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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“Mr Chairman, I am heartened that MCYS has increased public assistance as well as the budget for Comcare and Medifund to strengthen the social safety net. I would like to bring the focus from the bottom 10% to those just above this line – the 20-30 percentile group. These are people who are likely to be in the lower-middle or 'sandwiched' class. My concern is that many bursaries and low-income assistance are too closely pegged to the Government safety nets, and the stringent qualification that is being used for PA and assistance schemes such as Comcare and Medifund get replicated into welfare schemes and bursaries the other 'helping hands' provide such as VWOs, especially those that are funded by MCYS. So, I understand and agree with MCYS' principle that the Government's welfare schemes have to be low on entitlement and high in flexibility. But if we do not have sufficient 'helping hands' across the spectrum, particularly reaching the 'grey areas' at the lower-middle and sandwiched class segment, then our whole social assistance scheme framework will seem very rigid. There is always a tension when we talk about where the Government's role starts and where social responsibility of the community needs to play a more active role. And I think more can be undertaken by the people sector to help those in the area just above the safety net criteria – to provide the flexibility and assistance needed and for a variety of interests. Late last year, when Dover Park Hospice opted out of Medifund because they felt that the Government's Medifund scheme was too stringent in its criteria, I was especially heartened. I wish that there would be more to step forward, to be more flexible in their approach, to render greater assistance beyond the Government's safety nets.”
“Sir, I have a couple of questions in my cuts that were not really addressed. How does the Minister rate our success in terms of internationalisation efforts? I think the window of opportunity is here today. I am not too sure how long it will last, but we have been developing Asian markets and those in the Middle East and Eastern Europe which we are currently cultivating. My second question is: are we matching rightly today? Can we improve our success rates to right matching, ie, matching the right segments with the right demand? I would like to have the Minister's view on this. Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Sir, it is hard to give a grade for a major effort, such as the internationalisation effort. I would say that, from the various missions and the specific markets that we have embarked on, we have had some good successes – in the Middle East and China. I talked about the trade and exports expanding in India. So I would say we have done fairly well. But every time we go to a new market, our businessmen come back and tell us about the opportunities there. Our real problem is the vehicles to tap these opportunities. In the end, we have to fall back on the same few companies, the same few entities. And when we ask our companies to go into new markets, they find themselves very stretched. So our key constraint is really the vehicles to take full advantage of all these opportunities overseas.”
“I therefore would like to ask the Ministry to take steps to promote the culture of buying Singapore products and services in our domestic market and the Ministry should lead by example. Also, the Ministry should vigorously promote the "Made in Singapore" brand overseas so that local companies can expand their reach to a broader market. Can the Ministry share with the House what the Ministry has done in this regard and what are the plans to promote our brand name abroad, apart from tourism? R&D Incentive for Start-Up Enterprises (RISE)”
“An MNC with a global network of 100 countries is certainly a more efficient channel to help an SME extend its reach and create market demand if it has a good product that can be incorporated as part of the MNC's sales offerings. I think we have a multi-pronged approach and various networks that we can tap on. However, SMEs, especially growth companies, need a lot of guidance to be able to exploit Government funding and internationalisation programmes. Those not familiar to new markets will certainly need more guidance and resources. The issue I see is that many of our local businesses also lack the understanding and capability to exploit MTI's internationalisation efforts, tax schemes and programmes to capitalise on R&D and innovation. I think the Government tries hard within the MTI family. However, they are only able, given their limited resources, to focus on growth companies to enable them to become strong regional and global companies. In reality, the majority of our businesses are not even there yet. It takes hard work and resources. Otherwise, the amount of money spent on grants and growth programmes will not yield the ROIs. It will take a lot of hard work on the ground – manpower, funding programmes – but I think the Government needs to do it nonetheless by providing sufficient manpower and resources to hand hold these businesses to make this work. Buy Singapore Products and Services 12.15 pm Er Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Chairman, Sir, as a globalised nation, we have opened up our market to foreign products and services. On the surface, this looks good for Singaporeans as they have more choice. To compete, our local businessmen find that they have to cut costs, such as wages. Guess who suffers? Our own local workers.”
“Sir, I spoke about the need for SMEs to play a more important role to produce high value growth and jobs to make the ecosystem more attractive, going internationally to tap on the big Asian giants and developing markets to enable them to develop, particularly in the growth business segment. In terms of enabling our SMEs to compete effectively in the global market, I would like to know MTI's success rate in our current efforts to enable our SMEs to do business overseas. I am also aware that the success rates vary between established SMEs and growth SMEs. The established SMEs or home-grown businesses are typically more successful when brought overseas with trade missions and are often able to benefit from politically-driven deals overseas. However, the growth SMEs and those trying to establish themselves often complain that they find it difficult to get orders from trips and trade fairs that are being facilitated. These are often expensive and entrepreneurs find it difficult to get returns on investments. What is our current success rate with established SMEs and with growth SMEs, and those just trying to establish themselves overseas? What are MTI's strategies to improve our success rates to grow our SMEs and generate demand for them overseas? And how can we improve the investments made to grow our SMEs, and what are MTI's strategies to help them internationalise and generate demand? With regard to MTI's internationalisation efforts, are there alternative strategies that MTI has or is considering to better the success rate for internationalising our growth and budding SMEs? For example, how successful are we in partnering SME and MNC with the global network?”
“My question is, why our local ICT businesses are not able to commercialise their IP? And do we need more measures to enable them to do so?”
“Sir, I have a question for the Minister. I think in my cut, I mentioned a point about the ability of our local ICT businesses to commercialise the IP that they get. Despite concessions by the Government, many of our local ICT businesses are not able to commercialise their IP. Just a small comment on the ERP. I think that basically substantiates Mr Baey's point that even if you design our ERP very nicely, people are going to say, "This is very expensive and you are charging me more to improve the design." I think it is still a point where the design is still very expensive.”
