Hawazi Daipi
Singapore
“Madam, between 2001 and 2014, of the international students at secondary and junior college levels who were granted permanent residence (PR) on their own merit, around one-quarter were on scholarships, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) scholarship, for their studies.”
“Madam, we are aware that these are secondary and pre-university students who are not likely to start working immediately after they have completed their "A" levels. So, we do not require them to work in Singapore. It is separate from the university-level scholarships. Page: 34”
“Madam, as I have said in my reply, we leave it to the schools to decide on whether a student or a staff member is fit or good enough for certain types of overseas trips. Some overseas trips can be very physically challenging, but some may not be.”
“Madam, the Member may be aware that MOE has worked with the Temasek Cares for a programme to assist families to manage the cost of treatment after the insurance coverage cap has been reached.”
“I think, generally, yes, Madam. The travel insurance coverage includes accidents and treatment of injuries as a result of accidents, as well as repatriation.”
“At the ground-breaking event, a number of non-Muslim grassroots leaders asked me how they can also support the construction of this community institution in Woodlands. I am heartened by such a supportive spirit and inter-racial and inter-religious cooperation.”
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“And secondly, there is, of course, the need to change mindset. That is what I think we all need to do, especially those who do not understand the forces of globalisation that are now affecting us. Sir, on the Employment Act, Mr Jeyaretnam asked: who benefits? My answer is the workers have benefited from this Act because it has helped us to attain full employment over the years, and this is the best protection that we can provide for our workers in Singapore. Because in a full employment situation not only would our workers be able to retain their jobs, but at the same time, they can get higher salary. In the face of globalisation where our workers cannot expect to keep their jobs for life, what the unions, working with the Government and employers, are doing is to ensure that they are better skilled and reskilled to be able to enjoy better quality jobs and better income in future. Mr Jeyaretnam also spoke of the Industrial Relations Act and the fact that our workers' right to strike has been removed. He cannot be more wrong than that. The unions in Singapore have the right to strike. Mr Jeyaretnam understands this. But they choose not to strike because that would work against the interest of the workers themselves. They can strike if they get the support of more than 50% of their members. The NCMP should look at some countries in Europe to understand how they are responding to these forces of globalisation and trying to protect the interest of their members and workers, and we have seen this. In one meeting with top leaders of a union from a European country, we asked whether they had forgone the approach of striking. Very quickly, the top leader of the union said, "We are now focusing on partnership." What is meant by "partnership"?”
“Sir, I did not originally plan to speak. But listening to the NCMP, I thought I should respond to some of the allegations that he has made. Sweeping forces are affecting our life in Singapore and will affect our life even more so, especially the lower income workers in future. There are now faster technological changes that would affect the ability of our workers to hold jobs due to the fact that the competition that we face, the companies in Singapore are facing, will be more global rather than local. As a result of these two factors, our employees cannot expect full-time employment any more because their companies will restructure and restructure from time to time. The NCMP needs only to listen to the speech of DPM Tony Tan yesterday at the Manpower Summit which brought together representatives from the Government, employers as well as unions to understand the sweeping changes that have affected the world and are affecting Singapore; and listen to the Prime Minister very carefully to understand and appreciate what are being done for the ordinary folks in Singapore. What do our workers need generally? Basically, I think they need three things: (1) fair remuneration; (2) fair play at workplaces; and (3) job security. All three of which are being provided for by the unions in Singapore. What we are doing is not just to give them the basic but more than just basic, in order for them to enjoy a better life and in order to keep enhancing their ability to provide for their families. Mr Jeyaretnam talked about the Employment Act and the need to change the Employment Act and Industrial Relations Act. Yes, there will always be a need to change and to review Acts and laws. I agree. But, first, we have to recognise the factors that would require us to review these laws.”
“And I ask my fellow Singapore workers to be concerned about this rather than to be concerned about closing the income gap. I urge the Government to re-dedicate ourselves to this precept of Singapore 21 where every Singaporean matters to enable everyone to maximise and achieve his potential. That, to me, is a very tall order and I say let us hire the best people for the job.”
“Proponents of this phenomenon remind me of some defunct ideology that has been proven not to work. The proper concern is really to level up the low income households, not to worry about the income inequality gap, or to close it. And this levelling up of income households can be done by an appropriate wage increase in competition in the market and by widening our social safety net infrastructure which the Government of Singapore has been adequately providing. But the Government, I encourage, should take more efforts to examine these areas where there can be more safeguards, more opportunities to allow for access for our workers to good public health, public housing and education. Workers should ask whether their income and employment opportunities have improved over the past few years, whether their companies have done better as a result of appropriate remedial policies of the Government in the wake of this Asian financial crisis and the re-emergence of competition from the neighbouring countries especially with a new, much lower exchange rate regime in these countries. They are really giving Singapore the real competition, unless we move ourselves up into higher technology end. And Government should respond by ensuring that there is room in society for everyone to be upward mobile by education, training, re-training, skills acquisition, giving them equal opportunities and access to all levels of society by dint of their success and achievements. I would ask the Government for re-commitment for maximising the potential of everyone throughout his work life, to have the necessary skills, preparations and opportunities to stay employable, to have affordable access to health, education and housing.”
“There are many examples of such cases in Singapore where parents and children really move up very fast because of their achievements. And I can give another example. In Queenstown where I am representing - Queenstown is an area with very old three-room flats - I have come across an ordinary police staff with two children, one graduated at Harvard, another one graduated at Oxford, both on Government scholarships. It is quite unheard of anywhere in the world. But our society allows such people to come out and move up across the social structure by means of their achievement and capability. I hope the Singapore Government will make a re-commitment to the mobility and flexibility in our society for people to achieve and maximise their potential. We should not short-change our people who are in the public service by restricting their rewards and the way in which they can generate the income and wealth for their own families, expecting everything will fall in place by themselves. Things may well fall apart. I would like to address the issue of income gap which many people have been talking about. The issue of salary review and adjustments for civil servants and Ministers and office holders really should not be mixed up with the discussion on income gap. And I perfectly share the view expressed by Mr Lim Boon Heng that the income gap will not be getting closer when there is economic growth. In fact, this is a very common phenomenon. Economic development economists have been studying this. Whenever there is sustained economic growth, income gap widens. The only countries in the world where income gap is narrowing are the poor countries getting poorer. The gap is completely closed when everybody earns the same income.”
