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.”
The complete record
Every one of 422 lines we hold for Yeo Wan Ling, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 9.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as I celebrated International Women's Day (IWD) last month with my sisters, constituents and unionists, I was greatly inspired by the women from all walks of life sharing what it meant to break the gender bias, smash glass ceilings and reach for the stars. If we take a look around, we will realise that we are surrounded by so many inspirational Singaporean women. In one IWD panel, I met with four such inspirational women with very, very diverse life stories. Chef Judy is a successful chef and, after a very painful divorce, she used the baking skills she learned from her very supportive ex-mother-in-law to become a successful cafe and baking school business owner. Gwendolyn has a degree in political science and is also thriving as a Rota commander and firefighter. Cheryl struggled with mental health and is now a beauty queen and passionate advocate for mental wellness. Sophia left her job to focus on raising her young family but, in the midst of it, upskilled herself and is now the proud owner of a very fulfilling business of supplying wedding flowers. These stories and achievements of our ladies reflect the strength and determination we possess as we strive for excellence. This is, in part, made possible by the considerable improvements and opportunities, protection and safety nets that Singapore has developed over the years – evident in the increase in women graduates and women employment, along with the growth of women in leadership and board positions. However, in our efforts to honour our women who #breakthebias, our actions need to continually reflect the inherent challenges that women continue to face in our society, communities and families. With this, I welcome the 25 very far-reaching recommendations made in the White Paper.”
“Would MOM also consider phasing in CPF contributions by platform companies to cushion any price impact on consumers and alleviate any potential adverse impact on the take-home income of our platform workers, which is something that the Labour Movement is, ultimately, the most worried about?”
“I thank the Minister of State. I would like to ask, besides public education of our local community networks, would there also be other ways in which we will be engaging with local community networks or volunteers in terms of educating them so that they may also become a very active part of the wider safety nets that are provided and given to our seniors at risk?”
“To Mdm Tan, this fear of leaving behind her brother is very real and – given that she is in her late 50s – very near. This visit left me with many questions as to how we as a nation and community can help and support the people in the same situation as Mdm Tan and her brother. Will Mdm Tan's brother be able to age-in-place in a home that he loves should she no longer be able to care for him? Is living in a purpose-built facility the only other alternative? What are the interventions out there available for undiagnosed adults with special needs? Besides setting up trusts, what other supporting structures do we need to put in place as a nation to support our differently abled countrymen? While these remain as questions to many, to Mdm Tan and many caregivers in her shoes, these are very real, everyday realities with a looming timeline that is ticking away. Although previous iterations on the Enabling Masterplans have indeed sought to alleviate the worries of caregivers in future care planning, I invite the MSF to consider how we can better reach out to caregivers like Mdm Tan with many going under the radar due to their charges undiagnosed or unreported disabilities. Also, I invite the MSF to assess informational gaps faced by caregivers of adults with disabilities perhaps due to digital divide or language barriers so that we can better build bridges to alleviate the concerns of these caregivers. 6.30 pm Employment Support for Persons with Disabilities”
“Since 2007, MSF has charted three Enabling Masterplans. These Masterplans have not only achieved material changes in infrastructure, policies and support for persons with disabilities but have seeped these changes into the attitudes of fellow Singaporeans, including educators, employers and the public at large. Therefore, it is with great anticipation that we look forward to this new edition of the Enabling Masterplan which I understand takes a longer view than previous iterations charting a roadmap through 2030. In particular, the topic of future care planning with caregivers weighs very heavily on my heart. I take particular note of households with special needs adults in my block and home visits with my residents and I am always left in admiration of our family caregivers' unwavering dedication to their charges. Some caregivers dedicate their entire lives, foregoing careers and other relationships in order to fulfil their caregiving responsibilities. And I think more needs to be done to support them. I met Mdm Tan, not her real name, on a block and I immediately was taken by how well-designed her home was. Mdm Tan, who is in her late 50s, shared with me that she and her brother, who she suspects to be on the autism spectrum, live together and she is the sole caregiver for her brother. Her home was specifically designed to allow her brother to live comfortably and happily. She used to work in an office but as her brother started to age, she gave up her work and became a freelance interior designer so that she can work from home to care for her brother full-time. She is older than her brother by a few years and is worried about his well-being should she not be around to care for him any longer.”
“To provide some ground reality, the current training allowance provided by WSG is pegged at $4.50 per hour. An eight-hour training day equates to $36 or 50% of vehicle rental cost. Given that many drivers have depleted their savings trying to cope with COVID-19, this is a challenging dilemma. As our drivers seek for more sustainable future-proof livelihoods, will the Ministry consider training allowances to be adjusted? Can the Ministry also provide an update for the support of our drivers to prepare for a better future? Throughout COVID-19, our drivers have been frontliners and sometimes face the wrath of angry and unreasonable commuters. This can range from ugly spats on the COVID-19 measures to our female drivers who meet the tricky passengers as they brave the long night drives. What are some of the new safety nets that the Government will be putting in place to ensure that our drivers remain safe and how has it been effective as a deterrent for taxi drivers and PH drivers since its inclusion in July 2021?”
“Through the years, our taxi and private hire vehicle driving community has been keeping Singapore going. Rain or shine, early mornings and late nights, pandemic or no pandemic, providing a reliable and safe form of transportation for many Singaporean families. Our resilient hardworking drivers have weathered changes to their industry, affecting their livelihoods and lives. Some changes are sudden, like COVID-19; some changes are long-tailed, like technology changes, ranging from changing diesel standards, the invention of ride-hailing apps, the rolling out of full EV vehicles. Our drivers have rolled with the times and, with the support and representation of the NTUC Associations, National Taxi Association and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association, their resilience and courage have carried them out of these situations stronger and better. In the midst of the fuel price surges, which have left our drivers reeling and frightened about the sustainability of their livelihoods, our association leaders have led the charge and bringing the matter of business cost up to the taxi and ride-hail platform partners as well as LTA. Our leaders have similarly worked with the tripartite partners in the introduction and extension of the COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund (CDRF), which has given our drivers some added measure of relief. One evergreen challenge our leaders have brought up is the support needed to aid drivers looking to transit out of driving. Unlike salaried employees who may take paid training leave, for every hour a self-employed driver spends away from his trade, it is an hour less spent on earning a living. Hence, most drivers who wish to undertake training must bear triple costs – training fee, vehicle rental and loss of income.”
