Ong Ah Heng
Singapore
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Chairman, in 2010, there were 54 deaths due to workplace accidents, down from 70 deaths in 2009. This is despite a 14% surge in construction projects worth close to $26 billion. Death at the worksite is a painful incident. Even one death is one death too many.”
“I urge the Ministry of Manpower to come up with a system to systematically monitor work hours – both formal as well as informal hours. We must have reliable data on overtime work – especially unpaid overtime. With available data, we can then investigate why Singaporeans overwork.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Chairman, Singaporeans are living longer, with many living beyond 80 years old. If we retire at the current retirement age of 62 and live to 72, there is still a good 10 years of our life. We must make good use of the time after our retirement at age 62.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to *Cols. 3833-3834. Appendix A*.] Madam, the working adults spend more than half their waking hours at the workplace. The workplace is also where most people identify as the source of their stress. A healthy staff is an asset to any organisation. This is a fact well-recognised by all companies.”
“Workplace directly influences physical, psychological, economic and social well-being of workers which, in turn, affects the health of their families, community and eventually society. A health promoting workplace can now become a pre-requisite for sustainable social and economic development.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, it is not because I am a PAP MP that I support the Budget of the Government. Just now, I gave my views on anti-terrorism, for example. I think we are too complacent and not thinking enough of potential dangers.”
The complete record
Every one of 272 lines we hold for Ong Ah Heng, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 6.
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Chairman, in 2010, there were 54 deaths due to workplace accidents, down from 70 deaths in 2009. This is despite a 14% surge in construction projects worth close to $26 billion. Death at the worksite is a painful incident. Even one death is one death too many. Death of workers at worksite usually involves foreign workers. These foreign workers leave their loved ones behind in search of a better livelihood. If they die here in Singapore, their dependants back home not only suffer grief but also lose their source of income. I think every worksite death is avoidable. Some of these accidents could be due to negligence of the employers or the workers lacking proper nutrition, over worked or need rest. I note that the BizSAFE programme was introduced in 2007, and some 6,000 companies had since signed up. Life is precious, be it foreign or local workers. I wish to ask the Manpower Minister for an update on this programme and how it can be enhanced to further reduce worksite deaths. *Cols. 4539-4540. Workplace safety”
“I urge the Ministry of Manpower to come up with a system to systematically monitor work hours – both formal as well as informal hours. We must have reliable data on overtime work – especially unpaid overtime. With available data, we can then investigate why Singaporeans overwork. In cases where job scope and expectations exceed the reasonable output for a full-time post, employers must correct their KPIs and set realistic and fair goals for their employees. In cases where job demands are reasonable but productivity is the issue, then retraining and skills upgrading are important. We must certainly work co-actively towards correcting a dysfunctional organisational culture where mere clocking hours is internalised as demonstrating commitment. In the interest of our nation's future, we must strive towards a society where paid work does not overflow into time set aside for nurturing social relationships. Home-based work”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Chairman, industries such as shipbuilding, construction and food and beverage (F&B) are heavily dependent on foreign workers. The working hours in these industries are usually very demanding on family time. Working hours are long and odd. Spending time with the family or ferrying children to and back from school becomes a challenge. It is a big contrast to workers who work in sectors where five-and-a-half day week is the norm. How do we attract locals to these industries which are highly dependent on foreign workers? Is there a way where we can drive innovation to improve both the working conditions and productivity at the same time in these industries? If we can, we might attract local workers to join these industries. I understand that the Manpower Ministry provides a Work-Life Works! Fund to encourage companies to implement work-life harmony programmes in companies. I wish to know if MOM has a plan or programme to encourage foreign worker dependent companies to achieve better work-life harmony for their workers and at the same time improve their productivity. This, in turn, will help these companies attract local workers to join them. *Cols. 4537-4538. Tracking work hours Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan (Nominated Member): Sir, the evidence is quite clear – Singaporeans work very hard. A recent Business Times' article, which was titled "Singapore sweats away the hours – and productivity", notes that we worked the highest number of hours per year globally. We have even beaten the South Koreans. However, our productivity figures were poor. Clocking long hours at the workplace not only hurt social relations, it also takes a toll on productivity measures.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Chairman, Singaporeans are living longer, with many living beyond 80 years old. If we retire at the current retirement age of 62 and live to 72, there is still a good 10 years of our life. We must make good use of the time after our retirement at age 62. I believe our senior citizens can continue to be productive and live an active and meaningful life. To stay productive, our senior citizens must be equipped with the right skills that are suitable for them, so that they can continue to contribute to the Singapore economy. I would like to hear from the Manpower Minister if there is a concrete plan under the CET framework to help our senior citizens, especially those with low skills, to continue to stay employable beyond their retirement age. *Cols. 4535-4536. Workforce Development Agency”
“(In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] The Community Mediation Centre (CMC) has been dealing with community disputes for more than 10 years now. But there are some Singaporeans who still do not know that the CMC exists to help them. Would the Ministry consider doing more publicity on the work of the CMC, especially through new online media? I have come across constituents who are willing to mediate their disputes through CMC. However, the other party simply refuses to attend the mediation session. It can be very frustrating for everybody, including my grassroots’ leaders who chip in to help. Often, only one in 10 cases was satisfactorily resolved. These constituents have no choice but to try other methods of resolving their problems. They would request agencies like HDB, Town Council or the Police to intervene. At times when the nature of the problem did not fall within the purview of these agencies, the constituents ended up coming back to us to vent their frustration. Would the Ministry consider making community mediation compulsory, instead of leaving it voluntary like the way it is now? *Cols. 4529-4530.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to *Cols. 3833-3834. Appendix A*.] Madam, the working adults spend more than half their waking hours at the workplace. The workplace is also where most people identify as the source of their stress. A healthy staff is an asset to any organisation. This is a fact well-recognised by all companies. Bigger companies, which have more resources, would find it easier to implement workplace health programmes, sometimes together with our Health Promotion Board. However, I notice that this is not the case with the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs may not have the resources like the big companies to implement workplace health programmes for their workers. The Health Promotion Board's website has listed a series of programmes designed to promote healthy living. Many of these can easily be adopted at the workplace. A large proportion of our total workforce in Singapore is employed by SMEs. I would like to ask the Health Promotion Board whether there is any action plan to engage and incentivise SMEs to implement workplace health programmes.”