“We are kidding ourselves if we do, particularly so in Singapore. I have just read a report yesterday. The Singapore Government is again voted the least corrupt in this index. Is running the Government the same as running a corporation? My view is that modern government has changed so much because of technology, and public demands are almost as fickle as consumer demands. And the Government of Singapore is quite unique in this respect. It owns and has many GLCs. I believe the contribution or size of our GLCs in the total economy is of very substantial figures which operate in the private sector. When the Government servants are seconded for a term or two in the private sector in the GLCs for exposure, as they do now, under this new scheme to train and expose our public servants, can one imagine a senior civil servant who, by his years of achievements from school to adult work, has to accept and work with a lower salary than a private sector senior executive? It is unrealistic, especially if he has to undertake more important assignments for the company or the shareholder who is the Government of Singapore. How much more unrealistic to expect the bosses of these senior civil servants, the Ministers and the office holders to be paid less than these executives? So there must be a scale of value and a scope of responsibilities to jobs, we must not be afraid to attach to men holding these offices to safeguard our livelihood, our homes, our lives and our national well-being. Ours is an upward mobile society. Just now, the Secretary-General of the NTUC mentioned this point about how he was so impressed by the lady who is working in SATS going to Canada to see her son who is studying to be a doctor.”
“We are in the centre of it. There is no choice. MNCs compete and pay for human resource, not manpower. They bring these human resource talents from everywhere to anywhere, where they can maximise their returns on their business. And in this globalised economy, everyone is in competition in the market. It is world wide and everywhere, and we cannot run away from it. Competition for foreign investment is also world wide. Countries engage in this to generate growth and employment opportunities for these countries. Investors and shareholders want the best return. Talents also want the best reward. So paying talent his worth ensures worthwhile value performance. However, this competition for investible resource is only half the picture. The other half of the story is what we have been talking about for some months in Singapore, ie, to encourage entrepreneurship and growth in our economy, income and jobs for the local economy. But we must realise this. The same yardsticks apply - remuneration, stock options for the local economy. And what we can see in this is that the new global economy paradigm really values mobility. Capital moves instantaneously to any place which gives its maximal return, even if briefly. People move from where they have been born to where their talent of worth is given expression across national boundaries. And we cannot prevent that from happening in Singapore. People come here to work because employers find it worthwhile to employ them. Singaporeans venture overseas because they are valued and are engaged with the special skills and competitiveness and are paid their worth for this. We cannot have one set of evaluation criteria for people in the private sector and another set for the Government public sector.”
“Can you imagine public servants in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology or the Info-communications Development Authority who are not able to match the private sector business executives, the group that they deal with every day? The public servants would be led around in circle by these private sector business executives, doing no good to the public interest. And leaders of the Government of Singapore must also deal with many of the issues impacting on our stability, economic growth, investments, employment, training, retraining, rising standards of living and homes for the people. These issues that the Government of Singapore has tackled are proven. The records speak for themselves. Another good example was, what many Members of Parliament have just now brought forward, how we came out of this Asian financial crisis with relatively little damage. If you were to look at the performance of governments all across the world and see how a country came out of this very severe financial crisis with very little damage, and in fact much strengthened, then I can see that there is a great justification to reward our civil servants. Having this mechanism in place is not really to just reward present executives or public servants in the Government, it is really to attract top flight people in future to join the Government as well as of course to retain them. And in Singapore, politics is not about the politics of envy, but of governance to ensure growth, employment for 50,000 entrants to the labour market each year and rising expectations from an increasingly more knowledgable working population. So the demands are not really so simple and easy. Competition is a fact of life in this globalised economy and we are part and parcel of this.”
“One is the higher income earners - the professionals, managers, owners of shares, investors and enterprises - who are looking at it from one view. And then the other view is really the ordinary man in the street. It is to be expected that these two views are quite different. To the internationally mobile, the managerial, professional type with professional qualifications and managerial competency working in large business organisations, the figures are not so intriguing. It would of course be correlated to the level of performance and reward. And in the high level of professional earnings and international MNCs' top executive earnings, these figures are not out of the realm, quite in the ordinary. As to the point raised by one previous Member of Parliament, Mr Inderjit Singh, about this hazard part of the salary reward, perhaps the DPM could clarify at another occasion whether this hazard part is really taken care of in the performance-related part of the salary scale. I believe, if I am not mistaken, that this performance is almost at about 40% of the salary. So there is really quite a risk part of the salary reward in this performance-related factor. If a shareholder or stakeholder in a company were to employ a staff or manager to run the corporation, it would be quite rational for him to hire the best team who can deliver. And modern governments and public services really require knowledge, skills and competency to match those in the private sector. That is how the world is becoming more and more global and governments and business organisations are relating to each other more and more.”
“My hope is, as mentioned by Mr Lim Boon Heng earlier, that people should not be envious of this situation by just looking at the figures that have been proposed for the senior civil servants and the political leaders. We should consider their responsibilities, duties and contributions and what they have to do to lead the people of Singapore. Mr Speaker, I support the Deputy Prime Minister's proposal. Mr Chay Wai Chuen (Tanjong Pagar): Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir, for letting me join in this debate. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 4.31 pm Sir, this mechanism in place about five years ago to pay civil servants and political appointees is now due for some review and, as mentioned just now by the Deputy Prime Minister, giving us some refinements and adjustments, which are to be welcomed. First, in particular, I am very happy that there is a widening of this group of the top end of the income earners to be included in this pegging and also to take the median as the average, instead of just a simple average. I would like to ask, together with the view expressed by the previous speaker, Mr Seng, that in the light of this new pegging of the rate, at 2/3 of M48 plus the 50% discount and 12% increase, at the 367th position of the high income scale, what is the equivalent range of income earners in this position? What kind of people, what profession, what category of employment do they belong to? It would be good if the DPM can give us some information on this range of income earners so that we can compare and see how our Ministers and civil servants are paid in relation to these income earners. Sir, in this new salary adjustment for civil servants, two particular groups of people would be looking at it from different views.”
“We must always assist the lower income group to upgrade themselves, to have good skills and a higher and stable income. Generally, I think people would not question the salaries of Ministers or senior civil servants. But the people want to know if the Government would continue to care for their welfare. Every citizen is important to us all, whether he is the poor or rich; the educated or less-educated; or has skill or without skills. We should help the children of every family to achieve the highest education according to their ability. We are fortunate that the meritocractic system that is in place always allows the children of the poor families to move upward through education. So no one needs to feel that they are caught in a poverty trap. In Singapore, there are many schemes implemented by the Government to assist the unfortunate. When we have budget surpluses, the Government tops up the CPF. The grassroots bodies and charities also help the poor. Trade unions also render their assistance. On the union front, each year, the labour movement gives away $1 million to assist the children from poor families in educational scholarships and bursaries. I hope the Government will continue to assist voluntary organisations and the trade unions so that they could continue to assist the lower income groups and also to ensure that inflation is maintained at a low level. The Government should help these bodies to assist them face inflation and the challenges of a knowledge-based economy by upgrading their skills so that they will be able to maintain and have a stable job. We are able to do all this and also to avoid adverse social consequences if we have a good government and a good civil service. The proposal of the Deputy Prime Minister in this area is good and I support it.”
