Yeo Guat Kwang
Singapore
“Madam, a supplementary question. Many are concerned that with the rising manpower cost and manpower shortage, whether the standard of cleanliness and the hygiene level in the hawker centres will also be affected.”
“The Government should consider implementing new disposal standards like Taiwan and the cities in China, as well as roll out assistance schemes similar to the Innovation and Capability Voucher (ICV), to encourage the local F&B industry to bring in new technology and provide businesses with grants to purchase kitchen waste disposal machiner…”
“Madam, the Minister of State mentioned that instead of having a one-stop, he is suggesting to provide a better first-stop. So, I hope the Minister of State can elaborate further on how this first-stop can really help.”
“Mdm Speaker, I would like to seek a few clarifications from the Minister. The Minister mentioned that the Bill targets those dormitories that are housing 1,000 workers and above. But this Bill's name is "Foreign Employee Dormitories Bill". Why do we not call the Bill the "Purpose-Built Dormitory Bill"? That is, we call a spade a spade.”
“I would like to ask the Ministry: why does it not just group all these regulations together under this Bill and apply it to all? Madam, as the legislation is allowed time to take effect, I would also want to urge the Government to continue close consultation and engagement with the operators and migrant worker residents especially, as wel…”
“This is a Bill that touches everyone in one way or another: some of us are pet owners, others are potential pet buyers, business owners, and some of us may be neighbours to pet owners.”
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“Could the Ministry inform the House what were the numbers of worker disputes in the unionised sector and the non-unionised sector respectively, over the last five years? Madam, changes arising from economic restructuring, including the loss of old jobs and the development of new forms of employment relationships, will be unsettling for all our workers and put our LMR to the test. The business community has to play a much active role to strengthen the tripartite partnership. The labour movement has made a number of suggestions to the business community. We have requested the management and the "captains of industry" to do the following: (1) To strengthen communication, listen to the problems and suggestions of the employees and help build an atmosphere of trust within the enterprise; (2) To create higher value added jobs by investing heavily in workers' training and development, in order to differentiate the company from other competitors; (3) To give opportunities for employees to develop their skills so that they can do their jobs better and be more employable; (4) To help create more jobs for Singaporeans and enable older employees to stay employable for as long as possible by redesigning the job processes so that they too can have a chance to be productive; (5) To make our wages more flexible so that business will respond better to the challenging environment; and (6) To nurture and develop the relationship at the firm level. Madam, the Ministry should find ways to encourage the management to do more in all these areas. Our unique tripartite teamwork will provide strength as we collectively face the challenges ahead. This partnership, based on trust and respect, must be preserved and built upon.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the total sum to be allocated for Head S of the Main Estimates be reduced by $100. Sir, after many years of economic growth and full employment, we are facing new challenges of more frequent job changes and structural unemployment associated with restructuring and an ageing population. Since the Asian economic crisis, when the number of workers retrenched was highest ever experienced, our concern is workers' employability. I hope the Ministry of Manpower would place enhancing workers' employability as its key focus, particularly to help the older workers to stay employable. Sir, our tripartite partnership is built on sound principles and a track record of cooperation and mutual trust. It is a major source of our country's competitive strength. Over the last 20 years, this tripartite partnership has been put to the test on more than one occasion. Each time when we have to take painful measures to restructure our economy, we have pulled through without a major social upheaval. Each partner in this tripartite partnership realises that it is far better to work together, to cooperate than to confront, to pursue win-win outcomes and to work towards the long-term interest of each party. This model of partnership has worked in Singapore because each of the social partners has learned to look beyond its own interests. [Mdm Deputy Speaker (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua) in the Chair] 4.20 pm However, in the past one to two years, some workers have lost faith and trust in the management. They feel that some management has been less than open and transparent. When the atmosphere of trust is lacking, industrial relations become difficult. We cannot take our good industrial relations climate for granted.”
“Sir, I understand that there are only two specialists and four inspectors in the pre- school unit of MOE. Compared to the strength in the other units, it seems to suggest that MOE does not place much emphasis on pre-school education. Sir, we have about 80,000 pre-schoolers in all our pre-school institutions. The Ministry should monitor more closely all our pre-school programmes and provide more professional support for pre-school education, ie, the three years our children spend in nursery, kindergarten 1 and 2. Now, almost all their parents are placing their children in pre-school institutions when their children reach four years old. The pre-school education is as criticial as any other stage of the formal education. It will be quite a waste if our education system does not place greater emphasis at this stage to maximise the child's learning capability and potential, especially in terms of learning of English and mother tongue. The focus of the pre-school curriculum should also be the teaching of English and the mother tongue. I observe that many pre-schools appear to duplicate the assessment method and what is being taught at Primary 1. This is unnecessary. Ideally, the child should not be forced to focus his learning on technical aspects of the language, such as grammar and spelling. The learning objectives should focus on basic listening, speaking and reading skills. Sir, besides strengthening the programme for pre-school, the Government should also consider how they can help the pre-school institutions to be more cost-effective, so that we will be able to lower the high fees that nowadays our parents have to pay.”
“If today, we still base the testing on ting xie, that is, dictation, and learning of vocabulary, I think this is against the general trend. We should have a full review on why the students find it so difficult, and have to spend so much more time in preparing for the tests in Chinese. From primary school to Pre-U, after 12 years, 90% of the stduents passed the Chinese examination, but they are not proficient in Chinese. They cannot even speak proper Mandarin, not to mention the writing or reading of the classics. Under the present climate, I think Chinese has a very bright future. Our Chinese teachers should not feel despondent because Chinese has a very bright future in the changing global economic climate. Those who do not want to learn Chinese, we should let them go. We should not force them to learn so that our teachers can concentrate their efforts on teaching those who are willing to learn Chinese, and learn it well.”
