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.”
The complete record
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“For example, we need to pay more attention to the mental health of our lower-wage workers, who often find themselves on the stressful frontlines of our whole-of-nation response to the pandemic. What are the Ministry's plans to improve the physical and mental well-being of our frontline workers, in particular, those in the lower-wage segments? Lastly, research suggests that peer support systems are beneficial for the mental health of employees. Today, every company has a Safe Management Officer (SMO). Let us upskill all SMOs to become Work-Life Ambassadors, so that every company will have a representative to look after the work-life harmony of their workers and implement proper peer support systems customised to the individual companies. Sick Leave”
“Mr Chairman, 2021 saw 37 tragic workplace fatalities, a steep rise, compared to 30 fatalities in 2020. Every death at the workplace is avoidable and we must do all we can to stop them from happening. What is the Ministry's plan to improve workplace safety for 2022 and beyond? As we move to relax broader safe management measures (SMMs), when can we lift cohorting rules at the worksite, so that workers at construction sites can cross zones and resume helping one another during high-risk work activities? According to MOM's data, smaller construction firms – most of them sub-contractors – have a higher workplace fatality rate than bigger contractors. This begets the question – why are the good safety practices not being filtered down to the sub-contractors? I propose that we hold developers and main contractors jointly liable for poor WSH practices of sub-contractors working on their sites. Sir, the Return-to-Work Programme was launched in 2017 to help injured employees return to work after an accident. Can the Ministry provide an update on how many workers have participated in the programme since its launch, and what is the success rate of placing the injured worker back to his workplace? Are there any lessons that we can learn from the programme in the past five years and does the Ministry have any plans to enhance the programme moving forward? Sir, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has also placed a heavy toll on our workers' mental health, and I am glad that the Government has worked closely with the Labour Movement and has taken steps in the right direction to improve the mental resilience of our workforce. However, there remain concerns on whether we are doing enough.”
“For egregious cases, MTI should empower CCCS to impose financial penalties on errant businesses without having to first obtain an injunction order from the Courts. Second, the Courts must be able to order errant businesses to compensate the affected consumers during an injunction application by CCCS. Currently, even if CCCS successfully obtains an injunction order against an errant business, affected consumers are still required to separately file their cases at the Small Claims Tribunal to seek compensation and this can be an onerous process for some consumers. I propose to amend the CPFTA to provide the Courts with the discretion to compel errant businesses to compensate affected consumers. This is already practised in countries such as Australia, and I believe that doing so will provide consumers with quicker financial relief. Third, we should expand the ambit of regulated contracts under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) (Cancellation of Contracts) Regulations to include beauty-related contracts. Complaints against the beauty industry took the top spot in 2021, with many consumers complaining of pressure sales tactics and misleading claims. Despite our best efforts, such unfair business practices continue to run rampant. Including beauty-related contracts under the ambit of regulated contracts will provide consumers with a crucial five-day mandatory cooling-off period. This allows consumers the necessary time and space to consider whether they truly want to go ahead with the purchase, especially those that involve large prepayment amounts. Sir, I urge the Ministry to consider my three suggestions to strengthen the CPFTA so that we can better protect consumers amidst the backdrop of global inflation. Committee Against Profiteering”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to first declare my interest as President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). In my Budget Debate speech, I spoke at length about the choices that consumers can make to alleviate the rise in our cost of living. But all our efforts will be in vain if we fail to clamp down on unscrupulous businesses which take advantage of the inflationary environment and engage in unfair practices. I have three suggestions to strengthen the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act or CPFTA. First, we need to be able to take faster action against errant businesses. Under the current regulations, CASE may invite errant businesses to enter into a Voluntary Compliance Agreement (VCA) to cease its unfair practices and to compensate affected consumers. As the name suggests, such agreements are entered into on a voluntary basis and businesses which refuse the VCA are then referred to the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) for investigation. Since the last CPFTA amendments in 2016, CASE has referred 10 businesses to CCCS for investigation and CCCS has successfully obtained three injunction orders against these errant businesses. But, Sir, it took CCCS about 20 months to obtain an injunction order to stop these businesses and to stop their unfair practices. This long lead time can lead to: one, a continuation of the unfair practices; or two, allow the errant business time to wind down their companies. If unaddressed, this will severely undermine public confidence in our consumer protection regime. Sir, we should enhance the CPFTA to ensure timely action can be taken against errant businesses.”
“Mr Chairman, in my Budget debate speech, I highlighted how COVID-19 has accelerated the Work from Anywhere trend and how this has spawned a trending culture of "workcations" and countries chasing to attract digital nomads. To ensure that our public officers can continue to respond decisively to global developments, they will need to remain adaptable through constant upskilling and new experiences, so that they can serve Singapore more effectively through this period of significant global shifts. What are PSD’s plans to ensure that our public officers of today will be ready to take on the challenges of tomorrow? How will the Government support their growth and career development? To continually attract the best Singaporean talents to serve Singapore, our Public Service will need to evolve in line with global trends. Will the Public Service hire Singaporean digital nomads based overseas? Will we allow our Public Service officers to go on a year-long workcation? As our workforce ages and we gradually extend our statutory retirement and re-employment ages, it will be increasingly important for us to also extend the lifelong employability of our Public Service officers. Can the Minister provide an update on the efforts on this front? We should strive towards a future where officers can have two, or even three fulfilling careers in the whole of Public Service. Lastly, I note with concern that our Public Service is experiencing an unusual rise in attrition, with the resignation rate in the Management Executive scheme reaching a 10-year high of 9.9% in 2021. Could stress be a cause of this? If so, what is PSD doing to alleviate burnout in the service?”
“Forty-two percent of the respondents felt that there was insufficient mental well-being support at their workplaces. Clearly, our tired working professionals deserve a right to disconnect so that they can have protected time to rest and recharge after work. I urge the Ministries and our Government agencies to lead by promulgating clear directives on after-hours work communications for their staff. Good workplace mental health is good for productivity and business. I hope that the Government can provide grants to encourage more employers to implement Employee Assistance Programmes at various workplaces to support its workers with mental health needs. Mr Speaker, the coming years are fraught with challenges. Rising energy prices, inflation and a rapidly ageing population are just some of the difficult hurdles that Singapore and Singaporeans will need to overcome. At NTUC, we believe that every worker matters and the best way to protect them through these challenges is through better jobs and better wages. We will continue to walk alongside our brothers and sisters and help them take advantage of all the help that are available. We will chart our way forward together. Sir, I support the Budget.”
