1 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry has any substantiated information that Singaporeans have served in the Israeli Defense Forces in 2025; (b) if yes, whether such service is in breach of our laws and whether any action will be taken; and (c) how does the Government monitor and advise citizens against being involved in foreign military conflicts.
2 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the claims that two Singaporeans served in the Israel Defense Force will be investigated; (b) if identified, whether these individuals will be prosecuted under section 125 of the Penal Code 1871 or any other relevant legislation; and (c) whether their citizenship will be deprived should they hold dual citizenship.
3 Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs in light of reports that two Singaporeans with multiple or dual nationalities served in the Israel Defense Forces (a) how is the Ministry verifying whether any Singaporeans have served or are serving in any foreign military without authorisation; (b) if verified, what action will be taken; and (c) how will policies be reviewed to mitigate risks of unauthorised foreign military involvement by Singaporeans.
The Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr K Shanmugam): Mr Speaker, Sir, may I have your permission to take Question Nos 1 to 3 on today's Order Paper, together?
\tMr Speaker: Please proceed.
Mr K Shanmugam: Thank you, Sir. Sir, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is aware of a foreign news report stating that two Singaporeans were among those who fought for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the conflict in Gaza. The Ministry has no substantiated information confirming that any Singaporean has served, or is serving, in the IDF.
Our position has always been quite clear and publicly stated: Singaporeans should not participate in any foreign armed conflict not involving Singapore. Our loyalties as Singaporeans should only be to Singapore and we should only ever engage in military action in defence of Singapore.
If Singaporeans are found to be fighting or even planning to fight in foreign armed conflicts, these persons will be dealt with sternly in accordance with our laws. We have stated that and have detained people in the past for that reason. And they can be dealt with under the Internal Security Act if they are found to be a threat to our national security. Those found holding multiple citizenships may also be deprived of their Singapore citizenship.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Hazlina.
\tMs Hazlina Abdul Halim (East Coast): I thank the Coordinating Minister. Two supplementary questions from me. One is, in the event that these conflicts occur, the Minister mentioned that they do, how are the nationality obligations dealt with with the other state and what other upstream measures would the Ministry be considering to tighten the issuance of guidelines for clarity as to Singapore's stand?
\tMr K Shanmugam: Can I ask the Member to repeat her first part of the question?
\tMs Hazlina Abdul Halim: I was hoping to better understand in the event that it is found that a Singaporean is involved in this case, how would Singapore be speaking with the other country in which there is involvement and what is the approach to that?
\tMr K Shanmugam: Anyone with a Singapore citizenship who is found to be engaging in a foreign armed conflict, as I have said earlier and I have said previously publicly, and my Ministry has also stated, will be dealt with in accordance with our laws. That could include being charged and that could certainly include being detained under the Internal Security Act if they are considered to be a threat to national security. And many have been detained on those grounds in the past and we have publicised them.
If we come across credible evidence of such persons, we will normally engage with foreign counterparties to try and get such persons to Singapore, but people can appreciate, that has its own challenges. If they are within Singapore, there is no issue; we will deal with them, as we have dealt with in the past.
On the second part of the question, on how can we make it clearer, I think we have made it very clear. The simple answer is, \"Don't do it\", and there is zero tolerance for it.
Mr Speaker: Mr Fadli Fawzi.
\tMr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied): I thank the Minister for the answer. I have two supplementary questions. First, is section 125 of the Penal Code relevant and applicable against Singapore Citizens who serve in the IDF and other foreign militaries? If not, what amendments are necessary to render section 125 relevant to penalise the act of serving in a foreign military?
\tMr K Shanmugam: The Member said that he had two supplementary questions. I assume that question comprises both questions, is it?
Well, whether section 125 applies really depends on the facts and that would require investigation. In the past, we have often used the Internal Security Act as well. In our view, given the positions we have stated, the current legal framework, including the Internal Security Act, is adequate.
Mr Speaker: Mr Dennis Tan.
\tMr Dennis Tan Lip Fong (Hougang): I thank the Minister for his reply. I just have one supplementary question. Would the Government be seeking clarification with the Israeli counterparts to verify the allegations as reported in the press?
\tMr K Shanmugam: The Government has asked the Israeli government. We have not received a response. And one must understand that there are obviously difficulties that other governments may face in complying with this request. We have made these sorts of requests and other sorts of requests to various governments. Sometimes, we get answers; sometimes, we do not get answers. Because while it is an offence under Singapore law and we consider it to be contrary to our national interests, it may not be an offence in Israel, nor may it be an offence in other countries. And persons who may be doing these things in other countries, whether in Ukraine or Russia, in the Middle East or elsewhere, or for Israel, may not be under any legal obligation to declare either their dual citizenship or any other fact relating to themselves.
And in such situations, those governments will not be able to even force them to give answers. They may well know that there are citizens or they may not even know because even their dual citizenship need not be reported. So, the Israeli government, or for that matter, the Ukrainian government or the Russian or other governments, may not even know that these people hold the dual citizenship. And any requests would then have to be made to all their soldiers, \"Let us know all your dual citizenships.\" And such a request is probably not enforceable.
I am just sketching out to the Member the difficulties that foreign governments will have in complying with any such request.
It is fairly credibly reported that a lot of American citizens fight for Israel and that is not contrary to either American law or Israeli law. So, I assume that under Israeli law, people with dual citizenship can fight for Israel. Which means that if the Israeli government seeks to find out such information, the soldiers may not be obliged to give that information. I do not know; I am speculating. And if so, then there will be difficulties in getting the information – not just by the Israeli government, but other governments too. But we have reached out, we have not gotten a response.
If we get any credible information, we will take action. It does not matter to us whether you are fighting for Israel or Ukraine or Russia or some other Middle Eastern country or a terrorist organisation. It is not acceptable and we will take action if we find you.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Data on Singaporeans Above 65 Who Have Registered LPA","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"4 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the number and percentage of Singaporeans above 65 years old who have registered a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) and how does this compare with overall adult uptake; and (b) whether the Ministry has completed its consideration of the suggestion to further extend the waiver of the LPA Form 1 filing fee for Singaporeans beyond 31 March 2026.
\tThe Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Mr Goh Pei Ming) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is pleased to announce that we will make Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) Form 1 applications free of charge for all Singapore Citizens, even after the current fee waiver ends. This is to encourage more Singaporeans to plan early for their future.
As of 20 February 2026, 404,000 or about one in seven Singapore Citizens have made an LPA. Amongst those aged above 65 years old, 197,000 or about one in four have done so. In the last few years, with the launch of the Office of the Public Guardian Online portal and more visible legacy planning campaigns island-wide, we have seen a healthy uptake of LPA applications. But many still have not made an LPA.
Therefore, we want to continue to urge Singaporeans to make their LPA. Best to do so while we are still fit and healthy, and even more so as we know our population is ageing. Having an LPA in place will allow Singaporeans and our loved ones to have peace of mind, knowing there is someone we trust who will have the legal authority to make decisions on our behalf, when we no longer can.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Yip.
\tMr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for the very good news that it is going to be free. Besides reducing the cost barrier, some members of public, especially seniors who still find it difficult to understand what an LPA is and why it is important to make an LPA, can MSF do more in terms of stepping up public education and awareness of LPA, as well as perhaps making the process easier by having it in different languages and having more support to help seniors?
\tMr Goh Pei Ming: Mr Speaker, we agree with the Member that public education is important. We have been doing that consistently and we will continue to step up on it. We have been working very closely with various agencies, including the Agency for Integrated Care, the Central Provident Fund Board, the Ministry of Health. In terms of running inter-agency campaigns, we are also working very closely with People's Association and various grassroots organisations on the ground, tapping on their various target audiences and their own lists, their own contacts, to make sure that we are able to get messages to as many Singaporeans as possible. We will continue to double down on those efforts.
As the Member mentioned, we are also working on making sure that in terms of the languages, we are able to reach out to all our target audiences. We are also working on simplifying the messaging of our campaigns. Sometimes, in the LPA process, there can be some legal terms, medical terms, so we are trying to simplify those so that we are able to help make sure Singaporeans understand the importance and the urgency of making the LPA.
Of course, I will make this call in this House as well: wishing all our Members of Parliament to support this effort and help carry the messages down to their own constituencies.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof James Lim.
\tAssoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Thank you, Speaker. My question has to do with the LPA process as structured by the Office of the Public Guardian. One of the difficulties that we had faced in this last minute rush to the prior deadline, was that when we organised LPA sessions for residents, we face difficulties with the site being very dragging. I understand that this may be a question that perhaps is better directed toward GovTech, but we are wondering, on the side of the Office of the Public Guardian, whether there has been any indication that the site has encountered difficulties? And if so, whether there are plans to upgrade the capacity of the site going forward?
\tMr Goh Pei Ming: Mr Speaker, maybe I would like to ask the Member to clarify, because we definitely want to improve the website to make sure that it is a lot more user friendly and intuitive. If the website is draggy, there can be a few reasons why it may be so. It may be a function of trying to recall from a database, pulling from other Government agencies' databases to complete the form filling. It may also be because of other reasons, including the applicants' computer system. So, useful to know where exactly is the observation and we can follow up on that.
Mr Speaker: If I may suggest, the details can be given to the Minister of State subsequently. Minister of State, my wife and I have done our LPAs.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Updated Assessment on Impact on Singapore's Economy and Businesses from New 15% Tariffs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"5 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what specific clarifications Singapore is seeking from the US on the scope, product coverage and customs implementation of the temporary tariff imposed under section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974; (b) how Singapore's exports under the US–Singapore Free Trade Agreement will be treated; and (c) when will the Ministry issue sector-specific guidance to businesses, including re-exporters on compliance and mitigation steps.
6 Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what quantitative indicators or thresholds such as, export orders, Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for new exports, retrenchments in trade-exposed sectors, will trigger additional support measures in response to heightened tariff uncertainty; and (b) whether any measures being studied will be sector-targeted, such as the electronics, precision engineering, logistics sectors rather than broad-based.
7 Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update in its assessment of the impact on Singapore arising from the new 15% tariff imposed on all goods entering the US from 24 February 2026; and (b) whether the Ministry can negotiate for exemptions based on the increasing US goods trade surplus with Singapore.
\tThe Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Ms Gan Siow Huang) (for the Minister of Trade and Industry): Mr Speaker, I have also done my LPA.
May I have your permission to answer oral Questions Nos 5 to 7 by Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Dr Choo Pei Ling, as well as the written question filed by Assoc Prof Terence Ho for the 10 March 2026 Sitting, as they all relate to the United States (US) tariffs.
Mr Speaker: Please proceed.
\tMs Gan Siow Huang: Mr Speaker, on 20 February 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the US' \"reciprocal\" tariffs that were imposed on the US' trading partners under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. On the same day, the US announced a tariff of 10% under section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 on all US imports for 150 days. The US Customs and Border Protection started collecting this 10% tariff from 12.01 am on 24 February 2026, US time.
While US President Donald Trump announced via a Truth Social post on 21 February 2026 that the tariff rate would be raised to 15%, the US has yet to issue an official directive on this increase.
The immediate direct impact of these tariff developments on Singapore's economy is not expected to be significant, given that the current section 122 tariff of 10% is broadly unchanged from the previous 10% \"reciprocal\" tariff that had been imposed on Singapore's exports to the US since April 2025.
Those sectors with a greater dependence on the US for final demand and whose exports are covered by the section 122 tariff, such as the precision engineering cluster and some segments under the general manufacturing cluster, could see a greater impact from any tariff increase.
There remains considerable uncertainty. It is unclear if the current 10% section 122 tariff will be raised to 15%. It is also unclear what the overall tariff landscape will be after the current 150-day timeline. At the same time, we may see sectoral tariffs under section 232, as well as tariffs imposed under different legal authorities in due course.
We will continue to monitor such developments closely and engage our US counterparts to ensure that our economic interests are safeguarded.
We will also continue to work with our tripartite and industry partners through the Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (SERT) to gather feedback on how businesses and workers are affected. For instance, SERT convened last week to discuss the tariff developments and preliminary sentiments of businesses and workers.
The Government is committed to helping our businesses and workers navigate the changes arising from these tariff developments. In October 2025, SERT launched the Business Adaptation Grant (BizAdapt) to help businesses affected by the tariffs to evaluate the impact, optimise their supply chains and reconfigure their operations. The GRaduate Industry Traineeship (GRIT) was also launched as a temporary scheme to help fresh graduates gain industry-relevant experience and skills amid economic uncertainty, so that they are better equipped to transition into full-time employment subsequently. At Budget 2026, the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance announced that support levels under BizAdapt would be raised from up to 50%, to up to 70%. We stand ready to provide further support, as needed.
Mr Speaker: Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
\tMr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of State for her answers. I have one supplementary question. Usually, after section 122, it usually proceeds with section 301 and 232 investigations, and the concern is whether bigger tariffs may come in later.
So, the question I have is: given that sort of situation that section 122 is temporary and may be followed by further investigations or additional trade measures, as President Trump has indicated, to 15%, could the Minister of State elaborate on how the Government is preparing Singapore businesses for the possibility of more persistent tariffs or sector-specific measures? Which I have raised many times, my concerns about sector-specific tariffs or measures.
And whether Singapore has a clear contingency playbook. I know the Minister of State has mentioned about the SERT and BizAdapt, which is very good, and I hope we can do even more to help our businesses. But the question is on a broad level, a macro level, whether Singapore has a clear contingency playbook should global trade conditions deteriorate further, and on top of that, the additional concern that we are facing out of Middle East, and with the Strait of Hormuz and other possibilities that may arise?
\tMs Gan Siow Huang: Mr Speaker, we are watching the situation closely. And through SERT, we are keeping close touch with businesses and the workers and industry partners of various sectors to understand the impact and the implications of the tariffs and the great uncertainties.
Indeed, like Mr Saktiandi said, there could be further changes to the tariff landscape.
Just let me highlight that thus far, the tariffs' impact on Singapore's economy, we have assessed it to be rather limited. I think we are very thankful that there have been measures put in place and there is some resilience in various sectors. The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) is also doing its part, in partnership with the Government, to advise companies. For example, SBF has published a playbook to guide companies on key actions to take, such as how to sense-make the impact through risk-mapping, to take action, such as re-configuring their supply chains, and also planning ahead by digitalising and innovating to build long-term resilience.
We stand ready to roll out further measures to support sectors that are affected, when necessary.
Mr Speaker: Dr Choo Pei Ling.
\tDr Choo Pei Ling (Chua Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you to the Minister of State for the reply. Beyond seeking exemptions and supporting affected businesses, how is Singapore strengthening the resilience of our trade model, in light of these new US tariff measures? Additionally, how can Singapore continue to position ourselves as a trusted and reliable economic partner, amid rising trade tensions?
\tMs Gan Siow Huang: Mr Speaker, Dr Choo Pei Ling's questions require very long answers, but I know that we are short of time. I actually suggest that she refer to my speech in the Ministry of Trade and Industry's (MTI's) Committee of Supply (COS).
But just to highlight a few key points, Singapore will continue to safeguard and expand our economic space by deepening, diversifying and also defending our economic interest, and also our trade linkages with all our trading partners.
We have a robust network of partnerships with like-minded countries that share our commitment to free, fair and open trade, and we will continue to deepen our collaborations with them. In addition to strengthening trade links with key trading partners, we are also pursuing closer trade relations with emerging markets, such as Latin America, South Asia, Middle East and Africa, and also furthering our cooperation in growth areas through digital and green economy agreements, such as the EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement.
We encourage businesses to continue tapping on our 29 Free Trade Agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. And as I mentioned at the MTI COS, we are strengthening our regional bloc-to-bloc engagements. These are all done very deliberately with a long-term interest of diversifying and deepening Singapore's network of trade relations.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Lessons on Crowd Management, Shuttle Service Patterns and Communications from Recent Circle Line Closures","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"8 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what lessons in relation to crowd management, shuttle service patterns and communications about disruptions have been learnt from the recent closures of the Circle Line; and (b) how will these lessons be applied where train service closures are needed during the multi-year renewal programme for the North East Line.
\tThe Acting Minister for Transport (Mr Jeffrey Siow): Mr Speaker, for the ongoing service adjustments along the Circle Line for tunnel strengthening works, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has kept commuters informed well in advance through publicity and community engagement efforts. At the affected stations, crowd marshals were also deployed to guide commuters and manage the crowds.
We also started the replacement shuttle bus services two weeks early to allow commuters to familiarise themselves with alternative routes before the service adjustments, which improved the situation significantly in the initial period.
With these measures in place, we have kept wait times and loading for trains manageable. Most commuters continue to be able to board the first train, other than at certain busy stretches where higher crowding is observed even without the planned closures.
We have not decided yet if scheduled closures are going to be needed for the North East Line improvement works, but we will incorporate these lessons and feedback from commuters in refining our provision of alternative travel options for future service adjustments.
Mr Speaker: Mr Fadli Fawzi.
\tMr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied): I thank the Minister for the answer. Will the Ministry consider having shuttle buses that go beyond the impacted section of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line? For example, if Kovan to Hougang was closed, can we have shuttle buses that go from Kovan to Punggol Coast, to make it more convenient for commuters, or maybe increasing the frequency of trains on the other non-impacted sections of the line, so that we can reduce the waiting time and convenience cost to the commuters?
\tMr Jeffrey Siow: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his suggestions. I think when the time comes for us to look at what are the supporting services that we will put in place for the North East Line's works, we will certainly consider those suggestions that he has given us.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress of Circle Line MRT Tunnel Reinforcement Works","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"9 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Acting Minister for Transport (a) what is the current percentage of steel rings installed for the Circle Line tunnel reinforcement works; (b) whether any technical issues have been encountered to date; and (c) whether the Ministry can bring forward the April 2026 completion date to reduce the daily 10 to 20 minute travel delay per trip for affected commuters.
\tThe Acting Minister for Transport (Mr Jeffrey Siow): Mr Speaker, the tunnel strengthening works for the Circle Line are progressing as planned. As at end-February 2026, about 50% of the required steel rings have been installed.
Works are being carried out at a pace that will ensure the safety of our workers and commuters, and we remain on schedule to complete them by 19 April 2026, which is what we have committed. We will continue to monitor and adjust our train and shuttle bus services to minimise inconvenience to commuters.
\tMr Speaker: Mr Giam.
\tMr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): I thank the Acting Minister for the reply. Just two supplementary questions. First, is there any chance that it can be brought forward, so that commuters do not have to be inconvenienced for so long?
Secondly, a 10- to 20-minute delay in a trip translates to about two and a half hours of extra travel time per week for commuters along the Circle Line who go to and from work, and in view of this time loss and the extra distance travelled in fares for alternative routes, has the Ministry considered requiring operators to provide fare rebates or discounts for commuters affected by these service adjustments, as a form of accountability for the inconvenience caused and reimbursement for the extra cost incurred for this, and also for future Mass Rapid Transit rail renewal works?
\tMr Jeffrey Siow: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. We are trying our best to keep to the project timelines. At the moment, our assessment is that it remains on track, that it is not possible for us to bring the project timelines forward. This is really because the works are complex and we want to ensure that the safety of the workers and the people involved are prioritised. So, we are not rushing the project. We are on time to do so.
On his second question, I think what we have done is to provide alternatives for our commuters as far as we can. There are adjustments that commuters will have to make in terms of their travel routes, but there are alternatives on both the train and the buses, and these are sufficient for us to accommodate the alternative travel plans that commuters need to make, whenever we have to do these works.
Going forward, we will have to do these works across the board, for the network, in a more intensive and widespread fashion, because our train network is ageing. And so, we seek the commuters' support and understanding that this is quite normal. I think no other train system in the world offers travel rebates when doing such maintenance works; and I think it is commonly accepted that this is part of the way we try to do our best to sustain the efficiency, the reliability, as well as the financial sustainability of the public transport system.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Proportion of Fires Arising from Electrical Sources and Cooking in Homes and Commercial Premises","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"OA","content":"10 Ms Cassandra Lee asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past three years, what proportion of fires arose from electrical sources and cooking in homes and commercial premises; (b) how many involved Fire Safety Code breaches or non-compliant batteries; and (c) what plans the Ministry has to strengthen fire safety frameworks and measures and ensure effective enforcement, to reduce fire incidents.
\tThe Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Goh Pei Ming) (for the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister of Home Affairs): From 2023 to 2025, the proportion of fires attributable to unattended cooking or electrical origin in residential premises was 68%, 65% and 59% respectively. The corresponding figures in commercial premises were 66%, 72% and 67% respectively.
Over the same period, five fires in residential premises and 11 fires in commercial premises involved breaches of the Fire Code. For fires involving batteries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) does not track whether the batteries were compliant with the prevailing regulatory requirements.
The Member may wish to refer to the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA's) response to the Adjournment Motion on \"Fire Safety in Our Homes\" on 12 January 2026, regarding our approach towards fire safety in homes and tackling fire safety risks in general.
\tMr Speaker: Ms Lee, I will allow a short clarification.
\tMs Cassandra Lee (West Coast-Jurong West): Thank you, Speaker. I just ask because I encountered fire safety issues in my constituency. Batteries will become more prevalent. The Ministry has said in the Budget that you will step up on public education, as well as strengthening the regulations on online sale advertisement of active mobility devices (AMDs). I ask the Ministry what is the Ministry's strategies, viz a viz fires involving compliant batteries. Is the Government considering strengthening regulations like more stringent mandatory battery certification framework, regardless of its application?
Secondly, are there plans to strengthen cross-agency efforts to raise awareness of fire safety in homes and housing estates, including at common corridors?
\tMr Goh Pei Ming: Mr Speaker, I would like to make a differentiation in response to the Member's questions. When we mention batteries, compliant or non-compliant batteries, I am referring, in my earlier reply, generally to power banks, for example. Those we do not track. And I think the House can appreciate why it is very difficult and perhaps not cost efficient for SCDF to track those cases. It is also sometimes very difficult to ascertain after the fire has taken place whether the particular item is compliant or not.
But if we are talking about AMD batteries, then those are tracked. I think previously we have mentioned that AMD fires account for less than 5% of all fires, but the impact, be in terms of injuries and fatalities, is disproportionately higher, and therefore, it is something that is of concern. I think recently the Ministry of Transport has moved the Bill to that regard.
In terms of cross-agency efforts, I again refer to the Adjournment Motion. I have spoken quite extensively previously in terms of how the Ministry of Home Affairs and SCDF works very closely with all our counterparts, including the People's Association, in terms of community outreach, in terms of working even with schools, for example, as well as Town Councils, in terms of some of the real actions on the ground in terms of enforcement and regulation.
Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Order of the Day.
[Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Estimates of Expenditure for the Financial Year 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027","subTitle":"Committee of Supply – Paper Cmd 4 of 2026","sectionType":"OS","content":"[(proc text) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [6th Allotted Day]. (proc text)]
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
[(proc text) Head O (Cont) ‒ (proc text)]
[(proc text) Resumption of Debate on Question [4 March 2026] (proc text)]
[(proc text) \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head O of the Estimates be reduced by $100.\" ‒ [Ms Mariam Jaafar]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Question again proposed.(proc text)]
The Chairman: Minister of State Rahayu Mahzam.
The Minister of State for Health (Ms Rahayu Mahzam): Mr Chairman, my speech covers the Ministry's initiatives to bring care closer to the community, how we are strengthening our environment and ecosystem for healthy living and our efforts to improve our population's health.
As our society ages, improving our population's health and preventive care is critical for longer, healthier lives. We have embedded preventive healthcare into the community through Healthier SG and AgeWell SG to support residents while they are still relatively young and healthy, and as they age.
Mr Alex Yeo and Dr Hamid Razak would be pleased to know that the development of Healthier SG Care Protocols related to frailty and functional health, such as for osteoporosis and dementia are progressing well and would be rolled out in 2028. These care protocols will ensure evidence-based care is provided more consistently through Healthier SG general practitioners (GPs).
Ms Mariam Jaafar also spoke about improving community health, in particular the north region. Our data shows that in the north, the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension is above the national average, and residents engage in less physical activity. While we continue to review reasons for these trends, we are simultaneously stepping up our preventive care efforts in the region.
We will start off with Woodlands Town. First, we will enhance the Community Health Posts (CHPs) in the town. Secondly, we will improve access to specialist-supported care in the community. Thirdly, we will support residents to engage in healthy living activities by opening up community spaces for exercise programmes, introducing digital wayfinding in Healthy 365 and empowering local community health advocates.
As seniors age, visiting polyclinics and hospitals can be difficult due to mobility issues. Many also ignore symptoms that are not yet serious or urgent. Consulting a healthcare professional early can lead to earlier identification of issues, which in turn leads to earlier intervention and better health outcomes. We agree with Dr Haresh Singaraju's view that it is important to connect patients to community resources, and we are enhancing accessibility of health services by bringing care directly into the community.
I am pleased to announce that NHG Health has been progressively enhancing 11 CHPs across Woodlands Town since the start of this year. These enhanced CHPs, which are located within Active Ageing Centres (AACs), will be opened once a week. All residents, including non-seniors, can walk-in to these enhanced CHPs to access services such as: general health advice, basic health assessments and social prescriptions which include linking up residents with community programmes and resources, support for preventive health and disease management; including health coaching, medication review and chronic disease and frailty management programmes, and support for caregivers and post-discharge follow-ups for patients returning home from hospitals.
These services are provided by NHG Health's community health teams comprising community nurses and health coaches, who will bring in pharmacists, dietitians and therapists based on residents' needs. They also work closely with GPs in the region and healthcare professionals in hospitals to provide coordinated care for residents with chronic diseases and frailty. For example, residents with diabetes receive ongoing support at enhanced CHPs through glucose monitoring and personalised health counselling, with the community health teams regularly updating the residents' specialist doctor on their progress and any changes in their condition. This ensures interventions can be made early if needed.
For seniors who are already at the AACs for programmes, they can also consult healthcare staff easily without needing to make a separate visit. We have also noticed that some patients miss specialist appointments due to work schedules or limited mobility. To address this, Woodlands Hospital will launch a new initiative starting end of this month to provide specialist-supported care for patients in the community through the enhanced CHPs in Woodlands and direct teleconsultation with individuals.
Starting with diabetes and asthma, selected patients can choose to receive specialist-supported outpatient care at an enhanced CHP through teleconsultation with the hospital care team. Instead of travelling to Woodlands Hospital for their appointment, they will be able to see a health coach or nurse at the enhanced CHP to manage their condition and will receive support from the specialist doctor through teleconsultation. With regular monitoring of health conditions, nurses are able to pick up early signs of poor control and work with specialist doctors for early treatment and help patients avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
Woodlands Hospital has also started rolling out teleconsultation for selected patients who have undergone colonoscopy screening with low-risk screening results. Instead of making a trip to Woodlands Hospital, patients can choose to teleconsult their specialist doctor from anywhere, including at the CHP, if they need help. This option will be further expanded to other specialties and procedures in Woodlands Hospital.
With these services, patients will be better supported by the community care teams in their neighbourhood, while requiring fewer visits to Woodlands Hospital. This will help patients access required care in a more flexible way, while working around other commitments. NHG Health estimates this will save about 500 physical specialist outpatient clinic visits. This is expected to increase further as the initiative expands.
Even as we are bringing healthcare services closer to the community for greater accessibility, we agree with Ms Mariam Jaafar that health begins with individual choices and we can design a healthier ecosystem to support individuals to make better personal health choices in different settings.
One key setting is the immediate neighbourhood that residents live in. The Health Promotion Board (HPB) conducted a study and found that residents are more likely to participate in health activities held in everyday surroundings that are accessible, green and fit seamlessly into their busy lives. They also value social experiences that are fun and community driven.
These insights point to the need for a collaborative, ground-up approach with local community partners. They understand both residents' needs and preferences and the community spaces within the neighbourhood. They also play critical roles in facilitating access to neighbourhood facilities and spaces, encouraging participation in activities and building social connections that will make healthy living appealing and sustainable.
Thus, HPB will work with local community partners so that residents will find it easier to access and participate in healthy living activities. From April 2026 onwards, more residents will be able to join workout and exercise sessions in familiar, convenient and spacious locations including community halls, plazas and malls near their homes, such as 888 Plaza and Fu Chun Community Centre.
In tandem with holding more activities in the community, we will help residents explore and make greater use of existing neighbourhood amenities themselves. HPB will enhance the Healthy 365 mobile app with wayfinding and gamification features to connect residents to nearby opportunities to stay healthy and active in their everyday environment. For example, residents may be prompted to complete a brisk walk along park connectors or trails within their neighbourhood and complete digital \"check-ins\" at designated points. This feature will roll out progressively from June 2026. Residents can continue to receive rewards when they track their participation via the Healthy 365 app.
Beyond the infrastructure, what will be key is the software – the networks and bond of the community. We want residents to look out for one another and encourage relatives, neighbours and friends to participate in healthier lifestyles that will build healthier people and healthier towns.
HPB will support local community stakeholders, who have deep understanding of residents' needs and community resources, to co-design healthy lifestyle programmes. This includes developing a citizen-centric playbook from June 2026 to help partners effectively plan relevant activities for residents.
Through collective ownership, residents will benefit from healthy lifestyle programmes and activities that are tailored to them. We will also jointly monitor progress to continually refine and improve on the initiatives. HPB will explore how to expand successful elements to other towns.
Besides ground-up, community-led initiatives, we are looking at ways to mitigate lifestyle risk factors to improve the health of our people. One example is a cohort smoking ban or tobacco-free generation policy as mentioned by Ms He Ting Ru. This means to restrict the access to all tobacco products for a specific birth cohort onwards.
Through our current multi-pronged approach of policy measures, public education and cessation support, we are making good progress in reducing the prevalence of smoking. Prevalence has declined over the years, to 8.4% in 2024 and even lower in young adults aged 18 to 29 years at about 5%.
We are also continually reviewing our tobacco control policies, including the tobacco-free generation policy which some other countries are exploring. Adopting a cohort smoking ban requires serious consideration. We remain open to the policy and will study its effectiveness, impact and how it may be implemented in Singapore's context.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is focusing our attention on combating the scourge of vaping. Hence, for now, we will continue to monitor international developments and learn from the experiences of other countries in how they implement a cohort smoking ban. Mr Chairman, allow me to say a few words in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Adopting healthier lifestyles is something that we need to work towards collectively in our community. The National Population Health Survey 2024 showed that our Malay/Muslim community has some areas to improve on. First, health screening. Chronic disease screening among Malays fell nearly 10 percentage points, from 64% in 2019 to 55% in 2024. Breast cancer screening rates went down from 29% in 2019 to just 18% in 2024. When chronic conditions and cancer are not detected early, serious complications may arise, which will require more intensive and costly treatment.
I understand that topics on health, such as screening, can be daunting. Thus, it helps to be able to speak to trusted healthcare workers in a familiar setting to guide us along. For many in our community, the mosque is such a setting that provides this support. I am therefore pleased to announce that the two mosques in Woodlands, An Nur Mosque and Yusof Ishak Mosque, will be partnering with NHG Health to provide CHP services by September 2026. A range of services, from general health advice and basic health assessments, to support for preventive health, disease management and post-discharge follow up will be provided.
We will tailor these services to our community's needs, for example, consultations can be conducted by community nurses and health coaches who are fluent in Malay to help minimise communication barriers, especially for seniors. NHG Health will also seek feedback from asatizahs to include faith-based guidance into health workshops. By bringing healthcare services to familiar settings frequented by our community, and partnering with religious and community leaders, healthcare will become more accessible to our community
To further encourage health screening among our Malay/Muslim community, since May 2025, the HPB has trialed the Jom Check! (Let's Check!) programme. This programme provides individual support in small group settings to help residents enroll in Healthier SG and book health screening appointments. This is done in collaboration with many healthcare partners. So far, 16 sessions have been organised islandwide, reaching more than 300 residents. We have received positive feedback. Thus, HPB will scale up Jom Check! to reach out and benefit more residents.
Small actions, like going for regular health screenings now, can avert bigger problems in future. This is easier to do with Healthier SG, as eligible enrollees can enjoy special subsidies for Healthier SG screening tests. Today, about 57% of eligible residents have enrolled into Healthier SG. This percentage is higher for those aged 60 and above, at approximately 70%. Our community also registered the highest growth in enrolment over the past year. This is very encouraging. For those who have not yet enrolled, I highly encourage you to take that crucial step and enroll today.
A second key issue is obesity. Thirty-two percent, or about one in three people in our community, is obese, a rise of nearly 10 percentage points from 24% in 2020. This is a major concern, as obesity increases our risk for developing multiple chronic conditions. The National Nutrition Survey shows that calorie intake, as well as consumption of sweet foods and drinks, is highest among our community. We also consume a high amount of saturated fat. This could be due to the excessive use of cooking oil. However, I am confident that we can make small, sustainable changes that is in line with our lifestyle and culture. Indeed, in our culture and religion, balance is important. Taking care of our body is a sacred responsibility. Let us reduce our intake of sugar, sodium and saturated fat and eat a healthy, balanced meal.
The Government, together with MUIS, MENDAKI, PA MESRA under M3 and partners from the Jaga Kesihatan, Jaga Ummah network (JKJU), will continue to support efforts to enhance our community's health and well-being. I am heartened when I see our community making steady progress. Through the efforts of Focus Area Five (FA5), more than 90,000 people have participated in various programmes in 2025.
We are now in the holy month of Ramadan which is an ideal time for our community to resolve to lead a healthier lifestyle. We will continue to work with our partners to reach out to the community. Come, let us all take the first step today and enrol in a health programme.
(In English): Mr Chairman, our goal is to ensure that the path to a healthier life is wide enough for everyone to walk on. Through our initiatives, no one has to navigate their health journey alone. By working hand-in-hand with our community partners and residents, we can build a Singapore where healthy living is inclusive, accessible and a lived reality for every one of us.
The Chairman: Minister Ong Ye Kung.
The Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung): Mr Chairman, three years ago, in April 2023, I informed the House that Singapore would become a super-aged society in 2026 – this year. This is when 21% or more of our population will be 65 and above.
So, if you consider, in June 2025, last year, already 20.7% of our population was 65 and above. And that percentage has been going up by about one percentage point every year. So, we should have crossed 21% by now. So, as I speak, Singapore is a super-aged society. So, welcome to super-aged Singapore.
When was the exact point of transition? Actually, I do not think anybody knows. We can do an estimation. What happened at that exact moment? Nothing dramatic. There was not a Singapore Civil Defence Force siren or anything. It came and went.
Ageing does not arrive with a bang. Neither is it a whimper. It progresses quietly, with a real and profound impact. And at MOH, we feel it very strongly in the hospitals, in the emergency department, in nursing homes, and we are doing our best to manage the workload and care for all our patients.
More importantly, we foresaw this demographic transition years ago and took as many early actions as we can. This includes raising the Goods and Services Tax to strengthen our fiscal position; increasing the retirement and re-employment ages; building many more age-friendly streets and 2-room Flexi and senior apartments; and bolstering financial security for seniors through Silver Support, Central Provident Fund (CPF) LIFE and MediShield Life.
These policies are long in the making. They have helped cushion the impact of this very profound demographic transition.
But arguably, the most complex task to prepare for an older population is to sustain and to transform the healthcare system. These are the two topics I want to talk about today – sustain and transform. Let me first touch on sustaining the healthcare system.
Rising demand for care means the healthcare system must expand its capacity. We will become bigger, which we are doing. At the Opening of this term of Parliament, the MOH Addendum set out the target of adding 2,800 more public acute and community hospital beds between 2025 and 2030. We are on track.
However, meeting rising demand and running a larger system will cost more. And if we do not manage this carefully, rising healthcare spending can strain public finances and household budgets alike. In fact, if we are really extravagant, if we are not careful about it, it will cripple our system.
How do we ensure healthcare remains affordable? I think we need to start at the very top to ensure that the national healthcare bill is under control. Otherwise, it is like the Titanic sinking, and you are pouring water out of the deck. It must be floating.
National healthcare expenditure – that is the hospital bill of the nation. That bill, remember this, is always and ultimately paid by the people, whether through healthcare charges, through taxes, through insurance premiums, through medical security contributions. Ultimately, it is always paid by the people.
So, a government can claim that \"we provide cheap or even free healthcare\". It is actually not very true. The truth is healthcare is never really free, even if patients do not pay anything at the point of delivery. They will just pay in some other ways. A sick nation that consumes healthcare indiscriminately will incur a large and wasteful bill and it will be very costly to the population, to the households, to the patients, to the people.
With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I display a couple of slides on the screens, please?
The Chairman: Go ahead. [Slides were displayed for hon Members. Please refer to Annex 1.]
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Thank you. This is a scatter chart of different countries and you can see Singapore is an outlier, in the bottom right corner. Let me interpret this chart. The vertical axis measures how much the population spends on healthcare. Developed economies, shown by the different dots on screen, typically spend around 9% to 12% of gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, with the United States (US) – outlier in the other direction – spending 17%. Singapore spends below 5%.
The horizontal axis is average lifespan. This is an internationally accepted and generic measure of health outcomes. And Singapore has one of the highest lifespans in the world. But of course, beyond lifespan, there are many other measures of health outcomes and across all these measures, Singapore is comparable to or even better than many developed economies.
So, how did we become an outlier like this? I think it has a lot to do with our S+3M healthcare financing system that Members are familiar with. And MediSave is the linchpin of that system.
Singaporeans and our employers set aside part of our monthly income into MediSave. The Government also provides top-ups from time to time for various segments of the population, and we did that again this Budget. And we then use MediSave to co-pay directly for a small part of the cost of healthcare. So, even for a modest co-payment, it goes a long way to instil discipline and reduce unnecessary consumption on both the supply as well as the demand sides.
We do not have to look very far to imagine what happens when that discipline is eroded. You just look at private healthcare in Singapore. The discipline of co-payment was weakened because of overly generous insurance, including the IP riders. As a result, private hospital bill sizes have been rising rapidly, and private insurance premiums have been escalating very quickly. Once that genie is out of the bottle, it is difficult to put it back. But it will not stop us from trying. We will try.
In our S+3M system, multiple payers pull their weight to pay for this national healthcare bill. Apart from co-payment, we have insurance schemes like MediShield Life. It plays a sizeable role. A big part of it is also paid by charity dollars. We thank all the donors and philanthropic organisations.
But the biggest proportion, about half. of the national healthcare bill is paid through tax revenues, redistributed as Government healthcare subsidies. The Government health budget today is about 2.7% of GDP this year, and it is expected to rise to about 3.5% of GDP by 2030. This 0.8 percentage point increase is actually very significant. It means increasing the Government's health budget from about $22.5 billion this year to about $30 billion in 2030.
And beyond 2030, the Government's health budget will likely continue to grow. We must ensure that the increase can be supported by economic growth and by rising tax revenues. And at the same time, we must continue to maintain that discipline and avoid unsustainable levels of healthcare spending that we see elsewhere.
The next topic I want to talk about is transforming the healthcare system. A healthcare system for a young population is very different from one for an older population, for a super-aged society.
For a young person, sickness tends to be episodic. You are admitted to hospital, you get treatment, you get discharged and then you recover. Good health is the default. On the other hand, an older person's care journey is complicated and continuous. When well, they need preventive care; when sick, they need coordinated care because they tend to have multiple conditions; post discharge, they need rehabilitative care and follow-up care in the community. Good health is not a default; it is a continuous quest for an old person.
So, from episodic hospital care, we now need continuous multi-disciplinary care across settings. This shift is reflected in how we have allocated healthcare funding over time. Let me show another chart on screen. [Please refer to Annex 2.]
The chart on the left, the height of the chart is our Government healthcare budget in 2021. The right bar is 2024. Members can see that, overall, budget has increased by 1.5 times. But I want to draw Members' attention to the composition.
At the start of this decade, 2021, around three-quarters of our operational funding for the healthcare sector went towards acute hospital care – that is the white portion of the bar. The remaining one-quarter was spent on aged care and population health, including preventive and primary care.
Today, we move to the right, 2024. The budget is 1.5 times that of 2021, but the share of acute hospital care has fallen, from three-quarters to almost two-thirds – the remaining one-third going to aged care and population health.
Specifically, the share of funding for aged care rose from 11% to 13% – that is the green portion – between 2021 and 2024. Over the same period, the share for population health grew from 14% to 19%. These shifts are driven largely by our national programmes, Healthier SG and Age Well SG.
Looking ahead, how would this chart go? I think, almost certainly, the share of spending on aged care will grow further, because we need more nursing homes, senior care centres, rehabilitation services and hospice care. As for population health, we do our best to maintain this share at around 19%. With total spending rising, maintaining the share alone requires a strong commitment to continue to invest in population health.
Mr Chairman, today, my MOH colleagues and I will be speaking on further steps to transform healthcare and get ready for the future. Senior Minister of State Koh will speak about manpower. It is a key agenda, including how we will significantly shorten the time to train clinical psychologists. We are taking seven to eight years currently; we will reduce it to about five years. Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will speak about anchoring care in the community through technology.
And Members heard Minister of State Rahayu speaking about population health and preventive care, including what we are doing in the north, where prevalence of chronic diseases is higher. There was a question by Ms Mariam Jaafar, she missed that part of the speech.
I should emphasise – this is in case she asks many clarifications later – preventive care and population health remain the overarching strategic thrust of what we are doing, anchored by Healthier SG and Age Well SG. I thank Ms Mariam Jaafar and Dr Haresh Singaraju for speaking about this. This is at the core of healthcare transformation and MOH agrees with many of the points they have raised.
I will now speak about three new initiatives to support healthcare transformation.
The first common topic this whole Committee of Supply (COS) and Budget debate – AI, once again. Ms Mariam Jaafar and Dr Choo Pei Ling spoke about how AI can strengthen healthcare delivery and we agree.
When it comes to AI in healthcare, we are guided by two principles.
One, care should be AI-enhanced, not AI-decided. Clinicians remain in the loop and healthcare remains a profoundly human endeavour.
Two, we take a practical, use case approach. AI should not be a hammer looking for a nail, a solution looking for a problem. We deploy AI where we know it will improve patient outcomes or the delivery of care, and where it can do so cost-effectively.
One such use case is in health screening. Around the world, many AI models have been trained to predict if a well person is likely to develop severe diseases in the near future. If we use it appropriately and responsibly, such tools are very useful. It helps the clinicians intervene earlier; it can delay or even prevent the onset of serious diseases.
MOH has developed such a model for our local context using anonymised patient data. With this model, by reviewing an individual's current health status, it can identify if he/she has a high risk – high risk defined by 75% or above – of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes or high cholesterol, within the next three years.
We chose diabetes and high cholesterol because they are the key drivers of strokes and heart attacks, which affect 60 Singaporeans every day – every day, 60 Singaporeans either have a heart attack or a stroke. Many of these cases can be prevented if early actions were taken, such as through lifestyle adjustments and medication.
This AI risk assessment tool will be rolled out to doctors for all Healthier SG enrolees from early 2027. If the tool flags a patient as high risk, the doctor may recommend more significant lifestyle adjustments and instead of three-yearly check-ups, maybe annual check-ups. These additional screenings will continue to be subsidised under Healthier SG.
The second initiative, I think is an exciting and significant one, and a breakthrough, which is to use genomics to strengthen preventive care. Dr Hamid Razak asked about this.
We are born with our genes. They shape our biological blueprint and indeed, many diseases are linked to our genetic characteristics. But we need not be fatalistic about it. Genes are not our destiny. How we live, how we manage risk matters a lot.
So, we do not go fumbling through our genetic blueprint, hunting for blemishes and possible mutations that we know little about. It will create a lot of anxiety in all of us, and we will become a nation of hypochondriacs!
So, instead of shooting in the dark, we should focus on the parts of the blueprints that are illuminated by science.
This means taking a disease-specific approach, identifying genetic characteristics that we know drive certain diseases and for which we know there are established preventive interventions and treatment pathways.
This is what we did for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We did that last year. FH is a genetic condition that increases the risk of heart attacks even amongst young people.
The FH genetic testing programme offers subsidised genetic testing for individuals with abnormally high cholesterol levels. And if they are tested positive, we will offer the same test to their immediate family members. This is what we call cascade testing. By doing so, we try to identify as many individuals as we can in Singapore with the FH genetic mutation. And then, we take steps to reduce their risk of future heart attacks and strokes.
We will now move on to our next genetic condition, which is hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC).
In Singapore, it is estimated that one in 150 individuals carry a gene mutation, such as the BRCA1 or 2, that are associated with HBOC. Such mutations substantially increase a woman's lifetime risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
From December this year, we will offer subsidised genetic testing to at risk individuals for HBOC, such as individuals with a family history of HBOC. They will undergo genetic counselling before and after the test. And if they test positive, we will also offer the test to their immediate family members – cascade testing.
We expect over 2,000 individuals to be eligible for the test annually.
We will make the test affordable. In addition to subsidies, the cost of the test can also be offset using MediSave.
For those found to have the mutation, they will be offered suitable preventive interventions. Typically, this means more frequent breast MRIs or mammograms or oral medication.
Patients will ultimately decide, in consultation with their doctors, which intervention is appropriate. A minority may opt for surgical interventions. Members may recall celebrity actress, Angelina Jolie, after she discovered she had the BRCA1 gene mutation, she underwent a double preventive mastectomy.
I came across women in Singapore who chose to undergo preventive mastectomy to reduce their risk of breast cancer, such as Ms Gwendalyn Too, and these women have demonstrated great courage.
Unfortunately, they lament that they cannot claim insurance for such surgeries, because MediShield Life generally does not cover prevention. And it is designed to be so for a good reason. It is to keep coverage focused and premiums affordable. Then private insurance takes dressing from MediShield Life.
Dr Hamid Razak and Ms Sylvia Lim asked about this. In fact, Ms Stefanie Thio – she is the founder of the non-profit organisation SG Her Empowerment (SHE) – has raised this issue with me several times.
I share the concerns.
With advances in medical science, the boundary between preventive and curative care is increasingly blurred. If a high-risk individual is unable to undergo preventive mastectomy, she has a high chance of eventually needing cancer treatments, including a curative mastectomy to remove cancerous cells in her breast or cancerous tissue in her breast.
There is, hence, a case for MediShield Life to be judiciously extended to cover certain selected preventive surgeries. We are prepared to do so when there is a clear clinical need, minimal risk of abuse, the procedure is suitable for risk-pooling, through insurance, and it does not financially burden the MediShield Life scheme.
Risk-reducing mastectomies for breast cancer prevention, and the removal of both fallopian tubes and ovaries for ovarian cancer prevention, fall within these criteria.
We will therefore extend MediShield Life and MediSave to cover preventive surgeries for HBOC later this year. I should add that breast reconstruction is also covered, no different from today. This will better support women to harness genomics to better take care of their health.
I think this is a meaningful policy change ahead of International Women's Day on 8 March. [Applause.]
The third initiative is to inject more flexibility in the use of MediSave to encourage early intervention and reduce downstream complications.
Assoc Prof James Lim was right to describe medical expenses as lumpy. Indeed, it is very well documented that hospital expenses escalate almost like a vertical wall towards the end of life. And so, even after accounting for inflation, the average Singaporean living up to their mid-80s spends almost four times as much on hospital expenses in the last 10 years of their life compared to the previous 10 years.
But that explains the existing design of the MediSave withdrawal system, and why the system is designed like that, why the scheme is designed like that. It has higher limits for more complex treatments and longer hospital stays, and you can draw on it as and when you need it. This meets the original objective of MediSave, which is to co-pay for major in-patient episodes, whether they happen unexpectedly or in old age.
With this design, after subsidies, MediShield Life and MediSave, nine in 10 Singaporeans pay less than $500 out-of-pocket for their subsidised in-patient bills.
However, it is human nature to worry about present medical expenses rather than lumpy potential, unexpected or future hospital bills.
Hence, as a relief valve, we have schemes, like Flexi-MediSave and MediSave500/700, to provide flexibility for chronic disease management for scans, for dentist visits, and so forth, without overly diluting MediSave's original objective of catering for these big lumpy hospital bills in old age or during emergencies.
But the situation has changed since MediSave was implemented in 1984. At that time, people in Singapore lived to about 73 on average. Today, we live to 85 and beyond.
On one hand, it continues to be important to preserve MediSave for big hospital bills. On the other hand, as people live longer, the need to spend on preventive care and chronic disease management also go up.
Hence, I can appreciate the repeated and various calls by Members to allow MediSave to be used more flexibly, to cover more chronic diseases, or as Mr Pritam Singh suggested, to pay for higher private insurance premiums.
But I also hold the realistic view that no matter how frequently MOH reviews the MediSave scheme, how much we liberalise and expand its usage, the public and Members of the House will continue to press me and MOH to liberalise the scheme every year during the COS and probably, outside of the COS.
It is the karma of the scheme – because it is designed to be the linchpin of the healthcare financing system. It must always navigate between present and future healthcare needs, between recurring disease management and the major hospitalisation episodes.
Trade-offs are inherent in the MediSave scheme. It is zero sum. Using more balances for recurrent medical expenses means having less in the future when we are hospitalised and vice versa. And when the tension becomes too severe, we will have to consider raising contribution rates so that you have a bigger pot to spend.
The tension is therefore deliberate and a design feature. It is a balance we must constantly and carefully manage, to ensure the system of co-payment is held together while ensuring affordability and keeping CPF contribution rates reasonable for everybody.
Hence, we continue to have ongoing, regular reviews to study where we can expand the use of MediSave and provide more flexible withdrawals. For example, we recently increased the Flexi-MediSave limit for seniors, and we doubled the annual limit for diagnostic scans.
This time, we will make further changes to the MediSave500/700 scheme. This scheme helps patients pay for their recurring costs of managing conditions on the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP). Mr Cai Yinzhou and Mr Gerald Giam asked about this.