“(4) If the teaching and learning of mother tongue is moving towards using multi-approaches, are we able to ensure that our mother tongue teachers are well trained? (5) With China emerging as an economic power, the younger generation of Singaporeans needs to have a greater understanding of the history of China. Has the Government any plan to offer the study of "History of China" at 'A' level or 'AO' level to students taking Chinese as a second language? I am sure we still have the resources to teach this subject. (6) The Government has not consulted any professional group when adjusting its mother tongue policy. This is not in line with the consultative position the Government usually takes. (7) Some teachers complain that they have difficulty teaching students from English speaking background whose foundation in the Chinese language is very weak. Perhaps MOE should consider a "Language Support Programme" for this group of students, so that they could be looked after by teachers who are specially trained for the programme. This will free the regular teachers from this extra burden, and they can concentrate on nurturing the other students. (8) For students who are reluctant to learn their mother tongue, could MOE allow them to be exempted from offering the language so that the mother tongue teachers can concentrate on helping those who are really interested in learning the language? In the refinement of the mother tongue policy, the curriculum design, teaching strategies and assessment modes should be reviewed thoroughly. We should not review only the teaching strategies because that is not enough. It will not solve the problem. Let me give you an example.”
“Sir, I want to emphasise that we need to maintain a more balanced bilingual policy between the mother tongue and English, so as to stay competitive in the global economy. We want to have a bigger space for our Singaporeans to survive. According to a survey in USA, by the year 2050, the people speaking English in the world would be reduced to just 5% of the population. In another study conducted by the "Science" journal of USA, more and more people are learning Chinese, and Chinese would be the "most learnt" language in the world in the next decade. So we should be more far-sighted and consider the benefits of all our students to learn and master the Chinese language. The Government should avoid conveying wrong messages to the public and causing unnecessary worries and misunderstanding. I have eight points to raise regarding the teaching of mother tongue: (1) After the implementation of the new university admission criteria, what has changed in the role of the mother tongue teaching in junior colleges? (2) By implementing the new university admission criteria, we have conveyed the message to the students and the public that mother tongue is "no longer important". This will weaken our competitive edge in the changing global economic climate. What measures has the Government taken to rectify this misconception? (3) What measures does the Government have to encourage students to continue learning mother tongue at pre-university level? If a large number of students should drop mother tongue in junior college, the situation is certainly unfavourable to our intention to nurture the bilingual elites or Chinese elites. Is the Government going to ignore this implication?”
“The idea is to provide counselling at a centralised place as employees would feel stigmatised or discriminated against if they have consulted a doctor at a mental clinic or at the workplace. Primary Healthcare In Singapore, 80% of the primary healthcare is provided through more than 1,200 individual private GP clinics. The polyclinics in Singapore play a relatively minor role. I would like to ask the Ministry whether this is a desirable outcome. With an ageing population and emphasis on preventive healthcare, would the Ministry consider a thorough review of our primary healthcare provision and policy? Is 80:20 the right ratio? Primary healthcare is more than just fire-fighting of common infectious diseases like flu virus and provision of antibiotics. I would like the Minister to enlighten the House, moving ahead, how are we going to strengthen the standard and effectiveness of our primary healthcare system to better serve our people and improve their health. Sir, the Primary Care Partnership Scheme was extended nation-wide in year 2002 to enable all low income elderly to receive subsidised outpatient medical and dental healthcare treatments at private clinics near their home. This is a good scheme. I would like to ask the Ministry, to-date, how many elderly have benefited from this scheme and how will the Ministry ensure that more of those who are eligible for this scheme sign up for the programme.”
“Sir, we are definitely living in a world where we have to contend with higher stress levels in our jobs as we strive to ensure our employability in such a competitive globalised world. Workers are facing a higher frequency of job changes and industry restructuring. They may be retrenched. Their companies may merge or split. All these changes are rapid and they may hit the worker when he least expects it. A little stress is helpful to keep us motivated in our life. However, too much or prolonged stress is unhealthy. What is too much stress? Some months ago, the media reported that a worker killed himself after his appeal for a transfer was rejected. His supervisor did not know that he might be suffering from depression. Stress can be managed. A strategy like this could have been averted had there been better awareness of stress management at work. The World Health Organisation's World Health Report projected that depression will become the second leading contributor to the global burden of disease by the year 2020. A research by the World Federation for Mental Health revealed that mental disorders are costing businesses in North America about US$80 million in loss of productivity, and depression alone accounts for about 75% of that figure. We cannot take the situation in Singapore for granted. Most businesses do not recognise the losses due to mental ill health and take steps to prevent this. I would like to know whether the Ministry of Health has plans to encourage more companies to take an interest in promoting mental wellness, or consider extending counselling by setting up employee guidance clinics, like the one that has been set up at the Health Promotion Board for children from the schools.”
“However, the key challenge now is to improve the effectiveness and the quality of the Workplace Health Programme so as to achieve the benefits of Workplace Health Programme, in terms of more productive and healthier employees and reducing healthcare costs. I hope to see more support from the employers, and particularly from the Ministry of Health, to see how we can respond to the Minister's call to help all the workers to put their health at the centre of their focus. I would like to know whether the Ministry has concrete plans to further strengthen the tripartite collaboration and effectively improve the health profile of all the workers in Singapore. Patient Siting”
“Sir, as a labour movement, the NTUC has been encouraging workers to adopt healthy lifestyle and helping workers to improve their health. We see it as part of our efforts to improve the lives of workers. Lifestyle diseases sometimes strike people in the prime of life. Today, heart disease, stroke and cancer, in fact, are the top three killers, accounting for more than 60% of all deaths in Singapore. Our death rate of 76 per 100,000 population from heart disease is higher than that of 58 and 60 per 100,000 in Canada and Australia respectively. Therefore, in addition to provision of medical benefits for employees, we would like employers to implement preventive health promotion programmes at the workplace to help workers to stay healthy. Unless we monitor our health-risk factors regularly and adopt a healthy lifestyle, many of us may have to spend the last few years of our lives burdened with ill health and disability. The NTUC Health Outreach Programme, an on-site basis health screening programme, has already reached 50,000 workers in the last four years. I hope the Ministry will also consider a structured approach to also give incentives to get Singaporeans to monitor their own individual health risk factors regularly. Based on the recent survey conducted by the Health Promotion Board (HPB), the prevalence of private sector workplaces that have a comprehensive Workplace Health Programme (WHP) has increased, to 45% in 2003. These companies employ 63.5% of the private sector workforce compared to 26% in 1998. This is encouraging.”
