Vivian Balakrishnan
Singapore
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not issue advisories on wait times at overseas airports. Travellers may wish to monitor airline and airport websites, as well as news reports for real-time information on wait times and potential disruptions at specific airports.”
“When the conflict in the Middle East deteriorated and commercial flights were halted in March 2026, the Singapore Government mounted four repatriation flights from Muscat, Riyadh and Jeddah to bring stranded Singaporeans home.”
“The Government has stepped up public engagement to explain our foreign policy fundamentals and responses to key international developments to Singaporeans and to hear their views. We do this through dialogue sessions across segments of society, including students, youths, businesses and community leaders.”
“And the larger point during the Committee of Supply was that precisely, because the world is in such a difficult, prickly, volatile and dangerous state, actually, if we keep our wits about ourselves, we maintain unity and we continue to have this clear eye-realistic, but principled, approach, there are many opportunities for Singapore.”
“Well, in short, I completely agree with you. And that is why we have indeed been hosting these events and in your own capacity as a national athlete and also as an official now, you have seen how it works in practice.”
“Since 2022, about half of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) employees are women. The proportion of women in senior appointments has remained stable at about a quarter. We recognise that overseas postings are disruptive for officers with families, especially female officers who bear greater caregiving responsibilities.”
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“Those are valuable clarifications. In an ideal world, where you have unlimited social workers, you can assign one social worker for every person or every family that needs assistance. I have said, during my earlier speech, that there is still a lack of social workers and what we will focus on is to expand the pipeline and training facilities, as well as recruiting more social workers. As that improves, maybe, at some point, we may reach the stage where each family will know which social worker is assigned for him specifically. But right now, on the ground, the main therapy point for families are the Family Service Centres. They are scattered throughout the island, and each family in need should be able to make contact, on a regular basis, with that particular Family Service Centre. The other point on ease of access, we have a many-helping-hands model. So, today, the person can go and see Mr Chiam, Mr Seetoh Yi Pin, the CCC Chairman, the self-help groups, Family Service Centres. There is a whole host of agencies out there. We had to think through this, whether we should have a multiplicity of agencies or just a single portal where, whenever one needs help, just call one number or go to one agency. We have decided to adopt a many-helping-hands approach, many open doors, but no wrong door, policy, which means you can make contact with whoever you are most comfortable with. Having said that, whoever makes the first contact needs to be able to access all the other agencies which can provide assistance.”
“Let me first handle the question of land cost. Social enterprises are meant to be viable businesses in their own right. So I want to emphasise that there must be a level playing field. We cannot give social enterprises rent-free or subsidised rental, and for them to compete unfairly against the SMEs and other legitimate businesses. I am acutely aware as the Minister-in-charge of Entrepreneurship that we must have a level playing field. So, there cannot be special arrangements like that which would confer an unfair advantage. However, we can give some help in terms of networking, seeking approvals from authorities and providing some seed fundings. But, I just want to make the point that it must be fair competition. The second point on whether the six weeks include the processing time or the disbursement of money, I think this is a moving target. Our objective is to make it as responsive and as expedient as possible. But, having said that, let me remind him that one of the key features of ComCare was to give flexibility to the CCCs, the grassroots organisations on the ground, to provide urgent, short-term interim help, and they do not need to wait for the CDC to finish processing the application before they receive help. I do not have the figures on the 51,000. We will revert to him on that later on.”
“Sir, we have made progress but there is too much we can do to develop the disability sector in order to meet the needs of the disabled and help them to integrate. We need to address the critical manpower shortage through better training and greater recruitment efforts. We need to improve the cost-efficiency and effectiveness of the programmes. We need to cut waiting times, shorten the queues. And we need to strive for transparency in fee structures, standards of services and effectiveness of outcomes. There is much to be done, but I assure Members of this House that the commitment is there, increasingly the funding is there, now we only have to get ourselves organised. My Minister of State will cover more details on ComCare. 12.30 pm”
“To date, 1,100 people with disabilities have engaged in sheltered workshop employment provided by VWOs. The ComCare Enterprise Fund has also committed $840,000 to seven projects which have generated employment for the disabled. Since 2003, Bizlink, a VWO co-funded by MCYS and NCSS, has helped some 760 persons with disabilities to find jobs in the open market. Employment must be based on merit this is what the disabled want and what the disabled need. Yet, we know that there are some employers who will shy away from hiring a disabled because of fear about the costs of modifying the workplace to suit the disabled. To address this, the WDA and MCYS will pilot a Job and Workplace Redesign Scheme for employers who hire persons with disabilities. We will fund up to $520,000 over the next two years for this scheme. The money will help defray the additional costs incurred by companies to embark on workplace modifications. It will cover job modification, such as workflows and work processes as well. These enhancements will be capped at $100,000 per redesign project. Under this scheme, there will also be 90% funding for the actual cost of leasing or the purchase of equipment and making infrastructural modifications. And I hope the employers will make good use of this scheme, and take that additional bold step to give opportunities for people with disabilities. We will also use the $2 million Assistive Technology Fund (ATF) to further help the disabled. To answer Dr Warren Lee, $250,000 from the ATF has since benefited 126 children and adults by making assistive technology affordable to them. We have also piloted an Assistive Technology Centre (ATC) to engage in research and development, and the procurement of these devices for the disabled.”
“These initiatives allow children, whether they are able or disabled, to be friends with each other and to play with each other from a young age. MOE has also announced a new initiative yesterday called Project SEAL (Sustained Early Assistance for Learning). And MOE will work with 10 neighbourhood kindergartens to identify children with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. Now, we move on to schools. Dr Chong Weng Chiew s point was about boosting education opportunities for the disabled. In 2004, the Ministry of Education set aside $55 million a year till 2008 to enhance the educational prospects and opportunities for children with disabilities. This additional funding was to improve the quality of Special Education schools by enabling them to recruit better qualified teachers, provide training for the existing teachers and improve the curriculum. This funding is also provided to designated mainstream schools so that there will be over time a pool of dedicated staff with training in special education, and this will provide a combination of in-class support, as well as specialist intervention for children with physical disabilities and hearing impairment in mainstream schools. My Ministry also has the Community Integration Support (CIS) programme which spends over $1 million a year on this programme. To date, some 310 students have benefited from this programme. They have shown good results, integrated into schools, have full PSLE passes and indeed nine students passed their ˜O level this year. This is money well spent. Let me move on to the second point raised by Dr Chong Weng Chiew and this touches on employment for people with disability. Our motto here is succinct: Disabled does not mean Unable.”
