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 18 of 19.
“Mdm Speaker, earlier in my speech, I asked the Acting Minister for more clarity on certain situations that fall within the auspices of section 14 as well as transfers which are tantamount or are covered within section 18(a). I was just asking the Minister whether his Ministry would be able to provide some answers and some clearer articulation on that.”
“The amendments will give better protection for them. Second, while amending the labour laws can be a very divisive process in many countries, in Singapore, however, the harmonious relationship between the tripartite partners made the amendment process very smooth. The result is better protection for workers' welfare which they rightfully deserve. Third, this amendment is only the first phase. The tripartite partners have already started the second phase discussion, focusing on low-income workers and the contract workers. I hope the tripartite partners can review and amend the Employment Act in the same spirit as in Phase 1, so that workers in Singapore can benefit. (In English): In conclusion, each time when our labour statutes are reviewed and amended, it represents an opportunity for us to better the lives of our workers. I would like to applaud the tripartite partners for making good strides in improving the Employment Act as this deck of amendments were the result of extensive tripartite consultations and discussions. It is yet another example of how our spirit of tripartism has enabled us to reach consensus on such a Page: 76 potentially divisive subject matter. In many countries, amendments to labour laws are agonising affairs, often resulting in industrial action or greater polarisation between the government, business and labour. This entire effort augurs well for Singapore. It aptly embodies our mature industrial relations system and responsible employers and trade unions that are able to look beyond their narrow interest to discuss issues objectively and reach agreement for everyone's benefit. 4.47 pm”
“I would like to understand further how this penalty regime can be enforced without any hidden deductions that workers will have to be worried about. Are employers allowed to impose fines at the workplaces to correct or dictate certain behaviours or Page: 75 indirectly recover loss? I am glad to note we have started tripartite discussions for Phase 2 of the Employment Act amendments, such as protection for employees in non-traditional work arrangements, such as contract workers and protection of vulnerable workers. With Phase 2 of Employment Act review, we are going into uncharted waters and there would be many grey areas to look at. I would like to call again for the same tripartite support and understanding as in Phase 1. During the recently concluded NTUC Ordinary Delegates Conference last month, many union leaders expressed concerns that contract workers who have regular breaks in service are not adequately protected by the Employment Act and face challenges in representing their interests. In terms of scope of representation for PMEs, we have to relook at how they can be better covered. NTUC and our affiliated unions are glad there is positive development in the drive by NTUC to amend the Industrial Relations Act to enable all our rank-and-file unions to collectively bargain for PMEs. In defining who constitutes as a PME, we hope to look at stretching the eligibility criteria for union representation to as many PMEs as possible, excluding only the really senior or top management. Mdm Speaker, in Chinese. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Union is very pleased to see that MOM is amending the Employment Act. There are three points that are praiseworthy. First, there are more and more PMEs in the workforce.”
“This results in them having little to no protection even though their length of service is recognised and there is a retrenchment benefits clause because the final employer may not have the means to pay the retrenchment benefits. It has been suggested that where there is evidence to suggest that the restructuring is not bona fide and that the transfer would be detrimental to the interests of the workers, the workers or union could raise the matter to the Commissioner of Labour with a view of delaying or preventing a transfer. I seek MOM for assurance that the Commissioner of Labour will scrutinise such repeated transfers and be prepared to exercise his powers where the transfer is to the detriment of the workers. In addition, for greater clarity and expediency, I urge MOM to issue guidelines to clarify on section 18A transfers; first, to set out what information that the transferor/transferee must give to unions/employees; and secondly, a clearer definition of what situations and scenarios are covered under section 18A transfers, such as whether section 18A applies where the business of a company under receivership or judicial management is transferred. How about a transfer of shares scenario? Section 18A(1)(a) refers to "a person employed" by the transferor. Does it mean an "employee", as the next sub-section refers to an employee? I would like to thank MOM for safeguarding the interests of workers in enhancing the enforcement powers, coupled with a higher penalty regime to deter potential contraventions of the Employment Act. My concern is with instances where unscrupulous employers impose their own set of fines on their employees to recover their costs of damaged goods, meals, etc, which will be categorised as unauthorised deductions after the amendments.”
“This is in response to changing job cycles and tenure with a growing mobility of our workforce. I would like to use this opportunity to highlight that this would mean that all Collective Agreements between the Union and Company should be on par with this reduced qualifying period and that MOM in its conciliation and arbitration efforts to take cognisance of this new eligibility period since the amendments will take effect soon after this Bill has been passed. In reviewing section 18A of the Employment Act, it would be useful to consider that in most acquisitions, the company that took over will usually be bigger and have more resources or manpower. As current provisions only assure that prevailing terms and conditions, such as pay and benefits, remain the same, we have not really addressed the issue of union recognition and representation through existing Collective Agreements during a change of company entity. This is of concern because when the new ownership fails, workers will bear the brunt of job losses and income. Page: 74 While I applaud the amendments where the pre-existing Collective Agreement will be protected for at least 18 months when the business is transferred, it would be far better to safeguard employees' interests by ensuring that the acquiring company would be required to recognise the union for the taken over entity. Similarly, an issue that has been raised by my fellow union leaders is the problem of successive section 18A transfers within a short period. This may involve workers transferred from big MNCs to companies which are smaller and financially weaker.”
“I also seek clarification whether one should use the contractually agreed hours or 44 hours stipulated in the Employment Act as the denominator for the calculation of overtime payment. This is an area I hope MOM can clarify as I know of many of my union members and workers, by the very nature of their Page: 73 job, work contractually less than the 44 hours per week prescribed in the Act. On the issue of leave computation, when I spoke to our union members who are working as airline cabin crew, when it comes to calculation of leave benefits and entitlements, their flight allowance is not factored in when in fact their flight allowances are almost as regular as standard allowances. Is there any way to close this disparity in our interpretation of pay? The proposed amendments will be excluding cosmetic consultations and procedures which are not medically necessary for reimbursement by employer. This is a common practice. But my concern is with the definition of "for cosmetic purposes", which is sufficiently vague. In some professions, what is cosmetic in nature may well be an imperative for the worker for purposes of his health or work. Moreover, how would an employer know or is able to ascertain? What are the implications to privacy? I urge for greater articulation on what exactly is "for cosmetic purposes" and how a worker, employer or layman is to ascertain that? Does it mean an employer has the right to ask what the "MC" is for and the employee must disclose? With globalisation and greater market competition, it is likely that we will see a greater frequency of company restructuring taking place. On retrenchment benefits, I am happy to note that the qualifying period will be reduced to two years pursuant to the proposed amendments.”
