预算辩论 · 2024-02-27 · 第 14 届国会
2024年财政预算中的经济增长与AI挑战
Debate on Annual Budget Statement
本次辩论聚焦于新加坡2024年财政预算中经济增长的路径，特别是在全球经济放缓、高通胀及地缘政治不确定性加剧的背景下。政府强调通过结构性改革和支持企业与家庭应对挑战，推动长期可持续发展。辩论中提及技术创新、自动化和人工智能对就业及产业竞争力的影响，反映出对AI治理与产业发展的关注。核心争议点在于如何平衡经济增长与社会保障，以及应对全球保护主义带来的挑战。
关键要点
- • 经济结构需结构性改革
- • AI与自动化重塑就业
- • 全球环境趋向保护主义
推动结构性政策支持经济转型
加大对AI产业与劳工支持
"Technological innovations, including automation and AI, are reshaping jobs and competitiveness across industries and countries."
参与人员（25）
- Jamus Jerome Lim
- Chong Kee Hiong
- Denise Phua Lay Peng
- Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies
- Derrick Goh
- Edward Chia Bing Hui
- Gerald Giam Yean Song
- He Ting Ru
- Mariam Jaafar
- Melvin Yong Yik Chye
- Minister of State
- Rachel Ong
- Mohd Fahmi Aliman
- Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap
- Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant
- Patrick Tay Teck Guan
- Prime Minister's Office
- See Jinli Jean
- Senior Minister of State for Defence
- Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development
- Usha Chandradas
- Vikram Nair
- Xie Yao Quan
- Yeo Wan Ling
- Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim
完整译文（中文）
Hansard 英文原文译文 · 翻译日期：2026-05-02
[(程序文本) 辩论继续。(程序文本)]
议长先生：副总理王瑞杰。
中午12点22分
副总理（王瑞杰先生）：议长先生，首先，请允许我感谢议长和本院所有议员批准我发表一篇很长的演讲。我希望你们的耐心会得到回报，当你们更饿的时候享用午餐。
我今天发言支持预算案，该预算为新加坡在国内和全球环境变化中描绘了一条充满信心的前进道路。我想重点谈谈预算声明中的一个方面——经济增长，这是副总理黄循财“前进新加坡”运动的关键部分之一。
全球经济经历周期，目前我们正面临增长缓慢、高通胀的环境。
今年的预算，包括企业支持计划和加强保障计划，内容全面，为企业和家庭应对眼前挑战提供了良好支持。
我们也时常面临经济的剧烈冲击，最近一次是新冠疫情。各位同事还记得我们在2020年不得不批准的五个预算案。
灵活的货币和财政政策可以在经济周期和冲击中提供稳定，确保我们不会陷入深渊。但为了长期且可持续地发展经济，我们需要开展结构性变革和结构性政策，转型我们的经济。只有这样，我们才能为新加坡人创造良好机会，并产生提升人民生活的资源。
这些结构性政策包括黄淑英女士所说的可能改变游戏规则的投资，以支持和提升工人，这是许多议员也谈及的主题。因此，增长很重要，但由于内外因素，增长也越来越难实现。作为一个小型开放经济体，新加坡依赖与区域和世界的联系来发展和繁荣。
如今，外部环境更加困难。过去三十年的全球化带来了巨大好处和进步，但情绪已从合作转向竞争。这部分是由技术创新驱动的，包括自动化和人工智能，它们正在重塑各行业和国家的就业和竞争力。
一些主要经济体变得更加保护主义和内向，甚至采用产业政策支持战略产业。“友岸外包”和“去风险化”被视为增强韧性的策略。这些改变了经济联系和全球供应链。从基于经济竞争优势的全球化，我们现在看到基于政治联盟的分裂。这与近期地缘政治动荡的上升一起，带来了新的不确定性。
在国内，我们的环境也更具挑战性。新加坡的经济结构现在更接近成熟经济体。“追赶”增长的时代已经结束，我们的资源限制——劳动力、土地和碳排放——日益严峻。经济增长是劳动力增长和生产率增长的总和。但随着人口老龄化，本地劳动力增长迅速趋近于零。因此，我们必须找到方法加倍依靠生产率驱动的增长。
但这也很难。许多发达经济体在过去十年中每年人均实际增加值增长不到1%。即使我们投资于加强生产率，比如在某些行业深化，也不可能匹配更大经济体的规模和体量。
综合来看，这些听起来悲观，但我实际上对新加坡的前景持乐观态度。自独立以来，克服挑战和寻找新机会一直是我们的DNA。每当形势不利，我们都会团结起来寻找新的前进道路。
我们的经济在2010年代实现了5%的增长，尽管劳动力增长放缓至每年2.1%。我们稳健的货币和财政政策使我们能够在各种经济周期中稳定经济，也为企业和家庭的长期规划提供信心，确保经济可持续增长。
为了继续推动经济增长，我们需要结构性政策推动生产率驱动的增长，带领新加坡前进。我们必须继续并加大力度沿三个方向进行重组。
首先，我们的经济转型运动已取得稳定动力。为了维持这一势头，未来几年必须实现共同拥有和领导。
第二，我们正在塑造和加强创新生态系统，使新加坡能够开展高价值、尖端工作。
第三，我们必须积极促进更紧密的联系与合作，强化新加坡作为全球亚洲技术、创新和企业节点的地位。
首先谈转型。未来经济理事会于2017年成立，其一项重要工作是产业转型地图（ITMs）。ITMs不仅仅是制定执行计划，过程同样重要。该过程涉及23个行业识别趋势、挑战和机遇，制定提升生产率、重组岗位和再培训工人、加强创新和国际化的策略。
ITMs代表了一种更具使命感和行业驱动的三方合作方式，政府机构与企业及行业协会和商会（TACs）合作，工会与企业合作支持工人再培训和企业升级。通过ITM过程，各行业利益相关者建立信任，识别协同效应，共享资源和经验，互相支持，共同确保行业、企业和工人保持相关性和竞争力。
2021年，ITMs进行了更新，考虑了后疫情现实，包括韧性和可持续性的重要性。这种转型的共同拥有在当今快速变化的世界尤为关键，因为它赋予我们更大的灵活性应对。政府计划和项目仍然重要，但当企业和工人拥抱转型时，他们可以站在抓住机遇的前沿。
在一些国家，转型引发焦虑和恐惧，因为它与失业或企业倒闭相关。相比之下，我们2023年国家商业调查显示，几乎所有受访企业都认识到业务转型的重要性，较2017年的61%大幅提升。我们的工人不仅意识到提升和再培训的必要性，也已采取行动。我们参与“技能未来”计划的人数从2016年的38万人增加到2022年的56万人。虽然成效需要时间显现，但目前指标积极。
即使在结构性转变和新冠疫情的剧烈冲击下，我们的经济表现良好，使所有新加坡人共享经济蛋糕。2016年至2023年间，经济实现了每年2.8%的实际增加值增长。同期，人均实际增加值的生产率增长为每年1.7%，高于韩国、美国、英国、德国和瑞士等发达经济体。凭借这些生产率提升，企业更能应对不可避免的成本上涨。随着经济和生产率增长，收入也提高。2016年至2023年，全职居民的中位收入以每年1.5%的实际增长率增长。我们将在几个月内发布ITM工作的完整报告。
我们能够维持这一转型并取得良好成果，得益于我们独特的三方合作方式。雇主、工人和政府之间的这种富有成效的合作关系，使我们能够塑造公平包容的转型和增长。这是保持新加坡充满活力和和谐的宝贵资产。在这个更快节奏、更复杂的世界中，协同工作尤为重要，以便我们能够发挥彼此优势，更快、更好地共同前进。
转型必须是一场持续的运动。像任何成功的运动一样，它依赖于各利益相关者之间的信任和信心。我感谢商业界、工会、行业协会和学术界的许多领导者的贡献。我观察到一个变化，我们必须在此基础上建设和扩大，那就是我们如何将三方合作发展为共同拥有和领导。例如，在新冠疫情高峰期，我们召集了“更强韧任务组”，探讨新加坡如何更强劲反弹。该任务组的一个关键理念是“行动联盟”（AfA），动员私营和公共部门领导解决具体高影响问题。
我们已启动多个AfA。例如，新加坡工商联合会和领先企业领导人提出了一个关于企业领导力发展的AfA。该AfA制定了一套具体举措，培养本地人才并打造具备全球竞争力的人才。另一个关于供应链数字化的AfA促成了新加坡贸易数据交换（SG TraDex）的建立，这是一个促进贸易生态系统内数据可信共享的公共数据基础设施。鉴于当前地缘政治动荡导致的供应链中断，这一举措尤为重要。因此，我感谢“更强韧任务组”的成员以及李显龙部长和陈崇明先生共同领导该任务组。
我们的行业协会也帮助会员应对挑战，抓住新机遇。在疫情期间，我们的华商、印商和马来商会鼓励并支持中小企业数字化，既应对疫情，也为业务恢复做好准备。
全国职工总会（NTUC）在转型中发挥了重要领导作用。秉持“每位工人都重要”的承诺，NTUC超越传统工会概念，与企业合作推动转型，为工人提供更好前景。过去五年，NTUC通过公司培训委员会（CTC）与近2000家公司合作。通过运营技术路线图和技能差距分析，这些委员会帮助提升企业组织能力，改善员工工作前景。
想想看，NTUC不惧怕技术，不害怕技术取代工人，而是采取具体行动用技术提升工人能力。随着技术进步和工人年龄增长，这一点将更加重要。因此，我希望本院在辩论技术重要性时，也能秉持同样精神。
一家受益于此类委员会的公司是Elitez集团，提供人力资源解决方案。该集团与食品饮料及相关工会合作，利用CTC资助实施了两个业务转型项目。这些项目提升了生产率，释放员工时间接受更高价值任务培训。结果，15名高级和专业员工获得了技能提升和加薪。虽是小步伐，却是对所有人的重要启示。
看到大型企业作为“技能未来蜂后”，积极帮助行业内其他企业转型，也令人欣慰。例如，我们的物流行业由许多中小企业组成，且高度分散。作为指定的技能未来蜂后，ST物流分享专业知识，指导较小企业进行劳动力转型。通过此举，我们不仅升级个别企业，还利用更广泛生态系统实现协同发展。
最重要的是，我们应为工人主动承担终身学习和职业发展的责任感到自豪。2022年约有19.2万新加坡人使用技能未来积分进行自主学习，这令人鼓舞。
未来，中年新加坡人可利用新的技能未来升级计划，在政府机构、工会和行业的咨询与支持下，提升知识、技能和职业发展。这补充了通过高等院校持续学习和升级的努力，通常以可叠加的微证书形式，培养行业相关技能。事实上，我鼓励同事们查看所有大学网站，了解其丰富的课程。正如达里尔·大卫先生昨天所说，我们必须进一步加强高等院校、企业和工会之间的联系。
综合来看，新加坡的转型方法是积极主动且协作的，涉及不同利益相关者。这种方式罕见且令人羡慕，因为它使我们能够不仅在某些领域，而是在各方面建立能力和实力。这样，我们确保转型带来的机遇和利益能够被所有人共享，新加坡实现包容性增长。
我已谈及我们如何通过实施ITMs和加强不同利益相关者的集体拥有来维持转型运动。现在让我转向转型下一阶段的另一个方面。
我之前提到技术和创新正在重塑行业和经济的竞争力。ITMs考虑了这一点，使行业和企业保持竞争力并领先。克里斯托弗·德索萨先生之前详细谈及了人工智能，尤其是生成式人工智能，谭武明博士也有发言。对新加坡而言，人工智能和自动化等技术增强了我们的人力资源，如果我们善用这些技术，人工智能可以成为我们的增强智能，正如议员早先提到的。因此，我们应认真思考自动化和人工智能将如何改变未来的工作和技能，进而如何主动重组工作和再培训工人，利用这些变化带来的机遇。
新加坡下一阶段的增长必须由技术密集型、创新驱动和可持续发展的经济推动，并为工人提供良好就业。我们如何实现这一目标？
首先，为抓住新机遇，我们必须走在理解、发现和转化科学技术的前沿，推动现有关键经济部门发展，同时为未来新的经济驱动力建设能力；大学和研究机构的研究人员产生基础科学见解；企业和初创公司将这些见解或发现转化为可应用于产业需求或市场需求的创新和解决方案；最后，为工人提供适当培训和支持，使其能够承担这些新机遇创造的新岗位，我之前已谈及。
这条价值链即我们所称的研究、创新与企业（RIE）生态系统。目标是在关键经济部门建立制胜优势，强化新加坡地位，提升本地企业，并为新加坡人创造良好就业和机会。
为实现这一目标，政府必须与我们的RIE利益相关者——研究人员、高等院校、初创企业、本地公司和跨国企业——紧密合作，共同资助和发展生态系统。这需要积极塑造和耐心投资。鉴于我们固有的小规模，我们需要培养本地研究人员，培育企业和初创公司，同时吸引领先的全球公司和顶尖研究及创业人才，形成强大生态系统。
许多议员之前谈及人工智能，我想补充的是，人工智能是深度技术的一种形式。还有许多其他形式的深度技术，我们的生物医药科学产业就是一个很好的例证。生物医药是一个深度技术领域，科学专长至关重要，但其影响可能不会立即显现。
过去二十年，我们稳步建立了研究人员、企业和技术熟练劳动力的生态系统。新冠疫情爆发时，这些能力使我们能够为全球抗疫做出贡献，包括开发诊断测试。这种耐心投资也培育了新加坡初创企业，如MiRXES和Lucence，其开创性解决方案在美国等大型海外市场的下一阶段发展中取得良好进展。
因此，副总理黄循财在预算中宣布向2025年RIE计划额外注资30亿新元，正当其时，我们寻求在人工智能、可持续发展和先进制造等新增长领域深化能力。
我们的努力进展顺利。新加坡在2023年全球创新指数中排名第五，亚洲第一。许多跨国企业选择在新加坡设立研发和创新中心。过去十年，企业研发总支出显著增长，与GDP增长持平。我们还通过一系列活跃的活动，如新加坡创新科技周（SWITCH）和李光耀全球商业计划竞赛，吸引全球初创企业、投资者和创始人来新加坡。
我们在创新投入方面表现良好。我们的机构和研究人员在生物医学、量子科学和材料科学等领域发展了强有力的专业优势。我们现在必须继续努力，加强商业化和转化能力，以在创新周期缩短和竞争加剧的环境中产生更多“产出”并捕获价值。
mRNA技术，即新冠疫苗的基础，是一个很好的例子。虽然科学研究始于1970年代，但直到2010年代，制药公司才看到核酸疗法的潜力，并投资将科学转化为治疗手段。正是这样，他们才能在如此短的时间内开发出有效疫苗。
鉴于如此漫长的孕育期，我们必须积极主动地与其他研究、创新与企业（RIE）利益相关者，包括全球公司、初创企业和资金方，共同塑造和发展生态系统。即使我们继续吸引合适的公司和利益相关者来壮大我们的生态系统，我们仍能做更多工作，深化学生、研究人员和企业的创新能力。
我们希望培养一代具有创业精神的青年，诸如新加坡国立大学（NUS）海外学院和南洋理工大学（NTU）海外创业计划等项目，为学生提供实践机会。Patsnap是我们本土独角兽企业之一，正是这些努力的产物。联合创始人Jeffrey Tiong在NUS海外学院位于费城生物谷的实习期间首次提出构建专利和技术情报搜索引擎的想法。如今，Patsnap在50多个国家拥有超过12,000名客户。
对于我们的研究人员来说，与其他全球研究人员合作的机会非常宝贵。通过我们的卓越研究与技术企业园（CREATE），我们召集合作大学和本地机构的顶尖研究人员团队，解决城市规划和气候变化等复杂的跨学科挑战。
我们拥有20多个企业实验室，例如应用材料公司与科学技术研究局（A*STAR）和NUS合作，专注于半导体行业的先进封装和先进材料研究。令人欣慰的是，纳米薄膜公司（Nanofilm），这家从NTU衍生出的纳米技术独角兽，最近在NTU设立了企业实验室。我们希望鼓励更多此类案例，激励学生加强我们的生态系统。
我们还有工业研究生项目，学生在参与企业的工业研发项目的同时进行全日制研究生学习，帮助他们获得行业相关的研发技能。在深科技领域，创新产出潜力巨大，但过程漫长且风险高，我们正加大支持创业的力度，补充私营部门的努力。目标是帮助深科技初创企业克服技术、资金和市场挑战，加速成长。
NUS的研究生创新计划和NTU的创新与创业计划是两个平台。两所大学最近与Xora Innovation合作，试点推出具有全球竞争力、能应对大型全球市场机会的深科技初创企业。首个受支持的深科技初创企业Amperesand已筹集超过1200万美元种子资金，用于扩大其固态变压器技术，支持电动汽车快速充电。Amperesand计划于2025年在全球交付首批系统。
我们也支持企业，尤其是中小企业，参与研发、创新和能力建设活动。中小企业无需担心规模不足，因为他们可以利用理工学院的研究专长和资源，支持创新之旅。我们设有12个创新中心，涵盖水产养殖、建筑环境和电子等行业。
企业创新计划为研发、知识产权（IP）注册、IP权利获取、培训和与高等院校合作的创新项目等合格支出提供税收扣除和津贴。企业能力升级技术计划（T-UP）通过派遣公共研究科学家和工程师，支持先锋中小企业开发创新产品和工艺。Lion TCR开发新型癌症免疫疗法，治疗亚洲危及生命的病毒相关癌症，是一个例子。在A*STAR新加坡免疫网络的两位科学家Dr Wai Lu-En和Dr Sarene Koh的支持下，Lion TCR的研发使其产品比现有方案更具成本效益，且生产效率提升，推动了业务增长和全球扩张。
对于创新型本地企业，与大型公司合作可获得稳定业务并提升创新能力。航空航天产业即为例子。我们刚举办了航空展，顶级全球公司如RTX和劳斯莱斯选择在新加坡设立基地，利用我们强大的精密工程企业基础。航电公司如Thales也在新加坡深耕。根据预算案宣布的增强版能力转型伙伴计划，中小企业可与大型企业合作，实现规模扩大和海外拓展。这是我们克服小型国内市场限制的方式，也是大型企业利用小型企业创新能力保持竞争优势的双赢。
RIE生态系统涵盖众多参与者。为了使其有效运作并为新加坡及新加坡人带来切实成果，我们必须投资不同领域，同时有意识地将它们编织在一起，建立强大且相互促进的联系。
我们的高等院校和研究机构必须继续投资基础研究和建设世界级能力，同时与产业对接，将卓越成果转化为可行的商业产品。我们必须继续鼓励本地企业创新，并利用大型本地企业和跨国企业实现规模扩大和成长。目标是让它们成为区域或全球重要参与者，提供市场所需的解决方案。
通过发展更强大的创新生态系统，我们为领先的本地和全球公司深化在此的存在创造有利环境，吸引全球资金方和初创企业加入我们的生态系统。如此，我们维持良性循环，为新加坡人和新加坡创造更多机会。
这引出我的最后一点。鉴于当今世界的竞争和不确定性，新加坡必须深化作为全球亚洲技术、创新和企业节点的地位，为我们自己、区域和世界创造新价值。新加坡是一个出于必要而面向外部的国家。这体现在我们如何在不同部门和利益相关者之间构建变革能力，塑造强大的RIE生态系统，汇聚国内外优势。这两者强化了我们作为可信连接者和节点的声誉，以及我们在更动荡不确定世界中的价值增值。
我们稳健的监管和法律框架是长期优势，提供了新加坡作为可信赖合作伙伴的信心。我们通过广泛的协议建立了与区域和世界的强大联系。我们已有27个自由贸易协定（FTA）生效，42个国际投资协定和约100个避免双重征税协定，并创新发展了数字经济四方协定等新型合作形式。
我们还通过全球创新联盟加强了与全球创新节点的联系。我们在亚太、欧洲和美国设有21个节点，帮助新加坡企业开拓新市场并实现协同效应。因此，即使言辞激烈、合作放缓，企业和国家仍知晓新加坡是商业、创新和人才的建设性中立地点。
这就是经济发展局（EDB）过去两年能够获得超出其中长期目标的投资承诺的原因。2023年的承诺预计将创造超过20,000个就业岗位，年增值贡献预计达267亿新元。这也是为何新加坡拥有约37,000家国际公司和7,000家跨国企业，许多将新加坡作为区域总部。新加坡仍是对中国和印度最大外资来源之一，体现了我们作为企业探索这些市场及东盟机会的门户价值。因此，我们必须积极促进各层面的更紧密联系与合作。
在国内，这意味着通过产业转型地图（ITMs）和持续转型努力，促进共治共担和领导力，使产业、企业和员工在新变革浪潮中充满信心和能力。这意味着深化创新生态系统内的联系，并与其他生态系统和利益相关者连接，以利用科技寻找全球挑战的解决方案，释放经济价值。
更进一步，是利用我们可信赖的声誉和广泛网络，鼓励志同道合的合作伙伴在新加坡成长、通过新加坡成长、与新加坡共同成长。议长先生，请允许我用中文说几句话。
（中文）：[请参阅方言发言。] 自建国以来，新加坡经济快速发展。除了人民的不懈努力，保持经济开放、促进贸易和吸引外资也是我们成功的关键。
如今，全球局势不稳。大国竞争、战争、全球供应链中断等因素为经济前景蒙上阴影。许多新加坡人感到担忧。我们的经济能否持续繁荣？新加坡能否继续兴旺？我的回答是：我非常确定新加坡能够实现这一目标。
为了持续推动经济增长，我们必须不断提升生产力，促进经济转型，加强创新生态系统，增强国际联系与合作，通过多管齐下的方式引领新加坡前进。
首先，我们将继续推动经济转型，更好应对变化的经济格局。2017年，我们成立未来经济理事会，制定产业转型地图，使经济在近年来的挑战中保持稳定动力。令我欣慰的是，企业领导和员工意识到转型和技能提升的重要性，并积极行动。
其次，我们必须继续加强研究、创新与企业生态系统。这将巩固我们在关键经济领域的势头，提升本地企业竞争力。在有利于创新和商业的环境中，领先企业可扩大运营，吸引更多投资者和初创企业在我国发展，为人民创造更好就业和机会。
第三，我们必须加强国际联系与合作，巩固新加坡作为全球亚洲技术、创新和企业节点的地位。因此，在当前全球不稳定和国际合作放缓的趋势下，我们应坚持一贯做法，继续加强国际合作，让国际伙伴认识到新加坡是可靠的合作伙伴，给予企业投资信心。
议长先生，自独立以来，我们的前辈克服重重挑战，艰苦建设了今天的新加坡。每当遇到困难，我们都会团结一致，开辟新路。因此，即使面对当前挑战，我相信新加坡的未来依然光明。因为我坚信我们能够团结前行，为人民和后代建设更美好的新加坡。
（英文）：让我用英文总结。议长先生，世界可能更加复杂，国内限制可能更具挑战性。但我已阐述了我乐观的坚实基础，即像新加坡这样的小型开放经济体能够持续繁荣，实现下一阶段增长。通过作为可信节点和连接者，我们能在当今分裂的全球格局中创造价值，促进连接，构建新联系。我们能提供拥有领先能力、人才和企业的强大创新生态系统，使新加坡成为发展和创办新企业的理想基地。
在三方合作推动集体转型能力的支持下，新加坡和新加坡人能够自信地与他人合作，抓住新机遇。这就是我们如何持续保持经济创新和活力，建设一个为所有人创造机会的更好新加坡。[掌声]
议长：Gerald Giam先生。
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Aljunied选区议员Gerald Giam Yean Song：议长先生，感谢副总理的演讲。我想提出一些澄清。副总理提到人工智能（AI）可以成为我们的增强智能，我们应认真思考自动化和AI将如何改变工作，他还说我们需要对工人进行再培训，为AI做准备。
然而，鉴于自2015年技能未来计划启动以来，七成受益人未使用其技能未来积分，副总理Heng Swee Keat是否认为扩大技能未来积分的使用范围，超出核心补贴，给予所有学生和工人更多使用深科技工具（如AI）进行实践的机会，会更有用？这可能通过帮助他们提高工作效率（例如总结长文档或撰写专业邮件和报告）取得成效。
Heng Swee Keat先生：感谢议员提问。首先，已有多种课程，正如我所说，当我们关注产业转型和工人需求时，确保培训与技能应用同步非常重要。工人主动承担培训责任以提升自己很好，但如果与企业协作，效果会更佳。这就是我提到全国职工总会（NTUC）与企业合作进行运营与技术（opstech）路线图规划、转型，同时进行岗位重设计和员工再培训的例子。这不仅限于AI，而是我们希望利用的所有技术领域，推动更数字化的社会。
你还记得吗，即使是我们的数字支付系统，在新冠疫情期间，我们推出了社区发展理事会（CDC）代金券计划，市长们提出了这个想法。后来我们转向数字代金券。我们的机构付出了巨大努力，培训小贩安装设备并学习使用。就在昨晚，我在居民见面会上与一群居民交谈，了解他们的学习情况，大家都表示感谢。
因此，我们的做法，无论是使用AI、mRNA技术还是简单的数字化工具，都是包容性的。我们根据需求部署合适工具，而非仅仅依赖AI。
其次，议员还应注意，AI是一个快速发展的领域，我们的研究人员正努力研究不同的AI技术——不仅是生成式AI，还有各种AI系统——以及如何结合我们的需求使用它。因此，理解真实需求、服务对象、需要设立的保障措施，确保合理使用，并以促进研发和员工再培训的整体方式整合这些因素，必须系统进行，而非零散处理。
议长：副教授Jamus Lim。
Sengkang选区副教授Jamus Jerome Lim：谢谢议长。我赞赏副总理Heng Swee Keat对技能未来重要性的讨论。原则上，我不反对该计划的潜在益处。但正如我的尊敬同僚所分享，数据显示近期参与率仍然偏低。事实上，许多人尚未用尽技能未来积分，尽管政府提议增加积分。更令人担忧的是，正是我们希望承担再培训任务的年长工人，参与率明显较低。
我的问题是，鉴于AI将带来的剧烈变革，政府如何确保技能未来能够真正提高参与率，实现其再培训目标？还是说这反映了工人对该计划效益持续存在怀疑？
王瑞杰先生：议长先生，我希望林占武副教授不是悲观主义者，因为这位议员说参与率低等等。你可以把它看作是半杯空，也可以看作是半杯满。
请告诉我哪个国家已经启动了如此广泛的SkillsFuture框架。我曾担任教育部长五年。我们的学生表现非常出色，现在，我们的年长工人也在努力学习新技能。请告诉我哪个国家的全国职工总会（NTUC）不仅接受变革，而且拥抱变革，成为变革的合作伙伴，参与公司培训委员会，与公司合作，不仅进行培训，而且令人惊讶地进行技术路线图规划。他们接受了A*STAR研究人员的培训，研究公司如何采用技术，并在采用技术的过程中，如何重新设计和再培训岗位，使工人能够承担更好的工作，利用大量的SkillsFuture资金和各种课程。我认为教育部长和人力部长稍后会对此发表更多看法。
因此，我们必须针对不同群体的工人采取不同的方法。对于那些能够自主承担责任并自行参加课程、希望换工作的工人，有多种选择。许多公司正在采取行动重新设计他们的工作流程。我一直与新加坡工商联合会（SBF）密切合作，这也是我之前提到SBF设立了一个关于商业领导力发展的行动小组。我见过负责这个项目的团队，事实上，他们取得了非常好的进展。所以，我们必须提升所有层级人员的技能，包括公司的首席执行官，以拥抱变革。
在我看来，我们能够随着时间取得这样的进展非常好。事实上，与其说“哦，我持怀疑态度，我很悲观”，如果这位议员有更好的建议，告诉我们如何做得更好，请发挥建设性作用，因为以他的教授身份，他对此非常了解——发挥建设性作用，成为团队的一部分。我们有许多学术界成员与我们合作，提出了极好的想法。所以，如果这位议员有很好的建议，我愿意考虑。
议长：贾拉德·贾姆先生。
贾拉德·贾姆彦松先生：感谢副总理回应我的问题，但也许我在提问时不够清楚。我并不是在询问更多培训。我的观点是培训有其局限性，SkillsFuture学分的使用率远不及我们预期。只有三成使用了他们的SkillsFuture学分。因此，从这个角度看，杯子甚至还不到半满。
为了获得技能，工人需要动手实践，这就是为什么我们呼吁扩大SkillsFuture学分的使用范围，比如用于补贴使用人工智能工具，以提高生产力并获得实践经验。
王瑞杰先生：议长先生，我记得贾拉德·贾姆先生的问题是是否可以更适当地扩大到其他领域。如果您有具体的好建议，教育部和人力部肯定乐于考虑。
我试图勾勒出不同人群的做法——从全国职工总会的公司培训委员会到高等院校的举措。我之前建议所有议员查看我们大学和理工学院的网站，他们可以看到各种课程，借助SkillsFuture提升计划，还有更多课程可供选择。
对于需要帮助、支持和鼓励的工人，我们都应尽力鼓励他们。这就是为什么就业与成长局（WSG）和SkillsFuture新加坡推出了许多项目，接触居民，不仅帮助他们找工作，而且居民也在询问可以参加哪些课程。我自己也参与了许多此类外展活动，我必须说，许多工人，包括年长者的反应非常令人鼓舞。
您说得对，培训不是全部。它只是其中一个方面。需要包括管理者和企业主在内的集体努力，说“我要认真对待培训，但更重要的是，不仅仅是为了培训而培训，而是培训如何转化为更好的工作表现。因此，我们可以实现生产力增长，并能更好地奖励员工”。
议长：林占武副教授。
林占武副教授：我想澄清一点。我完全同意SkillsFuture原则上是一个好项目。我向政府提出的挑战是如何确保它实现其最初目标。至于我们参与各种改进建议，我已经在议会中提出了建议，如果各部委邀请我或我的工人党同事参与此类讨论，我们非常乐意参与。
王瑞杰先生：林占武副教授，您不需要邀请，您可以自由提出建议。毕竟，您不就是工人党的吗？
顺便说一句，我要明确表示，我听到两党议员都在谈论工人，我们这里有很多工会议员，他们还会更多发言。
所以，我们都关心新加坡人，想为他们做最好的事。如果您有非常具体的想法，欢迎告诉我。但我要说的是，我会和其他好建议一起考虑。但好建议总是受欢迎的，我就在等着呢。
议长：黄丽萍女士，您刚才举手了吗？
黄丽萍女士（惹兰勿刹选区）：是的，议长。我也想支持副总理王瑞杰的“半杯满”观点。我们可能是自己成功的受害者。SkillsFuture学分的使用率不应被视为学习的唯一指标。由于大力推动终身学习，我认为当时甚至现在，许多免费课程已经实施。
例如，我知道许多高等院校——比如国大——提供了许多不需要使用SkillsFuture学分的免费继续教育培训课程。当社区发展理事会（CDC）推行CDC代金券计划时，我们有一整批信息通信媒体发展局（IMDA）数字大使，积极教导商户和长者如何使用数字代金券。这是免费的！不需要使用SkillsFuture学分。同时，我认为全国职工总会所做的免费培训、培训计划等课程由公司赞助和支付。
虽然我们知道可以更多地使用SkillsFuture学分，但这不应成为唯一指标，因为还有许多免费项目不需要使用这些学分。
但不要忽视这个问题。我们确实有这方面的需求。我认为还有更多工作要做。但我只是想说，我们不要过于纠结于SkillsFuture学分的使用率，因为目前确实有许多免费课程。
议长：副总理王瑞杰。
王瑞杰先生：议长先生，我感谢黄丽萍议员的评论，因为她的评论让我想起我在教育部时常说的一句口号——你可以向任何人、任何时间、任何地点学习。事实上，同伴学习是学习的一个非常重要的方面。
简而言之，这实际上是一种学习态度，我们必须培养这种兴趣和热情，终身学习。这不是关于使用率，也不是关于课程数量，也不是关于增加更多课程。因为很多基础设施和课程已经存在。这不是为什么你不做更多这个或那个的问题。我认为我们都可以专注于如何鼓励每个人，无论老少，学习一些东西，而且你可以从任何地方学习。这并不意味着你必须参加正式课程。
议长：穆罕默德·费萨尔·宾·阿卜杜勒·马纳普先生。
下午1点16分
穆罕默德·费萨尔·宾·阿卜杜勒·马纳普先生（亚历山大集选区加基武吉区）：议长先生，在我担任亚历山大集选区加基武吉区议员期间，我与许多新加坡人、低收入家庭的个人和家庭有过许多互动。这些家庭是新加坡生活成本上升影响最大的群体，他们面临的问题是多方面的。
当副总理黄循财本月初发表预算声明时，我感到欣慰，因为对我国这一部分人口给予了重大关注。今天，我将带着这一视角发言。
据2024年2月12日报道，新加坡最低收入家庭在2022年扣除通胀后实际收入下降了1.7%。同一报告中，统计局数据显示同期中位数家庭收入增长了2.8%。对此，政府在今年预算中加大了对最低收入者的支持力度，增加了2023年已宣布和实施的措施。
副总理黄循财还介绍了ComLink+进步计划的细节，低收入家庭有子女的家庭在与社会发展与家庭部（MSF）指派的家庭教练合作制定行动计划并达成某些目标时，可以获得财政补贴。这些目标包括让子女入读学前教育、获得就业、改善财务稳定性和储蓄购房。
先生，据我了解，ComLink+进步计划的目标之一是防止代际贫困进一步根深蒂固，我支持防止社会进一步分层的举措。
根据我的经验，大多数家长都希望送孩子上学前班，并有共同愿望让孩子接受良好教育。阻碍他们送孩子上学的通常是其他实际因素，如附近中心缺乏名额、即使有补贴和财政援助仍担心支付学费、因父母轮班工作导致接送时间不便等。儿童发展账户（CDA）的补贴在孩子整个教育过程中都有用，但对家庭在努力让孩子留在学前班时面临的即时挑战影响较小。
我欢迎合作运营商和锚运营商计划下托儿所费用的降低以及补贴的扩大。我相信这将更有助于低收入家庭送孩子上学前班。
关于就业问题，低收入者是劳动力中最脆弱的群体之一。除了工资较低，许多低收入者，尤其是没有专业技能的职业，担心工作安全。低收入者担心被轻易替代或被裁员，这对他们家庭生计影响更大。我期待政府提供更多关于帮助非自愿失业者的细节。
工人党自2006年以来一直呼吁引入裁员保险。无论名称如何，一项为因不可控事件突然失业的新加坡工人提供保障的计划，在就业安全无法保证的时代是必要的。
先生，我注意到政府将加大对劳动力再培训和技能提升的支持。我相信尽管有此举措，仍有相当一部分人持谨慎态度，不是因为支持力度，而是因为他们不确定再培训是否能改善收入和工作安全。其他年龄层的人可能也需要更多帮助来评估他们的SkillsFuture培训资金，因为许多人不熟悉信息技术。
先生，我相信每个新加坡人都渴望拥有自己的住房。但对于来自低收入家庭的年轻新加坡人来说，购房之路充满风险。主要问题是负担能力和供应。
我注意到就业和储蓄计划的支持额度保持在3万新元。如果假设家庭在每个部分获得的金额各占一半，家庭用于购房的最高支持金额为1.5万新元。
包括补贴后，2024年2月推出的组屋建屋计划（BTO）三房单位价格介于12.7万至17.2万新元之间。假设家庭成功申请住房贷款，首付可能在2.54万至3.44万新元之间。即使考虑家庭自筹部分，支持总额仍不足以支付首付。有子女的家庭更难存钱买房，因为日常有更多紧迫需求。
BTO单位最快等待时间约为三年，假设没有施工延误。即使是中产家庭，新加坡人也会因漫长等待而影响婚姻和生育计划。
对于有子女的低收入家庭，等待时间的影响更大。租赁组屋的居住环境往往不利于幼儿成长，这是一种令人遗憾的现实。由此产生的压力和负担会影响孩子的长期发展。
可能需要更积极的措施，例如优先让准备购房的此类家庭参与余屋销售，或协助他们以补贴价购买转售组屋。
先生，有一部分低收入家庭面临住房问题——新加坡人与未获永久居民身份的外国配偶。他们无法申请公共租赁组屋，因为配偶不是永久居民。他们的收入和储蓄不足以购买自己的组屋。这影响了他们与配偶的关系。我遇到的这类新加坡人未能成功为配偶申请永久居民身份或长期探访准证（LTVP）。他们实际上被剥夺了与配偶在新加坡共同生活的权利。有些配偶还是他们的照顾者。我们需要考虑简化外国配偶入籍新加坡的途径，包括为此类家庭制定住房政策。
先生，我最后一点是我之前多次提出的。我想重申呼吁新加坡采纳国际劳工组织（ILO）制定的社会保障框架，推出年度社会保障报告，跟踪我们提升社会政策的有效性和效率。通过明确的关键绩效指标，如以中位数为基准的家庭人均收入改善，我们可以更好地监测政策效果并进行必要调整。
先生，联合国（UN）关注所有群体，不让任何人掉队。我相信这是我们所有人都能支持的理念。先生，我支持预算案。
议长：谢明达先生。
下午1点25分
谢明达先生（荷兰-武吉知马选区）：议长先生，2024年预算案体恤所有新加坡人面临的生活成本压力，带来即时纾困。包括加强保障计划、回扣、SkillsFuture支持和更多社区发展理事会代金券。这些措施体现了我们对新加坡人的承诺，我们支持他们。
2024年预算案也认识到这些是短期措施。中长期来看，我们需要在通胀上升的情况下提升实际收入，尤其是中产阶级。这是改善生活水平的唯一途径。
为此，我们必须为劳动力配备新岗位所需技能。我们还需支持雇主开拓新市场和发展。工人应保持相关性，企业必须保持竞争力。只有企业成长，工人的实际工资增长才能持续。
我在议会中倡导加强企业竞争力的措施，提升本地企业能力，如碳核算以符合新采购标准，通过能力转型伙伴计划促进企业成长，并确保老年人退休保障及创建适合老年人的设施，助他们过上积极有意义的生活。我对2024年预算案为这些关键领域分配的额外支持感到欣慰。
议长先生，2024年预算案宣布的举措设计合理，挑战在于确保在实体经济中落实，带来新加坡人实际工资增长。
首先，我将讨论支持低薪工人和吸引跨国企业的措施。其次，我将分享招聘合适人才的挑战，以及通过“技能未来提升计划”和“职业技能整合计划”等项目，使工人技能与公司需求保持一致的必要性。第三，我将探讨促进包容性和员工归属感的替代方案，以增强他们的积极性和对公司的贡献。最后，我将建议重点关注新加坡企业发展局的认证项目，以激励企业优先考虑包容性和社会公平，促进更具包容性和可持续的经济环境。
先生，首先，支持低薪工人至关重要。我们的大多数工人受雇于中小企业。因此，支持中小企业对于提升本地工人至关重要。中小企业面临的一个关键问题是现金流。渐进式工资补贴计划的加强是朝着正确方向迈出的一步。然而，年度报销可能会给现金流带来压力。因此，我想请问政府是否可以考虑缩短报销周期，以帮助企业缓解现金流压力。
其次，我们需要为劳动力配备必要的技能和能力，以推动国家的增长和创新。雇主经常告诉我，他们在招聘所需人才以实现转型方面遇到困难。由于人力成本上升和劳动力市场紧张，这一挑战也在加剧。
“技能未来提升计划”提供额外4000新元的学分。这是支持个人追求技能发展和职业晋升的值得称赞的举措。符合条件的课程是面向满足行业和就业需求的精选课程。我想请问这些项目是如何被选择或策划以应对职位变动的？政府设立了怎样的机制以确保从雇主那里快速获得课程相关性的反馈？又有哪些程序确保及时调整？确保这些项目与不断变化的就业市场需求保持一致，并为未来劳动力提供相关技能至关重要。
“职业技能整合计划”于2023年预算中推出，旨在识别工人所需新技能与企业目标之间的联系。我想请问“职业技能整合计划”如何与“技能未来提升计划”相衔接？
人力资源（HR）在指导员工最大化公司利益方面发挥着重要作用，前提是目标明确。我们需要探讨人力资源如何充当内部职业顾问。随着“技能未来”资金的增加，挑战在于确保员工在工作期间能够识别并获得与企业目标一致的新技能。为此，人力资源的角色，尤其是在中小企业中，需要拓宽。人力资源的职责范围从行政薪资任务到人力资源业务伙伴（HRBP）角色，后者与业务部门对接以支持其需求。
然而，大多数中小企业可能没有HRBP角色，导致缺乏企业对齐。对于没有HRBP的中小企业，提供“首席人力资源官（CHRO）即服务”可能是模拟HRBP角色并最大化“技能未来”学分的解决方案。这项服务可为中小企业部门提供显著价值，帮助中小企业成长为大型本地企业。
“技能未来提升计划”的另一个特点是全日制长期培训的财政支持。这是我国支持终身学习的又一重大转变。成年学习者可以请假攻读长期文凭，并获得每月最高3000新元、为期24个月的津贴。这解决了成年学习者的基本生活成本需求。
然而，一些雇主对员工请假攻读新文凭导致劳动力减少表示担忧。是否可以调整全日制文凭课程，使工人能够在公司兼职工作？这种安排有利于雇主缓解人手短缺，同时使工人在攻读文凭期间保持对行业趋势的了解。此外，“技能未来新加坡”现有的职业转型安置和培训计划如何与这一新举措相衔接和支持？
议长先生，我们需要使劳动力培训与企业目标保持一致，确保人力资源流程有效引导员工发展技能，既惠及个人，也惠及公司。员工与雇主之间的这种对齐最大化了“技能未来提升计划”的转化效益。
第三，随着我们努力实现创新和技术进步，必须在企业层面促进更大的包容性。鉴于职位范围日益受到冲击，迫切需要提升职位再设计能力。
除了2024年预算中宣布的支持新技能获取外，开发测量工具和基准以帮助雇主和人力资源公平评估新技能的薪资范围也至关重要。这确保了员工技能提升、个人和企业生产力提高后，收益能在雇主和员工之间公平分享。我想了解政府如何计划提供职位再设计的测量工具和基准，以促进新技能与生产力增长的公平估值。
此外，越来越多的证据表明，劳动回报正逐渐被资产回报所掩盖，加剧了社会财富差距。同时，雇主面临高员工流失率，寻求有效的人才留存策略。员工与企业之间常因不匹配而感到沮丧。因此，我建议实施措施，使雇主能够分享资产增值收益，同时加强员工与组织的对齐。
一种有前景的途径是更广泛采用员工持股计划（ESOP）。ESOP允许员工在达到绩效目标后以固定价格购买股票，旨在长期留住关键员工。从心理学角度看，ESOP激发归属感，提升积极性和绩效。这对员工和雇主都有利，增强了积极性、归属感和长期成功。
在荷兰，股票期权的纳税时间点已调整为对员工更有利的时机，即股票可交易时，而非行权或转让时。该变更自2023年1月生效，帮助员工减轻股票期权税负。在保加利亚，《商业法》的修订促成了保加利亚可变资本公司的设立，专为初创科技公司设计。这种新型公司提供更大灵活性，例如减少与股权结构相关的行政要求。在爱尔兰，一些计划允许员工获得股票分配或期权，并在持股一定期限后享受税收优惠。
ESOP之外还有其他替代方案。例如，在美国，提供虚拟股票计划或限制性股票单位（RSU）的公司，在奖励归属时可享受税收扣除，前提是满足特定条件。这鼓励公司将此类计划纳入整体薪酬策略。
与新加坡现有的税收激励措施相比，虽然新加坡已有支持基于股票的薪酬的框架，但可能有空间扩大这些激励，鼓励更多ESOP替代方案。这可能包括为采用虚拟股票计划、RSU或其他创新薪酬模式的公司引入特定税收扣除或补助，从而促进更灵活、多样的员工持股和参与方式。
最后，在努力营造更具包容性的企业环境时，也必须考虑如何利用投资和采购决策促进社会公平。这引出了影响力投资的概念及环境、社会与治理（ESG）认证项目的重要性。
引导投资决策可以促进社会公平。鼓励投资者支持以员工为中心的公司推动变革。影响力投资的兴起为将资金导向包容性企业创造了机会。
投资者越来越追求资本的影响力利用。这为连接资本与认证企业提供了机会。资本流动格局已演变为支持以影响力为驱动的企业。这种演变体现了慈善与投资的融合。混合资本包括赠款、可回收赠款和股权，反映了慈善与影响力投资的结合。为促进这一趋势，我建议企业发展局和国家志愿与慈善中心（NVPC）等机构合作，制定扩大混合资本部署的项目。
随着消费者意识的提升，尤其是年轻群体，更倾向于支持对社会有积极影响的企业。基于环境、社会与治理的认证可以催化向良善采购和投资的转变，通过这些企业的努力实现更大的社会影响。
为了激励企业优先考虑包容性，我呼吁推广NVPC的“善企业”认证和B公司（BCorp）认证等认证项目。这些认证项目对于投资者和消费者评估促进更大包容性的企业至关重要。通过此类项目认可企业的承诺，能够深化其影响力。
NVPC“善企业”认证的一个本地典范是ABR控股，该公司以经营知名的Swensen's餐厅连锁闻名。ABR控股与特殊需要人士协会（APSN）、亚洲妇女福利协会（AWWA）和黄丝带新加坡等组织合作，为特殊需要人士和前罪犯提供培训和就业机会。ABR控股不仅提供美味佳肴，也为社区奉献善意，体现了其对社会责任的承诺。
通过提升ESG认证计划的知名度，促进混合资本投资，推动对包容性企业的采购支持，我们启动了投资与社会影响的良性循环，最终迈向更具包容性的社会。
总之，先生，2024年预算体现了我们对新加坡人尊严和稳定的承诺，既提供了即时援助，也为长期繁荣奠定基础。通过满足低薪工人的需求、加强劳动力培训、促进企业包容性和利用影响力投资，我们正开辟通往包容和可持续未来的道路。这些举措彰显了我们确保所有新加坡人共享国家成功的决心。议长先生，我支持本预算。
议长：社会及家庭发展部高级议员蔡艾立先生。
下午1时38分
社会及家庭发展部高级议员蔡艾立先生：议长先生，去年四月，当本院就前总统的演讲致谢动议进行辩论时，我提出采用生命历程、个案管理方法支持残疾人士（PwDs）及其照顾者的建议。为残疾人士及其照顾者提供一个熟悉的面孔，能坦诚交流未来照护规划、就业，甚至在社区中参与休闲运动的场所。
为了让残疾人士茁壮成长，我们的国家残疾包容路线图——《赋能蓝图2030》（EMP2030）确定了三个战略主题：一是加强终身学习支持；二是促进独立生活；三是为各类能力人士创造包容的物理和社会环境。与此同时，强调了14个重点领域，如“超越学校的学习”、“包容性就业”和“包容性公共空间”。与蓝图的建议一致，我认为我们还可以为这一群体做更多工作。
自EMP2030启动以来，我们持续推进残疾包容议程。去年在淡滨尼西社区俱乐部开设的首个赋能服务中心（ESH）和在裕廊开设的赋能商业中心（EBH）便是例证。ESH和EBH象征着我们作为社会不断进步的雄心。一个残疾人士可以自由参与社区的社会，就像任何其他健全人士一样，无需担心污名化。这也描绘了我们对更包容工作场所的愿景，让更多残疾人士能够持续获得有意义的就业，茁壮成长。
在继续推进这一方向的过程中，我希望作为社会，我们能共同努力，赋能各类能力的兄弟姐妹，帮助他们实现最大潜能，过上有意义的生活。为此，政策和项目本身还不够，我们还需要坚持和参与——您的参与，大家的参与——使残疾包容成为新加坡社会的标志。
在许多领域，如包容性就业和提供独立生活选项，政府可以并将发挥领导作用。然而，在其他领域，如观念转变、日常便利、社区组织、社会服务机构以及像您我这样的个人，我们都有角色要扮演。
今天，我将演讲献给分享残疾人士及其照顾者面临的一些日常挑战，特别是存在于服务交叉点的挑战。
我最近与发展与行为儿科医生林鸿辉博士进行了深入交谈。除了她的专业资质，她还是两名特殊需要儿童的母亲和照顾者，我要感谢她为我今天演讲的核心观点提供了灵感。我将触及三个关键观点，即：一、照顾者的关键角色；二、更好的信息和意识；三、更强的专业协作。
首先，关于照顾者。我们所有人，无论是否残疾，偶尔都会看医生。那么，残疾人士体验医疗系统的方式有何不同？林博士提出的一点给我留下了深刻印象。她说，区别在于医疗专业人员“医学艺术”的实践。根据《加拿大医学教育杂志》的一篇文章，“医学艺术”是临床医生与患者及其家属互动时的表现方式。医生、护士和相关医疗专业人员如何诊断、探讨治疗方案、沟通和促进康复，都是“医学艺术”的体现。这让我深有感触。毕竟，我们首先是人，而不仅仅是执行任务的人。
对于残疾患者，尤其是那些无法有效表达自己想法和感受的患者，“医学艺术”的实践尤为重要。残疾患者对处方药物的反应、副作用等，往往通过观察者的敏锐视角传达，而观察者正是他们的照顾者。因此，医疗专业人员如何与照顾者互动并将其纳入康复过程至关重要。
照顾者通常最能向医疗专业人员提供潜在诱因的建议，例如强光、颜色或突发的响声，可能引发患者的不良反应。诱因因患者而异，因此，在与残疾患者合作时，纳入并密切参与照顾者，往往有助于医疗专业人员的工作。
第二，信息和意识。诚然，许多善意的医疗专业人员希望通过提前规划服务体验，更好地服务残疾患者及其照顾者。如果他们能更方便地获取信息，如个人的残疾状况，并更了解其便利需求，将更有助于实现这一目标。更好地收集残疾数据并在社会服务、医疗和交通等部门间共享，将使专业人员能够根据残疾人士的独特情况，规划并提供更优质的服务。
例如，在医疗领域，可以为表达困难的患者安排更长的诊疗时间。对于习惯特定固定程序的患者，可以安排固定节奏的诊疗，如仅在上午看医生，或安排患者在班次开始或结束时就诊，以显著减少等待时间。这些调整都很可行，且易于实施，从而使残疾人士及其照顾者在医疗系统中的服务体验整体更为积极。
最后，我的第三点是加强跨部门专业协作。在生命历程中，残疾人士及其照顾者会与来自不同部门的专业人员和组织互动——医院或诊所的医生和护士，特殊教育学校的教师和辅助教育者，以及社会服务机构的职业治疗师或语言治疗师。跨部门间，我们需要培养更紧密的协作文化。跨学科的专业实践分享将是良好的开端。
以药物为例。对于一些残障人士（PwDs），有时会开药帮助他们控制行为爆发。例如，利培酮是一种抗精神病药物，常用于控制精神病引起的激动状态。我们有时听到残障人士过早停用此类药物的传闻，有时是因为照顾者的担忧，或纯粹是街头传言关于药物潜在副作用。让非医疗专业人员——例如与残障人士及其照顾者更频繁接触的言语治疗师——参与，可以帮助消除家属的无根据担忧，总体上这对残障人士是有利的。
在其他情况下，社会服务专业人员使用的视觉时间表等工具，尤其是针对自闭症个体，用以传达日常规律和节奏，但遗憾的是，医疗从业者可能不太理解这些工具，因此在与这些个体沟通时较少采用这类策略。因此，我希望看到跨领域专业实践的更多分享，不仅能增进彼此工作的理解，也能抓住相互协作、互相强化工作的机会。
如果不同领域的专业人员能够理解并帮助强化残障人士及其照顾者的关键信息，显然会带来好处。例如，医疗专业人员若能对所服务的患者及照顾者采取更全面的360°视角，适时强化诸如未来照护规划的重要性，甚至更好地将他们转介至如特殊需求信托公司（SNTC）等机构。在其他情况下，社会工作专业人员帮助澄清残障人士及其照顾者对政策（如CareShield Life）的疑虑，也将有利于这些不同领域专业人员共同服务的个人和家庭。
关于跨部门协作的最后一点。当残障人士在其生命历程中跨越不同服务部门时，现今几乎总会出现信息传递的分辨率损失，比如可能引发情绪崩溃的独特情况、每个人独有的习惯或日常生活规律等信息的丢失，而这些信息能帮助各机构更好地为残障人士及其照顾者提供以人为本的服务，必须尽量减少。这回到了我去年提出的观点，即应对每位残障人士采取个案管理视角，系统性地支持他们及其照顾者贯穿其一生。议长先生，以下用中文发言。
（中文）：【请参阅本地语言发言。】议长先生，《赋能蓝图2030》勾勒了我国未来数年建设更具包容性的社会的愿景和计划。我们希望国家中的每个人都能有机会发挥其全部潜力。今天的发言中，我想提出三个关键点供大家考虑和讨论。
首先，在支持残障人士的旅程中，照顾者扮演着关键角色。在可行的情况下，我们应允许照顾者参与专业流程，如医疗咨询。其次，若医疗专业人员能获得更多关于残障人士的个人情况和医疗状况的信息，他们能更好地规划服务，为残障人士及其照顾者提供更优质的照护。第三，不同行业的专业人员在服务残障人士及其照顾者时，也应更紧密合作，提供无缝衔接的服务，聚焦残障人士。
（英文）：议长先生，我们在残障包容方面的旅程，建立在社会服务、医疗、教育及其他多个领域众多专业人员的辛勤努力、汗水和泪水之上，也包括许多残障人士及其照顾者的不懈奋斗。站在前辈的肩膀上，现在轮到我们接过接力棒，举起火炬，努力实现“包容”一词成为过时词汇的那一天。议长先生，我支持预算案。
议长先生：朱卡南·阿卜杜勒·拉希姆先生发言。
下午1时53分
朱卡南·阿卜杜勒·拉希姆先生（蔡厝港选区）：议长先生，感谢您允许我参与此次辩论。我支持副总理兼财政部长所作的预算声明。
