Quantcast
Channel: If Only Singaporeans Stopped to Think
Viewing all 7503 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

DPM Lawrence Wong at the Ministerial Dialogue on Reinventing Destiny

August 15, 2023, 7:29 pm
$
0
0
Important to strike a balance with greater contestation of ideas: Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Aug 2023

It is increasingly difficult to have policies that everyone agrees on, and trade-offs have to be made and balances struck, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Monday.

In the Singapore environment today, there is a greater contestation of ideas for every new policy and decision that is made, he said.

As leader of the fourth-generation teamof thePeople’s Action Party (PAP), Mr Wong said he has to think about what makes sense, what is right for Singapore in the long term when developing policy, and “explain, persuade, convince people that this is the right thing to do”.

Mr Wong was speaking at a dialogue at the Reinventing Destiny conference, held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre to mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

It was organised by the Singapore University of Technology and Design’s Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Institute of Policy Studies.

The dialogue was moderated by Dr Fareed Zakaria, the host of CNN’s weekly show Fareed Zakaria GPS and columnist for The Washington Post.


Mr Wong was answering a question posed by Dr Fareed about whether he is worried about Singapore having to engage in populist policies, like other countries have done.

Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said that the pressure to do so is always there, given that information is widely available in today’s world.

Dr Fareed noted that the PAP had recently faced some scandals, including one involving possible corruption.

“Do you think that you will be able to clean up the image of the PAP enough that you will, in the next election, see a return to the kind of near-total dominance?” he asked.

Mr Wong replied that PAP does not have near-total dominance.

“Political contestation is increasing. That is to be expected,” he said.

“At the end of the day, for me, looking at what we must do, particularly after the recent incidents and the setbacks we have suffered, it is really for us to reflect, learn, emerge and grow stronger from that experience and do everything we can to win the confidence and trust of Singaporeans.”

He added that there is currently a high base of trust between the people and their elected Government.

His immediate priority is then to see how he can strengthen the reservoir of social capital and trust, and ensure that the party can continue to earn the confidence and mandate when Singapore next goes to the polls.


Mr Wong added that beyond the recent incidents, taking into account the broader experience he has had with government, he has learnt to have a “certain sense of equanimity”.

“In government, when things go right, when things go well for us, when people praise us, and say, ‘We are No. 1, we are gold standard’ – don’t let that go into our heads,” he said.

But at the same time, when there are challenges, setbacks and mistakes, which are bound to happen, the Government will then learn from it.

“It is in the mistakes and the failures where we find greater motivation to learn and to be better. And that is the attitude I take,” he said.

Responding to questions from the audience on building and sustaining trust domestically and internationally, Mr Wong said that people know the way Singapore operates – consistent, principled and credible in its actions.


Within the country, trust is built when the Government can ensure that every citizen, regardless of background, benefits from the nation’s success, and people feel they are part of shaping Singapore’s future, he said.

He added that the Government is now also reviewing its policies to strengthen these assurances for Singaporeans, as part of the nationwide engagement exercise Forward Singapore. The exercise culminates in a report later this year.

Responding to a question from the audience on whether there should be adjustments made to improve the lives of migrant workers here, Mr Wong said the Government is continually improving their living conditions.

These include dormitory standards, as well as supporting their mental well-being and providing spaces for recreation.

“If we look around the world at countries with large proportions of migrant workers, in fact, I think we can, in good conscience, state that in Singapore, we treat our migrant workers well, and we will continue to do better,” said Mr Wong.

But Singapore does not have the ability to integrate all of them into its society, and one has to understand the balance, he said.

A small proportion of migrant workers will come in as permanent residents, including those who become citizens. The Government must ensure they are the ones with the best chance to integrate into Singapore society, he added.

“That must be the approach. So that gating, that regulated flow will always be there, but it doesn’t mean that we treat the rest of the migrant workers badly.

“On the contrary, we will do everything we can, from a government point of view, to improve their work conditions and their living conditions. And we also appeal to Singaporeans to do their part. And that is why if I were to build a dormitory next to your home, please welcome that dormitory with open arms,” said Mr Wong.


US-China tensions

Mr Wong was asked whether China’s current economic problems are a result of moving away from a more market-oriented approach to a more state-oriented one.

He noted that China faces a challenge in the property sector – a very important part of its economy – as it has a supply overhang issue, and excess leverage in some large property firms.

China’s domestic demand has also been weak, and with the measures that the West and the United States have imposed on it, its export sector trade has also decreased.

“So, they have to find some way to stimulate demand. The government, I am sure, is aware of this. There are very competent technocrats in government, they know what to do. But to get consumption going again requires not just short-term measures,” said Mr Wong.

“It also requires longer-term structural solutions to strengthen their social safety net.”

He noted that the new defining feature of the US-China relationship is no longer one of engagement, but extreme strategic competition.

The worry about this dynamic is the potential for retaliation that can result in huge costs for both countries, and “a lot of trouble for the rest of us in the world”, said Mr Wong.

On concerns that measures imposed by the US and the West will slow down China in terms of accessing cutting-edge technology, Mr Wong said this would not keep China down.

“Because (the Chinese) are determined for what they see as… China’s time in the world. And China wants to take its rightful place in the world as a modern, great nation,” he said.

“And so there is a tremendous drive and determination not just at the government leadership level, but also amongst the private businesses… to move forward.”













Related
↧
Search

Singapore Reserves Revealed

August 18, 2023, 10:49 pm
$
0
0
Singapore’s reserves cannot be built up again once gone: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
Think of Singapore’s reserves as ‘rainy day’ money
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 16 Aug 2023

Singapore’s reserves cannot be built up again once they are gone, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in an interview published on Wednesday.

The country is no longer in a situation like it was in the 1970s and early 80s. This was when it had strong growth and budget surpluses yearly, and there was the possibility of putting aside some of the prosperity for a future rainy day, he said.

Today, Singapore is not as poor as it was before, with higher incomes and a higher standard of living. But expectations and needs have also grown, noted PM Lee.

“So, to say today you put aside systematically 2 per cent, 3 per cent of GDP (gross domestic product) and build up a sovereign fund from scratch, I think it is very hard. The economy will not be able to take it,” he said.


PM Lee said he was proud that Singapore had built up the reserves, and is anxious that the country keeps it like this for as long as it can.

“Because it is one of those things – once it is gone, it will never come back again. It is finished,” he said.

“I think we need to be very, very conscious that this is a Garden of Eden state. You are here, it is marvellous. You may not always feel great, but please be aware this is the Garden of Eden because if you come out from it, you cannot go back in again by the sweat of your brow.”


PM Lee was responding to questions on Singapore’s reserves, including its functions and its history, in an interview with national broadcaster CNA that was aired on Wednesday in a documentary titled Singapore Reserves Revealed. The interview was conducted on June 8.

When asked what the reserves mean to him, PM Lee said they are a great source of comfort and reassurance that if Singapore runs into a jam, it will not be destitute and will have “one extra card to play”.

It gives the Government confidence, but is also a reminder of the forefathers’ contributions and a responsibility to generations to come, he added.

Singapore’s reserves are managed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the Republic’s investment company Temasek and sovereign wealth fund GIC.

The reserves also include those of key statutory boards like the Housing Board, Central Provident Fund and JTC Corporation, which together with MAS, GIC and Temasek are listed in the Constitution as Fifth Schedule entities.


Are the reserves enough?

PM Lee said that the biggest misconception among Singaporeans on the reserves was that “there is such (a) thing as enough”.

“And how much is enough? If I have more than that, I can spend it. If I have less than that, well, maybe I hope to get there. I do not know how much is enough. There is no such idea of how much is enough,” he said.

The future is unpredictable and many things can go wrong, he added.

“From the long-term point of view, will I have enough if the world is steady and peaceful? I hope so. Will I have enough under all circumstances? That is what I do not know, and that is what the Government has to worry about on behalf of Singaporeans.”


He noted that when the global financial crisis of 2008 hit, the Government needed to draw $4 billion to $5 billion from the reserves. For the Covid-19 crisis, it needed over $40 billion.

“So, you have no idea how much you will need because Covid-19 is far from the worst thing that can happen to us,” he said.

He suggested that Singaporeans look at the reserves as “rainy-day money”.

“If it is not raining, I do not touch it. If it is a sunny day and I can afford to, I put a little bit more into it.

“However much there is, I keep on having this attitude that I would like to build it up a little bit more when I can, so that the next generation will be in a more secure position than I am today,” he said.

PM Lee added that while the Government managed to put back the money it drew for the global financial crisis, he did not think it was possible for the Covid-19 draws to be put back.

When asked if there was any anxiety over Singapore’s response to the Covid-19 crisis, PM Lee said he had no doubt that the Government was doing the right thing, and it was doing what it needed to do.

“I was relieved that we were not held back because of the lack of resources to do, at least not lack of dollars, to do what we needed to do.

“It could have been overdone, but in such situations, it is not worth trying to fine-tune,” he said, adding that the eventual spending was less than expected, though still substantial.


When asked how large the reserves are, PM Lee said he could not answer the question, but said they are “enough for most circumstances” and enough to provide a substantial support in the Budget every year, by contributing to a fifth of the Government’s revenues.

“But it may or may not be enough if you have a catastrophe – who knows what the world will bring? So, I do not ask whether it is enough; I ask, can we husband it and if possible, gradually grow it bit by bit year by year,” he said.

He noted the importance of the contributions from the reserves to Singapore’s Budget, without which the Government might have to make up the revenue from other sources, such as doubling corporate income tax or personal income tax, or increasing the goods and services tax rate further.

“When people say, why don’t we use the reserves in order to benefit the current generation? The answer – we are, to a very big degree. But you may not realise because we have gotten used to it,” he said.

When asked if the structure of having MAS, Temasek and GIC overseeing the reserves is correct and useful in today’s context, PM Lee said that from time to time, the Government has asked itself if it should have two GICs.

“Because you have a certain amount of funds now, it is not small. Conceivably, you could have two and they could compete with one another, then you would know who is doing well and who is not doing so well,” he said.

“Every few years we argue about this, but finally we will conclude that building one team is hard enough, let us concentrate on making that one team succeed. And I think we keep it like that.”

The elected president

On the singular pivotal moment in the history of Singapore’s reserves, PM Lee pointed to the time when the Government decided to recognise the reserves as being a lot of money, and needing to have a second key.

The idea was first floated by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in his 1984 National Day Rally speech, before the scheme was worked out and implemented over the next few years.

“I think that was the key turning point because it crystallised people’s focus. They knew that there is such a thing called the reserves, that it is quite a lot of money and that it needs to be protected,” said PM Lee.


When drafting the system, it was important to protect the reserves but not paralyse the government of the day, noted PM Lee.

He noted a phrase used by the late Mr Lee on the topic.

“The phrase which he used was that one day, if you have a rogue government, everything is finished.

“That was the way we explained and marketed it, that one day, if you have a freak election, you have the wrong team in charge, you have a rogue government who wants to raid the reserves, in one term, all your life savings of generations of Singaporeans will be gone. And therefore, we must prevent that,” said PM Lee.

He also noted that when the system of the elected presidency was first devised, there was no clear distinction in the original legislation between income from the reserves and investment returns.

In those days, the portfolio was not invested as systematically and comprehensively as it is today. The premise then was that the principal sum would be locked up, and all of the income from the reserves could be spent.

PM Lee said that when former president Ong Teng Cheong took on the role, Mr Ong asked why all the income was being spent, and asked the Government to set some aside for the future.

Mr Ong then suggested that half be split for now, and the other half for the future.

The Government accepted the suggestion and amended the Constitution.

There was an arbitrariness to the decision of the 50-50 split, said PM Lee.

“But when you do deals, 50 per cent is not an arbitrary number. Fifty per cent has a certain psychological resonance to it,” he said.

At the same time, barring accidents and if everything goes well, the reserves should be able to grow by about 2 per cent yearly.

This will ensure the contribution to the Budget every year can be maintained, said PM Lee.


The Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC), which comes from the reserves, is the largest contributor to the Government’s revenue yearly.

When asked about potential scenarios where the 50-50 rule could be changed, PM Lee replied: “If the world completely changed, and I would say several successors from me, from now.”

He added: “Where we are does not give me any reason to need to reconsider this 50-50 NIRC rule.”








Singapore not 'oversaving' with reserves 'barely keeping pace' with its economy: DPM Wong
“If we don’t have anything going back into the reserves, the value of the reserves will diminish over time,” says DPM Wong in the CNA series Singapore Reserves Revealed.
By Tang See Kit, Channel NewsAsia, 17 Aug 2023

Singapore is not "oversaving"– in fact, the national reserves are growing at a rate that is "barely keeping pace" with economic growth, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

“Some people think … just take more from the NIRC (Net Investment Returns Contribution), what harm does it do? The other misconception is we already have so much, so what's the harm?”

But the investment returns being channelled back into the national reserves is key to building up the country's coffers in the long run, Mr Wong said.

“If we don’t have anything going back into the reserves, the value of the reserves will diminish over time.”


Mr Wong was speaking to CNA in interviews for a brand-new series called Singapore Reserves Revealed.

Under the NIRC framework, the government can spend up to 50 per cent of the net investment returns on net assets invested by GIC, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and Temasek – the three entities that manage and invest Singapore’s reserves – and up to 50 per cent of the net investment income derived from past reserves from the remaining assets.

There have been calls by opposition parties for the government to increase the proportion of the NIRC that can be used for recurring expenditure needs.

The Workers’ Party, for one, had proposed drawing 60 per cent of the NIRC for government spending, up from the current 50 per cent, as one of the alternatives to raising the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Previously, Cabinet ministers, including Mr Wong, have defended the current framework as fair and that Singapore needs to continue with its approach as part of considering the needs of the next generation.

In its 2022/23 annual report released last month, GIC said its 20-year annualised real rate of return came in at 4.6 per cent for the year ended Mar 31. This was up from 4.2 per cent in the previous financial year, and its highest since 2015 when real returns hit 4.9 per cent.

In his interviews with CNA, Mr Wong raised an example of the country's reserves earning a return of 4 per cent, after adjusting for inflation.

“If we take half, it means 2 per cent goes into the Budget (and) 2 per cent goes back into the reserves.”

With the Singapore economy growing at about 2 per cent each year, it means that the “reserves (are) keeping pace, barely, with our economy”, he said.

“So, it’s not as though we are oversaving.”

ORIGINS OF THE 50-50 RULE

As part of the series, CNA was given exclusive access to a secret vault where the government stores its gold reserves. Financial influencers also took part in an Ask Me Anything session with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong where he was asked, among other questions, who knows the exact amount of reserves which Singapore has.

"Well, the ministers overseeing the finances of the government, which means the minister for finance and there’s a small team who are also involved and the PM will know this," Mr Lee said.

"The officials in Ministry of Finance will know this, who are involved in managing the reserves. And the president and the Council of Presidential Advisers will also know this because they are overseeing this and they are regularly briefed and they can ask any questions which they want."


In his interview with CNA, Mr Lee also said the 50-50 proportion of the NIRC framework is something that Singapore should keep.

“You could say nothing is forever. That is true. But when you have made a commitment, I will not come back and reopen the subject the next day.”

On how the 50-50 spending rule first came about, Mr Lee noted that it was the idea of former President Ong Teng Cheong. Mr Ong served from 1993 to 1999 as Singapore's fifth President.

“When we first decided to lock away the reserves and introduce the elected President, we had not given a lot of thought to how to treat the income from the reserves, and we did not really have a very clear distinction between income from the reserves and investment returns," said Mr Lee.

“So we just said: ‘Well alright, we lock up the principal sum and the income from the reserves, you can spend it.’ All of the income. But when we said income, what we meant was interests and dividends … and we didn’t think of what happens when you have capital gains, for example.”

Mr Ong had looked into this and asked why all the investment income was being spent and not have some be set aside for the future, Mr Lee recalled.

“Then the question is, what is the formula for now, between now and the future? Mr Ong said: ‘Why not we just split it half – 50-50. Half for now, half for the future, and therefore you spend half of the net investment income’,” said the Prime Minister.

“So, fair enough, we accepted that and we amended the Constitution,”

This rule was put in place in 2001. The government explored further ways to improve the system, such as moving to the net investment returns (NIR) framework in 2008 to include capital gains in the definition of returns and the use of a calculation based on long-term expected real returns, as opposed to present returns.


RESERVES BEING USED IN OTHER AREAS

The NIRC supports about one-fifth of the government’s spending.

Since 2016, the NIRC has been the largest single contributor to the Budget. However, collections from corporate income tax overtook the NIRC in FY2022/2023, totalling S$23.1 billion, based on the latest government financial statements released in July. The NIRC contributed S$22.4 billion.

“Sometimes we think that the reserves are there only for future emergency,” said Mr Wong in his CNA interviews. “But in fact, the reserves are also an endowment providing for today’s needs and all of us are benefiting from it right now.”

Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said Singapore runs a “structural deficit” of about 3 per cent of gross domestic product in its primary fiscal balance.

This gap is currently covered by the NIRC. Without that, Singapore “would have to cut back on almost 3 per cent of GDP of spending”, he added.

“That's a lot. It will mean less public housing for Singaporeans. It will mean less infrastructure. Our trains, our buses – we will have to cut back on services,” said Mr Wong.

“This is tightening of the belt to an extent that no one has ever felt before.”

The reserves are also being tapped for a range of other needs, such as special drawdowns in times of crisis.

Singapore first tapped on its reserves in 2009, taking out S$4.9 billion (US$3.6 billion) to support the economy through the global financial crisis. Over a decade later, it drew on the reserves on three separate occasions during the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2022 – using about S$40 billion in all.

“The only alternative would have been to borrow, which is what most other countries do,” said Mr Wong, who was co-chair of the country’s COVID-19 multi-ministry task force.

“When you borrow, you have great uncertainty. And therefore, I think it would have impacted the swiftness and the decisiveness of our response,” he added.

Citing how Singapore was the first in Asia to secure the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, Mr Wong said the reserves had played “a critical role” in making that possible.

“I have no doubt that without the reserves, we would have ended up with more lives lost to COVID-19, and certainly we would have ended up with a much higher unemployment.”

The country’s reserves also play a key role in funding major infrastructure and land reclamation projects, such as the Tuas Port.

Noting that land reclamation projects are “costly” with benefits only apparent over the long run, Mr Wong said: “Without the use of past reserves for land reclamation, we would likely end up borrowing or using our own current resources. That would certainly be a bit of a constraint.”

However, he stressed that one “should not get the mistaken idea that this is a draw on reserves”.

“Because when we use past reserves to create new land, the land is also protected as past reserves. And when we create the land and eventually sell the land for development, those land proceeds go back to the reserves again,” Mr Wong said.

“So from that point of view, it’s really just a conversion of assets from finance to land, and then back to finance.”














↧
↧

National Day Rally 2023: A Better Home, A Brighter Future

August 20, 2023, 9:56 pm
$
0
0
From housing to retirement, PM Lee Hsien Loong provides reassurances amid anxieties and storms
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 21 Aug 2023

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sought to reassure Singaporeans on Sunday that his government would continue to take care of their needs, as the country faces mounting global challenges and growing anxiety over jobs, housing and costs of living.

His tone of reassurance ran across all three of his speeches during the National Day Rally at the Institute of Technical Education College Central.

PM Lee lauded Singapore’s efforts in pulling through the Covid-19 pandemic, which he called “the most challenging ordeal for our nation since independence”, and said it is a testament to the country’s indomitable spirit.

But challenges from US-China tensions, the war in Ukraine and global warming have affected the global economic order, disrupted supply chains and food production, and will especially hurt small trading nations such as Singapore, he noted.

These will contribute to anxieties over bread-and-butter concerns. PM Lee warned that Singaporeans should expect higher food prices and more job disruptions in the future. Inflation is at last coming down but “will probably stay higher than what we were used to”.

He promised that the Government will weather this storm together with Singaporeans.


During the rally, which lays out the Government’s priorities and is seen as the most important political speech of the year, PM Lee also unveiled measures to support Singaporeans.

These include a $7 billion Majulah Package that will benefit about 1.4 million older Singaporeans, especially those in their 50s and early 60s.

This is a group PM Lee called “young seniors”, who are in a particularly sandwiched phase of life where they might have to care for both the young and the old in their families.

He said to them: “Beyond the daily cost-of-living pressures, you know that retirement is creeping up on you, and you wonder, ‘Will I have enough to get by? Can I cope?’ But don’t worry, the Government will help you. You will not be left behind.”

The new Majulah Package, to help those born in 1973 or earlier meet their retirement needs, will consist of three components:

– An Earn and Save bonus, where the Government will credit up to $1,000 a year into the Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts of lower- and middle-income workers.

– A one-time CPF bonus of up to $1,500 for Singaporeans who have not reached the Basic Retirement Sum in their CPF balances.

– A one-time MediSave top-up of $1,000.


More details will be released in 2024, PM Lee said. He added that the Government will also enhance existing retirement and income supplement schemes.

“Taken together, these improvements will help seniors to meet basic retirement needs, especially for lower- and middle-income Singaporeans, so you can have greater peace of mind in your golden years,” he added.


There will also be more support for those who lose their jobs, said PM Lee, adding that a scheme is being developed that will offer temporary financial support to retrenched workers while they upgrade their skills.

This is part of the Forward Singapore exercise driven by the fourth generation of leaders who will share further details soon, he added. Turning to housing, PM Lee assured Singaporeans that the Government will keep Housing Board (HDB) flats affordable, while maintaining a good social mix in every town and ensuring the system is fair for everyone.

Record-high HDB flat prices have fuelled anxieties among Singaporeans in recent months over the cost of home ownership.


In order to ensure HDB flats remain affordable, new Build-To-Order (BTO) projects will be classified as Standard, Plus or Prime– depending on their location.

This will replace HDB’s current classification of projects as mature or non-mature, and kick in from the second half of 2024.

A Prime flat, in the “choicest and most central locations”, will have the most subsidies and tightest restrictions. These subsidies and restrictions scale progressively downwards with Plus and Standard flats.

The idea is to moderate the higher prices of flats in choice locations while imposing stricter sale conditions on these units.

PM Lee gave the example of how Plus flats will receive more subsidies over Standard flats, but also will face more restrictive sale conditions. He cited a 10-year minimum occupation period before any sale, a subsidy-recovery clause to claw back extra discounts upon such a sale, and an income ceiling on resale buyers.


Another change: Singles will be able to buy BTO two-room flexi flats across all three of the new categories– they are currently restricted to BTO units in non-mature estates.

“We will build a good mix of projects within and across regions, to cater to different needs and budgets. And that is how we can fulfil our commitment to keep high-quality HDB flats accessible and affordable to you and to your children for a very long time to come,” PM Lee said.


On the issue of ageing, PM Lee added that the Government will take steps to prepare for what he called a “super-aged society”.

These will include efforts such as investing more resources so seniors can install fittings, including foldable shower seats and wider toilet entrances at home; revamping housing estates so they are more senior-friendly, and building more flats that have senior care and community facilities integrated.


