Sam Tan Chin Siong
Singapore
“Sir, the Temporary Relief Fund was set up to provide timely financial assistance to lower- and middle-income Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who lost their jobs or faced significant income loss due to the economic impact of COVID-19.”
“The Workgroups will release their recommendations later this year. (In English): Mr Chairman, in closing, everyone has a part to play in building a caring and inclusive society. Inclusion is not just a vision. It is action.”
“We will continue to deepen our engagement with the EU leadership and also our ties with individual EU member states. We will also continue to engage the UK post-Brexit.”
“It is a very important prerequisite to prepare young children for future employment. There is another workgroup under EMP3 which focuses on the improvement to employment opportunities and prospects. This workgroup is co-chaired by Member Ms Denise Phua and myself.”
“I thank the Member for the questions. We have sufficient places in our Sheltered Workshops. Right now, we have altogether 1,700 places. If there is a need for more capacity, we will certainly increase it.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Member for the clarification. The difference between CKS and PDD is that PDD helps persons who have lost the mental capacity to make major decisions like liquidating the assets, bank accounts and all that to provide institutional care or some other major financial needs.”
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“I hope that while taking good care of our children, the Government should also extend the same compassion and care to those old and hapless people - about 2,700 of them - who are receiving public assistance. They were once stewards of our nation who had contributed much to our growth. Now that they are old and with no relatives to look after them, and for various reasons have exhausted their savings, they depend only on a monthly allowance of $330 for their living, though such allowance will be increased to $360 a month. According to my survey, the average monthly expenditure could be as high as $450. I hope this amount will be increased to $400. To us, an increase in $40 is nothing but to them, it could be a big difference. Once an elder man said to me that people who have not experienced starvation will not know what it is to be poor. I shall never forget what he said. Reaching out to such poor and hapless people with compassion and help will make them feel that in the twilight of their years, they can still find human kindness. And this is also in keeping with our Government's objective of building a graceful society. It is also an embodiment of Confucius benevolent government and Mengzi’s philosophy of bringing well-being to all people in the country.”
“Sir, this brings me to my second point - Singapore has only 2,700 people on public assistance. This strikes me as a very, very small number. Can the Minister tell us how are we comparing ourselves against other countries? How, for example, do we compare against Hong Kong, a population of seven million people in which there are 230,000 people on its Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme? I am told that in Hong Kong, the allowance for people on the CSSA scheme is 80% of the median wage. To me, this is really too generous. But have we veered to the other extreme? Can I request the Minister to relook at the criteria for PA and see if we can relax some of them? We shall not put in place a generous PA scheme, like the CSSA scheme in Hong Kong, which will send a wrong signal to Singaporeans, but I feel that we also should not, for the sake of preserving a low spending on welfare, to exclude those who genuinely need the PA scheme by creating high barriers. Sir, I would like to speak in Mandarin now. (In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] There is a Chinese saying "lao wu lao yi ji ren zhi lao, you wu you yi ji ren zhi you". This means one should look after other old people and children as one should look after one's own old folks and children. In Singapore, we take great care of our children. There are various types of schemes and assistance to look after infants and school children and to educate them as they are the future pillars of our nation. If they are not properly looked after, we will face a problem of political succession.”
“In addition, 75 % say that they have a source of free food, and yet they still run out of the money every month. Sir, I do not know whether there is a danger of over-reporting by the survey respondents, or whether my methods of analysis are wrong - for example, is taking a rough total average the right thing to do? Or is the sample of the PA recipients in my constituency representative of the overall 2,700 in Singapore? Sir, I do not know the answers to all these questions, but I do know that I have made a start in painting the life of the poorest in our society today. Sir, it is not a rosy picture. If they do not get the extra help, they may have very little to spare. Last year, during my house visit, one 85-year-old man told me and the volunteers who went on the house visit with me, that he had not eaten a plate of chicken rice for five years. Five years! All of us who heard this actually felt very sad. So we gave him a free meal coupon a day so that he can go and eat anything that is available at the hawker centre. Sir, we need to know and remember that this is not by choice but by circumstance. I know that even the poorest in Singapore have a living standard far better than many of those living in other countries. I know that the PA recipients' one-room flats have clean running water and electricity, and I know that they have food, clothes and medical care. But very honestly speaking, is this enough to count as a reasonably good quality of life? Sir, I would like to sincerely thank the Government and the Minister for raising the PA allowance from $330 to $360 a month. However, I also sincerely hope that the Government could further stretch this kindness by raising the amount to $400.”
“Sir, I would like to focus my attention on the poorest in Singapore, and I will argue that this should not be just confined to the people who are currently on Public Assistance. I remember last year the Minister said that his officials have calculated that one person can live on $90 worth of groceries a month. I am sure that his officials must have done the due diligence checks. I am, however, not so sure that many of them, in fact, how many of us in this House, have actually lived on a $90 food budget for a month. So if we ourselves are not doing it for even one month, then I think it will be quite hard for us to expect our fellow Singaporeans to live all their lives on such a budget. Sir, I have done a survey on about 100 PA recipients in my ward. From the findings, we see that they spend an average of $146 a month on groceries, $26 on rental, $18.50 on SC & CC and $48 on utilities. Although the PA recipients receive free healthcare, many go for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), for which they spend about $20-$30 a month, and in some cases, $100-$200 a month. Our seniors believe more in TCM than western medicine somehow. Other necessities, eg, clothes, toiletries, miscellaneous expenses, all amount to about $50; transportation $39. Some of the PA recipients spend as much as $450 a month in total. The survey also found that nearly half of them receive small hongbaos occasionally from other sources such as temples and VWOs. Despite this, only one-fifth of them managed to have marginal savings for rainy days and also for their funerals when the day comes. This means that the majority of them spend all their PA allowances as well as any other extra hongbaos that they can get.”
“But for those of us in the workforce, I think rather than arguing about whether you should have the money instead of your boss, we should all take a leaf from Han Thong’s advice – "keep our spirits strong, continue to do well in your job if you have one, look for new opportunities if you do not". Madam, it is a mix of Government, community, family and personal effort that helps fill up this country. I have argued for more help for the most vulnerable and also have argued for more to be put in from all parties. If the Singapore Bowl is filled to overflowing with confidence and compassion, then we can all sit back, celebrate, and perhaps finally, leave the monastery together with the apprentice monk. Madam, on this note, I support the Budget.”
“I could see his eyes through the lens of his new pair of glasses – they were shining with mischief and a sense of adventure. For a man who was brought to the hospital with severe burns on his head, body and hands, even a turn of the head is a new revelation and a true adventure. And he is still very upbeat and positive. Madam, that was a long preamble to an important point that I want to make passionately. All the efforts that we have made will come to nothing if the men for which we work is not strong in spirit. For the workers who have lost their jobs, for the parents who are struggling with their children's educational expenses, for the businessman who has just lost a key contract, for the engineer or professional who just had his pay cut – we must try to be upbeat like Han Thong. Otherwise, we will be self-defeated, and no amount of Resilience Package can save us. Madam, there are many criticisms that we can make about the implementation of the policies. One grassroots leader asked me why does the Government give Job Credits to employers? Why not give the money to us, the employees? In fact, there is an argument of "strategic mistake" made by a former Permanent Secretary who is a well-respected commentator on policies. Whether we give the money to workers or to employers, to me, is a matter of policy implementation choice – whether we think jobs can be best preserved by one or the other. It is all about choice and judgment. I am sure that the Finance Minister will be able to give a much better justification when he sums up the Budget debate. So I will just leave it here.”
