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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“Can the Minister give his assessment on the impact of the present regional financial crisis on the demand for places in our universities in Singapore and how will the universities be coping with the situation? The universities have recently announced that the future admission criteria for university would not be based solely on academic results. There is already the test and interview selection process conducted for students applying for courses in law and medicine at NUS. How different is the new basis of selection for university admission? Can the Minister explain the merits of this new entry system? How do we satisfy the students, and their parents, that they would not be unduly penalised under the new system of admission? Many have viewed this system to be subjective and are concerned that the wrong selection could lead to unintended and undesirable outcomes. How do we assure the students that they will not be denied the opportunity of studying the courses of their choice. Presumably under the new entry system more weightage would be given to extra-curricular activities. Would it then mean that those youths who had represented Singapore either in sports, arts, music and culture, in international competitions and have won medals, would be given automatic admissions into our universities, if they meet the minimum entry requirements? The Ministry of Education has recently informed prospective applicants of Business Administration and Business courses at NUS and NTU, that NTU would cease to offer business courses after year 2000. Singapore Management University is a private university. What would be the difference for students choosing to study either at the NUS or SMU? What would be the focus and orientation of NTU when it no longer runs business courses?”
“This is so that the teachers concerned can increase the motivation of the students. Another matter that I would like to touch on is how our schools fund their various activities while their operating budgets are becoming more restricted. How can schools provide programmes to increase creativity, for example, with limited funds? Does this mean that we have to compromise the quality of our education? I hope the Ministry of Education could clarify. Mr Loh Meng See: Sir, I would like to talk on higher education. Our universities have budgetted an increase in student intake in the new financial year. The question in the public mind is how many of the places will actually be for Singaporeans, as the universities have announced plans to take in more foreign undergraduate students. With the regional financial crisis, the depreciation of the Singapore dollar against the US dollar and the British sterling pound, and the anticipated slower economic growth, there would be students who had originally intended to study overseas, but have to shelf their plans and remain in Singapore for their tertiary education. What then would be the impact of this on the student enrolment and the ability of the universities to accommodate all the students who meet the entry requirements? Will the universities be able to expand its facilities quickly to take in larger intakes of students if there is demand, especially in some popular courses? 4.00 pm If the regional financial crisis persists for a prolonged period, the Ministry would have to accelerate the opening of the third university to take in the large number of undergraduates wishing to remain in Singapore for their university education.”
“Sir, the Education Ministry has succeeded in attracting many candidates as teachers. Its bumper harvest can help overcome the shortage of teachers and enable new programmes to be implemented in schools. However, we cannot rest on one's laurels, because it appears that we need many teachers not only to take the place of those who retire or resign, but also to reduce the burden experienced by teachers. If we look around, we can see that many schools are forced to depend on temporary teachers, because teachers who retire or resign or fall ill are not immediately replaced by permanent or full-time teachers. This results in many of the students affected not getting the full guidance in the subjects taught. Is the Education Ministry looking into this problem and how does it intend to overcome it? If we actually need more teachers, is the Ministry reviewing its policies on recruitment of teachers with overseas degrees? I acknowledge that the teaching profession needs teachers who are dedicated, of good morals and are people who can educate their students, not only teach particular subjects. However, would it not be better if the Ministry reassesses its policy on recruitment of graduate teachers from foreign universities if these people can contribute to the education of our children? Why are some candidates with overseas degrees, who are currently employed as part-time teachers with graduate salaries, not offered salaries which are commensurate with their qualifications? Sir, talking about teachers, I would also like to point out the need for the Ministry to send teachers who are more capable as educators, guides and, what is no less important, as disciplinarians, to schools which are likely to accept more students with limited academic abilities.”
“Second, start full-time madrasahs beginning with secondary school level, so that all students could follow the same primary level basic education before they make the choice for further education in madrasahs. Third, upgrade the quality of the week-end madrasahs so that more parents will be able to send their children to participate in religious education while such students attend formal school as far as they can attain. I hope the Minister will give his views and inform the House concerning MUIS' efforts in helping in the management of upgrading the quality of education offered to Malay/Muslim children and also in upgrading the work capability during their working life. To what extent can the Ministry of Education help to upgrade? Dr Vasoo: Sir, I will be brief. I want to ask the Minister what improvements is he making to the scheme of service in order to attract staff to his Ministry.”
“Some of them like to see their children having alternative education, balancing secular and religious education. This is because there are six full-session madrasahs which are having subjects with regard to secular and religious education. Some of the parents like their children to become Muslim teachers and scholars, and it is the hope of the Malay/Muslim community locally that religious educated leaders should have the highest education possible. However, the point is that about 10%-15% of each cohort of standard one madrasah are able to go for higher learning. What about the fate of students who are not able to continue with higher education? Will they have the basic educational needs to enable them to follow courses in skills required by the economy so that they have the opportunity of higher employability? We know the type of investments that will be brought into Singapore in the future will be those concentrated in the production of component parts and high-tech goods, whereas labour intensive industries will be leaving Singapore one by one. In short, how can the madrasah be able to improve its service to the Malay/Muslim children so that they are prepared for the job market? It is important that the economy of Singapore is knowledge-based. Sir, a full report on madrasah education was published in the Straits Times and it reflected clearly the views that have been raised by Malay/Muslim leaders with regard to improving the prestasi or performance of madrasah education to children and the public at large. First, the concern of the Malay/Muslim community is that, with the cooperation of the Muslim community, the Government should make the madrasah mission schools use the curricula approved by the Ministry of Education.”
