Michael Palmer
Singapore
“For example, if a points system is to be implemented for continuing professional development, can lawyers be given credit for this, say, up to a maximum of 20%? This is one way that we can credit lawyers who are already doing pro bono work and encourage lawyers who are not doing pro bono to do some pro bono work.”
“Mr Chairman, Ms Jessica Tan seems to have taken the words out of my mouth, and said inflation is on the rise in Singapore and various other parts of the world, particularly so with the cost of crude oil going up per barrel to over US$100.”
“Within ASEAN, the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting continue to keep the channels of engagement open between ASEAN member countries.”
“Mr Chairman, I would like to thank the Minister for his very insightful and clear analysis of the relationship of Singapore and ASEAN in the region and the world for various foreign matters. With that, Mr Chairman, I would like to seek leave to withdraw the cut. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“It is very heartening to hear our improved relations with Malaysia. But Prime Minister Najib is about to embark on a nationwide tour which has raised talk of elections across the border. As usual, Singapore takes a few shots every time a political activity heightens in Malaysia.”
“In the last two years, retirement ages have been increased in the SAF and a new scheme known as the Military Domain Experts Scheme (MDES) allows officers with special skills such as Engineers to convert to MDES officers and retire much later.”
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Every one of 201 lines we hold for Michael Palmer, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 5.
“Mr Chairman, Sir, it was obviously an astute, clear and concise answer which requires no further clarifications. I would like to thank the Minister and his team for delivering on a subject which is not easy to get across to the people not in the know. On behalf of the GPC, to the Minister –”
“On the international front, President Yudhoyono has been playing up Indonesia's role in international affairs. May I ask what is the status of Singapore's relationship with Indonesia and how does the Minister see Singapore's relationship with Indonesia developing? How does the Minister see Indonesia's role in the region developing? Myanmar – I had the privilege of travelling to Myanmar last year when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was in the midst of her trial. I witnessed the country under serious international pressure. Since then, things have evolved and in the international community, the United States, in particular, has taken a softer, more open and engaging approach to Myanmar. May I ask what is the status of Singapore's relations with Myanmar? Does Singapore envisage that the elections will be open and fair? Has the new approach adopted by the United States in respect of Myanmar led to better engagement between Myanmar and the West? What about Aung San Suu Kyi? Will she be released in time for the elections? What steps has Singapore taken to press for her release?”
“Sir, I would like to cover three countries in Southeast Asia which have been in the news recently. These are Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar. Malaysia – on 3rd April 2009, Datuk Sri Mohd Najib was sworn in as Malaysia's sixth Prime Minister. This was following UMNO's worst defeat in the general elections since its formation. After taking over, Prime Minister Najib announced his One Malaysia plan. The plan was centred around eight values which were meant to unite the people under the One Malaysia banner. This was a direct reaction to the poor showing in the general election which had been, in part, caused by the discontent in UMNO along racial lines. Unfortunately, One Malaysia does not seem to have had the intended effect. The torching of churches and suraus has ensued and the Anwar's trial has not helped to unite the country. In light of this, may I ask the Minister what is the status of Singapore's relationship with Malaysia and how he sees Singapore's relationship with Malaysia developing, given the very fluid and seemingly uncertain political climate in Malaysia. Indonesia – the situation was almost the reverse for President Bambang Yudhoyono. At the last Indonesian general election, he took office for a second term with a strong majority. Unfortunately, that situation has unravelled. His approval ratings are down and he is under intense political pressure over the Bank Century bailout. In last Thursday's Straits Times, it was reported that President Yudhoyono had accepted responsibility for the decisions made in respect of the bailout, even though he said that he was not directly involved. That does not seem to have stemmed the tide of politicians calling for their prosecution.”
“What is Singapore's position in respect of these suggestions? Will we be supporting any one of them? What is the philosophy that we adopt in terms of the regional architecture? ASEAN”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head N of the Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, last year, Singapore was privileged to chair APEC. And in its 20th year, we hosted various milestone events. These included the APEC Ministerial Meeting, the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting, the APEC CEO Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. Singapore was showcased to the world and thousands of Singaporeans played their part proudly, hosting delegations from APEC member countries. The theme for these meetings was sustaining growth, connecting the region. I recall hosting a table at the dinner on the final evening of the Economic Leaders' Meeting. The delegates at the table were from various member countries. I recall – some were from Mexico, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. They sang praises of Singapore. Not only were they impressed with the organisation and hospitality that we extended, they felt that much headway had been made during the meetings. We are proud of this and deservedly so. May I therefore ask what the Minister sees as having been achieved for APEC and Singapore during the 2009 APEC Leaders' Forum held in Singapore. What are the deliverables, going forward? The Chairmanship of APEC has been handed over to Japan. Does the Minister envisage that Japan would take APEC in a different direction or would Japan build upon work has already been achieved? There have also been several suggestions made by the leaders of various countries in relation to the formation of different regional clusters. These include the following: (1) An Asia-Pacific Community – suggested by Australia; (2) An East Asia Community – suggested by Japan; and (3) A trilateral summit between China, Japan and South Korea.”
“Sir, before I withdraw my amendment, may I thank the Minister, Second Minister and Minister of State for their very insightful, informative and complete replies. On behalf of the GPC, we would like to register our support for the men and women of the SAF, the regulars, the NS full-time and the reserves. On behalf of my hon. colleague, Ms Rajah, I would like to assure the Minister of State that she was on top of matters and the tank did not stand a chance. I am also grateful for the Second Minister for his elevation to the status as doctor but I hear that other doctors in the House might have something to say about that. Indeed, one of my colleagues has already informed me of his objections. With that, Mr Chairman, may I seek your leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $11,015,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. The sum of $440,000,000 for Head J ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates.”
“Sir, the SAF recently announced a series of changes to its Basic Military Training (BMT) Programme. These changes centre around introducing periods and types of training for recruits, who fall in different physical employment status (PES). For PES A and B recruits, they will continue to undergo the nine-week BMT. Those PES A and B recruits who are not up to the mark in terms of their physical fitness will have to undergo an eight-week physical training phase (PTP), in addition to the nine-week BMT. Other key changes include a 19-week BMT for PES B recruits, or four-week BMT for PES E recruits, a nine-week BMT for PES C recruits, and nine-week BMT for PES B2 recruits. May I ask the Minister to please explain the rationale for these changes, what is the broader training philosophy behind BMT, and are these changes part of that philosophy? I believe that the PES A and B recruits who have scored a silver or above their national physical fitness awards (NAPFA) test are exempted from the eight-week PTP. What percentage of enlistees in each intake actually qualify for this exemption? I also understand that statistics show that the students from the polytechnics have the lowest number qualifying for the eight-week exemption from the PTP. What is MINDEF doing to increase these numbers and to increase the state of physical readiness for BMT in general, amongst all students?”