“Madam, what can we do to give these elderly peace of mind? There is no glory in it. It would be very difficult indeed to raise money for paper houses and hell money to be burnt, but can we give these old people peace of mind? I do not think the Government is best placed to do this. But can the people in the community, who are as close as family, set aside some money to give them a good send-off? A decent funeral under these lights will cost about $3,000, as told by the same funeral director. I know this is a cry in the wilderness but perhaps some kind social leaders and philanthropists will hear this cry and set up a fund for this little-known but very essential service to a small group of old people. Madam, I would like to now come to the last element that is water. Madam, are all the pieces in place when the Government, the community and the family work together? Can we make a real difference? I believe we can but only if the man we are trying to help wants to help himself. When all is said and done, what remains but the spirit of a man? I have visited Mr Seng Han Thong in hospital a few times. He is an incredible man with burns on his face but fire in his heart. When I visited him, he stood up to speak with me, and told me that when he was brought to the hospital into the ward, he was not fully conscious but he knew that his spirit must be strong if he was to pull through. "Keep strong, keep positive," he told me, grimacing as he tried to turn his head to make sure that the new skin grew out to be supple. And he told me, "Doctors say if I do not do this, the skin will turn hard. So I better do it!". He said this and then he grinned from ear to ear.”
“I remember that ageing issues were at one point top of the policy agenda, and now they appear to have taken a back seat in the current situation. I admit that it is difficult to put our attention on social matters when financial hardship and economic crisis are staring us in our faces. But family is an important building block of the society, and we need to strengthen the family resilience so that the family can, in return, strengthen the societal resilience. The current economic crisis will severely test the family's unity and resilience, especially when the breadwinners lost their jobs and the children are asking for the fees to be paid and so on. So I hope that the Government could also pay more attention on maintaining family resilience while it implements the Resilience Package. Madam, the family is the fine ash that fills up the little holes that the community may need, and there is another fine crack line. There are some elderly people living alone who do not have a family. And as they get older, this is a secret worry which they do not voice out openly, ie, who will take care of their funeral when they go? Many of them believe that they need paper houses and some paper money to be burnt when they die. So that when they go to the other world, they would have some standing and not wonder about homeless and poor. Now, for the poor elderly who do not have savings and no family, many times, they would just be buried with a minimum of fuss and for a fee of about $1,500 or less as I was told by a funeral undertaker. This is the bare minimum with no rites, and no assurance of an easy afterlife. And if we believe in the next life, then I fear many of the old and frail PA recipients may need to apply for PA or ComCare Fund from 阎罗王, the King of Hell.”
“In many wards across the island, this kind of social initiative is also taking place. And one of the main drivers of this in getting young people from different social classes to mix together and to see how the poor and the needy among us live is the CIP or Community Involvement Programme in schools. Madam, I applaud this CIP programme. David has shown me the success stories in exposing our young people to different circumstances in the society. We need more people like David and we need the community organisations to also open the doors and to welcome young people who want to make a difference. So the community is just like the sand which fills up any holes that the Government may have left out. Like David Ang, if you have questions that you cannot get answers to, and if you want to improve things and no one else is doing, pick up the shovel and do it yourself. Whether you are young or old, you will find that once you make a start in helping others, you will find enough sand in yourself to carry on to fill up the bowl. Now, I would like to come to the third element, the ash which symbolises a family. Madam, I would like to continue to speak about the family and the care for the elderly. I have spoken on this issue before in this House, sounding a cautionary note and asking the Government to be aware of the political pressures. But this year, I would like to take a policy approach. I would like to ask what kind of strategies and new ideas to ensure that the retirement savings, the healthcare cost and the weakening family ties are taken care of. Is there a family-centric approach to help families take care of their aged and to help them to age in the right place?”
“I want to ask more money for the very poor because as I speak to these people on Public Assistance, I can smell their fear from their breath. They are afraid that the kindness of donors from temples and VWOs may dry up in the coming months, especially in a major economic crisis like now. Madam, I have two other points to make on this issue. First, can the Government assure us that the PA allowances are reviewed in a systematic and on regular basis. Second, from the survey, we can see that food is the main item of expenditure. I agree with the view that the general inflation rate may not be a proxy to work out the PA allowance quantum. But can we at least have a composite food index taking into consideration the PA allowance so that we are sensitive to the most basic needs of the very poor? The second element is about the sand which symbolises our community. I would like to say a little about the people who conducted the survey with me. The survey actually was the idea of a 21-year-old young man who is now serving his National Service. This young man, Mr David Ang, is a son of two medical doctors and he is no stranger to the good life. He could have spent his time in country clubs, holidaying away or playing computer games with his friends. Yet, he wants to know how he can help the poor. He wants to know more about the most needy and the vulnerable people in our society. And he asked me very pointedly – do I think that $330 is enough for them? I said, "Let's ask the PA recipients themselves because they know best." So they decided to devise a survey and round up some friends to help out. I also rounded up some grassroots leaders and RC members. And over the course of a few weeks, we spoke to almost all the people on Public Assistance in my ward.”
“Madam, to me, there are four elements to build resilience. I will start with the first element, ie, the stones. I thank the Government for helping Singaporeans save jobs, particularly for increasing the allowance for the people on Public Assistance. This is like having a few more stones in the PA recipient's bowl. But is this enough? Two months ago, I conducted a survey among the residents who are PA recipients in my ward. There are close to about 120 of them. We spoke to more than 100. I will say more about this in my cut on MCYS, but please allow me to make a general point here. Madam, I believe it is our responsibility and duty not just to provide them with the basic necessities but also to give them a reasonable quality of life if we are trying to advance to a gracious society. It is often said that for doctors who take care of a terminally ill patient, life is not measured just in years but in the quality of those years. The same can be said about looking after our old folks on the Public Assistance Scheme. I know that it goes against what the Government has been advocating for many years. I would like the Government to consider helping more the people on Public Assistance just beyond feeding the mouth. Madam, from the survey, we can see that the recipients use up all the money, even the small ang pows they receive occasionally from temples and VWOs. I will say more about the average spending for each category of their expenditure in my cut in the Committee of Supply. This is the only cut that I have submitted this year because I feel that I ought to concentrate my energies on getting one small thing done for the group who needs it most.”
