Shahira Abdullah
Singapore
“To ingrain the spirit of volunteerism and service, we could have dental officers serve short postings while serving out their bond, to treat these elderly and special needs patients. This could also be extended to other vulnerable groups such as the migrant workers.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. I just have two supplementary questions. The statistics that were given were wide. Is there a smaller breakdown available for the reach of these platforms? And if not, will the Ministry consider collecting such data? Because what we have right now is just for those aged 13 and 44.”
“] As asatizahs shift to secular careers, can I ask the Ministry how we can encourage their continued contribution to the religious development of the community? I would like to suggest building a network of asatizahs which could possibly be a scale up of the Asatizah Youth Network (AYN).”
“Therefore, could MOH consider dentists getting some incentives for the backbreaking work and increased time spent caring for these patients? For standard of care, can we have a clinical practice guideline to help ensure quality and appropriate care for these vulnerable populations?”
“Therefore, considering the close proximity of the current dental NSCs situated centrally, mainly NDCS and that National University Hospital (NUH), can the Ministry consider allowing all hospital dental clinics to provide specialised subsidised treatment, in order to better serve patients located in further geographical locations?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Minister for the response. Recently, there is a study from Harvard University that published the fact that social capital was the strongest predictor of upward income mobility; basically, that those with friends of higher socioeconomic status (SES) actually have better income mobility.”
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“To ingrain the spirit of volunteerism and service, we could have dental officers serve short postings while serving out their bond, to treat these elderly and special needs patients. This could also be extended to other vulnerable groups such as the migrant workers. This would hopefully encourage them to do the same when their bond has completed. In conclusion, as we commit to supporting healthcare beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring consistent and sustainable support, we must not forget that dental health is a crucial component of healthcare to achieve an overall well-being and quality of life. The dental healthcare of vulnerable groups such as the migrant workers and the unique needs of the elderly and special needs populations should not be overlooked. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion.”
“The cost of consumables, materials and manpower needs to be considered if services rendered are intended for the long term. Therefore, to address these issues, I would like to call for more support from MOH and the MSF in helping different social service organisations develop their personalised dental capacities. Having onsite dental services has various advantages. For someone with an autism spectrum disorder, going to an unfamiliar place for dental care can be a difficult experience. Injections can be scary. Removing a tooth is also scary. Without onsite services, patients have to be ferried to primary care services, which may sometimes require costly private ambulances. Treatment in clinics outside is limited by cross-institutional restrictions of data sharing, higher costs in specialised services and long waiting times to be treated, plus many more. Therefore, it is beneficial that dental needs of the seniors and special needs persons to be managed "in place". Such clinics will also divert the efforts away from elective treatment such as dental aesthetics, and instead focus on primary needs – increasing their efficiency and cost-savings. Funding is an important aspect of support as dental services have a high capital cost. Other aspects of support could be flexibility in administration and licensing. For example, we have tried to get the handheld portable dental X-ray as the standard of care for extractions done in home-based settings. However, until now it is still not approved here. Number four: tapping on dental officers. We, however, still do have a shortage of dentists who volunteer and treat this population.”
“A clinical practice guideline as well as care pathways are needed to help ensure quality and appropriate care is offered. Complex cases with multiple health and behavioural problems can be seen in the hospital settings and milder cases can be referred to a network of dentists in GP clinics. Complex cases can also be sent to GPs once they are stabilised. Number three: the lack of access to dental care in elderly and special needs facilities. Some of our communities and organisations serving vulnerable persons have taken the lead to develop their own dental capacities. Out of all nursing homes in Singapore, only some have access to onsite dental services through Unity Denticare buses or mobile teams provided by volunteer groups or institutions. Even fewer homes have a fixed brick-and-mortar clinic run by a volunteer dentist when manpower is available. An example is the Hospice Care Association where a dental clinic was built in their newest day hospice Oasis@Outram. On the special needs front, Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS) Developmental and Disabilities Medical Clinic was launched last year and is already working towards providing dental screening and referral services for patients. This has the potential to scale as MINDS open their cross-disciplinary Health Hubs. However, the lack of coordination between volunteer groups is also a major issue. The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) coordinates care for the caregivers and seniors but dental services are not included. This results in inefficient allocation of resources, such as manpower, and unmet needs in homes yet to be served. While we must commend the spirit of volunteerism as well, almost all these services do not have any cost-recovery component, making this model unsustainable.”
“Furthermore, hospital policy requires legal representation for consent involving mentally incapacitated adults, and obtaining Court-appointed deputyship could take months and can be costly. To make matters worse, the woman had previously had a traumatic experience in the hospital environment. Her family therefore chose chair-side management after weighing the options. After attempting to prepare her with three acclimatisation visits, the dentist attempted the extraction with physical restraints. However, due to profound difficulties faced, they just could not do it. The treatment was aborted. This experience highlighted the struggles faced not only by the patient's family in navigating the system, but also by the dentist and the medical team in treating individuals with complex needs. I would like to touch on a few areas. Number one: engaging elderly and special care needs patients and their communities. The lack of oral health knowledge and health goals in these groups underscores the need for advocacy and mindset change. Patients and caregivers often struggle to navigate the various services available and may not know who to approach for financial help and other supportive services. To address this, there may be a need for closer cross-collaboration between those involved in their care; professionals such as dentists, ward nurses and caregivers need to know basic oral health literacy as well as where to get reliable treatment information. We can consider looking at Nursing Practice Guidelines to ensure that oral care offered to residents is also up-to-date and practical. Number two: reserving capacity for those with complex needs. Dentists are doing their best to help out, but there is a lack of guidance on standards of care.”
“Dental health is a very important health aspect that can be easily overlooked, but modern research has shown links between oral health, systemic health and quality of life. For example, gum disease can increase the risk of diabetes, infective endocarditis and other vascular diseases. Dental pain due to neglect can also be debilitating. We cannot ignore the importance of oral health and its impact on overall health and quality of life. However, for the migrant workers, even if the dental treatment is deemed necessary, employers will have to bear the cost of dental treatment and dental treatment can be costly. Currently, the Primary Care Plan ensures accessible and affordable healthcare for eligible migrant workers. May I suggest extending this dental care for migrant workers as well? The care may not need to encompass all dental care, like routine scaling and polishing but really to address the urgent needs, which means dental cases which can be very painful as well as cases with infection and swellings which, if untreated, can actually be life threatening. I would now like to speak about supporting the geriatric and special needs scene. As we work towards the goal of Healthier SG, we want to ensure oral health is addressed in successful ageing and inclusive healthcare. Before I start, I would like to talk about the case of my colleague. A woman with a severe intellectual disability presented at the Geriatric and Special Care Dentistry Clinic for treatment. Her challenging behaviour meant that treatment under local anaesthesia – that means when she is awake – was not viable. However, dental treatment under general anaesthesia, which is going to sleep, came with its own set of problems. Risks outweighed the benefit, especially for a single tooth extraction.”