PM Lee, who was delivering his 19th National Day Rally speech, also said his succession plans are back on track after they were disrupted by the pandemic.

He also sought to allay concerns over recent political scandals involving People’s Action Party politicians. Transport Minister S. Iswaran is under investigation for corruption, and Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and backbench MP Cheng Li Hui resigned in July after their affair was made public.

“Let me assure you: These incidents will not delay my timetable for renewal. We are on track,” PM Lee added.

Future generations of PAP leaders must continue to keep the political system clean and incorruptible, he said, adding that he has every confidence in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his team.


Thanking Singaporeans for their support, he urged them to give DPM Wong and his team their “fullest support, now and after they take over”.

“The Singapore story has been an unlikely one from the start. Our nation is still young, and will always be tiny. We will forever be an unlikely nation, created out of the sheer collective will of our people. Nobody expected us to survive, much less to flourish, but, each time, we beat the odds; each time, we showed the world what Singapore can be,” said PM Lee.

“It has been an exceptional story but I believe the best parts are still to be written.”








8 highlights of NDR 2023: New Plus flats, $7 billion Majulah Package with retirement help for ‘young seniors’
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 21 Aug 2023

An overhaul of the classification system for mature and non-mature estates and a new retirement support package for workers born in 1973 or earlier are among the key announcements in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally speech on Sunday. Here are eight highlights from his speech:



1. New Standard, Plus and Prime framework to classify BTO projects

The framework will split Build-to-Order housing projects into Standard, Plus and Prime, depending on whether they are in “choicer locations”.

The current system of labelling the estates as mature and non-mature will no longer work as newer towns have become much more developed, with excellent connectivity and a full suite of amenities, said PM Lee.


The classification framework will be implemented for BTO projects from the second half of 2024.

Standard projects will continue to have a five-year minimum occupation period (MOP), regular subsidies and no income ceiling for resale buyers. Most Housing Board projects in the future will still be Standard projects.

Plus projects will be those that are in choicer locations in each region and will have more subsidies than Standard projects to moderate the prices of Plus flats.

They will have a longer MOP of 10 years and tighter restrictions when the flats are resold. This includes a subsidy recovery applied on the resale prices as well as an income ceiling on resale buyers.

Prime projects will have the most subsidies and also the tightest resale restrictions such as a higher subsidy recovery rate than Plus projects. They will also have a 10-year MOP.



2. New $7 billion Majulah Package to help ‘young seniors’ meet retirement needs

This package is meant to help “young seniors” – aged 50 and above this year, or born in 1973 or earlier – meet their retirement needs. About 1.4 million older people will benefit.


The support will be tiered, depending on the individual’s income and Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings.

There will be an Earn and Save Bonus to help them build up CPF savings as they work. Lower- and middle-income workers will get a CPF bonus of up to $1,000 a year.

There is also a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus of up to $1,500 for those whose CPF balances have not reached the CPF Basic Retirement Sum. Those who are not working will also receive this bonus.

A one-time MediSave Bonus of up to $1,000 will help allay worries about healthcare costs.

The package will cost the Government about $7 billion, and the Finance Ministry will create a new fund to meet the full lifetime costs of the package.

Existing schemes, such as Silver Support, Workfare Income Supplement and the Matched Retirement Savings, will also be enhanced, with details to come in 2024.



3. Financial support for workers who are upskilling after losing jobs

There are plans to introduce more financial support for workers who lose their jobs, while they upgrade their skills, said PM Lee.


These plans will be part of the Forward Singapore nationwide engagement exercise that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong is leading with the fourth-generation (4G) team. The exercise, which was launched in June 2022, will culminate in a report later in 2023.

The financial support will be a temporary safety net for these workers to meet immediate needs. It will also free them to upskill and train as they prepare themselves for a good long-term job.



4. Govt studying whether more support needed to ease impact of GST increase

PM Lee said he was confident that the existing Assurance Package will be effective in buffering the impact of the next stage of the goods and services tax (GST) increase, from 8 per cent to 9 per cent starting Jan 1, 2024.


The Government will continue with the package as planned, and DPM Wong will also study if there can be further enhancements to it.

The Government has already given out various subsidies to reduce the burden of rising costs on Singaporeans as prices soar globally, leading to higher inflation, PM Lee noted.

However, Singaporeans must understand that the Government cannot give out subsidies infinitely.

The long-term solution is to make ourselves more productive, transform businesses and grow the economy so that real incomes can rise, he said.



5. More senior-friendly homes and neighbourhoods

HDB homes and precincts will be made more senior-friendly so that people can live out their golden years in their own homes and neighbourhoods.

There will soon be an expanded suite of fittings that can be installed in homes under the Enhancement for Active Seniors 2.0 programme. This will include foldable shower seats and widened toilet entrances.

The current programme allows for ramps as well as grab bars and slip-resistant floors in the toilet.

In neighbourhoods, streets and linkways frequented by seniors will have more shelters and rest points.

There will also be more therapeutic gardens, fitness trails and exercise machines.

Road will become more pedestrian-friendly, such as having longer green man signals and 3D road markings and narrowed roads to slow cars down.

The Government will also be building more assisted living facilities for those who need more help.

These efforts will be rolled out across Singapore, starting with towns with more seniors such as Ang Mo Kio and Bukit Merah.



6. Expanding the network of active ageing centres

The network of active ageing centres in Singapore will be expanded to help seniors stay active and healthy.

The Government will invest in this and work with community partners to enhance the centres’ services and reach.

PM Lee encouraged seniors to join a nearby centre to live well and age well.

He noted that one of the biggest threats to the well-being of seniors is loneliness, and they risk becoming socially isolated.

These steps to expand the network of the centres, together with efforts to create more senior-friendly homes and neighbourhoods, will be part of a new national programme called Age Well SG. It will complement Healthier SG in improving the health of older Singaporeans.



7. No delay in timetable for succession plans

The recent controversial issues involving political figures will not delay his timetable for leadership renewal, said PM Lee.

Succession plans are back on track, with the Covid-19 pandemic in the past, he added.


Increasingly, his task is to support the 4G team and their agenda so that they can get off to the best start possible, he said.

PM Lee added that the themes of National Day Rally 2023 are all Forward Singapore themes. He has every confidence in DPM Wong and his team, and shares the same core convictions as them.

“That we are stewards of Singapore, entrusted with the immense responsibility to lead and care for our nation, that our time as stewards is transient, but we are building a Singapore for the ages, and that our best service to this nation is to hand over a better, stronger Singapore to those who follow us.”



8. Founding values of integrity and incorruptibility fundamental to Singapore

Integrity and incorruptibility are fundamental to Singapore, said PM Lee, adding that they are the foundation for the running of a clean and effective Government.

“No matter the price; no matter the embarrassment or political cost – I will do my utmost to keep the system clean,” he said.


Noting that in a few weeks’ time, Singapore will mark the 100th birth anniversary of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, PM Lee said it was timely to reflect upon the values and ideals championed by Mr Lee and the founding fathers of Singapore.


It is also timely for the Government to renew its commitment to these enduring values and ideals – justice and equality, religious freedom and racial harmony, a commitment to excellence, a fair system of meritocracy, and an uncompromising insistence on an honest, clean government.

These ideals are not just abstract aspirations, but the compass that guides every decision made by each generation of People’s Action Party leaders, said PM Lee.




↧

Singapore Presidential Election 2023

August 27, 2023, 8:41 pm
↧

Tharman Shanmugaratnam elected as Singapore’s 9th president

September 2, 2023, 5:15 am
$
0
0
Landslide 70.4 per cent victory for Tharman as Singapore’s next president
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 2 Sep 2023

Singaporeans have given Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam a resounding mandate to be Singapore’s ninth president.

The 66-year-old former senior minister scored a big win with 70.4 per cent of the vote, while Mr Ng Kok Song and Mr Tan Kin Lian received 15.72 per cent and 13.88 per cent, respectively.

Even before the official result was announced by Returning Officer Tan Meng Dui at 12.22am, it was clear who the winner was.

The sample count released at about 10.40pm showed Mr Tharman leading with 70 per cent, while Mr Ng and Mr Tan were trailing with 16 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively.


Addressing the media at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre shortly after that, Mr Tharman said he was “humbled by the strong endorsement that Singaporeans have given to me”.

“I believe that the vote for me and what I stand for is a vote of confidence in Singapore... It is a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together,” he said.


He also thanked his fellow candidates for making the presidential election a worthy contest.

He spoke about the future he envisioned for Singapore – one where people have deeper respect for one another, and where every generation gets the confidence of knowing that Singapore has reserves that will help the people in the future.

“It has to be a future in which Singapore is never treated as just another small country, a future where we are taken seriously in the world, we are a partner of choice, and where we can project our voice of reason internationally,” he said.


Earlier at 10pm, when he arrived in Jurong, where he served as an MP for 22 years, Mr Tharman was mobbed by jubilant supporters holding up pineapples as he made his way through the centre.

He was greeted with chants of “ong lai” and “huat ah”, referring to his campaign symbol of a pineapple. Ong lai means pineapple in Hokkien, and it symbolises prosperity and good fortune to come.

His supporters erupted into loud cheers once the sample count result was in.


In a statement released after the official result, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he had called Mr Tharman to congratulate him, and assured him of his Government’s full cooperation.

Mr Tharman had also declared his intention to work closely with the Government, said PM Lee.

Noting Mr Tharman’s long and distinguished record of public service, PM Lee said he had every confidence that Mr Tharman would carry out his duties as president with distinction.


He said he was happy that Singaporeans were able to exercise the right to vote for their next president, and to focus on what the elected president is about.

“Now that the election is over, let us come together again as Singaporeans, to tackle the challenges ahead and build a stronger and more united nation,” said PM Lee.

Mr Tharman will be sworn in as president at the Istana on Sept 14.


Mr Ng conceded the contest shortly after the sample count result was made known.

He told the media that he received a call from Mr Tharman, who lauded him and his team for putting up a “vigorous campaign”. Mr Ng also congratulated Mr Tharman on a “magnificent victory”.

“When I came forward to stand for the presidency, I said that my No. 1 goal was to ensure that the people of Singapore have redeemed their right to vote in this presidential election. I think I have accomplished that goal because the presidential election did take place today,” said Mr Ng.

“I am delighted for him. And I am very glad for him, that he has indeed earned a mandate from the people of Singapore.”


Mr Tan said he congratulated Mr Tharman on the result, but for himself, “I expected to do much better, but I think in an election, things are uncertain”.

“I will now heed the advice of my family to take life easy and live a normal life. I will spend more time with my grandchildren. In my free time, I will continue to do my part in voicing the hardship and aspirations of the people through other channels,” he said.

More than 2.5 million Singaporeans went to the polls on Friday at 1,264 polling stations across the island, after nine busy days of hustings and a calm Cooling-off Day on Thursday.

There were 2,480,760 votes cast for the candidates, while 50,152 votes were rejected – 1.98 per cent of votes cast. Voter turnout was over 93 per cent of eligible voters.

Many Singaporeans decided to have an early start to their public holiday and long weekend, with long queues seen at polling stations at 8am as some faced issues with the voter e-registration system.

Several polling stations had queues of about 200 people at one point, according to data from the VoteQ website, which voters could check to see the queue status of their polling stations.

The Elections Department put out an advisory at 8.40am to encourage voters to cast their ballots in the afternoon, and queues eased by lunchtime.

It seemed that the queues did not deter Singaporeans who preferred to vote early, with more than half of the votes cast by noon, after only a third of polling hours had passed.

By 5pm, about 85 per cent of voters had voted.

Friday’s election saw several firsts – the use of a new X-stamp, meant to be an improvement over the X-pen from the 2020 General Election, as well as the trial of mobile polling stations at 31 nursing homes islandwide that made it easier for over 4,000 elderly voters to exercise their right to vote.

Voters abroad also turned up at 10 overseas polling stations to cast their ballots, with a looming typhoon not discouraging those living in Hong Kong.

This election also featured postal voting for the first time, which over 3,400 overseas voters registered for. Their envelopes had to be postmarked before Polling Day in Singapore, and must reach the Returning Officer by Sept 11.

All the overseas votes will be counted at 9am on Sept 12 at the Elections Department premises in Novena.

This election also saw the use of the new ePoll cards via the Singpass app, meaning that voters could turn up at polling stations with just their mobile phones as they could also use the digital NRIC in the app to prove their identity.

Queues were virtually non-existent as evening fell on Friday, with the last of the voters trickled in to the polling stations.

Polls closed at 8pm and counting began, with ballot boxes sealed and transported to counting centres where the ballots were poured out and sorted by candidate.

After the count, the ballot papers were sealed back into boxes and transported to safe custody at the Supreme Court before they are destroyed at an incineration plant six months later.






















Tharman pledges to build ‘future of optimism, solidarity’ as president
By Danson Cheong, Assistant ST Now Editor, The Straits Times, 2 Sep 2023

President-elect Tharman Shanmugaratnam pledged to use his presidency to help build a future of optimism and solidarity among all Singaporeans.

Making his first remarks to the media after early indications that he had won the election by a landslide, Mr Tharman said his win was a vote of confidence in Singapore’s future.

“I pledge and it will be my duty to use the roles and responsibilities of the president to advance this future of optimism and solidarity among Singaporeans. That is my pledge,” Mr Tharman said at the Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre, surrounded by hundreds of jubilant supporters.

“Once again, let me just say that I am truly humbled, and I will honour the trust that Singaporeans have placed in me and respect all Singaporeans for the views they have expressed, including those who did not vote for me.”


Mr Tharman, 66, will be Singapore’s ninth president. He won the election with a vote share of 70.4 per cent.

His rivals, Mr Ng Kok Song and Mr Tan Kin Lian, received 15.72 and 13.88 per cent of the vote, respectively.

Thanking Singaporeans, Mr Tharman said his win was both a vote of confidence in Singapore, and also “a vote of optimism for a future in which we can progress together and support each other as Singaporeans”.

“That has been my platform, and I believe it has received strong endorsement by Singaporeans,” he said.


During his presidential election campaign, the former senior minister had often cited his track record in connecting with people from all backgrounds in Jurong, and said if he was elected, he would support ground-up initiatives to uplift the disadvantaged and work to bridge diverse views in society.

Mr Tharman is the first non-Chinese presidential candidate to win a contested election.

In his remarks to the media, he pointed out that this was a contested election with a multiracial slate.

“I have always said that race is never absent in politics anywhere in the world, or even in an apolitical election like this case. Race is never absent, but it is not the only factor.

“And I think with each half decade, Singapore is changing and evolving, and I hope that my being elected president is seen as another milestone in that process of evolution.”


Before he stepped down from his posts to run in the election, Mr Tharman had been an MP for Jurong GRC’s Taman Jurong division for over two decades.

It was where he made his political debut in the 2001 General Election. Over the years, the veteran politician built a solid base of support in the constituency.

In the 2020 General Election, Mr Tharman led the People’s Action Party’s Jurong GRC team to a thumping victory, with a 74.62 per cent vote share.


Political observers said it was Mr Tharman’s relatability and personality that helped him get such an overwhelming lead.

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, a senior international affairs analyst at Solaris Strategies Singapore, said Mr Tharman was one of the more respected and popular ministers before he resigned from the Cabinet.

“I think the primary reason people voted for him is because of his honesty, sincerity, his genuineness and his international standing,” said Dr Mustafa.

“Among the three candidates, he was the one who was able to articulate the role of the president the best.”

Some of the key issues during the hustings included the limit of the president’s role, how he would perform his custodial functions, as well as his independence from the establishment.


Mr Ng cited his credentials as former GIC chief investment officer and emphasised that he had the financial nous for the job. He also stressed that he was the only candidate without any prior party affiliations.

Meanwhile, Mr Tan, the former chief executive of NTUC Income, who was seen largely as the anti-establishment candidate, had prominent opposition politicians including Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Jee Say throw their support behind him.

During his campaign, Mr Tan would often bring up bread-and-butter issues, and stoke what his critics said were xenophobic and nativist sentiments.

“It became a polarising contest, and voters in the middle ground became cautious and decided pragmatically to vote for Tharman,” said Dr Mustafa.


Mr Tharman’s early lead, once the sample counts were published, meant the contest was as good as over even before the official results were announced.

But the writing was on the wall from about 10pm.

Then, Mr Tan arrived at his home in Yio Chu Kang where his supporters had gathered after visiting several counting centres. He went straight inside without saying much to reporters.


Meanwhile, Mr Tharman was mobbed by hundreds of jubilant supporters when he arrived at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre.

Both Mr Ng and Mr Tan would go on to congratulate Mr Tharman before the official results were announced.














































↧
↧

Tharman is president-elect. Is Singapore a post-race society?

September 6, 2023, 2:27 am
$
0
0
His presidency is a chance to shape race relations positively. Singapore still has some way to go.
By Mathew Mathews, Published The Straits Times, 6 Sep 2023

The election of Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam as Singapore’s ninth president stands as a profound testament to the nation’s commitment to racial inclusivity.

Mr Tharman’s resounding victory, with 70.4 per cent of the vote, realises an aspiration shared by many Singaporeans: to elect a competent and qualified president – whether from a minority race or otherwise – through an open contest in line with the nation’s commitment to meritocracy.

Race was almost a non-factor at the ballot box in some sense. Mr Tharman’s impeccable credentials, coupled with his popularity built over two decades in politics, overcame any lingering racial prejudices.

Racial representation in the presidency

Having good racial representation in the presidency is important for the development of multiracialism in Singapore. Recognising this, Parliament consistently appointed presidents from all the main racial groups in Singapore since Mr Yusof Ishak first assumed the role, even though there was no constitutional requirement to do so.

However, the public was sensitised to this objective only after constitutional amendments were passed in 2016 to reserve the elected presidency for candidates of a particular racial group if there had not been a president from that group for the five most recent presidential terms.

The population has largely come to accept these interventions as necessary to uphold the multiracial character of the presidency. In the 2021 CNA-IPS Survey on Race Relations, over 70 per cent of the 2,000 Singaporeans surveyed believed that the reserved presidency helped preserve racial harmony in Singapore.

Seeing a minority candidate win the race was never a given. The 2011 Presidential Election, featuring four candidates from the majority race, illustrated the growing challenges facing any qualified minority candidate in the race for the top job.

With qualifying conditions subsequently tightened, the very high bar for a nomination meant that only a small number of eminent minority representatives would be eligible to contest the president’s post. They, too, might be concerned that their chances of getting elected might be adversely impacted by the potential influence of racial preferences.


The high-water mark of race relations?

While Mr Tharman’s victory represents a significant milestone, it by no means signals that Singapore has fully transcended racial divisions and become a post-race society.

Race is unlikely to lose its significance entirely after Mr Tharman’s assumption of the presidency, just as it did not disappear as a political force in the United States after President Barack Obama’s historic election win in 2008.

Many observers have remarked on the irony that the mountain top of race relations in the US coincided with Mr Obama’s inauguration as the first African-American president, only to steadily deteriorate to the valleys through his tenure with heightening racial tensions ranging from the riots in Ferguson to the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Singapore has been fortunate in maintaining generally positive race relations due to a combination of state interventions and the resolve of the population. Yet, racial preferences undeniably persist within the population, as highlighted by the same CNA-IPS survey. The survey showed high levels of in-group preferences for various roles, particularly among Chinese respondents.

When asked about the acceptability of different races to manage their business, nearly all were accepting of an ethnic Chinese in that role, although only about half were accepting of a Singaporean Malay (51.9 per cent) or Indian (52.8 per cent). Similar trends were evident when respondents were asked about renting a property to people of different racial groups or having someone from another race marry into the family.

It would be overly simplistic to attribute these racial preferences, and the general proclivity to see one another in terms of race, solely to state policies, such as the Chinese-Malay-Indian-Others system and the Ethnic Integration Policy in housing. Research suggests that some of these preferences may be ingrained from infancy and reinforced through early socialisation experiences.

Race in PE2023

Not only do racial preferences exist within the population, but efforts to mobilise racial sentiments in the context of the recent presidential election were also evident. Despite the guidelines given by the Elections Department to guard against campaign practices that may provoke racial or religious tensions, there were racially charged messages circulating on social media and instant messaging apps.

These included comments which alleged that the majority Chinese population needed a Chinese president to represent them after years of having a non-Chinese president, remarks that Mr Tharman was the champion of the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, or Ceca – by now, a derogatory way of highlighting the presence of non-resident Indians working in Singapore – and attacks on the Japanese ancestry of Mr Tharman’s wife.

It is unclear where some of these messages originated from, or whether they were propagated by foreign actors seeking to sow discord or hatched locally. Yet, the mere fact that they were shared around, often without any criticism, underscores that these messages had traction with at least some Singaporeans.

Recognising that race is never absent in elections, Mr Tharman conducted an energetic campaign to bridge potential gaps with demographic groups that might have hesitated to endorse an Indian candidate. His campaign slogan, “Respect for All”, and the use of the auspicious pineapple symbol were apt choices, resonating with Singapore’s culturally diverse population.

Towards a more racially harmonious society

While a post-racial Singapore may not be within immediate grasp despite President-elect Tharman’s successful election, his victory can further Singapore’s development into a more racially harmonious society.

The same CNA-IPS survey showed that since the reserved presidency in 2017 which saw Madam Halimah Yacob assume the role, the population has become more at ease with a Malay president, particularly among Chinese respondents. In 2016, 58.8 per cent of Chinese respondents, based on an earlier CNA-IPS survey, said they would accept a Malay president. This increased to 79.4 per cent in 2021.


Segments of the population, which may have been more wary before the reserved presidency was instituted, were won over by President Halimah’s performance in office, which may have dispelled any remaining prejudice and misconceptions over the suitability of Malays for the role of president.

Structures preserving racial harmony still needed

Still, it will be naive to think that Mr Tharman’s win is a strong enough justification that Singapore can do away with structures that maintain racial harmony, particularly the representation of minorities in politics through the group representation constituencies (GRC).

Opponents of the GRC system claim that racial minorities can and have stood for elections in single-member constituencies and been assessed by the electorate on their own merits, while voters would not be racially prejudiced as evidenced by Mr Tharman’s landslide win.

But this argument fails to recognise that Mr Tharman’s popularity today was possible only because he entered Parliament, and through the GRC system back in 2001.

There is insufficient evidence to suggest that racial preferences no longer matter in political contests to risk the situation where the lack of a mechanism to ensure racial representation in Parliament may result in one ethnic minority group being disproportionally under-represented in Parliament. This would have serious consequences for Singapore’s racial harmony.


Hopefully, the fact that Mr Tharman was endorsed by 70.4 per cent of Singaporeans will help those still harbouring doubts about the suitability of ethnic minorities for top positions to reconsider their stance. People should be evaluated based on the unique talents they bring rather than their ethnic origins.

Singapore’s journey towards racial harmony continues, and Mr Tharman’s victory is a pivotal chapter in that ongoing narrative.

Mr Tharman himself best articulated this in saying: “With each half decade, Singapore is changing and evolving. I hope that my being elected president is seen as another milestone in that process of evolution.”

