Seah Kian Peng
Singapore
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. Just a few supplementary questions. Given the decline in volume and given that I can understand SingPost having their challenges, how does the Ministry ensure that there is no degradation of services that are provided by SingPost?”
“Yet, violence, domination, pain, harm and abuse also occur within the walls of a family. We need to be vigilant and sensitive in our approach. Hard rules and automatic application of these rules are a poor response to the challenges that we face today.”
“Both parents and schools have a role to play in shaping our children in the way they should go and I agree with Mr Don Wee that it is important for families to have open conversations about these matters.”
“Just a quick supplementary question for the Senior Minister of State. First, I must say I am surprised but happy that the number of cases has gone down. Having said that, we need to also pay attention to the number of unreported cases. Personally, I am sure we have heard from many residents who come to us for these cases.”
“Second, we propose to put in place new processes to prevent the misuse of the MPA by parents who have abandoned, abused or neglected their children and did not fulfil their parental duties. In so doing, we also protect and spare their children from unnecessary distress.”
“The way we feed ourselves will not be the same. The way we live and the way we work will also be different – telemedicine, work from home, online learning and the need for insurance. But there are other things which will remain the same – resilience, unity, and a single-minded commitment to our joint future.”
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“Becoming a cultural city was not merely a pipe dream or a good-to-have: it came from pride in our emerging identity and the desire for the world to know about Singapore. Page: 165 Pioneer artists like poet Edwin Thumboo were deeply invested in a cultural vision for Singapore. I quote from a recent conversation he had with an officer at MCCY, "Everything Singapore has earned, we have had to build up; we have had to create. And right from the beginning, the Pioneer Generation writers knew we had to create our own national literature. The sense of forming an identity was very strong. And with that, to create a multiracial society that taps the strengths of all the cultures." 7.15 pm Besides building a national identity, our Pioneers also engaged with the regional and global context. Take our pioneer artist Liu Kang. He was passionate about Singapore and Southeast Asian art. In a 1963 essay, and I translate from Mandarin, he wrote, "Southeast Asia needs an arts centre to be the leader of the pack. Where, then, is this arts centre? I say it is Singapore!"”
“Several Members spoke about creating spaces in the city that will allow us to feel an emotional connection to place. Ms Janice Koh mentioned this in the Budget debate earlier, Mr Baey Yam Keng said it just now in his speech too. I share their sentiments, but I also acknowledge the practical challenges and constraints we face. We will always have to tread that careful line between attachment to physical sites and Singapore's development needs. We are doing more to preserve these physical sites – to document and research them and, in some cases, to protect. But we are also sowing the seeds for new "spaces": spaces for sharing, reflection and for communities to remember. Take Mdm Helen Chua – a resident from Taman Jurong. This is a photo of her daughter in the 1970s. Mdm Chua shared this with us for an exhibition at the community museum in Taman Jurong. She recalled how her family would catch large, black tiger prawns near Jurong Lake. They would bring them back in a pail and the whole family would share them for dinner. It is a simple story, a personal memory. But in the act of sharing, it became more about family and community, about the shared experiences that many growing up in the Jurong area could identify with. We thank Mdm Chua for sharing because stories like these remind us that as we move ahead, some things will always be with us; and these are the memories that we must preserve and remember. I have spoken on the importance of our past. Let me move to the future of our cultural scene, in both the arts and sports. I will start with the arts. For many years we have talked about being a global city for the arts. Perhaps to the point that some have forgotten what a precious dream this was to members of our Pioneer Generation.”
“It is for all Singaporeans to decide the true spirit of SG50 and what it means to be a Singaporean in this important phase of our nation's journey. We have received many ideas from citizens on how to celebrate SG50. I have enjoyed reading the suggestions that were submitted through our website. One bright idea came from Claire, who suggested that the whole nation wear red to support Team Singapore at the 28th SEA Games next year – a "sea of red", she said. Mindy suggested a "Kallang roar" at the new National Stadium. Yok Lian suggested holding a quiz competition between housing estates on Singapore's history and future plans. I think these are all very good ideas. We have set up an SG50 Celebration Fund to resource these initiatives driven by the community. And I would encourage Singaporeans to tap on the Fund and to implement their ideas. It has never been for the Government to define a Singaporean culture or a Singaporean way of life. As then-Minister of Law Mr E W Barker said as early as 1969, and I quote, "The evolution of a common culture is not the monopoly of the Government... Culture must evolve spontaneously from the social milieu". Indeed, culture and heritage are not contained in the walls of our Museums. Several Members like Mr David Ong and Mr Arthur Fong also spoke about this. Our culture and heritage spill into, and emerge from the community; from Page: 164 ordinary lives, from everyday places. So, it is the community that we look to engage. Our strategy has been to create spaces for heritage to flourish. We now have 13 heritage trails all over Singapore. We also have community museums, galleries and heritage corners. We will continue to work with residents to bring these to life. We hear their stories and we record them for the future.”
“This new Wing will open in May this year and this will put us on a good start for the broader museum revamp, which will be ready by next year. The next project is the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM). As Singaporeans, we ought to know what has shaped us; how the confluence of Asian cultures in the region has driven the way Singapore interacts with the world. So, the Museum plays a different, but also important role in understanding our national context. The ACM will undergo quite a transformation. For a start, we are re-designing the lobby, introducing new shops and dining options, and expanding the permanent galleries. This will give us more exhibition space for important Page: 163 artefacts. For instance, we will bring in the Tang Cargo – a selection of over 50,000 objects, salvaged from the Java Sea, that testify to our past as a centre of trade in Asia. One of the expanded spaces is the China Gallery, which should be completed next year. I am glad that the private sector has stepped forward to help fund this. The building will inject a fresh and modern element into the otherwise classical architecture of the Museum. Meanwhile, we are exploring a new entrance for the ACM that opens onto the Singapore River. We may combine this with the new gallery space that will breathe more light into the Museum. This needs a bit more study, but it is a potential game-changer for the Museum. It would open the Museum to many more visitors and convert it into a vibrant offering along the waterfront. Not to mention, this would connect the Museum to the historic heart of Singapore. These are some of the Ministry's efforts leading up to the 50th anniversary. But the celebration is not just about what MCCY wants to do.”
“And I agree with him. That is why we aim to design a new experience in the Museum that will capture more of what we call "everyday heritage" – heritage taken not only from the grand pages of history, but from the lives of "ordinary" citizens. In particular, the Singapore Memory Project has collected stories from Singaporeans from all walks of life. We will showcase a selection of these memories in the Museum. Stories are told not just in words, but in seemingly simple objects as well. And we will feature more of these in the Museum too. This year, the Museum has been collaborating with MediaCorp on a TV programme called "Treasure Hunt", where we invite Singaporeans to contribute their own artefacts that are part of our national heritage. We have received many interesting collections, including old campaign posters, football medals from the 1977 Malaysia Cup and personal items from the early days of National Service. These are objects which many of us can relate to and they tell a very personal history of Singapore. Most of the memories that Singaporeans have shared hark back to the post-independence era, when we were finding our feet as a young nation. So, the new Museum experience will provide more glimpses into Singapore's history post-1965. I think this is a natural and significant step in our telling of The Singapore Story. It is a story that must expand over time and that all Singaporeans must know. Central to this is to make the Museum a place young Singaporeans remember growing up with and would want to go to. So, we are introducing a new Wing at the National Museum called Play@NMS which will be dedicated to children and young families.”
