Speeches from 12th Parliament in Year 2012
COS 2012 Debates: MICA – Arts & Culture Strategic Review
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang MICA – Arts & Culture Strategic Review Chairman Sir, 1. The power of arts and culture cannot be underestimated. It not only
READ MORE
Speech on Casino Control (Amendment) Bill – MP Chen Show Mao
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Mr Speaker, Sir, this is the Casino Control (Amendment) Bill. Casino. Control. Now that we have the casinos as part of integrated
READ MORE
Speech on Casino Control (Amendment) Bill – MP Png Eng Huat
by MP for Hougang, Png Eng Huat 1. Sir, the review of the Casino Control Act is timely after almost 3 years of experience in regulating and managing the 2
READ MORE
Speech on Casino Control (Amendment) Bill – NCMP Gerald Giam
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Speaker, Sir, Let me state categorically that I have always been strongly against having casinos in Singapore – and I have held this view long
READ MORE
Speech on Penal Code (Amendment) Bill – MP Sylvia Lim
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim This amendment bill makes an important and overdue change regarding the sentencing of homicide cases. Overall, this is good step towards a more
READ MORE Speech on Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Bill – MP Sylvia Lim
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim This bill provides for the Court of Appeal to automatically review all death sentences passed, in cases where the accused does not lodge
READ MORE
Speech on Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill – MP Pritam Singh
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh Thank you Mr. Speaker, The amendments proposed by the government are a step in the right direction insofar as it loosens the application
READ MORE Speech on Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill – MP Sylvia Lim
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim This amendment bill has several purposes. I shall first deal with the application of the death penalty, followed by some queries about other
READ MORE Speech on Voluntary Sterilization (Amendment) Bill – MP Sylvia Lim
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim Overall, this Bill takes an important step to better align our Voluntary Sterilization Act (VSA) with certain international norms concerning the rights of
READ MORE Speech on Data Protection Bill – MP Chen Show Mao
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Mr Speaker, The Bill before us has been a long time in coming. Back in 1990, the Law Reform Committee of the
READ MORE Speech on Employment of Foreign Manpower (Amendment) Bill – MP Png Eng Huat
by MP Png Eng Huat Mr Speaker Sir, In the pursuit of economic growth, the business of bringing in migrant foreign workers has spawned into a business that has a
READ MORE
Proposal for transforming the child care sector – NCMP Yee Jenn Jong
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong (attached graphs) Mr Speaker, I like to add my suggestions for reforms to the child care industry even as the government is looking at how
READ MORE International Arbitration (Amendment) Bill – MP Pritam Singh
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh Mr Speaker, before I begin, I declare that I am a practice trainee at an international arbitration and construction practice in a local
READ MORE Speech on Public Utilities (Amendment) Bill – MP Sylvia Lim
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim I wish to seek three clarifications on the Bill. Water Tariff The Minister in his Second Reading speech explained that our water supply
READ MORE Speech on Energy Conservation Bill – NCMP Gerald Giam
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Speaker, As an industrialised economy which consumes its fair share of energy, Singapore must play its part to reduce its carbon footprint and combat climate
READ MORE Speech on Energy Conservation Bill – NCMP Yee Jenn Jong
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong Mr Speaker, the Energy Conservation Bill aims to bring about a 35% improvement in our energy intensity by 2030 and to improve the energy performance
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MCYS – Divorce Court Orders Affecting Children
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim This cut is about whether some of our most vulnerable children – those caught up in acrimonious divorces – are being alienated from
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOT – Residents’ Parking in Private Estates
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim It is quite common in private estates for have households with multiple cars, especially where adult children continue to live with their parents.
