Religion, race & rights — Topics

15 Aug 2016

Status of Review on Need to Repeal Marital Rape Immunity

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Home Affairs about the status, timeline, and scope of the review to repeal marital rape immunity, referencing a prior government statement at the Human Rights Council.
K Shanmugam responded that the issue is under active review and an update will be provided once the government’s position is clearer.
The debate highlighted ongoing deliberations without a definitive decision on whether the repeal would be total or partial.

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15 Aug 2016

Making Bus Stops Friendly to Wheelchair Accessible Buses

In 2013, 169 bus stops were inaccessible to Wheelchair Accessible Buses, and as of the debate, 137 remain inaccessible, representing less than 3% of Singapore’s 4,700 bus stops.
The Land Transport Authority prioritizes conversions based on factors like site conditions and whether consecutive bus stops on the same road are inaccessible, with challenging cases sometimes requiring new footpaths or major infrastructure work.
The target is to upgrade all remaining inaccessible bus stops by 2020, with no specific deadline mentioned beyond this timeframe.

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15 Aug 2016

Special Needs Children in Mainstream Schools

Sun Xueling asked for statistics on the percentage of special needs children in mainstream versus special education schools and proposed building more special needs schools in housing areas with higher child populations.
Ng Chee Meng responded that about 18,000 students with mild special educational needs are in mainstream schools, representing 75% of all diagnosed SEN students, while those with moderate to severe needs are in government-funded Special Education schools run by voluntary welfare organisations.
The Ministry of Education has supported the establishment and expansion of Special Education schools to enhance accessibility, with 20 such schools distributed across Singapore, mostly in public housing areas with public transport access.
MOE will continue collaborating with voluntary welfare organisations to monitor school vacancies and infrastructure, situating new campuses where needed for ease of access by students and caregivers.

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15 Aug 2016

Construction of Portable Ramps at Entrances to Old HDB Flats

Mr Ang Hin Kee proposed renting portable ramps or retrofitting permanent ramps for older HDB flats with multi-step entrances, and decentralizing approval processes to local branches or CDCs.
Minister Lawrence Wong explained that older HDB flats were designed with steps for privacy and security, but solutions must be customised, avoid maintenance issues, and not obstruct fire escapes.
HDB is studying tailored solutions, considering expansion through EASE or other programmes, and exploring financial assistance for low-income families.
Residents can currently approach HDB branches for approvals to install private ramps, and financial aid may be available from welfare organisations or local advisers.

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15 Aug 2016

Employment of Stay-at-home Mothers in Public Sector

Patrick Tay inquired whether the public sector hires stay-at-home mothers, not those on flexible work arrangements, and if not, whether it could engage them for home-based work, as well as how many are currently employed.
Teo Chee Hean, representing the Prime Minister, stated that public agencies offer freelancing opportunities for stay-at-home mothers with relevant skills but cannot track their numbers as family status is not a selection criterion.
He added that part-time and telecommuting options are available for mothers where job roles permit, with about 5% of Civil Service mothers on part-time arrangements and a quarter having telecommuted experience.

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15 Aug 2016

Qualifying for Maternity Protection under Child Development Co-Savings Act and Employment Act

Tin Pei Ling asked whether a medical report is the only recognized document to qualify for maternity protection under the Child Development Co-Savings Act and Employment Act, and if a female employee who qualified for protection can appeal unfair dismissal after being dismissed following a pregnancy announcement but later suffering a miscarriage.
Lim Swee Say clarified that pregnancy certification for maternity protection under both acts can be in the form of a memo, letter, or medical report signed by a registered medical practitioner.
He stated that maternity protection against unfair dismissal applies throughout the pregnancy, even if a miscarriage occurs later, and employees can appeal to the Ministry of Manpower for investigation and appropriate action under the Employment Act.

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15 Aug 2016

Regulator's Decision for Same-sex Kiss Scene in Musical

Kok Heng Leun questioned why the Media Development Authority (MDA) took action against a same-sex kiss scene in Les Miserables and what process led to the decision.
Assoc Prof Dr Yaacob Ibrahim explained that MDA classifies arts based on the Arts Entertainment Classification Code, considering themes and context, and initially gave the musical a "General" rating as the scene was not disclosed in the original submission.
After public feedback, MDA reviewed the performance and proposed revising the rating to "Advisory" due to the scene, but the applicant chose to remove it to retain the "General" rating.

