Yip Hon Weng
Singapore
“But we must also keep building our trust. It is the only infrastructure a small country cannot afford to lose. Every generation since Independence has earned our place in the world. Our responsibility is to see that the next generation is given the chance to do the same.”
“It can reinforce Singapore's role as a trusted financial centre, a gateway to Asia and a platform for long-term growth. But at the end of the day, we should also be clear about how success will be measured in practical terms. How much incremental daily trading volume are we seeking to generate?”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. While the US dollar remains dominant, some economists have suggested that the global monetary system may gradually become more fragmented and multi-polar over time.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his reply. Given reports that some firms are slowing workforce expansion due to cost pressures due to the situation in the Middle East, has MOM observed any corresponding shift in firms hiring preferences between local workers and our foreign workforce?”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Many Singaporeans are already facing rising premiums year after year. As we have seen recently, even with cheaper riders, base premiums continue increasing. So, households may still have to pay more overall.”
“Because this is not just a technology transition, it is a workforce transition. The establishment of the Tripartite Jobs Council is an important step in ensuring that this alignment happens in practice. Technology will move. Markets will adapt. But we must be clear about the future we are building.”
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“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister for his reply. It was reported in the media in April that the CDMF will be reviewed, given the media report of Mr Daniel See, whose neighbour has been harassing him for many, many years and the neighbour has breached three Court orders. If the Ministry cannot share the timelines for the review, can the Minister share some of the efforts of how to make the framework more effective in solving some of these issues?”
“Many Members today have highighted the data breaches at Lazada and Eatigo, affecting millions of accounts. It is therefore critical, as part of measures to enhance data protection, that we do more to prevent the indiscriminate collection of highly personal data. That said, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the use of consumer data to spur innovation. The development of more exciting, relevant products and services will open up new business opportunities and new markets. This also translates into jobs for Singaporeans. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, to quote Bill Gates, “Power comes not from knowledge kept, but from knowledge shared”. In conclusion, I believe an enhanced eco-system of data sharing for spurring innovation will give rise to some powerful and exciting developments that are unique to Singapore. I support the Bill.”
“For them, there is still a steep learning curve to scale. They have to now deal with this new enhanced responsibility. Undoubtedly this would be an added burden on their operations and finances. They may then pass on the additional costs to the consumers. Can the Minister share how can Government help them to meet the new requirements without imposing too much on these businesses’ finances? As regulations for companies to gain access and share data for innovation is relaxed, good data collection and protection practices will be increasingly pertinent. Big Data has been mostly lauded for its contribution to innovative product development and improved user experiences. But there are growing privacy concerns. Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica data scandal was a wake-up call. As such, the Government must invest in creating a strong eco-system that protects our data. The efforts must be transparently communicated to consumers to retain their faith in the system. We must be more discerning of the types of information that can be collected and shared, with or without consent. For instance, it is a common marketing practice to entice consumers to sign up for a promotion or a freebie. They provide highly personal information in return. And consumers are required to mark a little box at the end of the form, giving consent to use the data for marketing purposes. It is well and easy to say, if you don’t feel comfortable handing over your information, you don’t have to. No one is forcing you to sign up. But these marketing techniques leverage a common human weakness. And this is the inclination to act on a good deal. And at that moment, sharing one’s personal information may seem of little consequence until a data breach happens.”
