1 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Communications and Information what are the considerations used to decide whether and, in what way, to deploy print, TV or radio advertising to raise awareness of specific Government policies or programmes.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): Mr Speaker, the Government uses a variety of online and offline platforms to ensure important information reaches different segments of our society. These include television, radio, print, digital display panels, online platforms – such as websites, social media, WhatsApp – as well as ground outreach activities. The choice of platforms is determined by a variety of factors, including the nature of the content, our target demographic segment, their media consumption habits and language preferences.
For example, to raise awareness of the Merdeka Generation Package, MCI focused on traditional media, including television and radio and print, and engaged seniors face-to-face through Merdeka Generation roadshows, community events and home visits, given the profile of the target audience.
For COVID-19 communication, MCI has used print, radio, television, digital display panels at HDB estates, Gov.sg social media sites and the dialect belt on Channel 8 to reach the widest possible audience. MCI also uses Gov.sg WhatsApp to push out daily notifications in all four languages to 653,000 subscribers on case updates, as well as health advisories and corrections of misinformation.
\tMr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member): I thank the Senior Minister of State for the answer. Just one supplementary question. Is advertising deployed primarily where there is a need or there is seen to be a need to encourage citizens, target of the advertising, to take certain action or to do something? Is that the main consideration or is it also just general awareness or view or disposition towards the policy or measure that is being advertised?
\tDr Janil Puthucheary: Mr Speaker, there is no good way to separate out the two issues. In order for one to take action as a responsible citizen, one needs to be aware of what the issues are and understand what the facts are. So, the answer to Mr Perera's question is, it is both, depending on need. Sometimes, awareness is sufficient; sometimes, action is desirable but that requires awareness as well.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Government's Role in Senior Management Appointments at Local Mainstream Media Organisations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"2 Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Communications and Information whether the Government plays a role in determining or influencing the determination of senior management appointments in local mainstream media organisations, namely, Mediacorp and Singapore Press Holdings and, if so, what is that role.
\tThe Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary) (for the Minister for Communications and Information): Mr Speaker, our local mainstream media organisations are commercial entities, accountable to their shareholders. Like other private sector companies, decisions on senior management appointments are made by the Board and management of Mediacorp and Singapore Press Holdings.
To prevent media organisations from being influenced or manipulated by foreign interests, legislative safeguards regulate foreign ownership and some appointments in these organisations. Under the Broadcasting Act, the appointment of the chief executive officer, chairman and directors of the board of a broadcasting company requires approval from the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA). The CEO and at least half the directors must be Singapore Citizens, unless IMDA otherwise approves. The Newspaper and Printing Presses Act requires that newspaper company directors must also be Singapore Citizens.
\tMr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time.
[(proc text) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [3rd Allotted Day]. (proc text)]
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply – Head V (Ministry of Trade and Industry)","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resumption of Debate on Question [2 March 2020], (proc text)]
[(proc text) \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head V of the Estimates be reduced by $100\". – [Mr Liang Eng Hwa]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Question again proposed. (proc text)]
The Chairman: Minister Chan Chun Sing.
The Minister for Trade and Industry (Mr Chan Chun Sing): Mr Chairman, Singapore has faced challenging economic situations triggered by disease outbreaks before – SARS in 2003; H1N1. Through each episode, we internalised important lessons, strengthened our collective resilience and emerged stronger.
Today, COVID-19 is badly hurting our tourism and aviation sectors. International visitor arrivals may fall by more than 25% this year. Retail and food services have also been severely affected. The disruption of supply chains has also slowed the recovery of the manufacturing sector, especially electronics.
The eventual economic impact of COVID-19 could be worse than SARS as China now accounts for more than 19% of global GDP and 27% of global manufacturing value added. The quantitative and qualitative impact of China’s slowdown and the potential of a global pandemic cannot be under-estimated.
Many of us are concerned how the COVID-19 situation will affect our livelihoods. I want to reassure Singaporeans that the Government’s immediate priorities are to help our businesses stay afloat and to help our workers stay employed. To this end, we have introduced a comprehensive set of relief measures in the Stabilisation and Support Package.
Measures like the Enhancement of the Enterprise Financing Scheme – SME Working Capital Loan will support businesses with cash flow issues that may arise in the short term. The $1.3 billion Jobs Support Scheme and the $1.1 billion enhancement of the Wage Credit Scheme will safeguard employment and wage growth.
Mr Chairman, beyond the measures to address the immediate challenges ahead, we must also aspire to emerge stronger, be one of the first to recover and seize the new opportunities. This Government is committed to not just the present, but also our future.
Our most immediate task is to rejuvenate the tourism and related sectors. The Singapore Tourism Board or STB has formed a Tourism Recovery Action Task Force (TRAC), comprising leaders from both the private and public sectors. We will also commit resources to support the upgrade of hotels and attractions during this period of lower activity; we will anchor a strong pipeline of leisure and business events in the recovery; and we will step up marketing efforts to reach new sources of tourists.
International investors remain committed to Singapore as we forge ahead with plans to enhance our attractiveness as a tourism destination. Large-scale tourism projects such as the Integrated Resorts expansion, Sentosa-Brani Masterplan and rejuvenation of the Mandai precinct all continue to make good progress. They will contribute to the growth of our tourism sector in the medium term.
Beyond tourism, we must also press on with our efforts to transform our economy for tomorrow. Mr Teo Ser Luck and Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked about MTI’s plans for the longer term. We must prepare for two sets of long-term driving forces.
First, we must prepare for the reordering of global supply chains. Technology, especially digital technologies; rising trade tensions and protectionism and now domestic resilience to disease outbreaks have all added impetus to the reordering of the global supply chains.
All companies, big and small, local and multinational, have to fundamentally re-examine the resilience of our supply chains. Diversification of supplies, manpower sources and markets are not options – but imperatives.
The ensuing contest to attract top investments and talent will be intense. Developing countries with plentiful land and labour are cutting costs aggressively. More developed countries are poaching top executives and building their very own Smart Cities to rival Singapore. The OECD's Base Erosion and Profit Shifting initiative, or BEPS 2.0, will also impact how countries compete for investments.
To differentiate ourselves, we can no longer rely on tax incentives alone. Instead, Singapore must continually build real and new capabilities, augment our Singapore Core with global talent and find new ways to anchor key economic activities here.
The second driving force, technology. We are undergoing technological advancements in multiple fields – medical, robotics, artificial intelligence and energy. These are not just incremental shifts, but disruptive and discontinuous change.
The emergence of new technology provides us with new economic opportunities and challenges. Sectors in which we did not have a comparative advantage before, like agri-tech and new urban mobility solutions, are now emerging opportunities.
On the flipside, technology is now challenging sectors which are well established in Singapore. Banking is being disrupted by the rise of FinTech. Retail is increasingly displaced by e-commerce. Some legal, consultancy and IT services can now be delivered electronically across borders.
Whether we can win depends on two things. Externally, whether we can extend and enhance our connections; internally, whether we can adapt our environment and businesses to the two forces of global supply chains being reordered and emerging technology.
To emerge stronger globally, Singapore must continually enhance our value as a connectivity hub.
We need to adapt to changing supply chains by expanding and upgrading our network of FTAs. In November last year, we concluded text-based negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). If all goes well, we hope to sign this agreement by the end of this year to deepen connections between ASEAN and other RCEP Participating Countries, which together account for almost 30% of global GDP. We are also making progress in FTA negotiations with the Eurasian Economic Union, MERCOSUR and Pacific Alliance.
Our FTAs have provided our businesses access to billions of consumers beyond Singapore’s shores by reducing tariffs and lowering non-tariff barriers. In response to Mr Teo Ser Luck's question, our 25 FTAs are with economies that represent more than 85% of global GDP. Having FTAs in different regions facilitates diversification and enables our businesses to capitalise on opportunities around the world.
The benefit of each FTA goes far beyond our economic relations with the other party. Our FTAs enhance our ability to compete for investments as a network of 25. Companies which operate in Singapore can use our FTAs to build up supply and value chains which are resilient to single-market disruptions. At the same time, many companies also find it advantageous to access the Southeast Asia region and the world through Singapore. This creates many opportunities for businesses in Singapore and allow them to create good job opportunities for Singaporeans.
Mr Leon Perera asked about the FTA negotiation process. In order to achieve the best outcomes for Singapore, we consult and involve many different stakeholders – including trade associations, unions and business chambers in the lead-up to the negotiations. Post FTA implementation, we continue to engage industry and regularly enhance our trade agreements, where possible. For example, we upgraded our FTA with China to provide our businesses with new benefits like enhanced investment protection and greater access to China's legal, maritime and construction services sectors. We also upgraded our FTA with New Zealand last year, and now businesses can clear their goods through New Zealand Customs much faster.
We also adapt our trade agreements to the emergence of new technologies. For example, we have started work on Digital Economy Agreements, or DEAs as we call them. By guarding against digital barriers and by addressing issues that arise from emerging technology such as Artificial Intelligence, DEA provides a trusted environment for trade in the digital era. I am pleased to note that we have substantially concluded DEA negotiations with Chile and New Zealand. Negotiations with other like-minded partners, including Australia, are also progressing well.
As we enhance our trade agreements, we must also help our companies to take advantage of them. Mr Douglas Foo , Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Teo Ser Luck asked how we can do more to support businesses in seizing opportunities in the region and beyond. In 2019, Enterprise Singapore supported 2,600 enterprises. Moving ahead, we will significantly strengthen our support to companies that want to go international, in five ways.
First, we will extend the enhanced 70% support under the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) for another three years, till 31 March 2023. To better support companies who are new to internationalisation or are expanding into new markets, the grant cap will be raised to $100,000 per new market, per company over the enhancement period. We have also expanded the scope of eligible activities to include in-depth FTA consultancy services and support for additional overseas business development activities such as the cost of deploying a staff overseas.
Second, we will extend the Double Tax Deduction Scheme for Internationalisation (DTDi) for another five years, till 31 December 2025. This will encourage more Singapore companies to increase their market development and investment activities overseas. The enhancements will now cover new categories of expenses incurred for third party consultancy and overseas business missions.
Third, we will launch the Grow Digital initiative under the SMEs Go Digital programme to help SMEs grow their business overseas via both B2B and B2C digital channels to access new customers and markets. For a start, the programme will focus on China, India and Southeast Asia. Minister S Iswaran will share more details at MCI's COS debate.
Fourth, we will work with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) to launch the GlobalConnect@SBF in April. GlobalConnect will be an international advisory centre to provide dedicated market access support for companies new to internationalisation, with a focus on Southeast Asia and the emerging markets.
Fifth, we will increase the support levels for young Singaporeans under the Global Ready Talent (GRT) Programme so that more graduates can take on work opportunities abroad and gain exposure to Southeast Asia, China and India. This will strengthen the pipeline of local talent to support businesses in expanding overseas in the medium to long term.
Mr Teo Ser Luck will also be pleased to note that our suite of internationalisaton support goes beyond providing financial support. We also focus on the facilitation of knowledge transfers to companies, as suggested by Mr Teo.
Through a network of overseas centres, Enterprise Singapore works closely with companies to provide advisory support and in-market assistance. They also run frequent seminars to equip SMEs with essential knowledge to embark on their internationalisation journey.
To better understand the industry, we have been seconding Public Service officers to Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) through the Local Enterprise and Association Development or LEAD Programme. These officers have been actively involved in helping the TACs spearhead new internationalisation projects for the industries and we will do more where we can to second more officers to the TACs.
These measures will help Singapore compete internationally. But they must be complemented by measures to strengthen ourselves internally, so that we can harness the two global trends to emerge stronger. Specifically, we must emerge stronger through innovation, transformation and doing it together as an entire eco-system.
Let me start with innovation. Public investment in research and innovation has grown over the last 25 years. This puts us in a good position to harness the technological revolution and turn old constraints into new opportunities.
We have a small population, less than 1% of ASEAN. So, we leverage on advanced manufacturing sector to propel ourselves from a labour-intensive industry to one empowered by Industry 4.0 technologies. This has also allowed us to establish our niche in producing \"high mix, low volume, high quality and knowledge intensive\" products, entrenching our position in the global value chains.
We have limited land. So, we leverage agri-food technologies to transcend both size and geography, producing high-value crops like strawberry and kale on this sunny island.
We have a finite carbon budget. So, we explore innovative solutions to transform waste into value-add products. This has allowed us to couple environmental sustainability with economic prosperity.
Going forward, we must do more to translate Singapore’s research edge into an economic advantage. We have earmarked $300 million to support startups in key emerging technology areas like pharmbio and advanced manufacturing. We will also continue to drive the adoption of technologies through the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and to seize new opportunities in emerging sectors especially in the Deep Tech sector. My colleague, Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon, will elaborate.
The use of technology must be complemented by the transformation of business processes. We recognise that not all enterprises are at the same stage of development. But regardless of your stage of growth, you will have a fair chance to succeed. We will customise our assistance to our enterprises' needs and level of ambition.
For local enterprises with high growth potential, we will provide dedicated support to deepen their capabilities, enabling them to become leaders in their respective fields. An example of such dedicated support is the new Enterprise Leadership for Transformation (ELT) Programme.
For smaller enterprises, we will enhance access to the wide array of enterprise-centric enablers, through channels like the SME Centres, the TACs and the GoBusiness platform.
For Heartland Enterprises, we will provide additional assistance, through schemes like Heartland Enterprise Upgrading Programme (HEUP), so that they too can have a good shot at growth and expansion. Our assurance to all Singaporean business is this: so long as you have the drive and you have the ambition, we will partner you, as necessary. My colleague, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat, will elaborate on these schemes.
Finally, to emerge stronger, we must do so together, as One Team Singapore.
Over the years, we have established a strong tripartite partnership amongst the Government, the TACs and the unions. This partnership is critical. As key touchpoints to businesses and workers, TACs and the unions help provide the Government with crucial ground sensing and feedback on key economic policies.
Moving forward, we will do more to strengthen our partnership with TACs to drive industry transformation efforts. My colleague, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Tan Wu Meng, will elaborate.
Mr Chairman, we are committed to sharing the benefits of economic growth with all Singaporeans and improve their lives.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Desmond Choo asked about how efforts to grow the economy have translated into positive workers' outcome.
When we grow the economic pie, we create good jobs. More than half of our local workforce is made up of PMETs. This is one of the highest proportion in the whole world, and the number of PMET jobs continues to rise – from about 1.2 million in 2016 to 1.3 million in 2019.
We also share the fruits of economic growth. Real median income for Singaporeans grew at 3.7% per annum from 2016 to 2019, which is higher than the 3.2% per annum in the preceding three years.
Economic growth is necessary to create good jobs for Singaporeans, but I must say this does not happen naturally. The critical link between growth and jobs is skills. Singaporeans must have the right skills to take on the jobs that growth creates. The Government has put in significant investment in our education and training system over many years.
We now have strong pre-employment training (PET) and continuing education and training (CET) systems, and our SkillsFuture movement, which are all well-regarded globally. There are capability building programmes to transfer overseas capabilities and expertise to our local workforce, such as the Capability Transfer Programme.
We have also placed strong emphasis on grooming local leaders within key sectors. Mr Leon Perera would be pleased to know that the SkillsFuture Leadership Development Initiative or LDI, has supported over 1,000 Singaporeans in acquiring corporate leadership competencies and experiences. In particular, the ASEAN Leadership Programme (ALP) will equip our business leaders with the knowledge and network to ride on the growth of Southeast Asia.
However, as Mr Saktiandi Supaat noted, employers must have the right mindset for these programmes to succeed. They need to start investing in our local workers and to prevent an over-reliance on foreign employees. Only then will we be able to improve the localisation over time.
Indeed, we must not and we must never be complacent. Today, many have jobs that did not exist a mere decade ago. We are preparing for future jobs that do not yet exist now. The rate of technological change will only quicken. If we do not support our workers in refreshing and advancing their skills, not only will they lose employability over time, businesses will suffer, and our economy will lose its competitiveness.
We are particularly aware of the concerns amongst our mid-career workers, those in their 40s and 50s. Job security is of utmost importance to them. They have significant financial commitments as they provide for their families, often with school-going children and retired parents. Many of them have completed their formal education more than 20 years ago and they have moved on in their careers in one company or various, and may not have the opportunity to reskill and upskill.
Those who are employed now are worried if they will still have a job in the near future because of keen job competition and also the technological disruption. Those who have been retrenched are worried if they can re-enter the workforce and find a job that matches their skillsets and pay expectations. In 2018, only 58.6% of resident workers aged 40 and above managed to re-enter the workforce within six months after retrenchment – lower than the 70% for those in their 30s.
Mr Desmond Choo , Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked what more can be done to support mid-career workers in their 40s and 50s. This needs to be done at the tripartite level – businesses offering more employment and upgrading opportunities; workers making an effort to re-skill and the Government supporting businesses and workers in their endeavours. So, all three parties must pull our weight together in order to get this done.
I will talk about the support for businesses in general. Minister Iswaran will share more details of mid-career training programmes for the Info-Communications and Technology (ICT) sector at MCI's COS debate later. Minister Josephine Teo and Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will also elaborate on plans to increase reskilling capacity and to help workers make career transitions at the MOM and MOE's COS debates respectively later today and tomorrow.
Through the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package, we have set ourselves the target to double the annual job placements for locals in their 40s and 50s to 5,500 by 2025. I will now share three key ways in which companies can play an important role in supporting this national effort – redesign, re-skill, and recruit.
First, redesign. Businesses should seek to actively redesign their jobs to create new opportunities for existing and new workers, including those in their 40s and 50s, even as they pursue enterprise transformation. As part of the Next Bound of SkillsFuture, businesses can now tap on the enhanced Productivity Solutions Grant or PSG, which now includes consultancy services for job redesign. We want to make job redesign a key component for enterprise transformation.
Second, re-skill. As Mr Desmond Choo noted, when businesses grow and transform, they have an important role to play in actively re-skilling their workers rather than poaching from others.
The Next Bound of SkillsFuture will also see an enhanced focus on businesses driving enterprise and workforce transformation in tandem. Under the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit or SFEC, eligible employers will receive a one-off $10,000 credit to cover up to 90% of out-of-pocket expenses for supportable enterprise development and workforce transformation programmes, including re-skilling and job redesign. Three thousand dollars of the SFEC will be reserved for the latter. My colleague, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat, will elaborate.
This is also why, from 1 April this year, worker outcomes will be included as a mandatory condition for companies that apply for Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) funding. These outcomes may include wage increases, creation of skilled jobs for Singaporeans, job redesign and workers' training.
Third, recruit. Businesses need to offer suitable placement opportunities for our mature workers. The Government will support by giving a Hiring Incentive to employers who hire local jobseekers aged 40 and above through eligible reskilling programmes. Such programmes include Professional Conversion Programmes or PCPs, Place-and-Train (PnT) programmes and career transition programmes by SSG's CET Centres. For each eligible worker, the Government will provide 20% salary support for six months, capped at $6,000 in total.
I urge all employers to come forward, transform their business, and at the same time create new opportunities for all workers including our older workers. This has always been a critical part of our growth strategy and an important chapter of the Singapore Story.
Mr Chairman, if there is anything we have learnt from past challenges and the current COVID-19 situation, it is that we should never under-estimate the strength and resilience of our people. As we battle COVID-19, we must also strive to emerge stronger.
The journey ahead is full of both opportunities and challenges. But if we stand together – Government, businesses, unions and citizens – I am certain we can overcome any challenge and emerge stronger to chart a better future for all in Singapore. And this year's MTI tagline is: \"to emerge stronger\".
The Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Dr Koh Poh Koon): Mr Chairman, as a small and open economy, Singapore must be nimble and responsive to developments in the global economy, in order to maintain our competitive advantage. Innovation is key to doing this.
We will foster innovation in Singapore by strengthening our innovation eco-system and leveraging innovation to transform our industries and seize new growth opportunities. We will strengthen the innovation eco-system to help companies harness technological change and bring new ideas to market. Ms Foo Mee Har asked about the research landscape in Singapore. As part of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2020 Plan (RIE2020), we provide strong support to our companies in their innovation activities, including translating research into commercially viable products.
We have established technology consortia, which bring together companies and public sector researchers to collaborate on research projects. Companies can join these consortia to keep up with research trends and tap on the expertise of our many researchers.
Our Centres of Innovation (COIs) that Ms Foo asked about, provide specialised expertise to help companies translate problem statements into technology requirements. This accelerates their product development process. The COIs have supported over 4,200 such projects in areas such as technical consultancy, product development and intellectual property commercialisation.
Mr Lee Yi Shyan asked about our digital eco-system. In addition to our strong research and development capabilities, we are also constantly building up other aspects of our pro-innovation eco-system, including access to skilled global talent and a vibrant startup eco-system. We have also set up the Digital Industry Singapore (DISG) last year to better coordinate Singapore's efforts for the digital industry. Our suite of value propositions has helped us to grow our tech sector, where we have successfully attracted digital giants such as Google, Facebook and Alibaba.
These strong inter-linkages between research, innovation and enterprise do not just serve a pure commercial purpose. In fact, they have been essential to tackling the COVID-19 scourge that we are facing right now too. Take Kronikare, an AI start-up that is based locally. Kronikare has an AI wound monitoring software to help patients take care of their wounds. When COVID-19 struck, Integrated Health System Information (IHiS), the IT arm for our public healthcare sector, partnered Kronikare to quickly re-engineered this core technology to develop an automatic fever detection solution to aid other businesses in the fight against COVID-19.
Start-ups like Kronikare play an important role in the innovation eco-system. They bring new ideas to the table and spur industry to do things differently. Over the past four years, through schemes like Startup SG Equity, the Government has catalysed over $560 million in private sector funding into Singapore-based start-ups, helping them with product development and bringing these products into market.
Mr Teo Ser Luck asked about how we identify which start-ups to invest in. Investing in start-ups is inherently risky and the Government does not possess enough information to make these assessments alone. This is why Enterprise Singapore (ESG) co-invests with private sector investors who have the expertise in assessing the commercial value and viability of start-ups.
For deep-tech start-ups, it is especially important to have access to such funding that is backed by deep industry knowledge. As Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Ms Foo Mee Har noted, such start-ups typically require larger investments and have longer gestation periods, because of the multiple iterations of prototyping and pilot production that are needed. In fact, for medtech and pharmbio products, they would usually require quite a period of time for clinical trials and validation for safety and efficacy, before they can be introduced into the market. Clearly, not all moonshot projects will succeed. But when they do, when these moonshot projects succeed, they break new ground and give fertile foundation for future incremental innovations to succeed thereafter.
We will therefore enhance the Startup SG Equity Scheme to help our deep-tech startups in the areas of pharmaceuticals, biotech and medtech, advanced manufacturing and agri-food tech. To ensure they have the necessary resources to bring their products to market, Deputy Prime Minister Heng shared during Budget that we will be topping up S$300 million to the scheme. We will also enhance the scheme to double the maximum amount each start-up can receive, from S$4 million to S$8 million.
A portion of the S$300 million will be allocated towards investing in a global Venture Capital or VC fund, through a new \"fund-of-funds\" approach. This not only increases the availability of investment funds, but also attracts experienced VCs into the Singapore eco-system. Our deep-tech start-ups can then tap on their expertise, knowledge and networks to accelerate their growth, such as seeking guidance on commercialisation and business operations, and importantly, meeting new business partners.
To encourage funds and fund managers to invest a larger proportion of their funds into Singapore-based start-ups, we will also extend the relevant tax incentives by five years. This also includes enhancements such as expanding the types of investments and incomes incentivised and streamlining of the requirements to invest in Singapore-based enterprises.
Mr Chairman, innovation is not only about investing in R&D but also about transforming our industries to be relevant for the future. Mr Lee Yi Shyan and Mr Leon Perera have spoken on Industry 4.0 or I4.0. I4.0 will have a deep impact on our industries, particularly in Manufacturing.
Over the years, manufacturing in Singapore has evolved to compete based on the deep skills and capabilities of our companies and our people, and the use of technologies such as robotics and automation. Our initial efforts have allowed us to anchor I4.0 activities from some of the best manufacturers in the world. Two of Singapore's factories, Micron and Infineon, joined the World Economic Forum's Global Lighthouse network as trail blazers earlier this year. This accolade is only offered to advanced manufacturers who show leadership in applying I4.0 technologies to drive change.
We will continue to support companies in their efforts to adopt innovative solutions through a multi-pronged approach. As a start, we launched the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI) and the SIRI Prioritisation Matrix in 2017. Since then, more than 250 companies have undergone the SIRI Assessments and among them, about 30% of them were SMEs. The SIRI Assessments help our companies understand where they are at in their manufacturing transformation journey and to prioritise the improvements they need to make.
Another prong of our strategy is to build platforms that foster interaction and collaboration within the manufacturing ecosystem, to adopt I4.0 technologies. Mr Leon Perera and Ms Foo Mee Har asked about networking platforms and industry collaboration.
To build a regional community, Singapore has been hosting Industry Transformation Asia Pacific (ITAP), the Asian Edition of Hannover Messe, the world's largest industrial trade fair. ITAP has provided a very useful platform to help companies to connect, discover the latest trends in technology and exchange best practices. We introduced a learning element into the 2019 edition, to ensure that our enterprises, workers and even our students were able to learn about I4.0 through guided tours and on-site learning labs.
Beyond single touchpoints and events, we are also developing the Jurong Innovation District (JID) as a dedicated advanced manufacturing campus for different players along the value chain, such as researchers, technology providers and businesses, to work together on new ideas. It will also serve as an area for SMEs to collaborate with our MNCs and larger enterprises. Over the next 20 years, companies in the JID are estimated to create 95,000 new jobs in research and advanced manufacturing activities.
For our next phase of transformation, we will leverage on what we have learnt from our Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) and explore synergies across the different sectors. This will allow us to identify more opportunities within the clusters to promote innovation, to deepen capabilities and importantly, to encourage partnerships.
To build on these efforts and give more local companies a boost in innovation, I am happy to share that we will launch a new SIMTECH Innovation Factory in the JID. This will be a co-working space to help companies ideate and design their own unique products. For a start, there will be a focus on equipment design, medtech devices and electromechanical modules. It will be equipped with the necessary tools for companies to prototype their designs and will have resident design and technology experts to help companies through their innovation journey.
This is very useful for SMEs when they do not have the scale or the necessary technical expertise to do this on their own. So, we hope this will be a real boost to our SMEs to up their innovation capabilities. After successfully designing their own products, companies can then go on to one of two of A*STAR model factory facilities for pilot production of these new products.
To fully seize opportunities in I4.0, companies must also train and upskill their workers. I4.0 is not just about equipment, is not just about technology. Our experience implementing the ITMs has shown that industry transformation is much more effective and pervasive when there is participation and ownership by the workers. The Labour Movement has been advocating that for I4.0 to succeed, there must be Worker 4.0. We will do more to enable this.
We recently launched the SkillsFuture Work-Learn Bootcamp for Engineer 4.0. This is a three-year pilot programme that will train and place up to 200 engineers in areas such as lean manufacturing and the Internet of Things.
We have also introduced the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit, with a portion reserved for training and job redesign, to encourage companies to invest in their workers.
Sir, innovation is also about turning challenges into economic opportunities. Just as we had turned our vulnerability with water into a strength, we can do likewise with climate change as Miss Cheryl Chan and Ms Anthea Ong have discussed. We can do so in two ways.
First, by reducing our carbon footprint. Last week, Senior Minister Teo announced the Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) which details Singapore's approach towards a low carbon future, and how our industries and Singaporeans can contribute to this global effort.
The Energy and Chemicals sector is a valued pillar of Singapore's economy, contributing 2.3% of our GDP and employing around 26,000 workers in 2019. We have been working closely with companies in the industry to ensure that new or upgraded facilities meet higher levels and higher standards of efficiency.
Companies, such as ExxonMobil, are also taking active steps to improve their energy efficiency. From 2002 to 2018, ExxonMobil's efforts to reduce their energy consumption in Singapore have led to energy efficiency gains of over 25%. This is equivalent to the removal of more than 550,000 cars from Singapore's roads.
Miss Cheryl Chan would also be pleased to know that there are existing platforms to facilitate exchange of best practices, such as those organised by industry associations like the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS). We also organise the annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), which brings together global policy makers, think tanks, industry experts and leaders to discuss trends and challenges in the energy landscape. We will continue to encourage such exchanges.
Second, by developing new sustainable solutions. Given the increasing demand globally for sustainable products and services, there are economic spin-offs to be captured here. Today, we ensure resilience in our energy supply by encouraging our natural gas importers to diversify and import from multiple sources. This addresses the energy security concerns that Mr Leon Perera has raised. Our LNG terminal has the capacity to cover all our gas demand even if our piped natural gas supply were to cease today.
On nuclear energy, countries that deploy nuclear energy have to be accountable to their populations and their regions and ensure that high safety and security standards are adhered to. We are working with ASEAN countries to strengthen cooperation on nuclear safety and emergency preparedness as well as response systems.
But security is not just about ensuring the robustness of our current energy supply. It is also about looking at our energy future. Hence, we welcome Ms Anthea Ong's suggestions on studying the potential of renewable and alternative energy options. Such reviews are important because they provide useful insights on how we can work with companies to overcome the growth risks and capture economic opportunities arising from global climate change developments.
One area of growing interest is the idea of a circular economy. A \"circular economy\" seeks to improve resource efficiency and recycle resources in a loop to maximise their value. JTC is thus partnering with companies on Jurong Island and other Government agencies, such as NEA and PUB, to conduct a Jurong Island Circular Economy Study. The study will map out flows of water, energy and waste on the island and identify system-level gaps. This will allow companies to come together to develop solutions to address these gaps, testbed solutions on Jurong Island and then export these solutions globally.
Individual companies across diverse industries can also benefit from adopting a circular economy concept. In the food manufacturing sector, for example, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) has helped to connect food businesses with tech solution providers to convert food waste into higher value products.
Last week, I visited SinFooTech, a food technology company co-founded by two young entrepreneurs, Jonathan and Jian Yong. When I spoke to Jonathan, he shared how their patented fermentation technology upcycles soy whey, a food waste by-product of tofu manufacturers, into a much higher value-added alcoholic beverage named Sachi.
This is the first alcoholic beverage in the world to be made from soy whey and it was fascinating to understand the science behind how soy whey, a waste product from tofu manufacturing, can be converted into an alcoholic drink with a slight fruity, sweet and floral taste. And if you have a chance to, you should try it when they finally start their commercial production. I am glad to hear that SinFooTech is looking to sell their technology licence overseas and will be setting up a factory to scale up their production of Sachi.
Companies like SinFooTech contribute to Singapore's broader agri-food tech industry. This is a sector of growing importance as the world looks for innovative solutions to feed our growing population amidst climate change and resource constraints.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa and Ms Foo Mee Har asked how the Government will support the development of emerging sectors. Last year, I announced that we will establish an Agri-Food Innovation Park (AFIP) in Sungei Kadut to allow leading high-tech farming operators to testbed and commercialise their technologies. Infrastructure and land preparation works for Phase One of AFIP have started and we will be ready to welcome companies by the first half of next year.
The Government must be prepared to relook at our rules and regulations as we grow new sectors. As with any new sector, there will be a learning curve for both businesses and the regulator. But we must not be afraid to try.
Even before the setting up of AFIP, agencies such as the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and ESG, have already been engaging the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation and other farm operators to address the issues that they have faced with existing regulations. This includes areas that are important for agri-food tech operations, like building infrastructure, fire safety and other regulatory issues.
So, we will expand these efforts into a new regulatory sandbox for High Tech farms at AFIP. This will allow us to review more regulations for AFIP tenants even more quickly in a more streamlined manner. The lessons learnt from the sandbox will then be extended to benefit the wider farming industry.
As we help our agri-food tech companies to increase their food production capacity through the use of high-tech farming equipment, we must also help them to access new markets and expand their customer base overseas. This is why we have started an inter-agency workgroup, the Food Regulatory Connectivity Initiative, to develop Singapore as a trusted food trading hub.
We will work with trading partners to boost recognition of Singapore’s food regulatory system and improve market access for food produced in or exported through Singapore. We are also partnering accredited private bodies based in Singapore to provide the necessary checks that fulfil foreign import requirements. For example, we are engaging China's regulators on the recognition of meat and seafood products. This will help Singapore companies to export their food products to new markets which previously did not permit this.
As we continue to anchor and seek out new growth areas, new exciting jobs will be created. And I hope to see Singaporeans seizing opportunities to work in these exciting sectors.
To conclude, Mr Chairman, innovation is key to our continued success. Our resilient and agile economy was not built overnight. It is the product of strong and consistent investment over many decades. Not every individual project or enterprise will succeed but, collectively, we will move forward. We must not be afraid to venture into new frontiers to reap undiscovered rewards, for present and future generations.
In the years to come, we will continue to strengthen our innovation ecosystem and transform our industries through innovation so that Singapore and Singaporeans can continue to thrive.
The Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Chee Hong Tat): Mr Chairman, last year, I spoke about the three Ups: Level Up – to strengthen enterprise and workforce capabilities; Scale Up – to help enterprises grow locally and abroad; and Team Up – to enable enterprises to achieve better outcomes together. Let me update Members on our progress, beginning with Level Up.
Our enterprise development schemes provide holistic support to firms of different sizes and at different stages of growth. They improve businesses’ and workers’ productivity, and help them to harness technology, innovate, upgrade their skills and internationalise.
Members have highlighted that successful enterprise transformation must go hand-in-hand with skills upgrading and workforce training. I fully agree. The Deputy Prime Minister mentioned in the Budget Statement that we are introducing the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit. Each eligible employer will be given $10,000 in credits, valid for three years from 1 April 2020, to cover up to 90% of out-of-pocket expenses for enterprise and workforce transformation programmes. This will benefit over 35,000 enterprises, which hire more than 1.5 million local workers.
How can firms benefit from the credit? They can offset out-of-pocket costs for transformation projects. This is over and above the 70% co-funding support under the Enterprise Development Grant and Productivity Solutions Grant. They can also use the credit to help them redesign jobs under the enhanced Productivity Solutions Grant and redeploy workers to more productive and meaningful roles. Third, firms can use the credit to send their workers for approved training courses, including design-related courses.
Sir, good design matters to all businesses and industries. I agree with Mr Henry Kwek that our workers can benefit from these skills. The value of design goes beyond aesthetics. Like technology, design is a critical enabler for innovation and value creation. Design-led approaches can help to solve complex issues and drive business transformation. Companies like Apple and Dyson have pioneered superior technology. But what makes them stand out is their ability to integrate technology with innovative human-centric design.
The DesignSingapore Council (Dsg) is now part of EDB and the MTI family. Dsg launched the Skills Framework for Design last year, together with SSG and WSG. We will form the Design Education Advisory Committee on 1 April to enhance design skills training for our workforce. It will be chaired by Mr Low Cheaw Hwei, Head of Design at Philips. This will complement existing Design courses offered by our IHLs and training providers.
These add to our existing initiatives to help companies. For example, a traditional logistics SME can benefit from free subscription under the Start Digital pack for six months to access more customers through digital marketing and e-commerce; receive up to $30,000 in support from the Productivity Solutions Grant to implement inventory and fleet management solutions; enjoy up to $100,000 from the enhanced Market Readiness Assistance programme for each new market the business is expanding into; and also receive SkillsFuture support for up to 90% of course fees to upskill their employees.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked about the impact of such schemes on productivity. We believe enterprise transformation must start with what the business wants to achieve, what problems it wants to solve and what capabilities it wants to build to reach its goals. The assistance to companies must be enterprise-centric and transformation-focused, based on their needs.
Our approach has achieved good outcomes so far. Enterprise Singapore supported more than 13,000 projects from over 11,000 enterprises last year. These will generate $17.3 billion in value-add and create 21,700 new PMET jobs and also positive outcomes for existing workers. Productivity improvement, innovation and internationalisation remain important pillars of our economy; and we must press on with these efforts. In doing so, we will regularly review our policies and schemes and we will continue to engage economists in the private sector and academia.
Sir, I shall move on to the second \"Up\" – Scale Up. We will help businesses to expand locally and overseas. Mr Charles Chong asked how SMEs can improve their awareness of the support available and interact easily and efficiently with the Government.
Minister Vivian spoke about the GoBusiness Licensing portal, a collaboration between the Pro-Enterprise Panel, GovTech and SNDGO. It provides a simpler, faster and better way for food services companies to apply for all relevant licences. It is not just about using IT, but as Minister Vivian explained, to re-engineer our rules and procedures, make them more efficient and more pro-business and save businesses time and money.
We are further developing GoBusiness to be the platform for enterprises to transact with the Government. We will include other sectors like retail. For example, applying for change-of-use licence is one challenge faced by many retail businesses. They may not know which agency to approach and the type of business activities already permitted in their existing premises. Through GoBusiness, a company will be able to check such information by entering its postal code. The company need not apply for a licence if the activity is already permitted. This will save time and money. If a licence is required, the company can then proceed to do so through the portal.
The platform will also integrate other transactions beyond licensing, such as helping entrepreneurs to start new businesses and seek Government assistance. We will introduce an e-adviser. This is a joint project by MTI, GovTech and SNDGO, in collaboration with SME Centres and businesses. Instead of going through multiple sources to gather information on different Government schemes, a company can visit the portal and answer a set of questions. The e-adviser will then recommend suitable schemes based on what the company needs.
Those who require further assistance can meet with a Business Advisor at an SME Centre. In 2019, the SME Centres assisted over 28,000 companies. We will enhance our SME Centres as partners for business growth, to provide more in-depth support for promising SMEs. Business Advisors will work with these enterprises to develop long-term business plans and chart the next steps together.
Mr Teo Ser Luck asked about the selection criteria for Scale-up SG. Scale-up SG is for companies of different sizes and industries – we have companies from F&B, cleaning and retail. Besides a high level of commitment from the management team to embark on an ambitious growth plan, ESG will look at the company’s track record, its commitment to grow its presence in Singapore and the potential to create economic spin-offs for Singapore and generate good jobs for Singaporeans.
Learning from the early success of Scale-up SG, ESG will launch a new Enterprise Leadership for Transformation (ELT) programme later this year. The Deputy Prime Minister touched on this as part of Budget 2020. ELT is a three-year pilot programme that supports business leaders of promising SMEs to achieve their next bound of growth. Mr Douglas Foo asked how the participants will be chosen. Companies may apply to the programme. Applicants will be selected based on their demonstration of ambition and commitment and also their growth potential.
ELT will be designed and delivered together with partners such as the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), professional firms and banks. The programme lasts about a year and it will include business coaching and practical learning components. Participating local enterprises will receive up to 90% funding support for their programme fees.
Mr Foo, who is also President of Singapore Manufacturing Federation, has suggested involving TACs as ELT partners. I welcome his suggestion. Indeed, the business networks of TACs will be very valuable and can support peer learning and collaboration. We look forward to working with our TACs.
This brings me to the third prong of our strategy – Team Up. We want companies to Team Up to build deeper capabilities and accelerate their growth. One area is the review of Government rules and regulations. Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked about our approach in doing so.
Over the years, the PEP has partnered industry, businesses and Government agencies to make close to 1,200 improvements in rules and regulations. These have reduced time, effort and costs for businesses, and improved our overall economic competitiveness. The PEP also partners TACs to organise Pro-Enterprise Clinics to identify regulatory pain points and support innovative ideas from businesses.
Earlier, Senior Minister of State Koh mentioned SinFooTech. It is a food technology company which converts soy whey into alcoholic beverages. The company wanted to set up a research facility to experiment with new products. However, it faced high costs – distillery licence fees and excise duties. PEP and Singapore Customs worked together with the company, and after reviewing its proposal, Customs agreed that SinFooTech need not pay excise duties on its research products, as long as these are not sold commercially. This cost saving will be about $90,000 over six months for the company.
Customs also extended its pro-rated licence fee framework for microbreweries to distilleries like SinFooTech. Instead of paying the annual licence fee of $28,000, it can now pay a pro-rated fee of $7,000 per quarter; quarter by quarter. If it wants to stop after one or two months because the experiment is not going well, it can get a refund for the remaining licence period. These features help to lower the entry cost for companies to try new ideas, and also reduce the exit cost if they decide to end their pilot early.
When we work together with businesses to review our rules and regulations, the improvements will benefit many other enterprises. They can launch innovative ideas more quickly and lower their operating costs. Government agencies also benefit from having more efficient and business-friendly rules.
We see our role as a gate-keeper and not as a goal-keeper. What is the difference? A gate-keeper assesses the risk and decides who to let through and who to turn away. Whereas a goal-keeper's mission is to prevent all balls from getting through. If we block all new ideas that push against our existing regulatory boundaries or have a risk of failing, there will be no innovation.
Listening to feedback and being open to new ideas, feeling comfortable to take calculated risks, and experimenting together with industry partners to turn ideas into reality – these are important aspects of Public Service Transformation; in line with the SG Together Movement.
Sir, Ms Joan Pereira and Mr Teo Ser Luck asked about heartland enterprises, which serve important social and economic roles in our society. In my maiden speech in Parliament, I spoke about how we should work together to rejuvenate our heartland precincts and shops. Sir, please allow me to continue in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Over the years, MTI and ESG have teamed up with industry partners to drive heartland precinct rejuvenation and enterprise transformation. Last June, we set up the Heartland Enterprise Centre Singapore (HECS) and set it three main objectives – to uplift precincts, transform enterprises and upskill workers.
Since then, the HECS has done good work, and helped many heartland enterprises and Merchants' Associations (MAs). For example, it helped:
a) The Ang Mo Kio MA to promote and broadcast its Chinese New Year festivities on social media, increasing footfall to the precinct;
b) The Bedok MA to add vibrancy to the town centre through lighting installations and displays; and
c) The Chong Pang MA to develop a dedicated online marketplace for shops in the precinct, to increase their sales.
For 2020, I have challenged the HECS to achieve a \"triple five\" stretched target:
a) To partner at least five new precincts, in addition to the three they are supporting currently;
b) Secondly, to help 200 enterprises with their transformation and digitalisation, which is five times more than the 40 last year; and
c) Thirdly, to train 1,000 workers and shop owners, which is five times more than the 200 last year.
We will introduce the Heartland Enterprise Upgrading Programme (HEUP), as a single integrated support package for MAs. Under this programme, MAs can receive dedicated support from ESG, HDB, and HECS to develop and implement 4-year action plans. These plans will cover upgrading of common area infrastructure, organising placemaking activities, and the upgrading of enterprises and workers.
We will also provide enhanced support to MAs through the programme. Firstly, we will increase the support for placemaking activities from 50% to 70% and cover a wider range of activities and costs. We will also increase funding support for the upgrading of common areas from 80% to 90%, reducing the costs for shop owners.
In addition, currently under HDB's Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) scheme, the support of all shop owners is required for upgrading works to commence. We are considering amending the legislation to lower the threshold from 100% to 75%, to allow works to proceed if at least three quarters of the shop owners are supportive. This will allow more precincts to benefit.
(In English): Mr Chairman, the Government will help businesses and workers tide over the immediate challenges due to COVID-19. We are also committed to support businesses at different stages of growth to transform and prepare for the future, so that our companies and our workers will emerge stronger.
Through economic growth, we have achieved employment growth and wage growth for our workers, and improved the lives of Singaporeans. Real wages have grown by 3% per year in the last 10 years and young people are able to secure good jobs. In the 2019 graduate employment survey results for University and Polytechnic students, more than 90% found employment within six months of graduation, with higher median salaries than previous batches.
The outcomes we have achieved are the result of effective policies, hard work and good governance, underpinned by a stable political system and strong tripartite partnerships; as well as a forward-looking Government that plans long term and does not shy away from telling the truth, even if it is unpopular. A Government which places Singaporeans at the heart of everything we do.
This is an important component of our Singapore Story: how we grow as a nation, how every generation builds on the foundations laid by previous generations and takes the country further to benefit future generations.
This is how we must continue to forge ahead – always striving for improvement – Keeping Singapore domestically united and globally connected; and never giving up in the face of adversity. As we say in Hokkien, \"pah buay si\", and if I may add, \"pah si pun boh zao\" or to have a never-say-die attitude in Hokkien.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade and Industry (Dr Tan Wu Meng): Mr Chairman, Sir, if I may beg your indulgence, in case we overrun by a little bit.
The Chairman: All right.
Dr Tan Wu Meng: Sir, we all play a part in keeping Singapore's economy going. We appreciate the good works of our Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs). They are a store of social capital with their institutional memory, shared experience and industry networks.
I agree with Mr Douglas Foo that our TACs help the Government to better understand the needs of our business community, and partner us to develop industry. Mr Foo, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about the Government's plans to help TACs and companies expand into new markets.
Last year, Enterprise Singapore started developing strategic roadmaps with our TACs, to help them adopt longer-term plans to transform industry. The first roadmap is with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF). As Minister Chan shared earlier, GlobalConnect@SBF will be launched this April. It will scale up SBF's capabilities and resources to help our Singapore-based companies access new markets overseas. To start, SBF will organise seminars, trade fairs and business missions to help businesses grow in Southeast Asia and they will do this for emerging markets as well across the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.
SBF's international advisory centre will also answer companies' enquiries about internationalisation and the use of Free Trade Agreements. Because when our businesses take flight, it grows our economy's international wing of the economy. It creates more opportunities for fellow Singaporeans at home and abroad and furthermore, COVID-19 has also been a stark reminder of the need to diversify across multiple markets.
The Government will equip TACs with more resources to support companies in their transformation journey. Enterprise Singapore will pilot the two-year Executive-in-Residence programme. This is to help TACs engage experienced executives to guide companies in business transformation and growth. Participating TACs will help to identify, engage and match the executives with companies based on their needs. Our TACs will also need to upgrade their workforce and capabilities, which Mr Douglas Foo asked about. TACs can tap on the Local Enterprise and Association Development (LEAD) programme to strengthen their leadership and secretariats, and improve organisational processes.
Several have done so, such as the Federation of Merchants' Associations Singapore and the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and there will be many more to come. Sir, let me now speak on consumer protection. Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked about errant retailers that attempted to profiteer from the COVID-19 situation.
