Lim Boon Heng
Singapore
“On the first question on foreign domestic worker levy relief for single women who are looking after their aged parents, I think that question should be addressed to the Minister for Manpower and the Ministry of Finance.”
“I shall address the second point first. When it is clearly an item for a Ministry, a Member should address that question to that Ministry because that Ministry is also responsible for that even if it is related to ageing.”
“For those who wonder what the Fourth Age is, it is basically the last couple of years of your life when you are afflicted by, perhaps, chronic illnesses and therefore need to be cared for.”
“The Wellness Programme applies to all estates. In the pilot project, we deliberately chose 12 pilot sites to reflect different mixes. For example, we chose Ulu Pandan, which has a lot of private estates.”
“Maybe MCYS and the PMO could really look into these RC centres to see whether they could incorporate some of the needs of the elderly in these centres as well, like an extra area for karaoke or even mahjong. This area should be quiet and enclosed because the elderly sing loudly as they cannot hear very well.”
“The process has already started. We are already debating this issue in Parliament. The unions have taken up the issue with the management. I know and I am aware of that. So, let the process take its course.”
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“I think the Ministry of Finance hears Members, and we hope that we will get more resources in the future. But building social capital is not just about money and infrastructure. More importantly, it is how we organise the community to do things for themselves and making the best use of existing facilities. Mr Seah also worries about the working conditions of the PA staff and whether some have left because of the pressures of work, and what the turnover rate is. The PA is fortunate that it has a core of very dedicated staff. The turnover rate is not unduly high, not dissimilar to what we will find in the market, and I think it is comparable. But, of course, we will continue to work hard to make sure the working conditions of our PA staff will be flexible so that they can have a better work-life balance. PA will work with many partners and stakeholders from the people, public and public sectors towards building a great home and a caring community where residents and neighbours know one another and take care of one another, where the community is cohesive and resilient, and where the Singapore Spirit is alive and strong.”
“The parade provides a platform for people of different races and backgrounds to come together to perform, express their artistic talents and celebrate cultures, contributing to building of social capital. This year's Chingay Parade involved more than 8,000 passionate volunteer performers from over 100 organisations, including CCs, grassroots organisations, CDCs, athlete and religious groups, schools and tertiary institutions. They also include participants from foreign communities here, like the Japanese, Mexican and German communities. The parade featured the largest ever Malay, Indian and youth contingents led by their respective PA grassroots councils. Many other segments of the community, including women and seniors, also took part, showcasing Chingay as a truly community and people's parade. By the way, the Malay contingent won the top Chingay award this year. Moving forward, PA is working with MICA, NAC and other partners to bring arts, culture and heritage to the community, and to better leverage on arts, culture and heritage as a means to build social capital. Dr Teo Ho Pin asked how we measure social capital and a national identity. They are two different concepts. I believe that a community with high social capital and strong sense of belonging ultimately contributes to a stronger national identity. PA will be conducting regular social capital surveys beginning 2010, based on the four components of social capital. We hope to build on our understanding of the state of social capital in Singapore through these surveys. 6.15 pm I thank the several Members, including Mr Seah, Dr Teo and Mr Ang, for their concern over the support given to the our grassroots organisations and whether enough funds are being provided to PA to carry out its work.”
“The World Cup 2010 screening at community clubs and activities related to the Singapore Youth Olympic Games attracted some 200,000 residents. And the popularity of brisk walking and qiqong clubs, where small groups of residents come together to exercise and to bond, also demonstrates the potential of community sports as a way to bring people together and to make friends. We have seen very encouraging success when community clubs are developed together with sports and recreation centres, such as the Senja- Cashew CC and the Anchorvale CC with the sports and recreation club. There is much higher participation. We are developing the Tampines Town Hub CC, which is on a bigger scale, and we are likely to see a few such Town Hub CCs built in the future. And this is a place where the entire family can come and participate in activities, either separately or jointly. In the area of arts and culture, our grassroots organisations and the CDCs have done a great job so far. Not only have CCs and RCs run thousands of classes in the arts, several groups have achieved high standards. For example, the Mus'Art Youth Wind Orchestra from Jurong Green CC. In 2009, the Orchestra emerged first in the first division of the 16th World Music Contest in Holland. My grassroots leaders and I are very proud of them. There are many other excellent performing groups in the CCs, such as the Marine Parade CC Cantonese Opera Group, Pasir Ris Elias CC Chinese Orchestra, Sembawang CC Wind Orchestra and the Braddell Heights CC Symphonic Orchestra, just to name a few. At the national level, the Chingay Parade organised by PA is an important high point event in our annual calendar.”
“However, at the constituency level, I would urge the advisors to commend the grassroots volunteers for their service through local awards, or simply a word of thanks. Today, the PA and its grassroots organisations reach out to one in three residents. Under the Community 2015 Masterplan, we aim to reach out to one in two residents by 2015. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked if the Community 2015 Masterplan is an achievable one because of the high target that is set. These are early days but our grassroots leaders now have a very clear target to work on. They will widen our outreach and deepen resident engagement through a wide variety of programmes, platforms and interests. These include small scale activities such as floor parties and interest groups as well as in mass scale high point events and programmes. More importantly, our grassroots leaders need to realise that their role is to help people do things for themselves. Grassroots leaders are volunteers and cannot be the only ones organising activities for the residents. The bigger role of grassroots leaders is that of a facilitator – helping residents to organise activities for themselves – and residents can organise activities in collaboration with their RCs and NCs. And the RCs and NCs should also work with other organisations in their neighbourhood. I agree that sports, arts and culture and heritage are good platforms to help us build social capital. Apart from helping residents stay active and healthy, community sports provide opportunities for residents to widen their network of friends and be socially connected. In 2010, about 600,000 participants took part in Constituency Sports Club activities.”
“PA has developed a leadership development framework for our pool of 31,000 grassroots leaders. The framework is based on three key pillars. First, to inspire, motivate and fuel the passion of our grassroots leaders and volunteers in building social capital. Second, to align them with the community's vision, grassroots' mission and national policies, so that they understand their role in the wider context. Third, to develop their capabilities and equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their role effectively. Based on this framework, PA offers a range of training and development programmes through its two training arms, namely, the National Community Leadership Institute and the Outward Bound Singapore. PA is also reviewing the competencies of grassroots leaders and will be updating its programmes to further strengthen the capabilities of our grassroots leaders and volunteers. And there are also programmes specifically tailored for youth leaders. From time to time, Members have said that we should do more to recognise and reward the efforts of grassroots leaders. Indeed, we should commend them for their sacrifices and contributions. From my experience, grassroots leaders join the grassroots out of the desire to serve and contribute to the community. They derive satisfaction from the volunteer work itself, and the sense of fulfilment when they see the difference that they make in the community. They derive satisfaction also from seeing Government services improve after their feedback. PA can never offer anything to match that. We have some recognition schemes which the Members know very well. And these are tokens of our appreciation for them, and I do not think I need to detail them.”
