Melvin Yong Yik Chye
Singapore
“But with greater autonomy must come stronger support and safeguards, especially for those who may be less equipped to navigate these decisions. At CASE, we strongly believe that consumer empowerment must go hand-in-hand with consumer protection.”
“Thank you, Sir. I have three questions on the balance between punishment and rehabilitation. One, how will schools be guided to balance disciplinary action with counselling and restorative practices? I think the Minister mentioned it. Whether MOE will track recidivism rates to assess if these rehabilitation efforts are effective?”
“Sir, I thank the Minister of State for his reply, and we are heartened. The Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) will be happy to work with MAS on consumer protection measures. For consumers, we often use GIRO when we want to so call, "set and forget", recurring payments.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary have we done a study on the profiles of those PMETs who have been retrenched and also, what are the types of jobs that the market is looking for?”
“Unlike support for persons with disabilities, there is currently no dedicated funding mechanism to incentivise employers to provide workplace accommodations for workers returning to work after serious non-work-related illnesses or medical conditions.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for her answers. I have two questions. First, whether IMDA currently mandates stress testing or simulation of failover systems under peak or adverse conditions and if not, whether such requirements will be introduced following IMDA's review.”
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“Mr Chairman, the announcement that the Foreign Worker Quota for the services sector would be reduced has once again put a spotlight on migrant workers in Singapore. While the Dependency Ratio Ceilings for the other sectors remain unchanged for now, it is important that we continually take steps to focus on improving productivity at our workplaces. As at June 2018, we have more than 950,000 Work Permit holders working in Singapore, with more than 280,000 of them in the construction sector. With selected training, these migrant workers can contribute to productivity improvements. The Government should consider implementing a national training and skills recognition framework, similar to WSQ, for migrant workers. For foreign domestic workers (FDW), the Labour Movement hopes to obtain the MOM's support to expand the pilot skills certification programme offered by the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) to further improve the employment ecosystem for FDWs. Having safe and conducive employment conditions is important to ensure that Singapore remains a choice employment destination for our migrant workers. One area which the Migrant Workers' Centre and CDE have been focusing on in recent years is to encourage employers to adopt electronic salary payments. We have seen some encouraging results thus far, and I hope that the Government can consider mandating electronic salary payments to migrant workers, to prevent cases of employer abuse. As part of the Work Permit application process, we need to better educate employers on their responsibilities to the migrant workers they employ. Having a common understanding on the rights of migrant workers will serve to prevent potential disputes.”
“There is no room for complacency in WSH and, therefore, I urge our tripartite partners to support making it a mandatory requirement for every company to have a trained WSH representative, to make WSH more pervasive in our workplaces. Making WSH more pervasive in every industry will be no easy feat, especially if you consider the diverse nature of our workforce. Every industry has its own unique balance of local to foreign workforce ratio, and the nationalities within the foreign workforce are diverse. The fact that we have too many training vendors that conduct the WSH Workforce Skills Qualification (WSG) courses – about a dozen at my last count – and the significant variance in training resources provided by these vendors, make implementing a standardised culture of WSH even more challenging. The National WSH Training Academy can help ensure high and consistent WSH standards across sectors. A centralised WSH Academy can also serve as a Centre of Excellence in WSH. The Centre can establish a central registry of WSH practitioners, share industry best practices and showcase the use of new technologies to strengthen safety standards. Our SMEs would be the biggest beneficiaries from such a Centre of Excellence, as they have limited resources and will not be able to invest heavily in developing new WSH technologies. 2.45 pm All workers deserve to go home safe and in good health to their families and loved ones every day. The Labour Movement stands ready to work with our tripartite partners on suggestions and proposals to raise WSH standards across Singapore so that we can all benefit from safer and healthier workplaces. Help for Workers who are Owed Salaries”
“Mr Chairman, I touched on WSH in my Budget Debate speech and spoke about the need to continually invest in our WSH practices to ensure that our workers can return home safely to their families every day. I mentioned four areas that we could do more to safeguard our workers' safety and health. Let me now elaborate on the context why we need to implement these four recommendations. First, I called for our tripartite partners to place more emphasis on workplace health. Our workforce is ageing. This will cause a gradual shift in the types of WSH issues we will see in the workplace. For example, we will likely see more cases of chronic occupational diseases. Poor workplace health contributes to work-related injuries and fatalities. We need to place a greater emphasis on workplace health sooner, rather than later, to address such issues early. Second, I called for differentiated insurance premiums to increase the cost to companies with poor WSH track record as a deterrence. Although workplace fatalities have dropped to an all-time low in 2018, the number of major and minor injuries has actually increased. This could mean one of two things. Either we were extremely lucky that the accidents did not lead to a fatality, or that today's better medical science has saved victims of serious accidents from possible death. Whatever the reason may be, we need to do more to encourage companies to reduce the number of accidents at our workplaces. Having a tiered insurance framework where companies will have to pay higher insurance premiums if there are many claims of the same incident nature will go some way towards achieving this. The 2018 National WSH Statistics have shown that even low-risk sectors were not spared from workplace accidents and injuries.”
“Let us continue to invest in lifelong learning and put in place strong measures for WSH to ensure a well-trained, future-ready, safe and healthy workforce. Because, I am very sure, this House will agree with me that Every Worker Matters. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.”
“Insurance companies should put in place a tiered insurance premium framework under WICA, where companies will have to pay higher insurance premiums if there are many claims of the same incident nature. Third, every company must have a trained WSH representative. The current legislation only mandates for a WSH officer to be appointed in some workplaces, such as shipyards, petroleum processing plants and factories which employ over 100 people. According to the 2018 National WSH Statistics Report released last week, even lower risk sectors are not spared from WSH accidents. As such, we should consider expanding the requirement of having a trained WSH representative to all companies, to make WSH pervasive in every workplace. Fourth, we need a National WSH Training Academy. Our workforce is diverse and it is this cultural diversity in our workforce that makes it challenging to train our local and foreign workers in workplace safety. There are currently 12 approved training providers that conduct WSH WSQ courses for the construction and metal working industries, but the training resources at each of these training providers can vary significantly. Having a National WSH Training Academy will better ensure high and consistent WSH standards across all sectors, particularly in high-risk sectors like construction and manufacturing. I will speak more about this during the upcoming Committee of Supply debate. In conclusion, the Labour Movement is heartened by the Government's commitment and investment in our workers throughout the years, in particular, the focus on deepening worker capabilities in this year's Budget. This is a Government that cares for our workers.”