“I have seen it working first hand in my many visits to SAF units in overseas exercises such as Exercise "Wallaby" and Exercise "Black in Warrior". It will ensure that our SAF remains a force to be reckoned with and I have every confidence in the men and women of our SAF. In light of the fact that it has been some six years since the SAF embarked from this transformation to a 3G SAF, may I ask the Minister to provide an update on our transformation? Does the Minister envisage when the transformation will be completed or is it an on-going process or if aspects of the transformation remain to be completed, do we envisage a 4th Generation SAF? Could the Minister provide an update on the SAF's operational readiness? Has the transformation process to a 3G SAF affected the SAF's operational readiness? In terms of its manpower, with our policy of integrating and nationalising more foreigners, the SAF would have seen a growing number of permanent residents serving National Service. May I ask the Minister if the SAF is facing any difficulties with the integration of these permanent residents who are doing their National Service? Does this affect the SAF as a cohesive fighting force and may I reiterate the hon. Member, Mr Seah Kian Peng's suggestion about introducing a short period of National Service for our male new citizens. Finally, I know that the SAF trains in many parts of the world. The defence cooperation agreement with Indonesia remains on hold. Has the SAF considered training in Timor-Leste?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the SAF embarked on its transformation to a 3rd Generation SAF in 2004. The aim was to become a leaner and more potent fighting force that will use technology as leverage to deal with threats. As part of this transformation, the SAF invested in a range of hardware; the RSS Archer submarines, the G550 AEW aircraft, leapa rd tanks, formidable class stealth frigates, F15, SG fighters, to name a few. In our 3G SAF, the power of this technology lies not only in the fact that we have it, it lies in the network capabilities of these machines thereby giving the force most speed, precision and mobility. To this end, they was a concerted effort to network and connect each different component part so as to enable all parts to work as a whole. But the cornerstone of the success in this transformation process and of the success of the 3G SAF as a potent fighting force must the quality of its people. I believe that the SAF must prepare its people with the appropriate mental attitude and skill-sets needed to ensure that the platforms and systems available are used with the maximum of efficiency and effectiveness. They need to be multi-skilled, flexible and be able to adapt to a wide range of constantly changing demands on the ground. The people that make up our SAF must have a "never say die" spirit. In fact, I would not be wrong to say that the men and women of our SAF must not think themselves excluded from our drive to achieve higher levels of productivity. They must re-skill, up-skill and multi-skill so that they can work cheaper, better and faster; but also safer and smarter. The change to a 3G SAF is to be commended.”
“Specifically, how does MINDEF see China's role as a regional security power in general and, specifically, vis-a-vis the US? Will China be expected to take and will it take a larger role in the regional security envionment? In the recent arms sales issue between the US and Taiwan, China strenuously opposed the US' arms sale to Taiwan. Is this a sign that China is likely to play a more dominant role in the region? Interestingly, China's Parliamentary spokesman said at the unveiling of the defence budget that this was like when two brothers are embracing, someone gives one of them a dagger, what is the motive in that? What will MINDEF's position be vis-a-vis the US and China as regional security powers? Does MINDEF see India or South Korea playing a part in the regional security environment and, if so, what role would that be? Lastly, does MINDEF see any other countries in the region playing a larger role in the security environment in the region?”
“It was a report about a book entitled, The China Dream, which was written by one of the People's Liberation Army's senior officers. The book contains a call for China to abandon its modesty about its global goals and sprint to become World No. 1. What struck me about this book was not the bold words used but the fact that it was a declaration that China had in fact goals to be World No. 1. This was followed by yesterday's announcement of a reduction in the increase of its defence budget from the usual double digit increase to a 7.5% increase from last year. But this is an increase to a budget that is in excess of $100 billion. I also found it interesting it that in the recent disaster relief efforts in Haiti, the news reported that the Chinese humanitarian relief was deployed long before the US humanitarian efforts and, in fact, was already hard at work while Washington was still offering to send relief. India has, on the other hand, remained rather quiet while South Korea has been preoccupied with its neighbours to the north. We got another wake up call to the threat of terrorism just yesterday when our own Navy together with those of Malaysia and Indonesia announced that they would be stepping up patrols in the Straits of Malacca after receiving warnings of possible terror threats against oil tankers plying the Straits. In light of this, may I ask the Minister the following questions: What is MINDEF's assessment of the regional security environment? Has this assessment changed now that the worst of the economic crisis is behind us? Will the change in the balance of economic power, given Asia's rising economic power, affect the regional security environment?”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head J of the Estimates be reduced by $100. A lot has changed over the last year. During our last Committee of Supply debate, we were discussing the severe economic crisis that had hit the world and the measures that we were intending to implement to see us through. We were not sure how long the crisis was going to last, whether it was going to be a U-shaped or a V-shaped recovery, or some even said a W-shaped recovery. From the security perspective, the Minister for Defence informed this House last year that there were three implications of the crisis that MINDEF was concerned with. These were, firstly, the accelerated geopolitical shifts; secondly, the social stresses which arise during a recession that may lead to increased instability; and, lastly, the threat of terrorism that overlays the first two concerns. At this year's Committee of Supply debate, the situation is quite different. Yes, the threat of terrorism remains, but the economic climate throughout the world is very different. Countries are starting to recover. Certainly, in Asia, there is a sense of optimism. We have also seen a distinct shift in the countries that are leading the recovery. Economic power is no longer solely within the domain of the West. The US and Europe acknowledged that Asia, in particular, countries like China, India, South Korea and even ASEAN as a region, will play a pivotal role in the recovery process. China appears to be playing a greater role in terms of the regional security environment. In Tuesday's edition of the Straits Times, I read an article entitled "China should aim to be World No. 1".”
“How does the Ministry intend to make cyclists aware of these rules in the same way that drivers have to take the Highway Code? What step does the Ministry intend to take to enforce regulations which do not permit cyclists to cycle on pavements and designated cycling paths? Is there a reason why cyclists are required to have lights on their bikes when they ride at night but are not required to wear helmets by law? Madam, if we are to encourage cycling, we must not ignore the safety aspects.”
