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, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I would, first, like to declare that I am a practising lawyer. As per the hon Justice Lee Seiu Kin in his opening speech at the launch of the Law Society’s Technology Roadshow in 2017, he shared his view that the world today is faced with "more frequent and unpredictable disruptions", and "Technology holds the promise of greater productivity and effectiveness. We must seize the opportunity to leverage this to higher quality legal services and cost savings for law firms, and ultimately, for the clients and society at large.” I agree wholeheartedly with his Honour. One of the major components of this Courts Reform Bill is set to empower the Courts to conduct proceedings more flexibly by leveraging on the use of technology. My speech today will, therefore, focus on the potential impact of this digital transformation and explore possible ways to utilise this transformation to reduce the costs of litigation and enhance convenience for Court users. Over the past few years, we have begun to see a gradual modernisation of the legal industry: from law firms going paperless with the adoption of cloud-based data management systems to smaller set-up firms moving away from traditional law firm premises and towards contemporary co-working spaces, with shared meeting rooms and lounges. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the pace of digital transformation. By now, most of the workforce, including lawyers, have become familiar with the concept of working from home in compliance with safe distancing measures. Many client interviews as well as Court hearings are now conducted virtually, which has allowed more flexibility for lawyers in terms of their daily working schedules while managing other personal obligations.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. This pandemic has brought much stress to our students, especially those who are taking their major exams this year. It is heartening to note from the Minister's speech that to alleviate these students' stress and revision loads, the common last topics for PSLE, GCE "N", "O", "A" levels, will be removed. I also understand from what the Minister had shared earlier in relation to strengthening the social-emotional skills amongst our students, the CCE curriculum on mental health literacy has been introduced for lower secondary levels and it is in the midst of reviewing for Primary schools. In this aspect, I wish to suggest or recommend that, perhaps, it is the right juncture to consider implementing it, for a start, for our Primary 6 students onwards and also involving their parents' participation. I recall during a motivational talk which I conducted last year in my capacity as a school advisory chairman – I have been doing such talks for the past few years for Primary 6 students – unlike the previous batches, this batch of students looked pretty worried. I observed that some of them were in tears and worrying that they might disappoint their parents as a result of the less desirable results that they may get from their final-year examinations.”
“In conclusion, Mr Speaker, notwithstanding my requests for clarification and suggestions, I stand in support of this amendment Bill. 5.32 pm”
“This portal can also provide further value by collaborating with the Law Society, which can assist to devise a way for the platform to dispense legal advice virtually. I was heartened to learn that as part of the LifeSG initiative and to encourage more people to begin their end-of-life planning comprehensively, MOH, Public Service Division and the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group have launched the My Legacy portal last year. The portal, currently still in beta testing, has a My Legacy vault feature, which is accessible using Singpass, that allows users to plan, store and share legal, healthcare and estate matters securely with the people they trust. I trust that OPG is in touch and in the midst of collaborating with the abovementioned agencies to ensure that the registration of LPA through My Legacy portal will be seamless and I am hopeful that the portal incorporates the features which I have recommended above. Lastly, I wish to seek clarification on the cost of registering the LPA. Presently, the $75 application fee waiver for LPA Form 1 for Singaporeans has been extended to 31 March 2023, so as to encourage more Singaporeans to plan ahead and apply for an LPA. This is actually the fourth extension granted by the OPG since its first extension in 2016 and we would often see an influx in take-up rates when the waiver deadline draws close; this would inevitably cause the OPG backend to be stretched in terms of manpower while processing these new LPAs. In light that the LPAs will now be digitalised, would the Ministry consider removing the registration fees for LPA Form 1 entirely? I believe this would further motivate fellow Singaporeans to apply and subscribe to LPA Form 1 soon.”
“The LPA is, after all, a legal instrument and it is best that the donor and donee understand the legal consequences before signing their names. In this regard, I propose that the portal should have a feature where a virtual meeting can be conducted, where the donor, donee and Certificate Issuer log in at the same time. The Certificate Issuer will take parties through the e-form and ensure that both the donor and donee understand the content and e-sign at the same instance. During the course of the meeting, the Certificate Issuer should also be using a standard due diligence framework checklist that is to be created by the OPG, to ascertain whether parties have the mental capacity to execute such a legal instrument. Lastly, this virtual meeting should be recorded and stored in the portal database. These recorded footage may come in useful when the Public Guardian is ascertaining, subsequently, whether the donor had previously been induced into executing the LPA. As mentioned earlier, an LPA is just one component of estate planning. During the Budget debate earlier this year, I suggested that we consider setting up an estate planning portal online with support from multiple Ministries to start educating households on the essential legal knowledge and encourage them to begin estate planning for contingencies. This portal will be dedicated to administrative matters, such as CPF nominations, lodging of LPA applications, AMDs, as well as the registering of Wills. One can even consider setting out their funeral arrangement plans through this portal. Upon the passing of a loved one, the next of kin can assist to notify through this portal and extract the necessary information required to kickstart the administration of the estate.”
“Whilst I note that the relevant agency intends to reach out to use community touchpoints, such as the Citizen Connect Centres in the Community Centres islandwide and the Integrated Public Service Centre at Our Tampines Hub, to assist people with digital needs to use the online service, I think that the relevant agency should also consider training our Silver Generation Officers and social workers who conduct regular house visits to seniors’ residences. As they would often bring along their tablets while doing their rounds, they would be well-suited to provide assistance in terms of internet access, especially for those with mobility issues. (In English): The second issue pertains to whether one knows how to fill up the e-form and understand the legal consequences of each option selected. For example, when the donor selects the option to empower the donee to give or refuse consent to start or continue with healthcare and medical treatments, are they both aware that such empowerment does not mean that the donee will be able to make a decision on whether to provide extraordinary life sustaining treatment to prolong the donor's life? This can only be done if the donor signs a separate legal instrument called the Advance Medical Directive (AMD) and many people often misunderstood the meaning behind this. While I note that the staff at these community touchpoints will be trained to help those who have difficulties using the OPG portal to make their LPA electronically, it is my humble opinion that the services to be provided should only pertain to assisting them with the technical issues on assessing the portal. For example, how to log on and sign electronically.”