Mathew Mathews is principal research fellow and head of the Social Lab at the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore.







↧

Richard Hu, Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister, dies at 96

September 9, 2023, 5:50 am
$
0
0
The Straits Times, 9 Sep 2023

Former Cabinet minister and Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister Richard Hu Tsu Tau died on Friday. He was 96.

His death was disclosed in a Facebook post on Friday night by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Mr Wong noted that Dr Hu was Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister. Dr Hu had held the post from 1985 to 2001.

“He stewarded our finances well, and provided a steady hand to steer our economy through the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis,” he said.

He noted that Dr Hu served as a director on the boards of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and GIC when they were formed, and had provided exceptional service to both organisations.

He also recounted that he joined the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in 1999 and had worked with Dr Hu, who was then finance minister, on a Budget.

Mr Wong wrote: “(He) asked us to get information on the prices of some key essential items at the wet market so as to get a better feel of the cost of living pressures that people were experiencing then.”

He added: “That is what I remember of Dr Hu – not just thinking about policies in abstract, but making sure that policies led to tangible improvements in people’s lives.

“In his quiet and humble way, he has served Singaporeans with distinction, and made Singapore a better place for us all!”


On Friday night, MOF also posted on Facebook a condolence message to Dr Hu’s family. “We will remember Dr Hu for his many valuable contributions,” the ministry said.


People’s Action Party member Lee Hong Chuang, an IT manager who contested unsuccessfully in the Workers’ Party Hougang stronghold in the 2015 and 2020 general elections, uploaded a photo after attending Dr Hu’s wake on Friday.

He wrote: “I remember the late Dr Richard Hu when I was growing up as a real stalwart of our economy... May you rest in peace.”


Dr Hu was a senior Shell executive before he entered politics in 1984.

He was the director of marketing of Shell Singapore and general manager of Shell West Malaysia – the first Asian to be appointed director in the Shell Group – before he was promoted to chairman of Shell Malaysia in 1974 and Shell Singapore in 1977.

He was a board member of MAS for 26 years, from 1971 to 1997, and was appointed its managing director in 1983 after he retired from Shell.

In 1984, Dr Hu was elected MP for Kreta Ayer constituency and was immediately made trade and industry minister, making him among the few MPs since independence to be appointed to the Cabinet right after winning an election.

He went on to spend 17 years in politics, retiring in 2001 as finance minister.

Dr Hu was associated with several key policies during his term.


He oversaw the reform of Singapore’s financial and banking sectors, which included privatising the Post Office Savings Bank and selling it to DBS Bank.

In 1993, he introduced the goods and services tax (GST) in Parliament to reduce the Government’s dependence on direct taxation as a revenue source.

He was credited with the smooth implementation of GST on April 1, 1994, at the rate of 3 per cent.


In the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, Dr Hu oversaw the introduction of two off-Budget stimulus packages totalling $12.5 billion to help companies and families affected by the downturn.

This was repeated in 2001 in response to another recession, when an $11.3 billion off-Budget package was drawn up.


Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said in a Facebook post that Dr Hu played an instrumental role in transforming Singapore into a leading financial hub.

“His wisdom and foresight shaped our key policies, including the GST, which created a more resilient tax base for Singapore and boosted our international competitiveness,” he wrote.


MAS, which Dr Hu chaired from 1985 to 1997, said in a statement that he upheld a strong commitment to sound monetary policy and prudent currency management.

“This conviction underpinned price stability and confidence in the Singapore dollar during much of the 1980s and 1990s,” it added.

The agency noted that Dr Hu emphasised the high standards of financial regulation and supervision that Singapore is known for.

“He firmly believed that high prudential standards and close supervision were critical for the long-term competitiveness and growth of Singapore’s financial sector.

“He oversaw the overhaul of the securities regulatory framework which facilitated the subsequent development of Singapore’s capital markets,” it said.

“Many of the older staff in MAS fondly remember Dr Hu for his wise and steady leadership,” added MAS.


Besides being Singapore’s longest-serving finance minister, Dr Hu also held other key appointments during his years in the Cabinet, including the ministerial portfolios of health and national development.

After retiring from politics in 2001, he continued to serve on the board of GIC until 2009, and remained an adviser until 2012.

A private funeral for Dr Hu will be held on Sunday at the Mandai Crematorium, Lianhe Zaobao reported.







↧

Halimah Yacob: A President For Everyone

September 12, 2023, 6:05 pm
$
0
0
Singapore’s eighth President Halimah Yacob reflects on the defining moments of her six years in office, from unlocking past reserves, to advocating for causes close to her heart.




























↧
Search

Tharman sworn in as Singapore’s 9th president, reiterates plans to unite nation

September 15, 2023, 7:33 am
$
0
0
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam vows to strengthen multiracialism, nurture more inclusive society
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Sep 2023

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam is officially Singapore’s ninth president, having been sworn in about two weeks after his resounding win at the polls.

Mr Tharman, 66, took the oath on Thursday evening at his inauguration ceremony after completing an inspection of the guards at the Istana.

Shortly before that, his predecessor, Madam Halimah Yacob, had also inspected the guards and bade farewell to the line of honour before departing the grounds for the last time as president. She was accompanied by her husband, Mr Mohamed Abdullah Alhabshee.


“This was a vote of confidence in Singapore’s future, a future where we all progress together and deepen our solidarity as Singaporeans,” he said.


He stressed that more than ever before, Singaporeans must grow their sense of togetherness.

“It will make us a better society, and add to our ballast as we face a more turbulent world.”

With the strong mandate given to him by the people, he said he will work with the Government, community groups and other voluntary organisations, and the entire nation to strengthen multiracialism and nurture a more inclusive society.


On the specific roles of the president, Mr Tharman said he will confer closely with the Council of Presidential Advisers, and be thorough and impartial in his assessments, and in exercising his veto powers on the reserves and key public service appointments.

He added that he will “be scrupulous and independent in making judgments that involve the use of the ‘second key’ on our reserves”.

Going back to his campaign promises, Mr Tharman also reiterated his plans to promote greater interactions between different communities, and enhance respect and appreciation for one another.


He added that he also plans to lend active support to the arts and sports scene here, and represent Singapore and promote its interests abroad.

To this, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his speech that he looks forward to Mr Tharman’s support in sports and the arts, which will help Singapore become a rich and rounded society.

“I pledge my government’s full support and cooperation as we operate this unique system to protect our reserves and key appointments,” he added.


Noting Mr Tharman’s wealth of experience in economic and financial matters, and his familiarity with how the system of the second key works, PM Lee said he has every confidence in Mr Tharman’s ability to fulfil the important duty of the president in holding the second key.

PM Lee added that Mr Tharman’s experience in public service has prepared him well for his new responsibilities.

He cited Mr Tharman’s appointments in Cabinet, his time at the Monetary Authority of Singapore and his 22 years of service as an MP for Jurong GRC.


PM Lee said that the Government shares Mr Tharman’s declared goal – to build a more inclusive society, one where everyone is valued for who they are, and every Singaporean has a place.

He also said that he looks forward to Mr Tharman’s help in strengthening ties with other countries and international partners, and opening opportunities abroad for Singaporeans and local businesses as Singapore’s top diplomat.

PM Lee said he has no doubt that Mr Tharman, having held high-level appointments in international organisations and blue-ribbon advisory panels, will fulfil this role with distinction.

“The Government will work closely with you and support you to make the most of your experience and personal standing, in order to advance Singapore’s interests and enhance our status in the world,” he said.

PM Lee also noted that there is one person whose personal support will matter greatly to Mr Tharman.

“Let me take this opportunity to welcome your wife, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, to the new role that she will play as the spouse of the president in the years to come,” he said.

In closing, PM Lee said that Singapore is navigating its way forward in an increasingly troubled and uncertain world.

“Our society is in transition as we adapt to and evolve with changing circumstances. At such times, it is crucial that our nation’s highest office be occupied by someone with the right experience and abilities, values and character.

“I am sure that like your predecessors, you, too, will be a president for all Singaporeans, and serve Singapore with dedication and distinction.”














Outcome of 2023 presidential election positive, bodes well for Singapore’s future: PM Lee Hsien Loong
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Sep 2023

The outcome of the 2023 Presidential Election was positive for Singapore, and bodes well for the nation’s future, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

It reflected Singaporeans’ collective choice of a well-qualified candidate, that race has become a smaller factor in voting, and that there is now better understanding of the role and duties of the president, he noted.


Speaking at President Tharman Shanmugaratnam’s inauguration ceremony at the Istana on Thursday, PM Lee congratulated his former Cabinet colleague on a decisive election win.

“It was good that there was a contest, and Singaporeans had the opportunity to exercise their right to vote,” he said.


PM Lee said Singaporeans have chosen a candidate who is “eminently qualified” for the high office of the president.

The people have elected someone who not only has the ability, experience and stature to carry out his duties both at home and abroad, but also has sound judgment and unquestioned integrity – all vital prerequisites for being president, he said.

The election, which culminated in a 70.41 per cent vote share for Mr Tharman, had also shown that when it comes to voting, race is a smaller factor now than it used to be, he added.

“As you, Mr President, said on election night, race is a factor in politics everywhere, but Singaporean voters today look at many other factors too,” said PM Lee.

“It is indeed a good sign that in a national vote, Singaporeans have elected a candidate from a minority community as president, on his merits, by an overwhelming majority.”

Voters have also shown greater understanding of the roles and duties of the president than previously, noted PM Lee.

“The president is someone who represents all of us with dignity and grace, and fulfils his custodial duties with integrity and independent judgment, while staying above the dust and heat of politics,” he said.


He noted that the campaign was focused on how the candidates intended to exercise these custodial powers, and what personal experience and attributes they would bring to the post, rather than on government policies or political issues.

“Singaporeans understood that they were choosing a president for the nation, and not electing the next government,” said PM Lee.

“All these bode well for the nation’s future.”

PM Lee wished Mr Tharman success as he embarks on his presidency, and said his Government will work closely with the Republic’s ninth president to take the country forward towards a better, brighter future for all Singaporeans.

He pledged his Government’s full support and cooperation in operating Singapore’s unique two-key system to protect the country’s reserves and key appointments.

He expressed every confidence in Mr Tharman’s ability to fulfil this important duty, given his wealth of experience in economic and financial matters and experience with the system.

He was also sure that Mr Tharman would be able to fulfil the role of Singapore’s top diplomat with distinction, having participated actively in international discussions on economic and monetary issues.

The Government will work closely with him and support him to make the most of his experience and personal standing, in order to advance Singapore’s interests and enhance the nation’s status in the world, PM Lee added.

PM Lee also spoke of Mr Tharman’s campaign message to unite all Singaporeans regardless of race, language or religion.

“The Government shares your declared goal: to build a more inclusive society, one where everyone is valued for who they are, and every Singaporean has a place.”













President Tharman vows to strengthen multiracialism, nurture more inclusive society
By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 14 Sep 2023

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has promised to use the strong mandate he was given at the ballot box to strengthen Singapore’s multiracialism, and to nurture a more inclusive society.

Mr Tharman, who was sworn in as Singapore’s ninth president on Thursday, said he will work alongside the Government, community groups, voluntary organisations and the nation to enhance people’s respect and appreciation for one another.



He also pledged to be independent in exercising his custodial role over Singapore’s reserves and the integrity of the public service.

“I will be scrupulous and independent in making judgments that involve the use of the ‘second key’ on our reserves – whether in responding to the future crises that will come from time to time, or in ensuring Singapore remains a safe and liveable home over the longer term,” he added.

Addressing Singaporeans for the first time as their president, he said: “This evening, as I stand before you as your newly elected president, I pledge to discharge my duties diligently, faithfully, and to the best of my abilities, for the betterment of Singapore and Singaporeans. I will serve with all my heart.”


Giving his first speech as head of state, he said the elected president holds a non-partisan office in Singapore’s system of governance. It is precisely because the office is above the political fray that the president can be a symbol of the nation, he added.

While the president exercises important custodial responsibilities under the Constitution, in most other matters such as foreign relations, the president acts on the advice of the Cabinet, he noted.

“Nevertheless, within that framework, there is room for the president to take a special interest in specific issues, or champion causes close to his or her heart,” he said.

“Respect for All” had been the theme of his campaign during the presidential election, and on Thursday night, Mr Tharman set out how he would achieve this during his presidency.

This includes promoting greater interaction between the different communities while ensuring the vibrancy of the different cultures, such as by encouraging youth to play sports that are mainly played today by a particular ethnic group or promoting collaborations between self-help groups, community organisations and business chambers.

Singapore has made itself into a cohesive, multiracial society with high trust and unity, but Mr Tharman urged people to recognise that none of what has been achieved is permanent, as what has happened in many other countries has shown.

As the Republic matures, a greater diversity of views and preferences must be expected, but Singapore must not allow any of these differences to cause division, he said.

“Now, more than before, we must grow our sense of togetherness as fellow Singaporeans. It will make us a better society, and add to our ballast as we face a more turbulent world.”


He noted that it had taken many years of mutual accommodation to bridge racial and religious differences, and urged people to continue building closer bonds, starting in their neighbourhoods and in other shared spaces such as schools and workplaces.

“We must continue to take steps forward, to add depth and resilience to our multiracialism, and never let it fray. We must continue to strengthen the experience of growing up together, and our connections and emotional ties with one another,” he said.

Mr Tharman also spoke about how he intends to foster a more inclusive society by encouraging an active community and thriving civil society. He also plans to lend his support to the arts and sports.

More can be done to help ground-up and purpose-driven initiatives “sprout and grow”, including those aimed at supporting disadvantaged youth and people who need a second or third chance, he added.

He called on Singaporeans to jointly build a culture of kinship and respect, so that there is empathy for one’s fellow citizens, with people bringing out the best in one another, and feeling that they only truly succeed when everyone succeeds together.

“I remain committed to making Singapore a more inclusive and socially just society, which has been my life’s purpose,” he said.

An avid sportsman in his youth, Mr Tharman said that while Singapore has made great strides in the arts and sports, “in both fields, our best years are ahead of us”. Nurturing every talent in these fields and supporting their journeys will inspire all Singaporeans, he said.


Mr Tharman also spoke about how he would perform his custodial and diplomatic roles.

In exercising his veto powers on the reserves and key public service appointments, he said he would confer closely with the Council of Presidential Advisers and be thorough and impartial in his assessments.

Should the need arise in future to use the reserves to tackle crises and existential threats, such as climate change, “we will weigh the matter carefully” and balance between meeting immediate needs and preserving the reserves so that every generation can enjoy its benefits, he said.

On his diplomatic role, Mr Tharman said he will promote the country’s interests abroad, in line with the objectives and priorities of the Government. Amid an era of profound global uncertainty caused by developments such as the war in Ukraine and the lack of strategic trust between the world’s major powers, he said Singapore must find its way forward and advance its long-term national interests by standing up firmly for its principles, rather than choosing sides.

“By remaining a voice of reason and striving for solutions that are of mutual benefit, we will remain a partner that others find worthwhile to engage with,” he said.

Thanking Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for his support and encouragement, he said: “I look forward to working constructively with you and your Cabinet.”

Mr Tharman also thanked his predecessor, former president Halimah Yacob, for her service to Singapore and her counsel and advice.

He closed his speech by thanking Singaporeans for their strong endorsement.

“Regardless of the challenges ahead of us or the differences amongst us that we will inevitably have, let us remember that we are bound by a common destiny,” he said.

“Let us take confidence in what we have achieved together so far, and pledge to work together for a future of optimism and respect for all.”






















Related





↧
↧

Lee Kuan Yew: In His Own Words

September 15, 2023, 9:12 am
$
0
0
The ideas, values and career of Singapore's first Prime Minister
What were the values, philosophies and ideas that defined Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s leadership? From defending hard choices to inspiring citizens, the late founding Prime Minister of Singapore had spent decades laying the foundation for the country's success.


To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth on 16 September, CNA combed through 150 hours of footage to bring you this documentary that follows him through the different stages of his political career.








































↧

Singapore water price to rise from April 2024; Government to provide support for lower- and middle-income households

September 28, 2023, 7:47 pm
$
0
0
Singapore water price to rise by 50 cents per cubic metre (1,000 litres) by 2025
Three-quarters of households here will see an increase of under S$10 per month in their water bills from April 2025
By Shabana Begum, The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2023

Water will soon cost consumers an additional 50 cents per cubic metre (1,000 litres), starting with a 20-cent increase in April 2024 and a 30-cent rise in April 2025.

This means that most households will fork out an additional $4 to $9, excluding goods and services tax (GST), for their monthly water bill by 2025, said national water agency PUB on Wednesday.

In 2020, the average monthly consumption of water was 15 cubic m for condominiums and 16.2 cubic m for HDB flats.


Lower- and middle-income households will get help to offset some of the price increase. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong will announce cost-of-living support measures to provide more relief for Singaporean households on Thursday.

The last water price hike of 30 per cent happened in 2017. The upcoming 50-cent rise – bringing the cost of 1 cubic m, or 1,000 litres, of water to $3.24 – is an 18 per cent increase.

The price hike between 1997 and 2000 saw water prices rising by 120 per cent for households.


The upcoming increase comes amid rising living costs, GST hikes and higher transport fares, and the water agency did not take the decision lightly, said a PUB spokesman.

“The water price increase is not popular, but necessary,” the spokesman said.

“We understand that it can draw strong reactions amid the other cost of living pressures. That’s something we are very mindful of, so PUB does not take this decision lightly.”


It has been increasingly more expensive to produce and supply water, PUB said, and there is a need to invest more in local water infrastructure – especially in weather-resilient Newater and desalinated water– to prepare Singapore for drier days ahead due to climate change.

And Singapore’s water demand, which is currently at about 1.95 million cubic m – or 440 million gallons – daily, is expected to almost double by 2065.

Singapore has four sources of water: imports from Malaysia, water from local catchments, Newater and desalinated seawater.

The pressure of higher energy prices and construction costs, among others, has contributed to PUB’s annual operating costs exceeding its revenue in the financial years of 2021 and 2022.

In 2019 and 2020, PUB saw a slight net positive in revenue owing to the 2017 water price hike.


Electricity tariffs have risen by about 37 per cent, while construction costs have gone up by 35 per cent, with higher increases for specialised works such as tunnelling and pipeline projects through highly urbanised areas.

Due to inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions, the cost of essential chemicals to treat used water, for example, has also risen by about 33 per cent. Higher manpower costs have driven up maintenance expenses by 18 per cent.

These external cost drivers have worsened the operating deficit significantly in the latest fiscal year, said PUB.

Its spokesman said: “If we were to defer the price increase any further... essentially we would have an even bigger price increase moving forward.”


Rising operational costs and inflation are not affecting Singapore alone.

Between July 2022 and July 2023, the average increase in water-related bills worldwide was 8.2 per cent, the second-highest rise recorded by the Global Water Intelligence, a leading publisher for the international water scene.

By April 2025, three in four households will see an increase of less than $10 in their monthly water bills, with tenants of one- and two-room flats paying about $4 more.

Water bills account for less than 2 per cent of an average household’s expenditure.

Most households use less than 40 cubic m of water every month. But about 4 per cent of homes exceed this, and they will be charged a higher rate of 70 cents more per cubic m – or a total of $4.39 – to discourage water wastage.


As for businesses, about 75 per cent of them will fork out less than $25 more every month with the price hike. Three in four hawkers will also pay less than $15 more each month.

Most businesses’ utility bills make up less than 5 per cent of their business costs.

They will be reminded not to engage in profiteering from the water price hike.

The price hike will be phased in over two years to give households and businesses more time to adjust and adopt water conservation measures.

PUB urged businesses to tap the recently enhanced Water Efficiency Fund to set up recycling and water-efficient technologies, so that their water usage and bills shrink.

One- to three-room households can redeem $50 in e-vouchers under the Climate Friendly Households Programme to buy water-efficient shower fittings that can help to save water and reduce their bills.

The PUB spokesman said the additional revenue from the water price increase is expected to cover about one-third of its investments in the next few years.

PUB may expand its Newater capacity because there will be more used water to treat as demand grows, and it is more cost-effective than desalination.

By 2025, the price of every cubic m of Newater will also increase by 17 cents to $2.50.

Newater is mainly supplied to wafer fabrication plants, industrial estates and commercial buildings.


By 2065, two-thirds of water demand is expected to come from non-domestic sectors.

Several countries have less reliable and comprehensive water services, noted Dr Cecilia Tortajada, an adjunct senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s Institute for Environment and Sustainability.

She cited how in the United States, some residents receive regular advisories to boil their tap water to get rid of contaminants. When people move into newly built houses in parts of South Africa, water infrastructure and piping may be unfinished.

Dr Tortajada said: “People in Singapore are not just paying for the amount of water they use, but also for its excellent quality and reliable service that allows clean drinkable water to flow from taps at any time.”








































Related

↧

$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package: Additional payment of up to $200 cash for 2.5 million eligible adult Singaporeans in December 2023

September 29, 2023, 2:25 am
$
0
0
$1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package to provide more relief for Singaporean households, especially lower- to middle-income families
Extra $200 CDC vouchers for Singaporean households in 2024
By Jean Iau and Natasha Ann Zachariah, The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2023

Some 2.5 million adult Singaporeans will receive an additional cash payout of up to $200 in December, and every Singaporean household will receive an extra $200 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers in 2024 to help with the rising cost of living.

These support measures, among others, are part of a $1.1 billion Cost-of-Living Support Package to provide relief for all Singaporean households, with more support for lower- to middle-income families. They build on the measures announced at Budget 2023.

The measures include an $800 million enhancement to the Assurance Package (AP) and the AP will now be more than $10 billion.

Announcing the support package on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong acknowledged that many Singaporeans are anxious about the overall economic outlook, price increases and the impact on their cost of living.

“The Government is committed to supporting Singaporeans through these uncertain times,” said Mr Wong, adding that it will not be dipping into the past reserves for the package.

“As Prime Minister said at the National Day Rally recently, the Ministry of Finance has been studying how we can do more, to provide better support for Singaporeans.”


Mr Wong noted that the measures will cushion the impact of higher utility bills arising from the increases in the price of water, and also the upcoming increase in carbon tax.

AP cash special payment

The additional payment of up to $200 cash for 2.5 million eligible adult Singaporeans will be disbursed in December 2023, together with the existing AP cash component.

In total, eligible adult Singaporeans will receive up to $800 cash in December 2023. This will provide more support to lower- and middle-income adult Singaporeans.


Singaporeans aged 21 and above in 2024 who own no more than one property, and have an assessable income of $34,000 or less for the Year of Assessment 2022, will receive an additional $200, on top of the $600 under the earlier announced AP cash payment.

Those in this group who have an assessable income of more than $34,000 and up to $100,000 will receive an additional $150 on top of the $350 payout from the existing AP.

Those who own more than one property, or have an assessable income of more than $100,000, will not receive an additional payout under the AP cash special payment, but will receive $200 from the existing AP cash component.


