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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“I just wanted to say that I think it is a great outcome for both countries and, given that it has taken us so much time to get to where we are, as the duration of the three agreements are about 25 years, I wonder whether it is possible that we could have a situation where it is an auto renewal, rather than a review followed by a renewal. I am just changing it slightly with a view that we want to secure the future for both countries and for the global community, particularly for global travel. Something for consideration.”
“So, I would like to ask the Minister to consider that the support for work, with dignity and in a fulfilling job, as single parents, be written into the amendments so as to allow each one of us, women and men, to live fully whatever life choices we make. Sir, I support the amendments. 1.53 pm”
“Both these points have, over the years, been made by NTUC and fellow labour Members. We should review the existing Tripartite Standard for Flexible Work Arrangements or consider other support systems or policies for employers to help their employees better manage their work-life needs through flexible work options. Work and marriage may seem quite far apart in terms of legislation but, in reality, one impacts the other. Flexible work arrangements have suddenly come upon us in force, due to the pandemic. We have seen how such work arrangements benefit so many of us, especially for working mothers, so that they can fulfil all the roles which they desire, with minimal impact on their career development. Wearing the hat of an employer, it would be remiss of me to assume no one takes advantage of work-from-home (WFH) arrangements. I think all of us have seen the very small minority who could be not working from home but skiving from home. It is important that we do not jettison such WFH arrangements for fear of abuse by this small minority. We could, for example, deter such behaviour by ensuring that they are sanctioned in the same way as all HR violations. After all, this is COVID-19 and we are already in 2022. The Women’s Charter was a document written in the 1960s at a time when the fight for equality was nascent and the problems more severe. Today, as what Minister of State Sun Xueling has said, Singaporean women stand shoulder to shoulder with Singaporean men on many issues. But today, as with yesterday, we still have some way to go in ensuring equal respect and eradicating violence and bias.”
“Whatever the name, I support this move which, I think, accords respect and dignity to both parties. Like marriage, divorce is seldom a bloodless, contractual, dry process. I am sure we all know of friends, colleagues, residents whose marriage did not work out and they decide to part ways – some on good terms, some rather acrimonious. Whatever the case, while we cannot take the emotions out of it entirely, we can and should reduce the bureaucratic pain as much as possible. The third element, also commonsensical, is less often discussed. Having decided to part ways, we have decided, in terms of custody, to be “child-centric”. I fully agree with this. I wonder, however, if we ought to take a closer look at provisions for parents, especially mothers, in employment matters. That is to say, ensure that parents, who now have to take care of separate households, will be able to do so. We must recognise that divorce is a major life stressor for the individuals involved, permanently affecting workplace livelihoods and family structures. Sir, you would know that I have, in this Chamber over the past 15 years, spoken on the issues and challenges facing single mothers. You have, too, many times. Divorce proceedings should consider the livelihood concerns of single mothers and how they can be supported. I ask for us to consider how to better support such single mothers. For example, can we ask for Court-ordered interventions, such as mediation and counselling, to include employment advice and assistance for women who are unemployed at the point of divorce? I also call for better flexible work support for employees at all life stages, especially mothers with caregiving duties, and career development for back-to-work women.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, today’s debate follows your own moving of the Bill in 2016. The amendments are, in the main, to allow both men and women to make decisions about marriage, divorce and family and then, for laws to make these decisions binding. That is to say, the amendments play little part in telling the parties what the decision should be; they merely make it easier for such decisions to have the force of law. Overall, there are many commonsense elements in the Women’s Charter amendments, but I feel I ought to still lay them out simply here, so that it puts my additional requests to the Minister in perspective. First, we feel that family and marriage in Singapore ought to be protected and strengthened. This has been the case for many years and is something that most of us support. So, we should make it easy for people to get married, whether the signifier is online or not. The key is the intent. I am also strongly supportive of allowing religious ceremonies as part of the process. For many of us who believe in matters beyond the earthy, binding ourselves to a partner has a deeply spiritual dimension. Reminding ourselves of this, in a public, open and memorable manner is a strong commitment device. Second, that no one goes into a marriage looking for divorce. But having decided to do so, one should be helped along, as much as possible, by the administration of the process. In this, the amendments provide a smoothening of the path, once decisions have been made. I am not sure of the term “therapeutic justice” when referring to the amendments allowing for “divorce by mutual agreement”. To me, this is not about justice but about the freedoms to enter into a contract and the exit clauses which we can choose to exercise.”
“I salute you, I think we in this House certainly salute you and Singapore salutes all of you. [Applause.]”
“It serves as a powerful platform that develops social harmony and contributes to nation building. Today, with the ongoing pandemic, we have shifted focus towards more pressing needs to help and address topics on bread and butter issues such as employment, training and the protection of the elderly. Supporting these areas and supporting sports need not be mutually exclusive. The common denominator is about celebrating the indomitable human spirit in overcoming adversities and challenges and collectively encouraging one another to better ourselves. For athletes with disabilities, the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) provides support and deserves our help too. Corporations can and should make meaningful monetary contributions and in this regard, I am pleased to say that NTUC FairPrice has and will continue to support this cause. In fact, since 2008, we have contributed over $4.3 million on various sports-related initiatives to help Singapore become a sporting nation. We also call out the different identities of the athletes. Pin Xiu is a role model on so many fronts. She and our other national sporting talents, they have all brought our country together and she is an inspiration to all – in her sport, her role as a community leader – and a tribute to her family, especially her mom whom she considers as her hero. How apt that this year, MSF has dedicated 2021 as the Year of Celebrating SG Women. Pin Xiu is a fantastic role model for young women and that so much is possible, and this itself is a cause for much celebration. So, congratulations, Team Singapore Olympians and Paralympians for your dedication, your hard work and your achievements at this year's Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Games.”
