Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Parliament Highlights - 16 Sep 2013





Parliament pays birthday tribute to Lee Kuan Yew
Mr Lee’s accomplishments for S’pore are 'astonishing and without peer', says Leader of the House Ng Eng Hen
TODAY, 16 Sep 2013

Leader of the House Ng Eng Hen paid tribute in Parliament to former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s achievements — to a standing ovation from the House — which he described as “astonishing and without peer”.


Noting that Mr Lee — who was in Parliament when Dr Ng delivered the tribute — has been a member of the country’s legislature for 58 years, Dr Ng said: “For length of service alone, 58 years is a remarkable record.

“But it is what Mr Lee has accomplished for Singapore over that lifetime of service and struggle that is astonishing and without peer,” he continued.

Citing playwright William Shakespeare, Dr Ng said Singapore “was not born into greatness, but hardship and poverty”. It was Mr Lee’s “singular mission and dedication” that steered the Republic to independence and transformed Singapore into a “modern and thriving metropolis”.

Said Dr Ng: “In lifting an entire nation, and improving countless lives of Singaporeans of several generations, Mr Lee Kuan Yew has left a lasting legacy for all of us, and achieved greatness.”

After the sitting, Members of Parliament (MPs) celebrated Mr Lee's birthday in the Members’ Room. The party included a short video from the Labour Movement featuring well wishes from workers.

MPs also presented Mr Lee with a birthday card and a nine-volume Chinese collection on his illustrious political career published by the National Archives and Cengage Learning Asia.

Separately in a Facebook post, Singapore President Tony Tan and his wife, Mrs Mary Tan, wished Mr Lee "joy and continued good health on his 90th birthday".

"Generations of Singaporeans have benefitted from Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s lifelong contributions towards creating the peaceful and prosperous Singapore that we know today. Mr Lee reminds us that Singapore is a constant work in progress as he continues to work tirelessly to secure our future even after more than five decades of public service," wrote Dr Tan.

Here is the full transcript of the tribute delivered in Parliament:

Madame Speaker and members of the House, thank you for allowing me to say a few words before Parliament adjourns on this special occasion. I say it is special because today, September 16, is the 90th birthday of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s founding Prime Minister.

An amazing fact is that Mr Lee has been a member of this country’s legislature for 58 years. Since 1955, when he was elected into the first legislative assembly of Singapore, Parliament’s predecessor, Singapore then was not even yet independent, and still a colony. For length of service alone, 58 years is a remarkable record. But it is what Mr Lee has accomplished for Singapore over that lifetime of service and struggle that is astonishing and without peer. I would not recount these accomplishments today, it is not possible to do so in a few minutes, and any attempt would commit an injustice. But I would, on behalf of all members, express our profound admiration and gratitude on Mr Lee’s birthday.

Shakespeare wrote: “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”. Singapore was not born into greatness, but hardship and poverty. Mr Lee’s singular mission and dedication steered this country to independence and laid the very foundations that transformed Singapore into a modern and thriving metropolis. He forged the nation which today, is admired worldwide for its prosperity, harmony and stability. In lifting an entire nation, and improving countless lives of Singaporeans of several generations, Mr Lee Kuan Yew has left a lasting legacy for all of us, and achieved greatness. Madam Speaker and members of this house, I am delighted and honoured to be able to share this special occasion on his 90th birthday, with Mr Lee in this House. And he has made special efforts to be in this House, and I think, against doctor’s advice. All MPs wish him happiness and continued good health. Happy Birthday!







SAF to buy Aster-30 missile system
By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

THE Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will buy a new Aster-30 surface-to-air missile system to boost its air defence shield, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday.

The new system, along with other steps being taken, will help ensure that Singapore's security would not be compromised by plans to move Paya Lebar Airbase to Changi.

The shift would be costly but yield "many billion dollars" in returns as land is freed up for new homes and offices, and height limits are lifted for development, Dr Ng added. The airbase occupies 800ha, which is bigger than Ang Mo Kio HDB estate.

