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 [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.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…”
The complete record
Every one of 781 lines we hold for Tin Pei Ling, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 13 of 16.
“In MacPherson, we have Page: 46 many seniors who are passionate about charity and volunteering in the community. They often help out at community events and look after vulnerable neighbours. Sometimes, they can even mobilise the aunties and uncles in the community to help. Sometimes, they will voluntarily offer to solve problems for their neighbours. If they are unable to do so, they will accompany troubled neighbours to come and see me. So, let us not lose these gems of ours! (In English): Families have been the bedrock of our society. Hence, we must continue to support families in Singapore so that Singapore will continue to be strong. Often, I receive pleas from young parents seeking help with childcare as they have to work. They feel stressed having to balance the needs of their families and careers, sometimes, at the expense of each other. Young mothers also lament to me about how they are trying to heed the Government's call to have children, how they are trying to fulfil their duty to the nation but it is just very difficult to do so when they cannot get the support they need. So, why should young families be subjected to such a trade-off? Can we not better enable them to raise their young whilst not having to compromise on their aspirational pursuits? I am glad that the Government is increasing the supply of infant care, childcare and student care centres, as well as proactively strengthening the quality of such centre-based care. However, supply is still chasing demand at present. We need to look for alternatives so as to enhance accessibility of care and provide options for young parents. One, could we leverage more on homemakers with childcare experiences within the community?”
“We should use technology and actively research and implement assistive technologies, so that the elderly who live alone or have disabilities can lead a safer and more independent life. By doing this, we can achieve our ideal of "ageing in place". Beyond that, we should continue to engage and organise the community, encourage residents to work with the Government and VWOs to strengthen our social support network and maintain the community spirit of neighbours looking after one another. Second, respect the elderly. This means to respect the seniors and not to look down on them. We should encourage and support those who still want to work to do so, or support them to fulfil their unfulfilled dreams. This is because work can help them to stay active physically and mentally and maintain confidence in themselves. Moreover, extra pocket money is welcomed. However, when working in my constituency, I would have seniors sharing their woes with me every now and then about how difficult it is to get a job as they grew old. Therefore, we need to put in more effort in improving our national system, work environment design and attitude towards the elderly. As the saying goes, "An old horse knows its ways". It means that the elderly are very experienced. Hence, we must respect them and provide them with opportunities. At least, we should not deny them the opportunity of taking that first step. Can an "old horse" not continue to gallop? Third, cherish the elderly. It means to appreciate and treasure our seniors. The elderly, especially those who have retired, are our precious resource. They have the time and experience and are able to continue to contribute to the country and the community.”
“Hence, we must continue to promote senior volunteerism and find ways to empower our elderly, as they are hidden gems in our communities. Madam, I would like to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In recent years, many of our speeches have inevitably been about the vision of a caring society. In my opinion, the measure of success in achieving this goal is how we treat our elderly. Based on my observations in the last few years, Singaporeans are compassionate about our elderly and the Government has actively implemented many measures and packages to look after our elderly. However, there are still some people who are prejudiced against the elderly, seeing them as a burden to the family, workplace and society. And some of the elderly also see themselves as old and useless, passively counting down to the last day of their lives. I hope we can end these prejudices and take action to help everyone recognise that age should not be a barrier, that an elderly can still be driven, useful and healthy. Hence, I propose that we should advocate three ideas: care for the elderly, respect the elderly and cherish the elderly. First, care for the elderly. This means to enable them to live in ease and comfort in their golden years. We should look after the elderly, satisfy their basic needs and preserve their dignity. Besides basic needs, such as food and clothing, we must also make sure they age in place. Although we are building more nursing homes to meet the needs of an ageing society, most elderly prefer to spend their last days in their own home, not a nursing home or a home for the elderly. In addition, there is a rising trend of elderly living alone, so we should help them – indeed, for ourselves in future, too – redesign their homes.”
“Our systems, our working environments and, especially our attitudes, have to change in preparation for this eventuality. Age discrimination at work, especially at the point of recruitment, must be stemmed out. There is also a need for a more concerted and stronger push for jobs to be redesigned to become more elderly-friendly. At the community level, we need to continue our efforts to build a strong social network of support, as it helps to keep out loneliness and complement familial support. Such a network requires not only the participation of Government agencies and voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), but neighbours can have a role to play as well. Neighbours can help to keep an eye on an elderly, notice any irregularity and call for help immediately. Neighbours can help to, for instance, bring an elderly to his/her medical appointment at the polyclinic nearby, explain schemes that are available for the elderly to benefit from, or encourage and assist the elderly to participate in community programmes and stay active. Within the community, we should not only consider the elderly as being simply the recipients of care. They can also be enabled to contribute meaningfully as well. At present, I am very heartened and encouraged to witness how our seniors in MacPherson have been actively serving our community. For instance, many are involved in the Pioneer Generation (PG) Ambassador Page: 45 programme, in which it involves them helping to explain to fellow Pioneers what the package entails and even help them to seek help with problems not covered by the package. The PG Ambassadors receive good training and support and they feel empowered and proud to be able to help others.”
“We must care for our elderly, make sure that their needs are catered for, so that they need not live in anxiety and fear post-retirement, or worse, gloomily count down to the last day of their lives. But more than that, we must enable our elderly, so that life post-retirement is still exciting and promising. We all aspire to lead a good life and a good life cannot be judged by the number of years lived. It has to be based on qualitative measures, such as health, a sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem. At home, shrinking family sizes and increasing numbers of singles will limit the scope of home care for our elderly. One way to deal with this would be to have the elderly institutionalised in a nursing or an elderly home. But this is far from ideal because, given our rapidly ageing population, there is insufficient space to build enough nursing or elderly homes. Moreover, this does not align well with our vision of "ageing in place". Therefore, we must continue to invest in technological research and expedite the implementation of tested solutions that can enable our elderly to live independently at home. As we move towards a "Smart Nation", this has to be given priority. At work, our elderly should be encouraged to work for as long as they can and want to. Firstly, staying employed helps to keep our bodies and minds active. Secondly, staying employed helps to preserve our sense of self-efficacy and self-esteem. Of course, the additional "pocket money" from the income earned is welcomed. Thirdly, as we have an ageing population, the average age of our workforce is expected to rise. Hence, it is not just a social responsibility to enable our elderly to stay and, indeed, to thrive in their jobs, but there is economic imperative as well, given the tight labour market.”
