Sitoh Yih Pin
Singapore
“Madam, apart from a healthy diet and regular preventive health checks, one of the key elements of keeping healthy in our silver years is to pursue an active lifestyle. Playing and participating in sports is a fun and engaging way to do so. Granted that as one ages, we may not be able to participate in intense sports activities.”
“Mr Chairman, as a market-oriented, open economy, there will be, over time, inflows and outflows of foreigners who live and work in our country, alongside fellow Singaporeans. These foreigners come from different backgrounds and cultures and take on work in various forms as PMETs, skilled or manual workers.”
“Madam, many Singaporeans are very excited about the Kallang Alive Masterplan announced at the Prime Minister's National Day Rally last year and are looking forward to how the plans will revitalise the Sports Hub and its surrounding areas.”
“Mdm Chair, Singapore's arts sector has matured over the years with globally recognised artists and companies supported by world class venues. Importantly, local audience support is critical in building a vibrant arts scene engaged with the Community.”
“Yes, Sir, I will keep it very short. I would like to thank the entire MCCY team and all the speakers for their speeches. With that, I ask for leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $2,270,827,200 for Head X ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates.”
“Sir, I thank the political office holders for their responses. Sir, in the last few hours, several media outlets reported that Lady Gaga will be performing here at the National Stadium. I think four concerts in May this year.”
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“And the way to do this is not to go to the mountaintop and shout repeatedly "I am one of you". But rather, it is through our actions and words, through our humility, sincerity, that people will come to realise we are one of them, one with them and one for them. That is when people will come to know that, yes, we are "one of us". Going beyond politics, as we approach our 50th anniversary as a nation next year, it is also vital that every Singaporean reaffirms that we are "one of us". Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget. 5.33 pm”
“Voting has always been about selecting those who are perceived to be faster, stronger and smarter, more honest, more sincere and so on, so that those so elected are the ones who are better equipped to govern over the rest. And yet, paradoxically, while we want to elect the faster, stronger and smarter, we also want these people to be "one of us". To be "one of us", is the exact opposite of being labelled "out of touch". Once you are "one of us", you understand me; my problems. You are not elitist. We can have a relationship of engagement based on mutual respect and understanding. To a politician, there is no better balm for political wounds than to be labelled as "one of us". Being "one of us" covers a multitude of mistakes and sins. This is an inescapable hard truth of politics. This is especially so in the social media age when the "power distance" between leaders and the people shrinks rapidly and the electorate no longer accept their leaders unquestionably as distant figures wielding enormous power. Madam, as I have said last year at the Budget debates in Parliament, the battle for the hearts and minds of Singaporeans begins at the level of trust. And trust begins when people deep down instinctively know we are not "them", but we are one of them. Since the last general elections, the Government has worked very hard to address shortcomings, perceived or otherwise. There is still much left to be done. At last year's Budget debates, I also urged all of us to listen to the people, to labour for the people and to lead the people. Page: 123 This year, I urge all of us, especially for those in Government, to avoid the pitfalls of being labelled "out of touch" and to strive to be seen by the people as "one of us".”
“And we need to guard against elitism, whether in our schools, public institutions, or in society at large, because it threatens to divide the inclusive society that we seek to build." Madam, in every society, when the divide between the elites and the masses widens, the elites are inevitably seen to be "out of touch." And, often, justifiably so. And once you are seen to be elitist and lacking in empathy, the third and most pernicious consequence must happen – people around you cannot see themselves having an engaging relationship with you that is based on mutual understanding and respect. Once successfully labelled as "out of touch", you are so far away you are practically a lost cause because no real relationship is possible. And without a meaningful relationship, earnest communication is Page: 122 now also impossible. In summary, "out of touch" will engender the following notions that are fatal to any public figure, and, especially, an elected politician: (a) lacking in empathy; (b) being indirectly branded as elitist; (c) it is not possible to have a relationship based on engagement, mutual respect and understanding between the electorate and you. Mdm Speaker, please allow me now to talk a little about the paradox of democracy and the franchise of voting. Inherent in the mature democracies is the principle of equality. Everyone has one vote. At the ballot box, one vote from a pauper is as important as one vote by a billionaire. But while such notions of equality exist at the level of the voter, the same cannot be said at the level of the candidates.”
“You frequent places that 95% of the population Page: 121 cannot afford or have no access to. You think it is very hard to live on $10,000 a month when most people do not see this kind of money at all. And what is worse, all your friends are like you and think and speak likewise. And even if you do not do any of the above, your political enemies may still try their level best to portray you as being "out of touch." Once you are branded as such, three things would happen to you. The first is the impression that you are lacking in empathy. You may be the most hardworking, the most intelligent and the most compassionate person around, but people do not think you can solve their problems as a public servant if you lack empathy. Empathy is different from compassion. Doctors will tell you it takes both compassion and empathy to be a good doctor. Politicians are no different. The people around you do not believe you know how to care even if they believe you want to care for them. The second deadly wound the label inflicts is that the "out of touch" label is often an euphemism for elitism. To quote Emeritus Senior Minister Goh when he spoke at his alma mater, Raffles Institution, on the occasion of receiving the Gryphon Award on 27 July 2013: "But when society's brightest and most able think that they made good because they are inherently superior and entitled to their success; when they do not credit their good fortune also to birth and circumstance; when economic inequality gives rise to social immobility and a growing distance between the winners of meritocracy and the masses; and when the winners seek to cement their membership of a social class that is distinct from, exclusive and not representative of Singapore society – that is elitism.”
