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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“There should also be clearer norms on after-hours work communications, so that we can give families protected time and for young couples to spend more time together and to start a family. It has been close to three years since we launched the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at Workplaces, guiding employers on establishing a work-life harmony policy to offer clarity on after-hours work communication. Three years on, can the Government consider elevating this advisory into a tripartite standard? Flexible work arrangements are currently encouraged as part of a tripartite standard. We can certainly do more to encourage more companies to adopt flexible work arrangements for their staff. I, therefore, urge MSF to consider expanding Part 3 of the Child Development Co-Savings Act to allow for employers to claim benefits if they provide good flexible work arrangements to staff with children. Sir, I often hear from our brothers and sisters working in the Public Service that the Public Service leads by example when it comes to offering flexible work arrangements. Some heads of department provide them with the flexibility to come into the office only when absolutely necessary, such as when there are in-person meetings and discussions. They also tell me that their senior management make a conscious effort in informing them that emails sent after office hours need not be replied until the next working day, unless the email is marked as urgent. These measures have allowed them to strike a better work-life balance, with more time to focus on the family. I urge other employers to mimic the Public Service in providing progressive flexible work arrangements and in setting clear after-hours work communication expectations to all their staff.”
“I believe that this is shaped, in many ways, by their home environment and, crucially, their work environment. Sir, several research papers have, in recent years, examined the interplay between work life and family life. The work-life balance or, in some cases, the lack of work-life balance, will affect decisions on how working people choose to allocate their time and energy when it comes to work and family roles. A 2022 study that examined stress in balancing between work and family among working parents in Hong Kong found that those who have children reported higher levels of work-life stress, possibly due to the additional load of balancing caregiving duties with work. I believe many Singaporeans will relate deeply with this. I would, therefore, like to suggest for MSF to work with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to conduct a local study to examine companies that offer employees with the best work-life balance. The agencies can study if there is a correlation between quality of work-life balance and the number of staff in the company that choose to start a family. The outcome of the study can inform agencies with insights into certain work practices that need to be adopted, or perhaps even legislated, to provide Singaporeans with a more conducive work environment to start a family. One such work practice would be flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home arrangements, where possible, if the work can be done remotely. COVID-19 has shown all of us that flexible work arrangements can work and the Labour Movement strongly believes that this should be an option when the job scope allows for it.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to increase support provided to parents in managing both work and child-caring commitments, encourage greater shared parental responsibility and to improve operational clarity for the disbursement of childcare-related benefits. However, I have some suggestions which I hope that the Government could consider. Let me start by commending the Government’s efforts in supporting Singaporeans who wish to start a family. In addition to the doubling of Government-Paid Paternity Leave and Unpaid Infant Care Leave, the Government has also increased the Baby Bonus Cash Gift by $3,000 and enhanced co-matching contributions to the Child Development Account. Various Government agencies also prioritise families with children in areas, such as housing, and provide generous subsidies for childcare and education. However, we must acknowledge that despite the Government’s best efforts, our total fertility rate continues to fall, reaching a record low of 1.05 in 2022. This signals that beyond the actual cost of raising a child, there are more deep-rooted issues that put off Singaporeans from starting a family. During my house visits, I have met families with four, five and, sometimes, six children. They do not live in a big flat and everyone has to share their bedroom. But they tell me that they are happy that they get to share their joys and the simple pleasures in life with one another. But I have also met couples with one child, who tell me that it is too expensive to raise a child in Singapore and that they are unable to afford to have a second. The difference in attitudes reflects a difference towards what each value in life.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister of State for her answers. I would like to ask if ECDA is closely monitoring the staffing levels at all our preschools, especially the attrition rate. Because I feel that insufficient manpower and high staff attrition can be potential red flags, signalling the poor work environment at our preschool centres.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister for her reply. My supplementary questions relate to food products. First, I would like to ask if SFA tests all imported food products coming from high-risk locations where there are potential nuclear contamination issues. Second, what would be the recourse for consumers who suspect that they have bought or consumed a product that contains high radionucleic levels?”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for her answers. In fact, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) is equally concerned with the risk of ferrying workers on the back of lorries. I have mentioned this a few times inside and outside of this House. I am glad that the Government also shares the same concern. I echo Member Louis Ng's suggestion to have a work group and NTUC would be very happy to be a part of the work group to look into both immediate solutions as well as longer-term solutions. I have one suggestion. Perhaps, the Ministry can consider, first, as an interim measure, prohibiting equipment, especially heavy equipment, and passengers on board the lorries at the same time because this causes a higher risk of injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident. It is something worth the Ministry's consideration as an interim measure to avoid serious injuries or even fatalities.”
“Madam, regrettably, our local football today is not where we want it to be nor where we can be. By investing in infrastructure, nurturing young talents, promoting collaborations and benchmarking ourselves against successful football nations and, with the support from the Government, relevant stakeholders and the unwavering passion from the football fraternity and fans, we can, no doubt, elevate the standard of football in Singapore once again. Madam, in conclusion, it is clear from the speeches today that beyond winning medals, sports and our sportsmen and sportswomen play a key role in rallying our communities to come together, support the vulnerable among us and foster national pride and cohesion. I, therefore, support the amended Motion as proposed by the hon Member Darryl David.”
“This scarcity restricts the number of local talents that can be groomed and inhibits the organising of more football events and competitions, which then limits the exposure that our players receive. Hence, it is vital for us to invest in the development of infrastructure to provide our athletes with the necessary ecosystem of support and opportunities. Next, we must improve the way we groom our pipeline of football talents. We need to establish a robust talent scouting and recruitment system to identify early promising players. Only by identifying them early when they are young and by continuously nurturing them can Singapore build a strong pool of players who can contribute to the national team and compete internationally. One of the best ways I found in scouting our talents is to search from the grassroots, and the Delta League is one good example. The tournament sees about 2,000 young players every year. And over the years, some of them have been scouted to play at club level and, eventually, some have gone on to train with the national teams. FAS can and should widen its talent scouting and recruitment systems to encompass the many hidden gems in our community. And I welcome the FAS scouts to attend our Delta League matches. Third, we must also establish strong partnerships with professional clubs and leagues worldwide to help groom our local talents. We need to provide structured avenues for players to join professional academies, participate in overseas training programmes and experience competitive leagues at a higher level. Exposing our local players to different playing styles and allowing them to benchmark their abilities against international competitors can help them better develop their own skills and broaden their knowledge of the game.”
