Zainudin Nordin
Singapore
“We may end up a burden to our future Government and our future generation, but it is necessary. We must do this and, at the same time, we should also make sure that there are enough resources in the future and safeguard and manage the Silver Support Scheme well.”
“They are worried that they would just simply lose their jobs upon reaching the age of 65. They are still alert and full of energy. These are real concerns of Singaporean workers. We should look longer into our Employment Act amendments and see how we can further take into consideration some of this feedback and take care of our workers.”
“Madam, I am very supportive of the Singaporean Core initiative. But on the other hand, I would just like to understand better if all these efforts of getting the EP are making the employers' job more onerous and more difficult, and whether there is a change in image about Singapore being a friendly country for investments, and also, in th…”
“Mdm Speaker, just a supplementary question. I agree with the Prime Minister on taking time and doing this properly. I would like to also reiterate the point that Mr Lee was a giant among the Pioneer leaders and I would not be wrong to say that he was much loved and respected by many.”
“Mdm Chair, for all the resources that the Government is investing in continuous education and training, more still needs to be done to instil a lifelong learning culture in the Singapore worker's psyche. So, I think SkillsFuture is a very promising initiative to encourage working adults to improve themselves.”
“A supplementary question, Mdm Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if the recipients of the zakat donations are excluded from the regular assistance elsewhere, or can they also tap on the national schemes.”
The complete record
Every one of 647 lines we hold for Zainudin Nordin, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 13 of 13.
“Sir, the partial liberalisation of the media industry has resulted in some form of competition. Some may argue that, as a result, the consumers have benefited. The choices for local newspapers, TV and radio have increased. Furthermore, with the availability of cable TV, we are all spoilt for choice. My concern is the quality and standards of the local media. After all, the dust has settled. Can we really say that the partial liberalisation has achieved its objectives and, in turn, increased the standards and quality for the general benefit of the public? Sir, Singapore aspires to be a media hub for the region. But, on the other hand, we also exercise a cautious and strict control over the media industry. I would like to ask the Minister to give his position on standards and highlight the regulations that are in place to ensure our media companies are not controlled by foreigners. I totally agree with the Minister that there is a vast potential for content development and production. This area needs enhancement and boost. I would just like to cite an example. A few days ago, we were fortunate to welcome the delegates from Iran. We asked them how they managed to grow their film industry and the kind of statistics that they cited to us was quite impressive for a country, like Iran. It produces 60 to 70 films a year and about 2,000-3,000 amateur films per year. They have also attained international recognition and won several international awards. Just recently a country like Bosnia, which is stricken by war and trouble in the country, managed to win the international foreign award at the Academy. So these are the examples that we can see.”
“Sir, as we grow and mature as a nation, we have to look at our development in a wider perspective than just in the economic sense. There is an increasing need for us to grow and develop our cultural capital. The strategy to grow our cultural capital is laudable and long overdue. We must understand that many used to consider the arts and culture as a luxury. This view is passe, and there is a need for a major mindset change. We must take the opportunity in our process of remaking Singapore to make this shift. We must view the arts and culture as an integral part of our development and growth. Our cultural heritage is rich and multi-faceted. We should harness this vast potential and exploit it to our advantage. The investment and resources that we allocate to the arts and culture should not be seen as wastage. We have to look at the long-term rewards, and the intangible returns, ie, a more culturally rich and vibrant Singapore. We need, over the long term, to portray Singapore not only as a place of economic excellence but also as a centre for artistic excellence. To recapitulate what was said by Dr Ng Eng Hen yesterday, the congregation of brains and minds would attract investments. I would further add that congregation of brains and minds in a vibrant and artistically and culturally rich environment will be ever sweeter for investors. In conclusion, in view of the growing importance of this aspect of our country's development, I would encourage the Minister for Finance to allocate more resources to MITA. Over time, we should accord more funds to the Ministry than the 0.3% of GDP as it is today.”
“It was discontinued in 1989. Now, in the year 2002, we should ask ourselves: are the reasons more compelling? The answer is yes.”
“On the contrary, we know deep down in our hearts that it is important. If so, I still could not understand why the Ministry of Education, which is supposed to be the protector and torch-bearer of education in this country, takes a laissez faire attitude towards pre-school education when it can play a more decisive role. The more senior Members of this House would probably be able to recall that in 1979, the pre-primary system was implemented in some schools. The purpose was for bilingual education, ie, to give students equal exposure to both Mandarin and English. It was a worthwhile exercise and the Ministry of Education then had the motivation, the vision and boldness to see it implemented.”
“At the risk of sounding like a spoilt recorder, I would like to propose to the Ministry of Education to seriously consider bringing the early childhood education into the formal education system. Put it directly under the purview of MOE. This portion of our education system has mostly been left to community organisations and the private sector. We know that the Ministry of Education has some initiatives and programmes in this area. Are these enough? Can we do more? I honestly believe we can and we should do more in the area of pre-school education. As the pressure for economic excellence continues, we will see more dual-income earning families. Parents need support to cope with the growing trends and phenomena. There are many developed countries that have incorporated pre-school education into primary education. There must be many reasons that compelled them to do so. As we progress and more of our female citizens go out to join the workforce, we will encounter more demands for a better and structured pre-school system existing under mainstream education. The passing of the compulsory education law is a landmark decision and, I believe, the next significant decision, and a more important one, is to incorporate the foundation years into mainstream education provided by MOE. Madam, we must provide our children the equal opportunity to education at the earliest age possible. Many experts have deliberated on the importance of the foundation years, and many have agreed. There are many parents in this House and, if we, as parents, sincerely believe otherwise, we would not have sent our kids to nurseries and kindergartens. Instead, we are sending them to the best possible nursery and kindergartens. Why is that so? Does it mean that pre-school is not important?”
“Madam, we all are well aware of the problem of teen-gangs in Singapore and our schools. In one of my recent block visits, I spoke to a gentleman who was very concerned for his nephew whom he said was involved with teen-gangs. He was upset and said that more should be done and could be done between schools and the police to reduce the problem. He said that schools could work closely with the police to eradicate this menace. He is upset and understandably so, because he has a nephew that he loves who is involved with these gangs and his life and future could be affected by their unruly and illegal activities. I am sure that there are more parents out there who are faced with similar problems. We have also read and seen reports on how bold these gangs have become. And if we do not address this early, they will become bolder and more daring. In this respect, may I ask the Minister the following questions: (1) What are the steps that have been taken to curb these teen-gang problems? (2) Are enough resources in place to assist students to quit the teen-gangs? (3) What are the common traits, if any, among the students that are involved in gangs? (4) Is there a task force at national level to tackle this issue?”
“This will nurture a well-rounded individual with strong community ties. Ultimately, our education system should aim to develop citizens who are able to put Singapore and community before self. And I believe the co-curricular activity is an important aspect of such a system.”