“Number four: increasing the public's respect for healthcare workers. The public should understand that healthcare workers are not just transactional service providers who need to kowtow to the patient's demands. There should be zero tolerance for abuse or threats. Therefore, I am encouraged by the great strides that we have taken in this area and with the recommendations of the Tripartite Workgroup to Prevent Abuse and Harassment of Healthcare Workers. My fellow NMP Mr Raj Joshua Thomas will speak further on this topic. Number five: improving the home caregiving landscape by providing broader support and help. To relieve the healthcare sector, caregivers are the foundation of ageing-in-place. However, I have witnessed, from my relatives, how difficult the journey can be. One low-lying fruit that we could consider is having more caregiver-inclusive HR work practices and granting more eldercare leave, a suggestion that has been raised before. Another is how we can work between Ministries to ensure that families who are already overwhelmed, can navigate the different caregiving options and available subsidies, ensuring that every family about to start this journey is attached to a medical social worker who can do a needs assessment and guide them along the way. This is so that while they look after the needs of the elderly, we should also look at needs assessment for the caregiver itself so that they are not ignored, whether in self-care for their mental well-being or financial security when they themselves grow old. Secondly, let me turn my attention to the importance and provision of dental care to vulnerable cohorts, particularly the migrant workers, the geriatric and the special needs population.”
“If we grant permanent residency to their family, they will sink their roots in Singapore and the likelihood of losing them will reduce. When we lose good performers, especially senior ones, we do not just lose a worker, we lose their years of experience in our healthcare system. Number two: ensuring remunerations are competitive locally and internationally. Singapore's public healthcare sector has increased the base salaries of nurses by 5% to 14% by 2022 with retention payments as well. I am aware that MOH monitors our pay competitiveness locally and internationally regularly. Salary may not be the sole determining factor for healthcare workers, but it is still an important consideration for many individuals when choosing their career paths, especially with the tremendous demands of care work. It can also incentivise foreign healthcare workers to continue working in Singapore. Honestly, higher pay packages will always help. Number three: flexible work arrangements (FWAs). This is something Member Dr Tan Wu Meng has spoken about at length during the COS debates and it is something I cannot overstate the importance of. Healthcare workers are also mothers, fathers, daughters and sons. They may have an elderly parent, or young children at home. Yes, there are already FWAs available for healthcare workers. However, MOH and MOM can work together to come up with more creative permutations of flexible and family‐friendly human resources (HR) work practices suited for healthcare workers in different stages of their lives as well as the unique needs of each healthcare setting. For example, other than staggered shift times, we can consider having flexible shift lengths that split shifts into shorter scheduled times or offering healthcare workers even more paid leave.”
“This requires addressing systemic issues such as workload, work-life balance, support, training and the workplace culture. At the core of this is actually manpower shortage, which MOH is already trying to address. However, even globally, there is competition for a scarce healthcare workforce. Singapore experienced a significant attrition rate for foreign nurses, which increased from 9.5% to 14.5% between 2019 and 2022. In her Committee of Supply (COS) speech this year, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ms Rahayu Mahzam mentioned that "The loss of both local and foreign nurses to our competitor countries is a key reason for the stress and high workload for our nurses. We need to replace the manpower lost to other countries, safeguard the welfare of nurses, and meet increasing needs." If we were to go one step further, we need to ensure that our healthcare workers are supported and have the resources they need to provide the best care possible, we need to build "fat", or buffer, into the system. I have a few suggestions on how we can retain and attract healthcare manpower. Number one: granting permanent residency to the immediate family members of healthcare workers who are good performers. MOH is supportive of fellow Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Dr Tan Yia Swam's suggestion of granting permanent resident status to foreign healthcare workers who are good performers. For these good performers, can we go one step further and automatically grant their immediate family, namely spouse and children, permanent residency as well? I know of several dental nurses at my workplace who have left due to this reason. After repeated applications, they have in the end given up, choosing instead to uproot their whole family to places such as Canada, New Zealand and Australia.”
“Before I begin, I would like to declare that I am an orthodontist working at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Mdm Deputy Speaker, we are now in Disease Outbreak Response System Condition Green, the lowest health alert level since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the world, with healthcare workers playing a vital role in providing critical care to those who need it. As we begin to move beyond the pandemic, it is clear that we need to continue to prioritise and support healthcare. This Motion acknowledges the importance of healthcare in our society and seeks to ensure that healthcare workers and patients alike receive the support and resources they need to thrive. It recommends a whole-of-Government approach to build a healthier and more resilient society for all. Beyond the pandemic and towards the future, I would like to touch on three areas that require our continued attention and support: firstly, the manpower shortage of healthcare workers which is related to burnout and the mental well-being of healthcare workers; secondly, the provision of dental care to our migrant workers; and thirdly, supporting the special care and geriatric dentistry scene. Firstly, the manpower shortage of healthcare workers. Healthcare workers have always faced intense stress, emotional situations and challenging working conditions, with long and unpredictable work hours, risk of injury and exposure to diseases. These factors can contribute to burnout and mental health issues, even before the pandemic. Although short-term measures such as counselling and mental health programmes are crucial, it is imperative to address the underlying root causes of burnout and mental health issues.”
“To truly alleviate the dignity of such work or, in the alternative, to make such work viable for the highly capable among us to consider taking up, change must be reflected in the remuneration. Therefore, I am heartened that Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Minister Chan reiterated that call in their speeches to make sure that the wages of skilled and care workers will be increased to reflect the mastery of their skills. In doing so, it sends a strong message to Singaporeans that skilled work is important and slowly shifts the social value placed on such work, creating a more inclusive and equitable society. A recent article in The Straits Times had asked: how would you respond if your graduate daughter dated a plumber? Let us hope that with this, the answer will increasingly be "no problem". Even in a highly automated world, humans are still able to offer a blend of knowledge, technical and care skills that surpass any present robot we have. As someone who works in the healthcare field, it is plain to see that robots just cannot replace the need for care and empathy from another human. Lastly, achieving a broader, open and compassionate meritocracy in Singapore requires not only policy changes but also a fundamental mindset shift. We must recognise that every individual has something to offer and we must be willing to acknowledge and remunerate them for it. We must send a message to our youths as well, that their value does not lie in academic qualifications alone but in their other strengths as well and that when they have achieved success themselves, they too have a role to build the next generation. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion.”
