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 4 of 13.
“Mr Chairman, Sir, it is heartening to see the Government address several concerns in the Budget 2011, one of them being the issue of foreign workforce in Singapore. It is a well-known fact that Singapore is facing a shortage of workers. Many companies rely on foreign workers. This is not sustainable as productivity will remain low. The high influx of foreign workers may also cause social problems but if we are to continue growing our economy, we need to strike a balance between the inflow of foreign workforce and the deployment of our own workforce. Therefore, it is inevitable that Singapore will always require immigrants to reinforce our ranks. The challenge is how to manage the foreign workers. We must ensure that those who come to Singapore are skilful and can value-add to our local workforce. Similarly, we should also help them to understand our local culture. They must respect and comply with the framework of our social values and laws; otherwise, Singaporeans may find themselves being put in an uncomfortable position of having to accommodate others' values and also see an encroachment of their lifestyles. Sir, please do not get me wrong. We appreciate the hard work and contributions from the foreign workers and the foreign talents. We also acknowledge their helping us in our economic progress. If you get to know some of these workers on a one-to-one basis, they are just like anyone of us, hardworking people with hopes and aspirations to raise their families. The difference is that they come with their own set of cultural values and practices. In order to address this growing concern among some Singaporeans, we need to maximise the potential abilities of our own local workforce.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Madam, the Community Leaders' Forum (CLF) unveiled the CLF Labs programme in November 2010. This programme aims to help young people realise ideas that can help uplift the Malay/Muslim community. This is an opportunity for the Malay/Muslim community to work together to address issues that currently affect them. *Cols. 4077-4078; 4079-4080; 4081-4082. I am proud of the younger members of the Malay community who come from diverse backgrounds for their willingness to step forward to plot new strategies for our community's future. The Malay/Muslim community has a large youth base. There is also an over-representation of our youths in delinquent activities compared to youths in other communities. Certainly we need to tackle the issues facing our youths. I hope that the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs could share with the House the strategies of the CLF Labs to entice youths from different backgrounds to come forward and share viewpoints and new ideas. What are some of the initiatives that have been developed under CLF Labs, in particular, initiatives that engage the community? I would also like to suggest that we work together with non-Malay organisations and also youths from other communities who wish to contribute ideas or initiatives for CLF Labs. In this way, we can expand our network and the sources for useful new ideas. Empowerment of Malay boys and girls”
“Mr Chairman, certainly it is good to see the Government share surpluses with Singaporeans this year through the Budget 2011. However, in recent times, the world was hit by multiple natural disasters globally, from earthquakes to severe weather conditions. These have resulted in several food supply disruptions and crop failures. On the other hand, there is growing demand for food worldwide as population increased. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned of the world food crisis after its benchmark index of agricultural commodities prices shot up surpassing the levels of 2007/2008 food crisis. The warning from the United Nations' body comes as inflation is becoming an increasing economic challenge in several countries, including China and India. Singapore is also vulnerable to rising costs of goods and inflation, and it is a fact which is highlighted further by our need to import most of our food from overseas. As such, it is imperative that our Government finds ways to adopt anti-inflationary measures. I would like Singaporeans to recall the events that took place in the year 2008 where prices of commodities, in particular, increased sharply. Then, Singapore had to ensure that there were enough food supplies. We were able to keep prices stable and get enough for us to get through the challenging times. More of the same is required this time, if the Government is serious about coming up with solutions to help lower the cost of living among Singaporeans. Sir, may I ask the Minister to share with the House what is the Government doing to help mitigate the situation and ensure that our food supply is adequate and we have a resilient supply of food for Singaporeans?”
“Sir, the productivity of the construction industry is of paramount importance to Singapore as it is an initial component of a growing economy. The Government has taken several steps to help the construction industry improve productivity and strengthen its capabilities through measures such as the establishment of the Construction Productivity and Capability Fund. Sir, it is common knowledge that the workers in the construction industry in Singapore are mostly transient, made up mostly of foreigners. Very few workers choose to stay long enough to accumulate the desired experience and skills. In that regard, Sir, I believe new measures have to be taken to encourage construction companies to modernise their building methodologies and upgrade the skills with the aim of raising productivity of the individual worker. As it is the current scenario, Singaporeans are not willing to take up the jobs done by these foreign workers because they did not see much incentives and career prospects. It is never enough to rely on Government initiatives to overcome the challenges that are facing the industry. It is a shared responsibility between Government agencies and private sectors to improve the productivity of the construction industry as a whole. Sir, the Construction Productivity Roadmap was launched in 2010. Can the Minister share with the House: what has been the progress in improving the productivity? Has the $250 million Construction Productivity and Capabililty Fund been effective in achieving productivity improvements?”
“Does CEA also oversee its property agents from overseas who come here occasionally to sell projects in Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, US and the UK?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the Council for Estate Agency (CEA) was established with the intention of raising the professionalism of the real estate industry and to better safeguard consumer interest. Ever since its establishment, much has been done to impose a regulatory framework that binds conduct of the estate agency work, resolving disputes and educating the public. Sir, the property sector in Singapore is a significant part of our economy with property transactions amounting to billions of dollars annually. For most Singaporeans, housing would likely be the largest investment they would make in their lifetime. It is not hard to see why Singaporeans demand competent individuals to give them the best possible advice and world-class service. This is why housing agents are important stakeholders of the property industry. Their qualification, capability, professionalism and integrity are vital in ensuring the property industry remains vibrant, dynamic and continues to provide a high level of service to the public. It was therefore somewhat unnerving when I read in the papers about property agents who had past criminal records or who were involved in illegal loanshark activities. We should have cleaned up the industry sooner and the Ministry should have reacted years ago at the height of the property boom instead of waiting till now. However, I recognise that it is better late than never. But I hope that, going forward, the Ministry would be more nimble in responding to market developments in all areas and not just wait until the property market is booming. Sir, may I ask the Minister to give this House an update on the CEA's work since it started operations? How has the public benefited from its establishment?”
