Committee of Supply – Head X (Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth)

Madam, the Malay/Muslim community has made much progress and achievement for us to be proud of. These include in the areas of education, jobs, the numbers of

Page: 121

PMETs and so on. However, we still have far to go and more effort needs to be harnessed. Moving forward, now it is quite different and requires a different skillset and mindset compared to the last decade. Our community needs to have the capabilities to negotiate the wave of change and evolution. Are we ready to ride this wave successfully?

We need to continue to harness and play our role in our multicultural society, integration, promoting the community spirit and adapting to a more uncertain world by making ourselves relevant, flexible and adaptable and to be able to work, study and compete with anyone, anywhere in the world. Our next generation must be continuously prepared for this.

As stipulated in The Muslim Community for Excellence, we must continue to hold strongly to Islamic principles whilst adapting to changing world context; we must also be self-confident to learn from and interact with other communities; and we must be a model and inspiration to all.

How are we preparing our Malay/Muslim community for the 21st Century and beyond? Can we be exemplary as a global Muslim community that others can emulate? Do we have our priorities right in each family, in the community and in society? And how do we balance our aspiration of our community with the reality of the marketplace?

Let us take an example. More youths aspire to go to university and so do their parents wish the same for them. The reality is that the places are limited and competition is high. Some may end up having to consider overseas institutions, which can be costly. Some may have to rely on hefty loans. Will all this measure up for them and their families eventually? Should we now start programmes to counsel and manage expectations of parents and their children on this? How do we encourage them to see the many pathways to the peaks and not just that one standard peak that everyone would be chasing?

How about in the area of credit management? Our community may have to look at this area critically and in depth, studying underlying reasons why some get caught in a vicious cycle, with debt issues, loans and some even being passed on from one generation to the next.

Whilst we must highlight and celebrate our achievements and successes, we must also help those lagging behind. We must reach out our hands and make sure that the people who need them are willing to take our hands. We should also encourage the more successful Malays to come forward and help

Page: 122

the less well-off and those in need in the spirit of graciousness and gotong royong.

I would appreciate the Minister's comments and views on some of these issues, as we move into the coming years.

Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our women are usually the pillars of the family and the household. They are the ones taking care of the children and the husband, and sometimes even taking care of aged parents. Their responsibility becomes even heavier if they work and have their own careers, in addition to managing the household and other related matters. Juggling their time becomes a necessity.

However, there are still many of our women who are not working and are economically inactive.

Several programmes from the NTUC and MENDAKI SENSE help women find employment or upgrade and upskill themselves. But we can still involve more of our women in the workforce if they are able to work. It will also help increase their status and their family's income. Hence, this strategy should be further enhanced to give encouragement and confidence to our women.

Page: 124

Women who do not work or do not have their own careers usually do not have their own accounts like the Medisave account and also insurance policies. Hence, women in this category are worried about financial matters and expenditure, and the payment of medical costs becomes a source of worry if their family members fall ill.

There are also women who are caught in divorce problems and situations where their ex-husbands do not pay alimony. These women are forced to depend on our social assistance schemes for a long time.

In addition, other issues affecting some of our women include the issue of single mothers and some of them have many children, the problem of dysfunctional families as well as women who lack the skills or capabilities and qualifications.

Yet, we must also acknowledge and take pride because the number of women who are successful has increased, including those with good education and entered universities. Those who are working as PMETs have also increased and the salary range has also increased.

(In English): Therefore, I would like to enquire on how we are continuing to evolve and strengthen our programmes and outreach to the Malay/Muslim women of today. How do we intend to coordinate and integrate assistance and avenues for help? Also, how are we planning to continue to change the mindset and lifestyles of our women of today? Our women are our asset. They must be a model and an inspiration to all, including minority societies globally.

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (Ang Mo Kio) (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Can the Minister provide an update on the implementation of the Edusave fund for madrasah students? Also, what is the status of the Enhanced Joint Madrasah System that will be implemented in 2015?

Currently, we also see more and more debates and differing views within our Malay/Muslim community which is causing a divide. For instance, there are those who call themselves true Muslims while others, considered as liberal Muslims or those who are independent and open minded.

I am worried that the practice of group labelling amongst ourselves will divide not only our Malay/Muslim community, but also Singapore's multiracial

Page: 125

and multi-religious plural society. Does Islam not promote tolerance and respect for one another, even if there are differences, as long as it is not against Islam? What is the Minister's view on this and what can be done by MUIS, our mosques and our madrasahs?

Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang) (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Strong families and stable homes are an important foundation to our society. Troubled homes and divorces have a huge impact on the lives of young children, affecting their development and eventually leading to various problems in the community.

However, with the worrying trend of divorces, especially among young couples, we should not sit still. Government agencies like the ROMM and the Syariah Court, as well as self-help bodies like MENDAKI and several Malay/Muslim bodies, have implemented various initiatives and programmes to overcome this issue, especially at the upstream level which can help in early prevention.

All these initiatives can increase awareness among the community, and with awareness and knowledge, there will be a firm commitment to ensure that priority is given to building strong families.

Therefore, we are seeing more results, because the figures show that the number of divorces within the community has gone down since 2006, from 1,782 to 1,587 in 2012. The number of couples marrying early, whereby one of them is below 21 years old, has also gone down.

On this note, can the Minister elaborate on the programmes that have been planned to prepare and strengthen the homes of Malay/Muslim couples? In addition, what type of assistance is available and being planned for divorce cases, where the couples face various problems like accommodation, payment of alimony and taking care of the children? How can we ensure that the affected couples receive the support and guidance that they require?

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Health issues and chronic diseases are increasingly becoming major concerns to Malay/Muslims in Singapore. The number of patients with diabetes,

Page: 126

kidney problems, high cholesterol and heart problems is also increasing. During the recent Budget debates, I also spoke about these health issues which are expected to become prevalent as our community ages.

In 2010, over 16% suffered from diabetes; more than 22% had high cholesterol levels while around 28% had heart disease. What is more worrying is that 24% of people in our community are extremely overweight. It was also found that the number of diabetes patients rose sharply between 2004 and 2010, especially among our Malay/Muslim community.

These statistics are worrying because even though various approaches and programmes have been done all these years to increase awareness about chronic diseases, weight management and the importance of practising a healthy lifestyle and diet, the number of obese people and the number of chronic patients are still increasing.

Hence, the question now is what else can we do to manage this issue? Are there ways where a more structured programme and a more effective approach can be planned and implemented?

In addition, over 40% of Malay/Muslims are 40 years old and above, while over 34% are 50 years old and above. As more and more of us will become older in the near future, are we ready and have we prepared a more detailed plan to manage the issue of an ageing society?

Can we involve all 69 mosques that we have currently in these engagement efforts, since many of our community members who are over 40 years old, are active in the mosques? Can we also involve our Malay/Muslim doctors and healthcare professionals in this effort, for instance, the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association? I would like to hear the details from the Minister on this matter.

Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol) (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Malay/Muslim organisations in Singapore have played an active and important role in pushing for progress among the Malay/Muslim community. In terms of resources and expertise, these organisations have an intimate knowledge that can aid the development of the Malay/Muslim community and bring it to a higher level.

Page: 127

One of the key recommendations in the Suara Musyawarah report was a call for more collaborative efforts to maximise resources and improve efficiency of services to the community. While there have been some efforts at collaboration, I would like to ask, is there room for more of such efforts and capability building arrangements, especially between Malay/Muslim institutions and key organisations, such as MUIS and MENDAKI? MUIS and MENDAKI serve as very important organisational pillars for the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore. A concerted effort between the institutions and key stakeholders may be the next vital step in bringing about progress for the community and tackling the many issues facing the Malay/Muslim community.

In whatever collaborative efforts, it is important to ensure that our efforts reach the targeted group. Can we tap on the mosque network to better reach out to members of the community, especially families in need?

I believe that it is time that we look into doing things differently to address key issues facing the Malay/Muslim community. For a start, what we can do is simple in nature but yet, big in heart – to work together but, doing it differently.

Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, I have observed, over the last decade, an increase in the level of religiosity across all the different religious groups, including the Muslim community. The Muslim community is privileged to have religious scholars, such as the late Ustaz Abdillah Aljufri, Syed Isa Semait, Ustaz Saripi Rawi, Habib Hassan Alatas, our esteemed Mufti and many asatizahs who made contributions to the development of Islamic religious education in Singapore. As a community, we have also been able to adapt to the multi-racial and multi-cultural landscapes in Singapore, where Muslims have been able to be part of Singapore's development. As Muslims, we must be able to bring goodness to the nation, be it morally, intellectually, economically, stability and many other forms of contributions. Our community must be able to adapt to the changing landscape towards greater diversity and different needs of the society. Regardless of our religion and culture, we must treat each other with respect and bring more goodness to our nation.

During last year's COS debate, Minister shared about the Adult Islamic Learning or ADIL to cater to working adults who are interested in receiving part-time religious education. I understand that it has been well received by the community. However, as I mentioned earlier, with greater diversity, there exists

Page: 128

many different groups of people with different demographic profiles and needs.

May I know MUIS' plans to ensure that religious education can meet the increasing demand and whether it is able to address critical issues of concern to the community? In addition, could the Minister update on the progress of aLIVE, and whether there is scope to make religious education for children even more accessible?

Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol) (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, the rise of social media has created an environment conducive for open feedback and sharing of information. While this trend promotes diversity of views, it may also cause major differences of opinion and lead to polarisation within the Malay/Muslim community. In this respect, mosques play an important role to create a common shared vision of religion as the community navigates through the current landscape of diverse views and knowledge.

The mosque is a source of Islamic knowledge and centre for Malay/Muslim interactions. The mosque also stands as a symbol of unity amongst Muslims.

The Malay/Muslim community appreciates the Government's effort to upgrade many old mosques in Singapore and support the construction of new mosques in our newer residential estates like Punggol. I hope that these new and upgraded mosques with better facilities will provide greater opportunities for the Malay/Muslim community to conduct programmes that will facilitate the socio-religious activities of the community and create understanding that will enhance the solidarity of the Malay/Muslim community.

Many mosques are undergoing upgrading. May I ask about the latest update for upgrading works and what is the progress for the three new mosques in Punggol, Jurong West and Woodlands? I would also like to emphasise that the mosque plays a very important role to enhance solidarity and bring progress to the Malay/Muslim community.

Page: 129

Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang) (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, the Haj and Korban activities went smoothly and in an orderly manner for Singapore Muslims last year. This was achieved despite the various challenges and uncertainties of the two religious activities that are important to the Malay/Muslim community in Singapore.

We welcome the continuous efforts of the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob and MUIS (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore) with regard to the Haj quota issue. His recent discussions with the Saudi government raised the possibility of an increase to the quota and it will certainly be appreciated by the community.

However, many people understand that the restrictions imposed on the number of places to perform the Haj is not limited to Singapore solely, but to other countries as well. In fact, we are made to understand that countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, who have a far greater number of Muslims, have to accept a much longer waiting list for the Haj.

However, MUIS has implemented a registration system that aims to make the administration and allocation of places more transparent and fair to everyone. Yet, there is certainly room for improvement, including constantly providing information to the community.

The same goes for the Korban ritual, which has become a part of our community's life every year. Last year, for the first time, we imported livestock from Canada, in addition to those from Australia. This new development was well-received because it offers another option to our community, who gave an encouraging response.

More importantly, the Korban ritual went smoothly even though there were several challenges and uncertainties, for instance, the regulations set by the Australian authorities.

In this matter, can the Minister give an update on the efforts to improve the system for the Haj and Korban this year?

I would also like to inform Members that I would be taking clarifications immediately after my reply.

