Religion, race & rights — Topics

12 Feb 2019

Programmes to Include Deaf Students in Schools

The Ministry of Education reported about 1,300 deaf students in mainstream schools in 2018, with support for mild cases including itinerant services and assistive devices.
Students with moderate-to-severe hearing loss have options like Canossian School for oral communication, with integration opportunities, or Mayflower Primary for sign language users.
SgSL is supported in designated schools as a language of instruction, with enrichment programmes, but is not currently an elective third language in all schools.

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12 Feb 2019

Admission of Special Needs Students into Institutes of Higher Learning and ITEs

Mr Saktiandi Supaat asked about the number of special needs students admitted to Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), how many IHLs accommodate them, the Ministry's support measures, and plans for ITE to admit more.
Minister Ong Ye Kung reported that about 2,500 special needs students, or 2% of enrolment, were admitted to IHLs over the past three years, with all IHLs having SEN Support Offices offering services like assistive technology and mentorship programmes.
The Minister added that ITE, which has about 4% special needs students, continues to admit them based on criteria and is committed to supporting their education alongside other IHLs.

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12 Feb 2019

Efforts to Reflect Women’s Contributions to Nation-building in Singapore Bicentennial Celebration

Prof Lim Sun Sun asked if the Singapore Bicentennial celebration will better reflect women's contributions to nation-building.
The Prime Minister's Office responded that the Bicentennial will highlight diverse contributions, including women, through stories of individuals like Hajjah Fatimah and Checha Davies, and through partnerships with over 270 community groups.
Specific efforts include featuring women's narratives on social media, studying female philanthropists, and creating heritage trails related to groups such as the Samsui women.

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12 Feb 2019

Safeguards to Ensure Religious Teachers Accredited under Asatizah Recognition Scheme Do Not Hold Radical Views

The Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) requires Muslim religious teachers to abide by a Code of Ethics that forbids extremism, violence, denigration of other groups, and segregationist practices, with oversight by the Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) and MUIS.
ARS accreditation includes provisional observation periods, mandatory interviews for some cases, regular training, and renewal every three years, with cancellations possible for breaches of the Code of Ethics, as demonstrated by a past case.
If an asatizah loses accreditation, re-accreditation is not easy and requires a careful review process to prevent regression into problematic behavior.
Face-to-face interviews are conducted on a case-by-case basis, prioritizing candidates from non-established institutions, with the ARB and MUIS continuously monitoring all registered asatizahs to uphold social harmony.

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11 Feb 2019

Plans to Raise Female Workforce Participation Rate

The female workforce participation rate has remained steady at around 60% over the past three years, up from 56% in 2008, with Singapore ranking 9th among OECD countries.
About 6% of female residents in employment are self-employed, with 70% of them choosing this as their preferred primary work arrangement.
Key challenges for women seeking employment include lack of necessary work experience, qualifications, skills, and limited flexible work arrangements, particularly due to caregiving roles.
The government supports women through initiatives like Adapt and Grow for job matching and training, the Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements, and funding via the Work-Life Grant to encourage flexible work adoption.
For self-employed women, support includes mediation services for disputes, adoption of contracting standards, and access to prolonged medical leave insurance products to enhance protection.

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11 Feb 2019

Complaints Regarding Use of Images without Permission on Social Media Platforms

Ms Rahayu Mahzam asked about complaints over unauthorized use of images on social media and potential new laws to protect women's modesty, citing the SgJCBabes account.
Minister K Shanmugam stated that police do not track such complaints as the unauthorized use of images alone is not a criminal offense, but it may violate Penal Code Section 509 if it insults a woman's modesty.
Victims can apply for a Protection Order under the Protection from Harassment Act to have images removed or seek redress via a Magistrate's Complaint if no criminal offense is found.

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11 Feb 2019

MUIS' Review of Asatizah Recognition Scheme

Professor Fatimah Lateef inquired about MUIS’s review of the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) and whether new domains, provisional observation periods, and compulsory interviews would be considered for approval.
Minister Masagos Zulkifli explained that the ARS requires asatizahs to adhere to a Code of Ethics and is overseen by the Asatizah Recognition Board, which monitors and takes action against those who contravene the code.
The Minister confirmed that processes such as provisional observation periods and additional interviews are already in place when deemed necessary by the ARB.
He assured that regular training and periodic reviews are conducted for all ARS-registered asatizahs, with recognition cancelled if they breach the Code of Ethics.
Both MUIS and the ARB conduct regular reviews of the ARS to ensure it supports credible religious teachers who foster social cohesion and harmony.

