Othman Haron Eusofe
Singapore
“Members may have read that some of our environmental companies are bidding for projects overseas, including the Middle East and China. To further develop the water industry, my Ministry will explore the possibility of giving the private sector a larger role in the supply of NEWater to the Kranji cluster.”
“Sir, like Mdm Cynthia Phua, I would like to ask the Minister to provide details of the 2-room HDB flat development programme. What are the eligibility criteria and the pricing of these flats? To make these purchases more affordable, would the HDB consider shorter term leases, say, 60 years, and longer repayment periods?”
“Sir, I note that the MND's FY2006 estimated operating expenditure shows a large increase of $334.7 million or 99% over the revised FY2005 expenditure.”
“Sir, the strength of the FY 2006 budget is the strong determination and courage of leadership, having the trust and confidence that most Singaporeans would be ready to endure the pain and be ready to work hard together, to do what it takes to quickly reform, restructure and upgrade our economy and to build a strong, united and inclusive s…”
“I think MUIS must now move fast forward to enable more people, both Muslims and non-Muslims, to understand and appreciate these attributes and especially for Muslims to practise them in their daily lives.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am happy to note that the LTA and the Ministry have worked to help the residents. Many of them have seen me. Some of them are not happy with the compensation.”
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“It is important that the younger members of the community are provided with opportunities to receive good religious education. In this way, we can from young inculcate in them positive values, such as self-discipline, self-reliance, a sense of responsibility, as well as a strong desire to learn and seek knowledge on a continuous basis, just to mention a few. We want to see that they are provided with assistance and proper guidance and also timely counselling when they face problems. We must assist them to be able to raise happy, cohesive and stable families, providing opportunities for their children s talent and ability to be developed to the maximum potential. Sir, I understand also that MUIS has plans to engage the wider community to strengthen religious education and discourse. Could the Minister elaborate on what MUIS proposes to do, for example, in promoting inter-faith programmes and many others? In conclusion, we want to see the members of the Muslim community to be not only good and pious Muslims but also exemplary and forward-looking Singaporeans, making strong contributions, and adding value to many efforts, to make Singapore more successful and to be the best home for all of us, regardless of race, culture or religion.”
“Sir, my topic is religious education in the Muslim community. I would like to ask the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs to outline the programmes and initiatives that the Muslim Religious Council or Majlis Ugama Islam (MUIS) has or will introduce to guide the religious development of the members of the Muslim community in the context of a multi-religious, multi-cultural and inclusive Singapore. What steps have been taken by MUIS to see that religious education given to Muslims, particularly the younger generation, will be given with correct Islamic teachings, and not distorted or deviant teachings? Also, how would they be taught to be able, ready and confident to adapt to rapid changes in this complex and globalised world? Sir, I am happy to note that MUIS has introduced the asatizah or religious teachers recognition scheme, which I understand has received strong support from religious teachers. What are the key features of the scheme? They should continue to provide opportunities for the asatizah to go for regular training programmes to upgrade their teaching ability as well as to provide them with knowledge which ensures that religious instructions remain current and relevant. MUIS must also find new ways to motivate the asatizah to do their best to develop the ability and talents of their students, not only in their religious studies but also in their other academic studies. Sir, we have members in the community who continue to face various social problems, for example, broken marriages, divorces involving young couples, out-of-school youths, and many others. There are various causes of these problems, for example, financial, unemployment, young marriages, incomplete education, and so on. It could also stem from the lack of proper religious guidance or education.”
“Members may have read that some of our environmental companies are bidding for projects overseas, including the Middle East and China. To further develop the water industry, my Ministry will explore the possibility of giving the private sector a larger role in the supply of NEWater to the Kranji cluster. This will be studied in greater detail in the coming months before finalising the plan. In addition, we leverage on Singapore's strong networks and ties with other countries to facilitate the companies' expansion abroad. We have strong government-to-government links, for example, with ASEAN, China, the Middle Eastern countries and India. IE Singapore also has strong networks and links with potential overseas partners. We have also been organising business missions for environmental and water companies. My Ministry will continue to support and encourage our water and environment companies venturing overseas. Green Procurement”
“PUB won the award against competition from reputable water agencies from the UK, US and Saudi Arabia. Our homegrown company Hyflux was also named the Water Company of the Year. These awards reaffirm the good work put in by PUB and our industry partners in ensuring a sustainable water supply for Singapore. In the area of water technologies, PUB is working with companies and research institutes to test the use of new membrane systems to treat used water to further enhance our water sources. The Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR), the Membrane Distillation (Memstill) and the Variable Salinity Plant (VSP) are just three examples of recent technological advances which have the potential to drive down the cost of water production, enhance our water sources, and provide Singapore with a leading edge in the global water industry. Sir, we have also been promoting applied research and test-bedding of emerging environmental technologies in Singapore through the Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (IES) Fund. One project supported by the IES Fund is the development of a process by GPac Technology (S) Pte Ltd to produce pallets from recycled horticultural and wood waste instead of timber. We hope that more companies will come forward and tap on the IES Fund to test new and innovative technologies in Singapore. Sir, both Dr Amy Khor and Mr Othman asked about the private sector participation in the environmental and water sectors. My Ministry has been helping to build up the companies' experience and track record to expand overseas. Through the Public-Private Partnerships projects that I mentioned earlier, companies have built up plant operation and maintenance experience, and can now offer their services as a more complete package to potential clients.”
“Sir, the National Research Foundation (NRF) has identified Environmental and Water Technologies (EWT) as one of the two new areas for strategic research and development initiatives that would generate economic benefits for Singapore. My Ministry is working closely with the NRF to further develop plans to grow the environmental and water technologies sector. We will intensify our efforts to attract global research laboratories and companies to set up their operations in Singapore. We will offer more Government facilities for companies to test and try out their new technologies. Through the NRF, we intend to create a pool of specialist manpower, such as engineers, researchers and technicians, to support the increased R&D work. By doing these, we will strengthen Singapore's position in applied water and environmental research, as well as Singapore's ability to commercialise and use the new technologies. We will also build up our capabilities in the area of basic research so that Singapore will be better placed to develop the next generation of cutting-edge technologies. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has ensured that Singapore has enough water to sustain its growth and development through our Four National Taps strategy. In doing so, Singapore turned weakness into strength, and is now a growing water hub, a recognised leader in adopting new water technologies and in integrated management of water resources. Sir, our efforts have not gone unnoticed by the international community. I am pleased to announce that at the 2006 Global Water Awards held in Dubai last evening, PUB won the prestigious Water Agency of the Year award. This award by the Global Water Intelligence Magazine is a prestigious symbol of achievement in the global water industry.”