“Madam, the number of people cycling on the roads has risen and continues to rise. These cyclists fall into two categories – those that use only the roads when they cycle and those who cycle on the roads, the pavement, pedestrian footpaths and across pedestrian crossings. I would address each category in turn. Cyclists that ride mainly the roads are either very keen road riders who can be seen riding road bikes. Alternatively, they are keen mountain bikers making their way to the various mountain biking trails. Both road and mountain bikers engage in the activity as a sport and that is certainly commendable and to be encouraged. Their numbers have grown. On weekends, it is not uncommon to see a plethora of cyclists riding two and three abreast. Because of their numbers, they sometimes occupy a whole lane on the road thereby requiring cars and buses to pull up to the next lane to avoid them. One cycling enthusiast told me that riding in a plethora gives them a sense of safety and numbers. If the roads are not busy, this is usually not a problem. But with our growing vehicle population, space is a precious commodity on the roads. Safety becomes an issue. This may be compounded by some drivers or vehicles who get impatient and irritated. Whatever the reason, when safety becomes an issue, the cyclist is always going to be the loser. Sadly, deaths and injuries already occur. As regards the second category of cyclists, those that ride on the road, the pavements and across pedestrian crossings, this becomes a danger to both pedestrians as well as themselves. I would therefore like to ask what steps the Ministry is taking to educate cyclists about road safety and safe cycling. What rules and regulations do cyclists have to adhere to when riding on the road?”
“F&B is a tough industry, she says, and today, many F&B establishments are looking elsewhere to bring in the people they need in support of their business operations. We are faced with difficulties in recruiting locals. There are not many locals out there who are keen to work on weekends, public holidays and F&B operation hours. And above all, not many are able to put their pride aside as a service provider to wait on people. We have worked with the CDCs, e2i and even SCORE through the Yellow Ribbon projects and we have spoken to MOM and SPRING Singapore with regards to our recruitment needs. Efforts have been put in but we still cannot find our numbers. With the opening of the two IRs, many F&B establishments like ourselves are losing people. With the increase in the foreign worker levies, be it for work permit or "S" pass holders, companies like ourselves will suffer due to the shortage of manpower and the increase in our labour cost. Sir, as we seek to raise the overall skill and productivity levels of our local workforce, I feel that we also need to try to bring about change in their mindset. This requires more soft selling. Is it yet another campaign? The answer – I do not know. I do know however, that in order to remain competitive, better skills and higher productivity are just part of the equation. In addition, we must also have the right mindset to be flexible, adaptable and willing to do tough jobs. I hope that in planning continuing education programmes, the new National Productivity and Continuing Education Council will also pay attention to this issue. For I think that, in the long run, mental resilience will be just as important as hard skills. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with that, I declare my support for the Budget Statement. 5.42 pm”
“If that is indeed the case, I am having some difficulty understanding the recent announcement concerning the proposed increases in foreign worker levies. If we look at the basic tier and the second tier for skilled work permit holders in the manufacturing sector, the ultimate increase in levies would be 33% and 100% respectively, this – compared with 25% and 43% increase in the corresponding tiers for unskilled work permit holders in the same sector. For 'S' pass workers which are defined as mid-level skilled workers, such as technicians, the increase by July 2012 will be 200% for the basic tier and 400% for the second tier. I would ask the Minister to clarify this. Sir, in this final part of my speech, I would ask the Government to perhaps consider another issue in our local workforce that has nothing to do with skill level or productivity of a Singaporean worker. Instead, it has to do with his or her mindset – the "won't do" or "don't do" mindset. Time and again, I meet owners and managers of our local companies, particularly those in labour-intensive sectors, such as the manufacturing, construction, marine, retail and service sectors, their common refrain is not that they do not want to hire Singaporean workers. Their difficulty is finding Singaporean workers who want to do the jobs and work the hours that are required for the job. Shortly after the Budget Statement, I received an email from an HR manager of a local food and beverage chain of restaurants. She has asked to keep her company name out of my speech – I will respect that. But I cite it only because I feel it provides some insight into the issues which our local companies face in hiring Singapore workers and captures feedback that I have heard from many in the service sector.”
“Construction, manufacturing, marine and service sectors rely heavily on foreign workers. We can see this with our own eyes. Virtually every cafe, hawker centre or shop that we go to, has at least one, if not more foreign workers on their staff. In our factories, shipyards and on construction sites, foreign workers make up a large part of our workforce. At the Istana tea party on Sunday evening, I was hard pressed to find a local waiter or waitress. Since 2004, we have gone down the road of an increasing reliance on foreign workers to do the tough jobs that Singaporeans cannot do and would not do. To find our way back up that road will take time, perhaps 5-10 years. I then wonder why the foreign worker levies are being increased so rapidly over a period of three years, beginning almost immediately. The rate of rise in foreign worker levies does not correspond with the rate at which an increase in productivity and skills is envisaged to be achieved. If indeed an increase in productivity and skills is meant to offset a lowering in the number of foreign workers, would it not be appropriate to gradually raise the foreign worker levies over a corresponding period? This would allow time for the measures and schemes introduced to raise skill and productivity levels to have an effect on the local workforce. Another issue that I would like to raise is the approach taken in relation to lower-skilled foreign workers versus higher-skilled foreign workers. I will stand corrected but I gathered from the Budget Statement that the objective was to reduce the number of foreign workers, especially those with lower skills. In other words, of the foreign workers that we do retain in Singapore, we would prefer to keep those with higher skill levels.”
“Already media reports indicate that some companies feel that they will be forced to relocate at least part of their operations overseas if they are unable to cope with labour and staffing challenges posed by the rapid change in policy. The hon. Members, Mr Teo Siong Seng and Mr Ong Ah Heng, have highlighted the potential effect on costs and pricing, which I echo. Our GDP grew an average of 8% per year during the period 2004-2007. During that period, our workforce and, in particular, our foreign workforce grew rapidly as well. If we look at the numbers, in 2004, our total employed workforce was about 2.238 million, 27.1% of these workers, or about 606,000, were foreign workers. In 2007, our employed workforce grew to 2.631 million and about 31.5%, or 828,000, were foreign workers. But the growth over the next two years is even more striking. In 2009, our employed workforce grew to 2.905 million, which is an increase of 274,000 from 2007. But our foreign workforce grew to 1.036 million, or 35.7% of our total employed workforce. This means that out of 274,000 increase in total employed workforce between 2007 and 2009, foreign workers made up of about 207,000 or approximately 75% of the increase. Unfortunately, I was not able to obtain a breakdown of these figures by sectors of our economy. But if one looks at it in overall terms, our reliance on foreign workers over the last five years, from 2004-2009, has increased by almost a-third. In real numbers, we had 430,500 more foreign workers in Singapore in 2009 than we did in 2004. Putting that in perspective, that is a population of about two 5-MP GRCs. If we view these figures in terms of our local industry, the reliance on foreign workers in many of our major sectors is clear.”
