Rahayu Mahzam
Singapore
“We engage the insurance providers quite regularly, but we are very mindful about where we intervene, especially because they need to be competitive and there is a commercial dimension to it, which we feel that we should respect. So, how we intervene is via the conditions that are put in place vis-a-vis the consumers.”
“So, that is not something they can worry about. There is already the S+3M framework that is already in place, so we know that MediShield Life is one, they have their MediSave and if all else fails, there is MediFund.”
“Should there be disputes over specific claims, policyholders can take it to the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC), an independent and impartial institution that assists with insurance-related disputes.”
“It is just a symptom, so the underlying cost pressures still need to be addressed. The description that we had put earlier in the past is that it is a knot that we need to untangle; and that is something we are doing with a multi-pronged, with engagements with different parties and stakeholders.”
“I appreciate the Member's feedback. As I said earlier, this is something that we will continue to consider. But we do also have to appreciate that the information that we get is live, in terms of waiting times and all that.”
“But I do take the point and we are actually reviewing to see what is a meaningful way to put out this information so that the public can understand, so that we can all track properly whether the good health outcomes are a result of the efforts that we are making. I will take the feedback back and we will continue to review this.”
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“Mr Chairman, let me first start by thanking Members for their questions and interest in MCI's work. I will elaborate on MCI's plans to build a society which continues to be inclusive, relevant and prepared for a digital future. As Minister Josephine Teo mentioned, digital technologies are very much a part of our daily lives. Going digital has opened numerous possibilities – from facilitating daily interactions with family and friends to engendering new conveniences in many aspects of our lives. This is why digital access and meaningful engagement with technologies have become key to our quality of life today. 2.30 pm MCI will continue strengthening digital literacy and wellness, by working closely with community partners and volunteers to achieve three key goals. First, digital access and digital adoption for all; next, learning and mastery of digital skills, for all to seize new opportunities in the digital economy; and equally important, for our people to be equipped to recognise and respond to dangers online. To ensure that Singaporeans, regardless of age, background or skill level are empowered to take charge of their own digital future, our first goal of digital access and adoption is a basic good that everyone should have, comprising Internet connectivity, tech devices and the ability to make use of them. I recognise that this is an issue close to the hearts of many Members, including Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng, Mr Seah Kian Peng, Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Hany Soh. Our broadband connectivity and basic devices are important to our people. Singapore is a highly-connected society – 98% of households have access to broadband and 99% of households with children under 15 have access to computers.”
“Businesses can also leverage the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit to invest in their workforce development. Meanwhile, the Enterprise Leadership for Transformation supports leaders of promising SMEs in developing their capabilities. It has been a challenging period, but businesses are looking to find new opportunities to transform and grow. While the overall economy has grown significantly in 2021, we know that the growth has been uneven. In particular, consumer-facing sectors, such as retail trade and Food and Beverage services, continue to face challenges due to the pandemic. These SMEs provide important services to the community and hire large numbers of Singaporeans. How will the Government support SMEs overall, and specifically, in sectors with more challenging business conditions? Besides providing the grants and assistance schemes, we would also need to make sure SMEs are aware of the support that is available to them. While we acknowledge the many new or enhanced schemes and targeted support that have been rolled out in the last couple of years, SMEs may be overwhelmed by the information out there and unsure which schemes they are eligible for. How would SMEs be able to find out more about the support that is available and access such support? Supporting the Growth of Local Companies”
“Over the last two years, an average of around 3,840 firms were deregistered each month, similar to the period 2017-2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. 7.30 pm On the other hand, an average of more than 5,000 new firms were registered each month over the last two years, reflecting an increase in the total number of businesses operating in Singapore, despite the impact of the pandemic. An annual Business Survey conducted by Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) showed that a majority of Singapore companies, mostly SMEs, view rising costs, availability of suitable manpower, adaptation to COVID-19 safe management measures and transforming or pivoting to growth areas as top business challenges. In the same survey, 67.5% of respondents experienced rising manpower costs, including the cost of foreign workers, while 63.1% were unable to recruit local staff with the needed skills and 49.5% said that it has become more difficult to get foreign workers. Banks and finance companies in Singapore have committed to help ease the financial strain on SMEs arising from the need to make principal repayments on their loans during this period, in view of the temporary cashflow constraints that many face. MAS worked with financial institutions in Singapore to offer options for SMEs in need, to lower their short-term repayment obligations for their loans and to stay insured, despite facing financial difficulties. The Government has in place a suite of measures to support business transformation and help companies upskill and reskill their workforce, including the Enhanced Training Support for SMEs, that provides subsidies to sponsor employees to attend training courses funded by SkillsFuture Singapore.”
“I would like to ask the Minister what new areas of cooperation are being explored between Singapore and Australia as well as New Zealand? Diplomacy in a Polarised World”
“Chairman, in June last year, our Prime Minister hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the 6th Singapore-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting in Singapore. They noted the good progress made in the Singapore-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) over the past year despite challenges presented by COVID-19. The Prime Ministers also agreed to keep the CSP forward-looking by furthering cooperation in emerging areas such as low-emissions solutions and fintech. In August, Singapore and Australia agreed to a dose sharing arrangement of COVID-19 vaccines. This arrangement enabled both countries to support each other in optimising our respective schedules for vaccinating our populations against COVID-19. Since November 2021, fully vaccinated Singapore Citizens have been able to travel to most Australian cities quarantine-free. This is much welcomed news for many Singaporeans. Another Oceania country we have close relations with is New Zealand. We share many interests and strategic views and cooperate closely both bilaterally and multilaterally. When New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited Singapore in 2019, we upgraded bilateral relations to an Enhanced Partnership (EP). We have developed 26 bilateral cooperation initiatives across the EP’s four pillars: trade and economics; security and defence; science, technology and innovation; and people-to-people links. When the pandemic struck, Singapore and New Zealand reaffirmed our commitment to maintaining trade flows for essential goods by co-sponsoring the Joint Statement on Open Markets, Flow of Essential Goods and Supply Chain Connectivity issued by the UN in May 2020. There are great opportunities for Singapore with these two countries.”
“The Budget is a significant driving force towards the creation of better prospects and empowerment of individuals, as we chart our new way forward together. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.”
