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.”
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“Firstly, they could feel proud that they have contributed, like all the other male Singaporeans, to the country's defence and, in the process, build stronger bonds and ties to their new homeland. Secondly, our country would be able to optimise on the addition of those new citizens for our defence manpower needs and tap on their skills and talent.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, with the focused efforts to increase Singapore's population through the different alternatives, including naturalisation of foreigners, there have been questions about loyalty and commitment of naturalised citizens vis-a-vis Singapore-born citizens. There has been feedback from Singaporeans about how these foreigners get equal opportunities to education, jobs and a shot at a good and stable life in Singapore but yet these same foreigners are not happy and willing to have their sons to do National Service. May I ask the Minister how do our naturalised citizens contribute to Singapore's overall defence generally and National Service specifically? What is the level of performance of the naturalised Singaporeans in National Service? How supportive are the parents of these young naturalised citizens to the NS duties and obligations? Sir, there are also foreigners who became naturalised citizens later in their lives and, due to their age and other reasons, may not be eligible for NS. Over time, we will have more of such citizens, as long as we continue to remain open and welcome talents to our shores. If we have more of such citizens, the difference between those who serve in National Service and those who do not will become more pronounced. This difference, if left unattended, may not be healthy. Would the Minister consider a new or different form of National Service for male naturalised citizens if, at the moment they become citizens, they are no longer eligible for the traditional National Service obligations? In my view, it would be beneficial both for our country and also the new citizens.”
“Sir, it can be seen, in recent wars, that science and technology have emerged to be important elements that characterise the battle. In light of these developments and also our constant effort to develop a formidable fighting force, may I know whether there are sufficient resources that have been allocated for our defence R&D? What is the guiding principle in deciding between acquiring versus developing our own technologies? How do we compare to other modern and advanced forces in other developed countries? Sir, may I know also what is the role of DSTA in ensuring that we are up-to-date in our technological defence capabilities? How will the investments and work in the DSO National Laboratories be translated into tangible benefits to our defence and also defence industry in general? Defence Spending”
“The Minister mentioned about the setting up of an Institute that focuses on the Middle East. May I just have an idea of the timeframe that we can expect this Institute to be set up?”
“Sir, with the rapid development and growth of the Middle East, Singapore has, in recent years, begun to give more attention to the region. What is the progress of our Middle East engagement efforts? Are we too late in realising the economic and other potential of this region? Can the Minister also update the House on the progress of our Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the Middle East countries, if any? How would these Free Trade Agreements translate into tangible economic and social benefits for Singaporeans? Mr Chairman, Sir, I have heard feedback about how we have for a long time paid little or no focused attention to the Middle East region. Similarly, some have lamented on how little knowledge that we have about the culture and traditions of the Arabs and the Arab nations. If this is true, Sir, what are the new initiatives and efforts that will be done to remedy this situation? In the long term, it would be beneficial for us to develop and enhance knowledge and capabilities on Middle East civilisation, language and culture. As more of our political leaders and businessmen meet and interact, I am confident more relations will be built and more goodwill could be garnered. Nevertheless, Sir, we should not ignore the people-to-people interaction. The Arab and the Muslim community in Singapore could play a role to further develop these contacts.”
“Sir, the last economic crisis that our country experienced had unearthed quite a number of problems related to housing, namely, the cost of owning flats, and the availability of rental flats in Singapore. This could be seen by the rising number of demand for rental flats and more flats being repossessed than before, and more people are in arrears of their instalment payments for their flats. Sir, the new initiatives of our Government to increase the supply of smaller flats and rental flats are welcomed by Singaporeans. May I ask the Ministry to update the House on the progress of the effort? With the rapid economic growth, the cost of building new flats and infrastructure is expected to rise. What impact will this have on the cost of new public housing? Will the change to the Land Acquisition Act be translated to higher cost of public housing too? Sir, we have also seen an increase in demand for studio apartments for senior citizens recently. The two projects that have been launched in Bishan and Tampines have had a very good response. What are the long-term strategies and plans to provide suitable and affordable housing for senior citizens in Singapore? While the number of citizens who have their flats repossessed by banks and HDB is still small, the number is higher than before. What is being done to assist families who are in such a predicament for alternative housing? And may I also know how effective is the HLE? Public Housing”
“Sir, the development of Marina Bay is an important thrust in making Singapore a vibrant and global city. Could the Minister update this House on the development of Marina Bay, whether it is on track, and what the future plans are after the successful award of some major developments, such as the BFC and the IRs? With the focus of attention on Marina Bay in the next few years, what would next happen to the existing Central Business District (CBD)? What are the plans for the CBD to ensure that it remains attractive? Would the Government also be developing other areas outside of the city? If so, where would that be? While we develop various areas, it is equally important to inject life and soul to places. We note efforts have been made in this through the attraction of national and international events. These should continue. To further the effort, we should also look into the evening economy. I would like to ask the Minister whether within the downtown areas there are plans to encourage activities to take place at night so that the areas can remain lively. What are the plans to inject night buzz into the downtown areas? City in a Garden”
“Sir, recently, the National Research Foundation has announced the disbursement of $500 million for R&D for the interactive digital media industry. This is good news. May I know what is the intent of such a funding? Could MICA elaborate on the strategy to further enhance this sector? Traditionally, Sir, resources are channelled into developing cutting edge infrastructure and expanded bandwidth. Presently, what is lacking in the market are relevant content and friendly useful applications. Could resources be strategically allocated to research and development, useful content for both the private and people sectors to accelerate the adoption of ICT?”
