Tin Pei Ling
Singapore
“This is not about building a talent pipeline and reserve for the land, sea and air transport sectors, but also about helping Singaporeans seize more valuable opportunities. (In English): Mr Speaker, Singapore did not inherit our connectivity. We built it deliberately, chapter by chapter, and this House now holds the pen for the next one.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Two questions. One is that I hear that there will be a review of the COE system later part of this year. I would just like to ask if there is a specific timeline that we can look forward to. Second is on land transport overall. It is on the impact of ageing population and ageing infrastructure.”
“Leveraging frontier technologies – automation, advanced sensors, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) – will keep our infrastructure globally competitive. But we must deploy technology responsibly to augment productivity while managing workforce transitions and reskilling needs.”
“Many thanks to all. I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $3,109,174,200 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $13,306,280,300 for Head W ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Can the Ministry consider targeted measures, such as rental relief schemes, tenancy support for heritage and neighbourhood retailers, incentives for landlords to prioritise local tenants or co‑investment platforms that enable local businesses to secure long‑term premises?”
“Internationally, we could forge norms that prevent regulatory arbitrage and ensure cross‑border accountability. Hence, building on existing frameworks, what more will the Government do to strengthen Singapore's role in global AI governance, standards, certification, international coordination and capacity building, to preserve human agenc…”
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“Sir, I declare that I work in a firm offering relevant solutions, including e-wallets and biometric technology. E-payments and National Digital Identity (NDI) are key thrusts of our Smart Nation strategy. These can help citizens enjoy greater convenience and control in how they go about interacting with businesses and the Government in their daily lives. A few questions to ask. On e-payments, what is the adoption rate right now? How is the Government ensuring that our people, especially our elderly, are digitally ready? Cash always works and is a powerful substitute that discourages e-payment adoption. But we cannot do away with this option or else many elderly and micro merchants will suffer. There are also practical constraints to adopting e-payments for micro-businesses, for example, a lack of precious real estate at their stalls, and they have to operate several machines in order to process a transaction, cash becomes much faster. Given this, how will the Government work with private players to overcome these practical challenges? Are we still on track to implement and proliferate e-payment in Singapore? NDI will be built upon SingPass. But SingPass has been fraught with issues lately. How will this affect or delay the implementation of NDI? How will the Government ensure that NDI will be robust and secure enough since citizens use it to access services and potentially sensitive and personal information? Finally, the Government can play the role of setting the right policies and getting the basic infrastructure up. But Smart Nation requires all of the public, private and people sectors to work together.”
“Sir, preschools, infant and childcare centres offer crucial support for working parents and influence their decision on whether to have another child. They also ensure that our young children receive the appropriate stimulations to promote healthy mental and physical developments, which form the essential foundation for their further learning as they move up the education system and even into adulthood. To avoid a class divide as early as this, we must all the more ensure that children of low-income families receive quality early childhood education and care. Therefore, what more is the Government doing to ensure sufficient provision of affordable and quality preschools and care centres at the infant and childcare stages? Beyond just having more centres, what other support is the Government offering to encourage families to send their children to preschools?”
“I firmly believe that our seniors are much more capable than being mere recipients of care. As we enhance our healthcare, we can expect longer and more healthy years. As our economy evolves, there will be less reliance on physical strength at the workplace but more use of intellect and wisdom. As each population becomes better educated and more savvy in the digital space, there will be less fear and deeper entrenchment of technology in our everyday lives. I am also against self-defeating thoughts, such as lao le bu zhong yong 老了不中用, which means that we are useless after we aged, which can be self-fulfilling. Whether it is to remain active economically or socially, it is a choice our seniors have to make. But the point is that we need to keep active and we need to keep trying. Being active brings meaning to life, it helps us look forward to every new day. Is this not wonderful? In conclusion, Singapore is extraordinary because of the indomitable will of our forefathers, their resilience and discipline. Singapore weathered through many disruptions and we have transformed time and again. Hence, I hope we will continue to possess the quality of resilience and discipline, so that we can deliver a progressive yet compassionate Singapore. With this, I support the Budget.”
“No institution or country so far has been an authority in terms of setting elderly-friendly design standards. Singapore can take the lead in setting elderly-friendly standards and be the authority in this area. Second, create a favourable environment and employment opportunities for seniors. Stem out ageism. There are seniors who want to work, either out of passion, or sadly, out of financial need. Regardless, given that we have seniors who do want to work, let us help them. The Government can take the lead in testing how work environment, workflows, job role designs and even compensation and benefits, such as health benefits, CPF contribution, and leave conversion can be adapted and optimised for senior workers. Third, and this is more for seniors who are less independent, proliferate digital eldercare to supplement shortage of eldercare manpower and help more seniors live independently. There may soon be a point in time when there are more who need care than those who can care. By leveraging technology and AI more effectively, we can drastically change how care is provided and help even more Singaporeans to age in place. I have spoken at length during the Motion on Support for Senior Citizens earlier this month, and I will speak about it again during the Committee of Supply (COS). But the point is that if you can leverage technology more, if you can leverage digital eldercare more, we can help more elderly Singaporeans, those who may have difficulties moving around, and even paraplegics or those who may be semi-paralysed, to be more independent and continue to enjoy the comfort of their own homes. Of course, it is not enough for the Government alone to work on it. It takes two hands to clap. Our seniors need to believe in themselves and step up, too.”
“Seniors do not just go through health screenings, they are given practical advice on suitable diet and exercise, and there are dedicated people who would follow up or check in on them to ensure follow through. Seniors, so far, have been very appreciative of this. Beyond health services, our single elderly are now more socially connected and better cared for. Take Mr Toh, a 66-year-old senior in MacPherson, for instance. He lives alone and expressed that he felt lonely with nobody to talk to. This was brought up to CNS and a befriender was arranged to visit him on a monthly basis. He was also invited to join active ageing activities at the MacPherson Community Club or in the community. In addition, he was enrolled in the 24/7 Eastern Health Alliance (EHA) Care Line service, which he can dial into when he feels lonely at night. Mr Toh is now a much happier person. This is an example from MacPherson. With the integration at the national level, I believe the benefits will be much more. But I hope the Government will go further in creating an enabling environment for seniors to continue to thrive in. First, let us design to include and empower mainstream elder-friendly designs and make them pervasive, so that seniors can lead a normal and productive life regardless of where they are. Apply elderly-friendly designs to the development of common spaces, facilities, machine interfaces, workflows, public processes and more. There are some inevitable physical constraints as one ages, but that does not necessarily mean that one can no longer do meaningful work or lead an active life after becoming old. With the right environment, these constraints can be compensated and seniors can continue to thrive.”
“For a start, I laud the Government’s move to integrate health and social care for seniors under one agency. This will ensure effective use of resources and better planning. In any case, it is the same target stakeholder group. From policies to qualifying criteria and service standards, AIC is better positioned to design and deliver a seamless suite of programmes to care for our seniors holistically. On the ground, we have seen preliminary results of integrating services for seniors through the CNS pilot, which will soon be implemented nation-wide. MacPherson is fortunate to have been one of the pilot sites for CNS. Within just over six months of implementation, we have observed tangible benefits on the ground and received positive feedback. At the agency level, AIC plays a coordinating role, though it is very much a "deal maker" as well. In the past, if seniors have needs or encounter issues requiring our assistance, we have to approach the agencies one by one and be subjected to their available resources, which is time consuming. Most of the time, it would be extremely challenging to get a common date that the agencies can agree on. Moreover, some agencies may not have sufficient resources or provide the right type of help. Now, with AIC’s help, the process is much smoother, more coordinated and faster. At the local level, our seniors with different needs are matched to the local VWOs for further engagement or services according to their organisational strengths. This is more targeted and demonstrates the many-helping-hands approach. In terms of benefits to seniors, services are more structured and holistic, with proper follow-ups.”
