Low Yen Ling
Singapore
“I want to thank Member Cai Yinzhou for the clarification. As far as his historic district is concerned, I want to assure him that the new Place-making Project Office that comes under the Inter-agency Task Force does indeed not only serve Kampong Gelam, Little India, but also Chinatown.”
“A "we first" society needs an active citizenry working together to realise it. When corporates, community groups, and individuals come together, we will be able to create a harmonious, united and progressive home and society that belong to us.”
“I want to thank Member Mr Andre Low. In my earlier speech, I have also responded very succinctly. I want to assure him, as well as Mr Melvin Yong, I think you touch on very similar issues, and you probably heard from the political office holders speaking at the Ministry of Home Affairs COS about their tough stance against scams.”
“Finally, Government agencies, not just MTI, EDB and Enterprise Singapore, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, will continue to create a pro-business, pro-people environment, building a business environment based on integrity.”
“— family business, as well as the other one on TACs. On family businesses, I want to assure him that earlier on, when we mentioned that we raised the support level for SMEs and non-SMEs and indeed, many of our multi-generational family businesses are in that category.”
“And since the Member asked, price obviously is an important indicator. Another example is if CCS observes the behaviour of the organisations and if we pick up signals that they are coordinating the behaviour to raise prices, to reduce quality, to reduce output, to reduce innovation, CCS will step in.”
The complete record
Every one of 859 lines we hold for Low Yen Ling, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 16 of 18.
“So, we hope this will all help develop the right expertise and achieve better efficiency in meeting the unique transport needs of persons with disabilities. And we hope that these various initiatives will enable persons with disabilities and their caregivers to lead their daily lives with a difference as they tap on to the continuum of available transport options. Another key enabler we have focused on is in training and employment. We share Ms Denise Phua's view that lifelong learning can empower persons with disabilities to pursue their aspirations. MOE has developed a framework for vocational education in Special Education schools to prepare students for employment and independent living. We can certainly do more in this area and extend support beyond the school. MOE, MSF and SG Enable are working together on a School-to-Work Transition Programme to offer customised training pathways and work options for Special Education school students with potential for work. Persons with disabilities will also be eligible for the upcoming SkillsFuture initiatives. For example, they can take courses in communications, IT or culinary training. Like other Page: 24 Singaporeans, they can access continuing education and training opportunities in our Institutes of Higher Learning. The Special Educational Needs Support Offices in these institutes stand ready to support them. MSF is also expanding training options and employment support for persons with disabilities. In 2014, about 140 persons with disabilities underwent work preparation and job-related training organised by SG Enable. Most of these courses – as you can imagine – were customised to each of their different disability needs.”
“Now, about student care – we will also provide more funding to voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) to build and run more student care centres for older children with special needs. This will make it easier for their caregivers, especially those from lower- Page: 23 income families, to look for jobs and stay employed. These services will also give caregivers greater peace of mind knowing their children are in good hands. Details will be shared with VWOs later this year. 12.15 pm Besides early intervention and education, other key enablers like ease of transport, lifelong learning, employment support and opportunities for social integration are equally important to persons with these disabilities, as Ms Denise Phua, Ms Chia Yong Yong and Mr Png Eng Huat mentioned last evening. In the aspect of transport, we have made efforts to reduce the physical as well as the financial barriers so that persons with disabilities can better access opportunities and gain greater mobility in public space. Last year, I shared about subsidies for different modes of transport according to the needs of those with disabilities. Today, I am pleased to report to the House that more than 10,000 persons with disabilities have since benefited from the Public Transport Concession. In addition, MSF's VWO Transport Subsidies have benefited 3,000 persons with disabilities who take private bus or van services to attend special education schools and services. This year, we will further strengthen our support by widening the transport options. MSF has partnered the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) to award grants to three transport operators to provide dedicated transport services for persons with disabilities to access community-based services.”
“We are into the third year of the 2012 Enabling Masterplan (EM) that aims to build a more inclusive society, where persons with disabilities are integrated and contributing members. We have made steady progress and I will share the milestones of our journey and what is ahead with regard to the EM. Earlier, Minister Chan Chun Sing spoke about investing in a strong foundation in early childhood. This is especially important for children with special needs. Early intervention is crucial to maximise their potential. Let me describe briefly how we are making our early intervention services more accessible and more affordable. First, I will touch on accessibility. Last year, 2,200 children benefited from the MSF-funded Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children, or EIPIC for short. That is almost double the 1,200 children five years ago. We will continue to press on to expand EIPIC, and aim to provide 3,200 places by 2018. The other programme, Development Support Programme (DSP), was started in 2012 to help preschoolers with mild development needs. This early intervention service has, to date, assisted 2,000 children in over 300 mainstream preschools. In MSF, we are all very heartened to hear that these children have shown good progress in their development and literacy skills. Next, we have also made improvements to the affordability of EIPIC. Last October, we increased the universal subsidy of EIPIC from $300 to $500. The eligibility criteria have also been reviewed and the eligibility for additional subsidies was extended from 50% to 80% of the population. The quantum of support was also raised. Today, the lowest-income family pay as little as $10 a month for EIPIC service, just to give an example.”
“Mdm Chair, please allow me to begin in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Members of the House, as announced by the Minister earlier, we are committed to improving the accessibility, affordability and quality of early childhood services. We have made progress over the last few years. We will embark on a few new efforts towards the same direction in the coming year to provide families with young children with more support. First, ECDA will introduce a new Partner Operators scheme. The Government will provide funding to appointed Partner Operators and parents can expect to pay lower fees next year for better quality preschool education for their children. Next, Government top-ups of the Child Development Accounts will also go some way to alleviate childcare and other expenses. At the same time, we will implement a Professional Development Programme in stages to help pre-school educators to improve their professional development and raise the overall quality of the preschool sector. Page: 22 Children are the future of our nation. We will invest in building a strong foundation for our children, to give every child the best start in life so that they have the opportunities to maximise their potential. (In English): Mdm Chair, as Ms Denise Phua mentioned yesterday evening, every Singaporean has a mission to enable and empower those with difficulties or disabilities. It is a mission that MSF is deeply committed to. In the next 15 minutes, I wish to share how MSF aims to provide those with special needs and disabilities a chance to live full lives and to participate in the community. As we seek to create an inclusive home for all, it is the family as an institution that gives us the strength and stability to achieve that goal.”
“Mr Wee is a father of three and a grandfather of six. He was a cash register technician for 40 years before retiring in 1987. As a youth during World War II, he was an air observer volunteer. His job back then was to patrol the streets at night and look out for bombers. Whenever he saw any bombers, his job was to run and warn everyone else to shut off the lights to avoid detection. A very important job. More than 70 years later, Mr Wee is still volunteering. Kudos to him! Two or three times a week, Mr Wee lends a listening ear to seniors at the Presbyterian Community Services. As Members can see, giving back is really part of Mr Wee's DNA. We asked him and he said that, "I find it satisfying to be able to help others in need, and to see other people happy. If I do not do this work, I would be bored." Like what Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister of State Sam Tan have mentioned, this year, as we celebrate SG50, many Singaporeans have expressed the hope that giving will increasingly be part of our national identity. Giving will become our way of life. If we continue to nurture a culture of giving from the young to the old at every stage of our lives with every opportunity, we can certainly make giving part of Singapore's DNA. On this note, we hope everyone in the House will join us all in realising this vision of Singapore as a Giving Nation.”