“What could be the reason for the disconnect? One answer is likely a mismatch in skills. Our NTUC's career coaches have found that many mid-career PMETs often neglect to go for skills upgrading because they were too caught up with day-to-day work schedules and very wide-ranging family responsibilities. That is why I am glad that the Government is committing $100 million to scale NTUC's company training committees (CTCs). The CTCs help address the two most common questions that workers have when it comes to training – train what and train for what – by aligning the training needs with the company's future business and operations roadmap. Therefore, I encourage all companies in Singapore to work with NTUC and partner with us to create and implement training programmes that are suitable to upskill and reskill your workers effectively. Lastly, I would like to touch on workplace burnout, a real but often invisible threat to the well-being of our workers. Over the years, I have been speaking both inside and outside of this House on the importance of maintaining good workplace mental health. I am glad that the Government has worked closely with the Labour Movement on various initiatives, notably the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-being at Workplaces back in November 2020, which provides guidance on after-hours work communications. For the first time, the Workplace Safety and Health Council will introduce a new workplace mental health category at this year's Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Awards. However, there remains much more to be done. According to a recent NTUC survey of 1,000 young working adults, over 40% reported poor work-life balance and work stress due to longer working hours and heavier workload since the start of the pandemic.”
“The Financial Times recently reported that Thailand is offering 10-year visas to attract skilled professionals working remotely. According to Investopedia, Thailand is not alone, with Germany, Mexico and Norway – just to name a few examples – trying very hard to attract these digital nomads. Sir, the Minister for Manpower answered a Parliamentary Question yesterday on foreign remote workforce employed by Singapore-based companies. He highlighted how it is important for Singapore to continually transform ourselves and help our local workforce perform higher value jobs. I cannot agree with him more. But the reality is that digital nomads are competing for higher value jobs – jobs such as creative professionals, coding specialists and data science analysts. Simply put, companies today need not hire people based physically in Singapore to fill jobs here and our PMETs are particularly at risk of being displaced by an invisible competition, sitting by the poolside of a resort in Phuket. While the increase in minimum qualifying salaries for Employment Pass and S Pass holders may be a short-term measure, I urge the Government to study this trend and review if our existing labour policies would continue to remain relevant in the years ahead. Do we need to adjust our policies and economic strategies to account for this invisible global competition for local jobs? According to data from MOM, Singapore had a record high of 98,700 job openings in September 2021, with the number of job vacancies more than double the number of unemployed people. On the ground, however, the Labour Movement has received feedback from PMETs, particularly those in their mid-career, that they find it difficult to land these jobs. Jobs looking for people. People looking for jobs.”
“I am therefore glad that Lazada Singapore has partnered Radin Mas to launch the Radin Mas Marketplace @ Lazada. This will be Singapore's first e-marketplace for heartland shops. Lazada will onboard all interested merchants and hawkers in Radin Mas, which number close to 600 and allow them to list their first 100 items on the e-marketplace at no cost. Lazada will also teach our merchants how to better engage with younger customers such as through livestreaming. Merchants and consumers can also benefit from the occasional promotional campaigns organised by Lazada. Sir, our heartland shops are an important part of our social fabric. As we transform our economy and chart our way in the post-pandemic future, we must ensure that our heartland shops will continue to remain part of our Singapore Story. Mr Speaker, to manage the cost of living, wages must increase in tandem with rising inflation. However, we need to watch out for these three "invisibles" that could stand in the way of raising salaries – the invisible competition for jobs, invisible skills mismatch and invisible threat of burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic has completely transformed the way we work and has accelerated the "work from anywhere" trend. Competition for jobs can now come from digital nomads working from any corner of the globe as long as the candidate has the right skills, a computer and a good Internet connection. There is even a new word recently invented called "workcation" where people travel and work remotely at the same time. Countries are now seeking to attract these digital nomads as they reopen their economies and try to revive their tourism and hospitality sectors at the same time.”
“I would encourage consumers to look beyond the advertising and give house brands a try. The same taste for a much lower cost may come as a pleasant surprise. Sir, house brands help set an important price floor for many of our household essential items and I hope all major supermarket chains can absorb the GST increase for selected house brand essential items. But comparing prices alone is insufficient if a retailer chooses to maintain the price but reduce the quantity of the product. To tackle this shrinkflation, I would like to call on the Government to introduce mandatory unit pricing for supermarkets and grocery retailers in Singapore. Mandatory unit pricing is already practised in countries such as Australia, Argentina and Chile. This might have been a logistical and administrative challenge in the past when price tags were printed on paper placed manually on the shelves. With the wide use of digital price tags today, supermarkets should have no difficulty displaying unit pricing. As part of our commitment to price transparency, CASE will display unit price alongside the retail price for items listed on Price Kaki. Sir, COVID-19 has impacted many of our heartland shops and hawkers. While the CDC vouchers have been a major help, more can be done to help our neighbourhood merchants transform their businesses. Heartland shops are facing immense pressure as higher prices of goods and utilities are weighing down heavily on their profitability. They are also facing stiff competition from online retailers. As consumers' purchasing behaviour shifts to e-commerce accelerated by the pandemic, I thought it would be helpful to onboard our heartland merchants and hawkers onto a major e-marketplace. This will help them tap on the huge e-commerce potential.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Budget, which seeks to address our immediate challenges and chart our way forward together. Sir, let me first declare my interest as President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). This Budget comes on the back of significant global inflationary pressures, at a time when rising cost of living is a major concern for many Singaporeans. The proposed increase in GST will no doubt add to consumers' concerns. While we understand the need to raise revenue, I am heartened that the Government has decided to delay the GST increase to 2023 and to stagger the increase over two years. Doing so will provide time for the various measures introduced to tackle rising inflation to come into effect. At CASE, we believe more can be done to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. That is why we launched the Price Kaki mobile application in 2019 to allow consumers to compare prices of household essentials, groceries and hawker food, make informed purchase decisions and stretch their dollar. Since its launch, the app has been downloaded more than 80,000 times. CASE will expand Price Kaki this year, with more retailers, more products and more services, so as to benefit more consumers. We will increase the coverage of cooked food stalls from the current 114 hawker centres to cover an additional 200 foodcourts and coffee shops. CASE will also increase the coverage of groceries and household essentials on the app from 4,000 to 10,000 items. To tackle rising prices, consumers can also consider purchasing house brands for their daily essentials. According to Price Kaki's data, house brand products can cost 10% to 25% cheaper than brand goods. House brands can be just as good and have similar nutrition value as regular brands.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is sobering to learn that our current anti-scam systems are blocking millions of scam calls each month. I would like to ask Minister Josephine Teo whether this useful protective filter extends to blocking scam calls made using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows calls to be made over the Internet as well as telecommunications applications, such as WhatsApp call, which is also becoming very popular even among our seniors. If not, are there any plans by the Ministry to safeguard these channels?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have two supplementary questions and I thank the Minister of State for her reply earlier. Singapore is a small city-state with very limited resources. Only 1% of our land is available for food production and over 90% of our food is imported. From a world that is increasingly being disrupted by both climate change and also supply chain issues, can the Minister of State share with us what are the factors that play a part in influencing food prices today and how is MTI helping to keep the prices of our food stable in spite of all these challenges?”
