Saktiandi Supaat
Singapore
“I have two supplementary questions. For my Parliamentary Questions that the Senior Minister of State answered earlier, I thank him for answering them because those are questions that my dialect-speaking seniors in Toa Payoh East and their families have raised to me.”
“As the Review Group has recognised, there is no "silver bullet", a holistic ecosystem-wide approach is required. The implementation of these recommendations appears to have been phased, with announcements across February, July and November 2025.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Three questions. First, given that the Section 301 actions can sometimes be broad-based, how is Singapore engaging with our US counterparts to ensure that our firms are not inadvertently affected by measures aimed at other economies?”
“Many of them do not openly express their difficulties. This is why social and emotional support must go beyond the occasional event. It must be sustained, trusted and easily accessible.”
“Would the Government consider developing a National Master Trades Accreditation framework – a national tiered certification that recognises advanced trade mastery, similar to chartered professionals in other sectors and create a new avenue for career switchers and career transition for segments of our workforce?”
“When the scheme is implemented in 2028, how will the Ministry measure success in terms of participation rates, risk-adjusted returns and improvements in retirement adequacy outcomes for CPF members?”
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“Since then, further details on the measures to support Singaporeans affected by COVID-19 has come out such as the Temporary Relief Fund, COVID-19 Support Grant, the Self Employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) and Workfare Special Payment. These have been timely just as Singaporeans are increasingly being affected by the crisis. I have a few questions, clarifications and suggestions as a follow-up to the Supplementary Budget and hope the Deputy Prime Minister would consider them. They are for three segments, namely companies and workers, vulnerable residents and Singaporeans in general. First, for companies and their workers. My first broad question is, given our unprecedented measures, what is the nature of this current crisis we are having now which is unprecedented and how different it is from past crises Singapore has faced. The Government has implemented an elevated set of safe distancing measures as a circuit breaker. The negative impact on the economy and jobs will be significant. Some analysts and economists estimate the shutting down of non-essential services for a month could cost from about $5 to $10 billion or 2% of GDP. Non-essential services cover roughly about 30% of GDP, including a large proportion of sectors such as retail, gaming, construction of residential and office projects, hospitality and business services. Some transactions like these can be deferred or shifted forward like property purchase or purchase of a washing machine or online laptop or clothing. Some transactions cannot be and will represent a permanent loss – a Michelin dining experience, yoga class or hotel stay. Some business services can be operated from home and still function despite a lockdown.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, first of all before I start my speech, I would like to say a big thank you to Prime Minister Lee, Deputy Prime Minister Heng, Cabinet Ministers for coming up with decisive and quick actions over the past few months and past few weeks. But most importantly, as I go around my estate in Toa Payoh, I think we should also give a lot of thanks to our resilient Singaporeans. The day before Singaporeans were informed to actually maintain social distancing, the day after when I passed by seeing Singaporeans actually maintaining the gap at hawker centres, highlighted how resilient our Singaporeans and citizens are. And I think most importantly we need to thank our Singaporeans for being resilient and for riding through this fight against this COVID. So, once again, thank you, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister Heng and team for rolling out the Resilience Budget. Just about a month ago, we were debating about the annual Budget. Since then, the COVID-19 situation around the world and in Singapore has seen some very rapid developments. In spite of that, our Government has maintained a level-headed response to comprehensively manage the situation, winning the admiration of national bodies and citizens from around the world. Now, in a highly reassuring move for all, a Supplementary Budget has been introduced to enhance help for businesses and individuals in this prolonged war against the COVID-19, and today we have the Solidarity Budget. Besides saving jobs and healthcare help, the focus on resilience and making sure we emerge from this crisis stronger for Singapore is also key.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like thank Senior Minister of State Chee for the answer that he has given. It is very reassuring that it is only 17% of production of Singapore companies that produce in China and it is testament to Singapore's diversification efforts in terms of manufacturing. But the reason why I am asking this question is because I am raising concerns about Singapore SMEs' exposure to China production, and as a result of the recovery out of China, my concern therefore, further in terms of my supplementary question is, in terms of supply change shifts and production network changes thereafter, even following this event, whether there will be immediate impact on Singapore companies in the future, and how MTI plans to tackle this issue in terms of supply chain shifts into Indochina, and probably into other areas in the future.”
“Can the Ministry provide an update on these Volunteer Centres, and whether there are plans to roll out more Centres to more towns?”
“Mr Chairman, at Budget 2016, the Government introduced Our Singapore Fund to encourage and support active citizens that are taking the initiative to solve ground problems, strengthen community spirit and contribute to nation-building. 11.30 am It is gratifying to note that in the recent years, more Singaporeans, particularly youths, have been coming together to form ground-up initiatives ranging from upcycling to urban farming to evolving traditional arts and so on. What is the status of the Fund? How many benefited from it? Will MCCY continue to support these ground-up initiatives through Our Singapore Fund? Besides enabling ground-up initiatives, how is MCCY supporting the Government’s efforts to partner Singaporeans in shaping our future Singapore together? SG Cares Volunteer Centres Volunteers play an important role alongside social service professionals to shore up the social safety networks and reduce the number of cases of people falling through the cracks. But, of course, volunteer work can be a lot more than helping the needy. Volunteers are also needed to run community gardens, do befriending, look out for the interests of the environment and wildlife, and so on. In short, they are crucial towards building up the resilience of a nation through encouraging cohesion and compassion. During COVID-19, we saw how volunteers are playing crucial roles in facilitating mask distribution efforts, including that in Toa Payoh, and ensuring attendees of community events partake in hygiene measures as well. Last year, MCCY rolled out SG Cares Volunteer Centres in seven towns to grow and coordinate volunteer supply, facilitate partnerships between community partners and build capabilities in these towns.”
“Chairman, I have two clarifications. Can I ask the questions in Malay? (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I would like to ask the Minister or Minister of State whether they can provide more information about the MUIS-MENDAKI Preschool Grant (MMPG). I welcome the support that will be given to Singaporeans. How will it benefit low-income Malay/Muslims families? More importantly, how can they apply for the grant? Can details be given, if available? Second, what will the Youth Mentoring Office (YMO), that Minister of State mentioned earlier, do for Malay/Muslim youths in Singapore?”
