Masagos Zulkifli B M M
Singapore
“Coordination between Early Intervention (EI) centres, families and preschools is important for the continuity of support for children with developmental needs.”
“The Taxi Subsidy Scheme supports persons with disabilities (PwDs) who are unable to take public transport, by providing means-tested subsidies to offset the cost of taxi travel to school, work and employment-related training supported by SG Enable.”
“The Skills and Salary Guidelines published by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) guides social service agencies (SSAs) to pay their employees fair and competitive remuneration and maintain the sector's attractiveness. The Guidelines are adjusted so that salaries remain competitive with comparable roles in competing markets.”
“Staff turnover rates vary across social service agencies (SSAs). An individual's decision to leave an organisation is influenced by a myriad of factors, of which pay is only one.”
“Beyond the requirement of a structured daily programme, community-based SCFA administrators have the flexibility to offer programmes and additional enrichment activities that meet the needs of their students. MSF does not track staff salaries and turnover of SCCs in general nor those that administer SCFA.”
“Male preschool educators comprised about 1% of the early childhood workforce in each of the last five years. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has not issued guidelines pertaining to the rules set by preschool centres specific to the conduct of male preschool educators.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,489 lines we hold for Masagos Zulkifli B M M, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 50.
“Under the infant childminding pilot, the Early Childhood Development Agency will appoint childminding operators, who will, in turn, engage childminders to provide the services. We are consulting potential operators on how they would manage their business risks when providing services on the pilot, including through the use of insurance where appropriate.”
“The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is committed to ensuring that children with developmental needs enrolled in preschools are meaningfully engaged and supported. ECDA has therefore embarked on initiatives to enhance the skills and competencies of educators in preschools. ECDA works with the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) and other training providers to incorporate inclusive practice into the curriculum of early childhood pre-service training courses and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses for in-service EC educators. Within preschools, children requiring low to medium levels of early intervention (EI) support are also supported via the Development Support – Learning Support (DS-LS) programmes and Inclusive Support Programme (InSP). ECDA has plans to expand the DS-LS to cover 80% of preschoolers aged five to six and scale up the InSP to more preschools. These programmes are delivered at these preschools by a multi-disciplinary team of EI professionals, such as the Learning Support (LS) educators and EI educators as well as Allied Health Professionals. To enhance capabilities of LS and EI educators, NIEC offers Specialist Diploma programmes to train the educators in administering screening tools and methods of support.”
“The forms were prepared by the staff of the Office of the Public Guardian and was vetted by the Public Guardian, as well as by a separate Legal Unit. Unfortunately, no system of process checks can be 100% accurate, as this case shows. In fact, the electronic LPA forms go through various parties, including certificate issuers who are people familiar with the hardcopy forms, such as lawyers or doctors. Despite this, it took nearly a year before a member of public noticed the difference and wrote in to enquire. For the approximately 87,000 electronic LPAs made between 14 November 2022 and 4 January 2024, there is some uncertainty as to whether the LPAs were validly made. Hardcopy LPAs are not affected by this omission. MSF is not aware of any actual harm suffered by Donees or Donors. We are also not aware of any challenge to the exercise of those powers by third parties. The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill that was passed in Parliament on 2 Apr 2024 will remove any future potential complications.”
“The Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document which confers powers enabling a Donee to decide on the Donor's personal welfare, property and other affairs, if the Donor loses mental capacity. In the vast majority of cases, the property, such as a Housing & Development Board flat, a private condominium apartment or a landed property, is registered under Land Titles Act. To transfer ownership of such a property, there is no need for a deed. However, for property not registered under the Land Titles Act, transfer of ownership must be made by way of a deed. Hence, an LPA is executed as a deed, so that irrespective of the type of property, the Donee has the power to make the necessary transactions for the benefit of the Donor. Prior to the roll out of the electronic LPA system in 2022, LPAs were made through hardcopy forms. In the hardcopy form, the signature box where the Donor physically signs contains the statement "signed (or marked) and delivered as a deed by Donor". Section 12A(1)(a) of the Mental Capacity Act is intended to replicate this for electronic LPAs and specifies that the electronic record must clearly state on its face that it is intended to be a deed. Unfortunately, the electronic LPA, unlike the hardcopy form, did not contain this required statement. MSF apologises for this omission and for any inconvenience that this may have caused. We have revised the electronic form so that electronic LPAs made on or after 5 Jan 2024 include the required statement and have initiated the necessary legislative procedures to retroactively validate the affected LPAs. MSF has an internal proofreading and vetting process.”
“Children with developmental needs are assessed by a paediatrician, to determine the level of Early Intervention (EI) support each child requires. Only children assessed to require medium to high levels of EI support are referred to Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) or EIPIC-P. Currently, there are 29 EIPIC-P centres providing a total of 1,600 places, up from 16 centres providing 400 places in 2021. As announced at MSF's Committee of Supply debate, ECDA will be adding 1,500 new spaces in EIPIC and EIPIC-P in 2024. Once a referral is made, placement is generally on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, EI centres will prioritise placement for older children aged five to six years old to allow at least one year of intervention before the child transits to mainstream or special education (SPED) schools. Means-testing is not used to assess eligibility, but to determine the out-of-pocket fees payable.”
“Since the Enhanced Care and Protection Orders (ECPOs) came into effect in July 2020, an annual average of about 27 ECPOs have been applied for; and about 26 ECPOs were ordered by the Youth Court.”
“The Ministry of Social and Family Development will consider alternative payment modes as part of our regular review of the Child Development Account (CDA) scheme. Such payment modes will need to be convenient for parents and trustees, while providing adequate safeguards against erroneous or unauthorised usage, since the CDA monies are only to be used for specified expenditures.”