Madam, together with the nation, our community has come a long way over the last 50 years, overcoming many challenges along the way. Our pioneer Malay/Muslim leaders stood together with national leaders to build a cohesive and progressive multiracial nation. The hard work and values of pioneers like our first President, the late Mr Yusof Ishak, allowed us to progress with the nation. The late Mr Yusof was a champion of racial harmony, who led Singapore through its most difficult years, including the racial riots. Another notable pioneer was our first Attorney-General, the late Prof Ahmad Ibrahim, who also drafted the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA). We have many other community icons, including the late Haji Abu Bakar Maidin, the former President of Jamiyah. He dedicated his life to serving the needy and promoting inter-religious harmony. There is also Ms Manijeh Namazie, one of our earliest librarians and a familiar face to the generations who passed through the hallowed halls of our National University of Singapore libraries.

These and many other Malay/Muslim personalities are role models for our young. They are passionate, driven individuals whose successes have helped Singapore grow as one nation. We must honour and celebrate them. Madam, I have asked MUIS and MENDAKI to set up a joint committee to see how our community can do so, and I am happy to add that Mdm Chair herself has graciously agreed to lead the team in this special endeavour.

Some plans are already underway. MUIS and MENDAKI plan to organise an appreciation ceremony for pioneers later this year, and also to chronicle their journey through a commemorative book. They will also host their "In Conversation Series" and "Fire-side Chats", where pioneers and senior community leaders will be paired with youth leaders as mentors. Madam, I support these efforts wholeheartedly, and call on all community organisations to think of more innovative ways to honour our cherished pioneers.

Madam, the Government will continue to support our community's efforts to succeed. There are some who question whether the Singapore model of meritocracy and multiracialism works for a minority community. But our achievements speak for themselves. All around us we see those who have made

Page: 131

it good, even though we are a minority community, thanks to a nation's commitment to a system where hard work brings rewards.

In response to Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, the community has made steady progress on many fronts. The entry of our students to tertiary institutions has risen steadily. Income and wealth have also gone up. Our median household income has risen from $2,709 in 2000, to $3,944 in 2010. Malay/Muslim PMETs have also increased from 7.2% in 1980 to 27.8% in 2010. Many of our youth have not only obtained better academic results, but have also achieved excellence in other fields.

What is even more heartening is to see successful individuals giving back. Take for example, Mr Syakir Hashim. At just 21 years old, Mr Syakir is the founder and director of Urbane Academy, a social start-up which offers an afterschool mentoring support programme for students between 11 and 14 years old. It is Mr Syakir's and his colleagues' passion to share their life experiences and struggles with their students, so that these become lifelong learning tools for them.

We should not forget the important role played by community organisations in these success stories. Mr Syakir's Urbane Academy, for instance, started out under the funding of CLF Labs. In another example, MENDAKI awarded Mr Muhammad Nabil Bin Mohamed Aliffi, the Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award in 2013, to help fund his fashion design studies in London. At just 22 years old, Mr Nabil was already making waves in the fashion world, including at glitzy events in London, Paris and Milan. He also co-founded VULTURE Magazine, an indie art and fashion publication, which within six months attracted advertisements by luxury brands such as Burberry and Chanel.

Mdm Chair, we need to continue to strengthen the foundations of our community, so that we are better equipped to not only face the challenges ahead, but to seize the opportunities before us. With this in mind, the Suara Musyawarah Committee, led by Haji Sallim Abdul Kadir, undertook a community-wide exercise last year to listen to their aspirations and concerns. The report had many noteworthy recommendations which I discussed last year. We have studied the recommendations in greater detail especially those pertaining to youth, education, family, and service delivery, which I will address now.

Madam, education remains a priority for the community and a key social leveller for the nation. Since its inception, MENDAKI has been a key partner in

Page: 132

this regard, with its flagship Tuition Scheme. Close to 15,000 students benefited from MENDAKI's programmes in 2013, a 34% increase from 2011. In addition to helping students level up, MENDAKI also celebrates those who have excelled, through talent and leadership development programmes, such as the Goh Chok Tong Youth Promise Award and the Ridzwan Dzafir Community Awards. MENDAKI will do even more in the coming year, particularly to enhance outreach and to offer more differentiated intervention programmes.

A key initiative is MENDAKI SENSE's new Student Care Centres. The first of these was launched at Blangah Rise Primary School last year to provide after-school support for students. The holistic care, covering academic as well as social and emotional learning, is important to help these students grow into competent and confident individuals. A second centre at Block 217 Choa Chu Kang Central opened in the latter half of 2013. Now, there are a total of 110 students enrolled in these two centres, which have since been renamed Champs Network Student Care Centres. SENSE will be rolling out three more centres within the next few years.

We have not let up in our drive for a quality madrasah education system. Our madrasahs need to produce competent religious teachers and scholars, who in turn can give proper guidance to our students and the community. We also want to ensure that our madrasah students are able to rejoin the national education system if they so wish to do so.

To address Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar's query, the implementation of the Enhanced Joint Madrasah System (JMS) is on track. Madrasah Aljunied and Al-Arabiah recently completed phasing out primary level education, and are now full Secondary schools. This year, Madrasah Al-Irsyad will be a full-fledged JMS primary school. Intensive teacher training on the enhanced curriculum will be a key focus for these madrasahs, to maintain the rigour, quality and consistency envisaged under the JMS.

These enhancements will, of course, require resources. Where possible, MUIS will increase its support. But, fundamentally, our community and parents of madrasah students should also share the cost of investing in our madrasahs. To help parents with the increased costs, MUIS will increase its disbursement to the Progress Fund Madrasah Assistance Scheme (PROMAS) by 5% this year. MUIS will also grow the $6.3 million Wakaf Ilmu, which was launched in 2012 to benefit part-time and full-time religious education.

Page: 133

Our madrasah students will also benefit from MOE's Edusave Fund, amounting to almost $700,000, which can be used for enrichment programmes. MUIS will work closely with MOE and the six madrasahs to implement this in the second half of this year. So, I have asked MUIS to co-ordinate the efforts among the madrasahs to identify areas of focus and to use the Edusave funds strategically, for example, enrichment programmes that get our students more interested in areas such as Mathematics and Science.

Ultimately, one of the objectives of education is to prepare our students to seize economic opportunities. And this will become more challenging in a changing global and regional economic landscape, which requires businesses and the workforce to be more innovative, productive and adaptable. So, I agree with Mr Zainudin Nordin that the challenge is not only to equip our students with the hard skills like language and technology, but also the soft skills, such as creativity, management and effective networking. Looking ahead, I am happy to announce that MENDAKI will introduce a new initiative to equip our Malay/Muslim tertiary students with universal career skills, such as staff management, career planning and networking.

Assistance will also be given to those new to professional, managerial, executive and technician (PMET) jobs. Recently, MENDAKI SENSE collaborated with Temasek Cares to start a two-year mentoring programme to coach such employees on "soft" skills, such as leadership and management. Priority is given to those from low-income families. I would like to encourage our community partners to look into more ways to groom a generation of career-savvy youth, who are confident, competent and hungry to ride the transformation of our economy.

Madam, we also want our businesses to transform themselves, especially the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) can play a leading role in this, including through its increasingly popular SME Centre. SMCCI can also tap on the expertise and links of the Community Leaders' Forum (CLF), and work together on initiatives such as entrepreneurship incubation projects on new media and training displaced workers to set up home-based businesses.

Our businesses must also be proactive in utilising the full range of Government support to innovate, increase productivity and develop their manpower. The recent Budget has numerous initiatives to help our businesses. These include subsidies for high speed connectivity plans, extension of identified ICT solutions to another 10,000 SMEs, and increased funding for worker training and upskilling, through the $500 million top-up to the

Page: 134

Lifelong Learning Endowment Fund. This is a good time and opportunity for our SMEs to transform themselves to be more efficient and competent entities.

I am happy to note that some of our community organisations are already taking steps to guide our SMEs on these recent developments. Earlier this week, MENDAKI SENSE hosted an industry partnership and networking event, where it apprised participants of the various schemes and initiatives from this year's Budget. Such efforts, Madam, we believe are useful as they spread awareness of the initiatives to help businesses adapt to this modern and competitive economic landscape.

Apart from youths and businesses, we are also looking at how we can help the women in our community. Many are now much more qualified and face the challenge of trying to balance equally important roles in supporting the household and raising our children. Dr Fatimah touched on this earlier as well. Adaptability and skills upgrading is thus very important for this segment of our community. Among the initiatives is MENDAKI SENSE's "Back to Work Women" Programme, which helped over 300 women and single mothers in job skills upgrading and employment matching last year.

Mdm Chair, the family remains the foundation of our community and nation. A resilient family is a source of strength and innovation in hard times. Our young couples need to recognise that a strong marriage and family is not built overnight and they need to know where to turn to when they face challenges.

In this regard, I wish to assure Mr Zaqy Mohamad that we place a strong emphasis on preparing our couples for married life and have adopted a life stage approach to help them even before marriage. Some of you may have heard of the Bersama Mu marriage preparation course introduced in 2008. It has since been renamed the "Cinta Abadi Marriage Preparation Course". Following an extensive review, the enhanced curriculum will now emphasise a more consultative and collaborative approach in marriage, as well as introduce a "visioning" element for couples to set and work towards their life goals together.

We are also planning more structured post-marriage enrichment to help couples with marital or parenting challenges at different stages of marriage. This is the next "milestone" phase after the Cinta Abadi Marriage Preparation

Page: 135

Course. In November last year, MSF's INSPIRASI Hubs also started a pilot marriage enrichment programme called GEMS – Growing Every Marriage towards Success – to provide guidance and support to couples who have been married for more than five years. Our goal, Madam, is for these couples to become strong family units for the benefit and future of their children.

But, unfortunately, divorce is sometimes the only way out for some couples. So, we will continue to be there to help, to make sure that these couples make an informed decision. I am happy to note that Syariah Court's Marriage Counselling Programme (MCP), which reaches its 10th anniversary this year, has been quite successful at facilitating reconciliation between couples. Almost half of its 24,000 referrals to date did not proceed with divorce.

SYC is already looking to do more. Following a review of the Marriage Counselling Programme, there will be two improvements. First, SYC is moving towards a more child-centric divorce process. To better address the welfare of their children, couples with children aged below 18 will be encouraged to discuss their co-parenting plans early before the divorce is finalised. SYC is partnering social service agencies to prepare social welfare reports to help the Court make informed decisions in cases of child custody disputes. SYC will also refer cases of couples with children to HDB, so that they can receive guidance on their housing post-divorce.

Second, to improve the quality of counselling services among its mediators and counsellors, SYC will develop a more comprehensive training guide for its MCP agencies. SYC is already working together with the Singapore Mediation Centre on the accreditation of all its mediators. SYC will also upgrade the Syariah Court Case Management System (SCMS) to harness technological advances such as data analytics to better analyse trends and customise interventions.

Madam, a major challenge facing the community is in the area of health. Dr Intan shared her concerns that the community, and the nation as a whole, is ageing and health issues are coming to the fore. I agree with her. Healthcare is something we must pay attention to now so that it does not become a big problem in future. The Suara Musyawarah Report highlighted the need for proper health management, including leading a healthy lifestyle and prioritising medical insurance coverage. These two go hand in hand, and universal coverage through MediShield Life will help in some ways. Two plans are underway.

Page: 136

First, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) has thus far partnered a few mosques in running health promotion initiatives on an ad hoc basis. These have shown some success, and HPB will now be extending many programmes to 10 mosques, including health screening sessions and physical activities such as aerobics and soccer. I am also happy to learn that the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association (MHPA) is interested to complement these efforts through community-driven initiatives. The CLF would be able to provide some support.