“These savings are derived principally from economies of scale, standardisation, the ease of deployment and the ease of maintenance that results from the standardised operating environment. I take the point that we are also aware of risks. We are outsourcing such a large chunk of Government IT infrastructure to the private sector. We have taken adequate precautions. For example, we will ensure that for every essential component of this project, there are at least two suppliers within that consortium who can provide the essential component. Operationally, we also intend to make sure that at least 30% of the people involved with this project are civil servants or people within our statutory boards. They will be integrated, embedded into the manpower manning this project so that we are never held hostage to any company or consortia or sub-consortia within this project. We will also have internal audit teams to maintain security and resiliency of the system. It also gives us an opportunity therefore to upskill and retask our existing IT manpower into higher-value and more significant jobs. So, all in all, our infocomm sector is doing well and growing. We are making resources available. There are great opportunities. Both in the private sector and in the Government sector, there are greater efficiencies and, we will also make sure, no digital divides emerge. Design and Creative Singapore”
“This is a programme which was launched in 2006 which provides highly-subsidised personal computers and Internet access to low-income families. If I may add, it is broadband Internet access for these low-income families. To date, some 4,200 families have already taken advantage of this programme. In total, we are aiming for 38,000 families to benefit from this programme by 2015. Last year, the IDA also set up the iNSPIRE Fund which will allow needy students to perform community service in lieu of co-payment. So, in theory, some families can get this for a princely sum of $0. I launched the first Silver Infocomm Junction last year in November. This is a centre targeted at senior citizens so that they will get exposure and access to personal computers and the Internet. The IDA will be setting up another seven centres in the heartlands by 2010. IDA will also work with MCYS and the Society for the Physically Disabled to launch the Infocomm Accessibility Centre in the middle of this year, and this will provide infocomm skills training to the disabled so that they can enhance their employability and stay connected. To ensure that there is convenient online access to Government services, there are also 28 CitizenConnect Centres around Singapore with trained officers on hand to render assistance to those who currently do not have computer access or need someone to hold their hand as they click on the mouse. Yesterday, we announced the results of the tender for the Government Standard Operating Environment. This is a $1.3 billion project over eight years and we estimate that it will save the Government around $500 million over the next eight years.”
“We will also be increasing our assistance to local start-ups so that they will be able to both create and market their IP both locally and internationally. Miss Penny Low also asked how we are helping SMEs adopt infocomm technology. Let me just highlight three programmes. The first is the SME Infocomm Resource Centre@Singapore Polytechnic. This provides SMEs with consultancy services at very low rates. I understand that the lowest charge is $5 for consultancy service. The second example is the SME Domain-Name Reservation service. When a local company registers its name with ACRA, it is also given an option for free reservation of its domain name. It has three months to decide. If it wishes to, register that domain name and, if it wishes to, we offer it at a subsidised rate initially. The third example is the SME Infocomm Package which, by May this year, will offer infocomm service and support packages from a list of pre-qualified suppliers. This is a scheme which will enable SMEs to reap cost savings or, as Miss Penny Low referred to, as almost a utility model when they invest in basic infocomm equipment and services. To add a further sweetener, the IDA will also co-fund the first 5,000 SMEs which take advantage of these packages. So, again, the point is, resources are available, we can bring the horse to the water, but we cannot force it to drink. Miss Penny Low was also quite rightly concerned about a potential digital divide. The good news is that we are aware of this and we do not intend to let a digital divide exist in Singapore. In the next five years, we will invest $43 million into these efforts. Let me give you a few examples. The IDA will accelerate its enhanced NEU-PC Plus programme.”
“They will have an opportunity to be mentored by key industry leaders, they will be exposed to project work as well as internships, both locally and overseas, and they will also receive training in new technology areas. This is to make sure that top talent is excited, stimulated and sees that there are real prospects for interesting challenges in the years ahead. And that addresses the Member's point about keeping top talent within this sector. The National Infocomm Competency Framework (NICF) was initiated last year. This is a framework which will help professionals upgrade and equip themselves with relevant skill sets which we anticipate will be in high demand in the future. A new NICF portal will be launched by the end of this month. The portal will enable users to assess manpower capability gaps, develop career development plans, as well as to identify relevant training programmes. Complementing this framework is the Techno-Strategist Programme, which aims to equip some 1,000 middle-tier infocomm professionals with deeper domain knowledge specifically in the following three sectors: (1) Healthcare; (2) Finance; and (3) Banking. Why did we choose these three sectors? Because we believe these are sectors with significant growth prospects in the years ahead. Obviously, as we identify other sectors, we will also expand this programme accordingly. Over the next five years, IDA will be investing a further $70 million into these infocomm manpower development programmes. So the resources are available. Besides addressing talent, IDA and MDA will work with other Government agencies, including the EDB, to continue to attract high-value ICT activities and research and development to Singapore.”
“So you will see improvements in this package of services and products at the interface between Government and people. I agree with Miss Penny Low and Mr Zaqy Mohamad that for our local infocomm industry to flourish, the key ingredient is talent. The IDA’s 2007 Annual Infocomm Manpower Survey showed that the infocomm manpower pool grew by 8.9% between 2006 and 2007. We now have approximately 130,400 people in this sector. More than 80% of these people are tertiary-educated. But we really need to develop a full complement of infocomm manpower that stretches the entire spectrum from maintenance all the way to high-end cutting-edge research and development. To achieve this, the key is to attract and retain top talent in this sector and to make sure that this talent continues to have up-to-date and relevant skills, because this is such a quickly progressing sector. IDA will be increasing the pool of scholars in this sector through the National Infocomm Scholarships Programme. These scholarships are offered in partnership with companies from the private sector, and these include companies in diverse range of sectors, including banking, finance, telecoms, media, etc. Scholars of the National Infocomm Scholarship Programme are assured of a wide selection of exciting job prospects when they graduate. Since the launch of this programme in 2004, we have attracted a total of 107 top students. In the next few years, we will increase the number of scholarships available. IDA is also working with local universities as well as companies to roll out the Enhanced Learning in Infocomm Technology Programme. This is a programme which targets the top 20% of students in NUS, NTU and SMU.”
“Does MICA have a plan if the outsourcing project does not meet the objectives, either due to internal or external factors? The Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Dr Vivian Balakrishnan): Sir, I thank Miss Penny Low and Mr Zaqy Mohamad for some very relevant and apt comments and advice. Let me first start by saying that the infocomm sector has seen good growth. For 2007, our preliminary estimates indicate growth of between 6% and 8% in value-add was achieved and, in terms of total revenues, we saw growth of between 7% and 10%. These are reasonable indices of progress. Let me update the House on the status of the iN2015 master plan. Infrastructure-wise, we have completed the roll-out of the Wireless@SG programme. Members will remember that this is a pervasive public wireless network consisting of 6,900 hotspots distributed island-wide in public areas. As far as the Next Generation National Broadband Network project is concerned, the Request for Proposal (RFP) is underway and we target to award the first RFP by the third quarter of this year. The various cluster development programmes under the master plan include things such as FutureSchools@Singapore, iGov2010, TradeXchange and Integrated Clinic Management System. All these cluster development programmes are underway and making good progress. Specifically, on the e-Government programme, we are achieving a greater integration of Government e-services under the iGov2010 plan. Members will also remember that last week we announced 150 Government services will be available online through the mobile phone. The main Government website www.gov.sg will be transformed in order to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of our people.”