“Can Minister share how will MENDAKI continue to support and encourage the community to explore and gain competencies in new skills, so that they can remain relevant and have the confidence to seek employment in new industries? Nurturing Asatizah for the Community”
“Chairman, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Preschool education plays an important role in the early years for better development and learning in the later stages of life. In the last few years, there has been a growing emphasis on preschool education. The Early Childhood Development Agency has been pushing for more children to attend pre-school regularly so that they will not fall behind in their studies compared to their peers when they enter primary school. This is because the early years of childhood are important towards shaping social and communication skills as well as attitudes towards learning. It is a platform to give all children an equal start in life regardless of their backgrounds. How is MENDAKI supporting preschool learning for the Malay/Muslim community to ensure that our children have access to quality education and other learning opportunities? MENDAKI's Support for Career Mobility (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] MENDAKI has been playing a crucial role in supporting career mobility among the Malay/Muslim community. Last year, MENDAKI held its first Raikan Ilmu (Celebrate Knowledge) campaign, which celebrates the diverse bodies of knowledge in our society. The campaign saw activities that encouraged both children and adults to explore knowledge in new areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics. I was very impressed by it and I hope to see further extensions of it soon. Such campaigns are important and engaging reminders to the community to be open to learning new skills, especially in today’s economy where the rapid pace of growth has disrupted traditional industries and business models.”
“Mr Chairman, the Built Environment cluster, comprising industries such as the Security, Construction, Environmental Services, Real Estate and Smart Facilities Management, is one of the newest growth sectors. With the significantly increased demand in related services, particularly smart facilities, environment and security in recent years, it is a sector burgeoning with opportunities and is a potential exportable service we can provide to the world. How is the Ministry creating good jobs in this cluster and supporting locals to take up these jobs? Singapore companies across the build environment value chain also collaborate on a complete solution for international infrastructure projects. What skill sets would be needed for this sector and how can we encourage greater interest for mid-career switches to this sector?”
“Mr Chairman, greening and renewing our housing estates is an important initiative to increase our green cover and promote environmental sustainability. I note that community roof gardening and installation of solar panels are also some of the initiatives that the newer housing estates benefit from. However, we must not neglect the older, mature housing estates. Despite the regular upgrading and maintenance projects, the difference between the older and newer estates can be quite stark due to the availability of community amenities, deployment of technology, amongst others. Safety of the building structure and living areas of the mature estates and flats are very important to ensure that those living in them are safe and sound environmentally, particularly, our elderly Singaporeans. What are the plans to rejuvenate our older mature estates to keep them vibrant places to live in, and ensure that they remain safe, green and environmentally sustainable? I hope the Minister will also explore the usage of solar panels in all the roofs of mature HDB estates. As rejuvenating all estates would be a massive project, may I suggest assessing the gaps between the infrastructures in comparison to the newer ones, and prioritising estates with a wider disparity? Second, can HDB work with the existing Residents' Committees, networks and advisers to set up a constituency-based housing safety team, or HOST, made up of residents, HDB and other partners, to gather timely feedback and statistics, and assess the potential wear-and-tear of internal structures of mature flat units before they become dangerous to occupants? HOST can do regular checks of HDB units by block to see if there is a common flat-wide issue that can be rectified before it worsens and affects other residents' safety. 4.”
“Mr Chairman, over the years, the Ministry has done well to ensure that our ITE adequately prepares students for career in a knowledge-based economy. There are bursary to support students in need and scholarship to affirm the good work of students. Through this and other measures we have raised the standard of ITE graduates. Many of whom contribute meaningfully to our country and economy. I welcome the enhancements to the Government bursaries for ITE students as announced in the Budget Statement and would like to ask if MOE can share more details on the enhanced support, including the expected number of students who will benefit from this enhancement and how they can apply for it. Secondly, it was announced during the Budget Statement that there will be more overseas internship programmes and youth development initiatives with a new target for 70% of local graduates from Institutes of Higher Learnings to have overseas exposure. Such programmes will be extremely beneficial for students in today's globalised interconnected world. The question I would like to raise is whether these programmes and initiatives will also cover ITE students. We need to ensure that ITE students also have access and can benefit from these opportunities. It will serve as a form of encouragement, an eye-opener to develop further interest in their course. CCAs and Social Mixing”
“I would like to take this opportunity to revisit my proposal on the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP) which I brought up last year during my Adjournment Motion to TAFEP and MOM. Second, there must also be greater effort and localisation efforts to support Singapore's competitiveness and workers' sustainability. May I suggest that the companies be encouraged to set localisation targets for their workforce? Localisation targets meaning proportion of workforce that is local or setting a target for overall local proportion. This can be targeted for a range of skills and may need to be company-specific or dependent. It could be, for example, incorporate elements of training for eventual local employment and with a specific localisation target, for example, in three to five years. The existing CTP supports firms to bring in foreign specialists to transfer capabilities to the local workforce, and to send locals abroad for training. The Ministry should consider expanding CTP and providing more resources to support the transfer of capabilities from foreign employees, who are already employed in Singapore, to local workers, with the aim of localising jobs. The foreign specialists that they bring in should mentor Singaporeans to take over or share the role. Funding support for CTP should be expanded to include salary and training support for local specialists, as well as Singaporean trainees on overseas attachments to acquire new capabilities. Can we also consider CTP to support transfer of capabilities from foreign employees already employed in Singapore to local workers, with the eventual aim of localising jobs, working in tandem with the localisation targets I had mentioned earlier? Upskilling, Re-skilling, Job Redesign”
“What other roles can TACs play in pooling knowledge and resources, both locally and in-market, to help businesses seeking to internationalise? Help Singaporean Workers Remain Relevant Chairman, in the midst of this uncertain economy, our mature and mid-career workers, many in their 40s and 50s, are most vulnerable. With the recent economic challenges and rapid technological advancement, some of them are struggling to make their career transitions. I wish to acknowledge their efforts to make use of SkillsFuture and other excellent government initiatives to reskill themselves. Nevertheless, the climb is an uphill one. For every successful story, another shares his failed attempts to secure a good job despite months of networking, attending courses, seeking career guidance and so on. I hope the Minister will share with us further efforts to grow the economy and how this will translate to good jobs and outcomes for Singaporeans. In recent years, aviation, F&B, retail and tourism were booming. They were among the major sectors offering PCP and other mid-career transition measures. Today, government support is needed to help these industries tide over difficult times. I have confidence that this is only temporary and they will bounce back in good time. But for those who have made the transition or are in the midst of getting the relevant qualifications and training to enter these industries, I wonder if their employment prospects will be affected. Yet such global crises are impossible to predict. What else will be done to help workers remain employable and industry-relevant in the rapidly changing environment? I am glad that the Deputy Prime Minister reinforced his resolution in the Budget to move away from reliance on foreign workforce.”