“In embracing EVs, perhaps the biggest hurdle in the smooth transition to popular adoption of EVs is the issue of infrastructural coordination. For instance, what is the schedule like for charger deployment and how would this be synced with the gradual adoption of EV models? Will there be priority given to livelihood vehicles like taxis and PHVs at charging docks? Would the Government regulate the cost of charging? Could the Ministry give a clearer account of the overall plan on how the charger deployment will be financed and accelerated? Raising the Attractiveness of Electric Vehicles”
“With the implementation of the nationwide Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for e-waste in July 2021, we have taken steps to regulate the disposal of such waste by placing greater responsibility on the producers and retailers of such products to ensure that the items ranging from our handphones to our light bulbs will be handled when they reach end of life. With the current e-waste collection and disposal scheme having been in place for half a year, we would like to seek clarification on whether the scheme has contributed to the increase in e-waste collection. Furthermore, we also seek assurance of the effects of the present scheme has on the ability to recycle the e-waste that we have generated. Progress of Zero Waste Masterplan”
“The announcement to implement a charge on disposable carrier bags at supermarkets as per the recommendations submitted by the Citizens Workgroup after consultation with the NEA and members of the public, is a move that is highly anticipated, and to some, viewed with some hesitation. Such a solution has already been implemented in various countries and generally attains success in reducing the usage of plastic bags. We likewise hope to see a positive outcome in early 2023 when charges for disposable carriers bags in large supermarkets are made a legal requirement. In Singapore, supermarket retailers such as NTUC Fairprice and Don Don Donki have already taken the initiative and begun to implement charges for their disposable bags. While such measures look to disincentivise shoppers from using disposable plastic carrier bags offered in stores, there are some who have brought up that Singaporeans have always been recycling supermarket bags, using them as trash bags and such a model might create a situation where consumers take more bags than needed after paying the fee for them. It is of these concerns that we would like to seek clarification concerning the proposed charging model when implementing the mandatory charge for carrier bags at supermarkets. My second cut. Electronic Waste – Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme As a smart nation of digital natives, we have become increasingly reliant on electronic devices to allow a society to function. Incorporating more of such devices into our lives naturally means that we generate more of such e-waste, waste that contain hazardous materials and poses a health and environmental risk if not managed.”
“For instance, various reports have suggested that occupations in the PMET sector are more suited for FWAs since their work hinges on more access to technology than physical interaction. However, FWAs have been more difficult to implement in industries that need it the most, especially frontline workers and employees involved in shift work. As we acknowledge the imperative to better WLH measures, how will the Ministry extend FWAs to workers across all sectors of employment, particularly in industries where progress has been slower? Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs)”
“COVID-19 has encouraged novel ways of working. Many firms have made FWAs a part of their new normal, such as working from home, staggered hours and compressed work weeks and varying work duties. As more companies experience success with this transition, especially when FWA measures allow staff to enjoy better work-life harmony without compromising on productivity, they have been more open to increasing the scale of policies that offer greater work-life balance and flexibility to workers. Indeed, surveys have shown that nearly 80% of our workers hope that their employers will continue offering this flexibility in a post-pandemic age. Although COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future, it is pertinent to ensure that beneficial practices adopted during this time will continue to be enforced. Given the advantages and demands of FWAs amongst workers, how will the Ministry be encouraging employers to sustain the implementation and expansion of these policies in the long run even after the pandemic has abated? Beyond making work-life harmony policies a permanent mainstay in the workplace, it is equally important that all aspects of FWAs benefit both employers and employees and remain fair for both parties involved. This means that employers, on their part, should keep an open mind while employees should exercise responsibility while using FWAs. However, potential challenges inevitably remain, such as in monitoring performance with remote working. In light of this, how will the Ministry ensure that employer appraisals are conducted in a way that is fair to our workers? The prevalence of FWAs and work-life harmony (WLH) policies differs greatly across professions and industries.”
“The family is unable to afford a full-time helper as they neither have the space for a live-in helper, nor the budget to provide for full board. She told me that she would like, from time to time, help in child-minding, assistance in caring for her seniors and support in cleaning her home. In order to have more savings for herself and her family, she takes on food delivery at night after her children have gone to bed. Mdm P's situation is neither unique nor rare. But we have made strides in augmenting our infrastructural facilities and support systems to advance the caregiving ecosystem. There is also a great deal of untapped potential within the HSS to serve our residents better. Hence, I invite the Ministry to look into expanding the programme beyond the provision of housekeeping services into offering caregiving support for our families. Expanding the Household Services Scheme”
“In the recent decade, changing dynamics in the workplace and at home have rendered dual-income families greater ubiquity, with many seeking to outsource household duties in order to allow women to work. This has meant that Singapore's 1.3 million households are increasingly turning to external help, often in the form of full-time foreign domestic workers, to alleviate domestic responsibilities at home. However, there still remains a gap in the market for part-time help. The Household Services Scheme (HSS), first piloted in 2017 and made permanent in 2021, has been a popular and innovative scheme welcomed by families. This programme allows eligible companies to employ female migrant workers to support part-time cleaning services to households. This flexibility has allowed families who are unable to afford or provide accommodation in their homes for full-time helpers some access to respite care. 5.30pm Currently, this arrangement is limited to only providing domestic services to households, such as home cleaning. Yet, there continues to be a demand for further support in a household's caregiving needs. Our community's social and aged care needs continue to change and have become increasingly intertwined. We need to allow our seniors to age in place within their homes and their communities, give young mothers peace of mind when they are at work and support family caregivers with respite care alternatives. My resident, Mdm P, who is in her 40s, came to see me teary-eyed and tired and shared that she is the sole caregiver in a family of six people. She has three children – one of them has a medical condition – two seniors and a husband who is fastidious with cleanliness.”
