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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“The People's Association could perhaps produce and distribute pamphlets with simple graphics and work with grassroots network to explain the goodies in the Budget. I am pleased to see some of the suggestions I proposed in the past one year incorporated into Budget 2013. These include improving the pre-school sector and helping SMEs raise productivity. I would like to reiterate some issues which I raised earlier. Please relook at the suggestion of providing concessionary fare to Polytechnic students. They are not different from JC students. They have simply chosen a different path towards higher education. Hence, they should also enjoy the same benefits. I also urge the Government to take more actions to improve our public transport system. Previously, I have asked LTA for more bus routes in Yishun so that residents can enjoy faster and smoother rides. I thank LTA for accepting my requests. I believe we can expect similar enhancements to other bus routes. However, the MRT is far from ideal currently. During peak hours, trains are packed to the brim and we see more and more disruptions in services. This is not in line with our expectations of a world-class transportation system. When we push for more improvements and better maintenance of the existing facilities, the public transport operators should not increase fares. They should Page: 21 respond to the Government's call to cut cost through raising productivity and innovation. Repeatedly using fare increase to offset rising costs and passing the cost to commuters might be a quick solution but not a convincing one. (In English): Mdm Speaker, Budget 2013 echoes my relentless calls for enhancing Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC). However, not all companies know how to benefit from it.”
“For those who did not send in their applications, their dismay and grumblings will be directed at the Government in an unfair manner. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The messages in the 2013 Budget should be conveyed to every Singaporean in a simple and Page: 20 direct manner. These include providing help to households such as GST Vouchers, U-Save and lowering the Foreign Domestic Worker Levy which would help citizens cope with rising cost of living. In addition, most retirees will pay less or no property tax. This is how the Government show its gratitude to the retirees who had contributed to our nation-building. The Government will provide more help to low-wage workers. The Wage Credit Scheme will provide subsidy to ensure reasonable wage raise and encourage employers to raise workers' wages. Many companies, especially the SMEs, will receive support to help them restructure. Professional, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) and middle-class Singaporeans can also feel assured that they will have job security and opportunities of growth. For this aspect, I would like to thank the Government because I often talk about how these two groups of people need help and I am really pleased to see that the Government is now offering help to them. Besides using the media as a one-way channel to announce policies, the Government should conduct dialogues and public awareness promotion activities such as exhibitions, to engage citizens in a two-way conversation. We could perhaps use special TV advertisements or reports to ensure every Singaporean knows what benefits he can get from the Budget and how to get them.”
“(proc text)] [(proc text) But there will always be a tomorrow to be shaped as you wish. You can make the tomorrow you want, provided you have the wisdom, the guts and the will to struggle for it." (proc text)] On that note, I support the Budget. 12.34 pm Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to thank the Finance Minister for coming up with a package that is comprehensive and bold, with a clear objective to tackle current issues and the anxieties faced by the public. In line with the theme of Budget 2013 that exhorts everyone to increase productivity, several initiatives were crafted to help those who are disadvantaged, whether they are ordinary citizens or those doing business. With a determined effort to strengthen the social safety net, I am confident that we are heading towards a better Singapore. It is very important to explain good policies and obtain consensus, so that there is understanding and support when it is implemented later. In order to face uncertain economic challenges, we must be united and work together with the Government. The best way to obtain public support is through sincerity, responsibility and an accurate flow of information to the people. In this way, good intentions are not misunderstood, or worse, become distorted by liars and their followers. In my experience, due to lack of publicity or lack of awareness about the existence of assistance schemes like the GST Voucher and Workfare Bonus, I often have to remind my residents to fill up the application form or check their bank accounts, especially among the elderly. There are also residents who know nothing about these initiatives and schemes.”
“He did not differentiate between old and new citizens, core and not core; he differentiated them on the basis of their values. It does not matter where you were born, it does not matter the colour of your skin, the texture of your hair, the accent in your voice. What matters is that your first and last loyalty is to Singapore. He believed in this completely because he himself had experienced the transformation in his own life. He was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. He grew up in Seremban, Malaya. At age 19, he came to Singapore for one year to take his matriculation examinations. When he was 20, he left Malaya for London to study law. He ended up staying in London for 12 years. He returned to Malaya only at the age of 32 and began living and working in Singapore only from that point on. In one lifetime, he was a Sri Lankan, a Malayan who was a British subject, then a Malaysian, and finally a Singaporean. Yet he had no trouble identifying with Singapore and its causes, and struggling and suffering for them as a founding leader of independent Singapore. He gave us the National Pledge which articulates our ideals as a people, of what it means to be Singaporean. So, when he said: "being a Singaporean is not a matter of ancestry. It is conviction and choice," it was not an abstract idea or an intellectual argument. He lived it. Becoming a Singaporean is an act of will and of faith. Madam, if I may say, realising the vision as set out in the Finance Minister's Budget speech requires a measure of will and faith as well. But we can do it. Page: 19 If I may end with this quote from Rajaratnam: [(proc text) "The only thing you can be certain about in this otherwise uncertain world is that the past is unchangeable. The present will disappear in a moment.”
“Cycling can help Singapore achieve its objective of increasing sustainable transport and move away from a car culture. We need a long-term, sustained and consistent investment and a strategy to move cycling forward. To make real headway, it is vital to ramp up cycling infrastructure to support cycle-rail integration and community cycling and to ensure greater safety for users. We should take a leaf out of New York's example – another high-density city. It was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize last year. The city has redesigned its streets and roads to provide greater space and safety to cyclists and to pedestrians. Cycling has become increasingly popular in New York. In fact, the number of New Yorkers who cycle to work and school has quadrupled in the past 10 Page: 18 years. To increase safety, New York has installed more than 430 km of bike lanes in its city. It has just launched its bike share scheme. These initiatives not only create a greener New York, but also make the city more liveable and more innovative. In conclusion, for me, the bottom-line question is: what kind of society are we creating? What kind of Singapore? There has been some debate lately about S Rajaratnam's ideas on national identity, immigrants and the Singapore Core. The discussion is of particular interest to me, being Mr Rajaratnam's biographer. In all his years fighting for his ideal of a Singaporean Singapore, he was consistent in his fundamental belief that Singapore, as an immigrant and multiracial society, needs a common national identity to unite the people. He believed in the ability of our people to transcend their racial, cultural and religious divisions to create a shared national identity, to which they give their primary loyalty. For him, this was an act of will and faith.”