“Regardless of what they choose to do, we should ensure that our environment supports and not limit them, so that they can do what they are good at and continue to make a difference. In this way, our senior citizens will not develop a negative attitude. Instead, they will maintain active lifestyles, live more meaningful lives and become truly happy senior citizens. (In English): As we justify the need for hard measures in order to sustain fiscal sustainability, I hope we will not inadvertently attribute the cause to our elderly, which is the primary narrative on the ground now. An ageing population is one of the key contributing factors, but we know that it is not the only one. And we must recognise that being old is not being useless. We need a paradigm shift across all levels and sectors of our society that seniors are assets and not liabilities. We just need to create the right and enabling environment for them. Much of what we have today, including hardware and social infrastructure, was designed decades ago when our population was still young. It is time to refresh these to welcome a different population landscape with a different set of requirements. With Singapore undergoing rapid ageing, it is important that we set the right policies, put in the right resources and organise ourselves the right way sooner than later. We need to ensure adequate support for our elderly today and tomorrow, so that we are all empowered to age gracefully and actively in the comfort of our own homes and community. Given our expectations on social spending, it is imperative that we maximise the impact of every dollar spent. We must enable our elderly today and tomorrow to continue leading an independent and graceful life.”
“If nobody is willing to donate money, then the Macpherson ComCare Fund will not be able to help the elderly who cannot afford to see a doctor. If no one volunteered, then we cannot take care of senior citizens who live alone, on a large-scale and organised way. On a higher level, if people do not support the Government, national programmes cannot be implemented, no matter how great they are. It is the duty of elected leaders to set the future direction and strategies of a country, and the responsibility of the entire Government to implement policies effectively. However, the success of a country’s strategy is not just dependent on the Government. Support of the nation is key. Otherwise, the Government would be speaking without a voice and punching without weight. How then can they implement necessary policies for the long-term good of the country? How then can they ensure the disadvantaged or minorities whose interests are at odds with the majority, are taken care of? How then can they implement programmes that ensure the competitive advantage of the country and its people, or even the ability to compete effectively in the international arena? We all know what the Government has done to take care of our senior citizens. But I also hope that the Government can do more to create a more pro-elderly environment. As we grow old, we inevitably face limits in terms of physical strength, but that does not mean we no longer have a part to play, nor does that mean it is the end of life. If we can make the necessary adjustments, our twilight years can also be interesting. Some elderly Singaporeans may choose to continue working, some choose to be volunteers, while others choose to learn new things, and some may even pursue dreams that were out of reach when they were young.”
“With our population ageing rapidly, the Government must introduce policies and adjust the allocation of resources decisively, and perhaps even carry out a major "facelift" to prepare for an ageing population. With regard to caring for our elderly, the Government has done a lot and has accumulated a lot of valuable experiences. It has also made many improvements in healthcare subsidies and pro-elderly services. For example, with the launch of the enhanced healthcare subsidies, many elderly residents no longer require help from the Macpherson ComCare Fund, which we initiated voluntarily to help low-income senior citizens defray medical costs. In addition, the CNS pilot programme launched by the Government also produced good results, and Macpherson is honoured to be part of the trial. In the past, we used to have to approach the Ministries separately to seek help for our elderly residents. If a certain Ministry does not have enough resources, we had to knock on the door of other Ministries. Scheduling meetings took a lot of time and effort. Now, with better coordination among Government Ministries, the process has become smoother and faster, and our senior citizens’ problems can be resolved quickly. CNS has been able to provide regular health checks for seniors, and they have become healthier and more active. With the help of neighbourhood volunteers recruited through the network, the elderly who live alone no longer feel lonely and helpless. From what we can see, the Government can help turn our common ideals into reality and, thankfully, the Government has worked on this relentlessly. However, it is also equally apparent that the people's response and support are of vital importance.”
“So far, market reports appear to be positive, with some believing that this will "turbo-charge" the debt market. However, we need proper safeguards. We must not make borrowing an easy way out and put future generations of Singaporeans in deep debt. Hence, I would like to ask whether this move will significantly increase our national debt, how will the bonds be paid out, whether this will mean higher interest rates and higher risk of having to raise more tax in future. What safeguards are in place to ensure that we are able to meet the payments and also fulfil our projects going ahead? Hard truths, hard decisions. I believe Singaporeans will understand the rationale and tradeoffs for raising GST, however painful it is for our citizens, provided that the Government works very hard to deliver on promises and prove that every revenue dollar raised is efficiently and effectively used for the public good. Singaporeans have trusted this Government for decades and made many painful sacrifices for our nation’s long-term good. We must never squander this trust and must do our best to protect Singaporeans. Deputy Speaker, allow me to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Deputy Speaker, Sir, how society respects the elderly and care for the disadvantaged not only shows how civilised we are but also reflects on our moral upbringing and common beliefs. However, respecting the elderly and caring for the disadvantaged cannot just be empty talk, but must be put into practice. We must "walk the talk" through the institutions, policies and actions to ensure that our seniors and the disadvantaged are well looked after.”
“It sets out a programme to transform and revitalise our economy; to boost infrastructure and build a Smart Nation; to strengthen our hardware and social infrastructure and prepare for an ageing population. These are important priorities, to keep Singapore strong and viable, and the best home for all Singaporeans. To fund these priorities, we need to raise revenue. The Finance Minister has set out three ways to do this. First, impose spending controls and cutting Ministries' budget growth; second, finance some of the infrastructure developments through bonds; and third, raise GST. My view is that we should do these three ways in that order. In other words, first, ensure that our Ministries and Statutory Boards are run in the most efficient manner. Be brutal in cutting waste and inefficiencies. Encourage innovative ways to raise productivity. I do not advocate starving the public services of much needed resources to do their jobs properly. But if we are to raise taxes, we owe it to Singaporeans to make sure that what the Government has already collected is not squandered. In the same vein, could we make better use of this year’s surplus? One big irony of Budget 2018 is that we report a surplus of $9.6 billion, even as we make an advance announcement of an increase in GST to raise revenue. I understand from the Finance Minister that this is an exceptional surplus, and we cannot always count on having exceptional surpluses. Still, could we, say, direct this surplus and any others in future, into a fund separate from the Reserves, perhaps find ways to invest it to build it further to fund our increased needs and, hence, defer any GST hike to a later date? Second, the Minister announced that bonds will be issued to fund infrastructure projects.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Finance Minister’s Budget Statement. This year’s Budget is a courageous statement. In no other democracy will a Finance Minister announce a tax increase four or more years in advance, with a general election in between. No government will willingly announce a decision to raise taxes and especially not one which wants to continue to be in government. To do so takes integrity and courage to be willing to lay upfront the challenges facing our nation and explain what we need to do to surmount these challenges. Many Singaporeans are unhappy with the move to raise GST by 2% sometime between 2021 and 2025. Faced with high costs of living, such a move is painful and worries many. Enhancing financial assistance and support packages would, therefore, be imperative in helping our low-income and perhaps even our middle-income families and Singaporeans to cope. But emotions and concerns aside, we know that money needs to be raised to fund new projects and programmes. There is always a tradeoff. The Finance Minister had, in his speech, explained in detail why he has taken such an unprecedented move. Indeed, we are faced with many challenges – technological disruptions, rapid ageing in our population, mature infrastructure that needs to be maintained, new infrastructure that needs to be built, and more. We need to respond decisively, as one people. How we respond now will determine if Singapore can continue to be a thriving nation amidst a highly competitive world, one in which our young will continue to have a bright future and our seniors are properly taken care of in their old age. Budget 2018 takes a long-term and strategic view.”