“If we are serious about inclusivity at the upper end of the social spectrum, then we need a properly set out framework with corresponding resources to diversify our talent development in the same way we are pushing for advances in science and technology. Sir, I would like to conclude by reiterating my original argument that inclusivity must be built into our future policies and governing infrastructure. We need to create more supporting structures to foster capability building and social mobility at both ends of the social spectrum. Community is an important resource that needs to be harnessed to ensure our safety net is genuinely tight for those in need. We can do more to ensure that our low-wage workers are supported in their quest for higher quality jobs. Finally, Sir, we need to create more space at the top of our society for people to access. This will safeguard our future generations from a rupture of the social fabric and provide them a foundation for continued success as a nation. With that, Sir, I support the Budget. 4.46 pm”
“Over generations, this creates an incentives system that will entrench an upper class of well-schooled professionals who will become increasingly detached from society and the real lives of their fellow citizens. There is no question, Sir, about the different roles to be played by all members of the community. What needs to be equalised is the value we place on these roles and occupations and the resources we devote to nurturing our young to excel in other non-academic fields. For a society to be genuinely inclusive, we need to have a flourishing arts and literary scene, a vibrant sporting culture and strong creative industries, all anchored by local talent. I believe that this is not only inclusive but effective as a strategy for economic diversification. Where do we start to build and diversify our talent base? We can articulate these ideas at the top but real change needs to happen at the level of the community. We need to have more resources put into strengthening performing platforms and culture at the community level and building of capabilities in the fine arts. We need more opportunities for supporting past-times in order for our children to develop competence at a younger age. These areas for non-academic achievements not only diversify our economy, they also generate very valuable social capital to build national identity in the form of bonding opportunities. More importantly, Sir, fostering an elite that comes from a multi-disciplinary background provides a diversity of perspectives that help to inform our decision-making at the leadership level. This will allow us to respond more effectively to the multi-faceted challenges that global developments toss up.”
“Sir, as we move into a post-recession economic landscape, we need to adjust our policies to better equip our low-wage citizens to make the jump before they are caught up in the low-pay, low-status spiral. We need more effective incentives to cushion the opportunity cost for training and more resources put into mentorship by trained career consultants who can help workers keep pace in their upgrading journey. The current low take-up rates for WTS show that more must be done on these fronts in order to genuinely change the lives of our low-wage workers. Sir, while we need to be wary of creating a permanent under class, we must also guard against entrenching a permanent upper class. Therefore, the final part of my response for creating an inclusive future involves widening our definition of success to recognise and develop talents in a broader range of endeavours and to channel the necessary resources to achieve these thrusts. Singapore's traditional emphasis on academic attainment has served us very well and must remain a cornerstone of our policy for economic growth. To that end, I more than welcome the additional resources being allocated to research and development as this is an essential for innovation that will fuel our future growth engines. We cannot, however, be a nation of rocket scientists. It is neither realistic nor practical. While meritocracy must be our key governing principle, I am concerned that an over-emphasis on the value of academic abilities translates into a disproportionate level of rewards for those who achieve and excel in the traditional ways.”
“Our career consultants assessed that he could do better in the tourism and retail industry and worked out an action plan for him to obtain a WSQ Diploma in Tourism, specialising in MICE, a mission that was anything but easy. Before the course commenced in March last year, Ain had to quit his job and enrol in three preparatory courses under the Employability Skills System (ESS). As part of the transition process, Ain took up a part-time job at $6 per hour as a sales assistant, attending the Diploma classes from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm daily for six months. Upon graduation, he managed to find a job in October 2009 as a service crew earning $1,300. Not satisfied, he continued to upgrade himself with basic IT skills and proudly called us to inform us earlier this year that he is working at Marina Bay Sands as a butler with a pay of $1,900. This is a year-and-a-half after his journey started with us. I tell this story as a cautionary one. For every one Ain Harizan we produce, we have seven to eight low-wage workers who do not complete their journey for better employment. This is an intelligent, resourceful and capable young man but he himself wanted to give up at many points. Our consultants recognised his potential and persisted to spur him on. For his subsistence, he was given help with the Skills Advancement Allowance (S2A) scheme. We even had to negotiate hard for the heavily subsidised training course to be paid in two instalments of $50. Ain's journey was a long and painful one but there are many who face even more obstacles than him. Imagine an older low-wage worker who has no family members to support. Would she be able to sustain the sacrifices involved in upgrading her employment situation?”
“To further strengthen the foundation of an inclusive future, we need to ensure that more is done for the low-wage workers who are the backbone of the economy. Every economy, no matter how sophisticated, needs our own drivers, cleaners, gardeners and cooks, to keep things going smoothly. Foreign labour cannot be the answer to everything as they will leave when things are better elsewhere, leaving us with a gaping hole to plug. With globalisation, our low-wage workers are in an extremely vulnerable position as their wages are effectively being set in the developing world's labour market dominated by China and India. They are locked into a deadly cycle of low-pay, low status, and low-prospects employment. If left unchecked, this will create an under-class which is permanently excluded from the vibrant mainstream economy. We need to continue to provide relevant training, skills upgrading and give our low-wage the recognition that they deserve in responsibility and remuneration. To create such pathways of improvement for our low-wage workers, we need to further improve the Workfare Training Support scheme and ensure that it effectively complements the Workfare Income Supplement scheme. While training is a serious business, we need to be realistic about the obstacles that the low-wage workers face. Sir, I would like to share a successful case managed by the CDC recently, not to celebrate but more to highlight the difficulties involved in moving to a better job. Thirty-three-year-old Mr Ain Harizan is the sole breadwinner supporting his aged single mother. He came to see us in November 2009, seeking help for an improvement in his $1,000 a month job as a security guard where work was mundane and hours were long.”
“Mr Tharman has spoken about before on the need to "crowd in" the community as a pillar for constructing an inclusive society. This is precisely what the five CDCs have been concentrating our efforts on with a 23% increase in our community engagement, with community participation in CDCs' programmes crossing the one-million mark for the first time. More than 10,000 active volunteers planned, organised and implemented some 220 volunteer-initiated community projects. The CDCs collaborated with some 1,700 community and corporate partners in 2010 to facilitate the more able helping the less able. Some $10.4 million was attracted in corporate donations, up from $8.5 million in 2009. All these have been done, Sir, within the CDCs' project budget that has remained unchanged for most of the last decade. I would like, Sir, to propose more resources to facilitate community-led programmes that would strengthen the local network of neighbourhood and family to offer more direct intimate assistance to those in need. The recent price hikes and inflationary concerns are a case in point. While we know that lower and lower-middle income families feel the pain of increased prices, we also know that most will be reluctant to come forward for help in keeping with our traditional Asian values of self-reliance. Most will try to fend for themselves but this will put further pressure on many already fragile families. Stronger neighbourhood networks and better resource community agencies will allow for deeper outreach to deliver targeted help to support distressed families in the form of social services like child care, family support and community help. Sir, let me now touch on the low-wage workers.”