“The Government should reinforce our healthcare financing system through allowing better use of Medisave, through expanding the scope of MediShield and, more importantly, integrate the existing employer-based medical benefit with MediShield to reduce duplication. I am particularly concerned that due to the duplication with the employer-based medical benefits, about 270,000 workers, in fact, had opted out of MediShield. What happens when all these "opt-out" workers are retrenched? He or she will actually end up without any medical coverage. I also understand that about 26% of our resident population is not covered by MediShield. This is largely the non-working spouses and their children, some of the self-employed and the low income people. When they are struck by catastrophic illnesses, their family with be in hardship. I would like to know whether MOH has any plan to bring all Singaporeans under MediShield coverage. I urge the Ministry to expedite its review on MediShield and basic healthcare insurance to strengthen our healthcare financing framework and to facilitate the effective implementation of PMBS to better protect our workers.”
“Sir, our healthcare system is based on 3Ms - Medisave, MediShield and Medifund. Moving ahead, we have to strengthen our healthcare financing system to deal with the new employment situation and the ageing population. Before implementing means testing, we have to first strengthen our medical healthcare social safety net, ie, to put in place a national basic medical insurance scheme. To make our medical benefits portable, the basic infrastructure is again a national basic healthcare insurance scheme. For the same reason that most states require drivers to carry car insurance, the Government should consider a basic tier medical insurance to cover all Singaporeans. For those who can afford, they can add on to enhance its coverage by paying more premiums. For those who cannot afford, the Government should consider giving some public subsidies. This will facilitate fully portable coverage to all. Take those who have joined the civil service after 1994, for example. With the additional 1% Medisave contribution as in-patient medical benefit given to them, at the end of 10 years now, the sum comes up to only about one-and-a-half months' salary. Is it enough to cover an in-patient episode? I do not think so. Facing the challenges of globalisation, the labour movement in Singapore has been strongly advocating portable medical benefits. In a way, the MediShield scheme is a portable scheme. It covers people up to 80 years. We hope the Ministry will consider the several suggestions that the labour movement put forward to the Ministry for consideration to enhance the MediShield Scheme.”
“Sir, I share the same view with Mdm Halimah. More and more Singaporeans find it difficult to balance work and family. The intense competition has caused companies to reduce costs by maintaining a leaner workforce and thus increase the workload of the existing employees. At home, as we are facing an aging population, many now have to take care of elderly people whilst still struggling with raising young children. The number of dual income familieshas actually risen to 45% in the year 2001. In absolute terms, the number of dual-earner couples doubled from 190,000 in 1989 to 382,000 in 2001. I want to ask the Ministry what plans they have to help the working parents to actually balance work and family. More importantly, the Ministry should consider innovative ways to provide incentives for companies to not only implement pro-family work practices but also consider setting up childcare facilities at the workplace. The fact that we have more than 140,000 foreign domestic maids in Singapore shows that our childcare facilities are not sufficient, and the Ministry needs to do more to help the working mothers. The Ministry should take bold steps to do a thorough review of our policy on subsidies and development and provision of childcare and family support facilities.”
“Sir, I beg to move, That the sum to be allocated for Head T of the Main Estimates be reduced by $10 in respect of Code TM 3100. Sir, I would like to know how does AVA ensure that all the retailers and suppliers comply with the food labelling regulation - to show the origin of the food and the date of expiry of all food they supply and sell in Singapore. The next question is: what is the Government's position on genetically modified (GM) food?”
“Sir, censorship is a very subjective yardstick. So, when they are reviewing our censorship yardstick, we should extensively seek the views of our people and the various communities and organisations, and not forgetting the major premise that Singapore is a multi-racial and multi-religious society. The views of those who have family and children will definitely be different from those who are single. Of course, we are unable to satisfy everybody, but I think we should be able to set a standard which is agreeable and tolerated by the majority. We must strike a balance between openness and stability. That is why somebody feels that when we are opening the window, we must not forget our little fly-swatter. I agree with this. When MITA is reviewing its censorship status, it should not be swayed by the passionate arguments of a small group of people, and, at the same time, not be bound by the conservative and outdated views of some organisations. It is just like saying that the croaking of one or two frogs at the bottom of the well is very loud and thus significant, while the sound made by the thousands of frogs in the field is not significant. That should not be the case. There is no hard and fast rule to say that censorship review must be done at regular intervals. But, it should be done from time to time to stay relevant. Whenever a review is done, the views of the people from all walks of life should be extensively sought. Last year, the Censorship Review Committee's report was submitted to the Government. I would like to ask how MITA is going to promote and implement the recommendations of this report. Advertisements in Heartlands”
“Local travel agents claim that they are just agents of overseas tour package suppliers when they sell travel packages here to avoid liability for non-performance by their overseas suppliers. On this issue of liability of travel agents, whether as the principal or non-principal agents, I found that the European Community has issued a directive providing consumers with one contract partner responsible for the execution of the contract. Moreover, the UK has implemented the directive via its "Travel Package, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992". I urge the Ministry to consider similar guidelines for the travel industry to protect the consumers. Consumer Credit Laws”
“The Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act (CPFTA) which takes effect from 1st March 2003 will bring about significant changes to the business and retail landscape in Singapore. The CPFTA is intended as a shield to protect consumers and not a sword to cut down the retailers. The business community does not need to worry that the Act will affect their business. In fact, CPFTA will help improve the business environment by weeding out errant business practices and dishonest traders who give the industry a black name. With the new legislation, business associations should play an important role in educating their members and work with them to ensure that their practices do not break the law. I would like to know whether the Ministry has any plan to make the implementation of this legislation a success. What role would SPRING Singapore, the Retail Promotion Centre and the Singapore Tourism Board play in this area? What support would they provide to the retail and service sectors to educate the traders and facilitate the implementation of the CPFTA? Sir, last year, during the Budget debate, I requested the Ministry to review the Hire Purchase Act to better protect the consumers. I would like to ask the Ministry to give us an update. Next, I would like to move on to travel services. Sir, the nature of travel has changed rapidly in the past few years. With the Internet, travellers have access to an unprecedented level of choices at even more competitive prices. In some ways, the balance, so to speak, has shifted towards the consumers. But in other ways, we have not kept up with changes in the travel industry. One such area is the travel industry legislation. Travel-related complaints consistently remain among the highest categories CASE receives.”