“Mdm Speaker, I stand in support of the Motion. Madam, Singapore had just celebrated our 50th year of Independence last year as a nation. It was an extraordinary year and one thing that stood out for me was that we were all reminded of how exceptional we are as a little red dot and how the responsibility of ensuring another 50 great years for Singapore now falls squarely on our shoulders. This mission cannot be taken lightly and we must do our best to ensure that Singapore remains a land of opportunities and a home for all Singaporeans. For me, this mission is more personal and poignant, now that my son is barely six months old and he would still, hopefully, be in his prime when the time SG100 comes. I believe I speak for all parents who have young children, when I say that I would like him to grow up in a safe and secure Page: 44 Singapore in which he can get great education, achieve his aspirations, as well as live in and contribute to a peaceful, harmonious society. In his speech, the President described five key aims that we ought to fulfil. I whole-heartedly agree that these are critical and we must get them right. In fact, I believe these five aims are interdependent and, for me, the most critical of these aims would be the need to foster a caring society, one in which our people feel meaningfully engaged and are actively involved. Ultimately, no matter how robust our economy, how strong our society or how advanced our technology may be, a strong nation has to draw strength from its people. Therefore, please allow me to speak on the aim of fostering a more caring society and, more specifically, on how we can all care more for our elderly and young families. First, on our elderly.”
“Thank you, Madam, and thank you, Senior Minister of State for the very comprehensive reply. I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, in view of the increasing risk in our region as well as already there are radicalised Singaporeans detected within our own home soil, does the Home Team have the sufficient capacity to prevent or deal with emergencies that may arise from terrorist attacks in Singapore, should it ever happen?”
“I believe the President's Address later this evening will outline the broad direction of Singapore's development and the Government's policies. Therefore, the Thirteenth Parliament will be an important platform to lay the foundation for the next 50 years. I believe this means there will Page: 12 be more heated and exciting debates in the Chamber and your role as Speaker will be even more important. Mdm Speaker, I look forward to the Opening of the new Parliament and I hope you can also take care of your health, because Parliament will be busy again. Once again, congratulations! 4.05 pm”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, congratulations on your re-election as Speaker of the Thirteenth Parliament. Your re-election is, indeed, well-deserved. I believe my Parliament colleagues are just like me, feeling happy and wishing you the best. Back in 2013, when you were first elected as Speaker of Parliament, you were the first woman Speaker in Singapore. This not only proved your strength, but also laid a new milestone in Singapore's political landscape. As Speaker, you presided over various matters in Parliament, made sure the proceedings were conducted in an orderly manner and completed within a set time. You had also to balance the interests of different parties and ensure that Members had enough time and space to speak up. The Twelfth Parliament saw heated debates every now and then and words crossed like swords; you needed to step in at an appropriate time to make a decision to make sure the debate and other matters could carry on. The duty of Speaker also includes representing Singapore in international conferences. You have always, as expected, won applauses for Singapore. These are all challenging tasks, but you can always handle appropriately and with ease as well. Nearly a quarter of the Members in our Parliament are women. As the first woman Speaker, your success, no doubt, has further opened the door in politics for women in Singapore and equipped women who are interested in serving the country with more confidence. Hence, your being re-elected as Speaker is like injecting another booster for us. SG50 is just over. As we celebrate our achievements, we also look forward to the next 50 years in Singapore.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of State, whether there is a timeline that MOH is looking at or a milestone kind of timeline in terms of getting these GPs on board. Just as hon Member Assoc Prof Fatimah had said, it is very important that we promote this because we are having an ageing population and a lot of elderly residents have given us feedback that they really hope that there will be more GP clinics that are accessible to them and where they can, at the same time, readily enjoy the subsidies that the Government has been offering? Page: 44”
“This is a reality that we have to come to terms with and hence, accepting the concept of "co-existence" is critical in not only fostering a harmonious community, but also frees us up from unnecessary squabbles and disputes which inevitably saps our energy and time away from more meaningful things such as, family, career and volunteering for a cause. Hence, while I continue to believe that mediation is the best way to resolve disputes, I do think that it is important that the Ministry puts in place a mechanism that allows for a definitive judgement to be made and have the disputes resolved so that everyone can then Page: 96 focus on the more important things in life. With this, I stand in support of the Bill. 3.40 pm”
“Yet, she continues to pursue the case and refuses to give up. She, to us, looks like a perfectly reasonable person. We do not think that she has any other issues, but she refused to attend mediation and she refused to give up pressing the authorities to charge her neighbour. We suspect that there may be some underlying conditions that perhaps she could seek medical attention for and we have even reached out to her family members to try and persuade her to do so. However, that has not generated any positive or tangible outcome. She even had a fall-out with her son which we felt really bad about. But the thing is that in such a case whereby it is causing a lot of distress to everyone around, including neighbours, perhaps a Tribunal would be very helpful in directing the person involved to seek a medical opinion. Mdm Speaker, if I may, I would like to say a few words in Mandarin and I will conclude. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In any community dispute, mediation is certainly the best and most amicable way to resolve it. The Tribunal is really the last resort when things have gotten very serious and there are indeed no other solutions. This is because once the dispute is in Court, the relationship between the neighbours will be almost unsalvageable. However, for people who have been suffering and feeling helpless for many years, the Tribunal will be their last glimmer of light. I hope with the introduction of this Bill, these people can finally be freed from their years' agony. (In English): Singapore is a densely populated nation.”
“So, I am glad that the Ministry has provided the Tribunal with a presiding Judge to, where necessary, direct and order parties involved to attend mediation to resolve their disputes or abide by the actions and boundaries set by the Judge; failure to comply with the latter risks facing severe penalties. While this seems somewhat harsh, since I believe we would all very much prefer to not strain an already strained neighbour-to-neighbour relationship, I hope that the provision of such a mechanism and penalties will serve as a source of "positive" pressure in motivating disputing parties to resolve their issues amicably through the Community Mediation. I hope the MCCY can also reaffirm this stand. In addition, I hope that the setting up of a Tribunal can provide a way around some of the longstanding disputes involving parties who may have particular circumstances, which may or may not involve medical attention. Page: 95 In one other case, there is another resident who has been accusing her neighbour of taking drugs and creating and producing drugs because she can smell chemicals. We have mobilised HDB, the Marine Parade Town Council (MPTC), NEA, the People's Association (PA) staff, the Police, CNB and everyone we can think of and the case lasted for one to two years. We took her accusation seriously because she said there are drugs involved and she did not seem to be of mischievous nature. The accused neighbour was visited by these authorities, by several of them, so many times over the past one to two years that I do not know whether he will take it up as a case of harassment. But in any case, it has been very distressing for this other neighbour. Eventually, all the authorities found that this said neighbour was innocent.”