Today, individuals with a simple chronic condition can use up to $500 a year, while those with complex chronic conditions can withdraw up to $700 per year.
To provide more support for preventive and chronic care in the community, we will raise MediSave limits from $500/$700 to $700/$1,000. This will benefit over 910,000 patients who currently tap on the scheme, roughly 20% of whom have annual bills exceeding the withdrawal limits.
We will also expand the list of conditions covered under the CDMP to include hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. In addition, we are studying whether we can include other chronic conditions, such as eczema, in the CDMP.
With the above enhancements, we will rename \"MediSave500/700\". It is actually a cumbersome name. Every time you change the limit, you change the name. We will rename it to \"MediSave Chronic and Preventive Care Scheme\", to reflect its scope of coverage. The changes will be effective January 2027.
Before I end this section, let me address the question posed by Ms Sylvia Lim.
I thank her for watching my TikTok videos. She mentioned the role of riders in providing additional coverage for cancer treatments not on the Cancer Drug List (CDL). The objective of the recent changes to IP riders is to prevent over-erosion of co-payment because that sets off a \"buffet syndrome\" and then that leads to rapid escalation of private hospital bills. IP riders covering non-CDL drugs for outpatient treatment, do not contribute to this erosion and therefore, this feature will not be affected by the changes. I should also point out that the changes to IP riders affect only new policy holders, but not existing policyholders. We will always watch out for the cancer patients when we make changes to IP riders. Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Two thousand twenty-six marks the year when Singapore enters the super-aged phase. We should view this milestone with level-headedness and a calm mind, much like celebrating a birthday. Whilst we are collectively a year older as a society, life continues as usual without sudden or dramatic changes.
Singapore has always prepared for rainy days and we have long been preparing for an ageing society. Over the past decade, the Government has progressively adjusted policies across various domains with the goal of ensuring every Singaporean has support in old age, medical care when ill and a home to live in.
The most important point is to ensure that our people remain young at heart despite growing old physically. Therefore, preventive healthcare has become the MOH's core policy focus.
Speaking of the MOH or \"卫生部\" in Chinese, I do have some thoughts on this Chinese name. Strictly speaking, \"卫生\" is more commonly associated with hygiene, yet MOH does not manage hygiene matters. Hygiene matters are managed by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, which is helmed by Minister Grace Fu. However, from a medical perspective, everyone understands that the concept of \"卫生\" is about preventing, fighting and treating various infectious diseases, which remains an important mission of ours.
However, the medical challenges of modern society differ from those of the past. Non-infectious diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes now cause far more harm than infectious diseases. To better reflect MOH's core policy focus, we will change the Ministry's Chinese name to \"保健卫生部\", adding \"healthcare\" into the name. When our name reflects our core policy focus, the words and actions of the Ministry will naturally follow suit.
Some may ask whether changing MOH's Chinese name would cost a lot of money. Please be assured that it will not, as most of our logos, legislation, documents, websites and so forth use only our English name. This highlights a separate issue. The name change will mainly affect future media reports and the expenditure will be minimal, but the meaning it conveys is very important.
I have also just announced several new policies.
First, to make medical expenses for chronic diseases more affordable, we will raise the annual MediSave withdrawal limit from $500 to $700 starting next year, whilst the annual limit for chronic disease patients with more complex conditions will be raised from $700 to $1,000.
Second, we will begin providing subsidised genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer for higher-risk women from the end of this year.
Third, we will use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist doctors in predicting individual's risk of developing chronic diseases, such as high cholesterol and diabetes. For high-risk Singaporeans, we will encourage them to take preventive measures through Healthier SG.
Speaking of AI, over the past year, I have visited the US and China with the MOH team to study their experiences and practices in applying technology in healthcare. In the US, we visited several renowned hospitals. When I asked them which AI application scenario was the most effective amongst all possibilities, they unanimously said that using AI to record patients' medical histories saves both time and effort and is the best application scenario.
I agree with this approach. Although the use case seems simple, it allows everyone to benefit from it. It encourages everyone to accept new technology and understand that new technologies can help us, rather than threaten us.
In our public hospitals, we have already started using AI to document medical histories. Our AI understands English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and Cantonese. I am not sure why only Cantonese among the dialects but it is currently working hard to learn other dialects.
Someone once joked with me that the most experienced doctors will look at the person or the patient; experienced doctors will look at the illness; and less experienced doctors will look at the computers. I believe that in the near future, with the help of AI, most doctors will be able to look at the person and not just at the computers.
This year, I also visited China and toured some hospitals and technology companies. I found that Chinese hospitals are also boldly trying out new technologies and their courage to innovate is something worth learning from.
However, we must also recognise that there are differences between China and Singapore. For example, in the Chinese hospitals I visited, some traditional surgeries have already been replaced by robotic surgery. However, robotic surgery is very costly, and these expenses are often borne by the patients themselves, causing medical insurance premiums to increase.
Therefore, in Singapore, we are very cautious when promoting robotic surgery or any other technology. We must consider both cost effectiveness and patient affordability.
From Hippocrates to Hua Tuo (華佗), to AI and robotic surgery, the medical field has been advancing rapidly. We will take a multi-pronged approach to adopt long-term policies and make use of high-quality medical teams and cost-effective technology to bring better medical services to our people.
(In English): Mr Chairman, when I informed the House three years ago that we would be a super-aged society this year, it was not to instil fear, but to prepare ourselves.
Our transition to a super-aged society has been steady rather than dramatic. It reflects deliberate, long-term planning, including transforming the healthcare system.
Indeed, healthcare transformation is fundamentally a long-term endeavour, not one sweeping reform. It is the accumulation of numerous small steps, each taken with judgement and purpose, each carefully planned and executed. And today, we announced further deliberate steps.
Mr Chairman, it is my hope that this House continues to support our approach of long-term planning, long-term governance, to anticipate future challenges early and act before they overwhelm us. If we do so, we need not fear being a super-aged society. We can embrace it and we make the best of it.
Ultimately, it is not the percentage of Singaporeans above 65 that defines us. We can exercise our wiser minds, to mourn less for what age takes away from us than what it leaves behind.
What matters is that Singaporeans are not just living for longer; we are living healthier for longer. We are not just a super-aged society, but we are striving to be a super-healthy one as well. [Applause.]
The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon.
The Senior Minister of State for Health (Dr Koh Poh Koon): Mr Chairman, when Minister spoke about our journey towards becoming a super-aged nation, he highlighted something fundamental, that our people are at the heart of healthcare transformation. I will speak on our approach to workforce and care transformation in healthcare, which is carried out via three pillars.
First, we redesign roles and right-site care. Second, we build pipeline to ensure manpower sustainability. And third, we develop a flexible and agile healthcare system.
Picture this: a patient with diabetes, heart conditions and mobility challenges, juggling multiple appointments across different clinics, each visit requiring time off work, not just for the patient but for the caregiver sometimes, special transport arrangements and often, a caregiver's support to accompany them for these visits. This fragmented experience is not just inconvenient. It is unsustainable as our population ages and our healthcare needs become more complex.
How can we meet the rising healthcare needs of an ageing population, improve the care experience while maintaining the quality and standards of care?
First, we redesign roles and right-site care. Today in a hospital ward, a patient receives coordinated care through a team led by a principal doctor (PD) who is accountable for the patient's overall care plan. Under the new care team model, a PD need not be a specialist. Once they are trained and assessed to be competent, a Hospital Clinician may take on the role of a PD to supervise, oversee and coordinate care, incorporating the inputs of various healthcare professionals. Patients need not be seen by different doctors for each condition, thus reducing the number of referrals to other specialists during their stay.
And upon discharge, the care of such a patient could then be handed over to their family physician, some of whom are now trained as family medicine specialists, to manage patients with more complex medical conditions.
Likewise, team-based care has been introduced in the polyclinics and Primary Care Networks since 2015 and 2018 respectively. Under such a model, patients with chronic diseases are managed by multi-disciplinary care teams comprising doctors, nurses and care coordinators. This ensures care continuity and builds the trust between patients and their care team.
In response to Mr Cai Yinzhou's query on the provision of specialist dental, audiology and podiatry services in the heartlands, we recently enhanced Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) subsidies for dental care and are expanding dental services at polyclinics and strengthening partnerships with community dental providers – moves that will bring affordable dental care closer to where our seniors live.
Most geriatric dental needs can be managed by polyclinics and CHAS dental clinics. Specialist care is available for more complex conditions at our hospital dental clinics as well as two national specialty dental centres – the National Dental Centre Singapore and the National University Centre for Oral Health.
Additionally, while podiatry services are available at selected polyclinics, foot screening services for patients with diabetes are available at all polyclinics as well as Healthier SG GPs through their respective Primary Care Networks.
Besides transforming our care team in the hospitals and right-siting care to the community, we also want to empower our people to take ownership of their health. We agree with the vision shared by Dr Haresh Singaraju on how social prescription is integral to preventive care and Healthier SG. That is why the Health Plan in Healthier SG includes encouraging patients to adopt lifestyle changes, more exercise and less unhealthy food.
However, we acknowledge that social prescription is still not commonly adopted, and there are more that we can do together to encourage that. We will work with community partners to make these interventions available to residents. In particular for seniors, the network of AACs will support them in this. Minister of State Rahayu has elaborated earlier in her speech.
In addition, the hospitals also have their respective initiatives in social prescriptions. I also want to assure Mr Pritam Singh that our public hospitals have in place protocols to expedite urgent cases in the Emergency Department, and urgent referrals from primary care to Specialist Outpatient Clinics. Waiting time alone is not indicative of the quality of medical services. Patients present with varying degrees of severity. And in all the top hospitals of the world, patients with more urgent and severe conditions are up-triaged and seen earlier and given necessary resuscitation. That is how healthcare systems function.
Based on several sources, which the Members can also Google, Singapore's healthcare system is consistently ranked within the top 20. In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked Singapore's sixth best in the world. Our public health institutions have also consistently been recognised as being one of the best in the world. In 2026, Newsweek and Statista, a global data platform, ranked the Singapore General Hospital 10th, while the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Tan Tock Seng Hospital are also in the top 100.
Singapore's healthcare system has delivered good health outcomes at an affordable level. Our life expectancy is about 86 years, as reported by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, ahead of many other countries, such as Japan, Switzerland, Australia, South Korea, the United Kingdom (UK) and the US. On the other hand, our national healthcare expenditure is at 4.4% of our GDP, which is less than half of what other countries spent. This was reported by the World Bank in 2019, and you saw earlier from the charts that Minister has shown that indeed we were able to achieve good health outcomes at a fraction of the cost relative to other countries.
In addition, our hospitals have contingency measures to respond to surge in bed demand. These include adding beds, expediting clinically appropriate discharges and deferring non-urgent electives to free up acute capacity for incoming patients. If required, hospitals can also tap on facilities, like the Transitional Care Facilities and the Mobile Inpatient Care @ Home, to augment overall capacity.
Even as we augment capacity, our people are at the heart of the healthcare system. Public healthcare institutions roster staff to ensure adequate rest in between shifts and also monitor the well-being of our staff as they care for our people. These are experiences we learnt also from the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
With the increased demand in mental health services, the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) will continue to serve as national centre for psychiatric services and focus on providing quaternary care to patients with more complex mental health needs. Mr Patrick Tay will be pleased to know that MOH has been giving IMH additional funding to enhance the psychiatric services and upgrade its infrastructure for better patient care, to be a leading hub for mental health training and education, and establish its position in tertiary and quaternary mental health research.
There are also ongoing efforts to enhance psychiatric in-patient, outpatient and crisis care capabilities across our public healthcare institutions to support individuals with both physical and mental health services in the same hospital. In each of these, care team transformation provides integrated care for patients – promoting team-based care, right-siting of care to the community so that it is more accessible and affordable for our people, and redesigning roles so that professionals are allowed to advance and perform at the apex roles in a safe manner.
The second pillar is to build a sustainable manpower pipeline. Our current healthcare workforce is broadly adequate for the population's healthcare demand. We will need to grow our healthcare workforce by 20% by 2030 to meet the projected manpower demand. We are working closely with institutes of higher learning (IHLs) to introduce more training pathways to build up a strong local pipeline through Pre-Employment Training.
Mr Cai Yinzhou would be pleased to know that the graduate-entry Master of Science (Audiology) programme at NUS runs biennially and has an average of 13 graduates per cohort. For podiatrists, demand is being met through scholarships for local talents to pursue podiatry studies overseas and recruitment of overseas-trained podiatrists.
To Dr Wan Rizal's query on strengthening the local pipeline of clinical psychologists while maintaining professional standards, we have worked with the Ministry of Education and NUS to offer eligible undergraduate students an accelerated pathway to specialise in Clinical Psychology at Master's level, with the first intake in 2026.
Unlike the current training model, where an undergraduate needs at least seven years to be qualified as a clinical psychologist, this includes four years for their Bachelor's degree in Psychology, followed by one or two years of work experience before enrolling in the two-year Master of Psychology (Clinical) programme, this new accelerated pathway for undergraduate-to-Masters pathway can be completed in five years.
It would enable aspiring undergraduates, who set their minds fairly early, to be trained as clinical psychologists through a carefully curated curriculum. This curriculum comprises didactic learning and clinical training during the undergraduate years, developing practitioners with knowledge and skills to care for their patients.
Graduates of this five-year programme will receive both a Bachelor's degree with Honours and a Master's degree.
NUS' new accelerated undergraduate-to-Masters pathway will complement existing postgraduate training pipelines, including its existing standalone two-year Master of Psychology (Clinical) programme for those with relevant clinical work experience. Together, these programmes expand our clinical psychologist manpower pipeline to meet increasing mental health needs.
Healthcare workers remain the bedrock of our healthcare system. Even as we create new training pathways, we have implemented strategies to improve retention of our healthcare workers.
We have spoken in this House before about the challenges in attracting and recruiting nurses, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the attrition of nurses has since fallen back to pre-COVID-19 levels of around 7%, we will continue our efforts to encourage more nurses to stay and contribute to the public healthcare system, as well as attract aspiring individuals to build a career in this sector.
In 2024, we rolled out the Award for Nurses' Grace, Excellence and Loyalty scheme, and reviewed and adjusted nursing salaries in 2025. In 2025, we have also increased the salaries of allied health professionals (AHPs), pharmacists and administrative, ancillary and support staff in public healthcare institutions by up to 7%.
But retention of healthcare workers is not enough to build a robust healthcare system. We need to continuously upskill our healthcare workforce to take on new and expanded roles. Healthcare today does not fit neatly into traditional silos. A patient with multiple conditions needs professionals who can work seamlessly together. That is why we are moving from rigid, specialty-focused training to flexible, competency-based learning delivered via stackable modules in a work-study format where possible. This reduces time away from work and the impact on patient care.
For AHPs, we are working with IHLs to build up shared competencies across relevant allied health training programmes to better support a team-based shared-care model. These will be rolled out progressively, starting with students who begin their studies from Academic Year 2027 onwards.
Separately for mental health, the shared competencies are outlined under the National Mental Health Competency Training Framework to create a \"common language\" among our AHPs. With this, our AHPs will be more versatile and able to work more collaboratively to deliver care holistically.
For nursing, we are working with the polytechnics to redesign existing nursing post-diploma specialty programmes into a work-study format. This allows the nurses to learn and practise in real-world settings as training is based directly on job activities, enabling nurses to become competent and productive more quickly.
Two Advanced Diploma in Nursing programmes – Palliative Care and Community Health – will be prioritised for initial launch in a work-study format. With enhanced capabilities, our healthcare workforce is better positioned to deliver comprehensive care.
Ms He Ting Ru has asked for an update on the regulation of mental health professionals. We will be registering five higher risk sub-disciplines of psychologists to ensure high standards of practice, ethics and professional conduct so that our people receive safer and higher quality psychological services. These are clinical, clinical neuropsychology, counselling, educational and forensic psychologists.
MOH and partner Ministries will work with Singapore Psychological Society to raise public awareness of the psychologist professions and support our professionals and stakeholders in navigating the registration process. The detailed registration schedule, requirements and roadmaps will be announced by early 2027.
The third and last pillar is to develop a flexible and agile healthcare system that can respond to fast-evolving healthcare needs. One example is in mental health.
Mental health concerns came to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic and remains a key national agenda in MOH. Ms He Ting Ru and Mr Alex Yeo asked about this.
Since the launch of the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy in 2023, we have established the National Mental Health Office in 2024 to coordinate and oversee multi-agency mental health initiatives.
First, we have guided mental health service providers to adopt the Tiered Care Model and improve care coordination across different providers, enabling clients to receive seamless care at the most appropriate care setting.
Second, we have expanded the capacity of mental health services across the primary, community, acute and long-term care sectors. Polyclinics and GPs are equipped to provide care to individuals with mild to moderate mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Community mental health teams provide a range of mental health support to individuals with mental health needs.
Today, we have 71 Community Outreach Teams (CREST) and 26 Community Intervention Teams (COMIT) to conduct outreach, screening and assessment, psychological intervention and service linkages for seniors with mental health needs or dementia and their caregivers. By 2030, we will expand the number of CREST and COMIT to 75 and 35 respectively. We have also established the First Stop for Mental Health services to facilitate easy access and navigation of mental health services.
Third, we expanded support in encouraging help-seeking amongst youths. Youths can access CREST-Youth and CHAT, which are sited in the community. Those who need psychosocial interventions may then be referred to the Youth Integrated Teams.
The recently launched Grovve – spelled g-r-o-v-v-e – at *Scape also provides mental health services to youths where they gather, to improve access and reduce barriers and stigma. Youth-oriented self-help services, such as Let's Talk and Ask-a-Therapist, can also be accessed on mindline.sg.
In addition to these services, an ecosystem of support is available within the education system. Educators and staff are trained to look out for signs of distress in students, and refer those who require further support to counsellors in schools or IHLs as well as community mental health professionals. Peer support structures are in place for students to look out for one another and encourage distressed peers to seek help from trusted adults.
Youths are also taught ways to build mental wellness and resilience through the Character and Citizenship Education curriculum in schools and mental well-being programmes in the IHLs.
Fourth, we are enhancing capabilities of community service providers through the National Mental Health Competency Training Framework and have trained over 160,000 frontline personnel and volunteers to identify and guide individuals in mental distress to support avenues.
Fifth, we have promoted mental health and wellbeing through educational efforts for the general public, parents and youths through campaigns such as Beyond the Label and resources like Parenting for Wellness and the Positive Use Guide.
Lastly, we have strengthened workplace mental health support in collaboration with the Ministry of Manpower and Workplace Safety and Health Council. The Well-Being Champions Network has grown from 54 founding member organisations to 800 over the last two years.
As mental health is a complex and multi-faceted issue, we continue to work with various agencies to track and monitor medium- to long-term trends, including overall state of mental health and well-being of our population, for evidence of improvements from the baseline. Adopting a \"no wrong door\" approach to facilitate access to services and right-siting care in primary and community settings encourage individuals to seek help early in non-stigmatising environments while avoiding over-medicalising mental health needs.
We also hear Mr Eric Chua's concerns about our people paying for the silent addiction to explicit materials. On this, we recognise that addiction extends beyond individual health to affect families and the broader society. Individuals may also face underlying difficulties such as financial hardship and lack of social support.
The National Addiction Management Service, situated within the IMH, was established to provide treatment and assistance for individuals seeking help for addictions. The National Addiction Management Service specialises in addiction medicine research, which includes intoxicating substance use and emerging areas of concern such as Internet and gaming.
MOH, together with the Ministry of Social and Family Development, and National Council of Social Service, and other stakeholders across sectors, will continue to develop and enhance access to addictions services in the community.
Sir, healthcare is highly dynamic and fluid, compounded by shifting patient demographics and needs. As we navigate the road ahead and future challenges together, these three pillars will work in tandem to strengthen the core foundation of our healthcare system.
We are not just filling positions – we are building a sustainable workforce and system that can adapt, collaborate and deliver good quality care to all Singaporeans.
The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How.
The Senior Minister of State for Health (Mr Tan Kiat How): Sir, as shared by Minister Ong with this House earlier, welcome to super-aged Singapore.
This trend will accelerate. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be 65 years and older, and one in four of them will be aged 80 and above. Within the next decade, by 2040, one in three seniors will be aged 80 and above.
Seniors will likely need more support. For example, seniors use eight times the amount of hospital care than those who are younger.
So, I agree with many Members who spoke on the implications.
First, to caregivers. Today, it is not uncommon to see a working adult supporting elderly parents in their late 60s, who are in turn taking care of their parents in their late 80s. I certainly see many of such families in my constituency. With family size continuing to shrink, the burden on caregivers will get heavier.
Secondly, there will be increasing pressure on the healthcare system. If half of our seniors have at least one chronic disease, we will have to care for close to half a million of them in 2030, up from about 400,000 of them last year.
That is why we want our seniors to remain healthy for as long as possible. As the Minister said, it is not just about living longer, but living healthier for longer.
Today, I will outline how we are doing so, with technology as an enabler. First, getting seniors to age well in the community. Second, wrapping care around them. Third, supporting healthcare providers to deliver better outcomes.
As pointed out by a number of Members, many seniors face social isolation. A study has estimated that this risk is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Members would be familiar with the Silver Generation Office (SGO). Since 2022, SGO has started preventive health visits, engaged more than 600,000 seniors and connected those with needs to services like AACs, Senior Care Centres (SCCs) and community mental health services.
Recognising that younger seniors are more digitally savvy, SGO is reaching out this group through the LifeSG app. Since December last year, over 3,000 seniors have received personalised recommendations on services useful to them. For seniors who have not yet availed themselves to this service, please check out the LifeSG app.
We have also grown the AAC network from 154 centres to over 230 over the last two years, now serving around 100,000 seniors. More than 150 SCCs provide day care services, including for those with dementia and respite care, and over 90 community outreach and intervention teams offer psychosocial support. We will continue to expand these services.
Mr Ng Chee Meng, Mr Yip Hon Weng and Mr Fadli Fawzi spoke up for caregivers and referenced what other countries are doing to recognise and support caregivers.
Like Members, we believe that caregivers play a vital role and we are doing more to support them. We are enhancing long-term care subsidies and grants. This year, we will raise the per capita household income (PCHI) threshold from $3,600 to $4,800. This will cover about seven in 10 households. I would like to assure Mr Ng Chee Meng and Ms Mariam Jaafar that these subsidies are not dependent on the number of Activities of Daily Living needs.
Last year, caregivers of over 14,000 seniors benefitted from subsidised home and centre-based respite services. We will do more.
From 1 April, more than 5,600 eligible seniors and their caregivers can benefit from the enhanced Home Personal Care service, featuring home-based respite care, medication reminders and 24/7 technology-enabled monitoring for fall detection and incident reporting.
Members also spoke about caregivers who are juggling work and care. We empathise with their challenges. Support is available through various Ministries' effort, for example, Flexible Work Arrangements and the Caregivers Training Grant, which helps to offset costs for training family caregivers and migrant domestic workers. Eligible caregivers can also tap on enhanced parental leave provisions such as the new Shared Parental Leave and Unpaid Infant Care Leave.
We will continue to study Members' suggestions as we explore ways to better support our caregivers.
Mr Victor Lye spoke about the unintended consequences of relying on PCHI to assess the caregiving circumstances of families. I appreciate his concerns. The PCHI means testing approach was discussed at the Budget debate last week. MOH takes dressing from this framework. However, individuals in difficult circumstances who require additional support can approach our medical social workers.
Mr Lye gave a few suggestions on how we can improve the current framework. MOH will study his suggestions with the Ministry of Finance.
Assoc Prof Terence Ho and Mr Eric Chua advocated for seniors to contribute to the community, including helping fellow seniors. I agree. Such involvement gives our seniors a sense of purpose. Seniors can tap on volunteering opportunities, with some organisations providing training and allowances.
For example, as Silver Generation Ambassadors, they help conduct outreach to other seniors. Seniors can also join the SG Healthcare Corps to assist with basic patient care. Those aged 50 and above comprise 20% to 40% of volunteers across these programmes. We welcome more partners to join this effort.
Let me turn to the topic of end of life.
I agree with Mr Yip Hong Weng's point that we want our seniors to \"leave well\", or as the Chinese say, \"安然离去\". Since 2023, we have significantly expanded community palliative care services, enhanced subsidies and facilitated hospital discharges at the end of life. We want more Singaporeans to spend their final days at home, in an environment where they feel comfortable, surrounded by loved ones.
The response has been positive. As of June 2025, the utilisation rate for home palliative care was around 90%. We will expand capacity as demand grows. We want to continue supporting families who wish to be with their loved ones at home during their final journey.
Next, I assure Mr Cai Yinzhou and Mr Yip Hong Weng that we do track outcomes of our programmes, such as frailty prevalence, social participation and caregiver well-being. We do so with different parties, including research institutions.
Let me now turn to care delivery transformation. By 2030, around 100,000 seniors will need help with at least one daily activity like eating or showering. They will likely need services from different service providers. We want their experience to be as seamless as possible and not have to run from pillar to post to receive these services. Technology will be a key enabler for tighter care coordination.
I agree with Mr Cai's point that we want to make it easier for seniors to access social and health services.
First, we have introduced Integrated Community Care Providers in 84 sub-regions around Singapore. This means a single party to coordinate care for seniors within each area. Currently, seniors undergo multiple care assessments done by different service providers they go to. Not only does this duplicate effort for providers and create greater inconvenience for our seniors, our seniors may also end up with uncoordinated care due to different care plans.
We will streamline this entire process. From next month, seniors requiring multiple long-term care services will need only one comprehensive assessment done by the Integrated Community Care Providers using a standardised, internationally-recognised tool. Each senior will have a single community care plan developed based on this assessment. Every provider that the senior goes to will take reference from this care plan.
Such an approach will ensure seniors benefit from a seamless experience and better coordinated care. We will progressively roll this out from October this year. We are enabling this new way of coordinating and delivering services through a common IT platform for community care providers.
Mr Azhar Othman asked about teleconsultations. I refer the Member to Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon's recent response to a Parliamentary Question on this matter. Fundamentally, MOH agrees with the Member to make good use of technology to improve the healthcare experiences for our patients.
For example, the Productivity and Digitalisation Grant launched in 2022 has supported more than 240 projects, such as systems to automate showering and vital signs monitoring. We intend to enhance the grant to make better use of technology solutions in the healthcare sector, including harnessing robotics and AI.
Sir, when I brought this House through the Health Information Bill in January, I said that MOH will help healthcare providers meet the provisions. I am pleased to provide an update.
First, we are working with the vendors for health information management systems used by healthcare providers to comply with the necessary requirements. Second, we will provide resource guides and training to help healthcare providers and their staff understand and implement these requirements. Third, we will launch the National Electronic Health Record\t(NEHR) Connect Grant and open it for application in July this year.
The Grant will offset the cost for providers to onboard the NEHR. For typical healthcare providers, this grant will cover up to two years of subscription costs for the health information management systems. For providers with in-house systems, the funding support covers up to 40% of enhancement cost. MOH will set aside up to $45 million for this.
Let me illustrate how this work for a typical clinic with five staff. Most of them already subscribe to a health information management system. They can apply and benefit from the NEHR Connect Grant. On top of the NEHR Connect Grant, the clinic can receive up to 70% co-funding support from the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore to engage cybersecurity consultants. They also benefit from up to 50% funding support from Enterprise Singapore to adopt cybersecurity solutions, such as those for anti-malware. In total, the clinic can receive about $20,000 in grants. Sir, in Mandarin, please.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] During the Chinese New Year period, when exchanging greetings, I noticed that seniors would say \"Gong Xi Fa Cai\" less now. Instead, they often say \"Good Health!\". They understand the importance of maintaining good health, especially after the pandemic.
To encourage seniors to maintain their physical and mental health, we have established over 230 AACs. This year we will also designate integrated community care service providers.
Care teams will coordinate and plan more comprehensive healthcare according to seniors' needs. For example, if seniors need home personal care services as well as visits to senior care centres, they only need to contact one care team, reducing the hassle of liaising with different community care providers.
We are also actively using technology to provide more precise and convenient care experiences for Singaporeans. For instance, seniors at risk of falling can enjoy 24-hour smart monitoring under the enhanced home personal care services. If an accident unfortunately occurs, the system can promptly notify relevant personnel to provide help. This way, family members can also have peace of mind.
Nowadays, more seniors are becoming tech savvy. Therefore, we launched the LifeSG application. Through LifeSG, the SGO can interact with seniors and set personalised health plans for them.
Since December last year, over 3,000 seniors have benefited. From July this year, GPs can view patients' health records previously documented by specialists, hospitals and other medical institutions in their computer systems. This way, doctors can have a more comprehensive understanding of patients' conditions, formulate the most suitable personalised health plans for them and eliminate the need for the patients to repeat their medical histories. Seniors do not need to worry about remembering the diagnoses or medications that have been prescribed by the doctors.
As the saying goes, \"having a senior at home is like having a treasure\". We will leverage technology to enhance care quality and ensure that seniors receive treatment in a familiar environment. We will also continue to expand these services, so that every senior can receive the care and support they need. We want our treasures – our seniors at home – to live happily and age well at home.
(In English): Through the Health Information Act and other digital health priorities, we are building a more connected, responsive and secure health system. This is in support of our broader healthcare transformation to anchor care in the community with more coordinated services that wrap around our seniors. Importantly, a healthcare system that puts people first.
The Chairman: We have some time for clarifications. Ms Mariam Jaafar.
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): Thank you, Sir. The Minister did not actually address many of the direct questions I had in my speeches, but he did acknowledge that there were many good ideas. So, I look forward to seeing some of those perhaps come in future, but I wanted to focus on three clarifications today.
One is to Minister of State Rahayu on the Woodlands pilot. I thank her for her sharing. My clarification is how is MOH also working with other agencies to get the most out of this pilot? It is one thing to have the HPB's digital wayfinding to find healthy food options. There is another to increase the number of healthy food options, especially halal food options. And that would require working with, say, the Ministry of National Development. Because when we have a coffee shop where there is only one halal store and it serves roti prata and mee goreng, and when you depend on those, it is kind of hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
My second clarification is for the Minister on the AI topic. The consultant in me says, absolutely, yes, fully support the practical use case approach. The important thing is that these use cases must scale; and some of the things he outlined does that. But scaling also requires a lot of work on infrastructure, governance and talent that I brought up in my cut speech. So, I wonder if he could say something about that.
My third clarification is also for the Minister, and I am happy to hear about the changes to MediSave500/700, or now we call it MediSave chronic and MediSave preventive care. It was actually entirely the crux of my suggestion on MediSave flex for that purpose. The Minister shared data on the healthcare expenditure on preventive care, for example, but how much of MediSave is used today for chronic and preventive care? And has the Ministry done any modelling on if we made MediSave chronic, MediSave preventive care, based on balances, how would that actually impact the sustainability?
Mr Ong Ye Kung: I will start with the second question, AI scaling. The points she made, we agree. So, I do not have much to add, but I think Ms Mariam Jaafar is also aware of all the steps we have taken, and she mentioned that in her cut. In terms of IT infrastructure, NEHR, Next Generation Electronic Medical Records, HEALIX, AI Medical Imaging Platform for Singapore public healthcare. We set up all this quietly in the background, and then at the same time, strengthened cybersecurity. So, a lot of background work has been done.
We are now, therefore, in a position where we are ready to say if a use case proves to be useful in a hospital in a particular sandbox, we can scale it up. That took many years of preparation. And I think we are ready to do that now in a very proactive way.
As for MediSave, it is difficult to do modelling. We can. But the fact is, the needs across the population are so different.
Sometime back, we gave an answer in Parliament how much MediSave is left at the point of demise for someone aged 85 and above, when they die. And so, we collated the data from 2017 to 2021. Two in 10 have less than $1,000; five in 10 have $1,000 to $10,000; three in 10 have more than $10,000. So, is it excessive? It depends on who we are talking about. Those with $10,000, $30,000. I think that is a lot. Those with less than $1,000, I think is barely enough.
We really need to save their MediSave towards their old age. So, I think some Members have raised this suggestion: can we have a bit more flexibility based on balances? Can we free up the rules a bit? It is conceptually correct, but it is not so easy. It is not a matter of modelling, but being able to cater to individual circumstances.
For a scheme that applies to the whole population, it is never easy to do precise policy. But we will have a go. We will try. We will take in the suggestion. We will try our best.
Since I am standing here, I will answer on behalf of Minister of State Rahayu. Working with other agencies in the community for the north, we might be thinking of different things. On more halal food choices, healthy choices, let us sit together and see whether we can work together with other agencies, including the National Environment Agency.
But what we are thinking about is actually a care model, not so much just food. We will look into that. But a care model where we encourage residents to do early check-ups, enrol for Healthier SG, with the support of a CHP that makes things very easy, a very convenient touchpoint that, together, with local Members of Parliament and advisors, we can make sure that more people respond to our preventive care push.
The Chairman: Dr Haresh Singaraju.
Dr Haresh Singaraju (Nominated Member): Chair, I have two questions. This surrounds clinical capacity. One is on team-based care, as the Senior Minister of State has mentioned, that it has been around since 2015, and that is something which the clusters have done great works and set up frameworks for.
Yet many of the services, nurse-led, pharmacist-led, allied health-led services are underutilised. How exactly will the Ministry help in terms of the national effort to get patients and citizens to understand and trust the care that these providers provide? And second, is on the aspect of Healthier SG enrolment, where we have had residents who have enrolled across public and private. Have we studied the factors to strengthen that relationship such that patients do not drift across?
Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, I thank the Member for his two questions. On the first question of team-based care and whether certain AHP-led services are underutilised. We acknowledge that this is one of the challenges we have to continue to deal with, because patients do have autonomy on who they eventually want the care to be given. So, it is not something that we can do to force person to see a particular professional. And that is why, building rapport is important.
At the same time, we are also signalling that these are professionals that have been trained, given accredited certification to perform at a higher level. And over time, we hope that the lived experience of patients who have seen these professionals will validate some of the outcomes that patients are looking for, so that over time we build confidence, build rapport in the community, and patients will gradually accept the kind of referral pathways that we are channelling to.
One of the things that we are doing in the CHP is to have more nurses actually now fronting many of the conversations for our seniors. It is a good way to socialise to our seniors and our patients that the nurse can deliver many of the care that they already need. So, it will take multiple approach to do this and it will take some time as well. But increasingly, we are also seeing that this capacity will be better utilised by the population.
The second question on enrolment across the different providers, especially in Healthier SG, that indeed is something that we have to continue to work on. Because beyond enrolment is also how well the clients or the patients follow-up with what is needed in the implementation of the care plan. So, we are under no illusion that just because we roll out Healthier SG, everything will be very smooth right at the beginning.
It takes a bit of, not just system change in the providers, in the doctors and the care teams, but also, a gradual shift in the mindset of our population as well. So, it is something that we have to continue to do. There is no magic bullet to this and it is not something we can achieve overnight.
The Chairman: Dr Hamid Razak.
Dr Hamid Razak (West Coast-Jurong West): Chairman, I would like to ask two clarifications. One, for Minister of State Rahayu. I really welcome the care protocols for osteoporosis, such as frailty, from 2028. I would like to ask, if, as part of this care protocol, whether there will be intentional strategy to include early education for those in their 30s and 40s, precisely because peak bone mass and peak muscle mass happens much earlier through lifestyle interventions, such as nutrition, resistance exercises and vitamin D, whether that is going to be part of the strategy, so that we can frame this, not just as an ageing issue, but a life course preventive strategy?
Next clarification to the Minister. Really, I think a lot of the physicians will welcome that hereditary cancers will now be included as part of the coverage. I would like to ask because this is a high-risk group and risk reduction treatment in this group will definitely entail high costs, whereas MediShield Life is a principle of risk-pooling and this may be actually competing interests, whether the Ministry will look at design implications for MediShield Life as well as treating the treatment costs for these high-risk individuals in a single concept rather than as an episodic treatment? Because there may be a time lapse risk-reduction treatment for a healthy breast versus a breast that has already cancer detected and this will be supplemental cost throughout the life course of an individual.
Ms Rahayu Mahzam: Thank you for that question. The care protocols are still being developed. I thank the Member for this suggestion – something that we can look into. What we do is that we take guidance and recommendations from the Screening Test Review Committee as well as the Agency for Care Effectiveness Clinical Guidelines. So, there are some evidence and data that we will use in determining these protocols. But what the Member has raised will be something we will take back and will consider to be included.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: On HBOC, I hope I get the Member's question right. We actually did the modelling because risk-reducing mastectomy saves future treatment costs and overall, actually, the impact on MediShield Life is quite negligible, which is why we are prepared to do this.
The Chairman: Dr Choo Pei Ling.
Dr Choo Pei Ling (Chua Chu Kang): Mr Chairman, I thank the Minister for his comprehensive response. In Tengah, Singapore's newest town with many young families, something quite remarkable is happening. Since last year, I have met 19 sets of twins among residents there. It reflects the stage of life many couples in Tengah are in as they begin building their families.
As the Minister noted, healthcare needs for younger population are often episodic. But towns, like Tengah, also gives us a rare opportunity to start prevention early. Could the Minister share how MOH is working with other agencies so that preventive health can be built into new towns, like Tengah, right from the start, rather than introduce only when populations have already aged?
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Some of the basic steps — It is like a fruit tree. We go for the lowest hanging. Then, we go higher and higher. Sometimes, we think of the highest first. The lowest is what Dr Haresh mentioned. We got to stick to one doctor, one GP, where he becomes our family doctor, advises us on the health of our family. Hence, Healthier SG.
So, a new town, like Tengah, please go for it and get as many people as we can, enrol for Healthier SG. After that, ensure that they follow up with their check-ups, with their vaccinations, with their health screening. It will help if the Member promotes anti-smoking, enforce against vapes. All these are very basic steps to ensure good health. Put all these in place.
Beyond that, we will be more than happy to work with Dr Choo, with other agencies, to see what other health programmes we can implement in the Tengah town.
The Chairman: Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang): Sir, I have three clarifications for Senior Minister of State Koh. The first relates to the new accelerated pathway for clinical psychologists. So, my clarification is, what is the projected increase in the number of entrants to the profession as a result of this, in the future?
My next clarification relates to the announcement of the registration of psychologists. I want to thank MOH for announcing this. I know there are a lot of people in the profession who actually really anticipate this, and they are very happy to hear this. I have two clarifications relating to this, and they were actually part of my cut.
The first is, what is the support for people who are aspiring to enter the profession? Because as I mentioned, the practicums and the supervision costs can be quite prohibitive. My clarification relates to what is the Ministry doing, or how is the Ministry looking to address some of the concerns about barriers to entry for professionals who are interested in entering the professions? And then, the second point is, for people who are actually seeking these services, for clients, what support is available if they have, in the meantime before these registration requirements come in, what recourse do they have and what support do they have if they have concerns about professional ethics and standards?
Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, I thank the Member for her three clarification questions. On the first question about how many psychologists will end up eventually in the system and what does the new pathway mean in terms of increasing the headcounts, I would say it is probably very hard to tell at the moment. The course, I think the initial phase of intake will only be about for 10. So, we will also see what the uptake is from the first intake of the course. But bear in mind that there is also a pathway for existing psychologists to upgrade. So, that is an existing pathway. We need to actually just sense out what is the demand overall from the undergraduates as well as the in-service psychologists over time.
The challenge also is because we have not done registration of psychologists before this. So, we do not really have an accurate number how many psychologists there are out there. But offhand, the Singapore Psychological Society has about 1,700 members. Most of them are also practising in the clinical space. So, if we take that as a ballpark, that is roughly probably the numbers that we are going to start with when we formally do the registration. But in time to come, once the registration is done, we will have a better grasp of the situation.
On the second question of what support will be given to the aspiring students who may want to enter the course, we are still in the midst of discussing with the institutions. But I would say, minimally, they will have to meet entry criteria, because that standard is not something we can lower. But beyond that, other support measures, like whether there will be subsidies for the course fees, it will largely, my understanding is, it will be in line with what the IHLs have today. So, if you are a Singaporean student, you will expect that there will be some subsidies to the fees.
The third question on how can the public, who may want to seek psychological care, know who is legitimate. In the meantime, before registration, it will be very hard for us to provide a detailed list of the individual specialists or psychologists. But perhaps, what they can do is to check whether this individual is registered, at least for the moment, with the Singapore Psychological Society. Because at least, that is the community of practice that is recognised as peers. So, that will be a place to start for now. But certainly, for those psychologists who are practising in our public healthcare institutions, there is already a governance framework in place and the public should at least be comforted that these are the ones that have already been under supervision and recognised by our public healthcare institutions.
The Chairman: Mr Pritam Singh.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Just two questions from me. One pertains to my cut on healthcare manpower. I also note the comments made by various officeholders about the super-aged society that we are here now. In line with this, is the Ministry looking at new indicators or data points with regard to how the healthcare system is working in this new environment? For example, we have got healthcare institution statistics, which MOH helpfully releases now, attendance at emergency medicine departments, time for admission to wards and bed occupancy rates. I think these are helpful.
But could there be other indicators that also would be helpful for the public, for example, waiting times at polyclinics? And would there be other indicators that reflect on how well the healthcare system is doing, looking after, especially given the new environment that we are in?
My second clarification deals with the other cut I had about the additional withdrawal limits. I take the Minister's point about MediSave and the karma of MediSave, that there will always be greater demands on it to deal with expenditures. But, of course, with the basic healthcare sum also increasing year-on-year, this would be inevitable to some extent. To that end, can I enquire whether there would be some consideration as to increasing the additional withdrawal limits through MediSave as well?
Mr Ong Ye Kung: I will put Mr Pritam Singh's suggestion into our wish list, which is getting quite long. We review this every year and the next time, we will review the wish list entirely. But to manage the Member's expectation a little bit, the focus of MediSave, I totally get the tension between big lumpy episodes versus recurrent expenses. But all these are done in the context of ensuring subsidised healthcare is affordable and minimising out-of-pocket expenses for Singaporeans. Additional withdrawal limits are for private insurance. So, we will keep that in mind.
As for the Member's first question, there are so many indicators in MOH. If the Member files a Parliamentary Question, I will have so many indicators to tell him that we are monitoring and that includes waiting times, Emergency Departments, polyclinics, bed occupancy rates, average length of stay across different settings. These are the immediate operational indicators.
Medium-term, we are hoping to make some impact in terms of enrolment into Healthier SG, follow up with the check-ups, rate of screening, rate of vaccinations. And in the even longer term, the health of the population, in terms of prevalence of chronic diseases, mortality rate for cancer, for example. So, the range of key performance indicators (KPIs) runs into hundred and beyond, but we will continue to monitor all of them.
The Chairman: Mr Cai Yinzhou.
Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Chairman. I have four supplementary questions. The first is for Senior Minister of State Koh. It was mentioned that there was a Masters in audiology. But my question is whether we have plans for a diploma or undergraduate in audiology, as well as podiatry, which I understand we do not have any localised courses as stated on the NUHS website.
My second clarification is for Senior Minister of State Tan on flexible work arrangements for supporting caregivers. I understand that flexible work arrangements are differing context to context and workplace to workplace. How can MOH help to formalise the caregiver status and legitimise their need for flexibility in a way that they can better demonstrate to their employer the need for that flexibility?
The third question is on the Integrated Community Care Provider arrangements. I thank Senior Minister of State Tan for sharing about the One Care Assessment Plan and one assessment, which is clinical. Would there be enhancements in the pipeline beyond clinical outcomes to also having access one financial assessments, as well as a one employment coordinator for seniors who might be looking for part time employment?
My last question is on social prescription. We do see the need for social prescription in combating loneliness, which, as Senior Minister of Tan had highlighted, is equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. My question is, as we measure medical prescriptions, how are social prescriptions therefore measured and interventions tracked?
My question also stems from how AAC participation is the current measure from a previous Parliamentary Question that I filed regarding attendance as well as participation. How can we better take into account other areas that the seniors might be active in, for example, in faith-based or Community Club or Centre events or course-based initiatives that they might be volunteering at? How do we take that into account? Senior Minister of State Tan also highlighted there were studies ongoing with schools and if he could share a bit more details about what that entails?
Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, I thank the Member for his question on audiologists. In general, a qualified audiologist in Singapore needs a higher level of certification because a diploma level may not be quite enough to perform the task. So, we will look and see whether there is a way to actually find an in-between. But ultimately, we cannot sacrifice standards just to meet the needs of people who want to take a shorter course to get there. The first thing is to maintain standards.
But there are actually some of these audiology programmes that are done at a lower level. For example, I do believe that there are some basic industrial audiometry course at Temasek Polytechnic, but that is really more for industrial application of technicians who are actually screening at the industry level, not so much as a clinical setting where you actually provide services at the hospital.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: I will answer the last question and for the first two questions, Senior Minister of State Tan Kiat How will answer.
Social prescription, can it be tracked? Realistically, it cannot be tracked, because it is your life. We are there to provide the support, the funding, to make it as easy as you can come to the AAC to participate. But as to what you do with your life, I am afraid I cannot track it and I do not think I should track it. But please enrol for Healthy 365 – at least, the app will help you track.
Mr Tan Kiat How: Sir, I will try to answer the questions from Mr Cai. To Mr Cai, please correct me if I heard your questions wrongly, because I was trying to get all your four questions. One of the questions was, whether social prescriptions are part of the One Care Assessment Plan. That is actually part of the Healthier SG, where the care plan also includes the social prescription. For example, diet, lifestyle, exercise and many more other areas. So, certainly, that should be part of that care plan, but this goes beyond what the Integrated Community Care Provider does, which focuses more on seniors and the needs of those seniors.
Mr Cai also asked if the the Integrated Community Care Provider and Agency for Integrated Care could cater for different sorts of activities, like faith-based volunteering or maybe for seniors who are interested in gardening as a social activity.
I would say that we are just starting to roll out the the Integrated Community Care Provider framework starting this year and over the coming years, and this is a non-trivial exercise across 84 sub-regions in Singapore – bringing together different parties and partners. In each area, each sub-region, there are different providers, different parties providing different services – from befriending services, rehabilitation services and many more.
So, bringing the different partners together, having a common language in which to discuss, understand and reach out and provide services to a senior is non-trivial. Having a standardised tool based on this assessment, developing a care plan, implementing this care plan and getting our seniors to go through the care plan entirely is non-trivial. So, I would say, let us take one step at a time and there are already many activities and other partners in the community providing different services and volunteering opportunities for seniors. We welcome it. It is really part of the fabric of a diverse community and very much part of the \"we first\" society.
The Chairman: Mr Fadli Fawzi.
Mr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied): Chairman, I have a clarification for Minister of State Tan Kiat How. I would like him to confirm whether MOH will take up my suggestion of a caregiver passport and whether MOH has any considerations which may prevent the suggestion from being adopted.
Mr Tan Kiat How: Sir, let me take the opportunity to also answer Mr Cai's question that I missed out earlier about flexible work arrangements and how can we work with different partners on that. I mentioned in my speech the different Ministries' efforts to support caregivers, and we understand the challenges that caregivers face, juggling between work and care. This is something they are working on, including flexible work arrangements and other initiatives. We will continue to work with our colleagues and other partners in the community.
And Mr Fadli Fawzi's question around the caregiver passport, if I get it correctly, that he has referenced in his cut, from the UK. As I mentioned in my speech earlier, I think Mr Fawzi was not in the room, we certainly welcome all suggestions from Members, including suggestions that other Members have raised as part of this MOH COS and in other occasions.
Specifically to his suggestion, I looked at it online. I must caveat to say that the information I got was what I could glean from online resources. It is a ground-up initiative in the UK and it is a way for the different parties involved ranging from hospitals to supermarkets he mentioned supermarkets earlier – to show care and support for caregivers. For example, some hospitals may provide longer visiting times. The hospital canteen may give some discounts to caregivers eating there and some supermarkets might give some discounts too. It is a ground-up initiative, where different parties come in.
Because it is a ground-up initiative, I understand that the implementation can be quite uneven. Caregivers going to different parts of the city in the UK may have different experiences. Going to different supermarkets will have different experiences. Some supermarkets do provide the support, some do not. It is a voluntary effort. And like many ground-up initiatives, we certainly welcome them. And there are many funding schemes in Government to support ground-up initiatives. If Mr Fadli Fawzi knows of individuals or parties who want to support our caregivers and organise a ground-up effort, we will look at those proposals.
The Chairman: Dr Wan Rizal.
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): Thank you, Chairman. Three clarifications for Senior Minister of State Koh. Senior Minister of State had shared earlier about the NMHO that was established to coordinate multi-agency initiatives. What would the Senior Minister of State Koh be able to share what are their KPIs, for example, whether there is a reduction in average wait times, improve care continuity, reduce crisis presentations? And how often will this, if any, be reported?
Senior Minister of State also mentioned that tied care and a no-wrong door approach, which I welcome. Will MOH share the desired service standards, for example, maximum time to first contact, maximum time to first clinical appointment for moderate or high risk cases and escalation protocols across settings?
And my third and final one is Senior Minister of State spoke about retention measures for nurses and allied health staff. Are there any retention levels for psychologists specifically? For example, specialist track, progression and the public sector pay competitiveness.
Dr Koh Poh Koon: Sir, on the first question regarding KPIs for the NMHO, I did mention in my earlier Parliamentary Question replies a few days ago that our key focus now is on building capacity, because in ensuring enough capacity to meet the needs of those who may need to seek help, naturally, it will reduce many of these waiting times. But what is important is that putting forth the First Stops for Mental Health, which is accessible – for example, mindline.sg is 24 hours and is accessible and it is anonymous – would really remove the key barriers that are holding everyone back from seeking at least the first contact point to get some advice and seek further help.
