Zaqy Mohamad
Singapore
“Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the Question Time at this day's Sitting be exempted from Standing Order No 22(1) so as to enable questions for oral answer to continue until the completion of Question Nos 7 to 29, including relevant supplementary questions, until 12.45 pm?”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move that the proceedings on the item under discussion be exempted from the provisions of Standing Order No 48(8) to remove the time limit in respect of the Minister Tan See Leng's speech, please?”
“I think on the hawker front, we keep our rentals as low as possible to sustain our hawkers. But for food prices, we continue to monitor. My colleague, Minister of State Gan mentioned about how we are monitoring food supply of food prices, and I think that we will continue to do so.”
“I thank the Member for his question. On seafood specifically, we do not see immediate risk. We have diversified our food imports. We have also got local production of seafood readily available. At this point, as both the Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister have shared, our main risk for agriculture lies in fertiliser.”
“Mr Speaker, as I shared, we are monitoring the situation. The Government is monitoring at this point. There is no need at this juncture, because we have not seen the price hikes hit the hawkers in the same way as yet. There will be downstream impact. I think that is quite sure.”
“For us to also look into buying local produce, that helps our farms to increase capacity at this point, helps them build resilience over time and should there be disruptions or should there be a need for us to divert supplies or look to ramp up local production, I think they would be in a better position if we do what we can today to supp…”
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“To Miss Cheng Li Hui's question, from 2009 to 2019, the real wages at the 20th percentile of our resident workforce grew 39% cumulatively, faster than the median worker at 33%. This has allowed our low-wage workers to gain ground and progress faster than the median. That means the low-wage workers are earning closer to the median wage. While we see robust real income growth for them, this is not the case for most OECD countries. For example, over the same 10-year period, workers at the 20th percentile in the United Kingdom saw no real wage growth, while those in Japan and United States saw only cumulative real wage growth of 3% and 6% respectively, despite having minimum wage. Nonetheless, we should not take our progress for granted. It is not inevitable that this will always be so. While COVID-19 has resulted in a fall in the earnings of low-wage workers to $2,340 a month, Government schemes such as the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) and the one-off Workfare Special Payment (WSP) in 2020 helped to mitigate this impact. After taking this into account, the incomes of the first 20% of income earners in 2020 were actually similar to wages in 2019. As we helped our low-wage workers cope with COVID-19, it was also timely that we look to strengthen their prospects and progression for the long term. This is why we formed the Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers last year. The Workgroup will be releasing its recommendations in the coming months. The Government's aspiration remains to cover all sectors with Progressive Wages. Currently, Progressive Wages benefit 85,000 workers. The Workgroup has already announced that it will introduce PWMs in three new sectors: food services, retail and waste management.”
“Mr Speaker, many Members have filed questions related to our low-wage workers. I thank Members for sharing their keen interest in uplifting them. Our fundamental objective is to make sure that as a society, we take care of every worker. We cannot progress as a society and achieve economic progress with a strong social compact if there is a group of workers who are left behind. We must ensure that every worker who is prepared to work hard will be able to earn fair wages and prosper along with the rest of Singapore. Uplifting our low-wage workers has been a priority for the Government. Introduced in 2007, Workfare is the foundation of the Government's support for low-wage workers. It supplements the incomes of our low-wage workers in cash and helps them save for retirement. This encourages them to work regularly, rather than rely on welfare measures. Studies have shown that Workfare has led to an increase in employment rates, with the highest increases among our older workers. Close to a million low-wage workers have since benefited from nearly $7.8 billion in Workfare payouts. Workfare also supports our lower wage workers to upskill themselves, increase their productivity, find better jobs and earn higher wages. Another $600 million has been paid out to employers and workers through the Workfare Skills Support Scheme, to enhance their skills and employability. On top of Workfare, the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) provides job and training progression pathways for our lower wage workers, to grow their wages as they improve their skills and productivity. Our policies to support our low-wage workers have made a difference in uplifting them, helping them to enjoy good wage growth over the last decade.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I would like to take Question Nos 18 to 34 together.”
“Thank you, Mr Chairman. I will keep it short, bearing in mind time constraints. To answer the Member's question, Kelas Siap Sekolah is a new programme that we are putting in place as a continuation for our KMM@CC programme. So, this will involve our kids from four to six; and hopefully, help them to adapt to Primary school better. A few things that we want to go for: to nurture them with literacy and arithmetic skills in one setting and to also improve their love for learning. We are going to have two runs from May to October 2021. Each run will be held over eight sessions, including the post-programme assessment. We hope to have about 100 kids benefit from the pilot programme. On the MENDAKI-MUIS Preschool Grant (MMPG), I will just do an update. As of December 2020, the MMPG has now 80 children from 53 families enrolled. Of these 80 children, 67 of them had their parents' savings in the Child Development Account (CDA) and 64% of them have achieved an attendance of at least 70% at their pre-schools. We will continue to give them maximum support, working together with ECDA and MSF, because we want to encourage parents to send their kids for pre-school education so that they are better prepared for Primary school.”
“However, this does not mean that there is no scope for mentoring. There is room for mentoring to supplement the professional intervention and certainly, we look forward to the Member's assistance and support for this initiative. Mr Chairman, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the community has responded well, rallying each other forward during these difficult times. And I am confident we can face whatever challenges that come our way and emerge stronger as a community of success.”
“To answer Mr Sharael’s query, MENDAKI is working with STEM partners (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) such as Google and Amazon Web Services to offer MTS students opportunities to participate in interest and skills-building programmes such as AWS Educate. Mr Chairman, please allow me to continue in English. 12.15 pm (In English): Mr Chairman, it is important for our youths to have the right mentors and peer support system that they can turn to for advice while navigating through life. Mr Sharael asked for an update on the Youth Mentoring Office (YMO) and its future plans. I am happy to share that more than 1,000 mentors aged between 18 and 35 have stepped forward. Over 600 of them have been trained and over 500 deployed to programmes, such as MENDAKI Empowerment for ITE Boys and Girls and Project SOAR. This would not have been possible without Parliamentary Secretary Rahayu Mahzam's tireless efforts in guiding the establishment of the YMO and in engaging the youths to build up a culture of mentorship in our community. This year, we aim to ramp up MENDAKI's mentoring programmes under YMO by recruiting an additional 850 mentors to mentor 1,700 students in the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme and Empowerment Programmes in 2021. We would like to encourage more within the community to step forward with their expertise and knowledge to play a part in moulding the future of the community. Dr Shahira Abdullah asked about mentoring programmes for high-risk youths. I think it is a wonderful effort. However, it would be more appropriate to have high-risk youths attended to and looked after by professionals. Based on their profiles and needs, appropriate interventions can be provided by MSF, MOE and social service agencies (SSAs).”
