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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“One question I have is the assumption that good leadership and visionaries can only consist of the most intellectual and that money can attract them to serve the people of Singapore. If we cannot find 25 good men and women to serve as Ministers and Permanent Secretaries, and perhaps another 25 more for the next generation, out of our population of about five million, then, I say, politics begets politics. What values have our policies inculcated in our society, because you will not be poor - in fact, sufficiently well-to-do - as a Minister or Permanent Secretary, but surely you can sacrifice being super-rich? But I am willing to go with greater emphasis and transparency on performance. I welcome the Defence Minister’s Statement that the Government can improve its performance measures. However, though the idea of specific KPIs are not new, I do not see why these cannot be implemented in the short term. The balanced scorecards and performance report cards of the various agencies and senior officials can contain various views - long-term, short-term, mid-term. We can still keep the traditional KPIs. But we can surely include some short-term KPIs relevant to Singapore’s current needs, such as to lower unemployment, raise skill levels or improve healthcare or welfare service delivery. Measurements, I believe, drive behaviour. But the Government should also make these transparent so that the public can decide at the end of the day if they have been well-served, and let the civil service calibrate its efforts each year against its performance. I think that the issue on the salary is partly due to public perception of the value they are getting out of their taxpayers' dollars for the administration of the country.”
“Therefore, I think we have to take the fact and appreciate that all we are debating and arguing upon is that finite sum and what is on the table to be discussed. Sir, I am realistic that in this current environment, we should pay the right price for that finite quantum for the right talent. I fully support this principle. We have to do what is necessary to ensure that Singapore can attract and retain capable people to make up the Cabinet and its civil service. It has been 13 years since we first debated on the issue, and yet we are still debating over it now. Is it just politics of envy? Did we not get the benchmarks right? Have Singaporeans not recognised the value-add the civil service has brought directly to their lives over the past 13 years? Or, perhaps, we have just taken our security blanket for granted, think that we have arrived and have a false sense of security on how vulnerable we are in this global economy. By paying top dollars to retain the civil service elite, I hope that we are not sending the message that there are people out there who are indispensable, especially with the intention we place to be protected for life. On the other hand, have we also considered that, perhaps, the Government has priced itself out of the market? How many Permanent Secretaries have we lost? How many Administrative Officers have we lost, where the reason cited is the lack of pay? Is that a good thing for Singapore if the young leadership of our civil service is not challenged enough? Perhaps, as Ms Phua has also alluded to, a stint in the private sector would do them and our economy good. And if they have the heart to return to serve the public, then I think we have the right people in place.”
“I am of the opinion that we should have a more conformable benchmark, and not only focus on the top corporate earners. Similarly, with the performance benchmark expected of our civil service. I am convinced that we need the best talent in the Government. But I am also convinced that we need Ministers with the heart to serve and not be doing it for the monetary reward. Mr Speaker, please allow me to continue my speech in English. (In English): Mr Speaker, Sir, firstly, I would like to commend the Prime Minister and the Cabinet for raising the issue of salaries for public scrutiny. This is indeed the hallmark of a transparent and open Government that will make tough decisions even at a political price. I agree with the principle of the civil service salary scale of a finite quantum and away from perks, and one with all the cards laid on the table - a package that dispenses with perks, particularly those that do not benefit the community directly and those that are not visible. If we had not been transparent, our situation could have gone otherwise. There are many examples of other governments out there, but let me pick one that was very recent. The BBC recently reported that the Jakarta Parliament voted to pass new laws to reward government officials with free burial plots in the city. Plots at the front, with easy access to the roads, command the highest prices, and people have had to queue for years to get suitable plots for burial. But the law will ensure that these sought-after spaces will be allocated to government officials and veterans. Sir, I have no idea what burial plots have to do with attracting the best of talents, nor how will it benefit the larger segments of society.”
“In a dialogue session with the Japanese leaders and well-known figures from their corporate world, I kept asking myself why would a country as big as Japan be willing to spend time discussing and have dealings with us. Our trade is far much smaller, as compared to theirs. Our contribution to their economy is also not that substantial. However, there is a value that our Government and leaders possess that cannot be found elsewhere. That is our value-add. With our small trade contribution, it is hard for us to get a special treatment. But Singapore is still the favourite of international companies and is still attractive to investors from other countries. This shows that our Government has done an excellent job to compete in the economy, despite our small size and limited resources. We need leaders with calibre, like professionals and entrepreneurs from the industries, and we have to pay them reasonably. We need leaders who can translate vision into reality, understand how the economy moves, know how to deal with the industry and, at the same time, serve the people. Let us look for the best in the industry because the situation and the challenges faced by Singapore are becoming more challenging. Competition to acquire talent will be more acute and there is a risk to it. Therefore, we should go back to the main issue. Did we benchmark correctly in setting the salary scale? Would it not be better if a committee or a panel study the appropriate salaries for the civil servants and Ministers? In my opinion, the principle is right. The question is not on what is the appropriate rate, but the basis on how we benchmark and what are the comparable risks and rewards when compared to the private sector.”
