Hany Soh
Singapore
“Thank you, Speaker. Just one supplementary question on whether there are any recycling plans in the pipeline for collaborations with our partners in the region or globally, or for a start, coming up with a common framework in terms of recycling across our Association of Southeast Asian Nations region?”
“I thank the Minister of State for her response. I understand from a few seniors whom I have interacted with in Woodgrove recently that a number of their peers were unable to join them for their regular outdoor qigong and brisk walking activities due to respiratory-related health conditions lately.”
“In this regard, perhaps PUB could consider an "opt-in", at least for the implementation or installation of the Costal Protection Measures for private owners or lessors instead of requiring them to procure the same from scratch.”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have two clarifications. One is pertaining to what Senior Minister of State Janil has shared about MySkillsFuture Portal, revamping it. Can we explore to actually allow the functions for the users to actually navigate through the portal based on locations wise, so that it allows the users to benefit from it.”
“To encourage more Singaporeans to utilise their SkillsFuture training credits, I hope that SkillsFuture@PA programme can be further expanded. In addition to CCs, it could also extend to running courses at the Residents' Network Centres.”
“The first question is, can we explore rather than to not totally include or consider the waiver of fees, instead can we explore increasing the search fees instead, so as to achieve the objectives that Senior Parliamentary Secretary had mentioned in terms of defraying the fees for maintaining such a services in the Wills Registry?”
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“Thank you, Speaker. I have two supplementary questions. One is echoing from what Parliamentary colleague, Mr Christopher de Souza has said, I would like to ask whether, apart from the etomidate-laced vapes, has the Ministry detected the use of other unlawful or harmful substances as well, that may potentially be also classified? The other supplementary question is pertaining to MOE's recent announcements on introducing suspensions. In this regard, I would like to inquire whether we are exploring for these suspensions to be in-house, which means it is within the school, rather than external, as an effort to rehabilitate the students better. This is following from some of the feedback that we have gathered through Woodgrove's anti-vaping taskforce through which we have been engaging the schools.”
“Chairman, this is pertaining to my earlier cuts to the Minister in relation to the progress of the NHB's Heritage Trails project and whether it has plans to expand to feature stories of how local community clubs have evolved and touched our lives over the years and more specifically, whether a heritage trail marker can be placed at Woodgrove's Fuchun Community Club to mark its history of being Singapore's first rural community centre since 1963. I look forward to the Minister's favourable reply.”
“A similar family-focused design like the Active SG credits for the SG Culture Pass could help instill a love to the arts from an early age, while enhancing family bonding. If lowering the age is not possible, I would urge the Ministry to team up with vendors to offer waivers or reduced fees for kids who come with adults. Or as another option, let these children use their Life SG credits to cover these costs.”
“Although the present-day Fuchun Community Centre is no longer located at its original site, such valuable history must be passed down to the next generation and generations to follow. Mr Chairman, this year marks SG60 and here in Woodgrove, we are excited to welcome our newly renovated Fuchun Community Centre, complete with green sustainability features and amenities for both young and old to bond as a community and family. I hope the NHB will seriously consider updating the Woodlands Heritage Trail to include a new trail marker at this Community Centre when it reopens in the second quarter of this year, to let this kampung spirit, that has evolved since 1963, to continue to pass down for generations. Access to the Arts among Young Children Every Singaporean child deserves a chance to explore the arts. It is how they discover creativity, appreciate their culture and see the world in new ways. The National Arts Council's Arts Education Programs serve this purpose by providing students access to quality arts education experiences that complement curriculum and co-curriculum learning. On this note, how can MCCY do even more, to expose our young to the arts? Can this initiative be expanded to also benefit younger children in preschools? In a similar vein, the SG Culture Pass, which was announced to provide all Singaporeans aged 18 and above with cash credit for activities like arts and cultural performances, since this is intended to encourage us to engage with our rich cultures and inspire participation in art, why not extend this opportunity to younger Singaporeans by lowering the age eligibility to include children from preschool onwards?”
“In 2022, the National Heritage Board (NHB) announced its new Woodlands Heritage Trail, which aimed to accentuate Woodlands’ rich military history, the evolution of its communities and places of worship and its transformation into a modern estate. The trail features 15 heritage sites and is supported by eight heritage trail markers. Even so, many Woodgrove residents have told me that there are more places in our division that also deserve a spotlight. Take Mandai Tekong Park, for example. For years, residents have wondered why a neighbourhood park in Woodgrove carries this name when we are nowhere near Mandai or Tekong. I recently learned from a senior resident that the park was likely named after a former village off Mandai Road. During HDB’s Rejuvenation of Heartlands project recently, this park got a major facelift, reflecting the kampung spirit with its play features. With that in mind, I ask the Ministry what is the progress of the NHB’s heritage trails in uncovering more untold stories about the historical and cultural heritage of our respective neighbourhoods? Beyond adding places like Mandai Tekong Park with an extra heritage trail marker, would MCCY consider expanding this initiative to showcase how local community clubs have evolved and touched residents’ lives over the years? 3.45 pm Take Fuchun Community Centre, for instance. It was formerly known as Hock Chun Community Centre. Following Senior Minister Lee’s visit to Marsiling in 2019, he shared through his social media that Hock Chun Community Centre was Singapore’s first rural community centre. He had actually attended its opening with our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew back in 1963.”
“Strengthen support for assistive technologies and training for people with disabilities, possibly by collaborating with business enterprise and professional organisations to provide customised solutions. Digital inclusion is essential for social equity and progress. I look forward to the Ministry's response and believe that these efforts will continue to benefit more Singaporeans. Support for Citizens in Digital Space”
“Against this evolving backdrop, how does MDDI intend to support our Public Service Media entities, ensuring that they remain relevant and maintain or improve audience outreach, given ongoing technological disruptions and the proliferation of information sources? Digital Inclusion for All (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Over the years, the Government has been helping vulnerable groups integrate into the digital society through various initiatives, such as DigitalAccess@Home, Seniors Go Digital and Mobile Access for Seniors. These programmes provide subsidised broadband equipment, raise public awareness about digital technology and offer training to support these groups. In light of this, could MDDI share the current outcomes of these initiatives? For example, how many households have benefited from DigitalAccess@Home to date? What progress has Seniors Go Digital made in training seniors to use digital tools? Additionally, what challenges have been encountered during the implementation of these programmes and what measures have been taken to address them? Are there plans to further expand this support in the future? I would like to suggest the following measures for the Ministry to consider, in order to further strengthen support for vulnerable groups: increase collaboration with business enterprises to introduce a more comprehensive package to reduce the cost of digital access for low-income families. Expand community workshops to provide more personalised digital training for seniors, such as one-on-one tutoring, to meet their learning needs while continuing to enhance their awareness and ability to prevent online scams.”
