Jessica Tan Soon Neo
Singapore
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Senior Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. I am also very happy to hear that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will continue to review that. I agree with the writer that structurally, there are some challenges, and productivity is important.”
“And as global supply chains re-organise, how are we positioning Singapore as a trusted, stable hub so that businesses continue to choose Singapore, create good jobs and keep our economy strong?”
“Caregiving is not only a financial load. It is a time load and a well-being load. Employers have a role to play as well. Incentives for caregiving friendly workplace policies, such as caregiving leave, flexible hours and phased return-to-work schemes, would encourage more companies to adopt practices that keep caregivers employed and prod…”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply. The reason I am asking this is because I have seen an increasing trend of appeals with regard to these kinds of issues, especially mould caused by continuous use of air-conditioning by neighbours.”
“Mr Speaker, I do have a clarification for the Senior Minister of State. He says that the AV is not relevant for retirees. I would say it is relevant with regard to CareShield Life premium because the assumption is that people only retire at 67.”
“Yet, we must ensure that Singaporeans understand that CareShield Life does not stand alone. It is complemented by a suite of targeted schemes like MediSave Care, which allows monthly withdrawals for care expenses; the Home Caregiving Grant, which offsets informal caregiving costs; and the ElderFund, which provides discretionary support fo…”
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Every one of 823 lines we hold for Jessica Tan Soon Neo, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 17.
“Madam, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill. The Women's Charter was enacted in 1961 with the intent to protect and advance the rights of women and girls in Singapore. It included regulations on the relationship between husband and wife, the relationship between parents and their children, termination of marriages, division of matrimonial assets and maintenance. The Women's Charter also provides protection against family violence and the penalty for offences against women and girls. Several amendments have been made since 1961, with the latest amendment made in 2011 to strengthen the enforcement of maintenance orders, provide improved support to those affected by divorces, as well as address emerging trends in marriages and divorce. The changes to the Women Charter, as proposed in the Bill tabled for today's Reading are positive. They are up to date and take into account the changing realities in the family in Singapore. Section 94A mandates that divorcing couples with children who cannot agree on all matters of divorce will need to attend an MPP before they can file for divorce. Like many who have spoken before me, I think this is a very important step as it does take the interest of the child who is involved in the divorce, at the centre. The Minister has shared that much of the content of this programme is around the care of the child, housing and schools, which are very important. But I do want to ask for more elaboration on the duration of MPP. The amendment also indicates that the person appointed to conduct MPP will determine whether any person that attends the programme has completed the programme.”
“If I can quote President Tan in his speech, "To remain special, we must first resolve to move ahead together". In order to future-ready and build a strong Singapore Core in our workforce, I implore all of us to work together. 3.39pm”
“I must say that while I do applaud the involvement of Select Committees to do this, I think what is more important now is for us to exercise what is there so that businesses, individuals and associations and educational institutions will be able to knock out the kinks to see what those requirements are, to further refine it so that we can really build up that skills base that is required for our workers to be really strong and to really build a Singapore Core. I do implore companies, because this is not about companies doing what is right or what is good. It is a win-win situation. You have access to a talent base in Singapore that is highly educated, very, very highly educated, both men and women. In fact, the women are more highly educated now, so do tap on the women as well. My point is, for companies, you have a very strong base to tap on; why ignore that base? Yes, you have to put some investment into it. But you have the backing of funding for the programmes and at the same time, you also have the educational institutions. If you are a small company, you have the educational institutions working with you and with that talent over a period of time, to actually help you with the skills development and skills match. It is a win-win for all and the individual as well. I would say, go in with the right mind set. And I am not talking about just the graduating workforce. We have a very, very precious workforce called the middle-age or the mature PMEs. They have a wealth of experience. Go watch this programme that I talked about, "The Intern" and you will know what I mean. When you bring that diversity of talent together, both young and old, you will see the impact that will bring. Therefore, I do encourage all of us to go forward to build that Singapore Core.”
“As we talk about all these changes, businesses will need the HR function to be a lot stronger because not only will your talent base come from within your company, you will need to source available freelance talents somewhere else; you have to go into partnerships; you have to plan for that. And in order to do that, you need a very strong HR function. I do not think we are doing enough in Singapore to develop this competence and capability and I hope that we can do more. Let me finally talk about a very important area, called the Singapore Core, and, in particular, the Singapore Core in our workforce. As outlined by MOM in the Addendum, strengthening this Singapore Core in the workforce in very important. I believe that given that Singapore has a highly educated workforce with more than 50% holding PMET jobs, this trend will continue to increase and, so, we must have high-quality jobs that Singaporeans aspire to do and can do. What must we do to achieve this, apart from the measures that MOM is driving? I believe that employers must play a big role for a strong Singapore Core to be successful. It will require employers to be willing to make a deliberate bet on building a Singapore Core. Because with the rapid changes in the workforce, regardless of whether you are a large or a small organisation, it is difficult for your talent to keep up to reskill and upskill fast enough that there would not be skills gaps. Businesses would find it difficult to find the exact skill they will require and, so, if you do not take proactive actions to develop them, then it is not going to be possible. The Member Pritam Singh talked about SkillsFuture, PMETs, all these programmes. I encourage employers, workers, educational institutions to leverage and use these.”
“I believe you cannot replace a good teacher, a good nurse or even a good salesperson. But with the use of the right business processes and technology, you can provide them with the ability to do what they do best and improve the experience for the student, the patient or the customer. One area that I must emphasise that we must never lose, is our desire to improve and a mind-set of resilience. I want to share a story of a young boy whom I met many years ago in my first term as a Member of Parliament. He and his mother had come to see me because this boy felt that he was being singled out by his teacher. When he came to see me he was suspended for some incident in school and he felt that he was being singled out. And he said to me, "I have been unfairly singled out by a teacher." Then, I asked him why, and he said, "Yes, because he does not think I am capable." I said, "Okay, if he does not think you are capable, do you think you are capable?" He says "Yes!" I said, "Then, the best way to win your teacher over is to show him that." And I did not see this boy after that, but one day when I was in a school at a Book Prize Award ceremony. This lady came up to me smiling away and I was trying to figure out where I had seen her. She said, "I am here because my son is getting an award and recognition." And guess what, it is the same boy, in the same school, a year or so later, being recognised for his capabilities. While circumstances can affect us, we have to have that mindset of resilience and we must have that confidence and that belief. Another area that I feel needs attention is the Human Resource (HR) function.”