Second, the Pioneer Generation Package announced at Budget 2014 will also include top-ups to the Medisave accounts of our Pioneer Generation, additional subsidies at the Specialist Outpatient Clinics and polyclinics, and subsidies for MediShield Life premiums. As the first round of Medisave top-ups will be disbursed by July, I urge our seniors to make sure that their Medisave accounts are in order. I would also like to encourage our Malay/Muslim organisations (MMOs) to help us in our efforts to spread the message and explain the Package and the benefits to our seniors.

Another challenge lies in the area of service delivery. There are some who require help to get through difficult periods, but are not aware of the assistance schemes available and where exactly to turn to. To address these delivery gaps, our community agencies know that they have to work closer together to strengthen outreach and improve accessibility. As Mr Zainal Sapari has also mentioned, community partnerships can indeed alleviate capacity challenges, I am happy to name two new initiatives.

First, MENDAKI, in collaboration with MUIS and six mosques, will launch "Nadi Khidmat" this year. This initiative seeks to improve accessibility to social services for Malay/Muslim families through our mosques. Simply put, families that receive MUIS' social assistance will also now be able to access MENDAKI's educational and employment assistance schemes in the same place. Nadi Khidmat officers will also be on hand to guide our families to national agencies for other forms of assistance.

Second, to strengthen community partnerships and our MMOs, I have asked CLF to develop a Capacity Building Framework for the MMOs. This framework will help our MMOs tap on the expanded Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF) of $2.6 million to meet their training needs. Over the last two months, CLF has engaged various MMOs, including the Singapore Women Muslim Association (PPIS), Jamiyah and the Prophet Muhammad Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund Board (LBKM), in refining the framework. Some have expressed interest in customised and niche training such as value-

Page: 137

based learning to oversee preschool and student care centres.

Together with the National Council of Social Services (NCSS) and the Social Services Institute (SSI), CLF will also identify specific programmes that MMOs can look at to build their capabilities and improve organisational development. Madam, these measures will help ensure that the MMOs, who are our key partners in providing welfare and social services, are efficient, well-organised and have good governance.

Madam, allow me now to touch on our community's socio-religious life. Our community, like others, is diverse with many holding different perspectives on a range of issues. This is partly due to an increased exposure to what is happening around the region and the world, as well as the influence of the vocal few. Our community has always been sensitive and mindful in engaging with others within the multi-cultural and multi-religious context that we live in. We should take pride in this and equally apply this to differences within the community as well.

Our religious life has been shaped by the basic principles of moderation and tolerance. We are committed to the principles of Islam and the traditions which underpin our religion. Muslim communities have flourished because they could confidently absorb knowledge from different sources without undermining the basic tenets of Islam. And in this regard, our scholars have shown the way in accepting differences in interpretation as part of the rich diversity of Islam.

And we must continue to maintain and strengthen this tradition of diversity. Equally important is the challenge to guard against extreme views that could dilute the richness of our religious life. Extreme views may manifest in many forms, including the tendency to use labels with pejorative undertones to judge others who see things differently. But we have done well to reject such extreme views. For example, we rejected the views of those who peddle violence and reprisal in the name of religion and we have the Religious Rehabilitation Group to thank for leading the way.

However, Madam, the sheer accessibility and the spread of misinformation on social media will continue to pose a threat to our harmonious religious life. Some members of our community may be easily influenced by the extreme stances of the vocal few from other parts of the Muslim world. Enlightened guidance and the continuous acquisition of knowledge must be the basis of our defence against such forces. It is, therefore, imperative that we strengthen our

Page: 138

religious knowledge. We should work together to ensure that our children receive proper guidance, appreciate Islamic values like peace and harmony and are receptive to diversity.

So, to this end, MUIS will introduce new plans to improve the accessibility of religious education, which Dr Faishal Ibrahim also asked about. Madam, this is a work in progress for MUIS. MUIS' aLIVE programme has already grown from 1,800 students in 2005 to 14,000 students in 2013. Overall, MUIS is committed to add 3,000 places in 2014 and another 4,000 places in 2015. MUIS has also been working on enhancing content and teachers' development. Our youth face many emerging issues and challenges. As such, MUIS is adding new content to its aLIVE classes, to equip our students with the knowledge and maturity to tackle these with confidence.

Four more plans are in the works. First, to give parents more flexibility in their children's religious education, MUIS will be piloting Kids aLIVE (Home Edition). This will give parents the option to teach their children at home, with periodic "check-in" times with assigned religious teachers. This programme will be piloted at two mosques and aims to reach out to 500 new students.

Second, given the strong demand for MUIS' Adult Islamic Learning (ADIL) classes after its launch last year, MUIS is planning for seven more mosques to offer ADIL classes. This will bring the total number of ADIL centres to 13 in 2014. MUIS also plans to introduce intermediate modules in 2015 for those who have completed their basic classes. To cater to the increases, MUIS will train at least 20 more asatizahs from 2015 to 2017.

Third, MUIS will work more closely with private players in the religious education sector, particularly in training and accreditation. With the "Private Islamic Education Network" (PIENet), the Muslim community will have more choices and greater accessibility in receiving religious education.

Fourth, Madam, the Islamic Education Fund (IEF) will be further reviewed later this year to benefit more underserved families, so that no one will be left behind in Islamic education.

Apart from religious education, MUIS will continue its efforts in improving support for our community's religious life. Plans are underway to provide more prayer spaces through both the Mosque Upgrading Programme (MUP) and building of new mosques.

Page: 139

As we work with MND and URA on long-term mosque planning, we will also look at shorter term difficulties, such as overcrowding during Friday prayers. We recognise that some mosques like Al-Istighfar Mosque in Pasir Ris and Darul Ghufran Mosque in Tampines are overcrowded during Friday prayers. However, Madam, there are mosques nearby that are not fully occupied such as Kampong Siglap in Marine Parade and Alkaff Kampong Melayu in Kaki Bukit. Hence, for those who are able to afford the time or have the transport, they can do their part to perform their Friday prayers at these mosques with more space. Together, Madam, we can make our mosques conducive places of worship.

Mr Zainal Sapari requested for an update on our mosque upgrading programme and the new mosques. In August 2013, we witnessed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Al-Islah Mosque in Punggol town. The Mosque Building Committees for the upcoming Jurong West and Woodlands mosques have also been appointed. So, I urge the community to support these two Mosque Building Committees' efforts however they can, to play a part in getting the two new mosques ready by 2016.

As for our mosque upgrading projects, I am happy to report that Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah in Delta, Alkaff Upper Serangoon in Upper Serangoon and Mujahidin Mosque in Queenstown will be done by the first half of this year. During my visit to Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah mosque two weeks ago, I observed that the local community is already benefiting from the upgrading. The mosque now has barrier-free facilities and has also designed its classrooms such that the walls are collapsible and can be used as additional prayer space. The creative and optimal use of space will be a key feature in our mosque building and upgrading programme. The principle is basically to improve the conduciveness of the mosque environment without unnecessary lavishness.

Finally, I would like to reply to Mr Zaqy Mohamad's question on our readiness for Haj and Korban this year.

MUIS will continue its efforts to facilitate Korban. While Australia remains our primary source of livestock, MUIS will continue working closely with AVA to look for alternative sources that can meet our food safety and public health standards, such as Canada, Ireland and France. However, there will always be an issue of cost, which is determined by different factors such as market forces and logistics.

Page: 140

Haj, as with Korban, is a religious obligation. MUIS' role is to facilitate these, but it should not be subsidising the costs. For instance, MUIS collects Haj fees to cover the costs of Haj administration and operations, including providing medical and welfare services to our pilgrims. While MUIS is mindful to keep fees as affordable as possible, there is a limit because these are driven in part by market forces and the costs ultimately should be borne by those who choose to perform these religious obligations. Fortunately, MUIS receives donations of about $200,000 from the MSE Angullia Wakaf Fund every year to help defray these operational costs.

Uncertainties remain on the yearly Haj quota. Last year, our official quota of 680 was initially cut by 20% to 544 places in June, but was restored later in September. MUIS responded well by working with AMTAS and the local community in allocating the additional 136 places, and with everyone's cooperation, as noted by Mr Zaqy, Haj proceeded smoothly.

Madam, I had the chance to visit Makkah and Madinah during my trip earlier this year. Massive redevelopment works are ongoing at the moment, and I saw for myself why cuts are necessary for the security and safety of our pilgrims. I seek the community's understanding that we may not receive the additional Haj places this year. Nevertheless, we will continue to appeal to the Saudi authorities to increase Singapore's official Haj quota from 680 to 800, and to seek additional places once the redevelopment works are completed.

Mdm Chair, our community is constantly on the move towards excellence. Our early leaders and pioneers have set a strong foundation for our community. Like fellow Singaporeans, they braved the odds and worked tirelessly to lay the foundations for today's successes. As mentioned by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman, the best tribute we can give to our pioneers is to do better than them. Hence, we must build on their achievements and push on to greater heights. I am confident that our community is on the right track.

And key to this is encouraging and empowering our youths, many of whom are actively seizing the opportunities and contributing back to the community and nation.

Strengthening partnerships among various stakeholders – community organisations, agencies, families and individuals – will also put us in a good stead in overcoming the challenges before us. At the same time, it is crucial that our institutions go back to basics and ensure that their foundations remain firm – MUIS must focus on its primary mission of enhancing and facilitating our

Page: 141

community's socio-religious life, while MENDAKI must continue prioritising the educational and developmental needs of our youths.

We must remain united as a community that is committed to the principles of meritocracy and multiracialism. These principles, Madam, have served us well. Going forward, we must also lend our voices to the discussion of how these principles can serve a Singapore that is facing new and complex challenges. We must remain true to our faith. We should guard against divisive forces taking root to preserve racial and religious harmony, within our own community and with other communities, too.

Our future is full of hope and optimism. All of us can do our part to strengthen our community and build a home for all. Together, we can realise our vision of a Community of Excellence and build a vibrant Singapore.

Mdm Chair, allow me now to conclude my speech in Malay.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] In my English speech just now, I spoke about the contributions of the Pioneer Generation in building and developing our nation. They had also contributed in the establishment of social, welfare and religious organisations that are now playing a role in helping the needy and providing the pathway for our children to attain success.

Due to the efforts and sacrifices of the Pioneer Generation, our community managed to achieve success in many fields, including education and employment. As a community, we share the joy when our young people succeed. They have managed to not only overcome obstacles in their lives and achieve success; in fact, they are now making contributions to the country and society. These are the ones who will take over the leadership of our community in the future.

One of the pioneer figures who made a huge contribution to our community is the late Ustaz Ahmad Sondhaji Mohamed. He was a member of the Fatwa Committee of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) from 1975 and is described as a progressive religious leader. The ideas of the late Ustaz Sondhaji had a major influence on the decisions of the Fatwa Committee in issues like kidney transplants and using NEWater. These progressive fatwas enable the Muslim community here to live alongside other communities in this country and still continue to perform their religious obligations.

Page: 142

We should learn from the progressive thinking of the late Ustaz Ahmad Sondhaji in order to overcome various current challenges and carry our community forward.

In my speech earlier, I outlined several challenges that have been solved together. Among the critical challenges include an economic landscape that is changing rapidly and health issues. The issue of healthcare will burden us in the coming years because our community is ageing and also due to an unhealthy lifestyle. We must place focus on healthcare needs if we do not want health problems to affect our lives in the future.

I would also like to touch on our way or approach towards differences in the understanding of religious matters. Differences of opinion or understanding towards religious issues will become more prevalent in our community due to the influence of social media. This is a phenomenon that affects all religions. We should manage these differences rationally and wisely. We should not make unreasonable accusations on those who do not share our views. If there are disagreements, we should leave it to the Office of the Mufti to have the final say.