“Madam, we all agree and know that many parents are very concerned about their children's future. Speaking as a parent myself, we worry whether our children can cope with the extremely competitive education system. Yes, we parents are more concerned than our children. We are so afraid of our children not having the best and, whenever possible, many would try their best to assist their children. This feeling is so strong that even in the choice of the co-curricular activity or the CCA choice, we would like to tell our kids what they should choose. I believe this is one area where we should let our children decide and choose for themselves. This choice should be based on their personal interest and talent. And this is one area outside of the academic field that I feel we can choose to groom them. Madam, we want the education system to prepare the future generations for the rapid changes and to produce nimble, creative and innovative minds. This should not only be done in classrooms. We must use the CCA and exploit its potential to educate our students on the other aspects of life. CCA should not be seen as a chore or burden to schools, parents and staff but, rather, as an important extension to education. Through CCA, we can inculcate important values on discipline, leadership, social interaction, sports and healthy lifestyle. We should invest in CCA and improve the programmes. In conclusion, Madam, as we grow as a young nation and further improve our education system, we should strive to have a more holistic approach towards education. Academic excellence should not be the only thrust of education. A child should be nurtured on values, such as national education, community spirit, social services, voluntarism and sports.”
“Sir, we are aware that we are all born unequal. Some are quick, some are naturally intelligent, but some are born inherently with learning disabilities. In view of these realities, I am proud and glad to know that MOE has started, for several years now, a special scheme called the Learning Support Programme (LSP) to assist students with innate learning problems. I was told that the LSP programme covers only two subjects, ie, Mathematics and English. On this matter, I have several questions for the Minister. Could the Minister give the House an update on the progress of the programme and its effectiveness since its inception? Secondly, can the Minister also give the House an insight on the plans and future development of this programme? Thirdly, are there other similar programmes that are being considered to assist our students who are hindered in their learning due to one reason or another? [Mdm Deputy Speaker (Mrs Lim Hwee Hua) in the Chair] 4.54 pm”
“They provide feedback and ensure that standards are maintained. Examinations only become dysfunctional if they are not aligned with the objectives of education. If they measure things which are not really what your objectives are in education, it thereby leads students down a path which is not what you really want them to do. To reflect our focus on creativity and thinking, we have been modifying our examination formats to include open book examinations, source-based questions where students are required to draw inferences, project work, and school-based continuous assessment of the practical and experimental capability of our "A" level Science students. These are quite different from the traditional examinations and tests which students have taken in the past. Of course, they are more challenging for both the students and teachers to prepare for. Such assessments are more aligned with our educational goals. With our own examination board, we will be more able to ensure that examinations are well-aligned with our objectives, and that we can introduce innovations, such as IT-based assessments, without having to wait till others are ready. I will now ask Dr Ng to respond to the other points that Members have raised.”
“Our educational institutions must recruit the people strictly based on merit, and if Dr Wang has any evidence that this has not been so in any of our institutions, I would urge him to immediately make this known to my Ministry. Dr Wang spoke about universities switching to SAT. I would like to clarify that my Ministry has never said that SAT will replace the "A" levels. SAT I is only one component of the University Admission System and serves as a reasoning test that complements a content-based "A" level examinations. Having a basket of admission requirements provides for a more holistic measure of an applicant's ability. SAT II tests that Dr Wang mentioned are tests that measure specific content-based knowledge and would duplicate the function already served by the "A" levels. Hence, MOE has no intention to introduce SAT II. We will study what changes the College Board intends to make to SAT I, and see if it continues to be a test that suits our purpose. The establishment of an examination board does not reflect any second thoughts about SAT I. The intention of establishing an examination board is to build up our own capability and expertise in educational assessment and examination services. As Dr Wang pointed out, it will support our efforts to develop Singapore as an educational hub. The examination board will conduct the national examinations based on the Ministry's prescribed syllabuses and curriculum framework, and the Ministry would ensure that the examinations accurately assess pupils' achievement validly and reliably and are closely aligned to curricular objectives. Sir, examinations, testing and assessments are an integral part of the education process. They should not be seen as something separate.”
“Mr Yeo expressed concern on the impact of curricular broadening on the Department of Chinese Studies. I have been told by NUS that the emphasis on broad-based education does not preclude students from gaining a rigorous grounding in Chinese Literature, Chinese Language, history or philosophy. Students can still opt to read modules in both Chinese Studies and Chinese Language. Ultimately, a university will only flourish if they have capable and committed staff of high quality. Both NUS and NTU have put in place a market-driven performance-based renumeration system that gives them more flexibility to reward excellence and to attract and retain talent. Dr Wang and Mr Yeo have expressed some concern about the impact of these changes on staff. Sir, both universities are going through a period of transition from basically teaching-based institutions to institutions that place emphasis on both teaching and research. Some staff may adapt faster than others. However, I am confident that these changes are necessary for the success of the universities in the long-term. Dr Wang said that the staff attrition rate of NUS is high. Last year, 5.9% of NUS' faculty members or 116 left the university. This is not unreasonable, especially compared to the attrition rates of reputable universities worldwide, where the attrition rate of 10%, 12% or 15% is not uncommon. NUS has been able to successfully recruit new faculty members. Last year, NUS recruited 194 new faculty members. Too high a turnover rate, of course, is undesirable. But a certain level of turnover is healthy, if any organisation is to renew and regenerate itself. This turnover of faculty in NUS creates opportunities for intellectual renewal and ensures high academic standards, which is key to NUS' goal of being world-class.”
“Greater capacity is also necessary to provide for the larger cohorts of students feeding through to the post-secondary sector. As Members know, 1988 was a dragon year, with a bumper crop of 53,000 babies. In the 10 years following that, the number of babies born averaged 49,000, about 20% higher than the decade before 1988. These children started to come into the school system in 1995. In 2005, the dragon babies will be ready to enter ITE, the polytechnics and pre-university. We have anticipated this, and we will have sufficient places for them. 4.30 pm To achieve greater diversity and expand opportunities in the sector, the Ministry is currently restructuring ITE, building a fifth polytechnic and reviewing the university sector. ITE will regroup its current 10 campuses into three Regional Campuses (RCs) over the next 15 years. The larger campuses will allow each campus to offer a full range of courses and provide the opportunities for cross-disciplinary training. $700 million will be spent to build a fifth polytechnic which will open its door in 2003. The Republic Polytechnic will not only increase capacity, it will inject greater diversity into this important sector of our education system, and help to further raise standards all round. An Inter-ministerial Committee, chaired by Dr Ng, is currently reviewing the university sector. He will update Members on this later. Let me now deal with specific issues on our public universities brought up by Dr Wang and Mr Yeo. I would first like to thank Mr Yeo for pointing out that NUS and NTU have achieved a degree of international standing for themselves. Both NUS and NTU aim for excellence in education, research and contribution to the community.”