“Thank you, Chairman. The COVID-19 situation is an unpleasant but timely reminder of the importance of diversification. It is dangerous to develop a reliance on one market. China has been an excellent trading partner with a vast market, offering generous business opportunities for Singaporeans across a wide variety of sectors. But with China taking a significant hit, many local businesses are also reeling from the impact. So, it is crucial set their sights on broader horizons and work towards them, or risk sinking. Fortunately, there is already the Market Readiness Assistance grant that was first introduced in 2013 to help businesses enter new markets, and also the newly announced Enterprise Grow Package. I am glad to note that those will be now enhanced with greater funding support and coverage. However, for companies entering a new market, and especially for those who are new to internationalisation efforts, they would feel quite lost and may not even know what they can do with the funding. I would like to ask how can support be enhanced, so that they can have a good and strong head start? Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) have been playing increasingly critical roles in driving transformation and growth. Being close to the ground, they have a firm grasp of their members’ needs and a greater understanding of the industry. They have in recent years helped their members to adopt new innovative solutions and technologies to transform their businesses. They have also worked closely with the Government to help members. It is evident that they will, and must continue, to take on integral positions in this next round of internationalisation.”
“Mr Chairman, in spite of political turmoil in some parts of Middle East, Singapore has continued to maintain multilateral ties with the region. There are some Singapore companies in the Middle East as well and we have always warmly welcomed visitors from the region for the purpose of medical tourism, travel and so forth. But early this year, rising tensions in the Middle East had resulted in MFA issuing a travel advisory to citizens not to remain in or travel to Iraq and Iran. Could MFA provide an update on the status of developments in the Middle East, as well as our key engagements with the countries in the region? What other partnerships can we develop with the Middle East countries as they diversify beyond oil as an economic driver? Update on Singapore-China Relations”
“During COVID-19, we saw many heart-warming instances of individuals, organisations and businesses performing acts of kindness, from individuals setting up hand sanitisers for their communities, to businesses giving away masks and organisations persevering with their regular food distributions. Singaporeans also donated generously to organisations in need. It is a reminder of how much we can achieve together. As part of the Singapore Together movement, how has MOF increased partnership and co-creation with citizens, businesses and the community in delivering solutions? How can the Government work together with Singaporeans, stakeholders and partners to ensure that we can inculcate the society and people who have empathy, care and strength to overcome challenges? 5.00 pm Increasing Community and Business Partners”
“Mr Chairman, the COVID-19 situation we are facing now has highlighted the importance of digitalisation for work and daily household processes. Being able to perform many tasks from home has helped to reduce the necessity of gathering and queuing in public places. In regular times, digitalisation of existing Public Service processes has brought extensive convenience to citizens and businesses. Checking our CPF balances, obtaining information about housing grants, submitting a tender for a public project and so forth have become so easy they can be done from our computers and smartphones. How has MOF tapped on digitalisation to enhance its service delivery and interactions with businesses and citizens? How does it engage the older generation who may experience a steep learning curve and may need the necessary devices to benefit from this digitalisation? Second cut. Deliver Business- and Citizen-centric Services”
“Mr Chairman, fiscal sustainability and accountability and the use of public funds are important, so good financial stewardship is essential for Singapore for years ahead, given the more challenging environment we have for many years down the road. In the Budget, the Deputy Prime Minister highlighted plans to set aside funds for an initial injection of $5 billion for the new Coastal and Flood Protection Fund, $1 billion for building up the Government’s cyber and data security capabilities and there are also further plans to build new housing estates, increase the green cover in the residential estates and so on. These are all major projects that will be implemented over a number of years. How are we ensuring that the Government spends prudently and appropriately on big-ticket infrastructure and IT projects such that our financial stewardship would be put in good stead, going forward? 4.45 pm”
“Mr Chairman, climate change is a global issue that requires collective efforts on a united and international front. Beyond mitigating our domestic emissions, how can Singapore contribute to international efforts? What are the key areas of international cooperation needed to achieve Singapore's climate goals? I have, in a Parliamentary Question before expressed my concerns on our role in Coal-fired and Gas-fired Independent Power Producer (IPP) Projects in the ASEAN region. The biggest environment problem amongst some ASEAN members is the plan to increase such projects, which will emit large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, and I think that the way forward is to boost renewables financing in ASEAN, which is currently taking place at a very slow rate. Can the Senior Minister also share how they have been supporting our financial sector to make the transition to promote more green financing in Singapore? I hope we can explore my proposal to kickstart a first loss fund for renewables projects in ASEAN, with other ASEAN sovereign wealth funds, including Singapore's, chipping in later on. This is certainly something I have discussed on other occasions, at various forums for investors and financial institutions. But for the Singapore Government, in this case, to spearhead the efforts, I think it will be a very good opportunity to boost our international profile and it will be a more effective way for ASEAN and Singapore to reduce carbon emissions globally, more effectively and fast. Measurement of Carbon Emission Levels”
“Given the nature of their business model, they may be harder hit than other businesses, as are their workers, if they have to be let go during this period. Has the Government done any outreach to social enterprises to find out what kind of assistance they need? How effective have social enterprises been in offering sustainable and stable employment to the vulnerable group? Can the Government work more closely with social enterprises to uplift this vulnerable group? (In English): Mr Speaker, in conclusion, the best laid-out plans need a sound and sustainable fiscal strategy. The challenges facing Singapore in the 10 years ahead will grow in complexity. We will need all Singaporeans to come alongside to find solutions to these challenges and chart a new course for the future. It is reassuring that the Minister has committed expenditures beyond COVID-19 to measures ensuring our sustainability in the short, medium and long term. I am confident that with the Government, businesses and the people working together and playing our part to support one another, we will pull through the challenges together, stronger and better than before. I support the Budget.”