“Because of this, the issue of civil service pay raises various discussions and matters on what would be a reasonable amount. This raises a question: should those who serve for the people not have the heart to serve and a big pay cheque should not be their ultimate mission? Then another point at issue is whether certain Ministers deserve to be paid at a benchmark comparable to the private sector had they joined the private sector based on their qualifications. Let us put these issues in the right perspective. Since 1819, Singapore's survival was based on its role as a business hub. We did not have rich resources like many other countries which are able to handle any changes in a global economy. As emphasised by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, we should view this from our regional context. Our economic stability cannot be too dependent on our neighbours. We are not like Europe or Asian countries like Hong Kong which has an intensive economic policy and is also driven by stability and development in the region. However, the challenge for the Singapore Government is to ensure that our economy is working smoothly to enable us to generate social programmes, like education and healthcare. Duties and responsibilities of office-holders and civil servants are not straightforward. Not only expectations from the people are high, but there is also competition from our neighbours and we must always remain ahead. Political leaders and civil servants have paramount duties to place Singapore on the world trading map. Without them, we will not have a healthy economy, what more to have social programmes or job opportunities. Recently, I joined PM's delegation to Japan.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to start my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Mr Speaker, paying a reasonable remuneration to our civil servants and our appointment holders is an important principle to ensure that the Government is able to uphold its integrity and attract the best talent to compete in a globalised environment. However, there are a few perspectives in this issue. Many have already been said by my fellow MPs. Therefore, I will not go through them in detail. *Cols. 535-538. For junior officers, whereby there are 60,000 of them, I fully agree that their salaries have to be competitive, for example, a graduate who has just joined the service for a specialised post like an accountant, and even teachers who form a sizeable component in the civil service. I believe our people deserve the best service from the frontline staff up to the senior officers, be it in administration, policy or education. Therefore, I am of the opinion that it is important for us to revise their salaries so that they are as competitive as what are being offered in the market because the number of resignations at this level will be higher if the salary is less attractive. At other levels, like officers in the elite group, ie, scholars in the Administrative Service, Permanent Secretaries and office-holders, their salaries are benchmarked against the elite group in the private sector, that is, a small upper-class group in the industry. It is a substantial salary scale, one which an ordinary man like us finds it hard to accept. I work in the private sector where our salary is pegged to risk, reward and profit. It depends on factors, such as effective cost management, fully optimising the limited human resource and financial capital.”
“I would like to ask the Minister whether the students from SAP schools could truly benefit from multi-culturalism at the programme level as opposed to a daily interaction basis.”
“I would like to pick on Mdm Ho's point. How many of these programmes are targeted at the PMET category for the older workers, especially those above 62?”
“For example, I hope that MCYS can also provide the community with platforms that they can refer to in order to seek clarification and understanding while having meaningful debates and comparing various ideologies with various religious and racial organisations in Singapore. In doing so, we can create a more open and tolerant environment, and not one that totally relies on approaches such as censorship or avoidance from facing these issues.”
“[For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *. ] Mr Chairman, MCYS' efforts in running the IRCC and CEP is a good first step in creating a closer network among the various faiths and races. More should be done to enhance the understanding particularly among youths who are exposed to radicalism due to our status as a people, trade and information hub. The step in involving community and religious leaders in the IRCC is welcomed but the first assumption we make is that the message to be made known and racial understanding that we want to promote will flow down to the ground. The second assumption is that the openness and respect that happen at the leadership level reflect the same attitudes on the ground. Both these assumptions are not always true. I would like to pose a number of questions to MCYS. In the Ministry's point of view, what are the effects on the social fabric of Singapore brought by the trends of fundamentalism and radicalism from the Middle East? Are these trends affecting the general society's view of the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore? For example, the issue on choice of employees. Secondly, what is the effect of increased religiosity among youths on the approach taken by the Ministry to enhance racial integration through IRCC and CEP? And what are the Ministry's efforts to reach out to these youths more effectively? In order to inculcate tolerance and respect in our multi-racial and multi- *Cols. 3637-3638. religious society, MCYS also should step up its efforts in several areas.”
“Madam, the *scape infrastructure plan in Orchard Road is a good start in MCYS' efforts to create spaces for youths in Singapore. *scape was an interesting idea to city street hangout but I ask that the *scape concept be replicated in the heartlands for youths to interact and organise themselves nearer to home. Our modern estates have limited play space and I suspect that, in future, it is only going to get even worse as the Government plans for an island population of 6.5 million. Today, HDB housing blocks are too close to play areas. Space is often limited and activities are restricted for fear of inconvenience to residents. Kids today come to me saying they have a lack of space to play. They play under linkways, they get scolded; they play in void decks, they get scolded. They play in the street soccer courts; they get scolded too. So we need to create spaces for our youths to grow in the heartlands and develop their sense of identity. Such facilities should allow activities such as indoor sports and recreation, perhaps, visual performing arts, entrepreneurship activities, mobilising themselves for community projects and even providing youth resources such as counselling and youth engagement of youths at risk in areas such as sex education. Maybe even Mrs Yu-Foo could consider putting kits in this space for these youths to play with. Such facilities can be built up and enclosed - one for each precinct - to complement the community clubs that we have today. Sporting Culture”
“However, many charities also fear that this will result in greater competition for donations and human resources. Smaller local NGOs may not have the ability to compete on services as well as benefits. Perhaps the Ministry can look into levelling the playing field by levelling tax deduction benefits for small charities and other local NGOs in the people sector to help them compete for donations. For a limited period, the Ministry can also consider helping the sector with more development funds to bridge the capability gap and up-skill their human resources. Many have referred to this Budget as one that will help to lift all boats, big and small. But let us not forget that there are others without boats or non-functioning boats who will otherwise sink or drown as the tide rises, unless we put together a stronger safety net by strengthening the charity sector.”
“Mr Chairman, Sir, the charity sector is paying a high price for governance as a result of the NKF and Youth Challenge sagas. Many charities, particularly smaller ones, are facing difficulties with governance and operational funding issues. I raised this in a previous Parliament session. Many face high cost of audits and few willing auditors. Today, donors are also more careful and insist that their donations benefit benefactors directly. Charities, therefore, have a difficult time funding their operational costs and paying their staff. This worsens the problem. Sir, the Minister mentioned that measures are under way to simplify governance requirements and that it would take time for the market to come to equilibrium on the accepted prices and quality of service. My question is: how long are we prepared to wait? What measures is the Ministry considering to address the issue of cost of governance, lower funds raised for operational expenses and lack of willing suppliers to fulfill governance requirements? The recent move to improve social workers' salaries is also a welcome boost. However, this does not cover support staff who play important roles to deliver charity services. They number about three to four for each social worker. Due to low wages, their attrition rates are also high, negating the NCSS' efforts in training and building capacity to strengthen the charity sector. I urge the Ministry to benchmark and review the salaries of this group and provide sufficient funding for the sector to employ good staff to help our needy more effectively. Sir, my third point is that the removal of the 80:20 regulations in the Budget to promote philanthropy and attract overseas NGOs is a welcome one.”