“My hope is that, firstly, the Government continues to channel funds to increase support for families with children who have special needs. Their needs are varied and we need the Government to provide a framework for the whole of society to work hand in hand to build a more inclusive Singapore. Second, the Government should continue to provide opportunities for our young people to explore career opportunities. It would be good to build on efforts to create a mentoring ecosystem, so that every young person gets the support they need to succeed. Third, every Singaporean must participate in efforts to build the nation. The Government needs to think of ways to ensure that our economy continues to progress and provide support for various groups in society. However, there is much we can do to uplift our community. All of us have to play a part. (In English): Mr Speaker, to me, the Budget goes beyond just fiscal considerations but reflects our priorities and shapes what we become as a nation. A Budget channels funds, creates opportunities and empowers individuals. However, it is not the be-all and end-all and should not be so. The Budget supports various areas of concern and initiatives that impact Singaporeans. But it is not omnipotent. We need more Dr Chens and Mr Hafizs, Singaporeans with the heart and grit to do their bit for the community and seize opportunities with the support from the Government. This year’s Budget debate is carried out against the backdrop of many unsettling international developments. I hope we can find solace in the strength and unity of our people, to share the load and take advantage of the opportunities before us.”
“The needs are acute and varied and we need the Government to provide the framework for whole of society to come on board in this journey of making our society more inclusive. Secondly, it is important that the Government builds on efforts to support young individuals to explore career opportunities. There is value in enhancing the resolution of this support through developing the framework for mentoring. Many of us have had the good fortune of meeting someone in our lives who has guided us, shown us what is possible and brought us to a completely different trajectory in our lives. Not everyone, or every young person, is as fortunate. We should build an ecosystem of support, a culture of mentoring, so that every young person, regardless of his or her background, has the chance to be guided to find and seize all the opportunities that come their way. Thirdly, aside from the Government's efforts, Singaporeans also need to play their part. Many Members of this House have spoken about this, too. This should not just be a platitude. The Government needs to be responsible for providing the fiscal framework for the economy to thrive and provide the infrastructure for many dimensions of support for different demographics in the community. However, there are many opportunities for all of us to fill in the gaps and propel our community forward. Mr Speaker, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In renewing and strengthening our social compact between the Government and society, the Government has the responsibility to address the issues faced by those who are in need or have been most affected by the pandemic. Nonetheless, all of us also have a role to participate actively in all efforts to help uplift the community.”
“What started as a series of webinars during COVID-19 has, today, become a business set-up, with 51 university partners across Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines using its services. Kinobi provides free career tools and services for all students, such as resume-builder and job preparation courses, augmented with a job portal. Kinobi sees itself as the technology partner for university career services, driving a systemic change. They create, replace and augment the institution’s career platforms, enabling career services staff to do more to serve their student population. Mr Hafiz said that Kinobi is thriving with the support of the Government and the Singapore ecosystem. The SG StartUp Grant was a great catalyst in helping his team to do this full-time. They also had guidance from Enterprise SG as well as the Singapore Business Federation in getting them plugged into the regional ecosystem. His alma mater, SMU, has supported them via their incubator, by connecting them to the alumni based in Indonesia and by partnering with Kinobi across initiatives like SMU Fintech Symposium. Dr Chen Shiling and Mr Hafiz Kasman, our people, are pieces of the puzzle in realising our vision of a fairer, more inclusive society. In renewing and strengthening our social compact, the Government needs to address areas of concern, especially of groups which are vulnerable and have been most affected by the pandemic. But part of the deal must be that of active participation of our people in augmenting Government efforts. My ask is, therefore, as follows. Firstly, I hope the Government continues to channel funds for better services and support for families with children with special needs.”
“Those who were about to enter the workforce had to adjust, like everyone else, and prepare for this new world. For several years, even before the pandemic, the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) had developed their career guidance framework. When the pandemic hit, these services needed to be strengthened and updated to address current needs. There were efforts by NYC and Young NTUC to provide resources for the youths to learn about growth sectors and how to prepare themselves for the working world. For example, the YouthTech Programme launched by NYC for youths to gain work insights in the increasingly important area of technology and digitalisation, creates pathways for young people to learn new skills and gain tangible experiences. Another example is the career symposium entitled LIT DISCOvery organised by Young NTUC as part of the SkillsFuture month in July last year. There were online webinars, workshops as well as virtual mentoring and masterclasses to equip youths and young working adults with the necessary technology and soft skills to pivot into new and evolving job roles in the growth sectors. I think the provision of support for our youths remains acute and necessary. Aside from career guidance, mentoring should also be an area that the Government continues to develop. In fact, Mr Hafiz, whom I was speaking about, is, himself, a champion of mentoring. He is the co-Chairman of the Mentoring AfA and also oversees Mara Mentoring, one of the M3 programmes, which aims to accelerate the career and personal progression of high-potential Malay/Muslim undergraduates, by connecting them to a dedicated community of successful early career professionals. Mr Hafiz has also managed to turn his passion into a business opportunity.”
“As a parent of a child with ID, I am heartened and glad that there are people like Dr Chen, who looks out for the needs of those with special needs and their caregivers. They do not only volunteer their time but seek to find solutions to make things better for others, especially for those who are vulnerable. Dr Chen shows how it is so important to walk the talk. She does not just give comments and expect the Government to come up with the solutions, but she has come up with substantive and constructive plans, tirelessly working with partners and taking effort to implement the ideas. The other person I would like to talk about today is Mr Hafiz Kasman. Mr Hafiz is a graduate from Singapore Management University (SMU), who co-founded Kinobi Asia. Mr Hafiz was a consultant, and Kinobi initially started as a movement during COVID-19 to help prepare students for the working world. Mr Hafiz and his friends-turned-partners started conducting webinars on career role models and tips on how to get into different industries. They saw great success for a few months in a row. There would be an average of about 200 to 300 participants at each of these webinars, which they initially held for young people in Singapore but, subsequently, also organised for youths in the region. Mr Hafiz realised from there that there is a big under-served market of students preparing for jobs. I believe this is also an area that the Government is keenly aware of. In the past year, career uncertainty has remained a top concern among two in five job-seeking youths, based on NYC’s youth sentiment polls, February to December 2021. The pandemic has reshaped the economy, made some sectors less desirable but also created new opportunities.”
