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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“We should protect our social mobility and be prepared to give second chances at success, in terms of working opportunities, entrepreneurship or education pathways. Give Singaporeans hope and security that they can achieve their aspirations through fulfilling jobs or entrepreneurial opportunities here in Singapore, or beyond our shores through Singapore. As our President noted in his Address, "Our Best Years Lie Ahead" and "we are determined to… build a better, brighter Singapore." A better, brighter Singapore for each and every Singaporean is what we can expect, if we work together to fulfil the vision that has been laid out in his speech. Madam, the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) announced recently has helped our Pioneer Generation and families deal with future healthcare costs. My immediate concern is the segment that comes after, especially the middle-aged, middle and lower middle-income groups, sometimes also known as the "sandwich" class. It is timely for the Government to address the issue of retirement adequacy and review our CPF policies by enhancing CPF Savings and CPF LIFE annuity scheme. The Government has announced its intention to keep healthcare more affordable through subsidies, Medisave and MediShield Life and I look forward to the positive outcomes that these would Page: 13 bring. Residents I speak to are often concerned about whether they can retire comfortably in Singapore. Most are also concerned, whether their CPF savings can meet the Minimum Sum, pay for their home, afford their children's education or support the medical fees, if they have a family member that needs constant medical care.”
“By listening to and understanding the diverse concerns of Singaporeans, the Government gets a better feel for the issues that need to be prioritised – and how to fine-tune the policies. But our job is not done even though the situation and public sentiment has improved on many of our national issues. There is more that we need to do and there are people who still need our help. I support the President's speech to chart our way forward, laying out an agenda that is far-sighted to safeguard and build our future for a better Singapore. I would like to see more "heart" in how the Government will implement the mission laid out by the President, Page: 12 particularly in the following areas. We should strengthen our safety nets to help the vulnerable and elderly – in a way that one will not feel they lose their self-worth while asking for help and, at the same time, inculcate a sense of compassion in our people to be proactive in helping those who are less fortunate. We need to give our people greater assurance and peace of mind that they can retire comfortably here in their old age – while continuing to provide our seniors active economic opportunities to be self-reliant, in a dignified manner and not worry about being a burden to the family. We need to ensure our social fabric – families and communities – remains cohesive for generations to come, respecting our multiracial, multi-religious norms that we have painstakingly built over the years. We need to provide a safe and secure, high quality of living that is affordable for Singaporeans to enjoy a better quality of life and, yet, citizens must also feel that basic public services, including housing, food, basic goods and transport options, remain affordable.”
“For our seniors, whom in the past, had serious concerns on whether they are adequately covered for their health expenses, they are now better covered through programmes such as the Pioneer Generation Package (PGP). In my constituency, I have also seen the effects of our policy on the cases that we have at the Meet-the-People Sessions (MPS). We hardly see any appeals from first-time HDB applicants today, including those from low-income families, because our housing policies have made first-time home ownership more affordable and new flats are in better supply. As Town Council Chairman, it is also heartening that all our cleaners have benefited from PWM and seen their wages improve today for them to bring home more income for their families. The setting up of Social Service Offices (SSO) in the heartlands has also made a difference. They have made social assistance schemes and job matching more accessible to my residents. To this end, I have residents such as Ms Yap, a single mother, who was forced to work as a cleaner after her husband passed away. Her salary was initially low, but it has gone up in the past two years as a result of PWM. Today, she is able to support her children who have progressed well in school and one is studying in polytechnic. She is helped by Government social assistance and, just as important, support from the community. Be it in housing, education, healthcare, transport or cost of living, the Government has adapted its policies to suit the changing needs of Singapore and Singaporeans. And this, the Government did by listening closely to the ground, through channels like Our Singapore Conversation (OSC), constituency dialogues and various public consultation exercises.”
“She serves, amongst other things, in the Singapore Muslim Women Association (PPIS) and the Kampong Siglap Mosque. Another example is the Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Organisations, Mr Suhaimi Rafdi, who wants to do something for the community after climbing the career ladder. He, amongst other things, serves in the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association (SANA), Tampines Secondary School and is also a youth mentor. He does grassroots work in Tampines as well. Their contributions are very meaningful, which shows that our community does not forget those who are in need. In conclusion, I am confident that for the Malay/Muslim community, there is much potential for us to become successful citizens of Singapore. We must continue to become citizens who make contributions to the nation and community. (In English): I remember that at the beginning of this term in Parliament we faced the challenge to address a number of hot button issues. Members of this House have debated over many of these issues in this Chamber. To the credit of the Government – that has always stood for active and effective action – we have seen a number of improvements today through the various changes in policies implemented. We have seen improvements in housing with measures to boost supply, cooling measures to stabilise prices. The past year has also seen greater social support for the low-income to help them own their homes, support their children through school and childcare as well as greater support given to low-wage workers through the introduction of the Page: 11 Progressive Wage model (PWM).”
“Just like other communities, the Malays also face many kinds of challenges and concerns, including day-to-day issues like cost of living and social issues. However, one of the long-term solutions is to use every opportunity to upgrade ourselves, in order to take advantage of the potential available globally, through our education and economic systems. The same goes for professionals and entrepreneurs who need to reinvent themselves with new abilities and capabilities that are relevant to global developments and requirements. I also welcome the efforts by Malay/Muslim SMEs that continuously undertake initiatives to provide focus, in order to overcome all obstacles and challenges to be more competitive, in addition to using assistance programmes provided by the Page: 10 Government. The forum organised by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry is an important platform to find ways to overcome present challenges. The Malay/Muslim community can and should make use of Government programmes to take full advantage of regional opportunities. In this aspect, perhaps the Government can play a role to facilitate these businessmen and women in making use of the available network and build ties among organisations from different industries so that the Malay/Muslim business community can have collaborations and learn from them. As a community that possesses a strong gotong royong spirit, we are also proud to see the successful ones, comprising more professionals and entrepreneurs, who are willing to step forward and serve the community and country. One example is Ms Rahayu Mohamad, a mother of six, who is an educational consultant and a professional. Although she is busy with her duties as a mother and a professional, she still finds time to do community work.”
