Tan Wu Meng
Singapore
“So, if I may just recall briefly what I said five years ago during the debate on the President's Address. Healthcare is about all our people's lives, your life and mine, the lives of our loved ones, the life of every Singaporean. And with that, let us all hope for healthier and happier lives together.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank all who contributed to this debate. Our MOH leadership and MPs of all persuasions. Also want to express deepest thanks to our entire healthcare family, our front liners, the support team and our public officers. If I may briefly seek the indulgence of Speaker —”
“I thank the Ministry of Transport (MOT) for sharing that there are plans to introduce regulations to address the issue of online shops selling AMDs that are in breach and unsafe.”
“The online Community Justice and Tribunals System brings convenience to those who can go online. What happens to seniors who are less digitally-savvy, less literate or who may not be so familiar with the English language?”
“Mr Speaker, I thank MOE for this move. On the topic of social capital and social network diversity, can I ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary that for these studies, will MOE look at it much further into the future?”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for her answer. My Clementi residents shared with me that they discovered their child was vaping. Because they did not know what to do, they brought their child to the nearest Police station. The Police referred the case to HSA and the child was issued with a $300 fine for vaping.”
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“This is an existing pool of qualified nurses that can be tapped on if appropriate flexibility, allowances and incentives are given to encourage them to provide home-based healthcare within their neighbourhoods and communities. I ask the Ministry to consider developing a community nursing core to attract retired, inactive or underemployed nurses to return to active nursing and to cater to existing active nurses who need job flexibility due to family or other reasons, so that they do not leave active nursing. These nurses can be provided with the right training to become professional community nurses attached to hospitals to provide home-based care. Second, will the Ministry consider developing a comprehensive Hospital and Home Programme modelled on the programme in Australia? Under the Hospital and Home Programme, hospitals will provide inpatient treatment for acute care patients whose conditions allow them to receive treatment in their own homes. This is not limited to seniors or the terminally ill. The community nurses could then act as key care providers, conducting medical check-ups and providing portable medical services to the home-based patients. The community nurses could also make use of telehealth technology to engage in non-site consultations with hospital-based doctors in the homes of the patients. Homecare”
“Mdm Chair, with an ageing population, we will see more Singaporeans with dementia. Not all will need institutional care; many will still want to live in the community. We must find ways to help our senior Singaporeans with dementia, such as helping them to lead as normal a life as possible, reducing their risk of getting lost or confused during their daily activities, and ensuring they do not become socially isolated because ongoing mental stimulation is healthy for the ageing brain. These issues will affect all our housing estates, especially mature estates, with many Pioneers, many senior citizens. Can MOH tell us what the Ministry is doing to support Singaporeans with dementia who are living in the community, as well as their caregivers and loved ones? Community Nursing Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Mdm Chair, it is expected that the demand for palliative care at home will double by 2020 to more than 10,000 patients. However, some reports suggest that the current supply of nurses providing home-based care may not be sufficient to meet the expected increase in demand. Several providers of home nursing care are employing foreign nurses on foreign domestic Work Permits. This could compromise the quality and development of home-based care in Singapore. Furthermore, the 10,000 patients only refer to those needing palliative care. I would like to raise two suggestions for the Ministry to consider in their efforts to expand home-based care service and raise standards. First, there were over 5,700 registered and enrolled nurses who were not active in 2014, comprising over 15% of the total number of nurses.”
“Our home palliative care services do good work for Singaporean patients from all walks of life. I have seen it myself when I visit residents and attend funeral wakes in Clementi. They tell me about how their loved ones were helped at home during terminal illness. I have seen how they looked after my own cancer patients that I see in a professional capacity. And I also saw how they brought comfort to my father, during his last days, as a cancer patient, terminally ill. These nurses and doctors make the greatest difference because of the human touch. A human touch for patients at home, patients from all walks of life. Home visits, listening to patients and their families, giving advice and guidance to caregivers. And they can teach us as well, at the systems level, how to look after other patients at home – the chronic sick, the frail, the very elderly – because travelling to a clinic takes time. It can be challenging for some patients and their families if the patient is bed-bound after a stroke or if your loved one cannot sit up for long because of pain. Can MOH give an update on our home-care and community care plans? Can MOH tell us how we can further empower and support caregivers? And can MOH advise us on how we can ensure care can be delivered near to home – or even at home – in a holistic, integrated, sustainable way so that we can look after all our Singaporean patients, those who are mobile, those less mobile and those who are unable to leave the home easily? Action Plan for Successful Ageing”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State, for her update on the upcoming CCC+s, which will make an important difference to our residents who have less access to IT facilities. Could the Senior Minister of State update us further on what she means by upgrading of equipment and redesigning of online interfaces?”
“Mdm Chair, many public transactions are now online, such as for Singpass and e-Government websites. Yet, a number of Pioneer Generation Singaporeans do not have a computer at home or a handphone. Some are not computer literate, and residents with mobility needs can find it difficult to go to the nearest community centre or shared computer facility. As we move towards a Smart Nation, we must ensure that we are a Smart Inclusive Nation, where no Singaporean is left behind because they lack a computer, lack computer knowledge or lack access to a shared computer facility. Our digital journey must empower all Singaporeans and not become a regressive situation where the less advantaged and those with disabilities are unable to access digital services. Plight of Middle-income Earners”
“They may not have invented a Jarvis yet, but we can see these disrupting what is the work of a traditional personal assistant. The McKinsey report mentions one key learning point which is very important to Singapore in my view: we maximise value creation when multiple disruptive technologies come together. Because when you put multi-touch screens, intelligent assistants, cloud computing together, you get something very similar to the iPhone or a Samsung smartphone. So, each technology could be an industry on its own, but it is together, when they converge, that they create transformative new markets. As we prepare for the future economy, we can position Singapore this way, bringing multiple innovations together; not just a hub, but a hub of hubs. Research is not just an ivory tower. Research can improve the lives of people. It can touch people from all walks of life. When recombinant DNA technology was invented many years ago, people thought it was an ivory tower invention. Yet, today, it is fundamental to so many medical treatments, including the insulin injections that many diabetic patients rely on. We should also incentivise companies to invest for the long term. Clayton Christensen has written about "The Capitalist's Dilemma": short-term shareholders seeking short-term results. This affects R&D investment. So, we should look at ways to encourage long-term investing, perhaps by aligning shareholder influence with shareholder duration. I look forward to the Ministry's inputs. Help for Manufacturing Sector”
“Mdm Chair, nationally, manufacturing's share of Singapore's nominal GDP has declined from 21.4% in 2010, to 19.8% in 2015. But manufacturing still has a very key role in our economy. We should keep updating and strengthening our manufacturing sector to keep up with global trends: moving up the value chain and, especially, building and providing products to the world that other global cities are not able to or which would have difficulty matching us. This seems a big aspiration, but it is also something that could bring us strategic value. Because high-end manufacturing supports an ecosystem of jobs and services, such as engineers and skilled workers, and many sectors that support innovation and technology that support the communities nearby. We must also continue building a Singaporean Core with the necessary skills. SkillsFuture has great potential here as it helps get Singaporeans ready for the jobs of tomorrow. But what about the industries of tomorrow, Mdm Chair? In 2013, the McKinsey Global Institute published a report on disruptive technologies – an important global trend. Technologies, such as: (a) additive manufacturing, 3D printing, which is going to disrupt supply chains around the world, because once it becomes easier to 3D print a part in the same town, you may not have to import it from further away; (b) cloud computing, which is going to disrupt the traditional market for local computer resources if you can use a cloud computer; (c) multi-touch interfaces that are disrupting the keyboard, mice and traditional input devices; and (d) automated knowledge work with intelligent assistants that can understand queries in natural language, whether it is the iPhone's Siri or the Cortana product that Microsoft has been working on.”
