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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“0 and we should take heart that Singapore has benefited from early investments in digital transformation and while we had a head start in the race, COVID-19 has forced us into a sprint while we were mentally preparing for a marathon. These new areas and business models will create new jobs and new ways of thinking. We need to stay positive and see these risks and challenges as opportunities to transform the way we do things. In the past six months, I have seen firsthand for myself companies which have stagnated and went downhill. I have also seen how some companies stayed positive with a growth mindset and pivoted quickly and remained afloat and profitable. Many Members have rightly pointed out equipping the workforce with the right skills and, more importantly, mindset is crucial in driving this transformation. SkillsFuture, especially the additional support for older workers to re-skill, upskill and the focus on skills over people's qualifications at a workplace is a step in the right direction for our society. Last year, in support of SkillsFuture, I underwent a fintech foundation programme with our Singapore Fintech Association to get a better understanding of the fintech space and picked up useful knowledge to help me navigate in the fintech space. The learning has enabled me to gain an understanding of fintech and also open my eyes to new opportunities and possibilities in the fintech space and, of course, emphasising the importance of staying ready, relevant and resilient. I would also like to thank Deputy Prime Minster Heng for his response to my opening speech on his support to further enhance our Industry Transformation Maps to further develop our people and create more jobs for Singaporeans.”
“There were also hawkers who delivered meals to the hungry, as well as generous organisations who returned their Job Support; and individuals who selflessly donated their Solidarity Payments to charity; and countless initiatives launched by many people to look after and support our migrant workers, as they continue to labour for us. Mr Speaker, Sir, in her Address, the President highlighted five key aims that the Government hopes to fulfill to unify us as one, and take us forward. As I listened and read all the speeches delivered by Members of this House, I will endeavour in this closing of mine to string all the recurring themes together into five important areas. First, sustainability in the midst of change. Change is necessary, moving forward, and this also requires us to change mindsets. In every crisis, there are also opportunities that we must tap on the COVID-19 crisis, to transform and to emerge stronger than before. Our ability to work effectively together to transform the economy will determine how we come out from this storm. By identifying new opportunities for growth, we will ensure the survival and success of Singapore, improve the lives of Singaporeans and build a sustainable eco-system for many generations to come. Different industries have been impacted differently with several facing structural disruption. Some sectors such as aviation, aerospace, marine and offshore, and tourism, will take a longer time to rebound. But if we stay true to the core capabilities, which we have built over the years, we will come out from this storm stronger. Some promising ideas mentioned by Members include environmental sustainability, smart commerce, supply chain digitalisation and Industry 4.”
“"We will be together through thick and thin. As one country, we will fight this virus and win. We will fight with our hearts, our minds and our souls, protecting this island that we call Our Home." Mr Speaker, Sir, over these past five days, 74 Members have spoken in support of the Motion including the Prime Minister. This includes new Members who have made their maiden speeches, and returning Members who have shared their concerns on the back of the uncertainty amidst the COVID-19 crisis. I am encouraged by all our Members' conviction to improve the lives of all Singaporeans as one Singapore. And thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to round up this debate. As many of the Members of this House had put forth, we are tackling a crisis of the generation and we are at an inflection point in our history. This is indeed an unprecedented crisis that has brought about significant impact to the lives of Singaporeans and businesses. But it has been a crisis that has also brought out the best in us. Many have and continue to step forward to volunteer their time, talent and treasures. Many ordinary people have done extraordinary things including showing appreciation to frontline workers or supporting a community need. Take, for example, Jacob Neo, a Primary 6 student from Fairfield Methodist Primary School, who penned the lyrics, as quoted in my opening, and melody to an inspiring song "Singapore, Unite as One", as a tribute to healthcare workers earlier this year.”
“I thank the Minister for answering this Parliamentary Question and also the subsequent Parliamentary Questions. I have two supplementary questions in two areas. Firstly, on the FCF watchlist. The second question, on the mandatory reporting of retrenchments. In the area of FCF, I have suggested of us publishing and, of course, many Members of this House as well. If there are companies that have been recalcitrant, meaning after one year of rehabilitation or assistance, they have not improved, is there a problem publicising this list of recalcitrant employers? The other one is, among these 400 firms that are on the watchlist, what proportion are MNCs, what are LLEs, SMEs and micro-SMEs? On the mandatory retrenchment reporting, I am a bit concerned that MOM is taking the position that we do not require micro-SMEs and SMEs to do mandatory reporting. Why is that so? Because, if you see many of the malpractices, the lay-offs that are happening in the past couple of months, mostly are from micro-SMEs and SMEs. From two perspectives: one, we want to ensure fair retrenchment practices; two, we want to ensure we provide the necessary interventions from Workforce Singapore as well e2i, to assist some of these micro-SMEs and SMEs, so that we have advanced and proactive or pre-emptive steps that we can take to help these companies. So, from that perspective, I hope MOM can look at both these areas.”
“From the health of our people, to the health of work and the economy, in the pursuit of fairness, justice and equality, we will ensure that no man is left behind, so that we can come out of the storm together, stronger than ever. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“We agree that as an open trade economy with low birth rates, importing foreign labour is necessary to address true labour resource gaps. However, as we have seen, there are still some 1,200 firms on MOM's Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watchlist. Clearly, market failure exists in our current employment framework. We can, and must, improve this – by knowing where to flex and where to tighten measures. We need to guard against abuse of our system, by giving Singaporean PMEs a fair chance at local job opportunities, which will also mitigate any potential brain drain. A healthy dose of market intervention is essential to ensure fair play. This also instils loyalty and fosters a sense of belonging and identity amongst Singaporeans. This is not diametrically opposed to ensuring economic survival for Singapore. It is time to pivot and supplement our first-class hard infrastructure with an upgraded soft infrastructure. Proper safeguards for our Singaporean PMETs must be put in place to allow our tribe, the Singaporean Core, to flourish and uplift future generations of Singaporeans. In conclusion, a "Singapore, United as One" requires all who have a stake in Singapore – all of us – to play our part. With our community as the bedrock, strengthening our Singaporean Core, and enhancing collaboration between tripartite partners, academic institutions, society and individuals – each coming together to contribute their unique role to Singapore's success, so that together, we can become more than the sum of our individual parts. COVID19 has brought about a great reset and the next normal will forever transform our lives in more ways than one.”
