Yeo Wan Ling
Singapore
“Thank you, Speaker. I have a clarification for Minister of State Jasmin Lau. In my speech on job redesign, I had asked for AI grants to be tied to mandatory job redesign requirements and productivity gains linked to worker outcomes.”
“Thank you, Speaker. Could the Minister of State elaborate on the specific fire safety protocols in place for HDB car parks with EV charging points, including detection, suppression and evacuation measures?”
“I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. Could the Ministry give further clarifications on how it assesses PWM compliance in procurement processes, including whether firms have met, for example, training requirements for their workers under the PWM requirements?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, 10 years ago, we built the foundations. Today, we are building the integration. And 10 years from now, I hope we will look back on this Bill as the moment Singapore chose to ensure that our next bound of growth is one that every worker can be part of.”
“As the Bus Contracting Model (BCM) enters its next phase, could a similar transformation support be considered for our bus captains? A refreshed BCM should be a win-win for commuters, operators and the workers who keep Singapore moving. Strengthening Transport Accessibility”
“And our local workforce must move up the skills ladder alongside industry transformations. In this new phase of labour transformation, I would like to put forward three Budget priorities. First, we must continue attracting top global talent in a way that strengthens, not substitutes our Singaporean core.”
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“Indeed, we need more purpose-driven businesses in our communities. They can anchor much goodness in our neighbourhoods. I ask the Ministry to give an update to the Afa. What are the Ministry's plans to encourage the growth of purpose driven business entities and how will the Ministry support our businesses to better give back to the communities they serve?”
“Caring for our vulnerable is a whole-of-society effort and I am encouraged to see many corporates do their part in this area. In 2016, BIPS was introduced to further encourage employee volunteerism and to foster a culture where businesses and employees support social needs and build a caring and cohesive society. Majority of the towkays and SMEs I speak with, are unfamiliar with the programme, even though they have extensive corporate responsibility programmes. In addition, those who know of the programme, shared that the application process can be tedious, causing both the SSA and the company to give up on the application halfway. Another towkay shared that given the manpower crunch faced by many SMEs now, volunteering time could be something that is challenging. Can the Ministry provide an update on how the BIPS uptake has been and how the Ministry may promote and share the programme better. Can the scheme also be expanded to include other forms of support that a corporation can make? Alliance for Action on Corporate Purpose for Business The Alliance for Action (Afa) on Corporate Purpose rallies Singapore's business leaders and corporations to combine their resources and to serve community needs and realise our vision of a caring and inclusive society. The corporate sector is a critical force for good. It can uplift the communities that they operate in, protect employee well-being, promote ethical supplier partnerships and ensure environmental sustainability. For example, in Punggol, our local supermarkets sell at cost, organic vegetables from our volunteer farms, work with the NTUC on fair workplaces practices, promote plastic recycling with our cleaning vendors and contribute essentials to our vulnerable families.”
“Our youths are our country's young sprouts who will grow up to be tall oak trees to provide shelter to our communities and nation. Our youths have demonstrated amazing resilience and adaptability, amidst the challenges and pressures of COVID-19. They have demonstrated tenacity and a strong passion to act on issues that they care about. In Punggol, our youths have used their own pocket money to 3D Print face shields for the community during COVID-19 and our youth networks have gone door-to-door to encourage residents to recycle well. This is not unique! In fact, data from the National Youth Survey shows that 90% of youths view contributing to society as an important life goal. Let us work together to give our youths opportunities to become leaders who are confident and committed to Singapore and who have the heart to serve. Can MCCY share on the opportunities for youths to further develop their leadership skills, build strong networks and be involved in civic participation? Youths in Policy Formulation”
“The moving of our ports from Pasir Panjang to Tuas also represents a major shift in workplace location for many of our port workers. Our unions have told us that this move will affect thousands of workers and this includes not only port workers, but also other workers in the Tuas ecosystem. Given the necessity of our port workers to be on site 24/7, the introduction of thousands more workers to the Tuas area, can the Ministry provide an update to the transport options available to our port workers, especially last mile connectivity such as MRT, LRT and other P2P transport. Maritime Sector Digitalisation Plans”
“I understand that the LTA is studying how Singapore's road infrastructure, can better support walking and cycling in neighbourhood centres to create a more livable and inclusive environment for all Singaporeans. This includes the pedestrianisation of roads or the creation of wider foot and cycling paths. Punggol is home to many young families and to beautiful waterways and park connectors. Cycling has always been a favourite activity of families and our youths and our Punggol residents have asked if we would be introducing new innovative concepts to our roads and pathways to promote community bonding and healthier lifestyles, especially for our seniors and youths. Will the Ministry please give an update to the road repurposing projects announced the responses to these projects thus far and the considerations for road repurposing to be rolled out to other neighbourhoods and communities? Enhancing Walkability”
“Our riders appreciate the 20-kilogram safety feature for pathways but are very worried about the risk they take on the road. The Labour Movement calls for the Ministry to consider, to allow a higher laden weight for delivery rides and to consider differentiated laden weights, a lighter one for riders who use pathways and a heavier one for riders who are on the roads primarily. Active Mobility”
“Delivery riders rough it out, rain or shine, night or day, to keep logistical networks in Singapore alive in the new normal, be it courier services, food delivery or other forms of logistics. Unfortunately, in a normal course of their work, our delivery riders sometimes have really bad odds stacked against them, causing them their livelihoods and sometimes, in extreme, even their limbs and their lives. Our riders have given the feedback that due to them using bicycles and power-assisted rides for delivery, they are often in no man's land. When on pathways, they share the space with pedestrians and many pedestrians are on their headsets or seniors and young children with slower reaction times. When on roads, they share the space with cars, buses and other heavy vehicles. While rules have been put into place to help protect our riders, example, the 1.5 metres distance when overtaking. When the rubber hits the road, literally, our riders stand no chance in a collision with a vehicle. No doubt gracious, pathway and road sharing is important to cultivate. And I ask the Ministry to provide an update on what programmes would be put in place to give awareness to all stakeholders on sharing norms. In addition, in areas where there's no possibility of broadening out pathways, how will the Ministry look to demarcate their use? Currently the laden weight of delivery ride is set at 20 kilograms. This includes the bicycle, additional batteries, delivery items and the frame used to carry the items for delivery. Our riders are given the feedback that this 20-kilogram limit causes them to compromise on safety, for example, taking on the lightest bike frame and this can lead to instability with a full delivery load and of course, bumpy road conditions.”