“We aim to engage our youths and connect them with the community early, getting the youths to reach out and attract more youths; and encourage them not to just to do things for youths but also contribute to the wider community. We engage youths through the PA's Youth Movement, and it has 307,000 members and a network of CC Youth Executive Committees, the PA's Youth Movement Service Learning Clubs, and the Friends of the PA's Youth Movement with the Institutes of Higher Learning. PA is also actively forming Youth Chapters at the RCs and NCs, to encourage more youths to step forward as leaders and volunteers. Currently, there are about 5,400 youths serving as grassroots leaders. Last year, over a thousand youths joined. Many more served as volunteers and project leaders. More young professionals are serving in the grassroots organisations despite their busy schedules. Like Ms Regina Chong Puay Ling, Assistant Vice President of a financial services firm, who helped to integrate environmental initiatives with local elderly programmes at Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Constituency. They have a project called "Project Switch", which teaches the seniors to learn how to read their electricity bills and reduce their electricity consumption. And through this activity, the seniors make friends with one another. Ms Regina Chong also mentors members of a school-based PA's Youth Movement Service Learning Club. One of them, Mr Dion Lim Huan Xiang, who joined the Outram Secondary School Service Learning Club in 2006 and has since progressed to become an active grassroots leader serving in the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng YEC. The third thrust is about building an active community. We want to strengthen our community of volunteers and work with more partners.”
“Some new immigrants have become activists themselves. A good example is Mr Zhang Chun Hua, aged 40, an IT analyst who came to Singapore from China in 1996, and in 2007 he became a Singapore citizen. Through participation in grassroots activities, his social circle expanded. Having experienced the grassroots integration efforts first-hand, he offered to set up the Kampong Chai Chee Linear Green RC in 2009 to help others widen their social network and discover the joy of volunteer work. Through his outreach, several new members, both Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, have joined the RC. Some of these new immigrants also became INCs, organising programmes and activities to welcome other new immigrants and helping them integrate into the community. Some 20% of INCs today are new citizens or Permanent Residents. Many of them find grassroots work meaningful and enjoy contributing to the community. Dr Ahmad Magad asked about the tensions between neighbours, locals and newcomers. He said that we should take pre-emptive steps to prevent disputes and mentioned how his own grassroots leaders do so. Indeed, the work that our grassroots leaders do will keep such disputes in check. Our RCs have organised many activities to bring people together, and one example are the floor parties. I have attended many of these. At these parties, it is often the new immigrants who bring along their traditional dish and that in itself becomes a conversation piece. So we need more activities like that to bring people of different backgrounds, including our new residents, together to mix with Singaporeans so as to dispel the misunderstanding that may arise between them. The second thrust is about connecting youth and the community.”
“But we are engaging the NCs in continuous dialogue, and where the ideas are practical and doable, we will implement them. So we are listening to the NCs and will take into account their requests and implement those that we think can be done. Having said that, just the other day in Parliament, I mentioned one active seniors' group in Helsinki, Finland, which gets together regularly to organise activities for themselves. The leader of that association complained to me that they received no government help, they do not have a centre but, yet, they are able to organise so many activities. So, when I reflected on it, I thought it is because of the lack of support from their government that this group has built up so much social capital amongst themselves. I think it gives us pause for thought – whether it is only facilities or money that is needed for building social capital. So I think we ought to make better use of existing facilities in our work. But having said that, we are aware of the hard work that our grassroots leaders do and the hard work which the staff of PA do on the ground. The PA is piloting a new RC/NC Manager Scheme to better support RCs and NCs in their outreach efforts. They are also looking into expanding and upgrading RC centres to enhance them as common spaces for residents to interact and bond. 6.00 pm Apart from bringing Singaporeans together, our grassroots leaders have also been integrating newcomers. We have about 870 Integration and Naturalisation Champions (INCs) who organise activities to welcome new citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) and encourage them to participate in activities so that they get to know their neighbours better. Last year, the INCs engaged 20,000 PRs and new citizens.”
“Encouraged by this, the Springleaf Neighbourhood Committee decided to marshal the residents to do something together. Through this combined effort, they set up two Ren Ai Traditional Medicine Centres (TCM) for the needy, and run a monthly hot meal programme for the elderly and needy in collaboration with six RCs in Nee Soon South. They have inspired three other NCs to do the same. At Pasir Ris (West) Zone 12 RC, residents come together through regular activities and common interests. Over time, more and more residents and neighbours join in the community activities, and friendships deepened. For instance, a group of residents with a common interest in traditional food get together regularly to share recipes and prepare food for community events, such as floor parties, residents' pot luck gatherings and monthly free breakfast sessions for residents. The RC's Senior Executive Committee has also built up a membership of more than 2,500 seniors and a group of seniors who help to keep a look out for one another and for any seniors in need of help. Events and activities are often a family affair as the seniors bring along their family members, including their grandchildren. Now, over the years, RCs and NCs have adapted their programmes to better meet the needs and demographics of residents. With greater social diversity, the work of the RCs and NCs has expanded and has also become more challenging. With more residents living in private estates, NCs play an increasingly important role. But NCs cannot use the same strategies as those of RCs as these are somewhat different. To better support NCs, PA has formed a new NC Coordinating Unit to focus on this area, in addition to the existing RC Coordinating Unit. Mr Ang Mong Seng asked for more support for NCs.”
“Three, extending the social network of residents by helping them to know their neighbours and other residents from different backgrounds. Four, building confidence in the Government and public institutions by helping the Government to connect with residents. In simple terms, the first three components means being a good neighbour. Madam, a community with high social capital contributes towards wider national outcomes. Higher social capital means greater racial and religious harmony, based on mutual trust and understanding amongst residents. It supports the creation of a safe and secure home where neighbours look out and help one another. A cohesive and resilient community also lays the foundation upon which we build sustained and inclusive growth. To address the challenges and build greater social capital, PA has identified three strategic thrusts. The first thrust is about helping residents make friends and promote neighbourliness. When residents meet regularly, they make friends with their neighbours, grow their social network and build mutual trust and understanding. Through interest groups, courses and activities, we aim to bring residents from different backgrounds together to become friends. RCs and NCs are the basic building blocks of grassroots network. How do we visualise the desired outcome? Imagine a community where the more able helps the less well-off, a community where almost everyone knows each other. Imagine an entire street becoming a gathering space where neighbours and families interact and bond regularly over home-cooked food. An example of this is Springleaf Estate. Over the years, the Springleaf Neighbourhood Committee under its Chairman, Mr Wilson Zhuang, helped many of its residents become friends through a variety of activities.”