“Let us reduce the stigma and not let their past actions continue to cast a shadow over their future. In conclusion, the proposed amendments to the Prisons Act are timely as they will help to enhance community corrections and allow more inmates to gain meaningful employment upon their release. But I hope that more can be done to help ease ex-offenders’ transition into society and reduce the stigmatisation that they face, so that they will feel confident re-entering society and not fall back into a life of crime. Madam, I support the Bill.”
“Today, we have the iPhone 13 with a whopping storage capacity of 1TB. Technologies such as mobile payments and 5G technology will seem foreign to inmates who have been incarcerated for a lengthy period. Madam, we need to help inmates who will be returning to a – metaphorically speaking – completely new world than the one they knew before they entered prison. What are the efforts to help such prisoners reintegrate back into society? Can we have digital ambassadors to provide technology familiarisation sessions so that we can better prepare these inmates for the new environment outside of the prison? Mdm Deputy Speaker, the economic disruptions brought about by COVID-19 has undoubtedly made the job market more challenging for ex-offenders, as industries transform with a fervent pace. The Labour Movement, through the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) and our Job Security Council, has been actively partnering the Yellow Ribbon Singapore to match ex-offenders with available jobs in the market. In September 2021, there were 209 job openings for every 100 unemployed persons in Singapore, according to data from the MOM. There is certainly space for us to do more to help place ex-offenders into manpower-deficient sectors. However, certain jobs such as those in the security sector, or those that require approval from the Police to enter restricted areas such as our ports and the airport, are automatically excluded from ex-offenders due to their past convictions. I hope that the relevant authorities will continue to review such restrictions and exercise more flexibility so that we can help our ex-offenders access some of these jobs. Ex-offenders have served their sentences.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to amend the Prisons Act to enhance community corrections and facilitate better operations and administration of the Singapore Prison Service (SPS). Madam, let me begin by expressing my strong support for the introduction of the Employment Preparation Scheme, or EmPS for short, as it will help inmates gain the skills necessary to seek meaningful employment and, by extension, reduce our recidivism rates. Currently, inmates at the tail-end of their sentence are allowed to work in the community under the Work Release Scheme (WRS), which helps to ease their transition into society under gainful employment. However, if these inmates have been in prison for a long period of time, they may find it hard to find a job as the job market would have evolved significantly. If this is left unaddressed, the skills mismatch would result in low employment rates. The proposed replacement of the WRS with the EmPS, will help reduce this skills mismatch and ease the transition of our ex-offenders into society through good employment. However, despite our best efforts, there will still be those who re-offend, even if they are placed in proper jobs. I would like to know what is the recidivism rate among ex-offenders who were placed on WRS in the last five years and whether any analysis has been done on why they have re-offended? Are there any lessons that can be applied to EmPS to help further reduce recidivism rates? Madam, we should also do more to help inmates reintegrate back to society, particularly those who have been in jail for some time. Technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. Ten years ago, the iPhone 5 has just gone into the market and its maximum storage of 64GB then felt more than sufficient.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for her replies. I have two supplementary questions. The first is the tripartite advisory has been launched for quite some time. How many companies have actually adopted some of the advice that we have put out on work-life harmony? My second supplementary question relates to a commentary written by a Financial Times writer that was republished on CNA just this morning. It mentioned the disconnect between how bosses find workers to be less productive when telecommuting and workers themselves feeling that they are busier than ever. So, there is this disconnect. The writer argued that telecommuting makes workers busier simply because of the increased number of virtual meetings and having more internal coordination emails, work-related communications, but such additional work does not always translate to effective work outcomes. I am of the view that we would need to come to a new social compact when it comes to such telecommuting work arrangements and reset expectations on what working hours are and what is productivity for those who work from home or those who adopt hybrid work arrangements. So, can the Ministry study this issue in detail and provide recommendations on how workplaces can come to a consensus on such a new social compact and provide both employers and employees tools to manage the unique challenges posed by such telecommuting work arrangements? NTUC would be most happy to work with the Ministry on this.”
“The proposed additions to section 95 of the Women's Charter will allow for couples to divorce by mutual agreement and I worry that this will become a loophole for sham divorces. How would the Ministry identify such cases and are there penalties that will arise as a result of such fake divorces? In conclusion, the proposed amendments to the Women's Charter are aimed at making divorce proceedings less acrimonious and help ex-couples co-parent better. But it has also made divorce easier, inadvertently eroding the sanctity of marriage. We should do more upstream to help strengthen marriages and prevent relationships from breaking down, through mandatory and extensive marriage preparation programmes and make marriage therapy, marriage counselling cheaper and more accessible. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“In cases where the wife was a homemaker, it can be difficult for them to re-enter the workforce easily as their skillsets may not be updated. In this regard, NTUC has been working with our affiliated unions, the Employment and Employability Institute and NTUC Learning Hub, to support single mothers by bringing employment and training opportunities to them. I encourage all single mums who need help returning to the workplace to turn to the Labour Movement for support. Single mothers also have less familial support when it comes to caregiving and will require more support in helping them balance their careers and caregiving duties. In Radin Mas, we partnered Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) to launch the Jobs Closer to Home Programme in 2021 to help mothers with caregiving responsibilities find jobs that are closer to home, so that they can balance work and their roles as a mother and caregiver. This has helped some single mothers in my constituency to gain meaningful employment and I hope this can be scaled up nationally. I would also like to call on Action for Alliance on Work-Life Harmony to look at how companies can implement more flexible work arrangements specifically catered to single parents, so that we can help them to be the best parent that they can be to their children. Finally, we also need to take steps to strengthen the institution of marriage against couples who seek a divorce merely in name, for monetary or other benefits. For example, when the most recent round of property cooling measures was introduced by MND, there emerged some online chatter advising and encouraging couples seeking to own multiple properties to decouple and divorce in name just to avoid the Additional Buyers' Stamp Duties!”
