Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap
Singapore
“Sir, I believe that the Minister did not answer quite a number of my questions. But due to time factors, I will submit a Parliamentary Question. Nonetheless, I have two clarifications. One, on the full-time madrasahs.”
“Is MOH looking into more aggressively hiring junior doctors, especially those that have left the public healthcare system? How do they intend to do so? Will it include increasing doctor's salaries to better compete with the private sectors and, if so, how much?”
“Sir, actually, I have written to SFA and they have actually replied to me recently. I just want to get a better clarification on the issues. What happened was that there is this issue that has been going on for about 10 years where the bakery located in the same block, a four-storey HDB block, has been emanating noise, heat and pungent sm…”
“What are SFA's requirements for bakeries to operate in a HDB residential block emitting the noise and heat levels resulting from their daily operations?”
“Sir, earlier in my speech, I have sought two clarifications on my cuts pertaining to ventilation systems for bakeries in order to better manage the disamenities caused by bakeries located in the HDB blocks. I really have not received a reply on this from the Ministry.”
“Sir, on the contrary, the implication of not approving LTVP+ applications for both these groups is that their lives will become more challenging and it will further complicate their lives. I would like to request that ICA exercise greater flexibility to applicants who are facing the two situations that I mentioned.”
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“My questions are as follows: First, what is the amount of capital provided by Madrasah Irsyad to set up the Irsyad Trust Limited, which was originally called Irsyad Foundation Limited? Second, what is the extent and jurisdiction of Madrasah Irsyad in the feasibility of setting up a subsidiary, in this regard, Irsyad Trust Limited? Third, is it true that a Senior Director of Madrasah from MUIS has resigned in 2016, and then allowed to become CEO of Irsyad Trust Limited? Four, what was the reason for the resignation of this Senior Director of Madrasah from MUIS? Fifth, who approved his appointment as CEO of Irsyad Trust Limited? Sixth question, where did Madrasah Irsyad obtain the capital that was used to create Irsyad Trust Limited? Seven, I went to the three official websites of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Madrasah Irsyad and Irsyad Trust Limited, and saw that none of them contained any declaration about their connection to one another, so can you explain why this is so? Eight, how does MUIS monitor, examine and perform "Checks and Balances" on Irsyad Trust Limited? Finally, Sir, I hope to get a clear and detailed answer from the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs to all the questions raised in order to remove any doubts within the community about the credibility of the bodies involved. Sir, if the Minister cannot provide a comprehensive answer at this session due to certain factors or reasons, I request that the Minister do so through a media statement or by issuing a statement through social media channels. 11.00 am Mentoring for High-risk Malay/Muslim Youths”
“Speaking in a special live interview via the Department's Facebook page, he said, "Jakim learned in a past forum that such cases has occurred in Singapore, because of this, Indonesia does not trust (halal) meat from Singapore. The non-certified meat reportedly entered the warehouse at the port and the packaging was changed, then stamped with a halal label. So, it is not impossible for this to happen in Malaysia today". (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] My questions for the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs are as follows: What efforts or actions have MUIS taken to refute the statement by Datuk Dr Sirajuddin, which sounds worryingly like an accusation, and could affect Muslims' trust in the halal certification process here? Second, has MUIS conducted any investigation and who is leading the investigation, following the statement by Datuk Dr Sirajuddin? Third, is it true that the individual linked to the viral picture in social media is the Assistant Director in MUIS' Halal Strategic Unit? Fourth, is it true that he is now the Executive Director of the Mosque-Madrasah-Wakaf Shared Services? And if so, why has this individual been moved to a different role if no offence took place? Was he promoted in December 2020? Fifth, in the investigation report by MUIS on 15 December 2020, MUIS made known its concern about leaked information in the form of emails, which it claims violate the Official Secrets Act. What is the result of that investigation? Sir, the third issue is about governance and financial management involving Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah or, in short, Madrasah Irsyad.”
“Second, why was further investigation only carried out after it was reported in the newspaper? Third, what was the outcome of MUIS’ investigation so far? Fourth, are the AMLA provisions sufficient or should it be reviewed and amended to strengthen its effectiveness in addressing deviant teachings? The second issue is about allegations of possible misconduct in governance and abuse of power in the management of halal certificates. I would like to request that the findings of the Internal Investigation Team led by MUIS Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Albakri Ahmad, and the Independent Review Panel chaired by Mr Abdul Hamid Abdullah, be presented in full to Parliament for the sake of transparency and accountability. MUIS said that it has reported this matter to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). What was referred to CPIB if it is true that "MUIS' investigation does not find evidence" of corruption or abuse of power? As the Malays say, "a tree does not sway if there is no wind". Subsequently, MUIS completed its investigation and announced its findings on 15 December 2020, but two weeks later on 29 December 2020, there was a report from across the Causeway about the halal meat certificate scandal in Malaysia. New questions emerged after several reports over there linked Singapore and certain individuals from MUIS in this matter. I cite the following report: (In English): The Islamic Development Department (Jakim), does not discount the possibility that non-certified meat has been smuggled into the country and later sold as halal products. Jakim Research Division, Senior Director, Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee, in acknowledging this, said such cases had occurred in other countries.”
“Sir, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore, just like the rest of the country, is aware and concerned towards current issues that we face. It is the nature of Malays to help each other, as the Malay proverb goes – "shoulder any burden together". In preventing the spread of COVID-19, for instance, they have been swift in complying with all health measures, such as closing the mosques to curb any coronavirus infection here. Sir, I am proud that the Malay/Muslim community here remains strong and united despite many tests and challenges. It just that lately, some members of the community and our asatizah have complained that when crucial issues are voiced out or problems are raised, there are no clear answers from the authorities responsible for managing our welfare, needs and well-being. I would like to ask some questions arising from my monitoring of discussions in social media and in person, in order to get some clarification and enlightenment on these issues, so that whatever seems murky will be clear, whatever seems foggy will be visible. These issues that will be raised are, first of all, deviant teachings; second, the halal certification management; and thirdly, the issues of governance and financial management involving Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri Al-Islamiah Sir, in November last year, the Straits Times published a report on deviant teaching involving a man who has a number of wives. Although it was the only local newspaper report on the issue, some parties have said that the complaints against this individual have been raised a number of years ago. My questions are: When was the first complaint received by MUIS about this individual who practice deviant teaching?”