“This will not only save employees' travel time and hassle, it also minimises downtime for the company. To ensure that upgrading workers' skills is seen as a priority towards a company’s transformation, training must be formalised and recognised by the management. Therefore, I encourage companies to work with the Labour Movement to make training a shared responsibility and make training real for our workers. Mr Speaker, let me now touch on workplace safety and health (WSH). It is imperative that we continue to invest in WSH practices to ensure that our workers can return home to their families, safe and healthy, everyday. Our closely coordinated tripartite efforts in recent years have started to bear fruits. Workplace fatalities in 2018 have reached a record low of 41 cases. But despite the decrease in fatalities, the number of major and minor injuries have increased. There are four areas that we can do more to safeguard our workers' safety and health at the workplace. First, we need to place more emphasis on workplace health. Our workforce is ageing and many have shared with me that they are increasingly facing higher stress levels at work. Recent studies have shown that poor workplace health contributes to work-related injuries and fatalities. We can do more to place more emphasis on workplace health, for example, by mandating yearly health check-ups for better detection and prevention of chronic occupational diseases. Second, to encourage employers to build safer and healthier workplaces, we need to increase the cost to companies with poor WSH track record as deterrence. Under the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), all employees doing manual work, as well as all employees earning $1,600 or less per month need to be insured.”
“He was one of the pioneers to complete the course and shared with me that there were plenty of hands-on practices during the course which made the training very much easier to understand. He was also appreciative of this chance to develop skills and knowledge that would come in handy in his daily work. I hope the story of Bus Captain Varathan will inspire many more workers to have a lifelong learning attitude and be open to training and upskilling. Second, let us bring training closer to workers to support them in this lifelong learning journey. Some courses simply cannot be done online. For courses that require physical premises, our schools and IHLs can be a convenient location for workers to go and upgrade themselves. The Labour Movement has begun taking steps to bring training closer to our workers. Let me cite an example. The United Workers of Electronics and Electrical Industries (UWEEI) have signed memorandums of understanding with three polytechnics in the west, east and north to provide workers with a wide variety of training courses at locations close to their workplace or their home. For SMEs worried about sending their employees for training over a long period of time, we can bring training closer to them by having modular courses offered online. SMEs can leverage NTUC's e2i U Leap app. This is a mobile learning platform that allows users to learn bite-sized modules on the go and take anywhere between 30 minutes and two hours off work to focus on learning during the week. Last year, e2i also released U Leap Enterprise, a mobile learning platform where e2i works with companies to curate specific courses for their workers, which I think is very suitable for SMEs to address their workers’ training needs.”
“The Government can encourage workers to go for training and build depth in their chosen fields by allowing all local polytechnic and university courses to be automatically offset by the SkillsFuture Credit. This should cover all types of courses, be it part-time diplomas, specialist certificates, executive education programmes or one-off specialist modules. Given the more expensive nature of such courses, I would urge the Government to consider providing a top-up to the SkillsFuture Credit to encourage Singaporeans to go for these courses that provide them with more depth to support their career goals. Better still, I hope the Government can give all adult Singaporeans a second bite of the cherry by providing education subsidies to mature students who wish to pursue a diploma or degree in our local IHLs. This will certainly cement our commitment to invest in lifelong learning. Helping to identify training needs and craft in-depth training courses is an area where tripartite cooperation is useful. The National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) has been actively working with LTA and the public transport operators to help our workers upskill and reskill. This includes setting up the Singapore Bus Academy and the Singapore Rail Academy to provide workers with relevant and timely training. Last year, the union worked with Singapore Bus Services Transit (SBST) to roll out the Operator-Maintainer training course, which empowers our bus captains to perform simple vehicle repairs. At the course’s graduation ceremony, I met 63-year-old Bus Captain Varathan. He has been a bus captain for over 40 years and this was the first time he was taught to do maintenance work on his vehicle.”
“Some have also given me feedback that the process of course selection can be disheartening, especially when they find that a course offered by a polytechnic or university is not eligible for reimbursement by their SkillsFuture Credit. The second challenge is cost. The $500 SkillsFuture Credit offered by the Government may not be sufficient for a variety of reasons. Many courses cost more than $500 and, often, going on a single one-off training course would deplete one's entire SkillsFuture Credit account. Many workers do harbour hopes of returning to school to get that diploma or degree that they did not pursue when they were younger. But the cost of these courses can be prohibitive, as they are no longer eligible for the same subsidies enjoyed by our young Singaporean students. The third challenge is simply the lack of time. Many working in the SMEs tell me that they do not have time to go for training as their organisations are already so manpower-lean. Those in the MNCs do not have it easier either. They tell me that while they are given the time to go for training in the day, they end up pulling what they call “double shifts” – having to still complete their work at night after class, in the office or at home. Cost and time are two of the most common reasons given by those who have yet to utilise their SkillsFuture Credits. How then can we collectively work to address these challenges that our workers are facing? I am proposing three strategies: (a) build depth; (b) bring training closer to workers; and (c) formalise the importance of training with management. First, building depth.”
“Mr Speaker, Budget 2019 has been billed as a strategic plan aimed at building a strong and united Singapore. I am glad that the Minister for Finance has acknowledged in his Budget Speech that strengthening Singapore's economic competitiveness is an ever-continuing journey and there is more that we can do to support Singaporeans on this journey. My speech today will focus on two areas which I think we can do more, especially for working Singaporeans – in Training and in Workplace Safety and Health. First, all of us in the Labour Movement are heartened to hear that the Government will be dedicating $3.6 billion towards helping our workers thrive and adapt to industrial and technological changes. With the increasing pace of technological advancement, we must ensure that workers – be it those in multinational corporations (MNCs) or those in SMEs – are able to tap on training opportunities and ensure that they continue to stay relevant amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution. From the feedback that I have received in my weekly visits to workplaces and through speaking to a broad spectrum of blue- and white-collar workers, I have identified three key challenges facing our workers when it comes to training. They are course, cost and time. Let me elaborate. The first challenge that workers face comes when selecting their courses. The Government rolled out the SkillsFuture initiative to encourage a culture of lifelong learning. This initiative has done well, with about 465,000 Singaporeans benefiting from SkillsFuture Credit training subsidies. However, there is an overemphasis on having a breadth of courses available, rather than having in-depth SkillsFuture courses to help build mastery in the domain.”
“With our rapidly ageing population, more can be done by all stakeholders – employers, the Government, the community – to enhance support to caregivers, and to help our seniors age with purpose. With that, I support both Motions.”