“Many of us go for a regular health check-up, sometimes yearly, sometimes once every two years. Why not have a regular check-up for our marriages, too? According to a report from MSF, which tracked 29 cohorts of marriages between 1987 and 2015, more divorces are happening during the earlier years of a couple's marriage, with the highest proportion of couples ending their marriages between years five and 10. Why is this so? Is it linked to certain key life moments that changed the dynamics of the relationship? I hope that MSF could make marriage therapy more affordable and accessible, so that we can help couples take stock of their relationships and strengthen their marriages. Perhaps, we could go a step further and subsidise marriage therapy for couples who are between their fifth to 10th year of marriage, since it seems to be the critical period where marriages are vulnerable, and divorce cases are at their highest. Mr Speaker, in the unfortunate event that the marriage does genuinely break down and divorce becomes a real option on the table, we should still try our best to mend the relationship. And this could be done through mandatory pre-divorce counselling programmes. Currently, pre-divorce counselling is only mandatory for parents with minor children before they file for divorce and is designed to encourage divorcing couples to make informed decisions to prioritise the well-being of their children. Can MSF consider mandatory pre-divorce counselling for all couples who cite unreasonable behaviour as the reason for their divorce and, in future, the couples who cite DMA as a reason for the divorce? Sir, we should also better support single mothers who may need help in securing jobs or finding jobs that will allow them to support themselves and their children.”
“However, as a grassroots leader and former Police officer, I have also seen cases of how being trapped in an unhappy marriage can be damaging on a person's well-being – emotionally, mentally and, at times, even physically. That is why, despite my personal view on marriage, I can understand and appreciate the reason for the introduction of DMA. But that being said, we should do more to intervene upstream to help strengthen marriages, so that we can prevent relationships from deteriorating to the point where couples have to contemplate divorce. For example, MSF could make marriage preparation courses more extensive and, I would even argue, mandatory. Before I got married, my wife-to-be and I had to attend the Marriage Preparation Course conducted by the Church. The course, which comprised six sessions, taught us the fundamentals of a healthy marriage and equipped us with tools to work out our differences in a constructive way. While there are marriage preparation programmes on the market, most seem to emphasise on how couples can be equipped with the right tools in as little time as possible, with some courses taking just two weekends. I wonder if this is truly sufficient to prepare two distinct individuals to live together for the rest of their lives. Currently, MSF only mandates marriage preparation courses if the marriage involves someone below the age of 21. I would suggest that a comprehensive marriage preparation programme be put together and for marrying couples of all ages to be strongly encouraged to participate. Sir, another suggestion on how we can do more upstream to strengthen marriages is to have regular check-ups on the health of our marriages, particularly newer marriages.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to improve marriage processes for couples and incorporate therapeutic justice elements into the divorce proceedings. However, I have some clarifications and suggestions. Sir, MSF has proposed a major amendment to the divorce process, by introducing a sixth fact of divorce by mutual agreement of the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, or DMA, for short. Sir, DMA is, essentially, a "no-fault divorce", which enables couples to take joint responsibility for the breakdown of their marriage. The rationale for introducing such a concept, as explained by MSF, arose from feedback from divorcees that having to cite one of the current fault-based facts as the reason for divorce dredges up unhappy memories and can cause the divorce proceedings to turn acrimonious, thus making it detrimental to the emotional well-being of their children. In essence, however, it can be argued that DMA makes the divorce process easier. Sir, as a Catholic, I believe in the sanctity of marriage. I was taught that marriages are meant to be sacred and lasting. The divorce process should not be made too easy as we want couples to work through their problems that will, inevitably, crop up in any marriage. Major challenges, such as struggling to care for their first-born who refuses to stop crying in the middle of the night or coping with the financial squeeze that couples with young children and elderly parents to care for, are par for the course. These are everyday marital problems, and we should provide couples with the tools to resolve communication issues, instead of making divorce a simple, straightforward, easy solution.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I have two supplementary questions. First, can the Minister of State share what are the top three most frequent traffic violations committed by these heavy vehicles. According to MOM's mid-year workplace safety and health statistics, vehicular accidents were the top cause of workplace deaths for the first half of 2021. In September, I filed a Parliamentary Question to ask about the yearly breakdown of the almost 20,000 speeding violations by lorries in the past five years and found that speeding cases were rising annually up until last year when COVID-19 resulted in a halt to many economic activities. Clearly, employers are putting their workers' lives at risk when ferrying them at the back of lorries especially when some of these lorry drivers have the propensity to speed and it could be down to just sheer luck that there has not been even more fatalities on our roots. Therefore, I would like to ask whether MHA would reconsider some of my proposals to add a speed limiter to all lorries much as how we have already done in heavy vehicles today and whether there could be a review on having dedicated transport for workers instead of having the workers co-mingle with goods at the back of the lorries. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. With regard to his suggestion about speed limiters as well as the lorries, the Government will bring this back and take a look at these suggestions. With regard to the breakdown of the top three most frequent traffic violation committed by heavy vehicles, indeed, number one is speeding, number two is red light running and number three is careless driving. 2.59 pm”
“But as we pursue our path towards energy self-sufficiency, we must recognise that we will continue to be a price-taker in both the short and the medium term. We should, therefore, do more to protect our consumers, who have the most to lose in a volatile energy market. With that, I support the Bill.”
“While we cannot turn back time to shore up the poor business fundamentals of the exiting retailers, what we can do is to learn from this episode and prevent a similar exodus from happening in the future. Markets often operate in a cycle and periods of volatile energy prices will happen again. What are lessons that the Ministry has learnt from this episode and how does the Ministry intend to prevent another exit of multiple electricity retailers when volatility arises once again? Does the Ministry plan to review the mandatory hedging position by electricity retailers, particularly those who do not possess any electricity generation capabilities, and require them to hedge more aggressively so that we can avoid a repeat of an exodus of retailers when the wholesale electricity market turns volatile again? Sir, the move to fully liberalise the electricity retail market in 2018 was a game changer that allowed consumers to enjoy significant savings and the ability to choose electricity plans that fit their lifestyles. Since its launch, retailers have been able to provide prices that are lower than the regulated tariff offered by SP Group. But this may not necessarily always be the case. Just like in any market, prices can rise and fall. If the current global energy crisis persists, market prices may soon rise above the regulated tariff. I hope that this exodus of retailers will not end up becoming a false dawn for the Open Electricity Market and I hope that the Government can do more to ensure market stability, while ensuring that consumers continue to enjoy attractive electricity prices and more competition in the market. Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the Bill is a timely move that paves the way for Singapore to act on our climate change commitments.”