“There are also other sporting activities, such as the Stadium Run and SG Urban Walk Challenge. Basically, my point is that there is a sporting activity for everyone. It is important to have events like these to encourage everyone to come together to play sports, regardless of age, ability and background. With more people participating in sports, we can not only have a wider pool to identify sporting talents who can go on to do us proud on the world podium but also cultivate a nation of people who can better appreciate sports, which goes a long way to growing our sporting nation. I, therefore, encourage Members of the House to rally your own constituents to participate in the Pesta Sukan activities. We can all join in as participants, as spectators or simply to cheer on our friends and family. Lastly, let me move on to a sport that has a special place in my heart and, I believe, in the hearts of many Singaporeans – football. Members will agree with me that it is evident that our football scene requires a lot of work. I note that the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has commissioned a panel to conduct a review of the team’s performances and will share their findings and recommendations soon. I would, nonetheless, like to give some suggestions on how we can improve the state of our football. I start with our lack of dedicated infrastructure and facilities. Unlike some of our neighbouring countries, we have limited training grounds and stadiums equipped with quality football facilities. Today, as some Members have already highlighted, we cannot even play football at our void decks and many of our neighbourhood school football fields and parks have restricted use.”
“Broad-based accessible programming that encourages sports participation will be a key part of this approach, as we need a broad participation base from which we can identify and develop sporting talent. I personally know how challenging it is to organise such sporting programmes and keep the participation strong. Years ago, in 2011, I started the Delta League programme. It is now a bi-annual youth engagement programme that aims to engage youths through football and keep them meaningfully occupied during the long June and December school holidays. Jointly organised by the Police and the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), there are also talks and activities besides the football clinics and matches that inculcate in our youths a sense of social responsibility, teamwork and discipline. The Delta League programme complements several other programmes in our community, including the SportCares initiatives by SportSG. Every year, SportSG also partners different sports organisations to bring about Pesta Sukan. This is the largest multi-sports competition in Singapore designed for the community. It provides an opportunity, too, for amateur sportsmen and women to get together to raise their own standards through competition. This year’s Pesta Sukan 2023 will commence from this weekend, 8 July 2023, to National Day at the Singapore Sports Hub. Madam, I am heartened to highlight that Pesta Sukan features 30 different sports, from able-bodied sports like archery and floorball to para sports like para-athletics, para bowling, as well as sports which are popular among young and old alike, such as pétanque and pickleball. The categories of the different sports range from Open, Masters, Youth, Community and Corporate.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join in this debate. My speech will cover the following four points: first, I support the Motion where we acknowledge the hard work by our athletes and our para-athletes; second, I will highlight why broad-based accessible programming to encourage more people to participate in sports is key in building up our talent pool for high-performance sports; third, I will speak on the need to ensure inclusivity through sports; and fourth, as a lifelong football fan, I hope to offer some suggestions for Singapore's football to, once again, reach the heights of the 1980s and 1990s. Madam, I would like to begin by congratulating our TeamSG athletes and para-athletes for their commendable results at this year’s Southeast Asian Games and the ASEAN Para Games. TeamSG won a total of 158 medals at the SEA Games while our para-athletes brought home a total of 44 medals. This was our second-best away performance of all time, behind the 2017 ASEAN Para Games. While news about our best-performing athletes and para-athletes, especially those who have consecutively broken records, might dominate news headlines and deservedly generate the most hype, we must also not forget the rest of our athletes who did not win medals. Every athlete trains hard and they sacrifice their time with family and friends with every intention of doing their best for themselves and for the country they represent. They were not in the competitions just to make up the numbers. The amended Motion, therefore, acknowledges the hard work, blood, sweat and tears of our TeamSG athletes, both past and present. Madam, to achieve success at the elite sports level, a systematic and comprehensive approach to identify, nurture and develop TeamSG athletes is important.”
“I hope that the codes of practice and the Directions proposed under this Bill will include measures, such as mandating seller verification and escrow accounts, to better safeguard our consumers when they shop online. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I would therefore like to ask the Minister if the e-commerce platforms' key executives will be criminally liable for offences under this Bill, or if they direct their firms not to comply, or to partially comply with the Directions issued. Beyond legislation, I am happy to share that CASE has been working hard in the past year engaging many industry stakeholders to foster a trusted online marketplace for all consumers. In April this year, Shopee Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CASE, to adopt CASE's Standard Dispute Management Framework for E-marketplaces. Including CASE's earlier MOU with Lazada Singapore, we now have two of the leading online marketplaces in Singapore, covering a significant market share of the local e-commerce sales, committed to resolve consumer disputes efficiently and equitably. I call on all other online marketplaces with local presence to come onboard too. CASE will also be launching a new CaseTrust accreditation scheme for e-commerce businesses in the second half of this year. The scheme will cover the entire range of e-commerce practices from pre-sale to post-sales and will address common consumer pain points when they shop online. We hope to provide consumers shopping via accredited e-commerce sites with greater assurance through this accreditation scheme. Sir, in conclusion, combatting scams and other criminal activities perpetuated through online means will require our authorities to constantly remain a step ahead of the criminals. This Bill is a timely measure that will allow our authorities to better protect the public in Singapore from various harms in the online space.”