“Our P2P community has also brought up the growth of a grey economy, ride sharing or car-pooling – a practice which lies on the fringes of what can be considered not legal P2P ride-hail travel. Over the past year, this community has grown, and at last count, on just one online chat channel, there are 200,000 participants. This has impacted the livelihoods of our drivers. Can Ministry share on what measures have been taken or will be taken to address these issues? Our P2P drivers are excited to join Singaporeans in a sustainable green future and are keen to make the shift to EVs. However, the rollout speeds and norms of charging point use are top of the mind for drivers and the Labour Movement and our P2P associations call for priority use of charging points for drivers who use vehicles for livelihoods. We also call for more support for our early adopters as they will be expected to take on more costs due to a nascent EV ecosystem. 7.15 pm Growing New Transport Modal Options”
“The past three years have taken a long toll on our taxi and private-vehicle-hire drivers, with many drivers having disrupted livelihoods, depleted savings and sometimes, battered mental and physical health. While endemic living has given some form of reprieve to our P2P community, they remain worried about their future and their livelihoods, due to an ageing driving workforce, the ever-widening MRT coverage, the roll-out of EVs and rising costs of business. I have brought these issues up previously in this House and I seek an update on the Ministry's considerations. Our drivers have asked if it would be possible for a later statutory upper age limit for Taxi Driver's Vocational Licence (TDVL) and Private Hire Car Driver's Vocational Licence (PDVL) holders. It is currently at 75 years' old, and our drivers have asked for this to be stretched to 78 as many still feel they are healthy enough to be driving. This will also help alleviate the retirement pressures that many are feeling, especially after the three-year pandemic. Vehicles are key to our P2P livelihoods and rentals can often eat into more than 50% of a driver's revenues. Our P2P association leaders have given the ground feedback that rentals for vehicles have jumped as much as 35% over the past year for some rental models. Very often too, renters are asked to sign onerous rental agreements which must include vehicle insurance that can bear unequitable terms, such as high excess sums. We call on the Ministry to work with the Labour Movement to look into the pressing issue of setting out fair practice guidelines for the rental of vehicles used for trade.”
“Chairman, I would like to reiterate that there are about 260,000 women of economic age not in the workforce today. They will be a formidable workforce tapped for Singapore should we create the right conditions for our women to return to work. I like to thank Minister of State Gan for acknowledging the work that the Labour Movement and the NTUC Women and Family Unit has done. I would, in addition, like to ask the Senior Minister of State how can the Government further the partnership with the Labour Movement to support women who are seeking employment? Also, beyond the Enabling Employment Credit (EEC), what other employment support is there for persons with disabilities (PwDs)?”
“Even as many of us at work transit to the new normal, one thing we hope remains the same, Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs). In creating safe and inclusive workplaces, one must not only eliminate discrimination regarding the "who" at work, but also the "how" we choose to engage in our work. FWAs have proven to be key to allowing employees achieve better work-life harmony and it can promote a more engaged and productive workforce, allowing our workers to accomplish their tasks at work while meeting their personal responsibilities at home. The recommendations of the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness go hand-in-hand with FWAs, providing the flexibility to accommodate back-to-work women who have to take care of young children or elderly loved ones is a function of ensuring that women who hold multiple roles both at work and at home are not discriminated against for the outsized role we women play in society. FWAs also not limited merely to that of location but can also be extended to work hours, the work week and even work tasks. Given the difficulties many industries face regarding manpower, employers need to be ingenious and creative in its adoption of FWAs to ensure that we can maximise our workforce and this can start with our back-to-work women who possess both the skills and desire to return to work. Recognising the importance of FWAs, I seek the Ministry's clarifications on how it attempts to encourage more companies to continue to embrace FWAs and, in particular, performance appraisals, job and culture redesign, to support women with caregiving responsibilities to say in their jobs or to return to the workplace seamlessly after a hiatus in their careers?”
“30 pm As we look to strengthen our social compact, we must not forget to turn our attention to our vulnerable Singaporeans who are on the fringes and support them in their desire to earn decent livelihoods and the opportunity to contribute back to Singapore. Enhancing Retirement Adequacy”
“The influence of platform workers is clear for us to see. They have become an integral part of our daily urban lives having transformed the way we eat, shop and move. While we celebrate the benefits and rewards such work brings, we cannot overlook the potential risks that an increasing number of platform workers face, be it the rising concerns over adequate retirement savings, health safety nets and housing. To this end, the Labour Movement is encouraged that the Government recognised these concerns. We thank the Government for accepting the 12 recommendations provided by the advisory committee on platform workers that will strengthen our social and livelihood safety nets for our platform workers. While the advisory committee looks towards the working group to deliberate on the details of the operationalisation of these recommendations, our platform workers have voiced their concerns on how the introduction of CPF may affect their take-home earnings and subsequently their livelihoods. We hence welcomed the move to introduce a CPF transition support which will help alleviate these concerns. Can the Ministry provide an update on the transitional support? Further, we call on the Ministry to work closely with the Labour Movement and our platform associations to ensure that there is fair apportionment of CPF contributions between the platform worker and the platform company. For many platform workers, a day of work is also a day of painful loss revenues. In addition to the insurance benefits for work injuries as put forth in the recommendations, we call for the Ministry to consider further safety nets for platform workers who are injured in the course of their work, through added healthcare subsidies and enhanced injuries and loss of income plans. 2.”