“They also manage the logistics of these activities with the managerial skills that they have gained from running their provision shop. At MCCY, we hope that there will be more volunteers like Mr and Mrs Pang as we create volunteer opportunities that are attuned to our seniors' motivations, our seniors' strengths and also our seniors' interests. Our seniors have a lifetime of skills. In Mandarin we say, “人生经验”. They have a lifetime of skills and experience to contribute to our society. Our seniors, they can also benefit from volunteering. In fact, studies have shown a positive association between volunteering and both mental and physical well-being. To find out how to better encourage and support our seniors in their interest to volunteer, we have sought the feedback and views of over 100 senior volunteers. The key motivating factors, we realised, of volunteering, were related to: (a) a desire to learn new skills; (b) their desire to set a positive example for the younger generation; and (c) to escape from boredom at home. Some of the challenges that they face were getting a good match between the skills that they have and the volunteer host organisations' needs. Family and personal commitments, as well as health and the ease of accessibility to the locations where their help was needed were also factors that influence their volunteering decisions. We can well Page: 70 understand that. The feedback helped MCCY and Southwest CDC to pilot the design of a pipeline of initiatives to engage senior volunteers in Southwest District. These include matching volunteers with the needs of the local community and a training grant for senior volunteers. Let me wrap up with a very interesting story of an 87-year-old volunteer, Mr Wee Char Lee.”
“Zul caught the attention of the Singapore Sports School and in January this year, he earned a coveted place there. We are all very happy for him. The story does not end there. Zul is now a volunteer at the 28th SEA Games. Just last Saturday, Zul and his sister helped out at our 90-day countdown to the Sea Games. It is really wonderful how Zul is giving back to society because he has experienced first-hand how SportCares has made a difference in his life over the course of one year. Page: 69 Besides NVPC and SportCares, the Community Development Councils (CDCs), are also actively promoting a culture of giving back. Earlier, Mr Patrick Tay had asked about the role of the CDCs. In 2014, the CDCs worked with more than 500 companies that gave back to their communities. For example, the Southwest CDC has joined hands with many civic-minded companies in partnership with the VWO in the district to help the less fortunate. One example is Amos International, a logistics firm in Southwest. They volunteered in food deliveries and outings for less privileged children. Since 2010, it has reached out to more than 600 people. Now, switching attention back to individuals, one is never too old to volunteer. And I can give Members a very interesting example. Let me share very briefly the story of Mr and Mrs Pang – members of our Pioneer Generation. Mr and Mrs Pang have been married for 50 years. Yes – they got married in 1965. They ran a provision shop together. And now, their partnership at work has evolved into a partnership of volunteerism at O'Joy Care Services, an Eldercare Service Centre. Mr and Mrs Pang head to this centre four days a week, for three hours each time and help out in exercise and drama activities for the elderly.”
“I talked to the NVPC colleagues and they shared with me what they aspire to do is for each and every company in Singapore, over time, to make "goodness the business of every organisation". That is the aspiration. An example of one such company is Changi Airport Group (CAG) that is trying to make goodness part of its business. CAG had partnered Northlight School through SportCares, a SportSG programme that links those in need with volunteers and donors through sports programmes and life-skills workshops. CAG fully funded Northlight School's participation in a football programme called Saturday Night Lights. In addition, its employees volunteer as trainers and mentors in the programme. Every Saturday Night is a time where the CAG staff and the Northlight students look forward to. SportCares has touched the lives of more than 5,000 students and youths over the past three years through such corporate partnership. 2.15 pm One such youth whose life was touched and changed is 13-year-old Zul. Last year, Zul thought that his dream of becoming a competitive runner was really over when his school changed its focus from running to football. He took out his frustrations on his parents and, back then, fell in with bad company. His father, an ambulance driver, was really at his wits' end. Then he read about SportCares, CareRunners, he put Zul under the SportCares programme and, soon, Zul was training with CareRunners under the guidance of national coach, Elangovan. Elangovan immediately recognised Zul's running potential and began developing Zul in sprints and middle distances. In less than three months, Zul won his first ever race in the 800-metre event of the Akira Swift Championship with a time of two minutes and 19 seconds.”
“One of the "50 for 50" participants is this gentleman, Mr Jesher Loi, who is a Board Member of *SCAPE and also the Director of Branding and Market Development at Ya Kun International. Not only did he rally many business owners to contribute to his cause, he also got his company Ya Kun to pitch in by donating 50 cents to charity for every Christmas Frostyz drink that is sold during the Christmas season. Companies like Ya Kun see themselves as part of nation-building. They recognise the role businesses can play in building the community with their contributions. Corporate giving strengthens our society. Companies in Singapore have, indeed, been responding to the evolving community needs. For the past 10 years, gross donations by companies to Institutions of Public Character have doubled between 2004 and 2013. To step up corporate giving, we hope to see many more companies not only donating, but also rallying and also enabling their staff to contribute their time, skills, talent, competencies. Like what Mr Seah Kian Peng has mentioned, companies have an enormous influence in nurturing the culture of giving in our working adults. Mr Seah spoke passionately about urging the top leadership of companies to drive giving efforts and we agree with him. This is, indeed, what our partner, the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) aims to do. NVPC is engaging C-suite executives Page: 68 so as to broker partnerships amongst like-minded corporate leaders and match the companies to charitable causes. It is also developing a Singapore Roadmap for Corporate Giving, which will guide companies in their journey of giving back, as well as recognising some of the best practices.”
“Mr Alex Yam earlier asked how we intend to enhance youth space to better support our youths' aspirations. Through a consultation exercise that stretched from October to December 2014 that involved more than 1,000 youths, the youths indicated most interest in music and dance. To better support youth interest in this area, we shall be revamping *SCAPE in the coming year. The physical space at *SCAPE will be refreshed. There will be more space and better equipment for our young Singaporeans to hone and display their talent. For Page: 67 example, we envisage an alfresco bandstand where young musicians can regularly perform in front of their peers. Programmes at the *SCAPE will be organised by our youth for the youth. *SCAPE will further spotlight our youth talents by hosting events like the inaugural National Youth Film Awards, the YouTube FanFest, and the 10th edition of the Shine Festival. *SCAPE will connect young musicians like "The Sam Willows" and the Gentle Bones" to the wider youth audience through school performances with the *SCAPE Invasion tour. To inspire our youth to help the less fortunate in their backyard, *SCAPE will expand its community-specific programmes and community trails at different neighbourhoods. Next, our young working adults are also getting into the spirit of giving. I will give an example. Take the "50 for 50" ground-up initiative – it is one good example. In fact, I was just at their closing ceremony in early February where I witnessed for myself the positive energy that the 50 young working adults generated alongside their corporate donors, the VWOs as well as the beneficiaries. This initiative brought together 50 young adults to partner with companies like UOB and the Banyan Tree to raise funds for 50 worthy community and social causes.”
