Zainul Abidin Rasheed
Singapore
“I think much has been done as far as recovery is concerned, and the Japanese government itself is now paying due attention to reconstruction. Just at the Jakarta meeting, in fact, there was a lot of sharing of what has been done, and while they are grateful, they also look forward to us working together in terms of the reconstruction.”
“Kelp that he had met Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew when Mr Lee visited Moscow in 1970. Even though then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew at that time showed an interest to learn from the Soviet socialist system, he changed his mind after visiting the Soviet Union and made changes to the political system and the system of governance in Singapore…”
“In my opinion, the measures and programmes to achieve progress are quite visible and numerous. The Community Leaders’ Forum network continues to develop. What else should be given attention to, especially in relation to dysfunctional families and divorce cases?”
“I found the Malay workers in the Middle East very encouraging. This is one of the best opportunities for us in this new area. Finally, the three-prong Government measure is to ensure that every citizen will continue to contribute towards the development of Singapore to ensure that every Singaporean will be given the best opportunity to en…”
“Sir, I believe ASEAN's credibility does not just hinge on Myanmar. ASEAN's credibility has been built over the years and we have shown a lot of credibility in many areas in terms of international relations.”
“As the President has said, when we take advantage of the existing opportunities through globalisation, we must also pay attention to the fact that these new opportunities should not result in a wide income gap.”
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“Obviously, in order to attract more people, we have to bring in new faces, but this is where volunteer management becomes a very important aspect of how we are able to draw some of these people, not only in terms of programmes but to be able to contribute their time and resources to some of the programmes that we conduct. I do agree with him, as I mentioned earlier, that we have to bridge the social classes, and this is where our appeal to the more successful to come forward is indeed something that we will continue to do. Mr Zainul has mentioned specifically about how we root our young in relation to what has happened, ie, 911. Later on, I will touch on what MUIS is trying to do beyond the confines of just the Malay-Muslim community, to reach out to a cross-section of the non-Muslim community, including the young. I hope the hon. Member can bear with me. Finally, with respect to the suggestion by Mr Gan Kim Yong that perhaps a place in Marina Esplanade be set aside for youths, we do have a place in Orchard Road, called the Youth Park, which is meant for our young. Other than physical spaces, I would like to assure Members that opportunities for our young to contribute their ideas are available and continue to increase, eg, the efforts by the Remaking Singapore Committee. The Committee is reaching out to a whole cross-section of people, including our young. The same thing was done during the Singapore 21 exercise in which I was involved. We will reach out to the school students, the polytechnics, the JCs and the universities, to create not only physical spaces but also virtual spaces for them to come forward to contribute ideas and suggestions.”
“The National Volunteer Centre has also been working with the schools to interest their students in community involvement and volunteer projects. I am glad to report that in a recent National Volunteer Centre survey, it was found that almost one-third of those between 15 and 24 years of age have done some form of voluntary work. My Ministry believes that by engaging our youths in discussions and allowing them to turn their ideas into deeds through youth-initiated community projects, we build in them a sense of ownership and belonging. The issue of rooting our young is, of course, a multi-faceted one. Yet, I think it boils down to one thing which Mr Gan has pointed out - creating ties that bind, to friends and families. If we can provide social anchors for our youths, be it through strengthening family ties, education, opportunities for community participation, or simply involving them in more of our discussions, we will be sending a strong signal to our youths that we value them and that they belong to Singapore. I assure Members of the House that my Ministry will continue to work with other agencies to create and sustain these ties. Sir, I have answered most of the queries. I have mentioned about IRCCs. At an appropriate time, we will report on the progress of the various efforts of the IRCCs. Dr Maliki has raised some concerns about whether or not we are going beyond the usual people that we are engaging in. I would like to assure Members that we are also concerned about that.”
“I agree with Mr Zainul that our young is our future, and we recognise that for our youths to become effectively rooted to Singapore, they must be informed and engaged in national issues. They must also feel that they have a stake in our society through active involvement in various programmes. We have, for example, the National Education programme which is conducted by MOE, and the various Government agencies are part of the Government's effort to educate, expose and engage our young Singaporeans. The National Youth Council (NYC) organises and supports programmes, such as the National Youth Seminar, Prime Minister's dialogue with young Singaporeans, the Polytechnic Forum and ITE Seminar, where young Singaporeans can express their views on national issues and play a part in policy making. Sir, I was involved in some of these seminars, and I have found our youths, far from being detached about Singapore, are passionate about some of the issues in Singapore, and they are prepared to raise their ideas without any inhibitions. The Youth Expedition Project organised jointly by the NYC and the Singapore International Foundation brings youths to another country to experience, reflect and discuss issues concerning the country they visit and relate these lessons to Singapore. Such experiences will strengthen their conviction about their roles and obligations towards Singapore. Sir, the CDCs have also created many platforms for the active involvement of our youths in the community. The "Dare to Dream Fund" administered by the Northeast CDC and the "Young Leaders Community Project" by the Northwest CDC and, if I may add, the "High-5 Youth Award" by the Central Singapore CDC are some good examples of ways to attract the young into community involvement.”
“MOF has sought feedback from the public and they are supportive. So my Ministry is working with NCSS and MOF to provide more information online about such best practices so that donors can make more informed decisions. I am also pleased to note that NCSS is helping the Government to set up an online donation portal on the e-Citizen website by the end of this year. The portal will make it easy for people to donate to Institutions of Public Character of their choice. It will also have information about the participating IPCs to help promote more informed giving. Sir, to strengthen community bonding among Singaporeans, we need a good infrastructure and strong voluntary organisations to serve as effective platforms for community participation. However, most importantly, it is people like you and me, who are at the heart of it all, community leaders, volunteers and citizens, stepping forward as active citizens to make a difference to Singapore. Sir, if I can now address some of the specific concerns raised by Members. Both Mr Gan Kim Yong and Mr Zainul Abidin have raised pertinent questions on the rootedness of our youths and how to keep them engaged and young. Mr Gan has made an interesting suggestion of a programme based on passion and participation. Somehow, it did not escape me, but the acronym is PAP! We share the Member's concern, Sir. Indeed, with increased globalisation and ease of connectivity with the rest of the world, our youths will increasingly see themselves as global citizens. This is not a bad thing in itself. It becomes a challenge, however, if their sense of global citizenship replaces or outstrips their attachment and commitment to Singapore.”
“The public will be more confident about supporting charities, if charities demonstrate that they are responsible in fund-raising, and wise and prudent in using the donated funds. Sir, to set the pace, the Community Chest will increase its efforts to reach out to the donor community. ComChest will keep donors regularly updated on its work and the results of their donations. It will continue to give full and transparent accounts of its stewardship of the funds raised. I fully agree with Mr Chew Heng Ching that we must ensure that charities remain accountable and responsible. My Ministry is working closely with the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) to draw up a code of good governance for voluntary welfare organisations this year. NCSS is also developing codes and guidelines for VWOs, covering areas such as programme development, financial accountability and fund-raising practices. NCSS also organises workshops for VWOs on these topics. NCSS is also studying the feasibility of requiring its members to comply with a code on fund-raising practices, in order for the donors to continue to enjoy tax exemption. The code will address many issues including, for example, how to deal with fund-raising appeals that are being made after the target has been achieved. Another issue is fund-raising ethics, eg, the use of children and how children are approached to raise funds for charities. The Government is also working on requiring Institutions of Public Character (IPCs) and charities to place their essential profile and financial information on the Internet. This will give donors and members of the public easy access to information on how donations are disbursed and the types of activities which are being funded and undertaken by the IPCs and the charities.”
