Irene Ng Phek Hoong
Singapore
“Mdm Speaker, elder abuse may be more common than is recognised, particularly amongst seniors with dementia or other cognitive impairments. Does the Minister agree that the barriers to recognising and reporting elder abuse should be addressed? One of them is the lack of a clear definition of elder abuse.”
“I am heartened by the Minister's reply. In my duties as a Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) Member for Defence, I have interacted with many women officers, including commanders in combat units, and they hold their own in a male-dominated workforce.”
“Madam, my condolences again to the families and friends of those who lost their lives at the Sabah Earthquake. I thank the Minister for his reply and we support the Ministry's approach to outdoor adventure learning and its continuance.”
“Thank you, Madam. It is heartening to see how readily Singapore responded to the disaster in Nepal. I would like to ask the Second Minister: now that the disaster relief phase is coming to an end, how would Singapore contribute to the long-term reconstruction phase that follows?”
“This will help to sustain the practice and tradition and increase appreciation of their artistry within the community and beyond. We should also conserve the unique tools of traditional art forms, such as the last remaining dragon kiln in Singapore, and protect it as part of our heritage.”
“I would like to ask about the stress levels on the students. I welcome the Ministry of Education's (MOE) shift to go beyond grades. But, on the ground, Page: 123 the reality is that there is increasing pressure on the students to chase good grades, given the very competitive system and also the high expectations of parents.”
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“Sir, I would suggest that the Government give eldercare subsidies to lower income and lower middle income families the way we give childcare subsidies to these families. We do not put them through a means test when we offer, let us say, the centre-based financial assistance scheme for childcare. We should regard this as a necessity and not a luxury because it isimportant for the elderly's recovery and integration into society.Perhaps we could expand the use of Eldercare Fund which the Government is puttinginmore moneythis year. It is not clear to us the value of the Eldercare Fund, how is the trickle-down effect on the VWOs and those who need help. I would ask the Government to please give an update on the use of Eldercare Fund. Turning to the elderly, we have talked a lot about the land of opportunity, but what could the elderly look forward to, especially the frail elderly. Sometimes, when you talk to old people on the ground, the only thing that the Government seems to offer themare jobs like cleaners or hawker assistants, not exactly the kind of retirement job that onewants to ride into the sunset with.I think we should be able to offer a future where they could look forward toa life of security, opportunity and dignity. So I would ask the Government to please look at the assumptions of our policies, which is that the needs of theelderly either remain static or decrease over time. But their needs are actually growing as they live longer and aspire to lead fulfilling lives. The Government should devote more resources to develop community-based and affordable support systems to help families cope. I am glad that the Government is workingon lowering healthcare cost by reviewing MediShield and topping up Medisave.”
“All the while we have been telling Singaporeans that it isimportant for them towork to support themselves. But if they are not well, and if theyneed rehabilitation, then they could not do so. So rehabilitation is important for them so that they could recover their health and, hopefully, return to the workforce. Even though the quality of life is important, it is also important that they go for rehabilitation regularly.Butdespite the subsidies that are offered, the families stillsaid they could not afford the fees required to pay for rehabilitation for their elderly.The elderly often tell us that they do not want to be a burden to their children. Many of the elderly patients in rehabilitation centres are above 70 years oldand their adult children are aged 50, who arealready concerned about their own retirement. This isthe trend I see in mymeet-the-people sessions. For example, just a few months ago,a resident came to see me, and this is a typical case -sole breadwinner, forklift driver, supports sister, mother, wife and3 children. He takes home about $800 a month. He has to pay for his mother's medical bills because of diabetes, and his wife, who once worked as a production operator, had to resign to care for the kids. This is a problem that I feel we have to grapple with, and the means test that we presently have in place to give subsidies is the one that causes families to tear apart.I have heard it many times from several families that to expect them to beg or to ask for the children's payslips so that they could apply for a means test and to be eligible for subsidies is something that is hard for them to do.”
“Sir, I applaud the Finance Minister's vision of a land of opportunity for all, where no one is left behind. It is a caring and inclusive Budget. Sir, in my speech I would like to focus on three particular groups that merit closer attention. First, the lower middle to lowerincomesandwich generation, struggling to support their elderly parents and their young children;second, the elderly; andthird, the housewives.Although our inflation rate has been manageable for most, it is these three groups that would feel most keenly inany rise in the cost of living. Sir, the sandwich generationgroup has been rapidly on the rise. Overall, we have a total of about 197,000 households or 21% in 2000, with at least one person aged 65 years and over. It is up from the 136,000 or 20% a decade ago. When one talks to these families, onegets a sense that they are worried about the rising health cost for the elderly and education cost for the young children. There is a sense of being squeezed. Even though we try and help them, there is a sense that they are being pulled in both directions. Sir, they are under pressure and, as a result of this, we have a problem where they feel emotionally unable to cope and financially stretched. We need to put in place policies to assist families to take care of older adults in an integrated manner. Sir, last week I had several dialogues with the VWOs which care for the elderly -because Tampines/Changkat is an ageing estate -and I have two daycare centres which offer rehabilitation. They tell me that most of their patients come from the lower income group or the lower middle income group - 4-room flats and below - and many of them could not pay the full fee required, which is about $500 a month. It is important for the elderly to go for rehabilitation.”
“Sir, I am sure Singaporeans do not begrudge this generous donation to Indonesia. But can I ask how the Ministry came up with the figure of $16.5 million? This is particularly useful since there may be other calamities in the region, and we need to know on what basis we decided on the amount.”
“For the reason that HDB is sticking to its rule of two persons per flat, is it because there is a lack of rental flats?”
“I would like to ask about the rising trend of divorce cases. We do see divorced women with young children. So, they do not have two people who are adults above 35, but they do have one person above 35 and one young child. Can the Government relook its policy to allow for such cases to also have rental flats?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, if I may clarify my speech.”
