Rachel Ong
Singapore
“Chairman, many PwDs and employers remain unaware of available support for inclusive employment and daily living. A recent Singapore Management University (SMU) survey found that eight in 10 PwDs had never heard of employability training programmes and fewer than half of employers were aware of workplace grants and hiring incentives.”
“Chairman, today, very few counsellors are trained in Singapore Sign Language. Thus, deaf clients often rely on interpreters from an already small community. This often limits privacy and discourage self and help-seeking. One deaf individual received counselling only after a long search.”
“Chairman, the misuse of AI, particularly through sexually exploitative deepfake content, is creating new risks. Children and vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities, may face impersonation, coercion and greater difficulty reporting harm.”
“Chairman, during an MRT disruption last year, a deaf commuter shared that she felt confused and afraid when passengers began to leave the train as there were no visual or sign language updates explaining what was happening.”
“Chairman, I support the Government's strong investment in AI skills for Singaporeans. Expanding the TeSA programme to help non-tech workers gain practical AI capabilities sends an important signal, that AI is no longer a niche skill, but a foundational one.”
“Chairman, unattended cooking remains one of the leading causes of residential fires in Singapore, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). Many of these incidents involve our seniors, where distraction, medical conditions, or reduced mobility quickly turn an everyday activity into a serious safety risk.”
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“A psychiatrist friend related how patients have requested to be officially discharged or not to be treated at all, just so they can purchase physical health insurance. In one case, a patient's financial consultant shared with him that buying accident and health insurance would be impossible if he remained on medication. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam had responded in Parliament that those wishing to top up subsidised services and MediShield Life may do so via private insurers. These insurers are expected not to indiscriminately reject an application based solely on declared information, including mental health conditions. However, such incidents happen in far greater frequency than reported. In a published interview from 2020, Ms Linda Lui reported that after fully recovering from a field accident as an army cadet, she experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This happened a year after she returned to civilian life. And as she sought therapy in a Government institute, her doctors advised her not to disclose her PTSD diagnosis because it would complicate things and affect the insurance coverage she had bought prior to the diagnosis. She states, "I chose to remain silent about my mental health in order to protect my physical health". The fear expressed by her and her doctors are not unfounded. In another published interview, Ms Vas shared how countless insurance companies denied her applications to be insured against critical illness and hospitalisation on account of her bipolar disorder diagnosis. This is even after her doctor certified her physically healthy and compliant to her medications. In her interview, Ms Vas also revealed the multiple appeal letters made to various insurance companies, including an appeal by her MP.”
“In the UK, in preparation for Children's Mental Health Week, the team gathers feedback from primary and secondary students on what and how they would like to learn about mental health in school. Downloadable resources are then developed for students from four-year-olds to 18-year-olds, to facilitate conversations during mental health week in families and in schools. Two interesting findings from the feedback were received: first, getting students to lead lessons on mental health; and second, for school assemblies on the topic to be short and engaging. The resources are used in over 500 schools across the UK and downloaded over 200,000 times in 2022 alone. Who knows what we may uncover as we work together with our youths for their mental health. Fifth, incorporate mental health check-ups in schools. HPB's Youth Preventive Health and Dental Services conducts annual health screening for our students in primary and secondary schools. Meanwhile, the Youth Integrated Team (YIT) also conducts mental health screening for youths at risk of mental illnesses. Considering these two available platforms, may I propose for basic mental health assessments to be incorporated as part of the annual health screening? This supports early intervention and normalises mental health discussions at school-going age for our students and parents. On interventions to encourage help-seeking in adults. First, insurance. The issue of lack of insurance coverage for people with mental illness has been raised by several Members last year, specifically, the challenge in obtaining insurance for physical health conditions outside of the mental illness individuals have or used to have. This gap impedes help-seeking behaviours in adults who may not afford treatment without the support of insurance.”
“We should continue to leverage social media to support youths in their mental wellness journey as there remains many positive influences. But to reduce misinformation, the Government could explore co-curating a list of social media accounts on mental wellness together with our youths, validating accounts recommended by our youths themselves. Fourth, intervention programmes for transition years. I was heartened to hear that HPB conducts Mental Wellness Skills Equipping Programmes addressing life transition years from preschool to Primary 1 as well as Primary 6 to Secondary 1. I would also like to propose that the Government look into the transition years of Secondary 2 to Secondary 3. Youths and counsellor friends shared observations that there seems to be a marked increase in mental health issues and stressors for youths entering Secondary 3, or the 15-year-olds, especially among the females. The pressure at this transitional stage stems from various reasons: the increased pressure and workload due to the approaching "O" levels, the adjustments to new classmates from streaming, and greater awareness of one's sexuality, relationship and identity issues. Others active in their CCAs are given increased leadership responsibilities when the Secondary 4 students step down from their positions, all these while navigating in these formative years. A more in-depth survey could be done to gain further insights on this unique transitional age for our Singapore students. As we develop resources for school intervention programmes, might we consider a more collaborative approach with our youths?”
“Presently, the only mental health practitioners that are properly regulated are psychiatrists, who fall under the purview of the Singapore Medical Council. Anyone can refer to themselves as a therapist or counsellor. To ensure the safety of our youths, mental health services they have access to should be regulated and licensed. There must be strong disciplinary consequences to violations of professional conduct and ethics. This will perhaps ease the concerns of our parents and also promote safe help-seeking behaviours in our youths. Third, leveraging social media. In our work at Trybe, a youth non-governmental organisation (NGO), we observe an increasing trend in youths educating themselves on mental wellness via social media resources. Some sources have been particularly helpful, supporting our youths in their mental wellness journey, but some have provided inaccurate or incomplete information. We have youths telling our counsellors, "I know you are using CBT on me, and I know the next question you're about to ask", or "I want another therapy approach". This view of believing that they know what CBT, short for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or any one approach, is all about is an inaccurate view of therapy as a whole. Different therapy approaches are not a menu meant to fit personal preferences alone. Good therapists draw on various techniques and tools to meet the client's needs at different points of the therapy. Such information on social media can create mistaken notions of what therapy is, when actually, if approached consistently, would bring out the best results for the client. Social media has become and will continue to be a regular source of information and news for our youths.”
“If our young people are deemed responsible enough to drive as well as bear arms in NS at the age of 18, they should not be held back from accessing mental health services and taking ownership of their mental well-being. I urge the lowering of age of consent for mental health services to 18 years old, including interventions requiring medication. Youths aged 14 to 16 report more serious symptoms than those other youths with depression and anxiety. Mental health support must be readily accessible for our youths from 14 to 18 years old. For this group, may I ask the Government to consider tiered guidelines for the types of mental health services that would or would not require parental consent? For example, access to mental health screening, assessment or basic counselling could be tier 1 services not requiring parental consent. This supports the good work many youth counselling agencies are already doing. Tier 2 services requiring parental consent could include interventions requiring medication, hospital admissions or surgical procedures. Where parents are deemed absent or unwilling to make decisions beneficial for the child, MSF could be invited to step in on behalf of the child or the Gillick Competency Test can be applied by a certified clinician. At the same time, it is vital we protect our 14- to below 18-year-olds from errant mental health practitioners. This leads to my next point: proper licensing of mental health practitioners serving youths. As we upgrade the capabilities of our mental health service providers, we need to ensure proper certification and licensing of professional mental health service providers, particularly those who list themselves as psychologists, counsellors and therapists. This is crucial for those who treat youths below 18.”