“There has been heavy investment in education and, more recently, in early education, with a deliberate effort to level the playing field at the early stage. But we must not rest on our laurels. Today, there are still vulnerable people who require support to gain access to nutritious food, healthcare and even shelter. We read about them in the news, we hear about them from social service organisations, we see them at the Meet the People sessions. Labels like "high socioeconomic status (SES)" and "low SES" are being bandied around. We are familiar with the stereotypes applied to different aspects of life in Singapore, from what sport we play to the food that we eat. Our society is becoming increasingly status-conscious, and we need to put a stop to this. We need to prevent an underclass from forming. Plenty has been said and done about empowering people through education and skills-upgrading. The fact remains that there are many amongst the low-income group who are in low-wage jobs with little career prospects and wage growth. Due to family circumstances, such as caregiving duties or being in ill-health, some of them are simply unwilling or unable to sink additional time and energy into attending courses. Yet, the only way forward is through renewed opportunities and upskilling. One way is to redesign or change these jobs, and this is already done through automation. The other way is to develop workers to switch career paths. However, we need targeted help and handholding to make renewing opportunities possible for the vulnerable. Some social enterprises create job opportunities for the vulnerable. I have no doubt that they, too, are affected by COVID-19.”
“So, it is a substantial amount for a large number of Singaporeans. But beyond these, can the Government share how it will mitigate rising living costs or the perception of it, so that Singaporeans will feel assured to build and grow their families? One avenue that comes to mind is to ensure that we have adequate measures for a start to monitor as a whole-of-Government to ensure prices of food, necessities and energy-related products do not see profiteering and asymmetric price adjustments that could affect general households during periods of crisis or shocks. The asymmetric price adjustments are quite key because, sometimes you adjust prices lower and sometimes you adjust prices higher. But typically, when you adjust prices lower, energy companies tend to take a lag effect. So, besides the MTI-related workgroup and committees, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and Competition Commission of Singapore (CCCS) looking at profiteering, can we set up a single enforcement unit to address profiteering and price adjustment asymmetries in a more sustained manner or embed it more explicitly to address inefficient pricing practices within the CCCS mandate? Mr Speaker, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Income inequality. In the midst of all the worrying news about COVID-19 and rising economic uncertainties, there is a silver lining. A Department of Statistics' Key Household Income Trends report states that household income inequality here last year was at its lowest in almost two decades. The improvement over time is commendable. Our key strategy to ensure access to good education opportunities for all has likely contributed significantly to this.”
“And with sudden waves of COVID-19 infection in certain countries resulting in city lockdowns, people are panicking and stockpiling food and necessities. I fear this may also contribute to further price increases in our food and essentials. In a typical middle-income family, both husband and wife work, so most Singaporeans would dine out and order delivery. Higher rentals and labour costs as well as increased water and electricity bills have all led to increased operating costs. With prices of food and food services going up, a typical sandwich middle-income family can certainly feel the pinch from feeding their children, especially those with larger families. Many parents have shared with me that one of their greatest concerns is paying for their children's tertiary education. So, primary and secondary education in Singapore are, indeed, extremely affordable, but the same cannot be said for universities and polytechnics, where tuition fees and textbooks are hefty. There are bursaries and scholarships, both from the Government and community, but availability and eligibility are limited. Healthcare, too, is a natural concern. Today's sandwich generation are worried about the healthcare costs of their elderly parents. Despite all the existing measures and schemes to keep healthcare costs affordable even for the very poor, it is apparent that healthcare costs will keep going up with the increased demand for better-skilled healthcare workers and medical equipment and pricing power of the pharmaceutical companies. So, the announced $1.6 billion Care and Support Package provides assurance and support to Singaporean households during this period of uncertainty, by helping to defray some of their household expenses via various cash outlays, special Workfare payments and others.”
“Freelancers across various industries are also affected, from trainers whose class attendances are slashed, to event organisers, emcees, photographers whose events are cancelled and so on. If COVID-19's impact lasts longer than projected, a second round of stimulus may be required to provide more direct help to these individuals. Regardless, job retrenchment and job transitions are inevitable. Besides current measures, how can we better support in these situations? How do we develop our people so they seize opportunities in this fast-changing economy? For every success story of someone who discovered their new calling, there are others who feel discouraged from months of seeking. Mr Speaker, my third topic is on the cost of living. Cost of living is a perennial concern even amongst middle-class Singaporeans. Over the years, the Government has come up with new measures, raised income ceilings, provided relief to the sandwich middle-class who have children and elderly to take care of. But in this climate of uncertainty, the current measures may be insufficient. One major concern is inflation. Singapore imports more than 90% of our food. Climate change and natural disasters around the world threaten our food security. With demand exceeding supply, this drives up food prices everywhere. Since 2013, food prices have gone up by about 10%, while 2019 saw the fastest increase in food prices in a decade. COVID-19 brings about many knock-on effects. With the Singapore dollar hitting a three-year low against the United States (US) dollar and weakening against regional currencies, costs of our imports will go up. Shipping costs, too, are going up due to logistical difficulty in shipping out supplies from China.”
“So, can we hasten and intensify the efforts on this and focus a bit more to provide more targeted help for those who are in their 40s and 50s and provide incentives for companies to absorb more of them into the PSPs, which we already had, but we can actually widen a bit more and focus on them in a faster way. Many existing SkillsFuture programmes require employees to be employed and nominated by their employers. For those who are not employed by a participating company, they sign up and hope they are shortlisted. As with the typical job applications, there is no guarantee. It is not unreasonable to believe most companies will put their interests before anything else and that could mean choosing an applicant who is perceived to have greater potential, someone with better qualifications, younger and so on. This may result in the more vulnerable groups, the ones who need the training and reskilling most, being left in the lurch. Last year, I proposed in my Adjournment Motion to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices and MOM to enhance the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP) to incentivise companies to train more of their local workforce by sending them for training overseas or have them trained under a foreign specialist with the aim of transferring or sharing the new job scope. Companies should build their 40s to 50s Singaporean Core through this programme. Their experience in the workforce, along with excellent work ethics, make them exemplary employees to invest resources in. I hope this can still be considered by the Government, going forward. COVID-19 also underscores the vulnerability of income sustainability for the 40 to 50s gig and contract workers.”
“I observe that the current measures are focused on retention and retraining of workers. But if the business fails to pick up or if businesses are unable to revise their business model, it is only a matter of time before they have little choice but to let go of workers. In the alternate worst-case scenario of a protracted global pandemic situation, can the Deputy Prime Minister share with us if we have enough to undertake an off Budget package, if needed, to help businesses and workers? Mr Speaker, my second topic is on targeted assistance for those in the 40s and 50s group. I was extremely delighted to hear the Deputy Prime Minister mention in the Budget that he has introduced a SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package for locals in their 40s and 50s to help them stay employable and move on to new jobs or new roles. The Deputy Prime Minister has highlighted the aim to double the annual job placement of locals in their 40s and 50s to around 5,500 by the year 2025 via increasing the capacity of reskilling programmes, such as the PCP under the Adapt and Grow initiative, plus other sector-specific and career transition programmes. I am in this 40 to 50 age group. So, hopefully, I will benefit from some of this. It is good to know also that employers will be supported to recruit, retain and retrain our local mid-career workers. So, I strongly support the effort to increase the capacity of reskilling programmes, such as PSP, by 2025. This, in my view, is pertinent, because a skills-restructuring exercise is very important for Singapore in this transition phase that we are facing.”