“I am glad to note that the header of section 14 has been tidied and that recourse to section 14 will now be availed to PMEs earning up to $4,500, subject to a service period in section 14(2). My question is whether constructive dismissals, forced resignations, non-renewals of contracts and non-confirmation during probation are covered under section 14. If so, I hope that the mediation officers and the courts consider each case on its merits. With proliferation and use of electronic devices, for purposes of section 10(5), whether notice of termination of contract as stipulated in the Act in electronic forms, for example, emails, SMSes are classified as "written", as I believe to be so, by virtue of recent changes to relevant evidentiary legislation. I am glad that we have raised the salary threshold of non-workmen under Part IV to $2,500 from the current $2,000. This is a positive step forward, as median salaries have risen since the last set of amendments in 2008 which were effective 1 January 2009 and more workers will now enjoy overtime pay. I personally look forward to the day when we can do away with this dichotomy of workmen versus non-workmen, a distinction which, at times, confuses industrial relations practitioners, lawyers and in-house counsels. On the subject of overtime payment calculation, given the five-day work week that most companies have already moved on to, and, in some companies, the practice of working less than the usual 44 hours prescribed in the Act, would it be correct to say that overtime payment should be payable beyond the contractual working hours or 44 hours, whichever is the lower?”
“Some may ask, "Why the need for these amendments when most companies already have rigorous HR frameworks and policies?" The stark truth is that there may be residual cases of malpractices or sheer ignorance. The Minister himself highlighted during last weekend's WorkRight campaign that MOM had 22,000 Singaporeans coming to MOM to get help for employment issues. There are still employees out there suffering from breach of basic rights, such as maternity benefits, retrenchments and unfair dismissal. We do require the employment laws to adequately address workplace and employment issues and inequities more effectively. In the same vein, we need our labour legislation to be regularly reviewed to stay relevant and balance the rights and responsibilities of both the employer and employee, especially in these rapidly changing employment and labour profile and evolving market. I am happy to note that the second phase of the Employment Act review is underway and I urge that we continue with this pro-active and pre-emptive approach towards our labour legislation to stay current and relevant with a maturing economy and workforce. Page: 72 As we have a more sophisticated workforce, depending solely on legislation to foster a fair workplace would not be sufficient. Many PMEs hope that the Government can put in place a more rigorous fair employment framework and guidelines. I am glad to note these sentiments have been well addressed by MOM with the recent introduction of the Fair Consideration Framework and the robust treatment of discriminatory job advertisements. I would like to devote the next part of my speech to examine areas within the amended Act for greater articulation and clarity.”
“I welcome and commend the extension of scope of the Act to cover PMEs earning up to $4,500, bearing in mind the median income of Singaporeans was $3,480 in 2012. There are several key issues driving this set of Employment Act amendments. First, the increasing proportion of PMEs in our workforce represents an important shift as they will eventually become the majority of our workforce in future. Currently, PMEs make up about 32% of our workforce. As for PMETs, the current one-to-one ratio with rank-and-file workers is projected to increase to two-thirds of the working population by 2030. To underscore this shift, there has also been an exponential growth of degree holders from 308,000 Page: 71 in 2002 to 622,000 in 2012. This is more than a two-fold increase. With this extension, more than half of the resident PMEs in Singapore of about 300,000 workers will benefit from the above amendments. This expanded impact will spur employers to ensure that their HR policies are contemporaneous and in adherence with the law. PMEs earning up to $4,500 will now have added protection and have recourse when they are terminated or when they have been unfairly dismissed, but with one-year minimum service period for dismissal with notice. I know this is important because it will provide an added safety net to all PMEs, whether they are male or female, or whether they are young or not-so-young. NTUC lobbied for this fervently as there are many mature PMEs who may be susceptible. By the same token, PMEs would also have recourse for salary payments, unauthorised deductions, public holiday entitlements and statutory paid sick leave. Female PMEs will now have recourse to maternity protection and benefits provided in the Employment Act.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in strong support of the amendments to the Employment Act which would help address the concerns of workers in Singapore, in particular, the Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) with respect to their workplace rights and protection. As part of the Labour Movement, I have been advocating for these changes, in particular, stretching of scope and coverage of PMEs who have been deeply affected in many ways. Since entering this House, we have been starting tripartite discussions and looking at how we can better protect PMEs. I am particularly impressed by how forward-looking MOM and the Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF) have been in our negotiations and in enabling these changes for the betterment of the workforce of today and tomorrow. It has given me added faith and confidence in the spirit of tripartism in Singapore. The two major changes of protecting PMEs earning up to $4,500 with all Parts of the Act save for Part IV, and the changes in Part IV of reducing the non-entitlement period of retrenchment benefits period from three to two years, and the raising of non-workmen salary ceiling from $2,000 to $2,500 are indeed positive steps. The changes are not just mere enhancements but a milestone change in terms of how we anchor protection and include PMEs under the statutory umbrella since the promulgation of the Employment Act in 1968. I am especially heartened that we were able to forge a consensus together with our tripartite partners in defining what is good for workers and businesses, taking into consideration the major shifts in workforce demographic profile, changes in the employment landscape and volatile market conditions.”
“On behalf of NTUC and the Labour Movement, I thank the Acting Minister for Manpower for rolling out the Fair Consideration Framework as well as the National Jobs Bank. If I may ask the Acting Minister with respect to this national jobs bank, whether the jobs that are published in that 14-day period, are they for Singaporean PMEs only to apply, to access, or is it a transparent open one for anyone?”
“Madam, I thank the Second Minister for the answer. Three supplementary questions. First, we have received feedback from our NTUC Tourist Guide Chapter activists that some of these unlicensed guides are still operating and the investigations, when reported, take quite a while before enforcement action is taken. My question is: what is MTI and STB doing with regard to that? Secondly, we are aware that foreigners are needed for certain native languages, but are MTI and STB considering ring-fencing this profession to Singaporeans as they act as ambassadors for Singapore? Finally, how do MTI and STB intend to further promote professionalism in the industry?”
“It is, therefore, important for NTUC and our Unions to be able to stretch the scope of representation, as well as in the Collective Agreement, to allow even more PMEs in their workplaces to be covered. This will be both in terms of collective representation as well as areas of limited representation. At the same time, we should also see how we can augment the current tripartite mediation process, including the areas of dispute which has been catered for PMEs. The Industrial Relations Act should be reviewed to facilitate and augment our current efforts to enable unions to individually and collectively represent even more PMEs. I urge employers, including MOM, to help facilitate this as NTUC presses full steam ahead on our outreach and advocacy for PMEs.”