“We need employers from both MNCs and SMEs, business federations and associations, union leaders who understand the ground, and also academic institutions to actively collaborate – to ensure that current workers and new entrants to the workforce are able, agile and adaptable to changing technology and demands. The first iteration of the Industry Transformation Maps launched four years ago, in September 2016, articulated these strategies to sustain growth and competitiveness for our industries with a three to five-year horizon. With rapid disruption, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the next normal, I suggest we embark on an ITM 2.0; to refresh and relook these strategies so that both workers and companies can transform in tandem to meet the challenges ahead. In that journey, we should evaluate the reasons why Singaporeans are unable to fulfil these existing and future PMET jobs and roles and develop an action plan that combines both a sectoral and functional approach, to rectify this for the longer term. To better enable our local PMEs to take on roles and handle tasks in line with industry transformation, there needs to be continuous reskilling and upskilling and intentional career and salary mapping, through formalised set ups such as NTUC's Company Training Committees as well as the efforts by the National Jobs Council and NTUC Job Security Council. This would help equip our workers to take up roles, especially in industries that have a disproportionate number of foreign PMEs. Such training would be particularly relevant for PMEs in their 40s to 60s, who tend to be more vulnerable and at risk from technological disruption and during economic downturns. I verily believe that our intention is not to advocate for closed-door policies.”
“The Labour Movement has consistently advocated for a strong Singaporean Core at the heart of our workforce – a Core that keeps us united as a country, even as we welcome those who contribute to our growth, employed based on merit while equipping our local workers to the best of our abilities. Against current weak economic conditions and employment outlook, strengthening the Singaporean Core is a critical mission for the Labour Movement and an area that needs to be watched carefully and conscientiously. To that end, the Labour Movement will continue to work with MOM, employers and professional associations in the fair hiring and continuous reskilling of local workers. NTUC has also just announced the formation of a PME Task Force in partnership with the Singapore National Employers' Federation and will look into inducting major employer groups and the extended labour movement family, to explore how we can better protect and enable our PMEs, especially those in their 40s, 50s to 60s. Sir, Singapore is in a unique position. In many areas such as education, logistics, air and sea transport, biomedical, we aspire and peg ourselves to "best in class" standards – researching and understanding what works well for other countries and positioning ourselves as leaders pushing frontiers. Indeed, it is imperative to introduce the right policies in the face of an evolving economic and domestic environment. We must be mindful of our uniqueness as a city-state and balance our national interests such as the employability of our workers. Both methodology and technology adopted in Singapore must be contextualised for our local workforce and for different groups of workers in their various areas of work and at their respective pace of digital acceptance.”
“We need to re-consider the long-held notion of being regarded as "not investment friendly" with legislation. The world has moved on to embrace sustainability and related environmental, social and governance legislation, which encompass fair employment. Similarly, Fair employment legislation has not stopped the likes of London and New York from being vibrant financial centres. I submit that we should explore and consider the utility and feasibility of a Fair Employment or Anti-discrimination legislation in Singapore. Fifth, possible tougher measures such as EP quota. With the current added measures and above suggestions, I expect to see an eradication of nationality bias and a shrinking watchlist. Should the above measures still fail and does not bear fruit, the Labour Movement has previously floated the idea to look at relevant quotas, as a response to possible interventions to curb the problem and also address problem sectors that have a notably higher proportion of foreign PMEs. The quota could have two tiers: the first tier consisting of "higher skilled PMEs" with significantly higher salaries and the second tier consisting of "mid-skilled PMEs" who are at the median salary range of the sector or industry. With these two-tier quota, companies will still be able to hire foreign PMEs with specialised skillsets to drive technology-based initiatives. The implementation of the quota can be gradual to address the concern by companies that our local PMEs do not have the requisite skills and experience.”
“Besides administrative and penal sanctions that are already in place and can be enhanced, enforcement can come in the form of revealing or publishing the "triple weak" watchlist which MOM and TAFEP maintains, so that the potential reputational loss would serve as a deterrence. As a pilot, this can be applied to companies that remain on the watchlist after a period of time, such as one year, and have failed to improve or show concerted efforts to strengthen the Singaporean Core. Similarly, we can also impose mandatory audits and penalties such as removing preferential tax and other benefits including curtailment of the award of public sector contracts on companies with discriminatory hiring practices and high proportion of grievance cases if no improvement is made within a stipulated period of time. Many of our economic incentives appear to be granted based on total headcount created in Singapore, with little mention of support for proactive and sustained local hiring. Likewise, there should be proactive and sustained knowledge and skills transfer to Singaporeans by the foreign PMEs. A structured mentoring must be put in place to ensure that skills are transferred from foreign PMEs to our local PMEs. Potential abuse can arise without a tiered approach, for example, economic incentives to expire without more senior Singaporean PME hires within a certain period of time or when there is a failure to transfer skills and knowledge. Though a very sharp tool, MOM should review if there is a need to legislate areas of the FCF, including providing TAFEP with more legal powers. Pure frameworks, perhaps developed with a fear of losing investments and over-regulation, provide an environment ripe for corporations to circumvent rules.”
“I am glad that MOM has heeded my call to enhance the FCF to include S Pass and doubled the duration of the mandatory job advertisement. I am encouraged to also see MOM and TAFEP taking firm action against companies who treat the FCF as mere window dressing. However, more needs to be done to review the current exemptions of the FCF. On the intra-corporate transfers or ICTs exemption, I take cognisance that ICTs make up less than 5% of EPs in Singapore and that this exemption is necessary in view of our obligations vis-à-vis our Free Trade Agreements’ obligations. However, I urge for more transparency on who are these PMEs who fall within this ICT exemption for greater transparency and accountability. I particularly like the fact that MOM, through its FCF website, encourages all employers, even if they fall within the exemptions, to post their job advertisements on the national jobs portal. I am not sure if this moral suasion approach has paid off, but it is certainly the right way to go for companies who fall within the size of company and salary point exemptions to the FCF. Fourth, strengthening enforcement against Triple Weak companies. We can further safeguard the Singaporean Core through stricter enforcement against companies that treat the Fair Consideration Framework as mere window dressing or who continue to be "triple weak" – in other words, companies with highly disproportionate number of foreign PMEs, weak commitment to nurture and strengthen Singaporean Core, and weak relevance to Singapore’s economy and society.”
