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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“Mr Chairman, can the Minister provide an update on MOM's treatment of companies on the "Triple Weak" watchlist and of "Triple Strong" companies? Have the "Triple Weak" companies been able to improve the Singapore Core in their workforce? What improvements have been made in the HR practices of "Triple Weak" companies to build the strong Singapore Core? Have these resulted in Singaporean PMETs getting quality roles in organisations and seeing their incomes grow? Have we seen an increase of "Triple Strong" companies? With the improving economic growth this year, are we seeing growth in PMET jobs? More importantly, have Singaporean PMETs been able to qualify for these jobs? What more can be done to raise the number and quality of PMET jobs for Singaporeans? I am concerned if there continues to be missed match and mismatch of PMETs for the available jobs. Have the various SkillsFuture programmes, like the Career Support Programme (CSP) and PCP, been able to address these gaps between jobs and the persons qualifying for these roles? Have businesses supported the PCP and CSP programmes? What progress has been made for local PMETs on these programmes? While there may be suitable job opportunities, are organisations with these PMET roles prepared to leverage these programmes to work with PMETs to transition into these roles? While we continue to focus on improving the quality of jobs for local PMETs, we must also recognise that with the pace of change and disruptions brought about by technological advancements, businesses do require new skills. In the short term, we may not have the skills and we are already hearing from businesses challenges in filling these roles. This would mean that we will need to continue to tap on foreign talent.”
“Mr Chairman, with Singapore's geographic location and size, we face several undisputable strategic realities, including our lack of strategic depth and weight, lack of natural resources and small population. We are critically dependent on the free flow of external trade, even as the open nature of our economy leaves us vulnerable to shifts and turbulence in the external environment. Given our vulnerabilities, we need to rely on both a strong SAF, as well as astute diplomacy, to protect our interests. In particular, our involvement in regional security architecture is critical to fostering trust and cooperation and is essential to shaping a benign security environment within the region where Singapore can continue to grow and prosper. The ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN aimed at promoting regional peace and stability through dialogue and cooperation in defence and security within ASEAN and between ASEAN and dialogue partners. Amidst the growing threats from extremists and the volatile geopolitical environment in the region, Singapore, as Chair of ADMM this year, is well-placed to advance the security interests of the region and Singapore. In this regard, what are some of the initiatives that MINDEF is undertaking as ADMM Chair to achieve this? ADMM and ADMM-Plus”
“Most recently, Singapore and Malaysia have jointly lowered tolls on the Second Link. There are more companies investing in Indonesia than before. Our youth exchanges with Brunei continue to grow. Our close ties are underscored by our special Currency Interchangeability Agreement with Brunei. As with all neighbours, we sometimes have differences, too. One example is how the Malaysians have sought revision and interpretation of the 2008 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Judgment on sovereignty over Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. I note that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has just participated in the 8th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat in Singapore. Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan also recently visited Jakarta, where he met several political officeholders and politicians. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean visited Brunei last year, where I was a delegation member. My question has three parts. First, would MFA be able to update Members of the House on the state of our bilateral relations with our three closest neighbours, including key takeaways from the recent visits? How will we work to maintain our relations with our closest neighbours for the benefit of our peoples? Second, as Malaysia enters into election mode, what is MFA's view on its impact on bilateral relations, if any? Third, following the commemoration of our 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations with Indonesia last year, what are some of the bilateral projects that we can look forward to that will help to strengthen our relationship with Indonesia and maintain the positive momentum of bilateral ties?”
“Mr Chairman, Singapore and the US enjoy strong, multifaceted and long-standing relations, spanning the defence, economic and security fields. In 2016, the US was Singapore's largest source of foreign direct investments (FDIs), while Singapore was the US' second largest Asian investor after Japan. Defence ties are excellent, with both sides working together in the area of counterterrorism. The Prime Minister's visit to Washington DC in October last year at the invitation of President Donald Trump reaffirmed the mutually beneficial nature of the bilateral relationship. However, in the past year, we have also witnessed the US' withdrawal from TPP as well as the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, amongst other developments. These actions have led some to question the US' commitment to the rules-based global order that it has underwritten since World War II, and the effects that this could have on Singapore. So, can the Minister provide an update on the state of Singapore-US relations and how Singapore has been working with the US to ensure that bilateral relations remain stable? Relations with Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon): Sir, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei are our closest neighbours. Aside from direct air links to all three countries, we share land borders with Malaysia, and maritime boundaries with Malaysia and Indonesia. We have large amounts of trade and investments flowing between us and our neighbours. The people of our countries share long-standing historical and familial ties. With Brunei, we share a close friendship, one which both sides have often described as a "special relationship". There has been much progress in bilateral cooperation between Singapore and our three neighbours.”
“Mr Chairman, complex questions have arisen and will continue to arise. Let me give three examples. Who derives the benefits from this aggregate data? Is it the private companies? Is it our Government? Is it agencies? Or is it all of the above? What harm is done to individuals who have their data mixed with other persons', without any concern for maintaining identifiable, anonymised information? What duty will the Government and these corporations have to protect individuals' privacy and minimise any harm that could arise? The New York Times very recently raised a specific example, which I would like to share with the House and I think would apply equally in Singapore. They suggested that the medical profession has, as a core ethic, the statement: first, do no harm. That is the oath they would take. The Silicon Valley tech entrepreneurs have a different mantra, Mr Chairman. Theirs is "build it first, ask for forgiveness later". I would not want to change this work ethic partly because that is where innovation is born. But having said that, how do we square these diametrically opposed ethos? What happens then when you combine both these worlds – public health and Silicon Valley – when medical big datasets are crunched, processed and unthinkingly analysed by certain programmers for private benefit? Technology is not neutral. The choices that get made in building technology also have these social ramifications. In light of all of these, I would like to ask: will the Government, PMO and the relevant agencies consider taking a leaf from the UK Parliament which, a few years ago, established a Select Committee for this purpose?”