Let me say this categorically. Profiteering is wrong. We recently exercised our powers under the Price Control Act to ask two retailers, which had received public complaints about profiteering. We asked the two retailers to show us the basis of their prices. The retailers subsequently apologised and reduced their prices. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr Lim also suggested ways for the Government to deter unfair practices. We will study his suggestions, but there is also a need to balance between consumers' interests and a pro-business environment, because our fellow Singaporeans include entrepreneurs and business owners as well.
Sir, we will continue to strengthen consumer protection in three ways. First, review our laws on competition and consumer protection, to ensure they continue to be effective in deterring unfair practices. This will help consumers make better decisions and help companies to continue competing on a level playing field. Second, raise industry standards. The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore has developed a set of guidelines on the Dos and Don'ts in price transparency for all consumer-facing industries. This will reduce the risk of consumers being misled. These guidelines will apply to both online and offline transactions and will be published in due course.
Third, promote consumer awareness and empowerment. Mr Lim Biow Chuan had raised the question of charge-back issues. I assure Mr Lim that consumers can seek assistance on charge-back issues through their credit card issuers' hotline. And there are also ongoing efforts to raise awareness on the charge-back process.
The websites of credit card issuers, the Association of Banks in Singapore, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) and MoneySENSE – all these have Frequently Asked Questions on the process of resolving common credit card disputes including charge-backs. Sir, we also believe in empowering consumers with information to make well-informed purchasing decisions, because better information means better choices.
CASE piloted the Price Kaki app featuring crowdsourcing insights on prices at supermarkets and hawker centres across Tampines, Toa Payoh and Jurong West starting from September 2019. What does crowdsourcing mean? It means that people at supermarkets, people looking for cooked food, can share information about prices and bargains, so that other users can share the information from it as well. We could say, \"by users\", \"for users\". Since its launch, we have seen 15,000 registered users, more than half a million crowdsourced entries from users. And all this, across just three towns in Singapore. Imagine if we had it across the island. I am pleased to announce that the Price Kaki app will be rolled out across Singapore in the coming months. With this crowdsourcing network, everyone can have a buddy, everyone can be a buddy. You might say, \"Long zhong wu kaki, long zhong si kaki\" or we all have buddies in Hokkien.
Furthermore, Price Kaki helps people who has less time, who are less aware of market prices, who are less experienced shoppers. It is an app for everyone across all walks of life, but especially people who may be starting with less. It is a progressive move to build a more fair, more equitable society. We hope you can benefit from the app, whether contributing as a kaki or benefiting as a price kaki. Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We understand and care for your concerns with regard to cost of living issues. CASE will be launching the Consumer Empowerment Panel (CEP) in April to look into matters on cost of living. The panel will work together with associations, unions and grassroots leaders, to engage and help consumers like you stretch your hard-earned dollar.
(In English): Mr Chairman, in English, please. Sir, we are a small island, a little red dot in a changing world. And sometimes, the world outisde throws challenges at us. And to face these challenges, it takes all of us, because when we pull together, we are stronger. In Mandarin, \"众人同心，其利断金\"。In Malay, \"berat sama dipikul, ringan sama dijinjing\".
We have seen this in the fight against COVID-19. Nurses and doctors on the frontlines, working day and night, round the clock, to protect us from the outbreak. Volunteers, at mask distribution centres in the community, delivering masks to the homes of neighbours who are less mobile.
Our Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) and companies are doing their part too. Last month, when demand surged for essential commodities, the Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association teamed up with six other associations to increase domestic food supply. E-commerce companies, with the help of Enterprise Singapore, shared delivery vans to cope with increased demand for delivery throughout Singapore.
And, Sir, we will continue supporting our TACs and other industry groups to help companies get through today's economic uncertainties and prepare for tomorrow's recovery. We will introduce the SG-Together Enhancing Enterprise Resilience programme, otherwise known as STEER, which will match $1 for every $4 raised by industry-led funds, up to $1 million per fund.
The Singapore Furniture Industries Council will be launching its members' assistance scheme this week as part of this, supported by Enterprise Singapore through STEER, and more than 250 of their members will benefit from the scheme to strengthen business capabilities and market diversification.
Mr Chairman, in conclusion, we are all in this together – you and me, the people around us, our TACs, our fellow Singaporean businesses, Government. All of us in this together. And this is how, as a nation, we can survive and thrive, no matter what odds the world throws at us. This is how we keep on creating new possibilities for a better, brighter Singapore. This is how, together, we can make a difference, because together, we can, and together, we will overcome.
The Chairman: Clarifications. Mr Liang Eng Hwa.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, two clarifications. Yesterday, the Restaurant Association Singapore issued a statement reminding landlords to pass on the property tax rebates that they will be enjoying to the retailers. There are other retailers who are not happy that the landlords are not making it clear on passing on these rebates. So, can I ask the Minister if he is concerned that the good intention of the Government – which is to help the retailers impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak – is not being followed through by the landlords? And whether any measures can be taken to urge the landlords to pass on the rebates?
Secondly, I appreciate Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat's reassurance that the Government will continue to strengthen our pro-enterprise environment. While stifling regulations can work against the enterprise eco-system and add costs, but we also know that adequate regulations do protect consumers, set high standards, build trust. In our context, regulations can be both a competitive advantage and a competitive disadvantage. Can I ask the Senior Minister of State to share a bit more where we should lean to and where is that sweet spot?
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Mr Chairman, let me take the first question and Senior Minister of State Chee will answer the second one.
Yes, we are aware that there are some issues between the retailers and the landlord. Let me just say this. We are all in this together – the whole Singapore economy depends on businesses – the landlords, the retailers, everyone working together.
Since the Government announced the rebates and the help to the businesses, it has come to our attention that there is an entire spectrum of responses.
On the positive side, we have seen landlords who have proactively gone out of their way to share the rebates with their tenants. And, in fact, a few of them have gone out of their way to take into account the tenants' reduced turnover to help them more, and I applaud these landlords. But on the other hand, it has also come to our attention that there are some landlords that are still taking a bit of time to roll out their packages. To this end, the Enterprise Singapore is in close consultation with both the Restaurant Association of Singapore and also the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) to help them work with the major landlords. I would like to urge all the major landlords to do our part together to help each other to get through this difficult moment.
And I would say this to the landlord. The relationship between the landlord and the tenant is a long-term relationship. When the tenants do well, the landlords do well; when the landlords do well, they need to share it with the tenants. Only so can we continue to do well as One Team Singapore. It will be very short-sighted for landlords to try to stinge and save a bit here and there, instead of passing on some of the benefits to the tenants. This is a long-term relationship and Singapore is not that a big an economy. I think every one of us will have long memories of who are those who have come forward to do their part for their business partner in this difficult moment and who are those that have taken a very short-term perspective to this.
Enterprise Singapore will continue to work closely to arbitrate between the landlords and also the tenants. In fact, I must thank Enterprise Singapore officers who have been working very hard over the last one week, day and night, trying to urge both sides to come to terms with each other.
At the same time, I must say that, for the tenants who are affected, they are not all affected equally and we should try to give a bit more help to those that are more affected by the downturn caused by the COVID-19. And if we can do this all together, we will go past this stronger together.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Mr Chairman, I thank Mr Liang Eng Hwa for his supplementary question. Indeed, I think there is a need to strike a balance and that is why I use the analogy of a gatekeeper. Someone needs to watch the risks – what are the downsides. And every proposal that comes needs to be assessed carefully. What are the benefits? What are the downsides? What are the risks involved? What is the impact on stakeholders, consumers and other businesses?
So, this is a process which we do on a case-by-case basis. Whenever we get a proposal from businesses, we will work together with the regulatory agencies to understand what is the rationale for the current rules, can it be improved and enhanced, can the process be better?
The example, I would give Mr Liang is this: you build a ship and the safest place for the ship maybe to park it in the harbour. But we know that is not why we built ships. We built ships because we want the ship to be able to bring us to different places around the world, but the ships need to be safe. So, how do you do it in such a way that will allow us to look for new opportunities and new areas, but still remains safe, the quality must still be maintained. Because that is a very important part of our economic competitiveness.
Our trusted brand name, quality assurance, people think that when they walk into Singapore, they have the confidence that things work well here. And what we want to avoid are the two extremes – free for all; nothing at all. There is a sweet spot, as Mr Liang mentioned, somewhere in the middle. But where that sweet spot is, that one we have to evaluate on a case-by-case basis. We have to look at it.
That is why it is so important for us to do this in partnership because when we understand what the pain points are, based on the feedback from our businesses, and we understand also the rationale for the rules and regulations from our regulatory agencies, then I think there is scope was to see how can we innovate together, how can we improve the rules and processes together.
So, that is where I think we are aiming for. Mr Liang asked me about where is the balance we want to strike. I think that balance is what we want to aim for and the process will be as part of Public Service transformation, as part of engaging our businesses, our Trade Associations and Chambers, to do it together.
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Walter Theseira.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: Thank you, Mr Chairman. I thank Senior Minister of State Chee for the reply to the cut. I have two clarifications for him.
First, I would like to understand the Ministry's findings on the effect of grant schemes a bit better. Is the claim that the outcomes, such as the $17.3 billion in value-add, is that attributable solely to Enterprise Singapore (ESG) support? In other words, what is the marginal contribution of public funding? Because the concern here is that it could just be a substitute for private funding. In that case, not a good use of taxpayer money.
The second clarification is, what is the extent to which public grant schemes have contributed to recent improvements in total factor productivity (TFP) growth? This was in the cut but not directly addressed just now.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Sir, first, I think the contributions to our productivity, to our economic growth, I think I will be overstating it if I say it is all due to the grants from ESG. It cannot be. A large part of it, actually, the main part of it is due to the hard work and the entrepreneurial drive of our businesses. The business owners must be, first, at the forefront of this. If they do not have good ideas, they do not know how to transform their business, they do not know what to do with the various resources that they have, I do not think any amount of Government grants will help them.
So, that is why I think we pay a lot of attention to helping businesses with good growth potential, with the commitment and ambition, to see how we can help them to go further. But it has to start with the business owner having that drive, the ideas, the resilience and the resourcefulness to be able to pool these ideas together and produce a service or a product that will meet the needs of its customers.
The issue of TFP, Sir, I must first qualify that even though I did some economics in school, my level of economics is nowhere near Assoc Prof Theseira. But based on my understanding, TFP is a residual indicator, in a sense that you look at what is the change in GDP that is not attributed to changes in capital and labour inputs. So, because it is a residual indicator, the changes in TFP, first, it could be due to a range of different reasons; and second, it is more meaningful to look at it over a longer period of time because of the ups and downs. Because of that, we do not just look at TFP; we also look at other indicators to guide us, in terms of whether our schemes are working, to provide the feedback on whether our schemes are working. These are indicators, such as value added, jobs created – especially jobs for Singaporeans – investments that we could attract and also what is the value added per worker. We use a mixture of indicators to provide a more complete picture.
The Chairman: Ms Anthea Ong.
Ms Anthea Ong (Nominated Member): Thank you, Mr Chairman. I would like to thank Senior Minister of State Koh for addressing my cut, particularly in terms of the economic transition to decarbonisation. I have three clarifications.
Do we know when the risk to economy from high carbon sectors will become pertinent? That is number one.
What are our plans to invest in deep industrial efficiency, CCUS, which is carbon capture storage and utilisation, or low carbon hydrogen to not only just mitigate the risk to our economy, but also to create new jobs? That is number two.
I think Senior Minister of State Koh mentioned that there are 26,000 workers currently employed in the petrochemical industry. I assume a large number of them are actually locals. I am wondering how are we re-skilling this high carbon industry jobs to prepare for the kind of jobs that we can expect which we do not know now, in the next decade, as Minister Chan mentioned.
Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, can I get Ms Anthea Ong to repeat her first question because I did not quite catch that.
Ms Anthea Ong: The risk – when were the risks to our economy from this high carbon sector become pertinent?
Dr Koh Poh Koon: At this moment these situations are still evolving because the technology for many of the low carbon alternatives are still quite nascent. They are still not exactly mainstream. Things like carbon capture, utilisation, carbon storage, hydrogen fuel cell technology, for example. All these things are still technologically undergoing development and they have not gone to mainstream yet. So, I do not think we have reached the inflection point where we need to actually transit aggressively into alternative energy sources.
For new jobs, one of the key things is to make sure that we continue to work on our ITM together with the industry. The ITM for the energy and chemical sector is a tripartite effort between the oil majors or the people owning the refineries in the energy sector, together with the union as well as the workers. The idea is to make sure that we involve these tripartite partners into looking at what their transition plans would be over the longer term. And then working out step-by-step what kind of new jobs would be created in the interim, what kinds of skills are needed and then very, very targetedly training the workers today to continue to take on new skill sets so that as the new jobs come about, whether it is through efficiency measures, putting in new technology that changes the way they work, then the skills of the workers are relevant for these news that come about. So, I hope that gives you a kind of sense of where we are implementing some of this technological change to our workforce. I hope that answers the bulk of the Member's questions.
The Chairman: Mr Liang, would you like to withdraw your amendment?
Mr Liang Eng Hwa: Sir, I would like to thank Minister Chan Chun Sing, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat, Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Tan Wu Meng for the comprehensive response to our cuts. Indeed, our economy is facing, among the most daunting challenges and circumstances in recent years, with serious implications on jobs and business survivability. So, it is reassuring that MTI as well as the Budget 2020 measures are there to help the businesses to tide through this period. We wish the MTI team every success in steering our economy forward and to emerge stronger. With that, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment, Sir.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $1,316,531,400 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $6,541,521,000 for Head V ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]
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Digitalisation is transforming how people live, work, play and interact. Business enterprises must embrace it to remain relevant. Our future is being shaped by digitalisation in ways unimaginable and at a pace unprecedented.
As a result of the digital economy, many of our top companies in the world are now in the technology space. By market capitalisation, seven out of top 10 companies worldwide are technology companies. Combined, these seven companies are worth about US$6 trillion.
It is clear that our Government, businesses and workers must look to digitalisation to transform our economy, create opportunities and move up the value chain. That way, we stay relevant and create good and enduring jobs. If done well, we can turn our vulnerabilities into opportunities. Traditional factors of production like land, labour, capital, or even our ageing population are no longer hard constraints in the digital economy and if we play our cards right, we can be successful.
However, digitalisation does bring about many challenges, especially for a city-state with a small population and a consumer base.
Data analytics, machine learning and AI require massive amounts of data. For our Government and local enterprises alike, it would be challenging to acquire a large enough volume of data compared to other larger countries. How we overcome this constraint would make a big difference in our digitalisation success. Perhaps, digital trade agreements, like the ones we just concluded with New Zealand and Chile, could be helpful. If there are more such agreements, with a framework for sharing aggregate anonymised data, for mutual recognition or for inter-operability, it would be beneficial to Singapore as well as all participating economies. Could the Minister elaborate on this?
Even as data are shared with our local business enterprises, we would need to consider issues like personal data privacy and therefore the principles upon which data requests by private enterprises can be agreed to or not by the Government. This is an issue that needs clarity and could the Minister also inform us of what these principles are?
Digital talent alone is not sufficient for innovation. Often, design thinking and deep insights into specific industry are also needed for successful innovations and commercialisation. MCI has a Design Thinking Unit. How would the Ministry increase this Unit's impact for innovation and commercialisation in Singapore?
Just as we set boundaries in the area of Bio-ethics, we would similarly need to set up an ethical framework, within which, AI can operate here in Singapore. Can the Minister advise us on the work around this area as well?
One of the key success factors for digitalisation is scale and capacity. Unfortunately, this is a challenge for many of our SMEs. How would MCI induct and incentivise such SMEs to take on digitalisation for a brighter future for themselves?
There is also a pressing need as we become more digital as a nation to enhance our cybersecurity. I will address this issue under a different cut later.
Chairman, my next cut is on foreign digital talent, as an interim measure, to augment Singaporeans as Singapore embarks on digitalisation. We hear a clarion call from the industry that there is a dearth of digital talent in data science and cybersecurity, in computer science and so forth. And as we transform our economy, such talents would be in very high demand.
GovTech actively recruits talents in the Technology Industry to turn our Smart Nation vision into a reality. On the other hand, due to scarcity of such talent, GovTech would be competing with the private sector for similar talents.
How would we strike the right balance here, such that we create a symbiotic relationship between the private and public sector instead of creating a \"win-lose\" situation amounting to a \"zero sum\" game?
Can the Minister advise the number of Computer Science and Data Science graduates in our local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs)? What are the projections for such graduates in the next five to 10 years? If the number of graduates are insufficient to meet industry demand, could the Government allow for employment and S Passes to be issued as an interim measure? That way, we can attract more investments into Singapore now which will eventually benefit future Singapore graduates in such fields. The alternative is to risk such investments going elsewhere.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong): Most, if not all, companies in Singapore would agree that digital transformation is no longer an option, but a necessary step if they are to survive. Over the years, the Government has been urging companies, including small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to transform and adopt appropriate technology to stay relevant and competitive. This message appears to have sunk in and there is keen awareness of the need to go digital.
However, awareness may not necessarily translate to action as a number of companies, especially the smaller businesses, have been slow to make the transition. Minister Iswaran at MCI's workplan seminar last year said that it is not about a lack of awareness or will on SMEs’ parts anymore but more about them being resource-constrained and lacking capacity to get the transformation done.
Similar observations were also made by the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Business Federation (SBF), Mr Ho Meng Kit in a commentary last year. He mentioned that business transformation is hindered by talent deficit in Singapore's tech sector and cost or perceived cost of adopting digital solutions. In the commentary, Mr Ho, gave several suggestions to businesses to tackle the tech gap, for example by leveraging on IMDA’s SMEs Go Digital Programme.
Earlier this year, SBF also released its National Business Survey 2019/2020, which found that SMEs know that they need to adopt digital solutions to tackle their top challenges of manpower costs and finding new and better ways to generate revenue, but costs remain the biggest roadblock. SBF called on the Government to build on the momentum with robust measures that encourage, support and strengthen the digitalisation and research and development efforts of companies.
In reviewing the developments over the years, what is the assessment on the effectiveness of our initiatives in digitalising companies? Are we better able to appreciate the specific challenges faced by SMEs and address them? How do we intend to continue helping companies access opportunities and scale in the Digital Economy?
The Chairman: Mr Ong Teng Koon, take both cuts.
Mr Ong Teng Koon (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Both cuts, thank you. Mr Chairman, the SME Go Digital Programme has helped over 4,000 companies to implement digital solutions. This is encouraging to hear and it should remain our priority to accelerate digital transformation in order to create new opportunities, both locally and in the region. I would like to ask the Minister what are our future plans for the Go Digital Programme and how we intend to continue to drive digital adoption in SMEs?
For a SME to go digital, talent is paramount.\tHowever, the competition for talents in fields such as automation and machine learning is fierce. Our SMEs may be no match for MNCs when it comes to recruitment. I would like to ask the Minster how we can ensure that our SMEs are able to attract the talent they need and how can we help SMEs to develop such skills in-house by upskilling their existing employees.
One of the key challenges to any digitalisation faced by SMEs is getting all their employees ready and equipped for these changes. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider additional skill training subsidies for all the employees of SMEs to complement their ongoing digital transformation.
My next cut. The Infocomm Media (ICM) sector is a key growth sector, particularly in technology such as cybersecurity, Internet of Things, immersive media, data analytics and artificial intelligence. I would like to ask the Minister how many jobs would be created for Singaporeans in such sector and how we can help mature PMETs who are displaced from adjacent industries to get employed into the ICM sector. And would the Minster consider a stipend for mature PMETs who undergo retraining so that they are able to still take care of their families while they are doing so?
In relation to cybersecurity jobs, as advertised by the Professional Conversion Programme on WSG's website, residents have given me feedback that it is difficult to get a place into such professional conversion programmes. This issue is these programmes on a place-and-train basis. Place-and-train means that they need to get a job first before they can get training. These residents are stuck in a catch-22 situation. They need to get the job first before they can get training but they need the training to get the job. So, I would like to ask the Minister whether he can consider to go beyond what Deputy Prime Minister announced in his Budget Statement of the 20% salary support for six months, to further incentivise companies to take the first step.
The creation of jobs for Singapore in the ICM sector is contingent on Singapore being an attractive hub to local and global businesses. I would like to ask the Minster what are plans to further develop our local eco-system and how do we continue to position Singapore as the digital technological hub for Asia. And how do we ensure that research, innovation and entrepreneurship continue to be our engines of growth?
Mr Chairman: Ms Tin Pei Ling, both cuts, please.
Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson): Talents are critical in building new and successful industries. We need a high concentration of skilled workers with a critical mass of world class talents to attract top enterprises and future unicorns to Singapore to create good jobs, and we need to develop Singaporeans to excel in these jobs. As talents beget talents, there is a virtuous cycle to this.
On 6 January this year, the Minister informed the House that more than 93,000 training places have been taken up or committed since the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme started in 2016. And as of October 2019, 1,400 trainees completed the Tech Immersion and Placement Programme (TIPP). These are impressive numbers.
May I ask the Ministry if we are on track in meeting the ICT industry manpower demand? Of the 93,000 TeSA places, how many have completed the programme, successfully found placement and stayed in the new jobs? What other efforts are in place to help Singaporeans switch careers and stay meaningfully employed in the digital economy? How can enterprises that are less tech-savvy but keen to transform, better access and tap into this pool of re-skilled and up-skilled workers?
As Singapore continues on our relentless pursuit to re-skill and up-skill our Singaporean core, it can be expected that enterprises will look to topping up their teams with overseas talents to plug the talent and skills gap in the meantime.
Global competition for skilled workers is stiff. In a February 2020 McKinsey's article, it was reported that 87% of companies surveyed around the world say they are either experiencing manpower gaps now or expect to experience it within a few years. Respondents expect market and technology trends to play a big part in these shifts.
More dramatically, the World Economic Forum describes the world as facing a \"re-skilling emergency\". One billion people globally need to be re-skilled by 2030.
Companies and countries are motivated to close the skills gap fast. Singapore needs to be even faster – one to two years' window of opportunity, according to some prominent business leaders in the ICT industry I encountered from within and outside of Singapore. Unresolved US-China tensions and rising protectionism around the world resulted in talent displacement. Amongst these talents, there is a group who not only have deep skills, but also an international perspective given their exposures. If we are able to tap on this group of talents and pick the \"winners\" for Singapore before others do, Singapore's transformation could be catalysed and more top enterprises with good jobs for our people will be attracted to Singapore.
Therefore, I would like to ask what role is the Government playing in attracting talents to Singapore, for Singapore, as we strive towards our future economy? Ultimately, our Singaporean Core must benefit from this exercise and so, how could we ensure skills and knowledge transfer?
Some of these talents are founders of fast-rising start-ups or fast-growing firms. They are therefore globally mobile by nature. Still, they can invest in Singapore and have a role to play in helping to develop our workforce. Might the Government be exploring ways to harness the value they can offer to Singapore, and help groom our youth and talents, without requiring them to physically anchor here?
Singapore is on track to fulfill our smart nation aspiration and is positioned to become a leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain. Data is critical in enabling this. Big data fuels AI and AI will drive many daily applications in our digital future. Therefore, the quality and integrity of data is important. Having data that can readily be shared or used from one system to another is also important.
As ASEAN integrates and transforms, and as Singapore champions the effort to build and strengthen the ASEAN Smart Cities Network, how do we ensure that the data generated are meaningful, of good quality and inter-operable across the region? What role can Singapore play in influencing and setting standards for the data and the digital infrastructure necessary for a smart ASEAN?
This development will see an \"explosion\" of data and the need for high speed processing. Data centres are therefore a critical infrastructure for Singapore. It is the backbone of our future economy. How many data centres do we expect to be built and at what pace in order to achieve our smart nation and smart ASEAN aims?
Building data centres comes at a cost. It consumes a lot of energy. Data centers today consume about 2% of electricity worldwide. It also has massive carbon footprint. Data centres worldwide generate 0.3% of carbon footprint today and is set to increase.
So, what is the Government doing to promote greater efficiencies and mitigate the carbon footprints as we build more data centres? How do we reconcile this expected increase in energy consumption and carbon footprints while achieving our target of halving carbon emissions by 2030 and zero by 2050?
Mr Ong Teng Koon: Mr Chairman, data can be used for great good or it can be used to inflict terrible harm. With developments in technology ranging from facial recognition to online personality analysis, individual data is increasingly easy to obtain.
We have the Personal Data Protection Act to protect individual privacy but there are also data portability concerns. We need to address the issue of secondary acquisition of data and the use of legally acquired data by undesirable companies. For example, a foreign online company might acquire and transfer the personal data from a local company. These foreign online betting companies then target the vulnerable and entice them to gamble. How can the Minister ensure that data portability and data protection can work together without conflict?
I would also like to ask the Minister how we can use legislation to restrict the data that companies collect. What users often encounter on websites or when downloading apps on their smartphones are these lengthy click-through agreements with a lot of information disclosure provisions embedded in those agreements. The result is that when the users click \"accept\", they are allowing these information disclosure terms which expose them to the sharing of data and often without their knowledge. So, I would like to ask the Minister what ethical safeguards can be put in place to protect the consumer and Singaporeans at large.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (West Coast): Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012, it is mandatory for every organisation to designate one or more individuals as data protection officers. These individuals are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the organisation complies with the Act.
Increasingly, companies and organisations have also realised that the job responsibilities of a data protection officer are often executive and managerial in nature, requiring the development and implementation of policies and processes. All this should translate to more job openings for data protection officers which would be suitable for PMETs looking into making this mid-career switch or to be re-deployed in their existing organisations. Can MCI share how many new roles and job openings this will possibly create for Singaporeans?
Notwithstanding, to facilitate the successful hiring, placement and re-deployment of PMETs in the data protection field, there is a need to take more active steps to train, place, match and re-deploy suitable PMETs to potential employers, or even data protection and compliance roles within their existing organisations. I look forward to seeing more employers collaborate with placement agencies such as e2i to help more PMET mid-career switchers, whether entering into the industry or being retained to be re-deployed within the organisation, transition into their new role as data protection professionals.
I applaud the Data Protection Officers (DPO) Competency Framework and Training Roadmap which was published by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) on 17 July 2019. It was developed to guide data protection professionals in enhancing their competencies. It also provides guidance on the viable career pathways for different levels of DPOs. I hope to hear MCI's plans on what and how we can do more to make this area of expertise an attractive and viable option for mid-career PMETs.
Mr Yee Chia Hsing (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, we have seen an increase in the application of facial recognition technologies being employed in Singapore. Even this House is contemplating the use of this technology to track Members' attendance. I saw that in the tender. While this technology started out mainly to tackle security, are there any guidelines for the use of facial recognition technology to ensure data is not misused for commercial purposes and that its use does not compromise personal data security?
Sir, I believe there is a need for greater regulation of the deployment of facial recognition technology. Currently, several buildings such as UOB Plaza and SGX Centre already use such technology.
The use of facial recognition for building access would link the name of the visitor to the facial recognition data. Does facial recognition data then become part of the intellectual property of the technology vendor? How long can the vendor keep such information? Can the vendor use the same information for its other customers?
The other aspect is whether the vendor is allowed to link facial recognition pattern to even more data such as consumer buying behaviour. The possible abuse of such technology is mind-boggling if we do not have guidelines on its use.
Chairman, may I propose that all facial recognition data collected by private commercial entities should not be stored for more than 24 hours. Other than name, facial recognition data should not be linked to any other information such as consumer buying pattern. Where exceptions are needed, express consent should be obtained and even then, there should always be a maximum time limit for which facial recognition data can be stored.
Chairman, it is a brave new world that we live in and I am worried that without guidelines, there will be misuse of facial recognition technology and data. So, I really hope that MCI can look into this issue.
The Chairman: Mr Mohamed Irshad, take both your cuts, please.
Mr Mohamed Irshad (Nominated Member): Chairman, globally, the post and parcel industry is undoubtedly being disrupted. With ever-changing returns in core mail business, the rapid take up of e-commerce and shifting customer expectations, post and parcel companies of today need to be adaptable, they need to be relevant and to be innovative to keep pace with changing demands.
Sir, the rise in e-commerce and online shopping has indelibly altered consumer behaviour. Many consumers have also increased expectations about the convenience and options offered by deliveries and postal infrastructure. Today, there are only several logistics service providers that offer last-mile delivery services besides SingPost.
In this regard, what are the Government's plans to transform our domestic postal infrastructure to meet these new demands, ensuring world class delivery standards? Importantly, what can consumers and businesses look forward to in the future and how will these changes be integrated with the current postal infrastructure in Singapore?
Mr Chairman, I turn to speak about 5G – 5G is the basis for digital connectivity and will be the backbone for our digital future. It will enable possible new areas of growth in autonomous vehicles, and the Internet of Things in industry and in consumer segments.
In June 2019, the Minister for Communications and Information, Mr S Iswaran, announced that the Government has set aside $40 million to develop the 5G research and innovation eco-system, specifically to support 5G technology trials, open test beds and enable research and development in 5G. What is the progress on Singapore's efforts to develop the 5G research and innovation eco-system?
Also, given IMDA's 5G Call For Proposal, what are our plans for 5G deployment? What is the Government doing to support the rollout of 5G to ensure that Singapore remains competitive on the international front? Importantly, how will 5G benefit Singaporeans and ensure that 5G remains affordable for Singaporeans?
Mr Douglas Foo (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, as Singapore prepares to roll out 5G network this year, there are companies that are concerned about the security measures of 5G deployment. According to a survey by a United States-based cybersecurity firm, which was released in October 2019, 55% of those surveyed believe that 5G deployment may be avenues for more effective and destructive methods of cyber crime and another 54% thought it may give more opportunities for cyber criminals to attack the organisation.
Can the Minister provide by way of an update how ready is Singapore to embrace 5G communication networks and what plans are in place to help enterprises understand and exploit this technology to its fullest while managing its challenges? Does the Ministry have any plans to engage Trade Associations and Chambers to help understand from businesses what they would most need from such a new technology and to implement the new technological equipment and applications?
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang): Chairman, we often do not realise how widespread and important digitisation is in our lives. Some of the most important digital spaces are what we refer to as the critical information infrastructure which our national Cyber Security Agency (CSA) has been set up to safeguard.
Critical Information Infrastructure currently includes the critical data used for sectors such as aviation, healthcare, land transport, maritime, media, security and emergency, water, banking and finance, government and energy.
Data is necessary to keep our power plants, hospitals, water, banks and even Government functioning smoothly. The more we digitise and automate, the more important our critical information infrastructure becomes and the greater the risk we face of something goes wrong here.
In April last year, the BBC carried a story that stated a survey of security professionals across six countries by the Ponemon Institute found that 90% had been hit by at least one successful attack. This survey covered staff in utilities, energy, health and transport sectors. This report also concluded that a lack of resources and intelligence about the “relentless and continuous” cyber-attacks are the industry’s concern.
The key points from this study were that we have to assume attacks will be made and be prepared to deal with them. We also need to be able to guard against human failings, and this may include employees accidentally opening phishing emails and thereby opening the network to attack. There is also a need to share intelligence.
I believe the national Cyber Security Agency is focusing on these matters and I would be interested in an update on how the Government is safeguarding the cybersecurity and resilience of our critical information infrastructure.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Chairman, in 2016, the Government published a document called \"Singapore's Cybersecurity Strategy\". The strategy has four pillars. One, to strengthen the resilience of our critical information infrastructure; two, to mobilise businesses and the community to make cyberspace safe; three, to develop a vibrant cybersecurity eco-system comprising a skilled workforce, technologically advanced companies and strong research collaborations; and four, to step up efforts to forge strong international partnerships.
Since 2016, much has happened to focus us on our cybersecurity vulnerabilities. What is the Government's current assessment of the implementation of Singapore's cybersecurity strategy and how far has the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) contributed towards grounding the four pillars of the four strategies?
Next, CSA's mandate enables it to direct owners of critical information infrastructures on the essential cybersecurity measures to be adopted and to provide professional consultancy and direct assistance to them, where necessary. How does CSA ensure that its officers have the necessary expertise to devise credible regulations and guidelines? This is particularly needed in vendor management as it is common for data owners to outsource data management to third party providers.
I know move on to a query on the role of CSA viz a viz the public sector. Under the Cybersecurity Act regime, owners of critical information infrastructure include the Government, as it is running various essential services. Last year, the Government convened a public sector data security review committee which recently issued its report on enhancing public sector data security. Could the Minister clarify what CSA played in this review?
Mr Douglas Foo: Mr Chairman, according to a report released on 1 October 2019 by a United States-based cybersecurity firm, Carbon Black, 96% of surveyed companies in Singapore said they have experienced at least one cybersecurity breach in the past 12 months due to external cyber attacks.
Of those that had experienced a cyber attack, 48% suffered negative financial impact while 83% reported damage to their reputation. Furthermore, 93% of these organisations reported an increase in cyber attacks in the past year.
The report added that 98% of chief information officers and chief information security officers surveyed were concerned how digital transformation projects and the roll-out of the 5G network will further affect cybersecurity in Singapore. More than 250 chief information officers, chief technology officers and chief information security officers from across a range of sectors participated in this survey .
According to a study by consumer information provider, Comparitech, which studied 60 countries based on criteria such as percentage of mobiles and computers infected with malware and the number of attacks by cryptominers in 2018, Singapore ranked 10th place in global cybersecurity. This is commendable but reports on probable attacks such as the personal data leak of MINDEF and SAF staff in December 2019 is still a cause for concern.
Taking an analogy from the health perspective, our previous experience with SARS taught us the importance of having a readily adoptable response framework, such that today, Singapore’s DORSCON framework has been widely praised in the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. In the event of a large scale national cyber attack where computer and network viruses can spread speedily, Is there a similar framework in place to reduce and mitigate the dangers of such an outbreak?
The Chairman: Mr Cedric Foo, both the cuts, please.
Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Over the past two to three decades, digital computing technologies have rapidly changed the world, with far ranging implications on businesses and consumers. Particularly, the pace of adoption of digital technologies have accelerated over the last decade. Adoption of digital technologies have resulted in a very connected world, empowering individuals and transforming how consumers, businesses and governments operate.
Today, there are many Smart Nation applications, which allow accessibility at any time and thus, bring significant conveniences to Singaporeans.
At the enterprise level, operational technology or OT allows the direct monitoring and control of critical plants, power and telco grids. It yields significant control and productivity benefits including preventive maintenance, reducing downtime and quality control just to name a few. OT is expected to assume an expanding role in government and many organisations, enabling greater integration among business processes, physical activities and supporting technology.
In this highly connected world, cyber attacks resulting in loss of personal data and even more so attacks on our critical OT systems could be disastrous. Cyber attacks by state actors have also become a \"weapon of choice\" as can be seen in many countries.
I would like to ask the Minister how we ensure that the Government and enterprises here can be better protected against this new threat? And how has CSA been contributing to this effort?
My next cut is on falsehoods pertaining to COVID-19 outbreak. Dozens of protestors in a Ukrainian town attacked buses carrying 72 evacuees from Wuhan, China enroute to a quarantine facility in Ukraine. These demonstrators lighted bonfires and hurled stones in clashes with police officers and national guards. Even armoured personnel carriers were deployed to this small town.
The protest was started because of a hoax – a fake email claiming to be from the Ukrainian Health Ministry, falsely claiming that some evacuees had contracted the virus. Indeed, many observers have commented that the challenges of COVID-19 is not just in containing the \"biological virus\" but also in containing the \"psychological fear and irrationality\", and this often arise from fake news and rumours.
Fake news on COVID-19 have also surfaced here in Singapore. \"Woodlands MRT station was closed on 28 January when it was actually fully operational\" or \"the Government giving $100 per day to every 'PRC worker' for the 14 day period under the Leave of Absence, when it is be given to eligible employers instead\". These and many other examples of fake news have been circulating around, threatening to undermine our national effort and public trust in addressing the COVID- 19 situation.
Fortunately for Singapore, we have a new law called POFMA and in retrospect, this new legislation is indeed timely. I would like to ask the Minister to provide an update on how the Government has dealt with falsehoods pertaining to the COVID-19 outbreak and whether POFMA has been effectively invoked.
Chairman, there were also discussions in this House that judges should be the body issuing Correction Notices under POFMA, as opposed to Ministers. Do our recent experiences of implementing POFMA to deal with the outbreak like the current COVID-19 situation, reinforces the Government's position that the issuance of Correction Notices is indeed a job best left to the Executive branch?
Mr Ong Teng Koon: Mr Chairman, with the on-going COVID-19 outbreak, we have seen destabilising falsehoods that have hurt our nation. These range from the false closure of Woodlands MRT station; seven countries banning travel to Singapore; to an online falsehood regarding the death of a man in Singapore from COVID-19, when no such death had occurred.
POFMA has served to preserve the stability by dealing with false information. But it is also important to ensure that our citizens have access to trusted information.
I would like to ask the Minister what he can do to help citizens easily access trusted information from different sources. I also ask the Minister whether he would consider to drop the paywall on The Straits Times during times of emergency.
Prof Lim Sun Sun (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, in as much as COVID-19 has been an abominable threat, it has also been an illuminating lesson on the importance of effective communication and the importance of a robust information infrastructure.
Just as medical care has improved significantly since SARS, information and communication technologies have also seen considerable transformations. Our information landscape is paradoxically more fragmented, yet more connected at the same time. It is fragmented and balkanised because there is a plethora of information and communication channels out there. Apart from traditional mainstream media that actively seeking to digitalise, we now have access to vastly more online content, across a range of different platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Facebook and TikTok.
It is therefore very difficult to capture in any parsimonious way, the chequered universe of information that audiences today consume and are influenced by. Despite this seeming fragmentation, our information landscape is concurrently more connected because of growing ownership of personal media devices such as smartphones. Individual consumers across the world are thus linked to one another online, creating content and sharing it across platforms, geographical boundaries and even linguistic barriers now being rapidly eroded by translation software.
In a globalised hyper-connected world, our understanding of local situations is thus enriched but also complicated by perspectives extending far beyond our immediate environments. As media consumers, we must contend not only with domestic information flows but manage the onslaught of international news, quite apart from having to discern between legitimate news and false rumours.
In such a fraught media landscape, rumours and falsehoods can become virulent social contagions that trigger mob mentality and herd behaviour like the panic buying we experienced and are now witnessing in North America.
Hence, our public agencies managing our official communications cannot afford to be insular and track only local discourse around crises of a global nature.
When this house passed POFMA in May last year, a mysterious yet highly contagious disease like COVID-19 was but a black swan to be avoided. But the crisis now presents us with a valuable opportunity to test the mettle of our information infrastructures, including official communication channels, public education efforts and regulatory measures such as POFMA.
In the wake of COVID-19 therefore, I would like to ask how the Government has sharpened its ability to communicate quickly and effectively to all demographic groups in a digitalised world with porous information boundaries.
Importantly, can the ministry share how our capacities to cope with online falsehoods have been stretched and what measures will we take to reinforce them?
With specific regard to POFMA and its application, can we conduct more systematic assessment of the effects of the targeted and general corrections approach? Specifically, can we obtain data from the internet intermediaries on the reach and access of the corrections that have been issued so that we may ascertain the effectiveness of the corrections strategy and finetune it accordingly?
Additionally, we must seize the opportunity to survey consumers to comprehend how they have managed the onslaught of falsehoods that they have received in light of COVID-19. What personal measures have they taken to verify the information they have received about the disease? Did they use services such as the gov.sg WhatsApp chat and Factually, and how did they perceive them? How did they react when they encountered suspected falsehoods that had not been issued with POFMA orders? Did they subsequently assume that these falsehoods were true, thereby developing unhealthy cognitive shortcuts? These are all crucial questions that we must answer to strengthen both our official communication strategies and our public education efforts.
Finally, while I recognise the value of reaching out to people via platforms they are familiar with such as WhatsApp, how secure and financially sustainable is it for us to use such third-party communication channels? Might it not make better sense in the long run to use existing apps such as SGSecure for official Government alerts during periods of crisis? While I understand that SGSecure was launched and is managed by MHA, should our Whole-of-Government approach not predispose us to more strategically integrate our multiple communication channels that we have? I welcome clarifications on the concerns I have raised.
Mr Mohamed Irshad: Chairman, the COVID-19 crisis has shown that there is a need for accurate, timely and trusted public communications between the Government and the people in times of crisis. It is important that the Government provides accurate and timely information to different segments of society to allay public anxieties. Unfortunately, in a situation of information vacuum, distortions, rumours, untruths, misinformation and smears can undermine public confidence and be divisive.
Sir, in this regard, allow me to focus on our Government's ability to communicate with our fellow Singaporeans in times of a crisis. To contextualise my questions, I am concerned that Singapore's movement to DORSCON Orange was leaked ahead of its official announcement. So, my questions are as follows.
First, how can we tighten the information flow to avoid any future leaks?
Second, what are the public communications efforts undertaken by the Government to update Singaporeans on COVID-19? Has the Government tried anything new or different? Are we expecting any improvements along the way to improve our crisis-response handling?
Third, how effective and different were the Government's efforts in communicating to Singaporeans during this COVID-19 crisis, in comparison to our response to H1N1 and SARS? And will the Government review the effectiveness of these efforts, especially in the realm of misinformation?
Lastly, will the Government continue to make use of the WhatsApp channel such as Gov.sg? To me it seems like a simple way to ensure that we can provide timely and verified information to our people.
Mr Vikram Nair: Digitisation is all around us, making our life simpler and more convenient. As a Smart Government, numerous Government services are now available online and on smartphone apps. And everything from taxes to parking payments can be done with a few clicks on one's phone. Other services like banking, credit card bill payments and even food delivery can be done in the comfort of one's armchair.
However, the darker side of information is that misinformation is also freely sent and communicated, through social media and messaging tools such as WhatsApp. There have been numerous examples of this, the most recent being COVID-19 outbreak which my colleagues, Mr Ong Teng Koon, Mr Cedric Foo and Mr Mohamed Irshad have elaborated on.
Another area of concern is scams, which really target more vulnerable residents. I, myself, have been subject to a phone call from an Australian phone number claiming to be from Singtel's technical staff. I happened to be at my computer and having attended all the grassroots sessions on scams, quickly googled Singtel scams and discovered that this was actually a well-documented scam and stopped that call. In fact, I have personally become so skeptical that if someone calls me telling me they represent my bank, I will usually say I will call the bank myself, rather than reveal any personal data.
However, many others may be more trusting and it is the trusting who get exploited by these scams. There is legislation such as POFMA, that can help the Government take action against online fake news. But, this has its limitations, particularly in the context of: one, fake news that spreads through messaging services rather than online and two, scams which can take advantage of people's trusting nature.
Of course, more legislation is one solution but I would be interested to know if the Government is taking any steps help individuals themselves become safe, informed and more discerning online.
The Chairman: Mr Darryl David, both cuts please. Three cuts, actually.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Chairman, as we have heard from my Parliamentary colleagues speaking before me, the outbreak of COVID-19 has once again shone the spotlight on the dangers of fake news and their negative impact on social cohesion and trust. Governments around the world are combating the daily deluge of fake news on COVID-19 and Singapore was also not spared. Fake news such as the shutting down of MRT stations and certain shopping malls, closure of schools and rumoured deaths sparked social panic and in some cases, xenophobic reactions against certain communities and restaurants.
The deluge of fake news has undermined the ability of governments worldwide to manage the COVID-19 epidemic. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) went as far as to label fake coronavirus claims as an \"infodemic\" that threatens the management of the outbreak. To manage the \"infodemic\", a WHO representative met tech firms in Silicon Valley recently to urge them through moral suasion to do more to combat the spread of fake news and deliberate false information.
While some countries have taken strong positions on the deliberate spread of falsehood regarding COVID-19 by even arresting the perpetrators, the Singapore Government has taken on a different position by issuing correction orders under POFMA. Even though we have taken on a less harsh approach than other countries in this instance, the truth is, that online falsehoods and untruths in general will continue to be a scourge, a scourge to our community.
I would thus like to ask how the Government can continue to help Singaporeans guard against deliberate online falsehoods in an increasingly complex digital and media environment?
Next cut, please. The growing popularity of over-the-top (OTT) media services has led to a worldwide decline in viewership rating amongst free-to-air (FTA) TV channels. Although the Nielsen Singapore Media Index Report released in late 2018 found that approximately 3.4 million people in Singapore continued to tune in to FTA TV channels on a weekly basis, the same report also highlighted that there is an upward trend of people consuming on-demand OTT media services.
This cuts across all demographics and implies that, over time, fewer people will be exposed to Public Service Broadcasting messages from FTA TV channels and that the Government will need to explore other channels, other platforms and other medium to share these messages with Singaporeans. How is Public Service Broadcasting remaining relevant given the increasing competition for eyeballs from online and foreign platforms?
My third cut, Mr Chairman. The consumption of media has shifted from over-the-air broadcasting services to over-the-top (OTT) services that I mentioned in my previous cut. These OTT services offer media content directly to consumers via internet streaming; bypassing cable, broadcast and even satellite television platforms that were traditional distributors of media content.
Furthermore, the availability of OTT services also mean that consumers today have a greater variety of media content to choose from and are exposed to a wider range of media options from beyond our shores. This shift in media consumption pattern has brought about disruptions to the local media scene as our local media providers need to adapt quickly to offer a greater variety of original content over non-traditional platforms.
I would thus like to ask what plans the Government has to develop and support the local media industry in this evolving media environment?
Ms Tin Pei Ling: Access to and decisions based on timely and accurate information are important to any democracy. Singaporeans should have access to accurate information in forms that they can easily understand.
For a long time, it was highly challenging for older Singaporeans, many of whom were not English educated, to consume Government information as collaterals were typically in the English language. Attempted interpretations sometimes led to misinterpretations. Only selected material such as CPF letters come in different languages.
To the Government's credit, the situation has improved significantly. The multilingual WhatsApp service recently introduced during this COVID-19 outbreak has been most useful. We should scale up this multilingual capability to enable all Singaporeans to access all public information in a timely manner.
Therefore, what is the Government doing to ensure timely and inclusive access to all Government related information by all Singaporeans? How might the advancement of technology complement this effort?
Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Chairman, Sir, in the initial days when I set up offices overseas – whether it is China, Kuala Lumpur or Jakarta – I used a translator for the local contracts as well as for meetings. Lately, I have been using online platforms, especially in China and also in Malaysia. The online platforms that they produce locally enables me to do translation in double-quick time.