“While these efforts have been looked to to push the agenda forward, the Ministry has the ability to engender significant improvements in the prospects and livelihoods of these platform workers. It is with this in mind that we seek clarification on the findings and recommendations the Advisory Committee has to better protect the rights of these workers. In particular, we recognise the importance of having significant and sufficient CPF savings to meet basic needs. We seek clarification on how CPF will be shared between the platform and the workers. Importance of Job Statistics”
“Since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago, concerns over the long-term viability of freelancing in our gig economy have been a major topic of discussion in our society. Our increased reliance on multiple segments of this economy, from ride-hailing to food delivery, has shone a spotlight on the plight of this particular group of platform workers – workers who are engaged with major platform companies to provide transport and delivery services. 5.15 pm While there are platform workers who take on this job as a secondary source of income to supplement an already decent wage and quality of living, our main concern is for those whose sole source of income is from platform work. These workers resemble employees in a company, yet, due to their present status, are not afforded the protections and perks that employees enjoy. Under today's classifications, work injuries, which our delivery riders are more at risk of, will not be compensated on a national standardised level. Employers' CPF contributions, which contribute to a significant portion to meeting requirement and housing needs, are also not provided. Furthermore, with limited prospects for wage progression and advancement, the present situation has led to deep concerns being raised over the lack of basic protection for our platform workers. The matter at hand has been widely discussed in Parliament, and our Labour Movement has recognised these concerns, having taken steps to set up the National Delivery Champions Association in December 2020 and the National Private Hire Vehicles Association in May 2016. The Labour Movement, indeed, has been pushing for greater protection and representation and welfare benefits that platform workers should be entitled to.”
“Could MINDEF please update the House on ACCORD’s new initiatives and future plans to engage the community? Can ACCORD furnish us with more details about consultation efforts with the grassroots on Singapore’s defence issues and how Singaporeans wish to get engaged? ACCORD and Support for NS”
“At the heart of national defence is the amicable community relations Singaporean families have with our military. In the thick of the pandemic, military units continued to honour their departing Servicemen in milestone parades, making sure to arrange for remote viewing avenues such that Singaporean families could share in the pride and joy. Further, MINDEF and the Armed Forces’ have signalled their holistic commitment to the defence of Singapore in our greatest times of testing, mobilising our Servicemen to aid in contact tracing measures which are pivotal as we deal with COVID-19 as a nation. As we enjoy such relations, MINDEF has and continues to regularly consult and partner grassroots and agencies to take pulse checks on Singaporeans’ outlook on defence issues, as well as to foster support for their various initiatives. The Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD), since its inception in 1984, has been instrumental in building this bridge to the community to provide feedback on Singapore’s defence. Given that Singapore’s defence is a nationally-owned effort, it is important for ACCORD to continue to reach out to groups and individuals in key segments of society – the business sector, educational institutions and family-related bodies – to mobilise support for and foster better understanding of our defence issues, including NS. These channels are valuable for MINDEF to better listen to the community’s needs and interests and, therefore, shape messages and tailor programmes to engage different sectors and profiles within the community. ACCORD has welcomed new members in 2021 who will, undoubtedly, bring fresh perspectives to issues on defence and community relations, given their rich and diverse backgrounds.”
“Despite sluggish demand brought on by the pandemic, our taxi and ride hail ground have told us that their business costs have risen considerably over the past 24 months. While all eyes are fixed on the recent escalating fuel prices caused by the war in Ukraine, our drivers have been standing stoic in facing fuel price revisions of at least 18 times in the past 14 months. In the words of our National Taxi Association President, Brother Raymond Ong, “It is really frightening”. Other cost items that have gone up significantly, some as much as 20%, include the cost of car washes, parking, ERP, signalling a permanent change in their business cost structures. While our drivers appreciate the need for GST increases, our ground has also brought up concerns that they are not GST agents and, undoubtedly, the impending rise will impact their business costs and livelihoods. As such, I would like to call for the Ministry to reassess the current expense ratio in calculating our drivers’ taxable incomes and to ask the Ministry for support to be specifically given to our taxi and ride hail drivers in the upcoming GST increase. Infrastructure Spending”
“(In English): Helping businesses pivot to capture new capabilities in digitalisation and upskilling and allowing for employees to share in the fruits of advancement; creating deeper safety nets for the freelance ecosystem, ensuring parity for single mothers and sparking deep attitudinal changes at workplaces for women. These are the opportunities we must latch onto as they present themselves in a Singapore economy that awaits thoughtful reconstruction as #EveryWorkerMatters. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget 2022.”
“The secret to Mothercare’s success? They are committed to job redesign and providing flexible working arrangements especially for their moms at work. I believe that we ladies can have our cake and eat it too with the support of our workplaces. And I look forward to the measures our Government will introduce to encourage and support our employers to take on the challenge of job redesign. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Speaker, Sir, the Progressive Wage Model will commence in the 3rd quarter of 2022 for the retail industry and 1st quarter of 2023 for the F&B industry. This will affect 28,000 full-time low-wage Singaporeans. These people are those who interact with us in our everyday life – our colleagues, neighbours, relatives and friends. They are the coffee aunty whom we meet every morning, and the smiling lad at the convenience store, the restaurant waiter whom we celebrate birthdays together, and the aunty cashier who gives us discount at the supermarket counter. Some 60% of food services and 45% of retail sector workers are classified as low-income workers. We must improve this situation. In this Budget, the Government announced a five-year Progressive Wage Credit Scheme to help stablise the wage of the F&B and retail sectors. However, improving the situation of low-wage Singaporeans requires the cooperation of other stakeholders. Workers must constantly upgrade their skills and companies must invest in technology. Helping low-wage Singaporeans is the mission of NTUC, the investment of the companies and the duty of all Singaporeans.”
“We has also introduced a Women Mentoring Women programme that consists of Women Union Leaders joining forces with female grassroots leaders in mentoring women who need support with careers and livelihoods. The primary thrust of these supports have been to alleviate the pressures that our women face both at home and the workplace, so that they can engage more productively and meaningfully in both spheres of their lives. To this end, the Labour Movement has sought to continuously enhance Flexible Work Arrangement standards to stay responsive to changing family and workplace needs. As we celebrate these strides forward, we should also be mindful of ongoing gaps. It is my firm belief that changes in organisational culture is just as important as formal frameworks and enhancements to FWA policies must be accompanied by parallel changes in attitudes and values. As companies consider FWA a long-term feature, ground issues such as fair performance evaluation of employees on FWAs, and the availability of FWA options to employees in all job roles become all the more real on the ground. On this, I call for more support from our Government to help employers upskill their HR and line managers to manage a workforce with employees on FWAs. Mothercare, is a name many mothers are familiar with, and it is not surprising that they have championed my heart for women. When I visited Mothercare recently, I was delighted to note that mothers with young children were 40% of their new hires in 2021. While I was at their store, I delighted in meeting with Mdm Fadilah who has four children and has worked her way in from Sales Assistant to Store Manager in just eight short years. She was not alone and I met another three teammates of hers, who were moms with three to four children each.”