“I would therefore like to ask the Minister if the codes of practice that will be issued under this Bill will include mandatory seller verification for e-commerce platforms. If so, what legislative teeth will the codes provide, should platforms refuse to comply? What will be the threshold, before the competent authority issues a Direction to mandate the implementation of such verification, and will there be a time frame given to the platform to comply with such a Direction? And if so, what would be the timeframe? Beyond seller verification, we must put in place a suite of measures to combat e-commerce scams. One proposal that I have repeatedly raised is for the Government to require online marketplaces to put in place an escrow account. This is a simple but effective mechanism that would serve to protect the consumer's monies until the consumer confirms that the goods bought are delivered in satisfactory condition. Escrow accounts would give consumers a greater peace of mind when shopping online. Where there are issues with the goods or in instances of non-delivery of goods, consumers would have the assurance that their monies are protected. I would therefore like to ask the Minister if the Bill could require the creation of escrow accounts under the codes of practice or under a Direction. Sir, to ensure that e-commerce platforms truly pay attention to combatting online harms perpetuated through scams on their platforms, we must ensure that the company's executives, such as the chief executive officer (CEO) and the key management staff, will be made liable for their actions, or inactions, subject to the circumstances.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to introduce levers to enable the authorities to deal more effectively with online activities that are criminal in nature. However, I have some questions and suggestions. Before I begin, I would like to declare my interest as President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Sir, I commend the Bill's proposal to classify offences related to scams and malicious cyber activities as a specified criminal offence in the First Schedule. This will allow the Government to issue Directions to better combat online scams, and this is vital, because just as the e-commerce boom has supercharged the way consumers shop today, it has also led to a sharp increase in online scams in recent years. In 2022, CASE received 2,530 consumer complaints regarding e-commerce purchases. This is a 15% increase from 2021. In the first five months of this year alone, CASE has received 1,408 related complaints and this is over 55% of last year's case load. Some of the common complaints by consumers pertaining to e-commerce transactions often involve misleading and false claims, non-delivery of orders and receiving counterfeit products. To address these complaints, CASE has been advocating for mandatory seller verification by all online marketplaces. Over the weekend, Members may have read a The Straits Times article about how Nicholas Ong Chang Hui, a recalcitrant scammer who was sentenced to 23 months and six weeks' imprisonment, was able to obtain a verified tick on Carousell, even after he was caught previously scamming victims on the same platform. The report said that Nicholas Ong had used separate accounts to perpetuate his scams. This shows how important mandatory seller verification is to prevent such scams.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of State. You mentioned that HDB reached out door-to-door and that they did not manage to meet 26% of the households that they did not manage to meet. Will HDB be open to conducting another round of door-to-door engagements? I say this because, in Radin Mas, I have quite a number of blocks that were built before 1985 and during my house visits, I still come across residents, especially the elderly, those staying alone, who ask our volunteers what this letter from HDB and EMA entails and what actions are required. So, I do hope that HDB can conduct another round to reach out to those whom they did not manage to meet in the first round.”
“We must continue to review the Act periodically to ensure its effectiveness and relevance. With that, Madam, I support the Bill.”
“There have been cases where the children refuse to pay maintenance for their parents due to certain underlying issues. In the past year, I have attended some of the Tribunal's hearings as an observer as part of the workgroup. One common argument put forth by the children was the physical abuse they had suffered under the parent when they were young. Often, these hearings were highly emotionally charged. Another common argument was the parent's serious gambling addiction, which often led to unresolved debts. So, no matter how much money is given to the parent, it is always "钱不够用" or "money not enough". Currently, the Tribunal is only empowered to make orders on maintenance payments and does not have legal standing to address and help resolve some of these underlying, non-monetary issues. The Bill therefore proposes to give the Tribunal the discretion to make non-monetary orders if it is in the interest of the parent at hand. The Tribunal will be allowed to set conditions on the payment of maintenance and if the parent does not comply with the non-monetary order, then the children will not be obligated to pay maintenance. I fully support this, as it would help to address squarely some of the underlying reasons why certain parent-child relationships had deteriorated in some of these cases. In conclusion, the MPA is a legal recourse of last resort, designed to ensure that neglected and destitute parents receive some form of maintenance support from their children. As Singapore ages rapidly, we are likely to see more of such cases with issues potentially becoming increasingly complicated. The proposed amendments in this Bill are timely and necessary but would certainly not be the last.”
“With Singapore on the path of becoming a super-aged society, where more than 20% of our population are 65 years old and above, it is timely that we review the MPA to ensure that this legal avenue of last resort remains effective. One of the key amendments of the Bill is to empower the Commissioner to locate the children of destitute parents for mandatory conciliation without a need for the parent to put in a formal application. This is particularly important in cases where the parent has lost touch with their children, or in cases where the destitute parent is unwilling to contact the children for fear of further straining the relationships. As the hon Member Mr Seah Kian Peng mentioned in his speech, the workgroup had initially wanted to empower the Commissioner to apply to the Tribunal for a Maintenance Order for the destitute parent, even if the parent did not provide consent. This would allow us to ensure that financially able children would fulfil their obligation to maintain their parents. However, during the public consultation process, we received significant feedback that the wishes of the parent should be respected. The Bill now takes a more balanced approach, where the Commissioner is empowered to locate the children of destitute parents and require them to attend conciliation so as to hear the children's side of the story. I believe that this is a good balance as it enhances the chances of conciliation between parties. As the proportion of seniors in our society increases, we should do all we can to try to mend relationships, so that our elders can have the fullest support from their children as they age. Madam, as the Chinese saying goes, "家家有本难念的经". Loosely translated, it means that every family inevitably have their problems and issues.”
“Madam, I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to update the Maintenance of Parents Act (MPA). This Act was last amended in 2010 and, during these past 12 years, we have gained more experiences and insights on the operationalisation of the MPA. The Bill's proposed amendments will therefore serve to better ensure that neglected elderly parents are adequately supported while placing safeguards to prevent the misuse of the MPA by those who did not adequately fulfil their parental obligations. Before I start, I declare my interest as a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Social and Family Development and that I was part of the workgroup that helped to review the MPA. Members of the workgroup have spoken on why they support the proposed provisions and my speech today will touch on why I think it is of utmost importance that we ensure that the MPA remains relevant. Madam, the issue of ensuring that our elderly residents are well cared for, is a topic that is close to my heart. Especially as my constituency, Radin Mas, has many seniors and I interact with many of them on an almost daily basis. Occasionally, my grassroots leaders and I would come across cases where a senior would seek financial assistance and other means of assistance, as they were not adequately taken care of by their family members. In such cases, we rely on the MPA as an avenue of last resort to provide a legal recourse for neglected seniors to receive a basic maintenance, in terms of financial support, from their children. The responsibility of caring for our seniors must fundamentally lie first with the family. The Government can support with broad-based financial and social support but the Government can only do so much.”
“Madam, I thank the Minister for his reply. I am heartened that the Government has placed this additional precaution to require CPF members who log in to their accounts using their Singpass to go through face verification. I believe this will go some way in patching one of the vulnerabilities inherent in the Android platform that allows scammers to install malware on the users' phone. I would like to ask what is the demographic profile of the victims who have suffered losses from these malware-related scams. My constituency, Radin Mas, has a large proportion of seniors aged 60 and above. So, while we actively encourage our seniors to embrace digitisation, I am also well aware that they will also become vulnerable to such scams. So, what is the Ministry's estimate or projection on the proportion of such malware scams that can be prevented or thwarted with the implementation of such face verification? I think the Minister earlier mentioned a ninth case was successfully prevented by the Police. So, how is the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or CPF Board working with SPF to better detect and prevent unauthorised transfers of CPF monies?”