“Despite success in the reduction of unsolicited marketing messages from commercial companies, users are at greater risk of more sinister problems. These include scams via robo-calls and text messages from unlicensed moneylenders and online gambling. The frequency of such messages has increased. The culprits prey on the vulnerable. They also exploit the desperation of victims during this challenging period. I met Mdm K, a young professional, at my Meet the People Session, or MPS, last week, who fell victim to an online scam and was swindled of her $100,000 life-savings. She got a message from an overseas company offering her an investment proposal that promised her 20% annual returns. She did some simple checks on the company. After some brief interactions over email, she decided to wire across the money to the company. She has not heard from the company since. She went to file a police report. If someone like Mdm K can fall for such a scam, other residents like seniors are at an even higher risk. The Government’s amendments for the PDPA and Spam Control Act will only work on legitimate businesses. This case highlights that the Government today has no reach to those entities with criminal intent and especially those that originate overseas. As such, consumers will need to exercise caution. And this may be an area where technology can provide a solution. Email spam filters is a good example. It works well for emails. We should encourage our entrepreneurs to think of similar solutions for phone and SMS apps. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the higher compliance required of businesses on data protection also leads to higher business costs. Several businesses are new to e-commerce. Many invested a large sum of money to pivot their businesses.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill. The Bill is a timely and necessary effort to strengthen personal data management. The pandemic has accelerated the need to go digital. This results in the sharing of personal data with businesses in exchange for their products and services. And unless the data is carefully protected, it will expose many people vulnerable to cybercrimes. According to a July CNBC report, large-scale data breaches have grown in intensity and frequency in 2020. The number of breaches rose by 273% in the first quarter, compared to the same period last year. This is largely attributed to more businesses being conducted online during the COVID period. I appreciate the move to enhance the Do Not Call provisions. The popularity of instant messaging platforms like Whatsapp, Telegram and WeChat has surpassed that of SMSes. During lockdowns, these are the platforms that residents use to communicate with each other, especially between seniors and their families. But many of these platforms have been abused to spread fake news, commit fraud and scams. They can even spread malicious links containing malware. We hear of scammers making phone calls supposedly representing MOH during this pandemic. Many seniors, including several from my constituency, have reported falling prey to scams and unsolicited advertisements. Many of these fraudulent messages are from overseas sources. And some phone numbers have been spoofed to conceal the perpetrator’s actual number. As such, it is impossible to report them to the authorities, or to block them on your handphone. May I ask how would the Ministry help to safeguard our citizens against these perpetrators? If not, what can be done to safeguard the interests of phone users?”
“Mr Speaker, I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. I am heartened to hear that there are various subsidies for the premium increases, including the COVID-19 subsidies. I would like to ask about the plans of the Ministry on how they plan to communicate and promote awareness of such subsidies for the premium increases.”
“Yes, we now have many job vacancies in cybersecurity, data analytics, AI and so on. However, these are usually jobs that require deep technical skills. These skills cannot be acquired in a short time. This is especially so for those in their 40s and above, lacking the prerequisite technical skills.”
“But if they are forced to take up a new job just to meet their basic needs, the individual ends up not having the time and capacity to retrain or to seek out a more relevant job. This is not optimal for him nor for the economy. Take for example, Mr Tan, a 50-year-old father who stays in a terrace house in Yio Chu Kang. He came to see me at the Meet-the-People Session. He was recently retrenched from his five-figure monthly salary sales job. He told me he has gone for numerous job fairs and sent out many resumes. However, he still cannot land a job. He was hoping to find one with a salary of a few thousand dollars for his family to survive. He is now a Grab driver and he does not qualify for the SIRS scheme because of his housing type. I still remember his parting words to me at the Meet-the-People Session: "I have been paying taxes all my life before this. Why is the Government not helping me now?" Some may continue to hold out for as long as they can. This is not because they are choosy with unreasonable expectations but because they need a job that can pay their minimum bills. For seniors, especially those supporting dependents who are in schools or universities, the stakes are even higher. It is well and good to say, "Go for training, upgrade your skills", but realistically, when you are in your 50s, 60s, with mounting bills and financial commitments, you do not have the luxury of time and resources to pursue a new career. To them, such exhortations are meaningless slogans. They may even be mistaken for a disconnection with ground realities. To create real job opportunities that result in appropriate placements, we must do more to match the job nature with the jobseeker's knowledge, skills and other work-related characteristics.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I register my appreciation for the Government's many efforts to protect Singaporeans' livelihoods. This is important as we face rising unemployment now. But I wish to raise some concerns related to helping Singaporeans to get new jobs, especially for our seniors. I was struck by Prof David Chan's comments at a recent forum by the National Library Board on "Living with the Pandemic" and in his recent book "Combating a Crisis". I am sure they resonate with Members as you meet many Singaporeans at your Meet-the-People Sessions and during your house visits. Prof Chan described how the pandemic has uncovered new vulnerable groups. He also discussed how we need to better understand the reality from these groups' perspectives. This is so that we can work effectively with them to navigate post-pandemic challenges. Mr Speaker, Sir, one of these groups is Singaporeans above 40 years old at the middle to upper income levels. This group was earning a comfortable salary for many years. But they are now retrenched or had to close down their businesses. As such, they are often left on their own to deal with their unemployment and its many associated adverse effects. This is unlike those in lower paying jobs who have benefited from the many Government schemes. Specifically, many in this age group have high mortgages to pay, schooling children and elderly to look after. The challenge for them is not just to get any job but one that gives them a minimal sustenance income. The common advice given is to adjust expectations, be less choosy. However, it is not so straightforward. Yes, luxuries can be cut out to reduce the financial burden.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Senior Minister of State for his response. I wish to ask: how will MOM work with the Labour Movement to deal with the impact of remote workers from overseas competing with our local workers?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank the Minister of State for her response. I am heartened to know that the Ministry is indeed tracking closely the outcome of the training programmes. Can I ask the Minister of State on some upcoming efforts by the Ministry to improve the awareness of such training programmes and how they have resulted in some positive job placements?”
