'Think-tanks crucial' as policymaking gets more complex

Institute of Policy Studies will launch 'Social Lab' to suss out challenges

By Rachel Chang, The Straits Times, 2 Oct 2013

THE need for independent think-tanks like the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is even greater in the more complex policymaking environment now, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said last night.

Speaking at the 25th anniversary of the organisation he had envisioned, he said Singapore needs to change the way it governs itself, and think-tanks "can play a crucial role in facilitating the engagement between citizens and the Government".

This involves advancing policy conversations in the public domain in new and innovative ways, he added.

To that end, Mr Goh disclosed IPS is launching a "Social Lab" this month, a polling and research unit that will collect and analyse data on key social challenges.

Earlier, the Lab's deputy director, IPS senior research fellow Leong Chan Hoong, told The Straits Times it will be in the mode of outfits like the National Opinion Research Centre (NORC) in the United States.

NORC is behind the General Social Survey that has tracked changing social attitudes among Americans since the 1970s.

National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser will head the Social Lab, and its first project will be tracking a representative group of Singaporeans over many years for a detailed picture of income dynamics, social mobility and political attitudes.

These longitudinal studies, often done in other countries, can show what works and what does not over the long term, and thus help the Government make better policy, said Mr Goh.

He was giving the keynote address at the gala dinner at Shangri-La Hotel. Among those present were former president S R Nathan and ambassador-at-large Chan Heng Chee, who was IPS' founding director.

IPS director Janadas Devan said $2.5 million has been raised for a fellowship named after Mr Nathan, for the study of Singapore.

In his speech, Mr Goh urged the IPS to carve out a credible place for itself online.

While views expressed online may not always be thoughtful, they still represent the mood and views of a section of Singapore society that should not be ignored, he said.

IPS can add to the diversity of online discourse by having a strong presence in cyberspace.

It should pro-actively engage online media practitioners, he added.

Reflecting on the IPS' genesis, Mr Goh said that even in 1988, "there was a sense that the Government and the public sector could not possibly have a monopoly on good ideas".

Policymakers benefit by mining the wealth of expertise and experience outside government.

Trust between citizens and Govt will determine success of policy shifts: PM Lee

He sets out the tenets public sector must uphold to raise people's trust

By Robin Chan, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2013

THE success of major policies that Singapore is undertaking hinges on one key factor: the trust citizens have in the Government, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday.

And the public sector plays a pivotal role in strengthening this trust, he added, as he set out the tenets it must follow in implementing policies and ensuring zero tolerance for corruption.

These include having a public service that operates seamlessly across all agencies, always sees things from the viewpoint of those it serves, and is in touch with the ground.

It must also uphold the highest standards of integrity, with leaders taking command responsibility and setting a good example.

Speaking to some 250 public service leaders at an annual planning seminar, he added that trust is essential for the Government to operate because without basic trust in the State, "none of our plans can make it off the paper and be realised".

"There will be no end to the demands for more reviews, or doubts about whether a policy is to benefit those with connections rather than the public good."

For this reason, the Government is firm on protecting the integrity of the system and its key people against unfounded attacks, because "if they go unchallenged, they will slowly erode trust".

In his National Day Rally speech in August, PM Lee outlined big policy shifts in housing, education and health care as he pledged his Government's commitment to improve Singaporeans' lives and give everyone a share in the country's success.

Yesterday, he stressed the importance of implementation, and that to do it well, "we have to see things from the perspectives of those... who are on the receiving end".

Crucial in this process, Mr Lee added, is staying in close touch with the ground.

On healthcare, F1 and politicians

* Ngiam Tong Dow clarifies remarks

TODAY, 1 Oct 2013

What’s the challenge for Singapore as a medical hub? Is the F1 a “frivolous” use of taxpayers’ money? What do today’s younger politicians lack?

Outspoken former top civil servant Ngiam Tong Dow served as Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office under Mr Lee Kuan Yew, as well as in various other ministries.