“It is more than just the numbers because many are visiting for the first time, like Mr Sani. Last month, he brought a friend from Australia to the National Museum of Singapore. Mr Sani works in the sales industry and he says that his favourite exhibits at the National Museum are the ones on Food and Film. He says that they remind him of the old days – vendors who sold kueh tutu, and tok tok mee, and the films of the late P Ramlee. Another example is Ms Lee, who brought her two daughters to see the Total Defence exhibits at the National Museum. Now that admission is free, they tell us that they do not have to rush to see all the exhibits within a day. So, Ms Lee is planning to visit the museums more often in the future with her family. Overall, our free admission policy has made an impact. But we cannot stop there. As several Members said just now, it is not just about the numbers for the visitorship. We also want Singaporeans to have a meaningful time at our museums, so that they will return. And as Mr Arthur Fong said just now, we want our museums to be a must-see stop for visitors as well. So, I agree with Members that we must invest in quality and content. That is why we are setting aside more resources for conservation, for acquiring of new collections. That is why we are also embarking on two major projects on the occasion of our 50th anniversary. First, the National Museum. The Museum serves an important civic function in engaging Singaporeans on our national history. So, it must resonate with the people. We find that stories tend to work best. Mr Alex Yam spoke earnestly about this earlier in the Budget debate. He urged us to help these stories live on, "Simple, heart-felt stories of ordinary men and women" that Page: 162 embody the pioneering spirit.”
“Some suggested a break from the narrative of scarcity and vulnerability, toward trust and possibility. Others highlighted that it would be foolish and dishonest to ignore the harsh realities that confront us. For our Pioneer Generation, perhaps these seemingly opposing views were two sides of a coin. They knew what it was to be at the mercy of international forces beyond their control. They knew what it was to be uncertain and afraid. But where they were uncertain, they were also determined; where they were afraid, they also had a quality of optimism. Not blind faith, but conviction, and a keen eye for possibilities. Our pioneers were neither larger than life nor anointed with powers beyond the ordinary. They did not chase glory or seek danger. But together, they saw possibilities for Singapore, for our way of life, and the nation we could be. They were heroes when it counted. They were extraordinary when we needed them to be. So, I am glad that Budget 2014 honours our Pioneers. And as our Jubilee approaches, we need to look in both directions. To our past and the example of our Pioneers; and to the future, to the sort of Pioneers this generation wants to Page: 161 be. I thank Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr David Ong and Mr Arthur Fong for their strong support of our museums. I agree fully with them on the importance in building awareness of our past. That is why I decided on free museum entry last year for all Singaporeans. Members asked what has been the impact. In the six months since the policy was introduced – from June to December last year – visitorship increased by more than 25%. So, I am glad to announce that 2013 was a record year for museum visitorship. For the first time ever, we had more than three million visitors to our museums.”
“Sir, how are we using sports to reach out to underprivileged communities? How effective has the SportCares initiative been? This initiative was started to facilitate sports philanthropy and volunteerism. Since last year, the SportCares Foundation has raised S$1 million from corporates and individuals, including through one-to-one matching from the Sports Council. These funds go towards sports programmes that provide skills Page: 160 and character development for children, teenagers and youths in need. I have taken part in a few of these SportCares events, for example, Football with a Heart. I was among 700 footballers representing over 40 organisations which helped to raise more than S$400,000 for organisations that included "Football with a Heart." I would like to ask what projects there are in place today, an update on the funding, and whether the Ministry has some specific roles in mind for the sporting community to play in this effort. The Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Lawrence Wong): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their interest in our work at MCCY. And with your permission, I would like to display some slides on the screens. [Slides were shown to hon Members.] Pardon the voice, it is a bad time to have a raspy throat but I will make do. Next year, we celebrate 50 years of Independence. That we are able to do so at all is not to be taken for granted. Our Pioneer Generation, they would know this best. They fought for Singapore to survive. They met slim odds with great conviction. So, here we are nearly 50 years later, a nation strong and free – because of that early grit and determination to succeed. Members have debated the way forward for the next 50 years and beyond.”
“We in Singapore also have our fair share of such extreme conditions: from heavy and intense rainfalls, cool and dry weather and even hailstones falling here. The frequency of such freak weather is also higher these days. Can the Minister tell us about the preparation against these? Energy Efficiency in the Public Sector Sir, my next cut. How is our public sector responding to improve energy efficiency in the various public buildings and offices? I have spoken on these for several years – from suggesting a change in attire to regulating the temperature of the air-conditioning in this House. I drove past the MOE building at about 9.30 pm last week. The lights were all ablaze. So, I guess the officers were hard at work preparing for the Budget, but I certainly hope that these lights are not on every night. In fact, I would like to have motion sensors in all public buildings and staircases, and even HDB blocks. Each time I drive around at night, I am amazed at the beauty of our flats and then dismayed that there are so many lights switched on for no good reason. Sir, I know that there are many test-bedding efforts for energy savings. Can the Minister please update and give us a holistic picture? Management of Hawker/Cooked Food Centres”
“Sir, this is indeed a strange time to speak about floods – in the middle of the longest dry season in more than 100 years. But perhaps it is also the best time – in droughts, we plan for floods; and in floods, we ought to remember and be patient, because rain is also good news for Singapore. Singapore is a paradox because, although we get some of the highest rainfall anywhere in the world, we are also extremely water stressed. This is because we are so small, we do not have any space for large reservoirs. So, PUB is also a somewhat paradoxical agency – there are people who are trying to get rid of water – the drainage section – and there are people who are trying to save water or create new sources of water. In truth, of course, PUB is one of the most admirable and under-appreciated agencies in Singapore. They integrated the water cycle in a way few other countries in the world can. Through the demographic changes, the rise in population, all the stresses we have seen in infrastructure – in transport, health and housing – these have not appeared in water. We have not experienced a drop in supply, or water rationing, or even indeed, any drop in water pressure. For this, I salute the engineers and water managers in PUB. It has been two years since PUB accepted the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Drainage Design and Flood Protection Measures to improve Singapore's flood management approach. I would like to ask what is the progress of PUB's work to address flash floods and improve Singapore's flood protection? Page: 167 Has our planning parameters changed taking into account that global warming is upon us, as evidenced by extreme weather conditions that many countries and cities are experiencing in recent years?”