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15 Aug 2016

Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill

The Workers’ Party opposed the Bill, arguing it unnecessarily empowers the government to suppress public criticism of ongoing court cases and could undermine judicial independence, while the government maintained the Bill merely codifies existing contempt of court laws with minor adjustments.
Key points of contention included the “public interest” exception for government statements, the definition of publication, and penalties, with opponents fearing these could chill free speech and grant disproportionate authority to the Attorney General and police.
The Minister for Law repeatedly asserted the Bill does not change substantive law, emphasizing that courts remain the ultimate arbiter, and dismissed allegations that it restricts citizens’ rights or introduces new police powers.
The debate highlighted concerns over potential bias in court proceedings, with references to past cases and clarifications on how the government’s “public interest” justification would be subject to judicial review.
The Bill was passed with a 72–9 vote, with the government asserting broad public support and dismissing opposition claims as based on misunderstandings of the legislation’s actual scope.

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15 Aug 2016

Administration of Justice (Protection) Bill

The Bill codifies Singapore's common law on contempt of court, aiming to provide clarity and certainty by setting out in statute the conduct that constitutes contempt, such as disobeying court orders, interfering with proceedings, sub judice contempt, and scandalising the court.
Supporters argue the Bill is necessary to protect the integrity of the judiciary, ensure fair trials, and deter disobedience of court orders, especially in family cases, while maintaining public trust in the legal system.
Opponents raise concerns that the Bill lowers the threshold for scandalising the court from "real risk" to "risk," grants excessive powers to the executive and Attorney-General, and may chill public discourse on matters of public interest.

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15 Aug 2016

Petition

The Nominated Member Kok Heng Leun presented a petition against the Contempt of Court Bill, arguing its provisions are vague, could disproportionately restrict legitimate public discussion, and impose heavier penalties than current law.
The petition, submitted on behalf of six named individuals and nine total signatories, calls for the Bill's passage to be delayed pending broader public consultation and clarification of its implications.
The petitioners urge Parliament to refer the Bill to a Select Committee for further deliberation to ensure it does not unintentionally restrict free expression on matters of public interest.

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11 Jul 2016

Appeals Made to HDB for Flexibility in Application of Ethnic Integration Policy

Pritam Singh asked for statistics on appeals made to HDB over the past three years requesting flexibility in applying the Ethnic Integration Policy in resale transactions, including the number of rejections and the grounds for such rejections.
Lawrence Wong revealed that between 2013 and 2015, HDB received about 1,200 appeals for a waiver of the Ethnic Integration Policy, with four out of five appeals not successful.
Most unsuccessful appeals lacked cited reasons or cited grounds like financial difficulty or divorce, which were deemed insufficient to justify waiving ethnic limits aimed at maintaining a good mix of residents in public housing estates.

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11 Jul 2016

Subsidies for Preschools to Train and Employ Additional Manpower for Children with Speech Delay, Autism and at Risk of Moderate or Severe Disabilities

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked if the Ministry will consider funding or increasing subsidies for preschools to train and employ additional manpower, such as shadow teachers or allied educators, to support children with speech delay, autism, or at risk of moderate to severe disabilities, and if it will recommend increasing teacher-to-student ratios for these children in preschools.
The Ministry, through the Development Support Programme (DSP), already funds therapists and specially-trained Learning Support Educators (LSEds) in over 300 preschools to support children with mild to moderate developmental delays and will expand this to 30 more centres this year.
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) collaborates to provide subsidised training for preschool teachers to support children with developmental needs, and while no specific staff-child ratio is prescribed, preschools can deploy more teachers as needed and are encouraged to work with parents and specialists.
For children with more severe needs, 17 Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) centres support about 2,600 children, with capacity planned to increase to 3,200 places by 2018.
The Ministry aims to develop a continuum of services and train a multi-disciplinary team of teachers, LSEds, therapists, and psychologists to better support children with special needs in appropriate learning environments.

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11 Jul 2016

Holistic Assistance for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Caregivers

Christopher de Souza asked about holistic assistance for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers, including extending transport subsidies to all persons with disabilities regardless of financial background.
The Ministry supports persons with intellectual disabilities through early intervention, special education, employment services, and care programs like Day Activity Centres, with plans to add 600 new places by 2018.
Caregivers receive support through lower foreign domestic worker levies, grants for hiring domestic workers, and annual training grants, with eligibility based on household income.
Public transport subsidies are available to all persons with disabilities through a non-means-tested concession scheme, while private transport subsidies are means-tested to target those most in need.
The Ministry has awarded grants to transport operators to keep costs low for dedicated transport services, which are available to all persons with disabilities regardless of income.