And in terms of KPIs, therefore, the First Stops would not have waiting time. There is a 24/7 available chatbot. There are counsellors who are manning the phone lines that you can actually call anytime to speak to them or to text them on WhatsApp. So, I think from that first touchpoint, there is really no waiting time.
But what is important is to make sure that the individual who gets into the first touchpoint, is prepared to also receive help from higher tiers of care if they need to. Often time, this is where the challenge is. Many of them will be reluctant to move on to the next tier of care, because as all of us have dealt with in a community on challenging individuals with mental health issues, sometimes getting them to even come forward to seek help is the problem. It is not that the resources are not there, but they are not willing to come forward.
And it is multi-factorial. It is difficult, so it is really about convincing them, working with them, earning their trust. And we hope that some of the First Stop resources we put forth will be a way in which our counsellors can convince the individual through a phone call to be prepared to step forward and receive care.
Having said that, that will flow into the second question on the Tiered Care Model, on whether there are ways to monitor those who are at high risk and whether they receive care. Again and following from the train of thought, I would want to assure the Member that those who are deemed to be high risk will always be prioritised. So, for example, if they receive counselling online or through a phone call and the counsellor assesses that this individual is at risk of suicide ideation, they will try their very best to convince the individual to step forward and receive care. And if the person is prepared to come forth, there will be a protocol to fast track them to make sure that they receive immediate attention from a qualified psychiatrist or even present at the A&E in IMH, where care can be immediately rendered.
Like I said, the biggest hurdle is whether they are prepared to step forward and not really the care capacity per se.
So, I hope this is something that the Member can understand, why it is not meaningful for us to track some of these timelines, because the counterfactual is unmeasurable. There is no way to measure who are at risk and whether they turn up or eventually they become a suicide case. The counterfactual is unable to be validated. So, we will therefore, focus on putting forth resources, to make sure that if they are prepared to step forward, the resources will be available.
On the third question on retention for psychologists. I think let us take one step at a time. We are starting with registration to give formal recognition to those who are practising in higher risk sub-sectors in psychology and making sure that the quality, the standards and the support is given to them to deliver the care that the clients and the patients need.
At the moment, we are not looking at anything more than that for now. But let us take it one step at a time.
Certainly, in the healthcare sector, we also have given out retention and measures to AHPs, I think it was in just about 2025, if I am not wrong. So, we will look at it holistically as part of supporting our AHPs.
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): My question is for Minister Ong. Sir, I mentioned lumpy medical expenditure in my cut, not just in the context of end of life care, but actually also on an ongoing basis. And this is based on feedback that I have received from residents.
At the same time, I am keenly aware of what Minister mentioned about the inherent tension between current and future usage, and that is why my suggestion to allow a carry over of unused annual limits for just up to three years, may actually balance the prudent drawdown constraints, while also permitting a flexible usage to meet lumpy needs.
So, if I may frame my question posed in my cut another way: what does the Minister perceive might be the logistical or behavioural difficulties that is associated with allowing this sort of limited carry-over of annual MediSave limits?
Mr Ong Ye Kung: I am not going to immediately say \"Yes, good idea\", or \"No, we will reject it\". I think it is an interesting idea. As I say, we review the scheme every year. I do want to see how we can create more flexibility and we will take your suggestion into account.
The Chairman: Mr Yip Hon Weng.
Mr Yip Hon Weng (Yio Chu Kang): Thank you, Mr Chairman. My clarification is on ageing and the super-aged society. Of the seniors living within the vicinity of the AACs, what proportion of them are actually actively engaged? That is the first clarification.
And secondly, I understand that offices, like the SGO, do proactively engage seniors in their premises, but what else are we doing differently to engage seniors who are socially isolated who may not voluntarily step forward to join the AAC activities?
Mr Tan Kiat How: Sir, as I mentioned in my speech earlier, we have expanded the footprint of the AACs to about 230 centres. We have done so over the last two years. We serve about 100,000 seniors now and we want to do more in a few aspects.
First, it is not just the number of the AACs; which is one thing. The number of AACs make it more convenient, easier for seniors to come by to an AAC near their home and in an environment they are familiar with, in a neighbourhood they are familiar with. That is why we have expanded the footprint.
But beyond the number of AACs, it is also the activities that the AACs do to make it meaningful for the seniors, so that they come by and they are not socially isolated. They come by, they participate, they are engaged, they make new friends. And hopefully, they also can make changes to their lifestyle so that they can be healthier and happier.
And in the coming years, we will do more to expand the number of activities that AACs do, going beyond maybe just doing, for example, activities like healthy rumba and so on, to also create more awareness about health and also having CHPs within the AACs to provide services to our seniors. And we will continue to explore how we can do more. So that it is not just quantity, but the kind of activities.
Thirdly, at the SGO, we have Silver Generation Ambassadors who reach out to seniors. As I mentioned, since 2022, they have engaged more than 600,000 seniors. They do so not just to reach out and speak to the seniors – they do befriending as well as preventive health visits – understanding the circumstances of the seniors that they visit at home, what kind of needs the seniors have, what kind of family circumstances are behind the closed door, and identify services, especially those near the seniors' homes, that are relevant to them and connect them to those services – whether it is AACs, SCCs or even mental health services.
The Silver Generation Ambassadors go beyond just doing visitations. They also provide a valuable touchpoint to the community and a connector to services that are around the vicinity of the senior.
We will want to do more for seniors who are socially isolated. We have been working with community partners, not just AACs and SCCs, but also other organisations in the community, including faith-based organisations and voluntary organisations to reach out to those seniors. We are working very closely with them.
That is where the ICCP comes in. For seniors who are discharged from public health institutions, that is, hospitals, how can we make sure that those seniors are not left alone, are not forgotten? That is where the referral process comes in with the ICCP. ICCP will work out the assessment and care plan for those seniors and crowd in partners to reach out to those seniors, especially those who live by themselves.
So, to the Member's point, I welcome any suggestions. This is an important priority for MOH in the coming years.
The Chairman: Ms Sylvia Lim.
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Thank you, Sir. I would like to return to the Minister's TikTok video. I should clarify that I do not usually watch his TikTok videos, but that particular one was referred to me.
I heard feedback from some people in the insurance industry that that video on IPs and riders created an impression in some members of the public that riders were not really necessary. In the video, riders were symbolised by a wooden horse. I think at one point in time, the Minister flicked the horse off the table.
I do not know whether the Minister is aware of that feedback that that video may have given the impression to members of the public that riders are not really that useful. Could he take this opportunity to reaffirm again that riders are indeed prudent for the reasons that I have mentioned in my cut?
Mr Ong Ye Kung: It is a challenge when attention span is so short and you try to put so much information in a short video.
I am not surprised the insurance industry gave you that feedback, but I think the video and the information that we have been putting out is a serious one, which is you have to examine if you really need a rider.
Let us go back a bit. The purpose of insurance is to cover expenses that we cannot afford. For most of us, it is because if we have a big inpatient episode running into tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars, a big bill, the insurance plus subsidy can cover it.
The rider does not do that job. We put cancer aside, the rider covers co-payment. The rider covers deductibles and the 5% co-payment. That is the core purpose of the rider.
Therefore, look at it carefully. Talk to your financial advisor. Given your premium, as you get older, the rider premium goes up the most, balance the cost and benefit to see if a rider is suitable for you.
I think the core message of the video continues to be accurate, that we should really take a look at our financial needs, what risks are we trying to protect and examine – do I need a rider? If I need a rider, will the new riders that the insurance companies are introducing in April, where you cover less of co-payment but at a much lower cost, are they more suitable for me? Take those steps.
Needs are varying. Different people have different needs. Some really wish to pay more premium in order to cover as much as you can. So be it. But for others, especially those who use public health institutions, use subsidised care, take a close look if you really need the rider.
The Chairman: Ms Lim. A quick one.
Ms Sylvia Lim: Thank you, Sir. To follow up with the Minister, is it not the case that if you do not have a rider, there is an exposure that the patient will have to pay hospitalisation bills at 10% without any cap? That is one of the concerns about loss limits in that sense.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: That is not quite accurate. If you are talking about riders, if you do not have a rider at all, yes, you do co-pay the 10%. If you are considering, I go to a private hospital where my bill may run up to hundreds of thousands of dollars and I want to protect myself against that 10% co-payment, yes, a rider may be suitable for you.
But do remember, as you get older, in your 70s, in your 80s, premium runs up to $10,000 a year. Without that rider, you are saving that premium. So, do your calculations. Talk to your financial advisor.
But if you are always seeking care in a subsidised public health setting, MediShield Life kicks in, plus subsidies, it is very unlikely you are exposed to tens, hundreds of thousands of dollars of exposure should you fall sick. Then, consider whether a rider is suitable for you. Remember, that in a public health institution, when you cannot afford it, there is MediFund that you can always apply for.
The Chairman: On that note, I think all clarifications have been asked and responded to. Can I invite Ms Mariam Jaafar, if you would like to withdraw your amendment?
Ms Mariam Jaafar: I thank Members for the robust debate. I think healthcare is probably one of the most complex Ministries. On behalf of this Health Government Parliamentary Committee, I would like to say thank you to the healthcare family, from everyone at MOH to the frontliners in the hospitals and community. With that, I seek to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $20,035,377,700 for Head O ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $2,467,566,400 for Head O 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 X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)","subTitle":"A caring and inclusive society that supports all in every stage of life","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Chairman: Head X, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). Mr Alex Yam.
Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee): Chairman, I move, \"That the total sum to be allocated for Head X of the Estimates be reduced by $100.\"
In quieter times, discussions about national identity can feel philosophical, even abstract. But we certainly do not live in quiet times today.
The world around us is very much unsettled. War rages again in the Middle East. Major powers are contesting influence across regions and supply chains. Strategic rivalry is intensifying. Closer to home, regional tensions periodically flare as well.
For a small and open country like ours, these developments are not distant headlines. They are reminders that the global environment is becoming more fragmented and uncertain.
In such a world, national resilience cannot rest only on economic strength or military capability. It must also rest on something less visible but equally vital and that is social trust – the confidence that fellow citizens will stand together when it matters.
This is the essence of what we mean when we speak about a \"we first\" society.
But building such a society today is not so straightforward. Singaporeans, understandably, are focused on bread-and-butter issues. Families worry about the cost of living. Parents think about their children's future. Workers are adapting to technological disruption and economic uncertainty.
In a fast-paced and demanding society, it is natural for people to focus first on their own households. Yet if everyone looks only inward, the invisible threads that hold a nation together will loosen.
A \"we first\" national identity cannot be built by slogans alone. It cannot rely only on campaigns or occasional events. It must be experienced in daily life and reinforced through habits.
Singapore begins from a position of strength. Surveys by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) consistently show relatively high levels of trust in our public institutions. Community participation and volunteering have grown steadily over the years.
But trust is not a static asset. It must be continually renewed.
International comparisons are perhaps instructive for us. In many Nordic societies, more than 60% to 70% of citizens say they trust people they do not know personally. These are among the highest levels of social trust anywhere in the world.
Such trust did not arise by accident, of course. It is the product of social norms and institutions that encourage citizens to participate actively in community life.
Take Denmark, for example. There is a deeply rooted tradition known as \"föreningsliv\". It refers to a vibrant culture of associations where citizens organise sports clubs, cultural groups and volunteer initiatives. Many of these organisations are run not by professionals but by ordinary citizens.
These associations build horizontal bonds across age, profession and background. They create the social networks that sustain trust.
In the Netherlands there is the concept of \"gezelligheid\". This word has no perfect English translation, but it captures a sense of warmth, togetherness and shared belonging. It reflects the idea that communal life matters, that it is not merely a collection of individuals pursuing individual goals.
In Japan, the \"Yakult Ladies\" play a vital social safety-net role, keeping a super-aged society connected.
These examples remind us that social cohesion is not automatic. It is cultivated deliberately through everyday practices. So, for us, we must begin with our young. Schools are places where students prepare for life. They are also where civic instincts are formed. Programmes that bring students into contact with different segments of society can deepen empathy and a sense of shared responsibility.
In workplaces, many Singaporeans spend a large part of their lives at work. Employers therefore have an opportunity to foster environments where collaboration across backgrounds, nationalities and skills is valued and where corporate volunteering helps employees contribute beyond their professional roles.
In our neighbourhoods as well, those are the most immediate setting where \"we first\" instincts can flourish.
Singapore's housing model has long been a quiet but powerful engine of social cohesion. But as lifestyles change, we need to reinforce face-to-face engagements so that neighbours do not become strangers. Initiatives that bring residents together can help restore that sense of familiarity with each other.
We must recognise that much of our national conversation takes place online.
Digital platforms have extraordinary reach. But they also amplify outrage, misinformation and polarisation. So, for a diverse and multicultural society like ours, cultivating digital citizenship is also essential. Our online spaces must reflect the same values of responsibility and mutual respect as we do in our physical spaces.
We must also continue to bridge differences across generations and socioeconomic groups between the old and the young. Creating opportunities for these generations to interact will help anchor our national identity in both memory and renewal.
We must guard against social silos forming as economic pressures rise. A \"we first\" society must ensure that compassion and mutual support remain embedded within our social compact.
Chairman, therefore, I look forward to hearing how MCCY intends to further embed the ethos of \"we first\" across multiple aspects of society so that our national identity is formed through participation, not just persuasion.
It will be the quiet but enduring conviction amongst our people that our fate is shared, and that when the world is more turbulent, Singaporeans will instinctively do what we have always done best – to put \"we\" before \"me\". Because in this uncertain world, the greatest strength Singapore possesses will not just be our economy or institutions, but our people.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our young people face a lot of pressure – school, exams, social media. Many are quietly asking themselves: \"Who am I and where do I belong?\"
When stress, identity and belonging collide, our mosques can be more than just places of worship. They can be safe harbours. Mosques can be powerful partners for youth well-being, because they offer community, meaning, trusted adult that provide guidance.
For many youths, struggles with anxiety or identity are not just emotional questions. They are spiritual ones. They are questions about purpose, about self-worth, about their relationship with their faith. Spiritual guidance is not separate from well-being.
I am encouraged that Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura or MUIS) and the mosque sector have been stepping up on youth engagement, including initiatives, like NEXTGEN. But we need to do three things.
First, listen. Give youths a real voice. Involve them in sustained youth co-design at district and congregational levels, so programmes speak to real challenges youth face.
Second, equip. When a young person is struggling, they may approach an ustaz or a youth leader long before they approach formal services. Are we ready for that moment? Can we consider piloting trained youth counsellors in mosques, peer support groups and formalising clear referral pathways? Spiritual guidance and professional care must work hand-in-hand.
Third, reach out. We cannot wait for youths to walk through the doors of the mosque. We must go to them instead. Bring mentoring and resilience workshops into community spaces and digital platforms. Meet them where they are.
Every young Malay/Muslim deserves to know: they are seen, they are valued, they are supported – in faith and in life. When our youths are anchored in faith and supported in well-being, our community – and our nation – are stronger.
Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi (Nee Soon): The Singapore College of Islamic Studies (SCIS) is an investment into the next generation of religious leadership and scholarship for the local Muslim community and builds on the existing work and contributions of our madrasahs and religious institutions here.
How will SCIS ensure that its programmes will maintain high standards of Islamic scholarship relative to other institutions around the world, with the aim of producing graduates who not only contribute to the needs of the Muslim community but extend their depth of scholarly knowledge, wisdom and expertise to also benefit wider Singapore society and indeed, the world as a whole?
How does the Minister see SCIS' importance, centrality and development in the context of today's global developments and SCIS' potential contributions alongside Singapore's nation building efforts and forward aspirations as a country?
Mr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, in January, I asked a Parliamentary Question about the population planning parameters used to determine whether a new mosque will be built, and whether these parameters include not only Muslim residents, but also the daytime Muslim working population and Muslim foreign workers.
The Minister's answer did not reveal the specific population planning parameter or the exact mosque-to-Muslim-resident ratio, that the Government uses.
My question was prompted by the planned closure of Masjid Al-Firdaus in Choa Chu Kang. Although located in an isolated area, this mosque has served the spiritual needs of the community, including National Servicemen stationed nearby and foreign workers employed in the area, for more than 60 years.
Masjid Al-Firdaus is to be closed once a new mosque in Tengah is completed. This raises the question: what are the specific planning parameters to determine whether and when a mosque should be closed down, relocated, expanded or newly built? Does the Government have a target mosque-to-Muslim-resident population ratio, and if so, may we have some clarity on it?
Moreover, while we rely on planning parameters to determine how many mosques to build, we must also consider heritage beyond numbers.
For example, because of historical settlement patterns, we still have kampung-style mosques in sparsely populated areas, like Masjid Omar Salmah in Bukit Brown or Masjid Hang Jebat in Queenstown. These mosques may no longer have large congregations but still have long histories that carry meaning for the community.
When new housing estates are built, will it be the policy to rationalise the number of mosques by relocating or closing old mosques, like Masjid Al-Firdaus?
As the Minister noted, mosques are funded by the community through the Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF). Mosques have always been community resources and anchors of faith, history and identity, built through sacrifice and collective effort. How can we strike a better balance between prudent urban planning with heritage preservation?
Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik (Sengkang): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Since its launch on 3 August 2024, only 150 Muslims have designated Wakaf Masyarakat Singapura (WMS) as a beneficiary in their wills or nominations. This represents merely 0.1% of Muslims over 60 years old, and an even smaller fraction of our entire Muslim population. These numbers should give us pause.
WMS has the potential to become the financial backbone supporting the SCIS, ensuring the continuity of our madrasahs and covering the operating and leasing costs of our mosques. Beyond funding institutions and infrastructure, WMS funds are expected to flow toward social support programmes, education and youth development – investments that will shape the character and capability of future generations.
Without adequate contributions, we risk compromising the very institutions and programmes that preserve our religious heritage and nurture our community's potential.
WMS offers every Muslim in Singapore the opportunity to create this perpetual legacy, where there may be constrains to pledge other forms of Waqaf. Every contribution becomes a seed that continuously bears fruit – supporting students, sustaining places of worship and uplifting those in need.
I propose that we significantly expand community engagement through diverse platforms: mosques, community centres, schools, professional associations and student societies. These sessions should empower our community with knowledge of the potential profound spiritual and social impact of WMS.
I would like to ask the Minister:
First, how will the Ministry tailor outreach efforts to reach different segments of our Muslim community? Our community is beautifully diverse – Indian/Muslims, Chinese/Muslims, Arab/Muslims, Malay/Muslims, youth, professionals and seniors. Each group has unique perspectives and preferred communication channels. Will there be targeted programmes that resonate with their specific contexts?
Second, will the Ministry commit to full disclosure of the assets managed under the Fund and to provide regular updates to the estates of contributors once the Fund becomes active? When the community sees tangible evidence of the funds being used responsibly – that a student has graduated, a family has been supported, a mosque has been maintained – it reinforces trust and inspires others to follow suit.
From 150 contributors to thousands – this must be our trajectory. Every Muslim family should consider WMS in their legacy planning, not as an obligation, but as an opportunity to invest in eternity.
Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, I want to address challenges facing many young families. Many belong to the \"sandwich generation\" and face pressure from rising cost of living, while balancing responsibilities of raising children and caring for aging parents. Sometimes, they bear all this without strong family support networks, unlike previous generations.
As a mother, I have went through the early stages of marriage and parenthood that was filled with joy. But when facing new experiences, feelings of confusion, fear and exhaustion may emerge. Preparing breakfast, adjusting to new routines, staying up when the child is crying – all while balancing work and family demands. This can affect the family's well-being.
In this regard, the Bersamamu Programme and Project ARIF have helped many young couples in early marriage and parenthood, providing religious guidance, medical perspectives and practical skills like financial planning.
May I ask about the latest developments on Project ARIF and Bersamamu Programme – how many young couples have benefited from these initiatives? Are there plans to expand services, especially in mental health and wellness support for young couples?
Additionally, can we consider strengthening collaboration with programmes like KidSTART so family support can be implemented continuously?
How will Government increase its outreach and ensure young couples know about these programmes?
With an increasing number of multi-generational families and seniors, our social landscape is clearly changing. I have often advocated on the need to focus on our seniors. At the national level, there are many efforts supporting seniors in their golden years. But can we consider support programmes for multi-generational families living under one roof and our seniors?
Mr Azhar Othman (Nominated Member): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, I would like to request that the Ministry consider allowing MENDAKI funds be used to establish a community of excellence. While we understand that most of the funds are set aside for education, it is important to recognise that the finances within this organisation is still robust.
We need to look beyond education as the sole pathway to success and explore other forms of achievement, like the arts, sports and career development. We want to ensure that every individual receives the necessary support and becomes the best version of themselves.
MENDAKI should also look into providing holistic support to families that encompasses financial literacy education and strengthening family bonds.
MENDAKI should be able to envision how this community can be developed and ensure that the programmes designed to support it are implemented holistically and professionally.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, part of our AI transformation strategy must ensure that our children and youth are equipped not only to use technology, but are also able to create value with it.
In Toa Payoh recently, I met a Secondary 4 student who told me he was interested in AI. However, when asked further, he said he had never coded before and was not sure how to start. What he lacked was not aspiration, but exposure and guidance.
First, how do we assess the effectiveness of efforts to strengthen foundations in literacy, numeracy and digital confidence – especially for Malay/Muslim children who may lack learning support at home?
Second, how are programmes for Malay/Muslim youths aligned more closely with growth sectors – such as applied technology, advanced manufacturing and digital services – so that their participation truly opens pathways to good jobs?
Finally, beyond participation numbers, what outcome indicators are we tracking – such as participant progress and converting industry training into permanent employment – to ensure lasting impact?
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, in our Malay/Muslim community, the family has always been the primary caregivers. Many of our seniors are supported by their children and grandchildren who provide companionship, financial help and daily assistance.
But as family structures evolve and working lives become more demanding, we should ask how do we sustainably support our seniors' social and mental well-being?
On the ground, we see seniors who are widowed and living alone, elderly parents who hesitate to burden their children, or caregivers quietly managing both work and eldercare responsibilities. Many of them do not openly express their difficulties.
This is why social and emotional support must go beyond the occasional event. It must be sustained, trusted and easily accessible.
First, how are we strengthening befriending programmes for seniors, peer support and community touchpoints so that seniors remain socially connected all year long? How can we bring back that \"kampong spirit\" amidst today's modern housing environment?
Second, what can we do to support caregivers within the Malay/Muslim community – especially those in the \"sandwich generation\" balancing work and parental care? Are there accessible support networks and early intervention channels to prevent caregiver burnout?
Third, aside from the number of programme attendees, what indicators do we use to measure actual impact – like reduced isolation, improved emotional wellbeing and stronger inter-generational engagement?
The Chairman: Mr Sharael Taha. You can take your three cuts together.
Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Changi): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.](In Malay): Mr Chairman, our young people are the hope for our community's future. The MENDAKI Tuition Programme has greatly helped our students succeed in their studies. However, our children's future cannot depend on tuition alone.
The key question is: are we really preparing our young people for tomorrow's job market?
Today, the world is changing very rapidly. New industries, such as technology, AI, engineering and the digital economy are expanding. We want to see more of our young people dare to dream, be confident in their abilities and pursue future industries, such as aerospace, AI and cybersecurity.
The Government and community organisations need to have closer partnerships – not only in academic support, but also career exposure, mentorship guidance and real job opportunities.
At M3@Pasir Ris-Changi, we ran programmes, such as Learning Journey, RobotWars and Hackathons to expose our young people to the skills needed in new industries. However, these efforts need to be expanded further. With the establishment of Professional Networks across over 10 industries, how can we leverage these networks to increase awareness about new skills, career pathways and job opportunities, especially for our young people? How can these networks also partner schools, MENDAKI Tuition, M3 programmes and youth organisations, so that more young people get early exposure to future industries?
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] By 2030, Singapore will become an ageing society.
Many seniors visit the mosque daily – not just to pray, but to also seek peace, support and companionship. Mosques play a key role in the lives of our community.
Imagine if mosques could work more closely with agencies, such as Health Promotion Board and the Ministry of Health, as well as partners in the financial sector to provide comprehensive health, financial and social support – everything in a place that they trust and are familiar with.
In Pasir Ris-Changi, Masjid Al-Istighfar together with M3 held a talk on Lasting Power of Attorney, conducted health screenings, as well as fitness activities, such as Yallah Run and Move with Mufti to support the well-being of our seniors.
My question is: How can mosques work more closely with these agencies to provide religious support as well as comprehensive assistance to congregants?
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, the economy is evolving rapidly and we cannot simply be observers. With the establishment of the National AI Council, national AI Mission and AI Champions programme, many new opportunities are opening up.
The question is: are Malay/Muslim businesses ready to step forward into this new world?
Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, I would like to touch on youths transiting from higher education institutions, the Institute of Education (ITE), polytechnics and universities, to the working world.
This transition is an important occasion in every young person's life. In a rapidly changing economy, having a certificate or diploma is no longer enough.
Our youths need early exposure to growth sectors, an understanding of future skills, as well as closer relations with employers.
We want more youths entering good jobs in sectors, such as technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and AI-enabled roles, not by chance, but through clear and planned pathways.
Under Focus Area Four (FA4) of M3, there is scope to strengthen support for this transition in a more structured manner.
The unions and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) are ready to collaborate with MENDAKI, institutes of higher learning, employers and community partners, like MEMBINA Komuniti and 4PM, to enhance career guidance earlier on campus, provide channels to career coaching services and give advice on skills that are more targeted to growth sectors, expand access to industry mentors and professional networks, and lastly, open pathways, such as internships, place-and-train and entry-level roles in high-potential industries.
A more integrated approach like this can help ensure that our youths understand the available opportunities, build confidence and are ready to face the transition more assuredly.
However, this effort will be more effective if supported by strong coordination between Ministries, agencies and educational institutions, so that these transition pathways are well-structured, have clear outcomes and can be scaled up if proven effective.
Thus, I seek the Minister's views on: how does the Government plan to strengthen coordination between Ministries, institutes of higher learning and community partners so that this support for youth transition can be implemented more systematically, with measurable outcomes, and help more of our youth enter good jobs in growth sectors?
Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi (Nee Soon): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Language, tradition and culture are the pillars that strengthen our ethnic identity. These elements shape how we understand and appreciate our respective heritage, and help us find the balance that enables us to build together strength and unity within Singapore's diversity.
Could the Minister update us on the programmes in the works and the current status of the Malay Heritage Centre reopening, which is scheduled this April?
How can the Malay Heritage Centre continue to enhance awareness, knowledge and appreciation of Malay culture, particularly among young people, while contributing to wider efforts to strengthen social cohesion and our collective efforts in nation-building for the future?
Dr Hamid Razak (West Coast-Jurong West): Mr Chairman, Sir, here in Singapore, we are very fortunate to have strong Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs), Indian/Muslim Organisations (IMOs) and other committed partners. But when efforts run in parallel, residents can face repeated touchpoints, gaps between services or a confusing hand-off from one organisation to the other.
This is where the M3 network can play a practical, convening role, strengthening collaborations between MMOs and IMOs and other community partners, so strengths are combined and outreach is more coordinated on the ground. I have two questions for the Minister.
First, how can the M3 network strengthen collaboration between MMOs, IMOs and other community partners, including shared referrals and joint planning, so individuals and families experience one coordinated pathway of help? Could the Minister consider adopting a \"no wrong door\" approach?
Second, will the Minister consider a common playbook for MMOs, IMOs and partners with simple navigation standards and a small, shared set of outcomes, to make outreach more seamless. In Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, I call upon our Malay/Muslim community organisations and grassroots bodies to work hand in hand, rather than operating separately.
Each organisation has its own strengths – some are strong in youth matters, some are strong in family issues, some are strong in education, careers or social services. If we coordinate our efforts, we can reach out to more people, faster and more effectively.
Let us complement each other, share clear frameworks and contribute according to our respective strengths, so that our community can achieve the vision of becoming the best version of ourselves, confident in our identity and continue contributing to Singapore.
(In English): In Tamil, please.
(In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, though the Indian/Muslim community is a small one, it has made sustained contributions to our nation building. The Indian/Muslim community today is diverse. There are many organisations. Every organisation has its own strengths. To seek solutions to the issues in our community, a whole-of-community effort is needed.
What does whole-of-community effort mean? Whole-of-community effort means that MMOs, IMOs and other community organisations must come together and work in unity to achieve our national objectives.
If we work together, our last-mile outreach will be more precise. Let us work together in endeavouring that our young people, our families and those in need progress forward together.
Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim (East Coast): Chairman, I will focus on three areas – the SCIS, strengthening support for Malay/Indian and/or Muslim organisations, and increasing social mobility for our families. Sir, in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The establishment of the SCIS represents an important step towards developing local religious leadership that is capable and attuned to Singapore's unique multicultural society, as well as being well-versed in Southeast Asian dynamics.
Many have high hopes in the success and credibility of SCIS, which is seen as a long-term investment for our community and Singapore.
Last month in Parliament, I posed questions to the Acting Minister regarding SCIS and felt encouraged by his clarification that the establishment of SCIS has been well-received by our regional partners.
Therefore, to bolster confidence in SCIS, it is essential to share information about the efforts that will ensure its quality, governance and desired outcomes.
May I seek clarification on how SCIS will ensure quality control of its programmes, so that graduates will be able to guide our community in the future and concurrently contribute to Singapore?
Beyond academic qualifications, to what extent will the targeted standards emphasise strong religious understanding, comprehensive spiritual capabilities, as well as competencies of graduates guiding the Muslim community in facing current social challenges?
Mr Chairman, as someone who has served over a decade at PPIS – one of the largest MMOs – and a member of the first cohort of the Tunas programme, I deeply understand, cherish and respect our MMOs and IMOs.
The majority of MMOs and IMOs were established before 1965, and have endured to this day – they weathered all storms and stood the test of time.
Each one remains focused on their individual objectives, be it strengthening families and empowering women, supporting workers, nurturing youth or guiding children.
They are experienced organisations that serve as pillars of community trust. MMOs and IMOs are assets to our community.
Therefore, they should be prioritised as long-term strategic partners, with their sustainability being given due attention.
At present, Yayasan MENDAKI has been working to ensure more can benefit from Community Leaders Forum (CLF) funds – a vital effort that must continue. I seek for a summary from the Acting Minister on the CLF fund utilisation rate by MMOs/IMOs and what new initiatives exist to encourage greater uptake.
Secondly, when Kurnia@WGS was launched with the opening of Wisma Geylang Serai in 2019, it sought to unite MMOs and IMOs, making it easier for the community to receive holistic support.
Since January this year, it is understood that these two offices have been merged with M3@Geylang Serai to foster closer cooperation.
I hope the Acting Minister can share more about the achievements and future plans of Kurnia@WGS, and whether this effort will be expanded to other M3 towns, especially M3@Bedok under my purview.
Mr Chairman, regardless of the operator, whether M3, MMOs/IMOs or social service agencies, the mission remains the same – to enhance the quality of life of our community for a brighter future.
Therefore, Singapore's efforts to actively support vulnerable families must continue.
The challenges faced by these families, Mr Chairman, are extremely complex – ranging from financial pressures and health issues to family relationships, employment and even housing matters.
Fortunately, assistance is available from various entities, such as Family Service Centres, Social Service Offices, MMOs, ComLink, Project Dian by M3 and others. Could the Acting Minister please summarise how effective this support ecosystem is for vulnerable families, and share the latest information as well as future plans to enhance Project Dian?
(In English): Chairman, good policy must translate in real life. If coordination exists only on paper, families continue to bear the burden of navigating systems. There has to be shared practice standards, clear referral pathways for continuity of care.
Beyond programmes and subsidies, social capital itself matters too. Community platforms that build social capital, such as professional networks, alumni networks or across community connections, play an important role for social mobility. For social mobility to be sustained across generations, we must be intentional to invest beyond services and subsidies, but in social capital to open doors of opportunities.
Chairman, as it is often said in the House these past two weeks: where you start should not determine where you can go.
The Chairman: Acting Minister Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim.
The Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim): Mr Chairman, with your permission, I will take clarifications after my speech.
Mr Chairman, let me say a few words on the situation in the Middle East. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent civilians in the affected region. The fact that these attacks took place during the holy month of Ramadan deepens the pain felt by many. We are closely monitoring the situation together with colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
I had a video call last night with some of our Singaporean students in the Middle East. They were understandably concerned but are staying calm. I assured them that their safety and well-being is our top priority. We will continue to stay in close contact with them and render any support we can.
We are also in touch with the Association of Muslim Travel Agents (AMTAS). They have advised their member agencies to help affected Umrah travellers with adjustments to their travel plans when needed.
These recent events are a stark reminder that the peace and harmony we have in Singapore is especially precious, and we cannot take it for granted. There is a Malay saying: \"sehati menghadapi, sepakat membangun,\" it means to stand united in overcoming challenges and to work together to build a better future.
This has always been a defining strength of all Singaporeans, and particularly of the Malay/Muslim community. It has helped our community achieve remarkable progress over the years. We have built stronger marriages and more resilient families. Our children are better educated, and many have found good jobs across different sectors of the economy.
We are able to practise our faith, celebrate our culture with pride and live in harmony with friends from other races, religions and cultures. Despite the progress, I recognise that everyone has a different lived experience. During my engagements with the community, I also hear concerns about job security. Some have shared difficulties in trying to access help, and others have called for greater support for those struggling in silence. It is crucial that as we move forward, we ensure that nobody gets left behind.
Mr Chairman, many have asked me what my vision for the community is. While we might each have different circumstances, I envision a Malay/Muslim community where every member can be the best version of themselves at every stage of their lives.
I speak not just for myself, but for my fellow Parliamentary colleagues, our Government agencies, our MMOs, IMOs, volunteers and many others who give of themselves generously every day. Because of them, no member of our community should ever have to walk alone.
By Moving Forward Together, With One Heart, we can achieve our vision to help every member of our community thrive. We will do so through three key pillars.
First, we will uplift individuals across all life stages to provide them with opportunities to succeed. Second, we will develop trusted religious institutions to enrich our community religious life. Third, we will nurture a vibrant cultural sector that celebrates our unique Singaporean Malay arts, culture and identity.
First, we want to uplift individuals and provide them with opportunities to excel at every life stage. Some are already doing well and with the right inspiration, they can reach even greater heights. Others may need an extra helping hand to succeed.
As Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin mentioned, strong families are key to this, as they are the bedrock of our community and society. They nurture values, like responsibility and empathy, shape our identity as a person and build our confidence to navigate life's challenges. Strong families begin with stable marriages, which is why the Bersamamu programme has been so vital to our Muslim community.
Since its launch in 2019, Bersamamu has supported over 36,000 couples, providing access to marriage support and guidance from our Kadi and Naib Kadi. They serve as trusted advisors throughout the couple's early marriage years.
As an example, Mr Radzi Barian Arlandito and Ms Risa Shigemi, a Singaporean-Japanese couple, have benefited greatly from Bersamamu. Their Naib Kadi, Ustaz Mohammed Nazim Bin Rahuma Dulla, provided invaluable advice to help them navigate cultural differences, religious practices and family dynamics. As a mentor to the couple, Ustaz Nazim provided spiritual guidance and connected them with like-minded couples facing similar situations.
To help more couples, like Mr Radzi and Ms Risa, we will be expanding the Bersamamu programme to further strengthen marriage support for Muslim couples.
We will increase the pool of Kadi and Naib Kadi by about 50%, to better support newly wed Muslim couples, especially those who need more assistance. These couples can benefit from additional post-solemnisation face-to-face sessions, to ensure they get a stronger start in their marriage journey.
We will also make it easier for the community to access marriage support services, by deploying family development officers to selected mosques around Singapore. These officers will guide couples through the various national and community programmes that best address their needs, including those with dual caregiving responsibilities.
Taken together, couples can get more help and targeted follow-up for those in higher-risk marriages, so that issues are addressed early before they escalate into crisis.
We will also expand the Bersamamu programme to include parenthood support, for more seamless assistance from marriage to parenthood.
Under the pilot run of Project ARIF, mothers received integrated support from their Kadi and Naib Kadi as well as the medical social workers and healthcare professionals from KK Women's and Children's Hospital. This includes those who do not qualify for KidSTART, so that they continue to receive the necessary support. Some 5,000 couples have benefited from the pilot and demonstrated improved maternal and child health outcomes, in terms of babies completing mandatory immunisations and being breastfed for at least three months.
Starting from June 2026, we will include Project ARIF as a permanent component under the Bersamamu programme. From marriage guidance to parenting support, we are broadening the continuum of care to foster more resilient families and give our children the best headstart in life.
Mr Chairman, we want to provide every child the necessary support and pathways to enable them to seize opportunities for success, regardless of their background. Our community has made significant strides in educational achievement, and investment in education remains a key focus, but I agree with Mr Azhar Othman that we can do more to help every child reach their fullest potential in other areas too.
That is why MENDAKI's 2030 Workplan, which I recently launched with Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, goes beyond nurturing confident learners and includes building stronger families, supporting a future-ready workforce and growing a thriving community.
We recognise that excellence begins early and at home, which is why MENDAKI has strengthened its suite of programmes to support the parenting journey. From April this year, parents can look forward to ReadySetLearn (RSL) Roadshows held in the heartlands, providing convenient access to workshops and resources on supporting their children's holistic growth.
A key component of this support is RSL Maths Explorer, formerly KelasMateMatika, which prepares parents to guide their pre-schoolers in numeracy skills and prepare for math in Primary 1. The results speak for themselves – nine in 10 participating pre-schoolers of this programme entered Primary 1 without requiring Learning Support for Math.
MENDAKI will expand the efforts and roll out RSL Language Explorer, a reading programme designed to equip parents to nurture early literacy in both English and Malay. Together, these programmes will build confidence and strengthen learning, laying the foundation for long-term academic success.
Mr Chairman, for children from families facing greater challenges, attending school regularly can be difficult for various reasons, such as when parents work shifts or when they must care for younger siblings at home. These last-mile gaps prevent them from participating fully in their education, and in turn may affect their holistic development. We are determined to close these gaps by providing the customised support that these children and their families need.
So, I am glad that MENDAKI and the Ministry of Education (MOE), with the support of the Ministry of Social and Family Development and MCCY, have embarked on a pilot programme at selected schools at Tampines to strengthen after-school care and support for our children from Malay/Muslim families who need additional help.
For some families and their children, the help needed could be to provide them better nutrition, a study desk at home or alternative childcare arrangements. For others, it could be connecting them to a trusted mentor who can address motivational issues.
So, under this pilot, a MENDAKI Care Advisor will work with each identified child's family, school or other social service professionals to understand their unique needs and develop an individualised care plan for the child. The partnership between the school and community will provide academic and non-academic support to complement existing school efforts.
This pilot has been launched earlier this year, and I want to thank the participating schools and MENDAKI who have worked tirelessly to make this partnership possible and grassroots advisers Dr Charlene Chen and Acting Minister David Neo, for suggesting this approach to address the needs of students in Tampines who need that additional help. Together, we ensure that no child gets left behind because of circumstances.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked how Malay/Muslim educational initiatives are evolving to prepare our youths for an AI-driven economy, while Mr Sharael Taha asked how MENDAKI can better prepare our children and youths for the future through mentorship and awareness of pathways.
Mr Chairman, MENDAKI's Tuition Programme has helped many students improve in their academic journey. But we cannot rely on tuition alone to prepare our students for the future. This is why MENDAKI has enhanced the programme to the MENDAKI Achievement Programme with two new focus areas.
The first is enrichment, where students will have opportunities to be exposed to programmes in areas, such as AI exploration and robotics. The second area is engagement, where students will be exposed to various education and career pathways.
Today, MENDAKI's Youth Mentoring Office has helped to match mentors to more than 2,500 youths, from Secondary 3 to undergraduates. MENDAKI will be expanding its mentoring programme to start earlier, from Secondary 1 students. This will enable more students and parents to be connected to support systems, such as MENDAKI's Professional Networks, to help them make more informed education and career choices.
Dr Wan Rizal asked how we can support our youths in job transitions. We will create more platforms for our youths to connect and learn from professionals who have succeeded in their chosen fields, as they prepare to enter the workforce.
MENDAKI has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to strengthen AI readiness through targeted workshops and community engagement initiatives. It also seeks to expand access to career advisory services, skills development pathways and employment opportunities. These efforts will put our youths on a better footing to make informed decisions about their career pathways and seize opportunities in growth industries.
Last October, we launched the Malay/Muslim Youth Taskforce, led by Minister of State Rahayu and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Syed Harun to hear from our youths their views on career development, identity and values and how they could contribute to society. Through this taskforce, we hope to keep our policies relevant, and our youths invested in Singapore's future.
The taskforce has since appointed 13 youth consultants, who are leaders from diverse fields including entrepreneurship, sports, digital media, technology, religion and the social sector. They have lined up a series of Youth Conversations in partnership with M3 agencies and the National Youth Council, which will capture the perspectives of youths on various issues close to their hearts and co-create initiatives in support of the national SG Youth Plan. I look forward to hearing their views on bringing the community forward at the upcoming M3 Youth Festival in August.
I have spoken in detail about our youths, but we must also remember our seniors who have given so much of themselves to build a better future for us. Both Mr Saktiandi Supaat and Mr Sharael Taha have asked about how we intend to strengthen holistic support for seniors in our community. I share their concern.
We must ensure our seniors continue to thrive in their golden years. Our Malay/Muslim seniors shared with me that they are doing well but wish to connect more widely and meaningfully with others. Mr Chairman, ageing well is just as much about companionship, dignity and purpose as it is about health and well-being.
So, I was very heartened when Masjid Al-Muttaqin, in collaboration with Ma:een and Muhammadiyah Active Ageing Centre, initiated Santunan Emas, a holistic ground-up effort to provides our seniors and caregivers with religious guidance, social engagement activities and healthcare support.
The programme has since expanded with the support of other mosques, such as Masjid Darul Makmur and Masjid Yusof Ishak, benefiting close to 900 seniors weekly. These mosques also work with partners like the Agency for Integrated Care, National Healthcare Group and the Singapore Hospice Council to reach out to our seniors in nursing homes and hospices.
I recently attended the Santunan Emas roadshow at Masjid Darul Ghufran and witnessed how our mosques, partner agencies and volunteers engage our seniors and their caregivers to support them in different areas of need. This ecosystem of care affirmed the need for a targeted programme for our Malay/Muslim seniors that is developed by the community and for the community.
I have therefore asked MUIS and the People's Association (PA) to support Santunan Emas' efforts, and to help rally resources and agencies across health, social, financial and religious domains.
For example, MUIS will work with Santunan Emas networks at local mosques to identify needs and facilitate partnerships with other community organisations, as well as with healthcare providers to enhance healthcare. PA, with its grassroots network, can also rally fellow seniors to serve as befrienders, mentors and active members of the community. This way, we strengthen not only our services, but also the culture of care and dignity for our seniors.
Mr Chairman, let me turn to our businesses and workers now.
The Prime Minister has outlined comprehensive support measures for businesses in recognition of the challenging economic climate, including a corporate tax rebate. The Budget also provides a booster shot for our businesses and workers to transform for the longer term, including to expand to new markets, to reskill and upskill and to adopt new technologies like AI. Lower-wage workers, in particular, will benefit from the enhancements to the Progressive Wage Credit and Workfare Skills Support schemes, while workers making a career transition will benefit from the expanded SkillsFuture Level-Up programme. I encourage our Malay/Muslim enterprises and workers to make good use of these schemes.
Mr Sharael Taha asked how Malay/Muslim businesses can participate meaningfully in the digital and AI economy. The Government has announced that it intends to harness AI as a strategic advantage. The Champions of AI programme, enhancements to the Enterprise Innovation Scheme and expansion of the Productivity Solutions Grant will be implemented to help businesses confidently transform and grow using AI.
The pursuit of AI must translate into better outcomes, such as stronger livelihoods and more opportunities, so that our community can progress with confidence in this AI economy.
That is why we must make upskilling practical and accessible. As Minister of State Rahayu shared at the Ministry of Digital Development and Information's Committee of Supply (COS) debate, workers can upskill through Langkah Digital, an M3 initiative spearheaded by MENDAKI to strengthen AI and digital literacy amongst our community. This will be done through practical workshops and events to help the community understand how best to make use of AI. This will complement national measures announced by the Prime Minister, including the six months of free access to premium versions of AI tools, to help our community move from learning to applying AI and benefiting from it in their jobs.
Mr Chairman, the efforts I have shared reflect our unwavering commitment to uplifting every member of our community. In doing so, we hope that they are able to contribute back to strengthen the entire community.
Sir, our mosques are at the heart of our community religious life. They are not just places of worship, but community hubs that foster spiritual growth and promote wellness, where faith comes alive through collective prayers, learning and service to others. To stay relevant, our mosques must remain forward-looking and be able to adapt to the evolving needs of our community.
Mr Fadli Fawzi asked how we plan for the development and closure of mosques. As I have shared in this House, MUIS takes into consideration key factors that contribute to the demand for prayer spaces, such as projected population changes, as well as land development plans, including the building of new housing estates. Mosque heritage is important to us. Where mosques have heritage value, MUIS will work closely with mosque leaders and agencies to preserve them, including in situations where relocation is necessary.
We are committed to ensuring our community's religious needs are sufficiently met as Singapore continues to grow. Beyond infrastructure, our mosques provide various programmes that encourage community building. I agree with Ms Mariam Jaafar that our mosques can play a larger role in partnering youths to improve their well-being.
Initiatives, like the NEXTGEN SG Mosque Youth Symposium and mosque dialogue with Mufti, allow our youths to engage our religious leadership on contemporary issues, explore specific concerns of the young and develop ideas to address real issues grounded in faith. Our pastoral care programmes also provide spiritual guidance and support to those facing life's difficulties. This also includes doing activities together. It is not only about dialogues. The mosque leaders and youth go out and spend time and that is where they learn from one another. We will look into the useful suggestions that Ms Mariam Jaafar has raised earlier.
Our asatizah help the community navigate modern issues, such as social challenges, technological advancements and geopolitical conflicts. Being an asatizah today requires not just deep religious knowledge, but the ability to connect with people and bridge different communities with wisdom and compassion. It is crucial that our asatizah embody these values, engage with empathy and develop relevant skills to be effective guides to the community in today's complex global landscape.
Mr Chairman, this is precisely why we must continue developing our religious leadership, and one of our most significant investments in this area is the SCIS. Dr Syed Harun asked how we will ensure that SCIS' programmes will maintain high standards of Islamic scholarship while still meeting the needs of the local Muslim community.
SCIS will be led by our Mufti and supported by distinguished scholars. The curriculum will be inter-disciplinary, incorporating social sciences modules to give our future asatizah well-rounded perspectives and boost their employability in the religious and adjacent sectors.
We are making good progress. SCIS remains on track to open in 2028. We have signed an MOU with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and we are finalising other partnerships with institutions in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco. The SCIS campus development at Rochor is also underway.
Mr Chairman, our mosques, madrasahs and the SCIS are institutions collectively owned by our community. Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked for updates on the WMS. I am happy to share that MUIS has held over 20 outreach initiatives together with various partners, reaching out to different segments, including workers, seniors and the Indian/Muslim community. We have also appointed WMS ambassadors to expand our outreach efforts.
As of February 2026, the WMS has raised over $8.5 million, with contributions from over 15,400 transactions. I strongly encourage those with the means to give back to the community, and this will ensure the financial sustainability of our social and religious needs for generations to come. Only when our religious institutions are strong, are we able to nurture an enriching community religious life.
Mr Chairman, our rich Singapore Malay culture and heritage anchor our identity and sense of community and define us as distinctively Singaporean Malay.
I have always enjoyed attending our community's cultural events. I had the privilege of experiencing Gentarasa SG60 last November. I was struck by the artistic excellence, passion and dedication of the performers who brought our traditions to life with such authenticity. Our cultural expressions serve as vehicles for storytelling, identity formation and intergenerational connection, helping our young understand their cultural roots while inspiring them to contribute their own creative voices to our evolving cultural narrative.
At the heart of our culture and heritage lies the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) in Kampong Gelam.
Dr Syed Harun asked for an update on the MHC's reopening. The MHC will reopen in April this year with Pesta Pecah Panggung – Transcending Boundaries, a festival featuring programmes by over 60 partners showcasing the best of Singapore and Nusantara arts, youth talent and community creativity. I strongly encourage everyone to join these celebrations.
The revitalised MHC will have an expanded mission that goes beyond its traditional role as a repository of artefacts and exhibits. It will become a vibrant hub that offers a variety of programmes, like festivals for children and youth, regular film screenings and community-driven showcases to take the cultural development and placemaking of Kampong Gelam to the next level.
Central to this expanded role will be the MHC's function in deepening documentation and research on Malay culture and heritage as a resource for practitioners and the community.
The MHC will establish a research unit led by an advisory panel with Dr Norshahril Saat as the chair to build a comprehensive body of knowledge about Singapore Malay heritage. This unit will work with stakeholders to identify areas of focus and support long-term aid research by academics and community groups.
Through this effort, we will ensure our cultural narratives are not just preserved, but actively studied, understood and shared with future generations.
However, research and documentation are not enough. We need living practitioners, like Puan Jumaini Ariff, to keep our traditions alive. Puan Jumaini is a passionate practitioner of traditional storytelling who never fails to dazzle with her craft. She speaks fondly of it and shares her hopes for a new generation to continue the tradition of a Penglipur Lara. As I was speaking, I could remember how she was doing it when I was engaging her.
The MHC has also launched an Intangible Cultural Heritage Mentorship Programme, connecting experienced practitioners with young enthusiasts over a 10-week structured programme. This initiative embodies our commitment to ensuring cultural knowledge and skills get passed down seamlessly from one generation to the next, culminating in showcases through MHC, where mentees can demonstrate their newly acquired expertise and contribute fresh perspectives to age-old traditions.
