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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“Our migrant workers play an important role in building and maintaining Singapore’s infrastructure and I would like to reiterate our appreciation for all their contributions to Singapore and their trust, patience and understanding during the pandemic, as we worked to keep them safe during COVID-19 and manage the evolving situation. Through this journey, we all learnt to be adaptable and resilient in overcoming the challenges before us. We rallied together – our people, the Public Service, private companies and civil society – to put the interests of our nation and others before our own and came through, as one united people. In my speech, I will elaborate on managing the impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry; standing up emergency accommodation facilities for migrant workers and supporting their health and well-being; ensuring that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) maintained a high level of operational readiness; and adapting to adjustments to religious life by the Malay/Muslim community. Mr Speaker, our built environment sector was one of the worst-hit sectors by the pandemic. Almost all construction work came to a halt during the circuit breaker period. Even after work resumed and the dormitories declared cleared of COVID-19, companies had to adjust their operations and adapt to new requirements, such as safe management measures (SMMs) at worksites. Companies faced manpower shortages, as they were unable to bring in new migrant workers, due to travel restrictions and border measures. And these led to project delays and significant cost increases to the sector. Given the unprecedented challenges faced by the built environment sector, the Government intervened in a significant way. We introduced a $1.”
“Mr Speaker, the speeches by Members of the House have allowed us to reflect on our nation’s fight against COVID-19 and the lessons to prepare us for the next pandemic. It was slightly more than three years ago when we first heard about a cluster of severe pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China. No one could have imagined the prolonged impact that this would have on the world, our society and our economy. Being in the Ministry of National Development (MND) and MOM at the onset of the pandemic, I witnessed how sectors, like construction, faced the risk of collapse if we did not intervene early to address disruptions to supply and foreign manpower; and business distress due to the pandemic and global border control measures. I also vividly remember Prime Minister Lee's speech on our commitment to our migrant workers, for their role in building Singapore over the years. It was a powerful one – our migrant workers will be paid their salaries and that we will provide medical care and treatment that they need. It was a bold and inclusive commitment that resonated and was very much appreciated by the workers. Members may recall seeing many videos of thanks from our migrant workers on social media then. During my rounds visiting the dormitories and in meetings, the High Commissioners and Ambassadors from our migrant workers' home countries conveyed their nations' appreciation for our efforts. Our swift actions and commitment showed Singapore to be a reliable and trusted partner.”
“The short answer is yes, we take what we can get. But I hope that we can certainly garner more who are interested to help uplift members of the community. And especially those that can give them wide range of exposures too, including internships, career guidance. I like the Merck one, because they are also committed to having professionals, up to 100 staff, who will come down and coach our ITE kids. These are ways in which corporates can give back and I hope that we can get more on board. We also got entrepreneurs too, like, Ismail Gafoor, who has also put in funds to support our young kids who need additional coaching in Maths, for example. So, there are ways in which corporates, large and small, who are doing their part to help uplift the community.”
“Sir, I thank the Member for her question. Certainly, we are always on the lookout for partners to help us expand the breadth and width of our programmes, especially to help our young be exposed to what is out there in the market so that they have some sense of what is needed, guided to pursue such careers, as well as being able to see the companies in action. Last month, we announced our first private sector mentorship collaboration with MSD Pharma, some of you may know them as Merck, under the #amPowered@ITE programme. MSD Pharma is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Singapore and rated one of the best employers in the country since 2020. Through these programmes, our ITE students will receive guidance on how they can prepare themselves and be given a chance at maybe interning or visiting some of their factories or manufacturing plants. Beyond ITE, last year we also announced the GIC MENDAKI scholarships, for example, even partnership with MiRXES so that we can have meaningful careers in finance and biotech, for example, as areas in which we want our Malay/Muslim kids to also pursue. Moving forward, we look forward to more partnerships where we can expose our kids through various platforms. If any of you know of anyone who is interested, you can always refer corporates and partners to us, especially entrepreneurs and even SMEs to give our kids a chance to be exposed. So, yes, this is one way in which we want our kids to fulfil their potential.”
“Mr Chairman, Minister Masagos, Minister Maliki and I have spoken on the theme of Contributing Citizens, Stronger Nation, and how we intend to strengthen the foundation of the family, nurture future religious and community leaders, and expand the community's contributions to the nation. As new challenges emerge, we must continue to build up and leverage our community support, knowledge and resources to become a Community of Success. As the saying goes, alone we can do so little, together we can do so much more. I am confident that our Malay/Muslim community will continue to forge forward as one and contribute towards the prosperity of the nation.”
“Mr Faisal Manap asked for an update on the CLF and the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF). The CLF serves as a platform to ensure efficient and effective management of resources by the various MMOs to avoid duplication of programmes and services. In 2022, more than 170 participants attended sharing sessions on programme evaluation, volunteer management and governance. This provided an opportunity for CLF partners to come together to contribute to the learning and development of best practices. Since 2013, the MMCDF has been expanded to support project implementation and organisational development efforts of our MMOs. Through the MMCDF, CLF provides funding support for our MMOs to develop and implement programmes that uplift the community. To the Member's question, our last review was in 2021, and, last year, we disbursed $900,000 in support of 47 such community projects. One such project supported by CLF was AMP's Micro Business Programme. The programme empowers individuals from less-privileged households by equipping them with trade and business skills to start or enhance their home-based business as an additional source of income. Beyond projects, MMCDF also supports initiatives to groom the next generation of leaders of our MMOs through the Tunas Bersama M3 programme. This is our way to build capacity because these are leaders who will be at the helm of the MMOs in charting the community's way forward in the near future. MENDAKI will continue to work with the Government, fellow Malay/Muslim organisations, sector leaders and employees to ramp up efforts to empower the community, whether through M3 or through CLF, to gain good employment and, together, support all our community members who are in need.”
“As a community, we must continue supporting one another to improve employment and upskilling opportunities so that more can have good jobs and achieve their career goals. I thank Mr Saktiandi Supaat for his suggestions and would like to update him that we have strengthened the partnerships across the M3 network and the Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMO) to support our workers. We established our employability networks involving agencies, such as NTUC e2i, NTUC Learning Hub, Workforce Singapore (WSG) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), to better assist our Malay/Muslim workers with their employment needs, and this covers from training to upskilling to landing job placements. Since establishing this referral process, we have reached out to close to 2,000 Malay/Muslim workers to advise and guide them on their careers. MENDAKI has formed the Professional Networks programme for Malay/Muslim professionals to know others in their field, exchange ideas and help younger workers entering growing industries. Last year, MENDAKI connected with more than 400 Malay/Muslim professionals in the care, green and digital sectors. This year, MENDAKI plans to expand its Professional Networks to include other in-demand industries, such as finance, sustainability and engineering. This will create more opportunities to connect our youths with professionals who can inspire and guide them to pursue a wide range of career pathways. I would like to encourage early- and mid-career professionals in these sectors to join our efforts to build this community network of success. MENDAKI also shares best practices with other MMOs through the Community Leaders' Forum (CLF) to help them deliver more effective programmes.”