“While we introduce new policies to further tighten the various levers, strengthening the hiring culture, practices and changing mindsets across the various organisations which hire foreign PMEs must be at the backbone of these efforts. HR leaders I speak to say they may be supportive of the Singaporean Core but in some cases, the hiring managers may have the final say in the eventual choice of the candidate. In many of these organisations, complex reporting structures and matrix reporting mean that the HR sometimes have little or no say. In short, it is imperative for not just a change of mindset for the CEO or CHRO but also the mindsets of hiring managers and everyone from end to end in the value chain that are involved in the various HR processes. While foreign PMEs are employed in Singapore, there needs to be more intentional reciprocity by multi-national corporations (MNCs) to offer similar regional and global opportunities to our Singaporean PMEs. In this way, our Singaporean PMEs will be able to gain international experience and in turn, add to the calibre of our Singaporean workforce. I urge the management within MNCs to groom our Singaporean PMEs as part of their leadership identification and development processes. By the same token, our Singaporean PMEs must step up, step forward and readily accept these opportunities to take lead and uproot to remote parts of the globe for regional and international exposure and opportunities. Increasingly, all Singaporean PMEs must embrace overseas opportunities as possible opportunities and be open to them regardless of where they are at, in their career life-stage. Third, augmenting the Fair Consideration Framework.”
“In the same vein, MOM should also consider raising the bar for sectors such as Infocomm Technology and Professional Services, where there are generally more companies on the Fair Consideration Framework watchlist. Since the announcement of these changes last Thursday, union leaders and PMEs I have spoken to have raised concerns that employers would merely raise the salaries or repackage the compensation and benefits of their foreign PMETs, to keep within the boundaries of the rules and retain them – something that is easily done in sectors which traditionally have higher-earning EP holders. To compound matters further, our Singaporean PMETs working alongside these foreign PMETs performing similar or same jobs may not get a similar pay hike, thereby resulting in serious parity issues. It does not help that many of our PMETs are now confronted with wage freezes, restraints and cuts. For unionised companies, our unions will closely watch the actions of the employers. For workers in non-unionised companies, I strongly urge them to join as union members and organise themselves, so that we can protect them and ensure that they are fairly treated. Second, strengthening the Singaporean Core at all Levels through strengthening hiring culture, practices and changing mindsets. Strengthening the Singaporean Core of PMETs must be at all levels of the hierarchy and not merely addressing entry or lower level PMETs. In large corporations with deep pockets, hiring more Singaporeans at the bottom balloons the denominator to make them look less culpable in actual percentages and numbers. Our efforts must be to address this at all levels and have a tiered approach in our policies and laws, according to different sectors’ needs and circumstances.”
“I am equally glad that Minister Chan Chun Sing, in his capacity as Minister of Trade and Industry, has emphasised – over the weekend – three very important points. First, that there must be fairness and zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind and tough action has to be taken on firms with hiring bias. Second, the importance of diversity and inclusion, something that I submit is crucial for a developed country and democracy like ours. Third, the efforts of localisation by transferring of skills to develop a pipeline of local talent. I therefore submit that Strengthening our Singaporean Core requires a two-fold approach: First, the hiring of foreign PMEs must be based on merit – on their contribution to Singapore and how they complement our local workforce. Second, we must equip and enable our local workers through relevant and timely reskilling and upskilling to help them remain gainfully employed and employable. To augment our efforts to further strengthen the Singaporean Core, I have five suggestions. First, ensuring Singaporean PMETs are not left behind by the raising of EP and S Pass qualifying salaries. Raising the salary criteria for EP and S Pass is timely. Although the EP salary minimum was just raised in May 2020, I am heartened that MOM has raised the qualifying salaries of both Employment Pass and S Pass holders to further level the playing field for our Singaporean PMETs. While we raise the qualifying salary of EP holders, I am glad that MOM has put in a place a differentiation of the EP qualifying salaries for sectors such as the financial services sector.”
“For example, the development of rapid virus test-kits is testament to the complementarity between local and foreign expertise in the biomedical sector. Sir, the disruption brought about by COVID-19 and the resulting economic recession has surfaced ground concerns on the increased competition for jobs and employment. In this regard, we must uphold our pillar of meritocracy. There must be fairness and equal treatment and assessment of workers, which is also a fundamental International Labour Organization commitment. Today, our Singaporean PMEs are well-educated, skilled and seek more in life – meaningful work in line with our values, including meritocracy, equality and progress. However, PMEs I have spoken to say that this is not their universal experience. At least 20 PMEs have written to me in the past month, sharing with me their loss of opportunities at taking on jobs and at our workplaces, to the extent of feeling somewhat discriminated against. I cannot help but wonder if, as a result of unchecked conscious and unconscious bias, there may still be instances of nationality bias in hiring and promotion and in today’s context, retrenchments? The reality is, left unchecked, this would exacerbate the glass-ceiling effect and issues relating to job opportunity for our Singaporean PMEs. In that same vein, I welcome the policy announcements last Thursday by MOM in (a) adjusting the Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass qualifying salaries, (b) imposing new Fair Consideration Framework Requirements, and (c) applying greater scrutiny on EP and S Pass applicants. This will go some way in levelling the playing field for our Singaporean PMEs and providing our Singaporean PMEs fair hiring opportunities.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "that the following Address in reply to the Speech of the President be agreed to: 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which she delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the First Session of this Parliament'." I thank the President for highlighting in her speech the need to address the potentially divisive issue of competition for jobs from work pass holders and that we will work to further strengthen the capabilities of our workforce in every field and ensure that firms treat Singaporeans fairly when they recruit or retrench workers. In her words: “In all that we do, the interests of Singaporeans are always paramount.” Strengthening the Singaporean Core is an important tenet in nation-building. It is important during good times when our economy is growing rapidly and doubly important during bad times such as during this recession where we see numerous layoffs and where many Singaporeans, especially Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs), are impacted. Over the past few decades, our economy has grown from third world to first world. Accordingly, the expansion of business needs has generated demand for workers with specialised skills such as in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. As Singaporeans may require time to be trained with the relevant skills, we should not close our doors, but instead, complement our local workforce with specific-skilled foreign PMEs to maintain Singapore’s economic competitiveness. In fact, the COVID-19 crisis has shed light on certain critical sectors, which could be the forerunners in calibrating our nation’s reliance on foreign PMEs.”