“Workplace directly influences physical, psychological, economic and social well-being of workers which, in turn, affects the health of their families, community and eventually society. A health promoting workplace can now become a pre-requisite for sustainable social and economic development. MOH has started a workplace health promotion grant. How many companies have taken this up? What is MOH's plan to enhance health at the workplace?”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Madam, we have now about 300,000 senior citizens aged 65 and above but by the year 2030, the number is expected to increase to 900,000. We need to ensure that our senior citizens stay active and healthy, and continue to contribute to our society. If they fail to reach this goal, we might see our senior citizens, say, 20% of them, ill and bedridden and it will require a lot of resources to take care of them. There is a common belief that as we age, we should get less active and enjoy life. In reality, we cannot enjoy life as we age by becoming less active. I have known many cases of senior citizens such that when they retire from work, they also retire from life. I know this friend of mine who retired from work at the age of 55. All he did thereafter was to lie on the sofa and he even used the remote control to switch the channels. Now he is 72 years old and has suffered from dementia for almost 10 years! Madam, our senior citizens must stay active, healthy, continue to contribute to society, and enjoy life. I would like to ask the Health Minister if there is a masterplan to help our senior citizens live longer and stay active. Workplace health Assoc. Prof. Fatimah Lateef: Madam, working adults spend a large portion of their time daily at their workplaces. It becomes an important area where healthy lifestyle and practices can be inculcated. Staff well-being is important as an organisation's loss of manpower hours, medical leave and inability to function optimally due to illnesses can have a negative impact on companies. The workplace has been established as one of the priority settings for health promotion in the 21st century according to the World Health Organization (WHO).”
“I understand that MND has always endeavoured to build a competent and productive construction industry. I am heartened to note that we are on the right track and I would like to ask the Minister if he can review the plans to grow the construction industry and inject greater professionalism. In addition, I wish to offer a suggestion and that is to make the National Productivity Fund more accessible to the smaller firms, including consultancy firms, to support them to acquire new software and hardware, develop new technologies and talents. Very few of us are born great. We all have to start somewhere and we all need opportunities to develop our abilities. To grow our construction industry, big players should not be the only ones splitting the pie. Last, but not least, I would like to urge Government agencies to review their regulations as some existing regulations are counter-productive. One such example is the introduction of the Professional Engineer Drill Technique for Design of Piling Works. I must declare my interest as a professional engineer. I have voiced my concerns before the implementation and today, after implementation for more than two years, I can tell you that the current practice has resulted in much time and energy wasted. I hope BCA can conduct a review together with other necessary revisions. Every one counts in the productivity drive, including Government agencies.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Chairman, the majority of Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s took up jobs in the construction industry because they were lowly educated and lowly skilled. Even in the 1980s, few Singaporeans are willing to join this industry because the work is very hard. As Singaporeans become better educated, less are interested in the construction industry. Companies have no choice but to employ foreign workers. With the property boom in the last few years, construction companies are employing more and more foreign workers. Construction companies work on projects and they usually employ workers on short-term basis. There is little incentive for construction companies to invest in their workers to improve their productivity. The construction industry is labour intensive in nature. Can the Minister share with us the measures to attract more Singaporeans to the construction industry? What is the plan to boost productivity? *Cols. 3615-3616. Er Lee Bee Wah: Mr Chairman, many players in the construction industry is hoping that the Ministry of National Development (MND) will grow the construction industry, just as the Ministry of Finance (MOF) is doing for the accountancy profession which was unveiled at the inaugural Singapore Accountancy Convention last year. MOF had a bold vision to transform Singapore into a leading global accountancy hub for the Asia-Pacific region by 2020. Many players in the construction industry lamented that they hoped to hear a similar plan from MND. This is especially prudent during this period when efforts are being channelled into producing new good quality housing in the shortest amount of time possible to cater to the housing demand.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mr Chairman, my topic is on the property market. The local demand for houses in the last two years has been red hot. The Government has introduced several cooling measures, but the demand remains strong. Although the Government has assured that there is sufficient supply in the pipeline, property prices continue to rise. I am concerned with two things. First, the number of new players rushing into the property market without knowing exactly the long-term financial commitments and the risks of running into financial difficulties if interest rate rises. Second, these new buyers may not know exactly what they are buying. Most buyers are not trained as architects or surveyors. They cannot assess the size of flats by reading blueprints. Most buyers rely on show flats that developers put up. These show flats are typically shown in their best conditions; the shortcomings of the property, however, are not represented. I would like to ask the Minister what can be done to ensure that developers present a set of information that will help the buyer to make an informed decision. I would also like to know if there is ample supply in the pipeline. *Cols. 3605-3606 Managing agents”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] I am not trying to find fault with him. I am sorry, Mr Low. He has indeed praised the PAP Government's Budget. I must thank him. As I said, he has also experienced the same thing. If the PAP Government wants to please the people and get votes, they would distribute the $4 billion to the people. We did not do that. I thank him for praising the PAP. I say sorry to him for overlooking what he has said about returning the reserves drawn out. *Cols. 3005-3006 1.40 pm”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, it is not because I am a PAP MP that I support the Budget of the Government. Just now, I gave my views on anti-terrorism, for example. I think we are too complacent and not thinking enough of potential dangers. Therefore, I suggest that in the Budget, we allocate more resources to the Ministry of Home Affairs. I had criticised the Government's Budget before but Mr Low has not supported the Budget of the Government. He almost always criticises the Budget. The Budget cannot always be wrong, there must be something good in it. I believe that as a responsible Member of Parliament, whether he belongs to the Opposition or the ruling party, he should praise the Budget if it is good and criticise it if it is bad. He says I am making an election speech. No. I am telling Singaporeans that they must elect a party that can do work for them. He knows that I have good intentions. *Cols. 3005-3006.”