In summary, we must work hard to develop the basic infrastructure for our community. I have presented several important initiatives implemented by institutions like MUIS and the MENDAKI to strengthen the basic facilities that are required by our community. These include infrastructure and educational, social and religious programmes. Hopefully, these measures will enable our community to implement various activities more effectively. The programme for families will hopefully assist our community's efforts to build resilient, stable and happy families. These efforts will complement the various national programmes that are available and, hopefully, will place our children in a better position to compete and seize opportunities that are made available by the nation. I am confident that with the hard work of each individual and community leader, our community can continue to achieve a higher level of success and, therefore, contribute to the development of Singapore.

I share the Minister's concern about the need for a rational and open discourse on sensitive matters. What more can MUIS and the community do to ensure a conducive climate exists both online and offline?

Page: 143

My second clarification. We are proud of our 69 mosques. Can the Minister share his vision for our mosques in the next 50 years?

I thank the Member for those two questions. Let me begin with the second question. We are quite privileged to be able to have 69 mosques for a very small community. Going forward, I have emphasised to MUIS that it is not about building more mosques; it is about making the experience of going to a mosque more meaningful, more insightful and more enriching. So, we will spend more time on developing content within the mosque.

What is it that we can do more to serve the community, to make the experience of visiting the mosque a pleasant and a memorable one. We will emphasise this not only in terms of the programmes for our children, but across the whole board. As I mentioned in my reply, we are now running religious classes for adults. It has been well received. We want to expand that even more. I think this is something which the community is looking forward to. So, the mosque is the platform by which we outreach to our community, offer religious services which they need, but offer it in a manner in which it will leave a meaningful impact in their spiritual and religious life.

On his first question, I think this is a question that not only affects the Malay/Muslim community but across the whole of Singapore. Social media is a new game in town; it has changed a lot of things. But the fundamental principle remains the same, that is, in any discourse that we have, whether it is offline or online, ethics is important, rationality is important, respect is important.

What we can do as a community is really to try and enhance the level of discourse, when we engage offline or online, using those principles that I mentioned earlier. On the part of MUIS, we welcome anyone to discuss things of concerns with MUIS. In fact, we have gone online to discuss with those who have queries about matters that pertain to their interest in religious matters which they wanted to seek some clarification on. I think the role for the community and community leaders is to step forward and establish some norms in which we all can be proud of in the way which we engage one another. Those norms are important. It is not for the Government or MUIS to stipulate; it is for our community leaders to establish those norms, so that it becomes an accepted practice for our community.

Having said that, looking at the recent experiences, I am quite happy that there are rational voices, especially online, that have stood up against those

Page: 144

who have been rabid and irrational, name calling and discourteous. So, we need more of such voices, and I hope that we can encourage such leaders to step forward to do so, whatever the discourse may be. As far as we concerned, differences is not the problem. It is how we manage the differences, and how we agree to disagree on those differences. And if we can set the right tone, I think that is a good way for our community, going forward.

Madam, we see much instability, political and civil, in many of our traditional Islamic hubs, such as Yemen and Egypt. In the Minister's view, given our international standing as an educational and economic hub, can MUIS consider establishing Singapore as an Islamic hub, focusing on niche areas, perhaps leveraging on Singapore's economic hub status? What is MUIS' vision of establishing our international Islamic credentials in the next 10 years?

Second question. Madam, at the start of my MOM cut, I spoke about the need to strengthen TAFEP on employment discrimination. I think this was raised by Suara Musyawarah, which Member Faisal Manap also spoke about earlier. I note that he spoke about it, but I differ in opinion in that the community tackles this with the broader institutions like MOM and TAFEP. So, for the Malay organisations dealing with employability, would they work closer with TAFEP in terms of strengthening the engagement, to address employment discrimination?

There are two questions. I begin, again, with the second question. It is not an easy matter, but I agree with the Member that as far as possible, issues of such nature, we should work within a national framework. TAFEP was created for that purpose. In fact, Mdm Chair had a hand in the formation of TAFEP. It has worked well. There is always room for improvement. I would advise strongly that if there are any concerns about perceived job discrimination, to bring it forward either to MENDAKI SENSE or to TAFEP directly. And I am sure that MOM will deal with this directly. At the end of the day, it is difficult for us to evaluate just at face value. Investigations are necessary to ascertain exactly what happened, and then to take the corrective measures in order to overcome those challenges.

On his first question, the vision of a Islamic hub is, of course, very grand, but I think we have to be very realistic that for such a small country with very limited talent pool, what exactly we can do. We have done well in certain areas. For example, our mosque management is something which other countries – I will not mention which countries – have come to visit and understand how we manage it. I think we have been blessed, because we have followed the

Page: 145

Singapore system of governance in management, and that has filtered into the way we run our mosques and our organisations. Beyond that, education is an area that we are paying close attention to. Our madrasahs, especially Madrasah Aljunied, used to be a hub in the region for talent from the region to come and study. We have lost that prestige because other institutions have grown and overtaken us.

Having said that, I am confident that we can carve out a niche for ourselves that the Member mentioned earlier. But let us let the JMS run first and stabilise ourselves before we decide where exactly is the niche that we can be strong at. If you ask me, without committing my colleagues at MUIS, I think the one area that we have shown our ability, really, is integrating modern knowledge and traditional knowledge. And that is one programme that we are looking forward to in our JMS, to allow our students who go through our madrasah system to be trained comprehensively, not just in traditional Islamic knowledge, but also in modern knowledge. So, perhaps, that is an area that we can pay attention to.

Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied) (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Madam, I would like to ask if the Minister or the Government will implement efforts or measures to address or look into the issue of loyalty that has been discussed in Suara Musyawarah?

Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim (In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] From what we know about this issue of loyalty, although there is a perception among the few in our community, the community in general feels that we have opportunities in Singapore. Based on what I said earlier as well as efforts that we have made and undertaken, and our community's achievements, these have shown that our community has a role in contributing to Singapore and, at the same time, our community has also integrated well with other communities.

I think that if such perceptions are present, the best way will be for them to forward their complaints to the relevant parties and we can discuss them. We know that in terms of opportunities in education, National Service and others, a lot has happened. Many opportunities have been given to the Malay/Muslim community, and from 1965 until now, many Malays have shown that they can also contribute and their contributions are also acknowledged by the Government.

I feel that this is something that does not need the effort of a committee. But if such perceptions are present, we should forward them to the relevant

Page: 146

parties and we can discuss them.

Just two short clarifications for the Minister. I applaud the formation of Nadi Khidmat at the mosques. Will Nadi Khidmat be working closely with our social service officers and the schools, so that a holistic approach can be rendered to families who are disadvantaged?

And my second clarification: the Minister mentioned that there are 14,000 students who are taking part in our aLIVE programme as of last year. What is this percentage in terms of the total number of children that we have, and are we targeting more to take part in this programme?

I do not have the exact figure about the percentage but the Member is absolutely right that it is a concern within our community that not many of our young students go on to take on the religious classes while they are in Secondary school. This is, in fact, a challenge for our community and that is why, in my reply, I explained that we are now trying to make it as easy as possible for Malay/Muslim families to send their kids or to have their kids receive religious education. The programme that we are now piloting is to have the aLIVE classes at home.

Having said that, by making a wide availability of classes across many locations and having more flexible time schedules, perhaps, is the way to go. I have asked MUIS to study this but, certainly, having invested in the aLIVE programme by developing new curriculum, training new asatizahs to run the programme, we must ensure that we can maximise the potential as much as possible.

On Nadi Khidmat, I think that is the intention – to be able to leverage on national institutions which are available locally. The Nadi Khidmat officers will work with the mosque officials, not only to reach out to those who are already on assistance but other Malay/Muslim families within the constituency and help put them into either MENDAKI or MUIS programmes or national programmes. That has always been our approach. We have the wrap-around care that we piloted several years ago, and the purpose is to ride on national programmes as our first step before we tap into community resources.

Page: 147

Mdm Chair, it is almost 10 months since admission to the museums is made free to Singaporeans and PRs. Has the public responded positively to the free admission? Museums tend to focus on producing outputs such as attendance numbers, collections and programmes to assess how well they are doing. I hope the Ministry can focus more on museum outcomes and impact on visitors' experiences.

It is not about how much, how big or how many but how the museums are able to develop its audiences as regular users and extending its relevance and collaboration with the community. The museum experience should not be restricted by its four walls or opening hours but also reaches outwards to the community. Apart from the onsite engagement, our museums can leverage on online, mobile and social media platforms to reach out and build meaningful relationships with its users.

Can the Minister share with us MCCY's strategies to ensure that our museums stay relevant, to continue to evoke positive visitors' experiences and repeat visits? What plans are in place to ensure that the Singapore Story presented in our National Museums remains resonant, relevant to Singaporeans, especially in light of our 50th anniversary?

Thank you, Chairman. In the region of Southeast Asia, we probably rank amongst the top museums in terms of collections and display although we have not won many accolades. We have received some notable mention, though.

Our museums regularly host exciting internationally known collections. The Art Museum used to host paintings of the famous Wu Guan Zhong, and the Asian Civilization Museum some years ago hosted one of the few internationally recognised Buddha relics. Yet, it was reported that both the ticketed as well as non-ticketed events suffer from a decline in attendance.

What is the status of attendance since the free admission for Singaporeans and PRs? Would extending the closing hours to suit working Singaporeans to

Page: 148

attend after work help, perhaps a night at the Museum or some programmes that we could glean from other successful museums? What plans are there in store to make our museums not only resonant with Singaporeans but as one of the must-see places when foreigners visit us? Not quite like the must-visit Guggenheim or National History Museum in New York. But we can aspire to become a must-see for museum goers. This should be a goal we can strive for.

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Charles Chong) in the Chair]

My next cut. Last year we witnessed an effort to make quality arts and heritage experiences more accessible to all Singaporeans in the form of free museum admissions.

Each constituency launched art programmes, bringing culture and an appreciation of the arts and our heritage to a new level. I might add that the enjoyment and participation of the community in such events contributed to much more community bonding.

Given the encouraging momentum of arts and cultural heritage efforts in the community, are there more initiatives to bring arts and heritage events even closer to the wider community? How is the Government supporting community efforts to protect and preserve as well as to showcase our heritage and thereby foster a stronger identity?

My next cut on local artistes. Sir, the local art scene has come some way and it is dynamic, transforming itself all the time. Some 10 to 20 years ago, there were only a handful of names.

A look at each year's Cultural Medallion awardees will testify to the development and pool of talent we have. To name a few, Nick Shen, who mastered the art of face change, Karen Tan returning from London and on to performing without missing a beat and, of course, in our House, Nominated Member, actress Janice Koh.

Our local art ecosystem is much alive. What is being done to support our local artistes in their efforts to scale new heights in a challenging environment? What role can the Government play in aiding their development not only locally

Page: 149

but regionally or even globally?

Sir, on to culture of a different sort – sporting culture. As we approach the official opening of the Singapore Sports Hub later this year, much focus has been on the amount of investment being pumped into the sports sector to build more infrastructure for the community. It is certainly welcome to know that we will have world leading facilities that can host top international sporting events as well as more infrastructure in neighbourhoods across Singapore which will make it easier for more people to enjoy a healthy sporting lifestyle.

My concern is that such efforts and investments are not enough. You may remember a sports movie, "Field of Dreams" where a farmer builds a baseball diamond on his farm after hearing a voice telling him, "If you build it, he will come". That is in reference to a dead baseball legend in the movie. Now, I am paraphrasing here but, perhaps, we are hopeful that if we build more facilities, they – people – will come to use them. This may work in movies but I think more needs to be done. The creation of a deep and sustainable sports culture is not an easy task but it is, certainly, a worthwhile one.