“The ease and relative advantages of mediation should be emphasised. Often, medical disputes arise due to simple miscommunication. Mediation can help to avoid an ugly law suit. Tapping on the Singapore Mediation Centre or SMC is a good option as the SMC already has expertise. Mediators from the SMC could benefit from training to equip them with knowledge and sensitivities to handle medical-related disputes. I understand that MOHH likewise has a Healthcare Mediation Scheme. Whilst the fractured relationship rarely fully heals, I know for a fact that mediation goes some way in allowing parties to talk face to face and rebuild trust. In conclusion, I must put on record in Yio Chu Kang Single Member Constituency, we have many pleasant encounters with caring and dedicated healthcare professionals. I believe it is timely that we address all the above issues so that we can further grow the mutual respect between the patient and the doctor in our healthcare system. 5.19 pm”
“On the other hand, a younger, educated and well-informed patient may prefer a more detailed description of the benefits, limitations and risks to be explained to them. With this knowledge, they will then make their own decision and assessment. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to address the question of complaints against errant doctors. In case of suspected misconduct, patients should not have to face unduly onerous rules to lodge a complaint or request an investigation. On the other hand, I am against families or patients who abuse the professional disciplinary process when their informed choice of treatment did not give the desired outcomes. A balance needs to be struck where a patient has access to justice under a robust system, yet does not abuse the process and take up resources that can be better deployed. Can the Minister help the House to understand what is the estimated time for an investigation to be concluded at present? And how will this timeline affect any current backlog of cases? It will also be useful if the Minister can share with us plans to clear the backlog. Next, how can we simplify the process so that it would not be so onerous that it would turn away a complainant from highlighting dangerous practice? I note that cost orders may be imposed if a complaint is found to be frivolous. This should be made known to a complainant, before he proceeds with his action. Mr Speaker, Sir, anticipating and addressing potential challenges in mediation can make this a meaningful and useful option. I can personally attest to the benefits and advantages of mediation, having served as a mediator in the Community Mediation Centre at MinLaw. We should ideally keep the cost of mediation affordable for patients to take up this route.”
“Taking a step further, I hope the Ministry can support healthcare institutions, especially those frequently used by our seniors, to reduce communication barriers. Every clinic should have at least one person on duty who is trained to speak in the different dialects and local languages with a certain level of competency. This person must be able to facilitate the flow of information between the doctors and patients who can understand only dialects or local languages. When complex terms are delivered in one’s own language, it can reduce the unease the patient may face at a doctor’s consult. It also helps to improve the doctor-patient relationship. It is heartening to read that in Changi General Hospital they were experimenting with i-COMM, an AI to produce communication apps for dialects and mother tongues. We can surely leverage more on technology to help us in this endeavour. Another crucial factor to improve good communication is for doctors to consider the patient’s profile when obtaining informed consent. The doctor should also consider if such a patient is well-informed, educated or able to understand what is being communicated. It should be emphasised in the Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines on informed consent that a doctor should consider his patient’s profile when informing them about their medical condition and treatment options. An example would be elderly patients who may not have completed their formal education. I see many of such seniors in Yio Chu Kang today. They may require an approach where doctors exercise professional judgement by taking into account the benefits, limitations and risks relevant to them and translating that into recommendations.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Bill. Prior to being a Member of Parliament, I spent many years working as a civil servant in MOH. I can attest to the fact that the practice of medicine is complex. And many aspects may not be easily understood by the general public. A comfortable and trusting relationship between a doctor and a patient is thus very important to bridge this knowledge gap. Most people, especially the elderly, hold doctors in high regard. However, those who have elderly family members know how challenging it is to convince seniors to consult a doctor or even go for medical assessments. It is worse if the patient is in a state of denial or lack insight. But in recent years, trust between doctors and patients has been somewhat eroded by a spate of high-profile cases of negligence and unethical practices. There have also been reports of near misses and errors in the prescription of medicine. Hence, the younger generation when accompanying the elderly would often read up on the Internet beforehand. Thereafter, they may ask probing questions often to the chagrin of the doctors. This may then create simmering tensions between parties if there are disparities in treatment goals. Mr Speaker, Sir, one way to improve the doctor-patient relationship is through good communication. An important area is in the area of consent. I hope the Minister would look into how guidelines can be drawn up for doctors to obtain informed consent, especially in cases where language barriers can be a challenge. Of course, the dilemma is how to provide information that is relevant to the patient to allow an informed decision. This is particularly so for elderly patients.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask a clarification from the Minister. She mentioned in her speech that of the companies in the FCF framework, some were unfamiliar with MOM regulations. I would like to ask her, how many, or the proportion that were really unfamiliar with the regulations.”