“Sir, the reforms under this Bill will help to strengthen Therapeutic Justice elements in the family justice system and help families in distress to heal and move on with their lives. But even as we facilitate more sustainable maintenance outcomes, we must always remember that prevention is better than cure. Let us continue to work, as a whole of society, to strengthen marriages and family ties. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Under the MEP, the existing mediation process will be replaced by a conciliation process undertaken by this newly established unit of Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs). Compared to the current mediation process, MEOs will be accorded powers to actively seek information and recommend practical solutions to the parties involved. I find this useful, but I do have a few questions on the new MEP. I would like to ask if MEOs will be able to obtain information about assets that are kept outside of Singapore. What kind of training will be provided to MEOs to ensure that they understand and are equipped to apply their new powers? Would it be an offence for a person to refuse to comply with an MEO’s direction to seek financial assistance, just to vex the ex-spouse and not provide any maintenance? I look forward to the Minister's clarifications. Lastly, while I welcome the efforts to reform the system to facilitate more sustainable maintenance outcomes, we must also be mindful of indirectly creating the unintended consequence where divorce becomes too easy and becomes the first solution or the quick fix which couples in distress turn to. Sir, where possible, we should strive to save marriages. We must redouble our efforts to strengthen the institution of marriage, so that we have stronger marriages and lower divorce rates. Only by doing so can our children grow up in a strong family nucleus and nurturing family environment. I have raised in this House various ideas on various occasions on how we can do so, from improving the quality of our marriage preparation programmes, to having more campaigns to help couples reaffirm their marriages at key milestones. I hope that the Government will consider my proposals.”
“Thank you, Sir. I will, therefore, take my own time. Mr Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to introduce reforms to make family proceedings simpler, more efficient and to facilitate more sustainable maintenance outcomes. However, I do have a few questions and suggestions. Sir, I support the Bill’s proposal to enhance the judge-led approach in family proceedings. One of the key amendments to the Women’s Charter will cater to the scenario when the wishes of the child are to be considered by the Court. The Family Justice Rules can set out the mode by which the child’s wishes may be determined, including a judicial interview with the child. A child’s view is important. However, depending on the age and maturity of the child, the child's views can be easily swayed by other family members or persons with vested interest. I would like to ask the Minister what would be the minimum age of the child that the Court will allow to be interviewed. Should we set clear safeguards in legislation to allow only children who are mature enough to convey their views independently? Next, I support the proposed enhancements to the Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP), which will help to differentiate between those who are unable to pay maintenance and those who refuse to pay. The two are clearly different and it is, therefore, important that we make a distinction between the two. I would like to ask what would be the asset or income threshold for those deemed to be unable to pay. Would the threshold be specified in subsidiary legislation? How will the Government ensure that a spouse in an acrimonious divorce case is unable to game the MEP system?”
“This can lead to overspending and, in some cases, an addiction to online shopping. CASE has called for safeguards to be introduced, including limits to be set on purchases and penalty fees, credit assessment of potential users and integration of "Buy Now, Pay Later" spending data with credit ratings. Some of these proposals have been included in the industry’s Code of Conduct, which came into effect in November last year; but only some. We can and must do more. I urge the Government to impose regulations to better protect vulnerable consumers, such as the young and those already in debt, from exploitation by these schemes. Sir, in conclusion, e-commerce has made significant progress in recent years, from the way businesses operate, to the way consumers find and purchase goods and services, to the way products are delivered to our doorsteps. It has opened a new world of possibilities and opportunities, but also presents new risks and dangers to consumers, both young and old. We must therefore review and update our consumer protection laws accordingly. Our laws must provide the same protection for consumers, regardless of whether we shop offline or online. Sir, notwithstanding the above, I support the Motion.”
“More needs to be done also to educate vulnerable consumers, such as our seniors and those who are not technologically savvy, to stay updated and cautious when using these services. Finally, let me highlight the risks of unregulated short-term financing services such as "Buy Now, Pay Later", which is prevalent today in many e-commerce platforms, and the need to establish more stringent limits on such transactions. According to a 2021 report by Mileu, close to a fifth of Singaporeans aged 16 and above have used a "Buy Now, Pay Later" service. According to a report by WorldPay, "Buy Now, Pay Later" transactions are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40% between 2021 and 2025. Such short-term financing services can appear enticing with their zero-interest deals, flexible payment options and convenience of access, but they come with a set of risks that can put unsuspecting customers in financial distress, especially for younger consumers below 21, as many of them do not yet have a stable income. The first and most obvious risk is the accumulation of unforeseen fees and charges. Customers who fail to pay the required instalments on time are slapped with hidden fees and added interest, pushing up the total balance and making it harder to pay off the debt. "Buy Now, Pay Later" schemes also typically do not conduct credit checks, hence there is no pre-determined limit to how much a customer can borrow. This puts consumers at risk of overstretching their financial capabilities, leading to a spiral of debt. Another risk comes from the psychological impact of these schemes. With no immediate payment obligations, consumers may spend more than they would otherwise, as they feel less connected to the actual cost of purchases.”
“With digital transactions, there is a rise in data collection, processing, sharing and storage of personal information. Hackers can steal this information, which could lead to identity theft, financial fraud or other forms of cyber crime. Debit card fraud and phishing attacks are now a common occurrence, which could impact not only the individual but the entire banking system. Second is the risk of system failure. Digital payments rely heavily on technology and any system failure or technical glitch could result in significant problems. Last month, DBS customers were unable to log in to the bank’s online banking platforms, including its PayLah! mobile wallet, for almost a day. DBS' digital banking services previously suffered a two-day disruption in November 2021. Such incidences can create inconvenience and, in some cases, financial losses. Third is the risk of scams. The rise of digital payments has provided an opportunity for scammers to create fake e-wallets, websites and mobile applications to perpetuate their fraudulent activities. In October 2022, the MAS reported 610 cases of banking-related phishing scams involving PayNow transactions in 2021 and the first half of 2022. Victims lost large sums of money when the scammers deceived them into sharing their digital banking credentials. Sir, while digital payments provide convenience, it is important to be mindful of the risks that come with it and further strengthen our safeguards. Cybersecurity should be a top priority, and financial institutions need to implement advanced safety measures to prevent data breaches, system failures and fraudulent activities.”