“And I would urge our education system to stress this Singapore identity and shared experience over communal cultures and separate identities. Sir, I studied Confucianism as part of my philosophy subject in university, but I must confess that although I embraced the values of Confucius, after years of studying what Confucius said and even memorising what he said in Chinese, it did not make me feel more Chinese. But when I read Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's Memoirs, that resonated more. It made me feel more Singaporean. That kind of society I want to belong to. Sir, we must seek to be ourselves. Let us follow our own path, our literature, our way of life. They are ours. They capture our spirit, our essence. Let that be enough. Sir, I support this motion and I hope that the House should also bear in mind that we are working towards a national identity, and we should not forget that. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS (Exempted Business) With the consent of Mr Speaker and the general assent of Members present, Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, "That the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No. 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of Minister Mentor's speech." - [Mr Mah Bow Tan]. REVISED CHINESE LANGUAGE CURRICULUM Debate resumed. 4.38 pm”
“Sir, in conclusion, if I may quote from Mr S Rajaratnam, one of our founding leaders who wrote our National Pledge. In 1959, he wrote in Sunday Mail the need to inculcate in our people what he called then "a Malayan consciousness", because then Singapore did not exist as an independent country. In today's context, the right term would be "Singaporean consciousness". His views on this made up the essence of our National Pledge. So I thought it is worth quoting. He noted that, "At the moment, [ie, 1959] this Malayan consciousness was a feeble thing. Because we have been taught from childhood to be loyal to our own racial group, to a communal culture. If you are a Chinese, you learn to be a Chinese and you speak Chinese." He believed that "being a Chinese, Malay or Indian is largely a question of cultural conditioning. It is group solidarity based on common customs, beliefs and superstitions." "It is not very difficult," he said, "through education to inculcate a sense of solidarity with the bigger group, the nation." Mr Rajaratnam believed that with the right education policy, young people would come out of school as Malayans. In our case, today, as Singaporeans. In another article that he wrote in 1960, he noted "that a majority of Malayans are more attached to their communal cultures. A Chinese, a Malay or Indian can get worked up about his communal culture but Malayan culture fails to evoke a similar response." Somehow that has a familiar ring even today. And he said, "I think this is partly because we have not yet developed a deep sense of national consciousness or identity." That was in 1960. Forty-four years on, and especially after we achieved our own independence, we should have developed a stronger sense of national consciousness.”
“Amidst all the reviews to increase fluency in the mother tongue, we should not forget that even in China, more Chinese are learning English. In this respect, I note with some concern the proposal on the SAP-Plus programme which says that if there is demand, SAP primary schools should be allowed to provide greater exposure to CL for a few of the classes by teaching more subjects in CL. And students in this programme could have up to 60% CL exposure in their total curriculum in Primary 1 and 2, compared to about 33% currently. This is a huge jump - 33% to 60%. It must be at the expense of another language, which is English. There is also the proposal for more non-CL subjects to be taught in CL at secondary level. By all means do this if it helps but please not at the expense of an erosion of English as a common working language. Recently, I was invited to give a talk at NUS to promote good English. I am told that the grammar and the sentence structure of the undergraduates leave much to be desired. It is a trend that worries many of the lecturers. And I said, "Why do you need me to come and speak to your students? I heard the problem is not English but Chinese." They said, "No. Increasingly, in canteens, the undergraduates are breaking out into Chinese or Singlish when they are together, and they are not speaking good English." And in my ward, I find that I have to run reading programmes for English to teach Primary 1 to Primary 3 students from low-income families who do not speak English at home, and they need a grasp of English so that they can grasp mathematical concepts, which are all in English so that they can have a firm foundation to carry on in their studies.”
“Throughout my years in Malaysia, the language of instruction was Malay - everything was in Malay - mathematics in Malay, science in Malay. I did not have an opportunity to learn Mandarin in school, although I speak Hokkien at home. So when I came to Singapore, I struggled with my studies as English was the language of instruction here. I could not understand what it was. When I was in mathematics class, "denominator" and "numerator" were all alien words to me. And in the science stream, I was even more stumped by the scientific concepts and names that were in English. I managed to do OK. But of course, the easiest subject for me was Malay and I got a distinction for my 'A' levels in my second language. But it does not follow that because I got a distinction in Malay as my second language, I am more Malay than, say, a Malay who got a credit or an "F" in Malay. Similarly, it does not mean that because Chinese students speak better in Chinese that he or she is more Chinese. The Indian community is very diverse with different language groups. My Indian friends tell me that they do not identify with Tamil as a cultural marker for them. Sir, we should regard culture in an organic sense, as an expression of human behaviour rather than as an entity which may be embodied in a language. Once we accept this, we should be open to giving students and parents their free choice in choosing their second language in school, and allow them to criss cross each other's cultural world through language. And then we can have people who can speak many languages besides their own language. Third, I just want to mention the importance of English to remain as our common language, and not to lose our sight from that.”
“Globalisation has weakened the power of the nation state to prescribe and prohibit access to and use of language among its citizens. The new economy has also created new markets for language. Younger people, especially those that I spoke to recently, have told me that they see language more as a tool for occupational success and less and less as a marker of identity. Such a policy of requiring each racial group to learn a particular mother tongue, except on a case-by-case basis, also erects artificial social and cultural barriers based on language. They are restrictive, as the Government has sought to tie a specific mother tongue to each ethnic group, resulting in restricted access to an ethnic language other than the specified mother tongue which is learned mostly in school. The effect of this is that it forces Singaporeans to view language as the key constituent of identity, and puts the burden on the ethnic group to act as a watchdog and promoter of language as we have seen. Any change to do with any language is greeted with great passion and emotion because it is seen as a threat to their ethnic identity, and it need not be so. A desire to learn a language, other than the assigned mother tongue or a disinterest in the assigned mother tongue, in this context, may then be interpreted as an act of communal disloyalty and a rejection of cultural heritage. Linking identity and language so tightly has its problems. One can feel proud of being Chinese, while not having the full mastery of the language. Conversely, one can have full mastery of a language and yet, not feel part of that ethnic group. If I may cite a personal example. I studied in Malaysia until my 'O' levels and came to Singapore for my 'A' levels.”
“Moreover, with this proposed revised curriculum, which also caters to students from non-Chinese speaking backgrounds, meaning Chinese who have come from English-speaking backgrounds, they will also be able to cope better with Chinese, because they also do not have Chinese-speaking backgrounds, ie, the non-Chinese minorities. But with his proposed revised curriculum which caters to this group, they can cope. The choice should be given to the students and their parents. They choose and take the responsibility for it. Sir, recently, I was holding a dialogue in Tampines-Changkat Community Centre. It was about the National Day Rally speech. And there was a Malay woman who stood up. She was wearing the traditional Malay dress with the tudung and she was speaking about how she wants her child to learn Chinese, and in fact, took Chinese. I said, "How did you manage to get your child to take Chinese in school?" She said, "Oh, I married a Chinese-Muslim." They were given a choice and they chose Chinese because Singapore is their home, that is where they will grow up and they think that is where the future will be, in terms of how their child will be effective in the job market with Chinese as a tool. Sir, I also know of some private kindergarten centres that teach Mandarin to its students, no matter what race they are from. This is at the request of the non-Chinese parents. If they have this foundation in the private kindergartens and yet, we do not allow them to carry on in primary school, that would seem a waste. Sir, the Government should let go of its role as the sole arbiter of language choice in school. Students should be given greater access to a variety of languages and not be limited by ethnicity.”