Somehow, I have a thought – what if we have a local project, given our multicultural and multilingual society, a local translation project and then, put it online or using technology to enhance it, it would be wonderful. Because it not only enhances individuals in terms of translating the languages and also the meaning of certain words across different cultures and across different languages, it will also enhance or enable businesses to be able to conduct its business in different languages as well.
So, I wanted to ask the Ministry whether it has such plans to be able to put up that online platform or to merge technology with languages.
Dr Teo Ho Pin (Bukit Panjang): Mr Chairman, Sir, to be a Smart Nation, it is important to first build a smart infrastructure. Subsequently, it is important that such we made accessible to all Singaporeans.
Sir, in Singapore, we have 4.7 million smart mobile device users. However, not all users have data plans to which, enable them to fully and freely use their smart mobile devices and mobile apps services.
Sir, the costs of subscription of these mobile data plans is an impediment to creating a Smart Nation. The speed at which we educate our smart mobile device users is another barrier, slowing our progress to becoming a digital society.
Sir, I would like to propose that all Community Clubs and Residents' Committee Centres be equipped with free access for Digital Services such as online news, e-Government services and e-learning services. This will encourage lifelong learning and active digital lifestyles among Singaporeans.
Sir, I wish to ask the Minister to update the House on the digital access scheme for low-income households and to consider providing subsidies for smart mobile devices and digital services for seniors.
Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Chairman, my cut is on the future role of our public libraries. Traditional paper\tbooks\tare gradually\tbeing\treplaced\tby electronic\tbooks.\tAccording\tto\tPew\tResearch\tCentre, the percentage of US adults that have used or read a print book in the past 12 months has fallen from 71% in 2011 to 65% last year. Conversely, the percentage of US adults that have read an e-book in the past 12 months have increased from 17% in 2011 to 25% in 2019.
This trend is not unique to US and is rather common amongst most developed countries. It is particularly pronounced amongst younger readers and increasingly so, younger readers have voiced their preference for reading from electronic devices. Borrowing from e-libraries using various applications such as Overdrive is also increasingly common. Many adults, including Singaporean adults are no longer visiting the library to pick up paper books, as they did in the past.
Bearing this in mind, there is a need to review the strategic positioning of future libraries, possibly as nodes to foster community or as common spaces for citizens to socialise or as venues to promote life-long learning. I think the possibilities are exciting and we are eager to hear from the Minister on his views about the future role of our libraries.
The Chairman: Minister Iswaran.
The Minister for Communications and Information (Mr S Iswaran): Mr Chairman, may I have your permission to display a few slides.
The Chairman: Yes, please. [Slides were shown to hon Members.]
Mr S Iswaran: It has been an eventful year for MCI. Not least because of viruses, both biological and digital. I want to thank all Members who have spoken and post their questions, queries and suggestions for my Ministry.
Several Members have spoken on the unprecedented and pervasive impact of digitalisation, as well as the exciting new opportunities it brings – for our economy, for our workers and our people.
Digital technology not only enhances enterprise productivity but also creates novel pathways to access new markets. In Southeast Asia alone, the digital economy will treble to US$300 billion by 2025. Exciting careers are emerging in both ICT and non-ICT sectors – in digital marketing, data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI). With the $8 billion Transform and Grow package in the Budget, we are investing significantly in the innovation capacity of our businesses and the skills of our people, so that they can fully realise these benefits. We therefore have good reasons to be optimistic about our digital future.
However, the promise of digitalisation is tempered by the uncertainty of change and the fear of disruption to businesses, jobs and even our lives. Enterprises, particularly SMEs, worry that they would not be able to keep pace with digitalisation and risked being marginalised. Some, including mid-career professionals, feel the long-term implications of new technologies like AI. The less tech savvy amongst our citizens are concerned that they are on the wrong side of a digital divide that is ever widening. Moreover, a persistent strain of online misinformation and falsehoods threatens to erode trust in our institutions and, ultimately, our democracy.
These are real concerns and they must be effectively addressed so that every business, every worker and every citizen has the assurance and the deep conviction that they too can thrive in a digital future. And that is the mission of my Ministry – to work with all Singaporeans to build a digital future where are opportunities for all, where no one is left behind, and where trust in our institutions is preserved.
In this Committee of Supply (COS) debate, Senior Minister of State Ann. Senior Minister of State Janil and I, in responding to Members' queries, will elaborate on how MCI is working on three broad thrusts to forge our digital future together by seizing digital opportunities, ensuring a digital future for all and securing our digital spaces.
Let me start with seizing digital opportunities, engaging internationally in digital trade and norm shaping.
Mr Cedric Foo has asked about our plans to enter into digital trade agreements and facilitate digital transactions. Mr Chairman, digital is the new frontier for trade, with cross border flows growing exponentially. And just as we did for international trade in goods and service, Singapore is now actively involved in shaping the international rules and norms that will govern digital trade. Our goal and our interest is to work with like-minded partners to ensure an open digital trade architecture and to guard against a new kind of protectionism.
That is why Singapore is actively pursuing Digital Economy Agreements (DEAs) with countries like Australia, Chile and New Zealand. These agreements will benefit businesses by providing for secure data flows and seamless cross-border digital payments. For example, when DEAs establish e-invoicing systems that are interoperable across borders, enterprises can transact at a lower cost with their international business partners because of faster invoice processing and payment.
I also want to assure Mr Foo that in undertaking these negotiations on DEAs, our Government agencies regularly consult our business interest, business agencies and organisations, in order to establish their interest and ensure that they are adequately captured and reflected in these DEAs.
We also need to foster trust in digital systems by building an international consensus on ethical and governance principles for nascent technologies and system threats. At this juncture, Mr Chairman, I want to hasten to add that MCI is not the progenitor of the idea of using facial recognition in Parliament. Mr Chairman, I think you are better placed on that.
The Chairman: For that, I am responsible.
Mr S Iswaran: Singapore has been an active participant in international platforms to shape global norms in cybersecurity and AI governance.
In cybersecurity, Singapore actively participates in the UN Open-Ended Working Group and the 25-member Group of Government Experts, to develop a rules-based cyber space and to implement norms for responsible state behaviour.
Earlier this year, I also launched the second edition of our Model AI Governance Framework at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos. The framework translates broad governance principles into practical guidelines for businesses who are implementing AI solutions.
Notably, diverse organisations, from Omada Health in San Francisco, to our DBS Bank and Pymetrics, a HR solutions provider, have adopted the best practices in the Model Framework. So, in other words, it is gaining recognition, acceptance and traction.
Seizing digital opportunities also requires world-class infrastructure and I want to like to highlight two important initiatives in this regard.
The first is 5G, which will be the backbone of our digital economy. We are committed to building a world-class, secure and resilient 5G network in Singapore. And that is why network design, resilience and security have been key requirements in IMDA's 5G Call for Proposal (CFP), which was launched last October.
The Government is also collaborating with industry partners, a point that both Mr Douglas Foo and Mr Mohamad Irshad have raised, to develop our 5G eco-system, learn from early trials for future development application and position Singapore at the forefront of global innovation in 5G applications and services.
Mr Irshad asked about the status of 5G rollout in Singapore. We have made good progress. At the close of the Call for Proposal (CFP) on 17 February, IMDA had received three submissions from the incumbent telcos – one each from Singtel and TPG, as well as a joint submission from StarHub and M1. IMDA is evaluating the proposals and aims to announce the award of the 5G spectrum by mid-2020. We are on track to commence 5G deployment this year, achieve substantial coverage in the next two years, and nationwide standalone coverage by 2025.
Mr Douglas and Mr Irshad have also asked about the benefit and cost of 5G. The initial deployment is expected to be in certain industry sectors and consumer applications where there is keen interest to explore innovative 5G use-cases. For example, PSA has had promising results in using 5G technology to control its Automated Guided Vehicles and automated cranes, in another step towards realising its vision of being a Smart Port. In terms of cost, similar to 3G and 4G services, the cost of service plans and handsets are expected to moderate as the technology matures.
Mr Irshad has also asked how we are modernising our logistics networks. This is an important point because driven by e-commerce growth, parcel deliveries have grown rapidly worldwide. In Singapore, around 200,000 parcels are delivered daily, with e-commerce projected to grow at 12% to 20% annually over the next five years.
So, it is neither productive nor sustainable for this growing volume of packages to all be delivered to the doorstep. We do need alternative solutions. We must enhance Singapore's last-mile delivery infrastructure. And that is why we have decided to deploy a nationwide parcel locker network. The network will be owned by IMDA and accessible to all logistics players. It will offer greater choice to consumers, while raising the productivity of the urban logistics sector. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann will further elaborate on the national parcel locker network initiative.
The goal of our DEAs and investment in world-class infrastructure is to benefit all our businesses. So, we are helping our companies, especially our SMEs, adopt digital solutions through IMDA's now well-known SMEs Go Digital initiative. A recent Singapore Business Federation (SBF) survey found that 94% of enterprises recognise the importance of digital technology in transforming businesses. So, the awareness is high and I think that is a starting point from which we can work.
But we can do more, especially to help our enterprises scale and access global markets through digital channels, as emphasised by Ms Rahayu Mahzam and Mr Ong Teng Koon. So, IMDA is launching a new initiative, under the overarching's SMEs Go Digital, and it is called Grow Digital, which will help SMEs access overseas opportunities without the need to establish a in-market physical presence. By connecting to B2B and B2C e-commerce platforms, our SMEs will benefit from smart matching with potential overseas clients, prompt access to financing offers through the platforms and integration with logistics companies for last-mile delivery.
Grow Digital will also help SMEs fully utilise Singapore's network of free trade agreements (FTAs) and our DEAs to extend their business linkages and grow their customer base.
More broadly, IMDA will continue to work with Government agencies and other stakeholders on the Industry Digital Plans (IDPs) for various sectors, such as sea transport, food services and accountancy. These IDPs guide SMEs on the digital solutions and training available at each stage of their digital journey and growth.
IMDA and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) launched the Food Services IDP in November 2018. A Nielsen study commissioned by ESG last year found that Food Services SMEs who had adopted digital solutions found them easy to implement, which is important, and 70% of these companies have seen shorter waiting times and greater satisfaction for customers. So, there is a tangible benefit.
Building on this momentum, the Government will develop IDPs and pre-approve more digital solutions to cover all 23 ITM sectors, up from the current 10. Through these IDPs, SMEs in sectors, such as construction, food manufacturing and adult and early childhood education, will benefit from dedicated digital roadmaps to help transform their business and upskill their workers.
Ultimately, this array of initiatives I have outlined to help our businesses make the digital transformation, must yield benefits and opportunities for our people. We know that digital disruption can cause profound anxiety for mature workers, especially those who may be more advanced in their careers and not have a technology background. They are, in fact, the focus of the Next Bound of SkillsFuture that Deputy Prime Minister Heng announced in the Budget. We want to pay special attention to these mid-career workers, many of whom are in their 40s and 50s, and most keenly feel the uncertainty caused by technological disruption, but they also stand to gain from the new jobs that are being created if the opportunity is presented and they have the requisite skills.
Mr Kevin Lee who went through Company-Led Training (CLT) under TeSA is an example. Mr Lee used to be a senior executive in sales and marketing at several leading technology MNCs. So, he was doing non-tech business in tech companies. After nine months of \"deep-skilling\" with AI Singapore, he is now an AI consultant, helping organisations figure out how best to use AI and machine learning technologies.
So, this is an important part of what we are doing with our mature workers already, but Ms Tin Pei Ling and Mr Ong Teng Koon have asked what more we can do, especially for mature workers and those who do not have a tech background.
The TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme is a tripartite effort between Government agencies, industry and NTUC to equip workers with digital skills and place them in good jobs in the Info-Communications and Technology (ICT) sector. IMDA works with trade associations like SG Tech to raise awareness of TeSA. SMEs also qualify for higher levels of funding support, especially for certain types of short-form training programmes.
Since its launch in April 2016, about 100,000 training places have been committed, so a progress from the number I gave earlier this year. For the Company-Led Training (CLT) programme and Tech Immersion and Placement Programme (TIPP), which are long-form courses – in other words, they are courses over a long duration and therefore go deeper – 90% of trainees successfully stayed in the job a year after the completion of training. So, there is traction in the market. The employers value and the employees get a job that they are able to secure and work from.
As part of the next bound for TeSA, IMDA is piloting a new programme, TeSA Mid-Career Advance, for professionals aged 40 and above. Our aim is to lessen the friction that gets in the way of mature workers being able to benefit from opportunities being created in tech sectors or the fast-growing tech areas. We expect to create in the ICT, ICM sectors over 20,000 jobs in the next two to three years.
We want to, on the one hand, make it easier for employers to bring these workers into their team, lessening some of the initial costs that might get in the way, and, at the same time, enable workers to bridge into these roles with the appropriate training.
Under TeSA Mid-Career Advance, the Government will support companies to hire and train mid-career professionals for tech-related jobs, regardless of whether they have an ICT background. Participating companies will benefit from access to a bigger pool of local talent as well as Government subsidies to partially offset the cost of the training and the salaries for the duration of the training. The mid-career individual will benefit from employment in a growth sector while gaining exposure, training and mentorship for up to 24 months.
For a start, we have set aside $70 million for this programme. Ten companies have already come on board and they have committed to about 500 positions covering many roles, both tech and tech-lite – from data analysts, cybersecurity engineers and cloud computing engineers, to business analysts, project managers and sales specialists. Over the next two to three years, we aim to place a further 2,000 Singaporeans in companies through this programme.
Mr Cedric Foo and Ms Tin Pei Ling have also asked how we will address the need to augment our local talent pipeline with the requisite talent from abroad in selected, emerging fields. The Government recognises that tech companies in Singapore and others whom we want to attract need specialists from overseas in certain fields. That is why we have programmes like Tech@SG, which provides fast-growth tech companies with access to business networks and talent, so as to build their teams in Singapore.
In addition, our economic agencies like EDB, IMDA and DISG, which is Digital Industry Singapore and working with the tech companies largely, work closely with them and see how they can be helped to secure the talent that is needed to complement the local pool and enable them to execute their strategies competitively.
In addition, and I think this goes to the point that Ms Tin Pei Ling raised, IMDA and Workforce Singapore help our companies to leverage this specialised expertise from abroad to develop new skill sets amongst Singaporeans – in other words, a transfer of capability – through the Capability Transfer Programme. That is a conscious part of this effort, even as we bring in talent from abroad to complement our local talent base.
Before I move away from the topic of talent, Mr Cedric Foo raised the point about what is happening in our Universities. I think the details and the more complete response will be given in the MOE Committee of Supply, but I think it would suffice for me to say that both in terms of quantity and quality, the intakes for the courses pertaining to computer science and so on have been rising. We see this as being a very rich pipeline that will then enter the industry and meet its needs.
Beyond jobs and businesses, as more citizens embrace technology to enrich their lives or access public services, we must make sure that no one feels out-paced by the change or left behind. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann will explain how we are increasing support for low-income households, seniors and children to ensure our digital future is an inclusive one.
In this mission, our libraries also have a very important role. Our libraries epitomise the spirit of the SG Together movement, bringing our people, volunteers and partners together in a supportive learning environment. The revamped library@harbourfront at VivoCity exemplifies this. In just one year since its opening in January last year, it has held over 360 programmes, more than a third of them run by members of the community. In other words, volunteers.
These unique partnerships form the model for the Libraries and Archives Plan (LAP25), and this goes to the point that Mr Cedric Foo raised. This is a five-year strategic plan for our libraries and archives. Over the next several months, NLB will be engaging with various communities, partners and stakeholders on its future strategies, collections and services to ensure that it continues to meet the needs and aspirations of Singaporeans in an evolving learning and knowledge landscape.
But to fully derive the benefits of digitalisation, we must protect ourselves from the threats in the digital domain. That is why we have instituted Digital Defence as the sixth pillar of Total Defence – to underscore the importance of ensuring that digital spaces where we increasingly interact, transact and rely on for information, are safe, secure and trustworthy.
Mr Cedric Foo has asked how we ensure that we are adequately protected in this environment. Ms Sylvia Lim also raised some questions pertaining to CSA and the work we do with the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). Cybersecurity is key, in particular to safeguard our Critical Information Infrastructure from cyber threats. CSA has been conducting regular reviews as well as exercises with the 11 CII sectors and the component agencies. But as Members can well appreciate, this is an iterative and on-going process, because the threats keep evolving and therefore, our capacity to deal with them must also keep evolving in tandem.
Later this year, we will also launch a Safer Cyberspace Masterplan to proactively monitor and prevent cyber threats and cyber crime, implement baseline security standards and increase the adoption of these safeguards by enterprises and citizens.
Data protection also takes on added importance in this context. That is why we are reviewing the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) – to support, on the one hand, the legitimate needs of businesses to harness data for innovative products and services, while protecting consumers' interests and increasing the accountability of organisations. Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary will elaborate on MCI's new measures to enhance cybersecurity and data security.
But we do have to go beyond cybersecurity and data protection, because ultimately, our aim is to uphold the values of our society, the strength of our institutions, and preserve our common spaces.
Today, the online space is where our hard-won cohesion could fray and splinter. In the digital age, our common spaces are no longer just physical. That is where our laws against online falsehoods become very important, a point that Mr Darryl David has asked.
POFMA has been used to place factual corrections next to the grievous falsehoods which distorted or fabricated facts. These falsehoods have pertained to the COVID-19 situation, police procedures and the management of public funds, among other things. If Singaporeans are duped into believing such falsehoods, it can sow fear, cause panic and erode trust in our institutions. That is why in response, we have used the powers under POFMA to juxtapose the truth with the falsehoods at the source, so that our citizens can see both and draw their own conclusions.
In this fight against online falsehoods, it is heartening to see Singaporeans stepping up to do their part. Amid many online rumours that have been circulating in the context of COVID-19, a group of students from NTU started a fact-checking initiative called \"Sure Anot\" – a bit of Singlish there – aimed at older Singaporeans. They developed a guide for seniors to assess information they receive, based on NLB's digital literacy framework – \"Source, Understand, Research, Evaluate\". They also collaborated with an independent fact-checking outfit to share reports of debunked rumours in Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
In a similar vein, I am also glad to share with Members that there are many initiatives from academia to study the challenges of the online information eco-system. In particular, NUS is setting up a Centre for Trusted Internet and Community that will drive research and strengthen public discourse on the impact of the internet and online harms. Senior Minister of State Janil Puthucheary will share the details.
All these strands of work to sustain trust and cohesion through information and communications were put to the test when the COVID-19 virus broke out. Mr Ong Teng Koon, Mr Mohamad Irshad and Prof Lim Sun Sun have all asked about the lessons learned from the experience. Mr Cedric Foo has asked specifically about the role that POFMA played in dealing with falsehoods about the virus.
COVID-19 is not a medical and public health challenge, it is also a psychological battle against fear and uncertainty. As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put it, \"Fear can actually do more harm than the virus itself\". The Government has therefore sought to allay the fears of our citizens and keep their trust by being transparent about the situation, the measures we are taking and the reasons for doing so, and giving regular information on the evolving situation.
Some have caused anxiety in our population by putting out falsehoods. POFMA correction orders were used to swiftly expose them by placing the truth alongside. Firmer levers were used when a recalcitrant Facebook page repeatedly posted falsehoods and refused to carry any corrections. It is abundantly clear that it would have been much harder to quell the spread of misinformation and keep the calm of our society without this set of POFMA measures, which are designed specifically to address falsehoods in the online space.
But to focus only on the use of POFMA for COVID-19 would be to miss the wood for the trees. MCI has also conducted a major public communication and education campaign through the print and broadcast mainstream media, Government websites and social media. The details are on the screen. Alas, removing The Straits Times' paywall is beyond my ken, but I do hope that the relevant people will heed Mr Ong Teng Koon's plaintive call and do the necessary.
We have collaborated with Mediacorp and local celebrities in all four official languages and also in dialects such as Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka and Hainanese. This communication campaign would have been much more challenging if we did not have the national platforms with the content and reach to engage and connect with Singaporeans.
Mr Darryl David asked how PSB will remain relevant amid the changing landscape. PSB has long been a key source of trusted information and common experiences. But with these changes in media landscape, we know that Singaporeans enjoy access to multiple media platforms but it is imperative that they also continue to access local content that reflects and strengthens our national voice and character. The Government will, therefore, invest more in PSB to ensure the quality and relevance to Singaporeans of this important medium.
Prof Lim has asked whether we can take a more strategic approach and integrate the multiple comms channels onto existing Government mobile apps like SG Secure. In today’s fragmented media landscape, we have to bring the information to our people through the different platforms that they rely on. That is the sheer reality of it. The diversity of channels is, therefore, an inevitable consequence. But I want to assure Prof Lim that, as part of MCI's on-going effort, we are working with Smart Nation Digital Office (SNDGO) and other agencies to see how we can further integrate and coordinate these different channels. But we should not let that overarching objective get in the way of responding to needs as they emerge, as they did in recent times with COVID-19.
Already, amid the COVID-19 situation, our efforts have out through new digital platforms. Digital display panels in HDB estates and Gov.sg WhatsApp channel have given almost real-time updates to Singaporeans. We have seen a huge surge in subscribers – over 650,000 in just five weeks – to gov.sg's WhatsApp service which issues regular messages in the four official languages.
This broad-based Government communication effort has been recognised and appreciated by our citizens and many others. From mid-to-late February, REACH conducted an online poll to understand public sentiments and more than 80% of Singaporeans or Singapore residents who were polled indicated that the Government had provided sufficient information about the COVID-19 situation. So, we are getting through, communicating, but we can always do better.
Mr Chairman, I would like to conclude by going back to where I began. It is clear that the digital future holds much promise for Singapore but there are real concerns over the impact of technology on our enterprises and jobs. Be it investment in world-class infrastructure to seize digital opportunities; ensuring digital opportunities for all by helping our mid-career professionals secure jobs in the growing ICT sector; or education and enforcement to strengthen the digital defence of our common spaces – our goal is to forge a digital future where our businesses have the abilities and capabilities to thrive, our workers have good jobs with the requisite skills, and our citizens lead fulfilling lives by embracing emerging digital technologies. And the Ministry of Communications and Information is resolutely committed to working together with all Singaporeans to forge this digital vision for our nation.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Dr Janil Puthucheary): Mr Chairman, digitalisation can bring greater convenience, efficiency, participation and better services for all. A secure digital infrastructure will be important to allow our citizens to live safely, work productively and enjoy themselves online.
Mr Cedric Foo, Mr Vikram Nair and Ms Sylvia Lim asked about the Government's efforts on cybersecurity. The Cyber Security Agency (CSA) has been working to protect our Critical Information Infrastructures (CIIs). This is the first pillar of Singapore’s cybersecurity strategy. These systems are critical for providing essential services, like energy and water.
Since the SingHealth Committee of Inquiry (COI) concluded a year ago, CSA has worked with CII sector leads to strengthen their defences and to implement the Committee’s recommendations. To date, the Energy, Infocomm, Security and Emergency sectors have fully implemented all the recommendations or compensating controls. Other sectors have made good progress and implemented measures for between 70% and 90% of their CIIs. We will continue to track their progress and enable the further implementation of these measures.
It is crucial to strengthen our defences on operational technology (OT) systems as well. These are systems that control physical and industrial processes and manufacturing equipment. As many of the CIIs rely on these, attacks on OT systems can cause physical disruption. To address this, CSA has launched the Operational Technology (OT) Masterplan in October last year to raise awareness and competencies in OT cybersecurity.
Mr Douglas Foo asked if Singapore has a cyber-response framework similar to the DORSCON Framework used to handle COVID-19. There are broad similarities in how we respond. CSA has a framework to calibrate the approach to mitigate potential threats. Should there be an incident of concern, this framework also helps us to coordinate an appropriate national response to secure our cyberspace – a response that will involve multiple stakeholders and agencies as well as private sector entities. Similar to containing COVID-19, in cybersecurity, we need processes to give us an early warning and a multi-stakeholder approach to mitigate any impact of a large-scale cyberattack.
We do this by ensuring timely information sharing from multiple sources. Under the Cybersecurity Act, CII owners are required to monitor systems and report incidents to CSA. CSA then works closely with industry and international partners to share cyber intelligence.
However, we must plan on the basis that we cannot prevent all cyber incidents. Determined attackers will always find new ways to breach our systems. So, we must be vigilant and be prepared to respond to and recover quickly from any attack. To these ends, CSA conducts regular exercises, such as Exercise Cyber Star, to prepare the nation in the event of a widespread cyberattack.
As part of Singapore’s Cybersecurity Strategy, the Government also works with businesses and the general public to improve their cybersecurity. For example, SingCERT provides regular advisories about identified vulnerabilities. Beyond the CIIs, CSA will continue to expand broad efforts to protect cyberspace through the new Safer Cyberspace Masterplan. This aims to make Singapore one of the most cyber-secure countries in the world, benefiting all.
The plan involves, firstly, securing Singapore’s digital core; secondly, safeguarding activities in cyberspace; and thirdly, empowering a cyber-savvy population. Details on this Safer Cyberspace Masterplan will be announced later in the year.
A growing area of concern is the Internet of Things (IoT). This refers to devices, like home routers, smart home hubs, which many of us may have in our homes and offices. We expect that the number of these devices will grow significantly as they become more and more useful. This poses a challenge because these devices typically have weak security and can be exploited by attackers, for example, in a distributed denial-of-service attack to flood systems and disrupt operations.
IMDA and CSA have been working closely to address these challenges and to educate users about these risks and the precautions that they can take to secure their devices. Going forward, CSA will be launching the Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme (CLS) for home routers and smart home hubs. The scheme will raise consumer awareness on more secure products and aims to encourage manufacturers to adopt additional cybersecurity safeguards.
IMDA will be setting minimum security requirements for home routers. This will improve baseline standards for such devices and will be a prerequisite to attaining the cybersecurity label. Together, IMDA and CSA will be launching a joint Public Consultation to seek feedback on this. In addition, IMDA will also be publishing an IoT Cyber Security Guide to offer enterprise users and their vendors better guidance on the deployment of IoT technology.
CSA has made good progress since the launch of the national Cybersecurity Strategy in 2016. But the Government alone cannot secure our cyberspace. CSA will continue to work with individuals and businesses to enhance Singapore's cybersecurity.
Ms Lim asked about CSA's role in the Public Sector Data Security Review Committee. CSA works closely with other Government agencies to enhance public sector data security. However, while related, data security and cybersecurity are different. Data security is concerned about the protection of data – whether this data is collected online or not. On the other hand, cybersecurity is concerned with the protection of systems, including, for example, train signalling. It extends beyond data protection. Both are essential and complementary.
To Ms Lim's point on vendor management, organisations are ultimately responsible for their obligations. These obligations continue when they decide to outsource certain functions. If they do so, they should perform due diligence to select the right third party providers with proven track records and maintain sufficient oversight over this outsourcing of functions.
I agree with Ms Tin Pei Ling that data is critical in this digital age. Data needs to be secure and interoperable to unlock its potential, to support innovation and to benefit consumers. The Trusted Data Sharing Framework introduced in June 2019 laid the groundwork for data interoperability and provided a common language as well as contractual templates to help organisations in Singapore share data in a trusted manner.
Internationally, Singapore is contributing to common data protection principles, for example, the ASEAN Framework on Digital Data Governance as well as the APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules and their Privacy Recognition for Processors Systems. This network of partnerships that Singapore has and our Digital Economy Agreements will also facilitate cross-border interoperability and collaboration.
We will introduce a new Data Portability Obligation in the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) so that individuals can have their data transmitted between organisations in a commonly used format. This will also improve data interoperability.
On Ms Tin's questions on data centres, Singapore’s data centre market is expected to grow about 5% annually until 2024, according to a 2019 report by Cushman and Wakefield. We are mindful about the environmental impact of these data centres. As part of our nation-wide efforts to combat climate change, IMDA is working with EDB to improve the efficiency of these data centres.
Mr Ong Teng Koon and Mr Yee Chia Hsing asked about Singapore's data protection regime. As we generate and store more data online, it is essential that our regulations enable the innovative, legitimate use of data and simultaneously safeguard consumer interest. The collection, use and disclosure of personal data are regulated by laws like the PDPA. This includes personal data shared between organisations and data collected through facial recognition technology. Personal data must be protected and used for reasonable purposes, like security, as mentioned by Mr Yee. Conversely, the example cited by Mr Ong of the sale of personal data to other organisations without consent would be in breach of the PDPA. Organisations are responsible for expunging the personal data when it no longer serves the purposes for which it was collected. Public agencies are held to similar standards under the Public Sector (Governance) Act.
In order to promote the responsible use of facial recognition technologies, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and the Government Data Office will publish guides on the responsible use of biometric technology this year. The guides will include best practices and policies on the end-to-end management of data collected via such technology.
For online consent agreements, the PDPA continues to apply. Organisations must ensure that online consent agreements are clear and spell out the reasonable purposes for which the individuals’ consent is being sought. The PDPC also updated the Guide to Notification last year, providing organisations examples of how to utilise just-in-time notifications and obtain dynamic consent. This allows individuals to make informed decisions as and when relevant, instead of one-off lengthy consent agreements.
As part of the effort to continually support data-driven innovation and to strengthen the accountability of these organisations and consumer trust, the Government is reviewing the PDPA. The key proposed amendments under this review include: (a) obligating organisations to notify affected individuals and the PDPC of significant data breaches; (b) strengthening PDPC's enforcement powers; and (c) instilling accountability practices like risk assessments for organisations. We plan to amend the PDPA later this year.
I announced on 28 February 2020 that the Government will be sharing more data with businesses and researchers to spur innovation. As we do so, the high standards of data protection that the Government imposes on itself must be extended to third parties using three guiding principles. First, the data is shared with these non-Government entities (NGEs) only when there is a specified purpose that will benefit the public. Second, as a general rule, only de-identified data is shared. Third, access controls and safeguards should be spelt out in contracts with these NGEs.
Protecting our citizens online includes shielding consumers from scam calls. IMDA has worked with the telcos to block international scammers from making their phone call look like they are coming from commonly spoofed numbers, such as 999 and 995. We will move on to introduce measures to stop international scammers from trying to spoof numbers that look like they are a local number, targeting our citizens by introducing a requirement to have the \"+\" symbol as a prefix for all overseas calls. We hope this will help consumers better identify international spoof calls and reject them.
The Government will continue to develop additional measures to combat scams so that our citizens can be better protected. MCI will work closely with other agencies in the newly formed Inter-Ministry Committee on Scams announced by MHA to strengthen our collective efforts to tackle this problem.
Mr Darryl David and Mr Vikram Nair asked about measures to guard against deliberate online falsehoods. These can threaten our multiculturalism and the harmony of our society. We must protect our social cohesion in the real world and online to uphold the shared values of Singapore. The Select Committee on Deliberate Online Falsehoods recommended for the Government to support fact-checking initiatives and strengthen public education to build an informed and discerning citizenry. We will do so together with a range of partners.
One timely development is the National University of Singapore (NUS)'s decision to establish a Centre for Trusted Internet and Community. The Centre will research how societies discern online harms and how to build responsible public discourse. MCI welcomes this effort. This will be an important academic complement to existing efforts that nurture healthy, well-informed and inclusive online activity.
Finally, Chairman, we must support all workers as our economy digitalises. Technological disruptions have changed how we work, creating new roles and new manpower demands. The Government will continue to support all Singaporeans to capitalise on these opportunities and to meet industry needs.
Mr Ong and Ms Tin asked about tech talent in Singapore. We must work with stakeholders to expand our talent pool and strengthen career developmental pathways for emerging roles. To grow our workforce, we have collaborations with the private sector. We are very glad that industry, for example, Apple and Alibaba collaborate with us. IMDA has been collaborating with them to develop programmes for Secondary school students to help them develop some experience in marketing and pitching business ideas as the develop the technological skills, applying some of these skills to problems that interest them; for example, waste identification and recyclable materials. These industry-led programmes allow young minds in Singapore to develop technological skills, contribute to the causes that they find meaningful and prepare themselves for their future.
We will have to continue to make sure all Singaporeans – including those who did not learn tech skills in schools – are supported as they take on these technology-based roles. We will actively groom the innovation talent through mentorships, overseas attachments and structured training to position Singapore as a digital hub.
Under SkillsFuture, the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) initiative supports professionals to upgrade their skills for the Digital Economy. These programmes include the Company-Led Training (CLT) and the Cyber Security Associates and Technologists (CSAT) programme. These support the transition of both ICT professionals as well as non-ICT professionals into technology-based jobs. So, they provide an opportunity for people who are in a technology-based profession to shift their skillset, shift their career focus as well as people who have not had specific ICT training to develop ICT skills and move into a technology-based job.
Not just the companies, not just the Government, but also our trade associations are also actively contributing to these efforts.
Under the Career Compass initiative, experienced ICT mentors from the Singapore Computer Society partnered Workforce Singapore to provide career guidance to aspiring technology professionals. SGTech also manages Professional Conversion Programmes with platform companies such as Salesforce to train and place workers into new roles. These new roles include examples such as data protection officers (DPOs) and cybersecurity professionals. There are many new jobs and exciting opportunities that are being created, and we have to increase our effort to support the professional development in these new roles.
I agree with Mr Patrick Tay on the need to upskill these DPOs. As he noted, the PDPCs DPO Competency Roadmap and Training Framework aims to support this. PDPC will collaborate with partners such as NTUC, to roll out additional courses and targets to train 500 DPOs in the first year. I encourage more workers to tap on such training to deepen their skills in data protection and seize the opportunities in this growing field.
Other than data protection, cybersecurity, as we have discussed, is a critical enabler for digitalisation and we will need more cybersecurity professionals to protect our cyber space. CSA is launching the SG Cyber Talent initiative to reach out to more than 20,000 individuals over three years, through existing and new programmes. This will build a pipeline of cybersecurity professionals to support Singapore's ambition to be a cybersecurity hub.
Under the SG Cyber Talent programme, CSA will introduce two new programmes this year.
First, CSA will work with the cybersecurity community and educators to nurture young Singaporeans with an aptitude in cybersecurity. This will provide participants with an arena for cyber sparring for mentorship for customised training and some support to participate in overseas competitions. Secondly, CSA will build communities of practice, offering training in cybersecurity and connecting cybersecurity leadership to global best practises and technologies. This will equip these leaders to secure their organisations more effectively.
Singapore's cybersecurity workforce is important not just for the development of a competitive digital economy, but also for our national security. To Ms Lim's query on how CSA ensures that it has the expertise and knowledge for its mission, CSA has a Cybersecurity Professional Scheme and a Cybersecurity Competency Framework. Together, these guide the professional development of our offices and allow CSA to attract and retain people with the right skill sets. CSA Academy has also been working with global partners to provide intermediate and advanced training for CSA, as well as for the critical information infrastructure (CII) sectors since 2018. To date, the Academy has trained about 200 professionals.
Mr Chairman, I have spoken about MCI's efforts to secure our digital infrastructure to protect our cohesive society and to support all workers. With this approach, we can seize the digital opportunities and embrace digitalisation with confidence together.
The Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information (Ms Sim Ann): Sir, like the rest of the world, Singapore is headed towards a digital future. It is MCI's mission to ensure this digital future is also a brighter one for all Singaporeans.
In my speech, I will address three key strategies to realise this goal. First, help citizens get more out of the digital economy by improving last-mile delivery infrastructure.\tSecond, strengthen social cohesion by making trusted information widely available. And third, help all citizens to be digitally connected.
Mr Mohamed Irshad talked about disruption and future prospects for post as well as parcels. Members would recall SingPost had a number of service lapses in 2018 and early 2019. We are in a different place this year. SingPost has been improving service delivery since 2019 to rebuild public trust. They have extended delivery hours for peak periods, improved staff remuneration and also hired more postmen.
Consumer complaints fell by about 40% in December 2019 compared to 2018. Consumer satisfaction has also grown. SingPost's stronger performance reflects the efforts they have put in. MCI and IMDA will continue to work closely with SingPost to enhance its service delivery.
Mr Irshad also asked about the future prospects of postal industry. In Singapore, the popularity of e-commerce has led to a steady increase in parcel deliveries. But given Singapore's urban context and consumers' busy lifestyles, doorstep deliveries often mean missed deliveries. Our postal infrastructure must evolve to offer practical alternatives to doorstep deliveries so that all logistics service providers, and not just SingPost can overcome this costly challenge.
Building on the success of the Locker Alliance pilot, IMDA will launch a nationwide deployment of 1,000 locker stations in HDB estates, MRT stations and Community Centres by the end of 2022. This will complement existing commercial locker stations and doorstep deliveries. The goal is to place a locker station around five minutes' walk from every HDB block. Users can collect their parcels on their way to work, or on their way home, any time of the day. Merchants and logistics service providers will also enjoy greater delivery efficiency. This may result in more competitive delivery prices for consumers. IMDA has received strong support from major e-commerce marketplaces like Qoo10 and Shopee, and logistics service providers like Qxpress. IMDA will also partner with SingPost to leverage its extensive postal service experience.
As we strengthen infrastructure, we must also safeguard our social cohesion. We believe all citizens should have access to trusted information. We do this in two ways. First, our media industry creates compelling content for its audiences. MCI supports the growth of the media sector so it stays ahead of the curve. Second, our Government communications are always centred on citizens. MCI varies the modes of engagement, using face-to-face and multilingual communications to connect with all Singaporeans. Let me cover them in turn.
The media industry plays a significant role in keeping citizens well informed. Mr Darryl David asked how the Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) can continue to be relevant. PSB has evolved alongside citizens' consumption preferences by providing customised content across multiple platforms.
For example, Mediacorp's vernacular programmes are taking a multi-platform approach. To widen audience engagement, Vasantham brought the Deepavali Countdown Show 2019 directly to audiences in Little India. Viewers were able to celebrate in Little India with the \"live\" show, and catch the telecast on meWatch and Vasantham's social media platforms. Tech-savvy younger audiences can also enjoy more online content tailored for them. IMDA is partnering popular digital platforms such as The Smart Local and Viddsee to produce a wide range of drama programmes and documentaries, which will be available this year.
Mr Darryl David also asked about plans to develop the media industry amid competition from over-the-top (OTT) media services, such as Netflix. The Skills Framework for Media, maps out career pathways and skills in emerging trends such as immersive media, to help media professionals stay relevant. Mentorship programmes like WritersLab, ProducersLab and the Story Lab Apprenticeship also help media professionals sharpen their tools of the trade. These programmes will benefit over 200 media professionals over the next two years.
IMDA is also helping local media content go global. I am glad to see the rise of \"made with Singapore\" content in recent years. One example is the drama series \"Food Lore\" by home-grown company, Bert Pictures and prominent directors in Asia. The drama has sparkled on the international stage and done us proud. Through initiatives like the Capability Partnership Programme, IMDA will continue to collaborate with global players such as Facebook and CJ ENM Hong Kong, and strengthen the expertise of local media companies.
Ms Tin Pei Ling asked how the Government ensures timely access to information for Singaporeans. This brings me to my second point on citizens. We are strengthening last-mile engagement to connect with citizens face-to-face. Strong community partnership amplifies these efforts. For example, 3,000 Silver Generation (SG) Ambassadors actively engage seniors with regard to the Merdeka Generation Package or the MGP. One of the SG Ambassadors is Mr Kong Seet Kiang. Already 70 years old, he has been volunteering three days a week since 2015 and a familiar face among Bukit Timah seniors.
MGP roadshows are also in full swing in the heartlands. With the deep involvement of the community, the Government has engaged nearly 200,000 MG seniors and their families at over 200 roadshows and events.
Good translation is essential for important messages to reach all segments of Singapore society. MCI's Translation Department (TD) undertakes the most important pieces of translation work for the Government. It also champions high standards when it comes to translated work produced by all public agencies, whether done in-house or outsourced.
Over the years, MCI initiated various moves to boost our translation capabilities, producing increasing quantities of translated materials, at good quality and at speed. MCI is now ready to consolidate these moves. We will signal a higher level of aspiration, by repositioning MCI's translation department (TD) as the whole-of-Government Centre of Excellence for Translation.
The Centre of Excellence will drive three key workstreams: talent, technology and partnerships.
First, we will groom translation talents and upskill industry practitioners. This is done through programmes like the MCI Information Service (Translation) Scholarship and the Translation Talent Development Scheme.
Second, we use technology to improve the speed and quality of Government translation work. In the national fight against COVID-19, our machine translation engine, known as SG Translate, has been supporting the translation of public communications materials in vernacular languages. As SG Translate produces translations that suit the local context, it is more accurate than other machine translation tools. Mr Teo Ser Luck asked how we are involving more partners to enhance translation technology. We fully agree partnerships are important to share knowledge and expertise. That is why MCI is launching a new pilot project, SG Translate Together, to rally Singaporeans to improve SG Translate. From 2021, MCI will invite selected groups, including businesses and schools, to submit quality translations through a web portal. The more quality inputs we receive, the more data for training the engine, and the stronger the technology’s underlying AI will become. We will open up the web portal progressively to more users. This will benefit more practitioners while also growing the engine’s capability.
Third, MCI is also strengthening partnerships to close translation gaps. For example, we are working with organisations with skilled translators to meet periodic surges in translation demand within the public sector. We also have retainer arrangements to boost vetting capabilities. Here I want to say a very big thank our translation partners. There is so much more we can do together. Let us continue our partnership to ensure strong Government communications for our citizens.
If translation is the bridge to connect our multiracial communities, then preserved records open a window to Singapore's shared heritage. To strengthen cohesiveness, we must remember the shared history that binds us. The National Library and the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) are widening public access to national and social memories. At the on-going Legal Deposit display at Bedok Public Library, Singaporeans can access a vast array of publications from yesteryear. One of them is the book \"Assembly Songs\", a valuable compilation of school songs of the past.
In total, the Legal Deposit collection has more than 1.37 million items contributed by publishers. With the updated National Library Board (NLB) Act empowering NLB to archive digital materials, NLB has also added 40,000 Singapore websites to its digital collection, preserved for generations to enjoy. The NAS will be launching a crowdsourcing initiative to capture treasured sights and sounds of Singapore. Citizens can play a part by contributing under categories such as \"Sounds of the Heartlands\" and \"Festivals and Celebrations\".
Anchored by our past, we can face the future with confidence. To bring Singapore forward, Minister Iswaran said all citizens should feel confident about seizing digital opportunities. Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Digitalisation has disrupted industries, transforming jobs and creating new ones. Companies in Singapore are innovating more. The demand for high-skilled roles is set to grow. This will create new opportunities for the workforce in roles such as product managers, data scientists and software engineers.
We must support all workers in skills transition. One segment the Government is focusing on is mid-career professionals. With digitalisation creating disruption alongside opportunities, this group of professionals may face challenges in career transitions. However, their rich experience makes them invaluable to the economy.
The TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA) programme supports workers to acquire new ICT skills.
50-year-old Mr Tan Wai Chong worked in the IT field for 25 years. He has always been interested to learn new skills. With structured training from PSA through TeSA’s Company-Led Training programme, he took on an advanced tech role. He is now an Application Developer with PSA.
To support more mid-career professionals like Mr Tan, IMDA is launching the TeSA Mid-Career Advance programme for Singaporeans aged 40 and above.
The programme will comprise training and mentorship of up to 24 months to equip mid-career professionals with competencies for in-demand tech roles. For a start, about 10 companies have come on board, and committed to about 500 training placements. IMDA aims to benefit an additional 2,000 mid-career professionals over the next two to three years.
Together with the industry, we will support these professionals to further their careers with confidence.
(In English): Chairman, back to English. Technology can empower our people. However, some segments of the population, such as seniors and low-income households, may feel lost in the digital society. They may struggle to catch up. I understand their anxiety.
Singapore must therefore focus on digital inclusion. We must overcome age, income and literacy gaps, so everyone can reap the benefits of the digital economy.
Mr Vikram Nair asked about measures to boost digital readiness, while Dr Teo Ho Pin asked how we are improving digital access for low-income households and seniors.
NLB and IMDA are galvanising the community and industry to build digital literacy and skills. This is in sync with the Singapore Together movement, where the Government partners with Singaporeans to build a better future.
To support low-income Singaporeans, the Home Access Programme has subsidised broadband for over 14,000 households. One of the beneficiaries is Mr D Rashpal Singh Sidhu. With subsidised broadband, Mr Sidhu found a part-time job after searching online. He also uses the Internet to stay in touch with overseas relatives.
However, while household broadband access in Singapore has increased over the years, some low-income households are still unconnected. To benefit more low-income households, IMDA will enhance the Home Access Programme from April. IMDA will partner with M1, MyRepublic Limited and NetLink Trust to defray the cost of broadband for low-income households, while offering faster broadband speeds. IMDA will also offer a wider range of devices, giving households the choice of either a subsidised smartphone or tablet. We aim to benefit 10,000 more low-income households over three years.
We are also helping seniors to learn digital skills. IMDA, together with partners such as NLB, organised over 200 free Digital Clinics in libraries and community spaces to help seniors with their smartphone devices. Some 3,000 volunteers have reached out to over 15,000 seniors island-wide. One of these seniors is 64-year-old Madam Safia Bte Mohd Salleh. Through Digital Clinics, she discovered useful apps to make polyclinic and hospital appointments, and check the arrival times of buses. She plans to visit Digital Clinics again to learn more.
There are also ground-up efforts to help children navigate the online environment safely. This is important as they are increasingly exposed to technology from an early age. The Media Literacy Council is partnering Google to bring a mobile interactive exhibition on online safety to primary schools this year. Students can learn about online safety, cyber-bullying and the actions to take when encountering problems online. Our Singapore Fund for Digital Readiness also supports community efforts to combat online risks. For example, a group of NTU students organised an exhibition to raise awareness of online child grooming. Visitors could step into the shoes of victims through interactive installations. I visited the exhibition last week. It was very well done, and the messages hit home. I applaud the strong contributions of the community to promote online safety.
Our march towards the digital future must also be matched by an unwavering sense of community. In the fast-moving digital world, it is more important than ever to connect people through common spaces and programmes.
Our libraries play a key role in this. They have transformed over the years to become trusted and treasured spaces where people can bond, socialise and learn.
