Debated in Parliament on 11 Mar 2015.
Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head X of the Estimates be reduced by $100."
Chairman, every anniversary is an opportunity for celebration and reflection. A golden jubilee is special. Fifty years of Independence for a small country is even more special. Hence, the Government is putting a lot of efforts into our SG50 celebrations. It so happens that the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games will be back in Singapore after 22 years. This will be an important and memorable part of our celebrations. I would like to ask the Minister for more details about the SEA Games and updates on our SG50 celebrations.
With so many events lined up for SG50, it is natural for Singaporeans to be swept up in the mood of celebration and even waves of patriotism. The question is: can we sustain the impact of SG50 and channel these positive energies into building a stronger, more united Singapore for the next 50 years?
For citizens of countries with longer histories, feelings of patriotism come naturally. For many, their national identities are tied up with their racial and cultural identities. Take our neighbouring countries, for example. The Malaysians, Indonesians, Filipinos, Thais, Chinese, Indians, Japanese, Koreans – it is a long list. Regardless of the state of their nations, "in sickness and in health" as they say in wedding vows, citizens of these countries are loyal to and strongly protective of their motherlands. I hope we have reached the same state of loyalty and unity among our people in half a century of nation-building.
Many of us being descendants of immigrants, some of mixed parentage, our racial and cultural identities are actually quite distinct. Yet, we embrace and accept all as being part of Singaporean. So, the result is that while we do not seem to have anything very distinctive culturally, but what we do have, like Singlish or local hawker food, these are gaining recognition.
In fact, what is uniquely Singaporean and deserving of being celebrated? Well, we just celebrated Chinese New Year and had many tossings of yusheng. Yusheng is unique to this part of the world, although there are claims that the modern version of this dish originated in Malaysia. The controversy over the origins of our many hawker food dishes has also not been resolved. Is it Malaysia, is it Singapore? Will it ever be resolved? Is it necessary? Our histories are intertwined, so are our cultures and food. That is why it is the easiest for a
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Malaysian to integrate into Singapore society. When there is negative feedback on foreigners in Singapore, it is very rarely about Malaysians.
When it was announced that the dragon playground in Toa Payoh will be preserved, people celebrate. It is not the children who celebrate, as the children of today prefer the modern playground with more sophisticated features or maybe electronic games. It is the children of yesteryears who celebrate the retention of their past in physical form, and not just in memories.
When the Prime Minister sang 细水长流 at his National Day Rally last year, it fuelled a stronger interest in "xinyao". When the ban was lifted for 麻雀衔竹枝, a xinyao song with dialect lyrics, people celebrated. The unofficial xinyao concert at Bras Basah Complex last year drew thousands of fans who braved the rain and celebrated xinyao. The revival of xinyao, perhaps even with a vengeance, reminded us that xinyao is not just about songs written and performed by young people in the 1980s. It is more about the Singapore society and our identity being immortalised in music and lyrics. It is the passion and pursuit of people with ideas and creativity who took it upon themselves to write their own songs they want to sing, with the voice they want to have. Without any top-down initiative or Government resources, xinyao is rightfully and better celebrated today as a ground-up people's movement.
Chairman, the same can be said of getais. They used to be known only as the loud and crass roadside stage shows frequented by uncles and aunties. This is really uniquely Singaporean, not just getais – but the uncles and aunties as well. Today, getais have kept up with the times, with huge LED screens, Facebook pages, Youtube channels and young fans. The Government has also realised that it is a good channel for public communications. It is not just the genre of commentaries, documentaries, news and current affairs programmes in mainstream media that help with public messaging; it is street life, coffee shop talk, what an average Singaporean does every day.
It is important that we identify what defines us as Singaporeans. What reaches and touches the mind, heart and soul of Singaporeans and binds Singaporeans to Singapore? It cannot be something we do or evoke a celebratory mood every 50 years, or even every year during National Day. The Government has invited Singaporeans to share their thoughts about SG50. Once we have identified these entities or causes, you need to consider and evaluate how they could be nurtured or supported, and craft future policies to invest in them and promote them. Without loyalty or love for our nation, Singapore will be no more than a hotel where residents check in and check out freely or, worse still, a Facebook page that one can like and dislike anytime.
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Hence, I would like to ask the Minister to share what have been the feedback and contributions and what will be done to preserve these icons and institutions that bind Singapore.