“Here we have seen how the political and economic structure may be demolished when a government closes one eye on corrupt practices or the leaders of government themselves are corrupt. It does not happen in Singapore and we should not allow such things to happen in Singapore. Therefore, in order to maintain good leadership in the Government, our community must be prepared to pay a premium to attract good talent and high-calibre people to be in Government or in the civil service. I am not surprised at reading the report of the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) based in Hong Kong recently. According to PERC, the Singapore Government emerged tops among Asian governments for its effectiveness in economic policies. Singapore is also top in the banking and legal systems. Expatriates feel happy to work in Singapore. It clearly shows that the Singapore Government has brought about a good life for Singaporeans. Should we be reluctant in giving this reward to the leaders of Government and senior civil servants? I do not believe so. If we compare what has been enjoyed by the community with the salary scales that have been suggested by the Deputy Prime Minister, it is not too much. Would higher salaries for senior civil servants or political office holders create a wider income gap in Singapore? I think not. Therefore, I support the Deputy Prime Minister's statement to upgrade the quality of leadership in the civil service. However, this does not mean that we are not concerned about the income disparity which is a debatable issue recently. Although we cannot stop this widening income gap in a developing economy, especially so in a KBE, we should avoid social tension as a result of this income gap.”
“It is not only the economic aspect. We also have political stability because we have a Government that is sensitive to matters in a multi-racial, multi-lingual society. We enjoy industrial harmony because our unions work together, and not in conflict with employers. Unions and employers are both accepted by the Government as social partners. There are not many countries that have this collaborative system in which we have achieved. Many countries are trying to develop this partnership, which shows that the benefits of such collaboration which we have been enjoying are recognised. This cannot be achieved if our Government does not have an open mind or has not encouraged such cooperation or collaboration. Therefore, this underlines the importance of good leadership. As a result, we have been able to maintain social cohesion. Over the years, we have been able to put the social safety net that has provided the minimum standard of protection for society. Public housing, education and health care are heavily subsidised. So is transportation. Other than that, we have also the asset enhancement scheme. Without a good government, we may not have good governance. Without a good government, it is impossible for Singapore to achieve this level of social and economic development. Without a good government and civil service, we cannot maintain this quality of life. As a trade unionist and also a former journalist, I have visited many countries, rich, poor; big and small. Generally what I have noticed is that good governance is led by good government and it has helped in the economic growth and social development of the country. The reverse is true.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, we have heard the Deputy Prime Minister speak on why civil servants are to get more pay, and Ministers too. But after all the adjustments have been made, the salaries of civil servants and Ministers will still lag behind top private sector incomes. Some people still ask why there is a need to peg the salaries of senior civil servants and Ministers to the private sector. But if we want good quality staff and people in the Government, we have to pay the market salary or almost near market rates. Senior civil servants play an important role in the running of the country. Ministers have even heavier responsibilities. The decisions taken by Ministers have far-reaching implications, politically, economically and socially. With a good political leadership, Singapore has achieved tremendous progress over the years. Just look at the GDP for the last few years or when we have attained self-government. At the current prices, the GDP in 1959 was $2 billion. In 1969, it went up to $5 billion; $20.5 billion in 1979; $58 billion in 1989; and $144 billion in 1999. This means that from 1959 to 1999 the GDP has grown 71 times, or in percentage terms, 7,100 per cent! This is not a small increase. It is not a surprise that some people think the success of Singapore is a miracle. How has this been achieved? We have often heard of the media hype about Singapore's economic miracle. The truth is that our economy has grown because Singaporeans as a people have worked together. The Government is the one that has brought about this economic growth. The Government has brought in the confidence. The data of the GDP that I have tabled before you are the achievement that has been brought about by the Government which has led us even during turbulent times.”
“Sir, the CPF solution that the DPM talked about can work for those with CPF accounts. What about those who do not have CPF accounts, like foreign workers? BG Lee Hsien Loong: Sir, this is something which we will have to work out. The solution will not be as neat and as satisfactory. I think in the long-term, the foreign workers will have to pay the $2 or most likely their employers will have to pay if the foreign workers cannot. They will have to sort it out with their employers. It may be possible to have some kind of a phasing in period. This is something which I will leave to DBS.”
“Sir, it might be useful in cases of rejection that there should be reasons given why some degree holders were rejected. Perhaps there should be clearer guidelines so that those who are unsuitable need not apply in the first place. I can only say, from feedback given, that it is particularly difficult for those who have applied, because they seem to have a passion for teaching, to be rejected out of hand without any explanation. Finally, should it not be possible to have an appeal board to reconsider those applicants who really want to teach? Perhaps, after a period of time, the Board can consider the applications of those who were rejected. This would, in effect, form a cooling off period on both sides where an opportunity to re-consider can be taken. Then if the candidate is exceptionally keen and has the aptitude to teach and decide to follow through with an appeal, should there not be some latitude given to those who are in earnest?”
“Sir, with the improvements in the salary and career package of teachers, we have successfully attracted candidates into the teaching service. Indeed, every year we see more and more graduates interested to take up the challenges of the teaching profession. The stories of the dedication, innovations and care given by today's teachers are heartwarming, to say the least. Moreover, there have been tremendous changes in the curricula, training of teachers and policies in the last couple of years. The annual recognition given to teachers and chances of speedier promotions for young teachers have helped attract new trainee teachers. While the Ministry has been able to recruit, has it been able to retain? How many young teachers left the service immediately after they have completed their bond? On the subject of recruitment of teachers, we must indeed try to get the best candidates to teach our students. Towards this end, the Institute of Education and MOE normally recruit those who study what are called the teaching subjects. Do we really need to restrict ourselves in teacher recruitment as at primary level any graduate should be able to manage teaching Mathematics, English and Science? Many subjects are increasingly becoming multi-disciplinary, so there is room for graduates who may not have studied specific teaching subjects to be recruited into the teaching service. Sir, I am raising this matter as I have been approached by residents whose applications to get into NIE have been rejected presumably because they are not holding degrees in teaching subjects. Interestingly, at least one of them has been teaching as a relief teacher. Further, their applications have been rejected without any reasons stated. This gives rise to general unhappiness among those affected.”