“Mr Speaker, my speech will focus on encouraging help-seeking behaviours in our youths and working adults. A 2022 study by Duke-NUS Medical School revealed that only half of those with anxiety and depressive mental disorders in Singapore were formally diagnosed. A lesser 31% sought mental healthcare and still lesser consulted a mental health provider. This is a treatment gap, or gap between those who need treatment and those who actually get treated, of almost 70%. We must reduce barriers and increase entry points to help-seeking. First, encouraging help-seeking in youths. For the fourth consecutive year, suicide has been the leading cause of death among our 10- to 29-year-olds, and 30% of youths who committed suicide in 2022 were 10- to 17-year-olds. This makes supporting help-seeking for our under-18s critical. May I propose five interventions for our youths? First, age requiring parental consent. I am encouraged that the Government is presently reviewing the age of consent for youths to access counselling or therapy. Common law states 21 as the age of consent, while some local mental health providers generally require parental consent to serve those under 18. But requiring parental consent, whether at age 18 or 21, discourages help-seeking in many youths. Some do not want their parents to know at the onset, especially if parents are unsupportive. Some fear disappointing their parents or believe it would further burden their already burdened parents. There are also instances where parents have declined medication for their child simply because of stigma.”
“I have spoken extensively about what enterprises can do for our PwDs. Many of the adjustments shared can also be applied to support the caregivers of severely disabled PwDs. I quote Baroness Minouche Shafik, Director of London School of Economics and Political Science, and former Deputy Managing Director of the IMF: “Harnessing everyone’s talents is not an issue of fairness; it is also good for the economy. A new social contract is not about higher taxes, more redistribution, and a bigger welfare state. It is about fundamentally reordering and equalizing how opportunity and security are distributed across society.” We have an opportunity here in Singapore, to once again be at the forefront of what makes good sense economically and what is also good for our collective citizenry. There need not be a trade-off if we fundamentally structure intentionally the inclusion of PwDs and their caregivers into our workforce.”
“Without proper onboarding of all staff, PwDs may still feel excluded or discriminated against. Fifth, community outreach programmes. I shared at the recent COS that some of our PwDs do not participate in work because they may not be aware of or do not believe that there are jobs or workplaces that can accommodate their disability. SG-Enable and their partner NGOs have done a tremendous amount of work in engaging the disabled community. Corporations with established inclusive workplace practices can also collaborate with schools and grassroots organisations; to run community outreach programmes to share how PwDs are engaged in their workplaces. I hope that the lived examples of how PwDs are empowered to do meaningful work in their organisations can inspire PwDs and their families towards a greater hope and future. Sixth, Government incentives to contract inclusive suppliers. I note with interest the multinational corporation (MNC) Lawrence Luan had worked with. There, he witnessed the real-world benefits of an inclusive workforce. This MNC also became increasingly open to hire PwDs because of a government tender won. This tender had a clause that stipulated for a percentage of project staff to be from vulnerable groups, such as seniors or disabled. This caused his former firm to be more open to hire PwDs across business divisions. The good news is when the contract ended, all PwDs hired for the project continue to remain with the firm, and today seven years on, are still meaningfully employed. Government project tenders can be a great lever to encourage suppliers to participate in Singapore’s inclusive workplace agenda. In addition to such “set-aside” clauses for tenders, our Government could consider a preferred purchase programme for suppliers with the Enabling Mark.”
“Placement officers in companies or social service organisations may need to work more collaboratively with PwDs or their caregivers to further uncover skills that may have been overlooked due to early training bias, as in the case of the young man with cerebral palsy. I hope our Enabling Masterplan will continue to build Singapore’s capabilities to identify and train PWDs in skill sets that amplify their abilities and self-confidence. Third, engaging PWDs in tech-enabled work. As our nation moves towards a digital economy, technological advancements can work to the advantage of our PwDs. For example, Profileprint is a Singapore tech startup located in Enabling Village that uses AI to perform accurate food grading without the need to taste, see or touch it. Such job roles open employment opportunities for both PWDs and non-disabled. I am encouraged to see that tech startups not designed as social enterprises, are choosing to leverage technology to engage PwDs in meaningful work. I hope that we will see more startups like Octopus8 and ProfilePrint who proactively consider PwDs as a viable part of their workforce. Meanwhile, as non-small and medium enterprises also digitise and upgrade their work processes, they could also proactively explore how more PwDs can be integrated into their workforce. Fourth, incorporate inclusive management skills. Supervisors must also be trained to manage staff in a diverse workplace. If management is perceived as overly empathetic to PwDs or does not correct staff for poor performance, it negatively impacts workplace culture for both PwDs and non-disabled staff. At the same time, it is vital that non-disabled staff are properly oriented to the value of inclusion and her application at work.”
“Appropriating the “Disability Inclusion Advantage” fully requires both PwDs and enterprises to take risks and be open to making adjustments. May I share the six proposed adjustments. First, willing to redesign jobs and leverage technology. A young man with cerebral palsy had come to interview for a data-entry job as that had been his training. However, during the role assessment, it was evident he was unable to perform the task efficiently. But this young man had a noticeably sharp mind and engaged well in conversations. As such, the recruiter encouraged him to give Digital Marketing a try. Though he had not been offered any other position apart from data entry, he decided to take on the opportunity. The employer then made arrangements to provide this young man with assistance in typing tasks linked to the marketing role, allowing this staff to focus and eventually excel in client engagement. He flourished in this lane and was eventually offered a job at a Government agency with double his original pay. This young man discovered his niche and progressed at work because his employer cared enough to take the time to identify his talent, redesigned the role to maximise his genius. This intentionality proved to be life-changing. Our enterprises need to be willing to invest in their PwD talent. The good news is with technological advancement, some of the tasks that once hindered PwDs from taking on job roles can now be automated. Work that once required onsite presence can now be done remotely by PWDs with mobility issues. We need only take the first step to give our PwDs an opportunity. Second, improving skills identification and training capabilities. The training support accessible to each PwD in their earlier years, differs.”
“The outcome is also corroborated by SG Enable's commissioned study published last year. The second advantage is that PwDs foster innovation and problem-solving skills. Reena Rajas-vari was my very close friend and colleague of eight years before she passed away last year, to cancer. I share her story because she lived a most remarkable life despite turning blind at a prime age of 28. After taking years to grieve the sudden loss of sight, Reena regained purpose and committed to creative ways to unlearn and relearn how to go about the daily tasks and be independent again. An athlete by nature, she took up sound-tennis while going on regular hikes and mountain climbing. Her love for fashion gave her impetus to create her own system to coordinate her clothes, shoes and jewellery despite not being able to see. On the work front, no one could inspire and facilitate corporate programmes on resilience and innovation as effectively as Reena did. Her creative problem-solving skills and tenacity shared in training workshops, went on to inspire our corporate clients to do the same. When someone wakes up thinking about how to do mundane things differently, that is innovation on display, a skillset. If companies would take time to uncover these innate and valuable skillsets in PwDs, place them in positions to thrive, I have no doubt that we will find some of the best gems in our local talent pool. Far from being anecdotal, the business case for an inclusive workforce is backed by a 4-year research conducted by Accenture on 140 companies. The paper revealed that the 45 companies that excelled in disability inclusion achieved on average: (a) 28% higher revenue; (b) double the net income; and (c) 30% higher profit margins than the remaining companies.”