“Sir, the question of Madrasah education has been a topic of discussion between the Muslim community and the Minister for Education touching on the subject of 500 Malay pupils each year who will not be able to enter the national school system. He expressed concern that they will miss the opportunity to obtain quality education and skills and as such will not be able to integrate into the economy and the social system of Singapore in future. It appears that some Muslims in the community have expressed concern about the comment of the Minister for Education on the education and job opportunities of Malay-Muslim children who are attending normal school. Also they are concerned that the Government may take steps to change the Madrasah education system or close the Madrasahs. May I take the opportunity to ask the Minister responsible for Muslim Affairs whether this assumption is correct or not. If the Government has no intention of doing so, please express it clearly and the Malay-Muslim community should accept it as a comment and that will be a hopeful sign within the Malay-Muslim community that the madrasah education system be improved, so that more benefits will be obtained by its pupils and the public in general. Sir, the question that I express here is in that direction. 2.30 pm Also, my question is with regard to the statement made by the Minister responsible for Muslim Affairs earlier this month that a committee comprising members and representatives of the madrasahs, the Malay/Muslim community, the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and the Ministry of Education will be formed to study the question of madrasah education. I welcome this move. The encouragement of parents to send their children to madrasahs is clear.”
“In these two areas, I hope the department will conduct thorough studies so that the programmes that will be carried out will not only be suitable to Muslims but are more effective in achieving their objectives.”
“Sir, the idea to set up a unit under the Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) to help Muslim families to strengthen family relationship in order to reduce divorce rate among them has evolved into something bigger. Like Mr Zainul, I think we should applaud this. A Family Development Department will now be formed to look into not only ways to reduce the number of divorces among Muslim families but to find ways to strengthen family values among them. This is a move in the right direction as the work of the department should include finding ways to strengthen parenting skills too. I hope the Minister can enlighten Members as to the staff strength and responsibilities given to the Department and how it will work with existing Malay/Muslim voluntary welfare organisations in strengthening family values among Muslims in Singapore and reduce the number of divorces. The department should be given sufficient manpower and resources to achieve its objectives. One aspect of its work that should be given some emphasis is in the area of improving the contents and presentation of pre-marital courses and counselling. I found that the few lectures that I have heard over the radio sounded more like religious sermons rather than something that could appeal to potential couples, ie, those who are planning to get married. In this regard, I would like to know how MUIS or the relevant agency assesses the effectiveness of the pre-marital courses. How many couples who attended the courses have divorced within the first five years of their marriages? One other area that the department should take a closer look at is how to help unmarried Muslims, including, if not particularly, female graduates.”
“Like Mr Sin Boon Ann, I would like to ask the Minister to update Members on the progress that has been made in our bilateral ties with Malaysia, in particular, how are we cooperating with Malaysia to jointly tackle problems arising from the current regional financial and economic crisis.”
“Sir, when we met in this House for the budget debate in July last year, we debated the relations between Singapore and Malaysia. Both countries were still smarting from a few months of bad patch in our bilateral relations. It has since improved. Since the end of last year, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has met his Malaysian counterpart, Dr Mahathir Mohamed, four times. There have been meetings among Ministers and officials, military exercises and games among government officials. Recently, the second link between Singapore and Johor was opened. It was opened to traffic not long after we faced problems, and probably the longest period of traffic jam problem on the Causeway at the end of last year, arising from the implementation of a new Malaysian customs check on lorries. I hope we can truly put such a problem behind us and will not let it recur because any hiccup in bilateral relations such as the one manifested by the Causeway jam, it is the people, the businessmen and the ordinary citizens who are affected. Sir, we have been saying that we would like to see a long-term relationship with Malaysia that is based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and reciprocity. We have to hope for the best and work towards it. Although, realistically, being close neighbours, problems may emerge from time to time. Both sides must continue to work hard to strengthen our bilateral relations, and grab every opportunity to strengthen our close bilateral ties while pursuing our respective national interests. It is interesting to note the remark made by a Malaysian Deputy Minister that the regional economic turmoil has brought both countries closer together.”
“Our long-term investment in defence will allow us to face any uncertainty with confidence. Even in difficult times such as those we face now, we must continue to be committed to building a strong and credible defence force. This is the best guarantee for Singapore's continued peace, stability and prosperity. Sir, my colleagues, the Second Minister for Defence and the Minister of State for Defence, will reply to some of the other points brought up by Members. 3.00 pm”
“More recently, the SAF responded promptly and effectively to provide assistance in the search and rescue and recovery efforts after the tragic SilkAir crash in the Musi River. The SAF must constantly be prepared for all contingencies, including providing the necessary response should there be a threat to Singapore's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We must therefore attract the best talents to serve in the SAF, and augment our limited manpower resources with high technology weapon systems. Sir, MINDEF will continue to invest in the necessary equipment and weapon systems and exploit technology as a force multiplier to compensate for our limitations in manpower and to maintain our technological edge. In the future, the challenge will be to broaden the scope and quality of defence technology that is used by the SAF. This will increase its effectiveness manifold. To achieve this, MINDEF will continue to emphasise greater integration among the SAF, the Defence Technology Group and our defence industries, as well as optimise our scientific and engineering talent. The most vital element is good people. We need motivated and professional officers and men who are willing to take on an onerous career in the SAF and who are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Sir, Singapore has come a long way, and a strong and credible SAF is a key fundamental which has contributed to our success. More important, a strong SAF will determine whether we can preserve that success or whether we or future generations of Singaporeans will have to stand by helplessly while our country comes under attack and we lose everything we have built up, or worse, lose our freedom as a people and a nation. Sir, this is a point which has been aptly brought up by Dr Wang Kai Yuen.”