READ MORE
COS 2012 Debates: MCYS – VWO Workload and Social Worker Caseload
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, 1. It is good that the Ministry is finally addressing the problem of social worker caseload. I sincerely support
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Edusave for full-time Madrasahs
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, In Malay 1. Dalam menjawab soalan parlimen agar Skim Edusave dilanjutkan kepada pelajar di sekolah privet baru-baru ini, Menteri
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MCYS – VWO Funding KPIs
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, 1. Family Service Centres have to fulfil specific KPIs set by the National Council of Social Services (NCSS) in
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MCYS – School Pocket Money Fund
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, 1. Sir, the SPH’s School Pocket Money Fund has done good work providing children from low-income families with pocket
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MCYS – Mosque Management
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, In Malay 1. Skim Pengerusi Eksekutif Masjid atau Mosques Executive Chairman (MEC) telah dilaksanakan oleh MUIS pada tahun 1999
READ MORE Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) (Amendment) Bill
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong Sir, many I spoke with welcome this amendment because of prior bad experiences with purchases. Like them and Member Mr Lim Biow Chuan, I had
READ MORE Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) (Amendment) Bill
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Speaker, I welcome the amendments to the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and the Hire Purchase Act to include so-called ‘Lemon Law’ provisions. This is
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MCYS – Pre-school support for low income families
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong A good early start to education is important to a child’s development. It is especially important for the lower income families to help the child
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism
y MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang 阿裕尼集选区国会议员－刘程强 主席先生， 前总理李光耀去年底捐出1千万元设立“李光耀双语基金”，政府也承诺以一元对一元的方式资助，使基金最终达到一亿元。 双语基金怎么应用，在教育部作出具体宣布之前，我想提出以下两点： 第一、认清双语基金设立的核心目标，避免模糊焦点。 称为“双语基金”，反映的是希望达到的效果。但是基金设立的目的，李前总理自己也说得很清楚，是为了“让幼儿越早学习母语越好”。 所以，基金的焦点应该是“母语学习”，而不是“双语学习”、更不是“英语学习”。 第二、基金如何使用？ 动用这笔基金来研发教材或提供培训，是否统一开放给所有学前教育机构申请？而应用由基金所研发的教材又是否需要另外付费？如果个别私立的学前教育中心要自行研发母语教材或培训师资，必须具备哪些条件？...
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Foreign Scholarships
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong Our government awards some 1070 undergraduate scholarships each year to foreign students, with an annual value of up to $25,000 dollars each. With up to
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Support for preschool industry
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong I state my interest as a service provider to preschool operators. However I do not run kindergartens which are beneficiaries of my proposals. MOE has
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Special needs in mainstream schools
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong There are some 13,000 school-going children with special needs. The larger portion or 7,600 are in mainstream schools. Therefore, we must pay attention to this
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOE – Gifted Education Programme
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong Gifted education programme was implemented in 1984. Primary school GEP starts a child at primary 4 in one of 9 designated schools. Students are identified
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOH – Mental illness
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. Mental illness is a condition that not only affects the individual and family but also the community. 2. I
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOH – Integrated Eldercare
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Sir, The importance of delivering integrated care to our seniors is well known. This applies not just to integrating the delivery of
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MinLaw – Regulation of Moneylenders
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Sir, Background When the Moneylenders Act was re-enacted in 2008, its stated objectives were to facilitate moneylending in the modern credit economy,
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MinLaw – Recognition of External Degrees
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Sir, Background Currently, external law degrees are not recognized for admission to the Singapore Bar. This was based on recommendations in 1993
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOT – Vehicle Quota System improvements
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Chairman, The Vehicle Quota System (VQS) exists to limit Singapore’s vehicle population growth rate. This is necessary because of Singapore’s limited land area and growing
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOH – Increasing MediShield coverage and benefits
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Chairman, MediShield is a government-administered insurance scheme that is meant to help cover the costs of major hospital bills. Unfortunately, some of those who need
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOT – Concession fares for disabled and for polytechnic students
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong There are many requests for more public transport concessions for the disabled and for polytechnic students. On 21 November last year, Minister Lui Tuck Yew
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOH – Pricing of Drugs by Public Hospitals
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim In a Parliamentary answer on 14 February 2012, the Ministry confirmed that public hospitals operate their pharmacies as revenue centres. In other words,
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MEWR – Charges On Water Consumption
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. All of us can appreciate the importance of water conservation, especially in a place like Singapore. However, I am
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MinLaw – Internet Regulation
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh I refer to the Minister’s comments made in early January at the launch of “The Mortal Enemy”, the winning trailer for The Originals
