Patrick Tay Teck Guan
Singapore
“Will CPF Board also notify SDS holders with clear anti-scam advisories, whether via SMS or any other means, especially with emerging modus operandi by scammers? This is so that the message reaches them properly and reduces confusion. Mr Speaker, Sir, with these questions, I support the Bill.”
“We are not asking to oppose change but for clarity, contemporaneous communication, equitability and assurance so that impacted workers will not be left behind. In short, a fair and just transition. I hope today's debate helps move us in that right direction. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I thank the Minister for sharing the response to the Parliamentary Question by the fellow Member of the House. I was wondering, and I think I have brought this up before on previous occasions, whether we can consider stricter penalties against those who do not comply, with this requirement.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have two questions for the Minister for Health. Firstly, the rise in energy and related costs will impact our public healthcare clusters.”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the response. I have just one supplementary question for the Ministry of Manpower that in the light of these wage levels of our PMEs, in the course of reviewing some of our existing employment labour laws as well as regulations to factor this in, so that such PMEs are adequately represented,…”
“Stable psychiatric patients often remain at IMH simply because there are no community facilities to receive them. My third question is whether there are plans to develop more custodial care and step-down facilities – sheltered homes, supported living – so that IMH’s beds are reserved for those who need its full clinical expertise?”
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Every one of 915 lines we hold for Patrick Tay Teck Guan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 14 of 19.
“I just wanted to ask the Minister, as it was announced earlier, Police Officers will transit from revolvers to pistols. I just want to clarify whether the issuance of pistols and use of pistols will be extended to APOs as well.”
“Since we launched the SGSecure movement last year, can MHA share the progress of its outreach efforts, in particular, in the community as well as in workplaces? I urge MHA to work with the community and businesses to recruit SGSecure Ambassadors at every HDB block and at every workplace. These ambassadors can help spread the SGSecure message and be trained in first aid, automated external defibrillators (AED) and skills to handle the community or workplace response in the event of a terrorist attack, especially the day after. In my Boon Lay constituency, we have recruited about 500 SGSecure ambassadors last November and look forward to training them this year. In fact, the first training session starts in a fortnight. I hope MHA can give full support through funding the training, exercises and our outreach to the residents and community. Updates on SGSecure”
“I hope the Government can explore how to help PMEs into adjacent jobs and adjacent skills, so that they can transit into a second career seamlessly. (In English): Mdm Speaker, the challenge for Singapore in 2017 and beyond is how we are able to navigate the occasional gusty winds and flooding downpours. Although we have weathered a variety of economic calamities in the past decade alone, it does not mean we will automatically survive. The challenge that confronts us this decade will be somewhat different and diverse. The "killer app" is how we can, as one country and one people, stay not just ready, relevant and resilient but have the necessary ability, agility and adaptability to navigate and ride on the ebb and flow. We have always been on a treadmill. The only difference is the speed at which the treadmill is now moving, compared to previous years. With that, I support the Budget.”
“] With regard to measures introduced in Budget 2017, the key lies in implementation. I have five suggestions. First, our foremost task is to identify where opportunities are, which companies are hiring and what skills, experiences and training are required by these jobs. By doing this, we can better help our workers prepare for these future jobs. Hence, the tripartite partners must work closely together with higher learning institutions, industry partners and stakeholders, as well as research and consultancy firms to collect needed information and not just place the current unemployed into current jobs, but the future unemployed into future jobs. Second, even as we drive internationalisation and encourage companies and workers to venture overseas and gain overseas experience, it is equally important that we provide sufficient support and assistance to those who come back to Singapore to assimilate back into our workforce and find jobs as soon as possible. Third, I suggest that we come up with a digital technology development programme to help Singaporeans to improve their skills in the area of digital technology. This programme will be similar to the BEST and WISE training courses offered in the 1980s and 1990s. Fourth, I also suggest that the Government top up $500 into the SkillsFuture credit every three to five years to encourage Singaporeans to take personal responsibility for their own career development, embrace the spirit of lifelong learning and stay relevant. In addition, the usage of the credit should also be expanded to include engaging professional career coaching services. Fifth, while we introduce and execute the various programmes, we must consider how to look after all segments of the workforce, including low-income workers and PMEs.”
“However, I hope as we execute the various fundings, we must bear in mind the need to be flexible, responsive in terms of speed to market and also cater to all segments of the workforce, from low-wage workers to PMEs. With about 70% of those laid off last year being PMETs, I submit that we need to pay particular attention to this group and, especially those who are long-term unemployed and mature PMEs. I am glad that PCP now supports redeployment of PMEs within the company. However, one particular observation I have with PCP is that when PMEs move into a new sector or totally new job, he or she enters at the entry point of that new sector or job. I find this sometimes unsatisfactory, considering many mature PMEs have accumulated one to as many as three decades of work experience and that their other innate skills are not taken cognisance of. At our U PME Centre, we observed many PMEs would prefer to stay within their industries where possible or, at the most, move across into any industry by utilising their sets of skills and experience. There is strong inertia from many PMEs to explore new industries due to the high opportunity cost. It is with this in mind that I hope the Government can look into helping PMEs transit into second careers more seamlessly by exploring the adjacency of jobs and the adjacency of skills so that these PMEs can move into, move across or move up into new roles which capitalise on their acquired skills and knowledge so that they can even enter mid-career and be given credits for their experience. The public sector has successfully done this for certain job types and I suggest we replicate this to other sectors and companies. Mdm Speaker, in Chinese. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“I, therefore, suggest we come up with a digital disruption awareness or development programme for all workers, all Singaporeans, very much similar to the Basic Education for Skills Training (BEST) and Worker Improvement through Secondary Education (WISE) programmes we had in the 1980s and 1990s where we had to bring all Singaporeans and workers ahead in terms of literacy and numeracy. The future jobs in demand and future skills in demand components can be built into this programme to ensure all Singaporeans stay able, adaptable and agile. This programme can be spearheaded by the Labour Movement's e2i and NTUC Learning Hub and supported via Government funding. Fourth, the SkillsFuture Credit utilisation has been promising and off to a good start. I have met workers who have shared how they have benefited immensely from picking up new skills via tapping on their SkillsFuture credits. With the rapidly volatile business environment and job obsolescence, workers globally are now concerned that their skills are losing relevance or what I call the "Fear of Skills Erosion". To address this, I suggest for the Government to provide SkillsFuture Credit top-ups of $500 in intervals every three to five years so as to encourage Singaporeans to take personal responsibility in their continuing education and training, embrace a spirit of lifelong learning and stay ready, relevant and resilient. The credits can go a long way for not just skills acquisition but should also include engaging professional career coach services. Lastly, the Budget has announced proposed enhancements to Adapt and Grow funding, including the "Attach and Learn" programme which I welcome and look forward to hearing more during the MOM Committee of Supply.”