“Hui Yee is one such volunteer whom I had the pleasure of meeting on two separate occasions. Hui Yee is a full-time Special Education teacher at Eden School. Her passion for helping those with learning difficulties motivated her to volunteer with Youth Corps Singapore. As a teacher of students with ASD, Hui Yee is in a job that is both rewarding and challenging. Yet, Hui Yee has also chosen to devote her free time to help out at an adult day activity centre for the intellectually challenged. Hui Yee and her fellow aspiring Youth Corps members noticed that the clients at the centre and the centre staff communicated through very vague hand gestures. Her team set about improving their communications by using symbols on a specially designed board. And, over a couple of months, this mechanism helped everyone, the clients as well as the centre staff, better understand each other and communicate better, such that the client has enough courage to venture out of the centre and interact with the community. Youth Corps Singapore is about bringing together passionate individuals like Hui Yee to benefit the community. Even though each aspiring Youth Corps member has many commitments to juggle, be it work, study, family and even marriage, what unites and motivates each and every one of them is their desire to be part of the change they wish to see in our nation. At MCCY, we are very heartened by their passion and the way they are impacting our society, our Singapore. Indeed, with this new platform to do good, Youth Corps Singapore is sowing the seeds of service during the most formative years of life. These seeds could germinate into a lifelong journey of service, and giving sets us apart as a giving nation.”
“Minister Lawrence Wong shared that our Jubilee Year should also be a year of reflection about who we are as a society and what we want to be. Minister of State Sam Tan just earlier spoke about an inclusive Singapore that celebrates our multicultural, multiracial diversity. In the next 10 minutes, I will be sharing about our desire for Singapore to be a Giving Nation, where every Singaporean participates in a culture of giving and giving becomes a part of us, part of our lives, part of our DNA. And, like what Mr Seah Kian Peng has mentioned earlier, giving is not just about making a donation. It is also about giving our time, our efforts and also our skills and our competency. Giving enriches our lives with purpose and perspective. As a Chinese saying goes, “施比受更有福”. Generally, it means it is most blessed to give than to receive. For giving to become a part of Singapore's DNA, we should start with our young, like what Members have mentioned earlier. I thank Miss Penny Low for her thoughtful comments on youth volunteerism. Youth Corps Singapore, which we launched last year, is a major new platform to amplify and support the desire and energies of our youth to contribute to building a better Singapore together. Page: 66 Please allow me to update the House on what has been happening with regards to Youth Corps Singapore. Over the past year, we provided over 200 aspiring Youth Corps members with mentorship and training, and they have launched various projects in a wide range of areas, such as education, special needs and environmental sustainability. Each and every aspiring Youth Corps member has a unique story to tell. I have met them in action, and they never failed to inspire me with their passion, boundless energy and also creative ideas.”
“Mdm Chair, with your permission, I would like to show some slides on the screens, please.”
“A successful Walk2Ride programme will contribute to the sustainable Singapore blueprint that Prime Minister Lee announced last year in November, where the goal is to foster an eco-friendly environment and make Singapore a car-lite nation, like what Senior Minister of State Josephine Teo has mentioned earlier. With this in mind, we wish to ask if MOT and LTA will consider opening an MRT tunnel exit along Hillview Avenue because this will facilitate and offer our residents access to the upcoming Hillview MRT station, a key point that will encourage them to take public transport, thereby reducing the road travel and heavy traffic in that area. To sum up, the Walk2Ride programme has the power to potentially win over more residents who are currently using vehicles and switch them to public transport, thereby contributing further to an eco-friendly and sustainable Singapore. More importantly, it is an indication of the importance and desire to create an inclusive and liveable home for all Singaporeans. Page: 87 Lifts for Pedestrian Overhead Bridges”
“This slide indicates the current notional plan under LTA's Walk2Ride near the upcoming Hillview MRT station. As mentioned earlier, the upcoming sheltered walkways indicated by the red marker Members see there on the top part of the slide, will benefit about 4,600 residents. I would like to sincerely appeal to MOT and LTA to extend another 600 metres further down to Hillview Avenue and another 400 metres of sheltered walkways along Hume Avenue, as Members can see in this slide, because this would potentially benefit an additional 10,000 residents directly. In addition, given the Minister for Transport's earlier reply to my queries, can I appeal, on behalf of the Hume residents who now have to wait indefinitely for an MRT station in Hume, to MOT and LTA to consider providing them with at least a covered walkway to the upcoming Hillview MRT station? These are things that really matter to the residents staying there because they address the unique needs and demand brought about by Hillview's physical environment. We also hope that the Ministry would share its intended schedule for the installation of covered walkways in Bukit Gombak under the Walk2Ride programme and, in particular, for residents living near the upcoming Hillview MRT station. The convenience provided by sheltered walkways will make it more compelling and easier for residents to make public transport as their choice mode of travel. In fact, by facilitating the ease of walking and access to key transport nodes, we can certainly nurture and also encourage commuter habits that will make public transport the preferred mode of travel.”
“Mdm Chair, in about three years' time, LTA's Walk2Ride programme will significantly provide more than 200 kilometres of sheltered walkways to connect Singaporeans from their places of rest, work and play to key transport nodes. It will also be expanded to offer coverage to hubs like schools, public facilities, offices and residential developments within 400 metres of each MRT station. This is to provide the first- and last-mile experience for commuters. I applaud this move. Since LTA's announcement in 2013, Bukit Gombak and Hillview residents have been waiting in eager anticipation of more of these walkways because the area where they live in is hilly and winding. Presently, about 4,600 residents live within 400 metres of the upcoming Hillview MRT station. The elderly would especially welcome the walkways. In fact, in a recent Lian he Zao bao poll dated 1 March 2015, of the elderly on their transport needs, about 51% of them wanted covered walkways to MRT stations and bus stops. The demand will continue to grow as our older population increase. Because of Hillview and Hume's hilly and undulating terrain, sheltered walkways will bring tremendous benefits and relief to our residents, especially the elderly, persons of disabilities and young children. With this in mind, I would like to ask if MOT and LTA would consider extending to the constituency of Bukit Gombak, specifically to Hillview and Hume Avenue, sheltered walkways beyond the distance limit that is specified in the Walk2Ride programme. At this juncture, Mdm Chair, can I seek your kind permission to display two slides on the LED screen, please?”
“Together, our residents and the ITE population, form a sizeable mass for a direct bus service to the MRT station and the Bukit Gombak neighbourhood centre. So, we sincerely appeal to MOT and LTA to be more forward looking in their consideration in injecting buses where they are needed. The Government had announced its intention two years ago that it will commit resources and build ahead of demand. In addition, in unveiling the Sustainable Singapore blueprint in November last year, Prime Minister Lee spelled out the goal to foster an eco-friendly environment and make Singapore a car-lite nation. In view of all these aspirations, we hope MOT can provide clarity in its response to our requests. We would like to know whether MOT would (a) introduce new buses linking up the eastern and the western flanks of Bukit Gombak to improve localised routes and provide residents direct bus access to Bukit Gombak MRT station; (b) consider reinstating service 989; (c) release halfway on-service buses to improve the frequency of service numbers 176, 177, 963 and 970 during peak hours in the morning and evening. This will, indeed, be a step forward for bus connectivity in Bukit Gombak. City Direct Services”
“The residents from Hillview, Hume and Pavilion estates especially need ease of access to key transport nodes and community facilities. So, to address this situation, in the last four years, we have put up several requests to MOT and LTA to seriously review bus connectivity in Bukit Gombak. However, this has not improved. Today, some 20,000 residents from Hillview, Hume and Pavilion estates still have no direct access to the MRT station in their constituency, which is Bukit Gombak MRT station. Presently, it takes them more than 45 minutes to get to the Bukit Gombak MRT station either by a single bus transfer or by foot. I have tried that before. So, it really is about 45 minutes. Page: 56 Residents who rely on buses to get to the city are really not much better off. From my several site observations of peak-hour commuting, I noticed that most of the buses – service numbers 176, 177, 963 and 970 – were full by the time they reach Hillview Avenue. This means a long wait for many of my Bukit Gombak residents who can only board upon the arrival – if they are lucky – of the second or third bus. So, to overcome this problem, we really need halfway on-service buses to meet the transport demand, ease the waiting time and improve bus access to the city. And we also hope MOT and LTA can reinstate the old route of service 989 – I repeat, service 989 – to serve the residents of Woodville Gardens, Pavilion Estate as well as the students and staff of ITE College West. This will enable the 7,000-plus HDB residents from Woodville Gardens, many of whom are elderly residents relying on public transport, to get to the Bukit Gombak MRT station.”