“Mr Speaker, it is a fact that it is inevitable that we will all grow old. Some of us will have the fortune to be surrounded by our loved ones who will take care of us no matter what, be it to take on an informal caregiving role, or to hire a professional caregiver. Some, however, will be admitted to a nursing home due to various personal and family circumstances. I would like to ask the Government to review the current funding model for nursing homes. The current model requires bidders to compete primarily on price. As a result, VWOs and social enterprises like NTUC Health have to bid low to secure the tender. But this is an unsustainable race to the bottom. Many operators are losing money and the VWOs have to regularly raise funds to cover the deficit. With a rapidly ageing population and the need to increase the number of nursing home places in the years to come, the charity money may run dry. Losses will mount and the current funding model is likely to unravel at some point in time. Even before that happens, the current funding model already requires our nursing homes to stretch every dollar today. It is not difficult to imagine how a lack of funds can affect the service standards at our nursing homes. Our seniors deserve better and I urge the Government to rethink the way we fund our nursing homes. Mr Speaker, this Government has shown that it has a heart for our people, in particular, our seniors, who have worked hard to bring Singapore to where we are today. We introduced the Pioneer Generation Package in 2015, and we will soon launch the Merdeka Generation Package later this year.”
“Can the Government do more to facilitate their re-entry into the workforce? Perhaps, given their experience in caregiving, we can help ease them into the professional caregiving sector. This can also address the local manpower crunch in the industry. Second, community support. The community plays an important role in supporting caregivers. Monfort Care's Yishun Centre provides caregivers and their elderly with free hand massage and complimentary coffee and tea at their centre. During the interactions, volunteers at the centre also help keep a lookout for the well-being of the caregivers. Last month, a cancer support group "Never Alone" was launched, creating a platform for cancer survivors to share their experience with other cancer patients. They bring hope to those who are struggling with their illness and also increase confidence that they are not alone in their journey. In the same way, caregivers need to know that they are not alone. This brings me to my third point on technological support. Last year, the "Dementia Friends" app was launched to help caregivers of dementia patients alert others when their loved ones go missing, so that others using the app can help keep a lookout for the missing person. The app also provides useful information for caregivers, such as the importance of self-care. Such apps are useful and should be extended to other medical conditions, such as stroke, diabetic and end-stage cancer. With technology, we can build a virtual community of support for caregivers who often feel isolated in their caregiving roles. Through the online platform, bite-sized training may be uploaded for the caregiver to learn from professionals and others. This would help address the common feedback that caregivers do not have time to attend formal training.”
“We have successfully rolled out PWM for several sectors now and I am of the view that it is time we extend PWM to the caregiving industry. Being a professional caregiver requires passion and dedication. But caregivers face tremendous stress in carrying out their work, and the possibility of getting emotionally drained at the end of a day is real. Alongside good career progression, it is also important to have strong support groups to care for our caregivers, too. Next, I want to touch on support for informal caregivers, who are commonly referred to as home caregivers. These are individuals who have not undergone any formal training on caregiving, nor are they being paid for providing care to their loved ones. These individuals often have to juggle their caregiving roles with a full-time or part-time job. As a society, more can be done to help them. We can provide better support for caregivers in three areas, namely, workforce support, community support and technological support. First, workforce support. Employers need to recognise that, in an ageing society, their employees will need to attend to elderly family members more and more. Currently, some employers have implemented initiatives, such as parent care leave. However, these are usually limited to just two days a year. I urge employers to provide more flexibility in granting parent care leave. Employers should also embrace FWAs and allow their employees with caregiving needs to be able to work from home. Another area of workforce support is supporting caregivers' re-entry into the workforce. Some home caregivers have had to take a few years off their careers to provide care to their loved ones, and it can be challenging to re-enter the workforce with a gap in between jobs.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the two Motions. Singapore is a rapidly ageing population. As our society ages, the role of caregivers becomes ever more critical as they help our seniors age with purpose and dignity, in particular, those who need assistance for their day-to-day activities. Caregivers perform a multitude of tasks, including providing personal care, arranging for transportation and medical care as well as performing tasks inside and outside the home. They can be divided into two broad categories, namely, professional caregivers and informal caregivers. Professional caregivers play an important role. They take care of our family members and enable us to continue working. They enable Singaporeans to pursue their careers knowing that their loved ones are in good hands at home. To attract and retain professional caregivers, it is important to ensure that professional caregivers have the opportunity for career progression and timely wage adjustments that are commensurate with their skillsets and experience. Relevant and continued training is also necessary to ensure their knowledge is regularly updated to enable them to provide better care to those entrusted to them. I believe that we can, and must, do more to recognise and support our caregivers. To incentivise more Singaporeans to consider caregiving as a career, I recommend introducing a Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for professional caregivers. There are four important components to the PWM: career progression, wages, skills and productivity. According to studies, the salary of Singapore workers in this sector is lower, compared to other developed countries, such as Australia, Hong Kong and Japan.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. I have one supplementary question. Last year, I visited the Taipei Railway administration. They have a training facility for their workers but they also open this facility to the public. Students and members of the community regularly visit the facility where they are trained on what to do during an emergency situation – how to open the train doors, where the fire extinguishers are, where the automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are, how to evacuate in an orderly manner. I found this very useful because, at our train stations, inside our trains, there are limited staff on a daily basis at any one point of time. And in an emergency, awareness of what to do can help save lives. It can also help to maintain a sense of calm and order. Will the Ministry consider setting up or working with the Public Transport Operators to set up a similar training facility where we can train more people on what to do in the event of an emergency?”
“The Government needs to work with multiple stakeholders to monitor, educate and encourage safer and more responsible food production, food preparation and food consumption. With that, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Speaker, the flip side of ensuring that we have a steady stream of food supply is ensuring that we minimise the food that we waste. According to NEA, the amount of food waste generated in Singapore has increased by about 40% over the past 10 years. In 2017 alone, more than 676,000 tonnes of food waste were disposed. We must tackle the issue of food wastage. I am heartened to note that bigger supermarket chains, such as the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC) Fairprice, have started to take this issue seriously. Fairprice now packages “ugly-looking” fruits and vegetables, which are just as nutritional, and sell them at discounted rates, rather than to simply dispose of them. I believe more can be done in terms of public education, and I would like SFA to take on an active role in reducing food wastage. Another way of reducing food wastage is to better match producers of excess food to recipients who need it. Can SFA also play a matchmaker role to link charitable organisations with those who have excess food that can be donated on a timely basis? Two months ago, we launched two community refrigerators in Pek Kio. Working with SG Food Rescue and the local market stallholders, we distributed more than 300 kg of fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 200 households at the launch event itself. Since then, many more fruits and vegetables were donated and contributed. I hope that SFA can work closer with social enterprises, such as SG Food Rescue and the Food Bank, to enhance community efforts to redistribute unwanted but edible food to those in need. In conclusion, food security, food safety and food wastage are big areas of concern.”