“Such small daily acts of kindness and endearing moments are appreciated by the seniors and the Yio Chu Kang community. It is in the same spirit as SG Together, a shared conviction to work together and help each other to take Singapore forward. This spirit must be strengthened. In times of scarcity, we can be richer if we help each other. Treat our neighbours as our family. Reach out to those in need in times of crisis. Go the extra mile to care. This need not only be in big ways but in our everyday actions. This is how we should live. Thank you and I support the Motion.”
“Government must facilitate, motivate and connect. But we need the whole nation to work together to meet the needs of every Singaporean. There is great value for us to do more for each other. This can be a reset in our nation building journey. Ultimately, we are facing a test. We either react by fighting for ourselves or watch out for each other. How we react will define us as a nation. As Singaporeans, we have gone through thick and thin together in the past. Yio Chu Kang was a big kampong area 50 years ago, a kampong of mainly coconut plantations and fresh fish farms. I took the opportunity to speak with old residents who had stayed in Yio Chu Kang from the kampong days till today. They shared with me how neighbours would help each other in times of harvest, such as picking coconuts and gathering fish, because the tasks were too onerous for each family to carry out on their own. One such resident, Mr Vincent Toh, recalled how he used to follow his father and uncle around the kampong in Lorong Lentor learning how to help his neighbours in these endeavours, often late into the night. He made many friends among his neighbours. Some are still living in Yio Chu Kang today. Many lifelong friendships were forged. We should rebuild and carry-over the old kampong spirit for Singapore. This spirit continues today. During my walkabouts, I met Mr Peter Chong, who is a hawker selling chicken rice at our Yio Chu Kang 628 Food Centre. A soft-spoken man, he offers discounted food to healthcare workers who he recognised through their uniforms. He also looks out for the seniors who would at times forget to bring money for their meals. Mr Chong would let them to have their meals and pay him another time.”
“In helping each other, we must leverage on our various strengths and abilities to create a stronger social compact. When one has ability, we should do our best to help others without the ability. When one has resources, one should share our resources with those in need. If one is weak, we can look to those who are stronger to support us. During my house visits, I met people with differing resources and needs, like the uncle living alone in a rental flat, a single young mother who needs to raise five young kids, retirees who play chess at Block 610, professionals living in landed estates, even a former Minister who lives in the ward. I continue to have residents who write to me to ask how they can volunteer for the community. How can we match these resources to the people who need them within our communities? One way is to improve on and have more intergenerational programmes and services – where the young can take care of the old, and for the old to mentor the young. For instance, senior volunteers mentoring at-risk primary school children from low-income families. There will be a chance for us to do so in the new Yio Chu Kang Community Centre. In conclusion, in times of hardship, it is useful for us to reflect. But we should not "waste" a crisis by spending our time wishing we were out of it or reminiscing the past. We must live in the present and work for the future. We should have passion in the public discourse, to bring out creativity, be a catalyst for change and for our people to seek out new opportunities. But besides reflecting, we also need to act. There is much that we have to do together as a people. The Government cannot provide all the help to everybody. There will not be enough time, not enough resources and not enough attention.”
“Government policies can help with this. For example, HDB provides the Proximity Housing Grant to help families buy a resale flat to live with or close to each other for mutual care and support. Simple, everyday actions can also make a big impact. I was heartened to hear about the story of Mr Toh who lives in Yio Chu Kang. During the circuit breaker period, Mr Toh called SGO after he realised that he did not see his neighbour, whom he knew was ill, coming out of her flat for a few days. SGO and the nearby Senior Activity Centre assessed the situation and called for an ambulance. Mr Toh's neighbour was eventually admitted to hospital and was discharged a few days later. If not for Mr Toh's timely actions and knowledge of his neighbour, she could have suffered greater consequences. We need more Mr Tohs to build community and counter isolation. On a broader scale, we saw the community coming together to help others during the circuit breaker period, such as through food distribution to seniors living alone. I believe we can do this well because we are a high-rise and compact community. And many of us live next to each other. Volunteers from outside the community can be helpful, but there is no substitute for neighbours looking out and caring for each other. It creates a very different culture in the block and neighbourhood. We can do more to expand and deepen the community network. Include the grassroots leaders, organise it at the local level, leverage on the work of the Community Networks for Seniors and SG Cares, and offer active ageing, befriending and care programmes for our seniors. Third, as we have the community chipping in, we should use our different strengths to create a stronger society. Making a senior-friendly place is beyond infrastructural improvements.”