“If we can attract higher quality policemen, I think we can do better to instil awe and control gang activities. Gang activities in the 1950s were far worse than today but after 20 years, they have not died out. Mr Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget is a generous Budget but also a prudent Budget. It will boost household incomes and reduce income inequality while also laying the foundation for longer-term innovation and reducing our reliance on foreign workers. In any country, if the Opposition says good things about the ruling party, then do we still need an Opposition? We must believe in the wisdom of the Singapore people. We experienced the most difficult time after our separation from Malaysia, we have overcome many hurdles. Older Singaporeans all know that PAP has never deceived them. For the new generation, we must use new wisdom and the Internet to lead them. In the end, all we want is, first, a better quality of life; and, second, a better future for the next generation. Singaporeans will see if you can deliver what you have promised. They will not believe words alone. When I go to the coffeeshop, people ask me for the Toto or 4-D numbers. Can I give you the numbers? I give you 1, 2, 3, 4 for 4-D. I can just say that but the numbers will not be the winning numbers. I urge Singaporeans to think carefully after listening to a party's speech: can they really deliver? The party you elect should be the one who can truly fulfil your aspirations. I support this Budget and I will do my best to bring the Government's message to the people. *Cols. 2997-3002.”
“I would therefore like to urge the Government to be more decisive in helping young couples have babies. Give direct cash incentives to the parents for the first two to three children. Give each child $20,000 to be matched by $5,000 from the parents. Allow the parents to spend it freely on the child's education. A few days ago, I heard Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng say he did not agree with cash incentives. I respect his analysis and views. The problem young couples are facing is that they have to wait two to five years to get their flat after the marriage registration. My views is that cash incentive is the most effective way. Giving more resources to the Ministry of Home Affairs, I note an increase of 4.7% from 2010 in the budget for Security and External Relations, while the budget for Home Affairs increased 2.9%. Homes Affairs constitute 20.8% of the budget for this sector with the majority going to Defence. I am not saying Defence is not important. There are two reasons why I support higher spending by Home Affairs. Firstly, the threat of terrorism is a real and present danger. Any lapse in vigilance could result in economic and social damage that could take away years of growth. A bombing in CBD could mean Singapore ceases to function as an economic centre. So, while we pay attention to Defence, it is also important to support Home Affairs. Secondly, youth problems and gang fights can be better addressed. I remember when I was a young man, I was terrified of policemen. Not because I had done something wrong, but because of their sense of authority. I feel young people nowadays have less respect for policemen from my casual observations in coffeeshops.”
“Despite criticism from the Opposition, this Budget has received strong support, according to media reports. Mr Low spoke just now as if he were at a mass election rally telling people how to improve their livelihood in the next few years. In reality, however, people know in their hearts if their livelihood has improved or not. We should let Singaporeans decide what kind of party they want. Can such a party form a good government to provide a better future for us and our children? Our reserves is an important cornerstone of this concept and replenishing it means that the Government is safeguarding the future of our country. Mr Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget is a good Budget. It is comprehensive and it covers most of the critical issues that are of concern to the majority of Singaporeans. I would like to suggest three key areas which I think the Government should put in more resources. One, help young couples own a house as soon as possible. On top of housing grants, I urge the Government to consider giving newly married couples priority to select HDB flats that they would like to buy as their matrimonial home. We must help young Singaporeans to get married as soon as possible and getting them a flat would help fulfil this objective. Second, help young couples to have children as soon as possible. Raising a child in Singapore is an expensive affair because every parent wants the best for their children. When I speak to young couples, they have three key concerns in raising a child: (i) cost of infant care and mother's recuperation after delivery. The medical expenses can be quite high, often over $20,000; (ii) cost of a good childcare centre; (iii) transport between childcare centre and caregiver's home.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget will help Singaporeans cope with the higher cost of living and to have higher incomes, especially for the middle- and lower-income families. This is what the Singapore Government ought to do and a step in the right direction for Singapore to become a more inclusive society. There are people who speculate that this is an election Budget to reward and please the voters, so that they will support and vote for the PAP in the General Election. Such thinking is not desirable. In my view, every Budget should be an election Budget because the Government should be continually assessed on doing the right thing for the people. Singaporeans want to know how the Government helps them deal with crises, overcomes challenges, plans for the future and to take care of the interests of as many Singaporeans as possible. Members will remember the 2009 Budget when the Government introduced generous schemes such as Jobs Credit and SPUR. The purpose was definitely not to please voters and prepare for a General Election but to preserve the jobs of Singaporeans! If the objective of this year's Budget is to reward or please voters, the Government would not return $4 billion to our reserves but simply use this money to dish out more goodies to buy votes. Our Government is a prudent and frugal government. It concerns itself with the long-term viability of the country. Just now, Hougang MP Low Thia Khiang said that his responsibility is to criticise the Government because he is the Secretary General of the Workers' Party. If he praises the PAP Government, he does not deserve to be the Leader of the Opposition.”
“I would like to ask the Minister if MOM could adopt a flexible system which could mitigate the companies' rising levy cost so as to prevent them from passing the cost on to the consumers. I am not saying this out of the blue. In my constituency, there are coffeshops which are charging different prices for the coffee, some are selling 80 cents, some selling 85 cents and they say that the cost of sugar has gone up, but some retain the original price of 70 cents. So, now with this increase of foreign worker levy, I think they will pass the cost to the consumers. *Cols. 4179-4180. Foreign worker policy”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Madam, I agree with the Ministry of Manpower's measures to increase foreign worker levy and to help raise companies productivity by employing less foreign workers. However, I would like to raise a matter of great concern to us. The Minister of Finance has cited an example of a local company during his Budget speech to demonstrate how this company, which employs 10 locals, can be affected by the levy increase. According to my own calculations, if the company employs the same people who are all skilled workers, it will end up paying 10% more in terms of levies from 1st July 2010. By the end of 2010, when it comes to the final round of tax adjustment, the company's tax will be increased by 33% or about $10,000 a year. I think to this company this is definitely not a small amount. Many companies provide basic services to Singaporeans, particularly the HDB dwellers, including running coffeeshops, cleaning foodcourts, ferrying workers and students to work or to school and cleaning the estates. Many such companies have difficulty attracting Singaporeans who are reluctant to do such a job even if the companies are willing to for as much as $1,000 a month. I worry that these companies will have no choice but to pass the increased levy cost to consumers who use these basic services. So who are the end-users? That is our middle- and lower-income Singaporeans. The purpose of increasing the levy is not to increase Singaporeans' living expenses, especially the low-wage Singaporeans. We want to reduce dependency on the foreign workers but we are adding the burden to our low-income Singaporeans.”