“As a KMM facilitator, Ms Alwany builds her students' interest and capability in basic numeracy though fun and engaging ways. She also encourages her students to actively participate in her class to build their self-confidence. For her dedication, MENDAKI encouraged Ms Alwany to attend a family conference by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) last year. Through the conference, Ms Alwany gained better insights into the needs of her students and was able to apply the lessons she learnt to her role as a KMM facilitator. I have met many like Ms Alwany, who had benefited from MENDAKI's programmes, and now feels a sense of duty to help others. I am heartened by their generosity and spirit of gotong-royong. This virtuous cycle of support will be the engine of our community's progress. Mr Sharael Taha asked how we can encourage more youths to come forward as volunteers. Last year, as we celebrated the achievements of our students, we made a call for them to step up and make positive contributions to the community. MENDAKI has established the YOUth@M3 platform to engage TTFS and Anugerah recipients at the respective M3 Towns to encourage them to befriend and help their peers. I am heartened that over 130 youths have so far indicated their interest to be volunteers across our M3 towns. We will continue to support the passion and energy of our youths to make positive changes they want to see within their community. It is through these volunteering opportunities that our youths develop skills, discover interests, build relationships and guide others to success. While we create strong foundations for our young, we must also focus on supporting our Malay/Muslim workforce.”
“This made it challenging for our youth to build strong connections with their mentors. Fortunately, from this year, the mentoring sessions can be conducted physically. We have also infused experiential learning and community building activities into our mentoring programme so that our youth can be exposed to more educational and career opportunities and be more cognisant of current issues. Throughout this year, MENDAKI will organise at least one youth mentoring programme in each M³ town. So, all these will be provided. This will make it easier for our youths to sign up for the programme, no matter where they reside in. MENDAKI is currently evaluating our mentoring programmes to understand how far our youth have benefited from them. Through these education and mentoring programmes, we hope our youth will excel in school and build strong foundations and network to set themselves for greater achievements in the future. Mr Chairman, in English please. 12.15 pm (In English): Uplifting a community requires each of us to play a part. At the centre of our education and mentoring programmes is a strong, dedicated team of volunteers who understand the needs of the community. In the past three years, more than 1,000 volunteers were deployed across MENDAKI programmes to engage beneficiaries at different life stages. Therefore, our volunteers need to be equipped with the necessary skillsets and expertise to engage the beneficiaries effectively. One of our volunteers is Ms Nur Alwany. Ms Alwany was a recipient of the Tertiary Tuition Fees Subsidy (TTFS) when she undertook her studies in polytechnic and then the university. She wanted to give back and first volunteered with MENDAKI in 2016 for the KidsRead programme and, subsequently, with KMM.”
“Besides early exposure to Math, KMM students will join specially curated coding camps and learning journeys to inculcate Mathematics into their everyday lives. KMM classes are conducted both physically and online to make them more assessable to children and their parents. This year, we are targeting to enrol 2,500 students into the programme. Special sessions will be organised at targeted preschool centres including all 15 mosque-based kindergartens. Another programme that has become synonymous to MENDAKI's academic efforts is the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme or MTS. Last year, MTS supported more than 7,600 students across Singapore. I am happy to update that we have launched the 100th MTS centre at Greendale Primary School last February. Since last year, we have also reduced the MTS fees to just $10 per year from $210 previously. With the opening of MTS centres in the neighbourhood and more affordable fees, I hope more will join and benefit from the programme. Besides academic achievements, it is important for our youth to have a good social support system. Besides their families, mentors can guide and help our youth expand their world view. As they become more aware of available education and career pathways, we hope that they will set higher goals and work hard towards achieving their aspirations. In my COS speech last year, I announced that the #amPowered mentoring programme will be launched in all Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and M³ towns progressively. To Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin's query, the #amPowered programme are currently available at the three ITE Colleges and across three M³ towns in Jurong, Chua Chu Kang and Marsiling-Yew Tee. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were forced to shift our mentoring sessions online.”
“Mr Chairman, our Malay community can be proud of the significant progress that we have made over the years. As more achieve success, we must continue mobilising and rallying one another to contribute back, inspire others and help those in need. With this spirit of togetherness, we can overcome challenges, achieve our aspirations and lead meaningful lives. To empower a capable and contributing community, we will provide a strong educational foundation for our young; nurture a strong community spirit through youth volunteerism and mentoring; and help Malay/Muslim professionals fulfil their potential and enable them to inspire others to pursue their dreams. Chairman, in Malay please. (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Education remains a cornerstone for success as it opens doors to opportunities that help us reach our aspirations. MENDAKI will help our children and youth fulfil their potential by regularly improving our education and developmental programmes. Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked about the effectiveness of MENDAKI's programmes. A key programme run by MENDAKI under the auspices of M³ is KelasMateMatika or KMM. This programme has supported close to 4,000 children, aged four to six, since 2018. It also builds parents' confidence in assisting their children in Mathematics. In the last three years, about eight in 10 students who joined KMM were prepared for Primary 1 Mathematics and did not need to enroll in the Learning Support Programme for Mathematics (LSM). This is encouraging because a joint study by MENDAKI and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) showed that a strong educational foundation in Primary 1 has a long-lasting impact and correlates to how well our students do at PSLE.”