“Sir, I would also like to raise some questions on the environmental and water technology sector. I think this is one sector which the Prime Minister has identified in his Budget Statement. This is a sector which will bring about good growth prospects and also perhaps good employment opportunities for our people. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister what are the Ministry's plans to facilitate the development of environmental and water technologies and expertise. I think there is also scope to tap on opportunities to export Singapore's water and environmental technologies and expertise. 1.00 pm Sir, on the development of the water industry, following the successful involvement of Hyflux in the supply of desalinated water, do the Ministry and the PUB have plans to involve more companies in the private sector in water projects and initiatives? Sir, I had also wanted to ask some questions on sustainable water management and conservation, but the Minister has already replied most comprehensively. But let me add that the public has also an important part to play to be more disciplined and to have good water consumption habits. They will benefit, because they will receive smaller water billings. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I would like to thank Dr Amy Khor and Mr Othman Haron Eusofe for their questions on environmental and water technologies. Sir, both environmental and water technologies have played a significant part in our efforts to enhance our environmental and water resources, and to sustain the high environmental standards that Singapore enjoys today.”
“Sir, I note that the MND's FY2006 estimated operating expenditure shows a large increase of $334.7 million or 99% over the revised FY2005 expenditure. Sir, according to the Budget book, the main reason is the increase in MND's running cost, namely, due to capital grant to the Housing and Development Board now being reflected as operating expenditure from FY2006. There is also an operating grant of $323 million to HDB to finance its operating deficit due mainly to the provision of public housing subsidies. Sir, perhaps the Minister could provide more information to explain theses expenditure items and will similar allocations be required in future budgets? Community Improvement Projects Committee Funds”
“Sir, like Mdm Cynthia Phua, I would like to ask the Minister to provide details of the 2-room HDB flat development programme. What are the eligibility criteria and the pricing of these flats? To make these purchases more affordable, would the HDB consider shorter term leases, say, 60 years, and longer repayment periods? Will lower-income workers who currently own bigger flats and who are in financial difficulties be allowed to downgrade to purchase the 2-room flats without having to fulfill the debarment period and also to be given HDB concessionary loans? Sir, I have two other questions. Some owners who took bank loans had their flats repossessed by the bank. Can urgent assistance be rendered to them to rent HDB flats? Finally, what is the progress of the study to help flat owners in difficulties to monetise their flats, ie, the reverse mortgage scheme? Public Housing”
“Sir, the strength of the FY 2006 budget is the strong determination and courage of leadership, having the trust and confidence that most Singaporeans would be ready to endure the pain and be ready to work hard together, to do what it takes to quickly reform, restructure and upgrade our economy and to build a strong, united and inclusive society so that we can have a harmonious, more exciting and more rewarding future for all. Sir, on this note, I support the Budget. 5.40 pm”
“I would like to add my support to the calls made by several Members to re-examine the CPF and see how it can serve our elderly more effectively, and how it can pay better dividends for retirement savings. We should help allay the fears that the elderly have - that they would be helpless and without sufficient resources to meet their healthcare needs. Sir, this Budget has also allocated funds to enable our economy to be urgently restructured and upgraded to be more vibrant and competitive. The provision for investments in R&D, the development of entrepreneurial skills, helping promising local companies to become global companies, strengthening our global network and connectivity to be a knowledge hub, and so on, will no doubt create opportunities for us to operate successfully beyond Singapore. I support the initiatives to attract global talents who can contribute new skills and help create new value. They can help us grow our human capital so that we will have the experience, skills and a strong mindset to operate effectively in a knowledge-based innovation-driven economy. Sir, we live in a rapidly changing, intensely competitive, uncertain and, sometimes, unfair world. We must strive to not only master the latest technologies but to be able to spawn new technologies as well, to forge firmly ahead of our competitors. We must find the niche areas where our strengths cannot be easily challenged. Over the years, our leaders, with their sound economic and fiscal management, have built a strong foundation that enables us to afford this deficit of $2.86 billion in the FY 2006 budget estimates. There will be risks of unrealistic expectations or that we will breed an entitlement or a crutch mentality, as some Members have pointed out.”
“There will be flexibility for the schools to use the funds in the best way possible to give the extra push to needy students to do better in their studies as well as to achieve their potential. Self-help groups, like Mendaki, will also get the Opportunity Funds to help lower-income families. I hope that the schools and the self-help groups would be encouraged to use this Fund to find new and novel ways to bring out the best in the students from needy families. I am also glad that the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) scheme is expanded. It will help develop stronger families. I would like to see more young low-income families, and in particular the young low-income Malay families, to take the opportunity provided by the HOPE scheme. However, let me add that while giving them resources is helpful, we should also provide them with counsel and advice on how they can manage their families effectively so that they are stable and happy families who are able to bring out the best in their children. At the same time, we should continue to introduce more measures to improve the HOPE scheme. Sir, one area which needs urgent consideration is the provision of more assistance to the elderly, in particular, the needy elderly. We are an ageing society and the lifespan of our people is growing longer. I see many elderly persons at my meet-the-people sessions. Their children are not able to support them because they have families of their own. Some are pensioners but the amounts of pensions they are receiving now are grossly inadequate. Others have flats which they want to sell and to use the proceeds for their living and medical expenses. However, they cannot rent smaller HDB flats immediately. If they rent private flats, the savings that they have made would be fast depleted.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I think it is a long day and I will try to be as brief as possible. Sir, as many Members have said, this bold Budget has brought cheer to many Singaporeans, especially the elderly, and the low-wage and poorly skilled workers who have suffered poor employment terms because of globalisation and rapid change. Most of them have done their best in their jobs but their wages are depressed because in this globalised world they have to compete with workers in other countries who are paid low wages. While we work on programmes, like the Job Recreation Programme, to train and reskill them, to help them improve their performance and productivity and to enable them to earn better wages, the generous schemes provided in the Progress Package, which also provides opportunities for their children to get a sound education, will give them the hope and confidence that their concerns are being carefully addressed. Sir, I consider the $2.6 billion Progress Package as an investment in our people and in our community. The Workfare Bonus will motivate our low-income workers to put more efforts to remain in employment. It will encourage them to adopt a more positive mindset and to be ready to go for training and skills upgrading to enhance their performance and contribution. This will help them to safeguard their employability. Sir, it is important that we continue to encourage our workers to be self-reliant and to be better able to help themselves. The Progress Package will help us to be a strongly united people with the capacity to leap forward with greater confidence to more success. Sir, I am happy that we are providing more funds to our neighbourhood schools, ie, the Opportunity Fund, to provide more enrichment opportunities for needy students.”