“Mdm Speaker, in many places, a politician can have some bad habits and get re-elected. In many places, a politician can be considered as not very bright and yet hold very senior positions. Certainly, one does not have to look great or be very healthy to be a successful politician either. But, Madam, there is one weakness or label that no politician can survive, and this applies to whether the politician needs to win elections or not. This label sticks for a long time and is terribly difficult to remove. It is more often than not, fatal. And it kills the politician slowly and painfully. This dreaded label is none other than "Out of Touch". Out of Touch – before the advent of democracy which permitted peaceful transfers of political power, bloody mutinies and revolutions had taken place in the name of leade rs being out of touch. One such infamous example is the words that Mary Antoinette was purported to have uttered, "Let them eat cake". Incidentally, there is no evidence that she ever said these words, which underscores the miasma that diffuses from being labelled "out of touch". And, yet, while the label of being "out of touch" is so powerful and permanent, defining a person or an organisation as being out of touch is incredibly nebulous. How does one even define the words "out of touch" in politics? It seems to creep up insidiously, envelops, corrodes and eventually devours the politician or public servant. And more often than not, the politician does not even see or feel it coming. Madam, while we cannot define what "out of touch" is, there are many signs and symptoms of a person being out of touch that any politician should guard against. The obvious sign is a very different behaviour and lifestyle from most other people. You speak differently.”
“Maintaining equilibrium between the two can bring out the best in our Town Councils. If there is no incentive for Town Councils to improve their performance, for example, in developing better Town Council Management System, then I think residents will be worse off because no political party would want to invest funds in such an exercise given that the idea is that all these will eventually be shared across the island. Politics is a reality in a large public undertaking, such as the leadership and management of Town Councils. To pretend that we can divorce politics from it is not realistic. Town Councils form one platform in our system of government in which political parties compete with one another. But it cannot be about political competition merely for competition's sake. Instead, the competition engendered should motivate political parties to raise their game and deliver on their electoral promises at the national and local level. The proposed comprehensive review of Town Councils should endeavour to reduce the "fundamental tension" between the political and administrative functions of Town Councils. A more robust set of rules and procedures as well as safeguards can remove unnecessary political catfights. But this should not take away from the fundamental character of Town Councils which is, ultimately, about promoting good governance and improvement of people's lives at the local level. 5.43 pm”
“Could the Ministry consider professionalising Town Councils such that there would not be this "clearing of the decks" where Town Council staff are concerned? Why should politics matter in the day-to-day running of Town Councils and in the employment of Town Council staff? Beyond reducing the level of politicisation of Town Councils, a comprehensive review should also consider the "softer" but equally important aspects of Town Councils, such as how the devolution of control and management of public housing estates can imbue in residents a stronger sense of personal and collective responsibility in the well-being of the estate and fellow residents. This potential of Town Councils has not been fully realised even after two decades. In this regard, all Town Councillors, in my view, should be residing in the areas in which they serve and be elected by residents, rather than being appointed by MPs, as is the current practice today. This can give impetus to grassroots democracy, enabling more people to serve while also nurturing greater ownership among residents. Thick engagement, through involvement in decision-making on matters that affect a resident's sense of well-being vis-a-vis his estate, are necessary if local government is to be authentic, inclusive and consequential. This helps us to get to the substance of what Town Councils are about. Local government or decentralisation has been very much stunted so far. We should unleash the full potential of Town Councils. The overall development of our public housing heartlands has to be a collaborative partnership of the MPs and the residents. Madam, the "fundamental tension" between the political and administrative functions of Town Councils can be healthy.”
“While latitude should continue to be extended to Town Councils and MPs in exercising autonomy in engaging those who share their political agenda or are affiliated to their parties, better controls and safeguards ought to be introduced to ensure probity, accountability and transparency in such transactions. This is notwithstanding that the Town Councils Act does not prohibit such transactions. But the lack of such a prohibition does not and cannot mean that proper controls and appropriate checks and proper disclosures should be dispensed with. In fact, the autonomy must be properly regulated. This is where the Town Councils Act can be improved upon so that the autonomy given in such matters will not be abused and reduce the scope for politics to creep in. Madam, I note that all political parties that have run Town Councils have entered into contracts, or employed staff with related parties. Indeed, it would appear that this practice is not uncommon. MND should consider introducing measures to promote transparency and accountability in this regard. There should be a process for the proper disclosure of such transactions, and information pertaining to related-party transactions should be publicly available. The AIM matter attracted a lot of negative publicity and was politically costly to the PAP because there was a presumption that the sale and leaseback of the TCMS could not have been in the interests of the residents, given that AIM is a PAP-owned company. Madam, a current weakness of the system is that a significant amount of local knowledge of the estate officers is lost when there is a change of Managing Agent or a change of staff as well as Town Councillors. Entire teams, especially executives, could conceivably be replaced.”
