Louis Ng Kok Kwang
Singapore
“It does not matter whether the report was made to the Police or the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau. Can the Senior Parliamentary Secretary clarify whether an individual who reports an offence under the Bill to the Police will be similarly protected by the whistle-blowing protections under section 53?”
“In my Adjournment Motion six years ago, I shared the story of Emma, a single unwed parent who came to see me at my Meet-the-People Sessions, together with her two-month-old daughter. They were both living in a shelter. As I shared previously, when I asked why Emma did not shed a tear, she told me that she no longer had any tears left.”
“It is not just Nee Soon East cleaners who pay kickbacks. This, again, is a widespread problem that we have not done enough to detect and tackle. To tackle this more effectively, we need to treat kickbacks as seriously as corruption. We need our laws to have a more deterrent effect to have any chance of wiping out kickbacks.”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for answering my cut on second-hand smoke. And I am sure he expects me to clarify further. But I think the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that there is no current technology to catch someone smoking at home and, so, because of that we cannot legislate a ban.”
“Madam, for years, I have spoken up repeatedly in this House, calling for the Government to take action to protect the lives of fellow Singaporeans from second-hand smoke. I have spoken up so much that Senior Minister of State Amy Khor once said that she is immune to me already. But on a more serious note, this is a serious issue.”
“We should end the discrimination and allow them to qualify for the PPHS. Mandate Sterilisation of Pet Cats I have spent a good part of my life calling for HDB to allow the keeping of cats in HDB flats. Many have called for this and I am glad the Government has finally changed our policies and allow the keeping of cats in HDB flats.”
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“Sir, with an expected global economic slowdown, small business owners are, understandably, concerned about their company and are looking to the Government to provide some help and support during the downturn. As I mentioned in my speech during the Budget debate, they are concerned about the lowering of the cash payout rates for the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme and that the Government is proceeding with increasing the foreign worker levies for the services and construction sectors. There is also concern that a significant portion of the Budget seems to be tailored towards helping the larger SMEs. Considering that micro SMEs will be hit the hardest during an economic slowdown, what initiatives will the Ministry be launching to help these smaller SMEs? Apprenticeship and Deep Skills”
“Madam, as a small, resource-constrained island, we import almost all our energy needs. Therefore, it is important that we plan ahead and find more sustainable ways to cater to our energy consumption. We also need to find more environmentally friendly ways. However, due to various technical issues with different forms of renewable energy resources, we can only really rely on solar power. It is estimated that by 2030, we could potentially be tapping on renewable energy to contribute up to 8% of Singapore's peak electricity demand. In addition to our focus on research to improve the performance of solar systems, what further steps are we taking to reach our renewable energy goals?”
“In the past three years, over 60% of drug abusers arrested are repeat offenders. This is a worrying trend. For repeat offenders, there is impact not only on the drug offenders, but also their family members who have already suffered previously. There is a tremendous emotional and financial strain on the spouse and the children of drug offenders. I have seen a few cases now in Nee Soon East and some have been arrested and sent back to the Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs) more than twice now. I fully appreciate that it is difficult to fight their addiction. However, with such high numbers of repeat offenders, are there any plans to improve the rehabilitation process at our DRCs and the Page: 56 employability of ex-drug offenders when they are released? Will additional resources be provided to the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE) to expand and increase their efforts? Gainful Employment for Released Persons”
“In this complex security climate where terrorism is a constant threat, we need to build a stronger and more integrated Home Team to tackle any security concerns Singapore faces. There has been a slower pace of recruitment in the last 10 years. Home Team manpower has only grown by 5,000 officers in the past decade, from 19,300 to 24,700 in 2015. In the 2015 Budget, there were plans to recruit another 2,000 officers to the Home Team. Will that target now be revised with the increased security risk that we face? What plans does the Ministry have to ensure that we continue to attract members of the public to join the Home Team and ensure that we have sufficient Home Team staff members to carry out an increasing amount of work? Full-time Police National Servicemen”
“May I ask the Minister if he is considering backdating the start of the First Step grant and also refining the public consultation process, please?”
“We need a new mindset; to be more proactive, to be more global and to be more reliable. Every individual in our Malay/Muslim community, together with other communities, must undergo this transformation together as one for the sake of our future and the future of Singapore. (In English): With ourselves being described as a wonderful tapestry, interwoven and interlaced, a piece of batik art, but let me add my piece. A wonderful, healthy, nutritious bowl of salad. Consider the salad bowl. Different pieces of vegetables, fruits, nuts, raisins cut up into small pieces but, at the same time, always maintaining the character, the flavour, the taste, the colour and whatever they have individually. But they coexist in that salad bowl; happily together, loosely held by a salad dressing. Hopefully, it is a healthy dressing. Not mayonnaise, but a vinaigrette dressing or a lemon dressing would be much healthier for us. And, co-existing in that salad bowl, sharing that common space, limited as it may be, but together cohesive, and when you take a spoonful of this salad, and put it into your mouth, the flavour is wonderful. The explosion of flavour is just indescribable! That is how we must be like – the salad bowl where we are all together in it, together for the future for Singapore. I support the Budget. 2.19 pm”
“But they have to develop a mindset that is inspired, motivated and have a strong desire to achieve something. The third factor is prioritising family expenses. Attend courses such as the "Spending Wisely" course which is held near your place. Do not give up. If you need personal counselling, we can do it too. The mindset where you "work hard first and enjoy later" is the right way. The fourth factor is debt. This is the source of financial problems for certain families, spending beyond their means, buying things on instalment plans and so on. Change this habit. There are those who still have credit card issues. Some even have eight to 10 credit cards. Some are forced to sell their homes because of debt and how they handled their finances. The fifth issue refers to health issues. There are those in this group who prefer not to undergo health screening or early screening. If they are diagnosed with an illness, they find it hard to accept and sometimes refuse treatment. Sometimes, this is due to financial reasons, but in other cases, it is because of their mindset. Some have just reached the age of 40 years and think that they are already old and they are less motivated to take care of their health. Your health is in your hands. Do what is necessary for your future and your families' future. Despite these issues, many of our Malay/Muslims have managed to turn their lives around and are more positive and self-reliant. I find that those who are able to overcome these five factors are able to progress with the available assistance schemes. Their children's generation can succeed because they are focused on education, which is the most important factor in transforming the lives of their families. We are now facing a new world with new challenges.”