“Productivity in all our economic sectors was the name of the game. The NPB followed a total productivity approach which emphasised productivity measurement, product quality, a flexible wage system, worker training and assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises. The NPB offered management guidance services to SMEs to assist them in improving their productivity and efficiency as well as referring companies to private management consultancy services available in Singapore. Increasing individual and company productivity at all levels was a Government priority, given Singapore's full employment picture and relatively high wages. Greater productivity than our neighbours and competitors was viewed by the Government as a necessity as well as one of Singapore's major advantages. But in the last 10-15 years, that productivity message and drives seem to have faded away. Was this an intentional strategy or did we drop the ball somewhere along the way? And if it was part of the strategy, were we content to see our productivity levels in the retail and construction sectors remain at 33% of the world's leaders? It is timely that the National Productivity and Continuing Education Council be formed with all the measures that would be implemented to increase our productivity. I fully support these measures. In light of the 5-10 year horizon envisaged for the growth of our workers' skill levels and productivity, however, I am concerned with the rapid increase in the levies imposed on the hiring of foreign workers and the effect it will have on our local companies, especially our SMEs.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on the Budget Statement. This year's Budget is a forward looking one. It complements the recommendations of the Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) which has identified a new course enabling Singapore to grow and sustain growth for the next 5-10 years. In short, this entails improving the skills, innovation and productivity of our workforce and companies. Consequently, the recommendation is also to reduce our reliance on our foreign workforce. I am convinced that in the long run, these recommendations bode well for Singapore and they must be adopted if we have had to have sustained growth. As recognised by the ESC, our local companies have a 5-10 year window of opportunity to create a strong presence in Asia. As the other countries in Asia catch up, they will compete with us in the same arena. One of the best ways to sustain our growth is to raise our skill levels and productivity levels. What came as a surprise when I read the ESC report was how far down the rankings we were placed in respect of our average levels of productivity in each of the major sectors of our economy. Our productivity in the manufacturing and services sectors are only 55-65% of those in the United States and Japan. In the retail sector, the picture is even less than encouraging, in that we are only about 33% as productive when compared to the United States. In the construction sector, this holds true when compared to Japan. Just like the hon. Member, Dr Ahmad Magad, I recall that private productivity campaigns were a norm as we strove to increase our productivity. Most of us would remember the National Productivity Board (NPB) set up in 1972. Teamy, the productivity bee was launched in the 1980s.”
“Each group had exercised tolerance and restraint. Each group had realised the situation for what it was, a situation that required them to share a common space, no intervention or mediation required. In this House, I believe that on the one hand, we need to be able to discuss of race and religion openly and address any potential areas of friction that may arise. We must be an example for people to follow. On the other hand, we must be careful not to micro manage every situation so that what may not have started out as an issue of race or religion then becomes one. This in itself would be counterproductive. We should also trust in Singaporeans to know the value of racial and religious harmony so that the best solution can be found by the party involved with little or no external intervention. It is a delicate balance that we need to maintain, but maintain remarkably. At 8.22 pm on 9th August this year was a special moment. Singaporeans stood together, united, regardless of race, language or religion. It was a proud moment, a historic moment. The question that this House needs to ask itself is this: how do we maintain that unity and pride in every Singaporean, whether new or established in the days to come? How do we make that moment last for more than just the moment? Mdm Deputy Speaker, with that, I support the motion. 5.37 pm”
“Part of this process is to discuss the topic from time to time and not shy away from it. In doing so, we must always remain respectable of each religion and have due regard to the views expressed by the different groups. This is particularly important when there is a potential flashpoint over growing friction. When it comes to racial or religious issues, they are better nipped in the bud. I believe that Singaporeans have an immense capacity for racial and religious tolerance and an understanding of the importance of such tolerance. I believe that our understanding of it goes beyond that of people in many other countries. This is primarily due to our education system. My belief was reinforced just last weekend in my constituency. I was attending an event and happened to notice some celebrations going on in the nearby office hall. I noticed birthday banners and I thought I would take the opportunity to extend my wishes. As I approached, I noticed that on one side of the hall was a group of Chinese celebrants with their catered food laid out and party flavours set up in one corner. On the other side of the hall, I noticed a group of Malay celebrants with their catered food and party flavours. I discovered that both the Chinese and Malay families had booked the hall for the same evening to celebrate first birthdays of their respective family members, and they informed me that both bookings had been approved by the Town Council. My immediate thought went to the example of the Malay wedding, the Chinese funeral that the Prime Minister referred to in his Rally speech. But to my delight, I was informed by both groups that they had realised that an error had occurred. They discussed the issue between them and had amicably agreed to share the hall, each taking one side.”
“Bearing in mind that we are increasingly getting new Singaporeans who hail from all over the world, we should also teach our children the importance of accepting and befriending people of all races and religions beyond focusing on the main races in Singapore. Hopefully, our children will grow to have open minds and be better placed to understand the people that we are embracing as new Singaporeans. Ultimately, our new Singaporean population will grow but our available space will not. The necessity for us to learn to share our common space with more and more new Singaporeans is inevitable. We must take steps now to reduce as much of the potential friction as possible. In his National Day Rally speech on Sunday, the Prime Minister spoke at length about the rise of religiosity around the world, including Singapore. Religion is a sensitive topic and not one that is easily discussed, particularly when dealing with different religions. I must admit that when I learned about what the Prime Minister was going to speak about at the Rally and that is going to be a centrepiece of his speech, I was a bit apprehensive. To give such a sensitive topic such prominence left a great deal to each individual's interpretation. The different interpretations of the message are illustrated by the differing headlines in the press the following day. The Straits Times carried the headline "PM warns of religious fault lines", while TODAY's newspaper headline read "Of Race and Religion". I think the underlying message in the Prime Minister's speech is that religions and racial harmony does not come naturally and without concerted effort. We must always remind ourselves of the need forward and we must work and maintain it.”
“I believe that over and above attracting people to become new Singaporeans, it is also essential that we acquaint them with our local culture and way of life. Similarly, we must try to get all Singaporeans to interact with new Singaporeans to give them a better understanding of their background and culture. To this end, the People's Association has introduced integration and naturalisation champions (INCs) in the grassroots network. These INCs who are selected grassroots leaders take the lead in organising events to help new citizens and PRs integrate into the Singapore way of life. The CDCs are also looking at this issue on a district level. This is certainly a good start. Much of the time, I find that the INCs organise community events with a view to integrating the new Singaporeans. Aside from meeting some old Singaporeans and perhaps having their olfactory nerves tested with the durian or two, the new Singaporeans learn little about daily habits and ways of life in Singapore. In my view, more can be done to prepare our INCs so that they are better equipped to introduce the new Singaporeans to the local way of life as well as deal with any friction that may arise between the new Singaporeans and the old Singaporeans. Perhaps, this may not be a job for a grassroots volunteer but someone who is employed and specifically trained with the necessary skills. They can, of course, be assisted by grassroots leaders. In schools, our current efforts to promote racial harmony centre largely on teaching our children the customs and practices of Singaporean Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians.”