“While advancements in technology and AI bring about new opportunities, they also present new challenges and competition. Take the news, media and entertainment spheres, for example. Consumers worldwide have been increasingly moving towards online streaming services and non-traditional sources, such as social media. In July 2024, BBC announced plans to cut 500 jobs by March next year in a bid to save £200 million and become a "leaner, more agile organisation", as it copes with funding and inflationary pressures. This came after a reduction of its headcount by 10%, or nearly 2,000 roles. Its long-time flagship current affairs interview programme, HARDtalk, was also axed as a result. CNN also announced its plan to lay off 6% of its workforce in January earlier this year, as it revamps its schedule and digital strategy. This followed having already cut 100 jobs, or about 3% of its workforce, last summer as it reorganised its news gathering operations. Back home, SPH Media announced in November last year that it has laid off 34 employees, amounting to 10% of its technology division amidst its restructuring and digital transformation. 12.45 pm During my interactions with union members who are in the broadcasting industry in my capacity as the advisor of the Singapore Union of Broadcasting Employees, I picked up on one of their concerns that job restructuring is inevitable as Singaporeans, like the rest of the world, are consuming media from across a range of digital sources and platforms, and there is thus a rapid decline in consumption of its content from traditional analogue media platforms.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. I have three clarifications. The first is to the Minister in relation to her announcement of HUP 2.0. I understand that there is a long-term plan for existing hawker centres to be transformed. In this regard, can I enquire what are the factors which will be taken into consideration in prioritising which estates' hawker centres will be upgraded first? So, that is my first clarification. The second and third clarifications are to Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey. The first is in relation to high-rise littering issues. I understand from Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey that there are plans to place surveillance cameras for a longer period of time, up to 28 days. While I appreciate this effort, but based on our residents' feedback, more often than not, it is that surveillance cameras, while they serve a good purpose in enforcement, actually, the better benefits of them actually pertain to deterrence. So, I urge the Ministry to consider whether we can explore – rather than a specific duration of 28 days – whether we can have it on a permanent basis. It is just like speed cameras, for instance, in the hope that such issues will not recur after the specified period where the cameras have been removed. The third point is on the public toilets. It has been announced that MSE will set aside some grants for coffee shops' renovations and deep cleaning. In this regard, can we actually explore to extend this grant to other toilets that are used by the public as well, outside of coffee shops, for example, those that are at the neighbourhood centres, those that are at the Community Clubs that are actually used by the public as well.”
“It is not just the Government, but operators, cleaners, users, the general public including you and I, can all step up to push for cleaner public toilets. I would therefore urge the Government to team up with these passionate students, continue to engage and interview other stakeholders, not just to point out how dirty our public toilets are, but to come up with long-term fixes. We need an outcome-based approach to make sure all public toilets are functional, clean and hygienic. Too many toilet facilities that stay under repair for ages leaves people without option. The Government could also consider setting up an endowment fund to keep funding efforts to transform toilets, making them clean, safe and barrier free, especially for our ageing population. Ban Smoking at Windows and Balconies”
“Madam, 2024 was designated as the Year of Public Hygiene (YOPH) to show Singapore's commitment to better public cleanliness and hygiene. Could the Ministry please provide an update on how YOPH has turned out? When it comes to public hygiene, the Ministry should continue its focus on particularly these three areas: one, tackling high-rise littering; two, dealing with unhygienic public toilets; and three, reducing waste. These steps can cut down the risk of community disease outbreaks from things like rats, pigeons, stray wildlife and mosquitoes. Can the Ministry update us on its plans and efforts in this regard? For example, with high-rise littering, how fast does the agency act to set up surveillance cameras when residents say the problems keep popping up? Could the Ministry boost its resources to speed up deployment and enforcement? In November 2024, I attended the Waterloo finale of results of National Survey on toilets in Singapore. It was a project led by the Singapore Management University's Rosie Ching, principal lecturer of statistics, with her 222 undergraduate students from her Statistics X course. They conducted on-site surveys to check toilet cleanliness across Singapore's public spaces. The survey looked at 2,602 toilets in 1,428 spots, across coffee shops, hawker centres, MRT stations and shopping malls, and interviewed 4,905 people, including 510 employees, and 4,395 customers about the sentiment on the public toilets conditions. Even with efforts to raise hygiene standard last year, coffee shop toilets were slightly worse than in 2023. In my closing address at the event, I shared that public hygiene is something we all share responsibility for.”
“We could also set up a hawker agency to manage these centres, encourage hawker entrepreneurship, and boost food and service quality, including healthier options. That way, our hawker centres and wet markets can thrive. And we can continue to keep our hawker culture alive. Sustaining the Hawker Trade”
“Since its opening in the 1970s, Marsiling Lane Market and Food Centre has been well patronised by Singaporeans, especially those living in Marsiling and Woodgrove. In recent years, the surrounding neighbourhood has been transforming rapidly. The HDB's rejuvenation of Heartland project wrapped up last year. A new Marsiling Community Club will be in operation from next year, and we are welcoming several new BTOs in the area. Against this backdrop, Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad and I, as Members of Parliament (MPs) for Marsiling and Woodgrove divisions, respectively, often get asked by residents whether and when the market and hawker centre can get a rejuvenation too. Rejuvenation would be ideal, especially since the hawker centre is thriving and packed on weekends. Such rejuvenation ought to, on the one hand, further improve the customer experience for everyone, including younger folks, while keeping food prices and wet market shopping affordable. On the other hand, we would have to consider how these heartland markets are often quiet on weekdays and at night. Should we then expect hawkers to stay open during those periods? Shops also face stiff competition from Johor Bahru, which is proximate and convenient for Singaporeans, especially those residing in the north to head to. How can we make the hawker and wet market experience in Marsiling more attractive, especially with the Rapid Transit System (RTS) coming and worries that business might take a hit? What are NEA's plans to help hawkers and stores stay competitive? For a start, we should upgrade all hawker centres to meet the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) Green Mark standards to create a better environment for hawkers and patrons.”
“I repeat my request for the Government to introduce, amongst other support schemes, a "Mommy's Milestone Booklet" to keep track and support an expectant mother's holistic well-being. In our continuing drive towards being a smart and smarter nation, this booklet could also be issued in electronic format, comprising a side guide that updates parents about new developments in the parenthood journey, including getting value-for-money deals from parenthood-friendly businesses and perhaps even include a live chat function with human expertise or AI support where appropriate. I look forward to the Government's response, please.”