“However, no single stakeholder, even the Government, will ever have sufficient resources to meet every need and everyone out there. Needs and wants are infinite. Resources are limited. We therefore need a many-helping-hands model in order to make the overall pie grow and to help the disabled. By this, I mean the Community Chest, voluntary welfare organisations and members of the public must play their part to making this come about. Families and persons with disabilities too also need to do their part and this is where they need to contribute according to their ability. We also need to make the best use of limited resources. This means channelling them into areas where it really makes a difference to the lives of the disabled and hopefully enable as many of them to become self-reliant as possible, and we want to make sure that they will be able ultimately to contribute back to society. But financial figures and strategies hardly begin to describe the progress that we have made with the disabled. So, let me just take you through the life course of a person with disability in Singapore. We have today nine centres for the Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC), from just three centres in 2003, today, it is nine. This will provide early intervention at therapy services for children from birth up to the age of six. Since January this year, PCF Punggol School Kindergarten has also tied up with the Autism Resource Centre to pilot a one-year pilot scheme which will take in some autistic children from the EIPIC Programme. Today, we have 18 childcare centres island-wide that care for special needs children alongside their peers.”
“I understand that the Jurong West Sports Complex already has ramps for access into the teaching pool and even the jacuzzi pools, and these are facilities which are popular, especially with our seniors. On top of the Family Pass initiative by the SSC, the People s Association will also review all the current schemes and activities in order to promote such multi-tier family activities. Sir, we can look forward to a bright future as Singapore ages. It will be one built upon strong families and active seniors. While we can put in place the infrastructure, policies, programmes and services, it will ultimately be up to each of us, seniors and young, to play our part to complete this picture and to ask to remain active and young in spirit, regardless of age. Sir, let me now move on to disabilities. Our vision for an inclusive nation must certainly mean that the disabled will be integrated into the mainstream, wherever possible. This means studying, working, living, moving around us and being cared for, just like any one of us. This is our goal. Have we arrived? The answer is not yet. But have we made progress? The answer is yes. This is the essence of Dr Warren Lee s question. Let me share with the House the significant steps that had occurred over the last few years, in addressing this need by the people with disabilities. Over the last five years, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and my Ministry have spent close to $350 million for people with disabilities. My Ministry alone increased our budget seven-fold from $5.4 million in 1999 to $35.1 million this year. This affirms in a very tangible way our commitment to people with disabilities.”
“According to the 2005 National Survey of Senior Citizens, which was commissioned by my Ministry, more than 70% of seniors interviewed still talk to their children every day and close to 70% will discuss important matters with their children. You wish it is 100%, but 70% is still quite good. The 2003 HDB Household Sample Survey showed that 64% of seniors either live in the same flat or in the same estate, or in an adjacent estate to their children. The same survey found that seniors ranked family life No. 1, in terms of personal satisfaction, out of 16 other items which included things like housing, transport and public security. But we can do more to achieve a consistent, holistic family-centric, inter-generational approach in our policies, programmes and projects. For this reason, I full endorse the CAI s recommendation to introduce Family Passes so that the entire multi-tier family can use our sports facilities at concessionary rates. It is a simple but very concrete step that seniors should use sports facilities to keep fit but also to do so collectively with their families. So with one pass, we can achieve both aims: activities for seniors and family togetherness. And I hope other institutions and public attractions will also consider introducing such multi-tier extended Family Passes. But we will do so in all Singapore Sports Council s (SSC) facilities for a start, and this will include swimming pools, gymnasiums, badminton, tennis and squash courts. And this ties in neatly with our commitment to ensure that all public sports facilities will be senior-friendly by 2010.”
“I think Mr Sin Boon Ann, Mr Ang Mong Seng and Mr Wee Siew Kim will also agree with his advice when they called for seniors, in their speeches yesterday, to have more opportunities to be more active. The CAI recommended that we set up a $10 million GO! Fund (Golden Opportunities Fund) to promote active ageing through activities run by seniors for seniors. I have decided to double this. We will put $20 million into this fund and will let the seniors conceive, organise and execute these projects. The GO! Fund will provide seed funding for seniors as they bring these projects beyond what is in their minds and beyond just plans into actually executing them on the ground. There will be an element of co-funding because we want community ownership of the projects, and this is an essential ingredient for success and sustainability. I see the GO! Fund also helping budding entrepreneurs, old and young, to kickstart the silver industry in recreation, leisure and third age pursuits. They may do feasibility studies or product customisation, with inputs from seniors as consultants and potential customers. If the pilot projects succeed, our seniors will benefit but, more important than that, we would have added another dimension to our economy, the silver or the golden economy. Let me now move on to strong families. Our needs, priorities and roles would change as we move on in life. But one thing remains constant. Our family will always be our core reason for being. What we reap in our golden years really depends on what we invest in our families now. Mr Sin Boon Ann and Dr Chong Weng Chiew have quite rightly emphasised the need for strong family and inter-generational ties. My Ministry has found that family and inter-generational relationships are still generally strong and healthy.”
“15 pm The CAI pushed a bold plan to make Singapore an 'Accessible City' to all. Let me assure Dr Ong Seh Hong that seniors and the disabled will be able to move around the island seamlessly. And parents with young children will also gain from the changes that we will make. As I myself will be pushing a pram for my baby in a couple of months time, I can assure this House that the agencies involved will be receiving feedback directly from me too. Our seniors will also find diverse housing options for them, with the option to monetise their assets. They will have community-based healthcare, accessible, reachable and convenient for them which is, as the Ministry of Health has illustrated, the need for better ways of working using the family physician as the primary focus of delivery. I think this is an idea which I am sure Dr Lily Neo will support. Having said that, accessibility, housing, healthcare, whilst vital, are essentially means to an end. At the end of the day, what brings fulfilment in the lives of seniors must be the ability to age graciously and have full and active life for as long as they can do so. And we believe that seniors must be empowered to embark on pursuits which give them this sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. In a recent Straits Times interview, Mr Chan Chee Seng, former MP for Jalan Besar and, in fact, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Social Affairs, which is the predecessor of my Ministry, said that we need to get older people to 'take control of their own lives' and involve them in seeking solutions to problems. He also urged us, the Government, to tap on the experience of this group. I think this is very, very wise advice from my predecessor. And I have decided to accept and act on his advice.”
“We will provide seed funding for these social enterprises and we will help create a conducive environment for them to grow and flourish. If there are regulatory obstacles, we will definitely help to smooth them away. My MOS will provide further details on all these initiatives as well as give an update on ComCare s key achievements later. Let me now turn our attention to the issues we face as an ageing society. Singapore will experience a fundamental demographic shift over the next 24 years. Today, 8% of our population are aged 65 and over. But by 2030, 20% or one in every five Singaporeans will fall into this category. The Report by the Committee on Ageing Issues (CAI), therefore, is very timely and it quite rightly highlights the key thrusts that we need to take now and not wait for the two decades to elapse. Our goals are to enable seniors to lead a healthy, fulfilling and meaningful life. The CAI correctly concluded that we will need to tackle five critical aspects. These are housing, accessibility, healthcare, employment and social integration. Of the 39 recommendations that the CAI put forth, 15 have been or are in the process of being implemented as we speak. The other 24 have been accepted, in principle, by the Government and we will get to them in due course. My Ministry is responsible for 17 of these proposals. So I will certainly owe this House an update at an appropriate time. Members can refer to the Government s responses to all these recommendations at Annex 4 of our file. My colleague, Dr Maliki Osman, who is co-chair of the CAI, will go into the detailed recommendations as well as answer questions later on. But let me briefly illustrate how the CAI s vision will shape our present and, more importantly, our future. 12.”