“For example, a family may move to a location to have an edge in terms of proximity. Parents working to make ends meet may also be unlikely to be able to spare the amount of time needed to fulfil the volunteering hours needed to qualify for Phase 2B. Alumni places in prestigious schools in affluent neighbourhoods may also contribute to the risk that certain schools may become more exclusive with a more homogenous, higher socio-economic status student population. This is why I believe ACS Primary's move to Tengah is a forward-looking one. The move appears to have struck a chord among its alumni and has raised uncomfortable discussions on what we have to do as a society to achieve inclusivity and diversity. But it is a step in the right direction. Can I dare hope that this move also emboldens the boards of other popular primary schools, particularly those in certain affluent neighbourhoods, to do the same? Secondly, we need to promote a diverse range of pathways to success, valuing not just careers of knowledge and intelligence, but skills and care-based careers as well. These types of careers are equally important. At the height of the pandemic, we saw how the nation depended on the essential workers – our nurses, delivery drivers and cleaners – to carry on, even as the rest of the nation was safely sequestered at home. However, they are often overlooked. Our society tends to value paper qualifications. An ongoing study by Assoc Prof Irene Ng of NUS' Social Work Department found that, those with university degrees earned more than twice those of ITE qualifications and secondary or lower education. It is not enough to speak of an appreciation and respect for the nature of such work.”
“When pursuing the ideals of meritocracy, not everybody starts on a level playing field. Will they get left further and further behind? This ties in with the first key priority in Mdm President's Address, which is how the Government will expand opportunities throughout life for all, regardless of individual backgrounds and circumstances. Mdm President's concern was on how we "must not allow advantages and privileges to become entrenched and persist over generations". This is something I feel most strongly about. And this is what I will focus my speech on. In theory, a meritocratic society means that a person earns their success through their talent and hard work. Aspirational but, in some ways, also an illusion. As illustrated, a child with a more privileged family background and financial situation may be scaffolded in ways that may allow them to achieve success more easily. Education may be a social leveller, but access to education may not be equal. We must do our best to ensure that all children have equal access to quality education in Singapore. We have taken many bold steps in this – from removing PSLE T-scores to introducing Full SBB. We have also introduced an expanded KidSTART which seeks to provide a strong foundation for children from low-income households in Singapore by aiding their parents and caregivers in early childhood development. However, I would like to touch on the intense competition among parents to gain a Primary 1 place for their child. The Primary 1 registration system essentially aims to address many different goals and does strive to ensure diversity in the student cohort. My concern though, is that for certain more popular schools, more privileged families may have more advantage for the different phases.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to respond to the President's Address. In February, news broke that Anglo-Chinese School (Primary), or ACS Primary, would relocate to Tengah in 2030. It garnered significant attention from the media and public, the alumni and parents. Some applauded the move saying that it would bring about a more diverse student population, which is a view I wholeheartedly agree with. You see, I am of an age in which many of my friends and colleagues are planning for the primary school admission of their children. Many of them come from very humble backgrounds, working hard to get to where they are today. They were able to do so due to our strong emphasis in meritocracy, and it speaks towards the success of our education system. For those with a more comfortable financial situation, these parents will naturally seek to pass on these advantages to their children. However, the quest to do so has turned the provision of education and learning into something akin to a competitive arms race. My child is just shy of one year old. Nonetheless, I, too, feel the pressure when my peers talk about selecting preschools, whether to choose Mindchamps or Odyssey versus the preschool right under the block. Or what kind of enrichment classes should they send their child to – from Heguru to Kumon, speech and drama classes, art class, swimming class or coding class? I hear of and know several parents who have moved to a location near a primary school of their choice, often paying a premium to do so. Some have resorted to renting houses near these schools. All very real things that parents have done to provide what is best for their children. But what about those who are not able to afford these opportunities?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. I just have two supplementary questions. The statistics that were given were wide. Is there a smaller breakdown available for the reach of these platforms? And if not, will the Ministry consider collecting such data? Because what we have right now is just for those aged 13 and 44. It is even beyond the youth age range. Secondly, I agree that mysafesapce.sg is a great ground-up initiative by the asatizah. I am particularly heartened by it, because youths at that age do not really like to call the MUIS hotline. They prefer to chat, they prefer to type. It gives them an element of anonymity and a bit more confidence. I was wondering, if there is any other way that MUIS or the Ministry would want to support them either to promote or even to help out with their website? Because, right now, sometimes, it gets a bit buggy. Are there any plans for this?”
“] As asatizahs shift to secular careers, can I ask the Ministry how we can encourage their continued contribution to the religious development of the community? I would like to suggest building a network of asatizahs which could possibly be a scale up of the Asatizah Youth Network (AYN). This group can have regular meetings, conferences, or other events that bring them together and enable them to share their knowledge and experiences. It can provide mentorship opportunities and help asatizahs stay engaged with the community and give back through their knowledge and expertise. Asatizahs who have shifted to secular careers may be interested in mentoring younger members of the community who are pursuing religious education or careers. The network can also provide opportunities for asatizahs who have shifted to secular careers to teach or lead Islamic programs on a part time basis. Updates on International Conference on Communities of Success”
“(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Bersamamu Programme is a great initiative by the Naib Kadis that aims to guide and support a newlywed couple for the first two years of marriage. While the program has been successful in providing much-needed guidance and assistance to couples, I believe that there is a need for a female perspective to be included in the program. This can be particularly important in situations such as in conflicts where couples may feel more comfortable speaking to a woman or may have concerns related to women’s issues. Therefore, can I suggest having a female marriage counsellor in the partnership to provide a different perspective and set of experiences that can be valuable in helping couples navigate the challenges of marriage? Second cut. Wakaf Masyarakat (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Wakaf Masyarakat is a noble initiative which is a form of endowment that is dedicated to social and community projects. Can the Ministry explain how donors can be encouraged to donate to this fund? Another concern is whether the establishment of Wakaf Masyarakat will increase competition and create donation fatigue or affect donation streams for other social service MMOs. It is imperative to strike a balance to ensure that other social service MMOs are not adversely affected. I do understand that a certain portion of the Wakaf funds is allocated to MMOs. However, how is the Ministry exploring ways to ensure that the Wakaf Masyarakat does not detract from other charitable efforts but instead complements them? Next cut. Differing Career Pathways for Asatizahs (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Chairman, studies show that a higher staff-child ratio and smaller group sizes contribute to the health, safety, better staff-child interactions and better development outcomes in children. A 2006 research shows that infants and toddlers, particularly, benefit from these ratios. Many early childhood educators believe that a ratio of one to three or four is higher and the best to allow for effective staff-child interaction. This also results in a smaller workload, lowers the stress level and improves the working conditions of the teachers. The current staff-child ratio is one to five. Therefore, would MSF consider a review of staff-child ratios in childcare and infant care centres? I understand such ratios may be dependent on the number of teachers available. In October 2022, ECDA said the annual attrition rate in the sector has been between 10% and 15% over the last few years, in a workforce of about 23,000 people. I note that preschool educators' pay is set to rise by 10% to 30%, amidst a review of working conditions. However, there has been anecdotal evidence that it may be due to the workload of these teachers. May I ask whether there is data on possible reasons why preschool teachers leave the workforce? What are MSF's plans to tackle the turnover rate of preschool teachers? SG Made for Families – Childcare Places”