“According to one feedback, this lady is doing this because she thinks that her lower floor neighbour had once done something nasty to her and she now wants to fix this neighbour as revenge. More than that, her behaviour worsens every time a grassroots leader or Government officer visits to try to advise her against such anti-social behaviour, and this I supposed, further underlines her vengeful mentality. Numerous and repeated interventions by my grassroots leaders, Town Council officers, HDB officers and I have also called inter-agencies meetings just to look into this issue. They have all tried their best to persuade her and refer them to Community Mediation but at least one party would refuse to go for the mediation despite the other one, in this case, the victim, being very willing and very enthusiastic about wanting to resolve this at the Community Mediation. This is one case that, to me, really highlights some of the issues that we face on a day-to-day basis. According to official statistics, the annual no-show rate for mediation stands at about 60% of the total 1,500 applications received. This is typically because it is not mandatory for parties involved to attend mediation but from what we have observed, this is also usually due to the fear of appearing weak and admitting defeat to the other party. This is worrying, because while mediation is clearly the preferred way of resolving disputes, there remains a large proportion of cases that will drag on and cause even more distress to themselves and innocent neighbours who are inadvertently caught in the middle of their crossfire.”
“And therefore, in such instances, especially when they have gotten to a stage whereby they are being very vengeful towards each other, perhaps having a Tribunal is the best way out. Mdm Speaker, in any community dispute, it is my wish, and certainly all Members' wish in this House, to have it resolved through mediation. This could be done with the help of neutral neighbours, community leaders and in more severe cases, the Community Mediation Centre. Through mediation, we can minimise the animosity between the aggrieved parties and preserve as much as possible a harmonious relationship between neighbours. However, as mentioned, there are long-standing disputes in which parties involved would not even try resolving the dispute amicably. In some cases, they probably had given up trying. Within the constituency under my charge, I have encountered neighbourly disputes that had escalated to a level so toxic that I suspect that what they want would just be to exact revenge on each other and see each other suffer. First example I would like to give. Over the past two years, there is this lady living on the 13th floor of one of the HDB flats and she has been throwing food items and water bombs out of her window. She had been caught on NEA's surveillance camera several times and served with fines totalling thousands of dollars. She is not mentally unsound according to Page: 94 those who have met her. However, her persistent actions have caused her lower floor neighbours much heartache, as they now do not dare to put out their laundry. Some of the items that she threw down are also posing a danger to innocent passers-by at the block.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on this Bill and I would like to express my support for this Bill. I have spoken in this Chamber before on this matter and I am very pleased that this Bill is now before the House for debate and eventual resolution. I believe that the introduction of this Bill is a significant step in providing relief to those who have to put up with relentless physical and emotional distress Page: 93 coming from difficult and persistent neighbours. A recent study conducted by the HDB and NUS revealed that despite living near one another, social interactions between neighbours tend to be mostly incidental and minimal, and very often does not go beyond short greetings and small talks. The lack of such interaction and therefore, the inevitable lack of mutual understanding can seed misunderstandings and disputes between neighbours. I believe many Members in this House would agree that it is not uncommon to have neighbourly disputes resulting from individual expectations and cultural practices. Such disputes, if not resolved amicably, threaten to undermine the harmony that we have in our neighbourhoods. As I understand, the current situation is such that, if a mediation fails to happen or fails to reach a resolution, the only recourse left is to have the parties hire their own lawyers and take it up as a civil law suit. However, this is costly and perhaps a little over the top for community squabbles. In fact, the move to even have a Tribunal, for instance in this case, risks being a little over the top. But as we have observed on the ground, some of these disputes can be very long drawn by parties of recalcitrant or perhaps with their ego in the way, they are reluctant to seek a compromise and resolution.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. I have two clarifications. Firstly, I would like to ask if there is an estimated figure on the current ratio of applicants to the number of vacancies within the home and community care facilities, if such statistics are available. This will give us a better sense of how pressing the demand is at this point. On my second clarification, I know the Senior Minister of State had shared earlier about the development of home and community care services. I would like to clarify whether palliative care is also included in such services and if she would be able to share what is the development in this area.”
“Sir, while the Ministry has been conscientiously ramping up our health and social infrastructures to meet the needs and challenges of a rapidly ageing population, it is paramount that younger Singaporeans are aware and appreciate the benefits of healthy living so as to avoid a life that is ridden with diseases and aliments associated with old age. In this aspect, I believe that greater efforts could be put into encouraging Singaporeans to better leverage on information technology as an enabler to healthy lifestyles. Today's advancement in mobile applications provides greater access to data-rich information that will allow Singaporeans to make better real-time decisions relating to their Page: 132 well-being. People are now able to conveniently use their mobile phones, for instance, to monitor their heart rates in real time and measure the actual number of steps walked, for example. Some devices could even monitor calorie intake and other physiological changes in real time as well. In this regard, I would like to ask if the Ministry has plans to leverage on IT to promote and encourage healthy living amongst Singaporeans. Smoking and Tobacco Control”
“Madam, women today are adept in playing multiple roles as mothers, spouses and employees. In trying to fulfil these roles and responsibilities well, it is imperative that the woman's own health must first be well taken care of. I am heartened to know that the Workplace Health Promotion (WHP) Grant for Women's Health was offered at workplaces. By taking advantage of the grant, employers are helping women employees to benefit from better access to programmes such as health screenings and talks on women Page: 118 related health issues. I would like to ask the Minister if he could share the take-up rate of the WHP Grant for Women's Health since its implementation, types of services and activities implemented by workplaces so far with this grant and if the Health Promotion Board has achieved its outreach target of 100 workplaces. Also, I will be keen to find out if the Ministry has plans to increase the awareness, accessibility and scope of the WHP Grant to promote screening and education on general women's health.”