副总理黄循财先生表示，2024年预算基于这样一种信念：只要我们团结一致、携手合作并继续彼此信任，我们就能渡过未来的风暴，变得更加强大。我对此深有共鸣，也分享这一信念。
我欢迎通过“前进新加坡”对话，汇聚新加坡同胞的集体经验、专业知识和反馈的做法。本预算将这些对话转化为具体行动，面向未来。我特别关注帮助家庭和为家庭及长者提供更多保障的措施。我的发言将聚焦于住房选择及提升家庭和长者居住环境的宜居性。
首先，关于住房选择和可及性。在去年的预算辩论中，我提出了若干建议，旨在进一步完善家庭和年轻夫妇购买组屋（BTO）的抽签程序。我很高兴政府不仅采纳了这些建议，还加大了BTO组屋的供应，以满足住房需求。
在等待BTO期间，我遇到许多住在吉宏的年轻夫妇，他们与父母同住。他们新婚，正等待位于武吉巴督和中峇鲁的新BTO组屋。最重要的是，在与父母同住期间，他们能够存钱，并享受照顾孩子的支持，以及邻里众多托儿中心和设施的便利。
吉宏是他们成长的地方，充满温馨和熟悉感。但家庭情况会变化，随着新生儿的到来，现有组屋的居住条件将变得拥挤。
因此，我欢迎副总理黄循财在今年预算中宣布的新“父母临时住房计划（开放市场）”券，为符合条件的家庭提供一年期租赁补贴，支持他们在开放市场租住组屋。这帮助等待BTO的年轻夫妇获得临时住房。此前，他们需要加入组屋租赁名单，而开放市场租金对他们来说经济负担较重。
所有这些政策变化表明，政府认真倾听通过多次咨询或我们议员代表居民在每周一吉宏的“见民众”会议中提出的各种反馈，经过仔细研究后付诸实施。政府倾听民意，伸出援手。以下用马来语发言，议长先生。
（马来语）：【请参阅本地语言发言。】本预算在财政援助和住房方面为家庭提供更多支持。这种综合方法意味着政府不仅帮助特定群体，也惠及社会各阶层，从长者到家庭再到工人。住房问题尤其令年轻有孩夫妇关注。
去年，我建议进一步优化组屋BTO申请流程。我观察到该建议不仅被采纳，还用于帮助刚结婚的年轻夫妇。为帮助他们，副总理黄循财还宣布了一项新券计划，帮助年轻夫妇在等待BTO组屋完工期间租住开放市场的房屋。该券将帮助社区中许多人获得临时住房。
我的一位吉宏居民努尔女士与丈夫和孩子暂住在她姐姐家中，等待四年后BTO组屋完工。共有八人住在一套四房组屋内。她行动不便的年迈母亲也与他们同住。
努尔女士因家庭收入限制，无法负担开放市场租金，因此申请了组屋租赁。PPHS申请每两个月开放一次，每次处理需四至六周。她正期待再添一名孩子，希望住房安排更稳定。在我的见民众会议上，我代表她向组屋局提出申请，不仅是租赁，还建议开放市场补贴等替代方案。我很高兴组屋局正在考虑这些建议，并推出开放市场租赁券。
PPHS（开放市场）券将为像努尔女士这样的家庭提供临时住房。我欢迎这一变化。但据组屋局称，BTO平均等待时间为三至四年，我希望开放市场租赁券的期限能延长至两年，以便年轻夫妇和孩子能签订更长期租约，提供更大稳定性。
我希望能提供更多支持，帮助年轻夫妇和家庭缓解住房忧虑。期待国土发展部在这方面的后续宣布。
尊敬的费萨尔·马纳普先生早前建议优先让公共租赁屋居民购买组屋。但我认为这只是住房问题的一个方面，我们还应关注其他方面。不能孤立看待住房问题，因为家庭生活涉及多方面，应全面考虑和解决。
因此，借助M3@Towns和Dian项目等合作伙伴的共同努力，针对租赁屋家庭提供健康、儿童教育和家庭事务等多方面支持。Dian@M3项目已在勿洛、芽笼士乃、惹兰勿沙、裕廊、蔡厝港和淡滨尼展开，现支持400多个租赁屋家庭。
这是我们的集体努力。所有这些帮助家庭从租赁屋搬入自有组屋，不仅拥有自己的家，还确保他们有稳定工作、受教育的孩子、健康的家庭和幸福的婚姻。拥有这些，生活将更稳定，这是我们希望每个人都拥有的生活方式。
（英文）：议长先生，住房的另一个方面是电梯通达性。蔡厝港镇正在经历多项激动人心的发展，如裕廊区域线和镇中心新建的熟食中心。许多居民在吉宏居住数十年，希望在此安度晚年。正如我之前所述，许多年轻夫妇被这些即将到来的发展吸引，已搬入该区。
然而，有些组屋楼栋最初设计时没有直接电梯通达，虽然这为业主提供了更多隐私和独特性。但随着居民在楼栋居住数十年并选择原地养老，直接电梯通达变得尤为重要。
我曾多次在议会提出此问题。即使经过组屋局的电梯升级计划（LUP），新加坡仍有约150栋楼没有直接电梯通达。这些分段组屋的部分楼层没有直接电梯，居民需乘电梯到某层，再沿走廊或通道步行，最后上下楼梯到达单元。在这150栋分段楼中，约20%位于吉宏，这意味着这些家庭没有同层电梯通达。长期居住在此类单元的居民，随着年龄增长，面临困难和不便。我此前已就LUP、电梯通达住房补助及其他方案发声，希望获得更多支持。
一位居民陈先生是一位年长者，照顾患中风的成年儿子多年。他们住在吉宏一套无直接电梯通达的分段单元。过去，带儿子去看病非常麻烦，他需背着儿子下楼梯，再穿过走廊到电梯厅。现在，镇议会提供免费楼梯爬升机服务，帮助他们上下楼梯。
送餐或包裹人员也因楼栋布局和电梯通达路线复杂而难以送达。一些家具或大件配送服务也因无直接电梯通达而收费高昂。火灾或医疗紧急情况时，急救人员也可能难以及时抵达这些分段单元。为缓解情况，我们在分段楼的电梯厅推出了吉宏导航地图，但这只是临时方案。
议长先生，您知道吗？在2002年美国真人秀节目《极速前进》第一季中，有一站设在新加坡蔡厝港的分段组屋，参赛者需完成一项挑战任务。任务要求他们找到正确的电梯厅，爬上正确的楼梯，进入分段单元，那里有穿黄色靴子的承包商等候。那是蔡厝港的Phua Chu Kang！经过多次挫折，参赛者终于找到单元。
我的观点是：如果分段组屋如此难以导航，甚至成为国际真人秀的挑战项目，想象一下我们的居民，尤其是老人和带小孩的家庭，每天的生活有多么艰难。
我们必须承认社区动态的变化。随着人口老龄化和越来越多家庭居住在组屋中，电梯通达的需求比以往任何时候都更为迫切。电梯不仅是机械装置，更是连接我们家园和社区的生命线。随着年龄增长，楼梯可能从简单的攀爬变成难以逾越的障碍。无障碍电梯为我们的长者提供自主和尊严。
同样，带婴儿车的家庭每天需上下多层楼梯，也面临类似挑战。根据我走访调查，吉宏近三分之二的分段单元中有老人或儿童居住。对此，我提出以下建议：
第一，将电梯通达住房补助（LHG）从现有的3万新元提升至5万新元，以提高申请意愿。根据我提出的议会质询，截至2021年12月，LHG获批申请仅28宗，而估计受影响的组屋单位约2000个，仅占1.4%。
第二，考虑安装座椅升降机，或在技术可行的情况下，建造坡道或螺旋坡道，将分段单元楼层与有直接电梯通达的楼层连接。
第三，在技术方案不可行时，组屋局可考虑强制收购此类单元，改为公共租赁屋，以免住户因永久无直接电梯通达而不便，且他们多为短期居住。
最后，重新审视LUP的资金标准。目前组屋局仅考虑直接受影响的单元。我们应同时考虑受益单元，将其纳入资金模型，作为应急或冗余方案。
采用此方法后，以吉宏为例，受益单元比例可从12%至15%提升至超过50%，意味着成本可由更多住户分摊，符合LUP成本上限。
我们不应低估新加坡同胞的慷慨与同理心，愿意共同承担LUP费用。在吉宏的选择性电梯更新计划中，许多非分段单元住户亲身体验了电梯停用期间的生活，表示理解并支持调整LUP成本分摊方式。我希望能研究这些建议，帮助我们的家庭居民。
议长先生，综上所述，我以住房选择和长者电梯通达为例，展示我们在本预算及未来预算中能为新加坡同胞共同实现的目标，让他们选择心仪的居所，继续热爱他们的家园。
通过让我们的公共空间更加无障碍，我们创造了促进社会凝聚力和福祉的环境。在帮助年轻夫妇实现他们的梦想家园时，我们不仅满足了他们的愿望，也为他们的子女提供了希望。通过重视生活环境和住房的重要性，我们在新加坡同胞中培养了团结和归属感，使这个国家真正成为我们热爱的家园。
副总理黄循财提到，新加坡需要坚定团结，共同应对未来的风暴。“船不会因为周围的水而沉没，船是因为水进入船内才会沉没。”尽管面临外来干扰、分裂或影响，我们必须团结一致。这份预算案提醒我们所有人，在面对未来挑战时必须保持团结。议长先生，我支持预算案声明。
议长：朱卡奈先生，我选区里有几个这样的组屋区，所以我完全理解你的感受。每次去这些组屋区访问时，你需要更多耐心，需要安排更多时间，也要付出更多精力。何亭如女士。
下午2时08分
何亭如（盛港）：议长先生，今年预算案的主题“携手共建共享未来”，是我们所有人都应努力实现的目标。在工人党2020年宣言《为全民打造的新加坡》中，我们阐述了对新加坡的愿景——一个为每个人都留有位置的国家。
跨党派对一些理念达成共识是积极的进展，比如在工人被非自愿裁员时给予经济支持，帮助他们重新站稳脚跟。作为一个国家，我们应为这些有效的政策感到自豪，因为它们确保每个人都能从国家的发展中受益。
为了推动新加坡的发展迈出下一步，我们应拓展对进步的愿景，而这种愿景只有在建立信任的基础上才能真正且有意义地扩展。换言之，我们需要信任持不同观点的人，他们也在善意行事，尽管观点不同。特别是，除了要求公众信任我们的公共机构外，我们还应反思自己是否信任我们的人民。如果不信任，原因何在？我们如何确保信任是双向的？我将举例说明新加坡信任尚未实现双向的情况，并尝试解释原因及如何实现双向信任。
我演讲的后半部分将谈及如果实现这种相互信任，我们将获得的回报，并阐述这种扩展的进步愿景可能是什么样子。
首先，公众知道什么，公众应该知道什么？年度收入和支出预算是一个很好的起点。今年，军事开支以一项190亿新元的单行列示，未作进一步细分，尽管其占预算的17%。虽然谈及军事时官方机密是一个顾虑，但是否真的没有中间地带可以提供开支细节？
同样，警察开支预算中，名为“Arapaima”和“Aegis”的项目各分配了数亿新元，但公众甚至没有得到一句简短的描述。如何就这些开支是否经济、高效、有效甚至是否足够进行辩论？
此外，预算中宣布的企业支持计划及众多其他方案，是否会公开发布目标，比如覆盖多少企业，资金如何使用？公众如何知道这些公共资金支出的方案是否成功？我们是以花费多少来衡量政策成功，还是以其成果为准？
工人党三年前呼吁成立独立议会预算办公室，但更根本的是愿意公开细节。2012年，时任副总理尚穆加南说：“信任和透明是问责体系的两个不同部分。”
虽然确实存在安全顾虑，意味着不可能完全透明，但工人党过去提出的解决方案，如独立预算办公室、向常设特别委员会成员披露更多信息并设有保密措施，可以帮助平衡这一难题。
政府需要倾向于透明，尽可能多地公布信息，并同意在安全利益平衡下公布所需信息。法律工具，如正式的知情权立法，将有助于界定可公布和不可公布的内容。但知情权不是为了问责而问责。它帮助我们以善意进行辩论。如果政府认为自己已被问责，那么它就能以善意与不同观点辩论，这是我想提出的第二点。
以基尼系数为例，政府曾表示税前转移支付前的不平等程度低于经济合作与发展组织（OECD）其他国家，但当我们与居民交谈时，是否真有这种感觉？如果没有，原因何在？
或许是因为新加坡的基尼系数只计算劳动收入，而OECD国家计算所有收入来源；评论者也指出，家庭支出调查数据显示，新加坡非劳动收入在增加；或者是因为新加坡的基尼系数只涵盖公民和永久居民，而不像其他国家那样涵盖全部人口，未反映我们150万外籍劳工中许多从事的基本但低薪蓝领工作。超过四分之一的新加坡人娶非居民，这些工人也是我们家庭的重要组成部分。
但或许更重要的是，另一种看待财富的方式，即财富不平等。瑞银2022年全球财富报告显示，新加坡财富不平等指数为78.8，远高于台湾的69.8、韩国的67.9和日本的65。
OECD也指出，我们需要用不同指标衡量财富不平等，我相信这同样适用于新加坡。然而，家庭财富分布数据不易获得。
政府曾在2018年表示，其基尼系数计算需反映新加坡独特的政策干预范围。这大体正确。鉴于新加坡体量小且经济开放，确实有独特政策干预。但这一理由不应成为阻止公布公众想了解数据的借口。
信任是双向的，政府不提供数据以供辩论某些话题，会在部分群体中滋生不信任。关于解决不平等，除了经济学专家的建议，我只能表达选民的感受。如果公众看到信息缺口，公共机构应在合理范围内用正确的信息填补，而不是说无需填补。
第三点，政府应信任公民共同创造。前进新加坡计划是良好开端。但我们可以借鉴公民大会的概念。一个著名例子是爱尔兰，2016年爱尔兰议会成立了公民大会，审议多个社会争议议题。99名代表爱尔兰选民结构的公民被选中参与讨论，专家也被邀请提供证词和案例研究。其关于堕胎等议题的结论帮助推动了相关公投，有人称赞该过程去政治化，为分歧议题带来理性，提供了倾听、理解和同理不同意见的空间。
类似前进新加坡的活动可以引入更多独立专家证词，为参与者提供证据，这些专家应持有不同观点。活动设计应准确反映新加坡人口结构。同样重要的是，政府应直接回应结论，说明哪些建议会纳入政策，哪些不会。应定期进行独立公开审查，评估此类活动的实施程度。
只有建立对公众的信任，我们才能有意义地携手共建共享未来，这意味着适当的透明度和问责制。为此，我们需要正确衡量进展，衡量对我们重要的事项。
多年来，无论在议会内外，我们都听到关于衡量国家表现应超越国内生产总值（GDP）的提议。然而，在预算、选举和全国对话期间的周期性保证，称我们关注GDP以外的发展因素，远远不够。超越GDP的进展衡量必须成为我们的DNA。我们必须定期量化、衡量并公布我们的表现细节，要求政策正式考虑其对这些指标的影响，以及各种政策和举措是否成功提升了我们的集体福祉。
因此，我想重申两年前的呼吁，建议新加坡建立一个超越GDP的进展衡量仪表盘。这并非新想法，我们可以借鉴新西兰的生活水平框架仪表盘。
新西兰财政部公布用于衡量和指导各部优先事项以促进福祉的详细指标，并完全向公众公开以确保透明。指标显示时间趋势、人口子群分布，重要的是让新西兰人直接看到政府在提升国家福祉方面的表现。
新加坡仪表盘具体内容应由公共机构和更广泛社区提供意见，但我认为应涵盖的关键领域包括无偿工作测量、自然资源使用，特别是我们的人民、环境可持续性足迹形式的外部成本、休闲价值以及我们的集体和个人福祉。
本月初，在心理健康辩论动议中，我谈及了我们的集体和个人福祉，以及如何发展优势以防范心理健康问题并促进繁荣。2022年，我也谈及了环境足迹相关问题。因此，今天我将重点谈无偿工作和投资于我们的人力资源。
首先，无偿工作指未直接获得报酬但对经济有影响的工作，通常分为非正式照护和家务劳动、无偿再生产劳动及志愿工作。特别是非正式照护，《前进新加坡》报告指出，政府将给予新加坡人更多保障，确保他们得到照顾。这对理解照护者的无偿且鲜为人知的工作和需求尤为重要，他们已承担起国家的集体责任。
2020年，我呼吁开展时间使用调查，以更好了解非正式照护者的工作。此后，社会服务理事会（NCSS）于2022年发布了一项调查，旨在更好理解照护者的生活质量问题。这是在2013年新加坡非正式照护调查之后的进展。
虽然定期针对非正式照护相关具体问题进行深入调查是好事，但这些调查缺乏对社会贡献及间接经济贡献的定期且易量化的衡量。
多篇学术论文指出，新加坡缺乏对非正式照护总价值的衡量，导致难以为公共政策提供信息和指导。尽管如此，2021年杜克-国大团队估算，75岁及以上需要日常活动人力协助的老年人非正式照护时间的年成本在25亿至35亿新元之间，这显然是一个不容忽视的数字。
此外，《前进新加坡》报告还列举了多种政策支持非正式照护者的方式，如加强育婴假和父母假、允许更灵活的工作安排，以及通过家庭照护补助金和减免特殊需要儿童早期干预费用提供财政支持。
令我注意的是，许多政策假设非正式照护者希望并能够尽可能保持某种形式的有偿工作。同样，关于无偿家务劳动和志愿工作在新加坡的量化信息也很少，难以正式认可和纳入对国家的贡献。
最近一位21岁的本科生在论坛页面呼吁衡量无偿工作价值，他说：“我们应该这样做，以更全面地反映经济表现。”
每年衡量无偿工作数值，也能直接观察外部冲击和事件的影响，例如经济衰退是否及如何影响非正式照护，哪些人口群体受影响更大，并让公众定期衡量政策对支持无偿工作的影响。
谈到我们的人力资源；这是我们唯一的自然资源。这是衡量我们如何重视并投资于公民的另一种方式。新西兰生活水平框架将其作为国家财富的组成部分，称为人力能力，定义为知识、身心健康和文化能力。包括教育指标以及不仅是寿命还有健康预期寿命的测量。
面对日益多变、不确定、复杂和模糊（VUCA）的世界，终身学习的重要性日益凸显，技能未来运动的加强无疑对考虑中年或中途职业培训者是利好。我们也越来越听到纸质学历将逐渐过时的观点。然而，我希望鼓励持续培训的政策不会无意中强化对纸质学历的重视。
此外，我希望技能未来框架继续努力，使其对广泛的新加坡人更具吸引力和包容性。2022年约50%的利用率显示这方面仍需改进。
简言之，我们必须解决可能阻碍新加坡人利用这些计划的结构性障碍。毕竟，许多工人提到缺乏时间、上课的机会成本，以及放弃年假或时薪的顾虑。全国职工总会（NTUC）呼吁设立带薪学习假，有助于解决工人参与有益培训的结构性障碍。此外，残疾人协会等非政府组织提出技能未来条款的包容性问题，呼吁培训机构提供合理便利，帮助残疾人士参加课程。社区中也有人对专为残疾人士开设的课程（如启能学院）持保留态度，认为虽出于善意，但可能导致排斥。
最后，我希望在决定4000新元技能未来积分补贴的使用方向时，优先考虑社会需求最迫切的行业和领域，而非仅关注经济增长潜力强的行业。
这包括应对人口老龄化加速需求的护理技能和培训项目，以及心理健康领域的培训，如心理学、心理治疗和辅导，以及建设新宣布的家庭教练队伍，社会及家庭发展部将派遣他们与弱势家庭合作。
总之，我希望半个多世纪的国家建设意味着我们现在已经到了一个阶段，社会中多元观点有了立足之地，尊重分歧成为信任的标志，而信任是双向的。更大的透明度和更有意义的深入讨论，可能意味着我们可以采取更审慎的公共政策方法，而这应被视为改进的手段。正是这种对透明度和问责制的态度，加上超越GDP衡量我们的进步，最终将有助于更好地为我们的公共政策辩论和共创提供信息。
议长先生：钟基雄先生。
下午2时25分
钟基雄（碧山-大巴窑）：议长先生，阁下，这是一个面向未来的预算，平衡了帮助家庭和企业应对成本上升以及为未来做长期准备的措施。
本预算的亮点之一是对工艺教育学院毕业生以及中年和年长新加坡人的技能提升和再培训的强力支持。强化持续学习的心态并识别新加坡人中的改进机会，将使人口和新加坡在不断变化的全球经济格局中保持相关性。教育补贴、津贴和每月培训津贴在范围和规模上都是前所未有的。这是对我们人民的一项巨大投资。
我有两点建议。
首先，政府应考虑与相关行业合作，共同制定课程，并鼓励毕业前的工作确认，以便毕业生完成课程后，能够更高比例地被需要其新技能的公司录用。一些“培训与安置”项目的毕业生普遍反馈，他们自己找工作有困难。
其次，政府应跟踪这些课程毕业生的后续就业和薪资情况，以评估该政策的有效性。由于这是一项长期政策，对国家有相当大的经常性开支，政府应衡量投资是否产生了令人满意的结果。如果没有，就必须在过程中进行审查、调整和变更。
接下来，我想谈谈对中小企业的支持。我们中小企业的基本成本结构多年来发生了显著变化。我赞赏预算中近期的纾困措施，帮助它们应对成本上升。13亿新元的企业支持计划将大大帮助企业渡过当前挑战并建立长期能力。
将企业融资计划-中小企业营运资金贷款的最高贷款额度提高至50万新元，将帮助它们在成本上升的环境中满足更高的资本和现金流需求。一些中小企业发现，随着项目规模的增加，参与政府项目越来越具挑战性，这意味着更高的资本和现金流支出以及招标规格。政府在招标过程中可以更加周到，使其更具包容性。
关于对250亿新元“研究、创新与企业2025”计划额外30亿新元的承诺，以及未来五年对人工智能计算、人才和产业发展的超过10亿新元投资，我建议将其中一部分专门划拨给中小企业或涉及中小企业的合作项目。众所周知，由于规模较小和资源限制，我们的中小企业难以独自进行研发和将人工智能开发纳入企业。它们需要政府在资金和与研究人员、大学以及上下游合作伙伴公司的合作方面的支持。否则，中小企业与跨国公司的数字鸿沟将会加大。
新加坡是一个小型经济体，预计未来经济增长将放缓。中小企业在海外寻找更多业务和收入变得更加紧迫和重要。为了将业务拓展到海外，中小企业需要了解并适应不同司法管辖区的动态及其不同的商业方式。
因此，有机会利用年长专业人士、经理、行政人员和技术人员（PMET）的经验和技能，协助中小企业处理这些方面。对于寻求职业转变或失业的资深PMET，政府是否考虑设计一个系统化、结构化的框架，将他们与需要其相关市场和行业经验、知识和技能的中小企业匹配？中小企业可以利用他们的专长、对外国市场的先前接触和熟悉，更好地应对复杂情况，避免潜在陷阱。
接下来，我想谈谈我过去几年一直关注的“购买新加坡货”话题。
我今天想聚焦我们的农食部门。因为它是我们国家粮食安全的关键支柱，这一问题在新冠疫情期间被凸显。我们必须为未来的其他危机做好准备，本地食品生产服务越多，我们对供应中断的脆弱性就越小。我们必须继续支持和促进该部门的发展，确保其可行性，同时兼顾制造业和金融服务等其他部门。
为了加强粮食安全，除了对该行业友好的政府政策和财政支持外，我们需要发展一个完整的生态系统，使农食部门成为一个重要的经济部门。
鉴于较高的成本结构和缺乏规模经济，以及新加坡元的强势，我们的本地农产品比进口产品更贵。为了区分我们的本地产品并证明其溢价合理，我们需要提高消费者对本地蔬菜、水果、鸡蛋和鱼类等优势和益处的认识。有哪些公共宣传和教育项目正在进行，以建立这种认知并提升本地消费者的需求？
在2017年预算中，我呼吁政府通过在采购合同中加入“购买新加坡货”要求来进一步促进本地需求。我想再次敦促政府考虑此事。更强的官方授权将大大促进需求。这也会向市场和消费者发出支持本地产品的信号，鼓励本地企业不断改进。
此外，我们在本地专业人才培养方面进展如何？从农食从业者到研究人员，我们需要在技术学院、理工学院和大学培养新一代人才，支持这一相对新兴部门的发展，尤其是包括更前沿的发展，如实验室培养蛋白和肉类。
政府能否提供6,000万新元农食集群转型基金的进展情况？该基金于2021年预算中宣布，旨在帮助我们实现“30×30”目标，即到2030年生产满足新加坡30%营养需求的食品。我们是否按计划推进？基金已拨付多少，支持了哪些项目？
在2021年预算辩论中，我建议政府将农食发展纳入绿色债券和贷款发行，并将规模设计得使小投资者也能参与，为支持新加坡农食部门的增长尽一份力。政府能否分享将农食部门纳入绿色金融市场的最新进展？
我还想重申呼吁政府考虑与投资者和银行在绿色及可持续发展项目上更多地分担风险。这些项目大多仍是开创性举措，缺乏业绩记录。政府的支持将为绿色初创企业提供更大机会，实现其愿景。
最后，我想询问灵活工作安排（FWA）对我们的职场和经济的进展及影响。三方灵活工作安排请求指南（TG-FWAR）预计今年晚些时候发布。该指南可能包括合理和不合理的商业理由示例，以说明为何可或不可提供所请求的灵活工作安排。
我了解到，大多数公共部门员工每周最多在家工作两天已成常态。政府是否对这一安排对公共服务交付标准的有效性和效率进行了测量？过去几年灵活工作安排带来了哪些益处和挑战？特别是当家庭中多名成员来自不同机构同时在家工作时，我们如何防范机密信息的无意泄露及潜在滥用？公共部门有哪些经验教训可以分享给私营企业和组织？
深入理解灵活工作安排与效率、信息安全和生产力之间的关系，有助于我们制定支持并强化全球竞争力的灵活工作政策。借此，我支持本预算。
议长先生：何亭如女士。
何亭如：谢谢议长先生，先做个简短澄清。刚才我在谈论技能未来框架时提到2022年利用率约为50%，那是我的错误。我想说的是2022年培训率约为50%。
议长先生：林占士副教授。
下午2时35分
林占士副教授：在他的预算陈述中，副总理黄循财谈到了人工智能作为一种通用技术，就像内燃机时代的电力、计算机或互联网一样。人工智能确实有潜力触及我们生活的方方面面。和黄副总理一样，我坚信人工智能对我们共享经济未来的变革力量。
在之前关于国家生产力基金修订的演讲中，我解释了人工智能既带来风险也带来机遇。但如果我们真正拥抱这一愿景，我相信我们必须改变在人工智能时代制定政策的方法。这不仅仅是追求人工智能研究的卓越，将人工智能嵌入政府服务，升级宽带基础设施，甚至确保我们的企业迅速采用人工智能。国家人工智能战略2.0中概述的这些目标确实值得称赞，但还不完整。即将到来的结构性变革将改变我们的企业、工人和学生的运作方式。这可以看作是对谭武孟议员和苏绍辉先生早前演讲的补充，不仅关乎今天的政策，也关乎明天的政策。
研究人员指出，采用人工智能的企业往往规模更大、更年轻且生产率较高。但要充分收获人工智能带来的经济效益，可能落后的企业，即中小企业，尤其是非科技和非专业领域的现有企业，必须获得强烈且紧迫的激励去采用人工智能。
这不是一项简单任务。小企业几乎定义上是因为它们在抓住商业机会和合理化成本方面相对较慢。杂货店老板、装修承包商、小贩摊位或汽车修理厂的业主可能觉得人工智能与他们的业务运营无直接关系，因此倾向于采取观望态度，推迟为公司采用人工智能解决方案。
新加坡参与经合组织主导的税基侵蚀和利润转移（BEPS）2.0框架，为我们创造激励措施以促进各种类型企业采用人工智能提供了量身定制的渠道。第二支柱允许将某些类别的投资退款视为收入而非税收减免。黄副总理提出的可退还投资抵免似乎与此类合格的可退还税收抵免相符。这不仅适用于研发和创新的额外投资，也适用于采用人工智能驱动的数字和专业服务。
不过，有几点需要谨慎。
首先，这类激励对最大企业最有利，因为它们直接受BEPS覆盖。但我们不能忘记中小企业，必须确保我们的“妈妈店”和小商户也能看到追求可退还投资抵免的强大好处，理想情况下通过扩大该计划的推广和宣传。
其次，虽然有空间界定此类抵免的范围，但必须注意，BEPS规则允许各国独立征收补充税，如果它们认为本地企业的税率规避了15%的最低税率精神，或破坏了鼓励可持续性或知识生成的抵免意图，尤其是如果可退还投资抵免被视为设计成漏洞的工具，可能会采取此举。我认为这尤其适用于仅仅增加产能而非专门针对绿色转型或研发的投资。它们可能采取对抗措施，在本国征收补充税，从而削弱可退还投资抵免的吸引力。
这就是为什么四大会计师事务所发布的与预算相关的愿望清单中普遍强调可退还税收抵免的重要性令人担忧，如果其意图是回到BEPS之前的世界，让会计师事务所识别复杂策略，协助跨国公司降低有效税率，并得到我们政府的认可。
第三，我们需要重新审视传统观点，即资本税率应低于劳动税率，以刺激生产性投资。因为人工智能驱动的经济趋于无形，鼓励更多实体资本投资远不如积累无形知识资本重要。
第四，也是最重要的，我们不能再将税收竞争视为吸引外国资本的主要策略，这一点我曾在议会中提出。相反，我们应先理清顺序，营造一个企业具备人工智能能力、工人熟悉人工智能的环境，自然会吸引海外投资。
但我们不应止步于此。处于人工智能革命前沿的大数据机器学习算法和大型语言模型越来越集中在少数强大企业手中。这要求政府，尤其是拥有雄厚资金和主权财富基金的政府，采取先发制人的行动，积极投资人工智能公司，无论是公开交易公司还是私募股权。这不仅让公共部门享有收益上行空间，也确保其在人工智能发展中拥有符合公共利益的发言权。
当然，人工智能不仅会改变企业前景，也会影响我们的工人。新兴证据表明，生成式人工智能可提升约14%的生产力。但在新手和低技能工人中，提升更大，约为34%。这意味着人工智能增强将导致能力和技能分布的压缩。因此，那些过去因天赋或行业优势而脱颖而出的人，可能会发现这种优势被削弱。结果是，我们需要重新审视推动劳动力掌握的技能类型。
先生，技能可能存在于意想不到的地方。虽然未来经济对提示工程师、网络安全专家或数字营销人员的需求被广泛看好且颇具吸引力，但这些新兴职位的稀缺可能在未来几年得到缓解，更可能的是，这些技能将融入更传统的职位。各类专业人士都需要学习如何通过生成式人工智能模型提供提示，市场营销人员和销售人员需要通过包括数字媒体在内的所有媒介传递信息。虽然无法确定，但传统的工匠或手艺人角色可能会复兴，因为机器人技术尚未在这方面提供足够的质量或应用范围。
此外，某些我们此前认为未来无忧的技能，如编码、良好写作或统计分析，可能会迅速贬值，因为人工智能工具能以更低的成本和时间完成同样甚至更好的工作。相反，软技能、人类原创力和批判性思维、同理心与团队合作、领导力和沟通能力将变得更加重要，而这些技能不易被人工智能复制。这些技能不仅靠证书体现，而是通过课堂上对这些能力的培养，即使未正式评估，或通过自我反思、经理和导师的反馈，以及在职场上的集中努力和经验积累来培养。
经济学家早已认识到这一点。即使是最基本的人力资本模型，也包括非天赋和受教育年限，还包括多年工作积累的经验。因此，我们绝不能贬低课堂之外的其他知识获取形式。这就是为什么我认为，不仅应如黄副总理在提升计划中所示，扩大技能未来信用额度的规模，还应扩大其适用范围。
此时此刻，我声明我在一所可能从SkillsFuture受益的机构工作，这也是我之前向另一位副总理提出的一些建议。
这意味着允许学分不仅用于学术资格认证，还可用于替代学习模式，如学徒计划或在职培训。我之前在本院去年举行的《SkillsFuture新加坡机构（修订）法案》辩论中，以及通过各种议会质询，曾提出过扩大范围的可能性。
我希望在此进一步阐述这个想法，并更进一步。我希望我们能考虑允许能够提交可信学徒计划提案的公司，接收使用其SkillsFuture学分申请的学徒。SkillsFuture的抵扣实际上意味着补贴工人，这既增加了接收学徒的吸引力，也补偿了企业提供在职培训的成本。
有人可能会认为SkillsFuture的初衷是让新加坡人掌握新技能，而非补贴企业的劳动力成本。但这忽视了许多现代技能的现实，甚至最常青的技能往往是在工作中获得，而非事先掌握。我的一位好友，曾受训为建筑师，但最终在金融领域取得了非常成功的职业生涯，他曾分享说，尽管背景缺乏，他还是被一家投资银行录用，因为他们无论如何都得教他所需的一切。此外，培训学徒最终可能会跳槽到其他岗位，这对企业来说也是一种风险。
如果我们真的担心企业滥用系统，雇佣一批缺乏可转移技能的临时工，我们总可以在合同中加入条款，要求学徒期满后在双方同意且表现合理的条件下，最低雇佣期限。
在人工智能驱动的经济中，我们如何看待技能和培训的变化将变得更加必要，而非减少。这至少是因为我们尚无法预见哪些工作会被AI取代，哪些会变得更重要。
实际上，经济上有回报的技能寿命可能会缩短。虽然我完全同意将终身学习的心态注入劳动力的重要性，但我们必须同时强调，学习和应用不应等同于成绩和证书。
不可避免地，一些工人将被AI取代。这就是为什么副总理黄循财表示将为非自愿失业者提供临时财政支持，即为被裁员者提供支持，这一点非常重要。工人党支持这一举措，尤其是因为我们自2011年以来一直提议某种形式的裁员保险。
我在去年预算回应中进一步阐述了失业保险方案的理想特征。简而言之，这涉及在为失业者提供安全网与鼓励他们迅速重返劳动力市场之间取得平衡，而非依赖赔付作为拐杖。最佳方案通常结合了合理慷慨的工资替代，尽管时间有限。
如果我们接受AI将改变我们的工作方式，那么显而易见，我们也需要从上游重新思考AI革命将如何改变我们的教育方式。我指的是大众教育，而不仅仅是培养一批AI科学家和研究人员，使我们成为AI创新中心。
首先，我们早该认识到，单纯积累知识和通过不断重复死记硬背、闭卷考试的学习方式已不再可行，即使在互联网“信息免费”的时代，这种方式也难以为继。
AI将进一步削弱单纯记忆更多事实和数据、最快解决已知问题或记忆长串命名法或分类法的相关性。相反，我们需要教孩子们如何筛选信息、评估和判断，而非盲目接受。这意味着他们需要学会提出好问题，识别对错，更常见的是识别新问题，并知道没有明确的对错。这反过来要求培养学生深厚的求知欲，养成批判性解读和评估数据及信息的习惯和工具。
学生需要被教导的不是思考什么，而是如何思考。这也是为什么我的党内同事Pritam Singh先生和何亭如女士强调获取信息的重要性，以便我们能鼓励这种思维，甚至在政策领域。这将颠覆我们许多传统教育策略。
首先，我们需要重新考虑高风险标准化考试作为绩效基准的重要性，因为AI已经在大多数考试中超越人类，或将在未来几年内做到这一点，涵盖会计、法律、医学、语言等领域。事实上，AI甚至成功起草了多项立法草案。
虽然标准化考试长期以来是亚洲社会的基石，科举始于中国六世纪，印度皇帝卡拉韦拉早在公元前一世纪就依赖竞争性考试选拔官员，但鉴于现代教育环境的现实，其持续使用需要重新审视。
诱人的但错误的解决方案是完全禁止学生使用AI。当我们坚称使用ChatGPT输出即构成抄袭时，我们是在亏待学生，因为这会使他们在进入现实世界时处于劣势，面对那些更熟悉如何将生成式AI融入工作的人。
但这并不意味着我们要完全取消评估。相反，评估应持续且全面进行。我们仍需传授计算能力和读写能力，但这些可以通过动态辩论、精心准备的演讲、小组项目和协作解决问题，以及提出高质量问题和答案的能力来评估。持续评估——自我小学时代起我们就用来描述评估模式的术语——需要被更加重视。
副总理黄循财决定增加教育储蓄基金的注资，有望帮助我们重新调整对成绩以外能力的认知。但我鼓励教育部采取更大胆的措施，如增加非学术奖项数量，使期末考试仅占课程总成绩的一小部分，并允许免除小六离校考试（PSLE）实现贯通教育。
我知道这话有些讽刺，出自一个积累了太多学术资格、参加过太多考试、仍靠教学为生的人之口。尽管如此，我相信我们需要摒弃那种认为专业和个人成功的首选路径仅仅是不断攀登学术资格阶梯的观念。当我们坚持认为学生的潜力取决于他们12岁或16岁时考试成绩时，我们无意中低估了我们人口丰富多样的天赋和才能。
其次，即使我们通过《教育科技2030计划》实施AI教学，也不应忘记定制化学习、培养数字素养和装备学生21世纪技能，最终都离不开教师。即使我们充分赋能教师使用AI工具，也必须赋予他们更多自由度，以他们认为合适的方式教授课程，使他们成为引导者而非讲授者，否则学习者永远无法充分发挥AI的潜力。
这样做将释放在线学习平台可汗学院创始人萨尔·汗所称的“无限耐心的导师”的潜力，这一发展必将受到我们这个补习狂热国家的欢迎。
最后，我们还需要问，传统的Nitec/文凭/学位路径在一个考试成绩与实际表现相关性日益受到挑战的世界里，是否仍然适用。
议长：贾姆斯副教授，您最后一分钟发言。
贾姆斯·杰罗姆·林副教授：副总理黄循财宣布的ITE晋升奖，旨在为寻求报读文凭课程的ITE毕业生提供额外财政支持，应结合AI对学历主义的影响来看。虽然提升技能无疑重要，但推动获得另一纸文凭可能无法全面评估提升者的能力，甚至更糟，可能误导人们认为这样做必然能找到工作，结果却失望。
我总结发言。议长，虽然我的发言强调依赖AI重塑我们的企业、工人和学生的重要性，但我们也不能忘记AI将改变我们作为政策制定者处理事务的方式。21世纪的政府和立法机构最不希望看到的是更多千篇一律、形式化的答案，看起来像是ChatGPT生成的。
更重要的是，我们需要勇气和信念开辟一条摆脱旧有束缚的新路。这是AI，设计用来基于现有知识库进行创作，永远无法做到的。
议长：秩序。我们在议事厅已近四个半小时。我提议现在休息，暂停会议，下午3点15分重新开会。秩序。
会议于下午2点56分暂停，至下午3点15分。
会议于下午3点15分恢复。
[副议长（陈顺妮女士）主持]
年度预算案辩论
[(程序文本) 辩论继续。 (程序文本)]
副议长：尼尔·帕雷克先生。
下午3点15分
尼尔·帕雷克·尼米尔·拉吉坎特先生（提名议员）：副议长女士，感谢您给予我机会讨论本月初副总理所呈报的预算案。
在我看来，2024年预算关心民众，帮助企业专注于提升、升级和拓展本地及国际业务，同时确保政府协助下更好地管理企业成本。2024年预算还提升了新加坡吸引优质投资的领先地位，并帮助为我们高等学府毕业生创造高质量就业机会。
摆在我们面前的重大问题是，作为一个民族、一个国家、一个新加坡，我们需要坚定不移地实现这些目标。鉴于2024年经济前景谨慎乐观，以及许多贸易伙伴的经济稳定，新加坡企业可以松一口气。
然而，鉴于当前地缘政治紧张局势，新加坡仍需保持警惕。任何当前冲突的升级都可能严重影响我们这样一个小型、开放、依赖贸易的国家，可能影响能源稳定、通胀和全球商品价格。商界欢迎副总理黄循财在2024年预算演讲中提出的许多举措。让我简要谈谈其中一些。
预算中支持和刺激增长、管理上升企业成本的措施备受赞赏。13亿新元的企业支持计划，包括50%企业所得税回扣，最高4万新元，以及最低2000新元现金福利，对我们的中小企业尤其有利。鉴于2023年中小企业连续四个季度收缩，正如华侨银行季度中小企业指数所示，这一计划正当其时。
企业所得税回扣提供临时缓解，帮助企业维持运营和就业。这一干预是缓解财务压力的战略举措，鼓励企业投资于生产力提升。这可能带来更具韧性的商业环境，并通过更大的经济活动和增加税收，实现政府和企业主的双赢。
企业融资计划的增强，包括中小企业营运资金贷款增加和贸易贷款最高额度提升，也是受欢迎的发展。这些调整将促进中小企业获得运营现金流，支持企业国际化，最终通过利用不同行业的比较优势降低运营成本。这些增强措施还促进企业更好地获得融资和资本，捕捉新的增长领域。
为40岁及以上新加坡人推出SkillsFuture升级计划是值得称赞的举措。包括4000新元的SkillsFuture学分补充，满足终身学习的需求，即使在通胀时期。这一举措，加上中年职业提升补贴和每月最高3000新元、最长24个月的培训津贴，将极大激励个人提升技能。我相信SkillsFuture学分补充不仅培养人才，也让失业者通过攻读理工学院、ITE或艺术院校的全日制文凭，建立跨行业技能，提高就业能力。
这为个人和企业提供双赢局面。个人具备更好技能，降低失业率，追求为家庭带来更好经济机会的行业工作。企业则受益于更多具备资格的人才，准备投身其行业。学分延长至2025年6月30日，也让个人有更多时间决定更适合自己的职业路径，并考虑参加课程的额外开支。
然而，关键是要让雇主参与进来，改变他们对投资员工培训后员工可能离职的担忧。员工培训支持也应包括职场培训，以提升我们国家对劳动力培训投资的就业成果。
正如副总理黄循财所强调，抵御通胀的最可持续方式是通过投资人力资本提升生产力。赋能个人掌握新技能和提升技能，不仅能通过生产力提升提高实际收入，也让新加坡更好地应对不断变化的经济环境，打造灵活且相关的劳动力，巩固我们作为不仅仅是金融中心的全球地位。我还认为，向所有至少雇佣一名本地员工的公司发放最低2000新元现金补贴，是一项新举措，将惠及许多新加坡人。
女士，现在让我谈谈2024年预算中的其他重大宣布。
投资于旨在提升研发和生产力的计划，以及人工智能和全国宽带网络的进步，将推动本地生产力增长，吸引外国直接投资进入新加坡。RIE2025计划、国家科研基金和金融业发展基金是战略举措，旨在巩固我们作为全球创新、科技和金融服务中心的地位。
通过促进研发、推动创新技术商业化和提升生产力，这些项目确保我们在高价值、高效经济格局中的竞争优势。更重要的是，这些举措具有前瞻性，确保缺乏专业知识和整合现有技术能力的企业仍能保持竞争力并被纳入其中。
尽管存在不确定性，2025年1月1日实施的BEPS 2.0第二支柱对新加坡来说是明智的战略举措。除了低企业税率，新加坡还提供有利的投资环境，拥有熟练人才、稳定且对企业友好的政治气候、低犯罪率、健全的司法体系和顶级教育机会。这些因素使新加坡成为跨国公司有吸引力的枢纽，即使企业税率可能上升。
我还想强调2024年预算中关于提升新加坡人退休保障的重要措施。
宣布2025年关闭特别账户并将资金转入退休账户，我认为是正确方向。短期内部分人会感到痛苦，但中长期多数人将受益。我认为预算中最重要的退休相关举措是提高增强退休金额，这将使成员从公积金终身领取计划中获得更多收入。
从2025年起，增强退休金额——即退休账户的最高存入额——将提高至基本退休金额的四倍。这在我们快速老龄化、越来越多新加坡人享有长寿、健康和满足生活的社会中意义重大。
随着延长退休金保障额（ERS），会员从65岁起每月可领取3,330新元，终身领取，而目前按现行ERS水平则为2,530新元。只要生活方式审慎，新加坡人便能优雅地退休，安享晚年。然而，我也认识到，对于许多同胞来说，最迫切的目标是达到全额退休金（FRS）水平，而FRS仍维持为基本退休金（BRS）的两倍。
为了使达到FRS乃至最终ERS的路径不那么陡峭，我建议将FRS从目前的2.0倍BRS调整至1.6倍BRS。以金额计，即从目前的213,000新元降至170,400新元，门槛降低了40,600新元。降低这一门槛将使更多同胞享受达到FRS所带来的更高养老金支付。
鉴于我对年金支付的计算和支付方式有所了解，建议公积金终身计划（CPF LIFE）及其他年金提供者通过延长其固定收益投资组合的期限，为更多公民计划更高的支付额。当前利率处于过去十年最高水平或接近最高水平，这或许是延长固定收益投资组合期限、享受更高利率的良机。
此外，我鼓励政府重新激活其金融素养推广活动。虽然部分同胞是成熟且聪明的投资者，但许多人仍不理解诸如复利长期效益等基本概念。我也鼓励政府制定一个详尽但简明的传达平台，向我们的长者解释这些公积金变动。我们希望每位新加坡人都能充分了解此举的理由，以及它在不久将来如何帮助他们。
总之，这是一份直接面对个人生活成本压力和企业成本上升双重现实的预算案。它在平衡这两大问题的同时，降低了经济过热和通胀上升的风险。我相信这份预算将给予企业必要的信心，加快资本投资计划，从而推动GDP增长和高价值就业岗位的创造。
在我看来，这份预算最重要的方面是，它在没有任何新增税收和无需短期赤字融资的情况下，为个人和企业提供了显著的福利提升。
保持财政纪律和保护储备至关重要，尤其是在未来十年或二十年全球经济环境快速变化，对我们这样一个小型开放经济体产生重大影响的背景下。议长女士，我全力支持这份平衡且审慎的预算。
副议长女士：谢耀权先生。
下午3时28分
谢耀权先生（裕廊选区）：议长女士，拍手需要两只手。这是我对今年题为“共建共享未来”的预算声明的第一反应。
年度预算不仅关乎政府在不同领域的支出，更根本上反映了人民行动党政府的治理议程——其计划、优先事项和意图声明——以及这些背后体现的政府治理理念和核心价值。今年的预算意图明确体现了第四代领导团队的“前进新加坡”议程，旨在引领新加坡和新加坡人迈向更加光明的未来。
正如副总理所言，2024年预算呈现了“前进新加坡”议程的首批计划。这意味着后续计划将陆续推出——“akan datang”（即“将来”），我期待这些未来计划的及时公布。但就目前而言，2024年预算中呈现的首批计划已令人震撼。这些计划大胆、雄心勃勃，充满干劲，是一套令人惊叹的方案。
但我也可以用一句话来形容这些计划，提醒我们拍手需要两只手：一方面是政府，另一方面是公民，无论是个人还是企业，往往是整个社会。政府和公民——两只手才能拍手。
“前进新加坡”议程中的计划要求政府、公民和整个社会更加紧密合作，共同行动，才能实现这些计划。对我而言，这正是“前进新加坡”的核心。换言之，除了提供更多信息促进进一步讨论外，“前进新加坡”的关键在于行动，政府与公民、个人与企业共同采取行动。加倍努力携手共建共享未来。
因为对于一个发展如此先进、缺乏可借鉴经验的新加坡来说，在日益复杂和动荡的世界中航行，政府单方面提供成果，公民仅仅接受，已不再适用。未来必须是政府与公民共同探索、共同前行，携手过河。共建共享未来。拍手需要两只手。这就是我们未来社会契约的模样。
接下来，我将围绕“前进新加坡”及本预算中的四个领域——住房、教育、低薪工人和医疗保健，谈谈我们如何应用这种政府与公民协作的基本理念。
首先是住房。公开市场临时租赁券支持有子女且等待领取组屋钥匙的夫妇，临时从公开市场租赁组屋。这是政府为补充正在加码的公共组屋临时租赁券（PPHS）所采取的重要举措。但公开市场临时租赁券能否奏效，取决于公开市场上的房东——组屋业主——是否配合。
据非正式了解，房东往往不愿意将房屋租给有幼儿的夫妇，担心带来不便。因此，问题不在于租金价格或租赁市场，而在于租户的身份。政府无法强制房东出租给有幼儿的夫妇，只能提供合适的方案和市场激励，市场必须响应，房东必须履行责任，方案才能成功。拍手需要两只手。
第二，教育。政府在本预算中迈出巨大步伐。其中一大举措是“技能未来升级计划”，支持更成熟的工人。关于4,000新元的技能未来积分补充，是否过少或不足以支付课程费用，我先简要谈谈看法。
以兼职和文凭后课程为例，全部费用通常约为19,000新元。但政府已为40岁及以上的新加坡人补贴90%，约17,000新元，实际支付不足2,000新元。因此，4,000新元的技能未来积分补充足以覆盖补贴后的典型费用。
至于第二个全日制文凭课程，网上快速查询显示学费通常约为每年12,000新元，2.5年共约30,000新元。但政府为所有新加坡人补贴75%，2.5年约23,000新元。因此，副总理黄循财在预算声明中提到政府给予40岁及以上新加坡人第二次“教育补贴机会”，我认为这次机会价值23,000新元。
在这些补贴之外，政府还向个人提供4,000新元的技能未来积分，覆盖学费余额的一半以上。这样，第二个全日制文凭的自付费用约为学费的10%。我认为这是公平的安排。
事实上，除了这些补贴和积分，政府还引入了与个人近期平均收入挂钩的培训津贴，降低中年全日制学习的机会成本。该津贴最高每月3,000新元，最长24个月，总计最高72,000新元。这是非常大胆的举措，我认为将带来变革。但如果要提出批评，我希望培训津贴能覆盖30个月而非24个月，这样全日制文凭课程的整个学习期基本能得到覆盖。多出的六个月对有家庭和照顾责任的成年学习者意义重大。对政府而言，这意味着每位公民额外成本最高18,000新元，但我认为这笔投入物有所值。
回到拍手需要两只手。政府通过升级计划为成熟工人迈出大胆步伐，我认为关键在于公民，无论个人还是企业，是否与政府携手合作，使计划成功。
个人应勇敢抓住机会，全面提升技能，为职业和人生迎来第二波发展。个人还需接受跨代课堂，年轻与成熟学习者共同学习。这并非自然而然，需要努力。
企业和雇主应认识到接受技能提升并参与跨代学习环境的新加坡求职者的巨大价值，给予他们相应的职位和待遇。
本预算在教育领域的另一大举措是理工学院进阶奖，帮助年轻理工学院毕业生获得文凭，提升职业和薪资轨迹。这是政府的重要举措，能早期提升理工学院毕业生，减少不平等，保持社会流动性。我认为这是“前进新加坡”议程中的又一大胆且具有变革性的举措。
因此，我不同意进步新加坡党（PSP）关于1万新元毕业奖励存入公积金普通账户不利于理工学院毕业生的说法，认为这会造成文凭毕业生间的差异。事实上，每届学生中有一半通过理工学院，理工学院学生的背景和需求差异巨大，因此采取差异化措施是务实的。
更重要的是，这很公平。理工学院毕业生的起薪比文凭毕业生低约8,000新元，全年计算。仅公积金普通账户的差距每年约1,500新元。因此，1万新元的公积金奖励可视为帮助通过理工学院途径的文凭毕业生弥补这部分差距，相当于其职业生涯前六年左右的储蓄差距。该奖励帮助他们缩小差距，更好地为组屋储蓄。我认为这显然公平，且是正确之举，我很高兴政府采取了果断行动。
但同样，拍手需要两只手。政府迈出大胆步伐，我希望更多理工学院毕业生积极参与该计划，提升技能和自我提升。同样重要的是，我希望更多现有和未来的理工学院学生树立明确目标，努力学习以获得理工学院资格。
对于企业和雇主，我希望他们更加认可理工学院和理工学院毕业生的技能，与政府携手继续提升他们的薪资水平。
第三，关于低薪工人，议会对此有强烈共识，支持提升他们的待遇。去年，政府宣布将在五年内投入高达90亿新元，支持工作补贴和渐进式工资模式（PWM）。
PWM与工作补贴协同作用，提升低薪工人收入。渐进式工资实质上是“最低工资加”，对低薪工人有利。因此，最低工资与渐进式工资之间并无根本意识形态差异，不应在议会反复辩论。议会应关注如何让渐进式工资真正惠及工人，如何将政策转化为实际成果。对此，确实需要全社会共同努力。
以保安行业为例，部分服务采购方——企业客户——因渐进式工资要求提高，不得不在新招标中减少高级保安人员比例。换言之，随着保安员、高级保安员和保安主管工资上涨，而采购方预算不变，采购方削减了高级保安人员需求。这违背了渐进式工资的精神，导致高级保安人员受损。要实现渐进式工资的真正提升，服务采购方必须愿意支付更多。拍手需要两只手。
第四，医疗保健方面，我欢迎提高各补贴等级的人均家庭收入门槛。这一举措及时，将使超过一百万新加坡人获得更高医疗补贴，兑现新加坡人负担得起医疗的承诺。具体而言，这将使更多新加坡人重新符合“蓝卡”社区健康援助计划（CHAS）资格。
我遇到许多居民因子女收入稍高于“蓝卡”门槛而被降级为“橙卡”或“绿卡”。随着收入门槛调整，更多新加坡人将保留或重新获得“蓝卡”。政府听取并回应了新加坡人的关切，这是极好的消息。
但拍手需要两只手，我希望借助此次提升和更广泛的“健康新加坡”运动，所有新加坡人都能真正承担起健康责任，充分利用政府提供的基础设施、项目和资金支持，保持健康，享受长寿和幸福生活。
议长女士，最后我想说，虽然“前进新加坡”议程提醒我们每个人都需尽责，但我们能谈论这些激动人心的计划并有充足资金支持，这本身就是一种奢侈。这并非偶然，而是多年稳健财政决策的直接结果，包括1993年、2002年、2007年及最近2022年的消费税调整。
我们的消费税历程已逾30年，超过我们独立以来的一半时间，一次又一次做出正确决策，稳步建立可持续的财政收入基础，设计公平且渐进的消费税和转移支付体系，不伤害贫困者，主要对高收入新加坡人和外国人征税，同时惠及所有新加坡人。这是历届人民行动党政府的作为。
如果我们从1993年起每次都选择走捷径，不调整消费税，今天我们将少了190亿新元。这相当于我们的全部医疗预算，是教育和早期儿童教育预算的总和，也几乎是我们目前净投资回报贡献（NIRC）的全部。
副议长女士：谢耀权先生，您还有不到一分钟。
谢耀权先生：如果我们从1993年起每次都选择走捷径，不调整消费税，今天我们将不得不动用几乎全部净投资回报，而非仅仅一半多一点。我们今天将为此焦虑不安，而不是谈论拍手需要两只手，谈论“前进新加坡”下的激动人心计划。幸运的是，我们走到了今天。议长女士，我支持这份预算。
副议长女士：陈德铭国务部长。
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总理办公室国务部长陈德铭：副议长女士，劳工运动欢迎政府在今年预算中对工人的支持——这是一份大胆且平衡的预算，是一份面向未来的“前进新加坡”预算，体现了我们的社会契约和工人契约，也是一份考虑并采纳了劳工运动去年9月提交的“每位工人都重要”对话报告中建议的预算。
在2024年2月6日的联合新闻发布会上，新加坡全国职工总会（NTUC）秘书长兼新加坡全国雇主联合会（SNEF）主席警告说，我们可以预见未来一年将充满挑战。大国竞争和地区冲突扰乱了全球供应链，重塑了经济活动，导致通胀上升，影响了全球包括新加坡的企业和个人。
NTUC最近还进行了年度经济情绪调查，调查对象为2000名受访者。约三分之二的人表示他们的收入未能跟上生活成本的上涨，尤其影响了我们的老年人。
在裁员数字翻倍和工资增长放缓的背景下，调查显示令人担忧的趋势，40%的所有工人表示未来三个月内可能失业，较2023年的25%有所上升。这表明普遍存在不安全感、对裁员的恐惧以及2024年裁员可能增加的趋势。