“Ultimately, helping businesses is also indirectly helping employees, so I am still glad that there is this scheme. Nevertheless, I hope the Ministry will consider the efficacy and timing issues of such disbursements to ensure they achieve maximum intended results. Next, property tax rebates have been a common offering in Budgets in times of uncertainty. While the intention is for commercial landlords to pass on the savings to their tenants, this is not guaranteed. Time is needed for landlord-tenant discussions to take place and then the administrative work involved to update the tenancy terms. Has any outreach been done in the past years to determine how much of the savings from the rebates are passed on to the tenants? Moreover, we can consider increasing the quantum of property tax rebates if the economy is projected to undergo a U-shaped or a slightly deeper U-shaped recovery. In light of the difficulties experienced across many sectors, we have to ensure that the continued shift away from employment of foreign workers is also conducted in a sustainable manner. This is especially so for sub-sectors or firms which (a) have a high reliance on foreign workers, (b) are facing external headwinds from the earlier global economic tensions, and (c) are now further burdened by COVID-19 pressure on margins. Will it be possible to introduce a waiver of the Foreign Worker Levy for the five directly affected sectors as well as other industries which are not doing so well? I also hope more can be done to support sectors directly affected by COVID-19. An example is the Temporary Bridging Loan Programme which was introduced to the tourism industry. Can we also consider this for the other four directly affected sectors?”
“Mr Speaker, Budget 2020 is a balanced Budget with a two-pronged approach. There is a clear short-term focus on fighting the impact of COVID-19. This takes the form of protecting local jobs, lowering corporate cost structures and household stimuli to mitigate the worries concerning the day-to-day expenses. Structural transformation of the workforce continues to be the mid-term focus. It is important that even in the midst of a crisis, we must not lose perspective of the future. By recovering faster than the rest, we can leverage on a stronger headstart in the long-term, not to mention the efforts focused on climate change. Mr Speaker, I will focus on three topics. The first topic is on help for businesses. Businesses are the bread and butter of our nation. The Deputy Prime Minister is right to address the immediate cash flow needs of businesses, and wages are a big part of this. JSS will certainly help to encourage enterprises to retain their local employees during this period of uncertainty. I have two concerns. Eligible employees will receive the payment by 31 July 2020 for wages paid out from the months of October to December 2019. Can this duration be shortened? Otherwise, it is almost half a year from now, which may not come in time for SMEs facing liquidity challenges. I urge for efforts to be made to prioritise payouts to companies whose finances are in poorer shape. Another concern is the period that we are basing the wages off. Let us say an employer has hired an employee through the months of October to December. He lays off the said employee in March. I assume he will still receive his JSS payout. However, does that not defeat the primary purpose of this scheme, which is employee retention?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for answering both questions and covering a wide range of topics with regard to those questions. I have two supplementary questions. One, can the Minister share, in his view or MTI's view, whether the US-China tensions will continue to ease off in 2020 and whether it will still continue in terms of the tensed landscape as well as what its impact will be on Singapore companies? Second, the Minister mentioned about multilateral agreements that will continue to be beneficial for the world. Can the Minister share with the House about the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), whether there are any developments on that front and how Singapore is playing on that front and whether Singapore can benefit?”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. Let me share with the Senior Minister of State one of the reasons why I am asking this question. A few residents have approached me. I would like to say in this Chamber that residents were very thankful for the Flexi-MediSave scheme as it has helped them to allay some of their cost concerns. However, a few of them have highlighted to me their concerns regarding medical costs and have requested me to ask for a review of the $200 because they tend to finish up the $200 for the year within just one or two visits. Some of these senior residents who are 60 and above would really appreciate if the figures could be reviewed. Can the Senior Minister of State share the timeline and how the review process would be? If there any plans to increase the $200 to slightly above, the residents would be very appreciative to MOH on that front.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the comprehensive answers to my question. I only have one supplementary question. In relation to the continued level of "healthy" cessation of businesses, as stated in the last part of my original question, can the Senior Minister of State share whether MTI has any specific level of target in terms of the definition of "healthy" cessation of businesses? In relation to the economic cycle we are facing now, whether there is any good feel of "healthy" cessation of businesses going forward, in taking into particular consideration, the outlook of the economy.”
“The funding support for CTP can include salary and training support for foreign and local specialists, as well as Singaporean trainees on overseas attachments to acquire new capabilities. But the current CTP, as it stands, applies to incoming foreign specialists. My suggestion is, can we consider expanding the CTP to support transfer of capabilities from foreign employees currently "already employed" in Singapore to local workers, with the eventual aim of localising jobs, working in tandem with the localisation targets I had mentioned earlier? My third suggestion: Mr Deputy Speaker, I also feel that the Employment Pass eligibility criteria ought to be regularly updated and tightened when needed, appropriately. For example, the current minimum salary of $3,600 for young graduates could be too low. At this wage level, many Singaporeans should be given the jobs. I hope, Mr Deputy Speaker, MOM and TAFEP would support these suggestions to enhance TAFEP's carrots and stick. In conclusion, to any rational business owner, there are always tradeoffs when there are conflicting interests. And sometimes, it is natural for employers to place the perceived interests of their company over the perceived interests of another individual or the worker, even if they acknowledge that this individual is from a more vulnerable group. So, left on its own, discrimination in the labour landscape is not something that will diminish over time by itself. Yet, its costs are too great to not address and to not address now. Sir, I beg to move.”