“The first advantage is that inclusive workplaces lead to higher work productivity. Last week, I had the opportunity to spend some time at SPD Contact Centre, a partnership between SPD and startup firm Octopus8. Octopus8 is a business process outsourcing and software firm with an intentionally inclusive workforce. What I found interesting was that Mr Lawrence Luan, founder of Octopus8, did not start this work with the intention of being a social enterprise. In fact, he had not heard of the term "social enterprise" until much later. Prior to starting Octopus8, Lawrence worked in a multinational company (MNC) serving clients in business process services. Lawrence was asked how he decided on this uncommon workforce profile from a solely business perspective. He shared that at his previous work in the MNC, he saw how PwDs in his workplace provided fellow colleagues a different perspective of life. Lawrence shared that when his colleagues learnt of how a PwD staff took painstaking years to learn to speak, fellow colleagues were themselves convicted for using the ability to speak on grumbles and complaints. When another PwD staff would take over two hours to commute to the office each way, the rest then saw the privilege of work. The lived realities of PwD colleagues continue to inspire greater productivity and grit in daily work done by non-disabled individuals. This, in addition to the fact that a well-placed PwD can well perform or even better than the average non-disabled staff. In the course of his consulting work, Lawrence also observes that when an organisation includes PwDs as part of their workforce, it often leads to a review and simplification of their business processes. This ultimately benefits everyone and raises productivity.”
“Mr Speaker, I speak in support of the Motion of thanks to our President. In her speech, the President outlined key priorities for Singapore for the remainder of this term of Government – one being the need to expand opportunities throughout life for all, an inclusive meritocracy. This right and necessary work for Singapore's next growth phase lies not only with our Government. The President's speech is indeed a clarion call for a closer and more intentional partnership between our people, public and private resources. To ensure Singapore becomes a more inclusive meritocracy for our persons with disabilities, or PwDs, and their caregivers, I believe the active participation of the non-SMEs in inclusive employment is critical. May I take this opportunity to applaud the initiative taken by some of our non-SMEs who have embraced inclusive hiring. They include Uniqlo, Cushman and Wakefield, Shangri-La Hotel, UOB, NLB as well as others who have tapped into Workforce Singapore's Open Door Programme to support employment of PwDs. Thank you for being our pioneers of inclusive employment. Non-SMEs or enterprises with turnover exceeding S$100 million contribute to 29% of enterprise employment, or 1.3 million jobs. Given their scale, even if only 1% of their workforce is committed to PwDs, 13,000 jobs will be created. This equates to employment for 60% of the 21,000 PwDs of working age, who are still outside of the workforce. But the impetus for non-SMEs to build a more inclusive workforce cannot be rooted in social responsibility alone. There must be a clear understanding of the tangible competitive advantages PwDs bring to the workplace, even after factoring in adjustment costs. Accenture rightly coined this, "The Disability Inclusion Advantage". Here is why.”
“May we never forget the good you have shown to our people in Singapore.”
“These representatives can help with the prompt dissemination of information and fair distribution of resources. This will support the work of dormitory operators in times of crisis. Fifth, the coordination of NGO resources. Given the scale of the dormitory crisis, many NGOs and informal groups stepped forward to serve the workers in whatever way they could and wherever they saw need. However, the NGOs had observed that this led to some dormitories being overserved and others underserved as there was no coordinating body across the NGOs. May I propose for the Government's consideration for MOM to provide a platform or coordinating body that could support a more even distribution of resources provided by NGOs or informal groups in times of crisis? To close and summarise, my speech calls for five things for us to learn from and act on: first, MOM's enforcement of regulations to improve living conditions in FCDs; second, accountability of employers of migrant workers residing in FCDs; third, inclusion of the migrant worker community in crisis communication; four, identifying multinational representatives within dormitories; and fifth, coordination of NGO resources during crises. We all know that infectious diseases are no respecter of persons. They do not discriminate between nationalities, social or work pass statuses. In a war against all or any pandemic, Singapore is positioned to win when we secure the safety of those most vulnerable among us. Let us close the health and safety gaps of our migrant workers and see Singapore win in the next pandemic. Mr Deputy Speaker, once again, I am grateful to our Government, first responders, medical workers, NGOs and volunteers for giving your best in our fight against COVID-19.”
“With the dearth of information in their native tongue, workers sought information from alternative news sources from their home country, which may not have provided accurate reflection of the situation here in Singapore. The missing communications also negatively impacted the migrant workers' health-seeking behaviours during the onset of the pandemic. Some workers who felt ill would not seek medical help and continued to head to work, out of fear that their income would be affected. Clear communications in their native language providing assurance of their income and jobs despite contracting COVID-19 would have made a difference. I am glad to hear that now, through the FWMOMCare app, essential health information and MOM advisories are now disseminated in the various native languages of the migrant workers. This recent crisis is a reminder that we must include our migrant worker population in crisis communication, especially when it concerns public health. I trust we will continue to leverage the app to provide centralised and timely communication to our migrant workers in our next crisis. Fourth, identifying multinational representatives within dormitories. As workers from different nations do not always enjoy friendly relations with each other, NGOs have found that in migrant workers' communication, it was helpful and important to have a representative from each nationality staying in each dormitory. Where this was missing, NGOs faced situations where food or resources were not evenly distributed to workers from other nationalities in the same dormitory, leading to even greater tensions. Moving forward, MOM could consider the nationality profile of each dormitory and then identify representatives for each nationality.”
“Some employers reflected, given the pandemic and lack of business income, that they were financially unable to support the costs of providing food for their workers. However, employers could have taken ownership to work with MOM or the NGOs to support the migrant workers in other ways, especially in maintaining lines of open communication, updating the workers with key information or providing assurance of income. This, instead of leaving the task to NGOs or going off the radar, as it was the case in some FCDs. I would like to ask MOM whether and how these employers have been held accountable for their unacceptable act of leaving their workers without food access during the height of the pandemic. I would also like to ask MOM two further questions relating to our crisis response moving forward. First, what are the available means by which employers with genuine needs could flag for help during a crisis so that workers are not left to fend for themselves due to cost pressures? Second, how will errant employers be held accountable in the event they abandon care for their workers as they did in this last crisis? Third, including migrant workers in crisis communication. One of the greatest challenges faced at the start of the crisis was communicating with migrant workers who spoke different languages. Even NGOs struggled with this, as some were not resourced with volunteers that spoke different languages. Without a crisis communication system that incorporated the workers' native languages, there was much confusion as quarantine measures saw frequent changes and workers moved from one place to another. Some workers were uncertain if having COVID-19 meant certain death and if they would be left to perish.”