Mr Cedric Foo asked how we are revamping libraries to ensure they stay relevant in a digital world. We have revamped six libraries under the Libraries of the Future initiative. Strong community engagement to encourage lifelong learning is the hallmark of these libraries. For example, at library@harbourfront, which opened last year, citizens young and old can learn about emerging technology at The Tech Showcase. Interactive displays on topics like educational robotics offer an engaging learning experience. Families can also participate in hands-on activities at the children's makerspace. The revamped libraries have seen an increase of 73% in total visitors and 49% in total loans in the first year of operation. Our libraries are an exception to the global trend of falling library usage.
We are continuing our libraries' transformation. NLB will revamp eight more libraries from now to 2026. They include Choa Chu Kang Public Library, Central Public Library, Queenstown Public Library and Marine Parade Public Library. In addition to these, a brand new Punggol Regional Library is in the works.
These future libraries will play a stronger role in connecting Singaporeans. They will build inclusive learning communities. For example, Punggol Regional Library will offer spaces and collections for all age groups and needs. Users with disabilities and children with special needs can enjoy customised services. The library will also house a specially curated world children’s literature collection so younger Singaporeans can appreciate cultural diversity from an early age.
Mr Chairman, the digital future presents endless possibilities. MCI will persevere in our efforts to ensure every business, worker and citizen can seize digital opportunities. We will continue to nurture enduring partnerships to realise this vision, and leave no one behind. Let us work together, as one nation, to forge a strong digital future.
The Chairman: Clarifications. Mr Irshad.
Mr Mohamed Irshad: Mr Chairman, I welcome the deployment of the thousand lockers across Singapore, particularly to have it located within five minutes of the HDB block. Just one clarification for the Senior Minister of State. She mentioned the roll-out of the locker network will be overseen and managed by IMDA. Can the Ministry study the possibility of setting up a new unit or an entity under either MCI or MOT, similar to Home Team Science and Technology Agency or HTX under MHA. This entity will then have a clear mandate focusing on digitising and driving innovation and transformation in the post, parcel and logistic industry in Singapore by setting relevant standards trialing and driving adoption of new innovative technology such as, say, drone delivery and blockchain traceablility?
Ms Sim Ann: I thank Mr Ishad for his question. Within IMDA, in fact, there is already a sector transformation group whose work is to support the digitalisation as well as transformation of different industry sectors. Urban Logistics is one of them and the Nationwide Parcel Locker Network that we talked about is one of the initiatives under this particular sector.
The Chairman: Mr Cedric Foo.
Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Chairman, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State, Ms Sim Ann, whether or not we can confidently say that no child in a Singapore school will be without a computer and broadband access if their family cannot afford one.
Ms Sim Ann: To answer Mr Cedric Foo's question, this is, I think, a very important goal to ensure that every child in Singapore is able to learn well and is able to make the full use of the benefits of digital learning. This is a goal shared by MCI as well as MOE. We will do our part in terms of ensuring that low-income households are able to have home access and also at the same time we do partner MOE to also ensure that at the school level, every child who needs digital devices or computers is also being served.
The Chairman: Mr Irshad.
Mr Mohamed Irshad: Just one other clarification. I welcome the move to set up gov.sg WhatsApp group, a WhatsApp channel to communicate with the public. At which point does MCI determine which channel to communicate with, for example, there is also Telegram. So, what were the considerations behind choosing which platform as a third party platform to communicate with the public?
Mr S Iswaran: Chairman, I thank the Member for his question. As I said earlier, we have to choose the channel according to both the target segment that we want to reach out to but also in terms of our ability to respond situationally. In this case, the COVID-19 outbreak occurred very quickly, we sensed that there is going to be an immediate need for a reliable source of information for our population. What we then did was to repurpose an existing channel, which was a WhatsApp channel that was already available – that was used for communication for certain types of information, particularly the Merdeka Generation package and related information – and we decided that we would repurpose it and make that an immediate mechanism by which we convey the requisite – the relevant information to our population.
I think it has worked well, as evidenced by the response that we have seen from the subscribers, but we do not preclude the possibility of using other channels. But this was responding to an immediate need with the tool that was available to us with the shortest possible notice.
Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Chairman, some months ago, we had a healthy discussion between Mr Pritam Singh and myself about POFMA; whether the Judiciary is best party to act, or whether the Executive branch is better placed to act on the issuance of Correction Notices. I think the recent COVID-19 outbreak is a good example of when to use POFMA. From the recent experience using POFMA for this purpose, does the Minister feel even stronger now, that this is a job best left for the Executive branch?
Mr S Iswaran: Chairman, I thank the Member, who is the Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee, for his comment. As I emphasised, I think what COVID-19 has in particular brought to the fore, is the need for swift action, when you are trying to ensure a falsehood does not gain traction and mislead the population. In a situation like an epidemic, it is essential that our population stays calm, gets advice and information from reliable sources, and is able to then take appropriate measures.
In that context, we have found POFMA, the tools and also the ability to exercise those tools, the authority that is vested in the Executive to exercise those tools, to have been very effective. It has, I think, demonstrated the case that we made in the course of the debate, in introducing the legislation, that one of the reasons, not the only, but a key reason for wanting to site that authority with the Executive arm, was to ensure the ability to respond decisively, swiftly given the virulence and virality of falsehoods that are pervade online. I think our COVID-19 experience has reinforced, if anything, that conviction; and certainly, we have no reason to question the reasons for doing so.
The Chairman: Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh: Mr Chairman, thank you. I do not mean to open the debate that we had on POFMA again but the position as far as the Workers' Party is concerned, is still the same. Indeed, you have instances of fake news in the case of epidemics, even pandemics; certainly, they have to be taken down swiftly. But there are different modalities that swift action can manifest itself in. And the Workers' Party position is that there are still other options, apart from Executive orders, that can eventuate in that outcome.
Mr Vikram Nair: Chairman. One of the points I mentioned was I think POFMA is very useful in handling online falsehoods. But, I think in the COVID-19 situation, one of the things we realised, a lot of the falsehoods spread through messaging apps such as WhatsApp for which the Correction Orders in POFMA would not work effectively. So, is there anything else we can do about that? Either future legislation or what I had suggested was, better education of the population.
Mr S Iswaran: Mr Chairman, without wanting to prolong that discussion on POFMA, let me just say that, I think, essentially this is one of the reasons why we were very keen to move on the gov.sg WhatsApp service. Because, firstly, if it succeeded in terms of its reach to a large base of the population, it meant that they had a reliable source of information on COVID-19 through a channel that they are already quite accustomed to using. Secondly, if you were to receive such information reliably through WhatsApp, in this case, then there is also the ability for individuals who might encounter other sorts of information through other chat groups that they belong to, individuals can then forward this to basically provide the countervailing point of view. So, we think that that is a good start.
In terms of the actual mechanisms for dealing with platforms like WhatsApp because they have end-to-end encryption and so they pose a different kind of challenge in terms of the POFMA regulation compared to some of the other platforms.
As we said during the POFMA debate, we are taking an approach which takes into account the variations across different platforms and that includes WhatsApp and Facebook whom we are engaging in an on-going discussion.
The Chairman: Mr Cedric Foo, would you like to withdraw your amendment, please?
Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Chairman, indeed digital technology will be a key enabler for a brighter future for Singapore. Listening to Senior Minister of State, Ms Sim Ann, Senior Minister of State, Dr Janil and Minister Iswaran, I am sure my colleagues share my view that we are in good hands. That is because they do not only talk about technology and digits, they were talking about people. Chairman, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $1,004,918,400 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $37,103,300 for Head Q ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply – Head S (Ministry of Manpower)","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"The Chairman: Head S, Ministry of Manpower, Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (West Coast): Sir, I beg to move, \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head S of the Estimates be reduced by $100\".
I wish to dedicate my cut to highlighting three important manpower issues in Singapore to enhance fairness and opportunity – for all workers, regardless of the work that they do and their workplaces. First, Singaporean Core; second, mature and mid-career workers and Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs); third, freelance and self-employed.
On strengthening the Singaporean Core, I applaud the recent move by the MOM to further augment and strengthen the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) and the naming of recalcitrant companies and employers. I congratulate the good work done by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP).
I wish to ask MOM to provide an update on how effective the FCF has been to level the playing field for Singaporean PMEs and remove nationality discrimination in hiring practices. Since 1 August 2014, how many complaints have been received and how many companies have MOM called up for additional scrutiny and what has been the success rate in convincing and ensuring that companies discontinue their poor hiring practices.
Many PMEs I have met have shared that they are not unhappy with foreign PMEs who bring in huge businesses and investments in Singapore and have unique international competencies. Instead, they are unhappy with foreign PMEs doing jobs which Singaporeans can undertake and do. At the same time, we want to see further efforts to encourage capability transfer, so that we can develop a Singaporean Core across all levels of hierarchy, from rank and file to top management.
In this area of strengthening the Singaporean Core, I have four suggestions. First, with the rise of S Pass numbers, can MOM explore extending the FCF to S Pass holders as well. Second, whether MOM can review the salary ceiling for Employment Pass applicants to level the playing field for our Singaporean PMEs. This is also in consideration of the rise in median and entry salaries of our local PMEs. Third, to review and better scrutinise the FCF exemption on intra-company transfers. Fourth, whether MOM can push ahead in creating more flexible work-from-home opportunities for Singaporeans.
The question to ask is, are there tasks or jobs that can be arranged to be performed by Singaporeans who require very flexible work arrangements, for example stay-at-home dads or mums, care-givers for parents, those with family members who are ill and so on. I find this important, particularly with an ageing populace. This can also be a source of employment for those who are not able to fit into the current model of flexible employment, where work can still be delivered for less time-critical tasks.
On mid-career and mature PMEs, I highlighted during the Budget Debate on the exacting challenges faced by mid-career and mature workers especially PMEs in the area of finding work and staying employable. I wish to ask MOM for an update including the take-up figures, retrenchment and data on the various schemes under the Adapt and Grow since it was first launched. In particular, I wish to ask first on the Professional Conversion Programme (PCP) – further sub-divided into PCP for new entrants as well as those pre-emptive in-employment PCPs. I also wish to ask how MOM intends to make the PCP an attractive option for PMEs and better manage the dropout rate of PCP candidates.
Second, the Career Support Programme (CSP) was rolled out on 1 October 2015 to encourage employers to hire mature PMEs for jobs paying $4000 and above, by providing salary support. I wish to ask how CSP has made mid-career PMEs more employed and employable. In particular, are there avenues to further enhance and expand the CSP scheme so as to help more mid-career PMEs land themselves in suitable quality jobs.
Third, the Jobs Bank, now known as the My Careers Future portal. How successful has the portal been to connect mid-career PMEs to jobs and minimise situations whereby there is jobs and skills mismatch? I also wish to ask if further enhancements can be made so the portal can also leverage on big data to better enhance job matching.
By the same token, anecdotally, I still hear complaints of ageism in the hiring of workers in various workplaces. Though not rampant, this is and will be a growing challenge as we face the imminent challenges of an ageing workforce, an increasingly mature and older workforce, and as we raise the retirement and re-employment ages.
Job redesign and augmented technology and intelligence are imperatives but will not be the dynamic panacea. I cannot emphasise the need for us to change mindsets and attitudes towards this segment of workers. Besides the tripartite partners, our people and society as a whole must embrace the changing fabric of the Singaporean workforce so that we can overcome unfortunate stereotyping and mental models.
On freelancers and self-employed, this group of workers are one big group affected by the current COVID-19 situation. To mitigate the effects brought about by the outbreak and better support freelancers and self-employed persons during this lull period, I reiterate the call I made during the Budget debate to extend the absentee payroll – which is traditionally used to fund employers – to this group of workers. This is so that they can also have the opportunity to go for skills upgrading and training, while receiving a training allowance. NTUC stands ready to partner the Government to administer the Surrogate Employer Programme, so that we can better encourage our freelancers and self-employed persons to come forward for training. Sir, in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] How to ensure that all workers including white-collar, blue-collar and freelancers are treated fairly has always been an area of concern of NTUC. In this regard, I have three suggestions.
Firstly, MOM recently reviewed its Fair Consideration Framework to act as a deterrent for employers who discriminate against Singaporeans. This is indeed very encouraging. At the same time, we must continue to strengthen our Singaporean core, for example, by tightening the eligibility criteria for S Pass and EP holders, or even by providing more opportunities for Singaporeans to adopt flexi-work arrangements.
Meanwhile, we want to better assist Singaporeans between 40 to 60 years old to find good jobs and to stay relevant. Can we consider enhancing the various government schemes, such as the Professional Conversion Programme, Career Support Programme or even the Jobs Bank, in order to help more Singaporeans secure better jobs and to enjoy better career advancement? As the workforce ages, I encourage everyone to change their mindsets and attitudes towards middle-aged and senior workers.
Thirdly, the COVID-19 outbreak has greatly impacted a lot of freelancers and self-employed workers. Our priority is to help this group of workers and other neglected workers during this period and allow them to receive wage supplements during leave of absence. NTUC stands ready to partner the Government to administer the Surrogate Employer Programme so that we can better encourage our freelancers to come forward for training and upskilling.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast): Mr Chairman, the support for Singaporean workers aged 40 to 60 years in this year's Budget is a welcome move. With technological advances and digital disruptions, businesses need talent as they transform. Mid-career workers are concerned as the nature of work and jobs are changing and they worry that there may not be enough or suitable jobs. Paradoxically, we see a situation where companies are seeking skilled talent and are facing a talent crunch. Mid-career workers who are displaced are finding it harder to find suitable employment.
As we focus on supporting mid-career workers on re-skilling for new roles to meet changing business requirements, I want to stress that we should also build upon the experience, expertise and knowledge of mid-career workers, especially PMEs.
While digital skills and technology are increasingly required to get work done, technologies, for example, artificial intelligence and data analytics, do not exist in a vacuum. In fact, if we examine the roles that are in demand, while many of the roles require the ability to handle technology, they are at the same time more complex and multi-disciplinary, requiring business acumen and a wide set of skills from different fields, for example, design, marketing, sales and customer services, and even operational know-how. These are quality roles and not low-level entry jobs.
While mid-career PMEs will need to learn new skills, especially digital skills, they have the experience, expertise and knowledge. And organisations should and must tap on this valuable talent base. While younger talent may be equipped with new skills, be agile in learning, they will need time to acquire multi-disciplinary skills and expertise that mid-career workers have built up over their careers. In coping with today's complex and fast-changing market, businesses will need both young and mid-career workers to transform and will benefit from having a diverse talent pool, creating a work environment that effectively engages a diverse workforce of both young and mid-career workers, and this will be a competitive advantage for businesses.
For companies to up-skill their own mid-career employees or to hire mid-career employees effectively, they need to also understand the existing skills that their mid-career employees have and also what their business requires. This will enable better alignment of employment development for the new jobs. I hope that the various skills programmes will take this into account and provide the job pathways and relevancy of the existing and new skills required to help mid-career workers.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Chairman, mid-career transitions may be one of the most daunting experiences for workers. I will touch on the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) and career transition schemes.
First, the FCF. Four years ago, my colleague, Member of Parliament Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap, highlighted that the original FCF needed enforcement measures. Anecdotally, some mid-career transitioners have experienced being called up for third or fourth interviews with employers, but sensing from the body language of interviewers that everyone was \"going through the motions\" to tick boxes before applying for work passes to hire foreigners. I believe that the Minister is well aware of some employers who treat the FCF as, to quote her, \"a paper exercise\".
The announcement in January that MOM is enhancing the FCF is welcome. In particular, I note that MOM has started to charge employers in court under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act for making false declarations that they had considered local applicants fairly before trying to apply for a foreigner.
However, it seems that in recent years, most of the discrimination cases came to the Ministry's attention through whistle-blowing. Is the Ministry going to step up proactive detection of its own?
My second point relates to career transition programmes. Professional Conversion Programmes (PCPs) and Career Support Programmes (CSPs) are key planks of the Government's Adapt and Grow initiative to help mid-career transitions. In his Budget round-up speech last week, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat assessed that the results were encouraging. He highlighted that career coaches worked with about 27,000 jobseekers every year and in 2018, managed to place about 70% into new jobs within six months.
However, I have encountered some in the balance 30%, who expressed difficulties in finding work through the schemes despite their best efforts. To what extent is success hampered by capacity issues, that is, insufficient job openings, or is matching of jobs to applicants the bigger issue?
Mr Chairman: Mr Douglas Foo, both your cuts, please.
Mr Douglas Foo (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, as Trade Associations and Chambers like the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) continue to work with enterprises to re-skill and train employees, the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit scheme is a welcome announcement. However, a common feedback from employees is that they are hesitant to go for training because when they return to the office, they have to deal with accumulated backlog. In a 2019 survey by Linkedin, 57% of Singaporean employees said the most significant challenge to re-skilling was the lack of time.
Yet, it is pertinent that organisations need to take a long-term view and to look into re-skilling their employees. The burden is largely on employers right now to juggle the limited resources, uncertain demand, maintaining the payroll and continue with training efforts.
Therefore, does the Ministry have in place plans to encourage and educate employers to put in place more facilitative work arrangements to allow for staff to go for training without worrying that they have a large workload to return to? In the same vein, are there plans to alleviate employer difficulties that arise from employees going for re-skilling? How can Trade Associations and Chambers play a role in this journey?
Second cut. Chairman, the Government has introduced many tripartite committees and initiatives such as the Singapore Tripartism Forum (STF), National Wages Council (NWC), Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and Tripartite Committee on Employability of Older Workers.
Such tripartisan initiatives promote greater awareness for fair and progressive employment practices to employers. The good work from their efforts are often brought up during our engagement with members from the business communities.
However, there will always be some errant employers out there who go against the principles of fair and progressive employment. We must be careful that in formulating policies, we do not inevitably place bigger burdens on the majority of employers by putting in place measures aimed at preventing the behaviour of the errant minority. In turn, employers should support the targeted moves the Government makes to go after bad behaviour.
In Budget 2020, Deputy Prime Minister Heng has introduced many measures under the third thrust of the Transformation and Growth strategy to develop the capabilities of our workers. The Singapore Manufacturing Federation is a firm supporter of lifelong learning for workers to be ready for new challenges and opportunities to progress and grow with enterprises.
One profession I would like to highlight would be the training and development of Human Resources (HR) professionals. With the advent of new technologies and the skill sets required emerging in the workforce, our HR professionals would also need to learn new skills and strategies to nurture and manage this new workforce of the future.
In this regard, what is the Ministry's plans to nurture a pool of human capital talents that would assist enterprises in strategic forward planning for sustainable development for both people and enterprises?
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Sir, earlier this year, Minister Josephine Teo shared on her Facebook that MOM is \"rededicating\" itself to strengthening fairness at the workplace as a value and a virtue. She also warned that there would be \"stronger deterrence for discrimination against Singaporeans when hiring, but also stronger support for employers who are committed to giving our people a fair chance.\"
I support this approach by MOM. For some years, Singaporeans have complained about companies where most of their colleagues are foreigners and Singaporean employees are in the minority.
That kind of practice cannot be a right practice. Businesses operating in Singapore must help create more employment opportunities for Singaporeans. The Government must send a strong signal to companies which discriminate against Singaporeans and favour foreigners that their employment process is wrong. Singaporeans must be given fair consideration if they meet the right criteria. Unfair and discriminatory employment practices affect the harmony among Singaporean residents and cause unfair resentment against foreigners who may be genuinely needed in Singapore, due to their specific skills and expertise.
In February, I filed a Parliamentary Question about complaints received regarding excessive foreigners in financial institutions. I was glad to read MOM's reply that they will not tolerate any form of workplace discrimination and has also recently raised penalties. Thus, whether the businesses are banks, financial institutions or large multinational corporations (MNCs), I urge MOM to constantly check their employment practices and their Singaporean employee statistics. I also urge MOM to consider taking action not just against recalcitrant businesses but also against the HR or senior management responsible for such practices. MOM should not hesitate to name companies found to have discriminatory employment practices so that Singaporeans know who they are.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Sir, the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF), implemented in 2014 and last updated in 2018, does not require a prospective employer intending to apply for an Employment Pass for a post that pays salary above the specified limit to advertise to Singaporeans beforehand in the National Jobs Bank. The specified limit was originally a salary of $12,000 per month. This was increased in 2018 to $15,000 per month.
Notwithstanding the exemption, the Ministry of Manpower still requires all employers to consider Singaporeans fairly.
Sir, in your capacity as acting Minister for Manpower, you explained the rationale to this House in 2013. You said, \"This is because open advertising for jobs such as these is usually done in a different manner. Furthermore, such jobs only cover 5% of the local workforce, meaning that the vast majority of jobs would be covered by advertising requirements.\"
I believe the FCF has served us well in ensuring that there is a strong Singaporean PME core in the industries. With the experience gained over almost six years, I wonder whether this is an opportune time to review the FCF to ensure that a proper balance continues to be struck between giving Singaporeans a fair opportunity to access high quality jobs and ensuring that Singapore is an attractive place to do business.
I would like to suggest that we do away with the salary ceiling altogether for the following three reasons.
First, in the current economic landscape, it should not matter that jobs above the salary peg only covers 5% of the local workforce. What is key is whether Singaporeans are fairly considered for the post in question before a foreigner is considered. Also, the jobs above the current salary ceiling usually involve senior positions such as C-suite officers in multinational corporations (MNCs) or banks. These are high quality jobs which suitably qualified Singaporeans would be aspiring for.
Second, without advertising, it will never be clear whether qualified Singaporeans are made aware of such job openings.
Lastly, the quantum of the salary ceiling, which is applicable throughout the workforce, is not representative of the average salaries for senior jobs in certain industries such as finance and technology.
Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Chairman, I was heartened to learn about stronger measures rolled out by the Ministry in January this year against companies that discriminate against Singaporeans during the hiring process. Offending employers will be barred from applying for new work passes for between 12 and 24 months, up from the minimum period of six months before. Furthermore, they will no longer be allowed to renew their existing work passes.
Would the Ministry provide an update on the results of enforcement measures against errant companies in the last 12 months? What additional measures has the Ministry implemented in the last year to ensure fair hiring practices and a level playing field for Singaporeans? Will the Minister share an update on its review of the foreign worker hiring policies and the progress on efforts against other forms of workplace discrimination?
Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines): Sir, I declare my interest that my father owns a business in the process industry, although I have not been involved in the business for over two years.
In 2016, I filed an MOM cut on local talents. I said then that one of the challenges faced by SMEs is finding local talent. It is common knowledge that companies need high quality staff for expansion and survival of business. Many SMEs want to employ local talent but some locals might find that it is more glamorous to work for MNCs.
Then, I had proposed for our trade associations to work closely with IHLs to close the gaps in employment. We should also build up the image of mastery of skills and trade.
Budget 2020 announces reduction of the S Pass sub-DRCs of the construction, marine and process sectors from 20% to 18% 2021 and 15% 2023.
However, many companies, especially smaller scale ones, find it challenging to hire local talents. Some of the jobs in those three sectors are simply not attractive to locals. Long project working hours, sector specific hazards and remote workplace, such as Tuas and Jurong Island, are not helping.
I am concerned that the challenging terrain faced by these companies would become even more challenging come 2021 and 2023. How can we help these companies to smoothen the transition to lesser S Passes and more locals in the future? How are our IHLs training locals to fill those roles?
Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Nee Soon): Sir, prior to this Budget, to help our senior workers age with purpose and dignity, Singapore already has a set of pro-senior worker policies. And this year, I am heartened to see that we have continued building on this very strong foundation. In fact, our goal to say that this is a very exciting year for our senior workers.
There are at least five key new policies and refinements that benefit our senior workers this year. These include the Enhanced Second Employment Credit, the CPF Transition Offsets, Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant and the Part-Time Re-employment Grant as well as the Matched Retirement Saving Schemes. And these are on top of the improvements of the Silver Support Scheme that improves on social assistance for our seniors and HDB's Lease Buy-back that strengthens the retirement adequacy of our seniors.
This is surely the result of MOM's Working Group for Senior Workers, and MOM's willingness to engage many groups of stakeholders, including the PAP.SG through two Private Members' Motion on seniors over the past two years.
As such, can MOM provide the House with a comprehensive update on measures to help senior workers stay gainfully employed and improve the quality of their jobs?
Mr Chen Show Mao (Aljunied): Sir, support our older workers to improve their productivity helps provide our older workers with the choice of working longer if they wish, representing an opportunity to stay economically active, socially engaged at work and better provide for themselves in future retirement and, of course, work to the best of their ability. May I ask the Ministry for an update of its plans in the area?
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Walter Theseira. Both cuts, please.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira (Nominated Member): Chairman, first cut. The new Senior Employment Credit (SEC) addresses the employability of older workers. However, the evidence linking employer wage subsidies to increasing employment is not encouraging. Studies of similar programmes in Belgium, Finland and Germany suggest that subsidies have small effects on increasing employment among older workers and on reducing early retirement. Thus, most of the subsidy is a deadweight loss, a transfer to the employer with no policy effect.
What lessons were learnt from the existing Special Employment Credit, including Additional SEC and how were they used in designing the new SEC? How has retention of older workers and new hiring of older workers, improved since the existing SEC was introduced? To what extent have these improvements been caused by the existing SEC? And what targets have been set for the new SEC?
Second cut, Chairman. Budget 2020's Matched Retirement Savings Scheme is an important policy to address the retirement savings shortfall among lower income Singaporeans. However, academic research suggests that Government subsidies for retirement savings have little to modest effects on actually encouraging people to make voluntary contributions to retirement savings, or, to increase those contributions.
Engelhardt and Kumar show that increasing the employer savings match rate for company-sponsored retirement account plans in the US generates little improvement in retirement account participation or savings.
Raj Chetty and co-authors find that tax subsidies in Denmark have little effect on increasing total retirement savings. They estimate $1 in government subsidies only generates one-cent in additional savings. This is for two reasons. First, the majority of workers – 85% – they are passive savers who do not respond to Government policies to encourage savings. Second, the remaining 15%, largely just shift money from their private savings accounts, to their tax-subsidised savings account.
A randomised experiment in the US by Esther Duflo and co-authors offered a 50-cent match for each dollar contributed to retirement savings. However, only 14% of subjects made contributions in response. Although this is much better than the 3% of subjects who contributed without any match, the experimental context is important. Subjects were deciding how to use their US tax refunds and were not contributing out of pocket.
I have previously argued this means we should move away from Government subsidies for voluntary saving, such as our SRS and CPF tax deduction policies, in favour of Government matching contributions for all mandatory CPF savings, or to all citizens in general. Nonetheless, how we implement Budget 2020's Matched Retirement Savings Scheme could be more important than the dollar amount itself in encouraging retirement savings.
Behavioural economics research suggests people fail to save for retirement due to a combination of loss aversion and procrastination. To address loss aversion, we can ask people to contribute out of future income, rather than out of pocket. To address procrastination, we can ask people to make a commitment to contribute, which becomes a passive action in the future. This avoids needing to make an active choice each time a contribution is due. These behavioural principles are summarised by Benartzi and Thaler as \"Save More Tomorrow\".
To improve take-up of the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, we could ask eligible Singaporeans to commit to contribute part or all of their future Government payouts to their CPF account. Such payouts could include the GST Voucher-Cash, the Workfare Income Supplement cash payout and one-off payments, such as the Care and Support – Cash payout.
We can also ask employers whether workers can commit to contribute part of future work income, such as the Additional Wage Supplement, annual bonuses and annual wage increments, to their CPF account for the savings match. Such commitments must be revocable any time before the CPF contribution is made, in case cash is needed urgently. The key is to set up a commitment to contribute in the future, to deal with loss aversion and procrastination.
I understand that a pilot study for the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme has shown very encouraging results, supported by strong local academic research from Profs David Chan and Benedict Koh at SMU.
I urge the Government to continue building research into the policy of implementation through randomised controlled trials so as to discover the most effective means of getting high take-up of the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Sir, with people living longer, the ability to meet essential living expenses and maintain standards of living they expect in retirement years is a key concern amongst Singaporeans.
Whilst CPF LIFE plays a key role in providing the basic level of retirement income for every Singaporean, it is inadequate as the sole source of post-retirement income to support a \"reasonable\" standard of living in retirement, unless the retirees are willing to make substantial compromises in their desired lifestyles, through to the end of life.
According to G30's \"Fixing The Pension Crisis\" report published in 2019, the estimated gap between the expected lifetime financial security benefits and that which existing systems are likely to provide is expected to be huge, that is US$15.8 trillion by 2050, for the 21 countries analysed, including Singapore. A key policy recommendation of the report is to increase private savings with reforms to minimise investment management costs and enable individuals to benefit from collective investment management, at low cost, yet protecting the retirement savings from unprecedented low and negative interest rates and volatility of market cycles.
So, in Singapore, it has been more than three years since the CPF Advisory Panel highlighted the significant investment costs and risks faced by retail investors in the current CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS). The Panel had recommended that the Government introduce a new scheme, CPF Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme (CPF LRIS) as a prudent, professionally managed, low fee option for CPF members to invest and grow their \"surplus\" CPF retirement savings.
With 22 billion currently invested in CPFIS and another estimating 142 billion investible CPF in ordinary account (OA), CPF members are potentially missing out on significant opportunity to augment their retirement savings.
With CPF LRIS, members can potentially see their average cost of investment go from 2% to 3% per year as retail clients, to below 0.5% with the economies of scale accorded by a Government-sponsored scheme. The improvement in net investment returns from the reduced investment costs, as well as the benefits from a professionally managed life cycle fund, will significantly improve retirement adequacy especially if compounded over a long term period.
For example, I calculated. Over a 30-year period, a savings of 2% in investment management cost will translate to almost doubling the original sum, even before accounting to the growth of the underlining amount. I would like to ask the Minister for an update on the progress of CPF LRIS? What are the difficulties and concerns in launching such a scheme?
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, Sir, last year in August, the Government announced that the CPF contribution rates for older workers would be increased gradually starting from 2021 and carried out over the next 10 years. The full rate of 37% would be restored for workers aged 56 to 60, while workers aged 61 to 65 would see an increase to 26% and those aged 66 to 70 would see an increase to 16.5%.
I have called for the restoration of the full rate for all older workers, but I can also understand the Government's position that there is a need to balance the demand-side of the labour market, that is, the employability of older workers who are usually more expensive for employers, and the supply-side, that is, the incentives and sense of worth for older workers to remain in the labour market.
I understand this balance is worked out in intense tripartite discussions between employers, unions and the Government.
Beyond tripartite discussions, my question is whether there is scope and flexibility for the Government to spearhead changes when it can be shown that the increased rates are not attractive enough to retain productive older workers to remain in the workforce and that demand for workers remain high in labour-constrained Singapore.
Also, is the Government still committed to the first increase in CPF contribution rates in 2021? I believe Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How said the Government is. Minster Josephine Teo also said last year that the Government was committed despite the economic uncertainties faced by businesses in the context of the US-China trade war.
Now that the COVID-19 emergency is certain to hit the global economy and our open economy hard, I hope the Government is still committed to an increase.
Ms Sylvia Lim: Chairman, during the debate on the Budget Statement, I had asked whether it was time to consider other approaches to support mid-career transitioners, such as enabling CPF members in their 40s and 50s to tap on their CPF savings to chart their own continuing education and re-skilling. The Minister had responded briefly to reject the suggestion, stating that the cost of training was not the main issue and that retirement adequacy should not be undermined. I would like today to elaborate on why cost has been an issue for some, and why such a proposal need not affect retirement adequacy.
We are all aware of the Adapt & Grow initiatives and how they dovetail into the Government's Industry Transformation Maps. These give effect to the broad national plan to enable the workforce to have relevant skills to take on jobs that are projected to be in demand now and in the future economy.
I appreciate the deliberations, consultations, planning and resources that have been devoted to this national endeavour, which has helped many mid-career employees find meaningful work in new industries. Indeed, many courses endorsed under these frameworks are relatively low-cost and accessible.
However, there are also other mid-career transitioners who will not be content with these offerings. Some have remarked to me that to set themselves apart in a soft job market, they did not want a certification that so many others were already getting but to chart their own paths. Some may already have tertiary qualifications and wish to do post-graduate courses in new areas conducted by overseas universities or professional bodies. Others may want to venture to work abroad, where the skill areas in demand may not be the same as those under Singapore's economic transformation plan. For these mid-career transitioners, the passion to take ownership of their own futures should be commended.
Yet, such mid-career transitioners may have multiple financial commitments and will hesitant to dig into a significant portion of their current liquid savings to undergo unsubsidised and costly re-education and re-skilling. It is in this context that I am suggesting that the Government look into the feasibility of enabling CPF members to tap on their CPF savings to fund their re-education and re-skilling.
I agree that retirement adequacy will always be the over-arching aim of the CPF savings scheme. However, re-skilling potentially leads to better salary outcomes and could pay for itself. This is important at a time where retirement and re-employment ages are moving up.
The Government could always put in safeguards, such as has been done with the CPF investment schemes. For CPF members currently in their 40s and 50s, there are probably significant numbers whose CPF savings exceed their applicable Minimum Sums, even before they reach 55. The Government could consider enabling these members to make such withdrawals.
Mr Chen Show Mao: Sir, the Ministry has taken a step towards buttressing the retirement adequacy of freelance workers in our economy with Contribute-As-You-Earn (CAYE) model for MediSave, whereby contribution is made as and when a service fee is earned. May I ask the Ministry for an update on the progress in the implementation of CAYE and an update of its plans in the area?
The Chairman: Mr Patrick Tay, take both your cuts, please.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: The Industrial Relations Act was amended in 2015 to permit rank-and-file unions to collectively represent executive employees. In order to avoid conflicts of interest and undermining management effectiveness, executives with senior management functions were excluded from collective representation. These functions are set out in section 17(3) of the Industrial Relations Act. The tripartite partners have also issued the Tripartite Guidelines on Extending the Scope of Union Representation for Executives.
In the years that have followed, unions which have sought to extend their scope of representation to include executives have met with some difficulties, mainly due to the overly general way in which exclusions in section 17(3) have been worded.
On the ground, our unions have come across instances where employers cite section 17(3) to deny collective representation for executives who are not really in senior management grades or having access to information which would give rise to a genuine conflict of interest if they should be represented by the union.
The unions' experience, therefore, is that the exclusions set out in section 17(3) are too broadly worded, thereby giving employers the opportunity to claim that even mid-level executive employees fall within them, whereas the intent behind the law was only to exclude those who are at senior management levels and carrying out functions which genuinely give rise to a conflict of interest if they are represented by a union.
Besides this, there are other areas, such as the status of Collective Agreements during a Judicial Management or Receivership and whether the scope of coverage of the Collective Agreement can be limited to union members only, and several other procedural and technical areas which are unclear.
I would like to suggest that a tripartite work group be formed to look at reviewing the Industrial Relations Act and addressing some of these areas of concern. This will help to better reflect the true intent of the law, look after the interests and welfare of workers and help employers and unions to reach consensus on extension of scope and other areas of industrial relations smoothly and expeditiously.
My second cut on the Review of Trade Unions Act. In light of the expected growth of freelance workers or what many term as the \"gig economy\" in the next five to 10 years, the labour movement hopes more can be done to enable this group to become union members so that they, too, can enjoy the plethora of membership privileges NTUC and our unions offer. At present, the Trade Unions Act requires a person to be in a \"contract of service\" to join a trade union. Freelancers who are in a \"contract for service\" may not be full-fledged union members per se. As such, I suggest for MOM to work with NTUC to review and study this with a view of removing or relaxing the prohibition and explore ways to allow freelancers to be union members without compromising or contravening traditional collective bargaining and representation.
The Chairman: Mrs Josephine Teo.
The Minister for Manpower (Mrs Josephine Teo): Mr Chairman, let me start by updating Members on the labour market in 2019.
Despite the economic headwinds, employment growth was better than expected. Retrenchments remained low. Singapore citizens continued to earn higher incomes in the recent five years. In fact, if we look back over a longer period since 2015, the employment outcomes for our people have been very positive overall. We have provided a handout to Members. It is in the folder that has been distributed.
However, the outlook for 2020 has become very uncertain. Given the COVID-19 outbreak, it would be unrealistic to expect employment growth of the last few years. It will also be a challenge for unemployment to remain in the relatively low range of recent years. These unfavourable conditions demand a united response from all of us.
Our first priority is to prevent large-scale job losses. Particularly for those earning lower salaries, we should also prevent a scaling back or reversal of wage increases. This is why the biggest bulk – 60% of the Stabilisation and Support Package announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng – goes towards Jobs Support and Wage Credits.
Beyond immediate relief, we must not neglect future challenges. In the longer term, we need businesses to transform and keep creating good jobs. We want wages at the lower end to move up more. We also need to help Singaporeans adapt to changing job requirements brought about by technology. The resident workforce will not expand as much as before and we have more seniors.
We will need to help both businesses and our people make the best of the opportunities available. At the same time, we must address their anxieties and be sure to walk this journey together.
MOM’s responses centre on the belief that there must be fairness at work, for both individuals and employers. This is essential to maintaining cohesiveness in an open economy – to give our workers fair chances to progress, and our businesses fair support to succeed.
I will be speaking on four areas: fair opportunities, fair hiring, fair competition and fair support.
Many Members of Parliament also asked that we offer more help to self-employed persons (SEP) who have been hard hit. I share their concerns and will announce more measures to support our freelancers.
Minister of State Zaqy will elaborate on how we can give fair support for lower wage workers and employers of persons with disabilities. He will cover foreign workers, as well as their employers.
Senior Parliamentary Secretary Yen Ling will elaborate on how we are providing fair opportunities for women, as well as fair support for foreign domestic workers and their employers.
Let me first start with fair opportunities. Our aim is to give every Singaporean every opportunity to progress at every stage of their working lives. Last year, we placed more than 31,000 local jobseekers in jobs through the Adapt and Grow initiative, similar to the number in 2018. More than half were aged 40 and above. Nearly one-third of placements were aged 50 and above. The share was even higher for rank-and-file workers.
In fact, since 2016, the Adapt and Grow initiative, which includes the Career Support Programme, has helped over 100,000 jobseekers get placed. But we are mindful: the work is never done. Therefore, Workforce Singapore (WSG) continues to enhance its service and programme offerings. For example, MyCareersFuture.sg has new features to help employers identify suitable candidates.
One particular group we have been thinking about are Singaporeans in their 40s and 50s. They, too, deserve fair opportunities to progress in their careers. We recognise that it is a daunting task for anyone in the middle of their careers to reskill for new jobs. This was highlighted by Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Ms Jessica Tan and other Members of Parliament.
In response, the Government has put together the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package. Let me take a step back to outline the thinking behind the package and what we aim to achieve.
Mid-career individuals generally hope that their time invested in training leads to a job. That is why many programmes are \"Place-and-Train\" – a jobseeker first secures placement with the employer or attachment with a host company on the strength of his existing work experience and undergoes additional training to close the skills gap to fully meet job requirements.
Most participants on such programmes start their training only after they have been placed with an employer or a host company. Forty-nine-year-old Shah Jehan Haniffa and 61-year-old Low Kok Chuen are two examples. Despite limited experience in the logistics industry, Shah Jehan secured a job with ST Logistics through the PCP for Logistics Executives. Low Kok Chuen decided to start work again after two years in retirement and enter a new industry. Delphic Manufacturing Solution saw his potential and hired him through the PCP for Technical Sales Engineers or Managers.
Since 2016, \"Place-and-Train\" programmes have benefited nearly 14,500 Singaporeans. Today, we have no shortage of such programmes. For PCPs alone, we have around 100 across around 30 sectors. We have also started moving upstream.
To Mr Patrick Tay's question, in the last two years, over 2,000 PMETs were reskilled and redeployed within the same companies, well before they became redundant.
To Ms Sylvia Lim's question, capacity is rarely the issue. Nonetheless, to support more mid-career individuals who may be affected by the faster pace of business transformation, we will expand capacity in such programmes. A good example is the TeSA Mid-Career Advance programme announced earlier by Minister Iswaran. In particular, for workers in their 40s and older – like Shah Jehan and Low Kok Chuen – we aim to double annual placements to around 5,500 by 2025. This is the first pillar of the Mid-Career Support Package.
Even then, Members of Parliament, like Mr Ong Teng Koon, are rightly concerned about employer commitment becoming the bottleneck. Indeed, when programme capacity is not fully taken up, it is often because employers are hesitant. Especially when prospects are uncertain, employers might hold back and wait for better conditions or a candidate with better match.
On the other hand, employers continue to tell MOM their frustrations that mid-career jobseekers shun certain occupations or industries. Jobseekers may lack awareness of the opportunities or confidence in their abilities to adapt to new work environments. Some employers also need to improve job quality to make them more attractive.
Therefore, beyond expanding the capacity of reskilling programmes, the Mid-Career Support Package must empower individuals and enable employers. One key pillar of the Mid-Career Support Package is the additional top-up of SkillsFuture Credits. This aims to empower persons in their 40s and 50s to refresh their skills to complement their employers' training investments. Bear in mind that many courses are already heavily subsidised by the Government, up to 90% in some instances. This additional top-up will mean even lower out-of-pocket expenses.
At the same time, besides \"Place-and-Train\" programmes, we will ramp up \"Train-and-Place\" programmes. These programmes do not require employer commitment upfront. But, as long as the programmes are well designed to plug skills-in-demand, participants have a good chance of getting job placements after they are trained.
At MOE's COS debate, Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat will share more details. I hope it will persuade Ms Lim that actually you do not touch CPF. Even the Institutes of Higher Learning will be able to offer very good opportunities to help mid-careers progress.
For \"Place-and-Train\" programmes, all trainees receive full salaries or allowances. For example, during the nine months of the PCP, Shah Jehan, whom I cited earlier, received full salary from his employer – 90% of which was subsidised by the Government.
In other words, although we do not have unemployment insurance in Singapore, we have programmes that provide income support to unemployed persons who are prepared to undergo reskilling, which maximises their chances of returning to work.
To empower mid-career individuals, another important pillar is our career advisory system. This is the scaffolding and hand-holding that I spoke about in response to Ms Sylvia Lim's points during the Budget debate. Today, this capability resides in several agencies.
WSG and NTUC's e2i have been offering employment and training assistance for well over a decade. Since the SkillsFuture movement was launched, the five Community Development Councils (CDCs) have also been mobilised. Through SkillsFuture Advice workshops, more than 100,000 Singaporeans have gained a deeper understanding of their skills and how they can keep abreast of industry developments to stay relevant in their careers.
About three years ago, we roped in the private sector. Two best-in-class operators with good track records in other countries were appointed to supplement Government efforts in career-matching.
Sector agencies are also involved. Last year, for example, MAS and the Institute of Banking and Finance released a joint study on the impact of automation and data analytics on 121 job roles in financial services. I know that Mr Patrick Tay read this publication from cover to cover. Amongst several outcomes, the Technology in Finance Immersion Programme was launched. Mr Henry Kwek and Mr Leon Perera will be reassured to know that other agencies are conducting similar studies to help with workforce and career planning.
Workforce Singapore (WSG) has also intensified support to jobseekers through a suite of high-touch career coaching programmes.
The Career Recharger module equips discouraged jobseekers with a positive mindset for their job search journeys. The Career Catalyst module offers one-on-one coaching to help jobseekers uncover their strengths and career options. The Career 360 module helps jobseekers access networks to widen their job opportunities.
In this regard, peer support can be very useful. There is untapped potential in our professional communities where many seasoned professionals have rich experiences to share. They are plugged into the challenges and opportunities in their respective fields, have established networks and may themselves have navigated career transitions.
We can therefore complement our team of full-time career coaches by building up a pool of volunteer career advisors. Career advisors will receive training to provide sector and occupation-specific career advice and outline career options. Career Advisors will also be equipped with in-depth knowledge of resources and channels of support such as the Adapt and Grow programmes. In short, we hope that the career advisors can help to boost the confidence of their mid-career peers in charting the way forward.
At the same time, as the institutes of higher learning ramp up Train and Place programmes, they will also need to be better at providing career advice to mid-career individuals. MOM and MOE will work together to consolidate our resources and boost our collective capabilities in empowering individuals to take charge of their careers.
In terms of support to employers, the priority is to bring down the cost of recruiting and training for mid-career jobseekers. We must also keep up the pace of business transformation and job re-design.
From 1 April, we will boost salary support for all workers aged 40 and above enrolled in Place and Train programmes from 70% to 90%. This pillar comes on top of very generous funding already available for the training components. Essentially, the Government will underwrite almost the entire salary and training costs of mid-career recruits for the period of training.
Further, we will provide a new incentive for employers who hire workers aged 40 and above, through any Place and Train or Train and Place programme. This pillar comes on top of the salary support during the training period. It will cover 20% of the new hire's monthly salary for half a year, capped at $6,000 in total.
Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How will be pleased to know that the enhanced employers support extends to workers above age 60. Depending on the duration of training, this means employers will get salary support of up to one year in most cases. This is not even including the Senior Employment Credit, which I will talk more about later.
Beyond these two pillars, the Government is providing another two pillars of support for employers to implement business and workforce transformation plans. That is the reason for the $10,000 SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit which MTI has highlighted.
Through the enhanced Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), we will also provide up to 70% funding for companies to engage job re-design consultants. This is important for ensuring that jobs become more attractive, especially to mid-career individuals and seniors. Most of the remaining 30% out-of-pocket expenses can be paid off using the new SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit. In other words, costs will be very minimal, for SMEs in particular.
Mr Douglas Foo and Mr Gan Thiam Poh were understandably concerned that employers may no longer be short of training funds but training time. For companies with a clear plan to transform their business, MOM will consider supporting them with transitionary manpower. Others may take advantage of the current downtime to increase training hours.
Through the five pillars of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package, we will be investing close to $750 million in the re-skilling and placement of mid-career workers over the next five years. Taken together with the SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit and the enhanced Productivity Solutions Grant, we are providing a very significant boost – about $1 billion – to the employment prospects of Singaporeans, especially those in their 40s and 50s. They are a clear commitment to ensure Singaporeans have fair opportunities to progress at every stage of their working lives.
At the same time, we will need employers to uphold the culture of fairness at the workplace. This means taking care to ensure there is no discrimination of any kind.
In Singapore, where the workforce includes foreigners, we are particularly watchful about discrimination against locals. Under the Fair Consideration Framework, or FCF, we require employers to advertise on MyCareersFuture.sg before submitting Employment Pass (EP) applications. This is to ensure fair hiring and guard against job openings being restricted to \"closed circles of friends\".