“He said the market rate is about $5 to $6 an hour for such jobs. I asked him if he would Page: 17 increase the rates, and may be shorten the hours, take advantage of the new WCS and other Government schemes, so that more Singaporeans can take on the job. I also added that, with better pay and hours, it could improve morale, lower the staff turnover, reduce absenteeism and improve customer service. But he did not look convinced. Madam, for the Budget measures to work, we need a mindset shift, from both employers, and also workers. Madam, another key prong of ensuring the well-being of our society is to invest more in public infrastructure to increase sustainability and liveability. Road congestion is an increasing problem in Singapore. I applaud the Finance Minister's announcement that LTA will be tendering out routes to private operators. I asked for this in Parliament last year. The Members in Tampines have been lobbying for this behind the scenes for some years now, as we have been frustrated by some feeder bus services in Tampines, especially service 291 in my division. To LTA's credit, it has been on the ground with us to help resolve the problems, increasing the frequency and capacity of the bus services, but the problem remains because of the long routes taken and the road congestion at peak hours. I hope that, by having private operators, LTA can experiment with mini-buses running shorter and more frequent loops at peak hours within the town – and starting with Tampines. Beyond public transport, we need to take a fresh look at cycling as a mode of transport. Cycling offers multiple benefits, including easing road congestion and pollution, improving health and reducing pressure on our infrastructure and public transport systems.”
“They have worked to build up Singapore and we should make life a little easier for them if we can. Madam, sometimes it is hard to accept that there could be people among us who earn so little yet work so hard at jobs that few would want to do – we feel it is injustice. But I take heart from this Budget – it is clear that we do not believe in leaving them to the mercies of the market. The harsh global marketplace is a fact of life, but we can soften it with a shared sense of responsibility in lifting up their lot and respecting the dignity of each individual human being. To ensure they are not exploited and that their wages are decent, it would be useful to set a living wage – that is, an income which allow for the full participation of workers and their families in the economic, social and community life. The living wage is usually calculated according to the basic cost of living in the country. It can provide an informal benchmark. It is not to be a legally enforceable minimum level of pay. This would also help us to assess if employers are paying their workers unreasonably, just because they could get away with it, and then benefit from taxpayers who top up the low salaries of their workers with WCS and WIS. It seems to me that basic pay of the low-wage workers have been set too low for too long and there needs to be an adjustment. Last night, at my MPS, a coffeeshop owner came to see me about hiring foreign workers to work as cleaners. He said Singaporeans were not reliable, their turnover is high and some just do not turn up for work. They do not want to work the long eight- to 12-hour shifts. This is in contrast to foreign workers, he added, who are on fixed-term contracts and so form a stable pool of workers. I asked him how much he pays the Singaporean workers.”
“They suggest that because most of these low-skilled workers are older, opportunities for retraining and job options would be seriously restricted if they were to lose their current position. We need to assure our older workers that even as companies restructure, they will have a place in our workforce with decent and fair wages. We often hear older Singaporeans asserting that employers discriminate against them. We must face this squarely. Ageism is as bad as racism and sexism. We need new solutions to overcome mismatches in our job market and to protect our vulnerable groups from being exploited. We see an increasing number of such older workers at our Meet-the-People Session (MPS). I have a resident, Mr Koh who is 72, earning about $1,400 as a security officer. Although he has various medical problems, he still works hard and works 12 hour shifts to pay his bills and support his ailing wife. His security company paid him irregularly at one period. So, in desperation, he turned to moneylenders to cover his bills. This decision is haunting him now and we are helping him. What his case highlights is how vulnerable our elderly can be and their sense of powerlessness in the marketplace. Many of the outsourced low- Page: 16 wage workers, who work for subcontractors, are not unionised. In this regard, I am heartened by the Government's measures to pay special attention to our seniors. I welcome the expanded coverage of the WIS and also the move to increase the cash portion in the WIS payout, something I have been asking for in my previous speeches. But has it gone far enough? Given the higher proportion of older workers in these low-wage jobs, we should target a larger payout towards those aged above 60 – and with 60% in cash and 40% in CPF.”
“I support the call of hon Member Janil Puthucheary yesterday for free travel on public transport before peak hours. However, for a deep cultural shift, this move needs to be accompanied with flexi-work. If workers go to work at 7.30 am, they should be able to leave by 3.30 pm. Otherwise, it will just mean longer work hours and not necessarily productive. Employers should also create more part-time options, with fair wages. Page: 15 In this regard, I welcome the Wage Credit Scheme to help companies to restructure, increase productivity and raise the salaries of its workers. It is vital, however, to ensure that employers are indeed sharing the productivity gains with workers and not just using them to fatten the bottomlines of the companies, a point also made by several Members yesterday. It is not the job of the Government to enrich companies and their shareholders. Why should the taxpayer subsidise Scrooge employers? But it is the job of Government to ensure that, as it pushes the pace of restructuring, the vulnerable groups have a life line and a safety net. Particularly vulnerable in this environment are our older low-skilled workers. Madam, older workers often find it hard to secure alternative jobs, leading to a rise in jobless older workers over the years. The share of unemployed workers in their 50s and above tripled from 7.3% in 1992 to 22.4% in 2010. They also tend to be out of work for a longer period while looking for a job – three months for those aged 50 and above. When they do find a job, it tends to be of the low-wage variety. Last year, six in 10 residents working as production and transport operators, cleaners and labourers were aged 50 and above. These trends need greater focus.”
“The culture of long hours no longer fits the economy, which must boost creativity and productivity. We need to soften the national narrative that has been instilled in us for decades – that Singapore has no room for complacency. We have to work hard, or die. Perhaps it is time for a new narrative: work smart, live well; work hard, live well. We need to devise more creative ways of working hard and working smart that challenge the existing stereotype of the long commute to work, long hours at work and time spent away from the family. One way to do this is to force the pace of companies offering flexible working arrangements. Madam, in my speech in Parliament in 2004, I had called for flexi-work to be legislated, to give the right for eligible employees to request for flexible work arrangements and for employers to have a duty to consider this request. Giving both men and women this right will help drive a culture shift in the workplace. It benefits employees who may otherwise feel they have no choice but to leave employment and benefits employers who retain skilled and experienced staff. It also benefits the wider community and economy by providing pathways for increased workforce participation and social inclusion. Unless the right to apply to work flexibly is enshrined in law, companies will continue to resist the request to provide flexible work arrangements. When I first made the call in 2004, it did not receive much open support. Perhaps it was ahead of its time. But I am glad that my proposal on this was taken up recently by the PAP Women's Wing in its latest position paper and that it is being discussed seriously. If I may add, flexi-work can also help to ease the congestion on our public transport and roads.”