“The above issues need to be resolved in order to convince motorists that the authorities have indeed done their best to address the issue of road management before introducing additional road pricing. Finally, many Singaporeans find driving here a stressful experience. Would LTA, together with the Traffic Police, step up efforts to improve the "heartware" of our motorists to get them to show basic courtesy by using the car signal lights whenever applicable, appropriately and pay more attention to road safety? Local Traffic Management”
“Sir, although road pricing is an effective way to keep our roads free-flowing, I feel that more should be done in the area of road management. In particular, more attention should be paid to the following areas. First, although there is a committee to coordinate roadwork the problem still exists as roadworks appear to occur at the most inopportune time at places of high usage. For example, there are constantly roadworks that cut off one lane on roads that are heavily used during peak hours. Braddell Road is one of the examples. I just saw them repainted the bus lane a week ago, after a month-long of digging, and yesterday they started digging again. Is there anything that the authorities will do regarding the appropriate timing and duration of such roadworks? Second, despite the fact that there are regulations to keep our roads free-flowing, eg, zigzag lines to prevent cars from stopping and clogging up congested roads, they are usually not effective due to insufficient enforcement. The situation outside Clifford Centre is one example. What plan does the Ministry have to better coordinate efforts between the LTA and the Traffic Police especially when some functions of these two agencies appear to overlap? Third, on the issue of clarity and effectiveness of road signs. Many new roads are built and the road network is getting more complex. Many motorists end up circulating a few times because they missed a certain or critical turning. This contributes to the density of traffic. Is there anything being done to look into how we can better position our road signs that can effectively assist motorists so that they do not end up circulating and choking up the roads?”
“Another question I wish to raise again is: why can the bus operators not be allowed to retain the rental revenues from the bus interchanges like the MRT operators? This is particularly so given that the operators will pass the cost they pay for the maintenance of the interchanges to the commuters. I would also like to ask the Ministry whether some of the guidelines imposed on operators, eg, to achieve world-class standard, are actually so onerous that it drives up costs for them, and thus the commuters end up having to pay more. Should we not reconsider trimming some of these unnecessary frills that commuters may not actually need it?”
“Sir, Singapore is working towards the goal of building a world-class transport system for our people. To achieve this goal, it is important to address the issue of how we can best measure the effectiveness and efficiency of our transport system. One prime concern often cited by the workers and commuters is that of time effectiveness. People who rely on public transport to commute on a daily basis is mainly interested in the time that it takes for them to move from point A to point B. For most Singaporeans who commute by bus, especially those living in the housing estates, their daily journey to work or to school can often take more than one hour. Surely, we should consider how we can best reduce such lengthy travel time for all our Singaporeans. One way to improve on efficiency of travelling time is to put in place a more comprehensive rail network. In Singapore, there are still quite a number of areas that are denied the benefit of an efficient rail network. I am interested to know what are the plans for expanding our rail network. I would like to ask what is the status of the new rail line projects, such as the Bukit Timah Line, Eastern Regional Line and Jurong Regional Line, that were previously announced. While some will argue that these lines should not be added now because of budget constraints, one should also not ignore the social benefits of the comprehensive rail network. In any case, we should consider the potential long-term cost benefits of building such new lines sooner rather than later. Sir, transport cost is the other key concern. What are the measures taken by the MOT to moderate public transport costs? MOH has set a good example in its efforts recently to reduce healthcare costs. Is the MOT doing something similar?”
“- consumers perceive that there is no clear dispute mechanism, and would like to know whether MAS will facilitate the industry to strengthen its dispute resolution mechanism in the banking sector. Credit System”
“The public will prefer that the MAS be more visible as a regulator. Sir, I am glad that the insurance industry has put in place Insurance Dispute Resolution Organisation (IDRO), which is an alternative available to all consumers to take their problems to. IDRO has enjoyed a good image among consumers. It is generally perceived to be impartial and will deal with insurance disputes fairly. This is because IDRO has tripartite representation and policies in IDRO are made clear to the various stakeholders. I understand that, to date, IDRO has handled more than 400 cases, and the resolution rate is 100%. It is very encouraging. On the other hand, however, for the banking sector - The Chairman: Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, can you wind up your speech, please?”
“Sir, the number of complaints against financial institutions has increased drastically over the years. According to the Consumers Association of Singapore's records, the number of complaints related to financial services were 221 in 2001, 497 in 2002 and, in 2003, the number had gone up to 1,915, of which 40% are complaints related to the "critical year" issue. There is also the issue about pressure selling of investment instruments by banks to consumers who are clearly not in a position to protect their interest when they put money in such investments. Consumers also complained about the high interest rates charged on outstanding balances in credit card accounts, and the cartel-like manner in which banks seem to come together to support one another to maintain the interest at 24% a year when all the other financial borrowings incurred annual interest rates of less than 5%. All the above issues were highlighted quite prominently in the local media, and consumers were quite concerned that such unfair practices were allowed to perpetuate. The general perception is that the authority is not taking action against the institutions concerned or the agents flouting the rules. For example, the public perceived that MAS took a low profile in the initial stage of the "critical year" issue and came out with an advisory only subsequently. This led to the public perception that the authority is taking such issues lightly and prefers to leave the matter to the market players to sort it out. To the consumers, they believe that the market players will drag their feet to rectify the unfair practices at the expense of consumers' interest. I think the MAS needs to clarify its role in addressing lapses in the financial marketplace and in consumer protection.”
“(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, this Budget can be looked at from many perspectives. Many describe it as pro-business, pro-birth, etc. But, to me, I think we should take a different perspective and look at this Budget on how it would affect jobs and the ordinary citizens of Singapore. Many would say that this is just another pro-business Budget. It appears to be so. This year's Budget takes a very pro-business outlook and it is an indication of our intent. But it is a message, not an outcome. With the Budget, the Government aims to facilitate a sustainable growth to strengthen job security and generate more job opportunities for Singaporeans, so that we could continue to enjoy a fair share of the global economic development. So I would rather say that this is a pro-job Budget. We need to have such a budget and we also need all the Government departments to go thoroughly into this policy to create more job opportunities for our people. Last night, when I was watching the news on television, I saw that the Prime Minister of Japan had used himself as a model in the advertisement to attract more business for Japan. So, for us to prosper, I think we should create more business opportunities for Singapore.”