“Patients with ID depend on their caregivers for many things, including, but not limited to, compliance with medication, nutrition and therapies. Their health, largely, depends on the ability of their caregivers to manage their care. This means that the health and well-being of the caregivers also needed to be addressed, especially as they age. Dr Chen, therefore, developed a holistic healthcare approach for ageing caregivers and their adult children with ID, addressing also social issues and bringing together multidisciplinary stakeholders on the same platform. This is a fairly niche area relating to healthcare and, although seemingly illogical, it is a refreshing and efficient approach to the issue. Only someone in the sector and familiar with working with such families would appreciate the specific challenges they face and curate the appropriate solutions. I believe this area of work is very important. We have heard, in recent times, the call to provide more support for families with children with special needs. I will touch more on this in my speeches for the COS debate. I am happy that the Government has responded to this call. In particular, Minister Chan Chun Sing’s and Minister Masagos Zulkifli’s replies to recent Parliamentary Questions gave assurance that the Government will continue to strengthen efforts and will work with the community to provide this support and build an inclusive society. Dr Chen has been championing this cause of caring for patients with ID and their caregivers as a family unit for many years. She has been working with Government agencies to see how this effort can be made accessible to more in Singapore.”
“Mr Speaker, the Budget announcements mean different things to different people. Many look out for what the Government is planning to do to address day-to-day cost of living issues. Some look out for whether the Government will do more to address their areas of concern and the matters they champion. For the Members of this House, the Budget debate and the Committee of Supply debate provide the opportunity for us to talk about issues that are close to our hearts and to highlight areas for the Government to look at more deeply. For me, it is also an opportunity to share about everyday heroes who advocate for important issues in the community, who quietly work hard to improve their lives and those of others and, in their own ways, contribute to nation-building. There are two people I would like to speak about today. I want to first introduce you to Dr Chen Shiling. Dr Chen is a medical doctor trained in internal medicine and who has special interests in dementia and intellectual disability (ID). When she was in Junior College, she had the opportunity to volunteer at MINDS, to provide support to individuals with ID. She shared candidly that, in the beginning, the experience was daunting and, after her first session, she was not certain if she would do it again. Despite her reservations, she continued to help out at MINDS over the years. After graduating from medical school and becoming a doctor, she volunteered in her free time to give medical care to patients with ID. This is challenging because, typically, patients with ID also have multiple medical issues. Aside from that, what Dr Chen came to realise was that it was also necessary to track the health and well-being of their parents and caregivers.”
“We are also enhancing the competency of the SGAs to engage our seniors more effectively, so that they can continue to stay active and mentally engaged as well.”
“I thank the Member for the questions. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in the way SGO reaches out to these seniors. To move forward, we also need to understand the genesis of the SGO. SGO was previously known as the Pioneer Generation Office (PGO) and it was established to reach out to Pioneers relating to the PG package and tell them about the various Government schemes, MediShield and CHAS. When it then evolved in April 2019 to merge with AIC, the expanded scope was then to reach out to another bigger group. So, initially, it was a smaller group; and it extended to a bigger group. That was for the Merdeka Generation Package. In 2020, SGO then had to adjust and pivot, to shift into doing house visits as well as tele-engagements with the vulnerable group. And this is also something that we need to continue looking at. I understand the concerns because the elderly are at home and they are not able to engage. There are a lot of efforts that we are doing with other partners as well, to make sure that this engagement continues. We recognise that SGO's mandate is now to go beyond just communicating Government schemes to better address their needs in a more targeted manner. So, SGO has been working with the Regional Health Systems clusters, primary care and community care Partners to instil preventive health messaging in seniors in the community, so that they can also augment the support and engagement that they, through the SGAs, have been giving. We are hoping to continue to build on this relationship, so that we can expand that effort and also look at targeting areas, especially with more frequent visits to at-risk seniors, including those who are frail or have weak social support.”
“The Silver Generation Office (SGO) has deployed about 3,000 staff and volunteers as Silver Generation Ambassadors (SGAs) to proactively reach out to seniors. Since 2014, SGO has made over one million engagements. In 2019, SGO made 339,000 home visits. In 2020, SGO adapted their engagement approaches during the COVID-19 pandemic and made 140,000 home visits, complemented by an additional 140,000 telephone check-ins. In 2021, SGO pivoted to encouraging and assisting our seniors’ COVID-19 vaccinations, reaching out to 168,000 and 11,000 seniors through home visits and telephone check-ins respectively.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I was not earlier privy to the questions that the Member was going to ask in terms of the specific numbers, so, I do not have specific data. But I do have some points to respond to the Member's queries. One, I think even if you are looking at 48,000 of the workers that are now currently unvaccinated and just talking about 1% of them, that is already a high number and that is already going to tax our ICU bed capacity. So, that is one. We are actually just looking at how, even with that small number, it is going to impact and tap on scarce resources which could very well be deployed for other needs within the community. Two, in terms of studying the implication on them, I appreciate that there will be concerns. But we are also talking about the whole of nation. We are talking about economic stability, the normal way of life that everyone else craves for. We need to consider also how the economy will be impacted by just this small number taxing on our healthcare system and, because of these numbers, we then have to adjust and calibrate our SMMs. All these are done to balance. For those who are able to go out and are better protected, they then are able to have access to different things. But for those who are then at-risk of getting COVID-19 and having severe illnesses, I think there have to be implications on the consequences that we have to accept and appreciate and, therefore, make a decision, calibrating all these needs and not talking about just one group, and a small group at that.”
“While the median bill size for COVID-positive patients receiving treatment in acute hospitals who require both ICU care and COVID-19 therapeutics is estimated to be about $25,000, access to means-tested Government subsidies and MediShield Life coverage can reduce the bill to about $2,000 to $4,000 for eligible Singaporeans in subsidised wards. SCs and PRs may also use their MediSave balance to help fund any remaining post-subsidy amount, subject to the claim limits that apply. With regard to extending VDS to children in the community, public, preschool and school settings, there are, presently, no plans to do so for those aged 12 and below. The focus at this time is to ensure our children are well-protected as we begin vaccination for those aged five to 11, using the paediatric doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. We will, periodically, review our policies as the extension of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme to children aged five to 11 progresses. Earlier today, we had also addressed concerns that were raised by Members. And we acknowledge that these are some legitimate concerns that parents may have. But given all the facts we have and in the current situation that we are facing, it is still highly encouraged for parents to bring their children if they are eligible for the vaccination. In summary, increasing population immunity through vaccinations and boosters, reinforced with VDS, has been integral to our COVID-19 response in protecting the vulnerable and ensuring that our healthcare system can cope with the incoming Omicron wave, as well as any future infection waves. Singapore is now in a better position to achieve our goal of being a COVID-19 resilient nation.”