“I would like to assure Mr Hawazi Daipi that this is given daily attention by both myself and my colleagues in the Ministry of Defence. But, Sir, where defence relations fail and in case anyone has hostile intentions towards Singapore, he must know that it will be extremely costly for him to carry it through, and it would be best for him not to contemplate such a venture. If our defence capability is not credible, a potential aggressor might well reach a different conclusion and feel bold enough to go on a military adventure against Singapore. A weaker defence capability also means that the SAF may have to fight at a disadvantage against the enemy. So, cutting back on defence expenditure would amount not only to higher risks for our nation but also, more directly, to the Singaporeans who have to fight to defend Singapore. Sir, as Mr Sin Boon Ann has said, defence expenditure should be seen as our national insurance policy for peace and prosperity. You have to continue to pay the premiums, in good times and in bad times. The greatest return we can have on our investment is never to have to go to war. We are already collecting on our policy in terms of the peace of mind that the people of Singapore and foreign investors have as a direct consequence of knowing that we are ready and willing to make all necessary commitments in resources and money to ensure the security of our nation. Sir, these are our objectives in spending on defence. The SAF that we have today is the result of years of investment in the best people, equipment, doctrines and tactics. The SAF demonstrated its operational readiness and effectiveness when events in Cambodia took a turn for the worse last year and the SAF was called upon to bring Singaporeans home.”
“If it is necessary to review the 6% cap, we will certainly do so, but for the time being, that is sufficient for our defence needs. Sir, Mr Jeyaretnam has brought up the point as to why Singapore is spending so much on defence. I am sorry that he is not here now to listen to my reply. But let us consider the consequences of spending less on defence. Sir, with a small population, the SAF needs high technology systems to overcome our manpower constraints. In fact, it is fortunate that we are able to use technology to overcome our shortage of manpower. In the days when sheer numbers counted for everything on the battlefield, there could have been little that we could do to fight back against an enemy who has vastly more men than Singapore that our small population could ever hope to muster. Singapore is also land scarce which means that much of our training has to be done overseas. This is more costly -- although we must not forget that the benefits of more effective training and the opportunities to interact with other armed forces often more than make up for the extra cost. Cutting back on defence expenditure will mean slower modernisation, less defence R&D and therefore not as big an edge over a potential enemy, and fewer training opportunities for our soldiers, sailors and airmen. What this means is that it will translate into a degradation of our defence capability and our operational readiness. Our deterrence level will then be lowered. And our security policy is based on the concept of deterrence. Sir, we are not looking for a fight with anyone. We pay great attention to maintain good defence relations with our neighbours and with other countries.”
“So, just as the right economic policies have enabled us to weather the regional economic turmoil, we must have the right policies in defence to help us ensure our security and survival. Sir, building a credible defence force is a long term process. I have made this point in Parliament before. The modern battlefield is a fast evolving one. We have to ensure that our armed forces do not have yesterday's capabilities to fight today's wars. This requires constant investment in training in new skills and technologically-advanced weapons. Technology is also important to give us the multiplier to overcome our manpower constraints. Building up a credible defence capability therefore requires prudent and steady investments over many years. Feast-and-famine budgets will only result in sub-optimal "start-stop" implementation of programmes. You cannot build a strong and effective defence capability using such an approach. We must plan our defence spending carefully, over many years and not year by year in fits and starts. We must always maintain a suitable level of defence spending each year. Our policy has, for a long time, been to set a cap of 6% of the GDP for defence spending. This policy has served us well. I am encouraged by the comments from Dr Ong Chit Chung and Mr Charles Chong that we should review this 6% cap to see whether it is sufficient. Sir, we have actually spent well below 6% for the last few years. For this financial year, the Defence Ministry is spending 4.62% of our GDP. But I think the 6% cap is valuable because it is a commitment which facilitates planning and a smooth development of capabilities. Equally important, the 6% is an expression of the importance we place on ensuring Singapore's defence. Our fate as a people and as a nation hangs on this.”