CDC vouchers

Every Singaporean household will get an additional $200 in CDC vouchers in 2024, bringing the total amount of CDC vouchers for each Singaporean household to $500 in 2024.

The $200 worth of additional CDC vouchers will be spilt in half, with $100 of these vouchers allocated for spending at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, and $100 for spending at participating supermarkets.

The 2024 CDC vouchers should be claimed digitally at go.gov.sg/cdcv from Jan 3, 2024. The vouchers can be claimed at any time during their validity period. They will expire at the end of 2024.


S&CC rebates

Some 950,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive an additional one-off 0.5-month service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebate in January 2024, together with the regular S&CC rebates.

This will, on average, fully offset the S&CC increase in the first year of increases for one- to four-room Housing Board flats and about 85 per cent for larger HDB flats, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF).


U-Save rebates

The 950,000 Singaporean HDB households will also receive an additional $20 per quarter in U-Save rebates from January 2024 to December 2025, or a total of $80 a year for two years.

These rebates will be disbursed together with the regular U-Save rebates, and will cushion the impact of the carbon tax and water price increases in 2024 and 2025.

Over these two years, the additional U-Save rebates will, on average, fully offset the increase in utility bills for one- to two-room HDB flats. For three- to four-room HDB flats, they will offset about 80 per cent of the increase in utility bills, and for larger flats, about 65 per cent.

On average, this translates to 3- to 4- room HDB flats paying about $2 more per month, and 5-room and larger HDB flats paying about $4 more per month.


Public transport support measures

There will be additional subsidies of about $300 million in 2024 to cover the deferred fare adjustment quantum of 15.6 per cent that will be carried over to future fare review exercises, as announced by the Public Transport Council on Sept 18.

The additional subsidies will help to moderate the increase in fares and pay for the higher costs of providing public transport services due to the continued increase in energy prices in 2022, core inflation and strong wage growth, said the MOF.

Resident households with a monthly household income per person of not more than $1,600 will each receive public transport vouchers worth $50.

The vouchers, which will be disbursed from end-December 2023, can be used to top up fare cards or buy monthly travel or concession passes.


Mr Wong said on Thursday that while the goods and services tax increase was already planned for, there were certain things that could not have been anticipated, such as some of the recent price increases, and “also the more uncertain economic outlook, possible disruptions to energy and food supplies... and the uncertainties in the global environment”.

He said the Government has been monitoring income growth very closely, and there is a likelihood that real income growth will moderate in 2023, because employers are more cautious about salary increments.

“These are the considerations that motivate us to consider whether or not there ought to be more help for Singaporeans, particularly households and families (in) the lower- and middle-income segments,” he added.

“And we’ve decided, after looking at all the factors, looking at our fiscal position, we will be able to provide within our budget for such an additional package.”


Mr Wong was also asked about the need to raise prices for water now, and the GST, which will increase to 9 per cent next year.

He explained that there are measures such as the AP in place so the majority of Singaporeans will not feel the impact of the GST rise for a few years.

“We don’t want to wait until we are at the very brink (of having) not enough money and then start raising taxes. We want to put in place all the measures that are necessary to ensure sound public finances, not just for one, two years, but for the medium- and longer-term,” he said.

On water, he noted that it is an essential, strategic resource to Singapore.

As a “water-stressed nation”, he said efforts have been made to price water properly to “make sure that consumers understand what the full price of water is.”

Mr Wong said PUB does price reviews from time to time. When the pricing is insufficient to cover the full cost of water, he said that it is right for the national water agency to explain the necessary increases and “not just kick the can down the road”.

He assured Singaporeans that the Government will continue to be there for them and support them every step of the way.

“As long as we continue to be responsible for one another and keep a lookout for each other, we can overcome the challenges ahead, and move forward together.”



































Related

↧

Shanti Pereira wins gold in 200m in Hangzhou, Singapore’s first athletics title at Asian Games since 1974

October 3, 2023, 8:34 pm
$
0
0
Tearful Shanti Pereira says it’s a ‘so crazy, incredible season’ after historic 200m gold at Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games
By Kimberly Kwek, The Straits Times, 3 Oct 2023

Shanti Pereira is squatting on the track at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, Singapore flag draped over her as she buries her face in her hands crying, staying there for 10 seconds.

She had won the women’s 200m at the Asian Games in 23.03sec and when she finally understood what had happened, Asia’s fastest woman in the event needed a moment of stillness to process the magnitude of what she had achieved.

In the final on Monday, the 27-year-old finished ahead of China’s Li Yuting (23.28sec) and defending champion Edidiong Ofonime Odiong (23.48sec), ending the Republic’s 49-year wait for an athletics gold medal.


“I just passed the finish line and I knew I won and I was like what a season this has been, it’s been so crazy,” said an emotional Pereira at the mixed zone, choking up at times during the interview.

“I immediately teared up. It means a lot, it means a lot. I never thought I would be here but I am.

“I can’t really describe what I’m feeling right now, it’s so much joy. I have so many people to thank – everyone knows who they are. It’s been incredible.”


She had gone into the final as the top qualifier with her heats time of 23.14sec and was seen as the leading contender.

There was drama as the race had to be restarted after Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 world champion in the 400m, was disqualified for a false start, adding to the tension of the night.

But Pereira was unaffected and as she settled back into the starting blocks, all that went through her mind was “execute, execute, execute”.


Then she ran the race of her life, beating a field that included 2014 winner Olga Safronova of Kazakhstan and Bahraini Odiong, who had bagged the 100m-200m double in 2018.

After posing for some photos, Pereira ran to the other side of the stadium, flag raised while she greeted the Singapore supporters seated in the stands.

This is the crowning achievement in what has been a stunning season for the Singaporean, who on Saturday claimed the 100m silver.


In addition to her Asiad medals, Pereira’s accolades in 2023 include golds in the 100m and 200m at the Cambodia SEA Games and Asian Athletics Championships, as well as meeting the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying mark.

But it has not been an easy journey for the sprinter, who endured a difficult period of self-doubt as her times stagnated after she burst onto the scene at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore where she won the 200m crown.

Pereira has been candid about her struggles and continues to do so. When a minder in the mixed zone told her she had one minute, she bargained for five, wanting more time to describe this athletic pursuit.

She said: “There’s a lot of respect for everybody out there. We’re all on this very incredible journey, just racing and finding ourselves as well so that was a big thing that happened for me.

“I really fell in love with this sport again last year and this year and I’m just embracing every opportunity I get, including this one.”


Her coach Luis Cunha, who had been watching the race from the warmup track at a nearby stadium, was proud of what Pereira had achieved.

She had come into the continental meet with eight of the top 10 times this season by an Asian runner in the event – now nine after Monday’s race – but she still had to perform on the night, he noted.

The Portuguese said: “For this championships, the most important thing was not time but classification – we knew she was the favourite but she needed to go there and deliver...

“The entire season was perfect and to finish it with a gold in the Asian Games is something incredible.”

He said: “I feel blessed to be part of her journey. It’s a journey that inspires Singaporeans. Now she’s going to be on the podium, the national anthem is going to play. It’s more important for Singapore than me.”


It was a wave of emotions for Pereira after the victory and one prominent one that stood out was relief.

She added: “Especially this particular race because it’s been such a long season. I’m just excited to rest and reset.”













Shanti Pereira races into history books for Singapore
By Kimberly Kwek, The Straits Times, 3 Oct 2023

Shanti Pereira ended Singapore’s 49-year wait for a gold medal in track and field at the Asian Games as she won the women’s 200m crown on Monday.

Singapore’s sprint queen crossed the line at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in 23.03 seconds, ahead of China’s Li Yuting (23.28sec) and defending champion Edidiong Ofonime Odiong (23.48sec).


The Bahraini’s compatriot Salwa Eid Naser was disqualified for a false start, adding to the tension of the night.

Speaking on live television seconds after her race, Pereira, 27, said: “I wasn’t really affected by the false start. It happens and we prepare for it... I was just focused on my execution from start to finish, how I came off the blocks and down the straight.

“When I saw I was ahead, I just ran for it.”

On the significance of the moment, she smiled and added: “I’ll probably be crying my eyes out later.”


The Republic’s last Asiad gold in athletics came from Chee Swee Lee, who was the 400m champion at the 1974 Teheran Games. She also claimed a silver and bronze in the relays that year. Before her, Ng Liang Chiang, in the men’s 110m hurdles at the 1951 Games in New Delhi, was the country’s only other gold medallist.

Pereira’s gold is her second medal in Hangzhou. Last Saturday, she clinched silver in the 100m for Singapore’s first athletics medal at the quadrennial Games since that same 1974 edition. With her contribution, Singapore have bagged three gold, five silver and four bronze medals in China. At the 2018 Games in Indonesia, the contingent managed a tally of 4-4-14.


It completes a stunning year for Pereira, who has notched many milestones, including winning the 100m and 200m titles at the SEA Games and Asian Athletics Championships, as well as meeting the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifying mark in the 200m.

Her feats are just the latest in what has been a golden period for Singapore sports.

Among those who have redefined what is possible for the next generation of local athletes is swimmer Joseph Schooling, who clinched a historic gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics when he claimed the 100m butterfly crown.















































↧
↧

DPM Lawrence Wong's Dialogue at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on 13 October 2023

October 17, 2023, 5:01 am
$
0
0
Singapore government explains national interest to repel disinformation, says DPM Wong
By Bhagyashree Garekar, The Straits Times, 14 Oct 2023

WASHINGTON - Singapore protects its population against disinformation by explaining again and again to its citizens where its national interest lies, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said while addressing an influential American think-tank on Friday.

“Given that we are such a small, open multicultural society, we know that we are susceptible to influences from elsewhere,” he said during a discussion at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies on the last day of his Oct 5 to 15 working visit to the US.

“That is why we are very vigilant about this.”

DPM Wong was asked to spell out the Government’s stance on reports that China is trying to influence ethnic Chinese populations across South-east Asia, including that of Singapore.

“We continually engage our public, educate, explain what is our national interest, why we take certain decisions. Not because of choosing sides or... external influence, but really because of Singapore’s own interest.

“We spend a lot of time doing that,” he said.


He also said it helped that a distinct Singaporean identity, different from cultures in other countries, had evolved over time.

“The majority of our population are ethnic Chinese, so we have ancestral roots going back to China, but we have, over time, evolved our own Singaporean identity.

“We are Singaporean Chinese, and the Singaporean Chinese is very different from the Chinese from China – in values, in outlook, in identity. Just as a Singaporean Malay would be very different from a Malay from Malaysia or Indonesia, or a Singaporean Indian would be very different from someone who comes from India.

“America, being a nation of immigrants, you must understand this very well,” he said,

And influence percolated not just from China; Singapore was equally influenced by ideas originating in the West. A large proportion of Singaporeans consume English-language news and entertainment from the US and Britain, he pointed out.

“There is no shortage of criticism about Singapore in the Western media, no shortage of commentaries and articles highlighting the shortcomings in our system and asking us to be more like Western liberal ideals.”

But the country steered its own course, he said.

“At the end of the day, what is important for us, small though we may be, is that we are our own people, we make our own choices.

“It really comes down to Singaporeans deciding on the future of our country.

“Not China nor the West.”


He was also asked to react to a report published in The Washington Post in July which alleged that Lianhe Zaobao was peddling China’s propaganda.

Mr Wong said the Chinese-language newspaper had defended its editorial stance and strongly rejected the portrayal by the Post.

“If you were to ask Singaporeans, the vast majority of Singaporeans reading the Chinese newspaper daily will not feel that what was portrayed in The Washington Post was accurate,” he said.

“Because we can read and see for ourselves articles on China, and they cover a wide range, including many articles that criticise Singapore’s perspectives as they have to reflect our society.”

This is as it should be, he added.

“Our newspapers cannot resemble The Washington Post, neither do we ask The Washington Post to become like Singapore newspapers.”










We are techno-optimists by nature: DPM Wong
Bhagyashree Garekar, The Straits Times, 14 Oct 2023

WASHINGTON – From his take on China’s economy, to the Singaporean affinity for IT, and lessons from the Republic’s experience in multiculturalism, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong fielded a variety of questions during a dialogue on Friday at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a prominent Washington-based think-tank.

The dialogue was the highlight of the last day of his 10-day working visit to the United States, during which he affirmed strong bilateral ties and met top US officials including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai.

Here are excerpts from Mr Wong’s replies during the hour-long discussion moderated by Mr Christopher B. Johnstone, the Centre’s senior adviser and Japan chair.

On China’s economy

They are going through a challenging sort of situation now, because there is high youth unemployment. They have decided to prick the real estate bubble, and there will be painful consequences from doing so. I think it is the right thing to do, because there were excesses building up in the real estate sector.

But real estate is about 20 to 30 per cent of the economy. And once you prick the bubble, there are all sorts of consequences, knock-on effects cascading throughout the entire economy, which they will have to manage.

At the same time, they will have to rebalance the economy towards one that is more consumption-based. It is not easy because they will also have to undertake reforms on the social security front, which will take time. It is quite complex, given the size of their country. But talking to their officials, I think they understand what needs to be done. It is a matter of communicating and also making sure that the implementation is done well.

You hear a lot of commentators and people talking about Peak China. We think that is overstated; we think China will continue to grow.

China’s economy will grow, maybe 4 per cent, maybe 5 per cent. But to what extent will it have that same entrepreneurial vitality and dynamism that it had before, I do not think anyone has the answer now.

I would not underestimate the natural animal spirit of the Chinese people. They are highly resourceful. They are determined to secure a better life for themselves. And you should never underestimate their tremendous sense of drive and energy in the Chinese people.


On the US economic engagement in the region

We have long advocated for more economic engagement by the US in Asia, and in particular South-east Asia. Our preference would have been a regional trade agreement. We had the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership), but that is water under the bridge. If possible, we would like to see market access and trade liberalisation, but I think it is very hard to talk about these things under current circumstances in US domestic politics.

But in the meantime, we have IPEF (Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity) and that is still very substantial, and there can still be good outcomes achieved through IPEF. I think in areas like supply chains, green economy, digital economy – these are things that we are pursuing, and we hope certainly that there can be some substantial progress, in particular by the time that the Apec (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit is held in November this year.


On US-China ties

Both sides have made very clear that they do not want a confrontation. And hopefully, there will be a view that this is not a zero-sum contest – it is not one side wins, the other side loses. The world is big enough to accommodate both the US and China, and the two can coexist and develop together.

It is very good that talks and engagements have resumed in recent months. Hopefully, through these dialogues and engagements, there can be an effort to reduce misperceptions, misunderstanding, and enable more mutual accommodation and meeting of minds. What we would like to see and what we hope to see is that the presidents on both sides, President Xi (Jinping) and President (Joe) Biden, hopefully will have a chance to meet and talk face to face in Apec, and they will be able to help rebuild the strategic trust that is so important to take the relationship forward in a positive way.

If this does not happen and if the relationship turns sour, then it will be a big problem for the two countries, but it is also a huge problem for the rest of the world. Everyone will be worse off.


Takeaways from US trip

We have a solid and growing bilateral agenda between America and Singapore. Both sides share a very similar strategic outlook of the world. We have long had close cooperation across a broad range of issues, from defence to economics. And there is now a growing desire, mutual desire, to see how we can further strengthen that partnership.

There is also recognition in the administration, which has consistently told us that they do not want Singapore to be in a position to have to choose sides. They recognise what our perspectives are, and the perspectives of countries in South-east Asia, so having a close relationship with the US does not mean we have to alienate and exclude engagements with other countries, including China.


On Singapore and IT

It is a sector that we pay a lot of attention to because, given our stage of economic development, the only way for us to move forward really is to invest in innovation, R&D and push the frontiers of innovation. IT becomes very important, digital technologies are very important. Not just as a sector in itself, but as an enabler across all the pillars of our economy.

We are investing heavily in IT. We continue to encourage young people to enter the space in Singapore, and we are continuing to attract talent from around the region to come to Singapore to study and do well in IT. Our advantages are that we are small, we are nimble, we are a city-state. While we may not be at the cutting edge of IT – I mean the latest ideas and innovations, I think, will still come from American universities, American companies – but we can be a fast adopter. We can scale up applications very quickly. Not just in one sector, but across the entire economy and across our entire society.

We do have the other advantage of a population that does embrace technology. We are techno-optimists by nature. Yes, technology does disrupt people’s lives. It does make some jobs obsolete. Over the decades, we have found ways to reskill, upskill our workers, make sure that anyone who is affected by technological disruptions can get placed to a better job, make use of machines and tools to increase the salaries of our workers.

This is not something new, this is something we have been doing year after year for decades, so that trust and confidence that technology can help make lives better is there, and that is why we are able to embrace technology, including new technologies like AI, and we can hopefully continue to keep the economy growing and improve the lives of our people.




On regulating AI

One of the key issues that we are grappling with – countries everywhere are grappling with – is how to harness the benefits of AI and innovation and the impact of AI while minimising the downside risks.

You can have an AI model that works well 99 per cent of the time, but that 1 per cent failure, if applied in a very potentially damaging scenario, can have knock-on implications for many, many people. How do we tackle these sorts of risks? What should be an appropriate governance framework for responsible AI usage?

It cannot be that companies are let off the hook. Surely companies cannot say we do everything and then when there is a problem, governments come to the rescue. That surely is too late. What is the right framework that companies can use in applying AI for different use cases that will ensure they take some responsibility? And governments and the private sector work closely together in having this framework and a set of principles governing responsible AI.

We have done some work in this respect for Singapore. I think the US is also interested in this space, and we hope that we can work together and collaborate in this area of responsible AI. I think it is going to be hard to talk about global standards at this stage, but we take it step by step, and hopefully, we can get more like-minded countries to join us and expand the coalition.

Hopefully, that modus vivendi, where South-east Asia and Singapore can continue to have an open inclusive region, engaging not just America, but China, EU, other major powers all engage in our part of the world. Expanding the common ground we share and maximising our chances for stability and shared prosperity at a time when the world is increasingly becoming very uncertain and turbulent. That is our perspective and that is my main takeaway from this visit.


Singapore’s biggest domestic challenge in the 2020s

Our biggest challenge is this – Singapore is always an improbable nation. We are so tiny, and with no natural resources – you would not have bet on Singapore in 1965. You will not expect Singapore to survive, but we did. It is nothing short of a miracle. Our challenge is to sustain this little miracle called Singapore for as long as possible.

My vivid impression of this is when I was a student in Michigan. In Michigan, there is a ghost town called Singapore. It is by Lake Michigan near the Kalamazoo River. It was founded in the 1830s. No one knows why it is called Singapore.

But presumably, because Singapore was founded by the British as a British port in 1819, and very quickly, we became a thriving port for the British. Perhaps word had spread from the exotic Far East, there was something called Singapore, and you know how it takes time for news to travel in those days. So in the 1830s, someone decided to set up a town in Michigan, and it was a shipbuilding and lumber port, and it did well for a while.

But after 50 years, the shifting sand dunes swallowed up the town. And if you go there now, you can only see a signpost that says these are the ruins of Singapore. So Singapore in Michigan did not last for very long, about 50 years. Our mission is to make Singapore in South-east Asia last for a very long time.


On the use of bases in a war

Well, it is a hypothetical scenario. First of all, if there is war, we are all in big, big trouble. Let us hope that there is no war. We are not a US ally, to be very clear. We are quite unique. I think we are the only country in the world which is a Major Security Cooperation Partner (MSCP), so we are not an ally of the US. We let American troops use our ports and bases. We provide rotational support, logistical support, we allow them to come through for their rotational deployment, but these are peacetime arrangements, and it has been a win-win for both the US and Singapore.

If there were to be other circumstances, then I think we will have to consider the context of circumstances and think through carefully, like I said, always from the perspective of what is in Singapore’s interest. Our starting point must be, let us not even get into a situation where there is a conflict or a war in Asia.


On what the US can learn from Singapore’s multiculturalism

I am not going to be so presumptuous as to tell the US that you can learn from us. But we have a model that works for our circumstances and needs. It starts off by recognising that people come from different backgrounds, different races, different religions. We do not seek to assimilate into one central identity.

Rather, we want everyone to preserve their own cultures, their own traditions. We want everyone to feel that they have a place in our society. Even the smallest of minorities must feel that they are valued, and they can contribute to society.

At the same time, while we encourage that, while we provide for that, we also want groups to come together and interact with one another as much as possible so that through that interaction, we find common ground. What is it that we share together as Singaporeans? There are many things that we have in common. Then hopefully over time, through interactions, through shared experiences, through shared memories, we expand the common ground that we share with one another.

That is how we think of multiculturalism in Singapore. It is a work in progress, because nation building, building a Singaporean identity is always a work in progress; but it is also a process which we have found requires mutual accommodation and compromise.

Compromise must never be seen to be a bad word. Because if every group asserts maximum entitlement, everything must be 100 per cent – I have to do everything, and if I cannot achieve all of what I want, I see that as a slight, I see that as an insult to my tribe – then it becomes war of every tribe against every tribe and there is no common ground.







↧

Forward SG report unveils social support plans, lays out mindset shifts needed amid changing times

October 28, 2023, 7:07 am
$
0
0
Moves to ensure basic needs of Singaporeans are met and social compact is refreshed
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

A road map towards a more equitable and thriving Singapore has been put forth by the fourth-generation (4G) leadership, fleshing out the moves the Republic will make in the coming years to stay cohesive amid a time of change.

These include a greater helping hand for groups such as the less well-off, mid-career workers and seniors, through means such as additional financial support and improved infrastructure.

And there will be more done to ensure that Singaporeans’ basic needs at every life stage will be met, such as in education, retirement, healthcare and housing.

These moves come as Singapore has reached a key inflection point where there will be more disruptions, workplace churn and impact on people’s lives, and the Government recognises that more must be done to provide assurance for the people, said Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at a press conference to launch the Forward Singapore report.


The 180-page report unveiled on Friday also articulated the mindset shifts required for Singapore to achieve the goals set out, such as for wider definitions of success and a stronger sense of collective responsibility towards one another.

“It will not be possible for the Government alone to do everything through policy changes, nor is it possible for any individual to succeed on his or her own efforts alone,” DPM Wong said later at the launch of the Forward Singapore Festival, where the public can learn more about the report’s initiatives.

Instead, it will be up to everyone, including employers, community groups, families and individuals, to keep the Singapore miracle going, he added.


The report caps off a nationwide engagement exercise headed by Mr Wong that has involved more than 200,000 Singaporeans since it kicked off in June 2022.

The exercise sought to refresh Singapore’s social compact – the glue that holds society together – given the challenges facing the island, which range from a more fraught external environment to a rapidly ageing population to greater job insecurity due to rapid technological change.

One key move the 4G team intends to make to take the country forward is to create more opportunities for all Singaporeans to chart their own paths in life. This includes increasing salaries and respect for a wider range of vocations, better social support for those who face career hurdles, and nudging those who succeed to give back to society.

On the jobs and education front, the report unveiled plans to provide a “substantial top-up” of SkillsFuture Credit, as well as a “significant package” to help mature and mid-career workers reskill and upskill.