“That focus group or cluster combines the resources of renowned Stanford faculty experts, alumni practising on the cutting-edge of Technology Law, technologically-savvy students from the United States (US) and beyond, and it is located in the heart of the Silicon Valley – the inspiration for Smart Nation and Smart Technology. Is this what we are going towards? Is this paradise? As we learnt, when we were debating on the rise of fake news and the responses that this House should take in time through the Select Committee's report, we noticed that there can be a "dark side" to tech. For fake news, we know we have to find ways to prevent, detect and combat it. You can patch news software, but you cannot patch reputation when it has been harmed. Just as fake news can be damaging to reputation, big data and AI can perhaps be more damaging. It can be insidious and far-reaching. The potential for harm resulting from big data is all around us. It is embedded in the network services that we use daily. It is used in our smartphones, smart cars, global positioning system (GPS), even washing machines, and it is controlled with respect to and could be deployed by a coterie of very powerful companies. Smart Nation strategic national projects are set to use these big datasets. While big data, granted, has an enormous potential to improve public services and business productivity, should we not bear in mind that there are also individual privacy concerns when data is used in new tech applications, services and research without our mindful, prior informed consent? I say "mindful" because every time we download a new app, we agree to the "terms and conditions", but how many of us actually appreciate every line when we tick that box?”
“Mr Chairman, at the core of Singapore’s Smart Nation vision is how digital technologies are leveraged to improve the lives of our citizens and enable our businesses to innovate to meet the aspirations of our people. So, how is the Government making digital services more citizen-centric and providing anticipatory services? Technological disruption and digitalisation are bringing about rapid changes. To remain globally and regionally competitive, Singapore has to harness digital technologies and accelerate the transformation of our economy and society. How have the Smart Nation Strategic National Projects benefited Singaporeans and businesses? Have these strategic projects simplified and improved life and work for citizens? Has digital technology and the digitalisation of businesses driven economic productivity? If so, how? While the Government plays a strategic role in making Singapore a Smart Nation, one of the goals of SNDGG is to lead the development of the Smart Nation in partnership with the public, private and people sectors. Can the Minister share the progress of the engagement and partnership of SNDGG with the private and people sectors? Has there been progress of public support for technology adoption and what more can be done to accelerate it? 4.00 pm Legal and Ethical Challenges of Big Data Asst Prof Mahdev Mohan (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, the Budget places a premium on the role of our SNIs. When I was reading for my Masters at Stanford University more than a decade ago, I was inspired and over-awed by the entire experience but, in particular, nothing impressed me more than a module in law, science and technology. At that time, it was just a module. Ten years later, it is the entire Masters focus group altogether.”
“So, Mr Speaker, Budget 2018 sets out to build the foundation and position Singapore for the future and for growth. By providing an environment to support access to opportunities and the ability to seize these opportunities will provide Singaporeans with hope and I hope also the aspiration to do better for themselves and their families. With that, I support the Budget.”
“But creating the environment to do it is what Budget 2018 is laying the foundation for. Let me just touch on one more point. I was very pleasantly surprised when the Minister shared the emphasis on the need to build capability and skills in the area of preparing our people to prepare for their financial needs at key stages in their lives. Financial planning and making informed financial decisions are core skills and have profound impact on the lives of individuals and their families. This is not a matter of whether you are rich or poor. In many of the Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS) cases that I have seen over the years as a Member of Parliament (MP), much of the hardship and challenges faced by our residents and their families are usually a matter of lack of financial planning. When situations like sudden illnesses, loss of job or unfortunate circumstances occur, individuals or their families have problems coping if they had not done financial planning. This impacts the person and the entire family in managing their day-to-day expenses, as well as longer-term commitments like housing and medical needs. So, it is good that financial education curriculum will start with our youths, as financial planning must start early. Can the Minister share more information on the financial education curriculum that is planned for our youths in our polytechnics and ITEs? Is there a reason why the junior colleges are not included? What are the enhancements to existing services at Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board to enable Singaporeans to also make better informed decisions in the purchase of their flats and retirement respectively that were mentioned in the Budget?”
“Although he is not familiar with the digital world, he makes the effort to learn and adapts well to the work and his colleagues. In the movie while he is adapting to the digital world, what he has done is he has applied his experience, his experience as a businessman, his sharing of knowledge and, most importantly, his coaching to help the young founder get through difficult times in her business. And why do I say "coaching"? Because it is also the "how do you work together". That is the important piece and I really firmly believe that our more mature workers today have a wealth of experience and knowledge. If tapped well, this intergenerational diverse workforce can make a lot of difference. By bringing together a diverse workforce of both young and older employees, companies can tap on these new perspectives and the skills of their younger workforce and the wealth of knowledge and experience of older workers for a more effective work environment. All these measures, I was really quite excited about. You may ask, "Why is she linking social mobility to all these things about innovation?" It is because, ultimately, if we provide the platform, we enable with skills and we allow that collaboration to happen, then, ultimately, that spirit of innovation will depend on businesses and Singaporeans to do our part, to put in the effort to make the best of these opportunities, and then do better for both the country and for ourselves. If done well, I believe that this is social mobility in action. In this new world, with the shifts we are facing, what we are seeing is that when you do not have legacy, you can move a lot faster. Therefore, it will allow that disruption to allow people to actually do better. The opportunity to do better can be there.”
“Another important factor that Minister Heng touched on as well was partnerships, both locally and abroad, to allow our companies to harness one another’s capability. Why is that important? It is important for scale. But more important is speed, because the pace of change is happening so quickly and continuously that trying to do it ourselves is not going to be tenable. There have been many measures but I was glad to see the focus, even for SkillsFuture, on areas of developing talent for being Asia-ready and developing talent for us to be able to compete and engage in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Because what is important is not just know-how but, to operate regionally, we will also need to build networks and plans that will allow these expansions. I would now like to touch on the topic of our seniors. There has been much discussion in the Budget Debate over the last two days on our ageing population and the need to strengthen the support for our seniors. While I agree that this is important, I do want to talk about how companies can benefit from the mature workers in their workforce. I have spoken about the movie "The Intern" in this Chamber before and I would like to use the example again. First of all, because I do not watch that many movies, so I do not have that many movies to give examples on but, actually, I thought it would help illustrate the point on the value of a diverse intergenerational workforce. I believe this is an area that we have not tapped. In the movie, Robert De Niro played a retiree who applies for a position in a "Senior Intern Programme" at an e-commerce company. He reports to the young successful founder of the company.”