“But let me remind Members that this quantum is over and above the $150 subsidy per child that we are already providing for working mothers whose children attend such centres. As announced by the Prime Minister, we will also set up a $2 million Opportunity Fund which will be distributed to the self-help groups. The Opportunity Fund can be used to provide educational assistance for children from low-income families. Next, under the Home Ownership Plus Education Scheme (HOPE), we will liberalise the eligibility criteria so that more families will be eligible. We expect that these enhancements will benefit some 1,000 families over the next three years. And I would like to remind Members of this House that each package is worth up to $100,000 per benefiting family. An Appeals Committee, chaired by my Minister of State, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, will provide flexibility in administering this scheme, especially in borderline cases. We will also spend $30 million to help people go out to work, and to become self-reliant through the MCYS' Workfare package. We expect that this will reach 2,200 families per year through these initiatives. Let me now move on to social enterprises, a subject which was covered by Miss Penny Low and Mr Sin Boon Ann. They have quite rightly recommended exploring a larger role for social enterprises in Singapore. I agree with them. Community and charity organisations can explore ways to create sustainable business models which will do two things firstly, hopefully, generate jobs for the beneficiaries; and secondly, provide an alternative revenue stream for charities rather than to be totally dependent upon the charity dollar.”
“In fact, the other thing that we are going to have to study much more carefully is the role of the extended family, particularly in so far as it relates to singles. More resources will be devoted to the younger generation to help them break out of the poverty cycle. Over the next two years, $70 million will be spent on programmes for children and youth from needy families. We expect to reach out to more than 12,000 children per year, as well as programmes which target the family as a whole. This is the surest way, the only sustainable way, to break out of the poverty trap. Under the Kindergarten Financial Assistance Scheme (KiFAS), we have increased the maximum monthly subsidy from $50 to $65 per month for children from low income families with effect from January this year. Over and above this, we will now provide a start up grant of up to $200 for needy families with young children to help them offset expenditure on items such as textbooks, school uniforms and the one-time deposit which some centres charge. If even more help is needed I think all the PAP MPs in this House know the community organisations like the PAP Community Foundation (PCF) will step in to take up the slack. Mr Chairman, the point is I can now assure this House that there is no reason for any child not to attend pre-school. Finance is not the limiting factor. What we need is outreach and to persuade those parents to send their children to kindergartens. We will also increase the childcare subsidy for the first and second child under the Enhanced Centre-based Financial Assistance for Childcare (CFAC) scheme. There will be new subsidy caps ranging from $200 to $300, depending on the family s household income.”
“Our efforts in Workfare illustrate our approach to provide targeted and sustained assistance to those who need it, but doing so in a way which emphasises the necessity for work. ComCare illustrates our flexibility in delivering social assistance by involving grassroots organisations, self-help groups and VWOs. Thus, we can ensure that help is provided quickly, precisely and in a targeted way, and yet has enough flexibility to make sure that when there are cases on the borderline or cases which would otherwise fall into the cracks, the system is flexible enough to address their needs. In line with this approach, ComCare will support the Workfare package which was recommended earlier by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Low Wage Workers by augmenting social support in order for two things to occur: for parents to go out to work and for children to have a better educational environment, whether this environment is in kindergartens, childcare centres, or before-or-after school care. We will be committing a sum of $100 million over the next two years on programmes to help needy families. As Dr Lily Neo suggested, we will adopt a family-centric model in delivering assistance. I acknowledge Dr Warren Lee s point that changing family dynamics, decreased fertility, rising singlehood and an ageing society and the very real possibility of children working overseas for extended period of time, will place our model of the family being the first line of support under strain. But the response, surely, cannot be for the state to step in to be the surrogate family. On the contrary, we need to emphasise the mutual responsibilities that each and every family member has to each other, regardless of where they are in the world.”
“Members will recall that we very successfully hosted the 117th session of the International Olympic Council. So it has been a busy year. Let me refer Members now to the next document in the file, which lists the key initiatives that my Ministry will pursue in the year ahead. Our special priorities this year are to focus on the less well off; to empower and integrate seniors and the disabled into mainstream society; and to restore public confidence in charities and voluntary welfare organisations. Mr Chairman, there are four basic principles that undergird all the programmes that you can see in there. First, we must never have a permanent, unconditional needs-based welfare system. We must not have this not because we lack sympathy but because this is the road to ruin and it is not sustainable. People who argue for a permanent unconditional needs-based welfare system are harkening back an ideology which was implemented 60 years ago, and has now reached the end of the road, and you can see that in Europe. Second, our social assistance packages will therefore be low on entitlements but high on flexibility. We need that flexibility to ensure that no one falls through the cracks in such a low entitlement system. Third, we must focus on children because they are our future. And, fourth, we will help people by empowering them to help themselves. That is why you can see in all our programmes, for instance, in public assistance, we are so strict on eligibility criteria. Only those who really cannot work and have no family are eligible for public assistance. We want to foster this sense of self-reliance so that Singaporeans will still feel the need to strive and work hard for a better life, and for each of us to take responsibility for our own lives.”
“, which provides a brief summary of our key initiatives and projects that we undertook last year. The most prominent among them, obviously, was ComCare. This was launched on 28th June last year. In the six months from July to December 2005, it reached out to 51,000 families and children, and disbursed some $23.4 million. It was a tangible form of our commitment to ensure that no one would be left behind. It was also a working model of flexibility and decentralisation, highlighting particularly the role of the grassroots organisations and the expanding role of the Community Development Councils in the provision of social services. The Committee on Ageing Issues completed its review and submitted 39 major recommendations to the Government, and you all have heard our Prime Minister say that all these recommendations have been accepted in principle. And over the course of the last few weeks, you have heard how the various Ministries are actively working on implementing these recommendations. For people with disabilities, we increased the subsidies for assistive technology, and established a specialised Assistive Technology Centre for the Disabled. We set up a one-stop Disability Information and Resource Centre. We established two therapy hubs for seniors and the disabled so that they have access to affordable rehabilitation therapy. Moving on to babies, we enhanced the Parenthood Package by introducing greater flexibility in the schedule for co-savings, and liberalised the use of the Baby Bonus. We moved on to implement the recommendations that arose from an earlier youth consultation exercise. As you can see in the list and that list is not exhaustive numerous youth-related projects were conceived, led and implemented by young Singaporeans themselves.”