“Sir, I have observed there are schools in the HDB estate where they are covered pathway that extended from the school gate to the nearby bus-stop. In locations where the nearest bus-stop is located opposite the school, which requires road crossing, the shelter is extended across the pedestrian crossing. However, there are schools which are not provided with such facilities. The Primary school located in my Kaki Bukit constituency is one of them. I have previously written to LTA requesting to construct shelter for existing pathway and pedestrian crossing but to no avail. I would like to seek clarification from the Ministry on what are the considerations in determining whether to or not to construct shelter for walkways and pedestrian crossing in school zones. Apart from this clarification, I would like to touch on one of the LTA initiatives, Silver Zone. My constituency Kaki Bukit is one of the earliest beneficiaries of Silver Zone. Under this initiative, LTA has introduced numerous features to enhance road safety for pedestrians, especially our senior citizens as well as for road users. Among these features are rest points and roundabouts. The former is to allow road crossing in two stages and the latter is to smoothen traffic flow and traffic conflict points. I would like to ask LTA to consider adding construction of shelter for pathways and pedestrian crossing to the existing list of the Silver Zone features. These feature should be constructed at locations where LTA deem necessary and feasible. Sir, covered pathways and pedestrian crossing will provide better protection to our seniors against bad weather. This will further enhance safety as well as comfort of our elderly Singaporeans. Road Repurposing”
“Sir, I think it will be a wise move if HDB adopts a similar approach, that is, to roll out a national programme for facade repair work for ageing HDB blocks.”
“Sir, during a recent Parliament session, I proposed to the Ministry to roll out a national programme of facade repair for ageing HDB blocks in view of recent spates of external wall seepage. The Ministry replied that there are currently no plans to roll out such a programme as external wall seepage can be prevented through regular maintenance by the Town Council. Additionally, it was mentioned that to address building facade issues, BCA will make it a requirement for building owner to perform a Periodic Facade Inspection (PFI) for all buildings above 20 years and above 13 metres in height commencing from second quarter of this year. Sir, I acknowledge the role of the Town Council in conducting regular maintenance to common areas of HDB estate including blocks' external facade. As the Town Council chairperson, I am thankful that HDB is co-sharing with Town Councils the costs for Periodic Facade Inspection as well as repair works. Nonetheless, Sir, I would like to suggest HDB to conduct cost-benefit analysis on whether rolling out a national programme for facade improvement and repair works for ageing HDB blocks would be a favourable option for such extensive works. In general, such an option is preferred due to economies of scale. Sir, in managing public funds, fiscal prudence is paramount important. Hence, we should strive to adopt best practices. I believe this is HDB's fundamental consideration when they rolled out national programmes such as Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP), Remaking Our Heartland Programme (ROH) and Carpark Upgrading Programme (CUP) in rejuvenating and refurbishing our ageing public housing estates.”
“Madam, I would like to suggest to make our hawker culture industry more inclusive, compassionate by re-introducing the Hardship Scheme for hawker centre stalls. This scheme was started in mid-1970s and was meant for those aged 40 and above whose family income fell under stipulated threshold and who had dependants to support to rent hawker stalls at subsidised rates. I made the call to introduce this scheme in 2016. The Ministry responded that the scheme was discontinued in the early 1990s as was deemed ineffective due to low take-up rate and there is no intention to revive it. I am repeating my call today as within the last four years, I have met a number of needy residents, a couple of them are ex-offenders, who shared that they have culinary skills and expressed their aspiration to run hawker stall with an affordable operating cost. The hardship scheme may not be a standalone scheme. It could be a sub-scheme under the Incubation Stall Programme or ISP, specifically targeting two groups – needy Singaporeans and ex-offenders which are specifically beneficiaries of ComCare scheme and Yellow Ribbon Project. I suggest that the scheme be re-introduced and to implemented as a Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) model which would be congruous with its social mission, a point which Senior of State Dr Amy Khor has alluded to before in this House. Providing such opportunity and support to needy individuals and ex-offenders, among us, via the hardship scheme for hawker centre stall is, indeed, a very noble social mission.”
“At last year's Committee of Supply debate, my colleague, Mr Pritam Singh had proposed to consider the option of offering an automatic instalment plan for minor traffic offences, especially for those low-income who may not have the ability to pay up their fines in the single payment. In response, the Minister for Home Affairs mentioned, he is of the view that the fine framework should be kept intact. I am calling upon Minister to reconsider in allowing instalment payments for traffic fines specifically for first-time offenders that belongs to the low-income group and our beneficiaries of Government's financial assistance scheme such as ComCare. Understandably, the intended effect of penalties is for offenders to be remorseful and regret their irresponsible acts and as a deterrence to ensure our roads are safe for all users. Having said that, we should consider looking from the compassionate perspective, to minimise unintended effect of pushing this already struggling individual deeper into financial predicament. I believe we are aware of the circumstances where low-income Singaporeans had resorted to borrowing in order to pay for the traffic fines, when their appeal for instalment payment was unsuccessful. I feel it does not lessen the intended effect of fines by allowing instalment payment for this group as eventually, they still have to bear the full amount. On the other hand, such compassionate consideration will be much appreciated as this will avoid further aggravation of their financial struggles. Traffic Safety”
“Sir, I have a number of elderly and also non-English speaking residents who approached me for assistance to do online application for Singapore Citizenship or Singapore Permanent Residence for their foreign spouse. When asked for a reason why they are not able to do so, among the responses are, they either do not have a computer, scanner and so on, and for those who have, they shared that they are not savvy enough to perform an online application. The Infocomm Media Development Authority's statistical data shows in 2019, 11% of individuals are non-Internet users and there are still 11% of resident households that are without computers, including desktop, laptops, notebooks and tablets. Apart from not having computer facilities and online unfamiliarity, some mentioned language barrier as an issue, as the online application is only in English. Some residents shared that they had approached ICA officers to seek assistance, but was advised to turn to relatives, friends, or alternatively, to approach immigration agents. I understand that Malaysian agents charge a fee of between $300 and $400, which is indeed a huge sum, especially for low-income groups. I do hope the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) could provide better support in this area. One suggestion is for ICA to work with People's Association in having a number of designated community centres, maybe one in each region, to provide the required facilities and other forms of support to Singaporeans who need such. PR for Foreign Spouses and Children”
“As we know, we have many foreign nurses in our healthcare institutions, especially in the restructured hospitals and polyclinics. Sir, here I would like to reiterate my call to allow the wearing of tudung as part of the nurses' uniform. It cannot be denied that there are some Muslim women who have to forgo their wish to serve as nurses because they know that they will not be allowed to wear the tudung. By allowing the tudung to be worn as part of the nurses' uniform, perhaps more Muslim women can fulfil their wish to work as nurses. At the same time, it will also increase the number of local nurses and make nursing in Singapore become more inclusive. (In English): Hence, my views and concern on one, nurses' remuneration; two, increase in petrol litre rates; and three, sustainable environment. The intent of my sharing is to contribute to our nation's on-going discussions and efforts to bounce from this crisis with greater strength and unity, emerging stronger together. I look forward to more sharing from the respective Ministries on the issues mentioned in my speech.”
