Lim Wee Kiak
Singapore
“" The point I want to make here is that given that we have one of the longest lifespans in the world now, and there is a correlation with an ageing population and chronic diseases, are there plans to explore and develop the emerging fields of regenerative medicine and healthy longevity?”
“Can I ask, in light of the fact that we have a smoking cessation clinic, is there a vaping cessation clinic, whereby the public can surrender themselves and say, "I have been vaping. I wish to have some help"? And how does the Ministry of Health (MOH) handle this?”
“May I ask how the Government decided on these targets, and what steps will Singapore take to achieve them? I would like to highlight, this year, the Government announced a 2035 climate target to reduce emissions to "between 45 and 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035". Are we on track to meet our 2030 target?”
“Building upon this progress, I encourage individuals with innovative ideas and a passion for contributing to this vital green industry to step forward.”
“While mandating sustainable aviation fuel for departing flights is a commendable way, what other strategic initiatives are planned across different sectors to leverage on our hub position? How will such initiatives affect Singapore's economic competitiveness as a travel hub?”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. I would like to ask two supplementary questions. First is that, is the Government happy with the state of affairs of the current SFC utilisation? Is 50% of the of the population using SFC the target?”
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“Nevertheless, for the affordable annual premium supplemented by financial assistance for those who need it, it is a comprehensive plan that offers decent life-long protection for the majority. The healthcare systems in Western and Northern Europe are often envied as many components are available to the beneficiaries for free. But let us not forget that working adults there pay significantly higher taxes than we do, much of which go into social security. We must be realistic and understand that a free stellar-quality healthcare system simply does not exist without a system whereby funds are obtained from the public sector. It is also evident from global trends that healthcare costs will definitely climb. Aside from improving our social safety nets, it is prudent for us to encourage preventive measures by including coverage under this scheme, raising health awareness and continue to provide tools to develop a nation that is proactive in keeping fit and staying disease-free. With that, I support the Bill. Page: 83 3.30 pm”
“If health screenings for common diseases could be covered under the scheme, more will be inclined to go for regular health check-ups. In turn, this could lead to reducing the demands on our health services. Besides, if one is diagnosed early the recovery rate improves and the person will have a better chance of recovery and continue to be economically productive. I would like to share about the German experience on preventive healthcare screening. In Germany, people who have statutory health insurance have access to selected types of screenings for free at a specific frequency when they are of a certain age. These tests include general check-ups, skin cancer screening, cervical cancer screening, mammography, endoscopy of the bowel and so forth, to identify commonly diagnosed cancers in the country. Preventive healthcare is something we need to look into seriously as we prepare for the long-term battle against rising medical costs. Last but not least, dental and eye care preventive screenings should also be considered for coverage as these are common concerns in old age that can escalate to more severe ailments. Yet these are often not given the due care until it is too late. They are also avenues where symptoms and signs of more serious health implications might be identified. While other countries typically do not offer coverage under their national health insurance schemes, under the National Health Service (NHS) in England, the vulnerable and low-income groups do get access to free dental care as well as eye tests. In conclusion, MediShield Life has some way to go to be considered as fully universal health coverage. It is a bit restrictive in terms of coverage, but I do hope that more can be done to expand the variety of conditions that can be covered.”
“Our elderly patients could face difficulty in the cost of funding their last journey in their life. In Japan, with its rapidly greying population, palliative healthcare is already covered under their National Health insurance system. In 2014, the World Health Assembly in Geneva passed a resolution calling for integration of hospice and palliative care into national health services, further reiterating the relevance of palliative care to quality healthcare. I urge the Minister to consider the inclusion of palliative care under the MediShield Life Scheme. The other aspect I would like to talk about is outpatient mental healthcare. We can do more to help those with mental problems requiring long-term treatment. I am heartened to note that this Bill will cover hospitalisation expenses incurred from treatment of pre-existing mental illnesses. However, many mental diseases do not require hospitalisation. Instead, the patients do require follow-up consultations and will take prescriptive medicines, often on a long-term basis. This can come up to quite a tidy sum for the average family. The cost of treatment will discourage one to continue treatment, which can lead to very serious consequences. Therefore, I urge the Government to provide improved protection for this group of patients and their families. The third aspect is preventive healthcare. Prevention is always better than cure. It is often emphasised that we should take personal responsibility to take care of one's health which is the best way to keep healthcare affordable. Getting Singaporeans to go for health Page: 82 screenings has always been a challenge, more so for the low-income groups who would consider health screenings as an unnecessary expense or a luxury.”
“While this Scheme can be fully funded by Medisave, beneficiaries are still required to co-pay a certain amount of medical fees and there is a claim limit for certain medical procedures. I refer to homemakers and retirees who have little or no Medisave savings at all or expendable income. My concern also goes to families with children with chronic pre-existing conditions and childhood diseases. They will require long-term chronic care. If the parents are to exhaust their own Medisave, Page: 81 will they be able to cope in their golden years when they would need it too? The Ministry should work closely with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) to identify these vulnerable groups for outreach as well as assistance. The Government should continue to provide generous subsidies to these groups even after four years when the Transitional Subsidies cease. Next, I would have wished the Scheme to have covered some of the more important aspects of healthcare, mainly palliative healthcare, outpatient mental healthcare and preventive healthcare. Palliative healthcare has, in the past decade, been growing in prominence. In developed countries where healthcare systems go beyond the basics, palliative healthcare forms part of the coverage. Nobody gets left behind as long as he or she lives. The concept of palliative care becomes important to ensure that a dying patient passes on with dignity and reduced suffering. Palliative care can sometimes take a long time, relatively speaking. It is not just about medication, but the cost of stay in a hospice can be a drain on a family's financial resources. In Singapore, the demand will grow with our ageing population.”