“The ComCare Assistance Schemes are well-thought through and ensure that the generally needy receive help for life's basic necessities like housing, food and education. I am confident, Sir, that the Government certainly can and will do more on this fund. But should we do everything? I strongly believe that community must play a role in helping itself and caring for its less able members. There is something very different when society helps itself and individuals want to help others. It is a whole different type of care, of compassion and even of expertise that is involved. At the Central Singapore CDC, this is what keeps us up at night -- identifying resources, bringing people together and then igniting a common passion to benefit the community at large. Our community is more inclusive when an under-privileged child bonds with a volunteer banker through a weekend outing in our Nurture Programme. Our district is more compassionate when junior college students make monthly visits to befriend lonely elderly residents once a month in our Bright Homes Programme. Our society is more tolerant when children plan an afternoon interacting with different races and cultures as part of the Orange Ribbon celebration on racial harmony. The Government can put money into hands of the needy people and organise events. But can we achieve genuine inclusivity without the support and participation of a larger community? In the United Kingdom, Sir, Mr David Cameron is making a big deal of "Big Society" which his opponents dismiss as an excuse to cut government expenditure. We, in Singapore, are in a unique and enviable position to construct a genuinely Big Society without compromising on the Government's provisions for the most needy.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand up to add to the many accolades that have showered upon the Minister for Finance for this year's Budget which is the most comprehensive and inclusive in recent memory. It could not have been easy for Mr Tharman to come up with a Budget that touches the full spectrum of society and he has pushed the boundaries of creativity to its limits to ensure that everyone has a stake in our recent economic success. Today, we are fortunate to be able to respond from a strong position to the challenges that confront our young nation. In terms of planning, however, we must cast our vision forward to identify pillars and foundations to strengthen so that we continue to stand strong when favourable conditions take a turn. I would like to highlight three additional areas where more resources can be further focused to lay the foundation for an inclusive future for all Singaporeans. To work in our Government's commitment to an inclusive society for our future generations, I firmly urge this House to consider more to be done for: (i) low-income families in distress; (ii) low-wage workers from the lower-middle income groups; and (iii) holistic talent development that goes beyond academic achievements. Let me first touch on low-income families in distress. As a Government, I think we have done a good job in providing for our residents in the bottom 20% of the income ladder. I know this for a fact, from the work that MCYS and our Community Development Councils (CDCs) have done to ensure our affected residents received urgent help during the 2008/2009 recessions when the number of help-seekers increased by 40%.”
“together with the community, with the Government agencies and the Labour Movement, there is a lot that we can achieve. The successes have shown that the efforts that we have put in so far have borne fruit but we need to continue this effort strongly and start to put in place systems that allow for more changes to take place. In one of the examples, highlighted by my colleague, where we want to push for the Best Sourcing Initiative to ensure that procurement processes practised by our Government agencies and subsequently in industries, are carried out in a responsible way so that when we employ these workers, we give them the remuneration in line with the kind of work that they do and the due respect to the effort that they have put in, in terms of performance and quality. 2.17 pm Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan (Nominated Member): I would like to thank the hon. Members, Mrs Teo and Mr Zainudin for tabling this important and timely motion. Thank God it has been a good year for us in 2010. I take this opportunity to also thank the Government for putting sound policies in place and for making bold decisions that took us out of the last downturn. As many Singaporeans celebrate the much-welcomed bonuses that have been announced, it is critical that we remember fellow Singaporeans who are at the bottom 20% of our income hierarchy.”
“Madam Maisarah is 20 years old and she lives with her husband, who is 29 years old, and their two children, who are one and two years old, in a 2-room rental flat. Madam Maisarah's family was chosen to participate in the Home Ownership Plus Education (HOPE) scheme in November 2009. At that time, she was a housewife. Her husband was working as a cleaner and earned only $600 per month. Soon after participating in the HOPE scheme, some changes came about. Madam Maisarah's husband used the training grant that was provided under the scheme – the grant which I feel is very important – to obtain a Class 3 and Class 4 driving licence. The following year, he was able to obtain a better paying job as a driver and delivery man. His salary increased from $600 to $1,500 per month. Madam Maisarah also got a job as an admissions host at Sentosa. She now earns $1,000 per month. She also has plans to join a make-up artistry course and become a make-up artist. This showed that they have the aspiration to succeed. This will be done by continuing to use the training grants provided by the HOPE scheme. This couple is an example that portrays how the assistance provided by the Government and all the other schemes to upgrade the individuals, can change the community. And through her own efforts as well – the husband and wife working together with officials – she showed that if we desire to succeed, we should work together and upgrade ourselves. This is what I hope will continue to happen in our community, and with our combined efforts, we will continue to progress. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, what I have said today illustrates that if we work *Cols. 2481-2484.”
“Compared to 2009, the number of people who sought help from us at the Central CDC has also declined. Our progress was due to three factors: hardworking Singaporeans, sound Government policies and our strong economic fundamentals. But we still have to ask ourselves whether the gains from our economic success are being enjoyed by every Singaporean or does it only benefit a small section of society? We do not want to see Singapore becoming a tale of two cities – a country with a small minority who is very prosperous but is separated from the needy and does not care about them. I think this is what compelled Senior Minister Mr Goh Chok Tong to set up the Community Development Councils (CDCs) in 1997 so that we can develop our society together. In order to achieve this objective, I feel that all the five CDCs have focused their efforts in three thrusts that we call the ABCs of the community, that is, Assist the Needy, Bond the People, and Connect the Community. We, at the Central CDC, have adopted a special theme "Towards An Inclusive Future". This theme is the vision that shapes all our community programmes. In the last financial year, we helped almost 11,000 needy people. Under the ComCare framework, $26 million have been disbursed in the form of temporary financial assistance and also long-term help, which includes childcare grants and education grants. The bulk of the help that we provided aims to encourage the community by equipping them with the ability to be self-sufficient. About 7,000 residents came to us to seek employment and training opportunities. We managed to get 3,000 of them placed in jobs, while others received training and upgrading opportunities. I would like to give the example of Madam Maisarah.”
