Debate on the President's Address

Mr Yip Hon Weng.

Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I stand in support of the Motion. We are in the midst of the greatest crisis ever faced by Singapore. Our country is facing a highly uncertain future. Even jobs that were traditionally performed by workers physically onsite may no longer be ring-fenced from foreign competition. We read of blue-collar work like coal mining in Henan, China can now be done by 5G technology, where workers remotely operate excavators deep underground in the air-conditioned comfort of their homes.

Singapore has prospered over the past 55 years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has put us in a very serious situation. Our path to recovery will be long and steep. Moving ahead, our country’s financial resources will certainly be much tighter.

In spite of the dire situation, Singapore can still emerge richer in other ways. The Government has done much to help fellow Singaporeans to save jobs and provide emergency support to workers and companies.

But there is other help that is needed. In times of scarcity, it is natural that we look out for our own needs. But history has also shown us that it is in the darkest nights that the brightest stars shine. My hope is that Singapore will be such a star. In this difficult time, we can all come out richer – richer as a nation in our civic-consciousness, kindness and graciousness. It is time for everyone to chip in with whatever we have. And we can start in our communities.

We all need community. We do not live alone. As a community, we have to take an interest in each other’s needs. We need to come together to help the vulnerable, and this is especially true for our seniors. This is a topic that is close to my heart because of the older demographic in my Yio Chu Kang constituency. There are three things that I feel we can do better as a community to help our seniors.

First, we need to wrap help and care around seniors in the community. Our Government has many schemes and programmes already in place for seniors to ensure that they can age well in place. We can certainly do more to wrap help around the seniors and to do this in the community, rather than to ask seniors to seek out schemes which are organised around agencies.

Some Government agencies have already begun doing this work. I know this because I was formerly in MOH looking after ageing planning policies. I also ran the Silver Generation Office (SGO). We leverage volunteers who are Ambassadors to visit seniors in their homes. They also share with them Government schemes that specifically applies to their needs. This is a good thing, as last-mile communications are important for this vulnerable population segment who may not know who to turn to.

I am heartened to see that SG Digital Office (SDO) moving into the community to teach seniors how to use new technology, a space where there is still much more to do. I was at the “Seniors Go Digital” event by SDO and IMDA at Teck Ghee Community Club last weekend. I saw many enthusiastic seniors who were eager to learn new digital functions like e-payments. Talking to Mrs Tan, who is a grandmother at the event, she shared that she was excited that she had learnt how to connect with her grandchildren via Zoom. She asked me what else she can do online. Speaking with her, it reaffirmed my belief that technology opens up many more possibilities when coupled with human care.

We should move decisively to have a one-stop online digital service centres for all things related to seniors. There is no need for seniors to travel to a physical location just to look for help, and in this way, improve information and care referral. We should also endeavour to convert all Residents' Committee (RC) nodes into telehealth pods and get volunteers or part-time care aides from the community to assist seniors in their consultations. In introducing seniors to the use of telemedicine, they will be able have follow-up visits in the community without making the journey to the hospital. In these ways, technology can help wrap services around our seniors.

However, Government services and the assistance of our healthcare friends are not enough to help our seniors through this crisis.

Second, we need to tackle loneliness through stronger community bonds. We have become lonelier as a society with COVID-19 and tele-commuting and we can expect a lot more empty nesters, singles and seniors living alone in the future.

Loneliness has significant implications. In a study by Duke-NUS on 4,500 Singaporeans aged 60 and above, 34% reported that they were sometimes or mostly lonely. This proportion increased with age. Social isolation among older adults is a serious public health concern because of their heightened risk of physical and mental health problems. This is further exacerbated through the COVID crisis. A recent Lancet article recommended urgent action to mitigate the mental and physical health consequences for the elderly if they remain at home and avoid social contact during the crisis.

Everything eventually falls back on the need for and the importance of relationships and social bonds. I am glad that some hon Members have also spoken about this. Building strong social relationships is a complex issue but is something we need to do well in Singapore. Government policies can help with this. For example, HDB provides the Proximity Housing Grant to help families buy a resale flat to live with or close to each other for mutual care and support.