“Second, even as we drive internationalisation and encourage Singapore companies and Singaporeans to venture abroad and be regional and global, it is important that we provide sufficient support and assistance to those who have spent time on overseas stints to assimilate and find jobs back in Singapore when they return. My biggest worry is how these Singaporeans who have gone abroad are able to adjust and adapt when they return back to Singapore in the future. I say this because I have met PMEs at our NTUC's U PME Centre, including classmates of mine, who have returned to Singapore after spending some eight to 16 years abroad. Many have returned due to family commitments, such as because of elderly parents or children's education, or to really come back home. One such example is a PME in his 50s who has been working for a European MNC in the oil and gas sector for 20 years in the area of project management. He was retrenched and was out of job for a year before finally landing a job as a project manager now based in Saudi Arabia. I know some who have been back for more than a year and still have not found any job despite lowering their salary expectations. Some have resorted to doing freelance work or short-term contract positions. This is an area we need to pay particular attention to, and I hope the enhancements to Adapt and Grow and the many SkillsFuture initiatives to be announced will address this problem. Third, all the talk on digitisation, the digital divide and disruption is good but what does it mean to the layman or worker? What does he need to do to stay ready, relevant and resilient?”
“We also need 3,000 precision engineers, 1,000 rail engineers and 22,000 data scientists and robot coordinators in the manufacturing sector by 2024. There is also a need for 4,000 early childhood educators. All these sectoral manpower plans paint an extremely optimistic picture of the jobs market. I am not sure if there is duplication in the numbers as there may be overlaps, such as between ICT and the financial sector, when we talk of data science, analytics or cybersecurity. To the person unemployed or retrenched, all these figures mean little to him or her if he or she cannot find a job in any of these sectors. It is, therefore, imperative to paint a realistic picture of the jobs market by identifying and sharing where the jobs really are, which companies are hiring and when they are doing so. Also, what skills and experience are required of these job openings and what training must we embark on to prepare ourselves for these future jobs? It is, therefore, vital for the tripartite partners to work together with the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), industry partners and stakeholders as well as research and consultancy companies to better sense, synthesise and provide a clear signal so as to not just place the current unemployed into current jobs but the future unemployed into future jobs. To this end, the Labour Movement has started looking into future jobs, skills and training and getting help and support from our extensive Labour Movement network, tripartite partners and various stakeholders and partners.”
“There is also the phenomenon of, what I call, the "slow-burn" or "churn" in several sectors, fortunately not across the board yet, of our local economy, such as in the oil and gas, offshore and marine, foreign financial institutions and retail because of global uncertainties, restrategisation, consolidation, recalibration and the advent of digitisation, robotisation, mechanisation and the Internet of Things. By the same token, we face the longer-term challenge and need of sustaining inclusive quality growth, bearing in mind we have an ageing workforce, relatively flat productivity in the past five years and a much slower employment growth in the years ahead. Having heard the Budget and its initiatives fleshed out, I am glad that the Government has considered and adopted several of the key recommendations by the Labour Movement. However, all said and done, I submit that the execution and implementation or, what I call, the "follow-through" of each of the initiatives and programmes are most crucial. In response to Budget 2017's plans and programmes, I have five suggestions and recommendations in the area of future jobs, future skills and future training, with a particular focus on the plight of PMEs, as they are most vulnerable and sandwiched during these times of uncertainty and structural challenges. First, I am glad we are rolling out ITMs for 23 industry clusters and sectors. In the course of working out the blueprint, each sector and industry has painted an optimistic future of the new jobs and the jobs growth in each sector. Infocomm technology (ICT) and healthcare sectors have highlighted there will be 30,000 jobs each.”
“Mdm Speaker, this Budget comes at a time when a myriad of challenges is confronting Singapore. Globally, there are uncertainties, consolidation and key developments. These are fueled by oil prices, the US' political and economic agenda, the future direction of the European Union, the Brexit journey and Asia's growth strategy, in particular, China. The developments in each will have effects, whether direct or collateral, on economic conditions across the globe and Singapore. Locally, Budget 2017 and beyond will have to achieve a balance to address the short-term and long-term needs and challenges of the economy and our working populace. For a start, I am glad the overall Budget has a slight surplus to cater to any uncertainties and exigencies in this financial year and which may impact Singapore and for which we need to respond to. From a manpower perspective, there are several challenges for us, I dare say not exhaustive, with the first being rising structural forces and unemployment. We saw a record 19,000 layoffs in 2016 since the last peak in 2009. What has been a worrying trend is that the layoffs affect especially professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) and the slower rate of re-entry into the workforce for this category of workers, especially those who are older. This is largely due to what I have previously mooted or identified as the three mismatches of skills, expectations and jobs.”
“Mdm Speaker, I wish to make a suggestion to the Minister of State. Quite a number of residents that I meet during our house visits do feedback that there is a shortage of such places, particularly in the western part of Singapore. I urge the Minister of State that in coming up with new centres, to consider building them in the west.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, in light of the US' withdrawal from the TPP, what is the impact to workers and unions in Singapore?”
“In the public consultation on this Bill, it was stated that amendments to the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 were envisaged. These related amendments were expected to draw reference from best practices and international standards reflected in the revised International Bar Association Guidelines on Conflict of Interest in International Arbitration (October 2014) which provides in General Standard 7 that funding arrangements ought to be disclosed to the arbitrator and parties to the arbitration. My second suggestion is to promulgate a code of conduct for third-party funders. Allowing third-party funding in international arbitration in Singapore may lead to third-party funding organisations to set up and operate in Singapore. As the number of third-party funders increase in Singapore, it would be ideal to have the third-party funders come together to design a code of conduct to self-regulate their involvement in third-party funding arrangements. Self-regulation provides greater transparency and raises standards of funding arrangements whilst not being overly restrictive on funding arrangements. For example, the ALF in England and Wales is an independent body that has been charged by the Ministry of Justice, through the Civil Justice Council, with delivering self-regulation of litigation funding in England and Wales. The members of the association are governed by a code of conduct which sets out standards of practice and behaviour to be observed by funders in respect of funding the resolution of disputes within England and Wales. Mdm Speaker, I am hoping that Ministry of Law would take cognisance of these two suggestions. With that, I support the Bill.”