“The Labour Movement's Progressive Wage Model (PWM) is key to protecting our vulnerable as it uplifts our lower-wage workers' livelihoods while equipping our workers the requisite training to upscale and improve. The PWM now covers 174,000 lower-wage workers in seven sectors including cleaning, security, retail and, starting today, the food services industries. The PWM was also introduced into occupations – administration and driving – recently. As the chairperson for the tripartite clusters for retail and food services, I note the significance of these clusters to be included in the PWM framework. These are very relatable industries for many Singaporeans. The workers in these industries touch the hearts and lives of Singaporeans daily and the businesses' innovations and achievements put Singapore in the world map as a true global city. Given that we hope to attract more talented young Singaporeans into these industries, can the Ministry provide an update on how it will support and encourage companies to embrace attractive career ladders and drum up productivity? I note too that these industries were the first predominantly business-to-consumer (B2C) industries to introduce the PWM framework. As such, supporting our lower-wage workers would include consumers as a stakeholder. We call on the Ministry to work with the Labour Movement to bring home the message that uplifting the lives of our lower-wage Singaporeans is a whole of community effort. Migrant Worker Welfare”
“The recommendations in the interim report by the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness is one that is greatly anticipated. The inclusion of characteristics such as sex, marital status, pregnancy status and caregiving responsibilities are of particular significance to the NTUC's Woman and Family Unit. The Labour Movement has for decades worked to ensure women in the workplace are given a positive and safe work environment to achieve their career aspirations. The enshrining of such protections will help in our fight towards eliminating workplace discrimination faced by women. Yet, the NTUC Women's Committee has noted that women continue to face workplace discrimination. In our latest February sensing with women union leaders, 64% agree that discrimination is prevalent in their workplaces. For many of the women who feel such discrimination, they often find it difficult to articulate their grievances clearly or they lack the right channels or opportunities to do so. Employers, too, especially SMEs, have often told us that they lack the resources and know-how to address such situations. While we welcome the legislation to come, we know we have miles to go before we sleep and welcome it. Maybe in practice, it may prove to be a daunting task. We call on the Ministry to work with the Labour Movement in empowering and equipping our workers to be able to provide clear articulation of discrimination grievances and seek clarification on how the Ministry will engage and support companies in effectively implementing workplace fairness practices. Singaporean Core”
“I would first like to thank our NSmen for being a key pillar of Singapore's national defence. It is important for us to ensure that NSmen and their families are supported and recognised for their sacrifices. We should not take these contributions for granted. Today, NSmen have to balance their professional and personal lives alongside their NS commitments during their reservist years. Some of them even have to set aside life milestones. Our growing freelance and self-employed workforce often face livelihood losses for each day that they are away from work and, hence, steps to alleviate unnecessary administrative processes will go a long way in helping with the balancing of their commitments. We should seek to continually improve the NS system, so that each and every NS man can have fulfilling and meaningful NS experiences. We should strive to increase conveniences for our NSmen by reducing administrative burdens for them where possible, without compromising on SAF's operational readiness. One instance of this was in 2019 when Senior Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How announced that ORNS would no longer have to notify the authorities when they travel abroad for less than half a year. Could MINDEF provide an update on whether a review is timely this year, given that four years have passed since the last announcement? Russia-Ukraine – Lessons on Total Defence”
“(c) A network of connections to career opportunities and job vacancies through NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and our trade association partners. To this end, crafts and trade programmes promoted include tailoring and dressmaking with TaF.tc; confinement and infant nanny care with NannyPro; plumbing with the Singapore Plumbing Society (SPS) and logistics with the Singapore Logistics Association. We have seen some good progress on this front, for instance, we saw a doubling of women returners joining the tailoring programme from 2021 to 2022. And for the same time period, a doubling of women joined us in the SPS networks. In this light, we call for the Government to continue the support of our women returner programmes, in particular, for the popular trades and crafts person programmes, and for employers to join hands with NTUC in designing and adopting positive returnship programmes. Mr Speaker, this is an especially important Budget, as this is our nation's first post-COVID-19 Budget, and we have an opportunity to co-create together, as one Singapore, the new norms that will impact our lives and our livelihoods. It is exciting times ahead for Singapore, and with a keen focus on balancing inequalities, opening up new livelihood opportunities and building safety nets for our vulnerable, I look forward to creating a new social compact. I support the Budget.”
“And then, she started to get more females and seniors to join her company. These are wonderful and effective examples of how thinking out-of-the-box can allow companies to job redesign. And I believe that with more targeted support from the Government and focused action from businesses, more SMEs can reap the benefits of FWAs, while allowing caregivers to stay or return to the workforce. During the job redesign process, companies may face manpower crunches and need help through redesign consultancy or facilitation. For this, the Labour Movement can work with the Government on a combination of grant support, road maps and specialised consultancies through a job redesign support package. While FWAs and job redesign processes bode well for our back-to-work women, it is worth noting that facilitating the transition back to work is equally as important. The NTUC's Women and Family unit has, over the past 24 months, introduced a Women Supporting Women Mentorship Programme, and this has been introduced in over 10 locations all over the island. This growing programme is targeted at supporting women returning to the workplace and addresses the issues that women face when they are looking for a smooth transition back. Together with the larger NTUC family of social enterprises and our partners in the Labour Movement, we have put into place: (a) A mentorship network, consisting of community leaders and unionists to support women returners who report challenges in adjusting to the culture and pace of the workplace, and thereby, a lack of confidence in their new job roles. (b) A suite of training programmes conducted by NTUC Learning Hub to uplift skillsets which are outdated or irrelevant, especially if our women returners have been out of the workplace for a longer period of time.”
“It is also of note that these are also the very same industries and sectors that face manpower shortages. And while the task of job redesigning can seem to be daunting or impossible, I believe that with some innovation, some thinking out of the box and support from the Government, the impossible can be made possible. I have seen this being done in several sectors to very good outcomes. The health and wellness sector is often one where FWA seem to be out of the question, given the high touch nature of frontline job roles. However, innovative companies such as the Singapore Spa Institute have started to pilot out a ninja workforce. This is a float of part-timers or gig workers, who would take up short stints when the regular full-timers are on FWAs. Job redesigning can also be a clear and transparent part of HR practices. When we introduced the Progressive Wage Mark at Uniqlo, I was very impressed by how transparent the company was in terms of what employees need to achieve in order to be promoted to the next level. This includes clear indications of internal exams that needed to be taken, scores to be achieved, daily tasks to be completed and these were all available for all employees to see on their staff notice boards. And one of the most innovative job redesigns that I saw was also one of the simplest. I am sure we all love the fluffy and light dough fritters for breakfast, what we call "you char kway", but the process of making these dough fritters sure is not light. Flour sacks can weigh up to 50 kilogrammes, and the boss of Xi De Li, a 100-year-old you char kway company here in Singapore, was finding it hard to get employees. In a eureka moment, she asked the supplier to repackage the flour sacks to 25 kilogrammes and below.”