“Mdm Speaker, I beg to move, "That the following Address in reply to the Speech of the President be agreed to: 'We, the Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, express our thanks to the President for the Speech which he delivered on behalf of the Government at the Opening of the Second Session of this Parliament.'." Thank you for the privilege to begin the proceedings in this important Sitting, that marks the second-half of our term in Parliament. President Tony Tan set the tone for the rest of this term in his opening speech last week. He offered a vision for the future – a Singapore for all, and a Singapore that will be better for our people. Allow me to speak now in Malay, Madam. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The President's Address provides a comprehensive plan on the Government's focus to further improve the lives of all Singaporeans, in addition to ensuring that our nation stays resilient in facing rapid developments. Singaporeans, in general, aspire to continually improve themselves. Those who are left behind also have opportunities to better their lives, through the system of meritocracy and various Government policies that are focused on helping them. The Malay/Muslim community in Singapore have also ascended and progressed from generation to generation. This aspiration was able to be fulfilled through various programmes as well as the spirit of self-reliance and the strength of gotong royong that forms part of the lives of Malays in Singapore. It is true that more needs to be done. However, the one thing that is exceptional and gives us pride is the awareness among the Malay/Muslims about the importance of investing in education, which is a pillar of success.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I just want to ask a couple of questions. In terms of the PACT programme, when you look at innovation and co-development, do you also look at the payment terms? When it comes to big companies, they typically have economies of scale and they can demand longer payment term cycles. I have done SME dialogues where SMEs would complain that big companies expect longer payment terms and very harsh conditions of contract. This could be looked into. This is one aspect. My second question is: in terms of putting all these companies together – it is related to the earlier question – how can we facilitate more to come together, Page: 38 especially when they have very varied interests in terms of objectives?”
“Deputy Prime Minister, may I have the reply to the second question on manpower?”
“Mdm Speaker, I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for his reply. I understand this is a complex issue, and I also see that structural facilities are being enhanced to improve security. So, I just have two questions. Firstly, if a vehicle should breach the checkpoint, should there not be other standby vehicles to chase them down? The fact that Singapore is small, the five hours spent to find the vehicle is too long, especially if we have a potential terrorist threat, for example. Secondly, manpower is an issue today. Page: 14 Is it difficult to recruit Police Officers and has that contributed to some of these lapses?”
“On the other hand, if the perpetrators of cyber bullying cannot be identified, can we take action to find out his identity and punish him? These considerations should be factored into the Bill, so that it is more effective and comprehensive. We all know that this kind of bullying can also happen to women. Cyber bullies may stalk their victims, some even engage in despicable behaviour, such as blackmailing. I hope the Government will study the various kinds of bullying, so that we can better understand these bullies and take precautionary measures. There are also many cases of women being sexually harassed by their colleagues and bosses at the workplace. They either suffer in silence, or simply quit their job, because they do not have the money or the time to seek legal recourse. Some residents tell me that they are being harassed by their ex-boyfriends but dare not tell their parents, so they feel very stressed out. It is heartening to see that we are moving towards a common direction of protecting the weaker members of our society from unnecessary bullying. I strongly support the Protection from Harassment Bill. I hope that our children, sisters and colleagues will be better protected. 3.34 pm”
“] In an era where our lives are closely linked to the Internet, the introduction of the Protection from Harassment Bill is timely. In recent years, there is a rising trend of online harassment, and victims are mostly children and teenagers. The harm caused by cyber bullying can be more serious than physical bullying. The bullies hide behind the veil of anonymity and vent their anger on innocent victims, without being caught and punished. To them, this may just be a cruel game, but unfortunately, some victims find cyberbullying so unbearable that they choose to commit suicide. In 2013, Assoc Prof Tom Hawk from Michigan State University published his study on cyber bullying on CNN. Information gathered by him and his Singapore research partners showed that about 27% of students have encountered cyber bullying, and 28% were victims of SMS harassment. As a result, these victims played truant or had intentions to play truant. In comparison, only 22% of victims of physical bullying did so or had similar intentions. Among the victims of cyber bullying, 28% contemplated suicide. Hence, one should not underestimate the intangible harm caused by words. Page: 88 This leads to my next point, which is to identify the symptoms and the culprit behind cyber bullying. Physical bullying is usually easier to identify, but victims of cyber bullying often suffer in silence. Sometimes, they are even misunderstood by their parents and teachers. If laws are enacted without being effectively enforced, it will not be able to achieve its objectives. Hence, I hope teachers and parents will be given more resources to help them identify symptoms of cyber bullying, so that they can help solve the children's problems appropriately.”
“Similar to my proposal to MOE, I hope that MinLaw and also MOM will take the opportunity to strengthen our awareness of the laws and the measures and recourse available to workers. Madam, in conclusion, I support the Protection from Harassment Bill for the objective of protecting our people against various forms of harassment, whether online, in our social environment or at the workplace. The Bill reflects and sets the tone of today's context of how pervasive online content and communications are in our lives today and how the online mechanism can amplify the act of bullying and harassment. The Internet has provided us with Page: 87 a lot of good in developing society, being communities together, and enhancing our work environments. Unfortunately, it also offers sanctuary to the anonymity of perpetrators. I hope this Bill provides a beacon of light to brighten this space and offer hope to victims, past and present, that the law today has caught up with technological advancements to counter harassment and bullying behaviour. For the detractors, who may feel that this is a form of censorship to curb against critical speech against private figures, I hope that the Minister can also continue to assure them that as long as one does not commit defamation, abuse, insult or threaten anyone, the law is meant to protect the ordinary person seeking the protection of the law. The Government has committed to keeping a "light touch" policy online. And I hope that this Bill and the Government continue to respect the sanctity of a "light touch" on Internet regulations and responsible freedom of expression. 3.30 pm Er Dr Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon): Mdm Speaker, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.”
“From a citizen's point of view, they also belong "to a prescribed class of employees or workers that provides any service which is essential to the well-being of the public or the proper functioning of Singapore". I am also keen to see social service workers provided the same protection in this category, especially those who are working under the ambit of the FSCs or organisations who also handle cases where their assessment could determine whether one receives social assistance, employment assistance or any other Government assistance, such rental flats and so forth. On harassment at the workplace: Madam, I am heartened and I noted AWARE's campaign in relation to this Bill in championing for a safer work environment for women against sexual or other forms of harassment at the workplace. I certainly fully agree and support, as I had mentioned in my MOM COS speech as well, that we need to strengthen our agencies, such as TAFEP, to have more bite in the workplace to ensure fair employment practices. This new Bill can address and, I hope, be a new thrust, in providing workers greater protection against harassment and abuse in the workplace. I am aware of AWARE's position of greater accountability by employers. However, this is where my view differs in that I support this Bill but believe that the law must be aimed at individuals, rather than employers. I am sure all employers have human resource (HR) core values and codes of conduct that do not condone harassment of any kind in the workplace. What I hope is that this law will prove its effectiveness and send a clear signal to all employers that our workplaces should be free from any form of harassment or abuse – for both men and women.”
