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 [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.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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“MOH has achieved progress in many aspects of our public healthcare in the past decade. During my nine years in Parliament so far, I have witnessed many measures introduced to enhance senior care capacity and capability, improve public healthcare affordability, increase healthcare manpower, enhance healthcare accessibility, war on diabetes and many other schemes to promote healthy living. And of course, in most recent times, a very successful campaign against COVID-19. And I hope that we can continue in this aspect. With so much done and taking stock, I would like to ask the Minister if we have achieved what we set out to achieve at the beginning of the Healthcare 2020 masterplan? Now that we are in 2020, what is the Ministry's vision for the next decade? How hopeful can we be in moving from "curative" healthcare to "preventive" healthcare? Progress of War on Diabetes”
“Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State. I have two questions. Firstly, in the nearer term, we see the COVID-19 expected to be on a more prolonged basis and we see other countries also experiencing runs on some of the essential supplies for their populations. So, even though for now, we are able to cope with the supplies such as groceries, but with the other countries also experiencing it, how will this affect our current supplies? The second question is that in the longer term, we are looking at diversifying our economy, reducing our dependence on a single-source country – I would think that in this case, it is China – but for many of the products that may have many layers of processing, other countries are still highly dependent on this single-source country. So, as we diversify, how likely are we able to succeed in this endeavour, given that it also depends on the other countries and their responses as well?”
“However, with changes in the world and the global economy, Singapore's bilingual advantage is now being tested and challenged. I would like to ask MOE: how can we provide a good environment for our students to learn mother tongue and also nurture interest in their mother tongue? We have now moved from nurturing bilingual talents to nurturing bicultural talents, and this signals progress in our bilingual policy. In this regard, what are MOE’s new measures to nurture even more bicultural talents? Learning of Mother Tongue”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore is a multiracial, multi-cultural country with unique history and characteristics. Since independence, the bilingual policy has been the cornerstone of our education system. It helps different races to communicate with one another and also plays an indispensable role in promoting cohesion and harmony within the society. However, language, as a tool of communication, is only one part of its functions. It is underpinned by culture, which is the key feature of a nation and a key achievement of human civilisation. In order to have a deeper understanding of our culture and reinforce our identity, a firm grasp of our mother tongue is key. With rapid globalisation, Singaporeans must continue to have a good grasp of two languages and two cultures, and even more languages to stay ahead. This will enhance the competitiveness of Singaporeans internationally and help strengthen Singapore's role as an economic and cultural bridge between different parts of the world. Furthermore, a good grasp of our mother tongue is beneficial for our personal development. Researchers have found that learning two languages can stimulate our mental development, especially for children learning multiple languages at a young age. Benefits for these children include improved cognitive ability, concentration and memory, and greater flexibility when the brain needs to switch between mental tasks. The variety of vocabulary and expressions in different languages also affects our ability to gain insights about the world. People who speak multiple languages have a more enriched understanding of the world compared to monolingual individuals. Our country's bilingual policy has undergone several reforms, and has laid a good language foundation for Singaporeans.”
“Access to and decisions based on timely and accurate information are important to any democracy. Singaporeans should have access to accurate information in forms that they can easily understand. For a long time, it was highly challenging for older Singaporeans, many of whom were not English educated, to consume Government information as collaterals were typically in the English language. Attempted interpretations sometimes led to misinterpretations. Only selected material such as CPF letters come in different languages. To the Government's credit, the situation has improved significantly. The multilingual WhatsApp service recently introduced during this COVID-19 outbreak has been most useful. We should scale up this multilingual capability to enable all Singaporeans to access all public information in a timely manner. Therefore, what is the Government doing to ensure timely and inclusive access to all Government related information by all Singaporeans? How might the advancement of technology complement this effort? Translation Technology”
“Big data fuels AI and AI will drive many daily applications in our digital future. Therefore, the quality and integrity of data is important. Having data that can readily be shared or used from one system to another is also important. As ASEAN integrates and transforms, and as Singapore champions the effort to build and strengthen the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, how do we ensure that the data generated are meaningful, of good quality and inter-operable across the region? What role can Singapore play in influencing and setting standards for the data and the digital infrastructure necessary for a smart ASEAN? This development will see an "explosion" of data and the need for high speed processing. Data centres are therefore a critical infrastructure for Singapore. It is the backbone of our future economy. How many data centres do we expect to be built and at what pace in order to achieve our smart nation and smart ASEAN aims? Building data centres comes at a cost. It consumes a lot of energy. Data centers today consume about 2% of electricity worldwide. It also has massive carbon footprint. Data centres worldwide generate 0.3% of carbon footprint today and is set to increase. So, what is the Government doing to promote greater efficiencies and mitigate the carbon footprints as we build more data centres? How do we reconcile this expected increase in energy consumption and carbon footprints while achieving our target of halving carbon emissions by 2030 and zero by 2050? Ethical Issues on the Use of Data”
“More dramatically, the World Economic Forum describes the world as facing a "re-skilling emergency". One billion people globally need to be re-skilled by 2030. Companies and countries are motivated to close the skills gap fast. Singapore needs to be even faster – one to two years' window of opportunity, according to some prominent business leaders in the ICT industry I encountered from within and outside of Singapore. Unresolved US-China tensions and rising protectionism around the world resulted in talent displacement. Amongst these talents, there is a group who not only have deep skills, but also an international perspective given their exposures. If we are able to tap on this group of talents and pick the "winners" for Singapore before others do, Singapore's transformation could be catalysed and more top enterprises with good jobs for our people will be attracted to Singapore. Therefore, I would like to ask what role is the Government playing in attracting talents to Singapore, for Singapore, as we strive towards our future economy? Ultimately, our Singaporean Core must benefit from this exercise and so, how could we ensure skills and knowledge transfer? Some of these talents are founders of fast-rising start-ups or fast-growing firms. They are therefore globally mobile by nature. Still, they can invest in Singapore and have a role to play in helping to develop our workforce. Might the Government be exploring ways to harness the value they can offer to Singapore, and help groom our youth and talents, without requiring them to physically anchor here? Data Infrastructure for Digital Future Singapore is on track to fulfill our smart nation aspiration and is positioned to become a leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain. Data is critical in enabling this.”