“We, therefore, have a moral obligation, those of us whom time and circumstance have been kind, to give this man as much help as we can. Not out of charity, not because we are so benevolent, but because, there, but for the grace of God, or the throw of a dice, go I. I ask the Minister to consider if the community can have some inputs on who ought to receive housing priorities or whether the CDC can have this role. I am referring to groups, such as divorcees, single parents and ex-convicts. As the Ministry calibrates and tries to stabilise and moderate housing prices, achieving a balance in interests between current home owners and prospective ones is also important. At the same time, there is a need to ask the public to exercise caution with regard to buying of properties overseas as there are other factors to be considered, such as forex and interest rates. In some places, there is a very limited secondary market. I am referring to properties where there is little scope for real price appreciation. The Ministry's job is not to be naysayers, of course, but to provide some public education. I hope the Minister can give his views on this. Page: 100 Singaporeans Buying Overseas Properties”
“Madam, I had, over the years, spoken for higher priorities to be accorded to single mothers, and parents with children. Given that housing problems are much less intense now – and this is kudos to the Ministry and HDB – I would like to now ask that we accord more attention and a higher priority to vulnerable groups, including divorcees, single parents and ex-convicts. In my Budget Debate speech, I had asked that the Government fund more and decide less. The world is changing faster than we can govern. Given the current complexity on the ground, we can either build up the Government more, make more elaborate plans and go into finer details. Or we can do less. We let Page: 99 the community plan for and have a say in it. I believe in our Government's philosophy of self-help and self-determination. But over the years, this basic policy has given itself a moral edge. Those who have succeeded have worked hard and those who have not are lazy, ill-disciplined with an overgrown sense of entitlement. I have spoken on this before, when I decried the behaviour of some rich young Singaporeans thinking that they are better, more talented and more deserving of success than their peers when all they had was the incredible good fortune to be born to rich parents. Today, I want to make the broader point that the notion of meritocracy has been tainted from an anti-corruption, fair play motivation to one which lauds success and ties it with justice, that the rich deserve to have more, to be treated better because of something that they themselves have done. Sure, there is some link between effort and success but, given that luck and circumstance too have a role, we ought to recognise that how a man sometimes ends up at age 70 is sometimes not completely within his own control.”
“It is a model for a stable, vibrant country, onwards to tomorrow, to our better selves, to a bigger, more prosperous Singapore. It is a model that allows us to offer a hand out to our fellow Singaporeans, and an eye on the wider horizon beyond. Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget. 5.14 pm”
“We need to give our men and women more space, more policy space and more financial resources to help us take the next step for Singapore. Perhaps, it is all in the language because in his speech, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister spoke about how individual players show what is possible – from a security company using cameras to a menswear retailer. He encourages this innovation and funds it with the PIC. What about raising productivity in the people sector as well? Of course, in business productivity, we can use economic measures. In the people sector, we can use social indicators – the number of people in need, the improved living conditions, the lower dropout rates in school and Page: 116 some qualitative measurement, such as satisfaction with the community. In the private sector, we have the PIC scheme. For the people sector, we do not have many of such schemes. On improving productivity, the Minister for Finance announced that the PIC scheme, due to expire in 2015, will be extended another three years and this extension will cost the Government $3.6 billion. I am not asking for $3 billion for the people sector, but I do want to start, perhaps, with $100 million, 5% from the MCCY budget – and I will find you 100 Tan Lai Yongs to spend it well and carefully. Today, I have asked the House to consider a new model of Government and budgeting. We move from the model of a paternalistic, lean Government, where many of the decisions and ideas came from the Government, to one where the Government has a bigger role in funding, but a smaller one in deciding where the money should go. This is a more liberal, stronger Government. This new model is a model for our time; it matches the profile of our people and our country's budget position today.”
“" We should become smaller because we need to see that, today, we are a country where the community itself is rich – rich in ideas, in expertise, in heart. I will give an example. There is a doctor, who is sort of a wandering saint in Singapore. He practises very good medicine but only when he is paid very little or not paid at all. His name is Tan Lai Yong, and he teaches at NUS. The Page: 115 course is called "Hidden Communities" which is a very suitable name because he sees all those things in Singapore which are hidden to us. He treats migrant workers for free, he brings students to visit prostitutes in Geylang and help them, and to Jurong Fishery Port in the middle of the night. He works with kids from broken homes, but not to give them tuition or anything useful like that. He buses them to NUS, and lets them eat in the NUS dining hall with some homeschooled kids and then buses them back. He does very oddball things, which a normal policymaker will not do. I do not know his boss but I can imagine that she has a very complex set of KPIs for him. This is a man that I will give $1 million to. Not because he can write a fine proposal, not just because he has a good track record, but because he has a weird and wonderful mind and heart. To many people, Tan Lai Yong, who spent 15 years in Yunnan treating the poor and training village doctors, is poor. He has no car, no house, not a HDB flat to his name. But he is one of the richest men I know. He has friends from the villages of China to the ghettos of India. He is rich in ideas, strong of heart and boundless in energy. There are many like him in Singapore – in our Universities, banks, mosques, temples, churches, many places. And in that sense, Singapore is rich and the Government needs to be small.”
“Let us not sacrifice too much for the long term, and regret 50 years later that we did not do enough or we did not do the right thing at the right time. Second, it is time to let go of the technocratic, big planning model of Government. The insulation of planners and civil servants from political pressures is a model that has operated for a long time in Singapore. But I have argued that we need now a messier, more negotiated process. We want to change fast and in many directions at the same time. True there are down sides – but I believe that there are also many upsides. An under-appreciated point is that such a politically-informed process results in superior outcomes and greater legitimacy. So, in short, it is time for the Government to grow both bigger and smaller. In the 1980s, two-thirds of our healthcare spending came from the Government. Today, it is one-third although, obviously, the quantum has increased significantly. Perhaps, it is time to relook this balance. Government also needs to grow bigger because the world is becoming smaller – trade blocs are changing, alliances are being formed, the polar ice caps are melting and new sea routes are opened up. Climate change, terrorism threats – online and offline – all these require a strong Government. But Government also needs to be smaller – we cannot make all the decisions, we should not make so many plans. We ought to let people and the community step up and decide what they want for themselves. We must say, "Hey, look, we may not know everything. We may not know which is the best way to care for the elderly living in this block; we may not know how to get them to be less depressed. We may not know if homecare works better, or day care centres. We may not know which is the best model.”
“This is the new model of policy-making I have in mind. We need to plan less and allow the people to do more. We also need to fund more. We have the old demon of Western liberal democracies, spending on populist welfare programmes and funding these with high taxes or high debt. We have been successful over the past four decades by advocating work over welfare. But I think we have also seen that prosperity is not a tide that floats all boats equally. Some of our countrymen are stuck in increasing poverty and many of these are the elderly first generation now in their 70s and 80s. It would be a cheap shot to refer to the cardboard collectors, the tissue sellers and the elderly cleaners we see in coffee shops. We know that there is a need to get used to the idea that we have to work for longer. But for many of us today, well educated, well trained, this work is a choice and part of a meaningful life. For the elderly today, work can be grinding and back-breaking. I am realistic enough to know that we cannot make welfare so comprehensive that no work is needed – but I just want to make it a little less hard. To make life a little more bearable, a little more meaningful – and freer from the condemnation of poverty and bad luck. Madam, in conclusion, I want to bring us back to why we ought to rethink our Budget going forward. For years, Singaporeans have been socialised to think long term, tighten our belts, make sacrifices and defer consumption. It has created an existentialist gene in our national psyche – not altogether a bad thing for a small country less than half a century old. Page: 114 But, perhaps, it is time to take in the counter-narrative.”