“Madam, first, I would like to thank Dr Vivian Balakrishnan for allowing me to start off to respond to Members on the topic of building social capital. The People's Association (PA) plays a key role in community development. PA is 50 years old and has done good work. Recently, PA refreshed its mission and, together with many stakeholders, co-created the Vision for the Community. Our vision is a Singapore that is a Great Home where residents feel a sense of belonging and a Caring Community where residents care and look out for one another. In other words, PA's mission is to build social capital. PA and its grassroots organisations from all constituencies have developed a five-year workplan in support of the vision. We will focus on three key challenges that will have an impact on our work of community bonding. First, an ageing population. With one in five residents aged 65 by 2030, we need to find ways to keep our seniors active, healthy and connected. Second, increasing social diversity. With globalisation and an increasingly diverse society, we need to continue our work of bridging communities across race, religion, age, socio-economic background, and to integrate new citizens and residents into the community. Third, engaging youths. With the changing needs and aspirations of youths, we need to find better ways to connect them with the community. The plans from all the constituencies form the Community 2015 Masterplan to build social capital. In our context, social capital has four key components. One, building trust amongst residents and neighbours by providing them opportunities to interact regularly and become friends. Two, strengthening reciprocity by enhancing neighbourliness and residents' willingness to help one another.”
“The process has already started. We are already debating this issue in Parliament. The unions have taken up the issue with the management. I know and I am aware of that. So, let the process take its course. If the Member wants it to go faster, volunteer her services either to the employers or the unions so that she can move it a little bit faster as she would like it to do.”
“The Wellness Programme applies to all estates. In the pilot project, we deliberately chose 12 pilot sites to reflect different mixes. For example, we chose Ulu Pandan, which has a lot of private estates. When we asked the people in Ulu Pandan to do it, they thought that they would have a difficult time, but they have found ways to reach out to the seniors in the private estates very successfully. So it applies to all.”
“I shall address the second point first. When it is clearly an item for a Ministry, a Member should address that question to that Ministry because that Ministry is also responsible for that even if it is related to ageing. Otherwise, all the questions on ageing will come to the Minister for Ageing, who will age faster by going to all the Ministries for the answers. On the first question, the principle really is: do we go forward with parental care leave? The point on whether the Government pays for it or the employers pay for it, I think a national consensus still has to be reached. So we have not come to that point of reaching the consensus yet.”
“Sure, the Civil Service is hearing what the Member is saying. But, at the same time, there is nothing to prevent your union from negotiating with the employer. Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan: We do not have a union!”
“For those who wonder what the Fourth Age is, it is basically the last couple of years of your life when you are afflicted by, perhaps, chronic illnesses and therefore need to be cared for. I think that there is no need for a Council for the Fourth Age per se, but there are things that we need to do for this sector and I think those issues would be addressed in the Committee of Supply for Ministry of Health. Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan: Sir, may I follow up on Ms Irene Ng's very brilliant question, and that is to appeal to the Civil Service to set the trend to facilitate filial piety in action?”
“There are many requests for many things. But one of the messages that I passed to advisers to grassroots organisations or the grassroots leaders is that in our communities there are many facilities which can be used and we need not think that everything should be centred in one particular place. So, if we make better use of the existing facilities, a lot more things can be done. I would like to relate that I visited Helsinki last October. I went to one community that is in part of Helsinki where there is an active ageing association. There are six apartment blocks and a number of seniors living there. This is not a retirement village; it was built in the 1960s and people grew old together and so you have a significant number of seniors. They do not have a RC centre, they do not have any financing from the government, but they organise themselves into an association and they use their own living rooms for the different activities which they carry out. So, let us think out of the box. We do not always need to use the RC centres. Sometimes, if we feel comfortable with it, we should be able to invite our neighbours to come to our homes to play mahjong.”
“Maybe MCYS and the PMO could really look into these RC centres to see whether they could incorporate some of the needs of the elderly in these centres as well, like an extra area for karaoke or even mahjong. This area should be quiet and enclosed because the elderly sing loudly as they cannot hear very well. So these are the "conflicting" uses in RC centres that we need for them.”
“For eldercare leave, this is desirable for those who are affected. But whether we can convince employers that the cost which they should bear is something which we cannot take lightly. That is the point of my speech. So, my suggestion is we should allow employees and unions to negotiate with their employers for such leave. I am aware that some employers already grant such leave. It is a process of forging a national consensus. In the case of the retirement age, the Government did not simply legislate because it is desirable. If you recall, in the past, we actually went through a long period of time before legislation on the retirement age was enacted and this was after some work on the ground before it was finally done. Now, I think people recognise the need to raise the retirement age but, even so, to raise it every year is a process that requires concensus-building. Likewise, I think that for elder care leave, it is an item that falls into the same category. As for the means test and the different criteria adopted by MOH and MCYS, it is a goal we are working towards. In fact, this is something which is occupying the minds of the staff at the present moment – how to reconcile the two different systems. With respect to the relief, please ask the Minister for Finance. Mdm Cynthia Phua: Mr Chairman, I would like to ask the Minister on the Wellness Programme. We understand that there is this programme. We would like to get the RCs to join them and to encourage the RCs to work together on this Wellness Programme. But I am thinking more in terms of a centre. The elderly needs a centre but currently the RC centres are very compact in terms of their use by the adults and children having tuition classes there.”
“On the first question on foreign domestic worker levy relief for single women who are looking after their aged parents, I think that question should be addressed to the Minister for Manpower and the Ministry of Finance. On the second question about the Wellness Programme, it is not just a question of whether we want to do it or we do not want to do it at one go. It is a question of whether we can get the resources to do it correctly. So, we started off with a pilot and learned the lessons from there. We then know that we need to marshal the resources to be able to roll out to the rest of the constituencies. So we have not gone through the rest of Singapore but only to half of the constituencies because of the resources that are needed and to make sure that the people who are employed to run these Wellness Programmes can do it well, rather than have a mass recruitment with improperly trained people and then do a job that is not so satisfactory. But we will try to do it as fast as we can.”
“Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong announced the multi-agency pilot at Marine Parade last December. The Marine Parade Pilot is a project for ageing-in-place at the town level under the City for All Ages Project. It will study the hardware, software and planning strategies needed to better serve the needs of an ageing community. Marine Parade estate was chosen as the pilot site because more than 20% of its total population are already 65 and above today. This Pilot is important because it will help all policy makers design cost-effective measures to improve the quality of life and well-being of seniors, and to extend such measures, if successful, to other towns in Singapore. The pilot will be conducted in phases. Phase One consists of a bottom-up evaluation of the needs and interaction between older residents, their caregivers and service providers in the estate. The evaluation will be conducted through a Needs Assessment Survey, Ground Audits and Focus Group Discussions. The Pilot is currently in its first phase. While the pilot is primarily targeted at seniors and their families, residents will also benefit from a more vibrant, active and inclusive community. Sir, we are making good progress to meet the needs of our ageing population. If we succeed with the City for All Ages Project and learn from the Marine Parade Pilot, Singapore will be a home that all of us want to grow old in. We can look forward to a happy, healthy and active ageing.”