“When the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) conducts unannounced licensing visits, it will check if preschools have clear processes in place to report serious incidents within stipulated timelines. ECDA also checks that the preschool complied with these processes. ECDA will take the preschool to task if they have failed to do so. We do not require preschools to report cases of staff dismissal or termination because doing so does not get to the root of the problem. The termination of an employment contract can be due to several reasons, such as underperformance of the staff and not that they have broken the law. At the same time, employers do not always dismiss a staff; sometimes for compassionate reasons, they may choose to allow the staff to resign. ECDA's chief concern is whether, in the interest of child safety, the former staff should be allowed to work in the sector. To address this concern, the law requires preschools to report all serious incidents to ECDA within a stipulated timeframe. The preschool has to do this regardless of how it chooses to discipline its staff. Where serious child mismanagement has occurred, ECDA will bar the errant staff from working in the preschool sector. ECDA's regulatory actions are therefore independent of the preschool’s decision whether to dismiss the staff and provides a stronger assurance for child safety.”
“MSF adopts a multi-layered approach to guard against possible abuse by applicants for financial assistance. All applications are first checked against the eligibility criteria by our Social Service Office (SSO) staff, who are trained to look out for signs of fraud, such as inconsistencies in information provided and tampered documents. This is complemented by backend checks with relevant agencies like CPF, IRAS and HDB, as well as employers, to verify the accuracy of the information provided by applicants. Applicants are also made aware at the outset that any false declarations will subject them to strict enforcement and legal action. There are mechanisms to ensure that assistance given to applicants who are subsequently found to be ineligible, can be appropriately recovered. Post disbursement, we also use data analytics to pick out higher-risk profiles for more detailed investigations. MSF takes cases of cheating and fraud seriously. We will continue to take strict enforcement and legal action against those who abuse the system.”
“The majority of Child Protective Service (CPS) staff have at least three years of relevant experience. In the past five years, about 15% of CPS staff had less than one year of relevant experience and about a quarter had one to three years' experience.”
“But I recognise that Singapore Muslims do have connections with the Palestinians. But we also should recognise that we are in a unique position and often not the same situation as many other Muslim communities, especially when they are in the majority. And, therefore, for us being diverse, we have to work together to preserve the peace between ourselves, never be driven, never be divided, and, as I have shared in the Committee of Supply debate, our community thus far has shown and proven themselves where citizenry is concerned. And I hope that as the situation unravels over the next few months, we continue to hold this, that we must never be divided, we must always seek to unite because we are diverse. And that is the only way Singapore can survive. [Applause.]”
“But that is probably where our similarity to Israel ends because we know that the right to self-defence also must comply with international humanitarian law, including principles of necessity and proportionality, principles of distinction and humanity enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. And that is why we voted for two UN General Assembly resolutions which called for a humanitarian ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of the civilian victims in Gaza. And I hope, as leaders, we try to educate people who talk about this to understand the context, what the Government said and why the Government said it. I think it is important that we live as Singaporeans to know why these things have to be said the way they are. Finally, though, most recently, we have seen Minister Vivian Balakrishnan stated in Parliament last week that the Israeli military response has gone too far. And that is, again, a consistent departure from just calling the right for self-defence with the need to balance it with the right of human dignity and human rights, too. Secondly, Singapore is not just a small country. Singapore is a diverse country. We are diverse and if our solution to a small country is to be strong, our solution in being diverse is to be united. And that is why, even as a Minister, I may have my sentiments about the Palestinians, fellow Muslims, but I must also, as a Muslim leader and a Minister in Cabinet in a multiracial, multi-religious society country like ours, speak with one voice in Cabinet inasmuch as Singaporeans should be united and speak with one voice because we need to protect Singapore's national interests both domestically and internationally. A united people, a united Government, that is how we become a strong government, a strong country, despite being small.”
“Thank you, Ms Nadia, for that clarification question. Firstly, every fund that RLAF would have collected would need to be channelled into bodies and use that our Government approves. So, in the previous tranche, we worked with UNRWA and, in the coming tranche, we will work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to identify how these funds will be channelled. And I do not believe this is the last time we will be doing it. I said just now that we will have to move on to do important things that we need to do for the community. I foresee that we will probably need to raise funds again because it does not look like this conflict will be resolved fairly quickly. On the second question, all of us need to recognise two things about Singapore. It is a small country. We may have a strong government, a strong country, but we are a small country. Therefore, when we go out and say things, our foreign policy is based on our long-term interests as a small country. So, it is to safeguard our Independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and all for the sake of our citizens. And these things are most important, in fact, more important for a small country than a big country. So, when we say things, I hope people understand the context upon which we say it. For example, our position on Israel has been consistent. We have said that from the start, Israel has a legitimate right to defend itself from acts of terror. But that is not just for Israel. That is for Singapore, too. In fact, every country has a right of defence against acts of terror. In the case of Israel, it was the incident on 7 October. For us, we have to guard ourselves against any incident and sending the signal that we will act as a right of self-defence.”
“I thank the Member for asking that clarification. Indeed, one of the motivations why we instituted the WMS is to move on away from or to provide alternatives to the traditional wakaf system, which for Singapore, although it has amounted to a billion dollars, most of them are in fixed assets. And when you have a fixed asset, the returns from fixed assets are not very high. In addition to that, the beneficiaries that were named some time 100 or some 200 years ago, either the country does not exist anymore; the village does not exist anymore; let alone the person does not exist anymore. This is not just faced by communities like ourselves, it is faced all over the world. In the meantime, there are good discussions, conferences to evolve the concept of wakaf. In the last fatwa conference, I had a good discussion with Dr Sano, for example, who said that today, the instruments of wakaf has evolved. For example, there is something called a temporary wakaf. That means you pledge your Corpus Fund for, say, one year and that you cannot use it; but the returns will then go into the wakaf – the Corpus Fund goes back to you after that one-year contract. So, that is an evolving and a new way of doing wakaf and whether or not we can do something about the previous and older wakaf. I think for now let us keep to the trust that has been put to our generation, to try as best as we can to execute the will or the intention of those before us who put this wakaf in our trust to benefit the people they wanted to. 6.15 pm”
“I thank the Member for his clarification question. The Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation, like any other organisations, when they want to raise funds – particularly for an overseas purpose – need to regularise, get its permits in place and it will take time. But it will also be time limited by the permit and that was why in the previous exercise of collecting the funds, it was time-limited. I think it is the right thing to do. At the same time, we want to ensure that there is a time where we can focus our efforts in raising these funds. But we must also be able to move on to do other important things for our community and for everyone else. So, I hope that our community will rally. I think it will be an exercise for about a week. And we will raise this awareness about when it starts and when it will end during our Friday sermons as well as through the media.”