“With an open mind, we will also be able to explore new opportunities and shape our careers in the long run. Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Sharael Taha asked about measures to further nurture expertise in the green and digital economy and within the Malay/Muslim community so that our workers, specifically those working in sunset industries, remain relevant. Since August 2020, MENDAKI SENSE has offered around 200 training places every month in digital-related fields. This includes conducting more digital courses for all seniors through the National Silver Academy (NSA) since Phase 2 commenced. The digital courses by SENSE equip our mature workers to seize job opportunities that will now require digital tools and systems. It also increases the employability of mature workers in today's economic climate. MENDAKI SENSE is also currently identifying courses that are certifiable under WSQ that can be conducted in Malay. This has the potential to benefit mature workers by so that they can acquire relevant skills without worrying about the issue of language. On employment and upskilling opportunities presented by the green economy, SENSE will conduct a sharing session in the second quarter of 2021. MENDAKI's Future Ready Department has also organised several sessions of the "Future of…" Series to various groups of students. Industries covered include growth industries such as Agri-tech, Engineering and Artificial Intelligence as well as Data Analytics. These sessions help the youth to gain a better understanding of the ecosystem and skillsets needed within the industry.”
“This will help them to prepare for the future and future-proof themselves because the demands for skills or jobs are expected to change to meet the needs of businesses, industries and the economy. Therefore, we must always adapt and upskill ourselves. Last October, M3 launched its fourth focus area to improve the employment and employability of our workforce regardless of their age or educational background. To achieve this objective, MENDAKI SENSE has been working closely with Government agencies such as WSG, SSG, e2i and also Malay/Muslim organisations such as AMP and SMCCI. Since January 2020, MENDAKI SENSE has assisted more than 4,000 jobseekers, with over 800 of them, successfully placed in jobs. These numbers has doubled compared to the previous year. While COVID-19 has affected employment, there are still jobs and skills opportunities available under the SG United Jobs and Skills Package in sectors such as information and communication, manufacturing and food services. We should be ready with the relevant skills to be able to seize these new opportunities. To answer Mr Abdul Samad’s question, I would like to give the example of 28-year-old Mr Muhammad Farhan. He is a diploma graduate in Outdoor Adventures Learning who has work experience in customer service. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, he was unable to secure a job related to his qualification and had to explore other industries. He attended MENDAKI SENSE's career fair and was offered a position as a Wharfside Specialist with BigFoot Logistics. Although this was a new industry for him, he kept an open mind and was able to use his operational and communications skills from his former work experience to his current job.”
“Parents who took part in KMM@CC and its related activities have shared that it has helped them to keep up with the education and digital learning landscape. They also received expert advice about good practices in guiding their children. Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked about the benefits of KMM@CC and MENDAKI's plans to continue to enhance the framework for pre-school education. In May this year, MENDAKI will launch a new pilot programme called Kelas Siap Sekolah (KSS) to complement KMM@CC. Children who have graduated from KMM@CC will be eligible to join KSS. It will incorporate computational thinking, mathematical concepts, and literacy and writing skills, as will outdoor learning and storytelling. This will help develop the child’s problem-solving skills – and thus enhancing the child’s Primary 1 readiness. Mr Zhulkarnain also asked about MENDAKI's efforts to ensure continual support to children and youth during Phase 3. This pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digitalisation, including a shift towards the way we learn and teach. MENDAKI also conducted its the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme (MTS) online. M³ introduced the eKMM@CC (e-KelasMateMatika@CC) so that parents and children can continue with their lessons online from home. In total, 2,200 parents and children have benefited from KMM and eKMM. This mode of learning will continue for the rest of the year, in line with the COVID-19 SMM. Second, the economy and job landscape are constantly changing. The Malay/Muslim workforce needs to work hard to continue adapting and stay relevant to the needs of the economy and jobs landscape.”
“Mr Chairman, 2020 has taught us important lessons in adaptability and resilience. I am heartened at how well the M3 platform – MENDAKI, MUIS and MESRA – worked for the Malay/Muslim community and was adapted quickly to help our beneficiaries and the vulnerable. I will expand on the three strategies that MENDAKI will be embarking on to take the community forward, to prepare them for the future, and to shape future generations. First, equipping our community, especially our young, with the necessary skills and values to thrive in this digital age and the future economy; second, ensuring our workforce remain relevant to the current economy and prepare them for the future; and third, empowering our youth through mentorship so that they can excel and inspire one another to fulfil their potential while giving back to the community. Mr Chairman, please allow me to continue in Malay. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I will expand on the three strategies for MENDAKI to prepare the Malay/Muslim community for a digital economy in the future, and shape future generations that will be more resilient. First, we need to ensure that young Malay/Muslims possess the capabilities and skills to thrive in the digital economy. If the foundation is weak, there will be the risk that the child will be left behind in life, compared to other children. Therefore, we want parents to play a more prominent role to ensure that their children receive at least three years of pre-school education to prepare them for primary school. That is why we introduced KelasMateMatika@CC (KMM@CC) in 2018 – so that parents can be more involved in their children’s early childhood development.”
“For the additional 5%, MOH together with MOM, we have a special fund that is used to ensure that no one is actually denied the care that is needed to them. I hope that addresses the concerns that our colleagues have.”