“Every Singaporean needs to believe that we each have a role to play beyond our family and employment obligations. We need to recognise that it is not enough to rely on salaried staff because they are financially obliged to carry out the care. A caring and inclusive society cannot be one that the citizens only talk about it and expect someone else to do it. We have a duty to one another. I believe that seniors are a gift to our society. Their wisdom, resilience and this legacy that they have built for Singapore are a gift to us and our young. We must, therefore, strengthen our support to enable successful ageing and create an environment where our seniors can continue to thrive. I support the Motion.”
“As our economy evolves, there will be less reliance on physical strength at the workplace but more use of intellect and wisdom. As each population becomes better educated and more savvy with the digital space, there will be less fear and deeper entrenchment of technology in our lives. Some hold the belief that, in Chinese, "老了不中用", which means that you become useless as you age. While I understand that there are some constraints that come with age, I do not agree with this belief. It is self-defeating and we risk a self-fulfilling prophecy. We need to keep active and keep trying. We have seen elderly in their 90s who remain active and sharp, even learning a new language. It is possible. Of course, we hope we do not have to work into our old age because we have to, but because we love to. It brings meaning to life. It helps us to look forward to every new day. Is this not wonderful? Hence, we should do three things to help our seniors keep active and continue to do well in their old age. First, create a favourable environment and employment opportunities for seniors. Stem out ageism. The Government can take the lead in testing how the work environment, workflows, job role designs and even compensation and benefits, such as health benefits, can be optimised for senior workers. Second, incentivise the elderly to volunteer more. The Pioneer Generation Ambassador is a wonderful programme. Can we expand it to recruit more and cover more functions? Third, introduce health programmes tailored to meet the needs of the elderly. Decentralise the implementation of these programmes, cascade them down to the precinct or even to the individual HDB blocks. Make it easy and inexcusable for everyone to keep fit and stay social. Ultimately, we need to transform our culture and mindsets.”
“If each person could just spare one to two hours per week engaging in a specific volunteer "vocation" with clear roles and responsibilities spelt out, we can achieve a lot more. Today, we have a myriad of formal and informal groups of volunteer organisations doing community service, serving from their hearts. We have seen passionate Singaporeans, young and old, dedicating days of their weeks serving the less fortunate. Still, we also see Singaporeans who would like to serve but are unsure of what they can do, what needs are still unfulfilled and whether the time commitment will be too great for them. Hence, we need to find ways to make serving a priority and organise ourselves better so that busy Singaporeans can just "plug and play" when serving the community. Could there be a national coordinating body for volunteers in Singapore that consolidates and monitors the list of needs in the communities and resources that are already available, identify the roles and corresponding manpower needed, coordinate and help everyone clearly see how they can fit in to help? At present, SG Cares is perhaps the best place to play this role but it will need a clear structure, concrete programmes and strong support to do so. I would like to think that inside each of us, we want to help others who need help and we want to contribute to a caring society. I hope Singaporeans will see community service as a priority in life and respond to the call to get involved in a bigger way for a more sustainable future. Finally, I firmly believe that our seniors are much more capable than being mere recipients of care. As we enhance our healthcare, we can expect longer and more healthy years.”
“Could the Government share some of the success cases so far? Could we accelerate developments locally and implement them sooner than later? Third, institutionalising a network of volunteers. Relying on salaried staff is not enough and, despite my strong support for digital eldercare, I do also believe that the human touch is still very much needed and cannot be replaced. We need more Singaporeans to step in and step up to help. We can leave the professional part of caring of the elderly to the salaried staff and AI robots. But there are many opportunities for volunteers to step in. For example, accompany the elderly to medical appointments, give them a ride to hospitals, clean their homes, deliver groceries or just offer a listening ear. There are kind souls already helping in these areas, but the need is far higher than the supply of volunteers. Therefore, we need to find ways to involve more Singaporeans. Assuming a population of about 30,000 in a constituency, with a third being elderly, a third being adults and another third being minors, if the adults can just spare two hours every week, we will have more than 20,000 hours of help available in any week. Scale it across Singapore, we will have millions of volunteer hours available, and so much can be achieved. At present, I am aware that the Government has piloted the Community Networks for Seniors and it has been very helpful in providing a suite of comprehensive services for our seniors. I hope this scheme can be rolled out nationally so that all seniors can benefit from it. But I also believe that we need to be more ambitious than this. We should aspire to having all Singaporeans do community service and on a long-term sustainable basis.”
“Second, proliferate digital eldercare to supplement the shortage of manpower. There may soon be a point in time when there are more who need care than those who can care. By leveraging technology and AI more effectively, we can drastically change how care is provided and help even more Singaporeans to age in place. Take Japan as an example. Japan is even further ahead of us in terms of ageing. They have an increasing number of elderly with a decreasing number of working adults. They suffer severe labour shortage, especially in eldercare nursing. Yet, they reinvented how the elderly can be cared for by leveraging technology and AI. From Toyota’s Robina and Humanoid, Honda’s ASIMO, Tokai’s Robot for Interactive Body Assistance (RIBA) to the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology's (AIST’s) Puppets for Animal Therapy (PARO), Japan has a full range of robots that can help the elderly with household chores, get out of bed, conduct conversations complete with emotions, and even help paraplegics to walk again. Imagine if these solutions are available to us in Singapore, many elderly, whom we used to think can only be cared for in nursing homes, can now lead a fairly independent life in the comfort of their own HDB flats. Alas, while these are all possible, it is still not known if these solutions can be exported and at what price. It would be most ideal if Singapore can leverage our own existing competencies in research and development (R&D) to develop solutions for ourselves. I understand that MOH had introduced a funding scheme to encourage elderly-focused innovations. Therefore, I would like to ask for an update on the utilisation of funds to support R&D efforts and startups looking into digital eldercare solutions.”
“Parents will feel this most keenly. Me, too. However, as our population continues to age, healthcare expenditure will still have to increase to fund enhanced or new elderly programmes for the larger base. Also, infrastructural investments, retrofitting and hardware maintenance will still be needed to create an elderly-friendly environment. Given our expectations on social spending, it is imperative that we maximise the impact of every dollar spent. We must enable our elderly today and tomorrow to continue leading an independent and graceful life. There are three recommendations that I would like to put forth in the hope of enabling our seniors’ daily lives better. First is to apply elderly-friendly designs into our hardware and heartware solutions. We must ensure that all our designs are designs for inclusion. We should not take the easy way out, or for the sake of efficiency and design only for that 80%, which would then lead to exclusion, which is definitely an outcome that we wish not to see. Currently, there are only two silver industry guidelines in Singapore – "Guidelines for age-friendly homes" and "Guidance for digital devices and online services to be senior friendly". These are a good start, but we need to mainstream elderly-friendly designs much more and make them pervasive. We need to apply elderly-friendly designs to the development of common spaces, facilities, machine and software interfaces, workflows, public processes and more. The key is to make them pervasive. We could create specialisations for students to undertake in tertiary institutions, so that we build up a supply of talent with the expertise. We could also set up a Government department that does research, set standards and audit public and private projects to ensure elderly-friendliness.”