“Under this Bill, the law also applies to acts committed from outside Singapore as long as certain conditions are fulfilled, for example, when an offender who is overseas can harass or bully a victim in Singapore and knows that the victim would be in Singapore at the point in time. We are certainly aware of many overseas platforms whose owners are anonymous and anyone, including from Singapore, can post on these sites or platforms anonymously, too. What kind of measures is available to the Court to enforce non-compliance of Court or take-down orders? Will the Court have the authority to block the site for local consumption – as it is not made clear in the Bill on what measures can be undertaken by the Court in such a scenario? Madam, on the issue of Public Workers: I am heartened that harassment involving indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour against a Public Servant is also extended to Public Service workers. Many speculate – as the list has not been confirmed – that public healthcare workers, public transport workers and frontline service staff, like bus drivers and MRT train personnel, are likely to be covered. I propose that in this list, we should also include workers that perform any public service function which involves enforcement responsibilities or fee collection functions under any Act or law in Singapore. As a Town Council Page: 86 Chairman, I hope that Town Council officers and contractors be also covered as they have constant contact with residents and have to perform enforcement functions, summons and fee collections – not too dissimilar from any public servant.”
“Will the Court issue an immediate take-down or Protection Order at the point when the application is made to the District Court? And will it be in force until a resolution is made as to whether the information is fact or fiction? Or will the take-down order be made after the Court has decided that the complainant has established the facts and that there was an error? Madam, in the era of social media, even three days, three weeks, even three months is a long time, by which time misinformation can be viralled and shared Page: 85 across different Internet platforms. Thus, even with this measure, if taken too long, damage would be done. Even if the main site has taken down the wrong information, or is required to publish a rebuttal, the take-down or rebuttal does not follow through the channels where the information may have been viralled or shared by other users or sites. May I also seek the Minister's clarification if the Court's powers extend to sites that republish or users that have shared or viralled false contents or content involved in cyber-harassment or cyberbullying? Is this a loophole to the law being enacted? However, conversely, enforcing a take-down immediately every time a complaint is made may also be seen as promoting censorship. However, the advantage that content and service providers have are that, if proven that they were correct, the posts can still be posted and potentially viralled anyway. Thus, I think publishers and content providers still have the advantage. So, I stand on the side of the ordinary person who is disadvantaged with limited reach and influence online. Madam, next, on the extent of the law from sites or anonymous users from overseas.”
“Thus, I am sure that they are also aware of the negative implications of invoking this law too often, or if at all. I am in support only for the ordinary citizen who is or has been victims of cyber bullying, harassment or misinformation by legitimate or anonymous publishers and is unable to fend for themselves as the balance of reach and coverage in the online world is not in their favour. I support this as long as it is not a tool to be used in any manner to censor information and responsible views – alternative as they may be – on the Internet. With the new Bill, the Court can issue take-down notices to websites which publish offending material deemed as harassment. I agree with the overall approach that if a victim wishes to claim in Court, the burden of proof of establishing the facts lies with the complainant. I think this is a fair process and the Courts are also empowered to direct sites to issue alerts to their readers over falsehoods made against victims. I have a concern for the Minister to address in terms of the form of notification for the Courts. We know how fast information or misinformation travels on the Internet, so I would like to ask how cumbersome the process is and how many cases can our Courts handle at the same time and how long and what kind of time schedule will this process take. Does the law cover only content publishers, content site owners or aggregators as well? There is a difference each may claim in terms of culpability. If a publisher is anonymous or refuses to comply, is the site owner or aggregator then responsible? The next concern I have is when an application is made. At which point does the Court issue a take-down?”
“At the same time, we should promote a zero-tolerance environment for bullying in school. I hope that MinLaw and MOE can do more to set the tone and guidelines to put everyone – our children, families, teachers, school administrators and counsellors – on the same page on acceptable behaviours, what to expect with this new legislation and what we should do about bullying behaviour in school and outside school. We need to handle such cases with the right touch and reason. As children, they may not understand that some of their actions or the way they communicate online may constitute as harassment. Thus, I am also heartened that the law provides a range of measures to provide this balance and take a nurturing approach in community orders like counselling, psychiatric treatment or probation. I stand with many parents for being concerned – whether one is the parent of the victim or the parent of the accused. As a parent of a victim, the child today, will be accorded greater protection from harassment and bullying. For parents of those who may have been the harassers or the bullies, the child is also protected by law to be treated fairly and with a slew of softer measures that could help nurture the child to obtain the necessary support and education. Page: 84 On misinformation: Madam, I welcome the introduction of laws on false statement of facts. This now entitles ordinary people to seek the judgment of the Court for publishers of statements allegedly containing falsehoods to remove the statements, or display a suitable clarification or rebuttal. Public figures and celebrities, on the other hand, are better equipped than the common person to manage the replies and rebut.”
“On cyberbullying, often cited in the media – and raised earlier by the Minister as well – is the worldwide study by Microsoft in 2012 that showed Singapore to be one of six countries where bullying among youth aged eight to 17 was particularly pervasive. This Bill is also timely, as Singapore was ranked second behind China in terms of cyberbullying among that age group. Given that the social media landscape is still maturing, I am in support of the Bill which provides greater bite to counter cyberbullying before this culture goes out of Page: 83 control. But the approach we take has to be one of raising awareness among youths and the public and, at the same time, create a "zero-tolerance for bullying" in our schools – whether in the physical or online realm. The impact of bullying in school – whether on the Internet or in the physical realm – has a significant impact on a child. Just two weeks ago, I handled a bullying case at my MPS involving a young girl who was allegedly bullied in Primary school. I say "alleged" as the case is still ongoing. Since the incident, she has refused to attend school. Speaking to her, I also noticed discomfort when you speak of school and of going back to class. I have kids of my own and, as a parent, I have also noticed how conscious my children are of social media and try to avoid situations that could result in being shamed and being the "talk of the town". Through our own experience, we all know that the emotional development of a child can be impacted negatively as a result of peer pressure. Unfortunately, in this age of social media, this environment has been made even harsher. My hope is that in this new law, we can create a sense of awareness and promote greater education on cyberbullying and harassment.”