“Mr Chairman, I thank the Members for their speeches and ideas that they shared with us yesterday. Mr Sin Boon Ann is absolutely right when he identifies building a cohesive and resilient society is and will be a central preoccupation for us as a nation. This is going to be work-in-progress and it is going to be for the long haul. To paraphrase Mr Sin, we must not allow resentment, jealousy and a sense of alienation to divide us even if globalisation and the free market economy increase income inequality. I believe the key pre-requisites for us remaining as one united people are, firstly, to ensure that opportunities are available to all, regardless of race or parentage, in order to maximise his or her potential; secondly, to ensure that there remains social mobility in a fair and just system; thirdly, that we will share in the fruits of success (with more provided for those who are less well off); and, lastly, perhaps just as important, that those who are more successful feel an instinctive reflex to help the rest of society. This is a multi-faceted challenge which requires a multi-pronged approach. In this context, the delivery of social assistance is just one part of a larger whole. During last year s COS debate, my Ministry had two key themes: first, to ensure that no one is left behind so that we can all move ahead as one nation; and second, to nurture the family and community relationships that give each of us happiness, fulfilment and a sense of significance, and ultimately bind us to this place called Singapore. I would like to refer Members to the first document in the folder that we circulated [Copies of document circulated to hon. Members]. The first part is entitled Key Achievements in 2005 ?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2006/2007, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of hon. Members present to move that progress be now reported and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow?”
“The Member is absolutely right. This is not something which will happen overnight. That is why I said this has to be a multi-agency effort. In order to double the tourist arrivals, in order to lengthen the length of stay, we will need many more hotel rooms. But frankly, this is a good problem to have. It is much better to have a problem where I have a shortage of hotel rooms, and we have to ask URA to see whether there are more sites available or, indeed, to increase the intensity on development in those sites so that we can have those hotel rooms. There are also other innovative solutions. As she has said, there are some people who are using homestay as an option. There will also be further spin- offs to hotels and places of residence around Singapore, outside Singapore as well , the use of ships, berths, in the national waters around Singapore. There have to be many more innovative ideas on how to house them. But the more important point is whether you are going to say that because we do not want so many tourists in Singapore, we turn our backs from an economic opportunity which is expanding right in front of our eyes. My attitude is this is too good a thing to turn away from. Let us find a way, sensitively, rationally and innovatively to tap into this opportunity without, at the same time, losing the greenery and security - the very reasons that bring people to Singapore in the first place. We will do this sensitively. Government-linked Companies”
“I am certainly not an expert in the Chinese Language, and I can assure the Member that STB does not rely on me to vet their translations. Having said that, one mistake is one too many and we will have to do our best to ensure that this does not happen again. The point I want to make is that I can never guarantee that there will be no mistakes in the future. But I would rather have a situation where we are making our best efforts to ensure that we translate material accurately and that it conveys interesting messages to tourists and also to our locals who read that material. I would like to thank Members of the House who, from time to time, if they see any error in our signboards, brochures, publicity materials or things on television, let us know, and we will fix it.”
“Under reasonable circumstances and at the request of the patron, the casino operator should also assist the patron to stay away from other gambling facilities and gambling organisations. I earnestly hope the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs will consider and adopt the suggestions that I have put forward.”
“I suggest that the National Council on Problem Gambling should actively promote and implement self exclusion orders to allow citizens and permanent residents of Singapore to voluntarily make an application for himself/herself. Those persons who know that they have problem gambling behaviour or inclination can apply for a self exclusion order without having to make such an application through their family members. In this way, unintended consequences, such as family violence or strained relationships, can be prevented. A person who has problem gambling behaviour or inclination will not have to go into the casino premises to apply for a self exclusion order as they can now apply from the National Council on Problem Gambling. Finally, in Part XI, Division 4, clause 120 allows the casino operators to bar certain persons from entering the casino premises, and provide self exclusion facility to patrons. I suggest that the clause should require the casino operators to actively promote self exclusion facility to their patrons who exhibit problem gambling behaviour or inclination. Based on the patron's requirements and request, if the patron requests to be barred from entering the casino or using certain gambling facilities within a specified period, the casino operator should inform this patron of the availability of the self exclusion facility; and provide materials and information on the self exclusion facility, including the steps and procedures involved, the documents to be submitted in the application, as well as problem gambling supporting and counselling agencies and the methods of contacting such agencies.”
“The Committee has the power to set up a hearing, and summon witnesses to provide evidence. However, if the respondent does not agree with the decision made by the Committee, he can even appeal to the Council. If the family member is not able to provide concrete evidence, detailed information and relevant documents, and is unable to find a person to substantiate his/her claims and complaints against the gambler, as the person may not be willing to attend the hearing as a witness for fear of offending the respondent, does this mean that this family member would not be able to bar the respondent from entering the casino premises? I hope the Council will simplify this process of the application for the family exclusion order. As the Chinese saying goes: "Even an honest magistrate finds difficulty in resolving family disputes." Will the Committee be able to effectively execute its duty, considering that every application for a family exclusion order will, to some degree, involve some family problems? For example, a female MP once told me that she has encountered a case of a lady applying for a Personal Protection Order against her husband. When this lady was beaten by her husband, she vowed to apply for a PPO against her husband. However, a few days later, she came lovingly, hand-in-hand with her husband, to cancel the PPO application! Application for exclusion from casino premises should not be restricted only to family members. The gambler should be allowed to voluntarily make an application for himself/herself. Since the announcement of the draft Bill and final Bill, the media seems to only focus on reporting family exclusion orders, many people are not aware of the provision for voluntary self exclusion orders in clause 165.”
“Firstly, in most families in Singapore, the children spend a lot of time alone with the domestic maid at home as both parents have to work, and the gambling habit of the maid may affect the values of the children. Secondly, if these maids run into huge debts due to their gambling and borrow from the loan sharks, these loan sharks may go to the employer's house to harass the employer's family and demand payment, and this will cause unnecessary inconvenience to the families. Part X, clauses 157 to 165 provide the steps for family members of gamblers to apply for family exclusion orders from the National Council on Problem Gambling. The clause states that after the casinos have been set up, the family member of a problem gambler who has neglected his/her family due to gambling activities can apply for family exclusion order from the National Council on Problem Gambling, to bar the gambler from entering the casino premises. The respondent has the right to object to the application made by his/her family member. The family member of a gambler can make an application and state the period of the exclusion if this gambler has, over a period of more than three months, engaged in gambling activities irresponsibly having regard to the needs and welfare of his/her family members, or for a period of less than three months but has caused such serious harm prior to the application. The Committee will hear and determine the applications for family exclusion orders. The respondent is allowed to make an appeal to the Council. In clauses 157 to 162, I have a few points to raise. The process of application for a family exclusion order appears to be overly complicated. For every application, the Council will appoint a three-man committee to hear and determine this application.”