“Our associations assisted to compile the list of bugs as the app went back up so that our drivers would have a coordinated voice on what impacts their livelihoods most. These are just some of the many small inconveniences and I would say large tribulations our gig economy workers face as the gig economy and its ecosystem of platforms evolve and grow. As we look to provide greater protection and welfare benefits for workers in the gig economy, the Tripartite Partnership must strive to support a healthy diversity of career options and sustainable, dignified livelihoods brought about by the gig economy. In this respect, I look forward to the recommendations of the Advisory Committee for Platform Workers. It is a good significant beginning for a more coordinated approach to supporting our growing gig worker population. On the topic of evolving workforce, one of the greatest lessons learnt has been on the importance of accommodating diverse profiles as a design feature of our labour force, rather than a design fault. In particular, the interests of two groups of employees – women returning to work, as well as single mothers – must be paid attention to. The Labour Movement has long recognised the distinct challenges women face at work that primarily stems from women having to saddle a greater proportion of domestic responsibilities and have accordingly championed and provisioned to advance this cause. For example, our NTUC Learning Hub has started to co-create with our Women and Family Unit, confidence training courses as well as skills-based programmes to give women returnees the much needed boost when it comes to re-entering the workplace.”
“The Labour Movement, through NTUC Learning Hub, has also started to introduce career conversion classes to protect the long-term livelihoods of our drivers who intend to move out of the industry. Even as these efforts are encouraging, such measures do not sufficiently protect workers, particularly those who rely on the gig economy as their primary source of income. Without basic labour protections, one can ill-afford to fall sick or face sudden emergencies without facing a loss of income. If this is their hard-earned rice bowl, should we not then provide them with the required protection they deserve? Instead of basic insurance, should we not look towards a standardised level of insurance applied to all workers in the same plight? If our workers are contributing to the enterprise value of their partner platforms, should we not then also insist on platforms also contributing to the retirement safety nets of their partners? As the Adviser to the NTUC’s National Taxi Association, National Private Hire Vehicles Association and the National Delivery Champions Association, I have heard loud and clear from the ground the need for better protection and representation of our gig platform workers. One of our brothers, Raymond, met with an accident last year. While covered by his platform partner’s insurance package, he felt that the claim process was onerous to a point where he decided not to pursue the insurance, as he would be able to earn back in one day what he would have received in the claims. Brother Joseph also spoke to us about gaps in their platform partner’s support when their app went down and drivers were not able to earn their full day’s livelihoods.”
“Indeed, in the recent study by the Institute of Public Policy just released yesterday, researchers warn of food delivery and private hire vehicle workers facing risks of becoming trapped in poverty and precarity. The study cited that the "lack of savings and voluntary CPF contributions, being stuck in platform work poses additional challenges to future aspirations, such as home ownership". As a progressive Labour Movement, we are sensitive to changes in the evolving Singaporean workforce and have witnessed, like many in the House, including Mr Saktiandi Supaat, the growing popularity of gig work. As such, the Labour Movement has been at the forefront of Singapore’s push to accord greater protection and welfare benefits for workers in the gig economy. We thank Mr Supaat for his feedback and suggestions for protecting freelancers in the education sector and hope that Mr Supaat can continue his good work with us in our associations and our unions. Over the years, we have set up and advocated for safety nets for our gig workers such as offering protection and representation in the event of illness or injuries and care support for income loss or training assistance. However, there are miles to go before we sleep. As we seek to maintain the flexibility and ease of entry into the gig economy that current circumstances allow for, it is imperative that the companies and platforms share our workers' sentiments and work towards providing better protection for our freelancers. I am heartened to see some platforms putting in place their own measures to protect their riders, with delivery platforms such as Grab and Deliveroo offering their riders basic accident insurance coverage.”
“Today, Uncle Rafi is 65 years young, and he proudly tells me of his lifelong learning journey in Radha, from taking inventory using paper and pen, to creating rooms filled with filing shelves, to now being able to use their warehouse software to call up the smallest bar of chocolate from the aircon comfort of his newly computerised monitoring room. The moral of the story is clear: upskilling works and tech is here to help. The PWM ensures competitive pay comes from justifiable reasons. The results speak for themselves. As the PWM continues to reach out to more lower-wage workers, as a Labour Movement, as a Tripartite Partnership, as a country, we need to stand together. This is the heart of the matter: the PWM stands for Singapore’s commitment to uplift workers. This is about companies investing in our hardest working workers, unions protecting them with promise and hope, consumers making sure that those who labour can find ways to make ends meet with dignity, and Government ensuring that companies, workers and consumers are supported while we all are playing our own part in uplifting the lives of our fellow Singaporeans. I would like to turn my attention to another slice of workers in Singapore, our freelancers and the self-employed. As many countries battled the economic downturn in the face of the COVID-19, the gig economy has provided crucial lifelines for many, allowing workers from affected industries to seek freelance jobs in food delivery and ride-hailing services. The growing importance of this economy has seen a greater emphasis to protect the interests and welfare of these workers, workers who are not considered employees and thus are not afforded the protections and benefits salaried employees enjoy.”