“To contribute to the national humanitarian effort and to further support those affected by the crisis, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) will conduct another round of fundraising appeal for Gaza in the upcoming month of Ramadan. We hope that Singaporeans will step forward and contribute generously. The crisis may well be prolonged, and we do not know what will unfold in the coming days. But we must continue to stand together and strengthen the unity that we share. I am heartened that even during such a trying time, our community continues to embody the spirit of citizenry, as Singaporeans providing a whole-of-society support to the Palestinians in our uniquely Singaporean way – contributing to dialogue, giving generously to humanitarian aid, praying for the victims of war, and not forgetting how we can strengthen solidarity with one another. As Muslims welcome the blessed month of Ramadan next week, let us also intensify our prayers for peace and protection – not only for the people in Gaza, but also elsewhere in the world and here at home. 6.00 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, in conclusion, I would like to thank Members for your support and suggestions on how we can continue to deepen our citizenry and grow a culture of contribution. By working together with our community partners, I am confident that we will strive towards a Community of Success and contribute to a bright future for Singapore. [Applause.]”
“Mr Chairman, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] My colleagues and I have spoken on citizenry and our efforts to grow a culture of contributing back to society. This will strengthen our community, so that we are more united and prepared to navigate the future. With geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties, the path ahead of us will be challenging. The issues we face will be more complex and can even be divisive, and it will also test our mettle and unity as a country. Over the past few months, what has weighed heavily on our hearts is the situation in Gaza. It has been heart-breaking for me, and many Singaporeans, to witness the humanitarian tragedy unfolding, and the suffering of many innocent civilians. Bound by our shared humanity, we cannot help but carry with us their pain and suffering. We may be miles away from Gaza, but we still feel connected in our hearts and minds, and we constantly pray for their well-being. From conversations on this crisis with the community, my Parliamentary colleagues and I hear the deep sense of grief, frustration and helplessness that many feel amidst the ongoing crisis. We understand and share these sentiments. With more than 30,000 lives lost and the human toll increasing, Israel's military response has gone too far. The carnage must stop. I reiterate Singapore's calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, so that humanitarian aid can reach those who desperately need it. We are committed to supporting the civilians of Gaza, and Singapore will send a third tranche of aid via Jordan, as shared by Minister Vivian last week.”
“Beyond efforts to strengthen halal cooperation, our minority Muslim community also contributes at the global stage, with how our religious leaders and institutions are internationally recognised for their thought leadership. Our Mufti Dr Nazirudin was recently appointed to the Forum for Research and Studies on Fatwas for Muslim Minorities, a world-renowned body of Islamic scholars founded by Egypt's Darul Ifta', led by the Grand Mufti of Egypt. The Congress plans to showcase Singapore's exemplary model for Muslim minorities to a global audience. We hope that our model of thriving Muslim minorities in a modern, plural society will inspire other communities and pave the way for fostering peace and harmony globally. Mr Chairman, as a community that has done well, it is our mutual responsibility to contribute both within our community and to wider society as well as beyond our shores. It is when every one of us does our part as active citizens that we can advance and scale greater heights and together, be a Community of Success for the future. [Applause.]”
“We will be commemorating the fifth anniversary of Bersamamu later this year. The success of Bersamamu would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our volunteer Kadi, Naib Kadi and female asatizah. (In English): Mr Chairman, as a Community of Success, we take pride not only in actively contributing to society. We also can demonstrate active citizenry on the world stage and bring distinction to our minority Muslim community and to Singapore. Last year, Singapore signed our first MOU to mutually recognise halal certificates with Saudi Arabia. Such MOUs not only allow for halal-certified products from other countries to enter Singapore, but for Singapore companies to bring their halal-certified products overseas. 5.30 pm To Mr Zhulkarnain's query, MUIS works with our economic agencies to do so. MUIS will also explore opportunities for our asatizah to be involved in halal-related industries. Mr Zhulkarnain also asked about the significance of this MOU for our minority Muslim community. The MOU with Saudi Arabia is the first MOU they have signed with a country where Muslims are not the majority. This reflects the strong trust and confidence in our halal standards. More than just expanding business prospects, the MOU has enabled Singapore's minority Muslim community to stand tall in the world. I was glad to join some Singapore business leaders to explore opportunities in Saudi Arabia in January. One of them was Mr Jimmy Soh, Managing Director of Growers Agri which exports rice and noodles, who shared with me that the MOU was a valuable commitment in promoting Singapore brands to the world. Beyond the MOU with Saudi Arabia, MUIS has signed similar MOUs with the UAE and Jordan; and are looking to do the same with other countries.”