“Chairman, though our policies aim to encourage parenthood within marriage, penalising unwed single mothers will invariably penalise the children as well. These unwed single mothers are usually already the sole breadwinner and the caregiver of the family. Having these policies would further exacerbate unequal access and reduce the social mobility of these children. Previous statistics show that in 2017, unwed single mothers under 35 earn a median monthly income of $600 from work. It was found that it is likely that quite a number may be working in part-time jobs or only for a few months of the year, contributing to their lower monthly income. This may be because they are forced to take part-time jobs, which do not pay as well, as they juggle their caregiving responsibilities. Are there any new statistics on the median and average monthly income of single unwed mothers? Therefore, to help them in their role as single mothers supporting their own family, could we consider allowing them to claim the Working Mother's Child Relief and Parenthood tax rebates? As they may have financial struggles as well, could we also consider granting them the Baby Bonus cash gift? Accelerating Adoption of Lasting Power of Attorney”
“I thank Senior Minister of State Janil for his clarification. I just have two questions. Previously, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's dental clinic already offers the full range of subsidised specialised treatment for many, many years. But now, for the treatment to be subsidised, the hospital needs to partner with an NSC. So, they actually do have the capacity and capability. May I find out why this is so and how MOH decides which dental specialty to subsidise since now in the hospitals, some are and some are not? Secondly, I am heartened that there are institutional scholarships for special care and geriatric dentistry for students, but their career progression is still unclear, especially if the specialty is not recognised. For example, if you want to go from a Registrar to an Associate Consultant (AC), you cannot because there is no board exam to pass. I understand that MOH will be doing a review, but for the time being, will MOH consider coming out with a set career progression ladder for them, especially in hospitals? Because I think it will really encourage people to go into this field.”
“Therefore, considering the close proximity of the current dental NSCs situated centrally, mainly NDCS and that National University Hospital (NUH), can the Ministry consider allowing all hospital dental clinics to provide specialised subsidised treatment, in order to better serve patients located in further geographical locations? Can MOH also explain why HDCs need to partner with NSCs to provide an expanded scope of subsidised services? Affordability for Non-Singaporeans”
“I would like to declare that I am an orthodontist working in KTPH. Currently, only our two National Specialty Dental Centres (NSCs), namely, the National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS) and the National University Centre for Oral Health (NUCOHS), are referral centres that provide the full range of subsidised dental services. Hospital dental clinics (HDCs), which are essentially all other hospitals with a dental clinic, are only permitted to provide medically indicated subsidised dental services to hospital patients across inpatient, outpatient and day surgery settings. In my previous Parliamentary Question in October 2021, it was stated that HDCs may refer patients to NSCs when services capacity or capabilities are not available at the HDCs. Where appropriate, HDCs can partner the NSCs to provide an expanded scope of subsidised services at the hospitals based on services, needs and specialty support by the NSCs. However, in many of these HDCs, service capacity and capability are already available. For example, in KTPH, there are service capacity and capability to handle wisdom teeth surgeries, and these were actually already previously subsidised in KTPH. But now they are not. What commonly happens is that the patients may be able to have a full range of crowns, bridges and gum treatment done in one hospital at a subsidised rate, and suddenly have to hop over to another hospital to get a wisdom tooth surgery done. This is not ideal for continuation of care for the patient. In another example, an elderly person living in Yishun in need of subsidised specialty dental care and treatment will have to travel to NDCS and NUCOHS, even though the nearby hospital that he goes to for medical care also has a dental clinic.”
“Therefore, could MOH consider dentists getting some incentives for the backbreaking work and increased time spent caring for these patients? For standard of care, can we have a clinical practice guideline to help ensure quality and appropriate care for these vulnerable populations? For example, the United Kingdom (UK) has a clear framework with stratified levels of care for persons with disabilities (PwDs) that we could consider. Thirdly, Healthier SG is a laudable move in preventive care. For dentistry, we have a school dental service that does preventive screening and intervention. The school dental service covers special education (SPED) schools, but not all, due to limited capacity. Dental screening uptakes are much lower in SPED schools. These children are almost twice as likely to develop caries than those in mainstream schools. Therefore, I hope that in the push for Healthier SG, we do not forget oral healthcare and dentistry, especially for geriatric and special needs patients. Can MOH tell us more about their plans for these special groups? Nurturing Our Healthcare Workforce”
“I would like to declare that I am an orthodontist working in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH). Singapore's disability rate is approximately 2.1% of the student population, 3.4% of those aged 18 to 49 years and 13.3% of those aged 50 and above. By 2030, the number of individuals with disabilities is expected to significantly rise due to Singapore's ageing population. At the same time studies have shown that, minimally, 20 teeth are needed to maintain to speak, chew and swallow effectively. Unfortunately, a 2016 study revealed that only 9% of people aged 80 or older possess at least 20 teeth, while 30% of those aged 60 and above have no teeth at all. Geriatric dentistry focuses on the oral health of elderly patients, while special care dentistry addresses the unique needs of those with special needs. They require specialised knowledge and training to provide the best possible care to these patients. Both are crucial to ensure all have access to quality care. 2.00 pm However, geriatric and special care dentistry are not recognised as a dental specialty. What this means is that dentists who decide to specialise in this field do not have a clear route of career progression. Most would actually need to go through the medical boards of respective institutions and a special appeal process just to get promoted. This may deter young dentists from getting this training. Therefore, I strongly urge MOH to make it a recognised specialty. May I ask what are the considerations involved to do so? Secondly, geriatric and special care dentists cannot handle the needs of the ageing population alone. GPs should be able to handle the mild to moderate cases. However, the reality on the ground is that many may not be confident serving such patients and it may incur more costs.”