“Mdm Chair, in the last few years, LTA and MOT have worked closely with my community leaders and have improved the commuting experience and accessibility for Bukit Gombak residents. For that, we are very appreciative for the introduction of City Direct bus service 653 in January 2014. In fact, it has eased commuting to and from the central business district (CBD) during peak hours for residents staying at Hillview and Hume areas. Many of these residents who use this bus service have told me at various platforms and occasions that because of the convenience and comfortable ride on service 653, they now leave their cars at home on weekdays. We want to encourage more of such commuter behaviour, is it not? However, we face a continual challenge of bus connectivity within the Bukit Gombak constituency. One example is that our residents do not have a direct bus service that takes them from the eastern part to the western part of the constituency and vice versa. Let me explain. For instance, a Hillview or Hume resident cannot get to the western side of Bukit Gombak directly by bus, and the western side is where the Bukit Gombak neighbourhood centre of more than 100 shops, seven coffeeshops, two supermarkets, as well as the Bukit Gombak MRT station and the sports stadium are located. And, likewise, residents staying near the Bukit Gombak MRT station do not have a direct bus bringing them to the eastern part of the estate like the Hillview area and the Hillview area is where the upcoming Bukit Gombak Community Club will be built. So, this state of affairs that divides our constituency into two distinct areas due to lack of direct connection is really puzzling.”
“I really want to recap the few reasons that I think Hume MRT station should be opened. First, we need to build ahead of demand to meet our infrastructure needs. Hume MRT station will give our commuters a compelling option to make public transport their choice mode of travel, thereby reducing road travel and traffic. Finally, Hume MRT station is really part of the answer to realising the vision of a car-lite and sustainable future. Last but not least, my concluding question to MOT is, what does it take for MOT and LTA to open Hume MRT station in time for the Downtown Line launch? This answer is urgent as people and activities at Hillview and Hume have grown to an extent that it would impact traffic, quality of life and environment should the Hume MRT station be withheld any longer. Women's Cabin on MRT”
“It suggests that the passenger load and catchment areas served by these upcoming stations – Hillview and Beauty Word – will likely be higher than average, thereby possibly leading to the chance of increased commuter congestion and compromised service. LTA's plan of a Page: 50 liveable and inclusive community is really but a dream for many Hume residents. If they choose to go to the city via the upcoming Hillview station, they will have to head north instead of south, effectively backtracking and loading crowded bus services on Hillview Avenue during the peak hours. And, for those of you who have been to Hillview, you will know that it is also an upslope climb to Hillview station because Hillview station is built on hilly ground. And for residents who choose to get to the city via Beauty World, a long bus wait awaits them. Most buses plying Upper Bukit Timah Road are full by the time they reach Bukit Gombak. And many residents have to wait for more than 15 minutes before getting onto the bus. So, really, their first- and last- mile experience is little to look forward to. On the other hand, opening the Hume MRT station will support LTA's aim to make public transport a choice mode of travel. It also aligns well with Prime Minister Lee's vision of an eco-friendly and car-lite future as part of a sustainable Singapore blueprint. The car-lite vision is, indeed, achievable because bus service 653 that was introduced in Bukit Gombak last year has received very good feedback from residents, so much so that they left their cars at home during weekdays. So, as you can see, people's commuting behaviour can change if given a compelling public transport option that makes better sense in terms of time, money and value.”
“As Members can see, this is a picture with Hume Park 1, Hume Park 2 condos, just a stone's throw away from the location of the Hume box. So, despite many appeals since 2011, MOT and LTA have rejected our requests for an MRT station in Hume although there is a box that is constructed. The main reason given was insufficient residential population density. However, the resident populations of Hillview and Hume have increased over the years to about 20,000 residents today and it will increase further with more developments adding to the over 30 condos in Hillview. So, I sincerely appeal to MOT and LTA to review and please reconsider its decision on Hume MRT station since the box is already constructed. In fact, Prime Minister Lee announced in 2013 that the Government is committed to cater for infrastructure needs and build ahead of demand. So, on that note, I seek to know: first, what is the minimum size and density of residential population that is needed for MOT to build Hume station? Secondly, in the case of Buangkok, Woodleigh and Haw Par Villa MRT stations, what was the population density or factors that resulted in their construction? My residents tell me over the years repeatedly at various platforms that the demand for Hume station is very strong because Hillview and Hume residents have no viable source of transport. In fact, they are caught between a long span of 2.6 kilometres between the upcoming Hillview station and the upcoming Beauty World MRT station. It is 2.6 kilometres – this is more than double the average length of 1.41-kilometre distance between stations.”
“Mdm Chair, in its 2013 Transport Masterplan, LTA aimed to have eight in 10 homes within a 10-minute walk of a train station by 2030. This is almost achievable for Hillview and Hume residents in Bukit Gombak constituency. Unfortunately, they are so close to having an MRT station and yet, so far. This is because they are unable to unlock the station box that is built in Hume on the Downtown Line. At this juncture, Mdm Chair, can I seek your kind permission to display a slide on the LED screen, please?”
“I thank the Member for the very thoughtful point that he has made. We work very closely with the 43 FSCs and all the social workers. Having said that, it really Page: 37 takes two hands to clap. Other than the family members coming forward to the FSCs to seek help, we do need the family members who have issues with debt or maybe issues with gamble addiction, to also step forward. So, we certainly will continue to take a very family-centric approach with regard to counselling or rendering of financial assistance to make sure that the root of the family issue is being solved and divorces or suicides and other issues are minimised.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge more organisations and individuals to come forward to join us. I believe, as long as we put our hearts together, we can build a more united and caring society!”
“The trinkets were made by Weng Chew Hao, a slightly autistic but highly creative 16-year-old. All the proceeds for the night would be used to help vulnerable groups with special needs. Chew Hao's mother, Ms Chen Li Li, is a single mother who has to look after her child and make ends meet at the same time. Even then, she bravely took on life's challenges, and even came forward to help others. I understand that she even plans to open a new social enterprise – a café to provide job opportunities for single mothers in similar situations and children with special needs. Li Li's courage to overcome adversity is admirable and worth learning from. I believe there are many warriors in life like Li Li and many compassionate individuals who have devoted themselves to charity. As a Singaporean, we must play our part to build a more compassionate and caring society. Hence, in the new financial year, MSF will focus on three areas. First, we will introduce more flexible, targeted and effective programmes to help the vulnerable. Second, we will provide more accessible, more comprehensive one-stop services. Third, we will invest more in human resource development, and increase investment to support the expansion of networks, so as to create a more comprehensive and professional social service sector. As our nation develops, we will ensure that every Singaporean will have the opportunity to share and grow together with us. However, this cannot be Page: 28 achieved by MSF alone. We must integrate everyone's effort and work together, in order to create a passionate and caring Singapore. Those who are more fortunate should come forward and help the vulnerable groups and families in our society. We are heartened to see the support from various community partners.”