“Context, therefore, matters as well, in light of a more competitive political landscape. The MND Report provides some suggestions for better management of changeovers. They are worth following up on. While MND's light-touch regulatory approach in Town Council matters should be maintained, MND should take a more prominent role in overseeing any changeover. For instance, MND should administer the handover process and/or be the arbiter in the event of any dispute or disagreement. New subsidiary legislation may need to be drafted to prescribe the protocols in detail on the handing- and taking-over. This relates to political parties as well as MND. This can reduce political opportunism and ensure that accountability and transparency are given due attention even during transitions. Town Council funds have to be safeguarded, and the handover should not result in public funds being misused. In fact, a robust set of protocols and audits can help ensure that any wilful attempt to politicise the handover will have a blowback effect on the political party in question. This is because residents suffer "collateral damage" when the handover is politicised. Madam, as for the practice of tapping on people who share the political party affiliation, be it party members, party and personal supporters of the MP, and engaging them as a Town Council paid staff or in the award of contracts, here, while politics may well be at play, the larger concern is really about conflicts of interests and related party transactions. Again, the core concern has to be that of the residents' best interests.”
“And given that politics is integral to the operating system of Town Councils, what are the appropriate safeguards that can be put in place to ensure that politics of Town Councils are not exercised at the expense of residents? Madam, as I see it, the risks of politicisation of Town Council administration are magnified during the following occasions: One, the handover process of a Town Council from one political party to another following a parliamentary election or by-election; Two, the practice of tapping on people who share the political affiliation, be it party members, party and personal supporters of an MP, and engaging them as a Town Council paid staff or in the award of contracts; and Three, during the hustings when a party's Town Council management record is scrutinised or challenged. Madam, the risks of politicisation, while real, should not be exaggerated in the handover process of a Town Council from one political party to another. Political parties have generally conducted themselves well in handovers. Besides the AIM matter, the handover from the PAP to WP of the Aljunied Town Council was relatively smooth. Notwithstanding teething problems and a lack of trust inherent in any transition, I am not aware of any major disruption of services to residents. Likewise, there was continuity of services to residents in the handover of Potong Pasir Town Council in 2011, as well as in the handover of Town Council jurisdiction for Punggol East recently after the 2012 by-election, save for the use of the Town Council office space there. In some respects, we are in new territory given that between 1997 and 2011, there was no handover of Town Councils. Since May 2011, however, we have had three handovers, including one involving a GRC.”
“Secondly, the nationalisation of estate management back to the HDB will take away a vital platform for an elected MP to administer and run an estate, including making the immediate living environment better. It will also take away a vital opportunity for the MP to work with Town Councillors and residents in a common effort to create the so-called "kampung spirit" in our HDB heartlands. HDB, as a bureaucracy, will be ill-equipped to be the catalyst to strengthen social and community bonds. Thirdly, the nationalisation of estate management in a more competitive and contested political landscape will mean that an elected MP's accountability and ability will be reduced at a time when it ought to be of growing importance. This is because any MP can simply lay the shortcomings in estate management and upkeep at the feet of HDB. We should continue to protect and enhance local government. Bringing the state back in would spell the end of local government and the idea of greater ownership of residents in their housing estates. The elected Members of this House will know better than I do that Town Council management will not take away the need for them to be an effective representative of his/her constituents. Town Council management has added to the centrality of elected MPs in our system of government. It will also add another dimension to the relationship between the elected MPs and the electorate. Mdm Speaker, as the MND Report identified, the challenge going forward is to ensure that the Town Councils' political DNA does not interfere with the Town Councils' fundamental objective of providing estate management services to residents. In short, how do we professionalise, not politicise, Town Councils?”
“As we are moved towards a more competitive and contested political landscape, it is imperative to ensure that the politicised context that Town Councils operate under does not become excessively politicised. Should we revert to the pre-1989 situation in which the management and maintenance of public housing estates was HDB's sole responsibility? Politics will be par for the course even if we are to centralise the control, management, maintenance and improvement of HDB estates back to the HDB, as it was the case the pre-1989 days. Any sign that HDB treats one HDB estate differently from another, whether favourably or prejudicially, will be seen through political lenses. If anything, politics will become magnified, and detrimental to HDB heartlanders in such a scenario since the buck will constantly be passed around. Is this better than the current system in which for estate management and upkeep matters, the buck stops with the Member of Parliament? Certainly not. In addition to blurred lines of responsibility, there are three other major concerns with the re-centralisation of control with HDB. I raised some of these points earlier in my TODAY commentary last week but I think it is good for me to elaborate on them. First, it is likely to result in our HDB estates not developing their own distinctive identities. HDB would simply adopt a cookie-cutter approach in estate management to avoid any allegations of preferential or prejudicial treatment. Such a one-size-fits-all approach will mean that the particularities of each estate, whether in terms of history, geography, social demographics, cannot be catered to.”