“What sort of changes in KPIs have the Government adopted or is considering adopting to take advantage of our Government sector flexibility and agility through these PPP's initiatives or even Best Sourcing initiatives?”
“Sir, the term "asset enhancement" may be outdated because someone with a larger flat which is 15 or 20 years' old in the suburban area has a lesser chance of asset enhancement than, say, a second flat bought in an urban area which has a larger potential to enhance its return of assets.”
“I have a question for the Minister. On the return investment of $4 billion spent on iN2015, on the one hand, we always see traditionally we have got KPIs based on adoption. I think with the infrastructure today, we need to look more into innovation. Would the Ministry be looking at how we measure value add, in terms of the IT knock-on effect on end user industries, such as banking, manufacturing, and the other sectors?”
“Let us give our SMEs and mid-sized companies, even the global ones that we are trying to attract, a chance to grow. With more local experience, they too would have a better chance in the marketplace and overseas and, hopefully, this risk tolerant culture will spread to the other industries. Interactive Digital Media”
“How can one develop programmes for SMEs to generate a million dollars a year or a hundred million dollars a year, if one has not done it himself? Employ top local business development agents to match enterprises overseas - people who truly know the ground and are very well connected. For this to work, we need a civil service that is able to manage its risks better and as a result, be more confident or be more risk tolerant. Many companies I have spoken to often cited the lack of opportunities to innovate back home. For example, while Singapore ranks top in the world for its e-Government infrastructure, many of our SMEs have difficulty in citing e-Government experiences or projects that they have done in Singapore when they are exported overseas. Are they not having enough opportunities back home, even in areas where we are supposedly strong in? If I took e-Government, again, as an example, perhaps we should then put a cap on the minimum size of projects large companies can bid for to allow SMEs, the middle sized ones, a chance to grow, say, projects of about $500,000 and below. The big boys, including the local ones, should then focus to value add and drive innovation in our high value projects. Of course, the Government may reply that if the SMEs fulfil their requirements, today, they will be given the advantage. The truth of the matter is, would the civil servant on the ground dare to take such a risk? It would certainly be safer for them to choose a large MNC, or even one of the GLCs, to serve these smaller or even medium sized projects. Thus, there is likely a gap between policy stand and what happens on the ground. So I echo Mr Teo Ser Luck's call during his Budget debate for the civil service to be more risk tolerant.”
“But local infocomm SMEs have it tougher, given little room for business development, limited access to local venture capital where it almost seems certain that they are likely to succeed overseas than in Singapore. Almost from an outsider's point of view, we seem to suffer what we have been talking quite a bit lately about the Singapore Girl effect. We embrace the big ang mo companies, while locals get the second class treatment. I think what we need is to transplant our enterprise attraction, pro-business, risk-taking culture, through the local enterprise development efforts across Government agencies. Agencies like EDB and JTC are often seen to be ahead of the curve in the way they embrace businesses and help develop ventures. Perhaps, more departments and other agencies should be given the same empowerment and higher risk tolerance. Earlier, I mentioned that many local infocomm businesses feel as though opportunities are limited here, that they are more likely to get capital and business opportunities elsewhere, such as Korea, Taiwan, or even Europe, which companies, such as the former System Access, had done before it was acquired. Then perhaps, if this were the case, would it be better for the Government to move in this direction with the same enthusiasm and support as how we attract global enterprises here? MICA then should do more than just showcase our talents overseas, but create a system of matching agents, specifically at targeted infocomm venture capitalists in key cities. When I said, "agents", I do not mean Government agencies. Employ private sector expertise to drive this. How would one know which business model to pick if one has not had any experience as an entrepreneur or venture capitalist?”
“We need to make our infocomm professionals more attuned to the industry, identify how growth or productivity can be derived from technology. We need to help our professionals change from a cost-centred mindset to one that brings strategic value to their companies. To achieve this, MICA has to encourage or even incentivise companies to invest in high-value training for the infocomm professionals, such as business strategy, industry solution and branding, privatisation, intellectual property protection, marketing and even management. On the other side of the coin, MICA also needs to engage our business leaders better, particularly, the SMEs on getting the best value out of technology and how to exploit the talents of the IT professionals. As DPM Wong pointed out yesterday, it is increasingly difficult to find middle-management for our economy. And this is also true for the infocomm sector based on feedback. Hence, even more so, the time is right for us to groom our own infocomm PMETs to fill these gaps. Infocomm Sector Sir, I move on to my second cut with regard to SME development in the infocomm sector. Sir, the Government has put in place sound policies and rational approaches to develop the infocomm industry. However, based on feedback from local SMEs and industry service providers in the sector, the ground reality leaves much more to be desired. I cite some areas I hope we can improve as we develop our local infocomm businesses. We often see two thrusts in the development of the enterprise eco-system, that is, (a) enterprise attraction; and (b) local enterprise development. Our success in enterprise attraction has been excellent. Even, recently, Google, as DPM Wong pointed out yesterday, has set up its base here.”