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we have seen various efforts by every segment of society displaying strong support and expressing gratitude for our healthcare workers. Among the efforts undertaken include F&B businessmen providing free food and beverages, thank-you notes by students using home-made cards as well as simultaneous applause and cheers from Singaporeans. Sir, the various forms of community support play an important role in providing psychological encouragement and motivation to those who serve in the healthcare sector. However, financial support and rewards are equally important especially in the current situation where the cost of living is increasing. As I mentioned earlier, the announcement of salary increases for nurses and health sector workers is most welcome. The question now is, how much is the amount of increase that has been decided? As stated by Minister Heng, this announcement will be made by the Minister for Health at the Committee of Supply debates. Sir, I hope that the incomes or salaries of nurses and healthcare workers can be raised to a level similar to the salary of nurses and healthcare workers in developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region such as South Korea, Japan, Hongkong and Australia. This is because the quality and standard of our health systems and expertise are equivalent to these countries. Singapore's level of economic development is also similar to those countries. Therefore, the benefits given to our health sector workers should commensurate with their counterparts in these countries. Next, I would like to comment on Minister Heng's speech on the Government’s plan to balance the number of local and foreign workers. I would like to touch on this especially for the healthcare sector.”
“Sir, I commend the Government for the plan and I am supportive of any efforts in making a more sustainable living environment in Singapore. Planning for future and continuity is critical and of paramount importance, and, as the saying goes, "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail". However, Sir, at this juncture, I believe it is worthwhile for us to pause and consider the lessons which we can learn from the erroneous clearing of Kranji Forest which happened recently, before we move any further on our 2030 Green Plan. Sir, we should ponder, why have we planned to plant more than a million trees across Singapore over the next 10 years when, according to the Global Forest Watch, we have lost 2.22 kilohectares of tree cover, a 12% decrease which is equivalent to 580 kilotons of carbon dioxide emissions. We also should ponder if we should be working towards a more harmonious relationship with our natural environment in Singapore instead of imposing our own artificial solutions for sustainability. Sir, having said these, I welcome the Deputy Prime Minister’s statement that the Government will take the lead. There is a saying in Malay “Bagai enau di dalam belukar, melepaskan pucuk masing-masing”, a reference to a kind of plant that grows in the underbrush. Its meaning is a reference to a situation whereby narrow interests are prioritised over the greater good. For too long, we have prioritised urban development over the environment. The Green Plan is a major step in rebalancing our priorities. Sir, I will continue in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Minister for Finance, on the salary increase for nurses and healthcare sector workers is most welcome.”
“However, the decision to increase the duties on petrol at this time is a case of "doing the right thing but with the wrong timing". Notwithstanding all this, Sir, I acknowledge, that the decision has already been made and implemented. Hence, I echo the call made by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Pritam Singh, for the Government to consider reviewing the immediate hike in the petrol duties rates. The third and final point I would like to raise is an extension of the second, and is related to the issues of sustainability and the environment. The Government has signalled that it will be making bold steps towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. It was not too long ago that this House adopted a Motion declaring that the climate situation presents an emergency which needs to be addressed, and many of my colleagues have spoken on what can be done. The tone of the Budget Statement is also a welcome one. However, it has to be more than just the tone that shifts. Mr Speaker, Sir, the unsavoury truth that we have to accept as a nation is that our track record demonstrates that when it comes to making a choice between nature and modern development, it is always the former that is sacrificed. We have seen this with land reclamation, construction of highways, MRT lines and stations and other infrastructure. The latest incident whereby a patch of forest was mistakenly cleared was a tragic example of how we can get this wrong. The Government has recently launched Singapore Green Plan 2030. As mentioned by Minister Heng in his Budget speech, "This is an ambitious long-term plan that builds on on-going efforts to secure a green, liveable and sustainable home for generations of Singaporeans to come".”
“While it is important to set behavioural norms away from a reliance on fossil fuels, this is not an excuse to inflict unnecessary trauma on an already besieged group. By the time the rebates reach the pockets of the drivers, some of them may have resorted to drastic measures already, to keep themselves and their families economically afloat. I am also concerned that the increased petrol duties will lead to increases in the price of other goods, especially the daily necessities. It is inevitable that companies will pass the burden to consumers, at least in part. Will the rebates be sufficient to help families, especially the lower income earners, to cope with the increased costs of living? In January 2021, the Straits Times reported that while electricity, petrol and outpatient services were cheaper in 2020, the price of food, as well as public transport fares, went up. In early February 2021, Beyond Social Services released a report which showed that the median household income of families who sought help from it fell from S$1,600 to S$500 a month. Similarly, the Department of Statistics (DOS) released figures showing that the median income of the bottom 10% of lower income households saw a 6.1% decline in real income, compared to 1.4% to 3.2% in other households. I am aware that the Government has provided significant amounts of relief for lower income groups and will be setting aside more to continue assisting them. However, the increased petrol duties may have an indirect negative impact if, as a result, the price of consumer goods, especially essential goods, increase as a result of higher fuel and transport costs. As mentioned earlier, most would agree on the need to take urgent step action in order to address climate change.”
“They have seen reduced demand and have struggled to make up for the loss of income. While the situation has improved, private hire drivers are a long way from stability. With practically no tourism and fewer people heading to their offices on a daily basis likely to be the prevailing scenario for the foreseeable future, the outlook for drivers is bleak. A TODAY news article from December 2020 captured the struggles of not only the private hire drivers, but also taxi drivers, many of whom have seen severe drops in their income even with relief measures, such as the Self-employed Income Relief Scheme (SIRS), the COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund (CDRF) and the vehicle rental rebates. The drivers interviewed for the news article related their efforts to stay afloat by taking on extra jobs, and some are considering leaving the industry entirely. However, not all drivers will be able to upskill and/or reskill themselves for other industries in the near to medium term because they are locked in contracts which were signed before COVID-19 became a global pandemic. I acknowledge the efforts by MOT and LTA to mitigate the suffering of our drivers. The new requirement for private hire drivers to be 30 years old and above and having Singapore citizenship, similar to the standards required for taxi drivers, should be described as a market correction that was timely. The announcement of higher payouts for drivers in the point-to-point transport sector to cushion the end of SIRS is also welcome news. However, the increased petrol duties could mean that the money that was meant to bring relief for our drivers would end up being redirected towards Government coffers instead.”