“Mr Chairman, many of our fellow Singaporeans do not give much thought in their daily life to legal issues, especially because very few of us have formal legal training. It is not something we think about automatically. Yet, throughout the course of our life, we can easily encounter situations where legal advice and guidance may be needed: (a) an elderly resident, seriously ill, now thinking about writing up a will; (b) a young parent, with a serious disease, wanting to arrange Lasting Power of Attorney, planning for the unthinkable; (c) a fellow Singaporean in legal difficulty; it could be a tort, a contract dispute, a criminal matter. Can the Minister share how we can continue improving access to legal aid, including building awareness about how to apply?”
“Mdm Chair, cybercrime is a unique problem of our 21st century digital economy and our digital world. Criminal masterminds can hide outside our borders while making use of local henchmen to take advantage of unsuspecting Singaporeans. So, we should continue stepping up Home Team co-operation with their counterparts overseas to improve information sharing. We also need to continue educating our fellow Singaporeans on how to protect themselves from cybercrime. More elderly are going online. More are learning how to use smartphones and smartphone applications that allow them to communicate with friends and strangers near and afar. But it also means that more seniors are becoming vulnerable to targeting by scams and cybercrime. I look forward to hearing the Ministry's proposed responses to this emerging challenge. Tackling Online Crimes”
“A fair and just society is one that offers second chances, so that Singaporean brothers and sisters who stumble and fall can have the chance to pick themselves up. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to integrate an ex-offender back into society. And finding work and stable employment is key to this rehabilitation journey. I have met residents in my constituency who were previously incarcerated. Upon being released, their first instinct was to look for jobs in the security industry, based on recommendations from friends, and perceptions of their prospects. But we can imagine that this was not always feasible. Can the Minister give an update on how the SCORE programme is helping offenders? Can it be more closely integrated with skills training and SkillsFuture to expand employment opportunities for ex-offenders who remain our Singaporean brothers and sisters? Drugs in an Era of Globalisation Moving upstream, Mdm Speaker, to another scourge − drugs. We see globalisation is not just about goods and services. Media and culture have become globalised, too. Value systems can be exported to Singapore from halfway around the world. Nowadays, Singaporeans increasingly have opportunities to study overseas and they can be exposed to new cultures. Some of it is positive, learning from other countries. But we also see some young students being exposed to overseas drug culture. The Home Team must continue stepping up education efforts at all levels, especially in our schools, so that young Singaporeans can be further inoculated against the globalisation of the drug culture. Youth Drug Abuse”
“It is good that SG Secure recognises that security is about a whole-of-society approach and mindset. So, we need to start educating people from young, and throughout life, including in our schools. Building social cohesion, racial and religious harmony and understanding − because values are caught, not just taught. Awareness of the environment: teaching everyone that security is never "somebody else's problem". If we see something suspicious, we have to let the authorities know. And also, emergency preparedness: important that we educate the public on what to do in an emergency. At a basic level, this can be taught in schools, with progressively more detailed teaching as students grow up. I look forward to hearing the Ministry's inputs and plans on these issues. Counter-terrorism and the Community”
“For example, loan repayments that are adjusted based on profits of the enterprise, or allowing the state to retain equity, just as private venture capital firms do. It does not have to be a controlling stake, but the equity could be preferred stocks with priority in receiving dividends. The Harvard study, Mdm Speaker, also observed that some American corporations were driven by short-term performance indicators – short-term shareholders driving short-term corporate behaviour. This led to extractive optimisation in the short term, rather than longer-term investments which add value and create sustainable innovation. The lesson for Singapore, Mdm Speaker, is that even as we boost our productivity, we must continue pursuing both kinds of innovation. Some innovations add efficiency or reduce costs. This is important. It is part of competition – enhancing existing situations. But they can also easily be undercut by cheaper labour, cheaper economies and lower costs elsewhere. Other innovations create new value and new markets, pathbreakers, game-changers. We need both kinds of innovation. They complement each other and help bring each other to greater heights, and it has to be continuous – a never-ending process of innovation. Each chapter having to be better than the previous one because that is how we write the story of tomorrow's enterprises.”
“So, Mdm Speaker, it is important that we provide incentives for businesses, especially MNCs, to continue investing in Singapore, and reinvesting in Singapore and Singaporeans. One way to do this is for companies to continue training up a strong Singaporean Core with skills and industry knowledge – not just the numbers, but people with skills and the tacit, implicit knowledge that comes from knowing an industry sector deeply and, especially, in business sectors of key importance where Singaporeans are still under-represented. Building up this local pool of talent also helps our SMEs because the more skills and talent are in the pool, the more there are who can forge on, start their own enterprises, and help fellow Singaporeans to grow and rise. Different industries, different ways, but it must always be an on-going effort. In Singapore, because of our history of fiscal prudence, we are in a position to supplement this with Government investment as well. And I concur with fellow Members that SkillsFuture is an important step forward, because individual companies, sometimes because of their size, may not be willing to underwrite the cost of training, or they may fear that a worker is going to move to another company after upskilling. But when companies invest in workers, upskilled workers, it uplifts the entire sector of skills. It helps other companies in the sector, it helps the workers, it helps Singapore. Mdm Speaker, at a broader level, research and start-up spin-offs should also continue receiving investment, especially in a way that socialises the gains when these companies turn profitable and especially when these companies become very successful. Mariana Mazzucato at Sussex University, who studies the economics of innovation, has proposed many ways to do this.”