“In the end, it is about being balanced, well-equilibrated, successful and happy in our lives together. It is about the sustainability of Singapore. Madam, our Hunger Index is well as that of our future generations will determine how sustainable we are as a global brand name, how our journey would be towards SG100. In Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Malay community has attained so much success and achievement including in the new fields, and if we look closely, those who succeed, as well as their families, they possess certain traits that lead to their success. But there are a few who are still stuck in challenging situations. In my experience in interacting with and assisting them, there are a number of issues that need to be dealt with. And these are the five issues. First of all is mindset. Many are still not exposed to or are unaware of available assistance schemes. They only go to nearby places such as mosques and Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). I would like to propose that mosque volunteers work with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) or the Community Development Councils (CDCs) in a joint effort to help them and point them in the right direction. In Geylang Serai, for instance, I worked with these institutions so that they can refer cases to me. Another way will be for MSF to work with mosques to reach out to these families. I hope that those in this group would speak to us so that we can help them and formulate an action plan that will assist them for the sake of their future. The second factor is self-confidence. They have to be open-minded enough to see the bigger picture and look far ahead. If others can achieve success, they can do it too. We will help them and motivate them.”
“Parents have been presented with a blank canvas in their children. How ready are we to be creative and expressive with this canvas? Failure need not always be paralysing. Can we remove constraints on our thinking? Can we ride the tide of change and transformation and be willing to take the beating as we strive? Can we take ownership of our learning and growth? I have met many young people who have interacted with me and said, "I do not really know what my interests are, nor my passion", or "I do not know what I am good at". Well, knowing ourselves and understanding what we like is really a function of two things. Firstly, external action such as the work you have been doing, the projects you have been involved in, the travels, and the experiences that you have bought along the way. The second point is really about internalisation and adequate introspectionary reflection. So, if you can put the two together and work on it a bit, you will realise your strengths. We can choose to sit in a café or by the beach and watch the world go by or wait for inspirations to strike us or we can get up and do something about it, and tame that hunger. On a cautionary note, as we enhance our drive and get more hungry, remember to think of others and appreciate people. As we grow and develop ourselves, people like our parents and grandparents and the less abled are growing older and need to be treated with respect, patience, and love, even as they become slower than they used to be. As we pursue to fulfil our hunger, let us not trample over others or venture into non ethical territories. We always want a clean, upright, caring, nurturing and stimulating environment with a long-term goal of building resilience. Remember work-life and family balance as well. And also remember philanthropy.”
“Are we hungry enough to maintain or even further our competitiveness, knowing the rest of Southeast Asia, China and India are up and coming? The extension of the non-taxation of gain from equity is a good example. This will enable SMEs to explore new businesses and models, and help restructuring and even streamline their company's investments. This will reduce their worry about any incidental tax costs that can be incurred. For those venturing overseas, the Double Tax Deduction (DTD) for the Internationalisation Scheme is an option to help jump start initiatives as well. Are we hungry enough to better what others know and even to do better than they have done? In this context the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) Scheme has been a booster for many companies. It will be extended till 2018 and beyond that, there will some changes. Such broad-based schemes will be replaced by more targeted ones. This may throw off some companies and pose challenges for some SMEs at first, but I would urge businesses, especially the smaller ones, to view this with a broader perspective, plan early and assess financial commitments and capabilities appropriately. Balance this also with another new initiative that has been announced, that is the SME Working Capital Loan to help maximise benefits. Are we hungry enough to further the frontiers of research, in the various disciplines? The flexibility to claim writing-down allowances on the acquisition costs of intellectual property (IP) over a longer time frame can help relevant companies and institutions. As we become a research hub, we must continue to encourage companies to bring in more IPs to Singapore. Can we come out of our comfort zone and choose to be extraordinary? Get the greatness and the mastery that we want?”
“" Our forefathers worked really hard, showcasing sheer grit and discipline. But are we hungry enough to carry on? We are a first-world nation. We can build all the best facilities for training sportsmen for example. But facilities alone do not make champions. Discipline, dedication, sheer grit, sweat, blood, tears and toil does. With this Budget, the Automation Support Package, for example, has a Capability Development Grant, which can support up to 50% of qualifying costs for automation projects. The equipment loan is enhanced from 50% to 70% and the Investment Allowance is rather generous as well. Are we hungry enough to utilise these as appropriate? For those involved in business, can we think out of the box to make this relevant? If the box is small enough, are we brave enough to enlarge it? And even with that, if it is still restrictive, do we dare, are we hungry enough to break that box, but do not break any laws of the nation. Are we hungry enough to also perhaps pre-book our lot at the Jurong Innovation District? The stronger our desire for achievement and the hungrier we are, chances are we will strive hard to get whatever we want. So, what is our Hunger Index? Can we peak our expectations? Can we keep our motivation wave riding high? Are we ready to not peg grades to our self-worth? Are we ready for education beyond textbooks and the four walls of our classroom that can enrich us, and widen our mindsets and empower us? Our communities, the world, the Internet, virtual learning and simulation are all our newer platforms for learning. In all these, we can instil discipline in the approach and gauge the desired outcome in order to reap the maximum benefits. Are we hungry enough for jobs, coming in at the appropriate level and working ourselves up?”
“Mdm Speaker, I support this Budget. 2.06 pm Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Mdm Speaker, year after year I sit in this august Chamber listening to our Finance Minister deliver the Budget for Singapore. Always well-planned, always structured, always comprehensive addressing the issues of the day; current, prudent and practical. The question I then asked myself is, how do we ensure that we grab all the opportunities that are available, whether from the Budget or from any other platforms to empower ourselves, to uplift ourselves, our families, our companies and businesses and of course our nation. The question is also, Madam, are we as hungry as we should be? Let me narrate a story. Once, a young man approached Socrates and asked how he could achieve success and even greater success? Socrates took the young man out to the sea and they walked on until the water level reached the shoulders of the young man. Socrates then grabbed the young man's head and pushed it under the water. The young man struggled but Socrates was a big man and, of course, stronger. Then slowly he lightened the grasp on the young man's head and allowed him to surface, gasping for air. Socrates then said to him, "When you want something so bad, as you had wanted air a moment ago, you would naturally achieve success." Every Budget, every National Day Rally, many would ask, "What goodies are we getting?" Is this the appropriate question we should be asking? The late Minister Mentor said in an interview with the National Geographic Magazine: "Singaporeans are not as hard driving and high striving as they ought to be." Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself said at one of the National Day Rally speeches, "Singaporeans are not as hungry as the Vietnamese.”