“Talents are critical in building new and successful industries. We need a high concentration of skilled workers with a critical mass of world class talents to attract top enterprises and future unicorns to Singapore to create good jobs, and we need to develop Singaporeans to excel in these jobs. As talents beget talents, there is a virtuous cycle to this. On 6 January this year, the Minister informed the House that more than 93,000 training places have been taken up or committed since the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme started in 2016. And as of October 2019, 1,400 trainees completed the Tech Immersion and Placement Programme (TIPP). These are impressive numbers. May I ask the Ministry if we are on track in meeting the ICT industry manpower demand? Of the 93,000 TeSA places, how many have completed the programme, successfully found placement and stayed in the new jobs? What other efforts are in place to help Singaporeans switch careers and stay meaningfully employed in the digital economy? How can enterprises that are less tech-savvy but keen to transform, better access and tap into this pool of re-skilled and up-skilled workers? As Singapore continues on our relentless pursuit to re-skill and up-skill our Singaporean core, it can be expected that enterprises will look to topping up their teams with overseas talents to plug the talent and skills gap in the meantime. Global competition for skilled workers is stiff. In a February 2020 McKinsey's article, it was reported that 87% of companies surveyed around the world say they are either experiencing manpower gaps now or expect to experience it within a few years. Respondents expect market and technology trends to play a big part in these shifts.”
“Twenty-twenty marks the 30th anniversary of Singapore-China's formal diplomatic relations. Our two countries have come a long way, achieving many important milestones, whilst enduring moments that tested the strength and depth of our relations. Over the decades, our economies developed our unique capabilities and character. We invest in each other significantly and enterprises from Singapore and China are also venturing out together. At the people-to-people level, interactions are frequent, ties are warm; we encourage our youths to learn more about each other’s culture through exchanges and internships. Looking ahead, we expect global headwinds and uncertainties. Internally, Singapore is also preparing for our political leadership transition over the next few years. As such, what is the plan for Singapore’s younger leaders to build on our current strong relations, to deepen their relations with Chinese leaders? How might our bilateral relations evolve and what can we expect in the nature of our future collaborations? How would these affect Singapore's place in the world? Outreach Efforts”
“Amongst the many things we hope to achieve, we wanted to draw the volunteers into a central pool and seniors can tap on them for requests as simple as helping them to read letters. In our drive towards a Smart Nation, the Government's effort alone is not enough. Hence, I would like to ask how can the Government better partner citizens in the co-creation of Smart Nation? Could the Government give an update on the use of Our Singapore Fund for Digital Readiness so far? What are some of the fruits of our labour in cultivating digitally ready citizens? Safer Banking for Elderly and All”
“There has been tremendous effort to implement measures to realise our aspirations of a digital economy, Government and society. Apart from blueprints and action frameworks, basic "building blocks", such as MyInfo, on which personalised services and applications can be built are in place. We have experienced applications, such as OneService, Parking.SG and Moments of Life, offering conveniences to citizens as we go about our daily lives. Moments of Life, for example, allows me to monitor what vaccinations my two sons have specifically taken and will have to take coming up. As the Government presses on, what new Smart Nation initiatives are there to deliver more personalised and inclusive services to citizens of all ages and of all backgrounds? Could we enhance citizen autonomy and interactions with the Government by digitalising some of the functions or decisions we take in the community? For example, instead of just giving feedback, enhancing the OneService to allow citizens to vote on Home Improvement Programmes or the colour schemes for their block during the cyclical Repair and Redecorations? Our Government probably has an application for anything somewhere. But it would perhaps make better sense to consolidate and streamline so that citizens are clear about where to go for what. Or simply, just go to one platform for everything they need. Partnering Citizens for Smart Nation In the course of our constituency work, we would have observed that, within the community, there are many ideas and resources. For example, we have multiple VWOs and informal volunteer groups, all of which have lion-hearted volunteers who want to do more for our people. In MacPherson, the creation of the MacPherson Cares app is an example.”
“Although talent development schemes have been included in both last year’s and this year’s Budgets, I hope that the Government can consider the suggestions below. One, incorporate coding into mainstream curriculum, ensure that all Singaporean children have a basic understanding of coding so that they can have a headstart. Two, instil the spirit of lifelong learning in our people and encourage them to make use of the SkillsFuture Credit to take up courses relevant to the future economy. Third, continue to encourage students and young working adults to intern in countries where technology development is more rapid. Aside from gaining experience, these internships will also broaden their horizon and their networks. Fourth, set up mentorship programmes where top-notch talent and entrepreneurs can be matched with young local talents and startups with potential, to build capabilities, share experiences and network. (In English): As we enter more uncertain times, with pressure on our community from the COVID-19 epidemic and global financial turmoils, I am heartened to learn that this year’s Budget is comprehensive and inclusive. This is a Budget for our people and our future. I support the Budget.”
“Hence, the deep trust between our people and the Government is especially valuable. This was built over the years, with Government policies that have always put the long-term interests of Singapore and Singaporeans at the core, allowing Singaporeans to enjoy a good quality of life and stable jobs. There should be no let-up in efforts to build this trust. In difficult times, the ability of governments to figure out the root cause of problems and implement targeted solutions to minimise impact on the people is very important. Hence, I am very happy that the Deputy Prime Minister has introduced a Budget to deal with the situation during this critical period. Besides ensuring adequate supplies for frontline workers, funds have also been set aside to reduce the impact on companies' cash flow, so as to protect jobs. Although it is important to deal with the current situation, it is equally important to plan for the future. Singapore has experienced many rounds of economic transformation and ventured into new emerging industries at different junctures, maintaining its lead successfully. The key to our success is the high concentration of good quality talent here who can meet the skills demand of new industries. With Singapore moving towards the future economy, there will definitely be a strong demand for talents. In view of the shortage of talent around the world, some corporate big wigs believe that Singapore may only have a window of opportunity of one to two years to get ahead in AI and blockchain technology. Attracting talent is a short-term solution. But more importantly, we need to ensure that Singaporeans upgrade their skills and that we nurture our young to equip them with future skills and global mindsets.”
“Business China, too, is working closely with MOE and other agencies to promote internship opportunities for our tertiary students and young working adults to intern in China, and the response was encouraging. We need to work on availing more of such overseas opportunities for our young, so that we can cultivate a critical mass of young Singapore talents with a world view. Third, we need to deepen our relationships with global top talents and facilitate value transfer to our own local talents. Could we consider a mentorship programme that attracts top talents and company founders from around the world to mentor our youths and startups? Singapore is a hub for many top technology and professional talents, and we should make use of this opportunity to groom our younger generation and benefit from their mentors' expertise, experience and networks. This initiative will also increase Singapore's mindshare among these top talents and foster our youths' image as motivated, hardworking and bright young individuals who are globally competitive. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, through this COVID-19 crisis, we can see the composure and decisiveness of Singapore leaders, the efficiency and meticulousness of organisations within the Government, the bravery and kindness of our frontline workers, as well as the generosity and mutual concern that Singaporeans have for one another. It has shown what Singapore is capable of, and how beautiful this country is. In comparison, we have seen how citizens from other countries have lost faith in their government, discriminated against their fellow countrymen, prevented disease control measures from being implemented, resulting in the spread of the disease. It is, indeed, disheartening.”