“Sir, in times of economic difficulty and job losses, the concern over fairness and equal opportunities will particularly be acute. Compounding the problems caused by the fast pace of economic restructuring, strains have also appeared along ethnic lines. Given the trends of the rise of China and the increasing importance of Chinese, some parents from the minority groups would like their children to take up Chinese as their second language, if they are given a choice, so that they will not face these problems in the future. But the present bilingual policy gives approval to non-Chinese students to take up Chinese as their second language only on a case-by-case basis. And we know that on a case-by-case basis means very rare and this is borne out in the figures given to me yesterday by Mr Tharman. Approval is only given, for example, where students are of mixed parentage, or where students have studied Chinese before. But why must approval be sought and the lines drawn in the first place? Why cannot students choose their second language the way they choose history, mathematics, science or chemistry? If we give students and their parents the choice, the sharp sense that the non-Chinese might feel when they cannot get a job because of the Chinese requirement, and that the odds are structurally stacked against them in the job market will be blunted. The non-Chinese would not feel that they lack equal opportunity in the job market, because of the education system which effectively locks them out of this route of learning Chinese in school.”
“We should learn from our experience when we launched the "Speak Mandarin" campaign with great gusto. The constant exhortation to speak Mandarin, although directed at Chinese Singaporeans, has not only increased the sense of insecurity among the minority groups, but also heightened the racial consciousness of Singaporeans. And even today, sometimes we still hear the problems associated with Chinese speaking in Chinese, even though there are non-Chinese present at work, at home or in the buses, as if the non-Chinese are invisible. There is also a sense of division among the Chinese-speaking Chinese and the English-speaking ones. I feel that this will affect social cohesion on the ground if it is not managed properly. It does not mean that we do not use our Chinese or mother tongue whenever we feel like it, but we must be sensitive and use it in the right context and to be very aware that we live in a multi-racial society. Sir, the other fundamental principle that we should bear in mind is meritocracy, that we offer equal opportunities to everyone, according to their merit, which means if you work hard and apply yourself, you will get the job that you want, and get as far as you can according to your abilities and talents. Sir, it is recognised that increasingly, Chinese is a useful language to get ahead for employment opportunities and for career advancement, not only in China, but also in Singapore. Indeed, we have heard of complaints from the jobless, especially among the minority groups, that they are shut out of certain jobs because the jobs require a fluency in Chinese and that is a requirement put in advertisements, the ability to speak Chinese.”
“This leads me to the second principle and that is of equality. All the four official languages in Singapore - English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil - enjoy equal status. And this position was restated by the then PM, Mr Lee Kuan Yew just after Singapore became independent. This is symbolic of our approach to multi-racialism, in which the majority group does not lord over the minority groups and force the minority groups to learn its language as the national language, as is the case in some countries. This is also the approach taken by the Swiss. So we are not unique in this. There are four languages spoken in Switzerland - German, French, Italian and Romansh. They are able to accept equal rights for all these languages, notwithstanding the fact that the German language is spoken by at least 65-70% of the population. Thus, no language group can claim to have priority with regard to its constitutional status. Sir, in Singapore, this state of affairs, where we treat all languages as equal in principle, cannot be taken for granted in the way it is practised on the ground, especially as the MOE report advocates more opportunities to use Chinese Language in the formal as well as informal curriculum. It proposes that more time be given to Chinese Language subjects in some schools, where there is demand. Then, there are the SAP-Plus programme which will allow more non-Chinese Language subjects to be taught in Chinese Language. There is also the proposal for schools, if there is a demand, to organise CCAs or enrichment programmes that introduce students to Chinese culture in a way that is accessible to students of all races. We need to look out for the unintended spillover effects to our non-Chinese Singaporeans.”
“There is a surge of pride in being a Chinese national, that sense of superiority that comes from their becoming more successful as a nation and growing as a giant to be reckoned with on the world stage. Even as we promote the teaching of Chinese thought and history in the curriculum, we must be careful that the Chinese in Singapore are not influenced by the rising nationalism in China and wear the Chinese badge as a sign of superiority, because in Singapore, that would not make them nationalists, but Chinese chauvinists. Sir, we should take every opportunity, including in the mother tongue curriculum, to inculcate a Singaporean consciousness. We should work towards local themes and shared experiences in the teaching of the different mother tongue languages. We should also champion our own Chinese literature written by our own Chinese literati. Indeed, I would say that one way to gauge the success of all the reforms that we have put in place is whether there will be more books in Chinese written by our Chinese writers in our bookshops and being read increasingly by our Singaporean citizens. These books should not only have local themes and familiar settings, but also be uniquely Singaporean in the idioms used and express the feelings and thoughts of the Singaporean writers. Sir, for this, the role of Chinese Language teachers is key. Yesterday, the Education Minister spoke about the need to recruit more teachers, from both local and foreign sources. Sir, I would urge that the Minister tilt the balance towards Singaporean Chinese teachers and not those from China. These Singaporean teachers can weave in Singaporean ideas and context, to promote a Singaporean consciousness, as opposed to a Chinese China consciousness.”
“We are an Asian society, we are proud of our Asian heritage and we should retain our Asian values. But I do question if we should actively promote the idea that our mother tongue languages, as defined by the State (Chinese for Chinese, Malay for Malays, Tamil for Indians), and our race, again as defined by the State as required in our identity cards, should provide the key anchors for our identity in this globalised world. Some nations are bound by a common language, and that defines them - France by the French language, Germans by the German language and the Japanese by the Japanese language. But for us, what binds us is not our separate languages, but our political ideology, the founding principles that guided Singapore's foundation and undergird our way of life. Sir, the two fundamental planks are multi-racialism, which means equal regard to all races and their languages and cultures, and meritocracy, which gives equal opportunity to all, regardless of their race, language or religion. When Singapore separated from Malaysia, the PAP Government based its legitimacy on this political credo, not on the basis of communal identities, as is the case in some countries. We need to make sure that this renewed emphasis on Chinese Language and culture, while legitimate, because of the rise of China, will not mean that our society will be made more "Chinese" as a result, with Chinese signs dominating the landscape or Chinese being promoted as the dominant language in public places. We must also be aware that, with the rise of China, the Chinese in China have become more nationalistic.”