“How does MICA rate our success today, in terms of R&D and performance in the ICT sector, in order to attract investments and world-class talents? In terms of talent, there is certainly a lot of feedback from the ICT industry that the quality of local talents is declining. We seem to be losing our engineering capability because our best and brightest are going to "softer" sectors, such as banking, finance, business and sales. It does not take the best and brightest much to realise where the money is, given the regular publicity the media gives on high salaries and bonuses elsewhere. What is the Government doing to address this to ensure that Singapore continues to have a strong engineering talent pool to support our ICT and high technology sectors? 1.15 pm Innovation and R&D capabilities are often built in economies with strong engineering cultures, and I believe we need to do more to promote engineering as a choice career and promote more attractive salary compensation packages. My final questions relate to the SOEasy tender that was awarded yesterday. Miss Penny Low covered some of this. With the award of the SOE tender, what is MICA's latest projection of savings as a result of this tender and have there been changes to the budget estimates since the tender was first released last year? Where does MICA expect the savings to come from? With $1.3 billion worth of services and infrastructure being outsourced, what is the impact on civil servants currently performing the roles being outsourced? I understand that one of the objectives for this outsourcing is for them to move to higher value-added roles. So what are MICA's plans for them? Finally, what are the potential risks that MICA sees the Government facing with this $1.3 billion undertaking?”
“Sir, I promise to try to give the translators an easier time this time. Today, the ICT sector in Singapore faces increased competition from multi-service Asian firms and low-cost talents. We need to up our gear to develop a high-value industry that is able to leverage on high-skilled local and global talents, because competition at the low end will hamper the development of our local workforce. I would like to know, from MICA's view, after years of trying to develop the ICT sector, have we developed the sector sufficiently in the right areas and what are some of these indicators? Despite many years of IDA's efforts to develop the ICT industry, it seems that most of our ICT companies are not providing high-value add to the economy, with many in the maintenance and low-margin service segments. If we benchmarked our top ICT businesses, they are nowhere near world-class icons such as Singapore Airlines, NOL or Capitaland in the other sectors. What are the Government's plans to create more high-value technology firms or software companies? The Government has been generous to support our ICT companies to co-own the intellectual property for systems built for the Government sector. In theory, these intellectual properties produced are some of the most commercially viable, as our e-Government infrastructure is among the most advanced in the world. Does MICA have a point of view about why our local businesses have not been able to exploit this concession? Today, local ICT professionals face competition from low-end to high-end jobs. As industries develop and rely on IT, more skilled ICT professionals are needed than the current 140,000 and we need to ensure that top talents stay here.”
“I think this can be also applied to works by local Cultural Medallion winners or promising arts production houses whose works can be transformed with the help of world-class brand-name producers, designers, artists, etc. Given the millions that we spend on promoting our arts overseas, can MICA tweak its internationalisation programme to invest in young artists and production talents to be mentored by world-class artists, production houses, producers, directors, etc? This will enable us to set our fundamentals right locally to create quality, commercially viable productions for the global arts stage. Allow me to continue in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A*.] A long time ago, Singapore was renowned as the centre for the Malay film industry. Many still remember the studios at Jalan Ampas and Cathay Keris – brand names that we can be proud of. But all these have faded and only memories remain. Instead, we, in turn, buy foreign programmes like those from Malaysia and Indonesia. Our market size is too small for us to develop this industry in order to bring any substantial commercial benefits. Maybe our talent pool is also too small to compete with Malaysia and Indonesia. But one way to expand our Malay film industry is through higher cooperation, like the co-productions that involve two countries, where the final product can be marketed together. I think Singapore can resurrect its reputation as the centre of the film industry because basically we have good infrastructure in terms of facilities and foundation. I hope MICA will be able to play its role to facilitate this effort and give support, like incentives and so on. *Cols. 1577-1578. Singapore in UNESCO”
“Sir, over the last few years, we have made significant progress in our plans to turn Singapore into a creative hub. We have already established the infrastructure, but what is needed is how to expand our creative talent, both in terms of quantity and quality. Although we have done many promotions from Beijing to London, the perception from industry is that our programmes have not created enough world-class talents and productions. Those who have made it in the global arena seem to have stumbled upon their own success and we should think of more programmes to groom more such talents within a good framework. Promotions do not necessarily translate into sustainable creative arts business. There is a need for MICA to look at arts as serious business, not just about developing artistic talents, but putting in solid investments to get our fundamentals right. We should develop more of our local talents, and the bigger challenge is how to make the industry an attractive career alternative, to draw more people with the potential to excel. One way to make it more attractive is to invest in our creative products and equip them not only as world-class products, but ones that are commercially viable. Not only can we get immediate attention, but it can inspire younger local talents. Would MICA or the MDA consider investing to redevelop our local productions, using world-class talents in scripting and production, making them commercially relevant in the global arts sector? For example, can we have people like leading British producer of musicals, Cameron Mackintosh to redevelop or rewrite local productions, for example, Forbidden City or Fried Rice Paradise, for global export?”
