Intan Azura Mokhtar
Singapore
“Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Minister or Minister of State Zaqy, what are the plans for MENDAKI's Tuition Scheme to ensure that our children are ready for a more dynamic environment and also to seize opportunities to excel in various areas apart from academic excellence?”
“For instance, they can work a few days a week in the office and a few days from home so that they can still work full-time, fulfill their work obligations but can reduce commuting time and yet have the opportunity to meet with colleagues and interact with them face-to-face in the office for that much needed social interaction.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answers. It is heartening to know that the numbers have dropped over the years, from 2009 to 2019, over a period of 10 years. However, 2,800 is still quite a large number every year for enforcement acts to catch recalcitrants.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. So, 19,000 diabetes cases each year. Does the Ministry of Health (MOH) have the numbers as to what are the causes of the diabetes cases, whether it is through direct sugar intake or is it through other foods, such as high starch content?”
“Mr Speaker, the first question I have is for the Minister for Health. Do we have enough healthcare workers and professionals to help manage patient cases in NCID and the hospitals in this period of heightened healthcare alert seeing to the increased demand and work stresses on them?”
“It is related to schools. Are there any specific or additional measures in schools, particularly for preschoolers and primary school children who may not always be aware or practise proper personal hygiene as we try to educate Singaporeans in this?”
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“In addition, while I support the emphasis on rehabilitation for young drug abusers, may I seek the Ministry’s assurance that it does not mean we are going soft on drug abuse and related crimes and that enforcement action will continue to be robust and will be meted out without fear or favour? I am confident that with these new measures being legislated, proactive and educational approaches will also be enhanced to ensure we can keep our children safe from drugs through awareness and prevention, rather than just through the enforcement of enacted laws. I also support clause 13 that confers powers on certain SAF servicemen to assume the role of enforcement officers and request for urine samples from suspected servicemen for urine tests to be conducted. I recall meeting a couple who are parents at my Meet-the-People Session more than a year ago, who shared about their son's foray into drug use while serving NS. Through their appeal to the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), they asked for stricter enforcement in requiring servicemen to be tested for drug use, even though the drug use was not in the camp itself. However, I would like to ask if there are even stricter enforcement actions to be taken if the drug use is discovered within any of our MINDEF premises or camps by SAF servicemen or regulars? At this point, Mr Deputy Speaker, please allow me to speak in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Drug abuse is an issue that continues to haunt us. Although drug offences carry harsh punishments, where the offenders can be jailed for life or given the death penalty if found guilty of drug trafficking, the number of drug abusers and drug traffickers in our community is still high, more than what we want it to be.”
“The fact remains that significant adults in a child’s life have that role and responsibility to ensure our children stay away from drugs and have significant influence towards a child's propensity and attitude towards drug use. Hence, I strongly support clauses 3 and 19 of this Bill. Clause 3 of the Bill places greater emphasis on the responsibility needed by the adults within the family to ensure the home remains a safe and drug-free place for our children. Our home must remain a warm and loving sanctuary for our children, and not a worm hole to hell. Clause 19 requires the involvement of parents and guardians to be included in the counselling sessions, not to punish them, but to ensure the rehabilitation process remains an integrated and positive approach involving the significant adults in a young person's drug recovery journey. However, may I clarify the following. Under clause 3, particularly sections 11B and 11C, will enforcement actions be taken only on the drug abuser or will other adult family members who are non-drug users within the household also be convicted if drugs are found within the reach of a child or minor within the home? Under clause 19, section 34A, how many counselling sessions will the parents be involved in? Why do we not make it compulsory for the counselling sessions to involve both the parents and the young drug user or supervisee? Why leave it as "whether or not together with the supervisee"? To me, having both the parents and the young drug user go through the entire counselling process and rehabilitation journey together will be useful in addressing the causes of drug use in the first place, and not merely addressing the symptoms.”
“7 million white men aged 25 and older account for 40% of drug deaths. That is more than the total drug deaths among the state's 24 million Latino, African and Asian Americans of both sexes and all ages. True, many adult drug problems began in teen or young adult years. However, adult drug and family abuses are major factors in teens abusing drugs. The problem is circular and must be addressed with integrated strategies across families and communities." The role of significant adults – parents, guardians and teachers – in a child's life cannot be underestimated and will have substantial impact on how that child turns out. This is also true when it comes to developing lifelong and life-changing habits. The struggle with marijuana abuse by Nick Sheff has been shared widely by his father, American journalist David Sheff. In his first revelation about his son's struggle with marijuana abuse that was published in the New York (NY) Times Magazine, David shared that "Indeed, when he was 12, I discovered a vial of marijuana in his backpack. I met with his teacher, who said: ''It's normal. Most kids try it.'' Nick said that it was a mistake – he had been influenced by a couple of thuggish boys at his new school – and he promised that he would not use it again. You can read David's article published in the NYTimes Magazine dated 6 February 2005, titled "My Addicted Son" or you can watch the movie "Beautiful Boy" to feel the pain and anguish both David and Nick went through in trying to overcome Nick's marijuana addiction. It may be easy to point fingers at his then 6th grade teacher, or even at David himself, who smoked recreational marijuana with his son Nick.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this very important Bill. It is a very timely one, particularly with the new year festivities just over a couple of weeks ago where several police arrests over drug abuse and dealings had been made in several countries. For instance, at the recent end-of-year Field Day Festival in Sydney, Australia, there were more than 150 arrests made of young people abusing drugs at the festival, with six arrests due to drug supply and trafficking. Over the new year weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, in the US, a group of 40 people were arrested for drug abuse. Out of the 40 people, 14 were below 18 years old. In Belfast, Ireland, five deaths were recorded involving young people in their late teens to late 20s due to a prescription drug overdose during the Christmas period. The Belfast Mater Hospital claimed that there has been a spike in the number of cases of prescription drug overdose in young people, some as young as 13. These prescription drugs, such as Xanax and Lyrica, are sold illegally on the streets. These incidents are a serious cause for concern. It does not help that illicit drugs are now also available through the dark web, as well as in some jurisdictions that have relaxed their legislation against personal or recreational drug use. In addition to the relatively easier availability of drugs on the streets or through online means, access to drugs in the home exacerbates the problem of drug abuse by minors and children. I quote Dr Mike Males, who is a senior researcher for the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in the US and a former professor at the University of California Santa Cruz: "California’s and America's drug fatality crisis is firmly centred in whites and middle-agers. California's 5.”