“Madam, I know that we had looked at the long term – we aim to be internationally competitive, we aim for a high spot in the rankings, we aim for top-class research. But look at the here and now. In Political Science, Communications and Public Policy, some of the most important and context-sensitive fields of endeavour in any country, less than half of the faculty are Singaporeans. Hyperopia is not a fatal flaw; neither is long-term planning an unchanging virtue. Let us take both long and short term into account. What is the big picture? What is this country that we are building? Our Universities – what are they for? Who are they for? And these questions, of course, lead to a more general one – what is the good life for all of us here on this island? From universities, I want to move to the poor of Singapore. It is true that there are many schemes to help; it is also true that quite a few of these schemes are under-utilised. The solution is not more social workers to help with the form filling, but to require fewer forms and more seamless and coordinated delivery of social services. That requires a fundamental shift in the thinking on welfarism. And to do that requires an even more fundamental shift on what counts as a "sustainable" policy. Madam, I will say more on this in my cuts on MSF and MCCY. But I want to say here that, for a start, 5% of the MCCY budget should be open to the people sector within a broad set of goals. There are two reasons to take this radical approach. Page: 113 First, given our strengths, the community bonds, the relatively high level of education, we are in a good position to undertake this. Second, given the fast rate of change, operationally, it makes better sense for a decentralised highly autonomous operation.”
“One of my colleagues, who has a daughter studying at the National University of Singapore, told me how rare it was for his daughter to hear a Singaporean accent when being taught by NUS professors. I was actually ready to dismiss the claims but, then, I heard it again – this time, from a student at NTU. So, through Parliament, I asked MOE for some figures. I found out in the Political Science Department of NUS, 28% of the 25 faculty members are Singaporeans. In NTU's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, 41% of the 29 faculty members are Singaporeans. In the NTU Wee Kim Wee School of Communications and Information, 44% of the 48 faculty members are Singaporeans. And in the NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, 46% of the 82 faculty members are Singaporeans. I do not know what the international norms are – MOE does not have comparable figures for UK and US universities. I agree that our Universities need to be competitive and internationally well recognised. I know that in our Universities, as in other professions, there needs to be open competition. But the percentages are surely astonishing – only a bit more than one quarter of the professors at the Political Science Department in NUS are Singaporeans! Madam, I do not say that we need to hire Singaporeans only, or that we ought to practise affirmative action. This will be an insult to the many great Page: 112 Singaporean minds in our Universities today. But after looking at the numbers – and, of course, these are numbers in particular departments – I thought, perhaps, we ought to have a look at what is going on. Again, I must qualify that these are the numbers only for particular departments – the rest of NUS may, indeed, be awash with pink ICs.”
“Today, I would just like to ask the Finance Minister to consider the short term; aside from the $8 billion, think about what else is needed, and take the additional funds from the reserves and spend it on taking care of the Pioneer Generation of Singaporeans. Eight billion dollars for those needy among the 450,000 elderly Singaporeans does not buy luxury or even comfort but, indeed, and importantly, it provides peace of mind. The peace that comes with the knowledge that we, as a collective community, want to give them as good a life for as long as possible. I know that the Finance Minister's Budgets over the past few years have seen many incremental increases in social spending, but we think of this as mainly "investment", such as on education. Page: 111 Also, we have used our reserves some 55 times over the past 10 years, but they were on investments and funding asset development. The only real drawdown was in 2009, when $4.9 billion was used to help workers and fund other social schemes in the light of Singapore's worst recession since Independence. All the money was put back within three years. So, this was considered a "good" use of money. But why? A wholly political approach is wrong. But so, too, is a wholly rational one. My point here is not about public finance or neo-liberalism but, rather, a more straight-forward one about long-term planning. Long-term thinking and planning does have its place. But in today's Singapore, the next lap is, perhaps, the most difficult to take. In health, education, transport and housing, there is increasing contestation not just in the ways and means of achieving goals, but in the very nature of goals themselves. Take, for example, the role of our national Universities.”
“Psychologists show the cost of long-term thinking this way: people suffer short-term regret when they choose pleasure over work but, from a Page: 110 longer-term perspective, the deeper and more severe regret is suffered at passed-up opportunities for pleasure. The common tale is told that at one's death bed, it is about spending more time with family rather than at work – but what about taking a day off to go deep-sea fishing or scuba diving? What about taking the train across the trans-Siberian railway when you are 21 and full of energy? I must clarify that I have not done any of the above. The lesson? Do not deny yourself small and immediate pleasures to a degree that you will regret for life. For years, Singapore has practised hyperopia as a virtue. We say – Singapore takes the long-term view. "Long-term thinking and planning" has long been a placeholder for good policy making. And, indeed, it was. But in Singapore today, with most basic policy goals in housing, education and health fulfilled, it can be a weakness – it robs our policymaking of the heat and emotion that inform the everyday lives of Singaporeans. Take our reserves, for example. Any suggestion on the use of reserves elicits a knee-jerk reaction – this carefully built-up nest egg can be frittered away with one or two election terms and must be kept only for a rainy day. This $8 billion was not taken from our reserves. Indeed, our fiscal position is so strong that even with this $8 billion, we are running what can be said to be a balanced Budget. But is balance always a good thing? Is the impending demographic change not rainy enough for us to run into deficit? Madam, I am not suggesting that, not today anyway.”
“Mdm Speaker, six months ago, I had intended to stand up and do what appeared to be an audacious thing at that time – I wanted to ask the Finance Minister for $2 billion to spend on the elderly. I thought it was a large sum of money, but I knew it was sorely needed because of our ageing population. Of course, today, even as I am standing here, I feel I really ought to be sitting down – because $8 billion have already been set aside to be given out. Indeed, this $8 billion Pioneer Generation Package is filial piety of a new order – that of nation and citizens doing the right thing for our pioneers and elders. Today, I stand here not because I think $8 billion is not enough but because I think we ought to change the way we fund the Government and Government activities. Today, I want to make the argument that we need a new model of Government. A model that requires us to (a) think short term; (b) to think less and fund more; and (c) to set up a PIC fund for the people sector. First, I stand because I urge a review of our time-cherished virtues. It has become common to cast the failures of Singapore policymaking as a failing of the Politics-Policy divide. Some critics say our politicians are more technocrats, with little appreciation of the mud and messiness of politics. Politicians, in turn, have defended their actions with the sanctimony that they are "doing what is right, not what is popular." I argue that both sides may be right, because they are speaking of the same thing – a larger cognitive bias that they call "hyperopia" or extremely long-term thinking.”
“My supplementary question is under your purview, Minister. I would like to ask whether there are any plans that are firm for the floating platform. I have found the floating platform to be a very, very nice facility. I hope this would become a permanent feature and we could use it and enhance it and not take it away.”