“I hope the tripartite social partners in Singapore can move at a greater pace in making medical benefits portable. At one of the workshop sessions of the recent NTUC National Delegates' Conference, the union leaders acknowledged that moving ahead, we need to make medical benefits portable. The union leaders felt that it should be part of the national agenda rather than leaving it to the employers and unions. The workshop strongly urged that a timeframe be set and expect the Government to expedite the review of the MediShield. The 3M framework would have to be further strenghtened to ensure that Singaporeans could afford healthcare, going forward. Many union leaders are concerned that the coverage provided by MediShield is inadequate, and it should be enhanced. We need to also address the issue of duplicate coverage from employer-based medical benefits and MediShield for most of the working population. And many employees who continue to remain insured under MediShield, even though they would not claim, are, in fact, paying the premiums for an option to guarantee access to MediShield as a medical insurance coverage post-retirement, that is, up to 80 years old. Sir, it would be ideal if employer-based medical benefits provided can be fully integrated with the 3M framework. We need a nation-wide and seamless group medical insurance scheme for the PMBS. The greater risk pooling under such a scheme would also reduce the need to over-save for Singaporeans in their Medisave accounts. We have to also adopt the concept of pre-funding to prevent the elderly being left uninsured due to their inability to afford the premiums, like the case in some of the developed countries. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“The current system is employer-based. A worker enjoys full medical benefits, outpatient and hospitalisation, as part of his job benefits. Some companies even extend outpatient benefits to his dependants. But what happens if a worker is retrenched? This is a scenario that we expect to see happen more frequently in the new work environment. A worker will end up without any medical coverage when he is retrenched. So, if we retain the current system, workers have better hope that they do not stay in between jobs for too long. Otherwise, they could be in for a tough time if they fall ill in between jobs. Furthermore, such a system will continue to penalise older workers who run a greater risk of falling sick compared to the younger workers. Sir, we need to agree on a system that will allow a worker to have medical benefits during his term of employment and to build up any unused benefits which can be carried over from year to year, from employer to employer. We do not want to see Singaporeans unable to cope with their healthcare needs in future. We do not want our older workers to be disadvantaged if employers are reluctant to hire them because of their higher healthcare expenses. It is time for employers to seriously consider implementing the Portable Medical Benefits Scheme. It is a matter of restructuring the medical expenses for greater sustainability. With the Portable Medical Benefits Scheme, the employers can rest their worries about not being able to cover new employees who have changed jobs. It is time for employers to change. We understand that while the reasons for implementing portable benefits may seem very logical and compelling, the actual conversion may not be so straightforward.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I welcome the amendment to section 7. Currently, only those earning below $200 do not contribute CPF. The lowest income earners cannot save enough for retirement through the CPF system. What they are more concerned is more disposable income for their daily family expenses. The proposed amendment will give the lowest income workers higher take-home pay and reduce their hardship. I hope, with this change, it will also encourage those not working to enter the workforce or do part-time work. Sir, the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill has just been passed today in this House to facilitate and incentivise private sector employers and employees to switch to the Portable Medical Benefits Scheme (PMBS) and the Transferable Medical Insurance Scheme. The tax incentives firmly reaffirm the importance of making medical benefits portable, something that the NTUC, as a labour movement, has been advocating for several years. The amendment to section 13B is another step to facilitate implementation of a Portable Medical Benefits Scheme. In the United States, employers are cutting back on non-wage labour costs such as employers' medical benefits, and we cannot rule out such a possibility in Singapore. Just because an employer has provided a certain level of benefits for the past umpteen years does not mean that it will continue or it can do so forever. Union leaders are on the ground with workers day in and day out. We understand, perhaps even before others do, the problem of the current employer-based medical benefits system. As union leaders, we want to see a seamless and affordable portable medical benefits system that is appropriate to the needs and covers workers throughout their working life and, if possible, beyond retirement.”
“I am confident that we can work together - CASE, business associations and the Government - to make the implementation of this legislation a success and make it work for consumers. It will bring about a more consumer-friendly environment and will make Singapore a better place to shop and to do business. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“CASE hopes to see more trade associations take initiatives to put in place measures to self-regulate and we are prepared to work even closer with them to achieve that, eg, the CASETRUST scheme can be expanded. The scheme provides an avenue for business to voluntarily set consumer policy and adhere to minimum business standards. This will complement the new Act in a very meaningful manner. At this point, Sir, I would like to raise the following suggestions for MTI to consider amending the proposed Act: 1. On Injunction Proposals Review Panel, it is noted that there is no provision as to how long it is allowed for the Panel to make the endorsement. There should be a time frame, perhaps not more than one month, for the Panel to make a decision once the matter is referred to them. 2. In the first draft of the Bill put up for public consultation by MTI, the Bill covered personal credit. Many members of CASE felt that personal credit should still be included in the scope of this Bill. 3. There is now no provision protecting CASE volunteers from being sued. The Bill should provide similar protection to CASE as given to the Review Panel in clause 10(10) of the Bill. 4. The provision on limitation action has been redefined. We are happy about that. However, CASE is concerned that the time taken for mediation or other dispute resolution mechanism to take its course will eat into the one-year time limitation period. Sir, today I am very happy to speak in support of the Second Reading of this Bill. It could not have been timelier. The proposed Act will bring about significant changes to the business and retail landscape. It will bring about changes in both consumer behaviour and business practices. These changes are for the better.”