“This is because there are concerns on the quality of teaching staff, particularly young teachers who studied Malay at only second language level when they were in school. To overcome this situation, among the younger teachers, there were suggestions that the Malay Studies Department at the National University of Singapore or NIE offer honours and MA courses to eligible candidates in Malay language. In other words, they want wider opportunities for eligible candidates. Among younger teachers who teach Malay language as ML2, there is also hope that wider opportunities be open to them to upgrade their skills in using and teaching Malay. I think this reflects their desire to be better ML2 teachers and I would support their hopes. 6.00 pm More importantly, they should have teachers who are able to impart moral and cultural values in Malay through the teaching of second language generally. We should upgrade the abilities of the second language teachers, including ML2 teachers, by using better and more interesting methods so that students will be motivated to learn the subject, not just to pass examinations or to go to institutions of higher learning, but to appreciate the language as an element of their culture. We need more teachers who are capable of teaching the language because generally Malay students are less proficient in speaking Malay. Our teachers should be an example and motivator for the development of more effective speakers of Malay in the country. Besides improving the curriculum, this can be achieved if the skills of our teachers in speaking and using the language and also to teach the language are upgraded.”
“Sir, I would like, first of all, to declare that I am a member of the Malay Review Committee formed by the Ministry of Education to improve the teaching of Malay in schools. As a member of the committee, I chair an advisory group which obtains feedback from the community on the problems in learning and teaching of Malay, and the means towards improving them. Generally, the Malay community supports the decision of the Ministry of Education to meet the needs of various interests in relation to the teaching of Malay. The concern is the need to enhance the proficiency in Malay amongst students and to give opportunity for capable students who want to take higher Malay to do so. This has been done at secondary and junior college levels. It is also a proposal that teacher candidates with the capability be allowed to take Malay studies up to honours level. The Ministry has taken steps to open degree course studies to honours level for capable teacher candidates at NIE. Those who are not able to study Malay as a second language, like other students, are given the flexibility to take the Malay (B) subject. This has also been welcomed by parents. I believe Indian parents also welcome the decision by the Ministry to allow students taking Tamil language to take TL(B). Although, generally, the Ministry's decision relating to second language teaching is good, I would like to suggest that a number of feedback and suggestions raised at the previous session be given attention, particularly on the need to give wider opportunities to Malay teachers to upgrade their knowledge on Malay language and their ability to teach the subject.”
“Sir, one of the desired outcomes of education is to have the young generation of Singaporeans to be prepared as knowledge workers of the future. The Ministry launched the IT Masterplan to equip our young with skills for the knowledge-based economy. IT skills are tools that should help our students learn better and develop the ability to apply what they have learnt. To be able to teach students these skills, obviously we need teachers who are knowledgeable in the use of computers and have IT skills. We know that the Ministry has a plan to train teachers in the use of the computer and IT skills. What has been the progress in this area? Have there been problems in training the older teachers? Sir, I applaud the IT Masterplan of the Ministry because it allows our students to learn skills that they must have to operate in the KBE era, irrespective of whether their families own computers at home or not. The plan allows our students to level up together. But to ensure that students who do not have computers at home have equal chance to learn and practise IT skills, we must have enough computers in schools for them to use and practise. The long-term plan of the Ministry is to equip every two students with a computer. Are we anywhere near the target? Do all schools, especially neighbourhood schools, have equal opportunities to teach IT skills to their students? Teachers too will be supplied with notebook computers at a ratio of one computer for every two teachers. Can teachers really share computers when they have to prepare lessons and reports using the MOE-supplied laptops? Sir, I would like the Minister to give us an update on the IT Masterplan for schools which has been implemented for the past two years.”
“Sir, in today's issue of the Straits Times, there is a report about the arrest by the Philippines Police of two suspected foreign terrorists with links to the Moro liberation organisation. According to the report, the police authorities believed that international terrorists were using the Philippines as a training ground, with some Moro rebel leaders acting as hosts and getting technical knowledge in modern urban warfare. In recent times, there have been incidences of hijacking of airplanes in the Indian subcontinent, raising much concern about the security of travelling by air and airport security in general. Closer to home, arms are easily available in some high tension areas in Indonesia, particularly in East Timor and its neighbouring areas and in Aceh. My concern is, are our defence forces ready and capable in handling the possibility of terrorist attacks at our airports and the hijacking of airplanes? Would the Minister inform the House about our capability in handling the potential attacks by terrorists?”
“We have invested much in defence technology and equipment. What about staff development? Are our defence forces able to recruit and retain the good people that they must have? 3.15 pm”
“Sir, much to our relief, the relationship among the United States, China and Japan - three countries which hold the key to the security of East Asia and South East Asia - has stabilised. A small state like Singapore may seem to be at the receiving end of this triangular relationship. But we really do not have to and must not allow ourselves to be just a small pawn in a big-power game. Through our relationship with these three countries and other countries in the region, we have been training to help create an environment of peace and stability. Can the Minister inform us how this approach has helped advance our interests and security? How has our defence relation with neighbouring countries developed over the past one year? While the overall security situation in East Asia has stabilised, what about the situation in South East Asia following the economic crisis and intensified separatist movements in areas like Aceh in Indonesia? Then there is the potential flash point in the South China Sea. While much attention has been given to the cross-strait relationship between China and Taiwan, or North Korea, or especially Indonesia, what about the situation in South Asia, where India and Pakistan have both tested nuclear weapons? Can the Minister give his assessment on these matters and the possible impact on us? I believe Singaporeans appreciate the Government policy on defence spending, especially in the last two years when there were economic, social and political turmoil in many countries around us. The policy to cap defence spending at 6% irrespective of our economic situation is appreciated, as the defence policy has brought about confidence among Singaporeans of their own security and among investors who put in their money here.”
“Even if we are not going to implement further extension to the retirement age in the immediate future, we can start discussing the matter among the tripartite partners so that we can understand the issues and problems of the respective parties before we can start negotiating.”