“Imagine if we did the same in the retail sector to provide shared services application, such as in store touch screen catalogues and artificial intelligence, same as those seen in Japan and other shopping capitals, the possibility is endless. But this is not a new concept. The Government has done it quite successfully itself and leads the e-Government space. However, I suggest that shared services for the industries should be run by private sector expertise that understand the industry better and anticipate and drive demand. The second area of concern is boosting talents and creating a more resilient workforce. Now, most infocomm workers fall in the PMET category which I spoke about in the Budget debate and face low cost competition as barriers to entry for professionals and technicians are low. Technology management and development can be performed anywhere in the world. Because technology also becomes obsolete quickly. The industry often finds it cheaper to outsource or employ foreign talents with the latest certifications. The challenge for MICA is to move our professionals up the value chain from the sales persons, management to the technicians. Today, much of our efforts are focused on certification and project management skills. If necessary as a foundation, these skills are no longer differentiators for our professionals. The Second Minister Dr Vivian spoke at the SITF forum recently about the need for more business strategies and technologists in the infocomm sector. I think this is a move in the right direction. However, I believe this can only happen by driving a mindset change across the industry. Today, the industry is very much driven by activities in system integration, maintenance contracts or reselling of commodity hardware and software.”
“Many fail to capitalise on technology to optimise their businesses, innovate and differentiate themselves in the marketplace. Thus, MICA should then put much more efforts and investments to ensure that if we invest in this and other iN2015 initiatives, we need to put in more to drive adoption. To boost adoption for local businesses, perhaps the Government could invest in more shared services platforms for various industries with subsidised low-cost subscriptions to bring world-class capabilities and innovation that local businesses would have otherwise had difficulty developing on their own. For example, today, IDA promotes the radio frequency identification or RFID type adoption. I think we can accelerate this through shared services. Imagine if we created a shared service platform for logistics businesses with RFID tracking capabilities, then through the platform, you can provide data mining capability that enables SMEs to track the movement of its shipments, analyse the data, and optimise its processes and inventory. So what is the impact? Now you can enable our local businesses to leverage on technology innovation the same capabilities. Top-class companies, like DHL, already have today with such infrastructure. It uplifts the general capability of your industry, even the smaller players. On their own, they may not have had the expertise or funds to do this with the same desired outcomes. 1.30 pm As a concerted measure, the Government can subsidise the shared services cost upfront. Let us not penalise the early adopters simply to show for quick ROIs for the infrastructure.”
“Sir, I support the Ministry's investments in the interactive and digital media sector and its iN2015 masterplan. However, building an industry that is supported by a resilient, creative workforce needs more than just hardware, business transplants and talent imports. Based on industry feedback, I would like to raise two main concerns with regard to how we implement this masterplan to achieve the desired results and more in the next eight years. First concern: what kinds of returns on investments can we expect from the large expenditure for iN2015? Can we expect quantum leaps in productivity, innovation, growth or differentiation of our end-user industries such as banking, manufacturing, logistics, retail and communications. The iN2015 has to be more than just higher speeds and more wireless broadband access across the county. Singapore has ready access to the top technology providers of the world. However, one main issue we continue to face is the differences between the rate at which the Government introduces them and the rate at which our industries and consumers adopt them as well as the rate at which these technologies actually mature and when they go obsolete. For example, the introduction of 3G licences in the telecommunications sector a few years ago, till today, we have not seen a quantum leap in subscriber adoption nor compelling sets of services that drive usage. Yet, we have already moved on to 3.5G and Ymax. I certainly hope that we are not merely investing to keep pace with our performance ranking on the global index and get too far ahead of the demand curve. Perhaps it is not a lack of technology that is an issue, it is a lack of adoption by our consumers as well as our businesses.”
“Closing questions Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Government for taking the bold move of presenting a holistic Budget – one that invests in its people, their talents, its infrastructure and technology – that is focused on our continued competitiveness and survival as an economy. Before I end my speech, I would like to leave two concerns with respect to the Budget for the Second Minister for Finance. (i) What measures does the Ministry of Finance have in place to ensure that market forces will not counter the intended objectives of the Budget? For example, as raised by Mr Inderjit Singh earlier, (a) the impact of steep rises in rental rates on business costs, despite corporate tax cuts and incentives; and (b) stagnation or reduction of gross salaries of low-wage workers, given the Government's implementation of the Workfare Income Supplement scheme. (ii) What measures does the Ministry of Finance have in place to ensure that the increased Government revenues through the GST and NII will not result in increase in upscale infrastructure or projects - I think, years ago, we remember the seven great wonders - that will diminish the Government's efforts in the past few years to improve cost-efficiency in the Civil Service? Mr Speaker, Sir, with this, I support the motion. 1.20 pm”
“The clip recorded a conversation between two apparently Chinese customers asking for pork dishes at a supposedly Indian-Muslim restaurant, with the Chinese customers mocking the Indian-Muslim server's reactions to their requests. Many post-65ers, like myself, may not have experienced the racial riots of the 1960s. But we can surely learn from history, such as the Maria Hertogh riots in the 1960s which were started by a single picture published in a newspaper. Today, modern communication technologies have greater potential to create such tension with swift and dramatic effect, with technologies such as video MMS. For those Members who are not familiar - remember how Tammy the polytechnic student became infamous - clips that can easily incite racial conflict can be circulated pretty quickly, and we are not even sure if the incident was staged like the "RK Prata House" podcast. Therefore, as our young become more globalised, we need to pay serious attention to issues that can divide us, and divide the country. Moving forward, with inflows and outflows of talent, radical ideologies, tensions within religions, such as between the Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims in the Middle-East, and even influences from the caste system practised by foreign ethnic groups may find its way into our social fabric. So, let us not take our harmonious social fabric for granted because the alternative may be too painful to endure. This is one pillar of success that we must continue to invest in, especially as we embark on our next lap of development.”
