Penny Low
Singapore
“These amenities will offer recreational choices and also prevent traffic congestion to the new town when it is built. Will MND look into these suggestions favourably and also work with MOT to prevent congestion?”
“Going forward, the quality of our lives will also depend on how well we can integrate knowledge with technology and creativity to find solutions with daily, social and economic concerns. What plans are there to encourage people to act responsibly, dream up new ideas and design for a better world?”
“Let us navigate the sea of change with mastery of seafaring skills, guided by the light of the stars and not by passing fancy ships. Only then can we continue to be that extraordinary little red dot the world envies; only then will we know that the future generations will continue to be world-beaters and make their families proud.”
“These considerations should be part of the MediShield Life design so that it is holistic, it incentivises the desired behaviour and it improves the overall health outcome of our Page: 122 nation.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Clarification, Sir. The Minister mentioned that MediShield premium payments can be paid for by immediate family members.”
“Mdm Speaker, there have been more reports on the increase in rodents lately and I am wondering whether NEA has done any study to discover the reason for such an increase, or is it that there is just more visibility of rodents in, especially, housing estates.”
The complete record
Every one of 773 lines we hold for Penny Low, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 10 of 16.
“But as it was a charity race and everyone placed their bets, I did so too. During the first charity event, I bet on two races out of 10. I won one, lost the other, it was a net gain. During the second charity event, I understood the game a little better and I bet on four out of 10 of the races. Lady luck was smiling at me and miraculously, I actually won all four bets and collected quite a tidy sum, not bad at all. But does that make me want to try again? It is a firm "no". Sir, I guess different folks, different strokes. While travelling off the beaten path, hitch-hiking, water sports and perhaps even extreme sports may set my adrenalin rushing, I felt nothing more than a smile at those wins. Of course, I bet small. I am also a timid gambler. I never believe in easy money nor gambling to wealth. There may be short-term wins, but I have never met a gambler who wins in the long term. Even in the movies like "qian wang zhi wang", "du shen", God of Gamblers or the Godfather, the protagonists never really wins, but suffered great tragedies instead. I believe in hard work and thrift and hence, whether the casino is on-shore or off-shore, whether I am in a casino or out of a casino, it makes no difference to my basic value system and make-up. I believe that there are many people like me who will not be negatively influenced by the existence of casinos. Then there is also another group who will gamble anyway, if not here, in Batam, Genting, Macau, Las Vegas and somewhere in the cruise to nowhere. In fact, very soon, they will also be gambling in the virtual cyber-world. We need to help this group better manage themselves.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the casino debate has been a very difficult issue that has given me much grey hair. To be or not to be, that is the question. To put the issue upfront, I am not for gambling. I know of enough gamblers that put their families through turmoils to convince that gambling traps those who cannot discipline themselves and traps their families and friends along with their habit as well. And for the pathological gamblers, it is all of the bad and none of the good. In my entire life, I think I gambled four times. One was betting on a 4-D out of good fun at a retreat. The number came out but in reverse order. I lost $2. Another was in Las Vegas while I waited for a group of friends who had been delayed last minute. I have been to Las Vegas and casinos many times but never gambled. I have observed casino operations and the punters throughout these visits, but never quite felt the urge to punt. But that time, as I had time to kill, I decided to change US$5 into coins for the one-arm bandits (jackpot machines) just to understand what sets punters' hearts racing and also to keep myself occupied. I was on the nickel machines, winning about five cents. I kept winning, and losing and winning again. After about half an hour, I still had money left. Much as I tried, it was not easy to get rid of the US$5 on the nickel machines. It was a little bit boring for me. I got tired and gave up with a nickel and dimes left from the US$5. The third and fourth time was at the Turf Club during charity races. I was invited in my capacity as Treasurer of the Equestrian Federation of Singapore and at both charity races, President Nathan was the Guest-of-Honour. Betting on horse races was new to me and it was quite complicated.”
“Sir, still on the subject of youth space in heartlands. I do not think I am referring to parenting skills or teachers wanting to keep a watchful eye over the students or in that light. But many of the schools have fed back that the youths do not have a place to go to after school. It is too far sometimes to travel down to Orchard Road itself, and you do not want all of them to hang out at Orchard Road during the weekdays either. Perhaps the question here is: where do we expect our youths to be hanging out after school? Many of them are latchkey kids. Many of them do not go to after-school-care. I am referring particularly to teenagers. So, where do we want them to hang out? They have been found at void decks as well as rooftops, and I think that is a safety issue as well.”
“No. The chances are they may be able to find them there. So I would like the Minister to reconsider the youth parks in the heartlands.”
“Still on the youth park, I would disagree with Mr Low in wanting to politicise that space itself. The youths want the space to exert their energy and creativity in many other forms, other than the political form. But I would still like to go back to my point in my speech about having youth parks that are closer to homes, ie, within the heartland itself. A lot of youths hang out with their friends after school, not just only on weekends where they go down to Orchard Road; many of them can be found in void decks or shopping centres, and as I said, they play a cat-and-mouse game with the mall management. They do not have a big enough space where youths can congregate in bigger groups to do things, like showing off their skateboard skills, or even dance skills, and so on. If we could establish more youth parks within the heartland itself, then youths, after school, can gather at those places to exert their energy or express themselves. I think that would be quite a welcomed move by the schools also. I have been speaking to some over 30 principals, and many of them have expressed that many of their youths disappeared after school, not going home, but the teachers do not know where to find them, if they want to find them. But they think that if there is a youth park that is nearby ---”
“Perhaps we should build more laissez-faire youth parks closer to HDB heartlands. This proximity will help and enable youths to gather and channel their energy closer to home and perhaps also under closer supervision of their guardians. I would also like to have an update of the national youth forum and the extensive youth consultation exercise that is on-going.”
“Sir, the Singapore Idol reflected the dynamism of youths. To support the Idols, they organised themselves into lobby groups, raised funds via pasar malam stalls, created websites and virtual social groups. In sports, the Tiger Cup also saw youthful crowds waiting patiently at Changi Airport for their soccer heroes to come home. In the tsunami fund-raising effort in my constituency, Punggol-North, some $100,000 was raised mainly through the efforts of the youths. Clearly, when there is a real or perceived cause, with passion and some facilitation, the youthful spirit can go a very long way, whether it is rightly or wrongly. Our challenge then is to engage them either in our policy-making process or facilitate youths so that their energy can be properly channelled, or at least create some space for them to do what they want as long as it is not harmful to themselves or to the society. The worst thing we can do is to block them or frustrate them with many rules and regulations or restricted space. I would like the Ministry to take a bottom-up approach to find out what really excites our youths. It may be singing, soccer, civic issues or even roundtable-type clubs or fan clubs for role models. Perhaps the Ministry can also afford to err on the side of generosity so that youth groups, both formal and informal, can take advantage of the various facilities and fundings currently being looked into by MCYS. Better that our youths channel their energy into these programmes than to see them come under the influence of street gangs or deviant behaviour. Youths are also gregarious and they like to hang out. Now, a lot of them play cat-and-mouse games with mall managements because of the lack of public space for them.”