“So, we call upon everyone to join in the family events and activities that we have lined up in the celebration of the International Year of the Family. Let us all make 2014 the year that we will remember for spending special moments with our families – people who matter most to us. Let us take time out to honour and cherish our families with our time and presence and actions. Perhaps, I can encourage all Members in the House – we have to walk the talk – when we are having meals with our family, to put away our electronic devices and give our families the total attention that they so deserve. Families are the heart of our nation. They are the lifeblood of our growth and future. Families matter to Singaporeans and we will make every effort – every effort – to help families thrive. We want to make Singapore a place where families are cherished. A home that families can call their own and a place where family aspirations, dreams and hopes are shared and celebrated as a vital part of our society. Together, we can become a more resilient, united and Page: 27 caring Singapore. Mdm Chair, please allow me to say a few words in Mandarin. 12.30 pm (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Family is the cornerstone of our society. Throughout our lives, the care and support from our family plays an important role. Although not everyone is born into a happy family, but I firmly believe that together, we can create happy families and a caring society. During the Lunar New Year celebrations last month, in conjunction with the International Year of the Family, the organisers of River Hongbao organised the Family Night@River Hongbao for the first time. One social enterprise set up a stall selling creative Chinese New Year trinkets.”
“Page: 26 Let me quickly share an example of a parent who has benefited from these parenting programmes funded by MSF. Diana started attending parenting programmes organised by Northland Primary School two years ago when her son was in Primary 1. She used to be very impatient and often screamed at her son whenever he misbehaved. After attending the parenting programmes, she felt that she is better equipped to understand and manage her son. She now enjoys a closer relationship with her young boy. Diana's positive experience with the parenting programmes also prompted her to become a school coordinator for the FamilyMatters! programme in Northland Primary School. Mr Seah Kian Peng asked for an update on FamilyMatters!. MSF is working with MOE and the community to conduct two key parenting programmes, namely, the Positive Parenting Programme (PPP) and Signposts. These programmes provide additional support to address day-to-day parenting challenges. Starting next month, the pilot will take place in 40 Primary and Secondary schools over two years. We will share more details about this soon. Besides parenting programmes in schools, families at various life stages can access a diversity of family life education programmes at their workplace or in their community. These range from marriage enrichment and parenting to coping with work and family demands – multitasking. As of last month, close to 600 schools, companies and community groups have partnered MSF to hold family life education programmes funded under FamilyMatters!. We would like to invite more to come onboard with us. This year is an opportune time to do so because it is the International Year of the Family.”
“Without the strong foundations of healthy families, our network of support can be undermined by instability and insecurity. Families must remain a key pillar of our society. The institution of the family defends the nation with love, kinship and ties that bind the people together. In the same manner, we must protect the family from the pressures and stress of rapid changes brought about by globalisation and technological advancements mentioned by Mr Alex Yam yesterday. MSF's mission is to nurture strong families and that mandate is even more urgent and pertinent today. As a mother of two young boys, I can identify with the sleepless nights that parents with young children go through, especially during the earlier years. I went through that when my boys were a lot younger, when they were toddlers. For our first boy, my husband and I took a crash course by reading many parenting books and pretty much learnt through trial and error. We wised up a bit when our second boy came along. Nonetheless, I can certainly understand how parenting sometimes can be viewed with a sense of anxiety by some parents. We would like to assure all Members, parents and would-be parents that help is at hand. While practical experience is something that we all must gain "on-the-job" in this parenting job, we have available a wide range of parenting resources, education workshops and access to qualified family life educators. MSF has devoted $3 million over the next three years to boost family life education and develop family life educators and facilitators. This is part of FamilyMatters! which is a concerted effort from schools, workplaces, businesses and community partners to promote family life and create healthy families.”
“I would like to assure Dr Neo and all Members in this House that we take a hard stand against abusers of the elderly. Perpetrators can be charged under the Penal Code and under the Mental Capacity Act, ill treatment of a mentally incapacitated person is an offence. In cases where abuse stems from caregivers' stress and their inability to cope, there is a range of counselling and support services that they can turn to. During yesterday's Committee of Supply, MOH has outlined a variety of community and home-based services for caregivers. To prevent abuse before it happens, we have the National Family Violence Networking System that has multiple touch points to detect and manage family violence. Professionals who work with the elderly are equipped with the skills to detect possible abuse and respond promptly. MSF and our community partners have stepped up public education efforts on family violence and improved the channels for assistance. The support services for affected seniors and their families include counselling, shelters and help in the application of Page: 25 Personal Protection Orders. As more Singaporeans grow older, we need to keep a close watch to better protect the vulnerable elderly. And we all know, filial piety cannot be legislated. Like what Ms Tin has mentioned, filial piety cannot be forced. Ultimately, the responsibility lies with each of us to pass on the value of filial piety – 尊师重道, 孝顺父母 – to the next generation. Our children will imbibe our values and behave in the way we do towards the elderly – and towards us in the future. Mdm Chair and hon Members, even as the Government and community weave our net of social support for the vulnerable members of our society, we must have families as the centrepiece of our tapestry.”
“While the sacrifices and contributions of our pioneer generation are being honoured, it is unfortunate Page: 24 that some seniors are neglected, abandoned or even abused by their family members. Dr Lily Neo spoke passionately about this yesterday. Even though the abuse is not widespread, numbers are seemingly small, it is our duty to protect the interests of the elderly, maintain our values of respect for them and take a hard line against perpetuators of elderly abuse. To safeguard elderly parents, we have the Maintenance of Parents Act that lets parents claim maintenance from children who are able but unwilling to support them. We share Ms Tin Pei Ling's concerns that it is not always possible for an elderly to apply for maintenance for himself or herself. This is why social service professionals, especially those in hospitals, long-term care facilities and Social Service Offices (SSO), can refer cases to the Commissioner's Office. Likewise, any family member, caregivers, or person can apply to the Tribunal on behalf of an infirm elderly. The Maintenance of Parents Act requires all new cases to be first referred to the Office of the Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents. This is to foster conciliation as far as possible, before the cases go to the Tribunal, and I am glad to report that the Commissioner's Office has successfully resolved many cases. As a result, the number of applications to the Tribunal has fallen from a peak of 199 in 2009 to 63 last year, 2013. In addition, I am glad to note that two years ago, for 2012, more than 80% of the cases reached settlement through the Commissioner's Office, and this is 10% more than in 2010. Dr Lily Neo asked about prevention and recourse for abused elderly.”