“If we allow these students with student visas to go to the casino, it may affect their studies and some may not even finish their studies here. One Member mentioned in Parliament yesterday that we can allow the parents of these foreign students to apply for exclusion order for their children. I feel that this proposed measure will not have much effect, as a lot of time the parents of these students are living in their home countries and will not know what their children are doing in Singapore, and many of them who are above 21 years no longer come under the care and control of their parents. So I think all those who are on student visas in Singapore should be banned from entering the casino premises. The second group is those foreign workers who work as domestic maids in Singapore. I hope the Government can consider banning them from entering the casino. Although the DPM said that the relevant Ministry had studied the practice in other countries when drafting this Bill, I think this is a problem that is unique to Singapore because many families in Singapore engage domestic maids and many of these foreign maids are above 21 years of age. They are certainly not very rich, otherwise they would not have come all the way here to work as domestic maids. Although the Ministry of Manpower has not mandated that all the maids should be given a day off every week, it encourages employers to allow these maids to take one day off per week. These maids can make use of their off-day to visit the casino instead of congregating in Orchard Road area. Allowing these foreign maids to enter the casino will give rise to some serious problems.”
“I would like to propose that this clause should include consumption of drugs and drug trafficking as prohibited acts within the casino premises because, as currently, this clause does not include consumption of drugs and drug trafficking. Part VII prohibits persons below 21 years of age from entering casino premises. This clause empowers casino operators to request patrons to produce proof of age before allowing them to enter the casino premises. If the casino operator suspects that a person is a minor who is attempting to enter the casino premises, the casino operator can request this person to produce proof of age. This is not enough. I propose that the clause requires casino operators to perform compulsory checking of personal identification documents, allowing only persons above 21 years of age to enter the casino premises. Compulsory checking of age is necessary as some people look more mature than their actual age, while others can even masquerade to look older so as to enter the casino premises. This Bill has to include compulsory checking of age so as to mitigate the negative impact and minimise the harmful effects of gambling on youths. There are also two groups of people who should be prohibited from entering the casino premises. The first group is the foreign students who are in Singapore on a student visa. I hope the Government can consider banning them from entering the casino. Many foreign students with student visas are above 21 years of age, and are also not restricted by the entry levy. For example, in our universities, there are many research students who are on scholarship doing their Masters or PhD, and most of them are above 21 years of age.”
“Setting a maximum number of entries can prevent the hours of work from workplace and the productivity of citizens and permanent residents of Singapore from being affected by gambling activities, causing other economic sectors in Singapore to be affected. I urge the Minister to consider this suggestion. The annual membership fee with unlimited number of entries into the casinos can be kept, but with a higher fee imposed, eg, $5,000 or $10,000. Anyone who can afford such a high membership fee does not need to work and can well afford to spend all his time in the casinos. Thirdly, this clause states that casino operators cannot directly or indirectly reimburse the patrons the entry levy. This is a good regulatory measure. However, the Casino Regulatory Authority will face difficulties in the implementation of this regulatory measure. Casino operators can use many camouflaging methods, thus indirectly reimbursing the patrons. For example, casino operators can dish out drinks and food vouchers for use in the restaurants in the Integrated Resorts, door-gifts, hotel vouchers, etc. The casino operators can easily group these under part of their marketing strategy, and not violate any law. Hence, I would like to suggest that this clause should list out more precisely and in detail all the possible indirect methods that the casino operators should not use to reimburse the patrons the entry levy. Part VI, Division 5, clause 129 requires casino operators to take all appropriate steps to ensure that the employees, patrons and other persons within the casino premises do not commit (1) soliciting for purpose of prostitution or any other immoral purposes; (2) unlicensed money-lending or related activities; and (3) drunken, disorderly or riotous behaviour.”
“However, if we consider this clause in conjunction with clause 109, a loophole will surface. As I mentioned earlier, patrons who have paid the annual levy to enter the casinos have unlimited entries to the casinos. When these patrons lost all their cash, they can easily go to the ATMs located outside and near the casinos to withdraw cash and immediately return to the gambling tables to continue gambling. Hence, I would like to propose that a maximum number of entries be set for the annual membership, eg, a maximum number of 50 entries into the casinos per year. 50 entries per year is a reasonable limit, as members holding such annual membership will still be able to visit the casinos for almost every weekend of the year. Secondly, another more important issue is the effects of gambling on the patrons' working hours and productivity at work. The negative impacts on workers' productivity will cause problems in other economic sectors. Many social work researchers have reported that gamblers will lose certain numbers of work-hours, and even their jobs, due to gambling. A paper published in 2000 in the Gaming Research & Review Journal reported that the average gambler lost 7.5 hours of work a month in Wisconsin, USA, and 9.8 hours of work in Connecticut from the workplace, due to gambling activities. Another paper published in June 2005 in the International Gaming Studies Journal reported that in Ontario, Canada, among the 2,500 participants surveyed, an average 5.6% of the participants had unexplained absences from work due to problem gambling.”
“However, there can be ATMs all over the entire Integrated Resort. Casino operators can locate ATMs in close proximity to the gambling areas or even at the entrance of the gambling areas. This clause will affect those citizens and permanent residents of Singapore who pay the daily entry fee, as when they lose all the cash they have with them, they will not be able to immediately obtain cash so as to continue gambling. However, this clause has no effect on patrons who have paid their annual membership fee to enter the casinos, as they have unlimited entries into the casinos. When these patrons lost all their cash, they can easily go to the ATMs located outside or near the casinos to withdraw cash and immediately return to the gambling tables to continue gambling. Hence, it is inadequate to just prohibit casino operators from locating ATMs within the casino premises. I suggest that no ATMs be allowed to be installed in close proximity to the casinos, eg, within a radius of 100 metres and at the entrance to the casinos. This is a reasonable requirement. The Australia Queensland Voluntary Responsible Code of Practice introduced in 2002 clearly states that casino operators are not to locate ATMs in close proximity to gambling areas or at the entrance to the gambling areas. Part VI, Division 4, clause 116 requires citizens or permanent residents of Singapore to pay a daily entry fee of $100 or an annual membership fee of $2,000. Casino operators have to collect these entry levies and pay them to the Singapore Totalisator Board within the prescribed time for which it shall be used by the Board for public, social and charitable purposes in Singapore. I would like to raise three points with regard to this clause. Firstly, an annual membership fee of $2,000 is reasonable.”