“Agencies can work with support groups like Fertility Support SG (FSS), who have offered their support by hosting relevant resources and information on their website for easy access, especially by aspiring parents; (b) the introduction of grants for pre-IVF or general fertility testing to help identify issues and allow for appropriate solutioning early, thereby improving the chances of success; (c) expansion of public sector grants to cover more IVF cycles as families may want more than one child or face complex cases that require additional rounds of treatment; and (d) allowing grants to cover the cost of treatments in private clinics as well, giving couples more options, particularly so when time is of the essence in many of such cases. Additionally, in specific instances where the woman undergoing treatment is below the age of 40 and the fertility medical team at public hospitals have recommended that she continues treatment beyond her subsidised assisted conception procedure cycles, will the Government consider extending the coverage of subsidies up to the point when the patient successfully conceives or when the fertility medical team advises her to stop? This is the situation that my Woodgrove resident, Tina, is in. Her medical fertility team has advised her to continue with her treatment even after the existing subsidies have been fully utilised as each cycle actually brings them closer to finding the optimal combination of medication and timing for successful conception. Support for First-time Parents Couples considering or expecting their first child would invariably feel overwhelmed or anticipate getting lost along their parenthood journey. Can the Government better support these parents and aspiring parents in their prenatal and parenthood journey?”
“Chairman, in my Motion titled "Supporting Singaporeans in Starting and Raising Families" that was debated and passed in this House last month, the issue of Singaporeans having children when they are older was one of the concerns raised as this means more couples would likely face increased difficulties in conceiving. How will the Government further increase awareness of this risk and support Singaporeans in this area? Fertility Support SG, a non-profit self-help group, has shared with the People's Action Party (PAP) Women's Wing Policy Group, some best practices globally. In Japan, the government provides counselling and support services for all couples facing infertility, including emotional support and guidance on treatment options. Australia has a national infertility support organisation that provides information, resources and peer support to couples and individuals. Its various states have also integrated both public and private sector initiatives to support fertility treatments, often including financial subsidies as well as robust counselling services. Certain states in the US, including New York, have mandated insurance companies to cover infertility treatments. Drawing inspiration from these examples, will our Government consider providing even more support with or by: (a) upstream fertility education to help Singaporeans plan their fertility journeys early.”
“They remind us of the strength and resilience of mothers who are not only raising their children but also growing alongside them: "To the mum who has been through a lot lately, give yourself more credit. You are raising children at the same time as you are raising yourself. You are breaking cycles and doing it differently, even though you are exhausted. You are trying to figure out who you are while helping little people do the same. You are pouring all your love into your children while learning to love yourself at the same time. you are stronger than you can ever imagine. You are doing your best. Let that be enough." These words capture the heart of what it means to build a Singapore made for families, a place where parents, especially mothers, feel supported, valued and empowered, and at a greater level, serve the team of SG60 Budget for all Singaporeans. Let us continue to work hard and together to welcome SG60 and even better years to follow. Mr Speaker, notwithstanding my request for clarifications and suggestions, I stand in support of the Budget.”
“This change could help make the vouchers more convenient and user friendly for everyone. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In last week's 2025 Budget Statement, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced a series of assistance measures to help families and individuals cope with rising cost of living. In addition to the 800 CDC vouchers available to each citizen household, all Singaporeans aged 21 and above this year will receive either $600 or $800 of SG60 Vouchers under the SG60 package. Recently, many Woodgrove residents I met at the neighbourhood centres or during house visits have expressed their support for this year's Budget, appreciating the Government's understanding of people's concerns and active efforts in helping Singaporean with cost of living. These measures have also benefited many neighbourhood hawkers and merchants. At the same time, some neighbourhood merchants and residents gave me feedback that the current E-voucher format can be improved. They suggest updating the existing e-wallet mode and adopting a payment mode similar to those commonly used in many stores, such as Life SG and GrabPay. This would make payment more efficient and convenient for both merchants and customers. (In English): To conclude, I would like to share a few lines of assurance and encouragement that my husband recently said to me, a working mother who constantly questions if I have done enough for my six-year-old daughter and 15-month-old son amid my other commitments. These words, though from an anonymous author, resonated deeply with the challenges and triumph of parenthood.”
“Moreover, many parents may have already bought the essentials like diaper bags before their baby's arrival, so to make this gift truly useful, I hope the items can vary to better suit the diverse needs of parents and their babies at different stages of their first year. Moving on to the SG Culture Pass, which will provide all Singaporeans aged 18 and above with $100 worth of credits for activities like arts and cultural performances, museum exhibitions and heritage experiences. I support this initiative as it encourages us to engage with our rich cultural landscape. However, since the goal is to inspire participation in arts and heritage, why not extend this opportunity to younger Singaporeans? I suggest lowering the age eligibility to include children from preschool onwards. This will mirror the approach of active SG credits, which promote family participations in sports and activities. A similar family focus design for the SG Culture Pass could help instil a love for culture from an early age while enhancing family bonding. Lastly, I am grateful for the Government's allocation of $800 in CDC Vouchers to every Singaporean household to help manage expenses. On top of that, the SG60 vouchers available to every Singaporean and usable at all businesses accepting CDC Vouchers, add another layer of support. This initiative showed a commitment to easing the cost of living. However, during my recent house visits and routine walkabouts at our Fuchun Neighbourhood Centre and Triple 8 Plaza in Woodgrove, several residents and merchants have shared their feedback about the current E-voucher format. They suggest switching to an E-wallet format like those used in the Life SG or GrabPay, which are already popular for purchasers and neighbourhood merchants.”
“Many of them who are professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETS), see the present Working Mother's Child Relief scheme as a reduction of their tax relief entitlement, which used to be 15% of the mother's income for children of Singapore citizenship born or adopted before 1 of January 2024. To address this, I propose a small tweak to the policy. One is to retain the higher of the percentage base or fixed quantum relief. This adjustment would ensure lower income working mothers to remain motivated to remain in the workforce and receive adequate tax deductions, while encouraging the higher earning ones to continue to pursue their career aspirations, while not forgetting the need to continue to expand and raise their families. This year, it has been announced that the SG Baby Gift will be given to all Singaporean citizens born in 2025. It is a meaningful gesture to celebrate our nation's milestone. I recall my time as a grassroots volunteer 10 years ago, delivering the SG50 Baby Jubilee gift packs. Those packs included a suitcase with items like a special medallion, a multifunctional shawl, a baby sling, a set of baby clothes, a diaper bag, a scrapbook, a family photo frame and a set of baby books – thoughtful keepsakes and practical tools for new parents. However, babies grow and develop rapidly in their first year, with their needs shifting every three months or so. Since some SG60 babies were born as early as January this year, many will likely be past the three to six months stage by the time they receive the gift.”