“There are concerns on why we are lowering the cash payout rate for the Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) Scheme and proceeding with increasing the foreign worker levies for the services and construction sectors. I believe these are all valid concerns that we should look into and it is for that reason that I hope that for next year, we will include a public consultation phase after the Budget Statement is read and before the announcement of a final Budget. Mdm Speaker, in my maiden speech, I spoke about how we can mobilise our most important and valuable resource in Singapore – our people. To engage people, we need to listen more than we speak. And I quoted, "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them." And how we are not there just to explain policies to people and to throw them facts and figures, but we are there to truly listen and understand. I held my town hall last Saturday and spent close to two hours just listening to the feedback from residents about the Budget and many other issues. They spoke of their hopes, their aspirations and their dreams for Singapore. For me, it was a powerful session and there are ideas and suggestions there that we need work on and perhaps incorporate into the next Budget. This Budget is about partnerships and about starting our journey together for the next 50 years. And I agree with Minister Heng that there is no doubt that we need to grow our economy and invest collectively for the long term – in our people, our home and our security. And with a population that is engaged, empowered, inspired and mobilised, this journey will be even more amazing, the Singapore story even more powerful and this red dot will shine even brighter.”
“This will show that public consultation is not just an exercise for us to put a tick in the box but that we are truly listening, and that their views and feedback are being looked into, worked on, perhaps even expanded and then incorporated into the final product. Do not get me wrong; this Budget 2016 is a good Budget for Singapore and Singaporeans but it can be better. I feel there are more ideas out there that can be explored. There is no doubt that there has been a lot of public feedback about this Budget. I am sure we have all seen the feedback about the Budget Statement both online and in the print media and on the ground, during our house visits and during our coffee shop visits. As always, there is praise and there are criticisms. There will always be negative feedback, but these may also be ideas we have not thought of, and they may be worth exploring. The most feedback I have received is from the parents of the 93 babies born each day before 24 March 2016 when the new First Step Grant kicked in. Some have even come to my Meet the People Sessions. But there are questions on why 24 March, why not 1 January 2016, since the babies born from 1 January until 23 March 2016 missed out on the SG50 Baby Jubilee Gift and now the First Step Grant? And so, I hope we can backdate it and provide the grant to babies born from 1st January 2016. There are concerns about whether the cap on the tax relief will hit working mothers hardest, is 1% but I met that 1% on Sunday. There are concerns on whether the development of Coney Island will affect the environment there.”
“In February, we release a draft Budget Statement similar to what we released on March 24. We then have another round of public consultation about that Budget Statement for a month. This second round of public consultation is a good opportunity for Members of this House to obtain feedback from the ground and work towards incorporating them into the final Budget Statement. And the feedback obtained from this consultation will likely be more specific, since members of the public now know what the Government has in mind based on their previous feedback and it is now about finetuning the ideas. This final Budget Statement is then read towards the end of March, after digesting the feedback from the second round of public consultation for a month. Is this process more tedious? The answer, without a doubt, is yes. But will people feel more engaged, more empowered and will this strengthen our partnership with fellow Singaporeans? The answer is, without a doubt, also yes. We need to change the narrative and I accept that it is changing. It has gone from the Government organising sessions to tell people what the new policies are, to sessions now asking for feedback before we draft the new policies. But I think we can, we should and we must go one step further. The destination is important but I feel the journey is even more crucial. Communication has to be two ways and after we obtain feedback from the public, we should incorporate as many of them as possible into policies, show people the draft policies and then get feedback again.”
“I see this Budget debate as one of the last few chapters of this "Budget" journey. In fact, we are nearing our destination. I do feel that we perhaps need to take a few steps back and add a few more chapters in this journey. This Budget is one huge item in our agenda that affects everyone in Singapore. It is something that everyone has a stake in and everyone should have a voice in. I strongly believe that we should use this opportunity to engage and partner Singaporeans in nation building. This is our best opportunity to do so in each financial year. In this journey, we have asked fellow Singaporeans for their feedback through a public consultation exercise which started on 1 February and ended on 26 February. In less than a month, the Budget Statement was announced and many have asked if we can effectively digest all the feedback from the public within a month. Minister Heng had mentioned that we received over 1,000 feedback but, of course, I understand that not every feedback was received on the last day. But the question here is whether we can make this journey less rushed. I am not advocating for us to delay the Budget Statement but rather, I hope we can start the process earlier. For a financial year that starts in April, I suggest that we start the first public consultation in November the previous year for a period of one month. So, we start the consultation in November rather than February, and this consultation is similar to what we are already doing. It gathers general ideas from the public about what they want to see in the Budget and members of the public provide this feedback without knowing what the Government has in mind or the general direction it is heading. We then take two months to digest all the feedback, which is from December until January.”
“Mdm Speaker, let me first start by joining the House in thanking the Minister for Finance for a positive Budget that was filled with positive stories. It is a Budget Statement about how everyone has a role to play and together, we will write the next chapters of the Singapore story. This is a Budget which helps everyone but with a stronger focus on SMEs, our young, our low-wage workers, persons with disabilities (PwDs), our seniors and Institutions of Public Characters (IPCs). It is a Budget that tells us that change is on the horizon and we must take this journey of change together. I initially wanted to focus this speech on the issues I filed cuts on; issues that I care about deeply and issues that fellow Singaporeans and residents have raised to me. I filed 20 cuts altogether, raising concerns on how we can help single parents, young parents, the elderly, low-income families, micro-SMEs, drug offenders in their rehabilitation process, foreign workers, fighting climate change, the transboundary haze issue, improving flood management, moving towards a car-lite city, beefing up our Home Team, improving electronic waste recycling, expanding the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Programme, extending the smoking prohibition, improving animal welfare, fighting wildlife trafficking and lastly, improving the OneService App. It would have been a speech about a few main issues from the above cuts, but I scrapped that speech and decided instead to focus on something more fundamental and what the President had asked us to do in his Address to us in January this year. And that is to "engage and partner with Singaporeans in nation building", the fifth of the five key aims this Government aims to fulfil.”