“In Australia, the Adelaide Casino Responsible Gambling Code of Practice requires the casino operators to provide responsible gambling information to the patrons through prominently displaying responsible gambling materials, in the form of posters and pamphlets in five languages other than English. Part VI, Division 2, clause 108 states that the casino operators may provide credits to a person who is not a citizen or a permanent resident of Singapore. The casino operators may provide credit to a citizen or a permanent resident of Singapore who has maintained a deposit account with the casino operators with a credit balance of not less than $100,000. This stringent requirement is necessary to ensure that patrons will not be able to to obtain credit for gambling easily. A question to raise here is: should this stringent requirement of a $100,000 deposit also be applied to patrons who are foreigners to ensure that these foreign patrons will not be broke due to gambling, with no travel fund to return to their home country, thus illegally overstaying in Singapore leading to crimes and unnecessary social problems? Part VI, Division 2, clause 109 prohibits the casino operators from providing automated teller machines (ATMs) within the casino premises. This is to ensure that patrons will not be able to obtain cash easily, as when they lose money, there will be a tendency to go to ATM to obtain more cash to continue to gamble in the hope of winning back the losses, thus unable to stop gambling. However, this clause does not prohibit the installation of ATMs within a certain radius from the casinos. There is a Chinese saying that "at a certain place, there is gold everywhere". Of course, there would not be gold everywhere in the Integrated Resort for the patrons to pick.”
“This is a necessary measure as, very often, when too absorbed in gambling, the patrons will lose their sense of time, especially when they are losing money, causing them to indulge in gambling for excessively long periods of time. In Australia, the Queensland Responsible Gambling Code of Practice, the Victoria State Casino Operator Code of Practice, and the Adelaide Casino Responsible Gambling Code of Practice have rules that require the casino operators to ensure that the time of the day is prominently displayed throughout the gambling areas. Part VI, Division 2, clause 106 requires the casino operators to provide assistance to the patrons by providing them with copies of the rules for the games, advice and information concerning those rules, the permissible minimum and maximum wagers pertaining to the games and the odds of winning each wager. Although whether to gamble or not is the right and choice of the individuals, to make a responsible choice and decision, patrons have to be aware of the gambling products and the odds of winning for these various products. Hence, this clause is necessary as casino operators are duty bound to provide patrons with suitable information, so that patrons can make informed decisions on whether or not to gamble, based on their preference and situation. I would suggest that the casino operators provide such information in at least four languages, namely, English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, to the patrons. On providing information to the patrons, I would suggest that this clause should also require the casino operators to provide responsible gambling materials to the patrons, in at least four languages, informing the patrons of where to get help on problem gambling.”
“First, the definition of "special employees" in this Bill is somewhat vague. It does not state clearly whether other groups of supporting staff would also be governed by this restriction. The Bill should give a clearer definition of "special employee". The Bill should also state categorically the various groups of supporting staff, such as the cleaners, waiters and waitresses, etc, that should also come under this category. This can prevent undesirable people from being employed as supporting staff and infiltrate the casinos and thus leading to crimes. This can also ensure that the special employee licences will not be exploited by unlawful people, thus keeping the casinos free from criminal influence and illegal activities. Secondly, the section does not clearly state if a special employee can use his/her special employee licence to freely enter the casinos outside of his/her working hours, to participate in gambling activities. I would like to suggest that the Bill clearly spells out the restrictions on the use of the special employee licence. This can prevent the special employee licence from being abused by the employees to freely enter the casino to gamble and avoid paying the entry levy. Part VI, Division 1, clause 99 requires the casino layout to comply with the requirements prescribed by the Casino Regulatory Authority. I suggest that this clause should also require that the casino operators ensure that in the layout of the casinos, the time of the day is prominently displayed throughout the casinos, such as the use of large electronic displays, so as to let the patrons be aware of the passing of time.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the objective of the scholarships is to generate a cohort capable of performing high-level cutting-edge research. Having said that, as these outstanding individuals' career progresses, some may need to perform administrative and other leadership roles, but this is something which is after the fact and is not the primary objective of this scheme. CASINO CONTROL BILL Resumption of Debate on Question (13th February 2006), "That the Bill be now read a Second time." - [Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs]. Question again proposed. 2.16 pm Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in the debate on the Casino Control Bill. Yesterday, we had one round of debate. Today, I would like to reiterate a few points. First of all, I support the Casino Control Bill which makes provision for the regulation and control of casinos. But supporting this Bill does not mean that I support the opening of casinos. Since the Government has already decided to open casinos, the Government will have the duty to supervise the operations of the casinos. Last month in Parliament, DPM and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng introduced the Casino Control Bill that provides for a legal framework to regulate the gaming operations and casinos. I would like to highlight a few possible loopholes in this Bill as well as propose a few suggestions for the Deputy Prime Minister to consider. Part V specifies that all management staff and employees directly involved in the gambling activities must first of all apply to the Casino Regulatory Authority for a "special employee licence" before they can start work. The Authority would then investigate into the suitability of the applicants before the licence is issued.”
“I do not see the Community Chest being disadvantaged or necessarily limited because others are also doing fund-raising. This is not a zero-sum game and I see this as complementary. As I have said earlier, there are some donors who really do prefer to channel their funds to specific causes and specific VWOs which they have particular affinity to or are engaged for in the long-term. On the other hand, having a centralised alternative for less glamorous causes is a healthy balance. That is why I have decided not to be dogmatic but allow both options to apply. Ultimately, it is the donor public who, in a sense, vote with their money and it depends on the effectiveness of the VWOs to convince donors of the merits of their cause and to deliver good services to the beneficiaries. SINGAPORE MASS RAPID TRANSIT (SMRT) (Fare hikes) 8. Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for Transport whether it is justified for Singapore Mass Rapid Transit to demand for more fare hikes when it can register a 25.8% year-on-year increase in net profit of $30 million for the third quarter of FY2006.”
“Instead, what we have decided is that ComChest would continue to focus on critical and needed programmes, especially those which have less donor appeal, for instance, counselling and community based mental health programmes, as well as those run by smaller VWOs who may have more limited fund-raising capabilities, but nevertheless, are performing useful and critical roles in the social service sector. The Community Chest will also support new services in order to address emerging social needs in the community. More recently, the Community Chest has also been proactively advising donors on the social services and programmes that require greater support, even if some of these have not yet sought support from the Community Chest. ComChest has also become even more outcome-focused in its funding, meaning, we look at the real impact of the programmes on the beneficiaries, rather than on just the declared aims of the programmes. Nevertheless, I want to assure this House that the Community Chest will not turn away reasonable requests for funding effective and necessary social service programmes.”