“At present, there is no effective mechanism to ensure that those suffering from mental health issues seek help or treatment unless they pose a threat to others or if they have pre-existing records with IMH. However, many of the protagonists in these problems do not meet these criteria. They may engage in verbal fights but pose no physical harm to others. Given that they resist seeking professional help, it also suggests that they never had an insight to their condition and with the stigma against them, that possibility is even more remote. Through community engagements and partnerships, I have observed the commendable effort put in by agencies and community partners in persuading family Page: 117 members to convince the person to seek help. However, this too has limitations. Therefore, I would like to ask, what measures will the MOH take to resolve this? Meanwhile, I am aware of and I am appreciative of the various community mental health efforts involving community partners being rolled out in recent times. Therefore, could MOH also give an update on the latest community mental health plan, its implementation so far, whether there have been positive tangible outcomes observed and how does MOH intend to proceed from here? Manpower Issues in Public Healthcare”
“Let me quote parts of her email, "While one sympathises with the perpetrator whom we understand is of unsound mind, his family members should be put in place in terms of the responsibility of the perpetrator's action. However, it does not change the fact that at the very least, nine other households have suffered and are still, as a result of his actions. Action may be taken against the family of the perpetrator, who should be responsible for his well-being and in ensuring that he does not commit acts which causes nuisance, suffering to others. If the family in question is incapable of fulfilling such a basic task, then, perhaps, he should be placed in the care of those who are capable." Meanwhile, the unit on the top floor felt that they had been bullied by the lower floor neighbours and became defensive. While we had sought help from various agencies, ranging from NEA, HDB, Town Council and AIC, and while they are still investigating the matter, it is clear from the statements made by the daughter that if we do not resolve the root cause of the matter, the vicious cycle will perpetuate. Moreover, the statement is coming from a well-educated individual whom I believe should understand reason. Hence, it is imperative for the Government to put in place stronger measures to ensure professional help and adherence to treatment for those suffering from mental health conditions so as to help them better control their behaviours. Otherwise, the rift will never close and the stigma will never go away. More importantly, let us help those people suffering from mental health issues get back on track in life.”
“Madam, mental health stigma remains an issue. Raising awareness and educating the public about mental health issues are not enough to combat the stigma that sufferers face and, therefore, not enough to encourage them to step forward to seek the help that they need. Real day-to-day problems, for example, neighbour disputes over alleged smells and conspiracies to fix each other, poor personal and home hygiene, littering, noise disturbances to neighbours, and the list goes on. These issues that are left unsolved threaten to deepen the prejudices that people may have of those suffering from mental health issues. The animosity in turn makes it more difficult for those suffering from these conditions or even their family members to consider the issue and seek professional help. As a result, the problems such as the ones highlighted above continue to worsen and the rift between neighbours continues to widen. Page: 116 Allow me to share an example. There is a retiree couple living on the ground floor of one of the HDB blocks in my area. Their neighbour on the top floor was alleged to have been pouring liquids out of the window on a daily basis, thereby soiling the clothes of the nine other family members below this unit. Affected neighbours believe that these acts were committed by a person of unsound mind. The retiree couple are very troubled by the daily recurrence of such acts, with the wife observably distressed. The retiree couple's daughter, who is well-educated and apparently working in the legal profession, has been very upset over the matter after observing her mother's distress.”
“Travelling too far from home for rehabilitative services will be too much of a struggle for them and their family members who may have to ferry them to and fro.”
“Madam, the subject of an ageing population has been extensively debated in the House and I am aware and encouraged that many of the initiatives are underway to meet the demand arising from the ageing population. However, the number of Page: 110 baby boomers reaching their silver years continues to increase annually. With the increase in retirees, the demand for home and community care is expected to rise rapidly as well. Hence, could MOH share what is the current ratio of applicants for home care and community care to the vacancies available? Could MOH also share how it plans to increase the capacity at these settings? Secondly, the growth of qualified manpower must align closely in tandem with the expansion of infrastructure. Caring for elderly requires much human touch and many aspects cannot be automated through productivity measures. In the UK, for example, one in five nursing homes was found to not have enough staff on duty to provide adequate care. Hence, could MOH share how it plans to ensure adequate manpower supply for home and community care settings? Could MOH also share the timeline for the capacity and manpower plans? Finally, the quality of care services is important, especially for the vulnerable elderly and terminally-ill patients. How does the Ministry plan to improve the quality of care as demand for home and community care rises rapidly? Providing rehabilitative services is also an important component of delivering good quality healthcare. Facilitating access is therefore just as important. Will the Ministry increase access to rehabilitative services for our elderly within the home or community care settings? These elderly tend to be less mobile and, thus, more vulnerable.”
“It will encourage Singaporeans to help in the upkeep of the neighbourhood and promote a strong sense of home, community and, ultimately, nationhood. Protect Hawker Cultural Heritage”
“This allowed residents to appreciate the product of their hard work as well as appreciate new possibilities. The entire exercise not only engendered a greater sense of participation amongst residents but also introduced new energy and excitement to an otherwise old neighbourhood. However, despite the wonderful ideas generated, many could not become reality due to the lack of funding support. Some ideas also straddle the work of many agencies, each with its own funding support rules and designers. We do what we can, for example, by working with community partners to paint wall murals and set up community art galleries to promote community art and beautify the estate. But it is a piecemeal approach and only for the less costly enhancements. Hence, I propose to set up a special fund to allow communities of old neighbourhoods to re-imagine themselves, and implement these ideas. We can include safeguards on the use of funds, but should encourage the local communities to play an active role and decide what will work for them. In addition to funding support, it is also important that various agencies such as the HDB and LTA are supportive of the effort. This is because some of the works may impact structures under their charge. I believe re-imagining our neighbourhoods is important. It will enable us to redefine how Singaporean neighbourhoods might look and feel like, to the limits of our imagination. A re-imagination exercise allows stakeholders, specifically the residents, to have a say in the kind of environment their homes should be like. It also uplifts the spirit of the neighbourhood with a new look, new energy, ownership and pride.”
“We could have art installations co-created with the community or organise regular performances, perhaps even have speakers installed along Park Connectors, ABC waterways, to play music to lift the overall feel of the environment. Take for example, those who have walked along the bridge connecting Harbourfront to Sentosa at night can observe and feel the difference. On a normal day, having a place like this provides a temporary escape from the daily grind of working and living in a highly dense and highly urbanised environment. Over weekends, the stretch can be conducive for buskers or live music performances by local talents for youths to gather and enjoy. Such a wholesale reinvention of a district has been done in other cities, with great success. Take the High Line, for example, in New York City. This park was built on a historic freight rail line. One of the key features is that it is a platform for showcasing artworks. Artists are regularly engaged to think of creative ways to engage with the uniqueness of the architecture, history and design of the High Line and to foster a productive dialogue with the surrounding neighbourhood and urban landscape. In MacPherson, too, we had a project spearheaded by a group of NUS students reading architecture, design and environment, in collaboration with local grassroots organisations. They held mass consultation exercises and design workshops with residents and came up with many interesting and functional designs for existing structures or new ones. Residents were engaged and excited, and were forthcoming with their feedback and suggestions. The works were then compiled into a book titled "MacPherson: 21st Century Estate", published Page: 31 in 2011, and many of the works were also put up as mock-ups in a community exhibition.”