“Third, implement telecommuting arrangements so that employees can carry out their work in a location away from the conventional office. Flexible work options facilitate work-life balance and can accommodate workers with diverse and varied responsibilities and needs. Fourth, while embracing these changes, it is imperative that companies fairly assess their employees on FWA for their work performance and opportunities for promotion. A worker who works on FWA must never be unfairly compared to a worker who works full-time in the office. I believe that this would be key to the long-term norming of FWA in workplaces. Fifth, while the dust settles on FWA norms, we must ensure that there are sufficient safeguards in place to protect them from workplace discrimination and to the extreme, harassment. Owing to the power of symmetries that workers faced, a fear of repercussions such as losing one's job while being marginalised at work and the lack of anonymity may discourage our employees from reporting incidents of discrimination. Employers therefore need to be engaged and educated on strategies to manage these cases while creating safe independent avenues for workers to seek recourse without fear of backlash. Silver linings and silver bullets notwithstanding, it is paramount for us to recognise that some companies and industry face greater hurdles in adopting FWAs in a sustainable way due to the current nature of work and the sector they are in. These includes SMEs and sectors with front-facing, customer-facing workers and those which include workers using specialised equipment. Some of these sectors where hurdles are more acutely felt include the retail, food services, healthcare, manufacturing, wellness, security, cleaning and landscaping sectors.”
“It was interesting to note that according to MOM's annual labour for statistics, the two most cited reasons why women are not in the workforce are: one, home caregiving duties; and two, housework. And yes, I can completely relate to this. During COVID-19, many women came up to me wanting to look for work. Some wanted to supplement their diminished household incomes, others wanted to do their part to bolster the Singapore economy during our times of need. However, even as we match jobs to them through job fairs and job mentorship programmes, the same caregiving concerns that keep our women out of the workforce are still barriers that do not go away. The seniors are still seniors, the young are still young and unfortunately, the infirm are still infirm. To allow our women back into the workplace, the workplace will need to evolve and the prolific adoption of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) and the consequent need to job redesign was a silver lining that happened in the dark cloudy days of the pandemic. It is with this in mind that I underscore the urgency of enhancing the inclusivity of our jobs and reimagining the way we work by adopting family-friendly FWAs. Let me elaborate. First, encourage employers to implement flexible work hours and allow employees more autonomy in calibrating their schedules. Flexi-time arrangements help workers better meet their personal responsibilities such as those tasked with taking care of young children and their loved elderly family members. Secondly, through the introduction of the compressed work week, this will allow workers the option of re-allocating the same number of work hours to fewer days, giving them longer blocks of personal time.”
“The COVID-19 situation has allowed us to celebrate the contributions of our freelance community. At the height of the pandemic, our drivers ferried COVID-19 patients to isolation facilities while we stayed in the safety of our homes. Our riders brought warm food to our tables while we settled in our comfortable work from home pattern. While we celebrate and thank our gig workers for making the pandemic safer and more comfortable for everyone, the last three years has also allowed Singaporeans a glimpse into the lives of our SEP workers and a deeper appreciation of the challenges they face. The SEPs in Singapore are capable of generating incredible value for our economy and society if only we would hand them the tools they need to loosen their Gordian knots. By supporting them to upskill, providing skill frameworks for their professions and alleviating their cost of businesses, I have confidence that the investment they receive will leverage disproportionate returns for our economy. Mr Speaker, Sir, even as we move forward into a new post-COVID-19 era, we have not wavered in our core priorities, especially the imperative highlighted by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to equip and empower our workers, while building a Singapore Made for Families. The call echoes the Labour Movement's own advocacy of enhancing support for workers with caregiving responsibilities, of which women constitute a large proportion of those who managed to double shift in the workplace and at home. MOM has noted that there are 260,000 women of employment age currently remaining outside of the labour force and their immense potential to power our economy and industries cannot be underestimated.”
“In the area of upskilling. First, expand the training allowance for self-sponsored trainees to include SEPs so that they can afford a few days off to upskill. Secondly, consider deeper support for SEPs upskilling in critical skills such as digitalisation and digitisation. This is especially so for SEPs working in sectors where there have been technological disruptions, such as the media and transport industries. Thirdly, develop skills frameworks for SEPs and crafts and trades-based professions, such as for photographers, videographers, plumbers, mechanics, and incorporating apprenticeship programmes into such training frameworks with Government support In the area of levelling business costs due to the small size of the businesses, most SEPs are unlikely to grow to a scale where they can become GST-registered, but they face the full impact of GST increments on their business cost and may not enjoy the Government support given to businesses as they are freelancers. Consider providing GST rebates for SEPs who are not GST registered to buffer the increase in cost. For taxi and private hire drivers specifically, we should consider the co-sharing of GSTs by SEPs with their operators and platforms. Secondly, we call on the Government to review the 60% fixed expense deduction ratio to better reflect the thinning margins experienced by drivers, especially with global inflationary pressures and in the same vein, to consider increasing the relief limit for business expenses and allow insurance, such as prolonged medical leave, to be categorised under business expense. Thirdly, for Government procurement to take the lead in recognising SEPs who trained under the abovementioned craft and trade skills frameworks when awarding Government contracts.”
“Thus, as the fortunes of our gig workers ebb and flow with the gig platforms and with the general flow of life, many of our self-employed workers find themselves caught in a bind where they hope to transit out of a vulnerable situation. They are unable to do so easily as upskilling and training can be costly. But it comes at a greater cost as it impacts the gig workers' daily takings and hence, their livelihoods. Indeed, our self-employed workers, like Alexander the Great, face a Gordian knot when it comes to their financial future. And as the legend goes, a headless knot cannot be undone, unless one takes extreme measures to cut it apart. I believe as a society we need to support and arm our vulnerable, self-employed workers better when they decide to face their Gordian knots. A headless Gordian knot to a typical freelance driver looks like this: Gabriel is one of our leaders at the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) and he is about to turn 50. He is a provider to his very young family. He has had several recent conversations with me on his plans for retirement and is making serious decisions on his CPF contributions. However, he is worried. To improve his income, he hopes to upskill, but to upskill, he must take time off for training. Yet, training will take time up and eat into his daily income, coupled with fluctuating fuel prices in an unstable geopolitical landscape, inconsistent trip prices with his platform and daily rentals he needs to make, Gabriel literally has miles to go before his dream of a comfortable retirement can come true. We must assist our SEPs and improving their productivity through upskilling and providing level playing fields to mitigating their business costs. I would like to bring up some of the ways we can do so.”
