MEDISAVE AND SPECIAL ACCOUNTS (Cutting rate of contribution)

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Manpower whether the Government will consider cutting the rate of contributions or temporarily suspending contributions to the Medisave and Special Accounts of the Central Provident Fund. The Minister for Manpower (Dr Lee Boon Yang): Mr Speaker, Sir, the hon. Member has been waiting for quite sometime for an answer on this question, because he raised this question at the last sitting of Parliament. I am sorry I have to request that he wait a little longer because the substance of the reply to his question forms part of the Government's response to the recommendations of the Committee on Singapore's Competitiveness. The Deputy Prime Minister will deliver this response later today and he will get the full answer then.