“Going by the objective indicators of well-being such as those used the UN Human Development Index – Singapore scores very high globally. But when it comes to surveys that attempt to measure subjective well-being, the picture is less assuring. Several recent surveys showed that Singapore workers notched the highest number of hours worked per year, worldwide. They also suffered the highest employee burnout rate in the region. Madam, we have often spoken about the importance of helping our workers to enjoy a work-life balance, but the reality on the ground is that the demand for productivity, to meet growth targets, to cut costs, to take on multiple tasks, is incessant and is being translated to longer hours and more stress for our workers. We will be injecting even more stress into society if we continue to encourage Singaporeans to marry early, have more kids, work hard, and then fail to create a strong and consistent work culture which supports families. Already, divorces are on the rise and so is single parenthood. Many residents tell me they want a better work-life balance. They want to join our community activities, which will give them a sense of belonging and connectedness to the community – but they are often just too busy and too tired when they get home late from work. They desire the kampong spirit. Yet their hectic lifestyles are making it harder and harder for them to help create this. Madam, helping our citizens to achieve a good work-life balance is essential if we are serious about boosting the birth rate, making this country more Page: 14 liveable and giving Singaporeans a greater sense of belonging. We need to change the mindset that working longer hours means that one is more productive.”
“Madam, I commend the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister for a caring Budget. It shows that the Government cares for the concerns of ordinary citizens. At a time when we are focusing so much attention on the details of the Budget, it would be good to step back and remind ourselves what we are ultimately trying to achieve. There are many thoughtful proposals for ways to improve things, to transform our economy. These are the ways and means. To what end? An answer to that central question can be found in the Finance Minister's speech when he sketched out the common vision which has emerged from Our Singapore Conversation platforms. To summarise: a home with a strong Singaporean identity and sense of belonging. A Singapore with affordable living and good jobs that enables a more fulfilling pace of life. A society that values family ties, takes care of the disadvantaged, and helps our seniors to age with dignity. With that in mind, I would like to focus on three areas: first, the quest for a higher quality of life; second, the plight of the vulnerable groups; and third, an inclusive and sustainable transport system. I will conclude with some thoughts Page: 13 on national identity. Madam, the Budget signals yet another shift to transform our economy. But will the transformation improve our general sense of well-being as a society and make us proud to be Singaporeans with a strong sense of belonging? Increasingly, as our country becomes more developed, such questions become more urgent. Our people want a better quality of life, not just in terms of income, jobs and housing, but also in the intangible aspects. There is a growing sense that the high and rising per capita income has not provided Singaporeans with the sense of well-being they desire.”
“Mdm Speaker, we should recognise how open our low-wage and low-skilled foreign workers are to exploitation by employers. Many of them do not join unions, and because of their marginalised position in society and their fears of being deported by their employers, they face huge obstacles to enforcing their basic rights. Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Acting Minister three supplementary questions. First, is he satisfied that our system adequately protects their fundamental rights and provides them fair wages, based on their skills and experience, and decent living conditions, regardless of their nationality? Second, the Acting Minister mentioned that foreign workers are free to join unions. This is indeed reassuring. But can I ask the Acting Minister, out of the 1.2 million guest workers, how many of them actually join unions? Third, the Acting Minister mentioned the three key issues that caused the PRC workers to mount the illegal strike. Can I ask the Acting Minister whether the PRC workers had approached MOM with their grievances and, if they had, would the Ministry have taken them seriously and help to avert such a strike, or would it have referred them back to their employer and say that this is a matter for the employer to handle?”
“Madam, the Maritime disputes in the South China Sea have become increasingly contentious and tense. Adding to the complexity is the growing Sino-US competition for influence in this region. I would like to ask the Minister two supplementary questions, given Singapore's interest in ensuring freedom of navigation and in preserving the peace and stability of our region. First, can I ask the Minister for his assessment of how the leadership transitions in both the US and China, and the shifting domestic politics in both these countries, will affect the fundamental positions of the countries on the South China Sea dispute and the dynamics of the dispute? Second, can I ask the Minister if he is concerned that with the growing US-China competition in this region, divisions within ASEAN may widen and call into question the aspirations for centrality in the region?”
“Sir, the global situation is very uncertain with the conflicts in North Africa, the Middle East and the disasters in Japan. Can I ask for an assurance from the Senior Minister of State that the Government will stand ready to take any extra measures, if necessary, should the situation worsen and the cost of electricity and other inflationary pressures should rise and impact Singaporeans, so that Singaporeans can be protected from the ill effects of these conflicts?”
“For encouraging our talent to go aboard and help fly the flag for Singapore, we do so in a variety of ways, not least of which is MediaCorp productions. Our singers are doing pretty well in China, in Taiwan, in the larger Asian region as well. For example, JJ Lin, Stephanie Sun with a new album, Tanya Chua. They are well-known names, maybe better known outside of Singapore than within Singapore. We bring them abroad, over to Europe, so, for example, Ming Wong at the Venice Biennale, this year Ho Sze Yuan, films art installations, and so on. We have been winning prizes at some of these occasions and I think it helps bring the spotlight to what young people and artists in Singapore as a whole can do. That is good for Singapore overall. Of course, the most recent one was the Peranakan Exhibition in Paris. Paris was carefully chosen because it really is the cultural capital of Europe, and perhaps even the world. And we wanted to be able to bring something from this part of the world, giving a flavour of Singapore, the uniqueness of that cultural identity that we have, the cross-fertilisation between the cultures that we have experienced in the past and continue to have today, to a different part of the world that is less familiar with us as a country and as a society. Great acclaim. It was very, very well-received, not only just the Peranakan exhibition but also the events that accompanied it. That has helped to promote and boost the image and impression of Singapore, especially of the arts and our society.”
“15 pm RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Well, this is a continuation of the lobby process when I visited Mr Masagos' constituency during the Ministerial Community Visit (MCV). They were pressing me hard on. I said I was prepared to consider that. Today, we bring people to the arts into the downtown core. Going forward, I think it is good that we can do more to bring the arts to the people in an environment that they are familiar with and are comfortable in. So, that is what we want to do. With regard to having the equivalent of the community sports clubs currently in the constituencies, we will want to establish that as quickly as possible over the next one, two years in interested constituencies. I certainly hear the Member loud and clear with regard to the interest in Tampines GRC. Just to add on to the reply that Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sam Tan gave about the "Little Nonya", we provided funding to make it a richer programme so that there could be more research done and there could be greater detailing in the sets and plots. Perhaps it would be a bit too far to say that without our funding, maybe it would not have been made but certainly I daresay it would not have been as rich and as successful, the costumes, the sets, the production may not have been what we see of it. We look forward to more of these good ideas coming from either the independents or from MediaCorp and where they are worth spotting, we are prepared to do so. What we have included in some of these PSB support that we give to them for productions like these is that if they are successful overseas, we also hope to be able to get some benefits and some returns, not least of all, in so-called "soft power" terms.”