“Sir, in the Budget Speech, the Second Minister for Finance had laid down the broad plans to transform Singapore into a truly world-class city state. It will boast of a delightful living and working environment as well as the best place to start, grow and globalise SMEs. This is really exciting. Critical to the success of this plan is the openness, responsiveness and helpfulness of our civil service. While we recognise that our civil service is a cut above the others, good may not be enough for a competitive world-class city. A proactive and helpful civil service which operates with great insight, ground sensitivity and attention to quality of service would certainly help our cause in developing a truly wholesome living and working experience in Singapore for Singaporeans, visitors and investors. Feedback often points to a disjointment of leadership directions to the implementation woes. An entire movie named "Just Follow Law" was dedicated to this subject. Yes, Sir, the movie is fiction. Nevertheless, some of the scenes and depictions resonate among fellow Singaporeans because of personal experiences. My question is: how can we enhance the quality of our civil service and foster social compact of trust between civil service and the people? Talent Development in Civil Service”
“They want the confidence that their Government which this House represents will ensure that every Singaporean, regardless of his background or ability, will benefit as Singapore grows, provided he is willing to put in his best effort. If you are able to fulfil this fundamental promise, then I believe that we have fulfilled our solemn duty as the representatives of our residents in this House, and together, we can help to build a great nation where everyone has a part to play and everyone can take part in saying that, "I help to build this nation." 2.21 pm”
“Foreigners on their part should find ways of integrating more closely with their Singaporean colleagues, friends and neighbours. I know that the grassroots movement has started a process of welcoming such new residents by inviting them to grassroots functions. This is only one step. To make it work, both Singaporeans and our new residents must be willing to meet, mingle and make friends. In fact, we must make sure that our new residents are not excluded from our efforts in the Community Engagement Programme. It is through their involvement that we can make sure that they too understand what makes Singapore tick, what constitutes the Singapore's set of values and how they too can contribute to a safe, secure and resilient Singapore. More generally, as we grow, we must make sure of two things. Firstly, that every Singaporean must feel that he is contributing to Singapore's growth. And secondly, that every resident in Singapore must feel that he is benefiting from Singapore's growth too. Sir, the 2007 Budget is generous in redistributing wealth. First, sharing the fruits of our growth. Workfare is an excellent idea to ensure that aid from the Government is linked to the individual's desire to contribute to the economy by working. But we need to go further. Materially, the Budget addresses many of the needs of the low-income Singaporeans, but I am not sure whether many Singaporeans are necessarily looking for handouts from the Government. In my conversations with the Bishan-Toa Payoh grassroots leaders and residents, I have learnt that what they really want is a fair chance to make it in Singapore. They want an assurance that whatever economic policy the Government implements, Singaporeans come first.”
“By this, I mean a group of workers who are always slightly behind the technology curve, because of their inability to upgrade themselves quickly enough or because skills required in the industry are beyond their abilities. In theory, it is easy to say that they should just be redeployed to jobs which suit their skills, but in reality, it is much easier said than done. I am sure that many in this House will have met such residents during their meet-the-people sessions - those who are skilled, but whose skills are outdated. This is one group of people that we must pay special attention to. Next, even as more people from outside Singapore come and make Singapore their home, we have to recognise that in welcoming them, we will be exposed to new ideas, new social norms and new ways of doing things. It is now not uncommon to see foreign faces in the HDB heartlands as more people from the world over come to Singapore for work or to study. On the surface, all these make Singapore a more cosmopolitan and vibrant place. However, under the surface, we must watch against the development of resentment, of prejudice and of xenophobia. During a booming economy, such feelings may remain in the under-current. But I fear what may happen should we face another economic downturn. So, rather than leaving it to chance, I believe we must take active steps to find ways to enhance meaningful interactions between Singaporeans and our new residents, whether they are new Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents or simply foreign workers in Singapore. Such interactions should go beyond the workplace into the community so that Singaporeans can see how having foreigners here benefits our society and country.”
“In addition, more passionate, qualified and able people will be willing to join the profession provided we are able to overcome the mental block that people seem to have against taking up nursing or other service-related jobs like counsellors, social workers and childcare workers. As long as we continue to see this type of jobs as being secondary and menial, no amount of redesign is going to help. The redesigning that needs to happen is in the minds of Singaporeans at large. It is not an impossible task. We can take a leaf from Mr Tharman's other portfolio - the Education Ministry. It was not long ago that few were willing to join the teaching profession. Now with the public campaign about the continuation of teachers, changes in the job that teachers do, administrative support and improved remuneration package, the Ministry is able to attract good candidates into whose hands we can confidently place the educational development of our children. I urge similar efforts to be undertaken for other service-related jobs so that we can recognise their contributions and attract and retain talent. ; Sir, as our economy continues to grow and as we continue to attract more and more foreigners to our shores, we will have to guard against growing social divide. We all know that ours is an open economy and we are reliant on our links with the world to fuel our own growth. Just as we welcome foreigners to bring both investments and technologies into our country, we also welcome foreigners to work alongside us to bring in their skills and experience so that we can cut short our own learning curve as we climb up the technological ladder. At the same time, it is inevitable that a segment of our population will become, what I call, Sir, "chronically under-skilled".”
“The outcome, Sir, is a deepening of divides and threats to our social cohesion. So I applaud that the Budget continues to provide for continual training and upgrading of our people, young and old, and for continuing to redesign our jobs so that the workers are able to offer more value-add. Doing so will help people gain skills and give themselves opportunities to reap the fruits of our growth. But this is only one part of the solution because workers' training and job redesign can only go so far if our attitudes towards certain types of jobs do not change. For example, the medical sector. In the US, qualified nurses or nurse practitioners make a much larger contribution to the basic medical care and doctors there see nurses as partners in improving medical services to their patients. The outcome is that the reliance on doctors is low and the job of nurses is that much more challenging and rewarding. Needless to say, nurses there are relatively better paid because of the wider scope of work that they perform. Nursing is also a well-regarded profession. I am glad, Sir, that there have been improvements to the nursing career and job in Singapore and the popularity of nursing courses at the polytechnics and the ITEs is also on the rise. We have also seen some Singaporeans making mid-career switch into this job. While I am glad to read about a few people who have given up their careers to become nurses because of their intrinsic rewards, I believe that these are few and far in between. There is still room to improve our medical care sector by redesigning the job of nurses, for example. I am confident, Sir, that many of our existing nurses will be more than happy to upgrade themselves if they are able to contribute more to patient care.”