“Okay, thank you, Deputy Speaker. On this aspect, we are reviewing it. I do not have a deadline that I can commit at this point. But rest assured it will be soon. I would let Dr Tan See Leng take over for further comments. The Second Minister for Manpower (Dr Tan See Leng): Good morning! I thank Mr Murali Pillai for his question. I would like to provide an added clarification. If you recall in my speech last week, when I talked about the Migrant Worker Onboarding Centre, one of the key attributes of this centre is to set up an enhanced comprehensive medical examination and screening centre. Hence, that extended length of time. Inherent in this enhanced medical screening and examination centre would be elements of the medical screening that would incorporate a detailed history-taking as well as examination to ascertain whether the migrant worker has any pre-existing chronic conditions or pre-existing medical conditions. It is envisaged that with that, as part of an overall comprehensive review, we will then be able to also price in the risks more accurately and more precisely with the underwriting by the different insurance companies that we have been working with. MOM has worked on a pathway to develop this in the second half of this year. We have already engaged quite a number of insurance companies locally to help us come up with the underwriting of these premiums. To the additional point about the number of individuals that needed hospitalisation beyond a certain level – I think the number was $15,000 – Members of Parliament would be happy to note that so far, we have been able to keep the population relatively well managed for large hospital bills, the large majority, that means 95% of them do not exceed this amount.”
“I thank the Member for his query. In fact, the requests come under the hospitals because they would like to be assured that the employers can pay. In fact, for me personally, I do not think that this is needed. However, the hospitals have a very different view. This is something we will continue to work through with the hospitals, to assure them. My sense, as I shared earlier, 95% of cases are covered by both the medical insurance as well as work injury compensation insurance. What the hospitals have committed to is that for serious injury cases, they would take them in, even without the LOGs. For that, there will be no delay in treatment. However, these are things that we have to work through because I know hospitals too are concerned. They have to ascertain first that it is a work injury – that is one part to it. So, whether it is work injury or injury caused by something else. And secondly, the employers should be notified as well when their worker gets injured. Therefore, there is a process in place. But let us work through to see how we can make it more seamless for the workers.”
“The hotline is just one channel. I do not have the numbers with me so I cannot comment on what the rates are at this point. The Member can always file a Parliamentary Question (PQ). What I can say is this, beyond the hotline, workers can always call the hotline but there is also the FWMOMCare app, in which they can do more than just report. They can also get telemedicine consultation service from doctors. At the same time, they can walk into any hospital and make a report, or work through any of the NGOs that are available. I know of many NGOs today who are very active on the ground. The Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC), for example, has migrant worker ambassadors too, among their peers, about 5,000 of them, who can also take feedback. If they stay in a dormitory, they can also report to the dorm operators and we will take those on board. Today, we have the Forward Assurance and Support Team or FAST teams which are very active on the on ground within the dorms; so they can report to any of our officers to inform them of some of the challenges. So, there are two things: one, you can reach out but the nearest is the FWMOMCare app and through which the workers can also receive telemedicine service. So, beyond just reporting, the workers can also receive telemedicine assistance. Both ways, to some extent, compared to a few years ago before these developments, I think today, we got a lot more coverage than before. As I mentioned, we are also reviewing the medical insurance coverage for the workers too.”
“The remaining employers who failed to pay were prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act. MOM educates new migrant workers about their employment rights and protections under Singapore law. And this is done via the Settling-In-Programme, or SIP. The SIP is conducted in the workers’ native languages to aid understanding. It covers workers’ entitlements to insurance coverage, healthcare access and work injury compensation. MOM has also produced a guide for migrant workers, in their native languages, on how to seek medical help and provided contact information of MOM and NGOs. Workers may also use the 24/7 telemedicine service in the FWMOMCare mobile application to consult doctors. At any time, workers may contact MOM about any employment issues through the reporting service on MOM website. Workers are also informed to alert Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers at immigration checkpoints if their employer attempts to repatriate them when they have a pending work injury or salary claim.”
“Mr Speaker, employers are responsible to pay for their migrant worker’s medical expenses incurred in Singapore. Injured workers must be certified medically fit to fly, before being repatriated. Therefore, this prevents workers with serious injuries from being repatriated before they are treated. Employers are also prohibited from repatriating migrant workers whose presence in Singapore is required to process their work injury or salary claims. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) took action against two errant employers for illegal repatriation of migrant workers in the past five years. MOM holds employers liable to pay for their migrant worker’s medical expenses incurred in Singapore. Under our laws, employers must buy medical insurance for migrant workers, which provides coverage of $15,000 and typically covers 95% of hospital bills arising from non-work injury. Most employers also buy work injury insurance coverage of at least $45,000 per accident, which will also cover 95% of work injury bills. Employers may claim the medical expenses from these insurance plans. For medical emergency cases, the hospitals will proceed even without LOGs. Workers are not denied such treatment regardless of their employer’s ability to pay. For non-emergency cases, hospitals may ask for LOG before treatment, to be assured that the employer knows and is able to pay. MOM is reviewing medical insurance coverage to help employers better manage large unexpected medical expenses and give both employers and workers greater peace of mind. Between 2016 and 2020, there were 63 substantiated cases of employers not paying medical bills of their migrant workers. For the vast majority of these cases, the employers paid up shortly after administrative actions were taken by MOM.”
“First, I thank the Member and SBF for supporting the initiatives of our tripartite work group. And that is precisely why PWM takes a very sectoral approach in which, we have just announced that we are setting up the tripartite cluster to study this for the Food and Beverage as well as the Retail sectors. We fully understand the challenges of the sectors today. That is why we have made a conscious effort to hold back by a year, before we set up the tripartite work group to understand this. And rest assured, as said in my speech, we will look at the differences in the two sectors and the different business models that may occur. Even for the retail sector, we are mindful that there are also threats from e-commerce and therefore, we are also looking at the whole sector as a whole. These are adaptations that we have done in the past PWMs and we will continue to do so to study and adapt to every sector as required.”
“Chairman, I note there is time constraint, so, I am just going to keep it short.”
“For example, addressing risks of slips and falls as well as in inhaling toxic fumes from detergents and working from heights. So, these are some of the measures that we are putting in place to make Singapore a safer place for all workers.”