“On the next point of creating a smooth experience for first-time parents, we should consider to provide a new parenthood E-guide or a mommy's milestone booklet. This can be personalised to each family's needs and with relevant information conveyed to parents to be by professionals at each milestone basis. At the risk of belabouring the point, having already asked for this in Parliament on numerous occasions over the years, most recently, actually, in my speech for my motion last month, I do hope that this booklet will help to track the expecting mother's physical and emotional development. It contains helpful information regarding necessary preparation for each stage of their pregnancy. What are the parenting best practices? What are the list of support systems available to all parents, at least for the first year of their journey into parenthood? What are the overview of vaccinations required for these expecting mothers, and what are the recommended estimated time, time and dates to sign up for prenatal classes, providing them with a checklist of items to prepare for the arrival of their baby, sharing tips with them on how to spot signs of labour and how to spot signs of postnatal depression? Mr Speaker, while the increased Baby Bonus Cash Gift and higher Government contributions to the Child Development Account, along with the various support measures that were introduced in this year's Budget, has provided some relief for child raising costs, many aspiring mothers have nonetheless shared a common concern with me.”
“Three, public sector grants should be expanded to cover more IVF cycles, as families may want more than one child or face complex cases that require additional rounds of treatment. And four, private sector grants should also be considered, allowing grants to apply to treatments in private clinics, giving couples more options. I wish to take this opportunity to share a personal appeal, which my residents, Tina and Brandon, had confided in me just a few days ago at my Meet-the-People Sessions. The couple, both 32 years old, has been trying to conceive for the past four years. From initially being given a clean bill of health at their fertility check-up to eventually being diagnosed with a blocked fallopian tube that resulted in them undergoing five IVF cycles since last year, which have yet to yield any success. Despite emotional toll and financial strain, they remain hopeful to be under National University Hospital's (NUH's) care, whose advice to them is to not give up and to keep trying as each cycle brings the medical fertility team one step closer to finding the right combination of medication and timing to retrieve the best quality eggs and hope for eventual success. However, the cost of medications, procedures and consultations are overwhelming and have pushed them to their limits. Having exhausted the subsidised cycles, they are humbly requesting additional government support for one more fresh IVF cycle and two frozen cycles. The couple understands that public resources are limited and they do not expect full coverage. However, they believe that with the additional support that the Government can provide and consider to expend, it will go a long way towards easing the burdens of couples like them and sustain their dreams of becoming parents one day.”
“Based on the other feedback and suggestions which PAP Women's Wing have gathered through our surveys, consultations with partners as well as focus group discussions, to encourage young couples to start and grow their families, I believe we must address a broader range of needs in which I have summarised into five key areas: one, fertility support to help couples start and pursue their parenthood journey; two, supporting first parenthood by equipping them with the necessary know-hows; three, readily available caregiving support networks to ease their load; four, more understanding workplaces with flexible work arrangements; and five, support for mothers to stay confident in the workforce with support systems such as enhanced tax incentives for working mothers. Pertaining to the point on fertility support, PAP Women's Wing Policy Group has received valuable insight from Fertility Support SG (FSS), a non-profit self-help group started by a group of ladies facing infertility and saw the need to create a community where couples facing infertility could get a right information as well as come together to share experiences and gain support through their difficult challenging times. One of the founders of FSS, Ms Lin Shu Min had shared with me that the key areas where our Government can work on with partners to provide more support to are as follows. One, upstream fertility education to help people plan their fertility journeys early. FSS can help to contribute by housing relevant resources and information on their website, making it easier for couples to access the knowledge they need. Two, grants for pre-in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or general fertility testing to help identify issues early, improving the chances of success.”
“This would increase the supply of preschool spots and options for parents. I therefore urge the Government to consider my earlier suggestion that HDB and the Early Childhood Development Agency collaborate even more closely. They should review and improve the current system to select Anchor and Partner Operators for new estates as early as possible, ensuring these centres are ready to operate by the time residents begin collecting their keys. This will make childcare more accessible from day one. Next, I move on to other support measures for families. During fourth session of the focus group discussion organised jointly by the PAP Women's Wing with Friendzone, which I had attended recently, where I joined close to 60 participants, aged 25 to 40 years, to have a heart-to-heart conversation, pertaining to the topic of parenthood. I have gathered that, while some participants may find the cost of pregnancy in Singapore, which is estimated to be in the region of $10,000, covering items from prenatal gynaecologist visits, hospital birth and confinement, nanny supports, and so on, to be a reasonable amount in comparison to the cost of planning for their wedding. However, many of the participants are still of the view that the cost of childbirth and raising a child in Singapore remain high and had deterred them, especially if the couples actually have the desire to have more than one child but worry on their affordability. I therefore welcome the Large Family Scheme which offers additional financial support to married couples who have or aspire to have three or more children. Yet, larger financial assistance rendered to just this group is not enough.”
“Mr Speaker, my speech today will be responsive to certain areas of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Budget speech specifically, although I sincerely register my appreciation for the SG60 Budget for all Singaporeans and the additional support schemes that have been announced to support families, taking into consideration what me and many of us had shared in this House last month in the Motion which I had moved, pertaining to for the continued review and updating of policies to better support families, as well as the marriage and parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans and endorses a whole-of-society approach to build a Singapore made for families. Firstly, on the topic of childcare and preschool accessibility. Building a Singapore made for families goes hand-in-hand with nurturing a caring and inclusive society. On this note, I welcome the announcement for further reduction of monthly full-day childcare fees caps in Government-supported preschools. This will go a long way to further ease the financial burden on families, many of whom have been concerned with rising cost of living. However, I anticipate a challenge that may persist, that is, a long waiting time for enrolment and admission at Anchor Operator centres and Partner Operator centres located near homes. In my speech delivered during the Motion which I moved last month, I shared with this House that many of my Woodgrove residents in Champions Court and Champions Green have been facing difficulties in securing a spot in a preschool for their toddlers. This is pressing and distressing for families, especially those moving into new flats, which could be located in an unfamiliar area with no extended family support. I believe that one of the solutions is in increasing the number of Partner Operators.”
“Mr Speaker, I call this village SG Made for Families. I thank all Members for sharing their sincere and thoroughly considered views in today's debate. Much has been said and I have every confidence that even more will be done to support Singaporeans in starting and raising families. If I may conclude with a message to my fellow Singaporeans: please trust that this House will be with you along every step of your journey to starting and raising your family. Mr Speaker, I urge Members of this House to support the Motion as originally worded. 8.08 pm”
“Notwithstanding, no parent, mother or father should ever feel the pressure to return to work due to them having insufficient childcare leave and/or because their employer refuses to implement FWAs where feasible. I was immensely moved by Mr Zhulkarnain's anecdote on his daughter asking him to help her. Many of us, including Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Louis Ng, Mr Louis Chua and Assoc Prof Razwana Begum, have also underscored the importance of ensuring parents have sufficient time to dedicate to their children. This was also endorsed and concurred by Minister of State Gan. Finally, Mr Speaker, having a support network from our own family members, such as our parents or our children's grandparents, is more valuable than any help that can be bought. Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Nadia Samad and Dr Syed Harun also stand behind this point. The union, as highlighted by Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Ms Jean See, also play a crucial role. Mothers need to feel at ease and assured to remain in the workforce and pursue their career aspirations. As for those who have taken or would need to take some time off to be a stay-home mom, they need to be confident that they can always return to the workforce when they feel ready to do so and feel welcomed. Having had myself to step away from work and return twice, I am grateful to those who have spoken, including Mr Desmond Choo and Ms Yeo Wan Ling for looking out for all mothers in this regard. I could not agree more with Assoc Prof Razwana Begum that successful implementation of any initiatives will require cooperative partnerships between the Government, community and private sectors. We cannot simply fall back on the assumption that this is all the Government's responsibility, and we all have a role to play in supporting families.”