“However, whilst such employees are exempted from WVM, MOM and the tripartite partners have guided employers to give special consideration, such as allowing them to work from home, if they are able to do so, and redeploying them to suitable jobs which can be done from home, if such jobs are available. From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had adopted a special approach to fully cover the costs of COVID-19 medical treatment for Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass Holders (SC/PR/LTPHs) who had not recently travelled. This special approach was intended to avoid financial considerations adding to the public uncertainty and concern when COVID-19 was an emergent and unfamiliar disease. Today, the vaccines have since become widely administered and there is sufficient evidence that they confer protection to reduce the risk of serious illness and death. Those aged above 12 who remain unvaccinated by choice have decided to do so despite knowing that this places them at a higher risk of requiring costly inpatient care, which adds to the strain on our healthcare system. The special treatment of the Government fully covering the costs of COVID-19 medical treatment will, therefore, not apply to this group. This will also be the case for individuals aged above 18 who do not come forward for their booster within 270 days or nine months from their last dose. Depending on the severity of the patient's condition and the type of COVID-19 facility where care is rendered, the bill size would vary, but these patients who are unvaccinated by choice may still tap on the regular healthcare financing arrangement to help pay for their bills, where applicable.”
“However, we have seen the emergence of a more transmissible Omicron variant, which, with the Delta variant, significantly raises the risk of contracting COVID-19, compared to a year ago. To strengthen our protection against a large wave of cases locally and to keep our workplace safe, the MTF announced that, from 15 January 2022, unvaccinated workers, barring those medically ineligible, will not be able to return to the workplace even with a negative PET result. As of 2 January 2022, there were about 48,000 employees who had not taken any vaccine dose. This is a reduction from the 52,000 reported on 19 December 2021, as we have seen more employees coming forward to get vaccinated. Among the unvaccinated employees, those aged 30 to 39 form the largest group at 16,000. Whilst a negative PET is an indicator that the person is not infected with COVID-19, the unvaccinated individual has no protection against the virus. And if you think about it, if all the 48,000 get COVID-19, it would, indeed, impact on our healthcare system. This decision was taken in consideration of many different factors and in consultation with many different stakeholders. This move was supported by the tripartite partners who recognised the public health imperative of vaccination and the urgency to sustain business activity to protect livelihoods. A fully vaccinated workforce would be able to operate more safely and sustainably. We still allow employees who are certified medically ineligible for vaccines under the National Vaccination Programme (NVP) to return to the workplace, given that they constitute only 0.3% – a very small proportion – of unvaccinated workers.”
“But we need to decide whether we want to tighten up all our SMMs again, which would affect the lives and livelihoods of both the vaccinated and unvaccinated, or do we calibrate our measures so that we only tighten up for those who are unvaccinated and who would be more likely to impose strains on our healthcare system. These decisions are not taken lightly. We need to calibrate; we need to balance. Further adjustments to our VDS policies have thus been made to ready us for these potential increases in cases as well as to allow us to better understand the nature of the Omicron variant and its differences from the Delta variant. These include the removal of the concession for unvaccinated individuals to produce a negative Pre-Event Test (PET) result prior to participating in a VDS event or activity and the reduction of the exemption period for recovered persons to enter VDS settings from 270 days to 180 days. Through VDS, we hope to keep the unvaccinated individuals protected from infection whilst allowing the rest of society to continue with their normal activities. In line with our overall reopening approach, the MTF announced the introduction of the Workforce Vaccination Measures (WVM), which required that, from 1 January 2022, unvaccinated individuals who were medically eligible for vaccination would be required to produce a negative PET result before entering the workplace so as to mitigate the risks of workplace transmission. The MTF subsequently announced on 14 December 2021 that up to 50% of those who can work from home will be allowed to return to the office from 1 January 2022 as we would be in a better position to ease the current default work-from-home posture with the WVM in place.”
“With access to premises, activities and events being brought under the VDS framework, the hope was that this would also encourage the unvaccinated to get their vaccination so that they can participate in the community and society safely. Despite our cautious approach to reopening, the heightened transmissibility of the Delta variant resulted in new clusters emerging by end August 2021. This put great pressure on our healthcare system. The number of cases was sustained at 3,000 per day, as mentioned by Minister Ong Ye Kung earlier, and, the serious cases, who had to be seen in hospitals, resulted in 100 to 170 cases occupying ICU beds each day. Sixty-six percent of ICU patients were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals. They took up scarce medical resources, which are needed for others who are very sick individuals, including those with non-COVID-19 conditions who require expensive therapeutics. To stabilise the situation, we had to roll out revised healthcare protocols and tighten our SMMs again. But we were able to allow more activities to continue during this Stabilisation Phase, compared to the earlier Phase Two (Heightened Alert) period due to VDS. VDS has also allowed us to safely resume more activities even after we exited the Stabilisation Phase on 22 November 2021. With more social interactions taking place over the year-end holidays, case numbers did not see a surge. We now face a prospect of another surge of cases due to the Omicron variant. We are in a better position than before, as our vaccination coverage has improved greatly over the past few months to 87% of our entire population completing their full regimen, with 89% receiving at least one dose.”
“With this high level of vaccination coverage and through our collective efforts as a nation to comply with the strict Phase Two (Heightened Alert) measures, the daily number of COVID-19 cases fell to double digits. The MTF thus restarted the process of resuming more economic and social activities through a calibrated risk-based approach aimed to protect the unvaccinated whilst not placing further strains on our healthcare system. We thus introduced VDS for selected premises, activities and events from 10 August 2021. Through VDS, we eased measures for those who are fully vaccinated rather than hold everyone back in order to reduce the risk to the unvaccinated. Fully vaccinated persons have good protection against the virus and are at lower risk of becoming dangerously ill if infected with COVID-19. This would mean that they would not strain our resources. So, vaccination is still a very important and powerful measure in the many things that we are doing to protect our community from COVID-19. We resumed dining in F&B establishments for groups of up to five vaccinated persons, with exemptions for children aged 12 and below. We also allowed significant increases in event sizes, such as congregational and worship services, live performances and MICE, up to 500 persons, as long as all attendees were fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals, on the other hand, need to be more prudent in interacting with larger groups of people, especially in mask-off settings, which are high-risk. Hence, the strict measures will continue to apply to them. It will not matter if they are tennis coaches; the virus does not discriminate because it will impact you more severely if you are unvaccinated.”