Mr Murali Pillai pointed out that job positions with salary of $15,000 and above are currently exempted from the FCF job advertising requirement. This threshold was last updated in July 2018, when we also required smaller firms with at least 10 employees to advertise. From 1 May 2020, MOM will expand the advertising requirement to include positions paying up to $20,000. Positions that are more senior remain exempted as they are more likely to be market-sensitive.
As for intra-company transfers, which Mr Patrick Tay asked about, they need to meet strict criteria to qualify. As a result, they have constituted a very small share of EP applicants.
I will take this opportunity to remind employers not to treat the advertising requirement as a paper exercise. MOM has started to use data analytics to scrutinise EP applications. I cannot tell you too much about it. For example, I cannot tell you what the algorithm is. That would not be wise.
We also actively follow up on leads provided by whistle-blowers.
Members will appreciate that this is a laborious exercise. Sometimes, disgruntled employees or competitors send us on a wild goose chase. Employers may also use delay tactics to frustrate us. Nonetheless, if we uncover evidence that an employer had pre-selected a foreign candidate and did not give fair consideration to qualified local applicants, we will reject the EP application and ban the employer from hiring or renewing foreign workers.
Under the FCF, MOM has also proactively identified employers suspected of nationality-bias in their hiring. We look out for employers with exceptionally high share of foreign PMETs compared to their industry peers or high concentrations of single nationalities. These employers are put on an FCF Watchlist, where all of the EP applications will be scrutinised or withheld.
Among other Members of Parliament, Mr Patrick Tay and Mr Chong Kee Hiong asked for an update of these efforts. I informed Parliament last year that MOM had put about 600 firms through the FCF Watchlist. We have since cast our net wider and scrutinised about 1,000 firms.
To date, a total of 3,000 EP applications have been rejected or withheld by MOM, or withdrawn by the employers. In addition, firms under the FCF have hired more than 4,400 Singaporean PMETs over the same period.
Our objective is not just to penalise errant employers. We want them to improve. This is why we reached out to another 350 employers whose workforce profiles give us cause for concern, so that they take additional steps to strengthen local hiring. But it also means that having served notice to these employers, MOM will not hesitate to put them on the FCF Watchlist if their workforce profiles deteriorate.
Nationality bias is only one form of discrimination. I agree with Mr Lim Biow Chuan that we should take firm action against all forms of discrimination. This is why I announced earlier this year stiffer penalties for discrimination by age, gender, nationality or mental health condition. Employers that violate the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices will be barred from hiring new foreign workers or renewing existing ones for a minimum of 12 months, up to a maximum of 24 months.
In January 2020, MOM released the details of five employers that were penalised under this new framework. We have taken action against another 18 more, bringing the total to 23 employers sanctioned under the new penalty framework in just over two months.
In one case, a 51-year-old applying to be a receptionist was told that she was \"too old\". That means me too. MOM discovered that the firm had a policy where only candidates younger than 45, female and Chinese, would be invited for interview. So, we have acted against this employer.
We will also hold culpable key decision makers responsible, whether it is the chief executive officer (CEO), the chief human resources officer (CHRO) or line managers. We are prepared to name them publicly and revoke their work passes if they are foreigners.
Some people may feel that the penalties are still not enough. A 24-month debarment is actually quite painful. Most of the work passes will expire during this period but none can be renewed. Neither can the employer hire new foreign workers. In other words, these employers would need to hire more locals if they want to continue their operations in Singapore.
MOM will also prosecute employers and key personnel who make false declarations on fair consideration. One employer has been charged so far. If found guilty, the penalties are up to two years of imprisonment and fines of up to $20,000.
We will continue to remain vigilant against discriminatory employers and take firm action against those who try to circumvent our fair hiring requirements. But we cannot do this alone. Workers who come across workplace discrimination should surface it to MOM or TAFEP. Employers should review employment practices to weed out discriminatory practices. Employer organisations should call out members with errant practices that tarnish their sectors.
Besides the assurance of fair hiring, our people want the assurance that they compete on a level playing field. Fair-minded Singaporeans do not expect to be given a free pass but they do expect fair competition, and rightly so.
As announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng, we will implement cuts to S Pass quotas for the construction, marine shipyard and process sectors in 2021 and 2023. As he explained, S Passes should not be a means by which enterprises hire low-cost foreigners when qualified locals are available.
Miss Cheng Li Hui asked what jobs were available in these sectors and what we were doing to train locals for them. In construction, for example, there is growing demand for PMETs skilled in Building Information Modelling (BIM), to use advanced software to visualise and manage building projects. Many draughtsmen who previously made technical drawings are now taking on more complex BIM roles. Other jobs performed by technicians and engineers will be equally transformed by automation and digitalisation.
Our educational institutions already work closely with industries to ensure their students have the right training. From 2017 to 2019, there was an annual average intake of 7,400 Polytechnic students in related courses. For mid-career persons, we have PCPs for BIM Professionals, Marine Engineers, Marine Technicians, and Process Construction and Maintenance Professionals.
I am aware that affected businesses may still be worried they cannot find people. It is unlikely that locals will change their minds if work conditions do not improve. But as long as employers are willing to make changes, we will help you.
The SkillsFuture Work-Study Programme can help you identify suitable Polytechnic and ITE graduates and help to defray training costs. You can also consider mid-career workers. I have outlined the enhanced support for employers under the Mid-Career Support Package. I urge employers to get in touch with WSG or the relevant trade associations. For example, in the last three years, trade associations and chambers (TCAs) have helped more than 4,500 SMEs recruit mid-career PMETs through the P-Max programme – one programme alone.
Besides quotas, we regularly review other measures to control the foreign workforce.
To ensure that firms do not hire locals on token salaries just so that they can hire more foreign workers, only workers that are paid above a threshold each month can be counted towards a firm's S Pass and Work Permit DRCs. We call this the Local Qualifying Salary, LQS.
We have been regularly updating the LQS to ensure that it keeps pace with rising local wages at the lower end. We last raised the LQS threshold from $1,200 to $1,300 in July 2019.
We will be raising it further from $1,300 to $1,400 on 1 July 2020. Most employers of foreign workers are not affected because they do not have workers earning below $1,400. Even for those that are, the extension of the Wage Credit Scheme should provide some relief. In any case, like Ms Denise Phua and Assoc Prof Walter Theseira, I hope employers and their customers do not begrudge the raising of salaries at the lower end.
At the S Pass and Employment Pass (EP) levels, MOM regularly updates the salary criteria that applicants must meet to work in Singapore. These criteria take reference from salaries of locals with similar experience and seniority, to ensure that the S Pass and EP holders are of good calibre and do not undercut the wages of our local PMETs. This is why older and more experienced candidates need to command higher salaries in order to qualify for a S Pass or an EP. It keeps the competition fair.
S Pass salary criteria were raised in 2019 and this year. We last raised the EP minimum qualifying salary in 2017, from $3,300 to $3,600 per month. We will be raising it from $3,600 to $3,900 per month. This increase is in line with improving wages of fresh graduates of local Autonomous Universities.
The salary criteria for older and more experienced EP candidates will be raised in tandem. For example, an EP applicant in his early 40s will need to earn around double the new minimum qualifying salary of $3,900; double of $3,900. This is only fair, considering the skill-sets he or she is expected to have. It helps to ensure a level playing field for experienced local mid-career PMETs.
The new salary criteria will apply to new EP applicants from 1 May 2020. However, for EP renewals, they will apply one year later, from 1 May 2021. This staggered approach will moderate the impact on businesses.
With these changes, employers should continue to ensure that they have fair and merit-based pay practices, in line with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices.
Anecdotally, we have heard of firms that only raise salaries of the EP holders to meet new salary criteria, while freezing salaries of the local workers, even if the locals are better performers! This is wrong and not in the employer's best interest. Apart from the risk of having their work pass privileges cut back by MOM, such practices will undermine their efforts to retain their local employees.
While we are asking a lot more of our employers, we are also providing them with fair support. Likewise, we will keep fair support to the self-employed and for Singaporeans in general to build up their retirement nest-egg.
Let me outline the enhanced support for senior employment, which Mr Henry Kwek and other Members spoke about.
Over the past decade, senior employment rates among locals have grown steadily. In 2018, I convened the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers to study ways to further support senior employment. It announced its recommendations last year, which the Government has accepted in full.
The Retirement Age (RA) and the Re-employment Age (REA) will be raised to 65 and 70 respectively by 2030. To help businesses adjust, each move will be implemented in small steps with sufficient notice.
In addition, the CPF contribution rates for senior workers will be raised gradually over the next decade. The first increase will take effect from 1 January 2021. This will not change. The exact timing of future moves will be decided later, but we aim to implement the full increases by 2030.
Yesterday, Minister Shanmugam announced that the retirement age for Home Affairs Uniformed Services will be raised from age 55 to 58 by 2030. MOM welcomes this move and will work with MHA and our tripartite partners to similarly review retirement age policies for Auxiliary Police Officers and private-sector firefighters.
As outlined in the Budget, the Government will support employers to implement these changes, including creating more age-friendly workplaces. We will do so through the Senior Worker Support Package which will provide up to $1.3 billion in support over three years from 2020 to 2022.
Businesses had called for continued Government support for the employment of senior workers, in particular, wage offsets similar to the Special Employment Credit (SEC).
The Government has heard these calls. From 2021, through the new Senior Employment Credit, we will provide wage offsets to employers that hire senior Singaporean workers aged 55 and above. For 2021 and 2022, employers will get up to 8% of the wages paid to workers aged 55 and above. Similar to the Special Employment Credit, more support will be given for those in higher age bands.
The employment rate for workers aged 55-59 has improved greatly and is now close to that of the 20-64 age group. Hence, wage offsets for the 55-59 age group will be 2% in 2021 and 1% in 2022.
We will instead focus resources on the older age groups which have lower employment rates. Wage offsets for those aged 67 and above will be the highest, at 8%. Overall, companies will get $660 million in Senior Employment Credit over two years.
In 2021, we will offset half of the increase in employer CPF contribution rates through the CPF Transition Offset scheme. Companies will receive about $80 million.
We are not depending on the SEC alone to senior employment.
We encourage progressive companies to raise the RA and REA ahead of legislative schedule. And to do so, we will introduce a Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant (EAG). Companies can get up to $250,000 each under this grant.
Through the Tripartite Workgroup's public consultation and other surveys, senior workers told us they would like to reduce their work intensity gradually as they approach retirement. It makes a lot of sense. They are also more prepared to remain in the workforce if they can undertake part-time work arrangements during the re-employment phase.
While the Tripartite Workgroup explored legislating the provision of part time re-employment, employers expressed serious concerns. Many employers today provide mostly full-time positions. Their work structures and processes cannot support workers on partial shifts, or job sharing of full-time positions. This explains our relatively low part-time employment rate for seniors.
The Workgroup agreed on a promotional approach to give employers time to adjust. To give these efforts a bigger push, we will introduce a new Part-Time Re-employment Grant (PTRG) that provides up to $125,000 to each company that commits to providing part-time re-employment opportunities to eligible senior workers upon their request. This will benefit seniors who prefer lower work intensity, thereby encouraging them to stay in the workforce. Both the EAG and PTRG will provide support of $100 million to companies over three years.
In total, we estimate that up to about 110,000 companies and 570,000 workers will benefit from the Senior Worker Support Package.
Mr Chairman, let me now address the concerns of self-employed persons. Based on our most recent survey, the share of individuals who took on self-employed work as their main job remained stable at around 8% to 10% of our resident workforce.
Most of our SEPs have a preference for self-employment over regular employment. A small number would actually prefer to be in regular employment but could not find suitable openings. We encourage them to approach WSG or e2i which will help them through the relevant programmes.
While some SEPs ponder their longer term plans, the immediate concern of all is the significant drop in earnings due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Sector agencies are stepping in to help those directly impacted. For example, MOT has put together a $77 million package to help taxi and private hire care drivers. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is also providing licensed tour guides with short-term relief.
SEPs in other occupations may see lower earnings because their clients have delayed projects or postponed bookings. This is, no doubt, a period of difficulty. But it is also a window of opportunity for skills upgrading.
I will therefore introduce a new SEP Training Support Scheme, which I believe Mr Patrick Tay, Mr Ang Hin Kee, Mr Desmond Choo, Ms Tin Pei Ling and other Members of Parliament will welcome.
Over the next three months, all SEPs will be paid a training allowance of $7.50 per hour when they attend courses under the SkillsFuture series, as well as selected sector-specific training programmes. Not only will this scheme supplement their income, it can help them become more future-ready.
To illustrate, consider a 45-year-old freelance sports coach or media freelancer who decides to brush up on business management skills by taking a series of courses covering areas such as digital marketing and design thinking. Together, there are six modular courses stretching over 90 hours or about 12 days. With SSG's enhanced 90% subsidy of the course fees for those aged 40 and above, this sports coach or media freelancer would only need to pay about $400 for the course. And by using his SkillsFuture Credit, he will not need to pay a single cent out of his pocket. Furthermore, he will receive training allowance of $675.
The SEP Training Support Scheme is a practical way to provide fair support to SEPs in these tough times. The Government will set aside $36 million for this purpose. There is no cap to how much training SEPs can sign up for. NTUC, which has established outreach channels to freelancers, will administer this scheme and release details on how to apply soon.
Even as we support SEPs in the short-term, we are also concerned about their longer-term needs. In 2017, the Government set up the Tripartite Workgroup on SEPs. Through extensive consultations with stakeholders, the Workgroup found that most SEPs did not expect their clients to provide employment benefits or to treat them as regular employees. Instead, SEPs asked the Workgroup to focus on addressing their practical concerns. Their preference shaped the Workgroup's recommendations, which have been progressively implemented since March 2018.
For example, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management extended its services to SEPs to help resolve payment-related disputes. We also launched the Tripartite Standard on Contracting with SEPs to promote fair contracting norms and have made good progress. Grab, a major player in the private-hire car and food delivery markets, recently adopted this Standard, joining about 710 other progressive businesses. This means that the 85,000 SEPs engaged by these adopters will be provided with clear written terms to minimise disputes, such as when payments would be made. We call on more service-buyers to do their part by providing SEPs with clear written contracts. We also encourage service-buyers to adopt the Standard, to be more attractive among SEPs.
Finally, I will like to provide an update on retirement adequacy, an issue close to the hearts of Singaporeans. We are committed to providing fair support to help our people prepare for retirement. In fact, successive cohorts of Singaporeans have been able to set aside more CPF savings for retirement. Over the last decade, median CPF balances of active CPF members aged 55 have also more than doubled from $71,000 to $155,000. This is because of higher labour force participation and rising wages as well as enhancements to the CPF system, such as the increases in CPF contribution rates and CPF salary ceiling.
As a result, even as the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) has been raised gradually for each cohort, more active CPF members have been able to set it aside at age 55, from about four-in-10 a decade ago to more than six-in-10 today. That does not mean our job is done. The CPF is a \"live\" system and must continue to evolve. Incomes continue to rise and so will spending needs in retirement. This is why the Government accepted the Tripartite Workgroup's recommendation to gradually raise CPF contribution rates for senior workers over the next 10 years. By the time we are done with the full increases around 2030, the median member aged 55 can expect his retirement payouts to be boosted by close to 10%.
The first increase in CPF contribution rates will take effect from 1 January 2021 but the next steps have yet to be decided. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh asked if we could accelerate the pace. Ideally, we would like to. But this desire needs to be balanced against the impact on the senior workers' employability and take-home pay, factors which he himself had outlined. This is why CPF contribution rates should continue to be stepped down by age and why the Workgroup recommended small increases each time. Given the current pressures on employers and job security, we should proceed with care.
Over the years, we have also refined our retirement system to be more fair and progressive. The Government provides higher interest rates of up to 6% on lower CPF balances. The Government also tops up the CPF accounts of lower balance members from time to time, such as the recent Bicentennial Bonus CPF top-up. Targeted subsidies are provided to lower income Singaporeans with lesser means, through Workfare in their working years and Silver Support in retirement. All these translate into substantial support for lower income households in retirement.
The Government will take additional steps to strengthen retirement adequacy of Singaporeans. We launched the Contribute-as-you-Earn (CAYE) pilot at the start of the year to help SEPs better save for their healthcare needs through smaller and more regular MediSave contributions whenever they earn income. We expect about 3,000 SEPs or so working with Government agencies each year to make CAYE contributions.
To help SEPs come on board the scheme, we will provide a dollar-for-dollar matching for CAYE contributions made in 2020, capped at $600. Mr Chen Show Mao will be pleased to note that around 400 SEPs made CAYE contributions in January alone. This is encouraging. All of them will receive matched MediSave contributions from the Government.
SEPs can also save for retirement through cash-top-ups schemes into their CPF. Those who are eligible can tap on the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, which I will elaborate on later. In addition, SEPs may receive additional support through the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) Scheme. From 1 January 2020, the qualifying income cap and maximum annual payouts have both gone up. In addition, recipients will get an additional 20% of their WIS payment for work done in 2019, with a minimum payment of $100. This will be given in cash. Each year, more than 50,000 SEPs receive Workfare. With the COVID-19 situation, I expect more SEPs to qualify this year.
More broadly, to help Singaporeans with less CPF savings, we will introduce the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme (MRSS) from 2021 to 2025. This can benefit lower income seniors and in particular, gig workers and \"unpaid\" care-givers, who typically have less in their CPF.
The Government will match cash top-ups made to the Retirement Account of eligible members, up to $600 annually or $3,000 over five years. About 435,000 Singaporeans will be eligible for MRSS each year. There are no restrictions on who can contribute. For example, employers may want to use MRSS as a staff benefit to recognise long-serving senior workers and help them set aside more for retirement. They will enjoy tax reliefs for cash top-ups. Working adults can also make top-ups to their stay-at-home spouses, or their parents who are nearing retirement.
Will MRSS work? Assoc Prof Walter Theseira is not so sure and suggested that people be asked to commit their savings in advance, for example, their WIS cash payouts or annual bonuses. I thank him for thinking about how to improve MRSS. We will study, seriously, the practicalities of his suggestion.
Let me round off this section with the Silver Support Scheme. Silver Support targets seniors who had lower incomes throughout their lives and have less in their retirement. Since 2016, we have disbursed close to $1.6 billion to over 200,000 seniors.
From 1 January 2021, we will do the following: (a) Increase the quarterly payouts by 20% for all flat types; (b) Expand the criteria for lifetime wages; (c) Expand the criteria for household monthly income per person from $1,100 to $1,800, with two tiers of payouts.
With these enhancements, close to 250,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above will benefit in 2021. This is about 100,000 more than today. Total Silver Support payouts will almost double from $330 million currently to about $620 million in 2021.
MOM will continue to review our policies to improve the retirement adequacy of Singaporeans. This includes studying the feasibility of introducing the CPF Lifetime Retirement Investment Scheme (LRIS), which Ms Foo Mee Har asked about.
LRIS will be designed for members who wish to invest their CPF monies but have neither the knowledge nor time to do so. To be attractive, it has to charge low fees. There must be a good chance of earning higher returns than the current CPF interest rates. But it should also provide some assurance against the downside risks.
This is a complex effort with many multiple objectives that are not always consistent with each other. Given the many issues that demand MOM's time, I seek Members' understanding that we need more time to get the fundamentals of LRIS right. We will provide an update when ready. Mr Chairman, please allow me to conclude in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, at the moment, the economic outlook of the whole world is unclear. This is not only due to COVID-19 but also because of technological advancement that is constantly changing the nature of jobs. In the face of these key external factors, Singaporeans may be concerned about their employment prospects.
The Government will do everything it can to protect the rice bowls of our people.
In particular, those in their 40s and 50s are at a stage of life where they need to support their families. Besides caring for their aged parents and school-going children, and most of them are still paying off their home mortgage. They are worried that even if they work hard, they cannot avoid becoming obsolete.
Therefore, the Government has strengthened its efforts to focus on middle-aged workers in their 40s and 50s, so that they can take charge of their careers, explore new opportunities and carve out new careers for themselves.
We understand that if we want to help these workers, we need the cooperation of employers and enterprises. Our reskilling efforts would not achieve the intended outcome if they are not supported by employers.
We will therefore adopt a targeted approach. If employers are willing to spend time and money to train mid-career and middle-age workers, they would be able to receive 90% salary support.
After workers complete training, we will cover 20% of the new hire’s monthly salary, for a duration of six months and subjected to a total cap of $6,000. As they say, the number 66 is symbolic of a smooth-sailing pathway. We hope that employers can keep an open mind, and give more opportunities for mid-career and middle-age workers to play a greater role.
In fact, many companies in Singapore are supportive of the Government's policies, especially with regard to hiring senior workers. I would like to thank all of them for their support.
As the Chinese saying goes: 家有一老，如有一宝， an elder in the family is a treasure. I hope employers will adopt the same attitude towards senior workers within their companies, and help them achieve their aspirations to work longer and accumulate more savings.
The Government will strengthen support for enterprises to achieve this.
Those who raise the retirement age and re-employment age before July 2022 will receive grants of up to $250,000. If employers make changes to company policies to allow senior workers to be employed on a part-time basis, they will receive up to $125,000 in grants. In other words, the more \"elders\" they retain or re-employ, the more \"treasures\" they will receive.
Let me now talk about self-employed individuals. In the last few weeks, the Government has announced various packages to help taxi drivers, Grab drivers and tour guides. However, the earnings of self-employed individuals in other sectors have also taken a hit due to cancellations or postponements. Hence, the Government will provide an additional S$36 million to help self-employed individuals.
NTUC will administer the Self-employed Persons Training Support Scheme to help self-employed workers. If they undergo training under the SkillsFuture Series or sector specific-training programmes, they will receive up to $60 per day for attending the courses, on top of the existing subsidies on course fees. There is no cap on how much training they can sign up for. So, I would urge self-employed individuals to make good use of these schemes. Not only will they enjoy wage subsidies, they can also learn a new skill.
As a society, we should pay more attention to assist the more vulnerable groups who have less in retirement.
From this year, we will enhance the Workfare programme to benefit more low-income Singaporeans.
The Silver Support Scheme has benefited 150,000 workers. From the end of this year, the quarterly cash supplement will increase by 20%. Next year, we will further expand the criteria to include an additional 100,000 senior workers to benefit from this scheme. We will continue to refine these schemes to benefit those with less in retirement.
Beyond these initiatives, the Government will help Singaporeans build up more retirement savings to prepare them for retirement.
The Government is committed to ensure job security for everyone and look after disadvantaged groups.
Even in this time when the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is still unclear, we are fortunate that we still have the means to develop long-term plans to lay a good foundation for our people. I firmly believe that in spite of the immediate challenges and difficulties, we can create a better home for all as long as we work together as one Singapore. [Applause.]
Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Mr Chairman, in recent years, NTUC and the Government, with the support of our tripartite stakeholders, have taken bold and specific interventions to help workers providing essential services with better wages, better welfare and better work prospects because every worker matters. The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) has improved the wages and skills of thousands of cleaners, security officers and landscape workers. Other schemes implemented over the years, such as Workfare Scheme, have helped them with cost of living and hope for a better future through new skills that they can acquire at heavily subsidised rates. The road to improving the lives of low-wage workers cannot just end here.
In my Budget speech, I am urging the Government to support extending PWM to more sectors if the industry stakeholders are supportive and for us to try wage benchmarking in some sectors if PWM is not practical or feasible. Given that the SkillsFuture framework, identifying different job levels and skills for more than 30 sectors, have been developed, it would be easier to develop the wage ladder for some industries. This would incentivise workers, especially low-wage workers, to upgrade themselves if the prospect for better wages are assured. NTUC will put up some possible sectors and hope the Government will give due consideration.
Previously, I have also on several occasions in Parliament made calls for Annual Wage Supplement (AWS) to be made mandatory, especially for low-wage workers, but the response so far has been, at best, lukewarm. Many of us assume that all workers get the 13th month bonus or AWS at the end of the year but the sad reality is that the very group that needs it most is not receiving it. As a society, we must demand for the right treatment of our low-wage workers. AWS can boost their salaries by about 8.3% and this can help narrow the income gap. As the Government has pledged to support outcome-based procurement practices, perhaps, the Government and Government-linked companies can also nudge employers towards the right behaviour, to award tenders to companies with good HR practices that include paying the 13th month bonus as part of their pay package.
I have also called for better protection of low-wage workers against unfair employment contracts and terms. I have highlighted this in a blogpost that I wrote last year. While I applaud the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management for following up on these cases, I would like to know MOM's view about starting a watch list if companies are found or reported to have unfair clauses in their employment contracts and imposing administrative penalties on such companies, such as curtailment of work pass privileges.
Mr Chong Kee Hiong: Chairman, most of our lower wage workers are in sectors where their wages have stagnated due to competitive outsourcing practices. The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) puts in place a systematic framework to track the quality of work, gains in productivity and training attained by these workers and peg them to corresponding wage increments and career progression. The PWM has proven to be effective in uplifting workers in the cleaning, security and landscape sectors and improved their prospects.
With this successful implementation, I join Mr Zainal Sapari to appeal to the Ministry to consider expanding PWM to even more sectors as soon as possible. In addition, I would like to request for measures to ensure that these workers have access to proper rest areas and safe work environments, backed by legislation and regular enforcement.
Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (Fengshan): Chairman, in Budget 2020, we have the SkillsFuture Support Package for all Singaporeans aged above 25 and one specific to the mid-career so as to encourage and remind them to always stay relevant and keep learning for life. As Minister Josephine Teo has just mentioned, there is also a suite of other support measures on jobs support, wage credit, enterprise grants and so on. It is clear that re-skilling and staying relevant is applicable to everyone and an effort played by all – individual, employers, society and Government.
But what does this mean to the people with special needs or disabilities? Some that I spoke to raised the challenges they face at the workplace. For example, they are assigned menial jobs that are not wanted by others; they encounter a lack of jobs after trial employment; SPED schools' academic qualifications are not recognised by the employers, amongst others. In a nutshell, finding and sustaining employment in life for them is a constant challenge.
In this regard, I would like to ask MOM what can be done to better facilitate job design and assignment of jobs for people with special needs? Which policy area can be improved to raise awareness and protect their rights at work?
Let me share my thoughts on a few areas that the employers, society and Government can do to assist.
First, societal mindset change and prevent discrimination at hiring. I think this begins from the design of job application forms where disclosure of medical conditions is required before interviews are granted. How much to disclose and when to do so are always key concerns for these individuals who feel they are disadvantaged from the start. Employers and colleagues can create the right work culture, one that focuses on establishing shared interests and values, building bridges with them and connect through common grounds. They need to be treated as people, not labour. By not emphasising their conditions also means inclusion as all are accepted as one.
Second, flexi-work arrangement. There needs to be a better match in mutual expectations, understanding the intrinsic ability of the staff and assigning appropriate task, recognising the contribution and lending emotional support are important. Unfair judgement or bias treatment will only result in clashes or poor work performance. Sometimes, special needs people also require occasional medical treatments throughout their life. Being flexible in work arrangements or time off will help them when annual leave is limited and for those whose physique or stamina are constrained by the number of hours they can put in each day.
Third, enhance the dedicated resources of job referral and training organisations. Job coaching, preparatory for workplace and re-skilling are fundamental for people with special needs to continue being in the workforce and remain in the industries. Some form of assistance do exist today but the period of support is short. If the Government and the agencies can play a more prominent role in matching their skills and appropriate employers, this acts as a safeguard for them to remain connected in the industries. Employers and job coaches who value such employees should also be ready to provide testimonials and be willing to offer as their referrals for future jobs. The Government should also look at and consider funding some of these training and provide more wage credit offsets for the employers who hire people with special needs.
Lastly, equality in terms and conditions of work. It is not uncommon to hear that people with special needs are often grateful that they are being offered a job and would remain in the job for a long time. But they are, in fact, no different from other workers when they put their heart to the tasks. For that matter, they should be entitled to receive the same contractual coverage and benefits offered by the companies like any other permanent or contractual staff under the same work conditions.
I hope to see stronger support and move towards levelling the playing field for people with special needs in the area of employment and lifelong learning.
The Chairman: Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar. Take your two cuts together.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio): The National Council of Social Services (NCSS) published its \"Quality of Life Study on Persons with Disabilities\" in 2016. The study involved close to 1,000 respondents with disabilities. The study incorporated a face-to-face survey which sought to identify the needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs) across six domains of Quality of Life.
Among the findings established was that PWDs who were not engaged in a main daily activity, particularly employment, experienced lower quality of life, with more than half of the respondents who were not gainfully employed indicating so. In contrast, those in employment reported a higher level of independence, with a difference of 10%-16% between those who are employed and those who are unemployed. However, what was more disconcerting is that those who are in open employment, that is, employed just like typical hires, tended to feel discriminated against, with a difference of 4%-8% between those in open employment and those in sheltered employment or working in Day Activity Centres (DACs).
NCSS carried out another study with 1,400 Singaporeans and PRs on attitudes towards PWDs. Among the many findings established in the study, one that stood out was that attitudes towards PWDs were least favourable in the domain of employment. Deeper probing suggests that the public often perceives a person's disability as the inability to perform one's job. In particular, it was found that people in general feel or behave even less positively towards individuals with autism or intellectual disabilities.
Information on both studies can be found in this publication by NCSS.
As I have said before in this House, being gainfully employed and being able to be remunerated for doing meaningful work, like other typical hires, is a start in helping PWDs or special needs live independently like many others and it accords sufficient opportunities for them to develop that much-needed sense of identity, self-esteem and self-dignity.
The Government has introduced schemes, such as the Special Employment Credit (SEC), Workfare Training Scheme (WTS) and the Open Door Programme (ODP) to help PWDs with special needs to be employed. However, how many employers actually have, in their hiring policies and practices, affirmative action to employ PWDs with special needs? How many employers have leveraged on these schemes to actively hire persons with disabilities or special needs? And how many PWDs with special needs are in active or open employment?
I am also concerned that the Special Employment Credit will cease after 2020. Will there be a new Employment Credit scheme to help employers employ PWDs with special needs? Or can the Special Employment Credit be extended to employers to continue employing PWDs with special needs?
In addition, for the SkillsFuture Credit (SFC) of $500 per Singaporean aged 25 years old and above, can an exception be made to allow PWDs with special needs make use of the SFC from age 18 years old when they are in DACs and where they can pick up SkillsFuture training courses while there?
I laud the Adapt and Grow and Place-and-Train initiatives available for older workers and for students to upgrade and transition into the world of work across sectors, such as hotel, retail, food services, tourism and air transport.
Will there be a similar Place-and-Train scheme for PWDs with special needs to help them ease into their new job and place of work and learn on-the-job? I am sure sectors, such as food services, retail and tourism, are always in need of employees and these are sectors where PWDs with special needs can do well in, provided they are given the opportunity and are coached to perform their job functions well.
Finally, how else can employers be nudged into actively hiring PWDs with special needs and valuing them for the skills and abilities that they have, rather than perceiving them as simply being unable to perform job tasks or, worse still, seeing them as a liability?
My second cut, Chairman, on rest areas for workers. In last year's COS, I brought up the need to provide decent working conditions, such as the provision of proper rest areas for lower wage and outsourced workers, such as cleaners, security officers, F&B service staff and despatch riders.
I had also expressed that while some people may feel that requiring proper rest areas is a trivial request, it is not so. When you work the most part of the day on your feet, you do look forward to having a proper place to sit and rest and experience some sense of well-being while at work. And this rest area should not be at staircases or rubbish dump areas.
I had requested for MOM to make proper rest areas for lower wage and outsourced workers mandatory. These rest areas should be well-ventilated, well-lit and have proper tables and seats for the workers to have their meals and to rest. Other than rest areas, there must be proper lockers where personal belongings can be stored safely while they work.
I would like to ask MOM for updates in this. How many employers and organisations have agreed to make such a provision for their lower wage or outsourced workers? How is MOM helping employers and organisations make this provision?
Ms Anthea Ong (Nominated Member): In the public consultation that my team and I conducted on mental health, there were 76 responses referencing issues within workplaces. The focus of the Ministry on mental wellness within workplaces as part of the WSH 2028 vision is prudent and necessary, as supported also by WHO.
Will the Ministry consider issuing an advisory to employers to adopt progressive practices that support their employees’ mental health?
Countries, including UK and Canada, have legislated the right to Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA). Twenty-one responses asked for FWAs. One indicated that most treatment options for mental health conditions are only available on weekdays, with their employers unwilling to provide FWAs. Given the Ministry’s strong endorsement for FWAs in care-giver support and Work-Life Grant, would the Ministry consider legislating the right of employees to pursue FWAs and also make explicit publicly that sick leave entitlement can be used for both physical and mental health conditions?
Six responses raised lack of mental health insurance as affecting treatment affordability. One respondent shared the inability to claim insurance for treatment at IMH as the company insurer does not allow this. The recent WICA amendment saw the Ministry working with a group of insurance companies to risk-pool and ensure affordable premiums for employers. In a similar vein, will the Ministry consider working with insurance companies on providing mental health coverage for employees?
Mr Yee Chia Hsing (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, on the night of 7 February this year, there was a fire at a chemical plant on Jurong Island. The fire resulted in the death of two workers, one of which is my resident.
When I visited the funeral wake, the family was understandably distraught and they had many questions which the employer did not provide. The company did not explain to the family how workmen insurance compensation worked, did not provide more information on whether the company had bought additional insurance and did not even provide the contact details of a person that the family could approach. No one explained to the family if they would get a factual report of what happened and, if so, from which entity.
Chairman, the fire left a Singaporean family with two young boys – six and four years old – without a father. While much work for workplace safety has focused on prevention, I believe MOM must mandate that companies in high-risk industries put in place crisis management and family support best practices to ensure that families get the maximum amount of support when something goes wrong. The situation could even be worse if an accident involves a sole breadwinner.
Meanwhile, I would also like to ask MOM to provide an update on our workplace safety and health record over the past year and if it is introducing additional measures to enhance workplace safety and health.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, according to the latest workplace safety and health statistics released for the third quarter of 2019, the 12-month rolling fatal injury rate per 100,000 workers has dropped to 1.1. This is a new low, but I believe we can strive to do better. To achieve better workplace safety, it is important that we challenge ourselves constantly to make work conditions even safer and healthier for our workers.
In 2019, the Government accepted in full the recommendations made by the WSH 2028 Tripartite Strategies Committee. Can the Ministry provide an update on the progress of the respective recommendations made then? I would also like to reiterate my continued repeated calls for a mandatory WSH representative in every company. This will help to support the advocacy and implementation of WSH initiatives at the workplace.
Sir, we need also to work towards better workplace health. Mental health, in particular, is vital for our overall well-being. But while mental health issues are real and ever-present, particularly at our workplaces, many are afraid to voice out for fear of stigmatisation. Therefore, we need to raise awareness and socialise mental health issues so that we can build an eco-system of support to help with the detection and early prevention of mental health issues.
The Labour Movement will do our part in destigmatising workplace mental health issues. I am happy to announce that NTUC will be partnering with the WSH Council and the Singapore Association for Mental Health to promote mental well-being at workplaces. We will recognise inclusive employers who have gone the extra mile to put in place robust mental wellness programmes to help employees stay mentally healthy and resilient. Through profiling such inclusive employers as industry role models, we hope that we can encourage more companies to do the same. More details will be shared soon.
Sir, I note that the Health Promotion Board has been doing its part to promote the creation of mental well-being programmes at workplaces. Since 2017, HPB has trained close to 1,400 managers and HR personnel under the Workplace Mental Health Solution Initiative to support the development of workplace mental health programmes. I would like to ask if there had been any notable initiatives rolled out which can serve as exemplary case studies for other companies to emulate.
Sir, we know of two companies who want to support their employees in the area of mental health but do not know where to start. I would like to call on our tripartite partners to partner with the Labour Movement to do more in promoting the training of supervisors and union leaders to identify and respond to employees with mental health conditions. I hope also that the Government will partner with NTUC to study the incidence of workplace mental health issues and the effects, both long-term and short-term, they have on our workforce.
By working together to create better total WSH outcomes at the workplace, I believe that our workers will have – to quote Mr Lim Swee Say – a H2P2 life – Health and Happy, Productive and Purposeful.
The Chairman: Mr Zainal Sapari, you can take your three cuts together.
Mr Zainal Sapari: Chairman, there was a positive trend in the general reduction of workplace accidents but, unfortunately, the spate of multiple workplace accidents involving fatalities among migrant workers in the construction and high-risk sectors last year has cast a dark shadow on an otherwise positive trend in 2019.
This begs the question whether the measures taken have been effective in reducing workplace fatalities involving migrant workers. Has MOM concluded if there was any trend, pattern or underlying cause in the spike of accidents in November involving migrant workers, and what pre-emptive measures could have been taken? What is the result of the investigations and, if wrongdoing or negligence is found, when can we expect sanctions to be handed down? Is MOM reviewing rules, increasing enforcement or doing anything else to ensure such spates are prevented in future?
I would like to urge our tripartite partners to re-examine the entire eco-system in the industries with many migrant workers to identify weaknesses in workplace culture and practices that could lead to accidents. These gaps must be addressed systematically so that we can have truly inclusive and progressive practices in workplace safety and health because every worker matters and every job counts.
My next cut – Electronic Salary Payment for Work Permit Holders. Since 2014, the Migrant Workers’ Centre has been calling for electronic payment of salaries to be made mandatory for all Work Permit Holders to protect and minimise risk of salary abuse from unscrupulous employers.
Although the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act requires employers to switch to electronic payment should the workers request for it, the reality on the ground is that workers would be too afraid to push the issue should the employer refuse, for fear of termination and repatriation by employers. This is an unacceptable consequence to most migrant workers, especially if they have paid high recruitment or placement fees to come here in the first place.
Are there statistics on what proportion of the Work Permit Holder population is already paid electronically? Given the success of the MWC-POSB Bank Account-Membership Programme, will MOM be able to say when mandatory electronic salary payment for Work Permit Holders can be a reality?
My last cut – Increase Medical Coverage for Work Permit Holders. The Migrant Workers' Centre has been assisting migrant workers who sustain serious injuries from workplace accidents, including helping many employers discharge their responsibilities to their migrant workers undergoing treatment.
Based on the injury cases handled by MWC, they have found that the $15,000 value of mandatory medical insurance coverage for migrant workers is inadequate in assisting employers to defray the unexpected costs involving serious injuries. Even though employers can opt for a higher coverage, the reality is that many would opt for the lower coverage to manage their business costs. This would make the workers vulnerable if the final treatment cost is not covered by insurance and the employer is unable to bear the cost.
I would like to call upon MOM to initiate and involve the tripartite partners in reviewing the mandatory medical insurance for Work Permit Holders. Perhaps, MOM would want to determine the mandatory insurance coverage based on the industry sector where the quantum of medical insurance coverage would be higher for those sectors which contribute most to the accident and fatality rates. Every worker matters and it is important that they are taken care of in times of need.
The Chairman: Order. I propose to take a break now.
[(proc text) Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Order. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 4.20 pm.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 3.58 pm until 4.20 pm.
Sitting resumed at 4.20 pm
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair]
[(proc text) Debate in Committee of Supply resumed. (proc text)]
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair]
The Minister of State for Manpower (Mr Zaqy Mohamad): Chairman, as Minister for Manpower has shared, MOM will continue to champion fairness. Fairness in the workplace encompasses fair support for both employers and workers. I will share our plans to enable inclusive growth for low-wage workers as well as persons with disabilities, and how we inculcate care for all workers.
First, our initiatives for low-wage workers. Over the years, we have improved their wages and skills through various policies. A handout on the achievements of the Progressive Wage Model, or PWM, can be found on Members' seats.
Mr Chong Kee Hiong's asked for an update on PWM. The PWM has benefited over 78,000 workers in the cleaning, security as well as landscape sectors by boosting their wages and providing clear paths for career progression. Between 2013 and 2018, real median monthly gross wages of full-time cleaners, security officers and landscape workers grew cumulatively by about 30%, 31% and 32% respectively, higher than the 16% for median full-time resident workers. The current mandatory PWM framework has served us well.
In 2018, we announced a PWM for the lift maintenance sector. MND plans to make this mandatory in due course. Meanwhile, the Government is taking the lead by only awarding lift maintenance tenders to firms that have adopted the PWM.
Mr Zainal Sapari and Mr Lim Swee Say asked to expand the PWM to more sectors. We have made progress this year. We appointed a tripartite cluster to include escalator technicians under the lift PWM. Together, close to 1,300 resident lift and escalator maintenance workers stand to benefit. The Tripartite Cluster for Lift and Escalator Industry, the fourth such cluster, will aim to submit its recommendations by the end of the year.
But we will not stop with these four clusters, and intend to expand the PWM to more sectors. So far, the sectors that implemented PWM have found that a mandatory approach, where a regulator imposes a uniform obligation to comply with the PWM, delivers results most readily. If Government agencies are themselves large buyers of such services, Government procurement policies can also help to kick-start the process.
However, the vision of progressive wages, which Mr Lim Swee Say first laid out many years ago as Secretary-General of the NTUC, is more far reaching than that. It is a vision that every sector should have a clear ladder for better jobs, better skills and, as a result, better wages.
Therefore, even as we extend mandatory PWM to a few other sectors, we intend to introduce PWM even to sectors where we may not be able to apply mandatory PWM. We want PWM to be a broader movement where the community can play a part as responsible consumers.
Under this approach, we want to create a virtuous cycle, where companies that voluntarily pay progressive wages and provide job progression pathways to their low-wage workers, are recognised and rewarded by consumers who support them by purchasing their products and services. This will in turn spur more companies to be progressive as the best way to advance their business interests.
We are working actively with our tripartite partners to explore how we can expand the PWM in new sectors and with a new approach. However, we recognise there are current market challenges with COVID-19, and we will have to share more when the economic climate and business conditions are more favourable.
Progressive wages are one way to support low-wage workers. The Government also supports them through Workfare. The Workfare Training Support Scheme, or WTS, was first introduced in 2010 to encourage companies to send their lower-wage workers for training, and encourage workers themselves to upgrade their skills. So far, WTS has benefited over 12,000 companies and 270,000 individuals, and disbursed over $550 million. More details are in the handout.
I would like to assure Mr Chong Kee Hiong and Mr Saktiandi Supaat that we will continue to provide strong support to low-wage workers to undergo training.
We will replace the WTS with a new Workfare Skills Support, or WSS. Over the years, our workers have benefited from the introduction of substantial SkillsFuture course fee subsidies of up to 90% and SkillsFuture Credit for training. The old WTS came at a time before SkillsFuture established itself to what it is today. So therefore there is a fair bit of duplication between WTS and SkillsFuture.
Under the new Workfare Skills Support, we will no longer provide course fee subsidies. Instead, WSS will provide more support for workers who complete training leading to full qualifications under the Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications, or better known as WSQ, as well as the academic Continuing Education and Training (CET) qualification systems. This is because we have found that those who acquire full qualifications are more likely to earn higher wages.
Forty-two-year-old Mr Syamsaini Ramli is one such example. Syamsaini's employer, PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, used WTS to sponsor him for courses that led to a WSQ Certificate in Security Operations – a full qualification. Syamsaini gained new skills in areas such as counter-terrorism and managing threatening behaviour, which his employer valued. He was promoted to assistant security supervisor in 2019, with a pay increment of 10%.
We want more workers like Syamsaini to benefit from WSS. Hence, we will raise the Training Commitment Award for low-wage workers who attain a full qualification to $500, from $200. Its annual cap will also be increased to $1,000, from $400.
We will also raise the training allowance to $6 per hour, from $4.50, to offset the opportunity costs of workers' training. We will tie the eligibility for training allowance to courses which are more likely to lead to better employment outcomes. The new WSS will commence on 1 July 2020.
Let me turn to the concerns of Persons with Disabilities, or PWDs. Our current programmes to support PWDs have contributed to their improving employment rate. Last year, I shared that three in 10 of PWDs aged between 15 and 64 were in employment. Between 2016 and 2019, more than 2,000 PWDs found new jobs through the Adapt and Grow, or A&G, initiative.
The Open Door Programme, or ODP, a special scheme under the A&G initiative, is administered by SG Enable, and helps PWDs enter suitable jobs and better integrate into the workplace. It provides support for job placement, training and job re-design. The ODP Job Redesign Grant provides funding of up to 90% of job re-design costs, capped at $20,000 per PWD employee. MOM and SG Enable also launched the Job Redesign Guide to help companies better integrate PWDs into the workplace, one of the critical success factors for PWDs continuing to be employed.
Last year, more than 5,900 employers hiring over 9,000 Singaporeans with disabilities benefited from the Special Employment Credit, or SEC, and the Additional Special Employment Credit, or ASEC. This amounted to over $102 million since 2012.
We want to do more to improve the employment and employability of PWDs. To study this, MSF set up the Enabling Masterplan workgroup comprising of public, private and people sector representatives last year. With the workgroup's support, MOM will be enhancing our schemes to give our PWDs a boost.
The workgroup recognised that training and job re-design are key to helping PWDs stay employable. One of the beneficiaries of the ODP Training Grant is David. David was diagnosed with mild retina pigmentosa in his teens, which led to worsening vision over time. He lost his job as an engineer in his mid-50s. David tapped on the ODP Training Grant to pick up workplace IT skills as well as telephone etiquette.
The courses prepared him for an alternative career pathway as a call centre agent with Eureka Call Centre Systems, or EurekaCCS. EurekaCCS also tapped on the Job Redesign Grant to purchase keyboards with larger font keys and high colour contrast, allowing employees such as David to work more productively.
The training David underwent gave him confidence to attend to enquiries and feedback from customers and David performed so well that EurekaCCS recognised him as one of their top performing call agents and rewarded him with an additional bonus incentive. In total, EurekaCCS has 14 employees with disabilities, who make up 87% of its workforce. Well done, EurekaCCS! I hope more employers will follow its lead.
We will enhance the ODP Training Grant to provide stronger funding support to employers who send their PwDs for training, and PwDs seeking to upgrade themselves. We will raise course fee subsidies from 90% to 95% for eligible training courses curated by SG Enable. We will also raise training allowance for both unemployed and employed PwDs to $6 per hour and introduce a training commitment award of $100 per completed eligible training course.
