Janet Ang
Singapore
“It is important that the GPs step forward and engage themselves in the redesign of work processes and incentives that will help make Healthier SG implementation efficient, effective and most importantly, deliver on its intended purpose.”
“In conclusion, my hope is for our Singapore-style of meritocracy to be one which values the dignity of every person – no matter their abilities or achievements, upholds the spirit of community, that is, as Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong calls it, more about the we and us and less about the I and me; empowers attitudes of always learn…”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to ask Minister how is MSF enabling, empowering and compensating our social workers so that they can meaningfully journey with families and persons in their care? What is MSF doing to attract good people and leaders to this sector? Communities with purpose serve.”
“How does MOM and the Tripartite partners intend to manage the implementation of the Fair Practice in the Workplace legislation and achieve its intended purpose while at the same time ensuring that we maintain workplace harmony and not allow for a litigious culture to take root?”
“That said, what measures are in place to ensure that Government agencies do not spend on advertising on what can be perceived as self-promotion of the Government or to show it in a positive light? How does MCI measure the effectiveness of its spending? Partnering Industries for the Future”
“Two, in view of recent Presidential-level engagements between them, how hopeful can we be that open communications and dialogue will continue to progress constructively?”
The complete record
Every one of 219 lines we hold for Janet Ang, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 5.
“Lastly, considering that we do have a sizeable number of people in our community who are permenant residents (PRs) and employment pass holders or work permit holders, how will Healthier SG apply to them? In summary, the initiative is an excellent one. In the long run, it would lead to Singaporeans leading healthier and more productive lives. At the same time, there is opportunity for Singapore to create an innovative model of value-based care based on strong population health expertise with a robust digital health platform, an extensive telehealth network and a compassionate and engaged community. We all need to play our part. Let me close with some advice from my mother-in-law, Mrs Lily Cheah, who is 99 years old, going on 100. Whenever she is asked, "What is your secret, Auntie Lily, for a long and healthy, happy life?", Mom's answer is "Use it or you'll lose it." Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.”
“According to Dr David M Eddy, the father of evidence-based medicine, it is now well studied and clear that "complexity of modern medicine exceeds the capacity of the unaided expert mind. Solo reliance on the craft of medicine is scientifically untenable." It has been found that the best way forward is to develop evidence-based best practice protocol, blend it into clinical workflow, embed data systems to track protocol variations and strongly advocate that clinicians apply the protocol but subject the protocol to continuous improvement based on patient need, and thereby improving the protocol in a continuous loop applying Deming's Lean Six Sigma principles. Clinicians globally have found this approach to improve clinical quality and drive better clinical outcomes over time. I read from the White Paper that our Singapore medical and clinical professionals are exploring such best practice methodologies and I applaud it. Let me speak briefly for the digital naive, the vulnerable elders and the foreigners. In spite of the best efforts of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), GovTech and their volunteers, there is still a large group of seniors who may not be digitally savvy. How will MOH onboard this segment of citizens who are digitally naive and who are likely to be from the lower-income households? Will we consider similar initiative like they did in Japan where the neighbourhood postman becomes the point of contact for this group of vulnerable seniors? For vulnerable elders, will home care and support for end-of-life be part of this programme? End-of-life care is expensive and underdeveloped. We will need to enable the caregivers and the elderly themselves to transition with dignity and with comfort.”
“I am above 60, and so am in the category – but after listening to hon Members speak about it, I do hope that MOH can consider enrolling the students in Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and the National Service (NS) groups as well as reduce the starting age to 40, because usually it is the 40-something who will bring the 70-something to the doctor. So, I think it is good also for research – comparing the different groups, how they adopt and enrol themselves into such a programme. Next, the plan to use technology to help implement this programme is laudable and should be explored. I love the idea of using the HealthHub app as a digital reminder to patients. To close the loop, there can be digital reminders in-built into the electronic medical record system, which prompts the doctor to check on the progress of the healthcare plan and ensure timely implementation. To take it one step further, appointments with relevant care team members can also be considered to be implemented online. Therefore, the IT system, the health communications network and the National Electronic Health Records system are critical for the successful implementation of this initiative. MOH has done very well as it is in this space but will need to continue to invest as more still needs to be done to ensure system up-time, efficient sharing and update of the patient's health records while ensuring data is secure and personal data duly protected. There will also be a need for trained doctors, nurses and staff to engage, educate and support the patients in the enrolment and transition journey. What help and support will MOH provide to help the GPs and clinics transition to the level of digital that will enable them to perform their role in this healthcare model?”
“This will cement the place of family medicine in delivering holistic and coordinated healthcare to all patients, reduce doctor and clinic hopping and have the potential to ultimately improve rationalisation of specialist care by public hospitals. Everyone I have spoken with agrees that this is certainly a step in the right direction, but cautions that as in all things, the devil is in the details. How to implement and to implement it right from the start is the big question. Here are some of the questions which we hope MOH can clarify. While it is good for a patient to come under a fixed doctor or clinic, it may not always translate in practice. For example, patients seen at polyclinics often do not get to see the same doctor at every visit. Likewise, some GP groups employ locum doctors. Can MOH clarify if the intended enrolment is with a GP practice/clinic or is it with a named doctor? Can a resident be enrolled with more than one GP so that there is a second opinion or a back-up doctor in case the enrolled doctor is on vacation or at a conference? How does the enrolment work for the family paediatrician, the family dental surgeon, the eye doctor and others? By the way, will health screening include regular eye screening and dental screening? What happens to the residents who do not enrol? How will it work for residents with company provided or insurance provided panel of doctors? Can the employees consider the GP clinics of the healthcare partners as their enrolled GP? Phased approach is the pragmatic way to implement.”
“Makan community kitchen to prepare, cook and share their meals with one another, and more importantly to listen to one another's stories and to learn and support each other. SHARE A POT® is another community initiative which brings seniors together around a pot of hot nutritious soup for them to enjoy, and also to rally each other to grow stronger and live well with broth and brawn. During COVID-19, SHARE A POT® went online and did its part to help seniors to stay connected. These kinds of initiatives can become a part of the Healthier SG community partnership. I applaud Healthier SG for the comprehensive holistic approach that it has taken. There is a lot to be done but we will need the whole of Singapore to be committed to act for a healthier Singapore. Continued dialogue with all stakeholders to clarify issues and collaborate on solutions as we take this forward will be imperative. For the rest of my speech, I will cover three areas. First, going upstream with resident and family physician relationship. For example, at Intermountain, they incentivise the Primary Care Network to keep people out of hospitals as much as possible. For their diabetic population, they invested additional 4% of their budget in this group and achieved a decrease in hospital admits by 22% and a decrease of 21% for other avoidable visits and admissions, resulting in overall improvement in value of care and reducing overall costs over time. So, prevention is certainly better than cure. Healthier SG is enlisting the primary care providers to play the central role in this healthcare model.”