“Sir, I support the move to revise the Chinese Language curriculum to allow children of different language backgrounds and abilities to achieve their fullest potential in Chinese Language. But if I may, I would like to take a step back from the details and to approach this discussion from first principles. First fundamental principle - of national self-determination: that we are Singaporeans, building a unique multi-racial nation with our own values and national culture, and bound by a common destiny. Our motherland is Singapore. Our roots are in Singapore. Our identity is anchored on being Singaporean, or at least, that must be the ideal. Sir, if we accept this principle, several things flow from this. We may be Chinese, but we are not overseas Chinese, with China as our motherland. We are Singaporean Chinese. We may even be steeped in Chinese culture and history and have links with China, but we are different from the Chinese in China. They are not family, the way that our Singaporean Malays and Singaporean Indians are family. This bears emphasising because there is a paragraph in the MOE report which states, "Knowing our mother tongue languages gives us confidence in our culture, roots and identity as a people." It also added about the usefulness of the mother tongue languages in a fast-growing region. I quote, "In particular, the usefulness of learning Chinese Language will increase with China's growing global influence." And yesterday, the Education Minister, Mr Tharman, said: "Our mother tongue languages will always be essential to give us our identity. Our cultures, languages and values give us roots, a quiet confidence in who we are." Sir, I do not dispute the role of language as a vehicle of self-expression and for opening doors to opportunity.”
“Sir, the Minister mentioned that the liberalisation was introduced at a bad time because the economy was not doing well. Could I ask the Minister whether he is aware that both companies are doing very well in terms of profits and whether he thinks it is still too early in the day for both companies to be throwing in the towel?”
“Whereas in the telecommunications industry, it came on in the same year. Is the Minister aware that in the case of the telecommunications industry, it has succeeded in producing a better variety of service providers and products for consumers?”
“Sir, can I take it that the Minister is saying that the failure of the two media companies to compete is because of their business strategy and not because of the regulatory environment? As the Minister noted, a point which has been made is that the media competition "came very late" three years after the media was liberalised.”
“Supplementary question for a start, Sir.”
“Sir, I commend the Government for inserting a new section 12A in the Children Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill to provide for Government's reimbursement for adoption leave. Adopting a child can be a complicated, time-consuming and emotionally draining experience, whether it is a local adoption or a foreign one. Currently, Singaporeans adopt an average of 700 children a year, more than 60% of whom are foreign born. About 5% of the total number of adoptions, or about 35 cases, each year involves singles. They have to meet strict criteria to be eligible to adopt. Each applicant will be investigated thoroughly by MCYS as well as the authorities in the relevant foreign country, if it is an overseas adoption, and they have to apply to the Family Court for the adoption order. So, under the current Government's guidelines, single females who meet the criteria and the strict checks are allowed to adopt a child. But here comes the contradiction with this Bill. It excludes them in its provision for reimbursement for adoption leave. The amendment only provides for Government's reimbursement to an employer who has granted to a married, widowed or divorced female employee paid leave in connection with her adoption of a child. Single females who adopted are not included. I would like to ask the Minister why the contradiction when MCYS already allows adoption by singles, and that signals that it is not an immoral thing, but at the same time does not allow the employer to get Government's reimbursement for adoption leave. I would also like to ask the Minister to make consistent its policy and to be clear on the Government's position on this.”
“But, at the end, it is the innocent children who would suffer from their continued exclusion from society by discriminating against unwed mothers. Sir, it would seem to me that the better solution would be to educate the men to take greater responsibility for their actions and for the women that they impregnate and for raising a family, and not punish the women who have to bear their children. Rather than abort these children, these women had taken the decision to raise them and give them a better future. We should not place extra burdens on their shoulders. Sir, in devising social policies, often we have to engage in difficult trade-offs. The best that could be done, as a general rule, is to maintain a precarious balance that would prevent the occurrence of desperate situations or intolerable choices. That is the first requirement for a decent society, one that we could always strive for. Sir, in conclusion, I would hope that we could look at the balance that we have put in place, in terms of the balance between the responsibilities of the father and mother in raising a child, the balance between the right to work and the right to have children, and the balance between unwed mothers and mothers who are married and who have husbands to help them at home. I think with a better balance throughout, we could achieve a better society for all.”
“Sir, I am happy to note that a new subsection has been inserted into the Employment Act to give greater flexibility to women in determining when to take the last part of her maternity leave. I would like to clarify with the Minister whether this would mean also that she has the option of not taking the full maternity leave but to come back earlier and to maybe work out some part-time arrangements and for the leave to be extended proportionately. Finally, on the balance between married women and unmarried women and who have children. Sir, married and working women employed, or self-employed, are eligible for 12 weeks of Government-paid maternity leave. I understand that unmarried mothers do not qualify for the extra one week of Government-paid maternity leave. Sir, some of these unmarried women have written to me. They are concerned because they see themselves as victims of circumstances. Many of them have been already dealt the emotional blow of being abandoned by men. They now have the responsibility of single-handedly raising a child in the competitive world. They want to also work. They want to earn enough income to give their children a better life. We need not add to their plight by withholding benefits which would help them to be better mothers and to raise their child better. They are in a more difficult situation, one would argue, than working mothers who have the support of their husbands to help raise their family. The Straits Times reported recently that there were 501 births registered without the father's name in 2002. I understand the Government's concern, whether by extending the benefit to this group of unwed mothers, it would unwittingly send a signal of encouraging this trend or undermining the family as an institution. And I share this concern.”