“Therefore, to reinforce the momentum, may I suggest the following. First, we need a stronger push for Singaporeans to reskill and upskill, and right-skill from young. I am happy to know that coding is now compulsory for all upper primary students, in the form of a 10-hour coding enrichment programme. This is a good step, but I hope the Government can consider taking an even bolder step and recognise it as part of formal curriculum. This signals the importance of this subject. Furthermore, some would argue that computer language is increasingly akin to English or mother tongue languages that we learn in school. As the digital future is inevitable, why not take that step further and recognise coding as our third language? We also need stronger incentives to encourage adults to take on future economy-oriented courses. The additional SkillsFuture credits in this year’s Budget are a welcome addition, but to help Singaporeans pick up essential skills that allow them to compete globally over the long term, there should be stronger guidance and more targeted initiatives. Second, we must continue to encourage international exposures for students and younger working adults. It is essential for young adults to be given full internship opportunities as well in countries like the US, China, Israel and other emerging economies with a vibrant tech scene, such as Indonesia and Vietnam, for them to gain a global perspective and foster meaningful networks that will benefit them and their professional community. In this year's Budget, the Asia Ready Exposure Programme, together with the Global Ready Talent Programme, are timely.”
“However, I wonder if these measures are enough. Also, to attract top enterprises to Singapore to create good jobs, we need a high concentration of skilled workers with a critical mass of world-class talents. Singapore excels in the biotech sector now after 20 years of investments. A critical success factor is the large pool of high-quality talents that we built up over the years, enabling Singapore to lead in this sector ahead of competition. Similarly so for other sectors. Looking ahead, Singapore needs to offer an abundance of talents who not only meet existing demands but also attract future unicorns to Singapore from the region and beyond. As talents beget talents, there is a virtuous cycle to this. Yet, global competition for skilled workers is stiff. In a February 2020 McKinsey article, it was reported that 87% of companies surveyed around the world say they either are experiencing manpower gaps now or expect to experience it within a few years. Respondents expect market and technology trends to play a big part in these shifts. More dramatically, the WEF describes the world as facing a "reskilling emergency". One billion people globally need to be reskilled by 2030. Companies and countries are motivated to close the skills gap fast. Singapore needs to be even faster – one to two years' window of opportunity, according to some prominent business leaders I encountered from within and outside of Singapore. The Government has been investing and introducing targeted programmes to build up our talent pool. As the Chinese saying goes, "百年树人", talent cultivation takes time. But we are racing against time. Topping up with foreign talents may be part of the solution, but strengthening our Singaporean Core is, of course, the core solution.”
“They have little savings or "fats" to see them through this period of work drought. Worse, if they have a family to support. Many of the financing options available now are not readily accessible to them as they are not registered companies and have no GST registrations. Could the Government consider extending the working capital loan to this group of freelance workers? Or help them access the other measures aimed at helping businesses with cash flow to keep them afloat as well? As we address the immediate impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, we should also not lose sight of investing for the future. I am glad that the Government continues to have a firm grip on this, evident in the other components in the Budget. Still, I would like to reiterate the importance of investing in our people to ensure a high concentration of high-quality talents in Singapore, for Singapore. During this period of economic uncertainty, it is a precious opportunity for us to reskill and upskill our workforce, catalyse the transformation and get ready for the future economy. Singapore is clear about our future economy direction. We need talents to fulfil this. Technological disruptions have resulted in jobs becoming obsolete. But with technological advancements, many more new jobs will be created. We need to provide good and meaningful jobs, where workers are empowered and have agency. But to take on these future jobs, Singaporeans need to be equipped with the right skills and possess international perspectives. I support the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and welcome the next bound of SkillsFuture initiatives. Singaporeans should be encouraged to work with employers to determine what courses to attend to ensure job relevance and be guided along as well.”
“Banks may be less motivated to serve individual micro enterprises, even with a greater risk-share by the Government, but these enterprises can band together if facilitated by the respective merchant associations. Of course, it is not just the Government that can help the smaller enterprises. I note the recent launch of an “SME Help Fund” that aims to help SMEs whose businesses are struck by the COVID-19 outbreak. Member companies pooled together $5 million and leveraged technology platforms to offer low interest loans to affected SMEs, which must also be majority owned by Singaporeans. From application to disbursement, the process is as fast as 48 hours. I was told that the responses from SMEs have been overwhelmingly positive. When I spoke with one of the fund's founders, JL Family Office CEO Andy Lim, he said they wanted to help SMEs and that this is one practical way of how Singaporeans help Singaporeans. I was very heartened to hear this. This is an example of how different groups in the society can take the initiative to help fellow Singaporeans in times of need. Their efforts complement the Government's and, collectively, these efforts help to strengthen our social cohesion. Second, provide more recognition and support for freelancers. Freelancers are especially vulnerable to changes in the economic conditions. Many events and work assignments are cancelled or deferred as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. A number of them have taken their own initiative to band together online to support one another as they are hit by the outbreak. I trust that the unions are actively reaching out to them. Freelancers are especially vulnerable to changes in the economic conditions. Many events and work assignments are cancelled or deferred as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.”
“I am glad that in his Budget, the Deputy Prime Minister addressed the impact of COVID-19 on our economy as well as the long-term needs of Singaporeans. Budget 2020 is a responsive Budget that prepares Singaporeans for the challenges ahead. The $4 billion Stabilisation and Support Package helps companies to stay liquid, thus preserving the jobs of Singaporeans. Against uncertainties arising from global headwinds, it is essential to ensure that Singaporean workers remain supported and adaptive, with measures to encourage them to be more productive and innovative. In particular, SMEs – comprising 72% of our employment – are most in need of supportive measures to help them retain local employees. Jobs are important to Singaporeans' livelihood, important to keeping families financially buoyant and important to social cohesion. Various studies, including one by the World Bank in 2013, have shown that job access has a direct impact on a society's trust and civic engagement. The same 2013 World Bank report also stated that jobs and the types of jobs influence people's aspirations, social beliefs and their sense of belonging to the country. I, therefore, applaud the decisive move to set aside a whopping $4 billion to help Singapore companies and Singaporeans in this time of difficulty. To ensure that the Government's intent of providing our citizens with strong and reliable support is achieved, I have two suggestions, based on feedback from my residents and grassroots leaders. First, ensure the goodwill that comes from these Budget measures ultimately flows through to the micro and small enterprises. For instance, passing on cost savings from commercial landlords to tenants and ensuring access to the Enterprise Financing Scheme by micro enterprises.”