“Mandating escrow accounts would give consumers greater peace of mind when shopping online. Third, we should extend our consumer protection laws to cover consumer-to-consumer transactions made through social media platforms. Today, our consumer protection laws do not adequately cover sales transactions made between two individuals via a social media platform such as Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. According to some analysts, the social commerce sector in Singapore is expected to reach more than US$1.25 billion by this year. To foster a safe and trusted online marketplace for consumers, CASE led an industry-wide effort in 2020 to develop Technical Reference 76, Singapore’s first national standards for e-commerce transactions. CASE also introduced the Standard Dispute Management Framework for E-marketplaces in 2021 to guide e-marketplaces resolve consumer disputes equitably and efficiently. I am happy to share that CASE will be launching a new CaseTrust accreditation scheme for e-businesses which will cover the entire range of e-commerce practices from pre-sale to post-sale and address common consumer pain points when shopping online. Sir, as e-commerce and online shopping become part and parcel of our lives, we must ensure that our laws provide the same protection for our consumers, offline and online. Next, let me move on to the Government’s push for greater use of digital payment, which has undoubtedly also facilitated and fuelled the increasing popularity of online shopping. Digital payment has risen sharply in recent years. The convenience of being able to make payments without having to carry cash or visiting a bank is a significant advantage. However, I would like to highlight three risks associated with digital payments. First is the risk of data breach.”
“First, let me start with the need to enhance our existing consumer protection laws for e-commerce. While the general position is that existing consumer protection laws are broad enough to cover online transactions, these were enacted at a time when consumer transactions were predominantly offline via brick-and-mortar stores. Our laws do not sufficiently address the distinction between online and offline transactions and correspondingly, the issues that are specific to online transactions. Sir, I have three proposals to strengthen consumer safeguards in the e-commerce space. First, we need to authenticate the sellers on online marketplaces. The duty of ensuring the legitimacy of sellers should be placed on the online marketplaces. By charging platform fees and commissions, online marketplaces are expected to ensure that the merchants listed on their platforms are genuine and legitimate. Online marketplaces should vet, verify and authenticate the credentials of sellers before allowing them to list and sell products on their platforms. Mandating seller verification, which is already being implemented in jurisdictions such as the United States (US) and the European Union (EU), will ensure accountability of sellers for their product listings, reduce scams and aid resolution of consumer disputes. Second, online marketplaces should ensure that there are mechanisms in place to protect consumers’ payments. One way to do this is to incorporate escrow into the transaction process. This means that when a consumer makes a purchase, the payment to the seller is temporarily held by the platform for a period and only released to the seller when the consumer confirms that the item is delivered in good condition.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise to thank Mdm President for her address. Before I begin, I declare my interest as President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Sir, as the world continues to evolve post-pandemic, the way we consume goods and services is also changing rapidly. The digitisation of almost every aspect of our lives has led to a new trend in consumer behaviour – and that is, convenience. Today's consumers have become accustomed to the instant gratification facilitated by technological advancements. With a few clicks on their smartphones, consumers can order anything they want, from delivery of their favourite meals to buying groceries from an online market. Companies that can offer the most convenient solutions are gaining traction among consumers, and this trend is likely to continue. A report released by Meta and Bain & Company in September 2022 forecasted that e-commerce sales in Singapore will reach $19.6 billion by 2027, despite slower growth in 2022 caused by inflationary pressures and COVID-19-related supply chain disruptions. A report released by Shopee Singapore in March 2023 found that there is growing adoption of e-commerce among older users, with 70% of respondents aged 55 and above indicating that they have integrated e-commerce into their daily routine. While e-commerce and online transactions have made life easier, they also carry significant risks and dangers. As more transactions are being conducted over the Internet, the number of online frauds has also increased significantly over the years. My speech today will focus on the need to enhance our consumer protection laws for e-commerce, strengthen safeguards for digital payments, and regulate trending consumer credit schemes such as Buy Now Pay Later services.”
“Many hawkers, too, relied on their services to stay afloat, especially when dining-in was prohibited. To all our delivery riders out there, thank you for bridging the vital last-mile gap, rain or shine. In conclusion, COVID-19 has been the greatest test that our generation has seen. Many unsung heroes have come together to ensure that we emerge stronger from the pandemic. Today, I place on record our sincere appreciation to the many men and women who work in the transport industry, for keeping Singapore connected and keeping all of us moving even during the darkest of times. May their contributions be remembered by all of us, always. Sir, I support the Motion.”
“At its peak in September 2021, we had more than 100 bus captains down with COVID-19, impacting normal bus services. Non-infected bus captains were worried. Will they get the virus too and will they pass it to their family members at home? But instead of staying away, they worked extra hours and stood in for their quarantined colleagues. The tripartite partners also came together to enhance infection control measures at all bus interchanges. The COVID-19 clusters were eventually closed in October that year, slightly less than two months after the first cluster was detected. Additionally, public transport workers were constantly facing the challenges of enforcing mandatory mask wearing and social distancing policies. They were often subjected to verbal and physical abuse from passengers who simply refused to follow these regulations. It was, therefore, a huge disappointment when the number of abuse cases against our bus captains jumped from 26 cases in 2018, to 50 in 2020. In quick response, the National Transport Workers’ Union rallied the public transport operators and the Land Transport Authority to take a firm stance against abusive passengers. The tripartite partners signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to provide public transport workers with guaranteed legal support to pursue civil action against their abusers beyond criminal prosecution. The signal was clear and the number of abuse cases against bus captains fell sharply the following year in 2021. Sir, we must also not forget the contributions made by our delivery riders. Throughout the pandemic, they were instrumental in ensuring that we could get our food and other basic supplies, even when we were in home quarantine.”
