Debated in Parliament on 13 Mar 2014.
Mdm Speaker, if I can make some comments on the roundup of this year's Budget and Committee of Supply (COS) before we hear some words from you.
This year's Budget and COS sit midway in the Government's electoral term – assuming a five-year term. In sporting parlance, we are at half-time. And at half-time, it is an appropriate juncture for the Government and this House to take stock of how we have performed and what else needs to be done to finish the job and deliver on our promises to Singaporeans.
If we compare hon Members' speeches when the Twelfth Parliament first opened in 2011 and during the past two Budgets with their speeches this year, some conclusions can be gleaned. Then, Members asked if we were doing enough for the poor, for older Singaporeans, for the disabled, for PMETs and lower-skilled workers. Then, Members pushed the Government to find ways to narrow the wealth gap. Then, Members echoed residents' dissatisfaction with housing, the transport system and healthcare affordability. Members were also not pleased with our over-reliance on foreign labour and called on the Government to slow down immigration and improve productivity.
From this year's speeches, it would be fair to say that there have been significant improvements in some areas as the Government rolled out measures to deal with the issues that Members raised in previous years. This Budget's $8 billion Pioneer Generation Package (PGP) won universal support from all Members in this House and the general public – both old and young alike. PGP could easily have been called "Peace-of-Mind and Gratitude Package" for Singapore's Pioneers. Many Members in this House have also noted that what was extraordinary was not only the Package but that it could be funded entirely. By doing so, this Government has set a virtuous precedent of not making grand promises for subsequent Governments to bear the cost. This is something that few, if any, governments around the world have done or can do.
Members were also pleased that the housing problem has been decisively tackled. The results speak for themselves. Shorter waiting times, lower costs
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and greater affordability of housing pushed MND off the hot seat, to the relief of Minister Khaw's eyebags.
The honour of hot seats instead went to MOH, MOT and MOM. They received the most cuts and, together, took up nearly a third of our Committee of Supply time. In all, Members filed 452 amendments, 6% less than last year. For MOH, the attention was expected, given our concerns with a rapidly ageing population and many Members wanting to give inputs for MediShield Life. For Transport and Manpower, the added attention reflected work-in-progress on areas that the Government will need to improve on over the next few years. Members were happy that bus travel had improved, but train rides had not yet turned the corner to win approval. For wages, Members noted that median wages have risen but wanted an economy that provided even better jobs and higher wages, especially for low-wage and older workers. Members here have rightly recognised that the key to both aspirations was more innovation and higher productivity, and urged economic agencies to redouble efforts to help, especially our small and medium-sized enterprises, in the face of Singapore's economic restructuring.
There were also perennial passions of our Members – an education system, including pre-school, to better prepare our children in today's world, less stress and emphasis on examinations, more programmes to foster creativity, imbue skills to learn, inculcate values and resilience through arts, sports and a love for our history, culture and environment. And, as necessary, calls for more to be done to bring the disabled, special, different, marginalised and vulnerable into the mainstream life of our society.
All in all, this year's Budget and COS reflect a House holding true to the course which the President set when Parliament began in 2011: "To build on our strong foundation together, to give all Singaporeans a better life and brighter tomorrow". In this task, many Members have cautioned that we must not become insular, not to become the proverbial frog in the well, staring only at our piece of the sky, thinking that it is the entire universe. It was opportune that the crisis in Ukraine served to affirm Members' caution and served as a salutary, if grim, reminder of how small countries can be treated if they cannot protect their own sovereignty.
Mdm Speaker, we have come to the end of the debates on the Budget for FY 2014/2015. It has been an intensive nine days, with sittings lasting about eight, sometimes nine, hours each day to give sufficient time for full discussions on the Estimates. I want to thank Members for maintaining high standards in this Parliament during the Budget and COS, in their debates as well as in civility
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and decorum.
Mdm Speaker, if we have completed the first half of the match, the more crucial second half begins when Parliament re-opens after prorogation. We still have much to do. This House, therefore, urges all of us together – Government, Members of Parliament and our people – to commit ourselves to the task of improving the lives of all Singaporeans in the remainder of the term.