“I was heartened to see that many of the stalls were helmed by young passionate Singaporeans. These new generation farmers have introduced new technology and innovative processes into their farming operations to enhance both the quality and the yield of their produce. I hope SFA can do more to support our local young farmers in adopting technological innovations in their farming operations. I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage all Singaporeans to support our local farmers and buy local produce. Our support is key to their sustainability. Mr Speaker, the tail end of 2018 saw an increased spate of food poisoning and food contamination cases, with some cases having led to fatalities. Food safety is a cause for concern. With the creation of SFA and the powers accorded to it, there must be enhanced measures put in place to strengthen our food safety regime. Under the current policy, food hygiene certificate holders only need to attend their first refresher training after five years from completing their Basic Food Hygiene Course. Subsequent refresher training courses are required only every 10 years thereafter. This is too long a gap. I am of the view that the duration between recertification should be shortened to send a strong message to the industry on the importance of keeping a high level of food hygiene standard at the workplace. Apart from ensuring our working people in the F&B industry adhere to stringent food hygiene guidelines, we also need to ensure that our food sources are safe for consumption. I would like to ask what are the current local food safety standards and how do they compare with international standards?”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. Singapore has limited land available for farming, and we have limited fishing grounds as well. According to statistics from AVA, we import over 90% of the food consumed in our country. Our local farms can produce only a small amount of food that we eat, and we are heavily reliant on food sourced overseas. It is, therefore, critical that we place a strong emphasis on ensuring the security and safety of our food. Despite our reliance on food imports, Singapore has managed to claim the top spot in the 2018 Global Food Security Index. It is vital for SFA to continue the good work of AVA by ensuring that we continue to have diverse and reliable sources of food imports to prevent a situation of food shortage due to changes in the political climate of other countries, disease outbreaks or climate change. While we were ranked first in the Global Food Security Index, we achieved this mainly due to the affordability of our food. If we look at the Index’s other key matrix on Quality and Safety, we are ranked 24th. How does the Ministry and SFA intend to improve the quality and safety of our food imports? It is also important that we continue to grow our domestic food supply as a key strategy in securing our food security. In October 2017, the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF) announced that it will work with AVA and the Institutes of Higher Learning to improve the local agricultural sector in four key areas: set standards, boost productivity, enhance manpower development and lower costs. I would like to ask the Minister if there have been any improvements in this area since then. Last month, I visited the SG Farmers Market organised by SAFEF at Cairnhill Community Club.”
“On the topic of intergenerational addiction, I would like to suggest that the Ministry make it compulsory for all immediate family members to be counselled, if there is a young drug abuser in the family. Under the new measures, parents or guardians of youth abusers will be required to undergo mandatory counselling sessions. However, siblings of these young drug abusers need to be counselled, too, to explain to them the ills of drug abuse and what might have pushed their sibling to consume illegal drugs. This could go some way to help prevent the siblings from turning to drug abuse as well. For adult offenders, I would also like to suggest mandatory counselling for immediate family members below the age of 21. It is important that we let these youths understand the ills of the misuse of drugs. CNB can work with SCORE to use these counselling sessions to teach them on how to rehabilitate their family member back into society upon release. Mr Deputy Speaker, drug abuse has been trending upwards globally, and the introduction of synthetic drugs has made the problem even more complex and hard to contain. Let us continue our stand of zero-tolerance on drug abuse and do more to stop the rise of first-time drug abusers and intergenerational addiction. With that, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. As a former Police Officer, I have seen how the problems associated with drug abuse extends beyond just the individual. It affects family, friends and, ultimately, harms society. Singapore needs to continue with our firm stand of zero-tolerance towards drug abuse. According to statistics by CNB, 40% of drug abusers arrested in 2017 were new abusers, and about 64% of these new abusers arrested were below 30 years of age. It is, therefore, timely and crucial that we review the MDA and make necessary amendments to safeguard public interest and prevent the rise in first-time abusers. However, I do have some questions and suggestions. First, I agree with the measures introduced to make it an offence to expose children to drugs and permit young persons to consume drugs. Exposing the young to drugs causes addiction to become intergenerational and we must strive to eradicate such cases in Singapore. However, the young are not just the only ones susceptible to the temptation of drugs, if drugs are left easily within reach. There seems to be an increasing trend among the public displaying more liberal attitudes towards drugs, as evidenced through the 2015/2016 survey conducted by the National Council Against Drug Abuse. This is an alarming trend and those who have not seen first-hand how destructive the use of drugs may be tempted to try if drugs and drug paraphernalia are within easy reach. Given that a significant number of new abusers arrested were below 30, would the Ministry consider making it an offence to expose persons below 30 to drugs and drug utensils, rather than just confining to young children?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, the amendments proposed to section 59A allows for the use of individually-identifiable information or human samples for the purposes of national public health research. It is important that we put in place rigorous safeguards for the use and disclosure of such data to protect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals. What safeguards will the Ministry put in place, and how will the Ministry ensure that third-party researchers adhere to these rules? I will conclude by saying that, due to the nature of our economy, Singapore will always be at risk of infectious diseases carried from other countries. The amendments proposed are useful and timely in helping to enhance surveillance and prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases within our shores. However, we need to ensure that while we fight against the spread of infectious diseases, we do not inevitably cause irreversible disruptions to everyday life. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“Could the Ministry consider specifying a maximum period of days for such a stop-work order, so that businesses can take this into account as part of their emergency preparedness plans? Such orders can be reviewed and a new order could be reissued if the situation still warrants it. With freelancers and workers in the gig economy not covered by hospitalisation leave offered by employers, there is a large possibility of a loss of income following such directives. Can the Ministry consider setting up a fund that would help mitigate such an impact for this group of workers? Mr Deputy Speaker, when an infectious disease pandemic is in full swing, many of our available resources will be stretched to the utmost limits. We experienced this during the SARS outbreak. To better aid the appointed health officers, some of whom would have to perform contact tracing, I would like to suggest establishing a pool of volunteer Health Officers. Let me elaborate. Organisations can be large and have multiple worksites. It can, therefore, be challenging and time consuming for a Health Officer to perform contact tracing without some forthcoming help. Also, the number of Health Officers that we have is limited. I would, therefore, like the Ministry to consider establishing a volunteer Health Officer scheme. The desired outcome is for every large organisation to have an appointed volunteer Health Officer, who can aid a Health Officer in contact tracing as well as help to disseminate health advisories in the event of a crisis. This pool of volunteer Health Officers should be provided with adequate training to ensure they have the required skills to perform proper contact tracing and assist our Health Officers.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. Singapore is an open and connected country, and we receive well over 17 million visitors a year. While our openness has benefited the economy, a tradeoff that we accept is that it puts us at an increased risk of suffering from infectious diseases that may be carried over from other countries. Many Members of this House and, indeed. many Singaporeans, would remember the SARS outbreak in 2003, and how we narrowly escaped MERS in 2012. The review of the IDA is thus timely, but I have some clarifications on the Bill. Mr Deputy Speaker, the Bill provides the Director of Medical Services broad and sweeping powers to require persons, whether entering, staying within, or leaving Singapore, to undergo a medical examination. The Bill also allows for a person to be subjected to medical examinations over a period of time and be placed under medical surveillance. While I fully agree that this is necessary and critical in the event of an infectious disease outbreak, there needs to be a safeguard in place to ensure that this power does not go unchecked. Could the Minister clarify if there are, or would be, any safeguards in place, or if there is a maximum number of consecutive days that a person can be subjected to medical surveillance? The Director of Medical Services is also allowed to direct persons involved in professions that are deemed to likely cause the spread of any infectious diseases to stop carrying on with their occupation, trade or business. This is similarly a directive that would affect business continuity as well as workers’ livelihood.”
