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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“So I am confident, within the consultation process that we have in the Majlis and the constant contact that I have with the President and the officers in MUIS, we will be able to make the decision well before the President can invoke the powers entitled to him in the Act. So only when we have taken this course of action will it become incumbent on us to recommend to the President to invoke section 10 to cancel the Chief Executive Officer's membership in the MUIS Council. Let me now attempt to answer some of the questions raised by the hon. Member, Mr Zainudin. He raised some questions about confusion of roles. It is clear that the Mufti is a religious appointment in Islam and he presides over the MUIS' Legal or Fatwa Committee. As you know, in Islam, he is also able to do his ijtihad or give his opinion on religious issues if this is sought on an urgent basis, whereas section 8(1) of AMLA provides for the Secretary of the Majlis to be appointed and for him to discharge certain statutory functions. So, there are very clear roles in terms of the duties of the Mufti and duties of the Secretary as spelt out in the Act. But I agree with the hon. Member that this overlap with the Chief Executive's functions could be regularised over time and it is possible, Sir, for the roles of the Secretary to be subsumed under the Chief Executive completely. I will move these amendments at an appropriate time, together with other amendments to AMLA. Sir, currently, the Government funding covers the manpower cost of the President who also exercises the administrative role. With the appointment of the Chief Executive, his position will still be paid out of the funding provided by the Government.”
“This provision has never been invoked in the history of the Majlis and the intent is not repugnant to the business and the spirit of the Majlis' role and responsibilities. Neither do I see it any way an attempt as providing excessive powers to the President of the Majlis as that imposes on him to consult the Mufti, the Chief Executive and the Secretary before he invokes this provision. So there is enough safeguard. The current safeguard, in fact, allows the President to consult both the Mufti and the Secretary. We have just enlarged this provision to include the Chief Executive. And, therefore, now the President will have three more officers of whom he can consult when there are cases of emergency. Sir, the Bill, as it stands, enables the President of Singapore to appoint the Chief Executive as a member of the Majlis, not by the Minister. The Bill also provides for the Chief Executive not to be removed from his office as such without my approval. That is the conflict that Mdm Halimah has raised. The concern by the hon. Member is that whether after the Chief Executive Officer is found to be undesirable by the President of Singapore and his appointment as a MUIS Council Member cancelled, his employment as Chief Executive technically can continue, unless the Minister also removes him. Sir, even before we recommend to the President of Singapore that he invokes his powers under section 10 of the Act, in all probability, it is due to the fact that the Majlis has recommended to me for his services and appointment as Chief Executive to be terminated.”
“Sir, it is true, as Mdm Halimah has mentioned, that unlike the other statutory boards in which the Chairman is appointed by the Minister, the President of the Majlis is appointed by the President of Singapore. It only goes to show the important role the Majlis is discharging as an Islamic authority in our multi-racial and multi-religious society. Under section 19 of the AMLA, which the hon. Member had cited, the powers of the Majlis here are general control of deliberations and proceedings of the Majlis or the MUIS Council as a governing structure. In my view, Sir, this is clear and there is no overlap of his power over the Chief Executive. What will happen is that the President, which is similar to the Chairman of the Board, will have the powers to call for a Council meeting and he, therefore, decides, with the other Council Members, the general policies of MUIS. It is the duty of the Chief Executive and his 120 staff to implement those policies which have been agreed at the Council. That is the practice in other statutory boards and that is the practice that we want to adopt in MUIS. Similarly, Sir, section 25 empowers the President of the Majlis, during an emergency, in consultation with the Mufti and the Secretary, and which now has been enlarged to include the Chief Executive to do or direct anything to be done on behalf of the Majlis any act or thing which might lawfully be done by the resolution of the Majlis. Sir, the intent of this provision is to ensure that in an emergency, the President of the Majlis, in consultation with the key officers that the Majlis mentioned above, can carry any act or thing which Majlis would like to carry out immediately. Such a decision, however, needs the Majlis' ratification later on.”
“Under this system, the day-to-day running of the Majlis will be entrusted to the Chief Executive and the complement of about 120 staff who will be responsible to the MUIS Council for the administration and management of the functions and affairs of the Majlis in accordance with the policies laid down by the MUIS Council. Let me make this clearer by giving an example. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is a statutory body under my Ministry. The day-to-day running of the agency is headed by Mr Lee Yuen Hee, an Administrative Officer who is seconded to the NEA as the Chief Executive Officer. This is the model that I hope to do one day when we have an Executive Officer seconded from other public agencies to MUIS to become the CEO. The policy decisions are made by the Governing Council of the agency which is headed by Assoc. Prof. Simon Tay, its Chairman. And there are many other statutory boards with similar structure running very well, and this is the model that MUIS will seek to emulate. Sir, the same arrangements are also working very well in other statutory boards which are under my Ministry. For the PUB, for example, the Chairman is Mr Tan Gee Paw, and its Chief Executive is Mr Khoo Teng Chye. There are no conflicts in their roles, as in many other statutory boards with similar governing structure. Having said that, Sir, it will take time for the new structure to work well in MUIS, which is so used to having the current structure since its inception. We will need time to identify suitable persons for the positions and, I am sure, with this structure, MUIS will evolve and it will be a matter of time for it to be run with a structure just like other statutory boards and corporations.”