“That is what we have to equip our people to be doing. So, in that sense it frees us. But if we are not careful and we do not apply it, then that becomes a challenge. With technology, relationships are also becoming more networked rather than hierarchical, so hence, being able to use these technologies will enable us to have faster and more effective communications and connections. But it is important to prevent an opportunity divide. We must ensure that all people at all levels and ages are comfortable and able to leverage the use of technology. We need to better equip our people and we must invest in developing strong communication skills so that people can communicate their ideas better and connect and share these ideas. Some fear that the lower skilled jobs will disappear with technology and that these roles will be displaced. I think that it is true but it could also create new and better jobs. Let me give an example: the cleaning industry. Without having to do extra work, if we put sensors in the areas being cleaned, one person could probably be able to monitor a larger space and then go to the places where there are more people and where more cleaning is required. And you can do that without having to make that person work extra hard. But it has to be applied correctly. To differentiate our workforce, as many have said in this House, we must have a mastery of skills and innovation. With the rapid changes that we are experiencing, while knowledge is easily obtained and probably computers can handle information better than a human being, I still think that the person has a very important role to play and if we know how to leverage this knowledge, we would be able to leapfrog on innovation.”
“This readiness goes beyond just the hard skills and knowledge and will involve greater adaptability. Given these employment trends and feedback from businesses that it is taking them longer to find the right persons to fill the roles they are hiring for, I believe that there is urgency to ensure that we adapt to this changing employment landscape. So, how do we future-ready our workforce? There are fears that these changes will displace jobs and routine work would be automated or business models would change and make certain jobs go away. These changes can also create new jobs or greater job scope and opportunities. While both these views are valid, if we want to be future-ready and if we want to future-ready our workforce, we must advocate a mind-set of learning and curiosity. This will enable us to adapt and embrace these changes so that we can take advantage of these opportunities. We will have to acquire new skills on an ongoing basis. And this ability to continue to learn and to build a portfolio of skills and experience will affect everyone regardless of whether we are young and just entering the workforce, or an older person, or whether we are a lower skilled worker or PMET. Technology is pervasive and is impacting many aspects of our work and life. Today, with the ability to use search on even, what many of us have in our pockets, a smartphone, you will have quick access to information, to knowledge, even on a subject that you know nothing about. And with this, you can ask, "Is that good? Is that bad?" I think it is a good thing in the sense that it enables us to do work more quickly and more efficiently. But it is also important that we understand the information that is coming towards us and what to do with that.”
“Many of today's top jobs did not exist a few years ago and even how work is organised is changing. The workplace is evolving. There is no longer a place for people to go to work, with more people being able to work from anywhere. I am both somewhat optimistic of the new opportunities that will be created, as well as concerned of the impact and disruption on Singaporeans that these changes will bring. According to preliminary estimates released by MOM, while the unemployment rate in Singapore remained low last year, total employment growth slowed to a 12-year low. Redundancy increased in the fourth quarter of 2015, as 4,200 workers were laid off. This was higher than the previous quarter and the year before. Although anecdotal, I am hearing residents' concerns about losing their jobs and the anxiety of not being able to get another job given the slower economic growth or taking longer to get another job, given what businesses are going through in terms of the changes. The World Economic Forum's "The Future of Jobs" report that was issued this month outlined that these changes are not unique to Singapore. It highlighted that "many of the drivers of major transformation currently affecting global industries are expected to have significant impact on jobs, ranging from significant job creation to job displacement and from heightened labour productivity to widening skills gap." While we must have strategies to ensure that Singapore continues to have good growth and quality jobs, what is equally important will be to ensure that Singaporeans are able and more importantly, ready to take advantage of these job opportunities and that businesses in Singapore are also able to fill these jobs with the right talent.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak. I rise in support of the Motion to thank the President for his Address at the Opening of the first session of this Parliament. President Tan reminded us that we are a small country with no natural resources and our strength is our people. This improbable nation, Singapore, is the result of the people who came before us. Their conviction, courage and hard work brought us to where we are today. There are several areas that are important. Many Members have discussed in the last few days in terms of ensuring that Singapore continues to be a special place for all Singaporeans, young and old, to realise their aspirations. I would like to speak about jobs. We all have aspirations to provide for a better life for ourselves and our families. To enable Singaporeans, no matter where our starting point, to continue to improve our lives, I believe that Singapore must be able to give Singaporeans fulfilling jobs. I believe that to have meaningful work gives confidence to our people to not only make a living but also to feel included and, hence, a sense of belonging and commitment. This point was so nicely said in a movie that I recently watched titled "The Intern". Robert De Niro, who plays a 70-year-old retiree, decided to apply for a job as an intern in an online fashion site, a work environment very different from what he knew. He spoke about why he was doing so and I thought was so apt. He said that he wants "the connections, the excitement, I want the challenges and I guess I want to be needed." With evolving business models, our economic changes, technological and social changes, the kind of work and the "workplace" is changing rapidly.”
“There are more than 150,000 Singaporeans living abroad, and being able to draw on this pool will be important for Singapore. At our current falling birth rates coupled with increasing life expectancies, we are an ageing population with a shrinking citizen population and workforce. At current birth rates and if we do not have immigration, our citizen population will shrink from 2025. What is our current trend on immigration and what is its impact on our population? Madam, while the policies outlined provide the parameters for planning to support this vision, a sustainable population with a strong Singapore Core will depend on a collective effort and engagement of the Government, Singaporeans and the community that will determine our population and our Singapore Core. Population and Singaporean Core”
“In light of the demographic challenges facing Singapore, the National Population and Talent Division in 2012, after a year-long engagement and public feedback, put forward the Population White Paper which outlined the key considerations and roadmap to building a sustainable population. The vision was to build a sustainable population where Singaporeans are at the core of our nation, where we have the opportunities to pursue our aspirations and where we have a Singapore that we are proud to call our home. Page: 66 I would like to ask, how we are tracking towards building a sustainable population for Singapore. What progress has been made to achieve this vision? The strategy to build a Singaporean Core is anchored on the family at the heart of that strategy and our society. The focus is to encourage marriage and parenthood, engage Overseas Singaporeans and to bring in suitable immigrants who can contribute to Singapore. Can Minister share on the progress of this strategy? Are the measures to encourage and support Singaporeans to get married and to have children having impact? In 2014, we did see a 10% rise in marriages involving at least one citizen. According to the latest statistics, this is the highest number of marriages in a year since 1997. Another welcome news is that more couples are having babies, too. Citizen births increased from around 31,000 births in 2013 to about 33,000 last year in 2014. This pushes up the total fertility rate (TFR) from 1.19 in 2013 to 1.25 in 2014. What were the factors driving this increase? With globalisation and the opportunities that it presents, there is an increasing number of Singaporeans living and working overseas. How are we engaging our Overseas Singaporeans? What has the impact of these connections been?”