“We expect companies to take good care of all our workers, regardless of collars, regardless of nationalities. On the same count, we expect companies and employers who flout this social norm and resort to unfair employment practices to be dealt with by the fullest extent of the law. The review of the EA is crucial as our economy continues to transform and the nature of jobs and employment will continue to change in the years ahead. The proposed amendments co-designed and co-developed by our tripartite partners are timely to provide better protection and fair rights to our workers amidst these changes taking place rapidly in our workforce. It is an exemplary example of the tripartism spirit that we have in Singapore. Mr Deputy Speaker, notwithstanding my queries and suggestions, I support the Bill.”
“A medically unfit worker would be at a higher risk of accidents at the workplace. But often, they do not raise a complaint because they fear repercussions from their employer. This is even often more pronounced if the injured worker is a Work Permit worker. I, therefore, urge the Ministry to take harsh actions against such errant employers. Under the proposed section 89(7)(A), reimbursement of medical consultation fees can only be granted if the doctor issues an MC. Workers with chronic illnesses, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, have raised concerns that they would not be able to get reimbursement of their medical consultation fees as their medical conditions do not require MCs to be issued. Perhaps the Ministry can consider adding treatment of chronic medical issues as part of reimbursement of medical consultation fees. Lastly, I welcome the move to allow the Minister to make regulations against certain unfair employment practices to protect employees’ entitlements and well-being. As we are aware, there are some unsavoury practices in the industry that should be outlawed. Foremost in mind, and as the Minister herself has highlighted earlier, would be to prohibit employers from asking employees to sign salary vouchers before receiving salaries or to sign on blank salary vouchers. Mr Deputy Speaker, in the course of my work with NTUC, I visit companies and factories regularly. On occasions, I also host our foreign union counterparts. I am often asked if Singapore is pro-business or pro-worker. My reply often is that it does not have to be “either or”. Workers are the lifeblood of a company. When workers are well taken care of and perform well, businesses will flourish.”
“I note, in particular, that the further proposed amendments would mean that an employee who is certified to be ill enough to require hospitalisation leave will qualify even if the employee had not been warded in a hospital. However, I would like to highlight two issues for clarification. First, will employees with infectious diseases, such as chicken pox and HFMD, be eligible for paid hospitalisation leave? A person contracted with such illnesses may not be required to be hospitalised but will require a longer period of stay at home to recover. However, clause 15 appears to cover only those patients who are quarantined by law. Second, what about those suffering from mental issues, such as depression? According to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), nearly 43,000 people sought outpatient treatment at IMH in 2017. This is a 22% increase from 2010. Today, employees do get issued with hospitalisation leave if they see a psychiatrist. With the proposed amendment, can the Minister confirm that employees with mental issues can still qualify for hospitalisation leave? Mr Deputy Speaker, I welcome the explicit clarification that workers should be free to seek medical treatment from the doctor or clinic of their choice and that their entitlement to medical leave should not be prejudiced by this choice. Nonetheless, workers have raised two concerns with me. One, sick or injured workers not given sufficient medical leave to recover; and two, reimbursement of medical consultation fees being tied to MCs. Granting of medical leave should commensurate with the medical condition of the sick or injured worker. But there had been cases where employers collude with doctors to provide minimal medical leave for their sick or injured workers.”