“In summary, Mdm Speaker, we must not forget that a strong economy secures our Independence, sovereignty and security, and is also key to building a fair and just society. My second point, Mdm Speaker, is avoiding pitfalls while securing opportunities. And there are challenges amid our restructuring. We have evolved from a third-world to a first-world economy, and the low-hanging fruits have already been picked. But there are still lessons we can learn from the experience of other developed countries, the challenges they faced, the lessons they have learnt. In February 2013, the Harvard Business School published its 2012 survey on US competitiveness led by Prof Michael Porter. It is useful to look at the observations and what we can learn that are applicable to Singapore. One observation by the Harvard study was on the importance of shared resources, for example, workers having relevant skills in the labour market; workers moving in between employers, between sectors, but having that base of skills; supply chain networks; and physical, technical infrastructure. Yet, the authors of the Harvard study found that there was a shortfall of investment by businesses in shared resources. Investment would have helped all companies in the long term. But at the level of individual companies in the US, it did not always make short-term business sense. The Harvard study also observed that, with globalisation, it is quite possible for a company, especially a multinational corporation (MNC), to grow more competitive, even if the host nation loses its edge, partly because of this lack of investment in the host country.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of this Budget. I will speak on three areas today: why our economic restructuring is so important; pitfalls and opportunities; and how we must continue keeping our social system progressive. Madam, a vibrant economy creates opportunities and jobs for Singaporeans. In the 21st century, this has to mean good quality jobs − Singaporeans moving up the value chain, climbing up the value tree, finding a branch of skills where they can specialise and find mastery. Sometimes, as circumstances change, jumping to a new branch on another tree, continuing to climb, climbing higher, and climbing better. It is a good approach, not just in the Year of the Monkey, but throughout life. And our startups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) provide opportunities too − the skills that come with running a business and the chance to build a successful enterprise. Madam, when a society is low on opportunity, it is the rent-seekers and owners of old capital who extract profits, often without creating value for a broader economy and society. So, a thriving society with its jobs and enterprise, all these help our young Singaporeans to rise and grow, while adding dynamism and value to our society. We also know that a strong economy gives us the means to support fiscal redistribution and the many social programmes that underpin an inclusive society. It also ensures we can maintain a credible defence deterrence through a strong Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), as well as a Home Team that is ready and equipped to face the challenges of this century. All these keep us relevant to the world and ensure that our voice can be heard, even though we are small.”
“So long as we continue seeing through the eyes of the people, we will continue being able to build better homes and a better Singapore.”
“But KK Women's and Children's Hospital is not quite there yet, nor is Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Here, there is, again, a role for enhancing covered barrier-free access so that patients and their relatives can have one less thing to worry about when visiting their sick relatives in our public hospitals. Deputy Speaker, these stories are a link and a bridge to a broader issue and a bigger picture. Our public servants and agencies work very hard. They mean well, but governance has gotten more complicated. Many areas of specialisation, much more happening at the same time, issues needing coordination and many policy issues straddle the public and private sectors as well. In dealing with this complexity, design is crucial. We can draw lessons from other sectors, for example, portable digital devices. Thoughtful people-centric design is what differentiated the Apple iPhone and iPod from the rest of the industry, from their competitors. Attention to the whole user experience making sure individual elements add up to more than the sum of individual parts, first-mile and last-mile, not just for the journey as a whole, but also where each component connects to each other. Imagine if we had a "design language" that guides how we help pedestrians navigate new towns and redevelop mature town centres. In this design language, each agency and each component is like one letter of the alphabet, one word in the dictionary. And when we put it all together, we must be able to make beautiful poetry, not just turgid technical prose. Deputy Speaker, even as we build deep expertise in specialist areas, even as we add new technology and new construction, we must never lose sight that the people are at the heart of all we do.”
“Our building code needs stronger incentives, perhaps even making such access mandatory for projects in already built-up HDB town centres. Indeed, the Building Code helps prevent market failure which occurs when developers prioritise profit and rents over the broader public good. This is why in 1990, the first Building Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility was introduced. Since then, barrier-free access has improved significantly in Singapore. Likewise, I would propose that the Building Code, at its next review, should require private developers to make provision for barrier-free overhead crossings to nearby HDB developments, either at the time of construction, or by allocating white space for future crossings where the Town Centre is not yet fully mature. Deputy Speaker, I would like to elaborate on another issue which my colleague in Parliament Mr Ang Wei Neng had raised as a Parliamentary Question: how our MRT stations connect to public hospitals. Visiting a sick relative in hospital can be a stressful time for the family. The least we can do is to make the journey smoother, less exposed to weather and less open to the elements. Some of our public hospitals already have such sheltered barrier-free access from the nearest MRT station. Tan Tock Seng Hospital connects with Novena MRT Station. The National University Hospital's new medical centre links with Kent Ridge MRT Station. Ng Teng Fong General Hospital has overhead walkways in Jurong to avoid the traffic at ground level. Singapore General Hospital is connected to Outram Park MRT Station, but the main challenge is that the hospital is still some distance away, although the SGH Campus Masterplan – I understand – will address this in years to come.”
“I know SMRT and LTA are working very hard on this. My residents tell me a solution cannot arrive too soon and we must make sure other HDB town centres do not face the same problem. Deputy Speaker, I would like to speak as well on another area where we could have better pedestrian access. Some of our HDB town centres have a lot of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. It makes sense to create a network of overhead pedestrian bridges, helping pedestrians cross from HDB blocks to shopping malls, away from vehicular traffic. This improves accessibility for the elderly as well as young families with prams. It helps residents with mobility needs. It also helps drivers when pedestrians and traffic are separated from each other. Unfortunately, this vision sometimes is more aspiration than reality. There have been examples of link bridges proposed to connect private developments, private shopping malls to HDB buildings where the proposals were rejected. In my own ward of Clementi, this was the case for Clementi Mall, as well as the new "321 Clementi"; in both cases, missed opportunities to improve pedestrian access, missed opportunities to reduce the risk of traffic accidents. Deputy Speaker, commercial developers benefit when a new building is located in an HDB town centre, especially in a mature estate with a critical mass of residents and customers. The central location and population density bring business opportunities for any landlord. But if developer and landlord are benefiting from the HDB town centre location, surely there is a responsibility to contribute back to the community? We should not have a situation where the benefits and profits are privatised with hardly any socialisation of the gains.”