“Madam, Singapore is now in its 50th year of Independence. As our nation developed, we built housing estates and communities all over the island. Some estates, like MacPherson, were built early on, and are now quite mature and risk looking worn-out. HDB runs various upgrading programmes to repair and rejuvenate old housing estates, and this has benefited many residents. For instance, a few days ago, we heard in this House about the Remaking Our Heartlands Programme. Page: 30 Another example is the current Neighbourhood Renewal Programme which does not adopt a cookie-cutter approach. It does take into account local characteristics and inputs from local representatives. There are also other funds such as CIPC, EUP and WeCare Arts Fund which can be used for community art murals, art installations and others. However, these are piecemeal schemes each with their respective, separate objectives. Moreover, these are schemes with a prescribed and typically conventional list of improvement items. These are undoubtedly important must-haves, but I think we can go further, especially in this year of SG50. 12.30 pm I believe we can re-imagine entire neighbourhoods, while still preserving their defining characteristics and heritage, which remains important as our heritage and our sense of identity are inextricably linked. Such re-imagination should allow for creativity, new energy, co-creation and ownership with residents. Designs should be created in consultation with residents. Old buildings or infrastructure can be re-purposed with a creative twist. Common infrastructure, such as overhead bridges, can be reimagined for new look and use, without having to tear down and be rebuilt. Arts and culture programmes can also be introduced.”
“Mr Chairman, I have two clarifications. The first is on high-rise littering. I note that the survey has shown that people will litter if they know that they can get away with it, and I agree that peer pressure is important. But for high-rise littering, peer pressure is not as applicable, given that they do it in the confines of their own flats. So, in this case, I would like to ask the Minister whether the Ministry will consider naming recalcitrant offenders so that neighbours will know and help to keep a look-out and assert that pressure. For the second clarification, I will speak in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The second question concerns prices at the hawker centres and wet markets. As I understand it, currently, there needs to be two bidders for a stall before it can be rented out. However, in some centres, especially wet markets, the number of successfully rented stalls is small, leaving the centres relatively empty. Some food items are only sold by a single stall. Hence, residents have been concerned about the lack of competition thereby risking high prices. The high prices then increase the financial burden on residents. Hence, I would like to ask if the Minister could, in such special situations, consider allowing the stalls to be rented out even if there was only one bidder?”
“Mdm Chair, high-rise littering is an extremely anti-social behaviour that has caused much heartache to residents of Housing Development Board (HDB) estates. Despite public education efforts, this issue remains a menace. Apart from inconveniences caused to neighbours and additional unnecessary work for cleaners, hygiene and safety of unsuspecting passer-by are of concern as well. Some people throw litter out of the window out of convenience: some throw food out of the window to feed Page: 119 birds, believing that they are doing a good deed; while some others throw waste out of the window thinking that they can teach their neighbours a lesson because of past disputes. During past Parliamentary exchanges, I have observed that the rate of successful prosecutions was relatively low compared to the number of complaints received. For instance, between September 2013 to September 2014, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received feedback on high-rise littering involving 2,200 cases, but only 273 litterbugs were caught despite having deployed 1,500 cameras. In this regard, could the Minister share how the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) intends to better enforce against high-rise littering? Will the Ministry consider installing surveillance cameras at hotspots permanently? Will the Ministry consider putting in place hardline measures to enforce against recalcitrant offenders who remain defiant despite being slapped with thousands of dollars in fines? These acts may seem harmless for now. But if we do not start sending a stronger deterrent message now, it might foster bolder acts in the future, such as throwing killer litter from high floors. In this regard, will the Ministry consider naming and shaming these recalcitrant offenders?”
“Chairman, the Government has been pushing to improve productivity through various incentive schemes and measures to reduce reliance on unskilled foreign manpower. Hence, I would like to ask the Minister to provide an update on whether the Government's drive on productivity has been up to his expectations, especially in sectors such as the cleaning services? As it is, we are famously or infamously now known for our large armies of cleaners as a ratio to our population. Page: 156 If it is up to expectations, could the Minister share successful examples, especially in the cleaning services sector? If not, what are the obstacles faced by such sectors and what will the MTI do to address them? Apart from introducing incentives such as the Wage Credit Scheme, corporate income tax and Productivity and Innovation Credit (PIC) bonus, what other practical measures are in place to ensure that sectors which have less than satisfactory productivity improvements will make the mark? Productivity Measures of Success”
“Madam, I am heartened by the Government's introduction of the ASPIRE and SkillsFuture. I hope that all of these initiatives, taken together, will over the long term foster a workforce that is always up-to-date, shrewd in making career choices, higher employability and highly sought after regardless of how the world or economy changes. More importantly, a population that is passionate about lifelong learning and ever willing to seek out opportunities to meaningfully challenge ourselves. 1.15 pm Madam, I have two suggestions. First is to allow a wider selection of courses to be covered by SkillsFuture Credit. This could include post-graduate qualifications, such as Master's programmes in local institutions. It will no doubt help Singaporeans who aspire and Page: 43 have the ability to attain higher qualifications to do so. SkillsFuture Credit is about empowerment and giving Singaporeans the autonomy and responsibility over their own personal development and career progression. Hence, why not let Singaporeans decide what are best suited to their development and to their needs because SkillsFuture credit is, perhaps, only a small fraction of the total cost of a master's programme but it is a nod towards the desire to upgrade. Hence, my second suggestion is to allow Singaporeans to tap into their own CPF money to fund these programmes, at least partially, and make it known that if they tap on their CPF, they are expected to put it back post-graduation. Support for Mid-career Learning”
“Mdm Chair, the Next Generation Frontline Policing Model has been implemented progressively across Singapore. The objectives of introducing this model in 2012 were to allow frontline resources to be more nimble, focused and responsive in fighting crime and, at the same time, engage the community in a deeper and more meaningful manner. Now that more than three years have passed, I would like to ask the Minister if he could provide an update on the progress and effectiveness of the programme implemented so far. Has the Ministry seen an improvement in addressing issues, such as unlicensed moneylending, neighbourhood crimes and public nuisances, with the new Policing Model? I understand that the Police has leveraged technology to better enable its crime prevention and crime fighting capabilities. Nonetheless, there remains a need for real people on the ground to keep an active lookout, reach corners that technology cannot and engage the broader community. As the Police continues to recruit capable Police officers under the Frontline Policing Model, there is a need for a network of community stakeholders who can complement the efforts of our law enforcers. Hence, I would like to ask the Minister if he could update on how volunteers and community partners have been engaged and involved to help keep Singapore safe and secure. Frontline Policing”
“We need to explain to Singaporeans that the NIR comes from our reserves which are extraordinary and precious and should not be taken for granted; and also that the Singapore spirit that has enabled us to build up such levels of reserves is also extraordinary and precious and we must sustain this spirit. I hope that the Finance Minister can give an assurance that we can do all these, even as we increase the NIR to fund our new projects and priorities. In all, while I have reservations over certain components of Budget 2015, I do think that this Budget has put in place good and generally balanced measures to help Singaporeans. Therefore, notwithstanding the reservations expressed, I support the Budget. 12.50 pm”
“But I worry about what an endowment such as this might do to our work ethic and national spirit. I am concerned about whether Singaporeans will take the NIR for granted and fail to understand that it is something special and rare. I am concerned that Singaporeans will become over reliant on this source of revenue and lose the drive to save and invest in Page: 26 future, and leave something for future generations. Studies have shown that countries which have abundant natural resources often do not do as well over the long term, because their people do not have to work as hard and apply their wits and gradually lose their vitality and initiative. Singapore may not have oil reserves, but we must take care that our financial reserves can also have the same corrupting effect on our drive and resilience. I know that I risk sounding like I have split personalities in posing these concerns, since I am also guilty of asking for more goodies at every Budget and these must be funded somehow. I am not saying that we should only save and not spend. But I am concerned about our long-term sustainability and that we need to put in place proper safeguards. We need to ensure that we do not set unrealistic expectations of what we can draw from NIR and end up depleting the reserves, rather than just spend the investment returns. We need to set controls to stop ourselves from making further rule changes, such as the one in 2009 and this year, which enable us to draw more from NIR each time we need more revenue to fund new needs.”