那么，这些对我们的工人和作为劳工运动的NTUC意味着什么？是否意味着我们必须为更艰难的时期做好准备？是的，但我们也需要抓住变革和转型的机会。正是在这样的时刻，NTUC坚定不移地承诺为所有工人提供支持。
我的劳工议员同僚将涵盖一系列话题，回应我们劳动力不同群体的需求、愿望和关切。
我的发言将聚焦三个关键领域。首先，在不确定性中，劳工运动和NTUC将如何继续与工人同行。我将呼吁工人和企业加入工会，以获得更好的保护和商业成功。其次，我将介绍NTUC通过各种计划和举措支持工人技能提升的最新进展。最后，我将继续为面临重大挑战的中年和中途职业工人发声。
首先，为什么要加入工会？近期全球和本地的裁员浪潮加剧了工人对失业的担忧。以Lazada新加坡的裁员为例，凸显了工会对所有工人及企业所能提供的作用和价值。请允许我详细说明。
在突然裁员后，Lazada新加坡私人有限公司与食品、饮料及相关工人工会（FDAWU）最终达成了友好和解。现在，他们专注于建立强有力的合作伙伴关系，以实现公司和所有受影响工人的共同利益。解决方案包括为工会代表范围内受影响的会员提供增强的支持方案和培训基金，其中许多实际上是专业、管理及执行人员（PME）工人。Lazada承诺与FDAWU保持开放沟通，这令人鼓舞，强调了工会在保障工人尤其是在裁员期间争取有利条件方面的重要作用。
我提到许多Lazada员工是PME。随着NTUC会员中51%为PME，NTUC将继续代表所有工人，无论其职业类别、年龄或国籍，正如我们常说的“人人皆可”。
让我举另一个例子说明NTUC如何支持工人以及工会如何帮助另一位PME。一位高级客户经理工作了10个月，于2023年6月辞职。在此期间，她成功完成了两个不同团队的销售目标，但被告知如果提前离职，将无法获得第一个团队的佣金。因此，她在未能说服公司后，寻求新加坡工业与服务员工工会的帮助。工会代表她与管理层会面，最终管理层进行了调查并同意在去年年底前支付佣金。最终，该会员表示感激，并在离职后仍保持积极关系。
无论是否为PME，工会会员都能从NTUC的会员资格中受益，特别是在职场问题上。
但支持工人不仅仅是唯一的任务。NTUC相信通过支持企业扩大蛋糕，实现双赢，让工人分享收益。NTUC积极支持我们工会化的企业在招聘、岗位安置、技能提升和培训，最近还支持业务转型。
请允许我举例说明NTUC如何支持我们的工会化企业Dyna-Mac工程服务私人有限公司。在油价下跌和新冠疫情期间，公司业务低迷。新任执行董事兼首席执行官林先生分享说，他在努力扭转公司局面时，造船与海事工程员工工会向他介绍了公司培训委员会（CTC）计划。
Dyna-Mac勇敢尝试，成立了CTC并启动了运营技术路线图。通过这一过程，公司重申了业务方向和目标，并获得了CTC资助的支持。如今，Dyna-Mac实现盈利，工人共享收益。因此，当我在上一次CTC小组讨论中与林先生同台时，他对NTUC帮助他的企业和工人表示高度赞赏。
讲述这个故事时，世界各地的工会甚至企业可能不理解工会如何支持企业或雇主。但在NTUC和新加坡，由于我们独特的三方合作，我们不仅直接支持工人，还上游支持企业，从而为工人争取更好结果。正是在艰难时期，NTUC的价值凸显，保护工人并帮助企业发展。因此，我呼吁所有企业和工人考虑加入NTUC大家庭，因为作为兄弟姐妹，我们将共同发展业务，确保为所有工人争取更好工资、更好福利和更好工作前景。
接下来，我将谈谈NTUC如何继续支持工人技能提升。这并非新事。NTUC一直坚持认为，为了经济增长，我们的竞争优势必须是具备未来准备的高技能优质劳动力。
但为何现在急需加大技能提升和培训力度？
根据世界经济论坛2023年《未来就业报告》，超过75%的公司计划在未来五年内整合大数据、云计算和人工智能技术。尽管这些进步预计将提升生产力并推动增长，但短期内对工人及其生计可能产生影响。根据NTUC年度经济情绪调查，已有3%的工人因人工智能受到负面影响，15%担心失业，其中三分之二为专业、管理及执行人员（PMET）。
去年，美国发生了持续时间最长的劳资纠纷之一，涉及超过1万名好莱坞电视和电影编剧（由美国编剧协会代表）及16万名隶属于其他工会的演员，导致娱乐产业陷入停顿。编剧们主要担忧生成式人工智能（如ChatGPT）被广泛用于创作剧本，担心制片厂可能利用人工智能替代编剧并降低报酬。经过谈判，好莱坞编剧获得了对人工智能的控制权，防止其被用作替代工具。
此外，谷歌、多邻国和联合包裹服务公司等企业的白领裁员越来越多地与提升生产力的技术如机器学习相关。这一趋势凸显了人工智能在自动化常规任务中的作用，影响蓝领和白领工作。人工智能和自动化的兴起可能导致各行业的职位流失，包括占新加坡劳动力60%的高比例PME。这凸显了“公正转型”的必要性，确保随着人工智能改变工作、社会和经济，转型过程公平、公正，考虑到所有工人和社区。为应对这一转型，工人必须持续学习，不断更新技能。
我们的建国总理李光耀先生曾引用日本生产力中心前主席五氏浩平先生的一封信，五氏先生在推动日本生产力文化方面发挥了重要作用。他借鉴了中国哲学家管子的智慧，我引用：“一年之计，莫如树谷；十年之计，莫如树木；终身之计，莫如树人。”意思是短期可种谷物或树木，但长远回报需投资于人才培养。
在规划未来道路时，NTUC承诺继续为工人利益而行动，与工人携手共进。我欣慰地分享，尽管技术变革带来不确定性，52%的工人预见到需要提升技能以适应人工智能的兴起，依据NTUC年度经济情绪调查。
例如，NTUC学习中心最近推出了“X为人人”系列课程，涵盖现代职场关键的新兴技术，如生成式人工智能、网络安全和云计算，作为科技人才学院的一部分。我鼓励所有工人更新技能，以应对这些关键技术的快速发展。NTUC还在积极推动CTC计划，这是对技能未来（SkillsFuture）的补充，是雇主与工会合作支持企业转型的举措，可促成企业发起的培训和技能提升。
自2019年成立以来，我们取得了巨大进展。我高兴地报告，截至目前已成立1900多个CTC，批准168家企业的CTC资助项目，帮助2600多名工人平均获得5%的工资增长和/或受益于职业发展计划，并为超过125,000名工人提供技能培训，助其获得更好工资和工作前景。
我想分享一个与进步雇主Hydroflux Marketing成功合作的CTC案例。Hydroflux是一家本土水过滤解决方案公司。通过运营技术路线图，Hydroflux制定了业务战略计划，确定数字化、人才发展和增长机会领域。在新加坡手工业及商业工会的支持下，公司成功获得70%的CTC项目资助，惠及38名工人，其中12人平均加薪8%，26人受益于职业发展计划的实施。
CTC计划实施前，销售人员晋升机会有限。但有了新计划，Hydroflux致力于提供职业发展结构，成功案例包括Alyssa Lim女士，她从空姐转型为销售岗位。Lim女士的努力促使她晋升为高级生活方式专家，展示了CTC及相关策略的积极影响。
因此，我们希望更多企业与NTUC合作成立CTC，制定业务和劳动力发展的战略计划。NTUC呼吁企业利用CTC资助，帮助应对人工智能等趋势，支持工人技能提升，提升企业生产力。
除了与雇主合作，NTUC还与技能未来新加坡（SSG）合作。2023年6月，劳动力新加坡（WSG）与NTUC及职场学习卓越中心（NACE）在零售和餐饮两个行业试点了职场技能认可计划（WPSR）。NTUC一直与SSG和NACE紧密合作，向这两个行业的CTC企业介绍并推动职场学习：READY标志认证。凭借良好的反馈和King's Cart Coffee私人有限公司等企业的成功，NTUC将继续与SSG和NACE合作，吸纳更多CTC企业参与该计划。我们希望WPSR能扩展至更多行业，惠及更多企业。
NTUC致力于为经历职业转型的工人提供全面支持。今天，我高兴宣布，自2024年4月1日起，NTUC的就业与就业能力研究所（e2i）将通过接管劳动力新加坡指定的职业中心和就业与技能中心，扩大其个性化安置服务范围。凭借遍布新加坡各地的更多战略性职业和就业服务点，NTUC的e2i将为社区居民提供更贴近的个性化职业辅导、岗位匹配和技能提升服务，帮助全岛各类工作的新加坡人找到更好的就业和就业能力。有关此项发展的更多细节将很快公布。
最后，我将谈谈我非常关心且面临重大挑战的工人群体——中年中途职业工人。
在2020年全国电视竞选演讲中，我谈及这一群体，并承诺尽最大努力支持他们的生计，赋予他们更大的意义和尊严。我在巴西立推动就业机会，组织招聘会和职业交流会，并与多家政府机构合作。
但尽管有这些努力，许多人仍然挣扎，我在选区内遇到了他们。我遇到一位50多岁的男士，他因儿子服兵役而决定从海外回到新加坡。他自信凭借丰富的销售和管理经验能轻松找到工作。疫情期间，他申请了许多职位，收到一些回复和面试邀请，但两年内没有获得任何录用。虽然未明说，他感觉年龄成了障碍。有些公司甚至说他申请的职位他资历过高。
这位男士并不寻求高薪工作，愿意降薪、学习新事物、进入新领域重新开始。但他没有得到机会。他妻子有健康问题，两个孩子尚未工作，他还得养家糊口。于是他转而做Grab司机，至少让他感到有用并能为家庭贡献。经过一年，他终于获得一份工资远低于之前的工作，甚至低于做Grab的收入的工作。他无法接受这个报价，随着时间推移，他对自己和就业市场的信心下降。
我记得有一天凌晨4点收到他的短信，内容是：“陈先生，我仍在努力恢复正常就业以应对生活。年龄歧视非常真实。工作多年，努力提升自己以保持竞争力，为什么像我这样的人仍在挣扎？”
幸运的是，他经过三四年终于找到一份好工作。他的坚持得到了回报。期间，他不断提升自己，参加课程，继续努力。但他的挣扎是真实的，我认为他不是唯一面临此问题的人。鉴于我们劳动力老龄化和人力短缺，我们必须为像他这样的人做更多。
这就是为什么去年预算期间，我呼吁政府通过扩大技能未来职业转型计划至更多行业，为中途职业工人提供更多支持，让更多工人受益，并考虑为该计划下的培训生引入疫情期间的培训津贴。我还呼吁政府审查培训基金和津贴，以支持工人缓解参加培训时的时间、财务和机会成本担忧。
因此，当副总理黄循财在今年预算演讲中宣布对中途职业工人进行重大培训支持时，我感到特别兴奋，感谢政府在2024年预算中果断承认40岁以上中途职业工人需要更多帮助。
在过去两周与许多工人交流时，包括我提到的那位男士，这些宣布受到热烈欢迎且时机恰当。许多人评论这些方案周密且果断，针对真正面临困难的工人群体。我们期待各部委在供应委员会会议上公布更多细节。
既然政府已采取重大举措，NTUC也持续加强技能提升和就业支持工作，我希望雇主与我们携手合作，更好支持中途职业工人，多招聘这类工人，基于其技能和经验公平支付薪酬，提供受保护的培训休假，并考虑认可他们的技能。副议长女士，请允许我用中文继续。
（中文发言）：[请参阅方言发言。]尊敬的议会同事，自2024年预算公布以来，我们收到了许多工人的积极反馈。政府提出了多项措施和计划，支持中途职业工人，提升低薪工人，帮助年轻工人和家庭，协助中年工人实现退休保障，并帮助新加坡人应对生活成本。这些措施是在倾听工人反馈和NTUC“每个工人都重要”对话报告建议的基础上提出的。我们的工人将从政府推出的各项计划和措施中受益。
此外，我们真诚地希望更多的工人能够实现这三点：首先，加入工会，为他们的职业和生活带来更多保障；其次，善用SkillsFuture培训补贴，提升技能，跟上经济转型的步伐；第三，我们敦促中年及中途转业的工人善用新推出的SkillsFuture Level-Up计划所提供的补贴，修读专业课程，增强就业能力。所有40岁及以上的新加坡公民均可获得额外4,000新元的补贴。
全国职工总会（NTUC）将继续支持工人提升技能，获得更好的工资、福利和工作前景。我们也鼓励工人善用政府和全国职工总会推出的这些计划和措施。
俗话说，学如逆水行舟，不进则退。建立职业生涯亦是如此；不进则退。为了社会进步和经济增长，工人必须提升技能，三方伙伴必须携手合作。团结一致，我们可以帮助工人提升自我，创造更美好的未来。
（英文原文）：预计2024年将给工人和企业带来挑战。然而，呼应副总理黄循财的观点，我引用他说的话：“新加坡可以放心，国家过去曾应对过类似的外部干扰和冲击，每次都变得比以前更强大。”
我们的韧性在成功应对近期挑战中显而易见，例如新冠疫情，三方合作是我们努力的核心。全国职工总会坚定致力于与政府及行业利益相关者的合作，专注于劳动力发展，因为每一位工人都很重要。我们鼓励工人加入全国职工总会，呼吁更多公司与我们合作开展关怀职场计划（CTC），并感谢政府在本预算案中对中途转业工人的大力支持。副议长女士，我支持本预算案。
副议长女士：请发言的是郑德源先生。
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郑德源先生（先锋选区）：谢谢副议长女士。我支持2024年预算案。这是一个经过深思熟虑的预算，旨在增强我国抵御不确定全球经济挑战的韧性。
我们正进入一个工作不稳定的时代，工作保障不再是保证。2023年，新加坡的裁员人数翻倍，达到14,000人，种种挑战、不确定性和波动仍在持续。气候危机和生成式人工智能等新技术将以速度和规模带来经济及劳动力市场的变革和冲击。
职位和技能的过时将持续存在，因此各行各业、各年龄段的工人现在更易受影响，理所当然地对未来感到焦虑。全国职工总会本月初发布的年度经济情绪调查反映了同样的担忧，更多工人担心失业，较去年有所增加。同时，通胀和生活成本上升的挑战依然存在。从食品杂货到电费和水费，失业的新加坡人面临更大的经济压力，难以满足基本生活需求。
在这特殊且关键的时期，政府必须重新评估我们对失业和失业者的应对方式。我们必须向那些被迫失业或转向更具韧性的职业的工人保证，他们不会被抛弃，没有支持。我们还必须为工人提供必要的资源和技能，增强他们的就业能力。只有投资于我们的集体韧性和繁荣，新加坡才能避免经济结构调整带来的负面影响，并共同变得更强大。
为此，我将重点谈论我称之为“2S”领域，即对工人的支持（Support）和强化（Strengthening）：支持失业者，以及强化SkillsFuture和继续教育培训（CET）。
第一个“S”是支持失业者，这是我十多年前在本议院首次提出的呼吁，时间是2014年。我查阅了议会记录，发现已故吴庆瑞博士在1970年3月也曾在本议院讨论和分析失业保险，并在政府表态前咨询了国际劳工组织（ILO）。我很欣慰，经过十年的游说，越来越多议员，包括反对党议员，加入了我的呼吁，政府也于去年10月通过“前进新加坡”采纳了这一建议，并由副总理黄循财在今年的预算演讲中宣布。
近年来，临时失业经济支持越来越成为劳工运动与工人及工会领导人交流的关键建议。它最初是2021年我与新加坡全国雇主联合会（SNEF）联合主持的NTUC-SNEF专业人士及管理人员（PME）工作组的主要建议之一，当时我们咨询了超过10,000名公众、工会和企业领导人。去年，在全国职工总会重新制定的《工人契约》中，这一建议再次被强调，该契约是在与超过42,000名工人进行为期一年的#每位工人都重要对话后形成的。
专业人士及管理人员（PME）是劳动力中较为脆弱的群体，一旦失业，他们通常需要照顾更多的家属，但由于年龄和预期收入较高，找到新工作的时间较长。重新就业时，他们也更可能遭遇工资损失。
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然而，失业的PME通常因之前收入较高而较少获得政府支持。因此，他们可能被迫匆忙接受第一份工作，而不是花时间提升技能或寻找更适合其技能、经验和志向的工作。这些工人长期可能陷入不合适的职位。
根据全国职工总会与新加坡科技设计大学（SUTD）最近的联合研究，这种差距可能已在劳动力市场显现。研究发现，四分之一的工人因技能与工作不匹配而出现就业不足，换言之，他们的技能或资格超过当前工作需求。我认为最令人担忧的是非自愿的就业不足。我将在适当的平台，包括我的社交媒体上分享报告的详细发现。
经过十年的不懈游说，我非常高兴看到我们的努力在2024年预算案中得到认可，政府宣布为非自愿失业的求职者提供新的临时经济支持计划，帮助他们在培训或寻找更合适工作期间获得支持。随着该计划参数的商讨，我敦促政府尽可能扩大覆盖范围，包括受影响的广大中间群体，而不仅限于低收入者。请允许我详细说明。
本地劳动力已面临两大重大变革周期——逐步淘汰化石燃料，向可再生能源转型，以及生成式人工智能的兴起。这意味着原本稳定的化石燃料能源生产岗位可能面临裁撤，因为转向可再生能源需要不同的技能。人工智能预计将对占劳动力60%以上的专业人士及管理人员产生不成比例的影响，因为他们的工作多涉及基于计算机的内容生成。壳牌和Grab等行业巨头已宣布因这两大变革周期而在新加坡裁员数百人。
随着2024年预计继续进行重组、调整和优先级变更，我们必须做好准备，确保受影响工人获得适应和在新经济环境中茁壮成长所需的支持和资源。虽然行业变革可能使部分职位和技能过时，但也有潜力创造更可持续、更有意义且薪酬更优的工作，并催生新的热门技能。若要乘风破浪，我们需为工人提供再培训，帮助他们顺利转型。
临时经济支持将成为失业工人的生命线，给予他们充足时间和空间提升技能，找到更好的工作。为确保该计划成功实施，我提出设计该计划时应考虑的五个方面，称为“5A”。
第一，适用性。临时经济支持应覆盖受影响的广大中间群体，而非仅限于收入低于全国中位数或低收入工人，确保所有需要帮助的人都能获得支持。我也恳请政府考虑将支持扩展至被裁员者及因真实原因非自愿失业者。同样，针对可能经历周期性低迷行业的工人提供行业特定支持，将有助于企业通过降低成本保住岗位，而非裁员以节省成本。这也将推动和鼓励处于风险中的工人主动提升技能或转型，迈向更可持续的职业。
第二，金额。经济支持应足够，能帮助受影响工人及其家庭度过难关，基于合理的社会标准满足基本需求。
第三，充足时间。支持期限应足够长，允许有效的再培训和职位匹配，同时确保失业者尽快重返工作岗位，避免非自愿的就业不足。
第四，积极的劳动力市场政策。经济支持应以工人积极求职和认真参加培训为条件，确保计划的可负担性和可持续性。
第五，最后，便利性。获得经济支持应简便、无缝且及时。更重要的是，该计划不仅提供经济援助，还应包括积极的职业指导、辅导和就业促进，帮助非自愿失业者识别合适的职业路径，并利用SkillsFuture生态系统下的资助培训。
这引出第二个“S”，即强化SkillsFuture和继续教育培训（CET）。
正如副总理黄循财在预算声明中提到，政府和全国职工总会一贯倡导SkillsFuture和继续教育培训作为通往好工作和更高薪酬的途径。我呼吁政府和雇主继续与全国职工总会及劳工运动紧密合作，强化SkillsFuture和继续教育培训生态系统，更好地支持工人提升技能、就业、就业能力和职业发展。
我认识到政府已大力投资提供培训机会和慷慨补贴，特别是新宣布的针对性4,000新元SkillsFuture学分充值，这对成熟工人是极大助力，以及从今年5月起为40岁及以上中途转业者提供的增强补贴和培训津贴。我期待在教育部供应委员会听取更详细信息。但我想就此提出三点建议。
第一，我赞赏SkillsFuture学分充值，并认可40岁以下者届时也将享有该充值。但我建议应将这4,000新元的使用权扩展至除中途转业者外的其他弱势群体，如被裁员者、失业者和需要个人发起培训的自由职业者，他们可能不在此次充值范围内。我也期待了解这4,000新元可用于哪些课程类别，政府应考虑不仅限于可认证课程，还应包括能直接或间接带来就业和就业能力成果的项目，包括辅导和指导培训，以最大化个人潜力，促进职业发展和就业能力。
第二，应扩大职业转换计划（CCP）覆盖更多行业和领域，目前的计划可能不足以充分发挥有意自愿或非自愿转行者的潜力和能力。
第三，在我与工会及劳工运动的工作中，收集到反馈称，现行CCP模式对许多专业人士及管理人员来说可能不可行，因部分CCP课程的培训津贴较低。一个良好且有用的参考是金融业协会（IBF）的金融科技沉浸计划，该计划提供最高5,500新元的月培训津贴。鉴于最新宣布为自费参加特定认证和资格培训者提供最高3,000新元的培训津贴，我认为CCP的培训津贴应提高，以跟上中位数工资、家庭开支、通胀和生活成本的上涨。
总之，尽管前路挑战严峻，但让我们记住，要开辟进步之路，必须直面逆境。我们唯有携手同行，方能变得更强。成功引导劳动力顺利应对经济快速结构调整，发掘新机遇，需要三方合作，帮助工人从挫折中恢复，弥合技能鸿沟。这可通过支持失业者和强化SkillsFuture及继续教育培训的双重努力实现。
全国职工总会坚信“每位工人都重要”。我们关心工人，并将继续采取行动支持所有工人，确保在争取更好工资、福利和工作前景的过程中无人被落下。议长先生，我支持本预算案。
议长先生：请发言的是杨益财先生。
下午4时25分
杨益财先生（拉丁马士选区）：议长先生，我支持本预算案，预算旨在应对即时的生活成本压力，创造更多社会流动路径，打造更强大的共享未来。
今天，我想强调许多新加坡人在当前就业环境中面临的焦虑。人力部的初步数据显示，过去一年裁员人数已翻倍，预计还将进一步上升。我还将谈谈如何更好地支持低薪工人，通过将生产力与工资模型（PWM）扩展至其他行业，并探索技能职业的职业晋升模型。
议长先生，2024年预算继续保持社会支出占政府支出计划最大部分的趋势。新加坡人对生活成本持续且无止境的上涨感到焦虑，这已是不争的事实。我们每个人在小贩中心买餐和支付每月水电费时都能感受到通胀的影响。
全国职工总会最近的年度经济情绪调查显示，63%的受访者认为收入增长不足以匹配生活成本的上涨。调查还发现，年长工人对此感受更为强烈，可能因他们距离退休时间较短。拉丁马士的许多年长居民也向我表达了对退休保障的担忧，担心退休储蓄会被通胀侵蚀。
因此，我很欣慰2024年预算将保障计划增加19亿新元。额外的社区发展理事会（CDC）购物券、生活成本特别补助、U-Save计划以及服务与维护费（S&CC）减免，将在一定程度上帮助新加坡人抵消物价上涨。
除了缓解即时的生活成本压力，2024年预算继续增加政府社会支出，以应对快速老龄化的人口并确保社会流动性。2010年至2019年间，我们的社会支出几乎翻倍，达到370亿新元。在本届政府任期内，社会及家庭发展部（MSF）的预算将增加约18%，从2020财年的39亿新元增至2024财年的约46亿新元。
我完全支持这一点，并将在成本辩论期间详细介绍社会及家庭发展部的良好工作。随着我们共同建设共享未来，必须保持我们作为包容性社会的核心身份，一个没有人会被落下的社会。
私营部门和民间社会也能在抗击通胀中发挥作用。我很高兴看到一些模范企业，如全国职工总会公平价格（NTUC FairPrice）、盛港（Sheng Siong）和星展银行（DBS）等，推出了有意义的举措，帮助消费者精打细算。
全国职工总会推出了多项措施，帮助新加坡人缓解生活成本上涨的压力。例如，使用CDC购物券净消费满80新元可获8新元公平价格返还券，以及对500种必需品的消费税抵扣，帮助许多新加坡人抵消通胀。在咖啡店，工会会员可享受最低2.20新元的早餐套餐。交通工人在全国交通工人工会运营的50多个食堂中，仍可用60分购买一杯“kopi O”或“teh O”。我也很高兴看到星展银行延长了“五百万小贩餐”计划，使用星展PayLah!应用的顾客每周五可享受最多3新元的餐费折扣。拉丁马士选区的小贩告诉我，这帮助提升了生意，居民也表示3新元的折扣确实实质性地减轻了负担。
我鼓励更多公司加入职总和星展银行，帮助减轻大家的生活成本压力。
先生，各种社区倡议也纷纷涌现，帮助应对我们日常必需品价格上涨的问题。在拉丁马士选区，我们于2021年启动了“我请客”计划，顾客在红山熟食中心和直落布兰雅新月熟食中心购买自己的餐食时，可以多付一点钱，来请别人吃饭，帮助那些可能有需要的人。自2021年启动以来，该计划已赠送超过10万份免费餐食。受惠者告诉我，他们非常感激作为社区倡议的“我请客”不需要进行任何经济状况审查。
为了进一步帮助弱势居民，拉丁马士选区刚在上个月推出了EZ-餐计划。受惠者可以在选区内80多个参与的熟食摊位抵扣3元餐费。这有助于保持约200名受惠者的餐食成本低廉，同时提供多样化的食物选择。
为了帮助消费者找到最优惠的价格，充分利用每一分钱，新加坡消费者协会（CASE）于2019年推出了“价格脚”应用程序，方便比较日常必需品的价格。该应用程序已被超过15万用户下载，用户可查询全岛超过1万种日常必需品和约7.5万种熟食的价格。
我也很高兴看到建屋发展局（HDB）和政府科技局（GovTech）最近推出了“大预算餐食搜寻”活动，创建了一个门户网站，众包推荐位于组屋咖啡店的经济实惠餐食。配合“价格脚”，这将为消费者提供更多的认知和选择，帮助他们更好地节省开支。
继“价格脚”应用取得成功后，CASE发现我们积累了大量“超级用户”。他们每天使用该应用，并通过WhatsApp群组分享优惠信息，常常发送应用截图给家人和朋友。
“价格脚”团队与部分超级用户交流，他们表示希望能通过应用与邻里其他用户分享这些“优惠”和促销信息，以建立志同道合的微型社区。我称这些用户为“价格脚冠军”，我们非常重视他们的反馈。因此，CASE将通过推出社区功能来增强应用。该新功能将在几天内上线，允许用户分享评论、店内促销和省钱技巧。
我们还将在线下扩大“价格脚冠军”社区，以便将“价格脚”的好处带给更多消费者。我很高兴宣布，CASE将与人民协会（PA）合作，在所有选区招募2000名基层志愿者作为“价格脚冠军”。这些志愿者将帮助发掘邻里优惠，并教导他人使用“价格脚”应用寻找最佳优惠。随着“价格脚冠军”网络的扩大，我相信我们将进一步提升价格透明度，促进节约意识，并赋能消费者做出更具性价比的购买决策。
议长先生，抗击通胀的长期解决方案必须是提高实际工资，确保工人保住工作，工资跟上物价上涨的步伐。在职总，我们相信就业是最好的福利，充分就业是保护工人的最佳保障。尤其是我们的低薪兄弟姐妹，他们在2023年实际工资有所下降。因此，我很欣慰看到我们三家本地银行——星展银行、大华银行和华侨银行——都向初级员工发放一次性补助，帮助他们应对生活成本压力。
但除了公司层面的举措，职总一直不懈推动通过提升技能和提高生产力来增加工资。我们最初为清洁行业构思了渐进式工资模式（PWM），并将其扩展到外包普遍的其他行业，如保安、园林和电梯扶梯维护。工人因此受益，工资增长更快。从2022年到2028年，受PWM覆盖的工人预计累计工资增长可达80%。
各位议员可能已读到新闻，实行最低工资政策的国家开始关注新加坡的PWM，认识到最低工资已变成工资上限而非下限，导致这些国家工资停滞不前。
议长先生，PWM在一个框架内运作，谨慎平衡行业动态、经济可持续性和现有劳动力市场状况。它是新加坡追求可持续收入增长战略的关键组成部分，在提升各行业和职业工人的收入潜力方面发挥着重要作用。
尽管最初有担忧，但实证数据显示PWM的实施并未导致失业。这归功于我们三方协商的过程，建立共识和支持，确保任何工资增长对雇主来说是可接受和可行的，从而避免对就业水平产生负面影响。
PWM的总体目标是改善工人生活水平，但实现他们工资与大学毕业生持平（正如昨日荣誉议员Raj Joshua Thomas所建议）存在挑战。这些挑战源于需要在确保工资调整对雇主可承受、促进企业可持续运营且不危及整体就业水平之间取得平衡。
总之，PWM采取务实方法，专注于可持续地提高工资。遵循这一方法，PWM继续作为维持收入增长的有效工具，同时兼顾工人和雇主在新加坡更广泛经济环境中的多样需求和复杂性。
先生，虽然PWM已取得长足进展，我们必须始终着眼未来。劳工运动建议将PWM元素扩展到更多岗位，如分层管理和害虫管理。
除了低薪工人，我们还必须提升熟练技工的技能，帮助他们掌握专业技能，建立长期职业生涯。
本预算中令我印象深刻的宣布之一是ITE进阶奖，旨在赋能我们的ITE毕业生更早获得文凭。他们完成文凭后将获得总计15,000元的补贴。拥有基于技能、与工作相关的文凭，肯定会为ITE毕业生带来有力支持。职总将与相关机构合作，为熟练技工和关键岗位工人制定职业晋升模型，明确职业和认证路径。
最近，劳工部推出了渐进式工资门户网站，供低薪工人查看其PWM工资和雇主为其设定的职位等级。劳工运动赞赏劳工部提升公众对PWM要求的认知。职总将继续与三方伙伴合作，确保遵守PWM工资和相关要求。职总关心每一位工人，绝不犹豫对任何试图规避PWM要求的公司采取强硬措施。
议长先生，2024年预算继续体现人民行动党关怀的传统。通胀形势仍在变化，生活成本的担忧不会消失。但我很高兴第四代领导团队，在副总理黄循财带领下，已将目光投向解决新加坡面临的急迫挑战，如缓解不平等和维持社会流动性。
在共建共享的未来中，我们必须继续三方努力，扩大PWM覆盖，让工人继续拥有好工作和不断增长的收入，以应对通胀。议长先生，我支持本预算。
议长先生：陈德明议员发言。
下午4时41分
陈德明议员（淡滨尼）：议长先生，感谢您允许我参与辩论。
当副总理黄循财两周前公布预算时，作为人力资源政策小组主席，我的第一反应是这份预算将工人的利益置于核心。以技能未来升级计划为重点，提供第二个补贴文凭和丰厚的培训津贴，工人在职场上将获得实质帮助。
自然的问题是预算是否遗漏了支持工人的某些方面，是否应在辩论中提出。但我们知道，一年的预算不足以构建强健和深思熟虑的国家能力。每年的预算应相互衔接。值得审视本届政府如何构建关键的就业基础设施。
2020年至2022年的预算重点是保住生命和生计。例如，工作增长激励计划（JGI）在疫情期间支持本地雇佣非常成功。2020至2021财年，JGI支出达62亿元，支持了近71万名本地雇员，涉及8.3万家公司，期间本地雇员增加约9.02万人。折算下来，每位受益本地工人约获得8700元的支持。
同样，新加坡团结就业与技能计划（SGUnited）提供就业、实习机会和技能提升课程。2020至2021财年为SGUnited预留了22亿元。2020年4月至2022年4月，超过20万本地求职者受益，约八成实习生获得就业。
在创造更公平社会方面也取得进展。收入不平等降至二十多年来最低水平，这在很大程度上得益于通过扩大PWM和改革本地合格薪金（LQS）提升低薪工人的计划，正如议员杨文龙指出的。
渐进式工资信贷计划（PWCS）于2022年推出，支持雇主适应PWM扩展。2024年预算中，副总理宣布向PWCS追加10亿元。这与提升工作收入补贴（WIS）计划的最低合格薪金相辅相成。WIS在2020年、2023年和2025年将持续增强，预计惠及约50万新加坡人。
2023年还设立了就业支持津贴，帮助有特殊需要或残疾的工人。本届政府还在工作场所公平和平台工人方面采取果断措施。整体效果是形成了一个支持各年龄、能力和技能工人的支持体系和弹簧板。这是历年预算与工会和雇主合作逐步建立的。我们当然应不断改进预算，更好地帮助新加坡人，这是我们议员的职责。但我们今天是在坚实和安心的基础上进行讨论。
正是在这坚实基础上，我想探讨如何支持年轻工人。全球不确定因素，如供应链转移和地缘政治紧张，导致就业岗位减少。
今年，联合自治大学毕业生就业调查显示，2023年大学毕业生毕业后六个月内找到工作的比例降至89.6%，低于前一年的93.8%。我们的年轻人自然对进入职场感到焦虑。职总2023年开展的“每位工人都重要”对话也反映了类似情绪。
今年预算致力于提升年轻新加坡人的能力，帮助他们成功。对创新和培训体系的投资可吸引新企业，为他们创造更好工作。因此，未来充满希望。
然而，年轻新加坡人仍面临两大挑战：一是向由人工智能（AI）和气候变化塑造的经济转型；二是在工作选择更多的职场中导航，反而更难找到理想职业。我将逐一说明。
我们正处于经济的重大变革门槛，AI兴起。前不久，编码被视为新经济的技能。我也曾想学编码，但做不到。年轻人几乎必须掌握编码，才能抓住新机遇并茁壮成长。但如今，AI已能轻松完成入门级编码，有些甚至免费。ChatGPT就能做到。我也能用它。可以想象，未来AI将能完成更复杂的编码。
这对许多在学校学习编码的学生和年轻人意味着什么？这只是编码受到影响的一个例子。未来，大多数年轻人无论职业或行业，都需与AI协作。他们如何与AI共事，利用AI作为辅助，提高创造力和判断力？
AI将带来岗位创造和岗位流失。AI的进步和企业采用呈非线性，极具颠覆性。许多岗位的核心要求和技能将改变，更强调分析、客户合作和战略思维。我们的年轻新加坡人和工人，要么乘风破浪，要么被淘汰。他们的时代将被AI定义。我们如何确保青年具备AI准备？高等院校是否应将AI纳入所有课程？所有工人和教育者是否需要AI强化课程？
下一个挑战是绿色转型及其对就业和培训的影响。以我国2040年实现100%清洁能源车辆为例。ITE目前提供汽车技术和工程课程，为学生提供电动车（EV）相关技能。但那些只会维修内燃机（ICE）车辆的工人怎么办？具备机械工程技能的学生需迅速掌握新技能。若转型不够快，他们将失业。
无论我们是否愿意，都必须拥抱绿色转型。人类无法逆转气候变化。
如今，52%的新加坡人，尤其是年轻人，预见到需要提升技能以适应AI兴起。他们毕业后若发现自己处于经济转型的劣势，将不得不很快再培训。
这一努力的核心是“公正转型”理念。这不仅是适应经济变革，更体现以工人为中心，确保工人经历的转型公平、公正且可持续。国务部长陈德明也提到这一点。对此，我想谈谈确保年轻工人“公正转型”的关键领域。
过去三年预算中，我呼吁政府为新加坡人提供补贴，攻读第二个学位或文凭，以保持未来竞争力。我对政府在2024年预算中允许中年及以上新加坡人获得全额政府补贴攻读第二文凭的举措感到欣慰。还有技能未来升级计划，提供4000元技能未来积分和最高3000元月培训津贴。我们的工人和工会成员认为这些是实质支持，帮助转型新职业。
作为受AI和绿色转型结构性冲击影响行业年轻工人的“公正转型”一部分，我希望政府能为年轻工人提供类似支持。例如，我们遇到的一位年轻人达伦，24岁，ITE学生，学商业管理。他希望未来开汽车维修店，但需要汽车技能，尤其是电动车相关技能。他需要支持来掌握这些技能，实现职业转型。
年轻的新加坡ITE和理工文凭持有者可能要等五年才能使用技能未来积分。此外，受AI或绿色转型影响或失业者，理应获得与中年人同等支持。我希望政府考虑将技能未来积分的资格年龄从目前的25岁降低，赋能更多年轻人提升和转型技能，并为受AI和绿色转型影响者提供补贴文凭。除此之外，某些领域如法律服务，转型需学位。政府是否考虑为第二学位提供补贴？
接下来，公司也必须对员工使用AI及其影响保持公平和透明。阻碍进步不可取，但突然的工人失业和岗位流失同样不可取。若转型管理不善，可能引发如美国汽车制造商因担忧电动车转型导致失业而罢工的骚乱，也可能重演美国编剧协会罢工事件。
“公平过渡”还需要为年轻的新加坡人提供更多的过渡机会。为年轻新加坡人提供职业试用可以帮助他们适应复杂的职场环境。劳动力发展局（WSG）的职业试用计划鼓励16岁以上的求职者在考虑正式就业前进行短期试用。这些试用的供应量和多样性需要满足我们学生的广泛兴趣。政府是否可以考虑加强对接待公司的补贴，以增加此类职业试用的供应？
全国职工总会（NTUC）去年通过一份具有里程碑意义的青年工作组报告，动员了超过1万名年轻人，探讨帮助年轻新加坡人的方法。它推出了NTUC职业起步实验室，帮助年轻人通过职业试用和导师辅导顺利过渡到职场。劳工运动将始终与政府携手，帮助我们的年轻工人。
最后，关于海外工作经历。它可以为我们的青年提供宝贵的技能和机会，使他们在必要时能够转型。我们需要增加机会的数量和多样性。例如，法律部（MinLaw）签署了新加坡-上海律师交流计划的谅解备忘录。律师们可以向同行学习新技能，也能进入新市场。我希望其他部委和企业，尤其是我们的跨国公司，能有更多此类合作。
全球人才实习计划鼓励新加坡企业通过本地和海外实习培养年轻本地人才。部委是否可以考虑扩大该计划的覆盖范围，吸引更多接待公司，无论是否设在新加坡？或许可以考虑取消30%本地股权的条件，以扩大该计划对跨国公司的覆盖。
议长先生，未来充满动荡，但我们一如既往能够掌控它。在这个新篇章中，我们需要帮助年轻工人穿上适应力和韧性的全副盔甲，因为他们可能会在各方面遭遇挑战。
我们需要帮助年轻工人理解新经济对他们生计的影响，强化他们的职业路径。通过这样做，我们可以开辟通往更加公正、公平和可持续未来的道路。全国职工总会将始终陪伴每一位工人度过不确定时期，因为#每位工人都重要。议长先生，我支持该动议。[掌声。]
议长先生：杨婉玲女士。
下午4时55分
杨婉玲女士（巴西立-榜鹅选区）：议长先生，我们的劳工议员和我今天带着勤劳、敬业的新加坡工人的挑战、梦想和希望来到议会。他们中许多人通过专注于自己的技艺和行业，开创了有成就的职业生涯；许多人坚定地承担着工作责任和家庭照顾的双重重担；还有新兴的零工和平台工人阶层，他们勇敢地开拓新的工作规范，推动退休和职场伤害的公平待遇和保障。
随着劳动力老龄化和工人愿望的变化，我们的《工人契约》——我们与工人的社会经济契约——必须更新，使争取更好工资、福利和工作前景继续成为工人、雇主和政府的共同目标。在这方面，全国职工总会与4.2万名工人进行了为期一年的对话，深入了解现代新加坡工人的梦想和挑战。
在对话中，平衡照顾责任与工作责任已成为工人关注的重点。在新加坡快速老龄化、家庭核心规模缩小的背景下，越来越多工人需要照顾年长亲人、幼儿和体弱家庭成员。对于许多新一代两班制工人来说，生活相当艰难。一天辛苦工作后，他们回家立即开始第二轮照顾工作，只要亲人需要照顾，这种“土拨鼠日”式的循环就会持续。
劳工运动深知建立强大生态系统以赋能和装备工作中的照顾者留任的重要性。1977年，全国职工总会设立了首个托儿中心，后来发展为My First Skool，一个覆盖全岛的幼儿园和托儿中心网络，帮助母亲安心重返职场。
自2012年以来，劳工运动通过“液态黄金计划”倡导为哺乳母亲改善职场条件。自2013年起，我们呼吁将家庭照顾和长者照顾假期纳入强制性，其中最早的呼吁者之一正是哈莉玛·雅各布女士。最近，我也呼吁雇主将家庭照顾假期扩展至照顾姑姨、叔伯、侄子侄女等亲属。
然而，即使有这些措施，我们也认识到灵活工作安排（FWA）是支持照顾者生态系统中的关键支柱。全国职工总会妇女与家庭单位与人民行动党妇女组最近对约3000名工作照顾者进行的调查显示，近90%的人表示灵活工作安排对他们选择留任或重返职场非常重要。事实上，工会自1995年起就在集体协议谈判中推动灵活工作安排。2017年，有超过1.2万家公司签署了三方灵活工作安排标准，加上新冠疫情带来的顺风，正是将灵活工作安排变为职场常态的时机。
成功实施灵活工作安排的核心是职场信任文化的建立。工人必须负责任地使用和申请灵活工作安排，并对与雇主达成的工作成果负责。雇主必须营造可持续的灵活工作文化，重新设计岗位以适应弹性工作量、弹性时间和弹性地点，重塑组织和管理以支持灵活工作安排。我相信雇主视灵活工作安排为留住和吸引人才的可行且可持续方式，但一些中小企业可能在实际高效实施上面临挑战。
对雇主而言，灵活工作安排必须带来生产力提升。全国职工总会与人力资源专业人员协会等合作伙伴已开始为更具进取心的公司提供装备和支持。工会化公司希望利用灵活工作安排进行人才管理和提升生产力，已通过集体谈判委员会（CTC）和全国职工总会协助的路线图制定活动进行战略调整和重组。
其中一家是隶属于建筑、建筑和木材行业员工工会的才添维修公司（CTM）。CTM与全国职工总会妇女与家庭单位合作，试点“C U Back at Work”项目，旨在吸引女性照顾者重返职场。
该项目结合带薪的入职培训和灵活的时间及地点工作安排，迄今已吸引约800名女性返岗者进入潜在人才库。该成功来之不易，公司不得不重新设计人力资源流程，目前正着手实施数字排班系统。
为了使灵活工作安排成为职场常态，我们必须为企业提供必要的资源和专业知识，实现雇主与工人双赢。这意味着为中小企业提供组织卓越工具和咨询服务，提供即插即用的技术软件以管理弹性时间和地点排班，提供培训项目帮助中小企业提升员工及潜在员工技能。我呼吁政府将灵活工作安排视为职场关键优先事项，投入更多资源指导和装备企业推广实施。
议长先生，我还想谈谈新《工人契约》中另一个重要更新，即保护和关怀弱势工人。许多工人选择零工经济和共享经济，因为这赋予他们灵活性的礼物，能够完全掌控自己的工作生活，这其中有一定浪漫色彩。但事实真是如此吗？
与过去那些自雇工人或“老板”不同，他们大多经营独资企业，掌控收费标准和营业时间，而当今大多数平台工人，如私家车司机、送餐骑手，由于依赖设有规则和商业指南的共享平台谋生，往往受到平台的管理控制。虽然我们认为司机和骑手可以选择转投其他平台，但事实上所有平台都有自己的规则和商业优先级，平台工人必须遵守。
上周末，我在榜鹅与一些骑手一起参加了“捞起”聚会和咖啡聊天。骑手们告诉我，由于某些平台激励结构直接影响他们的生计，许多骑手不得不一周七天工作，以达到激励标准，避免失去已获得的激励等级。有些人对平台应用程序的“故障”表达了不满，比如接近激励目标时接单减少，或者被派往远处送餐，而附近其实有其他骑手。
我还了解到，骑手如果迟到报到会被罚款。顺便说一句，大多数平台按班次组织骑手，骑手们必须争取自己想要的班次。他们告诉我，即使迟到几秒钟也会被罚款。一位骑手分享说，他因迟到两分钟被罚款。
议长先生，在日常生活的忙碌中，我有时也会迟到一两分钟参加会议。我无法想象骑手们在交通拥堵、路况复杂和信号差的环境下，这种迟到带来的压力有多大。
我记得过去三年多次见过一位名叫K先生（化名）的送餐骑手。K先生患有晚期癌症，但他和家人决定他会尽可能长时间继续送餐工作。多年来，他向我表达了对医疗和退休开支的担忧，他的家人也联系我了解公积金补充和公积金配对退休储蓄计划。
最近，K先生遇到了平台合作方的问题。他错过了平台发出的消息，通知他激励获得的250元代金券领取截止日期提前。尽管送餐协会多次申诉并说明他的病情，平台仍拒绝发放代金券。最终，我们从社区筹集资金帮助了K先生。
随着越来越多新加坡人选择共享经济，越来越多平台公司在新加坡扎根并发展业务模式，我们必须以更有效的方式代表平台工人的权益、申诉和愿望。
平台工人咨询委员会建议为工人设立职场伤害和退休保障，许多工人如K先生一样处于弱势。我呼吁在收入、福利和保障方面为工人提供更多保护和代表。平台应提高透明度。对于希望转出平台工作的工人，我们必须为其长期职业韧性做好准备，提供技能提升。我呼吁为平台工人提供更多技能培训课程和培训期间的生活支持。
议长先生，我现在谈谈一群非常坚韧的工人，他们支撑着国家运转，尽管有时被公众忽视。我指的是我们的技术工人，如管道工、电工、空调维修和机械维修工人。多年来，他们打造了充实的职业生涯，但随着新加坡经济转型，这些被忽视但必不可少的行业面临新加坡工人基础减少的风险。我们必须继续使这些行业具有吸引力和可行性，提供清晰可见且可达成的职业路径，吸引新人才。
我在全国职工总会的工作让我与行业公会和协会接触，这些交流带来了务实的见解。鉴于高级技工是理论基础与独特实践经验的结合，我们应当加强并重视学徒培训项目。公会和工会是培养高级技工的良好平台，结合培训项目和机构，学徒培训项目将明确职业路径，打造良好生计——一个职业晋升模型！
除了青年工人，这对寻求转行的中年工人也有很大潜力。新加坡管道协会认识到这一点，并在全国职工总会的协助下，完成了培训和职业路径的路线图制定。我们已见到吸引年轻管道工的早期成功案例，许多人已成为管道行业的老板。
我呼吁政府支持技术工种，与公会和工会合作，使技术工种再次成为青年和中年工人的理想职业选择。通过技能未来（SkillsFuture）机制，可为参与学徒培训项目的个人提供更多培训资金支持。
议长先生，全国职工总会关心我们的工人，我们将继续与三方伙伴合作，通过有影响力和创新的项目支持工人和预算。每位工人都重要。基于此，我支持预算案。
议长先生：施珍丽女士。
下午5时08分
施珍丽女士（提名议员）：感谢议长先生给予我参与辩论的机会。新闻平台TODAY报道，2023年，求职门户Indeed.com调查的1000多名新加坡工人中，有13%积极从事兼职工作。他们这样做是因为担心被裁员后无所依靠。同一报道中，一位名叫黄先生的受访者恰当地总结了这种心态：“没有什么是确定的。企业会倒闭，人们会被裁员，”他说，“如果一份工作不行，另一份希望能行。”
与拥有稳定工作的员工兼职作为“后备”不同，自由职业者没有后备计划。他们的工作是一系列不断的零工，没有工作和收入保障。
2024年预算做出了重大政策调整，更好地为我们的人民和工人未来定位。作为社会，我们如何为那些可能不适合传统就业和晋升路径的自由职业者铺路？毕竟，自雇工人占本地劳动力近10%，约有20万人以此为主要职业。
议长先生，我们需要做更多工作来强化支持自由职业者的网络。这在自由职业占主导的领域尤为重要，如创意、媒体、教练和平台工作行业。请允许我向议会概述这些行业自由职业者面临的三大不稳定因素，并提出五项应对措施。
首先，鉴于分包普遍存在，必须强化公平规范，解决自由职业者的不稳定性。在后疫情经济中，企业越来越多地依赖微型企业和自由职业者满足运营需求。为了以更少资源完成更多工作，创意和媒体领域的成熟企业通常将工作分包给微型企业，微型企业再聘请自由职业者。这种精简采购方式在体育、艺术、兴趣和健康教练等教练行业也很普遍。
这一趋势令人担忧。一些作为主承包商的成熟企业通过分包模式，将重大财务风险转嫁给微型企业和自由职业者。让我分享一个真实案例。自2023年底起，我所在的全国职工总会视觉、音频、创意内容专业人士协会（VICPA）一直协助一批自由职业创意和媒体专业人士，向一家名为A公司的制作微型企业追讨六位数的欠款。
这些自由职业者为过去两年的项目工作应得的报酬尚未支付，而A公司是分包商。令人担忧的是，主承包商对A公司施加了两项苛刻条款：一是A公司需预先为每个项目融资3万至5万新元；二是A公司只能在项目完成后收款，且可能延迟三至六个月。付款还需主承包商和客户对项目交付完全满意。
虽然疫情前偶尔出现类似苛刻条款，但A公司及其他创意和媒体微型企业表示，这些条款在疫情后成为常态，作为成熟企业降低风险的策略之一。
那么，这对A公司及其承包的自由职业者产生了怎样的影响呢？像其他微型企业一样，A公司在人手和现金方面都很精简。它利用自由职业者同时进行多个项目，并向银行和金融科技公司借款以资助这些项目。A公司开始延迟向自由职业者付款，以筹集足够的现金来支付紧迫的贷款分期和金融科技公司的高额贷款利率。
令我警觉的是，就在几个月前，我也服务的全国职工总会国家教练与指导员协会（NICA）处理了一个类似的案例，但发生在健康教练领域。NICA处理的案例中，欠款对象是自由职业的健身教练。
在这两个案例中，相关的主要承包商都是采用与承包和/或采购自由职业者服务相关的三方标准的企业。这意味着这两家公司都是因其工作而成立且声誉良好的企业，并承诺成为进步的雇主和服务采购方。
尽管相关的三方标准指导采用者在项目里程碑时向分包商支付部分款项，但这两家主要承包商都未这样做。国会议员洪伟能先生昨天也提出了同样的问题。最终，主要承包商的不作为影响了链条中最脆弱的一方——自由职业者。
随着企业继续推进风险降低，政府是否可以考虑提升和验证指导企业在与自由职业者和微型企业签约时公平和道德的三方标准？
这将为创意、媒体和教练行业成千上万的自由职业者引入基本保护，他们中的许多人是通过简短的短信沟通费用和条款进行工作的。这种情况很普遍，因为买方不愿意书面记录协议，而自由职业者又不愿坚持要求。指导与自由职业者签约的三方标准规定，签约双方应签订正式的书面协议。没有正式书面协议，自由职业者在买方违约时将难以追讨款项。
为了维护相关的三方标准，政府可以采取类似渐进工资标志（PW标志）的措施。人力部的PW标志确保获认证的企业及其分包商公平补偿低薪工人。同样，政府作为买方，可以要求其创意、媒体或教练工作的主要承包商采用并维护三方标准中关于与自由职业者签约的条款，无论自由职业者是直接签约还是通过分包商签约。
如同PW标志的情况，作为主要承包商的成熟企业必须确保其分包的微型企业采用并实施相关的三方标准。通过采取有意识的步骤强化公平规范，政府可以带头遏制疫情后普遍存在的分包模式带来的自由职业者不稳定问题。
其次，许多自由职业者在与服务买方的权力不平衡中面临费率停滞。即使业务成本上升，创意、媒体和教练行业的自由职业者也表示，确保费率跟上成本是一场艰难的斗争。事实上，许多人报告说他们的费率停滞或略有下降。为什么会这样？
经验丰富的自由职业者观察到，近年来，随着公司重组加剧和价格竞争，项目预算同步缩减。被裁员的人也在竞争自由职业任务。其他自由职业者指出，客户现在期望他们以相同的费率完成更多工作。尽管感到不公平，但买方与自由职业者之间的权力不平衡意味着自由职业者别无选择，只能接受买方规定的费率和条款。
这些趋势导致创意、媒体和教练行业许多自由职业者的小时费率下降，包括那些直接或通过分包商承接政府委托工作的自由职业者。机会减少和收入不稳定，使自由职业者在财务决策上受到阻碍，例如在为突发生活事件预留紧急资金和投资业务之间做出选择。
有些人甚至可能不优先购买工作场所伤害和工作责任保险，尽管这类支出对安心至关重要。如果收入不可预测，自由职业者宁愿工作，也不愿花时间和精力提升技能或自我营销。这反过来又削弱了自由职业者建立可持续商业模式的能力。
自由职业者曾询问政府是否能考虑他们的困境，类似政府对平台工作者的考虑，包括允许平台工作者寻求集体代表。
在创意、媒体和教练行业的背景下，政府作为服务买方，可以与代表自由职业者的协会，如NICA和VICPA，探讨教练和创意人员的业务成本变化，并制定公平报酬的指导原则。这使得这一较不显眼但脆弱的工人群体能够集体应对市场缺口，也为相关政府部门提供有用见解，以更新预算，公平合理地采购这些自由职业者和微型企业的服务。
因此，为了建立可持续且可行的自由职业生计和职业，我建议人力部更新2018年三方工作组关于支持自雇人士的建议。自2018年以来，情况发生了很大变化。如今的自由职业者必须应对长期存在的问题，如保险覆盖不足，以及新的脆弱性，如买方或供应商施加的繁重义务和不公平条款。
我希望更新后的建议能为自由职业者及教练、创意人员和平台工作者的自由职业者协会提供快速且经济的途径，以对抗不公平条款，如不合理的租赁索赔、缺乏工作保险或工作安全保护的明确说明。
第三，没有稳定的收入来源和员工享有的权益，自由职业者对自己应对生活事件的准备和财务能力持怀疑态度。自由职业者可以通过提升技能和照顾支持获得帮助。
2024年预算旨在提升工人能力并支持工人提升技能。这些理念同样适用于自由职业者。照顾年迈父母的自由职业者希望获得更多支持，而希望随着经济形势保持竞争力的自由职业者则寻求灵活的技能提升资金支持。请允许我详细说明。
首先，增强支持。许多自由职业者希望尽孝心，满足年迈父母“居家养老”的愿望。对自由职业者来说，支持父母居家养老意味着更多时间照顾，减少收入时间。随着时间推移，这些自由职业者可能面临公积金和储蓄减少、客户群缩小和财务韧性下降。照顾亲人的照顾者应得到认可和支持，而不应独自担忧自己的未来。
目前，照顾津贴帮助家庭支付照顾费用。我们需要做更多工作来照顾照顾他人的人。我们需要向他们保证，即使他们为照顾亲人而放弃工作机会，他们的退休保障依然有保障。我们如何帮助减轻自由职业者因放弃工作时间和精力照顾亲人而产生的财务压力？
接下来，如何为自由职业者引入灵活的技能提升资金？世界经济论坛估计，本十年内有11亿个工作岗位可能被技术彻底改变，其中包括自由职业者的工作。许多人预计人工智能将改变创意、媒体和教练领域的工作。对员工来说，工作范围指导其工作；而自由职业者为了保持价值，必须迅速将趋势和技术融入工作方法。