“One example would be to emphasise that the solicitor-client relationship take precedence in the tripartite relationship and, especially, as solicitors are allowed to introduce or refer a third-party funder to the client. Some of these potential areas of conflict are addressed in the new sections 3(A)(b) and 3(A)(c) in the Legal Profession Act. However, they could be further expanded on in the guidelines to cover other situations where conflicts of interest may arise. For example, a major potential area of conflict is in relation to settlements. While both funders and funded litigants have broadly the same interest in maximising any settlement or damages award and they will share the proceeds of the litigation, they can find themselves in conflict over whether or not to settle. This conflict can best be dealt with by providing that any irreconcilable difference over settlement be referred to counsel in the proceedings for a binding expert opinion. In the same vein, conflicts of interest which are thought to be inherent in funded proceedings can be avoided or resolved by ensuring that the lawyers' fiduciary and professional duties to the litigants are given precedence over any duties or contractual obligations the lawyer may owe to the funder. A properly drafted funding agreement will do just that. One example would be that the disclosure of client's privileged information to third-party funder should be made on the agreement that the third-party funder is bound to maintain confidentiality of the privileged information shared. Another example would be the disclosure of funding arrangements to parties in the arbitration and to the arbitrator.”
“Mdm Speaker, I declare my interest as a Fellow of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators. I rise to support this Bill which seeks to abolish the common law tort of maintenance and champerty in Singapore and allowing third-party funding contracts in certain prescribed categories of dispute resolution proceedings, as well as set out the regulations around this. I agree with the ambit of the proposed Bill and objective to allow international businesses to use funding tools available in other jurisdictions and promote Singapore's growth as a leading venue for international arbitration. According to the SIAC Annual Report 2015, 84% of new cases filed with SIAC in 2015 were international in nature, and 42% had no connection with Singapore. As third-party funding is becoming a feature in major arbitration centres around the world, allowing third-party funding in Singapore for international arbitration will offer international businesses an additional financing option for international commercial arbitration in Singapore. However, I would like to highlight two suggestions for the Ministry's consideration. First, to promulgate a set of guidelines on entering into third-party funding contracts. I submit that MinLaw or relevant industry accepted organisations should promulgate a set of guidelines that would help parties to navigate potential areas of concern, for example, conflicts of interest arising from third-party funding arrangements in relation to the tripartite relationship of third-party funder, solicitor and client, as parties should mitigate risks through formulation of a third-party funding contract which covers these areas of concern.”
“The grievance system will also complement the accreditation and/or possible self-regulation efforts of professional bodies to raise standards. Having a professional body implement a grievance system to deal with complaints about mediators also enables better addressing of issues concerning the role of the mediator in mediation proceedings. Mdm Speaker, I hope MinLaw would consider these two suggestions. With that, I support the Bill.”
“Clause 12 of the Mediation Bill allows the recording of a mediated settlement agreement as an order of Court with parties' consent where the mediation is administered by a designated mediation service provider or conducted by a certified mediator and subject to other qualifying factors. This facilitates the ease of enforcement of the mediation settlement agreement as parties currently have to commence legal proceedings to enforce the settlement agreement. With the passing of the Mediation Bill and, in light of clause 12, there is now a greater need to set standards, increase transparency and ensure the continual appraisal of accredited mediators through professional bodies. The professional bodies can also determine the threshold and, where needed, investigate into whether the mediation or mediator falls below the requisite standards. This, in turn, gives credibility to the profession and builds confidence in using mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism. Four justifications to support regulating mediators include: (a) protecting the public from problematic mediators; (b) providing information to the public about mediators; (c) improving mediator ability and capabilities; and (d) enhancing the credibility of the profession. This is bearing in mind the limited number of accredited mediators and also the areas or topics of mediation work which is availed to enhance the experience and currency of their mediation work. The second suggestion is the grievance system to deal with complaints about mediation and mediators. With increased use of mediation, sooner or later, complaints against mediators may arise. Having a grievance system in place gives confidence to parties agreeing to resolve their dispute via mediation.”
“Mdm Speaker, I declare my interest as an Accredited Mediator with SMC. I rise in support of this Bill which seeks to promote, encourage and facilitate the resolution of disputes by mediation. I have two suggestions to make. First, the continual appraisal of accredited mediators. SIMI was incorporated in 2014 as a non-profit organisation supported by MinLaw to set up professional standards for mediators further to the International Commercial Mediation Working Group's recommendations to develop Singapore into a centre for international commercial mediation. Based on the offerings stated on SIMI's website, SIMI's work is primarily focused on accrediting at the moment although it also states that it aims to apply and enforce world-class standards of mediation, to make tools available to parties to make basic decisions about mediation and to promote mediation education and awareness. At the Singapore Mediation Lecture in 2013, Lord Woolf said that "There is a need for the continual appraisal of mediators who are accredited". Mediation has come a long way but it is still a journey. The field now needs to evolve quickly into a true profession. High minimum practice and ethical standards need to be set, made transparent and achieved internationally. Users of mediation need to see these standards operating effectively. More and better information needs to be made available by individual mediators about their skills, capabilities and personalities. Quality and transparency together will enable mediation to grow. Mediators, too, need to be suitably recognised for their expertise and skills.”
“I urge MOM to also pay a close watch on any cases of abuse or indiscriminate utilisation of the new provision where employers can transfer the re-employment obligation to another employer and discharge themselves of responsibility. This is especially so when the terms, conditions, environment and nature of work in the new job may vastly differ from what they had been previously employed for. Third, workers and unions. Workers, too, must play their part by preparing for re-employment and have to continue to do their part to stay ready, relevant and resilient: ready with new skills, relevant to the new jobs and also resilient to new changes. Mdm Speaker, I support the amendments but we need to rethink re-employment. We must move away from re-employment for the sake of statutory compliance to people development, productivity growth and taking active steps to change stereotypical perceptions on age, talent, productivity and compensation in every organisation. I want to make a special call for our tripartite partners to work closely together to ensure the spirit and intent of these amendments are executed well and thoroughly so as to achieve their desired outcomes. More importantly, society plays the most crucial role in how we, as one community and one country, view and treat older workers and embrace an ageing population. Not just acknowledging and accommodating the ageing workforce but proactively accepting and appreciating every worker regardless of age! Mindsets of our tripartite partners as well as society need to change. With that, I support the Bill.”