“I just wish to clarify that what I am suggesting is what we already put in our military vehicles. You would realise that for the military vehicles, nobody is speeding, but most of us on the ground would see that a lot of the heavy vehicles are speeding, especially those carrying a lot of passengers in the back. If an accident happens, it is the loss of a lot of lives, including other commuters on the road. I am hopeful that this can be implemented or at least, a review will take place to make sure that we can curb this problem.”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for clarifying the factors for consideration when people submit their applications. I just wonder if the Ministry could share this with the applicants as well because I have seen the rejection letter and it just says, "The application is rejected." For example, if it is a financial consideration, then maybe that is something that the applicant's spouse can do to increase the salary. When we just say, "It is rejected", it is hard for us to write the appeal letter and hard for the applicants as well.”
“Staff members or volunteers of these VWOs may already be providing services to the individuals and will already be familiar with their needs and preferences. Lastly, as the Minister has mentioned, parents of children with intellectual disability have to apply to the Court to appoint themselves as deputies for their children. Will MSF consider allowing parents of children with intellectual disability to be deputies by default? I believe this will help them save valuable time, energy and financial resources. I understand that MSF – and the Minister has mentioned it earlier as well – has reviewed this recommendation and has decided against it. It is instead working on simplifying the process. Can the Minister provide further updates on how it is making the process easier for the parents of children with intellectual disabilities to be their deputies? In conclusion, this Bill makes important amendments and will undoubtedly benefit Singaporeans. Mdm Speaker, I support the Bill. 5.58 pm”
“It is difficult for the elderly to understand what an LPA is, let alone how to apply for one. Could the Pioneer Generation Office perhaps help with the outreach and provide advice to them on LPAs? I appreciate that the LPA forms have been simplified and, for Singapore Citizens, the $50 application fee for the most common LPA form used is waived. This has probably resulted in the 160% increase in applications for LPAs in 2015, as compared to 2014. But for the elderly group of people mentioned earlier, I doubt these measures will result in an increase in LPA applications from this group. We need to really reach out to them and make them aware of the LPAs in the first place. Also, as previously mentioned by other Members, the professional donees and deputies will clearly be charging for their services. Can the Minister give an idea of what the estimated costs will be? As the demographics of people who might need this professional service will tend to be single, elderly and without family support, I am concerned that the use of this service might further result in a financial strain on them as they might already have limited financial resources. I understand that MSF does already, on a case-by-case basis, waive application fees for LPAs for those who cannot afford the fees. Will MSF or the OPG also consider providing financial assistance to those who are unable to afford the fees of a professional donee or deputy? Will MSF also consider working closely with VWOs in the social service sector to develop the professional deputies and donees industry? Working with the non-profit sector, rather than the for-profit sector in this case, might result in lower professional fees and better services.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill and I am glad that the Government is proposing amendments to enhance the protection of mentally incapacitated persons and also help Singaporeans and residents better plan for the future. With the rising number of singles and increased number of elderly living alone, it is timely to introduce professional donees and deputies, as this group of people might not have family members who can help them. There are, however, a number of issues I would like to raise. Firstly, ensuring family support remains the priority. We must continue to focus on family support as the priority. As emphasised by respondents during the public feedback exercise, the use of professional donees and deputies should be a last resort as family members should ideally be involved in making these important decisions for the person. I understand it might not be easy to verify this, but can the Minister provide details on what steps MSF can take to ensure that family members were unwilling, unable or unavailable to help, especially before a professional donee is appointed? Can the Minister also clarify if all professional donees will be registered with the PG since not all donees might be deputies? Next, on section 25A(2) which states that "The Public Guardian may register a person as a professional deputy upon being satisfied that the person meets all the prescribed criteria". As raised previously by Members of this House, may I ask what these criteria will be, and will this information be released to the public? As mentioned, now we have a rising number of singles and an increased number of elderly living alone. What is the Government's plan to encourage this group of people, especially those without family members, to make the LPA?”
“While it is true that everyone knows smoking is bad for health, the personal stories shared in this campaign were compelling and communicated in a very human way that smoking causes immediate damage to your body and that this damage can happen at a young age and can be severe. It sparked a national conversation and encouraged non-smokers to speak to their loved ones who smoke. Some statistics of the campaign include: (a) an estimated 1.64 million Americans tried to quit smoking because of the 2012 campaign; (b) approximately 100,000 smokers are expected to quit for good; (c) an estimated six million non-smokers talked with friends and family about the dangers of smoking; and (d) an estimated 4.7 million additional non-smokers recommended cessation services to their friends and family. In conclusion, let us continue to implement controls and measures on the advertisement and sale of tobacco, let us continue to find more innovative ways to encourage smokers to quit, and let us hit our target of getting smoking rates down to 12% by 2020. Mdm Speaker, my request for the Government to review the above notwithstanding, I support the Bill. 4.06 pm”
“I remember when I was young, there was a campaign with the slogan, "One puff and you are hooked." The distinct image of a smoker with a fishing hook in his mouth is still fresh in my memory. I think we need to change the narrative. While that had the desired effect of educating the public on the dangers and addictive nature of cigarettes, it also gave a fatalistic view of smoking. As Er Dr Lee Bee Wah has mentioned earlier with her resident's story, I think many felt that since they are already smoking and it is so hard to quit, they might as well just continue. So, while we focus on efforts to ensure that people do not start smoking, let us also see how we can intensify our efforts to encourage more smokers to quit, to show them that it is possible to do so. The last big public campaign that was launched was the "I Quit" campaign in 2011. I joined that campaign. Since that "I Quit" campaign's inception to 2014, a total of 5,000 smokers have pledged and 14% of those who pledged have successfully quit smoking. Will the Ministry expand this campaign this year, which will be held in May? Can we think out of the box to launch more campaigns that will help us to reach our aim of getting smoking rates down to 12% by 2020? There are many things we can learn from other successful "quit smoking" campaigns around the world. One such example is the "Tips from Former Smokers" Campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA. One of the main strategies of the campaign was to focus on real people and stories on how smoking has affected their lives and how they managed to quit smoking.”