“It is a budget built on the ideal that the Singapore of tomorrow will be a great home for all. In this, I wholeheartedly support the provisions of the Budget because I believe that it is the duty of this House and all Singaporeans to help realise that ideal. It is in pursuit of this duty that I have to raise two points which, if left unaddressed, will be formidable challenges to our efforts to build a great Singapore for ourselves and our children. First, workers' training, job redesign that must be accompanied by attitude change. As we develop our nation, we must guard against a widening divide between the haves and the have-nots. The matter is more complicated because, these days, it is not only "have" in terms of wealth and education, but also "have" in terms of skills. I agree that it is imperative that we continue to pursue growth and development, modernise our industries, embrace new technologies and learn new skills. This is the best way forward. However, as our economy becomes more sophisticated and complex, we are facing a situation where people, who several years ago might have been in the "have" category, and now, are in the "have-nots" category, because their skills are no longer relevant. We are also in danger of developing an economy where the engine of growth is largely filled by those who have. The danger is obvious. Those who are able to plug into our new economy to perform, to succeed and to contribute to our growth will feel as if they are carrying the burden for those who are not able to contribute. And those who cannot contribute will feel discouraged, downcast and, ultimately, discouraged and they will feel that they have been abandoned by their country and their Government, like what was reported in yesterday's newspaper.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I will open my remarks in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] Mr Speaker, Sir, globalisation has brought new opportunities and goodness to the country. But it also brought about various challenges to the workers in Singapore. One of them is widening income gap. The Government is very concerned about this issue and has taken steps to overcome it. I am happy that the 2007 Budget tabled by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam showed that the Government is now willing to take bold and new measures to tackle these new challenges. As an example, for the first time in the history of our country, a new system of assistance for the low-income earners has been crafted. This is a measure that is welcomed by the people. The Workfare scheme does not only assist Singaporeans from the low-income *Cols. 2233-2234. group, but it also encourages the people to be self-reliant by working. Through this scheme, the Singaporean workers and the elderly will be able to top up their CPF savings for their retirement. This permanent assistance scheme will help more than 400,000 Singaporean workers who are 35 years old and above and earning less than $1,500. With this scheme, assistance and other packages, the low-income earners should take the initiative to upgrade themselves and their skills. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support this Budget and I shall now speak in English. (In English): First, let me congratulate Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam on his Budget Statement. To put it simply, Sir, it was an excellent Statement both in terms of substance and delivery. The 2007 Budget is a thoughtful one and recognises the realities of today's Singapore and plans for the Singapore of tomorrow.”
“It is worthwhile to note, Sir, that, as part of the youth development network of the Community Youth Forum, Mendaki has embarked on a programme to assist the out-of-school youths to acquire skills and relevant qualifications so that they can continue to be employable and be a contributing member of the society. Sir, I do agree with Dr Amy Khor that there need to be further improvements in the way we manage these youths so that relevant agencies can intervene and make a difference to their lives. One of the possible ways is for these out-of-school youths (OSYs) to be systematically referred to the self-help groups and other relevant VWOs for more focused interventions and, hopefully, they could be guided and, maybe, yes maybe, they could look forward to the same bright future that their school-going peers aspire to achieve. Sir, by pointing out the potential risks, my intention is not to instill doubt or fear. Instead, my intention is to point out that economic growth is merely a means and provides an opportunity. It provides a means to achieving our aspiration of building a great nation, a shining island where we can realise our pledge to build a democratic society, based on justice and equality, regardless of race, language or religion. Sir, I support the motion. 6.16 pm”
“One, to alert our friends in the Inland Revenue Department to make sure that they pay their taxes, but, more seriously, to point out that, with economic growth, the gap between the haves and the have-nots will grow. If we do not address this growing gap, there is a risk that we will embed resentment among the have-nots. We only have to turn to events around the world to learn that resentful people are prime recruitment targets for insurgents, terrorists and others who are out to create mayhem. As much as the Government must pay attention to addressing this gap, I call on those who have benefitted from Singapore's growth, whether they are Singaporeans or guests in our country, to give something back, whether as a corporation or as an individual. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteers in the CDCs and in the grassroots. Many of them are successful people who have benefitted from the support of their community and who are now in a position to give something back, whether it is their time, expertise or money. I commend them, because their actions speak to the aspirations that we all can have for a great nation. Next, out-of-school youths. Mr Speaker, Sir, earlier, several of my colleagues highlighted their concerns about the school drop-outs or the out-of-school youths. The number is not large. We should do our best to prevent it from growing. We should also intervene early to minimise potential pitfalls of the lack of education for these young people. Sir, it is disheartening that in this day and age when knowledge and education are essential to almost everyone, we are still faced with the task of ensuring that these young Singaporeans who are not in school would continue to grow and develop and be useful citizens of the future.”
“For the latter group of children who are unwilling to take care of their aged parents, social assistance will only exacerbate the problem. Sir, a society that respects and supports the less able and weak in their midst is a humane community. Nothing defines our human compassion more than the way we treat our aged, sick and weak. In an ageing society such as Singapore's, we will need to commit resources and manpower to assure that the older members of our community can grow old gracefully and without fear of being abandoned and neglected. We should build strong supportive amenities for older persons and cultivate caring inter-generational relationships between our youths and older persons. We can do this by encouraging multi-generational families to reside in one place, if not in the same house, at least within a comfortable distance from each other. Social activities and programmes should also be encouraged so that the interaction could be nurtured and proper values of patience, compassion and care that are so essential for greater social integration and community-building could be imparted. Next, to have and to give. Economic growth, of course, will result in people getting richer. A recent statistic informed us that there are about 55,000 high net worth individuals in Singapore alone. High net worth means that they have assets in excess of US$1 million, excluding their homes. Together, these 55,000 people are worth a staggering US$260 billion or about S$416 billion. The number of millionaires grew by an impressive 13% compared to the year before. I raise this point for two reasons.”