“Our environment ought to also encourage the creation and development of self-help support groups in order to evolve organically. We will do well at the family unit level and societal level in sharing personal past experiences of first-timer parents or caregivers overcoming the challenges they encountered. On this, I wholeheartedly agree with Ms Nadia Samdin. The villagers also need to be equipped with fertility, health education and fertility support benefits, a key point made by Ms Nadia Samdin, Ms Hazel Poa and Mr Desmond Choo. An essential element to this Motion vision is maintaining a strong social compact in the village, in which breadwinners are confident enough to balance the economics and emotions of working and caregiving. Ms Jean See, Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Mr Faisal Manap accurately described the importance on this. Of course, as with everything, striking the right balance is critical. We cannot neglect understanding employers in the village who encourage their employees to adopt family-friendly practices while sustaining productivity, certainly with the help of the Government. Mr Zhulkarnain, Mr Yip Hon Weng, Louis Chua and Mr Mark Lee rightly reminded us of this. We cannot overstate the value of parents being present and hands-on in our children's growing phase. The importance of the father's role has been a theme that we have been exploring and that the one that should ideally in fact and be seen to be equal to that of a mother's. However, each family is unique and so are its circumstances. Every parent has autonomy to calibrate his or her parenting and caregiving part with support on the ready to be given by the Government.”
“In reviewing and updating policies and programmes, it is important that agencies seek the views and wishes of families and potential families of all descriptions and that these views and wishes are respectfully considered and acted upon where feasible. I wish to illustrate the notion of this village further, inspired by my Parliamentary colleagues' speeches today. In this village, the children include those from single-parent families, blended or step-families, as shared by Dr Syed Harun. In the current and future Singapore context, this village must comprise the following infrastructures. Firstly, public housing that is affordable and attainable easily, as pointed out by several of us in this Chambers, including Mr Yip Hon Weng, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Mr Leong Mun Wai, Mr Faisal Manap, Ms Ng Ling Ling and Ms Nadia Samdin, and as assured by Minister Indranee. Secondly, accessible and affordable preschools and student care, a point that is shared by several of us, including Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Xie Yao Quan and Mr Louis Chua, and assured by Minister of State Sun. Apart from the hardware, we would also need the heartware to make this village a conducive and enjoyable place to raise our children. To make this possible, we would also need the village to be packed with social and physical activities, such as bringing youths together to better understand each other and bond – having heard Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Ng Ling Ling and what I have shared in my opening speech. We also need to create all-inclusive opportunities to encourage families comprising the young old, the differently abled to bond, intra-family as described by Miss Rachel Ong, Mr Yip Hon Weng, and even further, inter-family, as shared by Dr Syed Harun.”
“From the responses provided by Minister of State Sun, Minister of State Gan and Minister Indranee, particularly in relation to what she has shared on BCA's Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment 2025, I feel assured to reiterate my message to fellow Singaporeans that none of you would ever be alone or should feel alone in this rewarding and fulfilling journey. And this House commits to unceasingly provide its utmost support to Singaporean families. Mr Speaker, I had initially filed this Motion, assuming that it would likely to be debated on the seventh day of Chinese New Year. By tradition, the seventh day of Chinese New Year is known as 人日, the day on which humans were created, which would make it a rather more apt occasion for us to discuss topics relating to family formation. Since, it is instead done today, on the eighth day of Chinese New Year with "eight" being associated with wealth, prosperity and success, I hope that it is an auspicious sign that the wish list that my Parliamentary colleagues and I have drawn up in our speeches for more financial support and "ang pows" for Singaporeans will materialise, perhaps even as soon as at the upcoming Budget 2025. Per Ms Nadia Samdin's characterisation, it indeed takes a village to raise a child. This village, according to Assoc Prof Razwana Begum's speech earlier, hit the nail on the head of this Motion – the Government, community and private sectors need to come together to adapt, develop and maintain policies and programmes that are contemporary evidence-based and responsive to the diverse needs and circumstances of all families, including those considering starting a family. It requires as much as and no less than a whole-of-society's resolve and effort.”
“Mr Speaker, let me begin my closing speech by expressing my deepest appreciation to all my Parliamentary colleagues who took part in this debate, including Minister Indranee, Minister of State Sun Xueling and Minister of State Gan Siow Huang, who responded to the various points raised in the course of today's debate. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our Ministry staff and Parliamentary Secretariat staff, officers and librarians for all of their support rendered to us. Given that the Chinese New Year holiday was just last week, all of us would have spent our Chinese New Year break preparing for today's debate amidst our family commitments, attending to your parental and caregiving duties and constituent works. As I was performing research and drafting my speeches at home, and during the pockets of time I had during visiting, the moments at which I was momentarily distracted by my two young kids calling out to me, serve as reminders of the impetus for filing today's Motion. All of us should experience the greatest joy and bliss that comes from starting and building a family. No doubt it will present challenges unique to each family unit as Members would have understood through our engagements with Singaporeans, and this House has heard, in the course of today's debate. However, as it is the case that families are the building blocks of society in Singapore, the whole-of-society is here to support all of us in reciprocity.”
“Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a clarification to Mr Louis Chua. While I understand the context of his speech, but it is not clear from his speech whether he is in support of my Motion. So, I want to take this opportunity to seek his confirmation on that. Because I perceive that he is supporting my Motion, based on what I heard, especially in his Chinese speech, but I wish to seek his confirmation.”