The SEC and ASEC have served our PwD employees well and will expire this year. To replace the SEC and ASEC, we will introduce a new Enabling Employment Credit, or EEC, which will provide even stronger support for persons with disabilities. The EEC will be given to employers that hire Singaporean PwDs earning below $4,000 per month and this will cover about four in five of current PwD employees. The EEC provides a wage offset of up to 20% of the employee's monthly income, capped at a maximum of $400 per month. In addition, employers hiring PwDs who have not been working for at least six months will receive an additional 10% wage offset, capped at $200 per month, for the first six months of employment.
Mr Alvin Yeo, the founder of Faith Music Centre, is one employer that will benefit from the new EEC. Faith Music Centre is a social enterprise which teaches music to PwDs and has also hired several of the centre's learners with disabilities as music instructors and stage masters. Today, Faith Music Centre has 15 employees with varied disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, sensory impairment and intellectual disability. EEC will provide Faith Music Centre a larger wage offset as compared to SEC and even more support if they hire more PwDs.
As persons with disabilities become more economically active, the issues of financial independence, whether they enjoy fair salaries, as raised by Dr Intan Azura as well as Miss Cheryl Chan, will become more important to PwDs. MOM will closely monitor workplace practices and encourage progressive practices for PwDs, just as it does for other workers.
Under the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, employers are expected to treat PwDs fairly, including asking for information only relevant to the job and paying them fairly. Lower income PwDs also receive additional support through the Workfare Income Supplement. In 2019, over 6,300 PwDs received WIS payouts amounting to $6.7 million. WIS has been further enhanced from 1 January 2020, with a higher qualifying income ceiling of $2,300 per month and higher maximum payouts of $4,000 per year.
So, ultimately, the best way to safeguard the interests of our persons with disabilities is to ensure that they have many good opportunities to choose from. This means more employers hiring PwDs and giving them opportunities for career growth. It also means more Singaporeans welcoming PwDs as colleagues in the workplace.
Beyond inclusive growth, we want to promote a culture of care. It is important to uphold our workers' dignity and to support them by giving them the respect they deserve. Last year, we launched Workcare, an initiative to uplift the well-being of our low-wage workers. To begin, we are focusing on rest areas. Mr Chong and Dr Intan asked for updates. Last December, we launched the Tripartite Advisory, or TA, on Provision of Rest Areas for Outsourced Workers, and I am happy to share our progress.
West Coast and Ang Mo Kio Town Councils, with the support of Mr Patrick Tay and Dr Intan, have partnered MOM to spruce up 20 rest areas for their outsourced cleaners, as a pilot initiative. In sites with space constraints, cleaners asked minimally for means to safekeep their belongings. NEA has worked with their cleaning contractors to provide lockers in 10 MEWR hawker centres, and will do so for the remaining 16 centres by the end of 2020. NTUC Foodfare will also provide lockers in all 12 food courts by the end 2020.
I am also happy to announce that all public agencies and Town Councils will lead by example and have committed to adhere to the TA by end 2020 as well. To further accelerate the provision of rest areas in other workplaces, MOM will launch a new Workcare Grant that we will announce later this year, with a view of legislating this in time to come.
Singaporeans, we can play a part too. Simple gestures such as thanking these workers for their services, are small but in significant ways that will improve their well-being and dignity at work. Mr Melvin Yong, Mr Yee Chia Hsing and Mr Zainal Sapari raised issues concerning Workplace Safety and Health or WSH, as we all know it. A culture of care includes ensuring the safety and health of our workers. And over the past decade, Singapore's WSH performance has improved. The workplace fatal injury rate last year was no worse than in 2018. More details will be released in the 2019 WSH Statistics Report by next week; so, stay tuned.
In response to Mr Zainal, there was no dominant trend that contributed to the fatal accidents in November last year. Investigations are ongoing. Where necessary, we will issue Stop Work Orders to prevent risks to other workers. Stop Work Orders are minimally for three weeks. And companies have to rectify all unsafe conditions before Orders are lifted. If we find that companies or individuals have failed in their Workplace Safety and Health obligations, we will prosecute them.
I agree with Mr Zainal that tripartite partners should do more to prevent accidents. This was what many of the WSH2028 recommendations sought to do. We are progressively implementing these recommendations. One of the underlying principles of WSH2028 is to make good WSH good for business.
There will then be stronger impetus for firms to embed Workplace Safety and Health in their culture and practices. For instance, this year, we will establish a framework for public sector developers to disqualify unsafe contractors, when considering awarding contracts. Later this year, designated work injury compensation, or WIC, insurers will have access to potential clients' WIC claim records. We expect insurers to set higher premiums for firms with poorer safety records. So, there is an impact to the premiums that you pay compared to how you perform at the workplace.
We agree with Mr Yong that every company should have representatives to champion progressive WSH practices. However, making this mandatory in every company may not be practical. In fact, the WSH 2028 Tripartite Strategies Committee concluded that a prescriptive approach is not the way forward. The more prudent approach is to promote this as a progressive practice. We will support the Labour Movement in championing WSH representatives and other progressive WSH practices.
I agree fully with Mr Yee Chia Hsing, that support for the families affected by workplace accidents is essential. I too, visited the family; in the constituency that was affected, and certainly, our hearts go out to the family. It was a really tragic accident that I feel is needless. MOM will sensitise employers, including through the Institute for HR professionals, because HR is usually the first interface that the family has with the company.
Workplace safety and health covers mental health at work too. Recently, there have been calls to better support employees' mental well-being at workplaces. Ms Anthea Ong asked whether sick leave entitlements can be used for both physical and mental health conditions. This is already the case. In fact, in issuing a medical certificate, a doctor should not indicate to the employer the nature of the patient's medical condition unless the patient has consented to it.
All employers are expected to practise fair and merit-based employment practices, as laid out in the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices. For certain jobs such as pilots and Police officers, some mental health conditions may affect their ability to perform their job roles effectively. In these cases, it is reasonable for employers to ask applicants for more information to make a holistic assessment of overall well-being. Otherwise, employers should not be asking for information on the applicant's mental health. Our recent enhanced penalty framework for discriminatory practices also apply to discrimination on grounds of a person's mental health condition.
We agree with Mr Yong and Ms Ong that employers have an important role in supporting employees' mental well-being. Today, MINDEF and MOE already have well developed programmes to support their servicemen and educators. We encourage more employers to do the same because your workforce of tomorrow and workforce of today have gone through that system and as they come out into the workforce, they need the same level of support too.
Some employers may want to support their employee's mental health, but they do not know how. As Ms Ong has suggested, we will formulate a Tripartite Advisory on Mental Well-Being to educate employers on what could be done. The advisory will highlight notable initiatives that companies should emulate, what Mr Yong was asking for. These could include progressive practices such as providing access to anonymised external counselling service, or training supervisors to identify mental health symptoms early. We will also work with tripartite partners and seek views from various stakeholders including members of the newly announced Youth Mental Well-Being Network.
Ms Ong suggested including mental health expenses as part of employees' medical benefits. One way is to include it as part of employer-provided medical benefits that complement our healthcare financing offerings, which the tripartite partners can discuss in crafting the TA later. We aim to finalise the Tripartite Advisory in the second half of this year.
The Ministry is also happy to partner the Labour Movement to initiate mental health studies and support employee mental well-being. For instance, together we can promote the use of iWorkHealth, a web-based psycho-social assessment tool to help employers and their employees identify workplace stressors. The tool raises awareness of workplace factors that may cause excessive stress and recommends ways to improve mental well-being. MOM is currently piloting the tool and will launch it later this year.
Mr Zainal asked about medical insurance for Work Permit holders. Foreign workers who sustain injuries from workplace accidents are entitled to claim compensation under the WICA Framework. Compensation benefits under the WICA include medical leave wages, medical expenses of up to $45,000 as well as lump sum compensation for permanent incapacity or death. The compensation cap of $45,000 for medical expenses will fully cover the medical expenses incurred in more than 95% of claims where hospitalisation was required.
To meet WICA obligations, employers are required to purchase Work Injury Compensation Insurance. This is separate from the mandatory medical insurance that employers are required to purchase and maintain under the EFMA. Under the EFMA, the medical insurance purchase can be used to either supplement the Work Injury Compensation Insurance or be used for non-work injury related treatment; so they are both different.
We must always treat all workers fairly and inclusively. As the saying goes, \"treat others how you want to be treated\". This is especially important today, as we face the COVID-19 threat together. As shared last week, MOM is working hard to educate our foreign workers on the COVID-19 situation and the control measures that we put in place. Materials such as posters and videos have been produced and are available in the workers' native language. In addition, MOM has been sharing bite-size information through our foreign worker ambassadors on a daily basis.
An employer from a trading company gave feedback that the handling of the COVID-19 situation was efficient and effective. One worker shared that he \"felt no panic about COVID-19\" and that the \"Government took a lot of steps against COVID-19\". But this would not have been possible without our partners – our employers, our unions and our NGOs. We really thank everyone for making this successful.
In pursuing inclusive growth in a culture of care for all workers, the Government is committed to ensuring fairness for both employers and workers. We can achieve this with the commitment and support of our Tripartite Partners and fellow Singaporeans. By working together hand in hand, we can build the workforce which provides fair support to all employers and workers in an inclusive, empathetic and caring manner.
Mr Chairman, allow me to recap how we provide fair and inclusive support to employers and workers in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] MOM will continue to champion fairness and provide fair support for both employers and workers. This includes our lower wage workers and persons with disabilities, or PwDs.
Over the years, the Progressive Wage Model, or PWM, has provided progressive wages and job progression pathways for lower wage workers. The PWM has benefited over 78,000 workers in the cleaning, security and landscape sectors.
We have seen positive effects. Between 2013 and 2018, wages grew cumulatively by 30% or more for full-time resident workers in these sectors, higher than the 16% for median full-time resident workers.
Earlier this year, we appointed a tripartite cluster to include escalator technicians under the lift PWM announced in 2018. It will submit its recommendations by the end of this year.
We intend to extend the PWM to more sectors, including those where we may not be able to apply mandatory PWM. We will share more when the economic climate is more favourable.
We have also helped lower wage workers upgrade their skills through the Workfare Training Support Scheme, or WTS. Since 2010, it has supported over 12,000 companies and 270,000 lower wage workers.
WTS will be replaced with a new Workfare Skills Support Scheme, or WSS. Our study of WTS outcomes show that those who train and acquire full qualifications benefit from earning higher wages as a result. The new WSS will provide higher incentives and training allowances to support workers to achieve full qualifications. It will commence on 1 July 2020.
To improve the well-being of our lower wage workers, we will launch a new Workcare Grant later this year, to accelerate the provision of rest areas in workplaces.
To improve the employment and employability of PwDs, we will introduce a new Enabling Employment Credit, or EEC, which will replace the Special Employment Credit when it expires this year. The EEC will strengthen support to employers prepared to help PwDs who are new to the workforce or have been out of the workforce for some time, to be integrated into the workplace.
In pursuing inclusive growth, the Government is committed to ensuring fairness for both employers and workers. Together, with the support of tripartite partners and fellow Singaporeans, we will be able to achieve this goal.
Prof Lim Sun Sun (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman – long hours, shifting responsibilities, minimal feedback, constant multi-tasking and zero training. If you saw a job description like this, would you not run in the opposite direction? And yet, many women take on the important job of care-giving without any pay to speak of.
Care-giving for young children, elderly parents or family members with special needs is often a labour of love. But it translates into brutal costs to women's employability, career advancement, income and retirement savings.
Women have much to offer our workforce. Career portal Mums@Work, founded by mumpreneur Sher-li Torrey, supports 43,000 women starting businesses or seeking flexi-work. Data from their 2019 recruitment campaigns demonstrate the talent of back-to-work females. Eighty-four percent had a Bachelor's degree or higher, 53% had managerial experience and 58% had more than 10 years of working experience and this was in critical sectors, such as banking, finance and IT.
Despite these strengths, women face structural, organisational and individual factors that obstruct their return to the workforce. One salient structural factor is the achievement orientation in our education system. In other countries, women tend to take time out from work right after childbirth and, therefore, reintegrate into work when younger. In Singapore, women exit the workforce during their children's critical school years, such as entry into Primary 1 and the high stakes PSLE year. Hence, they are relatively older when they return to work, thus facing the double whammy of outmoded skills and ageism.
Organisationally, industry feedback indicates that even when companies are prepared to welcome back-to-work women, direct hiring managers still prefer women without career gaps. They believe returning women are out of touch with the industry, less dedicated due to their family commitments or cannot gel with younger co-workers.
Even in companies with flexi-work arrangements, individual departments may not adopt them or employees themselves may not request them because of the stigma towards flexi-work. Such prejudices are due to managers not knowing how to manage back-to-work or flexi-work employees. We should, therefore, provide more managerial training to address such organisational issues. Also, we should develop toolkits to help managers onboard and reintegrate returning workers. Flexi-work and back-to-work hire support schemes are also currently pitched as offering support to individual employees. There must be more strategic higher level communication about the benefits that such hiring shifts can bring to the company to influence individual managers' decision making.
With the threat of COVID-19, we are currently conducting the greatest telecommuting experiment of all time. I urge MOM to systematically survey employers and employees to understand the potential and pitfalls of telecommuting. We can then identify creative flexi-work solutions and introduce best practices for different industries.
We should also consider raising SkillsFuture funding for returning women. Due to their longer career gaps, such women have to write resumes, field interviews and job hunt very differently. Hence, their upskilling has to be more comprehensive and targeted to their particular needs. Those who are planning to return to the workforce will still be juggling care-giving with upskilling. Consequently, they may not be able to attend daylong SkillsFuture courses. Such factors must be taken into consideration in the design and development of SkillsFuture courses to more effectively support these women.
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong: Chairman, Sir, according to MOM's Labour Force in Singapore 2019 report, it is estimated that there were 49,000 unemployed women aged 15 to 49 who gave the main reason for leaving their previous job as either \"Housework\" or to \"Care for Own Children Aged 12 & Below\". If we just compare the numbers for those who gave childcare as the reason, there were 19,000 women in their 30s and 10,000 women in their 40s. This suggests that about half the women did not re-enter the workforce after fulfilling their primary childcare responsibilities. I believe we need to do more for our would-be working mothers in the two aspects of exiting and re-entering the workforce.
First, we should try to minimise the disincentives and maximise the incentives for working mothers to remain in the workforce. As raised by the hon Member Desmond Choo, this COVID-19 emergency has shown that flexi-work arrangements can work for many jobs and I would like second his call to give working mothers the right to make flexi-work arrangements with their employers when these are workable. Besides flexi-work arrangements, Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) and MOM should take proactive steps to clamp down on practices reflecting \"motherhood bias\", where women are marked as poor performers for juggling family responsibilities while fulfilling their work commitments.
Second, the Government is in a good position to help mothers to retrain and update their new skills and reintegrate them into the workforce, especially through various SkillsFuture programmes. I believe a targeted programme for unemployed mothers would be very useful in this respect. The Government could also support community efforts and partner with initiatives, such as the Mums@Work, to encourage mothers to remain working and to return to work.
Ms Yip Pin Xiu (Nominated Member): Chairman, it is encouraging to see that the adjusted gender pay gap has decreased over the decades, but we should remain concerned at the unadjusted gap which has barely shifted and remains at 16.3% in 2018.
One explanation for the gap is the inequality in the division of care-giving responsibilities between gender, which significantly limits the choices and opportunities for women. The need to juggle work and care often results in women ending up in lower paying jobs which offer more flexible or shorter working hours. To tackle this, we can reconfigure workplace culture and enable men to share more equally in care-giving.
First, the uptake of paternity and shared parental leave by fathers needs to increase. Reports have found that men who take time off for childcare directly contribute to their female partners' earnings later on in life. According to a study in Sweden – where a family loses some of its designated paid parental leave unless the father takes it – a woman's earnings rose by 7% for every month of leave taken by her husband. Singapore could consider introducing a compulsory quota for men or offer a longer quantum of gender-neutral parental leave for parents to share as they wish.
Second, work arrangements can be designed to accommodate care-giving. Employees should have the right to request for Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA). A study on the implementation of FWA found that the organisational cultures of workplaces in Singapore did not normalise or formalise FWA. Employers were also \"wary\" about the change in face-time with employees under FWA, which could \"potentially complicate employee assessment and surveillance\". Legislating the right for employees to request for FWA could institute an organisational cultural shift.
Work hours in Singapore could also be shorter. In 2018, Singapore residents worked an average of 44.9 hours a week, the shortest it has been in a decade but still higher than the average number of hours put in by workers in every OECD country. Shorter work hours have also been associated with increased productivity and lower stress levels, according to numerous trials around the world. An overall reduction of work time could allow workers to juggle work and care better.
The Ministry can also introduce a dedicated \"returnship\" programme that provides clear employment pathways for women who wish to return to the labour force.
Furthermore, the Ministry can also pay more attention to wage levels in female-dominated industries and occupations. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) Committee has recommended that Singapore reduce the gender wage gap by regularly reviewing wages in sectors in which women are concentrated and establishing effective monitoring and regulatory mechanisms for employment and recruitment processes to ensure that the principle of equal pay for equal value is adhered to in all sectors.
Employers could also be required to publish gender and disability-disaggregated salary and bonus data and carry out evaluations assessing if pay gaps are due to gender or other forms of discrimination.
Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo: The current COVID-19 situation has led to many businesses having to implement their Business Continuity Plans (BCPs). In a short span of time, many organisations have found themselves willingly or unwillingly implementing flexible work arrangements for a sizable proportion of their workforce. Until recently, for many organisations in Singapore, flexible work arrangement was a way for employers to allow employees who required it, some flexibility of where and when they work.
With the current COVID-19 situation, the activation of BCPs involves employees across different roles and levels in the organisation. People have had to adapt. Moving to flexible work arrangements require not only people to work away from the office, but the right tools, processes and even etiquette or work norms had to be established. Some companies and employees moved quite quickly while others are still adjusting.
Regardless, we now have quite a large number of organisations and employees on flexible work arrangements. I believe that with many employees now experiencing flexible work arrangements across their organisations, this will influence and change how people work in the future.
Technology is a key component to enabling new work arrangements and changing how work is done. This goes beyond just flexible work arrangements to include even shared work and collaborative work spaces. With devices getting smarter, connectivity more seamless, the workplace is no longer a place to get work done. It is now more important that you have the right devices, access to information and connectivity to get your work done. While this will change business norms, it does create new opportunities for both businesses and workers. Benefits include access to talent, business and individual productivity, lower cost for work space for companies and many hours saved from not having to travel to and from the workplace.
With the competitive labour market, these new work arrangements may become a staff attraction and retention tool for businesses. I believe that the discussion will move away from flexible work and work-life balance to one of how the boundaries are blurring between work and life as we manage the transformation of how work is done.
Shared or collaborative work arrangements provide platforms for sharing of ideas, creativity and even innovation for companies. HR policies and practices, including performance management and benefits, will need to evolve in tandem to support the new way of work. Implementing more flexible and collaborative work arrangements will also require managers to pick up new skills. Could the Ministry share what support programmes are available to assist companies in transforming their businesses and HR policies to support flexible work arrangements and evolving work arrangements?
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: Flexi-work provisions, arrangement and support have been extensively rolled out during this COVID-19 outbreak period. Employees are placed on rotating teams, or being asked to work remotely or from home, while face-to-face meetings are replaced by e-meetings or e-consultations. Even with some initial inconveniences, we are able to work remotely, flexibly and still fulfill our daily work responsibilities, or even meet our daily business targets, with some creative provisions and solutions in place.
I have spoken about the need to support flexi-work for employees for some time. With the current COVID-19 situation, we are somewhat forced to carry out flexi-work provisions and arrangements. I hope flexi-work can be a common feature of our employment landscape and eco-system even after COVID-19. Just as we trust our workers and staff to work remotely or on a flexible work arrangement during this period, we must continue to trust them to give the same amount of commitment, time and effort when the worst is over.
Flexi-work is not just for times of crisis or difficulty. Flexi-work is also to allow for personal obligations and commitments to be fulfilled, and to cater to different work arrangements and work needs.
For persons with disabilities or special needs, flexi-work arrangements can provide for better employment opportunities for them to work from home or to gradually adjust to their work environments and work commitments at a pace they are comfortable with. For instance, they can work a few days a week in the office and a few days from home so that they can still work full-time, fulfill their work obligations but can reduce commuting time and yet have the opportunity to meet with colleagues and interact with them face-to-face in the office for that much needed social interaction.
For individuals with family commitments and obligations, flexi-work can accord them some much needed time to fulfill these commitments and obligations while they work from home or work remotely, while still ensuring work is done and key performance indicators (KPIs) are met.
I hope the Ministry will continue to provide the needed support and provisions for flexi-work to continue to be implemented by employers.
Mr Douglas Foo: Chairman, employers have been encouraged to explore flexi-work arrangements to create worklife balance for employees. With such arrangements, through rethinking the work day, or redesign of job functions, employers would in all likelihood find it easier to attract and retain locals and reduce reliance on foreign labour.
Today, we find an increasingly diverse workforce. Seniors who would like to remain in the workforce, fathers who take on an active role in parenting, for example. The workforce is no longer homogenous, and as employers, our company policies should respond to such diversity with flexibility.
There are various existing incentives to encourage employers to implement such arrangements in their workplace. In the current situation with COVID-19, there is more compelling reason than before for employers to test out and implement some of the flexible work arrangements. This is a window of opportunity that I see here. Will the Ministry be able to share what plans it has to further publicise the flexible work arrangement schemes and encourage the speedy adoption by Singapore companies?
Miss Cheng Li Hui: Sir, in an MOM 2018 report, 72% of employees worked in firms which provide formal flexible work arrangements, up from 70% in 2017. The provision of flexible arrangements has a huge impact on staff retention, as the new generation of workers values flexibility a lot more.
With COVID-19, many companies have adopted the split-team arrangement, where an alternate team is now stationed at home to support the company's operations. This creates an opportunity for companies to assess and try out flexi-work arrangement and review internal workflows.
Post-COVID-19, may I suggest that MOM: (a) follow up with a survey to poll companies and employees on their readiness for flexi-work arrangement; (b) study and access flexi-work arrangements across different industries and sectors; (c) make flexi-work arrangement part of the productivity drive, with less time and money on commuting, reduction of office space and rent; and (d) perhaps form an inter-agency work group with the private sector to study this?
Mr Chen Show Mao: Sir, informal or unpaid care-givers enable other Singaporeans to carry out the economic activities that are figured in our GDP while their own care-giving is not. As of now, the burden of informal eldercare-giving falls disproportionately on unmarried women. Our dependence on this group of Singaporeans is real, is substantial and very often unacknowledged. Eldercare leave and the statutory right to flexible work arrangements could well help relieve some of the pressures on informal eldercare-givers who also work at other jobs.
But almost half of our informal care-givers to seniors do not work at other jobs, often because of the unpaid care-giving responsibilities that they have taken on, to their own financial detriment and to their own reduced retirement adequacy. For them, would the Ministry consider measures such as CPF top-ups and cash grants for full-time informal eldercare-givers in low-income households to help reduce the pressure of being under-employed and under-prepared for retirement as a result of taking on the responsibilities of caring for their loved seniors?
The Chairman: Mr Louis Ng, you can do both your cuts.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, I appreciate that the Government is looking into work-life balance and is introducing several new initiatives. When it comes to work-life balance, Singapore ranks poorly. We rank 32nd out of 40 cities for work-life balance and are second only to Tokyo in a ranking for the most overworked cities.
Beyond flexible working arrangements, I hope we can also look into increasing the minimum amount of annual leave one is entitled to. This is not a zero sum game. We can have flexible working arrangements and still give our people more leave.
The current minimum of only seven days of annual leave is extremely low. Many other countries in this region provide a higher minimum number of annual leave including Malaysia, Bangladesh, Japan, Myanmar, East Timor, Sri Lanka, Laos, Mongolia, South Korea, Qatar, Yemen, Iran, Kuwait and Indonesia. Many of these countries provide not only a higher number of minimum days of annual leave, but also a higher number of paid public holidays.
Our people will always work hard, but we also need to make sure they have time to rest.
This Government recognises that we need to spend time looking after our parents. It has been eight years since we introduced parent care leave in the civil service and it is now time for everyone else to have this. We need to legislate it.
Time to spend time with our parents runs out quickly. With a rapidly greying population, time is running out for our Government to act on this too.
If the Government feels that it is important for civil servants to have parent care leave, then why not others? We are a family-friendly employer and now we need be a family-friendly Government.
Ms Yip Pin Xiu (Nominated Member): Chairman, employers should ensure a safe and inclusive workplace for all workers, regardless of contractual status, by preventing and responsibly handling workplace sexual harassment. Yet, for many Singaporeans, this unwelcome dilemma is a daily reality. In the last year, AWARE handled 212 cases of workplace harassment of women comprising sexual and non-sexual harassment, which suggests that few employers have comprehensive policies and robust training in this area.
The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices guides employers and employees on preventing and managing workplace harassment. However, the Ministry does not track how many employers have implemented the Tripartite Advisory on Managing Workplace Harassment. Can the Ministry intensify promotion of the advisory standards to employers, including setting up and maintaining a public database for employers to voluntarily declare that they have written policies to manage workplace harassment?
There is no legal duty for employers to follow the tripartite advisory. Many women seeking help from the Workplace Harassment and Discriminatory Advisory at AWARE hesitated at raising a formal complaint with their employers or any other authorities because they did not think that they will be taken seriously. Some worried that there will be no follow-up action to hold their employers accountable. These concerns are usually the result of a lack of proper internal structures for reporting and handling harassment complaints. Can the Government also consider ratifying and adopting the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 190 and to oblige employers to create environments that are free from harassment, and for employers to institute formal policies and structures to deal with harassment?
The Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Low Yen Ling.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Manpower (Ms Low Yen Ling): Mr Chairman, Minister Josephine Teo and Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad have spoken much on the fair opportunities. Earlier on, Members have been given a brochure. I think it is good to highlight the brochure again. Whatever was covered in the earlier speeches have been very well encapsulated in this very colourful brochure – from providing fair opportunities to ensuring fair hiring, to ensuring fair competition and providing fair support.
I also want to add on and say that MOM is also striving to improve work opportunities and progress for our women – many Members have advocated very passionately about that – as well as for care-givers, and also enhance the hiring process of foreign domestic workers (FDWs).
Women in Singapore have made remarkable progress in terms of education, employment and earnings. Our female resident employment rate for those aged 25 to 64 has improved significantly over the past decade, rising from 64% in 2009 to 73% in 2019. More than half of females aged 25 to 64 now have at least tertiary-level education, rising from 37% in 2009 to 55% in 2019.
With improvements in employment rate and education profile, the share of women has risen across broad occupational groups. More women are in PMET jobs, rising from 49% to 57% of women over the decade. Their earnings have also increased, as median income of full-time employed females rose from about $2,800 in 2009 to $4,300 in 2019.
We will build on the progress achieved to make our workplaces fairer and even more progressive for women. Many women juggle multiple roles, like many hon Members have said earlier. Many women juggle multiple roles at work and also at home, juggling our work, our family aspirations and also our personal aspirations. As women tend to be primary care-givers for families, some may stop work to better care for their families, for their ageing parents, parents-in-law, even aunties and uncles, or for their young children or children with special needs.
Prof Lim Sun Sun spoke very passionately and asked about the support for mothers to transition back to work. In this respect, the Government helps in many ways, from matching mothers with options to full-time work with flexible work arrangements (FWAs) or part-time work, to providing greater access to childcare support, and promoting FWAs.
We recognise that women who have left the workforce for longer periods of time may need additional help, additional support, to find jobs, including part-time work. The Adapt and Grow (A&G) initiative offers employment facilitation services and also re-skilling as well as professional conversion programmes to help jobseekers enter and transit into new jobs.
One of these programmes is Career Trial, which provides opportunities for jobseekers and also employers to try each other out over a period of time and assess the job fit – the suitability to the job and also the suitability of the employer to the job, and also whether can the employee work with the people in the organisation and the employer.
During the trial, which can be up to three months, jobseekers receive a training allowance from the Government. Last year, in May 2019, Career Trial was expanded to include part-time jobs to cater for those who prefer part-time work. There are currently over 500 part-time vacancies available for our Career Trial. We encourage care-givers to step forward if they are keen to try out part-time positions while balancing their family or balancing their care-giving responsibilities. Back-to-work women who need career assistance can visit WSG's Careers Connect and NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute's, in short, NTUC-e2i's, career centres.
In addition, as Minister Josephine Teo highlighted last week, during the Prime Minister's Office Committee of Supply (PMO COS), mothers can now enroll their children in affordable and also good quality preschools more easily.
We share Ms Yip Pin Xiu's view that childcare is a shared responsibility between the mum and the dad – between both parents. The recent increase in shared parental leave supports this, and we hope that the move towards more FWAs will enable fathers as well as mothers to share care-giving responsibilities.
Mr Deputy Chairman, as our population greys and as the world of work evolves, we have made continual progress to improve our employees’ access to FWAs – not just for women but for all workers. Men can benefit. Older workers can benefit as they would want to adjust their intensity when they reach a certain age when the grandchildren come along. So, all workers – men and women, young and old – can benefit from FWA, like what Mr Patrick Tay and also Ms Jessica Tan rightly mentioned.
In July last year, the Government more than tripled the Work-Life Grant budget from $30 million to $100 million to encourage more companies to provide FWAs. So far, the Work-Life Grant’s take-up rate has been promising. Since its enhancement as of 1 July 2018, over 1,120 companies have come on board Work-Life Grant as at end December 2019. And four in five of this company are SMEs. That means 80% of the Work-Life Grant recipients are SMEs. I think this is a really good sign. We encourage more companies, especially our SMEs, or even micro-enterprises to step forward and benefit from this Work-life Grant to put in place FWAs in their workplace.
More importantly, companies that have put in place FWAs have been better positioned to implement flexible work arrangement very quickly, especially in a time of crisis. Like many Members have said earlier, when COVID-19 emerged in January, companies that have already adopted FWAs earlier, already had or could quickly put in place measures, whether it is flexi-time, flexi-place, flexi-load, telecommuting, staggered hours or shared job functions. They could quickly put that in place and this allowed them to minimise disruptions to their business as well as to minimise the team's exposure to the virus.
So, I want to assure Miss Cheng Li Hui and also Assoc Prof Daniel Goh and Mr Douglas Foo that more companies are now realising the value and also expediency that FWAs can bring to their employees and also the operations. FWA can be win-win for the companies and also the employees.
For example, this company Kone Private Limited which is a lift and escalator maintenance company. They have a \"Flexi-place\" arrangement which allows their employees to telecommute and the company could continue their business operations without affecting the productivity. Even prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, its Senior Sales Engineer, Ms Jasmine Tan, she is a mother of two young children, she was already enjoying the ease of juggling her work and her family needs through telecommuting, and this has improved her work productivity, as well as job satisfaction.
Earlier on, Members talked about the importance of telecommuting. It is, indeed, catching on. In 2018, one in four employees required formal or ad hoc telecommuting, of which seven in 10 had access to it. I want to assure Prof Lim Sun Sun that MOM will continue to monitor such data. This data is important to us. We will continue to monitor it as FWAs have proven to be useful for both employers and employees, especially in business continuity planning when threats like COVID-19 strike.
Companies like Kone that I have mentioned earlier, which had FWAs in place before COVID-19, realised that they are much better placed to respond to the crisis and could safeguard their business functions and continuity. So, Mr Chairman, FWAs are not simply HR measures. In fact, when implemented well, FWAs have the power to enhance the companies’ agility, to enhance the companies' ability to meet changes and to address business need as well as to attract and retain talent.
We hope that during this COVID-19 episode, more companies will adopt FWAs and recognise the advantages that such arrangements bring to their business and also their employees. As Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat pointed out, every effort to ride out this storm makes a difference because when we combine everyone’s effort, when we aggregate everyone's effort, we have a force that is amplified many times over. And we are certain that FWAs have already begun to make a positive impact in such a time as this, and the mindset and attitudes of employers towards FWA adoption will gain greater traction and also resonance.
Employers are already recognising that FWAs are beneficial to their business. I think everyone would have read the two-page coverage in The Straits Times on Sunday. They tell us – employers tell us – that FWAs have the greatest positive impact on staff retention and recruitment. Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar will be pleased to know that more employers than before are offering FWAs. In 2018, more than nine in 10 of employees work in companies that provide some form of work flexibility. This is up from eight in 10, in Year 2013. Another important data – in Year 2018, more than eight in 10 employees who required FWAs had access to the FWA that they needed – and this is also an increase from seven in 10 in Year 2016.
Together, with enlightened employers and employees, we are confident that we will emerge stronger from this COVID-19 episode.
Singaporeans have given a resounding support to improving access and availability of FWAs. MOM is committed to do even more to promote adoption and access to FWAs. As Minister Josephine Teo had highlighted in her recent COS speech, the Citizens' Panel, as part of the SG Together movement, which was launched by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat gave strong support to strengthening worklife harmony (WLH) in Singapore, and recognised the important role that FWAs play in this respect.
This Citizens' Panel, comprising 55 Singaporeans from all walks of life, recommended a greater push for FWAs. They had exchanged diverse views and weighed the trade-offs before putting together their comprehensive report. Once again, Minister Josephine Teo, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Faishal Ibrahim and I would like to say a big thank you to this Citizens' Panel. Fifty-five Singaporeans who came together over four full weekends from September all the way to November to deliberate about this important issue, Work-Life Harmony (WLH). The Government, NTUC and SNEF greatly appreciate their feedback and are in total agreement to intensify our efforts to spur the adoption of FWAs.
How do we intend to do so? Firstly, we will \"Make It Easy\", make it easy for companies to offer FWAs and WLH initiatives. There are four parts to this \"Make It Easy\" pillar.
The first one: some sectors have unique characteristics which will lead to challenges in adopting FWAs. For instance, we all know employees in hospitality and healthcare sectors are required to work shifts, and may not have access to FWAs or even access to staggered hours. We acknowledge these hurdles, and we will develop sector-specific resources to facilitate the implementation of FWAs.
Ms Jessica Tan earlier had asked about how businesses may leverage new trends and transform their HR practices to encourage greater participation in the workforce. Indeed, there are companies and businesses that are at the forefront of such progressive practices and those that have moved ahead faster, for instance, in implementing FWAs, we encourage them to share their experiences with others. So, through the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), we will pilot sector-specific employer support groups, called Communities of Practice, for FWAs. The HR professionals, the senior managers from companies that have made FWAs work well for them can share their best practices with the fellow professionals in the sector or even across different sectors. That is the second one.
The third one – under \"Make It Easy\", we will make it easier for companies to access the myriad of resources on FWAs. We want to simplify things. So, we will revamp TAFEP’s website to be the one-stop resource for everything to do with FWAs, for instance, consolidating all implementation guides so as to make it easy for the companies to adopt.
The fourth one – under \"Make It Easy\", to facilitate the implementation of FWAs, we will develop an online free-to-use employment contract builder to help the employers include clauses on FWAs in their employees’ contracts.
Those four modes come under \"Make It Easy\".
The second one, we will \"Make It Known\" by raising awareness of FWAs – not just FWAs but also WLH initiatives. Firstly, we will promote greater awareness of progressive practices through tools such as the national Human Capital Diagnostic Tool (HCDT). The HCDT helps companies to better understand their current HR processes better and identify areas for improvement. For instance, this could include appropriate job sizing that is necessary for WLH. So, they want to provide WLH, they do not quite know how to job size it so this actually could help them have a better sense on curating the job sizing. So, HCDT will be offered free to companies which have demonstrated firm commitment to improving WLH.
Next, we will also raise awareness on FWAs and the benefits of WLH initiatives. To this end, TAFEP has started to grow a community of Work-Life Ambassadors to spread the word within and beyond the workplace. We are grateful to the Labour Members of Parliament and also to Secretary-General in NTUC and we know they will continue to support union workers as they actively advocate and promote WLH, and also appreciation to SNEF for encouraging employers to appoint champions for WLH.
In addition to that, we will expand our recognition of employers who are committed to WLH. For example, employers who have just started on their FWA journey, it can be quite daunting because they do not quite know where to start. Those of them who have not yet fully adopted the Tripartite Standard on FWAs, for this group of employers we want to \"Make It Easy\" for them and \"Make It Known\" so we will introduce a basic FWA workshop. This workshop will teach our employers how to start offering FWAs. In fact, this will then help place them on a new Provisional Tripartite Standard on FWAs and that will recognise their efforts in taking the first step. The first step is always the most important. And companies that are more progressive can adopt the new Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony, which goes beyond FWAs and touches on additional programmes that improves employees’ WLH.
We have now three types: one is the Provisional Tripartite Standard on FWA and the current existing Tripartite Standard on FWA and for the more progressive, we have the Tripartite Standard on Work-Life Harmony. So, a stepped approach for companies of varying preparedness.
Now, within the report are other suggestions considered by the Panel, such as the right-to-request for reduced hours. FWA legislation was also an aspect that was brought up by Ms Anthea Ong and Mr Chen Show Mao. Though made with good intention, such legislation may lead to unintended consequences.
For example, it could lead to unintended impact of making it unattractive for employers to consider employing those who are likely to exercise the right, such as jobseekers who are care-givers, parents or seniors. These are told to us by the Citizens' Panel that they would prefer that we have a broad-based adoption of FWAs instead of legislation because they know that legislation is not the silver bullet to solve this issue. And that is why a more practical approach is to provide the employers' support and the flexibility of various types of FWAs which they can choose from that best suit theirs as well as their employees’ needs.
To sum up, Mr Chairman, we are already working to implement, over the next 12 months, the recommendations which I had just highlighted. \"Make It Easy\"; \"Make It Known\". And the \"Make It Easy\"; \"Make It Known\" complement the \"Make It Accepted\" move that was announced by Minister Josephine Teo last week during the PMO COS. Now, with this, we are confident that this collective move for FWAs by the Citizens’ Panel and our tripartite partners will help to make FWAs the norm and also make positive shifts in our workplace culture, like what Ms Jessica Tan has described and with that, to further improve the WLH in Singapore.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
Mr Chen Show Mao had enquired about paid eldercare leave and Mr Louis Ng asked about legislating parent care leave. I want to assure both Members that the needs of working Singaporeans who are also care-givers are utmost on our minds. In 2018, Senior Minister of State for MOH Edwin Tong led an across-agency review, which I am also part of, to better understand the care-givers' need.
Compared to family care leave, the working care-givers interviewed, they similarly had the same conclusion as the Citizens' Panel. They felt that FWAs are a more sustainable, a more preferred means to meet their care-giving needs. Why? Because they told us they preferred to have the flexibility and the ability to take some time off when their parents need to go to hospital for appointment or their special needs kids need to go for EIPIC intervention and so on. They would rather have the flexibility and ability to take some time off when the need arises, rather than have a few more days of leave. Mr Chairman, please allow me to say a few words in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] To overcome the challenges posed by an ageing population and job changes, MOM has been promoting flexible work arrangements or FWAs over the years. This will allow more employees to look after their families while working and achieve work-life harmony , which can improve employee loyalty and productivity.
We will adopt the two-pronged approach that I mentioned previously, which is to \"make it easy\" and \"make it known\", so that our businesses can implement FWAs in a sustainable and efficient manner.
First, we have to ensure ease of adoption to enable businesses to adopt FWAs easily. As each industry has different human resource needs, we will recommend feasible sector-specific FWA implementation guides.
Second, we must do more to promote FWAs, to create greater awareness of the benefits of FWAs amongst businesses and employers. Some businesses have committed to implement FWAs but are unsure about how to implement these arrangements. We would like to introduce a Human Capital Diagnostic Tool to help companies make better judgments and decisions.
NTUC and the Singapore National Employers' Federation will also appoint union leaders and employer representatives as work-life champions to raise awareness among Singaporeans about the importance of FWAs in terms of career development and business sustainability.
Following the COVID-19 outbreak, many enterprises now agree that this kind of flexible arrangement is beneficial and is a win-win solution for both employers and employees. Through the strategies of \"make it easy\", \"make it known\", we want to enable businesses to adopt FWA easily and effectively, so that more employers will come on board to retain their employees and co-create a sustainable future.
(In English): Mr Chairman, as MOM continually strives to improve working conditions for Singapore workers, we need to make it a point to enhance processes to address workplace harassment. We agree with Ms Yip Pin Xiu that employers play an important role in managing workplace harassment. We want to assure her and the House that, firstly, TAFEP guides our employers to put in place proper grievance handling process through resources like the tripartite advisory on managing workplace harassment. Secondly, when TAFEP receives a complaint of an employer's improper handling of a case, TAFEP engages the employer to educate them and to ensure that they implement the advisory's measures. So far, all employers that TAFEP has engaged with have been cooperative and receptive. Thirdly, if the employers fail to provide a safe environment for their employees, or they refuse to heed TAFEP's advice, we will take action against them, including curtailing their work passes.
Last, not but least, Mr Chairman, allow me to briefly touch on how MOM is improving the employment of FDWs in Singapore.
MOM had announced a series of measures in October last year to enable better matches between our employers and FDWs. We are rolling out these measures progressively over the next two years to allow all parties to adjust to the changes.
It is in the interest of both parties to have a lasting employment relationship – employers want minimal disruption to their households and FDWs want a stable income to support their families back home.
During second quarter of this year, MOM will launch an enhanced online Employment Agency (EA) directory to boost the employers' FDW search and give the employers greater clarity in their selection of EAs for their hiring needs. Besides showing the EAs' FDW retention rates, this directory will also feature several other enhancements.
Firstly, it will allow prospective employers to view customer ratings of an EA's services. For instance, find out the EA's ability to match a suitable FDW and if past clients would recommend the EA.
Secondly, the directory will show the EAs' policies on FDW replacement and the refund of placement loans. This is important because this will enable prospective employers to more easily compare service offerings from the different EAs and identify one that fits their hiring needs.
Third, the improved directory will enable EAs to showcase their niche services, such as providing FDWs trained in care-giving skills, or FDWs who can be swiftly deployed under the Advance Placement Scheme (APS).
So, Mr Chairman, with greater transparency of information, prospective employers can now make better informed decisions, as well as differentiate the EAs based on their policies and also their performance and track record; and thereby, improving the chance of a more suitable FDW match.
We are strongly encouraging the employers to use the online EA directory to assess and search for a suitable EA before engaging one to hire an FDW. These enhancements are a result of close consultations with employers through focused group discussions and also the EAs, as MOM seeks to improve the search experience for employers, while enabling the EAs to profile themselves fairly. MOM will be providing a briefing to EAs on the new features of this enhanced directory to help them adjust to the changes.
However, we know that getting a good match at the hiring stage is not enough. To build and maintain a healthy and strong working relationship between employers and FDWs, the employers and FDWs have to be understanding to each other. And they have also to be fair in their everyday interactions with each other.
To help the first-time FDWs and employers adjust to their new roles, MOM require them to attend the FDW Settling-in Programme (SIP) and the Employers' Orientation Programme (EOP) respectively. At the SIP, we encourage the FDWs to maintain open communication with the employers and to perform their work duties responsibly. At the EOP, we inform the employers of their legal obligations, to help them understand their FDWs' culture differences and also encourage the employers to look out for the needs of their helpers especially in the initial period of employment.
MOM also works with the Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) to interview first-time FDWs in their first few months of employment. The interview is important, because the interview helps detect any settling in issues so that the FDWs and the employers can work together to resolve them early. In this year, in 2020, CDE will be stepping up their interviews to cover more first-time FDWs.
In addition to these initiatives, MOM continually work with different stakeholders to support both FDWs and employers. Such efforts include providing meaningful social infrastructure for our FDWs during their rest day. And I am very glad to know that FAST, which stands for Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training, will be launching a new multi-service hub later this year that has a bigger capacity to offer more value-added training and also space to offer recreational activities for FDWs on their rest day.
Chairman, much has been done to support our Singapore workforce – from FWAs to safeguarding the employees from unfair treatment. We have also made efforts to developing lasting work relationships between employers and FDWs by enhancing the hiring process.
However, there is still more that we can do. Despite the challenges we face today, I believe that our continued efforts will enable us to emerge even stronger. Through the joint efforts of Singaporeans – from employers to employees, from businesses to Government and the tripartite partners and also supporting organisations, everyone plays a part. As long as we are determined to transform, collaborate and work together, we can enhance our workplace and shape a better future together.
The Chairman: Clarifications. Mr Patrick Tay.
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: Mr Chairman, I filed two cuts earlier, one asking for a review of Trade Unions Act and the other on the review of Industrial Relations Act and I hope to get a response from the Minister.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Chairman, we regularly review the Industrial Relations Act as well as the Trade Unions Act. Probably later this year, we will pool together a tripartite workgroup to look at an update to the Industrial Relations Act. And during that time, we will take into consideration the suggestions that the Member has made.
As to the Trade Unions Act, I think, in specific, the Member had asked about representation for self-employed persons, membership and representation for self-employed persons. Today, there are already associations that represent them. I think if we engage these associations and hear them out, we could probably find a way forward that they would also be comfortable with.
The Chairman: Mr Zainal Sapari.
Mr Zainal Sapari: My clarification is with Minister of State. I made a cut on the electronic salary payment for work permit holders. Could the Minister of State on the proportion of work permit holders who are already paid electronically and whether MOM will consider making electronic payment of salary for work permit holders mandatory?
Mr Zaqy Mohamad: Mr Chairman, our laws today already require employers and work permit holders to provide electronic salary payment if the workers request for it.
Today, we know we work together with MWC to educate workers as well as share with them their rights so that they can also go to the employers and request for this. In fact, a foreign worker survey conducted by MOM in 2018, indicated that 76% of foreign workers are paid electronically, higher than the 67% in 2014. So, what is different? Over the last few years, we have been working actively to facilitate the set-up of bank accounts amongst new foreign workers. And since October last year, we have also been doing it for those doing renewals. At the same time, MWC has been conducting Settling-in Programmes (SIPs) and therefore, during these programmes, it will help workers who wish to be paid electronically.
At the same time as well, we also know through talking to stakeholders that there are micro SMEs that have expressed concerns, the mom-and-pop shops, for example, who have difficulties in the short term. But I think, the numbers will go up in the long term, so let us study this and see how best we can bridge the gap.
The Chairman: Ms Anthea Ong.
Ms Anthea Ong: Chairman, I thank Minister of State Mr Zaqy for sharing the good news on workplace mental health today. I think my mental health definitely got better after his speech.