“Despite this, even till today, some 60% of food services and 45% of retail full-time resident workers are earning at or less than the 20th wage percentile of the local workforce. In many international standards among OECD countries, percentile 20 defines the threshold for low pay. We need to do something about this. F&B and retail are price sensitive, where a rise of prices in a kopi or a plate of economy rice at the food court will draw much attention. Indeed, our retailers have told me how price spotting even amongst essential items have become ever more keen with the advent of online shopping, cutting their margins razor thin. Therein, the concept of PWM is critical as it marries wage increases with productivity increases through upskilling, investments in technology and career pathways. The pandemic has shown that this sector’s veterans and newcomers alike do thrive with the help of technology. Radha Exports Private Limited is the company behind the ValuDollar chain of stores. During COVID-19, the team was caught in an onslaught of challenges to their supply chain and manpower. It was the necessity for change that pushed the company to digitalise and upskill their workers in this process. This increased productivity generated new and better paying jobs by helping the company justify a better pay for their employees. I visited with the company and was delighted to have met with Uncle Rafi, as he is affectionately known. He has been working with the company since 2004, and has moved from being a deliveryman to now their warehouse supervisor.”
“Mr Speaker, as we continue to navigate the realities of a world still rolling with the punches of COVID-19, it is key that we look out for new opportunities that help us forge a better Singapore that produces more equitable outcomes and is more inclusive of Singaporeans who come from all walks of life. First, on the Progressive Wage Model. Every country is faced with an apparent trilemma when it comes to labour policies. What seems to be fair often does not cultivate a competitive workforce and what appears to do both ends up with high costs of living or taxes. Singapore's answer to this comes from the PWM the Singapore Labour Movement pioneered. Done prudently with meticulous negotiations amongst the tripartite partners, it rewards improved productivity and quality with a wage increase ladder suitable for individual industry sectors. Two upcoming PWMs will be in the retail and food services sector. The workers in these sectors touch our lives and hearts everyday and yet, we have taken our workers in these sectors for granted. Many Singaporeans start our day with a kopi that is served by their usual good neighbourhood kopi soh. When we celebrate with our families birthdays, anniversaries, New Year and Christmas, our workers in the restaurants are right there with us, even if their own families are spending time away from them. Our retail frontliners have also been there for us when we buy our first set of furniture, when we pick the freshest produce from our grocers, when we scoot down to our convenience stores at 2.00 am to pick up emergency supplies. Our workers in these sectors have been keeping Singapore and our lives running with their hard work, sacrifices and good cheer.”
“I thank the Ministers for their comprehensive replies. I would like to follow up on the hon Member Ms Foo Mee Har's question on anti-scam standards set by MOF. My residents who came to me to seek help on the recent OCBC bank scam incident shared that information from the bank during the investigation process and the support during the processes itself, were found wanting. Many of them had interactions only with the call centre staff and this has left them very afraid and stressed and, indeed, worried that their life savings were kept in limbo. So, I would like to ask if the Ministry, or the agencies in charge of this, will be putting in standards and requirements for the banks in the management of scam victims during the investigation process.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her answer. Many of my female constituents have come to me citing that they have difficulties looking for a job due to the following reasons: not being able to fit into a typical 9-to-5 job due to caregiving responsibilities at home and also not being confident due to the lack of formal work skills while being away from the workforce for quite a number of years. I would like to ask the Minister of State if there will be plans to put into place a database, perhaps for easier access to employers, who have FWA roles available and if there would be support from the Ministry to set up localised mentorship programmes across the island to help ease women into the workplace. Further, as the dust settles on the effects of COVID-19 in the workplace, many companies are grappling with new HR standards, brought up by COVID-19 accelerated workplace matters. One big area, of course, is in particular, work-from-home. Our constituents have brought up to us that there seems yet to be best practices to measure and appraise the work of individuals in similar roles, but one having to work at home and one having to work in the office. Employees who have also joined the company during COVID-19 are understandably also experiencing steeper learning curves. And so with this, will the Ministry, perhaps with HR thought leaders, be looking to support our employers, in particular our local SMEs, to set up better and clearer HR policies pertaining to these very new circumstances at the workplace brought up by COVID-19?”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the reply. Our P2P drivers have given feedback on the rising costs to their businesses, such as the impending GST hikes, in addition to what we had mentioned about the rising petrol cost. When was the last time meter and flag-down rates were revised, and would the Ministry and the Public Transport Council be looking at revising flag-down fares or fare structures for both the taxi and private hire services?”
“Although more can be done, the current amendments to the Women's Charter are a step in the right direction. My concerns notwithstanding, I support this Bill.”
“] Today, marriage is no longer a matter between two families, but a relationship built on the foundation of love between two persons. However, in the past, most marriages were arranged by parents. The Chinese used to say that marriage is by the order of parents and the words of the matchmaker, and that married women are like water poured away. Because of this thinking, many women are aggrieved in the process of divorce or suffer in life after divorce. We must not turn a blind eye to these problems. Once again, we would like to call for more understanding and ways to provide social protection and support to divorced women. It is for this reason that we must provide better and more reasonable divorce laws for divorce cases through this amendment to the Women's Charter. When a woman is dragged down by an unsuitable or even unsafe marriage and ends up in divorce, it is not difficult for us to imagine the physical and mental sufferings that decades of ups and downs can bring to her. However, they face not just these problems. Financial issues, social discrimination, bread-and-butter issues and children’s education will come in tandem. We do not know if a marriage or divorce is a path apart or a rebirth, but our laws can support these women. I wish our women well. (In English): If marriage is seen as one of life's major milestones, then a divorce and its proceedings should be accorded the same, if not greater understanding. Although divorce may bring about unfavourable repercussions, such a choice should not result in lifelong calamity but rather a fresh start and new beginnings. The provision of livelihood options and its surrounding support mechanisms, such as caregiving support to divorced women and parents, are an important key to this fresh start.”