“Mr Speaker, let me first declare my interest as a board member of the Singapore Olympic Foundation and the group CEO of NTUC FairPrice. Mr Speaker, Sir, what does it mean to celebrate a victory? Today, I congratulate and celebrate the achievements of all our sporting talents at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the Paralympic Games. Many of us in this House will have special ties to the athletes. For me, my celebration is especially loud for Ms Yip Pin Xiu, a gold medalist five times over and a former Nominated Member of this House. I have known Pin Xiu and her parents for some time because they are residents at Braddell Heights and valued members of the community. When Pin Xiu won her Paralympic gold medals in 2016, there was a motorcade parade to celebrate her victory and that of other Paralympians. The motorcade passed by our constituency and we had a big contingent of residents and supporters there to cheer her on. Pin Xiu had also featured in NTUC FairPrice's SG50 campaign – this was 2015, six years ago – where we did the campaign to recognise the heroes in our life. Pin Xiu calls her mom as her heroine, both because of the time and energy her mom has given to the family and for her mom's strong spirit. When she was bullied as a child, her mother taught her to stand up. Let me quote what her mom said to her: "When people stare at you, there is no need to look away, just stare back. My mother is gangster that way!" So, we celebrate our "gang", that one of our own has stood tall on the world stage and done us all and Singapore proud. We celebrate especially hard when the victory is hard won. I am a firm advocate of the value that sports have in galvanising people of different backgrounds towards community bonding.”
“Sir, first I want to thank the Minister for the mitigating measures that will be introduced. I also welcome the news that there will be more flats that will be built in the coming years; the Minister mentioned more than 17,000. I am quite sure I am not alone in this House but many of us, each week, we continue to receive many requests and appeals from residents, telling us that they just cannot get their flat early enough; they cannot even have a chance of getting a flat. I believe that the desired outcomes for all of us must be that we want to give couples their first flat as early as possible. So, we need to continue to shorten the waiting time. Four, five years – can it be shorter? Because there is really a lot of pent-up demand. So, 17,000 now; my first request is, what is the maximum that we could go up to, in order to meet the pent-up demand? Because demand clearly outstrips supply right now. How can we shorten the waiting time? There are also concerns by residents that whilst waiting for their flat, some of them, their income ceilings may exceed the limits and, therefore, they are disqualified. How do we deal with this? Finally, again, another concern is that as they wait for the flat, the price of the flat will start to also go up. Their affordability level could be in question. So, my plea to the Minister is that – I do not have the figures obviously, but I am quite sure demand far outstrips supply – let us increase the supply as much as possible to reduce the waiting time and fulfil residents and couples' desire for a flat earlier rather than later.”
“As a Member of Parliament in this House, let me say this with ample evidence from our own history – there can be no civil liberties if activists can be bought or sold; and there can be no academic freedom if our Universities are homes for foreign agents. It will be naive to believe that all activists are high-minded patriots, just as it is mere pretence that all academics are cultivating young minds for the good of Singapore. In the real world, there are active, hostile and intentional actors working against the public interest of Singaporeans. All of us, on both sides of this House, would have failed in our duty if, in the face of such clear and present danger, we stand by and fold our hands. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“We cannot do this if we keep using the infantilising versions of these words of "safety and protection", which can degenerate into nothing more than an entitled demand for special accommodation, for "care” for oneself and a refusal to follow the same rules that apply to everyone else. To see what true public interest comprises, against a private, self-regarding clamour, we must have space for open, transparent and accountable debates. We must see that all disagreements among ourselves are taken seriously and welcomed, and that it is our joint duty to ensure that such debates reflect our own views, rather than those of outside agents. This Bill is not a molly-coddle of resources to "protect" and bubble wrap Singaporeans, but a sword, so that we are armed against those who seek to harm us. It is a true countermeasure, a necessary response to attacks – attacks, which I am quite sure, will come. So, the earlier we are prepared for it, the better. FICA does not increase the reach of the law in substance. It merely provides the adaptor allowing the law to operate in a more targeted and precise manner. In this way, its reach is narrower and would, in fact, increase freedoms. FICA is not more authoritarian than other similar laws, for example, those in the United States now. FICA is a sword that stays in its sheath most of the time. It has a high threshold which will not be awakened until activities attack the public interest of Singapore. This Bill gives us the power towards early detection and exposure. We have always relied on this sunlight in the past and we must do so again. As for the criticism of this Bill from activists and academics, MHA, the Minister himself, have already responded to some of these.”
“Fourth, this has been a hot issue discussed among our think tanks and at the Universities – most notably, at the Foreign Interference conference organised by Nanyang Technological University (NTU)'s RSIS in September 2019. This topic has, certainly, long been on the radar of both the Government and the people. It is not new and certainly does not lack airing or consultation. So, for those who ask why are we "rushing" through this Bill and ask for more consultation, I hope we realise this Bill has been in the works for some time already, a few years in the making actually, and there has, certainly, been no lack of consultations and feedback. To the Leader of the Opposition, hon Mr Pritam Singh, who referred to Mr Christopher de Souza's Parliamentary Question in March this year and Second Minister for Home Affairs Josephine Teo's reply, let me remind him that this was at the Committee of Supply 2021 debate. I should reiterate that this process started way before March 2021 and this was also not the first time that MHA has stated the need for such a Bill. My second point has to do with the signature of our defence against external threats. Unity has been our clarion call since the nation began. Against the call of race, religion and the multiplicity of the Babel Tower of languages, we formed our own tribal instincts. Today, we have more need than ever for such instincts – this communitarian commitment, which is not natural, but chosen by all of us who have decided to call this place home. This injunction to think beyond oneself, this seeking for things that matter, this Singaporean spirit is one that we must seek to grow and nourish.”
“He said, "Today, information can easily be weaponised by foreign actors, at low cost, and with anonymity and impunity. No country is immune. This is asymmetric information warfare, fought in a theatre and era with no distinction between war and peace. In this battlefield, Singapore, an open, democratic, digitally-connected and diverse country, is especially vulnerable. We are a young country with sensitive fault lines that foreign actors can exploit to foment distrust and ill-will among our various communities." Sir, at the time, Mr Edwin Tong was responding to a Parliamentary Question. This was again, let me repeat that, 2019. But the stage had already been set a few years earlier. We have heard these issues discussed deeply at the Select Committee hearings. We have heard evidence from experts during the Select Committee hearings that hostile information campaigns are becoming cheaper to mount and becoming more prevalent. The point of these campaigns is to weaken the target country, turn brother against brother, countrymen against one another, race against race, undermining social cohesion with fights constructed with false sticks and stones. The Select Committee also received evidence, including through private hearings, that state-sponsored information operations have been carried out against Singapore. A third foreshadowing of this Bill happened at the Committee of Supply in 2019 and again in 2021. Government Ministers then spoke about how foreign interference laws would need to be introduced and its efforts in tracking the legislative response in other countries.”