Institute of Technical Education graduates will get support to upgrade their skills early in their work life to close wage gaps, while more will be done to recognise those in jobs involving “hands” or “heart”, such as electricians and nurses.

“If society is more supportive of individuals pursuing these careers, we can create a virtuous cycle, where society in turn benefits from better and more reliable services,” it said.


Among efforts to help ageing seniors is the nationwide expansion of a pilot announced in March that will result in wider footpaths and longer green-man timings at traffic crossings.

There will be more senior care centres and home care options, and by 2025, eight in 10 seniors should have access to active ageing centre activities near their homes under the Age Well SG programme.

Programmes that support retirement adequacy for those with lower incomes, such as the Silver Support Scheme and the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, will be updated.


Young parents will also get more help, as the report recognised a need to better support families.

This includes a commitment to studying the feasibility of increasing paid parental leave, and to increase centre-based infantcare places by 70 per cent – or 9,000 spots – by 2030.

On the timeline to implement these changes, Mr Wong said the 4G team will prioritise issues that are more salient and of greater concern for Singaporeans. For instance, policy shifts have already been made or announced in the areas of housing and retirement. These include changing the housing classification system to the Standard, Plus and Prime model, and the $7 billion Majulah Package to help citizens aged 50 and over, that were announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally in August.

Other items, where specific recommendations have been set out, will be implemented in Budget 2024 and over the coming year, said Mr Wong.


Also at the press conference on Friday were other ministers including Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, and Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli.

The Forward Singapore report took in people’s ideas for the country’s future, which were contributed at 275 dialogue sessions, as well as through surveys and roadshows. It noted that one topic that constantly emerged at discussions was how the idea of a “good life” had evolved, especially among the younger generation who desire meaning and purpose in life, besides a good salary. The Singapore Dream, which used to be measured by the five Cs of condominium, car, cash, credit card and country club, had fallen out of favour, but there was still a tendency for society to measure success by old yardsticks such as the size of one’s pay cheque or home, the report noted.


Mr Wong said Singaporeans today still want a good life, but it is clear from the engagements that the Singapore Dream has evolved to be about more than just material success. “It’s also about fulfilment, meaning, and purpose in what we do,” he said.

“That’s why I firmly believe the refreshed Singapore Dream is less about I, me, and mine; it’s more about we, us, and ours. It’s recognising that we are not left to fend for ourselves; but that we are all in this together.”

Besides encouraging Singaporeans to tap the range of existing programmes to give back to society, a new Singapore Government Partnerships Office will be set up for agencies to work more closely with citizens.

In sum, the report represents a vision to guide the next bound of development for the Republic, where various groups come together to build a better Singapore, it said.

Mr Wong said: “We have a full agenda ahead of us, and we look forward to working with all Singaporeans to write our next chapter of the Singapore Story,” he said.








Here’s what Forward Singapore means for you
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

The fourth-generation leadership has unveiled a national strategy for a more vibrant and inclusive Singapore.

The 180-page Forward Singapore report is the result of dialogues and engagement sessions over 16 months, and includes both policy moves to assure Singaporeans that their basic needs will be met, and efforts to spur mindset change.


Here’s what you should know if you are a:

Student
  • The aim is for more to enter secondary schools through Direct School Admission, up from about 10 per cent now
  • Adaptive learning technologies and artificial intelligence to be explored to help tailor curricula to individual needs
  • Streaming to be abolished to cater to diverse needs and abilities in different subjects, rather than focus on overall academic ability
  • Youth panels launched in May 2023 to give young people a greater say in policymaking
Technical and community care worker
  • Financial support for younger Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates to get a diploma
  • ITE graduates may receive Central Provident Fund top-ups to help them purchase homes or save for retirement
  • More recognition for skilled trades and jobs involving “hands” or “heart” jobs, via training and career pathways that lead to higher incomes
  • Continued regular reviews of existing schemes targeting lower-wage workers
Mid-career worker
  • A further, substantial top-up of the SkillsFuture Credit for these workers
  • Training allowances to be given when they take time-off for full-time, sustained training
  • New support scheme for involuntarily unemployed job seekers, including financial support for those actively searching for a job



Parent
  • Increase in centre-based infant care places by 70 per cent – or 9,000 spots – by 2030
  • Affordable, safe and reliable childminding services to be introduced
  • Feasibility of more paid parental leave to be studied
  • Under the new ComLink+ scheme, ComLink officers will work with each family to co-develop customised action plans that are more tailored to each family’s needs
Caregiver
  • Extra support to defray out-of-pocket costs for early intervention services, special education schools and special student care centres for families with children who need more help
  • An ecosystem of support for caregivers to be created and access improved to available resources, such as through caregiver support groups
  • Suggestions to better support working caregivers through measures such as caregiver leave and flexible work arrangements to be studied
Person with disability
  • Installation of 24/7 on-demand audible traffic signals at 325 pedestrian crossings by end 2024
  • New course to equip general practitioners to care for those with intellectual disabilities
Senior citizen
  • Better retirement adequacy through enhancements to programmes such as the Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, and raising the CPF Enhanced Retirement Sum
  • New Age Well SG national programme to help seniors to age gracefully in the community. This includes having more active ageing centres, such that eight in 10 seniors will live close to one by 2025
  • Expanded Friendly Streets initiative to cover all towns, which will have more pedestrian crossings and wider and more accessible footpaths, among other things
  • More senior care centres and home care options
  • More senior-friendly fittings to choose from for Housing Board flats
Singaporean
  • New Singapore Government Partnerships Office to facilitate interactions between citizens and government agencies
  • New programme to better link donors to local communities and less privileged groups over a sustained period
  • Continued efforts to be made to expand spaces for more interactions between different groups, such as collaborations between self-help groups













Path ahead will not be a top-down approach: DPM Wong on Forward SG
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

As he laid out plans for Singapore’s way forward, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stressed that the Government would not take a top-down approach but consult Singaporeans to find solutions.

He was responding to a question at a press conference on the Forward Singapore report, on what he saw as the biggest departures from the way things are being done now, in the new way forward.

“This is more than just an engagement exercise. It’s really a partnership. And that partnership is between Government, people, community groups, employers, businesses. It encompasses our tripartite partnership, but it’s really a whole-of-Singapore partnership,” said Mr Wong, who led the People’s Action Party’s fourth-generation (4G) team in the nationwide engagement exercise.

The 180-page Forward Singapore report unveiled on Friday was the culmination of about 16 months of dialogue.

The report calls for a greater helping hand for groups such as the less well-off, mid-career workers and seniors, through means like additional financial support and improved infrastructure.

It also articulated the mindset shifts required for Singapore to achieve the goals set out, such as for wider definitions of success and a stronger sense of collective responsibility towards one another.


On how the 4G team will prioritise the various moves laid out in the report, Mr Wong said it will look at issues that are more salient and of greater concern to Singaporeans, such as housing and retirement, where changes in policy have already been announced.

It is based on the needs on the ground, the concerns Singaporeans have, and the time needed to introduce and implement changes, he said.

“Most that we have announced are the ones that we have already started prioritising and are implementing. There are other moves that we are discussing and deliberating over. They will take some time. The next milestone will be Budget 2024, where we will be able to flesh out in greater detail some of the other moves,” he added.

He cited two initiatives that will be further elaborated on before the year ends: Age Well SG, a national programme to help seniors age comfortably in place, and ComLink+, which is an enhancement to the existing ComLink programme that supports low-income families living in rental flats.


Another initiative that will see more details in the coming months is the support scheme for the involuntarily unemployed, which will be raised in Budget 2024.

As Singapore enters a phase where more disruptions will impact people’s lives, the Government will have to do more for Singaporeans and provide more assurances, said Mr Wong.

This will require a lot more resources, he noted.

“And so we have to design our policies and programmes carefully, and in a responsible manner. But we think this additional spending will be necessary,” he added.


Mr Wong noted that there is a full agenda of work ahead for the 4G team, the Government and Singapore, who will all have to work together.

“The road ahead will not be easy, but we can draw confidence from what we have been through in Singapore’s history and also from the three years of tackling Covid-19 together,” he added.

“The way in which we have undertaken this Forward Singapore exercise also reflects very much the desire of everyone in the team in how we want to engage and work with Singaporeans.

“It is an approach where we will continue to listen and engage widely and work closely with partners,” he said.

On how the 4G team worked together on the report, Mr Wong said they met as a work group monthly and had very intense discussions.

Beyond the work group meetings, they also met separately to hold deep-dive sessions on specific policies involving various ministries.

“The whole experience, building on top of what we had gone through in the last three years of Covid-19, has really enabled the team to come together very well. We have a much better understanding of each other’s strengths, how we can complement one another as a team and how the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts,” Mr Wong said.

Asked when he would seek a fresh mandate to implement the agenda laid out in the report, he said: “We will announce and you will know all that is to be known in due course.”










Singapore moves to ensure respect for every job and cement lifelong learning: Forward SG report
By Tay Hong Yi, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

The wage gap between skilled tradesmen and knowledge-based workers will be narrowed through structured training and career planning, while Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates will get help to upgrade their skills early in their careers.

These are among efforts to ensure that every job in Singapore is respected and fairly rewarded while cementing a culture of lifelong learning beyond grades, laid out in the broad plans for the areas of jobs and education in the Forward Singapore report released on Friday.


The Government will work with the National Trades Union Congress, industry associations and institutes of higher learning to put these plans in place, the report said. Examples of workers who stand to gain from the wage boost are plumbers, electricians and those working in the healthcare and aged-care sectors.

The report did not specify the healthcare and aged-care workers experiencing wage gaps, but latest Manpower Ministry figures released in July found that nursing aides and healthcare assistants earn a median gross salary of less than $3,000 a month – as do plumbers and electricians.

This is below the median gross monthly salary of $4,500 for full-time employed residents as at June 2022.

“We must do more to tilt the scales and narrow the wage gaps across professions,” the report said.

It said of skilled workers: “It takes time to hone these skills, and those who develop a deep mastery should be able to earn a good living... If society is more supportive of individuals pursuing these careers, we can create a virtuous cycle, where society in turn benefits from better and more reliable services.”


The support for ITE graduates comes amid widening gaps in starting salaries between these graduates and those from polytechnics and autonomous universities. “We are especially concerned about the growing gaps,” the report said.

These salary gaps can be narrowed over time if ITE graduates upgrade and refresh their skills, such as through getting a diploma or even more qualifications in their working years. Skills upgrading improves career prospects and salaries, and it is a case of the earlier, the better, the report noted.

“We will study how we can help younger ITE upgraders defray the costs of obtaining a diploma. When they graduate, we can also top up their Central Provident Fund to give them a head start to purchase a home or save for their retirement,” the report said.

Besides ITE graduates, Singaporeans who already hold a publicly funded diploma or higher qualification will also get help with obtaining another publicly funded diploma.

For the wider workforce, more significant investments will be made to support mature mid-career Singaporeans in pursuing substantive reskilling and upskilling.

Workers will also receive a “further, substantial top-up” of the SkillsFuture Credit, the report said.

A one-off top-up of $500 was given in 2020 to every Singaporean aged 25 and above, and another $500 specifically to Singaporeans aged 40 to 60 to improve access to career transition programmes.

Financial support is set to be further bolstered for mature mid-career Singaporeans, in the form of training allowances when they take time off for full-time training over a longer period.

Local talent aspiring to top regional or global roles will also receive more support in pursuing the needed overseas exposure for such roles before returning home.

“Singaporeans with families who take up overseas roles often worry about their children’s education and how they can adjust when they come back. We will find ways to help their children integrate smoothly back into our schools,” the report noted.

In the report, the Government also reiterated its plans to continue broadening the definition of merit and creating more diverse pathways in education, such as through exploring the use of adaptive learning technologies and artificial intelligence.

Mr Shaifulazli Ghazali, 45, a training instructor at ST Engineering, welcomed the additional support for ITE graduates and skilled tradesmen.

The ITE graduate started his career in 1999 as an apprentice, gaining a Nitec in aircraft maintenance along the way. He noted that the profile of ITE graduates has changed and they now have higher career expectations.

He said ITE graduates during his time were “timid and quiet”, and never thought they would be in leadership or training positions.

“(In contrast), my younger colleagues and interns who graduated recently are confident, and school has prepared them well for industry. They know to ask about sponsorship for further studies and their career progression.”


At a press conference on Friday, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng said participants at the Forward SG engagement sessions wanted a wider definition of career success.

“So we came to this conclusion that the idea of a good job should not just be limited to white-collar jobs,” he said.

He reiterated the Government’s focus on empowering individuals to chart their careers and investing in Singaporeans gaining overseas exposure. Other priorities include reducing wage gaps, providing financial support for involuntarily unemployed workers and ensuring a financially secure retirement for Singaporeans.

He emphasised that a meaningful shift towards fairer, more inclusive and more harmonious workplaces requires tripartism, which is the three-way partnership between the Government, employers and the labour movement.


At the same press conference, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said, about lifelong learning, that there must continue to be a diversity of pathways for people to realise their potential at different stages of life.

“We will have to embrace technology that allows our people to adapt their learning styles and learning speed according to their needs,” he said, adding that adult learners can look forward to “more accessible and affordable modules, and more personalised skills and career guidance”.










Low-income families will be empowered to uplift their lives: Forward SG report
By Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

Low-income families with children will be empowered over the longer haul to improve their lives, as the Government shifts its approach in helping these families from providing social assistance to social empowerment.

For families with children living in highly subsidised Housing Board rental flats under the Community Link (ComLink) scheme, the Government will introduce additional measures that are tied to progress on plans tailored to help each family in three areas.

The Forward Singapore report released on Friday said the Government could provide higher and longer-term financial payouts to ComLink families, as long as they work towards longer-term goals – such as staying employed, saving up to buy their own homes or ensuring their children attend pre-school regularly.


During a press conference on Friday, Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli said these financial incentives serve to recognise and supplement families’ efforts in working towards improving their lives.

“We will ease their short-term resource pressures and support them for their long-term plans,” he said, adding that more details on a new approach called ComLink+ will be released in the coming weeks.

ComLink+ builds on the existing ComLink programme that started in 2019, where low-income families with children are given coordinated and comprehensive support for needs ranging from job assistance to their children’s development.

While Singapore has made progress in reducing income inequality, the Government wants to do more to boost social mobility, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Oct 19 when he first sketched the broad outlines of ComLink+.

This is to ensure that no family here gets trapped in a permanent underclass, he said, adding that there are early signs that social stratification is becoming more entrenched.

Mr Masagos said participants in the Forward Singapore conversations felt that the Government’s efforts to help the low-income must not “kill this motivation for them to be self-reliant and independent”.
Beneficiaries also said that maintaining their dignity is important, he said.

To help families achieve their goals, ComLink officers will be trained as family coaches to work more closely with each household.

The Forward SG report said the Government has been doing more to help disadvantaged and vulnerable groups over the years, and will continue to do so.

“At the same time, we have sought to ensure that government actions do not lead to a greater sense of dependency and entitlement,” it said. “Instead, we want government actions to complement and reinforce individual and family effort, as well as contributions from other stakeholders.”

Ms Khalisah Samsuri, head of Sengkang Family Service Centre, run by AMKFSC Community Services, said some low-income families face multiple stressors such as ill health and caregiving responsibilities.

Their circumstances and lower educational qualifications affect their job prospects and incomes. And they may not work in jobs that offer Central Provident Fund contributions or other staff benefits, so this further affects their ability to save up to buy their own homes, among other things, she said.

She said of the ComLink+ approach: “It takes some time for families to be stable and to truly break out of the poverty cycle. It is also a form of motivation and hope for them to strive towards financial stability and self-reliance within their own unique circumstances.”

Another of the Government’s plans is to encourage more lower-income families to send their children to pre-school by the age of three.

This is because the enrolment and attendance of children from such families at the ages of three to four tend to be lower than the national average, the report said.

Ms Khalisah said: “The families we work with usually have multiple struggles to juggle at any point of time, and hence may not be able to prioritise their children’s early development needs.”

Getting these children into pre-school from an early age is necessary to reduce the risk of their development lagging behind that of their peers when they enter Primary 1, said the report.

A Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) spokesman told The Straits Times: “As part of the Forward SG conversations, there was recognition that more must be done to make pre-schools more affordable and accessible for lower-income families, to give children a good start.”

Thus, the Government will give each child from all lower-income families the maximum amount of childcare subsidies for their households’ income tier.

The MSF spokesman added that childcare subsidies for lower-income families are currently means-tested so that households earning up to $6,000 a month can pay from as little as $3 to up to $115 a month for full-day childcare at a pre-school run by an anchor operator.

The spokesman said more details will be provided when they are ready.

In addition, some government-supported pre-schools will be given extra funding or manpower to better support the needs of children from lower-income families.

This will go towards engaging the parents more frequently to ensure that they take their children to school regularly, and helping children with learning needs to keep up with their peers, among other things.

Mr Masagos said the Government is committed to making Singapore a nation where people with disabilities and their families can participate and contribute fully. Plans are outlined in the Enabling Masterplan 2030, which sets out “the vision for Singapore as an inclusive society in 2030”.

Stronger support for people with disabilities includes areas of lifelong learning, employment and living in the community rather than in institutions, he said, as well as participating in social activities.
Support for families

The report also noted plans to help families in general balance caregiving with career aspirations.


To support parents who may not have other care arrangements, the Government will increase the number of infantcare places at childcare centres by about 70 per cent, which amounts to an additional 9,000 spots by 2030.

It will also work with service providers to introduce “affordable, safe and reliable” childminding services as another option for families looking for infantcare services.

Such childminding services are not widely available now and can be costly, the report said.

The MSF spokesman told ST that several private companies are now providing childminding services. There are also individuals who offer more informal and ad hoc care for infants, typically in the childminder’s home.

The spokesman said the ministry will provide more details when they are ready.

The report noted that the Government will study the feasibility of further increasing paid parental leave while managing the impact of longer leave on business costs and operations.

On Friday, Mr Wong said that people have asked for more parental leave and more caregiving leave. But it is not so straightforward to implement, considering the impact on businesses, he said.

He said: “Nevertheless, we will study, we will engage different groups and we will consider, perhaps down the road at a time when it’s more conducive. Some of these ideas may materialise.”


Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah said a mindset change among employers and the community to bring about more flexible work arrangements is needed, for Singaporeans to better balance work and raising a family.

“It will not be possible to keep mandating more and more of this type of leave, and more and more of that type of leave,” she said. “But if every sector looks to see how you can make work arrangements more flexible so that parents can take time off, that will make a huge difference.”







More active ageing centres, boost to retirement schemes for seniors: Forward SG report
By Syarafana Shafeeq, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

Older Singaporeans will get more help under a new programme that will see more active ageing centres and senior-friendly infrastructure built in neighbourhoods across Singapore.

Existing measures to help seniors meet basic financial needs for retirement – such as the Workfare Income Supplement scheme, Silver Support Scheme and Matched Retirement Savings Scheme – will also get a boost.


In the Forward Singapore report released on Friday, the Government said that although it has been expanding the nation’s aged care infrastructure by building more nursing homes and senior care centres, as well as increasing the capacity of home care services, this is not enough.

“We need more focused efforts to reduce the risk of social isolation of seniors. This is one of the most powerful ways to enable seniors to spend more of their remaining life in good health,” the report said.

“By living among their family, friends and neighbours and participating in social activities and physical exercises, seniors can delay frailty and deterioration of health.”

At present, roughly one in five Singaporeans is aged 65 and older. This proportion will go up to one in four by 2030.


Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung acknowledged that many seniors will be most concerned with immediate issues such as healthcare costs.

While these are under review, the Government must also take a longer-term view, he said.

He added that social isolation is the biggest enemy of senior citizens and determines their well-being in a “very profound way”.

“If we focus only on immediate problems, we are firefighting every day,” Mr Ong added in Mandarin, using a Chinese idiom that alludes to “the fire burning one’s eyebrows” to describe the pressing issues that seniors currently face.

“But how are we going to prevent fires from breaking out?”

The new programme, called Age Well SG, focuses on preventive care through measures that keep seniors active and social, allowing them to go about their daily activities with greater ease.

One goal is for eight in 10 seniors to have access to activities, such as at active ageing centres near their homes, by 2025. These activities include communal meals and exercise programmes.

To achieve this, volunteers will reach out to seniors near each centre, especially those who live alone.

More senior care centres, which provide custodial day care and rehabilitation services, will be built, alongside more home care options for those who need more help.

The Government aims to improve care coordination by having one provider coordinate a bundle of key services in each region. This ensures seniors have a single touchpoint for their care needs.

Changes to the physical environment will make for safer and more pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods. For one thing, all towns will have features like more pedestrian crossings, wider and more accessible footpaths, and traffic-calming measures. In addition, traffic lights will be programmed to reduce the time it takes to activate the green man and increase the duration of crossing time.

These changes are part of the Friendly Streets initiative, which was launched for trials by the Land Transport Authority earlier in the year in five places, including Ang Mo Kio and Toa Payoh.

Neighbourhoods and existing homes will be fitted with more senior-friendly amenities and features so that seniors can go about their daily activities more easily and safely. These include revamped linkways, more shelters, barrier-free access ramps and rest points, and colourful signs to help older folk find their way home.

Fitness trails, exercise machines and therapeutic gardens will be installed in more estates to help seniors stay active.

In addition, an improved version of the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme will offer a wider variety of senior-friendly fittings for HDB flats. The existing programme offers grab bars, single-step ramps at entrances and within flats, and slip-resistant treatment for toilet floors.

More senior-friendly housing options will also be made available. These include community care apartments, an assisted living public housing option that gives seniors access to care services, social activities and amenities.

The apartments allow seniors to stay in neighbourhoods they are already familiar with, the report said.

The Government will work with the private sector to offer alternatives such as private assisted living facilities.


Finally, existing schemes to help seniors meet basic retirement needs will be enhanced.

For those with lower incomes, the Workfare Income Supplement scheme will be reviewed and updated to help them build up their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings and achieve their basic retirement needs.

The Silver Support Scheme will also be enhanced to support those with less to retire on.

At present, those with higher incomes can set aside more in their CPF Retirement Account to get higher retirement payouts, up to a cap known as the Enhanced Retirement Sum.

This cap will be raised for those who would like to put more into their accounts for even higher future payouts.

The Matched Retirement Savings Scheme, which provides a dollar-for-dollar matching CPF grant of up to $600 per year for cash top-ups to eligible seniors with lower retirement savings, will get a boost.

In addition, the Majulah Package for Singaporeans in their 50s and early 60s will see this group get a one-time Retirement Savings Bonus if their CPF savings fall below the Basic Retirement Sum.

They will also get a one-time MediSave Bonus to put them in a better position to take care of their future healthcare needs.







New Singapore Government Partnerships Office for Singaporeans to partner the Government and give ideas
By Tham Yuen-C, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2023

To spur civic participation, a new office will be set up to create more space for Singaporeans to work with the Government.