“This can help people who need the service to gain access. *Cols. 4171-4172. Pawnbroking industry”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A* ] As Singapore develops into a legal service hub, we should not forget the lower-income group who cannot afford the legal expenses. They should have access to legal services, too, if they need them. They may need legal advice on disputes with family members, neighbours or over business matters. Mediation at the Community Mediation Clinics (CMCs) has helped solve many social problems associated with legal disputes. CMC's work is very commendable. What else can we do to help the lower-income people facing legal problems? I am pleased to note that residents now can seek legal help from Legal Aid Bureau and Community Legal Clinics at North West and South East CDC. According to my knowledge, many of these people also face a host of complex personal and family problems. After addressing their legal needs, we should go the extra mile to help them solve other issues so they can move on with their lives. It is heartening to see lawyers volunteer their time and expertise to help the community. This should be encouraged. The pro bono service will help strengthen our social fabric and create a better society. I wish to ask: (1) Does the Ministry have any plans to encourage pro bono service from lawyers? It is said "Yangtze’s waves keep pushing forward", how will the Ministry ensure we have a continuous supply of pro bono lawyers? (2) How do we help the pro bono lawyers who are busy professionals to use their time more efficiently and provide better services? (3) How do we help the residents who do not know about the availability of such legal volunteer services? We should increase the publicity of such services by putting up notices at CCs, offices of unions, NGOs and grassroots organisations.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Sir, the medical and dental needs of children with disabilities are onerous and deserve our attention. It is difficult to carry out medical procedures on these children. As a result, it places a lot of stress on the child, their parents and medical staff. For example, how do you prevent an autistic child from acting violently when an x-ray examination is being conducted or an injection is being administered? Until recently, parents of children with special needs are at a loss when it comes to dealing with their children's many requirements. The situation is made worse when parents have to cope with heavy medical expenses on their own. It is the right move for our Government to step in to help the parents by allowing them to use MediShield. I would like to ask the Health Minister two questions. Firstly, what is the current status of MediShield insurance for children with special needs? Secondly, what else can be done to ensure that basic healthcare is available to these children, for instance, are they provided with basic dental care? *Cols. 3689-3690. Traditional Chinese Medicine”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Sir, the Health Promotion Board has correctly identified that the workplace is an ideal place to promote health issues. It is estimated that about 65% of our population aged 15 and above are in the workforce. Many of us now spend more time at the workplace than at home. While basic healthcare coverage is being provided by the majority of companies, there is a disparity in medical benefits provided by large corporations and SMEs. Currently, there are 130,000 SMEs in Singapore. I was told that some small companies do not reimburse their staff if they fall sick and their only entitlement is medical leave with no pay cut. First, I would like to ask the Health Minister how the Government can encourage SMEs to provide better medical benefits to their workers. Second, how can the Health Ministry collaborate with the Ministry of Manpower to ensure that more workers will get good healthcare coverage at their workplace? *Cols. 3687-3688. Banning trans fat”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Sir, Singapore is seeing a steady increase of people suffering from mental illnesses. In 2006 alone, the Institute of Mental Health treated close to 33,000 patients for mental illnesses. The Government passed the Mental Health Bill in 2008, which mandates the provision of proper care and treatment to the mentally ill. The law also provides for detention of mental patients, both for the sake of the patients and the public. In this regard, since the passing of the law, how many patients have been detained and for how long? Equally important is the Minister’s assurance to this House that no patient has been unnecessarily detained. A related issue is the projected rise of age-related degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and senile dementia. The number of senior citizens aged 65 and above is expected to reach 19% of our population by 2030 and Singapore is expected to have the world’s fourth oldest population by 2050. I would like to seek assurance from the Minister that we have adequate trained psychiatrists and nursing staff to care for senior citizens with mental illnesses. *Cols. 3685-3686.”
“I think we should encourage more of them to participate in our activities and know more friends. I urge the Government to provide more facilities to help these senior citizens so that they can live a very active lifestyle. Social isolation and support for elderly (In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Like Japan, Singapore is facing a serious fertility rate problem. At the moment, 8% of our population is 65 years old and above. This works out to be about 270,000. This is a big number. Many of them have problems walking or have health problems. According to MCYS' statistics, the number of people aged 65 and above will reach 19% of our total population by 2030. If our population remains at 340,000, 19% would mean close to 650,000 seniors. Our young people these days do not want to live with their parents. In the West, it is nothing unusual as they usually leave home and live on their own by the age of 21. In Singapore, however, we emphasise Confucian and family values and encourage our young to live with their parents and take care of them. I have the following suggestions: first, we must stress family values and encourage our young to look after the seniors; and second, we should provide more social support for the seniors who are abandoned by their children. *Cols. 3035-3036; 3037-3038. Social isolation”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Madam, sometimes we hear some of our wheelchair-bound senior citizens say that it is more painful living than dying. This is a complaint that I have heard not just from those who are wheelchair-bound but also many senior citizens who live alone and feel very lonely. Especially during festive seasons, these seniors do not have friends or relatives to celebrate with, making them more miserable. We know that when people are old and lonely, they become very pessimistic. With our ageing population, it is more urgent for us to resolve this issue. I agree with Minister Lim Boon Heng that senior citizens should not feel that they cannot participate in some activities when they have reached a certain age. On the contrary, if a person has started running the marathon before 65, he should have no mental barriers preventing him from continuing with the sports. So long as he is physically fit and fully prepared, he can still run the marathon at a comfortable pace. Similarly, if they like to play badminton, squash or tennis, they should continue to do it to lead an active lifestyle. I know a restaurant owner in Joo Chiat who is now past 70 years old, yet he has been taking part in marathon every year. He even ran at the Great Wall and went to Mongolia to take part in the cross-country marathon. His spirit is truly admirable. There are definitely encouraging signs of more senior citizens leading very active lifestyle. There is an increasing number of people taking part in brisk-walking and practising qigong in their colourful red and white outfits in the parks. However the percentage is still small. In our constituency, we have 11,500 people aged 50 years and above but only 800 have participated in our Wellness Programmme.”