“Minister Tan See Leng spoke at length about this during yesterday’s Sitting, in response to the Parliamentary Questions filed by me and various other Members of this House. According to the Minister, the exit of these retailers has affected about a tenth of household consumers in the Open Electricity Market. We cannot underestimate the negative impact that this has had on affected consumers. Their contracts have been cut short and they will need to migrate to a new retailer that offers more expensive electricity plans, or have their accounts transferred back to SP Group and pay for their electricity at the regulated tariffs. The prolonged telecommuting work arrangements due to COVID-19 has also meant an increase in the average household electricity consumption during this period. Taken together, affected consumers face a double whammy in terms of having to pay more due to higher prices and an increase in energy consumption. Consumers have the most to lose when an electricity retailer decides to call it a day. That is why CASE had, in 2018, worked closely with EMA to embed consumer protection measures into the Open Electricity Market. Consumers affected by the closures of their energy retailers will have their security deposits refunded. They can also choose to terminate their contracts early with exiting retailers without any termination fees, before their accounts are transferred to the SP Group. CASE had also worked closely with EMA on consumer awareness roadshows to highlight key information, such as their consumer rights if their chosen energy retailer closes. Despite these safeguards, some consumers remain unhappy at having to suddenly pay more due to the business failures of the electricity retailers. Their unhappiness is understandable.”
“I would like to ask for an update on the projects funded under the Ministry’s first Genco Energy Efficiency Grant Call, which was awarded back in 2020. It has been just over a year since the EMA awarded $23 million in grants to Senoko Energy, Tuas Power Generation and YTL PowerSeraya. Have these three companies seen their energy efficiency projects bear fruit? How much does the Government expect to invest for the second Genco Energy Efficiency Grant Call, which is currently open for submission? Mr Speaker, more than 95% of our electricity is generated from imported natural gas. This puts us at a severe disadvantage during global energy crises, such as what we are facing today, which has caused wholesale electricity prices to spike. The Bill’s proposal to empower EMA to acquire, build, own and operate critical power sector infrastructure, if there is a failure in the private market, can be seen, therefore, as an important safeguard for our nation’s energy self-sufficiency should such global conditions happen again in the future. However, once the Bill is passed, EMA would have the power to act as both regulator and owner of generation companies. EMA would then be able to compete in the Singapore Wholesale Electricity Market and could, through the sheer financial might of the Government, dictate wholesale electricity prices. I am, therefore, glad that the Minister has assured in his Second Reading speech earlier that the appropriate safeguards and processes will be put in place to ensure fair market competition and prevent conflicts of interest from arising. Mr Speaker, the recent spike in wholesale energy prices has resulted in some retailers in the Open Electricity Market having to exit the consumer retail market.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to safeguard our energy security, enhance the protection of critical energy infrastructure and reduce our emission of greenhouse gases. Sir, before I begin, I would like to declare my interest as the President of the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE). Sir, the Bill proposes, amongst other things, to take significant steps to reduce Singapore’s carbon footprint. This is a timely move, as countries review and renew their climate change commitments in light of the mounting evidence of the widespread damage that climate change will have on our future generations if no action is taken. According to various scientific studies, the main driver of modern climate change comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases that gets trapped in our atmosphere, causing the Earth to heat up. I, therefore, fully support the proposed changes to the Electricity Act, which will allow EMA to set greenhouse gas emissions standards. Over time, this will be an important lever for the Government to force power generation companies to use more energy-efficient technologies. This legislative lever is especially important, given Singapore’s ambitious push, under the Singapore Green Plan, to phase out internal combustion engine vehicles by 2040 and to have all vehicles run on cleaner energy, such as electric vehicles. But even if electric vehicles have no tailpipe emissions, they can still leave a significant carbon footprint if the source of our energy generation produces large amounts of greenhouse gases. Empowering EMA to set emissions standards for power generation companies is, therefore, vital for us to realise our international climate change commitments and to truly go green.”
“Sir, in conclusion, the amendments to the Retirement and Re-employment Act are timely as Singaporeans are living longer than ever before. We must strive to help Singaporeans work longer more meaningfully, if they wish to, by changing the narrative of hiring senior workers into a worthwhile investment instead of a hire that comes with hefty Government subsidies. With that, I support the two Bills.”
“Having schemes that go beyond wage subsidies would encourage companies to pay serious attention to investing in their silver workforce. Mr Speaker, as we debate the issue of retirement, it is also important to place an emphasis on retirement adequacy. According to the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index, Singapore has the best retirement system in Asia and ranks 10th in the world. This reflects the strength of our CPF system, particularly the CPF LIFE scheme which ensures that seniors beyond the age of 65 will receive a monthly payout no matter how long they live. However, the latest Household Expenditure Survey conducted in 2019 found that retiree households living in public flats require more than just their CPF payouts and most receive money from their children and family members. While CPF LIFE can help to close the gap in retirement adequacy, the scheme is meant to cover a basic level of costs during retirement and may not be sufficient for those who do not properly plan for their retirement needs. A study published by AIA Singapore in July 2021 reported that 60% of Singaporeans face an uncertain future by not prioritising their retirement planning. This is a worrying trend and we certainly need to focus on improving the financial literacy of Singaporeans, so that they understand the importance of building a nest egg for their silver years while they are still young. To help families better plan for their retirement years, the NTUC launched a social enterprise, MoneyOwl, to provide reliable and competent financial advice. MoneyOwl’s financial advisers do not operate on commissions, which means that they do not have an incentive to sell consumers products that they do not need.”
“As we prepare Singaporeans for a longer career, I hope that the Government’s public education campaigns about retirement adequacy can go beyond financial terms, but also on how to secure fruitful and meaningful work when they reach their silver years. Mr Speaker, I am heartened that the Government has put in place many incentive schemes to boost the employability of our seniors. The Minister for Manpower himself touched on them during the Parliamentary Sitting last month, where he gave a breakdown of the schemes under the Senior Worker Support Package. Schemes such as the Senior Employment Credit, the Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant, the Part-time Re-employment Grant and the CPF Transition Grant have helped to keep the employment rate of those aged 55 to 64 years old at over 67% and the employment rate of those above 65 at 28.5%. While these schemes have helped Singapore to maintain relatively high levels of senior worker employment rates, the underlying assumption behind these schemes reflects the societal stereotype – that we need to subsidise employers to hire mature workers. As we extend our retirement and re-employment ages, combined with a rapidly ageing workforce, this will not be sustainable. We should therefore strive to think of new solutions to encourage companies to view senior workers as assets and not liabilities. Perhaps we could provide corporate tax incentives to companies that significantly invest in senior workers, for example, those that actively hire and train over 30% of its workforce above the age of 55. Perhaps we could provide co-funding for companies that wish to revamp their workspaces to be more inclusive, especially to the needs of senior workers.”