“Minister Heng outlined several measures to foster pervasive innovation to support businesses to innovate across the entire value chain. Additionally, the pilot of the Open Innovation Platform will also encourage the co-creation of digital solutions by providing that virtual crowdsourcing platform to help companies find partners to address specific challenges they face. I would like to touch on the increase in tax deduction on licensing payments for commercial use of intellectual property (IP) which is capped at $100,000 of licensing payments per year. Minister Heng did indicate in his Budget Statement that this cap is to ensure that smaller businesses will benefit more from this measure. The feedback from SMEs on this measure as well as the increase of tax deduction for IP registration fees and for qualifying expenses on research and development (R&D) done in Singapore, is that for many of the SMEs that are developing in this space, many have little or no profits. Hence, they would not be able to benefit from these tax deductions. More targeted grants oriented for IP and R&D-related cost would better benefit these smaller companies. The new opportunities that are presenting themselves would also require new skills, know-how and relationships. Building deep capability both for our businesses and workers is necessary to enable them to compete on value and skills and not cost. The various measures announced focus on capability development in internationalisation, digitalisation and productivity improvement. These skills are needed to equip Singaporeans and our businesses to be able to have the know-how and skills to take advantage of these new opportunities in Singapore, regionally and globally, and to create value to differentiate and compete.”
“I was very happy that Minister Heng Swee Keat clearly stated that Budget 2018 is about laying the foundation for our nation’s development in the next decade. He outlined the three major shifts which are confronting us: the shift in global economic weight towards Asia, accompanied by broader shifts in the global order; emergence of new technologies; and our ageing population. These will provide opportunities and challenges for all Singaporeans. These shifts could improve social mobility or cause an even greater socioeconomic divide. Budget 2018's strategy is to anchor Singapore as a node for innovation, technology and enterprise. This will focus our efforts as a country to capture the opportunities presented by the shifts and capture them not just in Singapore but beyond. It will also create opportunities by developing and attracting growth to Singapore and transform our businesses to be manpower-lean, to enable older workers to continue to contribute. While this strategy cannot guarantee success, these policies seek to provide appropriate support and equalise access to opportunity. The measures outline the Government’s intent to enable businesses and individuals to transform, build capabilities and tap on partnerships both locally and abroad to be able to engage and capture new opportunities. These measures, as the hon Member Mr Azmoon had mentioned, are not exhaustive but they do set out the foundation and direction. They will need to be refined and to evolve, given the pace and scale of the shifts that confront us. But if they are implemented effectively, they will enable companies and individuals to take advantage of these opportunities and have a very good chance at success.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on the Budget. There is much in Budget 2018 covering key priorities which Minister Heng Swee Keat has outlined in his Budget Statement. In my speech today, I would like to focus my discussion on social mobility and opportunity. There is growing concern that the divide across Singapore society driven by inequality of opportunity is leading to social stratification by class. The very fabric of Singapore and the Singapore Story is based on our people and how they have worked hard to build Singapore and a better life for themselves and their families. Hence, it is important that our systems and structures must continue to ensure access to opportunity for all Singaporeans to do better and move up in society based on ability and hard work. When we talk about social mobility, we can give our attention to growth and how we make the pie bigger for everyone. I do, however, hesitate to say that the rising tide will lift all boats as we have seen examples in many countries, including Singapore, where this has not always been the case. While growth is important, if we are to be able to address the widening inequality, growth has to be coupled with access to and, more importantly, the ability of all Singaporeans to take advantage of the opportunities, if social mobility is to be achieved. The Budget Statement each year outlines the Government’s revenue and expenditure for the upcoming financial year and the Budget measures. Each year, when I listen to the Budget, I pay a lot of attention to the measures because the measures outlined the aspirations of what the Budget sets out to achieve for Singapore.”
“It is not about providing more infrastructure or more grants but rather connecting and enabling businesses to collaborate effectively for joint success. As the Minister so rightly put it, building business capability, innovating and internationalisation are so much more intertwined now. There also could be more done across different industries, and not just within industries. This brings me to my final and related point. With changing business models, instead of working alone, more companies will partner to deliver products or services. So, can the Minister share how Enterprise Singapore will structure the various assistance schemes and eligibility criteria for these schemes in such circumstances? Because what a business is, who your employees are, where your resources come from will really differ as we move forward. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“With digitalisation and the new economy, I see an opportunity for the new Enterprise Singapore to play an even bigger and somewhat different role in connecting businesses to build capability, grow and go global. As the Minister had shared in his speech earlier, the approach has to evolve in tandem with the change the industry is facing and also with the needs of businesses. Let me give just a very simple example to help explain my point. Last week, in a pre-Budget dialogue that I had with SMEs, an SME leader shared the challenges she is facing with regard to addressing some of her customer needs because of her limited delivery capability. She was looking at how she could tap the excess capacity of other small businesses. There was another business leader in the room and she quickly said that she had excess capacity in her off-peak periods and would be able to support this. I know this is a very simple example but I hope it demonstrates the need and potential for an ecosystem that connects companies for greater effectiveness and efficiencies to leverage their capabilities and capacities locally and even overseas. And providing them also relevant information and insights. Yes, you could say that businesses could do this themselves but this peer-to-peer approach may not be as effective, especially in a world where businesses need to move faster and be a lot more responsive to the market. For ecosystems to cooperate effectively, you need support to enable efficient collaboration and information sharing both within and amongst businesses. Enterprise Singapore can and should play that role both for SMEs and larger businesses albeit how the support is structured will differ.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, with digitalisation and the pace of change that businesses are facing, the merger of IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore will give them more holistic and seamless support. This merger will allow for an integrated support network for businesses to build capability and access to both local and overseas markets. We must not underestimate the changes that businesses, both large and small, face with the technological advances we are witnessing today. Growing connectivity has led to the defining of a new economy with evolving business models, how products and services are delivered and consumed. There is also a trend of sharing and partnerships. Even in the area of manpower, employment models are changing with access to different sources of skills. There is a greater use of independent and freelance workers. As Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat recently said, global and technological changes are causing the blurring of industry boundaries. He stressed the importance to consider "the convergence of sectors". There will be an increasing need for Enterprise Singapore to partner across several agencies to deliver the appropriate help to businesses. Against this backdrop of change and the pace of change, can the Minister share how the new Enterprise Singapore will be organised and restructured to work with companies to be responsive to helping them, both large and small, transform, grow and go global? SPRING Singapore and IE Singapore are already connecting and enabling the sharing amongst businesses to improve productivity and helping them internationalise. The food manufacturing industry is one good example of this.”