As Chairman, concurrently, of the Economic Development Board, he had, in the 1980s, championed the idea of developing Singapore as an international medical centre to tap the region’s growing middle-class market. In line with that vision, medical school enrolment was increased.

These are edited excerpts of a wide-ranging interview with Dr Toh Han Chong, Editor of SMA News, published in the September issue of the Singapore Medical Association’s newsletter.

If Singapore becomes an international medical centre, it might create more pressure points, especially in the public sector. What are your thoughts?

In my view, the public sector should compete. If Singapore is to become a medical centre, we have to develop our public hospitals, as they are at the forefront of local Medicine.

If you have a very serious, complex illness, you would probably not go to a private practitioner, but engage an established and experienced medical team who sees a high volume of such a disease, who can get to the problem immediately ... We should develop our public hospitals, instead of running them down, so that doctors will want to stay on and not leave once they get higher qualifications.

The issue is whether our hospitals can cope with the rising number of foreign patients coming into Singapore.

If I may say so, that would be a pleasant problem for us. When you’ve got the demand, it’s up to you to organise to meet the demand. You only need to start worrying when you have no demand, when you pa bang (Hokkien for “swatting flies”, meaning “lack of business”).

The other interesting thing is that when local patients see people from all over the world coming to our hospitals, they will realise that they’re also getting good healthcare services. But now, Singaporeans don’t realise that.

S'poreans no longer 'least emotional'

But experts say leap in 'positivity' index shows Gallup poll is flawed

By Amelia Teng & Lim Yi Han, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2013

JUST a year after being labelled the world's most emotionless society, Singapore seems to have experienced an astonishing turnaround in the feel-good stakes.

International polling firm Gallup has now singled out the Republic as having the biggest surge in "positivity".

This means Singaporeans are likely no longer the least emotional nationality - a tag that caused disbelief and soul-searching following the poll results last year.

But it might be a little early to start jumping for joy - because the latest data forms only part of Gallup's overall emotions index, which has not yet been released.

And experts say the fluctuation in the results casts yet more doubts over its methodology.

Gallup tracks emotions in different countries using several rankings. As well as the overall index, there is a study of negativity and another tracking positivity - the one released yesterday.

It found 70 per cent of Singapore respondents reported experiencing positive emotions last year, up from 46 per cent in 2011.

This is the biggest jump among the 143 countries surveyed and catapults the Republic from the bottom of the table to the top half of the "positivity" league.

Gallup said it could be due to the "unprecedented attention" given to the 2011 study, which may have influenced Singaporeans' response to the latest survey.

"The rise (in positive emotions) took place among all demographic groups, even as other societal measures remained steady," it added.

Latin American nations Paraguay and Venezuela continued to top the index, while Syria and Iraq were ranked the lowest.

Experts say the findings raise more doubts about the poll's credibility. "Social conditions have not changed that much, but the results had a wide fluctuation," said National University of Singapore sociologist Paulin Straughan.

"This begs the question whether the survey is measuring what it claims to measure," she pointed out, adding that quantifying emotions is one of the most challenging concepts for sociologists.

Do-Not-Call registry taking numbers from Dec

With early listing, call blocking can start from Jan 2

By Irene Tham, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2013

CONSUMERS keen to avoid irritating telemarketing calls can start listing their numbers on a national Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry from Dec 2, a month ahead of the official launch.

If they make an early registration, they can expect to block unwanted telemarketing calls and text messages from Jan 2 next year, when the registry is launched.

But those who list their numbers later - after the launch - may still have to put up with 30 to 60 days of unwanted calls.

When a company checks its call list with the registry, the numbers on its list are valid for 60 days if they are not on the DNC registry - after which it must check again before making a sales pitch on the phone, through fax, or via SMS or MMS.

The validity period will be cut to 30 days from next July.

Consumers who receive telemarketing calls despite having listed their numbers on the registry can complain to a watchdog called the Personal Data Protection Commission. Yesterday, the Commission announced the registry's operational details, following public consultation.

Marketing messages sent via instant messaging apps - such as WhatsApp - to the numbers on the registry will be prohibited too.