“I think MUIS must now move fast forward to enable more people, both Muslims and non-Muslims, to understand and appreciate these attributes and especially for Muslims to practise them in their daily lives. Mr Speaker, Sir, with the improvements in MUIS' leadership and management and also as MUIS strives to continue strengthening its cooperation and consultation with other Muslim organisations and with Muslim scholars and leaders, I am confident that MUIS would achieve its vision of a "Community of Excellence", and that we can become a model and inspiration for others. Sir, on this note, I support the Bill. 3.25 pm”
“The main concern here is that such publicity can create misunderstanding and the loss of trust and confidence, especially among those who have poor knowledge of Islam. There is no valid justification to commit violence and seriously injuring or killing innocent people, whether they are non-Muslims or Muslims. Sir, Islam is a religion of peace and harmony, and Muslim scholars have stressed that Islam brings blessings for all mankind. MUIS must therefore continue to take decisive leadership to strongly counter those who preach extremist ideology. Such ideology of hatred and violence and against people of other faiths is certainly wrong and against the teachings of Islam. Sir, I am happy to note that MUIS has initiated the production of the Risalah MUIS which elucidates the 10 Desired Attributes which the Singaporean Muslim community aspires to be. Just let me mention two of them which I think are of general interest to Singaporeans. First, the Muslim community aspires to be one that is, and I quote, "well adjusted in living as full members of a secular state and multi-racial, multi-religious society and contributes to Singapore and global humanity, including in leadership roles". Next, again I quote, "to be enlightened and appreciates richness of other civilisations and is self-confident to interact with others and prepared to learn from them". Sir, these are the significant attributes of Singaporean Muslims who hold steadfast to Islamic principles and values and, at the same time, able to comfortably adapt to the inclusive, secular and multi-religious society in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, I rise to support the Bill. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister to clarify the roles and the responsibilities of the President and the Chief Executive. Sir, as the Minister stated, the Bill will provide for the appointment of the Chief Executive, who will be responsible for the proper administration and management of MUIS functions and affairs. Currently, MUIS has a President, appointed by the President of Singapore, who has, under section 19(1) of the Act, powers of "general control of all deliberations and proceedings of the Majlis". It is important that we have a clear understanding of the respective roles and responsibilities of MUIS President and the Chief Executive. What would be the expected working relationship between them? As the Minister mentioned, there must be a clear separation of roles between the President and the Chief Executive. Sir, this change in the MUIS leadership and management structure should help to greatly enhance the effectiveness of MUIS, especially to realise its vision of a Singaporean Muslim Community of Excellence. And in this way, it also helps to strengthen the community's confidence and capacity to increase its contributions to Singapore's progress, especially in this intensively competitive and globalised world. I would like to ask the Minister to outline MUIS' key priorities in the next two to three years to enable the community to face the many challenges ahead with greater confidence. MUIS must continue to focus on strengthening religious education. Sir, much of the media publicity today about Muslims tends to be negative. I think this is due to reports about the callous terrorism committed by misguided and evil people wrongly using Islam.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am happy to note that the LTA and the Ministry have worked to help the residents. Many of them have seen me. Some of them are not happy with the compensation. I hope that the Minister will ask the Ministry and the LTA to continue working with SLA and the other Government agencies to see that the owners can receive fair and adequate compensation, including ex-gratia payments, where necessary.”
“The way in which the Government took the decision to go ahead with the IRs showed that their views are valued. They counted in the decision making. Sir, like Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, I am confident that the Muslim community's resilience and inner strength will see us through this difficult challenge. At the same time, I would like to urge the Muslim community and religious leaders to come out with the same drive and passion to do more to tackle the other pressing social issues that we now face, such as teen marriages, high divorce rates and youth disengagement. I am sure that our community leaders are aware that these social problems pose a much more tangible and greater danger to our community. Sir, on this note, let us, therefore, move forward positively and make our contribution to enable Singapore to continue to thrive and be more successful.”
“The Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports will comprehensively address the social issues, while the Ministry of Home Affairs will come out with stringent enforcement to deal with potential criminal problems. There is some time yet before the casinos come on-stream. Sir, we can start to strengthen our social infrastructure, learn and develop best practices to tackle problems that can arise. Sir, we must work on the basis that prevention is better than cure, to encourage our people to be disciplined and not to be caught up by the gambling bug. We must develop a dedicated and able corps of social and medical counsellors to help those at risk and an effective support system to help their family members. Sir, I note in the MTI estimates that the two IRs can create some 35,000 jobs with potential spin-offs throughout the economy. They will complement the jobs that we are creating in other sectors, manufacturing, financial services, transportation and so on. Sir, Singapore cannot afford to be confined to the backwaters. We must move ahead to be a vibrant and exciting hub. Sir, the members of the Muslim community will no doubt be receiving advice to avoid employment or patronising the gaming area. I note that the Muslim Religious Council has come out with a statement to this effect. However, Muslims can consider working in the hotels, theme parks, convention and exhibition centres. And with the increase in tourist arrivals, especially high spending tourists, shops and restaurants outside the IRs can also benefit. In this way, there can be other employment and business opportunities. Mr Deputy Speaker, some members of the community will continue to have reservations and concerns on religious and other grounds. I understand and respect their concerns.”