“In the same vein, there is also a need to revise the laws to protect the vulnerable groups of workers and also review provisions in the Act to stay current and relevant with a changing employment landscape and rising wages. As such, we pushed for the need to raise the non-workmen salary levels, currently set at $2,000 within the Act, to keep pace with the rising salaries of the Page: 79 workforce. For low-wage workers, we advocated for the mandatory provision of payslips and employment contracts. In the wish list, we also asked for greater protection of outsourced workers and those on short contract terms, and recognition of medical certificates from Traditional Chinese Medicine physicians. In view of shorter employment periods and terms these days, we advocated for the reduction of the three-year time bar to qualify for payment of retrenchment benefits. Finally, I also asked for the upward revision of the maximum amount of claims under the priority of debts provision in section 328 of the Companies Act as that amount has remained unchanged despite rising median salaries since 20 years ago. Our current labour laws allow the formation of two types of unions, namely, the executive union and the rank-and-file union. Executive unions cover and it can represent PMEs. Besides collective representation of rank-and-file workers, rank-and-file unions currently can individually represent junior executives for limited areas like retrenchment, breach of contract, victimisation and unfair dismissal. In fact, last year, UWEEI, a rank-and-file union, actually represented 35 PMEs individually when they took up their PME members' case to the Industrial Arbitration Court in relation to payment of their retrenchment benefits.”
“By the same token, they have shared about the lack of insurance coverage in the event of an injury sustained in the course of work. I would like to urge that service buyers be made to provide work injury insurance for these freelance professionals as part of their contracts. Until such time this is done, I urge buyers of services and those who contract freelancers to do work to cover them with work injury insurance so that they are protected when carrying out work as part of the contract. Singapore's workforce demographic profile and median wages have changed and risen over the years. In my maiden speech in this House in 2011, I urged the Government to look into a review of our labour legislation, in particular the Employment Act, to better protect this growing number of PMEs. For a start, I asked specifically to look at increasing the scope of coverage of our Employment Act to cover this growing populace of PMEs. I repeated that call again during Budget and COS last year, and I am glad and thankful to the Minister for Manpower for acting on that request and announcing that his Ministry will review the Employment Act during his Ministry's Workplan Seminar on 17 April last year. NTUC has since consulted our unions and leaders and then shared our wish list for the various amendments it sought. Our leaders agreed that more protection for PMEs should be availed through the Employment Act. PMEs, like rank-and-file workers, are these days subject to termination and dismissal and have little recourse, save for civil suits, whose costs may far outweigh the benefits.”
“The number of freelance PMEs or professional freelancers is also on the rise and was last recorded at about 170,000. They also represent another major vulnerable group of PMEs as they do not have the traditional support of employers in benefits such as medical coverage, work injury insurance, union representation and so on. As independent contractors, they are subject to the terms imposed on them by the buyers of their services. It is often a "Big Fish versus Small Fish" scenario as the freelance professional is often battling it out alone and may not have the deepest of pockets. Often, their only economically viable recourse is through the Small Claims Tribunal but there are its limitations and constraints. I have outreached and engaged many freelance professionals and they share that seeking timely payment for the services they have rendered is often a challenge. Unlike unionised employees, they are not able to seek the help of Page: 78 a union to represent them in these cases. I would, therefore, like to call upon MOM to look into their plight and to see how the interests, welfare and work conditions of freelance professionals can be better looked after. This can be in the form of specialised dispute resolution mechanisms to relevant guidelines to set minimum standards for operators or businesses to comply with in the engaging of freelancers. We could possibly pilot with certain industries with larger numbers of freelancers, such as the creative industry which has more than 30,000 in the profession. Other than late or non-payments, contract terms severely unfavourable to them, such as the surrender of complete intellectual property rights to their concept, idea, photo, design, script or score, are often another challenge that freelancers have to bear.”
“Mature PMEs aged 40 and above are often the most vulnerable segment in any downturn or company restructuring. If they lose their jobs, they are often unable to start afresh with the same salary should they go into a new industry or join another new company. They are also often saddled with housing mortgages, financial commitments, supporting their children's education and looking after their parents and their in-laws. We have seen an increase in the relative percentage and number of PMEs being retrenched in the past few years and they mostly fall into the mature category. What can MOM do better to look after the interests and welfare of these mature PMEs to be affected in such restructuring exercises as they have the most to lose? We should take action to provide mature PMEs greater confidence in their future by providing training and post-graduate support to them should they be keen to further their knowledge and professionalism. I, therefore, urge MOM to seriously look at second skilling all PMEs, especially those mature PMEs, so that they can weather any financial storm. The second skill can be in any area of the PMEs' passion and interest. For example, a banker may have strong events management or counselling abilities. In the event of a downturn and layoff, he or she can then take up work outside of the banking environment and work in an events company or even join the social service sector to put his or her counselling skills to good use and also make a living. Second skilling, coupled with a full-fledged career placement service, would be a great boon to PMEs, especially mature PMEs. Most importantly, employers must change their mindsets about the hiring of mature PMEs, and I hope the Civil Service will also lead the way in this.”
“WDA's Caliberlink has been doing some of this work but I foresee a serious need to further enhance the capabilities from a systemic level to map and mentor young PMEs towards fulfilling their life and career aspirations. For female PMEs, there is some work-life enhancement through the WOW! fund to encourage employers and ease our female PMEs to manage their careers and take care of their families. However, we can do more in this. I have mentioned in my speeches that if women are not able to handle both important aspects well to their expectations, they would always be compelled to give up their careers for the sake of their families. Yet, we also do not do anything for stay-at-home moms to recognise their contributions towards their families and our society. I would like to repeat my call again for stay-at-home moms to be given top-ups in their Medisave and Special Accounts. As for flexible work arrangements, I would like to join labour Nominated Member of Parliament Ms Mary Liew and several others in this House to repeat my call again for it to be legislated so that employees have the right to request for such arrangements. In examining the contributions of female PMEs, they should not be judged by face time in the office but measured in actual work outcomes. For our female PMEs, the decision to have a family is a difficult one. The measures that we have introduced in the Marriage and Parenthood package have been useful to a certain extent. To augment, we need to look at re-designing the way we work, childcare and living arrangements such that it will not be a mad rush from one point to the other, and that employers have a stake Page: 77 in their employees' families' well-being.”
“Madam, during the Budget debate, my fellow labour Members have touched on the needs of various groups of workers, and myself touched on the challenges confronting Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). Our collective message was to value every worker, and my message was to value every PME. I submit that we need to look beyond what the Budget provides and into existing laws, guidelines, policies and programmes to ensure we stay relevant and to cater to this growing population of PMEs in Singapore to ensure they stay future-ready Page: 76 and are future-proof. From a policy perspective, I am glad that MOM has taken on my suggestion and is seriously looking into labour market testing, tightening the Employment Pass and S Pass framework. And all these are laudable steps towards advancing the interests of our local PMEs. I hope to hear from the Minister how long he targets this analysis of labour market testing to complete. For young PMEs, they are often caught between choosing the job of their passion or meeting their financial needs and paying off their study loans. Regardless of the choice they make, they are often at the mercy of the terms and conditions of their prospective employers. If they choose their passion, there could be insufficient good employment opportunities. Even in jobs they seek for a living, they may sometimes be coerced to accept contract work and exploited on inferior terms compared to their peers. My fellow Labour Member Mr Alex Yam has also shared on this issue in this House. There is a lack of mentoring programmes that will guide young PMEs to make wise career choices suiting their strengths and potential.”