“Speaker, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answers. I have two supplementary questions. Can I check whether the Ministry makes provisions for extra time for students who are diagnosed with conditions, such as anxiety or depression, when they take their examinations, very much like that for students who are diagnosed with dyslexia, for example? The second question is whether the Ministry would also consider alternative assessments, such as regular assignments rather than a one-time pen and paper test or examination, for such students who are diagnosed with mental health issues. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the questions. Indeed, we take on a case-by-case approach in the cases that we come across. We want to see how we can help the students as much as possible, and that is what we do for the Access Arrangements which I have shared earlier. It also includes working with professionals and specialists, and we take on the advice from the specialists on what would be the best approach to provide that educational experience to the children. So, we will take in the Member's feedback and, at the same time, we will continue to help as many people as possible.”
“Speaker, I declare my interest as a faculty member in a local AU. We have two comprehensive universities. Is there an over-emphasis on publication, academic research and university ranking that we compromise the quality of teaching amongst our faculty? Anecdotally, again, when a particular university wanted to chase university rankings, a lot of foreign faculty members were brought in based on their past publication of research and not so much on the quality of teaching, which then has an impact on our students. Could something be done about this?”
“A sheltered, well-ventilated and well-lit area with tables and chairs is all that is needed. Therefore, I implore the Minister for designated rest spaces and areas to be provided for outsourced personnel in all buildings, organisations and companies that hire such workers, in the next amendment to the EA. (In English): In conclusion, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am heartened by and supportive of the many significant changes to the EA through this amendment Bill. Nonetheless, I hope the Ministry will seriously consider the few recommendations I have made. Notwithstanding the questions I have posed and the further recommendations made, I stand in support of the Bill.”
“I hope the Ministry will make further amendments to the EA or tighten regulations regarding over-inflation of salaries declared or salary clawbacks, and take stricter actions on employers who take advantage of their employees in this manner, particularly rank-and-file workers. At this juncture, Mr Deputy Speaker, please allow me to continue in Malay. (In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Still on the topic of protecting employees’ well-being, I would like to implore the Minister to consider making it mandatory for companies, organisations or buildings that conduct outsourcing of services, such as cleaning, delivery and security services, to provide proper rest spaces and areas for outsourced personnel, such as cleaners, despatch riders and security officers. More often than not, we see cleaners, despatch riders and security officers who do not have proper and appropriate rest areas. This is mainly because they are not on the direct payroll of the organisations, companies or buildings they work in, and even though they work for very long hours at a stretch, they are always on their feet and without rest. When it is time for them to eat or take a temporary respite, they often have to find some dusty corner of basement carparks or in rubbish collection areas. These places are hardly ideal or even hygienic for eating and resting. I am sure we can provide a better environment and surroundings for our cleaners, despatch riders and security officers, even though they are outsourced personnel and not direct hires in that particular company, organisation or building. The provision of designated rest spaces and areas for our cleaners, despatch riders and security officers does not cost that much.”
“I support the need to protect employees from unknowingly signing predated salary vouchers, or the need to protect them from being subjected to salary clawbacks from their employers, for instance. I seek the Ministry to clarify if and how salary clawbacks, for example, can be regulated so as to better protect employees. Interestingly, a Business Insider article dated 28 August this year declared that following employee misconduct or declining profits, salary clawback clauses in employment contracts are "on the rise among Fortune 100 companies, increasing by 79% from 2005 to 2010". Have there been cases or complaints of employment contracts that have included salary clawback clauses? Out of these, how many have been couched as disincentives for misconduct or poor performance or declining business profits? How many actual cases of salary clawbacks have been reported to the Ministry even though the original employment contracts have not included such clauses? I refer to the Minister’s written reply to my Parliamentary Question for yesterday's Sitting regarding the over-inflation of salaries compared to the actual payment of salaries. This is similar to salary clawbacks. While the number of cases reported accounts for only 0.2% of the workforce, the absolute numbers are about 8,300 cases annually, which is quite a substantial number. I am most concerned about the proportionately larger numbers of rank-and-file workers, more than eight in 10 of such workers, who have been subjected to this form of salary clawback.”
“With the establishment of the ECT and this round of amendments to provide greater clarity on wrongful dismissal, aggrieved employees can at least seek redress and an avenue for investigation into their claims of wrongful dismissal. Fourth, I welcome the move to accept MCs from all medical practitioners registered under the Medical Registration Act when employees apply for medical leave. From what I understand, this provision has not been amended since 1968, and 50 years is too long to have waited to make changes to this provision. While there may have been instances of forged or fictitious MCs, I believe these are few and far between now. I trust that our medical practitioners have integrity and will issue MCs only where necessary. This amendment to recognise and accept all MCs will provide greater flexibility for employees who are unwell to see a medical practitioner nearest to their homes for medication and be given medical leave to recover. However, can this provision also include traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners who are registered with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board? There are increasingly more who prefer to get help from TCM practitioners for their ailments, such as frozen shoulder, plantar fasciitis, or lower back pains, which can significantly affect work performance. These ailments may not have immediate cure but, with consistent TCM treatments, much relief can be achieved. Fifth, I am heartened that within this round of amendments, there is a provision for the Minister to make regulations that protect employees' entitlements and well-being, and protect them from undesirable employment practices that manipulate, in particular, low-wage and menial work employees.”