“Sir, I am very happy to hear about the plans to set up a Community Arts and Culture Club in constitutencies and also the intention to set up a Community Arts and Culture Fund. Can I ask the Minister when will these be put in place? Can I also register the interest of Tampines in this? Another related point is his announcement about regional hubs being built up in different parts of Singapore to bring the arts to the heartlands. As the Minister knows, we have a big plan for Tampines Town Hub and one of the major features is the performing arts centre right in the hub. I wonder whether the Minister will support our plans to also make sure that it is a regional arts hub for the East. My other point is to relate the discussion about the "Little Nonya" to my point about soft power. I agree with the Minister that we have made great strides in developing our local talent, but the point about soft power is exporting our cultural products, making a mark with our cultural talents abroad, not so much in developing our talent for local consumption, but making sure that they travel, making sure that they get the support to reach a wider audience and to make an impact. The "Little Nonya" is one example of soft power, in the sense that we invest in it, we make sure that it can travel and we do not ask for the money back, because it is an investment in our soft power. Can I ask the Minister whether he will invest more in MediaCorp, more in our independent production houses and more in our music industry, knowing that in a globalised world today, these are really instruments of soft power that will stand Singapore in good stead? 4.”
“I would like to ask the Minister how he intends to cultivate talent to produce better TV programmes that could travel and to support them to develop export markets; also his plans to improve our PSB programmes in terms of its quality and its outreach; also Singapore films and literature, most are now seen as too obscure and self-referential to appeal to mass audiences. Sir, we need to do more to expose our artists to international audiences and develop them, and also to host major film and literature festivals in Singapore. I support our continued participation in the Venice Biennale. It helps to put our mark in a major festival and, at the same time, we are also developing our own Biennale and I hope that more investments will be put into it so that we can draw people to Singapore and become a bastion of soft power in distributing our talents and our art forms. Sir, we also need to invest in our traditional arts for their distinctive original contents, so I urge the Minister to support our traditional arts groups.”
“I wonder how many of the 3,000 who auditioned to become a Korean pop star were chosen and whether we ourselves could have held our own audition, selected some of them, packaged some of them, marketed them, developed their talent and produced our own "S-Pop" and have our own all-girl, "S-Pop" band. We can call them Super Girls instead of Wonder Girls but they will be catchy and they can make their mark in the world. Sir, last night I watched on YouTube the Wonder Girls' version "Nobody", which was an instant hit in the US and other parts of the world. I looked at them and there was not anything particularly Korean about them. They were catchy, they were pretty, they were cute, very slick choreography but I do not see why our Singapore girls cannot do better. Sir, we also need to invest in our scriptwriters and production companies to produce TV dramas and films that are accessible to audiences abroad and, yet, reflecting the Singaporean brand. Right now, I fear that the stereotype is that to be a truly Singaporean programme there must be Singlish, although I am not sure that may be the best cultural export from Singapore. We must think out of the box. I do not see why we cannot produce TV dramas that deal with the issues that resonate with audiences abroad such as love, family values, society, inter-racial relationships from an Singaporean angle. Our multi-racial heritage may be a Singapore strength. So is our history and landscape which is quite unique with our blend of old and new, east and west. Our diversity in terms of welcoming immigrants is also a strength and could make our films, books and arts more accessible to audiences abroad.”
“Sir, popular culture and the arts, literature, films, television dramas and even pop music, help to bind our people together and shape a sense of common identity. They also project a country's soft power in international affairs, its influence on other countries, and its appeal to people of other lands, through culture, values and ideas, as opposed to the hard power of military and economic capabilities. In Asia, India, China, Japan and South Korea are fast becoming regional culture powers, symbolised by the rising fame of Bollywood, Chinese cinema, K-pop and manga. 12.30 pm If I may just delve into the phenomenon on what is up with the Korean wave – the wave with these pop stars, soap operas and songs that has taken the world by storm, including Singapore. It has then help to lift the image of South Korea as an edgy and cool place. In Singapore, K-pop concerts are always an instant sell-out. The appeal to our young is made most clear last December when the South Korean talent management company, JYP Entertainment, held a three-day audition at the community club as part of its talent search. JYP is behind the popular South Korean super groups such as 2AM, 2PM and Wonder Girls. More than 3,000 people signed up for their audition in Singapore hoping for a shot at becoming the next Korean pop star. Its TV dramas are also a hit with our audience. They use themes recognisable to Asians who share similar family and social structures. For example, many of the contradictions built into these structures lay at the heart of the number of smash hit Korean soap operas. Sir, we need to develop our own version of JYP and our own Simon Cowell who can spot talent, develop them and market them.”
“To reach a wider audience, it comes back to square one – we need to have a reading culture in Singapore. If I may just use the rest of the time to read a quote from Mr Rajaratnam about reading. He was our first Culture Minister. He said he valued books most for transporting him to new worlds and acquainting him with the great minds of generations past, and he called the experience "the miracle of books", "the moment a person reads a book by Plato, Tolstoy, Tagore, or Shaw, then Plato, Shaw and all the other great minds of the past come to life". He added, "They talk to a living person across the centuries and decades intimately and directly to stimulate and inspire the living reader into thinking new thoughts". Free admission to museums”
“Madam, if we go up the bus or the train in Europe, very often we see people reading either books or newspapers. When we go up our MRT or buses in Singapore, it is more likely that we see them playing computer games, catching 40 winks or texting SMS on their handphones. I think we need to inculcate a greater reading culture in Singapore starting from a young age. I think that the National Library Board (NLB) is best placed for this and I would ask the Minister whether more resources can be given to NLB to inculcate a reading habit among our population, especially in the community, in neighbourhoods, and to reach out to the younger children especially in the lower-income group, so that they have an opportunity to learn how to read and enjoy reading. The other point I would like to make is about bookshops. There has been a cloud over Borders and some discussion about whether bookshops are languishing in Singapore. I, for one, love bookshops and find it a real treasure trove, just leafing through books, browsing and looking at the photos and covers. The sensory experience is itself a joy. So, I would like to ask the Minister for an assessment of the future of bookshops in Singapore, especially given the new media platforms, like Kindle and iPads. My last point is on the Writers Festival. Given the injection of resources and the appointment of a new director, can I ask the Minister for an update of the Writers Festival? And how is that going to figure in the way we are going to promote a reading and writing culture in Singapore, and whether we will get to see our great Singapore novel not too long from now? What efforts are we taking to make sure that our writers get the support that they need, not only to write but also to reach a wider audience?”