“Sir, I would like to bring up a similar subject of provision for retirement, just brought up by Mr Davinder Singh, and this is on the extension of retirement age. Since the extension of retirement age to 62 was implemented in January 1999, I received feedback from older workers and union members who would like to work beyond the age of 62. This is in stark contrast from reactions received when the issue of extension of retirement age was first brought up. Then some workers mistakenly asked why they should be compelled to work beyond the age of 60. Of course, there is no compulsion as the extended retirement age has given workers the option to work beyond the age of 60. Singaporeans are practical people. They want to maintain their lifestyle in old age and would like to work to achieve that. They want to continue working beyond 62 so that they can remain financially independent. Sir, there are older Singaporeans who need to work because they do not get, or they get very little financial support from their family members, or they do not have sufficient CPF savings to support their retirement. We should stay on course towards the long-term plan for the extension of retirement age to 67. Towards this end, the tripartite partners can start talking to prepare for the eventual extension of retirement age to, first, 65 and then 67 in years to come. We have a small workforce and, as a result of that, we have to bring in foreign workers to support our workforce. Other than encouraging our housewives to go back to work, we can tap the resources and services of our older workers.”
“For example, they could have regular but reduced CPF contributions from their employer's side based on their average monthly income, which at least means regular payment into their CPF. Employers can also be required to provide the minimum insurance coverage to contract workers. A system of medical co-payment would help our part-time and contract workers. It would enable them to become more independent and they would be able to plan for their retirement as well as other needs, for example, repayment of their HDB mortgages without relying too much on special assistance schemes. In the absence of any assistance to part-time and contract workers, this group would be severely disadvantaged in the rapid progress of our society. I strongly urge that we help those who are most needy and there is little doubt that this group of workers is in this category.”
“Sir, during the debate on the Budget, I spoke about the part- time and contract workers. I am concerned today with the situation of our part time and contract workers, most of whom are less skilled and less well worth off. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 4.10 pm Most of these people generally face difficulties in getting full-time job because they lack the skills and are maybe in the process of acquiring new skills, or deemed to be too old by employers. But these workers have financial commitments to honour. With their already lower income from part-time or contract work, and their CPF savings being very small, they will face difficulties in their financial commitment. In comparison to other sectors of the working population, they possess fewer savings. Unlike full-time workers, part-time and contract workers have no medical benefits and are not even granted the basic sick leave. Generally, they do not even have any CPF contribution, and this makes it impossible for them to plan for their future. Simply put, if they are unable to work, they would not get paid. It is likely that they would not have any form of savings to fall back on. The number of part-time and contract workers is still small. It is growing. The long term solution to this problem lies in getting this group of workers skills upgrading courses. We have done quite well here and have achieved some measure of success. But due to the large number and there is time lag in training them, we will continue to have a large number of people who may be unable to get full time jobs and unable to honour their financial commitment. Although it is not realistic to expect employers to give full benefits to this group of workers, there is space to provide a higher minimum social safety net.”
“Sir, I had wanted to ask the Minister about the projected growth of jobs and the pattern of job growth, but the Minister had already informed the House about this. Let me just focus on retrenchment and unemployment. What are the projected unemployment rates in the coming years? Sir, in 1998, it was noted that among the less educated, there were more unemployed workers among the older group of people, whereas among those with tertiary education, it was noted that fewer older workers were unemployed but younger graduates were having difficulties in getting jobs. What was the situation last year when the economy turned around? And what would be the likely pattern in the coming years?”
“That is why I propose that the SRS should offer good incentives to encourage the lower income workers to save for their own and their spouses' old age and retirement. One possible way to encourage them to save up through this CPF-based scheme is by the Government topping up the SRS accounts when there are budget surpluses. Of course, to start with, good tax incentives should be offered.”
“Female workers form about half of our population. They also make up more than 40% of our workforce. They are a very important part of our society. They enjoy equal pay as men for the same job done. They enjoy tax rebates that are extended to men. There are many women who are working and are not classified as economically active. They play a very important role at home in keeping the family together, in taking care of the children, in keeping them cope with the school work. While all those who work would enjoy CPF savings for their retirement and old age, our home makers, while working women like working males benefit from Government CPF top-up from time to time, non-working wives do not. Considering the important role of the home makers, I would like to urge the Ministry to extend the planned Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) to the working wives or spouses by allowing the husbands to contribute to the CPF savings account. We can start this with women who already have CPF accounts but who stopped working to take care of their families. But in future the scheme should be open to all working non-spouses. In order to encourage such savings, it is important that the relevant tax incentives be offered to them. When we have budget surpluses, the Government should top up the SRS account of the non-working spouses. The SRS is particularly for workers in the lower income so that they can boost their savings for old age. Unfortunately, as shown by the experience of the USA in regard to the optional 401K savings scheme, the lower income workers are less likely to contribute to the SRS. To start with, they have less money to set aside as savings, and they would benefit less from the proposed tax nature of the SRS. After all, 70% of our wage earners do not pay income tax.”
“What are the changes that have taken place in Myanmar that are in line with the objective of ASEAN in admitting Myanmar into ASEAN?”
“The recent economic crisis affected each ASEAN country differently and there were internal developments that gave rise to frictions in relations between certain ASEAN countries, notably in relations between Singapore and Malaysia, and to a certain extent, between Singapore and Indonesia. Sir, each ASEAN country also responded to their crisis with different solutions. More importantly, it appeared as if ASEAN, as a regional body, either did not or could not react fast enough to aid its member nations. There was a sense that each country acted independently and all thoughts for regionalism were put in cold storage, only to be taken out at a more convenient time. In contrast, just prior to the crisis, ASEAN regionalism appeared at its strongest and this was coupled with ASEAN's expansion from six to nine, and then 10 members. Despite the different economic levels of development of the new members from that of the original six, it seems that ASEAN was strong enough to adapt to these circumstances. With these recent events in mind, ASEAN states are poised for steady growth. What lessons have ASEAN drawn from the economic crisis and what are the prospects of ASEAN as a regional body in the 21st century. In addition, Sir, what were the highlights of achievements of ASEAN during Singapore's tenure as ASEAN Standing Committee Chairman in 1999? With reference to Myanmar, with its admission into ASEAN, despite strong objections from the US and Europe, ASEAN states went ahead with the policy of constructive engagements believing that an international solution of Myanmar would have the opposite effect on any hope for political change in the country. In the last three years since Myanmar joined ASEAN, has ASEAN been able to successfully engage Myanmar?”