When our culture is alive and vibrant, it not only becomes a source of pride for us, but it enriches the multicultural fabric that makes Singapore special.
Mr Chairman, I have outlined our plans to strengthen our community across the three pillars.
We will uplift individuals by providing them opportunities to succeed at every stage of their lives. We will enrich our community religious life by developing trusted religious institutions. And we will nurture a vibrant cultural sector that celebrates our unique identity.
These goals build on the solid foundation that our community leaders have already established over the years.
For instance, M3 brings together MENDAKI, MUIS and the People's Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (PA MESRA) to address community issues through focus areas and M3@Towns. However, as Dr Hamid Razak and Ms Hazlina Halim have pointed out, we must broaden our collaborative networks to achieve these goals.
We will therefore expand and rebrand M3 to M3+. We want to emphasise greater collaborations between M3 agencies and our community partners as we strategise nationally in each of the focus areas and deliver programmes at the M3@Towns level.
I hope that M3+ will better recognise the specialised knowledge and community links of MMOs, IMOs, informal groups and individual contributors who are already doing excellent work on the ground. In fact, this is already being done in some areas.
For example, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the M3 Engagement Coordination Office at PA have been working with Jamiyah's Darul Islah Halfway House, Pertapis's Halfway House and PPIS's Rise Above Halfway House to strengthen the rehabilitation and reintegration efforts. They have facilitated training sessions for over 300 ex-offenders to develop financial and practical skills that will empower them to build sustainable futures for themselves and their families.
At the town level, the Association of Muslim Professionals has also worked with M3@Woodlands to conduct a micro business programme to equip budding entrepreneurs with knowledge, such as financial management, business ideation and marketing to build sustainable micro businesses. One of the programme participants, Mr Muhammad Nor Hafiz, was able to transform his seasonal cookie sales into a thriving family business called Chonkery.sg.
MMOs, IMOs and other community partners can tap on a variety of community resources to support these efforts. For instance, in 2025, MENDAKI disbursed more than $2 million from the Community Leaders' Forum Fund, which Ms Hazlina spoke about.
As Dr Hamid Razak and Ms Hazlina rightly pointed out, many of our MMOs and IMOs also provide services directly to families. It is important that we facilitate collaboration and improve coordination by bringing together M3 agencies and our community partners to develop better ways of working together.
This includes ongoing efforts under Project DIAN, where we have reached out to over 900 families as at end 2025. We will launch this exciting next phase in April 2026, beginning with an M3+ Networking Session.
Some of the ideas include putting together a directory of services that our MMO and IMO partners offer so that our M3 Focus Area leads and M3@Towns can systematically work with these community organisations to identify new opportunities and greater synergies for better programme delivery and to close last-mile gaps.
I thank Dr Hamid and Ms Hazlina for their suggestions and encourage our MMOs, IMOs and individuals to step forward and co-create M3+ with us.
Together with this effort, we will continue to develop the next generation of community leaders through the TUNAS programme.
TUNAS brings together emerging community leaders to build their capabilities through knowledge exchange and networking, developing common projects and mentorship from senior community leaders. To date, two cohorts of leaders have completed the TUNAS programme. We will welcome the third cohort later this year.
These TUNAS graduates will help drive M3+ forward by connecting partners, identifying opportunities for collaboration and leading ground efforts so that support reaches those in need more seamlessly. Mr Chaiman, in Malay, please.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, my vision for the Malay/Muslim community is for us to move forward together with one heart and a shared purpose. With the spirit of \"Moving Forward Together, With One Heart\", we aim to provide opportunities and support so that every individual can be the best version of themselves at every stage of their lives.
We can achieve this vision through three key pillars. First, by uplifting the social and economic outcomes of the community; second, by strengthening religious institutions and cultivating a vibrant religious life; and third, by nurturing Malay arts, culture and heritage.
The Bersamamu programme has supported over 36,000 couples, will be enhanced by increasing the pool of Kadi and Naib Kadi by about 50%, and deploying Family Development Officers to selected mosques. In addition, Project ARIF will become a permanent programme to help couples throughout their journey from marriage to parenthood.
In childhood education, the RSL programme will be expanded through roadshows held in the heartlands, while the RSL Language Explorer will be launched to complement the RSL Maths Explorer. The MENDAKI Achievement Programme will provide students with early exposure to AI and robotics, while MENDAKI's Mentoring Programme will be expanded to include Secondary 1 student, to support students comprehensively in their education journey.
For students who need additional help, I am pleased that MENDAKI and MOE have launched a pilot programme in selected schools in Tampines. With support from the Ministry of Social and Family Development, MCCY and community partners, we can strengthen after-school care and support, helping students attend school consistently and improve their academic performance.
For our seniors, MUIS and PA will support the Santunan Emas programme and its holistic approach which is crucial in an ageing society. It will provide religious guidance, social engagement activities and healthcare support for seniors and their caregivers. This programme requires strong partnership with all stakeholders: mosques, community partners, families and Government. Through this collective effort, we can ensure our seniors receive the support they need and lead meaningful lives in their golden years.
Mosques will continue to play a key role as dynamic community hubs to strengthen community bonds, address social needs and meet the needs of religious life that is constantly evolving.
The SCIS will open in 2028. We have signed an MOU with SUSS to offer an inter-disciplinary curriculum for undergraduate programmes. We are also finalising partnerships with Islamic educational institutions in Egypt, Jordan and Morocco. These efforts aim to produce a pipeline of asatizah who are more capable and ready to guide the community in addressing complex contemporary issues.
The Malay Heritage Centre will reopen in April this year. It will serve as the cultural heartbeat of Singapore's Malay community, bringing together festivals, film screenings and community-based exhibitions, to enliven and enrich Kampong Gelam. The centre will shape the future direction of our culture, supported by a research unit, with an advisory panel led by Dr Norshahril Saat.
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Mentorship Programme was launched to connect practitioners with the young generation. This programme will run for 10 weeks to ensure our knowledge and traditions continue to be preserved and developed across time.
Sir, to expand M3's impact, we must broaden our collaboration with partners beyond the MENDAKI, MUIS and MESRA network. Therefore, I will launch M3+, to involve MMOs, IMOs, informal groups and individuals who want to contribute more comprehensively.
M3+ will strengthen the support provided. Each M3@Town and Focus Area will work closely with MMOs and IMOs, informal groups and individuals who aspire to serve the community. They will explore new opportunities where efforts can be coordinated more effectively.
This network will be launched in April 2026, starting with an M3+ networking session.
Additionally, the TUNAS programme will continue developing the next generation of community leaders through knowledge exchange, networking and mentorship from senior community leaders.
M3+ represents a continuation of the spirit of cooperation that has long been our community's strength, based on the principle of Moving Forward Together, With One Heart.
Let us move forward, with one heart and strive to be the best version at every stage of our lives.
For example, Mdm Latipah Binte Abdul Rahman first joined the Santunan Emas programme as a participant in October 2024 to seek spiritual guidance and social support. Now, she serves as a volunteer coordinator who organises the welcome committee, prepares refreshments and conducts exercise sessions and craft classes. The knowledge and experience gained had motivated her to give back to the community. Mdm Latipah's story shows how a programme participant can embody the spirit of One Heart and subsequently emerge as a contributor who helps the community to progress. This is the transformation we want to see in every member of our community.
(In English): Mr Chairman, I spoke about the recent developments that have unfolded in the Middle East at the beginning of my speech. During times of global uncertainty, it becomes even more important for us to strengthen the bonds that keep us united. External conflicts must never divide us. As Singaporeans, we must stand together, support one another and maintain the mutual respect and understanding that define our society.
I have shared my vision for our community, to cultivate a thriving community where every member can be the best version of themselves. I have outlined how we will achieve this vision through three pillars that address every dimension of our community's development.
Through these three pillars, we ensure that every member of our community can build secure and prosperous futures while remaining grounded in the values and rich culture that define us as a community.
Throughout this speech, I have shared stories of individuals who embody the spirit of \"Bersatu Hati, Maju Bersama\", each serving as sources of inspiration in their own right.
Mr Radzi and Ms Risa show us how strong foundations enable families to thrive. Puan Jumaini demonstrates how dedication to preserving heritage becomes a valuable contribution to future generations. Mr Muhammad Nor Hafiz exemplifies how entrepreneurial spirit, when supported by the community, transforms aspirations into success and opportunity. Puan Latipah's journey from participant to volunteer coordinator embodies the meaningful cycle of receiving support and giving back that strengthens our community.
These individuals illustrate the essence of a \"we first\" society, where personal development contributes to collective progress and where every act of service creates positive impact throughout our community. This is the spirit we hope to see everyone in our community embody.
As we move forward, we will continue strengthening support by building capable, trusted institutions and more importantly, by engaging one another closely on issues that are close to our hearts.
Our true strength lies in our collective spirit, the same spirit that sees neighbours helping neighbours, organisations collaborating across boundaries and leaders emerging to serve the greater good. We have much to look forward to in our collective future. Let us do so by moving forward together, with one heart. [Applause.]
The Chairman: Are there any clarifications for the Acting Minister? Ms Hazlina Abdul Rahim.
Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim: I thank the Acting Minister. Having shared with us the developments of your engagement with students in Middle East, could you also give us an update as to some early plans the Government may be making with regard to planning ahead of the Haj season?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. I shared about how we are continuously engaging our students in the Middle East. In fact, I had a very good session with them last night, more than an hour. No doubt, they are very concerned, but they asked mainly for advice on what they should do and the various scenarios. And we just also heard Minister of State Gan Siow Huang's message earlier.
The message that I shared with them was to continue to be connected and also, look after one another. This is something that they have been getting. MUIS have been working very closely with them. Quite a number of them also experienced incidents in June. For the seniors, they are able to handle and manage this better than the juniors. Quite a number also shared about how they can continue attending classes. So, you see a different type of steps being taken by the different countries: some are doing it online; others still have face-to-face classes.
One thing that I also shared with them is to also keep in touch with their families. As expected, many of the family members are very concerned. I, in fact, asked them to give more updates. For many, they update their families once a day. I suggested, maybe up to two times, so that their families/parents can be assured.
For Umrah, as I shared, we are in touch with AMTAS. AMTAS released an advisory where it concurred with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA's) advisory. For those who are already in Saudi Arabia, I urge them to register with MFA so that they can receive timely updates, as the situation develops. And for others who wish to make changes to their travel plans, I would like to thank AMTAS who have been reaching out to the travel agents to exercise understanding and to see how we can help travellers to review, postpone, or make travel arrangements for affected travel plans.
For Haj, as at today, we are in close contact with Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. To-date, all preparation for the Haj 2026 season continues uninterrupted. So, we will closely monitor the latest developments. Above all, the safety of our pilgrims remains our utmost priority.
The Chairman: Dr Syed Harun.
Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi: Chairman, I thank the Acting Minister for sharing about the revamped Malay Heritage Centre, as well as setting up the research unit. In some ways, we are looking back towards wanting to preserve the heritage and traditions of the Malay community. But I wonder whether there are initiatives to be able to celebrate and also share and showcase our unique Malay identity towards others, so that we can celebrate the diversity that we have here in Singapore.
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. You can see the expanded role of the Malay Heritage Centre goes beyond just cultural preservation. It will showcase how Singaporean Malay identity has evolved into something truly distinctive. It comes along with a deeply rooted Malay identity and traditions perspective, but we have to recognise that our identity is uniquely and precisely being shaped by our multicultural environment. And this is where you see many Malays have excelled across many sectors and they come forward to contribute, regardless of race, language or religion, and all these are also being done while deeply rooted to our culture and faith. So, this balance is what sets our Singaporean Malays apart from the rest.
And if you look at the Intangible Cultural Heritage Mentorship programme, it will help us to continue this journey. We have built this process of building our community and nation over the years, where you can see certain values in the Malay community that exemplify Singapore as a whole as well, in terms of its self-determination, openness and resilience. And that has enabled the Malay community here to be able to continue, while keeping to its tradition and identity, to strive for success and excel in their life.
We are also setting up the research unit. The research unit will look at various aspects of this journey as well, but looking at, in terms of the heritage tradition, the arts and culture and cultural history and Nusantara. Some of these will present opportunities for our people, including non-Malays, to come on board this journey and share the joy of our nation building.
So, it is something exciting, something that we have built together. I would like to deepen this journey with the community. My hope is that anyone who visits Malay Heritage Centre or takes part in the programme will know that this is a distinctively unique Singaporean Malay identity that has progressed and something that we should be proud of.
The Chairman: Mr Saktiandi Supaat.
Mr Saktiandi Supaat: Chairman, can I ask my first clarification in Malay?
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, caring for our elderly is not just about programmes – it is about strengthening values like respect, responsibility and compassion in our families and communities. So, I welcome the holistic approach the Minister described for helping our elderly.
I would like to ask whether this programme's budget and resources can be given some kind of stimulus to cover infrastructure costs at mosques and other venues, because Singapore is ageing so rapidly that it is crucial we improve these facilities.
Secondly, will the Santunan Emas assistance consider the caregivers in our community, especially the \"sandwich generation\"?
(In English): The second clarification, Mr Chairman, the Minister mentioned about the MENDAKI Achievement Programme about helping AI exploration and robotics. I was wondering if the Minister can share a bit more, whether we can enhance and increase the budget and resources for MENDAKI, so that these efforts can be increased, especially when the Government, in this year's Budget, has been talking about AI Missions and AI Champions. So, whether within the Malay/Muslim community, we can get extra budget for this course as well?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions.
Relating to the second supplementary question about enrichment, if you look at the MENDAKI 2030 Workplan, you will see that there are elements of, not only about education, but about how we want to support workers on this journey of AI and preparing our community for the future.
As shared, the programme is spearheaded by Minister of State Rahayu \"Langkah Digital\" is another area where it gives us another opportunity to expand our outreach in a way that can help the community.
I also am very heartened that not only the programmes done by MENDAKI are reaching out to the people, but the professional networks that we have developed over the years have really grown significantly. A few of us or all of us may have attended some of the programmes of the professional networks. I was very heartened. I attended one on the aviation sector. Professionals in the past were not there to be part of the engagement. Today, they are there and they provide the additional impetus, support. This also goes beyond funding.
I think in the way we develop our community, we have to bring in as much resources as there are out there. Especially those who have done well, to come back, give back, and mentor and nurture and provide the impetus for each and every one of our children, even those who are still working, to have that aspiration to develop further.
On the first point.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] On the first point, the Santunan Emas programme is a ground-up programme that is also holistic. But what is interesting about this programme is how it collaborates with organisations or agencies, like Agency for Integrated Care and NHG Health.
When I heard about this programme, I received feedback that it is very engaging and sparked the interest of our seniors. They told me they want to hear religious sermons or words of encouragement from Ustaz Fatris, and I can see this is something very appealing.
When I explored further, I found that this programme is not just about religion, but it also provides life guidance like taking care of one's health, and for caregivers and their family members, as well as how we can prepare for our golden years. I see it as a very good platform for us to extend our outreach.
Therefore, as I mentioned, I have instructed MUIS and PA MESRA to look at how we can support this effort so that we can reach out to more members of our community and help them age gracefully.
So I agree with what Mr Saktiandi said earlier, and we will expand this approach. I am very grateful to everyone who started this programme, because they started small, not knowing its potential, but we can see that it is able to generate interest as well as provide development opportunities for the seniors.
I also heard about this programme from my wife. She told me her friends enjoyed attending it, getting support from the community. I have also heard about the one at Masjid Darul Ghufran and attended it, where I could see its very positive impact. So we will work hard to take care of our seniors.
The Chairman: We have actually used up a lot of the time for clarification. If I may seek the indulgence of Members, because there are almost six other hands raised to ask questions, my suggestion is that we defer this because I am worried if we do not, the rest of the MCCY cuts and clarification may all be taken up.
We will sacrifice break for today as well. I will save 20 minutes. All these clarifications, let us push it to the back, at the end of the rest of the cuts. I would ask for Members and Minister for your indulgence on this. Mr Mark Lee.
Mr Mark Lee (Nominated Member): Chairman, when we speak about social cohesion today, the deeper question is not just how well we get along, but how confident Singaporeans feel about who we are becoming.
Singapore is undergoing two shifts. Externally, the world is becoming more uncertain, contested and polarised. Internally, Singaporeans, especially younger Singaporeans, are thinking more actively about identity, voice, fairness and belonging. Together, these shifts mean that social cohesion today is no longer just about co-existence, but about whether people feel anchored in a shared sense of who we are.
In this context, I welcome MCCY's clear decision to position multiculturalism as an anchor of our Singapore identity. It recognises that Singapore has always been open and evolving, and that with a strong sense of self, we can remain open without insecurity.
But if multiculturalism is our anchor, then the key question is how Singaporeans experience and live that anchor in everyday terms.
What does it mean today to be a Singaporean Chinese, a Singaporean Malay, a Singaporean Indian, Eurasian – not as fixed categories from the past, but as identities shaped by shared experiences, common values and participation in modern Singapore? How do our arts, sports, heritage spaces and youth platforms help people internalise this rather than just leaving identity to be shaped implicitly by fragmented or external narratives?
This matters. When identity is under-articulated or not felt, it creates space for pessimism and quiet social distancing even if surface harmony remains.
As such, beyond delivering strong individual initiatives, how is the Ministry intentionally shaping a coherent narrative of what defines us as Singaporeans today, one that builds confidence in our multicultural identity and a shared sense of belonging, especially amongst younger Singaporeans? And how does the Ministry assess whether its work is strengthening this deep foundational long-term social cohesion?
The Chairman: Ms Valerie Lee. Sorry, Mr Alex Yam.
Mr Alex Yam: Chairman, beyond competition and medals, sports build resilience, teamwork, discipline and healthy habits for young people. However, many students today find it difficult to join school co-curricular activities (CCAs) unless they already demonstrate a certain level of aptitude.
Trials can be highly competitive and places are of course limited. As a result, some students who simply wish to try something new or participate recreationally find themselves excluded from school sports altogether. This risks narrowing participation to those who are already skilled when the developmental nature of sport lies precisely in allowing more young people to experience it.
Could MCCY share how it is working with MOE to broaden access to sports in schools so that participation serves not only competitive excellence but also serves youth development?
For example, are there plans to expand recreational tiers, modular programmes or learn-to-play pathways where students can pick up a sport without needing to pass a competitive trial? Such pathways could allow students to discover interest and develop confidence before deciding whether they wish to pursue a sport more seriously.
Sports also provide one of the most natural spaces for young Singaporeans of different abilities and backgrounds to interact. When students train and play together, they learn cooperation, perseverance and mutual respect. In building a \"we first\" society, such shared experiences matter.
School sports should remain both a pathway for excellence and a platform for broad participation.
I would therefore appreciate if the Minister could share how policy can better balance these objectives while ensuring that student well-being and academic balance are safeguarded.
Ms Valerie Lee (Pasir Ris-Changi): Chairman, sports and outdoor education play a formative role in shaping the resilience, confidence and sense of belonging for our youths.
I have previously declared that I was in the national youth bowling team. But beyond that chapter, my journey in sports began simply playing basketball at the community centre with my father and at school during recess with friends. It progressed to competing in bowling, javelin and shot put in school and having my Alex Honnold moments on the rock climbing walls as a young adult when I started working.
What stayed with me was not achievement or the medals, but the lessons in discipline, teamwork and perseverance.
For many youths, sport provides a constructive third space where they build identity, friendships and resilience. Studies have also found that youths who participate regularly in sports report significantly higher life satisfaction and lower stress levels than their less active peers.
In this House, we often focus on the Olympics, major games and elite performance. These are important and we should continue supporting high-performance athletes. But if our focus is too narrow, we risk overlooking the broader base where many youths are meaningfully engaged.
My sense is that the number of athletes represented by National Sport Associations (NSAs) which do not qualify for the Olympics greatly outnumber those in the few sports we often highlight. Many sports, such as tchoukball, rollersports, dragonboat and others, are sustained by passionate communities, many of whom are youths. These platforms may not carry Olympic status, but they play an important developmental role.
I would like to ask how does the Ministry intend to support such sports that house and nurture large numbers of young people? Could we consider a modest seed fund to help smaller NSAs build capabilities? Could the Government play a bigger role in facilitating greater after-hours access to facilities such as schools as training grounds?
If we truly believe sport is for youth development, then breadth of opportunity must matter as much as podium outcomes.
If sports shape youths in familiar community spaces, outdoor education shapes them in unfamiliar terrain. I am a grateful beneficiary of the Outward Bound School (OBS), having attended the five-day OBS course in Secondary 3 and later returning for longer programmes on the Ubin Campus and the final one in the mountains of Korea. Those experiences challenged me physically and mentally and strengthened my appreciation for teamwork and nature – lessons I carried on into adulthood.
I am heartened that the Government is extending OBS to every Secondary 3 student. But as this expansion progresses, may I ask, what is the next milestone for OBS Singapore? As we strengthen local access, could we also consider extending more overseas OBS experiences in a calibrated way? Exposure to different terrains and cultures stretches youths in ways sometimes our domestic environments cannot.
While OBS remains a national cornerstone, continued support for other outdoor education providers, working with parties like the Outdoor Adventure Education Council, would strengthen the broader ecosystem and widen access for youths with different interests and needs.
[Deputy Speaker (Mr Christopher de Souza) in the Chair]
Chairman, sports shape resilience in our young people. Outdoor education builds rugged confidence and character. By broadening support for participation in diverse sports and deepening the next phase of outdoor education, we invest not just in programmes or facilities, but in Singapore's future.
Ms Gho Sze Kee (Mountbatten): Mr Chairman, I am sure every Member of this House is aware of the issues arising from the increasing popularity of pickleball in our neighbourhoods. This growth comes with much friction.
I received some very angry complaints from both players and residents right after I became a Member of Parliament. It is, let us face it, a noisy game.
Different wards dealt with it differently. Some restricted playing hours. Others banned it entirely. But the tensions are not limited to our Housing and Development Board (HDB) neighbourhoods too. I have had complaints about pickleball noise from the grounds of a private club.
For my ward, I have been pushing for what I call an 80% solution. I met a Mountbatten resident, Ms Pauline Tan, at a house visit and she happens to be a competitive pickleball player. She showed me a set of pickleballs made of foam. She is a very considerate neighbour and had started using them because they reduce noise levels considerably.
The difference at our neighbourhood courts were dramatic. We organised a pilot community event to roll these out more widely. We gave out free foam balls to many players and we organised a stealth mode silent pickle ball using these foam balls.
But it is only an 80% solution because it is, of course, impossible to please everyone. Some players resisted the foam balls because they felt different and were not competition ready. They were happy to take the free foam balls, they just will not use them. Which is ironic, because our neighbourhood courts are not competition-compliant either. Some residents, on the other hand, feel that this does not go far enough and would prefer pickleball to be banned entirely.
In political science, there is the concept of positive and negative rights. Our pickle over pickleball can be a classic case study of the tensions between both. The right to play clashing with the right to peace and quiet. Political scientists will tell you that this is a zero-sum game.
In a dense city like ours, neither right can be absolute. We must approach it from a framework of compromise and give-and-take. That is the only way to preserve harmony in our society. Participation in community sports is growing and demand for neighbourhood and precinct level facilities is rising. We should welcome this, but yet, as we have seen, it can also easily become a source of discord, instead of bonding in our communities.
So, this cannot be just about trying to meet the demand. It would be very easy to turn many under-utilised spaces in our neighbourhoods into more pickleball courts, or other sports courts for that matter. But the most convenient place may not be the best place, or even the right place. Would noise and human traffic be an issue? Would it disturb the residents in the neighbourhood? Can the noise be contained at the location chosen? We should learn the lessons and we can preamp much of these tensions.
The last thing that we want to do is to create more tensions and unhappiness in our communities. In this context, I would appreciate it if MCCY could provide an update on the roll-out of new sports facilities in our neighbourhoods and how are we planning ahead to meet this increasing demand at community level? Is MCCY addressing facilities demand in a way that anticipates and addresses such friction?
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Pickleball has taken Singapore by storm. The sport now boasts at least 5,000 serious players and many more causal ones. It is likely to become even more popular. While many enjoy the physical and social benefits of play, complaints abound. Some grouse about limited availability of shared courts, while others object to the noise.
In response to the hundreds of noise complaints received, some Town Councils have chosen to restrict playing time or to ban play altogether. Yet as many have faced intense lobbying efforts for expanded hours. Competing interests make this MP feel knocked around much like a pickleball.
I propose that we allow the conversion of underutilised second-to-top floors of multi-storey car park into pickleball courts. There is generally sufficient space for the game and the ceiling will limit upward noise transmission. To further contain noise, retractable sound curtains can be easily installed along the parameter.
There is some precedence for conversion of existing infrastructure into pickleball courts. Indoor badminton courts at Community Clubs have pickleball lines drawn to permit dual use. And sections of the Little India bus terminal are to be retrofitted to accommodate eight pickleball courts.
One objection is that there is an opportunity cost to forgone income, since such lots may generate potential revenue. This has sometimes been the Ministry of National Development's (MND's) response to requests for converting carpark spaces to other uses, such as community gardens. But in many newer estates, including Sengkang, these lots are already underutilised, and almost always empty. The opportunity cost of forgone income is entirely imaginary. Moreover, even if guest parking needs are elevated in certain periods – such as during holidays, where visitations are more common – swing barricades can easily be installed and opened to allow access on such occasions.
Another objection to safety, is that safety might be compromised when carparks are used beyond their designated purpose. Indeed, when Sengkang Town Council proposed this idea to MND, the response begged the question: \"The playing of pickleball and any other recreational activities are not an approved use of the HDB carpark currently as HDB multi-storey car parks were designed and built primarily for parking only.\"
But multi-storey car parks are already used for other functions. Temporary office space, such as HDB site offices, is sometimes located at the upper floors. There is also the Courier Hub Scheme that is applicable in select multi-storey car parks. In response to a Parliamentary Question I asked in 2021, then-MND Minister Desmond Lee stated that HDB is, in principle, open to alternative uses of multi-storey car parks for social communal facilities.
A third objection is that regulation pickleball courts often call for a five-metre height minimum. But there are multi-storey car parks, including those in Sengkang, that fulfill this requirement. And while the five-metre clearance is preferable for professional courts, causal players may well be content with less.
Hence, while not currently approved, there are good reasons why we can have pickleball courts in multi-storey car parks. Let us get this done, for the sake of players and non-players – and perhaps, long-suffering MPs.
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre (Non-Constituency Member): Chairman, to go for a run, all you need is a pair of shoes. You step outside and go. There is no membership, no queue, no need to travel to a gym. Strength training has no equivalent and I want to make the case today that it should. The science is clear. Strength training is not just for the muscle bound body builder, it is for everyone. Bone density peaks around age 30 and decline steadily thereafter.
Aerobic exercise slows the decline, but strength training has the potential to reverse it. Building bone, building muscle and reducing the risk of falls and fractures in ways that cardio alone cannot. The World Health Organization recommends two full body strength sessions per week for all adults. I think most Singaporeans are not meeting that target. I will speak personally. Before my daughter was born six months ago, I went to the gym two or three times a week.
Since she arrived, I have gone fewer than 10 times in total, not because I do not want to go, but because 15 minutes travelling there and then 15 minutes back, is 30 minutes that a young father cannot find. If there were a resistance station at my void deck, I would use it every other day, I am sure of this. I am not alone. The elderly resident maintaining muscle and bone density, the beginner who would not know where to start in a commercial gym, the time press parent. The barrier looks different for each, but it is the same barrier.
Active SG Gyms deserve credit. They are affordable, well distributed, well equipped, but they require a trip. You need to check if the capacity is full and often, at peak hours, you need to queue for equipment. And for many who have never set foot in a gym, the sign-up and the unfamiliar environment are barriers they never overcome.
Our fitness corners could bridge that gap. There are over 3,400 of them – free and accessible across our estates and parks. Many already include strength oriented equipment, but effective strength training requires progressive overload, the ability to increase resistance as you get stronger. The beginner starts at five kilogrammes and then moves up to 20, 30, 40 over time. Variable resistance machines make that possible, but our fitness corners today largely do not possess them.
Instead, they largely feature equipment that focuses on encouraging mobility and fixed resistance machines. In their current guide, they serve a limited demographic. We should increase their utility and therefore, I have three suggestions for the Ministry.
Firstly, lead by example, Sports SG already directly manages 10 sport in precinct facilities with more to come. You can upgrade these first, and for upcoming plan builds, incorporate variable resistance equipment from day one.
Two, we should work with NParks to incorporate variable resistance equipment into park fitness corners as they come up for renewal or upgrading. And lastly, for HDB fitness corners under town council management, we should develop a national framework with pre-qualified standards, recommended suppliers and co-funding pathways through Sports SG, so Town Councils can upgrade without running full procurement exercises.
Chairman, aerobic fitness is inherently accessible. Let us make strength training so too.
Mr Alex Yam: Chairman, at last year's COS, the Ministry announced an important restructuring of our high-performance sports ecosystem. This included the consolidation of the National Youth Sports Institute and the Singapore Sports Institute and the Singapore Sports School into the High Performance Sports Institute (HPSI).
The Ministry also alluded to the eventual consolidation of the HPSI and the Singapore Sports School. This is a significant structural shift. For many years, Singapore's sports landscape has involved multiple institutions working across different stages of the athlete's journey, from youth identification to elite performance.
The intent behind this consolidation is therefore an important one: to create a more integrated system that supports athletes more effectively throughout their development. Could the Minister provide an update on the progress of this consolidation? In particular, how will the new structure strengthen athlete development pathways, ensure smoother transitions from youth potential to elite performance? How will the system better coordinate coaching, sports science and athlete management so that promising young athletes receive consistent support as they progress?
At the same time, I seek to ask how the Ministry will ensure that sporting excellence is balanced with education and well-being, because many of our young athletes must juggle training commitments with academic responsibilities?
Finally, from the perspective of athletes, coaches and parents, what improvements have been observed so far? How will MCCY and SportSG ensure that this integration reduces fragmentation across agencies and ultimately leads to stronger long-term outcomes for Team Singapore? I would therefore appreciate the Minister's update on how this new structure is taking shape.
Mr Jackson Lam (Nee Soon): Mr Chairman, I declare my interest as a Vice-President of an NSA. Sports play an important role in national identity, community health and youth development. Singapore has enjoyed notable successes on the international stage and grassroots sport participation has grown.
But if we look more closely at the institutional backbone of our sporting ecosystem, the NSAs, there are structural pressures that deserve attention.
Recent public reporting has shown that private sponsorship for sports remain limited. In 2023, sports donations amounted to about S$13 million, representing less than 1% of the total charitable donations in Singapore. Many NSAs and athletes have acknowledged the difficulty of securing sustained corporate backing. This means that associations remain heavily reliant on Government subventions and short-term grants.
Whilst NSAs are mainly run by volunteers, MCCY shared in Parliament that Sport Singapore and the Singapore National Olympic Council are working to strengthen their governance and operational capabilities. This is an important recognition. But it also underscores the reality that many associations operate with lean secretariats and limited professional depth.
Furthermore, SportSG funding is tied to governance and strategic planning requirements. Currently, funding is provided to 45 out of 63 eligible NSAs, subject to meeting capability criteria. While this promotes accountability, it also means that associations with weaker institution capacity may struggle to secure stable, multi-year support, reinforcing a cycle of fragility.
Against this backdrop, feedback from athletes and NSA leaders continues to highlight structural constraints: difficulty retaining coaching talent due to funding uncertainty; challenges in building robust athlete development pathways beyond the elite tier; limited resources for sports science; injury prevention and sustained grassroots outreach.
If we expect NSAs to widen participation, strengthen safeguarding standards, develop youth pipelines and support high-performance ambitions, episodic programme-based grants may not be sufficient.
I therefore ask the Minister, has MCCY conducted a recent capacity assessment of NSAs to understand where structural gaps, not just financial shortfalls, are impeding long-term development? Beyond periodic funding grants, will MCCY explore multi-year core funding frameworks or partnership models that build organisational stability for NSAs?
As Singapore faces an ageing population and persistent physical inactivity challenges, what additional structural support will be provided to NSAs to expand community engagement and broaden participation safely and sustainably?
If sport is to remain a pillar of national well-being and identity, then our NSAs must be equipped not only with passion, but with stability, professionalism and long-term resilience.
Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh (Nominated Member): Thank you, Chair. In this changed, turbulent world, we must invest just as deliberately in the arts, sport and the cultural ecosystems because these are the human and societal foundations that shape who we are as Singaporeans.
In an AI-led world, creative work, sport and cultures will not disappear. They will become even more valuable as distinctly human pursuits.
Allow me to make four points in my cut.
First, on the sustainability of our arts and sports practitioners. In both sectors, talent alone is not enough for excellence. Practitioners must be financially secure. Many artists and athletes face income uncertainty. Career spans can be short, income streams uneven, with the burden of support often falling on their families.
In the arts, many operate as freelancers or pursue portfolio careers. But to sustain their work at a high level, practitioners must be equipped as professionals able to protect and sustain their work.
For self-employed artists, could MCCY consider strengthening advisory and support platforms to better equip them in navigating contract negotiations and protecting their intellectual property (IP) and rights, areas where freelancers can otherwise be vulnerable?
For our athletes, given the finite duration of sporting careers, MCCY has already put in place important schemes such as Sports Excellence Business (spexBusiness) and spexEducation to support dual-career pathways. But could the Ministry consider further strengthening these efforts with more structured support for career transitions? This could include providing modules in areas such as sponsorship management, personal brand development and entrepreneurship so that our national athletes are better equipped to support themselves beyond their competitive years.
Financial viability also matters in heritage cultural enterprises. As long-standing businesses close, could MCCY consider establishing a targeted succession support initiative, providing advisory support, mentorship and transition planning to help heritage cultural enterprises pass sustainably to the next generation?
Sir, we have spoken a lot of cost of living in this Chamber during this debate. Let us ensure that rising cost of living does not hinder Singaporeans from pursuing their talents in these domains.
Second, on the participation in the arts and sports. A vibrant arts and sporting culture also depends on broad participation. A broad base helps to strengthen the talent pipeline. I am encouraged by arts programmes in community spaces and the showcasing of our national athletes in our neighbourhoods. These initiatives embed culture and sport in everyday life.
The SG Culture Pass was introduced in Budget 2025 to encourage greater participation in the arts. I would welcome updates by the Ministry on utilisation – whether it is reaching new audiences and increasing regular engagement.
Similarly, could the Ministry consider piloting a participation-based mechanism such as an SG Sport Pass, where funding is directed specifically towards programmes delivered by accredited coaches? Not only will this broaden access to structured sports participation, it will also incentivise coach certification and upscaling and strengthen the likelihood of our coaches, many of whom operate as small businesses and enterprises.
My third point is on enhancing ecosystem financing. In 2024, sports and the arts received just 3.9% of total charitable giving, suggesting that there is considerable room to crowd in sustained private support, a point that Member Jackson Lam also highlighted.
I welcome the extension of the 250% tax deduction for qualifying donations to Institutions of a Public Character (IPCs) until December 2029, announced in the Prime Minister's Budget. But we can do more to crowd in and catalyse sustained giving in the arts and sports by corporations and private donors.
To do so, can the Government consider extending enhanced tax deductions of up to 400% tied to long-term support for these sectors, given their importance to national resilience and unity? A structure that supports multi-year giving pledges with higher deductions will provide planning certainty for arts groups and our sporting organisations.
If we are prepared to incentivise investments in technological capability because it strengthens economic competitiveness, we should also be deliberate in incentivising cultural investments that strengthen cohesion.
My fourth point is on projecting our national identity. The arts and sport do more than bring us together at home. They also project who we are in the world.
Just as our athletes proudly fly the Singapore flat at major international games, could MCCY consider developing a strategy for high-potential arts and cultural groups to perform on the world's most prominent stages and international festivals?
When our artists and creators showcase their work on these international platforms, it helps to project confidence in who we are as a nation. If we are proud and confident of our identity, we should also present that identity to the world with equal confidence.
Chairman, as we build a future-ready economy, we must also build a future-ready society, one that can help us thrive in these uncertain times. A resilient society invests in its cohesion. The returns may not always appear in economic numbers, but they will be reflected in our pride that we share as a nation.
Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Last December, the former home of our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew at 38 Oxley Road was gazetted as a National Monument. This January, the Government commenced the process to acquire the site.
As the Government now moves forward to develop the site into a public space, it is important that the process takes into account national heritage needs, exercises sensitivity and respect for the dignity of the site, and also to take into account the concerns and needs of neighbouring residents at every stage of the planning process. After all, for neighbours, they will be the most greatly impacted by this development.
The historic significance of 38 Oxley Road is beyond dispute. The Preservation of Sites and Monuments Advisory Board assessed the site to be of strong national significance, having borne witness to pivotal events in the 1950s that marked our country's transition from colonial rule to independence. It was here that our founding leaders held the consequential discussions that led to our governance.
On the other hand, let us be mindful that 38 Oxley Road does not exist in isolation. It sits within a quiet, established residential enclave. The daily lives of residents in the vicinity will be directly affected by the transformation of 38 Oxley Road from a private residence into a public heritage space.
Since the Government announced its intention to gazette the site, residents have come forward to share their concerns with me.
First, traffic congestion. Oxley Road is a narrow two-lane road that already carries heavy vehicular traffic as a thoroughfare between Orchard Road and River Valley Road. Multiple residents have expressed worry that the conversion of the site into a public space could bring significantly more vehicles, tour buses and pedestrians into an area that, as one resident put it, \"isn't built for that purpose\".
Second, illegal parking. Residents have highlighted the longstanding problem of non-residents using their private car parks, given the absence of gantries or security at their entrances. If the site attracts large numbers of visitors, where will they park?
Third, the impact of human traffic – noise, crowds and the disruption to the tranquil character of the estate. Residents recalled the surge of visitors in 2017 during the public dispute over the site's future and fear a repeat on a far larger and more permanent scale. They understand and can agree that it is important for visitors, including our future generations, to visit and understand the significance of this site, but they also worry that the place will lose its sense of dignity.
These are not abstract concerns. They are practical everyday realities and they deserve to be treated with the seriousness they merit.
Addressing these concerns requires a whole-of-Government approach. MCCY, as the lead Ministry responsible for the preservation and development of the site, will need to plan and coordinate with the relevant Ministries and agencies very carefully.
The Ministry of Transport must be engaged on traffic management, parking solutions and public transport access. Proposals such as designating alternative access points, creating drop-off zones for tour coaches and improving pedestrian infrastructure along Oxley Road should be seriously studied.
The Ministry of National Development must address building and estate maintenance issues. The surrounding properties are ageing. Residents have expressed hope that the gazetting will bring upgrades to the surrounding estate, including improvements to walkways and infrastructure. There is also the question of whether planning controls and height restrictions in the area may be adjusted, which will affect residents' property rights and interests.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry must work to minimise disamenities caused by tourism. If the site were to be developed into a heritage park, there must be careful management of visitor flows, operating hours and commercial activity to ensure that the residential character of the neighbourhood is preserved. Property consultants have noted that planners will need to facilitate adequate car and coach parking and drop-off zones.
The most important point I wish to make is this – residents must not be informed of decisions only after they are made. They must be involved in shaping those decisions from the very beginning. The Government should establish structured, regular consultation channels with the residents of the immediate vicinity. These should not be just one-off feedback sessions, but an ongoing dialogue throughout the planning, design, construction and operational phases of the development.
The preservation of 38 Oxley Road as a national monument is a significant step in safeguarding Singapore's founding history for future generations. But a monument that is developed in a neighbourhood, without mitigation measures, risks becoming a source of division rather than unity.
Let us build this heritage space the Singapore way – through careful planning, inter-agency coordination and, most importantly, through genuine partnership with the residents whose lives will be most directly affected.
Mr Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru is a place where many of Singapore's stories began. Our very first Community Centre in Tiong Bahru, one of our first Residents' Committees in Tanjong Pagar Plaza, our beloved Tiong Bahru Market set amidst a beautiful pre-war public housing estate and, over at Tanjong Pagar, shophouses filled with clan associations juxtaposed against one of our very first mixed-use public housing developments, Tanjong Pagar Plaza, juxtaposed against the towering 55-floor The Pinnacle ＠ Duxton – until it is overtaken by the 60-floor Pearl's Hill Build-To-Order (BTO) coming up soon.
Chairman, these are not just built infrastructure. They contain stories of our residents who have stayed here for many decades and they are living repositories of memory, culture and identity. However, heritage by itself does not sustain itself. If it is to be meaningful, it needs to be refreshed and shared with each new generation.
Today, our neighbourhood is home to many new families, young residents and international communities who may not know the stories of the earlier generation staying here. And it has been my mission to refresh our legacies and connect our generations in Tanjong Pagar-Tiong Bahru.
I would like to seek the Government's support to support more community-led initiatives that bring seniors, youths and new residents together to rediscover these stories through heritage trails, inter-generational storytelling programmes, as well as collaborations with schools and civic institutions. Where heritage is lived and shared, it will become a bridge between the past and the present and the future generations – and together, we will achieve my vision for Tanjong Pagar, Tiong Bahru, to be a living community where every generation finds its place in the Singapore story.
The Chairman: Ms Elysa Chen. Kindly deliver your two cuts together.
Ms Elysa Chen (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Sir, in today's volatile world, Singapore cannot afford a generation retreating from mutual help. At home, our super-ageing population, complex social needs and weakening social ties strain both the social and health sectors.
In my Budget speech, I spoke about community networks protecting against isolation. In Bishan, mothers gather at playgrounds, taking turns to host playdates and support one another. At Bishan Community Club, a group of young widows called HopeHerd ensures no widow journeys alone. Like elephants, they form a herd so mothers and children can grieve and heal together.
Young people are stepping up too. The Rotaract Club of Raffles City runs community projects and has launched cross-border collaborations with their twin club in Kuala Lumpur, including the inaugural Rotaract ASEAN Young Leaders' Exchange.
These ground-up efforts show that our communities already possess deep social capital. When trusted and supported, residents take ownership, supporting families, combating isolation, strengthening mental well-being. What would supercharge them is sustained, low-barrier funding.
Will the Government, through the $50-million SG Partnerships Fund, ringfence support and simplify access for youth and parent-led ground-up initiatives? Will the Government consider expanding the fund to $100 million, given the demand in rental and vulnerable communities?
Sir, in my Budget speech, I spoke about combating social isolation. One way to build lasting mutual aid is time-banking – volunteers can earn credits for helping others, redeemable when they need help themselves.
This idea is proven elsewhere. Japan's Fureai Kippu lets volunteers earn credits caring for the elderly. Switzerland's St Gallen Zeitvorsorge, backed by their Federal Social Insurance Office, records volunteer hours in social security accounts for future use. Both have sustained community caregiving for decades.
Singapore's rapidly ageing society needs similar infrastructure. We can co-design this with the community. The Government Partnerships Office under MCCY can pilot small-scale time-bank or community currency experiments for different purposes before deciding how to scale nation-wide.
Time-banking gives dignity because no one is a passive beneficiary; everyone contributes. Skills like listening, visiting and mentoring, often unpaid and performed by women, are valued. It also reinforces interdependence: helping a neighbour today means someone will help you tomorrow.
Time-banking is also democratising. As I shared in my Budget speech, Ain, a mother, volunteers in our community. One hour of her time visiting a hospitalised neighbour is as valuable as one hour of a lawyer volunteering at a legal clinic.
Will the Ministry pilot time-banking, allowing Singaporeans to exchange skills and support through time credits? Could this be hosted on existing digital infrastructure like Giving.sg? If not, is the Government exploring alternative ways to strengthen neighbourliness and mutual aid?
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Terence Ho. Kindly deliver your two cuts together.
Assoc Prof Terence Ho (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, in the age of AI, the arts and culture will be more important than ever. I am very glad that the SG Culture Pass, an idea raised by former Nominated Member of Parliament Terence Ho, has been launched. I hope that the arts will be seen as a staple of life in Singapore, alongside sports. In this regard, I would like to ask the Ministry if it plans to make periodic top-ups to both ActiveSG credits as well as the Culture Pass so Singaporeans can stay fit and healthy in body and spirit.
The Culture Pass covers a range of activities spanning heritage, visual arts, theatre, music, dance, film and now, Singapore literature. It would be wonderful if the Culture Pass could encourage Singaporeans to try something different from what they are accustomed to. For example, could it persuade a heritage buff to step into the theatre for the first time?
Assuming there will be regular top-ups of the Culture Pass, I would like to suggest offering first-timer discounts or bonus credits when a person spends Culture Pass credits in a new category that he or she has not previously used the credits for. A discount arrangement could be worked out with participating arts and heritage organisations.
Sir, I would like to declare my interest as a published book author. In the second cycle of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies conducted in 2022-2023, Singapore climbed to 18th out of 31 countries in literacy proficiency. However, the study also found a significant decline in literacy after the age of 35. Age-related proficiency loss also occurred in other countries but was particularly pronounced in Singapore.
This is a concern as literacy reflects the ability to handle and process new information. In the interest of promoting literacy, among other things, I would like to suggest that more be done to strengthen the literary infrastructure and ecosystem in Singapore by providing greater support to local publishers and bookstores.
I remember the days when bookstores could be found all across Singapore – from second-hand bookstores in Far East Plaza to the MPH flagship store along Stamford Road.
While the book publishing and distribution business model has changed with the times, and we cannot expect a similar density of bookstores as in the past, there is still something special about bookstores that is worth preserving. They are places to discover new authors, often serendipitously, browse the latest titles, and access the ideas that are trending across the world. In this sense, bookstores could be considered a public good that encourages reading and contributes to the publishing ecosystem, complementing our public libraries.
Independent bookstores are particularly important in giving visibility to local writers and serving as natural gatherings places for fans of local literature. They could be supported with grants to host book clubs and talks or to support the design and development of conducive spaces to host such events. Perhaps commercial developers could even be granted additional gross floor area if they lease premises to bookstores that fulfil certain community objectives.
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, I speak today as a Singaporean who is an avid theatre goer. By the numbers, our arts ecosystem appears supported and healthy. The public sector outcomes review reports rising heritage awareness, stable graduate employment in the arts, and growing attendance at festivals and community programmes. The cultural matching fund has dispersed over $400 million since 2014. Last year, every Singaporean over 18 received $100 in SG Culture Pass credits.
And if, our arts ecosystem is so well supported, why does it remain so fragile? The Substation had already closed its doors back in 2021. Last year the Projector closed. Last month, Pangdemonium announced its final season after 16 years. Each closure had its own reasons, but when established companies with a track record and loyal audiences cannot sustain themselves or choose to stop as the conditions have become too demanding, then it is not just a series of individual decisions.
Perhaps it is a reflection of an ecosystem that remains stretched, and the numbers bear this out: 90% of our arts ecosystem comprises small organisations; one in two arts and culture practitioners is self-employed and any work project to project. While the more accessible grants administered by the National Arts Council (NAC) cover between 50% and 70% of project costs, this also means that every production begins in deficit and need to fundraise the remainder cost. Yet, donation to the arts make up less than 2% of total charitable giving in Singapore.
On the demand side, there is a paradox. The 2023 population survey on the arts showed that while three quarters of Singaporeans agree that the arts benefit our community, only three in 10 consume local arts content. This same survey also points us towards answers. It found that Singaporeans with childhood exposure to the arts were significantly more likely to value, attend and advocate for the arts as adults. Students and youths already have among the highest physical attendance rates for performances. The data tell us both where the gap is and where the opportunity lies.
Sir, I have two suggestions. First, introduce micro grants for small scale community-facing arts projects. They should come with simplified administration criteria and should not be packed to a percentage of an overall budget. For small projects, such micro grants could be the difference between a project happening or it not happening at all. Second, make the arts more affordable and accessible for our youths. They are already the most willing attendees. Let us meet their enthusiasm with sustained, expand, expanded and subsidised access. This could mean expanded subsidised student pricing, extending the SG Culture Pass to students aged 13 to 18, or even exploring co-payments for tickets using funds from their Edusave account.
If we believe that the arts build character, empathy and understanding, then we should treat access to them with the same seriousness we treat access to education and enrichment.
Ms Gho Sze Kee: Sir, first, I declare my interests as a practising lawyer. Many of our arts practitioners are self-employed. They work project to project, commission to commission. While that gives them independence, it also means they are often disadvantaged when it comes to negotiating fees, contracts, or usage rights. Too often, they end up being price takers rather than price makers and take the short stick.
MCCY has done a lot over the years to support our arts practitioners in funding, talent development, outreach and capability building. That has helped grow the sector and strengthen our arts ecosystem. But there is one area that seems to have been left a little behind: legal support.
When you are self-employed, understanding contracts, intellectual property rights, and negotiating commercial terms is not just useful, but essential. However, without guidance and support, talented artists can find themselves underselling their work or signing away rights they should not. Many are particularly disadvantaged when dealing with large commercial organisations.
Professional help exists but, as I have noted in this House before, lawyers can be expensive. This affects not just their earnings, but also the sustainability of their careers in the arts.
So, I want to ask, would MCCY consider looking at ways to help self-employed arts practitioners navigate the legal aspects of commercialising their art? This could be through legal literacy programmes, templates for contracts, or access to affordable legal advisory services. Assisting them with commercial or legal negotiations would also be of great help for our arts practitioners.
Supporting them in this way frees them up to concentrate on their art and strengthen their careers. At the end of the day, talent alone is not enough. Artists need to be empowered to protect their work and negotiate on their own terms so that our arts ecosystem can continue to thrive.
Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim: Chairman, I declare interest as the chief executive officer of EtonHouse Community Fund (ECF), an IPC charity focused on nurturing the potential of children and youths, as well as Director on the Board of Singapore Business Federation Foundation.