“The task that they have of keeping Singaporeans connected is not an easy one but I would encourage them to keep up their efforts and step them up where possible. Come what may, we cannot give up. Let me touch on the second issue, which is uniting new members of our society and those of us whom I will term "old" Singaporeans, that is, those who are born here and have lived here for all or most of their lives. The low birth rate coupled with an outflow of talent have left a gap in our talent pool. The worry is that in time to come there will not be enough people to facilitate our growth and development. We have all heard the irrefutable arguments we cannot progress without attracting more people to make Singapore their home. However, as we know, allowing more people to become new Singaporeans and make Singapore their home is not without its own difficulties. People of different races and religions who have grown up in other countries have their own customs, practices and ways of life. These are often different from our local customs and ways of life. These differences may give rise to friction which is exacerbated by the fact that living space is scarce in Singapore and a lot of the time we have to share our common space. Friction arises between new Singaporeans and old Singaporeans often because of a lack of understanding of familiarity with each other's customs, living habits and practices. New Singaporeans need to be acquainted with our local customs, practices and living habits. Old Singaporeans also need to be tolerant of new Singaporeans and give them time to adjust to our way of life. After a certain level of understanding is reached, a certain level of give and take must come into play. As the Prime Minister put it, "live and let live".”
“This is certainly a worrying trend. The fact that some of our youth do not feel a connection to Singapore and are ready to leave means that they are not one united people. Many reasons were cited by those who declared that they would leave. The main ones were that they felt there were more opportunities abroad and that some of their family members had migrated, so they, too, will migrate. Our dilemma is that in our globalised economy, we cannot stop Singaporeans from venturing out and living and working overseas. In fact, in many ways we encourage it because we need to expand our markets and economy. We need some of our best talents to go out into the world gain invaluable experience and skills which they can then bring home to benefit Singapore. The crucial thing is that they return. In order for that to happen, they have to feel rooted to Singapore. But how do we keep them connected to Singapore? This is by no means an easy question to answer. I think that involves a certain level of constant engagement, perhaps just enough to remind them that we are still here and we look forward to them coming back. It might also involve reminding them of the many positive attributes of Singapore. We can assert the familiarity of family and friends from different cultures and religions all co-existing harmoniously, our security and stability, our gastronomic draw, our clean and green city landscape, and the buzz of the new cityscape as depicted in the URA video that the Prime Minister screened during his Rally speech. Currently, our overseas Singapore units and our overseas missions carry out this engagement. They organise Singapore days and smaller gatherings for overseas Singaporeans.”
“" The challenge that we face going forward is to remain a "united people, regardless of race, language or religion." Indeed, this is a very substantial topic. But I would like to highlight three areas that I believe this House would have to consider in the days to come. They are: keeping Singaporeans connected to Singapore and united in the face of globalisation, uniting with new Singaporeans, and our unity in the face of rising religiosity. I was invited to speak at the annual Temasek seminar a few weeks ago. This is a seminar organised by MINDEF to engage a group of top students from our junior colleges and polytechnics. The theme for the speech was "Our Home, Our Future, Our Singapore". Naturally, being students who would soon have to decide on their tertiary education in what they do with their lives thereafter, the topic of globalisation and whether they would continue to live and work in Singapore arose during the question-and-answer session. To my surprise, a handful of students openly expressed their view that they felt no connection to Singapore and would not have a problem moving to another country to live and work. Some other students were unsure what they would do and, therefore, non-committal. Happily, some students affirmed their commitment to make Singapore their home but the majority of students were silent. After the seminar, I approached various groups of students and asked them whether they were surprised that their friends and fellow students had expressed the desire to leave Singapore. They said they were not. Apparently, this was the subject discussed in their circles. What they were surprised about was the fact that some of their cohort were bold enough to express their desire to leave Singapore in an open forum.”
“In fact, my experience on the ground has shown the opposite. People are not afraid to speak up for what they believe in and against Government policies that they disagree with. This feedback is received through numerous channels, including my email box, on a daily basis. It would appear that the younger the generation, the more vociferous they are about their disagreement. Therefore, I do not think that participation is lacking. This is not viewed in a bad light but instead is considered seriously by the Government. Third, I cannot agree that this Government does not listen in response to the concerns of the people. In my view, the opposite is true. There are numerous channels of communication between the Government and the people. Ministers also make an effort to explain policies not only in this House but also on the ground. Singaporeans are given every opportunity to engage the Government and have their views heard. Inevitably, some will disagree but, ultimately, the decision lies with the Government and they are accountable for that decision to the people at the ballot box. In fact, what contradicts the climate of fear that Mr Sadasivan has spoken about is that he stands in this House today and he is able to express his views openly and freely without fear of reprisal. My disagreement is also a demonstration of the democratic process at work. The Government's adherence to the tenets of our Pledge has brought us to where we are today. That said, it is perhaps timely that we reaffirm our commitment to that. Madam, let me move on to the portion of the Pledge that I would like to speak about. It is the opening sequence which reads, "We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on this motion. I agree to second this motion because I felt it is timely. The theme for this 44th National Day and 50th year of our independence is for us to come together reaching out, reaching out. The focal point of this year's Parade was at 8.22 pm when the call went out to all Singapore citizens to rise and recite the Pledge together. What resonated with me was that we recited the Pledge together. The fact that everyone was reciting those same words together, whether at the floating platform or in different parts of Singapore, or indeed in different parts of the world, gave the moment even greater significance. I spoke to several people after the Parade. They all told me that this was a significant moment for them. Yes, there were some who were caught by surprise and there were some who did not take part. But, and large, many of those whom I spoke to said they were moved by the moment. They said it was a timely reminder of what we stand for and what we must continue to uphold for our future. Mr Sadasivan has covered many points in his speech. I do not intend to revisit all of them. However, I feel I must express my disagreement with three issues that he has raised. First, he has raised the accountability of the Government to the people. As an elected Member of this House, we are always accountable to the people on the ground, in our constituency, through our residents and to Singaporeans as a whole. We are accountable on a daily basis for everything that we do. When elections come around, we are ultimately accountable. I, therefore, cannot agree that there is a lack of accountability. Second, I do not agree that there is a climate of fear among our people.”
“Can I just ask a supplementary question of the Senior Minister of State: firstly, when it comes to the age of 15 and the MOE liaises with the ICA, that will be the obligation on the parents, but will there will be a sort of an opt-in or opt-out system in terms of the race? So, if they have opted in at Primary One for Eurasian, will there be a need for them to proactively again opt at the point of registration for the IC? And, secondly, if we are looking nine years down the road, how will we implement this process of registration when they turn 15?”