“Also, as the Minister-nominated Council members increase in number, from five to seven, there is concern whether MUIS, as an organisation, can ensure that it will continue to accurately reflect the pulse or needs of the Muslim community. Sir, I am confident that the changes that are being proposed would bring MUIS to greater heights. It is my earnest hope that Singaporeans be made aware of the reasons behind the proposed amendments. Sir, apart from the points that I have raised earlier in my speech, I support the amendments. Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Mr Speaker, Sir, first, let me thank the hon. Members of Parliament, Mr Othman Haron Eusofe, Mdm Halimah Yacob and Mr Zainudin Nordin, for supporting the Bill. Sir, Mr Othman wanted me to clarify the roles of the President of Majlis and the Chief Executive. This is also the same concern of Mdm Halimah Yacob and Mr Zainudin Nordin. In addition to raising some other concerns, Mdm Halimah has also sought further clarifications regarding the statutory powers of the President of Majlis, as currently vested. Mr Zainudin Nordin also wanted to know whether there will be cost implications for these changes. Let me now attempt to answer all the questions and the clarifications sought. Sir, as I have outlined in my Second Reading speech, the President of Majlis will preside over the governing body of the Majlis or MUIS Council, and the Chief Executive will be responsible for the proper management, administration and running of the Majlis. The President of Majlis will preside over the MUIS Council, the decision-making body of the Majlis, which is a statutory body entrusted to carry out the functions specified in the Administration of Muslim Law Act.”
“MUIS has been a torch bearer and has significantly contributed to the Muslim community. To some countries, MUIS is acknowledged as a successful model on how to seamlessly integrate and coordinate Muslim community affairs into a multi-religious society. The efforts and programmes undertaken by MUIS are considered ground-breaking in its contemporary approach and content. This recognition is something that we have to be proud of and continue to improve to address the challenges of an ever changing world. As highlighted by the Minister, the proposed amendments have drawn some feedback from the public, and there are those who feel that, in the spirit of consultation and transparency, the proposals should have been discussed with the local Muslim association and community. I am happy that these inputs are attended to and the community outreach mentioned by the Minister would certainly go some way to quell speculations and will ultimately lead to undivided support and commitment from the Muslim community. It is also important that people understand the reasons behind the proposal. Sir, on the proposed introduction of the Chief Executive, apart from aligning to the practices of other statutory boards, in terms of structure, I would like to know how else will this change bring value to the current organisation. Many profit-oriented bodies may benefit from a structure that includes the Chief Executive, as it mirrors the corporate world. But, in the case of MUIS, would not such a change only increase operational cost? So, I think the issue of cost would also be of concern. Like the other Members earlier, I am concerned that the changes may also lead to confusion between the roles of the President, Chief Executive, Mufti and Secretary.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on the subject of the amendment to the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA). I hope to give my perspective and views on the matter and briefly give feedback on the views that I have received. Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) was one of the earlier established statutory boards and was designed to be a Government agency primarily to advise the President of Singapore on matters relating to Islam in Singapore, and administer and manage all significant matters relating to Islam and Muslims in Singapore. To ensure effective coordination, support from the Muslim community was important and, with this view, the Majlis was designed to include key stakeholders and representatives from Muslim organisations, bodies and community leaders. The recent proposed amendments include changes to the composition of the Majlis, increasing the maximum number of independent nominees to the Majlis recommended by the Minister from five to seven. It is also proposed that a Chief Executive position be created and the Vice President's position be removed. The power of appointment for these positions rests with the Minister. Additionally, under section 7A, the Chief Executive may not be removed from office without the consent of the Minister. The amendment to section 25 also includes the proposal to grant the Minister greater authority to act during an emergency, and the amendment to section 146 provides that the President may delegate the exercise of all or any of the powers vested in him by this Act to the Minister or President. To me and many others, these changes are significant and could, fundamentally, change the way MUIS functions and operates.”
“Dr Geh Min asked the Minister for Health in the light of a likely increase in the foreseeable future of global and regional epidemics and Singapore's increased vulnerability to these diseases due to its dense urban population and global positioning, what long-term strategy does the Ministry have or will develop for the prevention, early detection, effective control and treatment of infectious diseases.”
“Sir, coming back to my earlier question, the reason why I am asking about the targeted approach for the drains upgrading is that if we wait for the Estates Upgrading Programme, it will take a longer time, and it seems that if we have a concern about water ponding, could we have a more targeted approach for the drains? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, we do not just wait for the EUP. The EUP is an infrastructure upgrading programme. But in the light of this dengue crisis, PUB has, together with the relevant authorities, looked at all the drains. And where maintenance needs to be speeded up, we would do so. So PUB has a 5-year programme, a medium term, a long-term 10-year programme. But in the short-term, we will go and maintain the drains, regrade the drains or patch up the drain, if necessary, to make sure the water will flow. So EUP is a different programme. EUP is an infrastructure programme to upgrade the drains. But here you are talking about maintenance of drains to make sure water flows, that the larva does not collect and the dengue mosquito does not breed. AVIAN FLU EPIDEMIC (Impact and safeguards) 3. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the likelihood of an avian flu epidemic breaking out worldwide; (b) what will be the impact on Singapore and how is Singapore prepared for this; and (c) are enough funds and resources being invested to develop Singapore's capabilities to deal with the avian flu. 4.”
“Sir, I would like to know how many agencies are involved in coordinating all these drains. I have heard feedback that sometimes the drains are being built without coordination to the point where there are problems concerning the flow of water. May I know how many agencies are coordinating? Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee: Sir, there are only two main authorities in charge of the drains. PUB is the main one. Then the smaller drains are within the Town Council estates. Those are taken care of by Town Councils. And as far as coordinating problem is concerned, there is none.”
“Sir, could the MOS tell us when the extra subsidy, ie, the $65, will be effective?”