“There are those among us who work industriously throughout the year when we are still able and healthy, but who may decide to accumulate their annual leave for a much anticipated and much saved-up family holiday or a religious pilgrimage in the following year. While I understand that such changes for employers to provide both annual leave and carry-forward of unused annual leave to the following year can cause a significant impact on employers’ manpower and budget planning, I urge the Ministry to consider extending the one-year carry-forward of unused annual leave to all employees as well. Even if this extension cannot be made in this round of amendments to the EA, I urge the Ministry to consider making this change in the near future. Third, I strongly support the move to better clarify what constitutes wrongful dismissal that may require dispute resolution. While I do not have the statistics on hand, anecdotally, I have met residents who have lamented about their discontent with and perception of their former employers for having dismissed them because of some form of discrimination, whether perceived or otherwise, because of pregnancy or maternity leave to be taken, disputes arising out of work-related performance bonus or even claims of forced resignation. I recall an incident where a resident was aggrieved that her employer managed to persuade her to tender her resignation through veiled threats and manipulation. It was only after she tendered her resignation and talked to friends that she realised she was manipulated and forced to resign, when she could have reported the matter to MOM instead.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. Last reviewed in 2012, the amendments to the EA are much needed, given that there are now many more PMEs. In addition, the establishment of the ECT, which oversees salary-related disputes and claims, as well as wrongful dismissal, means that there needs to be greater clarity in defining employee benefits and what constitutes wrongful dismissal. First and foremost, the move to do away with the $4,500 salary cap for protection under the EA is very much welcome. This move will result in more than 430,000 PMEs who will benefit through greater protection under the EA. This is not a small number, and is likely to increase, given that more Singaporeans are taking on PME positions in multinational corporations, small and medium enterprises and even startup companies that are able to pay relatively well. In addition, as more of our young Singaporeans become trained for the industry, their salaries will set to grow and remain competitive. Hence, being able to provide employment protection for them under the EA is very much welcome and needed. Second, I strongly support the move to provide all employees annual leave of seven to 14 days. Annual leave is an established industry norm and it is quite disconcerting that, even as of now, there is still a substantial number among us who work without any annual leave provision. While I welcome this annual leave provision, I question the change to provide only the seven to 14 days of annual leave to all employees, and not the one-year carry-forward of unused annual leave to all employees as well.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I have two supplementary questions for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. One, appraisal, as in any form of assessment, should be both formative and summative. At the moment, our appraisal system is quite summative. Are there plans to get teachers to have teacher mentors or buddies so that a more formative approach to their appraisal can be done throughout the year before the final assessment for performance bonus or promotion? The second supplementary question is this: would the Ministry consider also getting feedback from students as well as parents on how teachers perform rather than just based on peer assessment among teachers and their reporting supervisors?”
“To elaborate, tobacco products, such as packed cigarettes, can be imposed with a GST rate of 10% at the minimum, while cigars, which are usually consumed by the more affluent, can have a higher GST rate of 12%-15%, for instance. Likewise, alcoholic beverages can be imposed with a GST rate of 10% at the minimum and gradually increased depending on the alcohol content of the beverage. Again, the price tiers and corresponding GST rates for these tobacco products and alcoholic beverages can be decided through engaging Singaporeans in focus group discussions and eliciting their views and suggestions. Tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are not daily necessities, and in order to nurture a healthier lifestyle and a more positive social behaviour, differential GST rates can be imposed so as to encourage individuals to choose alcoholic beverages of lower alcohol content, for instance, and eventually give up smoking because it would simply be too expensive a habit to have. Mr Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding the questions I have and the suggestions I have made for further amendments in future, I stand in support of the amendments in their current form.”
“Four, are these areas of concern for the Ministry, and, if so, how does the Ministry intend to address them? How will the Ministry address GST collection, even without evidence of invoices given to the customer, such as through online payments or transfers? Are the above examples of business transactions resulting in any loss of GST revenue? Next, while this round of amendments does not involve differential GST rates, I would like to urge the Ministry to seriously consider imposing differential and higher GST rates, specifically for luxury items and certain other items that can have an impact on social behaviour. To elaborate, luxury items would include more expensive alcoholic beverages, such as wine that cost more than $1,000 a bottle, and also luxury cars that cost more than $160,000 each, for instance. Would the Ministry consider imposing higher GST rates for such luxury items, where the price tiers and corresponding GST rates can be decided through engaging Singaporeans in focus group discussions and eliciting their views? Besides, we have already imposed differential tax rates for housing, for instance, where residences that cost less than $1 million are charged a 3% Buyer's Stamp Duty, while those that cost more than $1 million are charged a 4% Buyer's Stamp Duty. Hence, it has been done for housing, and can we now extend such differential GST or tax rates to other luxury items, too, such as cars, for instance? In addition, there are other items, such as alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, which can have an impact on social behaviour and which can be imposed with differential GST rates.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. Following the Budget 2018 announcement on the imminent GST increment from the current 7% to 9%, there has been some interest and suggestions on what more MOF can do to make GST collection more robust and equitable. In general, I am supportive of the amendments, which largely are to impose GST on imported services, and to facilitate and enhance the powers of IRAS to combat tax evasion and crimes. These are very much welcome, particularly with the rise in the purchase and consumption of products and services through digital means and e-commerce platforms, and the higher potential for tax evasion and cyber-related tax crimes. Nonetheless, I seek some clarifications from the Ministry and I have one suggestion to offer for consideration for future amendments to the GST Act. First, I would like to seek clarifications on the GST imposed on imported products and services. I am supportive of the changes to impose GST on imported products and services for both B2B and B2C transactions. This will help in creating parity between imported and local products and services. However, may I seek the Ministry's clarification on a few things? First, are all of our current locally provided services and products through digital means or e-commerce platforms, whether B2B or B2C, done by GST-registered entities? Two, what is the number of individuals selling products or services locally through digital means or e-commerce platforms who are not running GST-registered entities? Three, what is the number of local entities selling products or services locally or overseas through digital means or e-commerce platforms which are not GST-registered, but which are charging local GST on their customers?”