“After all, the goal of advertisements is to make you buy what you do not want to buy and we need to make sure people are not driven or tempted, either subconsciously or consciously, into smoking. I started smoking when I was 18 years old – pretty stressed in school. But a research by WHO shows that people who do not pick up smoking before the age of 21 are unlikely to ever start smoking. There was previous discussion about raising the minimum smoking age to 21 years old. Can the Senior Minister of State clarify why this proposal was not included in this Bill? I support this Bill but I do have one concern with regard to the amended section 26(1)(b) and (c) which allows the Chief Executive or an authorised officer to, at any time and without warrant, enter and search any premise, stop, board and search any conveyance that the Chief Executive or authorised officer reasonably suspects is being used for or in connection with the commission of an offence under this Act. Can the Senior Minister of State clarify why a warrant is not required and what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that there will be no abuse of this? I am especially concerned that even authorised officers are allowed to do this, to search without a warrant. But, ultimately, as always, we need to go beyond legislation. Among Singapore residents, as we have heard earlier, the percentage of current smokers dropped from 18.3% in 1992 to 12.6% in 2004, but stabilised thereafter with 13.3% of smokers in 2013. Controlling the advertisement and sale of tobacco and increased enforcement efforts can help, and probably have helped, to reduce the smoking rates. However, I believe that public education is the long-term solution.”
“Mdm Speaker, this Bill intends to introduce more controls and measures to reduce smoking rates in Singapore. As a former smoker, I fully support the controls and measures that will be put in place. On 12 October 2013, I took my last puff after smoking for 17 years. I have not smoked since and I do not intend to. I tried without success to reduce my smoking for many years but I ultimately decided that "cold turkey" was the best way to quit. I did play cheat a little as I quit smoking when I was at a conference in Disneyland. It was a place I knew did not sell cigarettes. I was there for a week and, as such, it made it harder for me to get a cigarette in case I gave in to my cravings, which were quite severe during the first week of quitting. It was hard to quit, the nicotine withdrawal symptoms were terrible and I was a grouchy smurf for quite a while. But it was worth it and I feel healthier now, my family members benefit and are healthier as well, and I save loads of money. If there was one thing I remembered about the quitting process, it was that I did my very best to avoid places selling cigarettes, which was actually very difficult or impossible at times as I had to avoid 7-Elevens, coffee shops and the list goes on. Every time I saw a cigarette packet, it was tempting and my cravings shot up. As such, I find the new section 12A, which prohibits the display of tobacco products, extremely useful. This will not only help people who are trying to quit but also possibly reduce the number of people who are enticed to start smoking. The amendments to curb tobacco product advertisements are also crucial in our fight to lower smoking rates in Singapore.”
“In conclusion, the Economic Expansion Incentives Act has provided important tax relief for companies in Singapore and help increase the growth of pioneer industries. I believe that with more clarity on the criteria for the approval of applications, more awareness and, with the amendments proposed in this Bill, our efforts will be further strengthened. Mdm Speaker, my request for the Government to review the above notwithstanding, I support the Bill.”
“With regard to the proposed amendments to section 19J(d) where the Minister decides whether the concessionary tax rate for income from a qualifying activity is either 5% or 10%, can the Minister provide more details on the criteria for receiving either 5% or 10%? This greater clarity will again allow companies to make better plans which will, ultimately, benefit Singapore. The main aim of providing all these clarifications is so that companies have a higher chance of a successful application, resulting in fewer resources wasted through failed and repeated applications. My second concern is how we can help more SMEs and startups benefit from these tax reliefs. Can the Minister provide details on the total number of approved pioneer industries and pioneer service companies in the past decade and, of those, how many are SMEs and startups? SPRING Singapore is already helping the start-ups with the ACE Start-ups Grant and all companies, especially the SMEs, with the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme. Will EDB be doing more to help them also become pioneer industries and pioneer service companies? It does seem like a huge hurdle to overcome to become a pioneer industry and I hope we are not setting a hurdle too high for SMEs which, with a bit of help, have the potential to be global game changers and make Singapore proud. Lastly, many companies are aware of the PIC scheme but far fewer are aware of the Economic Expansion Incentives Act. I hope we can roll out more initiatives to increase awareness and encourage more applications. This will be in line with our overall goal of building up innovation, inspiring more creativity and driving more research and development in Singapore.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of this Bill and I applaud the Government's support for pioneer industries and pioneer service companies and provide them with tax benefits. However, I would like to seek some brief clarifications and also make some suggestions. Firstly, on the selection criteria for pioneer service companies and industries. There are amendments to section 17 of the Act but not to section 17(2) specifically, which states "The Minister may, if he considers it expedient in the public interest to do so, approve the application and issue the company with a certificate subject to such terms and conditions as he thinks fit". Can the Minister provide more clarity on the criteria for the approval of the application and consider adding such information into section 17(2)? Can the Minister also consider this for section 4(1) which states "The Minister may, if he considers it expedient in the public interest to do so, approve an industry, which is not being carried on in Singapore on such a scale adequate to the economic needs of Singapore and for which in his opinion there are favourable prospects for development, to be a pioneer industry and any specific product of that industry to be a pioneer product." EDB does have some of this information on its website and factors of consideration as well, but I hope we can provide more clarity in the legislation itself. We need a clear and unambiguous framework to select and admit companies which will benefit from the pioneer status. I ask this so that companies can also better understand the considerations taken and, hence, can plan accordingly and make better plans to become pioneer industries or pioneer service companies.”
“May I just check when this review is going to take place?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply, but I think a lot of residents have provided feedback that while we have extended the prohibition to cover also the sidewalks, chairs and benches, it really is a grey area because a lot of people are smoking on the grass patch which we are not sure whether that is legal or illegal. Which is why I hope that the review will consider making it just a five-metre radius from the outer perimeter of the exercise area or the playground. Considering as well that these are areas where people are exercising and our children are playing, we really should not have second-hand smoke.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. Just one clarification – if the worker does request to be paid by Electronic Payment System and the company rejects, can he/she then seek help from MOM? And what actions will MOM take?”