“To effectively fight cyber threats, organisations and the Government must work together as no one has all the knowledge or resources to do it alone. For a start, there must be two-way information sharing and feedback. By sharing plans on how data collected or submitted to the Commissioner will be used and how it will be used, will enable owners of CIIs to better understand how the data they submit are used. This will help build trust amongst stakeholders to share and, more importantly, work together to combat cyber threats. The cybersecurity journey has started and is one that we have to continually work on to protect our essential services. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Compliance is necessary but not sufficient. Building resilience is at the core and spirit of this Bill. To achieve cybersecurity, we must not only ensure compliance but, more importantly, an understanding of a mindset change of all stakeholders of Singapore’s CIIs. While measures are put in place for compliance, people are one of our weakest links. Employees must understand the impact of their actions on cybersecurity. With the increasing sophistication and social engineering, targeted phishing emails are not as easily detected. It is becoming more difficult to tell a malicious email from a legitimate email. Hence, cybersecurity awareness and keeping cybersecurity top of mind are key. Apart from cybersecurity professionals, training and building resilience of all employees and users of CII is as essential. This is not a trivial task, and organisations will need support to achieve this. Can the Minister share what will be done to support organisations in this aspect? We must also recognise that it is not a matter of “if” but “when” there will be a breach. In fact, statistics and information tell us that many oganisations that have been breached take about 12 months, on average, to actually discover that they are breached. Organisations must have processes and tools to detect cyber threats or incidences. Most importantly, organisations must have in place processes to take action to recover and minimise the potential impact of the breach. As Singapore strives to be a Smart Nation, cybersecurity is critical. Ensuring cybersecurity and resilience of our CII will require a strong partnership amongst stakeholders in the ecosystem.”
“To meet these requirements for cybersecurity, one constraint that we all must recognise is that of the availability of skills and knowledgeable cybersecurity specialists. There has been a lot of discussion on costs. The reason for that high cost that everyone is envisaging is because of this lack of skills or the need to build this base of deep skills. With the growing demand for cybersecurity skills, building this talent base, we all have to recognise, will take time. Clause 5(l) of the Bill outlines the duties and functions of the Commissioner to promote, develop, maintain and improve competencies and professional standards of persons working in the field of cybersecurity. Can the Minister share the plans to build this talent base and what is being done to ensure that we have sufficient cybersecurity skills and capabilities in Singapore to meet the current and, more importantly, future demands? The Bill also recognises that for cybersecurity to be effective, it must start at the top, with owners or leaders of CIIs. Building cybersecurity awareness and culture across an organisation requires a strong tone from the top. So, it is interesting to see Part 3 of the Bill clearly outlining the accountability of owners of CIIs. Failure of owners to comply with the regulations carries with it heavy penalties, including imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years. Clause 7(8) puts the same emphasis on CIIs owned by the Government, stating that when the CII is owned and operated by the Government, the Permanent Secretary allocated to the Ministry who has the responsibility for the CII is treated as the owner. This sends a strong message that leaders own and are accountable for cybersecurity in the organisation. This will keep cybersecurity top of mind in the organisation.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill. With the extent, speed, increasing sophistication and trend of high-profile cyberattacks, this Bill is timely. We are seeing an increasing trend of ransomware. Ransomware, like Wannacry, that everyone has cited, as well as Samsam, have targeted high profiles like multinational corporations (MNCs), critical infrastructure providers, even hospitals and education institutions. This shows us the extent of disruption that ransomware can inflict. Malware affects files, computers and mobile devices by encrypting and locking data, rendering them inaccessible and, in most cases, leading to a loss of data and impacting operations. Once inside the network, it gives control of the management inside the network. As more businesses digitalise and technology progressively influences the way we live, work and play, such attacks will have wide-reaching impact. In the physical world, customers place their trust in businesses to provide quality services and to handle their information appropriately. The measures outlined in this Bill are no different, requiring owners of CIIs to proactively put in place the right procedures to protect customer data and ensure quality and continuity of service. This Bill spells out the code of practice and standards of performance, the duty of owners of CIIs to report cybersecurity incidents; to perform cybersecurity audits and risk assessment of CIIs and also to participate in cybersecurity exercises; and put in place measures to prevent, manage and respond to threats and incidents; investigation and prevention of serious cybersecurity incidents. It sounds extremely onerous.”
“It is, therefore, crucial that Singaporeans − and I stress this again, I know some people may say it does not matter because if we have the right people in the Committee it is okay, but it does matter – are given as much information on the process and the considerations made to arrive at the options. This will help assure Singaporeans if there is, indeed, independence. I would like to ask some questions that have been lingering on the ground as well, questions that pertain to why were members of the Ministerial Committee not disclosed until recently, or under what circumstances are Ministerial Committees which are not publicly convened? I hope these can be answered. Prime Minister, you have said that you have recused yourself from all Government decisions to be taken on 38 Oxley Road. You have provided information to the Ministerial Committee. I think it is also important for you to share the significance of you providing the Ministerial Committee with the statutory declaration. I do not think people understand the seriousness, or at least not everybody may understand the seriousness of a statutory declaration. I think it is important that you share its significance. Mdm Speaker, with all that is happening, I do hope that we will find a way to honour Mr Lee Kuan Yew and, at the same time, although it is difficult for many of us to see it at the same time now with all that is happening, I hope that we can bring Singaporeans and unite Singaporeans together, having gone through what we are going through now.”
“It was in that very house that much of the foundations of Singapore's political history started. The owner of the house was not just any person but Mr Lee Kuan Yew, one of Singapore's founding fathers. Hence, the decision on what is to happen to the house on 38 Oxley Road is not a simple decision. It involves not only the interest of Singapore but also the desire to honour Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his last wishes. It is because of the unprecedented nature of the matter that "how" the decision is arrived at is as important as the decision itself. Therefore, it is critical that as much information as possible on the process and rationale for the options being considered be shared with Singaporeans. I know we have a reputation of being efficient, effective, handling things in the best possible way with the least amount of disturbance and resources. But I think this is unprecedented and it matters to Singaporeans, not just because it is about Mr Lee Kuan Yew but it is also because it is about the history of Singapore. Therefore, we have to share as much information about the "how" as it is about the decision. So, this brings me to the question of the Ministerial Committee. The Ministerial Committee was convened in July last year, as shared by Deputy Prime Minister Teo, and the Ministerial Committee has been set up to look into various options for what happens to the house 38 Oxley Road and the implications of these options. The options that the Ministerial Committee arrives at will guide the decision that Cabinet and the government of the day will have to make when the time comes for a decision on 38 Oxley Road, when Dr Lee Wei Ling no longer lives there.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak. This whole situation is really quite unfortunate. Singaporeans are used to seeing Singapore being cited for our reputation for good governance. In the last three weeks, what we have experienced is quite the opposite. In fact, it is like a bad dream. As one of my constituents had put it, I quote, "The reputation of Singapore is at stake here and all eyes from the international community are on us". What started out as a "private family matter" is no longer just that. The allegations of the abuse of power by the Organs of State put into question the integrity of the Government, and this is serious. Public interest is now at stake. So, it is imperative that it must be put right. I thank Prime Minister Lee for recognising that this family dispute, the dispute between him and his siblings and it being publicly aired, have caused damage to Singapore and Singaporeans. I am glad that he has apologised to Singaporeans but, as we all know, damage has been done to the reputation of Singapore and the confidence of Singaporeans. So, an apology is not quite sufficient. So, while we would have preferred not to have to discuss this in Parliament, given the serious allegations and how things have played out, it is important that we address the crux of the concerns of Singaporeans. To be clear, the dispute between Mr Lee Kuan Yew's children is not what we are here to debate, as this is a matter to be settled between the siblings privately. What I wish to speak about today are the consequential impact of the allegation of the abuse of power and, hence, the question on the integrity of the Singapore Government. The matter regarding 38 Oxley Road is unprecedented. It is not just a house.”