“Having handled such cases, I therefore support the Protection from Harassment Bill as it provides a consolidated law that will offer greater protection and remedies for victims, such as the resident I mentioned. The Bill provides greater clarity on the thresholds, offences and remedies for harassment in the real world or the online world - where threatening, abusing, insulting the victim, loitering near a victim's home or messaging daily will be criminalised. I am also supportive that the Bill creates a statutory tort that will make it possible for victims to take out civil proceedings against perpetrators for harassing or stalking them and to claim monetary compensation if their suits are successful. This provides a stronger avenue for civil recourse by victims, giving them greater empowerment to take action against perpetrators on their own. The introduction of the Act is, therefore, timely, given the context of today's use of the Internet and social media. Penalties for harassment offences have been enhanced to reflect today's context. The penalties take into consideration the amplification power that social media offers, which sees higher monetary penalties and jail terms, with repeat offenders also facing heavier penalties. Yet, the Bill also strikes a good balance – and this is what I support – to empower the Court with flexibility to make community orders, including treatment order at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH). This reflects an element of realism that, at times, the cause of these offences vary, ranging from stress and mental health issues, to juveniles who may need a more time-nurturing treatment and understanding.”
“Mdm Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak on the Protection from Harassment Bill. As the Minister had highlighted earlier, this is a topic that has generated huge public interest over the last few weeks. This Bill is a welcome move for victims of harassment, stalking, abuse and insult, who, prior to this Bill, would have had little or almost no means of help from the law. I have spoken in Parliament on the need for laws to protect the ordinary citizen from harassment and bullying online on three occasions and I hope that this fourth occasion does not qualify my doing so as harassment to the Speaker or the Minister. In the past year, I have come across two such cases at my MPS. In the more severe case, a female resident had been stalked by a former boyfriend at home and at work, harassed online, even receiving veiled threats to her safety and that of her family through instant messaging. Despite making Police reports and compiling the incidences and messages for the Police, there was nothing the Police or the law could do to protect her further. One day, as she was on her way home, she was nearly hit by a falling object. Not too long after, she received an SMS from her ex-boyfriend who somehow knew she had a close shave. In that message, it said that, next time, she may not be so lucky. But because the thresholds of the existing laws are vague, the Page: 82 Police were also unable to help. I can fully understand that feeling of being at a loss even when the Police are not able to assist because the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order & Nuisance) Act is not effective in handling online harassment and stalking.”
“Investigations are necessary to ascertain exactly what happened, and then to take the corrective measures in order to overcome those challenges. On his first question, the vision of a Islamic hub is, of course, very grand, but I think we have to be very realistic that for such a small country with very limited talent pool, what exactly we can do. We have done well in certain areas. For example, our mosque management is something which other countries – I will not mention which countries – have come to visit and understand how we manage it. I think we have been blessed, because we have followed the Page: 145 Singapore system of governance in management, and that has filtered into the way we run our mosques and our organisations. Beyond that, education is an area that we are paying close attention to. Our madrasahs, especially Madrasah Aljunied, used to be a hub in the region for talent from the region to come and study. We have lost that prestige because other institutions have grown and overtaken us. Having said that, I am confident that we can carve out a niche for ourselves that the Member mentioned earlier. But let us let the JMS run first and stabilise ourselves before we decide where exactly is the niche that we can be strong at. If you ask me, without committing my colleagues at MUIS, I think the one area that we have shown our ability, really, is integrating modern knowledge and traditional knowledge. And that is one programme that we are looking forward to in our JMS, to allow our students who go through our madrasah system to be trained comprehensively, not just in traditional Islamic knowledge, but also in modern knowledge. So, perhaps, that is an area that we can pay attention to.”
“Madam, we see much instability, political and civil, in many of our traditional Islamic hubs, such as Yemen and Egypt. In the Minister's view, given our international standing as an educational and economic hub, can MUIS consider establishing Singapore as an Islamic hub, focusing on niche areas, perhaps leveraging on Singapore's economic hub status? What is MUIS' vision of establishing our international Islamic credentials in the next 10 years? Second question. Madam, at the start of my MOM cut, I spoke about the need to strengthen TAFEP on employment discrimination. I think this was raised by Suara Musyawarah, which Member Faisal Manap also spoke about earlier. I note that he spoke about it, but I differ in opinion in that the community tackles this with the broader institutions like MOM and TAFEP. So, for the Malay organisations dealing with employability, would they work closer with TAFEP in terms of strengthening the engagement, to address employment discrimination? Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: There are two questions. I begin, again, with the second question. It is not an easy matter, but I agree with the Member that as far as possible, issues of such nature, we should work within a national framework. TAFEP was created for that purpose. In fact, Mdm Chair had a hand in the formation of TAFEP. It has worked well. There is always room for improvement. I would advise strongly that if there are any concerns about perceived job discrimination, to bring it forward either to MENDAKI SENSE or to TAFEP directly. And I am sure that MOM will deal with this directly. At the end of the day, it is difficult for us to evaluate just at face value.”
“In this matter, can the Minister give an update on the efforts to improve the system for the Haj and Korban this year?”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, the Haj and Korban activities went smoothly and in an orderly manner for Singapore Muslims last year. This was achieved despite the various challenges and uncertainties of the two religious activities that are important to the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. We welcome the continuous efforts of the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob and MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) with regard to the Haj quota issue. His recent discussions with the Saudi government raised the possibility of an increase to the quota and it will certainly be appreciated by the community. However, many people understand that the restrictions imposed on the number of places to perform the Haj is not limited to Singapore solely, but to other countries as well. In fact, we are made to understand that countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, who have a far greater number of Muslims, have to accept a much longer waiting list for the Haj. However, MUIS has implemented a registration system that aims to make the administration and allocation of places more transparent and fair to everyone. Yet, there is certainly room for improvement, including constantly providing information to the community. The same goes for the Korban ritual, which has become a part of our community's life every year. Last year, for the first time, we imported livestock from Canada, in addition to those from Australia. This new development was well-received because it offers another option to our community, who gave an encouraging response. More importantly, the Korban ritual went smoothly even though there were several challenges and uncertainties, for instance, the regulations set by the Australian authorities.”