“In the same vein, I have personally seen many abandoned bicycles at MRT stations and void decks as some of these bicycles cost little. Will MOT study the feasibility of the issuance of licence for bicycles as in decades ago, with a serial number attached and linked to an owner, so that people who flout traffic rules or law and abandon their bicycles or when these bicycles are stolen, they can Page: 37 be more easily traced and enforcement action taken?”
“Madam, in the Nee Soon East constituency, we have a few major foreign worker dormitories with more than 10,000 foreign workers situated within a stone's throw away from the HDB flats. Early last year, acting on feedback of overcrowding of feeder bus service 811 exacerbated by foreign workers in the nearby dormitories who use the feeder service as well, our grassroots worked with the dormitory operator and helped appeal for a private bus operator to run a feeder service customised for the foreign workers in the dormitory. However, earlier this year during my block visits, residents shared with me and I have confirmed that the overcrowding of the same bus service has come back, filled by the spillover from the foreign workers. In fact, even without the foreign workers, the bus is already very crowded and many residents have to wait for the third and fourth bus to board. I am, therefore, asking MOT to seriously look into the mandatory provision of transport for the tens of thousands of foreign workers from their dormitories directly to their place of work, as they add to the strain on our public transport system, especially feeder services, as, in my case, during the busy time windows daily. Secondly, many of us have also seen many cyclists cycling in void decks and walkways which is illegal and poses a danger to residents, especially the elderly and the young. Many of our constituencies have rolled out education and enforcement efforts as well as building obstacles to impede and building specialised bicycle paths around the neighbourhood. The challenge is that many still flout the rules because it is convenient and easy to do so. What more can MOT do to curb this besides the creation of more cycling paths?”
“Mdm Chair, I would like to ask the Minister a question regarding utilisation of MediSave monies. Many workers and Page: 139 residents I speak to lament that they cannot bring their MediSave monies with them to the grave. Perhaps, the Minister can share with us what is the amount of MediSave monies left in the CPF account holders of those who have passed on – on the average.”
“With a rapidly greying population and a stressful living environment, I would also like to ask the Minister to look at expanding the scope of MediSave usage, be it for inpatient or outpatient care and treatment. The maximum amount of MediSave to be withdrawn with respect to different treatments should also be reviewed with increasing healthcare costs. Page: 70 We need to have an integrated approach between different Ministries to take care of the needs of those in this silver tsunami. One example is that with age, there are more orthopaedic conditions requiring the use of MRI scans. MediSave usage is currently allowed only for inpatient MRI, but not outpatient. In the same vein, can MOH look into re-classifying non-standard drugs used for chronic disease management such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, stroke and so on to standard drugs so that thousands of Singaporeans will benefit. Also, can MOH share, on average, based on all CPF MediSave account holders, how much MediSave monies are left behind after they have passed on? By the same token, I also hope to hear from the Ministry sharing more on the Seniors Mobility and Enabling Fund to subvention of assistive devices, aids, transportation and consumables? MediSave”
“Madam, I would first like to thank MOH for responding to my call during COS last year, and joining hands with NTUC, our healthcare cluster of unions and institutions to form a tripartite workgroup looking at progressive wages and productivity for the healthcare cluster. The Progressive Wage Model implemented has started to raise the salaries and productivity of the lower wage earners in our public healthcare institutions. Next, the increasing cost of dental treatment in Singapore is putting people off regular dental check-ups until such time they get a throbbing pain. This is especially so with our senior citizens who need it the most. I recently had to embark on a dental treatment at the National Dental Centre because of a chipped molar and the entire treatment cost me almost $3,000 because of root canal, gum surgery plus a crown. I, therefore, urge MOH in its review of the healthcare financing framework to address this issue of affordability of dental care and treatment, the use of MediSave for certain dental procedures, including for crowns – which, in my case – was not for cosmetic purposes. I further submit that with the increasing number of elderly suffering from mental illnesses, there is an urgent need to increase the number of nursing homes for the elderly with dementia and other psychiatric illnesses. Currently, Singapore has 60 nursing homes with about 9,300 over beds, and only a few of these are catered to the elderly with psychiatric conditions. By the same token, I am equally concerned and thus am requesting for MOH to look into setting clear and specific standards and quality of care across our nursing homes, daycare centres and the intermediate- and long-term care sector as a whole.”
“Madam, the Small Claims Tribunal (SCT) has been kept busy and efficiently handled numerous small claims for a whole range of claims. My residents, as well as some of the freelance professionals whom I have come into contact with, have shared with me the limitations of the Small Claims route. The issue is not with the process and getting the order but the costs of litigation if one seeks to enforce the small claims judgement. For example, if the amount of judgement claims is $1,000 or even $5,000, the cost to enforce, if the losing party refuses to pay, may render it not worthwhile to take further civil action. Can MinLaw help plug this lacuna and provide some recourse for the claimants who have judgement in hand? In line with my earlier point on enforcement of small claims is the incidence of small companies which are liable to pay under a small claims judgement and end up winding up the company and setting up shop under another company and a new name. The claimant is often left in the lurch. Can MinLaw do something to help such claimants? And, finally, with an increase in our population and the rising number of household units and the close proximity of neighbours, the frequency of Page: 42 disputes between neighbours is likely to increase. It can be noise, smoke, dripping water, excessive items along corridors, to invasion of space. Besides community mediation, a Magistrate's Complaint, and show cause action by the Police, can we not set up a tribunal for neighbourly disputes which should incorporate compulsory mediation, penalty provisions and establishing community norms? Community Mediation”
“As Adviser to the Union of Security Employees and previously its Executive Secretary prior to March 2011, I have met with numerous security officers on the ground as well as many security agency owners. From their feedback and Page: 136 my many years of interaction with the industry, I strongly recommend and propose that an agency or unit be set up to take up the role of industry re-development to raise the profile, image and professionalism of the private security industry so that the private security officers will serve with pride, be treated with respect by members of the public and become a force to be reckoned with. The issue of crime within our housing communities has always been a major bugbear and I understand that there is already initial success with CCTV deployment. However, I would like to call for the enhancement of our capabilities to prevent and detect crime and offences through the dynamic, flexible and intensification of deployment and use of CCTVs in areas where residents have provided feedback about the visible presence of any form of criminal or illegal activities. My final concern is with the issue of large numbers of foreign workers loitering, congregating, making noise and sometimes also drinking within the HDB heartlands. The situation is particularly exacerbated in HDB heartlands such as in my constituency where the foreign worker dormitories are in close proximity. I therefore appeal for both a multi-agency and ministry approach which will be able to deliver firm, swift and more resolute areas of education, enforcement and deterrent measures against offenders and would-be offenders so that they can deal with this problem.”