“Will the Ministry be investing in and deploying more of such video cameras or CCTVs for the purpose of catching highrise litterbugs in the act? Residents consistently share such acts of high-rise littering happening in our housing estates. Just last week, while looking out the window of my third floor flat, I saw a medium-sized plastic bag falling right in front of my eyes. It seems that high-rise litterbugs are undeterred, despite NEA’s enforcement and our public education efforts. The second area I would like to speak on is the introduction of the PWM for Cleaners, as highlighted in clauses 2, 6 and 7 of the amendment Bill. While I support the introduction of the PWM for Cleaners, I would like to ask the Ministry how do we define work performance? For example, Town Council cleaners sweep the floor of our housing estates every day but there are inconsiderate individuals, residents or otherwise, who litter, be it late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. How do we expect the cleaners to keep up with cleaning the housing estate at all hours of the day 24/7? It cannot be the case where just because we find some litter in the estate it means that the cleaners have not done their work properly. The onus is on each and every one of us to keep our housing estates clean by not littering and by throwing our rubbish in appropriate places, such as waste bins and rubbish chutes, as well as cleaning up after ourselves. I am concerned if the inconsiderate acts of others will inadvertently have a significantly negative effect on the income of our cleaners, especially in terms of income related to their work performance. Mr Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding the suggestions and concerns I have raised, I support the amendment Bill. 6.25 pm”
“I have raised the latter in an earlier Parliamentary Question in March this year and I recognise the difficulty in enforcing littering fines on such errant litterbugs as the action is fleeting and the litterbug is usually on the move while on the roads, hence difficult to capture on video camera, for instance. However, I hope the Ministry can work with the Ministry of Transport for LTA, and the Ministry of Home Affairs for the Traffic Police, to implement strict enforcement actions that can effectively deter such errant motorist litterbugs from littering our roads and causing inconvenience by starting bush or shrub fires on central road dividers or road sides, when they throw their cigarette butts. Such roadside and road divider fires number about 350 a year. This is not a small number, and inconsiderate acts leading to such fires should be clamped on decisively. May I propose that smoking while driving or riding be prohibited so as to minimise the probability of littering the roadsides and road dividers with lighted cigarette butts. In addition, for driving or riding safety, these motorists should not be holding a lighted cigarette anyway. They should always have both their hands on the steering wheel or handlebar at all times. As for high-rise litterbugs, while NEA is trying its best to be able to catch these litterbugs in the act through the deployment of video cameras or closed-circuit television (CCTV), I understand that there are insufficient video cameras or CCTVs available to be deployed for such purposes. This is to the extent that the duration in which a particular video camera or CCTV can be deployed is limited to just five to seven days at any one particular location. This is too short a time to catch the litterbug in action.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity to speak on this amendment Bill. While I generally support the amendments proposed, there are two areas within the Bill that I would like to speak on. The first pertains to clause 4 to amend section 17 of the Act. Littering in public places remains a concern, despite us having sufficient rubbish bins in and around Singapore. There are those who choose to throw their refuse near or just next to a rubbish bin instead of into it, something that many of us, as grassroots advisers or Town Councillors, have observed or received residents’ feedback on. I understand that it remains prohibited to “throw litter in a receptacle not provided for the deposit of refuse and rubbish”. Hence, I support the amendments to section 17 to further specify the prohibition against throwing refuse in any public place. However, there are make-shift rubbish bins which good Samaritans and individuals create to collect rubbish during community events or private functions, such as a makeshift rubbish bin made using cardboard boxes or pails lined with plastic bags. I would like to confirm these are allowed and do not contravene the current legislation. In addition, I would also like to urge the Ministry to do more to clamp down on errant litterbugs, particularly high-rise litterbugs, who have no qualms about throwing both big and small items out of their flat windows, as well as motorists who throw their cigarette butts willfully out of their vehicle windows or from their motorcycles onto the road or central road dividers.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State. Following up on the hon Ms Denise Phua's question is that, increasingly, the lines between CET and PET are being blurred. For example, increasingly, more IHLs are introducing stackable modules or stackable courses that lead to a qualification like a diploma or degree. So, how then do you reconcile the funding models between PET and CET? Because you can have someone who already has a degree, but through stackable modules, you can get another degree, eventually.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister. While I understand that we need time to let the independent Commission of Inquiry to take place but, beyond that, Singapore is the ASEAN Chair. So, what else can we do?”
“The options among the different DACs if they wish to specialise in specific areas. It ties in with my other question on SkillsFuture certification.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I understand that a number of caregivers had previously experienced some form of challenges and difficulty in enrolling their children who are aged 18 and above into DACs after they have graduated from special education (SPED) schools. So, my question to the Minister of State is whether there are enough places to meet the demand and whether there are enough DAC professionals to attend to these young adults in the DACs. And what is the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) doing to ensure that parents and guardians are aware of the various options available for young adults aged 18 and above after they graduate from SPED schools. That is my first supplementary question. My second supplementary question is whether there are plans to consolidate all the DACs into specialised centres for further training for such young adults to better prepare them to be work-ready, and if there are plans to ensure that there are targeted SkillsFuture certification programmes for them so that, ultimately, they can be independent.”