“So, the previous barrier-free pedestrian crossing is gone. It has been replaced by an overhead link bridge which is barrier-free and only during certain hours of the day – the lifts shut down after the last MRT train has gone. My Clementi residents with mobility needs now have to find a different place to cross the road when they venture out at night. I am sure LTA and SMRT had the best of intentions, but the devil is in the details. Whenever a ground-level signal crossing is replaced, surely the new facility should be as good, or even better, in providing access to Singaporeans with mobility needs. When we add new innovations, we must be mindful not to subtract from it what came before, especially when it affects the vulnerable and disadvantaged among us. I have appealed to LTA which has consulted with SMRT. I was told that, after revenue hours, there is only one station staff member preparing for the next morning's operation. So, the agencies are worried about what might happen if there is a lift breakdown with a trapped pedestrian. But, Deputy Speaker, I draw a comparison with our HDB estates where the lifts do not shut down overnight. If a HDB lift breaks down, emergency assistance is despatched through EMSU 24 hours a day. Surely, SMRT and LTA could find a similar arrangement to cater for residents with mobility needs, especially after the pedestrian crossing at ground level was removed. I understand that resources may be limited and, if this is a concern, perhaps SMRT could partner with the existing EMSU framework to achieve economies of scale. There are many possible back-end solutions to look after our residents at the frontline. Deputy Speaker, I am sure a solution can be found and that measures can be taken to prevent similar situations from arising.”
“Lifts in Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates operate round-the-clock. Anytime when there is a lift breakdown, we can call the 24-hour Emergency Maintenance Services Unit (EMSU) service for emergency repairs. Is there such a big difference between the lifts in HDB estates and those at overhead bridges? How come HDB estate lifts can operate 24 hours, yet lifts at overhead bridges cannot? Some people might say: "This is such a small matter pertaining to Clementi, why do you have to raise this issue in Parliament?" Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think this matter actually reflects the style of some Government agencies in terms of policy design and implementation. I am more concerned that this could well be just the tip of the iceberg. Hence, I sincerely hope that LTA can resolve this problem as soon as possible to make this nice, albeit slightly flawed, overhead bridge into one that is perfect and can provide 24-hour barrier-free access. Please allow me to continue in English. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, whether in the public or private sectors, policy and implementation are about the big and the small. They are all interlinked. Sometimes, you can see a universe in a raindrop, or, sometimes, you see a world in a grain of sand. But it is in the little details that we see deep lessons about the broader firmament. So, if I may beg the indulgence of Deputy Speaker, I will mention a few local examples to highlight issues of national policy and implementation. May I start by telling a tale of two crossings in Clementi town. In 2015, the LTA and SMRT opened a new sheltered overhead link bridge along Commonwealth Avenue West. It connects Clementi Block 326 to the MRT station. It has lifts for barrier-free access. The old pedestrian crossing at ground-level was removed.”
“Deputy Speaker, if I may begin in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, last year, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT built a new overhead bridge at the Clementi Town Centre. This overhead bridge enables residents to walk from Block 326 to Clementi Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, crossing Commonwealth Avenue West conveniently and safely. With the new overhead bridge, the old pedestrian crossing at the ground level and the traffic lights were removed. On the surface, this new facility seems to be perfect. Pedestrians do not have to wait for the traffic lights to turn green; they can simply use the overhead bridge to cross the road. There are even lifts at the overhead bridge so that our elderly residents can enjoy barrier-free access. However, what was meant to be a perfect facility has, in fact, some shortcomings. After 12.35 am, when the last train has gone, the lifts at the overhead bridge stop operating. Hence, the overhead bridge is no longer a barrier-free facility. As the ground level pedestrian crossing has already been removed, residents, particularly seniors with mobility issues, have no choice but to walk up the stairs to cross the road. The overhead bridge, therefore, has inadvertently become a new barrier. Some Clementi residents are wondering why this is so. I have appealed to LTA on behalf of the residents but six months have passed and the problem is still not solved. Some residents are feeling rather helpless. In response to my query, LTA replied that since there is only one SMRT staff at the MRT station in the middle of the night, should there be a lift breakdown, that one staff would not be able to provide emergency assistance. This answer sounds plausible but does not make sense.”
“Everyone, every citizen, every family member plays a very critical role. I would like to send a message to the smokers out there, that is, we are ready to help. There are also voluntary bodies that conduct many programmes to kick the smoking habit. The upcoming Ramadan month this year can be used as the starting point for you to stop smoking completely. As the saying goes: "Where there is a will, there is a way." So, let us work together with everyone to ensure better health for all. (In English): Madam, this Bill is about society's stand against cigarette smoking. We need to protect our future generations. There is a strong trend noted worldwide, for those who start smoking as teenagers, they do go on to become adult and long-term tobacco users. We in this House can take the step to break the vicious cycle and we must do it and do it now. 3.59 pm”
“Will the same guidelines apply to them? Two, for duty free outlets, how will the change be implemented? It is mentioned that they will be regulated later, thus what kind of timeline are we looking at? Third, retailers have been given a 12-month grace period with the passing of this Bill, for compliance. I feel that this may be a little too long, considering the magnitude and the multiplier effect of smoking and tobacco, even one extra day is a day too long. Are there any chances that we could shorten this grace period? Fourth, on the text-only price listing, can the Minister elaborate what exactly can it contain? Fifth, can the Minister also share with us or summarise the application of the Bill in cyber space because it is not uncommon that for every web page that we visit at the peripheral, there are always advertisements related to smoking, and so on. Mdm Speaker, in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I fully support this Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Amendment) Bill. Each year, our Malay community occupies the top position in the national statistics on smoking. From 1992 to 2013, the proportion of smokers in our community went down by only 5%, from 30.8% to 25.3%. We must, as a community, try our very best to reduce this figure further, because this is associated with our health and the lives of our future generations. Our Malay community also has poor health statistics, and smoking is linked to many chronic diseases that affect us. To our young people, please do not associate smoking with the coming of age or the rites of passage, or as a symbol of adulthood. Hence, we must put together a better and stronger effort to improve and reduce these figures significantly.”
“Smoking causes more deaths annually than HIV/AIDs; plus illegal drug use; plus alcohol use; plus motor vehicle accidents; plus firearms-related injuries, all put together. Tobacco is the single greatest cause of preventable death globally. Thus, the reason why this Bill is critical for us and for Singapore. When we pass this Bill, we will join 16 other overseas jurisdictions in banning point-of-sale display, which include Iceland, Russia, Kosovo, Canada and the like. It will also help us push the envelope further after being the first ASEAN country to ban tobacco advertisements in 1971 – that is, very early on. Also, the first ASEAN country to introduce graphic pictures to warn of the dangers of smoking on cigarette packs in 2003; and also being a party to the WHO Framework Convention in Tobacco Control. Mdm Speaker, I obviously support the Bill. I also want to share on the proposal and concept of tobacco-free generations. This is a worldwide movement and it is also quite active in Singapore. I have been a part of this movement, as with several other Members and we have many students, youths and members of the public who have come forward as ambassadors to the messaging and movement. This relates to the banning of the provision of tobacco to any citizen born after a specific year and the year 2000 has been chosen and proposed as it is easy to remember. There are some jurisdictions that have taken this up more formally, even for debate at their parliamentary levels and in different legislatures. Also, I have the following clarifications to make: first, are there any tobacconist or such similar facilities or stores that we have in Singapore? If we do, as they are specific niche theme facilities, how will we be managing and regulating them?”