“To overcome these challenges, we need to have more workers to be helped to grow the success story. We need to make the workers and employers see that this is a win-win situation for both us and them: to make them more skilful, more productive and, at the end, to earn more wages, enhancing not only the workers' employability but also the company's competitiveness. We strongly believe that productivity-driven growth will deliver sustainable and inclusive economic growth for all, even for the people at the lower end. The investment in human capital is critical to economies to capitalise on the next wave of growth and ensure the continued creation of employment opportunities for our people. We need to continue our focus on economic growth and development to raise the incomes and the standard of living of everyone. No one should be left out. In line with this, the UCCW hopes to continue this effort by making ourselves more relevant not just to one starfish but to everyone. That is why, Sir, we will do more. We will widen our reach to even more sectors – sectors like the F&B and logistics, which employ a lot of contract and casual workers. We intend make this an effort in 2011. Beyond that, we are also hoping to make practices of the Best-Sourcing Initiative (BSI) more pervasive in the whole of Singapore because, Sir, the BSI to me, is an important move towards us being a more responsible country with proper procurement procedures. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*. ] In 2010, our economy achieved a very good recovery. There are reports to show that the number of millionaires in Singapore has increased by 30% within two years.”
“That is why we are actively reaching out to the community through our roadshows to raise awareness so that more low-wage contract and casual workers can benefit from the entire range of programmes that we have. This will be intensified for us to be able to communicate in all the different languages and to make them understand in their vernacular languages. Last year alone, we opened our centre for contract and casual workers which is a one-stop centre for them to be able to access some of these services. The centre is housed in e2i and made it even easier for them not only to get advice but for us to serve them immediately through upgrading and training services. Looking forward to the future, we believe that with the efforts that we have put in, we will be able to make more impact in the lives of our workers through the efforts of engagement, education and enhancing them through skills and upgrading and hoping they will fully benefit from the WIS and WTS. But, Sir, it is not a walk in the park for us. We do face challenges in getting workers to attend training sessions because sometimes the moment they get a job, the workers fall into complacency and they feel comfortable that this is sufficient for them. Some workers do not realise the benefits of training and would rather spend the time working and earning more. Furthermore, most workers are comfortable in their own languages and, unfortunately, some of our courses are conducted only in English. We are currently looking at options and solutions to address some of these issues. Another hurdle is the fee that the workers need to pay which is between 5% and 10%, and although this may not sound a lot, it is significant for the workers who earn low wage and this is on a monthly basis.”
“At the same time, we work with the union to ensure that this company picks up good human resource practices and the company became unionised. As a result of that, the employees now receive proper employment contracts with stipulated benefits. Now, they also receive the WIS, their employees are sent for training and they are able to benefit from the programme that is launched by MOM under the WTS. The company even pays for the union subscription for the outstanding workers which they believe is a motivation for them. According to the company's managing director, being unionised by BATU has shed more light on issues like best-sourcing and the tripartite guidelines on fair employment practices. With the help of the union, the company has access to clear information on industry standards and practices as outlined in our Employment Act. He added that the workers benefited in the two-fold partnership by the company and, with this, the workers are more protected and they are able to earn even more. On average, Sir, the unit handles about 10 cases daily, mostly about issues of CPF, medical benefits and annual leave. These employees, unfortunately, could be mistreated or misguided and have decided to bring the issues to us. There are many more who may not complain officially because sometimes they do fear for their jobs. Many of these contract workers are uneducated and illiterate and they cannot read their employment contracts. Unfortunately, because of that it results in them not being aware of their own rights. We know that we have done a lot of good work and we are able to make a difference in the lives of these workers. But for every successful case there are also many cases out there.”
“He is currently 61 years old and stopped schooling at Secondary 2. Mr Tay used to work as a casual worker as a packer in a factory for five years earning an average of about $500 a month after being retrenched from a previous job. As a casual work, he received, unfortunately, no CPF and no statutory benefits. In May 2009, he found a job as a school cleaner on contract, earning about $650. Subsequently, our unit referred him to work in another company called Succedo Maintenance Pte Ltd and he was employed as a full-time staff cleaner earning $750 in August 2010. But that is not enough, Sir. What we do is we upgrade him, we improve his situation. Mr Tay attended the Workplace Literacy and Numeracy course for beginners. He has also completed two WSQ Environmental Cleaning courses with another two coming. He will become a certified cleaning crew with proper qualifications. He will receive $800 after collecting the certificate as a reward from the company to recognise his better skills and better productivity in March 2011. As a full-time staff with full CPF benefits, Mr Tay now enjoys the benefit from WIS. In addition, the company has also decided to pay to be a union member with the Building Construction and Timber Industries' Employees Union (BATU). Now, just like the starfish that was placed back into the sea, we hope that the work that we do at the unit has made a difference to Mr Tay and we believe so. Let me speak also on the side of the employer. We found out that the employer, Succedo Maintenance Pte Ltd, way back in 2008, had some difficulties in managing the CPF contributions of their workers. We stepped in and we wanted to work closely with them to ensure that the company continues to improve and practise their work properly.”