“Well, I thank the Member. Firstly, I think on the regulation than 10(1)(a) and (c) of the Workplace Safety and Health (Incident Reporting) Regulations, employers and doctors who fail to report diagnosis, for OD, for example, can be fined $500 for the first offence. They could also be jailed up to six months or receive a fine of up to $10,000, if they do not report. So, the laws are there, mandating reporting of injuries as well as ODs. And at the same time, I think the Member is also aware that when we amended Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), for example, we have now closed some of these loopholes, where now you have to report from day one of your medical certificate (MC) as opposed to in the past you could – there were some doctors who gamed – some employees who gamed when they did not have to report short duration MCs for example. We have closed the loopholes as and when we find them and we would like to work with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), members of the public or even employees themselves, who could also report to us some of these cases so that we can better understand if there are any loopholes. But at this moment, it does not look as such because we have closed as many loopholes as possible and reporting is mandated from day one. I assure the Member that the process is in place, but what is more important is that we want to keep the process lean so that it reduce the amount of duplication. The Member himself, also said in this House during the Committee of Supply that some of our healthcare workers already quite stretched. So, the last thing we want is to add administrative burden to them when we do not really need it. 11.00 am”
“Mr Speaker, under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, doctors are required to report to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) patients with occupational diseases (ODs) caused by their work environment or activities related to their work, but not patients with workplace injuries. This is because unlike workplace injuries, a person diagnosed with an OD may have already moved on from the job that caused the OD or be working for a different employer, or may not be working at all, at the time of diagnosis. Requiring doctors to submit such incident reports ensures that these cases are not missed out, helps to expedite the work injury claims process and safeguards employees' interests, as insurers and MOM are informed in a timely manner. On the other hand, there is no need for doctors to report workplace injuries as the link between the injury, the workplace accident and the employment relationship is generally more direct. Hence the responsibility is placed on employers and occupiers to report these injuries, so there are two reporting channels.”
“So, the Government puts a lot of commitment and that is where, I think, we show how we care overall, not just in terms of living wage, but every other support and subsidy you can think of, the Government can provide. Sir, I just want to say that anyone can put a number. But I think what is key is whether you can deliver and you can execute. That is where our focus will be in the next coming years.”
“I am not sure how much more I have to go through the sheet. But we already have a schedule and every single one of these items here will be past $1,800 for sure. I do not know how you want to define your living wage, but anyone can put a number. Or like what I have said, what is different between our approach and what you said – anyone can put a number. Be it $1,800, $1,600, or $2,500; just name it. But the difference is that, in our approach, the employers and the Labour Movement have come to a consensus. Basically, it means that when we put a number down here, it is something that employers say they can bear; the market can absorb. And the wage growths here are already as aggressive as I think anyone can do during the COVID-19 pandemic. You have to be very fair to employers in the market. As I had said, look again at the wage growth: 84% for cleaners and 56% for security officers. It is quite aggressive as it is. I just want to say this again – bear in mind the market conditions in which we operate. At the same time our approach is one that I think is fair and balanced, one that the market is prepared to pay; the employers have all agreed to this. The schedule is transparent. Therefore, to a large extent, I think it is bearable to the market and supported by the Government. Whether you put Workfare into this or not, honestly, what really matters to the workers is what they get in their pockets every month. That is where we have to put it in place various measures. This is not the only measure because the Government also provides other schemes, including ComCare, Silver Support and the whole slew of Government grants that go into our workforce to support our lower-wage workers, including healthcare subsidies, housing subsidies and education subsidies.”
“This, I think, remains a key enabler towards sustaining business transformation. I also encourage, especially for digital transformation, the HR community to tap on IMDA's CTO-as-a-Service scheme, the HR Tech Transformation scheme, as well as the Productivity Solutions Grant. So, there are various Government grants that are available to support our HR community. I hope that they find these useful and work towards career transformation for the businesses.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I think they are very useful, and especially one that, I hope, the HR community appreciates in terms of the development that we have put in. I will start off with the skills badges. Between 2021 and 2022, Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) awarded over 2,400 skills badges. It could be HR professionals with skills in various competencies such as talent management and strategic workforce planning. As the appointed Skills Development Partner for HR, IHRP will work with the industry to identify new skills gaps and will continue to refresh the skills badges to keep up with the emerging trends. To the Member's second question in terms of the work that we do with playbooks and HR certifications, the Job Transformation Maps (JTMs) developed together with the industries support employers and HR in their job transformation efforts. And that is something that we think will value-add to our HR community. Each of the JTM provides detailed insights on the impact of technology and automation on the industry and the workforce, as well as lays out pathways for employers to transform jobs and give opportunities to workers to acquire the requisite skills. Today, there are about 10 JTMs which have already been completed, including one for HR, and there are eight more being planned. In addition, WSG and IHRP are working to set up a Job Redesign Centre of Excellence, which will work with the sector agencies and the trade associations. This is important because you want to help to point out to the companies what the resources are that are relevant to their job design needs. This, I hope, will help the HR community to work towards the redesigning of jobs, as well as help them through digital transformation.”
“To push any further, I do not think the employers can take it. So, we have to keep watch, that is why the Government also supports them through the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS). So, I just thought to set the context. But rest assured, we are all on the same page. We are here to support our lower-wage workers.”
“I just want to bring Members back to this infographic that we shared, which Mr Leong shared, which I thought was really quite clear. Actually, most of your PWMs that Members see here are pretty much above $1,800. If Members look at the wage growth, for example, security – they are at $2,585 in 2023, today. By the time they hit 2028, it is $3,500. The kind of wage growth is quite significant at 56%. Landscape workers is $1,700, admittedly below $1,800. Cleaning is $1,570 but by 2028, they will get $2,400. That is an 84% wage increase in five years. So, there is a scheduled step, but at the same time, it can almost be guaranteed that almost all of them, in fact, all of them will exceed $1,800 at the start. Let us not forget that the Government's approach goes beyond just wages too, if the Member forgot to include Workfare. If you think about $4,200 a year, that is about $350 per month, in addition, depending on your age and criteria, but generally, you could get as much as that. That covers about 25% of your wage in addition to top-ups by the Government. So, if you look at total income, I think, let us look at the entirety. But I have to credit the unions as well as the employers for standing with us on this because the last two years have not been easy. We have just come out of the pandemic and yet, to see both the Labour Movement and the employers agree to such aggressive pay increases, I think that speaks volumes of our tripartite movement in terms of supporting our lower-wage workers and standing in solidarity with them. I think it is quite critical for us to remember that we are still coming out of the pandemic and yet now we are agreeing to wage increases of 56% and 84% which are significant numbers. But we have to also be realistic.”
“All other local workers working with companies employing foreign workers will also be paid at least the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) amount of $1,400 monthly. On the whole, these measures will support our goal of bridging the wage gap further between lower- and middle-income workers. At the same time, workers must play their part in training and skills upgrading. (In English): Chairman, the Government is committed to strengthening the support of our lower-wage workers and partnering employers to improve workplace safety. We must all do our part for a more inclusive and cohesive society, where everyone enjoys the fruits of growth and no worker is left behind as Singapore progresses. Society must also continue to appreciate and respect workers in all trades.”