Singapore's sports culture has long been based around participation. The number of mass participation runs, cycling events, triathlons and adventure races over the years is testament to the popularity and commercial viability of these events. But if you consider the most popular mass event in Singapore, the Standard Chartered Marathon, where we often see a peak of just over 60,000 runners taking part, this is a significant field for a marathon. But it is the biggest

Page: 151

event in Singapore and it represents virtually all endurance athletes in the country. Other events will not hit such large numbers. Other popular sports for most Singaporeans looking to keep fit include football, badminton, basketball, table tennis. Our stadiums are quite well utilised by weekend warriors and also after office hours. And this is an encouraging base to build on but I have to say we are still a far cry from being a truly sporting nation.

Is this goal something that we should aim for in the first place? Well, I think so. I said on previous occasions in this House that sports have many intrinsic benefits and in discussions with other veterans of the local sporting scene, there is widespread agreement that many of the virtues of sports are not extolled often enough. The health and fitness aspects are well known but are gaining in importance as we face an ageing population in the years ahead. A population kept fit and strong through sporting activities and exercise is less likely to require significant medical treatment later in life.

At the same time, sport can teach and transmit other less tangible benefits, including a core set of values that can be very useful for life in general. As Singapore matures and develops as a nation and society, we will face evolving challenges. Some of these will be familiar to us, most will not. Climate change, a maturing economy and a competitive global marketplace and other social and demographic challenges will require certain qualities and characteristics in people to be able to survive and thrive.

People who have played sport enjoy the experience of being on the playing fields, work as part of a team, planned for and worked with a specific goal over a long duration of time, and would have picked up a wide range of positive attributes. These include resilience, respect for others – be they team-mates or opponents – focus, determination and patience. They will also learn how to assess situations under pressure and to make decisions – when to take risk and when not to do so. They would learn to believe in themselves and to have confidence in the face of adversity and they will learn the value of integrity and honest effort.

While essential for any athlete looking to excel at the top levels of sport, these virtues will also benefit entrepreneurs, young students, businessmen, public officials; basically anyone. Many top athletes have gone on to achieve success outside of the sporting sphere and they have credited the lessons they learned during their competitive days as being a critical part of their success journey.

Page: 152

How do we achieve this in Singapore? I firmly believe that we need a more broad- based appreciation for sports beyond just joining in as a participant. Yes, experiencing it first-hand is very powerful but not anyone is cut out to be an athlete, regardless of the level, and not all of us have the time or resources to play a particular sport. But it is possible to develop an appreciation of sports as a sports fan as well and to follow the exploits of athletes, enjoy the thrills and spills of watching competitions "live" or on television, in the papers and magazines and online. And it is possible to learn some of the key values I mentioned earlier vicariously as well. It is a great way to get the young involved from an early age.

I hope that the Ministry can encourage the development of the sports sector to include more options to enjoy sports as entertainment, either through more spectator-friendly events or more diverse coverage in the different media. I would also echo a call made by Mr Ng Ser Miang, a veteran of the local and international sporting scene for us to look to develop our own Singapore sports event which can become iconic on the global stage instead of merely paying for the rights to hold international events that come and go depending on where the money is.

I feel as well that the corporate sector too can do more to encourage a greater appreciation of sports. There have been some staunch supporting sponsors in the local scene such as OCBC, Standard Chartered, Osim and others which have helped to grow local sporting events and develop our national athletes. Perhaps more companies can step forward to offer more regular support, for example, sponsoring the S League or some other sporting leagues and encouraging inter-company rivalries, and broadening a fan base and following for such events.

It is going to take a multi-pronged approach to drive the development of a true Singapore sporting culture with all sectors and stakeholders having a critical part to play. But I honestly believe that the benefits will make all of this worthwhile in the long run.

Sir, we will be hosting the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games as well as the ASEAN Para Games for the first time.

Page: 153

Although we have hosted large scale sporting events, such as the YOG, it has been 21 years since we last hosted the SEA Games back in 1993. We have never hosted a regional paraplegic sporting event involving some 1,300 participants from the region. All eyes will be upon us.

What is the status of Singapore's preparation for both the 2015 SEA Games as well as the ASEAN Para Games? Given that we are also celebrating our Golden Jubilee, are our resources overstretched? Are there contingencies should some critical resource needs overlap?

Mr Chairman, last year, the Sports Facilities Master Plan was announced. May I ask the Minister to give an update on the new community-based sporting facilities that are to be built in the coming years? What are some significant sports infrastructure enhancements in the pipeline and when will they be completed? As Yishun Town is a highly populated town and also the second fastest growing town, my residents are looking forward to having more sports facilities there. What can we expect in Yishun?

The Ministry cannot bear the sole responsibility of creating a sporting nation. Promoting sports must be from all levels, an across-the-board effort from schools, National Sports Associations (NSAs) and private sectors. The NSAs have been actively promoting their passion for their respective sports.

I would like to declare my interest as I am the President of the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA).

We should support them in their efforts to encourage and enable more Singaporeans to participate in different types of sports. I would like to ask how are we supporting our NSAs with more funding and resources to promote their respective sports.

Next, I would like to give my input on our Singapore Sports School. As in Sports Schools in many other countries, I am sure one of the desired outcomes of our Sports School is to produce world-class athletes. In order to do that, our Sports School must be able to attract top-notch athletes instead of losing many of them to other mainstream schools via DSA. Hence, I would like to urge for a review of DSA's criteria.

Page: 154

I also hope that the review of the Sports School can look into lightening the academic workload of students, providing a through-train to its students all the way to University level in order to make the Sports School more attractive. Our Sports School has to aim high and, hence, I would think they should not be competing in our inter-school tournaments. Our Sports School athletes should be sent to compete in the region and beyond. In order to do this, the funding has to be adequate and more consistent.

Just to give you an example, for School-Within-School Programme for table tennis (SWS), when it first started with four players, we were given $250,000. Today, there are 17 players and the funding is still $250,000. We cannot and should not do things half-heartedly.

Finally, I would like to bring up the issue of NS deferment for national athletes again. Last year, the Minister for Defence made the highly commendable decision of granting swimmer Joseph Schooling NS deferment so that he can focus on training for the 2016 Olympics. This was a timely and possibly momentous move that is likely to have a huge impact on Schooling's sporting career and possibly Singapore's sporting history.

I hope this can be extended to other male national athletes as well. The Olympics is not the only prestigious sports event, even if it is indeed the most prestigious. Our athletes require more opportunities to participate in as many regional sporting events as possible. Allow them to defer their NS if they have decided to put their life and soul into their chosen sport. As the host nation of the 28th SEA Games, the heat is on us to send in as many top-notch athletes as possible.

Sir, sports can change lives. This is especially so for para athletes, their families, their communities. They may be different, but our fellow human beings would deserve an environment that tells them and their families that they are worthy and that they can make it. They may face more challenges than the rest of us but that is all the more reason we should champion them and cheer them on.

When they succeed, it is not just a personal success; it is a family triumph, a community victory and a national pride. We should create an environment that supports these brave athletes. Hence, my questions are:

Page: 155

(a) What is being done to support para athletes in terms of training, exposure and equipment needs?

(b) Given the higher financial expenses, how can we lighten the burden on the families and encourage more disabled to take up sports?

(c) Are there jobs in the sports sector where para athletes can pursue with dignity as their career?

(d) Is the Sports Hub designed with para sports in mind?

(e) Does MCCY have a plan to build the necessary infrastructure for para sports?

Sir, inclusivity is a key feature of our Budget 2014. We should seek to promote inclusivity in our major headlining events in 2014 and 2015 and forever. For example, as we begin planning for the grand opening of the Sports Hub, the SEA Games, the Para SEA Games and SG 50 Celebrations in 2015, para sports should also feature prominently in the celebrations.

They inspire every Singaporean to overcome the odds and scale greater heights. Disability is a mindset. It is not an insurmountable obstacle. But the journey is lonely unless we have communities that believe in the disabled and a society that creates space that they deserve, space that they need and space for all. I know what the journey feels like because I, too, had been wheel-chair bound, albeit for a while.

Mr Chairman, the Sports Hub is opening in mid-June this year, and a whole range of sporting events and festivals has been lined up in the Sports Hub calendar. I am sure many Singaporeans will be able to participate in the activities at the Sports Hub in one way or another. Besides these events, the Sports Hub will also be gearing up to host the 2015 SEA and ASEAN Para Games.

I would like to ask the Minister if the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework for the Sports Hub development has served its purpose and met its original objectives.

Page: 156

With just slightly more than a year to go, I would also like to ask the Minister for an update on the preparation for the SEA and ASEAN Para Games in 2015.

Sir, the Sports Facilities Masterplan costing $250 million was unveiled last year. The main objective would be to build facilities to cater for future sporting needs and sports development. Are there any updates in terms of new community-based sporting facilities to be built in the coming years, aside from a new stadium in Sembawang? How is the Government engaging both private and the community stakeholders and what is the gauge of the interest from them?

Not just with building new facilities, would the Minister consider – much like MOE's programme like the PRIME Programme for rebuilding and improving existing schools – perhaps a Sports PRIME Programme for rebuilding and improving existing sports facilities. One to mention would be the indoor sports facilities at Clementi that is 20 to 30 years old.

Sir, I would like to declare my interest as Patron of the Singapore Cycling Federation.

There has been a spate of national cyclists hit by cars while training on our roads. National cyclist Dinah Chan was one of them. Despite her injuries, she managed to bounce back to win a historic cycling Gold for Singapore at the last SEA Games.

Another national cyclist, Ho Jun Rong, was not so lucky. He was hit by a car while training for the SEA Games in 2010. It left him with a broken collar bone and ended his dreams for a medal. National cyclists Benedict Lee and Travis Woodford were also hit by cars while training last year. There are others.

It is unacceptable to expose our national cyclists to such unnecessary risks to train for Singapore's sporting glory. It is like asking our swimmers to train in shark-infested waters, or our sprinters to run on a minefield. It is our moral responsibility and duty to provide them with safe training venues.

Our national cyclists are serious about winning medals for Singapore. Dinah, for example, is taking a one-year leave from work to train so that she can

Page: 157

win medals for Singapore. Can Singapore match their level of commitment? Is Singapore serious about training them up and making a mark in international competitions? Given the danger of training on Singapore roads and the expense of extended overseas training, it is crucial to provide a high quality local training base for our cyclists.

To that end, I would propose a Singapore Cycling Centre featuring an indoor velodrome. The velodrome would not be just for elite cyclists but, like those in Hong Kong, UK and Australia, offer a wide variety of public sessions that cater for all ages and abilities and also to different sports in the centre of the velodrome. Such a Singapore Cycling Centre with a velodrome would transform the long-term development of cycling, a sport in which Singapore has proved that it can do well. It would also attract and produce more youngsters with potential.

Our BMX riders also need a place to train once the Tampines Bike Park is closed this year. I would like to ask that the replacement site be in an area where there is space for a future Singapore Cycling Centre with a velodrome next to it. I hope that the Minister would consider this seriously and not put the brakes on this idea.

Sir, sports inculcate valuable qualities, such as teamwork, shared responsibilities, uphold team interests, fair play and sportsmanship. Also, sports help people to stay healthy and fit, and bond our people and nation together. As such, apart from rallying behind elite sports, more can be done to encourage and build a broad-based interest in sports amongst Singaporeans across all ages and from all walks of life. How does MCCY intend to achieve this?

The Super Sports Club – the key recommendation under Vision 2030 Sports Masterplan – endeavours to be a public sporting club. Can the Minister provide an update on the progress of the Super Sports Club and Active SG?