自由职业者也担心变化速度及其商业模式能否跟上。灵活的培训方式允许自由职业者及时获得所需技能。这需要政府允许并邀请从业者主导提出培训内容和方式，尤其是当知识必须针对行业或职业进行情境化时。
因此，我希望政府，特别是监管创意、媒体和教练行业的部委和机构，能考虑与NICA和VICPA——全国职工总会附属的教练和创意人员协会——密切合作，开发以自由职业者为中心的培训支持。各方可以主动策划及时的技能培训，并结合补贴和学分，确保资金紧张的自由职业者能够负担培训费用。技能未来升级计划是朝正确方向迈出的一步，如果能扩展以涵盖自由职业者的职业领域，将对他们非常有价值。全国职工总会关心每一位自由职业者。因此，我敦促三方伙伴共同迈出步伐，采取行动。
议长先生，我现在总结。回顾一下，自由职业者，尤其是创意、媒体和教练行业的自由职业者，正面临三大不稳定因素。第一，疫情后分包模式威胁自由职业者的收入安全。第二，费率停滞使自由职业者士气低落，削弱其维持生计的能力。第三，资源较少的自由职业者难以适应人生阶段需求和宏观经济变化。
为应对这三大不稳定因素，我希望政府考虑五种方法。
第一，提升和验证指导企业在与自由职业者和微型企业签约时公平和道德的三方标准。同样，政府作为买方，是否可以要求其创意、媒体或教练工作的主要承包商及其分包商采用并维护三方标准中关于与自由职业者签约的条款？
第二，政府作为服务买方，应与代表自由职业者的协会，如NICA和VICPA，探讨教练和创意人员业务成本的变化。这使得这一较不显眼但脆弱的工人群体能够集体应对市场缺口。
第三，重新审视并更新2018年三方工作组关于支持自雇人士的建议。更新后的建议可为自由职业者及教练、创意人员和平台工作者的自由职业者协会提供快速且经济的途径，以对抗不公平条款，包括不合理的车辆租赁索赔。
第四，照顾津贴应超越补贴照顾费用，应认可照顾者的劳动并保障其退休充足性。
第五，与NICA和VICPA合作，帮助自由职业者跟上行业变化并抓住机遇。例如，开发针对自由职业者的定向培训支持，并提供补贴以覆盖培训和机会成本。
自由职业者占新加坡常住劳动力的近十分之一。2024年预算为工人开辟了新篇章。秉持三方合作和包容性成功愿景，这五种方法将提升自由职业者的长期能力及其对未来的信心。议长先生，尽管提出了上述观点，我支持本预算。
议长先生：法米·阿里曼先生。
下午5时24分
莫哈末·法米·阿里曼先生（海洋坊）：议长先生，传统上这是我们作为一个国家为来年划定目标和愿景的时刻。因此，我们必须重申承诺和决心，提升社会福祉，因为新加坡人在生活成本上升的同时面临就业不稳定。
今年预算的核心主题“共建共享未来”令我振奋。在我们继续寻找应对不断变化的世界事务的方法时，我们也必须关注如何保护弱势新加坡人免受外部冲击。
我和劳工运动的尊敬同事们强烈支持并欢迎为缓解新加坡人因全球冲突等外部冲击而经历的困难而推出的众多措施，同时改善社会各方面，面对日益严峻的就业不稳定和生活成本上升。
然而，我认为在全球形势演变中，尤其是对低薪工人，有足够的机会和空间提供更好的帮助。帮助工人应对生活成本的最佳方式是提高工资和创造更好的就业机会。
议长先生，在本次发言中，我将详细说明如何进一步支持低薪工人，并更新关于协助马来/穆斯林群体就业和就业能力的M3重点领域工作。
低薪工人是我们社会的支柱，他们让新加坡运转。活跃于零售、酒店和清洁等关键行业，他们为日常运营做出重要贡献。他们的努力保障了基本服务，确保经济正常运作。因此，认识到他们的重要性和面临的挑战对于促进经济韧性和社会福祉至关重要。
去年，我重申成立低薪工人三方工作组是我们承诺保护低薪工人利益的体现。过去几年，各利益相关方集体支持提升低薪工人收入的努力令人鼓舞。例如，自去年一月起生效的工作收入补贴（WIS）提升，是全国职工总会为应对生活成本上升而推动的。上周，政府还宣布，2025年1月起，收入不超过3,000新元的低薪工人将有资格获得WIS。
WIS的变化反映了全国职工总会支持低薪工人的坚定承诺。全国职工总会将与三方伙伴及其他利益相关方继续致力于帮助工人提升收入保障和生活质量，增强他们驾驭职业生涯的信心，使其能够参与新的增长机会。
但我们如何实现这一目标？还有哪些领域值得继续关注？
首先，目前在合同变更时重置福利的做法可能为雇主提供灵活性，以适应不断变化的业务需求，确保与岗位职责一致。然而，这种做法造成了工作不稳定感和财务不确定性，尤其是对低薪和再就业人员。它削弱了对员工服务年限的认可，忽视了他们为工作带来的奉献和经验。因此，可能导致士气低落、工作满意度下降和员工流失率上升。
推动变革势在必行，以确保公平和支持性的工作环境，促进稳定并认可所有员工的贡献。因此，我呼吁政府考虑为低薪工人设立保护措施，防止合同变更时重置福利带来的相关问题。
认可员工的服务年限至关重要，确保包括再就业员工在内的同岗位员工在工资和福利方面获得公平一致的待遇。这种做法促进工作稳定，激励员工，提高整体工作满意度，有助于营造更公平和支持性的工作环境，符合公平和对长期服务员工认可的原则。实施这些措施将促进积极的工作文化，加强政府对劳动力福利的承诺。
其次，秉持继续通过渐进工资标志（PWM）帮助低薪工人的精神，我响应议员杨文龙的呼吁。全国职工总会已确定两个PWM实施领域，即分层管理和设施管理以及害虫管理。这些行业，如清洁和保安，是外包行业，面临廉价采购等共同挑战，导致工资下降。
全国职工总会已与相关行业利益相关者进行了多次接触，迄今反响非常积极。劳工运动将继续探索将这些行业纳入PWM的可能性，并呼吁所有三方伙伴与我们合作实现这一目标。
劳工运动感谢政府对渐进工资信贷计划（PWCS）的增强措施，包括将合资格年份2025和2026年的工资上限从2,500新元提高至3,000新元，以及提升2024年工资增长的共同资助水平。我们相信，政府这项增强的资金支持及时且关键，将成为雇主调整即将实施的涵盖渐进工资和本地合资格薪资（LQS）要求的低薪工人强制性工资增长的过渡性工资支持。
最后，关于相关议题，我们必须同时关注提高最低工资保障（LQS）的平行努力。劳工运动欢迎政府今年7月将最低工资保障从之前的1,400元提高至1,600元的举措。这一调整不仅保护了劳动力的经济利益，也强化了有偿就业应当提供符合其所处社会经济现实的生活水平的原则。通过这样做，最低工资保障有助于维护公平的劳动实践，促进更加公平和可持续的劳动力市场。
因此，我呼吁最低工资保障应持续进行审查，尤其是在全球不确定性加剧的背景下。通过使最低工资保障与不断上涨的生活成本保持一致，相关部门旨在确保员工获得与当时经济需求相称的薪酬。议长先生，请允许我用马来语发言。
（马来语）：[请参阅方言发言。] 在M3重点领域4框架下，我们将继续与马来/穆斯林群体接触，旨在为工人搭建就业和就业能力机会的桥梁，通过技能提升和终身学习增强他们的能力，并覆盖不同类别的求职者。在微观层面，我们针对特定群体，即平台工人、女性、成熟工人和青年，通过职业博览会、研讨会和咨询活动。这些平台旨在推广职业和培训机会，拓宽他们对需求岗位和所需技能的理解，并获取增长行业的就业机会。
随着工人期望的演变，我们与工人的劳工契约、社会经济合同必须更新，以实现更好的工资、福利和工作前景，这仍是工人、雇主和政府的共同目标。全国职工总会（NTUC）与人力发展局（WSG）及马来西亚教育与发展机构（MENDAKI）通过职业博览会和近期的就业与技能嘉年华，接触了超过5,000名马来/穆斯林工人，其中近20%通过重点领域4的举措获得了进一步的辅导和指导。这包括职业指导、职位匹配和技能提升机会等支持。
MENDAKI于2023年1月至12月期间，将超过140名“女性在职”（W@W）参与者转介至NTUC的e2i以获得就业协助。配合MENDAKI及其他就业合作伙伴的再就业努力，近60名参与者成功获得职位，主要集中在教育、医疗保健、工程、信息技术和金融等行业。
除了就业机会，NTUC还提供技能提升途径，使每位工人都成为更优秀的工人，每份工作都变得更好。终身学习是指在个人或职业发展过程中，持续获取新技能和知识的过程。NTUC学习中心（LHub）提供优质培训解决方案，帮助工人在当今数字化转型的经济环境及未来保持竞争力和韧性。
我想特别介绍一位个人，29岁的Siti Nur Indra Jalal女士，曾任财务顾问五年，渴望通过转行进入企业界。然而，尤其是在疫情期间，获得新工作既具挑战性又令人畏惧。为了提升就业能力，Indra女士报名参加了NTUC LHUB为期六个月的社区与合作伙伴专家课程，目前在一家机构担任网络安全项目经理。她计划继续通过NTUC LHUB提供的课程提升和装备自己所需的关键技能。这表明有志者事竟成。
上述案例是中年职业转型的良好示范，尤其是在SkillsFuture为40岁及以上新加坡人推出的Level-up计划支持下更具可行性。2024年5月将追加4,000元补助，中年职业增强补贴为个人持续提升技能和寻求更好就业机会提供助力。此外，SkillsFuture中年职业培训津贴为部分全日制课程提供最高3,000元/月、最长24个月的津贴，深受许多人欢迎。因此，我敦促新加坡人充分利用现有项目提升自我，实现更佳就业。
NTUC与三方伙伴及其他利益相关团体将继续致力于帮助工人提升收入保障和生活质量。这包括确保工人在工伤情况下的财务保护、改善住房和退休保障，以及加强代表性，开创更光明的未来。
（英文）：议长先生，最后，今年预算主题“共建共享未来”激发了集体承诺，应对全球复杂局势，保障弱势新加坡人。我们赞赏政府缓解困难的努力，同时必须认识到针对低薪工人和社区的定向支持机会。
展望未来，我们将继续关注弱势工人面临的挑战，强调通过更好工资和改善就业机会应对生活成本上升。NTUC将坚定不移地维护新加坡工人的利益。NTUC关心工人应对生活费用上涨的福祉，致力于提升工资、工作条件和支持，改善生活质量。请放心，NTUC关心您，将与您携手行动，因为每位工人都重要。
议长先生，我支持预算案。
议长：国防部高级国务部长 Heng Chee How。
下午5时38分
国防部高级国务部长（Heng Chee How先生）：议长先生，感谢您允许我参与本次辩论。我的劳工议员同僚已代表各类工人发言，我将重点关注提升年长工人的利益。
现今，55岁及以上工人占本地劳动力超过四分之一。多年来，政府与三方伙伴为年长工人做了大量工作。从延长就业期限、增强就业能力到补充退休需求，均取得显著进展。即使在新冠疫情期间，这一点与许多其他经济体形成鲜明对比，后者许多年长工人失业且难以重返岗位。
短期内，年长工人面临与其他人一样的生活成本压力。感谢政府在本届及历届预算中推出保障方案及其他减负措施，帮助新加坡人应对压力，措施及时且广受欢迎。
除即时压力外，年长工人还真切担忧其他发展，今天我将重点谈三点。
第一，他们担忧仅通过立法提高退休和再就业年龄来确保更长工作年限的有效性。为何？因为这类立法虽重要，但若未有效结合技能建设，可能面临压力。
第二，随着技术和商业模式加速变革，技能过时风险增加。例如，某些行业正经历结构性转变，如绿色转型带来的影响。人工智能对工作方式的普遍影响也非小事，这将增加过早失业风险，尽管有法定退休和再就业年龄。
第三，持续有反馈反映年长工人在培训和技能提升机会方面相较年轻工人缺乏公平机会。在NTUC的“每位工人都重要”焦点小组中，参与的六成年长工人有此感受，认为培训和技能建设机会相对不足。
必须妥善应对这些挑战，确保我们共同目标——让年长工人继续工作并为退休储蓄——不被人口结构变化及全球重大环境变革所削弱。感谢财政部长在本预算中宣布为55至65岁年长工人调整公积金缴纳率，这将加速其公积金积累。
NTUC也感谢银发支持计划、配对退休储蓄计划及Majulah计划下的具体举措，如“赚取与储蓄奖金”、“退休储蓄奖金”和“医疗储蓄奖金”的增强。这些努力将增加年长工人的公积金储蓄，提升退休保障。
然而，帮助年长工人退休后经济状况最实质的方式仍是延长有效工作年限，这里我强调“有效”而非仅仅是立法规定。
在去年NTUC举办的“每位工人都重要”对话中，我们询问参与的年长工人他们达到现行63岁退休年龄时的计划。10人中有8.5人表示希望继续工作，在这8.5人中，有6人希望继续从事当前工作或所在行业，利用其积累的经验和价值。
许多人也询问政府何时宣布下一步提高法定退休和再就业年龄，因为当前年龄与2030年目标（退休年龄70岁，再就业年龄65岁）仍有差距。提醒各位议员，这些2030年目标是三方工作组（年长工人）2019年报告的成果，并已获认可。
现已2024年，我呼吁政府尽快宣布下一步退休和再就业年龄的提升，并给予企业和工人合理通知，以便双方及时准备。我们应迅速行动，因为时间已过半，应争取在两年内，即2026年前实施下一次提升。我相信这是实现2030年既定目标所需的节奏，考虑到全球经济环境的不确定性。
接下来，我谈谈培训机会公平性，以减少年长工人过早失业风险。议长先生，当年长工人表达希望继续工作时，也分享了对技能过时、被淘汰的焦虑。NTUC发现，超过九成年长工人除了希望继续工作外，还希望持续接受培训。他们知道培训对保持岗位相关性至关重要，尤其担心培训机会的获取。
感谢财政部长宣布面向40岁及以上新加坡人的SkillsFuture Level-Up计划，特别针对提升就业能力的项目和课程。这表明政府意识到年长工人培训与就业及就业能力之间的重要联系。相关性与立法同样关键，以实现有效工作年限的增长。
问题是如何实现？资金固然重要，这也是预算的重要性所在。但资金之外，真正成效还需有效执行。因此，我们必须扩大确保工作场所按意图落实的机制。这也是我全力支持劳工议员Desmond Tan呼吁雇主迅速与NTUC及工会合作成立企业培训中心（CTCs）的原因。通过活跃的CTCs，企业能更快转型，帮助各年龄段工人掌握相关技能，随企业共同成长。
在此，我再次感谢政府拨款1亿新元予NTUC，以扩大CTCs规模，实现各方利益相关者的实际成效。我也感谢副总理王瑞杰今天早些时候演讲中认可CTCs的价值。NTUC承诺将与政府更紧密合作，不仅扩大数量，更提升效果，尽快帮助更多工人。
我呼吁所有雇主尽快成立CTCs，并与NTUC及工会合作，确保各年龄段工人获得公平培训机会。这些工人将助力贵公司成长。
第三个需解决的问题是年龄歧视。年长工人担忧年龄歧视体现在多个方面，即培训机会获取、灵活工作安排的可用性（以便他们在照顾需求的同时继续工作）以及被替代后作为求职者获得公平考虑。实证研究表明，这些对年龄歧视的担忧有其依据，需加以解决。因此，我期待政府推出的《职场公平法案》和关于灵活工作安排请求的三方指引。
《职场公平法案》将在现有三方机制基础上加强，如公平与进步就业实践三方联盟（TAFEP）、争议管理三方联盟（TADM）及相关联合指引，增强工人对公平待遇的信心。这将成为反对各种职场歧视（包括年龄歧视）的强烈国家信号。NTUC及工会将与雇主密切合作，推动工人和企业利益。
职场之外，随着人口快速老龄化，扩大和提升可行且易获取的照护服务需求日益增长。结合我今日关注点，我认为这不仅关乎长者健康福祉，也关乎其中年工作家庭照护者的就业能力。更多家庭照护者或许无需辞职承担照护职责，或至少能延迟辞职。每多工作一年，将显著提升照护者的退休保障。我敦促政府与可信赖伙伴密切合作，进一步发展此生态系统，使新加坡及新加坡人真正享受更好健康、更佳照护、更高收入和更强退休保障的全面益处。
议长先生，有句谚语说，没有人关心你知道多少，直到他们知道你关心多少。NTUC与年长工人站在一起，面对就业不安全和技能过时风险。我们关心，不仅仅是提出更多要求，或等待别人解决问题，也不只是等待邀请。我们提出想法，推动社会变革，切实改善他们的结果。为何？
因为我们的工人正等待我们这样做，我们将推动并完成这项工作。
NTUC的做法前瞻、包容、行动导向且务实，正如人民行动党政府。我相信这是保障工人和新加坡人可持续良好成果的正确且最佳方式。与政府及三方伙伴紧密合作，我们将共同建设一个更好、更有爱心的新加坡，惠及各年龄段工人。议长先生，我支持预算案。
议长：Mariama Jaafar女士。
下午5时51分
Mariama Jaafar女士（森巴旺）：议长先生，我支持预算案。
今天发言中，我将首先回顾我在2023年预算中提出的诉求；其次，重申我们在议会中确保实现持续经济增长的重要角色，并向大家发出挑战，争取在未来十年实现政府目标上限的经济增长；第三，讨论人工智能作为价值创造和经济增长关键引擎的潜力，并提出四点建议。
去年预算辩论中，我代表我在伍德兰居民中观察到的三类群体发声，他们已被推至任何合理韧性衡量的极限。我呼吁为以下群体提供更强有力的支持：一、前罪犯，呼吁更多支持帮助他们重返就业；二、负债沉重者，呼吁社会支持措施考虑债务偿还需求；三、因裁员失业者，呼吁提高财务支持额度和期限，并协助再培训及寻找新工作。
令我欣慰的是，一年后，这些群体均获得更多支持。2023年预算中，副总理黄循财宣布为雇主雇用前罪犯提供提升就业信贷。去年底，政府宣布加强Comlink+方案，涉及与债权人匹配还款。
在2024年预算中，虽然细节尚待公布，副总理重申了李显龙总理最初宣布的意向，即推进对非自愿失业者的再就业支持，同时大幅增加再培训支持和培训津贴。
所以，用篮球的术语来说，我三投三中，这些转变早该发生了，我认为外部环境花了一些时间才让我们达到这个临界点。但这对我的兀兰居民以及许多需要更强大弹跳板的新加坡人来说，确实是好消息。
正如之前的同事所说，今年的预算确实有许多值得欢迎的地方。很明显，2024年预算是在“前进新加坡”愿景下制定的，旨在建设一个充满活力且包容、公平且繁荣、有韧性且团结、经济持续增长的社会。
我今天想强调的是最后一点——经济增长。
议长先生，在我的职业生涯中，无论是在商业还是政治领域，我一直且毫无歉意地支持增长。增长使我们能够为人民和企业提供机会和更好的生活水平。增长使我们能够满足对托儿、教育、住房、基础设施、医疗保健和老龄化人口支持日益增长的支出需求。增长使我们能够应对我们时代最大的挑战：气候变化、能源转型、抗击不平等和社会极化。增长使我们能够一代又一代地提升生活水平，确保社会的凝聚力和信任。
因此，虽然谈论审查、透明度、问责制以及为我们人口的每一个可能群体提供更多支持都是好事，但我们在议会中必须扮演的关键角色是考虑我们的干预、建议和决策对我们维持经济长期增长能力的影响。
2024年预算强调通过保持新加坡作为投资目的地的吸引力、顺应经济和技术趋势以捕捉新机遇以及提升人力资本来维持经济增长。政府目标是在未来十年实现年均2%至3%的GDP增长，重点关注生产力和创新，同时认识到劳动力、土地和碳排放的限制。
有人可能会说，鉴于我们发展阶段和面临的限制，加上不利的外部环境和全球不确定性，我们不可避免地进入一个低增长时代，勉强实现1%至2%的GDP增长已属不易。我对第四代领导团队的谦逊挑战是：我们如何实现该目标的上限，达到3%的增长？我们应挑战哪些限制？我们可以采取哪些更大胆的行动？
议长先生，维持增长需要投资。我之前提到过对SkillsFuture Level-Up的重要投资。我也欢迎政府承诺通过追加RIE2025、国家生产力基金和金融业发展基金的资金来加强我们的竞争优势。
引入可退还投资税额抵免，回应了跨国企业对新加坡在BEPS 2.0世界中如何保持投资吸引力的更多可见性和确定性的需求，尽管这可能有些滞后，因为其他司法管辖区如日本、泰国和美国已宣布相关举措。
对于本地企业，我很高兴看到政府正在加强企业融资计划，延长SkillsFuture企业信贷，并提升能力转型伙伴计划，同时支持企业做好可持续发展准备。这些举措优先考虑那些接受重组和转型需求、愿意投资于重组和转型的企业。
在技术快速发展的世界中，我欢迎对升级国家宽带网络和在关键行业利用人工智能力量的投资。然而，我本希望听到我们能进一步释放数据中心容量发展的消息。
回到人工智能，议长先生，我已多次谈及人工智能，今天演讲的剩余部分也将聚焦于此，因为我们充分利用人工智能的能力有潜力提升生产力，并在长期内推动我们达到GDP增长目标的上限。在此，我声明本人为一家从事人工智能工作的管理咨询公司的董事总经理兼高级合伙人。
为支持国家人工智能战略并进一步催化人工智能活动，2024年预算规划在未来五年内投资超过10亿新元于人工智能计算，特别是在先进芯片、人才和产业发展方面。
如今似乎人人对人工智能都有看法：是否应开发自己的大型语言模型（LLM）、是否应暂停人工智能发展、是否应监管深度伪造等。我的信念是，我们应专注于人工智能如何促进新商业模式和生产力提升，从而在新加坡及更广泛地区创造价值。我们需要远离炒作和噪音，聚焦于价值创造和经验证的举措，而非一堆假设。为此，我提出四点建议以塑造我们的人工智能政策。
第一，按照10-20-70规则推广人工智能。与任何大型企业交谈，他们可能已经进行了几个人工智能概念验证。有些企业已投资于平台和模型。但企业今天难以将人工智能从试点推广开来，许多平台和模型实际上并未运行。新闻头条都聚焦于模型和技术。
但如果允许我从实践者角度提出，推广人工智能需要全面努力。我们称之为10-20-70规则：10%的努力在于算法、生成式人工智能、人工智能/机器学习（AI/ML）模型；20%在于技术和IT基础设施、模型基础设施和机器学习运维（MLOps）、数据质量和可用性，尤其是架构设计、应用集成、云迁移及其他工具；70%则是关于人员和流程、工作方式、业务流程重塑、大规模采用、组织和人才战略及变革管理。为了让企业释放人工智能价值，政府可以支持他们超越概念验证和试点，推动人工智能大规模部署。
第二，驾驭不断演变的基础设施格局。技术快速发展，将出现新选项和替代品。即使在芯片领域，虽然某款芯片已成为人工智能行业的主力，但其他芯片制造商和大型云公司也在开发和部署专为人工智能工作负载设计的芯片，预计未来12至18个月内人工智能芯片格局和成本将显著变化。从芯片到平台和模型，我们在帮助企业部署企业级人工智能时发现，没有单一环境适合所有需求，无论是安全、成本还是功能集等方面。因此，我们应聪明且战略性地决定投资内容和时机。
第三，部署高影响力用例。技术固然重要，但价值仅来自基于价值和部署难易度的全面评估，在大规模部署的用例，包括跨行业可采用的横向用例如客户服务，以及特定行业的纵向用例如医疗领域的药物发现。我们有巨大潜力解决几个高影响力用例，重新构想不仅单个企业而是整个行业的运作方式，尤其是在我们已有优势的行业，如金融服务或运输物流，实现系统级优化，为新加坡创造新的差异化和竞争优势。比如，利用先进的人工智能/机器学习方法跨银行分析交易数据进行反洗钱，准确性和效率更高。政府不仅可以成为催化剂，还能作为端到端的协调者，汇聚多方利益相关者，创造新产品和服务，在新加坡及其他市场创造新价值和收入来源。
第四，加强中央角色。虽然各部委和机构拥有领域专业知识，应推动各自领域的人工智能工作，但有理由设立强有力的中央机构，通过优先投资公共回报最大的项目、提供透明度和问责制、制定连贯的长期战略、挑战各部委和机构的人工智能优先事项、消除障碍和解决政府其他领域的冲突，并借鉴政府和私营部门的最佳实践，来增值。因此，我建议将人工智能及国家人工智能战略作为总理的优先事项，由一个中央团队支持，类似智慧国与数字政府办公室（SNDGO）。该团队还可在政府内部职能中提供人工智能部署的职能领导，并推动某些高影响力用例的端到端交付，大幅降低政府成本并提升效率。
当然，中央在人工智能领域加强作用还有另一原因。人工智能不仅对经济、企业甚至公共服务如医疗和教育有重大影响，还将对工人和社会产生深远影响，可能带来我们从未想象的长期后果。最悲观的情景是机器取代人类，利益仅归富裕少数，中产阶级消失，严重的信任赤字导致频繁的社会和政治不稳定，走向分裂的反乌托邦。
政府如何应对这些威胁？未来是否需要彻底改变我们对社会福利、税收政策和信任的看法？涉及的复杂性和跨领域问题将对基于主导部委或主导机构的政府模式造成巨大压力，而联合所有权模式可能过于分散。因此，需要强有力的中央机构确保公众期望的快速协调分析、评估和响应。
议长先生，2024年预算在推动经济增长方面展现了令人耳目一新的大胆，我必须说近年来这方面有些沉寂。人工智能必须成为大胆而可信的增长计划的一部分。议长先生，我支持这份预算。
议长先生：德里克·吴先生。
下午6点04分
德里克·吴先生（义顺）：议长先生，先生，2024年预算意义重大。这是首个专注于“前进新加坡”目标的预算，新加坡人共同塑造国家未来的下一篇章。尽管我们生活的世界更加复杂和不确定，但我相信我们能够以韧性和乐观精神继续前进。为此，我想强调今年预算和计划的四个关键主题。一是面对挑战维持财政和经济实力，二是改善三个关键趋势：(a)加速本地企业在新经济中的增长；(b)在数字时代蓬勃发展；(c)增强社会韧性和同理心。
新加坡进入2024年，全球形势比以往更加严峻和复杂。地缘政治紧张局势依然高涨。俄乌战争持续，中东出现新危机。中国经济依然疲软，日本和英国刚刚进入技术性衰退，连续两个季度经济下滑。虽然美国经济表现出意外的强劲，但利率尚未下降，且预计将维持较高水平更长时间。
这些现实强调新加坡必须保持团结，政府财政政策需具备纪律性和前瞻性。因此，我很高兴2024年预算慷慨且重要的是全面。对我而言，预计的财政收支平衡表明持续审慎，同时为当前生活成本挑战提供缓解，并支持长期能力建设，如新加坡人的技能提升和企业转型。
认识到未来资金需求，我在之前的辩论中支持了消费税（GST）上调，但请求为居民提供更多帮助以缓冲通胀压力。因此，我很欣慰政府继续兑现承诺，进一步加强保障计划。我在农历新年期间与许多居民交流，包括私宅居民，他们对支持表示感谢。
先生，我们不能理所当然地认为我们的财政和经济实力，这使我们比其他国家更有能力应对不确定性。2024年预算规划了2%至3%的长期GDP增长目标，考虑到新加坡是成熟经济体。鉴于去年增长仅为1.1%，且前景依然充满挑战，副总理能否分享支持这一更乐观长期增长预测的因素和驱动力，以及我们如何更好实现这一目标？
为了维持经济实力，我们的企业必须能够抓住机遇。然而，他们反复强调劳动力和人才短缺，新加坡企业联合总会（SBF）也有类似反映，这与持续低于更替水平的低出生率和对公民不具吸引力的职位形成对比。如何应用“前进新加坡”精神，使经济增长的追求在需要更多人才和外劳时，不至于不计代价？
虽然2023财年政府收入整体好于预期，但我注意到由于进口疲软，消费税收入比预估少了10亿新元。如果这种情况持续，副总理能否向新加坡人保证其他收入来源依然稳健，支持未来支出，并且在可预见的未来不会再提高消费税？
预计2024财年资金追加为204亿新元，继2023财年的243亿新元之后。副总理去年解释过，这些资金中相当一部分是提取资金，支出确定用于履行当前及持续承诺。副总理能否澄清这些资金的使用时间范围，以惠及新加坡人？鉴于2022财年数字仅为63亿新元，副总理是否预计未来资金水平将维持在较高水平？
我现在转向加速本地企业和中小企业（SME）增长的重点，因为它们是新加坡经济的支柱。一些企业主表示，他们面临“生存成本”压力，与个人面临的高生活成本压力同步。因此，我欢迎预算中支持增强短期韧性的措施，如50%的企业所得税回扣，以及企业支持计划中新推出的、慷慨的2000新元现金补贴，针对至少有一名员工的无盈利企业。企业融资计划的增强也值得关注。
值得注意的是，预算避免了更多民粹主义举措，超越了简单发放补贴，鼓励中小企业进行长期转型。企业本质上是经济实体，转化有限资源以生产市场需求的商品和服务。能够做到这一点的企业将在新的数字和绿色经济中更好、更繁荣。因此，我很高兴了解到增强的举措，如允许更多行业的中小企业受益于绿色贷款和能源效率补助。这与我去年财政部长质询辩论中建议政府支持更具包容性的转型举措一致。
2024年预算的另一个重点是SkillsFuture Level-Up计划。这是对中年职业人士提升技能和再培训的决定性推动，使他们能够胜任更高价值和更有趣的岗位，符合更广泛的转型议程。关键是，为使SkillsFuture更具吸引力，中小企业也需转变观念，超越短期限制，如员工培训请假，更重要的是配合该计划，长期投资于培训和岗位重塑。这将是中小企业及其员工的双赢局面。
然而，尽管大力鼓励中小企业走出舒适区，事实是转型充满挑战，尤其在高成本环境中，因为回报不确定且往往非即时。因此，仅靠预算增加资金是不够的。由于大多数中小企业缺乏专门的战略或培训部门，需要有针对性的辅导，指导他们如何有效利用政府支持实现有意义的转型，使他们通过实践逐步积累专业知识。
作为政府与中小企业之间推动参与和咨询的关键纽带，中小企业中心甚至贸易促进机构（TAC）的执行力和效果有提升空间，以支持这一议程。我将在贸易及工业部财政部长质询辩论中详细阐述。
先生，我现在将转向在数字时代中蓬勃发展。新加坡在迈向智慧国的进程中取得了显著进展。但由于科技领域不断快速发展，我们的努力也必须随之加快。先生，我很欣慰2024年预算支持我们的国家人工智能战略2.0，倡导新加坡人将人工智能视为提高生产力和丰富生活的朋友，而非威胁生计的敌人。正如常言所说，人工智能不会取代人类，但使用人工智能的人会。
在国际舞台上，我们处于有利位置，可以在负责任地发展人工智能方面发挥超出自身规模的影响力，尤其是在更大国际强国争夺人工智能领导地位的背景下。这些都是新加坡必须抓住的机遇，以保持相关性。然而，在一方面追求人工智能和其他前沿技术的机遇时，我们必须建立正确的基础，妥善管理风险，确保没有人被落下。
正如所说，进步的艺术是在变化中保持秩序，在秩序中保持变化。虽然医疗保健、邮政和交通等众多服务持续被新技术刷新，采取“数字优先，但非仅数字”的方法，但变革的步伐必须有序、深思熟虑且富有同理心，尤其是对我们的老年居民和弱势群体。
数字社会还必须可靠且安全，才能让我们的居民和企业真正繁荣。随着我们作为数字化国家的成熟，组织必须提升服务的弹性和恢复能力，制定更健全的应急和危机管理计划。随着越来越多系统相互连接和依赖，尤其是我们日常依赖的政府机构系统，IT相关和网络安全风险加大，可能对社会和经济产生系统性影响。
我们需要继续加倍努力，通过多方利益相关者合作，弥合数字鸿沟并管理风险。作为公共账目委员会成员，我所在的委员会在最近的报告中也强调了这些关键点。我希望在这方面能有更多工作，以框定未来行动和公众期望。
随着数字化，诈骗案件增加并激增。从反诈骗指挥部到ScamShield应用程序，再到《网络犯罪危害法》，内政部（MHA）在打击诈骗祸害方面不遗余力。这帮助去年损失保持在6.5亿新元的水平。然而，这一金额仍然相当可观，案件数量激增46%，达到前所未有的46,000起！
我之前强调了生态系统中利益相关者“全员参与”的重要性，并想表彰内政部、新加坡金融管理局（MAS）、银行和电信公司在减少网络钓鱼诈骗和迅速推出反恶意软件诈骗措施方面的共同努力。
但话说回来，诈骗最普遍且增长最快的领域是就业、电子商务和假友诈骗，这些诈骗利用受害者的情感和心理，使其自愿交出钱财。我们的机构必须更加灵活和迅速地与私营部门及国际伙伴合作打击诈骗。由于这是影响公共安全和信任的关键问题，也是我的居民关心的问题，我希望听到更多针对性的措施。
先生，最后，我将谈谈增强我们的社会韧性和同理心。
青年是我们社会的重要组成部分，是新加坡的未来。青少年吸毒的趋势令人担忧，中央禁毒局（CNB）报告称，去年被捕的新吸毒者中超过一半年龄低于30岁。更令人担忧的是，这一趋势延续了往年背景下全球对大麻态度更为宽容，以及新精神活性物质不断出现和电子烟使用日益猖獗的情况。
2023年成立的青少年禁毒跨部委委员会是一个良好举措。我期待其遏制这一令人警醒趋势的计划。
社区凝聚力也是我们社会结构的关键。不幸的是，噪音问题持续在社区引发摩擦，去年每月投诉平均超过2,000起，是疫情前水平的五倍多。
我在之前的辩论中谈及此问题，了解到正在筹建一个专门处理长期噪音纠纷的新单位，并完善现有的自愿调解机制。虽然我期待听到其进展和措施的更新，但我呼吁所有新加坡人，在机构的协助下，保持克制和同理心，以便我们继续建设有凝聚力和韧性的社区。
先生，我现在总结。新加坡和其他国家一样，面临生活成本上涨等压力，此外作为一个依赖开放经济的小岛国，还面临更独特的挑战，尤其是在严峻的全球环境下。
然而，我们总能比其他国家更好地应对障碍，变得更强大。这得益于良好的治理、从储备中积累的财政实力及其审慎使用，以及前辈们的勤勉。我很高兴2024年预算没有屈服于民粹主义和不可持续的举措。2024年预算基于原则性、纪律性和务实的基本面。
尽管前方有挑战，我坚信我们能以独特的新加坡方式克服它们，作为一个团结的民族。2024年预算是实现“前进新加坡”目标的合适首步。我支持该预算，并相信它将使新加坡和新加坡人以韧性和乐观精神携手迈向共同的未来。
议长先生：维克拉姆·奈尔先生。
下午6时20分
维克拉姆·奈尔先生（森巴旺）：议长先生，我支持这份预算。新加坡人在来年面临的一些重大挑战包括生活成本上升和经济不确定性，裁员人数增加。虽然这些问题的原因是全球趋势，但副总理黄循财提出的预算为我们在新加坡应对这些挑战提供了重要措施。
关于生活成本上升，每月通过各种代金券发放大量财政援助，对于最低收入者，发放金额足以覆盖上涨的成本。我不知道其他政府是否向如此广泛的人群发放如此慷慨的金额，但这似乎是直接解决问题的方式。
我想更详细地谈谈裁员问题。我是几个工会的顾问，包括先进制造业员工工会。该工会最初是金属行业工人的工会，但后来根据行业和劳动力的发展重新定位。该工会的演变反映了它多年来帮助员工应对的多波冲击。作为顾问，我了解工会在应对裁员方面的前线挑战和努力。
刚才发言的劳工议员提供了工会处理裁员工作的具体例子。我鼓励所有尚未与全国职工总会（NTUC）合作的雇主和工人加入合作。
根据人力部2024年1月31日发布的高级劳工估计，2023年裁员人数激增至14,320人，是2022年6,440人的两倍多。尽管如此，2023年失业率仍保持在相对较低的2.7%。人力部报告还指出，这部分原因是“全球经济逆风影响了面向外贸的行业，如批发贸易、信息技术服务和电子行业”。
然而，统计数据显示，大多数被裁员工在六个月内重新就业。总体而言，2023年就业持续增长，尽管增速较2022年放缓，表明疫情后就业激增正在趋缓。大部分就业增长集中在面向国内的行业。
这些数据表明，在裁员增加的背景下，新加坡经济表现良好，工人有机会就业。就业市场持续增长得益于副总理王瑞杰早前演讲中提到的创造性经济发展方法。
新加坡的就业市场有一些独特特点，有助于保持低失业率。
首先，与许多其他市场相比，立法和监管较少。这意味着工人的法定就业权利较少，但也使雇主更愿意提供就业机会。
其次，政府引入新业务和产业的努力保持了新加坡的投资活力，创造了新工作岗位，许多公司提供较高工资，推动全国工资水平提升。
第三，由于目前几乎没有直接的失业救济，失业者有强烈动力尽快找到新工作。这样，我们创造了有利于就业创造、招聘和激励工作的环境。
从宏观经济就业数据看，新加坡情况良好。劳动力市场紧张，失业率低，愿意工作的人有机会就业。然而，尽管宏观形势良好，仍有个别人会面临生活的冲击。
对于被裁或面临失业的人来说，原因往往与个人工作表现无关，而是结构性因素，包括其工作或业务被扰乱。
我在本院多次演讲中提到，商业周期和公司寿命缩短，行业和公司可能在几年内经历兴衰。这已使得终身雇佣成为私营部门许多人的例外而非常态。
如今还有新发展。即使行业和公司存在，工作岗位也可能消失，许多行业的工作岗位都在被扰乱。
例如，在科技行业，讽刺的是，人工智能扰乱的工作包括计算机程序员和工程师的岗位。即使在电影行业，制作公司与演员之间也因是否及在何种程度上允许使用演员数字肖像发生争议。这是美国媒体行业大量演员和工作人员罢工的部分原因。
在就业市场面临更多挑战的背景下，我支持加强对失业者的支持。看来计划是向失业者发放补助。这是一个不易驾驭的领域，甚至美国等地的私人失业保险提供者也已停止提供此类服务，表明他们未能找到财务可持续的方式提供此服务。
我收到的反馈中也包括建议政府应限制可申领金额和期限，以激励人们尽快重返工作岗位。该计划应作为最后的安全网，覆盖资源有限的人，并考虑员工是否从前雇主获得遣散费。
与此相关，我强烈支持“技能未来升级计划”。这对我来说似乎是失业支持计划的替代方案，但两者可以很好地配合。该计划为个人的技能未来积分提供4,000新元的额外补助，并在全日制课程期间提供最高3,000新元的津贴。这对行业或工作被扰乱、需要学习新技能的人非常有帮助。培训津贴减轻了低收入工人在找新工作时的经济压力。此外，该计划无年龄限制，退休后年长工人也可受益。
围绕投资人才的主题，工艺教育学院（ITE）进阶奖也鼓励ITE毕业生攻读文凭资格。这是许多ITE毕业生的愿望，15,000新元的支持对低收入家庭尤为有帮助。
我们就业市场面临的另一个结构性问题是低收入群体的工资相对高收入群体停滞。多项措施帮助解决了这一问题，包括推广渐进式工资模式和工资补贴计划（WIS），政府为低收入工人补贴工资。这两项计划将继续实施，资金更加充裕。WIS现覆盖收入最高达3,000新元的工人，渐进式工资补贴计划也覆盖收入最高达3,000新元的员工。
虽然本院大多数议员支持WIS，但我注意到人民行动党（PSP）似乎并不完全支持，认为这会造成“施舍心态”，而主张设定2,200新元的最低工资，称之为“生活工资”。对此，我尊重但不同意PSP的观点。
政府迟迟未推行“全面”最低工资的原因之一，是考虑到许多最低工资岗位集中在低技能行业，影响年长工人和中小企业。如果工资被推高到企业无法承受的水平，可能导致这些工人和企业失去财务可行性。
政府采取了双管齐下的策略。对于利润充足的行业，推广渐进式工资模式，这比最低工资更好，因为它不仅保证最低工资，还保证低薪工人的工资增长。对于工资仍低或尚未纳入渐进式工资模式的行业和岗位，WIS提供收入补贴。WIS不增加雇主负担，但满足员工对更高工资的需求。我认为这种双管齐下的模式优于PSP提出的方案。议长先生，请用泰米尔语。
（泰米尔语）：[请参阅本地语演讲。] 今年的预算为面临困难的人提供了广泛支持。在我的演讲中，我重点关注可能面临失业或工作中断的人。根据去年的就业数据，新加坡失业率保持低位，就业持续增长。然而，去年裁员人数较前年翻倍，大多数被裁人员六个月内找到新工作。这意味着失业者有机会，重要的是继续努力寻找新工作。
在本预算中，副总理推出了“技能未来升级计划”，提供4,000新元补助和最高3,000新元的培训津贴。对于失业或希望转行的人，这提供了支持，涵盖课程费用并补贴部分收入损失。刚失业的人尤其受益，因为他们可以边培训边赚钱。
副总理还宣布正研究未来的失业支持。尽管其他国家类似计划效果不佳，我相信这对真正需要帮助的人尤其重要，特别是那些资源有限且未获得遣散费的人。因此，我认为培训补助和津贴将成为失业者的重要支持支柱。
（英语）：议长先生，这份预算很重要，因为它表明政府“支持我们”，我关注帮助工人的政策。我支持这份预算。
议长先生：翁瑞秋小姐。
下午6时33分
翁瑞秋小姐（西海岸）：议长先生，我首先感谢副总理黄循财及其团队公布全面的2024年预算，旨在缓解生活成本压力，促进更公平包容的新加坡。
今天发言，我将重点关注两个主要领域：一是建立包容性的全面技能未来生态系统；二是确保残疾人士和自闭症谱系人士获得公平的保险保障。在此之前，我声明我领导一家提供部分由技能未来资助的短期课程的咨询公司。
新推出的技能未来升级计划为希望转行且需兼顾家庭责任的中年人士提供了实质帮助。4,000新元的技能未来积分补充、中年增强补贴的延长以及技能未来中年培训津贴的引入，体现了政府帮助所有新加坡人提升技能的决心，包括残疾人士。
这与2030年赋能总体规划的目标一致，即将适龄残疾人士的就业率从30%提高到40%。残疾人士必须平等获得继续教育与培训（CET）项目，以掌握在当今就业市场中脱颖而出的必要技能。我赞赏政府对残疾人士继续教育与培训的实质支持。通过SG Enable注册的求职残疾人士可获得高达95%的额外课程费用资助。此外，赋能学院在成立仅两年内迅速扩展，提供超过700门无障碍课程，实属可嘉。
我对SkillsFuture团队与残疾倡导组织如残疾人协会（DPA）的合作努力感到欣慰。然而，尽管政府对残疾人士给予强有力支持，障碍依然存在。
残疾人协会与残疾人士的讨论和咨询显示，许多残疾人士在继续教育与培训提供者那里遇到困难，尽管他们愿意提供指导，培训机构却无法满足其特定需求。这常导致残疾人士被拒之门外，或未能获得充分参与CET项目所需的支持。参与SkillsFuture计划的残疾人士也反映，讲师有时未能充分解答他们的问题，可能因缺乏相关知识和资源。例如，视障人士请求提供屏幕阅读器友好的文档格式或图表的图像描述，自闭症人士则表达了对更具体直接指令的需求。
我们需要正视残疾人士在继续教育与培训过程中面临的挑战。这不应成为任何新加坡人提升技能和发展的经历。为应对这些挑战，我提出四项关键干预措施。
首先，要求为残疾人士提供合理便利。在继续教育与培训中，合理便利指的是使残疾人士能够平等参与而不对培训提供者造成过度负担的措施。新加坡Skills Qualification Framework借鉴了澳大利亚的模式，澳大利亚的认可培训机构（ATO）依法必须为残疾人士在教学、学习和评估中提供合理便利。然而，尽管新加坡于2013年批准了《联合国残疾人权利公约》（CRPD），但这在新加坡尚非强制要求。
技能发展局（SSG）可与赋能学院合作，与培训提供者和行业伙伴共同确定合理便利的内容，包括讨论优先支持的行业课程及提供技术协助。此外，应为残疾人士遇到培训提供者困难时提供清晰沟通渠道和可及的申诉途径。我建议从提供长课程或行业认可课程的ATO和CET中心开始，确保残疾人士能够获得直接支持就业或职场晋升的课程。
第二，推广能力发展补助金的技术协助。我们必须提高培训提供者对SG Enable能力发展补助金的认知和利用率。该补助金为残疾人士定制课程提供资金支持。
根据SG Enable 2017至2020年年度报告，平均每年仅约24家近千家培训提供者利用该补助金。2021和2022年年度报告未提供相关数据。许多非残疾领域的培训提供者可能不了解或不熟悉该补助金的使用。缺乏此类知识限制了补助金的效用。为此，应同时推广补助金和SG Enable的咨询服务，以提升利用率。
第三，提升包容性继续教育与培训设计能力。我们必须更好地装备成人教育者，使其具备制作无障碍课程材料的技能。成人教育者在实现学习无障碍方面发挥关键作用。作为内容开发者，他们共同承担确保内容无障碍的责任。
成人学习学院（IAL）为成人教育者提供满足SSG资助认证课程资格要求的项目。虽然IAL文凭课程中提及了普适设计学习（UDL）原则，但目前的深度不足以确保教育者熟练制作无障碍课程材料。通过将UDL实践融入课程开发并设定最低便利要求，教育者可减少后续对便利措施的需求。
第四，提供课程及便利措施的无障碍信息，供报名之前参考。培训提供者应在学员报名之前提供无障碍格式的课程信息和便利措施，帮助学员做出明智选择并为课程要求做好准备。实施这些干预措施需要时间，但“升级计划”的启动为我们立即将包容性融入继续教育与培训领域提供了契机。
我建议教育部考虑要求相关培训提供者，尤其是提供符合中年培训津贴资格课程的机构，与赋能学院合作评估残疾人士的合理便利，并在合理的情况下提供相应便利。此举将彰显我们对残疾人士技能提升旅程的支持，与对非残疾人士的支持同等重要。
我再次赞扬赋能学院在短时间内实现并提供超过700门无障碍课程的卓越成就。然而，我们的目标是确保具备能力的残疾人士能够访问SkillsFuture主门户上提供的29,000门课程，前提是提供必要的便利措施。
在通过赋能学院赋能残疾人士的过程中，我们必须努力避免在继续教育与培训中无意间造成隔离。赋能学院是SkillsFuture项目的重要补充，尤其适合需要重大课程调整的残疾类型，但包容性的SkillsFuture生态系统应促进残疾人士与非残疾人士共同学习的环境。借助SG Enable及其他政府机构的技术和财政支持，我们可以建立一个全面且包容的SkillsFuture生态系统。
议长先生，我现在想谈谈确保残疾人士和自闭症人士在保险覆盖方面获得公平对待的关键问题。
本月早些时候，多位议员和我本人关注了提升精神健康状况人士保险覆盖的必要性。我们强调了个人在为与精神健康历史无关的身体健康问题投保时遇到的困难。残疾人士和自闭症人士在处理保险事务时也面临类似障碍。
随着金融管理局（MAS）准备于2024年中推出指导金融机构采取公平且负责任的客户服务准则，必须明确针对残疾、自闭症和精神健康障碍人士的拒保、加费和排除标准的设定方法。这些指导方针应阐明遭遇歧视者的申诉途径。
目前，个人的申诉渠道有限，唯一途径是直接向MAS申诉。然而，保险公司对申诉的解释可能受其内部政策影响而存在偏见。为确保更公正的程序，必须设立由政府官员、行业代表、医疗专家和残疾专家组成的客观第三方评审小组，以解决争议，促进更公平的保险环境。随着我们努力提升公平保险覆盖标准，我期待新加坡不久后撤销对《联合国残疾人权利公约》第25(e)条的保留意见。
包容性不仅是目标，更是我们作为团结新加坡人必须共同承担的旅程。这一旅程深刻提醒我们共同的脆弱性。任何人都可能因遗传因素或创伤经历而暂时或永久残疾。我们都可能患病，面临健康挑战，某天可能影响某些功能。这些提议的举措不仅旨在确保平等机会，更致力于培育一个每个人，无论能力或背景如何，都能茁壮成长并作出有意义贡献的社会。
让我们携手建立包容的SkillsFuture生态系统，确保所有人享有公平的保险覆盖。基于此，议长先生，我全力支持2024年预算案。
议长先生：乌莎·钱德拉达斯女士。
下午6时45分
乌莎·钱德拉达斯女士（提名议员）：议长先生，阁下，我支持2024年预算声明。特别是，我赞赏副总理黄循财先生在今年预算中对艺术重要性的明确表述。正如他所言，艺术有助于表达我们独特的新加坡文化，加强我们共同的纽带，使新加坡成为独特的家园。我感谢他承诺在未来四年投资1亿新元，推出最新的SG艺术计划。
副总理表示，将提供更多多样化路径，使每个人都能努力成为最好的自己，这一表述令我深有共鸣。他提到，我们必须更加重视那些具备技术动手能力以及具备社会和同理心特质、能在服务岗位上出色表现的人。
虽然副总理举了理工学院毕业生在其选择领域中表现卓越的具体例子，但我们也不应忘记绝大多数从事非白领工作的人员，他们或许不是领域内的明星，但其劳动和服务对社会运作至关重要。
正如教育部鼓励我们记住每所学校都是好学校一样，每份工作只要能赚取体面工资，也应被视为好工作。这一点在过去两天的议会辩论中多位议员均有提及。虽然本预算强调理工学院学生，艺术界人士也面临工资相关的困难以及社会对其角色和工作的误解。
就在本周末预算声明后，我看到一位艺术家朋友在Instagram故事中抱怨，一位潜在客户询问她刺绣艺术品的价格。当她解释作品定价是因为需亲自花费40小时精心手工制作时，客户轻率地回复：“好吧，也许我会在淘宝买。”
更糟的是，该艺术家随后在淘宝上发现了被盗用的作品图片，这些图片被不良卖家以远低于她售价的价格冒充复制品进行销售。这种对艺术作品的漠视和不尊重，是许多新加坡在职艺术家持续面临的问题。
提高公众对艺术的接触和认识，将有助于社区理解并更好地欣赏艺术工作者在社会中的重要角色。为此，政府计划让艺术更易于所有新加坡人接触，确实值得欢迎。我期待供应委员会辩论，届时我们将进一步探讨本预算声明中为艺术界带来的机遇。
接下来，我将谈及预算中宣布的两项税务变更，并希望部长能予以澄清。今年预算指出，为确保版税收入待遇公平，将逐步取消目前对作者、作曲家和编舞者或其全资拥有公司的版税收入仅征收10%税率的优惠，变更自2027评税年度起生效。
2027及2028评税年度，符合条件的纳税人仍可按较高的指定税率申请优惠，但自2029评税年度起，该优惠将不再适用。纳税人需申报版税净收入，并据此纳税。
回顾该优惠的立法历史，我注意到该激励措施于1983年预算声明中引入。当时的贸易与工业部长陈庆炎博士表示，这将“鼓励创意人才，如作者和作曲家”。他继续说，“该优惠将使本地出版商能为新加坡及海外的作者和作曲家提供更优厚的条件”，并称“外国人才将觉得在这里出版作品值得”。
2000年，该优惠进一步放宽，涵盖作曲家、作者或编舞者从新加坡音乐录制或影视、舞蹈或戏剧制作业务获得的版税收入。推动当年所得税修正案时，时任财政部副部长林行强再次表示，这些变更旨在“鼓励新加坡艺术和创新的发展”。
先生，我对今年预算宣布的优惠变更有几点澄清请求。
首先，这些变更的理由是什么？2024年预算材料中提到变更是为“确保版税收入待遇公平”，原则上这是合理的。但如果该优惠的初衷是激励创意工作，我希望部长能澄清现在撤销该激励的政策意图。
第二，该激励是否已达到鼓励作者、作曲家和编舞者工作的目的？部长能否分享该激励多年来的影响？最后，这一变更预计会产生什么效果？财政部是否有预计因取消该激励而增加的税收收入？
我想谈的下一项变更是关于所得税法第14N条下装修或翻新支出的税务扣除增强。该条款下合资格扣除支出范围现将包括设计师费或专业费。我认为这对设计师在装修和翻新工作中的贡献给予了重要认可，并为支付设计师公平合理薪酬的企业提供了良好激励。
尽管如此，购买古董及任何类型的美术品（包括绘画、素描、版画、书法、马赛克、雕塑、陶艺或艺术装置）仍明确不允许扣除。虽然符合“设备”定义的艺术品购买可能享有一般资本津贴扣除，新加坡税务局（IRAS）迄今仅明确符合条件的场景可能限于与酒店业相关的业务，如俱乐部、餐厅和酒店。其他场所如办公室的艺术品购买可能不符合条件。
我完全理解艺术品估价是复杂领域，但有方法可减轻估价主观性带来的风险。一种方法是依赖受信任且具认证的估价师，我们在新加坡拥有多位。另一种是扩大该领域专业估价师的队伍。例如，台湾和韩国的艺术画廊协会设有正式的艺术鉴定和估价部门。
我们新加坡有自己的新加坡艺术画廊协会（AGAS），目前完全由会员运营。虽然我理解政府已承诺以临时项目或报销方式支持AGAS的工作，但仍可做更多工作，协助该协会扩大其职能，使其运营能力达到区域内类似协会的水平。
例如，政府若能授权或资助AGAS委托研究本地艺术画廊生态系统如何更好地支持经济，将是良好开端。研究可涵盖估价领域，甚至涉及与艺术相关的税收和经济政策的综合研究。
总结这一点，虽然我欢迎第14N条下税务扣除的增强，但希望政府未来继续评估该计划的条件，并考虑是否调整条件以鼓励在新加坡购买艺术品。此类税收优惠无疑将促进视觉艺术领域的发展和增长。
先生，尽管有这些澄清请求，我支持今年的预算，并再次感谢副总理在预算声明中为艺术界发声。
英文原文
SPRS Hansard 原始记录 · 抓取日期：2026-05-02
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mr Speaker : Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
12.22 pm
The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Heng Swee Keat) : Mr Speaker, Sir, first, let me thank the Leader and all Members of this House for giving your assent for me to give a very long speech. I hope that your patience will pay off in that you will enjoy your lunch when you are much hungrier.