“Just a short supplementary question. Minister, I applaud and support all the steps that we are taking in this sector. I would like to ask whether the Ministry has a sense of the current shortfall of workers and professionals in this sector. I ask this because I expect that, in fact, the demand for these professionals and then other workers in this area will only grow and intensify. I hope that beyond making it more attractive for our citizens to work in this sector, if need to, we should allow the FSCs and the VWOs to also look at alternative sources outside the sector.”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. First, I would like to thank Acting Minister Mr Chan Chun Sing and Senior Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How for their replies and, more importantly, the good news and the many plans Page: 70 and approaches that were announced during this COS. I also want to thank Mdm Chair because I know during her stint as Minister of State at MSF, she had a big hand in shaping many of the things that are revealed today. When this new Ministry was first set up, I was very excited because I think it is the first time that family came to be part of a Ministry's name. Actually, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) should be called MSFD and not just MSF because MSFD also stands for "Mother, Son, Father and Daughter" – so, on behalf of every mother, son, father and daughter both in this House and outside. I also want to thank the Permanent Secretary Mr Chan Heng Kee, Deputy Secretary Ms Ong Toon Hui and all the diligent staff at MSF, all the social workers in the social service sector, all the related agencies, the VWOs for their great work. It is my greatest pleasure to beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $1,760,286,900 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $55,798,900 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Thank you, Mdm Chair. I have two clarifications. First of all, I am very heartened by the good news extended to single unwed mothers. My first point of clarification is this. There are many plans which the Ministry is rolling out, and I support all of them. I have asked in my earlier cut about the demands on the manpower side, the manning side, whether it is for social workers or for childcare teachers. Could the Minister share with us how his Ministry intends to provide this manning level to support the plans that we are going to roll out? My second clarification concerns the adult disability homes, the day activity centres and also the senior group homes. Again, these are very good measures to roll all of them out. The Minister mentioned that for some, it is based on needs. What I would like to suggest is that for certain infrastructure that we have decided, and rightly so, to build ahead of demand. I would like to suggest to the Minister that for these homes − all of us have many of these cases in our MPS − that we should also not wait for needs to arise, but to build ahead of demand.”
“I understand in 2007, the Government offered up to $20,000 grants to firms that embarked on pro-family projects, with 20% of the money disbursed upon approval and the remaining sum disbursed upon completion of the project and the firm attaining the Pro-Family Business Mark. I would like to ask for an update on the situation now, whether such measures are still being considered or in the pipeline, and how many companies and even schools are working towards a pro-family culture. Page: 28 In addition, I wish to ask how we can build the capabilities of the family education and promotion industry, to assist efforts to promote pro-family mindsets. How can MSF, specifically the Family Education and Promotion Division, do more to support employers' efforts to promote a pro-family culture, beyond just funding? Can the Ministry also work with other partners to provide family education and promotion? Finally, to encourage Singaporeans to form families, we also invest even more in singles' programmes and be generous in helping businesses and organisations plan such activities. For example, recently, during Valentine's Day, places like Mambo Cafe and Club Lava at CHIJMES held parties for singles to mingle. Beyond such one-off events, could we encourage more of such gatherings and also a wider range of businesses to plan similar parties or meet-ups? Life events, such as falling in love, being a father, turning out to be a failure or a success – all these are a matter of luck and chance, as well as human endeavour. After all that we do, these cold blooded policies may cause nothing to change, but we never know unless we try. So try we must. Restructuring the Childcare Sector”
“Mdm Chair, I declare my interest as a Board Member of Centre for Fathering and also the Co-Chair for National Family Celebrations. The Government recently announced enhancements to the marriage and parenthood package, and also for child and infant care subsidies. These indicate the Government's commitment towards supporting families in creating a pro-family environment. However, developing a family mindset is not just about material incentives. It is also about equipping people with the right skills, values, and attitudes to enhance the quality of their family life, and to reinforce a pro-family culture. In short, the moral or normative incentives. This, of course, is a far more difficult task because it involves changing the mindset and, frankly, I prefer to change my own mind than have the Government do it for me. So, I am heartened by Prime Minister Lee's concurrence that beyond financial incentives, fostering a pro-family social environment and reaffirming Singaporean's attitudes towards having children is important as well. I would like to encourage MSF to further invest and embark on creating a pro-family climate and movement across the island – be it at work, schools or communities as we help Singaporeans pursue a more positive family life. I would like to ask what else the Ministry intends to do to reinforce the role of the family, to develop a pro-family mindset and across different age groups. Institutions, such as schools and the workplace, can play to reinforce the role of the family. How can the Government support them?”
“I know that IDA, MSF and NCSS – they are all working together on a five-year Social Service ICT Master Plan, with the aim of enabling the delivery of coordinated and integrated social services through VWOs and Help Agencies. May I ask for an update of the implementation of these initiatives? For integrated service delivery, I think MOH's Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) provides a very good model for social services. But it needs to see itself not merely as integrating healthcare but also the general physical well-being of Singaporeans – which does include some element of social care. For example, does "befriending" an elderly who lives alone include checking on his medication? Can primary healthcare education – including the need for screening, preventive medication – could this be a form of social care? To this end, the merger of AIC with the Centre for Enabled Living (CEL) under AIC is a good move. But more must be done. Perhaps a counterpart, an agency for integrated social services, needs to be set up in MSF itself. We need to be super integrated as part of the new social infrastructure throughout the island. We can consider the use of CDCs, HDB branch offices, Community Clubs, FSCs and so on. The bottom-line is this – that we need to Page: 185 have more delivery points for social assistance so that there is easier, more timely and better accessibility for people in need. Accordingly, we also need to provide adequate resources to ensure that the personnel manning these centres are trained properly. Coordinated Social and Community Support”
“This is a really small increase. At the same time, however, the number of people who require services is increasing far more quickly. So, how are we going to ensure that besides the supply of professionals, the productivity of our social services also increase, especially the labour-intensive ones? By 2030, the elderly will constitute 19% of the total population, amongst a host of other issues that will probably surface at that same time. In many other areas of policymaking, the problems are complex and multifaceted. This one – Page: 184 of a lack of manpower in social services however – appears to be quite a straightforward one of increasing supply. Given that in the short-term, we cannot do so, can the Minister explore other solutions, perhaps giving the religious organisations and VWOs a greater role in social services provision? More Integrated Service Delivery Next cut, Sir. There is no doubt that Singapore society is getting more complex. To cope with this, we need a more coordinated and integrated social service with more delivery points for social assistance to be rendered to beneficiaries in a timely manner. While MSF has revised the eligibility criteria and quantum of some of its schemes, there are more needy families with complex needs who require assistance and services to be coordinated across different agencies. The Government's service delivery has to be improved. What strategies is the Ministry pursuing to better address complex ground needs? Families and individuals may require different combinations of help and services, and social assistance and service delivery can be better coordinated at the ground.”