“And I call upon MOH to go even further and consider such a proposal. Because a Tobacco-Free Generation policy does not disadvantage existing smokers. Some of them are still battling their addiction. They would still be able to purchase cigarettes, subject to the prevailing laws and regulations, even as they try to quit. But, over time, there would be fewer smokers and less harm caused by second-hand smoke. The original Tobacco-Free Generation campaigns focused on the Year 2000. The children of the year 2000 will be 16 years old this year. In two more years, they will be 18 years old. Old enough to start thinking about buying cigarettes. Some may even have started smoking because of peer pressure and illegal cigarettes. It is not too late to raise the minimum legal age further. I understand there are consultations on-going. But even better still, Mdm Speaker, if we implement a Tobacco-Free Generation policy, either way, this will help us build towards a Tobacco-Free, smoke-free, SG100 and a healthier future for our children and grandchildren. I support the Bill. 3.53 pm Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Madam, cancers of the oropharynx, larynx, esophagus, trachea, bronchus, lungs, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidneys, ureter, cervix, bladder, colon and rectum and the myeloid leukemias; chronic diseases like stroke, hypertension, blindness, aortic aneurysm, pneumonia, peripheral vascular diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive lung diseases, diabetes, hip fractures, erectile dysfunction, immune deficiencies and disturbances during pregnancy and congenital problems. That is not the whole list. All these and more have been linked to smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke. That is, practically, the whole body's organs and systems!”
“It hurts those around the smoker: co-workers, family members and, especially, young children – who are put at higher risk of asthma, lung infections and, in some cases, the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Smoking can also make the living environment quite unpleasant for neighbours. A number of my Clementi residents have shared these concerns with me. So, why is tobacco still around in Singapore, despite these harms? Some of it is due to history. Tobacco has been around for a long time in the world and in Singapore. An addictive chemical, once entrenched, is very hard to roll back – no matter the harmful consequences, the poisonous effects of the substance on the consumer, their family and society. This has deep lessons for our efforts in other Ministries, especially regarding drug control, but, today, I will focus on tobacco. So, how might one roll back the presence of tobacco in Singapore? Of those who have already started smoking, they find it very, very difficult to quit. And I have sympathy for how difficult it can be for a smoker to quit. I remember a patient who could not stop smoking even though he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, even though he had young children at home breathing his second-hand smoke. He could not bring himself to stop because he was addicted. So, while it is important to help existing smokers to quit, the greatest battle is upstream: for the hearts and minds and help of our children and youth. We must make sure they never start smoking in the first place. And this is the key, Mdm Speaker, to long-term control of tobacco in Singapore. This is the idea behind campaigns, such as those for a Tobacco-Free Generation: the idea that anyone born after a certain date should not be allowed to buy cigarettes or tobacco.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Bill. May I first declare that I am a doctor and a medical oncologist. I look after patients with cancer, including smoking-related cancer. I have sat by the bedside of patients suffering from advanced lung cancer. I have seen what happens when a life is cut short and dies because of smoking. Mdm Speaker, tobacco is a public health scourge. And it has been known in the scientific community even before Singapore's Independence. One of the first studies was actually done in the UK by British doctor, Sir Richard Doll, published in 1950. Around the world, there has been plenty of research on this. The Harvard Medical School recently has also found that there is no safe minimum level of tobacco use. Even men who smoke occasionally have an overall death rate 1.6 times higher than non-smokers. We know that, today, among all cancers in Singapore, lung cancer is the number two killer among male cancer patients and lung cancer is the number three killer among female cancer patients. Between 2010 and 2014, there was an average of nearly 1,400 people in Singapore diagnosed with lung cancer each year. We know that smoking-related diseases are among the top killers in Singapore. Six to seven Singaporeans die prematurely from smoking-related diseases each day. Mdm Speaker, imagine if somebody tried to import a new lifestyle product that caused lung cancer in Singaporeans; contributed to heart disease, lung disease and stroke in Singaporeans; led to the death of six to seven Singaporeans a day prematurely; had no safe minimum level of use; and, worse still, was addictive. Would you want such a substance on sale in Singapore? Or would you want to keep Singaporeans and our children safe from it? Second-hand smoking is harmful as well.”
“I thank the Minister for his reply. Some of my residents have shared that in their working life, they had insurance provided by their employers and, so, took advantage of such insurance to become non-subsidised patients. But having retired and having tried to downgrade to subsidised status, some had difficulties doing so, perhaps, due to the means test. Moving forward, would MOH consider making it easier for Singaporeans with employer-provided insurance to revert to subsidised status once the insurance lapses, without having such stringent means testing, bearing in mind that such patients, had they not made use of their employer healthcare benefits, would have been subsidised patients all along?”
“I thank the Minister for Home Affairs for his Statement. Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare and every parent wants their sons and daughters to be safe. Yesterday, website The Online Citizen (TOC) quoted Benjamin's father as saying, "If not for social media, especially TOC, the case would have died down a long time ago." But the Minister said that Benjamin's father wanted to be out of the spotlight. Can the Minister help explain why the TOC article paints such a different picture of Benjamin's father?”
“I thank the Minister of State for his answers. One thing that many patients and, indeed, many of my residents tell me is that the care relationship in healthcare is very much local: local language, local culture, understanding local nuances for local medical practice. Would the Minister of State be able to share what measures MOH is looking at to help maintain a strong Singaporean Core in our healthcare system?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her answers and I concur with my Parliamentary colleagues that this is a big concern. In Clementi, some of my residents have had cigarette butts going into the home where there are young children. Some have reported faeces being thrown from high-rise sources. I have three supplementary questions. First, of the camera deployments, what proportion of deployments has led to identifiable perpetrators being successfully convicted or warned? Second, would the Ministry continue upgrading the camera technology so that there can be better night-vision image acquisition as well as higher resolution images? Third, I also second Ms Tin Pei Ling's suggestion that offenders could be named and shamed, similar to how litterbugs were dealt with some years ago.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for his comprehensive answer. If I may ask just one supplementary question, which has been very much on the minds of my Clementi residents who are affected by the change in policy. Would MND be able to share to what extent car park occupancy was reduced following NParks' decision to start imposing charges for car-parking at these public parks?”