I rise in support of the Budget, which lays out a confident path forward for Singapore, as our domestic and global environments change. I would like to focus on one aspect of the Budget Statement, growing the economy, which is one key part of Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Forward Singapore Movement.
The global economy goes through cycles and we are currently facing a slow growth, high inflation environment.
This year’s Budget, including the Enterprise Support Package and enhanced Assurance Package, is comprehensive and includes good support for companies and households to tackle immediate challenges.
We also face sharp shocks to the economy from time to time, most recently with the COVID-19 pandemic. Colleagues would remember the five Budgets that we had to approve in 2020.
Responsive monetary and fiscal policies can provide stabilisation through the cycles and shocks to ensure that we do not fall into a deep hole. But in order to grow our economy for the long term and to grow sustainably, we need to embark on structural changes, structural policies which would transform our economy. Only then can we create good opportunities for Singaporeans and generate the resources for uplifting our people.
Such structural policies include what Ms Denise Phua said of the potentially game-changing investments to support and uplift workers, a theme which many of you have also spoken on. So, growth is important, but it is also getting harder to achieve because of both internal and external factors. As a small and open economy, Singapore depends on our connections to the region and the world to grow and thrive.
Today, the external environment is more difficult. While globalisation over the past three decades has brought great benefits and progress, the mood has since shifted from collaboration to competition. This is, in part, driven by technological innovations, including automation and AI, which are reshaping jobs and competitiveness across industries and countries.
Some major economies have turned more protectionist and insular and even adopted industrial policy to support strategic industries. "Friend shoring" and "de-risking" are quoted as strategies to strengthen resilience. These have reconfigured economic linkages and global supply chains. From globalisation anchored in economic competitive advantage, we are now seeing fragmentations based on political alignment. This, together with the recent upsurge in geopolitical unrest, has brought new uncertainties.
Internally, our domestic environment is also more challenging. Singapore's economic structure is now closer to that of a mature economy. The days of "catch up" growth are over and our resource constraints – labour, land and carbon – are becoming biting. Economic growth is the sum of labour force growth and productivity growth. But with our ageing demographics, the local labour force growth is shrinking quickly towards zero. So, we must therefore find ways to double down on productivity-driven growth.
But this too, is hard. Many advanced economies have only managed to achieve average real value-added per worker growth of less than 1% per annum over the past decade. And even as we invest in strengthening productivity, such as growing depth in certain industries, it is impossible to match the scale and size of larger economies.
Put together, these sound pessimistic, but I am, in fact, upbeat about Singapore's prospects. Overcoming challenges and finding new opportunities has been in our DNA since Independence. Each time when the odds were against us, we rallied together to find new ways forward.
Our economy managed to chalk up growth of 5% in the 2010s, even as labour force growth slowed to 2.1% per annum. Our sound monetary and fiscal policies have enabled us to stabilise our economy through various economic cycles. They also provided the confidence for long-term planning by companies and households, and ensured sustainable economic growth.
To continue growing the economy, we need structural policies to drive productivity-driven growth and take Singapore forward. We must continue to undertake and intensify our restructuring along three prongs.
First, our economic transformation movement has achieved steady momentum. To sustain this, there must be shared ownership and leadership in the coming years.
Second, we are shaping and strengthening our innovation ecosystem to enable high value, cutting-edge work to be done in Singapore.
Third, we must lean in to foster greater connection and collaboration and strengthen Singapore’s standing as a Global-Asia node for technology, innovation and enterprise.
First, on transformation. When the Future Economy Council was formed in 2017, a key piece of work it embarked on was the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs). The ITMs were not merely about developing plans to be executed. The process of doing so was equally, if not more, important. The process involved 23 industries each identifying trends, challenges and opportunities they faced, then developing strategies to enhance productivity; restructure jobs and reskill workers; strengthen innovation; and internationalise.
The ITMs represent a more mission-focused and industry-driven approach to tripartism, where our Government agencies collaborated with businesses and trade associations and chambers (TACs), while our unions worked with companies to support workers' reskilling and enterprise upgrading. Through the ITM process, stakeholders across each industry built trust, identified synergies and shared resources and experiences. In so doing, they supported one another towards the shared goal of ensuring that their industry, enterprises and workers remained relevant and competitive.
In 2021, the ITMs were refreshed to take into account post-COVID-19 realities, including the importance of resilience and sustainability. This shared ownership of transformation is critical in today's world of accelerated changes and shifts, as it affords greater agility in our responses. Government plans and programmes will remain important, but when enterprises and workers embrace transformation, they can be at the forefront of seizing opportunities.
In some countries, transformation invokes anxiety and trepidation as it is associated with job loss or companies being forced out of business. In contrast, our 2023 National Business Survey showed that almost all businesses polled recognise the importance of business transformation, up from 61% in 2017. Our workers are not only aware of the need to upskill and reskill, but have also taken action. Our overall annual participation in SkillsFuture initiatives has increased from 380,000 people in 2016 to 560,000 people in 2022. While the efforts will take time to bear fruits, the indicators, so far, are positive.
Even amid structural shifts and sharp shocks from the COVID-19 pandemic, our economy has performed well and enabled us to grow the economic pie for all Singaporeans. Between 2016 and 2023, our economy achieved real value-added growth of 2.8% per annum. In the same period, our productivity growth, in terms of real value-add per worker, was 1.7% per annum. This is stronger than that of advanced economies like South Korea, the US, the UK, Germany and Switzerland. With these productivity gains, businesses were also better able to cope with the inevitable cost increases. Incomes rose as our economy and productivity grew. The median income of full-time residents grew at 1.5% per annum in real terms from 2016 to 2023. We will release a fuller report of the ITM efforts in a few months' time.
We have been able to sustain this transformation and achieve good outcomes because of our unique approach to tripartism. This productive collaborative relationship between employers, workers and the Government enables us to shape transformation and growth to be fair and inclusive. It is a very precious asset to keep Singapore dynamic and harmonious. In a world that is more fast-moving and complex, working in concert is even more important now so that we can harness one another's strengths to move forward faster and together.
Transformation must be a sustained movement. Like any successful movement, it draws strength from the trust and confidence of each stakeholder to collaborate. I thank our many leaders in the business sector, unions, TACs and academia for their contributions. One change which I observed, which we must build upon and expand, is how we have evolved our tripartism towards co-ownership and leadership. For instance, we convened the Emerging Stronger Taskforce at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to explore how Singapore could rebound stronger. A key idea of the task force is the Alliance for Action (AfA), which mobilised private and public sector leadership to tackle specific, high-impact issues.
We have launched several AfAs. For example, the Singapore Business Federation and leading business leaders proposed an AfA on business leadership development. This AfA put together a concrete set of initiatives to grow our local timber and groom global-ready talent. Another AfA, on supply chain digitalisation, led to the establishment of the Singapore Trade Data Exchange (SG TraDex), a common data infrastructure that enables the trusted sharing of data across the trade ecosystem. This has grown more pertinent with the supply chain disruptions that we are now experiencing from geopolitical unrest. So, I thank members of the Emerging Stronger Taskforce and Minister Desmond Lee and Mr Tan Chong Ming for co-leading the task force.
Our TACs also helped their members navigate challenges and seize new opportunities. During the COVID-19 period, our Chinese, Indian and Malay Chambers of Commerce and Industry encouraged and supported SMEs to digitalise, both to ride out the pandemic and to position themselves well once business resumed.
The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has been a significant leader in transformation. In line with its commitment that “Every Worker Matters”, NTUC has gone beyond the traditional notion of unions by partnering companies to transform and provide better prospects for their workers. Over the past five years, NTUC has worked with nearly 2,000 companies through the company training committees (CTC). Through ops-tech roadmapping or operations technology roadmaps and skills gaps analysis, these committees helped to uplift companies’ organisational capabilities and improve work prospects for their staff.
Think about it. It is highly commendable that NTUC is not fearing technology, not fearing how technology will displace the workers, but is actually taking concrete action to uplift workers with technology, and this will become even more important as technology advances and more of our workers grow older. So, I hope that this House will embrace this same spirit when Members are debating the importance of technology.
One company which benefited from such a committee was Elitez Group, which provides human resource solutions. Partnering the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union, Elitez Group tapped on the CTC grant to implement two business transformation projects. These enhanced productivity and freed up capacity for its staff to be trained in higher-value tasks. As a result, 15 of their senior and professional workers were upskilled and received wage increments. A small step, but a big lesson for everyone.
It is also heartening to see larger companies serve as “SkillsFuture Queen Bees”, leaning forward to help other companies within their industries transform. For example, our logistics industry comprises many SMEs and is highly fragmented. ST Logistics, as the appointed SkillsFuture Queen Bee, shared its expertise and provided guidance on workforce transformation to smaller companies. In doing this, we upgrade not just individual companies, but tap on the broader ecosystem to achieve synergies and grow together.
Most importantly, we should be proud that our workers are taking ownership of their lifelong learning journeys and career development. Some 192,000 Singaporeans utilised their SkillsFuture credits in 2022 for self-initiated learning. This is encouraging.
Going forward, mid-career Singaporeans can use the new SkillsFuture Level-Up programme, with advisory and support from our agencies, unions and industry, to further their knowledge, skills and careers. This complements ongoing efforts to create pathways for continuous learning and upgrading through our Institutes of Higher Learning, often in the form of stackable micro-credentials, to build industry-relevant skills. In fact, I would encourage colleagues to look at the websites of all our universities to see the range of programmes that they have. And, as Mr Darryl David said yesterday, we must strengthen the linkages of our Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs), businesses and unions further.
Taken together, Singapore’s approach to transformation is a proactive and collaborative one involving different stakeholders. This is unusual and enviable, as it enables us to build capacity and capabilities not just in certain pockets, but across the board. This is how we ensure that the opportunities and benefits arising from transformation can be shared by all, and Singapore grows in an inclusive manner.
I have spoken about how we are sustaining our transformation movement, through implementing the ITMs and strengthening collective ownership across different stakeholders. Let me now turn to another aspect of our next phase of our transformation.
I earlier mentioned how technology and innovation are reshaping competitiveness across industries and economies. This is something that the ITMs take into account so that industries and companies can remain competitive and ahead of the curve. Mr Christopher de Souza earlier had spoken at length on AI, in particular, generative AI, and so did Dr Tan Wu Meng earlier. For Singapore, technologies, such as AI and automation, augment our human resources and if we learn how to use this well, AI can be our augmented intelligence, as the Member mentioned earlier. So, we should think hard about how the future of jobs and skills will be transformed with automation and AI and, in turn, how we can restructure our work and reskill our workers proactively to take advantage of these changes.
Singapore’s next bound of growth must be powered by an economy that is technology-intensive, innovation-driven and sustainability-focused and provide good jobs for our workers. How do we achieve this?
First, to capture new opportunities, we must be at the forefront of understanding, discovering and translating science and technology to advance existing key economic sectors while building capabilities for new economic drivers of the future; researchers in our universities and research institutes to generate the body of basic scientific insights; companies and startups to translate these insights or discoveries into innovations and solutions that can be applied to industry needs or market demands; and finally, the right training and support for workers to take on new jobs created by these opportunities, which I had spoken about earlier.
This value chain is what we call the research, innovation and enterprise (RIE) ecosystem. The objective is to establish winning advantages in key economic sectors to strengthen Singapore’s position, uplift our local companies as well as create good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans.
To achieve this, the Government must work closely with our RIE stakeholders – researchers, IHLs, startups, local companies and multinational enterprises – to co-fund and grow the ecosystem. This requires proactive shaping and patient investment. Given our inherent small size, we need to develop our local researchers and nurture our enterprises and startups while also attracting leading global companies and top research and entrepreneurial talent to form a strong ecosystem.
Many Members have earlier spoken about AI, and I would like to add that AI is one form of deep tech. There are many other forms of deep tech, and our biomedical sciences industry is a good illustration of this. Biomed is a deep tech area where scientific expertise is critical but the impact may not be immediately apparent.
Over the past two decades, we had steadily built up the ecosystem of researchers, companies and a skilled workforce. When COVID-19 hit, these capabilities enabled us to contribute to the global fight, including the development of diagnostic tests. This patient investment has also nurtured Singapore startups, like MiRXES and Lucence, whose groundbreaking solutions are making good progress in their next phase of development in large overseas markets like the US.
As such, the additional S$3 billion injection to our 2025 RIE plan, announced at Budget by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, is a timely one, as we seek to deepen capabilities in new growth areas like AI, sustainability and advanced manufacturing.
Our efforts are going well. Singapore is ranked fifth in the 2023 Global Innovation Index, and the top in Asia. Many MNEs have chosen to site their research and development (R&D) and innovation centres in Singapore. Total business expenditure on R&D has grown significantly over the past decade, on par with GDP growth. We also attract global startups, funders and founders to Singapore through a vibrant slate of events, from the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) to the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition.
We have done well on innovation input. Our institutions and researchers have developed strong niches in areas like biomed, quantum and material sciences. We must now press on and continue to strengthen commercialisation and translational capabilities, to produce more “output” and capture value amid shortening innovation cycles and intensifying competition.
mRNA technology, the basis of COVID-19 vaccines, is a very good example. While the scientific research had begun in the 1970s, it was only in the 2010s that drug companies saw the potential in nucleic acid therapies and invested in translating the science into therapeutics. This was how they were able to develop effective vaccines within such a short time span.
With such a long gestation period, it is important that we proactively shape and grow the ecosystem with other RIE stakeholders, including global companies, startups and funders. Even as we continue to attract the right companies and stakeholders to grow our ecosystem, we can do more to deepen the innovation capacity of our students, researchers and enterprises.
We want to foster a generation of entrepreneurial youth and there are opportunities, such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) Overseas College and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Overseas Entrepreneurship Programme, to provide exposure to our students. Patsnap, one of our homegrown unicorns, is a product of such efforts. Co-founder Jeffrey Tiong first developed the idea of building a patent and technical intelligence search engine during his NUS Overseas College internship in Bio Valley in Philadelphia. Today, Patsnap has more than 12,000 customers in over 50 countries.
For our researchers, the opportunity to work with other global researchers is a valuable one. Through our Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), we are convening groups of top researchers from partner universities and local institutions to address complex interdisciplinary challenges in fields like urban planning and climate change.
We have more than 20 corporate laboratories, such as Applied Materials' partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and NUS, which is geared towards Advanced Packaging and Advanced Materials research for the semiconductor industry. It is especially heartening that Nanofilm, a nanotechnology unicorn spun off from NTU, recently set up a corporate lab there in NTU. We hope to encourage more of such examples, to inspire our students to strengthen our ecosystem.
We also have the Industrial Postgraduate Programme where students do full-time postgraduate studies while undertaking an industrial R&D project at participating companies to help them gain industry-relevant R&D skills. In the area of deep tech, where innovation output is potentially high impact, but the process is lengthy and high-risk, we are doing more to support venture building, complementing efforts by the private sector. The objective is to support deep tech startups in overcoming technical, financial and market challenges while accelerating their growth.
NUS' Graduate Research Innovation Programme and NTU's Innovation and Entrepreneurship initiatives are just two platforms to do this. Both universities recently partnered Xora Innovation to pilot the launch of deep tech startups that are globally competitive and can address large global market opportunities. Amperesand, the first deep tech startup supported under this partnership, has already raised over US$12 million in seed funding to scale up its solid-state transformer technology for the fast charging of electric vehicles. Amperesand plans to deliver their first systems worldwide by 2025.
We are also supporting our enterprises, especially SMEs, to engage and participate in R&D, innovation and capability development activities. Our SMEs need not worry about their lack of scale, as they can tap on the research expertise and resources of our polytechnics to support them in their innovation journeys. There are 12 Centres of Innovation, covering sectors like aquaculture, built environment and electronics.
The Enterprise Innovation Scheme provides tax deduction and allowances on qualifying expenditures like R&D, intellectual property (IP) registration, IP rights acquisition, training and innovation projects with our IHLs. The Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-UP) Programme supports pioneering SMEs in developing innovative products and processes by seconding public research scientists and engineers. Lion TCR, which develops new cancer immunotherapy products to treat life-threatening viral-related cancers in Asia, is one example. With the support of two scientists from the A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network, Dr Wai Lu-En and Dr Sarene Koh, Lion TCR's R&D efforts enabled its product offerings to be more cost-effective than current options and also improved its production efficiency. This has fueled Lion TCR's business growth and contributed to the company's global expansion.
For innovative local enterprises, joining up with larger companies provides opportunities to capture a steady stream of business and upgrade their innovative capacities. The aerospace industry is one such example. We just had the Airshow and top global companies, like RTX and Rolls Royce, have chosen to anchor in Singapore to tap on our strong base of precision engineering companies. Avionics companies, like Thales, are also having a deep presence in Singapore. Under the enhanced Partnerships for Capability Transformation Scheme that was announced at Budget, SMEs can partner larger companies to scale up and go overseas. And this is how we overcome our constraints of a small, domestic market. This is also a win for larger companies which can tap on the innovative capacities of the smaller companies to stay ahead of the competition.
The RIE ecosystem is wide-ranging with numerous players. For it to work well and result in tangible outcomes for Singapore and Singaporeans, we must invest in the different domains while weaving them together intentionally to build strong and reinforcing connections.
Our IHLs and research institutes must continue to invest in basic research and building up world-class capabilities, while also linking up with the industry to translate peaks of excellence into viable commercial products. We must continue to encourage our local enterprises to innovate and tap on larger local companies and MNEs to scale up and grow. The goal is for them to be key regional or global players in their own right, providing solutions that the market seeks.
By developing a stronger innovation ecosystem, we create a conducive environment for leading local and global companies to deepen their presence here and attract global funders and startups to be a part of our ecosystem. And in so doing, we sustain a virtuous cycle of creating more opportunities for Singaporeans and for Singapore.
This brings me to my final point. Given today's contested and uncertain world, Singapore must deepen our standing as a Global-Asia node for technology, innovation and enterprise to create new value for ourselves, the region and the world. Singapore is an outward-looking nation by necessity. It plays out in the way we build transformative capacity across different sectors and stakeholders and shape a strong RIE ecosystem that brings together the strengths of domestic and external stakeholders. These two elements reinforce our reputation as a trusted connector and node and our value add in a more volatile and uncertain world.
Our robust regulatory and legal frameworks are longstanding strengths that provide the confidence that Singapore is a trusted and reliable partner. We have built up strong connections to the region and the world through our extensive set of agreements. We have 27 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in force, 42 International Investment Agreements and around 100 avoidance of double taxation agreements, and we have since innovated and evolved new forms of cooperation, such as the four Digital Economy Agreements.
We have also strengthened connections to innovation nodes around the world through our Global Innovation Alliance. Our 21 nodes across Asia Pacific, Europe and the US facilitate Singapore-based enterprises to explore new markets and reap synergies. Thus, even as the rhetoric grows and cooperation slow, businesses and countries know that Singapore continues to be a constructive and neutral location for business, innovation and talent.
This is how the Economic Development Board (EDB) has, over the past two years, managed to secure investment commitments, which are above its medium- to long-term goals. The 2023 commitments are expected to create over 20,000 jobs, with a projected contribution of $26.7 billion in value-added per annum. And this is why Singapore is home to some 37,000 international companies and 7,000 MNEs, many of which use Singapore as their regional headquarters. Singapore continues to be among the largest sources of foreign investments into China and India, reflecting our value as a gateway for companies to explore opportunities there as well as in ASEAN. We must, therefore, lean in to foster greater connection and collaboration at all levels.
Domestically, it is about fostering co-ownership and leadership through the ITMs and our ongoing transformation efforts so that our industries, companies and workers are empowered and confident as they ride through new waves of change. It is about deepening linkages across our innovation ecosystem and connecting with other ecosystems and stakeholders, so that we can harness science and technology to find solutions to global challenges and unlock economic value.
And beyond that, it is about leveraging our trusted reputation and extensive networks to encourage like-minded partners to grow in Singapore, through Singapore and with Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, let me now say a few words in Mandarin.
( In Mandarin ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] Since the founding of our nation, Singapore's economy has developed rapidly. Besides the relentless efforts of our people, maintaining economic openness, promoting trade and attracting foreign investment have also been key to our success.
Today, the global situation is unstable. Contestation between major nations, wars and disruption to the global supply chain and other factors have cast a shadow over the economic outlook. Many Singaporeans are concerned. Will our economy continue to thrive, and will Singapore continue to prosper? My answer is: I am very certain that Singapore can achieve this.
To continue promoting economic growth, we must continuously increase productivity, facilitate economic transformation, strengthen the innovation ecosystem and enhance international connections and cooperation, leading Singapore forward through a multi-pronged approach.
Firstly, we will continue to drive economic transformation to better respond to the changing economic landscape. In 2017, we established the Future Economic Council and formulated the ITMs, which has enabled our economy to maintain a steady momentum in the face of challenges in recent years. What heartens me is that our business leaders and employees are aware of the importance of transformation and skills upgrading, and act proactively.
Secondly, we must continue to strengthen our RIE ecosystem. This will allow us to consolidate our momentum in key economic sectors and enhance the competitiveness of local enterprises. In a conducive environment for innovation and business, leading companies can expand their operations here, enabling us to attract more investors and startups to develop in our country, creating better jobs and opportunities for our people.
Thirdly, we must strengthen international connection and cooperation to consolidate Singapore's position as a Global-Asia node for technology, innovation and enterprise. Therefore, in the current trend of global instability and a slowdown in international cooperation, we should uphold our consistent approach and continue to strengthen international cooperation, allowing international partners to recognise that Singapore is a reliable partner and giving businesses the confidence to invest here.
Mr Speaker, Sir, since our Independence, our forefathers have overcome various challenges and painstakingly built today's Singapore. Whenever we face difficulties, we will unite and seek new paths forward. Therefore, even in the face of current challenges, I believe that Singapore's future is still bright. Because I am confident that we can unite and move forward together to build a better Singapore for our people and our future generations.
( In English ): Let me now conclude in English. Mr Speaker, Sir, the world may be more difficult and our domestic constraints may be more challenging. But I have laid out the strong basis for my optimism that a small and open economy like Singapore can continue to thrive and secure our next bound of growth. By serving as a trusted node and connector, we can create value by facilitating connections and building new linkages in today's fractured global landscape. We can offer a strong innovation ecosystem with leading capabilities, talent and companies, making Singapore an ideal base to grow and build new ventures.
And with tripartism fuelling our collective transformative capacity, Singapore and Singaporeans can remain well-placed to partner others and seize new opportunities with confidence. This is how we can continue to keep our economy innovative and vibrant, and build a better Singapore with opportunities for all. [ Applause. ]
Mr Speaker : Mr Gerald Giam.
1.01 pm
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied) : Sir, I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for speech. I would like to ask some clarifications. The Deputy Prime Minister said that AI can be our augmented intelligence and that we should think hard about how jobs will be changed with automation and AI, and he said that we need to reskill our workers to prepare for AI.
However, given that seven in 10 people have not used their SkillsFuture credits since the scheme was started in 2015, does Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat think that it will be useful to expand the use of the SkillsFuture credits beyond core subsidies and give all students and workers more opportunities for hands-on practice with deep tech tools, like AI? This could give results by helping them to boost their productivity at work, for example, summarising long documents or drafting professional emails and reports.
Mr Heng Swee Keat : I thank the Member for the question. In the first place, there are already a range of courses and, as I have said, when we look at the industry transformation and the workers' needs, what is very important is to ensure that the training and the utilisation of the skills are done in tandem. It is very good that workers are taking ownership of this training to upgrade themselves, but the impact will be even greater if they work together with the companies. Which is why I mentioned in my example of how the NTUC is working with the company to do operations and technology (opstech) roadmapping, to do transformation and, in tandem, work on the redesign of jobs and the reskilling of workforce. And it is not just in AI. It is in every domain of the technology that we want to make use of, that we want the society which is a lot more digitalised.
If you remember, even for our digital payment system, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we rolled out the CDC Voucher scheme, for which the Mayors came out with the idea. Later on, we moved to digital vouchers. Huge efforts were put in by our agencies to train our hawkers to install these devices and to learn how to use it. Just last evening, I was talking to a group of my residents during the Meet-the-People session, about what they were doing and how they were learning to use this. And everyone expressed appreciation.
So, our approach, whether it is the use of AI, the use of mRNA technology the use of simple digitalisation tools, has been an inclusive one. That is, we look at what needs to be done and deploy the right tool for the right task, and not just AI.
Secondly, one other very important thing the Member must bear in mind is that AI is a very rapidly developing field and it is something which our researchers are working hard on, to look at the different techniques of AI – it is not just GenAI, but the whole range of different AI systems that are being used – and how that can be used in conjunction with our needs. So, understanding what the real needs are and what you can serve, what are the safeguards that we need to put in place to ensure its proper use and how to put this together in a way that advances not just R&D work, but also the reskilling of workers, has to be done in an integrated way, and not in bits and pieces.
Mr Speaker : Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang) : Thank you, Speaker. I appreciate Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat's discussion of the importance of SkillsFuture. In principle, I do not disagree with the potential benefits of the scheme. Yet, as my hon friend has shared, statistics reveal that, in recent times, take-up remains low. And in fact, many have yet to exhaust their SkillsFuture credits, even as the Government has proposed that we increase them. But perhaps, what is even more damning is that older workers, exactly the group that we hope will take on this task of reskilling, display significantly lower take-up rates.
My question is, in light of the wrenching changes that AI will usher in, how would the Government ensure that SkillsFuture will actually be able to increase its take-up rate and fulfil the objective of reskilling that it was meant to accomplish or is it revealing that there is a continued scepticism among our workers of the benefits of the scheme?
Mr Heng Swee Keat : Mr Speaker, Sir, I hope that Assoc Prof Jamus Lim is not a pessimist, because the Member said that the take-up rate is low and so on. You can look at it as a glass half empty or glass half full.
Name me a country which has started such an extensive SkillsFuture framework. I was the Education Minister for five years. Our students have done so well and now, our older workers are working hard to learn new skills. Name me a country where the NTUC is not only accepting change, but is embracing change and being a partner for change, in working on the Company Training Committee, in working with companies to do, not just training, but surprisingly, opstech roadmapping. They were trained by researchers from A*STAR to look at how companies can adopt technology and, in the process of adopting technology, how jobs can be redesigned and reskilled, so that workers can take on better jobs, with this huge amount of SkillsFuture funding and the range of courses. I think the Education Minister and the Minister for Manpower will speak more on this later.
So, we will have to take a different approach for different groups of workers. For those who are able to take ownership and do the courses on their own, who want to change their jobs, there is a range of options available. There are many companies that are taking action to redesign their workflow. I have been working very closely with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and that is why I mentioned earlier that the SBF has also set up an AfA on business leadership development. I have met the team who are doing this and, in fact, they are making very good progress. So, we have got to upskill everybody at all levels, including the CEOs of companies, to embrace change.
It is very good, in my view, that we are able to achieve this progress over time. And, in fact, instead of saying, "Oh, I am skeptical, I am pessimistic", if the Member has good suggestions on how we can do this better, play a constructive role, because with his professorship, he would know this well – play a constructive role, be a part of the team. We have so many members of the academia who are working with us and giving us excellent ideas. So, if the Member has great suggestions, I am open to considering.
Mr Speaker : Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song : I thank the Deputy Prime Minister for responding to my question but, perhaps, I was not clear enough in my question. I was not asking about more training. My point was that training has its limits and the adoption of the SkillsFuture credits is nowhere as much as what we would have hoped for. Only three in 10 have used their SkillsFuture credits. And so, the glass is not even half full, in that respect.
To acquire skills, workers need hands-on practice, which is why we are calling for an expansion of the use of SkillsFuture credits to use it for, perhaps, subsidies for the use of AI tools, so that they can increase their productivity and get some hands-on experience.
Mr Heng Swee Keat : Speaker, I remember Mr Gerald Giam's question is whether it can be expanded for other areas in a more appropriate way. This is certainly an area which the Ministry of Education (MOE) and MOM will be happy to consider if you have specific good suggestions about exactly how it can be used.
I have tried to sketch out what different people are doing – from the company training committees of NTUC to what the IHLs are doing. I suggested to all Members earlier to take a look at the websites of our universities and polytechnics, and they can see the range of courses that people can undertake and, with the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, there are even more courses that they can undertake.
For workers who need help, support and encouragement, we should all do our best to encourage them. That is why WSG and SkillsFuture Singapore have been mounting lots of programmes to reach out to residents, not only in trying to get a job, but also, my residents are asking, what are the courses they can do? I myself have participated in many of those outreach programmes and I must say that the response of many of our workers, including senior ones, is very encouraging.
You are right that training is not everything. It is one aspect of it. You need a collective effort, including by the managers and owners of businesses, to say, "I am going to take training seriously, but more importantly, not just training for its own sake, but how training can be translated into better job performance. And therefore, we can have productivity growth and I can reward my workers better".
Mr Speaker : Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim : Just a quick clarification on my part. I absolutely agree that the SkillsFuture is a good programme in principle. And the challenge that I would put to the Government is how to ensure that it fulfils its original objectives. As for our participation in various suggestions for how we can improve it, I have made suggestions within the context of this House, but if we receive invitations from the various Ministries for us, or any of my Workers' Party (WP) colleagues to participate in these kinds of discussions, we would be more than happy to do so.
Mr Heng Swee Keat : Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, you do not need an invitation. You are free to provide your suggestion. After all, are you not from WP?
And by the way, let me make it clear that I have heard MPs on both aisles speaking about workers, and we have a very strong presence of our union MPs here and they will be speaking even more on this.
So, we all care about Singaporeans, and we want to do the best for them. So, you are welcome to give me your ideas, if you have very specific ones. But let me say that I would have to consider it, together with all the other good ideas. But good ideas are always welcomed. And I am just waiting for them.
Mr Speaker : Ms Denise Phua, did you raise your hand earlier?
Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar) : Yes, Speaker. I would like to also support Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat's "glass half full" perspective. We might actually be a victim of our own success. The SkillsFuture Credit take-up or adoption rate must not be seen as the only indicator of learning. Because of the big push for lifelong learning, I think, during that time and even now, there are many free courses that are implemented.
For example, I know that many IHLs – NUS, for example – have given a lot of free CET courses that do not require the use of SkillsFuture credits, in a sense. When the CDCs implemented the CDC Vouchers scheme, we had the whole pool of IMDA Digital Ambassadors who went all out to teach our merchants and our seniors, for example, how to use the digital vouchers. And it came free! It did not require the use of SkillsFuture credits. At the same time, I think, because what NTUC does – the free trainings, the training plans and so on – those courses are sponsored and paid for by the companies.
While we know that we can use more of the SkillsFuture credits, that must not be the only indicator, because there are lots of free programmes that did not require the use of these credits.
But do not let this go away. We have needs for that. I think there is more to do. But I just want to say that, let us not get too hung up on the adoption of the SkillsFuture Credit, because there are indeed, many courses that are free for now.
Mr Speaker : Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Mr Heng Swee Keat : Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to thank Member Ms Denise Phua for her comments because her comments reminded me of the tagline that I always said when I was in MOE – that you can learn from anyone, anytime, anywhere. In fact, peer learning is a very important aspect of that learning.
In short, it is really about an attitude towards learning, that we must inculcate this interest and passion to learn, and learn throughout your lives. It is not about the take-up rate and not about the courses, it is not about putting up more of these. Because a lot of the infrastructure and a lot of the courses are already there. It is not a question of why do you not do more of this or more of that. I think we can all focus on how we encourage everyone, young and old, to learn something and you can learn from anywhere. It does not mean you must take a formal course.
Mr Speaker : Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap.
1.16 pm
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied) : Mr Speaker, Sir, in my time as a MP representing Kaki Bukit division of Aljunied Group Representation Constituency (GRC), I have had many interactions with Singaporeans, individuals and families from low-income households. These households have been most affected by the rising cost of living in Singapore and the issues they face are multi-faceted.
When Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered the Budget Statement earlier this month, I was heartened that there was significant attention given to this segment of our country's population. Today, I will speak with that light in mind.
It was reported on 12 February 2024 that the lowest-earning households in Singapore saw their real incomes dropped by 1.7% in 2022, after accounting for inflation. The same report, the data from the Department of Statistics, showed the median household income for the same period rose by 2.8%. In response, the Government has ramped up support packages for the lowest earners in this year's Budget, adding onto the measures that had been announced and implemented in 2023.
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has also provided some details on the ComLink+ progress packages, where families with children from low-income households can receive financial top-ups when they work with family coaches assigned by the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSF) on an action plan to meet certain goals. These goals include having children enrolled in preschool education, gaining employment, improving their financial stability and saving for home ownership.
Sir, I gather from the information released to-date that one of the goals of the ComLink+ progress packages is to prevent intergenerational poverty from taking root any further and I support moves that prevent further stratification of society.
In my experience, most, if not all, parents want to send the children to preschool and share a common desire to see their children get a good education. What often prevents them from sending their children to school are other tangible factors, such as the lack of places in nearby centres, concerns over their ability to pay the fees even after subsidies and financial assistance, pick-up and drop-off timings because the parents are working shift, among others. Top-ups to the Child Development Account (CDA) are useful throughout a child's education journey. However, they have far less of an impact on the immediate challenges a household may face in trying to keep their little ones in preschool.
I welcome the lowering of fees at childcare centres under the Partner Operator and Anchor Operator Schemes as well as the expansion of subsidies. I believe this will go a longer way towards helping lower-income families send their children to preschool.
On the matter of employment, low-income earners are among the most vulnerable segments of our workforce. Aside from their lower wages, job security is another concern for many low-income earners, particularly those in professions with no specialised skills. Low-income earners worry about being replaced easily or retrenchment, which can have an upsized impact on their families' livelihoods. I look forward to receiving more details about the assistance that the Government is planning for the involuntary unemployed.
The WP has called for the introduction of redundancy insurance since 2006. By whatever name, a scheme that provides a net for Singaporean workers who find themselves suddenly out of job due to events out of their control is something that is needed in a time where job security is not assured.
Sir, I note that the Government will be ramping up support for the reskilling and retraining of our workforce. I believe that despite this move, there will remain a sizable portion of our population that is wary, not because of the support level but because they are unsure of whether undergoing reskilling will improve their earnings and job security. The other generations may also need more help in assessing their training funds under SkillsFuture as many of them are not IT-savvy.
Sir, I believe every Singaporean aspires to own a home for themselves. But for young Singaporeans from low-income households, the path to home ownership is more fraught with risks. The two primary concerns are affordability and availability.
I note that support under the employment and saving packages are kept at $30,000. If you assume a 50/50 split in the amounts the household received for each section, the maximum amount of household receives for purchasing their own home is $15,000.
After including the grants, the price of a 3-room flat in the February 2024 launch of Build-To-Order (BTO) projects ranges between $127,000 and $172,000. Assuming the household successfully applies for a housing loan, the downpayment involved could range between $25,400 and $34,400. Even after accounting for the household contribution, the total level of support would be insufficient for the downpayment. Families with children find it more difficult to save to buy their own house because there are more immediate needs to be met daily.
The wait for a BTO unit can range from around three years at the fastest, assuming there are no construction delays. Even for Singaporeans from middle-income families, the long wait throws a spanner in the works when they are planning for marriage and children.
For lower-income families with children, the wait can have a bigger impact. It is a sad and unfortunate reality that the living environments in rental flats are often not conducive for young children. There are stresses and pressures that arise that have an impact on their longer-term development.
A more proactive approach may be required, for example, giving such households, which are ready to purchase their own home priority in the in the Sales of Balance Flats exercises or providing them assistance with purchasing a resale flat at subsidised prices.
Sir, there is a segment of low-income households who face a particular problem with securing housing – Singaporeans with foreign spouses who have not obtained permanent residence. They are not eligible to apply for a flat under the Public Rental Scheme as that spouse is not a permanent resident (PR). They also do not have enough income and/or savings to purchase their own flat. The situation affects their relationship with their spouse. The Singaporeans whom I met in this situation have been unsuccessful in applying for their spouse to obtain PR status or even a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP). They are effectively deprived of having a matrimonial life with their spouses in Singapore. Some of them also rely on their spouse to be their caregivers. We need to consider streamlining a path towards naturalising foreign spouses in Singapore, which includes housing policies for such families.
Sir, my final point is one that I have raised on previous occasions. I would like to reiterate my call that Singapore adopts the social protection framework developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO), an introduction of an annual social protection report which tracks the effectiveness and efficacy of our policies to uplift society. With clear key performance indicators, such as improved per capita household income benchmarked against the median, we can better track how well policies are working and do the necessary fine-tuning.
Sir, the United Nations (UN) is one that takes care of all segments and leave no one behind. I believe this is the sentiment all of us can get behind. Sir, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Mr Edward Chia.
1.25 pm
Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah) : Mr Speaker, Sir, Budget 2024 empathises with the cost-of-living pressures experienced by all segments of Singaporeans and brings immediate relief. It includes enhanced Assurance Packages, rebates, SkillsFuture support and more CDC Vouchers. These measures show our commitment to Singaporeans that we have got their backs.
Budget 2024 also recognises that these are short-term measures. In the medium to long term, we need to boost real incomes in the face of rising inflation, especially for the middle-class. This is the only way to improve our standard of living.
To do this, we must equip our workforce with the skills for new jobs. We also need to support our employers to find new markets and grow. Workers should remain relevant and firms have to remain competitive. Workers' real wage growth can only be sustained when employers grow.
I have advocated in this House for measures that bolster businesses' competitiveness, enhance local enterprises' capabilities, such as carbon accounting to align with new procurement criteria, facilitate firms' growth through initiatives like Partnerships for Capability Transformation, and ensure retirement adequacy for seniors along with the creation of age-friendly facilities for them to lead active and purposeful lives. I am heartened by the additional support allocated in Budget 2024 for these crucial areas.
Mr Speaker, Sir, the initiatives announced in Budget 2024 are well-crafted and the challenge now is to ensure translation in the real economy that leads to real wage growth for Singaporeans.
Firstly, I will address measures to support lower-wage workers and attract MNEs. Secondly, I will share the challenges of hiring the right talent and the necessity of aligning workers' skills with company needs through programmes, like SkillsFuture Level-Up and the Job Skills Integrator programmes. Thirdly, I will explore alternatives to promote inclusivity and a sense of ownership among employees, enhancing their motivation and contribution to their companies. Lastly, I will propose a focus on Enterprise Singapore accreditation programmes to incentivise companies to prioritise inclusivity and social equity, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable economic environment.
Sir, first, support for lower-wage workers is crucial. Most of our workers are employed by our SMEs. Hence, support for our SMEs is critical to uplift local workers. A key area of concern for our SMEs is cash flow. The enhancement of the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme is a step in the right direction. However, annual reimbursements can strain cashflow. Hence, I would like to ask if the Government can consider shortening the period for reimbursements to aid enterprises' cashflows.
Secondly, we need to equip our workforce with the necessary skills and competencies to drive our nation's growth and innovation. Employers often tell me they struggle with hiring the needed talent to transform. This challenge has also grown due to rising manpower costs and a tight labour market.
The SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme offers an additional $4,000 credit. This is a commendable initiative to support individuals in pursuing skills development and career advancement. The eligible courses are selected courses that are oriented towards meeting industry and employment needs. I would like to ask how these programmes are selected or curated to keep up with job disruptions. What is the structure in place to ensure a swift feedback loop from employers on the relevance of curriculum and what are the procedures to ensure timely adaption? It is crucial to ensure that these programmes are aligned with the evolving needs of the job market and provide relevant skills for the future workforce.
The Job Skills Integrator Programme, introduced in Budget 2023, identify the nexus between new skills workers need and corporate objectives. I would like to ask how the Jobs Skills Integrator Programme dovetails with the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.
Human resources (HR) play a vital role in guiding employees to maximise benefits for the company with clear objectives. We need to examine how can HR act as an in-house career advisor. With enhanced SkillsFuture funding, the challenge is to ensure that employees, while in their jobs, can identify and acquire new skillsets aligned with corporate objectives. To do this, HR roles, particularly in our SMEs, will need to broaden. HR's spectrum ranges from administrative payroll tasks to the HR business partner (HRBP) role, which interfaces with the business to support its needs.
However, most SMEs may not have an HRBP role, leading to a lack of corporate alignment. For SMEs without an HRBP, chief human resource officer (CHRO)-as-a-service can be a solution to mimic the HRBP role and maximise SkillsFuture credits. This service could provide significant value for the SME sector and help grow SMEs to be large local enterprises.
Another feature of the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme is the Financial Support for Full-Time, Long-Form Training. This is yet another major shift in our nation's support of life-long learning. Adult learners can take time off to pursue a long-form diploma with a provision of a monthly allowance of up to $3,000 for 24 months. This addresses the basic cost of living needs of an adult learner.
However, some employers have expressed concerns regarding the depletion of their workforce, as more employees take time off to pursue new diplomas. Could full-time diploma programmes be adapted to allow workers to continue working part-time in a firm? This arrangement benefits employers by mitigating manpower shortages while enabling workers to stay abreast of industry trends during their diploma pursuits. Also, how does SkillsFuture Singapore's existing career transition place and train programme align with and support this new initiative?
Mr Speaker, Sir, we need to align workforce training with corporate objectives and ensure that HR processes effectively guide employees towards skill development that benefits both the individual and the company. This alignment between employees and employers maximises the translation benefits of the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme.
Thirdly, as we strive for innovation and technological advancements, we must promote greater inclusivity at the firm level. Given the increasing disruption in job scopes, there is a pressing need for improved job re-design capabilities.
Alongside the support for acquiring new skills announced in Budget 2024, it is essential to develop measurement tools and benchmarks for employers and HR to equitably assess salary ranges for newly acquired skillsets. This ensures that as employees upskill and both the individual and firm productivity improves, the gains are equitably shared between employers and employees. I would like to seek clarity on how the Government intends to provide job re-design measurement tools and benchmarks to facilitate the fair valuation of new skills sets in relation to productivity growth.
Furthermore, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that returns on labour are increasingly overshadowed by returns on assets, exacerbating the wealth gap in our society. Concurrently, employers are contending with high staff turnover rates and seeking effective talent retention strategies. Often, there is frustration due to misalignment between employees and the firm. Therefore, I suggest implementing measures that enable employers to share in asset appreciation upsides while strengthening the alignment between employees and the organisation.
One promising avenue is the more widespread adoption of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs). ESOPs grant employees the option to purchase shares at a set price upon meeting performance goals, aiming to retain key staff long term. Psychologically, ESOPs instill a sense of ownership, boosting motivation and performance. This benefits both employees and employers, enhancing motivation, ownership and long-term success.
In the Netherlands, the tax point for stock options has been shifted to a more favourable time for employees, that is, when the shares become tradable, rather than at the moment of exercise or alienation. This change, effective from January 2023, helps employees manage the financial burden of taxation on stock options. In Bulgaria, amendments to the Commerce Act have led to the creation of the Bulgarian variable capital company, tailored to start-up technology companies. This new company type offers greater flexibility, for example, by reducing administrative requirements related to shareholding structures. In Ireland, some schemes allow for share allocation or options to employees, which include tax benefits after a certain period of shareholding.
There are also alternatives to ESOPs. For example, in the US, companies offering Phantom Stock Plans or Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) may benefit from tax deductions when the awards vest, providing they meet certain conditions. This encourages companies to implement such plans as part of their overall compensation strategy.
Comparing these models to Singapore's current tax incentives; while Singapore has a framework to support share-based remuneration, there may be room to expand these incentives to encourage a broader range of alternatives to ESOPs. This could involve introducing specific tax deductions or grants for companies adopting Phantom Stock Plans, RSUs or other innovative compensation models, thereby promoting a more flexible, diverse approach to employee ownership and participation.
Lastly, as we strive to create a more inclusive environment within the firms, it is also essential to consider how we can leverage investment and purchasing decisions to promote social equity. This brings us to the concept of impact investments and the importance of environmental, social and governance accreditation programmes.
Shaping investment decisions can promote social equity. Encouraging investors to support employee-focused companies drives change. The rise of impact investments creates opportunities to direct investments toward inclusive firms.