“Eminent religious scholars from here and around the world discussed the importance of the fatwa institution and asatizah in providing robust solutions in the face of complex contemporary challenges. Although Singapore is a small state with a minority Muslim community, internationally renowned Islamic institutions like Egypt's Darul Ifta' recognised our country's contributions in building bodies of religious knowledge. This help to facilitate minority Muslims around the world to thrive in their respective contexts. In fact, it also nurtures active citizenry in the respective societies. This is in line with the words of wisdom by the Grand Mufti of Egypt at the Fatwa Conference that minority Muslim communities should exemplify the spirit of active citizenry. To further drive the development of our religious leaders and contextualised bodies of knowledge, MUIS will convene the second edition of the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS) this October. This Conference will focus on how citizenry and community leadership are underpinned by religious values, and add to the body of knowledge of how minority Muslim communities can thrive in plural societies. At the same time, we must also raise the capabilities of our community leaders to offer effective support to families and the community. Mr Fahmi Aliman asked about our efforts to strengthen the competencies of our Kadi, Naib Kadi and female asatizah on the Bersamamu programme. More than 90% of them have undergone training to better guide couples in conversations on financial preparedness for marriage. This helped them be more confident and empathetic in guiding couples. We will further develop their competencies in other areas, so that they can provide more effective support to couples.”
“For all new mosques, all land and building cost are funded by the MBMF. The MBMF also supports up to 75% of the approved cost for mosque upgrading. I hope that contributions to WMS will help to foster a stronger culture of giving back within our community. Senior Minister of State Zaqy will elaborate on how we can empower our community through MENDAKI's initiatives, and with the success that we achieved, we can contribute more actively. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu will share ways we can leverage opportunities for contribution through M3 as a community that has become an educated and talented community. Second, it is critical for our religious and community leaders to continue to have the knowledge, skills and experience, so that they are competent in guiding our community navigate the challenges ahead. This includes developing our madrasah students who will be our future community leaders, as Dr Syed Harun mentioned earlier. As a matter of fact, in recent years, our asatizah have guided the community through difficult issues, such as the wearing of the tudung and the repeal of section 377A of the Penal Code. Ms Nadia Samdin asked about our plans to empower our asatizah to guide the community through contemporary issues. As a minority Muslim community, we face a different set of challenges compared to Muslim majority countries. In this regard, I agree with Dr Syed Harun that MUIS and our asatizah must provide clear leadership and guidance for our minority Muslim community living in such a contemporary context. MUIS has taken concerted efforts to grow bodies of knowledge and one recent initiative is the Fatwa in Contemporary Societies Conference held last month.”
“These include our mosques, developing our asatizah and other community programmes. Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Zhulkarnain asked about the plans to build the corpus or principal fund for WMS. Under the Mosque Wakaf Investment Plan, mosques invest their reserves in Shariah Compliant Investment Products to generate better returns. Thus far, 14 mosques from District West have collectively invested more than $2.7 million. MUIS will expand this initiative to all mosques in other districts, so that they can grow their funds and amplify their impact on the community. While the spirit of gotong-royong has been part of our community's DNA, we need to be more organised and focused in multiplying efforts to encourage our community to contribute for the long term. I would like to thank Mr Zhulkarnain for his suggestion on encouraging more to create and contribute to wakaf. We will work with the relevant agencies to study these proposals. To Mr Sharael Taha's and Mr Zhulkarnain's queries, MUIS has embarked on a series of public education initiatives to equip the community with financial planning knowledge and tools to plan for their personal and family needs. They can thus plan and contribute their excess income and wealth to WMS for the greater good, and reap perpetual rewards in the afterlife. God willing. Since last year, MUIS has received WMS pledges amounting over $3.6 million from individuals, besides the investment of mosques. I am heartened by the community's response so far and I encourage more to contribute or pledge to WMS. Mr Faisal Manap asked about the MBMF. The MBMF provides for the development of all mosques including building upgrading and maintenance, where the allocation of funds are subject to each mosque's specific needs.”
“We are continuing to review the impact of our programmes and will provide updates in due course. What is clear is that M3 has importantly provided the structure to nurture a culture of contribution within the community. Volunteering, including through M3, is part of our national culture that is being celebrated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) this year. To Mr Fahmi Aliman's and Dr Wan Rizal's queries, we have mobilised volunteers across the 11 M3@Towns to deliver greater impact on the ground and support last mile delivery. With a dedicated pool of over 850 volunteers at the M3@Towns, M3 has been able to tackle some of the key issues faced by our community. How can we take our Community of Success to greater heights? I believe this lies in a continued spirit of Citizenry, where we support one another to create a brighter future for our community and for Singapore, which my colleagues and I will speak more about today. I will first share three strategies to fortify our Community of Success: first, encouraging a culture of giving back to build strong community institutions; second, empowering confident religious and community leaders to face contemporary challenges; and third, exemplifying citizenry on the world stage. Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] First, we must continue to ensure strong foundations for our religious institutions. In turn, our religious institutions provide the moral foundation for our community to thrive in the economy. Dr Syed Harun asked how MUIS can continue to support our community's future needs. MUIS established the WMS to generate a sustainable funding stream to support the future religious needs of the community, for the current and future generation.”
“Chairman, our Malay/Muslim community has made significant strides since Independence and over the decades. This is a result of the collective and steadfast effort of everyone in the community. As our Forward SG conversations have highlighted, this sense of care and contribution by everyone, regardless of race, language or religion, is key to strengthening Singapore's social compact. The Singapore Malay/Muslim Community's vision of a Community of Success is underpinned by "3C"s: Character, Competency and Citizenry. This is supported by M3, which marshals the strengths and resources of three institutions – MUIS, MENDAKI and PA MESRA – and our community assets to better serve the needs and aspirations of our community. It has been about five years since M3 was set up. Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Dr Syed Harun and Mr Faisal Manap asked about the progress and outcomes of M3. Through a more culturally nuanced approach that complements national efforts, we have been able to provide impactful programmes in the community. For example, through the Bersamamu programme, more than 26,000 couples have been supported by the Kadi and Naib Kadi or Muslim solemnisers to build stronger marriages. To Dr Syed Harun's query, the number of new Malay drug abusers arrested has fallen from 513 in 2013, to 351 in 2023. The two-year recidivism rate for Malay offenders has also improved over the past decade from 34.7% for the 2011 release cohort, to 26% for the 2021 release cohort. The improvements have been made possible through complementary efforts by the Government and M3 community programmes like FITRAH to preventing re-offending. While it has been five years of M3, it would be too early to celebrate its success even as there are early and good indicators of it.”