“However, they are only able, given their limited manpower resources, to focus on growth companies to enable them to become strong regional and global companies. But, in reality, the majority of our businesses are not even there yet. It takes hard work and resources, otherwise the amount of money spent on grants and growth programmes will not yield the returns on investments that we expect. It will take a lot of hard work on the ground, but I think the Government needs to do it, nonetheless, by providing sufficient manpower and resources to handhold these businesses to help them innovate and exploit the Government’s tax rebates and market supply policies. To ensure the long-term and sustainable development of our economy, and the long-term employment prospects of Singaporeans, I believe that we will have to keep a close watch and measure our performance in terms of high-value economic growth and the quality of the jobs that we create. Therefore, as the Government pursues its strategies of ensuring Singapore's sustained development, I also hope that it measures its progress with as much focus on quality – the quality of GDP growth and the quality of jobs created – as we do on quantity. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget. VISIT OF INDIAN DELEGATION FROM THE MAHARASHTRA STATE LEGISLATURE (Presence in Gallery)”
“I have to leave nationalistic sentiment of growing national icons and hubs aside because the window of opportunity may not wait for our research hubs to mature into an established state. But these MNCs and leading R&D centres also need to be supported by a whole industry of innovative growth companies producing higher value-added services. Therefore, the SME sector also needs to play a more important role to produce high-value growth and jobs to make the ecosystem more attractive. If I could take the engineering and infocommunications sector in Israel as an example, I do not think many companies would find it enticing to set up a high-value business or R&D centre in the middle of a war zone. Despite the instability and security concerns, the country still produces many innovative companies in the engineering and infocommunications sectors. And they have large MNCs, such as IBM and Microsoft, to set up R&D centres because these companies are not only attracted by the wealth of high-quality engineering talent that is available, but also a host of innovative SMEs with the capability and talent to support and provide them with a range of leading edge intellectual properties (IP) and technologies. Yes, we may have some success stories here, but I believe Singapore needs to do more in providing more cutting edge contributors that can make an impact on the global marketplace to make us more relevant. The issue I see is that many of our local businesses in the SME segment lack the understanding and capability to exploit the tax schemes and programmes to promote R&D and innovation. I think the Government tries hard within the MTI family.”
“Even the top multinational corporations (MNCs) in the US are competing for global talent, too. So, even in the US today, they now have top foreign talents running their homegrown corporations, such as Indra Nooyi in PepsiCo, Virkam Pandit who runs Citigroup as CEO globally, both of whom were born in India. So, the challenge is here at our doorstep. Today, China's large MNCs are led by high flying CEOs with an average age of 47. We are seeing many from their next tier of talents taking up regional positions with our local and multinational corporations. Young, capable and having plenty of drive. Our talent pool is not only small, but the average age of our workforce talents is not getting younger either. So we need to create a win-win situation, developing the right resources and getting the right talent to ensure our survivability. In my opinion, the issues of the war for talent, innovation and creating high-quality businesses in Singapore are no longer about budget marksmanship, business costs or tax concessions but an issue of our survival as a country and as an economy. The tax rebates on innovation and R&D are a good start to move our companies in the right direction as it is increasingly difficult to compete at the low-end. But we need to ask: is the Government doing enough to accelerate the capability of our workforce up the value chain? Clearly, we need to leverage on our high quality education system and skilled workforce, by creating more high-value jobs. In the short term, we still need to continue to attract MNCs, or even faster, to attract them to set up leading edge R&D centres here.”
“If we include the cost of living in Singapore, in terms of cost of homes, cars, transportation and education, versus some of our competitors like Hong Kong, I do not think our executives and workers actually bring in much more. The impression we received, when the inflation index was at 6.6%, the highest in decades, was as though the Government was caught off-guard. Perhaps, using only monetary policy to control inflation is not working so well and our policies could have been adjusted better because I am certain the scenario of us reaching oil prices of US$100 a barrel was something we would have considered and, as a whole of Government, I think we could have planned better. Sir, we need to be more proactive and strengthen the whole of Government machinery in managing our supply and demand requirements because, if we allow these cost increases, such as office rents and salaries, to creep in and become a structural part of the economy, the high cost of doing business will hamper innovation and choice in our consumer and commercial markets in the long run. My final point is that I welcome the Minister's speech that sustainable development remains a key priority for this year's Budget. I urge that when we speak of sustainable development, we should also look at quality growth in GDP and employment, not just in terms of quantity and absolute numbers. A major challenge is how we face up to the competition in the region, and the competition that our workers face against foreign talent at various levels from the low-skill jobs all the way to management positions. Look at the corporate scene today. We are not the only ones facing competition from our neighbours. There is stiff competition for talent worldwide.”
“Even the large luxury boutiques find it expensive because there is a limit to how much they can grow their top line due to our small market size and yet still cope with high rentals. Consumers then have less choice on the products available and on the costs of goods being offered in the marketplace. This is how many currently describe our retail and shopping scene – a standard template across all our malls – few players, not enough variety, and prices are not very competitive. Today, one does not need to head to Hong Kong or even Japan for good retail therapy. Our neighbouring cities are providing much more across the luxury, mass market and budget brands. If I compare the scenario to the commercial sector, the situation is somewhat similar. Our smaller businesses also compete with the big boys in terms of office space and industrial parks outside of town, leaving many with little choice but to relocate overseas, while those who cannot put up with the high costs of doing business exit the market. Some of our rising costs today are avoidable, if the Government machinery is working better. For example, when PM announced his vision of a global city for Singapore some years back, MND could have started to release sites so that we could have an adequate supply of office buildings now instead of waiting for two more years for real supply to come on line. I think our marksmanship in this space could be better. On the effects of cost of living on the workforce, we should be at the forefront of a low tax rate and higher disposable income regime in Asia, if we are to attract top talents. We should not play catch-up with the likes of Hong Kong, but be at the front.”
“(In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, much has been said about the concerns of the business community with regard to surging business costs following the significant increases in salaries and higher rentals. However, our attractiveness as a business hub depends on our ability to manage the cost of doing business here and not let the current rises in cost become a permanent fixture in our economy. Many of the cost increases today will take time to correct themselves. For example, leases will generally stand for three years or more, and higher salaries are certainly difficult to unwind. Many employers I spoke to complain that business revenues and workforce productivity have not increased as much as the costs have risen. We know the impact of high business costs, particularly rentals and higher salaries, especially when we correlate them to business productivity. We assume that our free market ensures competitive pricing and choice, but a small market and geography like Singapore may result in only few strong players surviving the high costs and barriers of doing business, resulting in uncompetitive prices and fewer choices. If I take the retail sector as an example, there are only a few large developers who are able to afford to set up malls in town and in the heartlands. Within those few developers, you would find that their malls may look different, but the shop mix is pretty much the same. One can walk into almost any mall in Singapore and predict the tenants, the same few large, mass market players, whether you are in the city or in the heartlands. The smaller players find it hard to survive and set up.”