“We should continue to listen to the people's concerns and as time and lifestyle evolves, be bold in introducing novel, yet practical measures to support Singaporeans in building their beautiful families. (In English): Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I am heartened by the Government's commitment and continuing efforts to cultivate an environment that supports Singaporeans in starting and raising a family. I look forward to my Parliamentary colleagues' speeches as well as a fruitful debate on this Motion. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“To cushion the operating costs of the Anchor Operators during this period, HDB can consider offering rent-free or higher subsidised rent rate until the enrolment rate achieves a certain desired number. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] At the recent dialogues organised by PAP's Women's Wing, several participants provided feedback and suggestions to me. As this year is Singapore's 60th birthday, they asked if the Government could consider providing more cash incentives from this year onwards, to encourage and assist Singaporeans in achieving important family-building milestones. One participant suggested that we could call this a Kickstart Fund. As we all know, even though the Government already provides many grants, subsidies and assistance for marriage, home ownership and parenthood, there are still many expenses that require cash payment. Without sufficient savings and stable income, many Singaporeans, even when they meet the right partner, will think twice about having a baby immediately after marriage. Therefore, I hope this Kickstart Fund can help Singaporeans when they embark on important life milestones and ease their financial burden, for example, wedding expenses, new home renovation costs, prenatal check-ups and various postpartum confinement expenses, and so on. Mr Speaker, the old saying "raise children for the purpose of being looked after in old age" may seem less relevant today. For many young couples, it might be seen as a long-term burden, a process that is mixed with moments of joy, and mental and financial stress. Overall, when building a family-friendly Singapore, I hope the Government can understand why Singaporeans are afraid of having children.”
“This booklet could be similar to the Families for Life Parenting, a one-stop portal for parenting resources, but personalised to each family's needs and with relevant information conveyed to the parents-to-be by professionals at each milestone basis. Like many parents with young families, I appreciate the Government's enhancement of the Baby Bonus in 2023. However, during my interactions with many young parents in Woodgrove, many of them shared their view and their hope that the Government can explore increasing the cash gift component and the release of funds even before the child is born as they have to incur many expenses on things, such as prenatal check-ups, purchase of baby essentials in preparation for the arrival of the baby. As such, I implore the Government to consider releasing the Baby Bonus once the expecting mother clears her first trimester. Another suggestion which has been frequently brought up by young parents, particularly those who are staying in BTO flats, concerns the challenges they face in securing a preschool spot for their toddlers. This has been a problem which my Woodgrove residents in the Champions Court and Champions Green area have been encountering. In this regard, I hope that HDB and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) can work together to review and improve its current system to shortlist the Anchor Operators that will be serving the estate at the earliest opportunity, even while the BTO project is still under construction and to get the appointed Anchor Operator to set up and be ready to operate once HDB begins its key collection exercise.”
“By default, each parent will be allocated half the entitlement totaling three weeks from 1 April 2025, which is slated to be increased to five weeks per parent from 1 April next year. There is also a built-in mechanism to allow for flexibility based on each family’s needs and taking into account the parents' employers' operational requirements. Mr Speaker, I have so far attempted to consolidate the various support measures that this House and the Government have provided to parents and prospective parents, albeit not exhaustively. But soon-to-be, as well as new parents would still be saddled with so much, and be under constant and immense pressure. It would not be reasonable to expect them to be constantly aware and keep track of this policy developments made to assist them on their own. To this end, I reiterate a suggestion I had made during the debate on Budget Statement in 2021, to call for the introduction of a "Mommy's Milestone Booklet". This booklet would be akin to a baby's health booklet but instead, would help to track the expecting mother's physical and emotional development. It would also contain helpful information regarding necessary preparations for each stage of pregnancy, parenting best practices and a list of support systems available to all parents at least for the first years of their journey into parenthood, along with a checklist of vaccinations required for expecting mothers, recommended estimated dates to sign up for prenatal classes, a checklist of items to prepare for the arrival of the baby, tips on how to spot signs of labour and how to spot signs of post-natal depression.”
“My Parliamentary colleague Mr Zhulkarnain will be sharing more in the aspect for the challenges that many fathers encounter during this journey later in his speech. This House recognises the challenges of starting and expanding a family, and so does the Government, as evidenced by its constant improvements to its policies. For example, I shared earlier, the Baby Bonus Scheme comprising the Baby Bonus Cash Gift and the Child Development Account (CDA) benefits is provided as soon as the child is born. The Baby Bonus Scheme was most recently enhanced in 2023. There is also the MediSave Grant for Newborns, which sees to it that a CPF MediSave account is opened for each newborn and the grant is credited automatically. This grant provides support for each child's healthcare expenses, including MediShield premiums, recommended childhood vaccinations, hospitalisations and approved outpatient treatments. Adding to the comprehensive coverage is the MediShield Life Coverage for Newborns and Fully-Subsidised Nationally-Recommended Childhood Vaccinations and Developmental Screenings. As our children grow, we also get to utilise education subsidies totaling up to $180,000. Most recently, through the CDCA Bill passed by this House in November last year, enhancements were made to the Parental Leave. Government-Paid Paternity Leave has been doubled to four weeks and is applicable to the fathers of children born on or after 1 April this year, as well as adoptive fathers where the eligibility date of application to adopt a child is on or after 1 April 2025. There is also the new Shared Parental Leave, which will entitle working parents who are eligible for Government-Paid Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave and Adoption Leave, to Shared Parental Leave.”
“Also, would it possible for families to seek a lower and/or deferred housing loan repayment rate from HDB for the first few years of their child's birth? This could go a great length to ease part of the financial burdens and pressure on new parents, whose primary focus should rightly be on their newborn. Furthermore and/or alternatively, the same arrangement should also be considered to be extended to large young families, until the youngest child enters primary school education. We must not only actually do better in terms of policy-making, but also do our best to keep Singaporeans informed, in order to provide assurance and certainty, which would be essential to Singaporeans' family planning. This brings me to my next topic – welcoming a new child to the family. Child-bearing and child-raising are, in my view, the noblest of pursuits in life. Children are the element that completes a family unit. The critical message that this House and the Government ought to convey to every Singaporean, is that none of you – whether as a single parent or as a married couple – would ever feel alone in this rewarding and fulfilling journey. The typical Singaporean who is aspiring to become a parent would invariably ask him or herself, "How am I going to cope with a newborn on top of my work?", "Would I have to drastically change my lifestyle to accommodate my baby?", "Will my quality of life drop if I have kids?", "what is the quality of life that I would be able to provide my child with?", amongst other questions. These were also the questions that I pondered on when I was deciding whether to have more kids. To varying degrees in a myriad of ways, the lives of both moms and dads are changed forever whenever a child joins the family.”