“As I had mentioned in my speech, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua is now leading a task force to conduct an overall review of the FSC landscape and certainly, the area our Member mentioned just now will be one of the areas that he will be looking at.”
“The families who live in rental homes who have children, part of them are already under the FSC. So, they have a relationship with the FSC social worker and this is not an additional job for them. It is to let them do their work even better because we give them more tools to incentivise their families to achieve their lifelong goals, in addition to resolving issues like divorce or family violence and so forth. So, I do not see this as an additional burden to them but actually they would very much welcome that now they have more tools to enable them to achieve the objectives that they want for these families.”
“So, I hope that corporates, whether you do it on-site or as a family day outing, extend this to other families who may be needy, as part of corporate responsibility, too.”
“Thank you, Mr Yong, for that opportunity for me to call for even more participation from all my colleagues here. And I hope that when we do the National Family Festival, it is not something that is top-down, something that FFL does or MSF does, but also for grassroots organisations, corporates to participate, whether or not they get reported in media or otherwise, because I think when this festivity goes on throughout Singapore, and then, like what Mr Yong was mentioning just now, get everyone involved, whether they are disabled or from a needy family, I think this will augur well for what Singapore is about, an inclusive and caring society. But we do have to get a ground-up initiative. We want to have ideas, what can be done. Just to give Members an example I tried in my own Community Club where we have a simple two-hour sit-down family chillax. Just everyone can come and we just charge $5. I have a little surplus in my Community Club, I say let us spend and give families a good time. But for the families which are living in rentals, who we know are in the ComLink+ or other programmes, we get the befrienders as well as SSOs to tell us who they are, invite them and charge them maybe just $1. Because they have to show they have a ticket. And I do not think free is always good, to show that they will be committed to come. But when they came, we did not know, we did not identify so-and-so was needy, so-and-so was disabled. Everyone was just sitting around having a chill time and it was a great atmosphere. So, it does not have to be very structured. Just have a band play for them from five to seven, food truck, free flow of food, that kind of festivity I think will be very welcomed.”
“Volunteer managers can access resources from the NCSS Volunteer Resource Hub to guide them in tapping the creativity and expertise of volunteers to address social issues and to better attract and retain them. Together, we create opportunities for more to give and build a society that cares for one another. Chairman, allow me to continue in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, families are the foundation of our society. The Government will continue strengthening our support to enable families to grow and thrive through every stage of life. In line with Forward SG plans, the Government will strengthen support for lower-income families by focusing on social empowerment through the ComLink+. Volunteers play a pivotal role in uplifting families in need. I am heartened by their contribution. For instance, under Project DIAN@M³, volunteers have assisted 250 Malay ComLink+ families. They build trust with these families. These volunteers also check in with them regularly and address immediate concerns by connecting them to available support schemes. Moving forward, volunteers will continue to work closely with ComLink+ officers to provide more comprehensive support for ComLink+ families. I am confident that with the help of volunteers, we will work towards helping these families to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility. (In English): Chairperson, carrying forth the spirit of Forward SG, let us work together to build a caring and inclusive society, a brighter and better Singapore for all families.”
“They place donation boxes at the check-in counters and food and beverage (F&B) outlets, to make giving more accessible to their customers. Customers can also donate when they are paying their bills or by redeeming membership reward points. With the customers' spending and contributions as the starting point, the amount is multiplied as the hotel donates a dollar for every dinner buffet cover. The Government further multiplies the contributions by matching 50 cents to every dollar donated by customers, and another 50 cents to every dollar if businesses match their customer's donation. We will extend this matching till Financial Year 2027. Through this, we hope to create a multiplier effect that amplifies giving in our society. Mr Chairman, we are strengthening touchpoints with Singaporeans at every stage of their lives to encourage them to contribute to the society – their time, talent, their treasure. To the questions raised by Ms Yeo Wan Ling, Mr Keith Chua and Ms Ng Ling Ling – this is how we will galvanise the community, from young to old, from one generation to the next. We will continue to work with our partners, from corporates to SSAs, to rally more to contribute. Corporates have shown growing interest in being more strategic in their corporate social responsibility effort. We are making progress in developing the Sustainable Philanthropy Framework to guide them in benchmarking and articulating their social impact. NCSS has been engaging leaders across diverse sectors to better shape the framework. This month, we will be extending our reach by holding consultations with the wider business community. We are also enhancing the capabilities of volunteer managers in SSAs.”
“One way is through donations to the Community Chest, or ComChest, which go towards supporting services for vulnerable groups. I will talk about two ComChest initiatives – SHARE and Change for Charity. SHARE reminds us that sustained giving, even in small amounts, can add up and lead to meaningful impact over time. Many donors put in a few dollars to SHARE each month. Collectively, these individual donations amass an average of $16 million per year. Through SHARE, we also see how acts of caring often start from young. This year is the 40th Anniversary of our iconic mascot, Sharity, who will continue engaging students in schools to inculcate the values of caring and sharing. Mr Gerald Rodrigues is part of the pioneer batch of donors on SHARE and a former Police officer. His interactions with lower-income families ignited a desire to help those with less, as he empathised with the hardships they faced. Gerald started donating through his monthly payroll. It has been 39 years. And he continues to donate regularly through SHARE. Donors like Gerald inspire us to care for others. To encourage more to give, the Government will continue to match new and incremental donations to SHARE. We will do so for another two years till Financial Year 2025. More recently, we introduced Change for Charity to amplify giving through a whole-of-society effort. City Developments Limited (CDL) is one of the businesses that has implemented Change for Charity. At Millennium Hotels and Resorts, a subsidiary group of CDL with six hotels in Singapore, they make it convenient for customers to donate. Mr Andy Tan led his team in brainstorming ideas to weave giving mechanisms in their business model and pushing for the implementation.”