“As we all slowly reopen, like they say, the many "Rs" – as we renew, as we restart, as we refresh, as we rejuvenate ourselves during circuit breaker for some – let us reinvent ourselves, let us reinvigorate, rejuvenate ourselves so that we are able to reposition ourselves and ensure that in all things that we do, we reforge that trust between the employee and employer; not just an employee-employer, but the employer and his industry; the industry needs to work together and hunt as a pack. At the bigger picture, on the national front, how we, as tripartite partners, can work together – Government, NTUC and all the employers – so that we are able to pivot, rise to the challenge and at same time, also grab the new opportunities that come before us. And on this note, I cannot emphasise more – every worker matters, every job counts. I support the Budget. [Applause.]”
“And I hope that through this Budget and all these measures and, of course, with a close partnership amongst the tripartite partners and the newly formed National Jobs Council, we hope more employers will step forward to embrace some of these schemes – not just the traineeship programmes but, at the same time, if they have openings, if they have opportunities, to latch on some of these useful schemes and support. I urge the Government as well, for those companies that have this strong hiring or strengthening of Singaporean Core, at the same time, a strong support of some of these schemes and good practices, not just good, not just fair, not just responsible, but progressive practices, I hope the Government can give these companies a pat on the back and also more and greater support so that they will be encouraged to do even more. Finally, in conclusion, I cannot emphasise more during this particular period, as we overcome COVID-19 and all the ramifications, be it from the economy, from the labour market and in particular, workers, I hope we can eradicate some of these horror stories, one by one. I hope we can build the Singaporean Core. I hope also that we can pay particular attention to the mid-career workers – even before this entire saga, they were already very vulnerable. I hope for more emphasis and more support for this particular group so that they will be able to rise up to the challenge.”
“If you look at the global financial crises, be it SARS and even before this entire COVID-19 saga, if you look at the labour market statistics, in terms of the increase in unemployment rate, this particular group, the mid-career workers, including PMETs, are the most vulnerable and most affected. The increase has been highest in both crises. And therefore, I cannot emphasise more the many fears and anxieties. Even prior to COVID-19, they were already a very vulnerable and susceptible group of workers. With this whole game-change and "next normal", I really fear and worry for them. I am glad that in the Fortitude Budget – and not just in this Fortitude Budget, even at the first Budget that we had – we focused a lot on mid-career workers, in particular the PMETs – through the Career Support Programme, Adapt-and-Grow and a whole slew of measures. But in this Fortitude Budget, I just like to give my thanks and support for some of the things that have been rolled out. Besides the SGUnited Traineeships and SkillsFuture Traineeships, also the hiring of local workers. In terms of helping mid-career workers – 20% for six months, the 40% for six months for those above 40. These are good and resolute measures to help and encourage those companies. Not all companies are laying off people. I think those that are, are a small group. Though they are a small group but there are still opportunities.”
“It could be the National Wages Council's recommendations or some advisories and guidelines to ensure and, even perhaps moving ahead, to review some of the employment laws because of the "new normal" that we are having to operate in and some of the new rules and more people working from home. So, that is one area – sharing some of these horror stories that are happening at workplace which I hope will be eradicated. Secondly, with this Fortitude Budget and with the past three Budgets as well, I think it is a good time for us to reinforce the message of forging and strengthening the Singaporean Core. I am glad that through the SGUnited programme and the whole plethora of programmes that we have had. The fact that we are faced with challenges – with global lockdowns across various parts of the world and even with our neighbours – it is very important for us to relook not just self-sufficiency in many fronts, but also building and strengthening the Singaporean Core. It is a great opportunity for us to work together, to build and strengthen and hire and develop Singapore Core – which has always been our agenda in the last couple of years. We have rolled out a series of measures in this area. We have the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). We will continue those efforts. But it is important for employers to keep their minds open and be open to strengthening the Singaporean Core in all areas, in particular, in that space where there are a lot of professionals, managers and executives (PMETs). At this point, I would just like to highlight the plight, anxieties and fears of many of our mid-career workers, in particular, the PMETs.”
“Of course, as we reopen and as we go into Phase One, Phase Two, Phase Three, the various scenarios and new normal or next normal, so to speak, that will happen. I urge employers, in particular, to watch out for all these various advisories to ensure our workplaces are safe for their workers as well as for their customers and clients that visit the workplaces or offices. More importantly, the tripartite partners really should use this opportunity and will use this opportunity to work even more closely together because this is an opportunity. It is a great time, particularly, with all these practices, and a lot of rules and advisories are coming out hard and fast for everyone to work very, very closely together. At the company level, the trust between employer and employee is very important. I cannot emphasise more the importance of regular open, transparent communication between employers and employees. I think this is the best time to build that trust because, not just the affected workers, but those who are not affected, are actually looking at how the employer is treating their employees. I think that is one area. Secondly, employers, I hope, will work doubly hard, in particular, looking out for these various schemes, latching on them and, of course, not flouting any of the rules and advisories that had already been fleshed out and promulgated. And thirdly, I think I cannot emphasise more, as what Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng mentioned earlier, the need for tripartism and the ability to work as a tripartite front and as a tripartite relationship. I cannot emphasise more the importance for us to work together, in particular, in reviewing some of these advisories.”
“Just as recent as we reopened a couple of days ago, I also hear of workers who actually, in their course of work, can or are able to work from home, but are forced to go back to the companies by the management or employers. That is another horror story. Finally, another horror story would be a situation where employers, although after they have terminated workers in March, April or even earlier, are still contributing employer's CPF to workers resulting in workers enjoying the employer's CPF and, of course, abusing public funds, in that while they contribute the employer's CPF, the companies enjoy the Job Support Scheme. These are some of the horror stories we have come across. Fortunately, these are not rampant and many of these cases that workers shared about, whether through various platforms, private messages, emails or even conversations that I had in various platforms, most of these happened in many of the non-unionised companies. In unionised companies, we have the collective agreement as well as a lot of negotiation and discussion with companies. So, we do see quite a bit of these scenarios happening. My suggestion is three-fold. Firstly, I am glad that Minister Josephine Teo earlier on, during Question Time, has addressed this point on some of the unfair workplace practices and some abuse in the treatment of workers. I am glad that MOM, where they detect such cases, would take resolute steps to enforce against such errant or recalcitrant employers. So, I am glad that is happening. Secondly, I think it is important that the employers are aware of the various tripartite advisories and guidelines that have been issued. There is a few that have been rolled out, in particular, to address the COVID-19 scenarios.”