“My grassroots teams and myself will do our part to inform and educate all our residents on how to benefit from this particular Scheme. This Scheme is indeed a universal healthcare coverage. If you look at the definition of universal healthcare coverage from the World Health Organization's definition: (1) it has to be a strong, efficient, well-run health system that meets priority health needs through people-centred integrated care; (2) affordability – a system for financing health services so people do not suffer financial hardship when using them; (3) access – access to essential medicines and technologies to diagnose and treat medical problems; (4) last of all, a sufficient capacity of well-trained, motivated healthcare professionals to provide the services to meet patients' needs based on the best available evidence. Thus, this current MediShield Life Scheme fulfils all these requirements. We have ensured that all people in Singapore are able to use the preventive, curative, rehabilitative as well as palliative health services that they need, which should be of sufficient quality to be effective without exposure to financial hardship. Regardless of whether they are able to afford the services, they should have access if they need it. Mdm Speaker, I feel that we are a good way towards it, but there are still some existing gaps that may need some attention. First of all, many of the speakers before me have addressed about the issues of the financially weaker groups. With the MediShield Life Scheme, the affordability as it is applied will cover the entire population especially with the help of Government subsidies. However, there will be some who are very unfortunate and still fall through the cracks.”
“Mdm Speaker, that the MediShield Life Scheme will formally be implemented this year is good news to many. The Scheme has created plenty of buzz since last year when it was first announced. Many of my residents are looking forward to the finalised details, mostly with anticipation, although some with a little trepidation. The goal of MediShield Life is to ensure that the healthcare costs of every Singaporean and PR, from young to old, healthy and those with pre-existing conditions, regardless of income group, are all covered. This is a thoughtful scheme that closes up some of the existing gaps in healthcare safety net provided under our 3M health coverage system now, where no private insurance company would venture at times even at higher premiums. In the medical profession, this scheme is of great interest to many of us as well. We have come across examples of patients struggling so much with medical bills that they have wanted to give up treatment. Or elderly residents who have confided that they were afraid Page: 80 of seeing the doctors for fear of spending money from their retirement nest egg. As a medical professional, I know that because of the advancement in medical science and technology, many once-fatal diseases can now be treated. But this also means the cost of procuring the increasingly sophisticated equipment, the cost of R&D into new drugs and the cost of training skilled personnel are higher, and they have to be paid for somehow. These translate to increased healthcare costs, much of which our Government have gallantly responded to by giving subsidies. With this Scheme in place, I am confident that more people will be willing and be able to seek treatment that they require.”
“I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply. While I agree that, yes, we need to take a look at the processes, I am glad that the Ministry is doing the review now. May I ask a few supplementary questions? One, who is doing the review; who is the review committee? Two, how is the review being done now? Three, the Minister of State mentioned earlier on that the review could be completed by the end of the year and now he says it would be earlier. So, when will the review be completed? Four, will there be a public consultation when the Ministry does this review? I think consumers are looking at this very closely.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of State: in the last few years, what percentage of the foreign doctors who are registered in Singapore, subsequently, when they get their full accreditation, leave for private practice straightaway? And what is the percentage who stay within the public hospitals? Does the Minister of State have the information? Secondly, with regard to the recognition of foreign doctors, is there any bilateral agreement with the other countries that we have to recognise their doctors and for them to Page: 34 recognise ours?”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker. I echo the hon Member's concern in his question. I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary as regards to not about just the trend of spending this amount of money on the administration but the headcount for administration. From what we can observe, the headcount for the administrative non-medical personnel seems to be growing much faster compared to the medical personnel in the hospitals. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to thank the Member for the question. From his observation, he finds that the headcount has increased. With the services that we render to our people and with the ageing population, you would expect that there may be increases in the headcount. What is important is that while we try to reach out to our people in a manner that gives them the best option, we are also using technologies to see how we can facilitate treatment as well as the outcome for our patients. So, we are mindful of the increases, if there are any, but like what I said earlier, there is no common track if you look at the different institutions that are available. What is key is how we can operate efficiently but not at the expense of our patients' needs.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister whether the Singapore side will be doing our own independent environment impact study, looking at the whole project.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State what lessons can be learnt from the Taiwanese experience, as well as what is the possibility of such an incident happening in Singapore. I would also like to ask, for example, about water pipes. There are ground movements and as Members of Parliament, we do receive complaints from residents about water pipe leakages as well as bursting of pipes. Water pipes may not be as dangerous as gas pipes. So, I am just wondering what other measures are taken to make sure that such instances do not happen, and in the past, how many of such cases have happened in Page: 30 Singapore.”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State this: while numbers are important and while we have achieved our target of 65% employment rate, but what is the quality of the employment? Are we doing any studies or looking in terms of the quality of the employment provided to the senior citizens, as well as whether they are happy with it, and what else can we do to improve that?”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State two supplementary questions. First of all, what is Singapore's course of action in the event that there is a disagreement, after reviewing the Environmental Impact Assessment studies and they decide to go ahead? Do we go to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)? Do we go to the International Court of Arbitration? Secondly, is there any change in terms of the boundary lines after they have done their reclamation? And the part that they are reclaiming now, what would their boundary lines be like and how far is our boundary line from this particular development?”