“Sir, I am speaking specifically for MHA to look into ICE. I do not mean the controlled drug but ICE as in the acronym, "I" for Image of the private security industry, "C" for Capability enhancement through closed circuit TV deployment and "E" for Enforcement against assembly of foreign workers in HDB heartlands. In the past eight years, the private security industry has undergone much job re-creation and industry re-development. Since the setting up of the Security Industry Regulatory Department in 2004 and the formation in 2005 of the Tripartite Security Industry Forum, involving the tripartite partners which included the Union of Security Employees, we have seen much improvement to the wages and training of officers and standards of security agencies. There are now the mandatory Security WSQ training programmes and mandatory grading of the private security agencies. There is also now a workgroup looking at raising the productivity and working out the progressive wage model for the industry. Although much work has been done by the Union as well as the security associations and the regulators, there remains a perennial issue of the image of private security officers and the industry as a whole. The private security industry plays a vital role alongside our main security forces. In fact, in many instances, they are the first responders to any incident. The Security Industry Regulatory Department's key focus is as a regulator. We need a driver as well and not just a regulator only to enhance the image, capabilities and attractiveness of this vital force for our nation, the private security industry.”
“As a result of the skills upgrading, they earn a higher salary of around $2,500 to $4,000, as compared to $2,000 to $3,000 previously. To date, there are 23 under this programme. Finally, I am happy that the Budget has introduced an Enhanced Training Support Scheme for certifiable courses supported by the Workforce Development Agency. This initiative is particularly targeted at SMEs. PMEs currently enjoy much lower course fee subsidy and absentee payroll funding than rank and file workers. In this Budget, both the course fee funding and absentee payroll have been further enhanced, and both rank and file and PMEs now enjoy the same amount of higher course fee subsidy and absentee payroll funding. In fact, I submit that our PMEs should better equip themselves in this uncertain global economic landscape by second-skilling and preparing themselves so that they can fall back on their second skill to stay employed and employable in the event of any economic downturn. Mdm Speaker, overall, I am happy and thank the Government for a very pro-worker Budget. More than that, I can see that the Government is heeding our NTUC's call to also look after the needs and interests of PMEs. It is my wish that in this three-year transition process, I want to see fair opportunities for PMEs, fair treatment of PMEs and also fair wages for them. This will then help set the stage for better jobs, better pay and better life for them and all towards a better Singapore. Mdm Speaker, in supporting the Budget, I would like to leave with the notion that much work remains ahead and cut out for us to transform our workplaces, society and our economy. Most importantly, we must value every PME, not just PMEs, but strive to value every worker in this transition and transformation process. 2.44 pm”
“As part of this PWM which NTUC and the Labour Movement is advocating, Singapore Power (SP), a unionised company of UPAGE (the Union of Power and Gas Employees), under our NTUC's Oil, Petroleum, Energy and Chemical (OPEC) Cluster has been in constant pursuit to improve productivity. SP, the leader of the industry, believes in building a strong Singaporean core and raising wages and productivity. SP has put in place a structured path for Technician to progress to Senior Technician; and thereafter to Technical Officer; Senior Technical Officer; and to an Engineer which earns as much as $7,000 per month. One such example is Mr Abdul Rahman bin Suthamoo who joined SP as a Technician Apprentice. He underwent structured training and within three years, he became a fully qualified Technician. Last year, he completed his diploma through SP's sponsorship and is now a Technical Officer. He has now set his sights on moving up the Progressive Wage ladder to become a full fledged engineer, just like many of his other colleagues who have also taken on degrees and higher degree qualifications and moved up the PWM ladder. Another PWM example would be the Aerospace and Aviation Cluster, a unionised company under SISEU (the Singapore Industrial and Services Page: 64 Employees' Union). ST Aerospace Services Company Pte Ltd needed FAA-licensed technicians to service certain US-registered aircraft. They used to get sub-contractors from Philippines to do this due to a lack of inspectors. Under the programme, the company trains competent technicians to take on the role and become inspectors. Technicians are chosen based on their skills and abilities, regardless of their educational qualifications.”
“This is particularly Page: 63 important as it positively affects the jobs and livelihood of our junior to mid-level PMEs which include many middle-income or the sandwiched class. In fact, this is a second round of measures after the stricter requirements were introduced during last year's Budget. The introduction of the Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) was somewhat unexpected to me. Even more unexpected was that the Government did not cut off the eligibility at the median wage or for just low-wage workers as in many previous schemes but have extended to those who earn up to $4,000 per month. This will serve to benefit the junior to mid-level PMEs, including PMEs entering the workforce as they earn between $2,000 and $4,000 per month. In fact, the figure of $4,000 covers 70% of our workforce. When I met a group of PMEs last Thursday night for an informal dialogue and shared about the WCS, many did not realise that even PMEs are impacted through this Scheme and may well enjoy wage increases as the ceiling for the wage credit had been unusually stretched beyond the median salary range of up to $4,000. In more ways than one, it is not the usual Budget. Earlier on, my fellow Labour Member Mr Zainal Sapari shared on how the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) has helped low-wage workers. I wish to add that the PWM which the Deputy Prime Minister Tharman mentioned in his Budget speech applies not just to low-wage workers but to PMEs as well, as the objective is to work towards raising productivity and wages at all levels.”
“Hence, as shared on many occasions, there is the need to also examine the merits of a "quantitative" approach such as imposing a Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) on foreign PMEs. And as we discuss the various possibilities, we should take immediate steps to identify key sectors and companies that have high proportion of foreign PMEs today. Upon identifying them, we need to exert some impetus for them to take conscious and concerted steps and efforts to re-balance the ratio to strengthen the Singaporean Core. We recognise that the change cannot happen overnight, but they should at least be made aware that our Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices do state in clear and explicit terms that companies are expected to take reasonable efforts to attract and develop Singaporeans. As such, more can be done to change their mindsets and practices even before the new measures are eventually introduced. The top management such as the CEOs and the Boards of Directors, including their Human Resource teams, must recognise that valuing every local PME is a step forward but a big leap towards a better Singapore. Notwithstanding, I am glad to note that the voice of the Labour Movement has been heard and that the Government is prepared to change and have committed to looking into the possibility of introducing some form of labour market testing to allay the fears, concerns and challenges faced by our local PMEs. In the same vein, I am glad that in this year's Budget, the Government has announced firm and resolute measures such as raising the S Pass minimum salary to $2,200 and further tightening on the eligibility criteria for the Employment Passes (EP) especially at the entry level of EP.”