“Chairman, scam victims suffer more than just financial losses. It often takes a toll on them physically, mentally and socially. Many may be too embarrassed to seek help. Victims feel anxiety, shame and helplessness, and a variety of other emotions which may lead to depression, tension and stress. The deep shame may also prevent these victims from seeking help. They may also engage in self-harm or turn suicidal. The Anti-Scam Centre was set up last year as a collaboration between Singapore Police Force (SPF) and six banks. Building on that, could I also suggest having a one-stop unit that collaborates with relevant agencies and professionals dedicated to assisting scam victims amid a scam, or after they have fallen prey to the scam? This unit could ensure that vulnerable groups, such as the deaf – who may not be able to utilise the phone hotlines – can get timely help. Post-scam, frontline officers from the Police or banks could refer victims to this "Post-Scam" Unit to better address their financial and mental needs promptly. Financially, the unit can assess the victim's financial needs, provide information about financial support services and refer the victim to relevant social service agencies. Emotionally, the Post-Scam Unit would be equipped to assess their mental health needs and provide immediate emotional support, if needed, to prevent further deterioration in their mental well-being. The unit can then refer the victim to follow-up mental health services and support groups. Finally, the unit can follow up with the victim, after the initial report to check on their well-being and provide additional support if needed. They can also provide updates on the status of the investigation and any support services that may be available to the victim.”
“Even with these positive changes, I find that a supportive workplace and colleagues are just as important. One common example is when children fall sick and children fall sick a lot. You cannot predict when it will happen. Working parents may need to take urgent leave. I have heard many stories of workplaces giving parents a hard time when this happens. It may be mandated by the Government but it may be frowned upon by the company – unofficially, I must add. Therefore, I would like to implore to employers to instil a strong pro-family work culture where flexible work arrangements are the new norm and where work-life balance is respected. As a working individual as well, be kind enough and willing to pick up the slack during these moments when a parent has to take some leave as it will ease the parent's mind greatly. I hope this kindness extends to other working individuals with other needs as well, like adult children who are caregivers to their elderly parents or the new mother who just returned from maternity leave and needs time and a place to express her milk. Let us not wait for incentives and legislation from the Government. We can all do our part. Only then can we move the needle for supporting families in Singapore. Budget 2023 ensures that help is directed to those that need it the most. It does not forget the vulnerable groups and redistributes the wealth so that those who have more will give more. But change can be difficult. Not all will be happy. However, I still believe that this Budget is leading Singapore in the correct direction and I fervently hope that future Budgets will carry the same spirit and intent. Mr Speaker Sir, I support the Budget.”
“Nevertheless, I question if doing so may also unwittingly deter, especially the higher-end middle-income mothers from having more children. Notably, Singapore is trying to raise the total fertility rate (TFR) and having this change might discourage higher-end middle-income mothers from having more children. May I ask then ask what percentage of working mothers currently will have less tax relief after this change? Can I suggest instead that we keep the fixed sum as the minimum amount of tax relief a mother should get while retaining the percentage-based calculation to a maximum of $80,000? In this way, it will strengthen the Government's position to encourage families to have more children as well as encourage mothers to return to the workforce after having their children. Thirdly, I applaud the increase in paternity leave from two weeks to four weeks. Having had my first child last year, I realised how I really needed my husband for support those first two weeks and wished that he could have returned to work later. Postpartum recovery is difficult and the additional two weeks of support is invaluable. As such, could I request that this increase in paternity leave start a bit earlier to benefit more couples? I understand that companies may need time to adjust to this change in manpower, so can I suggest increasing in tranches, starting with three weeks in the second half of the year and to the full four weeks in January next year? Finally, while this big-hearted Budget aims to promote and support the creation of families, I hope employers and workplaces also take it upon themselves to be kind as well. The increase in paternity leave as well as unpaid infant care leave is a welcome move but one that may be taxing on the workplace.”
“It is already hard raising a child alone. It is even harder when our policies become inadvertent structural roadblocks that result in unequal access. I recognise this Government's pro-family policies and myself agree that parenthood within marriage increases the likelihood of a stable family. However, we should consider the knock-on effects of certain policies on the children of these single mothers, namely the Working Mother's Child Relief, Parenthood Tax Rebates as well as certain housing policies. It is imperative to remember that measures that penalise single mothers or leave them out of society-wide benefits ultimately do not just penalise these women but also penalises their children. It affects how these children live and grow and their experiences during this time. It affects the possibility of social mobility and it affects their future. Let us not forget that in the end, these children will form the next generation of Singaporeans. The Parenthood Tax Rebates and Working Mother's Child Relief require the single unwed mother to marry the biological father of their child. An ancillary consequence of some of these measures is that a single mother may feel they are penalised so drastically as a single parent in the Singapore system that it is impossible to walk away from a bad or abusive relationship to avail themselves to the Budget incentives. If that does happen, the likelihood that the family unit breaks down is higher. The child will suffer. From unwed single mothers, I would like to now speak about working mothers. The Working Mother's Child Relief was converted from a percentage-based calculation to a fixed sum. I appreciate its intent to redirect more support to lower- and middle-income working mothers.”
“Mr Speaker, Budget 2023 beckons us to move forward into a new era. We have transitioned to DORSCON green after three years of battling COVID-19 and it seems that we are finally returning to normalcy. However, there are still many worries that Singaporeans are grappling with. Geopolitical tensions from the year-long Russian-Ukrainian war and US-China rivalries still remain. There have been massive tech layoffs from big tech companies like Gojek, Amazon and Google throughout the last few months. Resale housing prices rose for the 11th straight quarter. The cost of living is rising. It becomes almost imperative for the Budget to protect and support Singaporeans, particularly those who are more vulnerable. A Budget reflects the priorities of the Government. Therefore, I am heartened that this year's Budget reflects a kinder approach – one that is listening to its people amidst many uncertainties. The enhanced permanent GST Voucher Scheme and Assurance Package ensure that more help is directed to the low- and middle-income to overcome the effects of high inflation and GST. Seniors will be receiving higher CPF payouts and eldercare subsidies. Platform workers will have increased CPF contributions. Employers hiring senior workers, ex-offenders and persons with disabilities will be given wage subsidies. These are good measures with positive socioeconomic objectives and I am very happy that we have this in the Budget. I recognise that there is already a strong focus on the people. Nevertheless, I wish to speak about a certain vulnerable group that I believe we can do more for. I am speaking of the unwed single mothers – the mothers who are trying to make a living while raising their kids, who are doing their best to provide for their kid so that he is not left behind.”