“Next, I welcome the move to raise the income cap for non-workmen under Part IV of the Act from $2,500 to $2,600. This provides coverage for an additional 100,000 non-workmen previously not protected on hours of work and overtime. Another piece of good news for workers is the proposed increase in the overtime salary cap for non-workmen from $2,250 to $2,600. But I would like to highlight a potential problem faced on the ground. Under the Act, if working on a rest day is requested by the employer, the rate is doubled, compared to if the work is requested by the employee. We have come across cases where employers have asked their employees to sign statements to declare that working on a rest day is self-requested. This is unfair to the employee. Can the Ministry review this two-tier rate and remove the arbitrary distinction of rates based on who requested for the work on a rest day? This is to prevent unscrupulous employers from abusing the system, just to justify paying the lower rate. The decision whether an employee is required to work on a rest day is strictly a business call. If so required by the employer, the employee should be duly compensated at the minimum rates stipulated by law. However, if the distinction between the employer's and employee’s request is to be preserved, then we should narrow the gap between these two rates. Next, I would like to touch on the issue of hospitalisation leave under the proposed new section 89(3). I am glad that the Ministry is proposing further changes to the Act to further clarify the confines of hospitalisation and what would constitute hospitalisation leave.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. Employment laws are important as they provide a legal structure to the workplace, define the responsibilities of both employers and employees, and outline regulations for resolving workplace conflicts. Having current and sound employment laws is crucial as good worker protection and fair rights enable businesses to devote their focus on productivity and profitability. First, I welcome the extended coverage of the Act to include PMEs earning above $4,500 per month. Our workforce composition has been changing steadily over the years and, in time, PMEs will form a significant proportion of our workforce. Therefore, it is timely that we extend coverage of the Act to protect this group of workers. But more can be done to make clearer the definitions of who are considered employees covered under the Act. Currently, a worker’s coverage under the Act consists of two main criteria: type of employee and income threshold. Intuitively, the terms "workmen" and "non-workmen" should be all encompassing. Having a third and separate category just for PMEs is non-intuitive and can be confusing as to who is considered a "PME" and who is considered a "non-workman". In practice, the distinction by type and income feels arbitrary as all employees face the same vulnerabilities by virtue of being under a company’s employment with unequal bargaining power. Moving forward, as our workforce composition continues to evolve, MOM and the tripartite partners should consider removing the distinction between workmen, non-workmen and PMEs. I hope that, one day, we can replace these current distinctions between blue-collar workers, white-collar workers and managers, perhaps, with a singular inclusive term, for example, "employees" or simply "workers".”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, the Bill proposes measures to strengthen the disciplinary framework for Home Team officers. Under the Bill, it is an offence for Home Team officers to refuse to undergo medical examinations and treatments. While I can understand the need for this measure to avoid situations where officers refuse to go for such medical examinations or treatments, despite the possibility of exposure to health hazards, I am puzzled as to why refusing dental treatments would be classified as an offence. Perhaps, the Minister could elaborate on what are the examples of dental issues arising from exposure to health hazards, and if there have been any past cases that have compelled the Ministry to designate such non-compliance as an offence. Mr Deputy Speaker, many of the proposed measures in the Bill apply to the SCDF volunteer corps, also known as CDAU. The CDAU was established in 2006 and the current pool of volunteers consists mainly of ex-NSmen. I would like to know if the SCDF has sufficient CDAU volunteers today, and if the scheme can be opened to first-generation Permanent Residents (PRs) who may not have served NS but are still keen to contribute to our civil defence. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. The proposed measures to provide SCDF officers with clearer legal powers will aid the officers in their day-to-day operations. However, I do have some questions regarding some of the proposed measures. First, I welcome the move to provide SCDF officers and providers of emergency ambulance services with explicit legislative powers for their day-to-day operations. During an incident, where time is of the utmost importance, the last thing that we can afford is for those attending to medical emergencies to hesitate, or have their hands shackled by the uncertainty of the lawfulness of their actions. Under the Bill, SCDF officers attending to medical emergencies will be allowed to collect the fingerprints and other personal identifiers of unconscious patients. This will allow them to quickly obtain the necessary health information in order to administer the appropriate medical treatment, onsite or otherwise. I would like to ask the Minister how this would be operationalised. Would officers have a mobile device that can access such sensitive information remotely, and how can we safeguard these personal data? Due to the protection conferred upon SCDF officers, the Bill proposes to criminalise any unauthorised production, sale, distribution and use of SCDF uniforms and insignia, to deter abuse by impersonators. While I agree with the intention of this measure, I would like to ask if there had been any past cases of impersonation of SCDF officers. If so, what were the intentions of the impersonator to do so? Would the Ministry be open to consider authorising some vendors, such as those operating in the Beach Road army market, for example, to sell SCDF uniforms to officers who can prove their identity on site?”
“If it is based on self-declaration, how would the authorities ensure against under-declaration? I would also like to ask if consultancy or advisory services offered through such online marketplaces would attract GST. Mr Deputy Speaker, while extending the GST to digital services is important to ensure the resilience of our tax system, but this is only half the equation. Does the Ministry have plans to extend the GST to goods purchased online? With e-commerce posing as a serious disruption to traditional retailers, perhaps the Ministry could consider ensuring a level playing field for local merchants who are required to incorporate GST, as compared to their online competitors who do not need to. Mr Deputy Speaker, with that, I support the Bill.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. Over the recent years, Singapore's e-commerce industry has been growing steadily. According to some estimates, our e-commerce industry will generate over US$3.7 billion in revenue in 2018 alone, and the market is expected to grow to US$5.4 billion by the year 2025. GST is an important source of revenue for Singapore. The proposed extended coverage to ensure that GST is collected for services purchased overseas serves to ensure that our GST system remains fair and resilient in this digital economy. Mr Deputy Speaker, the Seventh Schedule of the Bill spells out the types of services that would incur GST. Subsection 2(a)(xi) extends the GST to any advertising service on any intangible media platform, where the Comptroller is satisfied that the advertisement is intended to be substantially promulgated in Singapore. Unlike advertising on traditional media platforms, online advertising services offer advertisers the ability to target individuals with specifically tailored messages. Even if the advertiser intended for the advertisements to be substantially promulgated here, it might be hard to prove this if the authorities are only able to see a small subset of the advertisements. Programmatic advertising is another key trend in the industry, whereby software is used to buy digital advertisements. For such advertisements, the one making the decision to show the advertisement to the individuals is an algorithm, rather than a person. I would like to better understand how the Ministry intends to investigate and enforce this. The Bill also proposes to tax operators of electronic marketplaces. How would the authority calculate the GST payable if an online marketplace sells a mix of services that both incur and are exempt from GST?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State on hawker stall rentals. I believe that the Senior Minister of State said that the higher end of the hawker stall rental range is around $13,000. At about $3.00 or $3.50 a plate, the hawker will need to sell at least 3,000 plates just to cover the rent. If our hawker stalls are to serve the objective of keeping our food prices affordable, will the Ministry consider implementing a cap on the rental to better manage food prices? Even at half that rental, at $5,000, you will still need sell at least 1,500 to 2,000 plates a month just to cover the rental.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the answer. I have two supplementary questions. First, tackling generational cycles of addiction requires many helping hands. Can we leverage their extended families or the community, such as school counsellors or the many community befrienders that we have, to strengthen the current efforts? Second, can the Ministry also consider assigning a dedicated case manager to each of these at-risk children when their parents are arrested, so that proper support and care can be provided to them at an early stage?”
“I would like to ask if the Ministry would consider an option to impose a multiple factor in the penalty for large corporations, so that we can better deter such incidents from happening. In conclusion, as a former Police Officer, I deeply understand the challenges faced in enforcement work. It is not easy. Where possible, we should embrace smart enforcement and reduce our reliance on manpower. Educating our growing number of PMD users through some form of mandatory training would also go a long way in ensuring that safety remains a key priority even as the PMD users are scooting about Singapore. With that, I support the Bill.”