Announcing plans to buy the new missile system in Parliament, he said it is "many times more potent" than the current 30-year-old I-Hawk air defence system. It is also used by the military of advanced countries like France. "The Aster will allow us to engage multiple threats simultaneously and from a longer distance," Dr Ng said, without disclosing the cost and number of units to be bought.

He assured the House of continued investment in a state-of-the-art multi-layered air defence system, when replying to Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Nee Soon GRC) on the air force's operational readiness when Paya Lebar Airbase is moved around 2030.

MINDEF said in a statement later the Aster-30 system, developed by European aerospace consortium MBDA, can take on fighter aircraft up to 70km away, and also counter-attack drones and precision-guided missiles. The I-Hawk has a range of 40km.

Other layers of Singapore's air-defence system include the ground-based Spyder which was acquired in 2011 and has a 15km range, and the Gulfstream-550 Airborne Early Warning aircraft that replaced the E-2C Hawkeyes last year. The Gulfstream plane can spot threats beyond 370km.

Singapore's air force is looking at upgrading its fighter fleet as well. It plans to modernise the F-16s' avionics system and extend the jets' lifespan. It is still evaluating the suitability of the multi-role F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to replace its older aircraft.

The advanced capabilities being built up gave Mindef and SAF the confidence to move Paya Lebar Airbase, a decision taken after a 2011 study of Singapore's capabilities and security threats for the long term, Dr Ng said.

"We satisfied ourselves that our security would not be compromised," he said, with the move taking place after the airbases at Changi East and Tengah have been expanded.

He stressed that Singapore's security, in terms of the need to protect a small country that lacks strategic depth, was the over-riding consideration.

Dr Ng also assured Nominated MP Nicholas Fang there were no other plans or studies to further consolidate the airbases.

Defence analyst Bernand Loo said the Aster-30's ability to simultaneously fire missiles at eight different targets with a few seconds' notice, provides a "fairly significant increase" to the defence capability of the air force.

A spokesman for MBDA said delivery of 10 Aster-30 batteries to the French Air Force and five to the Italian Army will be completed by next year.







Empty ballot boxes are not 'controlled items': Chun Sing
By Rachel Chang, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

 THE discovery of five empty ballot boxes in a school last month did not breach the security of electoral proceedings, said Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing yesterday.

These boxes ceased to be "controlled items" once the ballots were transferred out into a separate set of boxes for counting, he explained.

"For the Elections Department, the priority is to ensure that all controlled items, for example, ballot papers, are properly accounted for. And this we have done so over the course of the election."

At no point during the electoral process are controlled items mixed or left unattended, he added.



Mr Chan was responding on behalf of the Prime Minister to Workers' Party MP Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC), who tabled a question after a student found the empty boxes at a school in the Bishan-Toa Payoh electoral division.

 They were apparently used in the 2011 Presidential Election.

 The case is rare because these boxes should have been collected and disposed of by contractors after the ballot papers are emptied out for counting.

Mr Chan also revealed that a check by the Elections Department (ELD) of 164 schools used as counting centres has since unearthed empty ballot boxes in five other schools.

This was "an oversight by working personnel", he said, but not a breach of law.

Nevertheless, the ELD will review and tighten disposal procedures.

He added that the theft of the boxes from the school storeroom is being investigated.

Both Mr Alex Yam (Chua Chu Kang GRC) and Mr Singh suggested in supplementary questions that empty boxes be treated like controlled items and be incinerated after six months, like ballot papers are.

Mr Singh said that this would prevent the "undue alarm" that has been caused by the discovery of the boxes in the school.

Mr Chan replied that this will be studied, but emphasised that once the ballot papers are removed from them, such boxes are "just any other boxes".

"The life of the ballot box ceases when the seal is broken and the ballot papers are emptied out and the box is certified to be totally empty," he said.







Community health aid scheme to include all in household
Families applying for scheme submit just one form, says Health Minister
By Poon Chian Hui, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

 CHILDREN of patients who receive subsidised treatment at private neighbourhood clinics will not be tangled in red tape when the government scheme is expanded next year.