“In fact, I am heartened and happy when the Budget was delivered last week that the Government has responded to NTUC's call and is embarking on a closer study into a framework that will give fair opportunities and considerations to Singaporeans in their hiring practices which are in alignment with the principles behind labour market testing. Many Singaporeans and union leaders I spoke to recognise and accept the need for foreign workers to help supplement our local workforce and also do jobs which many Singaporeans shun. However, many are concerned with the high concentration of foreign PMEs in particular sectors and industries. I recently met a mature PME in his fifties. He has sterling qualifications and has taken both local and global roles. He was employed at a senior level in the Page: 62 financial sector. He was unfortunately laid off abruptly. After he left, his role was assumed by a foreign PME and at a package with expatriate benefits. By the same token, I have received feedback from a senior management in a large multinational conglomerate sharing how his organisation hired a foreign PME to do an administrative and support role which he felt a local PME could easily have assumed or taken. Such are the anecdotal evidence I have. However, I do agree that MOM will have to study this concept of labour market testing more deeply. The reason being that a "qualitative" approach to labour marketing testing can either be too tight or too loose. Framed too tight, companies will find the hiring process too onerous and cumbersome. On the other hand, if framed too loosely, the concerns of local PMEs are not addressed and solved.”
“Overseeing NTUC's newly-minted PME Alignment Unit, I also had the opportunity to speak to and engage many PMEs in Singapore prior to and after the Budget. They range from young PMEs to mature PMEs to female PMEs, including freelance PMEs. They shared with me on a variety of issues and challenges they face as they are from different life stages. Reflecting on the Budget that was delivered last week and some of the views shared by the PMEs I met, I am glad that some firm and resolute steps were taken by the Government to look into some of these challenges that our local PMEs face and addressing them from various angles. Since August 2011, during the Budget debate and Committee of Supply 2012 and then again recently during the recent debate on the White Paper, I have voiced and advocated on behalf of NTUC and the Labour Movement for labour market testing as well as having a foreign PME dependency ratio. The main purpose of the Labour Market Test is for companies to show evidence that they have carried out the necessary steps such as advertising the jobs and carrying out the due diligence and show proof that no local worker can be found to fill a particular job vacancy before they are allowed to employ a foreign worker. This is practised widely across many countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. I had also shared and suggested on several occasions the need to also look at a foreign PME dependency ratio for certain sectors and industries with excessive numbers of foreign PMEs.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Budget that would help to address the current challenges and future needs of Singaporean workers, especially for the lower and middle income. This is a Budget that will spell long-term changes for Singapore's economy and I am heartened that our workers are placed right in the centre of our Government's considerations. Every worker's gain from this Budget will translate into a better life for them and their families. I am also touched by the common aspirations that have been drawn up for the context of Budget 2013 in that the Government recognises that we would like to have a strong sense of identity and belonging, and that Singapore can be truly a home for our children and future generations. Rather than to term this as a "Robin Hood" Budget, as some analysts have said, I would prefer to describe this as a Budget that values every worker, from the rank and file to the Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). This is not just about simply taxing the rich and distributing to the lower income. This is about a Budget that has set aside specific long-term resources to help different groups of workers at different life stages. My fellow Labour Members, Mr Heng Chee How and Mr Zainal Sapari, have just shared their views and wishes for matured and low-wage workers as part of this debate and their wishes for these two groups of workers. In fact, last Page: 61 Monday, as I was listening intently to the Budget speech, I looked at the Budget from the lens of a PME and listed out what the Government has in this Budget fleshed out for our PMEs, the middle income, or otherwise known as the sandwiched class.”
“With the above, I support the White Paper and amendments as earlier moved by the hon Member, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, for its long-term strategic view of continuing Singapore's success story. 5.29 pm”
“The Singapore Core should remain, the healthcare sector should continue to hire Singaporeans First, but, most importantly, we acknowledge the need to supplement with a foreign workforce Page: 101 to ensure we provide the best care for our people. Since the release of the White Paper, I have also met many Yishun residents and they have given me much feedback via email, Facebook and so on. I would like to touch a bit on creating living spaces for the residents in Yishun. This will include having a good transport network, amenities and green spaces for residents. To begin with, the current public transport network and system is crowded especially during peak hours and even off peak. It is not just about getting to the train station within 10 minutes that matters. I think what matters is also whether one will be able to board the train, and in my constituency, Nee Soon East, whether one can even board the feeder services. To further exacerbate the feeder services problem, there are two foreign worker dormitories located in my constituency and they too spill over to the public buses despite much appeal to the dormitories to cater private transport services for these workers. My hope is that the Government can turn Yishun into a regional centre, just like Jurong East with integrated services such as an expanded bus interchange, increased feeder services, well distributed amenities and interconnected parks, to avoid taking away more green spaces. I am, therefore, happy to note the earlier amendment to the Motion moved by the hon Member, Mr Liang Eng Hwa. The amendment states that the Government will place, as a priority, to resolve the current strains on our infrastructure, in particular transport.”
“While there will be an increase of 4,100 hospital beds by 2020 and an increase of support care facilities in our communities, people are generally concerned whether we would be able to cope with the future healthcare needs. By 2020, the population may be at 6 million compared to 5.31 million now. A simple calculation will show that the corresponding increase in hospital beds is less than even 1% of the increase in total population. Is this a realistic figure? While we expect existing hospitals to be able to accept the stretch as well, is this not an unlikely prospect with current healthcare facilities filled to the brim? However, I am glad to hear from the Minister for Health that his Ministry is reviewing and adjusting its strategic plans in light of this White Paper. As the Executive Secretary of the Healthcare Services Employees' Union (HSEU) representing healthcare employees, I am also deeply concerned about the huge strain placed on healthcare employees in meeting the healthcare needs of a burgeoning population. There must be concrete plans put in place to beef up the healthcare workforce to cope with this surge in demand. I note from the footnote in page 40 of the White Paper that there will be increases in foreign healthcare manpower for the healthcare sector up to 28,000 in 2030. When I speak to our local healthcare employees and union members, they value the support and help from our foreign healthcare employees. In fact, the HSEU has many foreign healthcare employees as our union members. To meet the healthcare needs of our people, we may well need sufficiently trained healthcare professionals at all levels from various departments − from allied, ancillary, nursing and doctors.”
“From a career development perspective, there ought to be ready avenues and access to professional upgrades or conversions for them from agencies such as the Workforce Development Agency (WDA). While I am glad to note that Caliberlink has been set up by WDA as a dedicated placement agency for PMEs with career services and support, I am concerned whether we can cope with large numbers of local PMEs being displaced when economic downturn or depression happens. We need to see greater urgency in the overall development of career support and advisory services in the face of huge increase of PMEs in the future workforce. While the population trajectory will be for 2030, we will need to start our work in engaging the stakeholders to ensure that the PMEs will have their Page: 100 voices heard and concerns acted upon. I, therefore, endorse and support the amendments raised earlier by the hon Member, Mr Liang Eng Hwa, which will reassure us all in Singapore a strong Singaporean Core and ensure better job opportunities and salaries for our Singaporeans. One big worry on the mind of Singaporeans is their future accessibility to healthcare. Each of our polyclinics sees an average of about 1,000 patients per day, a few even see up to 1,200 to 1,400 patients a day. Waiting times at polyclinics, hospital accident and emergency departments and specialist outpatient clinics have lengthened. The hospitals are bursting at their seams. With a greying population and our baby boomers hitting 65 years and above in the next 10 years, I am sure that they will have to cope with more medical and healthcare issues for our population.”