“I have been thinking what else can be done to improve things where possible in Singapore's context without tipping the balance negatively for the economy and Singapore's competitiveness. My first suggestion: we must take action against companies, if no attempt is made to localise workforce over a period of time as this is not reflective of good corporate citizenship. There must be greater efforts at localisation over a period of time, which is needed to support Singapore's competitiveness, workforce sustainability and building our Singapore Core. I would suggest that companies set localisation targets for their workforce, in consultation with the tripartite partners. By "localisation targets" I mean, proportion of workforce that is local or setting a target for overall local proportion. It needs to be set by the companies. This can be targeted for a range of skills and may need to be company-specific or dependent. It could, for example, incorporate elements of training for eventual local employment, with a specific localisation target in three to five years. This, I feel, would make TAFEP wield a bigger stick in a targeted sustainable manner, working with employers, to provision for opportunities for our workers whilst at the same time making business sense. My second suggestion: but it cannot be all sticks, there could be some carrots. One carrot approach is via the Capability Transfer Programme (CTP), as we all know, which currently supports firms to bring in foreign specialists to transfer capabilities to the local workforce. It also provides for firms to send locals abroad for training to improve local-foreign workforce complementarity.”
“But I feel TAFEP need not be too shy to name companies that have not acted in good faith. Partly, it will send a stronger signal and may trigger whistleblowers who can provide leads to check up other companies so it is harder for them to get away. Sometimes, all it takes is some clever drafting of job applications to ensure that the job goes to the preferred candidate. This is why I feel we can enhance our best practices further to ensure a good balance in the economy and improve local-foreign workforce complementarity. I have some suggestions to enhance our tools and mechanisms where possible to help address some of the issues I raised above. As I try to come up with these suggestions, I have this at the back of my mind. I meet corporates, small and medium enterprises in Singapore and regionally as part of my work, and labour force issues like talent and cost are always a key factor. We take it for granted as workers sometimes assume companies will always want to be in Singapore. This depends on whether Singapore remains attractive as a place for business and to continue to create jobs for Singaporeans. On the other hand, as a Member of Parliament, I see residents coming to see me, giving feedback about the difficulties in getting a job. I just met a resident trained in information technology who is around 50 years old and recently lost his job and currently unsuccessfully looking for a job for the past six to 12 months. He has a special needs child and has a family to support, so his concerns are real. So, individuals matter, and individuals' difficulties matter, too. I have the opportunity to see these two sides of the coin on this issue. A concern, of course, is irresponsible businesses taking full advantage of the business argument always.”
“One can sink into depression, especially if they have done all they could, including attending courses to upskill themselves, but are seeing little progress for their efforts. Next, I move on to efforts to localise jobs. In Singapore's context of a small open economy, competitiveness and growth are important. Singapore needs the skills of foreign specialists to supplement our workforce in areas where we are lacking in expertise. However, we cannot continue to have inflow of foreign specialists in perpetuity without regard for the well-being of our Singapore Core. On the other hand, we also want to help our companies succeed with the right talent, but we want Singaporeans to participate in their success. So, we must have a right balance. Indeed, during one of our Committee of Supply debates in 2016, Members spoke about building the Singaporean Core. Then-Minister Lim Swee Say acknowledged the perception among some Singaporeans who felt they were in a minority in their workplaces. This was largely because of companies that allowed pockets of foreigners to concentrate and failed to work on building the Singaporean Core. To address these concerns, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) would assess whether companies have a Singaporean Core compared with the rest of their industry and look at their commitment to developing this Core as well as the value of the company to the country. Companies that are weak in all three criteria will be advised to build their Singaporean Core. But if they remain resistant, they will face closer scrutiny and could see their Employment Pass privileges curtailed. MOM has various policies in place to encourage companies to hire Singaporeans, such as the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF).”
“So, the message to get out to all employers is that: capabilities matter more and not age. My first suggestion: in the United Kingdom (UK), employers are challenged to increase their older workforce by 12% by 2020. They are also urged to age-audit their workforce and make the data publicly available. In Singapore, we set numerous targets to achieve progress, for issues ranging from carbon emissions to smoking rate. Can we introduce one for increasing the older workforce so companies should set targets for older worker proportion of the workforce? With our steadily greying population, it is only a matter of time that this becomes inevitable. Employers should embrace it, instead of avoiding it. So, the onus is on the companies to set this with unions, as the needs of the firms may significantly depend on the industry and the nature of work. My second suggestion: certification schemes are part of the push to eradicate ageism in other countries. One example is the Austrian NESTORGOLD programme that also supports companies in developing age-inclusive and diverse work environments. In Singapore, companies that wish to signal their intention to be a fair employer sign the Employers' Pledge of Fair Employment Practices. Having the intention is admirable and improving the workplace is always an ongoing process. But can we go one step further and introduce certification for companies that meet specific requirements to provide age-inclusive and diverse work environments? This certification can be a criterion for the application of various grants and support. Nevertheless, eradicating ageism is a long-term process. Disruptive changes in the economy and economic cycles have made it even more challenging for the older unemployed to find work.”
“Even WhatsApp's profile pictures had to be carefully curated to make them look younger than their actual age. Singapore's employment laws largely protect employees against wrongful dismissal on discriminatory grounds, such as age, pregnancy or family responsibilities. Possible penalties range from curtailment of work pass privileges to employers paying compensation for any wrongful dismissal. But are these enough? I have heard some feedback that current penalties as too lenient, lack of bite. They want tougher penalties for greater deterrence. However, international studies have shown that the effects of such anti-discrimination legislation on employment outcomes are not conclusive. In the United States, studies showed that age discrimination against seniors remain prevalent, even with the Federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act and similar state laws in place. In particular, legislation can potentially deter hiring, especially when they result in higher termination costs. So, in short, anti-discrimination legislation may not be the solution to encourage greater hiring of those in their 50s and above. There are other non-legislation efforts undertaken abroad that we could explore or take note of. Two countries have gone beyond the usual provision of upskilling courses and interview workshops to motivate the unemployed and encourage hiring of seniors. In Belgium, the campaign "There is no age for talent" was launched in 2017 and it included events organised by unemployed people aged 55 and above, to motivate their peers and employers to address ageist attitudes. The "Active Together 45+" programme was started in a city in Poland to help 120 socially excluded persons to return to the labour market.”