“Putting down the bowl, the Zen master told his apprentice, "There is always something that we can do if we wish to do something more." Madam, the Government has done a superb job with this Resilience Package to help Singaporeans save jobs. The Government is filling the bowl with the stones through this Budget. However, there remains something more that Singaporeans can do, ie, to add the sand, the ashes and the water, whichever is available within our reach and means. To fill the bowl completely, the Government has started with the stones as the basic foundation. And the community, the corporate and the individuals can each add in the sand, the ashes and the water to fill up the Singapore bowl at every level. Only the collective effort of the public, private and the people sectors can ensure that the Singapore bowl is fully filled. Only then will we be able to say that it is enough. I feel that when we talk about the resilience of our society, it just cannot be the Government's sole responsibility to build resilience into the Singapore society. All of us should respond to this call of resilience to clearly strengthen our resolve to swim against the current economic tsunami. There is a Chinese proverb that says everyone has a responsibility towards the rise and fall of the country – gua chia sin wang, pi chi u che. To me, this Budget is just not about the Government's responsibility and duty. It is just not about who gets what. It is a good idea to dig into the reserves. Of course, these are very important issues. But, more importantly, the Budget is about the people. It is whether Singaporeans can close rank, put aside partisan interests and work together to add the stones, the sand, the ashes and the water to fill up the Singapore bowl.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, my colleagues have spoken on the big picture and the pragmatic nature of this year's Budget. So I would like to take a more philosophical approach and focus on the small portions of Singaporeans, the very poor among us whom we usually think we are helping by offering them food, water and roof over their heads. I will start, first, with a story about Zen Buddhism since I am talking about philosophy. The story is about an apprentice monk who has been learning and practising Zen Buddhism from a Zen master for some years. One day, the apprentice monk told the master that he had learnt enough and would like to leave the monastery to see the world. Upon hearing this, the master took out a glass bowl and put a lot of stones into the bowl until the bowl was filled with stones and could take no more. The master asked his apprentice, "Is this enough?" The apprentice answered, "It's enough." The master then poured some fine sand into the holes between the stones and filled the gaps. The bowl was filled to the brim and could take no more. Then the master asked again, "Is this enough?" The apprentice answered, "It's enough, Sir." The master than added some ashes into the bowl. The powder slipped in among the sand until the bowl was full and could take no more. The master then asked again, "Is this enough?" The student by this time could nearly take no more too. He gritted his teeth and answered, "It's enough, Sir." In the true spirit of Zen, the master poured a few glasses of water into the bowl. So it was full and could take no more. The master asked again, "Is this enough?" The apprentice was stumped and could not answer. I think he must have given up the idea of leaving the monastery by now.”
“In the recent Jack Neo’s movie, there was a scene where a filial son was persuaded by his family that it is the "kinder" thing to send his ageing mother to a nursing home. No laws against that, but his conscience would not allow him to do so lightly. Those who have watched this part of the movie will have a heavy heart like mine. The old woman has clearly not lost any of her mental capacity, but the way she was treated was clearly not in line with her wishes. Her problems, like that of many other ageing people in society, are clearly more complex than can be wished away by a new Bill. Mdm Deputy Speaker, we have many challenges to tackle in the road ahead, as more of us become older and some of us become mindless. The law is our ally in making sure that the worse does not happen. However, to be the best that we can be, we need a moral voice and a strong conscience which can only be upheld by Singaporeans ourselves, not the laws. Hence, we need to do more in our classrooms and our homes on moral education.”
“Moral values and conscience are the best care for our elderly who are no longer able to care for themselves. Unfortunately, values and conscience cannot be shaped by the laws. Hence, we need to go beyond this Bill to care for older people who have lost their mental capacity. So we have the Second Reading of this Bill today. And I support this Bill because it shows what we stand for as a society. Having put the Bill in place, I would say that our next duty is to make sure that the law is used as it is intended. To achieve this, we need to educate our children, by our own behaviour to our parents, and by our compassion to fellowmen. There is a story in India which is as old as time. It is about a coconut shell and this is how the story goes. When a man turns old, he becomes useless and cannot contribute to the family. So, his son does not allow him to eat with the family. The old man is given a coconut husk and told to sit outside in the wind. He is not allowed a room in the house but given an old cloak against the storm when he sleeps outside. Finally the old man dies. His son wants to throw away the coconut husk. "But wait!" a little boy cries. "Why? Grandpa is dead, we don’t need this anymore," says the man to his son. "I want to keep it," says the boy. "What in the world for?" asks the man, amused. "So I can give it to you when you grow old," says the boy. This is when the penny drops. Now, I must quickly add that we need to teach our children to be sensitive to this call of conscience for the right reason. We treat our parents well, not because we are afraid of being given the coconut husk one day, but because it is the right thing to do.”
“It cannot force people to take what are ultimately private decisions. I recall some of the debate that went on in this House, when we first thought of legalising the need for children to take care of their parents – it ended up in the passing of the Maintenance of Parents Bill. It is harder to regulate such things as filial piety but we have managed to do so. In the last two years, the Tribunal for Maintenance of Parents had received 870 reports of children not supporting their parents. It is a tangled web of name calling, of failed duties and recriminations – but the law gets the job done. Or does it? We all know of the unequal burdens borne by some offspring who provide more for their parents than their siblings. We also know of the many nieces and nephews who are paying for the old person’s stay at a nursing home, if their cousins do not ante up. We know of the grudging payments, the shame of elderly parents begging for money from their sons and daughters. This Mental Capacity Bill will not prevent any of these private sufferings and humiliations. It will merely ensure that the public conform to the barest minimum. But that is the role of laws in a society and the rest is up to the private individuals. So what lies before us today is not an amendment to an existing policy but a moral choice. This debate is not about neglect or ill treatment. It is, indeed, about our providing for how we want to be treated when we ourselves can no longer know how we are being treated. It is also about how we can become criminals if we do not treat those who are mentally ill well. In short, it is about how we should act, and how we want others to act, when no one is watching.”
“Day to day, if we have to take care of someone who cannot control his toilet, who dribbles when he eats, who goes missing due to failing memory, it will strain our patience and drain our emotions, especially if that someone is a doddery old man or old lady, rather than a plump new baby. Madam, there is no warm glow of romance and sentimentality in old age for some Singaporeans. Too many of us can justify putting our older relatives in homes with all kinds of reasons, such as we need to work to provide for the children. We need to have time for ourselves. The old folks would be happier in nursing homes because there would be nurses taking care of them. They would also have friends there. They would have regular excursions and outings. They would not notice where they are, actually, since they have dementia, etc. But if we were to ask the older people – would they prefer to be in their own homes? Almost everyone would say yes. This law does not prevent people from taking the easy options of putting older people in nursing homes. But it does make sure that those who have the capacity and the means, will be able to dictate how they want to be taken care of, in the dark days when they can no longer make the decision themselves. Hence, I do hope that all of us can take a little time to reflect on this, and make advance plans for ourselves. This is a little like making a will – to prepare for an eventuality that we would rather not think about, but it is far wiser to spend a few hours or even days going through the process than have our families face all the difficulties from our inaction now. Now, I come to something that is harder to do. This law gives us some black and white in our society. But laws cannot regulate private behaviour.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill, whose main purpose is to provide a legal framework to enable a person to voluntarily make advance plans for his own financial and personal affairs should he lose his mental capacity. The proposed Mental Capacity Bill also criminalises ill-treatment and wilful neglect of mentally incapacitated people. With the rising number of older people and an ever rising incidence of dementia, I think we need this Bill. This law does not deal with a remote possibility but a real eventuality. According to Alzheimer's Disease Association Singapore, there were 20,000 people with dementia in 2006 and in 12 years' time, this number will balloon to 50,000. During my house-to-house visits to the HDB rental blocks in my ward, where the residents are mostly poor, I have come across elderly parents who are in financial hardship and still willing to look after their mentally-ill children. Their love is truly unconditional. They see their children not as burdens to be borne, but treasures to be cherished. On the other hand, I have people coming to my MPS asking for their mentally or physically ill parents or relatives to be put in nursing homes. They say they cannot take care of their mentally or physically ill parents or relatives due to work commitments or family problems. Well, it is easy for us to condemn this behaviour, to say that the children ought to behave better. But, first, let us take the log out of our own eyes, before we can see better, to take the speck out of this group of people.”