“In turn, we may have a viable long-term solution to develop a middle-income segment that will be more resilient, more capable and more relevant to the global economy so that they and their families will enjoy better salaries and better quality of living. *Cols. 1747-1750. Investing in our future, investing in our social fabric As a young Singaporean, the Budget makes me feel confident about our economy and I applaud the Government's efforts to invest heavily in our future. While we invest in our industries, infrastructure and human resources, we should invest just as much in strengthening our social fabric, especially as we embrace globalisation, the influx of foreign talent and the free flow of information through the new media. We must continue to strengthen our social cohesion because religious and racial conflict can and will destabilise the foundations that this Budget is trying to build for our future. Today, besides being a trade hub, Singapore is also a hub for information and, today, with the Internet, we get as much information as misinformation. I do not know about my colleagues, but I have seen a lot of cartoons right after the GST announcement. We have elite cartoons and the works. I can tell Members that the Malay community has not been spared either. Among the Malay media, this is my recent favourite. I think some Members may have seen it - the Malay Master Plan. Some conspiracy theory says that the guy with the guitar in this cartoon is a left handed guitarist - and we all know that the Minister in charge of Muslim Affairs is left handed! Back to a more serious topic, racially insensitive productions are readily available on the Internet today, such as the "RK Prata" podcast on YouTube recently.”
“Therefore, many employ foreign talent to fulfil their middle-segment workforce requirements, requirements that drive business and growth and these include mid-management talents in sectors such as trading houses, info-communications, hospitality and the retail sectors. And many such foreign talents here are attracted by the relatively good pay packages in order to attract them to Singapore. So the question I have is: why are we not putting in as much effort to develop our PMETs to take on these high-value skills and responsibilities? We have done a lot to ensure the relevance of our blue-collared workforce, emphasised more on training and subsidised employers for workforce development. Can we do as much and give as much emphasis to the PMET segment? I believe that agencies involved in the workforce development need to do more than certification of technical and professional skills. To ensure that they remain relevant and value-add to the economy, we need to equip them with high value skills such as management in a cross-cultural, multi-national setting, brand development, an international outlook on problem-solving and sales and customer-facing skills. For employers, the Government needs to do more to promote talent development and especially for PMETs. I believe that this component is often missing, particularly in the SME segment which employs almost 50% of our workforce. Many do not have the luxury of time or money to invest in high-value training. I will cover more on this topic in my COS cuts. In the long term, I believe that this investment in high value-add training and talent development for the PMET segment will bring about greater industry growth, make Singapore more attractive to foreign investments - be it corporates or global SMEs.”
“(In English ): Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to proceed with the rest of my speech in English. Resilient workfare, relevant to global demands Sir, I appreciate the Budget's investment in our people, particularly in education and skill development. However, I believe that we can do more to provide for the middle layer of our workforce - the professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). I believe that more can be done to develop the potential of this segment to take Singapore to the next lap. The PMET segment is key to the growth and success in each of the business industries that they come from, yet this same group was also one of the hardest hit during the recent downturns. We have upped our efforts to re-skill our blue-collared workers, and the industries, no doubt, today, already recognise the value of talented senior managers whom they court and talent spot locally and globally. Sir, today, many mid-managers and skilled specialists in their 40s and 50s are still having difficulty finding employment. Many were told that they were over-qualified for jobs. Many others have found it difficult to swallow, having to take severe paycuts when they change their line of work. So is this the way forward for PMETs in the future? Today, many employers I have spoken to still feel that Singapore does not have enough local PMETs with skills that are relevant to the industries of the day. But, however, on the overall, PMETs, they say, are still in demand to run their sales and operations here. The availability of mid-segment talents is often a deciding factor if they should expand their bases here or they need to relocate because of better business environments elsewhere.”
“We have to see the Budget this time as something that motivates us to up our effort and enhance our employability, to enhance our lives and family. To seize various opportunities, our workers have to develop their capabilities so that they will be able to perform value-added jobs and participate in new industries. I hope young Singaporeans will also take advantage of the opportunities as this Budget has placed emphasis on education. They will have more opportunities in education which is an important investment for the future. Through this Budget, the Government will intensify efforts to attract more investment and create more jobs for Singaporeans. Therefore, we have to develop ourselves so that we will be more competitive and think globally. For the Malay/Muslim community, we have to move out of the comfort zone. We should not be afraid to face stiff competition. In fact, we have to be prepared to face it. I believe the Malay/Muslim community can do it. This is because, among the community, there are those who have succeeded. Professionals, entrepreneurs and military officers have emerged as the best in the international arena. They have flown our national flag and made us proud. I believe many more will succeed. At the same time, for those who have succeeded, we hope that they will contribute back to the community. We cannot allow differences in the community. If there are differences, each group will develop at their own pace. Let us be one class, first class citizens in a first-world country. I would like to end my speech by reciting a quatrain which says that we should not wait or delay. Instead, we should reap the benefits of the opportunities so that we can progress together.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to add my voice to the chorus of support for the motion. This festive season, there are many reasons for Singaporeans to smile. Our economy has been upbeat and this year's Budget adds to this confidence and boosts these positive sentiments further. Budget 2007 has been generous, yet balanced in helping the lower-income group and the elderly - as well as recognise their contributions of the higher-income earners. More importantly, I am glad to see this Budget investing heavily in growth - infrastructure, industries and people - to open up opportunities for Singaporeans to take this country, their families and themselves to the next level of development. Mr Speaker, Sir, allow me to begin the first half of my speech in Malay. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] The message in the Budget this time is very clear. It is a Budget package which is far-sighted and prepares Singapore in facing the future and seizing the available opportunities in this globalisation era. Therefore, I believe that Singaporeans will have to make full use of these open opportunities and, at the same time, put in more effort to develop our field of professionals, managers, entrepreneurs and workers who are capable and are of resolute spirit. This Budget shows Singapore's long-term struggle for survival in a globalised economy. It affects each and every one of us - students, workers and also housewives. For the lower income earners, it cannot be denied that Government is always concerned about them. This is clearly shown in this Budget where Government will increase the investment in training and retraining. For the needy ones, the Budget this time provides various assistance and programmes but this should not be considered as a free gift.”