“In my regular ground engagements with workers, especially PMEs, I still hear of instances where workers are confronted with ageism. Although not rampant and good work has been done by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP), I believe we can do more to not just minimise but eradicate all forms of ageism. Employers must actively invest in re-thinking how best to re-deploy their mature workers to fully leverage their expertise. It is also imperative for employers to re-design the job and/or workplace to make the job easier, safer and smarter for our ageing workforce. This can be achieved by embracing disruption, technology and innovation through recreating jobs and building up a quality workforce so as to increase productivity and achieve inclusive quality growth. Second, on the part of the Government. The Government has funded and rolled out a series of initiatives and funding, such as WorkPro, SEC and additional credits to support the hiring of mature and older workers. I urge the Government to continue these schemes and funding, especially those that are due to expire and even enhance them, bearing in mind we are confronted with a silver tsunami. I have previously raised in this House for the increase of EAP and I am glad that we will be seeing a positive adjustment in this respect. EAP has to be regularly reviewed upwards to keep pace with rising median wages. EAP amounts and abuse must be closely watched and not become an easy tool or a backdoor exploited by employers as an easy way out to absolve themselves of their obligation to re-employ.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of this Bill which will extend the re-employment age from the current 65 to 67 from 1 July this year. Besides this extension, two other key amendments will be effected. First is the repeal of section 5 of the current Act which effectively means abolishing the provision which had allowed employers to reduce up to 10% of salary once an employee reaches the age of 60. Second, an employer who finds suitable employment for an employee, who is supposed to be re-employed, with another employer is considered to have fulfilled his obligation under the Bill. The extension of the re-employment age is a welcome move by our unions, union leaders, union members and workers as this is what the Labour Movement has been lobbying for. This issue is of urgency and importance, especially with our ageing populace, as it will provide our workers who are keen and able to continue working the opportunity to be re-employed until the age of 67. I applaud the tripartite partners for their untiring efforts in reviewing and improving the current Act. This set of amendments and the upcoming tripartite guidelines were arrived at through heavy discussions and robust negotiations and will benefit all employees, whether low-wage workers or professionals, managers and executives (PMEs). Although this deck of amendments is a positive step forward, how it is executed and rolled out is vital. I ask that the respective tripartite partners play their part to ensure its success. On the part of employers, with our tight labour market and stagnating employment growth, employers play the most important role in having not just fair but progressive practices in the hiring of the not-so-young workers, especially the re-employment of workers.”
“Container lines are now also in particularly bad shape. Sending a container from Shanghai to Europe costs half what it did in 2014, according to figures from the Chinese city's shipping exchange. More shipowners are Page: 80 expected to run into difficulties. For example, the stranded crew of Hanjin Rome, owned by the bankrupt Hanjin Shipping Company, had sat off the eastern coast of Singapore. The vessel was placed under Court arrest here on 29 August after German shipowner Rickmers filed a civil claim for money it says it is owed by Hanjin. According to the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, once a ship is arrested, anything that enters or leaves the ship has to be approved by the Supreme Court, including change of crew. Crew members would have to apply for permission from the Supreme Court to be repatriated. In an arrested ship, at least half the number of officers, engineers and crew or watchmen, security guards must be on board at all times to meet the minimum manning requirement. In the case where the ship has been arrested and where seafarers on board have not been provided "necessary maintenance and support, including adequate food, accommodation, drinking water supplies, essential fuel for survival on board the ship and necessary medical care", would the seafarers be able to tap on the financial security system to seek financial assistance in this regard? In the case where a shipowner is in receivership and has not paid its seafarers' wages for more than two months, would the seafarers be able to tap on the financial security system to seek financial assistance in this regard?”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Bill. However, on behalf of our unions and workers in this industry, I wish to raise two issues with regard to this Bill. First, does the financial security system provide abandoned seafarers with direct access, sufficient coverage and expedited financial assistance? The amendments have treated the abandonment scenarios envisioned in the MLC amendments as scenarios where shipowners are required to repatriate the seafarer. I have several questions. Do the amendments allow the seafarer to tap on the contract of insurance or financial security to "provide direct access, sufficient coverage and expedited financial assistance" in scenarios of abandonment as envisioned by the amendments to MLC? Can the contract of insurance be tapped on to pay for "necessary maintenance and support" of the seafarer, for example, adequate food, accommodation, drinking water supplies, essential fuel for survival on board the ship and necessary medical care when the seafarer has not been provided with such necessary maintenance and support by the shipowner? And can the contract of insurance be tapped on to pay outstanding wages to the seafarer when the seafarer has not been paid wages for more than two months? Second, is it possible for seafarers to tap on the contract of insurance or financial security when the ship has been arrested or when the shipowner is under receivership? The shipping industry has been squeezed on both the supply and demand sides: too many vessels, not enough scrapped, while global trade has slowed down. The Baltic Dry index, a measure of freight rates for bulk carriers that carry commodities like coal and iron ore, has plummeted by 95% since its peak in 2008. Even oil tankers are suffering.”
“On the Workfare Scheme, can mothers who are younger than 35 years old and a spouse having a higher than $70,000 assessable income who engage in part-time, temporary or freelance jobs be entitled to cash supplement, CPF contributions and training grants, too? This is to encourage mothers to stay connected with the job market and keep their skills updated while they are away, thus making an entire transition back to the workforce in future a much easier and Page: 61 smoother one. Finally, extension of childcare leave to foster parents. Expansion of leave to single parents and adoptive parents is laudable. Perhaps, it is timely to also consider extension of childcare leave to foster parents fostering young children so that they can spend time helping the foster children to settle into their new home. The Fostering Scheme under MSF provides care arrangements for children who have been abandoned, neglected or ill-treated by their parents or guardians, or those whose parents or guardians are in ill-health and, therefore, unable to look after them. 3.20 pm”
“While many of their skills may have become outdated or irrelevant in the many years when they were at home, these PME women do possess skills and experience which can be transferable to new jobs. Various Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) targeted at mid-career PMEs can be enhanced to make the jobs more attractive to back-to-work PMEs, the women especially, in terms of pay, career prospects and flexibility in work arrangements. At the same time, improving on the delivery mode for training and duration will entice more to make the commitment to embark on the PCP. Besides the Career Support Programme (CSP) and PCP, to give confidence to these women and also potential employers, I suggest the introduction of a Returnship Programme spanning four to six months to facilitate the matching of women jobseekers and employers. During the returnship period, women jobseekers are given guidance and training to update their skills, better understand the job and ascertain her suitability for the position. Upon successful completion of returnship, women jobseekers can embark on PCP for further training to make the career switch. This can all be done through an enhancement of the current CSP and PCP. Second, income supplement. Besides granting CPF Cash Top Up Relief to encourage spouses and loved ones to voluntarily contribute to the CPF accounts of these stay-at-home moms, the Government should recognise the value of the unpaid work done by these women. Can the Government also regularly top up the accounts of these mothers directly?”