“Sir, as Dr Ong Chit Chung has said, it is imperative that Singapore is prepared for any challenges to our stability and security that may arise in an uncertain regional environment complicated by the present economic turmoil. Newsweek magazine last November advanced three fundamental reasons why Singapore had emerged relatively unscathed from the currency crisis. First, we are vigilant and always prepared for trouble; second, we have a preoccupation with efficiency; and, third, we emphasize strategic planning. Newsweek concluded that Singapore had kept its balance because we always took into account possible dangers over the horizon, and when the troubles arrived, the preparations were already in place. The same factors apply to our efforts to build a defence capability to protect Singaporeans, and to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ensuring peace and security requires constant vigilance, a commitment to efficiency, and strategic planning. Building a strong defence capability requires sustained effort and the support and commitment of our people to the defence of our nation. Singaporeans must always be mindful that there may be dangers over the horizon, and unless we have a defence capability which is credible enough to deter a threat, and to defeat that threat if the need arises, we will pay very heavily. Paying the price now to build up our armed forces will spare us the much bigger price that we will have to pay if we get caught unprepared and unvigilant. In the economic sphere if things fall apart, you will still have future opportunities to rebuild again, and to prosper, but we will not get a second chance if we cannot defend ourselves. A security threat could mean the loss of lives and the end of Singapore.”
“Singapore's security, like our economic prosperity, is also not something which we should assume will be ours to enjoy forever without the need for sound policies, to be always prepared and never be complacent. As a small country, Singapore's security, like our economy, is very vulnerable to the influences of the external environment. We have seen time and again in the Asia-Pacific region over the past few years just how quickly tension and threats to stability and security can develop. In 1996, the tension in the Taiwan Straits was a cause of grave concern throughout the region, including Singapore. Last year, there was a crisis in Cambodia. But, fortunately both these crises were defused in time and the rest of the region could go on with their pursuit of economic growth. 2.45 pm This year, we have an economic crisis. The link between economics and security is inescapable. Today, the economic turmoil which has engulfed much of the region brings with it possible repercussions for stability and security as well. One of the most striking features of our region over the last couple of decades has been the level of cooperation among the various countries both bilaterally with each other and through multilateral arrangements, and in a wide range of sectors and activities. Regional countries blessed with economic growth and prosperity found it in their interest and to their mutual benefit to cooperate. Such cooperation in both the economic and security sectors in turn underpinned the tremendous progress in the Asia-Pacific region. If the economic downturn is very severe and there are attendant political and social problems, the stability and security which we now enjoy may start to unravel.”
“In this respect, we should build on further bilateral defence relations with other countries. My question is: how are we progressing here? The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam): Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to reply to some of the points which have been brought up by Members of Parliament. Sir, the region today faces economic gloom. The scale of the financial and economic crisis which has hit Southeast Asia is unprecedented. In the months ahead, perhaps even in the next few years, economic growth in the region will be severely affected. This gloomy prospect is a far cry from the outlook less than a year ago when Asia was deemed to be the global powerhouse. Investments then flooded into Asia in search of opportunities. No one could have foretold how drastic the economic plunge would be. Sir, serious as the economic crisis is, my intention today is not to discuss the crisis, but to highlight the lessons which we can learn from the crisis for Singapore's security and defence. The economic crisis which has hit Southeast Asian countries is another stark reminder of how quickly a favourable situation can turn bad. The lesson is clear. We must never take our success, stability and security for granted. As I have said many times, it takes many years of hard work to attain economic growth and prosperity but it does not take very long sometimes only a matter of weeks for the situation to deteriorate rapidly. We must therefore never assume that prosperity and plenty will be ours to enjoy forever. The lesson which we have to learn from the economic crisis is that our prosperity depends on our having sound policies, always being prepared and never being complacent.”
“Sir, our huge defence expenditure has been well accepted by Singaporeans. The investment over the years in equipment and personnel has contributed immensely to our strong, credible defence force. The best time to invest in our defence capability is surely when we are doing well economically, so that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy better life with a greater sense of security. Surely that sense of security is also based on the state of security in the region we live in Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific in general. My question is: what is the Ministry's assessment of the state of security in the two regions? Our enhanced defence capability through the investment in hardware and training must surely mean that our armed forces are operationally ready to defend Singapore's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Given that our armed forces consist of a citizens army, their ability to train safely during peace time will enhance the sense of confidence of our soldiers' families, particularly because our soldiers train locally as well as overseas in realistic live-firing exercises. The SAF does have a very good record of safety in training and safety is not an issue here. What I would like to know is how the SAF tries to improve further its safety record in training and ensure the high quality of safety standard of the equipment and weapons that it has purchased. I think there is one other area of investment for security that Singapore must continue to enhance, ie, in defence relations with neigbouring and friendly countries. Some foreign observers tend to look at the defence expenditures of countries in the region as a reflection of the arms race. I look at it as individual building blocks of regional defence.”
“In this situation, the nature of the labour relations in South Korea will continue and certainly it will affect not only the national interest but also the Korean community's interest. As I have said, there is an anticipation that there will be a wave of riots and crisis in Asian countries resulting from the economic crisis which we are facing today. So is it time now for us to discuss whether NTUC is dominated by PAP or not? Or whether we want to look into the future to step up our effort or cooperation between the NTUC and the PAP, not only enhancing the relations but also to expand it, with the involvement of the employers, so that we will have tripartite partnerships which form a strong basis for Singapore. In Singapore, a relationship based on trust should be strengthened, more so during difficult times, like what we are experiencing today. The thrust among the tripartite partners could be stepped up by renewing, intensifying, and expanding the cooperation which we have achieved. Mr Speaker, I support the motion.”