“So, imagine this: if only males were making decisions on what innovations that companies will invest in, based on a thought process of their experience and on what products that they can use themselves, then, we have a serious problem. Not having gender diversity at all levels will see us missing out on huge opportunities; opportunities that could slow down both societal development and the economy. So, it will take both men and women to make the difference and enable us all to do our best work and to be our aspirations, both men and women. I support the Motion.”
“" moment for me because I had just completed my unconscious bias training, and that is why it made an impact on me of my own unconscious bias because, guess what? The reason why I thought she was not the best speaker for this, is not because she was a female, but it was because she looked young and she was also extremely good looking. And I said to myself, "Gosh!" this is extremely embarrassing, because I do pride myself on feeling fairly open and I am a champion of diversity in the workforce. But it was not her gender; it was age and my assumption of experience and know-how at the same time. Each of us has unconscious biases. I think if I look at all the statistics and the facts that are supporting us in having female talent in key positions, clearly, something is blocking that. We need to boldly ask ourselves why and face that and be able then to do something about it. I would recommend that we have training for unconscious biases both in schools and in the workplace. I am passionate about having more women in both public and private organisations, because it makes perfect business sense and social and economic sense when you consider that women make up 50% of our population. Globally, they represent a growth market more than twice the size of China and India combined. According to EY (previously Ernst & Young), women are the new emerging market with a combined global income that will grow to approximately $18 trillion by 2018. But research also reveals that although most companies look at women for end-users, they do not tap their female talent base to understand what women need.”
“I believe that this is one of the factors that is causing the slow progress of women in senior leadership roles as well as in participation on boards despite a highly educated women talent base and a pipeline of women in senior business roles in Singapore. Are we biased? Some of us may think that we are not. Unconscious biases are pervasive in most societies and often people are unaware of our own unconscious biases. According to a global online research study done by Implicit Association Test with over 200,000 participants, 64% of participants demonstrated a strong or moderate preference for young people as compared to old people; 75% of participants associated male with career, and female with family. So, although this is going to be quite embarrassing for me, I thought I would just share a personal story and an "Aha!" moment that I had to illustrate the point about unconscious biases. Sometime last year, I had a very important client meeting, and we were preparing for speakers for that meeting and my colleague assured me that we had the best speakers lined up. We had one topic on quantum computing, a fairly exciting and interesting topic but requiring a good amount of knowledge and skills to be able to explain that well and to cover the topic well. Of course, I was looking around for the speaker and then I realised who the speaker was, so I turned to my colleague and said, "Are you sure you did your homework?" And he said, "Yes." I said, "Are you sure?" And I was not quite sure. Anyway, the speaker spoke and for the next one hour, I was extremely engaged, inspired and the speaker did a very good job. But let me share with you. I was totally embarrassed after that because it was an "Aha!”
“This is timely as, despite a highly educated female population, greater workforce participation by women and an increasing proportion of women in senior business leadership roles above the average amongst countries even in the Asia Pacific region, not enough attention is paid to those rules. What we are seeing is slow progress for women in senior leadership positions in C-Suite positions as well as on boards. And we have to ask ourselves why this is so, in order to come up with the right actions. Possible areas for change criteria would apply around decision-making principles for selection and the expansion of networks or talent pools that organisations are sourcing for board talent. Beyond mentoring and cultivating the pipeline of women for boards, we should be putting women in the roles that build the skills and experiences required for board roles, including C-Suite positions. Unless women have the relevant leadership and scope of business leadership experience, even if we dictate a number, even if we set a goal, that is not going to happen unless we allow women to get the experiences that they require to qualify for the board positions. To prepare women for board positions, we should also be deliberate in efforts to support women in senior business roles to develop for these roles. Can executive leadership education programmes to equip senior leaders with board skills be included as part of their eligible courses for SkillsFuture Credit? This will allow women in senior business roles to take ownership of their training for skills required of board members. I would like to conclude by talking about unconscious bias.”
“Based on the World Economic Forum Global Gender Report, pay for women still lags behind that of men for similar work in Singapore at a ratio of 0.81. But I must stress that this is fourth in the world, which is a very strong achievement. To achieve gender pay parity, employers should make it a point to understand and address the gap and pay for comparable work done by both men and women. I think the Government should also focus on ensuring and encouraging employers to do that. Pay should be based on contributions and not gender. It is encouraging that the proportion of senior business roles held by women in Singapore has also risen to 30% this year, up from 26% last year. This is above the average among countries in the Asia Pacific region, shown in the survey by global consultancy firm, Grant Thornton. But if we look into the numbers across C-Suite positions, this has been falling for that same group, meaning, for CEOs, chief financial officers (CFOs) and chief operating officers (COOs), the numbers have dropped from 2016 to 2017. Progress of the number of women, not just on boards, but on C-Suite positions, need attention. And as Ms Tin Pei Ling had shared, the progress of women on boards listed in Singapore has been slow at only 9.7% in 2016, lagging many advanced countries and even behind countries in Asia like China, Hong Kong and India. Two weeks ago, the PAP Women's Wing and BoardAgender have called for a revision to the Code of Corporate Governance to include a "comply or explain" disclosure policy for companies on their board diversity, including gender, in their annual reports and setting a target of at least of having 20% female directors on boards by 2020.”