“If we fail to do so quickly and decisively, we can impair our competitiveness, and this would also lead to serious social consequences. Sir, at stake are jobs for our people and also significant business opportunities. The Prime Minister has explained carefully and in great detail on how the Cabinet has decided on a collective basis, despite the reservations of some Ministers, on the need to go ahead with two integrated resorts with casino components. Sir, I had the opportunity to look at some of the high quality proposals submitted by world-class companies which responded to the request for concepts. Sir, I hope in time, other Singaporeans, particularly our community and religious leaders, will have the opportunity to see these proposals. Sir, this opportunity has helped me to get a clearer understanding of the IRs. Sir, the Bayfront proposal includes hotels, shopping malls, convention and exhibition space, museum and theatres and only about 3% for the gaming area. The Sentosa proposal has theme parks, resort hotels, restaurants and only 5% of the area for the gaming purposes. Sir, I am mindful that although the casino component takes a small part of the IRs, they are the engines that will drive the IRs. Nonetheless the integrated resorts present a real opportunity to tap the growing regional market. They can provide the spin-offs to support the rest of the economy. Sir, I can understand the need to urgently proceed with the integrated resort proposals in a way that can achieve the critical mass to succeed. Sir, I am happy to note that the Government has closely examined the downsides and is ready to provide the necessary resources to effectively tackle the potential social and criminal problems.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, at the outset, let me state categorically that I oppose gambling. Sir, the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, and several Malay MPs have spoken about the Muslim community's concerns on the idea of having casinos in Singapore. Sir, at the core, Islam prohibits gambling. Sir, I share the concerns and the fears of the many respected members of the community on the negative social impact that the casino proposal could potentially bring about. Sir, we do not want to see broken families or our sound values and work ethic eroded away, especially among the younger generation who may be more inclined to experiment, without quite realising or recognising the dangers of their action. Sir, my wish, therefore, is that we can do without a casino. However, now that the judgment is that there is no choice but to proceed with the integrated resorts with a casino element so that we can operate and compete effectively in this new age, especially to attract more tourists, let us move forward and work together to prevent or minimise the negative social impact. Sir, we live in a secular society and we have to be aware of the realities of the fast-changing social and economic landscape. There are many other points of view and other considerations which we must be prepared to examine and discuss in a frank and open way. Sir, in this fast-changing and intensely competitive and globalised world, how can we best ensure that we remain relevant and competitive now as well as in the years ahead? So we must be prepared to urgently remake our economy and rebrand or reinvent Singapore to be ready to meet new and difficult challenges.”
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge more successful Muslims to come forward to volunteer their services to help families at risk. With their contributions, especially new ideas and resources, we can formulate better strategies to tackle the social issues in the community. Sir, our religious and community leaders have always adopted a moderate approach and an inclusive way in our relations with our fellow Singaporeans. We have strongly rejected all forms of extremist behaviour or ideology. As we continue to strengthen our confidence and trust, we make a significant contribution to build the best home for all of us. Mr Chairman, Sir, we are embarking on various initiatives to strengthen our cooperation and relations with countries in the Middle East and especially to promote more trade and investments. Sir, I believe Muslim organisations, including MUIS, can make a valuable contribution here. There is a good opportunity for networking with Muslim scholars, business leaders and other leaders and in the process, get more ideas to realise MUIS' vision of a Community of Excellence. Sir, I would like to ask the Minister to urge MUIS, the members of the Muslim Community Leaders Forum and other Muslim organisations to quickly consider how they can seize the various opportunities that are available now.”
“Sir, I would like to touch on the Muslim Religious Council's (MUIS) vision of a Muslim Community of Excellence, that is, and I quote from one of its recent publications, "religiously profound and socially progressive, which thrives in a multi-religious society, secular state and globalised world.". Sir, I would like to ask the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs to provide an update of the programmes which MUIS has in place and also the outcome of its collaboration with Muslim organisations to realise this noble vision. It is crucial that the members of the Muslim community are given help to adapt confidently to rapid changes that are taking place in the globalised world. We must get them ready to face the challenges of the new knowledge-based economy. Education and lifelong learning are the key to our success. We must help our Muslim workers to be confidently involved in training and skills upgrading in their workplaces. Our children should be motivated to perform to the best of their ability in their education. They must be encouraged to attain their maximum potential. Working closely together, Muslim leaders, MUIS and other Muslim organisations can do more to help our children to do better and excel in their education. 2.00 pm Sir, we face various social issues in the community, eg, high divorce rates, single-parent families, teen marriages and so on. It is therefore important that we develop a more effective support network to help families at risk. In this connection, we must be careful not to inadvertently encourage a mentality of dependency. Rather we want to promote self-reliance and provide opportunities for families at risk to enhance their self-reliance.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would like to ask the Minister to provide the outcome of the Ministry's "1,000 for 1,000" initiative which was launched in September 2003. Sir, this is the Ministry's job re-creation programme to attract local workers to work in the various cleaning jobs in the environment sector. Sir, what are the key learning points which can be shared with the employers and employees involved in other job re-creation programmes? As we are all aware, the Prime Minister launched the NTUC's Job Re-creation Programme last Saturday. Sir, a mindset change is required both on the part of the employers and employees. For the employers, they must be ready to employ mature workers who have the skills for the jobs and are fit and ready to work while for employees, they must have the confidence to take the jobs and be ready to go for regular skills upgrading. Sir, has the Ministry other plans to go beyond the "1,000 for 1,000" job initiative, perhaps a "1,000 for 1,002" for other job re-creation programmes which are available in the environment sector? Water Resources”
“Tenth, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the implementation of this pro-family package is an all-win situation for everyone, especially in times of need. So do not wait until the need arises as it may be too late. Do it now or regret it later. There are no two ways about it. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the above suggestions are just my opinions for the Ministers to consider. I support the Budget announced by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister. Now, I would like to declare my interest that I amsingle, but I do not exclude the possibility of getting married later on.”