“So, although a small proportion of our population, they take up a disproportionate amount of medical and hospital resources and contribute to a significant amount of workload of our hospital staff. These are not mere statistics. It is actual resources being drained because of people who fall ill because of COVID-19. The basis for VDS is, therefore, twofold. First, by putting restrictions on their social activities, we protect the unvaccinated by preventing them from being overly exposed to the virus. The Member earlier said, well, it is just for them, right? But that is not true because the second point is that, if fewer unvaccinated people get infected, we preserve our hospital capacity whilst allowing the rest to carry on normal activities as much as possible. Let me now elaborate on these points, including how VDS contributes to our safe reopening and transition to living with COVID-19. To set the context, the emergence of the Delta variant in May 2021 required quick action to be taken to contain the numerous outbreaks of clusters in the community and to minimise the risk of our healthcare capacity being overwhelmed. The Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) thus decided to significantly tighten our SMMs, resulting in a move to Phase Two (Heightened Alert) in May 2021. At the same time, we further ramped up our vaccination efforts, resulting in improved vaccination rates, particularly among seniors. Members will remember that our vaccination programme kicked off one year ago in early January 2021. By 9 August 2021, 72% of our entire population had completed their full regimen or received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with 81% receiving at least one dose.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the Member for her speech on matters related to VDS. The Member raised several points for clarification, including the removal of the concession to allow unvaccinated workers to return to the workplace with a negative Pre-Event Test (PET) result and also her queries relating to extension of VDS to children. Earlier today, the Minister for Health had responded to questions from Members. He highlighted our threefold response in living with COVID-19: vaccination and boosters, bolstering our healthcare capacity and calibrating our SMMs. Each is important in our response to Omicron and in ensuring that, in the longer term, we can resume our normal lives as far as possible. Our experience over the past few months shows that VDS will enable us to continue our path of safe and calibrated reopening whilst, at the same time, minimising the risk of hospitalisation to preserve healthcare capacity, in particular, limited hospital and ICU resources. It is important to note that non-fully vaccinated persons who are infected with COVID-19 are more than seven times more likely to become critically ill in ICU, compared to those who are fully vaccinated – 0.5% of cases versus 0.07% – and 12 times – 1.7% of cases versus 0.14% – more likely to die. Among seniors aged 60 and above, the incidence of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated cases who are critically ill in the ICU are 1.9 and 35.9 per 100,000 population respectively. The incidences of fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated seniors who died are 0.3 and 8.2 per 100,000 population respectively. As a result, throughout the pandemic, we find that two-thirds of our ICU beds are occupied by individuals who are unvaccinated. They are also more likely to be administered therapeutics, which are not cheap.”
“I thank the Member for the question. I appreciate his concern for those who may be in a bit more disadvantaged situation. I would just like to highlight to the Member that for the Home Access beneficiaries, they can actually reapply at the end of the two-year period, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria and there is actually no limit to the number of times they can apply, as long as they can meet the eligibility requirements. And this applies also to the NEU PC Plus programmes. I understand his concerns and we are committed to equip all Singaporeans with the basic affordable digital access. So, we will continue to review the provisions to meet the needs, especially of those who are in a more disadvantaged situation, so that they have easy and affordable access to high-speed Internet outside school and in common places.”
“This data is not what the Member requested for; I do not have it on hand. But if the Member wishes, he may file a further Parliamentary Question with specifics on this matter.”
“From 2016 to 2019, based on data reported to the Ministry of Health (MOH), a yearly average of about 49,800 Singapore residents received treatment for mental health issues at our healthcare institutions. This includes the public and private hospitals, polyclinics and general practitioner (GP) clinics. The data for 2020 is not available yet. During the same period, the average number of residents seeking care for depression and anxiety was 33,700 and 34,500 respectively. However, the numbers include repeat attendances and are not unique headcounts. Approximately 60% of patients with anxiety or depression are under 60 years old; 70% are of Chinese ethnicity; about 30% live in 3-room or smaller public flats. Breakdown by patients’ education level is not available. Findings from the 2016 Singapore Mental Health Study (SMHS) show that unemployment and divorced or separated marital status are significantly associated with depression. The same study postulated that stress may be a risk factor for development of anxiety disorder. The 2010 SMHS found that nearly half of those with depression and anxiety also had chronic physical illness.”
“Usually, the support that is given flows from the support when we identify or when they are sent to hospitals. The support is automatically given. As to whether or not they wish to proceed, that is something that we cannot force them to. But this support is available and, typically, usually with the provision of this guide and counsellors on hand, they are usually getting the support that they need.”
“Singapore adopts a multi-pronged approach to suicide prevention. Government agencies and stakeholders in the social service sectors work together to prevent suicides by promoting upstream prevention, encouraging help-seeking, providing support to at-risk groups and offering crisis support. For example, for youths, for young people, we have MOE enhancing upstream efforts through the refreshed Character and Citizenship Education curriculum in schools, and mental resilience and well-being programmes in the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). There have also been efforts to raise parents' awareness in mental health to help them support the well-being of their children in school. We have individuals and families with social emotional needs who can get counselling from touchpoints like Family Service Centres. HPB also conducts mental well-being programmes. For working adults, we have support through HPB, roadshows and workshops, to provide stress management tips and techniques to employees, as well as various campaigns through NCSS. There are also efforts to help with early identification and encouraging help-seeking. School teachers, academic staff, even peers in schools are encouraged to look out for people who need interventions and support is given to them.”
“Mr Speaker, the number of suicide cases is publicly released in the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on an annual basis, where there is a breakdown by age and race. From the published data, we can deduce that by age, younger people 19 years and below, account for disproportionately fewer suicides, while the converse is true for people aged 60 and above. By race, Malays account for disproportionately fewer suicides, while the converse is true for Indians. Breakdowns by education level and economic background are not available. There are usually multiple factors that may lead a person to commit and attempt suicide. These factors include relationships, family, social, financial, mental and physical health issues.”
“We look forward to seeing the fruits of their labour. I thank the Member for sharing the findings of the #452TooMany Campaign’s mental health dialogues with the community. We will factor these findings into the work of the Taskforce and its supporting workgroups. On this note, I urge my fellow Singaporeans to stand together and support one another, to ensure mental well-being and resilience especially in such unprecedented times.”