Simple, everyday actions can also make a big impact. I was heartened to hear about the story of Mr Toh who lives in Yio Chu Kang. During the circuit breaker period, Mr Toh called SGO after he realised that he did not see his neighbour, whom he knew was ill, coming out of her flat for a few days. SGO and the nearby Senior Activity Centre assessed the situation and called for an ambulance. Mr Toh's neighbour was eventually admitted to hospital and was discharged a few days later. If not for Mr Toh's timely actions and knowledge of his neighbour, she could have suffered greater consequences. We need more Mr Tohs to build community and counter isolation.

On a broader scale, we saw the community coming together to help others during the circuit breaker period, such as through food distribution to seniors living alone. I believe we can do this well because we are a high-rise and compact community. And many of us live next to each other.

Volunteers from outside the community can be helpful, but there is no substitute for neighbours looking out and caring for each other. It creates a very different culture in the block and neighbourhood. We can do more to expand and deepen the community network. Include the grassroots leaders, organise it at the local level, leverage on the work of the Community Networks for Seniors and SG Cares, and offer active ageing, befriending and care programmes for our seniors.

Third, as we have the community chipping in, we should use our different strengths to create a stronger society. Making a senior-friendly place is beyond infrastructural improvements. In helping each other, we must leverage on our various strengths and abilities to create a stronger social compact. When one has ability, we should do our best to help others without the ability. When one has resources, one should share our resources with those in need. If one is weak, we can look to those who are stronger to support us.

During my house visits, I met people with differing resources and needs, like the uncle living alone in a rental flat, a single young mother who needs to raise five young kids, retirees who play chess at Block 610, professionals living in landed estates, even a former Minister who lives in the ward. I continue to have residents who write to me to ask how they can volunteer for the community. How can we match these resources to the people who need them within our communities?

One way is to improve on and have more intergenerational programmes and services – where the young can take care of the old, and for the old to mentor the young. For instance, senior volunteers mentoring at-risk primary school children from low-income families. There will be a chance for us to do so in the new Yio Chu Kang Community Centre.

In conclusion, in times of hardship, it is useful for us to reflect. But we should not "waste" a crisis by spending our time wishing we were out of it or reminiscing the past. We must live in the present and work for the future. We should have passion in the public discourse, to bring out creativity, be a catalyst for change and for our people to seek out new opportunities.

But besides reflecting, we also need to act. There is much that we have to do together as a people. The Government cannot provide all the help to everybody. There will not be enough time, not enough resources and not enough attention. Government must facilitate, motivate and connect. But we need the whole nation to work together to meet the needs of every Singaporean. There is great value for us to do more for each other. This can be a reset in our nation building journey.

Ultimately, we are facing a test. We either react by fighting for ourselves or watch out for each other. How we react will define us as a nation. As Singaporeans, we have gone through thick and thin together in the past.

Yio Chu Kang was a big kampong area 50 years ago, a kampong of mainly coconut plantations and fresh fish farms. I took the opportunity to speak with old residents who had stayed in Yio Chu Kang from the kampong days till today. They shared with me how neighbours would help each other in times of harvest, such as picking coconuts and gathering fish, because the tasks were too onerous for each family to carry out on their own. One such resident, Mr Vincent Toh, recalled how he used to follow his father and uncle around the kampong in Lorong Lentor learning how to help his neighbours in these endeavours, often late into the night. He made many friends among his neighbours. Some are still living in Yio Chu Kang today. Many lifelong friendships were forged. We should rebuild and carry-over the old kampong spirit for Singapore.

This spirit continues today. During my walkabouts, I met Mr Peter Chong, who is a hawker selling chicken rice at our Yio Chu Kang 628 Food Centre. A soft-spoken man, he offers discounted food to healthcare workers who he recognised through their uniforms. He also looks out for the seniors who would at times forget to bring money for their meals. Mr Chong would let them to have their meals and pay him another time. Such small daily acts of kindness and endearing moments are appreciated by the seniors and the Yio Chu Kang community. It is in the same spirit as SG Together, a shared conviction to work together and help each other to take Singapore forward.

This spirit must be strengthened. In times of scarcity, we can be richer if we help each other. Treat our neighbours as our family. Reach out to those in need in times of crisis. Go the extra mile to care. This need not only be in big ways but in our everyday actions. This is how we should live. Thank you and I support the Motion.