“PMEs and union members I have spoken to are genuinely worried about their jobs and potential PME openings going to foreign PMEs. Till now, we do not have information about the quota set for foreign PMEs or if there is indeed a foreign PME dependency ratio. In previous sittings, I have also called for labour market testing to ensure that Singaporean PMEs will be considered for job vacancies first. I understand that for any employer bent on recruiting foreigners, labour market testing could be just be a window-dressing or a process that they have to go through. As a suggestion, I would like to float the idea of whether there are certain sectors with extremely large number of foreign PMEs, where a foreign PME dependency ratio or labour market testing can be meted out. Perhaps even to come up with a COE system for hiring of foreign PMEs – and I do not mean Certificate of Entitlements. COE means "Conditions Of Eligibility" for employers to meet before hiring foreign PMEs, with conditions such as fulfilment of certain critical skills gap, labour market testing and having a Singaporean Core in that particular company. In this global economy, I am deeply worried for mature local PMEs who have to face up to the competition posed by well-qualified foreigners. This is really of no fault of their own as they can be just as committed to the company as any other foreign employee. However, due to global changes and challenges, skills gap and career development by their employers, they can be easily displaced during company restructuring. Sometimes, to their shock, the employers refill the same exact position with a foreign employee.”
“Stay-at-home mums can also be equipped with the right skills and knowledge to set up home businesses to supplement the family income. In this regard, perhaps the Government can also help to provide interest-free or nominal interest micro-loans to these budding home entrepreneurs. The switch from a stay-at-home mum to back-to-work woman is another area for us to focus on in this tight labour market situation. We need better information and knowledge on what are the challenges and difficulties that they face in integrating back to the workplace. Some female PMEs I met told me that they have been required to take deep pay cuts to re-join the workforce. They are also often being biased against as they are seen to have "lost touch". MOM should study the ways that we can properly optimise this often neglected source of talent and manpower. Surely, we can do more for stay-at-home mothers who have devoted their own lives to the next generation, to nation building. Union leaders I spoke to acknowledge the need for unskilled and low-skilled foreign labour in certain industries where Singaporeans shun. This is crucial for us so as to maintain the costs of living, standards of living and overall well-being for our own Singaporeans. On the other end of the spectrum, there are concerns about foreign PMEs taking away local jobs. Looking at the projected statistics, there will a significant increase in PMET jobs by 2030. By then, 1.25 million Singaporeans will be in PMET jobs compared to 850,000 today. I am glad that the White Paper highlights the need for a Singaporean Core. It is therefore important for us to consider the necessary safeguards that we require Page: 99 to help to put that into action and ensure our local PMEs have job security and fair wages.”
“If employers do not respond to this call for action, we should perhaps look at legislating the right for employees to ask for flexible work arrangements similar to that in Australia. Flexi-work arrangements should not be seen as an exception in the workplace but as a ready arrangement to support working parents and get even more women back to work. The other main drawback of the Marriage and Parenthood package is the lack of recognition or acknowledgment of the important role of stay-at-home mothers. Many of the incentives listed in the Marriage and Parenthood package are rightly focused on working parents since they face difficult challenges both Page: 98 at home and in the workplace. However, for stay-at-home mums, let us not forget the sacrifices that they have made for their children. These mothers could have highly qualified backgrounds and could have easily risen through the ranks to become successful Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs). Nonetheless, some have decided to sacrifice their careers to be at home with their children to care and nurture them. Their economic contributions whilst not as tangible should not be ignored by the Government. Child-raising is tough work. For home-makers with two or more children and with no domestic help, they may need to place one or more of their children in childcare for the younger ones or even student care for the older ones. The problem now is that there is no childcare or child minding subsidy for them as they are not gainfully employed. Extending the current subsidy to home-makers who have two or more children will be helpful. Likewise, for full-time home-makers, the Government should even consider a yearly top-up to their CPF Medisave and Special Accounts.”
“Fund alone in the new Marriage and Parenthood package may not translate into a change in mindset on the part of employers that family life and well-being is important. I await the details and plans listed in the Marriage and Parenthood package on how the enhanced WoW Fund will help to encourage more companies to adopt family-friendly work practices. Company culture and its management philosophy play an overriding role in determining whether flexible work arrangements will be effective. Taking care of a child in modern society requires the strong support from employers to grant flexibility in both time and work arrangements for parents. At the same time, employee performance should be measured by work objectives fulfilled rather than by face time in the office. If the work objectives are fulfilled, there should not be any changes or deduction in remuneration. Even for existing companies that have implemented flexible work arrangements, have we assessed their effectiveness? How many companies in Singapore have tapped onto the WoW! Fund and how have they used it? It is interesting to note in the latest MOM report that we have a tight labour market with vacancies rising by 4.4% to hit 56,400 in September 2012. Some reasons that the jobs are not taken up by Singaporeans are because the pay is not attractive enough and the working hours/patterns are not able to fit well with their family commitments. Employers will need to look into how to package these jobs and how to implement flexi-work along with it. There is a common perception amongst employers that flexi-work is not applicable to every job. This would be the easy way out to avoid taking the time and effort to re-design work processes. Adoption rate by employers is still not widespread today.”
“By the same token, not every family has elderly parents who can help or can afford to engage a domestic helper or care-giver to look after their children. As such, added measures to make childcare more accessible and affordable will be a great boon. There are facilities that employers and the Government can work together to provide for parents and parents-to-be. With support from employers, businesses and Government, more infant-care and childcare centres can be opened nearer to parents' workplaces rather than just in the HDB heartlands and residential areas. I appreciate the Government's support to implement paternity and shared parental leave. In fact, the father's more active role in childcare has already been taking place, even before the enactment of any legislation. I am aware that in many employment contracts and collective agreements, many pro-active employers are already providing paid paternity leave from a range of two to three days to some a week. With Government stepping in to fund one week of paternity leave, I urge employers and companies to be enlightened to top up and not level up. With this, I mean that, for example, if an employer or a company is already currently providing two days of paternity leave, they should top it up by a week to one week and two days since there is no or minimal cost impact to employers for the first week. Aside from leave enhancements, what would be more critical, in my view, is how we can implement flexible work arrangements in the workplace. I urge all employers to fully embrace and implement flexible work arrangements in all workplaces. This will also help encourage homemakers to return to their Page: 97 workforce after their children have grown. In my view, enhancing the WoW!”