“When we grow old, we may become weaker physically, but we are wiser. As long as we make the necessary adjustments, we can live a fulfilling and colourful life in old age. We hope the Government can take the lead to create an elderly-friendly work environment and set out human resource (HR) policies that are suitable for mature workers, so that seniors who love working and want to continue to work, can continue to make meaningful contributions. More importantly, we should encourage the elderly to remain positive and active both physically and mentally, so that they can lead a more meaningful life. (In English): Our seniors dedicated the prime years of their lives to build the Singapore we are so proud of today. They deserve our respect and we should certainly honour them. Honouring them requires not just words but actions, too. Much of what we have today, including the hardware and social infrastructure, was designed decades ago when our population was still young. It is time to refresh these to welcome a different population landscape with a different set of requirements. With Singapore undergoing rapid ageing, it is important that we set the right policies, put in the right resources and organise ourselves better in the right way sooner than later. We need to ensure adequate support for our elderly today and tomorrow, so that we are all empowered to age gracefully and actively in the comfort of our own homes and communities. This Government has increased social spending and will continue to spend more. Public healthcare expenditure more than doubled over the past five to six years, reaching $10 billion in financial year (FY) 2016. Our society believes in each generation financing its own needs, not wanting to burden our children’s generation and the next.”
“Deputy Speaker, if I may first speak in Mandarin and then in English. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion today. Three years ago, we celebrated SG50 and, once again, confirmed the contributions of our Pioneer Generation. Undoubtedly, it is their contributions and sacrifices that have brought about the achievements we have today. Therefore, respecting and appreciating the elderly is a matter of course. However, respecting and appreciating the elderly require not just words but actions, too. Much of the infrastructure that we have today was built in a different era when our population was still young. In a rapidly-ageing environment today, we must make adjustments to ensure that the elderly can remain physically and mentally active and age in place gracefully. The Government has done a lot in this area. Many of our colleagues have made various good suggestions. I would like to add several suggestions. First, we should apply elderly-friendly designs into our hardware and heartware solutions in all aspects of life. Success of any innovation depends on the design. Second, we must use technology and AI to supplement our shortage of manpower, so that more senior citizens, including those who live alone and are less mobile, can age in place and live independently. Third, we must strengthen our community service organisations, optimise the allocation of resources and manpower, and encourage more people to volunteer in the community. By doing this, we can not only solve the manpower shortage problem but also demonstrate a human touch. We must change the negative mindset that "as people age, they become useless". Each age group has its own set of issues, and we all need to be more tolerant and learn to adjust.”
“I thank the Minister for clarifying the Ministry's position on this. I have two supplementary questions. The first is, I understand the Minister's point, but on this particular website TheSugarBook, it was featured in a mainstream teenager magazine just earlier this year. I would like to ask what is the Ministry's position on this. The concern is whether by being featured in such mainstream teenager magazines, the wrong signal will be sent that this is a mainstream channel or platform for teenagers to make use of. This is also taking into consideration that we collectively object to such websites. The second question is: the more important thing is to address the root cause. I would like to ask the Ministry whether there will be any effort to be taken to understand the reasons why young people are taking to such websites as one of the options to finance whatever their endeavours are, including studies. So, whether the Ministry will be taking a proactive effort to reach out and help these young people so that they become less susceptible to such lures?”
“Mr Speaker, I have to declare that I am from a relevant industry, that is, the financial technology (fintech) industry. I would like to ask two quick questions. Firstly, with the increase in applications with biometric elements, how will this affect the current public services and systems, as they transition over? Secondly, may I ask whether some of the services or applications, such as PayNow, will be open to the private players to build on, such as through opening up of application programming interfaces (APIs)?”
“I have two supplementary questions. I understand that the move towards Smart Nation is a future-oriented one and it is to provide the options, the foundation for those who are ready to embrace it. But again, back to the elderly, and it may not just include those who are single, lonely elderly who have no family members to support them, and, if they do not have banking accounts, just wondering whether the Government will also focus on how we can help them to have a better understanding and more trust in the system because that is one of the obstacles. The other one is that to go cashless, one of the intermediaries is to have cards. Some of them may not know how to use cards. They may have lost it, they may have forgotten the passwords. Therefore, will we consider using biometric more, so that wherever they go, it becomes easier for them and it is also more robust in terms of identification and they can engage in these services more seamlessly? The second part of this is a slight deviation but also relevant. As we endeavour towards Smart Nation, will the Government continue to ensure that the elderly or those who prefer face-to-face interaction will not be unwittingly shut out of the whole communication and feedback process because there is a strong reliance on the e-mode, the digital mode? But there are those who would prefer very much to rely on the face-to-face mode for communications, for example, going to a Ministry to give feedback or make enquiries. So, I would like to get the Senior Minister of State's indication on these.”
“While there could be disagreements which, in a way can be healthy, but Parliament must not go into a stalemate. We must continue to work hard and move together for the common good of the Singapore people. Outside Parliament, I believe you will also be able to make contributions by representing Singapore in the international arena and win accolades for Singapore. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, with all these qualities, I believe that you are best placed as our Speaker of Parliament. As the birthplace of all our laws in Singapore, a vital platform where we debate key issues concerning the present and future of Singaporeans and Singapore, this Parliament is where we shape the future of Singapore. As the voices in Parliament become increasingly diverse, we need a Speaker who is fair and balanced but, just as importantly, a Speaker who is caring and compassionate, a Speaker who believes that every individual counts, a Speaker who will inspire an even more compassionate Parliament, where we will continue to pass good laws that will improve the lives of our people. So, as we continue to look ahead to strive towards another 50 great years for Singapore, I believe, with you as our Speaker of Parliament, we are well placed in that journey ahead. Once again, congratulations, Speaker. [Applause]”
“You care about people around you and always keep a lookout for even the smallest or weakest of individuals who may be far from your sight. From the MND, MOM to MSF, and in your own constituency, you keep an enlightened attitude by actively engaging different stakeholders, listening to their views and understanding their aspirations and challenges to ensure that policies are truly effective and that new laws are fair, balanced and benefit the people. In your constituency, your down-to-earth approach and the people-oriented programmes have won many hearts and applauses. Obviously, in your eyes, every resident, every life counts and warrants your attention. Secondly, you are righteous, fair and balanced. You are not afraid of voicing out when you observe injustice, even if that poses political risks to yourself. Equalising maternity leave for unwed mothers and making sure their child receive proper care is a good example. In your constituency, when managing an issue, you would take time to visit residents who are affected and understand the matter first and then summon the relevant agencies to work out a solution based on residents' needs, while remaining realistic to the limitations that the agencies may face. Macpherson is your close neighbour. After observing you for many years, I feel that you have been treating everybody equally and fairly, no matter how vulnerable or powerful they may be. Thirdly, you have gravitas and can manage any situation in this august Chamber. As the Chief of Army, having been an Army General and a member of the Cabinet, you have the rich experience, as well as the confidence and cool which are not common in ordinary people, to manage any situation, even deadlocks.”