“I hope the framework that will govern Town Councils will make any political party which seeks to politicise the Town Councils pay a high political price for waging partisan political battles at the expense of residents. Madam, following the release of the MND Review Report, there is a view that doing away with the Town Councils will consign politics in the day-to-day running of Town Councils to the dustbin of history. If only it were that simple. We must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water. By now, it is clear that I am in favour of Town Councils even as we need to improve its governance framework and breathe new life into this institution of local government. Its full potential remains untapped even after more than two decades. It is time to recognise that Town Councils are inherently political right from the outset. It would be naive to think otherwise. As a form of local government, Town Council has transformed the role of the elected Member of Parliament from being a mere politician to one that includes administrative responsibilities. Besides representing their voters in Parliament, elected MPs are now directly responsible and accountable to their resident-voters for the day-to-day running, upkeep and upgrading of their HDB estates. While not solely determinative of the MP's political fortunes, there are political implications to the quality of estate management, given the abiding concern of Singaporeans with the value of their residential properties. As the MND Review Report noted, "it is inevitable that the TC [Town Council] function is carried out in a competitive politicised context".”
“There are much bigger issues at stake and the political catfights must not compromise the best interests of residents living in our HDB heartlands, as well as the public standing of our public institutions. Madam, in this regard, a "strategic and comprehensive review of Town Councils" is timely. What may have worked well in the 1990s and 2000s may not necessarily be the case today. Even if the strategic review reaffirms the key role of Town Councils and its governance and operational frameworks, it is a valuable process of evaluating whether we can reduce the frailties, primarily born out of politics, and make the institution better and less prone to political contestation. In particular, there is a need to ensure that in the running of Town Councils, public funds are adequately safeguarded and that residents' interests are paramount no matter which political party is running a Town Council. I remain somewhat disturbed and at the same time amused that the dispute between AIM and the Workers' Party stemmed from, in the words of the MND Review Report, a "different understanding of the execution of the termination clause" in the IT contract for the use of the TCMS. To be sure, the Workers' Party disagrees with this finding. Until the Prime Minister initiated the MND review of the software sale and leaseback, more heat than light was generated. I fear that even with this debate, there will still be more heat than light. While this misunderstanding between the incoming and outgoing political parties running a Town Council is not the first nor will it be the last, the real damage has been in the dents to the public confidence in Town Councils. While the strategic review will seek to take the politics out of Town Councils, it will not take the Town Councils out of politics.”
“As long as these regulatory requirements are met and residents are served, there is nothing wrong with having Town Councils that have a political dimension because, ultimately, it means empowering voters to choose a Member of Parliament that can have more impact on their everyday lives. Now, is that not what democracy is all about? 5.26 pm Asst Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene (Nominated Member): Mdm Speaker, I welcome this debate on the Ministerial Statement on the Town Councils. Given that more than 80% of Singaporeans live in public housing, Town Councils are an integral part of the everyday life of Singaporeans. The MND Town Council Review Report and this debate in Parliament will probably not change the minds of Singaporeans who take the view that there were obvious conflicts of interests in the PAP Town Councils' sale and leaseback of the Town Council Management System software to Action Information Management Pte Ltd (AIM), a PAP-owned company. Neither will the Review Report and this debate change the minds of Singaporeans who view the termination of the use by the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council of the AIM-owned software as an attempt by the ruling party to undermine the Workers' Party running of the Town Council. To my mind, the matter has been unnecessarily politicised, and this debate might even be seen in some quarters as further politicisation of the matter. But I hope this House can lead the way, notwithstanding the robust debates and charges between the PAP and WP MPs, in charting new directions for Town Councils. I must admit to being discomforted by the allegations laid by the Workers' Party against MND and HDB. I hope that they will be able to provide evidence to substantiate their allegations.”
“He directs and oversees the Town Council and its services which, in turn, have great impact on the everyday lives of our residents. The policy intent of this is to give greater significance to the vote we cast at the general elections. This policy intent can be seen to be political but at the same time it is party-blind. This brings me to the last point. Does the current Town Council framework need fixing? The Town Council framework can certainly be tweaked and improved and the Town Councils Act amended to reflect these improvements. But having lived through and survived a handover, my view is that the Town Council framework is very much functioning as it was designed to be. Madam, what is important is that Town Councils continue to serve residents and that good regulations and governance frameworks are put in place to safeguard Town Councils from abuse and protect residents' interests. On the issue of good governance, let me quote from the great legalist philosopher Han Fei Zi (韩非子), who said, “法莫如显”“法莫如一而固, 使民知之”. Loosely translated, this means that the law should be made public so that everyone knows that the law is a fixed standard invariably applied to all relevant parties, and the law should be the only yardstick. Today, Town Councils are governed by the Town Councils Act which is the yardstick that all Town Councils are measured against. The requirements of the Act are applied uniformly to all Town Councils regardless of political affiliation, and these requirements are made plain for all to see.”
“I must confess the handover was, personally, an emotionally tiring experience for me but I felt I did what I had to do, always putting the interests of the residents first. I try my best not to hurt anyone but, as the hon Member for Aljunied, Mr Low Thia Khiang once said, "事情岂能尽如人意，但求无愧于心". I believe politics is about convictions and once you have conviction and belief, you just simply cannot please everyone. After stabilising the place, we then undertook a review of processes and workflow to see where we can rationalise resources within the Town Council. We are now in the optimize phase. The PAP Potong Pasir Town Council is still very much a work-in-progress even though we have come a long way since 2011. Mdm Speaker, from my experience in taking over the Potong Pasir Town Council, I learned a few important lessons which I would like to share with the House today: First, change is tough and even sometimes painful, but sometimes change is necessary. Second, handover, immediately after the elections, is not an easy objective to achieve when the handover happens between two political parties with different cultures and systems. Third, the Town Council is an instrument, first and foremost, designed to serve residents. Fourth, the Town Council is also an organisation with a political dimension. The two are not in conflict, that of having a political dimension and also serving our people. Fifth, the Town Council is designed to give the MP a managerial role in the running of a constituency so that Singaporeans have more at stake when they vote for someone to be their MP. This is an important aspect that must be emphasised. An MP is not just a person elected to speak in Parliament or grace community events.”