“Especially, if looked at against the backdrop of Singapore's housing demand and supply, the Government's housing policy is laudable. However, the mindset of the Government and this House, must always be the relentless pursuit of improvements. At my Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) in the PAP Woodgrove branch, I frequently receive requests for assistance from residents who aspire to start their families but are understandably anxious due to the waiting times and costs involved in getting a house, which to their minds, is the essential first step in building a home. On this note, I seek clarification from the Government as to what other plans and policies, in respect of housing for young couples and growing families, could still be in the pipeline. I shared during the 2023 Budget Statement's debate about several of my Woodgrove residents, who commented that as young couples with limited savings, they have opted out of resale flats as an option because the Cash Over Valuation (COV) component is often in the high range, in the region of $30,000 to $50,000, which has to be paid out in cash as it cannot be covered by housing loans or Central Provident Fund (CPF). Similar feedback continues to be heard today whenever I probe many of my residents who come to see me about appealing to HDB to increase their chances of securing a Sale of Balance flat and why they do not wish to consider purchasing from the open market. I, therefore, hope that HDB can review the current measures to continue to ease the COV situation that young couples face or allow for more flexibility in allowing housing loans or CPF savings to be used for the payment of such COV component.”
“Let us work together to build a "Singapore Made for Families", where we can create many happy memories with our families and where everyone can enjoy an enriching family life here in this Garden City we call home." I could not have said it better myself. The concept of a "home" embodies so much more than acquiring a "house". Though admittedly, many Singaporeans feel that one of the first few steps, if not the first, is to acquire and get a place of their own. Since August 2022, Housing and Development Board (HDB) has shared with us that more flats have been prioritised for first-timer families: a 15% increase for 3-room BTO flats in non-mature estates; a 10% increase for 4-room and larger BTO flats in non-mature estates; and 95% of 3-room and larger BTO flats in mature estates. For first-time home buyers, they receive at least two ballot chances as opposed to the one ballot chance for second-time families. HDB has also allocated the majority of 3-room and larger HDB flats for them. In cases where the first-timer families have a child aged 18 and below, as well as for first-timer married couples who are aged 40 and below, these families have been receiving greater priority since August 2023. An additional ballot is given to these families in addition to the two ballot chances given to first-timer families. There are also other schemes designed to increase the chances of getting a house for eligible families, such as the Family and Parenthood Priority Scheme, Married Child Priority Scheme and Third Child Priority Scheme. With regard to housing grants, up to $80,000 for new flats or up to $160,000 for resale flats with even higher amounts for lower-income families are available and these are in addition to the subsidies applied to new flats.”
“Achieving a match would not, however, be the end-all and be-all, as the app could, and correctly should, facilitate follow-throughs, such as by recommending or helping to book dates at restaurants or other activities, based on the matched couple's shared interests. Such a Government-led app would be distinguished from other dating apps, not least because it would likely provide prospective participants with assurance on trustworthiness and reliability, a point shared by another attendee, Christopher, who, also after the session, wrote to me to share that the SDU, or its current incarnation, can further evolve and serve as a platform that works with public and private agencies, including professional matchmaking or dating agencies, to organise events and create safe social spaces for young adults to bond over common interests. I concur with Christopher, creating opportunities to encourage the young to learn and play together, perhaps through sports, such as pickleball, would be a good follow-through on the app's achievements. Once a couple has been formed, we hope that they would share a blissful and everlasting relationship, and who will, together, go on to attain the milestones of marriage and starting a family. I quote an extract from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's speech at the launch of the National Family Festival on 25 May 2024: "I firmly believe that the true measure of success in life is not based on one's status or material possessions. Instead, the richest treasures are the moments we share with our family members and loved ones – these relationships are our legacies and the truest reflections of our lives' worth. So, let us all pledge to cherish and nurture our family bonds.”
“In this regard, some Singaporeans have shared their hope for the return of the Singapore Social Development Network (SDN) or some other form of Government-led and encouraged social interaction platform with the objective of leading to marriage. Granted, the present-day social and dating landscape is markedly different from when the Social Development Unit (SDU) was set up in 1984, before I was born, and to which the SDN traces its roots, the advent of technology and shifting socialising and dating norms have been growing acceptance or even popularity of online dating. According to a 2021 National Population and Talent Division survey, the proportion of singles who met through online platforms and started dating grew more than four-fold, from 7% in 2012 to 29% in 2021. The same survey also found a significant increase in acceptance of meeting one's prospective partner on dating sites or apps. Could we, therefore, synthesise the purport of SDN with technology and Singaporeans' current dating mindsets, to produce a solution? To this end, we could perhaps draw some inspiration from China's state-sponsored matchmaking efforts. In the city of Guixi in China's Jiangxi province, an app known as "Palm Guixi" was launched to function as a matchmaking platform. The app matches users based on their background information and also assists to organise blind dates. In fact, following one of the PAP Women's Wing’s collaborations with Friendzone focus group discussions that I had attended, one of the attendees, Jasper, shared with me that he has had a similar idea for an app, where singles provide answers to a set of questions which will be fed into a matching algorithm that matches singles based on their personal priorities amongst other attributes, such as desired age group.”
“This Motion, led by my Parliamentary colleague, Mr Zhulkarnain and I, is a continuous effort by us to review and update policies, and a continuation of our commitment to Singaporeans as well as rallying a call by this House to the whole of society to build a "Singapore Made for Families". I had acknowledged in my speech on the Child Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill (CDCA Bill) in November last year that prospective parents would have varying concerns and reasons militating against or for delaying starting a family. In the People's Action Party (PAP) Women's Wing, we have been investigating the reasons underlying these phenomena, not least by engaging our constituents individually and through various platforms and forums. Our research group had conducted several rounds of surveys, with the most recent involving over 1,000 married individuals, where the policy group collaborated with Friendzone to organise a series of heart-to-heart focused group discussions with youths aged between 20 and 40 years on topics, such as dating, relationship, marriage and parenthood. I welcome my Parliamentary colleagues who will come forward to speak on this Motion, to join me in sharing the issues faced and perceived by Singaporeans that may impede or delay marriage and parenthood and share some possible solutions that we have distilled through our respective engagements. One of the common strands of feedback I have received from Singaporeans who aspire towards marriage and eventual parenthood, is the challenge they face in finding the right partner. This could be due to a lack of socialising opportunities or social spaces, being occupied with work or caretaking obligations at home, amongst other reasons.”
“Many innovative ideas and suggestions, calling for more versatile changes, such as the flexible Shared Parental Leave, were also adopted along the way. To this end, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's 2025 Chinese New Year message reinforces the Government's commitment in supporting families, and I quote: "Families are the bedrock of our society. They nurture our values, provide emotional support and inspire us to dream big. In today's fast-paced and competitive world, balancing work and family life has become harder. Yet, families remain at the heart of what matters most to us. I am encouraged that many Singaporeans continue to prioritise marriage, parenthood and family. The Government is committed to supporting families at every stage of life. For young couples, we are ramping up the supply of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats and making public housing more affordable. We are enhancing leave arrangements, including through a new Shared Parental Leave scheme. We are also investing significantly in schools, especially preschools, so that every child, regardless of background, gets a good start in life." In 2023, my husband and I welcomed our second bundle of joy. But in that same year, our nation's total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 0.97. This is a historic low, notwithstanding the Government's continuous efforts in supporting families. On the marriage front, there were 24,355 citizen marriages in 2023, which was a decline of 1.7% from the preceding year. According to the Population in Brief 2024, the average number of citizen marriages per year in the last five years was 22,800, which is lower than the preceding five years of 24,000. These are worrying trends which present, in Minister Indranee Rajah's words, "serious implications" for our country's future.”