“The current amendments to expand the legal remit of our Courts to prescribe programmes for children and family support during divorce proceedings are most welcomed. But I hope that such efforts would also be extended to newly-single mothers who could very well benefit from Court-ordered interventions to be provided with counselling for employment, financial and housing assistance. Furthermore, this responsibility to provide support does not rest solely on the shoulders of our Courts, as employers play an important role in facilitating an environment that welcomes our newly-single mothers. I call on the Government to seek better flexible work support for employees at all life stages but, particularly mothers with dependants. An enhancement of our existing Tripartite Standard for Flexible Work Arrangements could be a great step in looking to provide special assistance for single mothers who bear the sole responsibility of providing for their children and dependants. Many single mothers have also told me that they would love greater work flexibility to allow them time to send their children to and fro from school. If the school is near their workplaces or homes, it would be a much-welcomed relief as well. It, hence, becomes clear that specialised assistance goes beyond employment alone as the greater availability and accessibility of dependable and perhaps even prioritised support networks, such as childcare centres and after-school programmes for single mothers, become more important. Providing these networks allows for divorced mothers greater assurance that their family is taken care of and, in turn, granting them peace of mind to maximise what they do in the workplace. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“Many a time, my divorced female constituents have no savings, have not been in formal employment for a while and are facing the complex conundrum of securing a job, finding the financials to purchase a new family home, securing the well-being of their children and also tending to their raw feelings of a dissolved marriage. In the early stages of parenthood, the ability to financially support one's family is often of immediate and significant importance. The Labour Movement has recognised a need to provide support in this area. Our union leaders – both men and women – have frequently voiced the need to extend employment support for single mothers who require help securing jobs after a divorce. Since 2009, when Mdm Halimah Yacob launched the "We Care for U" project to help single mothers find work, the NTUC has made a concerted effort to render aid to single mothers to find work through women-focused job fairs done with the e2i as well as our LearningHUB. The NTUC Women and Family (WAF) unit also works with the larger Labour Movement Family, such as NTUC's SME unit, to promote flexi-work arrangements and work-life harmony practices that support women in the workplace. Earlier this year, the Women and Family unit also piloted the Women Supporting Women mentorship to unite women union and grassroot leaders to provide career guidance and advice to women in the community. Through this programme and the networks of our union leaders, many single mothers have been able to connect with job opportunities and build up their confidence of coming back to work. Although these efforts have been made, our experience with newly-single mothers reflects the need to continue striving to provide support for single mothers as they navigate a new chapter in their lives.”
“It is for this reason that the Labour Movement welcomes the amendments to the Women's Charter as we look not only to enhancing marriage processes but, more importantly, providing greater support for couples through divorce programmes for parents and kin in the midst of the proceedings. To make the decision to terminate an unsatisfying marriage signifies a major turning point in an individual's life. And I can only imagine the major turbulences and disorientations one might experience being thrust out of their comfort zones and being confronted with intense uncertainty and inconsistency. Along with the heavy emotional distress and anxiety one faces during the different points of one's divorce journey, individuals going through a divorce are also faced with many tangible and financial issues, often expected to single-handedly formulate ways to deal with post-divorce adjustments in areas of housing and childcare. These struggles were made real to me when I came across the personal stories of my constituents, some of whom had felt much loneliness and despair when it came to the dissolution of their marriages. One of my constituents came out of a troubled, abusive marriage and faced immense difficulty as she had to find the balance taking care of her two young children, who were traumatised by their parents' difficult relationship, and looking for a job as she sought to provide for her children and family. Many other constituents have come to look for me for help with their housing after their marriages were dissolved, marital homes sold and they and their children unceremoniously faced with worries about having no roofs over their heads.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in all that this life has to offer, finding love and getting married is often seen as a major milestone, if not the pinnacle, of one's adulthood. The institution of marriage is one of the oldest practices that has been established since the birth of human civilisation, yet the notion of romantic love as the motivating force for marriage only goes as far back as the Middle Ages and the American and French revolutions. But for much of human history prior, couples were brought together for practical reasons and not because they fell in love. Even in the 20th century and within our very own Pioneer Generation, arranged marriages were not an uncommon theme among Singaporeans. Perhaps, on reflection, it seems that our understanding and experience of romantic marriages are of a much lesser degree and, consequently, our principles and laws governing such marriages, likewise, see a need for finetuning and revision. In a marriage founded on love, self-fulfilment and companionship, it becomes plausible that a marriage could cease when individuals fall out of love or if ones' needs and expectations are not met in a marriage – the former cannot exist without the latter. As a society, we strive to nurture and preserve the sacred union of a couple. Yet, as we recognise that the dissolution of marriage has become more common in today's day and age, this Parliament, as leaders of society, must look to invest time and effort to understand not only the struggles of divorce, but also to provide the requisite support individuals need in the aftermath of such a decision.”
“I thank the Senior Minister of State for the comprehensive and very empathetic answer. Our P2P drivers have been very supportive of our journey to the endemic phase and appreciate the Government's continued support of this industry during this period. Given that our P2P drivers will be ferrying more patients and passengers who are exposed to the virus, would the Government be putting in measures to have the taxis and platform companies put in clearer safety SOPs or protocols for drivers and their vehicles? And should our P2P drivers have to self-isolate, will there be additional support for them, given that they would have difficulties with the daily rentals of their vehicles during this isolation period?”
“This is how we will truly be able to make the case for retail in Singapore to return to its crowning glory. Online shopping makes purchases possible, but, here in Singapore, passion is made possible. With this, I call for the distinction to be made for microbusinesses, especially our home-based businesses, when it comes to GST changes and other provisions for growth support. Further, I call on Government agencies to think bigger in revitalising Singaporean retail, going beyond propping up businesses in the short term, to architect a real retail environment for the ages. These concerns notwithstanding, I support the Bill.”
“And this is a ghastly prediction the imposition of GST on low-value goods seeks to reverse. While this is all done with good intentions, I believe we should not merely aim to prop up the retail sector in Singapore, but usher a new golden resurgence. Just as Times Square, Ginza, Tsim Sha Tsui, Dongdaemun crown the vibrancy of their world-class cities, it is time that Singapore polishes our crown and restores the vibrancy of our retail sector. Merely levelling the playing field with price adjustments will serve us short term, but we cannot settle for stop-gap measures for what has once been the crowning jewel of urban life in Singapore, which is our retail sector. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I propose that these measures pertaining to price must be complemented with a wider ecosystem change that not only merely props up retail businesses but elevates the retail experience in Singapore. This brings me to the case of Pazzion, best known as a brand for female footwear in Singapore. Pazzion opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Marina Square in 2005 and boasts its 10th local outlet as of 2019, in the meantime building its presence in Asia Pacific. What is interesting about Pazzion, however, is that, in recent years, it has broken out of its mould as a fashion business and opened a café over at Jewel, committing to becoming a lifestyle brand that sells experiences beyond goods. Any shop, online or brick-and-mortar, can peddle goods, but I would say brick-and-mortar shops are, at the moment, much better placed to deliver an experience. It is my hope that retailers and mall owners in Singapore can partner up to deliver retail experiences beyond the delivery of retail goods, rejuvenating the retail experiences for Singapore and her visitors.”