“All of my colleagues agree with me that, in the HDB estates, foreign workers have made very good contribution by undertaking the cleaning jobs. I know of one family who complained to me the cleaning workers in his precinct were lazy and too old. They want young, fast workers, efficient workers. They do not want local workers who are old, they want young foreign workers to do the job. I changed the local workers to foreign workers. Foreign workers are not a burden to us. Their presence here is not entirely negative. Without foreign workers, things could be worse. However, for those Singaporeans who do not like to undertake manual work, I hope they will join the e2i training courses. If they do not want to do heavy work, manual work, then they should go for further training to do some high value-added work – work that carries higher wages. From this year's Budget, we can see that our Finance Minister is very concerned with our low-wage and the middle-income workers. We hope that such vision can be achieved within 10 years, that is, raising our productivity by one-third and raising our workers' income. *Cols. 2585-2588. 4.35 pm”
“If we do not allow foreign workers to drive our buses, then who is going to make our bus service work? Today, we need to wait for just five minutes to catch a bus and arrive at our destination on time. If there are not enough drivers to keep our buses running, then how would our public transportation system function? All right, you increase the salaries of the bus drivers to attract the locals. Then, who is going to pay for the increased cost? Are Singaporeans willing to pay higher bus fares? The same problem applies to the crane operators, the construction workers and the other manual workers. Most of them are not Singaporeans, simply because Singaporeans are not willing to take on this kind of job. I know of one cleaning contractor who asked me to help him secure some local people to work for them in their company. The industry pays about $800-$1,000 per month to each worker. Foreign workers are paid only $600. However, MOM lists down the dependency ratio as 7:1. You must have seven local workers before you can employ one foreign worker. Even with the salary of more than $1,000, it does not attract local workers. Some older workers came to see me at the Meet-the-People session. They were over 60 years old, and they told me that they did not have money even for breakfast the next morning. I introduced them to the contractor who offered them the jobs. They worked for three days and quit. Singaporeans just do not want to do this kind of work. So, how can you blame the employers for employing foreign workers? Every Singaporean knows that if they do not want to do this kind of work, someone else would have to do it. If you stop the foreign workers from coming here to work, then the whole system will come to a stop.”
“With the savings account assistance to those who are old and sickly, the wives of these people will also benefit. Such packages will help to balance the needs of the various classes in society and to pay for their family expenditures. With these packages, they will have extra money to pay for their children's tuition fees. Another issue is the raising of productivity. Some people think that productivity means having eight workers to complete the job done by 10 workers. This is not quite so. With 10 workers, a bigger cake could be made so that more workers will enjoy. It does not mean that two workers will be redundant and be retrenched. We should ensure that with the raising of productivity, workers' wages will also rise. With the raising productivity, the benefits should go to the workers too. Now, let me talk on an issue which concerns everybody – the foreign workers. Many people think that we should welcome foreign talents because they make greater contributions to our economy. However, we must not forget that low-skilled foreign workers are still needed by us because in certain sectors local workers are not willing to take on such jobs. In my constituency, many lower-wage workers are hostile to the foreign workers because they think that foreign workers is a cause that depresses their wages. I know of two bus companies where 30%-40% of their bus drivers come from Malaysia and China. These bus captains are part of the group of bus captains in our bus fleets. The two bus companies advertised in the papers to recruit bus drivers. Very few local workers were interested in the job. A bus worker's salary is about $1,800, which is not small. However, local people are not willing to undertake such jobs.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to congratulate the Government for presenting this Budget aimed at enhancing productivity to improve the quality of work, to earn better income for the workers thereby improving the standard of living of the people. The main focus of my speech today is the impact of these measures to the middle- and lower-income people, and the understanding and concern of these people in this Budget. Most of the ordinary folks feel that this Budget does not benefit them. I want to explain that this is not the case. The assistance plans introduced last year are still in place, including the rebates on utilities bill, and the WIS scheme to encourage them to upgrade themselves by raising their skills. These schemes involve big sums of money on the part of Government, and they are just like money in the pockets of the people. This is like the parents investing in their children's education. The parents pay heavily on these expenses, but the children do not seem to realise it or appreciate it. It is the same logic. The increases in assistance this year are quite substantial, these assistance schemes will help the lower-wages worker to upgrade themselves, without which they will not have the opportunity to go for skills training. They would have to pay for their transport, their expenses and their tuition fees. As for the WIS and WTS, they help the workers in paying for their training costs so that they can earn higher wages when they complete such training. Because of the higher productivity and competitiveness, the nation will benefit too. As for the middle class, they would like to know whether the Government has anything for them.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Sir, according to a local newspaper report, out of 10 companies in Singapore, one of them would adopt flexible work arrangement, such as allowing the employees to work from home, on a part-time basis or by shifts. Last year, 7.4% of the companies adopted various types of flexible work arrangement, an improvement over the 5.1% two years ago. The Government's support of women retaining in the workforce has made significant progress. The Government is allocating $20 million to promote work-life balance, among which $3 million is set aside to provide for flexible work arrangement for the women. We should learn from the developed countries where women are encouraged to return to the workforce. The employers should endeavour to arrange for more flexible jobs. Compared to Japan, USA and Korea, our older workers' participation in the workforce is also inferior. In Japan and Korea, 80% of male workers aged 55 to 64 remain in the workforce; in Singapore it is only 65%. If the economic downturn gets worse, I fear that more companies will be reluctant to promote work-life balance, and reduce the employment of older workers. I hope I am wrong, but I would urge MOM to look into this matter. *Cols. 3305-3306.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Sir, in Singapore, workplace safety and health is very important. The passage of "Workplace Safety and Health Act" aims to ensure our workers are equipped with safety gears to prevent workplace accidents. Those employers who run afoul of the law will be severely dealt with. For instance, there were some industrial mishaps at the worksite of company called Da Di Engineering. Though there was no fatality, the company was fined $132,000. I was told by some construction workers that one safety officer usually looks after two to three construction sites. The smaller company could only hire part-time safety officers. If such is the case, the worksite safety will be compromised and workplace accidents are bound to happen. In July last year, in the maritime industrial sector, there were seven fatal accidents within two weeks. In August last year, one worker was electrocuted in a shipyard in Tuas. Other accidents involved workers who lost their limbs when the parts of the crane they were on fell apart. Though the rate of industrial accident is 2.9% among 10,000 workers, it is an improvement over the past. I agree with Prime Minister that it is not good enough. We should improve it to 2.5% among 10,000 workers by 2015. Can MOM tell us how they are going to achieve this so as to make Singapore a country with the safest work environment? *Cols. 3303-3304.