“I also want to highlight that, while we look towards working with the CCCs and the grassroots organisations for their support in the scheme itself, which I certainly encourage, I must also point out that they are all volunteers and, therefore, relying or counting on them alone will not be enough.”
“It provides seed capital for these social enterprises and, to-date, we have awarded about $3.6 million to support 38 projects. Of these, 31 have already started operations. We have linked them up with more established businessmen and people with more experience in business. I want to make an appeal here for successful Singaporeans with business experience to lend their expertise, business contacts and acumen to these fledgling social enterprises. These are just infant steps. It is only just the beginning. There have been many, many more suggestions coming from MPs and people on the ground. I want to encourage all the people involved in this to share best practices, to network and to be more innovative in coming up with new programmes. We will look into all these suggestions as we nurture this sector. Mr Chairman, I am not sure there is enough time. I was hoping actually for my Minister of State to deliver more details.”
“With this change, adoptive mothers can take leave at the point when the Court appoints MCYS as Guardian-Ad-Litem, or, in the case of a foreign adoption, when the child has received a dependant's pass. This will mean that the leave will start fairly soon after the child is physically with the adoptive family. I believe this is important, especially for the mother to look after the adoptive newborn, and to bond with the newborn. Families, being the first line of support, are just one of the “Many Helping Hands�? holding up our social safety net. Other major partners are the people sector and Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs). They play a vital role, as I have said earlier, in delivering services on the ground. They feel, know and understand the problems faced by the less fortunate in our society. We need our VWOs to be professional and innovative. Many of them, in fact, all of them, rely on the public for their funds. We want to encourage them not only to economise on the way they spend the money, but also, as Miss Penny Low has suggested, to look for more sustainable models to generate revenue. And that is where this issue of social enterprise comes in. Social enterprise is basically a business, but a business with a social mission. Profits or surpluses are not generated for the sake of shareholders but are used to further a social objective. I believe if more VWOs try the social enterprise model, they would have a more sustainable and, hopefully, more secure source of funding in the future. It is also another way for VWOs to help create jobs for their target recipients of their assistance. So, to support social enterprises, MCYS has already set up the Social Enterprise Fund a year and a half ago.”
“We have increased the flexibility so that parents can “top up�? the co-savings up to a maximum of $6,000 for the second child and $12,000 each for the third and fourth child, any time within the six-year period, and we will match it. With this flexibility, I would encourage all families to take advantage of the savings scheme and set aside money for their children's long-term future. We will also make it more convenient for parents to benefit from the Baby Bonus Scheme. In the past, even right now, parents have to fill in an application form for the Baby Bonus cash gift, then they have to make a trip down to a POSB branch to open a co-savings account. We will now move towards a one-stop, one-form, opt-out system, for both the cash gift and the Baby Bonus co-savings, all at the point when you register your child. We want to make it convenient and we want all of you to open this account, and not make it difficult and lechey for you to do so. Our target is to do this by December 2005. But, if I can accelerate it, I will do so. Adoption leave - we introduced this last year as part of our pro-family package to allow adoptive mothers to care for their newborns, aged 6 months and below. Adoptive mothers are eligible for Adoption leave of up to four weeks if their employers voluntarily grant it. The leave would be granted when the adoption was completed. The only problem was that usually it took more than six months for the adoption process to be completed and, therefore, de facto, hardly anyone could enjoy the leave. Again, in response to feedback, we have changed the system. We will now allow adoptive mothers to take their Adoption leave at a much earlier point in the adoption process.”
“30 pm On the effectiveness of the Baby Bonus and other monetary schemes, I want to reiterate this point: the decision to have a baby must be a personal decision made by the two people involved, and not by the Government. Our financial support is not an incentive to "buy" more babies. It is your decision, but we will support you. We know that the cost of raising a child is a key consideration for many couples. So the Baby Bonus was conceived, unintended, as a way to help defray the costs of raising children. The Baby Bonus has a two-tier grant structure. The first-tier is a direct cash gift of $3,000 each for the first and second child, and $6,000 each for the third and fourth child. The second-tier is a co-savings component over six years where Government matches the parents' contributions into the child's saving account, dollar for dollar, up to a maximum amount. We have received much feedback over the last few months asking that this scheme be made more flexible. We have made it more flexible in two ways. First, we allow the co-savings to be used to pay the fees of not only MCYS-licensed childcare centres and MOE-registered kindergartens, but we will now allow the Baby Bonus co-savings to be used to purchase MediShield or MediShield-equivalent healthcare insurance for their children from December 2005. This will give parents greater peace of mind over unexpected medical bills, should their children suffer from prolonged medical problems. We will also be more flexible in the way we match the parents' savings. Some parents miss out on the contributions every year because they say, "Well, I am unemployed", or "I have cash flow problem and I cannot contribute to it now.". Others say, "I want to put all the money in upfront, early.".”
“They are our greatest source of joy, friendship, emotional satisfaction and moral support. Our families mould us, define our values, and ultimately give our lives meaning. But family life and work all clamour for our attention. All of us need to constantly remind ourselves as to what is truly important in our lives. As we try to support families at a practical level, the Government has already taken some concrete measures. The five-day work week was introduced in the civil service. We provided childcare leave, additional maternity leave as well as funding for initiatives that promote work-life balance in companies. Financial support, in the form of Baby Bonus, is part of the pro-family package. Mr Sin Boon Ann asked whether this money has resulted in any improvement in the birth rates. Sir, I really do not want to count the chickens - or the babies - before they are hatched. But I do want to assure Mr Sin that we are working with the people and the private sector to actively promote strong family bonds. We conduct marriage support and enrichment programmes, parent-child bonding initiatives as well as training on parenting skills and inter-generational bonding activities. We have initiatives like the School Family Education and the "School Social Work to Empower Pupils to Utilise their Potential" programme (or STEP-UP), which have been set up in 144 schools, to help parents upgrade their parenting skills while equipping their children with life skills. That said, a strong family only works as an act of will and commitment. The foundation for a family ultimately must be love, respect and communication. The Government and the community can only provide a supporting environment. We cannot make it happen. 6.”
“I will touch on other aspects of the Baby Bonus with the remaining time that I have. Dr Lily Neo, Mr Sin Boon Ann and Miss Penny Low talked about caregivers. It is a labour of love to care for someone who is elderly, sick or disabled. Caregivers are often under-recognised and need our support and admiration as well. I do agree that we need to help them, provide them more information, training and emotional support. In order to help them, we will be introducing a "Care Coordinators" pilot project at 10 eldercare facilities across the island. A care coordinator will provide information on services that can support the caregiver, assist in referring cases, and provide counselling for the caregiver. The care coordinator will also arrange for training and support programmes to enhance the welfare of caregivers. If this pilot works, we will extend it to more centres. I am also happy to report that nine days ago, on 1st March, we set up a Disability Information and Resource Centre (DIRC). This is a one-stop centre which will provide information and guidance to all those who need help in looking after the disabled. It will be a hotline service and it also provides face-to-face consultation services as well as web and electronic access. We hope it will ease the burden on caregivers by helping with referrals to the most appropriate agencies - the hospitals, VWOs, CDCs and other organisations which can help the people under their care. To raise the awareness of the importance of home-based caregiving and to publicise other forms of caregiver support, my Ministry will earmark an annual budget of $400,000 to fund sustained public education programmes for caregivers. Sir, let me just touch on families. All of us cherish our families.”
“In a pilot employment testbed that we started last year, the Association of Persons with Special Needs (APSN) worked with Training Master Workforce Institute to successfully place 60% of its clients in cleaning jobs. With the success of this testbed, we are going to launch two more employment testbeds this year. We will continue to study this and see how we can optimise this further. But I want to say that I am not in favour of making legislative changes or affirmative action to guarantee access or to improve the access of the disabled people as far as getting jobs is concerned. There are many people who are looking for jobs. We, as a matter of principle, have resisted the temptation to rely on affirmative action and of making legislative changes because of the job and labour rigidity that will create its impact on the competitiveness of our economy. But, more importantly, it will in the long run impair the employability of people with disabilities. They may get token jobs, but not real jobs. It is better that we tackle the upstream - the more difficult part of changing jobs, changing mindsets and redesigning opportunities - before we resort to what seems like an obvious easy solution. Let me now touch on maximising the potential of children with disabilities. We know that early intervention makes a difference. Despite the Government subsidies for early intervention centres (or EIPIC), it can still cost a parent up to $400 a month to send a child to such an early intervention centre. That is why we are now going to liberalise the use of the Baby Bonus for parents who want to send such children for early intervention programmes. This will unlock potentially up to $24,000 per child to be used for these programmes. This will take effect from 1st July this year.”
“That is because intervention at an earlier age is more significant than intervening at a later stage. Second, we are going to increase the subsidies available for people under the Assistive Technology Fund. We will increase it by 15%. For households earning less than $300 per person, we will increase the subsidy all the way up to 90%. Third, we are going to make it easier for the disabled to apply for the ATF. In the past, the disabled could only apply through six ATF assessment centres. Now, we will enable them to apply for it through any VWO or hospital. Fourth, some disabled require specialised assessment and assistance in using these devices. The Society of the Physically Disabled, with the support of NCSS, has set up a Specialised Assistive Technology Centre to do this. All these enhancements to the ATF will benefit an estimated 1,150 persons. Mr Sin Boon Ann called for improving the employment prospects for people with disabilities. We focus our effort on job placement, vocational assessment and training. As at December 2004, Bizlink, which is a non-profit organisation, has managed to place about 56% of the disabled who registered with them looking for jobs. This is a considerable success rate if you think of the obstacles that they confront. We are now looking at the development of more employment test beds. An employment testbed is an arrangement where a VWO partners an employer to specially design the job so that the disabled person can do it. Examples have been cited in this House, like restaurants, waiters, etc. This complements the national job redesign programme that NTUC is spearheading.”
“My Ministry will be raising its spending on disability-related programmes by one-third to $39 million this financial year. Integration with society means giving people with disabilities more opportunities. It means making Singapore more disabled-friendly. An example of this also means making sure our transport infrastructure is upgraded and truly disabled-friendly. We have taken significant steps to make Singapore more disabled-friendly. We know that LTA has announced that by 2006, all existing MRT stations would be retrofitted and be accessible to all, including those with wheelchairs. The pace of the Lift Upgrading Programme has been accelerated by the Ministry of National Development. This and many other issues, for example, where my Ministry cannot do it alone, we need to work closely with MOT, MND, MOH and many other Ministries to achieve this. But I promise we will continue to be the agitator and the champion for increasing the access of the disabled into mainstream society. I now want to touch on the Assistive Technology Fund (ATF). This provides subsidies for assistive technology, basically computer and other high-tech equipment which can enable disabled people to overcome their primary disabilities. Let me give you an example. A secondary three student with muscular dystrophy was one of the recent beneficiaries of this scheme. Through this scheme, he was able to obtain some assistive computer technology which helped him keep up with his school work. By enabling him to keep up with his school work, he would be able to achieve fully and better education and, ultimately, better hope for the future. We will be enhancing this scheme in four ways. First, we will allow pre-school children to benefit from the ATF.”
“It is a multi-disciplinary team that consists of professionals from fields like geriatrics, psychiatry, law and social work, and it is spearheaded by a VWO called Trans Centre which specialises in family violence. The members constitute representatives from Alexandra Hospital, the Institute of Mental Health, Law Faculty of NUS, the Tsao Foundation and representatives from my Ministry. This will play a primary role in conducting enquiries into the needs of people who are caught in this unfortunate predicament and ensuring that intervention plans are carried out. We will work with the Police and the grassroots organisations to extend our outreach and ensure that the elderly are informed of their rights. The point about empowering banks to intervene in cases of financial fraud is not so straightforward. In the case of children, they are not adults, they do not have rights to enter into contracts and sign cheques. In the case of the elderly, they are adults and they have legal rights. Whilst you may want to protect them, we need to do so without depriving older Singaporeans of their legal rights to enter into contracts. So there is a fine balance between protection and removing the autonomy and respect which older Singaporeans should enjoy. Nevertheless, it is an issue which we will study in greater detail. Let me now turn very quickly to the other area on helping persons with disabilities. We have two principles governing our approach. First, we want disabled Singaporeans to be integrated into mainstream society. Second, we want to maximise the potential of disabled Singaporeans. We want them to be able to be as independent as possible. It is in their interest and the interest of their families and society in general.”
“Under the Women's Charter, although we call it the Women's Charter, its protection really extends far beyond that of just women. Anyone in the family who suffers physical, emotional or psychological abuse can apply for a Personal Protection Order from a Family Court. And the Family Court can make additional orders, including requiring individuals who are involved in family violence to attend mandatory counselling. A breach of the Protection Order constitutes a seizable offence for which one will be arrested. The Penal Code has provisions to protect the elderly against serious offences. 6.15 pm I would also like to inform Dr Lily Neo that professionals and caregivers are already legally empowered and obligated to advocate on behalf of the elderly victims and help the elderly make informed decisions to protect their interests. The caregiver can apply for a Protection Order on behalf of the elderly person. And if there is criminal intent, the caregiver should report to the Police. The Police will investigate the matter and take appropriate action. MCYS has established a national network of agencies to ensure that there is effective early detection and intervention for both victims and perpetrators of elder abuse. An elderly person who requires help can access services through these contact points, including Family Service Centres, the Police, hospitals and the court. In the last two years, my Ministry has been conducting regular training sessions to help these service providers intervene appropriately. A booklet on elder abuse and neglect has been developed to guide the service providers. Learning from our experience with child abuse, we have also piloted a programme which we call the Elder Protection Team. This is to manage elder abuse cases.”
“Some businesses offer discounts to the elderly during the annual Senior Citizens' Week. MCYS will build on this arrangement by introducing a Concessionary Card for seniors aged 65 and above. Examples of these benefits could include discounts at leisure and sports facilities, shopping centres and restaurants. Mind you, we are not asking for handouts. It makes business sense to reach out to the elderly since they are a growing segment of our population. But by organising it, we can optimise this and make it more attractive for the elderly to go out there to shop, to eat, or just to spend time with each other and get out of their rooms and their flats. In addition, we will also be introducing an annual ''Elder-Friendly Award''. This is to recognise organisations that adopt elder-friendly practices or provide elder-friendly infrastructure, services or products. Mr Davinder Singh and Dr Lily Neo brought up this very emotive issue of elder abuse. I sympathise entirely with their views. The issue of whether there should be automatic enhancements of penalties for people convicted of abusing the elderly is a complex one which affects the judicial system and the administration of justice, and one which I will leave it to the Minister for Law to address. But, really, the issue is not just one of punishment. We should be looking at preventing it from happening in the first place. And there are still things which we can do to prevent elder abuse or at least to mitigate the effects of elder abuse. It is worthwhile remembering that actually even today, under current legislation, the elder person who is abused can seek help and redress. The Maintenance of Parents' Act is an avenue for the elderly to seek financial support from unfilial children.”
“Keeping active can mean working. It can also mean being a volunteer or pursuing a hobby, and I believe it is important in delaying the onset of many of the degenerative diseases which you associate with ageing. I have heard this example of Mr Tan Kok Sing, who at age 80, led three generations of his family in skydiving from a height of 8,000 feet. I have not even dared to do that myself. But I am sure, and I hope, that there are many more elderly like Mr Tan, who serves as an inspiration to all of us, both young and old alike. To encourage active ageing further, my Ministry runs an Active Seniors Programme (ASP). This scheme funds up to $200,000 to community groups who want to start projects that will tap on the skills and experience of older Singaporeans. So far, 3,000 elderly volunteers have been mobilised under the scheme. One such project is a mentoring scheme run by a local organisation, and it is called the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP). They basically run a scheme in which older Singaporeans act as mentors for latchkey kids. In one scheme, you are addressing both the needs of the elderly and the needs of the young latchkey kids. I want to encourage more of such projects, and we will set aside $200,000 out of the $1 million for the ASP fund for small-scale projects which are worth $10,000 or less. If need be, and if there are more ideas out there, we will look for additional funds. My Ministry will also organise more elderly-focused events, starting with an Inter-Generation Bonding Family Day in June 2005, and a Sports and Mind-Games Carnival in September 2005, and these are in addition to our regular Senior Citizens' Week which is held every November. We need to also give the elderly more reasons to be active.”
“And we are currently reviewing this range of services and we will develop a new Eldercare Masterplan for FY 2006 to FY 2010. We will do this in consultation with our service providers and with the users on the ground. We will explore Dr Lily Neo's suggestions; Dr Warren Lee's suggestions on seeing how GPs can play a role; and we will certainly look at Dr Chong Weng Chiew's and Ms Irene Ng's suggestion for match-making services for those over 40 and even the elderly and the disabled. I think love should not have an expiry date. Mr Wee Siew Kim and Mr Sin Boon Ann talked about creating job opportunities for older Singaporeans. This is going to be a priority area. We have just finished the COS for MOM where we talked about reviewing the retirement age policy. It is not something trivial and easy to do. And identifying employment opportunities for the elderly, promoting an elder-friendly workplace, enlightened human resource practices, and looking into the establishment of informal industries and perhaps even providing micro-credit, as Miss Penny Low has suggested - we need to explore the entire spectrum. We will be piloting a community platform where the elderly or homemakers can make a living selling their own products, whether it be cakes, handicrafts or services. This has been helped recently by MND's decision last year to allow HDB homes to be registered as offices. And in due time, I think all the Ministries are also looking at how we can enable this informal economy to thrive at the edges of what still needs to be a globally competitive economy, which is the core of our Singapore economy, and we will certainly look at providing micro-financing. Mr Wee Siew Kim spoke on the need to keep our elderly active, and I agree absolutely with him.”
“Let me first say that I agree with all of you that we need an inter-agency approach. Ageing issues cut across many sectors, Ministries and agencies, and that is why we do not have a single Ministry for the elderly. We have instead set up a Committee on Ageing Issues (CAI). This is chaired by the Senior Minister of State for Health, Dr Balaji Sadasivan, and co-chaired by my Parliamentary Secretary, Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman. It comprises both Government and VWO representatives, and this committee has been tasked to focus on five priority areas: (1) Financial security of the elderly; (2) Improving the employability of older Singaporeans; (3) Enabling older Singaporeans to live with their families; (4) Promoting active ageing; and (5) Making sure that there is a continuum of care, both healthcare and social care services which our elderly need. These are not trivial issues. It is not something which we are going to solve overnight, but I put it to you that we have recognised that these are five big areas which we need to look at and address in a significant way. Mr Ong Ah Heng asked how much we are spending on eldercare and whether this will increase in the future. MCYS' and MOH's budget for eldercare services in this financial year will work out to a total of $98 million. It comprises $12 million from MCYS and $86 million from MOH. This represents an annual growth rate of 4.5% compared to the $82 million that was spent in FY 2001. Much of our expenditure on the elderly goes into the Eldercare Masterplan. This is where we fund the VWOs to run a range of eldercare services. It ranges from development programmes for the healthy, all the way to services for the frail.”
“The second one we have called it ComCare Grow, and that is basically focused on children to ensure that children from needy families - and when I say needy families, let me emphasise that it does not matter whether that is a standard nuclear family, broken family, divorced family or children with single parents or children of elderly parents -all children who need help will receive help. And, in particular, we will look after their educational needs. The third category we have called it ComCare Enable, which focuses on those who need long-term assistance, eg, the frail elderly living alone and people with disabilities. One specific feature which we are going to construct is a central database because, with so many schemes and so many people doing so many things, there is a real danger of either some people taking advantage and applying for more than what they need. Similarly, there is also a danger of some people falling through the cracks and not receiving the help that they need. So I believe my Ministry's role will be to act as a central interface for this information to be shared by all our many partners on the ground who are delivering assistance. I also agree with the sentiment that many of you have expressed - that we do need more social workers and our social workers need to be more equipped and to have the necessary support to do their work. I want to acknowledge here that social workers in Singapore play an incredibly important role and, in fact, have been one of the most under-appreciated, under-recognised professions in Singapore, and we must take steps to correct that. Let me now move on to ageing issues. Many Members, such as Mr Davinder Singh, Ms Irene Ng, Dr Lily Neo and Dr Warren Lee, have spoken on these.”
“Fourth, many of you have emphasised the need for flexibility, and I agree with you absolutely. Every individual and every family in trouble is different. Yes, for some schemes, we can use strict criteria, eg, whether you are working or not working, how much are you earning, how many people in your family, etc. But beyond the standard criteria-based schemes, there is a need for flexibility at the edges, and ComCare will provide that additional flexibility at the edge. The fifth point which is significant about ComCare is that we are now signalling a decentralised approach to the delivery of public assistance. Why CDCs and why VWOs? Because they are on the ground and they consist of people who are living next to you, living amongst you, living in the community, people who know whether you are truly in need or whether you are using the money for beer and cigarettes, people who can see you, live with you and feel your pain and share your burdens. So, I believe the grassroots organisations will bring their local knowledge, their hearts and their human touch into play. And it will not be an impersonal Ministry up in Thomson Road that is giving you assistance. My Minister of State will elaborate on the details later, but there will basically be three categories of funds under ComCare. The first one we have called it ComCare Self-Reliance. That is focused on needy families who need interim assistance to tide over periods of unemployment.”
“Consequently, we felt that by setting up an Endowment Fund which will then generate interest, we will be able to have a source of funds which will be available in both good and bad times for our people. That is why although, as of now, it is going to go up to $500 million, in the long term we need a billion dollars or perhaps even more, so that it will truly be sustainable and, in a sense, budget neutral. The second point which I want to emphasise about ComCare is that it signifies our commitment to do more. We have an ageing population. We have an economy which is going to be under increased pressure from competition from other parts of the world. So, yes, I think more people will need assistance in the future. There will be new money for new programmes. ComCare for this year will provide $55 million for a start. This is 40% more than we spent on the current schemes last year. This is proof that we are putting our money where our mouth is, that we are going to spend more money where it is needed, not just spend money and dish it out, but do it in a disciplined and sensible way. 6.00 pm Third, the establishment of ComCare gives us an opportunity to streamline our schemes. After I looked at that handout, I found 51 schemes. It is no wonder none of us, including the people out there, knew what was available for social assistance. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for us to rationalise and simplify and make it easier for all of us to implement the schemes. It does not necessarily mean that it is going to be easier for people to get more money. I do not think that should be the interpretation. But it means we should have a more rational and simplified interface to assistance.”
“The family must still remain our primary line of support, including both financial and emotional support. The Government cannot be a surrogate husband, a surrogate father, a surrogate mother or a surrogate brother or sister. Your family must still be there for you. Third, our social safety net is not something that is constructed and held up by the Government alone. We need "Many Helping Hands". And that is where ordinary citizens, voluntary welfare organisations and grassroots organisations have an absolutely crucial role to play. My friends, the issue is not money. It is not that the Government is being stingy and trying to save money and therefore asking the VWOs to come forward to help. The truth of the matter is compassion, dedication, sensitivity and passion. The energy of volunteers is something which cannot be matched by paid employees of the Government dishing out dole. There is a world of difference between a volunteer and a paid person, simply following the book and handing you a cheque every month. That is not to say that our current system is perfect. I will be the first to admit it is not perfect, and that is why we need to continually look at it critically and try to improve it. So let me now touch briefly on ComCare because my Minister of State will go through the details. Let me explain the significance of ComCare. What does it mean to all of us? First, it means we are setting up a sustainable source of funds for the poor in Singapore. All of you know that the Ministries are on block budgets. All of you also applauded when you were told that the Ministries' block budgets were going to be cut. All of you also then knew that, in tough times, all Ministries, including my Ministry, would have their budget cut.”
“So to put it simply, our approach is assistance, not welfare; mutual obligation, not entitlement. No Singaporean should feel, when he reads the Straits Times tomorrow and sees these 51 schemes, that he has a right to demand every single cent from every single scheme in that handout. Everyone of us must still feel the need to strive and work harder for a better life for ourselves and for our family. Some Members may feel that this is not being very compassionate. But I ask you to consider the consequences of choosing an easy populist route and just say, "These are the 51 schemes, let us give them all away.". If we did that - you and I know that there will be many who will not bother to work, much less upgrade their skills - the Government would have to raise taxes, both income tax and GST. But, frankly, that is not the worst of it. The most dangerous fact of going down the populist route is the fact that you will have a welfare system which is not sustainable. And this is the crux of the problem which America and Europe are now struggling to resolve. And you and I know they have not solved it yet and the problem is only going to get worse. So we need to understand that, yes, we must love our neighbours, but we need to do it in a sensible, practical and sustainable way. And what we have so far has worked and can work for the future. So I come back to the three fundamental principles behind our social safety net. First, to foster self-reliance. Our social safety net must be a trampoline. It must have springs so that someone who falls back on it can spring back up again. It is not meant to be a comfortable, luxury mattress for you to rest for a long term. Second, the family.”
“This is a significant sum of money for people in that predicament. As of end January this year, we have 450 families who were signed on to this scheme. And I can assure Members of this House that I hope many more will benefit and take advantage of this scheme which we offer to them. Sir, our social safety net ensures that our poor have a roof over their heads, food on the table, access to medical care, a chance to seek gainful employment, ie, to be trained for the next job, and education opportunities for their children. That is the guarantee, the hope, the option of social mobility to escape the poverty trap. And this is something which, I think, Singaporeans and, indeed, many of us in this House have not truly appreciated the extent and even, dare I say, the generosity of our social assistance package. In fact, I would put it to you that you will find very few countries, if at all, either capitalist or communist, which have done as well to look after the poor and give the poor hope, a chance to live a meaningful and self-respecting life, with dignity for themselves and hope for their children. Our paradigm is assistance; it is not welfare. The experience of other countries with excessive welfare benefits has taught us that we need to calibrate how we deliver our help. All of us want to help, but we need to translate those good intentions into practical and sensible schemes on the ground. We must not douse the desire to get back on the feet and to be self-reliant. If we do that, we would have fundamentally changed our society, destroyed our ability to compete and survive, going forward. And this is even more critical now than ever before in this globalised world with competition that we cannot shield anybody from.”
“It is very important to understand the significance of Medifund. Medifund, in effect, means that every single person in Singapore has access to healthcare and, in cases of families like this, they often do not even pay a single cent for their healthcare. As a person who has worked at the front-end in hospitals, I can assure you there is no problem as far as access to healthcare for the poor in Singapore. This is something that is in stark contrast to the situation in developed countries, like the United States or even parts of Europe. Let me give you another example - an elderly person living alone, a 69-year old childless widow, who has exhausted her savings with no family to turn to. We put her under the Public Assistance Scheme. But it is not us alone who is looking after her. The Sunlove Neighbourhood Link provides her with free meals. She gets food rations from SATS every alternate month, and she gets ang pows from foundations, like the Hong Leong Foundation and Shaw Foundation. In total, I have been told that she has been receiving about $4,100 a year. On top of this again, she receives assistance through Medifund and also takes advantage of highly subsidised housing under the Public Rental Scheme. Yes, she does not have a lot, but she is taken care of. To help low-income families avoid the poverty trap, we also have this scheme called Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE). This is a special scheme, preventive or perhaps an incentive scheme, to send the message to these households that if they have smaller families they will be able to focus their resources on these precious few children. They can create a better future for themselves and their children. I am sure Members of this House are aware that the sum total that is provided through HOPE is $100,000.”
“But fortunately for us, at this point in time, this is a small group and as of now there are only about 2,700 households receiving public assistance. 5.45 pm Let me cite a few more examples - real examples - so that you get an idea of how our system works in practice. A family of four approached the South West CDC for assistance a few months ago. Both parents were not working, the family had problems making ends meet. The family received about $1,000 in assistance from the CDC. The father received job search and assistance through the Work Assistance Programme. The two children received school fee subsidies and free textbooks. The good news in the case of this family is that the father will be returning to work at the end of this month. And I understand that he and his wife will receive a combined income of about $1,400. The family see themselves as now having taken that first step towards self-reliance. Take another example - a divorcee living with her mother and two children. To make things worse, she has not been able to work because of a traffic accident. Since the middle of last year, this family has received financial support through the Interim Financial Assistance Scheme and the Rent and Utilities Scheme. Her older child receives free uniforms and free textbooks. The younger child is able to go to a childcare centre because of subsidies under the Centre-Based Financial Assistance Scheme for Childcare. MUIS has also stepped in with some additional financial assistance. All in, since September last year, she has received about $3,800 in assistance. And over and above this, she also benefits from HDB's Public Rental Scheme where she pays less than $50 a month for her 2-room rental flat. And her family's medical expenses are covered by Medifund.”
“It is focused specifically at the lowest 20% and it also takes into account the fact that the lowest 20th percentile are not a homogenous group. They are actually heterogeneous with different circumstances and with different needs. Having said that, if Members look at what the Government provides for our people, the first tier is what I define as universal subsidies. By this, I mean healthcare, education and housing. The last time we tried to compute a value for this, this worked out to at least $12,000 a year. These are the subsidies for healthcare, housing and education. Over and above this, we have a comprehensive range of assistance schemes which are tailor-made for the different groups in the bottom 20%. The approach we use for each group must be different. Let me give Members a few examples. For those who have lost their jobs, we need to provide interim assistance. We obviously need to help them get re-employed and get back on their feet. For another group, whose incomes are low and chronically low, what they need is some ongoing financial assistance to supplement those incomes. In particular - and I am very struck by Mr Zainudin's speech - we need to make sure that their children get a good education because this is the only sure way to ensure that they escape the poverty trap, and that we will get many, many more Zainudins in Parliament and in the upper reaches of our society in the future. And then, at the lowest end, we have those who are frail elderly, disabled, who really cannot get a job and support themselves even if they wanted to. For them, and only them, we provide long-term assistance through our public assistance scheme.”
“Although at the statistical level, we may say that these are marginal changes, to real people on the ground facing these situations, these fears and anxieties are amplified. And this is not something that we can wish away - globalisation, recessions, restructuring, terrorism and biological plagues are facts of life. Some workers with only basic education obviously face increased difficulties finding jobs despite their best efforts. There are older Singaporeans who are frail, sometimes without family support, and sometimes with little savings. Similarly, while we have some disabled Singaporeans who are gainfully employed, we all know that it is that much more difficult for disabled persons to find jobs. If a person with no disability already has difficulty finding jobs, it can only be harder for a disabled person. I want to assure Members - and Mr Sin has asked me for an assurance - that we will not neglect such Singaporeans. They deserve their fair share of opportunities and they deserve our assistance. I have distributed a handout enumerating all the current social assistance schemes that exist as of today. One Member just now toted up and said he had counted nine. I do not know whether to be pleased or to be disappointed to inform him that there are 51 - probably more as I still have not toted up all - and if Members look at the details in that handout, there are actually quite a lot of assistance available. We actually have a very robust social safety net in Singapore and one which delivers considerable benefits to our people who need it most. But what is different, unique perhaps, about our social safety net compared with the welfare state that many Members, especially the Opposition Members, keep harping about is that in Singapore, this assistance is focused.”
“The second key priority is that we need to nurture the relationships that give us happiness, fulfilment and significance to our lives. At a personal level, my life is worthwhile because of my relationships with my wife, children, friends, colleagues and my fellow citizens. Family, friends and colleagues give us a reason to live, work and play. Shared experiences and memories are what bind us together as a society and what root us to this precious place called home. We derive a sense of ownership, not just from owning a flat but because of the opportunity to contribute, to build and leave something behind in this place called Singapore to make the difference. And that is why my Ministry focuses on the family, voluntary welfare organisations, racial and religious harmony, volunteerism, philanthropy, sports and opportunities for youth. Ultimately, it is about relationships, and enhancing the relationships that enrich our lives. So just bear these two key priorities in mind - that no one is left behind and it is about enriching our relationships. Let me now focus on the first priority. Many Members have raised eloquent and deeply-felt pleas on behalf of the poor and needy and have asked how they are faring. As our economy grows and as we go through this painful restructuring, I know that there are Singaporeans out there who are feeling anxious and who are feeling the burden of this restructuring. The past seven years from 1998 to 2004 have been difficult for the lowest 20th percentile of our population. Although the cost of living has not risen by much, wages for the less skilled jobs have declined marginally.”
“It demonstrates that in the event of a disaster, joint effort with the people sector will avert a crisis or at least effectively manage it. Does the Minister intend to encourage such an organisation and, if so, how? The Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Sir, I would like to share the two key priorities of my Ministry over the next two years. The first is to build a caring and inclusive society, where no one will be left behind. As a country, Singapore has made a strategic decision to ride on globalisation, to have an open economy, to run a competitive system, in order for us to tap and harvest every opportunity for economic growth. And we have to do this because we are small and this is the only way to survive. However, the corollary of this strategic decision is that there will be increased competition for our people - competition which we cannot insulate our people from. And it is important that Members of this House appreciate this strategic fact. This sense of competing at the highest level is what makes Singapore exciting, but it is also what causes deep-seated anxiety and even fear in the hearts of some people who are worried that they may not be able to keep up with this fast paced competitive society, and are afraid that they will be left behind in this race. Our job is to make sure that every Singaporean and every family in Singapore has an opportunity to build a better life, to harvest the fruits of our labour as a nation, and an assurance that there will be a helping hand and no one will be left behind. I agree with the sentiment that we cannot outsource the poor, because we are not a company. We are a nation and therefore we are in this together.”