The Singapore Government Partnerships Office, one of the recommendations of the Forward Singapore report, will lead national efforts to engage citizens who want to contribute, by facilitating interactions between them and relevant government agencies.

The office is part of a broader shift to empower people to take individual and collective actions, in the hope that building a shared future will foster unity.

“We recognise that there are some areas where it may be better for the Government to step back and allow more space for citizen participation,” said the report.

“We will therefore introduce new ways to promote civic participation. We will also support more ground-up efforts by Singaporeans to shape and improve their communities.”

The Government will actively seek input and work closely with all stakeholders and partners, said the report prepared by the fourth-generation political leaders led by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.

Besides creating more avenues for civic participation and ground-up efforts, the report also sketched out ways to nurture a stronger culture of giving and for people to support their fellow Singaporeans.

The recommendations follow the 16-month-long Forward Singapore exercise that saw more than 200,000 Singaporeans contribute their suggestions.

At a press conference on Friday, Mr Wong said: “This is more than just an engagement exercise. It’s really a partnership effort... between Government, people, community groups, employers, businesses, (it) encompasses our tripartite partnership.

“It’s really a whole-of-Singapore partnership, and that’s the only way that we can implement these big moves and these big shifts together.”

Ultimately, the aim is to build a vibrant, thriving and resilient society where the broad middle enjoys progress, the vulnerable receive care, and the better-off do their part to improve the lives of fellow citizens, said the report.

“We ask that Singaporeans step forward to give back to our society, especially those who have done well and benefited from the system,” it added.

This could be through financial donations, contributing knowledge, or working with community organisations.

To this end, a new programme will be introduced to better connect donors to local communities and channel donations to where they are needed over a sustained period.

This will be done in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Singapore and Community Chest.

For example, a donor could support the educational needs of children from several lower-income families not just financially, but also in the areas of mentorship, internship and job opportunities, to help build their social capital and networks.

Businesses can also do more for the wider community, said the report.

It held up business leaders-turned-philanthropists such as Hajjah Fatimah, who donated land to build the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque, Govindasamy Pillai who set up the Ramakrishna Mission charity, and Tan Tock Seng, who donated money towards the building of what became Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

To guide companies in designing business practices and operations that can benefit society, the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre has set up the new Company of Good strategy, and 55 companies have adopted this corporate purpose framework.

Young people can give their views on policies through youth panels that were launched in May. These panels will look into financial security, careers and lifelong learning, digital well-being, and environment and sustainability.

Mr Wong said some of the top issues for youth that surfaced during the Forward SG exercise were jobs and career choices, mental wellness and sustainability.

“There was a very strong sense of wanting to give back and support others who are less fortunate,” he said, adding that a group of young people worked closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development team to come up with recommendations to uplift lower-income families.

Another aspect of fostering unity involves strengthening multiracialism and the Singaporean identity, said the report, adding that the Government will do its part by continuing to expand spaces for more interactions between different groups.

More will be done to promote collaborations between the various self-help groups, and to encourage more Singaporeans to be involved in racial harmony programmes in the community, said the report.

It noted that sustained effort to sensitively manage the difficult issues on race and to create shared experiences through school, and community and national events, has allowed Singapore to enjoy several decades of racial and religious harmony.

“But we must have the humility to acknowledge that our multiracialism is still a work in progress,” it said.

Even as more avenues will be provided for people to contribute ideas, the report said, not all ideas can be accepted and, sometimes, there may be differing views on how to achieve an outcome.

In such cases, the Government will explain its considerations, and take the “practical and pragmatic” approach by looking at data and evidence and considering the circumstances and context before deciding on a way forward.

“Such differences are not so fundamental because our ends are the same, and it is a matter of working out the best approach to take,” said the report.

From Friday to Sunday, Singaporeans will be able to learn more about the initiatives in the report at the Forward Singapore Festival at Silver Garden – Silver Leaf at Gardens by the Bay. After this, the festival roadshow will make its way to various heartland locations until Jan 28, 2024.

There will be exhibition booths on the key policy shifts highlighted in the report, an interactive booth where people can create their own avatars to discover what the shared future holds, and a holographic booth where they can make pledges for Singapore.







Related
↧
Search

PM Lee Hsien Loong to hand over leadership to DPM Lawrence Wong by November 2024 if all goes well, before next GE

November 6, 2023, 4:26 am
$
0
0
People's Action Party Awards and Convention 2023
PM Lee Hsien Loong says he has full confidence in 4G team, and DPM Lawrence Wong will lead party at next General Election
By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 5 Nov 2023

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will lead the People’s Action Party (PAP) in the next general election, taking over the reins from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ahead of the polls.

PM Lee said on Sunday: “Lawrence has told me that he is ready... I have full confidence in Lawrence and his team and there is no reason to delay the political transition.”

He was speaking at the party’s biennial convention held at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre, addressing more than 1,000 party members.

He said that while he did not manage to pass on the baton before his 70th birthday last year as hoped, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, “if all goes well, I will hand over by PAP’s 70th birthday next year”. The party was set up on Nov 21, 1954.

The next general election (GE) has to be held by November 2025.

PM Lee noted that the ministers had already chosen DPM Wong to be their leader, a choice endorsed by the PAP MPs. The major decision that was left to make was when the handover should take place, before or after the next GE.


Handing over to DPM Wong before the GE would mean he would be the one leading the party in the campaign, and would win his own mandate and take the country forward with the full backing of the nation, said PM Lee.

“Leadership transition for any country is always tricky. Many things can go awry. Both Singaporeans and people outside Singapore, near and far, are watching very closely. Everything depends on the success of this third transition in our history,” he added.


He said that he had thought over the decision carefully and discussed it thoroughly with DPM Wong and ministers from the 3G and 4G teams.

He acknowledged that DPM Wong and the 4G team have been serving for many years now, and have taken on greater responsibilities.

They are preparing well to take the helm and have earned their spurs during the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.

Increasingly, they are setting the national agenda, such as through the Forward Singapore exercise, he said. “Therefore, I intend to hand over to DPM Lawrence before the next GE,” said PM Lee.

“After that, I will be at the new PM’s disposal. I will go wherever he thinks I can be useful,” he added.

“I will do my best to help him and his team to fight and win the next GE, and to fulfil their responsibilities… I want to help him fulfil his responsibilities, leading the country, so that Singapore can continue to succeed beyond me and my 3G minister colleagues, for many, many more years to come.”


Fighting back tears, PM Lee said: “It has been my great fortune and honour to have served the country, first in the SAF, and then in the party and government, for all of my adult life.”

As he paused to compose himself, loud cheers erupted around the hall as party members stood to applaud him.

Noting that Singapore and the PAP have been thoroughly transformed through his time as prime minister for almost 20 years, he added: “Some things never change… We remain dedicated to Singapore, we still feel the call of duty to serve the people, we still have a duty to future generations to keep this island safe and secure.

“These things have not changed under my watch, and they will not change under the 4G team. I ask each of you to give Lawrence and his team your full support, help them win a strong mandate, and work with them to take Singapore to greater heights.”


DPM Wong, in his speech earlier, spoke of how he had been working hard to get ready to receive the baton from PM Lee.

“I will not be in this alone. I will have a team of 4G leaders whom I have worked closely with over the years. We are ready to lead,” he said, adding that he is ready for his next assignment.

On his leadership approach, DPM Wong said he does not start with the assumption that he knows everything or has all the answers.

Instead, he prefers to begin by listening to a diverse range of perspectives and views and staying open to different ideas.

“I’ve been in Government long enough to know that I cannot please everyone. But I will do my best to explain my decision, to be upfront about the problems and trade-offs, and win the support of the broad majority of Singaporeans,” added DPM Wong.

Three young party activists also spoke on various topics.

National University of Singapore Associate Professor Elmie Nekmat, branch chairman of the Sengkang Central division, stressed the need to address the segregation and fragmentation brought about by digital technologies and social media.


Ms Chua Wei-Shan, organising secretary of the Young PAP, spoke on the challenges for a political party to self-rejuvenate, which involves attracting committed and forward-thinking individuals as well as fostering a conducive environment for diverse perspectives.

Dr Hamid Razak, assistant branch secretary of the PAP’s Jurong Spring division, said that recognising and valuing different perspectives can lead to more comprehensive policy solutions, and called for more collaborative decision-making.

At the event, 415 activists received party awards as recognition for their dedication and service to Singapore.


In his speech, PM Lee also spoke of the need for high quality leadership for the PAP to govern competently, keep clean and win elections.

Right now, the party has a strong and capable top team that is in touch with Singaporeans, that has shown what it can do, he said.

“Singapore needs an outstanding ‘First Team’ of leaders – who, on top of mastering the politics, can deliver good government for Singapore,” he added.


Singapore has a good public service, noted PM Lee.

“Sometimes people argue that Singapore civil servants are so good, that we don’t need ministers who are so competent or experienced... It’s a crazy argument,” he said.

“The civil service didn’t create itself out of thin air. We have a good civil service precisely because we have had good political leadership who built up a world-class civil service.”

Civil servants can only deliver good results if led by competent ministers who understand the issues, make good decisions and command their respect, said PM Lee.

Only then can ministers guide and complement the civil servants in their work and deliver on their political promises, he added.


He likened it to an orchestra, which could be composed of the best musicians in the world, but without a good conductor, it cannot produce good music.

“In fact, if the players are not impressed with their conductor, they may leave the orchestra to perform under some other maestro’s baton, and we will be left with a mediocre orchestra,” he said.

This was seen vividly in the pandemic, where ministries and agencies performed magnificently, but without the ministers to make big, risky decisions and take political responsibility, Singapore would not have come through as it did, said PM Lee.

“Remember – if we have ordinary political leaders, we’re going to have an ordinary public service, and this is going to become an ordinary country. For other countries, it’s fine,” he said.

“But if one day this little red dot no longer shines brightly and is exceptional, if it cannot stand out compared to other countries in the world, you are nobody, you are sunk.”

PAP will work harder to win votes from Singaporeans

PM Lee also spoke of how conviction, support and votes are now harder to win.

While the party’s policies may be working and arguments may be logical, Singaporeans must be convinced that the PAP is on their side.

The party must engage widely, present and communicate its policies well, and help Singaporeans understand how they can benefit from them.

It also needs to counter opposition moves to undermine the Government, show them up when they are less than upfront, and defeat their tactics to create doubt and sow confusion, said PM Lee.


Describing briefly the party’s history, PM Lee noted that the PAP was not born dominant, but has won every election since independence decisively.

“But with each successive election, the PAP’s task has become harder… Singaporeans’ expectations have evolved. They hope to do much better for themselves, they expect much more from the Government,” he said.

He acknowledged that “quite a few” hope to see more alternative voices in Parliament, even though an overwhelming majority agree that the PAP should continue to govern Singapore – “in fact, even the opposition parties think so, and say so”.

The PAP hence faces a unique political quandary, said PM Lee.

While an overwhelming majority want – and expect – the PAP to form the Government, a significant proportion also wants the party’s opponents to do better, he said.


In working harder to win elections, the party’s politicians will have to spend more time and energy on politics, inevitably at the expense of policies, he added.

While constructive and responsible political debate is good and necessary, actual debate in Parliament does not always reach this ideal, said PM Lee.

“Not infrequently, it becomes a political brawl. The opposition tries to score political points, the Government does its best to explain its considerations and constraints, and why the opposition’s proposals may not work. And so it goes, in a repeated cycle,” he said.

While some of this is to be expected, if it goes too far, more energies will be spent debating and manoeuvring for political advantage, leaving problems unsolved and society divided, said PM Lee.

“Having more opposition MPs doesn’t necessarily make for a better government,” he said.

He noted how other countries, even those who call themselves “mature democracies”, have seen increasingly polarised politics.

For example, the United States was recently at a political stalemate when the previous Speaker of the House was kicked off his role, and the election for a new Speaker saw bitter political infighting among Republicans.

“As Singaporeans, we must manage our politics better, and at all costs we must avoid running into such problems,” said PM Lee.


Emphasising his experience in government for almost 40 years, PM Lee said there was no way PAP governments could have planned for the long-term and adopted tough but necessary policies if they had to constantly worry about being around after the next election.

“Today’s Singapore could not have been built by a weak government hanging on to power by a slim majority, or with the governing party and policies chopping and changing after each election,” he said.

“This is a nation of lions led by lions. If we have a nation of lions disunited and led by unworthy leaders, we would have come to grief a long time ago.”

He acknowledged that the possibility of the PAP being challenged is always there, and must always be there, as the essence of democracy.

Hence the party must continue to do a good job and make sure Singaporeans continue to have a good choice when they cast their votes.

While opposition parties may tell voters not to worry as they do not aim to form the next government, and that the PAP can continue to think long term even with a majority of just one seat, or that neighbours will not think the country is weak – “with lives and futures at stake, voters must worry”, said PM Lee.

“Give (your vote) to the party you trust to keep us together, to build a Singapore fit for your kids and that will be there for their kids.”



















PAP's integrity and honesty must never be compromised, says PM Lee
‘We’ll never let standards slip, system go corrupt’: PM Lee on need for clean governance
By Kok Yufeng, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 5 Nov 2023

The ruling People’s Action Party’s (PAP) commitment to honesty and incorruptibility is “absolutely non-negotiable”, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday, as he stressed the need for high standards of integrity and competent governance.

“Singapore is a small place. Our system works,” he told more than 1,000 PAP members at the party’s biennial convention at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“If you do something improper, sooner or later, it will come to light. And when it does, you will be investigated. And if it is proved that you did something wrong, you are out and consequences will follow.”

PM Lee, the PAP’s secretary-general, said this principle applies not just to ministers or party leaders, but also to every party member, and he cautioned those in attendance against abusing their positions or accepting any favours.

“It’s shameful. It’s wrong.

“Remember, you are a member of the People’s Action Party, and the name of the party says it all – your duty is to serve the people, to act on behalf of the people and never of yourself,” he added, highlighting the need to also keep corrupting influences out of Singapore.


“Our integrity and honesty must never be compromised, and only in that way can we do justice and uphold the trust that Singaporeans have given us,” PM Lee said.

He pointed to a Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau investigation into a minister– a veiled reference to the ongoing probe into Transport Minister S. Iswaran, who has been put on leave of absence.

“However strict our discipline, however zealous our enforcement – human nature being what it is – somewhere, sometime, someone will be tempted and will go astray.”

The Prime Minister added: “It is particularly when we are tested that we must prove our mettle, put our principles into action, regardless of the embarrassment or political cost.”

He urged PAP members to show Singaporeans and the world that the party’s standards remain “as high as ever”.


PM Lee also referred to the sprawling $2.8 billion money laundering case– believed to be among the world’s largest – in which nine men and a woman were arrested and charged with offences including money laundering, forgery and resisting arrest.

He said a journalist had asked him whether by promoting family offices– investment funds managing the assets of wealthy families – and the financial industry, Singapore is letting its standards slip to attract “unclean money”.

“My answer was: Not on your life,” PM Lee said.

“We will never let our standards slip. It’s not worth it. If we let it happen, if we relax and close one eye and let dirty money in, what will happen to us? The doubtful characters will come, they will spend generously to make themselves appear respectable, to show that they love Singapore, to ingratiate themselves to us, to try to get PR (permanent residency) and citizenship.

“They will cultivate ministers and officials, they will donate to good causes, they will make themselves useful in all sorts of ways… Very soon, our whole system would be tainted, and then corrupted.”

Noting how law enforcement agencies here picked up warning signs in 2021 and watched the money laundering network carefully before swooping in to cripple it, PM Lee said everybody who does business in Singapore must know how things work here.

“We will never let this system go corrupt,” he said.


Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who will take over the top job before the next general election, said he, too, believes in keeping politics here clean, honest and right.

Besides integrity, another basic prerequisite for the PAP is clear and strong governance, said PM Lee. He said the party is elected not just to occupy office or be popular, or to seek power for the sake of it.

“We fight to form the Government, so that we can serve Singaporeans, to make decisions on their behalf, to solve their problems, to improve their lives, and to constantly watch over the nation to keep it safe and secure.”

He said the Government has to be on top of its responsibilities, be clear on what needs to be done and act decisively and promptly.

“We must be prepared to take the hard decisions, and have the courage to do the right thing for Singapore, even if this incurs short-term political costs. And if we are not ready or able to do that, we should get out of the way,” he said.


PM Lee cited examples of how the party had pushed through difficult decisions despite initial doubts and resistance – from national service to resettling people into public housing.

He said the PAP government has continued doing its best in this regard, including how it contained the Covid-19 pandemic while tackling other urgent concerns.

Beyond Singapore’s borders, PM Lee said the Government has continued strengthening ties with the United States and China amid increasing geopolitical rivalry, settled longstanding issues including those related to airspace and defence with Indonesia, and is discussing key bilateral issues with Malaysia.

Singapore is also watching closely events in the Middle East, and the recent re-eruption of conflict between Israel and Palestine has had an impact here, he added.

“Like people elsewhere in the world, Singaporeans identify with the plight of the Palestinian people, and Muslim Singaporeans especially have felt this very strongly,” he said.

“But all Singaporeans are appalled by the human suffering in Gaza as Israel attacks targets there, as they were by Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians on Oct 7 that prompted these IDF (Israel Defence Forces) military operations.”

PM Lee added: “The Government has to take a national position that upholds our consistent principles, which considers the sentiments and feelings of our population.

“We feel sympathy for the civilian victims on both sides and will extend humanitarian help to those in need. But we must not let problems elsewhere widen fault lines in our society.”

To prepare for the future, PM Lee said the Government has made longer-term decisions.

For example, the increase in the goods and services tax– which will climb from 8 per cent to 9 per cent from 2024– is a difficult but unavoidable move to fund the rising healthcare needs of an ageing population.

He said policy changes have also been made on sensitive social issues, such as the repealing of Section 377A, which criminalised sex between men.

PM Lee added: “Tackling a global pandemic, solving immediate problems and planning for the future, all at the same time – this is what people expect of a competent and efficient government.”
















‘I am ready for my next assignment’: DPM Lawrence Wong at PAP conference
By Jean Iau, The Straits Times, 5 Nov 2023

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday said he has been working hard to get ready to receive the baton from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

“I will not be in this alone. I will have a team of 4G leaders whom I have worked closely with over the years. We are ready to lead,” he said, adding that he is ready for his next assignment.

He called on the party’s activists to broaden their outreach to grow the diversity of people they bring into the party and engage Singaporeans on different platforms.

DPM Wong, who is the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) deputy secretary-general, also urged the party to improve how it communicates and make clear what it stands for, what its long-term plans are, and what it is doing across the board.

Speaking to more than 1,000 cadre members at the PAP’s Awards and Convention held at the Singapore Expo Convention and Exhibition Centre, DPM Wong said he and his fellow 4G leaders will engage the activists.

“Collectively, we must renew, refresh and strengthen our party,” he said.


Commenting on his leadership approach, DPM Wong said he does not start with the assumption that he knows everything or has all the answers.

Instead, he prefers to begin by listening to a diverse range of perspectives and views, and staying open to different ideas.

“As a leader, I will have to judge the balance and do what I assess to be in the best interest of all Singaporeans,” he said, noting that there will always be some who will disagree or not be satisfied with his decisions.

“I’ve been in Government long enough to know that I cannot please everyone. But I will do my best to explain my decision, to be upfront about the problems and trade-offs, and win the support of the broad majority of Singaporeans,” added DPM Wong.

He said his approach to leadership would be to find common ground among Singaporeans and the things that bind them together. He added: “Not separating and dividing, but keeping us together as one united people.”


DPM Wong said that Singapore must always find ways to forge consensus in the light of its diversity.

“If our instinct is to disconnect from and dismiss those who disagree with us or are different from us, then we all stand to lose,” he noted.

“We must resist the urge to draw lines, and instead focus on our commonalities, and find ways to make space for one another,” he added, noting that this is how the Government has dealt with sensitive issues including allowing nurses to wear the tudung and repealing Section 377A.

DPM Wong also spoke of the consensus generated by the Forward Singapore exercise, which was led by the PAP’s fourth-generation leadership team and culminated in a report released in October.

This report is more than a policy document and represents a shared vision and road map for Singapore’s future, he said.


DPM Wong reiterated that he did not assume that the PAP would win the next general election convincingly, or even win it outright.

He said that policies do not happen in a vacuum and are driven by politics.

“Adopting difficult policies, doing big things in Singapore – they require not only political gumption on our part but also political support from Singaporeans,” he said.

He noted that long-term policies require political durability and consistency to follow through.

“If a political party is hanging on to office by its fingernails – do you think its leaders will be thinking and planning long term?

“I certainly doubt so, because all they will think about is survival and that’s what we are seeing now across the great democracies of the world.”

But Singapore has avoided this fate because it has a strong PAP government, added DPM Wong.


On broadening its outreach, DPM Wong said the party needs to go beyond engaging residents through its branches and specific segments through functional groups.

“We must engage a wider range of groups, and grow the diversity of people we bring into our PAP,” he said.

While not everyone the party reaches out to will agree or join the party, DPM Wong said that as long as they are open to making a common cause with the party, it would welcome them as friends.

He urged the party to sharpen its messages to not only focus on action and rely on government communications.

“If we only focus on actions, and we fail to get our messages across effectively, I think we will have a big problem,” said DPM Wong.


The party will need to engage Singaporeans on different platforms, including through social media, to get its message across to the right audience.

The need to communicate better extends to communicating how PAP’s policies differ from the opposition’s.

DPM Wong said that in most areas, the opposition’s proposed policies are shades of PAP’s policies but in some areas, their positions are fundamentally different.

The PAP must explain why its approach is better for Singapore and Singaporeans.


He also called on the party to review and strengthen how it is organised.

DPM Wong said the party started with a single branch office in Tanjong Pagar in 1955 and continues to have tremendous strength in party branches, each doing significant work serving residents in every constituency.

He acknowledged that activists across the branches are passionate about many causes and the party has many young members brimming with new ideas, and eager to step up.

“All of you represent our greatest strength. You are the key to building a stronger relationship of trust with our people,” he said.

DPM Wong said that he wishes to provide activists with more resources to drive their causes and ideas into action and support them in engaging and mobilising Singaporeans.

“Together, we will demonstrate our resolve and dedication as a party, fully committed to the mission of uniting Singaporeans and building our shared future together,” he said.













↧

Age Well SG: Singapore sets aside $800 million from FY2024 to FY2028 to help seniors age well at home, in their communities

November 17, 2023, 8:42 pm
$
0
0
Age Well Sg to Support Seniors to Age Actively and Independently In the Community
By Joyce Teo, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times, 16 Nov 2023

More seniors will be supported to age well in the community under a programme that will set aside $800 million over five years for active ageing centres to expand their outreach and increase the range and quality of programmes.

Announcing the increased funding and other details of a multi-ministry Age Well SG programme on Thursday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said: “For many seniors, their biggest enemy is social isolation and loneliness. That’s when your health really deteriorates. We want them to be socially connected.”