“I, therefore, call on my colleagues in this House to share their views frankly and openly so that this Government will have a true feel of the issues on the ground and be able to gain from a range of new ideas and fresh perspectives that will emanate from this crucial debate. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 1.52 pm”
“While keeping a constant close watch on security, we must, at the same time, continue to focus on elevating our position in the world and increasing our reach. The President has called for an expansion of our external space. We must continue to strengthen our bilateral relations with the rest of the world, particularly with our neighbours in ASEAN we must continue to work with our ASEAN partners to take ASEAN to the rest of the world. A prime platform will be the upcoming APEC Leaders' Summit to be held here in November this year. It will be an opportunity for Singapore and ASEAN to shine. As an economy which depends mainly on trade with the rest of the world, we must ensure that our external relations continue to blossom. In our quest to expand our external space, every Singaporean must play his or her part for we are all ambassadors of Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, it is my view that this will be one of the most important debates that this House will embark on. We are at the turning point. It is now that we must lay the foundation for our recovery. It is now that we must seize the opportunities that arise in the face of diversity. It is now that we must start the process of becoming stronger, tougher and more resilient. A good government is not one that finds an instant panacea for the problems of the day just to please the electorate. A good government is one that listens, that does the best it can to see the people through the problems of the day but is willing to make the tough decisions for the betterment of tomorrow.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Ministry of Home Affairs and the relevant agencies on the pivotal role that they played in the recapture of Mas Selamat. I can safely say that we all breathe a sigh of relief knowing that he had been returned to safe custody. We have enjoyed many years of peace and security. The challenge is to ensure that Singaporeans do not take the security for granted. We must not fall into the trap of relying solely on our home team and SAF because they cannot be everywhere all the time. The threat of terrorism is real, it can strike at any time. Each Singaporean must play his or her part. We must be the extra pairs of eyes and ears of these agencies. We must not let our guard down. The trick is to find a way to repeat this message without people becoming jaded and tuning it out. In my view, we need to keep the message short and simple but repeat it we must. This must remain at the forefront of our national consciousness. A critical factor in maintaining our sovereignty are the people that make up our defence force. It is important for us to harness and harvest the knowledge and experience of the more experienced members of this force. The increase in the retirement age of our military officers from 45 to 50 and the introduction of the military domain experts scheme will allow the SAF to garner the knowledge, expertise and experience of the older officers and allow those with deep military expertise in specialised areas to continue to contribute until they are 60 years of age. This is a step in the right direction. We must do more to optimise the use of our greatest asset - our people.”
“Having gathered feedback from various quarters, I hope that the amendment Bill that will be tabled in this House will reflect a more open and transparent Criminal Procedure Code so as to secure fair and transparent outcomes. I also note that in its Addendum to the President's Address, the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts announced the reconvening of the Censorship Review Committee to update and fine-tune regulations relating to the different types of media and the arts in Singapore. In undertaking such a review, the Government should take the opportunity to clarify any ambiguity relating to the implementation of the rules so that there is more transparency and greater certainty about the way the rules are applied across the board. Coming up with fresh re-thinking and creative answers to anchor values in Singapore, upgrading the education level of our people and nurturing and involving an active citizenry would all be for nought if we do not ensure that Singapore stays safe and secure. As the President highlighted, security is a pre-condition for our people to pursue their dreams. Given the size of our country and our population, sustaining a force which is sufficient to maintain internal security and the present deterrence to external aggressors is a formidale task, and this task falls squarely on the shoulders of both the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Now more than ever, coordination between these two Ministries is vital in combating terrorism. To date, these two Ministries and agencies under them have not failed us. I have every confidence that they will continue to do their very best to keep Singapore safe and secure.”
“The result of this lack of information openness was a slew of articles in the press as well as letter to the press and online commentaries, trying to second-guess the answers to the questions surrounding the sale. Online chatrooms had been abuzzed with netizens' own theories about the divestment and reciperous views about the losses incurred. Ordinary Singaporeans have been discussing this issue in different corners of Singapore. Analysts have speculated about the size of the loss arising from the sale. Clearly, the public wanted to know the rationale and reasons behind the decision to sell what was originally meant to be a long-term investment made with public funds. Unfortunately, due to the lack of information, speculation and discontent were rife. Therefore, I was glad to read that Temasek finally issued a statement last Thursday, explaining the rationale for the sale. For me, this is clearly a step in the right direction. Yet, questions still remain, such as those relating to the timing of the sale and the actual sale price. I was glad to read that Temasek had been lauded for its transparency levels when compared to other sovereign wealth funds. I do not think that anyone would expect anymore detail about specific investment strategy that would show Temasek's hand and, therefore, dilute any advantage or hamper the positioning of investments to maxi- mise returns. However, answers to pertinent questions given after the fact, which will not impact investment outcome would appear to be another matter. This speculation seems likely to continue in this regard. One way in which the Government can encourange openness in transparency is in its legislative policy. An example of this would be the forthcoming and long-awaited amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code.”
“This is progress, in line with the development of a more involved and active citizenry which is a natural process and a sign of a more highly educated people. It is evidence that Singaporeans are reaping the fruits of our investment in education. Going forward, I hope that the Government will ensure that Singapore society continues to mature in this direction. We ought to facilitate that development. I believe that a liberal arts college would be a step in that direction. It would become a seat of learning that would facilitate an exchange of robust and independent ideas and views. I also believe that the time has come for our Government to encourage more transparency and openness. In order to have an open and fruitful exchange of ideaas, all relevant facts should be made known. Of course, I do not advocate this in every instance. Where information cannot be revealed because it would affect national security or it would be against public policy, that would certainly justify confidentiality. But where matters are of public interest, difficulties may arise when facts or essential information are not made known. One recent example of this is the revealation by Temasek Holdings of its divestment of its entire stake in the Bank of America. This was revealed in a filing by Temasek with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. According to reports in the press at the time, other than confirming the divestment, Temasek had declined to reveal any other information. In particular, key questions like why the shares were sold, at what price the shares were sold and why Temasek did not stick to its original strategy of holding the shares for the long term, were not answered.”
“Aside from meeting MPs at the Meet-the-People sessions, residents send email messages directly to their MPs and sometimes, to all MPs. In order to garner support for certain causes, online petitions are becoming par for the course. To meet these challenges and to stay in touch, communication via email is a given. And MPs are becoming regulars on Facebook. We regularly communicate with residents via email. Many a time, residents do not even see you face-to-face. They appeal to you via email and everything is transacted via email. REACH has spearheaded avenues for Netizens to give feedback and discuss Government policies. Many of us have taken part in online townhall dialogues through REACH. This is the nature of the younger generation. We cannot be shy or afraid of it. We must embrace it, acquire new skills and adopt a new culture and mindset if we are to continue to engage the younger generation. This maturity and openness is not limited to interactions with the Government alone. Recent episodes in other arenas like civil soceities and sports associations, have also shown a cry for openness and transparency. Singaporeans are willing to express their views in a public arena and are willing to have those views challenged. They want to know the facts and decide for themselves what they think is the best for them and in their best interests. The questions that we, then, have to ask ourselves are these -- one, can we stop this development? And two, do we want to stop this development? I believe that this maturation of thought and consequential need for openness and transparency is a tide that we cannot change. And I also believe it is a step in the right direction.”