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15 Jan 2019

Objections to Performance of RuPauls' Drag Race Show in Singapore

Er Dr Lee Bee Wah raised concerns about objections, approval criteria, censorship processes, and age restrictions for the RuPaul's Drag Race show in Singapore.
S Iswaran explained that IMDA uses the Arts Entertainment Classification Code to assess performances, with LGBT content often leading to higher age classifications like R18.
The show has been classified R18 in past instances, and IMDA is currently assessing a 2019 application for the performance under the established regulatory framework.

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15 Jan 2019

Percentage of Recipients under Silver Support Scheme Who are Women

Ms Foo Mee Har asked for the percentage of female recipients and the quarterly payout amount for women versus men under the Silver Support Scheme.
In 2018, about 148,000 elderly received Silver Support payouts, with 65% being female.
The median quarterly payout was $600 for both female and male recipients, corresponding to the payout for those living in a 3-room HDB flat.

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15 Jan 2019

Proposal to Make Public Data on Complaints of Unfair Employment Practices

Assoc Prof Walter Theseira asked the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to consider publishing detailed, employer-identified data on unfair employment practice complaints and to explain the rationale for keeping such data confidential.
The Minister of State responded that while TAFEP already publishes aggregated complaint statistics and takes enforcement action (including warnings and work pass curtailments), naming all employers is avoided to protect employee privacy, though egregious cases are publicized, and case studies are used for education.
Assoc Prof Theseira expressed concern that not naming employers generally could lead to a perception that insufficient action is being taken against discrimination, prompting a call to reconsider the naming policy.
The Minister of State assured that every complaint is assessed and substantive action is taken, citing 521 companies investigated from 2013 to 2017, with 300 warned and 221 having work pass privileges curtailed.
Other members suggested enhancing transparency by sharing complaint trends by sector, nature, and company size, with the Minister of State noting that while naming all employers is not feasible, case studies are used and suggestions for more detailed disclosure will be considered.

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14 Jan 2019

Government’s Position on Court Ruling to Award Adoption to Man in Same-sex Relationship

The Minister clarified that while the Government does not encourage same-sex adoption or single-parent surrogacy, it respects the High Court's specific ruling to allow adoption in this case, citing the child's welfare as a key factor.
The Government is reviewing adoption laws to better balance public policy and child welfare, and studying the complex ethical and social issues around commercial surrogacy, which is currently prohibited in Singapore but scrutinized case-by-case for overseas arrangements.
Policies on housing and education will continue to support parenthood within marriage, and all children, regardless of legitimacy, will receive benefits like healthcare and education, though adoption alone does not grant citizenship or other privileges.

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14 Jan 2019

Restraint Policy for Persons in Custody

The Ministry of Home Affairs restrains persons in custody to prevent escape, self-harm, or harm to others, with officers making on-the-spot judgments based on risk.
A new policy exempts persons under 16 or aged 65 and above from restraint during arrest unless suspected of serious crimes or assessed as a risk, though this does not apply to prison escort situations.
Persons with intellectual disabilities are restrained by default if aged 16 to 65, due to the potential for unpredictable non-compliant behavior.

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19 Nov 2018

Outreach and Support for People with Physical and Other Disabilities in Singapore

Ms Yip Pin Xiu asked for statistics on people with physical, intellectual, and sensory disabilities in Singapore, and whether their details could be shared with voluntary welfare organisations for outreach and support while protecting privacy.
Minister Desmond Lee stated that persons with sensory and physical disabilities make up about half of the disability population, with the remainder comprising intellectual disabilities, autism, and other types.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development is collaborating with the Department of Statistics to include disability-related questions in the 2020 population census to improve planning for services and programs.
Data from the census will be used to consider sharing appropriate information with voluntary welfare organisations and help agencies, but any sharing will require consent to safeguard individual privacy.
The government’s approach aims to balance the need for outreach and support with the protection of personal data for persons with disabilities.

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19 Nov 2018

Update on Government's Assessment on Raising Cut-off Age for Definition of Young Person in Children and Young Persons Act

Sylvia Lim asked for an update on whether the government would raise the cut-off age for defining a "young person" from 16 to 18 under the Children and Young Persons Act to align with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development confirmed it is assessing the timing to include individuals aged 16 to 18 who may require care or protection as part of its ongoing review of the Act.
The ministry is collaborating with partners on the review and will provide further details at a later date.