“Our annual average resident unemployment rate by age does show that unemployment rates for those aged 40-49 and 50 over, have fallen slightly in 2018 from 2017, but more recent quarterly seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for 50 and over has risen slightly. That sets the macro context on this issue. Things are improving but this demographic segment could be susceptible and needs to be monitored over time. The retirement and re-employment ages have also been raised over the years. This is to keep pace with our ageing population. It encourages older Singaporeans to stay socially, physically and mentally active, make good use of their skills and experience. Unfortunately, some employers are not keeping pace with the times. This may be anecdotal, but, I have met Singaporeans in their 60s, 50s and 40s even, who have trouble seeking employment for more than a year. They have the qualifications, even went for courses and networking sessions, took career coaches' advice and brushed up their resume, interviewing skills and so on. They are prepared to take pay cuts and explore other industries. Yet, they are hitting walls everywhere. Some rarely get a shot at interviews. I know there are companies that employ or are willing to employ seniors. But we need more employers to do this. One resident told me he was advised by a career coach, after numerous job applications that met with no responses, that he should shorten his work history so as not to emphasise his real age. Recently, I sat in at a professional image coaching session. Most had recently been retrenched, in their 40s and 50s. The coach had dedicated an entire section on sprucing up one's image to look youthful on social media.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, whatever changes there may be in the socio-economic environment, one thing we cannot escape from is the psychological motivation for a person to seek a job and be gainfully employed. So, the availability of jobs, good paying jobs, matters for Singaporeans. But it is not uncommon to hear accounts about how Singaporeans have been discriminated by errant employers, company owners and human resource (HR) managers who exploit our system unfairly. The matter on fair employment practices has always been close to my heart. I have raised this issue in my maiden speech here four years ago and I am grateful for the opportunity to file this Adjournment Motion. This is because I strongly believe in the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices' (TAFEP's) potential to tackle discriminatory employment and hiring practices. Many Members of this House have spoken on TAFEP-related issues over the years. They highlighted how instilling fair and progressive employment practices among employers remains a critical goal of TAFEP. But that goal is a work in progress. The aim of this Motion is to suggest how to strengthen TAFEP to achieve its goal. There are many dimensions to job discrimination. For the purposes of filing this Motion, I want to focus on just two main issues. First, age discrimination; and second, efforts to localise jobs. First, looking at the labour data, the employment rate of older workers has shown steady gains over time. For workers aged 55 to 64, the employment rate rose from 57.2% in 2008 to 66.8% in 2018. This is a good testament to efforts to allow our older workers to continue contributing to our economy.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. Just a supplementary question following up from her answer. I laud the efforts by the Government to boost the Green Bond Grant Scheme and the Sustainable Bond Grant Scheme, up to the amount of S$6 million. I feel that the biggest problem in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), excluding Singapore, is the plan to increase in the coal-fired, gas-fired Independent Power Producers (IPPs). They are going to spew a lot of carbon into the atmosphere and the biggest problem is that renewables financing, in my view, is still slow in ASEAN. Can the Senior Minister of State share if Singapore plans to enhance and relocate our investments into, for example, first loss funds in the region or renewable projects in ASEAN, together with other ASEAN countries possibly chipping in later on, rather than possibly investing in negative yield type bonds in developed markets? That, in some ways, could help to massively boost renewable projects in ASEAN and potentially reduce the greenhouse gases in ASEAN going forward.”
“I note one recent incident that was already highlighted by several Members in this Chamber where a social media influencer offended members of the Sikh community with her controversial remarks. The Young Sikh Association reached out to her and invited her to the Central Sikh Temple so they could share more about their religion with her. She even got to participate in some of their activities, and it was a good learning experience for everyone. This is a great example of a remedial initiative to educate the offender. Had the incident simply ended with angry netizens heaping criticisms on her, there would only be tension and anger among all parties, and nothing constructive comes out of this. I hope this initiative can be made mandatory for all offenders. Certainly, those who may not have broken the law, but affected a group of people with their remarks in relation to race and religious matters, should be encouraged to take up the opportunity to learn from such initiatives. Religious organisations and communities can play their part in actively reaching out, like what the Young Sikh Association did. Therefore, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill.”
“Ultimately, it would likely boil down to one of the attendees to tip-off the Police or their loved ones to realise that something is amiss and make a Police report. The recent case of domestic helpers who were radicalised is, indeed, an eye-opener. We must remember that radicalisation can affect anyone, man and woman, young and old, and from all walks of life. How do employers look out for such cases? For instance, domestic helpers have their days off and are able to go out and mix freely. Once these amendments are made, local religious organisations are required to declare their associations or affiliations to foreigners or foreign organisations, if any. But what if the organisation is affiliated to an overseas organisation that is unapproved under local regulations? Would the local organisation have to delink itself? Next, I would like to ask what if a speaker is from a diplomatic mission? If he addresses an audience on religious matters, would he be governed under this law or is he exempted because of his diplomatic status? I applaud the Government’s determination to prevent the spread of offensive statements against any religious group. I think it could also happen the other way around when a religious group unintentionally offends another religious group or group of people. And there are words, for example, like “heathen” or “pagan” or “infidels”, or “idolater” which can inflame feelings and be regarded as offensive under certain circumstances. Could Minister offer some guide on the usage of such words in terms of their definition and their use within this Act? Finally, I applaud the introduction of CRI. Many offensive and insensitive acts to other religions or races occur due to lack of awareness rather than out of hatred.”
“These are not open to the public, and only people who have been invited are allowed. These mostly consist of their own circle of friends, who would then, through word of mouth, invite their own friends and so on. This is common among non-Singaporeans or foreigners who may prefer a group that shares their nationality and language, but it also happens among some locals. Some are splinter groups with a small following; perhaps they could not agree with the mainstream ideologies of their religion, so they decided to improvise. My concern is that, since we do not know what goes behind closed doors, the organisers may try to promote a political cause, or even impart extremist ideologies under the guise of religion. How do we monitor such groups to ensure that they conduct their activities without breaking any laws, when regulators are unable to monitor what they say or communicate? Moreover, if foreign guest speakers are invited to speak without a permit, as would likely be the case given the private nature of the group, would this be against the law? In addition, the topic may not have any religious connotation. For example, it could have an innocuous title like “Challenges we face in our life”, for example, and the speaker can then weave in religious ideas and so forth. Then there are cases of religious teachers who are self-proclaimed religious experts, who approach individual places of worship, get a small audience of people, preach, collect a donation, then disappear. Or if they are foreigners or non-Singapore Citizens, they may leave the country. Sometimes, they do not lecture, but they may screen a video. Could the Minister clarify if this constitutes as a definition of preaching?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, this review of MRHA is a timely move. Growing connectivity, be it the widespread proliferation of social media or convenient travel across physical borders, has allowed religious organisations and followers around the world to reach out to one another. And with our nation located at the crossroads of this region, it is increasingly common for religious leaders to travel to Singapore to conduct seminars. In this age of the Internet, their books, for example, are readily available online. Some have made their way into local bookstores. Some speakers may even make use of social media to broadcast their seminars via Youtube and other platforms without stepping foot in Singapore, and believers can learn from them in the comfort of their own homes. For those who have religious beliefs, religion gives one guidance and comfort when one is going through a bad patch in one’s life. As Singapore is a cosmopolitan city with people from around the world taking up permanent or semi-permanent residency, it is important that their religions remain accessible to them. Mutual respect and understanding of various religious practices have allowed Singapore to remain a safe, stable and prosperous nation, and this must continue. This was demonstrated, for instance, in Toa Payoh East-Novena recently, when non-Malay/Muslim volunteers jointly helped to pay for the airfare costs of a Malay/Muslim grandmother whose grandson was fatally shot by extremists in Christchurch. Nevertheless, I note that there are some people who teach religion or preach in the privacy of their own domains, such as at home, private halls and so forth.”