“The second one is certainly manpower disruptions, as I have mentioned earlier, due to border controls and pandemic measures. So, we need companies to put in place adequate risk assessment measures to adhere to safe work processes and ensure that, when there are machines, they are only operated by staff that are trained. On MOM's part, we are putting in place more technology for the industry to adopt, such as drones, to replace workers from difficult high-rise inspections so that it makes their work safer. Two, fleet safety technology, for example, can improve situational awareness of drivers and wearables, too, that can monitor workers' health. On our part, when it comes to enforcement, we have also been using behavioural insights to target riskier firms. For construction, for example, MOM highlights to companies how their safety records faired relative to industry peers and calibrates our inspection frequency based on their standing. For manufacturing, transport and storage sectors, MOM uses big data to predict riskier companies and focuses inspections on them. Data models are refined continually to improve our enforcement. We have also started publishing WSH learning reports. Also, to the Member's earlier point about safety training, we have also enhanced our mandatory safety courses for workers. So, from 2022, mandatory construction safety training will need to include experiential elements that simulate high-risk situations, such as falls from heights, collapsing scaffolding and crushed by machinery, so that workers, especially in construction, can better understand the workplace safety and health risks at the construction sites. From 2022, cleaners will also undergo mandatory WSH courses which provide cleaners with skills to carry out their work safely.”
“Chairman, I thank the Member for his questions and I will start with the mental health question first. Mr Melvin Yong asked about the adoption of recommendations from our tripartite advisory on mental well-being at workplaces, including Employment Assistance Programmes (EAPs), which I know the NTUC has worked really hard on. Since its launch in November, our partners and our mental health providers have reported increasing interest from employers in offering mental well-being initiatives at the workplace. I think this is a very positive sign, given the current COVID-19 arrangements that we have. As the economy recovers, we expect more companies to reprioritise their resources to more mental well-being initiatives. Besides NTUC, MOM is also working with employers and HR groups to promote the adoption of the tripartite advisory. And as suggested by Mr Yong, we will track the adoption of the MOM surveys every two years, with the first occurring later this year. Moving on to Mr Yong's second question on the audit that the safety officers do, rest assured. We understand their roles as auditors. It is same as financial auditing, too, where they have a safety responsibility, like the fiduciary responsibility that auditors have, to report any risk to the safety of our workers. There are two things that workers can do. One, they can use the SnapSAFE app which is available. Two, they can call the MOM safety hotline which is at 6317-1111. Do call if you have any information which we can look into. But I can assure Members that following many of the incidents, we are definitely concerned of late, especially with contractors rushing to catch up after work stoppages last year. I think that is one risk that we saw.”
“We support Mr Melvin Yong's suggestion that companies could consider upskilling their SMOs to become WSH representatives through courses such as the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Certificate in Workplace Safety and Health or through participating in the bizSAFE programme, for which training subsidies are available. Mr Chairman, Singapore has come a long way in our workplace safety and health standards. Since the Nicoll Highway collapse in 2004, our workplace fatal injury rate reduced from 4.9 per 100,000 workers to 1.1 per 100,000 workers in 2019. This is a level achieved only by a handful of developed countries. But still, we must never be complacent and we remain committed in our goal in making Singapore one of the safest workplaces in the world. Mr Chairman, the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the importance of ensuring workforce and workplace resilience. For its part, the Government is committed to continue leading efforts to uplift our lower-wage workers, to ensure good workplace safety practices and to enhance employees' mental wellbeing, not just for the benefit of every worker but also for the good of employers and society-at-large.”
“Mr Melvin Yong asked about workplace safety amongst sub-contractors. Sub-contractors are not the only ones responsible for workplace safety and health. Main contractors must also be responsible for ensuring overall safety across their worksites, including managing the safety performance of sub-contractors on their sites. To motivate both main and sub-contractors to improve their workplace safety practices, MOM launched the CheckSafe e-service in January this year to make construction companies' safety track records readily available. This way, developers and main contractors can make more informed decisions in appointing safer sub-contractors. We intend to expand this to other sectors for service buyers to influence WSH outcomes through their choice of contractors. For construction fatalities involving sub-contractors' workers, we will also prosecute the main contractor if they fail in their duty to ensure safety of workers on the site. Later this year, MOM will release a framework emphasising safety performance for public sector construction tenders. In this way, safer companies will have better access to business opportunities. I hope the private sector will follow suite in due course. This approach is an important complement to deterrent penalties in WSH prosecutions. The maximum penalty for WSH Act offences have increased from $250,000 in 2016 to $400,000 in 2019. 1.00 pm Based on MOM's inspections, almost all companies have appointed a Safe Management Officer (SMO).”
“This Alliance for Action or AfA will mobilise passionate, action-oriented people to contribute to the whole-of-society effort to uplift low-wage workers. The Government supports the Workgroup's call and we will launch the AfA soon and run co-creation workshops for AfA members over the next six months to start these ground-up initiatives. Mr Chairman, moving on to workplace safety, MOM is alarmed at the recent spate of workplace accidents. The Ministry is investigating every incident and we call upon the whole industry to seriously review their safety protocols. We acknowledge that companies are facing manpower shortages due to border and pandemic controls. Nevertheless, companies must not compromise worker safety by rushing or having workers operate machinery or perform tasks that they are not trained for. They should also review their risk assessments to account for COVID-19 conditions. Since mid-December 2020, MOM has stepped up enforcement. Out of 510 inspections since mid-December, MOM has uncovered 486 contraventions and issued seven Stop-Work Orders (SWOs). No company should be complacent. Since last November, Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council and industry associations have called for two Safety Time Outs (STOs) to improve safety protocols. We are particularly concerned with the Tuas explosion on 24 February, resulting in multiple casualties. It was one of the worst accidents in recent years. Our inspectors have commenced inspections on close to 500 companies that may have combustible dust hazards. And this is to ensure that risks are minimised. The Minister for Manpower will appoint an Inquiry Committee to thoroughly study the case and recommend prevention measures, including policy or regulatory changes if necessary.”
“To Mr Singh's specific query on lift maintenance contracts, today, there is no requirement for Town Councils to procure services from any particular firm, though I recognise that some firms specialise in particular lift models. Authorised dealers are required to supply parts to other players on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Town Councils can also compare prices between firms to make informed decisions on awarding of contracts. Agencies will look into any unjustified contract hikes and Mr Singh can offer us details to follow-up if there are. More broadly, Mr Singh's example brings to bear two points. First, since introducing PWM for the sector through Government procurement in 2019, we have seen median gross monthly wages for full-time resident lift technicians rise from around $3,300 in 2017, to about $3,800 in 2019. But at the same time, our efforts may have some impact to consumer prices. This highlights why careful deliberation by tripartite partners is necessary as we expand to more PWMs. No company should unjustly profit from the PWM, but we must also recognise that these moves will not be without cost. That is why Workfare continues to be important, as consumers and service buyers do not bear the cost impact of the wage supplements. All of us have a role to play as our low-wage workers enjoy better wages, dignity and respect. I agree with Mr Raj Joshua Thomas that seeking the well-being of our fellow workers must be part of our culture. The Government will partner the community in this effort. With this in mind, the Workgroup has called for the formation of the Alliance for Action (Afa) for Lower-Wage Workers.”