“Sir, in view of the recent report about the popularity of nursing courses and the polytechnics having to turn away some of our local students, will this scheme of bringing in foreign students into nursing be reduced? Does MOH have any plans of opening up more opportunities for locals instead of bringing in foreign students?”
“Mr Speaker, I would just like to know whether MOH has any study to show the correlation that if they start to smoke, it would lead to other things like exploring drugs or whatsoever.”
“Mr Speaker, I would just like to know whether the Parliamentary Secretary would have an answer to why the number for the Malay young women is much more pronounced.”
“Sir, I would like to thank the MOS for a very comprehensive reply. I just would like to know whether, at the rate that the Ministry is going, we will have enough teachers to cope with the demand of the students.”
“Sir, I just would like to know whether MICA is aware of the penetration of broadband access to the lower-income families in Singapore.”
“They could not remain frozen in time and continue shutting their doors. There are clear parallels to be drawn. We have a situation now within our borders that calls for development and change. To give our economy a boost is our responsibility. Like it or not, the economic benefits of the integrated resorts are immense. We never had a casino all these years. Perhaps we were not ready then. But I believe that we have reached a level of maturity that allows us to embark on these mega integrated resort projects that will include casinos. In conclusion, Sir, Singapore is not a Utopic state. Nevertheless, we are exemplary, and I say that humbly. I am proud of how we have handled complicated issues in the past. In terms of coming up with controversial policies or legislation, we have always sought the views of the different groups, religious and other social groups. We weigh our options carefully and give full consideration to the factors that contribute to a difficult decision that has to be made. We have travelled a distance and survived. Social ills will be there, and we shall always do our best for our society to face such challenges that surface. Having heard the decision by the Government, let us move forward. Let us continue to strive to do the best we can and make these projects successes that we can be proud of. At the end of the day, we can only be stronger and hardier as a nation.”
“The tides will continue to ebb and flow, regardless of whether Singapore chooses to tackle its challenges head on or turn its back on them. The only question we should ponder is whether Singapore will be an engine which helps the world to turn, or whether Singapore will be flourishing in the rising sun, or whether regardless of the ebb and flow of the tides, we Singaporeans have what it takes to hold dear our values, our culture, our traditions and our religious beliefs. If these fundamentals can be shaken easily, we do not have to wait until we build a casino. If we were so weak, our values would have crumbled many years ago when we decided that ours would be a multi-racial, multi-cultural society, open to the world, forward-looking, yet rooted in the deep traditions of our ancestors. Personally, Sir, as a Muslim, gambling is forbidden. It is viewed as a vice. That is why when my family and I go to Genting Highlands, we enjoy its many features but we do not step into the casino. I choose not to, out of free will, based on my personal beliefs and religious convictions. Can Muslims or any other groups impose their standards on the rest? To some in the Malay-Muslim community and others who hold similar views, I ask: can we insulate our people by legislation forever? Until when? The world has changed, and we will continue to change. And can we ask our Government to ban this and that because we worry our young adults have little control? Is this not circumventing? Is this not a short-term solution that will not last? So, Mr Speaker, Sir, the world is far from perfect. As I have stated earlier, based on my travels, I have witnessed the effects of time on societies. Look at Europe and also the old Eastern bloc. Countries have to open up eventually.”
“I am still my father's son. I am still a Muslim and continue to strive to be a good one. I still maintain my values, my customs, my traditions and my religion. I maintain my Singaporean-ness. In fact, to some extent, my Singaporean identity became much more pronounced, because I was away from home and away from so many things that we took for granted. I am sure what I have described is not unique to me. Many Members in this House, just like many, many more young Singaporeans, have gone abroad to study, to work, to be part of a "greater Singapore", in a sense. We all come back with new ideas. But speaking for myself, and I am sure for the vast majority of Singaporeans, we come back with our values very much intact. We still come back as Singaporeans. I wanted to share this perspective because I believe there are some parallels that we can draw. I believe that the casino is not much different from other influences which Singapore or Singaporean has to face. Remember when we decided to change our movie rating system in the 1990s. Yes, it has been almost 15 years. And remember when we debated whether and how to control the negative influences of the Internet, which today is much a pervasive part of our life. I remember clearly how different groups were concerned that such influences would erode our values, and how Singapore would be worse for it. Once again, history has proven the argument to be moot. We are still here today, we are still Singaporeans, our values are still intact, our roots deeply grounded, but our sights fixed on the future. The world will continue to turn whether or not Singapore embraces change. The sun will continue to rise in the east, whether or not there is a casino in Singapore.”
“Xenophobes on one hand, ultra-liberals on the other, and nearly everyone, it seemed, somewhere in between. People were worried that a European Union would erode individual cultural identities. Governments would not be able to act independently in the interest of their own people. Rich countries would be inundated by job seekers from poorer nations. Comparative advantages would be lost, Europe would crumble under its own weight, and chaos would reign. It was an exciting time. What finally happened is a matter of historical record. Europeans, I believe, realised that they did not have much of a choice. Against a burgeoning America and thriving Asian economies, Europe was in danger of becoming irrelevant. Strong decision action has to be made. If some initial pain had to be endured, so be it. And so they forged ahead, and established the European Union. Today, we can see the impact of that decision. Europe stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the rest of the world economy. It is a model economy and also a political unity. During this period, you can imagine, I was bombarded with all sorts of new ideas, new perspectives, new ways of doing things. When I came back to Singapore in 1990, I wondered to myself whether I was a different person. I wondered whether my experience with new things in a new environment had changed me. The answer is both simple and not so simple. Of course, I had changed. Was that not the whole point of going to a foreign environment to learn something? I had learned new skills in my chosen field. I had learned a new language. I had acquired a new intellectual rigour which comes from crossing swords with people from many different backgrounds. This and much more had added to the total sum being of myself. On the other hand, I really had not changed.”