“This Bill targets the enemies of this freedom so that we can fully exercise the larger internal freedoms that I spoke of earlier – to ensure that our civil liberties and our political contests remain our own. Sir, to recognise the hidden hands requires no small skill because the seduction is so slight, the pushes so subtle. We might sometimes think we are exercising free will, when we are mere catspaws. I speak today with some experience of POFMA, having been a member of the Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods which was formed in January 2018. So, that is more than three years ago, where we considered 169 written representations and oral evidence from 65 individuals and organisations. Some of these were shared by the Minister earlier in his speech. There were also public hearings held from 14 to 29 March 2018. In fact, it lasted eight days in all. So, when the hon Mr Leong Mun Wai says there was not enough evidence gathered or consultations done, I am not sure what he makes of these 169 written representations and the 65 oral evidence from individuals and organisations. The issue of foreign interference is a complex and enduring one, made more powerful in recent years by technological platforms. We must be clear that these technologies are not neutral between public good and harm. We cannot leave these untended and expect ordinary citizens, who already have so much cognitive tax in their daily lives, to be inoculated against these malicious campaigns. Our digital lives have opened many new possibilities, but, along with the sunlight, we have an infestation of lies. In 2019, then Senior Minister of State for Law Mr Edwin Tong foreshadowed this Bill when he said that the Government was considering legislation against foreign interference. Let me quote him.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a Bill which guards Singaporeans against interferences and influences which are unseen and mostly unknown. It does not engage in petty partisan politics. It leaves aside all disagreements among ourselves. It leaves undisturbed poor ideas, ignorant views. It respects the naive and the mistaken. Any harm arising from these are of our own making. After all, it is the mark of all free societies that we take this form of the rough with the smooth. Accepting these rough edges, we must, therefore, accept that we will continue to make mistakes. There will be those who believe their ideas are good when they are poor. The Bill is no arbiter in this contest. What it will do is to make sure that all ideas to come into our political arena do so through the front door, through an open political contest and that they cannot sneak in through the back, under technological cover, wearing a false face and pretending to serve the public interest when they are in the back pocket of foreign or private actors. This Bill stands against those who are knowingly malicious and against those who have been unknowingly used. It is the latest in a long line of efforts to keep Singapore free. "Freedom" is a word not used lightly in Singapore. The idea of freedom means something specific to a small country in a volatile neighbourhood. It means an often taken-for-granted, but still slightly cherished power to decide our own fate, because this freedom is hard-won and because the battle remains as fierce today, as it did in 1965. We must see what laws can best serve to protect it.”
“Sir, I thank the Minister of State Sun Xueling for her answer. I would like to ask a few supplementary questions. The 830 that was mentioned, which is the average number in the last five years, is she able to give the exact numbers in each of the last five years? What I am getting at is, is the number increasing or is the trend a decreasing one? Second, regardless of the trend, 830 is still not a small number. And as we know, many of us have spoken in this House, myself included, for both mother and children, that given their circumstances, they are disadvantaged in many ways. I do recognise the many new benefits that we have extended to mother and children. I would like to especially ask, in addition to those benefits, bearing in mind that they are one member short and, therefore, they have to do more as the challenges that they face are not small, are there gaps which the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), perhaps leading on behalf of the whole-of-Government, could look at? Are there gaps which are not currently addressed? One particular area I know is housing. While it may not be under MSF, it is an area of concern. I do know that yes, we do look at it on a case-by-case basis. But I wonder whether a policy could be made to address the needs of these single unwed mothers. And beyond it, whether we could look at it from a whole-of-Government approach to deal with all challenges faced by this group of single unwed mothers and their children.”
“The security and sanctity of the LPA are worth the increase in administrative work, in my opinion. Finally, I am heartened to hear that there are safeguards in place should there be reason to suspect that someone was pressured or deceived into making an LPA, especially if the donor lacks mental capacity. In such cases, the Public Guardian can disclose to the donor the number of LPAs for which their prospective donee has already been appointed to allow them to make a more informed decision. This safeguard, I feel, can be made stronger. We should not subject the Public Guardian to such a heavy responsibility. The Public Guardian should not really have to exercise judgement about when to step in. Instead, as long as the donee is a multiple nominee, I think this must be disclosed to the donor. With the disclosure, the donor can then decide if he or she wants to continue making the LPA with this donee. In the long run, as we improve access and strengthen safeguards against abuse of the process, hopefully more people will make an LPA. Notwithstanding these suggestions, I support the proposed amendments.”
“Still, even with various forms of assistance and accessibility measures, the five steps of the OPGO process may be hard to track, with multiple notifications and confirmations. For this, giving donors a physical checklist of the steps involved and the stage they are at – similar to reminders on vaccination cards – may be useful. Next, I want to touch on scams. Besides improving accessibility, with more services and applications transitioning online, we also need to watch out for scams, which are getting increasingly sophisticated. For now, there are safeguards in place such as Singpass users being prompted to verify the authenticity of websites before logging on. However, scams are getting more complicated, with fake websites resembling other Government agencies' websites being reported. We must keep our guard up and prevent such scams. Some elderly individuals or those who are less tech-savvy might request friends or family members to help them with their submissions. I think this is quite normal in the course of business. While the majority of such cases will be safe, there could be those who abuse their trust and appoint themselves as donee. I would like to know what safeguards are in place to ensure that the donee appointed is the one intended by the donor. Additionally, the current proposal's "default setting" is to treat the e-copy of the registered LPA in OPGO as free from error and as the LPA if there is no notification of any error within 90 days. While this method might be administratively expedient and help save time, and certainly it does, given that this is such an important document, I think we should instead make it an affirmative confirmation by the donor that all details are correct; that is, to ensure that the consent is active consent.”