“Only high-earning employees who have limited flexibility to do tax planning will pay for the increase in taxes. This does not sound fair and neither does it help to meet the objective set out. Hence, I would like to ask: what is the Government's assessment of this and what is it going to do to address it? Fourth, on the Changes to the Net Investment Returns, or NIR. In his Budget speech, the Finance Minister has announced the inclusion of Temasek in the NIR framework. I appreciate that this would give the Government more resources to implement its programmes and help more Singaporeans. However, with the uncertainties in the global economy, to which ours is inextricably linked, are we being too aggressive now to include Temasek into the NIR framework? The framework was liberalised in 2009, and is already based on long-term expected returns, including both realised and unrealised capital gains. To include the NIR from Temasek would mean that we are now more dependent on the performance of these two entities in a hyper-competitive and uncertain world. Can we be certain that they will continue to perform well? Are we in danger of becoming overly dependent on uncertain and unassured sources of revenue? Currently, NIR from GIC contributes about $8 billion to our Budget annually. NIR from Temasek is expected to contribute about another $4 billion to $5 billion. In total, that is almost one-fifth of our usual Budget. I know of no other country in the world with an endowment from their forefathers that pays a fifth of their annual Budget. That we can do so is a strong testament to the hard work, prudence and sacrifice of our Pioneers, who despite starting with so little managed to build up so much and vest the resources with the current generations.”
“Some people may have earned a good salary while they were working, but for whatever reason have depleted their CPF savings, resulting in limited monthly payout from CPF. At present, there are restricted uses of the CPF. Hence, the likelihood of people splurging their CPF savings is not high. This does not mean that the Government must consider the CPF balance upon retirement. What I am hoping is, when considering the ineligible cases, the Government can take into account of the elderly's savings to see whether they can retire with peace of mind. The main purpose of the suggestion is to provide more flexibility and compassion, so that elderly Singaporeans who are ineligible, but deserving, can get help too. (In English): Third, on increasing the top rate of personal income tax. In this Budget, the Finance Minister has announced an increase to the top rate of personal income tax, which Page: 25 affects the top 5% of earners. I support this move. It is appropriate that we try to redistribute more wealth and reduce the income gap. It signals that those who are more able and with more resources should do more to uplift those who are less well-endowed or fortunate in life. However, I question the effectiveness of this move. For people in this income bracket, the truly rich are more than capable of structuring their finances so that they can avoid paying the expected tax increase. In fact, given that the top personal income tax rate at about 22% now is 5% higher than the top corporate income tax rate which is at 17%, surely, there is enormous incentive for high-income earners to incorporate themselves. Bosses who own their own firms probably have more leeway to do this.”
“Some Page: 24 needy elderly receive about $200-$300 worth of financial assistance on a monthly basis. Hence, will they be better off or worse off with the Silver Support Scheme? Mdm Speaker, please allow me to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, the Silver Support Scheme introduced by this Budget will cost the Government a substantial sum and is a touching move from the Government. The scheme will give Singaporeans assurance that should they face misfortunes in life and end up with not enough savings for retirement, they will not be left in the cold. I understand that this scheme is still in the works and the Finance Minister has outlined three eligible criteria for people to benefit from it. I hope the Government could allow some flexibility when deciding who is eligible. Some retirees may not be able to qualify due to various reasons, such as those elderly who live in private properties but are financially strained and those who have a low CPF balance upon retirement. Some elderly may live in condominiums with their children but their children may not be able to support them due to various reasons. Some elderly may live in landed homes that were inherited many years ago but they themselves are in reality financially poor. Asking them to sell their homes to generate cash is quite hard on them emotionally. How can we have the heart to do so? Hence, I hope the Government will consider appeals from these ineligible retirees and give them a chance to prove that they indeed need support. We should not automatically deprive them of the opportunity to benefit from the scheme. In addition, I hope the Government will also look at people's CPF balance upon retirement.”
“I recognise the potential strain and additional load of administering this, but I believe it is necessary as some elderly may face particular circumstances. For example, some elderly may well be living with children in condominiums but their kids may face their own pressures and are unable to support them much. Some elders may also be living in landed homes that were inherited from their forefathers but they are in reality financially poor. Expecting or asking them to sell their homes to generate cash is extremely sensitive. Also, in its eligibility criteria, I hope the Government will look at the final CPF balance in addition to lifetime wage and CPF contributions in the past. At present, there are restricted uses of the CPF. Hence, the likelihood of CPF account members splurging the money on frivolous items is not high. However, if the elderly has a very low CPF balance, it suggests a very real likelihood that the elderly will have less payouts for retirement. This criterion is not meant to be the deciding factor, but I hope that it will be one of the factors to be considered so as to provide more flexibility and compassion for elderly Singaporeans who are deserving but disadvantaged by circumstances. On a separate but related note, I would like to ask if the introduction of this scheme would affect existing financial or public assistance that a low-income elderly is receiving? For instance, some Government help schemes take into consideration the applicants' sources of income, including CPF balances and payouts, when deciding whether they deserve financial assistance. For those who have been receiving financial assistance from these organisations, does that mean that they will see a reduction or withdrawal of the aid given to them?”