“I believe the original intention of the DormWatch app remains relevant today and would serve the migrant workers and dorm operators well. In leveraging the trust the ACE team has built with the migrant workers since then, may I propose that the ACE team conduct a survey with the migrant workers to better understand how feedback on dormitory issues can be received from them in a manner that they feel safe to provide? If an app remains the best means for the workers to give feedback, it could be integrated in the FWMOMCare app that the workers already use on a regular basis. To summarise, as FEDA kicks in for the FCDs on 1 April 2023 for the safety and long-term resilience of our migrant workers and Singapore, we must learn from the lapses of 2017 and its impact during the pandemic. It is encouraging that we have set in place new regulations and standards. But as we have observed, what is needful is the ongoing monitoring and enforcement of regulations over the FCDs as they tend to be most prone to lapses in living conditions and require greater support. I trust MOM will do the needful. Second, accountability by employers of migrant workers residing in FCDs. As mentioned earlier, at the start of the pandemic, NGOs stepped in to serve migrant workers in FCDs that were left by their employers to fend for themselves. Some migrant workers had been without food for two to three days before the NGOs found them. Meals were supplied to the FCDs for an extended time period between eight and 12 weeks before NGOs put a hard stop to food supply after informing MOM, calling for employers to be responsible for their workers. The question begs – why did it take so long for employers to step in to care for the workers?”
“However, the call to improve living conditions in FCDs had been made years before the pandemic started. In July 2016, the Migrant Workers' Centre had published photos of the poor housing and hygiene conditions of some of the FCDs and flagged the issue to MOM. In response, MOM announced new and improved living conditions that must be met by FCDs, starting from 1 January 2017. The four conditions include: (a) the provision of feedback channel for workers to report issues related to the housing conditions of FCDs; (b) provision of personal locker for each worker; (c) provision of at least one sick bay in the FCD – alternatively, the operator can develop a contingency plan to deal with cases of infectious diseases; and lastly (d) provision of Wi-Fi within the FCD. As NGO volunteers have witnessed while supporting the FCDs during the crisis, many FCDs did not fulfil the above conditions stipulated by MOM. If a contingency plan for infectious diseases was indeed in place, could the COVID-19 crisis have been better dealt within the FCDs? It appears then that there has been a lapse in the monitoring and enforcement of these new conditions that FCD operators were supposed to have met since 2017. MOM had also launched the DormWatch app in 2018, with the intention for it to be used by migrant workers to give feedback to dormitory operators on issues faced at the dorm. However, NGOs reflect that few migrant workers used the app as many were concerned that reporting issues would cause trouble to their employers and hence also put their jobs in jeopardy. As I understand, the DormWatch app was eventually evolved to be used by dorm operators to manage their list of residents for MOM reporting and will be discontinued later this month in March.”
“Meanwhile, NGOs continued to support the mental well-being of our migrant workers by organising social activities, celebrations, outings and the provision of tele-counseling services. Their commendable work continues today. Mr Samuel Gift from Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach shared that one positive outcome of this crisis response has been a greater trust in the migrant community for our authorities. This is credit to MOM's Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Team, who showed up meaningfully for the migrant workers when they needed help. One migrant worker shared that they used to worry that if they spoke of any regulatory lapses in the dormitories to MOM, they would lose their jobs. But because the ACE officer attending to their case took time to build trust, they felt safe to freely share their concerns, knowing that their identities would be kept anonymous. To the ACE officers who have laboured much on the ground to care for our migrant workers, what a tremendous difference you have made in the lives of our migrant workers. For all the good work that was done, I understand that the Government's motivation for the White Paper is not so much a pat on the back, but to bring light to blind spots so that Singapore will bounce back stronger in our next crisis. I wish to highlight five lessons and actions for consideration from the migrant workers' dormitory crisis, with a focus on the smaller FCDs that house a third of the 300,000 workers staying in the dormitories. First, enforcement of regulations in FCDs. The COVID-19 crisis in the dormitories was perpetuated due to the poor living conditions. This is most evident in the smaller FCDs that were not regulated by the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act (FEDA).”
“NGOs supplied food to these FCDs where employers did not and went the extra mile to cater to early morning food deliveries during Ramadan, which fell during the lockdown period. Apart from care packs, some provided SIM cards with data plans so that migrant workers could occupy themselves and stay in touch with their families. The NGO volunteers also unexpectedly served as community mediators. Under lockdown conditions, tensions rose in some dormitories between workers across different faiths and nationalities. I understand from one of the NGOs, that without the volunteers' intervention, one of these conflicts would have led to bloodshed as weapons had been involved. We must also remember individuals such as Ms Sudesna Roy Chowdhury, then a fresh graduate from medical school. Within eight hours from the breaking news of widespread infection in the dormitories, she produced a website to provide the English-Bengali translations for clinical consultations. We shall also not forget the many individuals who have stepped forward to serve as interpreters in medical, formal and informal service settings. The selfless and collaborative spirit between the Government, medical workers, NGOs and members of the public in the early days saved lives. Thank you. Over time, we saw MOM move to make further improvements to the well-being of our migrant workers – updates to accommodation standards, quick and prioritised vaccination roll-outs for migrant workers and the quick development of the FWMOMCare app that gave workers access to prompt and accurate information, including medical services. MOM also worked with employers to give workers online access to salary accounts and remittance services, a service that is greatly valued by the migrant workers even till now.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, the overwhelming scale and speed at which COVID-19 unfurled in the migrant worker dormitories caught Singapore off guard, but because of the selfless and immediate contributions of our first responders, medical workers, volunteer groups, individuals, public sector agencies and their collaborative work with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Singapore was able to react swiftly to care for our migrant workers. As the dormitories went into lockdown in April 2020, the Inter-Agency Taskforce supported migrant workers and dormitory operators in the large purpose-built dormitories that each housed several thousands of workers. They ensured timely access to food and medical services and looked into the hygiene and cleanliness of each dormitory. Despite the mammoth task of having to secure and distribute food to tens of thousands of workers on extremely short notice, several misses in food quality, cleanliness at the beginning, the gaps were promptly addressed. At the same time, our medical workers dived in full on. Doctors from various specialisations closed ranks all to serve migrant workers in Accident and Emergency (A&E) wards and mobile clinics, risking their own lives for the migrant workers as they fought a then unknown virus. Concurrently, NGOs came in to support the well-being of those in the smaller Factory Converted Dormitories (FCDs) across Tuas, Jurong, Kranji, Woodlands and Ubi. These amazing organisations include HealthServe, Migrant Workers' Centre, COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition, Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach and Crisis Relief Alliance. Volunteers took the effort to walk the grounds, talk to migrant workers to identify where the FCDs were and searched out those with limited access to daily essentials.”
“Chairman, part of the vocational training for PwDs in Singapore has focused on the hospitality, manufacturing and food and beverage (F&B) service sectors. As we continue to empower our PwDs, we must look into placing people in training or jobs, with a focus on their abilities and interests rather than their disabilities. Depending on their range of abilities, PwDs have the capacity to be employed across sectors and in different roles. As we see from examples in Australia, US and Japan, PwDs can be employed in a variety of sectors, ranging from retail to healthcare to graphic design and even transport technology. In Singapore, we have the UOB Scan Hub where over 30% of their staff are special needs employees, who digitise and archive documents. In India, department store Shoppers Stop has set up an organisation dedicated to help integrate PwDs into the fashion retail sector. In short, there are still many ways we can expand our training pathways for PwDs. May I ask the Minister for MSF if there are alternative training pathways being explored for PwDs to expand work options into much more varied sectors and which are they?”