“However, the Maintenance of Parents Act should be the last resort as all relationships are damaged if parents are forced to take their children to the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents for maintenance. For example, a case was reported in the Straits Times on9th February 2005, of a woman who revealed during custody hearing that her husband is not the natural father of her two daughters in order to gain custody of her daughters, and this destroys any possible loving relationship between the man and his two daughters. So it clearly illustrates that relationships aredamaged when one hasto go to court or use the law. Eighth, Sir, the positive carestrengthens and could improve poor family relationships. It could also give greater depth of understanding of the parents' past, culture and family history. The grandparents could instil the right values and attitudes in their grandchildren. Children learn by examples. So the strategies that caregivers develop would well benefit them as they are cared for in turn by the children in future. Hence, the Government could implement this pro-family package to encourage and help Singaporeans look after and take care of their elderly parents. Ninth, the pro-family package isin line with the Government's directive of strengthening our social safety net to help families protect the vulnerable and promoting strong and close families with kinship bonds and emotional lines that PM Lee has reiterated in his Lunar NewYear message this year. PM Lee in his Lunar New Year message encouraged Singaporeans to maintain strong family unit and relationships and the Government could help to promote this through implementing this pro-family package.”
“This package is also needed to help the working singles who have to look after their parents and maintain their career at the same time. Fifth, while we encourage families to help one another, some working class families do not have the financial ability to help their parents and siblings. This is especially so when there are family members suffering chronic illnesses. The long term medical expenses would put severe strain on the families. Thus, just like what Mr Iswaran has said, some aged Singaporeans are afraid that they maybecome a burden to their children.Thus, the Government should provide some social assistance in the form of this pro-family packageto these needySingaporeans and reduce the burden of their family members. Sixth, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is not easy to become elderly or a parent to your parents. After all, our society says adults should be able to take care of themselves. But as more live well into their 80s and 90s, everyone is going to be involved somehowand in some way in eldercare, if not today, then tomorrow. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, an old person and a baby have many things in common. Like a baby who has just arrived into this world andneeds special care and attention, anold person, especially one who requires long term medical care, needs special care and attention. If we could have a comprehensive procreation package for the declining birth rate, we should have a similar comprehensive pro-family package for the increasing ageing population. Andit is timely now to introduce such a package. Seventh, the Maintenance of Parents Act came into force in 1995 to give parents above 60 years old who could not support themselves the legal means to claim maintenance from their children.”
“The current parent tax relief in the personal income tax is insufficient in cases when parents require long term medical care. Although there is a handicapped parent tax relief, the definition of "handicapped" is somewhat limiting in certain cases of chronic illnesses that do not fall under the definition of "handicapped". Second, the introduction of the new employer-paid eldercareleave would help adults in providing care to their ageing parents who need constant medicalcare. A clerk in my department has often reflected to me that she has to take leave to bring her parents for medical checkups. When she has insufficient leave for this purpose, she optimises through taking 1/2 day's leave, rushing tobring her parents for checkup and often leaving only a mere 10 minutes in the department's pantry to have lunch before starting workat 2.00 pm. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the introduction of the new employer-paid eldercare leave is necessary as one could not rely ona maid to bring our parents for medical checkups and to be able to understand the special medical instructions that the doctors might give. Third, Singapore is an ageing population. Such a pro-family package is needed and all the more needed as more and more Singaporean families have less children or sometimes no children, giving a higher probability of acouple having to support two sets of parents and a single having to support his or her parents with no siblings to help. Fourth, with the rising healthcare cost, such a pro-family package is needed to help relieve the burden of the working married adults who have a heavy burden, bringing up children and supporting parents at the same time.”
“Fourth, a lower foreign domestic worker levy can be extended to singlesthat have to look after parents who need special medical care, similar to the concept of a lower maid levy for the working mothers. Currently, themarriage and procreation package offers a lower levy to families with elderly aged 65 and above staying at the same household. This should be extended to singles that have to look after elderly parents.Singlehood is a trend that cannot be prevented as a country and a society modernise. Policy makers should not implement an ostrich policy,ie, hiding their heads in the sand like the ostrich and ignore the existence of this group of Singaporeans. Fifth, allow foreign maid levy deduction during personal income tax assessmentfor those singles who have to look after elderly parents who need special medical and health care. Currently, a married woman is allowed to deductmaid levy paid for one maid against earned income during tax assessment.This measure should also be extended to single adults, regardless of gender, who have to look after and support elderly parents who need special medical and healthcare. Sixth, to provide subsidy for families with elderly parents who requiredaycare activity centre and other daycare services,similar to the concept of the childcare centre subsidy in the marriage and procreation package. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, these are six measures that could be included in the pro-family package.These measures can befurtherdiscussed. Iwould like to urge the Government to seriously consider this comprehensive pro-family package. The reasons for my bringing up thispackageare the following, Sir: First, a higher parent tax relief is necessary.”
“Our Government should move towards the concept of mass customisation. I would like to propose that the Government consider the implementation of mass customised pro-family package with different sizes. In this case, we could customise this pro-family package withfour different sizes - S,M, L and XL - for the following groups of adults. First, the "S" package for the single and divorced parents who have to look after aged parents and couples who have children and need to look after one set of aged parents. Second, the"M" package for singles who have to look after aged parents who need special medical andhealth care, and couples who have children and need to look after two sets of aged parents. Then we have the "L" package forcouples who have children and need to look after one set of aged parents who need special medical and health care.And, finally, we have the "XL", extra large package, for couples who have children and need to look after two sets of aged parents who need special medical and health care. The possible items in these packages could include the following: First, in promoting extended family,the Government can increase CPF housing top-up grants for single, divorced and married adults who stay with and support their agedparents. Second, in providing financial assistance for supporting and care giving to elderly parents,a higher parent tax relief can be implemented for supporting and care giving to elderlyparents, especially those who need special long-term medical care. Third, a new employer-paid eldercare leave scheme can be implemented to allow an adult to bringparents for medical checkups, similar to the concept of the new child sick leave in the marriage and procreation package.”