“To better prepare for the future, MOH and MSF have also set up the new Inter-agency task force on Mental Health and Well-being, which will oversee mental health and well-being efforts, focusing on cross-cutting issues that require inter-agency collaborations. The new task force will form workgroups to review cross-cutting gaps and issues for example specific measures targeted at those that are more vulnerable or at risk, to identify potential solutions. We will develop an overarching National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy. The task force will engage the public on the development of this strategy through a public consultation exercise next year. Notwithstanding the efforts by the Government and agencies, a whole of society approach is necessary to address the population’s mental well-being. Every one of us has a role to play. We can start by learning more about mental health and how we could support other in dealing with mental health challenges, reach out and do regular check-ins on the people we care about, and most importantly, practice self-care. The Government is committed to supporting this. For example, to better reach out to youths, the Government has launched the Youth Mental Well-being Network in February 2020 to bring together the wider society to identify opportunities and gaps to work on to improve youth mental well-being. To date, there are over 1,500 passionate like-minded individuals including mental health professionals, practitioners, parents and youths in this Network. The network members have been working on over 20 projects to support youth mental health, ranging from enhancing youths’ emotional resilience to strengthening support among peers, and within the family, workplace and community.”
“To ensure that no Singaporean is denied access to appropriate treatment due to inability to pay, MediFund is available at public healthcare institutions as a safety net to assist Singaporeans who are unable to afford their mental health treatments despite Government subsidies, insurance and MediSave. MOH will continue to review the various financial schemes regularly to ensure that they meet the needs of Singaporeans with mental health needs. The Government is aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented shifts in the way we live and work, and resulted in stressors that impact our mental well-being. It is in anticipation of the increase in mental health needs in our population that the Government and various agencies have expanded or newly introduced over 40 mental health-related initiatives last year. Besides targeting the general population, many of these initiatives are targeted at specific population segments such as parents and families; children and youth; workplaces and working population; and seniors. It is indeed important for us to create awareness on these issues, or as the Member puts it, to enhance mental health literacy, in our community. The COVID-19 Mental Wellness Task force (CoMWT), co-chaired by MOH and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), was set up to address the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the population. The task force has completed its work and announced its findings and recommendations. More details can be found in the task force report which has been published on the MOH website.”
“MOH will continue to work with the healthcare providers and social services agencies to expand and improve mental health services in the primary and community care settings, including training of frontline staff and community partners. The Member also raised the issue of cost. MOH has put in place various support measures to ensure access to affordable mental health services. The Government provides up to 75% subsidies for outpatient treatment at polyclinics and public specialist outpatient clinics (SOCs). All Singaporeans regardless of income are also eligible for subsidies under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) for treatment of mental health conditions under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) at participating private General Practitioner (GP) clinics. Pioneer and Merdeka Generation cardholders are eligible for additional subsidies at all polyclinics, public SOCs and CHAS GP clinics. Patients can also tap on their MediSave to pay for outpatient treatment of CDMP conditions. Based on the latest available data, about three in 10 patients who utilised MediSave for the treatment of CDMP mental health conditions reached the yearly $500 MediSave withdrawal limit. Nevertheless, in recognition that patients with complex conditions may have higher needs, we increased the MediSave withdrawal limit to $700 for patients with complex chronic conditions in January 2021, in recognition that these patients have higher needs. The withdrawal limit for patients with simple chronic conditions remain at $500. Those who are 60 years old and above can additionally tap on the Flexi-MediSave scheme for outpatient expenses. The Flexi-MediSave annual withdrawal limit was also raised from $200 to $300 in June 2021.”
“The Community Mental Health (CMH) Masterplan, launched in 2012, builds on the 2007 Blueprint and further strengthens mental health care in the community, to enable persons with mental health needs to be well supported in the community. Through establishing more community-based services, we hope to facilitate greater acceptance of treatment, lower the stigma of mental illness and increase community outreach for early identification of mental health needs. In 2017, we have committed a further $160 million to enhance and expand community mental health services over the next five years. These national mental health plans have expanded the community touch-points to promptly identify and assess at-risk persons with mental health needs and link them to relevant services. These efforts will address the Member’s concerns of ensuring that those who are most vulnerable or at-risk are identified early and interventions are in place to protect them from doing something harmful. The Member had also called for an expansion of the infrastructure by equipping all polyclinics, General Practitioners and social service agencies with the necessary expertise and resources. In this regard, I would highlight that under the CMH Masterplan, we have also increased the accessibility of mental health services in primary and community care sectors. As at end 2020, 14 polyclinics offer mental health and/ or dementia services and, over 220 General Practitioner (GP) partners are trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. They are supported in the community by our 21 community intervention teams, which comprise trained allied health professionals to provide psycho-social therapeutic interventions.”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for highlighting the importance of prioritising mental healthcare and support for Singaporeans. The Government is committed to do this. The Member raised three points for our consideration: (a) identify vulnerable groups or persons who are at risk and provide proactive support; (b) review our mental health infrastructure and (c) review of the mental health consultation cost. I will address these points as I highlight the efforts which the Government has carried out and areas which we continue to build on. The Government adopts a comprehensive and multi-pronged approach towards mental healthcare and support. The key strategies cover mental health promotion and upstream prevention, early detection and intervention, disease management, care integration and social support across different settings. Over the years, the Government has been reviewing the range of mental health services and programmes available to the public on a regular basis to ensure that they meet the needs of the population. In 2007, MOH developed the National Mental Health Blueprint to promote mental health, build resilience and reduce the impact of mental illness. Under the Blueprint, we began developing community capability, a key shift that entailed moving from an acute-centric institutionalised model to a community-based model. While acute care remains an important component of the system, only the acutely ill, disturbed or those with high risk of harm to self or others need to be hospitalised. For those whose conditions have stabilised, they should be discharged and allowed to recover and reintegrate back into the community.”
“We continue in this endeavour for we are not just speaking up for women, we are speaking up for the future generation. We are speaking today not because women are weak. We are speaking because men and women are strong and can change the tide of time, challenge unfairness and take action that can meaningfully change lives of future generations. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the amended Motion. [Applause.]”