“I suggest that we look at how these handouts can become more than just an incentive for youths to upgrade their education. For example, the education assistance scheme can be linked to social contributions, ie, youths who want to participate in this scheme can be encouraged to contribute to society. Handouts using this more meaningful approach will help form and instil a culture of a united people for Singapore. It is better than if the Government just gives assistance that only helps to overcome the problem of rising education costs. This year's Budget also gives assistance in the form of bursaries for university and polytechnic education. It is a correct and timely move, and helps to encourage low-income students to continue their studies to post-secondary level. I applaud the Government's move in introducing this scheme by taking into the account the long-term solution to help the needy. So, I encourage the Malay community to take advantage of these opportunities to increase their children's education level so that we can see many more of our students at least reaching post-secondary level. Any assistance scheme introduced is wasted if it is not used. It is even worse if the target group does not realise the existence of such schemes. In this aspect, we must have more efforts to increase awareness so that it can reach as many people as possible. Some of the needy and low-income themselves may not follow developments or even read information spread by the mass media. Every one, including the Government, organisations and schools, must help in the effort to spread this information. By doing so, we can widen the social assistance net and reach the objective to help the poor escape the poverty trap. *Cols. 1115-1118.”
“I fear the degradation of our values and our social capital, if we continue to expect the Government to take sole ownership of our social inequalities. We are already seeing this shift in responsibility today with regard to how some of us treat our families, parents, siblings, ex-spouses, children, neighbours and so forth. It would be nice if we can get the same fervent support for this noble cause as we did for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) – the community, the youth, the people and corporate sectors all coming together with the same great enthusiasm. It would be nice if MCYS this time can rally the community to provide the same enthusiastic support for this noble cause to help lift our disadvantaged, above the Government's social safety nets. This is the Singapore that I would like to associate myself with, a Singapore that takes responsibility for our own social issues and inequalities, a Singapore ready with its helping hands. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to continue my speech in Malay. (In Malay ): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mr Speaker, Sir, this year's Budget takes a holistic approach. It not only helps the people to face the rising costs of living, but it also contains investments for the future, especially for the low and middle-income. I see this Budget as killing two birds with one stone. At one level, it deals with the current situation. At another level, it takes into account long-term needs. However, in doing so, we have to make sure that the generous and meaningful handouts, like the educational financial assistance and the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme, do not make Singaporeans feel that it is their right to receive them. If not, such handouts will always be expected in the future.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of the motion. Sir, sitting in this Chamber for the past two days, I have heard impassioned speeches asking the Government to do more and give more, whether it is about curbing the rising costs of living, taking care of the needy and elderly, helping the disabled, dysfunctional families or single mothers. In spite of greater assistance measures, such as the increased Public Assistance (PA) and ComCare funding, we still ask, "Can the Government do more?", "Can the Government give more?" I do not doubt the need for the Government to provide the necessary safety nets and measures for the disadvantaged and I do not deny as well that those who are disadvantaged do need the assistance that we should provide. However, I cannot help but ask if we have lost our sense of responsibility as a community to care for our own. What has happened to social responsibility? Have we lost our social capital that the disadvantaged, ie, the needy, elderly and disabled, are now solely the Government’s responsibility? I am not certain what message we are taking to the people. Let us leave our poor, elderly, disabled, sandwiched and sick in the care of the Government? Over the past week, the media has covered the plight of the disadvantaged during this Budget debate. It would have been nice to have Singaporeans coming together, stepping forward to ask the Government how they can help. Throughout the debates, there were many in the gallery who listened to the plight of residents who have visited our MPS, and I wonder if there is a little voice in them telling them to be more compassionate and to step forward.”
“Sir, to add on to Mdm Halimah's point, are there measures in place to assess the effectiveness of these channels that are currently being used by the Ministry of Manpower and CPF?”
“Many countries have implemented these changes and enforced them to take a serious view. So, I think we can also do more, given our position and social values. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the Penal Code amendments. 5.26 pm”
“Section 376C, in my opinion, reflects a more realistic picture of the extent of the commercial sex trade demand by Singaporeans and PRs in the region. We know that sex tourism involving young children or teenagers in and around popular tourist destinations in the region exists. It is no secret that some Singaporeans patronise sex tourist spots overseas, and the mention of going to places like Batam and Bangkok for a good time has become the butt of jokes amongst many heartlanders. But this is no laughing matter when sex exploitation of minors is concerned. Sex trafficking and sex tourism are heinous crimes that victimise the most vulnerable among us. The latest Penal Code amendments give prosecutors tools to bring those who commit these crimes to justice. Those who profit from victimising children in the sex trade are only one half of the problem. The other half are those who patronise this exploitive industry. These new changes hold those who travel to do so, and those who benefit from arranging that travel, accountable. While we protect our young, we cannot practise double standards when it comes to minors in other countries. It is also about our principles and we must be tough against exploitation wherever it occurs. Perhaps, there could also be studies to see if the patronage of these services overseas by Singaporeans and PRs is linked to the number of sexual abuses of children here. Given these, I think the Government should do more to strengthen its collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the region to make sure that these tools are used to their fullest extent. Therefore, I believe that more can be done to address this, so that our laws are not just seen as token legislation, just to stay politically abreast and aligned with the rest of the world.”
“The new laws are certainly a good first step taken to signal intent and to show deterrence. Commercial sex exploitation of minors (sections 376A, B and C) My last point concerns the protection of minors from commercial sex exploitation under new sections 376B and C of the Penal Code. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I welcome the greater protection provided by the law to cover minors below 18 as well as extending the law beyond our shores to make it criminal for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents from procuring, purchasing or soliciting sexual services from minors under the age of 18. We live in South-East Asia where many human rights reports cite us as a region that draws sex tourists. The recent arrest of teacher suspect, Christopher Paul Neil, in Thailand last week draws attention to the fact that minors are readily available in South-East Asia for sexual predators who travel to the region for the sole purpose of having sex with minors. He is accused of sexually assaulting 12 boys and posting 200 pictures of the crimes on the Internet. Such is the extent of the nature of the crime today. On section 376B, I think the issue concerning commercial sexual exploitation involving Singaporean minors and the extent of the industry in Singapore is perhaps not commonplace, due to the strict control and tight Police enforcement action within our shores. The enhanced protection signals our intent to better protect our young against the backdrop of this demand of commercial sex tourism in the region, given the risks and premiums placed by sex tourists on minors. Perhaps, the Minister can also update us on the current statistics involving local minors and those trafficked to Singapore from overseas in his response.”