“In terms of housing, single parents who are divorced or widowed can rent a flat under HDB's Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme while waiting for their flats to be ready. HDB has also set aside a number of flats for divorced and widowed parents applying for a flat a second time. Recently, Minister Khaw had reassured us that MND will look closely into their housing needs. Another vulnerable group is the young and low-income families. We have the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) Scheme to ensure they have a roof over their heads. This is a voluntary scheme that is catering to the low-income young families. More than 3,100 families have benefited from HOPE since 2004, 10 years ago. We had reviewed and broadened the eligibility criteria for HOPE last year. The household income cap is now $1,700 instead of $1,500, and the individual income cap for those with post-Secondary education is now $1,200 instead of $1,000. Yesterday, Ms Mary Liew suggested that mothers older than 35 years should be considered for the HOPE programme. The qualifying age was set at 35 years old to encourage couples to join the scheme early. I want to assure Ms Mary Liew that there is an appeals committee to review the circumstances of those who missed the criteria narrowly. Just to give some numbers, about one in four successful appeals were women above 35 years old. HOPE has also been enhanced to better support the young, low-income families. The amount of conditional housing grant has been raised and educational bursaries and training incentives added to the scheme. Let us now turn our attention to our senior citizens.”
“We need to do more to mitigate the negative effects of divorce. To this end, MSF and the MinLaw are working together to ensure that the children's needs are well considered before divorce proceedings. Today, issues concerning the child are often only discussed during or at the end of the divorce process, as Mr Seah Kian Peng had mentioned yesterday. We will introduce a programme for those considering divorce. The programme will have the couple discuss their children's needs, understand the importance of positive co-parenting and be aware of the detrimental effects of a divorce. For children whose parents are going through or have completed divorce proceedings, we will expand support programmes to help the children cope with their feelings and come to terms with the break-up. In addition, we will launch other programmes to help parents work through their emotions and Page: 23 overcome their co-parenting difficulties. MSF will also work with the social service sector to raise the capability and the capacity of our agencies that are handling divorce-related issues. We will share more details of these efforts later this year. Being a single parent is tough. Mr Seah Kian Peng and Ms Lee Li Lian have asked for more support to be extended to single-parent households. Just to recap, last year, we extended childcare and infant care leave to unwed single mothers to support their caregiving responsibilities. They are also able to access financial assistance through ComCare, as well as other social assistance schemes and services. Like other Singaporean children, their kids also receive the MediSave grant for all newborns and subsidised rates for infant care, childcare and student care.”
“The youths are befriended on the streets and invited to activities such as fishing and barbeques. For youths who need more help, the Youth GO! Workers will also provide casework and counselling intervention. Youth GO! continues till end Page: 22 this year and will certainly be evaluated for future expansion. Besides keeping the youths meaningfully occupied, we will also help those who have stopped school. The Ministry's Youth Employment System targets this group of youths to help them gain work and stay employed. The Youth Employment and Advancement Hub started in July last year provides them with services like career assessment, life skills training and workplace mentorship. At present, there are 44 youths-at-risk receiving assessment and training at this hub. The Central Youth Guidance Office will certainly look into areas of programme design, capabilities development and also funding for youth agencies to expand its work further. We will certainly spare no effort in seeking out those at risk to turn dark alleys into avenues of hope and a bright future. This leads me now to another vulnerable group of our society that needs our support. 12.15 pm Today, a vast majority of single parents are divorced single parents. Since 2007, there are 7,000 divorces and more than 8,000 children affected by such break-ups every year. Divorce unleashes a significant impact on families and the children. We share Mr Alex Yam and Mr Seah Kian Peng's concerns that families facing divorce need extra support. The breakdown of a marriage can be traumatic, especially for the child. Often times, he or she is, unfortunately, caught in between the divorcing couple and, many times, the child's interests and welfare are adversely affected.”
“We will tap on technology to maximise this resource and also aim to improve the availability of taxi services for people and persons with disabilities. As pointed out by Mr Ang Wei Neng earlier, we can raise the efficiency of transport services to better serve those with disabilities. We will explore the possibility of pooling and optimising vehicles and drivers from different VWOs. We can grow customised transport services for the disability sector and also create more efficient fleet management. Mdm Chair, we have made some headway in realising the Enabling Masterplan. I think, by now, our Members would have received the brochure. This is a progress report of the Enabling Masterplan. Now, if you have read this over the past couple of minutes, you can see that we are taking a life-cycle approach from the time of birth to childhood, to youth, adulthood and then silver years. We have endeavoured to empower and also enable those with disabilities to participate fully in our society. To this end, I urge all Members in this House to continue to support us in realising this vision. Let us now turn our attention to our youths-at-risk. They are like – as Mr Alex Yam had mentioned – unpolished diamonds that need our attention, care and protection. Mr Alex Yam had asked for an update on the initiatives by the Central Youth Guidance Office (CYGO). The efforts to draw the youths at-risk away from the fringe and toward meaningful activities have shown promising results. Over the past one-and-a-half years, the Central Youth Guidance Office has reached out to a total of 6,700 youths through the pilot Youth GO! Programme taking place in the North East and North West Districts. This programme has encouraged the youths-at-risk to study, work and stay away from crime.”
“Instead, the ease and affordability of transportation to their place of work, school or care will bring them closer to achieving their hopes and also enjoying quality of care. Caregivers will also benefit from these three transport subsidies because of the accessibility and the ease of bringing them to school or the place of care. Now, take for example Siti Zulaikha. She has congenital heart disease and suffers from developmental delays. Her younger brother has Down Syndrome. We understand that their grandparents are looking after them as their father is currently in prison and their mother is intellectually disabled. Grandpa is currently the sole breadwinner in the family. Thankfully, Zulaikha's condition has improved by leaps and bounds since she attended EIPIC at the Thye Hua Kwan EIPIC Centre in Chua Chu Kang. However, the family cannot afford her monthly transport fee to school and the transport allowance from VWOs ends this coming June. With the newly announced transport subsidy, Zulaikha can now continue to receive her early intervention and care through EIPIC at Chua Chu Kang. We want to help more children like Zulaikha and their families, so that no child gets deprived of help because of transport costs or transport Page: 21 problems. Having said that, we will not stop at just transport subsidies. I support Mr Ang Hin Kee's suggestion to get more taxi drivers to ferry disabled passengers. We have heartening news from SMRT that the 30 London wheelchair-friendly cabs co-funded by MSF last year are actively meeting the transport needs of those with disabilities. As Mr Ang has mentioned, let us all rally and increase the pool of taxi drivers whose hearts are driven to care.”
“Therefore, the Government is making significant moves to lower the transport cost for persons with disabilities. Page: 20 First, we are providing a special public transport concession for all persons with disabilities. Starting from July this year, they will enjoy 25% off travel on buses and rail. As of now, more than 20,000 eligible persons with disabilities would have received an invitation letter from SG Enable to apply for this concession. They can apply from 6 April onwards. Second, we will provide subsidies for users of dedicated transport such as buses and vans. These vehicles ferry persons with disabilities to EIPIC, SPED schools, day activity centres and sheltered workshops. Singaporeans with per capita income of $2,600 or below will enjoy subsidies on 30% to 80% of their transport cost, depending on their household income. This move will benefit about two-thirds of families caring for those with disabilities. Third, MSF will introduce taxi subsidies for persons with disabilities who are working or schooling but are unable to take public or dedicated transport. Starting from October this year, the means-tested taxi transport subsidies will benefit those with a per capita income of $1,800 or less. It will reach 50% of those who rely on taxis as their form of transportation. Applications for these subsidies start next month on 1 April. We will share more details on the application process soon. Together, these three transport subsidies will benefit more than 50,000 persons with disabilities. It will cost the Government $24 million per year. We want to ensure that transport cost will not be a barrier to those with disabilities.”