“Firstly, we hear of workers being short-changed in the sense that, unilaterally, employers have reduced their work hours and even reduced their salaries. This is a stark wake-up call, particularly because in situations where this has happened, it is a situation where there was no consultation with the worker and no agreement with the worker. That is one example – a unilateral withdrawal or reduction of salaries and work hours. A second horror story that often plays out that I hear from workers is a situation where a worker, suddenly, during this particular period, gets a very poor performance rating, and previously, he had always had a satisfactory or better rating in the past couple of years. Therefore, his exit from the company is expedited. The third scenario or story that I hear about is also a situation where employee is given a new job scope, do something very different from what he used to do, or sometimes, even excluded for meetings and important company events. And, therefore, in a way, the worker is forced to exit the company. The fourth scenario happens, as I shared earlier during Question Time, where workers are being contractually terminated, whether with or without notice. Sometimes, the reason happens because of a disguised retrenchment scenario, that is, the worker may be contractually terminated without reason, and subsequently, after he or she has left the company, realised that that particular slot was left vacant, totally vacant, and not filled up, which means there was a redundancy situation and they were not adequately compensated with retrenchment benefit or severance pay. Another scenario or horror story we hear is also of safe workplaces.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the Fortitude Budget. Just to chime in on what Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng shared earlier, I cannot help but emphasise that this Budget, I particularly like and applaud it because of its focus on workers – the actual focus on the lives and livelihoods of our workers. That is something that struck me very hard. But I thought to use my speech to highlight three important areas, which we should look at. Firstly, I will use this opportunity to share some of the horror stories that we hear in the workplaces in light of COVID-19 circuit breaker and all the measures that I have been seeing the past couple of weeks. Secondly, to share a bit about the Singaporean Core. And thirdly, to highlight the plight of mid-career workers, in particular, the Professionals, Managers and Executives. Firstly, on some of the horror stories. I wrote an opinion piece, which was published last Saturday in The Straits Times. This opinion piece came about and these horror stories came about because of the many engagements I had in the last eight weeks of circuit breaker with many union leaders, unionists, residents including fellow workers, through various platforms. In fact, it is quite a learning journey. I have been using Zoom, Webex, BigMarker, Microsoft Teams and through various platforms including Facebook Live and LinkedIn Live. It was a good opportunity to learn those skills but also a fantastic opportunity to engage a lot of workers that I have never had the opportunity to do during normal times because of various constraints and situations. So, it was great opportunity. Just to share some of these horror stories that I have heard from many of these workers during this past eight weeks and moving forward.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response and answer. I have two supplementary questions. Firstly, now that we are seeing a lot of work-from-home arrangements, particularly the circuit breaker, and, moving forward, the whole regime of the Work Injury Compensation Act and insurance premiums and so on, there would be a significant change because when the home becomes a workplace, I think the burden of proof, the level of control by employers will change drastically. So, I have two supplementary questions. Firstly, in the circuit breaker period during these past two months, were there cases where MOM had received work injury cases as a result of working from home scenarios? Secondly, how is MOM going to determine such workplace injuries, that is, in a work-from-home scenario?”
“I would like to thank the Minister for her comprehensive response to an entire list of questions. I am particularly heartened that she has answered my question on how we are going to better handle disguised retrenchments including situations where companies who are able to pay retrenchment benefits and execute disguised retrenchments will be taken to task if they do not do so. So, I am glad to hear the various executive measures by MOM as well as even withholding JSS will be enforced where needed against errant employers. But I thought to further emphasise the point on contractual terminations, although the Employment Act does not prescribe the need for employers to give reasons for contractual terminations, whether with or without notice, whether MOM will want to push this agenda to advise and encourage employers to provide reasons for their termination. I think if the reasons are valid and if there is trust and proper communication with the employees, I am sure the employees themselves will understand the rationale and why they execute the contractual termination.”
“This is a supplementary question for the bridging loan, specifically. I have encountered companies which hire quite a number of Singaporean workers because they are unable to obtain the bridging loan from ESG, in particular, in this instance where the local shareholding and ownership of company is less than 30%. So, they were not granted. But unfortunately, they hire quite a number of Singapore workers and want to keep above the water. So, is there any way we can assist such companies, which are in Singapore.”
“I would therefore like to propose that where unions are concerned, the Minister could provide by Order that the Registrar of Trade Unions, as the regulatory authority, may come up with guidelines relating to alternative arrangements which unions may adopt. In the same vein, besides Unions, there are associations, charities, co-operatives, religious organisations and clans which also have in their respective Constitutions and specified Regulations, process provisions to comply with – in the conduct of AGMs, voting and other meetings for approval of expenditure, leadership change as well as day-to-day operations. A clearer articulation or a set of guidelines for the respective organisations to follow or make reference in these unusual times is welcomed. To sum up, the extraordinary nature of this Bill amidst these extraordinary times call for extraordinary understanding and appreciation by parties, litigants, the legal and judicial system. With that, I support this Bill.”
“Trade unions registered in Singapore are required by their constitutions to conduct various types of meetings or conferences at specified times. For example, many unions which are affiliated to the National Trades Union Congress, of which I am an Assistant Secretary-General, are required to hold a Delegates' Conference, which includes election of the union's Executive Committee, every four years. Prior to that, the unions may have to hold General Meetings at each of their branches, where branch leaders are elected. In addition, their constitutions require them to obtain the sanction of their delegates or members for large items of expenditure or to make changes to their constitution. NTUC has been receiving queries from several of our affiliated unions which are required to hold their Delegates' Conferences or members' meetings this year, and find that it may be difficult, if not impossible, to do so within the time frame mandated by their constitution. I therefore welcome the proposal to allow the Minister to prescribe by Order alternative arrangements for the meeting. The Bill sets out some examples of possible alternative arrangements which may be prescribed. Some of these are more relevant to entities such as companies or trusts. Where unions are concerned, some of these alternatives may not be workable. For example, in the case of matters which need to be decided by a secret ballot, it would not be feasible to allow voting to be done by electronic means at a meeting, as the unions may or may not have systems which provide the levels of security and confidentiality which the Registrar of Trade Unions may mandated.”