“There is no need for seniors to travel to a physical location just to look for help, and in this way, improve information and care referral. We should also endeavour to convert all Residents' Committee (RC) nodes into telehealth pods and get volunteers or part-time care aides from the community to assist seniors in their consultations. In introducing seniors to the use of telemedicine, they will be able have follow-up visits in the community without making the journey to the hospital. In these ways, technology can help wrap services around our seniors. However, Government services and the assistance of our healthcare friends are not enough to help our seniors through this crisis. Second, we need to tackle loneliness through stronger community bonds. We have become lonelier as a society with COVID-19 and tele-commuting and we can expect a lot more empty nesters, singles and seniors living alone in the future. Loneliness has significant implications. In a study by Duke-NUS on 4,500 Singaporeans aged 60 and above, 34% reported that they were sometimes or mostly lonely. This proportion increased with age. Social isolation among older adults is a serious public health concern because of their heightened risk of physical and mental health problems. This is further exacerbated through the COVID crisis. A recent Lancet article recommended urgent action to mitigate the mental and physical health consequences for the elderly if they remain at home and avoid social contact during the crisis. Everything eventually falls back on the need for and the importance of relationships and social bonds. I am glad that some hon Members have also spoken about this. Building strong social relationships is a complex issue but is something we need to do well in Singapore.”
“There are three things that I feel we can do better as a community to help our seniors. First, we need to wrap help and care around seniors in the community. Our Government has many schemes and programmes already in place for seniors to ensure that they can age well in place. We can certainly do more to wrap help around the seniors and to do this in the community, rather than to ask seniors to seek out schemes which are organised around agencies. Some Government agencies have already begun doing this work. I know this because I was formerly in MOH looking after ageing planning policies. I also ran the Silver Generation Office (SGO). We leverage volunteers who are Ambassadors to visit seniors in their homes. They also share with them Government schemes that specifically applies to their needs. This is a good thing, as last-mile communications are important for this vulnerable population segment who may not know who to turn to. I am heartened to see that SG Digital Office (SDO) moving into the community to teach seniors how to use new technology, a space where there is still much more to do. I was at the “Seniors Go Digital” event by SDO and IMDA at Teck Ghee Community Club last weekend. I saw many enthusiastic seniors who were eager to learn new digital functions like e-payments. Talking to Mrs Tan, who is a grandmother at the event, she shared that she was excited that she had learnt how to connect with her grandchildren via Zoom. She asked me what else she can do online. Speaking with her, it reaffirmed my belief that technology opens up many more possibilities when coupled with human care. We should move decisively to have a one-stop online digital service centres for all things related to seniors.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Motion. We are in the midst of the greatest crisis ever faced by Singapore. Our country is facing a highly uncertain future. Even jobs that were traditionally performed by workers physically onsite may no longer be ring-fenced from foreign competition. We read of blue-collar work like coal mining in Henan, China can now be done by 5G technology, where workers remotely operate excavators deep underground in the air-conditioned comfort of their homes. Singapore has prospered over the past 55 years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put us in a very serious situation. Our path to recovery will be long and steep. Moving ahead, our country’s financial resources will certainly be much tighter. In spite of the dire situation, Singapore can still emerge richer in other ways. The Government has done much to help fellow Singaporeans to save jobs and provide emergency support to workers and companies. But there is other help that is needed. In times of scarcity, it is natural that we look out for our own needs. But history has also shown us that it is in the darkest nights that the brightest stars shine. My hope is that Singapore will be such a star. In this difficult time, we can all come out richer – richer as a nation in our civic-consciousness, kindness and graciousness. It is time for everyone to chip in with whatever we have. And we can start in our communities. We all need community. We do not live alone. As a community, we have to take an interest in each other’s needs. We need to come together to help the vulnerable, and this is especially true for our seniors. This is a topic that is close to my heart because of the older demographic in my Yio Chu Kang constituency.”