“Enterprises must make use of these highly skilled HR professionals to transform their HR capabilities. To this end, Mr Edward Chia will be pleased to know that MOM will be launching a five-year HR Industry Transformation Plan. This will set out a roadmap for MOM to work together with sector agencies, the industry and the unions to spur HR transformation and build a future-ready HR workforce. More details will be released later. Watch out for it. Mr Chairman, may I just cover the last bit in Malay, please? (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, as stated by the Minister for Manpower, the Government is committed to ensuring that our workforce policies provide more opportunities for all. Helping lower-wage workers has always been one of MOM's priorities. Since the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) was introduced more than 10 years ago, it has contributed significantly to raising wages and supporting the lives of our lower-wage workers. By July this year, we will expand the Progressive Wage measures to cover up to nine in 10 lower-wage workers. This not only covers workers in the cleaning, security, landscape as well as lift and escalator maintenance, but also new sectors such as food services, retail, waste management and occupations such as administrators and drivers. Workers in these sectors will enjoy significant wage increases and be given training opportunities as well as career progression. With this, workers covered by the Sectoral Progressive Wages will see cumulative wage increases of up to 80% or more by 2028. For example, we can expect cleaners to get at least $2,420 by 2028, while security officers will get $3,530 by 2028.”
“To date, IHRP has produced seven such books, covering important issues such as the emergence of hybrid workplaces, digital transformation and the promotion of mental well-being. We encourage firms and company HR leaders to adopt them. The community of IHRP-certified professionals has tripled since 2020 and is now over 6,500 strong. This suggests that businesses and HR professionals see value in certification. While we echo Mr Patrick Tay's call to have more HR professionals certified, we have no plans to make it mandatory at this point. We are mindful of imposing regulatory costs on businesses. Besides, good HR practices apply to all companies, whether or not they hire foreign manpower. Nevertheless, I agree with the Member that besides HR, People Managers also play a critical role in supporting good human capital practices. To this end, MOM will work with IHRP and its partners on the suggestion to better equip People Managers with requisite HR knowledge and progressive practices. Besides IHRP certification, we agree with Mr Edward Chia that HR professionals also need to continually update their skills and hone their expertise. Continuous professional development is a key part of being a certified HR professional. HR professionals can take up IHRP skills badges in emerging areas such as strategic workforce planning and talent management. IHRP has been appointed by SkillsFuture Singapore as a Skills Development Partner (SDP). MOM is working with IHRP to more responsively identify skills gaps and develop skills-based credentialling pathways for HR professionals. Professionalising our HR workforce and equipping them with relevant skills and mindsets is necessary but insufficient in itself.”
“We are mindful of the wide range of work settings for which it will not be appropriate to impose excessive or overly prescriptive regulations. Nonetheless, we are open to discussing with tripartite partners and industry associations on possible tripartite guidance on best practices for employers. We encourage all employers to provide adequate rest and welfare for all staff, including service staff, and tap on the Workcare Grant should they require support to do so. It is only right for employers to provide their staff with a conducive work environment. Staff will also be motivated and engaged as a result. Moving on to HR capabilities. Chairman, let me also share our efforts to strengthen HR capabilities. Post-pandemic, a strong HR is a critical enabler of business and workforce transformation. From helping businesses attract the right talent to implementing fair and inclusive employment practices, HR will play an integral role. We will do more to support and build up the capabilities of our HR workforce. IHRP is a tripartite organisation that supports the professional development of aspiring and existing HR professionals. I would like to assure Mr Patrick Tay that the IHRP certification framework is robust as it ensures that HR professionals have the right mindset and knowledge on manpower regulations, including fair employment practices, labour management system and existing Tripartite Guidelines. All certified HR professionals join a vibrant community which provides access to an extensive professional network and resources. One example is the IHRP playbooks. These playbooks are developed with master or senior HR professionals to provide the community with curated best practices and tools that they can adopt in their organisations to respond to workforce challenges.”
“Workers themselves are responsible for following safe work procedures to ensure their own safety and that of others in the workplace. They should report all unsafe practices to their supervisors and if their concerns are not addressed, they should alert MOM or their union representatives. We will take action. Union leaders should join company management for walkabouts to strengthen top management's commitment to their workers. Members of the public can also be our "eyes on the ground" by reporting unsafe practices to MOM. For example, you may report workers who are working at height without safety harnesses. You can do so via MOM's website or hotline or the QR code found on project signboards. MOM will follow up on these reports. We will take errant employers to task. MOM will continue to work with companies, industry associations and workers to build a stronger workplace safety and health culture. Together, we can get back on track with our Workplace Safety and Health 2028 mission to reduce the fatal injury rate to below one per 100,000 workers and join just four countries in the OECD that have achieved this fatality rate. The reason why I say that this is a target is because there are very few countries that can achieve this and we are setting very high standards for ourselves. Beyond workplace safety, promoting physical health at workplaces is also important. Mr Leon Perera asked about service staff having the right to sit. The Employment Act establishes some rules on working hours to protect employees' well-being. For example, employees covered under Part 4 of the Act should have at least one rest break for every six consecutive hours of work. Besides legislation, the Government also promotes the provision of proper rest areas for employees.”
“To strengthen the workplace safety and health ecosystem, we will also launch a campaign to encourage and empower workers to speak up on workplace safety and health concerns and raise awareness on the protections for workers who whistle-blow. To Mr Leon Perera's question earlier about whistle-blowing, under the WSH Act today, there are already existing protections for whistle-blowers. Employers cannot dismiss or threaten them. To dismiss them will be a WSH contravention and we will take action. I can assure the Member that MOM will facilitate the change of employers if there is a reason to and we will do so if you have any specific cases you want to raise to us. To Mr Melvin Yong's query, HSP was a useful wake up call to all employers and workers to be extra vigilant. But it cannot continue indefinitely. What we do need to do is to strengthen workplace safety and health standards and practices in a sustainable manner for the long term. This is why we are considering deeper reforms, both broad-based and sectoral measures, as part of the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce. We will announce these measures when ready. The improvements seen during HSP demonstrate that safer workplaces are possible. As Mr Christopher de Souza and Dr Wan Rizal said, everyone must play our part to uplift workplace safety and health so that our workers can have a peace of mind when they return home safely to their loved ones. Starting with the top management, company directors and CEOs must set the culture of their organisations where safety consciousness is integrated in all of its operations and provide a safe work environment with appropriate and adequate training for their workers, supported by supervisors and safety professionals.”