He was speaking at a press conference at the NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre in Lengkok Bahru, Bukit Merah, on Thursday.

There will also be improvements made to housing and streets under the Age Well SG programme, which is also spearheaded by the Ministry of National Development (MND) and Ministry of Transport.

Singapore is ageing rapidly. By 2030, it will have more than 900,000 seniors aged 65 and above, with an increasing number living alone.

Mr Ong said each active ageing centre’s annual budget hovers around $400,000 and the fund injection would lead to a budget rise of at least 50 per cent.

“With greater resourcing, we also have higher expectations for agencies now,” he added. “It is not difficult to fill out an AAC (active ageing centre) with the same visitors every day. It is much more difficult to be able to reach out to the great majority of seniors all living around (the AAC) and able to engage them in meaningful ways.”


The activities at the AACs are meant to keep seniors healthy, but they must also suit the preferences of those living in the vicinity, he said. Communal dining is one activity that allows them to make friends.

Active ageing centres will also work with community partners such as Sport Singapore or the People’s Association, and make use of all the spaces in the community, including coffee shops, pavilions and community clubs.

They will need to work closely with healthcare clusters to implement health screening services in the community and integrate with the Healthier SG preventive health strategy to keep Singaporeans healthy.


At the NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre in Lengkok Bahru, for instance, there is a weekly community health post manned by nurses and a well-being coordinator from Singapore General Hospital, who can help seniors with, say, smoking cessation, counselling and advance care planning, or connect them with home care services.

Active ageing centres will be supported by Silver Generation or SG ambassadors and new senior volunteers whom they can recruit.

The Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) will roll out a programme to train senior volunteers to run programmes at active ageing centres or befriend seniors at risk of social isolation.


Mr Ong said the aim is to double the number of senior volunteers trained by AIC to around 4,000 by 2025, up from around 1,900 Silver Generation ambassadors at the moment.

“Volunteerism is a very important way for seniors to feel that they can continue to contribute to society and the people around. It will be a core function of the AACs to drive senior volunteerism,” he added.


While active ageing centres are meant for seniors who are well, those with care needs can look forward to a wider range of solutions. The Ministry of Health (MOH) and AIC, with support from the Manpower Ministry, have launched applications for a sandbox scheme to explore the viability of new stay-in shared caregiving models in the private sector.

Five companies, including one that offers assisted living in houses, have been identified for the sandbox scheme, with the aim of servicing an estimated 800 seniors. The models will be reviewed within two years, and, if they work, they will be scaled up, Mr Ong said.

A shared caregiving model may see a few seniors living together in the same flat. They form a new kind of family, a social circle, and can support one another, he added.

“At the same time, within this new household of a few seniors, you can have caregivers at less than the ratio of one to one... And that way, we’ll also reduce the manpower needed to deliver the care services,” he said.

Participating companies will be eligible for work permit quotas and foreign manpower concessions to give them the flexibility of recruiting caregivers from traditional and non-traditional sources.


For seniors who may have to undergo repeated assessments at multiple care providers, MOH will introduce a single point of contact to coordinate all their care needs.

This will happen progressively from the second half of 2024, and will provide the seniors and their caregivers with a more seamless care journey.

The coordinating provider will use a standardised care assessment tool to plan for a senior’s care needs, which will reduce the need for multiple assessments and unnecessary referrals by different care providers.

For instance, a senior who is discharged from hospital after a fall can be referred to an active ageing centre, which will be his single point of contact.

The centre can arrange for him to receive home personal care and senior care centre services provided by a different centre.


And, from April next year, caregivers will be able to tap up to $400 in Caregivers’ Training Grant per year, double the $200 currently. They can also use their SkillsFuture Credit to pay for eligible caregiver courses.

Another part of Age Well SG involves improvements to the living environment. National Development Minister Desmond Lee said a bigger, more concerted push will be made to address seniors’ needs in the built environment.

At home, seniors will get more senior-friendly features, including bigger easy-to-press switches, home fire alarm devices and foldable shower seats in their Housing Board (HDB) flats, as MND expands theEnhancement for Active Seniors (EASE)programme intoEASE 2.0, he added at the press conference.

A wireless alert alarm system will be progressively expanded to all seniors living in public rental housing, many of whom lack family support.

Outside the home, senior-centric upgrading works will be progressively rolled out in more than 20 older precincts with a high density of seniors, including Ang Mo Kio and Bukit Merah.

These include enhancements such as barrier-free access ramps and amenities like fitness trails.

To provide Singaporeans with more assisted-living options, MND, MOH and HDB will launch up to 30 Community Care Apartment projects by 2030.

These flats pair senior-friendly housing with on-site social activities and care services that can be customised according to their needs.

The first Community Care Apartment residents will move in next year, when their Bukit Batok flats are ready.

Singapore’s second Community Care Apartment project, in Queensway, was launched in late 2022.

A third one in Bedok will be available in the upcoming HDB Build-To-Order sales exercise in December.

By 2030, all towns will have “friendly streets”, with features such as kerbless crossings and lower speed limits as well as wider and more accessible footpaths, said Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat at the press conference.


Having safe roads, friendly streets and accessible facilities will give seniors the confidence to move around, he added.

















Initiative to create pedestrian-friendly streets to cover all 24 Singapore towns by 2030
By Kok Yufeng, Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 16 Nov 2023

By 2030, an initiative to make some neighbourhood streets safer and more conducive for pedestrians, including seniors, will be expanded to cover all 24 towns in Singapore.

When that happens, these streets will have longer green-man signals, lower speed limits and kerb-free crossings.

Meanwhile, more than 20 older precincts in Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah, Queenstown and Toa Payoh, which have a higher concentration of elderly people, will be spruced up over the next five years to promote active ageing.

Barrier-free ramps, fitness trails and therapeutic gardens are in the works. These senior-centric upgrades are expected to benefit more than 21,000 households in these precincts.

Fitness trails, for instance, are meant to encourage seniors to go outdoors, stay active and expand their social networks. One such fitness trail will be built in the Mei Ling precinct in Queenstown as part of rejuvenation plans announced by the Housing Board in September.

There are also plans to launch assisted-living flats for seniors in 30 locations by 2030, if the model proves effective.

Two pilot projects have already been launched in Bukit Batok and Queenstown, and a third will be launched in Bedok in December.


The planned infrastructural improvements have been brought under the umbrella of Age Well SG, a national programme cutting across the areas of housing, transport, active ageing and care services, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee at a press conference on Thursday.

Led by the Health, Transport and National Development ministries, the programme aims to help those aged 65 and above to age well in their homes and communities.

On the transport front, the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Friendly Streets scheme will first be tested in five locations– Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok West, Tampines, Toa Payoh and West Coast.

Construction will start progressively from the end of 2023 to retool nearly 5km of roads across these neighbourhoods, so that they prioritise pedestrians instead of vehicles.


The move to expand the scheme to all towns builds on positive feedback that LTA said it has received so far.

All five trial projects will have green road markings to remind motorists to slow down, but each project is also unique and designed in partnership with its community.

Said Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat: “There will be a trade-off between the speed of travelling and safety... We will need the understanding and support of all our residents.”

The ministries said on Thursday that a bigger and more concerted effort is being made to meet the needs of Singapore’s rapidly greying population by improving homes and estates.

As with Friendly Streets, this push will entail closer partnerships with residents, and tighter coordination and collaboration between government agencies.

For instance, before upgrades are made to the 20 or so housing precincts, seniors there will be asked to give their views through “community improvement walks”.

Mr Lee said residents will be invited to take the authorities on routes they frequent in their estates, so that government agencies can identify gaps and better understand how these areas can be improved.


Senior-centric improvements will be made in selected private estates too, but the authorities could not provide information on which estates these are or how many will be chosen. Some of these estates will include those that have already been improved under the Ministry of National Development’s estate upgrading programme, said the ministries.

The upgrading work will include more barrier-free ramps and rest points along routes that seniors frequent. Larger and more colourful signs will also be introduced to help those with dementia find their way around.

As for the plan to add more assisted-living flats, the three ministries said it comes on the back of the positive response to the Harmony Village@Bukit Batok and Queensway Canopy pilot projects.

It was previously reported that about 90 per cent of the roughly 400 assisted-living units available at both projects were taken up at the end of their booking exercises.

These flats, which have leases ranging from 15 to 35 years, have elder-friendly designs and come bundled with care services such as 24-hour emergency response.

The ministries said scaling up such flats here will give more seniors the option of spending their golden years in familiar neighbourhoods.

“We will watch the initial few launches to ensure that the model works well (and) iron out all the issues along the way,” Mr Lee said, adding that there is high demand from seniors looking to “right-size” their homes.

Within existing HDB flats, the authorities are also looking to add a wider range of elder-friendly features.


Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced this in his National Day Rally speech in August, when he spoke about the expanded Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) 2.0 programme, which will provide seniors with wider toilet entrances and foldable shower seats.

The ministries said on Thursday that the initiative will offer other features, such as home fire alarm devices and rocker light switches. The aim is to launch EASE 2.0 in 2024, Mr Desmond Lee said.

The new features come on top of the elder-friendly fittings that are already available under the current EASE programme, such as grab bars and ramps for flat entrances with steps.

The features were decided in consultation with the Ministry of Health, Agency for Integrated Care and healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists.

Launched in July 2012, EASE is offered in tandem with HDB’s Home Improvement Programme or via a direct application to the public housing agency.

To be eligible, households must have a family member aged 65 and above, or aged between 60 and 64 and in need of help with at least one activity of daily living, such as bathing or dressing.

Mr Edwin Lee, 70, who lives in Siglap, is glad that the Government is making it easier for seniors like himself to get around.

The semi-retired home baker said there have already been improvements made to his neighbourhood, with wider footpaths and longer crossing times near his bus stop.

He is also happy to see more fitness corners being built in convenient locations, adding: “I really appreciate the effort that is being put in.”







Alert button was lifeline for 67-year-old who fell in middle of night
By Joyce Teo, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times, 16 Nov 2023

Earlier this year, when 67-year-old Khoo Ai Choo fell in her Redhill rental flat after going to the bathroom at midnight, she crawled to a wireless alert alarm system to activate a button and record a message that she needed help.

A few minutes later, a staff member from CareLine, a 24-hour telecare service by Changi General Hospital to support seniors, responded and called an ambulance to take Madam Khoo to a hospital.

It was a lifeline as she does not own a mobile phone, she told the media gathered at her flat for an interview on Wednesday.

Madam Khoo, who lives alone, has fallen two more times in the middle of the night since.

Each time, she has managed to get help by pressing the alert buttons installed near her front door and in the bathroom.

She used to own a walking stick but now uses a walking frame.


The alert system is manned by the active ageing centre at the void deck of her block during working hours and, after that, the CareLine team.

In the past 3½ years, around 800 seniors have received emergency medical assistance through the alert system, said the Ministry of National Development (MND).

On Thursday, it added that it will progressively expand the system to all seniors aged 60 and above living in public rental housing as part of the Age Well SG programme.

As at June, the system has been installed in about 8,600 units in 52 rental blocks, benefiting around 10,000 seniors.

The expansion will help 26,800 more seniors living in around 170 rental blocks, MND said.

The wireless alert system is an upgrade of an older pull-cord system, which seniors could use to activate an alarm at the void deck to alert anyone within hearing distance.

It was also connected to an active ageing centre but that was only during day working hours.





1,000 NUS students befriend seniors as part of course to encourage volunteerism
By Shermaine Ang, The Straits Times, 16 Nov 2023

When third-year National University of Singapore (NUS) business undergraduate Bridget Ho visited a woman in her 80s at her flat in Farrer Road, she and her classmate would be asked to leave after half an hour when the senior wanted to rest.

But showing up week after week, Ms Ho, 25, discovered the senior used to be a tailor and shared her interest in crochet. Over time, with constant prompting, the older woman started to open up.

“I was very happy to see her smile,” said Ms Ho, adding that for a long time, the woman had not interacted with anyone apart from a helper she lived with, and was not used to visitors.

Ms Ho is among about 1,000 NUS students who befriended seniors at active ageing centres (AACs), where seniors have access to social activities, or took part in the Agency for Integrated Care’s (AIC) Silver Generation Ambassadors programme, where volunteers visit seniors at home to talk to them about preventive health.

The weekly visits Ms Ho paid to the older woman over eight months were part of an NUS service-learning course she completed this year.

The year-long, credit-bearing course, piloted this year, is the result of a tie-up between AIC and NUS that was inked on Thursday. It aims to engage more than 2,000 students a year in volunteering with seniors.

A memorandum of understanding was signed to promote volunteerism in the community care sector. Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing attended the event at NTUC Health Active Ageing Centre in Bukit Batok.


He said in a Facebook post that befriending programmes at AACs can create shared experiences through intergenerational bonding.

“I think both young and old have much to learn from each other. Time spent together is good for the heart, and for the soul.”

NUS now offers two year-long, service-learning courses as part of its general education curriculum. The courses, run by the department of social work, teach students how to communicate with empathy and civic consciousness to prepare them to engage seniors.

Students taking the Reconnect SeniorsSG course serve as befrienders, meeting seniors regularly to accompany them on walks and visits to the AAC, market or clinic.

Those taking the Support Healthy AgeingSG course visit seniors in their homes to inform them of government schemes and activities, and better understand their needs.

Ms Ong Mui Hong, director of NUS Communities and Engagement, said the service-learning courses “provide a valuable opportunity for all students to think deeper about societal issues while taking constructive actions to advance social services and community building”.

Mr Sng Hock Lin, chief of the Silver Generation Office which oversees the Silver Generation Ambassadors programme, said he is also working with corporate volunteers and hopes to engage more institutes of higher education in volunteering with seniors.

To encourage working adults to give their time, volunteer opportunities should be more flexible, he added. For instance, they can visit seniors in groups of five, so that the sessions can still go on even if some are unable to make it.


During her visits, Ms Ho and her classmate taught the older woman origami, or the art of folding paper. After learning a design, the senior would fold a bagful of origami, and show it to them during the next visit.

She said the senior was grateful when she bought her a glucometer to replace her broken one to monitor her blood sugar level for her diabetes.

Now, Ms Ho cherishes her own grandparents more and takes a greater interest in their lives. “I went home to spend quality time with my grandmother and find out what she likes to do.”

Madam Ng Yee Chan, 84, enjoys having the students visit. It is the only time she gets to interact with others apart from her youngest son and her helper, whom she lives with.

Being visually impaired, she does not get to leave home often due to the risk of falling. “I like when they visit, and I can chat with them,” she said. “They dote on me and hold my hand.”

Madam Ng, who added that she has little to do at home, also enjoys going out for walks with the student volunteers. She said she misses her five grandchildren, whom she cared for when they were young but are now too busy to visit.

“I try not to think too much, because doctors tell me I must be happy, then I will be healthy,” she added.







Related
↧
↧

ComLink+: New financial incentives to spur low-income families to work towards improving their lives

November 22, 2023, 5:52 pm
$
0
0
Low-income families with young children to get up to $30,000 in total payouts under ComLink scheme
By Theresa Tan, Senior Social Affairs Correspondent, The Straits Times, 20 Nov 2023

Low-income families will be given financial incentives and other support if they work towards improving their lives, in a national push to give them a leg-up.

Families with children living in highly subsidised Housing Board rental flats who qualify can get up to $30,000 in total payouts if they meet certain employment criteria and make voluntary Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions to save up to buy their own homes.


About 14,000 families on the Community Link (ComLink) scheme are eligible for these new areas of support, which will be rolled out from the second half of 2024.

The measures are aimed at motivating families to send their children to pre-school by the age of three, find a stable job that pays CPF, and save up to buy their own homes. For example, beneficiaries can get between $450 and $550 every three months in a mix of cash and CPF payouts if they find a CPF-paying job with a salary of at least $1,400 a month.

One package helps families to clear their debt, such as for utility and housing arrears. This debt clearance package will match dollar for dollar up to $2,500 in sums repaid by the family, so the total debt cleared would be up to $5,000.

ComLink+ is a key plank of the national drive to reduce income inequality and boost social mobility under the Forward Singapore report, which was launched on Oct 27.

Speaking at the Year of Celebrating Social Service Partners appreciation event on Nov 20, Mr Masagos said: “We want Singapore to continue to be a place where social mobility is kept alive for all, especially low-income families who may face unique challenges.

“Many Singaporeans share this vision and agree that more support for low-income families is needed. At the same time, they think this needs to be done in a manner that does not erode self-reliance and agency.”


Mr Masagos described the ComLink+ scheme as a key shift beyond providing just basic, short-term social assistance. The additional financial support will help ease the financial pressures on the families and help them achieve their longer-term goals faster, he added.


“It may take a generation or more, but we know that by reinforcing families’ ability to provide their children with a good start in life today, we give them a better chance of a brighter tomorrow.”

The latest scheme builds on the existing ComLink programme that started in 2019, where low-income families with children living in HDB rental flats are given coordinated and comprehensive support ranging from job assistance to children’s development.

The ComLink+ support measures will be trialled for three years to assess their effectiveness before any potential scale-up, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) said.

Areas of support under four packages

1. Pre-school education

Each child enrolled in pre-school will get a one-time $500 top-up to the Child Development Account (CDA), which is a special savings account for the child that can be used to pay pre-school and healthcare fees, when they turn three.

Those between the ages of three and six will get a $200 top-up to their CDA every three months if they attend pre-school regularly. Regular attendance is defined as when the child is in pre-school at least 75 per cent of the time.

Local research has shown that children who attend pre-school from the age of three are less likely to require additional learning support in primary school.

However, the pre-school enrolment and attendance rate of children from lower-income families are lower than the national average, especially at the age of three and four. For example, 88 per cent of children aged three to four nationwide were enrolled in pre-school, compared with 78 per cent for those in lower-income families in 2021, the MSF told The Straits Times.

This package is funded by a corporate donor.

2. Stable employment

Beneficiaries will be given financial incentives if they find a job that pays CPF contributions with a gross salary of at least $1,400 a month. Each adult with a job that meets these criteria will get financial top-ups of between $450 and $550 in a combination of cash and CPF payouts for every quarter that he or she is employed.

If two adults in the same household qualify, they will each get an extra $50 every three months. A maximum of two adults per family can benefit from this employment package geared towards encouraging families to find a stable job.


3. Debt clearance

To help families clear their debt, this package will match dollar for dollar, up to $2,500, the amount the family repays for what the MSF calls verifiable debt. This refers to debt owed to licensed companies, such as utilities and housing arrears, that can be verified and for which repayments can be tracked. Debts to unlicensed moneylenders and sums owed to family and friends are not covered.

Families can benefit from this debt clearance package only once. To qualify, they must not be receiving financial aid from the Government’s ComCare scheme.

An MSF spokesman said: “With less disposable income and savings, lower-income families are more susceptible to falling into debt or arrears, especially if they encounter unexpected setbacks or have inherited debt.

“Even a relatively small debt can severely impact lower-income families financially, psychologically and emotionally, affecting their ability to resolve their debts and work towards long-term goals.”

This package is funded entirely by donors, including Singapore Pools.

4. Saving for home ownership

To help families save up to buy their own flats, for every dollar that the family voluntarily contributes to the CPF Ordinary Account, the Government will top up $2. A family can receive only up to $30,000 in total payouts across this package and the employment package. This package is funded by the Government and DBS Bank, an anchor partner for ComLink+.

Mr Masagos said over 170 partners, which includes DBS, OCBC, UOL’s Pan Pacific Hotels Group, are providing support to ComLink families in various ways.

The financial top-ups will be given for as long as the family remains eligible for the particular package or until the family reaches the payout limit specified for each package, whichever is earlier.

These four areas of support in the packages were designed based on the key needs and aspirations families on ComLink had shared, the MSF said.


Mr Masagos said ComLink officers will be trained to act as family coaches to motivate and support families in working towards their goals.

He said: “When families feel understood and supported, they are more likely to actively participate in the decision-making process and take steps towards their goals. With support from family coaches to meet their immediate needs and stabilise their situations, families tell us they feel more optimistic about their future.”

Mr Christian Chao, chief executive of Care Corner Singapore, a social service agency, said many low-income families take up jobs in the gig economy, such as delivery drivers, as it gives them flexibility and pays them immediately. This is unlike full-time jobs, which pay once a month.

“Beneficiaries often don’t have savings, so being paid immediately helps them to bring money home to the family. They are not able to think about the benefits of long-term employment when they are thinking about money for the next meal.”

He said the financial top-ups given for every quarter of employment would offer a stronger incentive for these families to find a job that pays CPF. However, it may not benefit those who need the flexibility offered by gig jobs due to caregiving and other responsibilities at home, he added.

Additional reporting by Syarafana Shafeeq













Family of 5 hopes to one day move out of rental flat and buy own home
By Syarafana Shafeeq, The Straits Times, 20 Nov 2023

Mr Kuah Chee Hian, 59, has lived in a rental flat in Jalan Kayu with his wife and three daughters, aged between four and six, for the past four years.

His family is one of many that may benefit from new support schemes, featuring financial incentives across four areas – employment, pre-school education, buying their own homes and clearing debt – unveiled on Nov 20.


Announced by Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, the schemes aim to give lower-income families with children living in HDB rental flats a boost to improve their lives.

Mr Kuah’s wife, Madam Purnawati, 37, said their current two-room flat is not enough for their family of five.

“I want to give my kids a better living environment to grow up in. Right now, our rental flat is too small for all of us,” she said.

Under the new support packages announced by the Ministry of Social and Family Development, families under the Community Link (ComLink) programme will get a boost to their Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings if they make voluntary contributions.

For every $1 of voluntary top-up to the CPF made by the family, a $2 top-up will be made via the new ComLink+ package, up to a limit.

This will help families to save up more quickly for their flat purchase and give them a better chance of fulfilling this aspiration, the ministry said on Nov 20.


Madam Purnawati, a permanent resident who came to Singapore 10 years ago from Indonesia, is currently not working. She hopes to find a stable job in a canteen or restaurant once she secures student care for her daughters, who are in pre-school.

This will help bring them closer to their goal of buying an HDB flat, she said.

Currently, Mr Kuah, who earns about $1,430 each month as an enforcement officer with Certis Cisco, is the sole breadwinner.

Madam Purnawati said: “I want to find a job (to) help my family, so that we can be stable. Once I start getting CPF contributions, it will be easier for us to have our own home instead of renting.”

If she manages to do so, she may benefit from support from another support package under ComLink+.

Adults in ComLink families that secure and stay in CPF-paying jobs that pay at least $1,400 monthly will receive financial top-ups of between $450 and $550 in cash and CPF payouts.

The top-ups apply for every quarter of sustained employment, up to a limit. Higher top-ups will be given when two adults in the household work.

Madam Purnawati said: “Our financial situation is quite heavy now since only my husband works, and he is still settling some housing debt from his previous marriage. Raising three young kids is also not cheap.”

Even a relatively small debt can severely impact lower-income families financially, psychologically and emotionally, affecting their ability to resolve their debts and work towards long-term goals, said the ministry.