“Mr Speaker, I stand in support of the two Bills, in particular, the Retirement and Re-employment (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to increase the statutory retirement and re-employment age to 65 years and 70 years respectively by 2030. Sir, the amendments to the statutory retirement and re-employment ages are a timely one, as Singaporeans are living much longer than ever before. We currently have the world’s third highest life expectancy, with the average Singaporean expected to live till about 83 years old. With better healthcare, this is projected to increase to over 85 in 2040. As our lifespan increases, it becomes vital that we pay attention to the longevity of our careers. Long gone are the days when it was the norm to join a company and work in the same company for the entirety of one’s career. There is a new saying, “Career mobility is the new career stability”, and I know that many of our younger workers, particularly the PMETs, live by this axiom. But how mobile are the careers of our mature workers? Statistics and ground feedback suggest that it is much harder for mid-career and mature workers to find a new job after being displaced. Among the 34,000 jobseekers who sought career coaching help from Workforce Singapore and the Employment and Employability Institute in 2020, 60% were above the age of 40 years old. Of these, four out of 10 were unable to find jobs within six months. On the ground, we hear of the deep anxieties that mature workers have if they are displaced, particularly if they are close to the retirement age. It is therefore important that we place emphasis on our late-stage career mobility when we are young.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Senior Minister of State for his comprehensive Statement. I would like to shift the focus to the welfare of our healthcare professionals. According to the Director of Medical Services, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant backlog of follow-up visits and elective operations, and it will take the hospitals many months to catch up and clear this backlog. The Senior Minister of State also earlier mentioned that 90% of our healthcare workers were not able to clear their annual leave. I would like to ask which hospitals have the greatest backlog and how will this affect the amount of leave that its staff will be allowed to take, given the immense pressure faced to clear the backlog. As there are clear challenges mentioned by the Senior Minister of State to quickly increase staffing to alleviate the manpower situation, what are the hospitals planning to do to allow our healthcare professionals to at least take a break during this period?”
“The lean workforce also means that security officers sometimes must patrol alone and may not be able to call for timely help if they are attacked. I would like to ask the Minister of State what is being done to attract more people to join the private security industry. As a Member of Parliament, I sometimes receive appeals from residents whose application for a security officer's licence was rejected by the Police because they had a past conviction. I would like to ask, on average, how many appeals for a security officer’s licence were made by ex-convicts in the past five years and what is the average success rate for such appeals? Madam, perhaps, as highlighted by Mr Yip Hon Weng earlier in his speech, there may be a case to be made for persons previously convicted of minor offences to be given a chance to take on the role of security officers. I hope that the Ministry can review this without compromising on the stringent selection criteria for our security professionals. Mdm Deputy Speaker, our security officers play a very important frontline role in protecting the premises where they are deployed. They help keep us safe. While we make the timely legislative amendments to enhance the protection of our security officers, it is also important for us to consider other measures to improve the safety and well-being of our security professionals. The ability to prosecute abusers is one crucial deterrent, but just as important is the ability to de-escalate situations before they become unacceptable or unlawful behaviour. With that, I support the Bill.”
“Although abuse of security officers may happen frequently, my sense is that the number of Police reports made against abusers are few and far between. And possibly only a tiny handful of abusive incidents ever translate into arrests and prosecutions. Madam, why is this so? One key issue is likely to be a lack of clear evidence. How can we get past the usual impasse of one person's word against the other? What can we do to enhance current procedures to make it easier for security officers to take abusers to task, especially considering the proposed new offences? My suggestion: body-worn cameras. These cameras have shown to be effective in breaking the deadlock, allowing organisations and individuals to report incidents with confidence. The Police introduced body-worn cameras for its frontline Police officers back in 2015. These cameras capture both audio and video, and are worn in a visible manner on the front of the officer's uniform. Madam, I think it is time for security officers to put on similar cameras, much like our regular Police officers today. The cameras can serve as a deterrent against potential abuse of our security officers. The footages can also serve as evidence for police reports to be made against the offender. Madam, in addition to protecting our security officers, we must also address the acute manpower shortage faced by the private security industry. According to a report by the TODAY newspaper, many security officers work up to 12 hours a day, which is the limit under our labour laws, due to insufficient manpower. The lack of manpower has an impact on the safety of the premises that our security officers protect. Overworked and tired officers may miss out on threats due to fatigue.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill, which seeks to enhance protection accorded to our security officers. Madam, as a former Police officer and a current trustee of the Union of Security Employees (USE), I have many regular interactions with security officers, who share with me candidly the various forms of abuse that they face regularly throughout the course of their work. As guardians of the premises where they are deployed, it is common for them to have to deal with difficult stakeholders who could have malicious intent, are uncooperative, or are just plain rude. Members in this House may remember several high-profile cases of abuse towards security officers, such as in 2019, when a viral video emerged of an investment banker verbally abusing a security officer working in a condominium over a $10 parking fee for visitors. Madam, unfortunately, for every case that goes viral and captures public attention, countless more go unreported. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation worse. In a joint survey conducted by USE and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), cases of abuse against security employees have surged by as much as one-third since the pandemic started. We must send a clear message that any abuse of security officers will not be tolerated. I, therefore, fully support the proposed enhancements to the Act, which will introduce new offences to address common types of harassment and abuse faced by our security officers in the course of their duties. Madam, the same survey by the union and SUSS found that 40% of officers surveyed had faced some sort of abuse in the course of their work. I would like to ask, on average, how many reports does the Police receive annually, with regard to security officers being abused?”
“The Police must do all it can to always safeguard the trust that Singaporeans have placed on our men and women in blue. Madam, I have spent more than half my working life serving as a Police officer. I know how tough, difficult and exhausting the work can be. But I have also benefited immensely from the training, the experiences and the many great friendships that I have made throughout my time in the Force, and I can see so many of them here with us today in the Gallery. The values that SPF has ingrained in me – Courage, Loyalty, Integrity and Fairness – continue to guide me as I serve the community in a different role today. As the saying goes, once a Police officer, always a Police officer. It has truly been an honour to have worked alongside so many dedicated Policemen and Policewomen. Madam, the Singapore Police Force has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a 12-man team more than 200 years ago. As one of Singapore’s oldest institutions, it has met and overcome many great difficulties throughout its long history. No matter what challenges the future may bring, I know that SPF will continue to keep Singapore and all of us safe and secure for many more years to come. To SPF, thank you very much. [Applause.]”