“We need to also develop these skills within curricula, not only for those specialising in ICT, but also for all students. Dedicated Government Telecoms Network”
“Sir, I declare my interest as I work in the ICT industry. With the advances of technology and the pervasiveness of computers in the way we work, live and play, there is an increasing need for skills in ICT, not only within the industry, but across industries. There is, therefore, a growing need for capacity and capability in ICT, and the need for the talent is both quantity as well as the depth, especially in the areas of data science, mobility, cloud, social and most recently, cybersecurity. As we strive to build and strengthen the Singapore Core, and with the increasing importance that ICT plays with our initiatives around Smart Nation, we must be able to attract the best talent to take up ICT specialisation in our Institutions of Higher Learning and we must be able to retain these talents in the industry. However, given the importance and the pervasiveness of ICT and technology, we are also seeing ICT professionals having the choice to move across various industries. With the various initiatives that IDA has unveiled last year to encourage capability and talent in the industry, are we seeing early impact from these initiatives? I would like to touch also on diversity. While females form more than 50% of graduates from our local universities, the employment trend in the infocomm industry show that participation of females in the industry account for only 29%, while graduates formed the majority of the manpower mix employed in ICT. What this shows is we are not leveraging a significant pool of the talent base. Are there initiatives to attract more females to the industry? Apart from talent within the industry, with the pervasiveness of technology, computational thinking and coding skills will also help to future-prove our students.”
“Mr Chairman, while MOF needs to responsibly manage the size and growth of public procurement, what is the trend of SMEs and start-ups' participation in Government tenders? Has there been an increase in the award of Government contracts to SMEs? And have SMEs been able to compete effectively for these tenders? SMEs may be perceived to be disadvantaged in Government procurement due to the lack of size and, more importantly, track record. Their participation in Government procurement is a potential platform for SMEs to build recognition and credibility to scale. While it still has to be based on value and merit of the SME, is there any deliberate focus to enable an increase in participation? Are there initiatives, like in other regimes, to help level the playing field to enable SMEs to effectively participate in Government procurement, as greater SME participation in Government tenders will help them build track record and credibility to participate not only in larger local but, more importantly, overseas markets? As SMEs provide 70% of the employment in Singapore, this would also enable the growth of job opportunities for Singaporeans. Incentivising Family Support and Charity”
“There are also many asking if there is a need for a retirement age and, hence, re-employment age? Feedback from several residents I had encountered says that the Retirement Age has become a convenient reason or excuse for companies to ask employees to leave. With people now living longer and ageing well, they can continue to work and wish to do so. Many of these roles are PMET roles. So, I do hope that companies will plan better Page: 95 for the movement of these talents as well as addressing some of the concerns that employees have in this area. Review of Employment Assistance Payment”
“Smaller companies do not have the size or capability to make these changes in the work arrangements and policies of their own. SkillsFuture must, therefore, drive industry collaborative efforts to uplift the capability of SMEs in this area. I also hope that SkillsFuture will take up the recommendations made by our PAP Women's Wing, which I mentioned in my Budget speech previously, to make efforts to enhance e-learning options as well as modularise training and enable access to quality training. Again, this would benefit not only this group. Retirement and Re-Employment My second cut. To address the needs of an ageing population, the Retirement and Re-Employment Act (RRA) was introduced in 2012 to require employers to offer re-employment to eligible employees from age 62 up to age 65, with the intention to raise it to age 67 later. It is welcomed news that public servants who turn 65 can be re-employed till age 67. Can MOM provide updates on when the re-employment age will be raised to age 67? There have also been several incentives to provide companies to re-hire older workers. Can MOM share whether these companies have been offering re-employment for older workers aged 65 to 67? Are they re-employed in the same roles, if they are available and if employees wish to do the same roles? Do they continue to get the same pay? While I also understand the rationale for the current practice of the CPF Draw Down Age (DDA) to be aligned with the re-employment age, do we really need to do so? Because with the changing profile of the population and workforce, and the potential changes to retirement age and re-employment, it does cause quite a bit of anxiety and uncertainty for seniors on the access of their CPF funds if this continues to change.”
“We are witnessing a continual change in the way work is done and the kind of jobs that are available and valued. For businesses to benefit from the available talent base which includes women and mature workers, companies must have the ability to provide the right jobs and work arrangements. So, with the improvement in the labour force participation of both women and mature workers, can Minister provide an update on the wage profile and the progress these groups are making? Even with increased labour force participation, I do believe that to attract and match more women and mature workers to the right jobs and for them to do well, there needs to be a targeted programme. The emphasis of this targeted programme will, however, need to be different from that of the "Earn and Learn" programme. The focus needs to be around how work is organised and performance is rewarded. Having flexible work arrangements – for example, work hours, start times – and having the right tools that leverage on technology to provide access to information and quality communication and collaborative experience to allow flexibility for work to be done from anywhere. This will enable women and mature workers to take up job opportunities and participate more effectively. These changes will not only benefit this group but also all in the workforce and enable greater productivity in the workplace. Page: 94 I must stress that to be successful, these policies and work arrangements must not be seen as special arrangements made to cater to women and mature workers. To be effective, there must be a culture change on how work is organised and performance recognised. Performance must not only be about physically being in the office or work area but rather the ideas and impact that the work one does.”
“30 pm With an ageing population and the restructuring in the industry and job market, this pool of PMEs may get larger. Industry will benefit from applying their skills more effectively. Having a focused programme to support this group, it will meet the manpower needs of the industry as well as benefit the individuals, too. Older PMEs”
“Madam, PMEs form a sizeable proportion of our workforce. Those who are out of employment and mid-career PMEs do struggle to re-enter the workforce. In a recent TODAY newspaper article in January this year, it was cited that while the labour market remains tight, industry insiders are seeing more PMEs seeking help for employment issues. Can MOM provide visibility of the hiring and wage trends for Singaporeans in PME roles? As our economy is restructuring and with the shifts in the labour market, what is being done to support PMEs, especially mid-career PMEs' employability and career changes? In my Budget debate speech, I asked if there could be a programme similar to the Earn and Learn programme to target mid-career PMEs. Those who face mid-career changes due to either job losses because jobs have gone away with the changes in the industry or a company's decision to downsize or relocate. These PMEs do face difficulty finding employment. Despite having experience that may be relevant to other industries, these PMEs do face difficulty in getting suitable employment given their age as well as the re- Page: 50 training that may be required. I have seen many residents who are mid-career PMEs who have come to seek assistance at our Meet-the People Session. They share the challenges they have putting in many job applications but not getting even a response or an opportunity for interview. There seems to be preferences by employers to hire younger workers. This can be quite disheartening and eventually for those who do find employment they are usually under-employed. Some of them do take up freelancing. This trend will affect the confidence and job prospects of mid-career PMEs, and it will affect their financial positions and quality of life. 1.”
“What are the factors that have been supporting the success of SMEs in these markets? As our businesses internationalise, there will also be need for talent to support the business operations of Singapore-based companies, both for their headquarters operations here as well as overseas operations. What can the Government do to help support the creation of quality jobs for Singaporeans for these very jobs?”