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11 Jul 2016

Non-extension of Income Tax Relief for Foreign Maid Levy to Single Females Supporting Aged Parents

Dr Lee Bee Wah questioned why single females supporting aged parents are excluded from the foreign maid levy income tax relief and asked if it could be extended to all female taxpayers employing maids for aged parents.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam explained the relief was introduced to encourage married women to remain in the workforce, hence it is not available to singles.
Singles, both men and women, can apply for a concessionary levy if they have young children or live with aged or disabled family members, subject to conditions.
The government has reduced the concessionary levy over the years, most recently halving it to $60 a month in Budget 2015.

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11 Jul 2016

Green Man Plus Scheme at Pedestrian Crossing along Potong Pasir Avenue 1

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin requested to expedite the Green Man Plus Scheme at the Potong Pasir Avenue 1 pedestrian crossing from June 2017 to assist elderly and disabled residents.
Khaw Boon Wan stated that LTA prioritizes areas with high elderly populations for the scheme's implementation.
LTA will examine the possibility of fast-tracking the scheme at the specified location.

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11 Jul 2016

Number of Female Bus Captains Employed by Public Bus Operators

The four public bus operators employ 575 female bus captains, with SBS Transit having 404, SMRT Corporation 142, Tower Transit Singapore 26, and Go-Ahead Singapore three, making up about 6% of total bus captains.
LTA is collaborating with operators to recruit more women, including part-time schemes for flexibility and enhanced maternity and childcare benefits from some operators.
Initiatives like part-time employment aim to attract women re-entering the workforce and those with family commitments.

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11 Jul 2016

Making Overhead Pedestrian Bridges Elder- and Disabled-friendly

The Ministry of Transport reported that 33 overhead pedestrian bridges currently have lifts, with plans to install lifts at 34 more bridges by 2018 and an additional 50 bridges thereafter.
Priority for lift installations will be given to bridges near key locations such as transport hubs, hospitals, polyclinics, welfare homes, homes for the aged, and schools for children with special needs.
For bridges regularly used by the elderly and disabled where lifts cannot be installed due to location constraints, alternative solutions like street-level crossings will be explored.

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11 Jul 2016

Payment of CPF Contributions and Workfare Income Supplement to Prison Inmates and Disabled Adults

CPF contributions are required for disabled adults only if their work arrangements involve an employee-employer relationship with earnings above a threshold, which typically does not apply to social enterprise programmes like those at MINDS.
Prison inmates in voluntary work programmes are not considered employees and thus do not require CPF contributions, as these programmes are part of rehabilitation rather than formal employment.
Workfare Income Supplement is available to disabled adults and prison inmates if they meet eligibility criteria, including making necessary CPF contributions, with the age requirement waived for persons with disabilities.

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11 Jul 2016

Addressing Challenges Faced by Caregivers of Children with Special Needs

Murali Pillai highlighted challenges faced by caregivers of children with special needs, including societal discomfort with inclusion, long waiting times for Day Activity Centres, and the need for better support for adult children post-education, while emphasizing community-driven attitude changes over legislation.
Tan Chuan-Jin acknowledged the feedback, outlined government efforts such as the Enabling Masterplan, campaigns like "We are Able," and initiatives to expand post-18 options, training, and employment support for persons with disabilities, while stressing community involvement for an inclusive society.
The debate underscored the importance of empathy, practical support like subsidies and transport assistance, and the role of families and the community in ensuring long-term care and inclusion for persons with special needs.

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11 Jul 2016

Reducing Discriminatory Behaviour and Speech

The Minister outlined multiple government efforts to reduce discrimination, including community programs like Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles and public education campaigns, alongside legal safeguards such as the Sedition Act and employment protections.
Measurement of progress relies on surveys and indices, like a 2013 racial harmony survey and the UN Gender Inequality Index, which show positive trends but the Minister acknowledged challenges in quantifying discrimination directly.
The Member sought expanded public discussion platforms and inter-ministry coordination, to which the Minister responded that sensitive issues are already discussed in broader forums and inter-agency collaboration is ongoing through bodies like the National Integration Council.

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