“However, I was somewhat disappointed that there was no reference to the liberal arts college that had been mentioned during Budget 2008 as being one of the tertiary institutions which would be set up. I thought that this would have made a good platform from which to train and groom future leaders who could be a source of fresh thinking and creative ideas. During last year's Commiittee of Supply debate, I had raised the issue of the liberal arts college and asked whether the Government was prepared for the radical views that could emerge from a liberal arts learning environment. Then Minister of State for Education Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Teck Yew said in reply to my query that, and I quote "One of the purposes of establishing suich a college is to develop future leaders who are thoughtful, with independent ideas and robust views, sharpened through the cut and thurst of daily intellectual discourse. Tampered by the experience and mentorship of their professors, these students will be well-placed to become leaders working for the betterment of society". I could not agree with those views more. I believe that our society has matured and continues to do so. Our younger generation is becoming more outspoken, our society as a whole has become more outspoken. Gone are the days when Singaporeans would sit back quietly even something aggrieved them. As MPs, we know this in our daily interactions with residents on the ground. Residents are not afraid to raise issues troubling them, whether they be personal, local or national issues. The channels of communication between Government and every single Singaporean have also increased in number and scope.”
“I would urge more Singaporeans to step forward and share their experience, expertise and resources with our local entrepreneurs. Every year, many institutions and organisations nominate and award various individuals with Businessmen and Entrepreneur of the Year awards. These are individuals who have already succeeded and have a wealth of experience in doing business in and out of Singapore. I call on these nominees and award recipients to come forward and help develop our local industry so that we can anchor value in Singapore for the long term. We also have several captains of industry and business leaders who have over the last few years, decided to make Singapore their home. I call on these new Singaporeans to step forward for their new home. I was heartened to hear the President restate what has been this Government's fundamental tenets -- that education is our best investment in Singapore's future. The President indicated that the Government intends to strengthen our higher education system and we aim to have 30% of our students admitted to state-supported universities. To this end, not one but two new institutions will be established. The first of these institutions will cater to our polytechnic graduates. Polytechnic foreign specialised institutes will be expanded to enable more polytechnic graduates to obtain industry-relevant and reputable degrees from foreign universities but at about the same cost as doing a degree in one of our local universities. The second institution will be a new university that will partner a university from China as well as the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to this, a third medical school will be established at the Nanyang Technological University.”
“The only difference is that the banks are imposing that criteria in respect of the smaller risk -- 20%. Further, banks have also converted many existing loan facilities that were originally not Government-backed into Government-backed loans. This could possibly account for the figures released by SPRING. I would ask that the Government look into whether there is infact, such a disconnect. I said at the beginning of this speech that I was confident that we would emerge from this crisis stronger. I say this because it is in times like these that Singaporeans develop and show our resilience and self-reliance. A recent survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies found that eight out of 10 Singaporeans prefer to rely on themselves rather than on the Government in these bad times. This is a clear sign that Singaporeans are willing and in fact, prefer to help themselves to weather the storm. Last week, two reports in the press caught my eye. The first was a report about a group of 19 members of the young business leaders, who had come together to start an initiative called "Beat the Recession". According to the report, "Beat the Recession" is an effort to provide guidance for new business persons who are on their own, without much experience or fresh out of school and who do not know what is ahead of them. The second report was about a new collaboration between the Singapore Manufacturers' Federation and Exploit Technologies, which is the marketing and commercialisation arm of A*STAR. Under the new collaboration, the two groups will work under the Angel Investment Initiative to organise angel networking events and promote angel investment in young companies. Both these initiatives demonstrate our ability to help ourselves and help one another through this crisis.”
“As the President said, this is how Singapore has developed year after year. Over a period of time, we transformed this tiny island into an economic force to be reckon with in the region, if not, the world. I believe that as we move ahead in this globalised economy, we need to do more to build new capabilities for ourselves and make sure that those capabilities remain anchored to Singapore. One of the things that I have learnt from this crisis is that we can lose foreign investment as easily as we can attract it. But if we develop our homegrown businesses and companies, they will be rooted to Singapore because Singapore is their home. Much has already been done for our small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Agencies like SPRING and IE Singapore work hard to help our SMEs develop their business locally as well as overseas. In these tough times, the challenge that viable companies face is obtaining financing as banks become conservative and cash flow dries up. In February this year, the Government introduced the Special Risk-sharaing Initiative (SRI). As part of the SRI, the Government has undertaken a Bridging Loan Programme where 80% of the risk of up to S$5 million is borne by the Government. According to SPRING, a total of S$2.5 billion worth of loans have been approved, with over S$1 billion made up of Government-backed loans. Apparently, more than 90% of these loans have gone to our SMEs. According to feedback that I have received on the ground, however, the SRI has not had the full intended effect. Banks are still too conservative with their lending. Essentially, the same criteria that the banks had imposed when they had to bear 100% of the risk, are still being imposed now.”
“I do not think that we have seen the last of it yet but I have no doubt that we will pull through this crisis and emerge the better for it. I am happy that that same sentiment reasonated throughout the President's speech to this House a week ago. I thank the President for his positive and reassuring speech. The President has laid the foundation and set the tone for what this Government will do to steer Singapore through this crisis. In particular, I was happy to hear his call for the following: First, that we be open to fresh re-thinking and creative answers so that when the upturn comes, we will be able to capitalise on new markets and enmerging industries, build on new capabilities and make the most efficient use of our resources. Second, that we upgrade our education system by strengthening our higher education to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals and creative manpower. Third, that we maintain a safe and secure Singapore but at the same time, reach out to the world to enlarge our external space. One of the first things that struck me in the President's Address to this House was his call for fresh re-thinking and creative answers to the question of how to enhance our economic competitiveness. The question that particularly stood out for me was how to build new capabilities and to anchor value in Singapore. To me, that is a more challenging task than attracting foreign investment. Our basic formula to date has been to equip our people with the necessary skills to provide and advanced and competitive workforce. We then attract foreign direct investment into Singapore by offering various fiscal incentives and a pro-business environment, a stable Government, and a highly-skilled workforce.”