“Last year was the International Year of Volunteers 2001, so we had a whole range of programmes. One particularly interesting programme is "Volunteer as a Family" that was promoted by the NVC. So there are many efforts in place. I hope Members can wait until the second survey, when we can do an analysis of the progress of our efforts. Finally, Mr Sin also suggested that in order to promote the sense of volunteerism, we should try and work with the grassroots organisations to build smaller units instead of the RCs. I am sure Members have heard about the Block Representatives. I understand some constituencies have it, some do not. But these are schemes, that I agree with Mr Sin, that we could work towards, forming smaller units, because some of the estates may have grown and, therefore, we need small and nimble units. There is nothing to prevent that from happening. I am sure we could work with PA on how we can further push this process. Sir, in a strong and close-knit society, the more successful must see it as their responsibility to help the less successful. We have many examples of early philanthropists, such as Dato Lee Kong Chian, Dr Lim Boon Keng, the various Arab families, such as the Aljunieds, the Alkaffs and the Alsagoffs, Mr Mohammed Eunos Abdullah, Mr Govindasamy Pillai, and many others who have contributed to the building of modern Singapore. To nurture a supportive environment and charitable giving, my Ministry will work with our partners, such as the National Council of Social Service and the Commissioner of Charities under IRAS, to promote the value of philanthropy, to support informed-giving and to strengthen the accountability of charities.”
“So the NVC will therefore augment, or value add, the CDC's efforts by providing consultancy and advice on volunteer management practices and training. Promoting volunteering is just one of the ways in which CDCs encourage their residents to have a strong sense of ownership in the local community. Sir, let me now move on to the matter of philanthropy. Before that, Mdm Ho has made two specific suggestions, ie, funding for a senior citizens' volunteer group. I mentioned earlier, in my speech, that we have launched a $5 million fund for an active senior citizens programme. Six projects have been approved and these projects are meant to promote specifically inter-generational bonding and to engage our senior citizens. So any group is welcome to submit proposals to this particular project so that they tap the money for the purpose which Mdm Ho has suggested. Let me address another point. Mdm Ho may know that there are already existing senior citizens organisations at the national level, such as RSVP and SAGE. So these are again organisations that could easily tap on the funds which are made available, through the Ministry, to run programmes, to draw upon the volunteers and make sure that they remain active and engaged within the community. 2.00 pm Sir, Mr Sin Boon Ann has also asked what else can be done and what sort of impact have we made after the formation of the NVC. We did a volunteer benchmark survey in 2000. I do not have the results of the survey here. But we will do another survey this year to assess the progress. There are other signs of progress that NVC has made an impact. There is greater awareness, and the media has helped us in terms of promoting some of the good examples.”
“Many volunteers may also find it increasingly difficult, given their time constraints, to commit themselves for too long to any one particular cause or programme. They may have an hour a week, or two days a month, that they can contribute. How do you slot that into the needs of the voluntary organisation is a challenge for all of us. So volunteer host organisations will have to respond creatively to these trends. Therefore, other than attracting more volunteers, a critical challenge that we face is to help the organisations strengthen their capabilities to manage volunteers more effectively, and thereby nurture a culture that appreciates and recognises volunteers. Previously, volunteering means we are spending time on a particular project organised by a VWO. We came forward and gave our time without really knowing the details of the project. Now, we need to better manage those expectations because some of them may not have the luxury of time as some others may have. Sir, the National Volunteer Centre (NVC) works closely with the volunteer host organisations to put in place a good volunteer management practice, for example, through consultancy and training. There are various awards also to recognise volunteers' contributions. At the highest levels, these include the President's Social Service Awards and, of course, the National Day Awards. Sir, the NVC will not replace the CDC, but they will play a complementary role in fostering community bonding. The NVC is actively partnering CDCs to support volunteer-driven programmes at the community level. As a national body, what the NVC will do is to set standards in volunteer management practices and administer national awards for volunteer coordinators and volunteer host organisations.”
“I could cite many heartwarming examples but let me just mention one: Rachel Ong, a very successful young professional, who helped to start a programme called Thumbs Up to help teenagers build their self-esteem and reach their potential. She also roped in her friends, many of whom are busy young professionals, to volunteer with the programme. The programme achieved overwhelming response from over 6,000 students in less than a year. I see people like Rachel and her friends as part of a bridge across the material divide in Singapore. Several Members have raised the point on how we should appreciate the efforts of volunteers. Mdm Ho touched a bit on some of the incentives which are given to National Servicemen. I am not sure whether she is suggesting that we should give tax rebates to volunteers. But I am sure financial incentives are not the only reason why people volunteer their time and resources. How do we actually value and quantify volunteers' time and contributions across the different activities? It is a very difficult question to answer. There are important factors that help volunteers to come forward, such as the supportive family and supportive employers, the desire to contribute, and a fulfilling volunteering experience. Obviously, they must feel fulfilled when they go down to the schools, or to the home, or even helping out in the neighbourhood. People just do not want to feel that they are wasting their time. Today, more educated volunteers seek meaningful volunteering opportunities which capitalise on their skills and they have to fit in with their own work-life commitments because there are other demands on their time.”
“Sir, let me now touch on the second potential area that could affect social cohesion, and that is a growing material divide. As mentioned by some Members in the House, income disparity is inevitable in a globalised economy that pays knowledge workers a premium but where the pay of unskilled workers is constantly being beaten down by cheaper labour elsewhere. Disparity itself is not a bad thing, but a sense of divide can be dangerous. So we need to build bridges and bonds across all levels of society as well as all social classes. We need a culture where the more successful are motivated to "give back to society" and help those who are less successful. Sir, let me now address some of the concerns raised by Members - Mr Charles Chong, Mr Maidin, Mdm Ho and Mr Sin Boon Ann. They have all called for more Singaporeans to be active citizens and to volunteer their time to help those who are less fortunate. First, Mr Charles Chong and Mr Sin Boon Ann have pointed out that our volunteerism rate, which is 9.3%, lags behind some other developed countries. Although this figure looks small, I believe there is a growing interest in voluntary service, and there is a lot of informal volunteering by Singaporeans, such as helping your neighbours, keeping an eye on the house of your neighbour when they are away on holiday, feeding the cat, and the like. These are all not captured in the statistics. So I think this is an under-reporting. More than anything else, we should not be complacent, we should work towards increasing that rate. At the core, the people sector is made up of ordinary people who are moved to do something, big or small, for the wider community.”
“From the best of my knowledge, in terms of the composition, we have been able to attract the non-grassroots organisation type into the IRCCs. But having said that, we are leaving it to the various IRCCs. So you may form an IRCC of 10 members. It does not mean you should stop at 10 members. You can continue to expand and bring in new leaders that you think will be helpful in your IRCC. These IRCCs will play an important role, should there be a crisis, because they will help to maintain calm and manage relations in the community. Schools are also embarking on many activities to promote racial harmony. I believe such cross-cultural appreciation and interaction from young will help to pave the way for bonds and friendships to be cemented across the races. Sir, the effort to get to know one another must take place from the ground up and from the young. And the effort must also be sustained. The learning must start with what each community is all about - the identities, the beliefs, the values and the practices. The learning must cover uniqueness, but more importantly, it must also address commonalities - what are the values and objectives that all communities share that bind us together, in spite of our differences. I would like to share with you an example. I am sure other Members can relate to the same example. Just recently, the Kolam Ayer IRCC organised a group of grassroots leaders and residents to visit the Sri Mariamman Temple and the Taoist Man Sun Fook Tuck Chee Temple, both in Jalan Besar GRC. Participants from different religions found that they all pray for the same thing - harmony, peace, prosperity and happiness. So when we recognise the things that we share in common and hold dear, stronger bonds can be developed.”