“Even during heated debates, she was able to manage well and intervene at the right time so that the debate can proceed. Outside Singapore, Mdm Halimah has also represented Singapore as the Speaker of Parliament and led our delegations to international conferences. She has gone beyond expectation and won many accolades for Singapore. These are all very challenging tasks but she is able to manage them well, and with great ease. As our first female Speaker, she has not only demonstrated her own capability, but also set a milestone in Singapore's political development. Her success has opened the door even wider for women to participate in politics, giving more confidence to women who are keen to serve the country. Madam Halimah is an excellent leader. Even though she has resigned her post as an MP and Speaker, I still hope that she will create more splendid chapters and continue to contribute to Singapore. We give her our best wishes and hope that she will bring Singapore to greater heights. Mr Speaker, Sir, you are our much respected new Speaker. Your election also represents our aspirations for Parliament in the years ahead. Parliament is the birthplace of all our laws and an important platform where we debate issues concerning the present and future of Singapore and Singaporeans. It is here where we start our journey towards a more successful 50 years ahead. Hence, we need a Speaker who is fair and compassionate. Mr Speaker, Sir, having worked with you for the past six years or so, I have found you to be a multi-talented leader. Of all the strengths you possess, there are three qualities that I believe position you perfectly as our new Speaker. First, you have a heart of gold.”
“For instance, in addressing the smell issue in one of the markets in your constituency, you conducted house visits to understand residents firsthand and then summoned the agencies to meet you to work out a solution based on residents' needs, while remaining realistic to what the agencies can do. Third, you have gravitas. Having been an Army General and a member of the Cabinet, you have the experience, confidence and cool to manage any situation, including debates in deadlock. This is important because while there could be disagreements, and there would be disagreements, our Parliament must continue to move forward, not have proceedings stagnate in a stalemate, but achieve a resolution for the benefit of Singapore. And certainly, even in representing our House overseas, your gravitas and bearing will not only impose a dignified presence but also ensure that Singapore will continue to be heard loudly and clearly on international platforms. Sir, if I may, I would like to continue in Mandarin at this point. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, congratulations on your being elected as the 10th Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore. Your election as Speaker is supported by all of us. My Parliamentary colleagues and I wish you the best sincerely. I am honoured to have this opportunity to speak. First of all, I would like to express my respect and gratitude to our former Speaker Mdm Halimah. Over the past four years, she has been managing all matters in Parliament, big or small, and making sure that Parliament proceedings are conducted properly and completed in the set time. She has effectively balanced the interest of different parties and ensured that MPs had enough time and space to air their opinions.”
“You actively engage different stakeholder groups to listen to their points of view, understand their aspirations and challenges to ensure that policies truly worked on the ground and that new laws are fair and balanced and have the intended effect. Many of us were touched by what I would describe as groundbreaking when you equalised maternity benefits for unwed mothers so that their babies can bond with and enjoy the care of their mothers more and have a more equal start in their lives. In Kembangan-Chai Chee, your down-to-earth approach in serving residents have touched many hearts. You always think about the vulnerable and muster resources to support them. You rolled out several impactful initiatives that benefit the young to the old, such as the social team @ Kembangan Chai Chee, One Community Day, mobile social outreach and Kidzcare. As a believer of inclusiveness and collaboration, you never fail to build community networks and connect with corporates and voluntary welfare organisations to serve the community together. Your team describes you as one who cares to reach out to individuals and take time to hear each one out, that you genuinely care without a qualm. And for all the difference you make, you make sure every resident counts. Second, you are righteous, fair and balanced. You are not afraid of voicing out when you observe injustice and you will take action to right the wrong, even if that poses political risk to yourself. Equalising maternity leave for unwed mothers is a prime example. On the ground, MacPherson being very near Kembangan-Chai Chee, I often hear about how you manage and resolve issues in a balanced manner.”
“Indeed, Mdm Halimah is inspiring in many ways. Being elected as the first female Speaker in Singapore, she created history. That she is so distinguished in so many ways, Mdm Halimah is an inspiration to all Singaporean women. And I hope Mdm Halimah will continue to create more firsts in Singapore and continue to inspire Singaporean men and women alike. Once again, thank you Mdm Halimah and wishing you all the best in your endeavour ahead. Speaker, Sir, today is a special session as we elect and warmly welcome you as our 10th Speaker of Parliament. Parliament is the birthplace of all our laws in Singapore and it is also here where we debate key issues concerning the present and future of Singaporeans and Singapore. Therefore, having a Speaker who is fair, balanced and compassionate is critical to the effective and proper conduct of Parliament. For this is where we will continue to pave the way towards SG100. Sir, having known and worked with you for years now, as Parliamentary colleagues and when MacPherson and Marine Parade were in the same Group Representation Constituency we are still in the same cluster, I have found you to be a multi-talented leader. Of all the strengths you possess, there are three qualities that I believe position you perfectly as our Speaker. First, you have a heart of gold. You care about what happens to the people around you and you always keep a lookout for even the smallest or weakest of individuals who may be far from your sight. You would not let anyone be left out. This is evident from your work in the Ministry of National Development (MND), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), and certainly in Kembangan-Chai Chee.”
“Speaker, Sir, congratulations on being elected as our new Speaker. I am honoured to have this opportunity to speak today. Allow me to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to former Speaker Mdm Halimah Yacob, who had steadfastly conducted every Parliamentary Sitting since being elected as our Ninth Speaker of Parliament in January 2013. Throughout Mdm Halimah's term as our Speaker, she allowed fair airing of opinions, ensuring that the voices representing different interests and Singaporeans can be heard, and preserving the diversity and credibility of our Parliament. She certainly also pulled no punches in ensuring that the time limit is observed, that nobody can dominate the airtime, regardless of who was speaking, front or backbenchers alike. Mdm Halimah's dedication and focus made sure the Parliamentary proceedings were conducted and completed properly, so that legislation and issues of the day can be comprehensively discussed. And, of course, her timely injection of wit and humour always helped to diffuse the occasional awkward moments so that we can return to the real discussions. In Parliament, Mdm Halimah asserted a dignified presence, commanding respect from every single Member of this House and thereby ensuring order in the House and adherence to the rules of debate. Outside of Parliament and overseas, her representation of our Singapore Parliament is a dignified one, as I have observed how she always projected confidence, protected our national interests and commanded attention from whoever the host may be. Personally, I have always felt very proud to travel with Mdm Halimah because she not only represented Singapore well, but also because I know that deep inside, she had wowed many foreign leaders as our female Speaker.”
“Thank you, Madam. I hear the Senior Minister of State that the regulations, if any, in terms of changes to the imports and the regulations will take some time and will be towards the end of the year. But I would like to ask if perhaps the Senior Minister of State can give an assurance that the Government will continue to work with the producers, distributors and even the retailers to ensure that the pricing will not continue to rise during this period of time. Anecdotally, for example, which needs to be verified, residents have been telling me that over the last week, one of the brands, NAN, has increased its price by 7%. While it needs to be verified, I think it is a genuine concern and I hope that the Government can assure us that during this time where the necessary changes are being worked out, that it will continue to monitor very closely to ensure that young parents are not taken advantage of during this period.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have a few supplementary questions to ask. First of all, would the Senior Minister of State be able to share why is it that milk powder is priced so highly in Singapore, compared with other comparable countries and over time? The jump is too significant, in my opinion, to be explained by operating cost increases. Also, milk powder is seen as essential for growing infants since they can only rely on milk. And a lot of young parents feel that they are held to ransom, especially for those with special medical needs. So, the price elasticity is quite low. Could that be one of the reasons driving the price increase and, if so, would the Government consider control measures, such as those implemented in countries like China, on top of introducing more competition, so that there is greater pressure to ensure that throughout the supply chain, the pricing is fairer and so that it is more affordable for young parents in Singapore?”