“[Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Strong families and stable homes are an important foundation to our society. Troubled homes and divorces have a huge impact on the lives of young children, affecting their development and eventually leading to various problems in the community. However, with the worrying trend of divorces, especially among young couples, we should not sit still. Government agencies like the ROMM and the Syariah Court, as well as self-help bodies like MENDAKI and several Malay/Muslim bodies, have implemented various initiatives and programmes to overcome this issue, especially at the upstream level which can help in early prevention. All these initiatives can increase awareness among the community, and with awareness and knowledge, there will be a firm commitment to ensure that priority is given to building strong families. Therefore, we are seeing more results, because the figures show that the number of divorces within the community has gone down since 2006, from 1,782 to 1,587 in 2012. The number of couples marrying early, whereby one of them is below 21 years old, has also gone down. On this note, can the Minister elaborate on the programmes that have been planned to prepare and strengthen the homes of Malay/Muslim couples? In addition, what type of assistance is available and being planned for divorce cases, where the couples face various problems like accommodation, payment of alimony and taking care of the children? How can we ensure that the affected couples receive the support and guidance that they require? Health Concerns in the Malay/Muslim Community”
“Mdm Chair, thank you, Minister, Senior Minister of State, Minister of State for your thoughtful replies and, of course, sharing your directions of the important work that the Ministry is doing to enhance our infocomm, broadcast, media, library and design sectors. I would also like to thank GPC Members and Members of this House who have also spoken during the COS today. I would also like to thank the Permanent Secretary Aubeck Kam and his team – he is also here today – and all the Statutory Boards for the work they have done to realise the policy in Budget 2014. I wish the Ministry and all the Statutory Boards success in the execution and implementation of Budget 2014. With that, Mdm Chair, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. [(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $706,813,300 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)] [(proc text) The sum of $366,632,800 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]”
“Mdm Chair, earlier, I asked the Minister on a question which I think was not answered. It is about the Internet regulation, whether Minister is prepared or willing to do more consultation with the public because the goal post seems to have shifted. Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim: My apologies. Our approach, where the Internet is concerned, as I have mentioned before, is really a light touch. We have made some adjustments primarily because the landscape is evolving and that is why last year we have the licensing of the online news sites. Going forward, we are reviewing the Broadcasting Act and I have made it clear this review of the Broadcasting Act will be opened to the public for consultation. I would like members of the Internet community, in particular, to pay special Page: 88 attention and give their feedback where possible to help us to enhance the Act. The basic philosophy that we will continue to take is that the Internet has to be continually light-touch in terms of regulation. At the same time, we have to ensure that the content that is provided on the Internet does not in any way undermine our national and public interest.”
“Government Cybersecurity In light of the website replacements encountered by private organisations and the Tweet storms targeted at the Government, what plans does the Government have to strengthen the cyber defence of the Government's ICT systems and to raise awareness amongst individuals and businesses about cybersecurity? I notice that the National Research Foundation had last year identified cybersecurity as a key research cluster it wants to develop and has set aside $130 million for this. What is the status of that initiative and what is the take-up rate of the industry? From the citizens' perspective, what is the Government doing to give the public the confidence that their personal data and access to Government's e-services will be kept secure, and these include civil servants and public officers who were recently at the centre of a cyber threat? In addition, may I ask how does the Government develop the infocomm security workforce to cater to the increasing demands and capacity, and protect Government and business requirements from cyber harassments and cyber intrusions?”
“Mdm Chair, regulation of media content is necessary to provide a wide range of age-appropriate content for adults while, at the same time, protecting our young. Given the trend of media convergence, how would our media policies and regulations evolve? Will MCI be reviewing its media policy principles and, if so, could MCI articulate some of these changes? Moving on to Internet regulations, of late, there have been several new regulations implemented in the past year, such as the Broadcasting (Class Licence) Notification and the registration of Internet sites. This has caused concern amongst the Internet community that after consultation for Internet self-regulation, the Ministry has taken several steps back in terms of keeping the Internet on a light touch. I understand that given MDA's challenges over the pre-existing laws of foreign interference and funding of Internet space, the means of implementation could have been done better with greater notice, consultation and buy-in from the Internet in the news community. Understandably, the Internet landscape is constantly evolving and the regulated tool has to evolve. Can the Ministry share if it has any plans to continue to engage the Internet community and whether the new regulations that it is considering today, and Internet self-regulations and code of conduct are still on MDA's agenda? This will help provide some visibility on the direction and approach that the Ministry is taking moving forward, as many have raised concerns that the goal post Page: 49 keeps shifting.”
“And what is MCI doing to help our ICM SMEs internationalise and monetise their IP and R&D efforts. Madam, looking at this year's Budget with the PIC and the PIC+, I think this is the year for the infocomm technology (ICT) SMEs in Singapore. They will benefit as beneficiaries but they will also have the added advantage of being service providers of the Productivity Schemes. ICT SMEs are in a good position to benefit if they can also provide relevant services to help other SMEs. How does the Ministry plan to engage the ICT SMEs to exploit this expanded scope that is opened by the extension of PIC and the introduction of PIC+? ICT Readiness for Seniors”
“Thus, we have the opportunity to shape our workforce of the future like enabling our young to use computational thinking to solve real world problems. They will be better exposed to thinking about how the systems and technologies around us can help us live or work better, how we can improve lives, enhance our environment, make our businesses more productive or even how we can run the country more effectively. We can do more than just cyber wellness and netiquette in schools. I suggest we perform an upgrade on this course to version 2.0. If we can change the approach towards computational thinking, we will provide a life-skill that will be useful no matter which sector or jobs our students wish to pursue in future. Any industry of tomorrow will rely more and more on systems and technology, and, increasingly, for our students in the future workforce being able to solve real world problems with systems and technology will become a valuable life-skill. I would like to ask what Singapore's plans are to enhance our workforce ability in computational thinking and how we can inculcate this into the school levels. Madam, my third cut. Infocomm and Media SME Development The world of smart phone applications, social media in cloud technology has made it possible for the likes of Facebook, Rovio, WhatsApp and even salesforce.com to take the world by storm. This is a new frontier for Singapore to build its generation of technology companies to succeed the likes of Creative Technologies from the previous era. Page: 31 So, what are MCI's plans to meet the needs of SMEs and help them to grow to add vibrancy to the ICM sector? What is the process of the number of local innovations and SMEs that are capable of being world challengers today?”
“Many leaders in the ICM community are also concerned about fewer young Singaporeans coming through the ranks in recent years, despite many well-paying ICM jobs that can also provide international exposure and many global roles that exist here. They have also observed the intakes of Singaporean students to the Universities and other tertiary institutions are low compared to other "sexy" subjects such as banking, law, finance, even communications and the arts. How can the ICM Masterplan address how to attract more Singaporeans to play a significant role in our ICM development for the future? Madam, please allow me to move on to my next cut. Computational Thinking as a Life Skill I recall when I was in school, we had technical workshop classes and Home Economics. These were deemed to be life-skills that we needed in life. I did not personally attend the Home Economic subject, just the technical one, but I heard they were useful. Page: 30 Today, computational thinking abilities are viewed increasingly as an important life-skill. For example, the United Kingdom has incorporated computing into its national curriculum in schools. We use a variety of systems and technologies to support our businesses and our productivity as workers. No matter which industry we are in, whether we are in healthcare, banking, manufacturing, the military or the Government, we use technology to solve real world issues, to analyse data for us to identify trends and eliminate root causes of issues, performed today even in the medical world, such as remote surgery; in the military to control air drones remotely. We cannot run away from technology in our social lives as I am sure the majority of Singaporeans have a mobile device, smartphone and are likely to be plugged into social media.”