“The real success of ITE has been the fact that it has successfully raised the prospects and maximised the potential of young Singaporeans who, in other education systems all over the world, would have been left behind. The fact that youth unemployment in Singapore is not a problem, even in the middle of the recession, is evidence of the success of ITE. We have a robust polytechnic sector which provides vital technical and supervisory manpower, and many of our entrepreneurs and business leaders today come from the polytechnics. We have three good universities, each with their different and distinct focus and character. Different types of institutions, each with different missions and different emphasis, together, they provide a range of options to meet the needs of both the economy and individuals. Moving forward, we intend to expand opportunities and introduce greater diversity in the further education sector. We need to increase capacity so that all those able to benefit from further education can have access to our technical institutes, polytechnics and universities. We have significantly expanded opportunities across all types of post-secondary and tertiary education. Twenty years ago, less than three out of 10 pupils made it to post-secondary education. Ten years ago, it had grown to nearly six out of 10. Today, more than eight out of 10 do so. At the degree level, the Ministry is considering further expansion of the university sector. Our university cohort participation rate has quadrupled from 5% in 1980 to 21% today. With the sounder foundation that our students now receive in school, the university cohort participation rate can be raised from the current 21% to 25%, and we are now working to make this possible.”
“From one angle, we grapple with the effort to continue improving our products and services, but here we already have a good product, ie, the quality of our education and training. Outsiders see these as our brand name, but we have not reaped its full benefits. Why do we not market our educational services industry more aggressively? Sir, I propose that our main institutions can lead in this effort. We should not have the old thinking, ie, "Why should we help others to catch up or compete with us?" This is wrong because, if we do not improve on whatever we have, others will take over our place. Let us increase our effort to market our courses and services. Singapore can become the leading education centre in this region. I believe we can expand our services beyond the borders of Singapore. RAdm Teo Chee Hean: Sir, we have a strong and diverse post-secondary sector that caters to different types of students. Our ITE, polytechnics and universities offer Singaporeans access to an array of academic and technical options in further education. Sir, I would like to thank Mr Ong, Mr Gan and Mr Zainudin for the encouragement that they have given to ITE. We will continue to try and market ITE as well as we can. In fact, I would invite all Members of this House to come along, and I hope that they will come, including Mr Inderjit Singh, to see for themselves how well the students are doing. ITE has come a long way. It is now a confident, increasingly well-regarded post-secondary educational institution. The real success of ITE is not measured in terms of how many students have been able to go to polytechnic or how many students have gone on to university from ITE, although we celebrate the success of these students.”
“Our nation is expanding the information technology, life sciences and chemical industries. These are areas which need a skilled workforce, and the ITE and the polytechnics could think of ways to support these thriving industries. Like other educational institutions, ITE and the polytechnics should encourage creativity and innovation. Their students should be given the freedom to explore and go deeper into their studies. Practical skills and certain skills are important, but they cannot ensure our survival. We should nurture our students with an entrepreneurial spirit and a "dare to fail" attitude so that they would work harder and face new challenges with success. The quality of technical education is high, and we are respected in many countries in the world. There are many examples where ITE graduates are successful in continuing their education to the university and polytechnic. This shows that the ITE has built a strong foundation and should be seen as a good beginning for our students. Technical training and the ability to "adapt oneself" for the ITE and polytechnic graduates are seen as two positive traits to nurture those who are technopreneurs. But ITE and the polytechnics can do more by offering additional business modules and giving support to the potential graduates through an incubation system and network of graduates. Technical education in our country has come a long way and will continue to expand. With new changes in the structure of ITE and polytechnics and also continuous upgrading of the staff and their facilities, these institutions will continue to excel. Our polytechnics have trained many people in this region. They appreciate our assistance and have praised the quality of the courses that we offer. Our neighbours in ASEAN have also benefitted.”
“Sir, the Institute of Technical Education in our country has played an important role and will continue to play an important role in training our technicians and engineers for the future, our industry and the new economy. In our effort to remake Singapore, we should study skills upgrading programmes, retraining and lifelong learning for our workforce. The ITE and polytechnics will play an increasingly important role in this matter. The main challenge for the ITE and polytechnics is to attract and encourage our workers to return to school or the classroom. Sir, we often hear stories of outstanding ITE and polytechnic graduates who become successful entrepreneurs and businessmen. They bring pride to the ITE and polytechnics, and I feel more will achieve success. They make a name for themselves, thus bringing prestige to the institutions of ITE and the polytechnics through their success. Through their success, we will better appreciate the good efforts of these institutions that have prepared and equipped them for the employment market and the industrial world which are very challenging and competitive. Sir, ITE is one of the pillars of our education system. Both the ITE and polytechnic system emphasise excellence in technical education. Year after year, these institutions have undergone numerous renewals. Therefore, job opportunities for ITE and polytechnic graduates are good, and Singapore offers many opportunities for those who undergo technical education. We will see more new jobs and new potential in the knowledge-based economy. ITE and polytechnic graduates will find that they have a place for themselves Sir, there are many areas in which the ITE and polytechnics can explore. The services industry has a large potential for them.”
“The report in the newspapers on 16th May 2002 concerning the complications as a result of misunderstanding during counselling further illustrates the complexity of the job, and also the acute shortage of these professionals in the school system. The educational institutions need the assistance of MOE in this matter. I hope to get the Minister's position and plan on this issue.”
“Sir, as the education system evolves and matures, I am confident that it will continue to offer to our citizens the best options and services to learning and training. Similarly, the rapid changes in the economy and the world stage also pose a myriad of challenges to our students and parents alike. Sir, through the many interactions that I had with students and parents, I have noted that they need assistance in many non-academic areas like career and course counselling, discipline and also personal problems. In reality, our students are put under a lot of stress on a daily basis. The majority is able to cope, but more and more are facing difficulties. These difficulties are manifested in the form of discipline and personal problems. To top this, many parents are also clueless on the ways to help their children and the avenues to turn to for help. In view of this, I would like to propose that the Ministry allocate the resources to address the need for more qualified counsellors. I am aware that schools have some form of pastoral programme, but I believe this is not sufficient. We should avoid resorting to ad hoc and short cuts by using teachers as counsellors, but rather strategically plan to increase the pool of qualified and trained professionals. Our students and parents deserve better. In my recent visits to the schools in my constituency and through my discussion with the staff, I gather that the students and schools could do with some structured assistance in this area. May I propose that the Ministry assigns one or two professional counsellors for each school cluster?”
“The burden of change should not fall on the employees but employers should also ensure that the workers are regularly upgraded and retrained even during good times. Employers should consciously make provisions for their employees to upgrade and pick up new skills. Measures should be put in place to ensure that employers play their role as a responsible corporate citizen vis-a-vis their workers. From the requests for assistance, the numbers given by the Minister for Manpower on the success rate of job matching, I just have this lingering pessimism that we are just not good at this service. Are we then not giving people the false hope by offering them assistance that resulted in near total failure? 5% to 10% success rate? Is there anything more that can be done to improve this? Are we exploring all the possible avenues and alternatives? I look forward to the Committee of Supply for answers to these questions. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the motion.”