“I would like to take this beyond the welfare portion. Where does the Government then stand on when compulsory education or even fundamental education should be funded by the Government start? Should it be at K1 or P1? The amount of resources that you are putting in seems to be moving into pre-school as well. Should pre-school education be Government-funded, the way we fund primary education, for example?”
“What is the knock-on effect from this property rise in the private sector on the public housing sector? Secondly, we have seen an increase in the numbers of potential home owners going for walk-in selections, what measures have we got in place to prevent another bubble in the public housing sector as well?”
“Sir, in the industry today, I think there is a perception of risk in dealing with the charity sector. If you look at a lot of IPCs, they are facing difficulties in getting auditors to audit their books at a reasonable rate. Many have already increased prices or even backed out of this market, sad to say. So, what plans does the Ministry have to work with the industry to address this?”
“I am asking a question as well. What are the programmes in place for the CEP to engage the new media segment? A lot of these programmes have been around traditional media and religious leaders, but what have we been doing in that space so far? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: MICA has formed a cluster that will engage the members of the media and also the arts. And the Member is right, especially for young people, we need different platforms to reach out to them. So, in March, when we look at the MHA's budget and we talk about it in the COS debate, more of these plans will be shared. USE OF CPF ACCOUNTS FOR TERTIARY EDUCATION 5. Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how much money was withdrawn from CPF accounts for tertiary education in the last five years; and (b) will his Ministry allow Singapore citizens who aspire to upgrade themselves during their mid-career to use their CPF to pay for their course fees.”
“The Government should be more flexible in allowing either parent to be eligible for the leave scheme, particularly for the Government-paid component. Broadening the coverage of the GPML and adoption leave also sends the message that the role of the child's upbringing and bonding belongs to both parents, and this should apply, whether it is for adoptive or biological parents. Lastly, I think that the Government can also make provisions, should the mother pass on at delivery. Though not very common, I believe that fathers should then be able to benefit from these leave schemes. I am aware that I have also been pushing for a bit more flexibility in the implementation of this Bill, with the child's welfare at the centre of focus. But I have also received feedback from the ground that on the extension of the Government-paid Maternity Leave Scheme to mothers who marry after the child is born could send the wrong signal to certain conservative parts of our society. Hence, I would like to pose a question to the Minister of State, because I am aware of MCYS' position on children out of wedlock and I would like to know how MCYS would plan to handle this sensitivity. With that, Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Bill. 6.33 pm”
“In a family, there is a likely occurrence that children who are born later would not receive attention and benefits as good as their elder siblings and this is especially in the case of the middle and lower-income families. It is true that for families in this group, it is better for them to have a smaller family and do not burden the parents. However, if it happens that the family has more children, the children will be affected in the long-term. This may be detrimental to the country later because we are already having a low birth rate. Every child is important and they are our capital for our future. Every child has to be assisted to become useful citizens and we should not limit what they could benefit from. (In English): The second point which I think should be considered is to extend the Government-paid Maternity Leave (GPML) Scheme to include fathers as well. Recently, The Straits Times featured France's turnaround in its birthrate on 18th January 2007. One of the success factors is that incentives were granted to either the father or mother, regardless of gender. In fact, certain studies in Europe have also shown that in some highly industrialised countries, women are choosing to have more children because of the support they get from family members, particularly their husbands. In these countries, we also notice that fathers have benefits too. In Singapore's context, such a move is certainly very much in line to allow greater bonding between both parents and child. The role of the father is as important, particularly today, when both parents are working is commonplace. A father's role should not be seen as restricted mainly to one, ie, supporting the family financially.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I support the amendments put forth in the Children Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill. I am in support of this Bill as we focus on the importance of parent-child bonding and create the right environment to address our low birth rates. I have a couple of points I would like to add on the Bill in general. But please allow me to take the first point in Malay and complete the rest of my speech in English. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] Generally, I am in support of the amendments proposed in the Children Development Co-Savings (Amendment) Bill. It is the Government's policy that emphasises the importance of forming a family and children's development through the amendments to the adoption leave scheme, Government-paid maternity leave and Baby Bonus. Having a family is an important investment in Singapore because people are an important asset to the country. Therefore, assistance and incentive to the people are an investment by the Government for the future of the country. However, I suggest that we should take a more progressive approach to ensure that no one is left behind or neglected. *Cols. 1103-1104. I feel that the assistance given must reach more than the first four children. True, this scheme is not a social assistance but it is more of providing a good headstart for the children. So I feel that we should not be concerned that, by extending this scheme, it would be seen as a social assistance to the lower-income families because there are already a number of specific assistance packages for them, like HOPE.”
“Mdm Ho Geok Choo asked the Minister for Manpower (a) how will a 3% increase in CPF contributions impact the business competitiveness of Singapore; and (b) if the fruits of Singapore’s economic growth can be passed on to workers through their variable wage component instead of raising the employer’s CPF contribution.”
“I would like to go back to the question earlier whether heroin was a substitute for Subutex. If we look at the trend the other way around where Subutex became a substitute for heroin, does the Ministry see any other substitutes? I do not think that they would go to a more expensive substitute but to a cheaper alternative. Do we see a trend with substitute drugs, apart from Subutex, now that we have clamped down on Subutex? Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: We do not want to use a drug-substitution approach. This episode shows us that that is not the approach to take. We are, of course, monitoring other drugs. For example, Dormicum is one drug we are monitoring. But unlike Subutex, Dormicum has also other medical uses. It is used for pre-surgery anaesthesia. It can be used to help people who cannot sleep. So, we do not want to just always make a drug a controlled drug when it is abused. The best way is to monitor, work within the framework and make it controlled, if need be. Just one other point on my previous answer. The Minister for Health is on record saying that it was a matter of poor judgement on the part of the Ministry of Health for having introduced Subutex. So it is already very widely explained in the media. There is nothing to hide. But to give the Government credit, when we realised that it should not have been done in the first place, we took remedial actions clearly, decisively and, most importantly, as a Government, multi-agencies working together. INCREASE IN EMPLOYERS' CPF CONTRIBUTIONS (Impact on Singapore's business competitiveness) 7.”