“Mr Speaker, I move*, "That this House calls for the continued review and updating of policies to better support families, as well as the marriage and parenthood aspirations of Singaporeans, and endorses a whole of society approach to build a Singapore Made for Families." [(proc text) *The Motion also stood in the name of Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim. (proc text)] In 2022, I filed an Adjournment Motion titled "Celebrating SG Families: Embracing Parenthood through Live, Work and Play". In my speech, I acknowledged that much effort has been made by the Government throughout the years in the preservation and strengthening of family ties, since it is the fabric of our nation. This year, we see our national plan, "A Singapore Made for Families 2025" (MFF 2025), which builds on the momentum of the Year of Celebrating SG Families in 2022. I quote extracts from Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat's foreword on this national plan: "Family has always been at the heart of our social compact. We achieved this as a society, as a whole, is deeply committed to supporting families. But there are greater challenges that families face, such as greater caregiving needs as our population ages rapidly, greater demands at our workplaces, higher cost of living pressures and more. So, we must explore new ways to support our families. This is a key national priority under the Forward Singapore exercise to refresh our social compact. MFF 2025 is our plan for creating a Singapore that values and supports family well-being." Indeed, over the past five years since the launch of MFF 2025, as a young parent myself, I am delighted to see and have benefited from many bolder changes in the policies that were rolled out by the Government in this aspect.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply and I have also referred to Deputy Prime Minister's reply. While we recognise the convenience that we can envisage with the rolling out of the Rapid Transit System (RTS), I think I also want to take this opportunity to highlight the concerns that we have often heard from merchants in the Woodlands area – particularly, in my ward, it will be from Woodgrove's Fuchun Neighbourhood Centre and also the 888 Plaza. Long gone are the days where they welcome Malaysian travellers to come and the businesses actually prospered along with the transport networks that bring benefits for both sides. But at this point in time, their concern is that it would only benefit one side. I recognise that there are agencies that are already working on the ground to support the merchants in a way to improve their business operations. My suggestion is for the Ministry to look at it in a more macro manner, where it is also about improving the public transport networks overall, making it more attractive and also, for example, in terms of the recreation facilities and even things in relations to hawker centres – the food that we sell, the overall shopping experience that may actually attract the Malaysian travellers that come to Singapore, to also consider shopping around the Marsiling area, the Woodgrove area and also the Woodlands area to begin with, before taking the other public transports to other parts of Singapore. So, I hope that the Minister can look into this to engage the other Ministries in a more comprehensive manner.”
“The victim raised in this relevant Parliamentary Question is actually my resident in Woodgrove, whom Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad and I had visited during Christmas Day to better understand the situation that has arisen and also the conditions of his recovery. I share the same sentiment as his parents, that his job as a delivery rider can be a dangerous one and often prone to unnecessary abuse. So, given that this job is public-facing and contains a service element, in relations to our platform workers' duties, while I understand from the Senior Minister of State that there are other laws out there, for example, in terms of POHA, that can protect them, but can we also look into whether enhancing this protection for them, such as expanding the coverage of protections under the Protection from Harassment (Public Service Worker) Order 2014, to include them as well, or to expand in other ways. For example, even if they were to pursue this route through the POHA, they may not have the financial means and time to do so.”
“(In English): Finally, when allocating the appropriate length of paid parental leaves for the mother and father respectively, as well as shared parental leave, I wish to enquire with the Ministry, whether the Government had taken reference from the measures introduced or enhanced by other countries – beyond those of the UK and US, as shared by the Minister of State Sun Xueling earlier – to better support their citizens in embracing parenthood? These changes in parental schemes in other countries whose demographics and lifestyles are relatable to ours, may allow us to observe the impact of specific policy changes on parental behaviours, and adopt best policies and practices. Notwithstanding my clarifications and suggestions, I stand in support of this Bill.”
“In the Singaporean context, apart from "Baby Bonus", can we look into providing an extra "New Parents" bonus payout or additional leave entitlement for these young parents where fathers are prepared to step up in utilising their paternity leave to spend quality time in caring for the newborn with their spouses? We should also be mindful of the gender stereotyping that may occur at the workplace, particularly during the hiring process; a married women in her late 20s or 30s may often be subject and asked by her potential employer on whether she has plans to have children in the near future. Ultimately, why can we not, as women, excel in both areas – in our careers as well as our role as mothers? Why must we sacrifice one for the other? Just like what my fellow Parliamentary colleagues, Mr Desmond Choo and Ms Yeo Wan Ling, have shared earlier, I believe that we can and should create a work culture which will afford women the opportunity to achieve a balance and excel in both of these aspects. Sir, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Under this Bill, there is a requirement of a new minimum notice period of four weeks. While I can understand that this is to help employers better adjust their operations after parental leave benefits are enhanced, because parents may leave work for some time. However, as we all know, the journey of pregnancy may be rather unexpected, with occasional instances of premature births that may happen despite parents' best-laid plans. In such instances, may I ask whether there is a flexibility in how this law is being enforced and what level of support is available to alleviate or waive such notice periods?”
“The reason why the uptake of paternity leave tends to remain low may likely be due to traditional gender norms and organisational stigma, despite that we are seeing more fathers are stepping up on assuming parenting responsibilities. I am therefore doubtful that simply by mandating the enhanced paternity leave would encourage a substantive increment in take-up rates, particularly for the shared leave component where it may likely be a situation where couples decide that the wife should take up all 10 weeks so that she can have more time to recuperate both mentally and physically from child birth and enjoy more bonding time with the child during the breastfeeding journey. I therefore call for the Government to take bolder moves, just as what my Parliamentary colleague, Mr Louis Ng, had sought in his speech earlier, with some of my suggestions as follows. Firstly, the Government can consider providing more support, particularly to SMEs to improve the experience of employers in the administration of their employees' consumption of parental leave days. In this regard, the Government can also consider introducing support packages and tax incentives to support employers who encourage their employees to apply for parental leave, providing a workplace culture in which fellow co-workers have a better understanding of the role of the workplace in accepting parents' use of paid leave days. Secondly, to ensure that fathers co-share the parenting responsibility, bonuses can also be introduced to incentivise fathers to use their parental leave and for their companies to encourage doing so. In Australia, where parents share their childcare benefits at a minimum ratio of 40:60, each parent would be entitled to a "partnership bonus" payment.”