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Foreign workers have contributed much to our economic growth. Sometime ago, our Acting Minister also mentioned that these foreign workers contributed to our economy, whether in constructing HDB flats, apartments, MRT rail tracks or in white collar jobs, or being domestic help and workers who clean our housing estates. We have benefited much from their presence. Our employers have, on the whole, treated foreign workers well, but there are some foreign workers who are exploited by their employers and are occasionally seeking assistance from MOM. I am concerned that during this economic downturn, the number of irresponsible employers will increase. We are a nation noted for its rule of law and hence we have laws to protect foreign workers form being ill-treated by their employers. Since foreign workers’ work permits are approved by MOM. The Ministry should see to it that they are reasonably well looked after. I would like to know if MOM would take more stringent measures to deal with irresponsible employers or their agents. Could MOM consider giving cash awards to whistle-blowers who report irresponsible employers? I hope more Singaporeans will report to MOM of such unscrupulous companies. With the cooperation of all, such employers will be punished by law and prosecuted in courts. *Cols. 3301-3302. Foreign Workers”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mr Chairman, the introduction of CPF LIFE is an enhancement of our CPF. It is a good change. The scheme is in line with the demographic change in our population as a result of long life-span, and to have enough savings for our twilight life is a challenge for us. CPF LIFE provides a stream of stable income for those above 65 years of age. All Singaporeans would like to be entitled to be under this scheme. But some, for various reasons, are not able to benefit under this scheme, particularly those self-employed. In fact, they are quite indifferent to this scheme. What worries us is that there are one million women who do not have Medisave savings and they are not included under this scheme. This is quite worrying because women live longer than men. If they do not have anyone to depend on, it will be quite sad. How will MOM help them and those who do not come under CPF LIFE automatically to come under this scheme too? *Cols. 3299-3300.”
“As we can see, it is quite acceptable for them to work in coffeeshops near their homes as they save on transport and time. Therefore, I would like to ask MOM how it can help those who cannot work for 12 hours a day to get jobs in coffeeshops? MOM should also explain why the authority adopts the "open-one-eye and shut-one-eye" policy towards these coffeeshops. *Cols. 3297-3298.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] A lot has been mentioned in the media about foreign workers and foreign talents. Today, I want to talk about workers who are employed in the HDB restaurants, eating shops and coffeeshops. Sir, according to my knowledge, these shopkeepers employ foreign workers in the ratio of six-to-one. In other words, they have to employ six local workers before they can employ one foreign worker. One shopkeeper told me that coffeeshops do not need six workers; they need only two to four workers. All these are only in name, and the authority adopts an "open-one-eye and shut-one-eye" policy. Many foreign women are working in our coffeeshops and many shopkeepers are willing to employ them because they are very hardworking. They are prepared to work for 12 hours a day and local workers are prepared to work only eight hours a day. It is said that those who work for 12 hours can get $1,000 to $1,200 a month. Those who work for eight hours get $800 to $900 a month. Although there are differences in wages, the difference in the total wage bill is not great, because to employ foreign workers, coffeeshop owners have to pay $150 foreign levy and $200 to $250 house rent. They only pay contribution for those local workers earning $800 to $900 a month. The difference is between 12 hours and working eight hours a day. Most of the people who work in coffeeshops are older men and middle-aged women. The women have to look after their families, besides working in the coffeeshop; therefore they are not able to work for 12 hours. Similarly, it is also quite difficult for the older men to work for 12 hours because of their lack of physical strength.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Sir, I would like to speak on the topic related to divorce rates in Singapore. The number of marriages in Singapore in the past few years has stabilised at around 23,000 annually. However, the divorce rate is increasing rapidly. In 2007, the number has risen to 7,226 cases as compared to 2002 which were about 5,800 cases. The high divorce rate among younger couples is worrying. Among male divorcees, those aged 35 to 44 years formed the largest proportion. For female, the largest group was aged 25 to 34 years. Overall, there were large increases in the proportion of divorcees aged 45 years and above. 2.00 pm Divorce causes a mental strain, as the couple fight over their matrimonial assets, custody of children, alimony, and so on. In some cases, which involve legal assistance, the fees may reach as high as $5,000. With our emphasis on procreation, divorce which causes the breaking up of families has certainly affected the fertility rate in Singapore. I urge MCYS to take a serious view of this problem and implement measures to stop this worrying trend. In this case, divorce should always be the last resort. We should keep pushing for such measures to stop people from breaking up. If we are able to do so, we may be able to stop this trend from increasing. Strong and Stable Families”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Madam, I was told that there was a man who is paralysed from his waist down. He had to go regularly to the polyclinic for treatment and it was very inconvenient for him. Most of the time, he went there just to change the dressings on his leg. Whenever he had to go to the polyclinic, he would have to wake up at 4 am so as to arrive at the polyclinic before 6 am to be ahead of the queue just to go in and have his dressing changed. If he was unable to beat the crowd, he would have to wait for three hours in the queue to get his dressing changed. Since there are many patients like this old man who go to the polyclinic just to change their dressings and not to see the doctors, why can we not have a different queue for them so that they do not have to wait so long? It would also shorten the queue for those who are going to consult the doctors. On way of alleviating the long queues at outpatient polyclinics is to make primary health care at local GPs more attractive. Local GPs are close to the residents who are also their patients. It makes sense to provide the support and encourage the residents to visit the GP near to his home, under the Primary Health Care scheme. I would like to know what is the progress of this scheme. How ready are our local GPs to respond to this scheme? *Cols. 2501-2502. Affordable Dental Care for Low-income Families”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Madam, young people nowadays do not seem to care about their health. Because they are young, they think they can jump, they can eat, and they will not fall sick. However, according to statistics, one out of 10 school children is overweight. In other words, among our 500,000 students in Singapore, some 50,000 of them are obese. I am talking about this, because obesity is very closely linked to heart diseases. People who are obese tend to have heart problems much more than people who are not overweight. According to a recent survey on the health of young people in Singapore, about 9% of our youths are smokers, compared to 11% in 2005. Smoking is now the fourth leading cause of death in Singapore. What is of concern to us is that some of our young people who are actively involved in sports are still smoking. I do not know what we can do about that. I think it is important that we encourage our young people to be careful with what they eat, control their diet so that they do not become obese. *Cols. 2497-2498. State of Health of the Different Communities”