“The Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations 2002 and the Paternity and Adoption Leave Regulations 2002 in the UK, for instance, provide for the right to return to the job in which she was employed after taking the leave for maternity purposes, or if it is not reasonably practicable for the employer to permit her to return to that job, then to another job which is suitable and appropriate on terms and conditions not less favourable than those which would have applied had she not been absent. So the right to return to work is enshrined in law, but we do not have that. I would ask the Minister whether this would be considered and whether the Minister would also encourage employers to look beyond giving mothers a stark choice between coming back to work immediately at the full pace of work, back to the normal workload, or the choice of not coming back to work at all. I would suggest that the Minister should also encourage employers to go the route of part-time work, which is part of the framework, and I would ask the Minister to see whether they could provide for the right to part-time work, which is provided in Switzerland. In fact, in Switzerland, on top of 16 weeks' maternity leave, it provides for the right to part-time work until the child is eight. It has the highest percentage of women in part-time work at 56.5%. And studies show that in Switzerland, the decision to have a family and to have more children depends directly on the job and career of women. The Netherlands are also known for the high level of part-time work, especially for women, and this is considered to be one key reason for the success of Dutch dual income families in having children.”
“It does not matter if you have a PhD or Master or whether you are a hardworker. At the end of the day, at the sub-conscious, what matters is how many children you have and whether you will be committed at work or as productive. And we have also heard of women being passed over for promotion because they were pregnant or have plans for more babies. Yet, no man is ever asked at job interviews or promotions, "Will you be taking time-off for reservists?" Or whether they would be asked whether this would affect their productivity or performance at work since they have to go for reservist for so many weeks at a time. Men are also not asked, at the point of hiring or in terms of consideration for promotion, whether they would have more children or how would they take care of their babies. So we should change the mindset of the employers towards parenthood to take the larger national view and, at the same time, to protect women from possible discrimination because they are presently sharing a greater share of the load in raising their families. I would ask the Minister what assurances he could give to pregnant women and women with young children that they would not be discriminated against. Some women say they have little option but to resign from work after their maternity leave is over because the employers either have replaced them at work or have closed the door and the possibility of working out some other flexible arrangements, such as part-time work. This is especially the case in SMEs. In some countries like the UK, the law provides for the right to return to work after maternity leave, paternity leave, or adoption leave.”
“If you go to hospitals, I hear that husbands are keen to be in the labour room, to be with their wives to watch their babies emerge for the first time. They do not want to be left out of the joys of parenthood and the Government should not make the decision for them. They should open up the choice to them, not decide for them, whether they would use the extended paternity leave or not even if they were provided for. In any case, it seems very odd to me that just because the Government does not think that fathers will make use of the leave, it should not be provided for. It is almost like saying, if many workers do not use up their entire annual leave entitled to them, for instance, they are very hardworkers, then as a matter of policy, all workers are no longer entitled to their annual leave. The issue is surely not whether fathers will make use of the leave fully. Rather, it is whether we believe that fathers should share the responsibilities of raising a child and, if so, we should send this signal as a society by legislating paternity leave. And if necessary, we can encourage fathers to take their paternity leave. This also would help us to even out the playing field for employment which leads me to the second point. As has been pointed out by my colleagues before me, some women worry about discrimination, whether the extended maternity leave and the childcare benefits would cause employers to discriminate against them, affect their chances for promotion, the chances of being hired for the job. And we have heard of cases where women are asked at the hiring stage whether they have plans to have babies, how many children do they have or are there any childcare arrangements, as if they are not to be assessed on their own merits.”
“Sir, the extended maternity and childcare benefits in the Employment (Amendment) Bill form a key plank in the Government's pro-family policy. But for the plank to be effective, I would argue that it needs to be not only in the right place but also reasonably balanced and nailed in with the correct force. And right now, as it stands, my concern is that it may not be all that balanced. I would like to highlight, in particular, three areas and deal with each in turn. First is the balance to be made between the responsibilities of the father and the mother. Second, the balance between the right to have babies and the right to work, and the right not to be discriminated against. And third is the right of married working mothers and balancing that with the right of unwed mothers who were abandoned by their men and have to cope with raising the children on their own. First, on balancing the responsibilities of men and women in raising their children. As has been pointed out by my colleagues before me, a concern is why the Government has not put the case for paternity leave. We know all the arguments as to why it is not legislated this time round. The reason given is that most fathers do not make use of it, going by the experience of some countries, that this is not something, as the Manpower Minister, Dr Ng Eng Hen put it recently, which would have reflected what society wants now. I am sure Dr Ng has consulted many young families and young fathers, but I have also talked to some and they have told me that they would have appreciated paternity leave to help their wives after childbirth. Many younger fathers want to be involved. And if you go to pre-natal classes, you can see very eager young husbands helping their wives and wanting to be involved in the process.”
“Sir, the establishment of the NSCS under the PMO and the appointment of a senior civil servant focused on national security are important steps that demonstrate the Government's serious approach to the new threats facing us. But I would like to ask the Minister to clarify the exact mandate and authority given to this unit and the Permanent Secretary, as it would lead to how seriously the measures would be taken and whether it would be tight coordination or loose coordination. Can I ask the Minister whether the role is to coordinate in terms of giving suggestions on how to improve networking, or will the agencies and the Ministries that are involved be required to respond to his directions? Related to that question is whether a new secretariat under the PMO would also have authority over the planning and budgeting resources and the personnel required to encourage, if not force, the various Ministries and agencies to take joint coordination and operations seriously. I would also like to join my colleague, Dr Ong Chit Chung, to ask whether a budget should be allocated to this secretariat, to make sure that it will be able to carry out its programmes effectively. Sir, my last question is, given the range of threats that have been mentioned in the Minister's statement, whether there is a clear sense of priorities in terms of which threat we should be focusing on, because that would give us a sense of how to allocate our resources as dollars are finite, and also to give the public a sense of what sort of threats we should be looking out and preparing for.”
“With the earlier announced higher operational standards to maintain the equipment to make sure that hot switches work and with the extra measures taken also to make sure that the public is prepared, I would just like to ask whether the cost will be passed on to the consumers in terms of increased electricity charges. Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I think the Member has crossed the lines. NEGOTIATIONS WITH MALAYSIA ON THE BRIDGE 9. Dr Ong Chit Chung asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs to inform the House if his Ministry has entered into negotiations with the Foreign Ministry of Malaysia on the bridge, as stated by the Malaysian Minister for Works Mr Samy Vellu on 13th June 2004, and if so, to update us on the progress on this issue.”