“Therefore, to maintain this centre, which will soon be set up, the cooperative will expand its services, for example, by managing homes for the aged. Mr Speaker, in Singapore we have a concerned and caring labour movement. NTUC and the Singapore trade unions want to contribute to society. Year by year, its members' contribution to social work and to the labour movement continues to increase. This includes services such as home adoption scheme, home visit scheme, blood donation and also meals for the needy. There are also plans to promote volunteer service and fund-raising projects to assist the welfare organisations. In other words, the spirit of voluntarism is flourishing in NTUC and our labour movement. This is one way for our labor movement to increase its value to society. At a time when we are facing greater difficulty due to retrenchment and economic crisis, our workers and the general public would need more support. Employers can work together with the labour movement to promote social services among workers and the general public, whether in the form of cooperation within the companies or in the form of tripartite cooperation at national level. In this way, we can extend the cooperation in other areas for the public benefit, and we will be able to build up the people's confidence towards Singapore's integrity. In difficult times, we need the people's trust and confidence for our leadership, so that we can preserve and enhance social cohesion. If we look at what had happened in South Korea where the workers are often in conflict with their employers, they are now questioning the calibre of the newly elected President, who has been elected but yet to be installed, and whom they previously supported during the general election.”
“What the labour movement wishes to achieve is a better quality of life where the needs of every Singaporean are given attention and support. In short, the labour movement pays particular attention to the interest of Singaporeans generally and likes to share the benefits with others, and this can be achieved more effectively if NTUC and the members work together with the leadership of the PAP more earnestly. And on this basis, our unions should continue to receive support from the social partners of this tripartism. NTUC and the Singapore labour movement are the first to respond to resolve the national issues involving the workers and the community. Through child care centres, NTUC has helped to cater to the need for child care while the mothers are at work. Through NTUC FairPrice, our labour movement helps us to control increase in prices of the daily necessities. Through NTUC Income, we attempt to provide insurance for our workers, especially the low-income group who is not reached out by the other insurance companies. Our labour movement also works fast to encourage more women to return to work. And now, realising that Singaporeans have a long life expectancy and that the families require help to take care of the aged and sick parents, our labour movement has formed a new cooperative, that is, NTUC Eldercare Cooperative, which will be of great service to the low-income group. At the beginning, NTUC Eldercare will set up a day-care centre for the elderly, especially those who are sick. We are aware that in future, the need for the care of the elders will be a greater responsibility and it will overtake the responsibility of taking care of children.”
“In view of the concern of possibly more retrenchments, we require the tripartite partners to work together to resolve the issue. I support the plea made by Mr Lim Boon Heng that the employers should only retrench as a last resort and not resort to it simply as a way to reduce their operations by terminating the services of their workers whom they do not want. Mr Speaker, this motion tabled by the NMP, Mr Cyrille Tan, a labour leader, shows how the NTUC and the labour movement want to increase their contribution for the benefit of the workers and the community. Therefore, the essence of this motion tabled by him and my colleague is how to enhance the value of contribution to the members, the employers, and the community in general. NTUC 21 is a long-term programme, consisting of five principles which were mapped out by the whole labour organisation. It is an effort to contribute to the quality of the members and the community in general. Our labour movement announced details of NTUC 21 recently and I would like to remind Members about the five principles. The first is to enhance employability for life for our workers; second, to strengthen competitiveness through shared responsibility. And I would like to emphasise here that the key word is shared responsibility. Third, to build a healthy body, a healthy mind, because a worker who aspires to perform well would not be able to do it without good health. Fourth, to care more and share more with the community. And fifth, to strengthen the labour movement. Each of these principles is not only to bring benefit to the members of the unions, but it is also for the benefit of the employers and the community in general.”
“The challenge now is how the three partners are able to strengthen this partnership to meet the greater challenge of the future, especially in the short term, to meet the economic, and in the long term, to meet the challenge of world globalisation. For the short term, the economic crisis which has come about here because of the economic crisis and slow growth, I hope the employers and the Government will give due consideration to the interest of the workers. I admit that in this economic situation there are many firms which will reduce the number of their workers. They will downsize their manpower and restructure their operations. As a result, many workers will lose their jobs. For this group, I hope the employers and the Government will work together with the unions to reduce the plight of the workers who will be suffering from the loss of jobs, by offering them alternative jobs and to find a way to avoid retrenchment. The unions have been working together with some firms to assist workers, who have lost their jobs recently, to take up alternative jobs. In future, when more workers lose their jobs, it is better for us to resolve this matter collectively with the unions, employers and the Government. The most effective way to face this global economic crisis and the keen competition in most countries, including Singapore, is to expand training and retraining opportunities, especially for those who are low-skilled workers. Otherwise, most of the 700,000 workers who possess only Secondary 2 education will be redundant or they will be displaced by their company or the economy in future. For that reason, NTUC has launched the Skills Redevelopment Programme and this ought to be granted more funds by the Government, and should be supported by the employers.”