“In April 2020, the World Health Organization estimated that the world faced a shortage of six million nurses. We have been able to attract nurses from other countries to come and work in Singapore. They make up for the shortage of local nurses. However, if remuneration levels are not considered adequate, you face the potential of our nurses being drawn to foreign shores. This will make it even harder for us to handle the ageing population. As such, I would like to propose that we consider either pegging the salaries of our nurses to a weighted basket of salaries from the countries of a similar economic status as Singapore. Another possibility is for us to use the salary scales of our uniformed services as a benchmark. Our nurses also put their lives on the line at work each day. The second issue I would like to raise relates to the environmental policies which were announced during the Budget Statement, specifically, the immediate increase in the duties on premium and intermediate petrol by 15 cents and 10 cents per litre respectively. There is no one who could disagree that we must take urgent action in order to address climate change and I appreciate that the Government intends to help all those affected by the increased duties by offering rebates which are expected to defray the increased cost for a year. However, I have to question why the increased rates had to take immediate effect. Such an approach creates a shock amongst vehicle users, especially for those whose livelihood depends on internal combustion engine vehicles. Following the announcement, CNA reported that some drivers estimate that their costs will go up by about $60 to $100 a month. Sir, private hire drivers have been adversely affected for more than a year now as we battle the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“Mr Speaker, I welcome the Budget Statement delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance. I note that the theme for the Budget is "Emerging Stronger Together" and I believe all in this House share the Deputy Prime Minister's hope that we will, indeed, find a way to emerge from this crisis with greater strength and unity. There are three areas in the Budget Statement that I would like to speak on today. First, I am heartened that the salaries of all our healthcare workers, including both our nurses and our support care workers, will be enhanced under the Budget. I look forward to learning more details on the level of increment which our healthcare workers can look forward to from the Minister for Health. Our nurses have devoted their time and energy, as well as faced numerous risks, to keep our healthcare system going. It is past due that their remuneration is relooked. The 2018 report by the Lien Foundation showed that, amongst the five advanced economies with ageing populations in the Asia Pacific region, the average monthly pay of nurses was the lowest in Singapore, at S$3,000. This is almost half of the average pay of nurses in Australia, at S$5,780. Even though 2020 had been a challenging year economically, Singapore is still on par with the countries in this survey in terms of GDP per capita. It seems odd that the remuneration for essential healthcare workers would continue to be lower than those of their counterparts elsewhere. Inadequate remuneration could lead to other problems down the road as well. A shortage of nurses is not a new problem in Singapore. In the last decade alone, MOH has acknowledged this a few times as an issue to be addressed. Further, Singapore is not the only country facing a shortage of nurses.”
“We hope, as a whole, in the whole building industry and construction industry, we want to see how we can enhance, not only the maintainability of the building but, in particular, also the facade.”
“Thank you, Sir. I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Sir, there are national programmes such as Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) and Home Improvement Programme (HIP) to repair and revitalise ageing HDB neighbourhoods and flats' interior respectively. Basically, my proposal is to have a similar national programme for facade repair. One, so as to reap the economies of scale benefit; hence, resulting in the saving of public funds. Secondly, I feel that by having a national programme, it will give a more thorough repair work, which will result in better outcome as compared to patchwork, which is what we are doing currently. As the Minister of State mentioned earlier, it is co-sharing between Town Council and HDB. But I believe that more thorough work to be done for the facade repairs under a national programme would be more beneficial in the long run. Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the suggestion. As I shared earlier, we feel that it is important to make sure the buildings or structures that we have are maintained and, at the same time, we look at it in terms of the long term how we can ensure the maintainability and the use of such facilities including the facade. That is why we have a periodic facade inspection regime which will ensure that there is regular and timely inspection. During the inspection, if we see there are things that need to be rectified, we can do so. At the same time, the Facade Repair Co-Payment Scheme will help to take care of such a situation. So, essentially, we want to see how, as a whole, in Singapore, we can try to inspect and maintain over time. As such, this is something that we are committed to doing with the Town Council.”
“Sir, last but not least, I would like to sincerely thank the Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC) voters for once again electing the WP team, to represent them in Parliament. Sir, I support the Motion.”
“These two recent incidents indicate that there should be more open and dynamic approaches to further strengthen understanding, acceptance and tolerance among Singaporeans so that the discriminatory attributes, whether consciously or indirectly, can be better curbed. And such efforts should start at a leadership level. Leaders should be open and not narrow-minded whenever an endeavour or discussion on issues related to religious practices are put forward. Avoid the use of words or phrases that can cause unease in society, words like “divisive” and “problematic”, when discussing religious issues. Speeches containing such words and phrases are not helpful to anyone and, in fact, it will give rise to anxiety that can lead to cracks to social cohesion. Sir, it is better to have a humble and open approach when discussing matters that are considered sensitive such as religion and race. These qualities will enable discussions to be conducted rationally and constructively so that, in the end, they can result in consensus and good solutions for the community. If no solution can be agreed upon, at least the discussion can end in a “agree to disagree” situation and mutual respect. This is what is best in order to maintain unity in diversity. Sir, in conclusion, my arguments are meant to invite all Members of this House, especially myself, as leaders, to do soul searching because any kind of values, character and behaviour displayed by leaders will have an impact on the public. Humility, openness and tolerance will strengthen unity while negative qualities will create fault lines instead. This is because leaders are role models to people who follow them.”
“The experience of serving in ministries and statutory bodies is valuable and most appropriate for such individuals to hold this post. I believe such appointments will eliminate the issue of injustice, that is, the PA's tendency towards partisan politics. Once again, I ask that my proposal be given serious consideration if the Government is sincere and honest in further strengthening the principle of unity in diversity. I would now like to touch on the issue of religion and race, which is considered taboo and sensitive to be discussed openly. According to some leaders, such matters should only be discussed behind the scenes. Sir, this House has heard many times from several Members of both sides for an open discussion on topics related to religion and race. I think it is time for this matter to be given due attention. Minister Shanmugam, as reported by the media, said that Singapore should find suitable ways that can be accepted by different generations to discuss issues of religion and race. More recently, Minister Edwin Tong also stated, “less confrontation, more mediation, when talking about sensitive issues”. Sir, I agree with both Ministers in this matter. Sir, in the past two months, there have been two incidents that caused disquiet in relation to the issue of religious practices. One, where a Sikh man was asked whether he could remove his turban during a telephone interview because the reason given was that his appearance could cause unease. The second incident involved a Muslim salesgirl who was told to remove her hijab because it was considered unprofessional. Such discriminatory incidents are deplorable and should not happen, given that efforts have been made over 55 years to develop a multiracial and multi-religious society.”
“The desire for justice is part of human nature and when there is an injustice, there will be uneasiness. Lately, many have expressed dissatisfaction, especially on social media, over the role of People's Association’s (PA) grassroot advisers in the constituency under the care of alternative parties being given to the defeated ruling party candidate in the general election. The PAP candidate is also, at the same time, holding the post of PAP branch chairman for the same constituency. This is considered an injustice. Their question is, why are MPs elected from non-ruling parties not given the post as was done to the ruling party MPs? Why are there double standards? It has been said in this House repeatedly that the PA is a statutory body and is not political in nature, it is neutral and is not inclined towards any political party. Several reasons have also been shared on why an opposition MP is not appointed as the PA's grassroots adviser. Among the reasons is that the main role of the grassroots advisers is to present and explain government policies and the opposition MPs will not be able to do this role well in situations where they do not support these policies. But the explanation and reasons given failed to convince a large group of political observers amongst the public who still express the view that the PA is used as a platform to fulfil the political interests of the ruling party. Sir, I myself cannot accept that the PA is free from partisan politics. I have proposed in this House to appoint senior public officers such as a Chief Executive Officer or Director, whether still in service or retired, and are not members of any political party, to be appointed as PA grassroots advisers.”