“This is one way in which the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act will benefit both consumers and businesses. Businesses do not have to worry about the Act as long as their conduct is legitimate and their practices above board. In addition, if business practices are more transparent, customer's confidence will increase and, in turn, businesses will grow. Second, while a consumer protection law provides protection, it has to be complemented by consumer education. While a Fair Trading Act provides the legal framework to protect consumers, it alone is not sufficient. For the law to be fully effective, there has to be consumer education so that consumers are aware of their rights and legal remedies should they fall victim. In this regard, CASE will actively pursue an education programme on the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Bill. I hope MTI will give full support for such an educational drive. Further, our consumers are our eyes and ears on the ground. They can alert us to businesses that break the law. They can help us to be vigilant. CASE plans to explore how we can tap on the vast consumer network to make the law more effective. Sir, over the years, CASE has established sound working relationship with several business associations. We believe that we can continue to work together with businesses while protecting consumer rights at the same time. Such partnerships provide the foundation on which we can work with business associations when the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act is in place. I would like to stress that with the new legislation the business associations can play an important role in educating their members and working with their members to ensure that their practices do not break the law.”
“Such sessions were meant to create opportunities for discussions and participation in a consultative atmosphere so that all relevant parties could better understand and fine-tune the proposed fair trading legislation. In the discussions and dialogues that we held, we found two common misperceptions on consumer protection laws. The first misperception is that a consumer protection law hurts businesses. The second misperception is that having a consumer protection law alone is sufficient and nothing else needs to be done. These misperceptions must be dispelled. First, a consumer protection law protects both consumers and businesses. Many members of the business sector were concerned about how a Fair Trading Act would affect their businesses. To them, I would say that it is not in the consumers' interest to have a regime which will create an onerous burden on traders, or which will straitjacket them with a host of red tape. To be truly effective and meaningful, a consumer vprotection law must take into account the concerns of fair traders. Amongst traders, those who are engaged in unfair trade practices are a minority. It will be unfair to impose undue regulatory costs on the majority of those who observe ethical business practices. It will not be in the interest of consumers if such costs are passed on to the consumers ultimately. Although the manner in which the law protects business may be less evident to some, it is no less pertinent. Such an Act will weed out errant business practices and discourage dishonest trading. This will level the playing field for all the business players in Singapore. Unethical tactics used by black sheep hurt others and consumers. By weeding out the black sheep who give the industry a bad name, the entire industry can grow.”
“This will create a more robust and sustainable system to keep unfair trade practices in check. This is a step in the right direction. The Act empowers consumers to take action themselves. Just like the unions act as facilitators to help workers in a dispute under the Employment Act, CASE can be a facilitator to empower consumers under the fair trading legislation. We recommended that the Act set out a list of unfair trading practices. Consumers will be able to seek remedies by showing that traders have committed these practices. Sir, over the years, CASE has come across numerous instances where consumers sought our help when they fell victims to unscrupulous business tactics. Each year, CASE received more than 10,000 such complaints. The unfortunate thing is that all these complaints fell in the grey areas and there was not very much we could help. By and large, consumers do not have the expertise or bargaining power to negotiate a fair transaction or contract. The introduction of this Bill today is a major step for consumerism in Singapore. In the last seven months after the Minister for Trade and Industry, BG George Yeo, announced during the Budget Debate that the Bill will be tabled for enactment into law by the end of this year, CASE, in collaboration with MTI, AG's Chambers and various business groups, has organised more than 10 discussion and dialogue sessions with the business community and consumers. Through these sessions, we managed to generate greater awareness and provide a platform where businesses and consumers could raise issues on the proposed legislation.”
“He urged the Government to set up an office with some of the functions of the Office of Fair Trading in the UK to deal with such errant retailers. At the debate on the Cost Review Committee's Report on 13th October 1993, Prof. Koo Tsai Kee, the then President of CASE, once again urged the Government to look closely at New Zealand's Fair Trading Act which was implemented in 1986. He said, and I quote: "There are unfair trading practices here. The Fair Trading Act is an Act to give consumers and tourists a fair deal. Specifically, it prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct, false representations and unfair practices." In May 2000, in response to Dr Toh See Kiat's query, the Minister for Trade and Industry informed the House that MTI would study CASE's proposal for a Fair Trading Act for Singapore. On 8th March 2001, in this House, the Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Peter Chen, suggested to Dr Teo Ho Pin that CASE and MTI jointly form a taskforce to explore the possibility of enacting a Fair Trading Act. Sir, significant progress was made early last year. In April last year, the joint taskforce, co-chaired by MTI and CASE, set up to study the feasibility of a Fair Trading Act concluded its report. We decided to adopt a different approach from a number of jurisdictions. The key difference is that traders who commit such unfair trade practices will not be subject to criminal sanction. Principally, we want to introduce a legislation to protect consumers but without adding onerous burdens to businesses, including costs. What my team and I proposed was to empower the consumers, to give them the avenue to take up their own case. There will be no policeman, ie, there will be no Fair Trading Office.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, CASE, the Consumers Association of Singapore, has been doing its best to discourage unfair practices that work against the interest of consumers. CASE can only do this successfully with the support of consumers and the Government. Other than getting backing from consumers and the Government, we strongly believe that the third critical factor is to have a good legislative framework to set minimum ground rules for all concerned parties to work on. With a suitable legislative environment, CASE and the consumers will not be just blowing hot air, but will be able to act against cases of unfair practices, and it will ensure that the standard of service improves over time. Therefore, CASE is firmly convinced that we need a fair trading legislation to promote a fairer and more equitable marketplace. Government's intervention is necessary and CASE lobbied strongly for it for many years. Let me take this opportunity, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to recount the key milestones. In January 1979, the late Mr Ivan Baptist, then President of CASE, urged the Government at the Debate on the President's Address to consider a fair trading legislation along the lines of the UK and Australian Act, and properly modified to suit our context. He told the House that Singapore consumers will benefit from the legislation, and it would give additional boost to the tourist industry in Singapore. Three years later, during the Debate on the President's Address in January 1992, Prof. Ho Peng Kee, then Vice-President of CASE, reiterated that there were retailers in Singapore who dealt unfairly with consumers, whether Singaporeans or tourists. He said that it was unacceptable in Singapore that prides itself as a shopping paradise.”