“Currently, the process requires the hardcopy of all documents and physical meetings between donor and donee. For most of us, we will find making LPAs digitally much easier and more convenient. With the amendments, parties do not need to physically meet up to sign and exchange documents. The use of Singpass also means that the user's details are automatically entered, making it more convenient for LPA to be made while not compromising on data security. However, I do have the following concerns on the proposed amendments to the Act. First, it concerns access. We need to ensure that those who are less tech savvy are not left behind. As mentioned earlier, the elderly are a prime target audience for LPA to be made. Yet, many of them may be unfamiliar with the tools or even terminology that is used. For example, they may not know how to navigate the Singpass app or website with the two-factor authentication. While Singpass now allows users to sign into family members' accounts, not all elderly have family members on hand to help them. Yes, MSF will assist those who have difficulty navigating the OPGO system by making Internet-enabled devices and trained staff available at community centres (CCs). This ensures that people do not have to venture beyond their neighbourhoods, making the process quick and easy. However, not all CCs will have these facilities. For those who need help, travelling further to an unfamiliar place may greatly discourage them. In fact, I know it does, especially for the elderly. If help was available at all CCs, I am quite sure it would lead to a greater take-up rate. Sir, I hope the Ministry can consider this suggestion. Yes, I recognise that more resources will be required but I believe it will be monies well spent.”
“As unpleasant as the possibility may be, in the event that someone can no longer make their own decisions, an LPA empowers their close relatives to act on their behalf, for elderly individuals or couples without family support, the Professional Deputies and Donee Scheme provides a source of potential donors for an LPA. Another reason for the low numbers might be a lack of public awareness. MSF has been promoting LPA through Community Centres, Senior Activity Centres and radio channels. However, members of the public might be unfamiliar with what an LPA entails or are confused by the decisions needed: what powers to grant donees whether multiple donees should act jointly or separately, and so on? For this, we will need to step up our outreach and publicity efforts. Although events and roadshows are good idea, awareness tends to fade if they are not sustained over time. Furthermore, the effectiveness of in-person events may be limited by evolving safe distancing measures. Last, I think perhaps the most likely is just a lack of attention. Our bias is to ignore the long term or to shy away from thinking about difficult topics. This cannot be fixed by more public dialogues or information and education. It requires each of us to decide for ourselves that we need to be responsible and aware of our own mortality and to prepare for it. LPA is certainly a useful instrument which deserves to be better known and more widely used. At the same time, even as we promote its use, we should see its limitations. Under the MCA, a donor can confer on the donee the authority to make decisions regarding the donor's welfare, property and affairs if the donor becomes unable to make these decisions themselves.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA), provisions can be made for individuals who lack capacity to manage their affairs. This Bill amends the MCA so as to establish a simplified electronic process for the creation of Lasting Powers of Attorney, which allow individuals to appoint persons to make decisions on their behalf should they lose their mental capacity to do so themselves. It is certainly a useful legal instrument that was introduced in 2010. But the number of persons who have made it is not high. As of 2018, only about 23,000 Singaporeans above 65 have made their LPA. This low number could be due to a number of reasons. One often incited is a stigma about speaking about death. Understandably, we might not be comfortable discussing the possibility that we will be unable to make decisions for ourselves. Talking about end of life matters is still seen as a taboo or inauspicious for some. It is human nature. We say we will do it, but most of us will procrastinate and end up not doing it. These are important matters, whether it is making a will or LPA, but we do not pay enough attention to it. Some years ago, my wife and I finally accompanied each other and we did both. Since then, I could say so to a lot of people, with stronger conviction, whether it is to friends or residents, why they should do it and do it now, not tomorrow. We do this certainly not for our sake, but for the people that matter to us – our family and loved ones. In the long term, with an ageing population, these conversations will increase in frequency whether in public forums or private spaces.”
“Businesses need to absorb, need to find ways to work around some of these. The Government, I am sure, will continue to help subsidise some of these. But I think the public and consumers too need to think about what are the implications for all of us, as all of us are in this together.”
“Mr Speaker, first, I want to thank the two Ministers for their comprehensive Statements. And, certainly, I think all of us want to thank all the healthcare workers for continuing to protect all of us, given that this COVID-19 pandemic will continue to throw more curve balls at us. I have a few supplementary questions for the Ministers. Minister Gan has mentioned that the vaccination supplies are limited. Indeed, they are, and very precious at that. First, what other drugs are being tested by HSA? We know that two of them have been certified; Sinovac is being tested. What if Sinovac is not approved? Do we have arrangements with the other drug companies that can increase the supplies from the other two companies, so that Singaporeans who have not been vaccinated can be assured that they will certainly get that vaccination? The second supplementary question, I know it is a bit further ahead, but we always like to plan ahead: booster jabs and second jabs. Soon, for those of us who have had our jabs, one year will be up. What next? And the third supplementary question is, I would like to know what is the all-in cost for each vaccination that is given. I think it is important that every Singaporean and everyone who is working here knows how much we are spending to get all of us safe. And that leads me to the last question. Minister Lawrence Wong talked about the implications, the overall costs of all this. All of us, whether in Government, business and public, consumers, we need to expect that for all these, there are consequences; that the end of the day, somebody has to pay for all this. I think consumers, the public, probably also would have to expect that certain costs will have to go up. I think we just need to be prepared for all these.”