“As part of our HSP measures, we stood up the Multi-Agency Workplace Safety Taskforce, which comprises lead agencies of the sectors that contributed most of the fatal and major injuries. This aims to study additional broad-based, and at the same time, sectoral measures that should be implemented, by looking into the different risk profile and impact of HSP in each sector. 4.15 pm We also convened the International Advisory Panel on Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) in January 2023. MOM and our sector agency partners will also take into account their recommendations. So, it is both MOM at the broad-based level and we also have agencies involved at the sectoral level. With effect from today, MOM has extended the HSP by three months till 31 May 2023 to drive further WSH improvement and maintain vigilance. It is important for corporate senior leadership to take charge and be accountable for workplace safety and health. Their influence and control over workplace resources and priorities drive the safety culture in their organisations. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, they are liable for ensuring their workers' safety and health. The approved Code of Practice for Company Directors' WSH Duties gazetted last October provides practical guidance on how they may fulfil their legal WSH obligations. As part of the HSP extension, MOM introduced additional measures to strengthen WSH ownership among company leaders. CEOs or board of directors of companies found to have serious WSH lapses following serious workplace incidents have to attend a mandatory half-day in-person WSH training course. So, it is always continuous learning for them too. MOM will also increase the maximum fines to deter errant workplace safety and health behaviour.”
“The number of workplace fatalities would have been higher without the implementation of the Heightened Safety Period (HSP) measures last September. The average number of fatalities per month reduced from 4.5 in January to August 2022, before HSP, to 2.5 in September to December 2022 during HSP. The average of 2.5 fatalities per month brings the annualised fatality rate to 0.8 per 100,000, which is below our WSH2028 target of 1.0 and much lower compared to 1.5 before HSP. What this suggests is that the industry can keep the fatality numbers low if we put our hearts and minds to it. We also monitor major injuries closely as these reflect persistent safety lapses and have debilitating effects. The average monthly major injuries worsened from 49.1 before HSP to 55.3 during HSP. But it is not all doom and gloom because we found that the impact of HSP was uneven across sectors. There are major injuries that have high probability of fatalities and there are also major injuries like slips, trips and falls which have low probability of fatality. Although the monthly average fatal and major injuries in the construction sector showed the most improvement, the monthly average fatal and major injuries worsened for the manufacturing sector. So, when the rate for the construction sector came down, that also resulted in fewer fatalities because major injuries there tend to be more fatal. We also monitored and saw that for transportation and storage, the monthly average fatal injuries remained the same, while major injuries worsened. Nonetheless, this suggested that more targeted sectoral measures were needed. So, to Members' questions as to what we are doing differently?”
“With these enhancements, 70,000 more lower-wage workers will be eligible for WSS. In addition, as lower-wage workers who achieve Full Qualifications through WSS are more likely to earn higher wages, we will raise the Training Commitment Award for Full Qualifications from $500 to $800, to encourage more lower-wage workers to undertake deeper and more sustained training. Last year, the Government announced significant enhancements to the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme (WIS) which have taken effect from January 2023. The enhancements increased coverage by extending Workfare to those aged 30 to 34 years, from 35 years and older previously, as well as raising the qualifying monthly income cap to $2,500 from $2,300 previously. In addition, Workfare payments have been increased to up to $4,200 per year, from up to $4,000 previously – that is about $350 a month. All persons with disabilities (PwDs) will also qualify for the highest Workfare payment tier of up to $4,200, regardless of age. With these enhancements, over half a million lower-wage workers will benefit from payments amounting to $1.1 billion, up from $850 million previously. Collectively, the Progressive Wage moves, WSS and WIS strengthen our support for our lower-wage workers. Chairman, moving on to workplace safety and health (WSH). Mr Pritam Singh and Mr Melvin Yong have asked about the Government's efforts to reduce workplace fatalities and injuries and instilling a stronger safe operations culture. In 2022, MOM introduced various measures to address the spate of workplace fatalities. We ended 2022 with a total of 46 workplace fatalities and a fatality rate of 1.3 per 100,000 workers, which was higher than the pre-COVID-19-pandemic rates of 1.1 in 2019 and 1.2 in 2018.”
“The Deputy Prime Minister announced in his Budget Statement for FY2023 that the Government will increase our PWCS co-funding share for wage increases given this year, in 2023. Similar to the enhancement made last year, the Government will co-fund up to 75% of wage increases for eligible lower-wage workers, including those not covered by our Progressive Wage moves. All in all, these PWCS enhancements will offset a significant proportion of immediate cost pressures on employers arising from our efforts to uplift lower-wage workers and mitigate cost transfer to consumers. I urge employers to take the opportunity to accelerate their business transformation plans so that we can improve productivity, upskill our workers, and ensure that we can continue to close the income gap sustainably over the long term. Workfare is one of the key pillars of Government's support for our lower-wage workers. The Workfare Skills Support Scheme (WSS) is an important scheme that supports the upskilling of lower-wage workers, to improve their employability and earnings. Under WSS, employers who send lower-wage workers for training receive an Absentee Payroll subsidy of 95% of their workers' basic hourly wage. Employees who self-sponsor their training will receive a training allowance, which offsets their opportunity costs of training. WSS has been successful in supporting lower-wage workers in achieving more impactful employment outcomes. This is why we will be enhancing WSS from July this year. To allow more lower-wage workers to benefit from WSS and upskill earlier in their careers, we will first lower the eligibility age for WSS from 35 to 30 years old. Additionally, workers earning up to $2,500 a month will now be able to qualify for WSS, up from the current qualifying income cap of $2,300.”
“These are employers who not only pay progressive wages, but also implement other measures that support lower-wage workers, such as providing for rest areas. Since applications opened last December, about 2,000 companies have received the Progressive Wage Mark. The Government will take the lead in this effort and help further the adoption of the Progressive Wage Mark. For new tenders called from today onwards, the Government will require eligible suppliers and subcontractors to be accredited with the Progressive Wage Mark for the duration of the contract period. From 1 March next year, we will extend this requirement to quotations as well. This will cover the slew of tenders and quotations for procurement by the Government. Uplifting lower-wage workers is our collective responsibility as a society. I strongly encourage employers to do their part by paying progressive wages and apply for the Progressive Wage Mark or Progressive Wage Mark Plus. Consumers and service buyers can show their support and solidarity with our lower-wage workers by purchasing from Progressive Wage Mark-accredited companies. Chairman, the PWMs have set strong wage growth targets, on average of about 8% year-on-year. To support wage growth of our lower-wage workers, while balancing the uncertain economic conditions facing employers, we will continue to provide strong support to employers in adjusting to Progressive Wage measures. Last year, the Government introduced the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS) to help employers adjust to the new Progressive Wage and LQS requirements, and other voluntary wage increases for lower-wage workers.”