“" He stressed the need to build the skills and capabilities to enable our people to leverage this digital disruption, thereby generating good jobs with good wages which is at the heart of what a Smart Nation is about. Just as the Minister had outlined a plan over the next few years for the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), in partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS), to train 10,000 public officers in data science, with the current gap of women in technology in the workforce and in STEM education, we also need to drive a plan to enable women and girls to build the skills to be able to have the ability to ride this digital revolution. We need to ensure that girls at a young age are exposed to education, both formal and informal, on digital technologies, with opportunities to have hands-on learning and experiences. Both the Government and businesses must take an active role and commit resources to attract more women in tertiary education to STEM education and training. These could include scholarships, internships and career coaching. We must set goals to increase the number of women in technology roles and take action and track the progress. Many will agree that, in Singapore, we have made good progress in the workforce participation of women. Although still lagging male workforce participation at 76.2%, female workforce participation has increased from 57.7% in 2012 to 60.4% now in 2016. And this should be attributed to more accessible and quality childcare as well as the introduction of the family care and paternity leave. But we should not just track the percentage of women in the workforce. We must also look at how women are doing.”
“With female university undergraduates outnumbering male undergraduates in Singapore, women are increasingly likely to be equally or better educated than men. Two-thirds of the jobs that will be available in 2020, as we all have seen in studies to date, have said that these jobs do not even exist today. What this means is that when we learn, we need to prepare ourselves for careers that may not yet exist. With growing digitalisation, we need to build new skills and be comfortable with technology to successfully navigate this multifaceted and global environment. Technology and engineering skills are growing in importance across industries. Although we are seeing an increasing trend of females opting for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Singapore, women and girls remain significantly under-represented in both education settings for engineering science and IT as well as in the workforce for these fields. These are jobs that are expected to have the most growth in the next five years. This would mean that there will be a large portion of our population missing out on critical skills to further their careers and this could mean that they could also risk missing out on the next disruptive trend that could improve Singapore. Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, in his keynote speech at the Internet of Things (IoT) Asia last week, said that "There is a disruption going on. People are worried about jobs and people are worried about wages. This is real and no politician can afford to ignore this." He also said that "the most important political challenge is to prepare our people for this revolution.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion. The world we live, work and play in is an exciting one, undergoing unprecedented changes. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is affecting all industries and jobs. This digital disruption is changing the landscape not only of work, but also of how work is done. We should take the opportunity to reflect on what this could mean for both men and women. Leveraging digital technology and mobility can make things more accessible and inclusive by enabling FWA and enabling people to work when and wherever they wish to. However, FWAs alone are not sufficient. There must also be supporting policies and an organisational culture around how work is done and rewarded. FWAs must be part of the work culture and how work is done. Otherwise, what it will only serve to do is highlight the differences between men and women in the workforce and may be seen as concessions given to women. FWAs must be accepted as the way work is done and not special arrangements made for women. For example, collaborating virtually and working anywhere should be and is increasingly becoming a norm for employees and not seen as an exception. This will allow more effective communications and collaboration for workers. Having supporting policies will indirectly encourage and enable men to participate and have a more equal share of the family and duties in the home. For sustained impact and greater participation and success of women in the workplace, companies and leaders in organisations must also champion the value of tapping the female talent base, developing women for good jobs as well as be committed to tracking progress and retaining women.”
“Madam, the family plays an integral role in the development of children. For families whose relationships have weakened due to various circumstances, parents may face challenges in providing the appropriate care and environment for their children. I would like to acknowledge MSF's approach to support at-risk families. Can the Minister provide an update on the Safe and Secure Families pilot announced last year with its attention on "family preservation" and "family reunification" services? How is the programme supporting vulnerable families stay together? What services have been established to provide support to vulnerable children to allow them to stay in safe family environments?”
“For parents who do not drive, it is time-consuming to send their children to centres that are not near their homes. If they have two or three children under different care arrangements in different locations, then the problem is even greater. I hope the Ministry can work with HDB to review the provision of childcare spaces in new BTOs. I understand from operators that the difficulty in expanding is the shortage of preschool teachers. Very often, they have the space but then they cannot take in so many students and this could be due to their salary being less than school teachers, even if both are graduates. What is more, preschool teachers have to bathe and clean up after the children. It is no wonder that many graduates and diploma holders do not want to become preschool teachers or quit shortly after joining. I hope the Ministry can look into this. On this note, I would like to ask the Minister whether there will be any more mega centres setting up in Nee Soon because I have a lot of residents telling me that they have difficulty in getting a childcare centre? Preschools”
“Madam, with smaller families and many families having both parents working, there is an increasing need for quality, access and affordable childcare to enable our young children to have a safe and conducive environment for them to learn and grow. This will allow parents to have peace of mind that their children are in good care while they are at work. To meet the demand, there has been a rapid increase and expansion of infant and childcare centres in Singapore. While capacity is important, what are the measures that the Ministry is taking to ensure that the quality of care is able to keep pace? There has been focus on professional and career development to ensure qualified professionals for the sector. Can the Minister share what the progress has been in attracting and building the required talent base of professionals for this sector? Childcare Centres Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Many of my residents in the new BTOs told me that though they have shifted in, their children are still at their old place. This is because the childcare centre in the estate is not ready. So, for those few months, they have to keep sending the child to the old childcare centre which could be in another part of Singapore. Can the Ministry work with HDB to hand over the block with the childcare centre earlier, so that ECDA and the operator have time to set up the childcare centre? Even when the childcare centre is ready, these parents are not guaranteed a place. According to Childcare Link, none of the centres in the Nee Soon South BTOs have any space right now. The current provision is clearly inadequate. Therefore, some parents are not able to enrol their children in the nearest centre.”
“Madam, the family is the foundation for a strong community and a strong Singapore. I must say that parents play a key role in the family but, ironically, I think we all agree that while parenting is a big role, nothing quite prepares you for parenthood. MSF has initiated many family policies and programmes aimed at creating a total social environment conducive to family formation and the strengthening of family ties. With smaller families, apart from the various initiatives to increase centre-based services for child and student care, what support and programmes are in place to support parents in providing platforms to build stronger relationships within the families, including the importance of the role of both father and mother, in the care and development of their children? As our population is rapidly ageing, as we look at strengthening the family, we must also give attention to how we support families in helping the seniors in families age well, as well as help families prepare and cope with the challenges of ageing, such as mental and emotional wellness. Recognising Seniors and Family Ties”
“Mdm Chairman, HDB flats that were built after 1986 that are 30 years old or those turning 30 years old are not eligible for HIP. These flats, for example, those flats in the constituency that I serve in Changi Simei have aged and do need essential upgrading, such as repairing of spalling concrete and structural cracks, replacement of waste and soil discharge stacks, replacement of pipe sockets and new clothes drying racks. While we understand that upgrading is a major expenditure, but these upgrading works are essential due to the age of the flats and for the safety of residents. As these flats do not qualify for HIP, can I ask the Minister what plans does the Government have to address the upgrading needs of these ageing flats? Connected City of Opportunities”
“I would like to ask the Minister as he did not touch on the point I made with regard to the unequal impact of disruption for men and women, especially as we look at the digital disruption and the impact on jobs and job opportunities, with current employment trends, as well as with women entering the choice of education and entering the workforce at different roles.”