“Indeed, the promotion of harmonious communal relations is an on-going journey that all communities in Singapore have to take and we will have to adapt as we go along. The coming of age of a younger generation of Singaporeans means that we need to re-energise our efforts at inter-communal communication, to re-discover each other if need be, especially in relation to what has happened in the last few months. Each community in every generation will have new views, new mindsets, new influences and, maybe, even new blind spots. So we cannot assume that the foundations that underlay the comfort level among older Singaporeans can be understood, appreciated, or even replicated, by different generations. Indeed, a new generation will have to work together to create their own comfort zones and comfort levels. Communal harmony does not mean that each community insisting on having its way. Indeed, all communities must learn to give and to take, and no community should labour under the false impression that they are always the ones having to make concessions. What is needed is an understanding and readiness to accommodate one another in the interest of the greater national good. Sir, this is where I believe the various grassroots organisations, community-based organisations, schools and Inter-Racial Confidence Circles (IRCCs) can play a useful role. In response to our Prime Minister's call, there are now about 38 IRCCs created and they are made up of leaders of different ethnic groups and organisations in the community. They organise programmes to help residents better appreciate one another's culture and religion. By July this year, we hope to form IRCCs in all constituencies. Mr Charles Chong has asked us about the composition and how successful we have been.”
“So, in general, based upon the survey that we had done on attitudes, communal relations look to be good. But of course, you must remember this survey was conducted in the first half of 2001. And foremost in the minds of us, undoubtedly, in Mr Zainul Abidin's mind, events of September 11 and, of course, December 2001 have placed some stresses on our communal relations. My Ministry will be conducting another survey to see whether or not the views have changed. So the first set of surveys will help us to establish the baseline for us to manage or to understand where communal relations are going. Sir, even before the event of September 11, the Survey on Social Attitudes found that, whilst Singaporeans in general are satisfied with communal relations, there is actually one very striking difference - younger Singaporeans were significantly less satisfied with race and religious relations than older Singaporeans above 30 years of age. So we need to understand better the reasons for this generational difference which could be rooted in the life experiences of younger Singaporeans. Sir, I share what Mdm Ho and Mr Maidin have raised that our people are our core aspect of defence. How we, as citizens, respond to the events of late 2001, or indeed to any crisis, such as terrorist attack on our country, would be critical to the test of our cohesion and maturity as a nation. Through the HDB housing policies and efforts by the People's Association and MOE in the community and schools, we have tried to maintain an integrated environment where different races can mingle. The survey findings, I cited earlier, show how our inter-racial ties are good, but I think we need to build more upon this.”
“Let me first describe what I see as the fundamental principles of managing communal relations for the last 40 years. Basically, there are three principles. First, a secular government that "holds the ring" and takes firm action against disruptive elements. Second, equal access to all communities to basic services, that is, education, housing, medical care, and so on. In this way, no one group will feel denied or marginalised. And, third, the principle of meritocracy, where everyone advances by his own merit, not because he belongs to a certain group, race or religion. Sir, this model for maintaining communal harmony has served us well for more than four decades of nation building. A Survey on Social Attitudes commissioned by my Ministry and conducted in the first half of 2001, found that 9 out of 10 Singaporeans were generally satisfied with race relations in Singapore, with the Malays being slightly more likely to be satisfied than the Chinese and the Indians. The Survey also found that a vast majority of Singaporeans, about 97%, thought it was good to have people of different races living in the same neighbourhood. And not only that, 98% of Singaporeans were comfortable with the idea of allowing their children to play with children of other races. There were no significant differences between the different races in this regard. So across-the-board, everyone feels comfortable for their son to play with the son of a neighbour who may come from a different group. Almost 9 in 10, or 89%, of Singaporeans found their neighbours helpful and friendly, and with Malay Singaporeans being slightly more upbeat than their Chinese or Indian counterparts. 82% of Singaporeans thought that they could turn to their neighbours for help in times of need.”
“Sir, let's all be charitable but, I am sure, not with time, I am sure. Sir, we have set ourselves the laudable task and mission of becoming a gracious society. But we all know that we are still far from that target, the Small Kindness Movement notwithstanding. The call for TUP (Toilets Upgrading Programme) and kiasuism are some of the examples to show that we still have some way to progress. But I am very happy indeed to see the Deputy Prime Minister and the Government promoting philanthropy. Yes, let us focus on upgrading ourselves, become more competitive, but we should not inadvertently become less public spirited and more self-absorbed individuals. I agree that we must continue to show our care and concern for fellow Singaporeans, and to contribute as members of our society to worthy projects. Sir, I would just like to add that while the Government in being generous in the new areas which they are offering tax rebates, I would like to also propose that perhaps for those organisations without IPC status, the Government could also consider on a project-to-project basis, worthy projects and good programmes, which I think deserve community support and philanthropy. Perhaps, the Government could also look at them on a case-by-case basis. 1.45 pm Assoc. Prof. Yaacob Ibrahim: Sir, I like to thank Members for all their charitable remarks for MCDS. First, I like to thank Mr Charles Chong and other Members for raising their concerns about social cohesion. We all are equally concerned that this is an important area. But let me try and address this in a larger context before I take some specific issues. As I see it, there are two very important concerns: first, the communal divide, and, second, the material divide.”
“Sir, yesterday I spoke about growing old. It is always a pleasure to talk about the youth, for after all they are our future. Sir, the Ministry of Community Development and Sports has identified one of its objectives as being rooting youth with our shared values. I think that is a very important area, and I am glad that the Ministry has chosen that as one of its key objectives. But I would like to just raise a few questions in the context of shared values "in a different world" which, I think, the Deputy Prime Minister spoke about when he tabled the Budget. We are indeed facing a very different world. More and more of our youths are travelling, studying overseas, and they will imbibe the kind of values which may be quite different from ours. Looking at those kinds of challenges, what are the programmes in place to make us root our youth better to the kind of changing world and, more importantly, the changing Singapore? There are very serious issues the community faces, especially post-911, which, I think, the youth must understand fully, eg, what multi-racialism is about, what are the challenges facing a young society, which is very keen on nation building, especially in the context of our multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore. I would like to ask the Minister to share with us, again, the thinking and the programmes which the Ministry has in terms of what it means by rooting our youth with our shared values.”