Dr Wan Rizal.

Mr Deputy Speaker, before I begin, I would like to declare that I am an educator at an Institute of Higher Learning (IHL), embarking on research in health and human motor behaviour, learning and development.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to extend my wholehearted appreciation and support for the President's Address. The year 2020 thus far has been a trying year for Singaporeans and life as we know it has changed in the span of just a few months. I would like to take this opportunity to salute our frontliners who have valiantly kept our country going.

Not forgetting my fellow educators, from the early childhood sector to the primary schools and secondary schools as well as to those in the IHLs, for facing our students every day and provide normalcy when times are rough. Their dedication and ability to adapt underlie the quality of the educators that we have, and I hope that we can continue to provide them with the best support and work-life balance as possible. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Teachers’ Day in advance to all of them.

One key message from the President's Address that resonates strongly with me, and that I urge for the House to continually review, is in ensuring continuous social mobility in Singapore, especially through our education system. The recent Addendum by MOE to redouble their efforts to ensure that no child is left behind and to ensure multiple pathways to achieve success is much welcomed.

The standard route for many of us is that we go through the primary, then secondary schools before moving on to tertiary education either in the junior colleges, polytechnics or ITEs. Following this set mould, some would then attain a bachelor's degree, which is seen as the endpoint and pinnacle of one's education journey.

I would like us to continually challenge this notion, especially when we are serious about lifelong learning. To sustain something lifelong requires us to understand how to prevent physical and psychological burnouts that may happen throughout this journey. This may include providing opportunities for individuals to discover, rediscover and reinvent themselves.

I believe that lifelong learning should not be an extension of just the tertiary education, but also an extension on the other end, the Early Childhood education. In this way, the education journey is spread over a longer period of time, reducing its intensity, yet at the same time, extending the runway for one to pursue their passion and making them invaluable experts in their chosen field. A longer runway also implies that if one decides to change their field of interest or finds a new one, it is never too late.

Within this extended timeline, I would like to point out three key phases of interest. The first is "discovery".

We often hear the notion that children are like sponges, due to their ability to absorb information. But this ability would not be maximised without the opportunity to play and explore. Through deliberate play and exploration, children discover skills of social interaction and problem-solving beyond what books can offer.

From a motor development perspective, the age between four and seven is often termed as the "window of opportunity". Children who pick up fundamental movement skills during this critical period grow to be more confident, have higher self-esteem and maintain an active and healthy lifestyle throughout their lives. As you can see, the benefits of emphasising play during this critical juncture are long term. By the time a child enters primary school at the age of seven, without a solid foundation during this critical window, it may be too late. How often do we see our young children choosing mobile devices over physical activities?

The formation of ECDA and NIEC, programmes such as KidSTART and the increase in Government subsidies for preschools show that we are in the right direction towards making preschool accessible for all.

While the Government has been forthcoming in its support for early childhood education, I urge us to hold ourselves to a higher standard and would like to suggest that preschool education become mandatory for all Singaporean children. Mandating compulsory preschool education underlies our strong commitment in combating inequality at the earliest juncture possible and ensures that every Singaporean child is given the opportunity, the opportunity to discover the joy of exploration and play and, importantly, they stand a chance, just a chance when they enter primary school.

The next key phase is "rediscover". Currently, there are over 250 courses available in our local polytechnics and universities, allowing students to choose a course that matches their interest and passion. However, the collapse of certain sectors and the streamlining of the workforce brought upon by COVID-19 has exposed the inability of some of our fresh graduates to be agile in a volatile job environment.

As an educator, I have met many ex-students from both the polytechnics and the universities who are unable to secure jobs. Some of them are my primary school students from 15 years ago. A typical scenario would be a fresh graduate in a particular affected sector, who suddenly finds himself at a complete loss with the dismal state of his particular industry due to the specialised nature of his course.

This then raises the question of how specialised their education should be at this stage. Because clearly, early specialisation constraints their skillsets and limits opportunities. On the other hand, an emphasis on broad skills rooted in Industry 4.0 that can be generalised across other disciplines can put our fresh graduates on a better footing and give them the confidence to apply their technical skills across other relevant sectors.