“When Mdm Marlina had difficulty buying school materials needed for her son at Primary 1 due to her financial situation, Susan guided them through the MOE Financial Assistance Scheme application. Her son managed to start primary school with all his books and school uniform needed. Today, Susan continues offering the family a listening ear and assisting them in meeting their needs. For instance, Susan and the family coach explained the importance of getting Mdm Marlina's son glasses as soon as possible when he was found to need them. Susan found community support to make the glasses more affordable and later accompanied them to make a pair. We thank volunteers like Susan for their dedication and partnership. 2.45 pm Second, our volunteers give generously, by contributing their talent and skills. For example, employees of SP Group regularly volunteer with SSAs. Some are seasoned volunteers who are familiar with the challenges faced by vulnerable families, so they contribute their insights and co-curate programmes with SSAs. Others tap on their own areas of expertise to contribute. Ms Tay Xin Ci and her engineer colleagues run classes to teach children from vulnerable families how to build solar powered toy cars. The children learn not only about solar power but are inspired by these "big brothers and sisters". Xin Ci is also part of the SP Heart Workers committee, which spearheads volunteering activities for SP Group throughout the year. When individuals with different skills come forward, families benefit from the opportunities and range of support offered. Third, many give generously their treasures. They contribute their resources and give in different ways.”
“MSF and NCSS will continue creating pathways for more to enter the sector and progress in their career. For instance, we are working with IHLs to engage students. We are also attracting mid-career entrants through the Career Conversion Programmes and these professionals can benefit from the new SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme announced by Deputy Prime Minister Wong in the Budget Statement. Together with SSAs, we are improving the value proposition of roles through job redesign, strengthening their organisational capabilities and working on talent retention measures. To support the development of our professionals, we have the Skills Framework for Social Service. We are also working with relevant professional associations and providers to monitor the standards, qualification and training required for the different professions. Together, we will build a stronger social service sector. Our ecosystem is made of another important group of people: our volunteers. Last year, we celebrated the partnerships with our social service partners. This year, we build on these partnerships and have dedicated 2024 as the Year of Celebrating Volunteers. Anyone, and everyone, can be a volunteer. Volunteers are people who give generously their time, talent and treasures to support others. First, our volunteers give generously their time. We see these in the individuals that make up our MSFCare Network. They work with MSF in initiatives, such as ComLink+. Miss Susan Lim is one such volunteer. Since October 2022, she has been befriending Mdm Marlina and her son. And as any parent would know, the transition into primary school is an exciting but hectic one.”
“This comprises a group of deeply committed partners, professionals and volunteers. The different groups of partners, our SSAs, academics and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) and corporates, come together to support those in need. To meet the evolving needs of our society, the social service sector needs 2,000 more professionals over the next five years. Mr Keith Chua asked about our plans to attract, recruit and retain professionals. The Government and partners, including SSAs, must work together to make the social service sector a career of choice. One key aspect is to ensure that the salaries in the sector are commensurate with the hard work and skillsets of our professionals. Last year, we reviewed the Social Service Sector Salary Guidelines to ensure salaries are competitive with comparable roles in competing markets. MSF and National Council of Social Service (NCSS) also adjusted funding to ensure professionals supporting our funded programmes can be paid within the guidelines. Currently, around 80% of employees in the sector are paid within the salary guidelines. We expect our funded providers to adhere to and pay employees within the guidelines over the next three years. We will work closely with SSAs that require additional support, including providing targeted consultancy support. The social service sector is a people-oriented sector. All the more, we need to care for our people, so that they can better care for our beneficiaries. Apart from a range of NCSS' resources on self-care and wellness that our professionals can access, the SkillsFuture Tripartite Taskforce also promotes emotional and mental wellness at work through the Joy@Social Services movement.”
“On average, among children who are enrolled in Anchor Operator preschools, children from lower-income families have a monthly attendance rate of about 72%, lower than the 79% attendance rate of their middle-income peers. Their families may also have less resources to support their learning at home. From the second quarter of this year, we will provide more resources to selected Anchor Operator preschools to equip them in providing effective and timely support to the children under their care. Anchor Operators will co-fund this targeted support and use the additional resources to support the children, such as providing dedicated small group learning lessons and addressing the challenges that families face in sending their children to preschool regularly. As Minister Maliki shared, MOE will also similarly strengthen initiatives in MOE Kindergartens to support children from lower-income families. Taken together, these measures will help address the challenges that lower-income families face and enable their children to learn, play and develop holistically alongside their peers. Even as we step up these efforts, we cannot overlook the importance of the home environment and parents' role in shaping their children's development. This is why KidSTART, which has supported more than 8,500 children to date, focuses on equipping parents with the knowledge and skills to nurture their children. In partnership with the FFL Council, we will increase the accessibility of parenting resources for lower-income families. In this way, the efforts of parents and preschool educators complement each other and lay a strong foundation for the children to flourish. Our efforts to strengthen families are made possible by a strong social service ecosystem.”
“This could be due to a variety of factors. Parents may have concerns about being able to afford preschool fees, be less aware of the benefits of preschool, or may have to juggle work and family commitments with fewer resources. We will be rolling out several measures to help children from lower-income families reap the benefits of our investments in the early years. First, we will provide greater assurance to lower-income families that they can afford to send their children to preschool. All families on ComCare assistance or residing in public rental flats already automatically qualify for maximum childcare subsidies. As Deputy Prime Minister Wong announced in the Budget speech, we will extend similar support to more lower-income families. All lower-income families with a monthly household income of $6,000 and below will qualify for the maximum amount of childcare subsidies for their income tier. Up to 17,000 additional children stand to benefit when we introduce this move from the fourth quarter of 2024. Second, we will expand proactive outreach to all lower-income families from the third quarter of 2024 to encourage them to enrol their children in preschools. Preschool outreach workers and ComLink+ family coaches will work with parents to help them understand the importance of preschool and to enrol their child in a suitable preschool. As part of the ComLink+ Packages, ComLink+ families can benefit from financial top-ups when they enrol their children early and send them to preschool regularly. Third, we will support families in maximising the benefits of quality preschool education. We recognise that children from lower-income families may require more support even after they enrol in preschools.”