“We will also enhance the planning and design of community-based care services to better integrate with the built environment. 4.45 pm Thirdly, we will encourage the commercialisation and adoption of age-friendly products and solutions. Together with EDB, HDB and MOH, we will develop a Silver Community Test Bed Programme to test solutions. Let me cite the case of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's Able Studio to illustrate why commercialisation works. Able Studio is a one-stop solutions store for people who need assistance in activities of daily living. Able Studio had two earlier predecessors. The first at Alexandra Hospital was largely a showroom with no commercial element. Even though it showcased good ideas, not many people visited it. The second at Jurong Medical Centre was still largely a showroom but with a small retail component. It fared better. In contrast, Able Studio at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is largely a retail space with a small showroom. It has a lot more visitors. Why? Because Singaporeans are a pragmatic lot – we want solutions we can buy and use immediately. Building on what we have learnt from Able Studio, MCYS, C3A and the relevant agencies are working on a "functional home" idea – one that looks at how to bring commercial elder-friendly home retrofitting solutions to seniors and their families. The fourth limb of this project is to promote Singapore as a global centre of excellence on ageing. This serves to build up human capital in Singapore and place us thought leaders on urban solutions for ageing. The City for All Ages project will be a multi-agency effort undertaken by MCYS, MND, HDB, URA, Centre for Liveable Cities, EDB and SPRING. A project office for this purpose will be created. I turn to the next one, which is the Marine Parade Pilot.”
“Major cities of the developed world already have more seniors while, in Asia, the elderly comprise some 10% to 15% of the population in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It is over 20% in Tokyo. The City for All Ages Project aims for sustainable and affordable urban solutions for ageing. It will address three challenges – the first of which is a "liveable" built environment for seniors. Let me explain what we mean by "liveability". It goes beyond being barrier-free. It goes beyond universal design. "Liveability" takes into account the socio-psychological needs of older people, including the need for familiarity, sense of place, sense of safety and convenience. Let me illustrate one aspect of "liveability" which is to be pedestrian-friendly. In Copenhagen, architects and urban planners have progressively pedestrianised the city centre since 1962. Since the introduction of these measures, public life in the city centre has increased by four times. A second challenge that the City for All Ages will address is how to help seniors age actively and age in place. We will pay special attention to the spaces for social interaction as well as community-based eldercare services and facilities. The third challenge that the City for All Ages will address is the integration of the hardware and the software, especially with regard to eldercare services. This includes the business models needed to support ageing-in-place. We have four key limbs to the City for All Ages Project. The first is to promote Policy-Practitioner Academic research and collaboration. The second is to plan for social spaces that older people need so that they can thrive in a "liveable" environment.”
“The seniors provide mutual support and help one another. NTUC Eldercare will hire a caretaker on their behalf to keep a lookout for them. The caretaker will work with the nearby SAC to coordinate services the seniors might require. Beyond the poor and the vulnerable, MCYS is piloting integrated services for seniors in studio apartments. A seniors service centre at the Golden Jasmine Studio Apartments in Bishan has been successfully tendered out to China Healthcare. The centre provides health talks, games, physiotherapy and houses a Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic. Residents are also supported by staff who will respond to emergency calls made by residents. MCYS has called for similar tenders at three studio apartment sites. The response from the commercial sector has been positive. We anticipate that the look, feel and shape of these centres will end up being slightly different. But certain features – a space to mix, mingle and make friends, plus free referral and information services – will be common. This will help to strengthen the community of neighbours in the block even as they age within the wider precinct. I will now speak on two major new initiatives under the Ministerial Committee for Ageing. They are the City for All Ages Project and the Marine Parade Pilot. The first is the City for All Ages Project. It marks the next major milestone in preparing our society for ageing. It builds upon and pulls together our efforts and achievements over the last few years, especially with regard to ageing in place. It also takes cognisance of the World Health Organization's statement that population ageing and urbanisation are the two global trends that will shape the 21st century.”
“Unless they are adequately remunerated, we are not going to get the quality of staff needed for this sector. Thirdly, it is important for VWOs to build up organisational capability to attract quality management that can develop and implement viable service models that make VWOs mission-effective. If we take this approach, I am confident that we will make good use of the $1 billion under the Community Silver Trust, and MCYS and MOH are working out the details. I expect the Trust to be implemented later this year. In addition, MOF has announced that the Government will allocate $10 million a year for low-income seniors to obtain mobility aids such as wheelchairs and the like, something that Miss Penny Low was asking for. I will leave MOH to share the details of this grant. Let me now turn to our final thrust to enable ageing-in-place. We are on track on the hardware side in terms of barrier-free accessibility and the lift upgrading programme. As important is the software. What we are doing to expand at-home and community care will help seniors age-in-place successfully. However, there is a vulnerable group of poor seniors with weak family support who face the risk of social isolation. Senior Activity Centres (SACs) serve as a first-touch point where these seniors can receive social support, participate in activities and meet other seniors. MCYS is developing SACs into community nodes that support vulnerable seniors and will expand SACs from the 28 today to 55 in five years. Nine were built in the past two years. We are also taking steps to support seniors within the community – seniors who might otherwise be institutionalised. MCYS, CEL and NTUC Eldercare will embark on a communal housing pilot for poor single and frail seniors.”
“The Trust underscores Government's commitment to build capability in the intermediate and long-term care sector. It also signals the vital role that the community can play. We hope the community will respond generously to the dollar-for-dollar matching. I fully share Mr Heng Chee How's apprehension that some think that the $1 billion should be used to subsidise long-term care, in the mistaken belief that this will make for cheaper care. I must caution we will use up the $1 billion Trust very quickly if we use it for broad-based non-means-tested subsidies. This is not sustainable. Such subsidies also reduce the financial discipline of the service providers. They can become less, and not more, cost-conscious. Costs therefore could go up. To ensure that the Community Silver Trust is put to good use to deliver long-term care services, it should focus on the following key areas. Firstly, it should enable VWOs to widen the range, scale and quality of intermediate and long-term care services across the socio-healthcare continuum. If VWOs can expand to reach a critical mass, we can improve quality while containing costs, and here in the light of the productivity drive that we are trying to make, it applies also to this sector. I think today the costs are high because we are not efficient. If VWOs can also innovate, use technology and re-engineer processes to increase productivity, they can further contain costs. These are sustainable ways to make long-term care cost affordable, as opposed to asking for more subsidies. Secondly, as Mr Heng has rightly pointed out, manpower development is another key area as, ultimately, the quality of any care service depends on the calibre of the staff. VWOs need to invest in their staff.”