“In the short term, we will be at least doubling the coverage up to 218,000 workers. More importantly, it remains our aspiration to cover all sectors with Progressive Wages in the longer term, on top of Workfare as the fundamental layer of support for all our low-wage workers. The Workgroup expects to conclude its deliberations and issue its recommendations to Government to do so before the end of the year. Uplifting our low-wage workers is a whole-of-society effort. Employers and workers must continue to be committed to job redesign and upskilling. As consumers, let us also recognise our responsibility. I am heartened that a Government poll conducted early this year found that, even amidst the pandemic, a considerable proportion of respondents – 39% – were willing to pay more for goods and services to help low-wage workers receive higher wages. Forty-two percent were neutral, while 19% were not prepared to do so. Though there are many Singaporeans who are willing to pay more, but we can see that the support is not so clear-cut. As a nation, it is important that we stand in solidarity with our low-wage workers. I urge all Members in this House, across parties, to help build consensus among Singaporeans that this is but a small price to bear together for a fairer and more cohesive society. At the same time, the extension of PWM to these sectors is not an excuse for companies to indiscriminately raise prices, which Dr Koh and Mr Singh are rightly concerned about. I fully agree. With the expansion of PWM to the public-facing retail and food services sectors, we will study options with relevant agencies to keep a close watch on indiscriminate profiteering.”
“Nevertheless, more broadly, I thank Mr Gerald Giam for his consistent support of the PWM since 2014, I believe when he was a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament when he commented on its launch. We share similar objectives, even if our methods or approaches may differ. Mr Giam may have the impression that there is little risk of disemployment when higher PWM wages are mandated. It is precisely because of the calibrated way in which we have rolled out PWM, negotiated with the industry and the Labour Movement, have we been able to avoid disemployment and improve wage outcomes in which the market can bear. Where feasible, the tripartite partners make positive improvements to the work conditions, as I shared earlier with the security sector, which in turn, promotes more local hiring. So, it is a win for the employer, a win for the worker and also a win for the service buyer and hopefully consumers in the future. The Government stands ready to support, to ease the transition for firms, including training support. And that is why sectoral tripartite consultations are critical. As for Mr Edward Chia, I agree when he cautioned, businesses, especially our SMEs, must be given a reasonable runway to adjust and prepare for the PWM. I thank him for his support. I also want to assure him that this is exactly how we prevent problems. I hope that Mr Giam will appreciate the delicate balance involved and the Workgroup members who are trying hard to act responsibly. The Workgroup will also study how to ensure that wage growth in PWM sectors continues to outpace median wage growth. Our aim is really to narrow the wage gap amongst our workers and strengthen the cohesion in our society. Mr Chairman, the PWMs currently benefit 85,000 workers.”
“To the questions from Mr Louis Ng and Mr Fahmi Aliman, I wish to reinforce the Government's ambition to eventually cover all sectors with Progressive Wages, on top of Workfare as a fundamental layer of support for our low-wage workers. We are starting in sectors with the highest proportion of low-wage workers in the workforce and identifying ways to expand beyond these sectors. We also recognise that there are low-wage workers employed in similar occupations but distributed in other sectors. So, we are studying practical ways to cover various occupational groups under Progressive Wages and will share more when ready. To the figures Mr Gerald Giam quoted yesterday, the discrepancy arises because of coverage. Part-time employees work fewer hours so their gross wages would naturally be lower. Similarly, for self-employed persons, the nature of their earnings and their working hours are not comparable. But let us also look at the big picture. The wages of our low-wage workers have not stagnated in the past decade. We have seen our efforts improve the wages of all Singaporeans and we have seen progress at the bottom 10% and the bottom 20%. So, just to give you some idea. The bottom 20% of wages increased by 39% in real terms in the last decade, 2009 to 2019. At P10, we are just increased by 37% in real terms – same period. That is really the big picture. The wages of our low-wage workers have not stagnated. They have gone up and we will continue to help them progress. But regardless of how the numbers differ, an important point is that low-wage workers also receive the Workfare support. And in time to come, our aim is to cover them through Progressive Wages too.”
“And we look forward to NTUC, bringing on board their social enterprises, such as NTUC Foodfare and Fairprice, when we expand the food Services and retail PWMs, along with other progressive employers. Even as the tripartite partners work through the details, we recognise that our approach will need to be balanced. During my consultations with the industry, many food services and retail employers supported the imperative to do more for low-wage workers in their sectors. I am heartened by their support. At the same time, we are also mindful that while some firms are doing very well, others may still be more at a nascent stage of recovery. So, our intentions must therefore be carefully calibrated. It must be meaningful for the worker, but it must also be viable for our SMEs. We will pay close attention to the potential impact of PWM on business costs. The Government will do its part to support the transition, alongside employers and consumers. We will also consult extensively with the employers and unions and be sensitive to existing industry practices, such as incentive-based wage remuneration like commissions, for example, when designing the PWM in these sectors. Today, all cleaners, security officers and landscape workers of licensed or registered cleaning, security and landscape firms benefit from being paid at least PWM wages. Other companies may also employ staff in-house to perform these roles, such as hotels and F&B outlets which are not covered under existing PWMs. Sir, the Workgroup fully agrees with Dr Koh Poh Koon that it will make sense to extend the existing PWMs to benefit up to 50,000 of such workers. We intend to consult key affected sectors on a suitable timeline to move forward.”