“These assurances, steps and proposed measures that will be put in place are but some of the many other things that, I believe, we will have to continue to do to ensure that we are able to mitigate the concerns of the public. Mr Speaker, Sir, what I would like to do now is to share a perspective from my own experience. I speak as a Singaporean, as a Muslim, and as a father of two young children. I also speak as someone who has had the opportunity of living abroad for some years. As some of you might know, I was given the privilege of studying abroad in France. When I left Singapore, I was a young man of 24. I spent three-and-a-half years in France from 1986 to 1990. During my time there, I made many close friends, some of whom I am still in touch until today. My classmates were from all over the world. Each one of us brought with us our own set of values, our own customs and practices, our own religious beliefs. Each one of us also had our unique way of looking at the world. Fortunately, my subject was electronics engineering, and because we all spoke in numbers, we could understand each other! Sir, apart from my studies, I also took the opportunity to experience as much as what France and Europe had to offer. I was someone from a very young nation. Europe has a long history. There was much to see, much to experience, much to do. Please do not mistake me - this is not an advertisement to visit France. Bear with me, this is a point which I will come to it soon. When I was in France, it was a time when Europe was debating whether to convert itself from a European Community to a European Union. There were many discussions, and interest groups sprouted everywhere to take up every imaginable position.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as we discuss the decision on the integrated resort development, I want to first make an observation. I was pleasantly surprised with the depth and breadth of the debate. I saw people representing different points of view putting forward their arguments for and against the casino. Whether it was through letters to the Forum pages of our newspapers, discussions in Internet forums, blogs, or even through car decals, people found ways to express themselves. And they did so without acrimony, without polarising the debate and, thankfully, without the type of dogmatism or violence that we saw elsewhere. I was happy that so many people held so many strong views. The mature way in which they put forward their views signals the growth and maturing of our civic society. To me, it is another positive step in our journey in making Singapore a great nation. Now to the matter at hand. I do not think there is a need for me to recap the arguments in the debate. I have no doubt that the Members of the House are familiar with them. Like many of my fellow Singaporeans, I am concerned and also mindful of the views of those who oppose including the casino in the integrated resort - these concerns have to be addressed. Sir, I am therefore glad that the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports had announced the broad framework and planned to set aside resources to help those in our community who may be affected by the decision. We have also heard the assurance from the Minister for Home Affairs that the MHA will do its utmost to minimise the possible negative safety and security impact that the casino will have on our society. This is the kind of forward-looking strategy that we have always been familiar with this Government.”
“Sir, a point of clarification. I am aware about the way we need to educate the parents on the new style of parenting and so forth. I would like to get views from the Minister where he sees the changes taking place. We always get the impression that whenever there are pre-marital pregnancies, some of these Malay/Muslim parents will resort quickly to get their youths married. What can we do to provide a framework and support infra structure, so that they can have other choices and believe that there are other solutions, apart from getting these youths into marriage very early? Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, some of our social service providers, like PPIS, in fact, have been offering advice to parents and to young families on what they can do under such circumstances. In fact, our Registrar of Muslim Marriages, sometimes when he comes across such cases when they apply for marriages because of pre-marital pregnancy, gives them advice and counsels them on whether or not that is the best option. We will try our very best to build up our capabilities within the community to allow such families to revert to the Family Service Centres or the social service providers for them to get some advice. Ultimately, it is a personal choice, but I think we want to share with them some of the implications of the steps should they continue with the marriage.”
“Mr Chairman, from the statistics that have been released recently, we found that there are more marriages for Malay/Muslim youths under the age of 17 as compared to other communities in this country. We also found a worrying increase in the figures for divorce cases involving couples below the age of 20. Another troubling trend is the increase in the figures for divorce cases involving couples between the ages of 21 and 24. Sir, I would like to know what are the measures taken by MCYS to assist these youths in understanding family-related issues and their responsibilities as husband and wife. In my opinion, preventive programme is more important. We should do our best to reduce teen marriages. Sir, we realise that teen marriages have a high risk of becoming an unstable family. I would also like to know the inclusive strategies adopted by MCYS in handling this problem. What are the new resources that will be offered to voluntary organisations who wish to assist these youths? We are aware that this challenge is a difficult one. I would like to emphasise that educating and explaining to our youths regarding the importance of family institution, value of marriage and married life is one way to overcome the problems of teen marriages. We should continue to reach out to these youths so that they are aware of the available assistance should they feel pressurised or face problems.”
“Sir, some points of clarification. I am very excited about the $2 million announced by the Minister. The first question would be, why not more? Second, when will we get the details about how we can tap on these resources and what are the criteria that the Ministry will put down on how we can use these funds?”