“Mr Chairman, given our small domestic market for businesses to grow, reliance on domestic business will not be sufficient to support and Page: 158 sustain growth. Hence, the focus on internationalisation for companies, especially SMEs, is required to grow. By expanding overseas, SMEs will be able to tap resources, technologies and markets and hence grow their revenue base. In the Internationalisation Survey 2011/2012, it showed that SMEs surveyed derived 48% of their revenue overseas. Recently, IE Singapore also shared that 50% of SMEs have overseas revenue. As the Minister has shared in his speech earlier, to support SMEs to internationalise, the grant and tax measures announced in this year's Budget, which are expected to cost about $240 million, are enhancements to the existing schemes of the Global Company Partnership or GCP and the Market Readiness Assistance or MRA. These are used to encourage Singapore companies to expand overseas while still anchoring their key business activities in Singapore. Could MTI share how effective MRA and GCP have been and how many SMEs have leveraged on them? What impact has MRA and GCP had in supporting SMEs as they internationalise? Apart from these grants and tax incentives, can MTI also share how else it will support businesses to capture opportunities in overseas markets? What strategies for growth are SMEs adopting for internationalisation, how effective have they been to help them scale their business and how sustainable are they? Are our SMEs expanding overseas able to adapt to differing market norms and conditions and thrive in these new markets? Can MTI also share which markets our SMEs have had success in, in regard to their internationalisation?”
“Can MTI also provide an update on the strategies to drive and accelerate innovation especially in the five growth sectors identified?”
“With the slower growth rates seen in the recent years and as we continue to restructure our economy, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam had outlined in the Budget Statement five focus sectors that Singaporeans could excel in. While slower growth is not necessarily in itself a concern, the focus needs to be on the quality and the sustainability of the growth. Can the Minister share what are the strategies Page: 131 MTI is driving to ensure that Singapore is able to attract the growth opportunities and investments of these identified growth industries to Singapore? More importantly, how will we adapt our growth strategy to ensure continual growth and address the competition from other markets? While Asia continues to present growth opportunities, Singapore is not a low-cost market and we are seeing increasing competition from neighbouring economies as they modernise. What specific investments will be made to ensure that our infrastructure and talent base will be able to address the needs and participate in the opportunities that present themselves in these five sectors? With the changing profile of educational qualifications and a growing aspiration of our workforce, what is MTI doing to facilitate the creation of quality jobs and the alignment of our talent to these jobs? Will we be able to attract and, more importantly, retain our best talents to these growth sectors? Recently, Japan announced a new growth strategy to venture overseas to tap talents from developed markets like the US and UK, and Singapore is also a target for them. So, will our growth strategies be able to enable Singapore to stay attractive to retain our already scarce talent base? There has been much discussion in driving innovation to enable Singapore companies to be competitive.”
“All right. Thank you. The Earn and Learn Study Programme will also match graduates to employers to enable them to work and train towards industry-recognised certifications. This, too, is an important point to help graduates and match skills to jobs. An area of SkillsFuture that I would like to see addressed is the support for workers who face mid-career changes, or women wanting to return to the workforce. Could this programme or similar programmes be extended to support and target this group as well to allow them to make adjustments back into the workforce? Madam, Budget 2015 is a Budget that is focused on building for the future, anchored on people and giving Singaporeans hope with opportunities to succeed and to do better, no matter where we start from; and greater assurance at each stage of life, hence emphasising the kind of nation that we want to build. With that, Madam, I support the Budget. 3.03 pm Page: 70”
“We all will agree that we cannot completely do away with people even in those roles that could be mechanised, automated – even in those, the human element cannot go away. But what we need to do need is that we have to look at how to upskill and restructure these jobs to justify higher salaries so that we can change perception Page: 69 and attract Singaporeans to want to do these jobs. And the point I emphasise is not about skills upgrading but the point about justifying the higher wages. While we can restructure jobs, we need to change mindsets of those jobs and businesses must be willing to pay more for these jobs. The Budget does outline concrete actions to uplift the broad base of SMEs that provide employment for Singaporeans and to help Singaporeans develop their careers. I think this is a big shift. I am not sure many realise that. There will be investments in the new form of industry collaborations with initiatives like the Sectoral Manpower Plans (SMP). SMEs, given their size, lack the training capacity and are also not able to plan for the future. These new forms of collaboration that the Government is strengthening between training institutions, unions, trade associations and employers to develop the SMPs for key sectors, will be important. These sectors will have dedicated manpower plans, outlined to identify the skills required for these industries to grow. Working with industries partners, the Government will develop a shared pool of mentors with specialised and industry-relevant skills which SMEs can tap on. It is a whole new capability and capacity.”
“But the key aspect of the Budget underlining all the support schemes is still about growth and the recognition that our people are at the centre of that to support that goal– the SkillsFuture that I have talked a lot about – creates that environment for lifelong learning. And there must also be growth to enable quality jobs because without the quality jobs, SkillsFuture and all the skills we build comes to nought. The Budget has identified also five growth clusters for future where Singaporeans have the capacity to excel. While previous Budgets have focused on restructuring and productivity schemes to support businesses, Budget 2015 is looking to companies to make more significant breakthroughs in order to drive productivity improvements. Budget 2015 also sharpens support to business-making efforts to raise productivity by innovating and growing their businesses through internationalising. With SkillsFuture and the focus on mastery of skills, there must be the ability for companies to drive their restructuring and growth strategies to absorb these Singaporean talents and skills. While there is a deferment for this year's levy increases, and the Deputy Prime Minister has been clear that it is to give more time for adjustments to business and it is not a change in the direction to the new normal of a permanently tight labour market. Hence, the emphasis needs to be innovation and we need to reduce the reliance on manpower especially unskilled labour. Manpower is an area that businesses continue to feel the pain and I think we need to recognise this. It is especially so for those who have jobs that Singaporeans do not wish to do.”
“Singapore women participation rate in the workforce is lower than that of tradition-steeped countries, such as Japan and Korea. There are also fewer Singapore women aged 40-49 at work than compared to their counterparts in the United Kingdom and the United States. Today, the explosion of collaboration technology and cloud services has made it possible to be productive anywhere and anytime, I do hope to see fewer women dropping out of the workforce and sacrificing their professional aspirations because they feel they have to choose. And I am speaking from personal experience because this is a bug-bear I have. I have seen many women with very strong aspirations feeling that they have to choose. And I think employers – and I am glad the Government is doing it – but I think employers, too, have to step up and ensure that this becomes a reality because it will benefit not just families, it will benefit the women themselves but, most importantly, the economy and Page: 68 society. The Women's Wing also sees families as having a role to play in creating a supportive ecosystem to encourage women homemakers to pursue lifelong learning. So, the ask is for the Government to consider allowing husbands and children to make partial transfers of their un-used SkillsFuture Credits in future to give more support to their homemaker wives and mothers to pursue training. Now, I would like to touch on the quality and sustainability of growth. Is the increased spending sustainable? And the point I would like to ensure is that while we look at quality and sustainability of growth of Singapore, many will assume that this will just happen. And as MTI had said, economic growth is expected, with GDP growth expected to be between 2% and 4% next year which is fairly aligned with 2014.”