“Therefore, would the Government consider reassessing the income caps for executive condominiums? Finally, the long waiting time to BTO flats is mainly due to the construction delays brought about by the perfect storm of the effects of the pandemic and less so due to the waiting time to secure a place for a flat as even in non-mature estates, the flats are oversubscribed. Therefore, how can we overcome BTO construction delays and be resilient against such supply chain and manpower disruption in the future? HDB taken a bold step forward by embracing new technologies that can accelerate construction and completion times. For example, the BTOs at Tengah are expected to yield a 25% improvement in site productivity compared with other BTO projects. This is promising and paves the way for looking at technology which can create a more resilient construction industry. I commend them on going on this path of research, innovation and hope this can continue. In conclusion, I still believe that the public housing policy has responded well to the changing needs of Singaporeans over the years. It is heartening to see how the policies have continuously evolved to ensure accessibility and affordability. Public housing is not just affordability though. The curated shared life experiences in HDBs for social cohesion and diversity are unmatched anywhere else in the world. For that, I support the Ministry's Motion.”
“This is a concern, especially for those who cannot qualify for BTOs and ECs but are unable to afford private property. In the recent October sitting in 2022, I had asked about the number of HDB homeowners who have purchased a second private property. In response, it was found that the group made up 3.3% of all HDB flat owners. In the subsequent sitting, it was mentioned that about 45% of this group are not living in their HDB flats as they have rented out their whole flat. In view of the strong demand in public housing and the high resale prices, will the Government consider HDB flat owners to sell their flats when they purchase a private property to free up more flats moving forward? In this way, we can prioritise couples and families who need a house. Secondly, executive condominiums (ECs), a hybrid of public and private housing, targeting inspiring middle-class families who are unable to qualify for BTOs but find private condominiums or properties, too expensive. They are subject to an income cap of $16,000. However, still they qualify for subsidies. I did a quick check on the DBS home loan website. For couple who is a first-timer with a combined income of $16,000 which is the cap looking to buy an EC, based on the indicative prevailing interest rates of 3% to 4.25% and the maximum loan period of 30 years, the couple will be eligible for a loan of up to $975,000 and affordability-wise to purchase a property worth $1.3 million. However, if we were to take a look at the recently launched Tenet EC, the units actually range between $1.1 to 2.1 million. Even with the HDB grants, it may still be challenging for the couple to afford the larger unit with a combined income of $16,000.”
“Sir, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this Motion. At the end of 2020, I began my own journey in looking for a flat of my own to start a family. It was admittedly an exciting time when we looked at all the factors and options we could consider in the public housing domain. There were many factors we had to consider: Should we stay in a mature or non-mature estate? Who will help when we have kids in the future? Will it make a difference if we do not have a car? Is the opportunity cost of time due to longer travelling times, for example, be taken into account if we settle for a further location? Will this be our forever home or will it be a stepping stone to something else? To complicate things further, due to the effects of the pandemic, there were BTO project delays, which resulted in the rise of resale flat prices. It did make us jittery to see the price going up month on month the longer we took to make a decision. Buying house is one of the biggest purchases a young couple can make. For me at least, it shone a spotlight on the role of HDB and how has it evolved over the years. And more importantly, moving forward, how will it be in the future? Since its inception, HDB's goal has been to encourage home ownership by making public housing affordable and accessible. We can see that this has come to fruition as 80% of Singapore's population currently reside in HDB flats, of which about 90% own them. The last few years have seen many significant and rapid changes to the housing landscape. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain and manpower disruptions have driven up the price of resale flats for the eleventh consecutive quarter as people look for quicker alternatives.”
“The psychological effects of viewing harmful content is well documented, with reports of moderators experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and other mental health issues as a result of the disturbing content that they are exposed to." May I suggest, therefore, that we also make it a part of the code of practice to protect our protectors – the content moderators who risk personal wellness for social good? In addition to continually improving artificial intelligence (AI), OCS can protect content moderators' mental health through a variety of practices, such as having access to mental health services and support, as well as having exposure limits. Overall, I am glad that in the drafting of this Bill, extensive industry and public consultations were carried out. However, tackling harmful online content requires a whole-of-society effort. As the good Minister stated yesterday, laws are not a silver bullet. It is also insufficient and inappropriate to pass the onus of regulating such content on OCS alone without recognising that OCS services are merely a tool or platform that reflects the way individuals use them. Ultimately, individuals – parents, children, teachers – law enforcement authorities and governments all have a role to play, too. Everyone has a part to play by not engaging in online harm, by proactively taking steps to prevent exposure and by supporting those who have become victims of it. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, clarifications notwithstanding, I support the Bill.”
“For example, how will IMDA quantify or measure "the extent and nature of the effect that different types of OCS have on the people of Singapore"? Fourthly, section 45L sets out the boundaries of IMDA's powers in the code of practice. However, it is not clear how IMDA intends to implement the different objectives under section 45L. Could I seek clarification regarding the type of measures that may be introduced by IMDA under the code of practice? For example, how does IMDA intend to have OCS prevent children of different age groups access content that presents a material risk of significant harm to them? Most already have terms and conditions that require users to declare they are above a certain age. If a child user declares falsely, will OCS be liable for the child’s actions? If an OCS sets out community terms that explicitly prohibit egregious content but a user posts such content, will OCS be liable for the publishing of such content? What safeguards are there to ensure the audits requested by IMDA are not excessive? Fifthly, technology evolves at a rapid speed. During the time the UK started drafting the online bill, TikTok emerged. We also now have the metaverse. How often will the code of practice be updated to keep up with these changes? Finally, I would also like to draw attention to the work of the human content moderators. The constant exposure to disturbing and inappropriate content takes a toll on their well-being. In 2019, Cambridge Consultants reported that "moderating harmful content can cause significant psychological damage to moderators.”