“Sir, when we talk about community bonding, normally we turn to social programmes. But the CDCs' experience in the last six months, particularly when we embarked on "jobs, jobs, jobs", it has given another dimension to this idea of community bonding and social bonding, and I would like to call that the "economic glue" to social cohesion. I would like to urge the MCDS to exploit the current economic downturn to better forge bonding and social cohesion among our people. I would like to see the MCDS, for example, to encourage the better-offs, particularly those who have benefited from the IT boom, and those who are knowledgeable in IT knowledge, to impart and work with the other groups, especially those in need of help to promote, not only better dissemination of knowledge but also better bonding. I would be most grateful if the Minister could share with us MCDS' programmes that put into practice this idea of economic glue to social bonding. 1.30 pm”
“I would like to add also that ever since I took over the Chairmanship of MENDAKI, I have asked MENDAKI to examine how work-life initiatives can be introduced, because over 90% of the staff in MENDAKI are females. As regards Mdm Halimah's question about legislation, the Ministry of Manpower is reviewing the Employment Act and related labour legislation with a view to providing greater flexibility to employers to implement flexible work arrangements. We are, however, mindful that legislation could introduce market rigidities. The success of work-life strategies, such as flexible work arrangements, flexible benefits and various employee support programmes, is best ensured when companies are convinced that such programmes are aligned with their business objectives. We are examining this matter in consultation with our tripartite partners. Currently, organisations adopt work-life friendly practices as a business imperative. I am pleased that for this year's Family Friendly Firms Award, 435 organisations, compared to 344 in 2000, responded to Phase 1 of the process, which is to assess the extent of family friendliness. Of these, two-thirds have less than 200 employees. So, even the smaller companies are coming forward, realising that work-family arrangements are actually ideal and suitable for the modern economy, and will help them in terms of their bottom-line and productivity. The encouraging response shows their recognition of the importance of work-life effectiveness on the bottom-line. As aptly put by a US work-life expert, who was here last week and I had a chance to meet her, I quote her, with her permission, "When work is effective, life benefits. When life is working, work benefits." Sir, I think it is 7 o'clock.”
“Changing mindsets of both employers and employees takes time. We need to build the local business case to convince employers about the benefits of being work-life friendly. My Ministry will continue to work with new champions and explore new channels to reach out to more CEOs and HR practitioners. Ms Irene Ng has suggested that the public sector take the lead in pushing for work-life practices. Let me address some of the things that she has raised. The public service has already allowed Ministries and Departments to adopt flexible work arrangements provided there is no drop in service levels or increase in manpower cost. Depending on the nature of work, applications for telecommuting are also considered. So we have, for example, in my Ministry and some other Ministries, alternate Saturday off. Some people have come back and do part-time work. Since 1987, married female officers with children may apply to work part-time, up to a period of three years, subject to a yearly review. So we can make those adjustments. Other work-life friendly provisions include maternity and paternity leave and full-pay unrecorded child sick leave. In addition, married female officers are eligible for up to four years of no-pay leave if their children are below four years of age. Sir, I would like to add also that many companies have come on board. Personally, I think this is a very good programme. Those who are here, who are from the private sector, may want to consider this as an alternative, and they could discuss with their HR professionals on how work-life initiatives can be adopted.”
“The family's position, as the primary provider of care and support to members, will come increasingly under stress. Sir, the Government recognises this dilemma. There is a need to balance the demands of life and work on Singaporeans. Our challenge is to facilitate Singaporeans in the pursuit of their aspirations, with regard to work and family, of preserving the quality of family life and maintaining Singapore's economic and social fabric. Work-life practices enable working parents to spend more time with their children. Also, singles will have more opportunities for personal aspirations, socialising and attending to the needs of their family members. Sir, Ms Irene Ng has asked what more can be done to push companies in the direction of work-life programmes. This requires a multi-pronged approach. In the first place, companies must be convinced that adopting work-life programmes, such as flexible work arrangements and employee support programmes, are aligned with their business objectives. My Ministry has taken a proactive approach by setting up the Work Life Unit (WLU) in September 2000 to promote a work-life friendly culture in Singapore. We partner MOM, SNEF and NTUC to organise the biennial Family Friendly Firm Award (FFFA), which is aimed at recognising companies for their pro-family efforts. This year will be the third run of the Award. The Unit networks and collaborates with partners such as the Employer Alliance on Work and Family, which is a group of Family Friendly Firm Awardees, the Health Promotion Board, the Economic Development Board, business associations and MNCs to champion the work-life issue. In addition, the Unit produces resource materials to guide organisations on how to implement work-life strategies and flexible work arrangements.”
“First, I would like to clarify that juvenile delinquency has been on the decline in the last five years. The number of juveniles who were arrested and charged fell by 30% in the period of 1997 to 2001. We also see a decline of 37% in the number of juvenile offenders admitted to the homes in the same period. A continuum of treatment options is available for different types of juvenile offenders. Those who have committed less serious offences are placed in voluntary welfare homes. Those who have committed more serious offences and need more intensive supervision and discipline are placed in MCDS' juvenile homes, and these are the Boys' Home and the Toa Payoh Girls' Home. Within the MCDS' juvenile homes, we segregate residents who are more vulnerable from those who are older and higher-risk offenders. So there is some form of segregation. My Ministry adopts a multi-discipline approach in rehabilitating juvenile offenders. Upon admission, a juvenile offender is assessed to identify his strengths, weaknesses and his propensity to re-offend. My officers then work with the juvenile and his family to draw up individualised care plan. The plan maps out the rehabilitation needs of the juvenile to enhance his success in rehabilitation. Sir, I would like to assure Mr Ahmad Magad that my Ministry takes every step to ensure that each resident in our Homes is given the appropriate rehabilitative treatment to develop him or her into a socially responsible individual. Like Mr Ahmad Magad, we are concerned about recidivism. Sir, let me now turn to how else my Ministry intends to support the Singapore family. Many speakers have talked about balancing work and life. Let me address this. As the Singapore economy restructures, work patterns will change.”
“MCDS also uses attitudinal surveys and studies to supplement the "hard" numbers. Dr Maliki also asked about the remedial programmes for families that inadvertently break up. No matter how effective our preventive and development programmes can be, there would be families needing additional support. Hence, remedial programmes, targeted at families already in distress, are another priority for MCDS. Violence and marital problems are two major reasons why families break up. My Ministry drives and administers the mandatory counselling programme for family violence cases referred by the Family Court. We also work with the community to implement programmes to help couples consider alternatives before resorting to divorce proceedings. Family Service Centres and specialised counselling centres are our key partners. Some questions have been asked as to whether our programmes are effective. I would like to assure Members of the House that my Ministry puts in a lot of efforts to ensure that the programmes remain relevant and effective. For example, we have been working with the National Council of Social Service and Voluntary Welfare Organisations to put in place a Programme Evaluation System (PES) to help us evaluate and ensure the effectiveness of the programmes. This is a programme that we are working with the VWOs. It is being rolled out now, so that at the end of the day, the VWOs who are the social deliverers of such programmes can assess as to whether or not their programmes are effective. Before I move on to the next point, let me just address questions raised by Mr Ahmad Magad in relation to rehabilitation. Mr Ahmad Magad has asked about the well-being of young offenders in the juvenile homes.”
“But, nonetheless, one idea being studied, as Mrs Yu-Foo has suggested, is to privatise or let the private or people sector do direct services. SDU will then have a promotional and policy role. We will study in what way we can basically work better with the private sector or even other bodies, who are not necessarily from the private sector but from the people sector, to carry out SDU and SDS' work. Just to add, for example, in the Malay-Muslim community, part of the work is being done by the Muslim Religious Council where they take a slightly different approach - they work through informal networks and partners. So, we will try whatever that is needed in order to make sure that our efforts at encouraging people to get married remain successful. Mrs Yu-Foo has also raised the issue of abortion. I agree with her that abortion is a highly personal decision. Let me assure the Member that there are sufficient resources and measures in place to assist families who want to and are able, with a little bit of help, to care adequately for a child. They can seek assistance at community and voluntary welfare organisations, such as the Family Service Centres. As for abortion counselling, we, together with the Ministry of Health, can look into the issues raised. Dr Maliki has asked how our families are faring. A benchmark Study on the Singapore Family, conducted in 1999, showed that families in Singapore are still generally healthy. We probably have to update the study. But, at least, in 1999, the data showed that things are still all right with the Singapore family. Dr Maliki has also asked about outcome indicators. As a Ministry, MCDS is guided by macro indicators such as Total Fertility Rate, General Marriage Rate, General Divorce Rate.”