“Would the Ministry be considering looking at new security measures or new technologies, such as block chain, for example, to ensure the security and immutability of the data so that such sensitive data, such as prescribed medicine, can be assured?”
“We also do reach out to various institutions that would take in our students in the needs level. We also work with them to see how the transition process can be smooth and what we are providing them. If you look at the typical school among these four schools, usually, we have MOE-seconded teachers who would go there. These are teachers who have gone through the higher level training, the TSN training. Beyond that, the four specialised schools also would have funds to employ their own teachers and para-educators who would have the special needs training as well. These schools also carry out their own inhouse training to see where within their specialised areas that they need to improve. This will help to cater to our students. Another support that these specialised schools have is the consultancy services and access to such services with MOE psychologists. Other aspects include smaller, modular training that they require and that we hope to provide. I wish to assure the Member Dr Intan Mokhtar that we understand the landscape and we want to make sure we give the best to these four schools. Because at the end of the day, we just want to provide the best to our children, regardless of who they are.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answers. But I did not quite catch what is the ratio of teachers who are trained in special needs education, teaching special needs students in the four specialised schools, compared to those in the mainstream schools. What are the numbers in terms of ratio? Secondly, I must declare that I am on the board of the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Governors and every year, at least once a year, the four specialised schools make a report to the Board. The recent update that we got was that out of these four schools, at least half of their last intake is made up of students who are diagnosed with special needs. That means that there is a greater demand for teachers who are trained in special needs education, on top of the other challenges that these students already face. I would like to urge the Ministry of Education (MOE) to look at giving more fundings for the schools in terms of deployment of teachers who are trained in special needs as well as funding for these schools to employ directly additional teachers or counsellors that they may need, to help such students. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for those questions. As I mentioned earlier, all teachers in these schools have gone through SEN awareness training. So, essentially, we understand that there is a big number of students with special needs in these schools. So, all the teachers go for that training. Beyond that, we also have selected teachers where they go for higher level training, which are the TSNs. On the point about more than 50% of the student intake at ITE being SEN students, this is something we are aware of and something that we hope that we will continue to improve on.”
“Will there be considerations of prior relevant experience or similar language ability to the vulnerable adult, so as to ensure minimal miscommunication? Fifth, for clauses 20(1) and 20(2), a "proper care plan" has to be in place for a vulnerable adult. What are some criteria of the "proper care plan" for vulnerable adults? Will this "proper care plan" be made in consultation with family members should the vulnerable adult be committed to a place of temporary care and protection? Would the Review Board or Director or protector be the one to review or audit this "proper care plan" on a regular basis to ensure adherence? While there are many causes and levers for intervention in the case of vulnerable adults among us, there are equally as many sensitivities in calibrating the balance between state intervention and individual rights and choices. Mr Speaker, Sir, notwithstanding my request for clarifications from the Ministry, I support this Bill.”
“What if the vulnerable adult becomes hysterical or has an emotional breakdown or a meltdown and starts to protest? How will the Ministry manage this delicate balance between state intervention and individual rights and choices? Third, for clause 10(5), the Director or protector may use such force considered necessary to remove the vulnerable adult. Will physical force or coercion be used against this vulnerable adult? Who will provide that counter-check against the use of excessive physical force or coercion against a vulnerable adult? Will there be a standard engagement procedure employed when dealing with such adults, where engagement, communication and cajoling are applied first and foremost? What if the vulnerable adult in question turns violent? What will be done then? Fourth, for clause 11(1)(a), in having removed a vulnerable adult, the Director or protector must commit the vulnerable adult to a place of temporary care and protection or to the care of a fit person. Similarly, for clause 19(1), the Minister may designate any premises in Singapore as a place of temporary care and protection, or as a place of safety for the care and protection of vulnerable adults. What would be these places of temporary care and protection? Are they in hospitals? Or are they in specific VWOs? Will family members be allowed visitations? How long will the vulnerable adults be committed to such places of temporary care and protection? And in terms of "fit persons", how are the competencies and qualities of these "fit persons" defined? Will there be considerations of prior interaction or relationship to the vulnerable adult in question, so as to ensure some level of familiarity or comfort?”