“Mr Speaker, I would like to second Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's commitment to strengthening the social compact. Indeed, the three long years of COVID-19 winter has brought about significant shifts in our community and workforce. As we adjust and settle into new equilibrium, we need to pay particular attention to social, economic and livelihood inequalities that may have bubbled to the surface during the pandemic. Two tectonic shifts have impacted our workforce norms and they are: one, the rise of the gig and self-employed workers and the need for level playing fields; two, the prolific adoption of flexible work arrangements, its impact on women returning to work and balancing caregiving with work responsibilities. Mr Speaker, the rise of the gig economy has been ongoing for quite some time, even before the COVID-19 pandemic added tailwinds to the growth of the industry with higher demands for home delivery services. And I would argue that the self-employed gig workforce will continue to grow as more Singaporeans embrace the flexibility freelancing work allows for. However, this flexibility does come with its trade-offs and these trade-offs are numerous. Unlike the self-employed of yesteryears, where our self-employed persons (SEPs) have total control over their terms of work – when they work, where they work, how much they charge – many self-employed of today no longer have full control over their terms of service as they: one, depend on platform partners to hook them up for gigs; two, are less skilled or have no core technical skills; and three, are price takers impacted by controls from the platforms, doubled down by the lack of control on mitigating the changes in the greater geo-economic environment.”
“I thank Senior Minister of State Dr Khor for the answer. My constituent told me that in certain areas, particularly in tourist areas such as Orchard Road, markings for DSAs can be very confusing and property owners have used items such as planter boxes and other objects which are aesthetically pleasing to denote such smoking areas. Does the Ministry take the view that property owners should have the responsibility in making these clear demarcations when marking out their smoking areas? If smokers who are confused by the marking have channels for feedback, where should they give the feedback to? And should they be fined, is there recourse for further investigations?”
“We do have some good tailwinds, however, on the matter though, and, through conversations with our leaders and members at the National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association, I can feel a good buzzing energy about the move towards EV. However, there are some concerns on the ground. For those among us who drive cars, we are familiar with the anxieties associated with a near-empty tank and an unknown distance to the next petrol station. While our seasoned taxi and private hire drivers are familiar with the rhythms of their workhorses and are able to "agar-agar" their refuelling schedules, they seek assurances that anxieties around an empty tank, or battery for that matter, can be dispelled. The ubiquity of charging stations is not enough; their prominence, locatability and predictability of availability are of utmost importance. Simply put, taxi and private hire drivers must be able to easily find and get to charging stations and not be caught by their unavailability, for instance, by a long queue of drivers waiting for the charging point to be freed up, even if the driver had come up with the best of journey planning.”
“Mr Speaker, I firmly believe that the Electric Vehicle Charging Bill will be pivotal in laying the foundation for Singapore's national agenda towards sustainable development. The Bill is set up to make EVs charging safe, reliable and accessible, in hopes of realising the rapid proliferation of EVs and a cleaner, more sustainable Singapore. The dynamics of car ownership in Singapore, however, are varied and, indeed, ever-changing. We have people who drive every day, people who drive only during the weekends, people who drive to bring their family around, people who drive because of work and people who drive because driving is their work. And, indeed, I would argue that these varying dynamics need to be taken into consideration, as we single-mindedly eye the prize of a clean sustainable Singapore with the proliferation of EVs. While the total number of new car registrations dipped in the first half of the year, the number of cars registered for private hire was steadily on the rise. This means that an increasing proportion of cars on the road today are cars that are part of our public transport network, such as our registered for-private-hire vehicles and our over 14,000-strong taxi fleet. What this means for the EV ecosystem in Singapore is that it is just as imperative to drive the uptake of EVs among private hire and taxi drivers as it is for other vehicles in order for the Bill to realise its long-term goals. I understand that full taxi and private hire EVs on the road are now less than 5% of Singapore's fleet size and we do have some miles to go before we sleep in this critical pivot.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. We have seen in my constituency the blossoming of home-based businesses, especially during and after COVID-19. In response, I have seen more residents supporting such home-based businesses, sometimes, even operated by their neighbours. While the vast majority of the home-based business transactions have yielded very happy results, residents have given feedback that more balance needs to be given to help represent the consumer rights of residents should the deal go south. As I understand it, if the home-based business is not registered with ACRA, the only way forward is through the Small Claims Tribunal and it is an online self-help platform costing up to $25.50 for a Court application. For many of the consumers, the cost could be an issue and some would appreciate assistance with the mediation process, especially if it involves a neighbour. Given the above, would the Ministry also consider having organisations like CASE play a bigger role in safeguarding the interests of customers of home-based businesses, especially if they are not registered businesses?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for her reply. Our driving community at the National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association had expressed their concerns over the practical realities of being able to check, with absolute certainty, whether a passenger had left their belongings in the cars when they alight. And I am very glad that LTA will consider relooking at this rule on punitive actions against our drivers if they have not done so. However, given this and the feedback that the drivers have given, will LTA also look at joint public education campaigns, letting our drivers and passengers know that it is a joint effort on belongings that are left behind and also to work with more of the taxi and private hire platforms on ensuring that there are reminders, whether it is on the app or in the taxis via stickers and all that, on reminding people not to leave their items behind?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, while I know that we cannot reasonably expect social media platforms to transform their processes and policies overnight, I hope this anecdote serves as a reminder of the extent of harm that our local users can potentially be subjected to, and perhaps provide a reference point and an impetus from which regulation can derive its requirements from. It is, therefore, heartening to see the call for greater transparency surrounding the decision-making processes of social media platforms, along with the tools, resources and enforcement options available to them. With greater clarity, users are better informed and well-assured about how social media platforms can support them upon experiencing online harm. Yet, these measures do not fully grasp the emotional and mental turbulence that one experiences as a victim of online harm. The apparent lack of a human touch in the process of dealing with online harm by social media platforms reflects a certain degree of uncongeniality and coldness that does not work to protect and support victims in times of need, and perhaps should be re-evaluated. In conclusion, if the new laws enacted aim to mitigate the present online harms, then it is my hope that we will continue to expand our remit and regulations to protect our users from having to suffer from experiences, such as that which I have recounted. I support the Bill.”