“After all, voters do not vote in a candidate from a different party from the incumbent one if all they wanted was more of the same with no change or improvement. Change management is never easy. Our strategy to addressing these three challenges was to stabilise, rationalise and to optimise. Madam, on the first point of ensuring continuity in the immediate period after the General Elections, we appointed an agent with a lot of experience, EM Services, to be the managing agent of the Town Council. Different people may say different things or have different views as to how to approach this issue but, in retrospect, that was a correct decision as having a professional and experienced agent allowed us to stabilise the situation quickly. Moving to the second point of jobs, my branch vice chairman, Chua Kian Meng, also spoke to all Town Council staff and vendors to allay their concerns but there was some inevitable turnover. Today, which is two years later, three of the original team are still working with us and one is working in another constituency managed by EM Services. We were able to stabilise the situation quite quickly, because, regardless of one's political leanings, we recognise and we respect the original Town Council staff as people out to make an honest day's living even if expectations do not mutually match up. We can agree to disagree. I must add that some old staff did ask for compensation up to one month for each year's of work. The contractual terms did not provide for this compensation and due to the financial constraints of the Potong Pasir Town Council, we did not give this compensation in the end. Madam, admittedly, not everyone got what they wanted but I think we gave everyone respect and a chance to try and continue working.”
“Mdm Speaker, when I took over Potong Pasir Town Council in 2011, it was not an easy handover. I wish to stress, however, that it is not the fault of the previous MP, a man I continue to respect as a politician. But handovers are seldom easy, especially when a handover involves essentially a change of system, culture and leadership. It is also compounded by the fact that the change has to take place immediately after the elections. This is not just particular to the change in Town Council management. Ask any company that changes vendors and they will tell you it is never easy. From a change in, say, a cleaning and landscape company in a condominium estate to a change in security guard services in a shopping mall, there are always transition and handover problems despite the best intentions. A Town Council change from one political party to another is far more complicated than the ones I have quoted. Mdm Speaker, when we knew we won the elections that Sunday morning at 3.00 am in May 2011, our minds were not overwhelmed with victory. Instead, during the car journey from the Counting Centre to Toa Payoh stadium, my branch vice chairman, Chua Kian Meng and I were busy discussing the following important priorities: First, the need to ensure our Town Council services continue to be available to all Potong Pasir residents with minimal disruption. Second, the recognition that jobs and livelihoods were involved in the changeover, such as Town Council jobs and jobs of companies rendering services to the Council and residents. Third, the need to improve and change because, ultimately, that is what the voters who voted us in wanted.”
“This initiative may not make it to the glamorous displays and exhibits that can be found in museums but their important efforts are also a part of our heritage. In other words, heritage is not something that is detached and distant. Heritage is part of our everyday lives. It is not just history that we read or see, but it is in us and with us, evolving everyday and in the process, changing us as well. Safeguarding of Our Heritage”
“Mdm Chair, the National Heritage Board and Preservation of Monuments Board operate many museums and monuments that remind us of where we came from, how far we have come and that Singapore has to move forward. Our history is a short yet rich one, born of the tapestry of peoples of many ancient cultures and religions that have come together to call Singapore home. It is not just found in museums and monuments but everywhere and anytime. I would like to encourage MCCY to not just present our heritage to Singaporeans in the form of exhibitions and monuments. This is important as a source of information and knowledge that every Singaporeans should know. But we can go further. MCCY can give Singaporeans a sense of ownership. Madam, museums are great tourist traditions, but great museums in the great cities of the world often mean something more. New Yorkers, Parisians and Londoners take great pride in their museums because they have a great Page: 24 sense of pride in and ownership of the heritage that is embodied in their great museums. I urge the National Heritage Board to work with Singaporeans in this direction, not just to increase the visitorship to our museums, but to develop and inculcate a sense of ownership of our heritage. Our heritage is really the Singapore Story narrative. This narrative is a living one, a continuing story of struggle against the odds, and a beautiful story of unity, progress and the pursuit of happiness. But heritage cannot be just confined to museums and monuments. Recently, I read in the newspapers that stall keepers at the Army Market in Beach Road are working to highlight the heritage of the place through the development of a virtual tour. This is part of our National Service heritage and many of our NSmen have visited the place.”