“The Healthier SG White Paper, which is being debated in the House today, is timely. Singapore is faced with a rapidly ageing population, and we can expect, therefore, an increase in the proportion of people living with diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases. As the saying goes, "Prevention is always better than cure." We need to shift our emphasis from reactively caring for those who fall seriously ill, to proactively preventing individuals from falling ill. Therefore, health screening, a healthy lifestyle and education are the key pillars to disease prevention. We got to add to that discipline. At the same time, we need to sharpen our focus on the value of care, recognising that there is a cost to care. Dr Brent James, a renowned clinician and Doctor of Medicine who was the Chief Quality Officer for over 30 years at Intermountain Healthcare and a senior advisor with Health Catalyst as well as co-author of a book, "To Err is Human", suggests that Value of Care = [Clinical Outcome + Patient Experience] divided by cost. Prevention and going upstream has been proven to be the best way to improve clinical outcome. The community also plays a part in the reshaping of our healthcare model toward one that involves every resident and not just when they become a patient. Allow me to share two initiatives where I personally witnessed the community in action, and the impact on the health and well-being of the seniors as well as the volunteers. GoodLife! Makan at Block 52 Marine Terrace is a programme by Caritas' Montfort Care Family Service Centre (FSC). Seniors in the neighbourhood are encouraged to come together at the GoodLife!”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to participate in this debate on the Healthier SG White Paper. "For a nation to truly prosper, its citizens must have good health. Those who enjoy good physical and mental health, report high levels of well-being. An effective health infrastructure is critical for sustaining per capita income. Poor health keeps people from fulfilling their potential." That was a quote by Baroness Philippa Stroud, CEO of Legatum Institute, a thinktank in London. Legatum Institute ranked Singapore number two in the world for the Health Pillar in their Legatum Prosperity Index (LPI) 2021. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a well-functioning healthcare system requires a steady financing mechanism, a properly trained and adequately paid workforce, well-maintained facilities and access to reliable information to base decisions on. The WHO's global study assesses healthcare systems around the world and Singapore was ranked sixth in the world, and the highest rank for countries outside of Europe. And, as reflected in Figure 1 in the White Paper, Singapore has been able to achieve good health outcomes, improving our healthcare system, without incurring substantially higher levels of healthcare expenditure. It is not by chance that Singapore has been able to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic with relatively low deaths. How we have emerged from COVID-19 reflects the resilience of our healthcare system, of our institutions and most of all, of our Government and our people. Kudos especially to the generations of healthcare professionals and policy-makers who have strategically enabled us to more than survive COVID-19, and to emerge from COVID-19 stronger together.”
“Will this lead to inevitable widening of the inequality? I worry that maternity will soon run the risk of being a commodity. So, the time to act is now for our tripartite partners to urgently make the workplace work better for our women, especially the next generation, so that they can be supported to have fulfilling careers and have a life and a family as naturally as possible. Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion and celebrate the White Paper coming to fruition. [Applause.] 8.38 pm”
“Okay. Sorry, Sir. All through my journey, there are many moments when I had to stop, in partnership with my spouse, to discern, decide the choices and the steps to take to move forward. I understand that many young women today are troubled by whether they should focus on their career or plan to start a family. And non-therapeutic preservation of human eggs appears to be the solution to their troubles, offering women the freedom to opt for work and delay settling down and defer starting a family. After many years of debate on this issue, the Government has indicated an intended legislation to provide women aged 21 to 35 years, regardless of marital status, to preserve their eggs, and that only legally married couples can use their frozen eggs for procreation. What does this mean for women? Will this put our women in a difficult position to have to choose to abdicate authentic womenhood and motherhood to technology because technology makes it possible for non-therapeutic egg freezing? What does this mean for the workplace? How will the workplace respond? Will the workplace consider women who choose not to postpone childbearing with the freezing of their eggs, as not being sufficiently committed to their career, thus harming their progress? What does this mean for society? The cost of freezing and storing of human eggs is not insignificant, and one needs to add to it the cost of IVF treatment.”
“" Thankfully, I had an enlightened boss who ignored my declaration and went on to give me my first management role while I was on honeymoon. And the rest is history. I have four daughters after that. And they tell me, the joke is, each time I have a daughter, each time I have a child, I got promoted. So, they asked me if the factory will keep going. And thankfully, my workplace was a workplace that works for women like me and my colleagues at all levels to have pretty fulfilling careers while bringing up our families, too. I must say at this point I am grateful that I have a supportive husband who definitely broke all norms at that time, decided to quit his job and be the trailing spouse when I was offered international assignments overseas and has since been the Mr Mom for our family. He broke the record because, when we were in Japan, the Parents' Association was called Mothers' Association.”
“" Council for Board Diversity, Singapore Institute of Directors and executive search firms are all ready to support Board Chairs to fill credible and talented women on their nomination slates for serious consideration and selection. I should declare I am a member of the Council for Board Diversity. It is encouraging to see progressive companies make concerted efforts to harness the benefits of having more women on their boards. Take Venture Corporation Limited, SATS Ltd, Singapore Post Limited, Far East Hospitality Trust and, most recently, Thomson Medical, for example. These boards had zero women in 2013 on their boards but each has at least 30% women on their boards today. They are blazing the trail for others to follow. In Singapore, we do not recommend quotas for WOBs, as it can lead to tokenism. Like others have said, I think Singapore women, we can do it. We do not need charity. We are hopeful that with the momentum built and with the nine-year cap on independent directors rule change that has kicked in on 1 January, we should get to 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Singapore's President, Mdm Halimah Yacob, recently said and I quote, "The pandemic has highlighted the importance of diversity in leadership. Organisations with few or no women directors should cast the net wide for the best talents and experience to contribute to their boards … (and) position their organisations well for long-term success." And on to my final point, balance between family and career. I would like to share my personal reflection on the balance between family and career, and the dignity of being a working mom. Long ago, I once thought that I had to choose between family or career and even told my boss, who was a man back then, "You do not have to promote me. I am getting married.”
“We have made improvements on the boards of the top 100 SGX-listed companies, from 7.5% of women directors in 2013, to close to 20% on 1 January 2022. Statutory Boards have also heeded the call for more balanced gender representation on boards and made good progress, improving from 23% in 2018, to 30% by the end 2021. Top 100 Institutions of Public Character (IPCs) have close to 30% of their board members represented by women. Internationally, however, Singapore's 20% lags the average Women on Boards (WOB) percentage of developed markets at 25.8%. Board diversity is a business imperative for organisations' sustainability and resilience. WOB is but one aspect of diversity but a very visible one. Investors and employees are increasingly looking to putting their money with companies that show up on the radar of diversity, inclusion and sustainability. The ecosystem is asking for change and accountability. Take, for example, Blackrock and State Street Global Advisors expect their portfolio companies in Singapore to have at least one woman director and may vote against the re-election of directors deemed responsible for the lack of female participation on boards, starting from the 2022 proxy season. While there are some people questioning whether there is an adequate pool of board-ready female candidates in Singapore, Mr Simon Israel, the Board Chair of Sing Post and previously Singtel, once said, and I quote, "If you are prepared to have a much wider profile of what could bring diversity to the board, the gene pool is much bigger than boards probably think it is.”