“Mr Chair, just on behalf of all the members who filed cuts, just like to take this opportunity to thank Ministers Masagos, Desmond Lee, Minister of State Sun Xueling, Parliament Secretary Eric Chua for your answers to all our cuts. It is Friday and it is almost half past eight. It may be late. But to all the men and women in this space, the social service space, we know that they work very quietly, but very hard behind the scenes throughout the years. We want to thank them and appreciate their good work and to also assure that all of us in this House will continue to journey with them, so that collectively, we are one step closer to building a more caring, more giving, more compassionate and more inclusive society. With that, Mr Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $4,035,035,800 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $98,938,700 for Head I ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Resilient Families Given that family is the first line of care and support for many Singaporeans, we have traditionally supported and encouraged strong families. The implicit, normative bias is this – our old mindset that "preservation of families" is inherently good. The MSF handbook for example, states that, "The guide introduces readers to Intensive Family Preservation in the Singapore context. This guide offers good practices and intervention strategies. Readers will uncover knowledge and skills to preserve families and protect children and young persons". The protection of young children is key and unequivocal. But I wonder if we need the moral overtones of "intensive preservation". Can we be more neutral between preservation and creation? Between status quo and change? Can we, make a start at least, in according equal respect to the choice between staying in a marriage and leaving it? In saying this, I do not mean to undermine our commitment to strong families. Rather, I would like to say that strong families can take different forms. Some strong families lie within marriages, others are not. And we ought to make provisions for both. In so doing, I would like to ask, what is MSF doing to help strengthen familial and couple relations? In cases where it is not possible to save the marriage, how can we mitigate the negative impact of divorce on children? In cases where risk factors for divorce are observed earlier, how can we provide better support earlier? Last, given what I have said about the need for neutrality in choices, but also respecting the need for strong families, how can we together forge a strong narrative in line with the larger Singapore identity?”
“And I am encouraged that the Conversations on SG Women's Development is focused on addressing the issues that women face at home, in schools, workplaces and the community in real life. What are some of the issues which have been frequently raised by Singaporeans in the SG Conversation? In this effort, we must ensure that the interests of all women are represented. What is the profile in the Conversations on Singapore Women's Development? In addition, this conversation takes place within a society, a society of all of us. How many among these are men? What are their views? I recall when I served on the Board of Directors of Centre for Fathering for some 14 years, we had a number of women on our Board – yes on Centre for Fathering. And the views and insights from these women Board members strengthened the Board and made the organisation better. Actually this year, it is Centre for Fathering's 20th anniversary. Speaking of Boards, wearing my NTUC Enterprise hat, in preparing for this cut, I also asked for some statistics on the women representation on our Board. The hon Member, Ms Mariam Jaafar, you will be pleased to note that across the boards of eight of our social enterprises, 36% are women. This compares favourably with Singapore Institute of Directors's (SID) target of 30% for Public Listed companies by 2030; we are already 36%. But these numbers show that we have made progress but still have some way to go. And again, amongst the leadership team at the NTUC group of Enterprises, 50% are women. But there is still progress to be made. One last point. What are some of the practical ways to ensure that women enjoy the same financial freedom as men?”
“Thank you, Chair. This is the year we have set aside to celebrate women. This may seem, to some of us, to be an artificial effort. Why do we need a year to celebrate women, when they should be celebrated all the time? Or, the word "celebration" – is it not condescending to "celebrate" women, as if it is something conferred by the power of men or by institutions? All these could be true, but I feel the effort itself has merit simply because despite all the progress we have made in the last 50 years, many of the traditional inequalities still exist. Added to these are new ones of income and inherited wealth. Sir, in celebrating women, we make gender salient, we confront biases that otherwise would not have been noticed. Unconscious bias is real, and sometimes, without intending, we do great harm. In these conversations, and to make any sort of progress, it is important to have some moral clarity. One such issue has to do with apologies. It is important to note that when one apologises for a misstep, not just in relation on such gender biases, but in general, we should not hide behind "misunderstood" intentions, neither should we call on the person whom we offended to be gracious and "forgiving" about the matter. It is time we recognise that the lack of malicious intent offers no shield, no defence against the harm that is done. Indeed, it is the very nature of unconscious bias that it is unintentional. So, when we apologise, we should certainly make the intentions behind our acts known, but we should also recognise that this is the start and not the end of the matter. Women play many important roles in Singapore. They are mothers, care-givers, workers, and members of our society.”
“Pre-school teachers may benefit from more training, which will enable them to explore innovations in online teaching methods. They could also be supported with grants and new hardware as well as software, so as to allow them to contribute to their students’ development, even when teaching from home. Second, can we also explore how pre-schools administration can benefit from greater digitalisation, including providing their staff with remote working and learning opportunities. Our pre-school teachers are some of the most imaginative and dedicated in Singapore. We have quite a few of them in our NTUC First Campus. We must help them to succeed in a digital world.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Under the new Change for Charity Grant, a $20 million fund will be set aside to match Community Chest’s donations raised through spontaneous acts daily. It was also mentioned that ComChest will be partnering businesses to provide opportunities for customers to donate to Community Chest through their payment platforms. This could not be more timely as we know many charities, VWOs and social service agencies are currently facing a challenging environment caused by COVID-19. We should certainly encourage individuals to give as part of their daily lives; ComChest should also partner and make it convenient for businesses to provide opportunities for customers to donate through their payment platforms. We all know that Singaporeans, everyone here, has a big heart. So, if we make that facility available, convenient and accessible, I think great things could come out of it. I would like to ask Minister if he could outline more details on how to ensure the success of this scheme? Now putting on my hat as the group CEO of NTUC Fairprice, I want to assure Minister that we will certainly give this scheme a full consideration and do our part to make lives better for the community. Digitalisation in Early Childhood Space COVID-19 has caused a significant amount of disruption for the pre-school sector, especially during the circuit breaker. We often think little children spend most of their school time in physical activity and play – which many do – and rightly so. However, the experience of the pandemic has taught us that there will be occasions when pre-school students will have to stay at home for long periods as well. How will the pre-school sector be supported to emerge stronger from the experience of COVID-19?”
“However, we must open our eyes to the fact that in any downturn, any downturn, it is the poorest among us who are the most vulnerable. MSF most recently launched the COVID-19 Recovery Grant (CRG). Can the Minister provide an update on the CRG, as well as how the CRG is designed to help its recipients get back on their feet? Can the Ministry also provide an update on job creation efforts in the social sector? We need all of us to emerge stronger from the pandemic – not just the strongest, but the weakest among us too. I think we did right in focusing the bulk of our help to help businesses preserve jobs, but I think we must also work at the social end of the stick – take stock of how well the measures worked, what more we need to do, and what we need to change. Let us focus on the outcomes, I would like an update on that.”