“But sad to say, subsequently, it was discontinued in 1989. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Education has an impeccable record locally and internationally and I see no reason why they cannot take up this challenge and develop an excellent early childhood education system and programme suited for our needs. Allow me to touch on education focus for the Malay community. Sir, the Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs has recently presented the vision of a progressive and dynamic Malay community. In the present economic climate, the community is faced with more daunting challenges and it should strive to do better. It has made significant progress in the area of education over the past 10 years. We should keep up the pace and explore new areas and try non-traditional fields of education. In this aspect, I would like to encourage the community to continue to emulate the culture of academic excellence into the Malay community. We must aim to achieve high standards in education and attain world-class recognition in whatever we do. Education, Sir, is a great social leveller. Through education and training, the community will be able to stand tall, participate and be part of the mainstream. We should imbibe lifelong learning and make it our second nature. Sir, our workers are constantly grappling with rapid changes and the need to acquire new skills and knowledge. Many are struggling and some are resisting the change. How then, Sir, can we assist them to manage the change? I have again repeated this. I would like to commend the Ministry of Manpower, NTUC and CDCs for their effort. But I believe more can be done to make these changes less painful and more meaningful for our workers.”
“Can we do more in this area? I honestly believe we can and we should do more in the area of pre-school education. As the pressure for economic excellence continues, we will see more dual income earning families. Parents need support to cope with this growing trend and phenomenon. There are many developed countries that have incorporated the pre-school education into their primary education. More recently, when PM Goh visited Europe I believe the delegation had visited countries that have espoused this method. As we progress and more of our female citizens go out to join the workforce, we are going to encounter more demands for better and structured pre-school system existing under the mainstream education. We should consider a system that takes in children from three to five years old in the ecole maternelle and kindergarten. We could make these pre-schools as part of the primary schools. The compulsory education law that was passed in Parliament is a clear indication of Government's commitment to educating our future generation. This augurs well for us. Let us take this a step further and incorporate the foundation years into the mainstream education provided by MOE. The Ministry of Education can ensure the quality and standards of the early childhood education and the kindergartens. This is to ensure that a strong foundation is in place when they continue to primary education. I believe the more senior Members of this Chamber would probably be able to recall that in 1979, the pre-primary system was implemented in some schools. The purpose was for bilingual education, ie, to give students more or equal exposure to both Mandarin and English. It was a worthwhile exercise and the Ministry then had the motivation, the vision and boldness to see it implemented.”
“We know the importance that the Government puts in education by the sheer size of resources that have been poured into education. We cannot afford not to invest in our people. As we move into the knowledge economy, we need to have more "knowledge workers" that are multi-disciplined and can handle multi-tasks at the same time. The education system should prepare the future generations for the rapid changes and produce nimble, creative and innovative minds. Parents are very concerned about their children's future. Thus, education is of utmost importance to them. We can be comforted by the fact that we have a Government that emphasises on quality and standards for our education. Many people around the world and locally recognise Singapore's quality in its education system. But I believe, Sir, we can still fine-tune it to make it even better. I would like to reiterate the call that I made in my maiden speech, that is, we should have a more holistic approach towards education. Academic excellence should not be the only thrust of education. A child should be nurtured on values such as national education, community spirit, social services, voluntarism and sports. This will nurture a well-rounded individual with strong community ties. Ultimately, our education system should aim to develop citizens who are able to put Singapore and community before self. I would like to propose to the Ministry of Education to seriously consider bringing the early childhood education into the formal education system. Put it directly under the purview of MOE. This portion of our education system has mostly been left out to the community organisations and private sector. We know that the Ministry of Education has some initiatives and programmes in this area. Is this enough?”
“The Government, time and again, has encouraged the people to be brave, enterprising and to take risk so that we can have more successful local companies and this, in turn, could be the other wing of growth for our country. I am not going to repeat some of the salient points raised by the other Members but I would like to stress that more should be done to help the SMEs to grow. One suggestion that I would like to put forward is that the bankruptcy laws should be further reviewed. I would like to tell a story of someone I know whose father was a successful businessman. When he was in his mid-forties, in the prime of his life, his business went bust and he was declared a bankrupt. As I understood, there are many restrictions and rulings being applied to a bankrupt; to put it simply, his freedom was limited. He wanted to revive his business and explore new areas and had tried many times to get discharged but failed. Now, 15 years later, he is in his sixties, a broken man who has practically given up on business and retired with many regrets and pains of those lost years. By the way, he was only discharged last year. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, with every success story that we hear and read about in the media, there are hundreds, and possibly thousands, that failed. But these people are resilient and they will come back and will try again. I am not advocating for handouts but we must provide for the environment and support that will not deter but spur them to try again and again. In this respect, I would like to urge the Minister for Finance to revisit the financing schemes for SMEs and start-ups and consider setting up a special bank that would cater for their needs. Sir, I am very glad that the Ministry of Education is getting more funds this year.”
“With the present scenario of stiff competition and rapid globalisation, we have to put our priorities right, that is, to implement measures to ensure Singapore remains competitive. From the feedback that I have received, people are quite comfortable with the proposed tax reforms and some, like what Mr Inderjit Singh had suggested, are even asking for more. Naturally, the expected hike in the GST, parking charges and ERP are of concern. Let us not deny also that the offset measures are quite balanced. On the other hand, the people are aware that these offset measures are not permanent but the GST, HDB parking charges and ERP are here to stay. Sir, their argument is simple. They say that the Government gives them some in the right pocket and takes them out from the left pocket. And worse still, the Government takes out more than what they give! This is the feeling and it is quite prevalent. Timing is of another concern. Many are asking: why now? Can it be done later when the positive signs are clearer and the economy is growing? The experts from the ERC and MOF may prescribe the bitter pills and expect people to swallow. Majority may do it but some may react differently. Already, we are hearing more who consider migrating and hope to find a less stressful place in the sun for themselves and their family. These are generally those who are talented, mobile and can afford to uproot and move. Can we, as a country, afford these losses? As it is, we are struggling to attract talents to our country. Similarly, are we taking care of the underdogs and the underprivileged of our society to face these challenges? Some argue that the GST is going to put them in deeper trouble than before. How then, Sir, can we allay their worries?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, like many of the hon. Members in this Chamber who have risen and spoken on the Budget Statement delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance, I would like to join in the debate and will try not to belabour on everything but tread on issues that are of immediate concern. I hope to give my perspectives and views on the matter and at the same time give feedback on views I got from the ground. [Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Chew Heng Ching) in the Chair] 4.38 pm Sir, if I recall correctly, more than six months ago, we made some commitments. Six months ago, we had asked the people to trust us. Six months ago, we had assured them that we would take care of them. The concerns then and now have not changed much. We all know that our citizens are worried for their livelihood, the future of their children and the future of Singapore. The people knew then and understood the difficulties that lie ahead. By giving the PAP an overwhelming victory, they have put the trust in the Government whom they know is a no-nonsense, realistic and pragmatic Government who can deliver and has always delivered. Here we are more than six months later. I believe we have arrived at the juncture where we are expected to deliver something. In moving forward to revive the economy; thus creating more jobs and businesses, we must not lose track of the very reason we are doing all this, ie, the people. Let us give them back the self-confidence, the morale and the self-esteem. It is our duty in this Parliament to ask whether this Budget can do the job of creating jobs and businesses. Let us face it, Sir, no single Budget can satisfy all the sectors of the economy.”