Many of our residents have asked for the use of common sports facilities in schools and other sporting facilities in their neighbourhood. What is the status of MCCY's attempt to work with schools, colleges and tertiary institutions to open their facilities for community use? Perhaps MCCY can share with us some of the obstacles in achieving this goal and share how we may get around them

Page: 158

and make sports accessible and inclusive for all Singaporeans.

Mr Chairman, first let me declare my interest as the President of the Singapore Dragon Boat Association.

Sir, I watched the recent Winter Olympics in Sochi, fascinated by the many different sports on display and the talent of the individual athletes representing their individual countries. All of them had put in tremendous efforts to represent their countries and to do their countries proud. As expected, the big nations, Russia and US, won the most medals. Yet what I found most fascinating was that many smaller nations had been able to punch above their weight in spite of their significantly smaller population. Norway, for instance, has a population of about five million, and won an astonishing 26 medals. Slovenia has two million but won eight medals. A recent count by an article in The Atlantic showed these two countries topping the medal charts, if it is ranked according to final medal performance by the size of each country's population.

However, while it is important to achieve sporting excellence through the various high performance strategies, I would also like to highlight that sports is more than just medals and glory. As a country, we need to make sports a way of life. I would like to ask the Minister if his Ministry has plans to partner the NSAs and provide the necessary support and funding so that, collectively, we can work towards the common goal of making sports a national language that can inspire, unite and motivate Singaporeans – to borrow a quote from the Acting Minister Lawrence Wong himself.

Sir, the Singapore League (S League) is the first professional football league in Singapore. Officially began in 1996 after the nation's withdrawal from the Malaysia Cup in 1994, the inaugural season saw a total of eight participating teams. The last game in the first season between Geylang United and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) saw a record attendance of 30,000. It remains the best attended game in the

Page: 159

history of the league.

In 2003, as a way to inject more interest into the league, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) invited foreign clubs to participate. Sinchi FC was the first foreign club to participate in the league and to date, there have been a total of eight foreign clubs that were involved in the competition.

Some of them are still playing in the league today such Albirex Nigata (Singapore) and Harimau Muda. Some foreign clubs played for a season and left due to poor performances, technicalities or off-field disciplinary problems. With the involvement of the Lions XII in the Malaysia Super League (MSL) since the 2012 season, the interest of many local fans has shifted away from the S League.

On the website of the S League, it is said, and I quote, "The S League is widely regarded as the best league in Southeast Asia." I would like to ask the Minister what are his Ministry's plans, (a) in rejuvenating the league and generate more interest in the league and (b) in raising the standards of play and enhance the experiences of local fans on match days.

Lastly, I would like to propose to the Ministry to consider reshuffling and renaming the participating teams in accordance to the town they are geographically located, using the electoral boundaries map as the basis for this delineation. I am of the view that this would foster a greater sense of belonging among the residents living in the community as the football club would then be seen as an integral part of the local ecosystem and a source of pride for the residents.

Sir, how are we using sports to reach out to underprivileged communities? How effective has the SportCares initiative been?

This initiative was started to facilitate sports philanthropy and volunteerism. Since last year, the SportCares Foundation has raised S$1 million from corporates and individuals, including through one-to-one matching from the Sports Council. These funds go towards sports programmes that provide skills

Page: 160

and character development for children, teenagers and youths in need.

I have taken part in a few of these SportCares events, for example, Football with a Heart. I was among 700 footballers representing over 40 organisations which helped to raise more than S$400,000 for organisations that included "Football with a Heart." I would like to ask what projects there are in place today, an update on the funding, and whether the Ministry has some specific roles in mind for the sporting community to play in this effort.

Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their interest in our work at MCCY. And with your permission, I would like to display some slides on the screens. [Slides were shown to hon Members.] Pardon the voice, it is a bad time to have a raspy throat but I will make do.

Next year, we celebrate 50 years of Independence. That we are able to do so at all is not to be taken for granted. Our Pioneer Generation, they would know this best. They fought for Singapore to survive. They met slim odds with great conviction. So, here we are nearly 50 years later, a nation strong and free – because of that early grit and determination to succeed.

Members have debated the way forward for the next 50 years and beyond. Some suggested a break from the narrative of scarcity and vulnerability, toward trust and possibility. Others highlighted that it would be foolish and dishonest to ignore the harsh realities that confront us.

For our Pioneer Generation, perhaps these seemingly opposing views were two sides of a coin. They knew what it was to be at the mercy of international forces beyond their control. They knew what it was to be uncertain and afraid. But where they were uncertain, they were also determined; where they were afraid, they also had a quality of optimism. Not blind faith, but conviction, and a keen eye for possibilities. Our pioneers were neither larger than life nor anointed with powers beyond the ordinary. They did not chase glory or seek danger. But together, they saw possibilities for Singapore, for our way of life, and the nation we could be. They were heroes when it counted. They were extraordinary when we needed them to be.

So, I am glad that Budget 2014 honours our Pioneers. And as our Jubilee approaches, we need to look in both directions. To our past and the example of our Pioneers; and to the future, to the sort of Pioneers this generation wants to

Page: 161

be.

I thank Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mr David Ong and Mr Arthur Fong for their strong support of our museums. I agree fully with them on the importance in building awareness of our past.

That is why I decided on free museum entry last year for all Singaporeans. Members asked what has been the impact. In the six months since the policy was introduced – from June to December last year – visitorship increased by more than 25%. So, I am glad to announce that 2013 was a record year for museum visitorship. For the first time ever, we had more than three million visitors to our museums.

It is more than just the numbers because many are visiting for the first time, like Mr Sani. Last month, he brought a friend from Australia to the National Museum of Singapore. Mr Sani works in the sales industry and he says that his favourite exhibits at the National Museum are the ones on Food and Film. He says that they remind him of the old days – vendors who sold kueh tutu, and tok tok mee, and the films of the late P Ramlee.

Another example is Ms Lee, who brought her two daughters to see the Total Defence exhibits at the National Museum. Now that admission is free, they tell us that they do not have to rush to see all the exhibits within a day. So, Ms Lee is planning to visit the museums more often in the future with her family.

Overall, our free admission policy has made an impact. But we cannot stop there. As several Members said just now, it is not just about the numbers for the visitorship. We also want Singaporeans to have a meaningful time at our museums, so that they will return. And as Mr Arthur Fong said just now, we want our museums to be a must-see stop for visitors as well. So, I agree with Members that we must invest in quality and content. That is why we are setting aside more resources for conservation, for acquiring of new collections. That is why we are also embarking on two major projects on the occasion of our 50th anniversary.

First, the National Museum. The Museum serves an important civic function in engaging Singaporeans on our national history. So, it must resonate with the people. We find that stories tend to work best. Mr Alex Yam spoke earnestly about this earlier in the Budget debate. He urged us to help these stories live on, "Simple, heart-felt stories of ordinary men and women" that

Page: 162

embody the pioneering spirit.

And I agree with him. That is why we aim to design a new experience in the Museum that will capture more of what we call "everyday heritage" – heritage taken not only from the grand pages of history, but from the lives of "ordinary" citizens. In particular, the Singapore Memory Project has collected stories from Singaporeans from all walks of life. We will showcase a selection of these memories in the Museum.

Stories are told not just in words, but in seemingly simple objects as well. And we will feature more of these in the Museum too. This year, the Museum has been collaborating with MediaCorp on a TV programme called "Treasure Hunt", where we invite Singaporeans to contribute their own artefacts that are part of our national heritage. We have received many interesting collections, including old campaign posters, football medals from the 1977 Malaysia Cup and personal items from the early days of National Service. These are objects which many of us can relate to and they tell a very personal history of Singapore.

Most of the memories that Singaporeans have shared hark back to the post-independence era, when we were finding our feet as a young nation. So, the new Museum experience will provide more glimpses into Singapore's history post-1965. I think this is a natural and significant step in our telling of The Singapore Story. It is a story that must expand over time and that all Singaporeans must know.

Central to this is to make the Museum a place young Singaporeans remember growing up with and would want to go to. So, we are introducing a new Wing at the National Museum called Play@NMS which will be dedicated to children and young families. This new Wing will open in May this year and this will put us on a good start for the broader museum revamp, which will be ready by next year.

The next project is the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM). As Singaporeans, we ought to know what has shaped us; how the confluence of Asian cultures in the region has driven the way Singapore interacts with the world. So, the Museum plays a different, but also important role in understanding our national context.

The ACM will undergo quite a transformation. For a start, we are re-designing the lobby, introducing new shops and dining options, and expanding the permanent galleries. This will give us more exhibition space for important

Page: 163

artefacts. For instance, we will bring in the Tang Cargo – a selection of over 50,000 objects, salvaged from the Java Sea, that testify to our past as a centre of trade in Asia.

One of the expanded spaces is the China Gallery, which should be completed next year. I am glad that the private sector has stepped forward to help fund this. The building will inject a fresh and modern element into the otherwise classical architecture of the Museum.

Meanwhile, we are exploring a new entrance for the ACM that opens onto the Singapore River. We may combine this with the new gallery space that will breathe more light into the Museum. This needs a bit more study, but it is a potential game-changer for the Museum. It would open the Museum to many more visitors and convert it into a vibrant offering along the waterfront. Not to mention, this would connect the Museum to the historic heart of Singapore.

These are some of the Ministry's efforts leading up to the 50th anniversary. But the celebration is not just about what MCCY wants to do. It is for all Singaporeans to decide the true spirit of SG50 and what it means to be a Singaporean in this important phase of our nation's journey.

We have received many ideas from citizens on how to celebrate SG50. I have enjoyed reading the suggestions that were submitted through our website. One bright idea came from Claire, who suggested that the whole nation wear red to support Team Singapore at the 28th SEA Games next year – a "sea of red", she said. Mindy suggested a "Kallang roar" at the new National Stadium. Yok Lian suggested holding a quiz competition between housing estates on Singapore's history and future plans.

I think these are all very good ideas. We have set up an SG50 Celebration Fund to resource these initiatives driven by the community. And I would encourage Singaporeans to tap on the Fund and to implement their ideas.

It has never been for the Government to define a Singaporean culture or a Singaporean way of life. As then-Minister of Law Mr E W Barker said as early as 1969, and I quote, "The evolution of a common culture is not the monopoly of the Government... Culture must evolve spontaneously from the social milieu".

Indeed, culture and heritage are not contained in the walls of our Museums. Several Members like Mr David Ong and Mr Arthur Fong also spoke about this. Our culture and heritage spill into, and emerge from the community; from

Page: 164

ordinary lives, from everyday places. So, it is the community that we look to engage.

Our strategy has been to create spaces for heritage to flourish. We now have 13 heritage trails all over Singapore. We also have community museums, galleries and heritage corners. We will continue to work with residents to bring these to life. We hear their stories and we record them for the future.

Several Members spoke about creating spaces in the city that will allow us to feel an emotional connection to place. Ms Janice Koh mentioned this in the Budget debate earlier, Mr Baey Yam Keng said it just now in his speech too. I share their sentiments, but I also acknowledge the practical challenges and constraints we face. We will always have to tread that careful line between attachment to physical sites and Singapore's development needs. We are doing more to preserve these physical sites – to document and research them and, in some cases, to protect. But we are also sowing the seeds for new "spaces": spaces for sharing, reflection and for communities to remember.

Take Mdm Helen Chua – a resident from Taman Jurong. This is a photo of her daughter in the 1970s. Mdm Chua shared this with us for an exhibition at the community museum in Taman Jurong. She recalled how her family would catch large, black tiger prawns near Jurong Lake. They would bring them back in a pail and the whole family would share them for dinner.