“It is my greatest desire and wish to see him succeed in life, to see that he has a healthy life, that he is able to pursue his aspirations and make the best out of the time that he has in this life. I believe that all parents out there wish the same for their children. And so, I feel a sense of responsibility – and, indeed, I think so, too, the Members in this House and members of society out there – that we must make sure that we create the most conducive environment for our younger generation so that they can grow up with the right values, with good health and have the best opportunities to go forth in their lives and pursue their dreams and aspirations. Therefore, I would like to echo my support to go towards a 100% drug-free Singapore − one that does not tolerate drugs. I stand in full support of the Motion. 7.35 pm”
“A study conducted for the Swedish National Council of Crime Prevention showed that mentoring at-risk individuals can help to reduce the likelihood of recidivism by about 4% to 10%. Sir, it is equally important to increase preventive education. The phrase "prevention is better than cure" holds a lot of truth, especially in our fight against drugs. We must also consider teaching the dangers of drug abuse at an early age. It was reported that kindergartens in Germany have started an innovative way of strengthening children against addictive behaviours through a toy-free project, in which children will be placed in a toy-free environment for a short period in the day. It is in a way strengthening mental resilience, conditioning them to be stronger. Perhaps MOE can study the feasibility of such an approach to be used in our local context. Sir, based on CNB's statistics, the total number of drug abusers arrested has hovered around 3,000 over the past five years, which works out to be a relatively low 0.08% of our entire resident population. Thankfully, this figure is also much lower than many other countries, but we must not be complacent and we must keep this figure as low as possible, in fact, if we can, towards zero. We must do so through education, rehabilitation and, inevitably, deterrence, which means retaining the stiff penalties that we have in Singapore. Members of this House are aware of the harmful effects that drugs can cause to the live of an individual and to society. As a mother of a 20-month-old toddler, every day, as I watch him grow, as he learns new words, learns new things and the excitement that he derives when he gets praised for little achievements, I rejoice with him.”
“A strong system of laws with stiff penalties may be an unpleasant but crucial element in our battle against drug abuse. I believe that the tough penalties strongly and clearly signal Singapore's zero- tolerance stance towards the use of illicit drugs and we should continue to apply tough laws to deter illicit drug use. To be clear, I hope nobody will ever need to be subjected to such stiff penalties because that will mean that everyone is healthy and is leading a full and happy life but, given how addictive drugs are, hoping for that is simply wishful thinking. We need tough laws and penalties to act as a powerful deterrent. In addition to creating stiffer deterrence, I have also mentioned how rehabilitation and education are equally important. We need to bear in mind that there are still Singaporeans who have fallen prey to the poison of drugs. We must rehabilitate them and help them to reintegrate into society. Successful rehabilitation outcomes often depend on the drug user's tenacity and resilience in staying in treatment long enough to reap its full benefits. The two-year recidivism rates of persons released from DRCs fluctuate close to 30%, based on statistics provided by Singapore Prison Service (SPS). It is also important that we help drug users to eventually reintegrate into society. Firstly, we need to break the social stigma and marginalisation through right public education and messaging. We must help former drug offenders battle the demons of addiction through strong community support. Secondly, we need to empower these individuals to step forward to speak of their personal experiences in taking drugs and become role models or mentors to struggling drug users who need help.”
“With all interactions made virtually, without physical interactions with the drug traffickers and usage of sophisticated cashless transactions, like bitcoin, youths may feel more at ease to obtain drugs. A global survey, entitled Global Drug Survey, has surveyed more than 100,000 Internet users, 75% of whom had taken illegal drugs, in 50 countries in late 2014. This survey suggested that the proportion of drug users purchasing drugs via the Internet had increased rapidly from 1.2% in 2000 to 4.9% in 2009, then to 16.4% in 2013 and, most recently, 25.3% in 2014. An update to the global survey in 2016 showed an increase in users obtaining drugs using online platforms, of which the United Kingdom has the highest rate of novel psychoactive substance purchased among the countries surveyed. What is also startling is that 5% of respondents stated that they did not consume drugs prior to accessing them through these online platforms. In Singapore, statistics provided by CNB showed an increase of about 600% in people arrested for buying drugs and drug-related paraphernalia online, from 30 people in 2015 to 201 people in 2016. This may be low level compared with other countries, but its rapid rise is the one that should worry us. So, we must ensure that our laws and enforcement are kept up to date to prevent our Singaporeans, especially our young Singaporeans, from getting their hands on drugs via the Internet. Sir, I have talked about how drugs harm individuals, families and the community. I have also talked about drug addiction continuing to be a clear and present danger, especially with the emergence of online sources. To combat the scourge of drug abuse, we need to focus our concerted efforts on education, deterrence and rehabilitation.”
“Hon Member Mr Christopher de Souza shared a lot of statistics on drugs and the situation of drugs in Singapore and how drug use among youths is at risk of creeping up further. Youths are especially vulnerable because, at an adolescent age, they are still developing judgement and decision-making skills. Some get the wrong impression that taking drugs can help to enhance athletic performance or ease anxiety problems. Some are impressionable and give in to peer pressure to feel accepted. What is also very worrying is that based on reports from the National Library of Medicine, young people appear to move more quickly through the stages towards addiction than adults. In today's context, it is no longer youths with disadvantaged family backgrounds who abuse illicit drugs. There are now more cases of youths from privileged backgrounds experimenting with illicit drugs. This is supported by the findings in the World Drug Report 2016 that individuals belonging to higher socio-economic groups tend to have a greater propensity to initiate drug use than lower socio-economic groups. Furthermore, with growing affluence and connectivity to the Internet, there are now more available options to obtain drugs online. Being Internet-savvy, some youths are able to obtain illicit drugs through the Internet called the "Dark-Net". The "Dark-Net" is a remote part of the Internet which is often used for illegal activities. It has been reported that these websites even offer free samples to bait curious youths into experimenting, knowing fully well that the return on investment from giving a free sample is a very high chance of addiction and subsequent demand for drugs. Furthermore, with the perceived "anonymity" of the Internet, youths may be less fearful of obtaining illicit drugs.”
“However, because of the insidious nature of such addictive drugs, users who thought they were just using drugs recreationally may find themselves unable to escape addiction. Worse, the diminishing effects of illicit drug abuse drives the abuser to consume a greater amount each time just to achieve that same euphoric sensation. And if they do not get that "fix", they suffer terrible withdrawal symptoms. This means that more and more money is needed to finance the drug habit. This can lead to financial exhaustion and, more tragically, death from drug overdose. It is not uncommon to hear the sad plight of families when the sole breadwinner becomes entangled with illicit drug and is addicted. I described one earlier. We have heard many in this House. Sometimes, families of drug abusers find themselves trapped in huge debt taken to feed the abuser's drug habit. The families are constantly harassed by creditors and, more heartbreakingly, families get broken up. The most pitiful victims are none other than children. The United States is a drug-tolerant country. Because of that, over 2.2 million children live with a parent who is dependent on illicit drugs. This is 2.2 million lives that we are talking about. Harrowing to imagine this happening in Singapore. If we are not careful, such heartwrenching scenes as the ones that we have described about toddlers being left alone to fend for themselves, or even like the little toddler in pink pyjamas sitting there crying next to her mother who had collapsed, will become commonplace in Singapore. Singapore is not invulnerable. Illicit drugs can creep in insidiously and poison young lives.”
