Debate on Annual Budget Statement

Debate resumed.

7.24 pm

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for this opportunity to join in the debate on the Budget. It is heartening to see that the Government has taken bold moves to address the needs of needy and elderly Singaporeans, who may be more adversely affected by uncertain global economic conditions. In support of this year's Budget, I would like to speak on three issues – first, on assistance for social mobility for lower income Singaporeans; second, on social integration and inclusivity; and third, on contributions to society especially by the young. Sir, please allow me to continue my speech in Malay.

( In Malay ): [Please refer to Pg 1562 for Vernacular Speeches.] For most Singaporeans, a good education paves the way for a stable and well-paying job and, hence, the means to support the family. A good education is also a way out of the poverty trap. But attaining a good education may not be easy to some, especially those in the lower income groups who may struggle with even basic costs for such an education. This is where self-help groups such as MENDAKI, SINDA, CDAC and EA have played significant roles in helping lower-income Singaporeans attain a good education so that they can have more opportunities in the future. For instance, MENDAKI'S Max-Out programme has seen various success stories that we can be proud of. The Max-Out programme is designed to help youths who drop out of school to get back into mainstream education, prepare them for the GCE "N" Level examination and proceed to either obtain work skills certification or continue their education at the ITE for their NITEC or Higher NITEC.

Farhan is one example of our Max-Out student who achieved success that we can be proud of. Farhan dropped out of school when he was 15 years old and studied in Secondary 3 in the Normal stream, because he was less well off and did not like to study. After three years of doing part-time work and hanging out with his friends, he decided to go back to school and sit for his "N" levels. He joined MENDAKI'S Max Out programme and took his "N" levels last year. He managed to obtain four distinctions and will continue his education at the ITE in Aerospace Engineering this year. When I met him at the Max-Out graduation ceremony a few weeks ago, Farhan shared that previously, he did not think he was able to even sit for his "N" levels. Now, he is full of optimism and dreams of getting a university degree eventually. He would also like to contribute back to society and inspire new Max-Out participants. This is the spirit of mutual assistance and gotong royong within the Malay/Muslim community that should be continued. I am proud of his achievement and determination all this while.

I am sure there are other success stories similar to Farhan's. And to help them realise their hopes and aspirations, our self-help groups must be supported. The $10 million set aside for self-help groups and the CDCs that was announced during this year's Budget is generous. However, more may be needed so that the required assistance can be sustainably rendered especially in terms of helping the lower income. Mr Deputy Speaker, allow me to continue my speech in English.

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( In English ): Other than assistance to the self-help groups, I am happy to see in the Budget, generous assistance for lower income families for education, childcare, general expenses and utilities. However, there are still those who may need assistance other than financial ones. For instance, there are lower income Singaporeans who have married foreign spouses but who have found it difficult to get Permanent Residence or even Long-Term Visit Passes for their spouse because of their educational qualifications and income levels. This results in difficulties in keeping their families together − both physically and financially.

One resident I met, Mr Koh, who works as a machine operator earning less than $1,500 monthly, is married to a Vietnamese lady. They have a two-year-old son. Although their son is a Singapore citizen by birth, Mrs Koh is unable to obtain even a Long-Term Visit Pass. She is here on a social visit pass, and can stay in Singapore for a maximum of three months at a stretch. For the most part of the year, Mrs Koh and her son live in Vietnam so as to cut down costs incurred for their airfares. I feel sorry for the little boy who needs to travel between two countries each year just for his family to be reunited. I hope Singaporeans such as Mr Koh can be given better opportunities to start, raise and keep their families together.

While assistance for the elderly and disabled in this year's Budget are generous, I would like to make a pitch for a group that may have been overlooked. Patients with rare diseases, like what the hon Member Mr Seng Hang Thong talked about yesterday, need more support and assistance from the Government. For instance, Chloe Mah, the first Pompe's disease patient in Singapore, has to spend about $200,000 to $300,000 annually on her medical treatments. There are no healthcare policies for patients like her in Singapore. To add on, Chloe cannot quite be categorised as someone with special needs or disabilities and be entitled to such financial assistance schemes that are available. In the spirit of inclusivity, I believe the Government can do more to help patients like Chloe.

Other than assistance given to help those who need a little leg-up, it is necessary to provide opportunities in the social realm for integration and to ensure social inclusivity. For instance, in our schools, while we try to cater to different academic abilities and individual proclivities, it is also important to ensure that our students are well-integrated and are able to understand and accept the diverse abilities, backgrounds and culture of other students.

To elaborate, students from the different specialised or independent schools must be able to communicate and work with one another and with students from neighbourhood schools. I recall overhearing a young trainee teacher remark that she had a culture shock when she was posted to a neighbourhood school to teach. Having attended top schools, she said she was not used to the way students in the neighbourhood school spoke or behaved. Similarly, a school boy I once taught told me he could not tell the difference between Tamil and Malay languages. This was because he did not have any Indian or Malay classmates or schoolmates.

Here, I wish to iterate that creating an inclusive Singapore society goes beyond providing assistance to help those who are in need or vulnerable. It also involves creating opportunities for social integration and social equity.

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Sir, at the same time, other than simply having the Government provide needed assistance and more opportunities for social integration and inclusivity, it is necessary for Singaporeans, especially the young, to proactively and positively contribute to society in their own ways.

Here, I would like to highlight the work done by the Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) in Nanyang Technological University. Their social cause is to help stay-at-home-mothers and housewives enhance their employability by honing their culinary skills. They work with existing VWOs to help these women get certified as cooks or cooking instructors and, thereafter, act as the intermediary to find them employment and publish their recipes for distribution. These NTU-SIFE students do this voluntarily as part of their co-curricular activity but, more importantly, they recognise the need to give back to society and pay forward what they have benefited.

The inculcation of values such as responsibility, empathy, care and magnanimity among Singaporeans, especially our young, is an important one. While some may think this is to be done through the schools and is the responsibility of teachers, the Government or the relevant agencies, it must be recognised that such values begin at home, within the family.

I am concerned when I hear from some of my elderly residents that their grown-up children are not able to provide for them financially or take care of them even though there are three, four or five siblings among them and they are gainfully employed and living in purchased dwellings. There was one resident aged 70 years old who was expected to work on his son's factory just so he can get lodging and pocket money. If he does not work, his son will not give him any pocket money. I feel for him – his anger, hurt and, eventually, resignation.

We must recognise that our success is not ours alone. What we achieve in life is due to many people – our family, our teachers, a good government, our society. Hence, it is important to pay forward what we have reaped. This helps ensure that the gaps between the have and have-nots, and the able and less-able do not widen. We must perpetuate positive values through our contributions to society in our own little ways. We can start with our own family.

In conclusion, I must say this year's Budget is an inclusive and people-centric one – one that focuses on different groups of individuals with different needs. I believe that the Budget will help to support other initiatives to further assist lower income Singaporeans, create more opportunities for social integration and inclusivity, and allow Singaporeans, especially the young, to contribute to society in their own ways.

I believe this year's Budget by this Government will help pave the way for an even more compassionate and inclusive Singapore society. With this, Sir, I support the Budget.

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