“But to carry out this responsibility, NTUC has to appeal to the employers and the Government to make more contribution towards such an effort. What is the interest of the Singapore workers which has been neglected now as compared to the period when there was no cooperation among the tripartite partners? Will Singapore be more capable to face the possible economic crisis in Southeast Asia? It is predicted that there will be many incidents of riots in many countries in the Asian region. Are we able to face these problems if there is no cooperation among the NTUC and the Government led by the PAP and the employers? On the other hand, contrary to what Mr Chiam said that the NTUC is dominated by the PAP, the workers, through NTUC, have a voice in the Cabinet because its leader is a member of the Cabinet. Our workers also have a voice in Parliament because its leader is a Members of Parliament. The benefits are many and obvious in Singapore. I would like to go back to the ILO meeting. In my opinion, Singapore's successful experience in achieving this cooperation of tripartism as shown at the ILO meeting, lies in many benefits enjoyed by the workers, the employers and the Government. We in Singapore are aware that the training programme, which we hope will become a national programme, is not the only evidence of the beneficial cooperation enjoyed by the workers, the employers and the Government. My colleagues who have spoken earlier have already shown how the partnership has helped to maintain peaceful labour relations, greater growth and a comprehensive progress which the people have enjoyed. For many countries in this world, the tripartite relationship is only a wish, if not a dream.”
“I support the motion tabled by NMP Mr Cyrille Tan. Please let me first of all comment on the views of the Opposition Member, Mr Chiam See Tong, by referring to a small incident at the meeting of the International Labour Organisation for the Asian region. In this meeting, Singapore labour movement's representative at the tripartite meeting spoke on how NTUC and the Singapore trade unions have developed human resources through training and retraining programmes for our workers. The report includes the Skills Redevelopment Programme initiated by the NTUC in collaboration with the employers and funded by the Government. The report also touched on other areas of cooperation in the tripartite partnership, ie, the workers, employers and the Government. The report also drew attention of the ILO when Singapore was named specially in this session report. Normally, the session report of ILO will be more general without mentioning any country which had addressed the meeting. Why was this so? This was because ILO, as a world organisation, involving three parties, has an objective to develop cooperation among the three parties so that it will be beneficial to the workers and the community. On the other hand, in most other countries, tripartism is only a wish or a dream because the parties are still in conflict. Therefore, the ILO often hopes that all the three parties, especially in the developing countries, are able to work together. In such a situation, I found that the speech made by Mr Chiam is wayward and my colleagues in the NTUC who had delivered their speeches earlier had already shown how the NTUC wants to add value for the employers and also for the people so that this benefit from the value-added aspect may be enjoyed by the workers and the people.”
“Sir, can I ask the Minister whether any Singapore companies now operating in Johor have asked for EDB's assistance to relocate elsewhere?”
“Reuven Feuerstein who was here to participate in the 7th International Thinking Conference suggested that Down's Syndrome children be placed in mainstream schools but with younger children so that they can face the same challenges as normal children and see what normal behaviour is and adapt to it. The question is: is this practical? Sir, that is a very specific question. But I would say that in general the society must help the disabled to integrate themselves in society. The focus of help, however, should not just be the disabled themselves, but also their parents and immediate family members who must cope with the disabled in the family.”
“Sir, my GPC colleague, Mr Peh Chin Hua, has brought up the educational needs of the disabled. I share his concern and would like to support him. The Education Ministry is in the process of making major changes to meet the challenges of the 21st century. I think improvements in educational opportunities should be universally enjoyed by our children, irrespective of their physical ability or disability. Indeed, the Government has extended assistance to the disabled in our society through various assistance schemes given to the service organisations and special schools. Wherever possible, we should help them prepare for potential employment, not only because we need to maximise our human resources, but also because we should assist them develop greater self-esteem through greater independence. What more can the Ministry of Education do to help organisations such as the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), the Association of Educationally Subnormal (AESN), the Singapore Down Syndrome Association and others? Sir, some of the disabled have inherent talents far better than those physically normal. Their talent can only surface if there are more opportunities for them to be nurtured. Among them there are budding artists and writers. Many can take advantage of and be retrainable in information technology and can be gainfully employed with IT knowledge and skills. One question that needs an answer is: how can some of our disabled children be integrated in normal schools? Some of our blind and semi-blind pupils are learning and integrating well in our schools. What about others? Recently, Prof.”
“And we must also teach the students to learn the art of being human being, the outlook in life and the philosophy of living, so that they can always be developed morally, intellectually and physically. I notice that our students can do their job very well. But in terms of human relations, they do not really know what to do. I think this is something lacking. Recently, the Ministry of Education has promoted National Education as an extra-curricular activity. I suppose National Education can also be taught through subjects such as mother tongue, English, History, Literature, Geography and Civics. We can also emphasise more on practical examples, rather than on theory, in order to strengthen the interest of students, to make sure that they understand the meaning of National Education.”
“All young citizens must understand the significance of the rise and fall of the nation and their responsibilities to the country. I think it is necessary and timely. Implementation of the National Education programme will help our young citizens to understand how our nation was built, despite the limitations and vulnerability. This will help to build confidence, determination, a challenging spirit. I propose there are two aspects that we can look into. One, is to overcome problems and to strive for success as a fundamental spirit of the first generation Singaporeans. And this basis has created what we are today, a vibrant economic entity. If this fundamental spirit is not passed on to our young citizens, the prospect of Singapore will be bleak. Therefore, the students in the schools must understand the purpose of placing students in merit of ranking. Why should we do this? This applies also to enterprise which aims to lead in the world and why Singapore must always stay ahead of others. Young Singaporeans must understand that Singapore is a small country and there is to be a dynamic country to stay ahead of others. This is not what others have normally referred to as a "kiasu" Singaporean. In our National Education, we should emphasise that we move up and be number one as one of our national spirits and to inject this into our curriculum. We should educate our students that a successful nation, a stable society, a peaceful life for its citizens and a happy working environment cannot be separated from good government and good citizens. In schools, students must be nurtured to become talented and skilful and they must train the students to have skills so that they can pay back to society what they have taken from it.”