“Thank you, Chairman. As social needs grow, it is important for the Government and the community to partner each other to better meet these needs. I had earlier spoken on the power of community in terms of delivery of social services. We can harness the same power in partnership. During COVID-19, especially during the circuit breaker, many of such partnerships between the Government and community demonstrated their value in meeting increased social needs, such as the PEERS Network and the Charity Food Workgroup. Even as we take care in terms of fiscal prudence, audits and careful use of public monies, we must also count in the intangibles that such networks bring. How does the Ministry intend to strengthen such partnerships? What are some of the safeguards and audit measures we can bring into play No one likes an overweening state – and help comes much faster, and in much a friendlier form, when organised and implemented by people we know. We need strong partners in the community and it is useful to see how much the people and public sector can work together. Social Safety Net Singapore's social safety net was the first and strongest weapon we had against the pandemic. This net – which allowed us some measure of certainty in a very precarious situation, comprised financial assistance, as well as social support such as employment assistance and jobs creation. It is thanks to this that we dodged many of the bullets that we now see, even in developed countries – the long queues of people at food banks, the homeless on the streets, the disproportionately larger load of poorer people in hospital due to COVID-19. It may seem here that COVID-19 hurt the poor and the rich equally hard, at least in terms of vulnerability to the virus.”
“Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head I of the Estimates be reduced by $100". It is clear from the outpouring of support during COVID-19 that many Singaporeans want to do their part and help each other. This can be done in formal networks – through Government funding, schemes and institutions, but also, and perhaps more powerfully, through collaboration with informal networks – neighbours, friends and communities, including online communities. Over the years, the formal networks have taken more care, and certainly less bureaucratic, less bloodless approach to help families in a holistic manner. In addition, the old governance philosophy of red tape and jumping through hoops has been replaced by a more respectful calibration, and thicker network of attention and care. Today, we have one stop centres, we have multiple agencies working together, we have a lens focused on the person, and not a collection of problems. Since 2013, we have 24 Social Service Offices, or SSOs, to coordinate the delivery of services on the ground. I would like to ask the Minister give us an idea of the impact that these 24 SSOs have had over time. Are there plans to expand or scale back the offices? Second, what has been the main gap that the SSOs have identified? Is there anything else that is missing in our delivery system? Have we asked for feedback from the families and people that we have helped, and see what we can do to improve the services? Last, but not least, how can we better harness the power of the community to strengthen support for those in need? How can we seed and how can we facilitate such community efforts to maximise the impact and benefits to Singaporeans? [(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]”
“Mr Chairman, COVID-19 has accentuated digital gains, but also digital divides in our communities. How is the Ministry helping low-income households to access digital tools or platforms and remain connected with the wider society? In my main Budget debate speech, I had spoken on what we need to do to make digital basics available to the lower income – in terms of both hardware and broadband access. A third and important plank to this effort of digital access must be the digital savviness that is akin to street smartness in real life. The dark corridors in the Digital Empire are as dangerous as those in real life – robberies are as common and lives can be ended as easily. E-commerce scams were the most common among online scams and it has increased significantly during this pandemic. We need both trust and skepticism to survive as a social being. In our everyday life, we need to trust that the fishmonger at the market does not cheat us when he swears today’s catch is fresh, in the same way we rely on our social capital with our friends to keep their promises, and our business partners when they tell us their judgement on certain matters. During COVID-19, the importance of trusted and accessible information was felt acutely. But truth online is a scarce commodity and as important as outside matters relating to the pandemic. How will MCI ensure that different groups with diverse needs can access trustworthy information? How can we help build communities that will forge a collective sense of identity, so that we are all invested in keeping each other informed, each able to access and evaluate the quality of information in the digital world? Access to Digital Environment”
“Mr Chairman, over the past one year, many of us have seen our screen-time increase by leaps and bounds. My friends in the stockbroking industry tell me that after years of decline, their commissions have gone up. Data has shown that there have been more trades done, although in small amounts. And we all know that shopping online is prevalent these days. Life has indeed changed and the digital world is occupying more of our waking hours. How has digitalisation allowed us to ease into the new reality of life during COVID-19? I would like to also ask what investments the Government is making in terms of infrastructure, not just to enable the expansion of our digital universe but to keep it safe from scams and fair from all points of view.”
“Mr Chairman, across the world, in the past one year, we have seen how cooperation is needed to solve many large and complex problems, distinguished by three key facets of modern life – porosity across borders, movement and mobility and high inequality. In the current pandemic, vaccines have become an important weapon against the virus. But just 10 countries, including Singapore, have administered 75% of all vaccines, and 130 countries have no doses at all. This is a mirror to the challenges that we face in climate change. Environmental problems too are porous. They affect everyone and financial strength offers no protection because we are all in this together. Like the virus, environmental pollution is no respecter of national borders. There is no apportioning of blame because we are all users. So how is Singapore collaborating with partners to maintain the positive momentum on climate change? Global Efforts against Climate Change”
“Mr Chairman, I had raised this at last year's Committee of Supply and also recently spoken on this at the Motion on climate change. Climate change poses a grave threat to Singapore and needs to be addressed in a concerted response by the whole-of-Government and society. Given the nature of the required approach, will MINDEF consider adopting Climate Defence as a new pillar of Total Defence? This is the third time I am raising this issue and I understand that some things do take time to work through. But I am a patient man. It took me six consecutive years, bringing up the issue of paternity leave before it was finally approved. Of course, it was raised by other Members of Parliament as well. Like climate change, I play the long game! So, let us place climate change as the seventh pillar of Total Defence and give it the priority and urgency that it deserves. Climate Defence in Total Defence”
“Mr Chairman, apart from protecting Singapore from current threats, MINDEF plays an important role in safeguarding our future. At last year’s debate, MINDEF shared about various measures taken by the Ministry to improve environmental sustainability and to reduce carbon emissions. And that they would take various steps to ensure that the SAF would be on track in meeting our national emission targets. So, I would like to ask the Minister to provide an update on how MINDEF, and specifically SAF, is progressing on this front? As I have said quite a few times, the need to address climate change requires a whole-of-Government approach. MINDEF’s contributions towards this national effort to address environmental sustainability is no less important.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I just have some supplementary questions for Minister of State Zaqy. First, the reason why I raised this is because I know that many businesses, employers in various workplaces, they are still suffering. We all understand the need to be conservative and to stay vigilant. And hence, my first supplementary question is could Minister of State give an indication of when this review will take place? Is there a specific timeline and whether vaccination is going to be a factor in the considerations? Obviously, I hope that in weighing the interests between business and health, both are equally important that we strike the right calibration.”