“I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for his comprehensive answer. If I may just ask a supplementary question: he has mentioned the time criticality and indeed, as a medical professional, we are often aware of time critical situations such as acute myocardial infarction, which lay persons understand as a heart attack. There is data showing that the door-to-balloon time – the time from getting the patient evacuated to getting the angioplasty – can be important, in such cases. So, in a situation where the ambulance crew has a working diagnosis of an acute myocardial infarction, would the ambulance prioritise evacuation to a hospital with the facilities and staff for coronary artery angioplasty?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her comprehensive reply. It is an issue that residents in Clementi, both cyclists as well as pedestrians, have raised on how to peacefully and happily co-exist and share spaces together. Would the Ministry consider mandating the use of licensed plates on bicycles to enhance accountability in the unfortunate event of accidents and also to protect cyclists from cases of mistaken identity?”
“Mdm Speaker, if we see the world as a living habitat and Singapore as a living and dynamic creature, then we have to consider nation building in evolutionary terms. Sometimes, what we need are not billion-dollar schemes, but perhaps new survival traits to adapt to a more complex and competitive environment. The President has said that ours should be "a society where the bonds of kinship run deep and people look out for one another". Today, and in this House, we must answer the President's call to continue to improve ourselves, to develop faster legs, stronger hearts, wiser minds, and to renew our resolve to march towards our common destinies. Mdm Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]”
“They have rules and criteria, but, on the ground, lots of qualitative assessment and judgement are taking place. Because, who is to say a person earning $2,500 with two aged and sick parents to support is less deserving than somebody, a single man, with $1,500 of income? Similarly, in many public tenders now, the consideration is no longer just price, but how compelling and attractive the entire proposal is. Such contests can only be decided through judgement. Judgement is most needed when it concerns people. I have spoken of a need for a broader definition of merit. All the qualities, attributes, interests, achievements and moral grounding of a person cannot possibly be expressed in one metric. One big caveat – judgement and discretion sound good, but can cause great discomfort – because when things are not "law by law", when there is no comfort in numbers, there is always the fear that the system is not transparent and not fair. But, relying on one number to make decisions when life is so complex, cannot be fair and cannot be just. A well-calibrated, greater exercise of judgement must permeate throughout our system. Page: 35 Exercising human judgement does not mean we simply use our gut, or to bend rules willy-nilly. Good judgement is exercised through training, years of experience and assumption of accountability. This is far more difficult, but far more superior, than simply sticking to rules and numbers. Our human resource system must recognise people who are able to exercise judgement, who know when it is time for man or woman to make rules. This involves courage, heart, purity of intentions and a very human touch.”
“Similarly, throughout the Government administrative system, decisions are often made by strict adherence to rules and criteria, or comparing scores and numbers. We allocate – and we are quite used to this – school places by PSLE T-scores and aggregate scores, and award tenders by the lowest price if we are buying, or the highest price if we are selling. At a time where our nation was nascent, certainty of rules and consistency in application were critical. It is an approach that leaves little or no room for personal favours and, hence, no scope for corruption. We must continue to emphasise integrity and stand firm against corruption. But we must also exercise judgement and discretion. This is because the world is now too complex to be reduced to rule and numbers. Rules are made for man, not man for rules. Abiding by the rules is part of standard operating procedure, but so too, must be the exercise of judgement. Singapore is successful today partly because at the crossroads of our nation's history, our founding fathers and Pioneer leaders made important and the right judgement calls. In time to come, robots and computers will take over many, many human functions. But, I always believe one thing they can never overtake is the ability of humans to make and exercise judgement. There is also the risk that we excessively view ourselves in numerical terms – whether it is scores or rankings. This is our society and culture today. What we need is a clear focus on what truly matters – the worth of an individual, the standing of institutions, people and country, which can only be captured in part by numbers. Indeed, we are already seeing greater exercise of judgement today. Social assistance schemes, for example, are means-tested.”
“While we do that, I say – let us not be afraid of the old – things of old are part of history and part of our soul. Even as we continue to develop physically, we must take pride and care to preserve special buildings, our art pieces, historical artefacts, and our beautiful old trees that provide glimpses into our soul. More young Singaporeans are now curious about the paths we have travelled, interested in our history and proud of it. We should celebrate this because this is a new generation trying to discover their sense of self. Like the National Gallery and Botanic Gardens, as we preserve them we also modernise them and take a leap forward. Our national journey is not measured in artificial laps of decades, 50 years or 100 years, but it is a continuous chain and cycle of preservation and renewal, of understanding history and inventing the future. The third area of evolution is wiser minds: the way we make decisions. I have vivid memories of conversations in my family when I was a child and we were living in our little flat in Bukit Ho Swee. At that time, getting demerit points for bad driving or a red summons for not paying your PUB bills were major family affairs involving family conferences. Often, we would gather around Page: 34 and the adults would always discuss whether we should appeal to the authorities to waive that red summons. But inevitably, some aunty of mine would say that it was no point appealing because "Government operates law by law". That was the most often cited argument. As a kid, who hardly knew any English, even I knew that that made no grammatical sense, but gradually, I realised this means that rules are transparent, consistently applied, with no quarter given.”
“Fifty years later, one of the greatest achievements arising from that resolve is to have built a national self-consciousness, an emerging, unique Singapore identity, from a diverse immigrant society with hardly any common ground to stand on. But this is a process that will take further decades and centuries. If we look around us, China and India – they are civilisations. In other parts of Asia – Mynamar, Thailand, Japan – they, too, have centuries of history behind them, shaping the way they are. So, for the next 50 years, the most important development may well be invisible to our naked eye. With a stronger heart, we will develop a stronger and more distinct national identity, and strengthen the Singapore soul. That will be our moment for the next 50 years. But our identity is not merely derived by a legal fiat that pronounces that everyone is "Singaporean". There is richness in the identity, drawn from our diversity, ancestry and cultural origins. It is derived from that inclusive, generous spirit, as Ms Sun Xueling has mentioned. This is why it is critical that we make, and continue to make, great effort in living together, side by side, appreciate each other, understand each other, and build even larger common spaces. As Members of Parliament, we knock on the doors of many HDB units in many HDB blocks. Just within one block, I have stood before homes with Quran verses, crucifixes, joss stick urns, statues of Ganesh, fixed around and at the side of their front doors. Nowhere in the world can we find this. I think our HDB flats, maybe, also deserve UNESCO recognition, not that we have applied. But this is truly our heritage. The President has said that, "To remain special, we must first resolve to move ahead together".”