“Sir, can I ask the Senior Minister of State whether he can clarify why there is a rejection of the idea for a hotline if only it is to record a message to inform residents who are affected by a blackout, because it could be a terrorist attack, it could be some catastrophic incident and they need the information quickly, and radio broadcasting may not be the most effective means for direct and immediate communication? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, I think Dr Balakrishnan has alluded to the answer, which is essentially that if you have a hotline like this, people want to know what is happening, and they call the hotline. As has been shown during the recent incident when everybody called in, Police hotline was jammed. So there will be even greater anxiety. The clear demarcation should be that if they want information, the information would be put out, and this has proven to be the best way. People who turned on the radio - and I have heard friends who said that when they turned on the radio, they knew exactly what happened and what to do, and waited for the lights to come on - helped to clear the emergency lines for situations where, for example, there may be a fire, theft or other situations where Police or SCDF's response is immediately needed. In any case, I understand that there is a Power Grid hotline, which is 24 hours, which can be used if you want information. But I would say that we should not have a dedicated hotline just for a situation like that.”
“Sir, can I just ask one last supplementary question, please? Mr Deputy Speaker: No. I think we have spent enough time. Can you ask the next Question? EMERGENCIES (Preparedness of Singaporeans) 6. Ms Irene Ng Phek Hoong asked the Minister for Home Affairs, given the public confusion that arose as a result of the recent power blackout, (a) whether Singaporeans can be taught how to handle such emergencies, including lift rescue, as part of Total Defence; and (b) whether the police should improve its hotlines to provide timely information to the public during such emergencies. 7. Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Home Affairs in light of the recent power failures (a) how adequately prepared are our households to meet the challenge with the emergency kits prescribed by SCDF; (b) has his Ministry any plans to issue all households in Singapore with these kits, for instance torchlight, transistor radio and first-aid box, or at least to encourage households to be equipped with them. 8. Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Minister for Home Affairs in the event of future power failures what contingency plans his Ministry has (i) to ensure that proper law and order is maintained although the recent failures have been crime-free and (ii) for the Traffic Police to ensure that our roads are flowing freely and accident-free.”
“Indeed, I informed the House in the Committee of Supply that we are putting aside 1% of the defence budget for experimentation. And I am glad that many Members of this House actually took up my invitation to visit the SAF Centre for Military Experimentation a couple of weeks ago.”
“So our tank crewmen can actually do the equivalent of a battle with their tanks whilst sitting in the simulators within one or two hours when, previously, they would have had to take out their tanks, drive out for one or two hours administratively to the training areas to conduct an exercise before coming back again for one or two hours administratively. So, from that point of view, you can say that the training is more intensive. It makes better use of time and is much more effective. Will we send our people for more PKOs? I must say that PKOs have been very useful for the SAF in developing its operational doctrine and giving it operational experience. And where this fits in with our national objectives, we will do so. But for National Servicemen, the principle that we have followed for PKOs is that we have asked them to volunteer for these PKOs. And I am glad to say that a good number of National Servicemen have done so. This speaks well of the SAF and speaks well of our National Servicemen. Will there be savings from this reduction in NS period? That was not the primary consideration at all, I should say. In fact, whatever savings that we may get from the reduction, we will absorb completely because of the increase in the number of National Servicemen coming into the SAF. As I said, that was not the primary consideration. We will put in as much as we need to for defence. What we have done in the Ministry of Defence's budget is to place high priority on transforming into the 3rd generation SAF. And if you ask me where would I put the marginal dollar today, I would prefer to put the marginal dollar into investment in transformation of the SAF rather than putting the marginal dollar into more people.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister for assuring us that the reduced NS period will not compromise on our operational readiness. I would like to ask the Minister whether the training itself would now be intensive for those who have to be compressed from 2 1/2 to 2 years, and also whether the Minister will consider sending them more on peacekeeping missions to make sure that they are indeed operationally ready to face any conflict situations and we hope that they will not be tested in war. The second question is that the House has supported MINDEF in its increased budget, because we want to see a strong SAF. And with the change that has been announced today, there will be small savings. Although that is not the motivating factor for the change, can I ask the Minister whether he can assure and enlighten the House on how the budget of MINDEF will be spent to ensure that indeed despite the changes announced today, MINDEF will be stronger and continue to build up its capabilities to deter and to defend Singapore. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: Mr Speaker, Sir, to some extent, the training will be more intensive and, in fact, this is something which has been happening over the years. For example, we have much more mechanisation in the Armed Forces today. And to train an armour crew is more complex and more complicated than training infantry men, and we have many more armour crewmen today. But because we have very much improved training systems, like our armour simulator, we can take our crewmen and give them very high value and very intensive training and good feedback in that training in a relatively short period of time.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister about the the new Uniformed Group that is to be run by MOE and MHA. Can I ask the Minister how different it will be from the present uniformed groups being run now like the girl guides, scouts and so on? My second question is: while I support fully this move towards getting more students involved in sports and uniformed groups, can I ask the Minister why is there a need to have a new Uniformed Group now, especially since the present ones are having trouble already in attracting young students to their fold?”
“The coordinated and swift Government-wide response in the aftermath of the Nicoll Highway tragedy which helped minimise damage and disruption to business is also highly commendable and reassuring to most Singaporeans. But going forward, it is important to avoid needless loss of lives and exposing our construction workers and our officers from the SCDF, DART and other Government agencies to unnecessary danger by working towards zero accidents at worksites. This should be done by reviewing the operations of the entire construction industry which has been crying out for change for some time now. The relevant Government agencies, ie, BCA, MOM, HDB, LTA and JTC, should spearhead and coordinate the review, from the tendering and contract admini stration system to payment modes, the BCA's contractors' registry, safety regulations and the adequacy of workmen's compensation, with inputs from all stakeholders. I urge the relevant authorities not to drag their feet and wait till more lives are lost before taking comprehensive action. Sir, with this, I support the motion.”
“Like LTA, instead of punitive measures to elicit compliance by contractors, a carrot and stick approach with an incentive scheme to reward contractors who achieve good safety performance could be implemented to help inculcate a culture of safety first and respect for the sanctity of human lives. Further, as the Minister for National Development has recently noted, the job of making worksites safe should not fall squarely on the contractors, but should be shared by all parties, from developers and architects to engineers and workers. Hence, schemes could also be devised to ensure that developers could take responsibility to make the worksite safe. The Government's move to make the payment to main contractors public and to have more frequent audits of the financial health of contractors, in response to the Marine Terrace upgrading incident, are positive steps to address some of the shortcomings of the industry. The SOP system that is presently being studied as well as the review of the tender system will also help to overcome some of the problems. LTA's recent announcement of $1 million incentive for contractors who maintain a good safety record and an equilibrium penalty for errant contractors would also help to inculcate safety first culture in the industry, benefiting both the public and those in the industry. However, as I have noted, these have largely been ad hoc and piecemeal. Our rescue workers, in particular the SCDF, the DART officers, the late Mr Heng Yeow Pheow and others, have made us proud with their display of courage and selfless sacrifice in the face of disaster. We are indeed thankful for these valiant men.”