“The teaching tool of the future thinking schools should also incorporate teaching through the use of computers and Internet. This will help students in all levels to search for information using different avenues. As IT is becoming increasingly important, both in education and workplaces, there is an urgent need for us to train our teachers to be familiar with computers and its uses. Sir, we do not want to spend money on hardware only to find that they are under-used. Teachers must be properly trained so that they can utilise the computers for even more effective teaching. The computer is not just a set of teaching aid like OHP. It is a powerful medium that opens up a whole host of learning and teaching possibilities for the teachers and for the pupils. Its potential can be realised only if teachers, especially the older ones, are motivated to learn to use it effectively, and only if they receive proper training. Sir, overall, we can only create thinking schools if thinking, creativity and originality are given the proper public recognition. May I ask the Minister how will this be done in our education system? Mr Peh Chin Hua( In Mandarin): Sir, during the President's Address this year, National Education was highlighted. It was pointed out that we need to imbue in our people a sense of history and identity. We must pass on to the post-independence generation of Singaporeans the same discipline, the same drive to achieve, the same indomitable will to overcome problems that the first generation had, qualities that have brought us to where we are today. Recently, the Ministry of Education launched the National Education programme for 360 schools in Singapore. It is aimed at instilling in our young citizens a strong sense of patriotism.”
“In order to shift away from producing examination smart students, the Ministry of Education should re-look into the assessment methods used in assessing students' capabilities in the various subjects taught in school. The new assessment method, if I may suggest, should allocate different percentage for examinations and project work. The portion allocated for examination and project should vary according to subjects. For subjects like Science and Technology, perhaps 30-40% of the marks should be allocated to projects while 60-70% on examinations. For language subjects, different assessment criteria could be applied, and this includes communications skills and language application. However, Sir, project work should be objectively assessed and the performance of the students properly quantified. Changing the present assessment criteria may help create a platform for students to think. Therefore, the future schools will help to create thinking schools. The role the teachers would play is to boost and facilitate thinking in schools. Reducing the number of students in a classroom will give greater opportunity for teachers to explore, extract and interact with students. This future direction we take will make teaching more exciting, lively, as it would create a sense of passion among teachers and greater communication with students. The thinking schools should give greater autonomy to the school administration, although schools will have to adhere to the general syllabus set out by the Ministry. The bulk of managing the school should, however, be left in the hands of individual principals and school management. I am quite glad that clustering of schools, which has been introduced by the Ministry, will help towards this end.”
“Sir, the changes that we make in our education system today will help ensure that those who go through the formal education system will be put in good stead for life and are employable for the next 40 to 50 years in their life. Therefore, the direction for our future education system should cater for the broad needs of our people. Sir, it has been said that one of the major problems facing our workforce today is a lack of creative application in the workplace. Hence, they are unlikely to solve work problems using different solutions to enhance productivity. This, by and large, could be attributed to our present education system which gives emphasis on examination. Therefore, our present education system needs revising. It should emphasise on producing people who are not just examination smart but should also be street smart as well as what I would term as "vision smart". Being vision smart goes beyond structured learning as it commands the ability to see future changing trends and possessing the sensitivity to adapt to future changes. The present system of determining a student's ability, which is based 100% on examination results, does not help to solve the nation's goal of producing thinking people. Creativity simply means the ability to solve the same problem using various solutions and identifying the best solutions for specific problems. Such learning goes beyond the present structured learning, which is almost entirely based on memorising the facts, as students graduating from the system will later be able to apply creativity at the workplace. This, in turn, will benefit the country as it increases productivity and talent of a person and developing the talent of a person to the fullest.”
“Sir, my points are generally similar. So I will make it brief. Singapore has made it known that it wishes to vie for a place as a non-permanent member of the Security Council of the United Nations for the period 2001-2002. A small nation like Singapore needs to work closely with other countries in regional and world bodies. We have seen the benefit of Singapore's participation in organisations like ASEAN, APEC and many others. Direct participation as a member in the United Nations Security Council is a different ball game altogether, Sir. As a small nation, what motivates Singapore to play a more direct role in the Security Council and what are the chances of Singapore being elected into the Security Council? I think it is useful to know from the Minister what major contributions Singapore has made in the world body since it became a member after its independence.”
“Sir, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers have decided to delay Cambodia's membership as a result of the recent political and military upheaval in the country. I would like to ask the Minister a few questions: (1) What lesson has ASEAN as a whole drawn from the recent crisis in Cambodia on inter-state relations among ASEAN members, and between ASEAN and other countries in the region? (2) What is the Minister's assessment of the situation in Cambodia now and under what circumstances would Cambodia be admitted into ASEAN?”