“After the run-in period, employers who are found to be non-compliant may face suspension of their Work Pass privileges. Some Members such as Mr Raj Joshua Thomas and Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked how PWM might affect employers' manpower deployment or workforce restructuring plans. Tripartite partners recognise that employers may need to adjust manpower deployment plans or their workforce structure, based on their operating environment. However, when there is a need to make adjustments, employers should act in accordance with well-established tripartite advisories, such as the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Excess Manpower (TAMEM). Employers should engage and discuss with unions and employees and reach an agreement before implementing any measures. Most importantly, employers should also pay special attention to minimise the impact of any measure on our lower-wage workers. These principles should be adhered to, with or without PWM. That is the basic fundamental. I thank employers for working closely with the Government and the Labour Movement thus far on this important endeavour of uplifting our lower-wage workers. I also agree with Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Mr Xie Yao Quan that consumers and service buyers also play an important role in our whole-of-society effort to support and uplift lower-wage workers. In January, the Government launched the Progressive Wage Mark, or PW Mark, to help consumers and service buyers more easily identify firms that are paying Progressive Wages and support them. Employers who also adopt the Tripartite Standard on Advancing Well-Being of Lower-Wage Workers will be accredited with the Progressive Wage Mark Plus.”
“Thank you, Chairman. Members may also access the handout through the SG Parl MP mobile app. Last September, we implemented the new Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) requirement for all firms that employ foreign workers to pay their local workers at least the LQS. At the same time, we also introduced the retail PWM, and extended existing cleaning, security and landscape PWMs to in-house workers. In January, we launched the Progressive Wage Mark accreditation scheme. Starting from today, we embark on another milestone. The Food Services PWM and Occupational Progressive Wages for Administrators and Drivers will come into effect. With the implementation of the Waste Management PWM this July, the suite of Progressive Wage moves will benefit up to nine in 10 of our full-time lower-wage workers. Workers covered by Sectoral Progressive Wages will see cumulative wage increases of up to 80% or more, by 2028. PWMs will continue to set the pace for wage increases for lower-wage workers. Amidst a tight labour market, lower-wage workers who are not directly covered by Progressive Wages should still see meaningful wage increases, as employers will have to adjust according to market forces to attract and retain workers. Chairman, with almost all PWMs implemented, our attention is now focused on ensuring that employers understand the requirements and comply with them. Employers must pay workers the right PWM wage based on the PWM job role. We recognise that the PWM requirements are new for many employers and employers need time to understand them and make necessary HR or operational changes to comply. Hence, for new PWMs implemented since last September, MOM allowed a run-in period of six months, where we invested time to educate employers and workers on the requirements.”
“Mr Chairman, earlier, the Minister for Manpower outlined how the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will strengthen our efforts to uplift lower-wage workers and improve workplace safety. In my speech, I will elaborate on: (a) tripartite progress in implementing Progressive Wage measures; (b) measures to further support and uplift lower-wage workers; and (c) Heightened Safety Period (HSP) measures to strengthen workplace safety and health. I will also elaborate on our efforts in strengthening human resources (HR) capabilities to support businesses, workforce and workplace transformation. Chairman, our tripartite journey to uplift lower-wage workers through Progressive Wages started more than 10 years ago with the first Progressive Wage Model (PWM) in the cleaning sector in 2012. PWMs and other tripartite efforts have borne fruit. Last year, real incomes of lower-wage workers grew by 4.7%, faster than the median worker at 2.0%. This means that as costs of living rose, the incomes of lower-wage workers rose even more. More importantly, we are narrowing the income gap between lower-wage workers and the median worker. We will continue our efforts to support lower-wage workers so that they achieve stronger wage outcomes. The year 2023 is a milestone year in our journey of uplifting lower-wage workers. We will see all recommendations of the Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers fully implemented by July. This follows the implementation of various PWMs, the Local Qualifying Salary requirement and Progressive Wage Mark – last September, and in March this year. Allow me to update on the progress that tripartite partners have made. With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I ask the Clerks to distribute a handout detailing our efforts to support our lower-wage workers.”
“Spanning three floors, the refreshed museum uses multimedia and interactive exhibits to tell the story of the Navy's evolution from its humble beginnings to the professional, competent maritime force that it is today. It will also display real equipment from the Challenger-class submarines for the first time. The NS Gallery at Marina Bay is being built within the new NS Square complex and remains on track to open by 2027. Our NSmen have defended our land, airspace and seas over the decades, and we want to showcase Singapore's NS story and honour the contributions of our NSmen past and present. We will also progressively refresh the Army and Air Force Museums in the coming years. Collectively, visitorship numbers at our museums have been encouraging with over 400,000 visitors annually spanning our military museums and the SDC. Mr Chairman, as its name suggests, Total Defence remains an all-encompassing, unceasing effort to strengthen ourselves, our communities and our nation. MINDEF will continue to invest in Total Defence, in partnership with fellow Singaporeans. Total Defence is our best preparation for our best response to, and our best recovery from, the threats of today and tomorrow. We will withstand whatever comes that our way if every Singaporean steps up to play a part in our defence. [Applause.]”
“Or maybe something more life-changing, like digging your first shell-scrape in the humid jungle or hearing the buzz of mosquitoes as you are doing your doing your sentry duties or sending your loved one off to Pulau Tekong for Basic Military Training (BMT). These memories of our achievements and sacrifices are precious threads in the hard-won tapestry of our national identity. We believe in preserving these stories and artefacts across generations, so that we can learn about and reflect on the trials and tribulations that we have undergone as a fledgling nation and military. Members Mr Lim Biow Chuan and Mr Melvin Yong asked about the plans for our defence and military museums, and what visitors can expect. To bring our Singapore defence story to life and better preserve our heritage, we have set up the Defence Collective Singapore to oversee all our defence and military museums. This will help us deliver the best possible visitor experiences and national education programmes at our museums. We have been refreshing our museums to ensure that the exhibition content is up to date, and that the visitor experience is interactive and educational. The SDC completed a refresh a year ago, with new multisensory and digitally-enhanced exhibits on Singapore's past, present and future. Echoing the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and MINDEF's commitment to environmental sustainability, SDC is on track to achieve its ambitious sustainability target of becoming a net-zero energy building by this year. The Navy Museum is undergoing a complete makeover of its galleries and will reopen to the public in the middle of the year.”