“Some agencies are unable to fulfil these requirements as their security officers are under quarantine orders or on leave of absence or are unable to come into Singapore as they are Malaysians. I understand that there are cases of service buyers who insist on enforcing their contractual rights by claiming liquidated damages from the security agencies. This imposes a heavy burden on these agencies, which are caught in a bind due to circumstances which are entirely beyond their control. Furthermore, with the closure of most workplaces now, these agencies will most likely face the termination of a number of existing contracts, which will have a further adverse impact on their business and survivability. Security agencies perform a very important service in ensuring safety for the public. I urge the Minister to extend protection and relief under the Bill to security agencies, so that they have a respite from legal action by service buyers during this difficult period. Having said this, I would like to sound a cautionary note. The proposed measures to provide relief under the Bill are fairly extensive and generous. I believe all Singaporeans will recognise that they are a sincere attempt to ameliorate the tremendous pressures businesses face at this time. However, we must also be careful to ensure that they do not go too far, such that while one group is accorded relief, another group becomes adversely affected, or that the measures become subject to abuse. In this respect, I am heartened to note that these measures are temporary and will be in place for only six months at the first instance. Second, I wish to speak on the proposals relating to alternative methods to convene, hold or conduct meetings as required under any written law or legal instrument.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption to all aspects of our lives and debilitated the economy. Many businesses are struggling to cope with the on-going impact to their sales and operations, and many workers are struggling with income loss or even job loss. I would like to commend the Government and the team of luminaries for its swift response in drafting the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill, a multi-Ministry effort that offers relief for businesses and provides alternatives for companies, trade unions, societies and other bodies relating to the conduct of meetings. I wish to speak on two specific aspects of the Bill. First, relief for parties who are unable to perform their contractual obligations; and two, alternative measures for the holding of meetings. First, I would like to speak on the proposed measures relating to the performance of contractual obligations. Many businesses are badly affected by the pandemic and have difficulty meeting their contractual obligations. I welcome the proposals to provide temporary relief from legal action for a party to a contract who is unable to perform its contractual obligations because of the pandemic. However, I note that this relief is limited to certain specified contracts only. I have received feedback from one type of business which has not been covered under the Bill – security agencies which provide security services at various buildings in Singapore. Such contracts typically require the agency to pay liquidated damages if it fails to meet various obligations under the contract, such as ensuring that a specified number of security officers are present at the work site each day.”
“It is crucial that the measures implemented are effective as there would be knock-on effects on Singapore's position as a financial hub as well as the livelihood of seafarers. Third, what is presently being done and what more can be done to help families and relatives of seafarers who have been held captive at sea? I am sure they experience a deep sense of helplessness and despair in such situations. Sir, clarifications notwithstanding, I stand in support of this Bill. 6.33 pm”
“In the second incident, six intruders had attacked the ship and tied another two crew members up in the engine room. CNA also reported that sea robbery incidents in the Singapore Strait had hit a four-year high in 2019, with a grand total of 31 such incidents, which is in stark contrast to the 17 reported incidents from 2016 to 2018. Collectively, these incidents show how seafarers are increasingly vulnerable to acts of piracy or armed robbery on board the ship as well as the risks they undertake to perform their jobs as well. Accordingly, it is necessary that the laws be enhanced to offer protection to seafarers in terms of continuity of employment, payment of wages, benefits and repatriation entitlements during such periods of captivity. That is the least we can do to alleviate the financial and emotional burdens of seafarers held captive at sea through no fault of theirs. While I am fully supportive of the amendments to the Bill, I have the following questions for the Senior Minister of State. First, is there a reason for the sudden spike in sea robbery incidents in 2019 as compared to the previous years? I understand it is attributable in part to lack of enforcement measures. What would be the other reasons and would the Senior Minister of State be able to provide more details on that? Second, does the Senior Minister of State foresee that the rising number of sea robbery incidents is a cause for concern, especially in view of Singapore's prominence as a global maritime hub? If so, would the Senior Minister of State be able to share some of the enforcement measures that are to be implemented to combat such crimes such that seafarers and vessels sailing through Singapore waters are assured of their safety.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of this Bill, which seeks to enhance protection for seafarers who have been held captive on or off a ship as result of an act of piracy or armed robbery against the ship. My comments today on the Bill are from an employment perspective. While the amendments to the Employment Act last year are no doubt commendable, the EA does not cover seafarers. Seafarers' employment rights and obligations are governed by the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Act which is to be amended this time round. I have spoken to my sisters and brothers at the Singapore Maritime Officers' Union and the Singapore Organisation of Seamen and am pleased to share that they stand in full support of this deck of amendments. Broadly speaking, the amendments to the Bill provide that where seafarers are held captive due to acts of piracy or armed robbery against the ship, the following will apply, during the period of captivity: first, the seafarer's employment agreement continues to have effect during the period of captivity; second, the seafarer's wages and other entitlements under their employment contracts or collective agreements must continue to be paid; and third, the seafarer will be entitled to repatriation upon his or her release. The amendments to the Bill are timely in view of the recent sea robbery incidents. In December 2019, The Straits Times reported that pirates launched two attacks on separate vessels in the Singapore Strait within two hours of each other. In the first incident, three perpetrators had entered the engine room and one of them was armed with a knife. Two of the crew members were subsequently discovered to be tied up.”
“I would like to thank my fellow Members of Parliament in this House for preparing and filing cuts for this MOM COS. I would like to thank Minister, Sister Josephine Teo; Minister of State, Brother Zaqy Mohamad and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Sister Low Yen Ling; as well as the team in MOM, Brother Aubeck Kam, Permanent Secretary; Brother Tan Choon Shian, CE of WSG; Brother Augustin Lee, CE of CPF, for powering the whole MOM COS. I am sure all the measures that Minister and the team have announced to be more fair, be it in terms of fair support, fair hiring, fair opportunities as well as fair competition, will help us – workers, employers and the various tripartite partners – in all the respective sectors, to stay ready, relevant and resilient to the short-term disruptions; and able, agile and adaptable to the long-term challenges. On that note, I would like to beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $2,433,064,700 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $50,791,200 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Mr Chairman, I filed two cuts earlier, one asking for a review of Trade Unions Act and the other on the review of Industrial Relations Act and I hope to get a response from the Minister.”
“I would like to suggest that a tripartite work group be formed to look at reviewing the Industrial Relations Act and addressing some of these areas of concern. This will help to better reflect the true intent of the law, look after the interests and welfare of workers and help employers and unions to reach consensus on extension of scope and other areas of industrial relations smoothly and expeditiously. Review of Trade Unions Act My second cut on the Review of Trade Unions Act. In light of the expected growth of freelance workers or what many term as the "gig economy" in the next five to 10 years, the labour movement hopes more can be done to enable this group to become union members so that they, too, can enjoy the plethora of membership privileges NTUC and our unions offer. At present, the Trade Unions Act requires a person to be in a "contract of service" to join a trade union. Freelancers who are in a "contract for service" may not be full-fledged union members per se. As such, I suggest for MOM to work with NTUC to review and study this with a view of removing or relaxing the prohibition and explore ways to allow freelancers to be union members without compromising or contravening traditional collective bargaining and representation.”