Telemarketers found to be guilty of defying the registry rules risk a maximum $10,000 fine.

Masterplan for training workers up for review

Govt's move timely as S'pore seeks to transform economy, says Tan Chuan-Jin

By Melissa Lin, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2013

THE Government is embarking on a major review of a 10-year masterplan drawn up in 2008 to train workers to keep pace with economic change.

Acting Minister for Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin said yesterday that a review of the Continuing Education and Training (CET) Masterplan is timely.

It comes as Singapore seeks to transform its economy and also help citizens fulfil their aspirations, he said.

"We also seek to better anticipate some of the future challenges and uncertainties faced by our companies and workforce," he added.

One challenge is to ensure that mature professionals, managers and executives (PMEs) remain relevant to the industry even when businesses restructure, he said.

Mr Tan was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of Singaporeans who took part in a scheme that matches local talent with small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Max Talent programme was launched in April last year by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency.

It targets PMEs working in multinational corporations and those who have been retrenched.

The programme has since placed more than 530 Singaporean PMEs with local businesses.

Fair Consideration Framework: The new jobs bank; will it work?

Will the new Fair Consideration Framework give Singaporean workers a fair go in the job market, or will its rules lack enough teeth to be effective? Insight's Toh Yong Chuan and Janice Heng talk to firms, human resource experts and political watchers.

The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2013

SINCE news broke six months ago that firms would be made to give Singaporeans a fair chance when hiring skilled workers, many wondered what form it would take.

The labour movement floated proposals. The Manpower Ministry (MOM) held public dialogues.

Employees, local and foreign, waited to see how it would safeguard or squeeze them. Companies wondered if it meant more red tape and increased costs.

On Monday, the wait ended, with the unveiling of MOM's new Fair Consideration Framework.

Its centrepiece is a government-run jobs bank where firms have to advertise jobs for at least 14 days before hiring skilled foreigners on Employment Passes (EPs). And the ministry will keep an eye on firms which face complaints of bias, or have too few skilled Singaporeans.

The aim: to ease concerns that firms may hire foreigners without giving Singaporeans a shot, and to tackle the practice of foreigners "hiring their own kind".

The new question now is: To what extent will this help level the playing field for Singaporeans?

MOM: I am the boss

THE changes are a dramatic departure from MOM's long-standing preference not to interfere with how firms hire and fire.

"It sends a very strong message to employers that 'I am the boss and I want to protect Singaporeans'," says Member of Parliament Zainudin Nordin, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Manpower.

But will it work?

Singapore lacks after-hours care for the elderly: Health Minister Gan Kim Yong

Minister has set up committee to find ways to provide home-care support

By Salma Khalik, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2013

THERE are gaps in Singapore's eldercare services that need to be plugged if more old people are to continue living at home after they become frail.

One of them is the need for after-hours care, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Today, support services for the elderly, such as day and rehabilitation care, are largely available only during office hours. These services need to be extended to accommodate elderly people with family members returning home late or those living alone who might need help at night.

Another is having medical care, such as a general practitioner clinic or polyclinic, located near apartments for the elderly - something Singapore can include in its development plans, said Mr Gan.

The minister was sharing with the media some ideas from his four-day study trip to Japan earlier this month that can be applied to Singapore.

He revealed that he set up a Homecare Working Committee comprising professionals in the field and service providers in April this year. The committee will draw up a masterplan on how to develop the services needed to help the elderly age in the community, and how to find and train the manpower needed.

During the trip, Mr Gan, who was accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Health, Agency for Integrated Care and the Housing Board, visited 20 eldercare providers, including hospitals, nursing homes and day rehabilitation centres in and around Tokyo.

They also visited the burgeoning "Smart City" complex, where elderly people live in rented flats. These flats and the surrounding area are being redeveloped to give them better care, social support and even work opportunities.

Seeing how Japan is coping with the needs of its ageing population reaffirms that Singapore is heading in the right direction, said Mr Gan, who also chairs the Ministerial Committee on Ageing.

In 20 years, Singapore will be facing challenges similar to the ones Japan is dealing with now.