“In the article, a buyer commented that his e-scooter battery bought from this online retailer became faulty after just 10 days, while a neighbour was worried about the possibility of a fire breaking out in this "home warehouse". I, too, share the same worries. We have already seen an increasing number of cases where PMDs, presumably non-compliant ones, had caught fire when their batteries were being charged. I urge the Ministry to put in place measures to block the online sale of such non-compliant PMDs. Mr Speaker, the strict rules governing PMDs have seen some unscrupulous retailers turning to selling motorised wheelchairs as PMDs to circumvent these restrictions. Motorised wheelchairs are meant for use by the disabled and the elderly. These motorised wheelchairs can be costly to purchase, particularly for those with severe conditions and have financial constraints. Expanding the AMA to govern these motorised wheelchairs could, therefore, have a negative impact on the most disadvantaged within our society. I would like to ask the Minister how many of the current models of motorised wheelchairs would be considered as non-compliant, and whether LTA would have an appeals board to evaluate and grant exemptions on a case-to-case basis for deserving cases. Mr Speaker, incidents that damage road infrastructure and cause massive disruptions to our road transport network often come with high costs. Besides the large repair bill, there is significant impact to work productivity and economic opportunities. I, therefore, support the Bill's proposal to increase the maximum fine for intentionally causing significant damage, from $10,000 today to $100,000. However, this sum can be minor, especially if charged against big companies.”
“Alternatively, introducing signs, such as “stop and look out for oncoming traffic” at suitable road crossings could potentially help in reminding PMD users to take ownership to ride safely and work towards the safe sharing of pathways for the people around them. Mr Speaker, there is an average of three accidents a month involving pedestrians and PMD users. Some of the pedestrians involved in these accidents had suffered very serious injuries. This begs the question whether third-party liability insurance should be made mandatory for PMD users. The virtue of mandatory insurance would ensure that victims would get a justified amount of compensation and the offending PMD users would not escape the consequences of their action. Adopting a similar liability and compensation framework as per motor vehicles could go a long way in ensuring that the victims would not be overly burdened by medical expenses in the event of a serious accident. In the overall active mobility ecosystem, PMD retailers play a crucial role as a gatekeeper of compliant models into the market. Section 32 of AMA acknowledges this, and the Bill makes further refinements on what the retailer can advertise. However, the regulations seem to place the emphasis solely on physical brick-and-mortar retail shops which, presumably, are easier to enforce against. But what about online retailers selling non-compliant devices? Some weeks back, The Straits Times featured a story about an online seller operating out of an HDB flat in Yishun and he had more than 40 e-scooters stocked up in the 4-room HDB flat.”
“I am of the view that Volunteer Wardens and the Outsourced Enforcement Officers can and should complement each other in keeping our shared pathways safe for all users. That said, will LTA also consider using technology to reduce the reliance on manpower for enforcement? For example, having a common fleet management system to track and monitor the use of all active mobility devices could better aid in the deployment of the limited ground resources. On the topic of PMDs, I note that the Ministry has recently accepted AMAP’s recommendations to require cyclists and PMD users to stop at road crossings and look out for vehicles before resuming their journeys. I welcome this move, as between 2016 and 2018, 80% of accidents involving PMDs were due to PMD collisions with vehicles. Videos of PMDs speeding across crossings, even when the traffic lights were not in their favour, have been widely circulated on social media. However, if the proposed measure to stop and look out for vehicles at road crossings fails to yield a reduction in the number of accidents at such road crossings, would the Ministry consider introducing rules to mandate dismounting the PMD at road and zebra crossings? Mr Speaker, the active enforcement of safety rules must be done together with adequate and proper training of PMD users, including young users, to prevent avoidable accidents. Much like how we would be required to pass a test before being allowed to drive a motor vehicle, would LTA consider making training mandatory for PMD users? For a start, to minimise cost and administrative work, training could be conducted online, with users taking a quiz to ensure that they have sufficient safety knowledge prior to registration and riding of a PMD.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. With the increase in disamenities arising from the explosive growth of PMDs and the introduction of bicycle sharing into our land transport landscape, it is timely that we make the necessary amendments to our laws to tighten enforcement and safeguard public interest. We need to ensure a safe and harmonious sharing of public amenities, such as roads and pathways, for our people. However, I would like to seek some clarifications, and I have some suggestions for the Ministry to consider. First, Mr Speaker, I broadly agree with the intent of outsourcing enforcement actions. The new laws can only be effective if they are supported by sustained enforcement actions. The outsourced enforcement officers can be an important supplementary force when it comes to enforcement, as it would not be prudent for LTA to employ hundreds more enforcement officers. It is, therefore, important that these officers be adequately trained as an authorised representative of LTA as they represent Government authority when carrying out their duties. Under section 11(1)(d) of the proposed amendments to the LTA Act, Outsourced Enforcement Officers “must have suitable qualifications or experience”. I would like to clarify what would constitute “suitable qualification or experience” that the LTA has deemed suitable for this job. Mr Speaker, LTA rolled out the Volunteer Public Path Wardens Programme last year to build up a core group of volunteers with enforcement powers and cultivate good riding habits through the community. Was this programme successful? What lessons has LTA learnt from the programme?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. On occasions, we have also heard of employers who have made special arrangements for their disabled employees. Would MOM consider working with the Labour Movement and non-government organisations (NGOs), such as the Disabled People's Association, to raise awareness on the best practices by these enlightened employers with disabled employees? Secondly, would MOM consider working with the tripartite partners to have such best practices put together as Tripartite Guidelines or even a Tripartite Standard?”