“Currently, the scheme applies to only a selection of MOE and WDA approved courses. While I can understand the rationale for restricting the courses that can benefit from the Credit scheme, I also note some education programmes such as Masters degrees are not Page: 23 included. Hence, could the SkillsFuture Credit be extended to, for instance Masters programmes offered at local or locally-based institutions? Allowing this will no doubt help Singaporeans, such as PMEs, who aspire to and have the ability to attain higher tertiary qualifications. The SkillsFuture Credit is about empowerment and giving Singaporeans the autonomy and responsibility over their own personal development and career progression. The amount of top up to these credit accounts that the Government is prepared to make, as it seems, is already fixed anyway. Hence, why not broaden the selection of courses for Singaporeans to decide for themselves? Second, on retirement adequacy and the Silver Support Scheme. The Silver Support Scheme is a bold commitment from the Government and I believe many people have gotten rather excited about it. I do think it will give Singaporeans a strong assurance that they will not be left in the cold should they face misfortunes when they retire. At least $300 per person per quarter for a low-income elderly is a substantial sum that will significantly increase the retiree's spending power. I know this is still in the works and that the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister had outlined very broadly the three factors which the Government will consider when deciding on the eligibility. But I hope that the Government will also consider appeals on a case by case basis.”
“Mdm Speaker, Budget 2015 is a highly anticipated Budget. I am glad that it has introduced a range of measures that not only help to relieve some of the pressures Singaporeans face today, but also invests in Singaporeans' personal development in preparation for a dynamic future ahead. Overall, I believe the Budget has put in place good and generally balanced measures. I would, however, like to make suggestions and comments in four areas, for the Finance Minister's consideration. First, on investing in the future and the SkillsFuture scheme. The SkillsFuture scheme announced is a strong signal of the need to develop a passion and culture of lifelong learning. It is also a tangible commitment by the Government to encourage and enable Singaporeans to develop ourselves throughout life. To me, introducing the SkillsFuture Credit is really about empowering Singaporeans to take greater responsibility for our own personal development and career progression. I hope that all the SkillsFuture initiatives taken together will, over the long term, foster a workforce that is always up to date, highly employable and highly sought after regardless of how the world or economy changes. The skills and knowledge gained in this way will become an invaluable asset that nobody can take away. With good job security, I look forward to a time when Singaporeans can be more excited about pursuing their dreams in retirement than to be worried about whether they have enough savings to live out the rest of their lives. The current form of SkillsFuture is a significant move and fiscal commitment. Nevertheless, I would like to call on the Government to consider allowing a wider selection of courses to be covered by the SkillsFuture Credit.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. I would like to ask: would the incentives that the Senior Minister of State has highlighted also apply to older workers who have been retained by the company beyond the re-employment age of 65 and would there be other forms of protection that MOM may require of the companies to offer their older workers beyond the re-employment age of 65? This is because some of these workers would still like to remain active even as they grow older and they feel that they are fit enough to continue to remain economically active.”
“Alcohol consumption or possession is not equivalent in severity to consumption or possession of drugs. Hence, is there a real need for a strip search? Under what specific circumstances will a strip search be necessary and under what circumstances will a strip search be done? Third, under clause 31, a person can be sentenced to imprisonment for "obstructing" a public officer in the discharge of his duties under this Act. Similarly, under clause 21(2), a person can be sentenced to imprisonment merely for not giving information to the Police. However, if a person is too intoxicated by alcohol and, hence, could not reasonably comply with the instructions of the Police, will this person be liable to imprisonment? Given these considerations, I would, therefore, like to ask: (a) what is the rationale for such severe measures; (b) under what specific circumstances will such Police powers be exercised; (c) will there be clear guidelines and a set of standard operating procedures for frontline Police Officers when this Bill is implemented? I believe clarifications to these queries will help to provide greater clarity to the powers bestowed through the Bill and offer a sense of assurance to the general public that enforcement will be done in a fair, calibrated and disciplined manner. Madam, while this Bill is somewhat blunt and not everyone will be pleased with it, I can appreciate its intent and how it can prevent certain social problems from escalating. The key now is in its implementation and how the enforcement will be carried out, which I trust that the MHA will address. Therefore, notwithstanding the queries I have raised, I support this Page: 49 Bill. 3.36 pm”
“Trading off between the freedom to occasionally drink in public and solving the day-to-day heartaches faced by those who just want a peaceful, safe and clean living environment, I believe the latter will bear more weight. However, to better justify this Bill, I believe that objective data is helpful. So far, we have many anecdotes of the ills that come with irresponsible drinking in public. Are there statistics, on top of the public consultations done, to prove that irresponsible alcohol consumption in public is a pressing enough problem to warrant such a strong response? Page: 48 Could MHA share relevant island-wide data on this – data beyond the hotspots that were shared by the Minister earlier? Madam, this Bill also sets out specific Police enforcement powers. However, the powers described seemed to be disproportionately severe as well. Some of the penalties would make sense if a person is suspected, for example, to possess or traffic drugs. And I have received some feedback and concerns about this. For a better illustration of what I mean, consider, first example, clause 30. All offences under the Bill are apparently arrestable without warrant. This seems excessive when offences, such as voluntarily causing hurt under section 323 of the Penal Code or simple mischief under section 426 of the Penal Code, are only arrestable with a warrant. Second, under clause 22, if a Police Officer "reasonably suspects" that a person "has committed or is committing" an offence under the Bill, he can exercise any of the powers listed in clause 22(1). This means that a Police Officer can stop anybody he "reasonably suspects" is drunk and strip-search this person, removing garments, if necessary.”
“In less disruptive but rather annoying instances, these drinkers drank in public areas where toilets are too far for their drunken selves to reach and thus, decided to pee in public. HDB residents' complaints about stairwells frequently reeking of pungent urine smell are aplenty and this is despite best efforts by the Town Councils to clean up every morning. Installation of CCTVs – one suggestion that has been frequently made by residents – cannot effectively solve the problem as the culprits simply move up one more floor or move to another stairwell to do it. The problem persists. Of course, some of these anti-social behaviours displayed by irresponsible drunks can be deemed as offences under existing regulations. However, the difference is the preventive, albeit blunt, nature of this Bill. The Police cannot take enforcement actions unless the person has already been confirmed to have committed the offensive act. Even so, there is a certain threshold that must be met before actions can be effectively taken to penalise the offender. However, by that time, disturbances and damages would have already been committed. For residents who have to suffer this repeatedly every day or every other day coupled with the fact that they live there and, therefore, they cannot escape from these disamenities, the feeling is pretty miserable. Whereas, this Bill can be seen as addressing these problems upstream and, hopefully, minimise the risk of such disamenities adversely affecting the quality of life for the general resident population. Clearly, there are two groups of stakeholders here that are affected by this Bill – one group benefits from it, whilst the other gets adversely affected by it and they feel deprived because their freedom gets curtailed.”