“What I am talking about is a disturbing possibility where the older Singaporeans find that this nation no longer values them, where after having toiled to build a nation with tall skyscrapers, they are consigned to drab nursing homes to live out the rest of their lives. Again, this is not a hypothetical situation. Mr Speaker, Sir, I recently visited a community hospital that has a nursing home section. During the discussion, the Executive Officer made a remark about how she observed that a rising number of children were placing their aged parents in hospital care because they do not want to look after them. And we are not talking about children who do not have the means to look after their parents. We are talking about successful people who today benefit from a thriving economy which their parents helped to build. Honestly, I felt ashamed that my fellow Singaporeans could be so crass. It also made me wonder whether we are paying enough attention to nurturing inter-generational relationships, whether we have to be resigned to the fact that all of us will one day also be abandoned in nursing homes. I have observed an increasing number of elderly families with children who are applying and receiving social assistance. This growing phenomenon of adult children who are either unable or unwilling to take care of their parents is a cause of great concern to us. For the former group, CDCs will go out of their way to assist and help these lower-income families achieve self-reliance through national schemes and local programmes. We have developed programmes addressing the transportation, care-giving, health and social needs of both older persons and their caregivers at the Central Singapore CDC.”
“Recognising this, our Prime Minister has launched the Community Engagement Programme. But my view is that much more must be done to enhance friendships and trust among our races. After 40 years, surely we cannot be satisfied with the superficial level of understanding we have achieved of the cultural and religious practices of our friends and neighbours of different races. I stress this point because with understanding comes acceptance and, with acceptance, we can see that although we may have different practices, our values are not different. We all profess Singaporean values of equality and mutual respect, regardless of race, language or religion. To this end, at the Central Singapore Community Development Council, we join hands with grassroots and other civic and cultural organisations to find ways to facilitate more meaningful interactions among our residents. We believe that to facilitate such interactions, we have to promote an understanding of the values underlying our various racial, religious and cultural observances. It is only with a deepened appreciation of these values that we will find our common space of shared values expressed in different ways. We must also find ways to involve more foreigners in our activities so that we can understand them better, and they, us. Next, bridging the inter-generational gap. Even as our economy embraces new industries with new skills and new opportunities, we will face the risk of displacing the old with the new. I am not talking about the workplace, where our economy demands skills which older workers may not have or may not be able to acquire even with effort.”
“We all know the oft-quoted saying that at the back of every challenge there is an opportunity. But allow me to present it slightly differently. Let me say that at the back of every opportunity, there lies a risk. Let me elaborate. Economic restructuring has made Singapore even more open to global trade and investment, with which come global ideas and influences. I believe that it was the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo, who at that time, as Minister for Information and the Arts, likened the situation to keeping our windows open to the world but having a window screen which had large enough holes to let in fresh air but small enough holes to keep the insects out. We face the same situation today. We are plugged into the world, the computer and the Internet are ubiquitous, blogs abound and views and opinions are aplenty. More and more foreigners live and work in Singapore and bring their own influences. These are all necessary because they support our open economy and facilitate growth. But there is risk. If our population is not equipped to deal with and sieve out reasonable arguments from radical ones, we risk undermining our hard-earned inter-racial harmony. This is not just a theoretical risk. We all remember the shocking discovery and arrest of local terror cells in Singapore. I dread to think what would have happened if they managed to fulfill their misguided plans. But even as I dread it, I know that we must prepare for an eventuality that one day we could be a victim of a terror attack. The question is not what will happen in the immediate aftermath. I have full confidence in the emergency response of our uniformed groups. But what concerns me more is the impact it will have on our social fabric.”
“So, we are at a turning point because today, after four decades of hard work of the people of Singapore, led by a Government determined to overcome all challenges, we are poised to launch ourselves into the next phase of our growth as a nation. But the question is: What will characterise our next phase of growth? No doubt, we must continue to create economic growth and the wealth it generates. We do not have the luxury of digging into our hinterland for gold or oil, or tilling our land for food. We can only grow by facing up to challenges, seizing the opportunities and embracing competition. Doing so will make our economy strong, viable and an attractive business proposition. With these come better jobs and higher incomes. However, is this all that we as a nation aspire to? Is our growth as a nation to be measured by the type of job that we have or how much we earn, the type of house we live in? Related to this are: Is this all we, as a Government, strive to deliver? Are we here only to deliver economic goods? It is my personal belief that we are here to do more, much more. Certainly, economic growth is an imperative. We must continue to grow because it serves as a means through which our population can fulfill their aspirations of having good, meaningful and rewarding jobs. But we must not make the mistake of equating our nation’s growth to only growth of our economy. This would be short-sighted, because economic growth alone does not make a great nation. Economic growth alone will not help us fulfill our pledge to build a peaceful and just nation where all are equal, without fear or favour, regardless of creed. And this is not a matter that we can take lightly. Even as we pursue economic growth, there are challenges we must overcome.”
“Even poor countries with large population can always rely on exporting their labour to meet the shortage of workers on whose backs are built tall skyscrapers which somehow always seem to be the market of economic success. What then is for Singapore? We have no natural resources. We do not have a large population. And what financial resources we command are a drop in the ocean of world finance. It would be naive to think that the world's economy will falter if there is no Singapore. These are facts. But they are no different from the fact that successive parliaments have to grapple with. So what is the difference? In my view, the 10 years since the Asian financial crisis of 1997 has been instructive. It became clear that our economy needed to be restructured, if we were to weather further financial storms. The difference was the way in which the Government, having won the support of the people, went ahead with the sometimes painful but always necessary task of remaking Singapore. And this was no cosmetic makeover. We made bold calculated bets on which industries to pursue, which to discard, as workers lost their jobs as lower-end industries moved out of Singapore. Even when new industries started up, these had to be staffed by skilled foreigners because there were not enough Singaporeans with the right skills set. So restructuring was, to put it mildly, difficult. But Singaporeans kept faith, and today we can begin to taste the fruits of our labour. We have enjoyed strong growth in economic terms and, in real terms, where it matters most, in job creation, and not just jobs for the young but also for general and older workers.”