“Firstly, our next generation looks for positive workplace culture, where there is respect for one another, up and down and sideways; open and honest communication that is supportive and nurturing; respect boundaries of time for work and time for family, friends and self-care. WhatsApp and email without limits and consideration are a big no-no. Secondly, the next generation looks to an employer who cares for them as a person and not just as a serial number; who is mindful of their mental health and well-being; and who provides them with skills and career development with equal opportunity and access to jobs, roles and promotion. Thirdly, for them, their desire is for work to be purposeful, that is, there is meaning to the work and they can see the impact on clients, the community and society, country, environment, humanity; and they can see how their work aligns with the company’s vision, mission and purpose. Finally, of course, they expect salary and benefits like leave, medical, FWAs to be fair, progressive and competitive with those in the industry. The next generation is prepared to work hard but just not all of the time. They want to live their lives to the fullest. Our next generation can teach us many things, just as our senior workers can offer their wisdom and experience. Employers need to design their workplace and workplace culture to work better for the next generation workforce if they want to succeed in the race for talent. The next generation is more prepared than us to vote with their feet. My fourth topic: advancing women in senior leadership and board representation. Many women have been given opportunities to contribute and excel, rising up to a-third of the senior management positions in the workplace.”
“Managers being unconsciously biased against their pregnant women employees for particular assignments or jobs, or – I am sure you have heard of this one – managers expressing distress that their female staff is going to be away for four months of maternity leave and so on and so forth. Line managers need to be trained to raise awareness of inclusive behaviours, set expectations on consequences and create a culture that enables staff to feel safe to speak up. Companies should have a whistle-blowing process, so that victims can safely speak up and have their grievances heard. Singapore Human Resource Institute (SHRI) shares with me that they have a one-stop HR shared services centre that provides HR solutioning for grievance handling, employee engagement, background screening services and compliance audits. Earlier on, we heard hon Member Seah Kian Peng shared with us that NTUC has the same. So, SMEs can turn to SHRI or NTUC for support. The Government intends to write into law unacceptable practices. Hopefully, this big stick will be used as a last resort only and that our companies in Singapore, both the employers and the employees, will be able to work together to create a productive and respectful workplace culture with the increased awareness and training on managing biases and fair workplace practices. Next, addressing the Great Resignation – making the workplace work for our next generation. Most managers and leaders who are now in decision-making positions grew up in a different era than our millennials and Gen Z women and men who have joined the workforce in recent years. To address the Great Resignation, leaders need to understand what is important to the next generation.”
“SMEs may be concerned with their limited capacity to implement good policies and processes for FWAs. SMEs can tap on Government funding, and Singapore Human Resource Institute, or SHRI, SBF and TACs can all support the SMEs in their journey. The largest employer, I think one of the largest, is the public sector. It can play a key role in setting best practices for FWAs. KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) provides an on-site childcare centre with special rates for employees. They have policies for FWAs which include compressed work week, flexi-time and part-time work to suit their staff’s needs. Of course, KKH will have lactation rooms for nursing moms but they also organise family events, such as "Eat With Your Family Day". I am a personal beneficiary of FWAs. IBM implemented many of these policies as far back as the 1990s. And I treasure the fact that I did not have to miss most of my children's significant moments. I was empowered to be fully mom and fully IBMer, knowing that appraisal and promotion are based on personal commitment to results and outcomes, and not on time clocked in the office. Because the company was supportive of my personal goals of being a working mom, I probably worked triply hard. And I am quite sure all my fellow female IBMers at all levels can say the same. Second point: managing workplace bullying and discrimination. Fair practice in the workplace and zero tolerance of workplace discrimination are an imperative for a productive and trusting workplace culture. The issues of unconscious bias and unintentional discrimination are often more acute for women. We have heard some of them in this Chamber today. I will give you another few.”
“So, at Shell, they provide their female employees with training to overcome biases that they may face in a largely male-dominated industry. Today, they have many stories of how women colleagues at Shell break the biases. In Shell Singapore, 39% of their senior leaders based in Singapore are female and 37% of middle-management positions are held by females. DBS Bank believes that FWAs are a key element to attract the best people to the bank. Yan Hong of DBS shares with me that they provide a range of FWAs which include "flexi hours", "flexi place" and 100% "work-from-home" for six months for new parents with young children or those with caregiving responsibilities at home. DBS also launched a job-sharing programme where one role can be shared by two employees, giving their employees time to manage family responsibilities. The bank recognises that FWAs require change management for managers and has launched a new manager learning module to support managers to more effectively manage and lead teams in remote or hybrid work settings. DBS' diversity matrix is also very encouraging, with women representing 49% of the workforce, 40% of SVPs, 29% of senior leadership and 20% on their board. FWAs are not just for the large companies. Singapore SME, Absolute Kinetics Consultancy (AKC), gives its employees additional leave to support their child’s first day of school, enhanced paid childcare leave of two days on top of MOM-stipulated childcare leave as well as eldercare leave. AKC also allows its staff to leave work a few hours earlier once a month to spend time with loved ones. AKC conducts cross-training for staff from different departments, so that they can cover one another, and this also builds stronger teamwork and fraternity amongst the employees.”
“Employers need to recognise that female employees are, generally, the primary caregivers and face challenges in managing work and personal responsibilities. FWAs can better support their women employees to manage both aspects. The Singapore National Employers Federation strongly encourages employers to implement FWAs, regardless of gender, to achieve work-life harmony. SBF has recommended in the report that businesses start by adopting TAFEP's Tripartite Standards for Work-Life Harmony; FWAs; and unpaid leave for unforeseen caregiving needs. Before COVID-19, I think FWAs were a little bit of a difficult thing for employers to hear, but COVID-19 has resulted in work from home (WFH) becoming the norm. However, the "WFH-during-COVID-19" model is not necessarily the best practice. The design principles of FWAs should address the workplace flexibility that is needed, especially by the women, and, at the same time, ensure that the workplace will facilitate an innovative, productive and inclusive work culture that builds strong teamwork and shared purpose. MNCs and LLEs, like Shell, DBS and IBM, have best practice policies that support FWAs, companies can learn from one another's experiences and apply them to their own situations. I will share a few. Petrine Puah shares with me that at Shell, they encourage flexibility in how, where and when employees work. In addition, employees are also encouraged to step outside of purely work boundaries to participate in other areas of interest, such as social responsibility projects and employee interest groups, for example, time-off for sporting or volunteering. At Shell, there is also a general perception that a career in the energy sector is not suited for women, or shall we say Shell recognises that there is such a perception.”