“The Community Chest, or ComChest for short, is the fund-raising arm of the National Council of Social Service (NCSS). Its basic mission is to help the social service sector raise funds for critical programmes. It currently helps to raise funds for around 150 programmes run by more than 50 voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) each year. This has allowed the VWOs concerned to focus on delivering services to their beneficiaries rather than fund-raising per se. Through the generosity of individuals and organisations, the Community Chest has consistently raised over $40 million annually over the past few years. NCSS has a membership of more than 250 voluntary welfare organisations within the social service sector alone. Most, if not all of these VWOs do carry out some form of fund-raising for programmes which are not directly funded by the Community Chest. ComChest does not fund all the programmes offered by the VWOs as its role has evolved over time. When the Community Chest was first started, the objective was to relieve the VWOs from the burden of fund-raising by providing an option for centralised fund-raising. Over the years, however, many VWOs have been able to raise their own funds and prefer to do so because it helps them to promote their own causes to the community. One needs to remember that the fund-raising exercise is not just necessarily to raise funds, but also one of engagement with the community. Donors themselves have also, in some cases, expressed their preference to make direct donations to the VWOs concerned for the causes they had particular care for. Consequently, when both NCSS and my Ministry reviewed the role and functions of the Community Chest, we decided not to take a dogmatic approach.”
“Total number of disabled persons in Singapore There is no national data on the number of persons with disabilities in the population. MCYS has an ongoing study on persons with disability to better understand their level of functionality, and factors that affect their performance and capacity. This study would yield relevant information on how we can better assist persons with disabilities to integrate in society. As the study is in progress, the results are not yet available. Profile of persons with disabilities Types of disabilities There are generally four broad categories of disabilities: - Physical Disabilities - Sensory Impairment - Intellectual Disabilities (IQ<70) - Developmental Delays and Disabilities, eg, autism, dyslexia. Gender Persons with disabilities come from both genders. Age group Persons with disabilities span across all age groups. Causes of disability Disability can result from many reasons, including genetic origins, diseases and illnesses, and accidents. We do not have data on the proportion of the various types of disabilities due to different causes. Education levels There is no national data on the highest educational attainment of persons with disabilities. The ongoing MCYS survey on persons with disabilities mentioned earlier will provide more data of the respondents' education levels when it is completed. Employment Status and Annual Salaries Bizlink, the central job placement agency for persons with disabilities, had placed 759 persons* in open employment since 2003. The salary range is between $700 and $1,000 per month. Currently, there are also about 1,200 persons** with disabilities in sheltered employment. ______________________ * Data provided by Bizlink. ** Data provided by Bizlink. APPENDICES”
“The Assistive Technology Fund (or AT Fund) was launched in October 2003 to help persons with disabilities to purchase assistive devices, so as to help them integrate into society and be economically active. Early this year, my Ministry enhanced the scheme on the basis of feedback from beneficiaries and users of the Fund. As a result, low income applicants today receive a grant of up to 90% of the cost of assistive devices, instead of 75% previously. The National Council of Social Service (NCSS), which administers the Fund, would disburse the grant according to the financial needs of the applicant. Needy applicants who are unable to pay their share of the cost despite the subsidy can approach NCSS, which will look at each case based on its own merit. To-date, the grants under the AT Fund are sufficient for most persons with disabilities. Based on applications to date, the average cost of assistive technology devices is about $3,160. Only two out of the 122 cases required a grant that was near the $10,000 cap. NCSS is also setting up Assistive Technology Centres (ATCs) to help the disabled acquire affordable assistive technology devices. The ATCs will help the disabled with the procurement, training, maintenance, and after-sales support. To keep the technology affordable, the ATCs will work with the private sector in the research, development and marketing of affordable assistive technology devices. To-date, NCSS has set up one ATC at the Society for the Physically Disabled. It is looking to set up an additional centre for the hearing impaired by the end of 2006. Given these arrangements, we do not think it is necessary to review the $10,000 cap at this point in time. APPENDICES”
“I am pleased to inform Dr Ahmad that the construction of the Pasir Ris Sports Complex is currently scheduled to start in the second half of 2006 or early 2007, and it is expected to open to the public in 2009 or 2010, depending on the exact site that is chosen. My Ministry is currently in discussion with URA regarding the site. In addition to the Pasir Ris Sports Complex, my Ministry has also approved the construction of another Sports Complex in Bukit Panjang. It will be located along Petir Road. Works for the Bukit Panjang Sports Complex are expected to start in late 2006, and the facilities are expected to be opened in the first half of 2009. Each Sports Complex will have a Sports Hall, a Tennis Centre, as well as a swimming complex comprising a competition pool and a wading pool. We have plans to involve the private sector in designing and possibly managing the sports complexes, so as to introduce innovative operating concepts and programmes to draw in the crowds. With a comprehensive suite of sports facilities under one roof, residents can look forward to having a 'one-stop' sports experience in a convenient location. Column No : 2115 BASEMENT CARPARKS IN HDB ESTATES (Security measures) 31. Mr Wee Siew Kim asked the Minister for National Development in respect of basement carparks that are built in the newer HDB estates, (a) whether he can provide information on (i) the number of occurrences of minor and major crimes to persons and property in these basement carparks; (ii) the extent of feedback for more security measures to be implemented in these basement carparks; (b) what security measures have been implemented; and (c) what additional measures are being considered”
“These include Care Corner Toa Payoh, Fei Yue FSC, Moral FSC (Bedok North), PPIS Jurong FSC, The SBL Vision FSC, Sinda FSC, TRANS Centre Bedok, and the AWWA Family Service Centres. Column No : 2111 HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD FLATS (Reverse mortgage for the elderly) 26. Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for National Development if he will provide an update on the proposed plans for HDB to allow elderly home owners to do a reverse mortgage of their HDB flats to enable them to buy an annuity.”
“MCYS does not have statistics on individuals who make their living by collecting and selling cardboards and tin cans, or selling tissues, food items, etc, at MRT stations and other public places. The Ministry's Destitute Persons Service actively seeks out destitute Singaporeans to help them. Some of these destitute Singaporeans do sell tissues in public. However, the number is small. On the average, we get about five reports a year, of individuals selling tissues in public places. From 2002 to now, there were 21 such cases, of which our Destitute Persons Service managed to contact 12 cases. The rest were not sighted by our officers during our visits. Only five of the 12 cases contacted were above 60 years of age. Of these, three declined assistance from the Ministry. Not all Singaporeans who recycle cardboard, or tin-cans, or sell in public places are in financial need. Those who are financially needy can approach their Community Development Council or grassroots organisations for assistance. As I mentioned earlier, the Ministry will also help those we come across in the course of seeking out destitute Singaporeans. They may receive financial assistance or help in finding employment. Those who are homeless and have no means of support would be taken in to our welfare homes for destitute persons. These individuals also have the option of turning to VWOs. Currently, we do not have VWOs that actively seek out such individuals to offer them assistance. However, many VWOs such as the Family Service Centres (FSCs) do work closely with MCYS' Destitute Persons Service to provide help for needy individuals that the Service picks up.”