“Is there any plan and how would the WDA further enhance the effectiveness of these agencies to help Singaporeans? Can MOM also confirm the re-employment rate of our unemployed? Does WDA have plans to help improve the chances of re-employment for the older workers? There were also media reports that some training providers abuse the Government's support. Does WDA have any plan to ensure effectiveness of funding and respective Government schemes to help the unemployed? Sir, the SARS outbreak drew the whole country closer and taught us several lessons in overcoming difficulties. Let us tackle the difficulties and challenges ahead with the same spirit as we tackled SARS. Our workforce has been ranked as the No. 1 workforce in the world. I am confident that we will continue to stand tall as a little red dot. Let us continue to move ahead with a positive spirit and strong tripartite collaboration in making our economy more competitive and worker-friendly. We have to mobilise every stakeholder to move together ahead. Employers need to redesign jobs to produce higher value-added jobs so as to compete in a globalised marketplace. The companies, as corporate citizens, should play a more active role. Sir, I support the Bill.”
“Therefore, the workers today have to constantly upgrade themselves to remain employable. If they have the skills that companies need for the future, they will be able to prolong their value worth. Sir, the establishment of the Workforce Development Agency is timely. We expect WDA to be very focused on training that is directly relevant to getting and keeping jobs, to help and ensure Singaporeans remain employable. I am very happy that WDA will do more in developing training methods that are suitable for adult learning. Very often, we tend to use methodologies that are meant for the young and students. We have to consider the learning methodologies that the adults require. The Agency should devote more resources to find ways we can make our adult learning and training more effective. The Workforce Development Agency should be open and responsive in providing labour market information. To help Singaporeans stay employable, the training has to be relevant and more responsive to the needs of labour market. I would like to know what is the plan of the Agency in this area. Are we able to effectively project job opportunities available in the short and medium term? There is also concern of the employment situation of our polytechnic and university graduates. Could the Ministry enlighten us on how severe is the unemployment or under-employment situation of our fresh graduates today? What would WDA do to help them? Sir, DPM Lee mentioned at the People's Association Conference that the Government is ready to do more and commit more resources to help the unemployed. It is to help needy Singaporeans get back on their feet. What would WDA do to better coordinate all the agencies, for example, CDCs and NGOs, that provide employment services in different locations?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, recently, when I made visits to workplaces, a union leader remarked to me that it is increasingly difficult these days to get a happy conversation going about jobs. There is truth in the comment. In the past, downturns were often cyclical. Today, the changes are more structural. Product lines become outmoded quickly. Competitors move into lower cost countries to sharpen their competitive edge. Workers are replaced by technology or displaced as a result of factory relocation. These structural changes are long term. The new, harsh economic realities, which globalisation has driven, will continue to change our socio-economic environment. We have to adapt and live with it. In view of the situation we are in, we must continue to be vigilant and be nimble to react to the changes. But we must not be incapacitated by the bad news. Whilst it is perfectly normal to express insecurity over the job, a positive outlook in the midst of these bad time situations will allow us to see the silver lining when it comes. Staying positive and possessing a willingness to work hard and accept responsibilities even in areas we have no experience in is a sure way to go. Technology may have taken over the job. Companies may relocate to China, or India, where workers there do the same job for half the price. We have to face this reality squarely and react with a new mindset and a new willingness. The key word is "mobility". In a tight labour market, the employee is seen to have greater power because he can move to another job, and get better pay. In a downturn, the power of the employee lies in his skills to perform. The skills they pick up help them to move on to other jobs. How much power he has depends on his skills level.”
“Sir, DPM has mentioned that if the situation does not improve, the unemployment situation will get worse. At this point in time, for those industries that have been affected, besides looking at the cost-cutting measures, would we also want to urge the Government and the employers to do more to see how we can actually enhance the employability of this group of workers? So, if the worse situation happens, they will not just end up with nowhere to go and cannot find a job.”
“In short, raise their awareness and help them to create the drive to take action. What are the actions we are talking about? It is just as easy as saying CHEERS, which stands for Cease smoking, Healthy Eating, Exercise Regularly, manage Stress! Sir, over the last two years, the NTUC Health Outreach Programme has helped 50,000 workers to start basic screening and monitoring their health risk factors. I would like to ask the Ministry of Health for an update of what it plans to do to help Singaporeans regularly assess and monitor their own health risk factors and basic health profile, and better manage all these risk factors for better health.”
“Sir, on workplace health and workers' health, I would like to support what Dr Lily Neo has raised. One other main concern that I would like to share with the House on preventive healthcare is how to help Singaporeans reduce health risk factors. What are these risks? They are the risks arising from not eating right, not exercising enough, and smoking. Let us take our diet, for example. We should reduce salt and saturated fat intake, and eat more fruits and vegetables. The World Health Report 2002 showed that three-quarters of heart disease and stroke could be attributed to tobacco use, low fruit and vegetable intake, and lack of exercise. More than half of deaths and disability from heart disease and stroke can be cut down. All it takes are national effort and individual actions to reduce health risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity. In Singapore, we have put in much time and resources to promote and facilitate intervention programmes at the workplace. We do it at the tripartite level as a collective effort, involving the Government, union, employers and all Singaporeans. I commend the efforts of the HPB, but we have to do more. What do we need to do next? We have to "awake the giant within" Singaporeans and cultivate self-responsibility through health risk management. Today, we still see Singaporeans choosing "not to face the reality". They avoid health screening. Let us make a collaborated and structured effort to make all Singaporeans aware of their own health risk. We can start with basic health screening, followed by ways of empowering Singaporeans to take personal responsibility for their health risk factors. We can help create the "internal drive" within Singaporeans to stay healthy.”
“Sir, primary healthcare is one of the foundations of our healthcare system. Over the years, the Ministry of Health has intensified and strengthened the primary healthcare delivery network. This is indeed commendable. I would be grateful if the Minister could update us on the following matters: Firstly, the night polyclinics. I understand that seven night polyclinics are now in operation. What is the response of the residents to these night polyclinics? Does the Ministry intend to open more such night polyclinics? Secondly, the Ministry piloted the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS) three years ago and extended it nationwide last year, making it much more convenient for the residents in various parts of Singapore. In view of the successful implementation of PCPS, would the Ministry review its policy on polyclinic development? How many new polyclinics are in the pipeline? What is the Ministry's guideline in opening new polyclinics in the new towns? For example, I understand that Pasir Ris Polyclinic started operation only one year ago, whereas Pasir Ris New Town has been developed for quite some time. I hope the Ministry can coordinate the opening of new polyclinics with the development of new towns. Thirdly, the Interim Disability Assistance Programme for the Elderly (IDAPE). The scheme was launched to cover older Singaporeans who are unable to join ElderShield due to age limit or pre-existing disability. This is a good scheme. I want to know how many Singaporeans have benefited from the programme and how does the Ministry plan to reach out to those who qualify for the scheme but may not be aware of it?”