The jubilee babies born this year will see SG50. Will they celebrate SG50? What will they celebrate? In fact, most of them will see the turn of the next century in 85 years' time. What will Singapore be like in the 22nd century? Will it still be around? Not just physically, but also the culture, spirit and identity of Singapore and Singaporeans. What we do today on the occasion of SG50 will define the future of Singapore.
*Question proposed.*
Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (Nee Soon): (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, our community has a large youth base. They are an asset to our community and if they are nurtured properly, they represent opportunities for us to develop a community of excellence for our future generations.
MENDAKI has introduced various education and development programmes for our youths, including its flagship MENDAKI Tuition Scheme and the Youth-in-Action mentorship programme.
Given the increase in student participation in the Mendaki Tuition Scheme, I would like to ask the Minister if MENDAKI has plans to expand its facilities or its tuition centres to accommodate this growth in demand. I would also like to know if MENDAKI regularly monitors or reviews the tuition scheme in order to ensure its quality.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] About three years ago, we saw the blossoming of interest and a stronger emphasis on early childhood education and preschools in the Education Ministry and among parents and education experts.
Everyone agreed that a robust early childhood education and preschool system can help prepare our children to enter primary schools in a more positive manner and shape a more mature character and mindset.
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For over 32 years, the MENDAKI Foundation has been playing an important role in helping our children in their education from primary school up to the post-secondary level in the Malay/Muslim community.
Are there plans for MENDAKI to expand its scope and get involved in the fields of early childhood education and preschool within our community, for instance, in enrichment programmes to prepare preschool students in reading or numeracy skills or in parenthood courses to help parents who have children in pre-schools?
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, you have three cuts, four minutes.
Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade): Preschool centres of learning, including kindergartens, are to provide a holistic experience of educating and learning. This should encompass six critical areas of language and literacy, numeracy, environmental awareness, self and social awareness, motor skills development, aesthetics and creative expression.
There are currently many Madrasah kindergartens. Can I find out if they have to adhere to the Ministry of Education (MOE) guidelines for preschool education? How about in the area of teacher recruitment criteria? Are there standardised SOPs for these kindergartens and does Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore (MUIS) have any inputs or oversight over the religious curriculum that is taught in these kindergartens?
Finally, are the same support, financially and otherwise, available to these students, compared to other mainstream kindergartens and preschools?
In the recent Budget Statement, it was revealed that every Singaporean from secondary school onwards will have a learning and training portfolio. This is an excellent idea. It is what is already being done in professional training to assist in tracking development, experience and skills.
MENDAKI SENSE conducts thousands of training and educational supervision hours annually, either on its own or through partnerships with various organisations and people. The variety of clients include youths on tuition programmes, examination preparatory courses, skills training, Workforce Development Agency (WDA) affiliated courses and back-to-work training. SENSE would be an excellent platform to assist these clients with developing and building on their learning and training portfolios. This is something which
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can be incorporated into the existing SENSE model of working and programmes.
Can I have the Minister's feedback on the feasibility of doing this, especially as we hope to help clients in their journey towards lifelong learning and also to help those who are less IT savvy?
The divorce rate in the Malay/Muslim community is still high. The reasons for this are complex and multifaceted. Whilst there has been a trend of divorces amongst younger and recently-wed couples, there have been some observations that some couples who have been married for years are also getting divorced as well. The reasons for divorce in this group are different.
What has the trend been like for minor marriages and their divorce rates within the Malay/Muslim Community and how does this compare with the other communities in Singapore?
Building strong and resilient marriages and families requires long-term commitment and understanding as well as a great amount of support and commitment. There have been initiatives done by several Malay/Muslim organisations as well as VWOs and other NGOs.
One example will be the Cinta Abadi Marriage Preparation programme. Last year, it was also mentioned that the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) was piloting a programme on marriage enrichment for newly-wed minor couples. Can we have an update on this programme and the number of stakeholders it has managed to reach out to? Will the programme be expanded as needed? Can I also ask the Minister for an update on the Syariah Court (SYC)'s plan and focus to be more children-centric in the handling of divorce cases and divorce processes?
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, I am pleased to note that the median income of Malays has been rising steadily over the years. I congratulate the efforts of the Minister, as well as the Malay community in general, for encouraging and raising the awareness and interest in self-improvement and progression.
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Certainly, we can see that with determination and hard work, our community's quality of life will continue to improve. However, I also note with concern recent reports that there is a high incidence of consumer debt among Malay households.