“Mr Speaker, the Address by His Excellency the President at the Opening of the 11th Parliament provides much food for thought. Mr President has in his inimitable style set out the work that lies ahead for us. I wish to thank the President for focusing our attention on four critical issues, namely, dealing with a skilled and knowledge-based economy, an ageing society with not enough babies, inter-generational issues and forging a new social and political compact. These four issues encapsulate not only the challenges that lie ahead, but also our will to overcome them and, in doing so, to continue to build a strong, resilient and cohesive nation. I was inspired by the thoughtful recounting of how Singapore having been thrust into independence resolved to succeed. Despite the uncertainties, I was heartened by the realisation that in all that it does, this Government has tried to ensure that we will remain true to our national pledge, that is, we will build one united people regardless of race, language or religion. Singapore's place in the world economy. I share the view that we are at the turning point. The global economy continues to forge ahead. Different countries with different circumstances are fighting to find their own place within this economy. Those with rich natural resources will find new markets, take advantage of unprecedented levels of consumption of raw materials to build up their own war chest, as they prepare to move up the economic level to higher value-added production. As the world achieves higher and higher level of trade both in goods and services, those countries that are home to the world's financial centres will deepen their hold on the flow of the money and thus reap the benefits of trade.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, statistics and information show us that, over the recent years, divorces and re-marriages have been increasing among the young Malay couples between the ages of 20 and 24. This trend calls for concern. Divorce, as we know, results in broken families, and is the root cause of many social problems in the community. This cannot be good for us. As brought up in this Chamber yesterday, clearly, there is a rising trend of sexual activity among the youths in Singapore. We have to acknowledge this fact. The rise in the number of teenage pregnancies corresponds to the increasing number in minor marriages. Mr Chairman, Sir, young couples, who are not prepared to face real-life challenges and complexities of married life, face difficulties in keeping their marriages strong. With low income, coupled with immaturity and the cost of raising children, young couples are unable to cope with the challenges and stresses of marriage life. They see divorce as an easy and the only way out of the current difficult situation. With many youths entering marriage prematurely and indirectly causing an increase in the number of divorces and re-marriages, what can be done to prevent and at least reduce early marriages so that these social problems in the community can be reduced in future? What is the involvement and support level received from the community in the efforts to manage this problem?”
“Sir, I am very happy to hear the MOS explain about the intensifying efforts to promote racial harmony and the Community Engagement Programme. May I know how will this translate into more resources and support for organisations like PA and the CDCs, especially if we want to do more? I believe that if we stick to the policy of cutting budgets and manpower, it will have an impact on their efforts to promote racial harmony. 2.00 pm”
“Respect for the others does not mean having to conform to their beliefs, systems or practices, but a greater sensitivity and acceptance of these differences. So I would like to thank all the organisations and individuals who have put in a lot of efforts, like PA and CDCs. May I ask the Government to give them more resources and support to do their good work?”
“Sir, with the stresses of work, globalisation and rapid technological advances, are we beginning to see cracks in our society? Why do I ask this question? It is because of the present unhealthy development and tell-tale signs, be it in the cyber space or employment-related, that we are slowly but surely beginning to see emerging in Singapore a multiracial society. Sir, I ask again: is our social cohesion and community bonding strong enough to withstand severe strains and challenges that may come? What are we doing to further enhance this precious commodity that we call racial harmony? In the present context and the atmosphere that we live in, the issue of racial harmony and basic things, such as making friends, fostering good and binding relationships with people of different races and backgrounds, is furthest in one s mind. It is thus worthwhile for us to be reminded. Let us not kid ourselves in thinking that we have arrived, and everything is fine, and the peace and stability that we have will last forever, and nothing needs to be done anymore. It would be tragic and sad if all this crumbles before our own eyes due to the slightest mistake, and we realise too late that, as a people, we have failed to do our part. We have a unique and culturally rich people. We should celebrate differences among the various racial groups. Given the chance, these can be our greatest strength. Today, many confuse unity with uniformity to be similar and the same and must be like everyone else. Is this a fair and realistic expectation? Right from the very beginning, we have always been a colourful society. I believe that the key word here is "respect".”
“Sir, recently the Ministry of Education had announced the setting up of the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee and the Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee. It was reported that the aim of both committees is to enthuse students in learning the Malay and Tamil Languages and to develop in them an abiding interest in the respective languages, literature and culture. Quite a mouthful, actually. So, I would like to ask the Minister to elaborate on the terms of reference of the two committees. I am assuming, Sir, that in the pursuit of this aim, the committees will work with the Malay and Indian communities, relevant organisations, the media, institutes of higher learning and schools, to organise language, literature and cultural activities. I believe, Sir, through such literature and cultural activities, we can broaden the language environment and learning to encourage students to continue using Malay and Tamil even after they are years out of school. I am also concerned that these committees may not be effective if they work independently. So, apart from the parties that I have mentioned above, who are the other possible partners and stakeholders that could be roped in for this effort? Lastly, I would like to know whether this effort could be turned into a movement? Sex Education”
“I just want to make two points, Mr Chairman. I am very happy to hear about the efforts to promote and uplift the quality of teachers in the kindergartens. I would just like to ask where are we now, in terms of achieving the target of the qualifications for all the teachers in the kindergartens, because the deadline, if I recall very well, is 2006. The second question would be: since we are trying to uplift the quality of pre-school education, are there any changes that we are trying to do also at lower primary to ensure that there is an ease of transition from pre-school to the lower primary?”