“We also see ground-up initiatives by groups of volunteers who engaged seniors and the more vulnerable within our communities to give out practical items, such as hand sanitisers. Of course, another example is when the silent majority seemingly came to life during the recent "Twitter Parliament", suggesting that hoarding and, therefore, depriving others of essentials, should not be encouraged. With decisive leadership and strong public institutions, we have so far kept the situation under control. Our leaders regularly inform the public of the latest developments in Singapore, and the Government responds to queries with clarity and transparency. Civil servants worked tirelessly every day since before Chinese New Year to ensure "no stone is left unturned". Medical frontliners bravely stepped up to care for patients, and cleaners worked extra hours to ensure a clean and safe environment for Singaporeans. In fact, our efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus has been widely recognised. A Harvard study described Singapore as having "gold standard" for case detection; WHO was "very impressed" by Singapore’s response to COVID-19. Kudos to our Government and frontliners! Kudos to my fellow Singaporeans who demonstrated calm, reason and compassion in the face of uncertainties that allowed us to control the outbreak quickly. Thank you for showing us and the world how beautiful Singapore is. These would not have been possible if not for the trust between our Government and the people, as well as the strong social cohesion forged over time. We must cherish this and never be complacent. Speaker, Sir, I see Budget 2020 as one that preserves jobs and social cohesion. In the midst of our battle against the coronavirus, we have this Budget Debate.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the COVID-19 outbreak is a test of our nation's social fabric, our collective strength and character. Around the world, we observed how the deficit of trust in government and public institutions prevented or worsened efforts to contain and control the outbreak. In one Asian economy, hundreds rallied for days to protest against plans to turn some buildings into quarantine centres. In one European economy, hundreds in a town protested having their fellow countrymen who were COVID-19 evacuees from China from being quarantined in their town despite assurances by the government that none had symptoms of infections. They put up roadblocks, burned tyres and hurled stones at buses, resulting in several injuries. Out of desperation, the health minister declared she would spend the next two weeks locked up in quarantine with the returnees. In other places, government attempts to refute false rumours, although backed by medical experts, were ignored at best and stoked fear at worst. People hoarded critical supplies and deprived them from people in high-risk environments who needed them the most. In a public health crisis, it is heartbreaking to see such anti-social behaviours. Where has the “leave no one behind” belief gone to? It is a different scene in Singapore, thankfully. In Singapore, we see some of the ugly behaviours, too, but there is a lot more of the good acts that we have observed. Where we saw frontline workers being discriminated or denied service by some individuals, we see an even stronger response from many Singaporeans who wrote messages and prepared gifts to express their support.”
“I thank the Minister. I just have one question. I would like to ask how are the countries, including China, responding to the ban on all travellers with recent travel history to China.”
“It is also unsustainable and unfortunate if we have to burden future generations – which is by the way shrinking because of our ageing population – to fund our own care needs. Very importantly, CareShield Life provides better long-term care and protection for all Singaporeans. This does not mean that the Government can cut back its support. This does not exonerate individuals from exercising personal responsibility, but this does enable us to pool our risks and help our fellow countrymen through times of need. In a society that expounds the importance of compassion and inclusion, all of us will need to contribute, in ways big or small, in one way or another. With that, I support the Bill.”
“On a macro level, we have many different packages and subsides, I would like to know from Mr Chen what are the areas that we can improve on. In fact, there are many suggestions raised in Parliament, not just from Mr Chen, for the Government to consider. However, when we raise these suggestions, we must be aware that, after all, someone will have to pay for it. The Government needs to allocate precious resources to the things we ask for, and it must balance different interests and tradeoffs to formulate the best possible policies to help Singaporeans. The efforts that the Government has made is not simple at all. Lastly, when we are looking at issues pertaining to long-term care and ageing, we tend to be a bit passive. We should adopt more proactive measures, such as encouraging Singaporeans to pay attention to their diet when they are young, stay fit, so that they can have a healthy foundation as they grow old and be able to enjoy a happy retirement life. To encourage people to stay healthy, can the Government consider emulating private insurers and offer CareShield premiums rebate or discount to those who actively exercise and stay healthy after 60? (In English): Sir, in English. Sir, there is a real need for Singapore to get ready for the consequences of an ageing population. My sincere hope is that we will all enjoy good health, lead a full and fulfilling life, and rather than having to spend on our care needs, are able to spend on things that we enjoy. But we can never be sure of what will happen to us in the years to come. It would be too late if we only start to worry or find ways to finance our care needs later in life when our familial obligations intensify, or worse, when we suffer disabilities.”
“We must let Singaporeans, young and old, to understand the concepts and methods of our eldercare system within the overall picture of the long-term care framework. Here, I have some humble suggestions. Firstly, the Government can consider using the various mass media channels to publicise the concepts and mechanisms of our long-term care system. For example, we can, through civic education or ways that do not require exams, allow Singapore students to understand how we cope with the challenges of ageing and how we care for the aged, so that they are prepared at a young age. Secondly, the Government can also consider setting up a network of volunteers who are familiar with public policies to reach out to workplaces and the community to explain complicated policies to Singaporeans. Through such face-to-face in-depth explanations, I believe Singaporeans will be able to understand those important but not necessarily popular policies. Frankly speaking, the Government has taken a great deal of pain to look after the elderly. We all can see that. In the past, the Government has introduced many eldercare schemes and programmes, including CareShield Life. Earlier this year, we introduced the Caregiver Grant worth $200 every month; and in the Pioneer Generation Package, we provide additional support to the disabled among the Pioneer Generation worth $100 per month. All these various subsidies and support packages are aimed at better looking after the elderly and giving them long-term care. Earlier on, the esteemed Member Mr Chen Show Mao mentioned that the care given under CareShield Life is not enough and that $600 can only pay for part of the expenses of the severely disabled. I am curious to learn from Mr Chen in what way can the Government do better.”