“I would like to ask the Minister for Manpower, how might something similar be done for the caregivers of severely disabled persons who often require one parent to stop work, while also managing ongoing high medical expenses? Support for Hiring Ex-offenders”
“I would like to ask the Minister for Manpower how the Government can support these caregivers in the areas of job search, coaching and preparing them to re-enter the workforce, and perhaps also to reduce biases employers may have against caregivers? Retirement Adequacy of PwDs Studies have shown that people with disabilities (PwDs) are poorer and more financially insecure than non-disabled people. Just 31.4% of working aged PwDs in Singapore are employed as of published statistics earlier this month. Granted that some may have the benefit of parents who are able to set up a trust for them via the Special Needs Trust company, not all PwDs have similar access. I would like to ask the Minister for Manpower what is the assessed retirement adequacy of PwDs as compared to the non-disabled in our workforce and what is being done to raise their retirement adequacy, factoring the medical expenses they need to incur? Retirement Adequacy for PwD Caregivers For non-work-capable PwDs, their caregivers become the main source of financial security. In my Budget speech, I had expounded on the high expenses this group of caregivers of people with severe disabilities or rare disorders face, due to the extremely high cost of treatment for their wards, which can amount up to $200,000 a year. These caregivers spend a large portion of their finances for the treatment of their severely disabled child and ward. With that, we may see that those who spend most of their lives caring for their loved ones will see too little savings for their own retirement. In Budget 2023, we see that the Government has moved to strengthen retirement adequacy for our seniors.”
“Since its launch in 2010, the Carer's Passport has rolled out to hospitals, employers, communities, schools and universities across the UK. I am hopeful that Singapore will one day see value in moving towards such an initiative, given our aging population and also push for larger families and hence, an increasing need for caregivers. After all, close to three-quarter of our caregivers in Singapore are employed. May I ask the Minister for Manpower whether the Government could consider how a similar arrangement can be made for caregivers of people with severe disabilities, who need to take on flexible work arrangements (FWAs) out of necessity? How may we continue to encourage companies to make FWAs available for a larger range of job competencies, so that our caregivers can support themselves more sustainably? Caregivers of PwDs Returning to Work After many years of caregiving, caregivers of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) who have found alternative caregiving options, find it hard to re-enter the workplace due to concerns over age and experience. In their job search, they struggle with the lack of recognition of caregiving skills on the job market, despite their transferability. These skills can range from project and time management, expanded skills in empathy and stress tolerance, as well as communication skills as they navigate conflict situations in caregiving. Support to identify and recognise these skills in the workplace would be of great value to caregivers. In interviews, they are uncertain whether how much to share about their caregiving responsibilities for fear of discrimination or negative repercussions on their career due to possible biases by employers.”
“Workplace Support for PwD Caregivers As mentioned in my Budget speech, caregivers of people with severe disabilities find great challenges in the work options that allow them to fulfil their ongoing caregiving responsibilities while financially supporting the high medical expenses and future retirement needs for themselves and their wards. Flexibility regarding work hours and work spaces as well as the ability to take leave when required, are essential for these caregivers. This is because their wards are not work-capable and require consistent care, and caregivers need to be responsive to sudden or emergency needs. Those who are offered jobs tend to be for roles that underemployed them with significantly lower pay, a trade off that caregivers accept for the flexibility accorded. Yet, even with these lowered job expectations, such Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) are not easily accessible, as caregivers often are confronted with interviewers and work cultures that have biases against working caregivers of FWAs. One country that has explored support initiatives for working caregivers is the UK. In the recent years, the UK has seen an uptrend in the number of working caregivers, whether supporting seniors or children. In 2022, this number was one in five residents. To support them, the UK Civil Service launched an initiative called the Carer's Passport. This Passport provides caregivers and their employers with information about how employees' caring responsibilities impact their work and provides a guided conversation on the flexibility needed to combine work and care. 2.45 pm It aims to balance the needs of the employee with the needs of the business.”
“Data from the Comprehensive Labour Force Survey (CLFS) released earlier this month on 10 February, showed that among resident Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the working ages of 15 to 65 in 2021 and 2022, a majority of 65.7% are outside of the labour force. Given the Ministry of Social and Family Development's (MSF) 2020 estimate of 32,000 PwDs who are of working age, this means about 21,000 working-age PwDs are still outside of the labour force. Of those outside of the labour force, a majority of 77% or 16,000 PwDs indicate that they are in poor health, too old or disabled to work. However, not much information was provided on what the respondents meant by their being “too disabled” to work. It would be important for us to find out whether there is a group of PwDs from within the 77% who are actually work-capable but have stayed out of the workforce because they are not aware of what to do or do not believe that there are jobs or workplaces that can accommodate their disability. In better understanding their job search experiences, we can then identify their barriers to participating in the workforce and thus work towards reducing these barriers. In conjunction with the vision for Singapore as an inclusive society in 2030, I would like to ask the Minister for Manpower if they have further insights gathered from the survey on work-capable PwDs outside the workforce, and how Singapore can raise the workforce participation rate of working-age PwDs?”
“Chairman, the situation in Myanmar remains critical and fragile. The continuing violence in the country remains of deep concern as it also affects neighbouring countries and impacts ASEAN's community-building efforts. Since the finalisation of ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus in 2021, there has been little progress in its implementation, especially in the area of cessation of violence. This, despite efforts by successive Special Envoys of the ASEAN Chairs, Brunei and Cambodia. As a result, much of the country remains in need of humanitarian assistance. During the 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits held in November 2022, the leaders called on all parties in Myanmar to facilitate the work of the Secretary-General of ASEAN and ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance in delivering assistance in Myanmar to all in need. May I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs what ASEAN is doing with regards to humanitarian assistance and what support has Singapore, as a member of ASEAN, provided and/or will continue to provide? ASEAN Integration and Engagements”
“Businesses like Headway, a Ukrainian start-up, continued operating from bomb shelters in the midst of air raids, successfully offering bite-sized learning on an app used by 15 million people in over 140 countries. Others continue to attend and showcase their new innovations at international trade shows. In the words of a startup founder from Ukraine, Mr Nazar Trokhymchuk: "the militaries are fighting, Ukrainian business is working, start-ups are developing, so everyone is doing their job". I imagine that any crisis that hits Singapore shores, from either traditional or emerging threats, would demand a similar type of collective resilience, in order for us to bounce back stronger after each crisis. Therefore, may I ask MINDEF for updates on how MINDEF has bolstered community resilience through various initiatives under the Total Defence umbrella. Community Partnership”
“Chairman, at the COS debate last year, Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Zaqy Mohamad shared that a "2021 Total Defence Review" was undertaken and had reflected sentiments of Singaporeans wanting space to contribute ideas and efforts towards shaping Singapore's Total Defence. 11.30 am During the same debate, I also raised the question on how we can continue to engage our youth in defence matters. The Senior Minister of State then shared about the launch of the Total Defence Sandbox. May I ask MINDEF for an update on the progress of the Total Defence Sandbox, as well as the follow-up on the suggestions and recommendations put forth by Singaporeans as part of the Total Defence Review. Also, the plans to ensure that Total Defence remains relatable and resonate with all Singaporeans? Boosting Community Resilience An important goal of Total Defence is to build resilient communities; communities that are able to withstand, respond and bounce back quickly from adverse situations. This has never been more critical in this era of uncertainty; politically, economically and also in the form of natural disasters. There are examples we can look to, which showcase the strength of a community banding together. As shared by some, the Ukrainian people have been a remarkable example of a people coming together to not only defend their country, but innovate in the face of great difficulty. Tech professionals in Ukraine used their talents to aid the nation's efforts and support humanitarian needs amid the crisis, such as creating apps that notify users about bombings or supporting humanitarian needs. Civilians with tech know-how found creative ways to adapt commercially, and to build drones and materials for military use.”