Increasingly, investors seek impactful capital utilisation. This presents an opportunity to connect capital with accredited enterprises. The landscape of capital flows has evolved to bolster impact-driven enterprises. This evolution entails a blended approach that merges philanthropy with investments. Blended capital encompasses grants, recoverable grants and equity, reflecting a convergence between philanthropy and impact investments. To augment this trend, I suggest that agencies, such as Enterprise Singapore and National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), collaborate to devise programmes aimed at expanding the deployment of blended capital.
With increased consumer awareness, especially among the younger demographics, individuals prefer supporting positive-impact enterprises for societal gains. Environmental, social and governance-based accreditation can catalyse a shift towards virtuous purchasing and investing, fostering greater societal impact through these enterprises' endeavours.
To incentivise companies to prioritise inclusivity, I have called for the promotion of accreditation programmes, such as Company of Good by NVPC and B Corporation (BCorp). These accreditation programmes are important for investors and consumers to evaluate businesses that promote greater inclusivity. Acknowledging companies' commitment through such programmes deepens their impact.
A prominent local illustration of NVPC's Company of Good accredited entities is ABR Holdings, renowned for operating the popular Swensen's chain of restaurants. ABR Holdings collaborates with organisations, like Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN), Asian Women's Welfare Association (AWWA) and Yellow Ribbon Singapore, to offer training and employment opportunities to individuals with special needs and ex-offenders. ABR Holdings not only serves delectable cuisine but also dishes out kindness to our community, exemplifying its commitment to social responsibility.
By amplifying the prominence of ESG accreditation schemes, fostering blended capital investments and promoting purchasing support for inclusive firms, we initiate a cycle of investment and social impact, ultimately advancing toward a more inclusive society.
In conclusion, Sir, Budget 2024 is a testament to our commitment to Singaporeans' dignity and stability, providing immediate relief and laying the foundation for long-term prosperity. By addressing the needs of our lower-wage workers, enhancing workforce training, promoting inclusivity within firms and leveraging impact investing, we are charting a course towards an inclusive and sustainable future. These initiatives underscores our dedication to ensuring that all Singaporeans share in our nation's success. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support this Budget.
Mr Speaker : Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua.
1.38 pm
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social and Family Development (Mr Eric Chua) : Mr Speaker, last year in April, when this House debated on a Motion of thanks for the address made by the former President, I made a case for adopting a life course, case management approach to support persons with disabilities (PwDs) and their caregivers. A familiar face that a PwD and their caregivers can talk to, candidly on future-care planning, employment or, perhaps, even where they could pick up a recreational sport in the community.
To enable PwDs to flourish, our national roadmap for disability inclusion, the Enabling Masterplan 2030 (EMP2030), identified three strategic themes: one, to strengthen support for lifelong learning; two, to enable independent living; and three, to create inclusive physical and social environments for persons of all abilities. Along with that, 14 focal areas, such as "learning beyond schooling years", "inclusive employment" and "inclusive public spaces" were highlighted. Consistent with the recommendations of the masterplan, I maintain that more can be done for this community.
Since the launch of EMP2030, we have continued to push ahead with our agenda of disability-inclusion. The first Enabling Services Hub (ESH) in the Tampines West Community Club and the Enabling Business Hub (EBH) in Jurong launched last year, were a few examples. The ESH and EBH symbolise our ambition to do better as a society. One where PwDs can partake freely in the community, just as any other abled-bodied person can and would without fear of stigma. It also paints our vision for a more inclusive workplace, one where more PwDs can sustain gainful employment, thrive and flourish.
As we continue pushing in this direction, I hope that as a society, we can work together to empower our brothers and sisters of all abilities, enable them to realise their maximum potential and to lead meaningful lives. To do so, policies and programmes alone are not enough. We also need persistence and participation – your participation, everyone's participation – to make disability-inclusion a hallmark of Singapore society.
In many areas, such as inclusive employment and availing of independent living options, the Government can and will take the lead. Yet, in other domains, such as the shifting of mindsets, everyday accommodations, community organisations, social service agencies, individuals like you and I, we all have a role to play.
Today, I dedicate my speech to the sharing of some everyday challenges that PwDs and their caregivers face, particularly those that exist at the intersections of service provision.
I recently spent good time talking with Dr Lim Hong Huay, a developmental and behavioural paediatrician. Beyond her professional credentials, she is a mother and caregiver to two children with special needs and, to her, I owe a vote of thanks for the central ideas in my speech today. I will touch upon three key ideas, namely: one, the critical role of the caregiver; two, better information and awareness; and three, stronger professional collaboration.
First, on caregivers. All of us, disability or otherwise, visit a doctor occasionally. How differently then does a PwD experience the healthcare system? A point Dr Lim made left a deep impression in me. The difference, she said, "was in the medical professional's practice of "the art of medicine"". According to an article in the Canadian Medical Education Journal, the "art of medicine" is simply a clinician's way of being when interacting with patients and family members. How doctors, nurses and allied healthcare professionals diagnose, explore treatment options, communicate and promote healing, these are examples of "the art of medicine". This made a lot of sense to me. After all, we are first and foremost, human beings, not merely humans doing.
For patients with disabilities, particularly those who cannot effectively express their own thoughts and feelings, the practice of the "art of medicine" becomes even more cogent. How a patient with disabilities respond to prescribed medication, side effects they may experience and so on, is often told through the keen lens of the observer, and that is their caregivers. Therefore, how healthcare professionals interact with and co-opt caregivers in the process of promoting healing is instrumental.
Caregivers are also often best placed to advise healthcare professionals on potential triggers, for example, bright lights, colours or sudden loud sounds, that might spark adverse reactions in their charges. Triggers differs from patient to patient and, therefore, including and intimately involving caregivers when working with patients with disabilities would, in many instances, aid the work of healthcare professionals.
Second, information and awareness. To be sure, there are many well-meaning healthcare professionals who want to better serve patients with disabilities and their caregivers by planning out their service experience in advance. They can be supported to do so if they have more ready access to information, such as an individual’s disability status, and are more aware of their accommodation needs. Better capture of disability data and sharing across sectors, including social services, healthcare and transport, would enable professionals to plan and do better for PwDs that they serve, according to their unique circumstances.
For instance, in healthcare, a longer stretch of consultation may be scheduled for patients who may face difficulty expressing themselves. A fixed rhythm of consultation sessions may be planned for patients that are used to certain set routines, for instance, seeing a doctor only in the mornings or scheduling patients only at the start or the end of a shift to significantly reduce wait time. All of these are plausible, and these tweaks can be quite easily made, so the service experiences that PwDs and their caregivers have with the healthcare system can overall be more positive.
Finally, my third and last point on tighter cross-sectoral professional collaboration. In their life course, PwDs and their caregivers interact with professionals and organisations from different sectors – doctors and nurses in the hospital or clinic, teachers and allied educators in the special education (SPED) schools and occupational or speech therapists in the social service agencies (SSAs). Across different sectors, we need to grow a culture of tighter collaboration. Cross-disciplinary sharing of professional practices would be a great start.
Take, for instance, medication. For some PwDs, medication is sometimes prescribed to help them manage behavioural outbursts. For example, risperidone is an anti-psychotic medication quite commonly prescribed to manage psychosis-induced agitation. We sometimes hear anecdotes of PwDs being taken off such medication prematurely, sometimes due to caregivers’ concerns or purely streetside hearsay about the potential side effects of such medication. Having non-healthcare professionals who interface with the PwDs and their caregivers on a more frequent basis – for instance, their speech therapists – can help to allay unfounded concerns of family members and overall, this represents a net positive for the PwDs.
In other instances, tools such as visual scheduling used by social service professionals to communicate a sense of routine and rhythm, particularly for autistic individuals, might unfortunately not be well understood and, hence, much less deployed as a communication strategy by healthcare practitioners when working with these individuals. My wish, therefore, is to see more sharing of professional practices across domains, so that there is not only better appreciation of each other’s work, but the opportunity to enlist one another in mutually reinforcing each other’s work is not lost.
There are obvious benefits to be had if professionals in different sectors could understand and help reinforce key messages among PwDs and their caregivers. For instance, having healthcare professionals take a more 360° view of the patients and caregivers they serve, by reinforcing messages, such as the importance of future care planning where opportune or, even better, refer them to organisations like the Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC). In other instances, having social work professionals help clear up doubts that PwDs and their caregivers might have about policies, such as CareShield Life, would only benefit the very individuals and families that these professionals from the different sectors are all trying to serve.
One last point on cross-sectoral collaboration. When PwDs move across different service sectors in the course of their lives, there almost always exist, today, an inevitable resolution loss in terms of what each successive organisation knows about the PwDs. Information such as unique circumstances that might trigger a meltdown, habits or routines unique to each person, the loss of such information along the way, among others, that affords each organisation working with the PwDs and their caregivers a better chance of providing a more person-centric service has to be minimised. This goes back to the point I made last year about taking on a case management perspective for each PwDs and how we should support them and their caregivers more systematically throughout the course of their lives. Mr Speaker, in Mandarin.
( In Mandarin ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] Mr Speaker, the Enabling Masterplan 2030 has outlined our country's vision and plan to build a more inclusive society over the coming years. We hope that every individual in our nation will have the opportunity to reach their full potential. In my speech today, I would like to propose three key points for consideration and discussion.
First, in supporting the journey of PwDs, caregivers play a pivotal role. Where feasible, we should allow caregivers to participate in professional processes, such as medical consultations. Secondly, if healthcare professionals can have more information about PwDs, such as their individual circumstances and medical condition, they can better plan services and provide better care for PwDs and their caregivers. Third, professionals from different industries, when serving PwDs and their caregivers, can also collaborate more closely to provide a seamless service, focusing on the PwDs.
( In English ): Mr Speaker, our journey in disability-inclusion has been built upon the hard work, sweat and tears of many professionals in the social service, healthcare, education and many other sectors, as well as the many PwDs and their caregivers who have worked tirelessly to get us to where we are today. Standing on the shoulders of those who have come before us, it is now up to us to pick up the mantle, carry the torch and strive towards the day we work the word "inclusion" into obsolescence. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.
1.53 pm
Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang) : Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to participate in this debate. I rise in support of the Budget Statement made by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance.
Sir, Deputy Prime Minister Wong said that Budget 2024 is about acting on the belief that so long as we stay united, work together and continue to keep faith in each other, we will be able to weather the storms ahead and emerge stronger. I resonate with that and share this belief.
I welcome the approach to draw from fellow Singaporean’s collective experience, expertise and feedback during the Forward Singapore conversations. This Budget takes those conversations forward and make them into concrete actions for our future. I am particularly interested in the measures to help our households and providing more assurance for families and seniors. My speech will be focused on housing options and enhancing liveability in the housing environment for families and seniors.
Firstly, on housing options and accessibility. During last year’s Budget debates, I raised several proposals to further refine the balloting process for BTOs for families and young couples. I am glad that the Government has not only adapted such recommendations but also ramped up the supply of BTO flats to meet the demand for housing.
White waiting for their BTOs, I met many young couples in Keat Hong who are living with their parents. They are newly married and waiting for their flats in exciting new BTO developments in Bukit Batok and Tengah. Most importantly, while living with their parents, they get to save up and enjoy the support to take care of their children and access to many childcare centres and amenities in the neighbourhood.
Keat Hong, where they grew up, is a place of warmth and familiarity. But family circumstances change and with the welcoming of another baby or two, the living conditions in the flat will be too cramped.
Hence, I welcome Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s announcement in this year’s Budget of the new Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) (Open Market) Voucher for one year, to support eligible families to rent an HDB flat in the open market. This helps young couples who are waiting for their BTO flats to have temporary housing. Previously, they need to join the waiting list for rental flats from HDB and the open market rental are out of reach for them financially.
All of these policy changes show that the Government listens intently to the various feedback via numerous consultations or through the Meet-the-People sessions appeals that we MPs sent on behalf of residents, for me, every Monday in Keat Hong and, after careful studying, implements them into action. The Government lends a listening ear and extends a helping hand. In Malay, Sir.
( In Malay ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] This Budget provides more support for families in terms of financial assistance and housing. This comprehensive approach means that the Government not only helps specific groups but all levels of our society, from senior citizens to families to workers. One issue of concern is housing matters, especially for young couples with young children.
Last year, I suggested a way to further fine-tune the application process for HDB BTO flats. I observed that the suggestion provided was not only considered but it was also employed to help young couples who have just got married. To help them, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has also announced a new voucher scheme that helps young couples to rent a house from the open market during the period when they are still waiting for the completion of their BTO flats. This voucher will help many from our community to get interim housing.
One of my Keat Hong residents, Mdm Nur, together with her husband and child, are living with her sister’s family while waiting for their BTO flat to be ready in four years’ time. A total of eight persons are living in the 4-room flat. Her elderly mother who has mobility issues is also living with them.
Mdm Nur cannot afford to rent from the open market due to her household income. Hence, she applied for a rental flat from HDB. However, the PPHS application opens once every two months and each application will take about four to six weeks to process. In the meantime, she is expecting another child and so, she would like to have some certainty and stability in her housing arrangement. During my Meet-the-People session, I appealed to HDB on her behalf, not just to get a rental flat, but also proposed alternatives like subsidies in the open market. I am glad that the proposal is now being considered by the HDB with the availability of rental flats vouchers in the open market.
The PPHS (Open Market) Voucher will be useful for families like Mdm Nur to have interim housing. I welcome this change. However, since according to HDB, the average waiting time for BTOs is between three to four years, I hope that such vouchers for rental flats in the open market can be provided for a period of two years, so that such young couples with children can enter into a longer tenancy period. This will provide greater stability for themselves and their children.
I hope more support can be provided to help our young couples and families alleviate their concerns for housing. I look forward to the announcements from the Ministry of National Development in this regard.
The hon Mr Faisal Manap had earlier suggested that residents of public rental houses be given priority to buy houses. But for me, this refers to just one aspect. We should also address the other aspects. We should not view the housing issue in silo. This is because there are many aspects of family life that should be considered and addressed.
Hence, with the joint effort of partners such as M 3 @Towns and the Dian Project, which engages families living in rented homes, we can provide support in various aspects including health, children's education and family matters. Project Dian@M 3 is rolled out in Bedok, Geylang Serai, Jalan Besar, Jurong, Chua Chu Kang and Tampines, and now supports more than 400 families in rental flats.
This is our collective effort. All these help families to move from rental homes to their own flats and not only for them own their homes, but also to ensure that they have stable jobs, educated children, a healthy family and a happy marriage. By having all of that, there will be stability in their lives, which is what we wish everyone to have. This is the way.
( In English ): Mr Speaker, Sir, one other aspect of housing is having lift access. Chua Chu Kang Town is undergoing various exciting developments, like the Jurong Region Line and a new hawker centre to be constructed in the town central. There are many residents who have lived in Keat Hong for decades and so they wish to live out the rest of their lives here. As I had stated earlier, there are also many young couples drawn by the exciting upcoming developments and have moved into the estate.
However, there are several blocks that had been designed originally without direct lift access, though they come with added privacy and exclusivity for their home owners. Nevertheless, as residents live in their blocks over the decades and age in place, direct lift access has become more important to them.
I had raised this issue numerous times in this House. Even after HDB’s Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), there are still about 150 blocks remaining in Singapore that do not have direct lift access. There are segmented HDB blocks which have segments that do not have direct lift access, meaning that affected residents would have to take the lift to a floor, walk along a corridor or passageway, navigate and thereafter take the stairs up or down to their unit. Out of these 150 segmented blocks, 20% of them in Singapore are found in Keat Hong, which means these families do not have same-floor lift access. For residents who have been living in such units for decades, they now face difficulties and inconvenience as they age in place. I have spoken up previously on the LUP, the Lift Access Housing Grant and other solutions to support these families. I wish for more support in this regard.
One resident, Mr Tan, is an elderly man with an adult son who had suffered from stroke. He had been taking care of his son for decades. They live in a segmented unit in Keat Hong with no direct lift access. Previously, going to medical appointments would be a hassle, with him carrying the son down the flight of stairs to the next floor and navigating the corridors to the lift lobby. Now, with the Town Council, we provide complimentary stair-climber services that Mr Tan can call on so that we can assist him and his son the flight of stairs using a stair-climber machine.
Food or package delivery personnel also find it difficult to deliver because of the block layouts and differing lift access navigation routes. Some furniture or bulk delivery services are not available as well to these segmented units without hefty charges. In times of fire or medical emergency, our first responders also may find it difficult and there is a time lag to reach these segmented units in time. To help with the situation, we have introduced the Keat Hong WayFinder Maps at lift lobbies in segmented blocks. But this is just an interim solution.
Mr Speaker, Sir, do you know that in the US reality television (TV) series Amazing Race 2002 Season, there was a Singapore leg where contestants had to navigate a challenging detour. This was held in our segmented block in Chua Chu Kang. And during this detour, contestants had to find the right lift lobby, go up the correct flight of stairs to get to a segmented unit, where a contractor with a distinctive look in yellow boots will be waiting for them. It was Phua Chu Kang in Chua Chu Kang! After many frustrating attempts, contestants finally managed to find the unit.
My point is this: if the segmented blocks are so hard to navigate that they are deemed a worthy challenge in an international reality TV series, imagine the daily struggle for our residents, especially the elderly and those with young children.
We have to acknowledge the changing dynamics of our communities. With an ageing population and an increasing number of families residing in our flats, the need for adequate lift access is more critical than ever. Lifts are not merely mechanical devices; they are the lifelines to connect us to our homes and communities. With age, stairs can transform from a simple climb to an insurmountable obstacle. Accessible lifts provide a sense of autonomy and dignity to our elderly community members.
The same scenario can be applied to our families with young children and strollers who will need to navigate up the multiple flights of stairs daily. Based on my survey during house visits, almost two in three segmented unit flats in Keat Hong have either an elderly person or a child living there. In this regard, may I propose the following?
Firstly, enhance the Lift Access Housing Grant (LHG) from the current $30,000 to $50,000, which will make it more attractive for take-up. In an answer to my Parliamentary Question, there were 28 approved applications as at December 2021 for LHG out of an estimated 2,000 affected HDB units that have no lift access. That is a mere 1.4%.
Secondly, consider implementing chair lifts or, where technically possible, ramps or spiral ramps to connect a segmented unit floor to a floor with direct lift access.
Thirdly, where technical solutions are not possible, perhaps HDB can consider compulsory acquisition of such units and convert them to public rental housing, so that the occupants of such units will not be inconvenienced by the permanent absence of direct lift access because they are transient and will only be living for a short period of time.
Lastly, revisit the funding criteria model for LUP. Instead of considering the directly affected units, HDB currently only takes into consideration the affected units which are directly affected by the lack of lift access. We should also consider the other benefiting units which will benefit from the additional lifts that can add as contingency or redundancy plans.
By including such an approach, the dwelling units for each block that will benefit from LUP, using the examples in Keat Hong, would improve from a mere 12% to 15%, to more than 50% of the entire block. This means that the costs can be shared among more households to come within the LUP cost cap.
We should not discount the generosity and empathy of fellow Singaporeans to shoulder the burden of such LUP costs together. During the Selective Renewal Lift Programmes in Keat Hong, many non-segmented unit households experienced for themselves firsthand how it was like to live in a segmented unit when their serving lifts were temporarily shut down for renewal. The residents told me that they now empathise and would support a different approach towards LUP costing. I hope we can study these proposals and help our family residents.
Mr Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, I raise these examples on housing options and lift access for the elderly as a microcosm of what we can achieve together for fellow Singaporeans in this Budget and those to come so that our fellow Singaporeans can choose to live where they love and continue to love where they live.
In making our common spaces more accessible, we create environments that promote social cohesion and well-being. In helping our young couples to attain their dream homes, we not only fulfil their aspirations, but we also provide hope for their children. In embracing the importance of the lived environment and housing, we foster a sense of unity and belonging among our fellow Singaporeans, making this country truly a home we love where we live.
Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned the need for Singapore to remain steadfast and united to weather the storms ahead. "Ships do not sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets in them." We must be united in spite of the foreign disruptions, divisions or influences. This Budget is a stark reminder to all of us to remain so in facing future challenges together. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget Statement.
Mr Speaker : Mr Zhulkarnain, I have a few of those blocks in my constituency. So, I can fully empathise with you. When I do visits to those blocks, you need more patience, you need to cater more time and you expend more energy. Ms He Ting Ru.
2.08 pm
Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang) : Mr Speaker, the title of this year's Budget, "Building our Shared Future Together", is one which all of us should strive for. In the WP 2020 Manifesto "A Singapore For All", we outlined our vision for Singapore, which has a place for each and every one of us.
It is a positive development that we have agreement across aisle for ideas, such as supporting involuntarily redundant workers financially through a difficult period as they look to find their feet again. As a nation, we should be proud to see such good policies come to fruition because they work towards making sure that everyone benefits from our nation's progress.
To take the next step forward in Singapore's development, we should work on our expanded vision of progress and this vision can only truly and meaningfully be expanded if we have trust. In other words, we need to trust others with different views from us that they, too, are acting in good faith, even though they may differ in perspective. In particular, apart from asking people to trust our public institutions, we should ask ourselves if we trust our people. If not, why not? How do we work to ensure that trust is a two-way street? I will highlight some examples showing how trust is not yet a two-way street in Singapore, and try to explain why and how we should make it a two-way street.
The second half of my speech will speak of how we measured dividends we will reap if we achieve this mutual trust, and I will set out what this expanded vision of progress could look like.
First, what does the public know and what should the public know? The yearly revenue and expenditure estimates are a good place to start. This year, military expenditure is a single line $19 billion expenditure without further breakdown, despite making up 17% of the Budget. While official secrets are a concern whenever we talk about the military, is there really no middle ground in offering detail on the expenditure?
Likewise, in the case of the Police expenditures contained in the estimates, where projects named "Arapaima" and "Aegis" are allocated hundreds of millions of dollars each but the public are not provided even with a one-line description. How does one debate whether this spending is economic, efficient, effective or even enough?
Furthermore, with the Enterprise Support Package and a myriad of other schemes announced in the Budget, would there be publicly available targets published as to how many firms are reached and how the money is being put to use? How does the public know if schemes such as these, which is spent out of the public purse, are successful? Do we measure policy success by how much is spent or is success a measure of its outcomes?
The WP called for the creation of an Independent Parliamentary Budget Office three years ago, but what is more fundamental is the willingness to publish details. In 2012, then-Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said, "Trust and transparency are two different parts of a system of accountability".
While there are admittedly security concerns, which means full transparency is not always possible, the solutions that WP has brought up in the past, like the Independent Budget Office, disclosing more information to Standing Select Committee members with secrecy safeguards can help negotiate this often difficult balance.
The Government needs the err on the side of transparency, publishing as much as possible, and it needs to agree to publish what is asked for, balanced against security interests. Legal instruments, such as formal right-to-know legislation, will help define what can and cannot be published. But the right to know is not accountability for accountability's sake. It helps us to have debates in good faith. If the Government sees that it has already been held accountable, then it debates with different views in good faith, which is the second point I would like to make.
With the Gini coefficient, for example, the Government has said that there is less inequality than other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) before taxes and transfers, but does this feel like the case when we speak to our residents? And if not, why?
Perhaps, it is because Singapore's Gini coefficient cites income from work while OECD countries count income from all sources, and commentators have also pointed out that household expenditure survey data has shown that income from non-work sources has been increasing in Singapore or, perhaps, it is because Singapore's Gini coefficient covers only Citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs), unlike other countries, and does not reflect that much of our essential but lower-paid blue-collar work, which is performed by our total foreign workforce of 1.5 million individuals. With over one in four Singaporeans marrying non-residents, some of these workers are also integral parts of our families here in Singapore.
But perhaps, a more significant contributor to this feeling is that there is another way of looking at our wealth, namely, wealth inequality. The UBS' Global Wealth Report indicates that Singapore's wealth inequality in 2022 is 78.8, substantially higher than Taiwan's 69.8, Korea's 67.9 and Japan's 65.
The OECD also states that we need to use a different measure to measure wealth inequality, and I believe that this can apply here, too. However, data on the distribution of household wealth is not easy to come by.
The Government previously said in 2018 that its Gini coefficient calculation needs to reflect the full range of Government policy interventions that are unique to the Singapore context. This is broadly true. Singapore does have unique policy interventions, given its small size and open economy. But this rationale, this focus on insisting that there is a right context, should not be justification to block the publication of data that people would like to see.
Trust is a two-way street and the lack of trust from the Government in not providing data to debate certain topics will breed the distrust in it in some quarters. On tackling inequality, aside from what specialists with an economics background tell us, I can only express what my constituents say and feel. If the public sees a gap in the information, then public agencies should, within reason, fill the gap with the correct information rather than say that there is no need to fill the gap.
My third point is that the Government should probably trust citizens to co-create. Forward Singapore is a good start. But we can take reference from the concept of citizens' assemblies. A well-known example of this is in Ireland, where the Irish parliament directors established a citizens' assembly in 2016 to deliberate several socially contentious issues. Ninety-nine citizens, demographically suited to representing Ireland's electorate, were chosen to deliberate the issues, with experts also brought into the forum to provide testimony and discuss case studies. Its findings on issues, like abortion, helped inform a referendum on the issue, with some praising the process for being depoliticised, bringing logic to a divisive issue and providing a space for listening, understanding and empathy to differing opinions.
Further exercises, similar to Forward Singapore, can thus bring in more independent expert testimony to provide evidence to participants, and these experts can and should have conflicting views. Exercises could then be designed to accurately reflect Singapore's demographics. Just as importantly, the Government should take up the task of responding directly to the findings and explaining what recommendations it would sign into policy and which it would not. There should be periodic independent public reviews of the extent to which goes out and such exercises have been met.
It is only with building our trust in the public can we meaningfully move forward to build a shared future together, which means proper transparency and accountability. To bolster this, we need to properly measure our progress and to measure things that matter to us.
For many years, both within this House and without, we have heard proposals of how important it is to measure how our country is doing beyond gross domestic product (GDP). However, periodic reassurances during Budget, Election and national conversation times that we are looking at Singapore's other factors of development apart from GDP are not enough. Measuring progress beyond GDP has to be part of our DNA. We must regularly quantify, measure and publish details on how we are doing and to ask that our policies formally consider the impact that they are having on these indicators, and whether or not our various policies and initiatives are successful in improving our collective well-being.
I would therefore like to reiterate the call I made two years ago, for Singapore to have a dashboard with measurements of how we are doing beyond GDP measurements. This is already not a new idea, and we can take a leaf out of New Zealand's living standards framework dashboard.
The New Zealand treasury publishes details about the measurement to use and for ministries on priorities for informing well-being, and it is fully disclosed to the public for transparency. The indicators show trends over time, distribution across population subgroups and, importantly, give the Kiwis a direct chance to view how their government is doing in improving their country's well-being.
While the specific details of what should be included in Singapore's dashboard would be subject to input from public bodies and the wider community, I believe the key areas that should be covered include the measurement of unpaid work, natural resource use, specifically, our people, externality cost in a form of environmental sustainability footprint, leisure value and our collective and individual well-being.
Earlier this month, during the Motion to debate mental health, I had spoken about our collective and individual well-being and what we can do to develop our strengths to protect against ill mental health and to promote flourishing. I had also, in 2022, spoken about issues relating to our environmental footprint. Thus, I will focus today on the areas of unpaid work and investing in our people.
First, unpaid work, that is what which does not receive directly remuneration but which nevertheless has an impact on our economy. This is usually broadly divided into informal care and domestic work, unpaid reproductive labour and voluntary work. For informal care, in particular, the Forward Singapore reports states that the Government will give more assurance to Singaporeans that they will be taken care of. This is particularly important to probably understand the often unpaid and unsung work and needs of our carers who are already delivering on our nation's collective responsibility.
In 2020, I called for, among others, time-use surveys to be conducted to better understand the work being done by our informal carers. Since then, the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) has published a survey in 2022, which aimed to better understand issues surrounding quality of life for carers. This comes after the 2013 survey of informal caring in Singapore.
While it is good that we are paying attention to the topic by having periodic in-depth surveys on specific issues relating to the provision of informal care, what these surveys do not contain is a regular and easily quantifiable measure of the contribution that is being made to our society and also indirectly to the economy.
Various academic papers have pointed out that the lack of a measurement of the total value of informal care giving in Singapore makes it challenging to inform and guide public policy. Although, in 2021, the Duke-NUS team estimated an annual cost of caregiving time of between $2.5 to $3.5 billion in informal care being provided for seniors aged 75 and above who need human assistance of daily activities. This is clearly a non-trivial amount.
Additionally, the Forward Singapore report also lists a variety of ways and means which policy can better support informal carers, such as enhancing parental and infant care leave, allowing more flexible work arrangements, and also financial support in the form of the Home Caregiving Grant and defraying early intervention costs for families with special needs children.
What strikes me, though, is that many of these policies have an underlying assumption that informal carers want to and are able to stay in some form of paid work as much as possible. Likewise, there is also little public information to measure the amount of unpaid domestic labour and voluntary work being undertaken in Singapore to formally acknowledge and incorporate the contributions that are being made to the nation.
Measuring the value of involuntary work was a call made by a 21-year-old undergraduate in the forum pages recently, which I quote, "We should do so, in order to give a fuller picture of how our economy is performing."
Having an annual figure of measuring unpaid work should also allow us to directly see if there are any effects that external shocks and events have. For example, whether and how the amount of informal care is affected by an economic downturn, which segments of the population are more affected by it and to allow the public to measure on a regular basis – the impact that our policies are having to support unpaid work.
Moving to our people; our only natural resource. This is another way of measuring how we value and consequently invest in our citizens. The New Zealand Living Standards Framework measures this as an integral part of the wealth of the nation in the form of human capability, defined as knowledge, physical and mental health and cultural capability. It includes in educational indicators as well as measurements on not just life but healthy life expectancy.
In line with an increasingly VUCA world – that is, more volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity – there is now rightfully more emphasis on lifelong learning and enhancements to the SkillsFuture movements are undoubtedly welcome for those who are considering pursuing midlife or mid-career training. Increasingly, we are also hearing about how paper qualifications should and will become increasingly obsolete. However, I hope that policies to encourage ongoing training do not inadvertently perpetuate an emphasis on paper qualifications.
Additionally, I hope that the SkillsFuture framework continues to work towards being more attractive and inclusive for Singaporeans across a broad spectrum. It is clearly an area which needs more work, as can be seen by utilisation rates of around 50% in 2022.
In short, we have to address structural barriers that may be preventing Singaporeans from making use of the schemes. After all, many workers have cited issues, such as the lack of time and the opportunity costs associated with attending classes, and have expressed reservations about forfeiting annual leave entitlements or the need to forego hourly wages to do so. Calls, such as those made by NTUC, for paid learning leave can go some way to addressing these structural impediments to workers taking up useful training programmes. Additionally, there have been concerns raised about the inclusivity of SkillsFuture clauses raised by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as the Disabled People's Association, which ask that more can be done to get training providers to provide reasonable accommodations to enable PwDs to attend courses. There are also reservations about having courses exclusively catered to PwDs, such as those through the Enabling Academy, which many in the community feel may be well meaning but ultimately, exclusionary.
Finally, I hope that priority will be given to sectors and areas where our social needs are strongest, when it comes to deciding where the $4,000 top-up for SkillsFuture Credits can be spent rather than focus only on industries that seem to have strong economic growth potential.
This would include care skills and training programmes in the wake of the accelerating needs of our ageing population, and also training in the fields of mental health, such as psychology, psychotherapy and counselling, and towards building a sustainable and strong contingent of the newly announced family coaches, whom MSF will deploy to work with vulnerable households.
To conclude, I hope that more than half a century of nation building means that we have now arrived at a stage where a diversity of views has a place in our society and that respect for disagreement is a hallmark of trust that is a two-way street. Greater transparency and more meaningful in-depth discussion may mean that we may take a more deliberative approach to public policy, which, in turn, should be seen as a means to improve. It is this approach to transparency and accountability, together with measuring our progress beyond GDP, that will ultimately help better inform our public policy debates and co-creation.
Mr Speaker : Mr Chong Kee Hiong.
2.25 pm
Mr Chong Kee Hiong (Bishan-Toa Payoh) : Mr Speaker, Sir, this is a forward-looking Budget with a balance of measures to help households and companies deal with rising costs and to make longer term preparations for the future.
One of the highlights of this Budget is the strong support for the upskilling and reskilling of our ITE graduates and middle-age and older Singaporeans. Reinforcing a continuous learning mindset and identifying improvement opportunities among Singaporeans will enable the population and Singapore to remain relevant in the evolving global economic landscape. The education top-ups, subsidies and monthly training allowances are unprecedented in scope and scale. This is a huge investment in our people.
I have two suggestions.
Firstly, the Government should consider tying up with the relevant industries to co-create curriculum and encourage pre-graduation job confirmations, so that upon completion of the courses, the graduates can have a higher rate of success of being hired by companies needing their newly acquired skills. One of the common feedback from some graduates of "train-and-place" programmes is that they have difficulties in finding jobs on their own.
Secondly, the Government should track the graduates of these courses and their subsequent employment and salaries to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy. As this is intended to be a long-term policy, at substantial recurring cost to our country, the Government should measure if the investment is yielding satisfactory results. If not, reviews, adjustments and changes will have to be made along the way.
Next, I would like to speak on support for SMEs. The underlying cost structure of our SMEs has changed significantly over the years. I appreciate the near-term relief measures in the Budget to help them cope with the rising costs. The $1.3 billion Enterprise Support Package will go a long way to help companies tide over current challenges and build long-term capabilities.
The increase in the maximum loan quantum under the EFS-SME Working Capital Loan to $500,000 will help them meet higher capital and cashflow requirements in an environment of rising costs. Some SMEs find it increasingly challenging to participate in Government projects as project scales increase, translating into higher capital and cashflow outlay and tender specifications. The Government can be more thoughtful in running the tender process to be more inclusive.
Regarding the additional $3 billion commitment to the $25 billion RIE2025 plan and over $1 billion investment in the next five years into AI compute, talent and industry development, may I suggest that a portion of both be ringfenced for SMEs or collaborations involving SMEs? We all know it is not easy for our SMEs to do R&D and incorporate AI development into their enterprises on their own, due to their smaller sizes and resource constraints. They need Government support for funding and collaboration with researchers and universities, as well as partner companies upstream and downstream. Otherwise, the digital divide between SMEs and MNCs will become wider.
Singapore is a small economy, and our economy is expected to grow at a slower pace going forward. It has become more urgent and important for our SMEs to source for more business and revenue overseas. To develop their businesses beyond our shores, SMEs need to understand and adapt to the dynamics of foreign jurisdictions, with all their different jurisdictions and ways of doing business.
Hence, there are opportunities to tap on the experience and skillsets of older professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) to assist SMEs in these aspects. For senior PMETs who seek changes in their careers or who are not employed, will the Government consider designing a systematic, structured framework to match them with SMEs which require their experience, knowledge and skills in the relevant markets and sectors? SMEs can leverage on their know-how, prior exposure to and familiarity with foreign markets to better navigate through the complexities and avoid potential pitfalls.
Next, I would like to speak on a topic which I have been following up on over the last few years, "Buy Singapore".
I would like to focus on our agrifood sector today. This is because it is a key pillar of our national food security, an issue which had been brought to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic. We must be prepared for other crises in the future and the more local food production services we have, the less vulnerable we are to supply disruptions. We must continue to support and boost this sector, and ensuring its viability, alongside others, such as manufacturing and financial services.
To strengthen food security, besides sector-friendly Government policies and financial support, we need to develop a whole ecosystem to make the agrifood sector a significant economic sector.
Given a higher cost structure and lack of economy of scale, the strength of the Singapore dollar, our local produce is more expensive than imported produce. To differentiate our local produce and justify their premium, we need to increase consumer awareness about the advantages and benefits of our local vegetables, fruits, eggs and fish, among others. What public awareness and education programmes are in place to build up this knowledge and boost demand from our local consumers?
At Budget 2017, I appealed to the Government to do more to boost local demand by including a "Buy Singapore" requirement in their sourcing contracts. I would like to urge the Government to consider this again. A stronger official mandate will go a long way to boost demand. This will also send a signal to the market and consumers to support our own and encourage our local companies to keep improving.
In addition, are we on track in the development of local expertise for this sector? From agrifood practitioners to researchers, we need to nurture a new generation of talents in our technical institutions, polytechnics and universities to support the development of this relatively nascent sector, especially when we include the more cutting-edge developments, such as lab-grown protein and meat.
Would the Government provide an update on the progress of $60 million Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund? It was announced at Budget 2021 to help us move towards the "30 by 30" goal of producing 30% of Singapore's nutritional needs by 2030. Are we on track to meet this target? How much of the fund has been disbursed and what kind of projects does it support?
At the Budget debate in 2021, I had suggested that the Government includes agrifood developments in its green bond and loan issuances, and sizing them such that even small investors can participate in and do their part to support the growth of Singapore's agrifood sector. Would the Government share an update on what has been done to include our agrifood sector in our green finance market?
I would also like to reiterate my appeal for the Government to consider more risk co-sharing with investors and banks for green and sustainability-linked projects. Most of these will continue to be pioneering initiatives lacking track records. The Government's support will provide green start-ups higher chances of bringing their visions to fruition.
Lastly, I would like to ask about the progress and impact on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) on our workplace and economy. The Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (TG-FWAR) are expected to be released later this year. The guidelines could include examples of reasonable and unreasonable business grounds to justify why requested FWAs can or cannot be provided.
I understand that for most of the public sector, working up to two days a week from home is the norm. Has the Government conducted any measurement of the effectiveness and efficiency of this arrangement on public service delivery standards to date? What have been the benefits and challenges of FWAs which had arisen in the past couple of years? In particular, as multiple members of the family from different organisations may be working from home at the same time, how do we safeguard against the inadvertent exchange of confidential information and the potential misuse of such information? What are the lessons the public sector had learnt which can be shared with private enterprises and organisations?
A deeper understanding of the relationship between FWAs and efficiency, information security and productivity can help us to come up with FWA policies that support and reinforce our global competitiveness. With this, I would like to conclude with my support for the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Ms He Ting Ru.
Ms He Ting Ru : Thank you, Mr Speaker, just a quick clarification. Earlier on, in my speech on the SkillsFuture framework, I mentioned utilisation rates of around 50% in 2022. It was my mistake. What I meant was training rates of around 50% in 2022.
Mr Speaker : Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
2.35 pm
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim : In his Budget Statement, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about AI as a general purpose technology, like electricity in internal combustion engine, the computer or the Internet as such technology, AI, indeed has the potential to touch every aspect of our lives. Like Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, I firmly believe in the transformative power of AI for the future of our shared economy.
In an earlier speech on amendments to the National Productivity Fund, I explained how AI carries both perils as well as promises. But if we truly embrace this vision, I believe that we must also transform how we approach our policies in this AI age. This must go beyond pursuing excellence in AI research, embedding AI in Government services, upgrading our broadband infrastructure or even assure that our firms rapidly adopt AI. Such goals outlined in the National AI Strategy 2.0 are indeed laudable but incomplete. Rather, the impending structural shifts that our economy will face will alter the way that our businesses, workers and students will operate. One can think of this as a complement to the Member Dr Tan Wu Meng as well as Mr Christopher de Souza's earlier speech, but not just about the policies of today but also of tomorrow.
Researchers suggest that AI adopting firms tend to be larger, younger and relatively more productive. But to fully reap the benefits of AI in our economy, firms that are likely to fall behind, the SMEs, which are especially the incumbent firms in non-tech and non-professional sectors, must be presented with strong and urgent incentives to adopt AI.
This is a non-trivial task. Small firms are almost, by definition, that way because they have been relatively slower in seizing business opportunities and rationalising costs. The owner of a "mama shop", a renovation contractor, a hawker stall or a car workshop may feel that AI has no direct implication for how they run their businesses and, hence, prefer to adopt a wait-and-see attitude toward adopting AI solutions for their company.
Singapore's participation in the OECD-led BEPS 2.0 framework affords us a tailor-made channel for creating incentives for AI adoption across a whole range of firm types. Pillar 2 allows for refunds of certain classes of investments to be treated as income rather than tax exemptions. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's proposed Refundable Investment Credit appears aligned with such qualified refundable tax credits. This suits per additional investments in not just R&D and innovation, but also the adoption of AI-enabled digital and professional services.
Yet, some words of caution are in order.
First, such incentives will be greatest for the largest firms since these are the ones covered directly by BEPS. But we must not forget SMEs and ensure that our "mom and pop" shops also see the strong benefits to pursuing Refundable Investment Credits, ideally through expanding outreach and promotion of the proposed scheme.
Second, while there is room for defining the scope of such credits, it is important to be mindful that BEPS rules permit countries to independently apply a top-up tax, which they may do if they believe that the tax rates imposed on firms domiciled here circumvents the spirit of the 15% minimum or subverts the intent of the credit to encourage sustainability or knowledge generation, in particular, if the Refundable Investment Credit is perceived as an instrument designed as a loophole. And this applies, to my mind, especially for investments meant to simply increase production rather than those targeted specifically at the green transition or R&D. They may choose countervailing action and exercise the top-up over on their end, thereby undermining the attractiveness of the Refundable Investment Credit in the first place.
This is why the seeming consensus arrived at in the Budget-related wish lists put out by the big four accounting firms here, all of which stressed the importance of refundable tax credits, may be worrying if, indeed, the intent was to return to a pre-BEPS world where accounting firms identify sophisticated strategies to enable MNCs to whittle away at the effective tax rates, with the concurrence of our Government.
Third, we need to be aware that the traditional argument favouring tax in capital more favourably than labour, under the premise that doing so would stimulate productive investment, may have to be re-examined. This is because an AI-driven economy tends to be weightless, and encouraging investment in yet more physical capital is nowhere near as important as accumulating intangible knowledge capital.
Fourth, and most generally, it is imperative that we no longer regard tax competition as our primary strategy for attracting foreign capital, a point that I had made in this House before. Rather, we should get the order right. We should aim to create an environment where our businesses are AI-enabled and our workers are AI-savvy, which will naturally attract investment from abroad.
But we should not stop there. The Big Data machine-learning algorithms and large language models that are at the forefront of the AI revolution are increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few powerful firms. This calls for pre-emptive action by governments, especially those with deep pockets and sovereign wealth funds, to take active exposures in AI companies, whether in publicly traded firms or via private equity. This not only allows the public sector to enjoy a returns upside, but also to ensure that they have a voice in AI developments that is ultimately in the public interest.
Of course, AI will not only alter the prospects for businesses but also our workers. Emerging evidence suggests that generative AI boosts productivity by about 14%. But among novice and low-skilled workers, the gain was far more, something to the order of 34%. This implies that AI augmentation will lead to a compression in the distribution of abilities and skills. As such, those who have hitherto been able to distinguish themselves, perhaps because of their talent or industry, may now find that edge blunted. The upshot then is that we need to question the sorts of skills that we are pushing our workforce to acquire.
Sir, skills may reside in unexpected places. It is certainly popular and sexy to suggest that the future economy will be in severe need of prompt engineers, cybersecurity specialists or digital marketers. But the current scarcity of such novel jobs will probably be relieved over the next few years, leaving it more likely that the skills involved will become enfolded into more traditional positions. Professionals of all stripes will need to learn the basics of delivering prompts through generative AI models, and marketers and salespeople will need to deliver their message across all media, including digital ones. And while we can never be certain, old-school artisan or craftsman roles could well make a revival as robotics have yet to deliver the sort of sufficient quality or range of uses on this front.
Moreover, certain skills that we may have until recently thought were future-proof, such as coding, writing well or statistical analysis, may quickly become devalued when AI tools can do the job just as well, if not, better, for a fraction of the cost and time involved. Instead, it is soft human skills, originality and critical thinking, empathy and teamwork, leadership and communication that will be ever more important, and these are not as easily replicable by AI. These are not skills well captured by certifications alone. Rather, they are nurtured through an emphasis on developing such ability in the classroom, even when they may not be formally evaluated. Or by self-reflection and feedback from managers and mentors, along with the concentrated efforts and experience over time in the workplace.
Economists have long recognised this. Even the most rudimentary models of human capital include not innate talent and years of schooling but also experience acquired from years of working. It is imperative, therefore, that we do not devalue alternative forms of knowledge acquisition beyond the classroom. That is why I believe that not only should the scale of SkillsFuture Credit be ramped up, as Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong indicated in the Level-Up Programme, but its scope should be expanded.
At this point, I declare that I work at an institution that has the potential to benefit from SkillsFuture, and this is some of the suggestions that I had suggested to the other Deputy Prime Minister earlier on.
This means that allowing credits to be used not only for academic credentials but also for alternative learning modes, such as apprenticeship programmes or on-the-job training. I previously raised this possibility of such an expanded scope during the debate on the SkillsFuture Singapore Agency (Amendment) Bill, held in this House last year, and via various Parliamentary Questions.
I wish to elaborate on the idea here but take it a step further. I hope that we can consider allowing companies that are able to submit credible proposals for apprenticeship programmes to take on trainees that apply with their SkillsFuture credits. The offset from SkillsFuture would effectively mean a subsidised worker, which will both increase the attractiveness of taking on such apprentices while compensating the firm for the cost of on-the-job training provision.
Some may argue that the intent of SkillsFuture was to equip Singaporeans with new skills, not subsidise labour costs for businesses. But this misses the reality of how many modern skills need it and even the most evergreen ones are often acquired while doing the job, not before it. A close friend of mine, who trained as an architect but eventually went on to a very successful career in finance, once shared that he was offered his first job at an investment bank despite his absent background, because they would have to teach him everything that he needed to know anyway. Furthermore, training apprentices could ultimately leave for a position elsewhere, which also represents a risk for the business.
If we are truly concerned that companies may abuse the system to hire a stream of temporary workers with little transferable skills, we can always include a clause in the contract that requires a minimum duration of employment, post-apprenticeship, conditional on mutual agreement and reasonable performance, of course.
Such a change in how we value skills and training in an AI-enabled economy will become more necessary in the future, not less. This is not least because we cannot yet anticipate what kinds of jobs may become displaced by AI and what would become more important?
If anything, the lifespan of economically remunerative skills is likely to diminish. But while I fully agree with the importance of infusing the mindset of lifelong learning into our workforce, we need to simultaneously stress that learning and applying must not be equated to grades and certificates.
Inevitably, some workers will be displaced by AI. This is why Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's indication that there will be temporary financial support for the involuntarily unemployed, in other words, support for those that have been made redundant is important. The WP supports this move, not least because we have been proposing some form of redundancy insurance since 2011.
In my response to the Budget last year, I further elaborated on the desirable features of such an unemployment insurance scheme. In a nutshell, this entails balancing the trade-off between providing a safety net for those who have lost a job, also encouraging those displaced workers to expeditiously return to the labour market, rather than relying on the payouts as a crutch. Optimal schemes tend to combine reasonably generous salary replacement, albeit for limited time.
If we accept that AI will alter how we work, it becomes self-evident that we also need to go upstream and rethink how the AI revolution will alter how we educate. By this, I mean education for the masses, not just building a core of AI scientists and researchers, just to make ourselves a hub for AI innovation.
For starters, it is high time we internalise how straightforward knowledge accumulation and rote learning with constant repetition regurgitated through closed-book exams is no longer tenable, if it ever was in the "information is free" age of the Internet to begin with.
AI will further erode the relevance of simply knowing more facts and figures, being the fastest at solving known problems or being able to memorise long lists of nomenclatures or taxonomies. Rather, we need to teach our kids how to filter information, to assess and evaluate, rather than to accept without questioning. This means that they will need to learn how to ask good questions and to identify the right from the wrong but, more often, to also recognise the new ones and know that there is not any clear right or wrong. This, in turn, requires fostering a deep, intellectual curiosity in our students, one that instils the habits and imparts the tools necessary for critical interpretation and evaluation of data, as well as information.
Students need to be taught not so much what to think but how to think. That is why my party colleagues, Mr Pritam Singh and Ms He Ting Ru, emphasise the importance of access to information, so that we can encourage such thinking, even in the policy realm. This will upend many of our traditional educational strategies.
First, we need to reconsider the importance of high stakes standardised tests as a performance benchmark, since AI already outperforms humans in most exams or they will in the next few years, in areas ranging from accounting, to law, to medicine, to languages. Indeed, it has even successfully drafted several Bills for legislators.
While standardised testing has long been a mainstay of Asian society, the Keju was first introduced in China in the sixth century, and Indian Emperor Kharavela relied on competitive testing to select his officials in as far back as the first century BC, its continued use will need to be reviewed in light of the realities of the modern educational landscape.
The tempting, but wrong, solution is to ban our students from using AI altogether. We do our students a disservice when we insist carte blanche that using ChatGPT output constitutes plagiarism, because this would disadvantage them when they enter into the real world and are forced to compete with those with greater familiarity of how to integrate generative AI into their work.
But this does not mean that we eliminate assessment wholesale. Rather, evaluations should be performed continuously and holistically. We still need to impart numeracy and literacy, but these can be evaluated through dynamic debates and polished presentations through group projects and collaborative problem solving, and through the ability to pose quality questions as much as offer quality answers. Continuous assessment, a term that we have used to describe our model of evaluation since I was in primary school, needs to be taken far more seriously.
And Deputy Prime Minister Wong's decision to top up the Edusave Endowment Fund has the potential to contribute to realigning our mindsets on competencies beyond grades. But I would encourage the MOE to take bolder steps, such as increasing the number of non-academic awards, making final exams just a small fraction of the overall course grade and allowing through-train education without the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).
I am aware of the subtle irony of this claim, coming from someone who has accumulated way too many academic credentials and taken way too many exams, and who still relies on teaching for a living. Be that as it may, I believe that we need to disabuse ourselves of the notion that the preferred path to professional, and personal, success lies solely in climbing the ladder of acquiring yet more academic qualifications. We inadvertently sell the rich diversity of gifts and talents of our population short, when we insist on holding fast to a mindset that the potential of a student is determined by how they fared in an exam when they were 12 or 16 years old.
Second, even as we implement AI in our pedagogy via the EdTech Masterplan 2030, we should not forget that customised learning, fostering digital literacy and equipping students with 21st century skills, all come back round to our teachers. Even as we fully empower our teachers with AI tools, we must also confer to them additional latitude to deliver the curriculum as they see fit, and make them facilitators rather than lecturers, or else learners will never fully exploit the full potential of AI.
Doing so will unlock what Sal Khan, founder of the online learning platform Khan Academy, characterised as "infinitely patient tutor[s]", a development that our tuition-obsessed nation will surely appreciate.
Finally, we also need to ask if the usual Nitec/Diploma/Degree pathway is still relevant in a world where the correlation between doing well in tests and translating that to practical performance is being increasingly challenged.
Mr Speaker : Assoc Prof Jamus, your last minute.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim : Deputy Prime Minister Wong's announcement of the ITE Progression Award, an effort to provide additional financial support to ITE graduates seeking to enrol in diploma programmes, should thus be viewed in light of what AI means for credentialism. While upgrading skills is undeniably important, promoting the acquisition of yet another paper qualification may be an incomplete assessment of the upgrader's abilities or, even worse, proffer a misguided reassurance that doing so will necessarily translate into a job and hence, be disappointed.
I will conclude. Mr Speaker, while my speech has stressed on the importance of relying on AI to reshape our businesses, workers and students, we must not also forget that AI will transform the manner which we as policymakers approach our task. The last thing we want from a 21st century government and legislature is more canned answers and pro-forma solutions that look like they came out of ChatGPT.
More crucially, we need the courage and conviction to forge a new way forward that is unshackled from our old ways. This is something that AI, designed to riff off the existing corpus of knowledge, can never do.
Mr Speaker : Order. We have been in the Chamber for close to four and a half hours. I propose to take a break now. I suspend the Sitting and will take the Chair at 3.15 pm. Order.
Sitting accordingly suspended
at 2.56 pm until 3.15 pm.
Sitting resumed at 3.15 pm.
[Deputy Speaker (Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo) in the Chair]
DEBATE ON ANNUAL BUDGET STATEMENT
[(proc text) Debate resumed. (proc text)]
Mdm Deputy Speaker : Mr Neil Parekh.
3.15 pm
Mr Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant (Nominated Member) : Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to discuss the Budget as presented by the Deputy Prime Minister earlier this month.
In my view, Budget 2024 cares for people, helps businesses focus their attention on improving, upgrading and expanding both locally and internationally while ensuring that business costs are better managed with Government assistance. Budget 2024 also boosts Singapore's premier position for attracting quality investments and helps create high-quality jobs for graduates coming out of our institutes of higher learning.
The big question before all of us is the need to remain committed to achieving these objectives as one people, one nation, one Singapore. With a cautiously optimistic outlook for 2024 and the economic stability that many of our trading partners are experiencing, Singapore businesses can breathe a sigh of relief.
However, Singapore needs to remain vigilant in view of the current geopolitical tensions. An escalation in any of the current conflicts could significantly impact a small, open, trade-reliant nation like ours, potentially affecting energy stability, inflation and global commodity prices. The business community welcomes many of the initiatives outlined in Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Budget 2024 speech. Let me very briefly touch on some of them.