They will be automatically included in the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) for people with chronic ailments.

From Jan 1, the scheme will be open to every family member in a household with a monthly per capita income of $1,800 or less.

Currently, it is only for those who are at least 40 years old in such a household. Those below 40, like young children, are not entitled to CHAS.

But with the change in scope of the scheme from the individual to the family, the children and other family members in the same household can also enjoy the benefits of CHAS.

They will automatically receive their blue or orange CHAS cards from Dec 26, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament yesterday.

They need not apply for the card, which entitles them to subsidies at some 870 private general practitioners (GPs) and dentists.

As of June 30, there are about 300,000 card-holders.

Families that want to join the scheme have to submit just one form, Mr Gan said, in response to Ms Foo Mee Har (West Coast GRC), who had asked how the process can be simplified.

Application forms can be obtained from public hospitals, polyclinics, community centres and clubs, as well as Community Development Councils. They can also be downloaded from the CHAS website, www.chas.sg.

The minister also said his ministry will "work with grassroots organisations to reach out to needy households to help them apply for the scheme".

Card-holders can claim up to $480 a year for the treatment of chronic diseases, like diabetes. Some can also claim $18.50 each time for common conditions, like the cold.

Meanwhile, the Government is encouraging more private clinics to join the scheme through its Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). Currently, one in four GP clinics, or 560, has signed up.

"We have been engaging the private GPs to explain to them what the scheme is about and how they can benefit," said Mr Gan, in reply to Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines GRC) on the ministry's efforts to get more doctors into Chas.

The new MediShield Life also drew questions from MPs yesterday.

Mr Gan said he hopes to share more details of the health insurance during the debate on his ministry's budget early next year.

Later this year, a public consultation will be held on the scheme, which will provide lifelong basic health insurance for all as well as better cover for very large hospital bills.

Replying to a string of questions on it, Minister Gan Kim Yong reiterated that the process will take time.

Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam, Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang) and Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah) wanted more details on the changes.

Mr Gan said his ministry hopes to implement MediShield Life by 2015.






HDB to supply another 10,000 rental flats by 2017
But fewer than half of applicants meet criteria, says Maliki
By Rachel Chang, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

THE Housing Board is ramping up its supply of rental units to 60,000 by 2017, up from its current stock of 50,000, to meet growing demand.

But at the same time, Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman disclosed that fewer than half of those who apply for rental flats are eligible for them.

In 2011, the HDB received 23,900 applications and found 13,700 did not qualify as they were able to buy a small flat or had family support.

HDB, he said yesterday, has to make sure that help goes to the truly needy.

But it will exercise flexibility on the eligibility criteria where there are genuine hardship cases, he added in his reply to Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC).

Dr Maliki also said that in 2011 and last year, 630 families living in rental flats were able to move into HDB homes they had bought.

The Government gives low-income families up to $60,000 in grants to buy a flat.

Still, the average length that families stay in rental units is 11 years.

To a separate question from Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam, the Ministry of National Development said in a written reply the waiting list for rental flats is 1,900 applicants long. The average wait is 7.5 months for a unit.

On the policy of ethnic quotas in HDB estates, Dr Maliki said in Parliament that the Government will not lift the requirement for sellers struggling to find a buyer from the stipulated ethnic group.

Rather, it will provide financial aid to support owners who are short of money to pay their mortgage, he said.

But such cases are rare, he told Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC), as only 11 per cent of HDB neighbourhoods - 18 in all - are affected by the ethnic limits. There are about 160 HDB neighbourhoods in total.

HDB data shows sellers are usually able to get buyers of the required ethnic group because of the large volume of resale transactions annually, he said, noting that the bulk of these flats are sold at or above valuation.
When Mr Nair said he has a resident who has received no offers from persons of the relevant race in eight months, Dr Maliki responded that "oftentimes, it's in relation to the kind of prices they are prepared to receive".

"The (ethnic quota) alone is not one of the key factors in whether the person is able to sell the flat," he said. "We recognise that some face more challenges than others, but by and large, our data shows it is not impossible for them to be able to find buyers of the (stipulated) ethnic group."