“Would a similar provision, therefore, be made for these agencies to request TSIB to investigate? Mr Deputy Speaker, an investigator’s skills are like a muscle that needs to be constantly exercised in order to remain at its peak. With the move to expand the TSIB’s scope into the rail and bus sectors, how does TSIB intend to build its capabilities in investigating such areas? In addition, how does the Ministry plan to keep the skills of their investigators sharp? Perhaps the Ministry could also shed light into how many investigations TSIB typically conducts in a year, and the estimated number of incidents TSIB would be expected to investigate annually in the future. Mr Deputy Speaker, the first 24 hours of any major incident is crucial for an investigator to gather and preserve important pieces of evidence. It is, therefore, necessary that our transport investigators are well-trained and have the mandate to be flexible enough to investigate all possible modes of transport across the air, land and sea sectors. My concern is with the deep specialisation of these specialist investigators and how to upkeep the currency of their knowledge and skillsets. Like Ms Sylvia Lim who spoke earlier, I hope that TSIB will one day be a highly regarded transport safety investigation agency that we can all be proud of. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill. 6.05 pm”
“With so much innovation disrupting the land transport sector currently, should not TSIB have the powers to step in and investigate major incidents on our public roads that are beyond the public bus contracts? On that note, new and emerging forms of land transport also do not seem to have been covered under the Bill. Autonomous buses and shuttles are soon to be deployed in Punggol, Tengah and the Jurong Innovation District in 2022, and TSIB should also be empowered to investigate any incidents involving such autonomous public transport, should an unfortunate accident happen in Singapore. Mr Deputy Speaker, the Bill also covers investigation into incidents involving military and Police vehicles. Clause 16(3) states that subsection (2) – which covers exempt vehicles – does not prevent an investigation of a transport occurrence that involves a Singapore military ship or Singapore military aircraft, if an appropriate authority in the Singapore Armed Forces requests the Director or TSIB to conduct an investigation into the matter. It is my understanding that military and Police vehicles are exempt because otherwise the personnel involved would have to give testimony that may cover national security matters. Hence, I would like to ask the Minister under what circumstances would the Air Force or Navy request TSIB to investigate an incident involving a military aircraft or a military vessel. If a request is, indeed, made for TSIB to investigate, some protocol should be put in place to address and safeguard security information relating to the incident or the assets. What about incidents involving Police vehicles or those used by our border control or Civil Defence departments? The Bill clearly exempts such vessels from investigation by TSIB.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to declare my interest as the Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers' Union. My members include public rail workers and public bus workers. I stand in support of the Bill which seeks to enable TSIB to conduct independent safety investigations into transport incidents, across the air, land and sea domains. However, I do have some questions for the Minister. The TSI Bill is a new omnibus Bill that will centralise the conduct of transport safety investigations by TSIB. I would like to ask what the rationale was when deciding to centralise the safety investigations of all air, land and sea transport modes into one investigation body. What key advantages would such centralisation provide, and has the Ministry studied examples of what have been done overseas? Australia, for example, has a similar transport safety bureau that only covers the aviation, marine and rail sectors. As they do not cover bus accidents, I am curious as to why the TSI Bill has catered specific provisions for investigations into public bus accidents. Is there certain specialist knowledge required to investigate public bus accidents, as compared to a normal vehicular accident on our roads? Mr Deputy Speaker, as the new TSIB would have enhanced powers to investigate rail and bus accidents, it comes across as odd that certain segments of the land transport sector are not covered under its ambit. For example, the Bill limits the TSIB’s role to investigating only incidents involving buses that are operating under the LTA’s public bus service contracts. Why not extend the powers to cover all types of bus incidents?”
“I thank the Minister of State for the answer. I note that there are higher incidences of foreign workers in construction worksites falling victim to workplace accidents. I think the Minister of State's reply says that the fatality rate is higher for the foreign workers. Are there any plans by MOM to focus on education and raising awareness among this group of foreign workers?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. In my work with the National Transport Workers' Union, they are very concerned with the deployment of AVs. I visit quite a number of companies which are experimenting with AVs in Singapore. Yes, they all tell me their primary priority is safety of their vehicles. Earlier this year, a self-driving Uber car killed a woman on a street in Arizona, USA. News reports stated that the car was in autonomous mode and there was a legal operator inside the car at the time of the accident. This threw in doubt the safety measures that most companies have already put into the development of the car. Given that we have plans to roll out self-driving vehicles, buses, on our public roads in the near future, how can we determine whether a particular self-driving vehicle model is safe before we put it onto the road? Would LTA consider delaying deploying such self-driving vehicles until we are fully assured of the safety of all our road users?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. First, earlier this year, MOH released an update that two in three new cases reported last year in 2017 were aged 50 and above and up to 30% of older residents in Singapore have latent TB. From the Senior Minister of State's earlier reply, about 10% of those with latent TB can possibly develop the active form. My first question is: with an ageing population, will the number of patients with active TB continue to increase further, with the growing numbers? If so, are there plans to have more targeted public education, public awareness, for this group of older Singaporeans to maybe make them more aware about what signs to look out for, what precautions to take? That is my first question. My second question is: last year, there was a case reported – a staff member at a preschool in Clementi was diagnosed with active TB and then subsequent screening found that 39 children and four other staff members were diagnosed with latent TB. Are there any plans to screen staff, specifically, working at preschool centres to ensure better protection for our preschool children?”
“I thank the Minister for the answer. In fact, I think out of the 1,000-over cases, a significant number will be from my constituency. I just did a quick check on one of the websites: I tried to put in a five-day request and it turns out that there are 196 listings just within a small area in Novena and Orchard. I think a common complaint from my residents is that URA is taking too long to investigate the complaints and to take enforcement actions to stop the illegal short-term home rentals. Residents cannot quite understand why it is taking so long because they have pictures of people coming in buses and in Grab cars every two, three days. In fact, during my house visits, they can even tell me which are the units. When I go and knock on the doors, yes, indeed, sometimes, different residents come to talk to me. So, to them, I think the evidence is quite clear and perhaps the investigations and enforcement action can be more expeditious. I hope the Minister can clarify on this.”
“A recent news article reported that insurers offering IPs have made losses for the second year in a row. And with that, news reports say there is a possible increase in IP premiums in the years ahead. Would premiums for CareShield Life eventually become an expensive burden for Singaporeans? Before I conclude, I would like to provide feedback on the public communications on CareShield Life. I have asked many residents what they thought of the proposed scheme. A common response is that the scheme is simply too complicated. Individuals do not quite understand how the scheme would impact them personally. How much premiums would I need to pay? Would my premiums continue to increase over time? What happens if I lose my job and cannot afford to pay the premiums for the period when I am unemployed? These questions often relate to personal circumstances. Mr Speaker, as our MOH colleagues would know, I myself have sat through numerous briefings and presentations on CareShield Life. After each session, I find myself learning new information about the scheme. I am certain that our MOH officers are working very hard to communicate the scheme to Singaporeans. But the challenge remains that the scheme impacts individuals differently. Perhaps the Ministry can consider setting up a CareShield Life hotline or, in today's technology, a chatbot, to address individual's concerns and queries more comprehensively. With that, Mr Speaker, I support the introduction of CareShield Life.”