I will touch on: nurturing confident youths, active citizenry and ground-up initiatives, as well as making businesses do better.
It is unenviable how young Singaporeans today live lives. There is more of everything and yet many feel and wonder if there are ever enough.
Singapore's young must believe they have a place and a future here in Singapore. Last year, MCCY engaged youths all across Singapore to develop an SG Youth Action Plan. I am hopeful for this plan to level the playing field so that opportunities are open to every young person, not just a few.
We should also ensure that the SG Youth Action Plan is accessible by design so that youths with special needs or from minority communities are not excluded from leadership development, community engagement and civic participation. I look forward to an update on the SG Youth Action Plan, especially intentional efforts to nurture confidence.
I hope MCCY expands partnerships on these efforts and collaborate with partners, particularly for mentoring and work-experience efforts, so that youths get access to mentors, internships and real-world opportunities. In East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC), we have the youth internship programme; and I think some of the students are joining us here in the House today.
When young people can see the path towards meaningful roles and future opportunities, it builds confidence and hope. Our young have some of the biggest hearts. When I was lecturing at Temasek Polytechnic over a decade ago, I led several local and international service trips. My students were more than arms and legs. They were the heart and soul of those missions. Some volunteer with me till today.
I welcome the new $50 million SG Partnerships Fund, which I hope encourages more Singaporeans to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. I look forward to more details, including priority areas and support offered for Singaporeans who are keen to apply.
Being in the impact space for close to 15 years, Chairman, I see first-hand how many charities and community organisations are doing important work and how more help is often needed. Time, talent, treasure is the currency of the sector. I welcome the move to extend 250% tax deductions for qualifying donations as well as the Corporate Volunteer Scheme, when employees volunteer or are seconded to IPCs until 2029.
This is helpful as the enhanced fundraising programme is tapering to pre-pandemic levels and several charity friends have shared their concerns with me.
Acting Minister, what is MCCY's plans in working with other agencies or Ministries to engage and galvanise corporate involvement and enhance support for corporate giving as well as volunteerism to encourage businesses to care beyond their bottom lines?
Chairman, in conclusion, let us draw inspiration from our young, their big hearts and strong sense of social justice. There is one Malay saying that goes, \"Pemuda harapan bangsa, pemudi tiang negara\", which means the youths are the hope of the nation and pillars of society. And that belief, Chairman, is what will carry us to the future.
Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, I would like to declare my interest as my union operates a credit co-operative and I am a member of the Singapore National Co-operative Executive Council.
Co-operatives are formed because Singaporeans believe strongly in the principles of self-help and mutual assistance. This spirit of fellowship brings them together to provide services that uplift their members and support communities at large.
During Singapore's formative years, the co-operative movement attracted individuals who drove initiatives that include consumer co-operatives which provide affordable essentials, and thrift and loan co-operatives that offer accessible financial services. Consequently, they became key pillars in providing affordable, quality and accessible goods and services to workers and vulnerable communities.
This intent remains the same today. A case in point was the 22 new projects initiated by co-operatives in 2025. Together with the Empowering Communities Fund, the co-operatives rallied over $1.2 million dollars and volunteers to support projects that address needs ranging from seniors, active ageing, caregivers and families to individuals facing social, emotional and financial challenges. These demonstrated their continued commitment to invest alongside public support in serving communities.
With rising competition from more private entities, including global brand names, co-operatives in Singapore are experiencing challenges in attracting youth involvement, talent attraction and retention to continue their mission.
Separately, there is also the broader question of how to encourage the formation of new co-operatives to meet emerging community needs. The recently developed Singapore Cooperative Movement 10-Year Transformation Roadmap is a good start in setting the direction.
As we look ahead, can the Ministry share, how will it support co-operatives in community engagement, youth involvement and ease of formation of new co-operatives so that more Singaporeans can adopt the co-operative model to address community needs? What will be done to encourage co-operatives to scale up and remain sustainable?
Can the Ministry consider reviewing aspects of the Co-operative Societies Act to allow for greater flexibility in their operations, including allowing enterprises to form co-operatives, different from the current rule whereby only individuals and unions can form co-operatives?
Further, can the Ministry support co-operatives by reviewing the current Central Co-operative Fund contribution rate to ensure it is comparable with the current corporate tax rate? That way, co-operatives can channel the savings to support more members and the community.
Mr Chairman, in a world of rapid change, cooperatives are built on trust, powered by likeminded people, reminding us that success is not measured by profits alone but by how many lives are uplifted and how many futures secured and progress shared.
Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, OBS was established in 1967 by Dr Goh Keng Swee to cultivate ruggedness, resilience, leadership and character through outdoor experiential learning. It formed part of early nation-building efforts to prepare young Singaporeans for life's uncertainties. From its beginnings on Pulau Ubin, OBS has grown into a key national institution delivering character and leadership programmes for youths.
In recent years, OBS has expanded its reach and upgraded its facilities. Under the National Outdoor Adventure Education Masterplan, a new OBS@Coney campus was developed and when fully operational, it is expected to significantly increase OBS' annual capacity, reinforcing the Government's commitment to outdoor education as part of holistic development.
Today, the OBS experience is most closely associated with youths for many young people. It is a formative rite of passage that fosters resilience and social cohesion.
Sir, given OBS' transformative impact, can we not extend its experiential learning model to Singaporeans who did not have the opportunity in their youth? By building on existing partnerships, could OBS collaborate with grassroots networks, for example, to design adapted programmes for even older adults and community groups?
With appropriate adjustments, I believe that OBS' ethos of resilience and teamwork can be translated into accessible inter-generational experiences that foster connections across age, ethnic and social groups.
Such partnerships could help bridge generational divides, encouraging lifelong learning and creating shared experiences that deepen community bonds. Exploring these possibilities would broaden OBS' role beyond youth development, strengthening our social fabric and reinforcing a shared Singaporean identity.
Ms Elysa Chen: Sir, in my Budget speech, I proposed third spaces in our heartlands where young people can socialise and access mental health support. Let me share why this matters.
In Ireland, Jigsaw operates youth mental health cafes – low-stigma drop-in spaces that have significantly reduced barriers to help-seeking. In Australia, Headspace combines informal hangout areas with on-site mental health, work and study support. These models work because they meet young people where they are, without requiring them to formally seek help.
In Singapore, traditional spaces like void decks have \"No Football\" signs put up and malls require spending, which may discourage youths from utilising them as third spaces. About one in three youths report severe mental health symptoms. Yet 84% of mental health illnesses go undiagnosed. We need intermediate spaces in our heartlands, not clinical settings, but places where young people can play, socialise and access support early before conditions escalate.
Will the Government pilot third space hubs in our heartlands, co-locating informal hangout areas with access to mental health, mentoring and work-study support? Will MCCY develop a national plan to repurpose void decks and community spaces into free, youth-friendly spaces that facilitate social connection?
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan: Sir, I would like to talk about physical space and a challenge which many young Singaporeans live with – loneliness.
A 2024 IPS poll found that Singaporeans aged 21 to 34 face the highest levels of loneliness and social isolation of any age group. This is not a uniquely Singaporean challenge. Last year, the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Connection described loneliness as a pressing global health threat. But in Singapore, this is a serious and growing challenge that interacts with something very specific to us – our relationship with space.
Singapore is a land-scare country where every square metre must justify its economic value. We are not short of communal spaces. We have parks, Community Centres and integrated hubs, like One Tampines Hub. But space alone does not guarantee connection. There is a difference between programmed spaces and unstructured open spaces. Many of our communal facilities are curated with specific demographics and aims in mind. They function well as spaces of organised activity but less well as spaces of spontaneous encounter.
The void deck understood this intuitively. It was the default third space for an entire generation of Singaporeans, including mine. There, community happened without anyone having to organise or pay for it. But the ground-level openness that made the void deck a place you passed through and stayed in has given way to something more structured, purposeful and less porous. Newer HDB estates have moved towards designs where communal spaces sit between floors or on top of buildings, spaces that require intentional visits rather than chance encounters.
I invite the House to consider what is the default third space for young Singaporeans today. Where can they show up without a booking, a programme or a minimum spend? And have the kind of organic encounters that build friendships, spark passion projects and forge civic bonds? Young Singaporeans are already trying to answer this themselves. We see it in ground-up initiatives, like FriendZone and the Casual Poet Library. These are signs of unmet need for spaces that are free and open to all, where people can just be.
Mr Chairman, we cannot build a \"we first\" society through youth panels and volunteerism drives alone. We need physical space for togetherness – spaces where \"we\" can actually form. So, I hope MCCY can work together with MND and young Singaporeans to co-design a new generation of open, accessible, unstructured community spaces in our heartlands. Spaces that treat the need to gather and belong, not as a luxury, but as essential social infrastructure.
Prof Kenneth Poon (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, I welcome the Ministry's continued investments in youth engagement platforms, traineeships and pathways into employment. Coupled with the strong academic attainment of our youths as evidenced in our performance on international benchmarks, these initiatives will undoubtedly help prepare our young people for economic participation amid the demands of an increasingly competitive global environment.
I would like to propose today that preparing our youths for the future must also include preparing them to develop a shared sense of national identity. This is particularly important in a digital age where their values, aspirations and sense of belonging are shaped by global influences.
National surveys, such as the Health Promotion Board's Students' Health Survey and the National Youth Council's National Youth Survey, have highlighted concerns related to stress, mental well-being and life pressures among young people. Complementing these findings, national mental health studies indicate that a significant proportion of youth report symptoms of anxiety, depression or psychological distress.
Studies, such as the 2020 UNICEF Digital Lives of Children in ASEAN and the Infocomm Media Development Authority's Digital Society Survey, highlight that young people today are highly connected digitally and increasingly exposed to a wide range of information, perspectives and social influences through online environments.
More than a century ago, sociologist Émile Durkheim observed that when the social groups individuals belong to weaken, people become increasingly reliant on themselves alone. His insight remains relevant today, as young people navigate identity formation in a rapidly changing social and digital environment. We understand from research that adolescents who report a stronger sense of belonging to their national or community context may demonstrate higher levels of well-being, social trust and resilience during key life transitions.
Conversely, where opportunities for participation in shared institutions or community life are limited, young people may report greater uncertainty in identity formation, which may, in turn, be associated with lower perceived well-being. Opportunities to participate in civic or community settings then may serve not only social purposes but also contribute to psychosocial outcomes that support long-term well-being.
Identity formation does not arise solely from instruction or programme participation, but through opportunities for shared responsibility, meaningful participation and voice.
Sir, during the Budget debate, I introduced four questions as a lens for considering how initiatives can strengthen Singapore's social foundations. One of them pertain to the extent to which our citizens have a meaningful voice in shaping how they are supported. In relating them to our youths, I would like to ask the Minister if the Government can share how opportunities for youth participation in community or civic initiatives are being structured to support the development of belonging and shared responsibility and how such opportunities may contribute to young people's sense of connection, contribution and participation in a shared national community. I look forward to the Minister's response on this matter.
Dr Charlene Chen (Tampines): Recent surveys show that young Singaporeans experience more loneliness than older age groups. Many say they feel more anxious speaking face-to-face than online.
Loneliness is not just the mood. It shapes identity. If a young person repeatedly feels unseen or peripheral, that experience becomes part of how they see themselves and their place in society. So, the question before us is not only how to run more programmes. It is this: are we designing everyday Singapore in a way that makes connection easy or effortful?
I suggest we focus on two levers: spaces and programming.
A young man once told me that when he felt overwhelmed, he would go to the skate park in Tampines. He did not go there for a structured activity. He went because it was where he felt understood. That detail matters.
When mirrored panels at Bayfront MRT were frosted, dancers felt displaced. That linkway had quietly become a rehearsal space, a place where they practised, formed friendships and improved together. The provision of mirrored space at Marina South Pier MRT acknowledged that informal spaces matter.
These examples show something important. Young people do not only need facilities. They need places where they feel ownership.
Youths tell me that they compete for library seats or spend money at cafes just to have somewhere to study together. Community Clubs exist, but booking systems can feel formal, adult-controlled or difficult for spontaneous use. If our spaces feel distant or procedural, young people simply retreat to their rooms and to their screens.
So, imagine this instead. A secondary school student finishes classes. She books a small multi-use room in her neighbourhood Community Club with two taps on an app. It is available because certain off-peak hours are designated youth-access blocks. She and her friends rehearse a dance routine. Next door, a group of students are revising together. An uncle from the neighbourhood drops by to conduct a small mentoring session, matched through a community platform.
These are small design changes. But from a youth's perspective, the difference is large. Connection becomes convenient. Participation becomes routine. Belonging becomes local.
So, I ask whether MCCY could review under-utilised rooms for youth-designated time blocks. Pilot simplified, youth-friendly booking systems. Incorporate small acoustically treated multi-use rooms in future precinct upgrades. This is not about building new complexes. It is about existing infrastructure being more youth intentional.
The second is programming. We have grants, youth organisations and platforms. But initiative often remains fragmented.
A secondary school student recently wrote to me, asking if she could put posters to match volunteer music teachers with learners who lacked access. Her instinct was right: connection happens when people teach, learn and serve together. But why should she have to rely on void deck posters?
Imagine instead: a neighbourhood-based matching feature within existing community apps. A polytechnic student who plays the violin indicates she can volunteer for two hours a week. A Primary 5 student who cannot afford lessons signs up. The match is facilitated through the Community Club. Basic safeguards are in place. They meet weekly. They are no longer just volunteer and learner. They become part of the same community. Belonging deepens not through consumption but contribution.
So, I ask whether existing MCCY or PA's platforms can incorporate hyperlocal volunteer-learner matching for sports, arts and mentoring, grant prioritisation for recurring, sustained youth-led initiatives, not only one-off events.
Chairman, belonging cannot be siloed by age. We need integration. And when generations interact regularly, identity becomes shared, not fragmented. I also hope that MCCY can consider how we can nurture cross-generational mangling as well.
Chairman, if loneliness is rising, the response is not only more services. It is better design, design spaces that are easy to access, design systems that match initiative with opportunity, design programmes that reward continuity.
From a youth's perspective, the difference is simple. Instead of asking, \"Where can I go?\", the answer becomes obvious: \"Right here.\" That is what it means to design belonging, not as a slogan, but as everyday reality.
Mr Alex Yam: Chairman, in a \"we first\" society, our youth are not just beneficiaries of Singapore's future. They must also be partners in shaping it.
Over the past year, MCCY has engaged many young Singaporeans. These conversations are valuable ones. But the key question is how these conversations translate into sustained pathways for participation.
Young Singaporeans today grow up in a very different environment. They face economic uncertainties, rapid technological change and the constant pressures of the digital world. Member Dr Charlene Chen just spoke about loneliness in our interconnected world today.
Therefore, how is MCCY equipping our young people with the resilience to navigate these pressures while remaining grounded in a sense of shared responsibility for Singapore? What opportunities are there for young Singaporeans to step forward meaningfully in community building, policymaking and service to society?
For example, how can our youths be more actively involved in shaping local initiatives, volunteering networks or national conversations? For example, in Finland, under the Finland Youth Act, municipalities are required to include youths through the youth councils or nuorisovaltuusto and there are over 300 youth councils to cultivate early civic ownership.
Ultimately, the goal is not simply to encourage participation, but to cultivate partnership but to nurture a generation that sees Singapore not just a place to live but as a community they feel responsible for, because when they feel a genuine stake in Singapore, they and we collectively, can unlock the fecundity of their ideas, the initiative and civic imagination. I would appreciate therefore the Minister's thoughts on how we can continue building such a generation.
The Chairman: Responses. Acting Minister Mr David Neo.
The Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr David Neo): Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their speeches and suggestions and their strong support for the work that we do at MCCY.
Sir, this year, 2026, marks the 60th anniversary of the Singapore pledge. For 60 years, we lived out our ideals of becoming \"one united people, regardless of race, language or religion.\"
In writing the Singapore pledge in 1966, our founding father, Mr S Rajaratnam, articulated his vision of building an inclusive \"Singaporean\" identity anchored in our model of multiculturalism. Fresh off the uncertainty of separation, we chose to build a united, shared and equal existence as a \"we first\" collective, rather than co-existence as divided, isolated and competing \"me first\" communities.
It was a bold vision. Over 60 years, we have built a cohesive multicultural community, where we identify with one another as Singaporeans first.
While Singapore is often noted for our exceptional Third World to First World economic story, what is equally, if not more, exceptional, is our success in fostering a cohesive multicultural society amidst great diversity in race, language and religion.
Today, we again face the uncertainty of a changed world. Externally, the world order that brought us peace and prosperity is being challenged, reversed and dismantled. We have heard how international relations have become more \"my interest first\", rather than \"how can we prosper together\". Internally, we face a combination of rapid ageing and fast declining fertility. As Deputy Prime Minister said, it is an existential challenge. We will need to stay open with a carefully managed immigration flow to augment our low birth rate.
Immigrants will need time to adapt. Will we choose unity over division, sharing over isolation and equality over discrimination? It is in these uncertain times that the question, \"what makes me a Singaporean\" becomes even more salient for us, as individuals and as a nation.
Our national identity, which reflects our core values, our principles and our beliefs, will be what anchors us in a changed world. Only when we are strongly anchored in our collective identity as Singaporeans, can we withstand the tests that will come.
The hon Member Mr Alex Yam spoke about the need for a \"we first\" national identity. In MCCY, we seek to foster a \"we first\" society in three ways. Let me elaborate.
First, we need to expand the common space that we share as Singaporeans. At a basic level, we need to do more to get people to interact, bond and identify with one another.
As Members in this Chamber will remember, we used to bond through shared experiences, whether it is watching local television programmes, like Aksi Mat Yoyo or drama serials like 霧鎖南洋, or just going downstairs to play at the dragon playground. But times have changed. With Netflix, YouTube and TikTok, experiences become more individualised. We can be in the same room at the same time, yet have totally different experiences. This reduction of spontaneous, shared experiences have led to an erosion of the bonds that bind us together.
In the recent 2026 IPS study on Fraternity and Social Fabric, Singaporeans report a drop in their number of close friends, from an average of 10.67 in 2018 to 6.49 in 2024. One in 10 Singaporeans profess to have no close friends.
We need to change this. MCCY will step up efforts to foster greater interaction, understanding and respect among Singaporeans, as this is what keeps our Singapore identity strong. We will do this through our strengths in arts, heritage, culture and sport, which form our identity infrastructure.
One of MCCY's priorities going forward is to deepen our multiculturalism, a core value that we all hold dearly.
Over the years, MCCY has consistently invested in preserving and enhancing our multiculturalism. Our arts and heritage programmes, such as ArtsEverywhere@CDC and Heritage Activation Nodes, bring Singaporeans from different backgrounds together to appreciate and understand each other's heritage and culture better. Our Harmony Circles encourage honest conversations, build empathy, trust and respect across differences, so that we do not just live alongside one another, but we stand together and we celebrate each other's cultures and beliefs.
I agree with Mr Mark Lee that we should set our ambitions higher, going beyond peaceful and harmonious co-existence, to foster deep cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
When I speak with practitioners from our arts and culture groups, they tell me they are starting to notice declining interest among the young to engage in traditional arts. Some youths are trading traditional dance CCAs for contemporary dance styles, such as K-pop. So, while I understand the allure of K-pop and K-drama, we also need to retain our diverse traditional art forms and culture that forms the foundation for our multicultural identity and we need to pass these on to the next generation. So, we will be stepping up our efforts to strengthen our unique multicultural identity.
NAC will introduce a suite of new initiatives at preschools and MOE schools, to actively expose our younger generations to our ethnic cultures. Minister of State Baey will elaborate on this.
NAC will also launch a new $20 million Multicultural Arts Programme Grant, seeded by both the President's Challenge and the MCCY, to support the development of practitioners of traditional and multicultural arts forms. To reinforce our identity as a multi-ethnic and multicultural nation, the National Heritage Board (NHB), will step up placemaking to strengthen the ethnic identities of our historic districts of Kampong Gelam and Little India. Senior Minister of State Low and Minister of State Dinesh will elaborate further.
Through these initiatives, we want more Singaporeans to appreciate, experience and treasure the multicultural identity that makes us Singaporeans.
On the community front, we will do more to share our unique multicultural identity with newcomers who choose to live, work and study in Singapore. Newcomers need to understand and appreciate that Singapore is not a homogeneous or monocultural society, and they have to adapt to a set of norms that may be different from where they came from.
At the same time, Singaporeans also need to make a conscious effort to share our culture, values and norms with them. The Alliance for Action on Integration of Foreign Professionals that was formed last year has made good progress in putting forth new initiatives, to better integrate foreign professionals into our workplaces and our communities. Minister of State Dinesh will share more.
The second is to encourage people to care for one another and contribute to building Singapore together. While activities bring people together, it is care and connection that keeps us together. This spirit of care is alive and well in our society – we saw this clearly during COVID-19 when people instinctively stepped up in their own different ways. We continue to see it in everyday acts, such as giving up our seats to people who need them more than us.
Our ambition is to build a vibrant and thriving democracy of deeds, where more Singaporeans can contribute to build Singapore together. Many Singaporeans want to step forward.
Take, for instance, Ms Yu Poh Leng. At 60, a breast cancer survivor, Ms Yu discovered the benefits of water exercise during her rehabilitation and was driven to share this gift. She created bite-sized aqua-fitness videos and led twelve classes for seniors from Fei Yue Active Ageing Centre.
The seniors enjoyed the sessions so much that they encouraged Ms Yu to offer these classes more regularly. With support from the Singapore Government Partnerships Office and SportSG, Ms Yu is now an ActiveSG coach and she runs her aqua fitness classes as part of ActiveSG regular programming so that she can impact more seniors.
We want to lower barriers and create more opportunities for Singaporeans, like Ms Yu, to step forward to contribute.
In 2016, we launched Our Singapore Fund to partner citizens and turn their ideas for the community into reality. Our Singapore Fund has since supported more than 800 projects to benefit Singaporeans.
While Our Singapore Fund is very well received and has made a real impact on the ground, there are pain points. For example, the grant cap and short implementation period confined projects; and the need to co-fund posed challenges for smaller ground-up groups or individuals who lacked fundraising capability.
We took this feedback seriously and we have been working very hard to fine-tune this grant. We will launch a new $50 million SG Partnerships Fund over the next five years, as announced by the Prime Minister earlier. This fund supports bigger projects and dreams, welcomes smaller groups and embraces good ideas wherever they come from. Senior Minister of State Low will share more on how this will work.
We want to empower more Singaporeans to contribute meaningfully, so we can build stronger bonds, deeper trust and a greater sense of shared ownership. This is the first step towards building a stronger \"we first\" society.
Finally, we want to rally the nation to build an inclusive society, where everyone, regardless of their starting point, will be supported to realise their full potential.
Our strength lies in our diversity of talents – from entrepreneurs to artists. When we create pathways that allow Singaporeans to pursue their passion and thrive in their chosen fields, we forge a strong national identity built on the shared belief that every Singaporean matters.
This is especially important for our youths, who will have to overcome new challenges in this uncertain AI-dominated and changed world. As Ms Elysa Chen, Prof Kenneth Poon and Mr Alex Yam pointed out, our youths increasingly struggle with social isolation, worsening mental health outcomes and growing career insecurities.
The National Youth Council (NYC) is committed to support our young people to make them active participants equipped with the skills, opportunities and support systems to thrive and fulfil their aspirations. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh will share more about our initiatives in this area.
Let me now turn to sport development. Sport is a powerful unifier for all Singaporeans, transcending age and ability. Sport creates genuine human connection. Sport also ignites national pride and solidifies our national identity, as Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh pointed out.
MCCY and SportSG will step up efforts to further democratise sports participation among youths. I share Mr Alex Yam's concerns that sport CCAs should not be something only for the naturally gifted or those who can afford prior training.
We will provide more platforms where children can play to nurture their love of the game – so that every child has more opportunities to experience what sport can teach them about themselves and others. We introduced the School Sports Fiesta last year to bring students from different schools together to play sports. To date, we have held Fiestas for 16 schools and well over 2,000 students.
Fifteen-year-old Aryaa Geajaindren from St Gabriel's Secondary School had never considered playing basketball. The School Sports Fiesta sparked a desire in him to explore the sport more deeply. He is now pursuing basketball competitively.
We want more students to benefit from this. So, we will double and bring the School Sports Fiesta to 32 schools by 2027.
Another platform is through CCAs, where students train together, forging bonds through sweat, blood and tears. CCAs are where many of us made our closest friends, forged through hours spent laughing and crying together in training. This sustained interaction and tight bonds is precisely what we want to nurture. However, with schools taking in smaller cohorts and students having more diverse interests, some schools may not have enough students to start a CCA.
This is why MCCY and MOE introduced Strategic Partnership CCAs (SP-CCAs) so that more students will get to participate in the CCA of their choice. We will launch more in the next few years.
As a ground-up initiative, some schools have also come together to form Multi-School CCA Teams. For example, ACS (Barker Road) and Queensway Secondary came together to form a hockey team that trained together and competed together at the National School Games (NSG). To encourage more of such collaborations, we will launch a new $10 million grant for Multi-School CCA Teams. Each team will receive $200,000 over four years to be invested among the partner schools, which can be used to partially fund facility, transportation or coaching costs.
NSG participation has been increasing steadily. This year will see its highest participation to date, with around 69,000 student-athletes from more than 300 schools competing across 29 sports. We want to expand this to provide more opportunities for our student-athletes. MCCY and MOE will start a new initiative to work with ready, able and willing NSAs to introduce more sports into the NSG.
The power of sport to unite and build connections goes beyond schools. The friendships forged through playing together, the encouragement shared during a challenging game and the growth that comes from pushing our limits. These are experiences that all Singaporeans, regardless of age and ability, should continue to have access to throughout their lives.
Therefore, SportSG will also step up our efforts to democratise sports in the community and ensure that everyone can continue to bond and to live better through sport. Ms Gho Sze Kee will be glad to hear that we have been steadily expanding sport spaces, especially in the heartlands. We have renovated four sport facilities, such as the Delta Sport Centre and the ActiveSG Sport Park @ Teck Ghee, and completed 15 development projects, including Bukit Canberra and the ActiveSG Sport Village @ Jurong Town.
Within a year, we will be completing three facilities to provide more localised sport access. They are Queenstown, Hougang and the new Punggol Regional Sport Centre.
We have also completed 11 Sport-in-Precinct facilities with another 11 undergoing construction in Tampines North, Keat Hong, Whampoa and Kembangan, amongst others. Our facilities are well-utilised and see over 20 million visitors annually. As more Singaporeans embrace active lifestyles, there is also a rise in demand for public facilities during peak hours, particularly for popular sports, like badminton and pickleball.
Therefore, I am happy to announce that we will build 50 multi-purpose courts for badminton or pickleball over the next five years. This includes the recently opened eight dual-use pickleball courts at The Kallang and we will soon complete another eight pickleball courts at the Little India Bus Terminal.
As we build these new courts, we are mindful of managing noise levels at residential estates. I commend Ms Gho Sze Kee's efforts in arbitrating citizen considerations and pushing for foam balls that are quieter in her ward. This is \"we first\" in action.
SportSG will work with community stakeholders on solutions. And where it meets space and height requirements, we will also activate underutilised spaces, such as spaces under viaducts in our neighbourhoods, so that these facilities are conveniently located closer to Singaporeans, but far enough to manage noise levels.
We can see an example like the Gali Batu flyover. I hope this addresses Ms Goh Sze Kee's concerns and I also hope that this is more than a 80% solution.
To Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, the issue with the MND is not about revenue loss, but it is about whether residents are well served, especially noise, as many multi-storey car parks are located very close to flats.
I believe on 4 November, there was also a Parliamentary Question filed by Member Mr David Hoe, which received a comprehensive reply from MND on what the considerations were. Perhaps I will point the Member to look up that Parliamentary Question reply.
Sporting spaces are just the first step. They must follow with more programmes for all ages and abilities. We have ActiveSG Academies and Clubs, that are open to children and youths to play the sport they like. Some go on to developmental programmes in high performance sport. We also have ActiveSG Interest Groups and Learn-to-Play programmes for adults who wish to pick up a new sport or just to play recreationally.
We are committed to offering more of such programmes and will study what Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh has mentioned about the SG Sport Pass.
Mr Andre Low asked about access to strength training to combat ageing-related frailty. We have introduced the Frailty Prevention Programme (FPP) for seniors. This enables them to age healthily and continue to build social connections through sport.
Under the FPP, SportSG rolled out the eight-week Combat Age-related Loss of Muscle (CALM) programme at Active Ageing Centres in 2024. Since then, CALM has yielded positive physical changes in our seniors. One of them is Ms Florence Soo. After experiencing a stroke in 2025, she joined CALM 1.0.
Under the guidance of her trainer, Ms Florence gradually regained her strength, mobility and flexibility, including improvements in her breathing and mood. This experience is not just unique to Ms Florence. In fact, almost all CALM participants reported improved functional performance in at least one measure, such as handgrip strength or gait speed.
To date, CALM strengthening programme has been implemented at 132 Active Ageing Centres, reaching about 4,000 seniors and we target to reach 180 AACs and 5,500 seniors by the end of this year.
Besides CALM, our seniors have also found adaptive sport attractive and useful in keeping them active, healthy and socially connected, whether it is through seated floorball or disc golf.
As part of the FPP, SportSG has progressively equipped 200 AACs with adaptive sport equipment. By the end of 2026, we will target to equip all AACs so that more seniors can participate in adaptive sport. Mr Low will also be glad to know that at the end of the CALM programme, participants are introduced to HUR machines. Almost all Senior Care Centres and some AACs are equipped with these variable weight machines.
Last year, we also launched the Seniors National Games (SNG), where seniors represented their AACs to compete across five adaptive sports.
We are heartened by the turnout – over 4,500 seniors from 110 AACs and even more family, friends and fans – and the positive feedback on how the SNG provided opportunities for seniors to not only keep active but also build connections and have fun. We invite more seniors to take part this year.
For persons with disabilities, we launched the Enabling Sports Fund (ESF) last year, supported by the President's Challenge and as part of the refreshed Disability Sports Master Plan to support community-initiated projects.
We received many good proposals. One of these is from SUN-DAC, which created iBoccia, a modification of the Paralympic sport, Boccia. iBoccia is customised and suitable for both persons with intellectual or other disabilities and their able-bodied teammates. Through the Fund, SUN-DAC will introduce iBoccia to more persons with disabilities.
Altogether, the ESF will support 21 initiatives for more than 8,000 persons with different disabilities across more than 20 sports.
Sport also opens doors for Singaporeans to chase their dreams. With the right support, we believe our athletes can realise their aspirations and their full potential.
Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh asked for an update on athlete support. We have put in place spexPotential to nurture athletes with potential for gold medal success at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
We have increased stipends and introduced Central Provident Fund (CPF) top-ups for our spexScholars to make competitive sport more financially viable. We signed agreements with six autonomous universities to create more athlete-friendly environments and launched the spexEducation Undergraduate Scholarships for athletes to pursue both education and competitive sport.
Take for example, Ryan Lo, a gold medallist at the Asian Games 2023 and last year's SEA Games and two-time Olympian sailor.
The spexEducation Programme Office worked closely with James Cook University to balance his academic commitments with training and competitions. He is on track to complete his business degree with a shorter duration, enabling him to pursue both his sporting ambitions and educational aspirations. Ryan will also be defending his title at this years' Asian Games, so let us cheer him on.
We want to do more for athletes like Ryan. We are reorganising ourselves to achieve this.
This April, we will consolidate our key sport entities – the High Performance Sport Institute (HPSI), the Singapore Sports School (SSP) and Unleash the Roar! – into a new entity that we call Sport Excellence Singapore (SpexSG). I would like to update Mr Alex Yam that this consolidation will materially transform the sporting ecosystem for the better.
First, we will enhance the breadth and depth of our support to athletes by making our high performance sports system more athlete-centric and whole-of-life. To enable more of our athletes to stay longer and go further in sport, we will support them with specialist expertise and in managing sporting commitments and other demands of life.
Under SpexSG, we will expand our Athlete Life Management capabilities to support athletes in a wide range of areas, like tertiary education, career development, family planning, financial literacy and personal growth. Our athlete life performance managers have commenced personalised consultations with top athletes, co-developing plans to help them manage major life transitions.
Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh will be glad to know that we will also run workshops to equip our athletes with skills in areas, such as personal branding, entrepreneurship, mental wellness literacy and media training. We will also deepen and integrate sport science and sport medicine (SSSM) support for our athletes.
A key benefit of the consolidation is the pooling of our SSSM expertise and knowledge. This will increase our capacity and open more opportunities for cross-knowledge transfer and pathways for career progression. Our athletes will see more dedicated and consistent support across sports and, as a system, we reap synergies that we otherwise would not if the entities remain separated.
Second, within SpexSG, we will strengthen SSP's role as our education concierge for all Team Singapore student-athletes.
Today, SSP provides a dedicated high-performance developmental pathway for youth athletes at the secondary and post-secondary levels. With the consolidation, we will capitalise on SSP's expertise and we will offer this to all Team Singapore student-athletes, regardless of age or school.
SSP currently avails its annual University and Scholarship Fair and university advisory services to Team Singapore student-athletes. Going ahead, it will support Team Singapore student-athletes in all six of our local autonomous universities. SSP will also work with NSAs to allow talented student-athletes to transfer to SSP whenever they are ready to commit, regardless of where they are at in their secondary or post-secondary journey.
SSP is also developing capabilities to support overseas-based Team Singapore student-athletes so that they can learn with their SSP classmates in Singapore for both the secondary and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).
SSP will further enhance its partnerships with NSAs and lean forward with boarding and facilities support.
One example is the Junior Performance Pathway Programme, a collaboration between SSP and the Singapore Badminton Association. Under this programme, student-athletes who are not studying at SSP can access training sessions at SSP and they can also board with SSP. SSP will continue to develop such partnerships with more NSAs.
Altogether, these changes will enable our student-athletes to pursue their aspirations and realise their full potential.
Third, SpexSG will tighten integration with our NSAs, empowering them to develop their sport for excellence.
Like Mr Jackson Lam, I too hear from NSAs their aspirations and challenges. We will strengthen our support for and partnerships with the NSAs.
NSAs will now have a single point of contact to address their high-performance and pathway development needs, whether through a dedicated high performance sport manager or a shared service desk. For new and emerging NSAs, we will also develop a playbook to guide them in achieving Charity status.
We will also have media communication trainings for NSAs to enhance media management capabilities and athlete profiling efforts. SpexSG will also expand secondment opportunities for sport administrators to more NSAs. Today, SportSG seconds chief executive officers, general managers and high performance managers to NSAs, such as Sailing, Fencing and Badminton.
I hope Mr Jackson Lam and Ms Valerie Lee will be happy with these changes.
But above all, SpexSG will transform the end-to-end journey of our national athletes to be a lot more integrated and seamless. Let me illustrate with basketball. The 3x3 basketball is gaining popularity because of its high-intensity and fast-paced game play. Our men's and women's team are both ranked top six in Asia Pacific.
But we can do better.
Previously, our young basketball athletes trained separately. The National Youth teams come together for a few months before major competitions and then, they separate after that. This ad hoc training environment does not develop their technical skill, decision-making speed and high-performance habits to their full potential, neither does it build team chemistry. Sport science support is reactive at best.
We want to create a more integrated pathway that brings together our young athletes more consistently so that we can strengthen individual mastery and team cohesion. That is why SSP, HPSI and the Basketball Association of Singapore established a new Under-19 National Youth Development Programme at SSP.
How does this look like for an athlete? Let me illustrate it with an athlete's story.
Emily Elessa is a high potential talent in the national Under-16 girls' team that won a silver medal in the Under-16 Southeast Asia Basketball Association qualifiers last year. Recently, she decided to transfer from her Direct School Admission (DSA) school, Yishun Secondary School, to SSP to pursue her aspiration to represent Singapore at the senior level.
Before, Emily trained twice a week in her secondary school, separately from her national teammates and under a different coach, until competition period nears. Now, Emily trains up to 10 times per week for both the 3x3 national team and the National Youth Development Programme under national coaches with a standardised coaching pedagogy. This consistency means that Emily is building the right technical, physical and mental foundations for progression into the senior national team.
Emily will also now have year-round sport science and sport medicine support.
Beyond sport, Emily will also be able to build a strong academic foundation in SSP, with all the flexibility that Team Singapore athletes need. She will also have access to the suite of Athlete Life Management offerings where she can seek guidance for her other life priorities so she can be ready for life.
SpexSG will work with more NSAs so more of our national athletes can be supported like Emily.
Mr Chairman, let me conclude. After 60 years of nation building, we have bonded over our shared experience, built a strong multicultural community that will step up to drive positive change. We forged a united society that identifies ourselves first as Singaporeans and not by our race, language or religion.
Faced again with the uncertainty of a changed world, let us stand on the shoulders of our Pioneers and choose to build an even more cohesive and stronger Singapore, one where our ethnic and religious communities not only live in harmony, but share a deep appreciation for one another's culture, one where everyone contributes actively to care for and uplift others in our community, one where everyone can fulfil their aspirations and reach their full potential, one that is truly a \"we first\" society.
Mr Mark Lee asked what success looks like. Mr Chairman, I believe it is the Singapore that Mr S Rajaratnam envisioned as he wrote our pledge 60 years ago – where we come together to celebrate our diverse cultures and share the same \"we first\" values, where we choose to be united as one people, trust each other, uplift one another, give back to society and where everyone can succeed on their own terms, where we cast aside our differences in race, language or religion; and we contribute in our own way to build our nation, where every Singaporean, regardless of their starting point, can achieve their full potential.
Let us come together and work towards this dream just like how our forefathers did when Mr S Rajaratnam first wrote our pledge. Let us not be mere spectators, but pledge ourselves as one united people, so that we can achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation. [Applause.]
The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Low Yen Ling.
The Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Low Yen Ling): Mr Chairman, I recently visited the Founders' Memorial's \"Not Mere Spectators\" exhibition.
Since 1959, Singapore's diversity has been built and held together by our people's active participation. Throughout the years, Singaporeans stepped forward to care for one another and uphold our unity in diversity. One example is the People's Cultural Concerts. These were performances by the people, for the people, nurturing a sense of belonging, mutual respect and shared identity. Held in open spaces across Singapore, people came together to perform, watch and learn together.
Several Pioneers in our arts scene, like Dr Uma Rajan and Mdm Som Said, performed at these concerts and became lifelong friends. Their experiences at these concerts left them with a deep conviction that multiculturalism must be lived and not just be spoken about. Both, in fact, went on to shape Singapore's cultural landscape.
Our nation's early years and journey reflect the seeds and the foundation of the \"we first\" society that we seek to forge. We see this \"we first\" spirit at different levels of our society where Singaporeans care, share and uplift each other.
At the individual level, we see it in volunteers, like Mdm Ratnam Periowsamy. She is 90 years old. At 90, she is the oldest volunteer at Care Corner's AAC in Toa Payoh East. She goes door-to-door to check on seniors living alone and organises activities for them. Her example shows us that you can contribute and care, regardless of age.
At the community level, groups, like the Kampong Gelam Association, came together to develop the Kampong Gelam Place Plan to enhance the precinct's heritage and cultural importance.
At the business level, we see the \"we first\" spirit in companies like aAdvantage. About half of their 20 staff members receive time off to volunteer regularly at a nursing home.
Mr Chairman, the common thread that we shared earlier at the individual, business and community levels show ordinary Singaporeans and groups stepping forward to make a difference, a big impact on our society. This is the kind of \"we first\" spirit that MCCY seeks to spark, spur and strengthen.
We will do so by, number one, creating common spaces through our heritage. We will bring people together, both physically and in spirit, to foster a stronger sense of community. And number two, by encouraging and enabling active citizenry to ensure that good ideas are turned into actions and no one is left behind.
Chairman, when we speak about heritage as a common space, we are referring not only to our landmarks, but also to familiar places within our neighbourhoods – places that hold meaning, memory and shared experience among Singaporeans.
Mr Foo Cexiang asked about MCCY's plan to allow more Singaporeans to play an active role in celebrating our neighbourhood heritage. Through the NHB's Heritage Activation Nodes (HANs), NHB partners residents and stakeholders to co-create programmes celebrating their neighbourhood.
Since two years ago, in 2024, NHB has launched three HANs across Singapore that has drawn more than 30,000 visitors. They are in Katong-Joo Chiat, Clementi and Punggol.
In Katong-Joo Chiat, there is a mural of a mama shop along Lorong Stangee, created by local artist Mr Alvin Mark Tan based on his childhood memories. This mural has inspired passers-by to contribute their stories and old photos of Joo Chiat.
Across the three HANs, more than 360 volunteers have stepped forward to deepen our local community heritage.
Building on this momentum, NHB will launch two new HANs in 2026. One will be in Telok Blangah, in partnership with Participate in Design. It will focus on uncovering hidden neighbourhood gems and stories. And the other HAN will be in Tiong Bahru, with Tiong Bahru Community Centre as our partner. It will celebrate public housing architecture, religious sites as well as heritage businesses. In addition, we will continue to steward our landmarks and historic districts carefully, so they remain meaningful to all Singaporeans and are sensitively integrated into the everyday lives of surrounding communities.
Ms Joan Pereira asked for a whole-of-Government approach in assessing the future public use of 38 Oxley Road and to consult neighbouring residents throughout the decision-making process. As mentioned by Acting Minister David Neo in his previous Ministerial Statement, MCCY will certainly study possible options to make the site accessible to the public, so it can become part of our shared memory and a common space for all Singaporeans.
The acquisition process for the site is ongoing. Once access is obtained, NHB will conduct a holistic study in consultation with the relevant agencies, to assess how the public education value of the site can be optimised. We will work with the Member, as well as the relevant Government agencies, to engage residents living nearby the site, and consider ideas and feedback to minimise any potential disamenities.
To enhance and protect our historic districts, NHB will establish a Placemaking Project Office under the Interagency Task Force for Heritage Businesses, Traditional Trades and Cultural Life, which I co-chair with Senior Minister of State Faishal Ibrahim.
The Project Office will work closely with key district stakeholders, like the Kampong Gelam Association, Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association and Chinatown Business Association, to better understand their needs and empower them to enliven their precincts. In addition, the Project Office will provide seed funding, link groups to relevant agencies and build capabilities to design, implement and scale placemaking initiatives.
Heritage businesses play an important role in enhancing the unique character of our historic districts and serve as community anchors. Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh asked whether more targeted succession planning support could be given to preserve heritage businesses and support their financial viability. We recognise that succession planning can be complex and deeply personal. Where heritage businesses are ready to pass down the reins, our agencies will certainly provide support. This includes business improvement initiatives, such as NHB's Organisation Transformation Grant.
For example, Rumah Makan Minang, a third-generation family-run restaurant, tapped on this grant to strengthen its long-term sustainability by reviewing and restructuring roles within the family business.
NHB will also be working with citizen volunteers to document heritage businesses and their contributions as part of the Little India Citizen Engagement Project. Interested members of the community can look out for NHB's call for citizen volunteers for the exercise, which will be announced by May this year.
These efforts remind us that heritage endures not only because it is preserved by institutions, but because it is kept alive by people.
Chairman, besides strengthening our sense of community through heritage spaces, we will nurture the growth of a \"we first\" society by spurring active citizenry. We want to see everyone coming together to shape and take ownership of our shared future.
To spark active citizenry, we set up the Singapore Government Partnerships Office two years ago in 2024. Last year, the Government received more than 1,600 partnership proposals addressing a wide range of community needs. Let me cite two quick examples.
Project #JalanJalan. It is a youth-led performing arts ground-up with the mission to connect people through performances in public spaces. During SG60, they staged more than 20 performances across five locations. Another project is Skillseed, an established community builder that works with residents to uncover neighbourhood stories and to strengthen local leadership. Skillseed seeks to build trust, capability and ownership within the community.
Both projects had different starting points, but they have the same spirit of contribution. Such citizen-driven initiatives have immense potential to spread their impact and outreach.
That is where the new SG Partnerships Fund announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and just now by Acting Minister David Neo, will play a key role to spur and strengthen active citizenry. As requested by Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim, I will briefly share how the fund is tailored. It is tailored to empower different levels of ground-up ideas and activities through three tiers of support.
First, the Seed tier aims to grow a democracy of deeds by supporting citizen-led ideas, even nascent ones, with accessible and low-barrier funding, up to a maximum of $5,000 for one year. We hope that this tier, with its simple application process, will motivate more individuals and ground-ups to come forward with their ideas, no matter how small, to address community needs or to better the lives of fellow Singaporeans.
The next tier, the Sprout tier, aims to grow the circle of ground action by providing support for those with proven ideas to amplify their impact and outreach. It is also the next tier of funding that successful \"graduates\" of Seed tier recipients could apply to, to grow their project ideas.
To qualify for the Sprout tier, individuals or ground-ups need to demonstrate track record in implementing projects of a similar nature or have conducted successful pilots of the proposed idea. This tier provides up to 80% funding, capped at $50,000, up to a period of two years.
Finally, the Scale tier is for organisations that aim to deliver systemic or sector-wide social impact or to foster cross-sector partnerships with measurable outcomes. This can take the form of large-scale initiatives that grow civic participation or capacity. Similar to Sprout, applicants for this tier would need to demonstrate prior success in implementing projects of similar nature and that the proposed idea has achieved tangible results in pilots.
Chairman, we recognise that implementing such programmes could require greater capacity from the organisations. Therefore, we will work with successful Scale applicants, to strengthen their capabilities to execute their projects more sustainably. The fund will provide up to 80% funding, capped at $1 million over three years. The fund will also cover capacity costs, such as manpower and training.
Ms Elysa Chen asked about ringfencing SG Partnerships Fund's funding to support youth- or parent-led initiatives, and if the fund should be increased to boost mutual support and neighbourliness. I want to respond to her and assure her that, currently, the SG Partnerships Fund is sized at $50 million over five years. We wish to ensure that it remains accessible to encourage a broad range of initiatives that leads to positive change for our communities, certainly including youths and certainly including parents.
The SG Partnerships Fund also complements existing schemes, such as the NYC's Young ChangeMakers Grant and the National Youth Fund (NYF). I want to assure her that we will review the SG Partnerships Fund's impact on catalysing projects that support active citizenry, before we consider enlarging it.
Applications will open from next month, April 2026, and more information will be released on the Singapore Government Partnerships Office's website. We welcome and we invite all Singaporeans to step forward and make a difference. Your ideas and efforts matter, and we can create a \"we first\" Singapore where no one walks alone.
Chairman, a \"we first\" society is built when people, communities and businesses step forward to serve the collective good. Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim has asked how we can rally more to do so.
First, we will incentivise and actively support corporate volunteerism. As Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced, the Corporate Volunteer Scheme will be extended for three more years. This allows companies to enjoy 250% tax deductions on qualifying expenditures when employees volunteer with IPCs, including employee's salaries and volunteering supplies.
Second, we will help companies build capability and confidence to contribute and shape our society for the better. For instance, the partnership between the Singapore Business Federation and VolunteerInc. provides companies with training, guidance and connections to community organisations.
Since the programme was launched in July last year, more than 100 companies have stepped forward to partner VolunteerInc.
One of them is, Coface, a multinational trade credit insurance company, which launched a drive to develop adaptive floorball sessions for elderly persons. Last year, 52 Coface volunteers contributed 624 hours of their time over eight floorball sessions. And this very meaningful initiative saw the seniors gain confidence through adaptive floorball; form friendships not just amongst the elderly, and also with the Coface employees; and rediscover the joy of staying active.
Over the next five years, we aim to mobilise 600 companies and 6,000 employees to participate in similar projects.
Third, we will continue to nurture a culture of giving back. In 2025, under the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's Company of Good initiative recognised 371 companies for their contributions. Then there is the Collective for a Stronger Society, launched two years ago, in 2024, and led by the Community Foundation of Singapore, which brings together Government agencies, donors and community partners to better support lower-income families. To date, Collective for a Stronger Society has raised approximately $16 million, translating generosity into meaningful support for families who need it most.
Ms Elysa Chen asked whether the Government is considering alternative ways to encourage neighbourliness and mutual help, for example, through time-banking. While time banking is a good idea to increase neighbourliness and foster mutual help, there may be practical implementation challenges. However, I want to assure her that there are community-led initiatives that have similar objectives to time banking.
For example, Thye Hua Kwan's Moral Charities implemented a programme, supported by the DBS Foundation, where AAC participants take on short micro-tasks based on their abilities and schedules, and receive small allowances upon completion. I want to assure her that MCCY will be happy to support similar ground-up initiatives, including any time-banking pilots, under the just-announced SG Partnerships Fund.
Chairman, while corporate and organised giving matter greatly, a \"we first\" society is also expressed through everyday acts of care. Volunteerism, therefore, is vital to growing active citizenry. Our island-wide network of 24 SG Cares Volunteer Centres works closely with communities to identify and address their needs.
More than 720 volunteers from semiconductor manufacturer, Micron, partnered with the SG Cares Volunteer Centre in Sembawang to run Micron Kampong, which befriends seniors and brings them on outings and festive visits. This year, we aim to engage 36,000 volunteers to benefit 180,000 service users.
When corporates, community groups, and individuals choose to step forward, to connect, to care and to contribute, the foundations of active citizenry are built and the seeds for a \"we first\" society are sown. Chairman, allow me to speak in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, the foundation of Singapore's nation-building is the establishment of a harmonious and prosperous multiracial and multicultural society. We often say, \"First, the nation; then the home\" – first \"we\"; then \"me\". The core tenet of prioritising \"we\" over \"me\" is the foundation upon which Singapore relies for survival and prosperity.