“While SSAs put in effort to coordinate with one another, the family may still find it tedious to interface with multiple partners. Another concern is that we may not always be addressing the underlying issues, as each partner is focused on tackling the issue at hand. In the next decade, we will also face more demographic challenges. We will become a super-aged society and household structures may change. But as our society changes, there are opportunities for us to adapt to meet the emerging needs and support families in an even more coordinated manner. Our vision is for families in need to receive support through a single primary touchpoint for family services, who can address the needs of different family members in a holistic and more coordinated manner to achieve better outcomes for the entire family. I am pleased to announce that MSF will be establishing a review committee on the Family Services Landscape. In line with the spirit of Forward SG, we will engage and co-create the future landscape with the sector. The committee will be chaired by Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua and will comprise representatives from sector partners. We will share more details when ready. Mr Chairman, we have been concerted in our efforts to support lower-income families towards achieving social mobility. A key aspect of our strategy to sustain social mobility in Singapore is to uplift children and for all children to have a good start in life regardless of their background. While preschool enrolment rates of children from lower-income families have increased, these remain lower than the national average. About eight in 10 children aged three to four from lower-income families are enrolled in preschool, compared to the national average of nine in 10.”
“In other words, we want to move beyond assistance to empowerment. That is why we introduced ComLink+ as part of Forward SG. ComLink+ families now have a dedicated family coach who coaches, motivates and journeys with them as they work towards their longer-term goals. Ms Denise Phua will be pleased to hear that of the approximately 10,000 ComLink+ families that have agreed to work with us, 97% are receiving family coach support as at end-2023. This includes families supported by Family Service Centres (FSCs), whose case workers perform the family coach function. As families take active steps towards their goals, they can receive financial top-ups from ComLink+ Progress Packages to multiply the impact of their efforts and help them better focus on achieving their goals. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua will elaborate. These enhancements to ComLink+ and partnerships with FSCs show how we place family-centricity at the heart of everything we do. As Mr Melvin Yong observed, besides lower-income families, FSCs also serve other families. Like general practitioner (GP) clinics providing healthcare in the community, FSCs are community-based agencies that provide casework expertise to support families with social and emotional needs. For over 30 years, FSCs have evolved their practice to serve changing needs of clients to help them achieve the "3S"s – Self-reliance, Stability and Social mobility. Today, the landscape of family services has grown and FSCs work alongside many other agencies to support families. A family with complex needs, apart from receiving support from an FSC, may also receive support from other social service agencies (SSAs) for domestic violence, family counselling or youth programmes for their children.”
“That is why the Council is also looking to work with employers, who play a crucial role in fostering a family-friendly environment, to offer marriage and parenting resources or talks at their workplaces. Community partners and volunteers are equally critical in supporting our mission to build strong families. It is wonderful to see the FFL movement growing steadily. Last year, over 150 corporate and community partners, such as CapitaLand Malls and Singapore Heart Foundation, alongside 400 volunteers, came together to support the National Family Week. We will continue to grow this movement. From this year, the FFL Council will expand the event to a month-long National Family Festival. I encourage all families to make use of the FFL resources and participate in the National Family Festival, which will start from 25 May, when the school holidays begin. We look forward, too, to collaborating with more partners to offer families an engaging experience. With the effort of many, we build a Singapore Made for Families. Mr Melvin Yong asked how we can foster a society where no one is left behind. Our goal is for every Singaporean family to be a strong and stable family. This includes lower-income families. Lower-income families often face additional challenges, as Ms Denise Phua observed. Social assistance alone may not be enough. For example, families may have to stretch their limited finances to meet different needs while also balancing their work, caregiving and rest. This can lead to "bandwidth tax", where families are focused on the day-to-day and not be able to plan for the long-term. Beyond providing social assistance, we want to partner families as they work towards their aspirations and reinforce their strengths to build better lives for themselves and their children.”
“As I shared in the Ministry of Health (MOH) Committee of Supply, we are enhancing support for couples in their journey through pregnancy and parenthood. The early years of our children are critical and for new parents, possibly the most challenging time too. Over the years, parents have greater access to affordable and quality preschools. We will continue to enhance these efforts. We are also helping working parents balance work responsibilities and infant caregiving. The Government is tackling this in several ways, which Minister of State Sun Xueling will elaborate on. We recently enhanced the Government-Paid Paternity Leave. We encourage eligible fathers to use the paternity leave and work is in progress to allow more fathers to benefit from the additional two weeks of leave. But we do not stop at the early years. We are making programmes and resources even more accessible to support the range of family relationships. The Families for Life (FFL) movement, led by the FFL Council, brings together various partners to offer marriage and parenting programmes in the community. Currently in nine towns, I am pleased to share that this will be expanded to 18 towns by the end of this year. We have also recently partnered Anchor Operators to offer FFL parenting programmes to parents of preschoolers in their neighbourhoods. Ms Ng Ling Ling will be happy to note that the Council will roll out more parenting resources to better support families with teenagers. We have also launched a new self-help tool, Our Marriage Journey Quiz, last month, to help couples assess their relationship well-being akin to physical health checks. 2.30 pm Mr Melvin Yong and Ms Ng Ling Ling referred to the collective effort by everyone in society to build a Singapore Made for Families. I agree.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their suggestions. As a country, we have been able to weather storms and emerge stronger because we have strong families and a strong social compact. Forward SG reaffirmed that Singaporeans continue to value the importance of the family. There was also strong consensus to be a society where all families have the opportunity to succeed. I will touch on three key approaches to achieve this mission. First, working together to support families through every stage of life, strengthening marriages, supporting parents from their children's early years and caring for our seniors. Second, we will move beyond assistance to empowering families in need. We have started this through ComLink+ and will go further to uplift children from lower-income families. Third, the Government will come alongside the social service sector, corporates and Singaporeans to strengthen families, uplift those in need and reinforce their efforts to ensure sustained impact. We invite more to volunteer and contribute their time, their talent and their treasures. Together, we will build a caring and inclusive society and sustain social mobility in Singapore. Let me elaborate. Today, couples are staying together longer and recent cohorts show a lower proportion of marriages dissolving before the 10th anniversary. I am heartened that more couples recognise the importance of continuing to invest in their marriage. They proactively look for marriage and parenting resources rather than seeking help only when the relationship is on the rocks. We affirm society's commitment to families and will continue to strengthen families, our anchor in years to come. We do this by supporting families throughout their lives.”