“While they were away, their jobs may have been reallocated by employers and, upon their return, these mothers may face possibilities of re-deployment or even redundancy. As a result, these mothers may eventually be out of the workforce, whether by choice or not, and it becomes a lose-lose situation for both the mothers and our economy. The International Labour Organization Maternity Protection Convention No 183 states that, "The standard also prohibits employers to terminate the employment of a woman during pregnancy or absence on maternity leave, or during a period following her return to work, except on grounds unrelated to pregnancy, childbirth and its consequences, or nursing. Women returning to work must be returned to the same position or an equivalent position paid at the same rate." Third, stay-at-home mothers. Studies have shown that women choose to leave the workforce mainly due to family commitments and whether they are raising children or caring for elderly dependants, their contribution is invaluable to our society and nation's development. However, the work that these women are doing goes unpaid and they are relying on financial resources of their spouses and loved ones alone. Without financial independence, their retirement adequacy is questionable. Hence, it should be a priority to provide support and interventions to help these women in securing their retirement. Two ways. Firstly, transiting PME women back to work. As the educational standards of the workforce rise and women choose to have children later, more and more who leave the workforce are PMEs in mid-career. This loss to the talent pool can be mitigated by enabling seamless transition of these women back to work.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise to support this Bill and welcome the enhancement as it is a move in the right direction to support shared parenting. However, I urge that we pay attention to the consumption rate of paternity leave as only 40% of fathers used their one-week paternity leave in 2015. More needs to be done to help young fathers overcome mindset and workplace constraints to improve this consumption rate. Besides enhancing leave schemes for young parents, the Government should consider caregivers of elderly and other dependants as well. It is suggested that we allow flexing of medical leave provided under the Employment Act for caregiving needs. I have four points to make on unwed fathers, maternity protection, stay-at-home moms and foster parents. First, unwed fathers. Enhancements have been made to grant fathers of adoptive children two weeks of paternity leave. While unwed mothers are now entitled to full maternity leave of 16 weeks, are there considerations made to allow unwed fathers to enjoy the same? While they may be few but, due to circumstances, there may be fathers who have to bear the responsibility of caring for the infant in the absence of the baby's mother. Second, maternity protection. Female employees who are pregnant or on maternity leave are protected by law from being dismissed or retrenched. Can the protection be extended beyond Page: 60 pregnancy and maternity leave period so as to give security and assurance to mothers who return to work after childbirth? The transition back to work after maternity leave ends is not an easy period as they learn to cope with balancing demands of work and the needs of their babies.”
“On a different note and point but also on the National Registration Identification system, I had raised previously as a Parliamentary Question earlier this year but reiterate again the need for ICA to renew and re-issue our NRICs again during the later years of our life and at selected intervals because the pictures on the NRIC may be outdated and inaccurate. I urge ICA to do this and at no cost impact to Singaporeans. This updating exercise will also help in the iris scan roll-out.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise to support this amendment Bill. This Bill seeks to amend the Act to expand types of personal identifiers of persons registered or required to be registered under the Act that may be collected by ICA. Although I support the Bill, I wish to highlight the need for robust and stronger safeguards with respect to privacy and security Page: 44 arising from the collection of biometric data. The collection of iris scans from Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents could begin as early as next year, according to ICA, as an extra personal identifier, besides photographs and fingerprints. MHA says that iris scanning is "a proven technology" that is "convenient, contactless and non-intrusive". I join Members who spoke earlier on their concerns on both counts of privacy and security. As scanning of irises is contactless and non-intrusive, the technology could potentially scan irises covertly, as opposed to the scanning of thumb prints, which requires active participation of the person being identified. Iris scan technology can be taken from as far as 12 m away, according to scientific sources highlighted publicly. These developments are perceived as Orwellian because they allow iris cameras to be unseen and to operate in a non-consensual surveillance mode. Once an iris becomes a digital file, that file will need to be adequately protected against attack. Systems can be hacked, biometric identifiers could be stolen and misused. What are the safeguards which have been and will be put in place to address these privacy and security concerns in collecting biometric data, such as iris scans? How will these safeguards be communicated to the public to allay concerns?”
“I would like to make a suggestion to the Minister. Looking at the structural challenges that we are facing in terms of unemployment, there are three Page: 9 types of mismatches, as the Minister would be aware. The jobs mismatch, skills mismatch and expectations mismatch: both on the part of the employee as well as the employer. Many of our Adapt and Grow programmes, rightly, address the skills mismatch. So, I hope the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) can work closely with the tripartite partners to address also the expectations as well as the jobs mismatch factors. I have noticed quite a number of such cases in the course of our dealings with many of the retrenched workers, but clearly amongst the professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), where they have a bit of a challenge.”
“I thank the Minister for a very comprehensive bilingual response. I have three questions in the area of strengthening the Singaporean Core, mature PMETs and employment growth. The first question is on strengthening the Singaporean Core. As we know, last year's record number of local resident retrenchment and layoff made up 71% of the total. This year, I expect another round of record retrenchments and also PMETs would form the bulk, at least about 70% for those laid off. In our efforts to strengthen the Singaporean Core, perhaps the Minister can give an update on what efforts are being done under the Fair Consideration Framework as well as identifying and handling the "triple weaks" to level the playing field for local PMEs. On the second question about mature PMETs, anecdotally, we still hear of mature PMETs in their 40s and 50s facing challenges in their job search, even when they do relevant training in growth sectors. They feel challenged; sometimes, it could be ageism; sometimes, it could be mindset. Can MOM, together with our tripartite partners, do even more and do even better in this area? Finally, in terms of employment growth, the Minister has shared that employment growth has dropped sharply. With the exodus of the baby boomers in the coming years and also lower fertility rate and the slower entrance of new workers, does MOM foresee that in the longer term, in five or 10 years' time, we will be able to sustain that one-third to two-thirds local to foreign manpower Page: 40 ratio? Is it possible to sustain that?”
“Does this provision mean that there can be a further extension of the specified period to more than 10 years? How many extensions of the specified period can there be? Sir, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The amendments are a positive and welcome step towards greater protection of consumers. But I have two suggestions here. First, set up a one-stop centre or hotline so that consumers can easily report unfair practices. Second, enforcement against those "black sheep" retailers should be targeted and robust. (In English): To conclude, the amendments are a positive step towards greater protection of consumers. I suggest that a one-stop centre, both physical and virtual, and a hotline for aggrieved customers be set up. In the same vein, enforcement against rogue businesses and traders should be speedy, resolute and robust. This is so that consumers can be better protected and not left in the lurch. SPRING must take ownership with its new powers. In short, I hope these questions and suggestions can be addressed for greater clarity and effectiveness. With that, I support this Bill.”