The measures in the Budget to support and stimulate growth by managing rising business costs are greatly appreciated. The $1.3 billion Enterprise Support Package, which includes a 50% corporate income tax rebate capped at $40,000 and a minimum cash benefit of $2,000, will be particularly advantageous for our SMEs. Given the four consecutive contractionary quarters faced by SMEs in 2023, as reported by OCBC's quarterly SME Index, this package is timely.
The Corporate Income Tax rebate provides temporary relief, enabling businesses to sustain operations and employment. This intervention is a strategic move to alleviate financial pressures, encouraging firms to invest in productivity enhancements. This could lead to a more resilient business environment and a win-win situation for the Government and business owners through greater economic activity and increased tax revenues.
The Enterprise Financing Scheme enhancements, including the SME Working Capital Loan increase and the enhanced maximum loan quantum for the trade loan, are also welcome developments. These adjustments will facilitate access to operational cashflow for SMEs and support businesses in internationalisation, ultimately reducing operating costs through leveraging comparative advantages in different sectors. These enhancements also facilitate businesses with greater access to financing and capital and to capture new growth areas.
Introducing the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme for Singaporeans aged 40 and above is a commendable step. Including the $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit top-up that fills the need for lifelong learning, even in times of inflation. This initiative, coupled with the Mid-Career Enhancement Subsidy and a monthly training allowance of up to $3,000 for up to 24 months will significantly motivate individuals to enhance their skills. I believe the SkillsFuture Credit top-up will not only nurture talent but also allow those unemployed to build skills in different sectors and improve their employability into new roles by pursuing full-time diplomas at polytechnics, ITEs or arts institutions.
This provides a win-win scenario for both individuals and businesses. Individuals are well-equipped with better skills, lowering unemployment rates and pursuing jobs in sectors that offer better financial opportunities for their families. Businesses benefit from an increased talent pool with qualified individuals ready to dive into their sectors. The extension of the credit to 30 June 2025 will also allow individuals more time to decide on the career paths more suited for them and consider additional expenses when deciding to attend the courses.
However, it is very essential to bring along employers on board and change their mindset on investing in employees' training without fearing that they will leave after training. It is also important that employee training support includes workplace training, to improve the employability outcomes of our nation's investment in the training of our workforce.
As Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has highlighted, the most sustainable way to counter inflation is by bolstering our productivity by investing in human capital. Not only will empowering individuals with new and improved skills enable us to elevate real income through productivity gains, this will also allow Singapore to be better prepared for the ever-changing economic climate as well as create an agile and relevant workforce to better solidify our position in the world as more than a financial hub. I also believe the minimum cash payout of $2,000 to all companies which employ at least one local employee is clearly a new feature that will benefit many Singaporeans.
Madam, now let me touch on some of the other big-ticket announcements in Budget 2024.
The investment in schemes aimed at improving R&D and productivity, alongside advancements in AI and the nationwide broadband network will drive local productivity growth and attract foreign direct investments into Singapore. The RIE2025 plan, with the NPF and the Financial Sector Development Fund (FSDF) are strategic initiatives designed to cement our status as a global hub for innovation, technology and financial services.
By fostering R&D, promoting the commercialisation of innovative technologies and enhancing productivity, these programmes ensure our competitive edge in a high-value, efficient economic landscape. More importantly, these initiatives are progressive, ensuring that businesses lacking expertise and the ability to integrate with pre-existing technologies remain competitive and included.
Notwithstanding the uncertainties surrounding it, the implementation of Pillar Two of BEPS 2.0 on 1 January 2025 is a good strategic move for Singapore. Beyond low corporate taxes, Singapore offers a conducive investment environment with a skilled talent pool, a stable and business-friendly political climate, low crime rates, a robust judicial system and top-tier educational opportunities. These factors make Singapore an attractive hub for MNCs, even with a potential increase in corporate tax rates.
I also want to highlight the measures in Budget 2024 to touch on a very important subject, which is enhancing the retirement adequacy of Singaporeans.
The announcement for the closure of the Special Account and the transfer of the monies to the Retirement Account (RA) in 2025 is, in my view, a move in the right direction. There will be short-term pain for a few, while there will be medium-term and long-term gains for many. I also consider the most significant retirement-related move in the Budget to be the increase in the Enhanced Retirement Sum (ERS), which will enable members to receive more income from CPF Life.
From 2025, the ERS – the maximum that can be put in the RA – will be raised to four times the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS). This is very significant in our society which is ageing fast and with many more Singaporeans living long, healthy and satisfying lives.
With the higher ERS, a member can receive $3,330 a month from age 65 for life, against currently $2,530 at the current ERS level. With a prudent lifestyle, Singaporeans can retire and live gracefully in their golden years. However, I recognise the fact that for many of our fellow citizens, the most immediate goal is to reach the level of Full Retirement Sum (FRS), which remains at two times the BRS.
In order to make the path to FRS and then eventually ERS less steep, my recommendation is for the FRS to be adjusted down to 1.6 times the level of BRS from the current 2.0 times. In dollar terms, from the current level of $213,000 to $170,400, a reduction of $40,600 in the threshold. The lowering of this threshold will allow many more of our fellow citizens to enjoy the higher payout that comes with meeting the FRS.
Having some familiarity with how annuity payments are calculated and paid for, may I suggest that CPF LIFE and other annuity providers plan for these higher payouts for more citizens by increasing the duration of their fixed income portfolios? With interest rates at or close to the highest levels in the last decade, this is perhaps as good a time as any to increase the duration of their fixed income portfolios and enjoy the high rates that go with the longer duration.
Also, I would encourage the Government to re-energise its financial literacy campaign. While some of our fellow citizens are sophisticated, intelligent investors, many still do not understand basic concepts, such as the long-term benefits of compound interest. I would also encourage the Government to formulate a detailed but simple delivery platform to explain these CPF changes to our senior citizens. We want every Singaporean to be well informed about the rationale for this move and how it will help them when the time comes for everyone in the near future.
In summary, this is a Budget that directly confronts the reality that cost-of-living pressures exist for individuals while rising costs for businesses are a major challenge. It balances these two issues while reducing the risk of overheating the economy and increasing inflation. I believe this Budget will give businesses the necessary confidence to expedite their capital investment plans, which, in turn, will lead to growth in GDP and the creation of high value jobs.
In my view, the most important aspect of this Budget is that it provides for significant increase in benefits for individuals and companies without any new tax increases and without any need for any short-term deficit financing.
Maintaining fiscal discipline and protecting our Reserves is of paramount importance in what is likely to be a decade or two of rapid changes in the global economic environment with significant impact on a small, open economy like ours. Mdm Speaker, I wholeheartedly support this well-balanced, prudent Budget.
Mdm Deputy Speaker : Mr Xie Yao Quan.
3.28 pm
Mr Xie Yao Quan (Jurong) : Madam, it takes two hands to clap. That was my first and foremost reaction to this year's Budget Statement, aptly titled "Building Our Shared Future Together".
The annual Budget has always been about much more than how the Government spends in different areas. Fundamentally, the Budget has always been about the People's Action Party (PAP) Government's agenda for governance – its plans, its priorities, its statement of intent – and undergirding all these, a manifestation of the PAP Government's ethos and core values in governance. And for this year's Budget, the statement of intent is unmistakably about the 4G team's Forward Singapore agenda – to move Singapore and Singaporeans into an even brighter future.
In the Deputy Prime Minister’s words, Budget 2024 presents the first installation of plans in the Forward Singapore agenda. This must imply subsequent installations to come – "akan datang" – and I look forward to the unveiling of these future plans in good time. But as it is, the first installation of plans, as presented in Budget 2024 is, in my view, already breathtaking. The plans are bold, they are ambitious and they brim with gumption. They are a breathtaking set of plans.
But they are also plans I can describe in one phrase, that remind us that it takes two hands to clap, the Government, on the one hand, and citizens, whether individual or corporate and, oftentimes, the whole of society, on the other hand. The Government and citizens – two hands to clap.
The plans in the Forward Singapore agenda require the Government, citizens and the whole of society, to work ever more closely together, take action together, in order to make the plans happen. This, for me, is the crux of Forward Singapore. In other words, beyond having more information to facilitate further discourse, for me, the crux of Forward Singapore is really about action, taking action together, Government and citizens, individuals and corporates. Redoubling our commitment to work with each other and build a shared future together.
Because for a Singapore this advanced in its development and with scant playbooks to follow, for a Singapore that is navigating uncharted waters in an increasingly complex and troubled world, it can no longer be about the Government delivering the goods and citizens merely receiving. Going forward, it has to be about the Government and citizens figuring things out together, feeling the stones as we cross the river together. Building our shared future together. And it takes both hands to clap. That is what our social compact going forward must look like.
So, for the rest of my speech, I will talk about how we need to apply this basic orientation of action and collaboration between the Government and citizens in four areas under Forward Singapore and this Budget: housing, education, low-wage workers and healthcare.
First, housing. The PPHS (Open Market) Voucher supports couples with a child or children and waiting to collect keys to their BTO flats to rent HDB flats temporarily from the open market. This is an important move by the Government to complement the PPHS, which the Government is already ramping up. But for the Open Market Voucher to work, landlords – HDB flat owners – in the open market must play their part.
As it is, we know anecdotally that landlords are less willing to rent to couples with a young child because of potential disamenities. And so, it is not about rental price or rental market but it is about tenant profile. The Government cannot force or compel landlords to rent to couples with a young child. The Government can only provide the right scheme, the right market incentives, but the market must rise to the occasion and landlords have to do their part in order for the scheme to work. It takes two hands to clap.
Second, on education. The Government is taking huge steps forward in this Budget. One huge step is the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme to support more mature workers. Let me first offer some quick thoughts on the $4,000 top-up in SkillsFuture Credit and whether this is really too little or insufficient to cover course fees. Let us look at things in perspective.
For part-time and post-diploma programmes, the full fee is typically around $19,000. But the Government is already subsidising 90% of such fees for Singaporeans aged 40 and above, or around $17,000, such that the nett fees payable to the Singaporean is less than $2,000. And so, the SkillsFuture Credit top-up of $4,000 will more than cover the typical fees after subsidies for part-time and post-diploma programmes.
As for a second full-time diploma programme, the full tuition fee from a quick search online is typically around $12,000 per year, or $30,000, over 2.5 years. But for all Singaporeans, the Government is subsidising 75% of tuition fees, or almost $23,000 over 2.5 years. And so, when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in the Budget Statement that the Government is giving every Singaporean aged 40 and above a second "bite of the education subsidy", this bite is, in my mind, worth $23,000.
On top of such subsidies, the Government is extending to the individual $4,000 in SkillsFuture Credit to cover more than half of the balance of the tuition fees. And so, the out-of-pocket fees for a second full-time diploma comes up to about 10% of full tuition fees. I think this is a fair deal.
Indeed, on top of all these subsidies and credits, the Government is also introducing a training allowance tagged to one's average recent income to reduce the opportunity cost of pursuing full-time studies mid-life. This training allowance is capped at $3,000 per month for up to 24 months; so, up to $72,000 in total. This is a truly bold step and I think it will be a game-changer. But indeed, if I were to have any criticism on the Level-Up Programme, it would be about this training allowance. Because, generous as it is, I wish the training allowance had covered Singaporeans for up to 30 months, instead of 24 months, so that the entire duration of a full-time diploma programme can be more or less covered. That six months more of financial coverage for an adult learner with a family, with caregiving needs, will mean a world of difference. For the Government, this would mean an additional cost of up to $18,000 per citizen. But I think the difference it will make will be well-worth the cost.
But coming back to taking two hands to clap. The Government has made this bold move through the Level-Up Programme for more mature workers. I think it is really up to our citizens, both individual and corporate, to work with the Government to make things work.
For individuals, to take the plunge and seize the opportunities to get a comprehensive skills reboot and secure for yourself a second wave in your career and life. And for individuals, it is also about making and embracing an intergenerational classroom, where younger and more mature learners learn how to learn together. This does not come naturally and it will take effort.
For corporates – enterprises and employers – they need to recognise the tremendous value of Singaporean jobseekers who have taken this skills reboot and operated in an intergenerational learning environment. Recognise the tremendous value that this training provides, hire the jobseekers and offer them roles and packages that reflect their true value.
Another huge step taken in education in this Budget is the ITE Progression Award to help young ITE graduates get a diploma and move themselves onto a better career and wage trajectory. It is a huge step by the Government because it will uplift ITE graduates early on in their lives, reduce inequality and keep social mobility alive. It is another truly bold step, another game-changer in my mind, in the Forward Singapore agenda.
And so, I disagree with the Progressive Singapore Party (PSP), who has said that the $10,000 award upon graduation and to be paid into CPF Ordinary Account is not so helpful, because it creates differentiation among diploma graduates. Well, the reality is, half of every cohort passes through our polytechnics and so, within our polytechnics, there are vastly different profiles of students with vastly different needs. And so, a differentiated approach for different polytechnic student profiles is pragmatic.
And more importantly, it is fair. The starting pay for an ITE graduate is around $8,000 lower than that for a diploma graduate on a full-year basis. And so, the gap in CPF Ordinary Account contributions alone is around $1,500 per year. Therefore, the $10,000 CPF Award can be seen as helping diploma graduates coming through the ITE route to close the gap, just in terms of Ordinary Account contributions, that is equivalent to the first six years or so of their working lives. The Award helps them close this gap and helps them to catch up with their counterparts in terms of saving for a HDB flat. I think this is patently fair. It is the right thing to do and I am glad that the Government has taken the bold and decisive step to do it.
But again, it takes two hands to clap. So, while the Government has taken this bold step, I hope more ITE graduates will be encouraged to take up this scheme, and upskill and uplift themselves. And as importantly, I hope more ITE students, both current and future, will have a strong goal to work towards and be strongly motivated to do well in ITE to qualify for polytechnic.
And for our corporates – our enterprises and employers – I hope they will accord ever greater recognition of the skills that both our ITE and polytechnic graduates possess, and join hands with the Government to continue uplifting the wages of both our ITE and polytechnic graduates in the workforce.
Madam, thirdly, on low-wage workers, there is strong consensus in this House to uplift them. And last year, the Government has announced it will invest up to $9 billion over five years, in both Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model (PWM), to achieve this.
The PWM works hand-in-hand with Workfare to uplift low-wage workers. Progressive wages are really "minimum wage plus". They are good for low-wage workers. And so, there is really no fundamental ideological difference between minimum and progressive wages that warrants our rehashing and repeated debating in this House. Rather, I think what this House should really discuss is how to make progressive wages work for our workers, how to translate policy into real outcomes on the ground. And on this, it really takes two hands to clap. The whole of society has to do its part.
Take the security industry, for example. There have been instances of service buyers – corporate clients – reducing the workforce mix when calling for new tenders because of progressive wage. In other words, because the wages of not just security officers but also senior security officers and security supervisors have to go up under the PWM, but the service buyer's budget remains the same, the service buyer cuts its requirement for senior security officers and supervisors in a new tender. This runs against the spirit of progressive wages. It causes our senior security officers and supervisors to lose out. In order for the progressive wage policy to achieve real upliftment of low-wage workers, service buyers must be prepared to pay more. It takes two hands to clap.
Fourth, on healthcare. I cheer the increase in per capita household income thresholds for various subsidy tiers. It is timely and it will give more than a million Singaporeans higher healthcare subsidies and keep alive the promise of affordable healthcare for Singaporeans. Specifically, it will allow, amongst other things, more Singaporeans to requalify for the "blue" Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) card.
I have met so many residents who got "bumped down" to the "orange" card or "green" card because their children are staying with them are earning a bit more than the "blue" card threshold. And so, with the revision in income thresholds more Singaporeans will get to keep their "blue" card or regain their "blue" card at renewal. The Government has heard and heeded the concerns of Singaporeans. And this is excellent news.
But it takes two hands to clap and so, I hope with this enhancement and with the larger Healthier SG movement, all Singaporeans will really take ownership of their health and make full use of the infrastructure, programming and financing support provided by the Government to stay healthy and lead long and happy lives.
Madam, let me conclude with a final thought. While the Forward Singapore agenda reminds all of us of the need to each play our part, it is also a real luxury that we are able to talk about these exciting plans and have sufficient funds to back up these plans. This has not happened by chance. Rather, it is the direct outcome of sound fiscal decisions taken year after year, over many years. Fiscal decisions, including the GST, starting in 1993, then 2002, 2007 and, most recently, 2022.
Our GST journey has spanned more than 30 years, more than half of our existence as an independent nation, taking the right decisions, time after time, steadily building up a sustainable revenue base for Singapore and designing a system of GST and transfers that is fair and progressive, does not hurt the poor and taxes primarily the higher-income Singaporeans and foreigners but benefitting all Singaporeans. This is what successive PAP governments have done.
Had we taken the easy way out on GST each time, starting from 1993, we would be $19 billion poorer today, literally. Nineteen billion dollars is our entire health budget. It is our entire Education and early childhood education budgets combined. It is also almost our entire Net Investment Returns Contribution (NIRC) today.
And so, had we taken the easy way out on GST each time —
Mdm Deputy Speaker : Mr Xie Yao Quan, you have less than a minute.
Mr Xie Yao Quan : — starting from 1993, we would be talking today about using almost all of our Net Investment Returns and not just a bit more than half of it. Had we taken the easy way out on GST each time, starting from 1993, we would be wringing our hands today, instead of talking about taking two hands to clap, amidst all the exciting plans under Forward Singapore. Fortunately, we are where we are today. Madam, I support the Budget.
Mdm Deputy Speaker : Minister of State Mr Desmond Tan.
3.48 pm
The Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office (Mr Desmond Tan) : Mdm Deputy Speaker, the Labour Movement welcomes the Government's support for workers in this year's Budget – a bold and balanced Budget, a forward-looking, a Forward Singapore Budget that reflects our social compact and our workers' compact, and a budget that addresses and takes into account NTUC's recommendations following our #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations, the report that was tabled in September last year.
At the joint press conference on 6 February 2024, NTUC's Secretary-General and the President of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), warned that we could expect a challenging year ahead. Great power contestation and regional conflicts have disrupted global supply chains and reshaped economic activities, leading to a rising inflation, affecting both businesses and individuals around the world, including Singapore.
NTUC also conducted our annual Economic Sentiments survey recently with 2,000 respondents. About two-thirds noted that their income has not kept up with living costs especially affecting our seniors.
Amid double retrenchment figures and slowing wage growth, the survey revealed worrying trends, with 40% of all workers expressing the likelihood of job loss in the next three months, up from 25% in 2023. This suggests prevailing insecurity, fear of job cuts and potential uptake in retrenchments in 2024.
So, what does all these mean for our workers and for NTUC as a Labour Movement? Does it mean we will have to brace for tougher times? Yes, but we also need to seize opportunities for change and for transformation. It is times like these that NTUC remains steadfast in our unwavering commitment to providing support for all our workers.
My fellow Labour MPs will cover a range of topics that addresses the needs, the aspirations, the concerns of different segments of our workforce.
My speech will focus on three key areas. First, amid uncertainties, how the Labour Movement and NTUC will continue to journey with our workers. I will make a call for workers and companies to join the union, for better protection as well as for business success. Second, I will give an update on NTUC's efforts to support workers' upskilling through various schemes and initiatives. And finally, I will continue to speak up for our middle-aged and middle-career workers who are facing significant challenges.
First, why join a union? Recent wave of lay-offs globally and locally has heightened apprehensions among workers about job losses. An example is the Lazada Singapore retrenchment which has brought into focus the role and the value that unions can offer to all workers as well as to businesses. Allow me to elaborate.
After the abrupt lay-off, Lazada Singapore Private Limited and the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) eventually reached an amicable settlement. And now, they are focused on building a strong partnership for the mutual benefit of the company and for all the workers that are affected. The resolution includes an enhanced support package and training fund for affected members under the union's scope of representation, many of whom, in fact, are PME workers. Lazada's commitment to maintaining open communication with FDAWU is encouraging, underscoring the vital role the unions play in securing favourable terms for our workers, particularly during retrenchments.
I mentioned that many of the Lazada employees are PMEs. With 51% of NTUC members now being PMEs, NTUC will continue to represent all workers, regardless of collars, age or nationality or, what we often say, "All can".
Let me cite another example of how NTUC can support and the union has helped another PME. A senior account manager worked for 10 months and resigned in June 2023. During that period, she managed to close sales target for two separate teams, but she was told that if she was to leave earlier, she will not be eligible for the commission for her first team if she resigned. So, she sought the assistance of the Singapore Industrial and Services Employees' Union, after failing to convince the company herself. The union represented her case and met with the management and eventually, the management investigated and agreed to pay the commission by the end of last year. In the end, the member was grateful and maintained a positive relationship even as she left the company.
PMEs or not, union members can benefit from NTUC membership on workplace issues.
But it is not just a matter of supporting only our workers. NTUC believes in achieving win-win outcomes by supporting businesses to grow the pie so that workers can benefit by sharing the gains. NTUC leans forward to support our unionised companies in hiring, in job placements, upskilling and training and, more recently, in business transformation.
Allow me to say an example of how NTUC supported our unionised company, Dyna-Mac Engineering Services Private Limited. During the oil price crunch and COVID-19 pandemic, the company was experiencing business downturn. A newly appointed Executive Chairman and CEO, Mr AC Lim, shared that he was at his wit's end trying to turn around the company, when the Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Employees' Union introduced him to the company training committee initiative (CTC).
Dyna-Mac took the leap of faith, formed the CTC and embarked on the OpsTech roadmap. Through the process, the company reaffirmed their business direction and goals, and received support from the CTC Grant. Today, Dyna-Mac is in the black and workers are sharing in the gains. So, when I joined Mr Lim at the last panel discussion on CTCs, he expressed strong appreciation for how NTUC has helped his businesses and his workers.
When I tell this story, unions and even businesses around the world may not appreciate how a union can actually support businesses or even employers. But with NTUC and Singapore, because of our unique tripartism, we were able to secure better outcomes for workers by not just supporting workers directly but also going upstream to support businesses. It is in tough times that the value of NTUC will come to the fore, in protecting our workers and helping companies grow their businesses. So, I urge all companies and workers to consider joining the NTUC family because, as brothers and sisters, we will grow the business together and we will ensure we secure better wages, better welfare and better work prospects for all workers.
Next, I will speak about how NTUC plans to continue our support for workers' upskilling. This is not new. NTUC has always maintained that for our economy to grow, our competitive advantage must be a skilled and quality workforce that is future ready.
But why is there an urgency now to step up our efforts in upskilling and training?
According to the World Economic Forum 2023's Future of Jobs report, over 75% of companies are planning to integrate Big Data, cloud computing and AI technologies in the next five years. While all these advances are expected to enhance productivity and drive growth, there is an anticipated short-term impact on workers and their livelihoods. Based on NTUC's annual Economic Sentiments survey, 3% already experienced negative impacts on their jobs as a result of AI and 15% are worried that they will lose their jobs. And of these, two-thirds are PMETs.
Last year, in the US, one of the longest labour disputes involving over 10,000 Hollywood Television and Movie Writers represented by The Writers Guild of America, along with 160,000 actors affiliated with other guilds, brought the entertainment industry to a standstill. The writers' main concern was the extensive use of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, to create scripts, raising fears that studios may therefore exploit AI to replace screenwriters and to reduce fees. After negotiations, Hollywood writers secured control over AI to prevent its use as a tool to replace them.
Additionally, white-collar layoffs seen in companies like Google, Duolingo and UPS are increasingly tied to productivity-boosting technologies like machine learning. This trend highlights AI's roles in automating routine tasks, affecting both blue- and white-collar jobs. The rise of AI and automation may lead to job displacements across sectors, including those in the high percentage of PMEs who form 60% of Singapore's workforce today. This underscores the need for a "just transition", ensuring that as AI changes work, society and the economy, the transition is implemented fairly, equitably and with considerations for all workers and communities. To navigate this transition, it is imperative for workers to engage in continuous learning, consistently updating our skills.
Our Founding Father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, once referred a letter from the former chairman of the Japan Productivity Centre, Mr Kohei Goshi, who played a significant role in fostering a culture of productivity in Japan. Mr Goshi drew on the wisdom of a Chinese philosopher, Guanzi, and I quote, "一年之计，莫如树谷；十年之计，莫如树木；终身之计，莫如树人。" Translated, it means one may grow grains or trees for short-term gains but for longer rewards, one has to invest in growing men or in developing talents.
As we chart our way forward, NTUC pledges to continue championing our workers' interests to take action for them and with them. I am heartened to share that despite the uncertainties of technological disruptions, 52% of workers foresee the need to upskill to adapt to the rise of AI, based on NTUC's annual Economic Sentiments survey.
NTUC Learning Hub, for example, has recently launched the "X for Everyone" series of courses, addressing emerging technologies crucial for modern workplaces, such as generative AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing, as part of the Tech Talent Academy. I encourage all workers to update their skills to remain proficient in the face of the rapid developments in these vital technologies. Another initiative NTUC is working relentlessly in promoting upskilling is to drive the CTC, an institution to complement to SkillsFuture, and an initiative between employers and the unions to support businesses' transformation that can result in company-initiated training and skills upgrading for workers.
Since its inception in 2019, we have made tremendous progress. I am happy to update that we have formed over 1,900 CTCs to date, approved 168 companies CTC-grant projects, helped over 2,600 workers to receive an average of 5% wage increase and/or benefit from a career development plan and also equipped over 125,000 of our workers with skills to secure better wages and better work prospects.
I would like to share an example of a successful CTC collaboration with a progressive employer, Hydroflux Marketing, a homegrown company specialising in water filtration solutions. Through OTR, Hydroflux formulated a business strategy plan identifying areas for digitalisation, talent development and growth opportunities. With support from the Singapore Manual and Mercantile Workers' Union, the company successfully secured a 70% grant approval for its CTC project, benefitting 38 workers, 12 receiving an average wage increment of 8% and 26 impacted by the implementation of a career development plan.
Prior to the CTC initiative, sales staff faced limited career advancement opportunities. But with a new plan in place, Hydroflux is committed to providing career development structures exemplified by success stories, like Ms Alyssa Lim, who transitioned from an air stewardess to now a sales role. Ms Lim's dedication led to her promotion to a Senior Lifestyle Specialist role, showcasing the positive impact of CTCs and the implemented strategies.
So, we hope more companies will work with NTUC in forming CTCs and developing strategic plans for both business and workforce development. NTUC urges companies to tap on the CTC Grant that helps to navigate trends, such as AI, support workers' upskilling and enhance business productivity.
Besides partnerships with the employers, NTUC also works with our SkillsFuture Singapore. In June 2023, WSG piloted a Workplace Skills Recognition programme (WPSR) with NTUC and the National Centre of Excellence for Workplace Learning (NACE) in two sectors, the retail and the food services sectors. NTUC has been working closely with SSG and NACE to introduce CTC companies within these two sectors to pilot and to embark on a Workplace Learning:READY Mark certification. With good ground feedback and success from companies, such as King's Cart Coffee Pte Ltd, NTUC will continue to work with SSG and NACE to onboard more CTC companies to this initiative. In this regard, we hope that WPSR can be expanded to more sectors and availed to more companies for their benefit.
NTUC remains committed to offering comprehensive support for workers navigating through career transitions. Today, I am pleased to announce that starting from 1 April 2024, NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) will assume an expanded role in the personalised placement landscape through the transfer of designated career centres and Jobs and Skills Centres from Workforce Singapore. With more strategically located career and job services touch points across Singapore, NTUC's e2i will bring personalised career coaching, job matching and skills upgrading services closer to the individuals in the heartlands and help all Singaporeans across diverse work types islandwide to find better employment and employability. More details about this development will be announced shortly.
Finally, I will speak about the support for a segment of our workers that is very close to my heart and have faced significant challenges – the middle-aged mid-career working people.
In my campaign speech in 2020 on national television, I spoke about this segment and that I will do my utmost to support them in their livelihood, to give them greater purpose and dignity. I did so in Pasir Ris, bringing job opportunities, organising job fairs and career networking sessions and working with many Government agencies.
But despite these efforts, many still struggled, and I met them across the constituency. I met this gentleman who was in his 50s when he decided to return from overseas to Singapore because of his son's National Service (NS). He was confident he would secure a job easily, given his extensive experience in sales and also management. He applied for numerous jobs during COVID-19, got a few replies and a couple of interviews, but zero offers for two years. Although it was not explicit, he sensed that companies find that his age could be a barrier. Some even said he was overqualified for the post that he applied for.
This gentleman was not looking for a high-paying job. He was prepared to take a pay cut, learn new things, go into a new area and start all over. But he was just not given the opportunity to do so. His wife has a health problem, his two children are not yet working, and he still has to put food on the table. So, he turned to driving Grab. At least that helped him to feel useful and helps to contribute to his family. After a year, he was finally offered a job at a fraction of his last drawn pay – even below what he could earn by driving Grab. He could not accept the offer and, as time passed, his confidence in himself, and also in the job market, dipped.
I recall receiving a message from him at 4.00 am one morning. And it says: "Mr Tan, I am still struggling to get back to normal employment to deal with life. Ageism is very real. Having worked so many years and so much effort to upgrade myself to stay relevant. Why are people like me still struggling?"
Well, thankfully he finally landed a good job after three to four years. His persistence has paid off. And, in between, he upgraded himself, took some courses and continued to persevere. But his struggle is real and I think he is probably not the only one who faces the same problem. We have to do more for people like him, especially given our ageing workforce and manpower shortage.
That was why, during Budget last year, I called for the Government to provide more support for mid-career workers by expanding the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme to more sectors, so that more workers can benefit from the scheme and also to consider introducing training allowance that was introduced during the COVID-19 for trainees under this scheme. I also called for the Government to review training funds and allowances to support our workers in alleviating their concern for the lack of time and finances and opportunity costs when attending training.
So, I was particularly excited when Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced in this year's Budget a very significant training boost for mid-career workers in his Budget speech, and I thank the Government for the decisive move in Budget 2024 to recognise that our mid-career workers who are above 40 years old need more help.
In my interactions over the last two weeks with many workers, including the gentleman I spoke about, these announcements are very welcomed and timely. Many commented the schemes announced are well thought out and decisive, and for a group of workers that really face difficulties. We look forward to more details to be announced at the Committee of Supply by the Ministries.
Now that the Government has made a very significant move and NTUC has continued to step up our upskilling and job supporting efforts, I hope that the employers will join hands with us, do your part to better support our mid-career workers, to more hire more of these workers, to pay them fairly based on their skillsets and experience and to provide protected time-off for their training and consider ways to recognise their skillsets. Mdm Deputy Speaker, in Mandarin, please.
( In Mandarin ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] Esteemed colleagues in Parliament, since the announcement of the 2024 Budget, we have received a lot of positive feedback from workers. The Government has proposed many measures and schemes to support mid-career workers, uplift low-wage workers, assist young workers and families, help middle-aged workers obtain retirement adequacy and aid Singaporeans in coping with the cost of living. These measures and schemes were proposed after listening to the feedback and voices of workers and have taken into account the recommendations from the NTUC's #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations report. Our workers will benefit from the various plans and measures introduced by the Government.
Additionally, we sincerely hope that more workers can achieve these three points: firstly, join the union to bring more security to their careers and lives; secondly, make good use of the SkillsFuture training subsidies to enhance skills and keep pace with economic transformation; and thirdly, we urge middle-aged and mid-career workers to make good use of the subsidies provided by the new SkillsFuture Level-Up programme to pursue professional courses and strengthen their employability. All Singaporeans aged 40 and above can receive an additional $4,000 subsidy.
NTUC will continue to support workers in enhancing their skills, obtaining better wages, welfare and work prospects. We also encourage workers to make good use of these schemes and measures introduced by the Government and NTUC.
As the saying goes, learning is like rowing upstream, not to advance is to retreat. The same goes for building a career; not advancing is akin to retreating. For society to progress and economy to grow, workers must upgrade and the tripartite partners must work together. United, we can help workers improve and create a better future.
( In English ): The year 2024 is expected to bring challenges for both workers and businesses. However, echoing Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's sentiment, and I quote, "Singapore can take heart that the country has navigated similar external disruptions and shocks in the past and each time had emerged stronger than before."
Our resilience is evident in successfully weathering recent challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, with tripartism at the very core of our efforts. NTUC remains committed to our partnership with the Government and the industry stakeholders with an unwavering focus on workforce development because every worker matters. We encourage workers to join NTUC, we call on more companies to collaborate with us on CTC and extend our gratitude to Government for the substantial support for mid-career workers in this Budget. Mdm Deputy Speaker, I support the Budget.
Mdm Deputy Speaker : Mr Patrick Tay.
4.11 pm
Mr Patrick Tay Teck Guan (Pioneer) : Thank you, Mdm Deputy Speaker. I rise in support of Budget 2024. It is a well-considered budget that aims to strengthen our nation's resilience to withstand the challenges of an uncertain global economy.
We are entering an era of work that is marked by precarity, where job security is no longer a guarantee. In 2023, retrenchments in Singapore more than doubled to 14,000 and the myriad of challenges, uncertainties and volatility persists. The climate crisis and new technologies like generative AI will bring about disruption and transformation to our economy, including the labour market in both speed and scale.
Jobs and skills obsolescence will persist and therefore workers of all collars and ages are now more vulnerable and understandably anxious about the way ahead. Earlier this month, NTUC's annual Survey on Economic Sentiments echoed this same worry and anxiety on the ground, where more workers are concerned about losing their jobs compared to the preceding year. At the same time, there are ongoing challenges of inflation and rising costs of living. From groceries to electricity and water bills, Singaporeans who find themselves out of a job are facing increased financial strain in meeting their basic needs.
During this exceptional and critical time, it is therefore imperative for the Government to re-evaluate our approach to unemployment and job loss. We must assure workers who find themselves involuntarily displaced or transitioning into more resilient careers that they will not be left behind without support. We must also equip our workers with the resources and skills necessary to strengthen their employability. Only by investing in our collective resilience and prosperity can Singapore prevent the adverse repercussions of economic restructuring and emerge stronger together.
To this end, I will focus on what I will call as the "2S" areas, of Support and Strengthening, for our workers: Support for the Unemployed, and Strengthening SkillsFuture and CET.
The first "S" of Support for the unemployed is a call I first made more than 10 years ago, here in this House in 2014. I have checked Hansard and found that the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, in March 1970, also in this House, spoke about and analysed the unemployment insurance, and also consulted the ILO before the Government made its stance and stated its approach. I am heartened that after a decade of lobbying, more MPs have joined me in this call including our Opposition MPs, that it has been adopted by the Government through Forward Singapore last October and announced by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his Budget Speech this year.
Temporary financial support for the unemployed has increasingly emerged as a key recommendation from the Labour Movement's engagements with workers and union leaders in the past few years. It started as a key recommendation from the NTUC-SNEF PME Taskforce, which I co-chaired with SNEF in 2021 amid COVID-19, where we consulted over 10,000 members of the public, union leaders and business leaders. It was reiterated again in our NTUC's renewed Workers' Compact last year, following a year-long engagement with over 42,000 workers, through our #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations.
PMEs represent a segment of our workforce that are particularly precarious when they become unemployed, because they typically have more dependents to take care of but take a longer time to find a new job due to their age and expected income. Upon re-entry to employment, there is also an increasing propensity for them to suffer from wage loss.
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
Yet, unemployed PMEs are generally less likely to receive support from the Government in view of their earlier higher income. As a result, they may feel compelled to rush into the first job offer they find rather than taking the time to upskill or search for a job that better fits their skills, experience and aspirations. These workers may then find themselves entrenched in ill-fitting jobs in the long term.
According to a recent joint research study by NTUC and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), this gap may have already materialised in our labour market. The study found that one in four workers experience under-employment arising from skills-jobs mismatch or, in other words, are over-skilled or overqualified for their current jobs. I think the greatest concern is with involuntary underemployment. I will share the findings from the report in due course on a separate platform, including on my socials.
After a decade of tireless lobbying, I am therefore elated to see our efforts recognised in the Budget 2024 with the announcement of a new temporary financial support scheme by the Government for involuntarily displaced jobseekers while they undergo training or look for better-fitting jobs. As the parameters of this scheme are being deliberated, I urge the Government to extend coverage to as many workers as possible, including the broad middle of affected workers and not just those in the lower-income bracket. Allow me to elaborate.
Two major disruption cycles to our local workforce are already in place – the phasing out of fossil fuels to transition towards renewable energy and the rise of GenAI. This means that previously secure jobs in fossil fuel energy production could face redundancy, as a necessary and inevitable focus on renewable energy demands different skills. AI is also expected to disproportionately impact PMETs, who make up slightly more than 60% of the workforce today, due to the computer-based content-generation work inherent to PMETs. Already, industry giants, such as Shell and Grab, have announced hundreds of job cuts from their Singapore offices, citing these two disruption cycles as reasons for restructuring.
As we continue to expect continued restructuring, reorganisation, and re-prioritisation in 2024, we must all stand prepared for any curve balls by ensuring that workers affected have the support and resources they need to adapt to and thrive in a new economic landscape. Although these industry changes may render some jobs and skills obsolete, they also have the potential to create more sustainable and meaningful jobs with better wages and generate new in-demand skills. If we are to ride this wave of change, we will need to reskill our workers and help them navigate career transitions.
Temporary financial support will therefore serve as a lifeline for displaced workers by providing them with ample space and time to upgrade their skillsets and secure better jobs. To ensure the successful implementation of this scheme, I would like to propose five areas of consideration on designing this scheme, which I call the "5A"s.
First, applicability. Temporary financial support for the unemployed should cover the broad middle of affected workers rather than only those whose incomes fall below the national median wage or lower-wage workers, to ensure that all who need support will receive it. I also implore the Government to consider extending support to those retrenched as well as those involuntarily unemployed for genuine reasons. By the same token, sector-specific support for workers in industries that may experience cyclical downturn will be a great augmentation, so that companies can cut costs to save jobs and not cut jobs to save costs. This will also nudge and encourage at-risk workers to proactively fortify their careers by upskilling or reskilling to transit to more sustainable careers.
Second, amount. Financial support should entail a sufficient amount that can tide affected workers over, based on a reasonable societal standard of a worker and his families' basic needs.
Third, ample time. The duration of financial support should suffice such as to allow for effective reskilling and job-matching while ensuring that the unemployed can get back to work as soon as possible and not become under-employed involuntarily.
Fourth, active labour market policy. Financial support, if any, should be reciprocated by workers doing their part to actively search for jobs and diligently attending training to ensure the affordability and sustainability of the scheme.
Fifth, and finally, accessibility. Access to financial support should be simple, seamless and prompt. More importantly, the scheme must not just be about providing financial help but must encompass active career guidance, coaching and employment facilitation to help those involuntarily unemployed workers identify suitable career pathways and access funded training under the SkillsFuture ecosystem.
This leads me to the second "S", strengthening SkillsFuture and CET.
As Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned in his Budget statement, the Government and NTUC has consistently championed SkillsFuture and CET as pathways to good jobs and better wages. I would like to call for the Government and employers to continue working closely with NTUC and the Labour Movement to strengthen the SkillsFuture and CET ecosystem and better support workers' upskilling, employment, employability and career progression.
I recognise that the Government has invested heavily in providing training opportunities and generous subsidies, particularly through the newly-announced targeted $4,000 SkillsFuture Credit top-up which will be a great boon for our mature workers, and enhanced subsidies for selected programmes and training allowance for mid-careerists aged 40 and above from May this year. I look forward to hearing the fuller details at the Ministry of Education Committee of Supply. However, I wish to submit three points in this respect.
First, I applaud the SkillsFuture Credit top-ups and acknowledge that those below 40 years will eventually get a bite of this cherry when they reach 40 years old. However, I submit that we should extend the access of this $4,000 to other vulnerable groups of Singaporeans besides mid-careerists, such as the retrenched, unemployed and freelancers in need of individual initiated training and who may fall outside the scope of this top-up. I also look forward to more details on the types and category of courses which this $4,000 can be used for and for the Government to not just consider those programmes that lead to certifiable courses, but those that lead to employment and employability outcomes, whether directly or indirectly. This will include coaching and mentoring training to maximise one's potential and enhance career progression and employability.
Second, career conversion programmes (CCPs) should be widened to cover even more sectors and industries, as the current offerings may not be extensive enough to fully realise the potential and capabilities of those keen to embark on a career change voluntarily or involuntarily.
Third, in my work with the unions and the Labour Movement, I have gathered feedback that the current CCP model may not be viable for many PMEs, due to the relatively lower monthly training allowance during their period of training for some of the CCP courses. I think a good and useful proxy would be the IBF's Technology in Finance Immersion Programme, which offers a monthly training allowance of up to $5,500. With the latest announcement of a training allowance of up to $3,000 for those undertaking selected certification and qualifications on their own, I opine that the training allowance of our CCPs should be increased to keep pace with rising median wages, household expenditures, inflation and rising costs of living.
To conclude, while the challenges ahead appear daunting, let us remember that to pave the way for progress, we must first face adversity head-on. And the only way we can emerge stronger is together. Successfully transitioning our workforce through the rapid structural changes in our economy and seeking out new opportunities will require tripartite collaboration to help workers bounce back from setbacks and bridge the skills divide and gap. This can be achieved through the dual effort of Supporting the unemployed and Strengthening SkillsFuture and CET.
NTUC believes that "Every Worker Matters". We care and we will continue to take action to support all workers, so that no one is left behind as we strive towards better wages, welfare and work prospects. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Mr Melvin Yong.
4.25 pm
Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Radin Mas) : Mr Speaker, I support the Budget, which seeks to tackle immediate cost-of-living pressures, create more paths for social mobility and forge a stronger shared future.
Today, I wish to highlight the anxieties that many Singaporeans face in our current employment climate. MOM's preliminary data has shown that retrenchments have more than doubled in the past year and this is expected to rise even further. I will also talk about how we can better support our low-wage workers, by expanding the PWM to other sectors and exploring the Career Progression Model for skilled professions.
Sir, Budget 2024 continues the trend where social spending makes up the largest part of the Government's spending plans. It is no secret that Singaporeans are anxious about the steady and unabating rise in our cost of living. All of us would have felt the impact of inflation when we buy our meals at hawker centres and when we pay our monthly utility bills.
In NTUC's most recent annual survey on economic sentiments, 63% of respondents felt that their income did not increase sufficiently to match the rise in the cost of living. Our survey also found that older workers felt this more acutely, likely due to the short runway they have till retirement. Many young seniors in Radin Mas have also shared with me their growing worries about retirement adequacy, wondering if their retirement nest eggs can survive being eroded by inflation.
I am therefore heartened that Budget 2024 will enhance the Assurance Package by $1.9 billion. The additional CDC Vouchers, the Cost-Of-Living Special Payment, U-Save and service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates will go some way in helping Singaporeans defray the rise in prices.
In addition to alleviating immediate cost-of-living pressures, Budget 2024 continues the Government's trend of increasing our social spend to cater to a rapidly ageing population and to ensure social mobility. Between 2010 and 2019, we nearly doubled our social spending to $37 billion. During this term of Government, the budget allocated to MSF will increase by about 18%, from $3.9 billion in FY2020 to an estimated $4.6 billion in FY2024.
I fully support this, and I will speak more about the good work done by MSF during the COS debate. As we build our shared future together, we must retain our core identity as an inclusive society, a society where no one will be left behind.
The private sector and civil society can also do their part in the fight against inflation. I am happy to read about exemplary companies, such as NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong and DBS, just to name a few, that have rolled out meaningful initiatives to help consumers stretch their dollar.
NTUC has rolled out various measures to help Singaporeans mitigate the rise in cost of living. Initiatives, such as the $8 FairPrice Return Voucher for every $80 nett spend using CDC vouchers and the GST offset on 500 essential items, have helped many Singaporeans defray inflation. At Kopitiam, union members can enjoy a breakfast set starting from $2.20. Transport workers continue to pay 60 cents for a cup of "kopi O" or "teh O" at over 50 canteens operated by the National Transport Workers' Union. I was also heartened to read that DBS has extended its Five Million Hawker Meals initiative, which allows patrons of various hawker stalls who use the DBS PayLah! app to get up to $3 off their meals every Friday. Hawkers in my Radin Mas constituency tell me that this has helped to boost business and my residents tell me that the $3 offset is indeed substantive.
I encourage more companies to join NTUC and DBS in helping to alleviate the cost-of-living pressures for everyone.
Sir, various community initiatives have also sprung up to help tackle the increasing prices of our everyday essentials. In Radin Mas, we launched the "It’s On Me" programme in 2021, where patrons to Redhill Food Centre and Telok Blangah Crescent Food Centre can pay a little extra when buying their own meals to treat someone else, someone who may be in need. Since its launch in 2021, the programme has given away more than 100,000 free meals. Beneficiaries have told me that they deeply appreciate how, as a community initiative, "It's On Me" does not require any means testing.
To further assist vulnerable residents, Radin Mas launched the EZ-Meals programme just last month. Beneficiaries can approach more than 80 participating hawker stalls within the constituency to offset $3 from the price of their meals. This helps to keep the cost of food low for some 200 beneficiaries while providing a wide variety of food options.
To help consumers find the best deals and stretch their dollar, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) launched the Price Kaki app in 2019 to allow for an easy comparison of prices of daily essentials. The app has since been downloaded by more than 150,000 users who use it to check the prices of over 10,000 daily essentials and about 75,000 cooked food items islandwide.
I am also glad that HDB and Government Technology Agency (GovTech) had recently launched the Great Budget Meal Hunt, creating a portal to crowdsource budget meal recommendations located at HDB coffee shops. Together with Price Kaki, this will provide consumers with greater awareness and more choices to help them stretch their dollar.
Following the success of the Price Kaki app, CASE realised that, over time, we have built up a substantial number of "super users". They use the app daily and share deals with their family and friends, often by sending a screenshot of what they see on the app across their WhatsApp groups.
The Price Kaki team has spoken to some of these super users, who tell us that they hope to be able to share these "lobangs" and promotions within their own neighbourhoods with other users using the app, so that we can build micro-communities of like-minded individuals. I call these users our "Price Kaki Champions" and we value their feedback. CASE will, therefore, enhance the app by launching a community feature in Price Kaki. This new function will be available in a few days' time and will allow users to share reviews, in-store promotions and tips to better stretch their dollar.
We will also grow our community of Price Kaki Champions offline, so that we can bring the benefits of Price Kaki to as many consumers as possible. I am happy to announce that CASE will work with the People’s Association (PA) to recruit 2,000 grassroots volunteers across all constituencies as Price Kaki Champions. These volunteers will help to suss out deals within their own neighbourhoods and teach others to use the Price Kaki app to find the best deals. As we grow our network of Price Kaki Champions, I am confident that we will further improve price transparency, promote cost-consciousness and empower consumers to make better value-for-money purchase decisions.
Mr Speaker, the long-term solution against inflation must be an increase in real wages to ensure that workers keep their jobs and wages keep pace with the rise in prices. At NTUC, we believe that jobs are the best welfare and full employment is the best protection for our workers. This is especially true for our lower-wage brothers and sisters, who have seen their wages decrease in real terms in 2023. I was, therefore, heartened to read how all three of our local banks, DBS, UOB and OCBC, are giving their junior staff a one-off payment to help them cope with cost-of-living pressures.
But beyond company-specific initiatives, NTUC has been relentlessly championing for a way to increase wages through upskilling skills and improving productivity. We first conceptualised the PWM for the cleaning sector and expanded it to other sectors where outsourcing practices were common, such as security, landscape and lift and escalator maintenance. Workers have benefited through faster wage growth. From 2022 to 2028, workers covered by PWM can expect cumulative wage increases of up to 80%.
Members would have read news that countries with minimum wage policies are now starting to look towards the Singapore PWM, recognising that minimum wage had become a wage ceiling rather than a floor, resulting in stagnant wages in these countries.
Mr Speaker, PWM operates within a framework that carefully balances multiple factors, including industry dynamics, economic sustainability and prevailing labour market conditions. It is a pivotal component of Singapore's strategy in pursuing sustainable income growth and plays a crucial role in uplifting the earning potential of workers across a spectrum of sectors and occupations.
Despite initial concerns, empirical evidence has demonstrated that the implementation of PWM does not lead to job losses. This achievement is attributed to our tripartite process to establish consensus and buy-in, ensuring that any wage increases are acceptable and feasible for employers, thereby safeguarding against any adverse impacts on employment levels.
While the overarching goal of PWM is to improve the livelihoods of workers, achieving parity between their wages and those of university graduates, as suggested yesterday by the hon Member Mr Raj Joshua Thomas, poses challenges. These challenges stem from the need to navigate various constraints, including ensuring that wage adjustments remain manageable for employers, contribute to the sustainable operation of businesses and do not jeopardise overall employment levels.
In sum, PWM adopts a pragmatic approach focused on raising wages sustainably. By adhering to this approach, PWM continues to serve as an effective tool for sustaining income progression while simultaneously addressing the diverse needs and complexities of both workers and employers within the broader economic landscape of Singapore.
Sir, while we have come a long way for PWM, we must always look ahead. The Labour Movement has proposed for elements of PWM to be expanded to more roles, such as strata management and pest management.
Beyond our lower-wage workers, we must also uplift our skilled trade workers to develop their skills, attain mastery and build long-term careers.
One of the announcements that stood out to me in this Budget was the ITE Progression Award to empower our ITE graduates to upskill to a diploma earlier in their career. They will get a total of $15,000 in top-ups when they complete their diploma. Having a skills-based, job-relevant diploma will certainly give a helpful boost to our ITE graduates. NTUC will work with agencies to develop Career Progression Models with specific career and accreditation pathways for skilled trade workers and essential workers.
Most recently, MOM launched a Progressive Wage Portal for our lower-wage workers. The portal will allow PWM workers to view their PWM wages and job levels that their employers have placed them on. The Labour Movement commends MOM’s efforts in raising public awareness of PWM requirements. NTUC will continue working with our Tripartite Partners to ensure compliance with PWM wages and requirements. NTUC cares because every worker matters, and we will not hesitate to take strong action against any company which attempts to circumvent these PWM requirements.
Mr Speaker, Budget 2024 continues a streak of caring Budgets by PAP. Inflation dynamics are still in flux and concerns about the cost of living will not go away. But I am glad that the 4G team, led by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, have set their sights on addressing acute challenges that Singapore faces, such as tempering inequality and sustaining social mobility.
In building our shared future together, we must continue our tripartite efforts to expand PWM so that workers will continue to have good jobs and a growing income to combat inflation. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Mr Desmond Choo.
4.41 pm
Mr Desmond Choo (Tampines) : Mr Speaker, Sir, thank you for allowing me to join the debate.
When Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong delivered the Budget two weeks ago, my immediate reaction as the Chairperson of the GPC for Manpower was that it was a Budget that had workers' interest at the very core. Headlined by the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme with a second subsidised diploma and generous training allowance, workers would find significant help in the workplace.
The natural question was whether the Budget had missed out on certain aspects of supporting workers and to ask for them during the debate. Yet, we do know a single year’s of Budget does not make for robust and thoughtful national capabilities. Each successive year’s Budget should build on each other. It is worth examining how this term of Government has built up critical employment infrastructure.
The Budgets from 2020 to 2022 were focused on preserving lives and livelihoods. For example, the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI) was highly successful in supporting local hires during COVID-19. From FY2020 to 2021, $6.2 billion was spent on JGI to boost local hires. It supported close to 709,000 local hires by 83,000 firms between September 2020 and February 2022. It also led to an increase of about 90,200 local hires. This roughly translates to a significant spending of $8,700 per local worker who has benefited from the JGI.
Similarly, the SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package provided jobs, traineeship opportunities and skills enhancement programmes. Over FY2020 to FY2021, $2.2 billion was set aside for SGUnited. From April 2020 to April 2022, more than 200,000 local jobseekers benefited. Around eight of our 10 trainees secured employment.
There was further progress in creating a more equitable society. Income inequality is now the lowest in over two decades. This is owed, in no small part, to the schemes to uplift lower-wage workers through expanding PWM and reforming the Local Qualifying Salary (LQS), as Member Melvin Yong had pointed out.
The Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS) was launched in 2022 to support employers to adjust to the expanded PWM. In Budget 2024, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a further $1 billion top-up to PWCS. This is complemented by raising the minimum qualifying salary under the WIS Scheme. WIS was enhanced in 2020, 2023 and will be again in 2025. Collectively, this will benefit around half a million Singaporeans.
Enabling Employment Credit was also created in 2023 to help workers with special needs or disabilities. There were also decisive moves on Workplace Fairness and Platform Workers over this term of Government. The net effect is a tapestry and trampoline of support schemes that help workers of all ages, abilities and skills. This was built across successive Budgets, working with the unions and employers. Indeed, we must always find ways to improve on the Budgets to help Singaporeans further. This is our duty as Parliamentarians. But we can do so today from a place of strength and comfort.
It is from this foundation of strength that I would like to examine how we could support our younger workers. Global uncertainties, such as shifting supply chains and geopolitical tensions, have resulted in fewer jobs being created.