“It has always been my hope that through digitalisation, the process of registering an LPA will be simplified in the perspective of the donors and the donees, thereby encouraging more people, especially those with mobility issues, to sign up for one. With that said, just like what several of my parliamentary colleagues who have spoken before me have raised, I likewise envisage that there will be two issues that may occur when we move the registration of LPA onto an electronic transaction system. Firstly, does one know how to access the Internet and log into the electronic transaction system? As mentioned by Mayor Denise Phua and Mr Louis Ng yesterday, as well as Ms Ng Ling Ling a moment ago, I concur that the elderly and the vulnerable groups in our community will require more assistance to access the Internet and navigate the online system. I wish to elaborate on this issue in Mandarin please, Mr Speaker. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] After the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill is passed, Singaporeans will be able to register an LPA online through the new online service offered by the Office of the Public Guardian. To encourage more people to do an LPA while they are mentally sound, besides making the application process faster and more convenient, I think we must first ensure that both the donor and the donee, who is required to provide his or her consent, are able to access the internet and log into the relevant portal easily, especially those who may not be digitally savvy.”
“While both options will allow her to manage her bedridden husband's personal welfare, property and affairs, the second one is often considered, as what my parliamentary colleague, Mr Patrick Tay, mentioned in his speech yesterday, a cumbersome and costly process, notwithstanding the fact that most Court applications for appointment of the deputy takes around three to four months to complete for a straightforward case. The medical report required as part of the application process, as Mr Don Wee had shared earlier, would itself require at least another one to three months to obtain. As such, during my past 10 years of serving in the community, I have been a strong advocate of educating the public on the importance of doing an LPA, especially amongst our senior citizens. Doing so will enable the applicant to have peace of mind while providing clarity and certainty to the applicants' families on who take up the role of donee should the applicant ever lose his mental capacity. I, therefore, applaud the latest move by MSF to establish an electronic transaction system to create new LPAs, as I believe that any reviews to make the process of registering an LPA more accessible and affordable are always welcome. In fact, during the Parliament Sitting in October last year, I had posed a question to MSF, enquiring whether the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has plans to implement online registrations for LPAs. Amidst this COVID-19 pandemic, we have begun to see more people, including lawyers, working from home. Interviews with clients are conducted most of the time through virtual platforms. This prevents the spread of the virus and enables those who are physically disabled and/or residing overseas to stay connected and run their errands without stepping out of the house.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Amendment Bill. I will first like to declare that I am a practising lawyer and the co-chairperson of the Law Society's Pro Bono Services' Community Legal Clinic Committee. For the past few years, as part of the effort to increase community law awareness, I have been going on radio talk shows on a monthly basis. The topic mainly surrounds estate planning, in particular, the importance of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). And as part of our Woodgrove's GEL mission where L pertains to law awareness, out of the six law awareness talks organised for the past one year in Woodgrove, four sessions have been focused on sharing with our Woodgrove residents on the importance of estate planning. Many people often think that estate planning is something only wealthy individuals would consider doing. In actual fact, it is equally important, if not more important, for people of lesser means in our society. Take, for example, an elderly couple who only has each other to depend on, relying only on their retirement savings and their HDB asset. What happens if the husband suddenly becomes comatose as a result of a severe stroke? Will the wife be able to sell or rent out their HDB flat in order to raise funds for payment of her husband's hefty medical expenses? Can she withdraw monies out from her husband's fixed deposit account to purchase necessary medical equipment required now by her bedridden husband? The answer to both of these questions is likely to be no, unless the husband had already executed the LPA and appointed his wife as his intended donee prior to becoming mentally incapacitated, or if the wife applies now to the Court to be officially appointed as her husband's deputy.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I just have one clarification. Instead of charging for plastic bag usage, whether the Ministry has considered and explored incentivising "Bring Your Own Bag" initiative instead.”
“Mr Chairman, sports remain an important domain in bringing Singaporeans of all ages together and is also crucial for maintaining our physical and mental wellbeing. Last year, MCCY announced the launch of the Children and Youth Sport Framework to provide more opportunities and resources for children and youth to participate in and pursue sports. At the Woodlands Swimming Complex, our SportSG's Active Health Coaches and Sport Champions have also been organising aqua-therapy sessions for stroke recovery seniors to improve their mobility as well as their confidence and quality of life. How will MCCY continue to create more opportunities for Singaporeans of all ages, including working adults as well as those with mobility issues, to participate in sports? Supporting Charities to Digitalise”
“Chairman, our youths will inherit our future, and we should continue to engage them to participate and contribute actively to matters of our national concern that will also impact our society. Over the years, I understand that MCCY has announced several initiatives, such as the SG Youth Action Plan and Youth Action Challenge, to actively engage our youths and listen to their views. Can MCCY provide an update the effectiveness of these engagements and what else will be done to engage our youths from diverse backgrounds, so that they can partner with the Government and society to work on hot-button issues and issues that they care about, and to do so on a regular and sustainable basis? Job Support for Low-income Youths”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has inspired a strong kampung spirit and a push towards active citizenry in our society. We have witnessed individuals, businesses, and the community step up, came together to organise ground-up initiatives to assist those in need. Just like in Woodgrove, where residents grassroots volunteers and our community partners, such as schools, VWOs as well as Northwest CDC, came together and lived up to the spirit of ‘From the Community, For the Community’ by organising care pack distribution drives for the vulnerable groups as well as food delivery riders within our community. How will MCCY sustain this spirit of care? What are the Ministry’s plans to encourage more individuals, such as our youths, our corporations to step forward to work closely with the relevant agencies and other community partners to contribute and leave a positive impact to our community?”
“] The Singapore Green Plan 2030 is jointly led by the MOE, MND, MSE, MTI and MOT to set clear goals for urban greening, sustainable living and green finance. But I think that MCI, as the Ministry responsible for ICT, media, government information and public communication strategies, plays an important supportive role in driving the public sector, businesses and Singaporeans towards the goal of sustainable development in the next 10 years. I hope that the MCI will launch a series of programmes in four languages as well as various dialects to encourage Singaporeans to participate more in sustainable living. By adopting the ‘listening more and watching more’ approach, I hope that Singaporeans will understand that it is everyone's responsibility to protect the Mother Earth and green up the environment. I firmly believe that as long as our people stay united and do their part to combat climate change, our next generation will have a better green future. Green Plan 2030 Targets”
“Secondly, how many of these applications have begun their projects that have enjoyed community participations. And thirdly, what is the desired outcome for each project supported by the SG Eco Fund? I hope that these projects are able to achieve sustainable outcomes and be scalable in scope, allowing them to be easily replicated and introduced across Singapore in the long run. I also hope that one of the key aspects would be the tap on this projects to nurture more individuals as green champions for our community. Finally, apart from the five Ministries mention in the Singapore Green Plan, I believe that the MCI also plays a vital role in raising awareness and rallying the people, corporations and the Government to advance Singapore's national agenda on sustainable development together. I have recently watched a screening of "A Wicked Problem", a climate change documentary series by CNA hosted by Senior Minister of State for MCI, Dr Janil, in which he hits the ground to investigate what Singapore is doing to combat climate change and to rally Singaporeans to do their part in their personal capacities. 6.15 pm I hope that MCI will track and gather feedback from viewers the impact and the outcome of such documentary series. I personally find such programmes engaging and insightful and hope that more of them can be created in other languages and even dialects to raise more awareness and support for Singaporeans to come together to combat climate change. With effect like this, we can make a difference for the greener benefit of our future generations. In Mandarin, please, Chairman. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Environmental consciousness among Singaporeans is growing. In recent months, I have participated in a series of dialogue sessions, both formal and informal ones, involving people from all walks of life, including my Woodgrove residents, both young and old. All of them spoke with great enthusiasm in advocating for a greener society. I am therefore heartened with the recent launch of the Singapore Green Plan 2030. In this regard, I wish to ask the Ministry, how can Singaporeans take part in this important Green Plan effort? To succeed in our Singaporean Green Plan 2030, I see the need to collectively and continuously involved the efforts of our "Three Ps": People, Private and Public sectors. What kind of programmes will the Ministry introduced to foster more collective actions by the Three Ps to combat climate change together? What is the target outcome that we are trying to achieve from each of these programmes for the next three, five and 10 years? Which of the programmes would be expected to have the most impact in a community, in the business community and for the individuals respectively? As shared in the recent debate on the Motion to accelerate and deepen efforts against climate change, the community in Woodgrove would like to work closely with the relevant agencies and private sectors, to participate as a community to achieve the greatest impact in combating climate change for the better well-being of our future generations. In terms of involving the community, I understand that the SG Eco Fund was launched last year to support projects that advance environmental sustainability and promote the community's involvement. In this regard, I have three questions. Firstly, how many applications have been submitted thus far?”
“Thank you, Speaker. I thank the Minister for his response to my question. Indeed, the victim of the recent Marsiling Park fallen tree incident is actually my Woodgrove resident. Like the Minister, I agree with him, that every of such unfortunate incident is one too many. I have two clarifications to make. Firstly, I understand that some countries do adopt methods such as cabling and bracing by placing or threading steel cables between tree branches or trunks to limit its movement and to provide more structural support to the trees, thereby minimising the damage caused to trees in windy or stormy conditions. Another practice of tying back trees, on the other hand, as practiced by countries such as Japan, is to ensure that if trees were to fall prematurely, it will fall towards a pre-determined direction, away from human traffic. In this regard, I would like to seek the Ministry's clarification, whether they will consider implementing these measures for trees that are within parks or high human traffic areas. My second clarification is whether NParks will consider to do more public education on safety at parks, sharing tips on how to recognise potential hazard in parks and what to do when a park-related accident occurs.”
“15 pm Further, during my recent visits to Prisons, I have come to understand that the Singapore Prison Service has begun to offer tablets to inmates for them to draft emails to their family members. To better facilitate rehabilitations and integrations for education, skills upgrading and enhance employability skills, can the Ministry work with the Singapore Prison Service to offer a wider range of books including e-books to the inmates? Future of Our Libraries”
“Chairman, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Reading helps broaden our horizons and cultivate a broad range of interests. Through reading, we can have better understanding on personal behaviour and gain more general knowledge. At a time when we are unable to travel abroad, reading allows us to better understand the history, culture and customs, as well as the latest developments of other parts of the world without going abroad. (In English): Many residents have shared with me that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the library was the place that they most like to frequent. In the opening address at one of the reading events at Woodlands Regional Library 10 years ago, former Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said, "Reading is essential to the development of our language and communication skills. It deepens our knowledge and enriches our lives by opening us up to the new world and new experiences. It also plays an important role in bringing family and friends together as many of us would have experienced the joy of discussing or sharing a favourite book with fellow readers. It is therefore important for any progressive society to nurture a love of reading and lifelong learning in its people." In this regard, I wish to ask the Ministry, in today's digital world, how can we promote reading through easy access and ensuring that the e-books remain affordable for all? How are our libraries staying relevant in today's digital world? And how will they continue to meet the needs of Singaporeans, in particular, families with young children and senior citizens? 4.”
“Thank you, Chairman. In relation to the iLAB point that was raised by Member Ms Sylvia Lim, I just wanted to share in my perspective as the Co-chairperson of the Community Legal Clinic. What I also understand is that there is already a pilot project that is a collaboration between the Legal Aid Bureau in relation to the iLAB where it collaborates with our community legal clinics. The volunteer lawyers are able to use this system to provide the necessary preliminary legal advice to residents in need. And needless to say, we take into account that there is a need for residents who do not understand English, and the volunteer lawyers are there to assist them in the various languages. I have one point of clarification for the Minister. One is in relation to opening more opportunities for our law students and our law graduates, whether the Ministry can explore widening the scope of the places where law graduates can serve their training contract. In this regard, I think it will be helpful if we can consider adding places such as the Law Society Pro Bono Services as one of them. Currently, I understand that they are also lacking in terms of manpower, there is a constraint there, but at the same time if we are able to open up the scope, that would encourage more people to embrace volunteering in their professions.”
“It would therefore be helpful if the Ministry can consider working with these agencies and stakeholders to build up the digital infrastructure, with the goal of enabling more people to have better basic knowledge on common legal issues, such as consumer rights and estate planning; and seek for legal advice when necessary via virtual platforms. Dispute Resolution”
“Chairman, I would first like to declare that I am the Co-Chairperson of the Law Society Pro Bono Services’ Community Legal Clinics Committee. Former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong in his foreword for the fourth publication of the Singapore Association of Women Lawyer (SAWL)’s "You & the Law" said: "It is said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. But, in the case of the law, a little knowledge of one’s rights, duties and responsibilities goes some way to empower him or her a more confident person in his or her daily life." I fully agree with his honour. The increase in scam cases and the helplessness faced by individuals when he or she losses their loved ones unexpectedly, made me realise that upstream education is always important. Prevention is always better than cure. Over the years, organisations such as SAWL and the Law Society of Singapore have respectively published books, written in plain language, for members of the public on various topics of Singapore law relevant to everyday life, imparting easy-to-understand legal knowledge and information into the hands of every man in the street. Separately, we have also seen agencies such as the Office of the Public Guardian providing step-by-step guide on their website to enable Singaporeans have a better understanding on the importance of doing Lasting Power of Attorney. And since the circuit breaker, the Law Society Pro Bono Services have been sharing a series of "Know the Law" webinars on YouTube and its Community Legal Clinics have also begun providing legal advice to residents in need via virtual platforms.”
“Chairman, I would like to explore whether it is possible to provide more support to first-time parents, not just the financial support but also what else we can do to relieve their stress and feelings of helplessness during pregnancy and after the birth of their first-born. In particular, can we explore an initiative to develop a milestone booklet, akin to a baby's health booklet, to be provided to expecting couples, to track expectant mommies' well-being and to share useful information useful information by health practitioners regarding the necessary preparations for each stage of pregnancy, the parenting best practices and a list of supports systems available to all parents for the first few years of their journey into parenthood. There is a similar concept found in Taiwan where it is called the "Maternal Health Handbook", 孕妇健康手册, which tracks the expecting mothers physical and emotional development. Some examples of what I envision could be in our Singapore's version would include items such as a checklist of vaccinations required for expecting mothers, recommended dates to sign up for prenatal classes, a checklist of items to prepare for the arrival of the baby, along with tips on how to spot signs of labour or postnatal depression symptoms and where to seek support in this regard. Childcare Sick Leave to Help Total Fertility Rate”
“Thank you, Chairman. What role does the Government play in building digital infrastructure to support our economy and society? Our Government has always advocated for a Smart Nation approach in building Singapore's future. As the next generation of technology evolves and influence positive changes to our lives, there will soon be more urgent need for digital infrastructures, such as the upcoming 5G network. With that in mind, what is the current status of the 5G roll-out? Are there any data security concerns and safeguards that we should take note of before we widespread adoptions? Lastly, in which areas will the digital infrastructures enhance our governmental services online in order to better serve businesses and our Singaporeans? Smart Nation”
“If you do not nominate a CPF beneficiary, your CPF savings will be transferred to the Public Trustee Office (PTO) who will distribute them to your family members under the Intestate Succession Act or the Muslim Administration Act after your death. For many beneficiaries from poor families, this procedure is cumbersome, time-consuming and costly. The PTO will also charge the beneficiaries a statutory administration fee, calculated based on the amount of CPF savings left behind. During the pandemic, I encountered several cases where residents sought financial help from me because they could not pay for the funeral expenses of their deceased relatives. To encourage more CPF members to nominate their beneficiaries, I hope the Government will consider using PayNow to transfer a sum of money from the deceased CPF savings to the nominated beneficiary’s bank account immediately upon his death so as to defray the funeral expenses of the deceased and alleviate the financial burden of the family during this period. (In English): In conclusion, Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the suggestions which I have put forward in my speech earlier, I stand in support of the Budget.”
“This portal will be dedicated to administrative matters such as CPF nominations, lodging of Lasting Power of Attorney applications, advance medical directives, as well as the registering of wills. If feasible, the portal may also prove to be a suitable avenue to set out funeral arrangement plans, with the next of kin able to perform the necessary notifications and extract the necessary information required to jumpstart the administration of the estate upon the passing of an individual. Lastly, the portal can also provide further value by collaborating with the Singapore Academy of Law, to provide bite-sized, easy-to-understand legal knowledge on estate planning and the Law Society's Pro Bono Services to devise a way for the platform to dispense legal advice virtually. Since the circuit breaker, the Law Society Pro Bono Services’ Community Legal Clinics have been offering preliminary legal advice service to residents in need via virtual platforms. In Mandarin, please, Mr Speaker. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Since last year, CPF members have been able to log into their CPF accounts using their SingPass and nominate their beneficiaries online. At present, more than two in five CPF members have made a nomination on who will receive their CPF savings after their death, as well as the percentage received by each beneficiary. Many Singaporeans may not know that CPF nominations can bring many benefits. This will allow the CPF Board to understand the wishes of its members and to communicate more quickly with the beneficiaries and disburse what is left by the CPF members after they die.”
“Apart from providing financial support to vulnerable groups, we must also look into ensuring that the assets of these vulnerable groups are better managed. I share the same sentiment as my parliamentary colleague, Mr Derrick Goh, as what he had shared yesterday, that one of the prevailing concerns at the moment is the prevention of individuals from falling prey to scams. I, therefore, urge for continuous efforts and collaborations between the relevant Ministries, banks, Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), and the Law Society of Singapore, to conduct more outreach activities regarding consumer rights, in order to educate individuals – particularly our senior citizens – on how to identify possible scams such as fraudulent investments or purchasing dubious goods. With more knowledge available to them, we will be able to safeguard more people from such practices. Another area that we should look at, is how to ensure that underprivileged households may continue to be well taken care of in the event that sole breadwinners are suddenly unable to provide for their families. A spouse may become mentally incapacitated one day due to a sudden severe stroke, or an only working child who is tasked to support the aged parents might have encountered an untimely death. Apart from the grief of losing a loved one abruptly, their families will also eventually need to deal with the aftermath, including the issue of finding a new way to secure their livelihood. I humbly suggest that we consider setting up an estate planning portal online, with support from multiple Ministries, to start educating families on essential legal knowledge and encourage them to begin planning for contingencies.”
“Apart from providing the necessary financial assistance, it is also important to seek more awareness and understanding from the community. As members of society, each of us can and should play our part to make it as inclusive as possible by increasing awareness and empathy towards select groups in our communities, particularly for our youths with special needs. This will not only allow them to achieve their fullest potential in life, but will also help us to foster a more tolerant environment for everyone. During one of my coffeeshop walkabouts at Woodgrove, one resident shared with me that her daughter suffers from Selective Mutism, which is an anxiety disorder that prevents her child from speaking in specific social settings out of fear, such as in school or public areas. People who suffer from Selective Mutism may also exhibit other defensive behaviour such as disobeying instructions or shutting down entirely in stressful social situations, all of which can affect academic performance and social relationships with people outside of the home environment. On another occasion during one of my e-townhall chit-chat sessions with residents, the parents of a child with autism took the opportunity to apologise to their neighbours for one of their child’s outbursts during the middle of the night. While they have consistently taken steps to minimise disruptions, such episodes can still happen occasionally. In cases like these, some awareness and empathy from the public can go a long way towards mitigating the effects of such conditions, allowing the affected youth to not only focus on their studies and vocations, but also to integrate better within society.”
“Each time, fellow mothers would write to me afterwards to share their own personal stories of overcoming difficulties in parenting. Like myself, they had all faced tremendous stress and feelings of helplessness during pregnancy and after the birth of their child. I have since realised through their shared experiences that most of the care and concern afforded by society tends to surround the health of the child, but we may have neglected the well-being of the mother as a result. In order to ensure a healthy, nurturing environment for the baby, I believe that it is important to take equal care of the mother as well. In light of this, I would therefore like to propose to develop a "Mummy’s milestone booklet", to be provided to expecting couples. In Taiwan, it is called "the Maternal Health Handbook – 孕妇健康手册". This milestone booklet would be akin to a baby's health booklet, but instead would help to track the expecting mother’s physical and emotional development. At the same time, it would also contain pertinent information by health practitioners regarding the necessary preparations for each stage of pregnancy, parenting best practices and as well as a list of the support systems available to all parents for the first few years of their journey into parenthood. Some examples of what I envision would be in the booklet include items such as a checklist of vaccinations required for expecting mothers, recommended dates to sign up for pre-natal classes and a checklist of items to prepare for the arrival of the baby, along with tips on how to spot signs of labour or post-natal depression symptoms, and where to seek support in this regard. I agree with the Deputy Prime Minister that children with special needs require more support from us.”
“I therefore suggest that we adopt a mindset of maintainability and sustainability as we attempt to preserve nature and undertake landscaping within our built-up environments. Some suitable measures include: the selection of suitable trees and plants; siting the planting areas away from high human traffic areas; and the adoption of strict maintenance regimes to check the health of trees periodically. At the same time, I would also hope that NParks will work closely with the grassroots committees to organise more awareness workshops, sharing tips on how to recognise potential hazards in parks and what to do when a park-related accident occurs. Together, we can work as a community to prevent any unfortunate accidents from happening. I agree with Deputy Prime Minister that to strengthen our social compact, we must work together to address the challenges faced by the more vulnerable members of our society. However, I believe that another group that also requires more support and have not been mentioned in this year’s Budget are the first-time parents expecting or raising their new-born children. As a mother of a two-year-old daughter, I can still remember the uncertainty and stress that I had experienced during my pregnancy and within the first few months of her birth. Because I wanted to ensure that I was on the "right track" during my pregnancy, I devoted extra time outside of my busy work schedule to research and attending workshops. Later on when my daughter was born, I encountered more unforeseen challenges in caring for her, which became another mental weight that I had to handle as well. I eventually shared my experiences in more detail on several occasions, like the PAP Women’s Wing Dialogue session.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me today to speak on the Budget. I would first like to declare that I am a practising lawyer and the Co-Chairperson of the Law Society’s Community Legal Clinics’ Committee. I have previously shared with this House before about my G.E.L mission in Woodgrove – where "G" pertains to green living initiatives, "E" is about embracing parenthood and "L" is in relation to law awareness. I intend to speak more about these three aspects today as I propose some suggestions on the Budget. During the recent debate on the Motion to Accelerate and Deepen Efforts against Climate Change, I spoke about the role of the 3Ps – the Government, corporations and our people – in promoting sustainability, as well as the initiatives that the Woodgrove community intends to implement and participate in. I am, therefore, heartened by the recent launch of the Singapore Green Plan 2030. As I had mentioned previously, Woodgrove intends to work closely with the 3Ps to embrace a greener living lifestyle for the better well-being of our future generations. In the City in Nature element of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, it details that we target to double our annual tree planting rate to plant 1 million more trees across Singapore, while increasing the land area of our nature parks, such that every household will be within 10-minutes’ walk from a park. I welcome these initiatives as these new targets promise a natural infrastructure that not just cools the environment and improves air quality, but also provides more places for families to stay active and bond together. With that said, I believe that there is a dire need for us to ensure that our parks and the facilities within them remain a safe environment of all users.”
“If and when it is necessary to utilise under such circumstances, I urge the relevant authorities, while handling such data, to adhere to a strict and transparent protocol throughout the entire process, from its retrieval for usage to its eventual disposal.”
“However, the investigation officers (IOs) in the Serious Crimes Division may also encounter tricky cases, for example, the culprits may have wiped clean their fingerprints in the crime scene and have not left any leads behind. In the crime scene, there were also no CCTV footages, so the Police were not able to locate the murderer. After the victim has died, family members may also turn to social media platforms and give out flyers to seek leads, but without any success. When investigating such serious crimes, I think that the Police should do everything to fight against the clock, because as long as the murderer remains at large, it may cause others to panic and worry about their own safety. In order to avoid another unsolved case, I agree that the authorities should reveal to the IOs information recorded by the TT. This may bring a ray of hope in apprehending the culprits. However, the TT may also have recorded other people’s personal privacy. Therefore, I urge the authorities to be extra cautious and ensure that when using the information, other people’s personal data and privacy will not be leaked. (In English): In summary, Mdm Deputy Speaker, while I speak in support of using any available digital contact tracing technology, including TraceTogether tokens and SafeEntry records to assist in criminal investigations, I also recognise the fact that its primary intention and objective was to serve the purpose of preventing COVID-19 clusters from manifesting in our community. I therefore agree that we should reserve the right to use contract tracing data only in the most dire of circumstances, like the seven categories of serious offences as set out in the Bill.”
“In Mandarin, please, Mdm Deputy Speaker. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this Amendment Bill. I would like to declare that I am a lawyer. I agree that the Government respects Singaporeans' desire for personal data privacy, and make it clear that unless it is for the investigation of seven categories of serious offenses set out in the Bill, the authorities will not use or share any records in TraceTogether. The primary purpose of TraceTogether (TT), in the form of either a token or app, is to enhance contact tracing for COVID-19 cases and quickly locate the source of the infection. However, because it also records when and whom you have been in close contact with, that information might be useful to the Police when investigating certain cases, such as rape, kidnapping and murder, and allow them to apprehend the culprit in the shortest time possible. Last month, the Straits Times reported a few sensational cases in Singapore in the past; these cases remain unresolved today. Some victims were raped before they were murdered. As technology was not very advanced back then, even though the Police did a thorough investigation, they were still not able to apprehend the murderer. As one can imagine, this has caused immense grief and anguish to the victims' family. We can imagine that to-date, they are still grieving and continue to hope that the Police can one day apprehend the murderer and bring closure to the case. As technology becomes more advanced, we often see on Channel 8's Crime Watch how Police use certain technologies, such as CCTV footage and even leads provided on the media and social media platforms to solve crimes.”
“We will step up building community infrastructures to deal with climate change such as more community gardens and recycling stations and encourage active participation from our residents. Secondly, 加强 or strengthening. We will be boldly trying out projects that have not been implemented before, including designing mobile apps to educate more residents on how to do their part to protect the environment, such as refusing to use environmentally damaging items and trying to repair old items as far as possible to reduce wastage. Thirdly, 加入 or participation. As we encourage more residents in participating community programmes and do their part to protect the environment, we also understand that without the concerted support of Government agencies, the private sector and community partners, our efforts to fight against climate change will not be complete. Therefore, we must continue to invite them to participate in our community activities. Over the years, our Government and people have worked together very closely for the well-being of our people. How we have worked together to fight COVID-19 is a case in point. I am confident that by harnessing the same strength and unity, we can fight against climate change and give our next generation a better and greener future. Thank you. 5.28 pm”
“We are stepping up on the actions which will be introduced in our community, such as building more community gardens, setting up more active recycling points and training more Green Advocates. B for "Bolder initiatives". Exploring and trying out new methods to increase sustainability awareness. This will include creating a mobile application as what I have shared earlier with the House and encouraging residents to start embracing not just the existing 3Rs, but an additional 2Rs: "refuse" and "repair" as well. C for "Collaborations and Community-centric involvement". The initiatives that we execute as a Community to raise more awareness on environmental issues will not be complete without the support of our Government agencies and private organisations as well as our community partners, like the schools which Ms Nadia has shared earlier. We look forward to remaining engaged with them and to deepening our ties together. Singapore has proven to the world that our Government and people are willing to work together and make sweeping changes for the benefit of our society. Most recently, we can see that from our way in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. I am confident that we can harness the same strength and unity to build a green community and lead the fight against climate change for the better well-being of our future generations. In Mandarin, please, for my conclusion, Mr Speaker. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, overall, I will use the three Chinese character 加 to describe how Woodgrove is going to contribute to the fight against climate change. First, 加速, or acceleration.”
“As this may prove to be helpful in terms of promoting sustainable living, Woodgrove will be collaborating with Singapore Institute of Building Limited (SIBL), and applying for the SGEcoFund to explore the possibility of developing such an app, where residents can interact and pick up Green Advocate skills virtually. We also intend to explore ways to incorporate features such as a carbon footprint calculator, which would enable residents to key in and measure relevant data points including their utilities consumption, mode of transportation and time taken in commutes, food consumption and sources of production, and the number of items and weightage of items which they have recycled. If successful, this Go-Green app will raise greater awareness on environmental issues related to waste, water and energy, while encouraging the community to collectively shift to an eco-friendly lifestyle through app-based education and gamification. Tapping on the expertise of SIBL and other climate change VWOs and NGOs, more in-person workshops will also be taking place in the Community Centres, Residents' Committee and even the private estates in Woodgrove, allowing our residents access to more hands-on learning experiences through events such as active recycling and upcycling of old abandoned items and the exchange of pre-loved items in flea markets. Such activities like these will enable more residents to become the Green Advocates of our community. In summary, I would use the alphabets, A, B and C to describe the on-going and upcoming initiatives which Woodgrove will be implementing in playing our part against climate change as a Community. A for "Acceleration".”
“For example, a number of my Woodgrove residents like Mr Foo and Mdm SS, have commented that while they can understand why plastic bags may still be essential in Singapore – for example, for disposing of food waste through the garbage chute – they are convinced that Singaporeans can be encouraged to develop a habit of using their own reusable bags for shopping and refusing to take more plastic bags more than they need. Suggestions by other Woodgrove residents also included, one, setting up more active recycling points within our community, partnering with Northwest CDCs and organisations such as Tzu Chi Singapore where eco-awareness and proper recycling tips can be shared with our residents; two, setting up a repair centre in the Residents Committee Centres, working with partners such as Repair Kopitiam. Under this initiative, we can collect rusted and abandoned bicycles lying around in the void decks of the neighbourhood, and send them to the repair centre for refurbishment. Once restored, they can be donated to needy children within our community for their further use. Another of the more innovative suggestions I had received revolved around the use of technology to encourage habits that promote sustainable living. Wilson, another of my Woodgrove resident, shared that the Health 365 app has proven to be popular amongst him and his peers in promoting healthy lifestyle, encouraging more people to stay active through recording progression and reward-based incentives.”
“Many residents have remarked that there is a need to increase awareness and the keenness to go green, as the present efforts in our day-to-day water, waste and energy saving actions are somewhat lacking due to the lack of understanding and the passion for doing so. Take the blue recycle bins, for example. Meant for depositing recyclable items such as cardboards and bottles and glasses, they are more often than not, misused as common rubbish bins instead, usually due to the convenience of irresponsible dumping or a lack of proper recycling knowledge. All you need is one person to discard items containing food residue in them to cause the entire contents of the blue recycle bins to be contaminated and wastefully discarded. Mr Speaker, I believe that if we are to truly encourage Green Living, we should aim to make sustainability a core component of our lifestyle. I must also emphasise that in order to make this a reality, as what I have emphasised earlier, we should collectively and continuously involve the efforts of our 3Ps: People, Private and Public sectors. In other words, this will require close mutual co-operation between the Government, Organisations and the Community. Organisations would of course include corporates, companies, VWOs and NGOs. While the Government and private sectors can instate sweeping policies and provide the expertise or financial means to promote sustainability, the community also plays a vital role by getting together and through ground-up initiatives, encourage one another at a grassroots level. The dialogue sessions that I have held with my residents in Woodgrove have left me optimistic and inspired for our future, as I discovered that many of them are willing to step up and offer their ideas to promote this cause.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. In preparation for today's speech, I have engaged in a series of dialogue sessions, both formal and informal ones, involving Young PAP activists, climate change advocates, green-living community leaders and my Woodgrove residents. I wish to take this opportunity to thank them for their active participation and their enthusiasm in advocating for a greener society. In these dialogue sessions, a common theme was identified, which was similar to what Members of this House who have spoken ahead of me, have shared in this House, being the recognition of that climate change is a pressing issue. We have all in some way began to feel the impact it has caused to our environment in recent years, and there is a need for us to play a part in combating climate change. While acknowledging the issue is a hopeful first step, the question remains: have we done enough? It is easy to say, "We can and we must do more." But, are we simply just expecting to rely on our Government to roll out more policies and initiatives, while trusting business organisations to do their part in reducing carbon emissions? The purpose of my PAP Member of Parliament colleagues who have put up this Motion today with me is that we are looking upon to explore what are the actual actions taken into account and local context that we can do bearing in mind the importance of three-piece collaborations together to combat climate change as a nation. In Woodgrove, we have a G.E.L. Mission, where the "G" pertains to "Green Living Initiatives". We believe that as a community, we can do our part to combat climate change, beginning with a re-examination of our current lifestyle habits.”
“In conclusion, Mdm Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding my request for clarifications and suggestions, I stand in support of the two Bills.”
“In recent years, at the Courts' encouragement and with the support of the Law Society of Singapore, the role of lawyers have begun to shift towards facilitating disputes to be resolved amicably between parties without resorting to lengthy litigious Court proceedings. I take the position that we should recognise that lawyers should still be allowed to play a vital role in the execution of the two Bills. Lawyers can advise and ensure that both the applicant and respondent follow the correct rules and procedures and draft the necessary documents required – and not just pertaining to what Assoc Prof Jamus Lim has suggested earlier in the House to include a course of appeal and for legal representation to be granted for the appeal proceeding. One suggestion I have after taking into consideration the concern of my Parliamentary colleague, Mr Derrick Goh, which he has shared earlier – that small and micro businesses affected are already struggling and cannot afford more costs – is for the Ministry to consider collaborating with the Law Society of Singapore to establish an enabling framework akin to what the Community Justice Centre has done for smaller claim cases, like the Primary Justice Project (PJP), where a volunteer lawyer would charge a flat rate for consultation and another flat rate if further assistance is required to file the necessary papers or prepare for the assessment hearing. The flat rate will be less than the normal market rate, taking into account what will be deemed as affordable and fair for both the client and the lawyer. In addition, a Community Legal Clinic can also be set up specifically to assist those who are unable to afford this discounted flat rate.”
“With that said, I would like to ask a few questions about the execution of the two Bills. Just like SIRS, I anticipate that the Re-Align Framework will invite much interest and many applications by business owners whose businesses have been adversely affected as a result of this unexpected COVID-19 pandemic. How will the Ministry ensure that the assessor panels are adequately staffed so as to be responsive to the applications made within a short time period? While the realigned framework and SIP are beneficial, we need to raise awareness to ensure that those eligible will know how to apply and are encouraged to do so. In this regard, what assistance, including legal assistance, will be provided to help these businesses understand their options and to advise them on whether and how to invoke the right framework or programme? One suggestion that I have is to consider introducing an informative flow chart – something similar to the handout tool issued by MinLaw to the House earlier – a navigation guide to enable businesses to better understand whether they are eligible and the steps to take to invoke the framework or SIP. I would also like to seek the following clarifications pertaining to section 69 of the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment No 3) Bill, which states that "no party may be represented by an advocate and solicitor at proceedings before an adjustment relief assessor, except with the permission of the adjustment relief assessor". Under what circumstances will permission be actually granted by the assessor? The general perception is that engaging a lawyer equates to hefty costs and protracted proceedings. However, legal representation actually has its benefits.”
“For the past few months, many residents have either written to me or met me at the Meet-the-People Sessions to enquire about the legal issues that they are facing. There are two relevant scenarios that I would like to take this opportunity to share with this House. Firstly, a business partner of a travel agency. She wrote to me expressing her concern about the debts that she has been owing as a result of the failing business. Secondly, an elderly couple who rely on collecting rental income from their shophouse came to my Meet-the-People Session and shared with me that their tenant, who runs a restaurant, has not been paying their rental promptly. It is clear that the persons in both scenarios continue to suffer from the pandemic's effects, whether it be worrying about one's business or how to enforce their rights as a landlord in this trying time. Upon perusing the Bills, I am heartened that these situations stated therein are applicable to the two scenarios concerning my residents, which I have shared earlier and will, hopefully, put them at great ease. The Simplified Insolvency Programme SIP under the Insolvency Restructuring and Dissolution (Amendment) Bill can assist financially distressed small and micro companies to restructure their debts, rehabilitate their business or to wind up the company when the business has ceased to be viable. At the same time, the Re-Align Framework, as provided for in the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment No 3) Bill, will assist businesses to re-negotiate and re-base their contracts, failing which, the contracts may be terminated with prospective obligations extinguished. The Re-Align Framework will also enable the smaller landlords in financial hardship to have additional compensation for early termination of contracts.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on the two Bills. I would first like to declare that I am a practising lawyer, a director in a law practice involved in dispute resolution work, a member of the Law Society of Singapore and the co-chairperson of the Law Society's Pro Bono Services' Community Legal Clinics' Committee. Over the past few months, we have witnessed how the COVID-19 pandemic has wrecked economic devastation on our people. It would be an understatement to say that many Singaporeans are badly affected by these economic difficulties and that it would be a long cold winter ahead for many more. The small and micro businesses are the backbone of our economy, many of which have the potential to continue their businesses despite the on-going pandemic by adopting new practices. However, there are still more that are suffering. For instance, the night-life industry and travel and tourism-related businesses are still struggling due to their inability to resume operations, causing them to experience a tremendous drop in revenue while their financial obligations continue unabated. The owner of one of the buffet restaurants that catered mainly to tourists during pre-COVID-19 days had shared with me recently that while he is appreciative of the Government's grants and support systems that we have offered, his business continues to suffer and struggle with revenue as his customer pool has dwindled. Yet, his business operation costs have only gone up while the arrears in rental fees continue to accrue. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I have previously shared with this House about my "GEL" mission in Woodgrove. "G" pertains to green living, "E" is about embracing parenthood and "L" is about law awareness.”