“The "agents" will source for the desired items and translate the description of the items into English. All transactions are between the customers and the "agents". Can these "agents" also be classified as suppliers since they procure the items for the customers from another source and sells directly to the customers, bearing in mind that these so-called "agents" are not agents nor are they representatives of the foreign suppliers? For sections 9(8) and 9(9), again, a distinction is made between "supplier" and "individual". Who is this "individual"? The Act defines "supplier". However, why is a distinction now made between "supplier" and "individual"? Will "individual" be defined in the Regulations"? Does "individual" have the same meaning as for sections 9(4)(e) and (f) and again in sections 10(6)(C) and 10(9)? Third, in section 9(10), the only penalty here is the extension of the specified period. But is this sufficient to deter the supplier or individual from non-compliance? If the recalcitrant supplier or individual has reached the last few years of the specified period, he can wilfully choose not to comply with any orders, knowing that it would be only another one or two years till the end of the specified period and nothing else would be done against him. For example, a recalcitrant supplier has been imposed with the maximum 10 years and during the last one or two years, he did not comply with an order under sections 9(4)(a) to (d) or sections 9(4)(e) or (f), can there be an extension of the specified period to more than 10 years under this provision? What if there had already been an earlier extension of the specified period to 10 years and the supplier or individual did not comply with the order under the above sections?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the amendments to enhance the protection for consumers and members of public who are faced with rouge traders and businesses. I draw attention to three specific areas of the amendment Bill which can be further elucidated. First, with reference to sections 9(4)(a), (b) and (c), the intention of these sections is to make it known to the public and potential consumers that there has been a declaration issued, or an injunction granted against the supplier for having engaged, is engaged or is likely to engage in an unfair practice. The actions required in these sections are thorough. However, can I suggest two much simpler ways that can be included if the intent of these provisions is to make it publicly known that a declaration had been issued, or an injunction had been granted against the supplier? One is to require the supplier to display prominently in the premises a notice that a declaration has been issued or an injunction granted against the supplier; and two, is to require the supplier to include on its website a notice of the declaration or injunction. This would also make it easier for STB to check for compliance with the publication requirement. Second, for sections 9(4)(e) and (f), I seek clarification on what is meant by the term "individual"? Does "individual" include a sole proprietor and anyone else who supplies goods without having a registered business? With more and more people doing online shopping with overseas suppliers, some have taken advantage of this by becoming so-called "agents" to assist local buyers, especially when the websites are in foreign languages. Customers pay these "agents" a fee for procuring items for them.”
“I thank the Minister for sharing the updates on the lower 20th percentile. With the early successes, we have done well with the lower-wage group. We have done well. But I think one area is the sandwich class, that is, those in the 30th to 60th percentiles. I think we can do more and do even better for that segment of the population. I hope MOM, together with our tripartite partners, will be able to go full force on this, particularly with this uncertain outlook in the economy.”
“I thank the Minister for the response to the question. I just have one point to suggest to MOM on the collation of retrenchment statistics. It is to pay more attention to some of these cases where they are "disguised retrenchments", meaning they may have, through "golden handshake" or some voluntary withdrawal service, laid off people in small numbers without notice of the public or even those within the companies. I think we should pay particular attention to these small numbers of disguised retrenchments so that we accurately reflect the retrenchment situation.”
“It should (a) enable workers to save on legal fees and not end up spending too much; (b) expedite the mediation process and shorten case processing time for workers; (c) also streamline the administration procedures; and (d) be able to solve the cases speedily. (In English): In conclusion, I applaud the setting up of the ECT. This watershed milestone offers even greater protection for workers in Singapore especially the PMEs who are a growing yet increasingly vulnerable segment of our workforce. It provides an inclusive, affordable and accessible advisory, alternative dispute resolution mechanism and adjudication. With this, I strongly support the Bill. Page: 83”
“Proper communications and cascading should be done such as simple infographics, workflow charts or pocket guides with frequently asked questions to explain the workings of the ECT and TADM in an easy to read and digestible manner in a variety of languages. Lastly, fifth, "effective and efficient". While the introduction of mediation before the ECT hearing is convened is a positive move, it should never prevent the aggrieved workers from having their claim delayed and their livelihood and work severely affected if the case can be summarily heard or an expedited hearing can be convened without the need for mediation. I, therefore, urge MOM to ensure that the ECT bear this in mind and expedite hearings which are provided for in this Bill so as not to be an encumbrance to clear, genuine, needy claimants and their claims. To add, it is recommended that presiding judicial officers of the ECT should be well-acquainted with employment and industrial relations issues and, in particular, unions and tripartism, so that they can be even more effective in carrying out their role in dispute resolution and adjudication. To stay effective and relevant, I further suggest that the claims limits be regularly reviewed and adjusted to stay relevant, inclusive and appropriate. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I support MOM's new Employment Claims Bill. In setting up the ECT, I urge MOM to look into five important aspects. It must be practical, effective, encompassing, accessible and enforceable, so that it not only benefits white-collar and blue-collar workers, but also protects freelancers, apprentices and interns.”
“Though the actual costs and prescribed fees of both steps have not been articulated, I suggest that the fees and charges should be made affordable and not exorbitant so that all collars Page: 82 of workers can gain access. For the second step of convening a hearing, the costs and fees should be reasonable and not deter workers who need to proceed for a hearing. At the same time, all the charges must reflect and correspond to the claim amount, and sufficient safeguards must be in place to prevent the floodgates of frivolous, vexatious or unsupported claims. Third, "enforcement and enforceability". It is good that the Bill states that if the dispute is settled at mediation or tripartite mediation, the parties must enter into a settlement agreement in the prescribed form. It is in section 7(1) of the Bill. The agreement will also be enforceable if it is registered in a District Court via section 7(3). Of course, whichever way, there is still the hassle of enforcing it by a writ of seizure and sale. I certainly hope that the enforcement process can be further streamlined, made hassle-free, easier and economical so that the claimant would not be subjected to further stresses when the other party is rogue. In fact, during yesterday's debate on the Administration of Justice Bill, I similarly urged that a more rigorous and robust enforcement regime be imposed for non-compliance of ECT judgments. Fourth, "ease of access". The ECT as well as the upcoming TADM should be easily accessible to all workers. In fact, the entire claims process from filing should be made simple and convenient for the layman.”