“I do want to touch on a point of the Skills Credit account and what it can do to enable those who are out of the workforce, for example, women who have taken some time off to take care of their family to be able to have the means to undergo training to stay relevant. As outlined in the 10-point Response to the Government Announcements in Budget 2015, one of the areas that the PAP Women's Wing called on the Government is to make special efforts to help stay-home mothers take advantage of SkillsFuture initiatives. This will enable them to keep their skills updated and remain employable. An example could be enhancing e-learning options to allow access to training from home while they are out of the workforce. This will enable women who have taken time off from work to take care of their families stay connected and keep their skills up-to-date. This will help women home-makers have confidence to return to the workforce should they wish to do so in the future. And I would say to you that it may seem trivial to some, but this is a very important point because in my career, I have seen many women who have left the workforce for these purposes and it is a very good reason for leaving the workforce to take care of the family. But what happens, if they cannot stay connected and they cannot keep their skills updated, what happens is they lose the confidence to come back. And so it is such an important point that we must not forget. According to MOM, Singapore's statistics show that Singapore women are more likely to drop out of the labour force after marriage and childbirth. In a recent online survey by Accenture, 74% of Singaporean women said they turned down jobs because of concerns about work-life balance.”
“I believe that while there are investments made with SkillsFuture to provide career coaching, grants and full salary for graduates on the Earn and Learn programme; study awards for those who wish to determine their skills; as well as fellowship cash awards for those more senior in their fields to further master their skills; as well as skills credit for all Singaporeans 25 years and above; all these programmes – yes, they sound like a lot – but all these programmes will require individuals and businesses – not just individuals but businesses as well – to take joint accountability as it will require personal effort to learn, to take up these opportunities. For businesses, it will require commitment to provide employment over a period of 12 to 18 months for the Earn and Learn programme. As Deputy Prime Minister Tharman said in his Budget speech, SkillsFuture will require different motivation in our society. It is driving a change in culture. Individuals will need to take ownership of learning and work towards mastery of skills to drive value and differentiation. Organisations on their part must recognise the value of people and more importantly, invest in developing their people while also giving opportunity to mid-career Singaporeans. Industry must also have a collaborative culture to join forces to develop skills for the industry. While the Government is providing the catalyst to drive the culture change with SkillsFuture, the success of SkillsFuture will lie in how individuals, businesses and Page: 67 industry play their part.”
“Ms Moloney, however, also made a very interesting point to say that if technology is not what you are good at, then, she says, "Find yourself something to do that is hyper-human, which computers can't do, such as entertainment, sport, caring personal services" to differentiate oneself. In my Budget speech last year, I also cited a Forbes article, which talked about the top 10 jobs in 2013 that did not exist 10 years ago. What this means is that we are preparing our students and workforce for jobs that do not yet exist. What I shared of the views in The Telegraph, trends are also showing that this transformation of work will continue. Many other reports on future jobs share the same view. There are some who have expressed concerns about whether SkillsFuture will further drive amongst Singaporeans a mindset of entitlement and one of dependency on the Government. Is the Government doing too much such that we blunt the drive and the ownership of individuals and businesses? Should this not be driven by personal motivation to improve and upskill ourselves? While there are good reasons to be concerned, this is in some way addressed by how SkillsFuture initiatives are mapped out.”
“What it does recognise is the realities of what is happening both in Singapore and in economies around the world driven by technological advances and the need – and I stress this – the need for differentiation to enable one to be able to take advantage of the opportunities presented. It is important to stress that the approach that we take to skills must not be one that is just about accumulation of training or knowledge but it must be one of learning and, most importantly, mastery of skills. We are already witnessing that the way we work and the type of jobs or professions that are valued are changing. In a recent article this week in The Telegraph on 10 well-paid jobs of the future, futurologists make predictions on the lucrative careers for 2030. They predicted that based on trends, in 10 to 20 years' time, the chances are that our jobs – and the way we work – will be very different. In the same article, Ian Pearson, a futurologist argued that the better technology gets, the more people will have to focus on their "human skills" to survive in the workforce. He said that "as computers get more intelligent, the work that will take over will require human skills like leadership, motivation and compassion." Karen Moloney, another futurologist and business psychologist agreed and she said that, "The world will divide into those who understand technology and those who do not. Those who can programme will create the world we live in." And she advocates that we should Page: 66 therefore get ourselves into the field of technology. Today, many of us will agree that computational thinking and coding are skills that are recognised as skills required to "future proof" our students.”
“Therefore, we must stay vigilant to managing the delicate balance on the part of the Government for fiscal prudence with continued judicious spending and revenue adequacy, together with a culture of preserving an ethic of work, personal effort and responsibility from all Singaporeans and a collective responsibility of the community. If we are to succeed in building a stronger Singapore, we must preserve this Singapore ethic. I would like now to touch on social mobility and opportunity for all. Page: 65 Budget 2015 has a wide spectrum of initiatives to support lower and middle-income Singaporeans and seniors. As mentioned, this is needed if we are to build a Fair and Just Society, to address the growing income gap and cost of living challenges faced by especially the lower and middle income. While these initiatives are important for this Budget, I like to focus my discussion on SkillsFuture. SkillsFuture is a recognition of the need for continuous learning. Hence, it provides individuals the means to stay relevant and deepen their skills. As part of SkillsFuture, the Government will be investing in new forms of industry collaboration to help uplift the large base of SMEs who face constraints in training capability and capacity as SMEs provide 70% of the workforce employment. Just as we have always emphasised Education as an important lever for social mobility and a means for everyone to have "a chance to move up regardless of where they start", then with the changes in the job market, SkillsFuture will "enable every Singaporean to own their own journey in life and gain fulfilment at work, even in their senior years." The Budget's vision that "We must become a meritocracy of skills and not a hierarchy of grades earned early in life" is not made in a vacuum.”