“It is virtually impossible today to tell a VSC officer apart from a regular Police officer from the uniform he wears or the equipment he carries because they are dressed and equipped the same as their regular counterparts. Unknown to many, most of our VSC officers have regular day jobs and volunteer for Police duties at night and during the weekends. They juggle their full-time job and family commitments, on top of patrolling our streets and our territorial waters. The sacrifices of our volunteer Police officers have helped to keep Singapore’s crime rate low over the decades. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I have spoken at length about the various roles within the Police Force that might be invisible to members of the public. Let me now highlight the need to safeguard the invisible trust that Singaporeans have in SPF. According to the Gallup 2020 Global Law and Order Report, Singapore has topped an index of public perceptions of law and order for the sixth year in a row. An extraordinary 97% of us feel safe walking alone at night, an activity that cannot be taken for granted in many countries. Minister Shanmugam once noted in 2017 that many law enforcement agencies around the world envy the level of faith and trust that Singaporeans have in our Police Force. I agree fully. And the high levels of trust have stood the test of time. A 2020 survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies also found that 87% of respondents were confident or very confident with SPF, the highest level of confidence in police globally. But we must not take this for granted. Malicious actors have and will continue to engage in efforts to damage the image and credibility of SPF. Policing work is no longer just about fighting crimes.”
“Before this, it was recorded in books that the untrained wives of Police constables were employed to help check women accused and were paid a dollar for conducting each search. It was a dollar per search. In the initial years, the women officers were trained to handle female offenders, record statements from victims of sexual offences and help counsel female juvenile delinquents. Since their entry into the Force, our women Police officers have constantly pushed against boundaries to reach greater heights in what used to be a male-dominated profession. Today, we have close to 2,000 women officers in SPF, with many serving in leadership positions, taking command of specialist units and leading crucial staff and operational departments. Madam, our policewomen hold multifaceted roles at home too. They are mothers, wives and daughters. In addition to coping with the heavy workload that comes as a Police officer, many of our policewomen must cope with a second shift when they go home. Despite these challenges, they continue to serve and lead with distinction, and keep Singapore safe and secure. Incidentally, there is a Motion after this on Empowering Women. Our women Police officers have been excellent role model of breaking barriers and I ask the House to join me in thanking and honouring all our passionate women Police officers, both past and present. [Applause.] Madam, the contributions of our volunteer Police officers cannot be neglected too. The Volunteer Special Constabulary (VSC) scheme was formed in 1946 to augment the ranks of regular Police officers after the end of World War II. It started with only 150 volunteers and the VSC has since grown to over 1,000 volunteer Police officers, supporting SPF in various operational roles.”
“Next, I would like to highlight another vital but often unseen policing unit, the Police Coast Guard (PCG). They patrol and protect Singapore's territorial waters, a job that is often confused with our more famous Navy counterparts. As an island state, threats from our territorial waters are plentiful and our PCG officers deal with a variety of challenges every day, and especially so in the darkness of night, ranging from piracy attacks to detecting and deterring illegal persons from swimming across the sea to enter or leave Singapore. No matter how choppy the waters are, we can always count on the Singapore Police Coast Guard to keep our waters safe. Moving inland, I would like to commend the work of another important Police unit which has kept a low-profile presence since it was established in 1949, the Gurkha Contingent. The first batch of Gurkha officers arrived in Singapore in March 1949. Known for their courage, loyalty and paramilitary prowess, they guard our vital installations and provide security coverage for major events held in Singapore. The Gurkhas were first called to the frontlines in the 1950s to deal with several major civil unrest such as the Maria Hertogh riots and the Hock Lee Bus riots. They were also deployed during Konfrontasi in the 1960s. More recently, the Gurkhas were featured widely for helping to secure the historic meeting in Singapore between US President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim in 2018. Our Gurkha officers continue to be an important part of the SPF family and I would like to pay a special tribute here for their contributions in keeping Singapore safe for more than 70 years. Madam, that same year in 1949, then-Commissioner of Police RE Foulger recruited the first batch of women Police officers.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this Motion to honour the important contributions of the Singapore Police Force and its many officers. Madam, I first joined SPF in 1995 and served 20 wonderful years before retiring in 2015. Police work is challenging, not simply because the job of keeping Singapore safe and secure never ends, but also because most of the work that our Police officers do daily goes unseen, often unknown and, hence, unrecognised. Today, I would like to join my Parliamentary colleagues in honouring the tireless efforts made by our Police officers, particularly, the invisible work that is done to keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe every day and every night. Let me start by thanking our Police intelligence officers, a role which is never meant to be thrust into the spotlight. As the name suggests, the primary role of an intelligence officer is to provide intelligence: critical information that can help solve a case or prevent a harm from happening. But this is not as simple as it sounds. Intelligence work can mean poring through large amounts of data, analysing heaps of spreadsheets and documents, and reviewing long hours of CCTV footages or it could mean going undercover for weeks or laying in ambush for days, sometimes to no avail. As a former Police commander, I valued very much the hard work and contributions of our Police intelligence officers. For obvious reasons, I cannot say more on what they do but their efforts are tremendous and often unknown to the public. So, today, in this House, I would like to extend my appreciation to all the dedicated men and women in our Police intelligence service who work quietly behind the scenes all these years.”
“In conclusion, the proposed amendments to the Police Force Act are timely as they would allow the SPF to keep up with new threats and continue keeping Singapore safe and secure. But as we expand the powers of various categories of officers, we must ensure that we are able to continue to attract the best candidates to perform the specialist roles in SPF. We can and should also better deploy our PNSFs and PNSmen to maximise their fullest potential because every Police officer matters. Notwithstanding the above, I support the Bill.”
“Rather than mould civilian CAOs into pseudo-Police officers, why not consider posting trained, experienced Police officers with the requisite law, finance and economics backgrounds to the Commercial Affairs Department to supplement its current investigative resources? I strongly believe the Force has today many qualified uniformed men and women capable of handling white-collar crime investigations. The Bill also proposes to expand the powers of our Police full-time National Servicemen (PNSFs) and Police reservists (PNSmen). I support this and I have a few suggestions on how we could better empower them so that they have a fulfilling time serving their National Service obligation. During my time in the Force, I observed that PNSFs and PNSmen were more motivated when deployed to perform tasks that were relevant and related to either their area of study or their work experience. Beyond expanding their powers as proposed in the Bill, can we create a more structured deployment scheme to better leverage the talents of both our PNSFs and PNSmen? One good example is the MINDEF's Cyber NSF Scheme, which I believe the Minister of State would be familiar with. It allows those with cybersecurity and computer science backgrounds to apply for a vocation as a Cyber Operator during their National Service. Perhaps those with law or finance backgrounds can be deployed to the Commercial Affairs Department while those with computer science training can be deployed to help strengthen the SPF's cybersecurity teams. We should strive to leverage the strengths and talents of our PNSFs and PNSmen to augment the good work of our regular Police officers.”