A package under ComLink+, which is fully donor-funded, will match families’ repayments to their creditors on a one-to-one basis, for repayment of debts of up to $5,000.

Families can benefit from this repayment only once, and must not be receiving any ComCare assistance.

Madam Purnawati said: “My hope for the future is that I can give my kids a better life, and we can live in a home we can call our own.”



Related
↧

Tripartism can work in Singapore because the PAP Government is pro-growth and pro-worker: PM Lee Hsien Loong

November 24, 2023, 8:15 pm
$
0
0
NTUC National Delegates’ Conference 2023 on 22 November 2023
By Jean Iau, The Straits Times, 22 Nov 2023

The pro-growth and pro-worker policies of the PAP Government are why tripartism can work in Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.

Such policies include creating good jobs while training workers to be able to do them, and making sure every Singaporean benefits from good housing and healthcare that are heavily subsidised by the state, he added.

As a result of its focus on these twin priorities of growing the economy and enabling workers to benefit fully from such growth, the Republic has created a “Singapore premium” where workers doing the same job here earn significantly more than their peers in the region.

Companies and investors are also prepared to pay more to be in Singapore to take advantage of its harmonious industrial relations and business-friendly environment, said PM Lee at the opening of the NTUC National Delegates’ Conference at Orchid Country Club on Nov 22.

“They value being in a country that knows where it is heading, where everyone pulls together for the common good, everything works, and life can get better for all.”

With the Government leading the country in the right direction, it is thus much easier for the tripartite partners to work together to create prosperity and share the fruits of growth, he added.


Tripartism is the three-way relationship between employers, unions and the Government that is focused on long-term interests and sustainable win-win outcomes.

Beyond good governance and sound national policies, the People’s Action Party (PAP) Government has also done its best to give Singaporeans good value for their tax dollars even as standards of living and aspirations go up, said PM Lee, who is the party’s secretary-general.

It has done so by running a lean and efficient public system, where government spending and taxes are kept low so that workers can enjoy the fruits of their own labour directly.

Essential public services such as public transport and water are also run efficiently and cost-effectively, requiring reasonable charges for their use without putting the whole burden on taxpayers.

This approach means charges have to go up from time to time as the cost of providing services rises, but the Government will give households that are most in need extra help, he said.


Speaking to some 1,500 union leaders, tripartite partners and other guests at the four-yearly event, PM Lee noted that founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew had, at the watershed 1969 modernisation seminar, expressed his conviction that Singapore’s future depends on it having strong unions.

“I am convinced that in a vastly changed world – a world that is continuing to change rapidly, this is still true,” PM Lee said.

“The labour movement will play a vital role in Singapore for many years to come. And I know my successor Lawrence Wong thinks so too.”

Among the key outcomes of that seminar was the resolution for tripartite relations to be consensual instead of confrontational, and to develop a workers’ cooperative movement to provide essential goods and services while keeping prices low for members.


He noted that in the early days, PAP labour leaders such as the late Mr Devan Nair and Mr Ho See Beng formed the NTUC to rally the pro-PAP unions against the left-wing Barisan Sosialis, which organised multiple strikes and fomented mayhem to try and bring the Government down.

“I recall this history for a reason. As I told the PAP convention recently, the PAP was not born dominant and neither was the NTUC,” he said.

These baptisms of fire are why the symbiotic relationship between the PAP and NTUC is not merely an institutional arrangement, but rooted in history and forged in battle, he added.


PM Lee said that while many employers and governments elsewhere believe unions should play a smaller role in a rapidly changing world, the PAP rejects this view.

Its traditional roles of fighting for workers’ rights and ensuring good jobs will still be relevant, though the labour movement also has to reinvent and reimagine itself.

This includes guiding workers to keep up with a changing job market, working with the Government to provide all Singaporeans with a fair chance at success, and continuing to broaden its representation of different segments of the workforce, including gig workers and the migrant workforce, he said.

“We continue to strengthen our model of tripartism and keep it a lasting competitive advantage in an uncertain world,” he said.

“That way, we create a better future for our workers and for Singapore.”










Ensuring public services are efficiently run helps keep costs down for Singapore households: PM Lee Hsien Loong
By Jean Iau, The Straits Times, 22 Nov 2023

The Republic’s strategy for moderating the cost of living for all households is to make sure that essential public services are efficiently run and cost-effective, while ensuring the Government stays lean and efficient, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

This approach includes requiring public service providers to break even, which puts pressure on them to likewise be efficient and keep their costs down, he added at the opening of NTUC’s National Delegates’ Conference on Nov 22.

At the same time, the Government recognises that some households will need help, and it provides this in the form of cash or vouchers such as U-Save rebates, public transport vouchers and GST Vouchers. Some households will get up to $9,000 of direct help in this financial year, he noted.

Targeted help is the better way compared to other countries’ across-the-board subsidies for public services, said PM Lee.


Households that benefit the most from across-the-board subsidies are those that use the most water or electricity, and they are usually not the needy ones, he said.

“Also if I subsidised it across the board, then households will have no incentive to save, to conserve, because they don’t bear the proper cost.”

His remarks came amid recent fee hikes that will accentuate pocket concerns of Singaporeans.

National water agency PUB announced in September that the price of water will rise in two steps from April 2024, to cost 50 cents more per cubic m by April 2025.

Electricity tariffs have climbed from 27.74 cents per kWh to 28.7 cents per kWh for October to December, due to higher fuel and operating costs. Electricity prices are reviewed every quarter based on guidelines set by the Energy Market Authority.

On Nov 7, Parliament debated a motion filed by the Workers’ Party that urged the Government to relook its policies to help Singaporeans cope with rising costs.

While opposition MPs contended that the country is facing “a cost-of-living crisis” and needed to undertake structural reform, the ruling party emphasised that the Government has been renewing its policies, and that it has been doing more to cushion the impact of rising prices on Singaporeans.

MPs on both sides agreed that rising costs are a concern and that aid must be given to those who need it. People’s Action Party MPs voted in favour of an amended motion that acknowledged cost of living is a global concern, and which called on the Government to continue pursuing policies that lower such pressures on Singaporeans without undermining fiscal sustainability and burdening future generations.

During the debate, Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat refuted Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai’s charge that the Government’s model for public services is profit-seeking, citing how the Government greatly subsidises public transport operations.

On Nov 22, PM Lee said people sometimes argue that since such things are public services, they should not aim to earn a profit at all. But that would be the wrong approach, as public transport and utility providers would then have no pressure to run efficiently, he added.

“Just because a company is not making a profit does not mean it is giving you a cheap and good service. It may mean that it is running inefficiently, that you do not know that you are paying more, but it is not delivering value to you. You are just paying more and getting less.”

He said: “It is better to let these service providers earn a reasonable profit, so that they have the resources to reinvest and improve services, and also the incentive to do this. Because if they work harder, if they do better, they earn a little bit more.”

Singapore’s approach has worked well. Its public transport system is of a high standard while fares are among the lowest in the developed world. Utilities are reliable and affordable, and so is quality healthcare, he added.

But this way means that fees have to go up from time to time when the cost of providing services rises.

While the authorities will always strive to trim costs further and operate more efficiently, and not simply pass on higher expenses to consumers, price increases that are unavoidable should not be pushed to the future, he said.

“But we will also, if necessary, be more generous with the targeted support to households,” he added.

This was done with public transport fares, with the Government absorbing two-thirds of what the increase should be. This will cost public coffers $300 million for 2023.

This is also why the Assurance Package was enhanced several times in 2023 to provide households with more Community Development Council vouchers, Cost of Living Special Payments and additional U-Save vouchers, he noted.

PM Lee said this approach has worked. While in previous downturns, more residents had turned up at Meet-the-People Sessions seeking help with utility bills, the number of such appeals has dropped.

Noting that all the Government’s programmes are ultimately paid for by taxpayers, PM Lee said it has kept this burden as low as possible, and much lower than in most developed countries.

For instance, while Singapore’s government revenue from taxes and fees makes up about 15 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), Italy spends this proportion of GDP on state pensions alone.

While the Republic’s goods and services tax (GST) rate will rise to 9 per cent next year, Italy’s equivalent value-added tax rate is 22 per cent, while it is 25 per cent in Sweden and Denmark.

This approach of keeping government spending and taxes low means that workers enjoy the fruits of their labour and have more autonomy to decide how to spend their income, said PM Lee.

“We are keeping our public services financially sustainable and of a high standard in the long term, while in the short term giving households extra help according to their needs and sharing the burden fairly with everybody,” he added.

“This is how the PAP Government keeps faith with workers. We do right by them, through good times and bad. And we will always do that.”





NTUC to push for more PMEs as members, bring unions closer as it lays out plans for next 4 years
By Tay Hong Yi, The Straits Times, 22 Nov 2023

The labour movement will push to represent more professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) and groom them for union leadership alongside rank-and-file workers, as it responds to changes in the make-up of Singapore’s workforce.

It will also get unions in the same industry to work closer together in clusters in the next four years as it moves to advocate wage, welfare and job prospects of more members innovatively, said labour chief Ng Chee Meng on Nov 22.

These changes are needed so unions stay relevant, as the share of PMEs plus technicians that make up Singapore’s workforce has already grown to 60 per cent, said Mr Ng, while presenting his report of NTUC’s work in the last four years at the National Delegates’ Conference. This is up from 30 per cent in the early 1990s.

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) elects a new central committee and charts out the direction the committee will take in its four-year term during the quadrennial conference. The 2023 conference is under way from Nov 22 to Nov 23 at Orchid Country Club.


Mr Ng said: “Our traditional union turf boundaries have served the labour movement well, with clear delineation of union boundaries so that we can operate in the allocated spaces.”

However, these boundaries also “silo our efforts to serve workers” and prevent innovations that could allow the labour movement to “create value, (increase) our relevance and capture value”, he said.

He added that working as industry clusters could allow unions to form broader networks, share resources and “hunt together as a pack” to bring in new members beyond the current reach of individual unions.

He also said clusters could partner with employers and the Government to explore unified training programmes and broader collective agreements.


To cement a culture of innovation, he said NTUC will set up an Innovation Lab that will survey ideas from elsewhere globally to apply to NTUC’s context. This includes partnerships with academia, the Government, employers and expert agencies such as the Institute for Human Resource Professionals, among others, to think of and test potential solutions to both immediate and longer-term problems.

“This will be an important capability that, if developed well, can not only allow NTUC to respond to challenges, but, importantly, proactively anticipate and seize new opportunities that will positively impact our workers,” said Mr Ng.

He then spoke on leadership renewal, which he deemed NTUC’s most important task from 2023 to 2027. He said leaders in the movement are ageing, while fewer younger members are stepping forward for leadership roles.

To counter this and appoint the right blend of younger leaders with dynamism and fresh ideas alongside veteran leaders with experience and practical wisdom, the labour movement will have to redouble its efforts to recruit, develop and groom leaders, he added.

Moreover, leaders need to be equipped with knowledge beyond the traditional scope of industrial relations and collective bargaining to encompass other areas such as personal data protection, workplace safety and health, and workplace fairness.


Mr Ng also provided other updates in his presentation, including on the labour movement’s membership growth.

He noted that NTUC’s membership is expected to reach 1.27 million by the end of 2023, marking a 30 per cent growth since the previous conference in 2019, and putting it in good stead to reach the 2030 goal of 1.5 million members the labour movement has set for itself.

He also said a total of 120 business transformation projects from 94 companies have been approved to receive the Company Training Committee Grant in its first year of implementation.

Companies can apply to NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute for the grant to cover up to 70 per cent of qualifying cost of projects to raise productivity, redesign jobs and upskill workers.

Mr Ng previously said on Nov 16, ahead of the conference, that 84 grant recipients pledged additional pay rises, averaging 5.2 per cent for almost 1,500 workers, on top of the workers’ annual increment.

The $100 million scheme was launched in August 2022.

Mr Ng also thanked the outgoing central committee for its work, including NTUC president Mary Liew and vice-president Ong Hwee Liang, who will step down from their roles.










↧

Long Island to be reclaimed off East Coast could add 800ha of land, create Singapore’s 18th reservoir

November 29, 2023, 6:36 am
$
0
0
Singapore to start environmental and engineering studies into "Long Island" off East Coast from early 2024
By Ng Keng Gene and Shabana Begum, The Straits Times, 29 Nov 2023

Three tracts of land could be reclaimed off East Coast Park in the coming decades, creating about 800ha of land for new homes and other amenities, as well as a new reservoir.

Called the Long Island, these land tracts – collectively about twice the size of Marina Bay – are Singapore’s response to the threat of rising sea levels and inland flooding in the East Coast area.

Land in the area is largely lower than 5m above the mean sea level, the extent that sea levels are projected to rise to by the end of this century if extreme high tides coincide with storm surges.

On Nov 28, National Development Minister Desmond Lee announced that public agencies will carry out technical studies for the Long Island project over five years, starting from early 2024.

Over the next few years, members of the public will be consulted for their ideas and suggestions for the project, which will take several decades to plan, design and develop.

The current plan is for three elongated tracts of land to be reclaimed in the area, extending from Marina East to Tanah Merah. The easternmost land tract will start from Tanah Merah, while the westernmost tract will be an extension of Marina East. Between these two tracts, a third tract will be reclaimed.

A large tidal gate and pumping station will be built in between each new land mass. These will control the water level in a new reservoir bordered by East Coast Park and the new land masses, and, in the process, reduce flood risks in the East Coast area.

National water agency PUB said the reclamation project is likely to create Singapore’s 18th reservoir.

Like the gate at Marina Barrage, the two gates at the new reservoir in East Coast will open to release excess storm water into the sea during heavy rain when the tide is low. At high tide, the pumps will be used instead to release the storm water.


Mr Lee said the new reservoir can also be used for water activities such as canoeing and dragon-boating.

Besides offering flood protection and increasing Singapore’s freshwater supply, the project will help meet future development and recreation needs, said Mr Lee.

Waterfront homes are expected to be built on the reclaimed land, along with amenities and industrial facilities. About 20km of new coastal and reservoir parks could be added, tripling the length of waterfront parks in the East Coast area, he said.


Plans for reclamation off East Coast were first unveiled in 1991, as part of the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) Concept Plan. It was envisioned then that a series of reclaimed islands would provide waterfront housing and leisure opportunities.

At the 2019 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said reclaiming a series of islands offshore and linking them up with barrages could protect existing low-lying areas and create a freshwater reservoir.

URA showcased a possible concept for reclamation works at its long-term plan review exhibition in 2022.


In his speech on Nov 28, Mr Desmond Lee said the Government has been studying various coastal protection options, including building a sea wall up to 3m tall that would stretch from Marina East to Tanah Merah.

The wall would be accompanied by 12 sets of tidal gates and pumping stations – one set at each of the 12 existing outlet drains along East Coast. The gates would stop seawater from flowing inland during high tide, while the pumping stations would pump storm water from the drains into the sea when the gates were closed.

Mr Lee said this option is technically feasible but not ideal for East Coast Park, as large stretches of the park would have to be closed to the public when building the sea wall. When completed, it would permanently limit park users’ access to the waterfront for recreation and sports.


The 12 tidal gates and pumping stations would take up a lot of space within East Coast Park – about the area of 15 football fields – resulting in the loss of existing greenery and recreational facilities.

Mr Lee noted that the public hopes to retain unimpeded access to the waterfront, as well as preserve the heritage and recreation spaces along the coast.

A more optimal solution is to integrate coastal protection measures with reclamation plans for the area, he added.













Ensure Long Island project doesn’t harm marine life at East Coast, Southern Islands: Experts
By Shabana Begum, The Straits Times, 29 Nov 2023

Measures to protect sensitive marine habitats in East Coast need to happen from day one, say experts, to minimise the impact of the future Long Island project on sea life, which has made a comeback from a previous reclamation.

The Long Island construction not only risks disturbing turtles, corals and seagrass at East Coast Park, but may also affect the rich marine life of the Southern Islands, which are less than 10km away from the mainland, they noted.

From early 2024, government agencies will embark on extensive environmental and engineering studies for the future Long Island development off East Coast Park. Plans for the development include three masses of reclaimed land covering around 800ha, with a reservoir in between.

This massive project will take several decades to plan, design and build, and will be the East Coast area’s defence against sea level rise and inland flooding, while meeting future land use needs and water supply.

The westernmost tract of land will extend from Marina East, while the easternmost tract will extend from Tanah Merah.

“I feel the Long Island development is relevant to Singapore’s needs, as the planning investigates multifunctional optimisation of the land and seascape changes, including protection against sea-level rise,” said Emeritus Professor Chou Loke Ming from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences.

Prof Chou – alongside other marine biodiversity experts including Mr Lester Tan, chairman of the Marine Conservation Group at Nature Society (Singapore) – stressed that the seaward part of the Long Island should incorporate eco-engineering and nature-based solutions, so that the future land masses can be conducive for marine creatures’ relocation or return after the reclamation.

“Nature-based solutions will be best to compensate for the loss of marine life from the Long Island footprint. If tidal conditions require armoured protection such as sea walls, then design it to incorporate large tidal pools, bays or lagoons that can enhance marine biodiversity.”


The experts also suggested planting mangroves and building artificial coral reefs, which can serve as living breakwaters and armour against storm surges and rising sea levels.

The last major reclamation in the south-east between the 1960s and 1980s – which gave rise to Marine Parade and East Coast Park – wiped out much of the teeming intertidal habitats and marine life there. But in recent decades, nature has made a comeback along the artificial shoreline.

Corals have recolonised man-made sea walls along the coast and at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, which also has some seagrass patches nearby.

The shore between the National Service Resort and Country Club near Tanah Merah and the National Sailing Centre is known to be a nesting hot spot for critically endangered hawksbill turtles and the coastal horseshoe crab, said Mr Tan.

A rock wall habitat at Marina East Drive comprising a sandy beach and an intertidal area is a refuge for nesting Malaysian plovers – a locally critically endangered bird – and migratory shorebirds, he added.

“All these will be, unfortunately, habitats that we may lose with the Long Island construction,” he said.

Reclamation has already claimed about 60 per cent of Singapore’s original coral reefs. With habitat change from seawater to freshwater when the reservoir is built, water movement will also change.

Even if biodiversity-rich sites are avoided during reclamation, seagrass and corals – home to a host of marine creatures – are very sensitive to sedimentation, noted Mr Muhammad Nasry, executive director of environment group Singapore Youth Voices for Biodiversity.

“Sand dumping makes the water cloudy, which limits light penetration and can significantly impact the survival of organisms that depend on photosynthesis,” he added.

As part of the five-year environmental and engineering studies, innovative and cost-effective nature-based solutions will be explored for the Long Island.

Another biodiversity hot spot that could be affected is the Southern Islands – home to the largest diversity of marine life in Singapore and its remaining healthy reefs.

Dr Jani Tanzil, facility director at St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory, said sediment plumes and other pollutants spilling over from works could impact the Southern Islands, including the Republic’s only marine park – Sisters’ Islands Marine Park.

Apart from standard environmental mitigation measures such as using sediment curtains to control pollution and accounting for the changes to water movement due to construction, Dr Jani hopes that construction timelines can work around periods that are more sensitive for marine life, such as during a marine heatwave or a coral spawning season.

Coral larvae formed in the southern waters float around the entire southern coast, so any changes in hydrology may affect where the larvae can settle and colonise, said Mr Ho Xiang Tian, co-founder of environmental group LepakInSG.

The authorities have also been eyeing the southern waters to set up fish farms in the future, which, if not managed well, can also add pressure to the marine environment.

Noting this, Dr Jani pointed out that there must be a whole-of-government approach in managing not just land use but the seascape as well.










Long Island reclamation plan the right solution to meet Singapore’s long-term needs: Experts
By Ng Keng Gene, The Straits Times, 29 Nov 2023

Reclaiming land off East Coast Park for coastal protection is the right approach that will also meet the country’s other long-term needs, said experts in the wake of an announcement that public agencies will study in detail plans to build a Long Island in the coming decades.

National Development Minister Desmond Lee said on Nov 28 that the authorities will soon begin extensive environmental and engineering studies on the reclamation plans, which are expected to yield about 800ha of land that will protect the East Coast area from sea-level rise and create space for development as well as a new reservoir.


Professor Yong Kwet Yew of the National University of Singapore’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering said the two main drivers of the project – future land needs and protection against sea-level rise – require a long-lasting solution.

It makes economic sense to address them simultaneously through reclamation, he added.

Prof Yong, who chairs national water agency PUB’s Coastal Protection Expert Panel, warned that should nothing be done to protect the East Coast area, it would suffer beach erosion and eventually be a victim of permanent flooding due to sea-level rise, resulting in the loss of space.

He said studies will need to be carried out to ensure the impact of reclamation on marine ecosystems and maritime activities is kept to a minimum.

The National Parks Board should be as involved in planning for reclamation as agencies such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority and PUB, he said, noting that there are opportunities to protect and nourish the marine ecosystem while developing the Long Island.

Professor Chu Jian, chair of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University, said the authorities should explore innovative reclamation solutions, for instance by avoiding dredging – the removal of silt and sediment from the bottom of the sea – when building sea walls.

In-depth studies could also help planners avoid reclaiming land close to where corals and seagrass are flourishing, he added.

Prof Yong said the authorities could time reclamation works in accordance with land use and coastal defence needs over the next 15 to 25 years.

Given that about 800ha of land – twice the size of Marina Bay – may be reclaimed, works will be carried out in stages, similar to past reclamation along the eastern coast.

Between 1966 and 1985, 1,525ha was reclaimed between Tanah Merah and Marina South.

The engineering challenges should be no different from previous reclamation work done in East Coast, said Prof Yong, aside from the landfill taking place in deeper waters for this project.


On developing the Long Island, Ms Iyn Ang, managing director of urban planning, landscape and interior design firm CPG Signature, said planning for infrastructure, including essential networks such as transport systems, roads, utilities and drainage systems, is crucial for any successful reclamation project.

Planners will have to balance between catering for future generations and mitigating environmental impact, she said, adding that the reclaimed land should ideally provide for new jobs and lifestyle improvements.

Ms Christine Sun, senior vice-president of research and analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, said the reclamation project is likely to have limited impact on the housing market now. Long-term impact will depend on specific development plans.

She noted that some homes that currently have sea views will instead have reservoir views in the future.

That said, East Coast residents could benefit from more recreational facilities, as well as quicker commutes to work if new offices are built on the Long Island. More will also benefit from having waterfront views from their homes, Ms Sun said.

Given that the reclamation project will be decades in the making, Dr Harvey Neo, professorial research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, said the Government has to sincerely engage citizens to convince them that the project is necessary and compelling.

Noting that many might not live to see its completion, he said the Government cannot assume that all will be equally enthused and committed to a future that is beyond their lifetime.

“The time horizon for planning the future is probably much shorter for individuals, compared with the Government; nor are individuals and the Government necessarily aligned when it comes to the things that matter for the future,” said Dr Neo.














↧
Viewing all 7503 articles
Browse latest View live
Search
<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>