“I received an acknowledgement note almost immediately from the platform saying that they had received the report and that they would use their community guidelines to review the account. It was not until four days later that I received a note from the social media platform saying this, "We didn’t remove xxx account. Because of the high volume of reports we receive, our team hasn’t been able to review this account. Bullying and harassment are not okay and are against our community guidelines. There are a few things you can do to avoid seeing accounts you find upsetting. If you don’t want to see xxx on our media platform, you can unfollow, mute, or block them to hide their posts and comments from your feed. If you think this account has posted specific content that shows bullying or harassment, please let us know by reporting the relevant post, comment or story, so we can review it. Case closed." I note that at the time of the report, the account only had one post, which is the one the young lady had brought to my attention. It was extremely troubling to know how helpless she, and even I, felt throughout this whole situation, as she received no update or communication from the social media platform regarding the case until the outcome was finalised, of which the post was removed only after an extended period of time. The account, however, remains active to this day, leaving the victim at the mercy of the anonymous user who could yet again subject the victim to another episode of doxxing. Clearly, social media platforms ought to take more responsibility in such a situation. Social media platforms, you can do better, and we can do better for online safety.”
“Even as Singapore has enacted legislation, such as the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA), to deal with such specific issues, these laws, currently, do not afford the capacity to hold social media platforms responsible regarding their action, or lack thereof, in dealing with such situations, especially where the platform wields significant control over the speed of the entire process and the final outcome. For a victim to have no agency over information about their private lives being shared online, such an experience can be extremely destabilising and traumatising and, in certain cases, this could even place them at risk of physical harm. I am reminded of a rather vexing and traumatic personal story shared with me by a young lady who was scared, traumatised, worried and confused. As a victim of doxxing, she had her personal details – her name, school, employer, amongst other things – revealed online against her desire by an anonymous account. When she attempted to remove the post and sought recourse from the social media platform, the lack of urgency in dealing with the matter exacerbated the already extreme levels of vulnerability and fear she experienced, knowing that every extra second the post was allowed to remain online was another opportunity for a vile user to re-victimise her. Even though she had also lodged a Police report, there was no certainty that the report would expedite the removal of her personal identifiable information that has been shared online. On my part, I had reported the offending account to the social media platform on the same day that the young lady had reached out to me for help.”
“With online platforms expected to provide greater clarity regarding how they intend to protect local users from harmful content, users are not only granted the opportunity to make informed decisions but are also able to better understand the decision-making process with regard to appeals and requests they make surrounding egregious content. Secondly, the requirement for practical guidance from social media platforms. To successfully build a safe online environment, it is imperative that users are well-educated on what constitutes harmful conduct and content, and it is my hope that the new measures fulfil this need. Furthermore, providing easy and open communication channels will best allow users to voice their concerns as users play an equal part in fostering a safe online environment. While these developments are, indeed, a first step in the right direction, it is important that we do not just stop at this juncture. While the amendment primarily focuses on specific egregious content that includes posts advocating suicide, self-harm, terrorism, sexual exploitation and other material that risk damaging our social fabric, these are not the only issues that constitute online harm. If we recognise that our online society is very much an extension of the physical society we share in, then we, as a country, should strive to regulate our social media just as we would our physical reality. This is especially important for native issues that arise specifically from the use of social media. Specifically, in the realm of their public and private posts, and their platform's direct messaging services on issues, such as cyberbullying, doxxing, or even revenge porn.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with Singapore having one of the highest rates of digital penetration globally, the ubiquitous influence of the Internet and social media among Singaporeans has been well documented and is certainly here to stay. Today, social media platforms are not merely a conduit through which people interact with one another, but they serve as an extension of an individual's being, a representation of who they are and what they stand for. Given how much our digital spaces shape our physical realities, the formation of online communities and groups mirrors the physical society we live in and, therefore, the actions we take and the information we read online bear no less significance than those we do in person and in print. If we accept that our societies are governed by rules and laws that aim to maintain peace and harmony in our nation, then why should our online societies be absolved of such a need? It is for this reason that I welcome the proposed amendment to the Online Safety Bill and, in particular, two significant requirements that were laid out in the new measures. Firstly, the call for greater transparency from social media platforms in their decision-making process and, secondly, the obligation for these platforms to provide practical guidance and guidelines to educate local online users, along with the implementation of simple ways for users to report harmful content and unwanted interactions. First, greater transparency. Behind the personalised content that we see on our social media accounts, there exist complex algorithms with various inputs and metrics that determine what is recommended to us.”
“The Labour Movement continues to be committed to working with the Government to ensure that making this investment into our common Singaporean future does not disproportionately aggrieve overlooked slices of Singaporeans as I have outlined. These concerns notwithstanding, I support the Bill.”
“This discernment in the application of GST will go a long way to supporting our SMEs and the self-employed who might feel cornered by the GST increase. In Mandarin please, Mr Speaker. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I believe that many members of the public can feel the impact of the recent price adjustments. With the gradual increase in the cost of living, every household will face different pressures, with low-income households facing a more severe impact. Similarly, SMEs will find it more difficult to balance their revenue and expenditure than large enterprises. Of course, the biggest challenge is probably faced by self-employed workers such as our taxi and private hire car uncles and aunties. These elderly and frail drivers are hardworking, but do not have the protection of a GST registration, but they have to bear the pressure of inflation on their own, just like big companies. With rising prices, I believe we have seen a reduction in the number of times we take a cab and in our financial capability. This may bring us some inconvenience, but to taxi drivers, what is affected is their ability to afford food, medical fees and rent. Businesses that are unable to raise prices will have to use their own money to absorb these costs. This is a reality that every elderly taxi driver must face. Are we not raising taxes for the common prosperity of all? Then protecting the rice bowls of the self-employed and the SMEs should be our duty. (In English): Ensuring a fair system of raising revenue to meet our society’s needs is a responsible way of easing the burden of our younger generation of workers who have to support a larger population of older residents in the years to come.”