“Once again, it must be reiterated that it has always been passion over prices. Our home business owners take a lot of pride in their work and put their heart and soul into their craft. This is one of the biggest draws of supporting home businesses. You know that your product has passed through the watchful eye of a personally invested business owner. And this is why the home business owners I have spoken to maintain that they would never compromise on quality. Sometimes, this commitment to quality requires imports, such as for quality ingredients or materials that simply cannot be found in Singapore. This commitment to quality could pinch their profit margins should they continue to import their ingredients. Therefore, Mdm Deputy Speaker, when debating on the tax on importing low-value goods, the question is not whether or not we should be #supportlocal. The question is whether, by doing this, we are really supporting local. In our bid to level the playing field, have we inadvertently made the hill a little bit steeper for some businesses we had intended to support? Would we be able to then further level the playing field through other support mechanisms for our home-based businesses, financial or otherwise, because our home-based businesses are often left unnoticed? Further, when debating the imposition of GST on imported goods, we must inspect the substantive benefits accrued to those we seek to uplift. At the peak of the restrictions last year, many Singaporeans were really quite dismayed to see the haunting photos of an empty Orchard Road and the impact on retailers in Singapore since then cannot be understated. With the rise of online shopping and e-commerce, some predict that online competition could spell the gradual debilitation of retail in Singapore.”
“We may think that home-based businesses are supported because they are local, when, in fact, they are marginalised because they are small. Not only is it unkind to expect home businesses to just die out because they are not scalable, but it is also presumptuous to think that home business owners necessarily intend on moving their businesses out of their homes. The home business owners I have spoken to believe they are "here to stay", insistent that their home-run businesses are what allows them to be personally involved in their passions. Mdm Deputy Speaker, not all skilled artisans necessarily want to become factory owners because their passion also happens to be their job. We cannot legislate taxation in a way that potentially invalidates the business models of home businesses if we want Singapore to really be where passion is made possible. Due to their lack of recognition in the formal economy, these businesses do not receive subsidies for equipment and, sometimes, have restrictions on who they can even do business with, with or without a licence, leading them to struggle to even compete with some of their larger SME counterparts, much less overseas competitors. They keep their prices affordable not just to drive up profit margins, but because they thrive on strong personal relationships with the very people they serve. Absorb the significant dent on profit margins passed on to them by GST and their businesses are in danger. Pass it to their customers and they would feel that they have done them a disservice. Further, although it is desired that those affected by the GST on low-value imported goods would channel demand to the local economy, in the case of home business owners, this may not be so.”
“Nothing says “local” like a home-based business, fuelled by the passions of Singaporeans, built from scratch in our own piece of Singapore property and incubated at their inception not by institutional investors, but by friends, family, loved ones and even neighbours. I would like to tell the story of a home-based business owner named Jia Jia who started her home bakery three to four years back. Jia Jia never planned to become a home baker. Out of her passion for baking, she started baking in her parents’ home and archived her creations on Instagram. This attracted significant interest from friends and family, who enquired whether they could commission her to bake cakes for their parties and also make dessert boxes. Her consumer base grew gradually through word of mouth because of the popularity of her bakes and this allowed her to quit her full-time job to focus her attention on her passion-turned-livelihood in baking. Today, she continues to run her bake sales on her Instagram and she has about 9,000 followers on her page. Jia Jia’s home bakery can be seen as the epitome of local business – businesses with humble origins in Singapore, run by locals for locals. Many of us have a Jia Jia in our lives, or a Jia Jia hopeful, particularly with the tail winds for local home-based businesses brought about by COVID-19. I remember I myself even hosted a “Passions to Profit – Mumpreneur” Home Baking Class with my colleagues from the NTUC Learning Hub and over 300 Mumpreneurs have signed up for the classes since then. However, because of the GST imposed on the import of low-value goods, local businesses like Jia Jia’s might face a significant dent in their profit margins, especially if they source mainly from overseas.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has often been mentioned under the same breath as rising inequalities in Singapore. The same considerations that went into levelling the playing field for our marginalised families and residents would have gone into this new Bill, which also seeks to level the playing field for our local businesses when faced with the harsh inevitabilities of a globally open economy. The imposition of GST on imports of low-value goods below $400 seeks to address this problem, in hopes that local consumers channel their purchases to local suppliers rather than those abroad. However, we stumble upon tricky territory, as such developments necessarily produce winners and losers amongst our local businesses whether we like it or not, or whether we notice them or not. The imposition of GST on the import of low-value goods is justified by a bid to support local businesses and we can infer by the pre-set $400 benchmark that the cost is intended to be passed on to consumers rather than businesses, reducing the attractiveness of low prices of suppliers abroad that were previously not subject to GST and, thereby, channeling demand locally. The levelling of the playing field here is a welcomed move amongst our local retailers as they look towards the sustainable and necessary pivoting of their businesses in light of globalisation, e-commerce and changing consumer habits. Mdm Deputy Speaker, although this will not affect all businesses, with the imposition of GST on imported low-value goods, we threaten to weed out, arguably, the most local of all our businesses, that is, our home-based businesses.”
“Learning does not cease in our teens or early 20s, and as we have longer lifespans, our society must reconcile with the notion that midlife reskilling and upskilling is not merely a passing phenomenon, but a consistent feature in our 100-year lives. As such, if reskilling and upskilling is to be a mainstay in our workplaces, then I call on the Government to provide greater support and leadership in providing greater and better career guidance to our older workers in order to extend their work life lifespan. Although the Government has provided various avenues through SkillsFuture Singapore and others, more can be done to engage mature workers in their career plans and provide counsel for those navigating these uncharted waters. If we are to extend the productive years of our seniors, we must look to increase the employability of our seniors and provide them with the proper job fits. Just as we drew on the experience of Mdm Lucy Ho and Prof Ito, we must now look for opportunities to allow Singapore to use the skills of our senior employees despite potential physical or technological limitations. In conclusion, while this amendment Bill advances our desire to provide greater protection for our older workers, we must also take measures to ensure that our older workers are well supported in this endeavour for lifelong learning as we seek to ensure that our seniors remain employable. These concerns notwithstanding, I support the Bill.”