“I would like to say that the courses run by the NSA is doing very well. In fact, 100,000 places were taken up in FY2020 and it has doubled in 2023. The agency, or the body, that runs and takes care of this programme is the Council for Third Age and we will work with them, as suggested by the Member, to increase even more awareness about the programmes. They will do this through the usual publicity channels like social media, roadshows, community touchpoints, partnership events. For example, even the annual National Celebration of Seniors events will be one marquee event, where they will be present and to bring up the awareness of the availability of all these programmes that our seniors can meet their aspirations and their interests. On the waiting time for nursing home, while waiting for placement at nursing home, there are ways which we can help our patients – particularly those, for example, who are medically stable in our public hospitals. They can be referred to the transitional care facilities. There, they can work out the longer-term arrangements while waiting for a nursing home to be available if they are not. There is one touchpoint in every hospital, which is the AIC Link. In nine hospitals, they are available and I hope that residents or caregivers of these patients can go and meet up with the staff at these centres, where they can provide both plans for short-term post discharge, as well as the longer-term needs of their parents or the people they are caring for.”
“To the Member's query, yes, we will consider directly appointing providers who already have an established local presence. And of course, they must have a good track record in engaging or serving residents living in the area among other criteria that will be considered.”
“The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) has a comprehensive set of regulations including staff-child ratio requirements to ensure the safety and well-being of children. Licensees must ensure that staff-child ratios are abided by at all times during a centre’s operating hours. The operator must take all possible measures to ensure the safety of children, which may include redeploying staff or engaging relief staff to temporarily cover duties. Currently, 23 (about 1%) of preschools did not meet the qualified staff-child ratios at the point of license renewal and are on a six or 12-month licence. In practice, preschool operators can and do operate with more staff than required, depending on activities being conducted and manpower available. To ensure adequate manpower supply in the sector, ECDA has taken steps to improve the career proposition and working conditions of educators, so that more are encouraged to join and remain in the preschool sector. ECDA is also reviewing ways to grow a pool of relief staff to support the sector’s ad hoc needs. ECDA is mindful that further raising the minimum staff-child ratios across the sector will have an impact on overall manpower demand and availability of services.”
“The number of citizen mothers with non-marital births1 in 2022 was 540 for mothers below 35 years old, 22 for those 35 years old and 141 for those aged 36 and older. The 2023 data is not yet available.”
“The Development Support-Learning Support (DS-LS) Programme supports preschool children aged five and six with mild developmental delays or learning needs. In 2021, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) piloted the extension of the DS-LS programme to children aged three and four in 20 preschool centres. The pilot is still in progress.”
“The average monthly income for working citizen mothers with non-marital births has increased over the years. For those below 35 years old, the average monthly salaries rose from $2,500 in 2020 to $2,600 in 2022. For those aged 35 and older, it rose from $5,900 in 2020 to $6,800 in 2022. Similarly, the median for those below 35 years old rose from $700 in 2020 to $1,100 in 2022 and rose from $3,400 in 2020 to $5,400 in 2022 for those 35 years old and above. The 2023 data is not yet available. Incomes for those below 35 years old is lower as they also include young mothers who may work in part-time jobs or only for a few months of the year. As explained in the reply to a similar question in November 2022, wage information for the single age band of 35 to 36 years is not available due to small population size. [Please refer to "Annual Median and Average Monthly Income of Single Unwed Parents in Past Four Years", Official Report, 8 November 2022, Vol 95, Issue 74, Written Answers to Questions section.]”
“A child in alternative care will be returned to their family only after safety and risk concerns have been addressed. Case officers consider factors, such as parents' ability to continue providing safe care for the child; the stability of the family circumstances and living environment; the involvement of the family’s support network; and the progress of both parents and child in the course of the case intervention. After the child is returned to the family, case officers conduct home visits where parents and child are engaged both together and separately. They look for whether any of the protective factors that supported the decision to reunite the child and family have changed. They also assess the living environment for any signs of concern. Updated assessments from professionals working with the family and updated interviews from the family's support network and trusted adults are also reviewed. In other words, case officers look for corroborative evidence and do not rely on bare assertions or assurances. If no safety concerns are identified, case officers work with community agencies to continue monitoring and supporting the family. However, if safety concerns are identified, case officers will take other courses of action. These could involve stepping up safety measures by involving trusted adults or exercising statutory powers to remove the child from the family.”
“The Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) provides eligible persons with disabilities with a means-tested subsidy of up to 90% of the cost of the required equipment, subject to a lifetime cap of $40,000. About 9,100 individuals have applied for the ATF from 2019 to 2023, of which 98% of applications were successful. The mean subsidy amount supported is $1,520 and the median subsidy amount supported is $1,020. SG Enable has not received any appeals for further disbursements beyond the $40,000 lifetime cap.”
“Over the past five years, an annual average of about 175 Care and Protection Orders (CPOs) have been applied for and about 165 CPOs were ordered by the Youth Court.”