“Our maritime workers helped to keep our economies running and our communities fed and provisioned, even as the rest of the world was brought to a standstill. But our seafarers did not have an easy time during the pandemic. They endured unimaginable hardships and uncertainty. They risked infection and severe illness. Many were stuck onboard their ships for months due to travel restrictions and border closures, unable to return home to their families and loved ones. Yet, they persevered to keep our global supply chains open. In response, Singapore's tripartite partners established a world-class floating Crew Facilitation Centre and a $1 million Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience Fund to facilitate crew changes to take place in Singapore, helping hundreds of thousands of seafarers to return home safely. Such efforts were vital in ensuring the safety and welfare of our maritime workers while keeping supply chains open, even during the worst of the pandemic. Last, but certainly not least, I would like to acknowledge and thank the many land transport workers who have been silently working to keep our country moving during the pandemic, including during the circuit breaker period. Sir, our bus and rail workers and our taxi and private hire drivers put their lives on the line every day to provide us with safe transportation services. Every time they interact with passengers, they are exposed to the risk of contracting the virus. Despite taking precautions, such as wearing masks, using sanitisers and maintaining social distancing, they remained at high risk of exposure. Yet, they persisted in discharging their duties. The risk of infection is real, which was evident when the highly transmissible new Delta variant started spreading rapidly at our bus interchanges.”
“The Minister explained there were some flights, although the load factor is low, that SIA would continue to fly to maintain a minimum connectivity network, to maintain our presence in those markets. So, even though the load factor is low, the Government would support SIA to continue these flights and to mount cargo flights so that our supply chain is not affected. Sir, it is the foresight of such policy decisions and the resilience of aviation workers like Jessica Chua and many others that Singapore’s aviation sector has rebounded as quickly as it has, allowing Changi Airport to regain its crown as the world’s best airport at the 2023 World Airport Awards. SIA was also named Airline of the Year last month by Air Transport World and ranked top global airline by Fortune magazine in its February issue. Next, let me extend my appreciation to all the seafarers and port workers who bravely continued their work during the pandemic, often against all odds, to ensure that our supply chains remained operational during the most challenging of times. When global air passenger demand evaporated almost overnight, the demand for cargo increased exponentially. Unseen and unheard, our maritime workers worked around the clock to ensure that essential goods and services continued to flow into Singapore during the pandemic. Sir, seafarers and port workers have always played a critical role in global trade and commerce, but the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed just how essential their work really is. Without our maritime workers, we would not have had the medicine, food, fuel and other vital supplies that we needed to navigate the pandemic.”
“They worked long hours; sacrificed personal comfort, having to don cumbersome PPEs; and put in extra efforts to uphold the highest standards of safety, sanitation and service on board our flights and at the airport. They did so to transport essential supplies and to bring back our loved ones stranded far away, when global travel came to a virtual standstill. One example is Jessica Chua, a stewardess with Scoot, who was among the crew that was deployed on a flight to Wuhan in February 2020, to deliver humanitarian assistance from the Singapore Government and to return over 170 Singaporeans and their family members back home to Singapore. Soon after, the magnitude of the impact of the pandemic set in and many aviation workers were faced with the sobering prospect of an uncertain future. But the tripartite partners were quick to step in. The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) worked closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and SkillsFuture Singapore to launch the Enhanced Training Support Package to help companies retain and reskill their workers instead of retrenching them. NTUC's Job Security Council also worked closely with the Public Service Division to place more than 4,000 aviation workers on secondary employment in areas, such as healthcare and public transport. Sir, throughout the pandemic, our aviation workers have shown us what it means to be resilient. During the Ministerial Statement on aviation recovery in October 2020, I had asked the Minister for Transport why Singapore Airlines (SIA) was operating flights to countries that Singaporeans were not allowed to travel to.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Motion. The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented crisis that has impacted the entire world. Our lives have been upended and we have had to learn to adapt to a new normal. Today, I would like to pay a special tribute to our workers in the air, sea and land transport sectors. They have collectively kept Singapore connected, kept Singaporeans moving and ensured that we continued to have access to essential goods and services – right from the very beginning and throughout the pandemic. Our transport workers showed up to work every day, despite the uncertainties surrounding how deadly and contagious the virus could be. They set aside their fears and kept our airways open, our sea lanes flowing and our buses and trains moving for all of us. As a transport unionist at the frontline, I have witnessed first-hand how the Government, the unions and our corporations, come together to overcome crisis after crisis and emerge stronger together. Amidst the many uncertainties throughout the pandemic – new COVID-19 clusters, new virus variants, travel bubbles forming and popping – what was certain for the tripartite partners was that we knew that we had each other’s back. Let me elaborate. I start with aviation. The pandemic severely disrupted the global economy. But the aviation industry, a vital part of global connectivity, had to keep moving. Despite having a high risk of contracting the virus, our air crew and those working at our airport worked tirelessly and selflessly to ensure that all flights coming through Singapore remained safe and secure.”
“Mr Chairman, preschool education is an important formative experience for our young children. However, preschoolers from lower-income families do face more challenges in getting a good start in life. I would like to ask what more can MSF do to support these families? How will MSF assure parents in lower-income households that there will be accessible and affordable support in their children's early years? Beyond increasing the accessibility and affordability of preschools, having an adequate and well-trained pool of educators is just as crucial. Can MSF provide an update on the manpower situation in the preschool sector? Sir, some of my residents who work in preschools have highlighted to me the added challenges of their jobs arising from the continued tight manpower situation at their centres. Sometimes, even having a proper meal break is a challenge. I would like to ask what is MSF doing to ensure that there are adequate preschool educators at all our preschool centres? What is the preschool educator attrition rate in the past three years? How does MSF plan to reduce the attrition rate? Last year, MSF announced that the starting salaries for fresh graduates joining anchor preschool operators will increase to at least $2,800. I would like to ask for an update on ECDA's salary review for early childhood educators in Government-supported preschools. Are there any plans to increase the starting salaries of those working in non-AOPs? Enabling Masterplan for the Disabled”
“Mr Chairman, families are the bedrock of our society and are often our first lines of support. I would like to ask how MSF plans to better support families to stay strong in Singapore? Have the efforts of programmes, such as Families for Life (FFL), been effective? Beyond strengthening families, we also need to pay attention to marriages that are at risk of falling apart. In 2021, there was a sharp spike in divorce applications filed, in part, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Will we see a continued upward trend in divorce cases? I certainly hope that this does not happen, as the impact on the individuals and the children, if any, can be significant. As a Catholic, I went through a marriage preparation programme conducted by the Church to help me and my then wife-to-be understand the challenges of married life. The programme equipped us with conflict management tools and how we can build a lasting relationship. We celebrated our Silver Jubilee just two weeks ago. I would like to ask if MSF would encourage more couples to attend premarital marriage preparation programmes and to increase the quantity and quality of such programmes on offer. One initiative that I find heartwarming is the Golden Jubilee Celebration, an annual event started in 2018 to honour couples who have been married for 50 years. It is a wonderful way to reaffirm a couple's love and commitment to their marriage. I would like to encourage the Ministry to expand this initiative and perhaps organise celebrations for marriages at every 10-year milestone. Support for Single Unwed Mothers”
“Madam, as the world shakes off the shackles of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for air travel has increased tremendously. In fact, the International Air Transport Association has projected that Asia Pacific will be the fastest-growing region for air travel in the next two decades. What are MOT’s plans to ensure that our aviation hub can ride on this long-term growth potential? The pandemic has been a great reset for the aviation sector worldwide. It is, therefore, heartening that, despite the challenges, Singapore Airlines was named Airline of the Year in January 2023, but we must certainly not become complacent. How will MOT ensure that we do not lose our status and continue as the region’s premier air hub? Can MOT provide an update on the plans for the new Changi Airport Terminal 5? During the worst of the pandemic, our aviation sector lost many skilled and talented workers. How acute is the manpower shortage for the sector now as short-term air travel demand spikes globally? How does MOT intend to attract talents and plan for a steady pipeline of workers into our aviation sector?”