“Madam, if I may ask about the foreign maid levy relief for single caregivers. The singles who take care of their parents and disabled siblings. Married women now enjoy such foreign maid levy relief so that they can go to work. Can the same relief be extended to singles who take care of their family? This has been asked under the PMO cut by some of us and also in the Budget debate but we were told to direct it to the Minister for Manpower, and so we are doing it now.”
“But given all the reservations and questions raised by Members in this House, including the fact that Workfare is only paid once in six months, it is not permanent, depending on surplus. Given the fact that many of the low-wage workers are not caught in this Workfare net, because they work overtime, they have year-end bonuses, some of them take extra part-time jobs, and that the Minister insists that it is a key prong in improving the lot of low-wage workers, would the Minister not agree that the Workfare needs to be reviewed more quickly and not wait for two years?”
“Madam, the Government has stated its goal of raising the salaries of workers by 30% in 10 years. Can I ask how this can be achieved for low-wage workers in a systematic and sustained way, given that the wages at the bottom end move very slowly, if at all, year after year? And despite the slew of initiatives that the Government is funding with taxpayers' money, the effort so far seems largely ad hoc, depending on how socially responsible their employers are and how proactive and persistent the unions are. Would the Minister not agree that the Government should do more to hold companies accountable to ensure that the funds used for productivity will translate into better jobs, better pay, better wages, especially for those at the lower end? In this context, I suggest that the Government look at some form of job linkage agreement, through some initiatives, to promote productivity. If I may just use his example of mechanisation and how some companies are using their productivity fund to improve their work processes by mechanising, such as restaurants using auto-wok. To be honest, I find it hard to share the same enthusiasm as the Minister. One is that you are not sure about the quality of the food served but, more importantly, you worry about the jobs being displaced. The story would have been more complete if the Government says, you take money from our productivity fund, you mechanise, but the jobs are being displaced, so the workers have now lost these jobs. There must be an agreement that you improve their skills, give them better jobs with better pay. Then, the story would have been complete with a circle focused on the worker. My second point is on Workfare. The Minister said that the way to help lower-wage workers is through Workfare, and that is an important prong.”
“Others fear that their low pay will be cut even further upon reaching re-employment age. I would like to ask the Minister for an assurance that their concerns will be addressed. Training subsidies for low-wage workers”
“The ultimate goal of these initiatives must not be to fatten the bottomline for the companies, although this may be one happy result as well. The goal must be to provide quality jobs for workers and raise their salaries to a decent level, especially for those at the bottom end. But how do we make sure that the job created pays better and is not just another low-paying job? It is time that we tightened the link further between business subsidies on the one hand, and jobs and wages on the other. In some cities in the developed world, the link is spelt out in black and white. In Minneapolis in the US, for example, any business that receives subsidies from the city may be asked to sign a Job Linkage agreement. Job Linkage agreements encourage businesses to establish five-year job hiring and retention goals, hire Minneapolis residents and pay living wages. An integral part of this agreement involves a partnership between the business and neighbourhood workforce development organisation to assist in identifying, training and placing new employees. Businesses which sign on see the benefits – higher staff morale, higher retention of workers and better service delivery, with marginal increase in costs. I know job redesign and best sourcing are work in progress in Singapore, and I commend the valiant people in NTUC who are working hard at this. But there must be greater accountability from companies who receive Government subsidies, to ensure sustained progress for our low-income and older workers. So the low-wage workers feel a greater need to work beyond 62 and even 65, because they have not been able to save enough to retire with peace of mind. Some say they are still healthy to carry on but their companies prefer younger workers.”
“Sir, last year, in an effort to improve the image of cleaners, my constituency Tampines Changkat gave out the Model Cleaner award. One of the five awarded is my resident Ong Hoo Yee, who is 56. He was voted by grassroots leaders for his dedication to the job. His salary is higher than previously, thanks to the PAP Town Councils’ implementation of the Best Sourcing Initiative. It sometimes strikes me as perverse that, while cleaners do one of the most important jobs in society, they are one of the least valued. We can immediately feel the effects when they do not do their job properly – dirty estates, unhygienic environment, angry residents. Their wages do not reflect their contribution to the community and its well-being. Their market pay generally ranges between $650 and about $1,000 a month. By paying them such low wages, we are storing up problems that will be paid for by society at large. They need financial assistance to support their family. They do not have enough CPF for retirement. We often hear cleaning contractors complain that not enough Singaporeans want to do the job. But Economics 101 tells us that when the demand for workers outstrips supply, salaries would rise. In the case of cleaners, the salaries for most somehow stay put stubbornly. There are a slew of initiatives funded by the taxpayers money to encourage companies to send their workers for training, to redesign jobs and to improve their productivity. These include the enhanced $2 billion National Productivity Fund, the $40 million Inclusive Growth Programme, and the Productivity and Innovation Credit which will cost the Government $520 million per year.”
“I would like to ask a question on pre-school education. Madam, there has been profusion of high-end and elite pre-school programmes in recent years. Can I ask the Ministry whether there has been a study on students who enter Primary 1 to see if there is a difference if they started on different entry points, in terms of their learning abilities, if they had a pre-school foundation in an elite pre-school costing thousands of dollars compared to those in the non-profit sectors which charge much cheaper? Related to the quality of teachers: I am very encouraged to hear about the investments put into scholarships and bursaries for recruiting teachers and then also distributing the teachers to the non-profit sectors so that there will be good quality education across the board. Can I ask the Minister to clarify whether there is also a monitoring of the retention rates of teachers in this sector, so that they will not jump to the private sector which may pay them more? 5.15 pm”
“I sometimes get complaints from parents about their kids falling down in playgrounds and hurting themselves. Remove the playground, one parent even said. My own view is that falling down is not something to be afraid of. It is not knowing how to get up, how to recover and carry on. I would like to ask the Minister for an update of the Ministry's efforts to provide a more holistic education. Youth-at-risk”
“Last Friday, I presented 200 bursaries to students in my constituency. As usual for such events, many did not say thank you when receiving their cheques. I do not think the students mean to be rude. Perhaps their home environment plays a part. But it leads me to question how our schools are teaching gratitude in a culture of entitlement and consumerism. It is not a matter of teaching our kids to be polite. It is about shaping inner core attitudes towards learning and life as part of a holistic education. Research on the impact of gratitude on education and personal development shows the many positive effects, such as enthusiasm, determination and optimism. Those who practise gratitude are more likely to help others and to make greater progress towards personal goals. One way to inculcate this trait in our children is to teach them to write a thank-you note for things other than gifts – for kind words spoken, for help given, or just for a fun day. We should also teach them to view failure or unpleasant experiences as something to learn from. Looking back on my years when I first came to Singapore to study for my "A" levels, I am truly grateful for those trying times – constantly short of money, struggling with my studies and my daily life. The experience helped me to develop resilience and empathy. Team sports is also a valuable way for teaching essential life skills, and I would urge schools to make greater use of it. Not for sporting glory for the school but for character building for the students. Through sports, children learn the values of team work, perseverance and sportsmanship. That sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. That is life. The important thing is to never give up, and to keep on trying.”