“This piece of wisdom, imparted by the American motivational speaker and writer Denis Waitley, should be the cornerstone value that we impart to our leaders of Page: 27 tomorrow. If this debate is to be about the future of Singapore, it is about our children. It is their future and the future of Singapore. I urge the Government to rethink, relook and take bolder steps to change our paradigm and our approach to childcare, preschool education and also make our roads safer for our children. Madam, I support the Motion. 2.20 pm”
“But while they are good deterrent measures, they may not constitute direct preventive measures. I have some suggestions to propose. Every effort must be made to ensure all our roads are free of visual obstruction. These include construction materials near upgrading and construction works, as well as overgrown bushes and trees. Blind spots should be eliminated as far as possible. In light of students arriving in the early morning and leaving school after CCA in the late evenings, all roads should be well-lit around the schools. Besides targeting motorists, we also need to emphasise road safety education. These days, the issue of road safety for children has become complicated by the distractions posed by mobile devices, such as music players and handphones. With reduced awareness of their surroundings, they may cross roads at the wrong time or fail to notice the impending danger in time. Harsh penalties, to a certain extent, have a deterrent effect on motorists, but pedestrians, too, have a role to play in personal safety. Local traffic laws dictate that pedestrians have the right of way, but this right of way will not bring a fatality back to life. Schools and parents must ingrain the importance of road safety into their young charges. Students must be taught the safest route to and from school, how to maintain optimal traffic awareness when crossing roads, to obey traffic signals, and to make oneself visible to oncoming traffic in a safe manner. The goal should be an impressionable road safety education that will follow a child up to adulthood, reminding him or her to value every life and make the right decisions on the roads. The greatest gifts we can give to our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of freedom.”
“In Shanghai, for example, candidates must pass a national teaching examination to be qualified as a preschool educator. If we can grow our early childhood education sector and make Singapore a hub, it can be a new contributor for our growing economy. Finally, we must make a career in preschool education an attractive option for young Singaporeans. The common misconception that preschool teachers double as nannies must be addressed. This is unattractive to young people who have yet to develop a maternal or paternal instinct for children. After all, one who enjoys the company of children may not Page: 26 necessarily know how to take care of them. It is perhaps time to sculpt a new and accurate image for preschool educators. I shall now move on to the issue of road safety for students. Let me first thank the Government for the new measures which I suggested previously for School Zones and Enhanced School Zones schemes, including lowering of speed limit at school zones and higher penalty for traffic offences committed in school zones. These are laudable efforts to prevent traffic accidents involving students. I hope these measures can be implemented faster. The lowering of speed limits will be done only in school zones around 10 schools from August onwards this year. I hope the Government can speed up its implementation to all primary school zones in the nation. The current additional demerit point to be given to errant motorists who committed any traffic offences that already attract demerit points may not be a sufficient deferent to offenders. I hope the Government can do a review and adopt the earlier proposal to double all penalties, including fines and demerit points, to motorists who commit traffic offences within the school zone.”
“I hope the Minister will be able to share with the House on the progress of this project. Can we get enough qualified manpower to staff all these centres without sacrificing standards? Are our teachers able to elicit "stimulating interactions" with their pupils? The Government has been very generous in giving subsidies, but this is not good enough. The Government should take on the development and running of early childhood centres as well as preschools, just as it has done in the driver's seat for Primary and Secondary education. A farmer needs to give his personal attention and tend to the saplings in his nursery, if he wants to see a good harvest in the summer. Children are typically most impressionable between birth and the age of eight. This is the time when the child is more open to learning and vulnerable to influences. They are like sponges and will absorb about anything. This makes it even more prudent to train the right type of preschool teachers because, for every class, there will be a teacher who is setting an example, consciously or subconsciously, to dozens or more young children. Those who aspire to be in early childhood education must be given the same recognition as normal education officers in our Primary and Secondary schools. Childhood education is not a "play-play thing". There are a host of institutions offering courses from certification, diplomas to degree on early childhood education. I do not doubt their legitimacy, but guidelines and national assessments should be in place to ensure these courses equip the trainees with the required knowledge, hands-on experience and values to be adequately prepared for their teaching career.”