“CEL has given seed funding to NTUC Eldercare and Touch Community Services to pilot the training of family caregivers and foreign domestic workers. Families and maids who go for such training can qualify for the Caregiver Training Grant. More than 1,600 caregivers for seniors have benefited from this grant. About half of them were family caregivers, and the remainder were maids. CEL is also raising awareness that day care centres do offer respite care, and there is also growing availability of home-help services. We should uphold the virtue of filial piety. Our current older generation has sacrificed and worked hard to provide the younger generation with better education and skills. We must look after our parents, emotionally and financially. This is why we must preserve the principle of means-testing, which is based on family income. I agree with Ms Irene Ng that affordability of care services is important. We have adopted the approach of means-testing to ensure that the lower income and less fortunate will receive help. This will help low-income seniors to access help. Unfortunately, a small minority shirk their responsibilities to support their parents. We have amended the Maintenance of Parents Act last year to enable the Tribunal and Commissioner for Maintenance of Parents to better help such parents obtain support from their children. With respect to the case cited by Ms Irene Ng, I would suggest that this be referred to the relevant CDC for holistic case management because listening to her, there are some help programmes which may or may not have been accessed. We have made good progress in piloting eldercare services and caregiver support services with VWOs. So, the $1 billion Community Silver Trust is a very timely and opportune initiative.”
“The pilot started in October 2010. As of 31st December 2010, there are seven care workers serving some 50 clients. So, it is a development that we are watching to see whether it can be scaled up. Now, let me turn to caregiver support on which several Members have spoken on, including Mr Baey Yam Keng and Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan. Almost all have asked for leave for eldercare. While the concept is popular, it is a complex issue. Employers will have concerns about costs. I asked one employer, "If you can grant childcare leave, why don't you agree to grant eldercare leave?" The response was, "A child grows up after so many years. We don't know how long the elderly person will continue to live." So, it reflects the calculations in the minds of employers which we should not take lightly. We should take the same approach as we have done with the retirement age. We need to engage in dialogue and consultation, and not rush matters. At the same time, employees and their unions can negotiate with employers for such leave. Some employers already do so. When more employers grant such leave, then reaching a national consensus will be easier because, by then, the worries of employers about the costs would ease. Families today can enjoy tax relief of up $11,000 as well as a foreign domestic worker levy concession if they look after their elderly parents. Mr Laurence Wee and Miss Penny Low have asked for more financial support, in particular, caregiver allowances to acknowledge the stress and sacrifices made by family caregivers. While this is tempting, we must ask ourselves if we will unwittingly monetise family obligations and love if we give caregiver allowances. Instead of caregiver allowances, we have focused on caregiver training and support programmes.”
“Mr Chan Soo Sen’s worry of something going awry – that problem is recognised and is being addressed. There is cross-representation of board members of the two agencies. Last year, CEL implemented a case management service for seniors known as the Assessment and Coordination for Enabling (ACE). More than 200 seniors have benefited. One example is Mr Quek Poey Khiang and his wife, Mdm Goh, both in their 70s. Mdm Goh has epilepsy, dementia, hypertension and osteoarthritis of her knees. Following her hospitalisation in 2010, the ACE manager referred home-help services to Mdm Goh while encouraging Mr Quek in his caregiver role. After six months, Mr Quek and Mdm Goh were discharged from ACE successfully. They can now cope with their daily routine. They have been introduced to a Seniors Activity Centre (SAC) and visit it every week to enjoy the activities there. If Members know of cases where they do not know where to turn to, refer them to CEL who will then do the necessary and get them on the right path. Next, let me discuss the progress we are making in home and community eldercare. In 2009, I announced that MCYS will build six new day care centres over five years. I am happy to say that two new centres have been completed. MCYS and MOH have also worked jointly on a pilot with three day care centres to make them dementia-friendly. In addition, AIC has piloted day centres for seniors who are nursing-home eligible. 4.30 pm MCYS and MOH are also enhancing at-home support through Home Help, Home Medical and Home Nursing services. CEL has worked with Thye Hua Kwan Moral Society on a Rent-a-Care Helper pilot. The VWO hires care workers and deploys them to low-income seniors who cannot afford to have foreign domestic workers but need regular home help support.”
“Nineteen thousand seniors have gone for health screening. Many are starting to exercise more regularly, which is necessary for maintaining good health, and keeping socially active. Mr Heng Chee How will update us on the achievements of the Seniors for Physical Activity Committee later. In response to Mdm Cynthia Phua – she has a list of what seniors want – I agree that the Wellness Programme should be in the residents' neighbourhood and not in a centre far away. The Wellness Programme, in case there is some misunderstanding, should be implemented at the Residents' Committee (RC) level. Every RC should have a Wellness Programme. This will make it convenient for seniors to participate. Let me turn to the third strategic thrust on holistic and affordable healthcare and eldercare. At least eight MPs, including NMPs – Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr Chan Soo Sen, Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, Ms Irene Ng, Miss Penny Low, Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan, Mr Laurence Wee and Ms Audrey Wong – have expressed their views. Let me explain what we have done by covering four key aspects: information, referral and case management, care services, caregiver support; and funding of long-term care. First, we have made some improvements in the information and referral service for seniors and families. The Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) were set up in 2008 under MCYS and MOH respectively to fulfil these roles. CEL is a first-stop information and referral centre for persons needing care. AIC helps patients prepare for discharge from acute care and will refer them to stepdown or home-care services, where necessary. The two agencies work closely together and they are located side-by-side.”
“C3A has disbursed more than $9 million of the GO! Fund to over 90 community projects, benefitting some 400,000 seniors. Indeed, in response to Ms Denise Phua, volunteerism and nurturing programmes for seniors to be able to contribute back to society is one of the areas of focus of the GO! Fund. This year, C3A will implement the $20 million Active Ageing Capability Fund to further develop sector capability in active ageing. The people that the Member knows, can apply for this fund. Complementing C3A is the Wellness Programme. In 2008, we asked People’s Association (PA) to pilot the Wellness Programme in 12 constituencies. In 2010, we rolled it out to 42 constituencies which covers half of Singapore. I am heartened at how far the Wellness Programme has enhanced neighbourliness among seniors. In a pre- and post-test study done over a 12-month period, over 40% of seniors made more than 10 new friends in the community while 36% got to know more than 10 neighbours. An ageing society needs such social capital. Neighbours can mutually support one another and be of great help in an emergency. Let me share the story of 59-year-old Mdm Chew Kwi Yang from Radin Mas. She used to keep largely to herself. After joining the Wellness Programme, she started a herb garden and formed an interest group. In late 2009, Mdm Chew checked herself into the hospital as she was not feeling well. She did not inform anybody, including her family. When the other seniors did not see her at her usual activities, they got worried and contacted her family. It was only then that Mdm Chew’s family discovered that she was in hospital. This is why the Wellness Programme is important. The Wellness Programme also encourages seniors to be responsible for their own health.”