“There is now a severe shortage of qualified preschool teachers, despite the increase in salaries. I would like to ask the Minister for an update of the situation. Education system and tuition culture”
“An example is Griffiths Primary School in Tampines Changkat. It has about 750 students. About 24% live in 1- to 3-room HDB flats, compared with 9.8% in comparable schools. About 40% are Malays, 30% Chinese and 15% Indians. About 70% come from non-English speaking homes. Its principal, Mrs Yap Weng Ha, is passionate about leveling-up her children. It has a recent success story. The school’s top PLSE student last year, Sheikh Izzat bin Bahajjaj, is now studying at Raffles Institution and is a class monitor there. In the PSLE, he scored 2 A-stars – in Maths and Science – and 2 As in English and Malay. He did not have any tuition. But he has great family support. His mother, a home-maker, supervises his school work at home and his father is an engineer. Izzat also credited his hard-working teachers for his results. He said he would always remember Mrs Yap’s words at the school assembly. As he put it: “Mrs Yap said, 'if you put in enough effort and believe in yourself, you can do it and you can succeed'.” His example highlights how, with dedicated teachers and home support, neighbourhood schools can produce outstanding students. For sustainable results, I would urge MOE to provide additional teaching posts to neighbourhood schools and more funding for a home liaison scheme to develop links with parents. We should reward teachers who go the extra mile to help poorer children to level up in neighbourhood schools and link teacher evaluation to such efforts. Preschool education should also receive more resources. We need to raise the level of teachers and their quality and the supply of these qualified teachers of non-profit preschool centres in the neighbourhood which charge affordable fees.”
“Sir, it is crucial to provide dedicated and highly-qualified teachers from Primary 1 to 6, the formative years in a child's development. Special attention should be given to neighbourhood schools, especially those with a higher proportion of poorer families. The teachers have to meet the diverse learning needs of the students and address the learning gaps of those who lack adequate home support. Some low-income parents are too distracted by their problems to guide their children. They pay little heed if their kids do not turn up at school. Evidence suggests that a child's family background plays a big role in determining his learning level in primary school. We have to be mindful of the effects of the widening income gap and make sure that our disadvantaged children have an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. The question of whether teachers are well-equipped to tackle this challenge is a critical one, if we are to ensure social mobility. What additional skills and resources do they need? What sort of values should they hold? First, we should recognise that schools with a higher proportion of disadvantaged students tend to face challenges when it comes to statistical measures of academic performance and image. Second, it is draining work for the teachers to achieve results. They need to actively engage the parents to reinforce the importance of education and to go beyond the walls of the classrooms. Sir, after some years, some may prefer a posting to brand-name schools where the same expenditure of effort would yield outstanding results. There is also the prestige factor. That is not to say that neighbourhood schools do not have great teachers. Indeed, I know of some with excellent ones. But they need more support and recognition.”
“Sir, the Minister said that there should be a national consultation on the need for eldercare or parental care leave. Can I ask the Minister whether the consultation could start immediately so that we can get going on that? The other question is basically on the argument that the Minister gave that employers said that childcare leave is different from eldercare leave because for childcare, you can predict that the children will grow up whereas for the elderly, you are not sure how long they will live. But actually the argument should be turned upside down because for children, it is very predictable because you know that they will probably live to their adulthood at least but, for the elderly, you are not sure exactly when they might pass from the world. Some of them passed on quite early. We know of friends who passed on in their 50s or even younger. So can the Minister persuade employers that such an argument is really not tenable, but the more important issue is more a fundamental one – whether we need to provide for such leave because of an ageing population, which is quite unprecedented.”
“I would like to ask the Minister three questions if I may. First, is on eldercare leave and parental care leave. Sir, I understand the concerns of employers about the business costs, but there is also a social cost to be paid in not providing for this eldercare leave or family-care leave. Given our ageing population and the increasing demands at work, can I ask the Minister whether the Government is itself convinced of the need to provide for such leave given the changing demographics? And if it is, then should the Government not take the lead in providing it rather than wait for the private sector employers to have negotiations with the unions on this matter? My second question is on the means-test. Is the Minister aware that MOH's restructured hospitals have quite a simplified criteria for means-testing and it does not include the gross income of all family members of the elderly? So we have an anomaly where if I am an elderly and I go to an acute and restructured hospital for care, and then when I am transferred for long-term care to an eldercare centre, I have to do means-testing twice. I would qualify for the one in hospital but I may not qualify for the one in day-care. Can the Minister consider streamlining it and adopting a common set of criteria for MOH and MCYS' day-care centres? 5.00 pm My final point is to clarify about the single caregiver that I cited. She would not qualify for financial assistance from CDCs or other sources because she is in the middle-income group. Therefore, I raise this point about subsidies pegged to the median income as well as a request for a foreign maid levy relief which Mdm Halimah has also brought up because it will then apply to all, regardless of their income.”