“These low-wage contract and casual workers form the lowest, yet, increasingly large stratum of our labour force. In line with the Labour Movement's vision to be an inclusive movement that takes care of working people of all collars, the Unit for Casual and Contract Workers (UCCW) that I am heading aims to provide protection and welfare to the contract and casual workers enjoyed by workers on a permanent position. This unit was set up in June 2006 following the call by union leaders at the NTUC Ordinary Delegates' Conference in 2005 to look into helping these workers specifically. We work to enhance the economic and social well-being of the vulnerable low-wage workers which are on contract and casual employment. These workers now enjoy similar workplace benefits as their permanent counterparts. At the unit, we address concerns in the different areas such as providing employment advice, Workfare Training Support scheme, Workfare Income Supplement advice and employment and tuition programmes and to also monitor the personal achievements of these workers. Ultimately, what we hope is to help the contract and casual workers to attain permanent employment with better wages by upgrading their employability skills by working with various partners. Where permanent employment is not available as an option, we will advocate the application of fair employment terms and other benefits, especially in the areas of medical insurance needs and other support programmes. Now, if you recall the starfish story that I started this debate with, the UCCW has over 180,000 starfish out there. While not all of them are stuck on the beach, whenever a big storm comes such as an economic downturn, there are many starfish that get stranded. Let me tell you a story about Mr Tay Thiat Hock.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you very much for allowing me to join in this debate. I am here standing to support the motion moved by my colleague, Mrs Josephine Teo. First, I would like to start with a simple story. Sir, while walking on a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance, leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean. As he gets closer, he noticed that the figure was a young man picking up starfish one by one, tossing each one gently back into the water. He came closer still and called out, "Good morning. May I ask what is it that you are doing?" The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish into the ocean." The old man smiled and said, "I must ask then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them, they will die." The elderly observer commented, "But young man, do you realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish along every mile. You can't possibly make a difference." The young man listened politely, then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it back into the ocean, passed the breaking wave and said, "It made a difference to that one." Sir, according to the latest workforce report, the number and share of resident employees on term contracts decreased to 186,300 or 15.5% in 2010 from 197,200 or 12.7% in 2009, reversing the up-trend which started in 2006. However, the number of resident short-term contract employees had increased from 105,000 in 2009 to 108,000 in 2010. This short-term employees work on a fixed-term contract of employment that is under a year as well those on casual or on core contract.”
“Madam, during the recent National Family Celebrations, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong commented on the importance of keeping family ties and how the values of love, respect and filial piety keep a strong family together. I would like to take this opportunity to remind myself and all of us that filial piety is a universal value that all Singaporeans share. Children have the responsibility to respect, unconditionally love and take care of their parents as they age. We must not let the values of filial piety to degenerate to become mere duties and responsibilities, void of feelings and emotions. We must treat parents with gratitude and love, and spend quality time with them. We owe them that and so much more. Sir, I support the Bill. 5.12 pm”
“The health insurance would assure that your parents would receive adequate medical assistance and pay for the unexpected large medical expenses, or help you out during the periods of financial difficulty. Currently, we may use the Medisave to pay for premiums of the private Medisave-approved Integrated Shield plans, subject to a withdrawal limit of up to $800 per policy per year. However, I would also like to propose that for this limit to be revised upwards to assist the children. I believe this revision is still aligned with Medisave’s objective to help individuals meet their future personal or immediate medical expenses, especially the parents'. On the proposal to enable the Commissioner and the Tribunal to obtain personal information from Government agencies or statutory bodies, I must emphasise the confidentiality of this information and the need for judicious protection of such information from being misused or even leaked. I am confident that the availability of this information will help reduce the number of cases where an application for maintenance could not be filed because the parents could not provide adequate details about their children. Although it is proposed that access is allowed to information specifically needed for investigation and conciliation purposes only, may I suggest that we also allow for access to certain information to help the hospitals to recover the parents' medical bills from their children? The hospitals are, unfortunately, spending time to get the children to even sometimes come to the table to discuss or assist in the payment of the bills.”
“There are also cases where a small misunderstanding has caused the break of ties between parents and children. The facilitated reconnection allows this communication to happen and help both parents and children to understand each other's present situation and, probably, predicament. It also helps to manage both parents' and children’s expectations. The parents need to know and be assured that the children have not abandoned them and still care for them. If indeed the children are struggling to make ends meet, I do not believe they cannot even visit their parents to provide them with the moral and mental support. Does it cost that much to travel to your parents' home to show that you care? As an elderly person, the emotional reward is just as important, if not more important than the financial reward. If the children are themselves poor and cannot afford to assist their parents financially, we should at least expect them to provide moral and mental support. Madam, with the rising healthcare expenditure, particularly in an ageing population, the proposal to include medical costs as a category for consideration for "basic needs" is very pragmatic and timely. I have reviewed many real cases that we have encountered at the Central Singapore CDC and noticed that the medical costs range from 10% to 60% of their total expenses. In some of the cases, the elderly had to resort to inferior medical treatment or even stop seeking medical treatment when they are short of funds. They would prioritise food and housing over their own health. In view of this, I would also like to encourage the children to take up health insurance for their parents.”
“But in doing so, we also have to get the children to come forward and not push the buck to the Government and the NGOs. I dread to think what goes on in the minds of these forgotten parents. What do they have to look forward to in life? Where is the generosity in forgiveness? Do their children have any conscience acting in the way they did? Are their children setting good examples themselves for their own children? Let me say this – unless you can show forgiveness, you will not be able to enjoy peace and happiness in life because any resentment you harbour against your parents will always haunt and disrupt your inner self. The MPA has been viewed by elderly Singaporeans as a tool for them to seek help and support. It is not a means to legislate filial piety, but serves as a reminder to the children who may have overlooked their responsibility to their parents. Madam, I welcome the proposed amendments to the Act as it introduces more effective provisions for the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens guaranteed and recognised under the Constitution. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the MPA (Amendment) Bill Workgroup, led by Mr Seah Kian Peng, for engaging various stakeholders, reviewing the feedback, identifying areas for improvement and making the recommendations on amendments to the Maintenance of Parents Act. With regard to the proposed amendments, I strongly support the proposal for compulsory conciliation between parents and children as the first step. This step reconnects the children and the parents. Sometimes the children are unable to provide or continue the basic maintenance but, because of pride, the children are unwilling to admit so to their parent.”
“Sir, the Maintenance of Parents Act (MPA), which was introduced almost 15 years ago in 1996, provides elderly Singapore residents, who are unable to adequately maintain themselves, with a legal channel to seek maintenance from their financially capable children. [Mdm Deputy Speaker (Ms Indranee Rajah) in the Chair] We are all aware of the purpose of the Bill. We are here today to debate on the effectiveness and hopefully agree on the refinement that we need. Allow me, Madam, to cite some examples of cases that I have seen. I find it harrowing to see aged parents in their 70s living alone; some separated, others divorced. But, in most cases, they have children. In one of the cases, the gentleman has four children – two sons and two daughters – but he lost contact with all of them. He had to file for maintenance from his children because he could no longer drive a taxi to support himself. He even skipped his treatment for rheumatism because he could not afford it. The Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) picked up his case and is providing assistance. Another case also involved an elderly man around 70 years old, he was an ex-construction worker and an ex-taxi driver. He lives alone in a 1-room HDB flat. He was married, I think, on two occasions and he has five children from the marriages. After an exhaustive search, contact was made with his son from his second marriage. The son was ordered by the Court to pay $100 maintenance, which he did since January 2009. But that is not enough. The Central Singapore CDC and other agencies intervened and offered various other help to him. What would have happened to these cases if no one lent a hand? Our Government did not shake its responsibility and we, as MPs, work with various agencies to help.”