To deepen our sense of \"we first\", we hope to adopt a three-pronged approach through \"business\", \"community\" and \"individuals\" to strengthen mutual care and build a \"we first\" society.
First, the Government will continue to harness our heritage and culture to create more common spaces to strengthen social cohesion.
NHB will establish a Placemaking Project Office to work with businesses, associations and individuals within the community to enliven our historic districts and strengthen Singaporeans' sense of identity.
We will also add on to our existing three Heritage Activation Nodes with the introduction of two new Nodes in Telok Blangah and Tiong Bahru, which are both neighbourhoods rich in history and culture.
The SG Partnerships Fund announced by Prime Minister Wong and Acting Minister Neo, will provide tiered funding for community initiatives of different stages and scale, under a clear framework. This five-year programme has a total budget of $50 million.
From the \"Seed\" stage with an annual cap of $5,000, to the \"Sprout\" stage with up to $50,000 up to a period of two years, to the \"Scale\" stage with up to $1 million over three years, the Government hopes to encourage individuals and organisations to start small and share more creative good ideas with more people to unite the community through progressive support.
Enterprises, companies and professional bodies can also establish initiatives through the \"Corporate Volunteer Scheme\" to encourage employees to give back to the community through volunteer service.
A \"we first\" society needs an active citizenry working together to realise it. When corporates, community groups, and individuals come together, we will be able to create a harmonious, united and progressive home and society that belong to us.
(In English): Chairman, let us aspire and work towards the \"we first\" society we hope for, where no Singaporean walks alone and where people of all races, backgrounds and creeds are joined together by our common hope and vision of a caring and cohesive Singapore.
We see the seeds of what that \"we first\" spirit blossoming in the examples we shared today, from 90-year-old Mdm Periowsamy to the dedicated volunteers from Coface and our many Companies of Good.
MCCY will continue to partner Singaporeans to create the conditions for this spirit to grow. Let us shape a \"we first\" Singapore, strong and resilient, and stronger together.
The Chairman: Minister of State Baey Yam Keng.
The Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Baey Yam Keng):\tMr Chairman, Acting Minister spoke about how multiculturalism bridges communities and forms the core of who we are as Singaporeans. Multiculturalism is and has always been, the bedrock of the Singapore identity.
For Singapore, a sense of shared identity is essential. It holds us together and gives us a sense of belonging. Our multicultural identity reminds us of what it means to be Singaporean. Today, we embrace it as a way of life.
This was on display just recently, when Chinese New Year coincided with the start of Ramadan. Last Saturday afternoon in my constituency, I saw Muslim residents doing the lohei together with the community at a Chinese New Year celebration and grassroot leaders dabaoing the buffet, so that they can enjoy it after breaking fast.
Even so, there is more that we can do and should do to deepen our multicultural DNA. Around the world, we see how social diversity leads to fragmentation. It is therefore critical that we strengthen our cross-cultural understanding and deepen our shared identity.
This is where the arts can be a powerful catalyst. Through the arts, we get to know ourselves and where we came from. More importantly, arts encourage us to look beyond their differences and value our commonalities.
It is encouraging that in the Population Survey on the Arts, conducted by the NAC, eight in 10 Singaporeans agreed that the arts allow us to better understand people from different backgrounds and cultures.
Over the years, the local arts scene has developed generations of practitioners, groups and platforms that embody Singapore's diverse cultural traditions.
Two weeks ago, I attended the Spring Reception held at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre. One of the performances was a multi-ethnic percussive showcase. Drum Feng opened the performance with Chinese drums, which was then joined by Nadi Singapura's kompang and rebana drums, and Singapore Dhol Squad's parai drums. These instruments from different cultures blended seamlessly to deliver a great performance.
We will continue to support our traditional arts and culture, so that this precious part of our cultural heritage is passed down to future generations.
Various artists and arts groups whom we have consulted gave us this advice to develop multiculturalism through and in the arts. We must work harder to engage the young to understand and appreciate the cultural heritage within and across the various ethnic communities and to expand the reach of monocultural traditional art forms within the general population. In particular, we should promote cross-cultural awareness and appreciation. By building these bridges, we learn to better appreciate the culture and art forms outside our own ethnic community.
Upon this strong foundation, we can do more to support cross-cultural artistic creations that are sophisticated, innovative, high quality and that are uniquely Singapore.
To achieve this, we will provide more support to promote the development of multicultural art forms, whether through productions that infuse the influences of other cultures, creations and organisations that express our multiculturalism, or artists learning a new cultural art form from another ethnic community.
This must start at a young age. As Ms Eileen Chong spoke about, fostering greater participation among the young is important for the long-term sustainability of the arts sector. Early and meaningful engagement with our diverse arts traditions lays the foundation for our children and youths to appreciate one another's cultures. NAC is expanding opportunities for students to do so.
At the preschool level, NAC will commission artists and arts groups to develop offerings that enable sustained access to arts experiences. One of the programmes, designed with The Artground, focuses on multicultural arts. The programme will feature Malay and Indian dance, Peranakan arts, traditional hand puppetry and Chinese Opera. NAC will pilot these programmes with selected preschools.
At the secondary school level, NAC will introduce a two-year Ethnic Fusion Dance Programme, delivered by O School Limited. This enrichment programme will allow students from different schools to learn about various ethnic dance forms together, then apply them in contemporary dance. The students will have a chance to audition for a final showcase at Super 24, a regional competition featuring dance groups from across Asia.
We will strengthen funding support for schools to bring in artists to deliver traditional and multicultural arts learning experiences.
Currently, under the Artist-in-School Scheme, NAC funds 70% of supportable costs for schools to bring in artist-run programmes, up to $15,000 per year per school. NAC will increase support for artist-run traditional and multicultural programmes under the AISS, to fund 100% of supportable costs, up to $25,000 per year per school.
For 2026, NAC has curated close to 300 programmes under the NAC-Arts Education Programme, working with MOE schools to nurture an appreciation of Singapore's multicultural identity among students across all levels. This is nearly a 35% increase from 2025, offering schools more choices to spark greater interest in multicultural arts.
Beyond schools, we will increase the exposure of multicultural arts in the community. We have been doing this through ArtsEverywhere@CDC, which brings arts and cultural performances to our everyday spaces. For example, Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts presented a blend of traditional Malay art forms, with musicians playing the angklungs, dancers weaving melodies into stories and intricate wayang golek puppets. The initiative has reached audiences of more than 63,000 since its launch in 2024.
Looking ahead, we will focus on showcasing Singapore's multiculturalism through ArtsEverywhere@CDC in our heartlands.
We will introduce more traditional arts and cross-cultural performances and programmes. These will deepen Singaporeans' understanding and appreciation of the cultures and traditions of different ethnic communities. For instance, the Open Score Project, co-founded by Gildon Choo, combines global ethnic musical cultures and pushes the boundaries of cross-cultural collaboration. As part of ArtsEverywhere@CDC, their ensemble performed at Jurong Lake Gardens last year. Through such programmes, we can grow a deeper appreciation for arts experiences that connect our cultures.
We want to encourage even more arts practitioners and groups to nurture connections and collaborations that express who we are as a people. To support this, I am happy to announce a new Multicultural Arts Programme Grant, seeded by the President's Challenge and MCCY; $20 million will be available over the next five years to support practitioners and organisations developing traditional and multicultural art forms and promoting cross-cultural engagement through the arts.
The Grant will support artists and projects blending elements from different cultures, traditions and disciplines. This could support artists who interweave elements from different cultures in a meaningful way and those who wish to develop mastery in art forms beyond their own cultural traditions. It will also support ecosystem-building activities that strengthen the multicultural arts landscape. The Multicultural Arts Programme Grant will be launched in the coming months, and NAC will share more details then.
Another initiative that expands access to local arts and culture offerings is the SG Culture Pass, launched in September 2025. Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh had asked whether it is reaching new audiences. I am pleased to share that over 1.2 million citizens have registered for the SG Culture Pass. Of these, seven in 10 had not attended a local arts and culture programme in the past five years. Among those who have used their credits, nine in 10 expressed interest to attend another local programme. Through the Culture Pass, Singaporeans have discovered more about different cultures in Singapore beyond their own.
I thank Assoc Prof Terence Ho for suggesting regular top-ups of the Culture Pass, first-timer discounts and bonus credits. As the scheme was just launched recently, MCCY will monitor utilisation trends before making adjustments. Nevertheless, we are encouraged by the statistics, which show that the Culture Pass has helped Singaporeans discover the diversity of our local cultural landscape.
Assoc Prof Terence Ho also asked about whether more could be done to support our local publishers and bookstores. Since 1 March 2026, Singaporeans have been able to spend their Culture Pass credits on Sing Lit books at participating bookstores. This strengthens our support of the local literary arts sector and directly benefits publishers and bookstores.
Besides expanding access to the arts and developing audiences, we are exploring ways to harness the potential of the arts to generate positive social impact.
One such area is in arts education research. Positive engagement with the arts from a young age supports holistic development. Through sustained and localised research, we can better determine how arts-based education can nurture the next generation of Singaporeans.
MCCY has commissioned a five-year research study on how arts engagement can boost creativity and strengthen the socio-emotional well-being of our students. The study is led by the National Institute of Education, in partnership with MCCY, NAC and the Esplanade. Through this study, we hope to provide insights for schools and arts agencies that inform efforts to support youth development.
Another emerging area that shows great promise is the nexus of arts and well-being. The National Gallery Singapore's Slow Art Guide is an example, delivered through a self-guided audio experience and reflection booklets. Through slow looking and mindfulness exercises, the initiative encourages visitors to engage mindfully with artworks. This evidence-based approach positively impacts mental health and cognitive function.
As Singapore's population ages, the arts provide a platform for our seniors to live and age well. NAC has partnered SingHealth Community Hospitals and the Agency for Integrated Care on a research study. The study aims to determine the impact of arts programmes on senior well-being. The insights will help design effective interventions to support our seniors.
NAC is also working with the arts community and healthcare and community care practitioners on a series of arts programmes. These programmes are designed to enhance the well-being of seniors at AACs. We aim to grow the pipeline of skilled practitioners who can deliver effective arts-based well-being programmes. We have conducted these programmes in 28 AACs and aim to reach a total of 110 centres by 2028.
Dr Kenneth Goh and Ms Goh Sze Kee asked about how we are supporting our artists to build sustainable and resilient careers.
We will continue to invest in the growth and development of our local arts and culture sector to support its ambitions. This includes encouraging and catalysing private sector support through measures, such as the Cultural Matching Fund, which provides matching grants for donations to arts and heritage charities and to date, more than $450 million has been matched to around 130 unique charities, and we also have the Patrons of the Arts and Patron of Heritage Awards to recognise contributions to the local culture sector.
Arts self-employed persons (SEPs) form a significant segment of Singapore's arts workforce. We are committed to empowering them to build capabilities and forge meaningful careers.
Since I launched the Arts Resource Hub back in 2019, more than 4,000 SEPs have subscribed to the Arts Resource Hub. This is around two thirds of our arts SEPs in Singapore.
Julian Low is one example. He went through the Arts Resource Hub's IGNITE programme, which provided mentorship, networks and guidance in building a brand identity. Julian established Wushiren Theatre with his wife in 2024. Their debut production, I Am Finally In Love With The World, was successfully staged in 2025.
We recognise that our arts SEPs face evolving challenges that require enhanced support. I am happy to announce that NAC will enhance the Arts Resource Hub to better address the challenges they face.
Over the years, the Arts Resource Hub has provided SEPs access to legal guidance through contract templates and peer learning opportunities. We are starting a partnership with Pro Bono SG this year. It will provide SEPs with education programmes and tailored resources to strengthen their understanding of legal topics and empower them to capitalise on opportunities. SEPs can also tap on consultations with a dedicated onsite lawyer.
NAC will also introduce a new Creative Entrepreneurship Programme to support SEPs in developing entrepreneurial skills and growing their portfolios for greater financial resilience.
Both initiatives will be available in the second half of this year.
These initiatives that I shared today ensure that we continue to have strong funding, talent and domestic support pipelines for the arts, which Ms Eileen Chong spoke about. As we support our artists and arts groups to thrive and express our cultural heritage, they serve as our ambassadors to the world.
Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh had asked about using cultural diplomacy to reinforce our Singapore identity. We will continue to support our practitioners to make their mark internationally and to showcase our Singapore identity beyond our shores. For instance, the Singapore Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo 2025 featured many local performing artists, including multicultural ensemble yINHarmony, acapella group The Island Voices and Bharathanatyam dancer Shruthi Nair, showcasing Singapore's rich cultural diversity to global visitors.
Mr Chairman, as we look ahead, Singapore must prepare to face new waves of challenges from a changing world. Strengthening our shared identity will enable us to overcome these challenges with confidence. We must renew our commitment to multiculturalism.
The arts have the unique power to deepen our distinctive brand of multiculturalism and build a more inclusive Singapore. We will continue to invest in and grow the arts landscape to amplify its positive impact.
The Chairman: Minister of State Dinesh Vasu Dash.
The Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth (Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash): Across Singapore, communities celebrate one another's cultures, from the multicultural floats at the Chingay parade to the annual iftar at Khadijah Mosque where I sat alongside religious leaders from the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) to break fast. This is a rare sight in today's world, where trust is in short supply and where multiculturalism is in retreat.
We have seen this in the years before Independence, during the hardships of the second World War and when communal tensions were high. Yet, even when the odds were stacked against us, our Pioneer religious leaders chose unity and harmony. Their commitment led to the formation of the IRO in 1949 to build trust and mutual respect between faiths.
This exemplifies Singapore's approach to social cohesion, one where people from different backgrounds make an active effort to appreciate each other's cultures and traditions.
The mission to build a strong, cohesive and caring society is an ongoing one. Let me speak on three areas that MCCY will be focusing on. First, to build strong communities with a shared cultural identity. Second, to deepen the understanding between communities and to expand our common spaces. Third, to architect an ecosystem of care and mutual help so as to uplift all communities.
Let me start with strong communities.
Singapore is a nation of migrants. Early generations brought languages, traditions and beliefs from their home countries. They provided mutual assistance as they settled in Singapore, forming associations and clans. Over time, new generations came of age and more took root here. While we have kept our racial and religious identities, our practices have evolved to become uniquely Singaporean.
It is important that we steward our cultural heritage so that future generations can understand who we are and where we come from. I hope this is useful, especially to our youths, including those from the East Coast Internship Programme, who are joining us here today in the gallery.
Assoc Prof Faishal spoke about the Malay Heritage Centre earlier and Senior Minister of State Low about enlivening our historic districts.
As the Prime Minister had mentioned during his Budget speech this year, MCCY and the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) will launch renewed efforts to activate Little India as a vibrant cultural district to celebrate the Singapore Indian arts and culture. We will engage community and precinct stakeholders to co-create a long-term vision for IHC and to enhance cultural placemaking in Little India as a historic district.
This begins with a visioning exercise in 2026 to lay the foundation for a precinct-wide programming and activation effort. Our goal is to help Singaporeans and international visitors understand and appreciate Singaporean Indian cultures and customs.
Our efforts to build a strong Indian community will go beyond culture and heritage. Last year, Minister Shanmugam announced that Senior Minister of State Murali Pillai and myself will lead a new committee to take the Indian community forward.
Since then, we have engaged widely. More than 150 Singapore Indian organisations have shared their aspirations and ideas, particularly on how we could uplift members of our community together and to integrate more strongly as one united Indian community.
Taking in the feedback we have received, we will call this the Indian Engagement and Development Initiative, or INEI, which also means \"to be linked or connected\" in Tamil. This will be a committee by the community and for the community. Its aim is to build strong networks across the Indian community, bringing together partners who are already doing good work on the ground, including SINDA and Narpani.
INEI will start with three priorities. First, to improve socioeconomic outcomes for the Indian community, particularly the vulnerable and the disadvantaged. Second, to champion integration and unity among the Indian community in Singapore. Third, through the initiatives under INEI, we hope to create new avenues for our youths to contribute and to nurture the next generation of Indian community leaders.
I am glad to announce that together with the INEI Committee, we will establish an annual INEI forum to collectively discuss our aspirations and concerns. We will have the first dialogue in April 2026, with the theme of building a strong and united Indian community.
We will also configure sub-committees and I invite members of the community to step forward, share your perspectives and play an active role in shaping this important initiative. More details will be announced at the dialogue in April. Mr Chairman, please allow me to say a few words in Tamil.
(In Tamil): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Last August, the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Shanmugam announced a new committee. This committee, which is co-chaired by Senior Minister of State Murali and myself, will take the Indian community forward over the next five years.
Since the announcement, we have held discussions with members from various segments of our community. Participants shared their thoughts on the challenges faced by the Indian community. Their views were centred around the common themes of social cohesion and development.
We have named this committee INEI. This committee will take the excellent work being carried out by community organisations, including SINDA and Narpani, to the next level.
We also believe in developing skills among the next generation of leaders and identifying new talents.
In addition, I am pleased to announce that we will hold an annual forum to discuss matters important to our community. We plan to hold the first dialogue in April 2026. More details about the INEI committee will be shared then. I request members of the community to come forward and share their views.
(In English): Let me now move to the second area of deepening understanding between communities and expanding our common spaces.
I spoke earlier about global uncertainties, and Singapore is not immune to these developments. Last September, the Al-Istiqamah Mosque received a parcel containing pork and an offensive note. In December, a false bomb threat was made against the St Joseph's Church.
Community leaders responded quickly. The Serangoon and Cashew Harmony Circles rallied neighbouring religious organisations to offer support and reassurance to the affected communities. Our apex religious organisations put out public statements of solidarity.
Their message to the public was clear – an attack on one community is an attack on all communities.
Our responses matter. Each incident is an opportunity to build up our reservoirs of trust so that we can stand united in troubled times. That is why we continue to invest in our Racial and Religious Harmony Circles.
Last year, more than 40 religious organisations partnered MCCY to co-organise inter-faith events and contributed to the Crisis Preparedness for Religious Organisations programme. During the Racial and Religious Harmony month alone, more than 100,000 participants took part in over 70 events nationwide. This included the first youth-led intercultural showcase called Kaleidoscope: Harmony in Motion.
This year, we will step up our efforts to engage religious organisations and build an even stronger inter-faith network in our neighbourhoods.
Mr Chairman, our ability to foster unity and inclusivity amidst diversity is Singapore's enduring competitive advantage to attract international businesses and talents here. But as I said earlier, our model of multiculturalism is unique and some newcomers may take more time to adapt to it. After all, integration is a two-way street, which will require locals to be receptive and newcomers to make the effort to understand our culture, values and norms.
The workplace is a natural space for this interaction to take place meaningfully. As mentioned by Acting Minister David Neo, the Alliance for Action (AfA) on the Integration of Foreign Professionals had conducted extensive engagements to develop practical solutions that industry partners can adopt to integrate foreign professionals at the workplace.
The AfA has put forward new upstream initiatives under two focus areas, which the Government strongly supports: first, to help new Employment Pass (EP) holders understand the living and working norms in Singapore; and second, to support firms to adopt inclusive workplace practices.
In the coming months, the Government will roll out new orientation and onboarding programmes for our EP holders, with a focus on workplace and living norms. These will complement existing programmes for New Citizens and for our Permanent Residents.
The Singapore National Employers Federation and the Singapore Business Federation will also launch new resources for firms, including a Workplace Integration Playbook and a new cultural intelligence and sensitivity training course.
I am pleased to share that five trade associations and chambers have come onboard to roll out Orientation Day programmes for new EP holders, which will introduce them to our workplace norms and provide them with opportunities to network with their Singaporean counterparts. This will be scaled up to more trade associations and chambers over time.
Sir, I have spoken about building strong communities and deepening the bonds between them. The third area I will speak on is to architect an ecosystem of care that every community can tap on.
Our co-operatives (co-ops) are one of the oldest forms of community mutual help. They are defined not by identity, but by a common purpose. Since 1925, our co-ops have played a vital role to meet the evolving needs of our people.
Some may be familiar with credit co-ops, which provide thrift and loan services. There are also consumer and services co-ops, like the Silver Caregivers Co-operative, which provides community support for caregivers and equips them with skills, such as managing palliative care.
However, as Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari had earlier noted, our co-ops are facing growing challenges to renew their talent pipeline and to attract young members in a more competitive landscape.
This is why MCCY announced the Co-op 10-year Transformation Roadmap in 2025. This Roadmap will nurture a forward-looking sector that is purposeful, professional and trusted. I am happy to share that MCCY will commit up to $30 million to support the co-op movement over the next 10 years. We will help co-ops stay relevant as they develop new capabilities to address emerging needs and transform for the future. Co-ops will receive support to invest in talent development, governance and operational efficiency.
As part of the Roadmap, MCCY and the Singapore National Co-operative Federation will jointly introduce the Co-operative Leaders Programme and Emerging Leaders Programme from this year, to develop the next generation of leaders. The Roadmap also includes the Community Outreach and Impact Programme, which will provide seed funding, incubation spaces and mentorship for our youths to pilot innovative ideas.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
As to Mr Tiwari's questions on allowing enterprises to form co-ops and reviewing the Central Co-op Fund contribution rates, MCCY will assess these further, in line with our objectives to sustain the relevance and competitiveness of the co-op sector.
In conclusion, Chairman, the formation of the Inter-Religious Organisation in 1949, was an experiment in trust, at a time when the idea of a formalised inter-faith dialogue was unheard of. Our forefathers were bold and visionary in setting the building blocks of a multicultural society that we enjoy today.
That same spirit must guide us as we strengthen these three areas of focus for MCCY that I had outlined: to build strong communities; to deepen understanding between communities; and to architect an ecosystem of care that uplifts all. However, this House cannot legislate social cohesion, nor can we mandate trust. But history and the example of the Inter-Religious Organisation shows us that if any society can achieve this and make it work, it has to be Singapore!
The Chairman: Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh Hanyan.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (Ms Goh Hanyan): What would you do, if you were not afraid? I want to ask this of the young people who may be watching the COS today.
But it is also a question for all of us. If fear was not holding you back, what would you try?
For many young people today, fear does not come from the lack of ability. It comes from growing up in a world that is highly connected and where missteps and comparisons are amplified.
But fear is an integral part of life. Our responsibility is therefore to ensure that our young people are equipped to meet it.
And such courage does not happen in isolation. Courage grows when people feel supported, feel rooted and feel like they are part of something larger than themselves.
Across many societies, we are seeing signs of weakening relationships and commitments that once anchored people to their communities. Some observers describe this as a broad social drift towards detachment.
Ultimately, young people, like us all, want connection and purpose.
How can we empower our young people on their journey to find a sense of belonging, meaning and a sense of self, even as social bonds seemingly wane around the world?
To answer this question, we went to our young people directly. In fact, we collected over 350,000 responses from youths and stakeholders. We listened to your hopes, your dreams, your concerns. We heard you and we will bring your views to life through the SG Youth Plan, which will launch later this year. This will be a five-year action plan to empower you, our youths, to be the best version of yourself in Singapore.
Mr Alex Yam, Prof Kenneth Poon, Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim and other Members, advocated for the need to better engage our youths, to support them, and asked what more can we do. Like Members, MCCY strongly believes in this need.
What I will share today are some key areas we are developing under the SG Youth Plan to support different phases of a young person's life.
When we listened carefully, what came through clearly was this. Early on, young people want the confidence to try, to test themselves, to fall and to get back up. They understand that the world is full of uncertainty, but they do not want to be sheltered from these challenges. They want real experiences, in the real world, with real people.
As young people grow older, the questions shift to finding direction and meaning in work. And later still, many want to step forward, to contribute and shape the spaces and communities around them.
But it all begins with the same question: do I have the courage to try?
This is where play matters. Play is often misunderstood here in Singapore. It is not about leisure or being frivolous.
For young people, play is where you learn how to make mistakes, bounce back and how to do it with friends and family beside you. When my daughter learned to rollerblade, her first lesson was not how to go fast. It was how to fall safely. And she had the most fun when learning with her friends – fumbling, laughing and getting back up together, made it easier to keep going.
Today, young people are spending more time online, but many crave real-life connections. When you head outdoors, especially to new places with new people, you discover something important. You learn that pushing through tough moments is part of progress and that companionship makes all the difference.
This is why we will progressively scale up the MOE-Outward Bound Singapore Challenge (MOC) Programme to the entire Secondary 3 cohort by 2030. Last year, about 18,000 students went through the MOC. About 65% of the cohort.
In time, all 15-year-olds in Singapore will get to experience OBS at least once in their lives. Each OBS watch comprises 12 students from different schools. Strangers who will embark on the outdoors for five days. Through these shared experiences, they will learn life skills, gain confidence in tackling the unknown and make lasting friendships.
Like Ms Valerie Lee, I am sure OBS has left a lasting impact on some in this Chamber. In fact, I was in the same watch as Valerie when we were 15. We went away sunburnt with legs full of sandfly bites, but the core memories stayed with us even till today.
The expansion of the MOC is made possible by the new OBS Coney campus. I am glad to update that the campus will open its doors later this year.
Picture this, teams of four students working together on advanced rope challenges instead of just pairs today. These expanded team activities will push more young people to rely on each other, building stronger bonds and greater resilience. What is particularly meaningful is that some of these challenges, including high elements, will be wheelchair-accessible – this ensures that no student is left behind when acquiring and building these crucial life skills.
As Mr Darryl David reminded us, OBS was set up in 1967 by Dr Goh Keng Swee \"to develop mentally and physically rugged youths to be active citizens inspired to serve the community.\" The words \"rugged\" and \"active citizens\" capture the evergreen spirit of Singapore. Our eternal way of being, so that our nation endures.
But the need has clearly changed. In 1967, we needed ruggedness as we struggled for nationhood. Today, we need resilience to navigate an uncertain world and maintain a strong sense of identity and belonging as one people, one nation.
Mr Darryl David and Ms Valerie Lee asked about extending OBS to all ages and expanding the OBS overseas programmes. I thank them for these are valuable suggestions. Yet with finite resources, our priority must be to get the MOC scale-up right for our students first, before we consider other areas.
Ms Valerie Lee also talked about supporting the Outdoor Adventure Education sector. We have been doing so through the Outdoor Adventure Education Council, which was formed in 2022 to uplift the sector. The Council brings partners together to establish national standards and exchange best practices across the sector.
Beyond organised activities, such as OBS, friendships form in ordinary moments of just being together. Many young people feel that as years pass, there are fewer physical places where this can happen naturally.
Dr Charlene Chen, Ms Elysa Chen and Ms Eileen Chong therefore asked about creating more spaces for our youths.
We are developing the Somerset Belt as a youth precinct. Somerset Belt is the area around Somerset MRT Station, comprising *SCAPE, the Somerset Youth Park and Skate Park.
We received over 16,500 responses on what youths and others hope to see. Our youths also worked alongside architects and planners on the design and programmes of Somerset Belt. We aim to start construction work later this year.
Meanwhile, exciting programmes and activities are already happening at the Belt. We relaunched *SCAPE last November and it is now a hive of activities centred on youth interests – anime, dance, art, tabletop games, music, the list goes on.
I was at *SCAPE on a Friday evening and spoke to some of the young people hanging out there. I asked what *SCAPE meant to them. This is what they told me, \"It is a sandbox where I could quickly test my event concept.\" \"Separately, in other places, we might get stares. But here, there is no judgement.\" \"This is a place to just be. It gives us the time and space to pursue our ideas and passion.\"
There was a palpable sense of hope and energy. And we are only four months into the relaunch.
*SCAPE is just the start. We want to bring this movement closer to where our young people live. We will create more welcoming, open spaces across Singapore, where you can gather freely and form friendships.
We will share more details at the launch of the SG Youth Plan.
As young people move into the next stage in life, the questions change. For students coming out of school, the next step is entering the workforce. Am I on the right path? Will I be employable?
Over the past days, many in this Chamber have highlighted youth anxieties about work, especially in the face of AI. Indeed, it is daunting finding work now when you can barely imagine what jobs will exist tomorrow, let alone plan a career. Yet we cannot block these advances. What matters then, is building the skills to thrive with technology.
Our Ministries are working hard at this, as shared by my colleagues over the past few days. For example, our Institutes of Higher Learning will enhance their AI curriculum, while emphasising soft skills that will complement the use of AI. For working youths, we will support them in learning AI-related skills, such as providing free access to premium AI tools, for those who take up selected AI training courses.
Fundamentally, the real power lies in how our young people choose to engage in these tools.
Your generation – the digital- or even the AI-native generation – knows how to use these tools instinctively. As much as it has the potential to replace some junior-level tasks, it can equip you with the power to compress traditional learning curves. Your generation will teach us many things about AI and its possibilities. But we are also here for you with our experiences and memories of navigating change. We need to tap on each other's strengths.
This shared learning is precisely what young people have told us matters. Someone walking alongside them. Someone to help them make sense of all this uncertainty and find their inner strength. Someone to remind them that life does not follow a straight line, but there always are ways to find solid ground beneath your feet.
This is why we will grow mentorship opportunities so that our youths will have someone to journey with them through the big and small \"leaps\" in life.
Ms Hazlina Abdul Halim would be glad to know that since 2022, we have created over 20,000 mentoring opportunities through the Mentoring SG movement.
We know that finding a mentor is not easy when there is so much to keep up with in life. As such, we want to lower the barriers and make professional connections more accessible for you.
We are bringing mentorships directly to schools, where you are. We recently partnered three polytechnics to create mentoring programmes under Mentoring SG. By 2030, these programmes will serve up to 11,000 students annually. More partnerships are on the way.
Just imagine if we all step up to contribute our experience, lend a listening ear and journey together with our young people through their life transitions. This is the culture that we can only create if we set aside time for our young people. This is what we want to do under Mentoring SG.
After navigating the next \"leap\" in life, something shifts yet again for many young people. They do not just ask, \"What should I do?\", but also start asking, \"What can I change?\"
Young people told us clearly that being heard is not the same as being trusted. Real responsibility and agency build confidence. Prof Kenneth Poon and Dr Charlene Chen as well as Ms Elysa Chen asked about how we are supporting youth participation to create a sense of belonging.
We have been creating many such opportunities.
Take the NYC's Young ChangeMakers Grant. This seed funding programme puts youths in charge from start to finish. Young people do not just receive funding and mentorship; they are fully responsible for evaluating each other's proposals and giving advice. For impactful proposals, we are prepared to support them further.
There are different programmes that youths can access, such as the National Youth Fund and the new SG Partnerships Fund that Senior Minister of State Low just touched on. In his Budget speech, the Prime Minister also mentioned the Youth Panels.
Youth Panels work differently but with the same spirit – young people partner directly with Government agencies to shape policies they care about. In the first run, 120 youths rolled up their sleeves to tackle topics, like financial resilience and environmental sustainability. The next run of the Youth Panels launches later this year. We will share more details when ready.
We want to create even more opportunities for young people to contribute.
I am glad to announce that we will form the Somerset Belt Youth CoLab, a group of 15 youths who will drive, own and lead the spaces and activities within the Somerset Belt. The CoLab will take control of the Somerset Belt's programming and activities. They will decide which spaces serve what purpose. Simply put, they will create the vibe that defines the Somerset Belt.
When I spoke to some members, they were clear about what they needed the most – space, funding and agency to make their vision happen. We are therefore backing the CoLab with a dedicated space to activate and a $300,000 annual budget to bring their ideas to life across Somerset Belt. This way, youths can transform Somerset Belt into a place that is truly, boldly theirs.
Let us envision a space that breathes with youthful life – a place they have built and filled with their energy. We are putting our belief in our young people into action – real investment, real decisions, real responsibility.
This is us saying: we trust you to lead; show us the way. Now, that is what ownership looks like. Mr Chairman, please let me say a few lines in Mandarin.
(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Government places great importance on youth development. They are the future leaders of our nation and our country's hope.
We sometimes inadvertently compare youth with the previous generation. However, each generation of Singaporeans faces their own challenges.
Our current generation of youth has their aspirations and possesses a strong sense of social mission. This is their strength. Rather than comparing them with the previous generation, we should give them space to express themselves freely, find their own path and discover their own strengths. We should also give them opportunities to develop interpersonal skills through play or to grow from failure.
Over the next year, the Government will collaborate with various partners to develop a five-year SG Youth Plan aimed at nurturing a generation that is ambitious, resilient and has a strong sense of national belonging. We welcome suggestions from all sectors of the society and encourage active participation from all.
(In English): Mr Chairman, growing up is not a straight line. It begins with learning you are tougher than you think. It continues with you finding your way without losing who you are. And it grows into stepping forward to shape what comes next.
As I shared at the beginning of my speech, around the world, many societies are grappling with weakening bonds. But will that be our future? Surely, we must do all we can to avoid that.
If we put the right pieces in place, can we move in the right direction? Can we build a generation that feels deeply connected to society? A generation that feels that Singapore is theirs and that they are Singapore's? The SG Youth Plan will be our commitment to build that generation of young people who are confident to try, connected to one another and ready to contribute.
We will keep listening. We will keep building the right support around you. And we will keep creating spaces for you to lead. [Applause.]
The Chairman: We have some time for clarifications. We were not able to finish off the clarifications for Acting Minister Faishal. So, I am going to do that first and I will have a hard stop at 6.00 pm. Then, we will have clarifications for the rest of the political officeholders' for MCCY. Dr Hamid Razak.
Dr Hamid Razak: Thank you, Chairman. I would like to clarify with the Acting Minister. On the ground, I have interacted with many of the MMOs and IMOs who are keen to tackle some of the issues within the Malay/Muslim community. I really welcome the idea of a M3+ network. I would like to ask how that will look like on the ground, how it will be operationalised and what are the opportunities and resources that will be available for our MMOs and IMOs who are keen to contribute to tackling some of these problems in the community?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question.
I am happy to share with him that in the last few months, many of the MMOs have come forward. They have, in fact, organised among themselves to see how they can work together and collaborate with the M3 agencies. On the other hand, the M3 agencies are also looking at the ways where they can work better.
As I shared in my speech, we have some collaborations especially in some of the areas. In fact, with M3+, it signifies a greater emphasis on more intentional collaborations between the M3 agencies and the MMOs, IMOs and informal groups.
So, we have the M3 Focus Areas, five Focus Areas. Among the areas, we look at how to strengthen marriages, youth development, healthcare and supporting workers. We will see how in some of these areas, where the MMOs, IMOs and as well as informal groups can play a part.
I give the Member an example. We have the Malay/Muslim Organisations Rehabilitation Network, where we see many of the MMOs and IMOs coming together to support. This is an example of how we can make M3+ a reality. Depending on the areas or topics that we will be looking at, there will be opportunities to do so.
Another one will be the M3@Towns, where every town which has a M3 will be able to work with the MMOs, IMOs and most other informal groups. So, we want to see how we can navigate this together. We will discuss further during the networking session. I look forward to significant enhancement in collaborations between the M3 agencies and the MMOs, IMOs and informal groups.
The Chairman: Mr Fadli Fawzi.
Mr Fadli Fawzi: Thank you, Chair. I have two questions for Minister Faishal. The first is, can the Minister share the specific ratio of mosques to Muslim residents that have been used in the mosque construction planning? Secondly, does MUIS have any plans to evacuate madrasah students who are studying in the Middle East and currently stuck there?
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: I thank the Member for the supplementary questions.
Our priority is ensuring that there are sufficient prayer spaces for all Muslims in Singapore. So, simply using a ratio of Muslim population to mosques is insufficient as worship patterns, resident concentrations and mosque sizes vary across Singapore. Instead, MUIS monitors worship patterns closely on the ground. Including me, we go on the ground, we feel what it is like and introduce measures to address the demand and increase the capacity. This includes multiple prayer sessions and expanding or upgrading current mosques.
So, where there are shortages, we will make some adjustment and see whether there are opportunities to do so. As I mentioned in my speech, if there are changes to the population patterns or a new housing estate coming up, we will explore building new mosques like what we are doing in Tampines and Tengah.
For the Member's second question, I have actually answered the supplementary question. We work closely with MFA and we also listen on the ground. Yesterday, when I spoke to the students, I shared with them, anything that you know, please let us know, because they are there and they may know more information and, I would say, more accurate information than us. When I told them, they felt so happy that we are very serious to know what is happening there and they feel that we really care for them.
So, I assure the Member that while the situation is uncertain, we will do our best to look after our people.
The Chairman: Mr Azhar Othman.
Mr Azhar Othman: Thank you, Chairman. Allow me to address my question in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We know that AI is going to penetrate every aspect of knowledge, learning and work. I have two questions for the Acting Minister. First, do the courses at the SCIS include subjects like AI to stay relevant with the times? Second, I hope madrasahs throughout Singapore will also receive Government support so they can learn about and get exposure to AI.
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim: (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] I wish to thank Mr Azhar for asking the questions. It is a good suggestion. AI is a national initiative. So, SCIS and our madrasahs will sustain it so that we can benefit from AI and look at how students will not only benefit from it, but also deepen their understanding in their learning process.
So, I will bring this suggestion back to MUIS and share it with the madrasahs because this is an important platform and we will look at how we can provide development opportunities for our students so that they remain relevant, regardless of what discipline they pursue.
The Chairman: I believe we have covered all clarifications for Muslim Affairs. I will move to MCCY now. Mr Alex Yam.
Mr Alex Yam: Thank you, Chairman. For the Minister, on the consolidation under SpexSG, I might have missed it but could the Minister share the expected timeline for the new structure to be fully operational so that we can quickly address the myriad of needs that our Team Singapore athletes have on their life journey.
The second question is for Minister of State Dinesh. He earlier spoke about the importance of unity and togetherness. We see a lot of collaboration at the apex leadership level for our ethnic and religious communities. But does the Ministry have an assessment of how much of this permeates down to the level of congregants and community members. What more can we do in this area?
Lastly, for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh, she mentioned the youth panels and the partnering with Government agencies to allow youths to shape policy. Could she elaborate on how the Ministry will be ensuring that these ideas from the panels are meaningfully introduced and go towards influencing policy outcomes?
One last one. Overarching all of that, a lot of announcements today, a lot of emphasis on building a \"we first\" society, but could I also ask the Ministry how would we measure success beyond participation in all that we have announced? How do we assess that social trust has been enhanced?
Mr David Neo: Sir, I thank the Member for his clarifications. From 1 April, the company limited by guarantee called SpexSG will be in effect. Because the entities are currently present, we anticipate it will take some time for them to come together. To be fair, a lot of the things that I said we will be doing are already work-in-progress. It is things that have already been going on. But we do expect to take the better of the next year or two before we can fully reap a lot of the benefits of the consolidation that I talked about earlier.
Mr Dinesh Vasu Dash: I thank the Member for his question. Indeed, the level of integration and the discussions that happen at the Harmony Circle pretty much sometimes depend on the type of religious institutions that might be available at the particular constituency. But we have been trying to expand that to include exchanges across different constituencies as well. And we constantly review how we want to advance and strengthen the Harmony Circles that we have. In fact, we are reviewing what else we can do and how best we can then allow for the integration to take place.
Understandably, there is some degree of variation among the various constituencies. Some are a lot more integrated, they have a lot more programmes than others. But what we are trying to do is to allow for an even balance across all.
Ms Goh Hanyan: On the Youth Panels, I agree that it is very important for it to be brought to fruition and to show up in policy. MCCY and NYC manage this very closely to ensure that the recommendations are then put through the policy pipeline.
For example, one of the topics was called #LifeHacks, but essentially, it was about financial resilience. This led to an idea of having a youth-centric guide that consolidates financial information for youths. MCCY is working closely with the relevant agencies to bring it to pass.
I also wanted to highlight that apart from looking at policy outcomes, what we also want to improve was the experience of the youths. What they said as well was that they appreciated the interaction, but they also wanted to have some skills to help them with policy-making. So, that is what we will do in the next run – to equip them with policy-making skills so they can better appreciate the process.
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh.
Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh: Thank you, Chair. I just have three quick questions.
First, on programmes to support career transitions for athletes. While I understand that these services are available while they are carded, could MCCY consider extending these services beyond their carding window since many athletes may only fully utilise them after their competitive careers end. Perhaps setting up a Team Singapore alumni type of association.
Second, I applaud the initiative for MOE to work together with NSAs introduce new sports for the National School Games. Related to that, could MCCY facilitate closer coordination between the NSAs and MOE on DSA criteria so that school pathways are better aligned with long-term athlete development frameworks.
My final question has to do with the SG Partnerships Fund. It was mentioned that for the Sprout tier, there is a 20% co-funding requirement. I was wondering if the Minister could elaborate on whether donations would qualify for the 250% tax deduction or whether this could be funded through earned revenue, whether there is flexibility in how this contribution could be structured and whether MCCY could provide support to help organisations or to help these initiatives secure these funds, particularly in the area of fundraising and partnership development.
Mr David Neo: Sir, I will address the first two clarifications and Senior Minister of State Low will address the third one.
On the first question about Athlete Life Management beyond carding, Sir, it has always been our approach that we will meet our athletes where they are. It is our commitment to support our Team Singapore athletes as best as we can. In instances where they require athlete life services or other services after they cease being carded, it is not a problem. They can just step forward. It is a tight community, we all know each other and we will be happy to support them.
On the second question about the DSA criteria, whether MCCY can help the NSAs work more closely with MOE – when I meet up with all the NSA presidents and vice presidents, my commitment to all the NSAs is that MCCY will be the Government conduit. We will help them navigate any and all difficulties or issues that they encounter with any Government agency. That is our commitment to the NSAs. When it comes to specifically DSA with MOE, likewise, we will do that for them as well.
Ms Low Yen Ling: Thank you, Chairman. Very quickly, I just want to respond to the third clarification from Assoc Prof Kenneth Goh with regards to the 20% co-funding.
Sir, to recap, the 80% co-funding is for the Sprout tier and the Scale tier. For the Sprout tier, it is $50,000 over two years, and for the Scale tier, it is $1 million over three years.
Allow me to assure him that the 20% to be co-funded does not have to be done upfront. And the source of funding that he mentioned, whether is it donation or earned revenue, they are allowable.
As for the tax rebate, it depends on which is the organisation that is leading the project and whether this organisation has an IPC status.
On the last part of the question, he asked whether is there any fundraising support and so on. The Singapore Government Partnerships Office stands ready to support and work with the sector partners as well as applicants to realise their project. We will support them in boosting their capabilities in operations as well as fundraising.
I am happy to also update him that after the evaluation of project, in fact, upon approval of the project, up to 40% of the grant will be dispersed. I think that goes some way to supporting them in realising the project.
The Chairman: Ms Elysa Chen.
Ms Elysa Chen: Thank you, Chairman. I wanted to ask MCCY, given the encouraging utilisation of the SG Culture Pass and the good outcomes that we have achieved thus far, whether the Ministry has considered extending the SG Culture Pass to every child rather than limiting eligibility to those aged 18 and above, given that early exposure to the arts and heritage can play an important role in shaping cultural appreciation and developing creativity.
I also wanted to check if there are plans to introduce a youth or family component to the SG Culture Pass so that parents can utilise it together with their children for arts, heritage and cultural activities.
My next clarification. I am also very glad to hear that every 15-year-old will now be able to experience the OBS programme. I wanted to ask whether we can consider extending it to the cohorts who were affected by COVID-19.
Mr Baey Yam Keng: On the use of the Culture Pass, right now, we have set it at age 18 and above. I think it is also to respect that the individual has to exercise their own decision to purchase things, whether books or any other cultural offerings.
As for the younger Singaporeans, they are also supported for their consumption of arts offerings in schools, because under 18, most of them will be in our education institutions. As shared, there are various arts programming that we are working with MOE, with the arts ecosystem to provide these offerings. And a lot of these are heavily subsidised or even free of charge to help us develop a generation of Singaporeans who are exposed to and can appreciate the arts.
So, the Culture Pass is for those who are much older. As I said, it is just about half a year that we have launched the Culture Pass. We will look at how it is utilised. We will definitely look at ways to further enhance this or to make it more accessible to Singaporeans.
The Chairman: Mr Jackson Lam. I am sorry, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh first.
Ms Goh Hanyan: Thank you, Chairman. I appreciate the Member's consideration and concern for the cohorts affected by COVID-19. As I mentioned in my main speech, our priority for OBS is the MOE-OBS Challenge scale-up for Secondary 3 students up to 2030. That will be our priority – to get it right, to make sure we do it well.
Further, if you look back at the cohorts impacted by COVID-19, we also recognise that many of them are at different phases of life. They may be in very different places – National Service, working, so on and so forth. So, bringing them back together again for a common single experience would be a lot more operationally challenging.
The Chairman: Mr Jackson Lam.
Mr Jackson Lam: I would like to ask the Minister, will the shared services by SportSG have sufficient capacity to meet the needs of all NSAs? Second, if the demand exceeds capacity, what framework will SportSG use to prioritise requests?
Mr David Neo: Sir, I thank the Member for his questions. In sizing up the support for the NSAs, we work quite closely with all the NSAs to understand what their needs and requests are. It is our assessment that we should be okay.
Our approach to supporting the NSAs is always one whereby we want to make the NSAs better. A lot of the initiatives that I mentioned in my speech, about seconding people to the NSAs and all that, it is about building up their capability.
Beyond that, we also get our NSAs to work together, to share best practices. For example, one of our NSAs has had good success in digitalising their operations and we are getting them to share that across the NSAs. So, the approach really is about making them better and also working very closely to understand their demands. My assessment is that we should have enough resources to support them.
The Chairman: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim: Sir, I appreciate the referral by the Minister to the Parliamentary Question filed by Member David Hoe in November last year on considerations that HDB makes on multi-storey car park repurposing. I am also keenly aware of the noise considerations that are associated with pickleball play in the multi-storey car park. That is why in my cut, I had actually taken pains to explain why noise disamenities could be mitigated with sound curtains and the presence of a ceiling. So, I am wondering if the Minister has a response to whether such mitigation mechanisms are indeed infeasible and, if not, then perhaps we can get some reassurance by HDB that we will indeed be able to proceed with such repurposing requests? I understand that this is actually an infrastructure matter that may be better directed to the Minister for National Development, and I had originally filed my cut for MND, but was redirected, and hence, I am directing it to the Minister.
Mr David Neo: Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. Well, like SportSG, I think we adopt a very practical lens to this. So, as I said in my speech, it comes down to whether the location is suitable, meets the specifications. If it comes to having to do a lot of mitigation just to make it work, then we have to ask ourselves whether this is the best use of Government funds. So, I think that will be it.
The Chairman: Mr Andre Low.
Mr Low Wu Yang Andre: Thank you, Chairman. My clarification is to the Acting Minister. I thank him for his comprehensive overview of the measures we are taking to help our elderly Singaporeans combat ageing-related frailty.
There was also another thrust to my cut, which is about making strength training more accessible to Singaporeans at large, and I wonder if the Minister has a response to my suggestion to leverage our existing fitness corners as a means of providing easy access to strength training for the rest of Singaporeans.
Mr David Neo: Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. I was under the impression that his original suggestion was meant for seniors, which is why the reply was that actually, for seniors, they require quite different machines. They require machines that ideally have pneumatic weights so that they can be increased at small increments, as opposed to the standard kind of weight machines that we have, and therefore, the HUR machines that are available at the majority of our Senior Care Centres.
When it comes to general weight training for Singaporeans, with SportSG as well as the private gym landscape in Singapore taken together, I think Singaporeans have a lot of different possibilities and accesses to whether it is gym weight machines or otherwise. To the specific suggestion about weight machines and our constituencies as well as HDB fitness corners and all that, that is something that we have provision for in some areas. It is also something we are looking at. For example, there is a trial in Woodlands, if I am not wrong, where we are also looking at adjustable weights for outdoor machines. These are all things we are looking at and when we have sufficient data and confidence that some of these things work well in an outdoor setting, we will proceed to roll them out.
The Chairman: Mr Mark Lee.
Mr Mark Lee: Thank you, Chairman. The Acting Minister has mentioned about the IPS survey and the survey actually indicates that younger Singaporeans are more likely to report feelings of social isolation, and more than half say that they find it easier to interact online than face-to-face. But at the same time, museums around the world are evolving beyond quiet exhibition spaces into social venues, hosting after-hours programmes that combine arts, music and interactive activities to attract younger audiences. So, I would like to ask the Minister whether MCCY and NHB would consider piloting museum-after-dark programmes designed for young adults, perhaps working with the NYC to design formats that resonate with how young people socialise today?
Mr David Neo: Sir, I thank the Member for his clarification. Well, we will certainly be very keen to study as well as pilot possible programmes after dark, whether it is in our museums or otherwise, and certainly NYC will have a big role to play in this. I also want to assure the Member that this is something that we are continually looking at. So, instead of after dark, NYC has also done programmes overnight. They have brought youths to stay overnight at the National Museum of Singapore, the National Gallery of Singapore and Changi Airport. So, the short answer is yes, we are open to studying and considering it, especially in the context that we have an existential problem, maybe this will help bring up our total fertility rate.
The Chairman: Mr Cai Yinzhou. Although you did not file a cut, you can ask your clarification.
Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Thank you, Chairman. I am still a youth, so, thank you. First, I would like to declare my interest as the executive director for Chinatown Heritage Centre. I understand that MCCY is developing placemaking initiatives in the locale of Kampong Gelam and Little India, with the hopes to activate spaces and support heritage businesses.
I would like to highlight that Chinatown should also be considered appropriately a historic district with culturally rich, including SG Heritage Business Scheme awardees like, Say Tian Hng Buddha Shop, which started in 1896; and Pek Sin Choon which celebrates its 101 years this year. I would also like to ask if the Ministry will therefore consider expanding the coordination and support to Chinatown?