“The purpose of passing that Bill was to provide universal healthcare insurance coverage so that all Singaporeans can enjoy basic healthcare protection. Besides Government subsidies and our own MediSave savings, MediShield Life can help us cope with unforeseeable circumstances. The concept behind it is risk-pooling whereby everyone’s money is pooled together to allow people in need to pay for massive medical expenses. Everyone has an equal chance. In principle and theory, CareShield Life and MediShield Life are the same. Our population is now ageing rapidly. Our family size is also shrinking. It is inevitable that Singaporeans must support one another through thick and thin. Moreover, statistics show that one in two Singaporeans aged 65 and above will become severely disabled later in life. This is a very high probability. Therefore, the implementation of MediShield Life and CareShield Life is to prepare people not just for their own but others' future as well. I am sure we are all clear about the importance of CareShield Life after last year's and today's debate. In my view, the key to the successful implementation of CareShield Life lies upon whether the Government can communicate it well, how it can explain the scheme in a targeted manner and address queries from different groups. When MediShield was introduced, many people felt that it was a very complex policy. In truth, CareShield Life is even more complicated. Therefore, we must communicate it well. Otherwise, if people do not understand, they would not support it. If they do not support it, unhappiness may occur. Hence, I hope that while we promote CareShield Life, we must also focus on communication and engage the people wholeheartedly. And this should not be limited to CareShield Life alone.”
“Second, high-touch method of engaging target groups when implementing and communicating complex schemes, such as CareShield Life. For example, akin to how insurance agents make complex insurance schemes easy to understand, could there be a network of trained policy agents who would reach out to Singaporeans at the workplace or at home to explain complex schemes to them? Even the most well-meaning policies can fail if we fail to help Singaporeans understand and solicit their support. Finally, discussions so far are focused on passively dealing with the challenges of old age and severe disabilities. We should also explore prevention and ways to minimise the risk. In a 2015 report by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, it stated that there is a growing body of research literature underscoring the importance of fostering good health and habits in life to prevent or postpone the onset of morbidity at older ages. This should apply to age-related disabilities as well. Therefore, we must continue our efforts in encouraging healthier lifestyles and to do so from young. Healthy outcomes are not just important from a financial burden perspective, but because we love life. And therefore, for those who have proven to engage in healthy activities and maintained good health past, say, 60 years old, could their premiums be reduced or could rebates be given as a way of encouragement to reinforce this very positive behaviour? Next, if I may please continue in Mandarin. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Deputy Speaker, in 2014, we had a vigorous debate on MediShield Life in Parliament and passed the Bill.”
“These different ways of "slicing" ensure as many people are covered as possible, but it can be highly confusing, and soliciting buy-in will also be much harder. So, again, well-planned and targeted communications are imperative to a successful implementation. If the scheme cannot be simplified, the claim experience must certainly be simplified, and it must not disappoint. A straightforward claim process comprising a one-stop solution without the need to approach different agencies for different documents will be useful and avoid the accusation of CareShield Life being a sinister plan that takes money from the people without the sincerity of giving back when needed. More importantly, when a person is already severely disabled, he or she cannot withstand complex processes. Overall, we could benefit from communicating how our Long-Term Care works in Singapore better and clearer. This Bill specifically covers the establishment of the Long-Term Care Support Fund. This is useful but we know Long-Term Care is more than just a fund. As we improve the Long-Term Care system over the years, we have been making announcements in piecemeal fashion. This is understandable as we communicate whenever a new initiative becomes available. But the general public may not remember every initiative and consciously piece everything together. Therefore, may I humbly suggest the Government consider the following. Firstly, consistently educating and publicising how we deal with ageing in Singapore, specifically the principles and mechanics of our Long-Term Care system. This could be done in schools as part of national education, through common touchpoints in the course of our lives and, of course, the usual mass media.”
“There is strong awareness of the need for life insurance, and credit goes to the army of insurance agents who actively educate the population on the ground face-to-face, a point worth pondering. Next, talking about supporting women. Women policyholders are expected to pay a higher premium than men. This stands out starkly. The main reason articulated was that women have a longer lifespan on average and risks being disabled for a longer period of time. Arguably, however, the idea of a public insurance plan is to pool risks and resources to help one another. Thus, should women not be allowed to pay the same amount of premium as the men in their respective cohorts? Moreover, women tend to "lose out" to men in earnings and savings, in part due to them exiting the workforce early to care for their families. Many sacrificed their prime years to stay home and care for their loved ones. The years away from work mean they may have little or significantly less savings in their MediSave. These women may also not come from well-to-do families, who have little to contribute to their MediSave even if they wish to. There is also no guarantee that their spouse or children, if they have any, will pay for their extra premiums. How then do we ensure fairness and equity in the system? For women who may have lost out to their male peers at work or who have made financial sacrifices for their families, what help can they look to receive? Could older and lower-income women receive more premium rebates so that they do not lose out even more? Next, I would like to talk about communicating the "how" – "customer" experience. CareShield Life will see different years of commencement and impact on different age groups. Premium payments also differ across age groups and possibly within cohorts.”
“From 2020, all Singaporeans born in 1980 or after will automatically be enrolled into CareShield Life, regardless of pre-existing conditions or disabilities. Despite the high probability, our young today question the need for the scheme to be made mandatory for all. This is, understandably so. Many, who are still in the prime of health, do not anticipate severe disabilities when they age. Many also do not see the urgency in planning for the possibility of age-related disabilities at this point. Hence, they want to preserve their autonomy in choosing whether and when to enrol themselves in a universal public insurance scheme. Furthermore, the sense of importance for risk pooling is diminished when they observe that the total claim of $100 million is only a small fraction of the total premium collection of $2.6 billion as at end 2015. "What happens to the huge sum of money remaining in the pool?", they ask. "Who pockets the rest?", the more cynical amongst them may also ask. To be fair, these concerns were answered before. But such concerns remain today. Perhaps, people missed it and the message bears repeating. But I think it is also because there are too few stories of "success" in the case of ElderShield and too many stories of difficult claims that breed scepticism. Hopefully, with CareShield Life to be managed fully by the Singapore Government, Singaporeans' confidence in the scheme will be boosted. Interesting to note, private life insurance hardly needs persuasion, despite events qualifying for claims being relatively rare. As at 2018, life insurance sales grew at 7%. Yet, the total claim amount due to deaths and disabilities in 2018 was about 0.1% of the total sum insured.”
“Today, one in two healthy Singapore residents aged 65 could become severely disabled in their lifetime, not that rare after all. The number of severely disabled Singapore residents aged 65 and above is expected to increase from 29,000 in 2014 to 69,000 in 2030, more than double. Severe disabilities can also be long drawn. The median duration for which Singapore residents remain in severe disability is about four years. Yet, about three in 10 can remain in severe disability for a decade or more. These are not insignificant numbers, especially since severe disabilities can seriously strain one's psychological, physical and financial well-being. Yet, not everyone is protected. Therefore, similar to the philosophy underpinning MediShield Life, it is important that we consider and support CareShield Life. Through a public insurance, such as CareShield Life, we pool our risks and money to help fellow Singaporeans in need, sustainably. We are a society that believes in compassion and inclusivity. Schemes, like CareShield Life, translate such beliefs into real actions. Despite the clear imperative for CareShield Life, it is, nonetheless, a very complex scheme to understand, even for younger Singaporeans. Different age groups start in different years and, even within the same cohort, there can be subgroups. For example, there are those who enrol in CareShield Life and those who remain in ElderShield. If one thought MediShield Life was complex, CareShield Life topped it. Hence, effective communications to address the "why" and "how" are critical to a successful implementation of CareShield Life. In the first part, I would like to talk about the "why" – persuading the young.”