“Yes, there was some initial scepticism, even cynicism, among some of the young participants. But as we engage them more, I sense a strong pool of goodwill and enthusiasm to want to contribute to make a difference. Many are now burning their weekends and their nights on this project, with lots of emails in between. The media reports on their activities have in turn prompted a group of young professionals in Singapore, on their own initiative, to also work into the nights and weekends, so as to be able to contribute to the work of the Economic Review Committee. It has been a very heart-warming experience for me. One key take-away in this experiment is that we should never assume that the young would not have much to contribute. They may have different values, different points of reference. They may see the need for "fun" together with being "serious". But that does not mean that they are frivolous. Their energy and freshness of ideas should find a happy merger with the older folk's wisdom and experience, to evolve and advance the Singapore Cause. Singapore can make it economically and socially. We just need to dream big and work together for a great future. I continue to see the future of Singapore full of excitement and hope, and lots of scope for everyone to play a part, regardless of race, language or religion. There is a place under the sun for everyone, from all walks of life, to fulfil their dreams and to make a difference to the lives of others. To succeed, we need to engage all Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, and transform their Singapore Dream, so that it is not just a Global Dream, but has the Singapore Cause deeply embedded in it.”
“Conclusion Mr Speaker, Sir, my father left his hometown. I left mine. I have left the comfort zone in the Public Gallery to help ensure that my children do not ever have to be forced to leave their hometown. As we remake Singapore, one top priority must be to involve all Singaporeans in the Singapore Cause. To succeed in this, we must listen to their voices, whether from inside Singapore, or from overseas, from high or low, from EM1 or EM3. After all, let us have the humility to admit at the individual level we are all bundles of EM1 and EM3. We may be strong in one area, but we could be hopeless in many other areas. Take myself as an example. In economics and economic management, I probably qualify for EM1. In many other areas, I am at best EM3. In poetry, I fail, I think. But whether one fails or not, one must have hope. You are a failure only if you allow yourself to be condemned as one. That is why a few weeks ago when my grassroots leader suggested that at the next Tanjong Pagar constituency's National Day dinner, I should partner with Ms Indranee Rajah to sing a duet and in Cantonese, I looked at him and said, "Me singing? Some more in Cantonese?" Then I remember lifelong learning. So I am now croaking at EM3 level, but I am putting in the effort. Come National Day, I am confident I should be able to perform at least EM2 to match Indranee's EM1. Sir, how do we engage all Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, in the remaking of Singapore? What do we need to do? Change our style? Change our assumptions about them? Change our attitudes as adults? Through my work in the Economic Review Committee, I am experimenting by working with overseas Singaporeans who reside in the US.”
“I hope everyone can come forward to make things better in our community, whether in VWOs, in NGOs, or whatever. If you are passionate about education, come and help in the schools. If you care about helping the elderly sick, come and help in the nursing homes. Business people and professionals from other fields can often bring new perspectives. In fact, many Singaporeans do. I just came across the Centre for Fathering, not that I need any help. It was started by three fathers, to promote responsible fatherhood in Singapore. Two of them, at the initial stage, actually gave up their jobs, so that they can push their cause which they are passionate about whole-heartedly. Permanent Secretary Lim Soo Hoon told me that just last week, at a low key, no publicity function to thank the volunteers at the Pelangi Home for the destitutes, Jack Neo turned up to entertain and encourage the volunteers, even as he was rushing off to catch a flight out. Permanent Secretary Yong Ying-I told me about Helen Chia, a Volunteer Probation Officer who gave generously of her time helping the delinquents, besides giving tuition in an RC to children who cannot afford private tuition. Jack Sim is another example. Driven by his commitment to good public education on restroom manners, he started an Association and went on to host the first WTO Conference here. It has nothing to do with MTI or Geneva. WTO stands for World Toilet Organisation. He even commissioned a Toilet Anthem. There are many more such fine Singaporeans, from all walks of life, who come forward to help make our community better: Subaraj Rajathurai, Prof Bernard Tan, Brother Joseph McNally, Prof Aziz Nather, Henry Tay, just to name a few. They are excellent role models for all, as we contemplate how to expand the people sector.”
“But there are others where the Government can now take a supporting role to allow the people sector to take a lead. For example, the Nature Society has taken a lead on nature preservation matters. I believe the public sector has benefited from their advice and expertise. There must be more areas where the Government can devolve to the people sector, to let the community decide for themselves. But let us not go for quick fixes. As a young nation, shared vision and mode of participation will need time to evolve. We need to move at a pace that meets the expectation of the young, while balancing domestic concerns. What we seek is not diversity for its own sake, but the ability to integrate such diversity in a meaningful and useful way. We do this very well in our schools. As a student, I remember there were so many activities I could get myself involved in, beyond the textbooks. I remember helping to set up the Red Cross Society in my school. I ran remedial classes. My classmates organised sports training sessions. Together, we initiated and took part in inter-school competitions. These activities built strong bonds amongst the students. They made us feel proud of our school, our heritage. Thirty years after leaving school, we still meet three, four times a year, sharing old jokes, but also always spending some time thinking about what we can do to help the school in its mission. My experiences were in a Penang school. But from my children and colleagues, I gather that their experiences in Singapore schools are similar. But there is an unfortunate break in such active participation in the community, when one enters adult life. We should remedy this. The sense of spontaneous participation, to connect with one another, should continue into adulthood.”
“This is also why we invest so much in education. So many Singaporean students subsequently go on to top US Ivy League Universities. Do you know that in recent years, our very own Raffles Junior College has consistently been among the largest single sources of undergraduate admissions to Stanford University? I am told that in the year 2000, it even beat Palo Alto High School to become the largest single source of admissions. Without pursuing Global Dream, we cannot succeed as an economy. But it is critical for Singaporeans to remember that without a Singapore Cause, there can be no Global Dream for them. Involvement: Making A Difference In a strange way, in meritocratic Singapore, some of our able feel that there is no room for them to make a difference. With a competent Government worrying about the future and coming out with all the solutions, some of the able feel left out. I was in public service, so I was involved and could make a difference in shaping the future. But must one be in public service to make a difference? For the Singapore society to be robust, we need good leaders in all the three sectors: public, private and people sectors. We have done very well in the last 40 years, with a few outstanding leaders, especially in the public sector. But in the next phase of our development, we need everyone to play a role, and in each of the three sectors. The public sector does not need to lead, nor has it the right expertise and instincts in all private and people sector issues. In the private sector, we need to go beyond GLCs and MNCs. Our SMEs must play and can play a bigger role in business. In the public sector, key issues, such as defence, will have to be led by the Government.”