So, the next question may be when the specialised skills should be introduced. I am a strong believer that this should be done on-the-job. As fresh graduates learn from the job and develop their passion and eventually specialise, it is at this juncture where they rediscover, as they enrol in specialised courses in the polytechnics or universities. I envision a future where such specialised courses are curated in collaboration with industry partners, creating a symbiotic relationship between content and relevance, and further supported by a robust apprenticeship approach.

Importantly, if a similar crisis were to strike again, we have done our part to ensure that every Singaporean graduate is future-ready and remains employable. The final phase is "reinvent".

I recall my own struggles managing my work, my responsibilities as a young father, as well as studies and research. The only perk that I could think of was that living in Punggol and travelling all the way to the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) meant that I had a lot of time to read my notes in the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT). Although I must admit, like any other adult learners who also have families and who reach home late, I usually end up using that time to catch up on sleep.

Support for adult learners requires work on multiple fronts. It starts from building an employer culture that sees value and allows time for the employee for training and education. I would like to emphasise the enhancing of digital avenues to allow flexibility in pursuing courses. The COVID-19 situation has proven to us that learning online is possible and it may be the preferred mode for future learning. Personally, I have conducted numerous online lectures with adult learners who appreciate the flexibility, and the time saved from travelling.

With that, I hope that we are able to one day provide all our workers the opportunity to undertake courses to reinvent themselves. This may mean encouraging the move towards a four-and-a-half-day work week, with the remainder half day dedicated for skills training.

Mr Deputy Speaker, our education system should be one that allows for multiple entry and exit points, such that any individual, no matter their age or juncture in life, is given room to discover, rediscover and reinvent themselves. Recently, I met a few individuals who have further inspired me in preparing this speech: Mr John Chong who, after 37 years in the Education Service as a teacher, Head of Department (HOD) and Vice Principal, pursued his passion to be a beekeeper; Mr Jabez Tan, a food and beverage (F&B) business owner who, despite going to prison five times, developed his passion for cooking, researched on the best "Bak Kut Teh" recipe and eventually became successful; and Mdm Narindarjeet Kaur, who has been a nurse for 40 years, her passion for her job motivated her to attain numerous certificates in her area of specialisation before attaining her degree at the age of 55.

Collectively, they have proven to me the importance of passion and the need for multiple starting points to achieve success. Mr Deputy Speaker, please allow me to continue in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In my speech earlier, I highlighted the importance of education at the preschool level. The age of four to seven is important in the development of children, it is the best time for them to gain knowledge and be given a strong foundation before entering primary school. As such, I hope that the Government can make preschool education compulsory for Singaporean children and provide the necessary support and so on.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the mosque staff and religious teachers who have worked diligently to ensure that our society remains safe in the COVID-19 situation. Our religious teachers have successfully recreated themselves through virtual conferencing and they continue to play an important role in guiding and advising the community.

They have proven to be good role models in terms of adaptation and lifelong learning, and I hope that our community will also follow their footsteps. I believe in their capabilities, and I hope that existing religious teachers and those who have just returned home, can continue to adapt to the current context through the Committee on Future Asatizah (COFA) and reinvent themselves in various fields and disciplines.

In this period of service, I hope to contribute further into the issue of social mobility through education, so that Singaporeans, regardless of age and their starting points, are always given the opportunity to improve their lives.

(In English): Mr Deputy Speaker, in summary, I had shared my vision of an extended education system. It is one that begins with mandatory early childhood education to ensure that no child is left behind, followed by a review of our polytechnic and university courses, so that it is streamlined and focused on providing our graduates with a strong general foundation so that they remain agile in a volatile world. Finally, in providing support for adult learners, recognising and providing numerous opportunities available, leveraging on technology and dedicating half a day each week to allow for training.

I would like to end my speech in gratitude, to all who have believed in me to serve in this House today – from my family to my mentors, as well as my students who, in their own way, nurture and inspire me to become a better person and a leader.

Let us renew our commitment towards building a better future for all Singaporeans, a future that we all help to build and, together, look forward to. Mr Deputy Speaker, I support the Motion. [Applause.]