“As a parent and as any responsible parent in this House and outside of this House, we can all agree that such scenes are simply heartbreaking and we would not want to see it on our own children or, for that matter, on any other child out there because we feel for them. These are real stories of how drugs destroy the lives of those who abuse them and of the innocent people around them. Illicit drugs remain a scourge of all societies. In the 2016 World Drug Report published by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, it was estimated that one in 20 adults, or a quarter of a billion people between the ages of 15 and 64 years, used at least one drug in the year 2014 alone. This is an alarming figure. Drugs never just affect the abuser alone. It is like a voracious vortex pulling family members and the community in a downward spiral. Real harm is inflicted upon the abuser, his family and the wider community. In fact, I can never really understand how the choice of certain individuals in wanting to use illicit drugs can be allowed to destroy the lives and future of so many innocent people out there. Beyond this, drug abuse and addiction also impose a high cost to the economy, estimated at close to $200 billion annually by the National Institute of Drug Abuse. This includes costs related to crime, loss of work productivity and healthcare expenditures. From an economic perspective, a drug-tolerant society is too high a cost for any society to bear. We know that drugs destroy families in drug-tolerant countries. Many people started experimenting with illicit drugs to satisfy their curiosity towards the perceived thrill and exhilaration. Often, it is also a result of peer pressure.”
“That was something that I walked away with, thinking about it. As the Government, as a society, there are many things that we can do to help them but, in the end, if someone has been taken down by drugs because drugs have poisoned this person, this person is no longer functioning normally, what we see is a debilitating effect on the innocent lives of people around them, their loved ones, the young ones. This was a very sobering instance. To date, it is something that still sticks with me. Even within the current community that I serve, I have also met quite a number of drug abusers. A number of them, at least two men I have met, after abusing drugs, even though they are now back in the community, they still suffer psychosis. They are unable to be self-reliant, they are unable to hold down jobs, they have to rely on their siblings or their elderly parents, really aged parents, to still help them, to subsist them. Again, we try to give them financial assistance but there is only so much that we can do. Here we are, we see two able-bodied men basically unable to do anything more productive than just living the days out. As shared by hon Member Mr Christopher de Souza, we have all seen the photos and the videos that went viral sometime last year in the United States where young toddlers were left to fend for himself or herself at the backseat of the car because the parents were overdosed on drugs. Another one, a little toddler, just sitting next to her mother who had had collapsed because of heroin overdose; just crying, so lonely, so helpless.”
“Deputy Speaker, I would like to first share some stories which I have come to observe and witness first-hand while serving the community. The first story was when I was serving as a grassroots leader in Ulu Pandan. I remember I was still a tertiary student in my second year in University and I was at a Meet-the-People-Session (MPS). It was a very eye-opening experience for me in general but there was this one story that I will always remember and have repeatedly shared. One night, a young mother came with her children, very young. They were all crying. They were crying because they were hungry. The family had not the financial means, the money, to buy the daily supplies that they needed; that is because the husband, the father of the young children, was a drug addict; he could not hold down jobs, could not even start a job. The young mother, because of her young children, had no choice but to stay around to take care of them. She could not go out to work and, yet, because of the circumstances, they had no savings, no income, no nothing. They managed to somehow make their way, probably by borrowing money, to the MPS to ask for help because of the bills, the arrears, the debts that they had built up. Fellow volunteers and I were very struck by this. Some of the volunteers immediately took the kids to the McDonald's outlet nearby to buy them a simple meal, so that they can have a full stomach. The rest, some of us stayed back to write letters of appeal and try to find different ways to help her solve her financial distress. At one point, the then Member of Parliament of Ulu Pandan, none other than Dr Vivian Balakrishnan himself, made a point and I also remember this, that we can give them as much help as we can but we can never be real fathers or real husbands to them.”
“Our support for women and men to balance their multiple roles should help them reach greater heights in our economy, in various professions and in many diverse frontiers. Again, my colleagues and I have moved this Motion with the aim of building on the strengths of women, to recognise and close the gaps. And most importantly, we desire to make Singapore the best home for everyone − a home where regardless of background or gender, Singaporeans have the capability, the opportunity and the courage to pursue our family and career aspirations and to lead a full and happy life. As Singapore is transforming to be future-ready, we − as Members of this House and certainly the whole of Singapore − should also ride on the momentum and translate our words into real action. And for that, thank you, all. [Applause.] [(proc text) Question put, and agreed to. (proc text)] [(proc text) Resolved, "That this House affirms the familial, social and economic contributions of Singapore women and its support for them to fulfil their family and career aspirations and to be future-ready." (proc text)]”
“] Mdm Speaker, I deeply appreciate this opportunity to discuss with my parliamentary colleagues on this Motion, which is to affirm the importance and strategies to support the aspirations of Singapore women. This Motion is unprecedented and meaningful. Members have put forward many good suggestions with regard to the Motion. They are in line with the four strategies described in my speech. First, help free up caregivers so that they can better manage their multiple roles. Second, promote flexible work arrangements so that women can achieve both family and career aspirations without having to trade off one for the other. Third, encourage society and the private sector to value women's economic potentials and contributions. Fourth, encourage women to undergo technology skills training and be prepared for the digital era and the future economy. More importantly, we all agree that we must have concrete actions to support Singapore women to balance their multiple roles and fulfil their familial and career aspirations. I am especially moved by the positive response from the various Ministries. These positive responses affirm women's contributions towards the family, society and country. What is even more encouraging is that the Ministers have responded positively to Members' suggestions. This will undoubtedly strengthen Singapore's foundation and help Singaporean men and women achieve their potential and be future-ready. I hope the Ministries can implement these recommendations soon. (In English): Many, if not all, of the recommendations that my colleagues and I have put forth in this Motion apply to Singaporeans regardless of gender.”