“That these have been fundamental tenets of our nation for the last 40 years does not mean that they are permanent. If we do not all chip in to actively preserve and advance the Singapore Cause, these core values may dissipate with the passing of time. My Singapore Dream was initially a personal one - secure a good life for my family. But as I got involved in public policies and shaping the future, my Singapore Dream evolved into the Singapore Cause. My own experience is that going beyond the personal to dreaming for the community - to achieve our potential as one community - that is deeply fulfilling. Global Dream The Singapore Dream of my generation was to make it good in Singapore. But I think the Singapore Dream of the young generation is already quite different. Their Singapore Dream is probably to make it good in New York, London, Silicon Valley or Shanghai, and to fly home occasionally for char kway teow or roti prata. The Global Dream is today's reality. When the Singapore Dream is actually a Global Dream, how do you ensure that Singaporeans remain rooted to Singapore? Will they call Singapore home and advance the Singapore Cause as their Singapore Dream? Or will they simply leave to pursue their personal Global Dream? Economic dynamism is a key prerequisite to root Singaporeans to Singapore. But it is no longer sufficient. For the able, they can move to and succeed in wherever the economic opportunities are. Even char kway teow or roti prata is no longer sufficient as glue; you can now get them in Shanghai, Sydney or London in food courts run by Singaporeans. And after all, we have been encouraging the Global Dream, as it is important for Singapore. Hence, we push our companies to venture abroad. We peg ourselves to global standards.”
“No wonder my father had to leave his hometown and risk his life, sailing into the seas. Simple Dream: Stark Choices He left his hometown because there was not enough food to go around. His choices were stark: emigrate or starve. Economic mismanagement and political chaos made economic refugees of his generation. Arriving penniless in Penang, his expectations were low, aspirations were basic. His dream was a simple one: so that his family would not have to starve. What he valued most were political stability and strong economic growth. Day and night, he toiled so that we would have food on the table, a good education and a ladder out of poverty. Singapore Dream: Fair Play My father had more than fulfilled his dream. As a result, I was never deprived. I was certainly not an economic refugee. So why did I end up here in Singapore? When I was in school, some of us were deeply attracted to the value of meritocracy advanced by the Singapore leaders. Our dream was to fulfil the equivalent of the "Singapore Dream": to achieve our potential, regardless of race, language or religion. After HSC, or the equivalent of the GCE 'A' Level, I applied to both governments for a scholarship. I was accepted by Singapore. Meritocracy is a powerful idea. Singapore Cause Singapore has succeeded because we have embraced certain values: meritocracy, fair play, equal opportunities, clean government, racial and religious tolerance. As a result, we have acquired certain core strengths. First, our ability to stay cohesive over time and across racial, income and union-management boundaries. Second, our ability to preserve our core, yet we can also make changes when the situation demands it. So while we are not a perfect society, we acknowledge that; we keep improving.”
“As a result, he could not fulfil his dream of joining a junior college with the view of going on to study Chinese Literature in the university. He could only gain admission to the polytechnic or even the ITE. This student was deprived of the opportunity to make use of his proficiency in Chinese, and Singapore lost one rare talent in Chinese. No doubt, we can import some Chinese scholars from China to replace this lost gem, but what if their English is even worse than this local student? From this example, it would appear that the bureaucratic rules do not give room for each case to be assessed on its own merit. A student who excels in Chinese and aspires to major in Chinese is denied admission to the junior college simply because he fails his English. Can we not have some discretion so that the specific student could be given the opportunity to develop his or her talent and potential to the fullest? The Senior Minister of State for Transport and Information, Communications and the Arts (Mr Khaw Boon Wan): Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion of Thanks to the President. Leaving Comfort Zone The President's call for the remaking of Singapore prompted me to talk about why I moved out of the Public Gallery, from where I had observed the debate in Parliament for many years. I was very comfortable there. I could serve Singapore and Singaporeans. So why did I leave the comfort zone? Leaving Starvation Last year, I visited my father's hometown in China for the first time; a small hilly village somewhere in Fujian. Conditions there were harsh. But my relatives there were proud to observe that it was much better than even, say, five years ago. So I could imagine how it must have been like 70 years ago.”
“However, the university adopted the two-semester system, instead of having one examination in a year, we have two examinations now. So students are too busy preparing for the examinations, and they do not have much time for their thesis. Therefore, the quality of the thesis now is inferior to what it used to be. This explains the fact that the will to gain knowledge and to be inquisitive is much affected by the time available in the university. Looking at what the Ministry of Education had done in the past, there is a tendency to phase out the 'O' level examination and cut contact hours for classes. I think this is a great improvement, but not everything is perfect. For example, by 2003, to gain admission to the university, in addition to the traditional 'A' level results, the candidates have also to produce their SAT results as well as a special project. In this way, it will be a great burden on our Junior College students. We can either depend on SAT or our `A' level examination results for university entrance requirement, or depend on the special project. But now, we are asking for all these three requirements together! As a result, our students suffer. Our students are under great pressure. How are they going to have time to be inquisitive and creative? The President's Address also touched on allowing people more opportunities to develop the hidden potential of some students. The secondary school and the JC will have new curriculum to develop the hidden talent of students in areas like music and art. However, in an article in Lianhe Zaobao, the writer wrote about a friend's child who was very good in Chinese, and had aspired to be a Chinese scholar. However, he failed his English paper in the `O' level examination.”
“There will be a limit to the NEWater production volume because it depends on the volume of available waste water. Therefore, we have to look at the overall picture of the water supply. We have to make use of seawater desalination to supplement the water supply. So we still need to develop the technology in desalination and we should be prepared within the next 10 years to cope with the demand. In order to make a breakthrough in water technology, we should not depend on the Ministry of the Environment and the Public Works Department alone. We should allow private enterprises to take part in this industry, so that in the next 10 years some private enterprises which specialise in the NEWater technology will emerge. They will mould Singapore to be a centre for the NEWater technology and export their services and products to the region. In future, if we depend upon high-price technology for our water, we have to decide whether we have to give up a single water source strategy. We have to look at the two types of water - one is potable and the other one non-drinkable. We may have to prepare for these two types of water. Maybe we have to include the piping system in our buildings so that the two types of water could be supplied to every household. HDB and the Ministry of National Development may want to take a good look at this issue. In his Address, the President urged the people to be more inquiring and more creative. We all agree with this. The question is how are we going to encourage young people to be curious, to be more adventurous and more enterprising. We should give them more space and time. This is a basic condition. According to my experience at the university, the standard of thesis submitted by the graduates in the past was very high.”