“We should not sit there and complain about this, complain about that, and air all sorts of grievances. I think we should encourage ourselves. We must tell ourselves that we are still much better than the poor people in the other countries. Mr Speaker, Sir, so long as the middle and lower-income people, the unemployed people, have this sort of attitude, I am sure we would be happier and much better than many of the people in the other countries. Be assured that there are always people, the community organisations and the grassroots leaders who will be supporting you. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support this Budget. *Cols. 1595-1598. 3.57 pm”
“Opposition Member, like Mr Low Thia Khiang, has his own stand because he is in the Opposition. If his stand is the same as that of PAP, there is no need for him to be an Opposition MP. So we have different views. The poor people would have the poor people's perspectives. The rich people, the managers, would have their own views too. But, as the Prime Minister has said, we should give more assistance to the people in the middle and lower strata. PM has told us that when the economic prospect is not so clear, the Government may also introduce some off-Budget packages to help the people. As reported in the newspapers today, many ordinary citizens are saying that it is not enough. But the Prime Minister has given this undertaking. If the economy is really getting worse, then there will be off-Budget packages to help our people. As Nitipoom Nawarat has said, what the Prime Minister of Singapore has said, he will put it into action. Mr Speaker, Sir, the Prime Minister worries for the people of Singapore. But he is not a medicine that can cure everything. We must work. Take the job, even it is just a simple job, one that is not so glamorous. Even then, we have to work hard. The Government, the grassroots organisations and the charitable organisations can only help you, if you help yourselves. We cannot serve you the three meals everyday. So long as you work hard, although you may earn only $800 or maybe just $1,000 a month, you will feel that it is very meaningful. You should be proud of yourself. The support from the Government and the community plus your own effort, I am sure, will be able to tide you over this problem, particularly the people from the middle and lower-income group.”
“It was something taken from a Thai newspaper – an article written by Nitipoom Nawarat, entitled "A Comparison between the Prime Ministers of Singapore and Thailand" . He says that politicians in Singapore, on their first day in office, are able to show their strength by the words they say. The political views expressed by the Prime Minister and his Ministers are like a compass that leads all Singaporeans to move in one direction. In his concluding remarks, he says that the purpose of his article is to let the people in Thailand make a comparison between the Prime Minister of Thailand and that of Singapore. What the Singapore Prime Minister has said, he puts it into action. But in Thailand, too much time is spent on politicking. I think Mr Low Thia Khiang should read this. He said that the Thai government has spent too much time talking about politics, but we have not seen any actual action. This is what a senior journalist in Thailand wrote about Singapore. A friend of mine, a businessman who has just come back from Indonesia, told me that the Indonesian government is spending about 71.3 billion rupees, that is, about S$9.4 billion to stimulate its economy so as to deal with this global crisis. He remarked that Indonesia was learning from Singapore. But he said that many people in Indonesia were not happy. Why? Because Singapore, as they said, is just a little red dot with only 4 million people, yet the Government is introducing a S$20.5 billion package to help its people. The population of Indonesia is many, many times that of Singapore. How could a S$9.4 billion worth of package be enough? Mr Speaker, Sir, when we look at the Budget, we look at it from different angles and perspectives.”
“6 billion package, for example, with a double GST supplement and more rebates for service and conservancy charges, rebates on rentals as well as property tax. In my constituency, most of the people are from the middle and lower income group. They are not well-educated and have no big economic theories. When I meet the people, they would tell me, "Oh, it is very good!" But, they would go on to say, "Tell the Prime Minister, we want more. The more the merrier." Mr Speaker, Sir, what I want to say today is that we should not only look at what Singaporeans perceive of this Budget. What are the views of the people outside Singapore on this $20.5 billion Resilience Package? On 30th January, the Lianhe Zaobao carried an article originally published in Malaysia’s Nanyang Siang Pau as the editorial on 27th January. It says that this Budget in Singapore, apart from setting many new records, is also a policy which is far-sighted and beneficial to the people. It remarked that, most importantly, the Singapore Government does not resort to floating foreign loans, but makes use of the surpluses accumulated by the Government all these years to pay for this expenditure. The Government's approach of not leaving behind debts for the future generations and its very prudent financial policy enable them to make this sort of provision during a crisis like this. It says that during this sea of darkness, it is like a beacon that shows the way for the people of Singapore to move forward in the right direction. This is what a Malaysian newspaper has written about us. I would like to quote another article which was published in Lianhe Zaobao on 14th January 2009.”
“(In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, Sir, the $20.5 billion Resilience Package in this year's Budget introduced by the Government will help our Singaporeans save their jobs and also help the businesses to survive in this economic recession. This Budget can be said to have looked after all the industries and people from all stations of life, particularly the ordinary folks in the middle and lower strata of societies. Many of our Members who spoke before me had mentioned about the features of this Budget. This Budget seeks to encourage the banks to extend their facilities to the businesses, particularly the SMEs so as to increase the company's cash flow and to enhance their competitiveness. It will help the individuals and families, and also to increase expenditure in education and healthcare. The response from the business community on this Budget is very positive. As the President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Chia Tian Phua, said, "This is the biggest ang pow given by the Government to the business community." He hopes that the employers will make full use of this handsome present to retain their present workforce, raise the morale of the staff so as to overcome this crisis. For the workers, the Government has also introduced a $5.1 billion package in the form of Jobs Credit. It also seeks to help the professionals, managers, executives and technical staff (PMETs) to participate in skills upgrading programmes. To the workers, they feel that this is something that the unions have been fighting very hard for them all these years, to make sure that they have the opportunities to be trained and upgraded. For Singaporeans, every family and every individual would benefit from the $2.”