“On the third question about the stern warning that was issued by JTC immediately to the contractor involved, at this point in time, NParks and JTC will do their investigations and subsequent to that, if there are any other wrongdoings uncovered by NParks' investigations, NParks will have the statutory powers to take the responsible parties to task. The penalties for those are laid out in the respective Acts. So, it does not mean that the stern warning is the end of all there is to be.”
“Yes, three very short ones. JTC's project manager found the wrongful clearance works on 13 January. So, my first supplementary question is, is there a schedule for the frequency of site visits by the project manager? Is it meant to be daily, weekly, or monthly? Because he discovered this on 13 January. Second supplementary question, the internal investigation by JTC, I would like to ask will this be complemented with an investigation by an external party? And my third supplementary question is, it has been mentioned that stern warning has been issued to the contractor. Stern warning appears to me to be quite light. What does "stern warning" mean and what are the consequences? The Ministry for Trade and Industry (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Speaker, Sir, three quick replies to Mr Seah Kian Peng's three supplementary questions. Is there a schedule? Yes, there is a schedule where JTC officers are required to regularly visit the site. Whether that schedule has been adhered to, is the subject of an on-going investigation at this point in time and I will not further comment on this. Second, on the nature of the investigations, as I have laid out on Monday, there are the internal NParks and JTC investigations as to whether the current processes have been followed. And I expect the respective agencies will want to do a thorough review to see whether the processes have been followed. In addition to that, we have appointed Permanent Secretary Joseph Leong to look at how these processes can be tightened, especially the inter-agency processes. Joseph will have access to both the views from the public sector, the people sector and also the private sector.”
“I thank Minister Chan and Minister Desmond Lee for the answers. I think this incident has certainly shocked and disappointed many of us when we learn of it. Also, I can imagine that our staff at NParks feel the same; I know they take great pains to strengthen and improve the green cover and green space for the country. I have three supplementary questions for Minister Chan. Minister Chan mentioned that JTC —”
“These statistics all outperform the national workforce demographics. Yes, the more senior in age staff, they may be a tad slower, less physically agile but they make up for it with their patience, their dedication, their competence and their reliability. All said, every worker, young and old, every worker matters. As a country, we must welcome diversity. We must look out for each other and always make sure we bring people along in our transformation journeys and leave no one behind and most importantly, we must accord respect to all. These threats towards fragmentation and polarisation have become ever more important, as the reach of the digital empire grows. To combat the dark sides of this empire, we must recall what we owe each other, an obligation and a duty to respect each other. We must recognise the role each of us play in our public life and join together in this journey with maturity and common purpose. For my fellow Labour Members of Parliament and the many union leaders, like Nominated Member of Parliament Abdul Samad, and many other Industrial Relations Officers working hard on the ground, NTUC led by our Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, will continue to walk the talk, will continue to push for workers' interests, always striving to do better with our actions amidst the complaints. Sir, I support the Budget. [Applause.]”
“We cannot help it, and taken in moderation, complaints are a vital part of public life. We must notice mistakes, we must raise our voices and we must hold each other to the highest standards. I do not want to be a Pollyanna about our political landscape. There is indeed much to improve on. But I ask today for us to consider whether we have gone too far in the other direction, to feel every pin prick as a broken bone, to raise our voices and abuse our fellow countrymen, especially those in the public services and in the frontline, as if they are in our debt. Building a culture of unity and a strong sense of identity has always been a challenge in Singapore, a country that is too small to count on its own domestic market, but an ambition too large to be denied, too diverse to take our nationhood for granted but united enough to agree, over 50 years, on things which have torn many other countries apart – race, religion, language, politics. Before I end, I want to highlight my strong support and thanks to Government for the continued enhancements and incentive schemes for organisations to build and to strengthen their local core and the strong support for mature workers, as what my colleague Senior Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How has just talked about. Wearing my NTUC Enterprise hat, this is close to our hearts. We are proud that we have a very strong local core at all levels – management as well as rank and file. And look at the demographics of our workforce at our largest social enterprise, NTUC Fairprice, our mature workforce speaks of our value system and we see it as a strength: 66% of our staff, that is about two-thirds, are more than 40 years old; 46% are more than 50 years old and 22% more than 60 years old. And we have quite a few who are over 70 years old.”
“Can we ourselves to be more considerate before we demand others to be so? Can we cut everyone some "slack" especially when they get it right most of the time? Can we be less entitled? Let me give you an example. SIRS, as you know, is a COVID-19 assistance programme which provided self-employed people with three quarterly cash payouts of $3,000 each in May, July and October and it is opened to those who earned a net trade income of up to $100,000 and live in a property with an annual value of no more than $21,000. I had a resident staying in a nice $6 million house, that is my estimate of the worth of the house. She complained and demanded to know why she was unable to get the SIRS payout. A second example. Another resident of mine who, without fail, will, on a regular basis, send me photographs of how a particular staircase in his block would be littered with tissue paper here and there. Fortunately, for both him and me, this problem has been solved. Sir, having spoken out against complaining, I must say that I am not now complaining, but there are examples of where I feel we can improve in our public life, to reduce this culture of negativity. This culture is leading to a certain type of online persona, where cynicism, anti-establishment, is a shorthand for intellectualism and political sophistication. In this trend, general negativity towards all things Singaporean is taken as proxy for moral courage, especially when it includes a dose of disdain and disrespect for public institutions. This is a poor reflection on us, at a time where we have done so much that we can be proud of. So, what can we do? First, we need to recognise that being a nation of champion complainers is not all there is to being Singaporeans. This indeed, is a part of us.”