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MinLaw – Prosecutorial Discretion
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh I refer to the decision of the Court of Appeal in Ramalingam Ravinthran v Attorney-General [2012] SGCA 2 with specific reference to the
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MinLaw – IPTO Caseload and Service Levels
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim Several of my constituents are undischarged bankrupts. They wish to move their cases along but tell me of the frustration they face in
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MinLaw – Criminal Procedure
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim The Court of Appeal judgment in Muhammad bin Kadar v PP [2011] 3 SLR 1205 was a welcome breakthrough in our journey towards
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MEWR – Management of Hawker Centres
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim It seems to me that managing cleanliness in a hawker centre can be a complex matter, because there are different groups in charge
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MEWR – Lapse of 2011 Water Agreement with Malaysia
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh According to the PUB, Singapore’s water supply comes from four taps – local catchment, desalination, NEWater and raw water from Malaysia. There has
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MFA – Renewed US emphasis in Asia
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh Mr Chairman, I refer to the US Department of Defence announcement of a new strategic framework in early January this year, that envisions
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MEWR – Midges at Bedok Reservoir
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. I believe the Minister is well aware that residents living near Bedok Reservoir have been plagued by midgets again
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOH – National Electronic Health Record System
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. The objective of having a National Electronic Health Record system is to enable each person to have only one
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: PMO – Ombudsman
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh During his Presidential campaign last year, President Tony Tan noted that the ombudsman was an institution that ought to be looked into. The
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: PMO – Population Policy
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh Sir, there remain concerns among Singaporeans that Singapore is too crowded and cannot support a larger population without significantly compromising our standard of
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: PMO – Scholarships for Minority Students
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh During the last general elections, I raised the issue of the relatively low number of PSC scholarships awarded to minorities relative to their
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOM – Foreign Worker Industry Segmentation
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Sir, The further tightening to reduce our economy’s dependence on foreign workers is a necessary step in the right direction. However, I
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOH – Managing hospital resource constraints
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Chairman, For some time now, our government restructured hospitals have been facing a bed crunch, as several Members before me have mentioned. With the current
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MINDEF – Strategic Outlook for the Medium Term
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh Mr Chairman, in view of our aging population and additional pressure to spend on social security in the years to come, there is
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MINDEF – National Service and Immigration Policy
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh There is a rather pejorative phrase that has become commonplace in Singapore since the government open the door to new immigrants – It
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MINDEF – National Service Deferment for Athletes
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Pritam Singh I understand MINDEF is reviewing the NS leave system for athletes, and more specifically, the SAF Sportsmen Scheme. It is noteworthy that when
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOM – Elderly Workers, Retirees and Homemakers
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. Weaning the economy off foreign labour requires us to look inwards to our existing pool of elderly workers, retirees
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOM – Foreign Manpower Dependency Ratio Ceilings
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. Currently, the Dependency Ratio Ceilings (DRCs) for foreign manpower is based on broad industry sectors. It would be helpful
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOM – Training and Low wage workers
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim Low wage workers do not earn enough to meet Singapore’s cost of living. The government recognizes this by introducing the Workfare Income Supplement
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MND – Car parking for HDB residents
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim In mature HDB estates where there are few multi-storey car parks, families may be asked to park their car some distance away from
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MND – Lift Upgrading Programme
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim LUP is a government programme where the bulk of the cost is supposed to be borne by the government, with the balance co-shared
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MND – Growing alternative city centres
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Chairman, URA’s Master Plan 2008 envisioned more regional commercial centres being developed outside the city centre to offer alternatives for businesses and provide jobs closer
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MND – Debarment Period for Divorcees
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, 1. The number of divorces and annulments has been inching up since 2005. In 2010 alone, there were over