“All this gives rise to the sandwich generation, a generation of family members who are either single, divorced or married adults providing care to their ageing parents andyoung children. As raised in a seminar organised by the Institute of Policy Studies in January 2005, the sandwich generation phenomenon is beginning to appear in the Singapore society and would become more prominent in the next 10-20 years when the Rooster babies aregrowing, while the population is ageing. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Budget has not addressed the problems faced by these families, which are majoritythe middle income families withmiddle-aged adults looking after elderly parents and young children, and this Budget has not addressed the problems faced by the singles that have to look after elderly parents. Research has shown that family members, especially women, spend more time looking after elderly parents, 18 years, thanraising their children, 17 years. In other words, they spend more time looking after their parents than the time they spent raising their children, and these 18 years could make heavy demands on their families physically, emotionally and financially. 18 years is a long time if one isstruggling to stay afloat. And, in Singapore, families are getting smaller, while better healthcare means that we all live longer. So, fewer children would share the load when their parents age. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as an engineer with manufacturing background,I would like to use the concept of mass customisation here. Mass production is a well known concept. However, it is a concept of the past in manufacturing. Presently manufacturers are moving towardsthe concept of mass customisation,ie, to produce customised products for the masses at the same manufacturing cost.”
“It has a series of measures and top-upsfor both individuals, for example, Medisave, CPF and Edusave top-ups, and for the companies, for example, the one-year loss carry-back. Just now, Mr Ong Ah Hengmentioned that the day following the announcement of this Budget, someone spoke to him andsaid, "Mr Ong, there seem to begoodies for everyone." But, on the contrary, my colleagues just told me that they did not have a share in it. This year,the Budgetappears to bea generous Budget, addressing the concerns of the old, the poor and the needy Singaporeans.While wedo take care of the lower income Singaporeans through various rebates, the Budget does not do much for the biggest group of Singaporeans, namely, the middle group of Singapore, ie, the middle-income, middle-aged Singaporeans and the singles. It is now well-known that Singapore is a greying society. In fact, studies have shown that Singapore's population would age rapidly over the next 30 years, with approximately 19% of the total population aged 65 and above by 2030. At the same time, as the number of older people is growing, the abilities of families to provide care is shrinking, with smaller nuclear families, delayed parenting and increased female labour force participation. A falling birth rate has added to the great concern in the light of the decreasing number of family members available to provide care. The probability of adults who are single and have no siblings' help to support and care for their parents also increases. Although we have the marriage and procreation package last year and the Rooster babies are also coming,these babies wouldonly be working adults in 25 years' time and during this time the population is ageing.”
“However, I would like to ask the Ministry of Manpower to ensure that employers do not abuse this flexibility either by engaging foreign workers to depress wages of Singaporeans or by refusing to employ locals, especially the older workers, when they have the necessary skills and are ready to accept jobs that are available. Mr Deputy Speaker, I am happy to note that the measures to deepen and broaden our capital market include initiatives to facilitate the development of Islamic financing here. Global Islamic finance is growing at about 10-20% annually, andwe should therefore develop expertise in Islamic banking to meet this growing demand for Islamic financial products. I think this will help to boost the promotion of trade and investment with countries in the Middle East. Singapore now has a Free Trade Agreement with Jordon and is discussing similar agreements with Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Iran and Kuwait. Sir, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's recent successful visit to Saudi Arabia would add more impetus to the promotion of trade and investment with countries in the Middle East. Perhaps this can provide an opportunity for the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry to consider the strategic role it can provide, in collaboration with other Chambers of Commerce as well as our companies, to assist our businesses to take advantage ofthe opportunity that this development can offer. Sir, with these comments, I support the motion. Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim (Nominated Member) (In Mandarin): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join in the Budget debate. The Budget, unveiled by the Government on 18th February this year, is a budget for individuals and companies.”
“At the same time, I would like to add that there must also be a mindset change on the part of employers to provide opportunities to older workers who are trained and skilled and ready to take the jobs. Sir, in the debate on the Presidential Address recently, my MP colleague, Dr Tan Cheng Bock, spoke about the plight of some of his Malay residents who turned up at his meet-the-people sessions to ask for various assistance to meet their daily needs. Those who are working havelow salaries, mainly due to poor education and skills. I think there are also similar examples amongst the other communities. Sir, I would like to urge this group of people to seriously take the opportunity that the Government is providing to upgrade their education and skills. With relevant skills and positive work attitudes, they can enjoy better employment opportunities with better wages. Sir, I would also like to urge our employers to employ workers based on their skills, experience and good work attitudes. Any discrimination in hiring practices, whether based on race, gender or age,whether real or perceived, can seriously impair our social cohesion. And if our unity and confidence in one another is lacking, it will affect our competitiveness. The foreign worker policy is being finetuned to allow more foreign workers in a controlled way to meet the needs of our companies and the economy. Sir, foreign workers have made a contributionto help our economy grow. They have helped job creation and this has helped Singaporeans to find jobs or to retain their jobs. So I support the finetuning of the foreign worker policy.”
“This includes the support given to our small and medium enterprises which employ many workers. However, in my discussions with them, they hope that more can be done to lower the cost of doing business. Although the economy has grown strongly in 2004, the retailers in the HDB estates have pointed out that they have yet to feel the impact of the economic rebound. They are therefore keenly waiting for the package of measures to help them to revitalise their businesses.Sir, it is important that they understand the competition and the rapid changes that are taking place in the new economy. It cannot be business as usual. So, unless they are helped to change the way they operate, they would struggle to keep their businesses competitive. Sir, last year, more than 66,000 jobs were created. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 3.7%. For our economy to grow steadily, we will need to have more skilled workers. The provision of a$500 million top-up fund to the Lifelong Learning Fund is good news to our workers. This will provide them with more opportunities to obtain relevant skills and to improve their employability. This will also help the NTUC-led programmes to redesign jobs, especially to help workers who cannot work in the higher-end skilled jobs. Sir, some jobs have been taken by foreign workers because our workers have refused to accept them. These jobs can be redesigned to make them more attractive and better paying. We must also help our workers to make a mindset change to take these redesigned jobs. They cannot continue to work in the old way. They must be helped to become confident to work in a more smarter way.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the motion. Sir, in this uncertain, fast changing and intensively competitive world, our ability to move forward in a sustainable way to continue providing our people with a secure and improving quality of life would depend on how we are able to rally our people to work together positively to continuously strengthen our competitiveness. We cannot afford to resist changes brought about by the dynamic forces of globalisation. So our challenge is to adequately prepare our people to adapt confidently to the changing world. Sir, this Budget shows that our leaders have demonstrated their decisiveness to get Singapore to upgrade and restructure to enhance our competitiveness. Sir, we are concerned that the process of making changes to be relevant to the demands of a new economy may demoralise some workers, especially the older ones, the lowly educated and unskilled who find difficulty to keep pace with the changes.Sir, I am glad that the Budget has addressed this concern by providing extra help to help this group of people to ensure that they will not be left behind. This will help to mitigate the unavoidable pain. More important than the assistance given to them to tide over their difficulties is the opportunity that is available for them to be trained to acquire new skills and to improve their employability. Sir, I believe that giving our workers and our people the continuous ability to be skilled and reskilled, to be relevant to the expectations in the job market, is the best safety net that we can provide them and their families in this complex and intensively competitive world. Sir, the Budget has introduced various initiatives to foster the growth of the private sector.”