“30 pm Similar programmes can be organised and scaled up by other VWOs, with the help and encouragement of the Government. All these will give old people a second and a golden opportunity to live their old age meaningfully. Finally, if this collective initiative works and old people in Singapore do not feel worthless and useless when they are old and retired, we would have created a new dimension for the old people and Singapore. Then, eulogies by family members need not be about mourning the sad passing of the old people, but about celebrating their full and meaningful lives. Sir, when this day comes, we can then claim to be closer to a first-world country and a gracious society. Needs of the Elderly”
“They are the generation for which the benefits of our CPF policies have come too late and too little. They have depleted their CPF savings while they are still relatively healthy. But due to their age, few employers would want to offer them jobs because of the thinking that they are unproductive and valueless. Feeling rejected by the society and running out of money, they can only turn to social welfare (such as Public Assistance), and in return, they see themselves as a burden to their family and the society. It pains me whenever I meet old people with such thinking. Must our senior citizens be in this sorry state? No, I do not think so. In the Redhill area, there is a 91-year old lady who is fiercely independent and still working as a cleaner at a hawker centre. She works, not because she needs to, but because she chooses to, since she is still healthy and active. More importantly, she has a very enlightened employer who sees the value of senior citizens. She and her employer are shining examples of how our senior citizens could and should live their lives actively and meaningfully. So I think the Government, PA, VWOs and community agencies can collectively come together to do something to increase the value of our senior citizens. There are some initiatives of this sort but more can be done. For example, the Chinese Development Assistance Council has started a project called Silver Talent Programme since January 2006. The purpose of this programme is to help senior citizens by training them to acquire a marketable skill, helping them to look for a job, creating voluntary opportunities for the better-off old folks to provide their service and time to help the less fortunate ones. 4.”
“First, I think the People's Association (PA) and VWOs could work together to create a social network that allows neighbours and friends to keep in touch with the immobile and the elderly. The many RC (Residents' Committee) senior citizens committees, for example, can form friendship links among their members and senior citizens in their precincts, so that there is a network for them to rely on and to check on the well-being of each other. Second, we could create a social culture to eulogise those among our communities who have passed on. There are many newspapers in the world which have obituaries, celebrating the lives of the great and the good. But why should we do this only for the giants among us? Even ordinary people have great stories – their lives can serve to illuminate and educate us in some way. Remembering and celebrating ordinary lives is something that we should do for friends, neighbours and the forgotten in our community. My third and final point is about valuing the lives of old people. All too often, we assume that old people are worth less. For example, the 10% cut in pay when you reach 60 or 62 years old is almost automatic in many companies. I think Dr Lim Wee Kiat gave a vivid example of a case yesterday. Should this be the case? I think we must remember that "worth less" is only one space from "worthless". The argument has been made that the cut is a mere "catch up" to right the wrong of a seniority-based system. Sir, I understand the rationale behind this argument, but such an automatic approach inadvertently gives the wrong idea that old people are "worth less", or worse still, "worthless". In my Radin Mas ward, I see the problem of old people losing their self-respect and dignity. Some of them have very low sense of self-worth.”
“Sir, apart from Dr Lily Neo, I think not many of us know about a block of old people in Chinatown, where they make death pacts among themselves: If you go first, I will take care of your funeral. If I go first, you take care of mine. Dying alone is a tragedy, something that is hard to imagine until we hear or read about it. What touched me is a story I recently read. It was written by Sylvia Toh Paik Choo. She is a well-known comic writer, but in this case, her story was a touching and poignant one. She wrote in a local newspaper about how an old neighbour, whom she called Auntie Hong Chee, now 80, was found in her flat. The bodies of her husband and daughter were also inside the flat, badly decomposed. Sylvia Toh found out about them when she read of the death in the newspapers, and she remembers them in better time. She wrote, and I quote: "Uncle Tong Seng and Auntie Hong Chee (his wife) were old family friends of my parents. Every Chinese New Year, the couple and their young son and little daughter would visit us in Prinsep Street. This was in the 1960s. We more or less lost contact in the 1980s and I often wondered what became of the Wongs. To my shock and despair, I read in the news two days ago of the sad circumstances of the deaths of Mr Wong Tong Seng and his daughter, and more painful still, the wife and mother Auntie Hong Chee's state, perhaps approaching senility, as she appeared unaware they had died, thinking they were sleeping." Sir, I hope we can create greater social awareness – about how we die, and how we can take care of those who may die alone. No one needs to die alone is in the overall context of regarding the elderly with dignity and value. Sir, I would like to make three suggestions on behalf of our senior citizens.”
“It is something worthwhile for us to promote in the society. *Cols. 1807-1808. Medical Tourism”
“In Singapore, we have almost about 20 burns victims dying of complications every year and, many times, these victims die because they are not able to undergo skin transplantation. Every year, the Singapore General Hospital's Burns Unit treats about 300 burns patients. These victims are warded because of industrial or family accidents. About 15% of the patients suffer extensive burns and 30%-40% of the bodies are severely burnt. So, if these patients do not receive skin transplants, their lives would be in great danger. We often say that money is not everything. We do not bring it to this world when we are born, therefore, we cannot bring it with us when we die. This is the same for our physical body. Therefore, why not treat it as a good deed? When we die, leave behind our skin and give it to those who need a skin transplant. Human values are not constant. Our value system changes according to the times. Therefore, in today's context, it is necessary to review our traditional values. The ancients said: "人死留名，豹死留皮". It means that when a man dies, he leaves behind a good name, the leopard leaves behind its skin. So, in today's context, maybe we should consider changing this idiom to "豹死留名，人死留皮" – when a leopard dies, it leaves behind a good name, a man leaves behind his skin. We say, "救人一命，胜造七级浮屠" – to save a life, it is better than building a seven-storey Buddhist pagoda." If we can leave behind our skin when we die, it is also a blessing to be able to give and this shows self-reliance and, at the same time, rendering help to others.”