“Sir, my supplementary questions are as follows. Based on the research and experiments that HDB is doing for testing new shafts and new lift technologies, there are still some flats, I would say, that will still be disadvantaged. I think I have got quite a number in my estate - these are segmented flats. Theoretically, I think you have lifts on every floor. But on certain floors, they are really not accessible by lift. Where do these flats stand? Because as the residents grow older, they will feel the impact. And today, because the number of benefiting units are few, I do not think they qualify in the long term.”
“As we strive to win hearts and minds, we need to be mindful that this engagement needs to be as much reason as sentiment. Sir, with this, I support the Motion of Thanks. 6.16 pm”
“I see a great potential for our young population and it is therefore important for us to invest in their future. I am confident the Malay-Muslim community is capable of excelling. We need only see in our rich history, whether in terms of language, culture or the arts. Similarly, with the history of Islam which has produced many prominent figures and scholars who are knowledgeable and progressive. While we establish our social infrastructure, we can also enhance our efforts to assist our community to reap these global opportunities and guide them to go through the global economy and the digital era. As such, the young Malay generation can give more contribution not just to our community but also to the nation. (In English): Sir, next, concerning faith and the faith in our future. Sir, to conclude, as we move towards a more inclusive society in an open and global economy, we want Singaporeans to be comfortable about the country they call home. But to achieve this, we need to be able to create the right environment which takes into account all factors. To sum off my speech, I would like to leave this House with a Malay pantun or poem: Bulan Safar ke Tanjong Katong Bermandi-manda Dengan Pelekat Bulat Air Kerana Pembentong Bulat Manusia Kerana Muafakat The key lines of the poem reflect the importance of getting consensus and support of the people behind us to make the nation stronger. We are a Government with hopes to fulfil. Standing in this House before you, this is a responsibility that we choose to shoulder. At the end of the day, we want Singaporeans to have ownership of issues and have a stake in this country. *Cols. 577-580. Therefore, we need to give our people a sense of faith and ownership and a feel for the Government.”
“Malay-Muslim leaders will be scrutinising these efforts and discussing how best to assist the community to reach these opportunities. We have to show them the means and the direction. This is because there are often questions as to how we should grab those opportunities, whom we should see to find guidance and what are the things to be done. Not many know of the scope of the opportunities that exist. If we do not provide the guidance, the vision on these global opportunities will be seen as just something distant and only relevant to the professionals, big businessmen and those who are in the creative field, such as the media and fashion. Actually, there is great scope in terms of the opportunities outside Singapore. As such, we have to act in an effective way to carry out efforts to explore those opportunities. Based on my interactions with the business community, Singaporeans are a very esteemed group of people in many places in the world, and these include technical and construction workers. A lot of opportunities exist and ITE itself has been promoting exchange programmes with external companies for their students. I think more can be done not just for Malays but also for other Singaporeans to facilitate the achievement of their globalised aspirations. One way is to set up a resource centre that they can rely on, especially the blue-collar and technical workers. For the Malay-Muslim community, the young generation must have serious consideration on the global opportunities as we step forward to the next level of development. With the young population forming 37% of our community, we must encourage and motivate them to scrutinise the various options open to them.”
“As with the current and established compact, I see trust and faith between the people and the Government remaining an important component. The leaders who have led us through independence and our formative years, have made enormous efforts to deliver and build that trust with the people over the years. I see myself and the new generation of MPs in this House no different. We face the challenge to prove ourselves, yet I am confident that we will do our best to deliver and build that trust with the community, as previous generations of leaders have done. Mr Speaker, I move on to my third sentiment which I will cover in Malay. This concerns hope and my hope for the Malay community and its youth population. (In Malay): [For vernacular speech, please refer to Appendix A *.] The efforts to reach out to the youths and the community is a continuing effort in the Malay-Muslim community. This is a time when we should make efforts to adjust and make changes to meet the challenges of globalisation. As stated by Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, in his Hari Raya speech, the community must be progressive and have a global way of thinking. It is timely for us to involve the community in this effort as we draw up our plans for further progress for the next 10-15 years. Faced with the improvement in the economy and the decline in unemployment, we are in a good position to develop new fields. Our infrastructure is also ready to move forward. The Malay community, together with the other communities in Singapore, must not ignore the opportunities outside Singapore, whether in the Middle East, Europe, China, India or in the other regions.”
“But today, changes in our behaviour and expectations happen even faster than a policy can be reviewed. Youth workers I have spoken to lament that they have finally caught up with the MTV Generation, but then the young have again moved on to YouTube and MessengerLive. I am confident that in due course, our shifts in values and attitudes will result in debates in this House beyond the merits of a policy, challenging the underlying fundamentals and philosophies behind them. But here, I shall not confine this change to the Post-65ers, because already, a pre-65er has taken the bold step to question the effectiveness and relevance of the many-helping-hands approach. In time, we may question whether the principles in the way we help the needy, ie, family support first, community second and then the Government third, will still remain in this order of priority. The political compact of today requires more than absolute trust in the Government. I think we will see delivery and accountability carrying greater weight in this generation. Many of our generation have grown in working environments that are results-oriented, with much emphasis on accountability. The compact is increasingly shaping in this direction, even from a social perspective. One good example is the way we demand charities to be accountable for the effectiveness of the assistance it provides and the way it manages costs. Times have changed, for no longer do we drop dollar notes into a charity box and put trust in blind faith. However, I also think that my generation will need to learn to meet the Government half way. We need to be rational and practical as to the limits we push these ideals. The compact will need to balance idealism with real-world complexities and limitations.”