“It is now trying to conceive again, so that it can deliver again. Sir, she also mentioned about the social policies of Denmark, Norway and other countries. I agree with her that their benefits are indeed generous. Denmark, for example, spends heavily on day-care facilities for children and different types of family and child allowances. But, we must remember that in Denmark, total public expenditure represents about 60% of their GDP, and the social sector alone accounts for about 15% of GDP. We do not have such a budget. How do they finance this? Although their personal tax on income is not high, their value-added tax is as high as 25%. So, can one imagine if we were to raise GST in Singapore to 25%? Mrs Yu-Foo also mentioned that it could be timely to review the "Have three or more, if you can afford it" policy. I believe that the intent behind the policy is still valid, ie, couples who have large families must be willing and must be able to take care of their children. So we have to signal to families that there is a cost involved in having children and, if you can afford it, why not? The problem, I agree, is to convince the middle income and the well-to-do that they need not stop at two. I think it boils down primarily to values and expectations, which changing a slogan simply would not help. If our Singaporeans have a more holistic and balanced definition of success, they might welcome more children. Mrs Yu-Foo may also like to know that we are currently reviewing the Social Development Unit (SDU), and privatisation is one of the possibilities. I do not necessarily agree that the private sector can do a better job than the Government.”
“I hope Members can recall what the Baby Bonus scheme is all about. For the 2nd child, we give the parents some money, and if they have a 3rd child we give them a bit more money for the next 6 years, because we want to help them. We are committed to creating a total environment conducive to raising a family. So we do not merely throw money at the problem of declining fertility. Our efforts include promoting family-friendly work practices, developing more and better quality childcare centres, public education, among other support services. My Ministry will continue to try and reduce the obstacles to marriage and having children. The Government, however, Sir, can only do so much. Ultimately, it has to be a community effort involving employers, religious leaders, people sector groups, the media, parents, grandparents, friends, MPs, and an individual effort. Employers, for example, must understand that their employees are not just units of production. Numerous studies have shown that an employee who can balance his work and family well will be a loyal, highly energised and productive employee who can contribute significantly to the company's bottom-line. 6.45 pm However, at the end of the day, individuals must want to marry and have children, and be prepared to make compromises. One cannot expect to be compensated by the Government for every sacrifice made for his or her family. The gratification and joy that come with marriage and family are what make these sacrifices worth it. Mrs Yu-Foo has asked about the work of the Ministerial Committee on Marriage and Procreation. The Committee, as Members know, is a standing one. It will give periodic reports and updates at appropriate forums. I would like to remind her that the Ministerial Committee delivered once in August 2000.”
“This is also one of the reasons why we set up the Public Education Committee on the Family, which was chaired by former Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Mdm Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, and now currently chaired by Minister of State, Mr Chan Soo Sen. Mrs Yu-Foo has asked about the 70 recommendations of the Public Education Committee on the Family. The recommendations are categorised under four thrusts. Let me remind her: (1) Imbuing the young with positive values towards the family; (2) Reinforcing marriage as a lifelong commitment; (3) Promoting family life and Family Life Education for all; and (4) Creating a Family Friendly Environment. Sir, as you can see, the recommendations cover the entire spectrum, from the young to those who are married, to those who are getting married, and also to creating an environment which is conducive for family. My Ministry will prioritise these recommendations according to whether they are impactful, and can be institutionalised over the next ten years; can be integrated into the lifestyle of Singaporeans; and can be sustained by community partners and other service providers in the long run. In other words, Sir, we are not just going to run the programmes, and then after that stop. But we want to find ways in which the programmes can be integrated, first, with some of our partners and, second, how we can make this as part of the lifestyle of Singaporeans. Sir, I now want to turn to the topic that is of concern to us all, and that is of marriage and procreation. I am glad that Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon has given me the opportunity to raise this subject. She mentioned that despite generous financial assistance, the number of births has remained low. Let me make two points here, Sir. First, our package of measures go beyond the Baby Bonus.”
“Therefore, I agree with Mr Maidin that we should expend more efforts on family life education for our young and couples intending to marry. Sir, I am pleased to inform Mr Maidin that MCDS and the Ministry of Education have recently launched the School Family Education Programme. This programme is my Ministry's latest initiative to make family life education resources available in schools for the benefit of parents, students and teachers. Students will be taught core values about family life. So they are exposed to what family life is all about, and their parents and teachers can pick up skills for parenting and maintaining work-life effectiveness. Since January this year, the School Family Education programme has been piloted at four schools, with financial support by three Community Development Councils and MCDS. The programme has so far attracted a total of 9,000 participants, including 3,000 parents from varied income backgrounds. My Ministry expects to extend the programme to more schools next year. The importance of involving children in family education is highlighted in our National Family Week this year. Children, as we know, play a key role in reaching out to their parents, and encouraging them to attend parenting programmes and bringing family life materials from school to home. Activities involving parents and children will be emphasised. I also agree with Mr Maidin on the importance of marriage preparation. The importance of preparing for marriage and equipping oneself with skills to stay married is frequently reinforced in the various public communication platforms that MCDS uses. These include TV programmes, advertisements, press coverage and other similar platforms.”
“In a more competitive environment, parents face work-life tensions, as they strive to fulfil their work and familial responsibilities. Often, it is the kids or children who feel the brunt of their stress. Sometimes people even decide not to have children because of this. Hence, I would like to thank Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon for her passionate appeal for us to help families, Mr Maidin for his well-thought views, and Dr Maliki for raising a number of key issues on the family. I think, like them, I believe we should never lose sight of the value of the family as one of the key building blocks of our Singapore society. Sir, many family problems could perhaps have been avoided if only the families had been aware of the problems earlier and acted on them. This is why my Ministry believes in equipping families with the skills and knowledge to strengthen their family life. Our approach is both developmental and preventive. A key developmental strategy is the promotion of family life education. Families can pick up family life education materials in public libraries, resource corners, such as the `Family Connections' set up in December last year at NTUC Downtown East Resort. Early intervention is the crux of the preventive strategy. This is especially important for families that are at risk. A good example is the Healthy Start Programme which I mentioned earlier, which helps to identify families with babies and young children who may need help. As I said earlier, the programme has shown some promising results. We are expanding it, but we will study it very carefully, because we want to make sure that by helping early we can prevent future problems.”
“Some of the experiences that we have gathered from overseas, when we studied some of these social safety net programme, show what we called "bunching" in terms of many workers all of a sudden becoming unemployed when they meet the minimum criteria to be eligible for the insurance. So, they try and play the system in that sense, because they know there is a supporting network. Just like the EDRS, some came forward because they feel they are entitled, because they want to get the $200. Our view is that an unemployment insurance system may not be sustainable, especially in times of a prolonged economic downturn. I will go back to the first prong of the social safety net, which is to link all of the assistance programmes that we have to job matching and job counselling. We know that some of the CDCs have started this work, but we hope we will be able to make this as a formal arrangement, where possible, to bring the person back to work as quickly as possible. At the same time, Members will appreciate that there have been reports in the papers, and even in this House, about some families who are not willing to take up the job, because that is not the kind of work that they are used to, or not the pay that they want to enjoy. So adjustments will have to be made, and we will continue to do our best to ensure that the matching is done optimally and families are being helped. Sir, if I can move on to the next section, which is the Singapore Family. Many have spoken about the need to strengthen the family, and I think we could not agree more with all the Members who have spoken up. Sir, all of us recognise that the family is operating in a more complex environment. Globalisation and technology have changed the way we work and live. For many, material life goals take priority.”