“So, of all the families who are living in rental flats with school-going children, how many do not have a PC, and how many do not have broadband connections? But hardware is only half the story. Since 2014, the Home Access programme has provided many low-income households with subsidised broadband and cheaper devices. Today, there are hundreds of families who have access to free broadband. I think this is a very useful and helpful scheme that can be greatly expanded. So I urge the Government to consider giving all low-income households, especially those with school-going children, free broadband connections. I think this will be a great equaliser. The above are some things that money can buy. Now, I want come to things that money cannot buy. First, I call attention to the rising culture of negativity in the way we relate to each other online. We have had, for many years, ambitions towards a kinder, a more caring and inclusive society. While there has been good progress, there is much scope for further improvement. So, first, I suggest we turn our good intentions into action. Deputy Prime Minister Heng has announced that a $20 million fund will be set aside to match the Community Chest (ComChest) donations raised through spontaneous acts daily. The is under the new Change for Charity Grant that he announced. Corporations and public alike should give it full support to make it work and to bring cheer to the disadvantaged in our midst. Hopefully, this could become a regular feature and part of the Singapore way of life in future. Again, wearing my NTUC Enterprise hat, we are already doing some of this but I have asked my colleagues to see how we can participate and support this programme in a stronger way. Last, something simple.”
“Can the Government put together a simple online literacy assessment, or give guidance on a specific set of information that all of us should know so that we can see where our weak spots are? This is a simple "scan", like the way we would scan our computers, so see where our weak spots are, or a health check-up so we can see if our cholesterol or blood pressure is too high. I think MCI would be best placed to see this through and provide different scans to different age groups. MOE is already providing the necessary hardware for all students to learn. In the pandemic that we are going through, the move to online learning and the use of technology has been very quick and much faster than originally planned. Today, low-income families can already apply for subsidised computers and free broadband through the IMDA's NEU PC Plus programme. But "owning a PC" is not enough. We need to make sure that families have devices that are functioning at a high enough standard for good online learning. More important, children from lower income homes are struck much harder. Research on a representative sample of Singaporeans has shown that 44% families who lived in rental units, they did not have a connection, and another 44% lacked a computer or a laptop at home. And which is why when my hat as the Group CEO of NTUC Enterprise, at our NTUC First Campus, just two months ago, we launched a scheme to loan iPads to more than 2,000 low-income families and their children attending our My First Skool centres to help them bridge this digital divide. I hope more can be done on this front by Government. I think it may be worth looking at this more closely.”
“It is then that we feel free to insult, to complain, to load with vulgarities, expletives and crass innuendos. Sir, the digital world is now an empire, far reaching and powerful. To live the good life there, we need to develop a good online culture. A debate on the Budget may seem like an odd place to speak about this because I am speaking of things that money cannot buy – grace, civility, integrity and simple good manners. These are things that we cannot tax into oblivion or incentivise into existence. But together, they form the culture of our public life and we can only cultivate these by mutual agreement and collective effort. Increasingly, this means paying more attention to the way we live online. For many of us, using cash has become a rare occurrence, as we move more and more to tap our cards, or to scan with our phones. But online payments require not just a smartphone but also reliable wifi or broadband – bare essentials to some, but expensive for others. We need to do more to make these available to the lower income. In an increasingly digital world, these must not be seen as luxuries but as basic transport into a life of dignity and ease. Providing the basics of a digital life is as much a public duty as it is providing national defence and education. In one of my cuts to MCI later on in COS, I will speak about the trend of rising online scams. We have already put in place a few piece of key legislation in terms of disinformation and falsehoods. One missing piece I think in our policy to protect Singaporeans against scams and to grow their digital literacy is to identify who among us is vulnerable.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join the debate. In the coming Committee of Supply (COS), most of my cuts will be on social and family development issues, covering our social safety net, social service delivery, partnerships with community, building resilient families and also, how we can further make lives better for our women. So, I will not dwell on these here. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister’s Budget is a careful rendering of the bread and butter of our national life. It takes care of all the big moving parts – health, housing – and the big items – defence and education. Sir, last year, we blew all our savings that we took 10 years to accumulate in one large cushion. Imagine if I tell you now your last 10 years of your own savings or you had to use it all up in one year. It shows the magnitude. But the $100 billion that the Finance Minister used, was it well used? As Deputy Prime Minister Heng said, and I quote him, "We averted the worst and prevented deep economic scarring and permanent impairment of our economic strengths." We saved jobs, spent on healthcare and now we are making sure all of us are protected. This is the clear and visible, the immediate and vital policy goal. But there many things that are invisible and they take generations to grow. Our sense of identity, what kinds of persons we are and how we relate to each other. Increasingly, this is not just a matter of real life interaction, but also a matter of online culture – how we speak and write to each other when we cannot see each other face to face, when we think of the "other side", not as a human being with feelings, a sense of dignity and to whom we owe duties, but as faceless digits.”
“The Government has already said that it is committed to working on the mitigation measures against climate change. But that is not enough. We need every one of us to do so too. Let us make Climate Defence the seventh pillar of our Total Defence. 4.13 pm”
“By adopting Climate Defence as a pillar of Total Defence, it demonstrates that Singapore is a responsible member of the international community with regards to climate change and can be trusted to adhere to the goals set under the Paris Climate Agreement. Mr Speaker, Sir, being the seventh pillar of Total Defence entails a more organised, more deliberate and strategic approach by the Government to its climate adaptation and mitigation policies. Just as important is that these policies and strategies must be communicated well to the public. That would mean a targeted approach to communications, with usage of different mediums and content for different age demographics. There should also be a focus on education as a way to facilitate and inculcate long-term behavioural change. The emphasis should be on promoting sustainable behaviour, particularly with regards to the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. The notion of environmental stewardship should also be underscored where we have a responsibility to the next generation to leave them a society that is better than the one we inherited. This can be done by fostering in our young ones a connection with the natural environment. This Motion proposed by Mr Louis Ng has already consulted, in the course of the year, several groups of people – different parts of the civil society. I would also greatly like to acknowledge the good work that Mr Louis Ng and his team have put in. Mr Speaker, Sir, making the climate our seventh pillar cannot be the old "green" message in new bottles. Aside from behavioural nudges, there must be resolution towards new laws and regulations; there must be a new willingness to make the market work for the environment, there must be more will, more attention and more resources.”