“On the whole, the coverage of ECT is now much wider than was previously the case under the Labour Court system which only applied to employees covered by the EA. As of now, there are 18 contractual and 43 statutory claims. I am aware our Tripartite Mediation covers an additional four areas. But I submit that MOM should support another review of the IRA to further expand the TMF to extend to areas beyond the 18/43 and the existing four areas to cover those areas not covered by the ECT, such as unfair dismissal of workers outside of the ambit of the EA. Or is it time to also review our EA again to relook at some of these dichotomies and whether they are still relevant, specifically, for the $4,500 limit which appears in the EA, to be removed, as even unions, too, face challenges from employers who often use this $4,500 as a proxy for scope of representation? In a similar vein, I submit we should also review the EA and that the ECT be further stretched to cover possibly new categories of workers, such as professional freelancers who are workers themselves whether in temporary, full-time, part-time or other arrangements especially when these freelancers are more vulnerable than employees themselves who are currently protected by the EA. In addition, a point of clarification which I have is whether those under apprenticeship agreements, including interns will have recourse to the ECT. I say this because we have many youths and even now new hires who are on such informal arrangements. Second, "economical". There are two steps when one takes on an ECT action. The first would be the filing of claim and mediation and the second would be the actual ECT hearing after mediation.”
“The ECT will have jurisdiction over 18 types of contractual employment claims and 43 types of statutory Page: 81 employment claims which are availed to all workers. The positive impact would be that the many, who used to have to file a civil suit, can now save the costs of engaging counsel to pursue their contractual claims. Fourth, it preserves the sanctity of tripartism and the unique tripartite framework via the setting up of TADM to advise and assist aggrieved employees in the entire claims journey. Fifth, I am glad Minister Lim shared that the ECT does not dilute the role of unions but complements and supports unionism. Union membership is encouraged as unions can and should assist and represent union members through the ECT process. I initially wanted to request the Minister to confirm for the purposes of Hansard recording that union officials, staff and representatives can represent union members throughout the ECT process from mediation to ECT hearing as union representation is not specifically stated in the Bill. I wanted to confirm if it will be done via regulations, and am glad the Minister earlier shared that it is allowed. I thank the Minister on behalf of the unions and the Labour Movement. In fact, for union members, besides representation by unions, as shared by the Minister earlier, TMF will also be similarly expanded with no salary limits and cover the four existing types of TMF claims over and above the 18 contractual and 43 statutory items where applicable. Having highlighted the five positive aspects of ECT, I submit five suggestions to further augment and do even better. I call them the "5Es" and what do these "5Es" stand for? Encompassing, Economical, Enforceable, Ease of Access and Effective. First, "encompassing".”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank MOM as well as the Minister for working closely with the Labour Movement and finally introducing this Bill which seeks to facilitate the expeditious resolution of employment disputes by providing for mediation of such disputes and the setting up of ECT. I also thank our tripartite partner, the Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF), for strongly supporting the setting up of ECT. With the growing number of PMEs in Singapore, I recall mooting the idea of setting up an ECT with our Tripartite Partners four years ago to look into mediating and resolving employment disputes, and I am elated that it is going to come into fruition. The setting up of the ECT is a landmark development in the area of employment law and industrial relations practice in Singapore. I applaud the setting up of the ECT for five reasons. First, the ECT is inclusive. It plugs the existing gap of the EA, which has a $4,500 salary cap for PMEs. The new ECT will be able to hear claims from all employees, regardless of their salary levels and whatever their position in the company. It even extends the scope to employees in Statutory Boards and prescribed public sector employees. In short, almost all workers, including all PMEs who are in a contract of service, will now benefit and have access to the ECT. Second, the ECT consolidates the Labour Court, which henceforth will not exist and fills the current lacuna in that the Small Claims Tribunal does not hear employment-related claims and disputes. Parties are encouraged to resolve employment disputes amicably by requiring parties to go through mediation before their cases are heard by the ECT. Third, the ECT will go beyond the existing coverage to what I call the 18/43 rule.”
“] With economic uncertainty and a weak global demand, retrenchment among Singapore's PMEs will rise. The situation is aggravated by unemployment caused by cyclical and structural forces as well as economic transformation. I hope the new WSG can pay attention to three areas. First, WSG should put in more resources to help PMEs to find a job that can maximise their potential. Second, the Adapt and Grow Programme and the PCP should be more responsive, relevant, flexible and comprehensive. We should also strengthen the outreach of the CSP so that more employers and employees can benefit. Third, I urge MOM to pay attention to the underemployment situation for highly educated people. In conclusion, our objective is for our workers to respect and enjoy their job, maximise their potential and cultivate a ready, relevant and resilient mindset. (In English): In conclusion, with the new WSG, we can and should use this opportunity to do more and do better to develop what I call the "Gen R" worker, one who is ready, relevant and resilient: Ready with new Skills, Relevant for new Jobs and Resilient to new changes. With that, I strongly support this Bill.”
“I urge more employers to step forward to partner our sectoral committees to offer even more PCPs in this tight labour market situation. Second, the Career Support Programme (CSP) is a good scheme to incentivise employers to hire PMEs especially those above 40 years of age. However, I feel there is a general lack of awareness by employers and PMEs alike on CSP despite it being implemented since October last year and further enhanced after the Committee of Supply debate this year. I suggest we strengthen our outreach of CSP. Besides wage support, emotional support of unemployed PMEs is also vital. The National Trade Unions Congress (NTUC) piloted a Career Activation Programme last year where we provide emotional and confidence building through a peer support network of volunteers who themselves have been through layoffs and are now in good jobs, whom we call career activists. We have expanded and extended this programme so as to confront the structural unemployment challenge. We look forward to WSG as well as potential employers partnering us in our journey. Third, a new clause is inserted by virtue of the amendment Bill. It is "to promote or undertake research in Singapore into matters relating to the Singapore workforce." I have articulated in this House before on more than one occasion and am urging again for WSG to undertake a research study into non-time-based underemployment in Singapore so that we are able to ascertain whether there is, indeed, this situation in Singapore with more Singaporeans being higher skilled and higher educated. The desired outcome is one where the potential of every worker is fully realised and maximised. Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“There are also companies which do not take proactive steps to redesign, recreate or resize the jobs or manage the change. Our society, too, must recognise and expect that we have a growing ageing workforce and that there will be an ever increasing number of PMEs, especially mature ones, in our midst. Third, the mismatch of jobs. There are cases where PMEs are not well-matched with their current jobs. They do jobs which they have neither passion nor interest for. Sometimes, the job size is too small or the quality of the job is not good. They become less motivated and less productive. There are those whose characters or personalities do not quite fit or match the kind of requirements the job entails. Then again, there are those who are over-skilled or over-qualified for the jobs, resulting in an underemployment situation. With WSG, I have three suggestions for it to do more and do better. First, I am particularly glad that many Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) have been rolled out under Adapt and Grow but I feel the Adapt and Grow programme also needs to adapt and grow. PCPs will have to be even more responsive, relevant and flexible across more sectors and more PME jobs because new jobs are created in new areas daily and we have what we call the "3G" jobs; jobs which are going, going, gone on a daily basis. We can and should mount greater efforts, dedicate more resources and do even better in facilitating, connecting and placing PMEs into good jobs. From my NTUC's U PME Centre team, I also know that some of the advertised PCPs in certain sectors, such as social services and Page: 32 healthcare are already completely filled and not taking in more Singaporeans.”