“The Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Committee for the construction industry set up by MOM in response to the high numbers of fatalities in the industry has over the years reviewed its OSH policies and introduced tough measures, such as barring contractors with poor safety records to recruit foreign workers from non-traditional sources, to improve their safety standards. However, these policies, the system of monitoring, etc, may have to be further reviewed and tightened to achieve tangible improvements in safety standards. Currently, contractors are required by MOM to engage independent safety auditors to undertake safety audits every six months, reports are then submitted to the contractors and MOM. I would like to ask the Minister for Manpower what MOM does with these reports. How does MOM ensure that contractors have taken steps to rectify the deficiency in safety provisions identified by the audits? Are more frequent checks required of the contractor if the audits fall below a certain threshold level, as this will then ensure that the contractors comply with the safety provisions as soon as possible? The qualifications of and criteria for safety auditors and safety auditing organisations should also be reviewed to ensure that these personnel and organisations have the relevant skills and experience to competently carry out safety audits. More stringent criteria could also be set up for those auditing more complex and large scale projects. The current demerit scheme for contractors who do not meet safety requirements could be tightened such that contractors get warning letters, stop-work orders and debarment from hiring foreign workers at lower threshold demerit points than presently.”
“Hence, whilst the fundamental rationale of the Government's tender system cannot be faulted, refinements can and should be made to the tender criteria and evaluation system to address some of the concerns regarding the system. For instance, the Tender Evaluation Committee must be given ample time to evaluate the tenders, based on criteria which are made known to the tenderers. Bids which are substantially below the next lowest bid should be carefully scrutinised and the contractors interviewed to determine their technical competence and financial spending. For large scale complex projects, such as the MRT lines and stations, the two-envelope method could be considered. Under this method, tenderers submit their bids in two separate envelopes, with the first containing the technical proposal and the second the bid price. Tenderers are shortlisted first and selected on the basis of technical competence. To ensure that safety requirements are not compromised, the Government could also require all tenderers to incorporate an item on safety provisions, as a provisional sum, not in the preliminary, and fix this at a certain percentage of the contract sum or minimum sum, whichever is higher. Currently, I understand that this item, although provided for, may be kept to a very nominal amount which is realistically inadequate for safety provisions, because the contractor wants to ensure that his bid is competitive. The second factor that I would like to highlight that warrants a thorough review is site safety audits and monitoring.”
“A prolonged period of weak demand and intense competition, coupled with the tender system, is said to have forced contractors who are desperate for jobs to engage in severe undercutting, submitting unrealistically low bids. Many believe that this has led contractors to cut corners, such as compromising on safety measures. This negative perception about the tender system persists, despite the fact that the Government would come out each time to vigorously defend the merits of the tender system and assert that there is no direct link between the system and the issue at hand, such as the worksite accidents. The Minister for National Development's reassurance that the Government does not necessarily award contracts to the lowest tenderer, but to the contractor who gives the best value for money, in terms of performance and quality, is heartening. Additionally, as the Minister noted, all things being equal and to ensure a transparent and equitable system, it will only be prudent to award to the lowest bidder who meets all the criteria. Nonetheless, it cannot be denied that, given a scarcity of contracts and hence an extremely competitive environment, contractors may enter into cut-throat competition, just to stay in business hoping that the market would eventually recover if they hang in there long enough. The Minister for National Development's recent announcement that 28% of all public sector projects for the period April to December 2003 were not awarded to the lowest bidder, implying that 72% were, bears out this fact that contractors still stand a high chance of winning a tender on the basis of lowest price.”
“Sir, I agree with the Minister for National Development as well as with my parliamentary colleagues that we should not speculate on the causes of the two incidents, as investigations are under way. However, even as we await the outcome of the investigations, we should waste no time in initiating a thorough, coordinated review of the entire system - structures, processes and practices - of the industry to mitigate the risks of yet another accident occurring leading to unnecessary loss of lives. Thus far, whilst there have been efforts made to overcome some of the problems that have plagued the industry, such efforts seem to be ad hoc and piecemeal and are more reactive rather than proactive in nature. For instance, the security of payment legislation, that is currently being evaluated by BCA, is to counter some of the issues that have surfaced from the Marine Terrace fiasco. But it may not be able to wholly address the payment ills of the industry. I would now like to highlight two key areas which warrant review. Firstly, the tender system. Sir, every time, a problem surfaces in the construction industry, such as the recent Nicoll Highway and the Marine Terrace fiasco, fingers inevitably point to the Government's tender system and its evaluation process. For instance, similar assertions that the Government's tender system which favours contractors with the lowest bids had contributed to some construction accidents were also made in letters to the press in 1999. The tender system seems to be everyone's favourite whipping boy for the ills of the construction industry. It has been identified by many as the root of all ills for the industry.”
“If you turn to Chart 3, in terms of the number of industrial accidents per million manhours worked, the construction industry's figures have also been higher than the overall average since 1996. Moreover, this figure has remained the same at 2.8 for the last two years for the construction industry, whilst those for the shipbuilding industry has actually continued to improve. Hence, even as the total number of construction-related fatalities has declined over the years, we must not take comfort in these numbers as they do not tell the whole story. When other factors, such as the shrinking size of the construction industry is taken into account, the safety record at construction sites clearly leaves much to be desired. A whole host of problems, including the recent construction-related mishaps and more contractors going belly-up, suggest that the construction industry is sorely in need of an overhaul. Many Singaporeans wonder if the mishaps and woes faced by the industry are all symptomatic of much deeper problems within the industry. Are safety standards at construction sites adequate and enforced? Is there sufficient monitoring of site safety standards and follow-up action by the relevant Government agencies? Is worksite safety compromised as a result of aggressive tendering and negotiation practices? Has the long drought in the construction industry led to a deterioration in the standards and the quality of the workforce as people with relevant experience and expertise exit the industry or are made to take charge of many worksites or multi-tasks in a bid to cut costs? These and many other questions are being asked even as the causes of the mishaps are being investigated.”