“Some of the problems that CDC case workers have communicated back to us, through the Mayors and the general managers, are that, as I mentioned earlier, sometimes they are not at home, they are not contactable. More recently, we have written to all MPs that whoever may want to ask the Government to assist some of these families, to provide contact numbers so that we can reach them much faster. In terms of the percentage of cases approved, as I mentioned earlier, for IFAS we have about 46% for FY 2001. This is about 4,238 cases approved out of 9,216 applicants. I mentioned earlier about the case load in the CDCs. This is about 45 cases per month. More often than not, the kind of work that they deal with the families, I am sure Dr Maliki too will appreciate, is complicated and complex. It is not just a simple financial problem. There could be other related cases. So what the case workers have done is to intervene and refer some of these cases to Family Service Centres and VWOs. We assist where we can in terms of financial assistance, and we do a lot of referral cases downwards, towards the VWOs and the other agencies. Mr Sin Boon Ann has talked about unemployment insurance as a possible suggestion. I think we will all agree that if we have unemployment insurance, it will perhaps go against the interest of workers. Now, with companies paying retrenchment benefit, based on the number of years the worker has been with the company, companies will think twice about retrenching workers. Also, at the end of the day, like all support systems, it can be subject to abuse and lead to an erosion of work ethics.”
“The assurance that I would like to give to the Member is that, even after EDRS has been stopped, and I am not saying that it will be stopped, because PA will have to review this as we look at how the economy recovers, and I accept his point that there could be a lag between economic recovery and job creation, the schemes which are in place - welfare schemes run by the CCs and the Interim Financial Assistance Scheme by the CDCs - could be tweaked to fit the new economic conditions, in order to help those who may still need help. Dr Maliki also asked about the number of families who have received EDRS and what proportion who returned for more help. So far, about 10,300 cases have been approved. This is, of course, smaller than the number of cases who have applied. As you know, many people think that EDRS is an entitlement, so people who have been out of job, or the elderly, have come forward and demanded their $200. But we have approved only 10,300 cases so far, and it has cost Government $4.13 million. We are not able to provide the proportion of numbers who came back for help. As you know the EDRS cycle is now moving only into its 2nd cycle. We will continue to monitor the number of cases. If the cases do jump up, I think we will have to do something about it. With job-matching, Sir, as I have suggested earlier, IFAS, which is now without any condition, but once we link it to job matching and job counselling, this will help them to tide over their crisis and solve their key problem, which is being out of a job. In terms of the IFAS cases that Dr Maliki enquired about the turn-around time, roughly, we are talking about an average of four weeks for a straightforward case, but complicated cases can take 8-10 weeks.”
“It is always difficult to get in touch with them. So I would like to assure you, Sir, that we will continue to reach out to those at the bottom, because they need more help. Sir, public assistance rates are pegged to the minimum household expenditure. So, we must ensure that whatever that we do, Singaporeans continue to be able to at least enjoy that level of standard of living. Mr Gan has a proposal, ERAS, as a loan scheme to replace the EDRS. Sir, MCDS used to have a loan scheme to help needy cases set up small personal business efforts, such as school canteen operations, and the like. The scheme, however, was unsuccessful. For one reason or another, the businesses did not take off, and the loans were never returned. We are of the view that loans will be better administered by financial institutions who can assess and advise on the setting up of these small businesses. But I assure the Member that even after the economy has recovered, there will be assistance schemes in place, either at the CDCs or at the CCCs. As Members may know, every week MPs will receive requests from residents, and I know from my own experience in Jalan Besar GRC, we will activate a network of grassroots leaders to go out and assess what are the needs of this particular person, be it school children's education, utilities and what have you.”
“The CDCs are also receiving requests from non-rental dwellings, mostly the smaller HDB purchased flats because of the recession and retrenchments. About 65% of the recipients under the Public Assistance Scheme are aged 70 years and above. On the other hand, 67% of those receiving help under the Interim Financial Assistance Scheme (IFAS) are below 50 years old, and about 34% of the IFAS recipients have below secondary qualifications. 6.30 pm Finally, Sir, in terms of processing time, the CDCs took an average of four weeks for straightforward cases, while complicated cases took about 8-10 weeks. Dr Maliki also raised the concern about whether CDCs will have enough resources to basically deal with these cases. I just like to assure Dr Maliki that we are in constant contact with the CDCs, especially with the Mayors, who understand better what are their needs, and how best we can assist in terms of meeting some of these demands. In fact, this morning I had a meeting with the Mayors for one particular project, and most of the Mayors informed me that most of their workers are out in the field, talking to parents and families, in order to assist them directly and quickly. Mr Sin Boon Ann has made some other suggestions, eg, we should do more to help the genuine needy who are unable to work, single mothers and the elderly; for MCDS to set a minimum standard of living, some form of unemployment insurance; and families on PA should be regularly counselled and not made to feel like beggars. I assure Mr Sin that the last thing we want to do is to make Singaporeans feel that they are like beggars. In fact, more often than not, we have difficulty reaching out to some of these people. Secondly, when we do contact them, and we offer assistance, we try to follow up with some programmes.”
“The local community, the private sector, the people sector and the Government will need to work together to expand the network of resources to help families and individuals in need. Long-term Government assistance is directly extended where the individual is unable to work, and the family is unable to provide adequate support. Sir, within this social safety net, every individual and family in genuine need will be helped, either financially or by other means. Sir, Dr Maliki has asked about how CDCs have been coping with the administration of the various financial assistance schemes and about the profile of the people seeking assistance. The CDCs have seen an increase in the number of applications for financial assistance since they took over the administration of social assistance functions from the Ministry of Community Development and Sports. Prior to that delegation, each social assistance officer used to handle on average about 15 cases per month. Now, each officer handles as many as 45 cases per month. This was mainly due to the economic downturn as many retrenched Singaporeans are coming to the CDCs for the Interim Financial Assistance and job placement services. There has also been greater awareness of the availability of the social assistance schemes due to extensive media publicity. As the CDCs are on the ground and thus more accessible, this has also resulted in more people coming forward to apply for the assistance. The CDCs have helped almost 15,000 beneficiaries with financial assistance amounting to $9.5 million between April 2001 and March 2002 through the Government's social assistance schemes. In addition, the CDCs also disburse another $670,000 through their local financial assistance schemes. About 76% of the beneficiaries are HDB dwellers.”
“Given greater public funding and increased public expectations about accountability, as well as service quality, VWOs will need to improve their governance, as well as service delivery structures. To this end, especially for clearer accountability, my Ministry will spell out service standards and other requirements in service agreements between MCDS and the voluntary welfare organisations this year. Furthermore, to assist the voluntary welfare organisations on their journey towards greater professionalism and enhanced service to their clients, my Ministry and the National Council of Social Service will provide extensive support to them through training, consultancy and other initiatives. MCDS is also working with the Ministry of Manpower and the National Council of Social Service on a pilot Strategic Manpower Conversion Programme to provide the necessary training for mid-career people to move into the social service sector, initially as social workers and social work aides. This will help to address the current shortage of skilled social service personnel and, at the same time, provide employment opportunities in the social service. Sir, I would like to take this opportunity again to re-affirm the fundamental principles underlying our social safety net. First, the family remains the first line of care and support for its members. As many Members have spoken, we acknowledge that the family is under pressure, and I will be addressing this later. But the "family first" principle still holds, and any assistance given should not supplement the family's care-giving role. The Many Helping Hands principle remains just as relevant, if not, more so, given the challenges ahead and the widening range of needs.”