“Dr Koh Poh Koon and Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked if the wages and prospects of our low-wage workers in the Food Services and Retail sectors could be uplifted. NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng also expressed similar sentiments recently. 12.45 pm We have been studying the extension of the PWM to more sectors. In my Committee of Supply speech last year, I reiterated our intention to do so when business conditions were more favourable – we were at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. As we strive to emerge together from the pandemic, I am pleased to announce that the Tripartite Workgroup has agreed to extend the PWM to the food services and retail sectors. These sectors are among the sectors with the largest numbers of low-wage workers. We estimate that these PWMs could cover up to 80,000 local workers. The Workgroup also recognises NTUC's aspirations for the PWMs to be implemented within two to three years. And we have convened Tripartite Cluster committees for each of these sectors, which will recommend an implementation timeline, taking on board all stakeholders' concerns, including market conditions. The tripartite cluster committees will target to submit their recommendations on the timeline and other implementation details to the Government by the end of the year. In good part because of the PWM, the median gross monthly wages of cleaners have seen cumulative real growth of 37% since 2013, to $1,388 in 2019. For security officers, we saw cumulative real growth of 29% since 2015 to $2,391 in 2019. We are confident that our local workers in the food services and retail sectors will likewise see a meaningful uplift to their wages in time to come. We also welcome NTUC's strong commitment to expanding the PWM.”
“When he joined the industry in 2017, he worked six days each week, averaging 94 overtime hours a month. Mr Goh was earning about $1,800 in gross wages then, with some additional support from Workfare. Today, because of PWM, Mr Goh works up to 72 overtime hours a month – a significant reduction of 22 hours. This means two additional rest days a month, which he uses to spend more time to rest and spend more time with family. Thanks to PWM wage increases and his progression up the PWM ladder, his gross wages today has increased by more than 50% from the $1,800 he was earning in 2017, to about $2,800 today. Besides improved working conditions, many of us have witnessed the transformation of job roles in the sector – from "jagas" who perform largely caretaking functions, to security officers who are skilled professionals, enabled by technology today. Careful implementation of the PWM has also helped to avoid negative employment effects. We have seen the growth of more locals joining the sector of around 6% a year, from 2015 to 2021. The Progressive Wages approach, with Workfare as a foundation, has benefited the security sector, employers and security officers, who have seen better career prospects, wages and work conditions. With your permission, Chairman, I would like to refer all Members to the brochures and the sheets that have been given out, detailing our efforts to support low-wage workers. The story of Mr Alvin Goh and others like him, bear testament to the value of building on Workfare to adopt progressive wages. The Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers have been working hard to ensure that our low-wage workers can emerge stronger together with the rest of Singapore. Presently, our existing PWMs cover around 85,000 workers.”
“5 billion of Workfare Special Payments. Such an effort has certainly supported our low-wage workers in these challenging times. But we are not out of the woods yet. Keeping our low-wage workers employed must continue to be our highest priority. And we have done so through measures like the Jobs Support Scheme, which has helped to keep our unemployment rate low. Keeping this priority in mind, we should take careful steps to raise the wages of our low-wage workers. Especially in a time like this, we must not trifle with careless moves that would risk them being unemployed instead. We will continue to build on Workfare and extend the PWM to cover more workers. This combination is a sustainable way to uplift our low-wage workers through better wages and work conditions. Take our security officers, for example. Since January this year, security firms are no longer granted overtime exemption, or OTE. This means that a security officer can only work up to 72 overtime hours a month, instead of the previous industry norm of 95 hours. While security officers would be heartened by this move, many were also concerned about the impact on their wages because many relied on overtime pay for their gross incomes. To mitigate the impact of reduced overtime hours on wages, the tripartite partners agreed to a $150 increase in the PWM basic wage floor, double that in preceding years. More security officers also saw even higher wages. What this means is that security officers can now work fewer overtime hours while maintaining their gross monthly wages. I am thankful to both the Labour Movement and security employers for continuing with these changes despite the current challenging business climate. Mr Alvin Goh is one of many who have benefited.”
“Mr Chairman, earlier, Minister for Manpower outlined how MOM will strengthen our efforts to ensure workforce and workplace resilience. First, by uplifting our low-wage workers. Second, by ensuring good workplace safety practices. Third, by enhancing our employees’ mental well-being. We have made good progress in supporting our low-wage workers. In the decade from 2009 to 2019, low-wage workers saw higher income growth than the average worker. This has helped to reduced income inequality, and bears testament to the Government's multi-layered approach to support our low-wage workers. Workfare Income Supplement, which the Government introduced in 2007, laid the foundations to supplement the incomes of our low-wage workers. It casts a wide net, covering full-time and part-time employees, as well as the self-employed. In 2020, about 440,000 people were eligible for Workfare, as long as they earned less than $2,300 a month and met all other eligibility criteria. It supplements workers' wages by up to 30%, depending on income and age. On top of Workfare, we have the Progressive Wage Model, or PWM, and Workfare Skills Support. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has tempered progress, we are fortunate that there has been broad-based preservation of jobs and employability. This has not been the experience elsewhere. At its peak, the unemployment rate for OECD countries was 3.6%-points higher than pre-COVID-19 levels, whereas in Singapore, the increase was smaller at 1.6%-points. To cushion the impact on the incomes of low-wage workers, last year, the Government assisted them with the one-off Workfare Special Payment of $3,000, fully in cash, on top of regular Workfare payouts. In total, approximately 500,000 Singaporean workers benefited from about $1.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2021/2021, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow?”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move a Motion to take this day's proceedings on the Estimates for the Financial Year 2021/2022 beyond 7.30 pm, please.”
“Sir, may I seek your consent to move that the Chairman do leave the Chair? This is to enable me to move a Motion to take the proceedings on the business of Supply today beyond 7.30 pm.”