“Based on comparable studies, we may have to provide for 6,000 to 10,000 patients suffering from moderate to severe dementia who will likely need institutional care then. I urge MOH to look into this quickly and develop the capability in nursing homes to handle these patients as well as the community to handle tens of thousands of mild dementia patients. My third issue is on community-based elderly care. Due to the very large numbers of elderly in the next 10 to 30 years, the bulk of care for the elderly will remain in the community. Unless absolutely necessary, the vast majority of the elderly will wish to stay in the community, and not in an institution. We need to help these elderly and their families to achieve this. The recently announced increase of the Senior Mobility and Enabling Fund from $10 million to $50 million is a step in the right direction. I would also suggest that MOH enhance accessibility and affordability to homecare as well. Good homecare delays an elderly's entry into a nursing home. I hope MOH can look into funding and developing the homecare sector so that more sick elderly can remain in the community, as they would prefer to. Page: 64 Polyclinic in Jurong West”
“Mdm Chair, this year is the 10th Anniversary of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Singapore. The SARS outbreak was arguably the worst health crisis we ever faced. Our healthcare workers displayed tremendous courage and professionalism to pull us through. Unfortunately, we lost a few healthcare workers and quite a few patients. But, during SARS, we turned our darkest hour into our finest moment. One of the lessons learned in SARS was that we run the danger of over-optimisation to the point of vulnerability. Our public hospitals and polyclinics are very optimised in terms of service delivery. But optimisation is based on assumptions. To quote Henry Ford, "Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black." Page: 63 This may be an extreme example of optimisation, but the reality is the more you optimise, the more narrow, precise and accurate your assumptions have to be, which in this case is that you assume that everyone only wants a black car. But reality is full of variations and unexpected twists and turns. So, I would suggest to MOH that even as we ramp up our healthcare services, we spend some of these resources to cater for the unexpected. The next issue I would like to dwell on is long-term care and dementia. I am pleased to note that MOH is embarking on a comprehensive exercise to increase the number of nursing home beds in Singapore over the next three to five years. In addition to this capacity building, I would like MOH to also look into capability building. Nursing homes have to be funded better to developing capabilities to cater to dementia patients. Madam, we will have about 500,000 Singaporeans aged 70 and above in 10 to 20 years' time.”
“Mdm Chairperson, the Budget has made it clear in no uncertain terms that the days of importing large numbers of foreign labour are over. SMEs will be the ones facing the brunt of this economic restructuring. There is no easy way out even as the Budget contains numerous measures that companies can take advantage of to ease the pain. Central to the theme of this year's Budget is raising productivity. There are many Government schemes that encourage SMEs to do so. Just to name a few: Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme; Technology Adoption Scheme; Page: 69 Lifelong Learning Endowment; SME Talent Programme. These schemes either aim to improve the quality of manpower or the use of technology. However, I believe that awareness is low. I would like to see a confluence of manpower and technology schemes to raise productivity. These can include a one-stop training centre to equip SME staff with the skills to use information, communication and technology (ICT) as well getting SME owners to adopt ICT in their businesses in a holistic and comprehensive way so as to overcome the current and near-future manpower crunch.”
“This may not go down well and it may leave a bitter taste. Madam, consular assistance is provided under some very difficult circumstances. Physical constraints are one thing. Often, the difficulty is in turning away fellow Singaporeans when there is little that can be done. On 10 December 2011, the BBC (UK) published an online article entitled, "Foreign Office reveals some weird requests to consulates". Here are some of the examples that were cited: one, a man called the consulate in Sydney asking what clothes he should pack for his holiday; two, the caller to the Foreign Office Page: 23 staff in Spain wanted Prince Charles' shoe size, so he could send him shoes as a present; and, finally, a man asked consular staff in Dubai to meet his dog on arrival at customs and help it through the customs process.”
“Mdm Chairperson, MFA performs the pivotal task of protecting Singapore's national interests through foreign and diplomatic relations. It also performs another extremely important task "behind the scenes" – consular services. Consular services do not often get much limelight. A lot of the work goes on behind the scenes. Yet, this is a very important function. In a globally connected world, Singaporeans enjoy the benefits of easily available and accessible travel. Yet, whilst travel and living abroad have become easier, the problems that Singaporeans face overseas may have not. Whether these are problems that are endemic to the country that they live in or travel to, or personal problems that they face, consular services often have to "come to the rescue". Yet, it is not often easy to provide these services. How do we decide what are requests that can be attended to, as opposed to requests that have to be turned down for a variety of reasons? For example, we do not have an established presence in all countries. It is, therefore, often difficult to provide immediate assistance to Singaporeans who may be in a part of the world where our modest arms do not reach. Even so, when our consular services respond, the assistance may be delayed for a number of logistical reasons. Similarly, to each his or her own problem is of utmost importance and almost always requires immediate attention. In such a situation, our consular officers try their very best to deal with the problem. However, some problems do not fall within the purview of consular services. Similarly, some personal problems cannot be dealt with by the State. Sometimes, there is only so much that can be done and nothing more. Some have to be turned away. Others have to be told that this is the end of the road.”