“Members Ms Joan Pereira and Dr Wan Rizal asked for updates on ACCORD's initiatives, such as efforts to increase community support for NS. In the past year, ACCORD actively rallied the community to show appreciation for our NSmen through the We Support NS Campaign. The campaign garnered discounts and benefits for NSmen at 275 retailers that operate a total of 2,500 outlets across Singapore. In addition, ACCORD remains passionate about preparing youths and their families for NS. ACCORD co-organised NS engagement sessions for over 11,000 students from post-secondary education institutions in the past year and most agreed that the sessions helped them better prepare for NS. We also wanted to give women a glimpse of what NSmen go through, so that they can better support and advocate for NS and Total Defence. With this in mind, ACCORD partnered with the SAF to host another edition of the Women's Boot Camp earlier this month. Ms Koh Wee Min is an alumni of the 2019 Women's Boot Camp who returned to the most recent Boot Camp to support the camp trainers and share her experience. Ms Koh also initiated an NS55 project last year to plot the participating merchant outlets that offered We Support NS deals on a shared Google Map list. This allowed NSmen and their families to easily search for the deals. I think that she embodies the Total Defence spirit of playing your part, wherever you can. We all have memories of what it means to play our own part for Singapore's defence. It may be something small, like taking pride in your Uniformed Group school unit achieving a Total Defence Gold Badge.”
“For example, most of us are familiar with the National Cadet Corps (NCC). Some of us may have been part of the NCC when we were in school. I, for one, was an NCC cadet too, at one point. Like many students over the years, this gave me early exposure to Total Defence and prepared me with relevant skills for NS. For some, NCC also seeded aspirations for a career in the military. Today, we continue this tradition of actively engaging students and are piloting a new programme to empower youths to act in Singapore's Digital Defence. 12.15 pm Our fourth service, the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS), launched the Sentinel Programme last year to equip youths with digital and cybersecurity skills. Students from participating secondary schools, junior colleges and polytechnics were offered hands-on workshops, engagement sessions and competitions. The programme was carefully crafted to expose students to foundational skills, such as basic programming, cryptography and network forensics. We received strong student interest in the pilot programme, and are working with other agencies, such as the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), to offer the programme to students from all secondary schools, junior colleges, polytechnics and ITEs in the coming years. NS is fundamental to our Military Defence, as outlined by Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How. In turn, community support is critical for the continued success of NS. We established the ACCORD in 1984 to bring together community nodes that represent employers, educational institutions, family members and members of the wider community. ACCORD has grown tremendously and continues to contribute valuable feedback and proposals.”
“So, this is a lot faster and quicker than what we used to remember – pail carrying and long queues. Some activities took place in the Civil Defence Shelter in the Community Centre, which is part of a longstanding shelter programme by the SCDF to protect civilians during natural and man-made disasters, as well as wartime emergencies. The SCDF also conducted public demonstrations of critical life-saving skills, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and fire extinguishing. I am pretty inspired by how an idea that started in the Total Defence Sandbox evolved into a comprehensive and inclusive community effort with the close support of partners. Every Singaporean can build up their crisis preparedness by getting certified with life-saving skills and learning how they should prepare for and respond in emergencies. We hope to encourage more people to undertake these actions, and we are working with the People's Association and ITE College West to conduct the exercise with Singaporeans from more walks of life. We are also exploring new and more engaging ways to encourage youths to learn about Total Defence. One way is through the Total Defence Interactive Videos, which are available on the MINDEF and SG101 websites. The latest video, launched just last month, follows a friendly and comical grandmother and grandson duo as they try to tackle modern challenges such as supply disruptions and fake news. Viewers role-play as the video characters and make decisions that determine how the story unfolds. Through the videos, we hope that viewers reflect on how their individual choices can create a greater impact in the national context. School activities also provide valuable platforms for youths to learn about defence and security issues.”
“The Government will spare no effort in our response, but the Government also cannot be everywhere all the time. This is where Singaporeans, all of us, must play our part to pitch in to support national efforts, as well as to take care of each other. Members Miss Rachel Ong, Miss Cheng Li Hui, Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Ms Denise Phua asked how MINDEF was partnering other agencies and the community to bolster community resilience and civic preparedness. Through the Total Defence Sandbox, a group of Singapore Management University (SMU) students proposed to conduct a table-top simulation to engage post-secondary students on Total Defence. We saw the potential of this idea and brought together Government agencies, grassroots organisations, education institutions and businesses to develop a full-fledged Community Exercise involving over 120 participants, as part of the 2023 Total Defence Day Commemoration Event. The exercise was conducted over two days in Chua Chu Kang Community Club, where members of the local community came together to draw up plans to prepare for and respond to disruptions of essential supplies. Visitors to the Total Defence Day Commemoration Event also learned about facilities and skills that are essential for civic preparedness. To show people that they can still prepare good food in the event of a shortage of fresh food, the ITE College West served nutritious meals that were cooked using ingredients with long shelf lives. In preparation for water-related emergencies, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) had booths to educate the public on water conservation and flood resilience. Residents were invited to try out PUB's mobile Water Bag Filling Machine, which can pack five-litre water bags for distribution in the event of water supply disruptions.”
“Over the past two years, we have been engaging different groups of Singaporeans to strengthen Total Defence. Member Miss Rachel Ong asked about how MINDEF has followed up on our 2021 Total Defence Review. Through our review, we have identified two key priorities. The first is to help Singaporeans become more aware about the threats and challenges for our society, which would serve as a stepping-stone towards understanding how they can contribute to tackling these challenges. The second is to give Singaporeans more opportunities to propose Total Defence initiatives and to partner the government to implement these initiatives. In this spirit, we launched the Total Defence Sandbox last year, to crowdsource proposals from youths to put Total Defence into action. In the first round of submissions, we received 77 enthusiastic proposals, and have selected some proposals to implement this year. For example, university students Mr Caleb Tan and Mr Sheng Jiankai drew on their love of crime fiction to propose an immersive Total Defence Murder Mystery Role Play Game to help players learn about our multifaceted threat environment. Mr Tan said that through their game, they hoped that young Singaporeans would become more aware of the challenges and limitations that Singapore faces, and feel the urgency to take tangible actions for Total Defence. We think that their idea is fresh and engaging, and have partnered them with the SDC to bring their game to life. We are looking for more creative contributions from Singaporeans. Our second call for proposals to the Sandbox has just commenced and will run until May of this year. Chairman, we want to deter crises and conflict. However, when crisis hits, we must be prepared.”