“Sir, the social enterprises, like Oxfam, Habitage Humana, Mr Condom in Thailand and micro-financing schemes have long-term sustainability and, at the same time, provide direct self-help avenues to their beneficiaries. This is in sync with our many-helping-hands approach and also the preferred approach of many of our disadvantaged citizens who are quite conspicuously missing from the public space. Sir, social enterprises have become the preferred type of VWOs and NGOs in the developed countries like Japan, US and UK, which even has a CIC-type of company legislative framework that suits social enterprises. They also organise themselves into various help organisations that provide cross platforms for deeper discussions on administrative, technical and funding issues. These platforms are also excellent grounds for experience exchanges and the alliance to achieve a multiplier effect. Universities like Harvard and Columbia Universities also have extensive studies and developed programmes to jump start the social enterprises. In retrospect, our effort appears quite half-hearted. Sir, if we are serious about boosting this sector and cultivating a self-reliant society, let us catch the wave and become a regional player in social enterprises, instead of going through our own learning curve. A way to jump start could be in inviting a few of these establishing international social enterprises to base their regional HQ in Singapore as well as collaborating with successful social enterprises overseas. Perhaps exchange programmes to train our own social entrepreneurs could also be instituted. Sir, the power of our people and such social entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in the tsunami relief efforts.”
“Sir, in last year's COS, I spoke about the need to establish more caregiver support groups. This year, I intend to ask for a more holistic approach to help caregivers. Sir, caregivers face increasing stress. Demands of a changing job environment, escalating cost of living and medical costs, the need to stay integrated with the community and caring for their charges could be overwhelming. In particular, the sandwich generation that cares for the school-going age and the ageing parents, singles who are caring for ageing parents or disabled siblings, are a growing phenomenon in our ageing demography. Sir, people are built differently and could be overwhelmed by the demands of these and could lead to breakdown in families and nervous breakdowns in the caregivers. In an all inclusive society approach, how could we empower, enable and enhance caregivers' ability to discharge their responsibilities? Is a one-stop centre for caregivers a possible idea? Is there a more holistic way to help the caregivers? I hope the answer to all these and suggestions from my colleagues is a yes. The Disabled”
“Could the Minister assure this House that ComCare Fund would reinforce the many-helping-hands approach so that people would continue to discharge their family and social obligations towards the needy and the elderly? Community Development Councils”
“Sir, the $1 billion ComCare fund recognises the size of the challenges that we face today and tomorrow. Present challenges are families in various needs and those displaced by the changing economy. Future challenges will be all these, plus the problems of an ageing population. However, depending on the Government alone will never be sufficient. With the $1 billion fund, it is easy to rely on the money to "pu cai xiao xai", just to tackle the problems of today rather than develop long-term strategies to combat the woes of tomorrow. Hence, would the Minister elaborate on: (1) The specific strategies of the ComCare Fund; (2) Whether there is any specific fund allocation for short, medium and long-term challenges that Singapore faces; (3) What is the desired tangible outcome of the ComCare Fund? For example, is there a target education level to be achieved within a specific time period under the ComCare Grow Fund? Will the desired outcome for the ComCare include KPIs of eldercare centres, special work villages for the disabled and the not so physically well and, if so, in what timeframe? (4) What is the exact disbursement mechanism of the ComCare Fund? Will CDCs be given a similar budget based on per capita, or compete for funding in a free-for-all first-come-first-served approach? (5) How does the ComCare Fund tie in with the many-helping-hands approach? We should build a society that is resilient and values self-help before reaching out to the community or private sector for all kinds of assistance. Cultivating a society of responsible citizens who are proud of their achievements is the only long-term sustainable safety net that Singapore should strive to achieve. I am sure that we do not want our many-helping-hands approach to become a many-grabbing-hands approach.”
“Sir, two points of clarification. The Minister of State, Mr Heng Chee How, mentioned that the opt-out scheme could be relevant in certain situations. I agree with that, where there is a social dimension to it. But where it is pure commercial interest itself, an opt-out scheme should not be allowed. On my cut on the fiesta capital itself, what I was suggesting really was to give a boost to the festival industry and group some of these events that we are currently having, because they are too disintegrated and it is really difficult to identify Singapore with a particular culture or fiesta event itself. What we need to do is to really cluster them and give them an identity, whether it is monthly or alternate months.”
“Would the Minister support the path to building regionally recognised accreditation schemes, like CaseTrust, as the branding and co-branding for Singapore products, services, both in Singapore as well as overseas? Warehouse Retail Scheme”
“Sir, as the economy moves up the value chain, a premium can only be extracted from business activities, if innovation and branding occupy centre stage. Branding, however, represents a set of expectations and values which identify the product or a company. Hence, while we brand Singapore and Singapore companies and products, we would need a robust national accreditation scheme that builds trust and rapport between business entities and customers. Trust therefore is key for any business relation. One such scheme is the revamped CaseTrust Scheme which belongs to a non-profit organisation, the Consumers Association of Singapore. Please allow me to declare my interest here as the Chair person of CaseTrust Advisory Council and the DP of CASE. CaseTrust has repositioned itself as a national trust mark, and we have achieved some quick success. In fact, recently, CaseTrust has also attracted enquiries from as far as China and India. It is looking at the possibility of linking up with some regional accreditation scheme to cross recognise the Singapore brand as well. Local businesses would stand to benefit from an enlarged market and Singapore can, in fact, become a brand leader. This is really exciting. But this can only be achieved if MTI invests in the efforts via some methods of funding or facilitation like linking up with the regional and international markets, more direct marketing of accreditation schemes in countries where IE Singapore, EDB and STB have established offices and, in fact, to include a boost for our accreditation schemes whenever EDB and STB go on a roadshow overseas.”
“We need to theme our somewhat disintegrated event landscape and leverage on what we currently have to make our celebrations bigger, louder, last longer, in fact, romanticise them and involve tourists in our city action. This is what would leave them asking for more. I have also provided another list of addendum as examples of existing festivals. A fiesta concept will raise our profile internationally as a cultural capital and add a buzz of excitement, colour and drama to the city that is enjoyed by both residents and visitors alike. Integrated Resort”
“With the $2 billion Tourism Development Fund, I urge that we develop Singapore as an international fiesta capital city, which leverages on our people, city energy, hub concept, location, already world-class infrastructure, travel safety, kaleidoscope of culture, food, shopping, and mix of old and new, to give tourists a uniquely Singapore experience and leave them wanting more. In fact, the advantages of a fiesta capital concept is aplenty. In terms of economic contribution, I have distributed an addendum, and I quote two examples. One, the Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland - three weeks of sizzling music, opera and dance. It attracts 2.6 million visitors and generates some $419 million in revenue, producing some 2,900 full time jobs. The Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, gives 16 days of beer, attracts some 6 million visitors and $1.9 billion in revenue, producing some 12,000 full time jobs. It will also help us to product differentiate. In fact, what do tourists identify Singapore with? Perhaps we could ink Singapore as a unique fiesta capital in the minds of international travellers. It may also give us the X-factor that Minister Mah spoke about yesterday. More skyscrapers and mega-malls add only diminishing marginal utility. A fiesta could create a unique visitor experience, enhance the quality of life and encourage more people to come and live here. It could also help build community. Festivals pull people together and add a spark to their lives in the communities. It is a useful social bonding and community development tool. In total, our diversity in unity is a call for celebration.”