“In order to avoid running into trouble with the rules and the civil servants behind them, the developers have to employ more people. For example, some workers are employed just to make sure the mosquitoes do not fly into the worksite and start breeding there. Therefore, we should not have so many of these rules and regulations which tend to increase the cost to the businessmen. In the Ministry of the Environment's Addendum, it states that we will endeavour to tap all sources of water supply. At present, although water supply is assured in the two water agreements with Malaysia, the first agreement will be expiring in 2016. By then, whether the Malaysian Government will continue to supply enough water to us at a reasonable price is an uncertainty. Although there are still some 14 years from now till 2016, we should take proactive measures to tap new sources of water, and to develop new technology in the generation of potable water. Otherwise we will be in trouble. We are looking at the possibility of developing technology in the production of NEWater and the desalination technology. The potential for NEWater is very great. This is because the cost of NEWater is cheap and is very much lower than that of desalination. If there is a demand, and the price is attractive, we should produce this NEWater as much as possible. We could even turn Singapore into a centre for NEWater technology and water recycling industry. By 2016, we do not depend on Malaysia to supply us with enough drinking water, we should have enough water in meeting our needs. Although the manufacture of NEWater is relatively cheap, it would take some efforts to change the mindset of the people into accepting NEWater as an alternative of the traditional water from mother nature.”
“The Government has the obligation to help bring down fuel prices in order to reduce the cost of transport to the businessmen. Utilities charges. High utility charge is the most common complaint. Just a few years ago, the water tariff was just 55 cents per cubic metre. Today, it has gone up to $1.10 per cubic metre. With an additional tax of 40%, water now costs $1.55 per cubic metre. In other words, for the past few years, our water price has increased by some 300%. This has aroused the wrath of the people. Corporate tax. The Finance Minister has reduced corporate income tax and shifted some taxation to indirect taxes. Some companies have many subsidiary companies, some profitable and some heavily in the red. All these companies' losses or gains cannot be set off. Our income tax system does not allow the main company to offset the losses of the losing companies with the high profits of the lucrative companies. As a result, the effective tax rate of the group is not the stipulated 28% but is effectively some 70% to 80%. Therefore, I hope the Inland Revenue Authority would review the system to see how the effective tax rate could be reduced to help the group of companies. Apart from income tax, there are also some other taxes, such as property tax, which are a burden to the businessmen. For example, in the case of a warehouse, whether it is vacant or occupied, the owner has to pay property tax on it. This is another burden on the businessmen. Many Government regulations are made in such a way that causes an increase in business cost. For example, in certain work sites, the rules stipulate that there must be at least one resident engineer and a safety officer to look after the work.”
“At this juncture, while we are hoping to get out of the woods of recession, we should think of ways to retain these enterprises to save jobs for our workers, otherwise our recovery will be slower. In the field of sea and air transport, there is over capacity in the region, and the competition from within the region has intensified, for example, the case of Evergreen Shipping Company. Even if our profit is less by $20 million per year, we should try to keep the patronage of this shipping company. We have to try to reduce our cost, enhance our quality of service in order to keep Singapore as an air and shipping hub of this region. The following are some of the complaints about the high cost of business operation. Rental cost. We often hear complaints from the businessmen that the rental cost here is very high. In our public tender system, we inevitably pick the highest bid as the successful bid. The fact is this successful tender does not necessarily reflect the true market value of rental in Singapore. It shows only the mentality of the successful tenderers. Some may tender at excessively high price out of desperation, or they use the premises to engage in lucrative side-line business, such as the collection of Toto or 4-D lotteries. Under such circumstances, if you take the successful tender price as a reflection of the market price, then you are wrong. Transport costs. In Singapore, our cars are among the most expensive ones in the world. The prices of petrol and diesel are controlled by the five big oil companies operating in Singapore. Their high profit margins jacked up fuel prices and added on to our transport cost, and hence the business cost.”
“However, the neighbouring countries are now catching up on us and are able to do what we have been doing. They are now attracting foreign investors because of their lower business cost, and have become our serious competitors. This happens not only in the new areas of investments, but in areas which used to be our strongholds. Many established companies have been relocated to our neighbouring countries, and this is not confined to the multi-national companies only. Even our very own small and medium enterprises are relocating there. No doubt, we are still able to attract some high-tech industries to invest here, it has brought about some structural unemployment in our labour market. Although the strong push for retraining and re-skilling has helped in some way to solve the unemployment problem, there are still some problems, particularly with the older workers who have difficulty coping with the new technology. The Singapore economy is made up of many types of enterprises. Some are very strong and some are small, and the majority are SMEs. To them, the profit margin depends very much on the operating cost. Whether they can survive will have serious impact on unemployment in future. All the high-tech farms in Sungei Tengah, the wood factories in Sungei Kadut and the scores of department stores along Orchard Road are sensitive to the cost of business. There is no necessity for us to force the cost sensitive business to relocate. For certain reasons, we need to retain some of these companies. In order to reduce the cost of their business, we must think of ways and means to help them.”
“We must aim to achieve high standards in education and attain world-class recognition in whatever we do. Education is a great social leveller. Through education, the community will be able to stand tall, participate and be part of the mainstream. In this respect, I strongly encourage more involvement of the community at the national level. The Malay community should be more pro-active in reaching out and bonding with the other Singaporeans, for example, by involving themselves in associations or clubs, like the Rotary Club, Toastmasters Club, alumni associations and other secular associations like the community clubs. In doing so, we will create more opportunities for interaction and understanding. Let me conclude, Sir, by saying that I do not profess to have all the solutions - far from that, but I hope to be able to contribute positively to the democratic process. Mr Speaker: Order. I propose to take the break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair again at 3.00 pm. Sitting accordingly suspended at 2.40 pm until 3.00 pm. Sitting resumed at 3.00 pm [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Debate resumed. Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang)(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, in his Address, the President said that we must build first-class infrastructure and provide services at competitive price. The Government must try to control the cost of doing business in Singapore if it wants the businesses to succeed. It is said that Singapore is a country where the business cost is high, such as rental, labour, transport and other Government levies. In the past, when our neighbouring countries were relatively backward as compared to us, despite our higher business cost we were still able to attract some investments here, because of other advantages we had.”