“Sir, based on the responses that I shared earlier, it appears to express a concern that a situation will occur where a Member of the House will behave inappropriately during Parliamentary debates, to the point where Parliamentary sessions are akin to theatre performances. This is something that should not happen. Members of this House should realise that whatever qualities they display, whether through verbal or verbal conduct, will have an impact on the public. Sir, among the less appropriate qualities or approaches are personal attacks; avoid making personal attacks against Members of the House. This House is meant to discuss matters that can have a positive impact on the well-being of the community and the country. It is not an arena to launch personal attacks against anyone. Debates that incorporate personal attacks are unsuitable for this House as it will tarnish the integrity and status of this House as a legislature. The portrayal of a leader who makes personal attacks against another leader shows an unhealthy example to the followers. Sir, a robust discussion is necessary so that the issues discussed can be explored more deeply and as best as possible. However, a robust discussion should be based on good order so as not to erode the value of unity. As elected leaders, it is best for us to be more vigilant in the way we debate because it will become a model and example to the public, because negative examples can create unease and anxiety, and thus will likely lead to polarisation and disunity among the community. Sir, another thing that can affect unity in diversity is the issue of justice. Justice is central in achieving unity especially in a multiracial, multi-religious and multicultural society.”
“The ways leaders deal with and discuss sensitive and hot issues, whether inside or outside the House, to some extent, will shape and influence the tone of debate and discussion that will take place among the public. Sir, in May this year, my colleague, Mr Leon Perera, proposed that Parliamentary sessions be broadcast live on the national television channel so that the public can appreciate the atmosphere of the Parliamentary sessions and understand the procedures better. A spokesman for Minister Grace Fu, responding to this through the media, said "Live broadcasts of Parliament risk turning the House into a ‘form of theatre’ and do not add to transparency", and further said, "An element of public performance is unavoidable because Singaporeans want to see their concerns expressed, and hear their questions asked and answered in Parliament." In short, the answer given is that the live telecast does not improve transparency; in fact, it poses a risk of transforming Parliamentary sessions into performance theatre. On this note, Sir, I would like to state for the record that I agree to having live telecast of Parliamentary sessions, because in my view, any Member who wants to put on a theatre performance in Parliament will still showcase their acting because they know that, although there is no live telecast, there are recordings done every second, from the start to the end of the Parliamentary session. In short, whether there is a live telecast or not, it is not the reason for a Member not to showcase their acting, because they know their acting can still be watched through recording clips over social media channels.”
“Sir, going back to Mdm President’s address at the Opening Session of the Fourteenth Parliament, where she noted the outcome of the new General Election, in which 10 Parliamentary seats were won by the WP, while the ruling party experienced a fall in the percentage of national votes, signified the need for Singaporeans to have a diversity of views and thoughts in the country’s political and development processes. Singapore voters want a more effective and constructive political landscape. They want a robust and cohesive check and balance system, and not a political system guided by the “ownself check ownself” approach. The “ownself check ownself” political approach is unhealthy. As human beings, we are exposed to the phenomenon of “blind spot” and “group thinking”. This is irrefutable. Sir, we must accept that diversity in politics is something quite necessary. But we must also accept the fact that diversity can also cause anxiety and the possibility of fault lines. This is something that may not be avoided but can still be addressed or mitigated. Diversity should not have a negative impact such as being divisive and discriminatory. There should not be any feelings or opinions by any party that their ideology or philosophy is more “superior” than the others. As I said earlier, this diversity is meant to complement each other and, if differences cannot be resolved, we should be prepared to agree to disagree. Efforts to assimilate and practise unity in diversity in our society should start from the country's political leadership. The actions of political leaders will serve as examples and role models for the public.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will deliver my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, President Halimah Yacob's speech at the opening session of the Fourteenth Parliament of Singapore, touched on the importance and need for Singapore's political and community leaders from all walks of life to unite, despite having their own different principles and philosophy, working together and contributing towards a happy, prosperous and developed Singapore. In my speech, I would like to share my thoughts on strengthening unity in diversity. It is natural that humans are created differently or in a state of diversity. This is normal and we must agree with and accept this natural state. Whether this diversity results in something good or not, the outcome depends on the way we accept and how we go through it. My life experiences, especially as a counsellor, make me view diversity positively and accept it as a blessing and wisdom. This is because diversity offers choices, and it can also help and facilitate efforts to complement each other on any matter. However, we must acknowledge that some differences that may arise from diversity are sometimes awkward and can pose challenges. In addressing such differences, we must be open, tolerant, have mutual respect and practise the principle of agreeing to disagree. It is natural for us to practise the values of diversity in life. People who live in a community cannot live alone without engaging in the existing ecosystem, as the English saying goes “No man is an island”. A combination of ideas and efforts is necessary in going through all aspects of life, especially within the challenging global situation today and in the future. In short, we need each other to complement each other.”
“Thank you, Sir. I just want to reconfirm that what I have heard from the Deputy Prime Minister is correct with regard to the question that I have asked – whether the Government has provided the President with the information on the amount that we have in the Reserves. So, am I right to say – and I just want to confirm with the Deputy Prime Minister – that the answer given by him is, yes, the Government did provide this information?”
“I would like to seek clarification on whether during the process of obtaining the consent to use the national reserves – was President Madam Halimah Yacob given information on the balance or amount that we have in the national reserves? Such critical information is very crucial for the President make an evaluation in order to reach a decision. Sir, in general, it is a practice or a must in any entity, whether a Government entity, for example a Ministry and a Statutory Board, or a private entity, that critical information about the balance of an account or a fund will be disclosed to any party or a decision-making body about the evaluation process, so as to make an informed decision, whether or not to allow an expenditure or the use of funds. I hope Deputy Prime Minister Heng can explain whether the President has been given information about the amount available in the national reserves, when the Government presented the information and facts to support its request to obtain the President's consent, to use the national reserves for the three budgets, Solidarity, Resilience and Fortitude. Sir, I conclude my speech by expressing my support for this Budget. Thank you, Sir. 5.56 pm”
“I sincerely hope that both of my proposals will be given the best consideration. The next matter is the COVID-19 swab test. It has been reported that all teachers and staff of pre-school centres and kindergartens have to undergo the COVID-19 swab test. As explained by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) through media reports, this is a precautionary measure in preparation for the reopening of kindergartens and pre-school centres. I would like to find out why the COVID-19 swab test is not conducted on teachers and staff of Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as Junior Colleges and Centralised Institutes. Sir, finally, I would like to seek clarification on the process of obtaining consent from the President for the use of the national reserves (past reserves). To date, three out of four budgets require the use of national reserves. For the use of reserves, the process to go through is that the government needs to provide a detailed explanation that is supported by information and facts to the President. The President will consult and consider with assistance and advice from the Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) whether to approve the government's request or otherwise. The Elected President scheme was introduced in 1991. One of the main objectives of the scheme was for the elected President, who received the the people’s mandate through the electoral process, to be given the role or responsibility as the co-protector or the second key to the national reserves. In short, the elected President has the power to say "yes" or "no" if the Government wants to use the national reserves.”