“The Industrial Relations Act was amended in 2015 to permit rank-and-file unions to collectively represent executive employees. In order to avoid conflicts of interest and undermining management effectiveness, executives with senior management functions were excluded from collective representation. These functions are set out in section 17(3) of the Industrial Relations Act. The tripartite partners have also issued the Tripartite Guidelines on Extending the Scope of Union Representation for Executives. In the years that have followed, unions which have sought to extend their scope of representation to include executives have met with some difficulties, mainly due to the overly general way in which exclusions in section 17(3) have been worded. On the ground, our unions have come across instances where employers cite section 17(3) to deny collective representation for executives who are not really in senior management grades or having access to information which would give rise to a genuine conflict of interest if they should be represented by the union. The unions' experience, therefore, is that the exclusions set out in section 17(3) are too broadly worded, thereby giving employers the opportunity to claim that even mid-level executive employees fall within them, whereas the intent behind the law was only to exclude those who are at senior management levels and carrying out functions which genuinely give rise to a conflict of interest if they are represented by a union. Besides this, there are other areas, such as the status of Collective Agreements during a Judicial Management or Receivership and whether the scope of coverage of the Collective Agreement can be limited to union members only, and several other procedural and technical areas which are unclear.”
“Thirdly, the COVID-19 outbreak has greatly impacted a lot of freelancers and self-employed workers. Our priority is to help this group of workers and other neglected workers during this period and allow them to receive wage supplements during leave of absence. NTUC stands ready to partner the Government to administer the Surrogate Employer Programme so that we can better encourage our freelancers to come forward for training and upskilling. [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)] Support for Mid-career Workers”
“To mitigate the effects brought about by the outbreak and better support freelancers and self-employed persons during this lull period, I reiterate the call I made during the Budget debate to extend the absentee payroll – which is traditionally used to fund employers – to this group of workers. This is so that they can also have the opportunity to go for skills upgrading and training, while receiving a training allowance. NTUC stands ready to partner the Government to administer the Surrogate Employer Programme, so that we can better encourage our freelancers and self-employed persons to come forward for training. Sir, in Mandarin. 2.00 pm (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] How to ensure that all workers including white-collar, blue-collar and freelancers are treated fairly has always been an area of concern of NTUC. In this regard, I have three suggestions. Firstly, MOM recently reviewed its Fair Consideration Framework to act as a deterrent for employers who discriminate against Singaporeans. This is indeed very encouraging. At the same time, we must continue to strengthen our Singaporean core, for example, by tightening the eligibility criteria for S Pass and EP holders, or even by providing more opportunities for Singaporeans to adopt flexi-work arrangements. Meanwhile, we want to better assist Singaporeans between 40 to 60 years old to find good jobs and to stay relevant. Can we consider enhancing the various government schemes, such as the Professional Conversion Programme, Career Support Programme or even the Jobs Bank, in order to help more Singaporeans secure better jobs and to enjoy better career advancement? As the workforce ages, I encourage everyone to change their mindsets and attitudes towards middle-aged and senior workers.”
“Second, the Career Support Programme (CSP) was rolled out on 1 October 2015 to encourage employers to hire mature PMEs for jobs paying $4000 and above, by providing salary support. I wish to ask how CSP has made mid-career PMEs more employed and employable. In particular, are there avenues to further enhance and expand the CSP scheme so as to help more mid-career PMEs land themselves in suitable quality jobs. Third, the Jobs Bank, now known as the My Careers Future portal. How successful has the portal been to connect mid-career PMEs to jobs and minimise situations whereby there is jobs and skills mismatch? I also wish to ask if further enhancements can be made so the portal can also leverage on big data to better enhance job matching. By the same token, anecdotally, I still hear complaints of ageism in the hiring of workers in various workplaces. Though not rampant, this is and will be a growing challenge as we face the imminent challenges of an ageing workforce, an increasingly mature and older workforce, and as we raise the retirement and re-employment ages. Job redesign and augmented technology and intelligence are imperatives but will not be the dynamic panacea. I cannot emphasise the need for us to change mindsets and attitudes towards this segment of workers. Besides the tripartite partners, our people and society as a whole must embrace the changing fabric of the Singaporean workforce so that we can overcome unfortunate stereotyping and mental models. On freelancers and self-employed, this group of workers are one big group affected by the current COVID-19 situation.”
“First, with the rise of S Pass numbers, can MOM explore extending the FCF to S Pass holders as well. Second, whether MOM can review the salary ceiling for Employment Pass applicants to level the playing field for our Singaporean PMEs. This is also in consideration of the rise in median and entry salaries of our local PMEs. Third, to review and better scrutinise the FCF exemption on intra-company transfers. Fourth, whether MOM can push ahead in creating more flexible work-from-home opportunities for Singaporeans. The question to ask is, are there tasks or jobs that can be arranged to be performed by Singaporeans who require very flexible work arrangements, for example stay-at-home dads or mums, care-givers for parents, those with family members who are ill and so on. I find this important, particularly with an ageing populace. This can also be a source of employment for those who are not able to fit into the current model of flexible employment, where work can still be delivered for less time-critical tasks. On mid-career and mature PMEs, I highlighted during the Budget Debate on the exacting challenges faced by mid-career and mature workers especially PMEs in the area of finding work and staying employable. I wish to ask MOM for an update including the take-up figures, retrenchment and data on the various schemes under the Adapt and Grow since it was first launched. In particular, I wish to ask first on the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) – further sub-divided into PCP for new entrants as well as those pre-emptive in-employment PCPs. I also wish to ask how MOM intends to make the PCP an attractive option for PMEs and better manage the dropout rate of PCP candidates.”