“Sir, there has been much debate in this House in the recent past on the potential population growth that Singapore is going to see in the coming years. The debate brought with it mixed views. Whatever those views may be, we must constantly remind ourselves that we must do what is in the best interest of Singaporeans. To this end, I have a suggestion. Our airport is an iconic pride of Singaporeans. In 2012 alone, Changi Airport won close to 30 awards. At Changi Airport, we have automated gantries at the immigration clearance check-points. These gantries can be used by Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents and Long-Term Pass Holders. It is my suggestion that we have gantries or automated clearance lanes specific to Singapore Citizens only. This will also be in line with the practice of many other countries that have special lanes of immigration clearance specifically for the use of their citizens only. Community Policing”
“Mdm Chairperson, it has been forecasted that Singapore's population will grow in the years ahead. With such a growth, we must lend our minds to ideas on how to integrate this growing population. More specifically, on how to integrate "new" Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents. We should aim for a distinctive identity of what is it to be a "Singaporean". To achieve this, integration is very important. With a growth in population, what we cannot have are enclaves of groups of new Singaporeans who identify themselves along the lines of ethnicity and race and not as "Singaporean". It is very important that new Singaporeans blend into their neighbourhood and grow their roots there. They should get to know their neighbours and local personalities. They should have a stake in their neighbourhood in order to feel Page: 93 a sense of belonging. Similarly, new Singapore Citizens and PRs should also integrate well in their work places. It is important that their colleagues accept them as much as they accept their Singapore colleagues. Therefore, I also suggest that persons seeking to be Singapore Citizens or PRs should have 10 Singaporean sponsors who themselves have been Singaporeans for at least five years. This criterion can be part of the application and qualifying process. In the coming years ahead, it becomes even more important for all of us to have a solid Singaporean identity. Policy Overshoot and Competitiveness”
“I turn 50 this year, and Singapore is fast approaching 50 as a nation. We are now at the crossroads and Singaporeans are questioning what is the Singapore Core and where is our country heading. I urge our Government to listen to the people, to labour for the people and to lead the people. Mdm Speaker, I support the Budget. 1.59 pm”
“There are limits to our car population, just as there are limits to our human population. Next, we will limit the influx of foreign labour into Singapore, but we cannot shield our workers from competition. The reality is that our workers will still be competing day and night, 24/7 with workers in China, India or Indonesia. Mdm Speaker, I can go on with many more examples of such harsh realities that Singapore is facing or must face but I will stop here. The currency of politics is trust. While we must strive to improve on our performance, we also need to Page: 47 get down to the difficult business of managing expectations. Expectation is a spectrum. Most politicians only talk about the higher end of the spectrum – the lofty things that are nice to hear. But as responsible politicians governing Singapore, we will have to be honest and we will have to communicate the bad news, the harsh realities that each and every Singaporean has to face sooner or later. Sometimes, in order to do the right thing, we also need to be foolish. Confucius said, "明知不可为而为之" which, loosely translated, means "We have to attempt to do this even though we clearly understand it cannot be done". This may sound foolish today, but I think it is the right thing to do. Managing expectations is a most difficult thing, but I think Singaporeans need to know the limits and realities they are facing or will face. And even if we think the people will refuse to listen or accept the bad news, in the spirit of Confucius, I hope this is an endeavour that this House will undertake as responsible leaders of this country. Singaporeans deserve no less. In conclusion, Confucius also said, "五十知天命" which translated means, at 50, one knows one's purpose in life.”
“This country needs to continue to be run as a meritocracy. There is no other feasible alternative. The best will get more. One may rightly question the norms of meritocracy, as in what makes a person more meritorious? One may even ask why are there so many brand-name schools in the more affluent areas in Singapore and not in the new HDB estates. And in the harsh reality of meritocracy, we also expect the meritorious to do what is necessary for meritocracy to remain relevant – they must contribute more than others to the betterment of the society and maximise welfare for everyone living and working in Singapore. Meritocracy cannot be "take and take" by the best and the ablest without any obligation to serve and contribute. Next, even if we increase our TFR to 2.1 in 2013 suddenly, we will need to import labour to care for the elderly over the next 20 years. The babies born now or in the near future will not be ready to look after the 900,000 Baby Boomers retiring over the next 20 years. We are not even talking about money here, but just simply the number of hands needed to care for the number of elderly we will have in 10 to 30 years' time. Next, our public hospitals will continue to give good care that is accessible and affordable to all. But we will have to continue to have waiting times, and the latest high-tech expensive care options will not be available to all. Ultimately, healthcare is a trade-off between affordability, accessibility and quality. Usually, quality in terms of expensive care is of a lower priority, although we will not compromise patient safety. This is true for most developed countries in the world. Next, we will make our public transport reliable again and increase capacity. But COEs may never go back to the days of old again.”
“To the public, the Government includes not just politicians, but also civil servants and even boards and management of privatised companies offering public services, such as those in healthcare and transport. In the coffeeshops and hawker centres, the Hokkien term "zenghu" means much more than what bureaucrats and politicians think of what constitutes "government". Trust is based on experience and, in turn, experience has two elements. Firstly, there is the aspect of performance that we are all familiar with – I trust you because you have worked and delivered in the past. Secondly, there is the element of expectation. This is something that we have not discussed much about recently. Our Government has tried very hard in the past to enunciate what it will deliver for the people. Healthcare will remain affordable, schools will give good education, people will have jobs and so on. The recently announced White Paper and Land Paper are two such examples. The Annual Budget Debates are also examples of these efforts to manage and calibrate expectations. I would like to urge our Government to go one step further. In the management of expectations, we need to tell the people the bad news. This is not pleasant, but it is necessary. It requires courage, and fans of the BBC comedy "Yes Minister" will remember that Sir Humphrey described "courage" as a dirty word in politics. So, what are some of the bad news that we are talking about? One, we will increase the number of places in Universities and Polytechnics and 60% of Singaporeans will become PMETs, but some graduates will never stay in private housing or own a car. This is because 85% of housing are HDB Page: 46 flats and only one third of families have a car presently and these numbers will not change drastically.”