“How can we expect to retire and fund another 20 to 30 years solely based on past savings? Mr Slim goes on to highlight that "in a society based on physical work, you had to retire young. Today, we are a knowledge-based society, and people are retiring when they are in their best mental state – most experienced, most trained." Singapore has transformed itself to become a knowledge and service economy. Mr Slim's observations apply to us. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Matthias Yao Chih) in the Chair] 4.27 pm I share Ms Denise Phua's views that we need to help our seniors work longer for as long as they can, and at the pace they want. Re-employment will take effect from 2012. Older people need not necessarily be re-employed in the same job, on the same pay or at the same pace. For older people who need jobs, the CDCs provide employment services for job seekers and seniors could use these services as a job clearing house, including looking for part-time jobs. I think it is not necessary to incur more administrative costs by setting up a separate infrastructure for this purpose. A Ministry of Manpower's survey showed that 92% of employees reaching 62 in June 2009 were allowed to continue to work. The 2010 Labour Force Survey found that the employment rate for those aged 55 to 64 had risen to 59% in 2010, up significantly from 54% in 2006, notwithstanding the recent downturn. We must strive to achieve our target of 65%. More will be said on this in the COS debate on the Ministry of Manpower. Ms Denise Phua and Mdm Cynthia Phua have commented on our second strategic thrust, which is Active Ageing. Since its inception in 2007, the Council for Third Age (C3A) has promoted active ageing with an emphasis on lifelong learning and an inter-generational approach.”
“In the article entitled "Baby Boomers Must Pay for Own Elderly Care" published on 17th February in TODAY, Mr Norman Warner, a former UK Health Minister, argues that it is unfair to expect the working population to foot the bill for looking after their parents' generation. Will we be different? We must be. For if not, then our young may also rebel, one generation after the European youth. Hence, learning what not to do, we must ensure fiscal sustainability in all we do. Each generation must earn and save with the entire life cycle in mind. While children should support their aged parents, we should take care not to impose too heavy a burden on them. Several Members have alluded to the demographic shifts, like Mr Baey Yam Keng. Indeed, our Singaporean way, which reflects our Asian values, goes further. If a generation is fortunate enough to enjoy prosperity as has been the case with the current old and baby boomers, we set aside reserves for the next. Now that I have laid down our fundamental fiscal principle in ageing, let me outline the progress we have made in each strategic thrust. We have enhanced financial adequacy in old age through CPF LIFE and the HDB Lease Buy-Back scheme. But, for most of us, financial adequacy must depend on us continuing to work. Mr Carlos Slim, a leading Mexican businessman, pointed out in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph that today’s retirement age is still based on life expectancy 50 years ago! In the 1960s, our life expectancy was only 65 years old. Today, it is 82 years old, one of the highest in the world. Our life expectancy is similar to Japan but already ahead of many developed countries like United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. We may also have more centenarians as has happened in Japan.”
“Sir, many Members have spoken. We are on the eve of a major demographic inflexion point for Singapore. Next year will be the year when the first cohort of baby boomers born in 1947 become 65 years old. There are one million baby boomers aged 47 to 64 today. Our rate of ageing will rise from 4% per annum in 2000 to 2011 to 6% per annum from 2012 to 2020. This makes us one of the fastest ageing societies in the world. It is timely to check how we are preparing for this situation. Are we on track to achieving successful ageing? Ageing is wide ranging. It is and must be the responsibility of every Ministry to consider how it will handle aspects of ageing in its respective portfolio, regardless of whether its purview is in the social, economic or security arena. Some of the questions that have been raised by Members will not be answered by me but by respective Ministries in the Ministries' Committee of Supply (COS). Yet, at the same time, because it is wide-ranging, ageing has to be coordinated across Government. I have chaired the Ministerial Committee on Ageing since 2007. We have pursued four strategic thrusts to achieve successful ageing for Singapore and for Singaporeans – financial security, active ageing, holistic and affordable healthcare and eldercare, and ageing-in-place. The spectre of an ageing population looms for many developed countries, characterised by fiscally unsustainable welfare systems and runaway healthcare costs. A Bloomberg article in January this year warns of potential inter-generational conflict in Western Europe, fuelled by perceptions that today’s older generation is impoverishing the next.”
“I will now touch briefly on the securing of World Cup broadcasting rights. The bidding of broadcast rights of major international sporting events such as the World Cup is a matter of commercial negotiation between the pay TV retailers and the rights holders, based on their respective business considerations. For subsequent World Cup bids, I am sure SingTel and StarHub will draw from the experience and knowledge gleaned from this year’s World Cup bidding, especially the price point at which consumers would be willing to pay to view the event. However, the ultimate decision rests on the rights holder – FIFA, in this case. If FIFA demands a higher bid price and consumers are not willing to pay more, then consumers must, unfortunately, be prepared to forego watching the matches. 3.00 pm”
“The recent live screening of the FIFA World Cup matches at the 16 Community Clubs (CCs) was a tremendous success. About 184,000 residents visited the CCs. Our grassroots leaders and People's Association (PA) staff took this opportunity to organise activities for the participants so that they can get to know one another better. Indeed, the success of the World Cup screening demonstrates the potential of using sports to bring residents together to bond. As the Member may know, there are costs involved in the screening of the World Cup matches "live". We were fortunate to have Singapore Pools, SingTel and StarHub sponsored the World Cup screening at the CCs. I must first thank Mr Zainudin Nordin, Mayor for Central Singapore District, for initiating this and for getting the support of the sponsors as well as the other four Mayors. However, as the sponsorship was only for a certain number of sites, we could only extend the screening to a limited number of CCs. The CCs were selected on the basis of having one screening in each Group Representation Constituency (GRC), or three per District. This is to ensure a good geographical spread of the screening at CCs throughout Singapore to benefit residents. The selection of CCs also took into consideration the availability of suitable screening facilities. Er Lee asked whether we will consider screening high-profile sporting events at all CCs in the future. PA would certainly like to encourage and facilitate such activities as a way to bring residents together. However, it would depend on whether sponsorship is available to support such screenings and whether approval can be obtained from the rights holder. Notwithstanding this, individual CCs may also decide to fund the screenings themselves, if the rights are available.”
“Paulin Tay Straughan asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how many Singaporeans have benefited from the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme in 2009; (b) what is the profile of the recipients of the WIS scheme, in terms of (i) the age distribution; (ii) the industries they come from; and (iii) the median salary; and (c) whether the Ministry has tracked their progress in terms of salary improvements and, if so, what are some facilitators that help low-wage workers achieve income adequacy.”