“Then, local business owners, specialising in everything from furniture to metalwork, came together to properly manufacture bullet-proof jackets sewn with camouflage fabric and tool pouches. Bullet-proof jackets are common apparel in Ukraine now. There are reports of farmers wearing them while working fields that are peppered with unexploded munitions, and parents preparing them for children in the event of evacuations. We also see the interplay between Military, Civil and Digital Defence in how Ukrainians have applied their computer and information technology expertise to help counter Russia's aerial attacks. To overcome limitations in their air defence system, Ukrainian volunteers worked with military and government officials to develop a mobile phone application that allows civilians to report sightings of incoming drones and missiles. Users only needed to point their device in the direction of the incoming object and press a button, and the application would send a report to the military, who would attempt to intercept the object before it struck. Demonstrating their social and psychological resilience, millions of Ukrainians have returned home since the war began, despite there being no clear resolution to the conflict in sight. Some are men who worked overseas and wanted to enlist to defend their country. Others are seniors, women and children who wanted to rebuild their homes and their communities. Their display of Social and Psychological Defence prompts me to reflect on the strength of our national identity and resilience. I hope that we never have to come to this. But should crisis arise and the country need us, Singaporeans must stand united and stay to defend our country. One people, one nation, one Singapore.”
“Mr Chairman, Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and Senior Minister of State Mr Heng Chee How spoke at some length about the importance of investing steadily in a strong defence. They stressed the importance of long-term investments in building up our military capabilities and strengthening our NS system, even during times of relative peace. I would add that we also need steady investment in Singaporeans' commitment to defence and our collective national resilience. This underpins our Total Defence philosophy that we started in 1984. Total Defence has helped us through crises in the past and the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. It is even more needed now to prepare all Singaporeans to withstand ongoing disruptions, to defend against the multitude of threats that lie ahead and for us to continue to thrive. Looking back on the past year's challenges, the Russia-Ukraine war resonates with me because it shows precisely why Total Defence remains critical for Singapore's survival. The world has been awed by the sheer courage and ingenuity of Ukrainians in their spirited fight against Russia. Member of Parliament Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim and Ms Denise Phua, as well as others highlighted this. And I think there is much we can learn from how the whole-of-Ukrainian society mobilised for its national defence. In an inspiring display of Civil and Psychological Defence, many Ukrainian individuals and businesses have volunteered their civilian support for the military effort. In the same month that Russia launched its full-scale invasion, a historian began making improvised bulletproof vests for soldiers, by taping sawed-off pieces of ploughshares and cut-up transmission belts from farming machines onto sleeveless dress jackets.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2023/2024 and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 27 February 2023.”
“Mr Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again on Monday, 27 February 2023?”
“Mr Speaker, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members present to move a motion to take this day's proceedings on the Estimates for the Financial Year 2023/2024 beyond 8.00 pm?”
“Sir, may I seek your consent to move that the Chairman do leave the Chair? This is to enable me to move a Motion to take the proceedings on the business of Supply today beyond 8.00 pm.”
“The outcomes vary, depending on how different companies progress and how different sectors progress. I also want to add on that service buyers and consumers also have a role to play, because I think we have also moved into procuring services based on outcomes, rather than just head counts. And, therefore, this will enable service providers have greater flexibility to transform how they deliver services and bring in innovation. If you are just looking for the lowest cost at the maximum headcount, this is not going to help the industries either to transform. That is why we were moving to outcomes based models. This will help us also help the service providers improve business efficiency and productivity.”
“Mr Speaker, I am actually tempted to say that every sector is a good sector, but I will answer direct. Thus far, all sectors with PWM have shown potential for improvements in productivity to achieve long-term sustainability, alongside uplifting wages for their lower-wage workers. So, each PWM sector has embarked on their respective transformation journeys and each one is backed by ITMs. Typically, when we look at even the recent ones like food service and retail, we have ITMs to back them up by the industry. And these are also supported by Government and tripartite partners through various schemes. So, we want to make it a point that it is not just about the workers' productivity alone. Because the workers can get skilled, trained and then, basically, they would be more productive, but they can only do so much if the business does not transform. So, you need the business to also move on the productivity drive because they can redesign jobs, they can put in place automation, sensors and so forth. We have seen that in security, for example, which have seen very good progress. And with the newer industries or newer PWMs, like retail, for example, we are looking at areas such as putting in the Jobs-Skills Integrator, which I think the Ministry for Trade and Industry (MTI) is trialling. These are ways in which we can potentially improve the productivity levels. But it is not just on the worker. I would say that it is all three in tandem: the worker, the business, the industry. They would all have to transform at the same time and, therefore, you will see varying degrees of productivity improvements. Hence, my point was, we do see good progress in terms of productivity. Some of these take more time than others. But there are certainly others that have greater potential.”
“The Government recognises that the efforts to raise productivity take time and that, in the immediate term, businesses may face cost pressures arising from Progressive Wage moves. As such, the Government has provided schemes to help businesses defray some of these costs in the transition. The Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS) co-funds the wage increases employers give to their lower-wage workers from 2022 to 2026. And as announced in Budget 2023, the co-funding support for PWCS will be enhanced up to 75% for the qualifying year 2023. Meanwhile, the WSS Scheme provides employers with an absentee payroll of 95% of basic wages when their workers are sent for training. As we expand PWM to uplift lower-wage workers, we will continue to support businesses to improve their productivity.”
“Mr Speaker, the Progressive Wage Model (PWM) is underpinned by the longstanding tripartite principle that wages should grow in tandem with productivity to be sustainable over the long term. To do this, both workers and employers need to play their part, and they can tap on the range of resources and initiatives rolled out by the Government and tripartite partners. Workers need to improve their skills so that they can be as efficient and as productive as they can be in their jobs, even as wage rises. Through upskilling, workers can also put themselves in a better position to take on larger and more complex job roles. And in particular, workers in PWM job roles are guided by the tripartite-endorsed PWM requirements on how best to upskill. They are also supported by the Workfare Skills Support (WSS) Scheme, which provides training support to lower-wage workers, as well as the broader SkillsFuture movement. Beyond improving each worker's productivity directly through training, businesses must also take ownership in driving wider business transformations to improve productivity. Our Progressive Wage moves are complemented by the Industry Transformation Maps, or ITMs, which map out growth and transformation plans for 23 sectors across the economy. Businesses can find support for their transformation journeys through various Government schemes, such as the Productivity Solutions Grant. They can also consider working with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) to set up Company Training Committees, or CTCs, and tap on the NTUC CTC grant, launched in 2022, to transform business processes, redesign jobs and improve work prospects for the workers.”