“Mdm Speaker, the paradox of trust: trust is something entirely abstract, yet the absence of which is painfully palpable. Trust determines the course we take in the future, yet it is so utterly anchored in the present. Trust is unquantifiable, yet reflected in each and every vote cast at elections. The recent robust debate on the White Paper on Population put in bold, belief in the importance of trust in politics. The Managing Editor of The Straits Times, Mr Han Fook Kwang, highlighted this as well in his opinion piece in The Straits Times on 10 February 2013 entitled, "Government needs to regain people's trust". The planning norm of 6.9 million was much criticised. To me, this is a matter of trust. If public transport does not work well and buses and trains are crowded, when the supply of HDB flats does not keep up with demand and the cost of living rises steeply when the population is at its current 5.3 million, then people will object to a lower norm of even 6.3 million, let alone a norm of 6.9 Page: 45 million. However, when at a population of 5.3 million, the trains run, the buses are not crowded, HDB flats are built quickly enough and inflation is low, then people will give us the benefit of doubt and support us even when the population planning norm is higher than 6.9 million. Therefore, it is heartening to hear our Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance reiterate during his Budget Speech that we will fix the problems we have on hand. He has our trust in this matter. Mdm Speaker, we are all in the business of trust. Trust is ultimately based on present and past experiences of what the Government has delivered.”
“An example of Page: 94 the latter are the existing designations and qualifications that are offered at present by ICPAS. It is my humble view that having a single designation in Singapore will unify this small but very significant professional membership body. It will also streamline and allow all qualified professional accountants in Singapore to practise and to compete on the same platform. Members within a professional body must remain cohesive and united. With the phasing out of the current CPA Singapore and the introduction of the new Chartered Accountant of Singapore designation, it is important for transitional provisions to be transparent and fair at all times, and reasonable notice to be given to all concerned parties. ICPAS members have made and continue to make big strides across various fields and industries in Singapore. They have contributed to Singapore's economic success. Many are well-established in their respective careers, be it as experienced finance and accounting professionals, partners in accounting services firms, CFOs or even CEOs. These efforts must be recognised and should be taken into account when determining the transitional provisions that will impact upon the professional body as a whole. With the above, I humbly seek the hon Minister's affirmation of my understanding and reading of this Bill. Madam, I support the Bill. 5.45 pm”
“Firstly, it would also like to confirm that existing members and prospective members, such as the current accounting graduates of local universities and the prospective graduates would not be worse off with respect to clause 42. In particular, members and prospective members will wish to know if they will be automatically recognised as a chartered accountant, that is, Chartered Accountant (Singapore) having attained CPA Singapore designation, or whether they would need to satisfy any additional conditions or requirements. Secondly, it would like to ascertain if there will be a window of opportunity for those who matriculate before June 2013, to assimilate into the process and what that window will be. Thirdly, reasonable notice should be given for ICPAS Professional Examinations to cease enrolment and for existing ICPAS Professional Examinations candidates to complete their examinations and make the transition to the designation of "Chartered Accountant of Singapore". Fourthly, that transitional provisions would be put in place for accountancy students who have graduated from the local universities in or before 2016. Fifthly, that transitional provisions would be put in place for NSmen who have got a place in local universities in 2011 and 2012 but will enter the universities after their NS and therefore graduate later. Finally, that transitional provisions would be put in place for those who left the profession but would now like to re-join. Moving on, Madam, the proposed Bill is silent on whether, going forward, the Commission envisages that there would only be one recognised designation in Singapore, that is, Chartered Accountant (Singapore) or whether a number of designations will continue to be offered in parallel.”
“The hon Speaker of Parliament, Madam, at this juncture, I declare my interest as a Council Member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore (ICPAS) and that I am also a practising accountant. Madam, I support this Bill which will establish the Singapore Accountancy Commission (SAC), in principle, to support the development and growth of and streamline the accountancy sector in Singapore. Whilst I am in support of this proposed Bill, I would like to take this opportunity to seek some clarifications from the hon Minister, with regard to the transitional provisions that will be set in place, in the establishment of the SAC. There is no doubt that the proposed Bill will have implications on not just the next generation of qualified professional accountants in Singapore, but also to existing ICPAS members. If I may but highlight a few: One, the Bill proposes that a person can be registered as a "Chartered Accountant of Singapore" or "C.A. (Singapore)" if he/she has, (a) completed a professional qualification programme that the SAC specifies; (b) become an ICPAS member; (c) satisfied all the requirements relating to the C.A. (Singapore) specified in the ICPAS rules; and (d) any other requirements as may be prescribed by the SAC, that is, clause 26. Page: 93 Two, the Bill also proposes, in clause 42, that the Minister be given the power to deem the registration of a certified public accountant under the existing scheme and legislation, as the registration of a chartered accountant. Madam, ICPAS is a national accountancy body with a membership base of 25,000. In view of safeguarding the interest of its members, ICPAS seeks to re-affirm the principles behind the transitional provisions.”
“Sir, may I just state that the VWO was, indeed, there when Mr Chiam was the Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir. The VWO was there for 10 years.”