“Currently, our country is undertaking government-led efforts to spur our society towards digitalisation to achieve the goal of a "Smart Nation". I am confident that we want every Singaporean regardless of their socio-economic background to move together and not be left behind in this digitalisation effort. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance for every home to have an internet connection to enable learning and to work from home. I believe many members of this Chamber have met low-income residents who sought help to appeal on their behalf about their outstanding internet subscription bills. In our country's preparation and effort to achieve the "Smart Nation" goal, I would like the government to consider my suggestion to introduce a rebate scheme to help in the payment of internet subscription fees to support Singaporeans with low household incomes so that they can continue to have a more stable and uninterrupted internet connection. At this time, I think it is not wrong to say that internet connectivity is a basic need. Presently, there is a government rebate scheme to help ease the cost of basic necessities such as the utilities rebate, and the services and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebate. My proposal is to incorporate the internet subscription fee into the existing list of rebates. Sir, my recommendations to provide support to Singaporeans who belong to the low household income group by providing exemptions to flat rental fees and rebates for Internet subscription fees, are appropriate and in line with the objectives of our four national budgets, that is, to instill a sense of unity and resilience, so that we can overcome the challenges that arise from this pandemic with solidarity and fortitude.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will deliver my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.]: This is the fourth budget tabled in this House in the span of a few months. I have submitted several proposals and expressed concern in my speech for the previous Budget debate and I will state a few more suggestions and would also like to seek some clarification in my speech this time. Firstly, I would like to touch on the rental fees for rental flats under the HDB Public Rental Scheme. I would like to know whether there is an increase in the number of flat tenants who failed to pay their rental payments in the past few months. Sir, one of the long-term objectives of HDB's provision of rental flats under the Public Rental Scheme is to provide short-term residence for individuals or families while they are trying to build and strengthen their finances, so that one day, they will buy and own permanent housing that belongs to them. A large number of tenants under this scheme are Singaporeans with low household income. In recent months, I have been contacted by some of my residents who are asking for exemption in their rental fees during these challenging times. I would like to ask the government to consider this request. Any support in this matter can further ease the burden of Singaporeans living in rental flats under the HDB Public Rental Scheme. Such assistance will help them to maintain a financial position, which is already weak to begin with, from becoming fragile. This is especially for those who are striving to strengthen their financial position in order to get their permanent dream home. The second issue is also related to the provision of support for low-income Singaporeans.”
“He shared that there are discussions among private hire car drivers on various social media platforms to request both HDB and URA to allow extension of the grace period from 10 minutes to maybe half an hour for gantry parking across Singapore. Reason cited was lesser point-to-point bookings will result in longer waiting times. Hence, private hire drivers can have some savings whilst parking at designated parking areas rather than illegally on roadsides or restricted areas that in turn could pose a risk to other road users. I hope MND can look into this particular request. My final point is on exercising leniency and flexibility in the payment of fines. I would like to call upon the various Government agencies to consider allowing deferment of such payments or alternatively to allow instalment payments. Nonetheless, appellants need to provide proof that are they are financially affected by COVID-19. This will indeed lessen the difficulties faced by the individuals, businesses or any other entities who have been issued with fines while trying to cope with their financial struggles. To conclude, Sir, as I mentioned in the opening part of my speech extraordinary efforts are being made worldwide to ensure that this pandemic will not result in extraordinary damage to human lives. The calls I have made in this speech are not extraordinary calls. However, they are necessary and essential. I believe the Government will consider implementing proposals I have put forth as part of our nation's continued efforts to further strengthen our unity and resilience in facing this extraordinary challenging time. 6.21 pm”
“As announced by MOE, all schools will start home-based learning (HBL) from 8 April 2020 to 4 May 2020. Sir, they are Singaporean students from affected families who are studying in non-public schools and who could benefit from this scheme during HBL. I believe we will not want to have a situation of Singaporean students who are unable to continue the school lessons because their homes do not have a computer or Internet connection. So, I am glad to see the following statement on IMDA's website: "Together with industry and community partners, IMDA has adjusted the NEU PC Plus programme to accelerate the provisioning of the PC bundle to eligible beneficiaries, which allow them to own online, to carry out activities such as e-learning amid the COVID-19 situation." IMDA acknowledges the current pressing needs and has made the necessary adjustments to ensure continuity and non-disruption of lessons to students. I applaud IMDA's for such combination actions. Nonetheless, I would like IMDA to consider furthering their commendable efforts by allowing more than one PC to per household, which is the current practice. Sir, there are many Singaporean households which have more than one school-going children. Imagine a low-income family with more than two school-going children but only one PC at home, it will be challenging for these students to do their online lessons as prescribed by their schools. Having said this, I do acknowledge and note the recent notable steps taken by MOE on loaning about 3,000 sets of laptops to our students. Sir, next I would like to convey a feedback from an individual who is a private hire car driver.”
“Next, I would like to urge the Government to consider extending the existing financial assistance schemes to Singaporean students whose family incomes are affected by COVID-19. Currently, the KiFAS or Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme is only available to students from low-income families while schooling in PCF kindergartens well as kindergartens administered by MOE's anchors operators. In the past, I have made calls in this Chamber for KiPAS to be extended to all needy students who attend pre-school education centres run by Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) and faith-based entities such as churches and mosques. I would like to repeat this call during this unprecedented time to extend KiFAS to all students from families whose breadwinners' incomes have been adversely affected by COVID-19. Similarly, I would also like to suggest the same exceptions for MOE's Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS). This Scheme should also be made available to students who are attending non-public schools or education institutions which are not stipulated under MOE's list of qualified schools. I would also like both MOE and MSF to consider extending the Assistance Schemes to another group of students who are Singaporean Permanent Residents with either one parent being a Singapore and even more so for single-parent families. Sir, still on the issue of support and assistance for students. On this note, I would like to suggest the same exception that I have mentioned earlier to cover the NEU PC Plus programme administered by the Infocomm Media Authority (IMDA). The PC Plus programme offers low-income household with the students or persons with disability the opportunity to own a brand new computer as well as have Internet connection at an affordable price.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the efforts to expand and extend assistance to the different segments of society in ensuring that every Singaporean will not be left behind and that everyone feels a sense of unity and solidarity is very much welcomed. On a global scale, we have seen extraordinary measures and steps taken by governments and citizens in managing and tackling this extraordinary calamity. In my speech, I would like to make some proposals for the Government's consideration so that effort of strengthening our nation's unity and resilience can be more encompassing and more inclusive. I am heartened by the steps taken by the MSF in exercising flexibility in rendering ComCare assistance. As I understand, the ComCare assistance can only rendered to one per household. However, there are many households that have more than one immediate family staying together under one roof. For example, a couple with young children could be staying with their elderly parents along with another unmarried sibling. Hence, there will be possibility of two main breadwinners or family heads within the same household being affected by COVID-19. By not limiting assistance to just one per household. It will surely benefit and lighten the burden of such deserving cases. As many in this Chamber are aware, the application and approval processes for ComCare assistance normally takes an average of about one to one and a half months. The duration will be longer in a situation, whereby an applicant for some reason is unable to furnish a complete list of relevant documents. I would like to urge the Social Service Office (SSO) to exercise some flexibility in the necessary norms cutting short the red tape that could cause a delay in rendering the much-needed assistance to deserving applicants.”