“Given the deterrent nature of the law, there has also been feedback that the focus on sexual grooming should not be confined to just the new media and mobile communications. The positioning of the new law certainly gives rise to this impression. The 'offline' aspect of sexual grooming is just as important. Many incest and sexual violations also happen as a result of sexual grooming while the children are in the care of trusted persons. They could suffer abuses from their own family members or caregivers. Thus, the Government should broaden the methods in which sexual grooming is performed and not confine it simply in the context of online grooming. Sir, I am aware that current provisions exist, based on circumstantial evidence, to convict potential perpetrators with the current laws. However, given the inclusion of section 376E, consistency in the approach and definition of sexual grooming will make it clearer on deterrence and enforcement. So, going beyond legislation, I also believe that there is a greater role that the Government can take to create awareness and intensify our education process. The Government should do more to ensure - through education, social awareness and enforcement - that children are educated about their rights and the dangers of sexual grooming. At the same time, let us do more to create awareness so that the public can help in spotting these threats and protect our children because this is the first line of defence against such violations. I understand that MHA will monitor the progress locally as well as in other countries such as the UK which have enacted similar laws to refine the enforcement of the law. Therefore, I welcome the changes to this section which are committed to deal with such crimes from becoming commonplace.”
“In the past, parents had control over who their children meet. Today, I too speak as a concerned parent with two children who are already exposed to the Internet. Thus, I fully support this measure, given the rising trends of sexual crimes arising from minors meeting strangers over the Internet. This law sends a deterrent signal to Internet prowlers and predators that legal provisions have been made to take pre-emptive actions against them. While the law criminalises an adult, aged at least 21, with the intent of grooming, meeting up with a minor to sexually abuse him or her, however, the law is not clear on the definition of sexual grooming. At least, with crimes like theft and murder, their outcomes are so obvious. Many, including professionals in the legal industry, often give me a puzzled look and ask, "Sexual what?" or "Grooming what?" Many did not have a good sense of what this crime constituted because of a lack of a clear definition. So this makes it difficult to prove and provide evidence because the law does not explicitly explain how any prior communication or meeting with a supposed child victim could amount to sexual grooming. There is also a grey area on the criteria to show sufficient evidence or motive to convict sexual grooming offenders. As such, perhaps the Minister can clarify on these boundaries and measures put in place to protect the accused in a 'cry wolf' situation. It seems that section 376E today only requires proof of meetings and past records of communication, and does not need proof that "the defendant went beyond committing merely preparatory acts". Of course, the advantage with this new section is that it raises awareness for adults to be more concerned on whom they interact with and get to know on the Internet.”
“So amendments to the Penal Code on racial discrimination issues are the correct move and show that we do not take lightly racial and religious issues to maintain our harmony. Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will now continue my speech in English. (In English ): Sexual grooming of minors (section 376E) Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the changes to the Penal Code, and I feel comforted that it covers a broad spectrum which is aimed to protect all facets of society, including the preservation of our multi-racial society and protection of minors. The more we are becoming an increasingly open society, the more the need for us to take stock of our laws to ensure that they remain relevant to the times, changes and social developments around us. Here, I would like to touch on changes that seek to provide greater protection for children, particularly against sexual grooming of minors and commercial sexual exploitation. Let me begin with the introduction of section 376E which concerns the sexual exploitation of minors under 16 years of age after sexual grooming. I believe that this new inclusion reflects Singapore's progressiveness to address the evolving threat of sexual crimes against minors - taking into consideration the dark activities arising from Internet access, mobile technologies and social networking sites. According to a recent newspaper report, the number of molestations and rapes in which the victims met their perpetrators over the Internet or phone chat lines has increased. Teenagers made up 64% of molestation victims and 84% of rape victims last year. The landscape has certainly changed today. Adults from unknown backgrounds now have access to our children anywhere - even in our homes. This makes it easier for our children to be influenced and sexually groomed.”
“From a secular point of view, it is something personal and I feel that it is good to leave it as such. But many of my constituents and community leaders have given feedback that by making the activity not considered as an offence, it can be seen as an endorsement or support and this will divide society. They believe that the Government will make the appropriate decision that will reflect our social situation in Singapore. And this includes the consideration for the Petition presented by NMP Siew Kum Hong in Parliament just now. I feel we should not make the issue a big one, and let us look at the Penal Code amendments from a bigger perspective and for the benefit of the majority of Singaporeans. I will now talk about section 298A that covers racial discrimination offences. I support the suggestions regarding punishment for offences with racial and religious motives, including rioting, causing hurt, molest and criminal threat. These changes make such offences have clearer definitions and it does not solely rely on the Sedition Act that may have limited scope. One area that may be hard to monitor under section 298A is the new media activities with regard to racial and religious threats or instigations. Not all countries see this as an important issue and a criminal offence. The Internet has a wide content and some involving religions, and some contents, especially amongst foreigners, are uploaded to divide religion. Certain movements may take advantage of the new media's freedom to promote their agenda. However, I concur that the new media's influence and trend is not something that can be easily dealt with. We need time. At the same time, we must increase our society's knowledge and awareness.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I will begin my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Penal Code amendments are timely and even necessary, with various developments in society, crime patterns and our social situation. Basically, these legislative amendments aim to continue to preserve Singapore's well-being and security, and tighten our protection. From some changes suggested, we can see how the amendments aim to respect our daily lives as well as our multi-cultural and multi-religious culture. It also ensures our children are safely raised. It is our responsibility to protect our young children as they have the right to grow in a safe situation in this country. *Cols. 2313-2316. Overall, I support the Government's effort to update the Penal Code to protect our interests. However, there are a few areas that raise concerns and need further refinement. We have to look at the Penal Code changes in totality to bring the benefits and effectiveness of law to all levels of society. I hope that the focus of debate on this Bill will not be dragged into too much attention to heated arguments on homosexual activities under section 377A. In my view, the Government's status quo stand on homosexual activities under section 377A is for the benefit of society as a whole. The fact is, even though our country is open and receptive to changes and diversity, our society's majority view is still conservative in many aspects of life. But I concede that current points of view, especially amongst youths, are changing to a more progressive one. Homosexual activities, although undoubtedly exist, are still considered a lifestyle outside the mainstream society.”