“The Bill proposes to provide CAOs with more Police powers, such as the power to arrest, to enter a place to investigate an arrestable offence and requiring suspects to attend Court, among others. This is a significant extension of Police powers to civilian officers and possibly unprecedented. CAOs are civilian officers, not Police officers, and there were reasons why they were given only certain Police powers restricted to investigating offences under the Criminal Procedure Code when the CAO scheme was first established. These were deemed then to be sufficient for the CAOs to carry out their investigation duties effectively, supported by trained and armed Police colleagues. With this amendment, will CAOs be deemed as Police officers henceforth? The additional powers also come with increased risks. Would CAOs need to be armed to protect themselves? To exercise the power of arrest, should we require CAOs to learn defence tactics and pass a yearly Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT), much like what regular Police officers are required to do today? Would a CAO candidate's Physical Employment Standards (PES) status be now factored into the hiring process? We established the CAO scheme in 2000 to attract a special group of individuals to join the Police to fight complex white-collar crime. I recall we started with around 30 CAOs back in 2000. I believe the number would have grown over the past 20 years. But is that number sufficient to sustain the scheme of service? What is the attrition rate of CAOs, especially in their first three years of service?”
“A scan through our mainstream media articles found that the last publicised case of Police officers injured by a person evading a roadblock was in June 2017 when Lianhe Wanbao reported that a driver had dashed through a roadblock and injured two Police officers in a violent struggle when being arrested. This could be the same case cited by the Minister of State yesterday in his opening speech. In the event where the actions of the driver result in injury, the Police could consider and would probably have done so in the past to serve a charge of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty or voluntarily causing grievous hurt if the injuries are serious. Is it, therefore, necessary to raise the penalties for evading a roadblock by seven times? Next, I would like to better understand the need to confer more Police powers to civilian Commercial Affairs Officers (CAOs). I was the primary staff officer who coordinated the reconstitution of the Commercial Affairs Department to become a part of the Singapore Police Force back in 2000. In the process, I helped to put up the paper to establish the CAO scheme of service. CAOs are meant to be specialists who perform an important role in combating white collar crime and their good work is vital in helping to maintain Singapore's status as the region's premier financial and commercial hub. When establishing the CAO scheme, we knew that we had to look beyond the profile of typical Police officers and attract local talents in law, finance and economics to fight the ever-evolving complex financial crimes ranging from investment and securities fraud to transnational scams.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, as a Police officer for 20 years, I have seen first-hand how the risks and threats to our domestic safety and security have evolved over the years and how our Singapore Police Force has strived to constantly keep themselves a step ahead of the criminals and those who wish to cause harm to us. The proposed amendments to enhance SPF's operational capabilities and readiness are, therefore, timely as they will enable the Force to better keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe and secure. My speech today seeks to gain clarity on why we are increasing the penalties for evading roadblocks and to better understand the rationale for increasing the Police powers for some of our civilian officers, and whether we can better deploy our Police National Service personnel. [Mdm Deputy Speaker (Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo) in the Chair] The Bill proposes to increase the penalties for evading roadblocks from the current maximum jail term of 12 months and/or fine of S$5,000 to a maximum jail term of seven years and/or fine of S$10,000. While I understand that the new penalties take reference from the offence of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duties, this is a seven-times increase in maximum jail term. I would like to raise several questions to better understand the need for such a steep increase. How many cases of drivers evading a police roadblock have been recorded in the past five years? Are we seeing a significant upward trend, which has necessitated this sharp increase in penalties to send a deterrent message? How many incidents of roadblock evasion have left our Police officers seriously injured?”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for the answer. I think we can all agree: single unwed mothers do face a multitude of challenges, ranging from housing to caring for their children with limited resources. My question focuses on the children of single unwed mothers. I would like to ask if the Ministry can consider embarking on a comprehensive study to examine whether the children from single unwed families do suffer disadvantages in their education and also, later in life, their job opportunities and their income; and to explore how we can better assist these children upstream to fulfil their best potential.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for the answers. There are workers whose employer medical benefits come from an insurer. In some instances, the employer's insurer changed and the new insurer no longer covered what the old insurer would cover. For employees who are so affected, how can they get help? Often, they do not know until they submit a claim and they find that the terms and conditions have changed. Beyond PMBS, which the Minister has cited, are there other best practice recommendations which TAFEP, MOH and the Monetary Authority of Singapore can work on, so that the insurance industry can have a more consistent practice including providing avenues for workers to get help? The NTUC would be happy to work with MOM and SNEF to promulgate these best practices.”
“What about the traditional IT, HR and finance jobs that can now be performed remotely from anywhere in the world? Should Singaporeans be worried about such “invisible” competition that cannot be controlled by our existing work pass systems? These are questions better tackled sooner, rather than later. Madam, in conclusion, the proposed support measures by the Finance Minister will go some way in helping businesses in the sectors that continue to be directly impacted by the prolonged fight against COVID-19. But as we prepare for an endemic COVID-19, we must look beyond those directly impacted by the virus and care for those whose physical safety and mental health are at risk as they struggle to cope with the new normal. We also need to urgently consider the ever-looming threats and opportunities that the work-from-anywhere trend will bring and help prepare our Singaporean workforce for this new reality. With that, I support the measures put forth by the Finance Minister.”
“Many PMEs have also given me feedback that the prolonged work-from-home (WFH) arrangements have caused other tensions to emerge. Neighbours now quarrel because of the slightest noise and smell. Our homes are meant to be a safe space where we can live, work and play in peace. But I can empathise with both sides: the new homeowner trying to move into their new home as soon as possible and their neighbours trying to do an important work presentation virtually from home. As telecommuting work arrangements become more prevalent, we must do more to ease the tensions between neighbours. Could the Community Mediation Centre provide statistics on the common issues that go to mediation, so that we can embark on a public education campaign to minimise such disputes? Madam, in recent months, we have seen proposed travel bubbles with other countries bursting before they had the chance to fully form. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused global travel to come to a virtual standstill, the working landscape has become more globalised than ever. The year-long WFH arrangement has normalised remote working and both employers and employees have started to realise that a mobile computing device with an Internet connection is all that is required to work globally. I recently visited a large multinational company, where I met a Singaporean project manager who told me that he now manages multiple construction projects and tracks each worksite’s progress from the comfort of his living room. Is our workforce prepared for this new reality? What is being done to help Singaporeans tap on such global opportunities? But, Madam, the reverse can also be true. What is to stop local contractors from hiring foreign project managers who need not necessarily be based physically here?”