“Africa will be a major part of the global equation on growth as well as climate change and even international migration. In this new era, our post-colonial strategy of attracting FDI remains relevant but not enough. FDI has many more places to go to. We cannot look at the value chain of China and try to fit ourselves in, as we did when we outsourced more labour intensive activities to China. Today, China drives that value chain. We must now look at China as a tremendous business and consumer space that we can tap into. Many Asian economies are facing headwinds, not because there is slower growth in China but that a new division of labour is emerging in the world, in Asia, and every country and every economy is finding its footing in this new configuration. Page: 33 For Singapore, I think we must know the markets around us intimately – traditions, customs, taste, language, habits, psychology. We used to encourage Singaporeans to anchor in Singapore. With a stronger anchor now planted, it is now necessary to seek our fortunes out in the region. The learning curve will be steep. President Tony Tan has warned that, "We cannot expect an easy journey ahead". This is why Institutes of Higher Education are encouraging overseas internships for their students. We must be able to understand, bridge and operate across different cultures. We must have depth in our know-how, in our skills, so that wherever we go, our expertise is valued and can be put to good use. Most of all, as Mr Christopher de Souza said, we must always be grounded in values, character and ethics. The next area of evolution: stronger hearts. This refers to our resolve to define Singapore and our national identity. In the beginning, Singapore was regarded as special because we resolved to move ahead together.”
“But we are also in the midst of the making of an Asian century. China is a major part of that equation. We need to look at China's trajectory beyond the current stock market sell down, beyond the current pessimistic talk about hard and soft landing. China's economic transformation has moved on from growth to addressing the quality of growth. Low value-added activities are no longer the China Dream, 中国梦. Growth will be slower, but even at 6-7%, that represents a huge absolute dollar growth and, especially for a small country like Singapore, it represents tremendous opportunities. The major change is that the Chinese economy will be more discerning in allocating capital to more productive uses, it will move up the value added ladder and with greater discipline in allocating capital to production capacity, consumption accounts for a higher proportion of China's growth and investments today. Consumption is not just of goods, but also of services. That is why services are generating more jobs than manufacturing in China today. With that, ASEAN no longer serves as the major component supplier for China. China now produces those components, assembles them into final products and ships them globally, including to ASEAN. Because of that, our trade surplus in ASEAN that we used to experience in the early 2000s, has now flipped into a deficit now. India may also feature prominently in our economic fate. By 2050, India is likely to be the largest country in the world in terms of population and third largest economy globally. It is the fastest growing developing country in Asia. Outside of Asia, Africa's demographic momentum will be of tremendous global impact. By 2050, about a quarter of the world's population will be African.”
“As a new Member of the House, I seek your guidance as I embark on my journey as a parliamentarian. Mdm Speaker, We have done remarkably well as a society and country from SG01 to SG50. SG51 to SG100 will, however, be very different in terms of our external circumstances, in terms of our domestic situation, in terms of the outlook of Singaporeans. Today, the eyes of our people are upon us, the Government. We are jointly committed to the next phase of nation building. Some principles – integrity, meritocracy, open to the world – we must steadfastly hold on to them, while other things must evolve to suit new circumstances. Today, I would like to talk about three aspects that we may have to evolve. I choose the word "may", because the process will never be straightforward, certainly not sudden, and always a gradual, progressive evolution, fraught with tensions even at times. But this process of evolution is absolutely necessary because no city stays successful by standing still. Page: 32 Animals – they develop sharper claws, harder shells, longer beaks in order to survive. The three aspects of evolution that I would like to talk about today are: faster legs, stronger hearts and wiser minds. First, faster legs, which means how we make a living. At our birth, Singapore wanted, not foreign aid, but Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). The global economic system was then emerging from the old world of colonialism, where country-to-country relationships were hierarchical and benefits unbalanced. It was changing to a new global order based on market forces. Our economy strategy of attracting FDI was conceived in this era of receding colonialism. But the next 50 years will be different. US, Europe and Japan will continue to be major players and important investors in Singapore.”
“In Jurong, we have the Fei Yue Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) with special needs. Fei Yue had three students with many illnesses and difficulties with mobility. A group of young Singaporeans linked to South West CDC came together, did crowd funding, private fundraising, raised money to get special chairs for children with mobility needs. The fundraising lead was Mr Lim Der Shing. He is a successful entrepreneur, the founder of JobsCentral. He has done well, yet Der Shing uses his skills, networks and resources to help the community. That spirit of an activist community of volunteerism, people stepping forward, is very much alive. And Government and politicians partnering with that can make it even stronger. Mdm Speaker, we do not choose our parents, or when we will be born. So, we must always be a fair and just society. Regardless of race, language or religion. Regardless of your background, where you start in life, or how much you start with. Regardless of when you are born. Yesterday's Pioneers, today's Singaporeans, tomorrow's children, who will inherit the risks and rewards of what we decide today. And that culture of responsibility, those values of fairness, equitability, social cohesion – they are the ultimate safeguard to ensure good politics as well. Mdm Speaker, we hope for fair weather, but we must always be ready for exceptional perfect storms. By becoming a stronger, more resilient, more cohesive Greater Society, we will be ready to see SG100 – as One United People. I stand in support of the Motion. [Applause.] 3.25 pm The Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) and Senior Minister of State for Defence (Mr Ong Ye Kung): Mdm Speaker, it has been a privilege to join this debate.”
“We must guard against poisonous forces. The poison of money politics, where political parties feel they have to reward their supporters with kickbacks, favours and contracts. We have seen this in many places, other countries. There is no place for that kind of money politics here in Singapore. The poison of anger, envy and hate – where politicians encourage voters to destroy what has been built over decades and generations, tearing down institutions, tearing down ideas, without a vision for what comes the day after. The poison of intellectual dishonesty. Telling people to vote for something, without saying how they will get you there. The risks and benefits, the side effects, the journey. But above all, Mdm Speaker, we, the citizens of Singapore, have a responsibility. We must keep on building a sense of fellowship. Understanding our brothers and sisters, our different faiths, our different cultures. Being blind is not the answer. Through seeing the people next to us, seeing through their eyes, seeing how they see us, we learn to see better, to understand, to grow together. Every individual's actions can make that difference, make our society stronger. Whether it is giving up a seat on the MRT train to someone who needs it more, or giving your time and energy to help fellow Singaporeans. Page: 31 In Clementi, where I serve, we have a voluntary welfare organisation (VWO) – Bringing Love to Every Single Soul. They call themselves BLESS. BLESS has a reading programme. Young Singaporeans reading together with children, children of all races from our rental flats. Young Singaporeans, helping children who start with less. Its founder, Ms Francesca Wah, is a Primary school teacher – a very busy job, but she makes time to give back from the heart.”