“Sir, Singapore-Malaysia relations have been described as close neighbours living in semi-detached houses. What one neighbour does may affect the other. There seems to be some truth there judging by the occasional bickerings and disputes between the two countries. It is a fact of life that even in a close-knit relationship there would be differences as long as both parties agree to advance areas of mutual benefits and interests while promoting individual national interests. We can still see progress in our bilateral relations. But one thing must be stressed, that is, our bilateral relations must be based on mutual respect and equality, not one of "big brother-small brother" relationship. Sir, I share the indignation of our two colleagues, Mr Charles Chong and Mr Sin Boon Ann, over the letters and views expressed by Mr Malik Tahir, a Malay-Malaysian in our newspapers. I do not think that is the kind of statement we would like to see from our neighbours and definitely, we look forward to a more stable, respectful relationship between our two countries. And what we would like to see least is the souring of relationship of the ordinary people of Malaysia and Singapore. We have seen some progress in our bilateral relations with Malaysia with the settlement of the CLOB issue. I would like to ask the Minister for an update on the outstanding issues between Singapore and Malaysia which the two Prime Ministers have agreed to settle as a package. How much progress have we made in settling the issues of continued water supply for Singapore, the CIQ, joint development of the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and the Malayan Railway Land, claims over Pedra Branca, withdrawal of CPF savings of West Malaysian workers and the use and management of air space?”
“Yet we cannot leave this group to flounder because they will become the tinderbox that can split our society asunder. In many ways, it is the measure of a developed society that is able to care for its weaker members. I hope some of the suggestions offered by Members during these two days of debate can be taken into consideration by our Minister for Finance. 3.16 pm”
“The feedback we have been getting from some of these workers who have lost their jobs is that employers still prefer younger workers and discriminate against the older ones. This may not be seen as a big problem now as we see more jobs being created and more people are able to hold full-time jobs. But if we want to maintain social cohesion at this level, between the people and the Government, we have to ensure that discrimination on the count of age or any other form of discrimination at workplaces does not exist. If necessary, we should look at the possibility of amending the guidelines on the employment of foreign workers vis-a-vis older local workers. I am raising this issue as it is foreseen that subsequent batches of retrenched workers who take up skills training are likely to be older and probably would have more problems getting full-time jobs. And I am raising this because having jobs is the first line of our social safety net. As our economy becomes even more knowledge-based and companies want to be more nimble and competitive, it is also possible that more workers will be involved in part-time and contract work. Most employers engaging such workers now do not contribute to their workers' CPF accounts. I hope this can be reviewed so that our workers' social safety net coverage would be further enhanced. Circumstances change in societies and especially when the society becomes more sophisticated, through technological changes and advancement of information technology, we tend to see some sections of our society left behind. These sectors are usually those who are less prepared, less adaptable, and many times, less skilled. In a technologically competitive economy, it is mainly our older workers who have difficulty in learning new skills and finding new jobs.”
“What I am trying to drive at is that we have to be on guard against events, developments, statements, from external sources that could affect our multi-racial cohesion. But social cohesion is not just about race relations. It is also about the bond between the people and the Government, and a good Government at that. As demonstrated during the two economic recessions that we have experienced, people unite when they face common challenges, have a common goal, and a common hope. Far from facing the social and political upheaval seen in neighbouring countries during the economic turmoil in the region, Singaporeans rallied behind the Government and were willing to chip in to hold costs down and by agreeing to wage cuts. They bear the fruits of their sacrifices now. But as we all have heard, the problems are far from over. As the economy develops into one that is based mainly on knowledge and higher skills, a section of our workforce may be in danger of being dislocated. These are the almost 850,000 older workers who are in their 40s and who do not have secondary and higher education. These are the workers who will be vulnerable to technological changes at the company level and structural changes in the economy. The programmes of skills training, which among others include the Skills Redevelopment Programme coordinated by NTUC, are implemented to help older workers acquire new skills so that they remain employable and able to secure jobs. It is indeed very difficult to guarantee jobs for workers. But it would also not be acceptable if our workers still find much difficulties in getting suitable jobs even after completing skills upgrading courses. I am afraid this is happening and we should be addressing this problem.”
“But, more importantly, and here I agree wholeheartedly with Dr Richard Hu, that we have to use our resources in preserving our social cohesion so that we can overcome future crises and make our economy more prosperous for our people. Let me begin by stating the concern that I have over the challenges to the cohesion among the races in Singapore. We have a nation state that is multi-racial and because of this, it is delicately balanced; a society existing in peace and harmony because all the races recognise the stakes and the risks involved if we cannot co-exist, live together, work together and play together. Occasionally, we find the lines distinguishing the differences between the races drawn more clearly, lines that we ourselves have blurred through pulling together through hard times and celebrating through good times. We have to be on guard against actions and even policies that could cause frictions among the races. However, there are also forces outside our jurisdiction that, with perhaps malice or with ill conceived ideas, may have caused problems within our own society. When a term like "Malay Malaysians" is used in expressing unhappiness with Singapore, for example, as has happened in recent times, it automatically infers a reference to Chinese Singaporeans. Immediately, we have the racial lines drawn and, immediately, it is no longer a relationship between Malaysians and Singaporeans, but between Malays and Chinese. Whatever the reason behind it, it is not the main factor why I have brought up this issue. I am concerned with my multi-racial country and would not like to see a dent in our cohesion as a result of external factors.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion in the name of the Minister for Finance. The almost 40 Members who spoke before me have given many suggestions and requests to the Finance Minister. Some focused on the need for more support for families, some asked for more support for workers, and not a few for firms. Indeed, our economy has recovered in an uneven way that while some firms are doing well, some others are still struggling. While fewer workers were retrenched last year compared to the number in 1998, there are still many areas where we need to improve support for our workers in facing the challenges of the knowledge-based economy. In my view, the Budget presented by the Finance Minister attempts to respond to a number of long-term challenges facing us: (1) The problems of an aging population, and aging workforce; (2) The keener competition for investments, jobs and markets in the face of a globalised economic system; and (3) The speedier changes of technology and the effects on our economy and our workforce. I think the Budget is a prudent and farsighted one. It is not a Budget to encourage entrepreneurship with one-off measures in order to develop a stronger domestic economy. Neither is it one to just to give away goodies after we have overcome the recession. No, it is not just an e-commerce budget. Thankfully, the budgets presented in this House have been consistently addressing long-term issues. There have been measures to build and strengthen our small State with no natural resources to rely on. Yes, our costs of doing business must remain competitive and we must have the skilled manpower to operate world-class infrastructure and man our industries.”