“Mr Michael Palmer: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am deeply honoured to move this motion, so I humbly beg to move, "That following Address in reply to the Speech of the President be agreed to : - "We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which he delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.".' Sir, when the President lasy addressed this House in November 2006, the sentiment was a very different one. I was a newly-elected Member of this House and I recall that both the mood and economic climate were very upbeat. The world economy had taken off and we were riding the wave of globalisation. Unemployment in Singapore was moving towards an all-time low and our GDP growth averaged about 8%. Some of our greatest concerns at the time were the widening income gap, our ageing population and the impact that globalisation was having on the retention of our local talent. In just two and a half years, the sentiment has changed drastically. The world is in the midst of one of the worst recessions that it has seen since the Great Depression. Singapore, being a country that is almost totally dependent on the global economy, is now predicting a -6% to -9% decline. in our GDP. Unemployment and uncertainty is the order of the day. Preliminary figures for March 2009 showed our unemployment rising above three per cent, the highest since the third quarter of 2005 and it is clear that there will b e further job losses. Yet in the last few weeks, we have seen a sudden spike in the stock markets across the world. Some say that these are the green shoots of recovery, while others say that it is a false positive. I remain cautiously optimistic.”
“This demonstrates SAF's commitment in supporting the regional security architecture. To date, I believe Singapore has been involved in 13 operations in 11 different countries. May I ask the Minister to please elaborate on the following: (1) What is Singapore's current contributions to international peace-keeping operations? (2) What are the risks faced by our soldiers in Afghanistan? (3) Have there been any casualties suffered during these missions? (4) Have there been any fatalities? (5) Aside from regular personnel, do National Service personnel take part in these missions? Regional Security”
“Although pirate attacks are not frequent, pirates are known menace in the waters of our coast and those of our neighbours. At home, we are not immune to the possibility that a terror attack could occur right in our midst if we are not careful, and if we fail to remain constantly alert and vigilant. Over the years, several suspected terrorist cell members have been detained. In fact, plots have been afoot to blow up several strategic locations in Singapore. If not for the fine intelligence gathering and swift action of our security forces, and that extra bit of luck, the outcome could have been disastrous. What will happen if the next time we are not so lucky? All it takes is one attack to negate all the attempts that have been thwarted. May I therefore ask the Minister: what are the lessons that MINDEF and the SAF have learnt from the terrorist attacks, such as Mumbai? What lessons can we learn from the pirate attacks off the Somali coast? How can Singapore prevent a terrorist attack? What measures are being taken to ensure that we are as close to being a 100% safe as possible? International Peace-keeping Operations Sir, over the last 40-odd years, the SAF has grown into an extremely credible and formidable defence force. In fact, a few years ago, the SAF began moving from a second generation armed force to a third generation armed force. Today, we have an armed force which is made up of regular personnel, National Servicemen and National Service reserves. A clear indicator of the level of development of our armed forces is its participation in peace-keeping missions. Since 1989, the SAF has contributed over 1,200 personnel for UN missions. This participation has grown both in scale and in complexity in recent years.”
“Sir, terrorism is a deplorable phenomenon that we in Singapore cannot afford to ignore. We can no longer say that it does not exist here in Singapore nor can we say that Singaporeans are not direct victims of terrorism. Acts of terror occur all around the world everyday. Singapore is part of a globalised economy and more than ever, Singaporeans are travelling abroad for work and for leisure. We cannot delude ourselves that we are removed from the risk of terror attacks. The clearest and more recent reminder of this fact was the terrorist attacks in Mumbai in November last year. For the first time, Singapore lost one of our own in a series of brutal terrorist attacks in the heart of India's financial capital. It was also a stark reminder of how vulnerable we all are. The terrorists that launched these attacks came by sea from Karachi in Pakistan. They gained entry into Mumbai via the Arabian Sea in speedboats that had been carried some of the way on trawlers. It is not difficult to envisage a similar mode of entry into Singapore. The terrorists had planned their attack and their escape route in great detail. They spent many months in Mumbai carrying out reconnaissance of the various locations to be attacked, the routes for entry and exit. They blended in with the crowd, as Mumbai is a bustling metropolitan city, again, very much like Singapore. There are other forms of terrorism as well. In recent months, there have been much media coverage of a string of attacks by pirates off the coast of Somalia. These pirates had attacked both passenger ships as well as cargo ships. They have held the crew hostage and exchanged them for a ransom. Again, the seas off our coastline are not very different.”
“Will regular reviews of curriculum and teaching standards of private schools be carried out by the council or board?”
“I quote from the website: "MOE registers private schools, the courses they offer and the teachers conducting the registered courses. To be registered, private schools need to meet basic statutory requirements, such as building and fire safety requirements, and have an acceptable curriculum and qualified teachers. As all private schools are owned by private entities, the operators themselves are responsible for the management and administration of their private school and courses." (c) In fact, there was a specific exclusion clause as to quality. I quote, "Registration by MOE does not in any way represent an endorsement or accreditation of the quality of the courses offered. Prospective students of private schools are advised to find out more about the private school, the quality of the courses and the background of the local organisation that facilitates the delivery of the courses before making a decision to enrol in the course of study. Students should also exercise caution in reading and understanding the terms of contract between them and the private school, seeking clarification if need be before enrolling in the course of study." 6.00 pm Sir, I believe that if we are to continue to permit private schools to be set up and registered with the MOE in Singapore, then some quality assurance must be implemented and standards must be enforced. May I therefore ask the Minister, what is the status of the EduTrust scheme that was mentioned in last year’s COS? Will MOE be setting up some form of council or board to oversee the quality and standards of private education? If so, what powers will the board or council have? Will these powers include the power to de-register the school if it breaches minimum standards?”
“Sir, education is important to Singaporeans. Most parents will do everything within their power to ensure that their child receives the best education possible. Many parents think that attaining 'O' Level is not enough. Parents want their children to go on to receive a Diploma or a University degree. Great emphasis is placed on children receiving a tertiary education. However, not all of our students do well enough to get into one of our local universities or polytechnics for tertiary education. Many of these students feel that a practical hands-on course in the ITE is not what they are looking for. They would instead prefer to pursue an academic tertiary course. Those who are not fortunate enough to have the means to study abroad may opt to study in one of many private education centres in Singapore. There are also many overseas students enrolled in courses in our private education centres. While the majority come from our neighbouring countries in Asia, some come from as far as Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and the US. They come because, over the last few years, Singapore has been promoting itself as an education hub. Unlike local schools and institutions of higher learning, where MOE keeps a close check on content and quality, there is no benchmark of quality for private education centres. My recent search of the MOE website revealed the following: (a) A complete list of all private education centres in Singapore. The difficulty was that this list included not only tertiary institutions, but also tuition centres. (b) All private schools in Singapore are required to be registered with MOE. However, the criteria for registration have very little to do with educational standards.”
“How will the Ministry address any added competition that might arise in registering for places at the popular schools? Will single-session primary schools mean longer school hours and an expanded curriculum?”