“Sir, we should have safeguards that the common property and grounds of the condominiums and other high-rise strata title developments are safe, healthy and hygienic. This would be the case if the owners of the units in the developments take great care to maintain high standards of maintenance of their units and other premises in the buildings. For instance, as Members have mentioned, in view of the recent spate of falling windows and other killer litter, we should consider a provision in the Bill to enable quick prosecution action against owners who fail to maintain their properties. After all, this is a Bill to provide for better management and maintenance of buildings. Would the Minister consider this proposal? Sir, on this note, I support the Bill.”
“Sir, I hope that with the improvements in the clarity of the existing provisions as well as the introduction of new provisions which would provide clearer definition on the roles of developers, Management Corporations (MCs), Managing Agents (MAs) as well as the owners or occupiers of residences in condominiums and other strata title developments, the problems and disputes can be more expeditiously resolved. However, the MCs and MAs would have to improve their management and decision-making capacity, and they would also have to strengthen the community spirit in their developments. Sir, I agree with my colleagues that Managing Agents would have to be accredited and that they should have at least minimum qualifications to manage properties. Sir, I welcome the proposal to amend the LTSA to introduce an option of a 2-tier Management Corporation system for mixed-use strata title developments, to provide for more effective management of different parts of the common property. I believe that this will help to prevent disputes between parties in the development arising from the perceptions or misperceptions of one party or group in the development that the MC is more concerned with the priorities or interests of only one group at the expense of the other. Although this will be limited to new developments, the Minister has said that with experience gained in the implementation of the system, it could be later applied to existing developments. As this Bill would be of interest to owners of units in the condominiums and other strata title developments, MCs, MAs and developers, I agree that we should give them the opportunity to provide their views, feedback and proposals on the Bill. So, I support the proposal that the Bill be committed to a Select Committee.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill. Sir, the Buildings and Common Property (Maintenance and Management) Act (BCPA) and the Land Titles (Strata) Act (LTSA) were last amended in 1987. Sir, I support the changes to be introduced in the new Building Maintenance and Management Bill, as well as the LTSA which are now required to ensure that we meet current needs to provide higher standards of maintenance and management of condominiums and other strata title developments. There is also the need to improve the clarity of existing provisions in the two Acts. Mr Speaker, Sir, over the last five years, there was a large increase in the number of condominiums and other strata title developments in my constitutency. And residents in these developments have, from time to time, sought my assistance on problems of poor management and maintenance of the common areas of their development by the developer or the Management Corporations and the Managing Agents they appointed. Sir, the poor maintenance includes such things like unkempt grounds, mosquito nuisance, poorly maintained car parks, cracks and defects in certain parts of the buildings, leakages in the roof and so on. This led to disputes between the residents and the developer and management corporation which sometimes became very protracted. The Commissioner of Buildings has been very helpful to help resolve some of these disputes. Now, with the changes in the Act, the Management Corporation should be better empowered to take decisions to deal with these issues.”
“Sir, I share Mdm Cynthia Phua's concern about the increase in the number of dengue cases. In fact, in my constituency, in January this year, there were some 20 cases, and these were found in the HDB estates as well as landed properties. The good sign is that we have got a good group of volunteers in the dengue task force. They go around with NEA officers to check. But still the Aedes mosquitoes seem to be very elusive. I am not so sure how we can prevent them but obviously we cannot take things for granted and have to be alert and vigilant. Fortunately, the numbers came down in February. But I think additional measures and new initiatives need to be taken to check buildings for Aedes mosquitoes. Perhaps, we should continue to work together, the community and NEA, so that we will have a more effective vector control programme. Could I get the Minister's views on this?”
“Sir, I just like to ask the Minister the following questions on our future water supply. Firstly, are we on track to make up for the 1961 Water Agreement when it expires in 2011? And as we turn to NEWater and desalination, can the Minister explain the impact of the costs of these new sources on our industries, the commercial sector and also on our households?”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister the following questions. How does our environmental performance measure up to the standards in the other major cities in the world? For instance, for air quality, are we among the cleanest city in the world? Are we effectively reducing carbon dioxide emissions? I would also like to know what are the Ministry's programmes to promote greater use of green cars and clean energy. Sir, recently, several areas in the east, and particularly in my constituency, were affected by floods. They include the Sims Avenue area, Paya Lebar, Geylang, and also in Marine Drive in the Marine Parade constituency. Businesses were disrupted, cars were damaged and goods destroyed. At the recent Environment press briefing, it was reported that the Government has invested $1.5 billion to improve Singapore's drainage system over several years. My question is: why is our drainage system unable to prevent the recent floods? And it was also reported that next week, from 21st to 23rd March, there will be exceptionally high tide again, and that there may be a recurrence of floods in the affected areas. So, I would like to know what measures the Ministry of the Environment and the PUB will take to advise the public and to get them to prepare, in case floods occur, and what would be the flood prevention measures that would be implemented. Air Quality”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry has plans to upgrade the East Coast Park in the next financial year. I think the existing facilities in the park should be upgraded and new and more facilities be added, especially for family activities. For example, the beach should be improved to provide more facilities for sea sports activities with swimming lagoons which are safe for children to enjoy swimming. I would like also to see that a part of the park be designated for weekend or holiday pasar, or market, for sale of handicrafts, paintings or other works of our local artists, and so on. I think we should allow busking and local music groups to perform in the park. In this way, we can encourage our local talents to come up and show their talents in the park, and this will make the park a more exciting and vibrant place for relaxation, recreation and leisure.”