“Madam, I had raised on multiple occasions in this House, about the importance of ensuring that our workers travel to and from work safely every day. On 1 January this year, the Government rolled out new rules to improve the safety of workers ferried in the rear decks of lorries. Measures included a designated vehicle buddy and a requirement to ensure that drivers must be well-rested if they happen to be a worker too. Migrant worker groups, however, have continued to highlight that these do not adequately address the core issue that transporting workers on lorries, where heavy equipment and human passengers co-mingle, is fundamentally unsafe. According to data from the MOT, about two-thirds of Singapore's registered lorries, or about 34,000, will have their COEs expire within the next five years. This presents us an opportunity to phase out lorries that are currently approved to ferry passengers on the rear deck but without the proper safety measures installed. Can MOT consider revising the lorry homologation process so that only those that can allow for proper seats and proper seat belts to be installed in rear decks can be sold in Singapore? By doing so, we can gradually refresh our lorry fleets without imposing additional costs on business owners. Madam, we should do all we can to improve the safety of our workers' transportation and I reiterate my calls once again for safe, dedicated transport for all workers, especially for those who rely on company transport to and from work every day. Cycling Paths”
“Sir, I first spoke about the need to give employees a right to disconnect from work in July 2020. The Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at the Workplace was subsequently promulgated in November 2020, which included recommendations on after-hours work communication. In September 2021, the Alliance for Action on Work-life Harmony issued a policy template to help companies set clearer boundaries for after-hours work communication. Can MOM provide an update on the adoption of such after-hours work communication policy by companies based in Singapore? What is MOM doing to encourage greater adoption? According to a 2023 report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), several countries – France, Belgium and Portugal – have legislated laws to allow employees to disconnect. Portugal, for example, labels its work-life balance legislation the "right to rest", with companies of 10 or more staff facing penalties for contacting staff outside of set working hours. The same report also states that multinational corporations (MNCs), including a Belgian chemical company and an Italian bank, have signed multinational agreements with their European Work Councils to support workers' right to disconnect. Can MOM study some of these trends and how we could potentially localise some of these legislative and non-legislative ideas for Singapore?”
“I urge the Ministry to enhance outreach and funding support for SMEs to adopt and deploy WSH technologies. I have previously highlighted how such technologies have improved safety standards at the workplace, especially in high-risk environments. Sir, every worker deserves a safe workplace. The Labour Movement stands ready to work closely with our tripartite partners to do all we can to help every worker return home safely at the end of every workday. The Right to Sit”
“Mr Chairman, in my Budget debate speech, I expressed my dismay at the current poor workplace safety outcomes, which resulted in the tragic loss of lives, many of which were due to basic errors that could have and should have been avoided. The spike in workplace fatalities in the past few months might have been a sign that companies are relaxing their stringent Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) practices as the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) draws nearer to its end. How many of the workplace accidents reported in the past 18 months were due to a lack of or grossly inadequate safety measures by the companies' management? The recent extension of the HSP notwithstanding, is MOM prepared to make HSP a permanent fixture or at least make permanent some of the HSP requirements, such as the enhanced penalties for systemic WSH lapses? Sir, we need to establish better whistle-blowing channels. We must build a culture where workers feel safe to report unsafe work practices that they see at their worksites. We must entrench a culture where employers must realise that unsafe practices cannot go unreported and cannot be swept under the carpet. Can MOM provide an update on the WSH feedback rate, across its various channels, over the past five years? Can MOM review and enhance its feedback structures, and where needed, to create new reporting channels that make it easier for anyone, including a member of public, to report unsafe work practices? Sir, I know that resources are finite. As such, I urge MOM to focus efforts on the high-risk sectors which account disproportionately for the number of workplace injuries. MOM's data also shows that SMEs have the greatest risk of poor WSH outcomes.”
“Complaints on pressure sales tactics and misleading and false claims account for 25% of beauty-related complaints received by CASE in 2022. A mandatory cooling-off period will address the problem of pressure sales tactics by giving consumers sufficient time to consider or reconsider their purchases. If they do not wish to proceed with their beauty packages, they have the right to cancel and to obtain a refund. Lastly, we should mandate seller verification on e-marketplaces. Last November, it was reported that a consumer bought an automated laundry rack on a major e-marketplace, only to receive a piece of cardboard and some clothes hangers. Unfortunately, such scams are only the tip of the iceberg. According to the Police, more than $21 million were lost by consumers in e-commerce scams last year. Mandating seller verification for e-commerce will ensure accountability of sellers for their product listings, reduce the risks of scams and aid resolution of consumer disputes.”
“Mr Chairman, I declare my interest as President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). In my Budget debate speech, I highlighted the need to strengthen consumer protection, particularly in our current inflationary environment. Today, I would like to propose how we can do so in three areas. First, we should mandate prepayment protection for sectors which collect large sums of prepayments. Today, mandatory prepayment protection is already practised in some sectors, such as private education and massage establishments. According to complaints received by CASE, consumers have suffered more than $6 million in prepayment losses since 2018. In 2022 alone, consumers reported more than $645,000 in losses due to sudden business closures. This was a 24% increase from the $520,000 in losses reported by consumers in 2021. Homeowners are a particular concern. Renovation contractors collect large sums of monies upfront, yet the industry lacks mandatory prepayment protection. This places homeowners at significant risk, should anything adverse happen to the contractor. Today, CASE accredits renovation contractors under the CaseTrust mark. Accredited contractors protect consumers' deposits against sudden business closure through a deposit performance bond. There are currently 138 accredited contractors, but this is only a fraction of the estimated 6,700 renovation contractors operating in Singapore. I urge the Ministry to expand mandatory prepayment protection to this industry. Second, we should mandate a cooling-off period for the beauty industry. Today, the laws already provide for a mandatory cooling-off period for certain industries, such as insurance and direct sales.”