“We would probably remember that, last year, seven Singaporean soldiers were injured in a foreign place when a fighter jet crashed into the room they were in. This accident killed three Singaporeans and injured the rest. One of the injured was flown back to Singapore for treatment. He suffered 45-degree burns on his hands and body. Donor skin probably saved his life. Sir, Singapore has to import skin from Australia, US and the Netherlands. And Singapore has the only comprehensive burns unit in this region and, in the event of terrorist attacks, we are likely to receive many patients. For example, after the Bali bomb blast in 2002, SGH received and treated 16 patients. After the Jakarta bomb blast in 2004, SGH treated 15 patients. And if the terrorist attacks had happened in Singapore, the number of patients would be much, much higher. Sir, it is time that we took greater note of this medical resource and encourage Singaporeans to donate their skin on death. I myself have signed up and pledged my skin to be used after my death. And I will take this as a final spa treatment before embarking on the next journey. Like organs, skins are truly a gift of life to our fellow human beings. I hope that one day it can be included in HOTA when the idea of skin donation has become much more widely accepted. Sir, I would like to continue my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Sir, first let me quote a Chinese saying: "人死留名，豹死留皮". It means that when a man dies, he leaves behind a good name, a leopard leaves behind its skin. I would like to ask: why can a man not leave behind his skin when he dies?”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this issue. This issue is relatively obscure, and for good reason. The issue of concern is that many people do not know that there are not enough skin donors in Singapore. Skins are donated when we die and, last year, only one person did so. Every year, the average number of skin donors in Singapore is between two and four people. This is way below other developed countries. For example, Australia has 57 donors in the first eight months of 2007. In the New York metro area alone, there were 173 skin donors in 2006. Each year, up to 20 people in Singapore die because there is not enough skin to save them. Sir, skin is not covered under the Human Organ Transplant Act (HOTA). Nurses and doctors have to ask families of the person who has died whether they would like to donate the skin. Very often, they are turned down. Perhaps people are just leery of this topic. They may think that their loved ones will be stripped of all their skin, leaving behind a muscled raw mass for burial. But this is simply not true. For skin donations, doctors shaved about 0.25 mm to 0.4 mm from flat surfaces like the thighs and back. And the body still has a layer of skin remaining. The affected areas will appear slightly pale and, when fully clothed, should not affect the donor's appearance. What happens to the skin after that? They are harvested in pieces and packed individually. Unlike organs, donated skin can last for a long time. After harvesting, they are frozen at -196 degrees Celsius and can be stored up to five years in this condition. Members may be wondering why I am talking about this topic. Are skins a matter of life and death? In a word, yes.”
“Sir, in my Budget speech, I asked whether the Ministry will consider to have a certification and tracking system for the recycling bins. I just want to seek clarification from the Ministry whether this suggestion will be taken up.”
“Sir, I am not a sentimental man, and I know that there are good and practical reasons for turning to new buildings. However, we need to be mindful in our urban development and not to create a city with nice tall buildings but shallow heritage. Sir, just to prove that I am not a sentimental man, I am going to ask for the costs and benefits analysis. Since the National Library has been torn down, have we done any analysis on the benefits accrued from pulling down this historical building which many Singaporeans have grown up with? If so, can the authorities share this analysis with us? Sir, the image that sums all this up for me is the National Stadium. This is another national icon that will be gone. This national icon holds lasting memories for many Singaporeans. Like the National Library and National Theatre, National Stadium can only live in our memories when it is gone. A country does not progress on the back of skyscrapers and modern glass buildings. It does so on the collective memories and patriotism of its people and the heritage, that all of us will remember our past and have a shared goal of building on and preserving the many familiar faces and places of this common space which we call Home.”
“Take the example of this tree called Albizia in South Buona Vista Road. Sixty-three Albizia trees in that area have been earmarked to be cut down after one such tree at the Bukit Batok Nature Park toppled and killed one passerby. Here, I would like to express my full sympathy to the family of the victim for this very unfortunate incident. After the incident, the authorities had initially decided that 63 Albizia trees in South Buona Vista Road were to be chopped down but, thanks to the efforts of residents there, only 13 of them which were found to pose real safety risk will now go. It is great that the Singapore Land Authority and the NParks are flexible and taking public feedback into account. So learning from this episode, I would urge that our authorities not to take the quick and easy way of felling trees without exploring and exhausting all the other options. My third point is on keeping old and functional buildings. Sir, I am glad that the en bloc fever has cooled down somewhat. But I join the chorus of architects and concerned citizens about the way and pace in which Singapore is changing. In our urge to modernise, I fear that we might be inadvertently tearing down some things that we collectively hold dear. I hope the authorities could put some sort of administrative brake to the pace and way in which old buildings and familiar landmarks have been torn down. 4.00 pm Sir, I know that it is difficult to regulate private condominiums and private houses. But the Government could try and save as many of its own old buildings as feasible - even its HDB flats - for example, the old walk-up and terrace houses along the MRT track near Commonwealth MRT Station, the black and white bungalows, the old Ministry buildings, etc.”
“Sir, thank you for allowing me to speak on this matter. It is a matter which I spoke on in my last budget speech one year ago, but the situation does not seem to have changed much. Hence, I would like to speak on it again this year. It is about being a Green Singapore with a strong heritage for Singaporeans to cherish. Sir, I made five suggestions last year which may be too many for the authorities to follow up. So, I shall cut it down to three this year and hope that they will catch on. My first point is about recycling bins. There are 1,600 sets of recycling bins within HDB estates. According to NEA, residents need not walk more than 150 metres from their homes to use the bins. It is commendable that the authorities have taken the effort to promote recycling. While it is good to cover our HDB estates with recycling bins, the success of the scheme depends on its implementation and all of us know that the devil is actually in the details. I have observed that some of these bins are often stuffed with rubbish and not cleared regularly and a few are more eye sores than recycling bins. As recycling may still be a new concept to some Singaporeans, there is, therefore, a need to step up our public education on the greater and proper use of the recycling bins. In addition, we should have a systematic and nation-wide certification and tracking of these bins, as well as an evaluation of the economic worth of the recycled products. I hope the authorities could consider these benchmarks which would give us a clear idea of the true extent of our recycling efforts. My second point is about protecting old and mature trees. I know that NParks has a team of tree doctors actively caring and protecting old trees, but I still think that sometimes we take our trees too lightly.”
“Over the past few years our economy has achieved good growth and we have enjoyed budget surpluses. The Government will generously give out ang pows to share the fruits of success with its people. This has inevitably raised our people's expectations to receive a bigger ang pow from our Government. According to Lianhe Zaobao's report on 17th February 2008, the headline pointed out that the people feel that the ang pow is helpful in taking pressure off the inflation. However, it is an inadequate measure. During my meet-the-people sessions, some residents' feedback is that the Government is very rich and therefore they should give a big ang pow; the size of this year's ang pow is too small. Such comments got me worried. During good economic years, the Government can share its surpluses with the people. However, will this make our people take it for granted and expect the Government to give a bigger and bigger ang pow every year? If the Government is unable to give out ang pow due to a budget deficit, will the people become disappointed and eventually despaired? Therefore, in its effort to share the surpluses with its people, it is therefore necessary for the Government to manage the people's expectations towards the Budget's bonuses. This is just like what Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong had said: "The people lack self-examination." I hope that the Government can, through National Education, educate our people and manage their expectations so that they can have realistic expectations about the Budget. This will ensure continuous growth and constant prosperity for our nation. Only by doing so can our people learn how to prepare for rainy days, take a broader view and adjust their expectations. Sir, I support the Budget. *Cols. 697-698. 1.43 pm”
“If there is a downside to the slow decline of the Chinese language in Singapore, would we have heard? Are these questions absurd? Sir, I have heard, but one man cannot stand against the tide. So I urge the Government and the relevant Ministries to consider these issues and their consequences with the budget given to them by the Finance Minister. With that, Sir, I support the Budget for the new financial year. Sir, I would like now to continue my speech in Mandarin. (In Mandarin ): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, I will now talk about a number of issues concerning the people. Every year, during the Budget debate, we are most concerned about what kind of bonuses the Government will give out, whether the people can get a big ang pow or a small ang pow. Besides cash bonuses, our people also hope that the Government will implement anti-inflationary measures to help us and our families cope with rising costs. Over the past year, the people are most worried about rising food prices, medical and transport fees, property prices and inflation. Although the size of the ang pow is not big, overall it takes care of everyone and makes sure that no one is left behind. The Government, through its five-pronged strategy, that is, appreciation of the Singapore dollar via exchange rates adjustments, diversifying food resources, home ownership, targeted help for the needy, and strengthening competitiveness, has helped to deal with inflation. These are all very carefully planned strategies. We hope that through such inter-agency and inter-Ministry cooperation we can continuously fine-tune and review our policies so that it can push for more efficiency. Lastly, I would like to raise some of my personal comments regarding the ang pows given by the Government.”