“This, in turn, has caused distrust in governments, researchers and health professionals, which directly impacts people's lives and health. I support this Bill. However, I have queries on certain aspects of it. Firstly, section 45H directs the online communication services (OCS) provider to disable access by Singapore users to egregious content. May I ask whether there is a specified amount of time the OCS would have to disable the content? Certain content may be more harmful and may need to be disabled immediately to mitigate the damage. One case in point is the Christchurch Attack in 2019. Using a GoPro camera, the attacker filmed himself using Facebook Live, gunning down 51 people in two mosques. The video quickly went viral and was viewed about 4,000 times before it was removed. As Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell summed up in a tweet, "The New Zealand massacre was livestreamed on Facebook, announced on 8chan, reposted on YouTube, commented about on Reddit and mirrored around the world before the tech companies could even react." Secondly, if the OCS fails to comply with IMDA's direction to disable access or is unable to do it within a specified time, under section 45I, Internet service providers (ISPs) can be directed to block Singapore users' access to the OCS. Could the Minister clarify how long the OCS is expected to be blocked in such cases and what factors are used to determine the length of time? Thirdly, I would also like to seek some clarity on who would be designated a regulated online communication (ROC) provider. Although section 45K(1) sets out some criteria, they are factors that do not bind IMDA and are actually quite wide.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, an online poll conducted by the Sunlight Alliance for Action (AFA) in January 2022 found that nearly half of over 1,000 Singaporeans have personally experienced online harms – the bulk of them youths. About 43% of them will not take action against it. They think that it will not make a difference. This is concerning. It is clear that although online spaces have opened up a whole new world of information for youths, allowing them the opportunity to express themselves and connect with people globally, it has also exposed them to new forms of dangers that the previous generation has not faced, such as cyberbullying and online grooming. Sir, an important aspect of the Bill is that it has attempted to define this content, identifying seven categories of egregious harm. I agree with these categories as they will bring about the most harm to society. Having these definitions gives enhanced clarity to online communication services as to what is harmful in Singapore's context. For example, in 2020, a Facebook post from the NUS Atheist Society, which is actually not affiliated with NUS, suggested using the Bible and Quran as alternatives in the event of a toilet paper shortage. In that situation, IMDA stepped in to ask Facebook to disable access to the post before it was taken down. As a healthcare professional, I am also gratified by the inclusion of content that constitutes a public health risk. A 2021 systematic review, which studied the impact of fake news on social media and its influence on health during the COVID-19 pandemic, found that social media platforms have contributed to the infodemic, which can perpetuate fake news and information.”
“Okay. Basically, there are a lot of measures. I am aware that MOE has to ensure that there is social mixing between students of different backgrounds – high SES, low SES and many other different backgrounds. But I think the mindset may be that if you form ties with those in higher SES, you actually have better social capital, you move up better. So, I just want to know whether in these interactions that are curated, there is a focus to ensure that they understand that these ties even with people from different backgrounds that are of lower SES are actually valuable to them, as compared to just having friends in higher places.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Minister for the response. Recently, there is a study from Harvard University that published the fact that social capital was the strongest predictor of upward income mobility; basically, that those with friends of higher socioeconomic status (SES) actually have better income mobility. So, I am also aware that there are a lot of measures that MOE has which allow a lot more social interactions between those of lower- and higher-SES. But I am also concerned that for these social interactions, there must be a focus that the students internalise that the low SES ties are also valuable, as compared to only thinking that high SES ties are valuable. So, I was wondering whether there is a focus on those social interactions, whether it is curated for them to learn that particular lesson.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his response. I am very heartened to hear that they are ready to work with the relevant SSAs and organisations. I just have one supplementary question. They are still represented by the Singapore Manual & Mercantile Workers' Union – I understand it maybe because they may have been better adapted to handle this. How has that changed moving forward, so that MOE can better work with the SPED organisations and SPED individuals in this current moment to help retain and attract more SPED teachers to this vocation?”
“Lastly, it is evident that everyone plays a part in the progress of women's development which is why I believe mindset change is the most critical step in this whole endeavour of policy, legislative and structural changes. It is reflected in the choices that we make every day. As fathers, when we make an effort to share the mental load and burden of household responsibilities; as parents and educators when we decide what kind of examples we set with our behaviour; as employers and colleagues when we show understanding to fellow parents at work or as consumers where we take a stand to not consume sexist content. Only with everyone taking a conscious step and working hand-in-hand will our efforts bear fruit much faster with far-reaching effects. With that, I support this Motion. 4.26 pm”
“Instead of work structures that reward employees for pulling more hours at work, a transition to one which is supportive of a family-friendly work culture would encourage both parents to balance work and family commitments. However, such benefits should not be solely used by women as the perceived costs of hiring them will increase. According to MSF, only 55% of fathers used up their paternity leave. This was mainly due to workplace support. Fathers are worried that it might affect their career prospects. Employers also have to ensure that colleagues are willing to cover the fathers' duties in their absence. I understand that the White Paper will be tackling this aspect in Action 4. Therefore, may I ask whether there are similar upcoming plans to ensure increased utilisation of FWAs, not by women, but by men as well? In a similar vein, an NUS study in 2021 showed that men with lower incomes were less likely to utilise their paternity leave. This was especially prominent in those involved in manual labour. Hence, could I suggest for provisions to be made to allow for some amount of paternity leave to be made compulsory? This will be a strong signal to the community regarding the importance of shared gender responsibilities as equal partners as well as towards enhancing the support of women in low-income families as well. Thirdly, employers or institutions which are able to adopt such family-friendly practices should be rewarded for their commitment to gender equality in the workplace. These efforts are not easy to adopt, especially since it also relies on the mindset change and support of society to make it work. This is also in line with the Government's moves to encourage marriage and parenthood to boost the total fertility rate.”
“While the White Paper champions autonomy of choice for women, I am concerned that women may be presented with a false choice and come under increased pressure to view their recovery during the duration of the maternity leave as optional, especially for women who aspire to hold leadership positions in future. Thus, they may either opt not to take the full duration of their maternity leave or choose to continue working throughout the duration of their maternity leave. Anecdotally as well, it seems a handful of employers may encourage women to work throughout their maternity or seek to postpone or do away with their time away with the promise that doing so would lead to greater career progressions. I think a stronger message needs to be sent that maternity is not an optional leave but one that is statutorily protected because Parliament recognises there is a need for women to recover from the procedures and many bodily changes introduced by pregnancy and labour. There is a greater social good being encouraged by preserving the maternity leave for women and ensuring that it is observed. Secondly, I am also glad to see the introduction of the new Tripartite Guidelines on FWAs by 2024 which requires employers to consider employees' flexi-work requests fairly and properly. There are many ways FWAs can be implemented, whether flexi-place, flexi-time or flexi-load. Being able to do so would allow employers to adopt the best practices to manage their workforce while, at the same time, allowing them to tap on talents that they may not have been able to traditionally. This is also a major step forward to weaken gender norms.”