It is a simple story, a personal memory. But in the act of sharing, it became more about family and community, about the shared experiences that many growing up in the Jurong area could identify with. We thank Mdm Chua for sharing because stories like these remind us that as we move ahead, some things will always be with us; and these are the memories that we must preserve and remember.

I have spoken on the importance of our past. Let me move to the future of our cultural scene, in both the arts and sports. I will start with the arts.

For many years we have talked about being a global city for the arts. Perhaps to the point that some have forgotten what a precious dream this was to members of our Pioneer Generation. Becoming a cultural city was not merely a pipe dream or a good-to-have: it came from pride in our emerging identity and the desire for the world to know about Singapore.

Page: 165

Pioneer artists like poet Edwin Thumboo were deeply invested in a cultural vision for Singapore. I quote from a recent conversation he had with an officer at MCCY, "Everything Singapore has earned, we have had to build up; we have had to create. And right from the beginning, the Pioneer Generation writers knew we had to create our own national literature. The sense of forming an identity was very strong. And with that, to create a multiracial society that taps the strengths of all the cultures."

Besides building a national identity, our Pioneers also engaged with the regional and global context. Take our pioneer artist Liu Kang. He was passionate about Singapore and Southeast Asian art. In a 1963 essay, and I translate from Mandarin, he wrote, "Southeast Asia needs an arts centre to be the leader of the pack. Where, then, is this arts centre? I say it is Singapore!"

Mr Chairman, I believe that Singapore can be, as Liu Kang and our pioneer artists believed: the leading arts centre in Southeast Asia.

Singapore is an increasingly important destination for the arts. We are seeing more articles on this in regional and international media. Our arts calendar is more vibrant than ever. Earlier this year, we had a very successful Singapore Art Week as well as the Singapore Biennale. As I speak, the Mosaic Music Festival is running at the Esplanade. Later this year, we can look forward to the inaugural Singapore International Festival of the Arts, the Heritage Festival, the Night Festival – which is a night at the museum, as was suggested by Member Mr Arthur Fong – and the Writers Festival.

We need to maintain and expand our reputation as a top-notch destination for arts and culture. Updating our capabilities and museums is part of that picture and I have explained what we are doing earlier. We will have to do more than that and the crown jewel of our performing arts landscape: the Esplanade. Incidentally, CNN has just ranked it as one of the top 15 most beautiful concert halls in the world, so it is something that we can be very proud of. After more than 10 years of operations, we want to refresh this national icon, so we will refit the Esplanade to upgrade its existing spaces and also set up a theatre mainly for children.

Altogether, we will invest more than $65 million into the museums and our cultural institutions. This does not include several major projects which we are already undertaking. For example, we can look forward to the reopening of the

Page: 166

Victoria Theatre and Victoria Concert Hall in August this year and, of course, we have the National Art Gallery which will be opening in late 2015. So, there is a lot that we are doing; for conservation, for capabilities, for programming, new collections and also infrastructure upgrade this year and next year.

Beyond infrastructure, Mr Baey Yam Keng and Mr Arthur Fong rightly said that we need to look into the entire ecosystem of arts and culture, and there are two main groups that we are committed to developing: our artists and our audiences. These are not mutually exclusive. Singaporean artists will benefit from a larger audience of art lovers. In turn, more local talents will emerge from a strong culture of arts appreciation. So, it is a virtuous cycle.

Let me speak first on supporting local artists. Since the launch of the National Arts Council's (NAC) New Grants Framework, we have committed over $14 million in funding for our local artists and arts groups. This is 30% over what was committed in the same period last year. Rather than wait for artists to apply, NAC works with them proactively to discuss their development. We fund programmes like structured training and apprenticeships. We also provide holistic support for our arts groups. We recognise the challenge of rising costs, and we see their long-term potential for growth, so we provide grants for organisation development.

We are also working hard to profile our artists on the international stage. Singaporean artists already participate in many overseas arts fairs, artist residencies and more. The Singapour Festivarts in France, London Book Fair and the Venice Biennale are just some examples. But more can still be done.

MCCY will provide $20 million over the next five years to give our artists more opportunities to perform and showcase their works overseas.

When our artists perform overseas, they are also flying the Singapore flag. They represent an important part of our efforts in cultural diplomacy. I believe this additional investment will do more to profile our creative and cultural assets abroad and enhance Singapore's reputation as an arts centre. It will also be helpful for our own artists as they gain more exposure through international exchanges and seek to broaden their audiences overseas.

This is something which Mr Baey Yam Keng had highlighted in his speech earlier about the limits of our small market. I believe by giving support to our artists, they can broaden their audiences and reach out to more people. Mr Baey also spoke earlier about creating art with an authentic Singapore voice and he

Page: 167

mentioned "Ilo Ilo" as a very good example.

If you ask Singaporeans and artists now to list what they feel to be Singaporean art, it is not so easy to do so. But when you look at an art performance, listen to music or watch a film, or see an art piece, you can see something distinctively Singaporean about its character and spirit. We want to strengthen this process of creating Singaporean art and having more international exchanges will enable our artists to grow, mature and develop their own distinctive styles that reflect our Singaporean identity.

As these artists do well and gain recognition abroad, I am sure Singaporeans will also take pride in their achievements and I believe this will, in turn, motivate our artists to create more authentic and exciting work that not only resonates with local audiences but also has universal appeal.

Besides supporting our local artists overseas, another key approach is to have our public spaces filled with art. We want art to be a part of our cityscape.

Good public art opens a window into the character of a city. It transforms the spaces around us and the way we engage with the environment. We want the streets of Singapore to stand out not only for their skyscrapers but also for their beauty and creativity.

I am glad to share that more spaces are opening up for street art in Singapore. This has already started to happen at the Aliwal Arts Centre in the heart of Kampong Glam and in sections of the Rail Corridor, which holds many precious memories for Singaporeans and we are studying the possibility of more spaces to follow, in neighbourhoods around Singapore.

We are also investing in other forms of public art, like murals and sculptures around Singapore. This is not new – the Government has administered different schemes over the years to encourage public art. One example is URA's Art Incentive Scheme, which ran from 2005 to 2012 and it has helped to introduce public artworks in the downtown area.

We want to do even more for public art in different spaces, including those outside the central region. I have decided to set up a Public Art Trust to commission, display, promote and maintain public artworks. The Trust will receive donations from patrons of the arts and we will match these donations dollar for dollar through the Cultural Matching Fund.

Page: 168

The Trust will give more opportunities for artists, especially Singaporean artists, to integrate their work into the built environment. So, with this Public Art Trust, I hope we can see more artwork in our public spaces – in our housing estates, in our parks and even in Changi Airport to welcome both residents and visitors. To start things off, MCCY will provide the Trust with $10 million in seed funding. NAC will consult the public on its features before finalising the scheme by the end of the year.

Ms Janice Koh was rightly concerned about maintenance and I would like to assure her that the Trust will fund the maintenance of the artwork it commissions. And, likewise, as she mentioned, detailed plans and budgets for maintenance will have to be submitted during the application process.

She also suggested a list of public art in Singapore. We are looking into making the information public for artworks that have been commissioned under past and current incentive schemes. We will certainly do so for the Public Art Trust and NHB will post information relating to its public art tax incentive scheme on its website by the end of this month.

For the community to embrace the arts, they must not only look but participate. That is why MCCY is committed to helping the arts flourish in neighbourhoods all across the island. We do this through community-friendly spaces like libraries and community centres which we call "community nodes for arts and culture". These are places where all can gather to enjoy performances, workshops and more.

Community nodes already exist in Siglap South Community Centre (CC), the Woodlands Regional Library and the Kallang CC. This year, NAC will be rolling out new nodes at the Jurong and Tampines Regional Libraries, and NAC will continue to work with different partners, both public and private, to identify more nodes around Singapore. By 2025, we aim to have 25 community nodes distributed across Singapore. This will take the arts within easy reach of Singaporean households.

There is one demographic in particular that we are doing more to engage and that is our youth. Earlier I mentioned new spaces for children at the National Museum and the Esplanade. The upcoming National Art Gallery will also house the Keppel Centre for Art Education to provide special programmes designed for children. These include immersive artworks that will encourage children to touch, play and create art together.

Page: 169

We are also doing more in schools. Earlier this year, the lower Secondary history syllabus was integrated with the content of our National Museum and we hope all 30,000 Secondary 1 students will go through our doors this year. Meanwhile, our museums run workshops and provide field-based learning resources for educators in subjects like social studies and history. We have also provided teaching resources for local music and literature.

Sir, I move now to talk about sports, which is an integral component of our cultural vision for Singapore.

It is fitting to start by highlighting one of our pioneer sportsmen – Mr C Kunalan. He is one of the most respected athletes of his generation. He participated in the 1964 and the 1968 Olympics. He has won many medals for Singapore at the Asian Games and what we now know as the SEA Games. So, we spoke to him recently, and I quote from what he told us. He said, "When I think back – yes, we were some kind of pioneers. But mostly, I felt humbled and small. I thought: wow, I can represent Singapore. But, of course, there were many others before me."

What he said reminds us that this is not a sprint; it is a marathon, a relay that all Singaporeans are a part of. I would agree with Mr Nicholas Fang that there needs to be a long-term national effort to build a deep and sustainable culture. And you cannot do this in a short time, it has to be built up over the long term, but I share his aspiration and the aspiration which many Members have also articulated for Singapore to be a sporting nation.

The Government will continue to invest in infrastructure and programmes that help talented and committed Singaporeans meet their sporting aspirations. But we cannot do it alone – the Government cannot do it alone – and that is something Er Dr Lee Bee Wah mentioned too. We need the support of our National Sports Associations (NSAs), our corporate partners and, most importantly, our fellow Singaporeans.

All the sports facilities and programmes that we are working toward will not count for much if Singaporeans are not convinced to participate. Nor can our Team Singapore athletes truly shine without Singaporeans to believe in them and to cheer them on. Ultimately, Singaporeans make the difference in whether we can become a sporting nation.

I spoke earlier on the significance of 2015 as our nation's Jubilee. And 2015 is also a major sporting year and a chance for all Singaporeans to pitch in. As

Page: 170

Members have mentioned, we are hosting the SEA Games in June and the ASEAN Para Games in December.

Our theme for these Games is to "Celebrate the Extraordinary" – to show how ordinary people with extraordinary dreams can achieve excellence and demonstrate the triumph of the human spirit. It is a theme that fits well with the spirit of our Jubilee and that of our Pioneer Generation.

Several Members asked about our preparation for the SEA Games and the ASEAN Para Games, and I would like to assure them that we have the resources; we are already in a deeper phase of preparations and, in the coming months, Singaporeans can look forward to more events to build momentum towards 2015. We hope to see many Singaporeans involved. We all have a role to play – as athletes, volunteers, spectators and gracious hosts. Together, we can make this a defining experience for all Singaporeans.

Next year's Games will be particularly memorable for our Team Singapore athletes. It is a chance to compete and win on our home ground in front of a home crowd. I know many are already motivated by this challenge and this possibility of doing so, and they are already training very hard for the Games, and many are striving to improve on their personal best. I agree with Members, including Er Dr Lee Bee Wah and a few others who have said this, that we should give them our full support.

Today, our Team Singapore athletes are supported through the High Performance Sports (HPS) system which includes the Singapore Sports School and the NSAs.

In terms of direct Government funding, our national athletes will receive $60 million over five years. This includes grants for training and loss of wages, and the Sports Excellence (SpEx) Scholarship which we announced last year. The scholarship supports our most promising athletes and enables them to pursue full-time training. Through the High Performance Sports system, our national athletes also receive support in sports medicine and sports science.