“This is driven from the various support for Singaporean families and households to help them with the cost of living spanning education, work, housing and healthcare. There are permanent features with investments through SkillsFuture with over a $1 billion per year on average that will be spent from now till 2020 to support lifelong learning. Silver Support is also a permanent scheme that will cost about $350 million in the first full year and expected to rise as more Singaporeans turn 65 years of age. There is also significant increase in the development expenditures for Changi Airport Terminal 5, our healthcare and public transport infrastructure as outlined. The question then is, "Must we spend more?" And I believe we must. With the growing income disparity and cost of living, this is the right and necessary thing to do to ensure that there is a better life for all Singaporeans, especially those who do face greater pressures, that is, the lower income and the "sandwiched class". This is to ensure a more cohesive society and, as the Deputy Prime Minister put it in a recent media interview a day after delivering the Budget, he emphasised that "we have to spend more in the next five years in the common interest." While many have welcomed this fundamental shift in policy to building a future that gives all Singaporeans greater assurances, more opportunities and a better home, there is, also from feedback, a heightened concern that we may run the risk of a mindset of dependency and expectation for continued increased spending.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join in the debate on Budget 2015. This year's Budget is an ambitious Budget. It sets out bold goals on the changes required for the economy, society and even mindsets as it seeks to build the future for Singapore. Budget 2015 covers many aspects from supporting individual capability building, support for lower income and middle class to boosting retirement adequacy, encouraging companies to innovate and internationalise, investing in infrastructure and strengthening future revenues. While the focus is on transformation and building Singapore's future, I am glad that Deputy Prime Minister Tharman emphasised that our people continue to remain in the heart of Singapore's transformation. In the major steps on the four areas of Budget 2015 takes, people and the impact on and the support for continue and must be the focus. In my speech, I would like to touch on the following areas: evolving our mindsets and culture; social mobility and opportunity, with specific focus on SkillsFuture; and the quality Page: 64 and sustainability of the growth we are building for the future. The Budget makes a fundamental shift in approach with significant spending on support initiatives to build for the future and strengthen social security for Singaporeans. There is also a move towards greater collective culture and responsibility. We do, however, need to be cognisant that this year's Budget has a fiscal deficit of $6.7 billion or 1.7% of GDP, albeit that surpluses in current reserves accumulated since 2011 will be more than adequate to cover for this. Total Government spending will go up significantly with increased operating expenditures.”
“The Bill does allow for persons concerned to opt out and to refuse access to the provision of health information for the purposes of clause 27 to assess whether premium loading for pre-existing conditions and or the provision of means information for the purposes of clause 28, to assess eligibility for any grant or subsidy of benefit from a relevant public scheme. By opting out, the person concerned will however not be eligible for income-related subsidies for their premiums nor can they automatically be considered to have a clean bill of health. Both the Minister as well as Minister of State Dr Lam have clarified that a person who opts out can, for either of the instances, opt in at a later stage. Can the Minister clarify as to how this will be done? Will they be able to benefit from the applicable grants and subsidies? And if so, how will this be assessed? Will it be backdated or pro-rated from the date of application? For Singaporeans living overseas, how will premiums be calculated and determined? What happens when there is a situation of outstanding payments? Can the Minister clarify how this will be handled? Madam, in conclusion, I would like to say that healthcare and healthcare affordability matter to all Singaporeans. This Bill facilitates the establishment of the MediShield Life Scheme to enable collective responsibility of all Singaporeans and the sustainability of the Scheme. As the Minister has outlined in his speech, the Scheme sets out to strengthen the collective responsibility of Singaporeans and the Scheme also sets the tone of the inclusive society that we want to build in Singapore. What is most important now is that it be executed well and that we ensure that all Singaporeans benefit from this healthcare coverage. Madam, I support the Bill.”
“This access is required to allow the Board and authorised officers the ability to disburse or facilitate the disbursement of any grant, subsidy or benefit under the healthcare-related public scheme in relations to the persons concerned without having the onerous process of application and processing of applications for the Scheme and ensures that those who do qualify benefit from it. While this may, at the onset, seem too intrusive, I do applaud the effort as it does simplify the process and will ensure that those who do qualify benefit from the various grants and subsidies without having to apply for them. Clause 29 subsections (1) and (4) set out the measures to ensure that the data is used for the purposes outlined in clause 27, subsections (1) and (2) and that data privacy is maintained for the persons concerned. Page: 110 With the wide-ranging powers to obtain data without explicit consent, given the sensitive and personal information that is obtained, as this information pertains to personal health records as well as means data, I would like to ask the Minister what responsibilities will be required of the authorised bodies and persons who obtain and receive the data? What requirements will be in place for them to store, retain and dispose the data to ensure protection of the confidentiality of the data and that the data is only used and accessed for the purposes outlined in clause 27 subsections (1) and (2)? This is important for public trust, given the sensitivity of personal information obtained and the fact that the information is now shared and viewed in a holistic manner. Inappropriate access could compromise an individual and impact public trust. Opting not to allow access to confidential data.”
“With the universality of the Scheme and the fact that it is compulsory, the Act provides the powers for the recovery of outstanding premiums, the prevention of defaulters from leaving Singapore, penalty and interest imposed for late payment of premiums. Defaulters will be liable to conviction of fine and imprisonment for leaving or attempting to leave Singapore without paying or furnishing security to the recovery body before leaving Singapore. These are wide powers and the consequences for the persons concerned for offences and default are severe. As these responsibilities are not trivial and will impact every Singaporean and PR, I would like to ask the Minister what measures will be put in place to ensure that outstanding premiums do not build up or escalate? Will there be a process to ensure that if outstanding premiums are the result of a person's inability to afford the premiums due to their financial situation that there will be early intervention to provide the appropriate support? This will help prevent a situation of default or escalating amounts for outstanding premiums and the severity of penalties and offences. This problem could be further exacerbated when the persons concerned also have dependants whom they are required to pay premiums for. As the Scheme applies to Singapore citizens as well as PRs, what measures will be in place if PRs are, for some reason, in financial difficulty when a sudden illness or financial situation happens in their families and they are unable to afford the premiums? Obtaining and disclosure of confidential information. The Bill gives the CPF Board and authorised officers the powers to obtain and use confidential information of a person concerned for administration and enforcement of the Scheme.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill. Healthcare affects everyone. Young, old, rich or poor, healthcare is not something we can predict when we need it and neither can we predict the amount of expenses required. MediShield Life will provide the benefits of healthcare protection for all Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) for life, regardless of our health status or our financial situation. It is a welcomed relief for those with pre-existing conditions that they will also be included in the Scheme. The Scheme requires that everyone co-shares in this risk pool. This is a big change both in mindset and approach as it requires all Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) to collectively participate and to share in enabling healthcare protection for all. The Bill sets out to establish the MediShield Life Scheme which enables this coverage for all to happen. A permanent feature of the Scheme is the Government's support to Singaporeans with subsidies for lower- to middle-income and the Pioneer Generation (PG). To ease the shift to MediShield Life, there will be Transitional Subsidies over four years for all Singapore citizens. For Singapore citizens who are unable to afford the premiums even after the subsidies, the Government will provide Additional Premium Support. This Bill sets out the delegation of powers to enable the administration, enforcement and facilitation of the disbursement of any grant, subsidy or benefit under the Scheme in relations to the persons concerned. Page: 109 Madam, I support this Bill but would like to ask clarification from the Minister on several areas. On the recovery of outstanding premiums, defaulters, penalty and offences.”