“Mdm Chairman, with Singapore's tight labour market, for long-term sustainability, MOM has been emphasising the need for businesses to become manpower-lean. Can the Minister share what progress have businesses made in Singapore, especially the SMEs, in terms of innovating to be less manpower-intensive, improving the quality of jobs and being more productive? The LEDS, with its focus to help SMEs develop their capabilities, manpower and markets has been in place since late 2015. What progress have SMEs achieved through LEDS? Have SMEs been able to restructure, create higher-skilled roles and transition from reliance on low-skilled foreign manpower to developing and recruiting locals? Has the quality of jobs been enhanced and are there better jobs? An emphasis of this year's Budget is the need to develop deep skills. Key for businesses to becoming manpower-lean is to have manpower with deep skills. What measures are in place to support and accelerate the building of deep capability, especially for SMEs? What measures are in place to continue to support businesses as they drive this transformation to become manpower-lean businesses? Supporting SMEs' Transformation”
“If current gender gap ratios persist over 2015 to 2020, this will mean that there will be one new Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) job per four jobs lost for men, but only one new STEM job per 20 jobs lost for women. With a highly-educated female population in Singapore and tight labour market, this is an area of both opportunity and focus. Singaporean Core”
“Are the numbers of companies in this list going down or up? For "triple-weak" companies that have been successful in getting off the watchlist, what have they done to strengthen the Singaporean Core in their workforce? For flexibility and cost management, employment models are evolving with more companies hiring on contract terms. How is MOM ensuring fair and progressive work practices for these workers? The number of freelancers is also growing. This is not necessarily bad as it allows freelancers with flexibility and scope to work beyond just what one company can offer. However, freelancers do not get Central Provident Fund (CPF) nor make CPF contributions. This may impact their retirement planning and adequacy. In Singapore, CPF is core to planning for retirement adequacy and CPF funds allow for savings which could be used for healthcare and home ownership. With the changing employment landscape, are there any plans to have businesses make CPF contributions for the work they acquire from freelancers and for freelancers to make contributions to CPF beyond just to their MediSave? Another area to pay attention to is the unequal impact that job disruptions will have on men and women. Data from the WEF Future of Work Report suggests that if current industry gender gap trends persist, and job transformation for new and emerging roles in computer, technology and engineering-related fields continue to outpace the rate at which women are currently entering these types of jobs, women are at risk of losing out on tomorrow's best job opportunities. What this means in absolute terms is that for every three jobs lost for men, one new job is created whereas, for women, there will be more than five jobs lost for every job gained.”
“Mdm Chairman, based on current trends, we are seeing slower job growth, unemployment is rising and there are more redundancies. Employers are taking longer to find suitable talent for the roles they have available and there is greater mismatch of skills to jobs created. Based on MOM's latest figures, in 2016, nearly five in 10 job vacancies in Singapore were for PMETs. MOM had indicated that this trend is expected to continue to rise as the economy restructures in tandem with the improving skills and education profile of the workforce. The good news is that there are good PMET jobs being created in Singapore and this trend is expected to grow. The bad news is that even though these jobs do exist, it does seem that PMETs impacted by restructuring and looking for jobs are not able to fill them. How is MOM addressing the mismatch and missed matches, especially for PMETs and mature workers? Which sectors will the new Attach and Train initiatives be focused on? Apart from wage support for employers, what is the Government doing to ensure the quality of training and reskilling under the Adapt and Grow initiatives? With the Sectoral Manpower Plans for the six ITMs that are already launched, can the Minister share the success in matching the jobs created to the skills developed? With technological advances, lower-skilled and repetitive jobs, both blue- and white-collar jobs are being replaced by automation, robots and artificial intelligence. For many low-skilled and low-wage workers, their jobs will go away. What measures are in place to help these workers upskill to find good jobs and stay employed? 11.45 am Last year, Minister Lim Swee Say had shared in Parliament that there are approximately 250 companies on the "triple-weak" watchlist.”
“Mdm Chairman, for Singapore to continue to grow, we need to have the right skills to fill the jobs that will support this economic growth. If we do not align our manpower with our economic growth strategies, given Singapore's tight labour market, manpower will become a bottleneck to economic growth. Can the Minister for Manpower share the progress made with the manpower sectoral plans for the sectors that have already launched Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs)? Have the manpower sectoral plans been successful in helping companies in these sectors transform existing jobs as well as meet their manpower needs? Singapore has a highly educated workforce, and professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) form more than 50% of our workforce. As business restructure, we need to pay special attention to this segment of workers. The Future of Jobs Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2016 indicates that the greatest losses of jobs with the digital revolution will be in white-collar roles, with new jobs created in computer, technology and engineering related fields. Can the Minister share how the Adapt and Grow initiatives like Career Support Programme (CSP) and Professional Conversion Programmes (PCP) have been effective in helping workers acquire the skills required and transition into the new jobs created in 2016? What were the learnings from the current Adapt and Grow initiatives and how have they influenced the enhancements that are being announced in Budget 2017 for CSP and PCP as well as the introduction of the Attach and Train and the Work Trial programmes? Workforce Needs of Businesses in Restructuring”
“With the pervasive revolution we are experiencing, technology is pervasive and impacting many aspects of our work and life. Unlike previous industrial revolutions, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is evolving at an exponential pace. This revolution is characterised by the emergence of a range of technologies fusing the physical, digital and biological worlds, creating new ways in which technology is immersed in our lives. These include technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, nanotechnology and quantum computing. We know that technology enables possibilities and it is an important part of MINDEF's transformation effort to build the next-generation SAF. But the differentiator is not just technology but how technology is used. That requires people and talent. The Defence Technology Community (DTC), which started in 1966, comprising the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) and DSO National Laboratories (DSO), as well as MINDEF's Future Systems and Technology Directorate, and Defence Industry and Systems Office, has grown to a 5,000-strong community today. In his speech marking the 50th Anniversary of DTC, President Tony Tan described DTC as standing at the forefront of scientific and engineering discovery. DTC pioneers have played a key role in shaping Singapore's defence technology. Can the Minister share how MINDEF is tapping on these emerging technologies in support of Singapore's defence? Apart from leveraging technology, how is MINDEF engaging its talent base to build the capacity and capabilities to realise the potential of these emerging technologies? Drones' Threat to National Security”
“Mdm Chairman, the endeavour for Singapore to be a Smart Nation is all about enabling businesses, communities and individuals to thrive and to have a better quality of life. Underlying this will be the need for the capacity to learn, relearn, imagine, create and innovate. To succeed in the future economy is not just about providing state-of-the-art infrastructure or the latest technologies. The difference will be the spirit of creativity and the desire to succeed. This will manifest in how all these come together to produce new products, services or new and improved ways of doing things. This innovative capacity is crucial to succeed in building a Smart Nation. Take a country like Israel which is seen as being in the forefront of technology and innovation. Israel's culture, environment and keen strategy are seen as the ingredients for its success as an innovation hub. As Singapore strives to build a Smart Nation, ultimately, success will be determined by how our businesses and individuals embrace the opportunities, address the challenges and innovate. While the Government cannot do it all, the Government can play a significant role in providing the platforms to bring together a vibrant ecosystem where the confluence of talent, technology and diverse ideas happen and, most importantly, value is created and innovation becomes real. What platforms and initiatives will the Government be driving to enable and encourage Singaporeans and businesses to innovate, thrive and achieve better quality of life?”