“You need a person with a special character trait to be able to engage these young kids, to speak to them at their level, motivate their young minds and imbue them with strong good moral values and the Singapore spirit so that they can go through the education system equipped with a strong underlying foundation. This is particularly true for Singapore, a vulnerable nation with few natural resources, whose growth and strength are fully dependent on her citizens. It is prudent that we not only encourage Singaporeans to grow their families, but to create a favourable environment for our children to learn, play and grow up to become pillars of the nation. We need a holistic approach to this issue. There is a plethora of learned studies done on the importance of preschool education. Our MOE must have pored over this literature. But are we giving enough weightage to the wisdom therein? In one study titled "Investing in Our Future: The Evidence Base on Preschool Page: 25 Education", it pointed out that the most important aspects of quality in preschool education are stimulating and supportive interactions between teachers and children, and effective use of curricula. It said, "Children benefit most when teachers engage in stimulating interactions that support learning and are emotionally supportive. Interactions that help children acquire new knowledge and skills provide an input, elicit a verbal response and reaction from them, and foster engagement in and enjoyment of learning." To my understanding, the Government has been very diligently working on increasing the number of childcare centres in Singapore. We are expected to build 200 by 2018. This is a commendable approach to tackle the childcare crunch.”
“Three, heterogeneous sector and levelling the playing field. Ideally, we should give all children in Singapore, regardless of socio-economic background, a good headstart with a good preschool education. There should be a level playing field. Instead, I feel that we have a gap and should not let various groups in the private sector to meander down the fast-flowing stream, sometimes pandering to the calls of parents because of operators' motivation to boost their operational bottom line. This is the scenario today: a network of childcare centres and preschools run by entrepreneurs, and another network run by the Labour Movement and a non-profit foundation. The disparity in the fees charged creates an unease in the minds of many parents with young children. Is it just for a brand name? Is this just for the ambience? Or is this because there is, indeed, a gulf in the standards? Or is there something which is missed by everyone? Perhaps, some schools are being held to ransom by landlords who own the premises and up the rents every two years or so. I am grateful to our Labour Movement, NTUC, and PCF for making preschool affordable to many families. They follow closely the guidelines given by the agencies and they struggle to keep up with the demand for good teaching staff because there is a fierce competition out there. This is one sector where it is not an employer's market. Instead, the reverse is true. The demand for good and qualified preschool educators and staff is a serious issue. And to make things more challenging, some studies done overseas have rightly pointed out that professional qualifications of teachers alone do not make them good teachers in childhood education.”
“In fact, in many of the young towns, the demands for such facilities are overwhelming, with many centres, including in Sembawang town having three-digit waiting numbers. One parent actually requested for a queue number at one of my centres, and the only problem was that she just got pregnant and is hoping to book a slot for childcare two years later. Can we relook at how we plan for childcare and preschool facilities? Can town planners incorporate such facilities with the same priority as Primary and Secondary schools? We do have very high-density living in our HDB estates. Instead of building childcare centres at void decks and other opportunistic spaces available, which are usually limited in size, can we change our current paradigm and consider building bigger preschool and childcare centres that have better facilities and bigger capacity similar to the Primary schools? There will be economy of scale in terms of operations. More facilities can be built, including gyms, music facilities, art rooms and so on that can further enhance our preschool education. I know some are concerned about hand, foot and mouth and other viral disease transmission in large centres. We can build in quarantine as well as care facilities with nursing staff to take care of affected children, instead of asking parents to take leave to take care of their children at home. I am sure the possibilities for better educational programmes are endless, if we can cater space for them. For those who are concerned with transport, the centre can be located in the estate where most blocks are within 2 km away. Dedicated Page: 24 transport services can be arranged when there is demand. Larger centres also mean more staff, more opportunities for early childhood educators in terms of their career promotion.”
“After all, we have to remember that we need to give a very strong foundation to our very young for they are the ones who Page: 23 will eventually be called to carry the torch to bring our country into the future. They are our most valuable resource and the best and only hope for our future. To begin with, I feel that the Government should take on a more hands-on approach in this area. I know we already have an Early Childhood Development Agency set up last year. They are making efforts to improve standards. This is good. But, in my view, good is not enough. Preschool is so important that we should have at least a Parliamentary Secretary, if not a Minister of State, to be devoted full-time looking into the policies, curriculum, standards and even child health, and so forth. It should not be left to an agency where the MOE and MSF have an oversight on its operations. On matters relating to elderly and ageing issues, we have a Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to handle the portfolio. I feel that preschool and young children should be given similar priority. We are dealing with young children in whose hands we have to rely on when they grow up. We want parents to have children. We must show parents that we will journey with them when their kids are ready to go for infant care and preschool. Two, infrastructures – plan and build bigger and better preschool facilities. Today, when we look at our plans for our towns, we do see land allocated for flats, transport nodes, Primary and Secondary schools, sports facilities, parks, nursing homes, but we do not see any land allocated for childcare and preschool. Such centres are usually opportunistically inserted or planned when there are void deck spaces available.”
“Mdm Speaker, I wish to thank the President for a very reassuring speech where all Singaporeans can take comfort in knowing that this will be a nation where there will be opportunities for all Singaporeans – young and old alike. Given the rapidly changing socio-political environment, it is a timely reminder to everyone that while we may have a robust public debate, as Singaporeans, we must not lose sight of the need for "constructive politics" so that we do not undermine our peace and harmony and fracture the institutions that we have built up over the years. I am pleased to hear the President's call to the young to prepare themselves to take over the torch which I am confident will not fall on insensitive ears. While the President has touched on a broad range of topics from social to economics, it is his outline on Education which will be the focus of my delivery today. I think it is far too long that we have not given enough emphasis on preschool education. Much of our attention has thus far been given to Primary, Secondary and tertiary education, which is rightly so. However, insofar as preschool is concerned, we have not done enough. There are three main areas of concern and I would like to highlight them and also have some constructive feedback to these three areas: one, hands-on leadership; two, infrastructures for childcare and preschool; and three, the heterogeneous sector and levelling the playing field. One, hands-on leadership. While we have made progress in developing a talent pool of special teachers schooled in the skills of childhood education, more needs to be done to bring the whole approach to a new and more professional level. There needs to be an overhaul in the way we run and deliver preschool education.”