“The White Paper, certainly, reflects this reality and that the Government has listened hard and intently to the challenges and aspirations of our women across generations. Kudos and thank you to everyone involved with the SG Women Conversations and this White Paper. For my speech, I will focus my discussion primarily on "Making the Workplace Work Even Better for Women in Singapore". And I submit to you that if the workplace works for women, it will more than likely work better for men, too. Let me share a case in point. I remember back in the 1990s when IBM Singapore was designing policies that would attract and retain women in IBM. One of the policies was to enable women to go on "Leave of Absence" and return to work after the time-out, where they either had to go as trailing spouse to their husbands who went overseas on assignment, or when they had to care for their elderly parents, or when their son or daughter was in PSLE year. While this policy was designed with the women's needs in mind, the first beneficiary was a male colleague. So, there you have it – if you do it right for women, the men will benefit. One would ask: "Why the focus on attracting and retaining women in the workforce?" There is a strong business imperative underpinning this, as women form a rich talent pool critical to alleviating skill shortages and boosting organisational diversity. As we say in the corporate world, it is a race for talent. Mr Speaker, I will discuss the following in my speech which, I believe, are key factors that will contribute to making the workplace work better for women. These are FWAs; managing workplace bullying and discrimination; addressing the great resignation; advancing women in leadership; and balance between family and career. First up, FWAs.”
“Thank you for the opportunity to join in this debate. Singapore women's development has come a long way. More than 75% of women are in the workforce, more than 50% of University graduates are women, 30% of parliamentarians are women, 13% of CEOs are women and 20% of directors on boards are women. Education, coupled with progressive and women-friendly policies and structures put in place over the years, has enabled women in Singapore to enter and excel in the workforce as both employees and business owners, and contribute to our nation’s growth. We stand on the shoulders of Singapore women who were trailblazers of their time and Singapore men who were enlightened and humble to act on the wisdom that women are first among equals alongside themselves. Last year, as part of Celebrating SG Women, Singapore Business Federation (SBF) did a research study around the issue of "Uplifting women in the workforce; Investing in the success of women in Singapore". The study concluded that in a resource-scarce country like Singapore, it is a business imperative to mobilise all available talents, male or female, in order to achieve more robust, sustainable and balanced long-term economic growth. The paper makes 12 recommendations at the company, ecosystem, national and individual level to help create a more inclusive workforce, advance women empowerment in the workplace and bolster women entrepreneurs. SBF is heartened to see that the industry's views have been taken on board in the White Paper. "Women", as a category, is not a monolithic, homogeneous whole and, hence, policies need to address the experiences of multiple sub-groups, for example, single women, single moms, vulnerable groups of women, women as caregivers, senior women in our ageing society.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Financial Services and Markets (FSM) Bill.”
“Technology will continue to transform the financial services sector, affecting how organisations operate and how consumers conduct banking and financial activities. New advancements in the banking and fintech industries will also impact the type of skills, talents and job roles needed. Skills across the board will need to be upgraded, both on the operations side as well as the governance and compliance side. What are MAS' plans to enhance the skills and competencies of the financial services industry as well as the skills required in the ecosystem, from auditing to risk compliance to legal and insurance? With the FSM Bill, MAS will have oversight of entities that deal with any potential alternative to the fiat currencies and "money supply". This is a welcome move as we have witnessed the speculative nature of bitcoins and cryptocurrencies. How will MAS ensure that the general public in Singapore do not fall prey to scams involving bitcoins and the like? Bitcoins and cryptocurrencies are built on blockchain technology. Blockchain technology innovation offers the fidelity and security of data records and there are many useful use cases beyond cryptocurrencies and digital tokens for payments, for example, digitised bills of lading, certificates of origin and so on. Implementation of these use cases have the potential of reinventing supply chains and dramatically taking productivity to a different level. It is good to see that MAS continues on the twin pursuit of strong regulatory oversight and excellence in innovation for the sector. Initiatives like DBS' Digital Exchange (DDEX) and SGX's Climate ImpactX are all to be applauded. There will be new skills and new capabilities built in the industry even as we continue to exercise prudence in technology risk management.”
“In addition, we note that the activity of providing advisory services relating to the offer or sale of digital tokens will be covered by the new legislation. The definition of "digital tokens" covers, one, both digital payment tokens, for example, bitcoin and ether; and, two, digital representations of a capital market product, that is, tokenised shares and bonds. Following from this, digital token service providers created in Singapore but carrying on a business of providing advisory services relating to the offer or sale of digital payment tokens outside Singapore, will need to be licensed in Singapore, pursuant to the FSM Bill. However, would digital token service providers created in Singapore and undertaking the same business in Singapore need to be licensed in Singapore? I ask this question as the provision of advisory services relating to digital payment tokens is not currently regulated under the Payment Services Act 2019 or under the Financial Advisers Act 2001. These Acts would apply to businesses carrying on the business of providing regulated services in Singapore. On the other hand, the FSM Bill appears to cover Singapore businesses carrying on the business of providing regulated activities outside Singapore. There appears to be a regulatory gap where a Singapore-incorporated entity carrying on a business of providing advisory services relating to the offer or sale of digital payment tokens outside of Singapore needs to be regulated under the FSM Bill but a Singapore-incorporated entity doing exactly the same activity but carrying on the business in Singapore, need not be licensed. Can MAS please clarify?”
“In view of the changing landscape in the financial services and market space, it is important that the Singapore financial sector oversight consider the proliferation of fintech and non-traditional financial institutions and service providers and include their activities under MAS' regulatory ambit. The industry, including the Singapore FinTech Association, welcomes the FSM Bill. They participated in the consultation and are supportive of this Bill and welcome the increase in transparency and accountability of all players, whose activities fall under the prescribed MAS' activities regulated or to be regulated. They would like to request that MAS publish the clarifications from the consultation as frequently asked questions, or FAQs, on the website so that they can all refer to it. In relation to the proposal to regulate digital token service providers created in Singapore but carrying on a business of providing any type of digital token service outside Singapore, we understand that these digital payment token service providers must be licensed or registered in the jurisdiction where they are created and that "without imposing this requirement globally, regulatory arbitrage could occur where no single jurisdiction has sufficient regulatory hold over a specific digital payment token service provider". We do seek clarification as to how a digital token service provider that falls within this category but is, in fact, already licensed and regulated in its overseas jurisdiction of operations, will be regulated by MAS. There is a concern that such double-regulation by two regulators may result in excessive compliance obligations and costs.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, Singapore is the fifth most competitive financial centre in the world after New York, London, Shanghai and Hong Kong, according to the 2021 Global Financial Centre Index. Singapore ranked highly in all five areas of competitiveness: business environment, human capital, infrastructure, financial sector development and reputational metrics. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reaffirmed in 2019 Singapore's financial sector oversight to be "among the best globally" and noted that MAS has struck a good balance in fostering financial innovation while strengthening regulatory oversight. The exciting development since 2015 has been in the space of fintech. Singapore has a vibrant fintech ecosystem with over 1,100 fintech firms serving consumers, businesses, and financial institutions across the different asset classes. Global financial institutions have also set up innovation labs in Singapore to tap on the ecosystem here. And fintech investments in Singapore also increased nearly six-fold year-on-year since 2015. I congratulate MAS and our financial services institutions for enabling Singapore to "punch above our weight". It is, therefore, imperative for Singapore, as a leading financial services centre, to be plugged in, into the latest developments, including digital currencies, crypto, digital tokens, NFTs, metaverse and the like. These technologies disrupt but also offer immense opportunities for the industry and the markets at large. With the proliferation of these technologies, there are risks of money laundering, terrorism funding, corruption and fraud, black market money supply and scams.”