“On the annuity scheme, I am glad that the Government is studying how this can be better implemented and be more flexible in its approach. One option to consider, as suggested by other Members, is that the Government should also consider an opt-out scheme for those who can prove to have sufficient savings at 55 or even 65 years old. I also support the suggestion made by the Minister to allow younger workers to opt-in early. Once they have contributed sufficiently after a certain period, they should be allowed to benefit from the annuity if they reach 85. Given that job markets often face much uncertainty, this will benefit many who may find themselves unemployed in their senior years. I also hope that low-income seniors, who may not have sufficient CPF savings to pay for their annuities, will not be penalised. Perhaps, some social assistance through the CPF or top-ups could help this group. With this, I support the Statement. 6.39 pm”
“In our flats, for example, we have the option to make investments, the opportunity costs we need to take into account now on retirement savings, and possibly, in future, insurance annuities, not forgetting all the income levelling tools, such as housing subsidies, WIS, top-ups - to bridge the income gap. Thus, the education efforts by the CPF Board cannot be once-off just for this period. Education and awareness have to continue for the long haul because tens of thousands enter the workforce each year and become CPF members. In particular, younger workers, and those in the middle age, must begin to understand the intricacies of this complex 'pension' portfolio and how it can work for them. The CPF Board probably needs a more targeted approach to engage members at different stages of their life cycle when they start working, for example, when they are getting married, buying a flat, have children, and so forth. And the CPF Board should not rely too much on external financial planners to undertake this role to educate the public. Their messages are not always aligned with the Government's objectives. In many cases, CPF members have lost their CPF savings through unsound investment decisions, whether for their homes or other investment funds. This will undeniably undo the Government's efforts for them to prepare for retirement. If there is a political price to pay to secure Singapore's financial future, then let us stretch every political dollar. Let us ensure that the objectives are met, and that the risks of mismanagement that can undo the Government's efforts are minimised. And I believe that education and strong change management efforts are critical success factors.”
“There would certainly be some discomfort to many Singaporeans in the short-term. Thus, this, I know, and MOM, that it is not a popular policy, and may cost the Government a political price. Yet, this is something we must do, if for nothing else but the financial security of Singaporeans and Singapore. Thus, I applaud the Government for taking this bold step and not taking the easy and popular option of going for elderly welfarism and resulting in higher tax burdens on the population. I believe, however, that with such a long-term policy, we need to take a long-term view of change management and ensure that Singaporeans understand how to use the CPF mechanism. Before, it was like giving Singaporeans the keys to a car, but we did not really teach them how to drive it. So most intuitively figure out how to use the accelerator pedal and got on the highway to retirement. Many, along the way, figured out how to use a steering wheel and got past the obstacles involved. But I am not too sure when times were bad or in the face of adversity, how many actually learnt how to use the brakes. Today, with the changes to the CPF, it is almost like piloting an airplane. The mechanics are more complex and more dynamic. So I am not too sure if they say CPF is not rocket science. The CPF has evolved to more than just a retirement pension fund. With the CPF today, one almost needs a portfolio manager - to help to understand and take full benefits of the Government's wealth enhancement programmes. Our CPF funds are used to invest in real estate.”
“In this matter, what is the mechanism to ensure that employers do not arbitrarily retrench employees way ahead before they reach 62 years old? A few other concerns are on those who are no longer able to work due to several reasons. What will their fate be like? What will happen to them if they fall ill at the age of 62? Maybe the Minister can clarify on the plans to tackle these issues. Among the feedback from the Malay/Muslim community with regard to the annuity scheme is on the investment channel that is being used. There is a suggestion that a halal instrument be considered, especially so because there is a potential growth in Islamic banking and the financial system. Maybe CPF can explore the possibilities of offering this option. However, I agree that any consideration would have to factor in whether the investment is really competitive and cost-effective because the size of the Muslim community here is small. Apart from that, the implementation details have to be simple and clear. For the Malay community, we have to view the reform of the CPF scheme beyond the retirement issues. Much assistance has been given by the Government through CPF. Among them are the housing subsidies, Additional Housing Grant, asset enhancement scheme, Workfare Income scheme and attractive interest rates which are guaranteed. All these are good savings for our old age. Planning for old age requires early preparation and, surely, many sacrifices. As the saying goes, prepare your umbrella before it rains. Mdm Deputy Speaker, please allow me to continue my speech in English. *Cols. 1853-1856. (In English): I welcome the change in philosophy in the way we manage our CPF savings. However, the benefits of this policy on Singaporeans will only materialise after several electoral cycles.”
“Experiences of other countries show that restructuring of the pension scheme is one that is bitter. This is because the hardship can be experienced immediately, whereas the benefit can only be known and enjoyed in a long time to come. Clearly, this is one policy that may lessen the popularity of a government. That is why, what is being done by the Singapore Government is a bold step forward for the long-term interest of Singapore. It is the right move, but a few matters need to be fine-tuned. A few issues have to be tackled because those who might be affected would be the low-income earners or those who do not have a permanent job. For them, their daily lives are already difficult with several commitments. What more to think about saving for old age or ensuring that they have sufficient Minimum Sum in their CPF accounts. Another group that is affected by the problem of insufficient savings are home-makers who, before this, do not work. Statistics from the General Household Survey show that the majority of women in the Malay/Muslim community do not work. Especially with the high divorce rate, they face the risk of their CPF savings being insufficient for their old age. True, the reform in CPF allows the transfer of asset. However, the problem is that the majority of the ex-husbands are also low-income earners. Many of them, like what is happening in my constituency, might also own flats which are of negative value. Therefore, there is no asset that can be transferred to them. Based on such backgrounds, the question of how the basis of re-employment is implemented is a critical issue. This policy would also have to consider the fate of workers who might be retrenched at the age of 40s or 50s.”
“Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me to speak in support of the Ministerial Statement. Allow me to begin with a comment on NMP Siew Kum Hong's speech. I understand the aspirations of Mr Siew Kum Hong as well as many other Singaporeans to want with the returns from the Government of their CPF savings. But I think this needs to be tempered with a sense of realism that the rate of return is a function of risk and I think Minister Tharman has explained on why the risk-free rates are fair and I agree. Personally, I do not agree with NMP Siew's comparison of the Government's CPF scheme with that of risky commercial products. The Government has a duty to protect and reasonably grow the hard-earned savings of our CPF members. Thus, we cannot compare the Government's accountability to Singaporeans to that of commercial providers. Thus, there are many lessons around the world which we can learn from where pension funds have been risked and compromised through poor investments, in what were initially promised higher returns. So I am not too sure if Mr Siew were in the Minister's shoes, whether he is willing to sign off on such a risky policy just to accept higher returns. And I am not so sure if he is willing to be accountable to explain to CPF members if their 30-40 years of CPF savings were to be compromised years from now. Mdm Deputy Speaker, let me start my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mdm Deputy Speaker, I welcome the clarification by the Minister of Manpower that the trend of an increasing ageing population can create a serious problem to Singapore when they are unable to support themselves, what more other costs like healthcare.”