“For instance, under this AfA, MCI is collaborating with DBS and the Singapore judiciary on a community hackathon to generate solutions for safer and kinder online spaces. As one of its co-chairs, I see the AfA as an important way to rally Singaporeans and spark more initiatives to foster a better digital culture. We must ensure that women and girls enjoy the same freedom and confidence online that they experience in real life. The Government's work on online harms is an example of how we are working with partners to defend the progress achieved by women amidst nascent threats. Singapore has consistently ranked well in the United Nation (UN)'s Gender Inequality and Gender Development Indices. Our women have continued to break barriers and achieve new heights across various social indicators, including in literacy, employment rates and leadership in many professional domains. Our engagements have created space for all stakeholders to share their concerns frankly. Amidst this careful and sensitive approach, Singaporean women have achieved significant progress. However, we are not stopping there. The Government will continue to reach out to women, represent their voices and champion their progress. Many of the points which Members raised today echo the Government's ongoing efforts to uplift Singaporean women. In particular, we can all look forward to the White Paper which will set out the Government's action plan. I believe there will be a robust debate on the specific plans to move things forward. I am, therefore, supportive of the amendment proposed by Mr Vikram Nair as that reflects the spirit of having concrete action to support our efforts. In conclusion, I wish to take the opportunity to thank all those who have worked with us to champion and advocate for women.”
“At that juncture, in July 2020, the PAP Women's Wing immediately came up with a statement strongly denouncing violence against women and shared concerns about the sentencing in that case with the Minister for Home Affairs. Following that, the Review of the Sentencing Framework for Sexual and Hurt Offences was conducted and, consequently, there were inter alia increase in the penalties for specific sexual offences. We continue to face new and emerging challenges that disproportionately affect women. One such emerging issue is online harms. Technology has caused the proliferation of sexual violence in cyberspace. Many women must deal with unwanted sexual messages and calls, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, voyeurism, sexual harassment and objectification. This has gotten worse with COVID-19 as people spend more time online. Such behaviour negatively impacts the physical and mental well-being of victims and is unacceptable. As with many past issues affecting women, the complex task of tackling online harms also requires solutions that extend beyond new legislation from the Government. During MCI's 2021 COS Debate, Senior Minister of State Sim Ann shared how the Government was collaborating with community partners interested to shape a safe cyberspace for women and girls. We have since followed up with real action. As Minister of State Sun Xueling earlier mentioned, MCI has formed a Singapore Together Alliance for Action (AfA) to Tackle Online Harms, especially those targeted at women and girls. Dr Shahira Abdullah also made reference to this. We are fortunate to tap on the expertise of 48 members who come from across the people, public and private sectors, exemplifying the importance of a partnership approach.”
“Since 2017, Mr Louis Ng has been a strong advocate for greater support for single parents, amongst the many things he champions. Responding to the diverse challenges faced by women caregivers, the Government has made significant efforts to relieve the load they experience. For childcare, the Government has expanded preschool places and ensured its affordability. Regardless of their working status, all parents of Singapore Citizen children also receive basic subsidies for childcare and infant care services. For eldercare, the Government has been growing the capacity of community care services and making them more accessible to better meet the needs of our seniors and their caregivers. In 2019, MOH also launched the Caregiver Support Action Plan to strengthen support for senior caregiving in the community. Its measures cover aspects like care navigation, respite care, financial support, workplace support and caregiver empowerment and training. To support retirement adequacy of those who had low incomes during their working years and now have less in retirement, the Government introduced the Silver Support Scheme. About two-thirds of Silver Support recipients are women, many of whom were probably caregivers. This is one of the many schemes which help to safeguard the continued financial stability and well-being of women as they age. We will continue to grow such efforts to support women caregivers, no matter the circumstances they face. As part of this process, we constantly review feedback from Members and the public to propose further action to support women in their caregiving responsibilities. The issue that had initially sparked off the national discussion on women's development was the concern about violence against women.”
“The Prime Minister has already said that he will make an announcement on this matter at the upcoming National Day Rally. So, the issues raised are certainly issues that may have been brought up. But in order to resolve these issues properly, I think we need to fully understand and know our community to find the solutions. And we should encourage everyone to be edified and bring them towards a paradigm shift in a judicious manner. (In English): For women to pursue their aspirations unencumbered, women need to be supported with their caregiving responsibilities. Men can be caregivers too and the Government also supports them in this area. Yet, women are still the primary caregivers in most instances. There are many reasons for this, including gender bias, stereotypes and pervasive socio-cultural expectations. Many women dedicate their lives to caring for their families and may thus feel compelled to give up formal employment. To address this, the Government encourages men to share the caregiving load. We have enhanced parental leave schemes and introduced flexibility for fathers to share a portion of their wives' maternity leave. We also work with community partners such as Families for Life and the Centre for Fathering, which drives the Dads for Life movement, to promote active fatherhood. Many men are stepping up proactively and we applaud their contributions towards building more supportive and resilient families. Over the past years, Members have actively flagged the difficulties which some women caregivers experience and called for stronger support for them. In 2020, Ms Carrie Tan urged the Government to consider valuing the unpaid care work of women and legislating workplace policies to support working caregivers.”
“Her points are similar to the recommendations seen in the Lepak Conversations report which we have also received. I have actually spoken to these activists before and I am indeed proud of these young people who want to stand up for something that they believe is important. But they also understand the complexities of these issues within our community. The issue of female genital cutting, for instance. The Government does not support practices that cause harm to young women or girls. MUIS also holds the same view and has explained that Islam does not support any procedure that harms individuals. But the fact is, there are different opinions in our community. So, we should resolve this matter, not by prescribing rules, but by understanding and talking or discussing with the community. The issue of polygamy was also discussed. This is something that ROMM has already noted and there are actually very strict regulations in place. This resulted in the total percentage of polygamous marriages falling from 0.4% in 2010 to 0.07%. So, this shows that ROMM’s efforts have been effective. There is also the tudung issue. The tudung issue is not new. It was not only raised by Mr Faisal Manap, but by PAP Members of Parliament as well. Mr Zaqy has raised this issue. Dr Intan, Mr Zainal, our President herself raised this issue when she was in Parliament. I have also raised this issue before. The Government recognises and understands the desire of Muslim nurses to wear the tudung at work. This is something that has been discussed and will be given due attention. It is not an easy matter. We should hold discussions with all levels of society, not just with the Muslim community, and this will take time.”