“This Budget is a rallying call for us on the need to build our capabilities and pull together to ensure that Singapore and Singaporeans continue to grow and thrive in an uncertain and rapidly changing world, but recognise that we must remain open, so that we can continue to learn, partner and benefit from all that is happening around us. So, Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget.”
“I am not asking that we grow the size of the number of people getting help, as it will not be fiscally sustainable to do so. What I am requesting is that we relook at the distribution to ensure that those who need help do receive it. On social inclusion, as we build a society that is moving on and moving on fast, it is important, another aspect of inclusion is about helping people feel that their contributions matter. We already have many platforms of recognising people from all walks of life and professions and we must continue to do so. I recall NS50 is a recent example of a platform to recognise the efforts of National Servicemen, past and present, including bringing them together and sharing their experiences. Because it is through the experiences, having the platforms that we can feel part of, that would make people feel included and bring us forward together. Mdm Speaker, Budget 2017, as with all Budgets, is about the future. I have spoken on many occasions in this House of ensuring that Singaporeans continue to have "hope" and see Singapore as the home and place for each and every one of us to aspire and build a better life for ourselves and our families. We have seen in recent times how many economies are driven by fear and anxiety and facing pressures to become more protectionist. To this point, it is apt that the theme for this year's Budget is "Moving Forward Together". The journey we are embarking on is not going to be easy. But while there are challenges, there will be opportunities.”
“The then US Vice-President Joe Biden, in a keynote address at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2016, told participants "the middle class is about possibilities − the possibilities for anyone willing to work hard to achieve a decent life". He said that a thriving and growing middle class has been the main reason for social stability in the world's democracies. It is our own responsibility to make sure that this group continues to be able to thrive, because they are impacted by the changes that we are seeing in businesses. I strongly believe that if we strengthen the Singapore Core and give our people confidence and hope in the future, we will have a culture of growth and learning, but we must continue to remain open. Because it is only when we are able to stay open can Singapore benefit from strong partnerships and learn from foreign companies, both large and small. I would like to touch on one last point about making sure that we help those who are lagging to adapt to the changes. On the point of definition of who needs help and how the help is extended, when distributing rebates and subsidies given, we all understand the finite resources and budgets. I agree that there must be criteria for qualification. Our current approach uses size and value of housing type as the primary factor for qualification. The criterion is also not based on ownership, but on the type of housing you live in. While logical, this may no longer be as valid or accurate. There are some living in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats who may not be worse off than someone living in a private property. This is not a straightforward matter and it will need further study what needs to be addressed. But I feel that we need to relook our approach.”
“There are those examples today, but we need more. Because with the pace of change, this needs to be done. Let me touch on an area that I feel needs some focus, given the current economic climate and our businesses' transformation platforms. There are real fears amongst our workforce that these changes will not only disrupt jobs but displace jobs. The measures announced in the Budget and the ongoing measures to help our people access, acquire and deepen skills are needed and welcomed. I am not going to speak about the specific measures but I would like to touch on one segment of the workforce, that is, the middle-income and middle-aged. While there are other segments of the workforce impacted by the disruption, this is a talent base that is significantly impacted by the transformation of businesses. With an ageing population, a highly-educated workforce and professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) forming more than 50% of our workforce, this group will need attention to manage the transition in work to different roles, across industries or from employment to becoming entrepreneurs. Across several economies, we are already seeing a growing discontent amongst those in the middle-income group. We must ensure that the measures are effective in enabling this segment to deepen their skills and adapt and grow. Driving innovation will require deep skills. I want to also share a point that we need to ensure that this group continues to see that the opportunities that they have are not about transitioning and not just about finding employment, but that they can find fulfilling jobs and see an opportunity to improve their lives and those of their families.”
“It is key that our enterprises, both large and small, as they embark on their digital transformation, keep the consumer at the centre of their strategy. The importance of using data as a key business currency to understand and get insights of both the demand and supply side opportunities and challenges, will be key for businesses, and being able to stay relevant. As our businesses leverage digital platforms as well, they need to continue to build credibility and trust. Keeping data secure and ensuring that their digital platforms stay secure will be critical. Building cyber security skills is an area that all businesses will require. But for SMEs, this is going to be an extremely challenging area, given the challenges they are already facing in the adoption of digital technology. The SMEs Go Digital Programme needs to have clear plans on how our SMEs can build digital resilience as they leverage digital technology. Another area I would like to touch on is that driving transformation and growth need strong leadership. As we know, successful reinvention, business change and innovation require strong leadership. The introduction of the SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative is definitely welcomed. But I do see that the emphasis of the programme seems to be on developing these leaders to support companies expanding overseas and going global. That is important. But it is also important to stress the need that this initiative gives similar attention to building capable leaders to lead and drive businesses in Singapore. In order for our businesses to expand and scale up, they need strong leaders to make decisions, transform and grow the businesses locally. There are good examples of multinational corporations (MNCs) already doing this.”