“(In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *. ] Sir, it is very common for those Singaporeans who have stopped working actively to find retirement boring and they struggle to occupy their time. They can only go to the neighbourhood coffeeshop to sit for a while and they are very afraid to stay at home because they are worried that they might become a burden to their family members. So it is important that we occupy our senior citizens with interesting recreational activities. We can consider setting up more Senior Citizens’ Centres and engaging volunteers to organise activities for them, enabling them to lead a more enriching and meaningful life. Many senior citizens have retired with no specific plans to spend their twilight days. To them, retirement means coming close to sufferings of illness and gradually death. Therefore, I urge MCYS to organise more programmes to engage these senior citizens so that we can help them overcome their anxiety and fear towards death. *Cols. 2295-2296.”
“Both the praises or the complaints made by parents can be anonymous on the website and updated maybe every three months. Just as the public is keen to have transparency in the healthcare sector, and the MOH has done something about this, MCYS could practise a similar gesture to meet the needs of educated parents. Needless to say, the final decision as to where the child is placed is always the parents' decision. I would like to ask the Minister for MCYS whether he has plans to improve the current system of monitoring by a distance. I am told that there are only two times that the childcare centre is visited, one if a parent makes a complaint; and two, when the childcare centre's licence needs renewal. Currently, the CCCs vary widely. And from my conversation with childcare teachers, the quality depends largely on the childcare manager. My suggestion is an effective and economical way to keep CCCs motivated and to provide child-centric and professional service.”
“There are regulations relating to staff such as the Centre Director must be having a Diploma in Pre-school Education, 70% of the staff have to be trained, and about half must have certificates in pre-school teaching. From the customer's or parent's perspective, what would he or she like to know? By visiting the CCC once or talking to the staff or even knowing about the CCC by word of mouth is not sufficient for the young parents of today. What they would like to know is reviews from past parents. In the USA, a potential parent can go to a State subsidised website maintained by a not-for-profit agency and find out all about the childcare centres in the constituency. For example, the Community Child Care Coordinating Council, Alameda has been in existence since 1972. It has been providing services to potential parents seeking family care or childcare as well as existing childcare providers with technical assistance and low cost training. The complaints of parents lodged within the last two to three years are available by phoning in the CCC and, in this way, the parent has additional information. When we have such a large expatriate population in Singapore, this source of information would be very valuable to them, apart from the local clientele. An additional significant benefit from such a source of information is that the quality of the CCC will be publicly available. It will incentivise CCCs to provide better service and centre supervisors to be on their toes for any parent's queries. On the other hand, good quality childcare can be recognised and this provides a role model for the rest. I would urge MCYS to consider providing such a channel of information to the public.”
“However, the expense of incurring the entrance fee of $32 per ticket and transport fee is not affordable to them. Therefore, I would like to urge MCYS to explore more of such activities and provide more of such programmes. *Cols. 2279-2280. Childcare Assoc. Prof. Kalyani K Mehta (Nominated Member): Sir, in recent years, there has been a mushrooming of childcare centres in Singapore. According to the MCYS' website, there are currently 743 childcare centres or CCCs that are licensed. The Child Care Centres Act makes it compulsory for childcare centres to obtain licensing from MCYS. This is indeed a lucrative and important industry in Singapore. The MCYS is responsible for licensing, monitoring and lending support to CCCs in Singapore. The MCYS' website assists a potential client, for example, a parent seeking a childcare centre by prompting for the geographical location desired, price range, menu and services required. MCYS does not get involved in guiding a parent but advises that the parent visit the childcare centre and evaluate first hand the quality and suitability of the CCC for the child concerned. An individual who wants to establish a childcare centre is assisted online with information such as the CCC must observe the childcare regulations and provide information to MCYS through the childcare link. In this way, MCYS receives regular update of the services and other important factors, such as hygiene, staff-child ratio, etc. A licence is provided for a period of minimum 12 months and maximum 24 months. A licence must be renewed before the tenure of the licence expires.”
“(In Mandarin ):[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Sir, I grew up in a family with many members and extended families living together under one roof. Living in the kampung, we foster family relationship and cohesion through having meals and working together, and the children play games and catch longkang fishes along the drains and canals. Through such activities, we foster family relationship. But such big family structure is very rare today. The scenario now is very different due to socio-economic changes. Let me share with you a teenager's experience at the “Father and son bonding programme”. The aim of this exercise was to help the child appreciate the hard work and effort of the father. However, the son, when asked and approached by the organiser, said that he did not feel anything for his father because he was never at home. The father was taken aback after listening to what the child said. Because all this while, he thought that he has struggled and do all that he can for the family. But the truth is not so. Therefore, this example illustrates the importance of family bonding. Just as it takes two hands to clap, it involves the effort of all family members to stay united. Given the changing social family structure, we thus need innovation, more efforts as well as resources to bond our families. This year, I support the move that was initiated earlier in encouraging fathers to send their children to school on their first day. More such programmes should be organised, for instance, family packages for visits to local places of interest, especially for those that are from the lower income. These activities include visits to the Night Safari.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] In the 1950s, when Singapore was still a colony, we had a lot of women who were employed as domestic maids for the British and civil servants working here. But after 40 years, we have been transformed into the biggest employer for foreign maids. Now, we have a lot of foreign maids and, according to press reports, it would appear that they are always being mistreated by their employers, and they risk their lives while doing their domestic work and some of them even have to work in the shop or in their relatives' household. Singapore is still far away from becoming a gracious society. For example, on 27th February, the newspaper reported that, after working here for six months, a local maid could not get her pay. Not only is it unfair, it also tarnishes the good image of Singapore. The employer should know from the beginning whether he can afford to have a domestic maid. How could the employer owe her salary for so long? Singapore is not the only country that employs foreign domestic maids and maid abuse cases are not uncommon to Singapore. However, we must also ensure that our foreign maids are fairly treated, and since there are a large number of domestic maids, and this number is likely to grow further, I would like to ask whether MOM is monitoring the situation of maid abuse. *Cols. 2055-2056. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY REPORTING PROGRESS”