“As their suppliers pass the increasing costs of goods down to these small business owners in light of the rising GST rates, small business owners can, at best, apologetically raise their prices, or, at worst, absorb these costs out of their pockets to their own personal detriment. This dilemma is one unique to small business owners in Singapore and need not be the one that we put them through if we pull the right policy levers. In the same vein, our self-employed persons in Singapore, including taxi drivers, private hire drivers, who are generally unable to set their own prices, are also not GST-registered. Our drivers from the National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association have told me that they are worried about the impending GST increments and thus affecting their daily takings and livelihoods. The costs of doing business would go up, from larger dollar items, such as fuel, car rentals, insurance, to the smallest of purchases essential to their businesses, such as masks and even sanitation wipes. Our drivers, being price takers, and individually not earning enough to be GST-registered, what more can we do to cushion the impact of rising costs handed down to them from upstream stakeholders? While short-term measures, such as support vouchers, are welcomed, what other policy levers can we pull for the longer term? Mr Speaker, would it be worthwhile then to examine the impact of allowing non-GST-registered SMEs and the self-employed perhaps an annual allowance for the purchase of goods necessary for their businesses? Perhaps this allowance can be extended to a basket of low-value goods and can be considered and reset on an annual basis.”
“Therefore, I call on the Government to strengthen and continue support for our older workers through grants and other funding support. Indeed, the Labour Movement will continue to play its part to help seniors and other Singaporeans to "stretch their dollar" through its social enterprises. This includes special discounts on basic necessities, such as groceries at our Fairprice outlets, tailored insurance policies with NTUC Income, and meals at Kopitiam. I note that there are now $3 options nestled in most Kopitiam stalls in my Division, and there are many popular food items enjoyed by many, such as cai png, carrot cake, fishball noodles, mee goreng and chicken macaroni soup. Aside from these wage workers, there is also a slice of business owners and the self-employed who may be adversely impacted by the rising rates of GST. While established corporations have elaborate pricing models to capture profits amidst the volatile economic climate, small business owners in Singapore feel a special affinity for their customer base and have an often overlooked obligation to their regulars to keep prices down. It is not uncommon to hear residents name their favourite food after their associated prices. Think the “$2.50 chicken rice” or the “$1 banana leaf nasi lemak”. Those dishes just have a special ring to it. In our communities, small business owners who have fought to keep their prices down to keep serving their loyal customers are celebrated as community stalwarts, and treasure this trust more than just gouging profits. Many of these small businesses, Mr Speaker, also happen to be not GST-registered, meaning that they are unable to charge GST and claim GST costs.”
“Rising costs are, undoubtedly, a perennial issue – every generation reminisces about the prices of their kopi, a bowl of noodles back in their day. We can choose to look on and rue rising prices like sitting ducks or match the rising cost of living with increased productivity and fortified wages undergirded by the equitable and sustainable gains sharing. That is exactly why the Union has thrown its weight behind the rollout and expansion of the Progressive Wage Model, deepening its reach in the cleaning, security and landscape sectors, as well as being newly implemented in the retail sector in September this year, with the Food Services sector following very closely in six months' time and more sectors to come in the months ahead. We are encouraged by the Government’s commitment to resilience-building on top of mere relief-provisions as seen in the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS) introduced during Budget 2022. PWCS served to encourage salary increments for lower-wage workers despite the poor macroeconomic climate, incentivising, therefore, lower-wage workers’ investment in the development of their craft. As the cost of living rises, we are confident that Singaporeans will be well-resourced to match its demands for greater productivity in a sustainable gain-sharing ecosystem. Mr Speaker, even as we recognise the surging benefits for lower-wage workers through PWM, the Union is aware that, for older workers in the sunset lap of their productive years, the returns on investments in self-development for productivity gains are dampened. These concerns are exacerbated, especially after their productive years, with fears rising of nest eggs being eroded by the rising costs of living, and, indeed, the aftermath of COVID-19.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as Singapore braces itself for GST increments in 2023 and 2024, many Singaporeans are already starting to feel the pressure with the rising cost of living. For those who have seen the award-winning film, Parasite, we would be familiar with the basement apartments in South Korea. When the floodwaters rush in, people living in these humble dwellings get their homes destroyed and, worse, lose their lives. Thankfully, the South Korean government has recently vowed to move people out of these homes. What rising floodwaters are to subterranean South Korean homes, the rising costs of living are to Singaporeans at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. When it hits, the lives and livelihoods of those at the bottom are the first to be put to the sword – all the way up to the middle of the ladder, we have Singaporeans up to their necks with surging prices on living necessities. Of course, I could have spared the analogy, for this is basic economic theory. Yes, basic, but, for many of us, it merely remains in theory. For lower- to middle-income working Singaporeans, rising GST rates will be felt in the flesh. Mr Speaker, relief measures like the $1.5 billion inflation-relief package announced by MOF, including special payments, CDC vouchers, U-Save Vouchers and other assistance, are very much welcomed by Singaporeans. These measures will tide Singaporeans over fiscal challenges as they navigate the rising cost of living in the near-term, and the Union brothers and sisters I have spoken with are grateful for this support on behalf of our Singaporean workers. However, while such assistance provides relief, we must continue to look to policies that imbue resilience.”
“Would the Ministry also be looking at the number of people on the waitlist? Has it increased for special needs people wanting to enter the MK system over the last five years, for instance? And also, at the same time, would there also be numbers that you monitor in terms of the number of special needs people within the MK system?”
“I thank the Minister of State. I note from appeals from my residents, more families are asking for preschool placements for their special needs children and are being put on a waitlist or a special assessment before the child can be considered for school enrolment. I understand for experts in the field, that is also important for intervention to take place at a young age for certain special needs conditions before former school begins. Given that the MK system was put in place to prepare preschool children for formal education, would the Minister's assessment, be that the current spaces and in-school resources available for children with special needs, be sufficient for the Special Needs community? Also, are our preschool sufficiently resource, especially with trained teaching staff and in-house therapist to handle such student loads?”
“Thank you. The NEA started Project Wolbachia in Punggol and some residents have given feedback on the increased number of bites, and according to even one of the residents, leading to skin sensitivity and rashes. One preschool administrator, who was unaware of the start of the project, had reported that the school suddenly saw swarms of mosquitoes, thereby leading to some degree of fear and alarm with the children. Will NEA, besides traditional sources of media banners and all that, consider also having ground walkabouts and educational talks directly to homes and community areas such as malls, schools and coffee shops to promote and perhaps to assuage the initial alarm on the rollout of Project Wolbachia?”