“And Government has a role here, shaping social norms, shaping values. A school system that brings students together from different backgrounds. Housing estates bringing residents together: shared spaces, hawker centres, green gardens, even void decks, they Page: 30 make a difference. The tone of our politics and our culture, bringing people together. Mdm Speaker, good politics is essential as well. The marketplace of ideas can be a powerful, positive, progressive force: the wisdom of crowds, the energy of the new, working together with experts and expertise. But as we have seen elsewhere, there can be market failure in the marketplace of ideas. We would not accept laissez-faire economics in this decade. The lessons of the past 20 years have suggested otherwise. I do not believe in laissez-faire politics either. Policy does reduce this risk of market failure. That is how our GRC system works. It ensures minority representation. It ensures any serious political party must be multi-racial. It ensures that any chauvinist racial party will not be able to recruit multi-racial talent to contest on a multi-racial platform. Mdm Speaker, we also need a good, constructive Opposition and good politics. Open politics, so you know where the other person is coming from, what they stand for, their views on major issues of the day. Not just the easy issues, but the challenging issues. Contestable politics. Where you need not be a millionaire or have the right friends to step into the ring. Robust debate, Mdm Speaker. People having the courage of convictions, standing up for what they believe in, but at the end of the day, always remembering that we are Singaporean brothers and sisters with a shared future. Political culture matters too, Mdm Speaker.”
“Gridlock in some of the major democracies in the world. Anti-immigrant UKIP in the UK, Syriza in Greece, AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) in Germany, a far right party. And such parties need not do exceptionally well to win, Mdm Speaker. Just by becoming a political force, they hollow out and poison the political centre. So, Mdm Speaker, imagine this Perfect Storm: a global downturn lasting many years; divisions of race, language, religion; social class, inequality and culture; a fractured national consensus, divisive politics. And then having to face a major crisis – a terrorist attack on Singapore soil, a pandemic, or a regional conflict where old friends ask us to choose between them. So, how do we get Singapore ready to survive an exceptional Perfect Storm? No party can do it alone. If I may suggest, not even the PAP. No matter how many seats we have in Parliament, no matter how strong our mandate. We must become a cohesive Greater Society. All of us, one family. Not a hotel, not a corporation. All of us, one Singapore family. In this, we all have a role to play: Government, politics, citizens. I do not think the answer is less Government involvement. I do not think the answer is politicians' stepping back. I do not believe the answer lies in citizens becoming disengaged, disillusioned and disenchanted by rhetoric that is negative and destructive. Government, Politics, Citizens – there is all a role in building this. In Government, policy must be measured not just by the bottom line, but by whether it promotes social cohesion amongst Singaporeans. The financial bottom line is important. It puts bread, rice on the table. But it is cohesion that keeps a family at home at the dinner table, talking to each other, having a shared sense of purpose.”
“If we do not restructure fast enough, we could be in a trap of a high-cost environment, but not creating high enough value to compete with the top tier of global cities. We have to beware of stagnation and inflation at the same time. What other exceptional challenges might we face in our society? We have pledged ourselves as one united people. But the Pioneers who were present at the creation, who lived through our first foundation, that first forging of our Singapore identity – they are growing old, dwindling in number, fading into history. So, each generation must pledge itself anew and re-forge that unity. But today, there are new fault lines. Page: 29 Social class. Differences in wealth, upbringing and social networks. Independent schools charging more, which can discourage students who are afraid that they might not qualify for a full fee scholarship. Culture wars. Globalisation of culture. Belief systems and values from faraway lands, very different to Singapore, coming to our island. New divides. Foreigners and locals, old Singaporeans, new Singaporeans – as some choose to call it. I will not pollute this House by naming specific websites or their supporters, but we know who they are. We know which websites they are and can guess much money they make from advertising, while trying to teach Singaporeans how to hate. And the risk, Mdm Speaker, is exceptional when multiple fault lines come together. Our local politics, Mdm Speaker, could turn divisive. That is a downside risk for us. What happens if a campaign is waged with negative, destructive emotions? It could be a General Election, a Presidential Election. The politics of protest, of tearing down – we have seen what it can do in the traditional mature democracies.”
“But we need not be so pessimistic because Prof Allison's own research showed that, since World War II, these re-balancings have been peaceful. And today, globalisation connects countries, economies and people. So, there can be a healthy accommodation between these powers that will benefit the world and Singapore. Of course, there may yet be a miscalculation. A junior officer may set off a skirmish: sink a boat, or shoot down a plane. Domestic pressures may turn nationalistic. It is unlikely, but we must be prepared in case the exceptional occurs. Non-state actors are a very real challenge, Mdm Speaker. ISIS, as fellow Members of this House have pointed out, can poison a young mind from thousands of miles away. What happens if they establish a wilayat, a province of their Caliphate in Southeast Asia? Our ASEAN neighbours are doing more to tackle terrorism, but the problem has been growing for some time. The challenge still remains. We see the challenges in Jakarta, recent arrests in Kuala Lumpur and the arrest of the radicalised Bangladeshi migrant workers. We have to do all we can to prevent an attack on Singapore soil. But it is possible that such an attack might happen, and in the event it happens, we must be resilient and make sure that it does not break our society. The global economy, Mdm Speaker, is another situation where the exceptional may occur – the exceptionally challenging. China's growth is gradually slowing – 6.9% in 2015. If it slows more sharply, it would affect our tourism, our SMEs, our exports. The US recovery, some green shoots, but it may yet run out of steam. And both great economies have limited short-term policy options for stimulus. At home, big challenges for us as well.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion. We have heard questions of exceptionalism, of the exceptional. And the exceptional is also about imagining what exceptional challenges lie before us and how we may meet them, no matter what form they come in. Science fiction writer Iain M Banks described what he called an "Outside Context Problem", where a society encounters an existential challenge which it did not foresee. So, we must always be ready as one people to confront the unexpected. Because only by imagining the unthinkable, can we be ready to survive whatever the future may bring. History has shown that perfect storms and black swans are not that rare. If I may, let me highlight four areas where exceptional circumstances might happen and then look at how we may survive together these challenges. Page: 28 Four areas: international relations; the global economy; our social fabric; our politics. Four areas where a few or all of these factors could come together as a perfect storm. Let me make it clear, Mdm Speaker, I am not saying these situations will happen, but we must be ready for them and imagine them. In the international sphere, the US-China relationship will be the most important geopolitical issue of our generation. An established superpower, with another great power rising: building its own blue water fleet; land-based and maritime Silk Roads; an additional set of institutions. Prof Graham Allison of Harvard has spoken about a theory – a theory called the Thucydides Trap. He looked back at 500 years of examples of rising powers and established powers, and he found that in 12 out of 16 cases, the outcome was not sanguine.”