“Mdm Speaker, at the heart of everything we do and every policy we develop, we must consider how they will affect Singaporeans and their families. In this White Paper, we acknowledge the different trade-offs that we may have to make in terms of immigration, economic growth and overcrowding. I would like to begin by addressing what I view as the root cause – the lack of procreation and whether we have provided sufficient support for our Singaporean families. First, I would like to thank the Government for accepting a number of NTUC's proposals in its broad measures in encouraging Singaporeans to marry and have children and also protect pregnant women. I am sure that the enhanced package will be useful for many married couples who plan on starting a family and even having more children. The challenge remains as to how we can get our young people started onto the path of marriage and then having children. As the Minister shared earlier, in a 2012 Marriage and Parenthood (M&P) study, 83% of the single respondents indicated that they would like to get Page: 96 married and more than 80% of the single respondents indicated that they would like to have two or more children. I am not sure how reflective those figures are, but residents I speak to lament that the high costs of living have significantly changed the dynamics of how people work and raise families. With higher costs of living, both men and women are now required to work to support their families and to juggle both work and family responsibilities. Ultimately, getting married and having children is a personal choice and belief. It is often difficult to explain the joys and fulfilment that come with parenting and raising children until you have children yourself.”
“A systemic development, capability enhancement and dedication of resources by the Government for legal aid, such as community legal clinics, pro bono legal services and the Legal Aid Bureau, would have greater effectiveness in reaching out to those who need the legal services the most and yet unable to afford them. With that, I support the Bill. 4.19 pm”
“In fact, just two weeks ago, NTUC and the Law Society entered into a long-term partnership to provide legal clinics, resources and employments to our more than 700,000 union members. Moving ahead, it distils down to how the Government and the legal fraternity can work together to work out a framework that will enhance this access and for the fraternity to endorse and embrace them. Lastly, we must also not forget the Legal Aid Bureau and its staff and people there who make legal aid "happen" for us. Two decades ago as a young law undergraduate, I spent my first year university vacation on attachment with the Legal Aid Bureau. I saw for myself the plethora of cases and the piles of files which the Bureau had to handle. I am sure and hope much has improved since those days. With this expansion of the scope of Legal Aid pursuant to these amendments, I hope more resources be dedicated to enhance and develop the capabilities of the Legal Aid Bureau to handle in this new operating environment. I envisage that more manpower will be needed in view of higher workloads. In addition, well-manned counters and hotline services to take queries and, at the same time, provide timely updates to those on-going cases, are needed. Likewise, there should even be a specialised department in the Bureau to have the ability and astuteness to investigate when doing the "means test" and detect and differentiate genuine cases deserving aid from those out to abuse the system. In conclusion, it is important to ensure that legal aid will remain available to all, especially those who are unable to afford it.”
“Moving ahead, I recommend that it is imperative to regularly and continually review the current limit, possibly every two years, to factor in rising inflation and rising incomes of our populace. In addition to the means test, there is also in place a merits test that the applicant will have to go through before the Legal Aid Bureau will grant support. If we know that each applicant is already caught up in domestic or personal issues to seek legal resolution, do we need to subject the applicants to the merits test? It would be useful for the Legal Aid Bureau to share with or educate the public openly on what are the objective criteria in the merits test and how approval will be decided. The Government should also delve into further study as to how legal aid can be administered through the whole system rather than Legal Aid Bureau per se. If a society is judged by how the strong and those in governance help the weak, I am confident that a better support system for legal assistance can be developed comprising well-established community legal clinics, easier access to Government legal aid and a certain number of pro bono hours to be determined between the Government and legal fraternity. Of pro bono hours, we have heard commonly of the two schools of thought – one, that it should come from the heart and, the other, a mandatory system. These two points of view are often intensely argued by both sides. I believe a balance can be created between the two. The Law Society, Ministry of Law and our Law Schools are already doing great work in this area. The Chief Justice has also urged and Page: 64 supported the move to encourage the legal profession to serve the community.”
“If we take reference to an applicant with no dependants, the increase after five years is a mere 7.5%, based on a monthly pay of $1,667. This works out to be only a 1.5% increase per year since 2007, calculated against the gross monthly income. In the same vein, even as we consider the increase in the dependants' relief from $3,500 to $6,000, this works out to be an increase of only 2.5% per year since 2007. All these are still below the 3% average inflation rate. Page: 63 With reference to the $10,000 limit, we should try to work out a simple average analysis of monthly income. Disposable income, after the revised terms, is defined as the total income, together with the spouse's income for the past 12 months, after deducting $6,000 per dependant, $6,500 for oneself; rent not exceeding $20,000 per year and CPF contributions. Taking into account current cost of living, a disposable annual income of $10,000 would be at sustenance levels. Instead of $10,000 as the disposable income limit, I would propose to increase the amount correspondingly with the rise in household incomes and factoring in accelerating inflation to $14,000. According to the "Household income Trends 2011" issued by the Department of Statistics, the average monthly income of our resident employed household, excluding employer CPF contribution, was $6,280 in 2006. In 2011, the same figure has grown sharply by 41% to $8,864. As we seek to push up the wages for Singaporeans in all industries and sectors to provide for a better life, I submit that there should be a proportional increase in this disposable income limit to be entitled to legal aid.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of this Amendment Bill which will help to enhance the framework for legal aid for those who are unable to afford legal representation and access to justice. I would like to applaud and appreciate the steps taken by the Ministry of Law to review, expand and enhance the coverage of legal aid and introduce measures to avail access to legal aid and advice in Singapore. I am heartened that there will be increases in the deductibles for applicants, their spouses and dependants to account for inflation and the higher cost of living. In addition, rental relief has also been raised correspondingly, in alignment with the market increases. Then, there is the up to $46,000 of the surrender value of life insurance policies which will be disregarded for means testing. By the same token, Central Provident Fund (CPF) Investments will not be included in the calculation, and the annual value of applicants' property to be excluded from the means testing will be increased to $13,000 from the current $7,800. All these reflect current realities on the ground and will allow those in the lower segment of the populace continued access to legal aid and justice. However, I would like to question whether there is a better way to capture the current cost realities than merely fine-tuning the deductibles and relief. The last review of the means test was in 2007 where the disposable income was raised to the current $10,000. With a current inflation rate of over 3%, it would be far more effective to consider raising the disposable income rather than to deploy the current method of increasing personal and dependants' deductibles and relief. For example, in personal relief, we have seen an increase of $1,500.”
“I would like to ask the Minister whether his Ministry is considering looking at enhancing the penalties and making them more deterrent for would-be employers who want to contravene the Act, for example, imposing excessive overtime hours especially for low-wage contract workers.”