“Sir, one of the arguments often made by students who are not in our local universities or not receiving subsidised education is that loans are hard to come by, and the number of options out there are not many, in terms of financial options that are available to them. Given that only 13% probably default on their repayments to CPF, would the Minister consider at least limiting the quantum or putting certain credit criteria on the loans that they can get from the CPF?”
“Sir, when do we expect to reach the 25% cohort participation of degree holders? How do we compare this 25% cohort participation with respect to other mature economies? Will the Government consider putting a second-tier tertiary education, for example, more state-funded universities to cater to the average students out of polytechnics and 'A' levels?”
“A question for MOS. He gave me a straight "no" to my Question. I just want to find out what are the considerations made before they arrived at the conclusion. My question was really not so much on the UNSW's context, but more along the lines of the demand for university places in our local universities. As such, would the Ministry consider providing such subsidies as well for students who could not make it to the local universities but could make it to other accredited local privately-run universities like UNISIM, for example? Thirdly, I think to a large extent, now with all these foreign universities coming in, it also gives the students more choices, in terms of the academic courses to attend, by lowering the financial burden of the families rather than exploring overseas opportunities.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a couple of supplementary questions: (1) I know a lot of these jobs that we are trying to fill consist of a lot of mid-skilled and PMET jobs. What are the priority areas that the Ministry is looking at to upskill Singaporeans to fill in this higher-value job set? (2) Do we have a projected percentage that we are looking to fill with Singaporeans, since we are also looking at a lot of these foreign jobs? and (3) What is being done to ensure that Singaporeans are not left out of these jobs, particularly the higher value-added and PMET jobs?”
“Sir, I would like to know whether MND or any other Ministry has made an assessment of the impact of this rental hike: (a) on the survivability or cost of doing business for the small enterprises; and (b) on the price of consumer goods and services to the consumers.”
“This salary issue is certainly a delicate one, not just one that raises questions on our value system as a Government, but also questions the incremental value-add our citizens will expect, as more taxpayers' dollars are being put into the salaries of civil servants. Perhaps, this idealist - and I think there are many more out there from my generation - looks for more than just intelligence and calibre in our leaders. Even with a financially-rewarding civil service, I hope that we can continue to get leaders with a heart to serve, a Government that can drive the heartbeat of the economy, and a leadership that can win the hearts of the people. Sir, I support the motion. 2.41 pm”
“" I think this somehow brings the whole salary issue back into perspective, that there is a price tag, be it MPs' allowances or even Ministers' salaries, for a Government and a Parliament that are clean and honest and have the interest of the people at heart, and that this system must continue to attract top quality people who believe in serving the greater good of Singaporeans. Sir, if there was one aspect of the Minister's Statement that concerns underpayment - I know that words like "underpayment", "underpaid" and "not enough" seem to be rare in this debate - it would be the administrative costs to support the MPs, ie, the LA and SA allowances, to give MPs greater support to serve the people better. We have seen how the MPs are already well-regarded out there and we also know that demands on the MPs to support the public are different from the political office-holders who have the Ministries' backing. Compared to the support that is given in countries such as the UK, Australia, or even many other countries out there, the current administrative support given is a bit too low. Who can we get to effectively assist the administration with such an allowance, ie, $1,300 for a legal assistant and $500 for a secretarial assistant? I think most of my parliamentary colleagues would appreciate greater support, since the MP's job is truly a full-time one. For example, in countries such as the UK, the maximum entitlement to staffing allowance per member is about the same as the MP's allowance. This is designed to pay for between two and three full-time equivalent staff. I would be willing to settle for a decent wage for two full-time administrative staff. I am not even asking for a benchmark for top secretarial salaries.”
“Sir, I would now like to move on to a slightly different topic - on MPs. Recently, two articles were published by Indonesia Pos on 1st April 2007 entitled: "MPs Work Overtime to Meet Residents", and by Republika on 4th April 2007 entitled "Ways People meet with their Representatives" in Singapore. The reports were based on a group of Indonesian reporters who visited Singapore and attended one of the MPS sessions by Mr Hawazi Daipi to understand the value our MPs directly bring to the population. I think that it is good, based on these reports, that even our neighbours regard our Ministers and Members of Parliament highly for the good work theyput in in direct delivery to our residents and having compassion for our people. And it is indeed commendable that we are constantly acknowledged as being clean and honest. But I would just like to refer to two points in the articles that got my attention. The first is from Indonesia Pos: "If democracy is taken to mean freedom to demonstrate, such a form of democracy does not exist in Singapore. But if it is a system of Government of the people, by the people and for the people, the city state practises it every Tuesday night". That is just because Mr Hawazi's MPS is on Tuesday nights. But I think we practise it every other night. The second is from Republika: "It is important to note however that any assistance given to the people is not in the form of money, and hence is not a form of "money politics", including during periods close to the elections.”
“I think the word on top of many people's mind is 'value-add'. Singapore's transformation from here on is not likely to be in leaps and bounds, as in Minister Mentor's Cabinet, which had taken us from Third World to First. The issues today are complex and, therefore, it is more relevant than ever to have deeper and transparent KPIs that we can show direct value to the community. This, I think, will benefit all parties, especially the PAP, at the polls every five years. Mr Speaker, Sir, I subscribe to the view that our political leaders have to be more than just managers of our livelihoods, our economy and our future, as pointed out by my parliamentary colleagues before me. I fear this huge salary adjustment may erode the respect for our leaders and the honour and prestige of being a Minister or a top civil servant. I cannot help but wonder: by making it too comfortable for our leaders - political and civil service officers - will we erode our work ethic, heart for servitude and compassion for our people, much the same way we fear that increasing financial assistance for the poor will erode the work ethics of the working population? Think - how many lives and livelihoods are at stake, if our policy-makers become too comfortable and disconnected from the realities of ordinary Singaporeans? Perhaps, I am an idealist, maybe naive as a first-term MP. I stand on the other side of the scale from "Old Swee Say" at 32, not 52. I am an idealist, but perhaps that is why I stepped forward, not because of the $11,900 then or the $13,200 now. This post-65 idealist would like to see leaders coming forward with a heart to serve, honestly and compassionately, leaders who will put aside their personal interests for the interests of Singapore, and not just chase their performance bonuses.”