“Mr Chairman, manpower is scarce everywhere, but particularly so in the social service sector. Yet, demands for such services will only increase. I would like to ask MSF what its plans are to build up the manpower supply and capabilities for the sector. What productivity improvements can we expect in an area that is so labour-intensive and which cannot, on the face of it, be mechanised? Social services are complex and labour-intensive in nature. Given the manpower crunch, it will be a challenge to ensure that the sector's capabilities are sufficiently built up to meet growing social needs. In March last year, MSF rolled out a number of manpower initiatives to strengthen the social service sector, one of which was to help VWOs provide competitive remuneration for social service professionals. I would like to ask to what extent have the VWOs benefited from this increase in funding, that is, have they been able to attract and retain critical staff? Part of this must be to reduce the dependence on non-Singaporeans for social service needs. We need to increase the supply of these social service professionals. Could MSF also provide an update on the implementation process? In particular, has additional training pipelines and scholarships been opened, and have they attracted more promising and passionate Singaporeans to join the sector so far? Could MSF also provide an update on the plan to enhance career advancement and professional development opportunities as well? Finally, I wish to ask what plans MSF has in place to achieve greater productivity for the more labour-intensive social services. At end of 2011, we had around 9,300 social service professionals in the sector, and the manpower in this sector has grown by an average of 1% to 3% annually.”
“[Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair] In terms of transport, I wish to compliment the efforts of the MOT in improving the accessibility of all public buses, MRTs, as well as public buildings and facilities. I know also that the Caring Fleet and Handicap Welfare Association have been providing specialised and dedicated accessible transportation for wheelchair-users and persons with limited mobility. Can we do more to further improve the transport infrastructure and also to have more wheelchair-accessible taxi fleet that are geographically based to cater and better serve such people? All in, there is still much scope for us to further improve our social safety net in terms of both coverage and scope but also making it more flexible. I hope some of the ideas and the suggestions I have outlined here can be taken up by the Ministry. Page: 172 Social and Family Policy Matters”
“But here is a taller one – what about integration with the MND as well? I will elaborate on the need for integrated care delivery in another cut. For now, I would like to say this: last year, the Ministry announced the plans to ramp up services to enable the elderly to age-in-place through community and home-based care. In addition, the Ministry is also working on the recommendations of the Enabling Masterplan for persons with disabilities. For Page: 171 now, I wish to ask on the progress of the Enabling Masterplan to date. Even with the rollout of the plans, some parents with adult children with disabilities have expressed their anxieties over a lack of adult care services for their children. I wish to ask for the Ministry's plans in this area. As I know, although families of persons with disabilities can benefit from the Foreign Domestic Worker (FDW) Concession Scheme to employ FDWs to take care of them full time, for those families who are still unable to employ FDWs or maids, there is no help for them. There are still no assisted living facilities for persons with disabilities, or the option of home-based care for these families. Currently, there are seven adult disability homes, three adult disability hostels and 19 day activity centres. Yet, even so, there is still a lack of capacity at all these existing centres. For this group, can we extend better support for adults with disabilities through the provision of more places in adult disability homes and day activity centres? With the ageing population and longer life expectancies of persons with disabilities, demand for adult care services will increase greatly in time to come.”
“Madam, I would like to move on to the issue of the ageing population. While the Ministry has various schemes in place for the needy, there are some families who may have additional specialised needs such as healthcare or hygiene consumables, and these are not covered by the general level of social assistance provided. Most schemes have medical bill assistance as part of the package, but schemes that specifically address healthcare needs, there are only a few. Even amongst these schemes, there are a few which I know of like the General Assistance Fund administered by Northeast CDC, and also the EyeWear @ South West administered by South West CDC. These seem to provide some kind of help for healthcare and medical consumables. These healthcare needs are most acute for the elderly – and I think in our usual efficient manner, we have classified these needs under primary healthcare. Madam, I wish to ask how MSF intends to cater to the needs of such vulnerable groups more effectively. Also beyond cash schemes, can these help include some discretionary one-off aid, one-off consumables? There is significant overlap between the social and primary healthcare needs, especially among the elderly. 6.45 pm I know the good work that the AIC is doing – integrating healthcare amongst the acute, to preventive spectrum, and working with VWOs. Although the care for the elderly does take up a large part of this work, I believe that in the future, the work of AIC will become even more important as the need for good primary health care increases. This work cannot be easy. Still, I will add another challenge – integration is already difficult enough within the MOH, but to ask for integration with another ministry, that is a tall order.”
“Madam, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head I of the Estimates be reduced by $100". There is a sense of disquiet in Singapore as we age. Increasingly, the notion of "security" is not just a matter of finance, but a basic matter of a roof over our heads, food and mobility. Looming over this is the idea of healthcare costs. Today I ask the Minister to do even more and make our social services more secure and more comprehensive than ever; to take on the lens of a user point of view and include all aspects, be it health, infrastructure, social services as part of a larger social safety net. In the past, we have relied on the notion of "many helping hands" and this squares with our national values, but it is also a matter of financial tightness on the part of Government. Given our current financial status, can we afford for the Government to be an even larger helping hand? This hand should first be extended to vulnerable families – families with breadwinners in jail, single parents and also single income families. Can we have targeted assistance for each of such family groups? Can we review and enhance existing schemes to see if more can be provided for these groups? In particular, I would like to ask also for the extension of maternity leave for single mothers. I have in the past championed the cause of not just fathers but also single mothers. So, over the course of my two terms here in Parliament, I have made the case that they should be thought of as mothers first, and singles second, if at all. I ask the Minister to consider these family units as legitimate calls on our national resources and, indeed, to make more provisions for them Page: 170 than usual families because of their extra needs.”
“If it is, can I suggest that the Ministry consider having both these pedestrian overhead bridges to be included in this first batch? While the need is critical for both areas, I think it is even more pressing for the one at Lorong Lew Lian because that is where I have a number of elderly residents.”
“Madam, I have two clarifications. First, is concerning weekend ERP. I have taken note of Minister Lui's sharing that it has led to slower traffic flow at those areas arising from the deduction in ERP charges and the change in timings. The data I asked for cover quite a few areas: Marina Bay, Orchard Road and the CBD areas. I would like, if possible, for Minister Lui to be specific in those three areas. I do believe that for Marina Bay – from my own experience and that of my residents and friends who tell me – traffic flow is really quite light. If it is not possible for full removal of the weekend rates for all the areas that I have cited, can we go into these specific areas? If one area is possible, let us try. My second clarification is for Parliamentary Secretary Faishal Ibrahim. First, I am very happy to hear the news that there will be lifts coming to the pedestrian overhead bridge at Serangoon, except that at Serangoon, I have two pedestrian overhead bridges, one which is immediately next to Nex Shopping Mall. I Page: 69 assume this first batch of lifts that is coming up applies to that area. Not very far away, less than 300 metres, there is another pedestrian overhead bridge. I am very concerned for that one because it is along Upper Serangoon, very near to Lorong Lew Lian area. Lorong Lew Lian is a very old estate. In fact, it contains the first blocks in the whole Singapore to get the lift upgrading programme many years ago. It reflects how old it is. There have been many times that the residents have raised the issue about the overhead bridge there. I assume that the lift in the first batch is coming to one near Nex at the MRT station.”