“She also sends her mother to an eldercare centre to keep her active and pays for the ambulance transport. All these plus the ongoing medical treatment cost a significant sum of money and Meng Choo is doing her part as a filial daughter. To meet these demands, her own personal savings have been drawn down and she fears ending up as an elderly single with little savings for herself. She asked me, "Then who will take care of me?" We should recognise the important caregiving role of singles like Meng Choo. I would urge the Government to take the lead in converting the six days of childcare leave for married workers to family care leave for all workers including singles. They should also enjoy the foreign maid levy relief which married women receive. Sir, there is a rising number of elderly who feel lonely in this fast-paced society. In Tampines-Changkat, we have a programme called "Silver Connect" to keep them engaged and active. This involves training residents to befriend the elderly and to organise activities for them and to keep them engaged. We will be launching a book next month to capture the memories of some of them in the programme: the first time they fell in love, their first job, their childhood days, their regrets. The interviews are conducted by young volunteers to encourage inter-generational bonding at the same time. I would like to ask the Minister for more funding for such grassroots-based programmes to engage the elderly and for an update of his Wellness Programme. Subsidy for elderly care services”
“Sir, the dynamics of family life and work have changed significantly in the last decade. There are more elderly and they are living longer. At the same time, families are under increasing pressure in the demands of work and raising children. They need help to cope with the demands of caring for the elderly, especially if they suffer from stroke or chronic illnesses. I often encourage my residents to send their elderly to our eldercare centres where they keep socially and mentally active and also receive rehabilitation treatment. But, often, cost is a factor. We need to improve the affordability of eldercare centres to the elderly. I urge the Government to review and simplify the means-test system which presently is based on the gross income of all the children of the elderly. The use of monthly per capita family income does not reflect the amount of money available to meet the needs of the elderly. This issue is compounded by the unwillingness of family members to disclose their incomes, especially in estranged families. In such instances, the elderly usually suffer as they would rather withdraw from eldercare than be the cause of family discord. The limit of means test subsidies is also currently unrealistically low with the eligibility set at $360 per capita family income for the 75% subsidy. This should be increased. I would urge the Government to increase subsidies and rebates for caregivers of the elderly tied to the median income. They need the support, particularly the singles. Take my resident, Tang Meng Choo. She is a single in her 50s and lives with her wheelchair-bound mother who is 79. Meng Choo needs to hire a maid to look after her mother who suffers from cancer.”
“Life there was placid and people were friendly but, beneath that facade, there was a simmering tension along sectarian lines between the ruling Sunni minority and the poorer Shi'ite majority. Also perceptible are the deep internal divisions and rivalries within the government itself. Sir, by the time I left Bahrain, I appreciated our political ethos, our system of meritocracy and our social cohesion a little more. Singapore is not perfect. We take nothing for granted and constantly strive to improve. Sir, in conclusion, I would say this is a very good Budget. A fundamental message in the Budget is how we must grow the economy so that there will be fruits to share with all, especially with the more vulnerable among us. "Grow and Share" – it sounds simple but we all know it is not. To grow bigger and higher, we must sink our roots deeper. This means strengthening our social cohesion and making sure that all Singaporeans, regardless of their race, language or religion, or social and financial background, feel that they have equal access to opportunities. On that note, I support the Budget. 12.18 pm”
“I would like to ask the Finance Minister for his assessment of the oil crisis and how that would affect the growth of Singapore, a net oil importer. Sir, the current turmoil in the Middle East reminds us how suddenly a rich country's fortunes can reverse and how quickly their people, once peaceful, can turn on one another. Sir, I visited Bahrain just about three months ago, as part of the President's delegation. At first, I was envying it a little for its oil wealth – its people do not have to pay any personal income tax in Bahrain. They do not have to work so hard to earn a living. Some Bahraini businessmen told me that most Bahraini people work in the public sector, where they can take it quite easy. In fact, the aspiration of most Bahraini people is to work in the public sector – I am told by the Bahraini people themselves. They observed that many youths have a poor work ethic and, therefore, are unemployed, even though there are jobs available in the private sector. They have a sense of entitlement to be provided for, out of the oil wealth. Unemployment in Bahrain is estimated to be around 15%. Sir, the problem of this kingdom becomes clearer to me when the Bahraini economic planner pointed out that its oil reserves are modest and limited, compared to its neighbours and are expected to run out in 10-15 years. So, the economy needs to diversify and develop an innovative private sector as an engine of growth. However, they have a hard time persuading its own people of this imperative, as their gaze is fixed on their oil wealth. When we were there, we visited the souks and some other places, including the Pearl Monument.”
“The political unrest in Libya and other parts of North Africa and the Middle East have caused oil prices to spike sharply and there are now concerns that the prices would spiral further. The Finance Minister has listed the Government’s approaches to deal with inflation, including providing greater subsidies and benefits to those who need it most. In this respect, the top-up to the ComCare Fund is most welcome. In my constituency, as in many others, we have used this fund to purchase public transport vouchers and food vouchers and provide food items, such as rice for the needy, the elderly and the sandwiched groups who are most hit by rising prices. Just last night at my Meet-the-People session, some residents from a rental block came to see me to ask for assistance as they find it hard to cope with some prices which are going up. They do not hold regular jobs and they are hit most by rising prices, especially of food, electricity and transport. With the enhanced ComCare, we have the resources to help them and ease their fears. Sir, it is right that we target our more immediate and generous subsidies and handouts to those who suffer most from rising prices, especially of basic items such as food, utilities and transport. Sir, I note that there are calls in this House to cut the GST which really benefits the higher income and to give even more generous handouts to all Singaporeans, regardless of their incomes. This is an easy populist call, and not very responsible nor sustainable. By putting more money than called for in the hands of those in the high-income brackets, the handouts may only help drive prices higher by encouraging consumers to spend. If this happens, it is the lower-income who will bear the brunt.”
“We take seriously our commitment to invest in our people and to build an open mobile society where all have a fair chance to progress. Indeed, this is evident in this year’s Budget. However, the concern remains whether the most vulnerable sectors of our society would be able to benefit from the opportunities available to the rest of society and to break out of their poverty cycle. According to the Ministry of Education, students from lower-income families are still able to move up in Singapore. I am particularly struck by its finding that almost half of the students who live in 1- to 3-room HDB flats are admitted to universities and polytechnics. This is, indeed, reassuring but there is also evidence which suggests that children from higher-income families have a huge head-start with their ample resources and home environment which encourages learning and cultivates high expectations in their children. Sir, we should put social mobility on the top of our policy agenda. I urge the Government to set up a national review committee to examine our progress over the years in this area and assess the contributions not only of the Government but also civil society, businesses and major institutions. W e should find out what are the barriers which prevent people from disadvantaged backgrounds from realising their potential and find ways to break that down, even as we create more opportunities for all. My third point concerns inflation. Many countries around the world, both emerging countries and developed countries, are also grappling with the problem of inflation. The United States, Europe, India, China, South Korea and Brazil, just to name a few. In some countries, the inflation is in the double digits.”