Given that there is still stigma that exists in the workplace on mental health, I think it is really quite difficult for persons with mental health conditions to ask for FWAs. I appreciate Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ms Low Yen Ling saying that it is not going to be working in our favour to legislate the right to FWAs but can I ask if the Citizens' Panel who recommended that had any persons with mental health conditions in the Panel? And, if not, would the Ministry and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ms Low Yen Ling consider the specific needs of persons with mental health conditions as we embark on all the wonderful efforts on FWAs, going forward?
Ms Low Yen Ling: I want to thank the Member, Ms Anthea Ong. As she started off, I thought the clarification was directed at Minister of State. And then, I think it got boomerang back. But I want to thank her for her passion in this area. Earlier on, I did not have the time but allow me to share this.
Two years ago, I was involved in Senior Minister of State Mr Edwin Tong's cross agency committee for care-givers. And that Motion was tabled in February 2019. Last year, in September, Minister Josephine Teo sponsored the Citizens' Panel on worklife harmony. Interestingly, both committees came to the same conclusion on their own.
For the care-giving committee, they interviewed many care-givers, not just care-givers with aged parents but also care-givers with younger children. They also came up with the original wishlist of legislating the right to request for FWA, legislating more leave and so on. For example, the Citizens' Panel, came to their conclusion that legislation cannot be a silver bullet for every issue. And they recognised that, whether it is FWAs or worklife harmony, everyone has a role to play. And, with that, they shared with us that it is important, in order to achieve broad-based adoption of FWA and then, eventually, worklife harmony, including for persons with mental wellness issues, the important thing is to encourage adoption of FWAs and also greater awareness.
We took their recommendations very seriously. That is why in the past few months, we have been working with them to see how we can distill into very tangible items under \"Make It Easy\", \"Make It Known\" and \"Make It Accepted\". For example, one of the interesting things they discussed during their sessions was the right to request for FWA that has been introduced in some countries such as the UK, New Zealand, Canada, Australia. But we have found that in these countries, such legislation, although passed, merely gives the employees the right to ask for FWA. Interestingly, there have been anecdotal evidence saying that the employers can still reject the FWA applications based on a wide range of reasons that seem very reasonable and valid. For example, UK employers have rejected FWA applications on the grounds of additional costs or how it could affect the quality of work.
The Citizens Panel is rightly concerned that if we look at legislation as a way to address this issue, it may lead to the unintended impact of eroding the employability for the very people we are trying to protect and whom we are trying to make sure will benefit from FWA.
The Chairman: Mr Louis Ng.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Thank you, Sir. Two clarifications. A lot of the response to my suggestions so far has been that we will focus on FWA instead. But I think we need to acknowledge that FWA is not going to accessible to everyone, as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary has acknowledged just now, especially to our frontline officers who we have been paying tribute to over the last few weeks. It will be very hard for nurses, doctors, teachers, pre-school teachers, cleaners, security – the list goes on – to have access to FWA. And that is why I say it is not a zero sum game. Can MOM consider focusing on FWA but at the same time, also legislating the parent care leave, childcare sick leave, so that we get the best of both worlds? We are doing this for the civil service already. Why not for the others?
Secondly, I actually had a cut on annual leave. I do not think it was responded to. But I have a stronger focus on that because I think the workers who get the seven days of annual leave, which is the minimum number, are likely to be our lowest income workers. And they are also the workers who probably need the most rest. They are also the workers who probably do not have access to FWA, parent care leave, childcare sick leave. So, can we at least legislate and give a higher minimum number of annual leave so that these lower income workers will be able to benefit?
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Chairman. I appreciate Mr Louis Ng's passion in advocating for more leave provisions. In an ideal world, I would like to be able to say yes to all of them. But we do not live in an ideal world. And I am very much reminded by our former Minister for Labour Mr S Rajaratnam when he moved the Employment Act in 1968. He reminded us of why we are here and why we are seeking to improve work conditions through the Employment Act. He was responding to many Members' calls for employer obligations in many different areas – more protection in this area, more protection in another area. And he said something really profound and I think it remains valid today.
He reminded Members of the House that in order for us to be able to protect employees, we must first have employment. In other words, the jobs must be available. If there is no employment, there is no employment protection to speak of.
So, for every of the moves that MOM tries to make, it is always in consultation, not only with the Labour Movement whom we can completely count on to speak up on behalf of workers and to try and advocate for their interests, but at the same time, we must also involve the employers in this conversation and hear them out and understand the pressures that they face, and then, make a judgement call. At different times, what kinds of pressures we are prepared to exert in order to get the best outcomes for Singaporeans. It is always a balancing act. And MOM is always in the middle. So, we are the true sandwiched class, in some sense.
But let us keep all these things in mind. I see no reason why we cannot continue to review our policies. And I believe that at the right time, when conditions allow, we would certainly want to improve the employment conditions for all of our workers.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast): I cannot help but chip into the discussion on FWA even though I did not speak, if I may. I think this is something that we have, in the PAP Women's Wing, been championing. We have always talked from the legislation and how everybody wants it. Actually, a lot of research has already been established to say this is good for business. Businesses who do it have lower turnover, higher performance, morale is good, higher job satisfaction – all the good things.
Perhaps one approach if MOM can take a lead is to evangelise the benefits of FWA with employers, so that it is something that they will embrace by being a great place to work, so they can attract the best talent. I think perhaps that is something that we all have agreement, but where do we start? And I think it is proven that it is good for business. So, if we can look at that, that would be great.
Ms Low Yen Ling: Mr Chairman, I want to thank Member Ms Foo Mee Har and also the Women's Wing Members of Parliament for advocating for this FWA issue very passionately over the course of a few years. She is right. It is important that we continue to evangelise, a word the Member used.
Minister Josephine Teo, Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad and myself have for the past two years been doing that with the trade associations and chambers, including SBF and SNEF. One important thing we learnt – and I think this is what Ms Foo Mee Har is alluding to and links to the first move that I mentioned – coming up with and developing sector-specific resources. In the past, we had a very generic Tripartite Advisory. We realised that for some sectors, they have certain constraints, especially with work shifts and so on. I highlighted hospitality and healthcare. Another one is food services. We are prepared. Moving forward, we will develop sector-specific resources. What type of resources? It could come in the form of a guide. And that will come about because we have a discussion with the sector and also with some companies in the sector that are more progressive and have been put in place FWA. We will then crystalise that into a guide or even video, which then makes it easier for them to share within a company and with other companies.
The short answer is yes, we will do that.
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Walter Theseira.
Assoc Prof Walter Theseira: Thank you, Chairman. Earlier, I filed the cut on the existing Special Employment Credit (SEC). I would just like to clarify with the Minister – where older PMETs are concerned, how effective has the existing SEC been at job retention versus facilitating hiring. I am asking because retention may well be easier than hiring retrenched PMETs so how will the Ministry approach these challenges separately with the redesign of the SEC and the renewed emphasis on supporting senior employment.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Chairman, a number of schemes work in concert with each other to support senior employment. Truth be said, we do not depend solely on the Special Employment Credit and what is to replace, the Senior Employment Credit.
When it comes to retention of older workers, and older PMETs, in particular, the strongest feedback that we get from employers is that of skills obsolescence. In fact, when we convened the tripartite workgroup on older workers, which led to the recommendation to raise the Retirement Age and the Re-employment Age, the strongest comment on the part of the employer is that they are willing to support it, as long as we have ways and means to ensure that their workers' skills remain relevant. They feedback to us that there have been occasions where they would like their senior workers to go for training and to be ready to be re-deployed into different positions when they come to re-employment, so that the positions that they occupied could be freed up to also younger colleagues to move up.
They face a fair amount of resistance. Sometimes, it is just a lack of motivation to take up training. Sometimes, from the workers' standpoint, he thinks, \"Well, if I am not going to be in work for very much longer, why ask me to go for training?\" Hence, we were able to persuade the employers that if they gave the workers the assurance, even PMETs, that they have a longer runway, then perhaps this could motivate them.
But this alone is not enough. We are very grateful that to the Labour Movement for being very involved. The Company Training Committees can really exert an influence on the ground. Training is very seldom a solo effort. Peer support – everyone going to train at the same time, everyone in their 50s, 60s and learning data analytics, everyone trying digitalisation tools. It makes a difference. This kind of ground mobilisation is critical. We cannot depend on laws alone, we cannot depend on guidelines alone. Ground mobilisation makes a huge difference.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: I promise the Minister this is the last time I will talk about leaves – this week. Just one last clarification. Can I just ask whether MOM has studied or will be studying whether increasing someone's annual leave entitlement will reduce employability?
Mrs Josephine Teo: Mr Chairman, I cannot, in all honesty, cite a study that will link one particular policy move to employability. A whole host of factors come into play. An ill-timed move could precipitate changes that are unfavourable. A well-timed move of the same change may not have that impact.
Having said that, let me reassure Mr Ng, whether it is this week or next week, it will always be on MOM's mind to think of ways in which we can improve work conditions as well as worklife harmony.
The Chairman: Mr Patrick Tay, would you like to withdraw your amendment?
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan: I would like to thank my fellow Members of Parliament in this House for preparing and filing cuts for this MOM COS. I would like to thank Minister, Sister Josephine Teo; Minister of State, Brother Zaqy Mohamad and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Sister Low Yen Ling; as well as the team in MOM, Brother Aubeck Kam, Permanent Secretary; Brother Tan Choon Shian, CE of WSG; Brother Augustin Lee, CE of CPF, for powering the whole MOM COS. I am sure all the measures that Minister and the team have announced to be more fair, be it in terms of fair support, fair hiring, fair opportunities as well as fair competition, will help us – workers, employers and the various tripartite partners – in all the respective sectors, to stay ready, relevant and resilient to the short-term disruptions; and able, agile and adaptable to the long-term challenges. On that note, I would like to beg leave to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $2,433,064,700 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $50,791,200 for Head S ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. (proc text)]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply – Head K (Ministry of Education)","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"The Chairman: Head K, Ministry of Education. Ms Denise Phua.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Chairman, I beg to move, \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head K of the Estimates be reduced by $100\".
More than 600,000 students are enrolled in MOE-run or supported schools, Junior Colleges and Institutes of Higher Learning. The FY2020 budgeted expenditure for Education is $13.3 billion – the third highest after defence and health; no less.
Education is a unique budget item. Education, when done well, is an avenue of social mobility; a social multiplier; a maximiser of human potential; a character builder; a wealth creator and a passport to countless life’s opportunities.
On transformation of education, 23 industries in Singapore have developed their Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs) under the Future Economy Council. Although these ITMs differ in scope, depth and quality, they share a common value-add. The mapping exercise \"forces\" industry captains to study the current and future landscape, review their vision and in the process help the rest of the industry and Singapore to understand, support and partake in their future directions, priorities, jobs and skills.
Out of the 23 ITMs, the ones related to education are two – the Early Childhood Education Sector and the Adult Training and Education. The missing piece for the years between early childhood and adult education.
There is merit for MOE to put together an overall Education Transformation Map. Granted, there are news on developments and priorities when MOE chooses to announce either through Ministerial Statements or its annual workplans, but the overall Education Map needs to be developed and articulated. We need to see a map that consolidates the overall vision, the future of education, the developments, the current state of the union, risk assessment, the key pieces it needs to eyeball and move, the challenges and how it can better engage other stakeholders in its work.
We cannot ignore the larger elephants in the room such as the still growing and increasingly market-responsive tuition industry and the continuing excessive focus on the academic rat race. We cannot keep tweaking the system and hope that age-old mindsets and habits will disappear. Many of them cannot be solved by MOE's think tank alone. We need to be bold enough to honestly ask what our education system should look like and decide where we should re-design, re-skill and better resource. We need to bring on board more Singaporeans to help understand the aspirations, the demands and challenges we face and will face.
Therefore, I urge Government to put together a team to develop and articulate an Education Transformation Map for the future.
On vision of education. The fast pace of technology has led to an increasingly shorter shelf life of our knowledge and skills. Staying relevant through lifelong learning is an essential part of life and no longer a luxury. Hence, the SkillsFuture movement is a brilliant strategy but it is now focused primarily on adults and at most, students in the Institute of Higher Learning (IHLs). However, the cultivation of curiosity in learning, self-driving one's learning, digital literacy and learning agility must start young. There is therefore a need to integrate and align SkillsFuture in the adult years with SkillsFuture in the junior years.
Let us be the first in the world to build the first \"Lifelong Learning Schools\". Let us re-envision MOE as a Ministry of Lifelong Learning and to seriously study what that vision truly means and entails.
Next, on benchmark of education. For years, Singapore has prided ourselves in our outstanding performance in global education rankings such as the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study. PISA ranks our 15-year-olds globally in subjects such as reading, math, science and problem solving – factors viewed as important for boosting economic competitiveness.
Although a good reference point, I believe Singapore can lead and establish a more comprehensive suite of education benchmarks. For one, we know we have to now learn for life beyond the age of 15. Two, surely, we too agree that the purpose of education is more than just to prepare economic beings.
What about physical and mental health? What about citizenship, compassion, learning agility, curiosity, regional and world languages and culture and the courage to take risks? What about the sense of duty to look after one's family, to respect other people who are different, protect our environment including cleaning up after ourselves? What should be included and measure?
I ask MOE, as we expand our old definition of education and success, I wish to seek resources for the Ministry to conduct a uniquely Singapore study of the benchmarks against which to measure the success of our education system
Next, on engine of education, our educators. Amongst all, one key engine of education must be our Educators. I have and still serve with some of the most dedicated, competent and compassionate educators; and I feel for them. We need to nurture and maximize the potential of our staff too.
The days of old when teachers are the key dispensers of knowledge and principals are leaders who know all about education, are over. In fact, the term \"teacher\" may need to be dropped soon as educators take on the roles of creators and/or curators of content; designers of learning experiences; facilitators and coaches of their students. They need to be exposed not only to things of the school; but also to the world that their students are going to live and work in. They themselves, the educators, too need to be mentally healthy and coached.
What are the ways by which MOE educators including school leaders are recruited and developed to fulfill the roles of future educators? How can we future-proof them through updating and innovating the ways by which they are recruited and developed?
Next on inclusiveness of education, any map of education is incomplete without including those who are at risk of being left out either due to their socio-economic background; or their learning styles and abilities.
On digital literacy for all, many future of education studies reflect everywhere that digital literacy is the new literacy. As mobile devices become commonly used for learning, students without the financial means may be left out. In situations such as the COVID-19 outbreak, when students are expected to stay home with e-learning, with blended homework packages, those without access to ready IT devices may be deprived.
Besides devices, there are also students who may be left behind in the chase of acquisition for digital literacy due to little access or exposure to digital content or sufficient learning exposure either at home or in school. What are MOE's plans to strengthen digital accessibility and literacy for all and to ensure every student has equal access to the hardware devices, the software applications and supervision, especially students in financially or socially challenged households; and especially students who are not in mainstream school setting such as those in special schools or home-schooling settings?
On student with Special Education Needs (SEN), thanks to the political leaders and several key Ministries such as MSF and MOE, the education of students with SEN specially for the young has grown from strength to strength. However, the outcomes of their schooling will need a deeper dive for further improvement. To this end, I seek MOE's favourable consideration for three groups of students with SEN.
One, for Special Education (SPED) school students who are unlikely to proceed to open employment or further studies, MOE should consider extending the current school years of SPED schools to age 21. This is to enhance the chances that more of them will be more prepared for life after school, the foremost school years and for more of them to work in at least supported employment. Many of them are not ready to exit to the adult world at the age of 18. The alternative is to put them in costly day activity centres for adults or for parents to give up their own livelihoods in order to care for them.
Next, for students with SEN who are able to undertake mainstream subjects whether in Primary schools, Secondary schools or IHLs, MOE should articulate and implement a more effective plan so that they are better supported. For instance, the SEN funds in IHLs are currently only limited to those with sensory disabilities – those who are visually impaired or deaf – and they are not extended currently to those with ADHD, dyslexia or autism.
For everyone with SENs, learning with the appropriate support should not stop after the formal school years. There are insufficient efforts to include the special needs workforce in the SkillsFuture movement. Neither is there enough envisioning of a lifelong learning pathway for this special group of learners. I therefore call for a deeper dive by MOE and other key stakeholders such as the major disability SSAs to address this important need. Failing to do so will incur not only further expenditure in future budgets, but, we as a society would also be for the weaker when we leave them behind.
In conclusion, Sir, in summary, I seek MOE's favourable consideration of my suggestions to one, develop and articulate an Education Transformation Map for the future. Two, to re-envision and re-name the MOE to as a top-notch Ministry of Lifelong Learning. Three, review the benchmarks against which to measure the success of our education system. Four, to future-proof our educators through updating and innovating the ways by which they are recruited and developed. Five, ensure digital accessibility and literacy for all especially those from lower income households and/or with SEN. And lastly, to provide stronger support to the lifelong learning of students with SEN in all settings. Finally, I want to thank everyone who chose to serve in the education sector, your influence stays even after you are long gone.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Sir, learning in schools should not be a process whereby a student studies simply to pass exams. Many subjects which a student learn in school may not be relevant years later because of new discoveries and technological developments. Yet, many students and their parents continue to obsess over the need to learn to pass exams. Students worry about their academic performance in schools. This has led to unnecessary stress on the students.
For the past years, during the Edusave Awards ceremony, I urge parents to work with the school teachers to inculcate the joy of learning in their children. The students should not be caught up in trying to memorise their textbooks just to score better results. Instead, they ought to be given exposure to discovering new things and finding out more about topics in which they are interested in. Learning must be for life because the world keeps changing and developing over the years.
When I first started legal practice, I had to learn how to use a Phillips word processor. I then attended classes to learn how to use Wordstar and Word Perfect. If I did not keep learning, I would not be able to manage without knowing Microsoft Office today.
I know that MOE wants to encourage the students to appreciate that education should be a life long journey. But, it is not enough for MOE to say so. The school teachers must buy in and not add stress onto the students by having a continuous stream of tests and exams. Regardless of what MOE says, if assessments and tests are graded and counted as your overall results, students will continue to mug for these assessments and these tests.
I urge MOE to consider more options to admit students to their schools of choice; to their courses of studies instead of simply relying on their exam results. Consider relying on aptitude tests or interviews to ascertain a student's interest. In this way, we will be better able to persuade students and parents that it is important to develop a child's interest in learning and enjoy acquiring knowledge.
Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Sir, I seek an update from the hon Minister on Learn for Life initiatives following the important announcement made at last year's COS debates about the Full Subject-Based Banding in Secondary Schools. This comes in the wake of other initiatives such as the revamped PSLE scoring this year onwards and enlarging aptitude-based admissions into tertiary institutions.
I had the opportunity to review the speech of Minister Ong Ye Kung made in 2018 when he held out elderly learners from our Pioneer and Merdeka Generations imbibed with the \"lifelong learning\" attitudes as great examples for our children to follow and build resilience in a fast changing global economy.
One such example is Mr Albert Chang, aged 70 years. When he was 14 years old, he left Queenstown Secondary School to work and take care of his family consisting of six siblings, including himself. He joined the Naval Base, which was still managed by the British then, as an electrical engineering apprentice. After the British withdrawal, he became a weapons specialist with SEEL, one of the 2 companies that took over the base and which later merged with ST.
Eager to upgrade himself, he attended night classes after work at the Lembaga which was set up in 1960 to promote adult education. He passed his \"O\" level exams through this route. With an in-house scholarship from SEEL, he went to Singapore Polytechnic to pursue a diploma in telecommunication engineering. On his own, he pursued a City & Guilds of London Institute course and was issued with a Full Technological Certificate in electrical engineering practice specialising in instruments in 1972. Thereafter, he was employed in several companies. One memorable project he undertook was the installation of the cable car system from Mount Faber to Sentosa as a Project Manager.
During the recession, engineering jobs dried up, he was made redundant, he joined the insurance industry. This was not his comfort zone but he was determined to give it his best shot. He then, through self-study, he became a Chartered Life Underwriter.
However, engineering remained his first love, he went back. In mid-2000s, he pursued a Double Masters in Project Management and Risk Management. He retired in 2015. He still is attending courses and presentations at NTU. He is now focusing on upgrading his IT knowledge, learning Python and so on. The values and attitudes of Mr Chang and the people of his generation were shaped by Singapore's —
The Chairman: Mr Murali Pillai, could you wrap up, please? Thank you.
Mr Murali Pillai: — Singapore's humble economic circumstances in the 1960s and 1970s. The concern for us is how we can replicate their drive for lifelong learning in our children in these times when we are generally well-off.
Mr Charles Chong (Punggol East): Mr Chairman, it seems to me that the only thing which is constant about the world is that everything will change at some point. Indeed, the rate of change we are experiencing gets quicker and quicker every year. For example, by some estimates, the amount of data in the world doubles every two years.
The difficulty we face is how we get our youths ready for the future when we do not know for certain what the future holds. If we do not know what the future is going to look like, then it makes it immensely difficult to predict the skills that will be needed for the future.
But what is clear is that we need our youths to be resilient, adaptable and have a global outlook. To keep pace with changes in the world, we must teach our youths to keep an open mind and to be willing to learn and re-learn throughout their lives. In short, we need to make lifelong learning second nature for our youths. That seems to be the most effective way to make the next generation of Singaporeans ready for the future.
Could the Minister share what steps are being taken to encourage our youths to learn for life?
Mr Chairman, last year, I spoke about how our education system can better cater to the unique strengths and interests of our students by providing more opportunities for differentiated learning, depending on the student's ability at a particular point in time. Now, I was encouraged by MOE's move towards full subject-based banding (FSBB) which, I understand, is being piloted in 28 Secondary schools this year. The outcomes and the students' experiences in this pilot project will provide useful learning points as the Ministry finally rolls out FSBB to all Secondary schools.
I am interested, however, to hear what the experiences of the 28 pilot schools are and how they have found the move to FSBB. Could the Minister give an update on the pilot and how successful or otherwise this has been?
Finally, Mr Chairman, I would like to address the need for support of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Quality education should be accessible to all Singaporeans, regardless of family background. The Uplifting Pupils in Life and Inspiring Families Taskforce (UPLIFT) was set up in October 2018 to see how we can help address the challenges that children from poorer backgrounds face, so that they are able to benefit fully from our education system and go on to maximise their potential.
As it has already been a year and a half since UPLIFT was set up, I would like to ask the Minister if he could provide an update on the work and progress of this taskforce.
Ms Tin Pei Ling (MacPherson) (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore is a multiracial, multi-cultural country with unique history and characteristics. Since independence, the bilingual policy has been the cornerstone of our education system. It helps different races to communicate with one another and also plays an indispensable role in promoting cohesion and harmony within the society.
However, language, as a tool of communication, is only one part of its functions. It is underpinned by culture, which is the key feature of a nation and a key achievement of human civilisation. In order to have a deeper understanding of our culture and reinforce our identity, a firm grasp of our mother tongue is key.
With rapid globalisation, Singaporeans must continue to have a good grasp of two languages and two cultures, and even more languages to stay ahead. This will enhance the competitiveness of Singaporeans internationally and help strengthen Singapore's role as an economic and cultural bridge between different parts of the world.
Furthermore, a good grasp of our mother tongue is beneficial for our personal development. Researchers have found that learning two languages can stimulate our mental development, especially for children learning multiple languages at a young age. Benefits for these children include improved cognitive ability, concentration and memory, and greater flexibility when the brain needs to switch between mental tasks. The variety of vocabulary and expressions in different languages also affects our ability to gain insights about the world. People who speak multiple languages have a more enriched understanding of the world compared to monolingual individuals.
Our country's bilingual policy has undergone several reforms, and has laid a good language foundation for Singaporeans. However, with changes in the world and the global economy, Singapore's bilingual advantage is now being tested and challenged.
I would like to ask MOE: how can we provide a good environment for our students to learn mother tongue and also nurture interest in their mother tongue? We have now moved from nurturing bilingual talents to nurturing bicultural talents, and this signals progress in our bilingual policy. In this regard, what are MOE’s new measures to nurture even more bicultural talents?
Mr Lim Biow Chuan: Because this is a cut on Mother Tongue, let me try to speak in Mandarin. It is going to be a terrible experience, speaking after the eloquent Ms Tin Pei Ling.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] When I was young, I did not speak Mandarin very often, partly because my parents spoke Hokkien to me at home and my brothers and sisters only spoke to me in English. So Mandarin was alien to me. When I was studying law in the University, I read the English law papers every day.
It was a cause of regret for me when I graduated because I did not have a good grasp of my Mother Tongue. When I try to speak Mandarin to my clients, they would say \"It is better that you speak English.\" When I joined the Grassroots organisations, I discovered that if I spoke Mandarin more frequently, I could grasp it too. Several months ago, Prime Minister Lee said more and more people were speaking Mandarin at home. How can MOE encourage our students to learn, speak and use Mandarin more?
(In English): Let me now try to speak in English so that MOE officers can understand what I say.
Sir, when I was young, I seldom spoke in Mandarin. This is partly because my parents spoke to me in Hokkien at home and my siblings speak to me in English. When I was studying in the University, it was worst, because hardly anyone spoke Mandarin at all. We were all reading English law reports.
It is a cause of regret for me when I graduated because I did not have a good grasp of my Mother Tongue. I could not speak Mandarin well to my clients. But, later, when I joined the grassroots organisations, I realised that the more you speak, the more you get confidence in speaking the Mother Tongue.
As more and more people speak English at home, is the learning of Mother Tongue adversely affected? How can MOE help students to become more proficient in learning Mother Tongue?
Would it be better for the students to have a nurturing environment at home or would it be better to have more specialist schools, where the students can be immersed in an environment where more classmates speak the Mother Tongue? May I ask the Minister: how can MOE make learning Mother Tongue more enjoyable and help students better appreciate their Mother Tongue as well as their own culture?
The Chairman: 其实,你的华语讲得很好。掌声鼓励鼓励。Actually, you speak Mandarin well. We encourage you. [Applause.]
Mr Chen Show Mao (Aljunied): Sir, I would like to renew my call for the learning of basic conversational Bahasa Melayu to be included in the regular curriculum for all our Primary school children who do not otherwise learn it.
I understand that our school children have a great deal to learn already and we are concerned about their well-being. But, perhaps, they could learn the National Language without the pressure of examinations. I also understand that the school curriculum needs to reflect a balance of many different priorities. But it is precisely because of this that I call for its inclusion. And I do so in different years at our Budget discussions because teaching all our school children Bahasa Melayu speaks to many of our enduring values and our hopes that are reflected in successive Budgets – economic development through regional cooperation, building a strong and united Singapore.
Sir, to begin with, learning Bahasa Melayu will be good for the cognitive and intellectual development of our children who learn it as a Third Language. It will also protect and preserve our multiculturalism and promote national integration and a sense of identity rooted in our geography and our history.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) is an integral part of our education system, complementing our academic subjects with a more value-centric and action-based approach to understanding ourselves and the community and society we live in.
MOE has made significant and impactful changes to the way we deliver CCE to our students, with the last review done in 2014. Hence, it is timely that MOE reviews the CCE syllabus. As MOE does so, I would like to offer three suggestions for consideration.
First, issues related to mental health and wellness should be incorporated in the CCE syllabus even at the Primary school level. Our young students need to be provided with a safe space to discuss issues that may have an impact on their mental health and wellness, such as coping with loss or death in the family, appropriate and inappropriate relationships, bullying among friends, social discrimination or domestic violence. These are difficult issues and I would not expect all our school teachers to be professionally equipped to address them or help students manage these issues well. Hence, it would be useful to have social workers and trained school counsellors work closely with our school teachers to help young students who may be facing these issues.
Second, in the midst of the current COVID-19 outbreak, it is important to incorporate lessons on personal hygiene as well as personal and community values that shape social responsibility. Such lessons serve as important reminders to our young students about how our personal hygiene practices can have significant and far-reaching impact on the community we live in and on society at large. For instance, when we are ill, it is important to maintain good personal hygiene and exercise social responsibility by minimising going out in public, not sneezing or coughing without due care and maintaining social distancing with others.
In addition, our personal and community values shape our social responsibility. For instance, self-centredness and a lack of empathy for others mean we only think of ourselves and make us less \"others-centric\". While it is understandable for each of us to want to protect our personal interests and needs, we can still do so and yet look out for others, show our care for them and extend help where needed.
Third, we know that values are more often caught rather than taught. Parents' values, beliefs and behaviours will most certainly shape how their children treat others and how they behave towards others. Hence, parental involvement in the teaching and learning of CCE would enhance its value. I know that schools are already doing this. Other than involving parents in some learning activities to be done at home with their children, parents who have been actively involved in serving the community, doing volunteer work or actively contributing to society can be invited to share their experience and work with a class of students in school. These parents serve as significant adults who can positively influence and shape the mindsets of our young students, which can be important for students who may not always have the best role models at home.
I look forward to hearing the details of how MOE intends to review and enhance the teaching of CCE in our schools.
Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Chairman, Character and Citizenship Education (CCE) has always been at the heart of Singapore's education system. In CCE, our students learn to be responsible to family and community, and understand their role in shaping the future of our nation. The current syllabus was implemented in 2014 and, ever since, there has been new emerging trends and global developments that can impact our society. Last year, the Minister for Education shared that educators expend much effort to continuously improve and refine the curriculum and to make it more engaging, relatable and effective. Could the Ministry provide an update on the review and the enhancements that would be made to our CCE curriculum to ensure our children are anchored on strong moral values?
Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong): Chairman, I believe that CCE is an important part of our education. Some students, however, think that CCE is a chore or, worse, think that is merely propaganda. Perhaps, they do not appreciate its relevance, especially if examinations are around the corner.
I urge the Ministry to consider how to make CCE more engaging and robust. One way is to draw from current happenings to start discussions in CCE lessons. For instance, teachers can engage students to reflect on the challenges posed by the on-going COVID-19 outbreak and discuss how best our communities can respond. Students can discuss how everyone can play a part in being socially responsible. This is especially relevant when one of the students in a top school was infected with COVID-19 last week.
When we include more of such relatable content, CCE lessons can become less of a chore to our students. It would also enable teachers to more effectively guide students towards making sound moral judgements and be motivated to contribute to society.
Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, aside from teaching our students content and, of course, developing soft skills, character and values, I would argue that nurturing critical thinking skills is of paramount importance. This is particularly so in light of how the world economy is changing and how more basic types of intellectual work are increasingly going to be handled by technology.
In fact, as I referred to in my Budget speech, the authors of the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2019 commented that Singapore has room for improvement in developing skills like critical thinking among its workforce.
Going forward, clarity about the sources of knowledge and higher level thinking are going to be key.
One aspect of critical thinking which I want to focus on for this cut is conscious reflection on thinking, thought processes, the rules of logic and the principles of knowledge – how we know something is true and the various categories of knowledge. It is important that our students are encouraged to think about thinking itself. For example, they should know how to reduce an argument to its basic form to separate the premises from the conclusion to understand what the tautological statement is to understand the difference between causation and correlation and to be familiar with the various forms of reasoning like deductive and inductive. The International Baccalaureate programme includes a Theory of Knowledge (TOK) module. On the IB website, this is described as aiming to make students aware of the interpretative nature of knowledge, including personal ideological biases, \"to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and on areas of knowledge; to be aware of themselves as thinkers, encouraging them to become more acquainted with the complexity of knowledge.\"
The most central question the TOK addresses is, \"How do we know?\", while other questions include: \"What counts as evidence for X?\", \"How do we judge which is the best model of Y?\", \"What does Theory Z mean in the real world?\" Some elements of this are covered in the Upper Secondary English curriculum, but not all. This goes beyond language and media literacy, and it is really about the philosophy of knowledge. As most of our students are not in the IB programme, I would like to ask if this is currently being addressed in our Secondary school curriculum and, if so, in what ways? And if MOE is examining modules like the IBs TOK, to explore how we might enhance our teaching approaches in this regard.
Miss Cheng Li Hui (Tampines): Sir, for a long time, our schools have played an indispensable role in anchoring our students on strong moral values. In my speech in the debate on the President's Address in 2018, I mentioned that our CCE syllabus then focused on classroom and theoretical knowledge. I said, \"Our young people should walk the talk and we should seed the caring hearts of our next generation. Let them adopt a kindergarten, old folks home, pet shelters and the responsibility of caring for others.\"
It is important that we look into how we can develop age-appropriate strategies for students at different age groups so as to increase the effectiveness of CCE in schools. Can Minister share if MOE has been looking into this? To strike a chord with students, CCE should also be easily relatable to the students' experiences.
Therefore, is it possible for CCE lessons to be conducted beyond classrooms and even more actively utilise the life experiences of the teachers so that the lessons could be more authentic?
Next cut. Sir, last year, I filed a cut on teaching Green in school. We have to inculcate green values in younger generation. Our schools can play a big and important role in educating our students on the importance of Green initiatives and the perils of global warming. They should also be better informed of the sciences and policies in relation to climate change.
We should make it part of the compulsory curriculum. Let us educate them on the Semakau landfills that are running out in 2035, instead of 2045. Schools can also take the lead in the reduction of single-use plastics and instill a recycling mindset, including handing down used textbooks and using recycled textbooks.
Can the Minister share what MOE has done so far and if MOE can consider embedding sustainability into the curriculum?
Mr Yee Chia Hsing (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, I would like to ask MOE if there will be an update to the Character and Citizenship Curriculum since it was last introduced in 2014 and, if so, what are the changes to make CCE more relevant. Like Miss Cheng Li Hui, I would like to ask if there will be changes to increase awareness of climate change and the human impact on both the environment and nature.
This awareness should also be balanced with an acknowledgement of the economic and other constraints that we face, as well as being mindful of the limited impact that we can make as a small country.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Mr Chairman, mental health issues are silent, invisible killers. Suicide is the leading cause of death for those who are aged between 10 and 29. The second Singapore Mental Health Study by the Institute of Mental Health released in 2018 reveals that one out of seven Singaporeans experiences a mental health condition in their lifetime. The number of young Singaporeans between the ages of 16 and 30 who sought help from IMH's community health assessment team from 2015 to 2017 has seen an increase of 190%. Hence, the rising rates of mental health issues among our children and youths are an urgent national challenge and priority.
There are many possible causes that may exacerbate the mental health issues, such as academic-based (homework, examinations, projects) or relationship-based (friendship and bullying). The rise of social media has also created self-image issues that have led many to have unrealistic expectations.
I would like to propose the following measures to MOE.
(a) Destigmatise mental health issues and increase the number of counsellors in the schools. Make seeing the school counsellor mandatory for all students, instead of only referring those who are suspected of mental health issues to the school counsellors;
(b) Integrate mental health as part of CCA and physical fitness programmes into the schools and rename it as Total Fitness Programme;
(c) Introduce mindfulness and meditation classes to all schools and equip our young Singaporeans with useful skills to deal with stress for life;
(d) Strengthen our cyber wellness programme in schools and equip our young Singaporeans with skills and knowledge to deal with the cyber jungle; and
(e) Further enhance character and citizenship education.
The current occasional talks in schools on mental wellness is clearly insufficient and is only scratching the surface. I hope MOE can seriously look into this urgent national challenge and consider the measures proposed.
Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast): Mr Chairman, shifts in the global economic centre of gravity towards Asia present immense opportunities for our people. Singapore is well-placed to leverage opportunities from fast-growing Asia, in particular, Southeast Asia. Many Singapore companies see Asia as its marketplace, given the limited growth opportunities in our small domestic market.
So, to prepare our future generation to be Asia-ready, I am really happy that we are reviewing our school curriculum to enable students to develop a deeper understanding of ASEAN, China and India. Deputy Prime Minister Heng announced the \"70-70\" target for a new Asia-Ready Exposure Programme. I would like to ask the Minister to provide more details about this programme. How can this new programme provide our students with the opportunity to develop deep insights into the Asian economies and their ways of working and living?
I certainly hope this Programme will not just stop at being an overseas trip to the region. Indeed, the programme should instead encompass student involvement in community service engagement with the respective Asian communities, working in close collaboration with foreign embassies and student exchange programmes.
Most importantly, to support our students, it is to expand their language skills to include those of the region. I would like to ask the Minister whether the Government would support the setting up of MOE-funded ASEAN language schools and whether the mastery of these languages can form part of the mainstream curriculum and be credit-bearing?
The Chairman: Mr Teo Ser Luck. Take your two cuts, please.
Mr Teo Ser Luck (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Chairman, I have two young staff in their late 20s who are working for me. Since then, I have worked with them very closely on different projects. And because my companies, we build our offices regionally, so the two of them I empower them to take on some of those projects. I must say that the two of them have a lot of promises and one of the common things I found was that they are very comfortable discussing about developments in Asia and being very resourceful about getting certain things done, even if it is beyond Singapore's shores.
So, countries we talked about are China, Malaysia and Indonesia. I am quite pleased with their performance but I know it is hard to keep them. One of the common things I found was that they were exposed to cultural exchange programmes way back in school, starting from Secondary school. I will credit that as the first exposure on a regional basis that makes them feel comfortable in their working life later on.
One of them actually had an Internship overseas as well. And that stint of about one and a half months he actually did really well. He did really well and you can tell from the knowledge that he has gained. I was quite glad that Deputy Prime Minister Heng announced about the \"70-70\" Asia-Ready Exposure Programme because I believe that when we give more of our students more of those exposures, it would help them in future, not just in their career, but companies that operate in Singapore or Singapore companies that want to venture overseas. This \tAsia-Ready Exposure Programme, if it can go beyond just cultural understanding and differences, it would really help to make that leap forward, and that leap forward is going beyond understanding about the culture, appreciating the culture, but to be able to make that leap into something more.
And that something more, I will look at it this way – three points, mindset change. And a mindset change creates a certain attitude towards the region and the dare to venture abroad. Secondly, it is to be able to apply that learning. After learning about a culture, learn to apply that within the workforce or within their scope of work in future and to take on additional responsibilities from there. And, of course, hopefully, they are all willing to venture abroad. And that is the part I find it the hardest to persuade. I believe it is the comfort of Singapore as well that they are unable or unwilling to really venture abroad on a longer term basis to actually see what is out there, broaden their horizon.
I think that is extremely important because if we want to do an\tAsia-Ready Exposure Programme, we might have to think beyond just understanding of cultures. Start them young right, but actually push them a bit further. I know that MTI has a Global-ready Exposure Programme and the Global-ready Exposure Programme was about internship and maybe offer a through train from Asia-ready to Global-ready; from cultural understanding to internship opportunities.
Have companies offer those positions for them. But have the schools take them on in the beginning to understand that and then offer it later that they can actually intern overseas as well. Give them a chance to do so, so that, in future, Singaporeans will be more competitive, not just in Singapore, but overseas as well.
Mr Murali Pillai: Sir, my Parliamentary colleagues, Mr Teo Ser Luck and Ms Foo Mee Har, had just highlighted Deputy Prime Minister Heng's \"70-70\" target in his Budget Statement as well as the Asia-Ready Exposure Programme. This comes on the heels of measures already announced this year and last year for enterprises to take advantage of business opportunities in fast growing Asia and, more specifically, ASEAN.
To help our students take full advantage of these opportunities, I wonder if the Ministry is prepared to extend to students an opportunity to learn ASEAN languages. Currently, the MOE Language Centre provides Malay (Special Programme) and Indonesian languages as Third Languages. These options are only open to students ranked in the top 10% of their PSLE cohort.
I would suggest that less rigorous spoken ASEAN language courses be extended to interested students, including students from IHLs. Such measures, I believe, will greatly facilitate the students' learning experience and enhance job opportunities for them in the ASEAN region.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: Chairman, in helping our citizens navigate their way through numerous online falsehoods and fake news, we have to start our public education campaign upstream and begin with our school students. In last year's Committee of Supply (COS) debates, it was announced that the Government would establish the \"Our Singapore Fund for Digital Readiness\", which aims to support community initiatives that promote digital readiness. Beyond community initiatives, we also need to equip our school students with digital literacy, as well as information literacy.
Digital and information literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.
This combined set of literacies is crucial in this current age, as our students should not only know how to use new information and communication technologies but, more importantly, know how to source for, evaluate and use information that is disseminated and accessed, regardless of the medium in which it exists.
Hence, as MOE reviews the school curricula and syllabi in order to incorporate teaching and learning activities for digital readiness, I would like to propose two areas for consideration.
One, digital and information literacy should be part of our school syllabi, taught and learnt within a specific subject or as part of a school project. Digital and information literacy essentially involves applied skills and knowledge. Hence, they cannot be taught in silo and has to be contextualised. I would further propose that MOE work closely with the National Library Board which has, for several years, implemented its S.U.R.E. programme, which stands for Source, Understand, Research, Evaluate.
NLB has extensive experience in the area of digital and information literacy and has recently set up a Digital and Information Literacy Community of Practice (DIL-CoP), which brings together academics, practitioners and experts in the area of digital and information literacy to share experience, theory and practice in strengthening policies, research, strategies and initiatives in the area. Here, I must declare my interest as Special Adviser to the DIL-CoP.
Two, in order to facilitate the learning of digital and information literacy, the access to and use of information and communication technologies, have to be in place. As such, students need to have ready access to and use of technological devices such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones – all with internet access and wireless fidelity capabilities. How will MOE ensure that our students can have their own technological devices and ready Internet access, particularly for students who come from less privileged backgrounds? What support and provision will be made available?
I look forward to hearing the details of how digital and information literacy will be implemented in our schools.
Miss Cheng Li Hui: Chairman, digital technologies have progressed tremendously and are very much part of our lives. They could allow us to achieve more than ever before if we are able to harness their potential and use them wisely with good purpose.
Cyber crimes and online scams have been on the rise and it is not surprising with majority of Singaporeans accessing the Internet everyday across different platforms.
In 2016, I filed a MOE cut on cyber education. Our children are tech savvy, but they may or may not be Internet savvy. They may forget there are real dangers lurking in the cyberspace. Cyber bullying, online predators and online scams are just some of the dangers youths face.
It is important that we introduce and equip our young Singaporeans with digital literacy in schools. We have made a good start and laid a strong foundation over the last few years when schools started allowing students to use tablets in class. This allows for more enriching classroom experience where learning is now more interactive, interesting and personal.
Will the Ministry consider providing additional subsidies for students from lower income family to purchase devices? Will the Ministry also be developing guides or courses for teachers to impart and deepen digital literacy among their students in schools?
We need to better prepare young Singaporeans for an increasing number of sectors that require advanced AI-related competencies such as digital finance and cybersecurity. Can the Minister share what is in the pipeline to deepen digital capabilities especially in our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs)?
Mr Ang Wei Neng: Chairman, please allow me to declare my interest as CEO of ComfortDelGro Taxi business. Over the last decade, digital technology, including but not limited to mobile phone applications technology, has significantly impact on our daily life. Digital technology has disrupted many business models but has also created about new business models.
In ComfortDelGro Taxi business, we have embarked on digital transformation since 2018. We have formed agile squads, hire data scientists, hire people with digital marketing skills, hire millennials with user experience or user interface skill sets, hire project managers that can manage the IT programmers that are based at the offshore development centres in India, Myanmar and so on. We are hiring many Infocomms or ICT talents but we cannot get enough local ICT talents. We are not alone. Many technology-based companies and companies that are embarking in digital transformation are finding it hard to recruit local ICT talents in the areas of data analytics, artificial intelligence, automation and other cutting-edge technologies.
As we transform our economy to be digital-focused, we need our six local universities to produce more ICT talents. Thus, I will like to ask the Minister how many ICT graduates have our six local universities produced in the last three years? Moving ahead, are the local universities planning to produce even more ICT graduates? How are our local universities equipping the non-IT undergraduates with skill sets to interpret data and basic ICT skills so that they can better survive in this digital world? For that matter, how is MOE developing plans to better equip students from Primary to Secondary school to be digital ready?
Mr Chen Show Mao: Sir, the COVID-19 outbreak will likely give a critical lift to the growth of technological applications that seem ripe for wider adoption now and in all likelihood will remain more widely-adopted post-COVID-19, for example, video conferencing. Sir, may I ask for an update of the Ministry’s views on how online learning fits into the education of our school children and the Ministry's plans relating to its development?
Miss Cheng Li Hui: Sir, education is an entire eco-system consisting of key stakeholders such as teachers, schools, parents and the wider community. Our educators are at the frontline where they deal directly with the students for many of their formative years to impart knowledge, share experience and, most importantly, lead by example. Therefore, supporting our teachers is key to developing and sustaining a good education system in Singapore.
With new developments and trends in the education field such as the increasing use of e-learning, computational skills and inquiry-based learning, we need to stand ready to ensure that our teachers and educators stay ahead of the curve. It is an important and never ending process so that our teachers are well-equipped to nurture future-ready learners. Can the Minister share how will MOE support the professional development of our teachers?
Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, Sir, youth suicides seem to be on the rise. In 2018, the figures spiked to 94 youths, between the ages of 10 and 29. MOE and MSF were very concerned with the spike, though both Ministries noted that it was not a trend yet.
Obviously, we do not want this to become a trend as lives are at stake here. We need to do more than to closely monitor the issue.
At the same time that youth suicides are on the rise, we see more young people talking about mental illness and turning to Mental Health Services for help. IMH has reported the young people seeking help has jumped by 190% from 2015 to 2017.
I am aware that there are initiatives such as the Youth Corps programme to mobilise volunteers to provide peer support. There also many community initiatives responding to the impending youth mental health crisis. The Government can and must do more. We need to tackle mental health issues upstream and this is why I am bringing this up under the MOE heading because our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning are the headwaters of this issue. It is not just that the stress of school work creating anxieties and problems with self-worth but young people are so caught up in social relationships and the search for identity in the setting of schools.
A lot of the initiatives on the ground now are oriented towards creating awareness of the issue. This is important as we need to correct persistent prejudices and ignorance. Singapore is specially equipped to tackle this issue because we have a centralised education system and MOE can do so much more.
Firstly, mental health education should be a top priority and made mandatory. It should not be just a topic in character and citizenship education, or during the form teacher's guidance period but a subject in its own right in Secondary schools in which basic psychological knowledge can also be imparted so that young people can have the tools to understand what they might be going through.
Secondly, we will benefit from input from young people themselves. One of the reasons for the jump in young people seeking help is that they are starting to open up mental health issues. It is time for us to listen to young people. We could learn from other jurisdictions such as Scotland, which has established a Youth Commission on Mental Health. It comprises young people from ages 16 to 25 to make recommendations to Government.