“In late 2011, I had proposed for the removal of weekend ERP charges in places like the CBD, Orchard Road and some other shopping districts. Since then in May last year, the LTA had reviewed the ERP charges as promised, and delayed the start of the ERP operating hours on Saturday in Orchard from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm and also reduced the ERP rates for the Bugis-Marina area. Can the Ministry give an update on the outcomes of these changes? Are the results positive? As previously suggested by myself, and also agreed by Minister of State, Mrs Josephine Teo, we could listen to the feedback from the retailers in these areas. So, I had channelled to the Ministry the feedback I received from the Orchard Road Business Association, Marina Bay Business Association and also the Singapore Retailers Association. They are all supportive of the move to remove weekend ERP charges as this would Page: 18 encourage more shoppers to the shopping districts on weekends. It would also lower the costs to motorists, too. Therefore, I hope the Ministry would kindly consider the full removal of weekend ERP charges in the CBD and shopping districts.”
“In 2014, the lease of many hawker centres will expire and the land of these hawker centres will go back to the Government. There have been concerns raised by these hawkers as to what will happen to them when the time comes. Given that these hawkers have depended on their stalls for their livelihood these last 20 years, an end to their lease, if not renewed, will cause much distress and disruption to their lives. Furthermore, they would have to pay new rental rates to the Government then, which may in turn affect food prices. So, I would like to ask the Ministry what the plans are for these affected hawkers. In addition, since the pilot project in 2010 where Kopitiam opened the first privatised wet market in Sengkang, what has the situation been like? Wet markets are part and parcel of our Singapore heritage, and they are great for community bonding and building a local identity. However, there have been concerns that with the privatisation of these wet markets, the corresponding increase in rent has also affected the livelihood of not only the stallowners, but also the customers who buy from them. My fear is that if care is not taken to help these stallholders to maintain their competitiveness, both their businesses and consumers will stand to lose out eventually. So, I would appreciate if the Ministry can give an update of the privatisation of wet markets, and an assessment of whether such a scheme has met its objectives. Environmental Sustainability”
“Mdm Chair, Singapore has achieved good growth in our tourism sector over the last few years. However, our domestic resource constraints, in particular, manpower could limit the rate at which this important sector can continue to grow. Concerns about manpower availability will heighten following news of a further reduction of the overall dependency ratio ceiling (DRC) in the Services sector. Given both external and domestic constraints, can Singapore continue to remain competitive as a tourism Page: 73 destination in the region? Can MTI also update us on how our tourism sector could transform itself further so as to remain competitive? Specialised Tourist Guides”
“Madam, I have a few clarifications. The first one is concerning the Parenthood Priority Scheme. First, I want to thank the Minister for introducing this and also for taking up my proposal to extend it to married couples who are expecting. There are many good initiatives in this year's COS announced by MND and HDB. It is very important that we now invest more resources in communicating these new initiatives to all Singaporeans and to every Singaporean family. And specifically for the Parenthood Priority Scheme, I have one suggestion. If we could have some leaflets at the Registry of Marriages, for example, to tell them that this scheme exists. There is one part about housing options, the other part is about boosting TFR. Anything that we can do to help so that as many Singaporeans can benefit, we should. My second clarification is to the Senior Minister of State Mr Lee Yi Shyan about the Enhancement for Active Seniors Programme. Again, another excellent piece of news. We are all delighted that this is all coming across to all HDB houses nationwide. My suggestion is whether we can consider modifying some of these in future to include vulnerable and elderly families in private estates. I understand there will be differing views but I think if we can just look at, say, elderly and vulnerable families in private estates. We can look at it on a case-by-case basis. We can look at tweaking some of the subsidy levels, maybe not immediately, but something which I hope the Ministry could consider in future.”
“With Our Singapore Conversations in progress, I encourage the Ministry to use this platform, or create a similar platform, to talk and discuss deeply with Singaporeans, to better understand the aspirations and needs of our current and future generations. Let us have a conversation about housing issues and take this opportunity to have a shared perspective in our journey to develop the housing market for our current and future generations. This will help us set a balanced expectation of Singaporeans and the Government in the development of the housing market for the future. Page: 128 HDB Housing Levy”
“These include the issues of price-to-income ratio, loan period, the use of CPF, going back to basics of public housing, the role of the Government in public housing, and many more. During my engagements with Singaporeans at their homes and coffee shops in Yishun, many of them are appreciative of the efforts of the Ministry in trying to stabilise the housing market. As the market is relatively imperfect, they are concerned as to where the market is going. In particular, they are concerned about how the housing market will affect their children and grandchildren, in essence, the future generations of Singapore. Sir, as we move forward, if I may, I would like to touch upon the topic of housing for our future generations. The MND has transformed Singapore's housing landscape and created homes and communities that Singaporeans are proud of. Beyond building on past achievements, I believe that our housing market should be set to scale a greater height, while at the same time meeting the needs of Singaporeans. A home today is more than a cherished dream; it is the foundation on which future aspirations will be built upon. It is now a place for family development, retirement for some, and a future stake and investment in the country for others. Young people today adopt a geo-social viewpoint when selecting a property for their future. The surrounding space and activities do matter and will affect the way they view life in the country as a whole. With the new normal environment in place, as well as the increasing diverse needs of our society, I would like to urge the Ministry to review its thinking processes behind its housing policies in building for our future generations.”
“Whatever the intention of owning a home, the majority would agree that, as a society, we must try our best to ensure that every Singaporean has a home, be it rental or their own, to build their lives and their families, who will, ultimately, build our Singapore society. We have seen how our housing landscape has changed over the years. We have witnessed how the quality of our public housing and its ancillary facilities has improved significantly over the last five decades. We have seen how the Government has tweaked the bundle of rights in public and private housing, such as the lease term, the relevant taxes, as well as the minimum occupation period, and so on in meeting the objectives of its policies. We have also seen the different types of flats being rolled out to meet the needs of Singaporeans from different backgrounds. These include the flats under the Design and Build Scheme; Design, Build and Sell Scheme; Executive Condominiums and Studio Apartments. The selection of public housing has also evolved – from the much anticipated experience of selecting our flats beneath a big tentage to the current BTO approach. The much-debated issues of price, demand and supply have also been a point of interest and concern among Singaporeans over the years. On the other hand, the share of the private housing market has also shifted over the last few decades. We have seen more and more private housing, especially condominiums, being developed in close proximity to the heartlands, giving a vibrant mix to the housing landscape in Singapore. Housing issues have, indeed, Page: 127 become integral to the lives of Singaporeans. In recent years, many Singaporeans have raised issues which they hope the Ministry should review as we move forward in the next phase of housing our nation.”