“Mr Chairman, a shared sense of belonging is key to a country's identity. Central to this is a collective understanding and appreciation that citizens have of our country's history. We recently celebrated Total Defence Day on 15 February. For many young Singaporeans, it might have seemed like just any other day, except for the public warning siren that was played on that day. In case we forget, Total Defence Day is commemorated on the day that Singapore fell during World War II. It is a day to remind ourselves of the lessons from that dark chapter of Singapore's history – that the responsibility to defend our nation lies with all of us. It is, therefore, crucial that lessons from such key historical moments are passed down to future generations of Singaporeans, who will naturally feel increasingly distanced from long ago events that have shaped our nation. To this end, museums are a good medium. When my children were younger, I used to bring them to places, such as the Battlebox and the Army Museum, to help them relate to what it was like living at a time where safety could not be taken for granted. I would like to ask if the Ministry tracks the visitorship of our various military museums and whether younger Singaporeans have been visiting them? Are there any upcoming plans to revamp these military museums to enhance their appeal to our younger generation?”
“I first spoke about the need to give employees a right to disconnect from work in July 2020. MOM, together with NTUC and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), subsequently published the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at the Workplace in November 2020 which included recommendations on after-hours work communication. Almost a year later, in September 2021, the Alliance for Action on Work-life Harmony issued a policy template to help companies set clearer boundaries for after-hours work communication. But how many companies have actually adopted these recommendations? Are company leaders simply paying lip service to disconnecting after work, but continue to expect their employees to respond anytime and anywhere? I will speak more about this during MOM’s Committee of Supply debate. Sir, Budget 2023 helps Singapore chart the way forward in the post-COVID-19 era. As the Government does its utmost best to help Singapore and Singaporeans navigate an increasingly complex global environment, I hope that more emphasis can be placed on strengthening our social compact to better protect consumers and workers, because every consumer matters and every worker matters. Sir, I support the Budget.”
“We have also worked with our unionised companies, through the Company Training Committees (CTCs), to redesign jobs and to redesign the work environment to improve workplace safety. One example is the sectoral tripartite committee on rail safety comprising the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and our two rail operators. If we compare the data from January to June 2022 versus the same period in 2021, the number of workplace injuries for rail operations fell by almost 30%. Sir, the majority of our workplace accidents involved SMEs and more than four in five workplace fatalities recorded in 2022 involved non-unionised companies. I would like to call on all companies, regardless of size, to work with NTUC and our unions to improve safety standards at your workplace. I would also like to reiterate my call on the Government to provide greater support to our SMEs to adopt new safety technologies at the workplace. I will speak more about this at MOM’s Committee of Supply debate. Beyond the dangers at the workplace, I have also raised numerous times, in and outside of this House, on the importance of ensuring the safety of our workers’ transportation. I strongly urge the Government to end the practice of allowing workers to co-mingle with goods and heavy equipment at the rear deck of lorries. Man and machine simply do not mix and should not be placed together, especially at the rear deck of lorries. I will further elaborate this point during the Ministry of Transport (MOT)’s Committee of Supply debate. Sir, physical safety is but one measure of a worker’s total workplace safety and health. A more comprehensive social compact on providing a safe workplace needs to also incorporate mental health.”
“Sir, I am dismayed at the current poor workplace safety and health (WSH) outcomes despite the many interventions in the past two years. Last year, a total of 46 workers did not make it home after work. This is a significant increase from 37 workplace fatalities recorded in 2021. Even more appalling was the news that many of the lives lost were due to a fundamental lack or inadequate workplace safety arrangements that could have and should have been in place. In September 2022, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) introduced the Heightened Safety Period (HSP). In the initial three months of its implementation, we saw a promising decrease in the number of workplace fatalities. The Labour Movement had hoped that the HSP would prove decisive in preventing workplace accidents, injuries and fatalities. Unfortunately, this has proven to be a false dawn, with the number of cases rising once again in the later months. We are barely two months into 2023 and we have already recorded five fatalities at the workplace. This is simply unacceptable. Could it be that companies had become complacent with the HSP’s end within sight? While I am heartened that the HSP has been extended for another three months, I would like to urge the Government to seriously consider making permanent some of the HSP requirements, such as higher penalties for WSH breaches, so that we send a strong message that every worker deserves to return home safely at the end of each workday. Sir, the NTUC and our affiliated unions have been stepping up efforts to enhance safety standards at the workplace. We have trained more than 1,000 union leaders as safety ambassadors.”
“Elsewhere, Sheng Siong provided a 4% discount for senior citizens while Giant is absorbing the GST increase for 700 essential items. Beyond supermarkets, DBS has also launched an initiative to subsidise five million hawker meals for Singaporeans and residents for a year. Sir, I applaud the actions of these big Queen Bee companies and I am certain that there are numerous more. I encourage all companies with economies of scale to do the same in the coming months. Lastly, we need to pay special attention to vulnerable consumers who might be struggling to adapt to a new era of high interest rates. Our sandwiched class, in particular, often face a financial squeeze due to the need to care for their elderly parents and younger children. According to a report on the auctions market by real estate consultancy Knight Frank, more homes in Singapore could be put up for auction this year as the number of bankruptcy petitions rise. I would like to ask how the Government intends to support the sandwiched class, many of whom had bought their homes in a "dream scenario" of low interest rates but will now be required to refinance in a high interest rate "nightmare"? We also need to address the vulnerabilities of consumers in markets where high prepayment sums are involved but the sector does not provide any prepayment protection. I will speak more about mandatory prepayment protection during the Ministry of Trade and Industry's (MTI) Committee of Supply (COS) debate. Mr Speaker, in addition to refreshing our social compact to adjust to a higher for longer inflationary environment, we urgently need to review and strengthen our compact on what a safe workplace means.”