“Mdm Chair, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head Q of the Estimates be reduced by $100". Mdm Chair, Singapore has always ranked top in national rankings of e-Government and amongst the top adopters of media and technology. Even Page: 29 recently, a new international study by Accenture on e-Government placed Singapore at number one which is a credit to the Government for embracing technology and media to connect digitally with citizens. Today, we see a greater convergence of the infocomm and media (ICM) sector and this convergence also meant that the strategic plan for a national infrastructure, regulations and our manpower requirements have to be aligned and not develop as a silo. Last year, MCI formed a Steering Committee to put together a Masterplan that would look holistically at the ICM sector for the next 10 years from 2015. This Masterplan will not only look at the planning and resources needed for this sector but also the opportunities that arise out of it. These include the new growth areas in the sector, the jobs that we created and the new business opportunities for entrepreneurs to get into. Since this Budget has also delegated resources to improve the adoption of ICT amongst our SMEs, it is perhaps also timely to find out about the outcomes and status of the Masterplan. So, I would like to ask the Minister: what are some of the opportunities to be created in the next phase of the ICM industry and how would the infocomm sector with that Masterplan seize these opportunities for our other industry sectors?”
“We have some other laws that are often leveraged. But as a mature economy, it may be time to give Fair Employment a stronger backing, particularly against employment discrimination. This will give TAFEP and workers greater security and assurance that we have a stronger legal backing to address employment and workplace discrimination. Page: 96 I personally do not think this will dampen our vibrant employer and business landscape here as many major economies around the world already have such laws in place. I also believe most employers will also have fair employment at the core of their HR values and practices. In fact, this may also give them greater certainty and transparency of our employment framework here. Progressive Employment Practice”
“Mdm Chair, my dialogues with residents and workers often revealed concerns about job opportunities, whether there is any discrimination either by age, race or nationality. The top complaint received by TAFEP – about half in a report last year – is about employers favouring foreigners over Singaporeans. At the same time, a report by an independent Malay/Muslim panel, the Suara Musyawarah, several months ago also highlighted concerns about discriminatory practices at workplaces, with the perception that some employers prefer non-Malay employees. We all agree that we need a vibrant business environment for Singapore's economy to prosper. Thus, we should continue to welcome employers from diverse environments and business practices, globally and locally. At the same time, we need to give employees here in Singapore the assurance that their rights as workers are protected, and while discrimination at the workplace is often hard to prove, it is all the more important to do our utmost to prevent discriminatory employment practices. It is timely for the Ministry to put workers' rights higher on the fair employment agenda and I suggest this: by making TAFEP a full Statutory Board or a regulatory agency to govern fair employment and work practices in Singapore and enforce compliance against discrimination or unfair practices. I think TAFEP needs to be given more "bite" to be effective. Today, many see TAFEP as a lightweight organisation working within the framework of SNEF funded by the Ministry and moral persuasion is how TAFEP engages employers today, which some may find ineffective. Thus, in addition, I would also urge MOM to consider introducing an Act focusing on Fair Employment covering anti-discrimination and harassment laws at the workplace.”
“At the same time, employers will also find it valuable over time as a resource to seek local employees more effectively than they would have in a tighter labour market. Page: 41 The Acting Minister for Manpower (Mr Tan Chuan-Jin): Mdm Chair, with your permission, may I request for slides to be presented during the course of my speech?”
“Mdm Chair, I welcome the Fair Consideration Framework that will come into effect soon, as the outcome is intended to benefit local professionals, managers and executives. I see this as among the positive outcomes of the framework, but there may be question marks and uncertainties about how the framework will work and its implementation. Many Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) I speak to have concerns with regard to how effective the framework will be, as they are concerned that some employers could find ways to navigate their way around the requirement and, in the end, continue with unfair hiring practices. In this regard, people need to be aware of the idea behind this framework, how it will work, and what the intended objectives are – for this to work effectively for both the employers and job-seekers. On the part of employers, some see it as a disadvantage, as it may slow down their hiring process, especially smaller companies. Hence, I agree that the framework applies to companies with over 25 employees and they need to first advertise for jobs on a Government-run jobs bank. Can the Minister update the House on what are the details of this jobs bank and what are some of the inputs gathered from employer feedback? It remains to be seen how companies adhere to this requirement and what sort of impact the framework will have on the economy, especially how we continue to attract new investments. Companies will also need to review their human resource policy and factor in this new framework. What is MOM's assessment in terms of the impact of this policy on Singapore from the foreign investors' and foreign business' perspective? But over the long term, this framework has to be one that will balance the needs of the local worker.”
“For the short term, how can the Government help SMEs manage business costs better, especially in aspects, such as rental cost, which is driven by market forces and Singapore's land scarcity? Given the scarcity of land, what can we do better to manage rental cost for our commercial, industrial and retail sectors? But specific to the retail sector, many have raised concerns that a number of landlords charge a percentage of revenue income, in addition to base rent. This percentage is set based on the ability to access a company's point of sale system to maximise rent charges depending on how successful your business is. This practice dampens entrepreneurship because the entrepreneur is effectively working for the landlord, especially when landlords take the share of revenue without having invested into the business. There is also a lack of transparency on what percentage each retailer is charged, even within the same location. I would like to propose that we establish a more transparent rental benchmark for the retail sector. For such a benchmark to be useful, it should include what various landlords charge, in terms of base rent, plus the percentage range of the revenue income wherever this is practised. What I hope is for businesses to be given a fairer, more transparent view of the rental landscape here in Singapore, and I believe that transparencies should go both ways between retailers and the landlords, and not just one way, as it is today. Page: 135 Suitability of REITs in Singapore”
“In fact, overall, the challenging environment of slow economic growth and rising business costs remains a concern for many SMEs. Labour tightening has meant higher wage expectations to attract local talent while increased foreign worker levies and rising rentals have impacted the competitiveness of many businesses. Page: 134 Personally, I support the increase in CPF contributions for our workers, especially the seniors, but this would also add to the cost factors. With such high cost, I fear that Singapore may lose its competitiveness. We have done well in keeping corporate taxes and higher-tier income taxes low, but there are also many cost levers that have also gone up in recent years which the Government needs to do better to keep in check. My Budget Debate speech touched on the setting up of a Cost Competitiveness Review Committee, as was proposed by the Member, Mr Inderjit Singh. I hope that the Ministry can seriously consider this in an effort to improve our cost competitiveness as a Business Hub and address many Singaporeans' concerns on cost of living and affordability. We need more concrete strategies and initiatives to manage our high-cost environment. More needs to be done to also address public fears that they will not be able to retire comfortably or whether they can still afford to live in Singapore. Thus, it is about time we do a holistic view of all direct and indirect contributions to business and living costs in Singapore. I hope we can take a consultative approach, with inputs from business associations and consumers, and make these findings and recommendations public and have a review panel that is inclusive.”