“Problems of construction site safety and stop-work due to contractors folding up are not new, but the spotlight has been turned once again on these problems due to the recent high profile mishaps. Besides the Nicoll Highway and Fusionpolis collapse, both occurring within a span of 10 days of each other, reports of contractors going belly-up have also continued. The fall in the number of construction fatalities from 72 in 1997 to 31 last year had been frequently cited as evidence that Singapore's construction safety record had improved over the years. However, with due respect, I feel that, for a more accurate picture, this figure ought to be compared to the quantum of the value of construction projects undertaken in each of the relevant periods. Even as the total number of fatalities fell by 57% from 72 to 31 between 1997 and 2003, the total value of projects also fell by about the same percentage, 58% in the same period, from $23.54 billion to $10 billion. The lower number of accident-related deaths may not be because our construction site safety standards have significantly improved, but merely because there are fewer construction projects and, hence, a lower probability of accidents occurring. In fact, Sir, if I may refer to Chart 1 which has been handed out. [Copies of Chart distributed to hon. Members.] Chart 1 plots the ratio of the number of fatalities per $1 billion worth of contracts awarded for the years 1996 to 2003. It shows that, after a decline from 1998 to 2001, the ratio has in fact increased again. And in 2003, at 3.1, it is actually slightly higher than even in 1997, which is at 3.05.”
“At the same time, I urge the Ministry of Manpower to amend the law, particularly the Factories Act, to improve protection for more workers in workplaces, including the non-industrial workplaces, such as offices, hospitals, hotels, restaurants and laboratories. We should provide legal protection for our workers there. The current Act covers only about 700,000 workers, about one-third of our total workforce. For example, the number of industrial accidents covered by the Factories Act stood at 3,200 cases last year. But the total number of reported industrial accidents was some 12,500 cases. This clearly shows that there is a certain limitation to the Factories Act. Much has been said, but the most important thing is how we could put all these recommendations into action. We should put in a concerted effort to make our workplace safe and sound for all our workers and not wait until accidents happen before we think of how to improve it. Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan (Hong Kah): Sir, even as the security of payment legislation is still being debated and the tender system being reviewed mainly in response to last year's upgrading fiasco at Marine Terrace, confidence in the construction industry has yet again been shaken, this time, more severely, by the Nicoll Highway and Fusionpolis collapse. Not since the Hotel New World collapse some 18 years ago, have we witnessed the construction-related mishap of the same severity and scale as the Nicoll Highway collapse. One shudders to think of what the fatality might have been if the case had occurred during peak office hours. The construction industry is indeed rife with numerous problems which have existed for many years.”
“We are saddened by the chain of events in the past few months. Many people may have noticed only the two incidents that happened recently. But, in fact, from January to April this year, 14 lives had been lost in the construction sector. Besides the Nicoll Highway and Ayer Rajah incidents, the kitchen explosion in Changi Airport also resulted in casualties. I would like to express my deepest sympathies for the families of the workers who died at their workplaces. As we say, every case is one case too many. Any work-related death is not to be tolerated. As the old Chinese saying goes, we have to 化悲痛为力�? (hua pei tong wei li liang) and 亡羊补牢 (wan yang bu lau), that is, to turn grief into strength, and it is not too late to mend the fold even after some of the sheep have been lost. The tripartite partners should commit and spare no efforts to further tighten and improve the safety measures in construction sites. I hope that when the inquiry on these incidents is completed, the tripartite partners would look into how to tighten our safety regulations in order to prevent such accidents from happening again, so that our workers will have a safe working environment and a hazard-free environment to work in. If errant employers continue to risk the lives of our workers by ignoring our repeated calls for more stringent safety measures, then I think we should seriously consider even more severe punishments against them. As for those repeat offenders, I think we should consider punishing them more harshly like, for example, sending them to prison as a deterrent.”
“In fact, the Accident Severity Rate (ASR) of the construction industry has been successfully brought down to 510 man-days lost per million man-hours worked compared to 1,094 man-days lost per million man-hours worked in 1993. The high death rate in the construction sector is one of our main concerns in occupational health and safety (OHS). The construction industry accounts for about half of the total fatal cases in industrial accidents in Singapore. The fatality rate in the construction industry peaked at more than 70 cases a year in the mid-1990s. Dr Teo Ho Pin called for the creation of a centralised agency to coordinate and look into how to prevent accidents from happening in the construction industry. I would like to inform Dr Teo that the labour movement has all this while been attaching great importance to safety at the construction sites. In fact, the Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees' Union (BATU) has formed a Building and Construction Safety Consultative Committee (BSCC) in October 1997. Since then, the tripartite partners - MOM, Singapore Contractors Association and the labour movement - have been working very closely to curb the rise in fatalities. In fact, various measures were put in place by the tripartite OHS Advisory Committee and the Construction 21 Steering Committee. As a direct result of such collaboration, the number of fatal cases dropped by more than half to 31 in 2003. I think this will help to enhance the safety of our workers. In the 1990s, we had about 70 cases a year, but in 2003 it dropped to 31. Of course, this result does not come about by chance. I think it is the result of our joint efforts in improving the safety measures. However, more can be done, and must be done.”
“Sir, in the end, this debate all comes down to the question: have we done everything possible to avoid any type of accident on the project? Today, we should take this opportunity to plug all the gaps, identify solutions and strategies to drive down the number of accidents at the construction sites to zero. We cannot bring back the lives of those lost in the recent accidents. But, at least, their deaths can be said to be not in vain if, by prompting this major review, other lives can be saved. I would urge this House to strongly support the Motion. Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Aljunied) (In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, generally, Singapore has done well in maintaining workplace safety standards. The number of overall industrial accidents has dropped from 4,257 in 1993 to 3,179 cases in 2003, a decrease of 25%. The number of accidents in the shipbuilding and repair industry also decreased by 45%, and the accident rate in other factories dropped by 36%. The overall accident frequency rate (AFR) has declined from 3.2 in 1993 to 2.2 in 2003, a decrease of 31%. All these improvements were the result of our strong tripartite approach to tackling workplace safety. The tripartite partners - the Government, the employers and the labour movement - collaborated at various levels to help the Government in reviewing safety and health legislation, to make recommendations on preventive measures and to promote good practices in the accident-prone sectors. The recent spate of industrial accidents brings on the spotlight on workplace safety, especially the construction sector.”