“By the end of this year, 2014, there would be 140 new places in day activity centres that provide care and skills training for adults with higher care needs. We understand the concerns of those who care for persons with disabilities. We want to help lighten their load. The Foreign Domestic Worker Grant and Levy Concession defray the costs of hiring domestic helpers to care for their family members with disabilities. To provide more affordable and flexible care options, we have recently extended funding support to also cover part-time day care services. MSF is also looking into home-based care services which will also provide caregivers with respite. In the area of long-term care, the Ministry is building four new adult disability homes. And the first home to be completed in 2017 will be located at Sembawang Walk. It will serve persons with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Over the next few years, we will also expand the present capacity of current homes. By 2018, the number of places in adult disability homes will double, with 1, 000 new places. Besides expanding our reach of care, we are taking steps to ensure quality and standards of care in residential facilities. To this end, MSF will introduce a licensing framework for Adult Disability Homes in 2016. Meanwhile, we are working with the Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) to build up capabilities and prepare them for a smooth transition to this licensing framework. Mdm Chair, I will now move on to the subject of transport for persons with disabilities. Transport is a key enabler that opens avenues to education, improves chances for jobs and creates new opportunities. For persons with disabilities, access to affordable transport increases their chances of being plugged into society.”
“It has also started an internship programme to let our special needs students from Institutes of Higher Learning gain valuable work exposure. This will certainly enhance their skills, experience and also build up their work-readiness. SG Enable sees opportunities to work with partners to encourage social enterprise incubations at its Redhill site, as quoted by Mr Ang Wei Neng earlier. As a start, MSF and SG Enable are organising a community event next month and this event is called "Enabling Community CoLab". This aims to develop ideas to empower persons with disabilities. How does it work? For instance, some daily tasks can pose very serious challenges to persons with disabilities, such as moving around a supermarket with narrow aisles and also high racks. So, the CoLab will look into such difficulties and encourage innovative ways to address such needs. We will also bring in private players to support such solutions. Page: 19 As SG Enable reaches out to more companies and organisations, we look forward to their active participation in contributing to the vision of a caring Singapore. Each of us has a role to play in helping those with disabilities – whether at work, at school or at play; from the very young to the very old. For older adults with disabilities, Ms Denise Phua and Mr Png Eng Huat have highlighted their needs for more assistance in finances and care. Ms Denise Phua suggested tiered funding for day activity centres to better cater to the varying types and severities of adult disabilities. I want to assure Ms Denise Phua that MSF is looking into this as we continue to ramp up the care services for adult disabilities.”
“As Miss Penny Low pointed out, we can harness assistive technology to overcome the challenges posed by disabilities. Currently, the Assistive Technology Fund helps persons with disabilities defray the high costs of mobility and communication devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids, just to quote some Page: 18 examples. The number of applications from the fund has grown by over 30% in 2013. MOE also provides assistive learning devices to students with disabilities. At MSF, we are studying how to better leverage this area of technology to make it easier for those with disabilities to study well, gain new skills and become employable. We also want to motivate our employers to integrate and empower persons with disabilities. In 2012, the Government extended the Special Employment Credit and Workfare Income Supplement to encourage employment of persons with disabilities. As at December 2013, more than 4,500 employers have received the Special Employment Credit for hiring 5,700 persons with disabilities. The Workfare Income Supplement has also benefited more than 4,600 persons with disabilities. We will continue to empower those with disabilities so that they can gain greater independence and fulfil their potential through their work. Mr Ang Wei Neng, Ms Mary Liew and Miss Penny Low have touched on the training and employment prospects of persons with disabilities, especially for those from our SPED (Special Education) schools. This is one of the reasons why SG Enable was set up last year. SG Enable not only serves as a focal point for services that enable and empower those with disabilities, it also drives and promotes their employment and employability. SG Enable is also working with MOE to strengthen the transition of Special Education students into employment.”
“The quantum of subsidies will also be increased. Families will pay less in out-of-pocket expenses for EIPIC. For example, middle-income families will pay about $100, compared to $300 for a similar level of service. Just to give Members an example. Vera is one of the children who will benefit from this move. She has a developmental disorder and congenital medical conditions. She attends EIPIC at the AWWA Early Years Centre. Currently, Vera's parents have to pay $200 monthly, after subsidies from the Government and AWWA. With the recent boost in Government subsidies for EIPIC, Vera's parents will pay half of what they used to pay, that is, $100 a month. These subsidies will help the family as they incur high medical costs for her many other conditions. Such subsidies will enable VWOs like AWWA to also serve more children with disabilities. These changes improve the accessibility and affordability of early intervention services by catching those who fall through the cracks. We will also increase the capacity and quality of EIPIC, as highlighted by Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and Ms Mary Liew. In the last two years, we have brought down the average waiting time from six to four months. The number of EIPIC places will grow 7.5% from today's 2,500 places to 2,700 places by end 2015. In the area of medical care, the needs of these children are also being addressed. Ms Mary Liew had asked if more subsidies could be given to special needs children who require long-term medical follow-up. MediShield coverage has been extended to cover congenital and neonatal conditions. The special needs children will stand to benefit from MOH's enhancement of subsidies for specialist outpatient care later this year. 12.00 pm We are certainly pressing on to do more for those with disabilities.”
“In 2013, Singapore ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This was made possible by the strong collaboration and support among VWOs, Government agencies, the private sector and persons with disabilities. This milestone ratification boosts our aim of making Singapore a place where persons with disabilities are empowered and enabled and are also given full opportunities to become important and contributing members of our society. Starting with the young, we all know early intervention is crucial for preschoolers with learning needs. Over 1,000 preschoolers with mild developmental delays received early intervention and help through the Development Support Programme (DSP) that ran in 200 mainstream preschools last year. DSP provided these children with classroom support and therapy intervention. MSF will continue to improve on such programmes. We have also improved assistance to young children with moderate to severe disabilities, including cerebral palsy – Mr Png Eng Huat spoke about this yesterday. The Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) provides learning and therapy support services to this group of children. The Minister for Finance had announced the expanded coverage and subsidies for EIPIC that will amount to $32 million each year, which is an increase of 74%. Page: 17 Just to recap: taking effect from October this year, first and foremost, MSF will raise the universal subsidy for EIPIC from $300 to $500 and this is universal subsidy. Every Singaporean child attending programmes at EIPIC centres will get this subsidy. In addition, we will broaden the per capita income eligibility level from $1,500 to $3,000. This means that 80% of those in the EIPIC programme will receive subsidies, compared to half today.”
“Mdm Chair, I would like to thank all Members who have spoken yesterday and today and highlighted the needs of vulnerable groups in our midst. We are committed to strengthen the nation's social safety net so that no one gets left behind. However, the Government cannot do this alone; we call upon every Singaporean, every resident, every enterprise and, in fact, the community to be part of these efforts to create a Page: 16 caring society that we can be proud of. The Minister has earlier illustrated how MSF will widen ComCare assistance. I will now elaborate on how we will empower and enable persons with disabilities, the youths-at-risk, vulnerable families and the elderly. I will also reaffirm the important role of the family and the Ministry's plans to strengthen this cornerstone of our society. Ms Denise Phua and Mr Ang Wei Neng had asked for an update on the Enabling Masterplan. This is the second year of the five-year roadmap to enable persons with disabilities to participate fully in society. Mdm Chair, we have prepared a brochure to summarise the progress we have made on the Enabling Masterplan. May I have your permission to distribute it to hon Members?”