“Sir, Tourism Vision 2015 sets bold aims to double visitor arrivals, triple tourism receipts and add some 100,000 jobs to Singapore. I wonder how MTI intends to achieve this vision. To quote the Minister, "Where do we place our bets?" Sceptics would say, "Perhaps integrated resorts." However, having travelled to some 45 countries, I ask myself what makes a place memorable. What makes me revisit it? Without a doubt, Eiffel Tower or Tower Bridge alone, will not lure me back. But it is the people, action and stories along the way that create the magic in the air. Does Singapore have that magic? Sir, "Awe-struck by Chingay" was the Sunday Times headline that described our tourist experience. Lights, colours, sounds, festive cheers and, most of all, the kaleidoscope of races and styles coming together to celebrate a historically Chinese festival impressed tourists of our unity in diversity. Many wanted to learn more about Singapore's culture and racial harmony. People remember less of concrete skyscrapers, but more fondly of events and people. The event leaves a lasting memory with many stories to tell their friends and relatives back home. Sir, this is the colour of our nation and our strength. Could we showcase this unique face of Singapore to the world? Should we capitalise on the very colours? In fact, could we go one step further and have a major fiesta every other month and make Singapore a cultural and fiesta capital of the world?”
“Similarly, on the demand side of the equation, would there also be some effort to encourage a "Buy Singapore" on a B2B and B2C basis?”
“Sir, SMEs produce some 30% of our GDP, employ more than half of our workforce and comprise some 90% of the total establishments in Singapore. In other words, by helping SMEs to upgrade and become more competitive, the income of more than 50% of our workforce can be improved. Would the Minister agree that this is a worthy enough cause to invest heavily in our SMEs? Unlike MNCs with big muscles, the ups and downs of SMEs can be quickly felt by Singaporeans, whether as towkays, workers or clients. SMEs' challenges are multi-fold. Will there be a one-stop centre, both virtual and real, not just virtual, for business enquiries and facilitation? Again, what about an integrated approach to help SMEs unleash its potential? This House has heard that the special EDB-like agencies for SMEs are not feasible due to the variety and sheer numbers of SMEs in Singapore. But, Sir, I am not convinced. Is it not precisely because there are so many SMEs that a robust and SME-centric agency is urgently needed to look after these geese that are still laying the eggs, albeit much labour pain? If SPRING is indeed the agency, then let it be known as the champion of SMEs and not a Swiss knife that serves multiple masters. Of course, I echo the need to give more robust resources to SPRING. The SME 21 plan itself was a strategic plan launched in 2000. It was a 10-year plan with various objectives. I wonder who is responsible for the SME 21 plan. Or is it just another exercise that would be dated and forgotten in due course? At the half-way mark in 2005, could the Minister also give an update of the SME 21 plan and inform the House if the missions are still relevant, and what would it take to set up a SME one-stop centre to build robust SMEs?”
“I am especially concerned that the elderly, less educated and lower-income group who are more difficult to reach out to may not benefit from existing programmes. One way to overcome this is through the help of organisations with similar clientele. Will MoneySense programme consider building capacity within these existing organisations, which could be VWOs, social enterprises, NGOs, and even grassroots organisations, to reach out to these specific groups? VWOs have fed back to me that one-off programmes have limited impact, but follow-up sessions with clients over a sustained period of time can effectively build good habits. Would MoneySense consider fully funding such programmes, which could run over a longer term and at a higher cost than a one-off programme? In addition, what are MoneySense's funding principles, and how has it changed over the last one year or so?”
“Sir, allow me to raise two issues. First, cash-back schemes. There are many cash-back schemes in the market for big ticket non-cash upfront purchases, eg, HDB, single-premium ILPs purchased under CPF, renovation loans, car purchases, and even hire purchases, have short-term-gain-long-term-pain type of cash-back schemes. The question is: other than the HDB scheme, has anything been done to curb the cash-back transactions? Obviously, MAS does not seem to be able to catch up with the variety. Does that signal a need to relook at the various laws governing loans and hire purchases? Are there any regulations that prohibit the middlemen, like financial advisers or car dealers, agents, etc, from engaging in such deals? What about the rebates that are currently allowed? Second, ILPs. There is a need for transparency and fair practice. Some companies tax clients twice by converting cash premiums, first into unit trusts, before converting them back to pay for administrative and mortality charges. Clients effectively pay an extra 5%, which is the bid offer spread of the charges. This is unfair practice. On the mortality schedules, would MAS also help to ensure that the mortality tables that are used under insurance are reviewed and updated in accordance with the changes in the life expectancy of Singaporeans. MoneySense Programme Let me move on to my next cut, which is on the MoneySense programme. Sir, I observe that many of the MoneySense programmes are run by financial service industry operators associated with vested interests. As a result, some of them focus more on the investment tools rather than on cultivating good habits and values in people. Part of the reason is in its 50% deficit funding principle.”
“We need to tackle the challenges of an impending shrinking labour force via a paradigm shift towards more job innovation and diversity to include all those who can contribute. Imagine if we can convert the stay-at-home mums to work-from-home-mums, convert the young retirees to re-enter the workforce and enable the disadvantaged to become contributors, then the aging population problem will already be halved. We need to step up on financial literacy and responsibility programmes, and establish a long-term sustainable retirement financial model via the ReCeSS time that I spoke about. Just like the focus on healthcare, long term care and MediShield, the Government has decided to fund these programmes to varying degrees but for the same reason. So why not 'Wealth Care'? The costs of granting all the proposed tax shelters and holidays may lead to a drop in revenue collection, but will certainly encourage more retirement funding and cultivate responsibility in individuals. It will also lower overall budget expenses. Overall, this will help to balance the budget of both the individuals and the state in the long term. But ultimately, the success of our ageing population policy rests on the actions taken today by our 3Ps - the private sector has to facilitate it, the Government, which is the public sector, has to provide some incentives as well as facilitation through lower legislation. But the magic wand is with the people who must act on these opportunities. This indeed is the many-helping-hands approach, which will help us to surf from peak to peak.”