“Then a Primary 6 student from Nan Chiau Primary School, Miss Lin Yitong, wrote this note last year, and I quote, "Thank you, Mr Soldier. I appreciate everything you have done for the nation to fight the virus. Thank you for your sacrifices. Let’s all stay strong and fight the virus! You are the best!". I echo Yitong's words of appreciation, determination and hope. We thank our servicemen and every Singaporean for their contributions in the fight against COVID-19. Your actions have shown that, with everyone doing their part for Total Defence, we will emerge stronger from this crisis of our generation and with greater confidence in our future. This is why we continue to invest in Total Defence – to best prepare for, respond to and recover from any crisis. We will continue to build Total Defence into every Singaporean's DNA to meet the threats of today and tomorrow. Together, we will keep Singapore strong – for now, and for future generations to come. [Applause]”
“It is for this reason that we launched two series of engagements last year, "Strengthening Commitment to Defence" and "Total Defence for a Future Singapore", in conjunction with the Singapore Together Emerging Stronger Conversations. In these sessions that I attended, participants shared with me that COVID-19 had reinforced the importance of NS and Total Defence in preparing Singapore for crises. Many of our Youths felt it. They felt the commitment. I am heartened by their valuable suggestions to strengthen the public's commitment to NS and Total Defence. Their opinions demonstrate their determination and their will to shape Singapore’s future and protect its well-being. We will hold more engagements this year to reach out to more people on NS and Total Defence. Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain asked about how MINDEF would take the outcomes of our public engagements forward. Now, this is an important question, too. We are excited to embark on the suggestions raised. Some will be taken through ACCORD, such as developing fresh content on how our National Servicemen have contributed to the COVID-19 national response. We hope that this showcases the invaluable skills and efforts by our National Servicemen and inspires others who have yet to serve National Service. We are also exploring forming or tapping on the Singapore Together Alliances for Action (AfAs) that will bring together stakeholders from the Government, businesses and community to follow up on initiatives to strengthen Total Defence and all our support for NS. Mr Chairman, I would like to end by quoting a thank-you note addressed to all National Servicemen who contributed to our COVID-19 operations.”
“We can take efforts on preparedness, actions and resilience in the physical, digital and psychological realms. Be it to address climate change or biological threats, we believe that the existing concept and pillars of Total Defence are relevant and can be put into action. For now, we will focus on the present six pillars, and incorporate pandemic responses and environmental sustainability themes, where appropriate, within each pillar. What is more important is that we act, and that our actions translate into impact. This is why the Government has been strengthening our infectious disease infrastructure and we have just announced the Singapore Green Plan 2030 that we are all committed to. On our part, MINDEF is fully committed in supporting these efforts. Earlier, Dr Ng announced our plan to upgrade our facilities within the Defence Science Organisation (DSO) to the highest biosafety level, Biosafety Lab Level 4 (BSL-4), and MINDEF's efforts on environmental sustainability. These are not small. These are major moves that we are making within MINDEF. Here, I would add that the revamped SDC will have a sustainability theme in its infrastructure and programmes. These include the deployment of over 2,000 solar panels to generate power for about half of SDC's electrical consumption; as well as new education programmes on urban farming and sustainability for the public. Member of Parliament Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked how MINDEF will support and empower more Singaporeans to play a greater role in Total Defence as we emerge from COVID-19. We will do so by encouraging Singaporeans to be more active in conversations about defence and NS issues.”
“We have been working to strengthen Singapore's defences against cyber and disinformation attacks, which can be particularly damaging to our community, especially in crises like COVID-19. We have collaborated with our partners to develop educational programmes on Digital Defence, to increase Singaporeans' understanding of digital threats and equip them with skills to detect and deal with fake news. One such example is our collaboration with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to introduce the topic of Digital Defence in a module on Digital Transformation. Following a successful pilot with SUSS in 2020, we will work with ACCORD to reach out to other Universities to potentially introduce Digital Defence into relevant course modules. Another example is our collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore, National Library Board and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore to add a Digital Defence component to the SkillsFuture for the Digital Workplace programme. This is currently being offered at 19 institutions, including Polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education. So, we are, slowly, expanding our reach. Through these programmes, we will continue to encourage actions that Singaporeans can take to be secure and responsible online, and strengthen our defences against online falsehoods that threaten to divide our people. There have been suggestions to add new Total Defence pillars, such as a biological defence pillar, or a climate defence pillar, as Members of Parliament Mr Seah Kian Peng and Mr Don Wee have suggested. We agree that pandemics and climate change are both serious threats that require concerted responses by the Government, businesses, communities and individuals.”
“MINDEF will soon expand these virtual BMTC visits to a wider group, including Singaporean families residing overseas. Besides going digital, we will develop other channels and more creative ways to engage Singaporeans on NS and Total Defence. Here, I am happy to announce that a fully revamped Singapore Discovery Centre (SDC) will be opened at the end of this year. The refreshed SDC will be a one-stop destination for visitors to learn and experience Singapore's history and imagine its future in a fun and immersive way. SDC re-opened partially last October, enabling visitors to experience the augmented reality (AR)-enhanced exhibits in the upper gallery that provide a cinematic journey into Singapore's history. When the renovations are completed, SDC will unveil a refreshed lower gallery on contemporary issues confronting Singapore. The public can look forward to more interactive features that encourage visitors to envision Singapore's future, through group activities, discussions and AR-enhanced exhibits. Visitors will go away with a better appreciation of what we are defending, against potential challenges confronting Singapore. The SDC will also expand its outreach through new programmes for different groups, such as students, youths, National Servicemen and members of community organisations. A new "Friends of SDC" volunteer group will also be formed to tap on the energies of volunteers. For example, individuals passionate about sharing our Singapore Story can sign-up as volunteer guides for the galleries. We will continue to strengthen all the pillars of Total Defence through collaboration with our partners. Member of Parliament Patrick Tay had asked about Digital Defence, which was added two years ago.”
“ACCORD also welcomes new members from youth-oriented organisations, such as Ms Tan See Leng, Executive Director of Heartware Network and Ms Samantha Ng, National Youth Council INSPIRIT Youth Leader. Member of Parliament Yeo Wan Ling asked about the focus areas for the new ACCORD term. ACCORD members have identified a few, including stepping up engagement with youth and women on defence and National Service issues, raising public appreciation for NSmen and employer recognition of the skills they gain from National Service. 1.15 pm To enhance outreach, ACCORD is pushing for more digital engagement channels. MINDEF/SAF has begun working with ACCORD to put these new plans into action, and ACCORD members themselves have led some of these initiatives. One example of digital engagement was a well-received webinar hosted last year by ACCORD Member and Director of Mums@Work, Mrs Sher-Li Torrey, for mothers with sons entering NS. The mothers gained insights into what their sons can expect from NS and were assured that their sons would be well-taken care of. They also provided useful feedback for us to consider. We will work with ACCORD to organise more of such webinars on a larger scale this year. For parents whose sons are liable for NS, a visit to the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) is important to understand what their children will go through. Due to COVID-19, such visits had to be temporarily discontinued. In its place, from September last year, we piloted virtual visits to the BMTC. More than 180 families got to explore the BMTC via an online video and engage in a virtual dialogue with senior commanders. Many families said that the visit gave them a better understanding of NS training and felt that their sons' safety would be well-looked after.”