“These activities encourage our seniors to develop active lifestyles and broaden social networks. Our future seniors will also be better educated and more independent. The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) is working with voluntary welfare organisations to scale up support for those who are vulnerable and needy and those without strong family support. These programmes include Seniors Activity Centres and Befriending. Through these programmes, we hope to organise and leverage on volunteers and the community to help this group. For those who are frail and need care, we are building the capacity and capability of service providers to enable more support services for seniors. These include Home Help services and Day Care Centres. We are also developing more integrated care options. To access these social care support services and schemes, seniors can approach the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL). CEL is a convenient first-stop referral agency that provides information, referrals and link-ups to suitable service providers for seniors in need. The Government is committed to put in place various programmes and initiatives that support our seniors, be it in active ageing, wellness and eldercare. For seniors without strong family support, we will continue to foster stronger community support from voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and neighbours to facilitate ageing-in-place. WORKFARE INCOME SUPPLEMENT (Update on beneficiaries) 32. Assoc. Prof.”
“Assoc. Prof. Paulin Straughan asked about the plans to facilitate ageing for singles in an ageing population. In 2000, 6% of residents aged 50 and above were single; the figure has increased to 8.2% in 2009. The majority of our seniors, including the singles, are healthy and ambulant. We encourage them to keep physically, mentally and socially active. For elderly singles, the extended family, the community and especially neighbours play an important role. Ageing should not be a lonely affair. Our family, friends and neighbours provide companionship, care and support. To facilitate this, we encourage and mobilise informal networks to support our seniors to age-in-place. Neighbours can help to keep a look out for our seniors, particularly those who are single or do not have strong family support. I cannot emphasise enough the importance of maintaining and nurturing social ties as we get older. We seek to promote this through the Wellness Programme, community and grassroots activities. Through participation in regular activity groups, be it a brisk walking group, a tai-chi group or a hobby club, elderly Singaporeans would have regular social interaction with others. Over time, some will become close friends and they can lend mutual support in times of need. A wide range of active ageing activities is also supported by the Council of Third Age (C3A) such as a "Befrienders Walk", which aimed to engender intergenerational bonding, and a Seniors Outdoor Activity Adventure Camp which targeted to build confidence in seniors through team-building outdoor camps. C3A plays a major role in catalysing activities and programmes promoting senior volunteerism, healthy living and lifelong learning.”
“Anyone who disagrees with or feels aggrieved by any such directions by a public servant doing his job can make complaint later and it will be thoroughly looked into. But he must first comply with such directions or be liable to face arrest and possible prosecution. Looking at this incident with the benefit of hindsight, I think both parties could have handled the situation better. Nevertheless, I am glad to know that the Police and the media have discussed the incident dispassionately and have amicably resolved it.”
“The Police generally do not interfere with the media or members of the public taking photographs of floods so long as it does not obstruct Police operations and so long as this does not pose a danger to others or themselves. In this particular case, the issue was not about the photographer taking pictures of the flood but about public safety. The Police had taken action as, in its judgement, public safety was involved. The Member also asked about the guidelines for the use of handcuffs. Police officers are trained to assess the situation when exercising discretion in using handcuffs. Depending on the officer’s risk assessment, handcuffs may be used if a suspect is violent or if there is flight risk, or if a serious offence had been committed. In this case, although it was not intended to be an arrest, the police officer assessed that it was necessary to use handcuffs to restrain the photographer and stop him from continuing an action which the officer felt posed a danger to others and the photographer himself. The moment the need for such restraint had passed when the photographer had ceased such an action and had been moved to the safety of the pavement, the officer rightly removed the handcuffs and decided not to arrest the photographer for obstructing a police officer in the course of performing his duty after it became clear that the photographer was from the media and was trying to do his job. Both the Police and the media have important roles to play. While the Police respect and understand the role the media has to play, the Police have a duty to ensure public safety and security. We cannot allow our officers on the ground when performing their duty to ensure public safety and security to have their directions ignored.”
“A police officer at the scene therefore asked him to move away, which he did after he was told a second time. However, the photographer returned shortly after and stood on the covered manhole within the flooded central divider to take photographs. This was dangerous as there was moving traffic on both sides of the divider. The police officer therefore advised him to move to the pavement where it was safer for him to take photographs. According to the police officer, the photographer moved off only after repeated advice. The photographer, however, recalled only being told to move off once before he complied. Be that as it may, when he moved off from the central divider, he did not go onto the pavement but instead walked along the road next to the flooded divider and continued to take photographs. The police officer advised him against doing so again. He did not heed the advice. Up to this point, he did not have his media pass on nor did he identify himself as a reporter. The officer decided he had to intervene directly. The officer went up to him and held his arm with a view to stop him from continuing to walk along the central divider and to move him to the pavement. However, the photographer struggled free and the officer handcuffed him on one hand to restrain him and take him into custody. Upon reaching the pavement, the photographer had calmed down and produced his media pass for verification and identified himself as a photographer from the media. He was uncuffed after his identity was verified. The Member asked about guidelines for police officers when dealing with journalists and the general public taking photographs at public places where there are floods or other accidents.”
“The Public Service leadership programme is aimed at enabling younger people to take up senior positions. When the senior civil servants retire, they can be deployed to do other things, as many of them have done. We continue to tap on their knowledge and experience in performing other duties. PHOTOGRAPHER HANDCUFFED AT FLOOD SITE 10. Dr Ong Seh Hong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the facts and circumstances of the arrest and handcuffing of the Lianhe Wanbao chief photographer over taking of photographs of the flood in Bukit Timah on 16th July 2010; (b) what are the guidelines for police officers when dealing with journalists and the general public taking photographs at public places where there are floods or other accidents; and (c) what are the guidelines for handcuffing them. The Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr K Shanmugam) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the case in question happened in the morning of 17th July 2010, along Bukit Timah Road near Maplewood Condominium. It was raining heavily and the rain had caused a road divider, which had been excavated, to be flooded. Usually, the construction work would have been surrounded by safety barriers but unfortunately in this case the safety barriers had been washed away due to the floods. Motorists driving along the road were not able to see the depression. As a result, three cars landed in the depression. Under these difficult conditions, the Lianhe Wanbao photographer had stopped his car illegally along the road at about 7.40 am to take the photographs, causing an obstruction to other motorists. There was clear danger not only to the photographer but to other motorists as well.”
“In the same survey, half the respondents, 51%, indicated they wanted to continue to work either part-time or full-time beyond 62 years old. Therefore, more and more older people themselves want to work and we should support them.”