“In addition, this involves pushing for greater understanding of the multiple roles that women play as well as strengthening the support infrastructure like I have mentioned, and also strengthening the partnership amongst all the various stakeholders in the society. We are mindful of the need to continue to encourage and foster better understanding and better support for the multiple roles that women juggle Page: 13 today. Just like Ms Sylvia Lim has mentioned, it goes beyond government; it is a whole-of-society approach. Family education programmes are also very critical because they will play a part in promoting the role of fathers in families as well as helping young parents better balance their work and life expectations. In MSF, we have a division that is called Office for Women's Development. We work very closely with the women civic groups as well as in collaborating with the various VWOs on programmes and projects to advance the status and well-being of women in Singapore. As for the last point mentioned by Ms Sylvia Lim, we know that in this House, if we include the NCMPs and NMPs, we have a total of 99 seats, out of which we have 25 women. In terms of percentage, we are doing better compared to a decade ago. Percentage wise, it is 25.4%. This compares very favourably to the Inter-Parliamentary Union's world average of 21.4%. That, itself, is a very important indicator. For many other countries – for example, Brazil where there is a female head of state or some other countries where there are more female Cabinet members – it is because of certain policies like quotas. We think it is much more important to anchor our system based on meritocracy.”
“In addition to that, women are now very well represented in subjects that were traditionally viewed as male domains. For example, in 2012, women accounted for 78.1% of health sciences graduates; and 56.2% of natural, physical and mathematical science graduates. I just want to give some context to the ranking for educational attainment. In terms of economic participation, indeed, we are mindful of the need to create better understanding of the multiple roles that women hold, not just at home and at work, but also in the society. Indices aside, we are committed to creating a conducive environment for women's progress and equality. To that end, we recognise and appreciate the multiple roles that women in Singapore play in society, at work and also at home. For example, for women who are still the primary care-givers of young children as well as elderly parents and parents-in-law, we are strengthening the support system to help them balance these responsibilities with their work. This includes gaining access to quality and affordable childcare as well as access to eldercare services in the community. That, itself, will lead to better labour force participation rates. In the area of childcare, the House will be aware that Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is ramping up the number of childcare places to cater to the needs of families with young children. In the area of eldercare services, we all know MOH is working hard to improve services and accessibility. To address all these, we need not just a whole-of-Government but a whole-of-society approach to better improve the labour force participation rate, which has in fact gone up significantly in the last 10 years.”
“I thank the Member Ms Sylvia Lim for her questions. First, on the importance of tracking gaps, different indices measure different aspects of the progress of women. This is why in MSF, we track different indices such as the UN Gender Inequality Index which measures gender inequality in a few dimensions. It is quite similar to the WEF index. We measure a few indices as well as The Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU's) Women's Economic Opportunities Index, and the Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) for OECD countries. We agree it is important to track a basket of indicators. In terms of the enrolment rate for tertiary institutions, let me explain a little more in terms of the ranking for educational attainment, one of the parameters for the WEF indicator. I understand that WEF obtains these statistics from UNESCO's Institute for Statistics (UIS). The assumptions that are used in their methodology, I understand, do not apply so well in the context of a city-state like Singapore. As a result, it has led to fairly inaccurate statistics. For example, instead of a Gender Parity Index (GPI) for Education of 0.93 to 0.95 which was reported, Singapore's GPI for Education was in fact 1. My good colleagues in MOE have engaged UIS many times in the past, and we will continue to engage them. Page: 12 That alone does not really reflect the educational attainment of women in Singapore. For example, we all know the Singapore Government provides all Singaporean children equal access to quality education. As a result, Singapore has achieved a high literacy rate for women – 94.4% in 2012. This is a significant increase from 89.7% in 2002, just 10 years ago. Women make up 50.7% of the full-time enrolment at the local universities.”
“What the Ministry needs to work on and highlight is the joy of having children and the need to have more children. 6.33 pm”
“Remember – not every family is fortunate to have good domestic helpers who can do the housework and oversee the child. We know how domestic helpers can create as many problems as they are able to help in some Page: 108 homes. So, as parents, they worry about what is going on at home. Plus, in today's context, getting a domestic helper is not cheap. In addition, some are less fortunate than others and their children grow up with problems in their studies or with emotional problems that require special attention. The children may not be able to cope with their schoolwork or their social environment, spend too much time playing computer games and so forth. All these add on to the challenges that parents face after childbirth. The steps taken by the Education Ministry to run kindergartens is a step in the right direction. What prospective parents need is support after the child is born. I believe many can afford the fees for childbirth as they enjoy medical benefits. Their problem is what next, after the child is born. We have so far focused on dangling the dollar to get married couples to have children. Our policymakers have not adequately addressed the emotional and social support after the child is born. And I encounter many such issues that parents raise on bringing up children. The modern child is learning so fast that if the parents cannot cope, it will be a lost opportunity that can never be recouped. Hence, I hope the Ministry will continue to search for the answers. If we can find the answers, then the joy of bringing up children will be the draw. They will no longer see the child as a burden or a hindrance to career development. In conclusion, financial help alone will not sway the decision of the married couples on the number of children they have.”
“No longer are they like our parents who would leave us to fend for ourselves at school and in our studies because they were busy looking for three meals for the family then. I remember during my time, after school, I would just have to go to the kitchen to look for porridge. If there was no porridge, I would then have to wait until dinner. My parents would never ask me whether I had homework, whether I had finished my homework or not. Today's parents want to bring out the best in their children. They want to give their children everything they did not manage to have during their time, including enrichment programmes, swimming classes, drawing classes and, perhaps, table tennis classes as well. Well, this is good. However, in the process of trying to achieve this, they are confronted with some real challenges. And the problem with the challenges is that it is not just about money but it is also about finding the time to create the right environment and the social support to meet the standards they set for their children. I believe this is where there is a gap between what benefits the Government has been able to offer to get them to have children and their ability to bring up their children thereafter. The bigger issue which remains unaddressed is this "thereafter". Take the example of a child who is growing up. The parents need to find time – and I mean quality time – to oversee the child's studies. They would want to find time to send the child for enrichment programmes on weekends. Worse still, some of them are unable to get good caregivers to take care of their child while they are at work. Remember – not every family wants their child to be put into childcare.”
“Population replacement is, indeed, not an easy issue for the Minister to tackle. We know there are also many other countries facing the same problem. In fact, very often, I hear residents discussing this issue and, very often, they say that we are facing this problem because of our "Stop at Two" policy. It was too efficient. Is that really true? There are many other countries, including Japan, Taiwan, which do not have the "Stop at Two" policy and they are also facing the same problem. As our citizens are better educated, they have also set higher standards for themselves in terms of their careers and their expectations of marriage and having children. In fact, personally, I feel that we need to tackle the problem Page: 107 even more upstream which is, helping women to find partners. Why do I say so? I observe that in my cohort, in my tutorial group, there were four ladies; only two are married. In a university female basketball team, out of five players, only two are married. So, it is between 50% and 60% who are not married and that is why I feel that we need to tackle the problem upstream. For those who are married, many of them told me that they welcome financial help and packages from the Government but it will not sway their decision on the number of children that they are planning to have. To some, it is their mindset. To others, it is the experience that they went through from pregnancy to delivery to bringing up their first child. Improve the process, such as a shorter wait at clinics and more family support in terms of housework and so on, perhaps will help. Many parents have also set higher expectations in bringing up their own children.”