“Mr Chairman, I agree with the Government's push towards higher productivity to ensure sustainable economic growth. The National Productivity and Continuing Education Council (NPCEC) was set up in 2010 to drive national productivity. However, productivity growth numbers have been fluctuating. Furthermore, productivity growth has been weak in recent years. Could MTI share the reasons for this and what are we doing to Page: 124 ensure we raise national productivity? We have also seen the Government roll out multiple initiatives to help companies improve productivity. There is a need to ensure that implementation is on track. Could MTI update Members on the number of companies that have implemented productivity projects and the benefits they have reaped, apart from the one that was just mentioned by the Minister? Each sector has its own unique set of challenges in driving productivity. I am glad to note that the NPCEC has implemented customised solutions for specific sectors. What else is the NPCEC doing to help companies within and across sectors? Productivity Improvement”
“Mdm Chairperson, many companies have raised concerns about the rising cost of doing business in Singapore, and energy is a significant cost component. Last year, MTI announced that the electricity retail market will be further liberalised this year by lowering the threshold for retail contestability. This will allow smaller consumers to pick their own electricity retailers. Businesses will also be allowed to aggregate demands across different locations to meet the contestability threshold. I would like to ask about the response thus far from the industry and consumers to this initiative. How will consumers benefit from this retail contestability initiative? Tourism Sector”
“Mdm Chairperson, let me thank the Minister, the Second Minister as well as the Minister of State for answering all our questions. Certainly, we are pleased and happy to note that the long-term investment in both hardware as well as heartware in the SAF has ensured that all of us can sleep well at night as well as enjoy more years of peace. May I beg leave to Page: 42 withdraw my amendment? [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $12,137,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $429,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Mdm Chairperson, let me thank the Minister for his earlier reply to our questions. Every day, the peace that Singapore enjoys is a victory for the SAF as well and, for the last 50 years, we have been doing well. I would like to ask the Minister to paint a picture as to what is happening in the next 50 years, given that Singapore has limited land mass, our population is going to dwindle, in terms of ageing population, our economy has matured, we are having a slower growth now while our immediate neighbours are continuing to grow. They have much bigger land mass than us, their economies will be projected on a growth path, their defence spending will definitely surpass Singapore's in the next few years. What is going to change the equation? How does SAF continue to defend us over the next 50 years to ensure that Singapore is around to celebrate the 100th anniversary? 1.00 pm”
“Mr Chairman, MINDEF and MOE take up the top two spots of Government expenditure annually and this year's Budget is no exception. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute military expenditure database, Singapore has consistently been spending about the same amount annually on defence from 2002 to 2012 with a 16% increase over the 10 years. Just like what the Finance Minister has mentioned in the House in his speech today, the country that spends the most on healthcare per capita does not necessary mean that the citizens enjoy the highest standard or best healthcare. The healthcare standard outcomes do not necessarily relate directly to the amount of healthcare expenditure. Likewise, I am sure it does not mean that the higher we spend on defence, we will get better defence. Can MINDEF provide an update on its approach in managing the defence budget? How does MINDEF ensure that it obtains the best value from our defence spending and that our spending enables MINDEF to remain capable and effective and become a capable force? In a small nation like Singapore, resources, like land, are clearly in short supply. We are excited to hear about possible new developments coming up Page: 158 after the moving of Paya Lebar Airbase. There are also still large stretches of land that are occupied by military camps or designated military training areas. Will there be further changes to the land that is currently managed by MINDEF? Can MINDEF give an update on how it ensures that it uses national resources like land prudently and efficiently? Prudence in Defence Spending”
“How will Asian countries, including Singapore and Malaysia, who had suffered from Japanese occupation during Second World War react to a remilitarised Japan? Can MINDEF give an assessment of the regional security situation and the challenges confronting the region? How does MINDEF see relations between the US and China as well as China and Japan impacting our the regional security arrangement? The combined defence spending in Asia exceeded that of the West for the first time last year. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institution's Military Expenditure Database, China has increased defence expenditure from US$52 billion in 2002 to US$157 billion in 2012. This is a Page: 153 whopping increase of 198% over the decade. Our immediate neighbours, Indonesia and Malaysia, have also increased their defence expenditure correspondingly over the past decade by 125% and 35% respectively. While comparing actual figures itself, Singapore has increased by about 16% over the past decade. Regional countries have been increasing their defence spending. What impact will this defence spending have on our regional security situation? Regional Defence Spending”
“Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100." The rise of China with a fast growing economy and the continuing modernisation of the Peoples' Liberation Army's capability and platforms have changed and challenged the current security arrangements in the Asia Pacific. Both China and the United States continue to play key roles in stabilising our region over here. The recent assertive stance over competing territorial claims in the South and East China Seas has raised tensions in both regions significantly. The posturing by China, Japan and the United States over the territorial disputes increases the risk of conflicts and threatens the peace in our region. The recent political turmoil in Ukraine is a good reminder what can happen when a nation is caught between interests of larger nations and does not have the ability to defend itself. I had the opportunity to visit the European Parliament and the European Union in Brussels last year. Speaking to parliamentarians of the member states regarding security arrangements, many were of the opinion that the formation of the European Union has delivered peace to the European continent after centuries of war. While they are apprehensive and cautious about the growth of Russia as a military might, they are not willing to see the re-emergence of German military power as well. Japan, on the other hand, has openly announced that they are reviewing their defence arrangements and may change their constitution so that they can increase their defence in view of the heightened tension with China, and also the rising tension in the Korean Peninsula.”