'Tuition not needed under our education system'
By Maryam Mokhtar, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

 THE prevalence of private tuition suggests that students here cannot succeed without extra coaching outside school.

But Senior Minister of State for Education and Law Indranee Rajah disagrees, arguing that tuition for children who are doing reasonably well is counter-productive, while weak students can get help through existing school programmes.

"Our education system is run on the basis that tuition is not necessary," she said in Parliament, amid concerns that a widening income gap affords children from better-off families opportunities for a head start on their peers through tuition.

Listing help schemes available for those who need more support, she pointed to remedial and supplementary lessons in schools.

There are also comprehensive levelling-up programmes to ensure that students develop good foundations in English and mathematics.

Community tuition schemes, like those run by self-help groups, are also available, including those for children from lower-income backgrounds.
"We hope that parents will not add on to their children's workload and stress level by sending them to unnecessary tuition classes," she said.

She was responding to Nominated MP Janice Koh, who tabled a question on the effect of "shadow education" on social mobility.

Education continues to be an important avenue for social mobility, Ms Indranee replied.

Her ministry is also committed to supporting every student, regardless of his or her family background.

Ms Koh, in a supplementary question, asked if the relationship between household income and tuition expenditure could be examined, and the effects of such expenditures on social mobility.

She cited how tuition spending here doubled from $410 million to over $800 million between 1998 and 2008.

"Richer families spend a higher absolute amount and also a higher proportion of their household expenditures (on tuition), she added.

Ms Indranee said it would be a social mobility problem if "the only way you could pass an exam in our education system is if you had tuition".

But this is not the case, she stressed.

Ms Koh also asked if the growing tuition industry has had an impact on the Ministry of Education's efforts to retain good teachers. This was also raised by MPs Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio GRC) and Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC) in supplementary questions.

But Ms Indranee said that the attrition rate of teachers remained low, at about 3 per cent annually.

"In our exit interviews and surveys, joining the tuition industry has not been cited as a major reason for teachers leaving the education service," she said.




S'pore open to work with NGOs to fight human trafficking
Channel NewsAsia, 17 Sep 2013

 Second Home Affairs Minister S Iswaran said Singapore is open to working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to fight human trafficking.

He was responding to a question from Holland-Bukit Timah MP, Christopher de Souza who had asked for more government cooperation with impartial NGOs to reach out to vulnerable women and children.

Mr de Souza said: "It would be easier for them, especially if they're trafficked or in vulnerable positions, to speak with a disarming NGO rather than a government officer who perhaps wants to intervene rather than just receive sharing from these vulnerable people."

Mr Iswaran replied that there are four prongs in the way to deal with this issue.

These are prevention of the crime, prosecution of the offenders, protection of the victims and partnerships with other countries, embassies, and NGOs, and the private sector.

He welcomed Mr de Souza's suggestion on cooperating with NGOs.

Mr Iswaran said: "We're open to the idea. We work closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and depending on the nature of the proposal, the ideas put on the table, I think we can take that discussion forward."

Given the transnational nature of human trafficking, Mr Iswaran said the Home Affairs Ministry is also studying the merits and possibilities of an act against organised crime that can be exercised outside Singapore.




Open process to select NMPs may not be helpful: Ng Eng Hen
Channel NewsAsia, 16 Sep 2013

 Leader of the House, Dr Ng Eng Hen, said a more open process to select Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) could deter good applicants from coming forward.

Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Dr Ng said an open process would cause considerable discomfort to potential candidates, especially those who are not appointed. He added that not many would want to subject themselves to such public scrutiny.

Dr Ng was responding to Nominated MP Eugene Tan, who asked if those seeking appointment as NMPs could be made public before, or after the appointment process.

Associate Professor Tan asked: "If someone is prepared to serve, there shouldn't be concern about whether he or she will or will not get appointed. Essentially, my concern is whether we can add transparency to the process."

Dr Ng replied: "The member says those who want to put themselves up for public service shouldn't feel embarrassed or discomfort, I presume he's speaking for himself and for others he wishes to be.