“They have been allowed to keep their union membership. Now they have to trade their AUPE membership for that of a house union. I am sure AUPE will accept this "loss" as it will be a "gain" to the new union. In forming house unions, the NTUC has its own set of criteria. First, there should be a sufficiently large base of a house union to be viable. Second, there should be effective leaders. And, thirdly, labour-management relations must be good. In the case of DSTA, the first criterion should be met if they are able to persuade the majority of employees to be union members. We are confident that DSTA's staff would throw up effective trade union leaders, who will be a credit not only to their members but also to the labour movement as a whole. As for labour-management relations, we take MINDEF's word that DSTA's management would work with the labour movement for the benefit of the workers and the DSTA. Sir, I support the Bill before the House notwithstanding the no-strike provision.”
“I am sure Singaporeans have not forgotten that not too long ago, we were referred to as a "little red dot". We must give our SAF and our NSmen full confidence that they can call on every resource without disruption and interruption to defend this "little red dot" on the map. Who are the people in DSTA who will be able to join the union? The majority are non-uniformed SAF personnel who are responsible for logistics support for the SAF. There are 1,112 of them. There are 440 civilians - engineers engaged in research and maintenance work and a small number in the clerical grades. Then there are 137 military staff. There is much work ahead of us. The NTUC will have to sell trade unionism to those eligible for membership. I am quite glad that my GPC Chairman has called upon the management to encourage workers to join the union. We will have to do the work to sell trade unionism to these workers. We cannot take for granted that since they can join a union, those deployed to DSTA will want to become union members, but we hope that the majority of those eligible for membership will sign up. We are confident that the DSTA will throw up some good union leaders. More importantly, we will need to help the DSTA union to work out a machinery to deal with labour-management relations. In our discussions with MINDEF, we have been assured that the DSTA management will accord full recognition to the union and extend full cooperation in resolving work related problems. Let us hope that we can get DSTA unionised as quickly as possible. Under the law, unions representing statutory board employees have to be house unions. I understand that among the civilian staff, there are about 40 who are members of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees (AUPE) before they were posted to MINDEF.”
“When the union went on strike, the employers took it to court for violating the no-strike clause. Eastern Airlines and the union representing its flight attendants told an American court in 1991 that they had reached an agreement that would prevent a strike over a three-year period. In 1998, General Motors told Wall Street investors that the United Auto Workers (UAW) had given a no-strike pledge before a new national contract was signed. On its part, the union said that it had agreed to ban strikes at three plants, in return for a company pledge not to shut down or sell the plants for 16 months. So the unions in the West have agreed to give up the right to strike - for job security. While we may think that Arthur Scargill of the coal miners union is a typical British trade unionist, the fact of the matter is that many union leaders in Britain had for many years gone to Japan and other countries to promise no-strike agreements in order to persuade investors to come to Britain and to create jobs for British workers. Sir, having said that, I would like to amplify what my colleagues have said earlier, and more so for me as an employee of the National Trades Union Congress, that we must emphatically call upon the management of DSTA to be fair to our workers now that they have to forgo the right to strike. In the case of DSTA, we are giving up the right to strike for an even more important reason, our national security. One may say that the workers at DSTA are non-combat personnel, but their jobs are no less important to the defence of Singapore for they provide logistical support for the SAF. Sir, we should always remind ourselves about our vulnerability and we must never compromise on our national security.”
“All these years, water, electricity and gas supply has been flowing without interruption to our homes, our factories and workplaces. Where necessary, our water, electricity and gas workers have turned to the NTUC for help to resolving conflicts with the management and, with goodwill, problems have been resolved. Sir, we need not be apologetic about giving up the right to strike for it is not a new idea and even adopted by unions in developed countries. Now, let us take a look at the situation in Britain. Let me quote what Sir Ken Jackson, General Secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU), had to say about industrial action. He said, "I want to see a strike-free future for British industry." As he told the congress of the United Kingdom Trades Union Congress (TUC) in September 1999, workers want to work, not strike, and there could be "no return to the bad old days". Well, Sir Ken, leader of 732,000-member union, could see his vision come true when the measures of the new Employment Relations Bill come into effect in the summer of this year. The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union of the UK is a large and expanding union, and they are not alone in promising no-strike agreements to attract foreign investments to their country to create jobs for their workers. A growing number of unions in Britain have signed partnership agreements with companies since 1997 when the TUC produced a document entitled "Partners for Progress" and endorsed the Labour Party's initiative of creating a union partnership with industry. In the United States, the Iron Workers Local 17 signed a no-strike clause with the Construction Employers' Association. When the contract expired in May 1991, the union and the employers' group extended the pact.”
“It is defence-related, for example, logistics support, ensuring that our defence systems are fully operational at all times and providing technical support for the SAF in peacetime and in war. The defence of our country is paramount. As such, we accept the no-strike clause for DSTA employees. A no-strike clause is not new in Singapore or even the more developed countries around the world. In 1967, the Government sought to amend the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act to ban strikes by workers engaged in the very essential services, namely, water, gas and electricity services. While conceding that the provision by itself would appear to be a drastic step in curtailing the rights of trade unions to go on strike, the Government said that it was necessary for it to ensure that the public was not held to ransom by a few irresponsible elements. The Government was referring to an illegal strike by public daily-rated cleansing workers earlier in the year. Labour MPs protested over the erosion of trade union rights. They argued that there was already a law to prevent workers from going on strike. If the Government felt that such action would be detrimental to the good of society, the Government could refer a dispute to arbitration and this would automatically make an industrial action illegal. After a spirited debate, the no-strike Bill was passed over strenuous objections by some labour MPs. But, in a spirit of democracy, union leaders had to persuade the ground to accept the will of Parliament. Thirty-three years have passed. Since then, unions representing water, electricity and gas workers have secured better terms and conditions of service for their workers, despite not having the strike weapon to use as a last resort.”
“But strike action is not the objective of our unions. In 1982, when Mr Ong Teng Cheong was Labour Minister, he got Parliament to amend the legislation to re-define the objectives of trade unions. Instead of having unions with such objectives as (1) imposing the restrictive conditions on the conduct of work, and (2) promoting or organising or financing of strikes or lock-outs, the new definition would give these as the objectives of our trade unions: (1) to promote good industrial relations between workmen and employers; (2) to promote the working conditions of workers or enhance the economic and social status; and (3) to raise productivity for the benefit of workers, employers and the nation's economy. One Opposition MP completely misread the situation. He thought the amendment would spell the death of trade unions. How wrong he was! Today, we have far more members in trade unions than in 1982 and our trade unions are stronger and influential. Labour MPs in 1982 fully supported the re-definition of trade union objectives. As they put it, a strike is a means to an end and not an end in itself. Sir, coming to the Bill before the House, we must ask these questions. What is the job of the DSTA? Who are to be posted there? Why does MINDEF wish to stipulate a no-strike clause? MINDEF is transforming its Defence Technology Group into a statutory board to be called the Defence Science and Technology Agency. This means staff working in the Agency would be like employees of any statutory board. They can join the union whereas as MINDEF personnel, they cannot. Through the DSTA, staff will operate in a statutory board environment. The work they do remains basically the same.”
“Sir, let me first declare that I am an employee of the National Trades Union Congress and my views reflect that of the NTUC. The NTUC has had discussions with the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Manpower on the Defence Science and Technology Agency Bill because it touches on the fundamental right of trade unions, ie, the right to strike. We, in the NTUC, do not like to see the abrogation of such a right. It is not that our unions are strike-happy or that the industrial relations situation in Singapore is so poor that unions do not threaten companies with industrial actions, they could not get management to settle disputes. In fact, we have had no strike since 1977 except for a brief one in 1986. But no strike does not mean no disputes. Because we have good relations with many employers, we had been able to settle these disputes mainly through bilateral negotiations. When we run into difficulties, we refer cases to the Ministry of Manpower for conciliation. Only rarely do cases reach the Industrial Arbitration Court. In 1986, the NTUC sanctioned a strike at Hydril, makers of parts of oil rigs for two reasons. First, to punish the management for their anti-union actions. The company had set unrealistically high productivity targets and when workers, including those elected as union leaders, failed to reach the targets, they were sacked. Such anti-union actions, if unchecked, would undermine the credibility of the labour movement. The strike was over in two days. The management agreed to take back the Branch Treasurer and to compensate five other dismissed workers who later declined offers to return to their jobs. So it is crucial that we have the means to take strike actions if management were to adopt a decidedly anti-union stance in a labour strike.”
“Sir, on SDL, how would the Government try to encourage more SMEs to retrain their workers, especially the older ones, whom we really want to help, and especially also for companies whose workers may not be able to enjoy the training facilities under the Skills Redevelopment Programme? BG Lee Hsien Loong: It is a difficulty, because the big companies are better organised to take advantage of the SDF. So companies like SIA or DBS, which are very well organised and pay a lot of attention to training their people, are able to take full advantage of SDF. In fact, I believe many of them collect more from SDF than they put in the SDF. They are not wrong to do so, but I think it means other companies are not using the SDL enough. We have to encourage the small companies to do this. We need to design programmes which will fit the small companies. At the same time, maybe we should consider whether there should not be some cap on how much you can take out of the SDF in comparison to how much you put into the SDF. There must be some relationship. It need not be at most one to one, but some reasonable relationship. Then we would be able to free up some money and use it for the smaller companies. I understand from the Ministry of Manpower that in fact last year the withdrawals for small companies from the SDF actually went up by 6%. So while we are concerned, there is improvement.”
“Sir, I am sure that the workers are very happy that the Government has decided to restore the CPF contribution of the employers one year ahead of time. While the five-year timeframe for restoration of the CPF contribution is an achievable target, would the Government plan to shorten the restoration period should the economy perform better than expected?”
“The Malays and Muslims and other minorities must decide how to manage their feelings whenever sensitive issues such as these are discussed. However, although they feel unhappy, considering their position as the minority group, they must also understand that, as has been discussed before in this House and raised by the Prime Minister just now, the Chinese who form the majority in Singapore are a minority in the region. Other races too must understand their sensitivities. However, as I mentioned earlier, at the same time, the sensitivities of the Malays and the minorities must also be understood. We will not completely cover the fissures between the races just by discussing or debating sensitive issues. Just because we want to fill up these fissures, it does not mean that these fissures will no longer exist. And if we have made progress, it does not mean that differences of opinions and sensitivities will not occur in future. What is clear is that we must continue to improve on it. We must strengthen the understanding among each other to build cohesion in Singapore. I hope that further discussion on such issues can take these matters into consideration. All participants of the civil society must understand this reality. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the motion by Mr Davinder Singh.”
“We should encourage active citizenship such as this in various fields. That includes grassroots activities such as the Residents' Committees and self-help groups. This would enhance the bond between the people of Singapore, whether racially, between people of different socio-economic backgrounds and between Singaporeans and foreign workers who are living here. Active citizenship need not be separate from organs of state. In the matter of inter-racial relations, I agree with the proposal by Mr Yatiman Yusof that we set up an agency for policy studies to build a Singapore nation. Or at least there should be periodic studies to evaluate how far Singapore has been more cohesive. Besides enhancing understanding between the people, the races and religions, through studies and discussions, this effort can suggest new activities towards this objective to enhance cohesion among the people of Singapore. Mr Deputy Speaker, in relation to ethnic relations, it is indeed sensitive but it has to be discussed. The statement by the Senior Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, has caused many Malays to be unhappy because they felt that it is questioning their loyalty. Some also felt that these questions should not have been raised openly. If some Malays have expressed their disappointment and unhappiness, they need not be irrational. This is an expression of their feelings. However, generally, Malays feel that Singapore is their motherland and it is where their loyalty lies. Indeed, if we are going to build a Singapore nation, we need to discuss sensitive matters such as this. However, although it is true that mutual trust will take time to achieve, it need not be allowed to take forever.”
“As for companies, I hope that they will employ more retrenched workers who have been retrained so that they can be independent and support their families. One major problem may arise if these retrained workers find difficulty in getting jobs just because employers or future employers pay very little attention to older workers. Mr Speaker, this is a form of investment. Just like any other investment, there must be returns. Our workers must at least respond seriously to opportunities offered in their interest. Indeed, I believe that workers should also share the responsibility of bearing some of the cost for their skills training. We should study in detail as to how we can obtain the best benefit, whether through the CPF scheme or channelling some of the retrenchment benefits or some other means. [Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair] 5.19 pm Our labour movement plays a major role in assisting our workers to ensure their welfare through enhancement of their employability. NTUC and its affiliates play a role in preserving jobs during our economic downturn. Our unions have taken proactive measures to ensure the welfare of our workers by identifying the challenges and problems that may arise in future and to propose solutions, even though they seem to be bitter initially. In other words, NTUC and the labour movement in Singapore are members of the civil society that is important to Singapore. As a result of their roles, the life and welfare of Singapore has been improved. Mr Deputy Speaker, to be a member of the civil society, we should not only make political comments. Hundreds and thousands of union leaders at the various levels have played a constructive role in further improving the lives in Singapore without touching on political matters alone.”