“Chairman, the Russia-Ukraine conflict has revealed the might and widespread use of cyber-attacks as an extension of warfare into the digital space, affecting critical infrastructure that not only impacts military efforts but also the lives of civilians. These attacks have devastating aftermath on communities, be it in the form of mass power shutdowns in times of harsh weather conditions or in the form of propagating false information to destroy unity or morale. Ukraine alone has suffered a threefold growth in cyber-attacks over the past year. The Cyber Peace Institute reveals that as of 17 February 2023, there have already been 627 cyber attacks on government entities and corporations in critical infrastructure sectors, excluding attacks on Ukraine and Russia. Last October, MINDEF established the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) with an eye on dealing with threats to Singapore’s security in the digital domain. This was a more than welcome development, to build on SAF’s abilities to defend Singapore on multiple and emerging fronts. To fulfil its mandate, the DIS will need a highly-skilled and collaborative digital workforce to continue to grow Singapore’s digital defence capabilities. At the same time, there is fierce competition for such talent in the technology sector. Can the Ministry of Defence share how DIS plans to attract appropriate talent to the service as well as how recruitment for the DIS has progressed since its establishment last year? Emerging Military Threats”
“Can we look at how to encourage more companies to consider redesigning their work across job roles, allowing for greater flexibility for those that require it, not as a lifestyle preference, but out of necessity and livelihood? We can, and must do more for this group of Singaporeans, to strengthen our social compact to build a Singapore Made for Families as Budget 2023 articulates, in all its diversity. Let us remember and support these caregivers and family members of people with severe disabilities, with their employment efforts for sustainable living. With this, Mr Deputy Speaker, I am thankful and I am in full support for Budget 2023.”
“The level of care needed does not reduce with age and may, in fact, increase depending on the progression of the disease. In fact, some caregivers have had to approach employers to ask if they can use their personal medical certificates (MCs), in lieu of childcare leave, for their child who is above 12 years old, given their commitment to stay healthy to care for their children. Each day is a physical, mental and emotional balancing act of spending as much time as they can with their child, not knowing which day would be their child's last. This, while trying to address the increasing cost of long-term medical care, on top of finding ways to secure retirement adequacy for themselves and their wards. These caregivers are simply looking for a fair opportunity to participate in the workforce, bring value with their competencies to earn a sustainable living and at the same time, show love to their parents while they can. Mr Deputy Speaker, we have here an under tapped pool of Singaporean workforce embodying the grit and "can-do" fighting spirit that we so often have lauded. I have no doubt that employers that hire these Singaporeans will find for themselves some of the most diligent and resilient individuals, with valuable perspectives because of their unique life journeys. The question remains: how might we be more intentional and progressive in finding ways to support and integrate caregivers who are fully capable, highly motivated and willing to be employed? Just as we have schemes to encourage companies to hire seniors and PwDs, may we consider putting in place schemes to make our workplaces more inclusive towards caregivers of persons with these severe disabilities?”
“Some of these caregivers may require daily visits to hospital for treatments for their ward, while others need to be responsive to sudden accidents and emergencies. As such, jobs with flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are the only viable options for them. These refer to jobs that allow for work-from-home (WFH), provide flexible timing or shift work that allows caregivers to work at night. At the same time, because of their need for FWAs, caregivers tend to be streamlined to certain job roles that are generally more administrative and many times, as a consequence, jobs that pay less per hour. While many of the caregivers are educated and competent individuals with a range of skills to offer, in order to supplement the family's finances, they accept jobs that under-employ them and pay them significantly less because of the flexibility the jobs afford them. Even with these lowered job expectations, it is still hard to find work because of the bias that some employees may have of them as being less productive. Amongst the caregivers in RDSS, those who found work that afforded them flexibility needed, opportunities often come through personal networks, rather than the traditional routes of finding employment, even after undergoing skills upgrading. We cannot assume that every caregiver will have access to such personal networks, given the amount of time consumed by caregiving. Third, limited childcare leave options. For caregiving parents who are in the workforce, childcare leave halts when a child is above 12 years old, because it is assumed that the child should be sufficiently independent by then. This is not true for the parents of children with severe disabilities.”
“Due to the rarity of their illness, the cost of treatment can be extremely high. As Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung stated last November, medicines for rare disease patients can exceed $200,000 per patient annually. In the United States, the average annual cost of treatment per patient in 2019 was $42,000, with treatments ranging from $8,000 to $670,000 per year. While there are various Government schemes and charities that provide generous grants and subsidies that may alleviate some of these costs, the financial burden remains great on the caregivers, especially if one parent has to stop work to become the main caregiver to their child. For these group of Singaporeans, finding work and work presents itself with great challenges. First, limited reliable caregiving options. Respite care for people with severe disabilities is hard to come by due to the unique medical conditions they have. While there are various daycare centres for PwDs, very few are for people with severe multiple disabilities, such as those of the members of the rare disorders' community. As such, short of having an available grandparent or a helper to care for their child, it will not be possible for both parents to stay at work. I take heart that the Ministry for Social and Family Development's (MSF) Enabling Masterplan 2030 includes the establishment of Enabling Services Hub, to provide respite care and engage PwDs in the community. On behalf of the caregivers of people with disabilities, I would like to sincerely appeal to the team looking into the service offerings of the hubs, to consider the needs of people with severe disabilities who are not work-capable, and so, expand the provision of respite care that is much needed for the caregivers of this group. Second, limited flexible work options.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, may I first thank Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his team for setting up a thoughtful Budget 2023, with a focus on honouring both people and sustainable outcomes for Singapore. I am glad to share that many residents affirm the measures, especially those that support young families in making housing more accessible for them. Budget 2023 also address enhanced employment support for the seniors, the lower-income, persons with disabilities and ex-offenders, which many of us welcome. In line with that, may I respond to the Budget statement by highlighting a need for a specific group of people that we should not miss: employment support for caregivers of people with severe disabilities. In my brief time serving in the Purple Parade, a movement that supports inclusion and celebrates the abilities of persons with disabilities (PwDs), I have had the joy to meet some of the most inspiring PwDs and their caregivers. One of these outstanding groups are the people at the Rare Disorders Society (Singapore), also known as RDSS. About 2,500 people are estimated to have a rare disease in Singapore. When we include their immediate family members, we are looking at approximately 7,500 people directly impacted by rare disorders. These members are not large, in light of the many competing needs in Singapore, and yet, for the same reason, it is easy for their real and valid needs to be overlooked. Many caregivers of people of severe disabilities want to seek employment due to the high and ongoing expenses from their children's or ward's treatment, especially if they stem from rare disorders. The severity of disability means that their wards are not work-capable and need to be cared for consistently.”