Singapore's move to get firms to re-hire those eligible up to the age of 65 from 62 - and eventually to 67 - is something it learnt from Japan, said Mr Gan, who was the manpower minister before taking on his current portfolio.

Japan wants to keep people working for even longer. He said: "Our target is 67, but if we live longer and longer, we clearly need to adjust according to lifespan."

Japan has been preparing for its ageing population for decades, but was still caught off guard by the ballooning group of older people, and now has long waiting lists for its eldercare services.

More parents seeking protection from abusive children

Rise in number of parents going to court to seek protection from children who beat them, cheat them of their assets, or harass them for money

By Theresa Tan, The Sunday Times, 29 Sep 2013

Abusive husbands. Abusive parents. And now a new figure of violence in the home is on the rise - abusive children.

More parents have gone to court in recent years to seek protection from their abusive offspring.

The abuse ranges from physical, to harassment for money, to cheating them of their assets.

Complaints from parents include being hounded by greedy children to sell their flats and hand over the proceeds, or to transfer ownership of their flats to them, a Subordinate Courts spokesman told The Sunday Times.

Once the children get their hands on mum and dad's home, some try to chase their parents out for good.

Other parents have had a once-beloved child steal their money or jewellery, or harass them for money to feed their alcohol, drug or gambling addictions.

And others have been restricted about what they can do at home, such as being barred from watching television or using appliances such as air-conditioning.

In the past three years, about 240 personal protection orders a year were filed by parents against their children, comprising about 8 per cent of all orders.

This is up from about 160 orders yearly in the three preceding years, or about 6 per cent of all orders.

A personal protection order is a court order to restrain a person from abusing his family members, and the abuser can be fined or jailed if he breaches the order and turns violent again.

When it comes to domestic violence, abusive husbands top the list, with about half of the orders in the past three years filed by battered wives.

Eleven per cent of the orders were lodged by husbands against their wives and the rest were taken against other family members, such as children, siblings and former spouses.

Social workers attribute the rise in orders against abusive children to a greater awareness of the help available for victims of family violence, but they point out that the reported numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.

Many parents are still reluctant to report the abuse out of shame, ignorance of the help available, fear that their child will be jailed and also because they depend on them for financial and other support.

Many parents also feel that they have failed to raise their child well and their poor parenting led to the abuse, so they keep mum about the violence, social workers say.

These parents, many in their 60s to 80s, suffer in silence for years.

Often, their plight comes to light only after they end up in hospital after a beating or when they call the police to stop their child from attacking them, social workers say.

'Rethink approach towards tackling extreme poverty'

Next 2 years critical as world tackles sustainable development: Shanmugam

By Himaya Quasem, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2013

NEW YORK - Extreme poverty remains a major concern in many parts of the world and societies need to rethink their approach to this pressing problem, said Foreign and Law Minister K. Shanmugam as he delivered Singapore's statement at the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr Shanmugam said the next two years will be critical as the world tries to tackle a range of issues linked to poverty.

Speaking at the UN last Saturday, he described the global economic recovery as "anaemic and uneven" and warned of the impact of high unemployment, particularly among the young.

"This has exacerbated problems like increasing poverty levels, widening income gaps, social instability and a decline in public trust in governments and institutions," he added.

Mr Shanmugam said Singapore understood the importance of poverty eradication and sustainable development.

Since gaining independence, Singapore's government had focused on education and skills development as well as moving industries up the value chain towards higher-skilled, innovation-focused sectors, he added.

The Republic has shared its expertise by training more than 80,000 government officials from 170 countries on areas including sustainable urban development and water management.

Mr Shanmugam told the UN about the cutting-edge membrane technology that Singapore had been using to reclaim used water and turn it into high-grade, ultra-clean water, called NEWater.

During a visit to Singapore in March last year, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon chose to make a toast with NEWater, rather than wine, describing it as "something far more valuable - the elixir of life", Mr Shanmugam recounted.