“We have encountered dislodgement of facade, fixtures, and one of these incidents was cited by my colleague Mr Pritam Singh two days ago during MND's Committee of Supply's debate. In view of this inevitable additional expenses, I would like to seek clarification from the Ministry whether the Town Councils will have to solely bear the additional expenses or will HDB, as the landlord, co-share the payment, which is similar to their current practice for facade repair expenses? Additionally, will the Ministry consider additional funding for Town Councils? Another point I want to raise is on availability of trained personnel or an appropriate person as mentioned in clause 20 on building inspections and other building works. This issue was touched on earlier by my colleague Ms Sylvia Lim. I would just like to seek the Ministtry's views on whether there will be any possibility of shortage of this appropriate person due to the enhanced measurements and regime introduced in this Bill, as there will be a higher demand for such individuals? In short, will there be an issue of imbalanced supply and demand situation, in particular, for the mandatory regime of facade inspection? If this shortage is likely to happen, what will be the Ministry's plan to address this issue? Sir, I look forward to the Ministry's clarification on these two matters that I have raised. 2.48 pm”
“Sir, my speech will touch on the matters presented in this Bill, which has effect on Town Council estates' maintenance, in particular, the issue of cost. Sir, two of the main objectives of this Amendment Bill are: (a) enhance safety of lifts, escalator and mechanised carpark system and (b) introduce a mandatory facade inspection regime for buildings more than 20 years old. I welcome these amendments as safety is paramount and should not be taken lightly. In recent years, we have heard and seen news on a number of cases that pertains to dislodgement of fixtures from HDB blocks' facade or exterior wall such as sunshades, decoratives and even bricks. Fortunately, no injury or fatality was reported. However, this is not the case for lift malfunction-related incidents that occurred in HDB blocks. In the last few years, there has been reports of residents or members of the public who are visiting, sustaining mild to serious injuries. I do hope with the tightening of legislation and measures as proposed in this Amendment Bill, it will provide a safer and more conducive living environment. Sir, I support this Amendment Bill. Nonetheless, as the Chair of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council, I do have concerns on the cost issue. Consequently, the adoption and the implementation of the new measures and regimes indicated in this Bill will be the additional expenditure. For example, as mentioned in this Bill, there will be a requirement to conduct the facade inspection regime for buildings which are older than 20 years and, thereafter, conducting a seven years' cyclical inspection. A town like Aljunied-Hougang is home to many HDB blocks which are 20 years and above, approximately more than 80%.”
“The remaking of our sports facilities is to remain relevant and affordable, and to meet demands of the community. I am sure that the population of Yishun town has grown, and Yishunites deserve more and better sporting facilities.”
“In 2008, the former MCYS Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, announced a target for the Singapore sports industry: $2 billion annual contribution to Singapore’s GDP and the creation of 20,000 jobs by 2015. Sir, the sporting fraternity seeks an update on the GDP contribution and jobs created. Next, Singapore Sports Hub. For this national iconic project, much has been said about the Public Private Partnership model; however, the sporting fraternity has yet to see positive changes that will convince Singaporeans that we have the right private sector partner running this national project. Instead, we have witnessed a continuous exodus of staff last year and this year, including the majority C-suite of SportsHub: CEO, CFO, COO, Chief Commercial Officer, and General Counsel. From public reports, there has also been critical changes to the shareholders and key partners: for example, the 83% majority shareholder Infra Red Capital Partners has been acquired by Sun Life. Is this a material change? Will it further impact negatively the desired outcomes of the project. Sir, it would be timely for Minister to provide us with an update on the situation at Singapore Sports Hub, given that we are approaching the end of six years of full operations. Please also update how we will keep our sporting calendar vibrant, given the non-performance of the contractual promise by SportsHub Private Limited to host 90 sporting event days per year at National Stadium. Are we getting value for money for this national project. On this subject, I would like to appeal to MCCY once again. Tampines has Our Tampines Hub; Bedok has Heartbeat @ Bedok; Sembawang has Sembawang Integrated Hub. What does Yishun have? A rundown swimming complex opened in 1988 and an old sports stadium opened in 1992.”
“Minister Grace Fu was quoted by Straits Times on 16 January 2020 that: "There’s so much more that we can do before we can really call ourselves a sporting country”. But we have made progress, and I cite the example raised by Senior Minister of State Sim Ann in Parliament on 5 November 2019 that more people with disabilities (PWD) are participating in sport, with the Government exploring how a related master plan can make more progress. Rewinding back the clock: in 2010, Singapore was awarded: the Gold for Sports City Award at the 2010 International Sports Events Management Awards, and Runners-up for the 2010 Ultimate Sports City at the Sports Accord Convention. The international sporting community took notice of this little red dot’s sporting achievements during the 2001 to 2010 period. GDP contribution from the sports industry grew from $300 million in 2000 to $1 billion in 2008, including the hosting of the 2005 International Olympic Committee Session, 2008 inaugural F1 Singapore Grand Prix, 2009 inaugural Asian Youth Games, and 2010 inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG). The job creation objective was catalysed by the startup of Singapore Sports School in 2004, the launch of UK Loughborough University’s sports science degree in partnership with NTU, the emphasis of sports health leisure by Republic Polytechnic, ITE, and other private institutions. Working under MOU partnerships, the EDB, the previous Media Development Authority and Singapore Sports Council successfully courted international companies to relocate to Singapore and thereby created new jobs, for example, ASICS, Decathlon.”
“Sir, in August 2019, it was reported in the media that Vice President of Football Association of Singapore (FAS), Mr Edwin Tong mentioned that, I quote, "FIFA World Cup 2034 will be a realistic goal for Singapore." Following this good news, I had failed a Parliamentary Question in September 2019 on the matter. I asked MCCY what are the Football Association of Singapore (FAS)'s plans in working towards achieving this goal for Singapore's Football National Team to qualify for FIFA World Cup in 2034. Sir, the Ministry replied as follows, I quote, "The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth welcomes our Team Singapore athletes and sports association to strive for excellence and support them in realising their goal. We look forward to hearing from the FAS on their plan to achieving their stated goal and how the football fraternity, community and the Government can support them in their efforts." Sir, I have been looking forward and waited since September 2019 for updates from the Football Association of Singapore or MCCY. This time around I do hope to hear some positive sharing from the Minister on the matter. Sporting Singapore Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Sir, in the midst of COVID-19 affecting Singapore and the rest of the world, the subjects of "national resilience", "community bonding" and "national pride" in how Singapore manages the epidemic is popping up. Coincidentally, true sporting nations typically display such positive attributes. In fact, I recall that the Committee of Sporting Singapore report in 2001, championed by Mr Goh Chok Tong, articulated these three desired outcomes of a Sporting Singapore, the other two being "vibrant society and economy" and "international friendship".”