For the sportsmen in National Service – a point which Er Dr Lee Bee Wah mentioned – we will work with MINDEF to find ways for them to train and compete for Singapore, while still meeting their National Service obligations. And we will certainly do so for the athletes who have been selected to

Page: 171

participate in the SEA Games next year. For exceptional sportsmen who demonstrate the ability to compete successfully at high-level international competitions like the Olympic Games and bring pride to the country, MCCY will also continue to work with MINDEF to assess their requests for deferment, as we have done recently in the case of swimmer Joseph Schooling.

Besides the Sports Excellence Scholarship which we launched last year, we are also looking at ways to help our athletes balance their pursuit of high performance sports with their longer-term careers. The average length of a career in professional sports is limited. Our athletes are naturally concerned about their longer-term career prospects, after their retirement from sports.

So, we have started a Career Scheme to bring in companies that are prepared to recruit athletes, provide flexible workplace arrangements for their training and then allow these athletes to transit into successful post-sports careers. Mr Nicholas Fang earlier spoke about the need for companies to do more in the area of sponsorship. I would say this is another important area that we hope that our companies in Singapore would also step forward to support our Team Singapore athletes. I have spoken to a number of employers and I know that they recognise the benefits of the athletes as potential employees because of their attributes and the virtues they carry, for example, their resilience, discipline, drive for excellence and team spirit. These companies also see the broader corporate benefits of being associated with sports and having the athletes as their "brand ambassadors". So, we want to push this area of work. I have asked the Minister of State Teo Ser Luck to help me drive this because of his own personal interest in sports, but also because his work portfolio now has enterprise development and SMEs in it. He is well suited to do this. So far, we have had a diverse range of companies, like Resorts World Sentosa and StarHub, agreeing to be part of this Career Scheme, and I hope that even more companies will step forward.

For the SEA Games and Para Games next year, we are working closely with the NSAs to better understand their training plans and to identify what additional support might benefit our athletes in their preparations. We are taking an inclusive approach and will support both able-bodied and para athletes – something that Miss Penny Low mentioned. We are committed to supporting para sports, and the Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sam Tan will elaborate further in his speech. We are also prepared to provide additional funding to enable more athletes to train full-time in preparation for the 2015 Games.

Page: 172

But we are not just focused on the current Team Singapore athletes. We are also committed to building the best possible environment for our young student athletes to pursue their aspirations so that more will follow in the footsteps of our sporting pioneers and sporting heroes.

I have faith in our young athletes to make the best of their potential. On our end, we will continue to build up the support system, especially through the Singapore Sports School. As Members are aware, MCCY has announced a strategic review to see how the School can become a national sports academy of excellence and provide talented student-athletes with the best environment for their potential. I share Er Dr Lee Bee Wah's sentiments that we need to look at training, their academic curriculum, how we can optimise their training, academic and competition schedules, and funding, and we need to benchmark with the best in the world. That is the reason why we are embarking on this review. We hope that through this review, we can provide a better platform to groom and nurture our student-athletes and, at the same time, give them a sound academic education so that they can progress to Institutes of Higher Learning.

Er Dr Lee asked if we will be reviewing the criteria for Direct Schools Admission. I think she asked this just a few weeks ago in a Parliamentary Question (PQ) and I had explained previously in response to that PQ that this is really under the purview of MOE. But if the Strategic Review of the Singapore Sports School shows that there is a need for adjustments, especially in the context of sports talents, we will take this up with MOE.

I spoke earlier about how arts and culture are for everyone and everywhere, and the same holds true for sports.

The Sports Facilities Master Plan which we announced last year aims to give a majority of Singaporeans access to sports and recreational facilities within a 10-minute walk of their homes. We want to meet sporting needs at all levels – national, regional, town and community.

The biggest project in the Master Plan is the Sports Hub. Dr Lam Pin Min asked about the status of the Sports Hub, and also the Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework. I would say that the PPP has enabled the Government to tap on private sector expertise, not just in building but also in operating the Sports Hub. So, the risks of the project are shared with the private sector. The private sector will design, build and run the Sports Hub, and ensure that the facilities are top-notch, both for community use and the hosting of quality events. The

Page: 173

private consortium that is operating the Sports Hub, Sports Hub Private Limited, has assured us that the stadium will be ready to host events from June this year.

Members also asked for an update on the progress of the Sports Facilities Master Plan and also on community-based facilities in particular. We are ready to embark on the first phase of the Master Plan and we estimate that it will require an investment of $1.5 billion to implement this first phase.

Phase One will include a mix of new facilities as well as rejuvenation of existing ones, with innovative new features. So, let me share some of the facilities we have in mind for Phase One. These are just some examples.

First, the existing Ang Mo Kio Swimming Complex. We hope to redevelop this into the Ang Mo Kio Wet Play Field, like you see here in this slide. We are studying the possibility of introducing modern wet features, such as an adventure sports pool, with a floating playground. This is an existing facility which we hope to rejuvenate.

There are also new facilities, and we have several in the pipeline. I will share some examples. One is the Punggol Regional Sports Centre. That is a picture of how the Punggol Regional Sports Centre would look like. It will be integrated with Punggol's waterways and co-located with the SAFRA Clubhouse. You cannot see the clubhouse in this picture. It is to the right of the swimming pool. It is adjacent to the swimming pool and they will share some facilities, and it will be integrated with the waterway so there should be a lot of scope for water sports and this Centre will host sports activities and events for the community of Punggol.

At the town level, one upcoming project is the Sports and Recreation Centre in Sembawang, which will be part of a future one-stop community hub. And here, again, you can see the visuals of how the Sports and Recreation Centre will look like. The site is located on a hilly area, so we are making use of it – the designers are looking at making the best use of this site to provide sporting and community facilities and also to create a vibrant social space that will offer greater convenience and many possibilities for residents.

At the community level, we are also working with HDB through its Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) to create new sporting spaces for residents. We call this the Sports-in-Precinct programme and it will feature sheltered playing areas, multi-use courts and new materials. We are starting to pilot this in different neighbourhoods and one of this is in Jurong Spring. You

Page: 174

see a picture of what has been done or is being done, and this is integrated with the NRP project within Jurong Spring. These are just examples of what we have in Phase One of the Master Plan. These are just examples. We will work out the plans for the other towns.

We will not stop at Phase One. We will work out the plans for the other towns, including Yishun, which Er Dr Lee has asked for.

Finally, we will continue working with MOE to make more sporting facilities in schools available for community use. Mr David Ong, I believe, asked for an update. Under the Dual-Use Scheme today, 155 schools have already opened their sporting facilities to the community in the form of school fields and indoor sports halls, and we are continuing to work with MOE to expand the scope of these dual-use facilities.

So, overall, we are building these sporting facilities all over Singapore, for all Singaporeans to enjoy. As we know, we have a diverse community in Singapore, and so our sporting needs are different. We will do our best to balance these different needs, and across the various sports.

For example, Mr Faisal Manap asked about football – how to revive Singaporeans' interest in the S League. The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) oversees the S League, and this is an issue which they are very concerned about and they are aware of what is at stake. It is not easy because, as the Member mentioned, there are now several leagues of football, like the Malaysia Super League (MSL) featuring the Lions XII, and soon there will be a new ASEAN Super League (ASL) which will be hosted in the Sports Hub. So, there are alternatives that are available. Yet, there remains a need for a vibrant domestic league that will serve as a broader development platform for our own footballers. The FAS and the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) have set up a joint taskforce to study how we can raise the standard of Singapore football and build more interest in the sport, including in the S League. Indeed, one of their initial ideas is to see how the S League clubs can be better integrated with the community. One of the issues today is that the S League clubs do not play where they are located. Tampines Rovers does not play in Tampines, they play in Clementi. But it is also partly a consequence of our facilities. As we build more facilities and more stadiums, then we can look at siting these clubs where they are relevant and also building a community following in these clubs. So, these are ideas that the FAS and SSC are looking at through the joint taskforce.

Page: 175

Ms Irene Ng asked about cycling – whether we might build a cycling centre with an indoor velodrome. This is something we will study seriously. I should qualify though that it is actually very difficult to find a site for a cycling centre with an indoor velodrome, given our land constraints. But we have to try, and I understand the concerns that the Member has raised. So, we must do our best to support our cyclists in their training and we will find ways to support them, whether locally or in the region, because there are velodromes around us. Malaysia and Indonesia have velodromes. In fact, we are also supporting cyclist Dinah Chan in her training at the velodrome in Perth. So, we will look at different options to support our cyclists to train in a safe environment.

In the meantime, SSC is in discussions with other public agencies on potential replacement sites for the BMX track at the Tampines Bike Park, something which Ms Ng also raised. We aim to provide a replacement site by the end of the year.

Even as we invest in sports capacity, we also need to build broad-based interest in sports among Singaporeans. This is something which several Members emphasised. You cannot just have the infrastructure alone; you also need better programmes.

So, over the past year, SSC has piloted the Super Sports Club Concept in the western region. We have gained many insights from our partnerships with schools, sports clubs and more. And we are continuing to beef up sports programming in the community to promote and sustain Singaporeans' interest in sports. More than that, we aim to start a new national movement for sports, which we will call ActiveSG, so that Singaporeans of all ages, all walks of life and different levels of ability can participate.

ActiveSG will complement the "hardware" – the infrastructure provided under the Master Plan, to extend compelling sports programming to all Singaporeans. The vision for what SSC's sports facilities will be in the future is that they will not just be venues for hire. But when you go to a sports centre, there will be programmes that you can sign up for, you can learn to play a new sport, you can improve your skill in the sport you already know, you can join a community league so that you can play with friends and make new friends. To make this happen, we will work with NSAs, corporate groups and other partners to create these sporting programmes together. I believe ActiveSG will strengthen ties within and between communities. It will gather neighbours, loved ones and, perhaps even rivals, to train and compete in a variety of sports.

Page: 176

These initiatives all build towards stronger partnerships for mass participation in sports. There is one important group, in particular, that we want to forge closer ties with. These are our National Sports Associations (NSAs). I have talked about how we are partnering them better for broad-based initiatives, like ActiveSG, as well as specific sports, like football. In fact, SSC has started working with NSAs to develop a shared vision for their multi-year sports plans, to promote their respective sports. We are also working with them to build professional capabilities to better serve our constituents.

And as Dr Lam Pin Min and Er Dr Lee Bee Wah suggested, we will give our NSAs more resources and support. It is not just a question of how much funding, but also how we provide it. We want greater stability and certainty for our NSAs to carry out long-term programmes. MCCY will now provide NSAs with multi-year baseline grants – there will be certainty for multi years – with annual increases each year pegged to the overall budget growth rate. I hope this will give greater funding certainty to our NSAs.

On top of that, MCCY will provide our NSAs with additional funding of $25 million over the next five years. This will support innovative ideas to bring their sport to the next level for the community and for Singapore.

Mr Chairman, moving into our 50th year of Independence, I am excited about the possibilities in store for Singapore as a city of the arts, a sporting nation, and at the end of the day, an endearing home. We want Singapore to have strong emotional anchors that will make this place special for all Singaporeans.

I have sketched out our broad vision for culture, arts and sports. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Sam Tan will elaborate in his speech later on other segments, including traditional arts, and how we can reach out to the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in the community through the arts and sports. Later, as we wrap up, Dr Amy Khor and I will talk about what we hope to achieve in strengthening our community bonds.

For now, I will say this much. We have come a long way since 1965. Life has not been perfect; we have stumbled and struggled here and there. All things told, we can be proud of what we have today. Our Pioneers had a dream, an idea of what Singapore can be; they fought and worked hard to achieve it. We must now continue in this same pioneering spirit – to fight and dream, for what

Page: 177

our home can be.