“In fact, the annual March On festival is back at the Esplanade with many activities for the young, but also a theatre production and workshops about bullying. For the young, in particular, art can help kids open up, offer a way for them to learn about themselves and the world more holistically, to develop empathy, imagination but also an appreciation of Singapore in the world. I have two quick questions. May I ask how MCCY will continue to develop vibrant and inclusive arts and cultural spaces to provide opportunities for diverse communities, especially those who are underserved and vulnerable? My second question is that the Arts and Culture Resilience Package was much appreciated by our community. Going forward, to ensure a vibrant, resilient ecosystem for the arts and culture sector, how will MCCY plan to build back this community to co-create new innovative and sustainable models together with actors across the value chain, in this sector? Arts and culture have and can play an important part to bolster our fraternity, solidarity and mettle. Let me close with a quote by Howard Schultz of Starbucks, "When you are surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible." 4.00 pm”
“Mdm Chairman, our arts and culture scene in Singapore plays an essential role in bringing people together from diverse backgrounds and generations. Here, in Singapore, we are very fortunate to enjoy widespread access to arts and heritage facilities. Pre-COVID-19, we were able to enjoy creative offerings by both local and international artists. As we emerge from COVID-19, I believe we need to redouble our efforts in bringing back arts and culture into our community and not undermine the many aspects of what it can offer, of which I will discuss two. One: a challenge for society in recent years is that with online and social media, we risk taking out bigotry into the virtual space and echo chambers get formed very quickly. COVID-19 has probably made things worse. Society is becoming more polarised, more divisive. I believe that arts can offer a safe space for difficult issues to be discussed, but also a space where differences can be better understood. One example is A Tapestry of Sacred Music, which is a month-long festival at the Esplanade taking place, in fact, this month. How precious it is that music from different faiths, traditions and communities can coexist? This is also very much a part of what it means to be Singaporean – our ability to appreciate and celebrate our diversity. Two: another challenge coming out of COVID-19 is that the most vulnerable in society as well as our young have had that quality of human interaction greatly diminished. The arts and cultural spaces are ways for us to safely rebuild that sense of community. Tough issues, for example, bullying, which is an increasing challenge our young people face today can be more comfortably discussed by kids, parents and teachers when presented in art form.”
“How can Singapore businesses leverage these two crown jewels to play the bigger game in this world of green and sustainable? Next, financial support for green transition is critical for businesses as they map out their net zero plans. How will the Ministry ensure a robust financing ecosystem will be in place to support the industry, especially the SMEs? More assistance schemes may be needed to catalyse the SMEs with specific actions. Switching their fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) will be a good first step but SMEs must not be mistaken that they can get to net zero without changing their processes and greening their supply chains. Can the Government consider providing targeted tax incentives or rebates to SMEs as a measure of their progress in their sustainability adoption? In fact, if players in the supply chain collaborate through research to innovate and partner each other and the Government to achieve progressive outcomes, the Government can provide more tax incentives. The sustainability agenda will require leadership and talent with new skills and expertise and the collective will to act.”
“Mr Chairman, executing on our Singapore Green Plan (SGP) 2030 is an imperative, whether it is all of us using less plastic bags or NUS researchers finding ways to store CO2 below ocean floor. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, no country is spared, no business can ignore, no individual can hide. We need the collective will of all of humanity to heal the earth for which we are all stewards of. In this Committee of Supply, I would like to touch on the following points. One, at the company level, our businesses need to be brought up to speed on the what and the how of sustainability and they need help to assess their gaps and develop the plans that will take them to net zero. The SGP 2030 vision is a great rallying cry. How successful has our engagement of businesses and the public been and what are the next steps being taken? Next, at the supply chain level. The national Chambers are reiterating the importance for local companies to step up and embrace sustainability practices and standards urgently to better support their multinational companies (MNCs) partners based in Singapore. The race to create competitive green supply chains to stay relevant in the global economy and win is fast and furious. How are we planning to create competitive green supply chains out of Singapore? At a country level, our trusted status as a financial hub land ourselves as a potential key player in carbon trading. Besides that, Singapore is also blessed with: (a) having the world's busiest container transshipment port with a global network of more than 50 locations in 26 countries around the world; and (b) our Changi Airport, albeit pre-COVID-19, being the most internationally connected airport in Asia Pacific and among the top 10 air mega hubs in the world, according to OAG.”
“He applied for the NUS-ISS Professional Conversion Programme in Full Stack Development and was matched with Works Application Company Limited. This training enabled Bin Rong to successfully transition into a new profession as a software engineer. As Singaporeans, we should be proud and heartened to know that our Singapore Budget supports Singaporeans like Dylan and Bin Long, one person at a time.”
“We ought to be the difference why companies invest in Singapore. My second point: FWAs to attract, retain, diversify and include. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in work from home becoming the norm. As we shift gears to live with COVID-19, it is a great opportunity for companies to rethink the workplace of the future for their workforce. I think that is not just simply about working from home, but having the choice of flexi-work arrangements. With flexibility, I believe that more women, more persons with disability and more seniors can choose to work. My third point: will AI take away jobs? I would like to suggest that if robots or AI can replace work that humans used to do, humans would be more than happy to have those tasks automated away. We have seen many examples from our lived experience. AI systems should augment work and, in fact, that is actually urgently needed so that the work that needs the human touch, the service quality, the intuition or compassion will have enough people to do them. However, trust and understanding are critical and we need as much communication and education in this space, as we need innovation. Can the Minister give us an update on the progress of the tripartite guidelines being written into law? Can the Minister update us if MOM will be advocating and, therefore, supporting companies to move forward with FWAs? Can the Minister also update if the Public Service will take the lead and how will the Public Service take the lead to build AI systems to solve part of the manpower challenge? Let me close with the story of Bin Rong, a lighting technician, whose role was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Mr Chairman, Dylan D'Souza was a COVID-19 graduate. Not being able to secure a long-term job, Dylan decided to take up the SGUnited Skills Programme at NUS-ISS in December 2020. After the six-month full-time Train and Place Programme, during which he was attached to AXA, Dylan successfully contracted to continue at AXA as a data specialist. Mr Chairman, the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package has supported thousands of Singaporeans like Dylan in several hundreds of companies during the pandemic. It was a big deal for the industry. Meanwhile, as the economy recovers, human resources are the great challenge ahead. I have time to only touch briefly on three points and I hope you will not buzz me. One: Singapore being open to global talent is not an option. There are two truths: one, there are simply not enough Singaporeans to do all the jobs that are needed to be done; and two, in fact, our ability to attract the best global talents to work here and complement our local workforce has been a Singapore competitive advantage. I did speak in Parliament about holding our businesses accountable to Fair Practices in the Workplace (FPW). I hear from the Singapore Human Resource Institute that companies, especially the MNCs, are committed and some have set up a HR compliance unit to ensure FPWs. Ideally, fair practices in the workplace should not just be about compliance but an intentional commitment by employers to renew their social compact with their Singapore employees, a key stakeholder. As for us, the Singapore workers, let us continue to work hard to create value in our roles, to get reskilled to stay relevant, embrace change, think, innovate and adapt and, most of all, act with integrity, responsibility and respect.”