“Taken together, there is some clarity to employers on the scope of representation, as well as the participation in industrial actions for executive employees. For management effectiveness, the amendment to the IR Act does make it not an offence for employers to require, as a condition for appointment or promotion of an executive employee with the specific responsibilities outlined, that the individual is not permitted to assume office or be a member of the rank-and-file union. Once the Bill has been passed, it is important that the Tripartite Panel consider putting in place timeframes for the dispute resolution process. This will ensure that executive employees' concerns are dealt with expeditiously and with efficiency. In addition to building timeframes for efficient dispute resolution, I suggest that the panel consider the dispute mechanism so as to find the most effective way to resolve employee and employer concerns. As discussed earlier, the concerns of PMEs are varied and complex and trying to classify concerns by PME roles or across an industry may not be feasible. The recommendation is that concerns be taken at a company level. Page: 83 Ultimately, for the amendments to be effective, the unions will have to convince both PMEs, as well as employers, of the benefits of increased representation. Sir, with the above considerations, I support the Bill. 4.59 pm”
“Feedback on performance must also be given to executive employees in advance and not only at the point of notification for dismissal. Page: 82 While the Tripartite Guidelines indicates that the rank-and-file unions may represent its executive members individually for dismissal without cause and excuse, employers should still have the right to terminate for compliance, misconduct and poor business outlook and prospects. The recommendation of the tripartite partners also indicates the expansion of the scope of limited individual representation for executive employees to include re-employment benefits. Given the profile and growing proportion of PMEs in the workforce, the question I am asking is: should re-employment be included for collective representation? Should unions and employers be negotiating a framework whereby the conditions or considerations for re-employment are outlined for PMEs? This may then minimise disputes regarding re-employment for executive employees. I do want, however, to sound a note of caution. While it is important to take care of the interest of PMEs as they are a growing proportion of the workforce, the concerns of employers with regard to management effectiveness being undermined with increased union representation of executive employees cannot be ignored as this will impact decision for placing operations in Singapore and, ultimately, jobs. The Bill does try to address some of these concerns by outlining the scope of union representation by excluding executive employees with specific responsibilities as outlined earlier. The Tripartite Guidelines do supplement this by clarifying participation of executive employees in industrial actions.”
“These are real conflicts of interests as they impact policies, they impact decision-making in an organisation and it does undermine the effective operations of the organisation. Sir, we will all agree that PMEs are a heterogeneous group and have varied interests. I am recommending that guidance to employers on benefits for collective representation needs to be considered at the company or the firm level rather than across an industry or job roles. PMEs have varied job scopes and responsibilities. Therefore, to try to classify collective representation of PMEs within an industry would be difficult. To do it by job title may also not be viable. This is especially the case for global companies as their HR policies and benefits are determined at a global level while taking into consideration the local laws in the country of operation. The Tripartite Guidelines on Expanding the Scope of Limited Representation for Executives, which was released on 26 November 2014, indicates that apart from using specific responsibilities, unions and employers may agree to adopt salary level as a proxy to determine eligibility. I suggest that rather than focusing on how much PMEs are paid, as responsibilities may be very different, it may be more appropriate to look at other factors or concerns impacting the role, for example, the hours of work, work flexibility and performance. Employers and unions should ensure that there is a framework of performance for employees and how performance is assessed. With regard to employee performance, to ensure that executive employees' interests are considered, employers need to have a clear process for performance feedback and management for executive employees.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill. I do wish to highlight my interest as I am also the Managing Director of an MNC operating in Singapore. PMEs make up more than 30% of the workforce in Singapore and employment of PMEs is growing faster than that of non-PMEs. Based on the latest Labour Force Report in Singapore 2013, the profile of PMEs reflects the higher educational profile of PMEs and the median age of PMEs is 41 years of age, with professionals the youngest at 37 years. With the growing proportion of PMEs in the workforce, it is, therefore, important that there be Page: 81 consideration given to how the interest of this group of employees is to be represented. To address concerns of conflict of interest and the undermining of management effectiveness of employers, currently only executive unions can represent employees in managerial and executive positions on a collective basis. The amendment Bill to the IR Act is recommending that constraints for collective representation for executive employees by the rank-and-file (R&F) unions be removed. To prevent conflict of interest, I support the recommendations in the amendment Bill to exclude executive employees with specific roles and responsibilities from collective representation by rank-and-file unions. These include: executive employees in senior management positions who have a substantial decision-making role on industrial matters – someone who represents the employer in industrial negotiations; executive employees that have access to confidential, budget and financial information, including HR data; roles which perform or exercise any function or duty of power that may give rise to conflict of interest if they were represented by the trade unions.”
“I had and am seeing an increasing number of people in such situations, and this not only places a financial strain on their families but, more importantly, it also creates disappointment when these individuals are unable to get the jobs after graduation due to the applicability of the course of study to market needs or that it is not really in areas of their strength or interest. The recommendations of ASPIRE to empower individuals to make better-informed education or career choices based on their strengths, interests and opportunities will be very important to helping them make the right education and career decisions for themselves that are aligned to market opportunities. This will set them up for success as they will be in a better position to get a job that they have a good chance to do well in and, more importantly, to progress. Page: 103 I would like to conclude by stressing that it is important that we see early success and progression for individuals on the ASPIRE programme. This will build confidence that we can achieve the objective of ASPIRE to provide opportunities for all to progress regardless of their starting point. More importantly, it will help the start of the critical shifts in mindset required for the success of the objectives outlined in ASPIRE. The Government, as one of the largest employers in Singapore, can and must take steps to show the way in implementing the recommendations of ASPIRE, in partnership with ITE and the polytechnics. This will help set the pace for the shift that is required if we are serious about ASPIRE and it would also support the aspirations of Singaporeans, moving forward. With that, I support the Motion. 6.22 pm”
“So, moving forward, if we do want to make this shift and drive this change, we need to have a set of criteria to recognise the competencies or the track record of these students to enable employers to assess the capacity and capability of individuals based on evidence of competencies or track record and hence, make available the right roles. I would like now to just quickly touch on the need to also strengthen the training in the polytechnics and the ITEs to help the young talents not only just acquire technical skills for the roles but also soft skills. Because beyond equipping our students with skills and knowledge, equally important are skills like the ability to communicate, collaborate, have critical thinking, problem solving, curiosity to learn, adaptability to “learn and unlearn” and technology fluency. These are critical and instrumental for our students to do well in their work and in organisations. So, apart from looking for role competencies and skills, many organisations, when they hire for leadership roles, they look for these skills. And these are very critical for individuals to succeed and be impactful in the organisations that they operate in. I would like to touch on the last point about helping individuals make well-informed education and career choices. Decisions on educational choices are not trivial and affect both the individual and their families. I have, through the appeal cases from our Meet-the-People sessions (MPS), seen many families and youths taking decisions to pursue university degrees even when it is costly or not fully aligned to their interest or course of study. They do this with the belief that a degree is the passport to a good job and better career prospects.”