“I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. I only have one supplementary question. As the Senior Minister of State had noticed, when oil prices abroad rise, it is usually symmetrical. When oil prices rise, prices at the petrol kiosks rise as well. But my question is related to the Senior Minister of State's first point, in terms of our strategy to search for alternative sources of energy. Can MTI share what are our plans in terms of alternative energy sources for Singapore, going forward? My concern is that the incidence of such things happening in the Middle East may intensify or increase, particularly from drone attacks and possibly from geopolitical tensions arising out of the Middle East as well.”
“So, when it comes to making decisions, especially on educational matters, the aged grandparents may not be able to make that value-added decision. Additionally, the grandparents may also not have the financial resources to support the young to pay for the courses that they think best suit the child. How would the Ministry assist such caregivers in the given circumstances, from giving guidance to financial support? I am pleased to note that childcare leave would now be extended to foster parents, as, after all, this group of people are playing the similar role as the parents. However, may I ask if the Ministry would consider extending to this group the income tax and other benefits that are currently available to the parents? Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Bill.”
“I would like to know how ECPO would be applied, the grounds for applying ECPO, the reasons the judge will consider in granting ECPO and, most importantly, how would the parents challenge such an application in Court? Are they properly represented in Court? Are they aware that their rights as a parent are being taken away in their case? How might they mount a defence against the implied charge that they are incompetent and incapable parents? So, all these things I said are meant to protect parents for certain cases in the future under this Bill. (In English): Deputy Speaker, in English, please. I would also like to propose that the Probation Service provide a summary of the demographics of anonymised potential overaged probationers that the ECPO would have applied in the last 12 to 24 months. Areas of interest would include household income, family structure, primary caregiver, ethnicity and so on, so that we have greater insights on possible factors that cause the issues between parent and child, and we can then tackle the issues more appropriately. Can the Minister share what is in place in the system to ensure that there is no clash of cultural values? While thus far we are addressing the issue of protection, I hope attention would also be given to counselling these young persons to help them cope emotionally with their circumstances when the Ministry intervenes. Often, the circumstances under which the young are facing, especially in the case of parents who are estranged and divorced, can be a trauma. Next, I would like to touch on the caregivers for the young, especially when they are under the charge of grandparents who may not only be aged but may not have a good grasp of the English language to be able to give appropriate guidance to those under their charge.”
“This is important, especially in multiracial Singapore, because there may be caregivers who are over-enthusiastic in trying to promote their own religion, and perhaps this is done with good intentions, but they should respect the fact that the child should be allowed to make his/her own decision after reaching 18 years of age. Having spoken to people in the relevant field of work like welfare, I also note that differing values and certain biases are among some factors that could lead to unfair implementation of ECPO or the possibility that it will not be used. My other concern is that we could compromise the structure and integrity of families by being overzealous in interfering with the discipline and care of children. What does taking an 18-year-old away from his/her parents say about or have a negative impact on their worth as parents? What does it tell the youth about his relationship with his parents? Can he still respect his parents after that? Are we sowing the seeds of rebellion against his parents in the future? Or is there something about the parent-child relationship that should be protected, regardless of how bad the parents are at parenting? At the very least, we should have some mechanism or provision to show that we value the rights of the parents. We do not want to cultivate a parenting culture that is afraid to discipline their children when the need arises. I hope that we can focus more on counselling both children and parents, and that taking away parents’ rights should only be the last resort, or if their actions endanger the child's life or have lasting severe impact on the child. I would believe that, in such cases, the parent would be facing criminal charges.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I welcome the move to extend the legal protection to our young under the Bill before the House. This is especially with regard to raising the age limit for protection from abuse or neglect from the age of below 16 to below 18. Those who are within this age group can be very impressionistic and be quite easily swayed by adults. Sometimes, they are unable to comprehend the wider implications of their decisions which may result in their underestimating the risks of their actions or behaviours. And this group of our young can be exploited by criminals and we have also seen how girls and boys alike have fallen victim to sexual predators. With the extension of the age to below 18, could the Minister share with the House how many more welfare officers or probation officers would be required to cope with the rise in the number of cases to handle such cases? What is the current ratio of officers to youths at risk? Is there an ideal ratio from the professional standpoint? Also, under the Enhanced Care and Protection Order (ECPO), a Court order may authorise a person other than the child's natural parents or guardians to care and make decisions for the child. As the Order will provide the caregivers with powers to make decisions for the child which would otherwise require parental consent, who are the caregivers that the Ministry has on its list, and would this be expanded further? Would the passage of this Bill require a new team to be set up within the Ministry to handle such cases? Mr Deputy Speaker, in Malay, please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Another point that I wish to raise is whether the Ministry would ensure that the person under the caregiver would not be coerced, for instance, to convert to a particular religion.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Senior Minister of State for the answers he gave. I am asking two supplementary questions, or probably just one, because I am getting quite a number of my residents coming to my Meet-the-People Sessions with regard to post-treatment out of hospital. My question is whether there can be further streamlined or maybe enhanced processes at the payment counters to assess them and refer them to the Medical Social Workers, instead of waiting for them to request for referrals themselves. I wonder if that can be enhanced even further, following up from the question that I have already asked in my Parliamentary Question. Secondly, in terms of referral to the Medical Social Workers at the hospitals, how is the process? Can the Senior Minister of State share how the process can be refined and enhanced further for elderly patients or patients who are there alone and may not be able to converse or understand properly what the bill means and entails, in terms of their financial circumstances and whether there can be any help from the counter staff and nurses?”