“Mr Chairman, let me thank the Minister for giving us the fine-point lessons on Ukraine as well as elucidating our current policy towards helping, always teaching others to fish, giving them a skill rather than giving them the fish. Let me also thank the Second Minister as well as the Senior Minister of State and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for answering all our questions. I beg leave to withdraw the cut. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $421,544,400 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $40,000,000 for Head N ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to ask the Minister for clarification regarding the ASEAN Economic Committee which he mentioned. With the current political turmoil that is going on with our regional countries in ASEAN, will the remaining 20% of that work come through? And what can Singaporeans expect when the ASEAN Economic Committee comes to realisation, which means, what can the man on the street benefit from it?”
“ASEAN nations have pledged to work towards a more united and harmonious ASEAN in the ASEAN Vision 2020 as well as the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the roadmap of ASEAN Community 2015. The need to continue making progress on the implementation of the three Community Blueprints and the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity was emphasised. What progress has been made and how far have we advanced, in terms of realising ASEAN 2015 plan? Can MFA give an update on ASEAN 2015 plan as it is only next year and also ASEAN 2020 Vision? Are we on target for the stated goals in the plan and the vision? What are the challenges confronting ASEAN to achieving them? What is Singapore's focus on ASEAN as we progress towards the 2015 Community goals, and how will this Community help our economy to grow? In what way does the existing regional architecture enable us to engage the major powers leveraging on ASEAN? What are ASEAN's plans after it has achieved its 2015 Community goals?”
“Our recent talks of more linkages including high speed rail linking Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and extending our MRT to Johor are all in the works. Can MFA give an update on the status of our cooperation with Malaysia on all these projects as well as the projects in Iskandar, Malaysia? There have been very sharp exchanges between Singapore and Indonesia over the naming of the Indonesian navy ship KRI Usman Harun. What are the lessons learnt from this particular incident? And how can Singapore strike a balance between cooperation and defending our interests in relationships with our immediate neighbours? Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be stepping down this year. Do we expect the outcomes of this year's presidential election to affect our bilateral relationship? If so, how would it change? It is also a timely reminder of our relationship with Indonesia every time the haze appears in Singapore again. The PSI has risen to moderate level yesterday. As at this moment, it is 27. It is still in the good range. 5.30 pm [Deputy Speaker (Mr Seah Kian Peng) in the Chair] Can MFA provide an update on Singapore's cooperation with Indonesia on the transboundary haze pollution issue as well as ASEAN's efforts to tackle it? I understand the Indonesia is close to ratifying the agreement. I would like to know if MFA has any further update on that. Page: 121 As for the state of relationship with other Southeast Asian neighbours, apart from Indonesia and Malaysia, what is our current relationship with Thailand, especially with the current political turmoil that is going on? And how does the current domestic situation in Thailand affect our bilateral relationship?”
“Mdm Chair, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head N of the Estimates be reduced by $100". The global and regional geopolitical situation is rapidly changing with increasing emphasis and shift to the fast growing and rising economies of Asia. As the global trade winds shift, small open economy nations like Singapore will bear the brunt of these shifting forces. Political think-tanks have described the Sino-American relationship as the most important and the most influential in determining and maintaining global peace and harmony. The rise of China both in economic might and military modernisation will change and challenge the current status quo. Since post World War II, the American presence in Asia Pacific is not challenged and has played a stabilising force and role in our region. All these are beginning to change with a rising China exerting her rights and extending her military might. Page: 120 Singapore has always been very close to both China and America and has enjoyed very good and unique relationships with both. We have always steered very carefully to safeguard our interests and our close relationships. In the event of a conflict or tension that is raised between two countries, how will Singapore fare? Can MFA provide an update on the key developments in our external geopolitical environment, in view of a rising China and rising tides, and provide an assessment on how this will affect our foreign policies over the past year? Next, on relationship with our immediate neighbour, Malaysia. Our relationship with Malaysia has been described as very good as many of the bilateral issues confronting us in the Points of Agreement (POA) were resolved and currently are being implemented.”