“Sir, the questions I wanted to ask have been asked by the two previous speakers. I also want to know about food safety in Singapore. Private Farms”
“Sir, in January 2003, the HDB implemented the bank origination of HDB market rate loans. This has brought many benefits, for instance, it has given HDB flat buyers more choice in their mortgage financing and also with relaxation in the HDB rules, the HDB flat owners have flexibility in the resale and use of flats. And also banks and other financial institutions are now competing to provide more attractive loans to HDB buyers. However, there is a group of HDB flat purchasers who are unable to obtain bank loans to purchase their flats because of what is considered poor credit standing and this includes many downgraders, like what my colleagues mentioned just now. They want to downgrade because they want to deal with their financial problems more effectively. So I would like to ask the Minister to ask HDB to be more sympathetic when considering appeals for HDB loans, especially from those who are downgrading to smaller flats. Many want to downgrade to the smaller 3-room flats - I think this was also raised by my GPC colleagues - as they cannot afford to purchase 3-room flats from the open market. Will HDB also review its policy to allow existing flat owners who are downgrading to purchase 3-room flats directly from HDB? In this connection, I also support the call for HDB to consider building more 3-room flats, either for rental or for sale.”
“But at the end of the day, it is the social attitude that is important. If people are happy that they can have more children and give them the best that they can and it adds to their life, I think they will have more children. I think we are realistic here. I do not think we are going for 2.1 as the replacement rate. I think we are going for 1.96. So, we have to attract immigrants, obviously quality immigrants. But whether they will stay here after having become permanent residents and to become citizens, it is something that we are not quite sure. There is the point made in the Budget speech that we need Singapore citizens to give birth and their children stay here, because they are more in tune with the way we live, the way we work and the way we play. Sir, let us look at this and try and change the way people think about the family while, of course, giving them incentives to do this will always be helpful. But I think that incentives alone will not solve the problem. Sir, on this note, I support the Budget.”
“Only Mayor Heng has one. But I think he is young enough. I asked him just now if he would mind if I mention that he has one. He said, "Well, there are lots of reasons why I have only one." I will leave it to him to explain. I think it is a fundamental issue. I believe in having three because the larger the family, the happier the family. Because brothers and sisters have companions within the family. They fight, but they also joke together, and they find life a bit more interesting. If they have a problem, sometimes they consult their parents but they also consult their brothers and sisters. I get to know more of what my children are doing by talking to my children. Sometimes they talk to members outside the family. This may create some problems. I think three is a good number. Some may want to have more. The next message is, "Three or more if you can afford them". I agree that we must have the ability to afford more than three, not only the cost but also the time we spend with them because we want to make sure that they have the best that we can offer. Some people have fed back to me that the message is not quite clear enough. Why is it three or more if you can afford them? After all, for the next generation, 80% of our students will go to the polytechnic and universities or have tertiary education. I am sure that they would be able to afford if they want more than three, provided they can give their time to the children. So, the signal which the Government gives to the population is important. It is more a social issue than an economic issue. It is fundamental. It is emotional, as Mr David Lim has said. But I think that Mr Lim Hng Kiang's committee will look at all the things that are necessary - pro-family enterprises, 5-day week, extra maternity leave.”
“I am sure the unions would give them the advice, or they should go to the Ministry of Manpower in case they have problems with the employers, but still I think many of them are concerned that employers may take advantage of them since they have no one to represent them and, therefore, they fear the impact of the flexible wage system. I have helped to explain to them that we must be competitive or otherwise they will have no jobs. The next issue, Sir, is the employment opportunities for older workers. Sir, in the CDCs we have our job plus centres where we help workers who are retrenched, looking for jobs, who come to us. For the younger workers, our matching rate, our placement rate, is pretty high, but for older workers, even those with relevant skills and experience, it is tough going. So I hope the Government could look into this. Can the Government provide more incentives for companies to encourage them to employ older, mature workers? Some of them have experience; they have skills and we should not put their skills to waste. I know there is the People-for-Jobs Traineeship Programme that gives certain sums of money to companies to cover wages of the older workers. Maybe more schemes like this would be useful. Sir, finally, let me touch on the next generation, the procreation programmes and activities. Sir, in my father's generation, the social expectation was to have large families. So my family has eight children. My peers, most of them have four or five brothers and sisters in their family. When it came to my time the message was "Two is enough". I did not believe it, so I have three. I was speaking to my Mayor colleagues and most of them have three. Mayor Zainul is the most hardworking, he has four. Mayor Yu-Foo has three, Mayor Teo has three.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the motion. Sir, I would like to make just three points. First, maintaining the competitiveness of the economy. Many speakers before me have raised the question of the high cost of our economy and I share their concerns because when I speak to the businessmen in my constituency, most of them raise the question that it is too expensive for them to do business. Sir, we have addressed wage competitiveness but, here again, it is not just reducing wages per se but rather making wages flexible to be able to respond to changing competition and also to relate wages to performance. We should pay our workers what is due to them based on their performance and based on their productivity. Sir, land cost has been one of the unhappy points. Our policy is to value land based on opportunity cost. There was the suggestion that perhaps we should value land for industry based on what is the competition, that means the value that is being accorded to similar land in countries which we are competing with. As to what are the implications we should look at them. Land cost, rentals, utilities, Government charges, these add to the cost of doing business and we should address them as we address wage competitiveness. Sir, on the flexible wage system, in the unionised sector, NTUC and the unions have been explaining to their members and workers what is the impact, why this is necessary and also how this should be implemented. Trust and confidence is the critical factor. In the non-unionised sector, employees are very concerned because they do not have a voice that represents them. I told them that they could if they are general branch members, seek advice from the unions.”
“Sir, the Minister said that the cost of the project will increase. But can I have the Minister's assurance that residents will not pay more than what was indicated to them when they voted for the project?”
“Sir, can I seek a clarification on the Minister's reply to the supplementary question by Mr Chiam?”