“Today, Nurhafiz is a senior staff nurse at the Sengkang General Hospital and continues to contribute tirelessly at the frontline. These contributions, along with so many others, demonstrate how Singaporeans have gone beyond their call of duty to help others during this pandemic. They exemplify the spirit of Total Defence. Every action, no matter how big or small, counts in our fight against COVID-19. Mr Chairman, even as we focus on recovering and emerging stronger from COVID-19, we must remember the threats facing Singapore are never completely eliminated. We must therefore continue to emphasise Total Defence to prepare Singapore for the threats of today and tomorrow. Pillar by pillar, we must strengthen each of them so that they are even more ready and resilient. Take, for example, the Military Defence pillar. I echo Senior Minister of State Heng who shared our efforts to transform NS for the Next-Generation SAF. NS is the foundation of our military defence. As we continue to transform NS, we must continue to strengthen societal, business and family support for military defence and NS. This way, we can continue to motivate our servicemen to do their best as they defend Singapore. Last year, I was pleased to welcome new members to the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence or what we know as ACCORD. The new ACCORD is well-placed to provide fresh perspectives that will enhance its work to strengthen societal support for National Service and defence, with members that hail from diverse backgrounds. The Council includes representatives from the banking, logistics, technology and e-commerce fields, such as new member, Mr Quek Siu Rui, CEO of Carousell, on board.”
“This is Total Defence in action – a demonstration of what we can achieve when the pillars of military, civil, economic, social, psychological and digital defence all working in concert. In Total Defence, there are many everyday heroes and heroines. I have been privileged to meet many of them. One such person is full-time national serviceman (NSF) Lieutenant Karthikasan S/O Natarajan, an Air Warfare Officer from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). During Karthikasan’s full-time National Service (NS), he volunteered to serve at the SAF-led Medical Operations Task Force. He meticulously verified the records of thousands of workers, ensuring that they would be transported, housed and cared for at the right facilities. What struck me about Karthikasan was his strong sense of duty. He extended his National Service commitments for eight months, so that he could continue to contribute to Singapore’s fight against COVID-19 and watch over Singapore’s skies. Another such person is Military Expert (ME) 4A (NS) Muhammad Nurhafiz Bin Juma’at, a 34-year-old Operationally Ready National Serviceman (NSman) from the Singapore Army’s 8th Combat Support Hospital. Last year, Nurhafiz volunteered to serve as a Nursing Officer at the Singapore Expo Community Care Facility during his In-Camp Training. Nurhafiz took care of the migrant workers, pulling 12-hour shifts to ensure their well-being and facilitated their recovery. He even missed the first week of Hari Raya. Nurhafiz said, and I quote, "The sacrifice was worth it as it was not only for our loved ones and the nation, but also to care for the migrant workers who are in need of our medical care and support during this critical period".”
“Mr Chairman, Dr Ng’s speech underlined how we need not just the SAF but all of society to support Singapore’s defence against conventional and non-conventional threats. Total Defence remains Singapore’s best preparation and response to crises. With every Singaporean organisation, family and individual playing a part through Total Defence, we can deter threats, overcome crisis and emerge stronger from each test. Member Dr Wan Rizal asked about how Total Defence played a part in Singaporeans’ fight against COVID-19. Our response to the pandemic is a good example of Total Defence in action. COVID-19 has upended businesses and industries, affected jobs and disrupted the way we live. Together, we have rallied the whole community. SAF, the Public Service, the Home Team and many other agencies have worked hard to contain and manage the pandemic. Our people have stepped up in support – from retired doctors and nurses to national servicemen, participating in COVID-19 operations. Community and religious groups, volunteers and the everyday resident made efforts to reach out to those who are more affected, such as retrenched workers, lower income families and the elderly. Some even played their part to debunk misinformation and scaremongering on social media. The result is that we have been able to keep our communities safe, keep infections and hospitalisations low. We are in a better position today to reopen our borders and restart our economy, and hopefully host major international events such as the Shangri-La Dialogue and the World Economic Forum later this year. Working together has moderated the impact of COVID-19 and strengthened the resolve and cohesiveness of our society, not just in dealing with COVID-19, but for future threats too.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Sir, we fully understand and recognise that some employers do feel that the work-from-home requirement hinders collaboration, productivity and sometimes, even the building of team spirit. So, that changes the corporate culture a bit. At the same time as well, we have seen employees, many have adjusted well at home with the new arrangements. But at the same time as well, some also still prefer to work in the office if their home environment is not conducive. Therefore, we are constantly monitoring, and as I mentioned in my earlier response, we stand guided by the Multi-Ministry Task Force. They will review a few weeks after the Chinese New Year period. This is quite key because, how we adjust the work-from-home requirement will have to take into consideration the public health risks. At the same time as well, we need to also look at how community cases develop, especially after the Chinese New Year period. We will monitor the situation and try to balance as much as we can the employers' as well as the employees' interests. On the Member's question on whether vaccination will play a role in our measures, the key thing is this, until enough people are vaccinated, vaccinated employees should continue to practice public health measures such as Workplace SMMs. We are still monitoring the duration of the vaccine's protection and its effectiveness in preventing transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, there are few factors still in play, as vaccinations are still on-going. So, let us what with the Multi-Ministry Task Force and see how best we can manage and adjust and cater to both employers and employees.”
“Speaker, in January, safe management measures (SMMs) in the general community setting were tightened. This was due to a rise in the number of community cases then, and in view of the anticipated increase in social activities during the Chinese New Year. The tripartite partners decided to defer any updates to the SMMs for the workplace. The Multi-Ministry Task Force will monitor the COVID-19 situation for a few weeks after the Chinese New Year period to assess when public health measures, including SMMs for the workplace, can be adjusted. Adjustments to SMMs for the workplace will consider the public health risk, level of community cases, as well as employee and business interests. As we have seen from the resurgence of infections in some countries in the region, we must remain vigilant in our approach to managing the transmission risks. For now, work-from-home remains the default working arrangement. Employers must ensure that no more than 50% of employees who are able to work from home are at the workplace at any point in time, and that these employees work from home for at least half their working time.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2021/2022, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 1 March 2021.”
“Mr Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again on Monday, 1 March 2021?”