“While that incident turned out well for Ms N and her father, the reality remains that there will be adults among us who may not recall who they are or where they live, or who may do things that can compromise their safety or the safety or others. These are the vulnerable adults who live amongst us. There needs to be a better framework and set of laws to manage how we are able to provide for them and ensure their well-being and safety, as well as that of others around them. While I generally support the intents of this Bill, there are some clauses within the Bill which I seek clarifications on. First, for clause 3(2), it is mentioned that the Director may appoint any public officer with suitable qualifications and experience as protector under the proposed Bill. What qualities are needed before a public officer can be appointed as a protector? What are the functions and powers of the protector? How is the protector different from the Director? Is the protector a deputy to the Director? Or is the protector supposed to play the role of a counter-check to the Director or enforcement officers to ensure, for example, that the safety of the vulnerable adult is ensured, or that excessive force is not meted on any vulnerable adult that is being removed from a place that exposes that adult to abuse, neglect or self-neglect? Second, for clause 6(1)(d) and clause 10(2), it is stated that the Director or protector may remove a vulnerable adult from the place where that vulnerable adult is residing or staying for the purpose of an assessment, with or without the consent of that vulnerable adult, their donee or deputy. To what extent can the Director or protector ensure this vulnerable adult is to be removed?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. As we intensify our efforts in being more inclusive and providing for the less fortunate and the vulnerable, this Bill is timely which seeks to provide for the safeguard of vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect or self-neglect. In the course of our daily interactions with others in our community, we would have come across adults who are deemed vulnerable, either because they have some form of special need, or because of age, they suffer from illnesses or conditions that diminish their ability to remember or communicate effectively, such as dementia, aphasia – which is an impairment of the ability to speak because of stroke –or multiple sclerosis, among others. A few months back, a female resident, Ms N, came to see me at my Meet-the-People session, panicky and in tears. Ms N shared that her elderly father, whom she said had dementia, was missing and that she received a call from a Home for destitute persons informing her that her father was there. Apparently, he was found begging on the streets and could not recall where he lived. When Ms N went down to the Home to try and bring her elderly father home, she was told that she could not do so as the Home would need to get the go-ahead from MSF before they could release her father. She managed to talk to her father whom she said appeared scared and had suicidal thoughts. I managed to get in touch with MSF through Minister Desmond Lee and, with the Minister's kind help, managed to get Ms N's father released from the Home within the next few days. I must extend my sincerest gratitude, on behalf of my resident, for the Minister's timely intervention and assistance in this case.”
“Finally, I would like to suggest that for places or buildings where there are absolutely no designated parking lots for motorcycles, some flexibility is to be accorded to dispatch riders and food deliverers who usually move about on motorcycles or PMDs. To elaborate, when such dispatch riders or food deliverers need to deliver whatever items as assigned as part of their job at these buildings or places, they would park their vehicles at a spot in a public area while they go about delivering the items as assigned, since there are no designated parking lots for motorcycles there. Examples of such buildings are the Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) Building, Marina Bay Sands and Novena Hospital, from what I understand, though I may stand corrected. Can LTA work with the management of such private developments to provide designated Interim Parking Lots for dispatch riders and food deliverers to park their motorcycles or PMDs for free for a period of no more than 10 to 15 minutes so that they would not get parking offence summonses and would not obstruct traffic or pedestrian access? These dispatch riders and food deliverers can be given vehicle stickers or decals that clearly indicate they are delivering items as assigned as part of their job and some leeway can be given to them to park their vehicles at these Interim Parking Lots during such work assignments. Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the clarifications I have put forth and the suggestion posited, I support the Bill.”
“Second, while the amendments in this Bill seek to rein in on the licensing requirements of the operators of shared vehicles in order to bring about greater responsibility towards the hiring of shared vehicles, how will the users or hirers of such shared vehicles also be made to shoulder equal responsibility in the use and parking of these shared vehicles? What enforcement actions can be taken on errant or irresponsible users or hirers of shared vehicles? And since there are numerous users or hirers of shared vehicles, will monetary fines be the only form of enforcement to be meted out to irresponsible users for indiscriminate parking? Would LTA consider imposing compulsory community work on repeat offenders, for instance? Third, the requirement for geo-fencing of a shared vehicle operator’s vehicles has been made known to the operators for quite some time, yet no adherence to this requirement has been made and little or no enforcement carried out. Hence, for the shared vehicle operators, how does LTA plan to impose the standards of performance, such as the use of geofencing technology or monetary fines, to minimise or eradicate indiscriminate parking of the shared vehicles under their licence? Will vehicle docking systems, for instance, be imposed on these operators should they fail to comply with the requirements for proper parking of their shared vehicles, such as through the use of geofencing technology? Will current LTA enforcement officers be sufficient to carry out checks to ensure adherence to the required standards of performance by the shared vehicle operators, or will more enforcement officers need to be recruited?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It is a timely one, with better clarity and provisions made on the parking of vehicles in public places. I support the overall recommendations made in the amendment Bill. However, I have a few clarifications to make and one suggestion to offer. First, I wholly support the inclusion of Part 3 that introduces the new sections 8 to 8T. These sections provide better clarity on the various provisions made in Part 3 relating to public parking places, licensing requirements and enforcement actions, which are much needed. Residents I met have expressed their frustrations with shared vehicles and bicycles that have dotted the void decks and green spaces in our estate. Personally, I have also had to manoeuvre through obstacle courses made up of indiscriminately parked bicycles at the void decks, including those at my own block. However, I wish to clarify if these provisions and restrictions apply only to vehicle hiring operators and users or hirers of shared vehicles, such as bicycles or PMDs, and not to private owners of similar vehicles? At the moment, there is still no requirement for private bicycles or PMD owners to register ownership of such vehicles, and if they also indiscriminately park their vehicles in public places, then no enforcement action can be taken on them. Are there plans to require private bicycle or PMD owners to be registered so that proper monitoring of indiscriminate parking and subsequent enforcement can be carried out?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answers. I am wondering, what is the impact on the recycling process when items are all mixed together, because there are some recycling bins that allow you to separate items but there are some which allow you to mix the items together. For the buildings that have dual chutes, one for rubbish and one for recyclable items, I wonder whether it is effective, because, for example, glass bottles that can be recycled, when they are thrown from heights, the moment they reach the ground floor, they shatter into shards. How would that impact the recycling process? Can better education be carried out for residents who may be confused about the two chutes, thinking that they can just throw rubbish into either one of them?”