“Mr Chairman, MTI and SPRING launched the SME Workgroup last year. I was fortunate to have the benefit of being involved in some of the dialogues. I found it a valuable process where we not only get to share with the SMEs, but also to make them better aware of the scope of the various schemes. This is useful for those harder-to-reach groups, as I have mentioned in my Budget speech, to look into how they can adopt the PIC or PIC+. During the Budget debate, I had also covered at length how the smaller SMEs may be an insulated group, and why we may need to take a more hands-on approach to try to aggregate demand and drive productivity collectively across groupings or supply chains. The SME dialogues, therefore, offer an opportunity to reach out to the small business communities and this will complement the SME satellites that were established across Singapore to reach out to the SMEs. I commend SPRING and MTI for this initiative. I would like to ask the Minister on the progress of the SME Workgroup to date and what are some of the issues that the SMEs have raised through this process. Based on these concerns, what policy changes can we accept that are aimed at supporting SMEs through the economic restructuring process, and what role will the SME Workgroup play in the review and the execution of these policies? Mr Chairman, let me continue to my next cut on managing rising business costs for SMEs. Managing Rising Business Costs for SMEs Many other Members have spoken at length about this. However, the challenging business environment has also meant that there is concern whether the micro-SMEs and traditional businesses will go out of business in this new transformed economy that we are going for.”
“Singaporeans, having voted us as the ruling Government, deserve the benefit of a fair, effective and connected Government. So, I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance for a Budget 2014 that delivered on this promise. Madam, I support the Budget.”
“While capacity and expertise are key areas that need to be addressed, the Government Budget should also address the talent, capacity, systems and processes in place to make the Government more effective, productive and innovative to improve governance. Page: 97 Ultimately, operational failures on the ground have had an impact on the Government's credibility. But this is about governance. I would like to also hear how the Budget will address this concern. I hope that the Minister for Finance can assure the public that while we prepare for policies for the long term for the people, we also are able to set our basic public services right, retain our reputation for efficiency and be effective with our policies. This Budget also needs to put a strong focus on getting our execution right, and build a Government service that is more connected to the ground. Madam, in conclusion, Budget 2014 has thus shown that this Government can effectively balance economic growth and our social objectives. We should continue on this path. Most Singaporeans buy into our productivity narrative and the need to compete in this globalised economy. But over time, this Government needs to show that with increasing productivity, our quality of life will continue to prevail and living in Singapore continues to be affordable. People must feel that these changes are taking effect. And the effects must be visible so that our people continue to buy-in into the long-term strategic plans for Singapore. Even in today's globalised world where a competitive business environment forces us to work on global terms – our Budget retains a strong social focus and a strong commitment to the people. These are the strengths of the PAP Government.”
“We need to look deeper into how our SMEs can capitalise beyond the automation and training aspects of the PIC and move instead into innovation. This is crucial, especially with how we need to differentiate our economy and local companies from our regional competition. Madam, I believe this Budget has shown that we are able to generate a good mix of social and economic policies for our citizens. However, of late, the Government has also taken a credibility hit in our execution and administration. While we look at Government spending in all areas, we should also look into the amount of resources the Government has allocated to enhance our governance. The Government also needs to review its own efforts to address the effectiveness of its administration and delivery of key services. Recent procurement lapses, for instance, those identified in the AGO reports and high-profile corruption cases, have raised questions on the Government's credibility. While the Government was able to address these lapses – of course, there may be some questions remaining as to why they were not identified earlier and whether procurement can be better performed by specialists and divisions that are independent of the users. In addition, it is important that we strengthen our regulators and agencies, given some of the other publicised lapses in public services. These range from the frequent public transport disruptions to immigration trespasses and communication disruptions in our mobile networks. Understandably, the business of Government today is more complex and certainly of a larger magnitude, compared to past decades.”
“The PIC and PIC+ generally promote productivity improvements within the company. For the small-sized SMEs, we may need a cross-industry or cross-sector-driven productivity drive. And in this regard, the Government may have to roll up its sleeves further to drive transformations across a cluster of small companies at a time within a business grouping or within a supply chain. For companies of this size, the Government may also need to drive more R&D efforts as they have no capability or resources to embark on R&D. In fact, R&D at an industry or supply chain level for a cluster of small companies may make more sense. So, it will be interesting to see if agencies could help connect retail shops or food centres in the heartlands with shared services, e-payments or other innovative service providers. One retail shop, on its own, may not find automation useful without scale. But a business community, put together, may find automation or shared services useful in lowering their business costs and enhancing customer experience. Thus, there may be a need to employ a different strategy for productivity transformation as we get to the harder-to-reach, small-sized SMEs. Page: 96 The other issue on R&D is the alignment of the R&D centres that are available today. Most R&D centres here, such as A*STAR, are Government-related. I would like to enquire whether these Government agencies have sufficient capacity and the right KPIs aligned to entrepreneurship and SME engagement. Are the KPIs focused more on product research or innovation that can be commercialised? Thus, the alignment has to be a lot clearer for these agencies for R&D and intellectual property to be useful within the PIC framework.”
“I agree with Member Alvin Yeo's comments that Singapore cannot go down the path of politics of envy, where people try to level down others who have made it. Both market-led growth and equal opportunities are important. But we must also ensure that the sense of equity and social mobility has to be felt and visible to the people. Otherwise, we risk our people feeling that Singapore is only for the rich and successful and that their future lies elsewhere but Singapore. Page: 95 Mdm Speaker, on the business front, it is quite clear that this is a Budget for the SMEs. The Government has made good strides to listen to the ground over the past years to better assist businesses through various business schemes, while at the same time retaining its focus towards greater productivity and innovation, and at the same time calibrating our reliance on foreign manpower. The extension of the PIC and the introduction of the PIC+ will help even more SMEs, to give them more time and targeted help to pursue their productivity aims. These productivity-led measures will also help companies address existing cost challenges and business productivity. I am heartened with the recent progress announced by SPRING Singapore. I am confident that these schemes will bring about stronger productivity improvements among the medium and large-sized SMEs. But there are also concerns whether the PIC and PIC+ can assume a one-size-fits-all strategy and whether the Government needs a different approach for the small-sized SMEs, especially those with 10 or less employees. For the small-sized SMEs, the reason why I bring them up is they could end up being a very insulated group. And this will span about one-third of SMEs in Singapore.”