"The truth is there may be others who do. It's a balance and I think we will keep to this system because it has worked well and certainly I think the members who have been selected into this house as NMPs have done credit to the House."




Law Ministry to study ownership of underground space
By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

 THE Law Ministry will study how countries such as Japan and Finland treat the ownership of underground space as urban planners here mull over the possibility of developing Singapore's subterranean areas more extensively.

Singapore's law now assumes the owner of the surface land also owns the underground space "to a depth that is reasonably necessary for the use and enjoyment of the property", said Senior Minister of State for Law Indranee Rajah in Parliament yesterday.

But some countries, she noted, allow owners of land on the surface to have a "certain depth" of underground space for their use, while enabling deeper subterranean space to be used for underground projects.

She was replying to Mr Liang Eng Hwa, an MP in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, who had asked for the official position on ownership of underground space.

Mr Liang's question was prompted by a blog post by National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan earlier this month.


His ministry is "thinking of the possibility of developing an underground equivalent of the Master Plan" for land use, which is being updated, he had said.

Yesterday, Ms Indranee said her ministry will work with the industry and study other countries to arrive at a "sensible approach".

She assured Mr Liang that the issues he raised are being studied, such as whether new laws are needed on the rights of landowners and if future underground space would be an asset that can be mortgaged.

She said: "We will consult stakeholders and set up a sound framework for agencies to realise the vision of more space to live, work and play."




NDP 2014 venue to be unveiled by year-end
By Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia, 16 Sep 2013

 The decision on the venue of next year's National Day Parade (NDP) will be made by the end of the year, said Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong.

Mr Wong was responding to a question by Nominated Member of Parliament Nicholas Fang, who wanted to know if the new Sports Hub will be available for use for the NDP in 2014.

Giving an update, Mr Wong said the construction of the Sports Hub is currently progressing on schedule, and should be able to begin operations in April as planned.

He added that this means the new National Stadium would technically be available for the NDP in August 2014.

However, he said NDP organisers are considering logistical and operational requirements - including sufficient lead time for rehearsals - before deciding on the venue of the parade.

Mr Wong also said the long-term use of the floating platform at Marina Bay is being studied.




More buses on the road by end-2014
Channel NewsAsia, 16 Sep 2013

 The government intends to bring forward its rollout of the bulk of the 550 buses under the Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP) to the end of 2014 rather than 2016.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced this in Parliament on Monday.

By the end of this year, more than half of those buses will be on the roads.

A total of 250 new buses have been added since the programme was launched in 2012.

On top of the 550 buses committed by the government, operators will add in another 250 buses.

Authorities will continue to optimise bus routes to improve reliability where opportunities arise.

Mr Lui said 14 new bus routes have been introduced and 111 of the existing bus services have been improved.

He said: “The feedback that I am getting from the ground on the BSEP is positive. Many people are asking whether and when they can have the BSEP buses and new routes in their constituencies. We have been discussing with the public transport operators on how we can accelerate this programme."




CPF valuation & withdrawal limit serve important purpose: Tan Chuan-Jin
By Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia, 16 Sep 2013

Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin has stressed the valuation and withdrawal limit continue to serve an important purpose in ensuring CPF members purchase a property they can afford without having to deplete their retirement CPF savings.

Mr Tan said this in a written parliamentary response to MP for Sembawang GRC Ong Teng Koon.

Mr Ong had asked whether the CPF Housing Withdrawal Limit of 120 per cent of the Valuation Limit is enough to fully finance a typical loan of 20 to 25 years, at a typical interest rate of between two and five per cent.

Mr Tan said whether a member is able to fully finance his housing loan with his CPF savings depends on several factors.

These include the property price and the corresponding loan amount required, as well as the loan tenure and interest charge.

He added most CPF members have been prudent and taken the CPF usage limits for housing into account, before deciding which property to purchase.

Mr Tan noted the number of CPF members who reached their valuation limit is small, at less than half a per cent of those using their CPF to service their housing loans.

The number who reached the withdrawal limit is even smaller, he added.