“From the National Taxi Association members' data, the average age of our members has increased by about five years from 10 years ago. Our members have expressed their desire to continue driving past the age of 75 as they feel they are still in good health and have mental alertness. In addition, the past two COVID-19 years have been very tough on our drivers. And many of them have had their nest eggs wiped out, hence the appeal to continue driving past the retirement age. Should our drivers pass an annual medical examination, complete with eye and hearing test, will the LTA consider a restricted licence for a senior driver driving, for example, limited hours or limited routes?”
“While we have made progress over the years, NTUC has identified multiple significant challenges that women continually face as they pursue their career aspirations. NTUC believes that one's gender should never be an obstacle or a hindrance in the workforce and we will make every effort to provide opportunities and resources that work towards championing our women and the workplace. Mr Speaker, I support the White Paper and the Motion. [Applause.]”
“NTUC has long championed actions to address discrimination in the workplace. We were party to drafting the tripartite guidelines on non-discriminatory job advertisements that were issued in 1999. We co-led the formation of the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) in 2006 to promote fair and equitable employment practices as well as to provide an avenue for workers to report such unfair practices on them. TAFEP, subsequently, formulated the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices in 2007, which has helped guide companies in adopting fair and merit-based employment practices. NTUC has also been advocating for measures to level the playing field between Singaporeans and foreign workers for opportunities since 2011. These were implemented in the form of the Fair Consideration Framework and the National Jobs Bank in 2014. More recently, in 2021, the PME Task Force driven by NTUC and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) called for strengthening enforcement against errant companies adopting unfair practices, such as by empowering TAFEP to impose penalties on recalcitrant companies and putting in place safe whistle-blowing policies and procedures to combat discrimination in the workplace. We are heartened that these calls made by NTUC will be reflected in the move to enshrine the TGFEP in law. As we look forward to proposals by the Tripartite Committee on Workplace Fairness at the end of 2022, we will continue to safeguard the safety of women workers and help employers create a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. From the time I have stepped into this House, I have seen the concerted effort of our nation and this House in supporting the development of women in Singapore.”
“This six-month journey together culminated in sister Daphne recommending Ms K to a full-time role that provided flexible work arrangements (FWAs), which catered both to Ms K's caregiving and professional needs. Such success stories have spurred the Labour Movement to bring the Women Supporting Women mentorship programme to more local communities. The Labour Movement welcomes the White Paper's recommendations on using mentorships to augment opportunities for women to re-enter the workplace. Mr Speaker, Sir, while the NTUC has pioneered actions that look to create opportunities and provide support for women to enter and re-enter the workforce, we also recognise the need to enhance our measures to protect women from workforce harassment and discrimination. Earlier this year, a survey conducted by the Women and Family Unit and the PAP Women's Wing revealed the worrying trends of gender discrimination that our women of today face at their workplaces. Not only did the report show that women perceive that they are disproportionately facing workplace discrimination, it also highlighted the prevalence of a lack of company know-how and policy against such workplace discrimination and harassment. This is, in particular, amongst companies that do not enjoy the abundance of resources and manpower. The NTUC has, hence, started to look to channel efforts into enhancing the protection of SME workers by engaging our employers in dialogues, talks and webinars, whilst providing shared HR resources that work to prevent workplace discrimination and to protect whistle-blowers within reason. We are committed to equipping our SMEs and companies with better standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can help to create discrimination- and harassment-free workplaces.”
“The Labour Movement recognises that our Singaporean women often play the role as the primary caregiver in our families and thus have been advocating since the 1990s on flexible work arrangements (FWAs) as a workplace norm. We welcome and support the White Paper's recommendations on FWAs. Beyond new tripartite guidelines on FWAs, we call on employers to take steps to ensure fairness in the appraisal and performance management of workers on FWAs. Workers must be clear about their duties, expectations and deadlines when they are on FWA. Women go through many seasons and we recognise that women at different points of their lives would leave, enter or re-enter the workforce. Many face difficulty re-entering the workforce after an extended hiatus as there is a mismatch in expectations and support between employers and women returners. The Labour Movement has sought to bridge this gap by providing training and mentoring that women can leverage to give themselves a leg up. The Labour Movement, through the NTUC Women and Family Unit's Women Supporting Women mentorship programme, grants women at all levels, including PMETs, access to women mentors who provide support and guidance, allowing our women to have a better landing when they are returning to the workplace or even to pursue better and shinier pathways at work. I witnessed the journey of some 50 mentees who benefited from this programme and I would like to share the experience of one Ms K. A single mom to three young children, Ms K quit her job five years ago as she was constantly taking childcare leave to take care of her young children. When she joined the programme, she was taken under the wing of unionist sister Daphne Ng from the Singapore FinTech Association.”
“If our laws and policies are to reflect the standards we, as a society, desire, then this House must continue to look to pursue choices that seek to achieve a fairer and more inclusive society where both men and women, as equal partners, are free to chase their aspirations to the fullest. The NTUC recognises its pivotal position in spearheading efforts to achieve greater gender equality in Singapore and has, through the decades, been a progressive and relevant voice for our women, from the women's programme under Mdm Yu-Foo Yee Shoon to the Women's Development Secretariat led by Mdm President Halimah Yacob to its current incarnation, the NTUC Women and Family Unit. Indeed, the creation of a more inclusive society does not differentiate on gender and relies, first, on the ability to provide equal opportunities for women. Today, our women are flourishing in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), IT, entrepreneurship, services, manufacturing and our choices are often limited only by our interests and passions. However, our work is far from being completed. Apart from developing favourable policies that elevate women in the workforce, the Labour Movement sees the pertinent need to widen the field for women by re-imagining and refreshing our career choices. In addition to the promotion of STEM careers, the NTUC Women and Family Unit has identified even more opportunities and market gaps in critical but neglected professions that are traditionally dominated proudly by women, such as dressmakers and nannies. Together with the Labour Movement's ecosystem partners, we have started the process of refreshing and professionalising such occupations and have piloted place and train programmes in these sectors.”