“Just the other day, I had an interesting conversation with some of my colleagues about the so-called "choosy Singaporean workers" that we so readily blame for not accepting low paying jobs, jobs that pay around $500 to $800 a month, and how we praise the foreign workers for their right attitudes in accepting those jobs and how hardworking these workers are compared to our locals. Then I realise we are not comparing apple with apple. Do I agree that a low paying job is still better than no job? We have to be realistic. How do we expect a family of six with school-going children whose household bills, and more, to survive with a salary of $800? Surprisingly, someone suggests that maybe it is better to outsource the care of the family to another country that has a lower standard of living. Then we are comparing apple with apple. Sir, we have seen the rapid development of our country and sometimes we have seen in other countries that this rapid development unintentionally creates an underclass community which is left behind. I believe that we must have a better understanding of the cost needed to sustain a decent living for a typical Singaporean family. Attention must be given to the cost of procuring the basic necessities. In recent years, we have seen more and more asking for help and falling through the cracks of our system. Though I totally agree with our policy of not becoming a welfare state, we still need to improve our welfare system. Once this is done, we would be in a better position to prevent the creation of an underclass community. The Poor”
“Sir, I could recall very well when I was a young man, way back in the 70s, we were a family of six, our parents and four siblings. The six of us lived in a rental flat in Mei Ling Street. My father was the sole breadwinner and he worked as a security guard at a shipyard in Jurong, earning a monthly salary of about $700. With that salary and some overtime, he struggled but was able to maintain a decent living for the family and put all of us through school. We all survived, grew up and turned out to be okay. Moving forward, Sir, to where we are now, 35 years later, our country has developed to a first-class status, with a better standard of living, a more educated population, better infrastructure and facilities, industrialised and modern. Sometimes, I wonder and seriously doubt if a family, like the one that my dad had, would be able to survive with a single salary of a security guard, or even an equivalent job like a cleaner. Sir, on a month-to-month basis, with the exception of clothing, prices for all items in the CPI basket of goods and services have increased, with food and education and healthcare seeing large increases in both month-to-month and year-to-year basis. This goes to show that the basic cost of living in Singapore is rising. This is a major concern for all. What are we doing to ensure that ever increasing costs of living do not strip Singaporeans of a decent quality of life? Have we stopped to ask ourselves: are the majority of Singaporeans able to cope with the current cost of living?”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I would just like to describe a scene. The scene is familiar. A teacher stands at the front of her room, children sit in the centre, their seats arranged in rows or semi-circles. There is a chalk-board or white-board, a wall map and a globe. This could be a classroom in 2005, 1995, 1859 or even 1795. Although the details may vary, school design has seen few changes in the past 200 years. Mr Chairman, Sir, with the aim to provide our children with a balanced and well-rounded education, develop them to their full potential and nurture them into good citizens, we continue to invest heavily in public education infrastructure and facilities. However, are we designing our schools to be education factories? Have we looked into aspects of architectural design, space planning, natural flow and ergonomics? We should be concerned with not only the software but also the hardware. The infrastructure and the facilities must align with MOE's vision. To encourage creativity and balance, the hardware need not necessarily be hard and cold and we should factor in design aspects that create a soft and warm environment, which is more inviting, conducive and reflect the new thrust in our education system. In this respect, Sir, may I propose that MOE be involved and work closely with the designers and architects, who share the vision of MOE, to develop our future schools that are progressive and modern in nature. Study has shown that students' achievement and behaviour relate to the physical building conditions and overcrowding has an effect on their performance. Good facilities appear to be an important pre-condition for student learning. Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Existing Schools (PRIME)”
“Sir, I am very happy to hear that the schools are giving more assistance to the poor families. Why is it that parents do feel compelled to ask for help from the Members of Parliament if the assistance is already available in schools? Why not make it such that if the fees are not being paid for a few months, automatically some assistance is being rendered. I would just like to ask for some comments from the Ministry. The other point is the question of timing of help. I know parents are very concerned when it comes to the end and the beginning of the year, the time for getting school uniforms, payment of fees and so on. Could it be done earlier so that when there is a need for help, the parents are not overwhelmed by such concerns?”
“Sir, recently we have seen a worrying trend of increasing number of parents from poor families who have approached us for assistance to pay for arrears in school fees and other educational fees. Most of these requests are coming from students of low-income families who are attending schools without proper breakfast or even pocket money to sustain their day in school. We all understand that high quality education cost money and students' subsidies are essential to improve their quality and opportunities. However, in addition to the subsidies, how can MOE assist further these students and families? We do not want these students to be disadvantaged because of their situation. I think we should see this help as an investment in the future of the students.”
“Sir, the announcement of the Malay Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review was made late last year. I would like to ask if the Committee would be able to provide us with an update on the current status of the review. Sir, with the recent developments and the heightened interest in the learning of the Malay Language, and as more begin to realise the importance and benefits of learning the Malay Language, it would be a pity and unfortunate if the Malay students are still oblivious of these facts. I would just like to qualify that, though this problem is still not a big one, there are obvious concerns because we have seen more and more Malay students losing mastery and interest in the learning of the mother tongue. While waiting for the review to be completed in August 2005, are there any interim measures or specific efforts that MOE can implement and address these disturbing trends and concerns? Mr Ong Ah Heng (In Mandarin): Sir, as Mr Zainudin mentioned about the Malay language problem, I would like to ask about the progress of the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Reform report which we endorsed last year. I am very glad to note that MOE has also set up review committees for the Tamil Language and Malay Language. I would like to ask the Minister what is the progress of these review committees. For the Malay and Indian parents, what kind of expectations do they have? As a multi-racial society, members of the Chinese community are also concerned with the problems of the Indian and Malay parents. Can the Minister please enlighten us?”