“I thank the Second Minister for her reply. I am a bit surprised to know that there are so many fires annually caused by cigarette butts on roads. We know that in public places and in our estates, NEA takes a very serious approach to littering. But it is probably a little bit difficult when motorists are on the go and they litter as they drive or ride. So, what other forms of action or enforcement can be taken against them? And to what extent are the fines imposed? Are there demerit points or compulsory community action, for instance, imposed on them once they are caught?”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to address this to Minister Yaacob Ibrahim. For students who are already on TTFS and they get, for example, the 50% subsidy under TTFS, can they re-apply under the new criteria? My second question for the Minister is how much more, in terms of Budget allocation, will this increase in TTFS cost the Government? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, to the first question, the answer is yes. TTFS is managed in a way such that a student who is once denied, can re-apply based on his or her new conditions and, if eligible for TTFS, will remain so, no matter what changes there are to their circumstances going forward. To the second question, we are still working out the details. I just want to assure the Member that the Budget would be enough from MOF to allow us to service the increased number of students and also to allow us to run some of the programmes that we are able to do for the benefit of TTFS.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The proposal for a Singapore Islamic College was first mooted in 2016. I support the establishment of this college because it can fulfil the need for Islamic education and studies at the post-secondary level for our community. In addition, it can reduce the risk of our students being affected by any political instability in countries that offer Islamic education or studies, or the risk of them becoming victims of radical or extremist ideologies in some of these countries. May I ask the Minister when will this Singapore Islamic College be built and commence operations? What are MUIS' plans to ensure that this college can be as great as other Islamic universities with longer histories and are already well-known? What strategies or approaches have been planned to ensure that its educational programmes and subjects are relevant and global in nature and, at the same time, are based on Singapore's multiracial and multi-religious context, as well as the context of Southeast Asia? And how will this college's lecturers and academics be appointed and employed? Do these lecturers and academics have to be trained solely as asatizahs, or perhaps should they also have more diverse backgrounds, experiences and training? Asatizah Youth Network”
“Our Malay/Muslim organisations should also be able to support entrepreneurship in various areas through skills development programmes or through social assistance networks and business dealings for entrepreneurs. I hope that there can be some flexibility on the part of the Government when the MMCDF funds are used for such efforts. Support for Young Malay/Muslim Couples”
“Chairman, Sir, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our Malay/Muslim organisations were granted the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF) in 2014. An initial amount of $600,000 was allocated and increased each year. How many officers from our Malay/Muslim organisations have been trained under this development fund and how have they benefited from this? What other measures should the Government take to help these organisations enhance their efforts and skills in assisting the community? Do these Malay/Muslim organisations also focus on training their younger leaders to take over each organisations' leadership? I would like to encourage our Malay/Muslim organisations to focus their respective efforts and funds on their own organisation's niche areas. For instance, the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM) specialises in youth-related efforts and outreach, while the Young Women Muslim Association of Singapore (PPIS) specialises in helping women and children. This specialisation is important so that each Malay/Muslim organisation can sharpen their capabilities and skills and allocate all their manpower and funds towards helping specific groups. This can also prevent duplication of efforts, energy and skills, and ensure a more efficient allocation of manpower and funds. I would also like to call upon our Malay/Muslim organisations to spread their wings so that they can offer their assistance and expertise beyond the Malay community and, in fact, to all Singaporeans, in areas like eldercare, the disabled or those with special needs, early childhood education, as well as entrepreneurship. One example is having one of our Malay/Muslim organisations build an eldercare centre, regardless of their race or religion.”
“Chairman, I would like to address this to the Minister for Education (Schools). I am happy to know that ALP will be rolled out to all our primary schools. Can I clarify that, together with that, there will also be a review of the textbooks and activity books used in the primary schools because, at this point in time, as a parent, I can share with you feedback that there is too much repetitive and rote learning in our activity books and worksheets given to students? So, in order to ensure that there is applied learning done in schools, I think there should be a lot more practice where the skills are learnt in a contextual manner.”
“Would CPE consider carrying out surprise audits on the lecturers teaching in the PEIs to check on the quality of teaching and the qualifications of the lecturers? How does CPE plan to keep in check the fees of degree programmes offered by these PEIs to ensure they are not over-inflated?”
“Mr Chairman, I declare my interest as an Academic Board member of the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (PSB) Academy. In November last year, the findings of the first private education institution (PEI) graduate employment survey that was conducted by the Council for Private Education (CPE) and SkillsFuture SG was released. The survey found that six in 10 PEI graduates found jobs within six months of graduation, drawing an average starting salary of $2,550. This was found to be significantly lower than similar graduates from the AUs, such as NUS, NTU, the Singapore Management University (SMU), the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) or the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), where, on average, eight in 10 found jobs within six months of graduation, drawing an average starting salary of $3,325. Understandably, those from the PEIs have offered caution in simply accepting these findings. However, they cannot be ignored either. There are still students who have spent large amounts of money on certificate, diploma or degree programmes offered by PEIs but have later on found that their employment options or career progression are limited due to a lack of recognition of their qualifications attained. How does CPE plan to engage our students who are considering their post-secondary educational options to ensure they are aware of the expectations related to the different educational pathways and options available to them? How does CPE plan to ensure that our PEIs remain responsible in offering quality and niche educational programmes for our students which have good employment outcomes, other than through the graduate employment survey or the EduTrust certification?”
“It would also be good to link employers to support SkillsFuture programmes with the educational institutions that provide such SkillsFuture programmes within these online platforms to make it easier for Singaporeans planning their career and training and development. SkillsFuture and Job Readiness”
“Since the launch of the SkillsFuture movement, there are numerous initiatives implemented to help Singaporeans upskill, reskill, deep-skill and cross-skill. Nonetheless, amidst the plethora of SkillsFuture offerings, how successful have we been in helping Singaporeans not just improve or expand their repertoire of skills, but also helping them remain employed or even become more employable? How extensive are efforts to increase awareness amongst students and employees on the opportunities that SkillsFuture offers? How aware are Singaporeans about the various SkillsFuture courses that they have for them? How many Singaporeans have taken up SkillsFuture programmes, such as Earn and Learn and the SkillsFuture Study Award since they were first launched? How extensively are our universities and IHLs working with employers to implement such SkillsFuture initiatives and programmes? May I propose that employers who are keen to be part of the SkillsFuture movement actively advertise the positions within their organisations in which they are able to support programmes, such as the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn or the SkillsFuture Study Award? Probably, a separate category can be set up to help Singaporeans navigate MySkillsFuture or SkillsConnect portals and identify employers who are keen to support them in such SkillsFuture programmes, beyond just the usual job vacancies that employers have within their respective organisations. This will facilitate job searches by Singaporeans and help them identify employers who are supportive of skills training among their employees.”