“For example, France, where there is a high number of working parents, the system takes in children from three to five years old in the ecole maternelle or the kindergarten. Very often, these pre-schools are part of the primary schools. The Compulsory Education Act that was passed in Parliament is a clear indication of the Government's commitment to educating our future generations. This augurs well for us. Let us take this a step further and incorporate the foundation years into the mainstream education provided by MOE. The advantages of such a move are plenty and I would name a few. The dual income families need the support of the State so that both parents can contribute to the economy. The Ministry of Education can ensure the quality and standards of the early childhood education and the kindergartens. This is to ensure that a strong foundation is in place when they continue to primary education. The Ministry of Education has an impeccable record, locally and internationally, and I see no reason why we cannot do the same for early childhood education. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to touch on education focused for the Malay community. Sir, the Malay community has made tremendous progress in the area of education over the past 10 years. Prime Minister Goh highlighted this last year. As a result, we have made inroads in many non-traditional fields. More Malay professionals are holding key positions in the private and public sectors. This is possible because of our system of meritocracy. However, there is a need to translate the culture of academic excellence seen in the Chinese and Indian communities into the Malay community. The community must understand that it should not aim for average results and mediocrity.”
“We are so afraid of our children not having enough to the point that we appear kiasi. Some cynics may say otherwise but the majority does agree that we do have a good education system in Singapore. I believe that we can still fine-tune it to make it even better. The education system should prepare the future generations for the rapid changes and produce nimble, creative and innovative minds. We know the importance that the Government puts in education by the sheer size of resources that have been brought into education. This cannot be denied. We cannot afford not to invest in our people. As we move into the knowledge economy, we need to have more knowledge workers that are multi-disciplined and can handle multi tasks at the same time. Furthermore, we should have a more holistic approach towards education. Academic excellence should not be the only thrust for education. A child should be nurtured on values such as national education, community spirit, social services, volunteerism and sports. These would nurture a well-rounded individual with strong community ties. Ultimately, Sir, our education system should aim to develop citizens who are able to put Singapore and community before self. I would like to propose to the Ministry of Education to seriously consider bringing the early childhood education into the formal education system - put it directly under the purview of MOE. This portion of our education system has mostly been left to the community organisations and to the private sector. Is this wise? As the pressure for economic excellence continues, we will see more dual income earning families. There are several developed countries that have incorporated the pre-school education into the primary education.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as we ponder upon the means and ways to make these changes and adapt, there are several fundamental issues that I hope that we could revisit. The first is our workers' welfare. Our workers are constantly grappling with rapid changes and the need to acquire new skills and knowledge. Many are struggling and some are resisting the change. How then can we assist them to manage the change? I have to commend the Ministry of Manpower, NTUC and the CDCs for their efforts but more can be done to make these changes less painful and more meaningful for these workers. The burden of change should not just fall on the employees but employers should also ensure that workers are regularly upgraded and retrained even during the good times. Employers should consciously make provisions for their employees to upgrade and pick up new skills. In this respect, I would like to cite the examples of SingTel and Mindef for their effort to upgrade their staff through the Skills Redevelopment Programme and the Specialist Manpower Programme. If at any time, the staff of these organisations were to leave for one reason or another, they would have obtained qualifications or special skills that would boost their employability. The willingness and experience of these organisations should be publicised so that more companies can pick up these good corporate practices and be good corporate citizens. Secondly, I would like to highlight the importance of education in this process of change. From the feedback from my residents and grassroots leaders, I have concluded that many parents are very concerned about their children's future. As a parent myself, we worry whether our children can cope with the extremely competitive education system. Yes, we parents are more kiasu than our children.”
“He could not find a job for several months and his savings are fast depleting. How is he going to feed his wife and three children? It takes a lot of courage and humility for someone like him to ask for help but he was at his wits' end and in despair. There is only so much that we can do to help him. He is just one of many such cases. I am afraid, Sir, we may be creating many disgruntled citizens who will be bitter, cynical and anti-establishment. Thus, the Government and its agencies must, in my opinion, take the lead in changing and adapting a different style of governance for the new Singapore. It must not be seen as always giving directions and taking a paternalistic role but rather, it must be a partner of the people. We can tell the people to change their mindset but is the Government willing to do the same in its way of doing things? There must be clear indicators and not just lip service in the way our key institutions run their business. They are well-known for their efficiency and high standards. It is time that they showed the same high level of compassion and humanity. If not, cynical remarks and views about the Government not being sincere will continue to persist and the able will not come forward to take part in this process of change. Let us work together to change this negative thinking and get as many able and willing citizens to participate in the process. The Government's willingness to change its mindset will be a bold effort but nevertheless, a necessary one. We cannot afford to have our strong and able simply sit by sipping their expensive cafe latte at Starbucks, not participating, just watching. This effort in our long journey of nation-building is essential and all concerned members of our homeland should be part of it.”
“I do not claim to be an economic expert but, on the ground, we can observe more requests for financial assistance arising from bankruptcy, business failures, retrenchments, job losses and reduction in sales revenue. It is well and good to say things like "remake" and "reinvent" Singapore. But what does it all mean for the man-in-the-street? Let us not be detached from the people. Singaporeans are worried, and their concerns are basic bread-and-kaya issues. I can assure you, Sir, that many out there still do not understand the rationale for such drastic moves that have resulted in the loss of jobs for many Singaporeans. I believe that one most important challenge for the Government is to ensure that the masses are with us, they must understand that these changes are necessary and that we have to do it no matter how painful it is going to be. It is just like bursting a pimple on our face. The troublesome pimple becomes a red dot, but the red dot will soon heal to reveal healthy new skin. A case in point is the recent major development in the financial sector that has resulted in the merger of several banks and the introduction of new competition for our local banks. Many people do not understand the rationale of such a drastic move and has resulted in the loss of jobs for many Singaporeans. These retrenched workers are key family members and many are sole breadwinners with many financial commitments. Just this year, Sir, I had a resident who came to see me during my meet-the-people session. He was working for a local bank for seven years and he was earning a decent salary, a father of three, in the prime of his life, a typical Singaporean with the usual four Cs to maintain. Almost overnight, he became jobless.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the Motion of Thanks moved by Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Member for Marine Parade GRC. In the past months since the election in November 2001, Singaporeans have been informed, persuaded and warned many times over of the challenges and difficulties that Singapore is facing and will continue to face in the New Economy and the ever-changing political and security landscape of the world. In his Speech, the President has again reminded us, "Our region has been fundamentally altered and security problems that arise in the region will inevitably spill over to Singapore." With this as the backdrop, let us remember that during the election we have given the people some hope for jobs, jobs and jobs, and they have shown their support for the PAP Government via the ballot boxes. Similarly, this support was earlier translated in their unequivocal support for the cost-cutting measures introduced to ensure Singapore remains competitive. After the burst of the Internet bubble, gone are the days when everybody wants to be associated with "e" something but, now, the buzzwords of the day must begin with "re": remake, reinvent, review and restructure. I sincerely hope that we do not get carried away by these fanciful words but, instead, clearly understand the reasons and implications of each of them to our country and, especially, to the citizens that we serve. The President has outlined the key challenges and how we can respond to cope with these challenges. This is so that we can continue to strive and prosper if the environment is right. These challenges are real and we must face them head-on. Sir, there are clear indicators that there is malaise in the economy.”