Parliamentary Debates Singapore Official Report
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Volume 94 Tuesday No 52 3 October 2017 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SINGAPORE OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer Not Answered by End of Question Time Page 22. Additional After-school Care Places Given More HDB BTO Flats in Yishun (Er Dr Lee Bee Wah) 1 23. Trend of Women in Civil Service and Women in Leadership Positions in Civil Service (Er Dr Lee Bee Wah) 1 24. Maintaining Ratio of Six Workers to Support One Elderly Person (Mr Gan Thiam Poh) 2 25, 26. Supporting Efforts to Restore Peace and Stability in Myanmar's Rakhine State (Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang, Mr Pritam Singh) 3 ADDITIONAL AFTER-SCHOOL CARE PLACES GIVEN MORE HDB BTO FLATS IN YISHUN 22 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Education (Schools) in light of the increasing number of HDB BTO flats in Yishun (a) what are the plans to expand the number of places for after-school care; and (b) how will the Ministry cope with the demand for additional resources and personnel to keep pace with expansion. Mr Ng Chee Meng: MOE is on track to open Student Care Centres (SCCs) in all primary schools by end 2020. The supply of school-based SCC places in Yishun has largely kept pace with demand. Nine out of 10 Primary Schools in Yishun have a school-based SCC, and the remaining school will see its new school-based SCC set up by 2019. The provision of after-school support in Yishun is also supplemented by community-based SCCs registered with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). MOE will continue to work closely with MSF to monitor the demand for SCC places both in our schools and in the community. MOE will also work with our schools on the plans to set up new school-based SCCs or expand the capacity of existing centres, at a pace that does not compromise quality. Back to Contents TREND OF WOMEN IN CIVIL SERVICE AND WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN CIVIL SERVICE 23 Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Prime Minister (a) what is the breakdown in percentage terms of civil servants in each gender currently; (b) of these, what is the percentage of women holding leadership positions; and (c) what is the trend of women joining the Civil Service. Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minster): As at 31 December 2016, 56% of (about 84,000) Civil Servants are female. Among officers in leadership positions (defined as officers in super-scale grades), 45% are female. Females made up 56% of the officers who joined the Civil Service over the past five years (2012-2016). 2 Back to Contents MAINTAINING RATIO OF SIX WORKERS TO SUPPORT ONE ELDERLY PERSON 24 Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Prime Minister what have been the solutions implemented to maintain the current ratio of six workers to support one elderly person given that the total fertility rate remains low and one out of four Singaporeans will be aged 65 years and above by 2030. Mr Teo Chee Hean (for the Prime Minister): Singapore’s resident old-age support ratio, which measures the number of residents aged between 20 and 64 to each resident aged 65 and above, is currently 5.1. As is the case in many countries with ageing populations, this ratio will likely decline over time. To sustain a healthy working population, we provide strong support to Singaporeans who have children and maintain a calibrated pace of immigration. We have also supplemented the local workforce with foreigners in Singapore on time-limited work passes. Our policies are regularly reviewed and adjusted. While the old-age support ratio uses the age threshold of 65 years, many seniors now stay active beyond the age of 65. In 2016, 43% of residents aged between 65 and 69 were in the labour force. They may also be contributing in other important ways, such as providing care to their family members. Each successive cohort of seniors will be healthier, more educated and live longer. We should enable them to contribute for as long as they are willing and able. Since 1 July this year, the re-employment age has been raised from 65 to 67. We have also extended the Additional Special Employment Credit to encourage continued employment of older workers and enhanced WorkPro grant support for employers to redesign jobs to be more age-friendly. These initiatives help older Singaporeans to contribute actively in the community and economy well into their silver years. Back to Contents 3 SUPPORTING EFFORTS TO RESTORE PEACE AND STABILITY IN MYANMAR'S RAKHINE STATE 25 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) how does Singapore intend to support the government of Myanmar in restoring peace and stability in the Rakhine state; (b) how important is it to Singapore (as chair of ASEAN in 2018) and ASEAN in responding to the urgent situation in Rakhine or conflict in any member states that may threaten the stability of the region; and (c) whether the Government of Singapore will consider providing humanitarian assistance through the government of Bangladesh given that Bangladesh will build a refugee camp for more than 400,000 displaced Rohingya refugees. 