“Singapore has worked hard to create and build models that have worked well for us – economically, socially and religiously – precisely because we are a pluralistic society. This has been our strength, not a weakness. I am hopeful that we can do the same in the space of affirming heterosexual marriage and family culture, while creating safe social spaces for gay persons. On the personal front, my feet are firmly rooted in my faith and my arms are wide open. Wide open especially to people who believe differently from me. It is this rootedness that allows me to love and walk alongside those different from me, and to stay interested in their lanes and their realities. On the repeal, let us remember that our sexual identity, while being an important aspect of our identity, is not the sum total of who we are. If we choose to go deeper into our fuller human identity, we will perhaps find connections that will help us acknowledge and understand one another in our common humanity. Mr Speaker, my hope is for us to be intentional in sieving out divisive voices in the midst of deep disagreements. Let us not give in to discord nor give up on unity but give our best to our nation. May we then realise our commonalities, close the space between us and, together, discover the Singapore forward.”
“Finding a way forward does mean that people or groups that fall outside the norms of a traditional family are still to be embraced and supported, whether the single parents, singles, widows, widowers or homosexual family members and friends. As a Member of Parliament, I represent the aspirations of residents from traditional and non-traditional family units and also the rights of my constituents, regardless of their sexual orientation. I hope the decriminalisation of gay sex will bring relief to those who have experienced discrimination. At the same time, those who are heterosexual should also not have to live in fear or be discriminated in their workplaces, schools and communities because they stand neutral or express pro-traditional family views. It has brought distress to some parents to hear that terms ranging from "cancel them", "bigots" to homophobic, derogatory names are being used in our classrooms against students who do not share the same views on this topic, forcing others into silence. No one should attack the other and no one should fear being cancelled for holding or expressing pro-homosexual, pro-traditional family views or neutral views. We cannot allow coercion to infringe upon an individual's right to decide on matters of conscience and conviction. This is a right that we must protect through legislation as an open, multi-religious and multi-ethnic society. Wisdom is found in the ability to get along with others. Just as family members differ from one another, yet still share our lives together, can we, as Singaporeans, define our relational compact to be one of a wider brother- or sisterhood? We can remain honouring of others while disagreeing, respectful without conforming.”
“Peace by domination and subjugation is not peace. One side prevailing at the expense of the other will break the social compact that is vital for us to be able to live in harmony. Once the compact is broken, repealing section 377A will not be the only divisive issue. Some view the repeal as rending the moral fabric of society and vice versa. I take heart by the stated positions of a number of our respected religious leaders earlier in August. Then Archbishop, now Cardinal William Goh spoke of the Roman Catholic Church's neutrality on the repeal, provided that the church continues to have the freedom to teach what it believes and practise what it teaches. Mufti Nazirudin Mohd Nasir spoke of the complexity of the issue. He shared Islam's clear stance on sexuality and marriage and at the same time, the need to respect differences and keep our society cohesive and intact. What we need to recognise is that the moral and social fabrics of any society are intricately intertwined. One risks being torn as a consequence of the rending of the other. As such, I commend our Government for seeking to protect both the moral and social fabrics of this nation through the proposed Bills. After all, problems are solved in the middle, not at the extremes. Finding a way forward does not mean we have to hold onto unenforced laws like section 377A, nor does it mean we have to redefine marriage and, consequently, family. Since our families form the foundation of the moral and social fabric of Singapore, we must protect the definition of marriage to avoid more division amongst our people as lines get blurred.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. The announcement of the repeal of section 377A has elicited much response from the ground. Many in this House shared and agreed that this has been a divisive topic. Over the past four months, I have received emails and messages, met in person with residents and members of the public across age groups who are supportive as well as those who are against the repeal. While most have been respectful in sharing their opinions, I have come to learn of the hostilities some groups carried against those who do not share their views. The vitriol in some manners of speech is of concern to me. Singapore understands the value of diplomacy and keeping peace with other nations. We do not have the option of being careless with our words or relationships. Diplomacy has been and continues to be key to our progress. However, it would be futile to work hard on external relationships if our internal relations are weak. A House divided against itself will not stand. Singapore cannot afford a society fractured by toxicity, with one group severing ties with the other simply because we hold different values and opinions. As Singapore progresses and continues to expose ourselves to global issues and movements, there will only be more opportunities for diverging options to arise in our society. We must ready ourselves. We must work towards a society that can hold difficult conversations where we make room for disagreements and do not force people into a corner of hate. We need to allow many rooms for disagreement but not disharmony. For this reason, Mr Speaker, I wish to focus my speech on how we can shape Singapore conversations on contentious issues such as the repeal, with a heart set on peace-making, to close the space between us and find the way forward.”
“Studies show that being raised in an institutional environment contributes substantially to the delayed and adverse development of young children. Studies also feature that poor development is not associated with selected gene pool nor adverse pre-institutional experience; but when placed in families, most of such children display substantial catch-up growth, beginning soon after adoption, across physical, mental and social domains. By placing orphaned children in families, we support them to see beyond their circumstances, uplift them to greater things. It gives our children courage to pursue all that life has for them; and to know that they have a destiny to fulfil. An adopted child once shared: "My birth mother brought me into this world, but it was my adoptive parents who gave me life." As a Government, I believe we can do more to raise awareness, advocate for and support families in adoption. As a nation, I look forward to the day where we will have more families wanting to adopt, waiting to adopt children, than children waiting on families, especially for our Singaporean children under state care. With this, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support this Bill. 6.39 pm”
“Adoption shows us that we do not have to look like the other person to love them. It expands the social and emotional capacity of a people and society. Love runs much deeper than blood. When a child knows that he or she has been chosen by a family to be loved and is given a safe home and life resources to explore new possibilities, it transforms his or her life in a manner that impacts generations to come. Adopted at the age of 12 after his father passed away, Mr Nelson Mandela was the first in his family to receive formal education, alongside the children of his adoptive father. Because of the education opportunities accorded by his adoptive family, he became politically active during his university years and beyond and never imagined that he would be responsible in leading a nation out of apartheid, radically changing the lives of South Africans. Closer to home, someone, whom I have deep respect for, chose to adopt her two children: her first, a daughter from China; and her second, a son from a teenager here who decided to release her baby for adoption over abortion. Both children are well-loved and cared for and have grown to be confident and contributing Singaporeans. As a matter of fact, her son today is a grateful recipient of a scholarship in a vocation of his dream. What a difference adoption has made to the lives of these young people and a joy they have been to their family! Abandonment does not have to be the destiny of orphaned children, but an opportunity for families with emotional and financial capacity to help the children discover their destiny, no matter what age they come into their homes. While children's homes could still give them the best quality of life possible, there is so much more a family brings to a child.”