“Hence, I would like to ask how relevant is their training? How do we prepare them for the challenges and new technologies? We need to constantly remember that we are preparing students to work in the knowledge economy. The educational experiences of our students need to give them the desire and drive to continue self-directed learning over a lifetime. Career change is a norm in a fast changing workplace. The ability to continue learning is a necessity. Hence, workers need to be equipped with a different set of competencies. Sir, I believe the above must be taken into consideration when planning for curriculum for their vocational education. Gifted Education”
“Sir, dropping out of schools, regardless at which level of the education ladder, is a difficult experience for both students and parents. It has a draining effect on our Education budget. I believe that the root cause must be dealt with effectively to minimise wastage of talent and resources. We understand, Sir, that not all students are academically-inclined. Thus, our education system can sometimes be a turn-off for these students. They lose interest and motivation. Sadly, some drop out of the system. We need to enhance the prevention measures and put in efforts to identify these at-risk students so that they do not fall out of the system. In this respect, Sir, I would like to ask what are the drop-out rates for our primary and secondary schools. How effective are the LSP programmes? Do we have capabilities and capacities in the area of counselling to assist and guide the troubled students? Are we giving enough resources and support to the schools so that they could be more effective in handling the matter? Can we involve the parents and community to help those kids that are out, to get back to school? Sir, I am very happy to hear that MOE is putting in effort and resources to improve vocational education in Singapore. I truly believe that this can be a viable and realistic option for the students who prefer to learn practical and hands-on skills. I would like to ask the Minister what are the prospects of graduates of technical and vocational institutes? We, Sir, need to work very closely with the industries to understand what they want from the technical and vocational-trained workers. It is only then we can prepare our students with the up-to-date skills and know-how. They must come out of the school employable, otherwise we would not have met our objective.”
“Sir, Singapore's highly open economy leaves it especially vulnerable to external shocks, including effects of pandemic diseases. The SARS episode in 2003 and the effects on our economy are still fresh in our minds. Our response and swift action to confront them and isolate SARS was acknowledged by the WHO, World Bank and many international organisations. It is known throughout that Singapore has been one of the most successful countries in its response to SARS. But, Sir, the recent news of the spread of Avian flu in many parts of the world - in Europe, Africa, Asia and now in Selangor, Malaysia - is very alarming and it is discomforting for many. New outbreaks of bird flu in Europe and Asia have heightened fears of the public, resulting in cautious and slightly depressed business sentiments. For the continued safety of our people, what is Singapore's action plan, strategy and defence system to combat this deadly disease? I know that some steps have been taken to prepare the country for this outbreak should it occur, but what more can be done? Are we in need of funds or resources for this effort? I am sure that AVA also regularly reviews the adequacy of these measures as the situation develops. In light of the outbreaks in nearby Indonesia and Malaysia, is AVA considering implementing additional safeguards to prevent the disease from reaching our shores? I would also like to know, Sir, what other agencies are also working with AVA and MND in this effort to prevent the bird flu from arriving Singapore.”
“Sir, I would like to ask the Minister what is the level of support we are giving to NAFA and LaSalle since we want to develop the talent and manpower. Is the recognition at a level of polytechnic funding equivalent to anywhere else around the world where arts talent is valued even higher? May I have a clarification from the Minister, please?”
“Sir, in line with the Economic Review Committee's (ERC) vision of a diversified entrepreneurial and globalised economy for Singapore, the ERC has identified the creative industry as one of the three new and promising service areas to promote besides education and healthcare. MICA are the stewards of the creative industry's development strategy and have formulated industry-specific blueprints, such as the Renaissance City, Design Singapore and Media-21, as guidance in the move forward. The creative industry has consistently grown faster than Singapore's overall GDP in the period between 1986 and 2000. Growth in the creative industry has maintained a relatively high rate of around 12.9% per annum between 1995 and 2000, as compared to the 5.8% for the overall economy. With all the current initiatives in place, how is the growth rate and development evolving? Between arts, culture, design and media, what is our area of focus? Have we determined the optimum balance of the four sectors? Are there any new initiatives in the pipeline in store for us? Sir, we are well aware of the desire of many countries and cities to develop their own creative industry. The competition for the search of talent and investment is stiffer now and will continue to be so. I would like to know, Sir, how successful are we in comparison to the other cities and countries that are also vying for the same investment pie for the creative industry. All these questions lead us to other important questions. Do we have enough manpower in this sector, and are enough jobs being created? How do we support arts institutions, such as NAFA, La-Salle and the like? Do we give them enough resources? Is there more that we can do to support such institutions? Creative Imperative”
“We need to ask if the current efforts of enhancing the position of our heritage and culture are bearing fruit. How do we measure the outcomes? Literary Arts”
“Sir, we have been supporting efforts to promote awareness and appreciation of artistic, cultural and historical heritage of Singapore to Singaporeans and visitors. I believe that it is our hope that through appreciation of our heritage and culture, we will be able to foster nationhood, identity and creativity. May I enquire on the status of the progress in developing arts and arts appreciation? 12.45 pm Sir, we have invested lots of time, money and resources to develop arts in Singapore. What is the progress attained so far? Are we able to cause the necessary mindset and behavioural change of Singaporeans towards arts and its appreciation in general? How do we measure these changes and success? Sir, I would like to know also how the new Singapore Art School will be contributing to the arts landscape and the arts sector. How is the vision of developing an arts belt progressing? What other new infrastructures can we expect to further boost the arts industry? Is the strategy of supporting the arts industry through grants and subsidies sustainable over the long term? We have great opportunity to use our rich history, background and diverse cultures and make it an integral part of life in Singapore. Are we using these resources in the most effective manner to strengthen our national identity and the sense of belonging to Singapore? The NAC and the National Heritage Board have often tried to promote and educate the public on the importance of culture and heritage appreciation. Late last year, the National Heritage Board announced an ambitious strategy over the next three years to strengthen Singapore's museum-going and appreciating culture, hoping to draw new audiences to Singapore museums and improve awareness and grow visitorship.”
“I would like to ask whether IDA can be a catalyst and impetus to new research in infocomm technology so that we could be the pioneers and inventors of new technologies instead of just users.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, in 2005, Singapore was rated as the world's most successful economy in exploiting infocomm development by the World Economic Forum in its Global Information Technology Report. This means that we were leading the rest of the world in terms of the ability of individuals and Government to tap into the potential of infocomm technology as well as the Government usage of infocomm technology. Undoubtedly, the establishment of Singapore One has helped us achieve this acknowledgement. Apart from this recognition, how do we rate the success of the old optical network, Singapore One? Although this may be difficult to quantify, have we measured the benefits and the values derived from this investment? What makes the iN2015 different and will it be able to extract more value from the implementation of this Masterplan? Will the new network bring down prices for end users? Will it assist vendors to make broadband services more attractive to the consumers? I remember in the past that when we had the optical network being set up, there was a lot of work being done. So I would like to know whether the construction of the new network involves quite an amount of digging and rigging causing inconveniences for residents? Will the iN2015 also constitute a lot of construction work and cost to residents? The evolution of society and technology has introduced new challenges for us. However, research has shown that Singapore's business investment in R&D and training continues to be minimal. I would like to know how do we then come up with new technologies, instead of just buying from suppliers?”
“And I am very happy that the Minister for Finance has ensured that they have better prospects and opportunities. In addition to that, I must reiterate that the needy must not be forgotten. A lot more must be done to ensure that they are protected, especially if they are unable to help themselves because of the current pace of development. While we are forced to act decisively to safeguard the nation's interest in the globalised world, we have a responsibility to the citizens of this country who are unable to catch up and join the race. This is their home and they have contributed to the nation in one way or another, and deserve more. I am sure Singapore is not only for the rich and strong. This was never the vision of our founding fathers nor our past leaders. With that, Sir, I support the Budget.”
“Straight 'A' students will not be guaranteed of success in life and career. Experts do agree that academic achievements do not guarantee the attainment of future career and the fulfilment of life. (4) Non-academic educational path Children who are not academically inclined and more technically oriented are entitled to an educational path that is pertinent to them. They must be given the opportunity to acquire skills and the know-how that are relevant and current so as to make them employable. Effort is needed to change how technical training is perceived. It is certainly not a dumping ground for academic under-achievers or problem students. Do we discourage our youth from seeking careers in so-called blue collar vocations? In the US, Sir, studies show that technical education graduates require 20% less formal on-the-job training than those without technical education background. Nearly 50% of such graduates continue their education, and these are students who love what they do and who embrace life-long learning. It is indeed timely for us to give technical education and vocational training the necessary boost that is deserved. As the labour markets become more specialised and economies are demanding more skills, the future of vocational education must be secured. It must be given equal attention as other educational paths. We need to find answers to the following questions. How do we keep technical training current and relevant to industries' needs? Do we need to upgrade the public perception of technical education in Singapore? How can business and industry show support for the best vocational programmes that exist? In conclusion, Sir, I would like to emphasise that children and youths are the future of the nation.”
“Even as I commend the many grassroots' effort to help forge our social cohesion, I hope that the People's Association will redouble its efforts to give support to the work of the grassroots organisations, particularly by explaining to the public why their work is so important and how the public can get involved. In this respect, Sir, I wonder if we attach enough importance and allocate enough resources to tackle the concerns that I have expressed. Significant steps need to be taken to strengthen our national identity and guard our fundamental values that form the cornerstone of our nationhood during the early days of our independence. (3) Wholesome education Very often, Sir, through anecdotes and films, such as "I Not Stupid" and "I Not Stupid Too", we see and hear how parents want the best for their children - the fight to get them into good, branded schools. Sometimes, in trying to secure what is best for our children, parents employ methods that are far from exemplary and take the competitive spirit too far until it turns ugly. When the journey through school becomes a stressful affair, wrong values are imparted by parents and, at the end of the day, our children will suffer. Our young ones are increasingly buried with extra classes outside school, more specifically, tuition classes, as the typical caring parents strive for academic excellence. There is a danger of the child being academically strong but exhibiting other signs of inadequacy. They may be emotionally inept and far from being wholesome. The over emphasis on class performance inherently teaches the child that his worth is only measured in such terms and he, most likely, will judge others in a similar way. Sadly, parents may not realise that success is not hinged on examination results alone.”
“However, the bottom 60% of the city state's four million inhabitants who are not as well educated or skilled face an increased possibility of unemployment as well as daily hardship to make ends meet. My second point, Sir, is strengthening our social cohesion. This topic is close to my heart. I am a strong believer that Singapore's success is rooted in our ability to remain socially cohesive as a nation. I cannot say it better than the late Mr S Rajaratnam when he penned our national pledge. If we are not one united people regardless of race, language or religion, we are doomed as a nation. Beyond potential flashpoints of race and religion, we cannot ignore the growing income divide which could potentially drive a wedge between the haves and the have-nots. This is something we have to manage carefully but more proactively. While I agree with the Education Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, that we should allow inter-racial friendship to develop naturally in our schools, I believe there is room for a nudge in the right direction. And what better way than to start with how the pledge is taken each morning. As I have said elsewhere, 40 years ago, given the backdrop of communal violence, the pledge resonated well with a whole generation of school children. Today, I am not sure. My fear is that by reciting the pledge mechanically every morning, we are not giving it life. I am not sure that our children understand the lofty ideals represented by the words we use in the pledge. I urge the Education Ministry to find ways to make our pledge come to life and to draw on the many talents of our school teachers to explain to our children why our pledge is so important a symbol of our nation's hopes.”