“Chairman, Sir, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, I would like to ask the Minister how many applications were received by the Syariah Court of Singapore for; firstly divorces, and second, obtaining counselling, between 2017 to 2019. And from these applications, how many applicants eventually divorced. Second, I hope that the Minister can also share three main reasons or factors that are the causes of divorce in the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore within the time period I mentioned earlier. Sir, The Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) launched the "Bersamamu" programme in May 2019. This programme aims to provide holistic support to Muslim couples before and after marriage. I would like to seek an update on this programme from the Minister. MUIS Appeal Board (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to get the following facts from the Minister. How many appeal cases does the MUIS Appeal Board receive annually in relation to the decisions of the Syariah Court of Singapore for divorce cases in 2017, 2018 and 2019, and what are the main reasons for these appeals? From this number of appeal cases that were reported, how many cases were reported by the ex-husband and how many by the ex-wife? Sir, in my four years as a counsellor handling counselling sessions for the Syariah Court's Marriage Counselling Programme (MCP), I received feedback from some husbands as well as ex-husbands who felt that the Syariah Court seem to place emphasis on the Women's Charter in their deliberation process when making a judgment. In fact, until today, I still receive similar feedback from time to time from some of my residents as well as the public. Sir, may I seek the Minister’s view and clarifications on this issue?”
“With the pitfalls that patients could suffer from CAM being left unregulated, I propose that MOH considers studying the possibility of a regime that can regulate CAM practitioners in the same way TCM practitioners are being regulated now, which can fall under the ambit of a potential Complementary and Alternative Medicine Act. The Act can help to set regulations that imposes a minimum standard of protection against consumers. Such a regime should consider requiring mandatory registration for all CAM practitioners and mandatory information given to the patient about the underlying risks of using CAM. This also should include the mandatory disclosure of usage of CAM treatment to healthcare medical practitioners when patients seek medical treatment. Such a regime should ensure regulation is in place for both CAM practitioners and patient that otherwise need to seek recourse elsewhere.”
“Sir, the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread in Singapore, with a study showing that as high as 76% of Singaporeans are utilising at least one form of CAM. This is not only includes traditional medicine practices, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jammu and Ayurvedic medicine, but also includes practices such as Chiropractic and Homoeopathy. However, not all types of CAMs are treated the same under our existing laws and regulations. Currently, only Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners are regulated under separate legislation and Chinese proprietary medicines are regulated by HSA. However, regulations do not cover the Jammu or Ayurvedic practitioners or the product they sell. Chiropractic practices popular amongst office worker has also seen an increasing number of complaints against practitioners in the field as reported by The Straits Times in 2016. This has led to a call by the Chiropractic Association for Government regulation. The lack of regulation, particularly concerning the unregulated use of CAM practices, may lead to detrimental outcomes of patients who simultaneously see western-trained doctors alongside CAM practitioners. A 2017 Straits Times article reported that CAM is widely used by patients doing chemotherapy which sometimes increases the side effects of chemotherapy. The same article also reported that the use of CAM also delayed a patient seeking western treatment by an extra six weeks as compared to non-CAM users, exacerbating their conditions.”
“Sir, MediFund Scheme is meant to financially assist Singaporeans who have difficulties with their medical expenses for both inpatient and outpatient treatments. It is made available at polyclinics islandwide as well as the restructured hospitals. I would like to call upon MOH to allow the use of MediFund for reimbursement of transport fare for needy Singaporeans, who need to travel by taxi or private hire car to and fro their medical appointments due to their poor health conditions. A good example is stroke patients. I have encountered residents who defaulted their medical appointments especially those who have multiple appointments in a month, as they are too weak to travel by bus or train, and they do not have the financial means to take a taxi or private hire car to ferry them. Sir, this segment of our fellow Singaporeans are usually those who are unemployed due to their medical conditions and they depend heavily or solely on financial assistance, such as ComCare, and handouts from relatives and friends, which amount they received is only sufficient, and in some cases, not even enough for their monthly sustenance. I do know of Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) that offer subsidies for private ambulance fee to needy individuals. However, this subsidised fee is still too high and unaffordable for some. Sir, MediFund Scheme is to ensure that needy Singaporeans are not being deprived of their rights to medical treatments due to their financial standings. Allowing MediFund Scheme to be used for reimbursement of transport fare will surely ease the financial struggles and, more importantly, will enhance the accessibility of medical treatments for this group.”
“Hope Ministry will look into the matters raised.”
“I have been approached by a number of elderly residents who hold Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence (TDVL), highlighting the following two matters and requested that this be brought to Ministry's attention. First, the issue on the mandatory medical examination or health check-ups. It is a requirement for Qualified Driving Licence (QDL) holders aged 65 and above to go for health check once every three years for them to be allowed to continue driving. I also understand that for TDVL holders of the same age group, they are required to have their health checked on yearly basis. Based on these two requirements, an individual age 65 years old and above has to attend medical examination once every three years. Sir, it is understandable for TDVL holders in this age group to find it inconvenient to go through two separate medical examination within a year. First, they have to fork out additional amount of money for their health check, and second, it affects their income since they have to sacrifice their driving hours to attend this medical examination. I do hope the Ministry will consider to allow elderly TDVL holders to undergo a single comprehensive medical examination, instead of two separate sessions, as mentioned earlier. Second is the issue on the statutory age limit for vocational licence. Currently, the statutory age limit for vocational licence is 75 years old. I would like to convey a request to have the statutory age limit increased for another few more years, as long as the medical examination result permits. This extension will allow elderly TDVL holders who still need to sustain themselves to continue driving for few more years. And for those who just want to earn some income or remain active, they can do a part-time or relief driving.”
“Sir, first of all, I would like to correct my cut title of SCHC. It is supposed to be Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre (SEHC) instead of Social Enterprise Hawker Centre. Sir, in the last quarter of 2018, there were media reports on hawkers' feedback pertaining to some challenges they faced in operating their food or drinks stalls under the SEHC scheme. Among the feedback were, having to apply for leave in advance if they choose not to open their stalls; not having the freedom to adjust food prices; having to pay penalty fees for terminating their tenancy; and high rentals and auxiliary costs that the hawkers have to bear. The matter was addressed at length in Parliament in November 2018 with the Ministry sharing details, measures and giving assurances to Members of this House that the Ministry will manage or resolve the matter. It has been about a year and four months since then. Hence, I would like to seek updates on the current situation of the SEHC scheme. I would like to ask whether the Ministry has received any feedback from stall operators against any SEHC operators in 2019. If yes, what is the number of feedback received and what are among the most common ones. Additionally, I would like to seek updates on the number of SEHC island-wide at the present moment. I also would like to know whether the Ministry has conducted any recent survey or study in finding out the level of succession of stall owners operating under the scheme. If there is any, can the Ministry share the findings? Hawker Centres and Vector Control”