“The rise of China does mean that there is an added economic dimension to learning Chinese. For example, Jimmy Rogers, an American investor has moved to Asia and his daughter speaks fluent Mandarin. I do not think they would have done this purely for the love of the 5,000 years of Chinese history or to read the Dream of the Red Chambers in its original form. But, in Singapore, for the Chinese, we ought to have a certain pride and an intrinsic reason to learn Chinese for its own sake. We ought to appreciate Chinese calligraphy, painting and music. And we ought to have some rudimentary knowledge of Chinese history. All these will help greatly for our Singaporean Chinese to connect effectively to the Chinese in China, just like Jimmy Rogers' daughter. But how is it that young Chinese Singaporeans know more about the music of Amy Winehouse than Cui Jian ( 崔健 ) - the young man who picked up a guitar and galvanised a young generation of Chinese at Tiananmen? Sir, I am not a Chinese chauvinist. I stand for a united, multicultural Singapore. But for Singapore to remain multicultural, we have to maintain the multi-cultures! And we cannot slide into a meaningless, dumbed down existence where everybody knows how to say "ni hao" and not much else. Sir, my two questions - on the politics of a greying population and the identity of the Singapore Chinese - are not evidently important in the present day. They may strike many as so much philosophising. Sir, I started my speech with the following lines from a poem by W.H. Auden: "Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard." Would we have heard? If there is a growing discontent in the elderly, would we have heard?”
“First, we ought to stand against the tide of eroding standard of Chinese. The solution to the problem of sliding standard is not to lower the standard but to stop the slide! And we need to give schools more resources, more time, more teachers, and more materials to allow them to teach Chinese. And to teach it in the way that the language deserves. I know that the Primary One students now learn Hanyu Pinyin first, before characters, to make it easy for them to read. But this creates a crunch for them - how can they read novels if they depend on this anglicised Chinese? The Internet and typed Chinese is also another problem - many online novels have Chinese characters that are phonetically accurate but, in reality, the words are wrong. This is the result of the dependence on Hanyu Pinyin. Sir, I have many friends working in schools and for the Chinese newspapers. We share the same concern about the standard of Chinese here. So I hope that they do not take offence when I say that the standard of Chinese writing has declined in recent years. This problem is at once complex and easy. Complex, because it involves the collective will of educators, policy makers, the Chinese community and the Singaporean community at large to recognise that the level of Chinese here is not what it should be, and that we ought to tackle it. What follows is then easy - we fix the problem in the same way that we have fixed dirty rivers and narrow roads, drunken drivers and underaged drinking, imported inflation and structural unemployment. We are good at solving problems, but we are perhaps less good at recognising them at times. Second, we ought to take note of the rise of China. It is not possible to miss the self-evidence but it is possible to read it wrongly.”
“I am also glad that the Finance Minister has allocated more resources to Ministry of Health and to the Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports. So these funds will put us in a good position to tackle future medical and social problems which may only surface 20-30 years from today. Second, and this is perhaps the most difficult question of all: is our party and political framework strong enough to withstand the pressures that will come from the grey lobby? Many of the retired MPs have special relationships with older Singaporeans. So, is there a way to tap on their networks? On the political front, do we need a new political manifesto, for a new Singapore with a sizeable old population? So, aging is not a 'them vs us' problem. Political problems are not ageist; they apply equally to all ages. We have to tackle them on this basis, and I hope the Government could consider the two points that I have made. Who is the Chinese Singaporean? Now, I would like to address the issue of identity along a different line. It has become fashionable to say that we are Singaporeans first, and then Chinese, or Indian, or Malay second. And there are many Chinese Singaporeans who cannot speak Mandarin well, or others at all. Some of these Chinese Singaporeans are among the country's best and the brightest. This state of affairs we take for granted. There has been a common notion among many people that it is okay for the general level of the Chinese to be moderate, and to focus on our firepower at the high level, to create an intelligentsia, so to speak, who has strong command of spoken and written English and with perhaps elementary Chinese are good enough to keep the basic social conversation going. There are two main points I would like to make on this topic.”
“"One man two votes": The false battle So we had considered this political problem some time ago. One solution proposed was to give younger Singaporeans two votes, to count against the larger lobby group of the aged. There is a perceived gap between the young and the old. But before we rush in and try to tackle this problem, the experience of the Pensioners' Party in Israel shows that the problem is not so simple. Even young people would want to vote for this party. First, because they want their own parents to get better benefits; and second, they themselves want better benefits when they get old. So this is a party that can be hugely popular for a long time - until they deplete the country's resources and, then, we would have to think about the solutions. So it is not the Young vs the Older People; it's the Head vs the Heart. The head knows that we have to be tight- fisted with welfare. It knows that we cannot afford to be generous. We must, in fact, be cruel to be kind. The heart wants people to be free, to be happy, to have more than a plate of rice every day. It wants the poor to be rich, and the weak to be strong. And at election time, the heart sometimes rules over the head. Now, as far as this Government is concerned, what are the lessons that we can draw? First, we cannot under-estimate the political pressures of an aging population - that we must take into concern about retirement savings, healthcare costs and weakening family ties seriously. These are not just the concerns of the old. These are issues that will feature strongly in the future years, and we ought to tackle them now. I am glad that our Government has introduced CPF LIFE, a form of life-long insurance scheme to take care of the old till the very end.”