“My Ministry will continue to find ways to step up publicity efforts and our partners, whether childcare operators, social service agencies, Community Development Councils, Members of Parliament and families themselves - all have an important role to play in ensuring that low-income families utilise available childcare services to better their children's development. Mr Charles Chong has also asked about help for student care. With MCDS' subsidies, families earning at or below $1,500 per month need only pay between $42-$60 per month, depending on whether the centre is school-based or located away from the school. My Ministry will periodically review these rates. Sir, the third prong of our strategy to strengthen the social safety net is to upgrade the social service sector, to improve the effectiveness and the range of social services. We need to develop the capabilities of the social services sector. The voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) are a linchpin of the social service sector. Many of them run programmes for the community. To help upgrade their services, my Ministry will provide more financial support to VWOs. This amount will be channelled into two directions. First, MCDS will increase the recurrent funding to programmes run by VWOs by $7 million each year. This will certainly improve the depth and the breadth of the services provided by our VWOs. Second, my Ministry will set up a VWO Capability Fund with $30 million over five years to support areas such as training, development of new services, organisational development and the adoption of info-communications technology. These are some of the things that we will do in terms of funding to help our social service sector build up capabilities to deal with the current problems that we are facing.”
“My Ministry plans to extend the pilot to cover "at risk" children up to six years old, and to more Family Service Centres. This initial phase will be evaluated before new plans are developed. Last year, my Ministry enhanced the Centre-based Financial Assistance for Childcare (CAFC) Scheme to make childcare programmes more affordable for low-income families. We enhanced the subsidy levels in the CFAC Scheme to provide between $170-250 for children from low-income families. Families from the lowest-income bracket are eligible to receive the highest amount of subsidy and need only pay as little as $20 a month in childcare fee. This year, the Community Assistance Fund will set aside $2 million to subsidise childcare under the Centre-based Financial Assistance for Childcare Scheme. Dr Maliki has asked some questions about the utilisation rates of the Centre-based Financial Assistance for Childcare Scheme and what efforts will be taken to encourage more from the low-income families to take up the Scheme. Dr Maliki might like to know that in FY2001, the CDCs, who are administering the scheme, received nearly 1,000 applications. Of these, about 85% were approved. In terms of applications and approvals, this has been the highest attained thus far. Last year, MCDS officers targeted publicity at the service providers - the childcare operators, CDCs, Family Service Centres and self-help groups, as they are in touch with low-income families. We will try to extend this network as much as possible.”
“Mr Charles Chong has rightly pointed out the need for access to good child care. Poor early development is indeed a high risk factor in disadvantaged children faring worse in later life, and perpetuating the poverty cycle. Many who apply for short-term financial assistance now have young dependants. As far as possible, we should try to prevent these children from becoming the structurally unemployed of the future. Our challenge, therefore, is to help children from lower-income families access and benefit from educational opportunities available in Singapore. Several Members have also mentioned that studies show that early childhood education, especially for children from low-income families, is crucial to giving them a good foundation for learning and overall development, so that they can be prepared for school and, in the future, employment. Sir, for the past two years, my Ministry has been collaborating with Ang Mo Kio Family Service Centre to pilot an early intervention case management programme to detect and strengthen these families. The programme, called Healthy Start, initially focused on families with infants and young children up to two years old. The programme provides good grounding for the family to uplift itself by helping parents improve their skills and knowledge of child development, linking them to relevant community resources and services and extended family networks, and enhancing their family functioning through casework and counselling. So we catch them early, give them assistance, build up self-reliance within the parents so that they can run programmes at home on their own, and where they need assistance, they know where to turn to. We close the information gap. We provide skills for the parents. The pilot has shown some very promising results.”
“This may mean adapting to a new job, or a job that does not pay quite as well as the old job. Sir, there will always be needy Singaporeans who have no means of subsistence and are unable to support themselves due to old age, illness or some other adverse circumstances. They will need long-term care and support from the Government and the community. The Public Assistance Scheme (PA) is their main source of financial support. The Ministry last reviewed the Public Assistance rates in January last year, and in the light of higher costs that may arise from the GST increase, we are revising the rates again. The new rates will be announced towards the end of this year. Members would be aware that the CDCs also supplement the Government's schemes with their own local schemes to assist those at the margins who need help, but who may not qualify for the Government's assistance schemes. Mr Sin Boon Ann has mentioned a few examples of Singaporeans who would like to work but are unable to do so and yet, still need to support their families. My Ministry will look into the needs of these families at the margins, and how the appropriate group can be identified and reached without creating an entitlement mentality. Sir, I would like to re-emphasise that the family is still the first line of care and support for its members. In assessing applications for financial assistance, whether it be Public Assistance or the short-term Interim Financial Assistance Scheme (IFAS), case workers in the CDCs will look at the merits of each case as a whole. The CDC case workers have some flexibility in helping deserving cases, particularly those affected by job loss and those requiring short-term aid. Sir, my Ministry's second thrust is to help the next generation stay out of the social safety net.”
“But my Ministry recognises that many lower-income Singaporeans are also lowly skilled and hence more vulnerable to losing their jobs as a result of economic restructuring. They also have little savings and limited assets to fall back on when a family crisis such as retrenchment strikes. Mr Gan has raised concerns over the adequacy of the Economic Downturn Relief Scheme. He has made some suggestions. I will address that later. Some Members also asked if more can be done to help individuals in need, be they older or less skilled workers, or even some displaced mid-level executives. Sir, work is still the best form of welfare. The longer a worker remains unemployed, the more difficult it will be for him to find work subsequently. We need to help him get back to work as quickly as possible. Today, the Interim Financial Assistance Scheme (IFAS) helps distressed Singaporeans with a short-term grant of three months in the first instance. There are no explicit conditions attached. To ensure that the help being given is effective, the grants will now be packaged with job counselling, job search and skills training plans. Recipients will be helped with IFAS grants for the first three months, and extendable by another three months if they are still unable to find work. MCDS will work with the Ministry of Manpower and the five CDCs to help cases in need transit as quickly back to work as possible. Sir, the above approach highlights a key principle of our social safety net, that is of "mutual obligation". While the community and the Government will try their best to help those in need, Singaporeans who have landed on the safety net must also recognise that their welfare and families' well-being are best secured through gainful employment, and they need to help themselves climb out.”
“First, economic restructuring and our move towards a knowledge-based economy will certainly put more workers at risk of structural unemployment or under-employment. Second, as has been mentioned by some speakers, demographic and social trends, such as smaller families, nuclear families and, of course, an aging population, will test the tenet of family as the first line of support. There is no doubt that with the economic downturn and restructuring, more Singaporeans, particularly our older and less-skilled workers, are in need of short-term financial assistance while they look for work. Last year alone, the Community Development Councils approved about 4,200 applications for short-term assistance, a 7-fold increase over the previous year. We need to ensure that those in genuine need receive effective and timely assistance, without creating an entitlement mentality and eroding the work ethics. 6.15 pm Sir, to address these challenges, my Ministry will put in place a three-prong strategy to strengthen the social safety net. First, we will review the policy design of the social safety net to ensure a right level and kind of help is given. Second, we will put in place programmes to help children from lower-income families access educational and development opportunities. Third, we will continue to build up the capability of the social service sector to deliver effective services to help those in need. Allow me, first, to explain the policy design of the social safety net. Our social assistance schemes are meant to help the most vulnerable or weakest in society. This is in line with our philosophy of self-reliance. Those who can help themselves and their families should do so.”