“Still on Medisave, even as the Government considers the Medisave-approved insurance schemes, it should also constantly review the criteria for the use of Medisave. The criteria should be responsive and appropriate to today's needs. Currently, the use of Medisave, particularly for inpatients, is largely based on the number of hospital days. However, with the increasing popularity of day surgery, this criterion will be outdated and irrelevant. The bottom line is that the use of Medisave should be based on medical condition rather than hospital stay. I hope that the Ministry can consider all my suggestions.”
“Sir, my next cut is on healthcare insurance scheme. Why is the Government not considering expanding the scope of Medisave approved medical insurance schemes? Medisave should be allowed to be used to pay for the premiums of all portable and transferable medical insurance schemes. In fact, I would take the argument a step further. Since Medisave is already compulsory, then it should be compulsory for MediShield to be a national basic medical insurance scheme for all. It will also be universal and no one would be left out, as I have mentioned just now. More so, there will be a great pooling of risks. Yes, I understand that there are weaknesses in an insurance-based medical coverage system. It may lead to the buffet syndrome, as we all worry about. But since they have already paid for the premium, they would do whatever they like, and get as much as they could. This is why I will prescribe two key features in the compulsory national Medisave insurance scheme, and we can be sure that it would not be made a buffet for all. First, it must only cover the basic medical needs. For those who prefer to have wider coverage, they can use cash or other options. Medisave should be used only for the basic tier of the coverage. Second, there should be an appropriate level of co-payment to encourage personal responsibility. In short, if the system is properly constructed and applied, it can lead to universal coverage and greater personal responsibility. Introducing a compulsory national Medisave-approved insurance scheme providing basic medical coverage will be a significant step to greater portability in our healthcare system. This will significantly enhance the well-being and provide for the medical needs of all Singaporeans.”
“I suggest the Government consider introducing the "pre-funding" element to MediShield - let the worker pay higher premium when he is working, so that by the time he retires, he would already have "pre-funded" his future premiums and to continue receiving insurance coverage. 2.00 pm”
“Today, 90% of the working population is covered under MediShield or one of the Medisave-approved insurance schemes. The majority is covered under MediShield. Over the last few years, MOH has improved the benefits and features of MediShield. It is important that the Government continues to enhance MediShield to make it relevant and responsive. In a limited way, Sir, MediShield provides portable medical coverage for Singaporeans as long as premiums are paid, regardless of employment status. However, the system is not without weaknesses. First, it principally covers only catastrophic illnesses and does not cover general in-patient, day surgery and specialist outpatient treatments. Now that the ERC has formally endorsed the portable medical benefit scheme, I wonder whether the Government will review or revamp MediShield in that direction. This can be done by widening the coverage and claim limit. If need be, the premium for MediShield should also be reviewed to facilitate such a move. Second, I am also concerned that more than a quarter million of Singaporeans have opted out of MediShield. What is the Government doing to encourage them to opt back to the MediShield scheme? Will the Government consider making MediShield a compulsory national medical insurance scheme so that no Singaporean is left out? Third, on the issue of premiums. We know that the older we get, the MediShield premiums we pay will be higher. This is not just for MediShield but also for all kinds of medical insurances. In fact, the premiums are higher when a worker retires than when he is in the workforce. But the older he gets, it is most unlikely that he will be able to pay for the high expensive premiums.”
“Sir, one of the top five complaints the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) receives is against renovation contractors. The claims relate to defective works, unscrupulous sales tactics like not giving a breakdown of the work to be carried out, over-charging and unsatisfactory service resulting in bad workmanship. I understand that HDB has an approved list of contractors. But the list in itself does not guarantee a high standard of service of HDB-approved renovation contractors. I would like to ask the Minister for National Development the following questions: (1) What is the basis for approving the list of contractors? (2) How does HDB monitor the contractors on the list after they have been approved? (3) Will the HDB consider doing more to ensure the improvement in service standards of all the renovation contractors and enhance transparency in renovation deals, so as to protect the consumers? (4) Does the BCA play a role in this area?”
“Sir, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.”
“The number of industrial accidents and occupational diseases is steadily declining over the years. This is primarily due to the efforts put in by the Ministry of Manpower, unions and workers. While the number is falling, each case is still one case too many. We must do whatever we can to bring down the figure even further. It saddens me to see that the number of fatal accidents and that of accidents which led to permanent disability and injuries to hands and fingers of the workers over the past three years has not improved. On the average, there are about 60 fatal cases per year, of which 60% occurs in the construction sector. In fact, fatal cases in the construction sector have increased despite the industrial slowdown. In the past five years, there were, on average, about 100 accidents per year, which led to permanent disability. Out of this number, 35 were from the construction industry and 30 from the metal industry. Has the Ministry any plans to step up efforts in this area? Looking at the statistics in the past few years, two trends are visible. The most common type of occupational disease is noise-induced deafness, and the most common type of industrial accident involves hand and finger injuries. In fact, if we add them up together, they account for 45% of the total. If something can be done on these two areas, our industrial safety record could have been much better. Sir, according to statistics, about 70% of accidents were caused by the following three factors: (1) Fall from high places; (2) Struck by falling objects; and (3) Stepping on or hit by stationary objects. I urge the Ministry to focus on these key causes and recommend effective measures to prevent such incidents.”
“Can the Minister provide statistics on the number of employers involved in maid abuse cases against the total number of domestic maids in Singapore? Having said this, again, I must stress that each case of maid abuse is one case too many. I would like to ask the Minister on the outcome of such initiative, and what is the Ministry's plan to do more to address the problem of maid abuse. I would also like to ask the Minister two additional related questions on employment pass holders. First, how many employment pass holders were affected by the economic downturn? Second, what is the impact on the change of the minimum salary from $2,000 to $2,500 for employment pass holders? Does it help to level the playing field for our young graduates vis-a-vis foreign talents?”