“But we will, however, accede to appeals for the Baby Support Grant from a specific group of parents – those whose babies were born before 1 October 2020, but whose certified Estimated Delivery Date, or EDD, was on or after 1 October 2020. In other words, born prematurely although the EDD was 1 October 2020 onwards. The National Population and Talent Division will provide more information to parents on how they can do so. That said, it is important to understand where the parents who have asked for an earlier date are coming from. They, too, would appreciate support. So, I would like to reassure them and Members, that even without the Baby Support Grant, there is still substantial Government support for these parents. Some of these new measures commenced in 2019/2020, which young children born since 2014, including the babies born from January 2020, would benefit from. With your permission, Mr Speaker, may I ask the Clerk to distribute handouts with information on the Marriage and Parenthood Package available to parents?”
“Regardless of the effective start date, there will always be some babies who are born before it. The appeals we have received to change the start date of the Baby Support Grant have come with a wide range of suggestions for the start date. To give you a sense of this, just let me run through some of them. Some have suggested that the Baby Support Grant should cover babies born in September on the basis that it is so close to October. But this would mean that all of those in August upwards would not get it. Others suggested April 2020 as that was the start of the circuit breaker – and obviously, that was when all the hardships really kicked it, but that would mean all those before April do not get it. Miss Cheng Li Hui, in her Parliamentary Question has suggested 7 February because that was when DORSCON Orange was declared. So, if we go with those, then all those in January will be left out. Many have suggested that it should be with effect from 1 January 2020 as that was when the pandemic started and indeed there is a petition supporting this date. But, on the other hand, there is another petition asking for the grant to cover all children who are one year and below on 1 October of this year. In other words, that the effective date should be 1 October 2019. We have also received an appeal that the grant should be given to children under the age of seven years. So, you can see, it is not straightforward. Each group has reasons for the dates proposed and looking at it from their perspective, these reasons are all valid, but we can only choose one date and whichever date we choose, there will be groups who are not covered. We chose October as the commencement date for the reasons mentioned earlier and we seek your understanding, that is why we are maintaining this date.”
“Indeed, one of the residents wrote in to say that "if the grant was meant to encourage couples to have children, then children born in October 2020 should not qualify, as the child is already conceived prior to the grant announcement". But this would mean that all babies born between now and July 2021 will be left out. We then considered providing this additional support only next year, with effect from 1 January 2021, and then drawing on next year's Budget. However, we felt it was important to get the support out as quickly as we can, to help more Singaporeans with their parenthood aspirations. Announcing the plans next year could mean that couples may delay attempts to have a child in the meantime. So, we tried hard to see how we could do this earlier. While the Government's fiscal situation is tight, due to the support given to Singaporeans and businesses throughout the year, we were able to set aside some Budget this year, to provide additional support to more Singaporean parents starting as soon as we could. Hence, we decided to make it effective from the month of announcement, that is, 1 October 2020. I know parents of babies who are not eligible to receive the Baby Support Grant are disappointed and I can fully understand why. They would have experienced inconveniences and challenges in caring for newborns this year, especially during the circuit breaker. From coping with new visitation guidelines and restrictions at healthcare facilities, to making quick adaptations when they could not get sufficient help to care for newborns, to juggling care-giving duties while working from home when infant and childcare centres were closed. However, we would like to seek the public's understanding that specific start dates are required for any new measure or enhancement.”
“In a NPTD and MSF Survey in June, three in 10 Singaporean couples said that they were planning to delay having a child due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They expressed worries about the global COVID-19 health situation, as well as job and income insecurity. This is understandable as having a child is a major decision and a long-term commitment. We know couples consider many factors when deciding on when to have a child – whether care-giving support is available, the impact on their career plans, and most fundamentally, whether they are prepared mentally and financially. The pandemic has affected our lives and livelihoods in a major way. Employment and financial stability have therefore become even bigger considerations for many couples and made them rethink if they should have a child in the next one to two years. So, the fact that couples are considering delaying having children is a cause for concern. We are also concerned because we recognise that fertility declines with age and chances of conception are much higher when couples start earlier. Hence, we developed the idea of the Baby Support Grant to augment the existing Baby Bonus Cash Gift to provide extra support for parents who wish to have a child, so that they will not postpone their parenthood plans. When designing this scheme, we explored several options for the start date. Given the policy intent to encourage more couples to proceed with their parenthood plans, we could have taken a very strict approach and if you take a strict approach, it would mean that the start date should be nine months after the date of announcement, which would actually be July 2021.”
“What she will do is, she will clean it up, she will refurbish it with a new coat of painting and transform it into fashionable new furniture as gifts for the community. I believe that introducing such concepts can raise awareness and encourage more residents to conserve resources by sharing and reusing pre-loved items to minimise waste generation. Just like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change is a very challenging global issue that cannot be resolved overnight. That said, I am confident that together, we will overcome these challenges and emerge stronger as a nation. 2.33 pm The Minister, Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development (Ms Indranee Rajah): Mr Speaker, I announced the Baby Support Grant or BSG last Friday, a one-time cash payment for all Singaporean children born from 1 October 2020 onwards for two years. Parents of babies born in October and expectant parents are happy and we are happy for them. At the same time, however, since the announcement, we have received feedback and appeals asking why 1 October 2020, and whether the commencement date can be brought forward to cover children born prior to 1 October 2020. Members, too, have asked about it in this debate. Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Dennis Tan and Mr Saktiandi, yesterday and Ms He Ting Ru, today. Ms Tin Pei Ling1 and Miss Cheng Li Hui2 have also filed Parliamentary Questions. I fully understand that parents who are not eligible to receive the Baby Support Grant are disappointed, especially since this has been a challenging year for everybody. The questions asked are fair ones and it is only right that I should address them and explain our considerations when designing the scheme and also our approach to the appeals that have come in.”