26 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) what is the Government's assessment of the humanitarian tragedy facing the Rohingya population in Myanmar; and (b) whether there is a constructive role that ASEAN can play to address the crisis. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan: Mr Louis Ng and Mr Pritam Singh’s questions relate to the situation in Rakhine State. Mr Christopher De Souza and Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar also posed related questions at yesterday’s Sitting. I will address the four questions in my reply this afternoon. In Myanmar’s Northern Rakhine State, a humanitarian disaster has unfolded in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on 25 August 2017 and subsequent related acts of violence. The conflict has resulted in loss of lives, destruction of homes and the displacement of large numbers of people. The situation in the Rakhine State is a complex inter-communal issue with deep historical roots, dating back more than half a century. There are no quick-fixes. The immediate task at hand is for all the parties involved to cease actions that will further worsen the situation on the ground, so that humanitarian assistance can reach those desperately in need regardless of ethnicity and religious affiliation. We urge the restoration of peace, stability and the rule of law in the Rakhine State. It is the responsibility of every government to protect every civilian and to restore law and order. Comprehensive, long-term and sustainable solutions must also be found to address the underlying challenges and build trust among the different stakeholders and communities, and define the legal status of everyone in Rakhine State. As a close friend and neighbour, Singapore stands ready to support the Myanmar government in whatever way we can 4 to make a positive contribution. Given the scale of the humanitarian needs, the Singapore Government will be offering bilateral humanitarian aid to both Myanmar and Bangladesh. We hope to contribute to the efforts to help all affected communities on both sides of the border regardless of ethnicity and religion. For Myanmar, we will be offering an aid package comprising approximately S$100,000 worth of supplies from the Singapore Government. For Bangladesh, given that it is experiencing a more severe refugee crisis, we will be offering two humanitarian loads comprising approximately S$200,000 worth of supplies from the Singapore Government. Our community organisations have also launched fundraising drives for the affected communities in Rakhine State. I would like to highlight three such organisations in my reply. The first is the Singapore Red Cross (SRC), which has been providing humanitarian assistance in Rakhine State since 2012. The SRC has launched a month-long public fundraising appeal1 and committed S$27,150 worth of relief items to be distributed in Rakhine State. This is in addition to an earlier contribution of US$50,000 in shelter items to the Rakhine State. The SRC will work with the Myanmar Red Cross and the Bangladesh Red Crescent to ensure that the relief items reach the affected communities. The second is the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF), a community based charity, which has raised more than S$300,000 thus far2. The RLAF will work with the UN High Commission for Refugees to distribute aid to the refugees in Bangladesh. Earlier in December 2016, RLAF and our local communities had also channelled more than S$180,000 of humanitarian aid to affected communities in the Rakhine State. Mercy Relief will also raise funds, and is planning to deploy a team to conduct aid distribution in Bangladesh. Mercy Relief will work with Action Aid International, an established international non-governmental organisation in Bangladesh, as well as the Bangladesh Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, to distribute S$100,000 worth of items including solar lamps, blankets and shelter for affected communities. The funds raised will be used to provide humanitarian aid to all affected communities in that region, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Members have also asked about the role ASEAN can play. Mr Christopher De Souza 1 As of 1 October 2017, the SRC has raised S$33,510. 2 As of 2 October 2017, the RLAF has raised S$307,000. 5 asked specifically if Myanmar can be compelled under the relevant articles in the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (AHRD). The AHRD reaffirms ASEAN Member States’ common interest and commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as the purposes and the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter.