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 2 of 16.
“We cannot say that we are gracious and then expect our service force to serve us like kings and queens, and then pick quarrels with our neighbours. We cannot say that we want foreign domestic helpers and then shout out for policies to kick-out foreigners, because they make life difficult. We cannot pretend that there is no impact on the broader social mood and what happens after. I am thankful that 50 years ago, amidst tumultuous times, our Pioneer Generation chose to have a positive idea of Dream Singapore. Devoid of resources, save for its people and location, our Pioneer Generation, many who are new immigrants then, had one single collective dream, and that of a better tomorrow, of turning swampland into a bustling metropolis, a Singapore built on the basis of justice and equality to achieve happiness, progress and prosperity for all. With grit and ingenuity, our shared idea has become our current reality. I salute our Pioneer Generation. In his Address, the President re-emphasised the need for us, Members of Parliament and Government leaders, to focus our minds to create the Singapore of tomorrow. So, may I ask, what is your idea of Singapore in 2030, 2050 or even 2065 when we celebrate our 100 years' old birthday? The idea of a "fair and just society" for the PAP Government has always meant it recognised that market forces cannot be left on their own to deliver social development. So, active policy was needed. From our education and housing policy of the past 50 years, to the numerous "levelling-up" policies, and to today's ComCare, Workfare, ITE systems and the Progressive Wage Model, my colleagues and I have stayed faithful to the idea of a fair and just society, with social mobility, shared responsibility and a Singaporean solidarity at its heart.”
“Mdm Speaker, I rise in support of the Motion to thank the President for his Address – for reinforcing the ideas and ideals that have made Singapore what it is today. Madam, quiz time. What is the most virulent thing on earth? Is it a virus, a bacteria, a parasite? It is an idea – virulent, resilient. Once an idea takes root in the mind, it is almost impossible to get rid of. The smallest seed of an idea can grow and grow – to define or destroy you. There could not have been a more graphic demonstration of this in the movie "Inception" where ideas become dreams and dreams become reality. Many people will try to seed ideas in us. We have to stay conscious of that, to separate fact from fiction, reality from rumours. Once an idea takes root, it fills our imagination and stirs emotion. We begin to see what we want to see and feel what we want to feel. Ideas can fill our minds with positive scenarios and emotions and a can-do spirit; or with ugly scenes, negative energy and anger. What we feel and think, we do and actualise. And then, we become. So, we have to be careful what stories we tell ourselves about our collective life, our country. If we set a negative idea and social mood, we cannot expect constructive outcomes. I second what the Prime Minister said yesterday. We, in this House, have a responsibility to exercise – not just in policies, but also the tone of our politics. In recent years, road rage, MRT fights, neighbourly disputes, complaints have become norms. STOMP and Mr ShiGGa Shay's music video titled "LimPeh" which shot to the top charts of the Singapore iTunes in 2013 reflected the negative sentiment but also drove the Page: 53 social media.”
“I will do that, Madam. The Minister said that the IT upgrade would be extended also to VWOs and the social sector. I had sought various clarifications on that, but there was no clear answer as to whether it would also extend to the NPOs that are not registered as charity. So, could the Minister also clarify on that? Last but not least, on my cut on disabled employment and assistive technology, would the Minister consider developing studies into how we can Page: 51 convert special needs to special abilities and train them in that light? So, it is not a one-size-fits-all kind of skills training but really specialised according to the kind of special needs and abilities.”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. First, I would like to thank Minister and all his staff for all the really good work that MSF has done. I have seen marked progress, especially the whole-of-Government way of social service delivery. I want to also thank him for the work in the childcare sector. That has really helped my residents, but we need to do more. Just a few quick questions. 1.45 pm First, the Minister talked about the upgrade in professionalisation of people in the social services. I think that is really something that is necessary and should be urgently conducted. But he mentioned that this will apply to all the social workers in the VWOs. I am wondering whether this should also be extended to organisations that are registered as not-for-profit, but not necessarily VWOs, or under ROS, or registered as charity. So, would this upgrade and professionalisation of services extend to not-for-profit organisations not registered as charity? Second, I think a couple of years ago, he also announced that the $100 million IT upgrade —”
“Madam, what do Isaac Newton, Vincent Van Gough and Aristotle have in common? They were epileptic. What about Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Albert Einstein and Richard Branson? Dyslexia. Thomas Edison and Beethovan? They were hearing-impaired. Claude Monet, Stevie Wonder and Yeo Sze Ling? Visually-impaired. Stephen Hawkings, Roosevelt and Dr William Tan – wheelchair-bound, but like the rest, spirit and intellect-unbound! Need I say more? When Starbucks opened its 100th store down the road from here, it chose to hire autistic people. Not out of charity but because their obsession with doing exactly as the task requires makes for great quality control! Madam, disabilities can be special abilities, but a lot of time their potentials are only limited by our mindset and our imaginations. We are the ones who need to make a paradigm shift to see the flourishing of these amazing abilities. We need bold big moves to unleash their potentials. Could the Minister consider the following points: (a) Look into what special needs could be converted into special abilities and corollary, fund special needs-friendly education and special ability skills training schemes; (b) Fund technology and business innovations to create integrated workplaces and intermediaries that tap the abilities of these people; and (c) Singaporeans have been making waves in assistive technology. Why not grow it, along with some special needs apps and special abilities training into a cutting edge industry that will be of high value, scale-able and exportable, to turn the world around for people with special abilities!”
“In the UK, the Social Value Act requires all public bodies to take into account the social value created in contracts which provide a market for SEs. The world recognises the value of this social innovation wave. Sir, are we prepared to go big in SE and social innovation? Can we consider the likes of the Social Value Act? Can we include technological, artistic and creative innovations to this agenda of finding new solutions to unmet needs? I will repeat my call to the Government to adopt a full industry incubation model, a whole-of-Government approach. Will the Minister consider investing into a park for social innovation or social enterprise for a start? It is not just about the money but about recognising intermediary organisations, about putting an ecosystem in place and boldly boosting the social economy to put people and social innovation at the heart of our development agenda in Page: 156 Singapore. Social Service Delivery”
“I declare my interest as a volunteer in the social innovation sector. I wish to recognise MSF's support for social enterprises (SEs) which recognise the power of dignity and self-worth and leverage on market opportunities to unleash its value. Page: 155 Last year, the Social Innovators Policy Shapers Network (SIPN) was launched by the Social Innovation Park. Through it, we found that direct handouts are giving way to a global rise in social enterprise and social innovation as new strategies for solving significant and complex social problems. We also found that where market failure is eminent, the Government's role is pivotal to get more traction to accelerate inclusive growth. SIPN did a quick scan of the world and this is what we found. In Hong Kong, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam launched a HK$500 million Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund under the Commission on Poverty, which she chairs, with a clear view to avoid and not just alleviate poverty. In US, President Obama's Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation has disbursed more than half-a-billion dollars through the Social Innovation Fund to support bottom-up, collaborative social innovation. In Alberta, Canada, very recently, a US$1 billion Social Innovation Endowment Fund will support collaboration and create opportunities for solution makers to come together to address complex issues, strengthen and renew Alberta's social and cultural sector. In South Korea, its Ministry of Employment and Labour enacted a Social Enterprise Promotion Act that provides holistic support for SEs – covering regulation and assessment, infrastructural development, funding and public procurement for quality sourcing.”
“Can the Government agencies take the lead? Corporate Giving”
“Madam, volunteerism can shape and empower youths to become active citizens. Last year, the Volunteer Youth Corps (VYC) was launched. Can the Minister give an update on VYC? Some people have noted that VYC community partners are required to assign a dedicated staff to conduct impact evaluation, facilitate learning and reflection of VYC members even if it is for a small project. If so, criteria may favour only fairly sizeable NPOs and disadvantage smaller resource-strapped NPOs and unwittingly stumping their growth. To encourage more bottom-up initiatives and inclusivity, can the Minister (a) level the playing field by tweaking the details of the VYC implementation; (b) Page: 14 elaborate on other youth engagement and development efforts and how NYC will strengthen itself to cope with it; and (c) enlighten us on the plans to rally youths around our nation, in view of Singapore's 50th birthday in 2015? Madam, in Singapore, many youths are active volunteers while they are in school, possibly because of school-based programmes and a facilitated environment. When youths graduate into the corporate world, career takes precedence, particularly for those between ages 23 and 30. Time, opportunities, support become obstacles and many drop out as a result. However, given the rise in corporate citizenry and many companies now trying to get into CSR and understanding how to do so, youth engagement and CSR can go hand in hand but I think it needs to be structured and facilitated. I hope that MCCY would do more to spur active corporate citizenry, invest in intermediary organisations to set up programmes and match-make employers and youths in giving through the various stages of their life. Can MCCY look into a life-stage approach to volunteerism?”
“I know what the journey feels like because I, too, had been wheel-chair bound, albeit for a while. Sports Hub”
“Sir, sports can change lives. This is especially so for para athletes, their families, their communities. They may be different, but our fellow human beings would deserve an environment that tells them and their families that they are worthy and that they can make it. They may face more challenges than the rest of us but that is all the more reason we should champion them and cheer them on. When they succeed, it is not just a personal success; it is a family triumph, a community victory and a national pride. We should create an environment that supports these brave athletes. Hence, my questions are: Page: 155 (a) What is being done to support para athletes in terms of training, exposure and equipment needs? (b) Given the higher financial expenses, how can we lighten the burden on the families and encourage more disabled to take up sports? (c) Are there jobs in the sports sector where para athletes can pursue with dignity as their career? (d) Is the Sports Hub designed with para sports in mind? (e) Does MCCY have a plan to build the necessary infrastructure for para sports? Sir, inclusivity is a key feature of our Budget 2014. We should seek to promote inclusivity in our major headlining events in 2014 and 2015 and forever. For example, as we begin planning for the grand opening of the Sports Hub, the SEA Games, the Para SEA Games and SG 50 Celebrations in 2015, para sports should also feature prominently in the celebrations. They inspire every Singaporean to overcome the odds and scale greater heights. Disability is a mindset. It is not an insurmountable obstacle. But the journey is lonely unless we have communities that believe in the disabled and a society that creates space that they deserve, space that they need and space for all.”
“Canada realised that urban cycling could help address the first and last mile problem of urban transport modes. In 2011, McGill University studied how personal factors affect cycling decisions, and how space affects route choices. The results were then incorporated into infrastructure planning, resulting in less traffic jams and definitely a greener earth. In Singapore, we can invest into social big data to better understand our people, so we could develop appropriate social infrastructure and movements. And, in fact, there have been some of these in the sharing economy and urban farming that are being started by individuals, community groups as well as the private sector. Could we study more of this to try to incentivise more individuals Page: 176 and companies to take personal responsibility in shaping a more sustainable future?”
“I am afraid my cut will bring us back to alert and caution. Last year, when the air in Singapore got hazy, we got dizzy – dizzy with heated debates, health scares, buying frenzy and profiteering. When the dust settled, we learnt that some of this frenzy could have been Page: 175 avoided if people received correct information in a more timely manner. In the 2006 tsunami, a little Scandinavian girl standing on the beach of Phuket noticed the sea swelling. She remembered what her teacher taught her about the tsunami. Using that knowledge, she saved her family. In the Tohoku tsunami, the Japanese calm and resilience shone through, mutual help and self help got victims back on their feet again. They were taught disaster protocols since young. Climatic wild cards like droughts and floods are all clear and present dangers closer to home than ever before. Instead of waiting for disaster to strike and cause chaos, we should learn emergency preparedness specific to the various situations, so that we can "keep calm and carry on". What the public fear most is uncertainty. What the public need most is assurance – which can come in the form of knowledge, habits and emergency protocols. Does the Ministry's workplan include public readiness? I searched the website but to no avail. How does the Minister intend to ready the nation on the social front? 7.15 pm Sustainable Singapore Blueprint On to my next cut on Sustainable Singapore Blueprint (SSB), the Ministry is embarking on a review of the SSB. Can the Minister give a status update of SSB 2009, especially on the fourth thrust on fostering community action? Sir, do we really know what it takes to mobilise the community to support our SSB goals? Perhaps we need insights into human behaviour.”
“Sir, just taking a leaf from our NDP song "Home", let me quote, "There is comfort in this knowledge that home is about its people too. So, we will build our dreams together just like we did before. Just like the river that brings us life, there will always be Singapore." Singapore my home, our country. Let us strive together to make this best home for us now and for the future.”
“Mr Chairman, the Draft Master Plan (DMP) is an exciting plan to update Singapore's living environment. In the new social compact, a successful urban development plan is not just about aesthetics or building better infrastructure that meets demand. A masterplan should be one to bring out the best in people and also foster collective responsibility. As Minister Khaw said, shared responsibility, shared memory – it is about building a Singapore Page: 139 home where people are at the heart of a city planning process. A great renaissance city is about its people, whether it is Li Bai of the Tang dynasty, or Leonardo da Vinci of Florence, Italy. The environment incentivises the blooming of talents, which brings meaning, thoughts and civic behaviour to greatly enhance life. Instead of just looking at greening a space or planning connectivity from an agency perspective, or planning via agency KPIs, we need a holistic approach to building a home where people can be at their best. Through people-centric design thinking and big data analytics to uncover what makes the soul of a bustling city, urban planners can create a truly sustainable, inclusive and renaissance Singapore. We should strive for universality in our urban design, building facilities that can be used equally by all regardless of their mobility needs; rather than separate purpose-built or dedicated facilities which are, by nature, exclusive rather than inclusive. Hence, my questions are: one, what have we learnt from past masterplans? Two, have we extensively studied the social dimensions of urban planning so that we can build towns that can cultivate better people and shape more responsible, more cohesive neighbourhoods?”
“Madam, many singles give the feedback that direct purchase HDB flats are financially helpful and a huge psychological relief. However, as flat sizes are small, they cannot entertain guests or have relatives, especially their nieces or nephews, stay over. Hence, their wishes are: (a) include bigger flats; (b) extend the Multi-Generation Priority Scheme (MGPS) to singles so that they can live near their parents and help look after them; and (c) modify the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS) to encourage singles to live near their families, so that they can mutually support one another. Can the Minister consider these requests which are all in line with HDB's ethos of building strong families, please? Housing Policies”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have a few clarifications. The first is on the social big data and analytics – I mentioned that earlier on and Page: 90 during the Budget debate. Could more information and details be given as to how the social sector can seriously benefit on this and how the Ministry also intends to purvey the use of social analytics? The reason I ask is because, last year or the year before, there was a fund of $100 million set aside for ICT investment into the social sector. But details showed that fund went to only registered charities and VWOs. So, that makes it very difficult for other NPOs to benefit from it. And then, also how do we avoid the same pitfall again – the SMEs, where the "S" in the "SMEs" is being left out. The second question is on the cut on exposure for smaller NPOs: how do we create positive vibes in society? And I thank the Minister and the Ministry for giving quite a bit of exposure to some of these interest groups that do well. My question is: I observe that many of these programmes are still aimed at the larger, more established or award-winning kind of persons or organisations. But there are many others who have not won any awards, they are small but, nevertheless, creating a very positive vibe in society. I think we need to broadcast and multiply that. And, lastly, could we also consider different forms of communication from television to bus-stop ads to newspaper editorials?”
“(b) commissioning TV interstitials and advertorials featuring smaller not-for-profit organisations like social enterprises, VWOs, schools, sports, arts or lesser known interest groups and their passionate endeavours? This will reflect the energy of our community, create a positive vibe in society, and inspire this can-do and do-good spirit. It is an uplifting message. These people cannot afford the high advertisement rates. But they need help and recognition. Supporting National Sports”
“Mdm Chair, last year, MCI added $182 million to Public Service Broadcast (PSB) funds to boost the quality and quantity of local content, documentaries on Singapore and current affairs programmes. Indeed, PSB programmes today feature famous artists, overseas shoots and sizeable productions. These are some achievements that Singapore can be proud of. While this helps our media scene level up, I hope that resources would also be channelled to, firstly, raise awareness of important policies and help schemes for both the society and the private sector. The perils of poor communications on Government policies have been extensively discussed outside and inside this House. We need to heed the advice and views very Page: 71 seriously. And, secondly, to give exposure to smaller community groups and social enterprises who are social do-gooders, but cannot afford the high advertising costs to promote their causes. In fact, whenever NPOs, especially smaller NPOs, approach the main media for collaborations, they are often shown the charge sheets. Also, unless it is a major production by a major NPO, any media collaboration will be almost impossible. Perhaps, the solution is in PSB-funded short, simple productions, repeatedly played. These cost less and cover more ground. Will the Minister consider: (a) producing simple snippets and TV interstitials that are played repeatedly, to inform Singapore residents of Budget and other policies, like the PGP (Pioneer Generation Package), some of the help schemes, SME schemes and, of course, if you are low-income family, the help schemes?”
“How do we intend to grow the big data market to complement other sectors of the economy, and what is the human capital situation and solution for this space? Big data is also directly relevant to the social sector. I spoke about this in my Budget debate speech and I would like to repeat the call. Given the complexity of social issues and the resource constraints of the social sector, all NPOs, charities and cooperatives will need social big data analytics to become more effective and productive. Will the Government create an incentive framework to encourage the adoption of data analytics in the social sector, covering social enterprises, all other NPOs, big and small? How can we promote the use of analytics to address pressing social issues? How can we incentivise the use of analytics to start or co-create innovative initiatives to better the lives of the people around them? This will help promote collective responsibility in developing our country and solving societal issues. Let us not underestimate this. Let me repeat the call again that as society becomes more complex, the ability to use social big data in uncovering and solutioning societal issues can make or break a nation. Page: 33 Developments in Infocomm, Media and Design (ICMD)”
“Madam, the use of ICT pervades every aspect of our lives. In an age where cyber natives are no longer content with being just digital consumers, computing literacy could be the fourth "R" after reading, writing and arithmetic. To address this paradigm shift, the United Kingdom has incorporated computing into its national curriculum in schools, to train students as early as five years of age to become digitally literate. Page: 32 Computational thinking is not just for aspiring programmers. It develops problem solving skills, logical and scientific thinking using computer science techniques. It challenges one to find efficient and innovative solutions through algorithmic thinking. These are relevant skills across sectors in our knowledge economy. It is an edge in our knowledge workforce. Hence, what are Singapore's plans to enhance our present and future workforce's abilities in computational thinking? How can we nurture our future generations so that they can become positive and active participants in our digital world? Big data and analytics have brought new opportunities across all sectors in our economy. I applaud MCI's effort to position Singapore to ride on the big data wave. The developments in the Infocomm, Media and Design (ICMD) sectors, such as the opening of the Google Data Centre and the Infinite Studios, seem exciting. What is the significance of these new additions to our ICMD ecosystem and what are MCI's plans to further enhance the vibrancy of this emerging sector? The global big data technology and services market is estimated to grow six times faster than the overall ICT market through 2017. Companies are now jumping on the big data bandwagon in droves and the demand for data scientists is outpacing the supply.”