“However, the report pointed to the different communication styles needed to gel a multi-generational workforce. We need to take steps to address this. All I have said so far are laudable and necessary measures at the workplace to make employment of seniors a reality. But the mindset change needs to extend beyond the employment sphere and also goes beyond what the Government alone can do. In the 2005 National Survey on senior citizens conducted by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), the single largest problem faced by older workers was health and strength related issues. Sixteen percent did not feel as strong as before, while another 15% cited feeling tired easily. This is why we have launched the wellness programme at the constituency level to encourage older persons to have a health and wellness orientation, go for medical check-ups and exercise regularly. We have also promoted three major exercise platforms for older persons namely, brisk walking,taichi andqigong through the Seniors for Physical Activity programme. All these exercises have been proven to have health and strength benefits for older persons. We can only provide the platforms. We now need older people themselves to respond. As a society, we also need to change our mindsets. Many well-meaning grown-up children want to see their parents put up their feet and enjoy a happy retirement. However, for many of us, work gives meaning to our lives and a sense of self-esteem and worth. A Japanese study found that the elderly attained greater sense of well-being and social engagement through employment. A 2008 Council for the Third Age survey found that respondents aged 55 years and above cited the median retirement age of 65 years old as ideal – this is for Singaporeans.”
“The re-employment obligation is only up to the age of 65 but employers are encouraged to continue to retain their older employees beyond 65 as long as the employees can continue to contribute to their organisations. To see re-employment materialise, we must address what Mr Laurence Wee has raised, namely, measures to change mindsets and promote continuing education among different cohorts of older people. These are crucial points. We are putting in place several measures to reinforce positive attitudes towards re-employment. First, the Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers has launched a re-employment ready campaign to reach out to employers and employees, in the lead-up to re-employment legislation. The tripartite partners have also implemented the tripartite guidelines on re-employment of older employees. There is also the ADVANTAGE! Scheme to incentivise companies to modify job specifications and operations or redesign work for older employees. Workers must do their part to prepare for re-employment including continuing education. Last month, we introduced the Workfare Training Support (WTS) for older low-wage workers. They must keep their skills relevant to maintain their performance so as to benefit from re-employment. Apart from employers and older workers, we are beginning to look at co-workers and supervisors. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP) released the "Harnessing the Potential of Singapore's Multi-generation Workforce" report this year. The good news is that all generations in the workforce hold a common belief that a diverse workforce comprising different generations has a positive effect on the overall performance of the company.”
“We first moved away from the seniority-based wage system. We also developed a flexible wage system. These measures not only make businesses competitive, they also make older workers more competitive and attractive to employers in good times and in bad. We are now working on the next significant step, which is re-employment beyond the current retirement age of 62. Re-employment provides greater flexibility for both businesses and workers than a straightforward mandated rise in the retirement age. Employers have real concerns about cost burdens. More so, if they do not have the flexibility to re-deploy older workers to jobs more suitable for them as they age, or adjust salaries and benefits in line with individual workers' productivity and contributions. Older workers need to be flexible in their attitudes, and be willing and able to take on modified jobs and go for skills upgrading or retraining as necessary. When the law comes into effect in 2012, employers will be obligated to re-employ their older employees from the existing retirement age of 62-65, and later, to 67 years and beyond. Both employer and employees will be able to work out a re-employment offer that is agreeable to both parties, taking into account the companies' requirements and needs of older workers. Unions will play their part to ensure that the agreements reached are fair to older workers, even as wages and benefits are adjusted to reflect the value of the jobs and the contributions of their employees. In this way, companies remain competitive and employees can continue to earn a regular income.”
“Now the question arises as to whether we should do away with the retirement age. The United States is the only country I know that has specifically legislated to disallow discrimination in employment on account of age. While this sends a signal that people should be allowed to work for as long as they want, the reality is that people do leave the workforce. Some retire because they feel they have enough to retire on. Others found themselves involuntarily unemployed because their employers terminated their services on legally acceptable grounds. Some years ago, I asked US unionists whether there was age discrimination in their country as their legislation specifically forbade it. I was given an emphatic "Yes". Are more older Americans employed than Singaporeans? The employment rate in the 54-65 years age group was 61% in the US in 2009; higher than the 57% in Singapore. But this is due to the relatively lower female employment rate in Singapore. The male employment rate for the same age group was 74% in Singapore, much higher than the 65% in the US. The overall employment rate of those age 65 and above was 16% in Singapore, comparable to the 16% in the US. This shows that our approach works well, even though it is different from the US. Experience tells us that we cannot merely mandate or legislate labour issues without making sure the ground is ready. Therefore, just doing away with the retirement age will not bring about more employment opportunities and higher employment rates for older workers. We have therefore decided to adopt a practical step-by-step approach to move beyond the current minimum statutory retirement age. It is not enough to send a signal. We must make it happen through a higher employment rate. The work started years ago.”
“Mdm Ho Geok Choo and Mr Laurence Wee asked about Government's position on the retirement age and whether we should remove it. Prior to 1st July 1993, we did not have legislation defining the retirement age. The generally accepted retirement age was 55 years because that was the age when employees could withdraw their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings, and this was similar to most countries where the age for drawing down on pensions defined the retirement age. In 1987, we introduced the Minimum Sum concept into CPF. Account holders could withdraw all of their savings above the Minimum Sum and draw down on the Minimum Sum only when they reach 60 years. Trade unions negotiated with their employers to raise the generally accepted retirement age to 60 years and were successful. However, this was not the case for non-unionised companies. Government then introduced the Retirement Age Bill which Parliament passed with effect on 1st July 1993. On 1st January 1999, the retirement age was raised to 62 years. With increasing life expectancy, we are encouraging older people to work for as long as they can and for as long as they want. When I first raised this prospect in the 1980s, many workers were unhappy with me. They felt they deserved to enjoy their retirement. They were also unhappy with the pay cut as our wage system was too much seniority-based. But gradually, there has been a change. By the early 1990s, some older workers were appealing to me to help them continue working, and they even volunteered to take a pay cut. They knew they did not have enough savings to maintain their quality of life. Today, many older workers want to work as reflected by the steady rise in the employment rate of workers in the 55-64 years age group.”
“CEL is working with Thye Hua Kwan to pilot the "Rent-a-Care Helper" programme, targeted at lower income seniors. These seniors and their families cannot afford to hire foreign domestic workers, but they do need regular help and support from trained caregivers. With a VWO like Thye Hua Kwan maintaining the central pool of care workers, costs could be made affordable for low income families. MCYS has set aside about $3 million in fiscal year 2010 to support these initiatives by CEL in collaboration with key VWO providers. Mr Laurence Wee asked about abandonment of parents by children. The role of the family is vital. The Government is committed to support families with the responsibility for their parents. Children who abandon their elderly parents in an irresponsible manner should be deterred. I understand that the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports will speak more on this as he discusses the Maintenance of Parents Act. The Government has already laid the groundwork and will continue its plans to meet the challenges of an ageing population. It will take a long time, not just months but years, to change mindsets about what ageing means and to realise the opportunities to help our seniors be confident participants in society for as long as they are able. I am confident that we have taken the right steps towards enhancing the lives of our seniors, but it will be up to each individual to take control of his own old age, with the support of his family and community.”