“Page: 120 In conclusion, Budget 2014 is certainly a good Budget and I would like to express my sincere thanks to many of the men and women who are working quietly behind the scenes in your Ministry who spent days and nights working on this wonderful package for Singaporeans. They are truly the unsung heroes and credit should go to them as well. Once again, thank you, and I support the Budget. 5.23 pm”
“There is one group among the Pioneer Generations that has been complaining that they have not had significant benefits from the PG Package that was announced. They are the dwindling group of the Civil Service (CS) card holders, comprising retired teachers, policemen, soldiers and civil servants. They, too, have contributed to our nation-building significantly. They did not benefit from the CPF scheme that was implemented earlier on because they were under the old scheme. Although they enjoyed free medical care through their CSC cards, but I felt that they also should deserve some form of benefit from this PG Package that had just been announced. Their pensions have been updated from time to time. However, they do not keep pace with the increase in the cost of living as well as inflation. Perhaps, the Government can consider increasing pension payouts for this group. The last point I wish to touch on for this Budget is the Green Focus. Year after year, I speak about the Green Focus. I am happy that, this time round, the Government has extended the Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle scheme to June 2015. We have mooted in this House to have green car COE, but the problem is the definition of a green car. I certainly hope that the Government can still consider the suggestion of a low carbon emission COE. It is a sure way of obtaining buy-in from the population after the expiry of the CEV. I am also pleased with the early turnover scheme to encourage companies to replace their old commercial diesel vehicles for less pollutive and more fuel-efficient new vehicles. I hope that more will take up this particular scheme and, certainly, it is a concern for our long-term strategy towards a greener Singapore.”
“There have been many examples whereby when you increase childcare subsidy on one hand, the childcare operators will increase the fees straightaway, by the next month. There have also been fears whether there will be a significant increase in medical consultation fees, investigations and treatment charges in the Government hospitals, SOCs and OPDs. As we have seen, over the past few years, there is a significant increase. There is really no point to increase medical subsidy when it is followed shortly by an increase in medical fees. I certainly hope that the Government can do something about it and freeze any increase for a short period of time or put in certain measures to control any increase in the future. Apart from medical, I would like to propose that the Government honour our Pioneer Generation by other measures which I think they would like to use. This is one measure I hope that they do not need to use – hospitalisation. The Page: 119 other measures are to keep them healthy and active. For example, the Government can offer them (a) free entry to use public swimming pools and gyms that are operated by Singapore Sports Council; (b) the Government can also offer a higher discount or free entry to our national attractions, including the zoo, the bird park, museums and other national attractions. After all, it is the Pioneer Generation that built all these for us. I hope that the private sector will also follow suit and join the Government in honouring our Pioneer Generations (PGs) by offering free services and generous discounts to our Pioneer Generation as it reflects the values of the entire society. Will the Government issue a Pioneer Generation card to this group so that they can be easily identified to receive such privileges even from the private sector?”
“While I fully support the proposed increase in medical subsidy, I am concerned whether we Page: 118 have the capacity in our current Outpatient Clinics (OPDs), in our Specialist Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) as well as hospitals, to cater for this anticipated increase in demand when the plans are rolled out. Deep in people's minds are very crowded polyclinics, long waiting time at the Specialist Centres, hospitals with tentage where they may have to put overflowing patients or put patients along the corridors. With this current package coming in, will there still be long waiting queues? Can the hospitals really take on this additional load? What is the point of promising more medical subsidy if there is no capacity in the Government healthcare sector? I was very happy a few years ago when the Government announced an increase in childcare subsidy. But my residents in Sembawang did not enjoy much as there were very limited childcare facilities in the estate. Many childcare centres have waiting queues of more than 200. What is the point of having more subsidies if there is no way for the residents to enjoy them? I simply hope that many of my residents will enjoy this higher medical subsidy when the need arises and not to be burdened by this long waiting time at the OPDs as well as SOCs. What is the Government doing to increase the capacity at the SOCs and the hospitals to handle this increase in workload? Will the Government consider including or extending the plan to rent the private healthcare sector space to provide healthcare for this anticipated increase? Many also complain that the Government gives out in one hand and takes back with the other.”
“Many do not realise that the Government is collecting less than what it is spending. I am just concerned with the current Government's fiscal position: will this trend of deficit without the 50% from NII be sustainable? Will the Government need to raise taxes, either direct or indirect, in the near future, to fund our increasing social needs due to our ageing population? What is the health of our national Reserve, our "goose?" And how does the annual drawing of this 50% affect our national reserves? Is our "goose" getting fatter or getting thinner? Are our national reserves growing when we take into account inflation over the last five years? The Pioneer Generation Package is a unique one. And I am very surprised as it promises lifelong benefits. How sure is the Government that this $8 billion is sufficient? What if there is a new medical breakthrough that can prolong life for our elderly significantly in our near future? Or there is a significant drop in our economy and weakening of our currency in the future, resulting in a decrease in the value of this $8 billion that we put in. Will the future Government put in money to honour what this Government has promised, especially if there is a change in Government? These were the pondering questions that my residents were asking me as well. One of the key focuses of this year's Budget is medical. The Government will increase medical subsidy to Outpatient Clinics (OPDs). The Pioneer Generation Package also promises more subsidies on top of that.”