My second supplementary question is for Senior Parliamentary Secretary Goh. Will the MOE-OBS Challenge Programme be implemented only in OBS campsites? I ask this because there are other campsites, like Changi Coast, Dairy Farm and Jalan Bahtera. So, I am wondering if those other campsites will be utilised and whether OBS will be the only operator for the MOE-OBS Challenge, or will there be other private outdoor adventure companies be operating it as well?
Ms Low Yen Ling: I want to thank Member Cai Yinzhou for the clarification. As far as his historic district is concerned, I want to assure him that the new Place-making Project Office that comes under the Inter-agency Task Force does indeed not only serve Kampong Gelam, Little India, but also Chinatown. In fact, the team is not confined only to MCCY and NHB, but also work across the whole-of-Government, including the economic agencies under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, for example, Enterprise Singapore and STB, to come together to support the businesses in the historic districts to strengthen their capabilities in placemaking. One, to design to implement and to scale up the placemaking so that we can boost their vibrancy as well as to drive footfall to the three historic districts, including Chinatown, and we are working very closely with the Chinatown Business Association on that.
Ms Goh Hanyan: To the Member's questions on sites for the MOE-OBS Challenge, yes, it will primarily be OBS' sites, so, they will be Pulau Ubin and also the Coney Island campus that will be coming up. Also, we want to highlight that the programme is also expeditionary in nature, so there will be certain locations that make use of nature and surroundings. It will be beyond those two campuses.
In terms of the operators, OBS will be the main operator, or the only operator for MOC. There are other operators out there that conduct camps, but these would be more for school-run specific camps.
The Chairman: As there are no further clarifications, can I invite Mr Alex Yam if you would like to withdraw your amendment?
Mr Alex Yam: Thank you, Chairman, 41 questions and 330 minutes later, I certainly think the Ministry deserves the $100 back. So, I seek leave to withdraw my amendment.
[(proc text) Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $2,407,711,100 for Head X ordered to stand part of the Main Estimates. (proc text)]
[(proc text) The sum of $677,912,500 for Head X 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 I (Ministry of Social and Family Development)","subTitle":"A caring and inclusive society that supports all in every stage of life","sectionType":"OS","content":"The Chairman: Head I, Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). Mr Xie Yao Quan.
Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong Central): Chairman, I move, \"That the total sum allocated to Head I of the Estimates be reduced by $100.\"
Members on both sides of the House have spoken passionately in this House about social mobility in Singapore. So, there is no monopoly on compassion for the least amongst us and no monopoly on ideas to uplift them.
Social mobility is one centre of gravity in MSF's work. So, as Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) Chair, I thought to use this speech to contribute to the conversation. And here, I would like to declare that I am also working in a foundation focussed on social mobility.
But first, let us frame the challenge of social mobility in Singapore precisely. And let me start with this point.
Singapore has uplifted lower-income households significantly over the decades. There has been broad-based progress for all. In technical terms, Singapore has kept absolute social mobility very much alive. Each generation has, on the whole, including those in the lowest-income segment, been able to achieve much better life outcomes than the previous generation.
Yet, between households, higher-income households are accumulating advantages even more quickly than lower-income household. Therefore, within each generation, the starting points in life between children from higher- and lower-income families are moving further apart, and the opportunities gap throughout life between children from higher- and lower-income families is widening, resulting in larger inequalities in outcomes much later in life.
In technical terms, therefore, relative social mobility in Singapore is slowing even as we have kept absolute mobility very much alive. The Ministry of Finance's (MOF's) Occasional Papers, in both 2015 and 2025, bear this out. The key measure for relative mobility is the income distribution of children, in their 30s, born to fathers who were in the bottom 20% of earners, in their 40s. In other words, the starting condition for these children was, being born into the bottom 20% by income, and the measure is where these children ended up by income in their adult lives.
In an ideal world, 20% of these children would themselves end up in the top 20% of earners in their cohorts; 20% will end up being in the bottom 20% of earners – like their fathers, and so on. There would be an equal chance, basically, of moving up to the top, or anywhere in between, or remaining at the bottom, in an ideal world.
But the world is obviously not ideal. So, in Singapore,13.8% of those born into the bottom 20% in the 1985 to 1989 cohorts made it to the top 20% of earners while 25.3% ended up in the bottom 20% of earners, like their fathers. So, there is an over-representation. Compared to the 1978 to 1982 cohorts, in other words, those born just seven years earlier, the 1985 to 1989 cohorts have almost one full percentage point less that made it to the top 20% of earners, and one full percentage point more that ended up in the same bottom 20%, like their fathers.
So, relative social mobility in Singapore has been slowing even as we sustained broad-based progress for all. And the natural tendency will be for relative mobility to continue slowing, as it has in many other advanced economies.
I must point out, though, that we have been doing better than other advanced economies in relative mobility. In France, less than 10% of those born into the bottom 20% ended up in the top 20%. And even in a Nordic society like Denmark, the figure is at 11.7%. We are at 13.8%. So, we are not doing badly at all.
But Singapore has never been one to define our values and ideals solely on how we outperform other societies. We chart our own path and we set our own values and ideals. I think we must continue to be a society where relative mobility is alive as much as possible and indeed, strengthened if at all possible. Keep the measure as close to 20% as possible, and lean against the natural pressures of slowing relative mobility with time.
In concrete terms, this means pushing against the natural pressures of ever further starting points in life and the pressures of an ever-widening opportunities gap that compounds through life for our children of today.
Our families at the bottom are not stuck – far from it – but we must help their children keep up with families at the top who are pulling away faster. Help children at the bottom keep up from the start of their lives, and through life. Or as Ms Sylvia Lim said in this House back in 2018, children impacted by their parents' circumstances must be \"supported or facilitated to break out\".
However, while we can look to the Government, with its policy levers, to secure broad-based progress for all, in other words, to deliver absolute mobility, it is quite a different story for relative mobility.
Keeping relative social mobility alive, essentially, containing that opportunities gap between your children and mine, almost by definition, cannot be left to the Government, or for that matter, the social sector, alone. It takes all of us. Those who have done well and can provide the most to their children must play an active role and become part of the solution, to create opportunities for those children who start off with less.
Indeed, well-known researchers, like Raj Chetty and Matt Jackson, are showing that in America at least. Children from low-income families have a better chance to become high-income as adults if they get opportunities to interact with peers from higher-income families. This likely holds true in Singapore, too. So, it takes all of us.
And indeed, as Teo You Yenn puts it in her book, \"This is What Inequality Looks Like\", inequality, in opportunities, through life, is not just the result of policies, but also how everyone, at the top and bottom and in between interact and choose to interact with these policies, interact with one another within a social context and do and do not do certain things.
So, again, it takes all of us. So, those who have done well must play an active role to create opportunities for those children who start off with much less. This is what a \"we first\" and mobile society in Singapore can look like. And I think becoming such a society and keeping relative mobility alive in this way, will be a defining challenge of our times.
So, what do we need to get there?
First, I think we need scientific knowledge and understanding. Ms Sylvia Lim, in the same speech in 2018, called for longitudinal studies that will, \"track the fate of families (at the bottom) over time\" and indeed, go \"beyond numbers to dig deep into the daily lives and evaluate the reasons why they do not seem to be able to catch up with the rest of society.\"
MOF's Occasional Papers in 2015 and 2025 do provide a longitudinal view on how families at the bottom are doing. They are a very good start. But I agree with Ms Lim and today, I want to build on her call.
To really help us in our work to close the opportunities gap throughout life and keep relative social mobility alive in Singapore, I think we need longitudinal research in Singapore that goes beyond descriptive correlations amongst group averages, to mechanisms that elucidate what actually drives social mobility, at the individual level and models that can predict and simulate how social mobility might change with certain shifts to the drivers of mobility, again at the individual level.
In very technical and academic terms, we can use theoretical networking games and micro-founded structural approaches that overcome the reflection problem arising in reduced-form peer effects analysis in econometrics to achieve this.
But in simple terms, we should be aiming for models that show how individuals make decisions and assume certain trajectories in life based on intrinsic factors, extrinsic factors and the influence of peers on one another. And all this is possible only if we have the right dataset. So, we must start with data, the right type of data, collected to the right fidelity.
We need data on the social networks of Singaporeans at the bottom. We need data on cognitive and behavioural traits, on their participation in the economy, not only in the formal sector, but also, and perhaps especially, in the informal sector. We need data on participation in credit facilities. Again, both formal and informal and we will need such data over a long period of time.
To my knowledge, there is no such dataset in Singapore perhaps precisely because it is very challenging to collect such data, to high fidelity. It requires extensive and deep fieldwork, over a long period of time and first, building strong relationships of trust. It requires adherence to high ethical standards, including privacy standards, that will do no harm to the vulnerable that we are seeking to understand and ultimately uplift. And all these mean it will require considerable and sustained funding.
And by the way, such a dataset goes well beyond administrative data. Administrative data is still critical. But the kind of research being contemplated will need much more than administrative data. I urge the Government to consider constructing such a dataset, investing in such a longitudinal dataset, with a view to enabling models that will truly transform our understanding of what drives social mobility, what interventions targeting what drivers may work and work to what extent.
But even with such research, by definition, we will only truly know the outcomes of what we do today 35 to 40 years later. Social mobility is that longitudinal by its very nature. Put another way, we cannot wait for longitudinal research to conclude, to tell us what we should we do now, to close the opportunities gap for our children of today. Deciding what to do now to close that opportunities gap will thus be as much art as it is science.
We will need to look to whatever evidence base is available and apply judgement, consider ideas thoroughly, try to do no harm if at all possible, but act now. And then, in 35 to 40 years down the road, we will truly find out how we have done.
But so, what do we need to do now, systemically, to close the opportunities gap from the start of life and through life? Let me suggest three key principles.
First, there is no \"magic bullet\" solution. Instead, we need a system of interlocking solutions, across multiple domains – academic, non-academic, social capital formation, financial stability, housing, health – each solution working alongside the others, to collectively close the opportunities gap.
Second, we need good solutions at scale, more than excellent pilots that remain as pilots. The harder work – the hardest work – is often in scaling and sustaining at scale. And it is this harder work that we need to do, to have a chance to meaningfully close the opportunities gap.
And third, we need solutions throughout life, not just at any one life stage, but across various life stages, to overcome the opportunities gap that compounds through life. Early life matters and we must intervene heavily in the early years, but we cannot stop there. We need interventions beyond, well into adulthood, to close the opportunities gap throughout life.
So, on that note, I urge community partners, funders and citizens to all come together to create interventions across domains, add scale and through life to close the opportunities gap for our children. And the Government can play a leadership role here to signpost, coordinate, support, resource and galvanise.
[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat (Aljunied): Sir, there is a gap in how we administer Lasting Power of Attorneys (LPAs) and deputyship under the Mental Capacity Act. The professional donee framework is too limited, relying too much on named individuals. Section 12(1)(b) requires personal welfare donees be individuals. Organisations are allowed only for property and affairs.
The Office of Public Guardian's (OPG's) own list of registered professional deputies illustrates the consequence. Six social workers and one accountant from TOUCH Community Services are listed individually: same address at Bukit Merah Central, same email, same phone number. They function as an organisation, but the law forces the appointment to be personal. When that social worker leaves, the donor must pay to appoint a replacement. In deputyship cases, the cost comes from the incapacitated person's own assets. It seems wrong to make the donor pay for a gap in the law.
There is also a practical issue with personal appointments. LPAs are made years or decades before activation, meaning individual donees may have retired, emigrated or died. There is considerable uncertainty whether donees appointed years ago can take up the appointment.
Australia's states have addressed this through Public Guardian offices, providing continuity for personal welfare decisions, regardless of staff changes. They charge modest fees and provide the option of being donees of last resort.
I ask, will MSF consider amending section 12 to allow accredited organisations to serve as personal welfare donees? Beyond that, could Singapore's Public Guardian serve as donee of last resort, as Australian states have done? Will OPG also issue guidance on what happens when a professional donee falls off the register? And will OPG consider prescribed fee guidelines for professional donee services, given this is a fiduciary service for the most vulnerable and not a competitive market?
Ms Sylvia Lim (Aljunied): Sir, as of January this year, there were 410,000 LPAs registered by the Ministry. Momentum has built up as the benefits of making LPAs become more widely understood.
My purpose today is to highlight two groups of people who may not be benefiting from the LPA regime for different reasons. They are first, those without any relative or friend to appoint; and secondly, our low-wage foreign workers.
First, those without any relative or friend to appoint. My Party colleague Kenneth Tiong has elaborated on why the current LPA regime is not adequate in requiring named individuals and not organisations to take on professional doneeship to manage one's personal welfare. I agree with him that we should consider enabling a donor to appoint the public guardian or the public trustee as donee, as we see in jurisdictions, such as Australia. Such an option will assist those donors as the appointment will withstand the passage of time.
The second group who currently have difficulties with LPAs are foreign workers in Singapore under work permits. Though they are relatively young, some of them work under conditions where the risk of serious injury, including mental incapacity, is ever present. Examples include those in physically demanding industries, such as the construction and marine sectors. These migrant workers do not have next-of-kin in Singapore and their friends may not be conversant with navigating Singapore's systems and services. Should they suddenly lose mental capacity, they would benefit if a donee could assist them to make decisions about their personal welfare or manage their funds, for example, to send money back to their loved ones at home.
Sir, it is heartening to know that Singaporeans are on standby to help. These include volunteers who care deeply about migrant worker welfare and wish to contribute. There are also lawyers who are willing to issue LPAs without charge or take on the role of a volunteer donee if needed.
However, the issue the workers face is the high cost of registration of LPAs for foreigners. The registration fee for non-citizens and non-permanent residents is currently fixed at $230. For our low-wage migrant workers, this fee is prohibitive, accounting for a significant portion of their monthly salary. To them, it is simply unaffordable. The public guardian should not have a blanket registration fee for all foreigners, which applies to our high-wage Employment Pass (EP) holders and low-wage foreign work permit holders alike.
Our low-wage foreign workers work under tough physical conditions, and we rely on them to do much of the work that Singaporeans are not inclined to do. The least we can do is to make it practical for them to make their LPAs, either without charge or at a nominal fee. Such a gesture would go a long way to showing that we really care.
Mr Gabriel Lam (Sembawang): Mr Chairman, MSF has consistently emphasised the importance of strong families and I support that objective. However, when we speak about \"strong families\", we must ask: what families are we speaking about and are our policies fully aligned with the lived realities of Singaporean households today?
Let me begin with single-parent families.
Single parents face a distinct and compounding set of pressures – financial strain, time scarcity, caregiving burden, housing constraints and, in some cases, social stigma. Unlike dual-income households, single parents must shoulder both breadwinning and caregiving responsibilities without internal household support.
While MSF provides assistance schemes, much of the framework remains largely designed around a dual-family baseline. Single parents often qualify for support only after meeting strict income thresholds and many fall into a financially squeezed middle, earning too much for sustained assistance, yet too little to comfortably manage rising costs.
These are parents who work full-time, care for their children alone and yet live one unexpected bill away from financial instability.
I therefore ask the Minister. Does MSF track long-term economic mobility outcomes specifically for single-parent households? Are there plans to recalibrate housing, childcare and work-support schemes to better reflect the time and income constraints unique to single parents? Has the Ministry conducted a comprehensive review of whether current family policies inadvertently assume a nuclear, dual-parent model?
Mr Chairman, this leads to a broader question. Much of MSF's effort to encourage strong families appears centred on public education campaigns promoting marriage, parenting and shared norms. While public messaging has its place, many families today are not struggling because of a lack of awareness. They are struggling because of cumulative pressures – cost of living, housing affordability, expensive childcare, enrichment expectations and long working hours.
At the national level, we rightly prioritise workforce development and economic competitiveness. But do our family policies receive the same systemic priority? Or have we unintentionally reduced family stability to a messaging exercise rather than treating it as an economic and cross-ministerial design issue?
Is the traditional nuclear family still the dominant policy reference point? And if so, does that sufficiently reflect current realities, including single-parent households, blended families, delayed marriages and dual-career pressures?
I would therefore like the Minister to clarify whether MSF intends to undertake a broader review of family policy design assumptions; whether outcome metrics for \"family strength\" go beyond programme uptake to measure stability, financial resilience and child well-being across diverse household types; and whether inter-Ministry coordination, particularly with the Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Education, is being strengthened to address root pressures embedded in our housing, labour and education systems, rather than relying primarily on awareness campaigns.
Mr Chairman, this policy cut is not intended to diminish support for families. Rather, it signals the need to reassess whether our frameworks have kept pace with social change. If we are serious about building strong families, then our policies must be designed not around idealised models but around the realities Singaporean households actually live with today.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas): Mr Chairman, families in Singapore face considerable pressures in our fast-paced and competitive society. Many must manage the cost of housing, education, healthcare and daily living. For lower-income households, these demands can be especially heavy. At the same time, long working hours in pursuit of job security and career progression often reduce the time parents spend with their children, placing strain on family relationships.
Strong and resilient families, therefore, require sustained support. The Strengthening Families programme plays an important role through counselling, parenting workshops and family bonding activities. As family needs grow more complex, how does MSF intend to further enhance and scale up the programme to better support families facing multiple stresses?
Mr Chairman, I would also like to raise a related issue. Overseas research has observed inter-generational patterns of children being born out of wedlock, often influenced by socio-economic factors. We should be mindful to prevent such cycles from taking root in Singapore.
While upholding the importance of marriage and stable families, we must also ensure that children are not disadvantaged by their circumstances of birth.
Currently, unwed parents do not receive the Baby Bonus cash gift, and they are not eligible for tax benefits, such as the Working Mother's Child Relief and the Parenthood Tax Rebate. These differences can have a real impact, especially for lower-income single parent households. Can MSF review how we can better support unwed parents in meeting their children's needs and whether more local research can be conducted to better understand and prevent potential inter-generational cycles?
Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat: Sir, Ms Loy Wee Mee runs Pre-School By-The-Park in my ward. The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) awarded her centre's Make*Believe programme the Innovation Award in 2023. The National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) featured her as the expert voice on play-based learning.
In January this year, her Li Hwan centre announced closure; 52 parents rallied to save it. Two of them, Nicole and Jasmine, believed enough in the school to take it over themselves. We wish them the best. But the structural challenge remains – full-day fees are $1,655 a month, with no Government funding. The Partner Operator (POP) centre nearby charges $650. That is a $1,000 gap. Passion alone cannot close it.
Sir, this gap is not market created. It is policy created. When Government subsidy prices 80% of the market at $610 to $650, that becomes what preschools should cost. Parents are not choosing Anchor Operator (AOP) pedagogy over play-based learning. They are choosing to pay AOP prices. At a $1,000 differential, there is no real choice.
The squeeze hits labour too. AOP and POP salary targets funded by subsidy becomes a sector-wide wage benchmark. Independents must match or lose teachers, not to better pedagogy but to better subsidised pay. Every time salary targets rise, independents' costs rise with them, but revenue does not. The 20% is expected to innovate, but with what?
The differential treatment extends beyond fees. I thank ECDA for extending the Manpower Hiring Grant to independents this January. But it took two years.
From 2024 to 2026, only AOPs and POPs had subsidised talent development. Independents competed for the same shrinking pool of educators at full cost. This is the same regulator funding one team's player development budget and asking the other why they cannot keep up.
The end state – two tiers and nothing in between. Mass market, Government preschools on one side; ultra-premium international schools on the other. The mid-tier, wherein Montessori, Reggio, play-based and inclusive programmes for children with diverse needs actually live, is collapsing. Middle-class families lose meaningful choice.
Progress is when what was once a boutique pedagogy becomes the base we build for the next generation.
Malaysia is doing this. In December 2025, its government revamped the national preschool curriculum to prioritise play-based, child-centred learning. In April, Kuala Lumpur hosts the World Forum on Early Care and Education, with 500 participants from over 40 countries. Malaysian educators invite Singaporean operators to speak at their forums on play- and project-based learning. They plan study tours here. Their government is actively driving these reforms.
Our neighbours are investing in what our funding model makes unviable. If they are right about early childhood, and I believe they are, a pedagogy gap will open across the Causeway, as we drive out the very educators they want to learn from.
I have two asks. First, fund the child, not the school. If the subsidy follows a child to any licensed, quality-assured centre, parents, all parents, can choose the pedagogy the Government's own agencies say works. When the gap is $80, parents can weigh the differences.
Second, operator-independent teacher funding. If a teacher is L2 certified, why should their salary support depend on which operator employs them?
The expertise is here. Our own agency agrees the pedagogy works. What is missing is a funding structure that lets parents act on the agreement. I ask that we let parents choose.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: Mr Chairman, accessible, affordable and quality preschools are fundamental to giving every child a strong start in life.
First, accessibility means ensuring that preschool places are available and conveniently located across our neighbourhoods, so families can enrol their children without undue difficulty. Second, affordability ensures that families from all income levels can assess early childhood education without financial strain. And third, quality remains critical. A nurturing and stimulating environment supported by well-trained educators, age-appropriate curricula and safe facilities enables children's holistic development.
A strong core of early childhood educators lays the foundation for our children's cognitive, social, emotional and physical growth, preparing them well for primary school and beyond.
Sir, can the Ministry therefore provide an update on the progress made in strengthening the accessibility, affordability and quality of our preschool sector?
At the same time, our early childhood educators are taking on increasing responsibilities. With smaller families and rising parental expectations, educators are expected to do more than ever before. This is further compounded by manpower challenges and the time required to fill vacancies. In this regard, can MSF consider expanding the roles and capabilities of learning support educators beyond special needs support, so that they can help augment and relieve pressures on our stretched early childhood workforce.
Ms Eileen Chong Pei Shan (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, my generation is simultaneously asked to have more children and to support our ageing parents so they can age-in-place. Often at the same time and often with the same leave pool.
In my maiden speech, I said that caregiving is work and we can and should do more to support our caregivers. Today, childcare and extended childcare leave remains the only legislated form of ongoing paid caregiving leave. Each parent receives two to six days a year, regardless of how many children they have. Yet we know that caregiving demands multiply with each child and does not divide neatly between siblings. Our leave framework should reflect this reality.
The Workers' Party recommends extending childcare leave on a per child basis up to age 12. We also propose establishing paid family care leave for Singaporeans with primary caregiving responsibilities for elderly parents or family members with severe disabilities.
There is the tripartite standard on unpaid caregiving leave but it is voluntary, only covers hospitalisation events and has only been adopted by a relatively small fraction of employers. It also encourages employees to first use their paid annual leave. So, we are back to the same challenge which I raised in my maiden speech – caregivers burning annual leave time meant for their own rest with no income protection.
Singaporeans should not have to choose between caring for their loved ones and taking care of themselves. I call on MSF to seriously consider these recommendations.
Ms Sylvia Lim: Sir, there are annually around 400 adoption applications in Singapore. Adoptions should be encouraged, not just for the wholehearted act of love that it embodies but also to mitigate our dismal total fertility rate.
It is thus very concerning to receive news of investigations by Indonesia into an alleged baby trafficking ring supplying babies to Singapore for adoption. This raises questions about regional efforts to curb child trafficking.
In November 2025, Workers' Party Non-constituency Member Andre Low filed a Parliamentary Question about regional cooperation among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to protect against child trafficking in inter-country adoptions. In answer, MSF Minister Masagos mentioned the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence against Children from 2016 to 2025. Domestically, he highlighted that child trafficking was criminalised under the Adoption of Children Act.
He further stressed the robustness of the adoption process, which included the verification of the child's identity papers, travel documents and conducting checks with birth parents to ensure they had given valid consent and had not offered the child for adoption for improper financial or material gain.
In 2022, MSF tabled the Adoption of Children Bill to introduce a specific regulatory framework governing adoption. The framework includes a requirement for adoptive parents to disclose to the Court the payments they have made to the birth parents and others in the process, and to seek the Court sanctions for these payments. It would also be an offence to obtain the birth parents' consent by fraud, duress or undue influence. The question is, when it comes to children's source from overseas, how effective are these provisions?
Finally, the ongoing Indonesian investigations have led to delays in adoptive parents applying for Singapore Citizenship for their children. In the meantime, adoptive parents would have to pay higher childcare-related expenses without a clear endpoint, which has been straining and demoralising. I would like to repeat my call to MSF to extend citizen rates to those children, especially when both parents are Singaporeans.
Dr Neo Kok Beng (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, I would like to state that I am a foster parent registered with MSF. I have three foster kids with me, including one toddler.
Sir, there is a real shortage of foster parents. There are about 500 plus children under fostering and the 500 plus under institutions, which is really not a good place to be. But there are about 600 plus foster parents. So, I think we should put more effort into generating awareness among the communities, working with the fostering agency, such as Boys' Towns, Gracehaven, Muhammadiyah Association and PPIS Home for Good.
The other thing is the foster parents; that they are \"on\" 24/7. It is not \"foster parents\". It is really the \"foster families\". So, they really have to look after the kids, stabilise them and nurture them.
But there are really issues on the information access for the foster kids. They cannot access the school portal and they cannot book online medical. Those are the issues that the Ministry might want to consider doing a design-thinking project. Go through the full journey for the foster parents and the foster kids, and see where are the pain points. Give them the full access since the kids are the primary persons whom we are looking after.
The other thing is a much more holistic way of looking at fostering. I think currently is the trial systems, where you have the biological parents, the foster parents. They do not really talk to each other and then you have the case workers serving as \"in-betweens\". It has its positive and there is the reason for it being so – so they do not sort of interact too much or have conflicts with each other.
However, I think we can explore much more intensive co-parenting, in situations that are possible, to bring both foster parents and the biological parents together, with the kids as the centre of our attention. The whole idea for us as foster parents, is to stabilise the kid, gain trust, build bonds and then interact or integrate them back with the biological parents. That is our mission and we want to make sure that the bonds continue, rather than disrupted halfway.
Ms Diana Pang Li Yen (Marine Parade-Braddell Heights): Chairman, I rise to speak on divorcing couples. But let me start with a quick clarification. I am married; happily married. But I am speaking about divorce today because in Singapore has been going on an upward trend.
In particular, I wish to address the support that MSF provides to help parents transition from being spouses to being co-parents. Divorce is not merely the end of a marriage. For many families, it is the beginning of a long co-parenting journey and the people who pay the highest price when that journey is poorly managed are the children.
In that regard, I support the policy intent behind the mandatory co-parenting programmes for divorcing couples with children below 21 years old. The structure is good, it is sound. The online e-learning component to set a baseline understanding, followed by a physical counselling session to discuss practical co-parenting arrangements after divorce is good. It rightly treats co-parenting as a public good. But if we accept that, then the support must be timely, accessible and directed to the parents who need it most.
Chairman, I make two observations on how MSF can improve this in a practical way. I was informed that the physical counselling session take weeks to book, with longer waits during festive periods and at more heavily subscribed Family Service Centre locations. I urge MSF to strengthen delivery of the programme in three ways. First, increase counsellor capacity and appointment slots, including weekends and weekdays. Second, expand the schemes to more locations, which includes increasing Family Service Centre capacity where demand is persistently high. Third, use video sessions in suitable cases so physical capacity constraints do not become a bottleneck.
Next, Chairman, if the programme's purpose is to protect children by improving co-parenting readiness, there appears to be a gap in who is required to attend.
Currently, only parents initiating or consenting to divorce are required to attend. However, parents contesting the divorce or related matters, who may be the one who need it most, are exempted. If such a parent is outside the programme, the intervention reaches only one side of the co-parenting, which undermines the policy purpose. I therefore urge MSF to consider applying the programme more equally to all parents undergoing divorce with children under 21 years old.
Chairman, this connects to a second issue that often arises in higher-conflict divorces and it is one that is particularly acute during festive periods when children's access and family time become more emotionally charged. During this Lunar New Year period, many families are reuniting and celebrating, but for some parents it is the toughest time of the year because their child has been unilaterally taken away or withheld by the other parent without any Court Order, contact is cut off and they are simply told to \"go to Court\".
The cruelty is that legal processes take time and in these cases time matters most, because the first days and weeks of separation can disrupt the child's routines, allow untrue narratives to take hold and erode the child's bond with the left-behind parent. In other words: justice delayed is justice denied.
While international child abduction triggers urgent return mechanisms under the Hague Convention, domestic removals within Singapore do not have an equivalent rapid response track, leaving left-behind parents to wait for months whilst their applications are being resolved in Court. Yet for the child, the harm caused by sudden separation can be just as real and just as lasting.
I therefore urge that we treat domestic child abduction as a time-critical child welfare issue by tracking and publishing core indicators and by creating an expedited judicial pathway with early neutral review, swift restoration of safe interim contact where appropriate, proportionate deterrence against bad-faith conduct by one parent and all-round operational support for parents, so that we protect genuine safety cases while preventing abuse of a \"remove first, explain later\" tactic and safeguarding children's best interests.
So, I ask MSF: what more can be done, together with the wider family justice system, to ensure that children are not left to bear the consequences of time delays in high-conflict cases where contact is abruptly cut off?
Chairman, these are practical refinements to existing problems, but they go to the heart of what MSF stands for. Strong families are not only built before a crisis, they are also protected through a crisis. I hope the Ministry will consider these improvements so that the system achieves what it is meant to achieve: better co-parenting, less conflict and better outcomes for children.
Miss Rachel Ong (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, the misuse of AI, particularly through sexually exploitative deepfake content, is creating new risks. Children and vulnerable persons, including persons with disabilities, may face impersonation, coercion and greater difficulty reporting harm.
May I ask the Minister: what safeguards are in place to protect families, especially children and vulnerable persons, from harmful uses of AI? How is MSF working with other Government agencies to strengthen digital literacy among parents and caregivers? Are there specialised support services for victims of AI-enabled exploitation, particularly children and persons with disabilities?
Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, the call to build a \"we first\" society reminds us that growth must uplift every family and that care cannot be left to individuals alone.
A society that puts \"we first\", must recognise caregiving as real work – whether it is a single parent balancing work and childcare, families raising children with special needs who juggle between therapy appointments and education, or mid-career workers caring for elderly parents while trying to remain economically active.
Caregivers embody this spirit every day. They shoulder responsibilities not just for themselves, but for their families and loved ones, often while continuing to work and contribute to society.
For many caregivers, the challenge is not only financial support, but having the confidence that help will be there in a timely and predictable way, as care needs evolve unpredictably over time.
As such, can the Minister share how MSF is strengthening integrated support services for caregivers? How are social, employment and healthcare touchpoints being better aligned to provide caregivers and their families with continuity, assurance and sustained support across different stages of their caregiving journey, so that they can continue caring, working and contributing with confidence?
With that, it also brings us as a \"we first\" society. We must also care for those who serve others. Social service professionals and MSF officers operate in a high-touch, emotionally demanding environment, often under manpower constraints.
As the Ministry advances digitalisation and service transformation, how is it ensuring caseload sustainability, safeguarding officers' career development and upskilling, mental wellbeing and mitigating risks of burnout, so that the social services sector remains a rewarding and sustainable career for officers?
If we truly believe in \"we first\", then caregivers and the officers who walk alongside them, must feel that the system stands firmly with them.
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye: Mr Chairman, some lower-income families face layered and persistent challenges that cannot be resolved quickly even with well designed incentives. They may be coping with unstable employment, caregiving responsibilities, debt, housing constraints, or children with additional developmental needs. These challenges often interact and compound one another, even when families are making sincere efforts, attending coaching, enrolling in programmes, seeking employment or upgrading skills. Progress can be gradual and uneven.
Milestones, such as clearing debt, sustaining employment, or ensuring consistent preschool attendance take time, especially when setbacks occur. In such circumstances, achievement-based progress package, though well intention may feel distant and difficult to attain. When goals seem too ambitious, families may feel discouraged despite genuine effort. This can dampen motivation and affect take up, particularly among those who already find the journey daunting.
I therefore welcome this year's enhancements to ComLink+, including new payouts, smaller, but more achievable milestones and cash incentives. Recognising incremental progress and celebrating step by step gains will better support families on a realistic and dignified path towards stability and upward mobility.
Could the Ministry share more details on how these new milestones will be calibrated and how the enhanced payouts will better reflect sustained efforts? How does MSF plan to strengthen the Comlink+ ecosystem, including both employers and community partners, to better recruit, support and retain beneficiaries in sustained employment?
The Chairman: Mr Cai Yinzhou, you can take your two cuts together.
Mr Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Thank you, Chairman. My both cuts will address guardrails for protecting our children in low-income families.
In the book \"Alone together\", author Turkle examines the increasing reliance on digital devices and social media and the paradox of being alone, together. Feeling both connected and disconnected in an increasingly digital world. Apart from loneliness, academic studies show how technology addition leads to anxiety, depression and even aggression and attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder symptoms.
While the Government has banned smartphone use in secondary schools, excessive screen time outside school hours remains a challenge, especially for children from lower-income families.
In my house visits to rental blocks, I often see parents occupying children and even infants, with screens – smartphones, tablets and TVs. Parents have shared with me their challenges of being busy at work, health or caregiving responsibilities. Therefore, children are often left to their own devices – literally. In this case, the ones occupied with digital screens are unsupervised and without parental restriction guardrails.
It is crucial that whilst we push nationwide for a reduction of our children's exposure to screens in schools and age appropriate content, our home environments are not left behind.
I would like to ask the Ministry how it specifically considers the needs and context of lower-income families and work with other agencies to provide additional support when developing screen time policies in school, after school and at home.
Mr Chairman, while Budget 2026 rightly strengthens support for ComLink+ families, the effectiveness of this support relies entirely on successful engagement. In my interactions with families, I have observed recurring challengea: families who remain uncooperative or deeply disengaged. This is often driven by the exhaustion of juggling multiple commitments, personal crisis or a lack of trust in the cobbling system.
This lack of engagement creates a critical blind spot. It makes it difficult for family coaches to assess genuine needs, maintain continuity of care, or escalate cases where serious concerns, such as family violence or child safety may be involved. When engagement is inconsistent, the human touch and the trust built by a dedicated coach are easily lost.
We must recognise that unresponsiveness itself is often a signal of deeper and more complex challenges. We cannot allow these families, especially their children, to fall through the cracks.
I have two clarifications on this front.
First, what specific protocols for engaging within the ComLink+ Alliance Working Group and its partner agencies to re-engage families who have become unresponsive?
Second, would the Ministry consider a formal escalation pathway for such cases to Family Service Centres for deeper social work intervention when initial coaching efforts fail to gain traction? Ensuring the safety and well-being of the children in these households must remain our absolute priority.
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): Earlier this term, I spoke of the need for joined-up longitudinal pathways in education, health and careers that follow a family across life's transitions, so that no one is left to fall through the cracks. Budget 2026 takes a meaningful step in this direction through the enhanced ComLink+ framework.
ComLink+ is not just short-term relief. It is a mobility platform. Its strength lies in its progression engine. When support is integrated, milestones are clear and progress is sustained, families do not only cope, they move forward.
I welcome the enhancements in Budget 2026 – higher cash payouts tied to stable employment and preschool attendance, intermediate milestones, higher caps and the new $500 quarterly Partnership Payout. These strengthen the incentive structure.
But if ComLink+ is to become the architecture of modern social mobility, five shifts matter.
First, integration must be structural, not best effort. A family may juggle a family coach, a healthcare team, an employment officer and a school representative. That is a lot of people. Could we move towards one shared progression plan across agencies – one dashboard, one set of goals, one coordinated journey? I ask the Minister if MSF is moving in this direction, so families experience genuine integrated support rather than parallel case files?
Second, design for fragility. Progress is rarely linear. A contact job ends. A grandparent falls ill. A small shock can reverse months of work. We must recognise momentum, not just milestones. As ComLink+ scales, how will MSF ensure temporary setbacks beyond a family's control do not permanently disqualify them from progression payouts?
Third, scale must not dilute trust. Trust is the foundation of transformation. One trusted person who knows their story, who checks in, who believes in them when they do not believe in themselves can make all the difference. As we scale, how do we protect that relational core as numbers grow?
Fourth, measure transformation, not transactions – not just payouts issued, but job retained, sustained preschool attendance, debt reduced, stress stabilised. Do coaches have the capacity and tools to anchor this deeper work?
Fifth, mobility must include future readiness. With AI reshaping our economy, digital literacy, AI familiarity and tech-enabled income pathways must be part of progression goals. If we do not equip families for the economy of tomorrow, we risk stabilising them for yesterday.
If we get this right, ComLink+ do more than support families in difficulty. It will restore belief. And in a society facing inequality and technological disruption, belief may be our most precious asset. Let us design ComLink+ not only as a ladder out of hardship, but as a national statement that in Singapore, mobility is never accidental.
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Mr Chairman, I thank the Government for appointing the Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), chaired by Minister of State Goh Pei Ming.
This task force is timely. Singapore already has a strong national roadmap in the Enabling Masterplan 2030. But there are pressing key concerns of families, particularly about adult life after school. The task force cannot give assurance to these families without addressing these key concerns.
Let me focus on four persistent gaps that the task force should address decisively.
One, on funding reform. Mr Chairman, disability spending today is front-loaded towards childhood while adult services operate under very tight margins even though adulthood can last 60 years or more. We therefore need funding reforms based on a lifespan approach.
One way forward is a two-tier structure. Let us start with the obvious Day Activity Centres (DAC) and residential home models for adults with moderate to high support needs.
First, provide a universal base funding component for every client served by a DAC or residential home. This base amount should be calculated using a realistic norm cost of care, reflecting staffing ratios, programme costs and operational realities. Second, on top of this base, apply a means-tested subsidies to ensure affordability for families who need them.
Service providers, such as the social service agencies, are not naive. If every additional client requires more fundraising, the system becomes unsustainable. Eventually, service providers will withdraw and the Government may have to operate these services directly, which could cost even more.
Funding reform must therefore align care complexity, workforce reality and sustainability.
Gap two, disability employment resilience in an AI economy. Sir, many traditional entry-level roles for persons with disabilities in both blue- and white-collared jobs, such as packing, sorting, basic administrative work and even coding, are replaced by AI-driven automation. If we do nothing, then inclusive hire gains that have been made in our last decade will reverse. We must therefore shift from protecting old jobs to designing new work.
The task force should consider a national disability job redesign fund to support the identification of jobs at risk, surface new jobs in the new economy, redesign workflows to allow PwDs who can contribute and strengthen job-coach capability. Failure to do so intentionally and effectively risks reversing the years of good work that SG Enable, disability partners and inclusive employers had already put in.
Gap three, life planning and post-parental assurance. The most common question families ask is this – what happens when parents lose capacity or die? We therefore should institutionalise life planning and continuity protocols and encourage families to be part of the solution instead of worrying. Planning should be supported, subsidised and normalised. When death or incapacity occurs, the system must respond with speed, coordination and stability.
For families with higher needs, introduce a family life navigator model, similar to the family coach approach in ComLink+.
Just as ComLink+ supports vulnerable families with a dedicated guide across life transitions, a life navigator could help disability families plan school-to-work transitions, housing options, caregiver ageing and long-term care arrangements.
A resilient system empowers and supports families to act early instead of relying solely on the Government.
Lastly, on a thoughtful convergence with mainstream elderly services. Sir, as Singapore ages, disability and ageing will increasingly overlap. The line between disability services and elder care services will blur. Many adults with disabilities face similar challenges as seniors in varying degrees, but at a younger age.
Singapore has built strong community infrastructure for ageing – Active Ageing Centres, Community Care Apartments, home- and community-based care services, even Silver Generation Ambassadors and Healthier SG. If we design a support architecture that connects disability and ageing systems more intelligently and thoughtfully, we reduce duplication, improve outreach and enhance social compact. This is the assurance that families are asking for and the post-school cliff we must level.
Sir, let us be visionary and bold. I wish the task force all its very best.
Ms Kuah Boon Theng (Nominated Member): Twenty-one years ago, I was blessed with my youngest child. My son has autism and is non-verbal. Being his mom has been a joy, but it is also the biggest challenge in my life.
In the short time I have been a Nominated Member of Parliament, I have had the opportunity to learn more about the Ministry's plans to support families navigating the complex journey of raising and caring for loved ones with special needs. I am grateful for the assurances that this is an area of priority and a key aspect of our plan to become a more inclusive society.
I know that the Government's heart is in the right place, but the key in ensuring that we actually deliver on the stated mission of becoming a more inclusive society is in how we execute our plans. For this, we must listen to the families we seek to serve. Which is why I am going to share my perspective as a parent and a caregiver.
One, we must provide a stable and secure care environment.
If you care for someone with special needs, you will know how long it can take to get them acclimatised to a new environment. This is why the transition periods are the hardest.
All we want is for them to adjust to a school, vocational institute or DAC that can support their needs as soon as possible. Waiting months or years for placement is not just a logistical delay, it results in regression in skills, desocialisation and isolation, and shifts the full burden of care back onto families, often leading to chronic stress, physical exhaustion and even anxiety and depression among caregivers.
Upheaval and change is especially traumatic for this vulnerable group. The shortage of places for those graduating from special education (SPED) has been a problem for years.
Imagine an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) child who has adjusted to the routine of school graduates only to find that there is no ready place for him or her to go to. It would be unthinkable if this happened to our normal school-going students, and yet we expect families with special needs children to wait when we know that the need for predictable schedules is especially important in this group.
We will soon be adding another 3,000 SPED school places by 2030. We would not be doing so if the demand was not there. So, while it has been announced that another 500 DAC places will be available by 2030, I firmly believe that this will not even come close to fulfilling the actual demand. It seems like we are perpetually trying to play catch up to a gap in services that is only getting wider.
We can and must do better. We need an aggressive expansion of facilities and a commitment to eliminate waiting times altogether. Those who graduate from SPED schools should have ready and available placement options for them to ensure a seamless transition. For this to happen, we need a lot more funding to DAC providers who have to meet the high costs of delivering such services so that they are able to confidently expand their offerings, recruit more trained staff and maintain high-quality care.
Two, we must make such care affordable to those who need it. The high cost of DAC fees may be resulting in under-representation of the actual demand. For DACs who cater to those with high support needs, even with present means-tested subsidies, the current fees would still be unaffordable to many in the sandwiched class.
This must be reviewed. There is nothing more painful or emasculating to a parent than knowing that they cannot afford to get their child more help or they have to sacrifice the needs of their other children to meet the expenses of the special needs child.
Three, we need to give parents the peace of mind that there is a long-term plan for the continued learning and enhanced meaningful engagement of their special needs adult children. The biggest fear of parents is, who is going to look after my child when I am gone? We need to support the entire family unit, including siblings and extended family members so that they feel ready to shoulder the responsibility of continuing care. In this respect, I support Ms Denise Phua's suggestions.
The true measure of our society is in how we treat our most vulnerable and those who care for them. We must commit to a future where no family is left to struggle in the shadows of a waitlist. By providing prompt, guaranteed access to vital services, we are not just helping individual families, we strengthen the very fabric of our community.
Prof Kenneth Poon (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, I declare my interests in this area as the past president of Rainbow Centre Singapore, a social service agency serving persons with disabilities, and as a researcher examining the life course of persons with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
In a study I conducted about two decades ago, examining the futures of persons with autism in Singapore, what must have been the most difficult question I asked parents was – and that was raised just earlier – what are the plans for your child when you are no longer able to care for him or her?
Most parents shared their worries and concerns. Some parents described plans, often involving siblings or relatives. For others, the response was silence and many conversations were accompanied by tears.
In a related work, parents of persons with disabilities consistently ranked outcomes linked to safety, stability and personal satisfaction as their top priorities for their child. Yet many remained uncertain about how those outcomes will be attained.
There is now greater urgency for three reasons.
First, persons with disabilities are living significantly longer due to advances in medical care. For example, a local report by the Community Health Outreach for Wellness in 2024 indicates that individuals with Down syndrome now have a life expectancy of about 60 years.
Second, while caregivers are living longer, the gap between lifespan and healthspan means that many parents anticipate a period where they may still be alive, yet no longer physically or cognitively able to provide the sustained care.
Second, while caregivers are living longer, the gap between lifespan and health span means that many parents anticipate a period where they may still be alive, yet no longer physically or cognitively able to provide the sustained care.
Third, families are smaller. This means fewer siblings and extended kin available to assume long-term caregiving responsibilities.
Taken together, these trends suggest that families of PwDs can no longer, as in the past, rely primarily on informal family support. Future support therefore needs to be anticipated, structured and supported.
Sir, during the Budget debate, I introduced four questions as a lens for considering how initiatives strengthen Singapore's social foundations. I would like to apply them to the present context of what happens to PwDs when parental caregiving is no longer available.
I think it is important to acknowledge that Singapore has made important progress in adult disability services through successive Enabling Masterplans, and I acknowledge the recent establishment of the Multi-Agency Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities chaired by Minister of State Goh Pei Ming.
Adult disability support often extends across several decades. So, this raises for us a broader systems consideration. Do we have a consistent anticipatory framework for planning the continuity of care and participation of PwDs? In particular, I would be grateful if the Minister could clarify the issues raised also earlier by my hon colleagues Ms Denise Phua and Ms Kuah Boon Theng.
First, whether structured family care pathways are initiated well before caregivers are unable to provide support? Second, on how siblings and other potential caregivers are systematically engaged in transition planning. And third, how the voices of PwDs themselves are meaningfully incorporated into decisions about their future arrangements, support structures and participation in community life?
Sir, the issue before us is not simply provision of services. It is an assurance that our citizens with disabilities will continue to live lives of dignity, stability and participation even when parental care is no longer available.
The Chairman: Mr Cai Yinzhou. Not here. Miss Rachel Ong.
Miss Rachel Ong: Chairman, many PwDs and employers remain unaware of available support for inclusive employment and daily living. A recent Singapore Management University (SMU) survey found that eight in 10 PwDs had never heard of employability training programmes and fewer than half of employers were aware of workplace grants and hiring incentives.
While portals, such as the SG Enabling Guide, provides useful resources, information is spread across multiple platforms, making it difficult for PwDs and caregivers to navigate support.
May I ask MSF, how will communication on employment, living and community support for PwDs be improved so individuals and employers are better informed? Will the Government consider a single, centralised portal that brings together training, employment, housing, social activities and financial assistance, so PwDs and caregivers can more easily access support?
Mr Ng Chee Meng (Jalan Kayu): Chairman, I thank the MSF, especially SG Enable, for the good work in uplifting our PwDs. Today, more than 30% of PwDs are in employment, with a roadmap to move up to 40% by 2030.
The Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities will also be doing more in three key areas: employment, community living and affordability.
I have families in Jalan Kayu with special needs children. Key concerns of these families include the availability of education and support services; financial support; whether they can help their children find employment or remain engaged; and what will happen to their children when they pass on.
In one particular case, I met a pair of aged parents last year caring for their 30 plus-year-old autistic son. He is on the severe spectrum side of the needs. Since then, the father has passed on and the mother now cares for the son alone.
I would like to ask the Ministry what practical strategies will be looked into to better support our families with PwDs, especially those who have graduated from the schooling system? What more can be done to improve their employment prospects, or remain engaged and cared for during their lifetime?
Miss Rachel Ong: Chairman, today, very few counsellors are trained in Singapore Sign Language. Thus, deaf clients often rely on interpreters from an already small community. This often limits privacy and discourage self and help-seeking.
One deaf individual received counselling only after a long search. In countries, such as Canada, sign-language counselling is provided as a standard service.
May I ask the Minister: how can we expand the pool of Singapore Sign Language trained counsellors and integrate sign language competent support into mainstream mental health services? Will MSF review funding and support schemes to ensure Singapore Sign Language interpretation is systematically available across counselling, social support centres and crisis response services, so deaf Singaporeans can access help confidentially and equitably?
The Chairman: Minister Masagos Zulkifli.
The Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M): Chairman, I thank Members for their views. MSF aims to foster a Singapore society where all families are supported at every stage of their life to thrive on their terms.
Before I elaborate on our approach, let me outline what my colleagues will share. Minister of State Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim will detail enhancements to support lower-income families, Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua will elaborate on our efforts for families with PwDs and Minister of State Goh Pei Ming will touch on how we will strengthen support for families.
At MSF, our policies are anchored on four core principles: family centricity, proactive and upstream intervention, strength-based approached and whole-of-society partnership. These principles are enduring, even as we face increasingly complex issues.
First, we prioritise family centricity because the family is the basic unit of our society that provides emotional support and imparts values. Working with individuals may address immediate symptoms, but it does not tackle issues at its roots. We must build strong family relationship in order to bring about sustainable change. This is why, for all children, we seek to set good foundations for optimal health and development within family relationships and environments. For ComLink+ families, we develop a holistic action plan with the family after assessing their needs. For PwDs, we do not neglect the well-being of caregivers and family members.
Our second principle is proactive and upstream intervention. We strive to provide early support to build strong foundations and address root causes before they escalate.
Third, we focus on the strength of our clients rather than their deficits. By harnessing their strengths and assets, individuals and families are and can be empowered to achieve good outcomes.
Fourth, we work with the whole-of-society to weave a strong ecosystem of support.
MSF has been working alongside our social service agencies (SSAs), corporates, institutes of higher learnings (IHLs) and the community to better understand clients' needs, finetune our policies and programmes and to journey with our clients.
Such strong partnership is key. When we work together, we unlock new synergies, spark innovation and build better solutions for our clients. To build a better tomorrow for all families, we will further strengthen these partnerships. We will do this through the following \"3Cs\": collaborating with our partners, cooperating with regional and international counterparts in shared priority areas and co-creating to develop innovations of tomorrow. Let me elaborate.
The first \"C\" refers to working collaboratively with partners to better serve families and individuals. In recent years, we have stepped up collaboration with sector partners to make a greater impact. We will continue to invest in such collaborations and especially with four key groups: Government agencies, SSAs, corporates and IHLs.