“But, more importantly, there must also be a focus by businesses who provide these opportunities to support not only the on-boarding of individuals but also the programme and coaching to succeed. While providing on-the-job training, it is also important to provide support to the ITE and polytechnic graduates when they are in role. Because unless they succeed would they have the confidence to continue to pursue upgrading and mastery. This would also give employers the confidence to stay committed to the programme. In my commercial role in the infocomm industry, I have seen the difference industry support and coaching can have on the development of polytechnic and even university undergraduates. Many times in our industry, we conduct regional and global competitions for tertiary students and we provide internship programmes. What I have witnessed is that over even a short sustained period of time, whether it is a few weeks or months, students who have access to and coaching by industry experts, develop and are more effective in role. I have also witnessed how young raw talent grow over the few months in preparation during their internship or competition, resulting in more confident individuals able to share ideas and having positive impact. Page: 102 So, while we have place-and-train programmes for the ITE and polytechnic graduates, I must stress that we must also have ways for employers to assess their competencies and capabilities. This will enable employers to place them in the right roles to start their career journey right. We must recognise that although it may not always be ideal, organisations use academic qualifications as the proxy for evidence of capability and competency.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. Page: 101 The recommendations of ASPIRE seek to provide opportunities and option for academic and career progression to all, regardless of their starting point, guided by the conviction that knowledge and deep skills are the key to success. Following the recommendations of ASPIRE, I must say that I have experienced a lot of discussions on the ground on whether a degree is needed or not. This may miss the point of ASPIRE. At the core of the recommendations, ASPIRE still emphasises the need for deep skills and knowledge to enable one to be impactful in any role. The essence is that there will be many pathways to grow one's skills and career and over one's career and lifetime. Hence, what is important is that we create opportunities for lifelong learning and skills advancement throughout one’s career to enable Singaporeans to thrive. To achieve this change and the objectives of ASPIRE, I would like to talk about three areas of the recommendations outlined. One, the partnership with businesses, industry and employers to strengthen the opportunities for ITE and polytechnic graduates to get quality jobs and providing the environment and support to continue to build their skills while in these jobs and to progress in their career. Two, the recommendations to strengthen the training in polytechnic and ITE to enable success in career and continual learning. Three, to empower individuals to make well-informed education and career choices. In partnership with businesses, industry and employers, I agree with ASPIRE that this is important, and that it is critical to achieve the objectives set out. Providing the right opportunities are key.”
“The recommendations for strengthening the community touch-points, social services, legal assistance and pre-filing consultation sessions, need to work hand-in-hand to achieve the objectives of effectively supporting families in dispute. Can the Minister elaborate what measures would be taken to facilitate the synergies between these various agencies, requiring them to work together for the intended outcomes? From the many cases that we see during our Meet-the-People Sessions as well as when constituents approach us for help, it is clear that families in disputes often do not know where to turn to for help. For many families handling disputes, the legal process can be Page: 73 extremely daunting, especially for those who are not legally represented. There are many involved in family disputes that are not able to afford to engage a lawyer but at the same time, do not qualify for legal aid. These recommendations to enhance the Court management process with pre-filing consultation sessions, differentiated case management, and simplified forms and procedures as outlined with the introduction of the "Court Friend" to give practical support will help the unrepresented and will also help in making the Court process simpler and smoother and, most importantly, achieve the better outcomes for families in dispute. Madam, I support the Bill as it is timely and will provide the appropriate support to families in dispute to resolve conflicts. 4.46 pm”
“And often time, family lawyers do need specific skills outside of their mastery of law, for example, in counselling, mediation and emotional conflict resolution skills. To enhance the family law practice, the recommendations of the Committee is to introduce a new Family Law accreditation scheme where lawyers will undergo specialist training for handling matrimonial cases in the new framework. Lawyers who undergo this training will receive the Family Law Practitioner (FLP) accreditation. I note that while accreditation is recommended, it will not be mandatory for lawyers practising family law. While the role of family lawyers and their skills set are important, I guess the real question also is: will the family justice system be able to attract the right talents, that is, the right lawyers to practise family law, given that family law may not always be the most attractive specialisation for lawyers? More holistically, the issue is how the Family Court will be executed to bring together the different parts within the judicial process, and equally, if not more important, the pre-Court process and support provided to families for counselling and dispute resolution? While the Bill makes provision for the establishment of the specialised Family Court, to effectively support families in distress in a more proactive and pre-emptive ways, there needs to be synergies between the various agencies in providing community support, specialist agencies support as well as pre-filling consultation support. These were part of the recommendations of the Family Justice Committee.”
“While recognising that the Courts should not be the first point of dispute resolution, it is important that when the family dispute is brought to the Courts, the tone set on how the case would be handled, to enable the resolution of the dispute early and the protection of interest of the children where they are involved, is key. The sad reality is that most divorce and family dispute cases are emotionally charged and as a result, positions taken are not always in the best interest of resolving the dispute. I have seen several cases at our Meet-the-People Sessions where couples involved in divorce proceedings dispute over asset division and contest custody and restrict access to children by the other parent. This may not take into account the impact that it may have on the child. Unless the safety and well-being of the child is compromised, it cannot be right to deny a child access or relationship with either of the parent. Madam, from the perspective of the families that will have their cases handled by the new specialist Family Court, can the Minister elaborate to the lay person on what positive Page: 72 differences it will make for families involved? How will this change result in efficient due process for the families involved? The recommendations of the Committee for Family Justice recognise the importance that family lawyers play in family proceedings and calls for accreditation. In family dispute cases, clients often do turn to their lawyers for guidance and counsel, more than for just legal advice. There is recognition that the lawyer's advice could either escalate the conflict or in some cases, help resolve it faster.”
“Madam, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill. With the establishment of the specialist Family Court, the Bill sets out to provide better support to families to help them as they resolve family disputes. As we all know, there are really no winners in cases involving family disputes or divorce. Unlike commercial and other cases which seeks to get the most of the contesting party, taking the same adversarial approach with family disputes does not lead to the resolution of the dispute and conflict. What is important is that the family justice system reduces acrimony and help families resolve the disputes early. I am glad to see that the Bill sets out measures to reform the family justice system and to protect the interest and welfare of the child if there are children involved. These include expanding the mandate of the existing counselling and psychological services of the State Courts; also appointing Child Representatives which could take the form of lawyers appointed to be the child's advocate or a social worker or medical expert as required; and enlisting the assistance of social and psychological service professionals to protect the best interests of the child. As noted by many Members of this House, with the recent report of the 2013 trends of divorces in Singapore, this Bill together with the recommendations of the Committee for Family Justice is clearly required. While we should support the formation of the specialist Family Court and the objectives outlined in this Bill, I was glad to hear Minister reaffirm and reassure the House that the approach taken is to save families and marriages as far as possible and it is not to make it easier for couples to divorce.”