“Firstly, gender discrimination and implicit biases still persist in the workplace, intended or unintended. For example, minority women may have to deal with biases due to gender as well as race. In June 2021, a woman applying for a preschool teacher job was allegedly asked to remove her hijab at work. Additionally, whether a woman decides to get married or start a family should not be asked in interviews or play a part in whether job opportunities are offered. It is disheartening that we are now in the 21st century and yet women are still having to contend with questions on their childbearing motivations at the workplace and upon being hired. Therefore, it is very welcomed that we will be enshrining the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices in law. Doing so will afford better protection to women who are victims of discrimination and prevent retaliation against those who whistle-blow. In particular, I would also like to ask if specific legislation and policies will be introduced for women going on maternity leave. If there are cases in which a pregnant mother has to go on maternity leave, she should not be automatically given a lower band by default during her subsequent appraisal simply by virtue of taking what is a statutorily mandated leave. Guidelines should be available for the employer to objectively evaluate her performance and for the employee herself to be able to fulfil them reasonably. This can help to address the unequal pay or promotion which can slow down further career progression down the road. Additionally, what provisions or measures can be introduced that would ensure women are not discouraged from taking their statutorily mandated maternity leave at risk of penalty to their career progression?”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, I would like to express my support for the action plans proposed in the White Paper on Singapore Women's Development. In my opinion, the policy and legislative changes that will be implemented have the ability to catalyse a mindset change in the whole community on how gender roles are perceived in today's context. I would like to focus my speech on the support for women in the workforce. To do so, we can, firstly, look at the gender pay gap. Both the adjusted and unadjusted measures of gender pay gap are used for policy-making. Based on a study conducted by MOM and NUS in 2020, it was found that there was an adjusted gender pay gap of 4.3%, which has shown a marked improvement, though it can still be improved. The gender pay gap was attributed to various factors. Women frequently play the primary role of a caregiver, be it to their children, the elderly as well as those with special needs. This may have impacted their time and experience at work, leading to delays in career progression and earnings. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] However, there was barely any change in the unadjusted gender pay gap between 2002 and 2018, with a differential of 16% between the two genders. This is significant and can be explained by occupational segregation. Examples include the effect of occupational choices which may be dictated by a woman's multiple responsibilities. The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in 2020 also shows further evidence of the motherhood penalty in which the gap widens, particularly when women reach their peak childbearing or childcaring ages. So, what can be done to narrow this gap? I am very heartened that the White Paper has taken a multi-pronged approach to tackle this.”
“Thank you, Chairman. I have a few clarifications. I note that we are going to have a salary review of the asatizahs and I also realised that it was announced somewhere in early 2020. May I know what is the rough timeline and when we can expect the results of the review since it was announced in 2020? Secondly, I would like to say that the PCICS is a wonderful initiative. From what I see from the news recently, they were given a salary incentive of $100, but it was only offered to those working in mosques and madrasahs. May I know whether it will be extended or expanded to other asatizahs and whether this $100 is benchmarked against other sectors?”
“Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic saw the need for our religious teachers to quickly pivot and adapt to ensure that religious classes and programmes could still be carried out to benefit the Muslim community. I would like to commend them for their efforts. It also raises the issue that, in addition to the continual need to upgrade religious knowledge, non-typical skills upgrading is also needed to keep up with changes that happen in society. May I know the updates and how ARS is doing this on their CPE platform to better address and respond to these changing needs? Update on International Conference on Communities of Success”
“The Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud (LBKM), which has many institutional MMO members, could also galvanise community efforts in relation to education upliftment. Likewise, the Malay Heritage Foundation has championed cultural heritage and preservation and engaged in active dialogue to recognise some of Singapore's cultural stalwarts, like the late Mr Sarkasi Said. How can the Malay/Muslim organisations synergise, support and complement other national initiatives? Career Pathways for Asatizahs (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] On 24 February 2020, the Committee of Future Asatizah (COFA) released its recommendations to help asatizahs take their place as leaders and professionals, able to contexualise their religious knowledge to tackle issues and guiding the Muslim community here. One of the programmes introduced was RLTD. May I ask what the programme is doing to groom the asatizahs to fill the different leadership positions not just in religious institutions but in the adjacent sectors as well? The religious knowledge asatizahs have is important in providing expertise and guidance in non-religious sectors as well, benefiting not just the Muslim community but the wider community, too. I would also like to know the progress into the common salary guidelines in religious institutions. I hope, with the important, sincere work that they do, they are renumerated appropriately to attract as well as to retain talent. How are the salaries benchmarked against relevant sectors and what is the pay progression like as they upskill and upgrade? At the same time, how are we galvanising the community to support this pay progression as well?”
“(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Wakaf is a voluntary charitable endowment made in the form of cash or property. It is made by Muslims for religious purposes and allows the perpetual use of the asset for charity. It is an important source of funds to supplement how the community can fulfil and support its community and religious needs. Recently, a descendent of Haji Pitchay Meerah Hussain claimed mismanagement of his grandfather's wakaf land. MUIS later explained that wakif's wishes are being respected, and that the broader intention has been fulfilled. As such, I would also like to know what MUIS' efforts are in educating the public regarding wakaf and whether input is being sought from the community on how the wakaf assets are being used. This is because I believe that, by doing so, it would put the Muslim community's mind at ease and may encourage the community to contribute further to the fund. Likewise, may I know what are MUIS' plans to grow and invest the fund? Would the Minister also consider introducing a similar concept for the rest of society to consider endowing their assets to charitable perpetual uses? Malay/Muslim Organisations (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] It can be difficult for families in need to navigate the social support systems to get timely and holistic help or to gain access to national initiatives that may benefit them. Malay/Muslim Organisations can also play a part in helping to complement and support these initiatives. For example, MENDAKI had loaned out laptops to students who were awaiting approval for new ones under the NEU-PC Plus Programme when students had to suddenly pivot to home-based learning (HBL).”
“MSF has announced that, over the course of the next two years, ComLink will reach rental households with children and young people all across Singapore. With this programme, low-income families will be matched to dedicated befrienders and get customised help to address their problems as well as help families connect to community groups and Government agencies so they get more targeted help. I am excited about these developments as I feel that it will help to render more timely and holistic care for the families with young children. It does, however, seem very resource-intensive and I have some queries regarding the execution of the programme. How do we ensure the competencies of the befrienders? How do we match them to lower-income families? Do we have an ecosystem to support them as they approach the different Government agencies? What might be some indicators of success, both short and longer term, that MSF and ComLink partners are potentially looking at achieving? What might be some obstacles to achieving these goals? What is MSF’s strategy in attaining its objectives? Progress of ComLink”
“Thank you, Chairman. I think the Healthier SG initiative is a very exciting development. As a dentist myself, I would also like to say that oral health is very important. It is intricately linked with good health and dental treatment is also quite expensive. So, may I know if this initiative will be extended to preventive dentistry as well? And is the Ministry planning to engage with the dental fraternity for the White Paper?”
“Since it also requires close coordination among many Ministries such as SNDGO, could the Ministry share what factors it considers when determining whether to form a permanent office under PMO, to oversee an issue of national concern? MediSave Payments for Mental Illnesses”