“This goes to show that there must be creative campaigns we can do to reduce the rate of littering. Lastly, as mentioned earlier, research is also important. Quoting the "Don't Mess with Texas" campaign again, "Litter in Texas is a big problem and we have been hard at work researching the cause of litter in Texas, using everything from behaviour and attitude studies to visible litter studies. We have been collecting data and litter to best assess how to approach the problem head-on and determine the most effective method to end litter in Texas forever." NEA has done research but I hope we can do more. Research should be undertaken to identify timing, frequency, hotspots, type of litter and demographic of litterbugs in a particular estate. Once there are valid statistics on the above, NEA can start to formulate detailed plans on effective smaller scale community projects to tackle the litter problem. Madam, I strongly believe that our vision of a clean city is possible but we need to focus not just on enforcement but do extensive research and run creative projects at the community level to ensure that people play an active role in this vision and people have a sense of ownership of our living space. Madam, let me also add that, as someone who has worked in the NGO sector for the past 15 years, this empowerment of volunteers is something that would be welcomed, especially by the animal welfare groups. In fact, it is something that they are calling for and have called for the past few years. This call is also for the community to play a part rather than the Government do everything. This Bill is a positive step forward and, Madam, I support the Bill.”
“By using attention-grabbing posters, they were able to counter people's lack of sensitivity to the generic "do not litter" signs. They also passed out portable ash trays to commuters to remind them not to litter. This is not to say that we should use the same exact methodology to apply to Singapore as our patterns of littering might be different. What I am advocating is we need to go beyond the cliché environmental messaging and get creative. Another example of successful anti-littering campaign that Er Dr Lee Bee Wah mentioned earlier is the "Don't Mess with Texas – Real Texas Don't Litter" campaign in the USA. In 1987, $2 million in tax revenue went to litter-picking and that cost was escalating 15-20% every year. After performing extensive research, they identified who the heavy litterers were. They are a pick-up driver, male, between 18 and 34 years old, who likes sports and country music, has an anti-authority disposition and is not motivated by appeals to civic duty. They were indifferent to the typical messaging about the environment and the cost of cleaning. So, Texas decided to focus on these heavy litterers by appealing to their macho-ness. They realised they could succeed by associating littering with as being unmanly. Resources were pumped into getting popular country singers and athletes to do TV, radio advertisements and highway billboards to influence these litterers. As a result, Texas was able to cut their litter on their highway by 72% in the first six years of their campaign. In terms of spending, they saved a total of US$4.13 million by 1997. The above is a good example of institutions thinking out of the box. They knew their main culprits of littering would not care about civic duties and were anti-authority by nature.”
“I hope this does not just become a cat-and-mouse game with the litterbugs. We need a mindset change and this mindset change is important for our society. We are often known as a fine society, as in a pay money fine city. I hope that fines are not the only way forward in shaping behaviours. I hope people are not avoiding littering only because they fear the fines or the corrective work order but rather because they know it harms the environment, because they know someone else has to pick up their litter, and because it is morally wrong to litter. I appreciate that this sounds idealistic, but it is possible. The fundamental issue here is that residents do not feel that they are a part of the community. There is no ownership of common areas. Would you litter in your own house? If you see a piece of tissue paper in your own house, would you ignore it and walk by? The answer is clearly no and that is because you want to make your own house clean and tidy. So, why do we not translate this behaviour to our common areas? We need to embark on more in-depth educational projects focused on the community instead of our usual nationwide Clean and Green campaigns that the public might be immune to. Research by the Duke University in the City of Durham in the USA showed that littering of cigarette butts was common at bus stops. So, the researchers decided to focus their efforts on reducing this problem. They realised that large-scale events on anti-littering are not as effective as small community efforts targeted at hotspots of littering. The population at those large-scale events might not necessarily include that target group of people utilising the bus stops. The engendering message is better received by putting in more effort on-site.”
“Madam, this Bill will allow NEA to appoint auxiliary officers who may include volunteers and give them certain enforcement powers. This will partially help tackle the littering problem in Singapore and is undoubtedly a positive step forward. This, however, cannot be the only focus or the main focus of our efforts towards a clean Singapore. Increased enforcement is important but perhaps, what is more important is a mindset change. What we need to focus on more is ownership of our living space and how everyone has an important part to play. In January this year, I gained experience as a Town Council cleaner. I worked with Hanif, one of our Nee Soon Town Council's cleaner and through this first-hand experience, it is clear to me that we are a cleaned city rather than a clean city. I picked up so much litter that day: cigarette butts, cotton buds, tissue, condoms, nappies, the list goes on. After spending the morning cleaning an area, it was alarming to go back to the same area a few hours later to find it covered in litter again. The cleaners face an uphill task and almost an impossible task at times. The increased enforcement action by NEA is resulting in an increasing number of summons issued against litterbugs, up from 19,000 in 2014 to 26,000 last year. These figures I believe are the tip of the iceberg and there are clearly more people who have littered but did not get caught. Again, increased enforcement might help in nabbing more offenders but we need to fundamentally understand why they are littering and make sure we address the root of the problem. We need to remember, as reported by Channel NewsAsia recently, that the survey by NEA in 2010 showed that a third of Singaporeans would litter if they think they can get away with it.”
“Can I ask the Minister for a clarification with regard to section 160? Is it solely the Director of Social Welfare who makes a decision to detain a girl or is it up to a team of people? If it is solely up to one person, then may I ask if we could have a proposed amendment to make it a team of people that makes this decision? Page: 73”
“Families and the community also have a strong role to play in strengthening and supporting families. Madam, my request for the Government to review the above points I raised, notwithstanding, I support the Bill.”
“The new section 11A(3) makes it clear Page: 66 that marriages will be deemed void if certain immigration offences are committed, but are there other circumstances in which section 11A would be invoked? If so, is there a Court process involved or is it just an administrative determination? In my view, a decision of such gravity should be subject to judicial process. In conclusion, I am recommending the following. First, amend the new section 94A to explicitly state that in situations of domestic violence, judges should not require divorcing parties to attend an MPP. Second, make spousal maintenance available, regardless of gender, on the basis of fairness and need. Third, section 160 allowing the Director of Social Welfare to detain girls aged between 16 and 21 is extremely vague, broad and open-ended. I seek more clarifications on this and also for the submission of the decisions of the Director of Social Welfare under this section to be reviewed by the Family Court. Fourth, I note the extension of the PPO regime to married under-21s and would like to raise the question whether these people will now be able to access shelters and "place of safety" if they become victims of domestic violence. Fifth, I recommend that all individuals under 21, not just those who have been married, can apply for PPOs on their own behalf. Sixth, I seek more clarity as to the process by which a marriage can be found void and whether a decision of such gravity will be subject to judicial process. Madam, I do feel that the proposed amendments are appropriate and timely. We, however, cannot legislate everything. Legislation is only one piece of the puzzle. There are also policies, support programmes and services and public education. They are all part of the overall effort.”