“It underpins its economic competitiveness, its harmonious labour management relations and the overall progress of a nation as a whole. I am sure my esteemed colleagues from MOM and SNEF will agree that we should all pursue a partnership and problem-solving approach in addressing, formulating, finding solutions to and implementing employment and industrial relations issues. Sir, I support the Bill. 5.44 pm”
“Adoption of good corporate practices, development and enforcement of sound company policies and regulations will be instrumental in preventing unnecessary disputes. The introduction of a speedy and low-cost dispute resolution process, in fact, not only empowers the employees but it also confers employers with benefits. While much remains to be seen, an effective dispute resolution process could be helpful in stamping frivolous employment litigation that is intended to harass and pressure an employer to a monetary settlement. Sir, similarly, the implementation of a new dispute resolution process is indicative of a paradigm shift in the employment landscape in Singapore to one which is increasingly protective of our employees. The current state of Singapore's employment law is favourable for businesses and companies. However, this should not be taken for granted. The development of an employer-employee relationship based on trust and confidence should not be neglected. It forms the basis upon which employees develop loyalty to their employers and the motivation to work in the best interests of the business. Even more so, where employees may now have a better bargaining position, employers should always be mindful to treat employees with due respect. Sir, my experience as the Executive Secretary of the Education Services Union shows that more PMEs are keen to join and want the union to represent them in one way or another. Singapore's unique and strong tripartism is a strength that must continue to be leveraged for the good of our country. This tripartism has moved the nation over the years towards a more conducive industrial relations climate, thus, coincided with our economic growth. The strong tripartite partnership has been a key competitive advantage for Singapore.”
“This helps to move away from confrontational labour management relations to strive for industrial peace with justice. The proposed change in salary ceiling is expected to benefit over 500,000 professional, managers and executives. I understand that there have been suggestions to raise this ceiling even higher than $4,500. First, I would encourage that MOM continuously monitor the salary trends and the effectiveness of this mechanism to ensure that it serves its purpose. Sir, currently, the eligible PME union members in unionised companies can seek some form of representation from their trade unions to resolve their individual employment disputes under the Industrial Relations Act. However, PME union members in the non-unionised companies do not have similar avenues. The proposed amendments allow such PMEs access to a new tripartite mediation process to resolve their employment disputes with employers, provided they are members of a registered union without individual rights, subject to a new $4,500 salary ceiling. This new dispute resolution process emphasises on mediation between employees and employers. The mediation will be led by the Ministry of Manpower and supported by SNEF and NTUC. Sir, the introduction of this new dispute resolution process is a change – a positive change to the employment landscape in Singapore, which is commonly regarded as a relatively easier jurisdiction for employers to navigate. This is an important change for human resource professionals and managers to understand and to adapt to. And this change should be viewed positively. Regardless of the avenues of the redress available, efforts should be taken to prevent a dispute from even arising.”
“Sir, the planned amendments to the Industrial Relations Act will cover more executives when the salary ceiling for executives covered by the Act is changed from $2,500 to $4,500. Historically, Sir, the scope of the Industrial Relations Act and the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Manpower have been limited to the protection of junior or mid-level employees based on salary ceiling criteria. The current relatively low salary threshold meant that many junior or mid-level PMEs do not have easy access to an avenue of redress in relation to employment-related disputes. Sir, therefore, with the current involvement of more PMEs in our workforce and the higher education levels and the increasing salary levels due to the economic growth that we have experienced, the scope of representation allowable in the current Industrial Relations Act is rather limited. As the median salary for employees moves up, the proposal to raise the salary thresholds allows more junior managers and executives access to the adjudication process for salary claims. This is a very positive development. Furthermore, Sir, the increased economic volatility and shorter business cycles have led to a sense of employment insecurity. Employers are often challenged to reduce costs of operation. Thus, when cost-cutting measures involve employees, we could potentially see more PMEs facing employment disputes with their employers. The costs for legal representation in the Civil Dispute Court for junior to mid-level PMEs may still prove to be a significant burden. While the civil litigation process is still available to settle their disputes, a speedy and low-cost dispute settlement would certainly benefit both employers and PMEs.”
“Sir, I understand the Minister mentioned reviewing of the switch over from analogue to digital broadcasting. So is there anything that the consumer should take note of if the Minister has something to inform us? RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew: Oh no, I do not have anything to inform Members beyond what I have said. Basically, this is the phenomenon that is taking place worldwide. A number of countries have completed or are in the process of switching over. Some countries in Asia are already progressing. ASEAN has decided between 2015 and 2020. Singapore will do the switch over together with our ASEAN counterparts. I think what might be helpful is that when people, over this period of time, consider buying a new TV, as I am sure some of them will, there is a possibility of looking for televisions that already have built-in set-top boxes. These are areas that we would release more details when we have completed our study. There is plenty of time, no real urgency. It is really to let people know that this is coming. Great benefits, I think, for the consumers – better programming, interactive programming – and this is the direction that, I think, the whole world is taking place.”
“Sir, Singapore aspires to be a cosmopolitan and vibrant global city. To achieve that status, we also need to be a gracious city that would be the talk of many. Graciousness is not easily measured and quantified in economic terms but it is, nevertheless, vital as we build our social capital. What is our Government doing to continue to uplift the graciousness of Singaporeans, especially when more visitors are coming to Singapore after the opening of the two Integrated Resorts (IRs) and with the major events like Singapore F1 and the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010? Sir, we know that kindness and gracious behaviour are best learned through examples. How is the project "Gracious" faring since it began last year? Is it effective? What are other new methods can we adopt to ensure that Singaporeans have endearing values? 5.00 pm Sense of national identity”
“Sir, after operating for the past three years at the temporary campus at Goodman Road, the School of the Arts' (SOTA) $145 million campus in Bras Basah was officially opened early this year. SOTA now has a huge advantage of being a purpose-built facility to accommodate all the art forms. I was told that SOTA currently has about 580 year 1 to year 4 students, 200 of whom are in the first year. As art education is widely perceived as a niche in Singapore, can the Minister give us an update on the development and progress of SOTA? What are the unique and distinctive characters of SOTA that makes it different from other arts schools here and around the world? How does SOTA intend to achieve excellence for its programmes and the students that it produces?”
“The Government has continued to maintain a strong commitment to make broadband internet access widely available to the population, at the same time, lifting the quality of the access. Experts say that broadband-based application have the greatest impact on people, society and businesses. Generally, access to broadband enhances business efficiency, enables swifter product market penetration, promotes greater productivity, creates avenue for rapid exchange of information, improves logistic and delivery systems and facilitates efficient service to customer. Sir, I would like to ask if MICA has enhanced efforts to increase the public awareness of broadband usage and I would like to see more of our Singaporeans benefiting from being connected.”
“Sir, the issue of free competition and bidding war for media content like popular Championships and sporting events, for example, the EPL, has become a topic of concern for consumers. Research company, TV Sports Markets, claimed in May 2009 that Singapore is the EPL second most lucrative overseas territory worldwide after Hong Kong. In addition to the inconveniences and the uncertainties that resulted from these competitions, consumers are also worried about escalation of costs and wastage. In my view, Sir, unproductive competition is unhealthy. Similarly, the authorities cannot just sit by and watch as an observer. There need to be some degree of regulation to monitor bidding behaviour and protect consumers from possibility of cost spiralling out of control. May I ask the Minister what is MICA's policy on unproductive competition? Are there plans to rationalise future competition? Digital divide and broadband usage Singapore has developed an advanced and reliable communication infrastructure and our Government is strongly committed in making Singapore one of the most connected cities in the world. A high quality, progressive telecommunications security regime has resulted in a richly competitive market and all restrictions on direct and indirect foreign ownership within the countries' telecom sector, has been lifted. Experience has proved that given the proper infrastructure, ICT can be an enabler for social economic development. However, have we done any research on measuring the real impact and benefits of ICT on the commonman to justify the increasing of ICT investments? With an elaborate internet network and excellent infrastructure available to support broadband services, almost 100% of the Internet households have broadband access.”
“Sir, our critics argue that even with retraining and continued education, only 6% of workers receive a pay rise after attending courses like SPUR. More importantly, employers are not willing to pay more for skilled Singaporeans when foreign workers may be the cheaper alternatives. With regard to the low-wage and casual contract workers, I would like to ask the Minister if the proposed changes to WIS unveiled yesterday and the introduction of WTS will be sufficient in addressing the perennial problems of low- wage casual and contract workers. Are there still loopholes and excuses that employers can exploit to avoid treating the casual and contract workers fairly? We must be cognisant that the jarring difference in treatment given to contract workers and permanent ones may polarise our workforce. This can weaken our social fabric. Job creation and social protection should be the call elements of our economic recovery. Are we willing to relook at policy and law that will be more effective in protecting the rights of low-wage casual and contract workers, keeping in mind that we want to achieve an inclusive growth? Well-being of foreign domestic workers”
“Sir, according to the latest Singapore workforce report, nearly 30% of the resident employees are on term contracts. This is about 197,000. The percentage of part-timers in the resident workforce rose from 6.8% last year to 8.4% this year. With such a high proportion of employees currently in contract and part-time positions and with the percentages rising, the very nature of employment has substantially changed. This steady rise is expected to continue and we need to be concerned. This is because contract workers comprise a higher number of low-skilled, low-wage workers who are usually of low education and age above 45. They work as cleaners, hawker assistants, packers and factory line operators among other things, and earn between $500 and $1,200 a month. Casual and contract workers, unlike permanent ones, are typically not entitled to any benefits, bonus healthcare, and during recessions, they are the first to go. At the NTUC's Unit for Casual and Contract Workers (UCCW), we assist the low-wage casual and contract workers on issues of non-payment of wages, CPF, WIS, annual leave and medical benefits, which I help, Sir. Apparently, many of these contract workers are illiterate and cannot read their employment contracts. Many are even employed without contracts. It is the plight of the lower-skilled workers that is heart wrenching and calls for attention. What have been some of the responses to this dilemma? There have been several and I shall list them. One view is that the workers themselves must find their way out of the situation. How? By upgrading their skills to break out of the vicious cycle. This is a long-term solution. Hence, the mantra should be – Singaporeans must learn to be better, faster and cheaper.”
“Madam, the recent economic crisis spiralled Singapore into a recession, which resulted in companies downsizing and laying off workers. To fight for survival, employers in the financial, IT and manufacturing sectors had to let go their professionals, managers, executives and techicians (PMETs) – the people who were once the engine of their growth. Experienced at the CDC, we provided targeted training for the PMETs, including advice on job searches, resume-writing skills and personalised counselling. We observed that the re-employment chances were higher for those who have gone through professional conversion programmes, SPUR courses and training. Many employers are looking for PMETs with horizontal skills, such as sales and project management. Additionally, soft-skills such as teamwork, conflict-management, self-organisation and innovation are great attractions for employers. Can MOM update us on what are the plans for PMET training for the future so that the PMETs can face more challenges if ever there is another recession?”
“Under the current system, only those with more than $40,000 in their Retirement Account are auto included in the CPF Life at the age of 65. So what can be done to help those who are not eligible for the CPF Life to also save enough for their retirement? I ask this question because I had seen first-hand the consequences of being caught short in this kind of situation, a hand that is too free with money, a family that ignores the future needs and ironically, a life that is too long for a slim savings account. So in my constitutency, I have senior citizens showing me their CPF statements down to the last $50 or $80 and asked me what can they do. Madam, for this group of people, any change to the CPF scheme now comes too late. But they serve as a cautionary tale for us to get the system right now. I would like MOM to tap on the collective financial wisdom of our top investment minds and ask them to give us the best returns possible. One man with $3,000 in his CPF Account cannot ask for much, but 10,000 or 50,000 such men surely can demand much more. So it is this leverage that I hope to see the MOM roll out in its future policies. CPF LIFE”
“Madam, for over half a century, the CPF programme has provided a secured scheme for Singaporeans to save for retirement and is entrenched as one of our key pillars of our social safety net. At first, the CPF started as a simple compulsory savings scheme for workers. However, over time, CPF has evolved to become a comprehensive scheme fully funded by contributions from employees and employers, providing a three core elements for financial security, retirement, home ownership and healthcare. The CPF also provides financial protection to CPF members and their families through its insurance scheme. However, some may argue that the withdrawals for housing have affected their adequacy of CPF balance for financing retirement. The heavy investment in Singapore property may lead to an asset-rich cash-poor phenomenon. As life expectancy and cost of living grow, retirement increases. In addition to the CPF Life, what other measures is MOM looking at to improve the CPF system? The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade and Industry and Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong): Madam, our CPF's Medisave, MediShield and Medifund are the pillars of Singapore's social security system. The CPF system has been a key instrument to secure Singaporeans' social well-being. Over the years, it has gradually evolved into a system which reflects the societal values such as self-reliant, family support and good work ethics. Singaporeans have now accepted the need to save for their own retirement. And indeed, many have been doing so even before the introduction of the CPF Life. However, not all Singaporeans can benefit from the CPF Life.”