“We have children whose parents fail to perform parental duties for various reasons, also known as social orphans, many of whom are under state and institutional care. In Singapore alone, there are over 1,000 children in state care staying in residential and foster homes, even if not all require adoption. There is no shortage of physical and social orphans locally and overseas who are needing, if not, longing for healthy families. There is much that can still be done to raise awareness and to open the hearts and minds in Singapore to the idea of adoption. While over 80% of Singaporeans surveyed in 2013 shared that they are supportive of adoption, the number of adoption applications in Singapore has fluctuated around 380 from 2012 to 2021. And of these adoption applications, fewer than 10 per year are for children under state care. In comparison, the demand for Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) procedures has surged, evidenced by a 40% increase in the take up of funding for ART procedures between 2015 and 2019. Such demand has also led to recent policy changes in assisted reproduction; such as raising the age limit for those undergoing ART procedures, as well as increased co-funding for such procedures. These measures have been most welcomed, and many residents and friends I know are grateful for these changes that support their growing family. However parenthood comes to us, it is a miracle. I sincerely look forward to the day where demand for both ART procedures and adoption will be on par, and to see more families embracing adoption as part of starting and building families. Perhaps in the near future, similar assistance used in supporting ART can also be provided to adopting families who pass the Adoption Suitability Assessment (ASA).”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, over the past four years, I have had the opportunity to serve with an non-government organisation (NGO) that aims to address the orphan crisis in the Philippines through advocating for adoption and preparing families to receive children through adoption and foster care. Through the work they do, I have come to understand some of the legal and administrative challenges posed in adoption in their nation's context, especially in ensuring that children are safe and valued. For this reason, I am encouraged and grateful to note how Singapore's tabled Adoption of Children Bill addresses many of the legal and administrative challenges faced in the adoption process; paving the way for children to be placed in Singapore homes in a manner that is safe, ethical and brings fulfilment to both children and their adoptive parents. Ultimately, the laws surrounding adoption should exist to find the best family for the child and not the best child for families. The Adoption of Children Bill strikes a good balance in placing safeguards for adopted children to be placed in a healthy family environment, while also reducing obstacles from them being placed in healthy families sooner. I am excited at the many lives this Bill will change, not only for our children and families, but the impact this will have on our community and nation. As we speak of the Bill today, may I propose to the House, and fellow Singaporeans, to respectfully consider adoption as a real and viable option to starting and growing families, alongside assisted reproduction schemes. UNICEF estimates 15 million orphans who have lost both parents in the world, also known as double orphans, the majority of who are in Asia. However, double orphans are not the only pool of children that need to find a home.”
“I look forward to sustainable changes the Government would make to better support our single women caregivers financially, both in the immediate and long term. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.”
“While FWAs have been raised as a viable alternative, mandatory family care leave can still be added to complement FWAs, in the same way that parents are still entitled to take childcare leave, even when on FWAs. Extended family care leave should also be considered for those who have parents with dementia or conditions that require greater support. The fourth suggestion: compensating and recognising caregivers. I am encouraged to hear that the Home Care Giving (HCG) grant will be further enhanced. I believe we can still take a greater stride to support caregivers, given their significant loss of income, by providing a calibrated monthly caregiving allowance with CPF contributions for those who have reduced work, or stopped work to be caregivers. Caregiving involves many out-of-pocket expenses, from medical supplements to transportation for medical appointments, to medical and mobility aids. These costs are even more significant for those who are disqualified from subsidies due to the AV of the care recipients' property. Caregiving allowance is not meant to be an income replacement, but an allowance to support these out-of-pocket care expenses in caregiving and also basic personal subsistence, without disincentivising work. Instead of hiring MDWs for the work of caregiving, if children choose to give of their time and effort to do so, our policies should encourage it. Various OECD countries have formulated ways in which caregivers can be compensated, whether via allowances or care recipient benefits, which we can study to formulate one suitable and sustainable for Singapore. The dedication of our singles to care for our seniors should be recognised and advanced in tangible ways, with policies that facilitate building a retirement safety net for them.”
“The rationale behind this is that if the senior sells their private property and moves to an HDB unit, they then should have sufficient income for healthcare costs. However, this means that the senior would then, in their old age and ill-health, have to move in and adapt to a new environment, possibly away from the environment of the people they are familiar with. In addition to ongoing caregiver responsibilities, the single caregiver will have to figure out the sale, search and purchase of a home and make arrangements for the move. These stresses add on to the stress of change in health and care needed both for the caregiver and recipient. If access to subsidies requires seniors to move their homes in order for caregivers to access subsidies, it will also go against the grain of encouraging ageing-in-place. For care recipients with property AV of beyond $13,000, when the care recipient no longer needs to stay in the property, proceeds from the sale or rental of property could then be returned to the Government, as part of the agreement to receive subsidised care. This will help alleviate the immediate financial burdens of caregivers, ensure that the Government's subsidies are sustainable, while truly supporting seniors to age-in-place. The third suggestion: workplace support for single caregivers. Childcare leave should be converted to a more general family care leave, to include those who are caregivers of parents, particularly single caregivers who have limited help. The number of family care leaves for such singles should be mandated by law, instead of simply encouraging employers to provide for it.”
“However, this is not an option for singles, who are already limited to buying higher priced resale or 2-room BTOs in non-mature estates or in prime locations. In short, singles, specifically women, expend their financial resources on care for their parents and face financial challenges in their later years for their own care, with little to, at times, no family support. May I make four suggestions to mitigate the negative financial impact on single women caregivers. First, top-up of CPF from family members to caregivers. The Government could consider supplementing caregiver CPF contributions from the care recipient parents' CPF. For those who qualify for MediSave care, care recipients can be given the option for the monthly cash amounts to be transferred to the caregiver's CPF instead of their bank account. This can be done where children have been ascertained to be caregivers of a specific parent, to receive a monthly transfer from the latter. There could also be an option for siblings who have met the Basic Retirement Sum to top-up their caregiving sibling's CPF, incentivised with an enhanced caregiver's support tax relief beyond current amounts for the contributions made, or complemented with greater subsidies for the parents' caregiver's services. The second suggestion: healthcare subsidies based solely on household income. Having understood the concerns of some of my residents, I would like to propose a consideration for MOH relating to care recipients staying in properties of annual value (AV) $13,000 and above. In MOH's current means-testing approach, even if the household income qualifies the recipient for subsidy, but the care recipient stays in a private estate where AV is very likely to be above $13,000, no subsidy will be given to him or her.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, my speech will focus on our single women who serve as informal caregivers for our seniors, their challenges and how we can show up meaningfully for them. In conversations with single women caregivers, a major challenge shared is their retirement inadequacy. This stems from three sources. First, reduced unpaid work. Caregivers face difficulties holding down a full-time job while still providing care for the seniors, especially in households where the load of caregiving falls entirely on one person. Duke NUS and MSF surveys illustrate that caregivers spend an average of 36 to 38 hours a week on caregiving, depending on the level of needs. Almost half of the caregivers surveyed do not hold a job and of those who do, 26% of them had their work affected by caregiving. Those interviewed in AWARE's 2019 survey either cut down work hours or stopped work altogether. These work changes negatively impact the caregiver's own retirement adequacy as CPF contributions are stopped or reduced. Given that most caregivers are 45 to 59 years old, an age where they could be economically productive and be able to save up for retirement, the financial impact is significant. Second, lower overall income of women. The negative impact on retirement savings is compounded by the fact that women also, generally, earn less than men in their working life. The 2018 MOM statistics also showed that women greatly outnumbered men in not being able to hit the CPF Basic Retirement Sum at age 55 and, at the same time, have a longer life expectancy. Third, home ownership policies. One of the ways Singapore enhances old age income security is through the home ownership programme. In their senior years, married couples have the option of downgrading their HDB flats for a retirement income.”