“Deputy Speaker, Sir, I have spoken on the importance of CareShield Life in 2018. Today, I renew my support for it and I am glad that this Bill does not focus solely on CareShield Life but long-term care as well. CareShield Life has to be viewed within the frame of Singapore's long-term care plan. Sir, we all know that Singapore has an ageing population and we need to be ready for it. But how ready are we, really? The Government invested significant amounts of resources and effort to build up our system, policies and infrastructure to cope with the needs of a rapidly ageing population, strengthening them as we progress. Government spending has also increased by multiple folds. Public healthcare expenditure, for instance, more than doubled in the past six years, and will continue to increase. How we can sustain this is serious business. Ageing is a multifaceted issue covering physical, financial, psychological and social aspects of our lives. Given the growing silver population and longer lifespan, it is imperative that we have in place a comprehensive and effective long-term care system for Singaporeans. In fact, we need a good ecosystem to do so. The Government cannot monopolise the care for our seniors. We will need community partners and Singaporeans, too, to address the challenges and needs of an ageing Singapore successfully. We will also need to plan early and act pre-emptively. Some of the challenges faced in our old age may have their roots in our younger days. Likewise, what we do right in our youth can also offer ourselves better protection when we become old. One such instance is insuring ourselves against calamities, such as severe disabilities in our old age.”
“Women are living longer and have longer life expectancy than men. Women are also typically the main caregiver at home, caring for our young and old. Their health, therefore, not only concern herself but will impact the entire family's well-being. Moreover, women is a formidable source of manpower for Singapore, driving our continued growth. It is, therefore, important that we ensure Singaporean women are healthy and vibrant. I would thus like to ask what the Ministry is doing to help women and mothers. What is in place to drive preventive health effort for women?”
“But I am heartened that in the Parliamentary debate on caregivers just last month, the Ministry responded very encouragingly with the introduction of the Caregiver Support Action Plan, comprising assistance, such as the Home Caregiving Grant and night respite service. I have no doubt that these assistance measures will alleviate the burden and stress caregivers face at present. However, as we know from our ground experiences, the financial burden on a caregiver who has given up her job can be significant, higher than what the caregiving grant can offer on a monthly basis. Not all caregivers who are still working can successfully negotiate for FWAs or, at least, not as easily, depending on the employer's attitude and the nature of the job. Even as the night respite care pilot is underway, there is still an army of caregivers embedded in different parts of our community providing non-stop care to their loved ones and quietly enduring the inevitable fatigue. As such, I would like to ask the Ministry if it will continue to engage caregivers to ensure that their needs are understood and that the support put in place will address them adequately. Would the Ministry also work towards accelerating the implementation of the action plan so that more caregivers can benefit sooner than later? Caregiving”
“Singaporeans aspire to age in place. This requires putting in place home and community care support, programmes to engage and promote active ageing, infrastructural investments, retrofitting and hardware maintenance to create an elderly-friendly environment where seniors can live independently. We should apply elder-friendly designs into our hardware and heartware solutions. Make such designs mainstream. Share best practices and set standards and audit public and private projects across all sectors. We should proliferate digital eldercare to supplement the shortage of manpower. Leverage technology and artificial intelligence to enable quality and personalised care for seniors. Continue to research, develop and invest in digital eldercare solutions so that more innovations can reach the market faster. We could do more to recruit and organise volunteers into a powerful network of resources in the community. Exploit physical and digital platforms to optimise the matching of regular and ad hoc volunteers to help seniors who may have differing needs at different times of the day. In essence, we can still do more to enable independent living for seniors. I would, therefore, like to ask what is the Ministry and the whole of Government doing to help seniors live independently. What is being done in terms of physical hardware and programmes? How is the Government actively utilising digital solutions to achieve our goals? 2.30 pm Support for Caregivers Caregivers play a very important role in our ageing landscape. They offer the human touch that Government policies or programmes cannot provide, no matter how brilliantly designed they can be. For a long time, the Government was focused on addressing the direct needs of our seniors.”
“As we enhance our healthcare, we can expect longer and more healthy years. Future work will also rely more on intellect and wisdom. Our population will become better educated and more savvy with the digital space and, therefore, less fear and deeper entrenchment of technology in our lives. There is, therefore, much that we can do to help seniors age meaningfully. More importantly, we need to ensure that our seniors do not slip into isolation. We need to ensure that they are constantly connected to our larger social network. I had spoken many times in this House about how to enable active aging and what seniors can do. I would like to ask the Ministry to give an update on what it is doing to encourage senior volunteerism, senior employment and socialising. I would also like to highlight one point today and, that is, lifelong learning. Learning keeps our mind stimulated. It is exciting to explore new things and exhilarating to achieve what we did not know or have before. We should re-ignite that sense of curiosity in our seniors and offer many opportunities for them to learn new things. SkillsFuture is an excellent scheme to promote lifelong learning. The National Silver Academy also offers a variety of courses tailored for seniors. Some of the seniors in MacPherson have actively utilised the credits and attend courses. Some have even depleted the credits. That is why we launched the Lifelong Learning Fund in MacPherson, so that they can continue to take on courses and acquire new knowledge and skills, especially in the digital space. As such, for the earnest senior learners, will the Government consider a special top-up to the SkillsFuture Credits for seniors? What plan does the Ministry have to encourage more seniors to embrace lifelong learning?”