“Madam, I have proposed various suggestions to improve our total fertility rate (TFR) over the years, many of which have been incorporated in this year's Marriage and Parenthood Package. Under the PPS, young married couples with children under 16 years old are now given priority to buy their first public housing flat and, to facilitate that, 30% of new flats will be set aside for them. I would like to suggest, though, that this PPS be refined to also include young married couples who are expecting but do not belong to the above-mentioned group. There may be some implementation concerns in terms of verifying if the couple is, indeed, expecting, but I am sure it will be just a simple Page: 126 matter of producing some medical documentation as supporting evidence. This move will certainly help further boost the TFR. For these couples, knowing that they are given priority and that they can get their flat when their child is born is a major boost in encouraging them to have children younger, if any at all. And having spoken to many such young couples, I know this is a consideration for many couples starting or growing their family. [Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair] Housing for our Future Generation The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Minister for Transport (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim): Sir, housing has always been an issue close to my heart. For many of us, the home represents a haven for comfort, peace, happiness and tranquillity. For some, the passage of home ownership represents milestones in their lives and their stake in Singapore.”
“I thank Mdm Speaker for allowing me to provide the same clarity for others in this House. Finally, I hope, through these examples, the Government – and I am looking at the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance – would continue to look at ways to further build, nurture and grow the social enterprise sector. Social enterprises and cooperatives can help us in our journey to build a more inclusive society and, when we do, a Better Singapore would follow. Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget. 3.20 pm”
“I cite this because the national profile will show that about 31% of our workforce is more than 50 years old. This shows that we are very pro-mature workers. FairPrice also ploughs a large part of its surpluses to the community to help the poor and needy, the elderly and low-wage workers, as well as to VWOs and many charities. We also do our best to help moderate the cost of living. One good example is the senior citizens discount that we give out every Tuesday. The figures would show some five million transactions each year benefiting over 90,000 senior citizens each week. I checked the figure yesterday, which was Page: 75 a Tuesday, and, indeed, over 90,000 senior citizens came by. What does it cost us? Over $2.3 million each year and this amount can only grow. We are also a strong promoter of local SMEs and their produce. We do our best whenever a crisis strikes us − Bird Flu, SARS, rice crisis and the list goes on. Whenever the opportunity for profiteering arises, we will certainly be there to try to stand up against it by taking the first hit. All these are not by chance but deliberate policy and guiding principles that we subscribe to because we are an NTUC co-operative with a social mission. I am stating all these because not so long ago, in October 2011, Mr Png's colleague, Mr Yee Jenn Jong, also made some statements concerning NTUC co-operatives, which I had also addressed and clarified. But since Mr Png raised some of these issues, I wanted to take this opportunity to shed more light. Mdm Speaker, co-operatives are a check on pure market forces. They have social, not political ends. I am a PAP Member of Parliament and a staff of NTUC FairPrice Co-operative. I am clear where one set of duty ends and another begins.”
“Further, from the margins that they have, they have to decide where to give this help. It makes sense, certainly to me, to channel this to where the need is greatest. If this logic is faulty, I would thank the Member for Hougang for correcting it and, more importantly, provide his own distributive logic. As a social enterprise, Foodfare has extended an extra helping hand to those who are on the Public Assistance scheme and to the elderly. This can be seen really from its $1.99 economic rice community project, as well as its recent launch of its Budget Pick programme where these groups of people get extra help with discounted meals. And for the avoidance of doubt, NTUC Foodfare Co-operative does not enjoy any subsidised rental from the Government or NEA in any of the premises they occupy. They still have to make an offer and, if they are successful, pay at market rates for the premises, just like anyone else. So, I find some of the comments made yesterday a bit incorrect, not just to the co-operatives, but they also cast a certain slur on our efforts and it also demeans the work of the many people who work in and for the co-operatives. Eating out at hawker centres and kopitiams is a favourite pastime for all of us. And, indeed, at NTUC Foodfare stalls, they provide a convenient and affordable meal option for all Singaporeans and consumers alike. But, of course, if you want to stretch your dollar even further, nothing beats cooking and eating at home. And this is where another NTUC co-operative, NTUC FairPrice comes in. We work for over 630,000 owners − all Singaporeans who own our shares. We employ about 9,000 staff and they are overwhelmingly Singaporeans. Over two-thirds of our staff are female and over 40% of them are above 50 years old.”
“Additionally, its basic coffee or tea prices start at how much? $0.70 and $0.80 at their coffeeshops and food courts respectively. These are good benchmarks. These prices, offered to all customers, have not increased since 2006, regardless of where the outlets are. They strive to ensure that basic food offerings, such as fishball noodles, yong tau foo, duck rice and others, are one of the cheapest and provide great value for its customers – again, regardless of whether they are union members. For example, you can get a bowl of fishball noodles at $2.50 in their Clementi coffeeshop. If you like chicken rice, there is $2.80 chicken rice at Yew Tee coffeeshop, and char siew noodle at its Rivervale Mall foodcourt for $2.80 a plate. It is not an easy task to balance quality options and affordability for the masses and, at the same time, balancing the business aspirations of their tenants. In addition, they strive to also deliver these in a good shopping ambience – standards and comforts befitting what the customers want. Members heard earlier their foodcourt at Marina Bay Financial Centre. Those who have not been there, pay a visit. It really serves up a menu at heartland foodcourt prices which are easily 5% to 15% cheaper than any neighbouring Page: 74 foodcourts in that area. While Foodfare strives to serve every Singaporean, not just its union members, Foodfare does strive to do even more for the poor and needy. So, I wish to put this question to Mr Png: should the poor and needy or those on the Public Assistance scheme not be helped more? Let us not be naive. Foodfare helps nobody if it cannot first make its numbers work. But given what they have, they have already decided not to make super-normal profits.”
“In addition, in April 2011, Foodfare launched its One Million Plates for Singapore, an initiative to help Singaporeans cope with the rising cost of cooked food. Under this initiative, Foodfare set aside one million NTUC Value Meals, which are available not only to union members, but to all Singaporeans in all its outlets. The meals, at discounted prices, can be redeemed via coupons Page: 73 at every stall. In order to better reach out to the poor and needy who are not union members, Foodfare also partnered the Community Development Councils (CDCs) to distribute 200,000 coupons out of the one million to needy residents so as to make a difference where it is most needed. Foodfare's efforts to do good for the general public to moderate the cost of cooked food are also being acknowledged by a private property owner of Marina Bay Financial Centre. In fact, just now, hon Member Mr Liang Eng Hwa talked about his own personal experiences. Foodfare was invited by the owner there to operate the foodcourt there in order to provide reasonably priced and quality cooked food to the general public and the working people in the Marina Bay area. I know for a fact that many office workers and PMEs there, they all wished NTUC Foodfare had opened much earlier so that they could have saved more money from the meals they had to otherwise take elsewhere before Foodfare was there. Now, let me give some more specific examples of the good that Foodfare has done for all Singaporeans and consumers. For example, Foodfare's Breakfast Set delivers very good value at just $1.80 to the public. And what does $1.80 give you? Two eggs, a toast and a cup of coffee or tea. If you compare that with the average price sold in the market today, I think they range between $2.50 and $2.80.”