“The donating public can also showtheir support by acknowledging that it is reasonable for a portion of their donations to VWOs to go towards social worker and staff salaries, as part of the total cost of bringing much-needed services to the needy. APPENDICES”
“MCYS reviews the recurrent funding for the social service sector regularly. The Ministry is currently reviewing the compensation structure for social workers and other social service professionals, such as therapists, psychologists and associate professionals working in the social service sector. The review takes into account factors, such as changes in the operating environment, as well as the demand and supply of social service professionals. However, compensation is not the only factor that needs to be considered. MCYS adopts a holistic approach which takes into account other aspects, such as public education, training and development, as well as recognition of outstanding professionals. For example, MCYS works with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) to increase the awareness of social service professions through public education efforts, such as career talks in various junior colleges. The Voluntary Welfare Organisation (VWO) Capability Fund provides funding support for social service professionals to upgrade their professional skills and knowledge by going for training. To date, over 1,400 training places have been offered. The Outstanding Social Worker Award recognises outstanding social workers each year who are exemplary in their field of service. While the Government will continue to work with NCSS to help VWOs to attract and retain social workers, the VWOs as well as the donating public also play important roles. For many services, the social workers are the key channels for effective service delivery. VWOs need to attract talent to these jobs by paying adequately for the job.”
“However, the STF programme will continue to complement the YEP as the youth who go for the STF funded overseas exchange programmes will also be exposed to the possibilities for overseas volunteerism work. Column No : 1933 WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Column No : 1933 SINGAPORE EXCHANGE IT SYSTEMS (Tackling of problems) 1. Prof. Ivan Png Paak Liang asked the Senior Minister if he will explain the reasons for the recent complaints about the Singapore Exchange (SGX) IT systems, including the (i) slow service at the SGX website; and (ii) sudden reversion to the old SESOPS system from the new SGXTrade after just two months; and what measures have been taken to resolve the problems.”
“To date, about 9,000 youth have embarked on approximately 400 overseas projects for the Youth Expedition Project, or YEP. At the beginning of this year after the tsunami disaster, the YEP also funded 50 tsunami teams with about 600 youth, to contribute towards the rebuilding efforts in affected countries. The YEP continues to be an important national programme to build up a pool of self-confident youth volunteers who can contribute to the community both at home and abroad. The YEP has also been effective in building up the expertise of our youth organisations such as the Singapore International Foundation, or SIF, in planning and organising international volunteering projects for our youth. Going forward, we would want to enhance the YEP’s structure and processes to reach out to even more youth. To this end, the National Youth Council, or NYC, plays a critical role as it is already engaged in developing the youth sector. It has close links to youth organisations. Italso has the ability to drive sector-wide initiatives. Going forward, NYC will be the facilitator for the YEP. We will also enlarge the involvement of youth organisations, as a means to develop the youth volunteer sector. More details of the programme enhancements would be announced soon. As we enhance the YEP, we will continue to have an integral community service component. This distinguishes the YEP from the School Twinning Fund (STF). The STF programme is an educational programme which aims to increase the awareness of youth on regional and global situations. It does not require a community service component.”
“Mr Ong Kian Min asked the Minister for Transport whether he will consider adjusting the operating hours of the Electronic Road Pricing gantries located near Handy Road and after the YMCA International House, which demarcate the Orchard Road area from the rest of the Central Business District (CBD), so that motorists will not be charged when travelling from the Orchard Road area to the rest of the CBD and vice versa. 9. Mr Ong Kian Min asked the Minister for Transport whether evening peak period northbound traffic along the Central Expressway (CTE) and other trunk roads has improved following the implementation of evening Electronic Road Pricing along the northbound CTE and, if so, whether he can provide some measurement of the improvement.”
“In September this year, when I met 300 heads of charities, I was heartened to note that many of them had been proactively reviewing their internal processes in order to become more accountable and transparent todonors. The National Council of Social Services (NCSS) has alsobeen helping the VWOs to improve their governance and management through conducting training courses and providing consultancy support.The VWOs under NCSS have alsostarted discussions to explore thepossibility of peer review of the services that they are providingto their beneficiaries. The National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre is also stepping up efforts to educate the public so that they canmake informed decisions when donating their time or money. These areallinitiatives which we should welcome. On its part, the Government has set up an Inter-Ministry Committee just last month in order toexplore ways to optimise ourregulatory processes. This Committee willmake recommendations for a more streamlined, effective and efficient regulatory framework for charities and Institutions of Public Character. I would like to emphasise that, whilst doing all these, we do notwant to stifle the growth of a vibrant and active community. Self-regulation by the voluntary welfare organisationsis the preferred approach. In the light of this, ourpreference isto adopt a "light-touch" approach in regulating charities. Column No : 1794 ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING (Orchard Road and Central Expressway) 8.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in the light of recent incidents in the charity sector, the public has become more concerned about the integrity and efficacy of programmes run by the charity organisations. This, in itself, is not a bad thing, if it helps to bring about a culture of "informed giving" and, in turn, encourages charities to higher standards of transparency and accountability to their donors. I am glad to say that there is evidence to suggest that Singaporeans' trust in the charity sector and their willingness to help the less fortunate in our midst still remain high. Let me cite a few examples. Inthe President’s Challenge 2005, a noteworthy point is thatmost of its fund-raising activities occurredafter the NKF saga. Total donations to the President’s Challenge this year have reached more than $9.3 million so far. This is more than the $8.8 million that was raised last year. A number of Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) have also indicated that their fund-raising efforts have not been adversely affected. For example, in September, Tulips Heart Day, an event runby the Children’s Cancer Foundation, netted over $300,000, pretty much the same as what they achieved in 2004. More recently, the Singapore Cancer Society’s Charity Show 2005 received more than 180,000 calls and raised a total of $3.2 million, more than what it collected last year. I am very encouraged by these figures, and it shows that Singaporeans still carefor the well-being of the less fortunate in our society, and are stillprepared to donate generously to worthy causes. But our charities are notstanding still. They are drawing useful lessons from the recent developments.”
“The Singapore Motor Sports Association (SMSA) is currently exploring the possibility of developing a vacant plot of State Land in Tuas into a motorcross site. The site can serve both as a venue for races, and as a training ground for riders. It will have sufficient space to house a mobile medical centre and spectator stands on race days. The Singapore Sports Council, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), and the Urban Redevelopment Authority are in discussion with SMSA on the possible use of the Tuas site. SLA is currently carrying out consultations, with a view towards obtaining technical clearances for the site. Only when all relevant agencies have given the go-ahead, will formal approval for the use of the site be given. Besides regulatory approval, SMSA will also have to consider whether it has enough financial resources to proceed with the project. Meanwhile, I urge all motorcross enthusiasts to exercise caution and observe safety practices in the pursuit of their sport. APPENDICES”