Sir, good financial planning is the key to maintaining strong and resilient families. Debts open doors to social problems and vices. Today's credit environment makes it easy for us to get a credit card. With aggressive commercial product marketing, I am afraid that many will buy and spend on impulse and sign up for instalment plans.
I believe there is scope for our Malay/Muslim organisations to offer help and guidance in budget management for the family. With this effort, hopefully, more families will be aware of their own financial means. I believe that the ability to manage their finances will strengthen Malay/Muslim families.
I would like to know the Minister's view on this matter and what can be done better to help Malay/Muslim families in Singapore.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Chairman, just like MENDAKI, Malay/Muslim bodies play a key role in helping the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore through various services for certain segments of our community.
The types of aid given include assistance in providing education to our students through loans and bursaries, and the Debt Advisory Centre set up recently by MENDAKI to help households that are having financial issues.
One of the means by which the Government extended its support to the Malay/Muslim bodies, in recognition of their noble efforts, was by setting up the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund. Last year, the Minister encouraged them to tap on the $2.6 million fund to meet their training and development needs.
I would like to ask how far the objectives of this fund have been fulfilled; and if he could share examples of how the Malay/Muslim bodies have utilised the grant from this fund.
I believe that with greater publicity and further fine tuning of this fund, in terms of its utilisation and allocation, more Malay/Muslim bodies can leverage on this fund better, to ensure that good quality services continue to be extended to the Malay/Muslim community
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in Singapore, in order to achieve progress and develop our Malay/Muslim community.
Sir, in Malay.
(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, I would like to touch on three funds whereby, if these funds are utilised in the best possible way, it will provide optimum benefits to the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. I am referring to the Zakat fund managed by MUIS, as well as the Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy (TTFS) and the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF), both run by MENDAKI.
Regarding the Zakat fund, Minister Yaacob, in his reply to a Zakat-related question in 2011, said that MUIS has collected $23.3 million and disbursed $23.2 million, giving a surplus of $100,000. In 2012, MUIS collected $25.5 million and disbursed $25.8 million, resulting in a deficit of $300,000, and in 2013, MUIS collected $28.4 million and disbursed $28 million, with a surplus of $400,000.
The Minister said that any surplus or balance after the annual Zakat distribution is due to the difference in the time period between collection and distribution. He also explained that in an effort to ensure continued funding for programmes funded by the Zakat money, MUIS will set aside a reserve to prepare for a rainy day or to prepare for the possibility of unforeseeable situations that can have an impact on the collection and needs, such as during an economic downturn.
Sir, I believe that the Zakat funds should be disbursed or utilised fully within a year after its collection, and it should not be set aside or kept as a reserve. I appreciate the concern about the possibility of an economic downturn affecting Zakat collection at any one time, as mentioned by the Minister.
Nonetheless, Sir, Zakat has a unique religious feature whereby the Zakat amount collected has to be disbursed as soon as possible within a year after the collection process. At the same time, the Zakat collection and disbursement is an annual process, and the Zakat amount that is disbursed or used should be based on the amount collected in the preceding year. Regarding the concern that any shortage will adversely affect programmes that depend on the Zakat funds, I feel that this can be overcome by using other funds or through other efforts.
Regarding the Tertiary Tuition Fee Subsidy (TTFS), the Minister said that in 2012, the balance amount which was not distributed was $15.48 million, and it was $16.6 million for
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2013.
According to him, this balance is channelled to MENDAKI's Education Trust Fund (ETF). I have previously said that it is better if the TTFS funds are used entirely to finance Malays who wish to undertake part-time study in the university as well as those who want to continue their studies up to the Master's degree or Doctor of Philosophy.
I hope the Minister can consider this proposal and highlight it to the Government. At the same time, MENDAKI should also conduct a review on the eligibility criteria for TTFS applications so that more Malay students can benefit from TTFS.
Sir, the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fun (MMCDF) was set up in 1991 as a fund to support MENDAKI's mission to bring about a positive change in the Malay/Muslim community. In the Prime Minister's speech at the dinner to commemorate MENDAKI's 30th anniversary, he said that the Government's contribution of $1 million was not entirely utilised and urged for it to be fully used. Therefore, I would like the Minister to share about any reviews or measures done by MENDAKI to ensure MMCDF can be fully used.
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