“Efforts at present seem ad hoc. Over the years, one key problem is that employers tend to peg the salaries of Singaporeans at the lower end to that of foreign workers. The Government’s move to raise the foreign workers’ levies is therefore good news to our low-income workers. Hopefully, one effect would be to force employers to raise their wages and restructure their jobs so that more Singaporeans would want to take up those jobs, especially in the services industry. I think employers should stop saying: "Singaporeans do not want to take these jobs, so I have no choice but to hire foreign workers." Instead, they should say: "Singaporeans don’t want to take these jobs, so I must see how to make these jobs more attractive to them. Improve their pay, improve their hours, improve their conditions, improve their productivity." Yes, it might increase business costs but now with the higher foreign worker levy, one presumes that their costs will be about as high anyway if they hire a foreign worker for whom they also have to provide accommodation and transport. At the same time, in making the shift towards greater productivity, employers can now draw from the enhanced National Productivity Fund and benefit from the Productivity and Innovation Credit. Given that these measures are new, I would urge the Government to monitor the progress of these schemes and study its effects, especially on the wages of Singaporeans on the lower end. My second point is on social mobility. There is no doubt that, over the generations, life has improved for the vast majority of Singaporeans with better jobs, better housing and a better quality of life.”
“For his two jobs, his total monthly income comes up to about $2,000, including his allowances such as his bicycle allowance and good conduct allowance. Because of his strong work ethic, he does not qualify for Workfare. This runs counter to one’s sense of social equity. Some Singaporeans earning the same pay of $1,000 or $1,100 per month would ask for welfare handouts to help pay their bills but there are other workers like Kamaruzaman, who works at two jobs to improve their lot. As of now, he has hit the top-end of his salary scale of $32 a day. By the way, the scale starts at $26 a day. Compare that to the $100,000 to $200,000 a day reportedly charged by a well-known surgeon. It is not uncommon for some low-income workers to put in extra overtime to earn more money over and above their regular eight hours. Because of this, they no longer qualify for Workfare which includes their overtime pay and allowances. Sir, I would argue for a review and relaxation of this criterion – to calculate based on their monthly basic salary and nothing more. As for the low-income workers who hold two low-paying jobs, can the Minister consider a Workfare bonus and WIS for them, too? Perhaps subject to a ceiling of maybe $2,300 of the combined basic salaries of their two jobs. We should not penalise our older and low-skilled workers for working harder and longer hours, sometimes to the detriment of their own health and family life. Instead, we should recognise them for making the extra effort. Sir, the most fervent desire of our low-income workers is to see their salaries rise. The Finance Minister's stated aim to raise the real wages of Singaporeans by % in the next 10 years is heartening, but how can this target be achieved for the lower-income workers in a systematic way?”
“A key initiative to narrow the gap is through Workfare. Sir, I welcome the Workfare Special Bonus and Workfare Income Supplement for lower income workers. The Workfare scheme is designed to support the wages at the bottom end, especially the older workers whose pay has been stagnating and even shrinking. I had an informal dialogue with the Amalgamated Union of Public Daily-Rated Workers recently to seek their feedback. I am the union’s Trustee and Adviser. The union represents some of the lowest-income workers in the public sector – cleaners, pest control workers, landscape technicians. They were cheered by the Growth Dividends, CPF Medisave top-ups and assistance targeted at the lower-income. I had expected them to be excited about the Workfare Special Bonus and WIS. Unfortunately, some of them do not qualify. Why? Because their basic pay is so low – at about $900 usually – that they have to work overtime or take on a second job to survive and support their families. Having put in the extra effort, their income is now higher than the Workfare income ceiling of $1,700 a month. Take for example Kamaruzaman bin Abdul Rahman. He is a vector control workman or what most of us know as pest controller, aged 59. His basic salary is about $1,100 a month. He said he could not support his family on this salary, as his wife suffers from chronic illnesses and needs medical treatment. He takes a second job as a floor polisher. He earns about $800 a month for this. He works extremely hard. For his first job as a vector control workman, he works from 6.00 am to 2.00 pm. Then, he goes for his second job, polishing floors from 3.00 pm to 11.00 pm. That is working 16 hours a day.”
“Sir, listening to the Finance Minister’s speech last week, I was struck by how things have changed so dramatically from just two years ago. In 2009, we were in the midst of a severe global crisis. The future looked uncertain. Singaporeans were fearful, worried about losing their jobs and paying their bills. The Government responded quickly and decisively, putting in place well thought out programmes that would save jobs, create new ones, and provide assistance to those affected. Our access to past reserves put us in a strong position. During the turbulence, investor confidence was hardly shaken. Instead, it was strengthened because of the way we handled the crisis. Sir, to achieve a record growth of 14.5% last year is no mean feat. For a small, vulnerable island without natural resources, exposed to the world and its unpredictable and sometimes violent winds, we have reason to take some quiet pride in the anchors which keep us secure and strong – a good Government, and a resilient and hardworking people united by a sense of common purpose and destiny. Sir, this year’s Budget reflects our continued quest for progress. It bears the hallmark of a Government that understands the challenges ahead and that is attuned to the major concerns of its people and their aspirations today. It is also prudent, returning to past reserves the amount drawn during the crisis. It promotes opportunities for Singaporeans to develop further their skills and to fulfil their own promise. At the same time, it seeks to address the pressing concerns of the average Singaporean, particularly the rising cost of living. While I support the great initiatives and programmes in the Budget, I would like to highlight three areas of concern. The first relates to the widening income gap.”
“Can I ask the Minister of State if the intention of the subsidy is to encourage children to go to childcare centres no matter what their financial situation is at home, or to encourage women to work? Because then, we will have very different policy outcomes.”
“Mr Speaker, can I ask the Minister of State if the Ministry can relax the criteria for CFAC, especially the requirement for both the mother and the father to work to qualify for the subsidy? Would the Minister of State not agree that this would inadvertently disadvantage lower-income families since in these families, the mother is usually unable to work, and the children should not be penalised for this situation and should be able to have the opportunity to go to childcare centres to get a good foundation for life?”
“But I would say that we are making sure, through our efforts, that either very few or none at all will fall through the cracks. Therefore, today when we are talking about widening income gap, we are looking at how we can close it, making sure that the safety nets are robust and sound. Sir, those of us who do regular house-to-house visits know that in every HDB block there are stories of hope and stories of despair. We can cite many success stories of poor Singaporeans who have overcome their hardships to achieve their dreams but, at the same time, we do know of stories of those who could not. Our task is to make sure that hope prevails and that the Singapore Dream will not be an impossible dream to anyone even as the world spins faster and becomes a harsher place. We have to place the Singapore Dream within their reach and lift their eyes towards it. With that, I support the motion. 3.11 pm”