“At our National Trade Union Congress' (NTUC's) U PME Centre as well as e2i, we have also seen a surge in the past year in the number of PMEs coming to us to seek help, especially in the area of finding job placements. This year, I foresee that figure to stay high if not higher than last year, as the industries, sectors and positions affected by layoffs are mostly PMET ones. With the rapidly ageing workforce, I am particularly worried for those who are above 40 years of age as they take a much longer time to find employment and are more vulnerable to layoffs. I, therefore, submit that WSG should do more and do even better to help PMEs, particularly those above age 40, to connect them to good jobs. I submit that WSG needs to find ways to address and overcome three mismatches. They are the mismatch of skills, the mismatch of jobs and the mismatch of expectations. Despite many jobs posted on the National Jobs Bank, most jobs posted require some form of experience, skillset or expertise and, therefore, many Singaporeans may not fit the bill. Local PMEs may lack the requisite skills and experience and, possibly, the regional and international experience. This contributes to the structural challenge that we face as a country and I foresee we will face in the years to come. Second, mismatch of expectations. My colleagues at our U PME Centre and e2i have highlighted that there are some PMEs who go to them with unrealistic expectations in terms of the type of jobs and conditions. Then, I also hear of employers who lament and do not hire mature PMEs because they claim many of them cannot change, they cannot adapt to the new requirements expected of them, and a host of other ageist remarks.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to declare my interest as a board member of the WDA. I rise in support of the Workforce Development Agency (Amendment) Bill which reorganises WDA as WSG for short and refocuses its functions and duties in relation to SSG. I am glad to note that WSG's central mission is to enable Singaporeans to have quality jobs and careers and that it will ensure that industry, skills and jobs are transformed in sync. I particularly laud the fact that WSG will work towards ensuring locals remain in employment through the provision of employment facilitation and career services. The work of the new WSG is extremely crucial as Singapore enters into this period of economic uncertainty. Retrenchments were at 15,580 for 2015 and in the last four quarters alone have exceeded the 20,000 mark, with more than 10,000 contributed in the first half of this year. The situation is further aggravated by the fact that we have cyclical forces, structural forces as well as economic restructuring and transformation all in one go. The silver lining is that we have a tight labour market situation, foreign manpower is being contained and unemployment is relatively low compared to many other developed countries. Page: 31 Likewise, job creation continues as we see more than 60,000 jobs posted on the National Jobs Bank alone. Despite the large number of job postings, especially of professionals, managers and executives (PME) positions, one key trend, however, is the rise in the number of PMEs being affected by both cyclical and structural unemployment. Last year, among the 9,090 residents laid off, 71% were PMETs.”
“Although the Industrial Relations Act does provide for a specific procedure to follow for contempt proceedings, it is a two-step process which, I submit, can be better aligned with what is provided in this Bill and made more robust, effective and speedy. In the same vein, the sanctions offered in this new Bill also create a greater deterrent effect on those who contemplate to ignore the judgment and not treat it seriously. I submit we can do more to better align what is provided in the Industrial Relations Act to address contempt of Court with what is provided in this Bill, which will become law once passed. I have sounded the tripartite partners prior to this Sitting and they are supportive of this. Second, decisions and judgments by tribunals, such as the Small Claims Tribunal, Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal as well as the upcoming Employment Claims Tribunal, have also been left out of the ambit of this Bill. Taking into cognisance the fact that there are specific provisions in the respective legislation to address contempt, I submit that a more effective and robust enforcement and deterrence regime, such as those provided in this Bill, would have made enforcement of tribunal orders even more efficacious, expeditious and economical for the laymen to utilise such tribunals to resolve their disputes. In this respect, I urge more be done to strengthen and streamline the enforcement of tribunal orders and judgments. Notwithstanding, I strongly support the Bill.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill which consolidates the key elements of the law of contempt into statute, which is currently based on previous Court rulings. It provides greater clarity and certainty on what constitutes contempt. It will also ensure that Court orders are obeyed, that the right to a fair trial is preserved for everyone, and that the trust in the Judiciary is not eroded by attacks on its integrity. The new Bill sets out the definition of contempt of Court, defences available, as well as a framework of punishments that can be meted out. I appreciate this Bill. On the whole, it is a positive step forward. However, I have two observations and suggestions to make, not to reduce its weight and its punitive effect, but to further augment and strengthen the Bill and for it to stretch further. First, speaking as a labour Member of Parliament and practitioner of employment and industrial relations law, I had hoped that judgments awarded by the Industrial Arbitration Court (IAC) which is presided by a High Court judge would be covered within the definition of "Court" in section 2 of this Bill to give full force and weight to ensure compliance of the judgment. I say this with conviction because I was representing one of our unions in IAC two years ago where the Court had given a judgment for the union. In that case, the employer who was supposed to make due payment failed to do so despite reminders and dragged their feet for an extended period of time, to the detriment of the workers affected.”
“I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for the very comprehensive response and reply. I am aware that Temasek Holdings has about 8% of its portfolio in Europe. If you look at the actual numbers, we have large stakes in British Pounds like in Stan Chart, some in Lloyds, as well as in properties. How would that impact, because, as the Deputy Prime Minister has shared earlier, it might be prolonged, coupled with the fact that we have about 70% of our investments in both Asia and Singapore by Temasek Holdings and China has recalibrated itself the past year and the next couple of years? Bearing in mind also that, like last year, our Budget, moving ahead, would be highly dependent on Temasek's Net Investment Returns (NIRs). Will that, in a way, require us, as we prepare for Budget 2017 and beyond, to relook at our strategies and how we position ourselves and balance our books?”