“What are the factors and criteria used for decision-making? I hope that we can have more explicit definitions of the conditions under which minors may be placed in protective shelters, including domestic violence as one of these conditions. I also hope that there will be submissions of the decisions of the Director of Social Welfare, with justifications, to the Family Court with a Court review and a Court order required for continuation of protective shelter for the woman or girl at risk, with the duration of the stay stipulated as well. At the end of the period of stay, the case should be reviewed by the Court. On the PPO regime, I note the amendment to section 65 to allow married or previously married persons below the age of 21 to apply for a protection order and expedited order for themselves and specific dependants. This is commendable, but it does not follow that a wife under 21 with her dependants can easily find shelter in a place of safety. Will shelters for victims of domestic violence now accept married girls and women under 21? If not, what provisions are there for a wife who is under 21 and a victim of domestic violence to be housed in a place of safety? In addition, I suggest that other than those who are married, all individuals under 21 be allowed to apply for Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) and Domestic Exclusion Orders (DEOs) so that they can be protected from all forms of domestic violence, that the need for parental consent be removed in such cases and that the application for protection can be made against anyone in their household. Lastly, on Marriages of Convenience. I seek more clarity as to the process by which a marriage would be found void under the proposed new section 11A.”
“Maintenance should also be available to men in other appropriate cases, for example, where men make economic sacrifices to Page: 65 take a primary role in household labour and caregiving, even if such cases are rarely encountered. Thirdly, Violence against Women. At the moment, section 160 allows the Director of Social Welfare to detain girls aged between16 and 21 on the following grounds: (a) if her lawful guardian requests the Director to detain her; (b) if the Director considers her to be in need of protection and whose lawful guardian cannot be found; (c) if the Director believes her to have been ill-treated; and lastly, (d) if the Director considers her to be in moral danger. Is there any investigation of the "lawful guardian" who makes such a request? Is the girl in question consulted about her own needs or wishes? The underlying assumption is that the "lawful guardian" always has the girl's best interests at heart; this would not be true in situations of family violence. Even if the lawful guardians have their charges' best interests in mind, after the girl has been brought into detention, the Director can detain her until 21 years old, according to the amendment, and the guardian would have no control. It is problematic that girls can be detained against their will when they have not committed any criminal offences and, in fact, are in vulnerable situations at times. The provisions of sections 160, 161 and 163, even after the amendment, are still overly vague, broad and open-ended. There is still no clear information about the Director of Social Welfare's decision-making process concerning whether or not to bring a girl into detention, how long to detain her and what the conditions of her detention should be.”
“Madam, I would like to speak on four issues on this Women's Charter Amendment Bill and how we can make improvements. Firstly, on Parenting Programme on Divorce – domestic violence situations. The new section 94A implements MSF's proposal that parties with children must complete an MPP before they can file for divorce, if they have not agreed on divorce and all ancillary matters. In particular, I believe that special consideration should be given to cases of domestic violence. I understand from the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) that their experience is that the abused spouse is usually the one who wants the divorce whereas the abusive spouse may resist. In this situation, since the couple would not have agreed on divorce and all ancillary matters, according to the proposed amendment, they would have to go through MPP unless this is dispensed with by the Court. I am concerned that the abused spouse could end up being trapped in a legally perpetuated situation of domestic violence. This will not be in the interest of the child as, in addition to spousal abuse, there may also be child abuse in such a situation. Although the proposed section 94A(4) allows the Court's discretion in waiving the requirement of MPP, in my view, the law should explicitly and clearly state that no parenting programme needs to be attended in cases of domestic violence, rather than leaving the question up to the discretion of the judge. Secondly, on Spousal Maintenance for Men, which many Members have spoken about. The Bill amends the Charter so that spousal maintenance is available to men, but only where they have been incapacitated and are unable to support themselves. I believe that spousal maintenance should be based on the principle of fairness, rather than gender.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. One, could the Minister clarify what is the total cost for the construction of the CRL and what percentage increase that is of the total construction cost if we use the skirting alignment? Second, if we do use the skirting alignment, could the Minister clarify exactly which buildings or houses may need to be acquired?”
“In this island where the impossible has been achieved, my choice of pursuing an unconventional career 15 years ago has been made possible. Many sceptics laughed at me 15 years ago when I started my charity ACRES, when I told them I was going to become an activist, an advocate for change. They told me that I would fail, that this is not something feasible to establish and sustain in Singapore and that I would not be able to engage, empower, inspire and mobilise anyone. And so, if there is one lesson I have learnt in the past 15 years, it is that nothing is truly impossible in Singapore. As we pass our 50th year mark, it cannot be business as usual. In fact, we cannot run this nation as a business. I hope that "Home" is not just a song we sing at events but that Singapore continues to be a place we call our home, a place we treasure and a place we build up for our children. I hope we leave behind a legacy of compassion, of giving, of hope for a stronger Singapore as we move towards SG100. And as far as my medical checks have shown, I believe, and I hope, I will be here for SG100. Let me end with a quote that I hope Singaporeans will hear that I have used for all my school talks to mobilise students. And it reads, "I am only one but still I am one, I cannot do everything but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do." Each one of us has that part to play, an important part to do something and, together, we can make Singapore even better, even stronger and even more beautiful. We can make Singapore the caring society and continue to be the shining red dot our President spoke about. Sir, I reaffirm my support for the Motion. Page: 83”
“We need to ensure that the views of people are not just sought, but worked on, developed and presented in this House. We need to ensure that the debate we have in this House is started outside these four walls. We need to ensure people feel and are empowered. The robust debate we have in the public arena is crucial and will ensure that we truly understand what the ground concerns are, the various ideas out there are and the different solutions available. Because, ultimately, we do not have all the answers. Let us also empower by setting up committees comprising people on the ground, a committee of people who are not like-minded but who will come together to argue, to debate and to find common ground. To move forward, it is committees like these, like the Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee, where I feel we will get the best policies drafted. Empowering is vital and we need to empower our constituents and ensure that they have a voice in this House and a role to play in shaping Singapore. And we need to inspire them with positive stories of the Singapore story, of the amazing Singapore story and how, with their help, their views and their partnership, it can continue to be and, perhaps, be an even more remarkable story. Sir, I am thankful for the Singapore we have today, thankful for the opportunities that she has given me, for the Singapore story I have lived for the past 37 years. Page: 82 We are, indeed, the island of possibilities, the island of the impossible, the island where miracles can happen, have happened and will continue to happen, if we continue to believe, if we continue to fight passionately and continue to be determined for a better Singapore.”