“Misperceptions about older workers and persistent ageist attitudes regrettably still exist within our social fabric, as many employers worry about being stuck with workers who are unable to adapt to remain competitive and become an increasing liability for their business. Yet, ageing does not have to always be associated with deteriorating health, disempowerment and dependency. Instead, we can be a society where seniors are empowered, skilled, healthy and active contributors to society. I recall in the early 2000s as Singapore was establishing her strength in the biotechnology field, we tapped on the expertise of cancer researcher Yoshiaki Ito, who at age 63 was then facing forced retirement from a university in Japan. Prof Ito made the move to Singapore in 2002, and along with him, he brought his laboratory members and became a mentor to many other fine researchers who are now part of Singapore's valuable scientific research community. The experience and know-how of seasoned experts like Prof Ito in the early years were crucial building blocks in helping Singapore achieve her status as the regional biotech hub. The successful integration of senior employees would require a shift in mentality in the workplace that requires a partnership between both employers and senior employees. Employers have to be willing to take the leap of faith and utilise the current Government schemes to hire and retrain mature workers for the benefit of their companies. Likewise, older employees have to be willing and committed to learning and adapting in an ever-changing workplace.”
“It is for this reason that the RRA remains relevant, as these age requirements serve not to determine the retirement age of Singaporeans, but to protect eager workers from being retired earlier without taking away their choice as to when they wish to stop working. If the RRA no longer exists, there is nothing to stop a company from choosing to reimpose or reintroduce an earlier company retirement and re-employment age. Furthermore, the ongoing pandemic undoubtedly has depleted the life savings for some and the guarantee of employment for our senior employees provides a longer runway to build up their nest egg once again. Therefore, the changes to the statutory limits to increase the RRA thus is a welcomed move as we look to protect our older Singaporeans who desire to work as it gives them a greater sense of job security and clarity while also providing I would say, businesses the opportunity to continue to tap on a pool of experienced workers. Mr Deputy Speaker, although these changes to the RRA provide greater employment protection for our older workers, I am concerned that such measures might not necessarily hit the nail on the head. There is no doubt that raising the statutory limits further advocates for senior employment. Yet, raising the statutory retirement and re-employment ages may not be meaningful if senior workers are unfairly displaced even before they reach retirement age. Similarly, raising the statutory ages may not translate to more offers of re-employment. The point I am driving at is that these changes ultimately do not address the fundamental problem of a negative perception towards ageing.”
“The emerging generation of seniors is perhaps the most well-educated, healthy and capable of their age group in history. They are a diverse, dynamic group with varying interests and passions. Furthermore, medical and technological advancements of today provide the prospects of a full and enriched life even as our seniors continue to age. As people live longer, lives must be viewed through a different set of lenses. Indeed, we are now looking at a 100-year life. Instead of the conventional way of thinking about life in three phases: education up to the early 20s, working life until the 60s and then a long retirement. We must now be prepared for a multi-stage life, perhaps a more flexible life structure where the end goal is no longer retirement and stopping of work, but one where time as a resource is redistributed differently. Therefore, approaching our silver years in life need not be merely confined to the idea of retirement and fading off into career obscurity, but rather be seen as an opportunity to live meaningful and happier mature years as we continue to contribute to society while staying active and healthy. At this juncture, I would like to share an inspiring story of my constituent, Mdm Lucy Ho, who is 71 years young. Lucy worked in SIA Engineering for 39 years. After her first retirement, she took a security course from the WDA and is now working in the Singapore Cruise Centre as a security officer. Lucy believes that her continued journey in the workforce not only allows her to be independent, but also empowers her with a sense of self-worth has she is still able to contribute actively to society.”
“On the contrary, for many people, the complexity of CPF can be daunting and this is something that we should improve on. However, for them, the difference is that CPF is trustworthy. They trust in the character, integrity and commitment of the Government. What is contained in CPF is not just money, but also the blood and sweat and trust of the people. This amendment Bill provides provisions for automatic top-ups so that it is more user-friendly for the uncles and aunties. However, we cannot stay stagnant. We must quicken our steps and allow CPF to become the pillar of a dignified and less stressful retirement life. (In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, in English. In all, this amendment is in line with what I stand for. It brings law to the ground where it matters, it makes the law easier to understand, it makes the content of the law more useful to the people it is to serve. With time, I trust that the initial ground messiness will be resolved with sensitivity, caution and flexibility of ground issues. These concerns notwithstanding, I support this Bill. Now, onto the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA). In a country like ours with no natural resources and hinterland, our source of pride and success has always been our people. In a world where seniors begin to comprise a growing proportion of society as people live longer and healthier lives, the continued success of our country hinges on the ability to leverage on the experience and expertise of our older countrymen and women. This is why the Labour Movement welcomes the impending changes to the statutory limits for the prescribed minimum retirement and re-employment ages, as the Government looks to adapt to our changing demographics in accordance with the recommendations by the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers.”
“Second, this shift in language can send the wrong message to those who are excluded from withdrawing from their CPF because they cannot meet the criteria. Previously, not being able to withdraw funds, as outlined in section 15AA, would simply mean that they cannot prove that their disabilities incapacitated them. This does not discredit or make light of the condition that they do have; we simply mean that this condition, as bad as it is, does not disempower our residents completely. It is a positive message for those who are rejected, one that affirms that they still have some means to fend for themselves. By changing the language to turn this into a matter of "significance", someone rejected in their application for withdrawal may be misled to believe that the Board and, by extension, the Government, think their condition "insignificant". In such matters, sensitivity, reason and flexibility must be applied in the first few cases under this amendment and the process may be messy. It is my responsibility to raise a word of caution on this matter and it is with time that I trust this interpretation will bring about clarity and trust. Mr Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I wonder if you have discussed with your parents on the issue of savings. For many senior residents, the best bank for them is called "under the bed" and the most reliable retirement fund is called "secret stash". I believe that we all have conflicted feelings towards modern finance. However, for uncles and aunties who are not familiar with ATMs, many are not resentful or fearful towards CPF. This is not because it is easier to navigate the CPF system or because it is more reliable than the banks.”