“Mdm Speaker, the Liquor Control Bill has received much attention since its First Reading. For the debate today, I shall focus mainly on the consumption-related issues. Broadly, the responses can be categorised into two types: first type being supportive because this group of Singaporeans had experienced or recognised the disamenities caused by irresponsible drinking; second type – indignant because this group of Singaporeans are responsible drinkers who exercise strong self-discipline and felt unfairly penalised as their freedom gets curtailed. I can understand and empathise with how the second group of Singaporeans feel. Sometimes, after a long day of work, all they want to do is to grab a can of beer – not high in alcohol content anyway in one can of beer – sit quietly by the river alone or with a close friend and indulge in simple pleasures. For some, especially younger Singaporeans, going to Page: 47 a coffee shop for a beer does not exactly offer the ambience they desire and going to a bar or pub can be too costly for them. Therefore, with this Bill, this group of Singaporeans will inevitably feel deprived of the freedom they had and unfairly penalised because of a group of irresponsible drinkers. In contrast, the first group of Singaporeans had experienced or recognised the disamenities that irresponsible drinkers can bring. Most commonly known to Members in this House is perhaps how residents suffer from the incessant noise made by drinkers who drank at the void deck or small pavilions in the neighbourhood, got drunk and made merry without any inhibition or regard for others. Apart from noise, some of these irresponsible drinkers engaged in destructive acts of mischief, damaging public and private properties while being drunk.”
“Third, will the Government consider allowing this group of Pioneers, namely those aged between 75 and 79 last year, to be exempted from paying premiums altogether. After all, the difference between their Medisave subsidies and the premiums they have to pay is about $12 to $15 only. Page: 54 (In English): Mdm Speaker, in conclusion, I believe MediShield Life marks an important milestone in our public healthcare landscape. It helps Singaporeans to pool risks, share resources and defray large healthcare expenses. While helping to keep public healthcare affordable for all, it is also a tangible way for Singaporeans to demonstrate our solidarity as a nation and our conviction to building a caring and inclusive society. Hence, notwithstanding the questions I have raised, I fully support this Bill. 2.10 pm”
“Mdm Speaker, please allow me to continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mdm Speaker, the Pioneer Generation Package introduced by the Government last year is warmly welcomed. Our pioneers are deeply relieved because the Package is a great help to reduce their medical expenses, especially for those who have not had income after retirement. The Pioneer Generation Package has eased their hesitation to see a doctor because of cost concerns. It is truly commendable. Today's debate is on the MediShield Life. I have a few questions. For those aged between 75 and 79 at 2014, they can receive a subsidy of $600 Medisave top-ups every year. This subsidy, together with the special premium subsidy under the Package, can fully pay for their annual MediShield Life premium until they are 83. This means that for quite a number of years, they do not have to pay anything out of their own pocket. But when they reach 83, they will suddenly find the need to pay for the additional premiums on their own, which can cause confusion. Besides, retirees will have less Medisave savings and cash as they get older. Some of them may have already exhausted their Medisave. I would like to ask the following questions. First, among this group of Pioneers, how many are likely to be in this situation? Second, for these Pioneers who have financial difficulties, will the Government automatically give them additional subsidies so that they can continue to be insured and will not be worried about getting a ‘red slip'? This also applies to the Pioneers who are slightly younger than this age group and who may face a similar situation.”
“At first glance, the penalties appear harsh and some may even interpret it as the Government being gian lui (greedy for money). However, I do think otherwise as I believe it is just as important to put in place a mechanism to ensure that financially capable policyholders play their role and contribute. It is important for Singaporeans to pool our risks and take care of each other collectively. All Singaporeans contributing to the pool is a tangible action and demonstration of our strong sense of national solidarity and willingness to help our fellow countrymen. It is, to me, a test of our conviction towards building a caring and inclusive society. Therefore, while the Government should and can take on a large share of the healthcare financial burden, all of us still have a role to play. It is in this spirit that I agree to the need for penalties to be imposed on wilful recalcitrant defaulters and I stress "wilful recalcitrant defaulters". Page: 53 However, I do have some clarifications to seek on this. There may be some members who have insufficient Medisave savings, likely self-employed and, for some reason, are too busy with work or have to travel overseas frequently. Hence, they may inadvertently have missed the premium payment notices sent to them. As such, I would like to ask the Minister how will MOH identify and decide if someone is a wilful defaulter? What parameters, specifically, will be used to define a wilful defaulter? If the member delays the payment beyond 90 days but shows reasonable effort to pay once he or she can, will the MOH give him or her, a second chance? While it is important to ensure that wilful defaulters do their part, I am also cognisant of the need to avoid penalties on Singaporeans who just need a little more time.”
“Mdm Speaker, I had spoken in this House last year during the debate on MediShield Life White Paper and voiced my support for it. As such, I am pleased that this Bill is now before us in this House for Second Reading, another step towards realising universal public health insurance in Singapore. During my speech on the MediShield Life White Paper in July last year, I highlighted the need for affordable healthcare for all and how important it is for Singaporeans to collectively take care of one another as a show of national solidarity, on top of the 3M public healthcare financing system we have in Singapore. I had also described MediShield Life as a bold scheme and cautioned about the need to ensure its sustainability, given the significant and permanent financial commitments by both Singaporeans and the Government. Experiences by other countries such as Canada, US, Europe, Australia and Taiwan offered invaluable lessons on how the government's strong fiscal positions and people's conscientious premium contributions are important in sustaining a universal public health insurance scheme. Such a scheme brings great social good but if it cannot be sustained, then it will be a shame. Therefore, I am pleased that the MOH has committed a significant and no doubt calibrated budget to provide various subsidies for Singaporeans, including permanent special subsidies for our Pioneers and additional Premium Subsidies for Singaporean households who may be facing financial difficulties. These subsidies help to relieve the financial burden from the expected rise in premiums and they would not have been possible without a strong fiscal position. I also note that this Bill has set out penalties for those who wilfully defaulted on their premium payments.”