“Sir, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head S of the Estimates be reduced by $100". I wish to dedicate my cut to highlighting three important manpower issues in Singapore to enhance fairness and opportunity – for all workers, regardless of the work that they do and their workplaces. First, Singaporean Core; second, mature and mid-career workers and Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs); third, freelance and self-employed. On strengthening the Singaporean Core, I applaud the recent move by the MOM to further augment and strengthen the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) and the naming of recalcitrant companies and employers. I congratulate the good work done by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP). I wish to ask MOM to provide an update on how effective the FCF has been to level the playing field for Singaporean PMEs and remove nationality discrimination in hiring practices. Since 1 August 2014, how many complaints have been received and how many companies have MOM called up for additional scrutiny and what has been the success rate in convincing and ensuring that companies discontinue their poor hiring practices. Many PMEs I have met have shared that they are not unhappy with foreign PMEs who bring in huge businesses and investments in Singapore and have unique international competencies. Instead, they are unhappy with foreign PMEs doing jobs which Singaporeans can undertake and do. At the same time, we want to see further efforts to encourage capability transfer, so that we can develop a Singaporean Core across all levels of hierarchy, from rank and file to top management. In this area of strengthening the Singaporean Core, I have four suggestions.”
“I hope to hear MCI's plans on what and how we can do more to make this area of expertise an attractive and viable option for mid-career PMETs. Regulating Facial Recognition Technology”
“Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012, it is mandatory for every organisation to designate one or more individuals as data protection officers. These individuals are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the organisation complies with the Act. Increasingly, companies and organisations have also realised that the job responsibilities of a data protection officer are often executive and managerial in nature, requiring the development and implementation of policies and processes. All this should translate to more job openings for data protection officers which would be suitable for PMETs looking into making this mid-career switch or to be re-deployed in their existing organisations. Can MCI share how many new roles and job openings this will possibly create for Singaporeans? Notwithstanding, to facilitate the successful hiring, placement and re-deployment of PMETs in the data protection field, there is a need to take more active steps to train, place, match and re-deploy suitable PMETs to potential employers, or even data protection and compliance roles within their existing organisations. I look forward to seeing more employers collaborate with placement agencies such as e2i to help more PMET mid-career switchers, whether entering into the industry or being retained to be re-deployed within the organisation, transition into their new role as data protection professionals. I applaud the Data Protection Officers (DPO) Competency Framework and Training Roadmap which was published by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) on 17 July 2019. It was developed to guide data protection professionals in enhancing their competencies. It also provides guidance on the viable career pathways for different levels of DPOs.”
“Since we launched the SG Secure movement, can MHA share the progress of its outreach efforts, in particular, in the community as well as at workplaces? I urge MHA to work with the community and businesses to recruit SG Secure Ambassadors at every HDB block and at every workplace. These ambassadors can help spread the SG Secure message and be equipped with first aid, AED and CPR skills. This is so that in the event of a terrorist attack and, especially the day after, these ambassadors can also help to handle the community or workplace response, as well as to ensure that the community is able to deal with emerging threats to safety and security. In fact, although SG Secure aims to prepare for major contingencies, it has been helpful and useful for grassroots volunteers, community partners and stakeholders, including residents, to prepare for major incidents, just like the fire incident in Boon Lay which happened last year which confronted myself and my community. Community Support to Keep Singapore Safe”
“The Home Team must now operate within the confines of many unknowns and some of these crimes and threats cut across continents and boundaries, both physically and virtually. In the same vein, the workforce profile in Singapore is changing rapidly and with an extremely tight labour market, an ageing workforce and imminent negative employment growth in a few years’ time, against this backdrop, how will the Home Team leverage technology to mitigate emerging threats and manpower constraints? As the Home Team increases leverage of technology in its operations, how does the Home Team ensure its officers are adequately prepared and equipped to adapt to the rapid transformation? In addition, I applaud the SPF's deployment of the PolCam. Can I ask for an update on PolCam deployment and effectiveness? At the same time, can I ask SPF for more PolCams to be deployed in congregation points across Boon Lay to better prevent and detect crimes? Regulating E-gaming”
“I submit that more can be done to encourage employers of paralegals to set out clear career progression options for paralegals. These could include more diverse roles, such as project management, business development, legal innovation and legal technology, as well as understanding foreign legal jurisdictions to enable internationalism. To help paralegals take on such roles, a skills framework backed up by both the industry and regulators with nationally endorsed training providers must be promulgated and made available to all paralegals. Further, an association or union can be specifically set up to better engage paralegals, look after their interests as well as facilitate their professional training, development and progression. This must come with support from the industry and regulators. Community Use of State Properties”
“Technology is increasingly being felt in the legal fraternity. AI and machine learning have already been tapped to review contracts and conduct research in other countries. I submit that existing stakeholders in the legal sector, such as practising lawyers and in-house legal counsel, will also need to be brought up to speed in this global move towards adopting legal technology solutions to improve productivity, accuracy as well as enhancing access to justice. It is inevitable that technology will continue to disrupt and change current work processes in law firms as well as the legal departments in the organisations. Funding of legal technology implementation and solutioning as well as training and upgrading subsidies should thus be set aside for continuing legal education in this area of legal tech solutions. I suggest that such funding should be extended to all relevant stakeholders in the legal sector, including in-house legal departments and counsel of private companies and organisations as well as the public agencies. Paralegal Upgrading and Community Building Para-professionals, commonly known as paralegals, are invaluable to the legal industry. They are employed by law firms as well as the legal departments in private companies and public agencies. Depending on the needs of the employer, a paralegal's role can range from conducting research and managing routine files to even knowledge management. Notwithstanding the wide scope of responsibilities undertaken by paralegals, their professional development as well as interests and welfare are often not given due priority, save for the Chief Justice's recent mention of the increasingly important role of allied legal professionals trained in skillsets relevant and complementary to the core responsibilities of a lawyer.”
“One suggestion in the context of an insolvent company, is for MOM to look at issuing cash advancements, which could be used to pay part of the worker’s unpaid wages, and thereafter to stand in place of the worker as a preferred creditor to recover the advanced moneys upon distribution of the insolvent company’s assets. Easier Access to Legal Aid My final cut is on easier access to legal aid. For Civil Court proceedings, even though registration for such legal aid can now be done online, a full means test with a means test officer is required if representation in court proceedings is required. Depending on the urgency of the case, it appears that it can take between seven days to a month to get an appointment and thereafter, another appointment for statement taking. I suggest giving applicants the option to do means testing as well as submit copies of required documents online in advance. For the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS), similar measures, such as allowing for registration and the means test to be done online, can also be implemented to speed up the application process for criminal legal aid cases. Further, a central online legal aid portal can be set up. Depending on whether legal aid is required for civil or criminal proceedings, potential applicants can then be directed to the relevant organisation’s website and resources. This would make it easier and less confusing. Similarly, can the means test to qualify for CLAS consider similar factors such as those used with the new means test administered by the Legal Aid Bureau? Encouraging Access to Justice”