“I strongly believe that after Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's speech as well on how social workers are being stressed and frustrated at the front line, there is more that needs to be done to invest in our front-line service as we need to handle more exceptions to more complex matters, especially if we need to address sentiments. Indeed, the Government can do more to understand and address the sentiments of the people, and meet us half way to address them. I believe that we need to cultivate a better understanding and foster this spirit of partnership to make Singaporeans feel that they are engaging the Government on a two-way street. The Government must do more to give people the hope and confidence that their views and opinions matter as stakeholders in this country. Only then can we foster ownership of issues and community concerns. Sir, I move on now to my second theme, which is about values and the need to keep pace with our changing values. I believe that the context of the President’s message on the "new social and political compact" runs deep. This new contract evolves with the environment of the times. The post-independence generation, given its more educated and global posture, will certainly accelerate changes in the thinking, perspectives, priorities and even values in our community. We are already experiencing a gradual shift in the way this generation expects the country to be run, how the Government engages it, how we interact as a society, and how we cope with the dynamic economy. And it is imperative that the Government must keep pace with the changing values and attitudes in our community. I applaud the recent changes in the Penal Code in keeping up with the times.”
“For instance, when we address cost issues, let us look at it holistically from the eyes of our citizens. We should consider the indices holistically by taking into account the whole picture and not distinct, piecemeal efforts by each Ministry working within its own view of the world. On the ground, we need to improve service levels and execution at each of the Government’s touch-points. How often have we received the standard responses, even after we have given four, five or six different replies? As an MP, I, too, have received patronising press statements as responses to my enquiries sometimes. As the civil service automates its operations, goes e-Government and ventures into the new media, it can consider one of the lessons learnt from the private sector recently. Today, many retail institutions, having spent millions of dollars automating their processes in the hope of cutting queues, are now reinvesting resources back into their front desks. Why is that so? Because the human aspect in the way the organisation interacts with its customers is still important. I think Mr Chan Soo Sen did mention just now. It gets frustrating because we have to press 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc, and there is no human aspect to it to explain issues, allay fears and address sentiments. And I believe that this is another source of frustration and despair for many in dealing with the Government, ie, the inability to handle exceptions in a swift and decisive manner by front-line office-holders.”
“I think the Government certainly needs to spend some time to change several perceptions, ie, that dealing with the Government is a one-way street, that the Government does not listen, that their feedback goes into a black hole, that the Government has already made up its mind by the time it consults the public, or that Government policies are drafted by locking three scholars in a room, without any sense of how issues are viewed from the eyes of ordinary, humble citizens. I believe, increasingly, the Government needs to figure out how it engages sentiments. Take the Mr Brown issue, which still resonates in the youth and online communities. Let us put aside for now the Government’s right to respond and the difference of policies of expression between the mainstream and the new media. But to many of my generation, his article merely expressed the sentiments of the common man on the costs of living, as we all would have in our e-mails and online postings. We are a generation brought up on Internet forums and talk shows, such as Jay Leno and David Letterman. We have become more open to political critic and are increasingly less influenced by extreme political views in making our judgments. Sir, the Government should reflect on how it engages citizens today because I believe behind these lingering sentiments are often complex issues, which are often a cumulative effect of smaller issues that may not be addressed by a big-bang revamp of a policy or two. What many feel is that the Government’s holistic policies are developed as seen through the eyes of the respective Ministries, and not a holistic solution that is seen through the eyes of the citizens concerned.”
“I often wonder, have we not been engaging Singaporeans enough to address their concerns, or is there no straight answer that the Government can provide over the years? I tend to agree somewhat with Mr Michael Palmer’s speech on the reason why many of our youths have become disengaged, disenchanted and, sometimes, resentful. Many segments feel that they do not have a say in Singapore, or, if they did, they fear reprisals for taking an opposite stance from the Government. Through my interactions with youths in various dialogues, I feel sad whenever they express their fear of speaking up to seek clarity on a decision or policy. I remember an instance at the Prime Minister’s dialogue held recently, when a youth commented that he and his classmates felt fearful when engaging with the Government. When probed further why this was the case, he was not able to substantiate and said this was just a running sentiment. I figure that this sentiment runs deep even among many others in his cohort. The sad thing is that this is even true among working adults of my cohort. Just last week, I recommended a working couple to clear their doubts on a policy by referring them to one of our friendly political office-holders. After all, we are supposedly one of the most accessible governments in the world. But, I could not have imagined the fear they expressed. They feared persecution, even just to clarify a matter. I believe this fear is a sentiment that is curbing our freedom of expression and creativity today. There is always this feeling of not being able to channel interests and energies because of Government restrictions. Sir, so how do we engage Singaporeans in such an environment?”
“But what has sentiment got to do with hard topics like nation building, employment or economic development? Throughout history, sentiment is always a strong force in the way nations and economies developed. Look at how sentiments dictate stock markets and prices of commodity today. Sentiments have also changed and toppled governments. In both instances, they have happened despite sound fundamentals in place. So, how often have we heard the sentiment that Singapore is a cold, uncaring place and only for those with money? This despite all the social programmes and networks that we have in place. How often have sentiments about cost of living been echoed in our ears, with terms like ‘middle-income squeeze’ and ‘sandwich generation’ also resonating the same tune? This despite the facts and figures from the Government, even just now, that costs of necessities, transportation and healthcare are more affordable here in comparison to other nations and that we are spending a lot more today in social welfare than ever. Similarly, as we open our doors to foreign talent, can we ignore the disquiet in some segments of Singaporeans? Singaporeans do understand and appreciate the need for us to inject talent into our economy. But they also want to know what then makes it special for us to be Singaporeans? I tend to believe, as my esteemed colleagues have all spoken at length on the above issues, that there is always some truth in these sentiments. I have researched many of these issues. They echoed in this House years ago, as they still do now. Perhaps, we need to ask ourselves, why do these sentiments still linger?”