“As well as strengthening HR practices, fair employment, the tripartite standards that the Minister spoke about, I think this is something that we are fully supportive of. In fact, for the PAP Women's Wing last year, in our position paper, we also talked about something very similar in concept, the industry's specific flexi-work arrangement standards. So, we definitely look forward to that. And the Minister also mentioned that the Adapt and Grow scheme will be customised for back-to-work women. So, these are all very encouraging to us and these are definitely relevant to the recommendations that we have put forth. We thank Minister Tan Chuan-Jin for also taking the lead and talking about how women are equals in this society, that we need to eliminate barriers at work and in the community, that we need to recognise the evolving roles between men and women at home, that we need to also take care of our vulnerable women and that there is a need to look into the changing and reshaping of attitudes towards women. I am definitely very heartened to hear that ECDA will be working with URA to bring childcare facilities nearer to workplaces and that the Minister expressed his explicit support for our aspiration of 2020 − 20% female representation on boards by the year 2020. All of these, taken together, demonstrate the willingness of the Government to support the aspirations of Singapore women. I definitely look forward to the Ministries implementing these recommendations and we look forward to the good news very soon. Madam, if I may just speak very briefly in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the various Ministries for the very strong encouraging responses so far. I would like to thank Minister of State Lam Pin Min, who shared on behalf of MOH that there will be increased access to and availability of eldercare services, that there will be more leveraging of retired nurses to help support the caregiving of our elders at home and within the community. One thing that I thought was very encouraging was that the nursing profession had also taken the lead to adopt flexi-work arrangements so that our nurses are able to juggle their different roles in life very well. Of course, I am also heartened that MOH will be looking into social egg freezing, something that has been weighing on the minds of many couples who are concerned about their own future, their own families and wanting to raise healthy children. Second, I would also like to thank Minister Ong Ye Kung who spoke on behalf of MOE. Thank you for also acknowledging our recommendations for a SkillsFuture package. We are very heartened that the Ministry will be customising the engagement to engage women more, to have a more user-centric way of engaging our workforce to help them through customised sets of courses and to help them to eventually, hopefully, match with real job opportunities. Third, to Minister Lim Swee Say, for MOM. I am very heartened – and I believe all my colleagues are – that flexi-work arrangement is something that is on top of mind at the Ministry. That there will be strong support through NTUC to offer returnship programme with something very exciting and many women will definitely look forward to it.”
“At the same time, as what Ms Jessica Tan had also elaborated on, to be conscious of our unconscious bias so that from recruitment to selection, women will not be inevitably disadvantaged right from the get-go. The fourth strategy is to be future-ready, something that I feel very passionately about, to have smart women for a smart nation. As we look to the future, as we move towards a smart nation, as we leverage on digital technology, as we leverage on the smart solutions, we look at a world of great possibilities. For women to also exploit these, we need to look at STEM education to empower them, equip them, get them ready for the job opportunities in these new and exciting areas. These are also what Ms Jessica Tan and Ms Thanaletchimi had talked about at great length yesterday and today. We need to leverage more on technology to provide remote caregiving to enable flexible work arrangements so that we can create the capacity and provide the options that we have been talking about to help women to fulfil their different aspirations. This is something that is echoed by Mr Darryl David. But underlying this, to enable both the future jobs as well as taking on the future jobs and being able to balance the different roles using smart solutions, digital fluency is a very critical success factor and a critical enabler. This is something that we must continue to look into, whether it is to prepare our new digital generations through formal education or through SkillsFuture where we encourage and equip our women to take on IT courses so that they can raise their digital fluency skills and close that gender gap. In this arena, it is important that we take a serious look at this.”
“This is where several Members, such as Ms Joan Pereira, Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Ms Rahayu Mahzam, Mr Alex Yam, Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar as well as Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, have all talked about and, that is, to top up the CPF of women who have given up their careers to stay at home to care for their family members. This was also something that our PAP Women's Wing had in the past raised, that is, top up with love. So, these are the key points that our Members of Parliament, my colleagues, have raised very passionately about in terms of providing options for women. The third strategy is to remove barriers, to remove the invisible barriers that are often stereotypical, as well as pigeon-holing women in Singapore. At the leadership level, we talked about how women have been under-represented at the board level, at the executive level, and also how we should also drive up women's participation and leadership within the community. These have all been very passionately talked about by Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Sun Xueling, Mr Vikram Nair, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Louis Ng. But to do so, we also need to acknowledge, recognise the stereotypes, the biases that are constraining women in these different roles. So, it is very heartening to hear that various Members, such as Mr Darryl David, Mr Louis Ng, Dr Intan Azura Moktar, Mr Leon Perera and Mr Kok Heng Leun, talk about the need to shift the care burden, to have a more equal sharing of care duties between men and women, whether it is at the workplace, in the family or even within the social setting. This is something that I believe we need to continue to work on and endeavour to achieve a more equal sharing of care duties.”
“At the same time, we also need to refresh and build new capabilities in our women to help back-to-work women because, with new capabilities or refreshed capabilities, when they skill up, they also build and create new capacity as well. This was very passionately spoken about by hon Members Ms Jessica Tan, Ms Joan Pereira, Mr Darryl David, Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar. The second strategy is to be able to provide options for women to choose. Those with career aspirations do not have to feel that they have to sacrifice or make trade-offs or even feel guilty about having to juggle two different roles and feel inadequate at any one point in time; or even for women who choose to want to focus their energy on their families, where their heart lies. And so, over the course of the two-day debate, we have made several recommendations, one of which is highly supported by almost all our speakers − flexible work arrangements − and this is echoed very passionately by our hon Members Er Dr Lee Bee Wah, Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar, Ms Sun Xueling, Mr Vikram Nair, Miss Cheryl Chan, Mr Louis Ng and a few others. We also talked about how this needs to be complemented by having progressive HR policies and practices in place. This had been elaborated on and championed by hon Members Miss Cheryl Chan and Mr Darryl David. For women who wish to focus our energies on family caregiving − to raise children, to take care of the elderly − there is often one thing that weighs very heavily on our minds and, that is, retirement adequacy. So, how can we help women who choose this path to free up their capacity, to free up their minds, so that they can focus on family caregiving a little bit more?”
“Madam, this is the first time that this House debates on a Motion focused on the aspirations of Singapore women. I am heartened that many Members of this House have stepped forth to speak passionately on this important cause, and our Ministers and Ministers of State have also given so much of their time to address our concerns, recommendations and, very importantly, echo their support for the aspirations of Singapore women. And I certainly appreciate the interest and support from the Workers' Party and Nominated Members of Parliament in this Motion debate as well. We have had two days of robust debate and it is clear that women have made significant progress over the decades. But that 18 Members of Parliament and five Ministers spoke over two days, it is also clear that there are still areas in which the nation can take pragmatic, concrete steps towards helping women achieve their aspirations, thereby benefiting families, increasing social capital and economic prosperity, and contributing to Singapore's long-term success. Through the debate, colleagues and I have articulated and elaborated on the four strategies that we believe are critical to supporting Singapore women in their aspirational pursuits. Let me briefly sum up. The first strategy is to create capacity. As we have all agreed that as of the current reality, the primary caregiving role is undertaken by women. Therefore, there is a need to give more support to our caregivers so as to free up the capacity to pursue their aspirations, whether it is in the social area or the career arena. In this aspect, I am glad that colleagues, such as hon Ms Joan Pereira, Miss Cheryl Chan, Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin and Ms Sun Xueling, have all alluded to it in their speeches.”
“My Parliamentary colleagues and I hope that through this Motion, we can win more concrete support for Singapore women, so that they can fly high and fulfil their family and career aspirations. (In English): Sir, this is the first time this House is debating on a Motion concerning the aspirations of women in Singapore. My colleagues and I moved this Motion not to lobby for affirmative action, but to build on the strengths of women, to recognise and close the gaps. But most importantly, we desire to make Singapore the best home for everyone − a home where regardless of background or gender, Singaporeans have the capability, opportunity and courage to pursue our aspirations and lead a full and happy life. We believe that now is the best time as Singapore is transforming to be future-ready. There are many things we can do to support Singapore women, but even as we continue to co-create these solutions, I believe that it is important that this House affirms the familial, social and economic contributions of Singapore women and our support for them to fulfil their family and career aspirations and be future-ready. Question proposed.”