“For example, we can provide subtitles in large font size to go with the images, with simple narration and one message per image – this would achieve a better effect. Set up information centres at community centres, RCs and CPF counters, so that the elderly can have a face-to-face opportunity to enquire about the package. In addition, set up hotlines for senior citizens to make enquiries. Why am I spending so much time to talk about communication? Because the Government has done a lot quietly behind the scenes but they have not communicated properly what they have done. We need to use different ways to communicate with different segments of our society. The elderly have their distinct features, the young have their own lingo, and businesses have their own way of interacting. There is no "one size fits all" approach. The important point is that a good government must not only be far-sighted, passionate and driven, but also possess the ability to communicate with its people. Otherwise, all the good efforts of the Government will not be understood by the masses to create a consensus. On the contrary, they may be used by others to flame discontentment, worsen hostility, erode trust and social cohesion. So, I urge the Government to put in more effort to communicate effectively with Singaporeans. In conclusion, the 2014 Budget is a milestone aimed at strengthening nation-building and looking after the long-term healthcare of Singaporeans. It Page: 46 is full of positive energy. I hope that the entire nation, from the Government to businesses, media and the masses, will work together and spread this positive energy to everyone. Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget. 1.37 pm”
“We should spare no efforts and make use of various avenues to inform these 450,000 Singaporeans on how they will benefit, so that they can have peace of mind. This will also give our society a boost of positive energy and reinforce the traditional moral value of respecting our elders. It is our duty. Conventional publicity methods, for example, distributing brochures, organising briefings in four languages and dialect, newspaper and TV reports, forums and featured programmes, may be good. However, these are aimed at different segments of the audience and the elderly may not understand them like we do. Page: 45 In order to communicate with the elderly, we must understand their situation. There are many generations between the elderly and us. Some of them have not moved with the times, and there is a generation gap between us, in terms of mindset and language. If they cannot comprehend what they hear, they will not understand. For example, many organisations often ask the public to go on their Facebook or use phrases like "for more information, please log on to www." But how would our old folks know about www.dot if they have not even used the mouse before? Therefore, we must be considerate about their feelings. In addition, they have problems like presbyopia, hearing impairment, deteriorating ability to think and understand. Hence, we must find ways to overcome this communication barrier. I suggest producing a series of advertisements featuring key information. They should be about half-a-minute to one-minute long, with simple images and a slower pace. These should be repeatedly broadcast in four languages, so that even those who are illiterate and those with poor memory can access the information.”
“This year's Budget is aimed at creating a society of higher ideals, specifically, a society where "the old would be looked after; the middle-aged would be fully employed, the young will be well-developed, the handicapped and the poor would be taken care of". The Government has set aside $8 billion to set up the Pioneer Generation Package, a unique package that sets out to take care of 450,000 Singaporeans aged 65 years and above this year, subsidising their healthcare costs for life, relieving the burdens of our seniors. In times of prosperity, we have not forgotten that the benefits we enjoy are the fruits of labour of the previous generation. The Pioneer Generation Package, together with other measures, is an expression of gratitude from the Government to our Pioneer Generation, which also helps them realise their dream of living a happy and peaceful life. It is a package that touches the heart, and reflects the Government's concern over the ageing population and what it is doing to address the problem directly. The package is comprehensive and, therefore, rather complex. Many Singaporeans have only a partial understanding of it. Many do not know how they will benefit from it, neither do they know the details. At a recent community event, I talked to a long-time Punggol North resident. I asked him, "How do you feel about the Pioneer Generation Package?" He said, "Good, good." I asked him further, "In which way it is good?" He said, "Er, actually I don't know. Someone said it is good, so I assume it is good". Among those who will benefit, some are living alone, some are taking care of their 80-year-old aged parents and most are low-income workers who have worked hard in the past, who are illiterate, busy with work or not involved in community activities.”
“Laughter aside, imagine if social analytics could be used to uncover vulnerable persons like a child abuse victim or a sickly elderly, and apt help can be administered in time, then, a lot more can be done to social services. Further, social analytics can help agencies and business co-create solutions with grassroots organisations, social enterprises and VWOs, to serve the greater good. The huge potential of social analytics in public service delivery, policy and social innovation is too great to ignore. This is even more crucial as we increase our social spending. Therefore, Mr Finance Minister, please invest also in social big data. Mdm Speaker, politics, education, economy and technology have all gone social. As we enter into the new social era where technology can better connect us to economic opportunities and social realities, our citizens and our spirit must remain at our core. We have to spread the entrepreneurial culture, nurture the next set of wealth creators, big and small, and bring all Singaporeans, including those who are "differently abled" to a higher plane of well-being. When there is a sense that we are truly a land of opportunities, of meaningful life, of greater social equity, we will develop a depth of generosity and graciousness to be what our pioneers set out, each in their own special way, to build "home", a great nation called Singapore! I support this "good health, good social wealth Budget". Now, please allow me to use Mandarin for the rest of my speech. Page: 44 (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, previous Budgets took care of our economy, our people and our social sector.”
“He is very right. The next era of development is human-centric in a complex system. Putting people at the heart of policies will be the killer app to transform economy and society. Crowdsourcing and collaborative platforms are now mature technologies. If successfully implemented, they provide a sustainable framework for Government to better engage Singaporeans and promote collective responsibility to solve societal issues. Social big data, or social analytics, can provide critical insights into people's decision points, social behaviour, needs and aspirations. Such insights allow us to anticipate and address social problems early, and unlock great social and economic values. Page: 43 I will give three quick examples. First, natural calamities like floods are rising. In 2013, Thailand investigated how citizens commute in Hat Yai before, after and, of course, during the floods. The results helped the local agencies in flood evacuation and planning. Second example, speeding and road safety are big issues in high density residential areas. In 2006, Sweden investigated the driving behaviour of road users. The results were, of course, helpful in designing urban street and peaceful residential areas. The third example is a fun one. The US retailer Target analysed the historical buying data for all the ladies who had signed up for the Target baby registries. It uses the data to predict when its customers were pregnant, and then sends them coupons for baby items. This led to an angry father asking why Target was sending his teenage daughter coupons for maternity clothes, thinking Target was trying to encourage his teenage daughter to get pregnant. Little did he know that his teenage daughter was indeed already pregnant.”
“Page: 42 Business costs have gone up substantially in rent and manpower. Small businesses are most affected. Why not develop more cheap rental and co-location industry clusters with centralised services, and facilitate group hunting for demand and supply. This has been done for the food, bio-med, media, green-tech industry and so on. We need many more experiments like Block 71 near Fusionpolis to nurture small players to grow indigenous innovation. Even more, I dream about a physical park for social enterprises. Why? Because social enterprises espouse the ethos of a self-reliant society that cares for double bottom lines and we need to generously spur this. Do the relevant agencies know what it means to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem and not just meet agency KPIs? I think they will have to meet the entrepreneurs on the ground, face to face rather than have unhelpful, half-hearted attempts with short leases or steep terms. Let us invest in them to bring us the next big bang in business and economic development. Continuing on my tradition of a social innovation big idea in every Budget speech, let me introduce the third "S": social Big Data or Social Analytics for greater good. The Finance Minister said, "We are developing an ecosystem to exploit Big Data and open promising new services opportunities." Clearly, he believes in the industry-scale transformative power of big data analytics. While I cheer the PIC and IPG programmes for business, I am reminded also of his very profound words that, "Restructuring our economy will ultimately succeed if, at its heart, it is about the changes in our social practices." In it, he spoke about a new social compact between personal and collective responsibility where everyone plays a part in making Singapore a better place.”
“This is integrity and commitment, the spirit of a responsible Government at work. We learnt these values of determination, prudence and honest hardwork from our beloved Pioneer Generation of workers, leaders and civil servants! We are a nation that pays it forward. And, do not let anyone tell us otherwise! Now, onto the 2nd "S": the "S" in SMEs. Many SMEs are local born and bred, and hire Singaporeans of all stripes. They include the micro-businesses of the mom and pop shops, IT-startups, and social enterprises that give the real second chance to ex-offenders and disabled alike. They comprise 99% of all enterprises in Singapore, hire seven out of every 10 workers or 2.4 million people, and contribute almost half of national GDP. SMEs serve Singapore in every way. Has the Budget gone far enough to uplift the valuable "S" in the SMEs, the small and the social enterprises, in the midst of painful economic restructuring? It appears that many of the benefits in this and previous Budgets favour the "Ms" or larger-sized, more progressive companies. The fiscal carrot and stick saw consolidation and overseas expansion where size matters. But small can be beautiful too. When appreciated and properly fertilised, the fruits may be uniquely Singaporean. Business models and aspirations have changed, especially in the virtual world. Wealth creators should not be measured by whether they hire 200 people or have 20 branches across the country. WhatsApp, which was recently sold for US$19 billion, started as a one-man show. And while it is the world's largest message service app with 465 million active users worldwide, it only has 55 employees till this day. Would Jan Koum, the founder of WhatApp, have the same access to resources and success if he was in Singapore?”
“For instance, while some disabled people will need exclusive transport, many more can be integrated into the workplace, schools and public facilities – with help from inclusive solutions like motorised wheelchairs and universal access. Through WorkPro and WOW!Funds, permanent flexi-work, which is more suitable for the marginalised, can become more accessible. Such work will give them non-wage benefits which sheltered workshops and odd jobs do not. Can the Government inject bigger funds to incentivise more social enterprises and companies alike to tap on this latent workforce and give a boost to the dignity level of our marginalised community? There is nothing that gives more dignity than work. Budget 2014 honours the spirit of social mobility and intergenerational progress. This is the dream of our Pioneer Generation – that life gets better for each generation, for their children. Today, 25% of households pay only $3 per month for kindergartens. Even middle income households of up to $1,900 per capita per month can access tertiary bursaries and get help to invest in their children's future. Page: 41 In January this year, my constituency gave out some $700,000 worth of bursaries, and soon, a Punggol North education fund will be set up to ensure no child being left behind. Bear in mind that this is over and above the already highly subsidised education that every Singapore child enjoys. It is noteworthy that the Government could have chosen not to fully fund the $8 billion PGP, so that people who want it would have to continue to vote for it, while the younger generations pay for it. But no, this is not the case. This is fully-funded today so there is no blank cheque. There is no "kicking the can down the road".”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for your patience. There is method in Minister Tharman's Budget planning. In a world of competing demands and moving realities, one by one, the cornerstones of citizen concerns and economic sharpness are squarely tackled. Whether it is manpower or education policy, economic or real babies productivity, the approach is not reactive or populist. It is a steady hand that guides Singapore Page: 40 towards a quality and inclusive growth. My speech will focus on the letter "S", 3Ss, before finishing in Mandarin. The first "S": the Spirit of this Budget. 家有一老，如有一宝. The PAP Government values and honours our Pioneer Generation. The size of the $8 billion Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) speaks for itself. Pioneers fought for this nation, they have toiled day and night, blood and sweat, it is now our turn to look after them. My father, my grandfather and even my great grandfather are all pioneers of this land and have grown up listening to many early Singapore stories. But you have had an overdose of grandfather stories over the last two days, so I will spare you from it. The focus on healthcare is important because it is an unsettling uncertainty for everyone. Together with enhanced CPF and elderly employment schemes, Senior's Mobility and Enabling Fund and house monetisation schemes, support for our seniors is now substantial. Our spirit is also with the marginalised. They will enjoy enhanced access to special education; affirmation of caregivers through joint claims for higher parent relief and enhanced handicapped dependants relief; and increased subsidies for special transport arrangements for the disabled. But we can do better to emphasise on integration.”
“Madam, I am very heartened by the flurry of interest in Pulau Ubin and, therefore, I would like to put in my pitch, too. As a kampung girl born not too far from Pulau Ubin, every time I go back there, there is a certain sense of nostalgia, history and culture. Therefore, perhaps it is worthy to think about gazetting the place into a cultural heritage site, and giving it some resources so that some of the buildings, especially the old kampung houses, are not too rundown. After this particular generation of home owners, I am not sure whether there is a next generation that will be staying there. Perhaps, the Ministry can consider some of these suggestions. Page: 59”
“Mdm Speaker, a supplementary question for Dr Ng Eng Hen. Every setback gives us an opportunity to up our knowledge quotient and emergency readiness quotient, as well as national resilience. My question is: in the case of haze, what is the one lesson that the PMO would like Singaporeans to remember? In the case of the 911 incident, the chief lesson that people took back was the ability to differentiate between extremists and people who are just religious. In the case of SARS, the handwashing gesture is something that we still remember till today. In the case of the haze threat, what is the one message and one knowledge piece that we want our people to remember?”
“Thank you, Mdm Speaker. I want to thank the Acting Minister for his considerate approach in addressing the critical childcare issues all across Singapore. In the case of Sengkang and Punggol, I want to also echo Dr Lam Pin Min and Dr Lim Wee Kiak's sentiments on convertible void deck space. In cases where there is limit in how many void decks can be converted, can the Minister seriously consider and expedite building of childcare centres on state land and open plots of land, even if they might cost a little bit more? It might address the issue much more efficiently than trying to convert unconvertible void deck spaces. In the case of shortage of teachers, that is also a very real issue. While we are awaiting more teachers to be trained, which will take two to three years, is it possible to consider having teaching aides, for example, maybe two attached to a class so that the class size can also be enlarged without compromising the care given to some of these students?”
“In this aspect, both my non-profit organisations – the Social Innovation Park and the Social Enterprise Association – would be more than happy to help. Three, fund capacity development programmes. Four, fund platforms for peer-to-peer learning and cross-sector collaboration. And, five, help youths access demand and financial capital. I am glad that DBS, for example, has committed itself to support SEs by funding them directly as well as procure goods and services from SEs. Can MCCY lead by example, and encourage more of such amongst the 3Ps? Today's problems cannot be solved with the same methods that created them in the first place. Further, many of these solutions would require time to show results that will impact the youth. Therefore, we should invest in our youths and encourage them to solve problems for themselves. Youth Volunteerism”
“Madam, I, too, have to declare my role as a volunteer for social enterprises. As the saying goes, age considers, youth ventures. So, Madam, can young people change the world? Certainly! In fact, the future belongs to them, and they will shape it according to their value system and their actions taken today. So the question is: what are their aspirations and what keeps them busy today? While there will be some rebels without a cause, the good news is, many youths set their sight on bigger and noble goals of helping others. Even at work, they demand higher ethical standards and social responsibility of their company. Others venture into social enterprises, meeting the blended return of social and financial bottom-lines. We should encourage it. With increasing social demands and changing economic environment, we should tap on the unprecedented connectedness, passion and energy of the current generation of students and young professionals to help tackle social concerns. These cyber natives, with their mastery of the digital age, can generate ideas, collaboration and peer-to-peer resources that will impact their Page: 81 immediate and wider communities. However, what they lack is the in-depth knowledge and experience of starting, managing and systematic scaling of enterprises and access to market demand. As such, can the Minister, first, commission a series of Singapore Conversation on social entrepreneurship, especially amongst the youths, so as to better grasp their aspirations and issues faced in helping Singapore tackle our rising social concerns? Two, establish a support network and mentors for youth social enterprises (SEs).”
“Yes. The question is whether this is true because it appears that the net result is fewer of such disabled-friendly vehicles instead of more.”
“Madam, I have three areas of clarifications. I would like to, first, thank the Minister for recognising the works of our social enterprises and hope that the Minister would also extend the scheme to have larger VWOs to that of social enterprises as well. In my speech, I think there are two other questions that have not been answered. The first is whether the Minister would consider a suitable legal entity and tax policies that will recognise the social benefits that social enterprises deliver and also whether he would consider a social value weight in its goods and services procurement for social enterprise goods and services. Page: 63 The second is I would also like to thank the Minister for recognising the long years of hard work that my grassroots leaders and myself have put into securing more childcare centres and kindergartens for Punggol residents. And I hope that he would get his team, together with MOE, to work even closer together. 1.45 pm The third is on wheelchair-friendly vehicles. I am glad that Minister has announced that there will be more London cabs that will be put into service for the convenience of those who are wheelchair-bound, especially those with higher backs. I had been wheelchair-bound for a few months and, therefore, I fully empathise with the convenience that is necessary; it is not just good to have. During that period of time, I used London cabs as well as Maxi cabs, and I have been told that, in fact, many of the London cabs that are added to the fleet are actually replacing the Maxi cabs that are going out of service at the end of this year —”
“Page: 23 The second important thing that we need is for the community to give these youths a second chance, for us to accept them as equal members of our society, so that when they look for jobs, when they try to start life afresh, that we will not look at them with strange eyes and not accept them. We need to do what we can as a community to help these youths walk on the correct path, and I have to have Members' support on all these initiatives. At this juncture, may I invite Mr Heng Chee How to share with the House on the active ageing initiatives before I come back on a second round to share with Members of the House the initiatives for the family.”
“We will continue to strengthen our aftercare services after the intervention programme. It is not just about having an intervention programme at the Boys' Home or Girls' Home, but it is also about the programmes that we need to put in place after they leave the Home to make sure that they continue onward in their journey to recovery and rehabilitation. We will strengthen our job placement and the search for youth mentors. Again, I want to emphasise this point on the youth mentors. These are critical. It is not just about the programme. It is about the individual who can come forward, befriend the person, hand hold the person and walk with him through the tough journey. This is where we are most in need of volunteers. We will set up a V hub at the *SCAPE by November this year, so that youths can have readily accessible services but, at the same time, the V hub at the *SCAPE is also our channel to reach out to other youths to come forward to serve, to befriend and to partner some of the youths-at-risk, so that they can walk this journey together. We will also pilot the three-year Youth Guidance and Support Service programme to make sure that we have the continuum of service that Mr Alex Yam talked about. I would just like to emphasise this point. Beyond programmes, beyond all structures and organisations, what we need most for the youths-at-risk are two things. First, we need mentors. Mentors who can empathise with the youths. Mentors who can share the kind of feelings and frustrations that these youths go through, hand hold them and guide them through. So, the first thing we need are mentors. That, I think, we can find.”
“We will equip 30 of these Senior Activity Centres with social work capabilities to provide targeted case management, coordination and monitoring services. We will also look at expanding our Senior Group Homes with assisted living options for seniors who can benefit from mutual support. I visited one such home a couple of weeks ago. These Homes provide quite good living options for the elderly and we do not have to uproot them from the community that they are living in and place them in an institutional home. If they can mutually support each other within the same community, we can let them live in the Senior Group Home so that they can take care of each other. I think many of the elderly have shared that, when they help to take care of each other, they actually feel a sense of purpose, a sense of mission; and this actually helps them in their daily life. This is what we want to encourage. Page: 22 We will increase the number of Senior Group Homes from the existing two pilots to 60, with a total capacity of 700 elderly by 2016. If there is a demand and support for this, we will continue to do more. This is where I again appeal to Members to help us because we need to identify the sites, and we need the community to accept that these Senior Group Homes will be located within the community. We need to encourage those more able within the community to come forward and play a part so that we can work together to take care of the elderly amongst us. Finally, Mr Alex Yam asked about youths-at-risk. Yes, we agree with the Member that every Singaporean counts. We must do our utmost to make sure that every Singaporean youth, especially those at risk, those who are in the vulnerable circumstances, are taken care of.”
“We need Members' help to do the outreach and to explain to elderly residents – or for that matter, not even the elderly – all Page: 21 residents, to your residents, even when they are young, to sign the LPA so that they can have peace of mind before anything untoward happens to them. We also need the lawyers to help because, as what Ms Ellen Lee said, sometimes, the lawyers charge fees. But I have also seen many lawyers who do this pro bono. We would like to thank the lawyers who have come forward to patiently explain – not just in English, but in Mandarin, Hokkien, Teochew – to the elderly what the LPA is all about; and who have helped the elderly overcome some of the mental hurdles that hinder them from applying for an LPA. Having said that, I have asked my staff to see how we can continue to simplify processes to help individuals make the decision while respecting the sanctity of the law. This is not easy. Today, there may be many pages to fill up for an LPA, because the legal requirements require us to do that. But we will see how we can simplify the process and yet preserve the sanctity of the legal document. Dr Lily Neo and Ms Low Yen Ling also talked about support for the vulnerable elderly. I would like to share with Dr Lily Neo that we will have close to 120 Senior Activity Centres in the HDB rental and Studio Apartment developments that engage the elderly in meaningful activities. We will be prepared to expand this number, if need be. As long as there is a need, we will try our best to work with a VWO to provide that service to the community. 11.45 am Some of our elderly are also at risk of social isolation or depression.”
“We will see how we can do this best in the community so that the people do not have to travel long distances, yet have accessible services within the community. All these will be overseen by the Enabling Masterplan Implementation Committee, which will continue the work that we have done in the private, public and people sectors. Ms Ellen Lee asked about support for the vulnerable elderly. We share her concern. It is a serious challenge, as the number of elderly will grow very quickly. The issues are complex. They go beyond money and are about social, medical, emotional support and so forth. We have the Mental Capacity Act and the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA). The take-up has mirrored that of other countries in the initial years. We have not reached the take-off stage whereby we see a rapid rise in LPA applications. In our conversations with potential LPA clients, they told us that it is not easy for them to access the LPA because some of them do not understand it. Some of them are inhibited by their culture, while some of them do not know they can assign decision-making powers via the LPA in the event of mental incapacity. So, these are all challenges that we need to overcome before we reach the take-off stage like some other countries where there is a rapid increase in the number of people signing up for the LPA. We do encourage people to come and sign up for this because by the time we think that we need it, it would probably be too late. By then, we may not be in a position to make those decisions for ourselves. We agree with Ms Ellen Lee that we need to do more.”
“Many of the primary caregivers are also worried about how to provide for them financially once they pass on. Many have come to see me at my Meet-the-People sessions to see what they can do. They may not be in need today, but they are very worried about what will happen to their adult disabled child after they pass on. Or if something untoward were to happen to them. We know that the Central Provident Fund runs the Special Needs Savings Scheme. Many people have benefited, but I think more can come onto the scheme. We also have the Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC), and we need to go out and let more people know about it. So that parents can set aside some money to help take care of their children after they pass on. And MOH had recently extended the MediShield to congenital and neonatal conditions. So, these are small steps that we have taken. And I think, we want to do more for these people. Page: 20 We will also provide a wider range of care options for adults with disabilities. We currently have 830 places in Adult Disability Homes. By 2030, we will increase this by four times, to 3,200 places. As our population ages, the number of adult disabled persons seeking care options will not grow linearly. They will grow almost exponentially, because the amount of care in the final years is especially tough. For the Day Activity Centre, we will increase the existing 950 places by about 50% to about 1,500 places by 2020. We will also pilot Drop-in Disability programmes at four sites this year. These are programmes for those with milder needs to allow them to be socially engaged in the community. At the same time, their families may also get some respite to go and work, or to take a break.”
“MOE and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) have also continued to raise their funding for the Special Education schools. When it comes to employment, 3,200 persons with disabilities have benefited from the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, and 2,000 employers have benefited from the Special Employment Credit scheme respectively. I think Page: 19 we can go further. And I will encourage employers and the community to help us. When it comes to transport and accessibility, we know that the fleet of London cabs would have expired last year. We gave them a one-year extension. Last week, you may have read in the newspaper that we have brought in a new fleet of 15 taxis that are able to take the high-back wheelchairs and the motorised wheelchairs. Not only that, in the second half of this year, we will bring in another 15. This will bring the entire fleet up to 30 taxis – three times of the original 10 that we had in the past with the London cabs. We will spend about $3.1 million and work with SMRT to bring in these new taxis. On top of bringing in new taxis to improve accessibility for persons with disability, in the second half of this year, we will also invite commercial and VWO operators to pilot a dedicated fleet for persons with disabilities. So, indeed, we want to do more and better. Now I come to adults with disabilities, including those with Down syndrome that Mr Png Eng Huat spoke about yesterday. This is a serious challenge for us. In the past, many of the persons with disabilities or those with special needs passed on before their primary caregiver. Today, with better medical care and better support, many of them are outliving their primary caregivers. We need to find solutions to take care of them, after the passing of their primary caregivers.”
“So, I look forward to working closely with many corporate partners to serve our local community. Ms Denise Phua, Mr Seah Kian Peng and Ms Low Yen Ling asked for an update on the Enabling Masterplan. Let me just recap the vision of our Enabling Masterplan 2012 that was developed last year. Our vision is for Singapore "to be an inclusive society where persons with disabilities are fully integrated, empowered to reach their potential, and become contributing members of our society". We adopt a life-course approach from early pre-school years to education, and employment into the adult and ageing years. The Enabling Masterplan lays the foundation for progressive realisation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We are happy that we signed the Convention last year. It is being deposited and will be ratified very soon this year. We will reposition the Centre for Enabled Living to implement many of the Enabling Masterplan initiatives, including enhancing the information and referral services, expanding the early childhood intervention programmes, enhancing employability and employment options and improving the transition management across life stages. The last one is most important. Ms Denise Phua asked about the implementation system. We have set up an Enabling Masterplan Implementation Committee. And for the moment, I will personally chair the Implementation Committee. So, we are on track. Last year, we expended close to $180 million to support persons with disabilities. This includes the Development Support Programme for children with mild developmental delays. Three hundred of them have benefited from the pilot, and we will expand the programme.”