“As such, it is imperative for us to progress together as a nation and continue to redistribute our wealth equitably and level up society. The open market that Singapore operates in is efficient economically and propagates meritocracy. However, our meritocratic environment also generates an outcome where the better-abled will succeed on the basis of merit and those who are more capable will likely earn more. Those who are not as able or who are less capable may not climb up the ladder at the same pace and are likely to earn less. So, this, generally, leads to widening inequality. Singapore, as a small country, in this open, global economy, has no choice but to operate within this regime. Unfortunately, a free market, left on its own, may not lead to equitable incomes. Thus, this Government has an even stronger role to play to level up the society, given the larger system that Singapore needs to operate in. This Budget has shown that despite globalisation and the impact of an open economy, the PAP Government can play a strong and impactful role in creating a fair and equitable society. And I hope, in time, Singapore will recognise how our policies today have helped our people for the long term. In the long term, however, I foresee that there may be more pressure put on the Government to impose higher taxes on the higher income group or introduce wealth taxes, such as the Buffett tax rule in the US. For now, I think our Budget transfer policies have shown some success but, if the income divide widens further, the Government may need to look into increasing income taxes at the upper end or wealth taxes. However, this needs to be done in a way where such taxes are taken as socially-driven tax measures to help level up society.”
“Apart from car and utility prices, we are now also the most expensive place in the world to buy clothes. So, I urge the Government to look seriously and urgently into our cost of living concerns now and for the long term. For as long as our high costs of living are concerned, it will be near impossible to allay our citizens' fears that we can retire comfortably and with a reasonable quality of life. I truly understand why many feel this way. Madam, I support Member Inderjit Singh's call earlier for a committee to review our cost competitiveness. Although he meant it for businesses, I say to extend this to the consumers as well to review our cost of living concerns. Madam, the Government's measures to bridge the income divide have shown some progress – the Gini coefficient fell from 0.478 in 2012 to 0.470 in 2013 and this has shown some reduction in income disparity. Given the Government's commitment to social mobility in a number of our Budget items – education, healthcare costs, job opportunities – I am happy to see visible outcomes of policies that have the PAP Government's mark stamped all over it, reflecting the party's own core values of building a "fair and just" society. We have seen in Budget 2014 how the Government has been able to budget for various policies, including the Pioneer Generation Package, through our surpluses and reserves income. This is no easy feat, as many countries struggle with balancing their Budget. Today, you will also find many political parties trying to claim credit as well with regard to caring for our seniors. But, again, where does the surplus come from? Can you run the economy effectively and generate the surplus and the reserves to account for and support such a Page: 94 measure?”
“Today's rentals in the heartlands have also ensured that whatever traditional businesses that remain, end up with almost similar prices to what you can find in the malls and food courts in the city. Commercialising many of our heartland centres has caused a lot of many traditional businesses being squeezed out. Today, we continue to inherit modern businesses and swanky malls that provide higher order goods. These are typically more expensive and you find carbon copies of shops from the same franchises from heartland to heartland. So, I hope to see HDB and NEA playing a more active role to provide a greater balance of affordable rental spaces in our HDB estates. Create more opportunities for traditional businesses – whether it is your friendly neighbourhood barber, the hardware shop, the shoe repair, the locksmith, the Page: 93 plumbers or the tailors in the neighbourhood. They do not just play a part in providing low-cost services, but they also enable the ordinary citizens, including seniors, to participate in the localised heartland economy as business owners or a consumer seeking low costs of living, insulated from city prices. Our quality of life must prevail even in retirement. I feel concerned when I meet middle-aged citizens, especially those who are doing well today with decent jobs, saying they would like to migrate when they retire so that they can retire comfortably. It is sad when they do not see a place for themselves in this land that they have toiled with blood, sweat and tears over the years. As I prepared this speech, Singapore was named the most expensive city to live in among 133 cities in 2014. This was a report that was released this morning by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU). We are now more expensive than Tokyo, Zurich, Paris and Sydney.”
“While the Government is trying to address their concerns in terms of healthcare affordability, many do not have the confidence that they can retire comfortably Page: 92 with the same quality and standard of living they enjoy today. Many have invested their CPF in property and can barely meet the Minimum Sum and save on their own accord. They look at the ever-increasing cost of living and inflation, and project the future costs in their minds against the savings that they can accumulate. This is where many become uncertain about their future here. But do not get me wrong. Many Singaporeans are grateful for the work that the Government is doing in terms of healthcare subsidies and keeping MediShield premiums affordable. However, they also have friends and family around them with chronic and serious ailments where out-of-pocket expenses and indirect costs are still required for medication and treatments which have increased over time, and so they fear for their own fate. I acknowledge that there is a danger of the Government requiring larger budgets or increased taxes if more expenses need to be covered. But as we deal with healthcare affordability and CPF savings adequacy in old age, these are often seen as safety nets. We also need to look from the lens of citizens. In addition to these instruments, can one still maintain a comfortable standard of living without being priced out in Singapore? I also believe it is important that our heartlands, where most Singaporeans and seniors live, must continue to remain affordable and vibrant. Many residents I speak to are concerned that city prices are creeping into our heartlands, with the many malls, food courts and supermarkets replacing our familiar wet markets, mom-and-pop shops and small-time service providers.”
“This is especially since, in this case, qualifying for the package was not by means testing as it is in recognition of our Pioneer Generation's achievements. Many of my residents I have spoken to are happy with the PGP. Many have already subscribed to CHAS and I am heartened that many will continue to benefit from the Package. In this sense, this Budget gives recognition to our Pioneer Generation so that they do not feel left out of our modern economy, which they had helped build over the years. Through this move, the Government also sends a clear message – that no one gets left behind, especially the seniors who have brought us to where we are today. The Package will also help many residents. Many who are middle income dwellers in my constituency form the "sandwiched class"; and they have to care for their seniors, especially those who do not have to support their premiums or their future healthcare needs. This is a system that also encourages filial piety, which, I hope, translates to the values that we want to inculcate in our society across all ages, now and in the future. Even though in past Budget speeches, there had been an emphasis that the Government was only focusing on leaving no one behind, the PGP is one budget item that makes me proud to be a Singaporean and a Member in this House. Mdm Speaker, I would like to move on now to speak for the generations that will succeed the Pioneers. As I move around for house visits, a number of Singaporeans that I spoke to, in their late 40s or early 60s, often cite their concern that they do not feel secure where retirement is concerned.”