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Parliamentary Debates Singapore Official Report Volume 94 Monday No 60 19 February 2018 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES SINGAPORE OFFICIAL REPORT CONTENTS Written Answers to Questions Page 1. Installation of Lifts at Pedestrian Overhead Bridges (Mr Darryl David) 1 2. Change in Employers for Existing Work Permit Holders (Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang) 1 3. Number of Applicants Who Applied for Legal Aid from 2013 to 2017 (Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang) 2 4. Priority Outpatient Treatment for Elderly Patients at Polyclinics and Hospitals (Ms Joan Pereira) 3 5. Statistics on HDB Home Loan Arrears from 2015 to 2017 (Ms Joan Pereira) 4 INSTALLATION OF LIFTS AT PEDESTRIAN OVERHEAD BRIDGES 1 Mr Darryl David asked the Minister for Transport (a) what is the average cost of installing a pedestrian overhead bridge with lift; and (b) whether the Government has a schedule of where and when lifts will be installed at pedestrian overhead bridges nationwide. Mr Khaw Boon Wan: A pair of lifts at a pedestrian overhead bridge (POB) can cost up to $4 million to install and about $40,000 a year to maintain. POBs are selected for retrofitting based on factors such as their proximity to major transport nodes, the level of pedestrian demand, and the availability of existing barrier-free alternatives nearby. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has retrofitted 26 POBs near public transport nodes, healthcare institutions, homes for the aged, and schools for special needs children, and will retrofit another 21 POBs by the end of 2018. Back to Contents CHANGE IN EMPLOYERS FOR EXISTING WORK PERMIT HOLDERS 2 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether any employers have been found collecting kickbacks to hire existing work permit holders who have changed employers; (b) what initiatives the Ministry has undertaken to match employers with existing work permit holders who are changing employers; and (c) what has been the rate of uptake of such initiatives. Mr Lim Swee Say: From 2015 to 2017, 21 employers1 were found collecting kickbacks to hire Work Permit Holders (WPHs) who had changed employers. The Ministry of Manpower takes a serious view of employers who collect kickbacks from WPHs. Employers found to do so are liable for a fine up to $30,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both. Since 2005, WPHs from the Construction sector have been allowed to change employers if their current employers agree. In 2015, Construction WPHs were also allowed to change employers near their work pass expiry if they are unable to come to a mutual agreement on the 1 Employers were issued with warning, caution, admin financial penalties, composition, or were prosecuted. 2 renewal of their work permits. These flexibilities were extended to the Process sector in 2017. WPHs who wish to change employers are able to seek new employment on their own, or engage the services of employment agencies. The Singapore Contractors Association Limited (SCAL) has also put in place a Foreign Construction Workers Directory System (FCWDS) to facilitate the matching of employers and existing construction workers. In addition, the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) will assist WPHs with valid salary claims who seek employment. As of Dec 2017, approximately 131,000 WPHs have changed employers near their work pass expiry or upon employers’ consent. Back to Contents NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WHO APPLIED FOR LEGAL AID FROM 2013 TO 2017 3 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Law for each year in the past five years, how many applicants applied for legal aid and of these applicants, how many failed at the stage of (i) the means test and (ii) the merits test. Mr K Shanmugam: The Legal Aid Bureau provides Legal Aid, Legal Advice, and Legal Assistance (e.g. drafting of wills) to lower income Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. Legal Advice and Legal Assistance applicants only need to pass the means test, while Legal Aid applicants have to pass both the means test and the legal merits test. The data from 2013 to 2017 for those who applied for Legal Advice and Legal Assistance is set out in the following table: 3 The data from 2013 to 2017 for those who applied for Legal Aid is set out in the following table: The number of applications which went through the merits test is lower than the number of applications which passed the preliminary means test, because many applicants of Legal Aid who passed the preliminary means test subsequently withdrew their applications, became uncontactable, or were later found to be above means. Applicants with urgent cases may also have been assisted under a Provisional Grant of Aid before they went through the merits test. Back to Contents PRIORITY OUTPATIENT TREATMENT FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS AT POLYCLINICS AND HOSPITALS 4 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for Health (a) what is the current scheme on priority queue for frail and elderly patients seeking outpatient treatment at the polyclinics and hospitals; and (b) whether this priority scheme is also applicable across all patient service points 4 such as the x-ray department and pharmacy. Mr Gan Kim Yong: All our polyclinics and specialist outpatient clinics have implemented appointment booking to minimise waiting time for patients. As many of our patients are elderly, appointments are given based on clinical need. This ensures that patients who are more ill or require urgent medical attention are seen earlier regardless of age. Nevertheless, clinic staff are trained to identify patients with potential fall risks, mobility issues or who appear unwell and assistance will be provided when necessary. Wheelchairs are available and service points are also installed with mobility aids such as grab bars, ramps and lifts. Priority seats are available for those who need to sit while waiting for their turn. Polyclinics also have self-help kiosks, online or mobile platforms for payment and booking of next appointments for the convenience of the patients and caregivers. Medications can also be home-delivered or collected at selected retail outlets and Pillbox lockers. These initiatives minimise the need to queue at payment or pharmacy counters. Back to Contents STATISTICS ON HDB HOME LOAN ARREARS FROM 2015 TO 2017 5 Ms Joan Pereira asked the Minister for National Development over the last three years (a) how many HDB home owners have been in arrears or have defaulted on their HDB home loans and what are their age groups; (b) what percentage of these cases have been resolved; and (c) what are the three most common reasons for the default or arrears. Mr Lawrence Wong: Over the last three years, of a total of about 405,000 households with outstanding HDB loans, about 32,000 households (or 7.9%) were ever in mortgage arrears of three months or more. Of these 32,000 households, almost half are in the 41-55 age group (based on the age of the oldest owner). Another 38% are above 55, and the rest are in the 21-40 age bracket. At the end of 2017, 57% of these households (about 18,200) were no longer in mortgage arrears of three months or more. Common reasons why households fall into mortgage arrears include a drop in the household income, prolonged unemployment or illnesses. To help households in mortgage arrears, HDB provides financial counselling and refers the 5 household to agencies that can assist with employment, financial aid and social support. If the household’s financial problems are temporary, HDB can help by reducing or deferring their mortgage instalment payments to ease their cash flow. For owners in prolonged financial difficulty, HDB will also help them explore long-term solutions. For example, they may include working adult children as joint owners to help with the mortgage instalments, or right-size to a flat within their means. Back to Contents Office of the Clerk of Parliament Singapore, 19 February 2018 .
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