“He told me that if he had been good at learning he would not be an odd-job worker and menial cleaner. He does not think that at his age he would be able to pick up new skills. All he wanted was to continue with his simple job so that he could put his children to school and that, hopefully, they would have better lives than his. What do I tell this man? I have no doubt that he will be grateful for the money he will receive if the Budget is approved, but, it only gives him temporary relief. What we need, Sir, is a comprehensive solution. We need a commitment from the Government that people like my 50-year-old cleaner have an assurance that they too are part of Singapore, whether the Government generates a budget surplus or not. We also need a promise from the Government that we aim to build a Singapore where we will be hard-nosed about our economic realities but we will not be heartless about the consequences of our economic policies. We need to let our people know that even as Government policy makers advocate economic change and urge the population to retrain, reskill and readjust their expectations, they will do so with care and realise that we are not dealing with mere numbers. These are lives of Singaporeans and they, especially the poor and needy, deserve twice the attention and care from the Government because it is they who are least able to fend for themselves. According to Merrill Lynch and Cap Gemini World Wealth Report released last year, the number of millionaires in Singapore is increasing faster than any other country. Those with assets of more than US$1 million now number more than 48,000 - an astounding 20% more than the previous years.”
“Put differently, in real terms, the bottom 20% of our population earn less today than they did 10 years ago. While Singapore, nimble as ever, can quickly adjust its economic policies to face the challenges of economic change, poorer, less educated Singaporeans are not able to adjust nimbly. Whenever Singapore decides to change tack and pursue new opportunities in the knowledge economy, there are dire consequences for a group of Singaporeans who are made redundant because they do not have the skills to be gainfully employed in this new economy. The Government has done well at promoting skills redevelopment and the need for life-long learning. It has made starkly clear that those at the bottom of the skills chain must find ways to upgrade or face the reality of being left unemployed. It is easy for us to say that the Government will help those who take steps to help themselves, but what do I tell the 50-year-old cleaner, odd-job worker in a factory who came to see me during my meet-the-people session? He became unemployed because his factory shut down. He tried getting another job, but after many years in the factory, he had a certain salary on which he bought an HDB flat, supported his school-going children and managed to make ends meet. He cannot find another job which will give him a similar salary. In any case, cleaning contractors prefer to hire younger and even foreign workers who expect a lower salary and who can put in long hours because they do not have families in Singapore. When I told him to lower his expectations, he told me that if he takes a pay cut he would not be able to afford his housing instalments and other bills. He would not be able to afford his children's school-going expenses. I told him to be patient and upgrade his skills.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, thank you for the opportunity to join in the Budget debate. I will focus my speech on four key points and on feedback that I have received from my residents. First, I wish to congratulate the Prime Minister and the Government for proposing a budget that will put cash into the pockets of many needy families. This is only correct because it is an endearing promise of the Government that when there are budget surpluses these would be shared with the people. I also support the principles by which these surpluses have been shared. The more needy will receive the most amount of money. Again, this is only correct because it is a testament to the principle that as Singapore progresses no one must be left behind. I have noted, however, that we seem to be torn between setting up a welfare system and other ideas that we have creatively called ComCare or Workfare or Progress Package. I fully appreciate the difficulty. A country like Singapore simply cannot afford to have a class of citizens who become dependent on welfare and who become economically inactive. It is simply not sustainable. It will do our economy no good if there is a percentage of our population who become dependent on handouts. Worse, if this group becomes endemic, it will do our social cohesion no good either and then where will Singapore be? At the same time, we cannot ignore that there is a group of people in Singapore who bears the brunt of our economic cycle. Singapore's income divide increased drastically between 1997 and 2004, that is, during the economic downturn. While the average income of Singaporeans fell by only 2.7% during that time, that of the poorest families fell by a staggering 49%.”
“Sir, with the development of infrastructures, such as the new campuses for ITE, what will the Ministry do to the old campuses of the ITE schools and buildings? What are the plans for such infrastructures?”
“Apart from that, the other areas of concern for us include religious education, reforms of both the part-time and full-time religious classes and, of course, the training of our religious leaders (Asatizah) to ensure that their skills continue to be upgraded and their knowledge continues to be increased so that they understand their role in a society such as Singapore. Sir, I have also dealt at length on the concerns of the consultation process of the current amendments. So I have nothing further to add and I thank Mdm Halimah for raising those points. The review of AMLA is an on-going process to ensure that it will remain current and relevant. At this point in time, I would not commit myself to a date, but suffice for me to say that we are looking at some other issues in which changes to AMLA may have to be made. For example, we are facing the issue of minor marriages and teenage sexuality and, therefore, there may be a need for us to review AMLA periodically to see whether such an amendment is important for us to address some of these challenges. But if such an amendment needs to be done, we will certainly get the support of the community, because we need the community to understand why this needs to be done and what is the role of the community in tackling some of the social challenges facing the community. Sir, I think I have addressed most of the concerns. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim]. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Clauses 1 to 3 inclusive ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 4 -”
“There could be a transition period but the eventual plan is for the President, as I mentioned in my speech, to be non-Executive, which means a non-salaried position, since this will be someone who is drawn from among our community leaders to contribute on a voluntary basis to become President of the Council. Hence, there is no cost involved, except maybe to provide some honorary allowance to the President, if necessary. So there may be a period of transition and this is something in which I will plan together with MUIS to ensure that the transition from the current structure to the new structure will be done smoothly. Finally, Sir, I would like to thank the hon. Members of Parliament for their support, in particular the conviction expressed by Mdm Halimah on the intent and increase of the Minister's nominees which I have outlined in my speech earlier. Mr Othman Haron Eusofe has also asked me what are the priorities of MUIS. MUIS, under the new President Haji Alami Musa, has launched a three-year plan. I think Malay Members of Parliament are familiar with the plan. There are many things in the plan which I cannot give you all the details. But suffice to say that the point that Mr Othman has raised in relation to MUIS' role - to guide the Muslim community to the proper path and the right interpretation of Islam - is one of the key roles of MUIS in the coming years. In fact, MUIS has continued to roll out plans, including the 10 attributes that Mr Othman alluded to, which is part of the Singapore Muslim identity project that we are undertaking currently to ensure that the Muslims in Singapore understand their position both as Muslim and Singaporean.”