“Can MOM share its strategy to enhance the image of skills-based profession and the large potential of career progression for skills-based professionals? Contract and part-time workers”
“Madam, when we launched our 10-year Continuing Education and Training (CET) Masterplan in 2008, we sent a clear signal that the training of adult workers is one of Singapore Government's top priorities. The aim is to upskill the Singapore workforce for future landscape and sharpen their competitive advantage. The education and the CET system form a life-long learning programme to help workers add value to every Singaporean's career, develop their niche areas, capitalise on new growth opportunities and remain relevant. CET is accessible and affordable across the workforce demographics. And more recently, it was announced that the Government would invest in developing two new CET campuses, and also grow the training capacity to meet the future needs. As we enter 2010, can the Minister update the progress of our CET system? As our economy restructures and moves towards more knowledge-based activities, it is evident that the less educated and less skilled workers are finding it increasingly difficult to find new jobs. Despite the Government's intervention, Singapore's structured unemployment problem seems to have not abated. As the economy recovers from recession, this leads to my next question on the effectiveness and the responsiveness of the CET in tackling the job skills mismatch and the structured unemployment issues. We have made changes in the retraining programme to get workers into new growth sectors, such as the Integrated Resorts, hospitality and healthcare. What are the acceptance and recognition levels from the industry of the Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) and the Employability Skills System (ESS) certification? Are our own Government, Ministries and agencies employing workers based on skills?”
“Furthermore, how do we ensure that acquisition of land and premises are done in a fair, equitable manner and reflecting market value without delaying the total acquisition and transaction? Has the philosophy of land acquisition evolved over time? We need to ensure that the rules are in place to provide reasonable constraints on the power of the Government to compulsorily acquire land. This will in turn strengthen the confidence of the people in the justice system, empower people to protect their land rights and increase the possession of tenure security. Criminal procedure code”
“Sir, the compulsory acquisition of land has always been a delicate issue and is increasingly sold nowadays in the context of a rapid growth and changes in land use. Our Government is under pressure to deliver public services in the face of an already high and growing demand for land with just 710 square kilometres to apportion among competing land users and a population of five million to house. Planners and developers in Singapore are constantly challenged to introduce measures to optimise land use for Singapore's physical and infrastructural development. Under certain circumstances, the public interest will demand that privately held land be surrendered for the greater good of the community. This process of compulsory acquisition by the State is premised on demonstrating full transparency on the need for acquisition and the payment of a fair price to the appropriate owner. Over the years, Land Acquisition Act has been amended to fulfil this premise. Despite all of this, there are still real challenges faced when it comes to convincing landowners of the land acquisition. The common hurdles are usually in the area of the land to be acquired, the compensation allowed for the land and upon apportionment of the compensation among the interested parties. Not surprisingly, the main contention is always the value of the acquired property. Sir, to facilitate the development and project implementation by the various Government agencies, can the Ministry of Law update on the policy and the assessment of the need to support Ministries and Government agencies to acquire land for State development?”
“Can MCYS share MUIS' strategy and plans for the development of madrasah education, including the Joint Madrasah System (JMS)? Also, will the similar support resource and financial assistance continue to be extended to the madrasahs which are outside of the JMS ambit? In my humble opinion, the madrasah education must convey to the students the insight that knowledge is not something to be acquired but also to be generated. They are both the recipients and producers of knowledge. The asatizahs must be equipped to gradually uncover themselves the ability to research, initiate and offer solutions to the real issues of an ever changing and challenging global landscape. Madrasah issues”
“Sir, there is a groundswell of opinion that some of the traditional methods of Islamic education need to be reviewed in order to better equip the students of Islamic studies to meet the demands of a rapidly changing society around them. Traditional mosque and madrasah -based methods of education was grounded largely in the notion of transmitted knowledge, and respect for the Imams and authorities of past. On the other hand, modern education emphasises inquisitive approaches to education, critical thinking and the ability to push forward for new solutions. Pure transmission of knowledge is inadequate to equip the student to face the outside world with competence. It is clear that religion cannot be taught in isolation without discussing how the modern world is affecting practice and understanding of religion and how religion is influencing its surroundings. This balance needs to be constantly addressed. This is an area that the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) will have to invariably look at to moderate the adverse influences and to help students improve their understanding of historical, cultural, consitutional and local context of Islam in Singapore. Madrasah students, through their curriculum, should not only be exposed to other religions in their course of studies but also be introduced to differences within their own religion. Hopefully, this will be manifested in their curricula for madrasahs to produce asatizahs that are knowledgeable not only in Islam but also that they are able to instil a sense of unity and coherence with the prevailing culture of their larger communities. On that note, I would like to seek clarification on MUIS' philosophy in the educational reform in addressing the potential negative external influences brought upon by globalisation.”
“Sir, I am very happy by the answer given by the Senior Minister of State just now. I have some clarifications to make. The image of the construction industry for many years has always been an issue. Parents do not want their children to join the construction industry. The impression is that it is very hard work and not paying well. And I think that work needs to be done on this issue of image for the construction industry – the pay and the professionalism of the workers who are in the construction industry. Are there efforts that the Ministry is thinking about to really improve this image over time?”
“How does the Ministry of National Development intend to assist local contractors to increase and sustain productivity? Within a short timeframe, what will be the measures to improve and enhance the image of the construction industry to attract more Singaporeans into the workforce?”