“When I go on walkabouts, there are many uncomplaining faces, they smile at me, shake my hand, and I hope they are happy. When we plan for the future, we often think of helping those who do not have enough. How do we help them? We give them a sufficient sum so that they can live a subsistence existence. Some $330 a month - a small sum enough to keep body and soul together. At the same time, we are also one of the most competitive, one of the most technologically savvy, one of the liveliest and most vibrant. For me, there is a disconnect between the two. Today, I would like to warn of the dangers of the perfect citizen who is uncomplaining but maybe unhappy. He is, in fact, politically quite dangerous. Why do I say that? I have spoken in Parliament of the Pensioners' Party in Israel more than a year ago. This is a party that swept seven seats in the 2006 elections. They campaigned on one single platform - in a complex and strongly patriotic country like Israel, you would think that issues such as foreign policy, education, or even security, would be the trigger. But, no, this party won on the back of one promise, ie, to give more to the pensioners. This is what one voter said, and I quote: 'The high cost of medicine, the cuts to the elderly, it's shameful. A disgrace. This will now end. It will spread to other places and have the largest lobby in the country." Others believe the Pensioners got wide support from many younger Israelis who want to once again take care of their elders. This is the political power of the people who have few complaints about the general state of their country - everything else - defence, taxes, schools - they think it is generally okay. But it is the pensions and old-age benefits that they are unhappy about.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, today, we count our victories and our successes. Our budget surplus is astonishingly high because 2007 was a very good year. We expected to lose $0.7 billion; instead we landed up with $6.4 billion in the black. Our forecast was wildly inaccurate but what a happy mistake it was. So, today, as we celebrate the past, we are excited about the future. Even as we speak of inflation, cost of living, tax rebates, economic matters, I believe we need to reflect on a deeper issue, a long-term but currently unapparent issue. And I would like to go beyond the dollars and cents to talk about our future, which is also featured prominently in this year's Budget Statement. Sir, I am talking about the Singapore identity in the long term. As a Member of Parliament, we represent our people, and we like to think that we can always rise to the challenge, but sometimes, once in a while, in our secret moments, we dream of the perfect citizen who makes our life so much easier. Who would he be? Let me try to sketch him as follows: "He was found by the Feedback Unit to be one against whom there was no official complaint. He was married and added three children to the population, which our Government says was the right number for a parent of his generation. And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education. Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd. Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard." So, colleagues, this is a parody of the Singapore system. We are neat, we plan, we work towards the future, and our people are happy. If not, we would have heard. Would we not? I work in Radin Mas. As you would know by now, it is an old ward. Many of the people are elderly.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the Minister for giving comprehensive answers to the questions. I would like to ask the Minister: given the inflation rate of 6.2%, will his Ministry be prepared to consider increasing the percentage of subsidy? I would also like to ask the Minister whether there is any room to consider asking the Singapore Medical Association (SMA) to reinstate the guidelines on medical fees, so that consumers will have a wider choice to consider. If there is indeed room for SMA to reinstate the guidelines, will the Minister support the SMA's initiative in this reinstatement?”
“The Ministry has said that it will have to rely on the Registry to effectively contain and manage diseases nationally. The Registry is also expected to become a valuable source of clinical, diagnostic and outcome data to practitioners and researchers. This sounds good but all rather vague. I would like the Minister to enlighten us on a few points. First, to tell us if he can, the expected benefits, such as the following: (1) Would this mean cheaper healthcare? (2) Would this mean better planning so that our doctors can be deployed more efficiently? (3) Or is it so that our financial projections for national healthcare expenditure can be closer to the mark? How precisely are we patients supposed to be benefiting from this Registry? The confessional in the clinic Sir, my last point is on the relationship that we have with our doctors. Given the fact that doctors now have to declare whatever they know about us to a National Registry, is there a chance that some of us may hold back what we already know and we do not tell our doctors everything because we cannot trust that they would not "leak" it to the Government? This, of course, is an unwarranted worry in any event but, in times of stress, people do not always think and act rationally. Sir, my idea is to strengthen the trust and relationship between patients and doctors. We ought to tell patients to continue to trust their doctors and be completely honest with them. We should also stress to doctors on how to explain the privacy protections to their patients. We must do this so that this new initiative does not intrude into the atmosphere of trust and honesty in the consultation room between the doctor and the patients. Sir, on this note, I support the Bill. 4.16 pm”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have three brief points to make on the Bill. My first point is that the National Registry of Diseases opens a fear that is natural to anything that requires us to declare our own deepest and most private secrets. Who in this House is prepared to make public the operations that he has had over the years, the medications that he takes for chronic conditions, and the infectious illness he or she may harbour? Yet, with the National Registry, we might all have to do it one day, sooner than later. True, there are safeguards in the Bill. True, this is a move which other countries have adopted. But this does not mean that the people are not worried. Privacy of medical information I have read of the two-step method to render our individual identities into anonymous digits. But I have also read that "Identifiable data will be released if deemed necessary in cases like national public health programmes, with approval from the Director of Medical Services." Mdm Halimah Yacob, Chairman, GPC for Health, has earlier expressed a concern on this matter. I, too, have the same concern. What are some examples of these national public health programmes? How often do we expect them to occur? What details will the information contain? For example, Mr ABC's blood pressure is 88/130. His cholesterol level is 120 and he has a family history of diabetes, and so on. Will it be as detailed as that? Sir, this concern is not unfounded. I was told that the American "Health Privacy Project" has data showing that one in five are victims of improper disclosure. These are worrying figures that the Bill or the Ministry has to address and prevent. Benefit to patient Now to my second point.”
“Singapore's reservation to Article 29(1), which is expressly permitted by Article 29(2) of the Convention, was entered to maintain Singapore's right to its domestic policies. With regard to the reservation on Article 9(2), the Singapore Constitution was amended in April 2004 to allow Singaporean women to transmit citizenship by descent to their foreign born children. We are currently reviewing this reservation. The Muslim authorities have followed up on the Committee's recommendation to study Muslim personal law reforms in countries with similar legal traditions. Research is still on-going. Mr Speaker, Sir, I like to also thank the Nominated MP, Prof. Thio, for moderating the CEDAW session with women's groups on 21st April 2007. Both the IMC members and participants had commended her for her professional and even-handed management of the queries and comments at the session.”
“The CEDAW reports and the Committee's Concluding Comments have been posted on the MCYS website for public information. The reservations to CEDAW are to five Articles, namely: (i) Articles 2 and 16, which require States Parties to take all appropriate means, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that constitute discrimination against women; (ii) Article 9, on the granting of equal rights with men to acquire, change or retain nationality; (iii) Article 11, which requires States Parties to take steps to eliminate discrimination in employment; and (iv) Article 29(1) which provides for disputes to be submitted to arbitration. Singapore has studied the possibility of withdrawing the reservations and decided that it is necessary and important to retain them. For example, in recognition of our multi-racial and multi-religious society, the reservations on Articles 2 and 16 are needed to protect the rights of minorities in the practice of their personal and religious laws. Besides consulting MUIS, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, Syariah Court and the Registry of Muslim Marriages, consultations were also held with women's groups and Muslim women's groups. Most combat vocations in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are open to women, such as in the areas of artillery, signals and air defence. However, Singapore has entered a reservation under Article 11(1) as women are excluded from a very small number of combat vocations, such as those which require considerable physical strength. Operational and safety considerations are also taken into account to safeguard the welfare of women and their unborn children from hazardous occupations.”
“A Constitution (Amendment) Bill was passed on 19th April 2004. (ii) Removing the quota on the intake of female medical students in 2003 to give men and women equal opportunity to read medicine at the National University of Singapore. (iii) Addressing gender wage differentials by issuing a Tripartite Declaration, by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trade Unions Congress (NTUC) and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), on Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Performing Work of Equal Value in November 2002. We also ratified the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 100 on Equal Remuneration to signify our commitment to equal pay for equal work. (iv) Encouraging equality in gender roles in the family through our parenthood programmes so that both men and women, fathers and mothers are able to harmonise work and family life. The measures include childcare leave for both parents, longer maternity leave and financial support for the family. Regarding the Committee's concern about the low representation of women in politics and decision-making positions, we have seen some improvements. In 2004, 12% or 10 out of the 84 elected Members of Parliament were women and five out of the nine Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) were women. Following the May 2006 General Elections, 17 of the 85 MPs, or 20% of them, are women. And of the 17, four hold political office. Five out of nine NMPs are women. In the public sector, as at January 2006, women constituted 56% of the civil service and formed 54% of the officers in the Division 1 and Superscale categories. As at February 2007, four out of 18 Permanent Secretaries are female and there are eight female Deputy Secretaries out of a total of 27 Deputy Secretaries.”