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: PMO – Permanent Residents / Long Term Visit Pass
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap Chairman Sir, 1. In a recent reply to a question on whether the Ministry would grant permanent residence more easily to
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MICA – Angel Funding for the Arts
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Sir, The Arts make up the stock of our nation’s cultural capital, which enables us to build a stronger sense of national
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MHA – Security Manpower
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim I will touch on the police, auxiliary police and private security industry in turn. First, the police. In 2008, the Ministry embarked on
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MND – HDB Resale Levy
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Sylvia Lim The rationale for the HDB resale levy is stated as achieving a fairer allocation of subsidies between first and second timer purchasers of
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MND – Increasing rental flat options
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Chairman, Many families with housing difficulties are ineligible for HDB rental flats because they may not meet all the requirements under the Public Rental Flat
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MTI – Energy Source And Electricity Tariff
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Low Thia Khiang Chairman Sir, 1. The monthly electricity bill is a financial burden for many households. Although this Budget has introduced a permanent component,
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MTI – Tourism Development Fund
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong In January 2005, Minister for Trade & Industry Lim Hng Kiang announced the $2-billion Tourism Development Fund to support the Tourism 2015 targets of doubling
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MTI – Affordable rents
by NCMP Yee Jenn Jong Since the first REIT was formed here in 2002, REITS have grown to be a dominant force in the space leasing industry. The cost of
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: MOF – Project Finance Company (PFC)
by MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao Sir, Based on the recommendations of the Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) in 2010, Budget 2012 announced that Temasek has put together a
READ MORE COS 2012 Debates: PMO – Increasing fertility rate
by NCMP Gerald Giam Mr Chairman, Containing the cost of living, and lowering workplace and career impediments to child-bearing and child-rearing are critical if we are to increase Singapore’s flagging
READ MORE MP Pritam Singh’s Budget 2012 Speech
Mr Speaker Sir, I support many of the initiatives proposed by the government, particularly measures directed at the social well-being of Singaporeans, especially the elderly and the disabled. I am
READ MORE NCMP Gerald Giam’s Budget 2012 Speech
Mr Speaker, The initiatives in Budget 2012 demonstrate a shift in the Government’s mindset in providing much needed support for our low-income workers, senior citizens and people with disabilities. I
READ MORE MP Low Thia Khiang’s Budget 2012 Speech 刘程强议员2012年财政预算案辩论演讲
议长先生， 对我来说，这是个特殊的预算案。在我的记忆中，过去每一个预算案的焦点都是以经济为基调。这个预算案的焦点在于如何协助年长者，照顾弱势群体和提高 低收入阶层的薪金。在经济方面，为了提高低收入者的薪金，必须减少依赖外来劳工，必须改组我国的经济，提高生产力以使企业可以支付更高的薪金；这些措施甚 至可能放缓我国的经济增长率。 这是2011年大选後的第一个预算案，也标志着政府接下来的执政方向和政策的焦点。从注重拼经济到注重社会政策，从注重经济的增长率到聚焦于如何提 高低收入国人的薪金，这是政府在思维和心态上的一大改变，也是受 2011年大选结果冲击之後政府痛定思痛的正式表态。我认为这才是一个以民为本的预算案。 接下来让我谈预算案的内容。...
READ MORE MP Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap’s Budget 2012 Speech
Mr Speaker Sir, I am glad that the Government is softening its stance on welfarism and is taking the right steps in strengthening our social safety nets. We may not
READ MORE NCMP Yee Jenn Jong’s Budget 2012 Speech
Mr Deputy Speaker Sir, I welcome the noticeable shift from previous budgets which concentrated mostly on economic growth towards more social programs in this Budget. Over the last decade, our
READ MORE MP Sylvia Lim’s Budget 2012 Speech
Mr Speaker, We must ensure growth for all, not for the favoured few. We do not need blind economic growth, we need compassionate growth. For a long time, the People’s
READ MORE MP Chen Show Mao’s Budget 2012 Speech
Inclusive Growth Mr Speaker Sir, The mission of this Budget is to, I quote, “build an inclusive society and a stronger Singapore.” The budget proposes to build an inclusive society
READ MORE MP Sylvia Lim’s speech on Evidence Amendment Bill
As mentioned by the Minister in his speech, part of the rationale for the Bill is to harmonise the provisions relating to hearsay evidence for civil and criminal cases. I
READ MORE MP Pritam Singh’s speech on Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill
Thank you Mr Speaker. Firstly I would like to thank the Ministry for re-considering the original amendments in light of public feedback and the legal fraternity’s reservations to some of
READ MORE MP Sylvia Lim’s speech on Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill
While the Bill amends many Acts, I will focus on 2 sets of amendments – those concerning Criminal Procedure Code and the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act. Criminal
READ MORE MP Pritam Singh’s speech on Ministerial Salary Review
Mr Speaker Sir, For a country with a voting population of only 2.1m citizens, Ministerial salaries in Singapore are by far, the highest in the world. It should therefore come
READ MORE NCMP Yee Jenn Jong’s speech on Ministerial Salary Review
Mr Speaker Sir, my party colleagues have touched on many aspects of the proposal. I wish to highlight the part that I have the biggest concern with. It is the
READ MOREMP Yaw Shin Leong’s speech on Ministerial Salary Review
Mr Speaker Sir, In response to our Prime Minister, honorable members Mr Vikam Nair, Mdm Halimah and for the benefit for all, I shall repeat The Workers’ Party position on
READ MORE NCMP Gerald Giam’s speech on Ministerial Salary Review
Mr Speaker, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to take part in this debate. Like my honourable colleague, Mr Chen Show Mao, I believe that the White Paper’s approach
READ MORE MP Chen Show Mao’s speech on Ministerial Salary Review
Mr Speaker Sir, The Workers’ Party view the committee’s report with a sense of hope because it is a step in the right direction. We agree with the three principles
READ MORE