First, we are collaborating with Government agencies to better support lower-income families and improve social mobility, a key concern raised by Mr Xie Yao Quan. In 2025, MSF trialed the social health integration model with MOH for ComLink+ families to ensure that health challenges do not hinder their social mobility. Under this model, family coaches and healthcare staff came together to support families to adopt healthy lifestyles and to access suitable services. Later this year, we will bring more ComLink+ families on board this trial.
Today, only residents 40 and above can enrol in Healthier SG. From 2027, MOH will extend Healthier SG enrolment to eligible ComLink+ residents age 25 to 39. With this, more ComLink+ residents can benefit from personalised care from a trusted family doctor, subsidies for screening tests as well as vaccinations. They will also be able to access Health Promotion Board programmes via the Healthy 365 app. We will share more details in due course.
Second, we are collaborating with SSAs to support families. Families may require support in navigating conflict. For example, MSF works closely with SSAs under the Strengthening Family Programme, which provides counselling support for them. Over the past decade, we have worked closely with the Family Justice Court to adopt a therapeutic justice model in resolving familial disputes so that the family can benefit from a restorative, holistic and forward-looking approach.
We have expanded our support for couples going through divorce, which Ms Diana Pang spoke about. Since July 2024, all couples with minor children must go through the co-parenting programme run by Strengthening Family Programme centres, and that is before they filed for divorce. We hope this will prevent disagreements later over child access. But if such disagreements arise, couples can still approach the Family Justice Court for mediation or apply for a child access order or to enforce an access order. We want to encourage more couples to seek help early and not only at the point of divorce.
Therefore, MSF will work with Strengthening Family Programme centres to ramp up family counselling capacity. By 2030, we will be able to serve 12,000 cases, double of today's caseload. Members of the public will be able to access both in-person and online counselling services. In the meantime, we will make and continue to make family counselling more accessible and provide self-help resources online to better support families.
Third, we are collaborating with corporates for more impactful philanthropy. In 2024, MSF and National Council of Social Service (NCSS) launched the Sustainable Philanthropy Framework to encourage corporates to integrate social impact with their business goals and engage in more consistent giving and volunteering. I am heartened that many corporates have adopted this framework. For instance, DBS has pledged up to $1 billion and 1.5 million employee volunteer hours over the next decade to better support those with less means, including $6.5 million to KidSTART, and $30 million to the ComLink+ Progress Packages. DBS has also embedded giving into their corporate culture and we hope more organisations will do the same.
Fourth, we are collaborating on research and programme evaluation to build a strong evidence base for tomorrow's solutions. We work with various IHLs to build up our knowledge base of what works best in Singapore.
Mr Xie called for longitudinal research to understand better the drivers of social mobility. We agree, which is why we have collaborated with the IPS on a longitudinal study called Pathways and Trajectories of Households in Singapore to better understand this. Other partnerships include evaluating effectiveness of ComLink+ Progress Packages with IPS and the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
Through these collaborations, we hope that our IHLs will build renowned experts and an impactful body of knowledge on support for families and thereby lead in this field.
The second \"C\" stands for cooperate; and in this context, cooperating with regional and international partners. Because we need to work together with others, beyond our shores, in strengthening families, early childhood development and social mobility. We seek to do this at Government, academia as well as practitioner levels.
This is because challenges confronting Singapore are not unique. By cooperating with like-minded partners, we can exchange ideas and evolve best practices to better serve our respective clients.
One initiative involves our regional neighbours: Cambodia, the Philippines and Thailand. They have been keen to learn from our experience in setting up the ECDA and the KidSTART programme. Last month, we launched the Capability Exchange Programme to create opportunities for learning and exchanges among government officials and practitioners from these countries. This programme will establish strong networks and foster cross-sharing of evidence-based approaches to benefit young children and families.
Other platforms include conferences where researchers and policy-makers can interact and germinate ideas and relationships. Last year, MSF and IPS co-organised the inaugural International Conference on Societies of Opportunity (ICSO), bringing together local and international thought leaders to discuss how we can better create opportunities and strengthen social mobility for our people. We will further such collaborations at ICSO in 2027.
We also organised the biennial Asian Family Conference, a dedicated regional policy-practice-research platform to discuss emerging family trends, policies and practices. Later this year, we will share findings of the inaugural regional collaboration between Singapore and ASEAN member states that will enable us and our regional partners to better support families in our respective countries.
I am excited by the new opportunities that such partnerships bring, so that we can do better by and for our people.
Before I go to the third \"C\", let me touch on our professionals. Professionals are the backbone of our sector. To enable them to deliver their best, we must first ensure that they are well-supported and cared for. Mr Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari asked about support for professionals' development and well-being.
SSAs can leverage training subsidies and sponsorships under the Professional Capability Grant to support staff development and upskilling. Recently, we enhanced the schemes to benefit more professionals to support their development and retention. Eligible social service professionals may also tap on the Sabbatical Leave Scheme, which gives them 10 weeks of paid leave to recharge and refresh.
For protection practitioners, we launched the Protection Practitioners Care Fund to enable SSAs to implement well-being initiatives and practices to support them even better.
Officers at MSF can access Well-being@Gov, which provides well-being resources, coaching and counselling services. hose in the Protective Services receive additional support including clinical supervision and peer support groups.
But support for our professionals does not stop here. We will leverage AI and technology tools to enhance their quality of life while making work more impactful. This is how the third \"C\" comes in – co-creation. Co-creating innovations of tomorrow that will improve the quality of life for social sector professionals and clients.
As the sector developer, NCSS is working closely with public and private sector agencies to develop and drive the adoption of AI and technology solutions across the sector. One such example is Scribe, a tool developed by Open Government Products that translates and summarises conversations in multiple languages and transforms transcripts into structured notes. Just over the past year, over 100 SSAs have adopted Scribe. We have heard from many social workers that Scribe has saved a lot of time and allowed them to focus on what they care about most – their clients.
For the early childhood sector, Mr Melvin Yong will be pleased to know that under the refreshed Industry Digital Plan, ECDA will be supporting preschools to adopt AI-enabled tools, including AI video analytics solutions. Specifically, these tools will support preschool educators and leaders in tasks such as curriculum planning, portfolio management and reviewing closed-circuit television footages.
Ultimately, our goal is to ease our professionals' workload, enhance their well-being and improve care and education of our children.
At MSF, we have also similarly incorporated AI and technology solutions to support our officers in their work. For example, in our Youth Homes, time-consuming processes such as filling out paperwork and cross-referencing files are now digitalised under the Home Central Information System. Officers also use AI tools such as Pair and AIBots that generate first drafts to help officers work more efficiently.
Taken together, Youth Guidance Officers such as Mr Rayner Hoe, now have more bandwidth to engage with youths, which is the most fulfilling part of the job.
Beyond these examples, there is still much more potential for technology to be harnessed to improve the quality of life for our professionals.
But I will now turn to our clients. In the past few years, MSF has worked closely with the sector to co-create innovative solutions to make our services more client-centric. One example would be the Family Services Landscape Review, which we announced in 2024. We have been engaging SSAs, practitioners and other stakeholders to reimagine how we can better support our clients where they are – one-stop shop, something that Ms Mariam Jaafar advocated for.
Another example would be the Enabled Living Programme, where we work with our partners to pilot innovative approaches to empower persons with disabilities to live independently, build meaningful connections and enhance their overall well-being.
In addition, we want to push the envelope and co-create AI and technology solutions that directly enhance the quality of life of our clients.
In my work trips to China and Qatar last year, I was deeply impressed by the adoption of innovative AI solutions and the possibilities they presented to enable persons with disabilities to work, live and play.
For hearing-impaired individuals like Mr Raiyme, who is a desktop engineer at NCS, new technologies coming onstream can be very empowering socially. For instance, with the real-time transcription and translation capabilities of the LLVision's AI-powered glasses, Raiyme is able to converse better at home with his mom, whom he lipreads in Malay. And of course, the AI machine needs to learn Malay better. And also, with his daughter's Mandarin teacher. He does not need translation because AI will do it for him.
In Qatar, hologram assistants that can respond to hearing-impaired persons via sign language are installed in public spaces, including public transportation sites. These technologies may only impact a small proportion of each society, but the impact is profound on the beneficiaries and their families. And when we collaborate and cooperate with regional partners, it allows us to have greater scale to support the development and adoption of such technology.
For persons with disabilities, SG Enable will continue to champion the responsible use of AI and technology solutions – a topic that is close to Miss Rachel Ong's heart. Subsidies are provided to persons with disabilities under the Assistive Technology Fund to purchase assistive technology devices to enable independent living. SG Enable will curate more devices to and continue to create more devices for persons with disabilities, including those enhanced by AI capabilities.
Under the Enabling Lives Initiative Grant, funding is also provided to support AI solutions that improve independence and expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. One example would be AiSee, an AI-powered wearable device that enables persons with visual impairment to better understand their surroundings through voice prompts.
Beyond the belief that AI and technology takes away jobs, they can in fact be a force for good; enablers that allow us to break new ground both in how we support our professionals and clients. I am excited by its potential and opportunities.
Chairman, I will now conclude. Our goal is clear. We want better for the clients and families we support: better outcomes, better opportunities, better lives. This is what drives our work at MSF. The way to achieve this is through all of us working together and staying united, especially amidst global uncertainties.
At MSF, we are making progress with our partners across the social service sector, with corporates, with IHLs, with volunteers and with the community. Together, we have been able to make strides in nurturing resilient individuals, strong families and a caring society.
I am heartened that since the launch of SG Gives last year, we have seen over $100 million in donations made to the Community Chest, President's Challenge and the Collective for a Stronger Society. The Government will match these donations to amplify our collective impact and support communities in need.
But there is more we can do.
I call on all Singaporeans to join us in this endeavour. When we work together, we unlock new possibilities and achieve far better outcomes than what we can accomplish alone. It is this collective spirit and the willingness of Singaporeans to support and empower one another that drives real and lasting change. Which is why MSF will soon launch a campaign \"Better Starts with Us\", because at MSF, we believe it is through this shared commitment that each of us, we are not just building a strong and united society, but a Singapore that is a great place for all families to achieve their goals and aspirations. [Applause.]
The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.
","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":"OS","content":"The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim): Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported and leave be asked again?
The Chairman: I give my consent.
[(proc text) Resolved, \"That progress be reported and leave be asked to sit again.\" – [Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim]. (proc text)]
[(proc text) Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker: Minister of State Zhulkarnain.
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim: Mr Speaker, I am glad to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 2026/2027 and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.
Mr Speaker: So be it. Leader.
","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.\" – [Ms Indranee Rajah]. (proc text)]
Adjourned accordingly at 7.45 pm.
11 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry following Timor-Leste's accession to ASEAN (a) what commercial and sectoral opportunities has Enterprise Singapore identified for local small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to launch operations; and (b) what support mechanisms are being deployed to facilitate SME market entry in Timor-Leste.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: Timor-Leste is in the early stages of implementing the Roadmap for Timor-Leste's Full Membership in ASEAN, following its accession to ASEAN on 26 October 2025. It is undertaking the necessary domestic reforms towards a more accessible, transparent and predictable economic environment.
While it is premature to identify specific commercial and sectoral opportunities for Singapore companies in the country, Enterprise Singapore will extend facilitation support to companies with interest to set up or expand in Timor-Leste.
Small- and medium-sized enterprises looking to expand their operations overseas, including in Timor-Leste, can access Government schemes, such as the Market Readiness Assistance and Enterprise Financing Scheme.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Penalties for Those Caught in Possession of, Producing or Disseminating Explicit Images of Actual Children versus AI-generated Material","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"12 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Government will legislate differential penalties for those caught in possession of, producing or disseminating sexually explicit images of actual children versus AI-generated material.
Mr K Shanmugam: Possession, production and dissemination of sexually explicit images of children are offences under the Penal Code. Offenders are liable for mandatory imprisonment and discretionary caning upon conviction.
These offences cover computer-generated child abuse material, including artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images of children. In 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended the Penal Code to make clear that the Prosecution need not prove that an actual child was used in the production of the computer-generated material. It is an offence so long as the image resembles a real child.
MHA does not intend to amend the offences in relation to child abuse material, as the Member seems to propose, to make the penalties for AI-generated child abuse material less severe than those using real children. This expresses our society's strong stance on protecting children from sexual predation.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Long-term Financial Sustainability of Autonomous Universities amid Evolving Global Competition","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"13 Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Minister for Education (a) how the Singapore's autonomous universities are ensuring long-term financial sustainability amid evolving global competition; and (b) whether current funding structures provide sufficient resilience in more volatile international environments.
Mr Desmond Lee: The operating and capital costs of our autonomous universities (AUs) are funded substantially by the Government. The Government also provides matching grants for donations raised by the AUs to help them up build their endowment funds. Investment returns from these endowments provide AUs with additional funding. As autonomous entities, the AUs also have flexibility to borrow from the capital market to finance other initiatives.
The AUs are also conscious of the need to manage their costs to help ensure their long-term financial sustainability. They do this through measures, such as manpower optimisation, process enhancement and digital transformation.
Collectively, the various funding sources, along with continued efforts by the AUs to manage their costs, provide financial stability and resilience to the AUs and allow them to respond effectively to the evolving global competition.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Simulated Total Defence Exercise for Complete Communications Blackout Affecting Internet, Cellular and Broadband Networks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"14 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) whether Total Defence exercises have simulated a complete communications blackout affecting Internet, cellular and broadband networks simultaneously; (b) what contingency channels exist for Government-to-population messaging if all digital networks are disabled; and (c) whether the Ministry will provide battery-powered transistor radios to every household as a civil defence measure, given that analogue radio does not depend on internet or cellular infrastructure.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: One of the aims of Exercise SG Ready, is to get Singaporean organisations and individuals to plan for disruptions. This year's exercise focused on disruptions to power and digital connectivity. The Ministry of Defence worked with Government agencies and participating organisations to decide on the extent of simulated disruptions. This year, we simulated a partial disruption. We assessed this was sufficient to get participants to be more aware of potential disruptions and to plan and prepare for such occurrences, without overly affecting businesses and daily life.
For resilience against a total blackout of all digital and communications channels, there must be different communications channels with different layers of redundancies. This minimises the chance of a total communications blackout where all channels are knocked out at the same time. This year's exercise provided a platform for agencies to test contingency communications channels.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force's public warning system and the Electronic Road Pricing 2.0 On-Board Unit notification were activated to alert Singaporeans to the broadcast of an important message. The message was then broadcast on free-to-air television (TV) channels, local radio broadcasts and digital channels, such as the gov.sg WhatsApp. We also reminded the public that they could tune in to FM radio broadcasts if free-to-air TV channels and digital channels become unavailable. Those who do not have access to an FM radio and are unable to obtain the information through other means can receive updates at community nodes, such as community centres. There are currently no plans to distribute battery-powered FM radios to every household.
We will continue to review and improve our emergency preparedness exercises and systems for crises and disruptions. The scenarios and extent of disruption for future exercises will continue to evolve based on different scenarios, our needs and potential challenges.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Strengthening of Procedures to Prevent Recurrence of Recent Episode of Erroneous Issuance of Speeding Tickets","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"15 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs in respect of the 1,523 speeding tickets erroneously issued from October to December 2025 (a) whether current procedures have been strengthened to prevent recurrence in the future; (b) whether any drivers have been adversely affected such as, having their licence temporarily suspended and unable to work due to erroneous inclusion of demerit points; and (c) whether support can be provided to affected individuals.
Mr K Shanmugam: No driver had their licence suspended due to the erroneous issuance of speeding tickets.
The Traffic Police conduct monthly audits on all speed enforcement cameras. To reduce the risk of technical errors, additional verification procedures have also been implemented following maintenance work.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Official Data Collection for Traffic Accidents Involving Workers Transported in Course of Employment","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"16 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Manpower (a) what processes exist to notify the Ministry of traffic accidents involving workers transported in the course of employment, where no work injury compensation claim is filed; (b) whether such incidents are assessed as workplace accidents; and (c) whether the Ministry accounts for potential under-counting of work-related transport injuries and fatalities to the extent its data collection methodology relies on claims-based notifications.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower's (MOM's) workplace injury statistics do not cover employees who were not performing work duties at the time of accident, such as while being transported to work or between workplaces. This ensures that our workplace injury statistics accurately reflect risks that are directly related to the work activity.
Notwithstanding this, for the purposes of work injury compensation, employers are also required to report to MOM all injuries from traffic accidents involving workers travelling between workplaces or using company-provided transport for commuting to work. This is to ensure that workers' livelihoods are protected from the impact of such accidents. A claim is automatically initiated once the employer is aware of the accident and submits the report, ensuring timely compensation for workers.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"POFMA Action on Allegedly AI-generated YouTube Video on 17 January 2026 about Prime Minister Wong","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"17 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) why no correction direction under the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 (POFMA) was issued in respect of an allegedly AI-generated YouTube video on 17 January 2026 that made claims that \"Singapore's Lawrence Wong's resignation is a foregone conclusion\"; and (b) whether the source of such videos will be investigated.
Mrs Josephine Teo: The Member is likely referring to YouTube accounts that recently published a large volume of artificial intelligence-generated videos containing fabricated claims about Singapore's foreign policy and domestic politics.
It would be clear to Singaporeans, and those who live here, that the videos contain entirely made-up storylines about Singapore's current affairs. The Government's statement on this issue was reported by Lianhe Zaobao and Channel NewsAsia. Additionally, most of the videos and accounts that we were aware of have been removed by YouTube for contravening the platform's own community guidelines against misinformation and spam. Given this context, we did not issue Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) correction directions for these videos.
As is typical of such disinformation campaigns, similar videos and accounts have resurfaced. The Government will work with platforms to review and investigate these videos.
POFMA is an important tool against online falsehoods, but a well-informed and vigilant public remains our first line of defence. Public education is crucial in equipping Singaporeans with skills to verify online content. We urge Singaporeans to check official sources for accurate information and not to forward content from unknown or unverified sources.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Uptake of Hawkers’ Productivity Grant for Adoption of Automation and Digital Solutions","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"18 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what is the current uptake of the Hawkers' Productivity Grant; (b) whether NEA tracks the number of hawkers who have adopted automation and/or digital solutions; and (c) what plans are in place to increase the adoption of technological solutions that can help hawkers reduce overhead costs.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency's (NEA's) Hawkers' Productivity Grant (HPG) provides co-funding to stallholders at hawker centres for automation equipment and digital service solutions. As of 31 December 2025, around 1,100 cooked food and 50 market stallholders have benefitted from the HPG. About two-thirds of all stalls now accept e-payment solutions.
In addition to the HPG, NEA's Productive Hawker Centres (PHC) programme facilitates stallholders' transition to automated solutions that raise productivity, such as centralised dishwashing. The programme provides stallholders with funding support of up to 70% of centralised dishwashing fees for four years in existing hawker centres, and up to 50% for two years in new hawker centres. As of 31 December 2025, all 16 new hawker centres built after 2011 and 10 existing hawker centres have implemented centralised dishwashing under the PHC programme. NEA will continue to review its programmes to support stallholders in adopting technological solutions.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Overhaul of NETS' QR Code Payment System to Create Fully Open, Interoperable Standard","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"19 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance whether are there plans to guide NETS towards a fundamental overhaul of its QR system, moving beyond incremental patches to establish a fully open, interoperable standard that creates a seamless, unified payment experience for all consumers and merchants.
Mr Gan Kim Yong (for the Prime Minister): In Singapore, SGQR is a scheme that consolidates multiple payment schemes into a single QR label, so merchants need not display multiple QR codes from different schemes. With SGQR, merchants and consumers can choose their preferred payment service providers and schemes. Consumers can pay using their preferred payment app among the merchant's accepted options. SGQR allows for competition among payment service providers. Merchants and consumers benefit from competition and choice. Making all payment schemes interoperable with each other will reduce competition and affect the services and costs to merchants and consumers.
There are other ways to enable consumers to access a wider network of merchants. For example, NETS, which operates one of Singapore's largest networks, has partnered other payment schemes to accept payments from users of those schemes. Customers of 14 payment providers can already make payments to NETS merchants seamlessly using their preferred app. Users of seven international schemes, such as DuitNow, PromptPay and QRIS, can also make cross-border payments conveniently to NETS merchants. The Monetary Authority of Singapore will look for further opportunities and options to improve the payment experience to consumers and merchants, including supporting commercial interoperability arrangements.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Take-up Rate by Logistics Providers of Courier Hub Scheme","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"20 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for National Development regarding the continued use of HDB void decks for parcel sorting despite the Courier Hub Scheme (a) what is the current take-up rate of the scheme by major logistics providers; and (b) will the Ministry introduce penalties or enforcement protocols against companies whose personnel persist in obstructing common corridors and void decks.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The first part of the question on the take-up rate for the Courier Hub Scheme was addressed in the Ministry of National Development's reply to the related question asked by Ms Valerie Lee on 25 February 2026. [Please refer to \"Assessment of Effectiveness and Extension of Courier Hub Scheme to More Estates\", Official Report, 25 February 2026, Vol 96, Issue 19, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
Under the Town Councils Act, Town Councils may enforce their by-laws against activities that cause obstruction of common property, such as parcel sorting, that blocks common areas.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Extending Subsidised Rates for Home Fire Alarm Devices to All HDB Flats","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"21 Ms Cassandra Lee asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs given that as at June 2025, about 17% of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats have Home Fire Alarm Devices (HFADs) installed, whether the Ministry will (i) consider extending HFAD provision to all HDB flats at subsidised rates similar to those under the HDB's Enhancement for Active Seniors 2.0 programme and (ii) explore enabling HFADs to send alerts to home owners' mobile devices when they are not at home.
Mr K Shanmugam: Since June 2018, it has been mandatory for all new residential premises, and existing residential premises undergoing fire safety-related addition and alteration works, to install home fire alarm devices (HFADs). For existing premises built before 2018, we have not mandated the installation of HFADs but strongly encourage it. This is to strike a balance between fire safety and practicality for home owners.
For existing home owners who wish to install HFADs, we have extensive financial support schemes to help them. For example, HFADs installed as part of fire safety works under the Home Improvement Programme are heavily subsidised, as are HFADs in households with elderly residents, under the Housing and Development Board's (HDB's) Enhancement for Active Seniors programme. HDB also provides HFADs free of charge to tenants of public rental flats.
We thank the Member for her suggestion to consider HFADs that are capable of sending alerts to home owners' mobile devices. Such HFADs are commercially available and home owners can procure them if they wish to.
The Government will continue to review and adopt effective fire safety solutions, as well as the financial support available for the public to install such equipment.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Cooling-off Period for Re-polling in HDB Blocks That Failed HIP Voting","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"22 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether HDB will formalise a standard cooling-off period and timeline for re-polling in HDB blocks that fail the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) threshold by a margin of three votes or fewer; and (b) what are the reasons for not adopting a simple majority threshold for such essential upgrading works.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: The review of the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) voting process is ongoing and will be done in such a way that balances between helping older estates to benefit from the HIP while respecting the decision of flat owners.
Currently, a minimum of 75% support is required from flat owners for HIP to proceed for their block. This is because many of the essential improvement works, such as the replacement of waste pipes, require the works to be carried out within the resident's flat and also affect other residents in the block.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Framework for Determining When Economic Conditions Warrant Broad-based Payouts to Households","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"23 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether the Government has a formal framework for determining when economic conditions warrant broad-based payouts to households; (b) if so, what key indicators are considered; and (c) if not, whether the Ministry will consider publishing such a framework to improve transparency and predictability.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: For broad-based payouts, the Government considers various factors, including the latest economic and inflation outlook, the overall size of fiscal injections, whether certain groups of households need more help and fiscal sustainability. This allows the Government to take both a quantitative and qualitative approach and be more responsive to prevailing conditions while sharing with Singaporeans the benefits of our economic growth.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Seniors, Children and Pedestrians Injured in Accidents Involving Active Mobility Devices","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"24 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Acting Minister for Transport of the 710 reported cases of accidents in 2023 to 2025 involving personal mobility devices (PMDs), power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and personal mobility aids (PMAs), how many involve (i) pedestrians, (ii) victims who were seniors aged 65 years and above, (iii) victims who were children aged 12 years and below and (iv) fatalities resulted from these incidents.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Of the approximately 590 on-road accidents from 2023 to 3Q 2025 involving personal mobility devices (PMDs), power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and personal mobility aids (PMAs) that resulted in injuries, 19 involved pedestrians, 181 involved seniors aged 65 and above and 24 involved children aged 12 and below. These figures can be overlapping. Data at this level of granularity is not collected for the approximately 120 off-road accidents, which are generally less severe.
In the same period, there were 10 reported fatal accidents involving PMDs, PABs and PMAs on the road, and none for off-road accidents.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Update on Heavy Vehicle Zero Emissions Scheme, Including Public Trials of Hydrogen-powered Heavy Vehicles and Developing Refuelling Infrastructure","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"25 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Acting Minister for Transport for an update on the Heavy Vehicle Zero Emissions Scheme launched in January 2026, including the timeline for public trials of hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles and the development of the necessary refueling infrastructure to support them.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: As of end-February 2026, two months since the launch on 1 January, 119 electric heavy vehicles have been registered under the Heavy Vehicle Zero Emissions Scheme.
Electrification remains the most commercially and technologically viable decarbonisation pathway for the land transport sector. We will continue to monitor technological developments and study the feasibility of adopting hydrogen and other cleaner energy technologies.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Purchase Incentives to Encourage Adoption of Electric Motorcycles","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"26 Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Acting Minister for Transport given that electric motorcycle adoption remains stagnant at 0.2%, whether the Ministry will introduce upfront purchase incentives similar to the EV Early Adoption Incentive for cars to address the significant price gap between electric and internal combustion engine motorcycles.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: We have no plans to introduce purchase incentives for electric motorcycles as there are electric motorcycles that are of comparable pricing to the mass-market internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents in the market today. The low adoption of electric motorcycles could be due to their shorter driving range compared to their ICE equivalents and other factors, like the lack of an adequate fast-charging or battery charging and swap station network.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Status of Joint Multi-Mission Ship Programme That Was to Replace Endurance-class Landing Platform Docks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"28 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) what is the current status of the Joint Multi-Mission Ship (JMMS) programme announced by then-Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen in 2014 to replace the Endurance-class landing platform docks; (b) whether the RSN's Endurance-class vessels remain operationally safe given they are approaching end-of-life; and (c) when will the Ministry provide the next substantive update on the progress of the JMMS programme.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Republic of Singapore Navy has various programmes to ensure the safety and operational readiness of its ships. These include comprehensive and regular maintenance regimes that are in line with industry standards and best practices and life-extension programmes for refurbishment and modernisation.
Our Endurance-class Landing Ships Tank (LSTs) remain operationally safe and fit-for-mission. We believe that they will continue to serve Singapore well into the 2030s. We will provide further updates on the LSTs' replacement closer to the date when they are due to be replaced.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Timelines, Constraints and Safeguards for Resumption of Crow-shooting Operations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"29 Dr Charlene Chen asked the Minister for National Development in respect of the resumption of shooting operations to mitigate crow-related disamenities (a) what is the expected timeline for implementation; (b) what operational constraints affect roll-out; and (c) how interim hotspot management is calibrated to protect residents, especially children and seniors while balancing safety and ecological considerations.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: As announced by the Minister for National Development on 23 February 2026, the National Parks Board (NParks) will resume crow shooting operations progressively from the second half of March 2026.
NParks has worked with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Singapore Police Force to develop strict shooting protocols to reduce potential safety risks. These include ensuring that the shooting trajectory of the shotgun pellets is always directed upwards, cordoning off the shooting zone with signs and deploying additional personnel to manage public access and restrict movement during operations. All shooting operations will be conducted by licensed wildlife management contractors who are certified in the handling of firearms and carefully overseen by appointed personnel to ensure full compliance with the safety controls.
Sites will be prioritised based on several factors including the volume of public feedback regarding crow-related issues and the technical feasibility of conducting safe shooting operations at each location. The progressive rollout of crow shooting operations will allow NParks to refine safety protocols and finetune risk mitigation measures before scaling up its operations.
The resumption of crow shooting operations is one component of NParks’ holistic pest bird management strategy. It will complement existing crow management efforts, such as direct population control through crow trapping and removal as well as crow nest removal.
Ultimately, we need everyone to work together. Do not feed the crows and pigeons. Keep our environment clean. These small steps will help keep our estates liveable for everyone.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Pet Groomers Operating from Residential Addresses","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"30 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether the Government is aware of the number of pet groomers operating from residential addresses; (b) how many complaints have been received regarding such operations; and (c) what actions have been taken and outcomes achieved in resolving these cases.
Mr Chee Hong Tat: Over the past 12 months, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) received one feedback case on smell and hygiene issues arising from pet grooming activities in a private condominium unit. Following investigations, URA issued an advisory letter to the pet groomer to implement mitigation measures, such as installing air purifiers and cleaning the pet grooming area daily.
We do not have data on the number of pet groomers operating from residential addresses.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Measures to Monitor and Carry Out Enforcement on Littering in Public Parks","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"31 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what measures are currently in place to monitor littering in public parks; and (b) whether the Ministry plans to increase enforcement patrols in public parks to deter littering.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The National Environment Agency and the National Parks Board monitor the cleanliness situation in public parks through ground surveillance and public feedback. To address littering issues, agencies take a targeted approach, focusing on hotspots with persistent cleanliness issues and repeated feedback. Measures taken include stepping up the frequency and visibility of enforcement patrols and deploying additional surveillance cameras at hotspots. Educational banners and standees with anti-littering messages are also put up to remind park users to exercise social responsibility.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Mechanisms for Early Detection of Wage or CPF Payment Defaults by Essential Service Vendors","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"32 Dr Charlene Chen asked the Minister for Manpower in light of recent closures in the student care sector (a) what inter-agency mechanisms exist for early detection of wage or CPF payment defaults by essential service vendors; (b) what the average timeline is for short-term relief fund disbursement to help eligible employees; and (c) whether additional safeguards or expedited processes may be considered to better protect employees in cases of abrupt insolvency.
Dr Tan See Leng: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board have processes in place for data sharing to detect CPF and salary arrears by employers across all sectors.
In addition, the Government and our partners have various measures to assist employees affected by sudden business closures. Employees who face late or unpaid salaries or CPF contributions should approach MOM, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) or the CPF Board for assistance as soon as possible. MOM and CPF Board will take enforcement action against errant and irresponsible employers. TADM will support employees in filing and mediating salary claims or referring the claims to the Employment Claims Tribunals for determination. If employers cannot pay the salary arrears due to business failure, eligible local lower-income workers may be assisted through the Short-Term Relief Fund. It takes about one to two months after the verification of claims to disburse the assistance.
Workforce Singapore, SkillsFuture Singapore and the Employment and Employability Institute can help displaced workers find new jobs through their job matching services and training programmes. Workers may also receive temporary financial support under the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support scheme. Lower-income households who require financial assistance to meet basic needs can also approach their Social Service Office.
We will continue to review our measures to ensure that employees are supported and receive prompt assistance when issues arise.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Providing Further Support to Local SMEs Struggling with Increasing Rent and Operating Costs","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"33 Mr Lee Hong Chuang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry in respect of reports of local-owned businesses struggling with increasing rents and operating costs, whether the Ministry would deem it necessary to provide further support to local-owned small and medium enterprises.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Government recognises that businesses continue to face cost pressures and operating challenges. To support our businesses, the Government introduced a Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rebate for Year of Assessment (YA) 2024 and YA2025. At Budget 2026, the Government has also announced a 40% CIT rebate for YA2026, capped at $30,000, with a minimum benefit of $1,500 for active companies with at least one local employee.
We also support our heartland merchants through Community Development Council (CDC) Vouchers and SG60 Vouchers programmes, which have helped to boost sales and footfall for participating businesses. Over the last four years, more than $2 billion in Vouchers has been spent at participating heartland merchants and hawkers.
Beyond receiving support to overcome short-term pressures, businesses must continue to invest in their long-term viability and competitiveness. Businesses can tap on business grants, such as the Enterprise Development Grant or the Productivity Solutions Grant to embark on transformation or enhance their productivity. Businesses can also tap on the Market Readiness Assistance grant to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) venture into overseas markets and seize new opportunities.
At the Ministry of Trade and Industry's (MTI's) Committee of Supply 2026, the Government further introduced a series of enhancements to support our enterprises in their growth journey. This includes enhancing the support levels of our internationalisation schemes from 50% to 70% for SMEs, and from 30% to 50% for non-SMEs, to support our enterprises in capturing new opportunities in overseas markets. Businesses can also access higher loan limits under the Enterprise Financing Scheme (EFS)-Trade Loan and EFS-Fixed Assets Loan. This gives them greater flexibility in structuring loan facilities to better meet their needs.
For some businesses, the viable path may involve restructuring their operations or, where necessary, scaling down or exiting specific products, services or parts of their operations. While such adjustments are a normal and necessary part of economic renewal, we recognise that the process can be difficult and painful. The Government will work closely with Trade Associations and Chambers, enterprises and the labour movement to support our businesses through these transitions. This includes helping them assess their options early, restructure responsibly and pursue new growth opportunities while supporting workers throughout the process.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Financial Viability Safeguards Required of Student Care Centre Operators","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WANA","content":"34 Dr Charlene Chen asked the Minister for Education in light of the recent closure of a private student care operator (a) what financial viability safeguards are required of student care centre operators; (b) whether the Ministry monitors early indicators of financial distress; and (c) whether additional prudential measures, such as fee collection safeguards or contingency planning, will be considered to better protect children, parents and staff.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question has been addressed by the Ministry of Education's answer to Oral Parliamentary Question Nos 3 to 6 on 2 March 2026. [Please refer to \"Governance of Student Care Centres and Minimising Disruptions in Event of Abrupt Centre Closures\", Official Report, 2 March 2026, Vol 96, Issue 22, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Police Reports Filed for Suspected Offences Under Part 9 of AMLA and Breakdown of Investigation Outcomes","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"1 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs in the past 10 years (a) how many police reports have been filed for suspected offences under Part 9 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966; (b) how many have been investigated; and (c) what have been the investigation outcomes, as broken down by the number classified for (i) no further action (ii) issued with police warning and (iii) referred to the Attorney-General's Chambers.
Mr K Shanmugam: From 2016 to 2025, there were four police reports made for suspected offences under Part 9 of the Administration of Muslim Law Act.
In one case, the Police, in consultation with the Attorney-General's Chambers, administered a warning to the person involved. In another case, the person was prosecuted and convicted in Court.
Investigations are ongoing for the other two cases.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Bullying Cases in National Service in Past Three Years and Protocols to Ensure Victim Safety During Investigations","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"2 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence regarding bullying in National Service (a) what are the annual statistics on apprehended perpetrators and the nature of these cases in the past three years; and (b) what protocols ensure victim safety and prevent further harassment when both the victim and perpetrator remain on the premises or within the same unit during investigations or rehabilitation.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Defence and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) take a proactive approach to ensuring the well-being of our Full-Time National Servicemen (NSFs).
Prior to their enlistment, we work closely with schools, community partners and other stakeholders to help them prepare for National Service (NS). These include NS information sharing sessions held at schools and the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists' Association as well as virtual visits to the Basic Military Training (BMT) Centre.
During BMT, every recruit is assigned a buddy for mutual support and receives education and training to help them better recognise signs of stress, cope with challenges and provide support for their buddies. The recruits also have access to their commanders, who are trained to pick up signs of distress, as well as support from professional staff, including doctors, psychologists, counsellors and orientation officers at the BMT Centres' Care Hubs.
Throughout their full-time NS, NSFs are regularly interviewed and engaged by different levels of commanders, who would identify NSFs with potential problems and render assistance. Para-counsellors are available in every unit and psychologists in the divisions provide frontline support. Recognising that some NSFs may not be comfortable to share their questions or problems openly, the SAF operates a series of accessible hotlines, including those for counselling, safety and feedback.
The SAF takes a zero-tolerance stance towards unacceptable workplace conduct. Reports related to workplace harassment are investigated and those who engage in such behaviour will be dealt with. Where needed, units will make arrangements for affected service personnel to receive support services, such as psychological care, and/or implement suitable redeployment or distancing arrangements to minimise distress for parties.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Mental Preparation for National Service Enlistees and Usage Trends of SAF Whistle-blowing and Support Helplines in Past Five Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"3 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence (a) how are enlistees mentally prepared for National Service and how are they made aware of the support resources; and (b) what are the usage trends for SAF whistle-blowing and support helplines over the past five years and whether these trends indicate increased trust and awareness towards these channels.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: The Ministry of Defence recognises that our pre-enlistees make a significant transition from civilian to military life in National Service (NS).
We work closely with schools, community partners and other stakeholders to help them prepare for NS prior to their enlistment. These include NS information sharing sessions held at schools and Singapore Armed Forces Reservists' Association and virtual visits to the Basic Military Training Centre, to help pre-enlistees and parents gain a better understanding of the NS journey, training environment, and support systems. Online, NS features have been introduced on the LifeSG mobile application to prepare pre-enlistees for their enlistment with timely and convenient information.
During their Full-Time NS, the Singapore Armed Forces has an established support system for its national servicemen. Then Senior Minister of State for Defence, Mr Heng Chee How, provided a comprehensive description of the system in his response to Parliamentary Questions from Mr Desmond Choo and Dr Wan Rizal on 7 March 2024. The Member can refer to that reply. [Please refer to \"Ensuring Mental Well-being of National Servicemen\", Official Report, 7 March 2024, Vol 95, Issue 132, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
All servicemen are also briefed on avenues of feedback and support, such as hotlines for counselling, safety and feedback. These have been utilised at a consistent rate over the past few years.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Updated Mental Health Studies Across Demographic Groups","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"4 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether there are plans to conduct new or updated studies on mental health across all demographic groups, given that the last published national study was in 2016; and (b) if so, what the plans are.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Plans to conduct another national mental health study are already underway. More details will be announced soon.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Declining Rates of Youth Blood Donors and Measures to Ensure Sustainability of Future National Blood Supply","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"5 Ms Valerie Lee asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) \twhether the Government is concerned about declining youth blood donor rates; (b) what measures are being taken to boost recruitment and retention of blood donors and (c) how the Ministry intends to ensure a sustainable national blood supply in the decade to come.
Mr Ong Ye Kung: The Government is indeed concerned about the drop in the number of youth donors, due to Singapore's declining youth population and their waning interest in blood donation.
Over the past year, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has been working closely with the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) and its partners to roll out campaigns and outreach activities targeted at the youths to recruit them as donors or volunteers to champion blood donation. For example, thematic donation campaigns, such as the collaboration with PeanutsTM, ARTBOX and Pop Mart; SRC's youth-led volunteer club, YouthInspire, launched in June 2024 which has seen close to 1,000 youths signing up as volunteers at present; and the inaugural National Blood Dialogue with youths in September 2025 to catalyse interest and conversations amongst youth about blood donation.
To ensure a sustainable national blood supply, HSA will continue to enhance its recruitment, retention and recognition efforts to recruit more new donors, convert new and non-regular donors to become regular donors and enhance the recognition of regular blood donors. HSA and SRC will also step up outreach and partnerships with workplaces to \"Adopt a Bloodbank\" or be our Blood Partners to create sustained participation and ensure a stable pool of regular donors. HSA is also collaborating closely with the hospitals and clinicians to implement good evidence-based transfusion practices to better manage blood demand that could optimise patient outcomes whilst conserving blood resources.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Statistics on Public Park Littering Enforcement and Recalcitrant Offenders and Public Identification Practices as Deterrent Measure","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"6 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in 2025 (a) how many individuals were caught littering in public parks; (b) of these individuals, how many were classified as recalcitrant litterbugs; and (c) whether any images of individuals caught littering in public parks have been displayed publicly to aid in identification.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: In 2025, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and National Parks Board (NParks) took enforcement actions against 48 offenders for littering in public parks and nature areas, of which two were repeat offenders.
NEA and NParks may deploy surveillance cameras to monitor cleanliness hotspots. Where there is a need to seek support from the community to identify egregious offenders, NEA may also publicly display closed-circuit television footage of individuals caught littering. NEA has not done so to date.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Progress on Achieving Social Service Sector Manpower Targets and Impact of S Pass and Employment Pass Changes on Hiring","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"7 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether the social service sector is currently on track to meet its projected manpower needs of an additional 2,000 professionals between 2024 and 2029; and (b) whether this will be affected by the increase in the qualifying salary for S Pass and Employment Pass holders.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The social service sector is on track to meet our projected manpower needs. This has been supported by several key initiatives, including new scholarships and training sponsorships to attract new talent and upskill in-service staff, regular reviews of the skills and salary guidelines to ensure that sector salaries remain competitive and campaigns, such as the Year of Celebrating Social Service Professionals, to raise awareness of social service careers and enhance recognition of our professionals.
We do not expect the increase in the qualifying salary for S Pass and Employment Pass holders to have significant impact on manpower growth in the social service sector.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Borrowing Patterns of NLB Physical and E-books by Language and Age Categories in Past 10 Years","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"8 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information for NLB library users in the past 10 years and for both physical and e-books, what is the percentage of (i) English-language books borrowed compared to Chinese, Malay, and Tamil-language books and (ii) adult books borrowed compared to teenage and children books.
Mrs Josephine Teo: Over the 10-year period from January 2016 to December 2025, there were a total of about 330 million physical and e-books borrowed including renewals.
Breakdown of loans by language: (a) 76% of total loans were for English-language books; (b) 21% of total loans were for Chinese-language books; (c) 2% of total loans were for Malay-language books; and (d) 1% of total loans were for Tamil-language books.
Breakdown of loans by age group: (a) 60% of total loans were for adult books; (b) 4% of total loans were for teenage books; and (c) 36% of total loans were for children's books.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Impact of Physical Disconnection on Cross-Institutional Research Collaboration Between Autonomous Universities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"9 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has assessed the impact of physical disconnection between Singapore's autonomous universities on cross-institutional research collaboration; (b) why does no direct transit link exist between major research campuses despite Singapore being less than 50 kilometres across; and (c) whether this fragmentation undermines the Government's stated ambition to build a globally competitive research ecosystem.
Mr Desmond Lee: In our compact city, our autonomous universities (AUs) are able to collaborate meaningfully and effectively without direct transit links between campuses. For example, the AUs have joint research programmes and projects, and also share high-value research equipment and facilities. These collaborations support Singapore's efforts to build a globally competitive research ecosystem.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Spousal Employment as Barrier to Retaining Foreign Academic Talent at Autonomous Universities","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"10 Mr Kenneth Tiong Boon Kiat asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has assessed the extent to which difficulties in securing spousal employment contribute to attrition of foreign academics and researchers at autonomous universities; (b) whether the Ministry considers this a barrier to achieving its stated ambition of a globally competitive research ecosystem; and (c) what policy measures are being considered to address spousal employment as a factor in talent retention.
Mr Desmond Lee: Singapore's autonomous universities (AUs) aim to attract and retain the best academic talents, both Singaporean and from overseas, to deliver world-class education and conduct high-quality research for Singapore's benefit.
Spouses of foreign academics and researchers are welcome to work in Singapore and have access to a wide range of work passes. These include Employment Pass, S Pass and Work Permit. Spouses who are Dependant's Pass holders can also work in Singapore with a Letter of Consent if they are business owners or spouses of Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass holders.
The AUs also provide various forms of support for spouses seeking employment in Singapore. This support includes sharing information about job openings within respective AUs, guidance on job search platforms and offering advice on work pass requirements.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Support Framework for Schools and Teachers on Addressing Student Exposure to Manosphere-related Online Content","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"11 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education what support and guidance are provided to schools and teachers to address the issues and potential harms arising from students' exposure to online content associated with the manosphere.
Mr Desmond Lee: The Ministry of Education (MOE) takes a holistic, values-based approach to promote gender equality and respect for others in our curriculum through subjects, like character and citizenship education (CCE), social studies and history.
Across primary, secondary and pre-university levels, students learn about the importance of not stereotyping. They also develop critical thinking skills to evaluate online content and media messages.
Through classroom discussions, teachers guide students to reflect on how gender equality contributes to respectful personal relationships and societal well-being. Students learn to navigate different viewpoints based on mutual respect, understanding and empathy.
Students also learn discernment by developing critical thinking and digital literacy skills to recognise manipulation techniques and bias in online spaces. For instance, in CCE, students learn about the risks of social media and echo chambers and how they can be a positive influence both offline and online. They also learn to recognise and counter gender-based violence.
MOE provides teachers with training and resources to help them stay abreast of issues and developments, such as manosphere, and hone their ability to guide students.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Updated School Protocols for Suicide Postvention Response and Trauma Management","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"12 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education (a) what are the specific updated protocols developed or implemented in schools when suicide situations arise; and (b) what are the postvention procedures that have been developed to ensure timely, sustained and trauma-informed support are available for affected students and staff after the occurrence of a death by suicide.
Mr Desmond Lee: Every suicide case is a tragedy and we take suicide prevention, intervention and postvention support very seriously. Following a student death where suicide is suspected, the school's CARE (Caring Actions in Support of an Emergency) teams identify and help affected staff and students cope with the psychological distress. These CARE teams comprise specially-trained teachers, school counsellors and Ministry of Education (MOE) HQ personnel.
When students close to the deceased are informed of the death, they are given emotional support and guided to seek help from trusted adults. Parents of the affected students are informed about the passing of the student, but this is done sensitively and without details. These parents are provided with relevant resources to monitor and support their children. To protect the bereaved families' privacy, we do not disclose details of the passing. We urge students and staff not to speculate on the cause of death. Schools monitor affected students for potential contagion and intervene where necessary.
School staff who are affected can access MOE counselling services by trained professionals.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Support System Adequacy Indicators for Assessments and Interventions of At-risk Students","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"13 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Education whether the Ministry can provide updates on what are the key performance indicators used to ensure that education institutions have adequate support systems and trained staff to conduct suicide-risk assessments and interventions for students, including training staff to identify and assist at-risk students, safeguarding help-seeking from reprisal and providing continued support for staff and students involved in such interventions.
Mr Desmond Lee: Rather than relying on key performance indicators, the Ministry of Education has baseline requirements for every educational institution to maintain essential capabilities for suicide support. Schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have processes that enhance early detection and intervention for cases of self-harm, including suicide. Educators and staff are trained to look out for signs of distress and provide initial guidance and support. Teachers are also trained in basic counselling skills. All school and IHLs have also set up peer support structures for students to look out for one another and encourage peers in distress to seek help from trusted adults. This creates multiple touchpoints of support and ways to identify students in distress.
Students requiring further support are referred to counsellors in schools and IHLs who are trained to conduct suicide risk assessments, support students with suicide risk and work with their parents to ensure their safety. These counsellors abide by professional standards and organisational protocols for ethical practices. They also refresh their capabilities through case consultation and regular clinical supervision.
Students assessed to be at high risk of suicide and who need additional assessment and clinical support will be referred to multi-disciplinary community mental health teams, such as the Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH) and Community Health Assessment Team (CHAT), or emergency services in hospitals for further intervention. Parental consent will be sought if necessary.
We will continually strengthen our support system and collaboration with community partners, so that students can receive the necessary support, in school or in other settings as appropriate.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Enhanced Protection Measures for Students and Parents Against Disruptions in Outsourced Student Care Services","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"14 Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Education in light of the recent termination of a student care centre operator affecting multiple primary schools, whether the Ministry will review and strengthen its governance and oversight framework for outsourced student care services, including safeguards to better protect students, parents and employees from similar disruptions in future.
Mr Desmond Lee: This question has been addressed by the Ministry of Education's answer to oral Parliamentary Question Nos 3 to 6 on 2 March 2026. [Please refer to \"Governance of Student Care Centres and Minimising Disruptions in Event of Abrupt Centre Closures\", Official Report, 2 March 2026, Vol 96, Issue 22, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null},{"startPgNo":0,"endPgNo":0,"title":"Top 10 Peak Hour Traffic Congestion Junctions in Singapore and Measures towards Congestion Relief","subTitle":null,"sectionType":"WA","content":"15 Mr Fadli Fawzi asked the Acting Minister for Transport as of January 2026 (a) what are the top 10 traffic junctions with the highest volume of peak hour traffic and congestion in Singapore; and (b) whether any steps will be taken to relieve congestion at these traffic junctions, such as reviewing traffic light timings.
Mr Jeffrey Siow: Major junctions near expressways or major arterial roads leading to and from key commercial and industrial zones typically have the highest peak hour traffic volume.
Our adaptive traffic light system, Green Link Determining System, adjusts traffic light signals based on prevailing traffic conditions to improve traffic flow. The Land Transport Authority will continue to leverage on technology, such as predictive artificial intelligence, to enhance traffic management.
","clarificationText":null,"clarificationTitle":null,"clarificationSubTitle":null,"reportType":null,"questionCount":null,"footNotes":null,"footNoteQuestions":null,"questionNo":null}],"writtenAnswersVOList":[],"writtenAnsNAVOList":[],"annexureList":[{"annexureID":2912,"sittingDate":null,"annexureTitle":"Annex 1","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20260305/annex-Annex 1.pdf","fileName":"Annex 1.pdf","sectionType":"OS","file":null},{"annexureID":2913,"sittingDate":null,"annexureTitle":"Annex 2","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20260305/annex-Annex 2.pdf","fileName":"Annex 2.pdf","sectionType":"OS","file":null}],"vernacularList":[{"vernacularID":6898,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Ms Rahayu Mahzam","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20260305/vernacular-Rahayu Mahzam - Reply to MOH Cuts - 5Mar2026_Malay.pdf","fileName":"Rahayu Mahzam - Reply to MOH Cuts - 5Mar2026_Malay.pdf"},{"vernacularID":6899,"sittingDate":null,"vernacularTitle":"Vernacular Speech by Mr Ong Ye Kung","filePath":"d:/apps/reports/solr_files/20260305/vernacular-Ong Ye Kung - 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