“We have launched a new programme for our lower income families in Nee Soon East where I serve and I am glad that more and more people are stepping forward to help. The beauty of the programme is that it is planned by volunteers, run by volunteers and funded by volunteers. Having this strong community spirit is vital in times of crisis, be it a terrorist attack or an economic downturn. It is this community spirit, this caring society where we look out for one another, that will keep Singapore going and allow us to recover quickly. To mobilise people and get the active citizenry we want, we need to make sure people are engaged, empowered and inspired. Engaged, empowered and inspired so that we have a nation committed to helping, giving and sharing. But this also cannot just be a numbers game. It is not just about sharing the total number of volunteers we have or the number of volunteer hours. It has to be more meaningful. To engage people, we need to listen more, listen more than we speak. I quote, "The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them." So, we are not just there to explain policies to people, to throw them with facts and figures but we are there to truly listen and understand. The Our Singapore Conversation and The Future of Us dialogue are fine examples of engagement and they have been impactful. And I urge the Government to conduct more of such dialogues. But we also need to empower. We need to make sure that the debate on policies, programmes and legislation takes place beyond these four walls. In fact, I think the most important work Members of this House do is beyond these four walls.”
“We need to focus more attention perhaps on flexi-working hours for parents without compromising productivity. I support what Mr Desmond Choo had earlier said about more flexi-working hour arrangements following maternity leave. I hope we can also relook our childcare leave policies, leave policies and base the amount of leave not just on the age of the children but also the number of children one has. Quite simply, the more children you have, the more childcare leave you should have. I hope we can do more to help those who have kids to have more kids. I do not think I have all the answers to the million-dollar question of how we can increase our TFR, but I have ideas and suggestions I hope we can try out and see if they will work. I have stories to share about the journey my wife and I have embarked on and, personally, I will walk the talk. I will help increase the TFR by having another child soon, I hope. [Applause.] There really is no greater reward than having a child. Another area that concerns me is an overarching one and, that is, how we can mobilise our most important and valuable resource in this country – our people. We can mobilise them so we continue this journey, the Singapore story together. How can we mobilise everyone to step forward to volunteer, to serve and to make a difference? If we succeed in this, then this will help in a lot of the issues we will discuss in this House. Page: 81 This will help the lower income families where we need to do more than provide financial assistance. With the help of the community, we can do more and do more to ensure that these families can get out of the poverty cycle.”
“I am also a new parent of a 2-year-old daughter and having a child has been one of the most rewarding journeys of our lives. My daughter lights up our lives and seeing her grow up, seeing her smile and laugh, hearing her start to talk have been an amazing experience and always puts a smile on our faces. She is also a beaming activist already, having launched her first campaign, which is to end my 17-year habit of smoking. I am delighted to say that she has succeeded. Her copy-and-paste function has also now begun and so she has made me a much better person as she now scrutinises and copies every single word we say and do, and all my bad habits are very quickly gone. So, any bad habit she has is clearly not from me. And to make sure I do not sleep on the couch tonight, any bad habit she has is also clearly not from my wife. But I worry for her future. I worry about the Total Fertility Rate (TFR). I am sure we all know that it is a worrying trend. But as we talk about the TFR, we also need to make sure that this is not just a numbers game again. I fully understand, appreciate and am experiencing the costs involved in bringing up a child in Singapore. So, the Baby Bonus Scheme, which helps to lighten the financial costs of raising children, has been very useful. The maternity and paternity leaves have been useful as well even though we heard that fathers are not taking up the paternity leave, but I did. And I hope we can do more to promote parenthood, the positive aspects of parenthood and to share positive stories. We need to inspire people to have kids. Our policies need to focus on making sure we have time to have kids, to look after our kids and bond with them.”
“We need to ensure that the policies we implement address both residents' and animal welfare concerns and are scientifically justifiable. When we talk about the environment and climate change, let us not only focus on the economic losses due to climate change, not just the monetary values of trees and the ecosystem, but focus on our moral obligation to ensure a sustainable future for all and the intrinsic value of our trees and ecosystem. We need to focus not only on recycling but also, more importantly, the other Rs, Reuse and, most importantly, Reduce. Several Members of this House have used quotes from Einstein and, so, I will also share one of his quotes which reads, "Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty." Members of this House know me as a strong activist for the past 15 years, in particular, a strong champion for animal welfare and environmental causes. Lately, I am known as the guy hunting the cat killers. Let me take this opportunity to assure this House and members of the public that those are not the only issues I will champion. Through monthly townhall and dialogue sessions, I will also be championing other concerns of fellow Singaporeans. Through my monthly work experiences, I will learn more about different professions and help champion improvements. I have been a healthcare worker, a driver and, Page: 80 earlier this month, a cleaner, and it truly has been a worthwhile journey. These are jobs which are important in the progress of our country but where the workers receive too little appreciation at times and should receive more recognition.”
“As we progress as a nation, we have achieved a lot in the past 50 years, we have made significant economic progress, but we must continue to place moral and ethical progress on par with economic progress. We need to ensure that Singapore is not run as a Singapore Incorporated and that economic growth is not the only measure of success in our country. Numbers and dollars and cents are part of the equation, in fact, very important parts of the equation in this complex world we live in, but there is more to it and it has to be more to it in order for us to progress. My fellow Member of this House, Mr Seah Kian Peng, said in Parliament almost a decade ago, and I quote, "Minister Mentor speaks of how we want to be in the first half of the First World. We can only truly do that, join the ranks of the civilised countries, not just by cranking up our economy, churning ever brighter students, but by caring for those who cannot speak and are 100% dependent on us for their quality of lives – animals." And when we talk about animals, let us not talk about them as purely numbers, numbers of animals we trap and cull, but talk about them as sentient beings who live amongst us in the community and who share this island with us. Let us ensure that we fight animal cruelty and we find humane long-term solutions to the human-animal conflicts in Singapore. There is no doubt that we have to do something to address the conflicts but, at the same time, we need to ensure that what we do addresses the root of the problem, not the symptoms of the problem but the root of the problem. We need to ensure our policies are humane. The very essence of being human is being humane.”