“MediSave, MediShield Life and MediFund are the three pillars of our public healthcare financing system supporting the healthcare needs of all Singaporeans. These are on top of the universal Government subsidies available. On top of these, the Government introduced different schemes to help Singaporeans, especially the elderly, better cope in their old age. Objectively, we know that public healthcare expenditure has more than doubled within a short span of five to six years. Singaporeans' average out-of-pocket expenditure, as a percentage of bill size, has also trended downwards. Still, worries about healthcare affordability persist. Some Singaporeans genuinely cannot afford it, some struggle to pay it off, and some do not even seek treatment because they do not know if they can afford it. For the low-income, they can apply for MediFund or public financial assistance if they pass the means test. This will cover their medical expenses in public healthcare settings. In the course of my community work in MacPherson, I have met many low-income residents, especially the vulnerable elderly, receiving full medical coverage under such schemes. This is assuring to observe. However, for the average Singaporean, the ability to afford or continue to afford is less certain. 1.30 pm Hence, I would like to ask the Ministry how ready is an average Singaporean in coping with his/her healthcare cost, especially in old age. Could the Ministry share the calculations and projections? Could the Ministry compare how an average retiree today and an average retiree in, say, 2030 or beyond, cope with their expected healthcare costs? Is our current public healthcare financing method sustainable? Value-based Healthcare”
“I have a few clarifications. First, I would like to ask the Minister to what extent does the SSO access an applicant's wealth and assets when determining how much assistance to provide. I am asking this in the context of data. With the increasing availability of data, with the advancement of technology, how might the SSO make use of this to do so, to ensure social equity? Second is that the CKS and PDD sound quite similar. May I just ask how are these two schemes differentiated? How do they complement each other? Therefore, how do we position this to our residents and can the publicity towards these two schemes be increased just like the LPA? A lot of them asked about LPA, but they do not know much about these.”
“At a recent post-Budget dinner, a gentleman approached me to lament how he thought the middle-class, like him, was unfairly treated. He said that he is the sole breadwinner in his family comprising him, his wife and two children. He lives in a condominium. His household per capita income is $2,500. Comparing to his friend who lives in an HDB flat but with a higher capita income, his friend receives Government payouts whilst he receives none. It is not uncommon to hear similar lamentations, even HDB residents sometimes asked us why certain neighbours received financial assistance or more Government benefits when the said neighbours are cash-rich or already were supported by extended family members. These anecdotes called into the question the concept of fairness and social equity. How can we redistribute wealth more fairly and justly? How do we ensure that those who genuinely need help get help? As Singapore evolves, as our population ages, as we become more educated and increasingly data-driven, how might our Public Financial Assistance system evolve, too? With the increasing availability of data, how would the Government use data to deliver public assistance in a more precise and personal manner? Is a more precise and personalised public assistance an idea that the Ministry will consider? Supporting Single Mothers”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore is an ethnically diverse country, and bilingualism has been a cornerstone of our education system. From 200 years ago to Independence, our forefathers had settled and rooted here and brought with them their cultural heritage. Today, youths are immersed in our highly connected, cosmopolitan city. It is inevitable that they become estranged from their own cultural heritage. Therefore, having a strong command of our mother tongue is the key to better understand our culture and fortify our sense of identity. With the rapid development of Asia, the ability to communicate in our mother tongue gives us competitive advantage and opens up new opportunities. As the Chief Executive of Business China, I have seen that many of our companies are able to seize business opportunities because our people are effectively bilingual and bicultural. This is reflected in a popular saying amongst my Business China colleagues, "Bilingualism offers boundless opportunities." It is important that we continue in our efforts to cultivate bilingual and bicultural talents. I would like to ask the Minister for Education: how will MOE collaborate with parents and the community to complement the efforts of our schools? What else is MOE doing to ensure that our students develop an appreciation of our mother tongue languages? National Language Proficiency”
“(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.]: I would like to thank the Minister for the reply. I would like to ask two questions. First, Singapore is determined to realise the vision of a Smart Nation. However, amongst Singaporeans, there is still a generation of senior citizens who need our help to pick up digital technology. I would like to ask the Government if a targeted strategy can be implemented, whereby assistance rendered is customised according to the challenges and difficulties faced by the target community, so as to help them embrace the digital era. This is my first question. My second question is that communicating policies is an art, and the Minister had earlier shared with us that policies are being communicated to our people through multimedia and television programmes. For senior citizens, television programmes may just be a one-off event, and they may miss out on some of the important explanations and information. I suggest that we repeat these important messages and spread them to all corners of the community so that our citizens, particularly our senior citizens, will understand the policymaking process and considerations behind these policies. In this way, Singaporeans will have a better understanding of the thought process behind the Government’s decisions and may give stronger support to our policies. I hope the Senior Minister of State can elaborate on that.”
“Well-meaning policies can become ineffective and rile people if communications are not done well. Worse, in the absence of effective policy communications, those who wish us ill could exploit the opportunity to distort facts or spread fake news. It would be tragic if policies designed with Singapore's and Singaporeans' best interest in mind are misunderstood and fail to receive public support. Conversely, policies that are effectively communicated can receive widespread public support, thereby ensuring their successful implementation. Mother tongue and National Service policies are excellent examples. We can observe the robust public support these policies receive till this day because people understood the rationale, despite the personal sacrifices they may have to make. Effective policy communications, therefore, strengthen our national solidarity. Given the imperative of effective policy communications, I would like to ask the Ministry how it intends to improve the communication of Government policies across different age groups and communities to maximise policy impact and benefit the intended audience?”
“Chairman, as we gear up for a digital economy, we must make sure that our people are able to benefit from this transformation and not be left behind. We must not inadvertently create a new inequality or widen an existing gap between those who can access and exploit the new digital technologies and those who cannot. Whilst future generations of elderly will be better-educated and tech-savvy, we must not neglect our current generation of seniors. We need Smart Seniors for a Smart Nation. We need to harness technology to supplement our shortage of eldercare manpower and help more seniors live independently in the comfort of their own homes and community. We need to harness technology to help them stay connected to news and information, support networks, friends and families. To do all these, it is important to ensure that they are digitally ready. Digital readiness is the very first step and a critical enabler for our elderly to fully exploit the benefits of technology. In MacPherson, we conducted a simple survey of 315 public rental residents last year and identified that the largest barriers with going digital are know-how, possession of smartphones and data plans. Hence, my grassroots team and I actively seek out partners with the resources to help our seniors and digitally vulnerable residents to overcome these barriers. I would like to thank IMDA and MCI for the support. With the ability of oversight and access to a much larger network of resources, I would like to ask the Ministry what has been done to target efforts at helping seniors and the digitally vulnerable to learn, access and use digital technologies to enhance their quality of life? SkillsFuture @ Libraries”
“Automation, digitalisation and AI are disrupting how we live and how work is organised. As old jobs get displaced, new jobs are created that require the right attitude and new competencies. We need to unlearn and relearn if our people are to exploit the new opportunities and capture value in the new economy. According to an October 2018 McKinsey report on the future of work in Switzerland, it is estimated that the demand for tasks requiring basic cognitive or physical and manual skills could decline by 20%. Conversely, the need for social and emotional and technological skills is to rise by about 20% and up to 50% respectively. The skill shift is also expected to exceed the regular rate at which labour and skills drop out of the market. These findings can well apply to Singapore. Hence, it is imperative that we continue to invest in our human capital and help our people transition. We will also need to accelerate the speed at which we do so. The Government must work with businesses to ensure relevant training content and hands-on practice, culminating in real job opportunities. I am aware of the Infocomm Media Development Authority's (IMDA's) effort in running human capital programmes. I would like to know what outcomes have we achieved so far and how does the Ministry measure the immediate and long-term success of the programmes. Do the new jobs and skills trained match well? For individuals with no Infocomm technology (ICT) background, are there programmes in place to help them make the career switch? If there are, what is the success rate so far?”