“Mdm Speaker, when things go wrong or something bad happens, many are very fast to point fingers or pin the blame on one another. On the other hand, when things go right, when something wonderful happens, many are also very fast to claim credit. Budget 2014 is a generous one by all means and that is the reason why so many Members and parties claim credit straightaway that the Budget is due to all of them. This Budget lightens the burden for Singaporean families by providing more support for preschool education for the young and elderly medical needs. The star in this Budget must be the $8 billion Pioneer Generation Page: 117 Package. The Government has said that this $8 billion will be provided for in this Budget and will not tax the future generations. Many of the residents I spoke to were wondering where is the money coming from. If we can do it this year, why can we not do this earlier? Why can we not provide more of such packages in the future? I was at Istana attending an official function last week, and during the function, I met a member of the President's Council of Advisors. We spoke, we chatted about the Budget and I asked him what he thinks of the Budget. I was surprised by his reply when he asked me whether I realised that this Government has been spending more money than what the Government collects annually for the last five years. I replied how can that be, because the Government has announced surpluses year after year. And his simple reply to me was: "This is because the Government's coffer is kept positive by the 50% Net Investment Income (NII) from our national reserves annually. Without the NII, the Government is in deficit." I was concerned and when I went back to check all the numbers again, I found that he was right.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank both Ministers for the reply. I have one supplementary question for the Foreign Minister. There have been reports to say they are going to put up statues now of the two "heros" in the nearby island, next to Singapore. The question now is what can we do to prevent further of such occurrences? What other confidence-building measures can we engage at the government-to-government level in order to prevent such things from happening? The decision to name this ship: who decided at which level to name the ship ultimately? Do we know that? Page: 12”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for his reply. I would like to ask the Minister two supplementary questions. First, within the TI's website, it was mentioned that based on their methodology, there are 77 questions and apart from the evaluators, they are also peer reviewed two times, and they invited the governments to review their draft reports. I would like to ask the Minister whether we were invited to view the draft report before they published this. Secondly, this is not the first time an organisation has accused the Singapore Government of having very poor transparency in terms of our defence procurements. What is MINDEF doing now to further improve that perception or to correct that perception?”
“Mdm Speaker, let me thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. I would like to ask the Minister: does this relocation change the order of battle (orbat) of the entire Air Force and what is the estimated cost of the entire relocation?”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, out of the 12 suspects and the five charged, how many of them are from owner-occupied flats, how many are tenants, and are they foreigners or Singaporeans? The other question is: apart from a fine, are those who are charged made to do compulsory community service through Corrective Work Orders (CWOs)?”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, given the very small numbers that are prosecuted and then given the high numbers of complaints that we are facing, whether the Minister is happy with the performance of the CCTVs currently? Since the Minister mentioned that the use of CCTV alone should not be the main measure to control high-rise littering, what other measures is his Ministry considering to help to curb this high-rise littering issue?”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Acting Minister not to forget about the other estates like Sembawang as well, where there is a huge proportion of young families. I would also like to ask the Acting Minister whether there is any possibility, in the short term, to relax the criteria of manpower restrictions on the quota of childcare centres. It is not only just physical environment, the problem is that there are not enough teachers.”
“Certainly, there will be an inter-agency effort to support this where LTA, Traffic Police and the Singapore Road Safety Council would come in and give support. We also have other campaigns like the Road Safety Month and a few others by the Traffic Police, and so forth. I would like to urge Members to become the advocates for road safety. It can start from all of us. We can start by sharing this with our family and friends; whereby we help Singaporeans to develop values with regards to safety, care and sharing of the road. Over time, whether they are cyclists, pedestrians or even motorists and drivers, the values will be there and we would apply them accordingly. With regards to how we would support such initiatives, we will continue to do so and we will take a multi-pronged approach to enhance the level of awareness of safety as well as the infrastructure, even at the local level.”
“Mdm Chair, I have two clarifications both on road safety. Let me thank hon Member Dr Intan for raising the issues on Sembawang Drive which is in front of Sembawang Primary School with regards to the local factors that may have some safety concerns. I would like MOT to look into the local factor and see how some of the road safety enhancement measures that were mentioned by the Parliamentary Secretary can be implemented there. The second clarification is the United Nations General Assembly has declared that 2011 to 2020 is a Decade of Action for Road Safety, and specifically one of the initiatives is the UN Global Road Safety Awareness Week which is coming up on 6 to 12 May this year. I am just wondering whether if MOT or the Government has any plans, in terms of promoting road safety during this UN Global Road Safety Awareness Week. My constituency together with the Singapore Motor Sports Association and all the schools in my division are coming together to promote road safety. I hope MOT can support our initiatives. Page: 68 Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Madam, I would like to thank Dr Lim who is a very strong advocate for road safety over the many years that I have known him. About the Sembawang case, local factors are important. We have been looking at them and, in fact, we have been working with Dr Lim and his grassroots. Beyond that, like what I have said earlier, we are also looking at the students. We can provide the infrastructure and so forth, but I think it is important for us to continue to educate our students so that they can develop the values of road safety wherever they are. The other clarification was about the UN campaign.”
“Mr Chairman, I know it is late now. It leaves me to thank the Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen, Senior Minister of State Mr Chan Chun Sing as well as Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Maliki for their very comprehensive replies to all the questions. I know that there are a lot more work that needs to be done to build up public confidence and the road ahead of us is still long. Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $11,895,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $440,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like the Minister to reply to my earlier question in my cut regarding families seeking closure in terms of post-incident management in SAF.”