“For example, the Ministry should not specify how many carers there must be in day care centres for the elderly, as is also the case for child care centres, so that the management of these elderly care centres can come up with productivity measures and control cost of their services. If the Ministry continues to set the carer-patients/children ratio, the cost of running such centres will inevitably go up with annual wage increases. Instead, the Ministry should set a standard of service which must be met by the care givers.”
“Sir, the Government encourages children to take care of, and preferably live with, their aged parents. That should be the case. However, we should not look down upon children who cannot look after their frail aged parents, particularly those with parents who need specialised assistance. Sir, I am talking about our senior citizens who are suffering from certain illnesses for which their family members have no knowledge or ability to care for, eg, those who suffer from Alzheimer disease. Such senior citizens need specialised care which their family members cannot provide at home. The family members, who have their own young children to care for, may not be in the best position to take care of their frail aged parents, even if they want to. Coupled with the need to encourage young women to work, it is important that they have a place to send their aged parents during the day when they go out to work. This encouragement can come in the form of subsidy for aged parents sent to day-care centres for elderly persons. This subsidy for them can be similar to that given to working women who send their children to child care centres. Sir, there is a need to study this problem now as the Singapore population is fast greying. We should encourage more organisations to set up services for such groups of senior citizens. In this respect, the Ministry should set out guidelines that can help these care givers to function effectively. However, the guidelines must not stifle their productivity and effectiveness.”
“While the extension of retirement age is good news, how good it is to workers who are nearing 60 years of age now depends on when the starting date of implementation is. Is it going to start in 1998 or 1999? What is the basis of the choice? If I were a worker aged 59 years old now and on CPF scheme, I will be wondering if I will ever benefit from the new extended retirement age. Sir, the interest of such groups of workers must be taken into consideration. Notwithstanding when the official starting date is, I think Government departments and Government-linked companies must take the lead in implementing the new retirement age immediately so that workers who have reached 60 years old between now and the official starting date will still enjoy the benefits of extended employment. Sir, it is useful to know the number of workers who will turn 60 before the new retirement age is officially implemented, and what is in store for them. Will the Government bodies and GLCs lead the way in employing them until they reach their new retirement age so that private sector employers too will be encouraged to do so?”
“Sir, for some time now, our workers have been waiting for the decision on the new retirement age. There are those who are anxious as it will affect them directly, particularly those who are on pensionable scheme. By and large, Sir, the extension of the retirement age should be a boon to our workers. They will have the option to continue working after the age of 60 until they reach the new agreed retirement age. During that period, with continued financial security, our workers can better prepare for their retirement and old age. The employers too benefit from a continued supply of workers. At the national level, the new retirement age will help address the problem of labour shortage and dependency ratio. If the current employment practice continues in the year 2030, we will see that 2.5 working persons will support one elderly person, compared to eight working persons supporting one elderly person now. A decision on the new retirement age this time is different from the one made in 1993 when retirement age was extended from 55 to 60. This time around, a number of issues had to be taken into account before the new retirement age was agreed upon. How have the workers' interests and employers' concerns been taken into consideration in the negotiation? Two of the key issues facing the workers are medical benefits and employers' contribution to their CPF accounts. Sir, while it is important to ensure that costs to employers of engaging older workers do not escalate, it is also important to ensure that our workers continue to enjoy medical benefits to see to it that their medical needs are met at old age. So is the question of whether they will continue to enjoy employers' contribution to their CPF accounts.”
“In this regard, I have no doubt that the Ministry of Defence will also play its part in promoting National Education amongst Singaporeans. Sir, the SAF is more than an organisation. It is a national institution, dedicated to the task of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this nation. Every able bodied male Singaporean who goes through national service should and must understand why he has to dedicate 2-2(r) years of his life in uniform and bearing arms in service to this nation. An appreciation of the reason why the NSman should do national service should not be just confined to the head, but also must come from the heart. In this regard, I would like to know what plans the Ministry of Defence has in using the institution of the national service in Singapore to push through the objective of National Education amongst young Singaporeans.”
“Sir, I do not wish to comment on the views of Mr J B Jeyaretnam, but I think our defence forces have been very strong, acknowledged as a very important deterrent factor from aggression and threat against Singapore's territorial integrity and sovereignty because we have a very strong Singapore Armed Forces. I think the money that has been spent has been well spent. The training that our young people have gone through has been worthwhile. But for it to continue to be effective and to be a coordinated defence force, SAF needs not only modern equipment and weaponry but also talented men and women. Thus far, SAF has been able to attract bright young men and women into the force. But as our economy further develops and restructures, there will be more high skilled, high technology and high paying jobs for our young people to choose from. In the face of such possibility, what is MINDEF going to do to recruit and retain talents in the Singapore Armed Forces? High salaries may not be the only answer to the need to infuse talents in the SAF. Can the Minister explain the personnel policies in the armed forces? Mr Sin Boon Ann (Tampines): Sir, in our debate on the motion to thank the President for his Address, much has been said about National Education and the need to instill in young Singaporeans an appreciation of this country. Up to this moment, National Education has been seen to be left to the schools to conduct. I am sure this is not the intention of the Government to leave an exercise so important as National Education to the schools alone. The need to instill patriotism and pride in the country among Singaporeans is itself an important exercise. I am sure, given time, National Education will reach the people through the efforts of the different Ministries.”