see this mindset reflected repeatedly in the Back to Work Programme that we organise both at the NTUC and under the Employability Network of the Community Leaders' Forum. There are husbands who oppose their wives working although it is obvious that their income is too low to support the family.”
“We want our mosques to have modern facilities, are warm and friendly to meet the different needs of the community, but it should not be too luxurious as maintenance cost will be high. I hope that the Minister could also elaborate on what mechanisms are in place to ensure that the MBMF funds are prudently used. Finally, Sir, we are in no doubt that the increase in the MBMF contributions is necessary. However, the timing is a bit unfortunate as people are concerned over their jobs in the current economic downtown. I believe that the increase is still affordable for most as it affects only those earning better incomes. Moreover, the current downturn is expected to last for quite sometime and, therefore, if we wait for things to be better, it would seriously affect programmes for the community. So, I urge everyone to give their full support to the higher contribution rates as well as the expanded use of the MBMF. I also believe that many Muslim workers are already paying more than the minimum. It would help if the Minister could share with this House how many Muslim workers have paid more than their minimum and by how much more. Sir, let me now speak in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the amendments to the AMLA. The expanded use of the MBMF to strengthen families is very necessary and therefore, most welcome. The MBMF will now cover efforts to prevent early marriages and the high divorce rates. These efforts are useful and two amendments to the AMLA, in particular, would facilitate efforts in strengthening families and preventing high divorce rates. First, the amendment to raise the minimum marriage age for Muslims from 16 years to 18 years.”
“However, I think that what the community is asking for is something more than this, as the reports are only available after the end of each financial year. Perhaps MUIS and Mendaki could think of how to share, at regular intervals, with the community, details on how the funds are used as well as the progress made under the different programmes that tap on the MBMF. I also think that it would be useful if the beneficiaries or intended beneficiaries of the MBMF such as the madrasahs themselves adopt a more open approach to sharing of information and present a more friendly face to the public. For example, madrasahs could organise open houses for the public to share what they have been doing, how their students are faring, what they are doing to integrate their students with the mainstream Singapore society, and even showcase examples of successful madrasah graduates. I think that this will go a long way in generating greater confidence and support for the use of the MBMF in the expanded areas such as madrasah education, although with an increasingly better educated Malay community, the same argument could also apply for the other uses as well. As the MBMF are public funds, there is also a need to ensure that it is used prudently, especially now that the use has been expanded and the contributions will be increased. As mosques will now get up to 80% of the funding for upgrading, some in the community have asked whether there are any controls as to what kind of improvements the MBMF will cover. Who decides, for instance, whether a particular upgrading work is necessary or is actually an extra that we can do without, as increasingly the sense is that mosques have gone beyond the basics?”
“The unspoken, implicit point here also is that almost everyone agrees that madrasah education is important for the whole community as we need good quality and well-trained asatizahs to provide for the religious needs of the community. But let us face the reality squarely – if parents have to pay for the full cost of madrasah education, many will not be able to afford it. Also, the quality of madrasah education will continue to decline. Worse still, some who really want a religious education for their children may opt to send them to madrasahs elsewhere in the region which is cheaper but where we have no influence whatsoever on the curriculum or the quality. Hence, we need to look at this issue in perspective – although only a small number of children attend madrasahs, having a good quality madrasah education is for the benefit of the entire community unless we want to import asatizahs who are not familiar with our own context and may do more harm than good. But good quality madrasah education is not cheap and, therefore, we need every working member of the community to share in this investment in good quality madrasah education to meet the future needs of the community. Sir, there is also another point that has arisen in this debate which we need to address. There have been calls for greater transparency and accountability on the use of the MBMF from various quarters. We should not dismiss these concerns as they are valid because MBMF funds are raised from the public. This is not to suggest that MBMF funds are not properly accounted for, or there is abuse in the use of such funds. Far from it, the use of funds under MBMF is properly audited and contained in annual reports of MUIS and Mendaki that anyone is free to inspect.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the amendments to the Administration of Muslim Law Act. A key amendment is to expand the use of the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund to cover upgrading of mosques and funding of religious education in Singapore. To provide for this expanded use, the monthly contributions of Muslim workers to the MBMF will be increased. Expanding the use of MBMF to cover mosque upgrading has been well received by the community. This is a timely move for the reasons already mentioned by the Minister earlier on. Also, the role of mosques has changed. Since the beginning of this year, mosques have been playing a bigger role in the social welfare network for Malay/Muslims and have taken over the social assistance functions previously concentrated at MUIS, expanding the use of the MBMF to cater to this wider need is therefore urgent and necessary. Sir, unlike the proposal to expand the MBMF to cover mosque upgrading where there is a strong consensus, the expansion of MBMF to cover religious education has received mixed reaction, although the majority supports it. Some in the community have reservations because they feel that parents do have a choice whether to put their children in madrasahs or Government schools which provide a very good education. So, they feel that they should not be asked to bear the cost of parents making personal choices when they put their children in madrasahs as these parents should bear the full cost. But even such critics agree wholeheartedly that there is a need to improve the quality of madrasah education. So, it would appear that there is no disagreement on the objective of improving madrasah education but the disagreement is on how this should be funded – by every Muslim worker or by the parents themselves.”