“Our teachers must be given proper resources and skills to identify the academically challenged children at their early age. Time may be of the essence in these cases. What more can be done to assist this group of children apart from the LSP programme that has been mentioned many times? I would like to know what MOE is doing and what kind of resources is being provided to assist our teachers and the system to assist the young who are academically challenged. Addressing this early will bear us fruits in the long term. Mindset Change”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, I have said in the Chamber before that I am glad that we are beginning to recognise excellence in education in all its possible forms and not only in academic performance. But I have a small concern which I would like to ask MOE. Once we have recognised our brightest, whatever field it may be, should we not continue to develop them even further? I would like to ask MOE what are the resources that are being allocated to further develop our young in whatever area apart from academic. There is also the need to develop the balanced individuals. Holistic education is what we want, as what Mr Gan has mentioned earlier. A child whose only strength is academic will exhibit inadequacies, some of them may be disruptive to family and society. Emotional development is extremely important, for instance, compassion for others, culture awareness and appreciation, especially in a multi-racial Singapore. This must be imbibed in our young during their early years. We do not want a lopsided emphasis on the academic aspect of education at the expense of other important areas like character building, soft skills, appreciation of the arts and others. Sir, I would like to ask MOE what are we doing to enlighten parents in this area. I know that it may not be MOE's view to seek to educate parents, but as partners in education, parents must be made to understand that their children must be educated in all aspects, not only on academics. This overwhelming emphasis on academic education is something we have created in our desperation to develop as a nation, something we must unlearn and discard. My third point, Sir, is in relation to the academically challenged.”
“Sir, as outlined in the Renaissance City Report, we need to strengthen the Singapore heartbeat through the creation and sharing of Singapore stories, and through films and other media. Can I get some update on the local production and the Minister's view on the quality of our local production? What is MDA doing to further improve the development of our local production?”
“Mr Chairman, the proliferation of digital media or new media is a testimony of their popularity, especially among youths. With the current availability of infrastructure, we see advancement at blazing speed of media formats - mobile devices, weblogs, SMS, MMS, video streaming and many more. Sir, the technology for network convergence or the combining of voice, data and video networks into a single system is already in use and within reach for the masses. With the inevitable convergence of telecommunications, media and information technology, the abuse of technology could cause undesirable social changes. We must be prepared to face the challenges in the regulation of converging media technology. I echo the concern of Mr Loh Meng See about the security, safety and privacy of users. We must also build our capabilities and capacities to manage this onslaught. I would like to ask the Minister: what are the challenges faced by the authority with this new media and what is being done to build capabilities and capacities to tackle such problems? I would also like to know whether such new media have been used for illegal purposes. And if there is, what can be done to prevent the technology from being used as such?”
“How do we improve the level of awareness among the youths, of our past history and legacies, to build a sense of belonging and national pride? Promoting Arts”
“Sir, I will start with a series of questions and I will elaborate why. What is the Ministry doing to strengthen our heritage and capture our past history of the nation? How do we improve awareness and build a sense of belonging through our history and heritage in our young? What are the other areas of improvement being done to make our visual arts scene more interesting and exciting? What is being done to build our national resilience through heritage and culture? How can we use our historical memories and archives to strengthen a sense of our historical heritage? Sir, we have already 40 years of independence. It is a long time, and a lot of historical happenings have taken place. Are we exploiting the new technologies to capture and use these to promote a sense of nationhood? What is MICA doing to make our visual arts to be more exciting? I am very happy to hear that there are some plans to use City Hall and Supreme Court as a visual arts museum. I think this is a very interesting development. I have seen some examples in other countries. For example, in Paris, there was a former train station that was converted into a museum which is of world-class standard. The Musee d'Orsay is now recognised as one of the most interesting places to visit in Paris. Sir, some of Singapore's greatest assets, eg, our diverse culture, rich heritage and delicious food, are often taken for granted. Apart from sharing these wonderful attributes with eight million visitors who come to Singapore annually, we should encourage and strengthen our local appreciation of Singapore's culture, artistic and national heritage. What are the steps being taken by MICA to ensure that this is happening and Singaporeans are aware of this?”
“This is a positive development that I would encourage. Sir, as these two areas of industries grow, there will be a need to increase the pool of qualified arts and sports teachers and professionals. Maybe it is timely for our polytechnics and local universities to introduce more courses in sports and arts. Sir, in conclusion, it is my earnest hope that this year's Budget will create opportunities for all. All social groups should be able to ride this current wave. In terms of societal unity, the current Budget does concentrate in creating a stronger sense of community among Singaporeans. Clearly, our hearts are where they should be. Sir, I support the motion.”
“In sports, we started the year with a big bang, with 16th January being a glorious date for all football fans. It was the day when we took home the Tiger Cup with a resounding win at home and away. Since its inception in 1996, the Tiger Cup has been a symbol of football supremacy in Southeast Asia and this is the second time that we have taken the silverware home. Sir, we should continue to support sports development and provide the relevant resources for it to grow and the sports industry to gain a respectable footing in the Singapore economy. This is not impossible. As we nurture and support more champions like Remy Ong, the Lions, Li Jia Wei, Mardan Mohamed, Jing Ju Hong and more, these professionals would be role models and success stories for our young. Let me now touch on the arts and creative industry. We must also grow the creative industry because we still have a long way to travel. Establishing the arts school is a positive step but a lot more could be done in this area, in terms of recognition and resources. I would like to see MICA receive more support so as to do a better job in creating our cultural capital. Like education, this is a long-term investment that requires commitment and patience. The results will show in time but, in the meantime, we must persevere and continue to provide more resources. Another important factor I wish to highlight is the need to introduce the arts to our children at a younger age - ideally, during their pre-school years. This is imperative if we are serious about developing talents. Familiarising them much later has been proven to be not as effective, a claim few can refute. I am glad to know that NAFA is now starting a unique pre-school programme that has strong focus on arts and music.”
“There are many worrying trends that come to mind in this changing social landscape that has resulted from globalisation, one of which is the use of drugs and specifically, synthetic drugs, as the new lifestyle comes into practice. This new habit has taken a foothold in our country. It is a clear reflection of changed values, deteriorating values to be more precise. Synthetic drug users now make up 54% of those arrested, while heroin users form 31%. The inclination towards synthetic drugs as opposed to heroin, even though both are equally undesirable, is regarded more fashionable and the majority of the users are in their 20s, in their prime. How tragic. Though the number is still small now, could we afford this - some of our young that is lost to drugs? So, what more could we do in this area? So far, our nation has done well in experimenting with new technologies and new trends to make sure that we remain ahead of the game, life sciences, biomedical engineering, nanotechnology, IC designs, etc, the list could go on. However, we must not be complacent. The old methods and tricks would cease to work after a while. As China and India come to being and continue to rise, so would the nature of challenges that would face us. They would increase in terms of sophistication and levels of playing field. And, when they do, we must be ready and vigilant, not reactive and slow to respond. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am very pleased that sports has been recognised as the fifth charitable purpose. I would like to thank the Prime Minister and the Minister for Finance for this. I believe that this would significantly help promote its importance and help build the sporting community that we envision.”
“It raises quite different expectations and generates comfortable frames of references that could be misleading. This is where the older generation differs. As we know, experience conditions perception. The senior citizens have seen Singapore with few chips at hand, weaker and much more vulnerable. They tend to accept measures that strengthen the common good. The next issue is the difficulty of graduates to get jobs. Although the job market seems to be improving, we still get regular feedback of young graduates struggling to get jobs. The data of last year's statistics are quite telling. In June 2004, some 9,000 graduates were unemployed, about 20% more than two years ago. That works out to about a quarter of Singapore's current annual birthrate. The National University of Singapore said that the number of graduates who did not find jobs within six months after graduation has risen to over 7%. Unemployed graduates from Nanyang Technological University has also increased to 10.9% of the cohort. If our young graduates and talented ones are having difficulties finding jobs, I believe the situation is worse for those without proper qualifications and skills. There are several reasons given to this trend. Besides the usual ones like the foreign influx, job outsourcing and the general economic situation, some say our young Singaporeans are choosy and are not in a hurry to work in the short term. Others say their lack of experience is used against them by employers. Whatever the reasons are, we need to try and overcome this situation, as our graduates would face increasing competition from abroad. Let me now move our attention to another form of threat that potentially could be a major problem for our younger generation.”
“Should we consider increasing social handouts? Is that the way to go? It is unfortunate that there is the perception that as Singapore develops, it is beginning to alienate a group that has fallen behind. The recent proposed changes in the individual tax rates may unintentionally fan this perception, where the lower income bracket receives less or no tax rate reduction, while the reduction of the upper income bracket is 1% over the next two years. Nevertheless, many also realise and are thankful of some of the goodies that have been proposed in the Budget for almost every strata of the society, the lower income inclusive, such as the Edusave, Medisave and CPF account top-ups. I do believe, Sir, that we would never get enough of the handouts and there would always be a segment of our society who feels that more could be given to assist them in this difficult time. If, indeed, this negative perception is left unattended, it may bring about undesirable cracks in our society. Unity is something we would not want to compromise in the long term. Youth potential and challenges. The young, Sir, is our resource. They represent the key of our future. However, having said that, the older generation must not be marginalised. Their experience and knowledge are valuable. The contributions and sacrifices must be mentioned and appreciated. We must concede that, more often than not, the younger generation who sees the prosperity of the present, but fail to appreciate the risk and uncertainty of the past, takes much for granted. Our relatively small economy is fragile and steps must be taken to protect it. We need to be reminded of this time and time again. Prosperity, Sir, is problematic in one respect.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, like many of the hon. Members in this Chamber, I would like to join in the debate on the Budget Statement delivered by our Prime Minister and Minister for Finance. Sir, the 2005 Budget arrived against a backdrop of solid economic expansion that took place last year and Singapore's trade dependent economy grew 8.4%, the strongest in the past four years. Furthermore, this year, we were told that we could expect growth of between 3-5%. As I understood, Sir, the 2005 Budget seeks to refine and improve policies of the previous Budget. I support the need to strengthen the country's economic position by enhancing Singapore's competitiveness in the global market place. It is, in fact, an important focus. The Budget also proposes measures to build an economy that is both dynamic and resilient, while encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit and strengthening the oneness of our society. Similarly, the learning culture we hope to establish is also aimed to help Singaporeans adjust to the perpetual changing economy. Allow me, Sir, to raise some points that I hope the Government would give due attention and resources in the coming financial year. Sir, I believe that one of the major challenges of the Government is greater social redistribution. The economic recession of 2002 and the SARS epidemic have both demonstrated the importance of closing the growing income gap between the growing middle upper class Singaporeans and those who lost out and the under class, when the tide of globalisation hit us. As we know, older and under-qualified workers who, due to the low level of education and other factors, fill the ranks of this blue collar class and their expectations need to be dealt with. How do we deal with the problem of increasing arrears, for instance?”
“Sir, with the permission to set up foreign universities in Singapore like the University of New South Wales, wouldparents be allowed to use their CPF for such universities as it isin the local campus?”
“Any major change in the codes of practice and standards of performance should seek public comment and industry stakeholders' feedback. This would foster transparency in the changes or modifications made to the codes and encourage buy-in from the relevant parties. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, any exemption granted to parties under section 26(5) should be made known to all parties, to prevent exploitation and avoid the appearance of giving preferential treatment to a specific party. If we fail to control the granting of exemptions, we may end up with an environment with differing values of standards and quality. This is one rojak that we would like to avoid. In closing, Sir, it is my belief that the proposed amendment has identified the gaps and made marked improvements and updates in the provision of the Act. As there are revisions and new provisions being introduced, the Authority must help clarify the few ambiguities present in the amended Act. With greater empowerment of the IDA, it must move as a proponent of the industry and be transparent and flexible enough to allow for changes in the fast-paced and liberalised telecommunications industry.”
“To enhance street level and in-building service and coverage, developers may be directed to provide space and facilities in certain buildings to install telecommunication equipment when the authority considers it necessary. Again, here, it would be helpful if land owners can understand the conditions that may lead to such a situation. In addition to this, we should provide assurance that the authority involved is properly advised and technically competent to make such assessment. Can the claims be disputed? These are just a few questions that may arise from some of the quarters. Wherever possible, the telecommunication licensee should install their equipment in the main distribution frame room so as not to tarnish the aesthetics of a building and deprive the developer or owner of valuable space. This would also provide a secure space for the equipment. This provision should also be applicable to other commercial and public spaces, for example, the MRT lines, expressway tunnels and underground shopping centres. In addition to the IDA's role in limiting the amount of space that may be used, IDA should also be empowered to set limits to rentals for equipment room space based on independent assessment of the market rental. This would ensure that transactions that take place between the property owners and the telecommunication licensees are at arms length and would not disadvantage either party. Fifthly, codes of practice and standards of performance. This provision expands the scope of matters for which the IDA may issue a code of practice. As failure to comply to a mandatory provision in such a code of practice is an offence, the authority must ensure that the notification be made as accessible as possible.”
“However, Sir, to remove any uncertainty and provide some comfort to licensees who have paid a substantial amount to secure spectrum rights and licence, it would be good that any change or variation would be expressly subject to reconsideration and appeal under section 69. Secondly, suspension or cancellation of licence. This amendment will allow the IDA to suspend, reduce, restrict or cancel the licence granted based on a widened scope and category of cases and without any compensation. However, the authorities should take into consideration the heavy capital investment in both infrastructure and licence fees upfront payment. There should be some consideration for the cost recovery by the licensees. In this respect, may I propose that this section be amended to allow licensees to dispose or sell the licence to another party if all the conditions to own the licence are satisfied by the buyer. Thirdly, removal or alteration of installation or plant for telecommunications. At the request of the property owner or developer, the public telecommunication licensee shall make reasonable alterations or relocations of telecommunication installation or plants. Sir, the term "reasonable" here is ambiguous and can be potentially contentious. We should clarify what it means to be "reasonable" and provide real situation examples. There should also be some guidelines with regard to the terms and conditions that the licence can impose, especially with regard to the relocation cost or compensation. Once some clarity is provided, we can avoid stalemates between the property owner, developer and public telecommunication licensee. Fourthly, provisions of space or facility or installation, plant or system by direction of Authority.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, since the last review of the Telecommunications Act (TA) done in 1998 and 1999, there have been many structural and environmental changes faced by the telecommunications industry in Singapore and globally. This review is very timely, as there has been no review since the telecommunications market was fully liberalised on 1st April 2000. Currently, we can clearly see that there are numerous operators or licensees offering a myriad of telecommunication services targeted at the different market segments and niches. The revision is necessary to identify and address the issues arising in an increasingly competitive multi-operator, multi-network marketplace. The revision has also been designed to align and incorporate the upcoming regulatory changes in the proposed Telecom Competition Code 2004, Telecom Consolidation Guidelines and the Competition Bill. I would like to congratulate and thank the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, IDA and the other relevant stakeholders in the industry who have participated in the review to ensure that the Telecommunications Act is updated and, progressively, will continue to remain relevant while carefully considering the new market conditions and realities in a fast changing industry. To start, I would like to touch on some of the more consequential developments or amendments on the Bill. Firstly, power to grant spectrum right. This provision in the TA empowers the IDA with the express power to grant, vary, suspend or cancel spectrum rights.”
“I urge the Ministry to look closely on the relevant operating cost per student in all the Government-funded universities, and make sure that the tuition fees charged by the universities are pegged to Government's commitment of funding 75% of the actual cost of the operation of the undergraduates' education. After this debate, I urge the Ministry to check the figures. If I am right, first, the universities do not have the right to increase the tuition fee because it goes against the principle announced in this House when their budgets were approved last year. Second, the Ministry has the moral responsibility to halt the current round of fee hike and reinstate the fees which should be in accordance with the Government's commitment, and not otherwise. On this note, Sir, I support the motion.”
“The impact of SMU's announcement to the students had been so great to the extent that the university's spokesman announced subsequently a one-in-ten financial assistance to the students and, later, announced a part-time job assistance service to help students who find it unaffordable after the fee hike, to find part-time employment to pay for the additional fee hike. In this move of raising the fee, I wonder whether the Ministry and the universities did comply closely with the 25% share of actual operating cost per student as tuition fee committed by the Government during the 2004-2005 Budget. For this purpose, I spent some time to revisit the Budget Book for 2004-2005. I realise that in the Budget, both NTU and NUS disclose their student number, the total operating cost per student, bearing in mind that this total operating cost includes everything - research and other unrelated expenditure relating to undergraduate education - and also the percentage of recovery from the student tuition fee. As a mathematician, I would like to multiply the figures together. When multiplying the student number by the cost per student, I realise that it is higher than the total operating cost provided in the budget for NTU. For NUS, there is a shortfall of 7%. Talking about tuition fee in terms of recovery rate, NTU students pay 28-32.5% of the operating cost. NUS students pay 26-27.2% of the operating cost of NUS. Sir, the figure I mentioned for operating cost is before the deduction of the unrelated undergraduate operating cost. The tuition fee charged already exceeds the 25% set by the Ministry in year 2004-2005. There should be no justification for the present round of fee hike.”