“There is now a direct flight from Singapore to Warsaw and, recently, we have had high-level political exchanges with Russia, Turkey and Romania. I also note that Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis announced his intention to reopen the Czech Embassy in Singapore during his visit in January. It would appear we are gaining momentum. Given these conditions, how is Singapore continuing to engage the emerging economies in Central and Eastern Europe?”
“China and the US are in the midst of a protracted trade war. These two countries are the world's two largest economies. The Clash of the Titans has disrupted the global economy, with rounds of negotiation, deadlines, headlines and all. Institutions like WTO are coming under attack, and politicians in many countries are unfortunately attributing the cause of their countries’ domestic problems to free trade. There is a surge in protectionism and anti-globalisation in much of the developed world. These will spell trouble for Singapore. Should multilateralism decline or fail, we risk being at the mercy of bigger countries. Trade is Singapore’s lifeblood. In this challenging environment, what can Singapore do to uphold the open rules-based multilateral trading system? And as multilateralism come under threat, we should look to other emerging markets for new opportunities. Engaging Central and Eastern Europe Central and Eastern Europe are a rapidly growing region, with GDP growth significantly higher than the average in the European Union (EU). Last year, of the 12 EU members forecast to grow by 3% or more, nine were Central and Eastern European countries. Romania’s GDP growth, for instance, hit 6.9% in 2017, though this figure fell to an estimated 4% last year, which is nonetheless significant. As a country whose lifeblood is trade and connectivity, Singapore should always be on the lookout for opportunities to build new economic ties and strengthen existing ones. The economic potential of Central and Eastern Europe should not remain untapped. Over the last year, we deepened our relationships with several Central and Eastern European countries.”
“People must be at the heart of our Smart Nation efforts. Solution should deal with only modern problems to make urban living easier for our people. These could include transportation, energy efficiency, public safety, public health, citizen engagement, privacy and cybersecurity. A Smart Nation needs to succeed. We need to solicit citizens' and businesses' buy-in. Benefits have to be real for them to believe in it. Hence, designing solutions to be citizen- or user-centric is imperative. In Estonia, the use of X-Road by its government offered much benefit to its citizens making life easier at every level and at engendering support for and trust towards its smart government. It is estimated that X-Road saves more than 820 years of working time for the state and its citizens annually. Secure digital identity (ID) also enables Estonians to complete transactions efficiently and securely. When a child is born, for example, the hospital enters the information in its database that is linked to the National Population Register. The information is shared automatically with various government systems that then ensure the child receives social benefits, such as healthcare and education. Given our aspirations and the experiences of other countries, how would the Government ensure that services are citizen-centric? While it is the Government's plan to make its services more data-driven and anticipatory, what more can citizens and businesses expect to benefit from our Smart Nation efforts? 3.15 pm Personal Data with Public Agencies”
“It could be as simple as a neighbour running to a senior's house to help fix that remote control that he or she failed to operate to switch on their favourite television (TV) show. We have so many people, so much resources within the community. If we are all able to come together to work hand-in-hand, we can multiply our efforts and do so much more to make our community and Singapore a better place for everyone. In fact, I would say that regardless of whether it is just the Government working alone or together as a community, regardless of what role we are playing, at the end of the day, it is about the people we feel for. It is about the bonds that we forge, the hearts we touch and the lives we make a difference to. Therefore, I hope that Singaporeans will see this and Budgets past and future not just as Government or Parliamentary business, but as collective, decisive moves to prepare ourselves for the future. I hope Singaporeans will step up and contribute as well with our ideas, voices and energies. Let us, together, ensure that Singapore continues to thrive and be truly inclusive and caring. With that, I support the Budget.”
“I would like to end with a reminder that building the future Singapore is the job for all Singaporeans, not just the Government and, certainly, not just the Minister for Finance. To be sure, the Government plays a critical role in improving the lives of our people. It keeps Singapore secure and the economy humming along. On social issues, only the Government has the resources to mount a major move like the MGP. But the Government does not have the sole responsibility or the best ideas all the time. Nor can the Government alone solve all the challenges that we face. We operate in an increasingly complex environment. We face macroeconomic uncertainties, geopolitical instability, rapid social change and game-changing technological innovations. Government action alone is inadequate to the task of navigating a safe journey for all Singaporeans into the future. In our daily lives, we see many examples in our community of how different people, different organisations and different parties coming together to support our people, our residents, our seniors. I have a resident called Mdm Aisyah. She is about 66 years old. Recently, her sister passed away and so she is staying alone in a rental flat. But with the help from the Government, monthly financial assistance, as well as support from the Sallim Mattar Mosque where she goes for her Koran studies periodically every week, she is very meaningfully engaged in our community. So, even as she lives alone, there are many helping hands available to help her. The voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), the mosque, our grassroots leaders, through our programmes, outreach and befriending, she is now a very happy senior living in Macpherson. There are many other examples as well. Sometimes, help need not be in a big way.”
“Therefore, we need to invest more in public education to inoculate our people against the poison of fake news and radicalism; we need to redistribute resources more to reduce the gaps; we need to create opportunities and empower our people to participate in the community more. Thirdly, supporting our youths better. Our youths are our future. They will lead Singapore into our next bound. It is important that they see Singapore as the place where they can achieve their dreams, whatever they may be. Our youths want to make Singapore and the world a better place. They have their own idea of what this means and they are taking steps to do this. Many believe in environmental causes and have mobilised and pushed on various projects, for example, promoting renewable energy sources and getting rid of straws and other one-use plastics. Others believe in building a fairer, more equitable society and they contribute their energy and time to help the poor and vulnerable in society. These are all commendable efforts. It is important that our Budget set aside enough financial resources annually to go into supporting the priorities and efforts of our youths, as well as in mentoring them and developing their talents so that, in time, they will be able to lead Singapore to a new level. We must remember to invest to benefit Singaporeans of tomorrow, just as we have benefited from the investments made by our PG and MG. I believe our constant effort to imagine our future, to find the next big thing in Singapore that will excite our people, to strengthen communities for a strong and united nation and to support our young in their development and endeavours will have far reaching effects. These will require our constant attention and consistent investment by our Government.”