“As in the case of drugs, we must adopt a zero tolerance approach to drink driving. CONVENTION FOR THE ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN (CEDAW) 6. Prof. Thio Li-ann asked the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (a) what steps have been taken to address the concerns expressed by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, which oversees the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), in its 2001 Concluding Observations on Singapore's Initial and Second Periodic Report; (b) what has been done to promote CEDAW principles to the public and private sector and to disseminate the Committee's Observations to Singaporeans at large; (c) whether the Government will consider withdrawing any of its reservations to CEDAW; and (d) whether it has adopted the recommendation of the Committee to study reforms in relation to Muslim personal law in other countries with similar legal traditions and, if so, what are the findings of such study. The Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports (Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon) (for the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports): Mr Speaker, Sir, Singapore is committed to the advancement and well-being of women. Following our presentation to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in 2001, the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS), together with the Inter-Ministry Committee (IMC) on CEDAW, have been reviewing our policies, laws and services to meet the changing needs of society and our women. These include: (i) Amending our nationality law so that a Singaporean woman can transfer nationality to her child when she marries a foreigner and the child is born overseas.”
“Sir, education to influence the mindset of road users is a more effective long-term solution towards reducing drink driving cases. As part of TP's on-going effort to spread anti-drink driving messages, TP and the Police Licensing Division have implemented a new scheme that requires selected classes of liquor licence holders to display anti-drink driving posters at their licensed premises starting 1st July last. These anti-drink driving posters serve to remind patrons of the serious consequences of drink driving. All classes of liquor licence holders will be included in the scheme in December this year. In recent years, TP has also adopted a targeted approach in its anti-drink drive education efforts. For example, TP has been working closely with the key stakeholders to drive home the anti-drink driving message. Some key initiatives include arranging with taxi operators to provide taxi services at various entertainment outlets, country clubs and restaurants, and appealing to hotels, discotheques, pubs, karaoke lounges, night clubs and other entertainment outlets to look after their drunk patrons by arranging for taxis or car jockeys to send their patrons home. Anti-drink driving messages have also been disseminated through various platforms, such as television commercials, radio broadcasts, newspapers, banners, posters and other forms of outdoor advertisements. Sir, let me say that all of us can play a part to curb drink driving. For example, when friends visit a pub, they should designate someone amongst them to drive. Make this the "cool thing" to do. Family members can constantly remind their loved ones not to drive when they drink. Indeed, if anyone sees friends and loved ones who have drunk try to drive, they should stop them.”
“Question No. 5, Sir. The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, the number of persons arrested for drink driving increased by about 30%, from about 2,930 persons in 2004 to 3,730 persons last year. For the first quarter of this year, SPF arrested 920 persons for drink driving, an increase of 22% over the same period last year. Slight injury accidents related to drink driving also increased, from about 200 cases in 2004 to 260 cases in 2006 while fatal and serious injury accidents related to drink driving have remained stable over the past three years, registering 38 cases, 28 cases and 32 cases in 2004, 2005 and 2006 respectively. Sir, Traffic Police (TP) has intensified its efforts to curb drink driving, adopting a three-pronged approach, that is, legislation, enforcement and education. Legislation is constantly reviewed to ensure that they remain relevant and provide adequate deterrence to road users. In 1990, MHA strengthened the Road Traffic Act (RTA) to increase the penalties for drink driving, in particular, to impose mandatory jail term for repeat offenders. In 1996, when breath alcohol concentration measurement equipment became more reliable, the RTA was amended to include the use of breath alcohol levels as evidence. A provision was added that as long as a driver has a blood or breath alcohol concentration higher than a prescribed limit, he would be guilty of an offence. The Traffic Police will complement tough laws with rigorous enforcement efforts to curb drink driving. Hence, road blocks are conducted island-wide every night with more road blocks conducted on weekends, holidays and during the festive periods, when motorists are more likely to drink and drive.”
“While it is true that many of the spam mails may come from overseas, tightening up the control is nevertheless a useful step forward as a start. Even if it may reduce the total amount of spam by only 10%-20%, it is still 10%-20% increase of the time saved and increase in productivity. As more countries are putting in place anti-spam law, gradually there will be a worldwide effort to check the expansion of spam mails. Sir, the proposed Spam Control Bill has covered email quite adequately, in my opinion, and it has also covered SMS and MMS too. For me, this seems to be a reasonably first step at this stage of development. However, I hope the Ministry could keep the options open on the need to finetune the Bill in future to take into account new technologies that could create new types of spam. Sir, on this note, I support the Bill.”
“Sir, talking about numbers, allow me to just churn out a few more statistics to illustrate the power of spam mails and the impact on individuals and countries. In 1978, a spam mail was sent to 600 addressees. This was probably the mother of all spam mails and in 1994, a first large-scale spam mail was sent to about 6,000 newsgroups, affecting millions of people. In June 2005, the number of spam mails rocketed to 30 billion a day, and one year later in June 2006, it reached 55 billion a day. Another six months down the road, in December 2006, it went up to 85 billion a day and in February this year, 90 billion a day. In fact, as I am speaking now, the number of spam mails is multiplied by the millions worldwide and as the Hon. Member, Ms Penny Low, said just now, even Microsoft Chairman, Mr Bill Gates, received up to 4 million emails a day and most of them are spam. And I recall hearing a report about this on the BBC in November 2004. Two-and-a-half years down the road, I am sure Mr Bill Gates' email would have been multiplied by now and he has to set up a department whose main function is to filter out all the unwanted mails. Such is the impact of spam mails, and the high cost to filter them. Sir, spam mails are growing in astronomical number, with no sign of abating. Actions must be taken to curtail the growth of spam mails. In the USA, President George W Bush signed the first Anti-Spam Law in 2003 and, likewise, Australia, UK, Japan, South Korea have done so. It is therefore timely for our Government to also put in place a control mechanism to try to prevent the avalanche of spam mails from blanketing and suffocating the email users in Singapore. Some argue that the proposed Spam Control Bill may be a toothless tiger since most of the spam mails come from overseas.”
“Spammers invade our privacy, for example, by making us read about Viagra and Mega Man when we are at home writing parliamentary speeches at 12 o'clock midnight. Sir, I would like to highlight another argument, ie, there is an economic cost to spam mails. What I did just now in my opening paragraphs took about 50 seconds. If the House was full, it would have meant about 50 seconds from each of the 84 Members and, in total, a full 70 minutes in lost time. And of course we know that the spam multiplies easily and effortlessly, so the economic consequences are also multiplied. I did a little survey in my workplace and the purpose was to find out the number of spam mails received by my colleagues over a one-week period. Forty of my colleagues were respondents or victims to my survey. The total estimated number of spam received by them in a week is 2,800, or an average of 10 spam mails per person per day. Only two such mails were found remotely useful - one was for pizza promotion, another on travel. But neither was acted upon in the end. And, yet, each spam mail has taken a few seconds to a minute or two for the recipients to open and read it or to click and delete it. Sir, these numbers mean that there is a certain wastage of time and loss of productivity to the email recipients. There is also an increased risk of virus attack on the computer systems. Taking all this as a whole, the direct and indirect costs to our society are substantial and the wastage of time and the loss of opportunity costs are also enormous. The Minister just now put a price tag of $23 million for the loss of productivity a year. I suspect the number will increase.”