Mr Tan also said where the case merits, flexibility has been exercised to allow affected members to use their CPF savings beyond their valuation limit.




Intervene earlier to help disadvantaged families: Lily Neo
By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 17 Sep 2013

 VETERAN MP Lily Neo (Tanjong Pagar GRC) made a push yesterday for more aggressive and earlier intervention to help children from disadvantaged families.

Her suggestions include identifying at-risk children for follow-up with their families when they register their child's birth, and reserving some places in pre-schools for them. Another idea she offered is for greater collaboration among ministries to give such families help, ranging from child care to housing to jobs.

Her call prompted a detailed response from Social and Family Development Minister Chan Chun Sing, who stressed that the integration of social services is the key to providing a leg-up for children of disadvantaged families.

Dr Neo, who champions the cause of the disadvantaged regularly in Parliament and whose ward includes a disproportionate number of poor families, had called for an adjournment motion to give her more time to speak on the issue.

For 15 minutes, the general practitioner spoke on behalf of families headed by single mothers, unemployed fathers or parents in prison, broken families without proper housing, and families of children with special needs.

She asked that more help be given to train these parents in parenting skills, and to improve their literacy, numeracy and confidence, so that they can get jobs.

Citing research in Britain and Canada that shows the influence of the early years on a child's later achievements and behaviour, Dr Neo called for "effective and evidence-based interventions".

She lamented that despite Singapore's long-running policy of helping the poor to do well in school to move up the social ladder and its emphasis on self-reliance, there are still disadvantaged children.

"Disparities between poor and non-poor children exist from as early as Primary 1 and, not surprisingly, many disadvantaged children can never catch up," she said.

Thanking Dr Neo for her ideas and views, Mr Chan said equity, efficacy and efficiency were the principles underpinning Singapore's social services. Equity means giving more subsidy to those with less, so that a family earning $1,000 or so a month can send their child to a childcare centre at $3 a month.

Efficacy and efficiency require integration of social services, he added. His ministry is working with various agencies to roll out a Vulnerable Families programme later this year that will combine different aspects of help.

Integration also means enlisting the community, voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and parents to give help not only later in life but also early on.

Mr Chan cited a fund for VWOs to roll out programmes in pre-schools for disadvantaged children, and help with reading for those who do not speak English at home, before they reach primary school.

Help on the ground also needs to be integrated, from grassroots leaders seeking out children who do not go to pre-school, to Ministry of Social and Family Development officers based in HDB towns coordinating efforts across agencies, to foster parents taking in children in distress.

A final cog in the wheel is integrated IT services, said Mr Chan, which will allow social workers to spend less time filling up forms, case files to be transferred between agencies when a needy family moves, and data to be mined to forecast needs in five to 10 years.




MSF to expand fostering scheme
Channel NewsAsia, 16 Sep 2013

Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said his ministry is looking to expand its fostering scheme for children in need of a home.

As of September 2013, there are 241 foster parents caring for 314 children who are usually abandoned, neglected or ill-treated by their parents.

Mr Chan was responding to MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Dr Lily Neo, who had filed an adjournment motion for more help for disadvantaged children.

They include reserving some places in good preschools and identifying vulnerable children for intervention programmes as early as at birth registration.

Dr Neo said this would prevent the authorities to lose track of these children.

She added the aim is to follow up on such families with specially assigned social workers and to offer assistance to those with less favourable home environments.

Mr Chan said the ministry can and wants to do much more in terms of upfront prevention and intervention.

He said: "We are very keenly aware that we are not dealing with statistics, we are dealing with people's lives. We must always act in the best interests of the child, be it in the case of marital conflicts, divorce proceedings, or fight over the child's custody.

"But we cannot do this alone. We cannot rely on policies and institutions alone. We need everybody to join hands and open our hearts, and open perhaps our homes to some of these children from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"Most importantly, we need quality and quantity manpower and this is where we'll like to put in much more effort to attract Singaporeans to come and join us."



Response to Parliamentary Question on report by Suara Musyawarah Committee









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