“— to work together as a winning ecosystem. Industry Transformation Map Refresh”
“Okay. So, the last point is: play the ecosystem game. What will be our competitive advantage and differentiator? Imagine green and sustainable Singapore-branded value chains where our Singapore SMEs, LLE, TLCs, MNCs and even Government-linked companies like PSA, Changi Airport, work together to innovate and transform our value chains for competitive advantage and deliver unique value. This would require research capability, IP assets, deep industry skills, broad cross-industry expertise and financial capital to create platforms for our company —”
“Global Connect at SBF, set up by SBF in November of 2019 in partnership with Enterprise Singapore to support Singapore SMEs, to learn about overseas markets, land in those markets with business opportunities and localise their businesses for sustainable presence. This has been positively received by enterprising SMEs which recognised the need to go beyond Singapore. According to colleagues at SBF, today, more than 3,000 companies are part of this network and 80 companies have successfully landed in overseas markets with signed distributorships or reseller contracts. These companies leverage the network to take their aspiration for internationalisation one step forward and should these companies plan to go deeper and wider, they can apply for Market Readiness Assistance Grants from the Government. This approach, no doubt is one company at a time, but, as the Chinese saying goes, "a thousand miles begin with a single step". So, imagine my excitement to hear how Global Connect at SBF and the Singapore Food Manufacturers Association (SFMA) helped a few Singapore food brands to land in Vietnam together.”
“It will be a win-win for all. The second proposal is to leverage on Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) to strengthen the workplace learning ecosystems. When COVID-19 broke out, SBF Foundation, together with seven TACs, launched the Industry Compassion Fund to support employees in their respective sectors, who are having difficulties. It is a charity-begins-at-home approach. During COVID-19, SBF also played clearing house for migrant workers from one company which cannot keep them to be matched with another company which needs them. 7.15 pm Mr Chairman, strengthening the workplace learning ecosystems to address the issue of skills mismatch is part of the great manpower challenge for our businesses in Singapore. Considering that TACs are aligned by industry, and they should understand best the disruptions taking place in their industry and the skills their industry needs to stay relevant, TACs can, hence, be a platform to be leveraged in strengthening workplace learning ecosystems. There has been strong support by the Government over the years to build capacity at the TACs via the LEAD programme. It is timely to give TACs a booster shot to enable them to support their members with job development, job redesign, skills matching and broadening their understanding in sustainability and digitalisation and the new trends. TACs can also partner IHLs, NTUC, e2i and even queen bee companies to programmatically strengthen the workplace learning system uplift their skills, industry by industry. It would take a village to uplift an industry. Grow our networks is my third point. In my Budget debate speech, I put forward the fact that SMEs need capital and credit, talent and network. In this speech, I will speak on access to networks.”
“Can the Minister for Trade and Industry give this House an update on the way forward and what might be Singapore's playbook for Singapore's trade and industry? Can the Minister also share MTI and EDB's strategy to accelerate and expand Singapore as a key node in the global trading network? To my second point – skills and talent 4.0. With the digital disruption and the impending green disruption, everyone needs new skills and competencies. I believe that companies' industry-led reskilling of the Singaporean workforce is the way to go. I have got two proposals. One, industry training industry. Much has been talked about Industry 4.0 in advanced manufacturing. Bosch Rexroth, an industry leader, decided to locate their regional training centre for Industry 4.0 in Singapore. They partnered Singapore Polytechnic and co-launched the first course in 2020. To date, about 56 companies have participated with 165 of their staff trained and I applaud Bosch Rexroth for stepping forward to help themselves and the industry and, in so doing, get staff retrained and reskilled to be up to speed in Industry 4.0. Another notable example would be Google's participation in Skills Ignition SG to train digital skills. We need more queen bees like this to come forward and work with our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). Our economic agencies, which have the best relationships and have the most influence with the queen bee companies, are in the best position to programmatically scale up our skills and talent 4.0 initiative. Can the Minister share how our Government economic agencies may support with carrots and sticks to strongly encourage the queen bee companies, multinational companies (MNCs) and large local enterprises (LLEs) to invest in our people to get to skills and talent 4.0?”
“Mr Chairman, trade and connectivity have been Singapore's strategic focus to ensure we continue to be relevant on the world stage. I have four points to make in the next few minutes. Number one, Singapore as a key node in the global trading network. Digital and green are two S-curves that will continue to disrupt economies and societies. It is right that digitalisation and green are both big agenda items in Budget 2022. Singapore is charting the way forward with these new engines of growth and MTI has taken the lead to frame and design the world's first digital economic agreement, DEA, and gotten us off to a fast start with DEAs signed with Chile, New Zealand, Australia, South Korea and, most recently, the UK. Even China has expressed interest in joining. On the green front, Minister Grace Fu and her team played a key facilitation role at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), getting the world to agree on high-level talks to operationalise Article 6, which covers cooperation among countries to meet their emissions reduction targets, including through international carbon markets. Sir, the industry is appreciative of the Government's efforts in keeping Singapore front and centre on the global stage. Meanwhile, we are seeing the weakening of the rules-based multilateral trading system and increasing disregard for WTO rules. At the same time, we saw the escalation of unilateral and protectionist measures by many countries in their response to COVID-19. There is the war in Ukraine and its implications on supply chain disruptions and escalating energy prices, which Minister Gan Kim Yong took us through the other day.”
“The terrorists in Ukraine should remind us of the dangers of division and fragmentation of a society, falling prey to foreign influence or foreign might. We must never be the vassal state of any other power. My third reflection is that even though we are small, Singapore and Singaporeans can play our part as channels of peace, dialogue and reconciliation. Mr Chairman, we live in an increasingly polarised and uncertain world. The strategic competition between the US and China has widened and deepened, pulling other countries into the fray. We have seen this playing out in fields such as the deployment of 5G networks. There is also growing talk of a new cold war in Europe arising from the tragic situation in Ukraine, invoking the imagery of opposing ideologies that cannot be reconciled. Closer to home, the situation in Myanmar continues to be a challenge for ASEAN. These developments have and will continue to have significant geopolitical and economic ramifications on all countries, including Singapore. Amidst these challenges, how does Singapore continue to maintain an independent foreign policy and how do we balance between being your brother's keeper and minding your own business when it comes to diplomacy? Let me close with this one line, which I took away from Pope Francis' message to all ambassadors at the meeting in the Vatican earlier this year: "We should be unafraid to make room for peace in our lives by cultivating dialogue and fraternity among one another."”
“Mr Chairman, thank you for the privilege to participate in this debate. Earlier in the week, Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan gave this House an insightful and heart-wrenching Ministerial Statement on the situation in Ukraine and its implications. Singaporeans must not think that it can never happen to us. As I said in my Budget debate speech, Singapore's Total Defence along with our diplomatic corps cannot be over-emphasised. Singaporeans cannot take our existence as a nation for granted. We must do our best not to be taken for granted by others. Mr Chairman, let me start by sharing three reflections. 1.00 pm My first reflection is that our Singapore voice must be heard clearly but humbly. Singapore is a small country and a young nation in a big world. In the global economy, it is imperative that we stay relevant to global corporates, global markets, global supply chains, global financial networks, so as to create good jobs for our people, strong growth for our businesses and sustainability for our country. In global geopolitics, it is paramount that we develop and maintain strong diplomatic relations with everyone without compromising our independence, values and principles. It is pertinent, therefore, that our Singapore voice be heard clearly but humbly. We must have the courage to speak and act with integrity to protect the sovereignty of our country. If you heard Singapore's Permanent Representative Burhan Gafoor take the stage as last speaker at the UN General Assembly's special emergency session to present Singapore's view, that is our collective courage. That takes me to my second reflection: Singapore must not be used by anyone.”
“Mr Speaker, I am honoured to join in on this year's Budget debate. I would like to declare that I am Council Member of Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and hope to represent the business community's perspective. If I may start with a quote from Martin Luther King, who once said: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." I believe that men and women, we all are standing at times of challenge and controversy right now. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Singapore business community is very appreciative of the strong and decisive actions by the Government in dealing with survival issues in 2020 and preparing to emerge stronger with "Test, Trace and Vaccinate" in 2021. Singapore is amongst one of the most inoculated against COVID-19 with, I believe, 86.1% of population vaccinated and with low casualties. Still, we see how the Omicron strain, while fortunately not as deadly as Delta, is causing stress in our healthcare system and a slow-down in our easing of safe management measures and opening up of borders. We cannot afford to be complacent. Our muscle for alertness and resilience has been developed and put to the test time and again over the past two years, and we must continue to keep it well-oiled and ready for action, but at the same time, not be paralysed by fear. So, gratitude to everyone from the Multi-Ministry Task Force, to our healthcare workers and essential workers on the front lines who have helped keep the lights on and the rest of us safe. A big thank you, from all of us, to all of you.”
“Notwithstanding, a bad call is a bad call and we have to deal with it – own up to it, seek forgiveness and make amends. With respect to the COP findings, I thought long and hard if there are other options that the COP could have taken. The Prime Minister has earlier on also alluded to – if you and I were in the COP, what would we, or could we, have recommended differently? Well, for me, suffice to say that to ignore the evidence is not an option. Hence, the recommendation made by the COP to refer the new case to the Public Prosecutor is the right and best option. In that way, the parties who were not the original subjects of the COP have a chance to defend themselves and clear their names. Trust is difficult to earn but easily broken. So, to do the right thing takes courage, but I hope we can also do the right thing with compassion. Hon Speaker, I support the recommendations, and the Motion as set out by the Committee of Privileges.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to start by acknowledging the Members of the Committee of Privileges and all who were involved in the investigation for the many days and nights they have put into the COP hearings and deliberations, with many of them probably having to abandon their December VTL travel plans. Thank you all for doing the work on behalf of the rest of us. It must have been a very painful and difficult journey for all involved. I have listened to as many of the key recordings and read as many of the key transcripts as I could, and I am satisfied with the process and the effort that was put in by the Committee to establish the truth of the situation. Fortunately, I did not binge-watch; I actually watched one at a time. Honesty, integrity and trust are the badges of honour which have put Singapore on the world map. That is how we have earned the reputation of high trust in business, diplomacy, Government and society. We hold one another to high standards and, almost always, we are not prepared to bend the rules or close a blind eye. We strive to be cleaner than clean. It is not easy to hold up to high standards, but that we must. As individuals, every day, we have the freedom to discern and choose to do what is right and shun the temptation to take the easier road which could be to choose to do nothing, to do the popular thing, or to do what will result in less criticism and less trouble for ourselves. It is a daily test in every encounter with every situation and person I meet to make the choice to do the right thing. But, of course, we are human and, despite our best efforts, we are not saints. We do make wrong judgements and, sometimes, there may be good reasons that led us to that bad call.”
“So, in the wake of recent challenges with the exit of power providers, it looks to me like a timely wake-up call that we ought to be prepared to do the same for energy. So, how will Singapore plan to execute this strategy? Do we have the skilled resources to undertake such a programme? And lastly, how will we pacify the players in the market that there will be fair play and no unfair competition and how will we continue to attract investments in research and innovation in this whole sector? And what is the impact on Singapore households and businesses? Notwithstanding my questions, Mr Speaker, I fully support the Bill. 3.15 pm”
“This amendment will enable EMA to ensure the reliability and resilience of our energy pillar should private sector fail to step up. The amendment will also enable EMA to raise capital or issue bonds for infrastructure should EMA need to step in. This might, of course, be viewed as a step back in an otherwise deregulated market. I seek the Minister's indulgence that I have more questions than answers and hope that he can clarify my questions and provide a clear narrative of Singapore's strategic approach going forward to ensure energy resilience. First question: how will the investment of existing power generation players in Singapore be protected? I understand that there was a public consultation, like the Minister has mentioned. What were the industry's main concerns and how does the Government plan to address those concerns? MTI, with EDB and MOF, are extremely skilful in selling the strengths of Singapore as an investment destination and for putting together the whole of Singapore's capabilities and incentives to attract visitors to come. Why does MTI think that the private sector may not continue to invest in this space? What is needed in order for Singapore to continue to be attractive for the big players in the energy space to land, expand and contribute to the building of our four supply "switches". It is, of course, prudent for Singapore to build our capabilities if we are to ensure resilience and security in our key pillars. We have done it for water with our four national taps, built our own capabilities in desalination as well as NEWater, amongst others, and built a strong DNA that will ensure our water resilience and security will not be threatened.”
“The Government will, therefore, need to manage the transition across all of the four national "switches" while maintaining energy reliability and affordability. This Bill has been set out to enable EMA to implement this energy transition without disruption while ensuring the sustainability, security and reliability of the power sector. To ensure energy resilience, there has to be some degree of re-regulation, I suppose, even as Singapore has gone through a phase of de-regulation for a strategic resource, like electricity supply. To rely entirely on import for our fuel to generate electricity does have its challenges, as we have experienced. Now, countries like Japan, after the Fukushima incident, has stocked up on gas supplies and so has China, which is now able to release gas stocks due to shortage of coal. So, while competition has helped to drive electricity prices down for a while, the recent surge in energy prices has led to the exit of many retailers and left some consumers exposed. This is yet another example that we cannot leave it to the market to find its equilibrium for a strategic resource like electricity. Hence, the amendment to this Bill is timely. The authorities have to take proactive steps to ensure energy security, including taking control of critical infrastructures and balancing market optimisation, with provisions for operational continuity and resilience. Amongst the amendments is one which enables EMA to acquire, build, own and/or operate critical infrastructure. There has been a decline in investor appetite for the building of new generation capacity as the world transitions to cleaner energy sources and the COVID-19 pandemic only makes the situation worse.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the privilege to join in the debate on the subject of the Energy (Resilience Measures and Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill. Singapore's energy network, like our water network, is a critical national infrastructure. I rise in support of the Bill. Climate change is a global emergency and a threat to mankind. This House has committed that the Government, in partnership with the private sector, civil society and the people of Singapore, will deepen and accelerate efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to embrace sustainability in the development of Singapore. The multi-Ministry Singapore Green Plan 2030, which was unveiled at Budget 2021, is an exciting vision and a rallying cry for the whole of Singapore to work towards becoming a sustainable smart nation. And Singapore has made strong commitments to reduce carbon emissions for a more sustainable future with water, food and energy being three critical pillars of our Singapore Green Plan 2030. The energy sector, as the Minister has said, has a key part to play as it accounts for about 40% of Singapore's carbon emissions. The Minister has also shared in his speech that Singapore will be embarking on a multi-decade programme to transition our electricity generation to low carbon generation sources through four supply "switches". First, by enhancing the energy efficiency of natural gas power plants; second, by accelerating solar deployment; third, by tapping on regional power grids for low-carbon electricity imports; and fourth, by developing low-carbon solutions, such as hydrogen and carbon capture utilisation and storage solutions, which will enable decarbonisation in the longer term.”
“At this stage of their life, they ought to be enrolled into a mid-career transition programme. This programme should provide the workers with mid-career strategies to help them think about their physical health and financial health, adequacy for retirement, think about their strengths and what keeps them motivated, think about their skills gaps for future jobs with the company or the industry. It is heartwarming for me to know, when I spoke to quite a few HR officers, that there are a good number of Singapore companies which already, on their own, have HR policies that support keeping their mature workers for as long as they are healthy, able, positive-minded and willing to work. These companies find that mature workers who have been with the company for more than 10 to 15 years are more loyal, job hop less, are more appreciative of having the opportunity to work and more productive because of their experience and skills built up over the years. I would like to close with a shout-out to all our senior workers who are serving tirelessly in our community in one way or another. To quote Martin Luther King, "No work is insignificant. All labour that uplifts humanity has dignity." I support both Bills.”
“The executive director of the Singapore National Employment Federation (SNEF) shared with me that Singaporean companies, generally, support the proposed legislation and are open to hiring senior workers. Many companies, however, do not have the systems and capabilities to execute and are, therefore, very appreciative of the Government's Senior Worker Support Package and the Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant, which are targeted to help companies accelerate enhancement of their company HR policies to support re-employment of mature workers for both full-time and part-time work. There is also the idea of shared HR services which can serve to enable and support our SMEs to better support the implementation of the legislation and the structural changes needed to achieve the desired outcomes. Preparing our workers for their shoulder season begins with preparing them through their careers. I would like to advocate a key structural change that needs to be considered in the system. One, promotion should not be by seniority but, rather, by the individuals' performance and capabilities as demonstrated by their work portfolio, including perhaps a willingness to have short working stints in ASEAN markets and elsewhere. A second change could be on succession planning. Succession planning is critical for the sustainability of every organisation. So, there should be fair practice policies to embrace diversity and inclusion and not be the excuse for discriminating against older employees to make way for younger staff. So, we should look out for ageism mindset not to set in. I am also advocating that our tripartite partners and companies provide a different kind of career counselling and coaching for their staff aged between 45 and 55 years of age during the pre-retirement phase.”
“Another idea includes, besides restructuring jobs, there is also a need to rethink job positioning, separate seniority, job skill levels and the management span so that it will allow senior civil servants and senior functional heads to continue to contribute in areas where their skill level and experience can be utilised without them feeling that they have been demoted. Along with these structural changes, the need to step up retraining cannot be over-emphasised. One other idea is that of reverse-mentoring. SBF Foundation's Employability Fund supports such initiatives and I thought to share this story of one of the companies in this programme. The mentee, a trans-shipment manager in his late 60s and who has been with the company for three years, is learning how to use technology – the system and the platform of the company – to do his job. Despite his age, he is willing to try and learn. The mentor, a much younger but senior executive who has been with the company for two and a half years, has been helping the mentee to do this virtually due to COVID-19. She scheduled time from her very busy schedule to help the mentee and he has definitely benefited from it. This intergenerational type of engagement is also good for the soul. For the senior workers, we do need to help ourselves by recognising that performance and attitude are still the best ticket to a mutually satisfying re-employment contract. The senior worker does have to acknowledge their own energy level, their strengths, their ability to contribute, their attitude and mindset, and recognise that compensation should be tied to the job role and not to their seniority.”
“And, seniors, we need to help ourselves. In a brainstorming session with Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI), we came up with some ideas for the Public Service and private sector employers to consider. Firstly, not everyone wants to continue on full-time basis till the end of their re-employment age. So, organisations will need to be flexible and redesign jobs for part-time work, for shared roles and even cater for permanent work-from-home jobs. Secondly, organisations could consider offering internal gig jobs, which are skills-based and projects-based. Such gig jobs may already be contracted out today but, if they are offered to employees, will help the employees in this age group to apply the skills that they may have decided to pick up and prepare for their shoulder season. This will also benefit the company as they will be building up their contractual fringe, as termed by Charles Handy in "The Age of Unreason", with trusted employees who may, over time, transition to become external associates paid not by wages but by fees for results produced. Thirdly, more companies could join the career trial for mature workers, which gives both parties a trial period before contracting. Organisations could also facilitate seniors to transition from their functional roles to be advisors, coaches, trainers so as to pass on their wisdom and experience to the next generation. Government and the industry could also consider investing in a platform to identify and help match the available supply of senior resources to demand, both paid and voluntary.”