“We have continued to develop and enhance programmes to support career mobility and help ease the transition for women back into the workforce. Workforce Singapore (WSG)'s employment facilitation programmes and services provide support to women looking to return to the workforce after a period of absence. They can tap on personalised career coaching and various programmes to facilitate their re-entry. In the last three years, WSG has collectively placed more than 48,000 women across their programmes and services. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Many programmes have been created at the national level to support and help women to continue working and achieve their aspirations. This is also important for our community. Although some still hold stereotypes that a woman’s place is in the kitchen or at home, there are many others who want women to be given opportunities and choices. Society and businesses have much to gain from the valuable contributions of Malay women. Many young Malay women also want a different future, full of opportunities to succeed. Furthermore, having two incomes in each Malay family strengthens their financial stability. Beyond initiatives to encourage reskilling and employment at the national level, M3 agencies also have programmes that are customised to the needs of Malay women. One example is the Back-to-Work Women programme by MENDAKI SENSE. It prepares women to return to the workforce and connects them to employers who are hiring workers. I hope Malay women will always be supported in chasing their dreams. This is indeed a continuing effort. I heard the issues raised by Ms Raeesah Khan earlier. She mentioned the issue of female genital cutting, tudung and polygamy.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker and former MP Dr Intan Azura have long called for women to be viewed as valuable resources and for employers to leverage on this talent pool. The Government supports the diverse career aspirations of women. We encourage women to enter occupations of their choice, including in industries that are traditionally male-dominated. Women now make up 41% of the technology workforce in Singapore. This is well above the global average of 28%. But there are still plenty of opportunities available in the technology sector, and we want more women to benefit from them and take on leadership roles. By entering such growth sectors, women can achieve better career and pay prospects to further close the wage gap. One meaningful development in creating opportunities for women in the digital sector is the SG Women in Tech initiative, which IMDA launched in 2019 with community and industry partners. The initiative enhances support for women in the technology sector and attracts more of them to the sector. Through mentorship, leadership development, sponsorship and networking opportunities, the initiative has reached out to more than 117,000 people. Other MPs like Miss Cheryl Chan, Mr Darryl David and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah have made suggestions over the past years on introducing customised packages to help women update their skills and facilitate their return to the workforce after marriage or childbirth. More recently, Ms Poh Li San and Ms Yeo Wan Ling have spoken about challenges women face in caring for their families and pursuing their careers. The Government, working in collaboration with different agencies, has responded to such calls over the years.”
“Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. It is heartening to see many Members speak very passionately about various aspects of women’s development. We are clearly united by our common desire to see issues facing women being addressed and for women to be truly empowered to realise their aspirations. This topic is not new. It is indeed encouraging to see the evolution and development of efforts to empower, support and protect women over the years, through the relentless pursuit by Members of Parliament (MPs) to build on existing policies, the advocacy and community groups who continue to champion for women and the Government that is willing to listen, consider views and make changes where appropriate. I have had the opportunity to walk this journey with PPIS before I became MP, working on several papers with the PAP Women’s Wing, participating in debates as a backbencher and now, working together with Minister of State Sun Xueling and Minister of State Low Yen Ling on the Conversations on Women’s Development. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few examples in the wide-ranging efforts that reflect the evolving developments in this ongoing endeavour. I would refer to three themes: to empower, support and protect women. We begin with the efforts to empower women to thrive at work and have equal opportunities as men. In Parliament, Ms Tin Pei Ling had asked about the gender wage gap and often called for digital fluency among women as this could open up new career opportunities for them in the digital age. Ms Tin, and yourself, Mdm Deputy Speaker, and Miss Cheryl Chan had raised concerns about the representation of women in the STEM sectors.”
“I thank the Member Mr Alex Yam. We are fully aware of the anguish felt by the students and parents. As mentioned earlier, we had sought the mainstream media as well as the online media's efforts not to approach the students and staff outside the school gate. However, as reporters and media crew were in public areas, they were not actually breaking any laws, and they were entitled to be there as long as they wanted since they were not breaking any public safety laws. There was only so much the authorities could do to disperse them. I understand this was something that was causing pain to the staff and students, but we hope this is something we can continue to manage. We must understand that it was not just the media, both mainstream as well as online media, but also members of the public, who gathered outside the school once the news broke to offer their condolences, support and expressions of sympathy. We continue to appeal to both media and well-intentioned members of the public to give the much needed space to affected students and staff in such situations.”
“I thank the Member for her clarification question. The CYPA does accord protection to minors below 18 years old who may have been involved or had witnessed a crime. So, if any mainstream or online media, or for that matter, anyone in his or her own capacity, ends up publishing any information that identifies the minor, there is legal recourse to take that offender to task. We understand, of course, that this is after the fact and students and parents would rather not be put through this situation in the first place. So, we, therefore, appeal to the media and all members of the public to exercise empathy and good judgement in the situation.”
“Religion can be a source of encouragement and strength for the Muslim community in Singapore. Therefore, asatizah must also be prepared to help address social issues and provide guidance to Muslims in this regard. Last year, the report by the Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA) mentioned the importance of having future asatizah who fully understand and deeply comprehend the needs of the different communities. Indeed, a precise and deep understanding is important so that asatizah can really help the community emerge from difficult times, and stay positive and open-minded when facing problems. The asatizah need to have particular skills and this capability should be constantly improved. Here I would like to ask what is being done to ensure that our asatizah are sufficiently equipped to provide social support to the community? Are they attending training or courses such as counselling or pastoral care? Announcements have also been made on the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS) scheduled to commence in 2020. This is a very important programme to ensure that asatizah are given the necessary skills to carry out their responsibilities. I would like to know whether the programme can be launched and continue even though we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. May I have some details of this program? How is this programme designed to prepare the asatizah to guide the Muslim community in Singapore in the face of new challenges? 10.45 am”
“In Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Asatizah play an important role within the community to provide direction and guidance to the Muslim community. In Singapore, this is a critical responsibility as Muslims here live within the context of a multi-racial and multi-religious society. There are certain challenges faced by minorities living in a secular nation and society. Among the issues that may have caused concern within the Muslim community in Singapore lately include matters related to same-sex relationships and the wearing of the tudung. Sometimes complications arise because there are different thoughts and views in society on certain matters. We need to be sensitive to this situation and ensure that we do not disrupt and divide society, when we voice out our views. Meaningful discussions require deep religious knowledge, maturity and an open mind from everyone involved. The asatizah are able to shape the thoughts and attitudes of the Muslim community when addressing various issues by providing proper knowledge and developing a mature approach towards any particular issue. What is important is that the asatizah should continue to ensure that complex issues can be addressed, but at the same time, ensure that the harmony and well-being of the larger community are protected. There is Malay proverb that advises us to handle delicate issues carefully to avoid making things worse. (It is like removing a strand of hair from flour, the hair should not break, the flour should not scatter) Another source of new problems is the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our community faces a multitude of social challenges related to employment, mental stress, marital problems and so on.”