“For the stay-at-home mothers or fathers and retirees who are trained as caregivers to young children, they can also be considered as teaching assistants or edu-carers in our MKs or other preschool centres to support our preschool educators. Applied Learning in Schools”
“This will facilitate the planning of programmes as well as teaching and learning strategies at both the preschool and lower primary school levels that can help make the transition easier for our children. On top of that, it will also help our educators identify children who may be facing learning challenges to be identified earlier and proper intervention can then be rendered. I would like to propose for faculty members of NIEC to not just be academics with little or no experience in the early childhood sector or in teaching. While theoretical and academic underpinnings are important, practical and grounded experience are equally important, if not more, particularly in dealing with young children and impressionable minds. I would propose for faculty members of NIEC to be appointed from among senior and experienced early childhood practitioners as well as academics from the sector. I would also propose for NIEC to consider running programmes that can equip stay-at-home mothers or fathers and grandparents or retirees with the requisite knowledge and skills to be caregivers to young children, whether to fulfil familial responsibilities or as a career option. Sufficient support and a conducive learning environment at home are equally important in providing quality early childhood education and development for our children. While we strive to close the gaps in the provision of early childhood education in our preschools, we also need to help parents and grandparents create the same supportive and conducive environment at home for our children that can facilitate their learning and growth.”
“Chairman, there are much needed and significant moves in the preschool sector which have placed greater importance on quality early childhood education for our children. More anchor operators and partner operators have been approved, MOE has come onboard preschool education with the setting up of MOE Kindergartens (MKs) and the Government is setting up the National Institute of Early Development (NIEC). 3.30 pm With these moves, there is also a need to raise the quality of early childhood educators. While NIEC will help to set benchmarks for standards of teaching and learning in the early childhood sector, early childhood educators must also be convinced that their professions are valued. First, salaries for early childhood educators must increase and be made comparable to that of professionals from other sectors. Second, career pathways need to be made clear and attainable for early childhood educators who seek to pursue preschool teaching as a career. Third, sufficient recognition, rewards and incentives must also be made available for preschool educators, similar to how such recognition, rewards and incentives are available to mainstream primary and secondary school teachers. In addition, there ought to be opportunities for preschool educators to be seconded to lower primary school levels, such as Primary 1 and 2, and vice versa. We could probably pilot this with our MK teachers first. This experience will help both our preschool and lower primary school educators better understand the transition required of our students as they progress from preschool to primary school.”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to address this to the Second Minister. My question is similar to the hon Member Ms Jessica Tan; it is about the gender pay gap. It is heartening to know that, if you look at the public sector, the gap is probably not as much as 11.8% that the Minister shared earlier. But are there plans to address this gender pay gap and further reduce it, especially in the private sector and, especially those in senior management positions? Because I shared the data in my speech earlier that, specifically, for those who are earning more than $11,000 a month, the number of male employees is twice that of female employees. If we can try and reduce that difference further in the senior management positions, that would be good.”
“Where employers are reluctant to continue to pay the more than 13% CPF contribution, the Government can step in and plug the gap. For instance, upon reaching 56, the employer contributes CPF at the rate of 13% while the Government contributes 3%. 11.30 am I would like to urge employers to recognise the contribution of older Singaporean workers. They have a wealth of historical and institutional knowledge as well as work-related experiences that can be tapped on. Employers should find ways in which older workers, if they are less physically able to continue to perform the work that they have been doing, can undergo job redesign to become trainers or mentors to younger workers. It is a waste of talent and experience to let older Singaporean workers retire or even end up doing menial work. More Inclusive Workplace for Older Workers”
“Drastically reducing the monthly CPF contributions by 11% when they reach 56 years old would mean that they would need to pay more of their housing loan in cash or that they would need to pay for their children's post-secondary tuition fees in cash. Bearing in mind that more Singaporeans are marrying later and having children later, this situation will be experienced by more Singaporeans as we live through this decade and the next couple of decades. I would like to propose to the Ministry not to cut the CPF contribution rates for Singaporeans aged 56 to 60. Let it remain at 17% for employer CPF contribution at 20% for employee CPF contribution. Many Singaporeans still want to work and be gainfully employed between the ages of 56 and 60, as they still have financial commitments to fulfil. Between the age of 56 and 60, many Singaporeans are still healthy and active, both physically and mentally, and are still able to actively and productively contribute to their work and fulfil their job responsibilities. If retaining the CPF contribution rates for this group of Singaporeans would render them less attractive to be employed, there are two suggestions. One, the CPF contribution rates can be staggered downwards progressively rather than a drastic cut once they cross the threshold of 55 to 56 years. For instance, upon reaching 56, the employer CPF contribution can be 16% and the employee CPF contribution can be 19%. Upon reaching 57, their employer CPF contribution can be 15% and the employee contribution can be 18%. The reduction goes down progressively 1% to 2% a year until they reach 60. Two, the Government can come in to provide a buffer for CPF reduction in a bid to encourage older Singaporeans to continue to work, be financially independent and stay active.”