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19 Nov 2018

Care Resources for Students with Special Needs and Mental Health Conditions in Polytechnics

The Ministry of Education ensures that polytechnics have Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support Offices to provide funding for assistive devices and services, collaborate with welfare organizations for internships and job matching, and conduct staff training to foster an inclusive campus culture.
With parental consent, SEN-related information from secondary schools is shared with polytechnics to support students' transition, including advice on suitable courses and special orientation programs.
Polytechnics support student mental wellness through curricular and co-curricular programs on mental health, peer support initiatives, and para-counsellors as a first line of support, with professional counsellors and external agencies like the Community Health Assessment Team and Singapore Association of Mental Health providing additional help.

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19 Nov 2018

Employment Rate for Differently-abled Persons in Last Three Years

The Ministry reported that over 8,600 persons with disabilities were employed in 2017, a nearly 9% increase from 2015, with more accurate data expected from the 2020 population census.
Initiatives like the School-to-Work Transition programme support persons with disabilities in securing employment, and the government collaborates with employers to create inclusive workplaces.
The legislative process already allows for stakeholder consultation and parliamentary scrutiny of Bills, making a separate governmental body unnecessary to address matters affecting differently-abled groups.

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2 Oct 2018

Proposed Watchlist for Companies that Discriminate Based on Attributes Like Gender and Ethnicity

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) does not maintain a watchlist for discrimination based on gender or ethnicity, as such cases are more readily substantiated and can lead to immediate sanctions like debarring Work Pass applications.
For nationality-based discrimination, which is less apparent, MOM uses a watchlist to scrutinize Work Pass applications and may debar employers if they fail to improve.
Employers are expected to follow Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices, and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) engages with companies to improve practices when complaints are received.
MOM and TAFEP urge workers to report any discrimination promptly, and all complaints are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary assured that MOM works closely with TAFEP and employers to build inclusive workplaces and eradicate all forms of discrimination.

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2 Oct 2018

Difficulty to Sell HDB Flats Affected by Ethnic Integration Policy

Ministers emphasized that the Ethnic Integration Policy is crucial for racial harmony and is applied consistently to all ethnic groups, with no plans to buy back flats from owners who claim difficulty selling due to the policy.
Concerns were raised about sellers, particularly minorities, facing price squeezes and difficulty selling flats, with suggestions for monthly pricing guidelines and a lease buyback-style scheme to assist them.
The government highlighted that flat saleability depends on multiple factors beyond the EIP, such as location and market conditions, and that HDB provides transaction data and case-by-case flexibility to help sellers.
MPs pointed out that despite extensions, some owners, especially the elderly, receive no viewings or offers, and sought data on feedback and minority ownership to understand the policy's impact better.
The Minister committed to monitoring the situation, considering more information provision to facilitate market matching, and continuing flexibility for exceptional cases while upholding the EIP's goals.

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2 Oct 2018

Further Help by ASEAN to Resolve Situation in Rakhine State

ASEAN Foreign Ministers urged Myanmar to allow its Independent Commission of Inquiry to fully investigate atrocities in Rakhine State and hold those responsible accountable, while also calling for the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of refugees under the Myanmar-Bangladesh agreement.
Singapore has previously sent humanitarian aid to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and is assessing needs for a possible second consignment, while also considering increasing financial contributions to the UNHCR; the government commended ongoing private and civil society support.
Singapore emphasized that ASEAN operates by consensus and cannot compel Myanmar, but will use moral suasion, transparency, and sustained dialogue to promote a long-term political solution, while recognizing that resolving the deep-rooted conflict will require realistic, patient efforts.

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2 Oct 2018

Number of Day Activity Centres for Special Needs Persons

The Minister reported there are currently 30 Day Activity Centres (DACs) serving about 1,200 clients, with approximately 200 young adults aged 18-21, supported by 70 professionals and 250 direct care workers.
The Ministry is addressing post-18 transition challenges by working with SPED schools to provide pre-graduation orientation for caregivers and is exploring SkillsFuture certification to enhance employment prospects for DAC clients.
The Minister indicated that consolidating DACs into specialized centres is not feasible, but the Ministry ensures quality through guidelines, audits, and collaboration with VWOs to improve services.
A Member suggested forming a task force to address high operational costs and the growing needs of adults with disabilities beyond age 21, and the Minister expressed openness to such a collaborative approach.
Both sides emphasized community involvement and inclusive support, with the Minister inviting the Member to serve on any future task force to contribute insights for improving services for persons with disabilities.

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