Singapore also tabled a resolution, which was adopted by the UN, to designate Nov 19 as World Toilet Day, he said. It is hoped that this will raise awareness of the plight of more than 2.5 billion people in the world who do not have access to basic sanitation.

Mr Shanmugam said societies need to find sustainable solutions to tackle poverty without jeopardising the planet for future generations.

"We cannot go on with business as usual," he added.

HK draws poverty line to sharpen policy focus

A fifth of population deemed poor; guide helps govt target those most in need

By Li Xueying, The Sunday Times, 29 Sep 2013

Hong Kong has established its first official poverty line in a bid to formulate more effective policies to help the poor.

Under this line, which is set at half of the median household income, about one-fifth of those living in one of Asia's wealthiest - but also most unequal - cities are considered poor.

About 1.31 million in the population of 7.2 million fall into this category.

The specific income threshold differs, depending on the number of members in the household: Families with, say, four people, and earning less than HK$11,500 (S$1,860) will now be considered poor.



Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam said that the poverty line will be a helpful analysis tool for the government in developing policies that are "more focused".

"It will (also) let us monitor the effectiveness of the programmes," she said.

But Mrs Lam also made it clear that the poverty line "is not a poverty prevention line" - not all who fall under it will be helped.

This is because the line does not take into account assets such as homes. And because the methodology measures "relative poverty", which is dependent on the median income, rather than "absolute poverty" - when one cannot afford essential goods regardless of how the rest of society fares - there will always be a pool of those deemed poor, even if their conditions improve.

Rather, the line will help the government zero in on those that need help the most.

Among them are the "working poor" families, especially those with many children, said Mrs Lam.

This is essential to restart social mobility and prevent kids from poor families being caught in a poverty cycle.

These families work long hours, she noted. "But due to the large number of dependants, the statutory minimum wage is no guarantee of meeting their household needs."

To help them, the government will focus on "employment support that will not lower their incentive to work". This is likely to take the form of low-income subsidies, which could be similar to Singapore's Workfare programme.

Kids are not failing enough here

Want the education system fixed? Then stop sending your children for tuition and let them fail

By Jeremy Au Yong, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2013

We live in troubled times.

The proliferation and wanton use of tuition in Singapore has recently come in for scrutiny again after the issue was debated in Parliament.

And when the Government dropped a bomb - it did not acknowledge the magnitude of the tuition problem - parents everywhere were crying bloody murder.

Any parent will tell you that tuition has become a non-optional part of getting an education in Singapore. School alone is no longer enough.

Children learn hardly anything in school these days. Just ask one a simple general knowledge question such as "What does the fox say?" and see what you get.

Classes are too big and the syllabus too unrealistic, parents say, such that it is impossible for teachers to possibly get through the whole thing. So teachers rush through it, leaving students dazed, confused and longing for the warmth and comfort of tuition.

"Mum, can I please, please get more tuition for my birthday? I know it's expensive, but I need it," is a common lament of the Singapore student.

Okay, maybe it is not, but children often don't know what is good for them. The point is, they need tuition, a lot of it.

It wasn't always like this. I remember when I was in school, I would come home from a hard day at class, do my homework and then sleep. There was hardly any time for tuition.

Now, I'm not trying to brag, but back then, even without tuition, my grades were not terribly embarrassing.

Sure, they weren't exactly top notch, but at least my parents knew that I could make it through to graduation. That is more than I can say now for the children who decided to forgo tuition.

Something has changed in the decades since. The balance has shifted towards tuition.

Now children have to suffer through extra classes and adults like us can only look on with a feeling of pity, helplessness and, let's face it, a bit of relief that we don't have to go through school again.

And that is why so many are upset that the Government is saying that the education system here was designed without tuition in mind.

If anything, to parents, it feels like the education system was designed by tuition centres.

But, parents, the thing is, you can do something about it.

You are not completely helpless in this situation. You have the power to be a force for change.

Nobody is actually forcing you at gunpoint to send your child for tuition. I know that sounds irresponsible, but if everybody just plain stopped going and whole classes of kids started failing, action would be taken to fix it.

The problem really is that the children of Singapore aren't failing enough.