“I think we should find ways to tap their expertise and make them feel more useful. Although they may have reached retirement age, they can still contribute to society in various ways to make them more productive in part-time work, or in terms of helping out in community service. The final point I would like to make is this question of preparing for the aged should not be done when people are already retired. I think they should start early. And one way to achieve that is to have this blend of the not-so-old with those who are aging. In that way, we can make the younger people realise the need to prepare for aging and also to understand the problems faced by those who are already aging. This blending or bonding between the not-so-old and those who are aging would provide a very important learning curve for both age groups, and that will help us in preparing for our greying era. The Acting Minister for Community Development and Sports (Assoc. Prof. Yaacob Ibrahim): Sir, first, I would like to thank all Members who have, in one way or another, supported the work of MCDS and its related agencies. Let me address some of the key issues first before I take some of the specific issues. Mr Charles Chong has raised some very thoughtful concerns about the ability of our current social safety net to help our low-income families cope with the changing social and economic realities. Sir, if the House allows me, let me explain how my Ministry is strengthening the social safety net in order for us to help needy Singaporeans. Sir, a net that was designed to hold a light weight needs to be strengthened to bear a heavier load. Our social safety net was designed for a full-employment economy. It is now coming under increasing strain, and two major forces are at play.”
“Sir, after 10 days of Committee of Supply debates, one does feel that he ages a little! But in order not to give you more stress, I will try to keep my speech brief. Sir, when I reached 40, I thought it was the prime of my life. I thought I had a whole life in front of me. But before we knew it, we have reached 50. And, now, at 54, if it were 10 years ago, I would have been thinking about retirement at 55. But, alas, no. We now have to worry about what we have to do for maybe the next 10, if not 15 or 20 years. The point I would like to make is that there is a definite change in profile of aging. The people who are aging today are different from those who aged before. And there are certain policies which we have carried out earlier on, eg, 2-child family, may have an impact on the parents of today, with smaller families. Thus, many parents who are aging now are also facing a kind of loneliness. This shifting of retirement age from 50 to 55, to 62 and to 67, will also have an impact in the kind of programmes that we will need to prepare our society for the greying era. I was in Japan 20 years ago and I remember that, in fact, the Japanese had very extensive programmes - surveys and programmes were carried out. I am sure that Singapore can also learn from such more established communities and societies. I would like the Minister to share with us what approach the Ministry has taken in terms of learning from others' experiences, which are the countries that we have been to, so as to look at their profiles of aging, and what kind of programmes would be relevant to our needs. On the question of the changing profile of the aged, we should also realise that they are better educated, the point mentioned by Mr Maidin earlier on.”
“Sir, heritage should be everyone's hub, especially for a country as economically successful, global and cosmopolitan as Singapore. Singapore should be proud to have a Malay Heritage Centre to complement that of the Indian and Chinese. It is after all a national heritage. I will just go to the question, Sir. Could MITA share its thinking on the project and explain how it assesses the progress made and its direction? How will a National Heritage Board and other related agencies under MITA and Government agencies like URA, Land Office and STB help the MHFC make the project viable and a success?”
“Mr Chairman, if Mr Ang Mong Seng is not going to crow on the other cut, I would like to inform the Minister that he did not answer my question about the tender system.”
“Sir, I hate to be a pest. My cut is still on mosquitoes. I would like to compliment the Ministry of the Environment for being very proactive. In fact, even before I raise the cut, my question has been answered. You can see from the Straits Times, they did a very good job, about the $100 million war on infectious diseases and bio-terrorism. More than that, they even have a very good expose about what has been done to battle this problem about the mosquitoes and other pests. I would like to just briefly talk about more bites with a hotter weather. I think that is still a problem with El Nino and we can expect a lot more mosquitoes. In fact, some residents are exasperated with this problem to the point that each time when I go on house visits, I always get feedback that the children have been bitten by mosquitoes. In fact, one resident has even sent me a collection of about 200 mosquitoes. It looks like a piece of artwork. But this is just to show how desperate they were. I have given this feedback to my colleague, Mayor Othman, and the ENV apparently has acted on it. They do act fast. But what can ENV do to help alleviate this problem, especially when the weather gets hotter and the El Nino strikes?”
“I would like to urge ENV to take all measures and steps necessary to make sure that sensitivities are taken care of during the exhumation exercise. I also learn that the contract for providing of columbariums is also done on a tender basis. Is ENV confident that such a method would not lead to escalating prices so much so people might then say, "even to die, not cheap".”
“Sir, I am often reminded that as an MP and Mayor, one must keep close to the ground. I agree. But that is not the only reason why I have this cut on cemeteries. Sir, it is a serious matter of life and death. It is laden with emotions and thus needs sensitive handling. Nevertheless, to moderate emotions with realities, allow me to quote what Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew said sometime back when asked about the reuse of the Kampong Java cemetery land. SM Lee said, "We have done enough for the dead. Let's worry for the living". Today, we have the KK Women and Children Hospital on the same site, delivering more lives and healthcare for the children. Sir, I would like the Minister to explain ENV's thinking, programmes and efforts at assuring sufficient burial grounds, what plans ENV has to meet that need in land-scarce Singapore. I gather that ENV and MUIS officers have made study trips to a few countries outside Singapore. What are the findings? Will there be any new innovations introduced to make burial better, cleaner and more suitable for Singapore's need to recycle burial grounds? I do not know whether the Minister wants to call it Cemetery Upgrading Programme (CUP). Meanwhile, I hope the Environment Minister would also take a look at the present cemetery ground in Pusara Aman, maybe on a rainy day, to see how messy it can be and see what can be done to give it a decent look there. Finally, right now, ENV is undertaking a major cemetery exhumation exercise at Bidadari. I believe that the contract was offered on a tender basis. Has the Ministry taken sufficient measures to ensure that the sensitivities involved are factored? What are they?”
“It will also cause air and water pollution, if such uncontrolled fire incidents take place. The Ministry should look into the matter and see whether the recycling companies are genuine, and whether their stockpiles are beyond the capacity of what they can recycle. The Minister should also take tough punitive actions against anyone who does not comply with the original conditions for the setting up of a wood recycling company.”
“So with the deep tunnels, the opportunity comes once, and thus must be used for other needs, eg, if there are other needs to be met in terms of electricity or other utilities. Madam, the deep tunnel sewerage project is innovative, and I hope the Minister will not be cursive and shallow in his answer to my questions. Assoc. Prof. Low Seow Chay: Madam, I am speaking on the recycling of waste. People may be aware of the fire outbreaks at companies collecting wood wastes. These cases happened in Lim Chu Kang, and also the recent case in Tuas. It took a few days for the Fire Department to put out the fire. The collection of wood wastes without the need to recycle is a very lucrative business. For every ton of wood wastes, they charge more than $40. Some waste collectors dig a big hole in the ground and they try to bury as much waste as possible in a limited collector's site. Some of them also pile up all the wood wastes to the height of a mountain. Today, after the fire in Lim Chu Kang, the black hill is still standing high and is an eyesore object. This reminds people of the misuse of the waste collection for recycling. Such potential fire hazards due to wood waste stockpiles still exist in Lim Chu Kang, Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate, and also in Tuas. I would like to ask the Minister whether there is a plan to ensure that the recycling company is genuinely carrying out recycle work. If their products do not have a market, or the market is smaller than what they can recycle, they should be honest and stop collecting the wastes. They should let the incinerator take over the wastes, instead of piling them up, and waiting for a time when the fire would solve their problem. It will endanger the lives of the people and also endanger the properties near the stockpile area.”