Mdm Speaker, on behalf of the House, our thanks go to the staff of the Secretariat for their support, assistance and cooperation rendered to the House over the two weeks of Budget sittings.
We express our deep and special thanks to you and your Deputies for ably and patiently presiding over the debates and ensuring that the Budget proceedings went smoothly and completed within the allotted time. We are thankful that your guillotine was sparingly used and that we have survived this Budget and COS under your firm hands with head and limbs intact. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Hon Members, first, I wish to thank the Leader of the House and the Whip, as well as their deputies, for their support and cooperation which have enabled us to conclude this COS debate successfully. I also wish to thank all hon Members for your active participation and support throughout the COS. I did not have to use my guillotine because you all have been most cooperative, except for a few instances, of course.
Members, this has been a very significant Budget and a good debate. What I like about this Budget is that it places people at the centre of development, which is as it should be, as economic growth cannot be an end in itself but is a means to provide a better life for our people.
There was, as the Leader had also observed, unanimous support from all Members, regardless of their political affiliations, for this year's Budget. The focus of the debate was on the Pioneer Generation Package, which everyone agreed was a most deserving recognition for our pioneers who have contributed much but expected little in return.
As expected, the Ministry of Health attracted the most number of cuts, and Members were not disappointed, judging from the many enhancements that were announced that would significantly address the concerns voiced by Singaporeans over healthcare costs. The Ministry of National Development,
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which used to dominate in previous years' COS, must be quite relieved that they were not the star this year, largely because of the tangible progress that has been made in addressing Singaporeans' housing concerns. By the way, Minister Khaw, if you have found a way to remedy your eye bags, please share with us. Many of us need it also.
But many Members also agreed that we still have much work to do. We need to ensure that the policies made in this House actually reach the people that they are meant to benefit. During the COS period, I continued with my house visits at night and many residents were still unaware about the Pioneer Generation Package and elderly residents continued to raise concerns about healthcare. Many were also not aware that Parliament was in session and that important debates over the Budget were taking place having an impact on their lives and their future.
I must commend Members for the many thoughtful views, suggestions and insights that you have brought into this debate. You have put in a great deal of effort to research and prepare your speeches, and raised both broad policy issues as well as the practical ground issues that directly affect your residents. Hence, I feel that there is no danger of this House being out of touch with the ground, a point raised by hon Member Sitoh Yih Pin, which is nevertheless a useful reminder for all of us.
Many Members also made good use of the time for clarifications, although some still cannot resist the lure of using the opportunity to make more speeches. The Front Bench, too, must be commended for being responsive, engaging and open to Members' suggestions, judging by the many policy shifts that have been made in this debate in many of the Ministries.
This year, Members had heeded the advice which I gave last year to pace your speech and there were few bullet trains whizzing through Parliament during the debate this year. Last year, I also touched on the need for more judicious use of slides and videos. Unfortunately, the usage of such visuals had intensified this year. I accept that visuals have their uses, like the ones showing useful charts or figures or where such aids help in the better understanding of an idea that would otherwise be difficult to comprehend. However, a more sparing use of them would create greater impact as this is after all a debate. Sometimes, I feel like I am going through a PowerPoint presentation in a meeting. I also urge Ministries, especially those with multiple office-bearers replying to cuts, to divide your time well as I could see that some were under
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time pressures this year.
Let me conclude by once again thanking hon Members for your cooperation and support which have enabled us to complete this debate in good time and successfully. I also wish to thank my two helpful and reliable Deputy Speakers, Mr Charles Chong and Mr Seah Kian Peng, for their assistance. And my thanks also go to our Parliament staff who have been working very quietly but tirelessly behind the scene to ensure that Parliament runs smoothly throughout the COS debate. And I know some of our interpreters have a hard time keeping up with Members. They have, indeed, been working very hard every minute that the session is on.
Members, we are here only for one purpose and, that is, to serve the people of Singapore. I am gratified that through Members' active participation, serious debates and robust engagement, Members have shown your strong commitment to serve this purpose. Thank you. [Applause.]
PAPERCUTS