Mr Murali Pillai: Sir, hon Members will agree that the positive education outcomes and results achieved by our children are in large part due to our corp of dedicated and high-quality teachers – past and present.
To ensure that we continue to have these positive outcomes, it is imperative that we provide strong support to allow our teachers to deepen their skills and expertise as part of their professional development.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng highlighted in his Budget Statement this year that with shorter technology cycles, skills acquired need to be constantly refreshed. This is applicable to teachers, too.
Also, the recent policy shifts in our education system such as the \"Learn for Life\" initiative will also require our teachers to undergo some level of re-tooling.
With respect to how professional development is conducted, I have received feedback from teachers that attending courses per se would not necessarily result in a positive classroom impact. This is backed by empirical studies on teacher development going back 30 years. They, instead, suggest that the teacher development courses be structured less formally and allow for more interaction, collaboration, reflection and feedback between teachers to refine their skills.
The courses should also be tailored and differentiated in accordance with the experience of teachers, subject, ability of students and specific strengths of the teachers.
It would also be good for a ground-up approach to be employed; allowing teacher leaders to find out what is required by his unit and then collaborate with and hold peer discussions on the areas identified. These leaders should also be able to reach out to resources for help outside their school, if necessary.
Finally, the courses should also be planned in a way that the teachers are not required to miss lessons. If that happens, the teacher will have to conduct a make-up lesson or get someone to cover him or her. This may not be ideal. Perhaps, an appropriate number of days should be set aside from the outset for professional development so that such time would be taken into account in the teacher’s schedule. This will also manifest a tangible investment in our teachers' professional development.
Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: Chairman, since the introduction of SkillsFuture in 2015, there have been numerous initiatives and programmes launched to ensure Singaporeans have access to a whole spectrum of training and learning opportunities.
While there are SkillsFuture schemes meant for working adults to ensure their continued employability, such as P-Max Place-and-Train and the Professional Conversion Programmes (PCP), there are also Train-and-Place SkillsFuture initiatives targeted at students to prepare them for the workforce, such as the Work-Study Diploma or Degree programmes.
The recent Budget announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat gave us a sneak into the Next Bound of SkillsFuture. Among the specific initiatives under the Next Bound of SkillsFuture are the increased capacity of SkillsFuture Work-Study programmes; partnership with Queen Bee companies to better support training of potential and current hires; and the deepening of workplace learning capabilities, including the expansion of the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning (NACE) to two more Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs).
Hence, I would like to find out more about the\tplans\ton\thow\tthe\tSkillsFuture\tWork-Study programmes will be expanded; what are some Queen Bee companies that SkillsFuture Singapore will partner with; which two IHLs will be appointed to house the new NACEs; and what are the plans in expanding opportunities for workplace learning? Will there be plans to recognise training courses or certifications to allow them to be stackable components or modules leading to accredited or recognised qualifications that can lead to career promotions or better employment opportunities? I look forward to hearing these details from the Ministry.
Ms Foo Mee Har: Mr Chairman, I would like to declare my interest as the CEO of Wealth Management Institute, a training provider.
The SkillsFuture movement received a boost of support in this year’s Budget with generous SkillsFuture Credit.
Sir, together with the heavily-subsidied course fees that SkillsFuture courses provide as well as support from Adapt and Grow programmes, Singaporeans are well supported to confront the profound structural changes taking place in the labour market and economy. The SkillsFuture measures should motivate them to beef up their skills, re-tool themselves and chart their own future career. This round of top-ups must be utilised before 2025 – a condition that should signal urgency and spur many into action, especially those aged 40 to 60.
So far, the inertia in take-up can be attributed partly to perceived relevance of SkillsFuture courses and the challenges faced by mid-career workers in navigating the thousands of courses available. For the next phase of SkillsFuture movement, more focus should be placed on building strong connections between employability and CET courses. There should be clear linkages between job opportunities, the skills required and the CET courses.
We should roll out an online SkillsFuture Career Guidance tool to help individuals assess their own competencies and credentials against skills required in job vacancies in growth clusters, and direct them to relevant CET courses to develop proficiency in the required competencies. In the process, they can also be directed to career coaches for support and guidance on their learning journey to better understand career prospects in the identified sectors.
There should be strong incentives for CET providers to establish links between their training courses and on-the-job performance and employment outcomes.
Sir, training is most effective when it is closely linked to specific job requirements. The initiative to identify up to 40 large anchor enterprises to support training for their sectors and value chain partners, is indeed very timely. This initiative can potentially transform the entire supply chain, helping to raise the skills of workers in SMEs who form an integral part of the supply chain. Sir, I am really keen to hear the Minister in providing more details about this Anchor Enterprise programme.
I have been a strong proponent of Work-Study programmes, as they can be very effective in preparing our students to be job-ready in the world of work. I am also heartened, like Dr Intan, to hear the ambitious goal to make this a mainstream pathway, with the declared ambition of 12% of each cohort. Work-study pathways can only be successful with strong industry partnership, commitment on the part of employers and their management teams to make workplace learning meaningful and impactful.
What plans are in the pipeline to build that necessary infrastructure and eco-system for impactful work-study programmes? What support will companies receive to enable their effective participation in work-study programmes?
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): The Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) is a useful mechanism for young individuals to help defray the cost of their education. However, I am perplexed by the strict limitations placed on PSEA usage.
In a recent Parliamentary answer, MOE has said that the Ministry was concerned about the quality of the courses, the relevance to the industry and the outcomes to the graduates. Although this is fair enough, it should be remembered that we are talking here about an individual's account balances, and not about subsidies.
I recently came across a resident who needed to use his PSEA funds for a course in an aeronautical university that has collaborations with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, the Air Force and Singapore Airlines.
With such extensive local industry partnerships, quality and industry relevance should be less of a concern. The resident was in the final year of his course, when his father, who sponsored his studies died suddenly. As his father had remarried, the funding for his studies was abruptly cut off after his death. His mother was of limited means. He had hoped that MOE would enable him to tap on the more than $3,000 balance in his PSEA to pay his remaining course fees, but this was turned down.
Monies that are left unutilised in the PSEA when the account holder turns 31 will be transferred to his CPF Ordinary Account. MOE confirmed in January that over the past three years, about 90% of PSEA accounts had balances transferred to the CPF.
Although the amount of the balances transferred appears modest, tapping on these sums to complete tertiary studies would be welcomed, especially for those less well-off. It seems a waste to channel the balances for housing and retirement when its primary purpose was post-Secondary education or the account holder is young. I hope MOE will at least look at case-by-case applications and appeals.
Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang): Sir, some of the workers in the gig economy today are former professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). Some of them are mature workers who could not get back into the workforce after losing their jobs.
In a survey reported in the Straits Times last November, nine in 10 full-time gig workers were looking for other jobs, and six in 10 were undergoing training or skills upgrading. Seven in 10 were worried about losing their gig jobs. Thus, the concerns of workers are relatively the same, whichever economy they are in.
So, while we are advocating lifelong learning for our salaried workers to remain relevant in a changing world, we should do likewise for workers in the gig economy, in particular, the mature workers, so that they too, can have a decent shot at moving up the value chain while earning their keep as freelancers.
I am particularly concerned about mature gig workers because ageism would have compounded their struggle to get back into a 9-to-5 routine. Staying in the gig economy could be their only option to make a living for a while. And the reality is, the longer they remain in the gig economy, the harder it will be for them to find a day job. So, having the right certifications may open doors to better paying gigs, which in turn, may help these mature workers find meaning in life in the gig economy.
Recently, I came across a freelance trainer who wanted to upgrade himself to become a master trainer. But to get there, this person would need advance certification, and subsidies for those expensive courses are only made available for sponsored employees. That would mean that this person would need to work for a company or find a company that is willing to sponsor him. This resident is in his early 60s and was running a regional outfit before he was retrenched. What are the chances of him getting either one of the funding options?
Since gig workers are on their own, can the Ministry look into introducing a surrogate scheme so that these mature workers in the gig economy can take up specialised courses under similar funding model that sponsored employees are currently given?
Member of Parliament Mr Patrick Tay has made a call for the surrogate scheme to be brought back and I second that.
Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, the SkillsFuture programme is a wonderful initiative which provides tangible support for Singaporeans to learn new skills at every stage of their life. When it was rolled out in 2016, many Singaporeans made good use of the opportunity to pick up new skills. The range of courses is impressive from languages to healthcare, culinary skills to information technology and more.
I appreciate the $500 SkillsFuture Credit top-up for Singaporeans aged 25 and above and the additional one-off SkillsFuture Credit of $500 for every citizen aged 40 to 60. In the event that the COVID-19 outbreak deepens, there might be some workers laid off in the next few months. Would the Ministry consider allowing this group to utilise their SkillsFuture Credits earlier, before the commencement date of 1 October this year?
Many employers, especially our SMEs, are busy dealing with the here-and-now and have limited bandwidth and time to plan for their future. However, rapid technological advancements and disruption require them to continually innovate and seize new opportunities. Their workers need to keep up with the changes too. So, training is very important. What measures or incentives does the Ministry have to help our employers develop stronger workplace training capabilities?
One potential benefit from attending similar SkillsFuture training courses is networking among employees in the same industry. Such opportunities could be a chance for workers and staff from different SMEs to collaborate. They could share best practices or even form small working groups where they could brainstorm and exchange ideas. These are all developmental opportunities for workers too. Such collaborations could increase the chances of our SMEs moving up the value chain, to become more innovative and competitive. Does SkillsFuture have a role in assisting such companies and facilitating industry collaborations? If so, could MOE elaborate on this?
Finally, it is important that courses and programmes associated with SkillsFuture meet high standards and live up to their accreditation. Otherwise, potential employers would have doubts about the training credentials of applicants and the programmes might eventually lose their value. We also want to ensure that the SkillsFuture Credits are used wisely. What measures does the Ministry have to ensure that the content and teaching standards of the courses are of a high standard and to prevent fraudulent use of SkillsFuture Credits?
The Chairman: Mr Lim Biow Chuan.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan: Sir, in the recent Budget Statement, Finance Minister announced that there would be increase in the quantum for pre-universities bursaries, from $900 to $1,000. There will also be more transport subsidies and school meal subsidies. The bursaries for students in Polytechnics and Autonomous Universities would also be increased.
I support this move by MOE. Providing good education to our students will help families break out of the poverty cycle and level out the inequality in society. The primary question is how to ensure that our students who can qualify to further their education are not deprived of doing so just because they lack the funds.
May I ask the Minister, in the last three years, how many families have been helped under MOE's financial assistance schemes? Is the process for applying for financial assistance cumbersome? Are school teachers taught to look out for students in need of financial assistance? Has there been any feedback that students at that age may feel embarrassed to stretch out their hands for financial assistance?
Once we identify those students who require financial help, will we also find out more about whether the families also require Public Assistance or ComCare?
May I ask the Minister: how can MOE make the process of applying for financial help less embarrassing for the lower income students who are in need?
The Chairman: Mr Leon Perera.
Mr Leon Perera (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, I have argued previously in this House for exploring social impact bonds (SIB) as policy tools to ensure that public spending achieves reasonably successful policy outcomes, reducing the risk of wasted public spending. SIBs, well implemented, enhance results-oriented public spending.
By one estimate, as of July 2019, 132 SIBs have been launched in 25 countries raising more than $420 million in investment to address social challenges. A few SIBs have been launched in the UK and one in Columbia to target skills training towards those who are unemployed, vulnerable and not in education, employment or training.
With this cut, I would like to suggest exploration of SIBs as a tool that could be used to direct training towards Singaporeans facing employability issues.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied): Sir, at the moment the process of securing internship and apprenticeship positions is largely decentralised, relying primarily on either the hiring entity or a small number of private jobs clearing houses. Moreover, most programmes tend to focus on highly skilled disciplines, such as finance or technology. These two facts mean that the benefits of internship and apprenticeship training tend to accrue only to a select segment of the workforce. In particular, many beneficiaries of such programmes tend to be highly educated students or graduates majoring in STEM-related courses and who possesses the means to seek, identify and apply to such opportunities.
There is substantial evidence that internship and apprenticeship not only contribute to enhanced knowledge transfer and more efficient production but can also play a role in reducing the extent of labour market polarisation, which is becoming a growing concern in Singapore. However, such systems tend to be more successful when operating within the rubric of a larger institutional framework. Such national level institutions help establish the standard roles behind each party's commitment, promote worker firm matching and encourages the movement of journeyman to other firms once they have completed their formal training.
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Lim Biow Chuan) in the Chair]
The Government has already started in this direction with the Asia-Ready Exposure Programme being introduced at this Budget. I would like to go further and advance the idea of a national internship framework that can be built off the MyCareers job portal.
Importantly, by taking the lead in establishing such a nationally-recognised internship framework, it not only enables voluntary, progressive acquisition of certification for future PMETs, but also enables the Government to qualify an apprenticeship culture that opens up the substantial benefits of such experiences to a much wider range of candidates, such as non-academic pursuits like the culinary arts, music and sports, artisanal practices, such as furniture-making and other skilled crafts and professions that rely on experience and on job training rather than book smarts alone.
This allowed the Government to be a stronger advocate for Singaporeans that have ambitions to contribute to that traditionally and deserved sectors of the economy that nevertheless are paths to meaningful middle-class secured jobs.
Mr Douglas Foo (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, in the global competitiveness report by the World Economic Forum in 2019, Singapore is ranked third for skill-sets of the current workforce but 28th for the skill-sets of the future workforce. This is concerning, as this shows that there is still much to be done for our workforce to be future-ready. The gap could possibly be with the existing employed workforce whom might like to gain in-depth knowledge on new disciplines like data analytics, software engineering, cybersecurity, information security, process automation and more.
In the latest future of job study by the World Economic Forum, employers surveyed estimated that by 2022, no less than 54% of all employees will require significant re-skilling and upskilling. Of this, 10% will require additional skills training of more than a year. We are starting to see that this will be a strategic concern for employers in the very near future.
While we have IHLs who have already have in-depth curriculum available for skills in these new industries, what are the Ministry's plans to raise awareness of existing curriculum and to make these courses more accessible to companies and the workforce, and how can trade associations and chambers play a role in this?
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Sir, can I take my two cuts together?
The Chairman: Yes.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Mr Chairman, the Next Bound of SkillsFuture comes at an opportune moment. The forces of globalisation and technological advances are reshaping industries and jobs at an accelerating pace. And with new jobs emerging and requirements of existing jobs changing, there is an increasing need for Singaporeans to continue to re-skill and upgrade.
I would like to applaud the SkillsFuture movement for supporting Singaporeans in their lifelong pursuit of skills mastery.
I stand in support of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package. This is a much-welcome initiative to support our 40 to 60-year-old workers to up-skill, transition to new careers and stay employed.
Over the years, the Government has put in place many measures to ramp up career transition and re-skilling programmes. However, many of these programmes, such as Professional Conversion Programmes, Place-and-Train programme and sector specific re-skilling programmes require individuals to be employed first before they are able to access training. The placement requirement, which is helpful to secure jobs for individuals, may also limit the number who can benefit from training.
Given the goal of doubling the number of job placements of workers in their 40s and 50s, I would like to suggest to the Ministry to consider complementing this approach with a Train-and-Place programme instead to more comprehensively support re-skilling and career transition of the workers.
My second cut on after-school care service for Primary schools. In Singapore where most families have both parents working and not everyone is fortunate to have their grandparents or domestic helper to look after the school-going children, the reliance on after-school care service becomes very important. This is especially so for low-income families where they are able to benefit from very good subsidies from the Government.
The parents would prefer to send their children to a school-based after-school care service as they do not need to worry about transport between the school and the after-school care service. They are also reassured that the child would not only be given meals but there would also be nap-time, playtime and even time set aside for tuition as well as other meaningful learning activities.
However, for parents, finding a place in the school-based after-school care service is not easy because many of the schools do not have sufficient capacity to cater for all. Hence, many school-based after-school care service have a long waiting list. Then, there are parents whose child may be under-performing and require special care for them to stay on course.
Can the Minister give the House an update on what is the average wait-list for school-based after-school care service?
I urge MOE to consider to increase the capacity of school-based after-school care service to catered for at least 50% of the Primary 1, Primary 2 and Primary 3 cohorts in each Primary school. Also, how is the Ministry supporting disadvantaged students in Primary schools through the school-based after-school care service and the UPLIFT programme?
Mr Zainal Sapari: Chairman, I am supportive of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package for locals in their 40s and 50s to help them stay employable. While a target has been set to double the annual job placement of those in their 40s and 50s to around 5,500 by 2025, what efforts are being taken to scale up career transition programmes for mid-career switchers?
What will MOE be doing differently next, compared to current approaches that would make these career transition programmes for mid-career switchers to be more effective in helping these mature workers with job placement? If we do not do things differently by thinking differently, then most likely, we would get the same results and be unable to achieve the desired outcome of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Support Package.
I think, for a start, I would like MOE to consider increasing the capacity of re-skilling programmes such as the Professional Conversion Programme under the Adapt and Grow initiative, career transition programmes delivered by Continuing Education and Training (CET) centres, and those offered by sector-specific programmes.
In addition, while a lot of efforts have been taken to outreach to mid-career workers and professionals, many are unaware of the help they could receive. I would like to suggest to MOE to increase awareness of the help and support that could be provided to these mid-career workers.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam (Jurong): There is an increasing awareness about the need to monitor the mental health of our young and provide the necessary support that they may need as they navigate through life's challenges. I am happy that MOE has made many efforts to comprehensively look at ways to support the mental well-being of our students in schools, such as incorporating lessons on mental health in the curriculum, equipping teachers with mental health literacy, having counsellors in schools and promoting peer support programmes.
Indeed, mental health is a multi-faceted issue that needs to be addressed through different approaches and platforms. I believe that it is important not just for schools, but also parents, peers and the community to play a role as well as make a concerted effort to create awareness and reduce the stigma. MOE, however, could play a critical role in coordinating upstream efforts. Can MOE share and elaborate about its efforts to help students who are in need of mental health support and how it intends to further develop mental health education in schools?
Could MOE perhaps do more to leverage on social media, the youths' preferred mode of communication and work towards building an eco-system within which all stakeholders could work together to aid early detection, encourage students to seek help when needed and provide pervasive and holistic support in and outside school?
Prof Lim Sun Sun (Nominated Member): Being called bodoh, stupid or 笨蛋 by your teacher, having your teacher throw your homework into the trash in full view of your classmates, seeing your name and wrong test answers flashed on the screen for the entire class to see, having your teacher tell you, loudly and harshly in front of everyone that you will never amount to anything, being screamed and yelled at for giving wrong or incomplete answers, enduring blame from your classmates for depriving everyone of your teacher's promised treat because you failed to score the minimum grade like everyone else.
These are the aggressions and indignities some of our students suffer in school. These naming and shaming methods are harsh and destructive, sabotaging our ability to build positive and edifying learning environments. Such tactics humiliate and demoralise poor performers and also create a toxic and competitive environment where peer-to-peer support becomes collateral damage.
I am confident that the majority of our teachers undertake their jobs with professionalism, care and dedication. Indeed, many are role models who go the extra mile for students in need, encouraging and inspiring our students. But I have received considerable feedback from parents and students that a minority do commit such aggressions that while seemingly minor, nevertheless, have considerable impact on our students' well-being and motivation to learn.
Google commissioned a study to identify why some of their teams perform better than others. They found that a consistent feature of their most successful teams was the concept of \"psychological safety\". Psychological safety is the feeling that you will not be humiliated or jeered at for the ideas you propose, for asking questions or admitting to mistakes. When adopted in the classroom, students have no fear of looking stupid because the entire class knows that asking questions and making mistakes are vital to learning.
When students do not enjoy psychological safety in school and worse, feel stressed and anxious in the presence of teachers who employ harsh classroom tactics, their ability and passion for learning will be extinguished. In light of our students coming in tops for fear of failure, psychological safety in our classrooms is something we must pay closer attention to and invest in.
As I make this call, I can already hear the keyboard warriors lambasting me for helping to create a generation of strawberries. I have no doubt that I will attract such comments as, \"Attitudes like this will make our kids soft! If they are never scolded, they will never understand failure.\" I can only conclude that these individuals must have suffered aggressions themselves. Even in the working world, there is increasing recognition of the importance of psychological safety to improved performance and effective learning. What more the importance of psychological safety in our schools and classrooms?
I believe that even these teachers who engage in petty aggressions are well-meaning. Their actions are symptomatic of the broader pressures that teachers themselves face in delivering results. Be that as it may, they must be made to realise that such disparaging treatment of students must be abhorred, that shaming and humiliation can exact a considerable toll on students' self-esteem, and will ultimately kill their interest in learning.
As many of my fellow Members of Parliament have emphasised, issues around the mental health of young people are on the ascent. I had mentioned in my Adjournment Motion on the fear of failure, that we must make our schools feel like safe spaces in which to fail, and to try again. Hence, I would like to ask the Ministry what efforts have been made to equip our teachers for the socio-emotional aspects of teaching? Do the teacher preparation curricula in NIE's diploma programmes include such training and competency building?
Finally, I reckon that these teachers who commit such aggressions are themselves under stress and pressure, and I wonder what support is provided to our teachers to engage in self-care to deal with the strains of their professional duties and performance targets. Parents have also shared that when they provide feedback on such aggressions to the school leadership, the teachers are excused for being \"old school\" and that their approach should thus be tolerated. Hence, I would like to ask what more we can do to educate our school principals on recognising the harms of such aggressions and how they can effectively intervene to manage such teachers?
Let us strive to foster a positive learning environment to ignite the spark for learning, not just for school, but for life.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extension of a Sitting","subTitle":"Business motion","sectionType":"OS","content":"Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. Pursuant to Standing Order No 91(3)(d), I propose to extend the time of this day's Committee sitting for a period of up to 30 minutes. Ms Anthea Ong.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply – Head K (Ministry of Education)","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Debate in Committee of Supply resumed. (proc text)]
Ms Anthea Ong (Nominated Member): Sir, first, I want to thank our school counsellors for their role in supporting our students despite their small numbers. Based on the data provided to a Parliamentary Question on counsellors, I estimate the counsellor-student ratio to be approximately 1:800, which seems to pale in comparison to some Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) education systems. Is the Ministry planning to improve this ratio to better provide first-line mental health support to students?
MOE currently deploys part-time MOE-trained school counsellors, para-counsellors, Flexi-Adjunct School Counsellors and Teacher Counsellors to augment school counsellors. Could the Ministry clarify on the choice behind deploying these staff instead of directly increasing the number of school counsellors?
Thirty-five percent of respondents from the public consultation on mental health that my team and I did mentioned quality in school counselling as a key concern. One respondent shared that her experience with school counsellors has not been helpful. I quote, \"One completely dismissed me when I told her about my symptoms, and another one recommended exercise as a form of weight loss for someone with an eating disorder.\"
Teachers must have relevant subject matter expertise before attending teacher training at NIE. However, I understand that applicants for school counsellors on the \"Applicants Without Counselling Training\" track need only hold a university degree. Would the Ministry consider giving the same value and rigour to the role of counsellors by ensuring that all candidates have appropriate competencies, experience and/or professional qualifications before attending the necessary school-specific training? Could the Ministry also share how it assesses the competency of school counsellors and how this is aligned with national competency assessment frameworks for counselling professionals?
Despite a general consensus that early detection leads to better health outcomes, and the need for regular assessment of students' needs and health called by the Health Promoting Schools Framework, free health screenings for students currently focus exclusively on physical health.
Yet, according to WHO, half of mental health illnesses start by 14 years of age. MOH reported that studies in Singapore suggest depression alone affects up 18% of youths. Moreover, WHO has found that late detection of mental health conditions is known to result in \"increased morbidity, mortality and the adoption of life-threatening and life-adopting self-treatments\".
As currently practised in schools like Yale-NUS College on admission, will the Ministry consider putting in place mental health screenings every year? In a whole-child approach, there is no health without mental health. The screenings are not meant to be diagnostic in purpose, but to increase the channels where teachers, counsellors and parents can identify students who need more help to adopt upstream preventive measures. I believe this mental health check will better support the engagement and feedback process between teachers, counsellors and parents.
Mr Zainal Sapari: Chairman, education is the best social leveler. Hence, it is important to give emphasis on what we can do to help children from low-income families in terms of education. A key approach to this is by offering financial assistance to ensure no child will be denied of a good education due to the family’s financial situation. Hence, I am heartened at the announcements to enhance MOE Financial Assistance Scheme and bursaries for higher education.
I believe we can do more for ITE students because they are at a phase of acquiring important vocational skills. Could MOE share what further efforts are being taken to enhance financial support for our students, specifically on the bursaries for ITE students?
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap: Sir, currently, Singaporean students in the six full-time madrasahs are not eligible for MOE's Edusave Awards as well as its Financial Assistance Scheme.
At this juncture, I would like to declare that I have a child who is studying in a full-time madrasah.
In 2015, I asked MOE through a Parliamentary Question to consider extending Edusave Awards to madrasah students. The Minister responded that, \"Edusave Awards recognise secular academic and non-academic achievements in the context of MOE-funded schools. It would not be appropriate to extend awards to private schools, including those in the six full-time madrasahs that offer a total curriculum that comprises both compulsory religious and secular subjects.\"
During 2012's COS debate, I and another Member requested to have Edusave account and contributions to be extended to Singaporean students who are studying in non-public schools. MOE declined this request and explained that the Ministry's policy is to encourage all Singaporean children, as far as possible, to enroll in national schools with the objective to forge social cohesion and common national identity.
Nonetheless, Prime Minister in his 2013 National Day Rally speech announced that Edusave accounts and contributions would be given to all students of school-going age, which includes full-time madrasah students. The Prime Minister mentioned, \"This is a signal that we value every child and we help with a sense of solidarity among the next generation.\"
Sir, on the very basis of valuing every child and a sense of solidarity as mentioned the Prime Minister, MOE should consider to extend Edusave Awards and its Financial Assistance Scheme to Singaporean full-time madrasah students.
On MOE's considerations of not awarding Edusave Awards to madrasah students due to madrasah offering a total curriculum that comprises both compulsory religious and secular subjects, this can be addressed by only granting the Edusave Award for secular subjects.
Ms Anthea Ong: Sir, Singaporean Primary school students from lower income families have their tuition fees heavily subsidised. In addition, they also receive free textbooks and uniforms as well as some pocket money.
However, these benefits do not apply to students with foreign passports, even if one of their parents or legal guardians is a Singaporean Citizen or PR.
Will the Ministry consider extending the same subsidies and benefits to such students under our UN Convention for the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) obligations?
Mr Ang Wei Neng: Chairman, we have been encouraging Singaporean students to upgrade and the Government has also increased the capacity of the Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). But tuition fees at the IHLs have been on the rise since 2010.
At Universities, the fee hikes for local undergraduates for previous years have ranged from 0.6% to 8%.
CNBC estimated that Singapore University costs have risen 38% since 2007. Most recently, in August 2018, all six local Universities have raised tuition fees. Students in the Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and Polytechnics were also similarly subjected to higher fees in 2019.
It is important that students from under-privileged families can enrol in IHLs to use education as a lever to uplift themselves. With an increasing cost of living, we hope MOE can increase the financial assistance to students in IHLs. I will also like to urge MOE to consider disbursing more targeted bursaries which award different quantum depending on the student's family income level and socio-economic background.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mr Chairman, over the years, the Ministry has done well to ensure that our ITE adequately prepares students for career in a knowledge-based economy. There are bursary to support students in need and scholarship to affirm the good work of students. Through this and other measures we have raised the standard of ITE graduates. Many of whom contribute meaningfully to our country and economy.
I welcome the enhancements to the Government bursaries for ITE students as announced in the Budget Statement and would like to ask if MOE can share more details on the enhanced support, including the expected number of students who will benefit from this enhancement and how they can apply for it.
Secondly, it was announced during the Budget Statement that there will be more overseas internship programmes and youth development initiatives with a new target for 70% of local graduates from Institutes of Higher Learnings to have overseas exposure. Such programmes will be extremely beneficial for students in today's globalised interconnected world.
The question I would like to raise is whether these programmes and initiatives will also cover ITE students. We need to ensure that ITE students also have access and can benefit from these opportunities. It will serve as a form of encouragement, an eye-opener to develop further interest in their course.
Miss Cheng Li Hui: Sir, during 2018 President’s debate in this house, I spoke about CCAs being the place for students to pick up non-academic knowledge and skills. I have met several students who were very disappointed that they could not join the CCA of their choice because they lack relevant experience.
I am heartened to read in the news in Jan 2020, that MOE has started a pilot with several Primary schools to remove selection trials. This is excellent. Let our children pursue sports or other interests they may have. CCAs should be for student to build friendships based on interest and passion.
We should also have inter-school CCAs to encourage social mixing and bring down barriers of class. Inter-school CCAs can also bring together students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and hone their interpersonal skills. Teachers will also have a good platform to introduce the concept of social inclusivity.
I hope the Minister will look into my suggestion to introduce inter-school CCAs so that our students can enjoy a more enriching CCA experience.
The Chairman: Mr Terence Ho, can you take both cuts together.
Mr Terence Ho Wee San (Nominated Member): Chairman, as part of holistic education, our students are exposed to arts programme, music and aesthetics lessons. While there is a good range of arts programmes in schools today, they are largely ad hoc and may not be part of a longer term vision for how the arts can play a more integral role.
From the existing music syllabus, there is currently no mention and teaching of Singaporean compositions, local composers, musicians and artistes in the music curriculum. For example, there are 126 Cultural Medallion recipients, but how many of our younger generation are aware of their achievements and are inspired by their works?
Furthermore, can MOE consider to include and introduce our ethnic traditional instruments during music lessons? If we do it strategically and interestingly, this could lead to the interest to participate in the school band and orchestra. And, provide a pipeline to build a vibrant performing arts ecosystem in the school. Music and arts curriculum should not only be held within the classrooms. Teachers and students should step-out to indulge in the atmospheres of the arts at the different locations.
Therefore, I propose for MOE to consider. One, allow our students to pay visit to national arts companies, watch theatre shows, musical performances and even concerts. Arts groups and companies can host these students on one-hour learning journeys. Two, involve artist and musicians in curriculum planning; allow them to have dialogue sessions and conversations with the community and arts sector, to build a robust curriculum.
Arts exposure at any early age continues to be important, supports the holistic development of the child, seeds the development of future audiences while increasing the social commons. At the same time, an education in and through the arts helps students appreciate other cultures and develop Singapore pride. In Mandarin, Chairman.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Arts can stimulate curiosity and encourage creativity amongst students. Besides the teaching of knowledge, schools are also involved in the character education and holistic development of students. Therefore, making arts classes part of the curriculum for every student is a component of holistic education. When youths display talent and aptitude for the arts, we can provide more professional training platforms for them, with the hope that they will become world-class artists in the future.
In order to develop local artistic talents, we should promote local arts through education. I hope MOE will consider including more local arts resources in the planning of music and art curriculum in schools. I also hope MOE will consider inviting past recipients of the Cultural Medallion and Young Artist Award to share their creative journeys and experience. These inspirational teaching materials and personality profiles could become the cradle from which the next generation of artists can be nurtured.
In addition, there are many artistic historical buildings in Singapore. As the teaching of music and the arts should not be confined to the classroom, schools can consider organising field trips for students to visit these historical buildings, to stimulate their interest and enhance their cultural knowledge. Arts groups can also conduct dialogues and workshops for students to interact close-up with artists.
I would also like to suggest that MOE engage local artists and Cultural Medallion recipients during the process of curriculum planning, in order to design an arts curriculum with a stronger local flavour. This will help promote local arts and culture. We must make arts and culture accessible, and ensure that the essence of Singapore’s arts and culture is passed down from generation to generation, creating a sustainable ecosystem for the arts.
(In English): My second cut on Arts University. The Arts University will serve the purpose to fill up jobs in the market contributing to the employability of these graduates. By transforming and upgrading our art academies, this will draw local and overseas talents into enrolling into these institutions. Graduates from the Arts University can contribute not only to the arts and creative industry, but they are able to bring Singapore into a more competitive design and creative market in the global economy.
From a survey, \"Passion\" was the most critical factor that drew workers to the arts sector; it is also the main reason why these workers remained in the sector. Arts workers also saw themselves as contributing positively to the arts and the wider society through their work.
For example, the Government can consider developing a research centre with the future University, to grow our creative industry in performing arts and visual art. We have to nurture our local talents. These efforts will help create vibrancy in the arts scene, heighten motivation among the expected.
In conclusion, Singapore should be mature enough now as a country to give its own degrees in the Arts. Why should we depend on Universities in other countries to say how good our teaching is? Two, If we can have Singapore degrees in other subjects, why not the Arts? Three, the quality of the teaching and curriculum at NAFA, Lasalle and Intercultural Theatre Institute are recognised by overseas Universities. MOE should allow a system to let Singapore academics and industry practitioners recognise the quality and approve the award of degrees.
As an aspiring Arts Nation, I believe that we should have our own Arts University.
The Chairman: Leader of the House.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Committee of Supply Reporting Progress","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"BI","content":"The Leader of the House (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow?
The Chairman: I give my consent.
Resolved, \"That progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow.\" – [Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien]
[(proc text) Thereupon Mr Deputy Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House. (proc text)]
The Leader of the House (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2020/2021, and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.
Mr Deputy Speaker: So be it.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Adjournment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Resolved, \"That Parliament do now adjourn till 10.00 am tomorrow.\" – [Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien]. (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 7.41 pm.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Consideration for Ministries to Produce Climate Compliance Certificate Prior to Budget Approval","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Prime Minister whether the Ministry will consider requiring all Ministries to produce a climate compliance certificate explaining how their budgets and operations will comply with Singapore's climate commitments prior to budget approval.
Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Meeting Singapore's climate commitments requires a whole-of-nation effort. Under the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change (IMCCC), various government agencies are involved in implementing a series of sectoral mitigation measures to enable Singapore to meet our climate commitments. For example, the Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) initiatives under the Green Building Masterplan will accelerate the proliferation of green buildings. This will help Singapore become an even more sustainable and highly liveable city.
The public sector itself is taking concrete steps to lead in the adoption of sustainable practices and initiatives. This is coordinated through the Public Sector Taking the Lead in Environmental Sustainability (PSTLES) initiative, which was introduced in 2006 and updated in 2017. PSTLES serves as a platform to leverage the collective capabilities across the Whole-of-Government (WOG) to improve resource efficiency in the public sector and effect our commitment towards environmental sustainability.
Under PSTLES, the SolarNova Programme aggregates demand for solar deployment across public sector buildings and spaces, catalysing solar adoption in Singapore. For example, HDB's target to deploy 540 Megawatt peak (MWp) of solar on the rooftops of HDB blocks will make up a significant proportion of our national target to deploy at least 2 Gigawatt peak (GWp) of solar deployment by 2030.
Under the PSTLES initiative, the Government has set targets to reduce our electricity and water consumption, achieve Green Mark standards for our buildings, procure green electronics and paper products, and hold events and functions in venues with at least a Green Mark certified rating.
We intend to raise our ambition for the next phase of the PSTLES initiative. More details will be announced later this year.
Key efforts in environmental sustainability undertaken by government agencies are reported in the biennial publication – Singapore Public Sector Outcomes Review (SPOR). The publication takes stock of how Singapore has fared in addressing climate change, water and energy usage, and waste management, amongst other government programmes. In the light of these efforts, there is no need to require the Ministries to produce a climate compliance certificate.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Number of Emergency Calls Related to Sucides and Mental Health Conditions Received by SCDF and Police in Last Three Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) in the last three years, how many (i) emergency calls and (ii) 999 calls were received by the SCDF and Police respectively that are related to suicides and mental health conditions; (b) how many of these calls were false alarms; (c) what is the average and total number of hours spent by these frontline officers supporting people with mental health difficulties; (d) how are frontline officers trained to conduct psychological or other appropriate interventions; (e) how many persons attempting suicide were (i) able to receive timely support from emergency services and (ii) not able to receive such support and died by suicide before emergency services could reach them; and (f) why it is not feasible to adopt a specialised mental health ambulance or emergency response team.
Mr K Shanmugam: From 2017 to 2019, Police received an average of 1,204 reports of attempted suicide each year.
We do not have statistics on the number of false alarms, the number of persons who were found dead from suicide by the time emergency services arrived, nor the total number of hours spent by our officers to engage persons with mental health issues.
When the Police receive a report of attempted suicide, the nearest available resource will be dispatched to respond quickly to the case. If medical intervention is needed, the SCDF will also send the nearest available ambulance to the scene. If you want specialised \"mental health ambulances\" then you will have to have these in sufficient numbers to respond immediately to cases at any part of the island. That would not be a sensible approach. The right approach is to quickly get to such persons, with the use of normal ambulances, and make sure they get care. They can receive specialised mental healthcare thereafter.
All Police officers receive training on how to manage cases involving individuals who are mentally distressed or traumatised. They also undergo regular refreshers through after-action reviews of such incidents.
Where necessary, the frontline officers will activate additional resources to assist with the case such as SCDF's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Teams (DART) and the Police’s Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU). DART is specially trained for complex rescue operations, including cases of attempted suicide at height and in confined spaces. CNU has Police officers and psychologists who are trained in suicide intervention. This includes how to negotiate with the person attempting suicide to dissuade them from doing so.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Students Admitted to Institute of Mental Health or Other Public Hospitals in Last Three Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Health in each of last three years, how many students were admitted to the Institute of Mental Health or other public hospitals for (i) mental health conditions and (ii) attempted suicides.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Over the past three years, the number of children aged 7 to 18 years old1 admitted into public hospitals2 for mental health conditions3 was approximately 569 in 2016, 640 in 2017 and 607 in 2018.4 Hospitals currently do not track whether an admission is due to attempted suicide. Based on records from the Ministry of Home Affairs, from 2017 to 2019, an average of 1,204 cases of attempted suicide was reported each year.5
A whole of society approach would be key in supporting youths with mental healthcare needs as the Ministry of Health continues to work with health and social agencies to ensure that we provide timely and holistic care.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":["1 : Used as proxy for students.","2 : Including Institute of Mental Health (IMH).","3 : Based on all mental health ICD 10 code, except substance abuse and mental retardation.","4 : Source: Ministry of Health.","5 : Source: Ministry of Home Affairs."],"footNoteQuestions":["3"],"questionNo":"3"},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Criteria Used in Assessing Electricity Retailer's Application to Pass on Additional Costs to Consumers","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what set of criteria does EMA use when assessing an electricity retailer's application to pass on additional costs, arising from the carbon tax, to consumers.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Retailers offer two main types of plans to households. For standard price plans (SPPs), retailers are not allowed to change the electricity rates midway through their contracts. For non-SPPs, retailers can include contract clauses that allow them to change the electricity rates at specific points in time through the contract, for various cost changes and other reasons. The clauses must clearly specify the exact dates, reasons and formula/ quantum of the rate changes upfront at the point of contract signing. When rates are changed, the onus is on the retailers to ensure that they are reasonable and in compliance with the clauses.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) will not hesitate to investigate and take actions against any retailer which has imposed unreasonable prices on consumers or engaged in unfair contracting practices.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Incorporate Water Points and Sunshades into Proposed Redesign for Future NS Square","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development in relation to the proposed designs submitted for the future NS Square (a) whether water points and sunshades for large audiences have been incorporated into the proposed redesign; and (b) if not, whether the Ministry will ensure that these facilities are incorporated into the final redesign.
Mr Lawrence Wong: Features such as water points are standard stadium-related amenities, and will be incorporated in the final design. The brief for NS Square also calls for designers to ensure that the proposed design provides an enjoyable and comfortable spectator experience during events, and this could include sunshades or other innovative designs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Breakdown and Statistics on Plastic Waste Generated by Households Compared to Commercial and Industrial Sectors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources given that the official recycling rate for plastic in 2019 was 4% (a) what is the breakdown between plastic waste generated by households, as compared to plastic waste generated by commercial and industrial sectors; and (b) what percentage of plastic, by volume, remains after incineration and is left on Semakau Island.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The recycling rate for plastic in 2018 was about 4%. The National Environment Agency is reviewing Singapore's waste management and recycling statistics for 2019, and will publish them when ready.
In 2018, Singapore generated 949,300 tonnes of plastic waste in Singapore. 41% was generated by domestic and trade sectors including households, and the remaining 59% by the industrial and commercial sectors.
Plastic waste in Singapore is either recycled or incinerated in Waste-to-Energy plants, and not directly landfilled. Incineration reduces the volume of general waste, which includes plastics, by about 90%. The incineration ash is then disposed of at Semakau Landfill.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Air Quality Tests Done at End of Incineration Plant Flues","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources given that Singapore incinerates over 90% of its plastic waste (a) how is air quality coming out of the flue monitored; (b) whether there is a testing for a broad range of toxins and, if so, which toxins are tested for; and (c) whether the results of the air quality tests done at the end of the incineration plant flues be published in order to give comfort and shed light on the safety and health impact of this process.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The National Environment Agency (NEA) requires all operators of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants to engage an accredited laboratory to conduct emissions tests and submit results of those tests to NEA at least once a year. This is to ensure that the emissions from WTE plants comply with emission standards specified under the Environmental Protection and Management (Air Impurities) Regulations. These standards cover key pollutants associated with the incineration of plastics waste, such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, as well as dioxins and furans. Under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA), operators who fail to meet the specified standards can be fined up to $20,000 on the first conviction and up to $50,000 on the second or subsequent conviction. To complement emissions testing, NEA inspects WTE plants twice a year to verify that pollution control equipment are properly maintained and operating effectively.
Singapore's emission standards are published as part of the Environmental Protection and Management (Air Impurities) Regulations under the EPMA. They are comparable with those in other jurisdictions. Our regulations do not require operators of individual facilities, including WTE plants, to publish their emissions test results. Nonetheless, operators of WTE plants may do so voluntarily. For the NEA-operated plants, data on the most common pollutants of concern, namely particulate matter, sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen, are published annually on NEA's website.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Salaries of Work Permit Holders since 1990, 2000 and 2019","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Ms Anthea Ong asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether salaries have risen or fallen for work permit holders since (i) 1990 (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2019, and by how much; and (b) how much have industries that rely mostly on work permit holders seen a rise or decline in their profits since (i) 1990 (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2019.
Mrs Josephine Teo: From 2005 to 2019, the median monthly salary of work permit holders (excluding foreign domestic workers) increased by 2.2% per annum in nominal terms. Data from 2004 and before are not directly comparable as they also include the equivalent of S Pass holders who are generally higher skilled than work permit holders.
Wages tend to reflect demand and supply of specific labour markets and may not correlate with profitability of the industries. In any case, as reported by the Economic Development Board (EDB), net operating surplus for the Marine Shipyard sector declined by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% per annum (in nominal terms) between 2005 and 2018. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) reported that net operating surplus for the Construction sector grew by a CAGR of 9.3% per annum (in nominal terms) between 2005 and 2017. Work permit holders are a significant share of the workforce in both sectors.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Number of Applications Received from Work Permit Holders to Marry Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents Past Five Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) for each year of the past five years, how many applications have been received from current or former work permit holders to marry Singapore citizens or permanent residents; (b) of these, how many applications have been rejected; (c) what are the top three reasons for rejecting such an application; and (d) what are the considerations in determining whether an application is to be approved.
Mrs Josephine Teo: From 2015 to 2019, the Ministry received about 1,200 marriage applications per year from current or former work permit holders to marry Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents. We assess all marriage applications holistically taking into account the applicants' ability to look after themselves and their families. In recent years, about 8 in 10 applications were approved. The most common reasons for rejection were lack of gainful employment or income instability.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Consideration for Government-Paid Paternity Leave to be Taken in Shorter Duration","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will consider allowing Government-Paid Paternity Leave (GPPL) to be taken in shorter durations such as half-days or hours.
Mr Desmond Lee: Fathers play an important role in their children’s care and development, and paternity leave supports fathers in caring for their newborns. As fathers may have different work arrangements, the two weeks of paternity leave can already be taken flexibly, in durations shorter than one day, if there is mutual agreement between employers and employees.
Beyond leave provisions, the Government encourages and provides support for employers to implement the Tripartite Standards on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) and Unpaid Leave for Unexpected Care Needs, to develop a more family-friendly work culture. Parents may tap on such arrangements to care for their children as well.
We will continue to work with tripartite partners to encourage companies to better support parents in managing their work and family responsibilities.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":3727,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Chee Hong Tat","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Chee Hong Tat MTI 3March 2020-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Chee Hong Tat MTI 3March 2020-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":3728,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Dr Tan Wu Meng","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Tan Wu Meng MTI 3March2020-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Tan Wu Meng MTI 3March2020-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":3729,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Sim Ann","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Sim Ann MCI 3March2020-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Sim Ann MCI 3March2020-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":3730,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Patrick Tay MOM 3March2020-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Patrick Tay MOM 3March2020-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":3731,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mrs Josephine Teo","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Josephine Teo MOM 3March2020-Chinese(edits tracked).pdf","fileName":"Josephine Teo MOM 3March2020-Chinese(edits tracked).pdf"},{"vernacularID":3732,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Zaqy Mohamad","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-3 Mar 2020 - MOS Zaqy Mohd - Reply to MOM cuts (Approved by MOM).pdf","fileName":"3 Mar 2020 - MOS Zaqy Mohd - Reply to MOM cuts (Approved by MOM).pdf"},{"vernacularID":3733,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Low Yen Ling","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Low Yen Ling MOM 3March2020-Chinese (for DCC's concurrence).pdf","fileName":"Low Yen Ling MOM 3March2020-Chinese (for DCC's concurrence).pdf"},{"vernacularID":3734,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Tin Pei Ling","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Tin Pei Ling MOE 3Mar2020 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Tin Pei Ling MOE 3Mar2020 -Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":3735,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Lim Biow Chuan","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Lim Biow Chuan MOE 3March2020-Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Lim Biow Chuan MOE 3March2020-Chinese.pdf"},{"vernacularID":3736,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Terence Ho Wee San","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20200303/vernacular-Terence Ho MOE 3March2020 -Chinese.pdf","fileName":"Terence Ho MOE 3March2020 -Chinese.pdf"}],"onlinePDFFileName":""}