“Indeed, this is something we want to encourage going forward, that people do not just do business for the sake of money, but people can also do business – viable business – with a sense of social mission; and that, perhaps, will add to the fabric of our nation to make us a more inclusive and caring nation. When it comes to corporates, I would like to encourage corporate partners to step forward to work with the many VWOs by focusing and leveraging on their respective strengths. Many corporates today do a lot of good work with many VWOs and charities. Sometimes, they go to the homes to put up performances to cheer the elderly and, sometimes, they help to clean the homes. These are all worthy causes, but I would like to appeal to the corporate partners to leverage even more on their respective strengths. For example, the accountants can come together to provide pro bono accountancy services to the many VWOs that need them. The lawyers can come forward and provide legal advice and legal support to all these VWOs, especially the smaller ones. Even the media professionals can come forward to help by pitching in to spread the word and make known to the rest of the community the good work that is being done by all these VWOs. We need many, many more corporate partners in these specialised niche areas. Then we can leverage and harness the energy of the entire nation for us to do better – so that not everyone will just go to an old folks' home and help clean up the old folks' home or put up a performance there. Each and every one of us has our respective strengths, and I think each and every one of us can use Page: 18 that strength meaningfully to develop a stronger social service sector.”
“That will free up more manpower for us to do the frontline work. So, if Members have any other ideas, please let us know and we will try our very best. Last but not least, when it comes to building a strong social service sector, we need to widen and strengthen the circle of support. Who is our circle of support? They are the volunteers, the corporate partners, the private individuals who can come in and join us in our endeavours. We admit we must do better in terms of volunteer management. Many of our VWOs are very small. They do Page: 17 not necessarily have the capacity to manage their volunteers well. It becomes a vicious cycle. If we manage the volunteers well, word-of-mouth will spread and more volunteers will come. If we do not manage the volunteers well, people become cynical and we narrow our circle of support. So, we will endeavour to do better. When it comes to SEs, I would like to thank Miss Penny Low for championing this effort all these years. Last year, we launched an inaugural President's Social Enterprise Award. We had a good response and we hope to do even better this year. We also have the ComCare Enterprise Fund that supported more than 90 projects since 2003, and we want to continue improving the collaboration amongst the different SEs. We can do it over web portal facilities, or we can do it through other means. But we understand that the SE landscape is a diverse one. We know that they have different missions, different outlooks, and different needs, but we will be happy to share ideas and listen to Miss Penny Low's ideas on how we can do even better.”
“All the work that MSF does is very personalised – we have to care for each elderly, each disabled child, one at a time. But we will try to see where we can improve productivity. We have identified IT as one critical area which we must invest in. I talked about this last year. We are well into the work to develop an integrated IT system for the social service sector. This will cut down on the administration load for our social workers and social service professionals. This will allow us to focus their time doing the front-end work to touch the lives of the people that they are helping. At the same time, this will help us to avoid the situation whereby when a person moves from Bedok to Jurong, and has to repeat the whole case again. This is akin to the National Electronic Health Records system that we have. But it will take us some time to build that system. We will have to put in place the necessary security and confidentiality safeguards to make sure that we do not compromise sensitive information on the individual and his family. 11.30 am There are other sources of productivity gain that we are constantly on the lookout for. One small example is the way we pack medicine in the Homes. Today, if Members have visited many of our elderly homes, you will know that we have to almost employ one person full time just to pack medicine, three times a day – the correct pills and the correct dosage for the correct elderly person. It is very tedious and prone to mistakes. But we have seen good ideas from MOH where they have automated the whole process through quite an expensive machine. We might not be able to afford that for every VWO, but we certainly can try to work with MOH to leverage on that machine to do some of this packing.”
“We will continue to make sure that we develop career opportunities for the social service professionals to do justice to their work. We are rethinking some of the employment schemes that we want to roll out in the next year. For example, how we can provide better terms of employment to the social service professionals centrally, and yet allow them to be assigned to the different VWOs. That could allow us to have some cross-fertilisation of ideas across different VWOs as well. We will also continue to review and benchmark the pay in this sector so that we keep pace with the competitive economy that we are in. When it comes to training, we will focus this year on the training of the Social Assistance Officers who will be deployed to the 20 Social Service Offices island-wide. They will very often be the first point of contact and must know where to refer the various complex cases to. They must know and establish the contacts with other agencies beyond those under MSF. If we want to deliver holistic help to the people in need, then we will have to take into account the housing, financial, education, health and socio-emotional needs. And this requires us to come together and work across different agencies. We do not want a case whereby a person in need goes to an agency and fails to meet the criteria just by a bit. At each and every agency they go to, they just fail the criteria by a bit. Taken as a whole, someone must be able to say that, Page: 16 "Well, this person does deserve our help". This is what we seek to do with the Social Assistance Officers deployed at the various Social Service Offices. We will also do our part to increase our productivity. It is not easy.”
“We want back end integration to develop the social service professionals in the sector – to give them a sense of fulfilment, and a sense of career development and professional development. Our challenge is to find a way to have our cake and eat it. So, what we are going to do is to develop some bigger VWOs that can provide the anchor in providing services to the local community. At the same time, we can network them in a hub-and-spoke model with some of the smaller niche VWOs providing niche services in the same locality. In that way, they can share critical resources at the backend – from IT systems to knowledge of the clients, to administration Page: 15 and even human resource (HR). We have made some progress in this area. For example, many VWOs share critical therapy services, like the physiotherapist or occupational therapist. These are scarce resources, and not every VWO can employ a physiotherapist or occupational therapist by themselves. They probably may not need the service for the whole day as well. But if we can aggregate the demand, we can actually provide better services to the clients. At the same time, we can also make sure that our social service professionals have a more meaningful and challenging career. In terms of HR, we will continue to step up the pace of developing our social service professionals. I am happy to say that with our outreach efforts, we have seen about 300 applications per year in the last two years for the Professional Conversion Programme. These are the people who join the sector after a mid-career switch. We are encouraged by this. The 300 applicants will allow us to have a wider pool of people to reach out to those in need. It will also allow us to have a new source of energy to look at the blind spots in the sector.”