This year, the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey showed that the proportion of university graduates who found employment within six months of taking their final exams dropped to 89.6% in 2023 from 93.8% the year before. Our younger people are naturally anxious about transiting to the workforce. Our year-long Every Worker Matters Conversations run by NTUC in 2023 also reflected similar sentiments.
This year’s Budget builds capabilities to help our young Singaporeans to succeed. Investment in innovation and training systems can bring in new enterprises to create better jobs for them. So, the future is a bright one.
However, young Singaporeans still face two rather formidable challenges: one, transition to an economy shaped by AI and climate change; and two, navigating the workplace that ironically has more options and thus, harder to land on a desired career. I will take them in turn.
We are at the doorsteps of a seismic shift in the economy with the rise of AI. Just not too long ago, coding was deemed as the skill of the new economy. Even I was tempted to take up coding, but I could not really do it. It was almost a must-have for young people to seize new opportunities and thrive. Yet today, AI can already perform entry-level coding easily and some even for free. ChatGPT could do it. That, I could do. We can only imagine that, in time, it would be capable of, if not already so, sophisticated coding.
What does that leave for the many students and young people who have been learning coding in school? And this is just coding that might be adversely impacted. Most young people would need to work with AI regardless of their occupations or industries in the future. How do they work with AI, co-pilot it to become more creative and better in exercising human judgement?
AI would lead to job creation and job losses. AI advances and adoption by companies would be non-linear and, therefore, highly disruptive. The core job requirements and skills for many jobs would have changed. There would be a greater emphasis on analysis, working with clients and strategic thinking. For our young Singaporeans and workers, they would either be riding this tremendous wave or be sunk by it. Their era would be defined by AI. How can we ensure that our youths are AI-ready? Should IHLs include AI as part of all courses? And do all our workers and educators now need to have AI booster courses?
The next challenge is that of green transition and the impact on jobs and training. Take, for example, our nation's vision to achieve 100% cleaner energy vehicles by 2040. ITE currently offers automotive technology and engineering courses, which primes its students with appropriate skillsets for electric vehicles (EVs). However, what would happen to our workers who only have skills to repair internal combustion engines (ICE) vehicles? Those students with mechanical engineering skills would need to acquire new skills quickly. Should they not be able to transition fast enough, they would be out of work.
We must embrace the green transition whether we like it or not. Man cannot reverse climate change.
Today, 52% of Singaporeans or young Singaporeans foresee the need to upskill to adapt to the rise of AI and this is especially so among our younger people. They will need to retrain shortly after graduation if they find themselves on the wrong side of the economic transition.
At the heart of this endeavour lies the concept of a "just transition". This is more than just adapting to economic shifts. It embodies a worker-centric approach to ensuring that the transitions our workers undergo are fair, equitable and sustainable. This was also the point raised by Minister of State Desmond Tan. To this, I wish to speak on key areas ensuring a “just transition" to the new economy for our young workers.
Over the past three Budgets, I have called on the Government to provide subsidies for Singaporeans to pursue a second degree or diploma to remain future-ready. I am heartened with the Government's move in Budget 2024 to enable Singaporeans middle-aged and above to receive full Government subsidies to pursue a second diploma. There is also the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, with a SkillsFuture credit of $4,000 and monthly training allowance of up to $3,000. Our workers and unionists appreciate that these are substantive support to transit into new careers.
As part of a "just transition" for younger workers in trades that would be adversely impacted by large structural shifts of AI and green transition, I hope that the Government can provide similar support to our younger workers. For example, one of the young persons we met was Darren, a 24-year-old ITE student studying business administration. He aspires to open an automotive workshop in the future but he would need automotive skills, especially those pertaining to EVs. He would need support to pick up these skills to make the career transition.
Younger Singaporeans ITE and polytechnic diploma holders might take as long as five years before being able to tap on their SkillsFuture credits. Furthermore, for those affected or displaced by AI or the green transition, they would arguably need the same support as those in their middle-age. I hope that the Government can consider lowering the SkillsFuture Credit eligibility age down from the current 25 years old to empower more younger people to upskill and reskill, and to provide subsidised diplomas for those affected by AI and green transition. Beyond this, there would be instances, such as in legal services, where a degree is needed for career transition. Would the Government consider also providing subsidies for second degrees?
Next, companies must also be fair and transparent with their employees in the use of AI and how it would impact them. It is not desirable to stand in the way of progress, but it is equally undesirable to have sudden dislocation and displacement of workers. The failure to manage the transition well might cause disturbances as large as what the US automakers faced with strikes by workers concerned by the job losses due to the transition to EVs. It was also what happened with the Writers Guild of America strike.
"Just transition" also requires providing younger Singaporeans with more opportunities for transition. Career trials for younger Singaporeans can help in navigating a complex workplace. WSG Career Trial encourages jobseekers above the age of 16 to go through a short-term trial before considering formal employment. The supply and diversity of these trials are needed to cater to the broad interests of our students. Could the Government consider enhancing subsidies to host companies to increase the supply of such career trials?
NTUC has engaged more than 10,000 young people in a landmark Youth Task Force report last year to develop ways to help our younger Singaporeans. It launched the NTUC Career Starter Lab to enable our younger people to transition smoothly to the workforce via career trials and mentorship. The Labour Movement will always do its part alongside the Government to help our young workers.
Lastly, on overseas work exposure. It can equip our youth with invaluable skills and opportunities to pivot when necessary. We need to increase both the number and diversity of opportunities. For example, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) inked the memorandum of understanding for the Singapore-Shanghai Lawyers Exchange Programme. Lawyers can learn new skills from their counterparts and also enter new markets. I hope that there can be more of such partnerships by other Ministries and businesses, especially that of our MNCs.
The Global Ready Talent Internship Programme encourages Singapore enterprises to train young local talent through local and overseas internships. Could the Ministry look into expanding the reach of the programme to more host companies, whether based in Singapore or otherwise? Perhaps there is scope to remove the 30% local shareholding condition to expand the reach of such programmes to our MNCs.
Mr Speaker, Sir, the future is tumultuous, but we can master it as we always had. In this new chapter, we need to help our young workers to put on the full armour of adaptability and resilience in a world whereby they may be assailed on all fronts.
We need to help our young workers understand the new economy's impact on their livelihoods and strengthen their career paths. In doing so, we can forge a path towards a more just, equitable and sustainable future. NTUC will remain alongside each and every worker through the uncertain times because #EveryWorkerMatters. Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Motion. [ Applause. ]
Mr Speaker : Ms Yeo Wan Ling.
4.55 pm
Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol) : Mr Speaker, our Labour MPs and I bring to Parliament with us today the challenges, dreams and hopes of our hardworking, dedicated Singaporean workers, many who have charted rewarding careers by dedicating themselves to their crafts and trades, many who have shouldered resolutely, the weight of their work responsibilities with the gravity of their familial caregiving duties, and even so, the rising class of gig and platform workers who are bravely charting new work norms and pushing boundaries on fair treatment and safety nets for retirement and workplace injuries.
As our workforce ages and the aspirations of our workers changes, our Workers' Compact – our social and economic contract with our workers – must be renewed such that working towards better wages, welfare and work prospects continue to be a collective goal for workers, employers and the Government. In this respect, the NTUC concluded a year-long conversation with our workers, 42,000 workers to be precise, to understand the dreams and challenges of our workers in modern day Singapore.
In our conversations, balancing caregiving duties with work responsibilities has become top of mind for our workers. In a Singapore that is ageing rapidly with a smaller family nucleus, more workers are now caring for their senior loved ones, young children and infirm family members. The going can get quite tough for our workers, many who are new generation two-shift workers. After a hard day’s work, they go home to immediately start on their second caregiving shifts at home, and it is Groundhog Day for as long as their loved ones need care.
Our Labour Movement knows the importance of building up a strong ecosystem to empower and equip our working caregivers to stay in their jobs. In 1977, the NTUC set up its first childcare centre, which would eventually become MyFirstSkool, an island wide network of kindergartens and childcare centres that facilitates mothers returning to work with a peace of mind.
Since 2012, our Labour Movement had advocated better workplace conditions for nursing mothers under our Project Liquid Gold. We have called for family care and eldercare leave to be made mandatory since 2013, with one of the first calls being made by none other than Mdm Halimah Yacob herself. Recently, I also made a call to employers to extend family care leave to include caring for aunts, uncles, nephews and nieces.
And yet, even with all of these, we recognise that FWAs would be a critical pillar in this ecosystem of support for our caregivers. In a recent NTUC Women and Family-PAP Women’s Wing survey of some 3,000 working caregivers, close to 90% said that FWAs would be a very important factor for them to choose to stay or return to the workplace. Indeed, the Unions have been advocating for FWAs since 1995, when we introduced FWAs in our collective agreement negotiations. With over 12,000 companies being signatories to the 2017 Tripartite Standards for Flexible Work Arrangements, and the tailwinds afforded by COVID-19, the time is now to make FWAs a workplace norm.
At the heart of successful FWAs, a culture of trust must be created in the workplace. Workers must be responsible in the use and request of FWAs and be accountable for work outcomes as agreed with employers. Employers must create a culture sustainable for FWAs, redesigning their jobs for flexi-load, flexi-time and flexi-place, and re-engineering their organisations and management to embrace FWAs. I believe employers see FWAs as a tenable, sustainable way to retain and attract talent, but some of our SMEs may find it challenging to implement this on the ground in a productive manner.
For employers, FWAs must lead to productivity gains. The NTUC, together with its partners, like the Institute for Human Resources Professionals, have started on this process of equipping and enabling our more progressive companies. Unionised companies keen to use FWAs for talent management and productivity have strategised and reorganised themselves through CTCs and facilitated roadmapping exercises with the NTUC.
One such company is Chye Thiam Maintenance (CTM), which is unionised under our Building Construction and Timber Industries Employees' Union. CTM piloted, with the NTUC's Women and Family Unit, the "C U Back at Work" programme and this is aimed at attracting women caregivers to return to the workplace.
Using a mix of a paid pre-employment training programme, with flexi-time and flexi-place work arrangements, the programme has since attracted some 800 women returners into its prospective pipeline. This success did not come easy, as the company had to re-engineer its HR processes and is now embarking on a digital scheduling programme.
In order to make FWAs a workplace norm, we must equip our companies with the necessary resources and expertise to execute this to achieve win-win employer-worker outcomes. This means availing organisational excellence tools and consulting expertise to our SMEs. This means providing our SMEs with plug-and-play technology software for managing flexi-time and flexi-place schedules. This means facilitating SMEs with training programmes to upskill their workers and their potential pipeline of workers. I call on the Government to consider FWAs as a critical workplace priority and to invest more resources to guide and equip our companies on its roll-out.
Mr Speaker, I would now like to touch on another important refresh in our new Workers' Compact, that of protecting and caring for our vulnerable workers. Many of our workers have chosen gig work and the shared economy as it affords them the gift of flexibility, and there is a certain romanticism in being able to have full control of your work life. But is this really true?
Unlike the self-employed workers or "towkays" from yesteryears, most who run sole-proprietorships and are in control of their charge rates and their opening and closing hours, the majority of our platform workers today, such as private hire drivers, our delivery riders, by virtue of the fact that they depend on a shared platform with set rules and business guidelines for their livelihoods, a re often subject to management controls by these platforms. While we argue that our drivers and riders can choose to move on to another platform if one fails them, the fact of the matter is that all platforms have their own set of rules and business priorities which our platform workers need to adhere to.
Over the weekend, I had a "lo hei" and kopi chat with some of our riders in Punggol. Our riders shared with me that due to the way that some platforms structure their incentives, which directly affects their livelihoods, many riders end up having to work seven days in a week. This is to achieve their incentive levels and not to "lose" the levels they have already achieved. Some expressed their angst on what they call "glitches" on the platform apps, where they do not get as many jobs as they get nearer to their incentives goals or are assigned jobs that are far away when actually, there are delivery riders nearby.
I also learnt that our riders are penalised if they are late to report to their shifts. Yes, by the way, most platforms organise their riders by shift timings and our riders have to vie for the shift timings that they want. And they tell me that they can be fined, even if they are late by mere seconds. One rider shared that he was fined for being two minutes late.
Mr Speaker, in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, even I find myself, at times, sliding into meetings one or two minutes late. I cannot fathom how stressful this is for our riders, battling traffic and road conditions and areas with poor signals.
I recall meeting Mr K, and this is not his real name, a food delivery rider several times over the past three years. Mr K has late-stage cancer, but together with his family, have decided that he would continue work for as long as he can as a delivery rider. Over the years, he has shown me how worried he is about his healthcare and retirement expenditures, and his family has reached out to me to find out more about CPF top-ups and the CPF Matched Retirement Savings Scheme.
Lately, Mr K ran into an issue with his platform partner. He had missed a message from the platform, relaying that they had moved earlier the last date of collection for the vouchers that he had rightfully earned as part of his incentives. It was $250 in vouchers and, even with several appeals and appeals from the Delivery Association and explanations of his poor medical condition, the platform refused to budge on their decision to not give him the vouchers. In the end, we assisted Mr K financially, locally from the community.
As more Singaporeans choose to be in the shared economy and as more platform companies take root in Singapore and evolve their business models, our platform workers, their rights as workers and their grievances and aspirations must be represented in better, more impactful ways.
The Advisory Committee on Platform Workers has recommended the need to set workplace injury and retirement safety nets for our workers, many who are vulnerable, like Mr K. I call for additional protections and representation for our workers in the areas of earnings, benefits and welfare. More transparency must be given by the platforms. For platform workers wishing to transit out of platform work, we must also prep for their long-term career resilience with upskilling. I call for more accessibility to upskilling courses for our platform workers and livelihood support, while they are undergoing training.
Mr Speaker, I will now touch on a very resilient group of workers who have kept our nation going, despite, sometimes, being taken for granted by the public eye. I am referring to our skilled tradesmen in professions, like plumbing, electrical work, air-conditioning servicing and mechanical repairs. Our skilled tradesmen and women have forged fulfilling careers over the years, but as Singapore transformed itself economically over the years, these taken-for-granted but essential trades are at risk of a diminishing Singaporean worker base. We must continue to make these trades viable and exciting, with visible and attainable career pathways to attract new talent.
My work at the NTUC has allowed me to engage with our trade guilds and societies, and these engagements have yielded pragmatic insights into the matter. Given that master tradesmen are forged from a blend of strong foundations in theory and practical unique ground experiences, it makes sense that we strengthen and put into the foreground our apprenticeship programmes once again. Guilds and unions are good grounds for finding master tradesmen and coupled with training programmes and institutions, apprenticeship programmes will allow for clear career pathways to be articulated and good livelihoods to be built – a career progression model!
Besides youth workers, this also has good potential to be a second spring for our mid-careerists looking for a change in profession. The Singapore Plumbing Society recognised this and, with NTUC's facilitation, completed a roadmapping exercise earlier to structure training and career pathways for new members into the trade. We have seen some good, early successes of attracting younger plumbers into the trade, many who have gone on to become their own bosses in the plumbing world.
I call on the Government to support our skilled trades and crafts by partnering with our guilds and unions in making skilled trades an exciting career choice once again, for our youths and mid-careerists. More training funding support through the SkillsFuture mechanism can be availed to individuals embarking on such apprenticeship programmes.
Mr Speaker, NTUC cares for our workers and we will continue to work with our tripartite partners to support our workers and the Budget with impactful and innovative programmes. Every worker matters. And with that, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Ms Jean See.
5.08 pm
Ms See Jinli Jean (Nominated Member) : Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to join the debate. News platform, TODAY, reported that 13% of 1,000 plus Singapore workers surveyed by job portal Indeed.com were actively moonlighting in 2023. They had done so because they feared being stranded should they be retrenched. In the same TODAY report, one such individual, Mr Wong, aptly summed up this sentiment, "Nothing is certain. Businesses fail and people get retrenched", he said, "If one job doesn't work out, the other hopefully will."
Unlike employees who have a stable job and moonlight as a "back-up", freelancers have no back-up plans. Their work embodies a continual series of gigs, without assurance of job and income security.
Budget 2024 made significant policy shifts to better position our people and workers for the future. How might we, as a society, pave the way forward for our freelancers who may not fit into traditional employment and progression pathways? After all, own account workers make up close to 10% of the local workforce, with nearly 200,000 doing this as their main job.
Mr Speaker, we need to do more to strengthen the lattices that empower and support our freelance workers. This matters most where freelancing is the dominant mode of work, such as the creative, media, coaching and platform work sectors. Allow me to outline to the House three precarities facing freelancers from these sectors and suggest five approaches in response.
First, given the prevalence of sub-contracting, it is important to reinforce fair norms to address the precarity of the freelancer. In the post-pandemic economy, firms are increasingly turning to micro-firms and freelancers for operational needs. To achieve more with less, established firms in creative and media sectors would often parcel out work to micro-firms. Micro-firms would, in turn, rope in freelancers. This lean sourcing approach is prevalent in the coaching sector, be it sports, art, enrichment or wellness coaching.
This trend is concerning. Some established firms that are main contractors have been passing on significant financial risks to micro-firms and freelancers through the sub-contracting model. Allow me to share an actual case. From late-2023, NTUC's Visual, Audio, Creative Content Professionals Association (VICPA) that I serve, has been helping a group of freelance creative and media professionals to recover a six-figure sum in total from a production micro-firm, Company A.
These freelancers were owed fees for their work on the past two years' projects, which Company A was a sub-contractor. What was concerning were two terms imposed by a main contractor on Company A: one, Company A was to finance the project from the outset at a tune of $30,000 to $50,000 per project; and two, Company A could only collect all payment after project completion, and this could be three to six months later. Payment was also subject to the main contractor and client's full satisfaction with the project delivery.
Although such onerous terms had surfaced on occasions before the pandemic, Company A and fellow creative and media micro-firms shared that these terms became the norm post-pandemic, as part of the de-risking strategy of established firms.
So how did this impact Company A and the freelancers it contracted? Like other micro-firms, Company A was lean in staff and in cash. It tapped on freelancers for multiple concurrent projects and borrowed from banks and fintech firms to finance the projects. Company A started delaying payments to its freelancers to muster enough cash to cover pressing loan instalments and the exorbitant lending rates of fintech firms.
What alarmed me was that, just some months earlier, NTUC's National Instructors and Coaches Association (NICA), which I also serve, had handled a similar case, but in the wellness coaching sector. In the case handled by NICA, those owed payments were freelance exercise instructors.
In both cases, the main contractors in question were adopters of the Tripartite Standards relevant to contracting and/or procuring services from freelancers. This meant that both firms, which were established and reputable for their works, had pledged to be progressive employers and service buyers.
Although the relevant Tripartite Standards guide adopters to make part-payment to sub-contractors at project milestones, both main contractors did not do so. Fellow Parliamentarian, Mr Ang Wei Neng, raised the same bugbear yesterday. Ultimately, the main contractors' inaction impacted the most vulnerable party in the link, the freelance worker.
As firms continue their march to de-risk, could the Government consider levelling up and validating the Tripartite Standards that guide businesses to be fair and ethical, when contracting with freelancers and micro-firms?
This would introduce baseline protection for the thousands of freelance workers in the creative, media and coaching sectors, many of whom undertake work on fees and terms communicated through skimpy text messages. This is commonplace because buyers are reluctant to write down agreements and freelancers are hesitant to insist. The Tripartite Standards that guide contracting with freelancers state that contracting parties should ink proper written agreements. Proceeding without a proper written agreement means that freelancers would have a hard time pursuing payments, should buyers default.
To uphold the relevant Tripartite Standards, the Government could take a step in the direction of the Progressive Wage Mark (PW Mark). MOM's PW Mark ensures that accredited firms and their sub-contractors compensate low-wage workers fairly. In the same vein, the Government, as a buyer, could request its main contractors for creative, media or coaching work to adopt and uphold the Tripartite Standards' terms on contracting with freelancers, regardless of whether the freelancers were contracted directly or through sub-contractors.
As in the case of the PW Mark, established firms that are the main contractors must, in turn, ensure the micro-firms that are their sub-contractors adopt and institute the relevant Tripartite Standards. By taking deliberate steps to reinforce fair norms, the Government can take the lead to curb freelancer precariousness arising from prevalent post-pandemic sub-contracting.
Second, many freelancers are subject to power imbalance with service buyers and face stagnated rates. Even with the rising costs of business, freelancers in creative, media and coaching sectors share that it is an uphill battle to ensure their rates keep pace with costs. Indeed, many reported that their rates had stagnated or declined slightly. Why so?
Seasoned freelancers have observed that, in recent years, project budgets have shrunk in tandem with intensified company restructuring and price competition. Those affected by layoffs are also competing for freelance assignments. Other freelancers noted that clients now expect them to do more work for the same rates. Despite the feelings of inequity, the power imbalance between buyer and freelancer means that freelancers have little choice but to oblige with buyer-dictated rates and terms.
These trends have led to eroding hourly rates for many freelancers in the creative, media and coaching sectors, including those contracted directly or through sub-contractors for Government-commissioned work. With fewer opportunities and unstable earnings, freelancers' decision-making for their finances can be hampered, for instance, choosing between setting aside monies for emergency funds for unexpected life events and investing in their business.
Some may even deprioritise purchasing insurance against workplace injuries and work liabilities, although such expenditure is necessary for peace of mind. If take-home earnings are unpredictable, freelancers would rather work than make time and effort to upskill or to market themselves. This, in turn, compromises freelancers' ability to build a sustainable business model.
Freelancers have asked if the Government could consider their predicament, akin to the consideration by the Government to platform workers, including allowing platform workers to seek collective representation.
In the context of the creative, media and coaching sectors, the Government, in its capacity as service buyer, could engage representative freelancer-centred associations, such as NICA and VICPA, on changes to the cost of business for coaches and creatives and to set guidelines and principles on fair remuneration. This allows the less visible yet vulnerable group of workers to collectively address the market gap. It would also provide the relevant Government bodies useful insights to update budgets for fair and equitable procurement of services from these freelancers and micro-firms.
Therefore, to build sustainable and viable freelancing livelihoods and careers, I propose that MOM update the 2018 Tripartite Workgroup's recommendations on support for self-employed persons. Much has changed since 2018. Freelancers today must navigate perennial issues, such as inadequate insurance coverage, alongside new vulnerabilities, such as onerous obligations and unfair terms of buyers or suppliers.
I hope that an updated set of recommendations would provide freelancers and freelancer-centred associations for coaches, creatives and platform workers with pathways for expedient and affordable recourse against unfair terms, such as unreasonable leasing claims and the lack of work insurance provision or clear articulation on work safety protection.
Third, without a stable income stream and entitlements that employees have, freelancers are doubtful about their readiness and financial ability to weather life events. Freelancers can gain from a boost in terms of support for upskilling and caregiving.
Budget 2024 is about uplifting workers and supporting workers with upskilling. These concepts apply to freelancers, too. Freelancers coping with ageing parents seek enhanced support while those who seek to remain relevant in tandem with economic forces seek funding support for agile upskilling. Allow me to elaborate.
First, enhancing support. Many freelancers want to do right by their ageing parents. Many hope to fulfil their ageing parents' wish to age-in-place. To freelancers, supporting their parents to age-in-place means spending more time on caregiving and less time on income-earning. Over time, these freelancers might have to contend with depleted CPF and savings, reduced client base and poorer financial resilience. Caregivers who put in the hard work of caring for their loved ones at home should be recognised and supported, and not be left alone to worry about their own future.
Today, caregiving grants help families with caregiving expenses. We need to do more to take care of those who care for others. We need to assure them that their own retirement adequacy is assured even as they make hard trade-offs to forgo work opportunities. How might we help to alleviate the financial stress that arises when freelancers trade work for time and mind-space for caregiving?
Next, how might we introduce funding for agile upskilling by freelancers? The World Economic Forum estimated that 1.1 billion jobs could be radically transformed by technology in this decade. This would include jobs done by freelancers. Many expect AI to transform work in the creative, media and coaching fields. To employees, job scopes guide their work, whereas, to stay valuable, freelancers must quickly assimilate trends and technology to their methods.
Freelancers, too, are concerned about the pace of change and whether their business models can keep up. An agile approach to training is one that allows freelancers to right-skill just in time. This requires the Government to allow and invite practitioners to take the lead in proposing what to train and how to train, especially if the know-how must be contextualised for the sector or profession.
Thus, I hope that the Government, in particular, the Ministries and agencies overseeing the creative, media and coaching sectors, could consider working closely with NICA and VICPA, NTUC's affiliated associations for coaches and creatives, to develop freelancer-centred training support. Parties could proactively curate right-skill just-in-time training and tie in subsidies and credits. This ensures that cash-tight freelancers can afford the out-of-pocket training costs. The SkillsFuture Level-Up programme is a step in the right direction and would be valuable to freelancers if it could be expanded to cater to their career fields. NTUC cares because every freelancer matters. I, therefore, urge the Tripartite Partners to step forward and take action together.
Mr Speaker, I will now conclude. To recap, freelancers, particularly those in the creative, media and coaching sectors, are stressed by three precarities. First, the post-pandemic sub-contracting model threatens freelancers' income security. Second, stagnated rates demoralise freelancers and erode their ability to sustain their livelihood. Third, freelancers with less resources struggle to adapt to life stage needs and macroeconomic changes.
To address these three precarities, I hope the Government could consider five approaches.
First, levelling up and validating the Tripartite Standards that guide businesses to be fair and ethical when contracting with freelancers and micro-firms. In the same vein, could the Government, as a buyer, request its main contractors and their sub-contractors for creative, media or coaching work to adopt and uphold the Tripartite Standards' terms on contracting with freelancers?
Second, in the Government's capacity as a service buyer, they should engage the representative freelancer-centred associations, such as NICA and VICPA, on changes to the cost of business for coaches and creatives. This allows a less visible yet vulnerable group of workers to collectively address the market gap.
Third, relook at and refresh the 2018 Tripartite Workgroup’s Recommendations on support for self-employed persons. The updated set of recommendations could provide freelancers and freelancer-centred associations for coaches, creatives and platform workers with pathways for expedient and affordable recourse against unfair terms, including unreasonable vehicle leasing claims.
Fourth, have caregiving grants go beyond defraying caregiving expenses. Grants should recognise caregivers' labour and provide assurance for their retirement adequacy.
Fifth, work with NICA and VICPA to help freelancers keep pace with industry changes and seize opportunities. For example, develop targeted training support for freelancers alongside subsidies to cover both training and opportunity costs.
Freelancers make up close to one in 10 of Singapore's resident workers. Budget 2024 charts a new chapter for workers. In step with tripartism and an inclusive vision of success, these five approaches would boost freelancers' long-term capabilities and their confidence for the future. Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the points raised, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Mr Fahmi Aliman.
5.24 pm
Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman (Marine Parade) : Speaker, Sir, this has traditionally been a time when we, as a nation, delineate our goals and aspirations for the year ahead. It is thus imperative that we renew our commitment and resolve to uplift society, as Singaporeans contend with job insecurity amid the rising cost of living.
I am uplifted by the central theme of this year's Budget: "Building our shared future together". As we continue to find ways to deal with the ever-evolving nature of world affairs, we must also set our eyes on how we can insulate and protect vulnerable Singaporeans from external shocks.
My esteemed colleagues and I in the Labour Movement strongly support and welcome the plethora of measures introduced to alleviate the hardships that Singaporeans have experienced as a result of the external shocks, primarily from the ongoing conflicts around the world as well as improve all facets of society, amid increasing job insecurity and rising cost of living.
Nonetheless, I reckon that there are sufficient opportunities and scope to assist vulnerable workers better amid evolving global developments, especially our lower-wage workers. The best way to help workers cope with cost of living is through better wages and better jobs.
Speaker, Sir, in this speech, I will elaborate on how to further support our low-wage workers and also update on the M 3 focus areas for efforts in assisting Malay/Muslims in the areas of employment and employability.
Low-wage workers are the backbone of our society as they keep Singapore going. Engaged in the vital sectors, such as retail, hospitality and cleaning, they contribute significantly to the daily operations. Their efforts uphold essential services, ensuring the functionality of the economy. Therefore, recognising their importance and challenges is crucial in fostering economic resilience and societal well-being.
Last year, I reiterated that the formation of the Tripartite Workgroup on lower-wage workers is a testament to our commitment to ensure that the interests of our lower-wage workers are protected. For the past years, the collective support from various stakeholder groups to uplift the incomes of our lower-wage workers has been encouraging. For example, the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) enhancements, effective since January last year, were lobbied by NTUC to address rising costs of living. Last week, the Government also announced that lower-wage workers who earn $3,000 or less will be eligible for WIS in January 2025.
The changes in WIS reflect the NTUC's strong commitment to support lower-wage workers. NTUC, alongside our Tripartite Partners and various other stakeholder groups, will continue to remain committed to helping workers improve their income security and quality of life and give them confidence in navigating their careers, equipping them to participate in the new growth opportunities.
But how can we work towards this goal and what are some areas we can continue to look into?
Firstly, the current practice of resetting benefits during contractual changes may provide flexibility for employers to adapt to evolving business needs, assuring alignment with job roles. However, this practice creates a sense of job insecurity and financial instability, especially for lower-wage and re-employed individuals. It undermines the principle of recognising an employee's length of service, neglecting the dedication and experience they bring to the workplace. Hence, it can lead to demotivation, reduced job satisfaction and higher turnover rate.
Advocating force for change is essential to ensure a fair and supportive work environment fostering stability and acknowledging the contributions of all workers. Therefore, I call on the Government to consider ringfencing lower-wage workers to protect them from associated problems stemming from the practice of resetting benefits during contractual changes.
Recognising the length of service at the workplace is crucial, ensuring that employees, including re-employed staff, performing the same job receive fair and consistent treatment in terms of wages and benefits. This approach promotes job stability, motivates employees and enhance overall job satisfaction. It contributes to the more equitable and supportive work environment, aligning with the principles of fairness and recognition for long-serving individuals. Enforcing these measures will foster a positive work culture and reinforce the Government's commitment to the welfare of its workforce.
Secondly, in the spirit of continuing to help lower-wage workers through PWM, I echo the call from Member Melvin Yong. NTUC has identified two sectors for the implementation of PWM, namely, strata and facilities management as well as pest management. These sectors, such as cleaning and security, are outsourced sectors facing common challenges, such as cheap sourcing, which drives down wages.
NTUC has conducted several engagements with stakeholders in the respective sectors and the response has been very encouraging thus far. The Labour Movement will continue to explore the inclusion of these sectors within PWM and would like to call upon all our Tripartite Partners to work with us to do so.
The Labour Movement appreciates the Government's enhancements to the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme (PWCS), including raising the wage ceiling for co-funding from $2,500 to $3,000 in qualifying years 2025 and 2026, and enhancing co-funding levels for wage increases given in 2024. We believe that this enhanced funding support from the Government is timely and will be pivotal transitional wage support for employers to adjust to upcoming mandatory wage increases for low-wage workers covered by Progressive Wage and Local Qualifying Salary (LQS) requirements.
Lastly, and on a related note, it is imperative that we look at parallel efforts to raise the LQS. The Labour Movement welcomes the Government's move to raise the LQS to $1,600 in July this year, up from $1,400 previously. This adjustment not only protects the financial interests of the workforce but also reinforces the principle that gainful employment should provide a standard of living that reflects the economic realities of the society in which it operates. In doing so, the LQS contributes to maintaining fair labour practices and fostering a more equitable and sustainable labour market.
Therefore, I call on the LQS to be perennially reviewed, especially amid global uncertainty. By aligning the LQS with the rising cost of living, authorities aim to ensure that employees receive salaries that are commensurate with the economic demands of the time. Mr Speaker, Sir, in Malay please.
( In Malay ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] In the M 3 Focus Area 4 framework, we will continue to engage Malay/Muslims, with the aim to bridge workers to employment and employability opportunities, enhancing their capability through skills upgrading and lifelong learning, and reach out to different segments of jobseekers. On a micro level, we are targeting specific groups, namely the platform workers, women, mature workers and the youth vis-à-vis career fairs, workshops and consultations. These platforms aim to exhort career and training opportunities, broaden their understanding of jobs in demand and skills required, and access job opportunities in the growing sectors.
As workers' aspirations evolve, our workers' compact, our socioeconomic contract with our workers must be renewed to achieve better wages, welfare and work prospects, which remains as a collective goal for workers, employers and the Government. NTUC, with WSG and MENDAKI, through career fairs and the recent Jobs and Skills Carnival, more than 5,000 Malay/Muslim workers were engaged and close to 20% them had received further coaching and guidance through Focus Area 4’s initiatives. This includes support in, namely, career guidance, job matching and upskilling opportunities.
MENDAKI has referred over 140 participants from Women At Work (W@W) to NTUC’s e2i for job assistance from January to December 2023. In conjunction with reintegration efforts by MENDAKI and other employment partners, close to 60 participants have successfully secured a job largely in sectors, such as education, healthcare, engineering, IT and finance.
Apart from employment opportunities, NTUC also provides upskilling avenues that make every worker a better worker and every job a better job. Lifelong learning is a process of acquiring new skills and knowledge throughout one’s life, for personal or professional development. NTUC LearningHub (LHub) offers quality training solutions to help workers thrive and remain resilient in today’s digitally transformed economy and beyond.
An individual who I would like to highlight is Ms Siti Nur Indra Jalal, 29 years old, formerly a financial advisor for five years with a desire to return to the corporate world through pivoting into a new sector. However, acquiring a new job was both challenging and daunting, especially during the pandemic period. To enhance her employability, Ms Indra enrolled into a six-month Community and Partnership Specialist programme at NTUC LHUB and is currently working as a Project Manager in Cybersecurity for an organisation. She intends to continue upgrading and equipping herself with essential skills through the courses provided by NTUC LHUB. This shows that where there is a will, there will always be a way.
From the reference above, it is a good example of a mid-career switch, and it is highly plausible, especially with the newly introduced Level-up programme by SkillsFuture for Singaporeans aged 40 and above. A top up of $4,000 in May 2024 and the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy is a boost for individual to continue upskill and seek better employability outcomes. In addition, the monthly allowance of up to $3,000, up to 24 months, for selected full-time courses under the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance will be welcomed by many. Therefore, I urge Singaporeans to take full advantage on the readily available programmes to level up oneself and gain better employability.
NTUC, alongside our tripartite partners and various other stakeholder groups, will remain committed to helping workers improve their income security and quality of life. These include ensuring financial protection for workers in case of work injury, improving housing and retirement adequacy, and enhancing representation for a brighter future.
( In English ): Speaker, Sir, in closing, this year's Budget theme, "Building a Shared Future Together", has ignited a collective commitment to navigate global complexities and safeguard vulnerable Singaporeans. While applauding the Government's efforts to alleviate hardships, we must recognise opportunities for targeted support, particularly for lower-wage workers and communities.
Looking ahead, our focus would remain on addressing the challenges faced by the vulnerable workers, emphasising better wage and improved job opportunities as a solution to rising cost of living. With unwavering dedication, NTUC stands ready to champion the interests of Singaporean workers. NTUC cares for the well-being of our workers coping with the rising living expenses and is committed to enhancing wages, conditions and better support to improve quality of life. Rest assured, NTUC cares and will take action for you, with you, because Every Worker Matters.
Mr Speaker, Sir, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Senior Minister of State Heng Chee How.
5.38 pm
The Senior Minister of State for Defence (Mr Heng Chee How) : Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me to join this debate. My fellow labour MPs have spoken for various segments of workers. I will focus on advancing the interests of older workers.
Workers aged 55 and above make up more than a quarter of our resident workforce today. The Government and the tripartite partners have done a lot for our older workers over the years. From lengthening employment to strengthening employability and augmenting retirement needs, there had been significant progress over the years. This was even so during the COVID-19 years, in sharp contrast to what happened in many other economies where many of their older workers lost their jobs and have the problem of coming back.
For the immediate term, older workers face the cost-of-living pressures like everyone else. And I thank the Government for the Assurance Package and other cost-defraying measures in this and past Budgets to help Singaporeans cope with this pressure. The help was timely and very well-received.
Beyond the immediate pressures, older workers genuinely worry about other developments and for today, I will highlight three.
First, they worry. There is the worry about the efficacy of ensuring longer work spans by just legislating higher retirement and re-employment ages. Why? Because such legislation, important as they are, may likely come under pressure if it is not effectively combined with skills-building.
Two, the risk of skills obsolescence is increasing with accelerating changes in technology and business models. For example, some industries are facing structural shifts, such as those brought about by the green transition and others. The pervasive impact of AI on how work will be carried out is also not a trivial matter for workers. And this will increase the risk of premature displacement, despite legislated retirement and re-employment ages.
Third, there continues to be ground feedback about the relative lack of equitable opportunity and access to training and skills upgrading for older workers compared to their younger counterparts. In NTUC's Every Worker Matters focus groups, six in 10 older workers who participated felt so. They felt a relative lack of opportunity for training and skills-building compared to their younger counterparts.
These challenges must be properly addressed so that our joint aim of enabling older workers to continue working and saving for retirement is not undermined by the evolving demographics in our country and by big environmental changes worldwide. I thank the Finance Minister for announcing the next calibrated increase in CPF contribution rates for older workers aged 55 to 65 in this Budget and this will certainly help grow their CPF funds faster.
We, the NTUC, are also grateful for the enhancements to the Silver Support Scheme, the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme and specific initiatives under the Majulah Package, such as the Earn and Save Bonus, the Retirement Saving Bonus and the MediSave Bonus. All these efforts will increase the CPF savings of older workers and make for greater security in retirement.
However, it remains true that the most material way to help older workers financially in retirement is by adding to the effective working years and, here, I stress the world "effective" as opposed to legislated.
During NTUC's Every Worker Matters Conversations organised last year, we asked older workers who participated what they hoped to do when they reach the current retirement age of 63. Out of the 10 who were there, eight and a half of them would say that they wanted to continue working and, out of these eight and a half, or 85% of the older workers who participated in our conversations, six out of the eight and a half, hoped to continue working in their current jobs or in the current industry where they have accumulated experience and value.
Many also asked when the Government will announce the next increase in statutory retirement and re-employment ages, since there is still a gap between the current ages and the goal of reaching the retirement age of 70 and the re-employment age of 65 by the year 2030. And just to remind fellow Members here, these 2030 goals of statutory retirement age of 65 and statutory re-employment age ceiling of 70 was the work of the Tripartite Workgroup (Older Workers), whose report came out in 2019, and the roadmap was endorsed.
It is now 2024. I, therefore, call on the Government to announce the next step increase in the retirement and re-employment ages soonest and to give reasonable notice to both business and workers, so that both sides can get ready in good time. We should act promptly because we are already practically halfway there in terms of timeframe so that we can implement the next increase by, say, in two years' time, that is, by 2026. I believe this is the pace that we need in order to reach those agreed goals by the year 2030, given the uncertainties that are inherent in the economic environment worldwide.
Next, I will speak on the subject of equity in opportunity and access to training so as to minimise the risk of premature displacement of our older workers. Sir, when older workers expressed their hope to be able to continue working, they also shared their anxieties about this forced obsolescence, this being rendered "out of date" and then really rust away. NTUC found that more than nine in 10 older workers, besides wanting to continue working, they want to be continually trained. These workers knew that training was critical to their remaining relevant in their jobs and they particularly worry about access to training opportunities.
I thank the Finance Minister for announcing the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme for all Singaporeans aged 40 and above, aimed particularly at programmes and courses that would enhance employability. This shows that the Government is alive to the important nexus between the older workers' training and their employment and their employability. Relevance is as salient as legislation in terms of bringing about an increase in effective working years.
The question is, how to make that happen? Of course, funding is important. That is why the Budget is important. Yet, together with funding and for real outcomes, effective implementation is also key. Therefore, we must scale-up mechanisms that can ensure actual implementation according to the intent in the workplace. This is why I fully support fellow labour MP Desmond Tan's call for employers to quickly work with the NTUC and our unions to form CTCs. Through active CTCs, businesses can transform faster and workers of all ages can be helped to be trained in relevant skills and to be able to grow with the companies.
And, here, I again thank the Government for the $100 million funding to NTUC to scale-up CTCs in order to achieve real outcomes for all stakeholders. I also want to thank Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for recognising the value of the CTCs in his speech earlier today. From NTUC, we pledge to work ever more closely with the Government in order to roll this out, not only in numbers but in effectiveness in order that we might be able to help as many workers as soon as possible.
I ask all employers to form CTCs soonest and to work with NTUC and our unions to ensure that workers of all ages are given fair opportunity to be well-trained. These workers will then help energise your company's growth.
The third area that needs tackling is that of age bias. Older workers worry about age bias in several areas, namely, access to training as I mentioned, the availability of flexible work arrangements, so that they continue working while seeing to care needs and fair consideration as job seekers after being displaced. Empirical research suggests that these fears about age bias have basis, and it requires tackling. For this reason, I look forward to the Workplace Fairness legislation and the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements Requests that the Government will be introducing.
The Workplace Fairness legislation will build on existing tripartite mechanisms, such as the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP), the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) and relevant joint guidelines to give even greater confidence or fair play to workers. This will be a strong national signal against various forms of workplace discrimination, including age bias. NTUC and our unions will work closely with employers to advance the interest of workers and companies.
Beyond workplaces, there is also a growing need to expand and scale-up viable, accessible care services to cater to a rapidly ageing population. In the context of my focus today, I argue that this is important not only for the health and well-being of our seniors but also for the employability of their middle-aged working family caregivers. More of these family caregivers may then not need to quit work in order to undertake their care duties or, at least, to delay such an eventuality. Every year of continued working will significantly help with the retirement adequacy of the caregiver. I urge the Government to work closely and intensively with trusted partners to further develop this ecosystem, so that Singapore and Singaporeans can truly enjoy the full benefits of better health, better care, better earnings and stronger retirement adequacy.
Mr Speaker, there is a saying that no one cares how much you know, till they know how much you care. NTUC stands with our older workers as they confront job insecurity and the risk of skills obsolescence. We care, not just by asking for more or just by asking someone else to solve the problem or waiting for an invitation. We put our ideas forward, we push for social change, make a real difference to their outcomes. Why?
Because our workers are waiting for us to do that, and we will get it going and get it done.
NTUC's approach is forward-looking, inclusive, action-oriented and practical, just like the PAP Government's. I believe that this is the right and best way to secure sustainable good outcomes for workers and for Singaporeans. Working closely with the Government and tripartite partners, we will together build a better, more caring Singapore for workers of all ages. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Ms Mariam Jaafar.
5.51 pm
Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang) : Mr Speaker, I rise in support of the Budget.
In my speech today, I will first reflect on the asks I had made in Budget 2023; secondly, reiterate the critical role we, in this House, play in ensuring that we achieve sustained economic growth and put out a challenge to grow the economy at the top-end of the Government's target over the next decade; and thirdly, discuss the potential of AI to be a key engine of value creation and economic growth, and make four suggestions to this effect.
During last year's Budget debate, I spoke for three groups who I saw, among my Woodlands residents, were being pushed to the limit of any reasonable measure of resilience that we would hope to see in our people. I argued for a stronger trampoline for: one, ex-offenders, calling for more support to get them back into employment; two, people suffering from debt burdens – calling for social support measures to consider debt repayment needs; and three, people who had lost their jobs due to retrenchments, calling for higher quantums and longer durations of financial support and assistance with reskilling and finding new jobs.
I am heartened that, a year later, each of these groups is getting more support. In Budget 2023 itself, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced the Uplifting Employment Credit for employers to hire ex-offenders. Late last year, the Government announced the enhanced Comlink+ packages, which involved matching repayment to creditors.
And in Budget 2024, while we yet await the details, the Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed the intention first announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to move forward with re-employment support to those in involuntary unemployment, alongside significant increases to reskilling support and training allowances.
So, in basketball lingo, I am three for three, and these shifts have been long time coming, and I think it has taken some time for the external environment to get us to this tipping point. But they are really good news for my Woodlands residents and for many other Singaporeans who need that stronger trampoline.
There is indeed much to welcome in this year's Budget, as colleagues before me have said. It is clear that Budget 2024 was developed with the vision of Forward SG, with the vision of a society that is vibrant and inclusive, fair and thriving, resilient and united and a growing economy.
It is this last point that I wish to stress today – a growing economy.
Mr Speaker, throughout my career, whether in business or in politics, I have been and remain, unapologetically, a proponent of growth. Growth allows us to provide our people and our enterprises with opportunities and better standards of living. Growth allows us to fund the increasing demand for spending on childcare, education, housing, infrastructure, healthcare and support for an ageing population. Growth allows us to tackle the greatest challenges of our time: climate change, energy transition, fighting inequality and the polarisation of society. Growth allows us to uplift each generation one after the next, securing cohesion and trust in society.
So, while it is well and good to talk about scrutiny and transparency and accountability and more support for every possible segment of our population, a critical role we must play in this House is to consider the impact of our interventions, our recommendations and our decisions on our ability to sustain the long-term growth of our economy.
Budget 2024 places significant emphasis on sustaining economic growth by keeping Singapore attractive as an investment destination, riding economic and technology trends to capture new opportunities and enhancing human capital. The Government aims to achieve an average of 2% to 3% GDP growth per annum over the next decade, with a focus on productivity and innovation, while recognising the constraints of labour, land and carbon.
Some might say that at our stage of our development and given the constraints we face, coupled with a less favourable external environment and global uncertainties, make it inevitable that we are entering into a slow growth era where eking out a 1% to 2% GDP growth is already an accomplishment. My humble challenge to the 4G leadership team is this: how might we achieve the top-end of that target and grow at 3%? What constraints should we challenge? Where might we take bolder action?
Mr Speaker, sustaining growth requires investment. I have noted earlier the significant and important investment in SkillsFuture Level-Up. I also welcome the commitments to invest in strengthening our competitive advantage through top-ups to RIE2025, the National Productivity Fund and the Financial Sector Development Fund.
The introduction of the Refundable Investment Credit addresses the need for more visibility and certainty for MNEs of how Singapore will retain its attractiveness as an investment destination in a BEPS 2.0 world, albeit perhaps a little belatedly, amid moves already announced by other jurisdictions, such as Japan, Thailand and the US.
For local enterprises, I am pleased to see that the Government is enhancing the Enterprise Financing Scheme, extending Skills Future Enterprise Credit and enhancing the Partnership for Capability Transformation Scheme, while also supporting enterprises to be sustainability-ready. These initiatives accord priority to enterprises that embrace the need to restructure and transform, enterprises that are willing to invest in restructuring and transformation.
In a world where technology is advancing rapidly, I welcome the investment in upgrading our national broadband network and in harnessing the power of AI across key sectors. I had hoped, however, to hear that we could unlock further development of data centre capacity.
But back to AI. Mr Speaker, I have spoken several times on AI and will devote the remainder of my speech today also to AI, because our ability to harness the full power of AI has the potential to boost productivity and propel us to the top-end of that GDP growth target over the long term. At this point, I declare my interest as the Managing Director and Senior Partner of a management consulting firm that does work in AI.
To support the National AI Strategy and to further catalyse AI activities, Budget 2024 sets out an investment of more than $1 billion over the next five years into AI compute, including, notably, in advanced chips, talent and industry development.
It seems that everyone has an opinion on AI today; whether we should develop our own large language model (LLM), whether we should pause on AI development, whether deepfakes should be regulated, and so on. My belief is that we should be very focused on how AI development can enable new business models and productivity gains and thus, create value in Singapore and beyond. We need to stay away from the hype and the noise, and anchor on value creation and on proven initiatives that will move the needle and not a bunch of what-ifs. To this end, I would like to offer four suggestions to shape our AI policy.
One, scaling AI with the 10-20-70 rule. Talk to any large company and they have probably run a few AI proofs of concept by now. Some have already invested on platforms and models. But companies today struggle to scale AI beyond pilots, and many of those platforms and models have nothing running on them. The news headlines are all about the models and the tech.
But if I may offer a practitioner's perspective, scaling AI requires a holistic effort. We call it the 10-20-70 rule: 10% of the effort is in the algorithms, the generative AI, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) models; 20% in the tech and IT foundations, the model infrastructure and machine learning operations (MLOps), data quality and availability, importantly, architecture design, app integration, cloud migration and other tools; but 70% is about people and processes, ways of working, business process reinvention, adoption at scale, organisation and talent strategy and change management. In order for enterprises to unlock value from AI, the Government can provide support for them to go beyond proofs of concepts and pilots to deploying AI at scale.
Two, navigating an evolving infra landscape. The technology is rapidly evolving and there will be new options and substitutes. Even in the area of chips, where one chip has emerged as the workhorse of the AI industry, other chipmakers and big cloud companies are developing and deploying their own chips specially designed for AI workloads, and one would expect the AI chip landscape and the cost of these chips to evolve significantly over the next 12 to 18 months. Moving from chips to platforms and models, in our work with companies to deploy enterprise scale-AI, we have often found that no one environment is the best for everything, whether it is in consideration of security, cost or feature set, and so on. So, let us be smart and strategic about what we invest in and when we invest.
Third, deploying high impact use cases. While the technology is important, the value only comes from deploying use cases at scale based on a thorough assessment of value and ease of deployment, both horizontal use cases like customer service, that can be adopted across industries, as well as vertical use cases in specific industries, like drug discovery in healthcare. There is significant potential to tackle a few, high impact use cases that reimagine how things are done, not only in an individual company but an entire sector, particularly in sectors where we are already advantaged, say, financial services or transport and logistics, to optimise at a system level and create new sources of differentiation and competitive advantage for Singapore in these sectors. Think, for example, of anti-money laundering using advanced AI/ML approaches that look at transaction data across banks, rather than a single bank, with greater accuracy and efficiency. The Government can be not only a catalyst, but an end-to-end orchestrator, pulling in multiple stakeholders to create new products and services that can create new value and revenue streams in Singapore and also in other markets.
Fourth, strengthening the role of the centre. While Ministries and agencies have the domain expertise and should drive the AI work in their respective sectors, there is a case to be made for having a strong centre that adds value by prioritising investments with the greatest public return, providing transparency and accountability, setting a coherent long-term strategy, challenging the Ministries and agencies on their AI priorities, removing barriers and resolving conflicts with other areas of the Government and drawing on best practices from across the Government and the private sector. So, I suggest that the AI and the National AI Strategy be made a priority of the Prime Minister, supported by a central team, with some parallels to the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO). This team can also provide functional leadership on the deployment of AI in internal functions across the Government and drive the end-to-end delivery of certain high impact use cases that can massively reduce cost and increase effectiveness in the Government itself.
There is, of course, another reason for a stronger role of the centre when it comes to AI. AI will not only have significant implications for the economy, businesses or even for public services, like healthcare and education. AI will also have far-reaching implications for workers and society in ways that could have long-term consequences we never imagined. The bleakest scenarios putting us on the path to a divided dystopia when machines replace man, the benefits accrue only to the rich minority, the middle class evaporates and a deep trust deficit leads to regular social and political instability.
How does the Government then confront these threats? Will there need to be, at some time in the future, a complete change in the way we look at social welfare, in the way we look at tax policy and in the way we think about trust? The complexities and cross-cutting issues involved will put a big strain on a model of Government based on a lead Ministry or lead agency, while a joint ownership model could be too fragmented. A strong centre is, therefore, needed to ensure fast and coordinated analysis, assessment and response that the public expects.
Mr Speaker, Budget 2024 reflects a refreshing boldness in growing our economy, something I must say has been a little muted in recent years. AI has to be a part of a bold but credible growth plan. Mr Speaker, I support the Budget.
Mr Speaker : Mr Derrick Goh.
6.04 pm
Mr Derrick Goh (Nee Soon) : Mr Speaker, Sir, Budget 2024 is significant. It is the first Budget dedicated towards the goals of Forward Singapore, where Singaporeans collectively shape the next chapters on the way forward for our country. Although the world we live in is more complex and uncertain, I am confident that we can forge ahead with resilience and optimism. To this end, there are four key themes on this year's Budget and plans that I wish to highlight. One, sustaining fiscal and economic strength amid challenges and improving three key trends relating to: (a) accelerating local businesses' growth in the new economy; (b) thriving in a digital age; and (c) enhancing social resilience and empathy.
Singapore entered 2024 into a global landscape that is bleaker and more complex than prior years. Geopolitical tensions also remain heightened. The Russian-Ukraine war persists, along with a new crisis in the Middle East. China's economy remains soft, while Japan and the UK just entered into a technical recession with two quarters of declining growth. While some bright spots include the surprising strength of the US economy, the flipside is that the interest rate decline has not yet happened and is expected to be higher for slightly longer.
Such realities underscore the need for Singapore to remain united, supported by discipline and foresight in our Government's fiscal policies. I am, therefore, pleased that Budget 2024 is generous and, importantly, holistic. To me, the projected balanced fiscal position signals continued prudence while providing relief for immediate cost-of-living challenges and supporting longer-term capabilities, such as the upskilling of Singaporeans and business transformation.
Recognising the longer-term need to fund our future, I supported the GST increase in prior debates but requested more help for residents to cushion against higher inflation. Hence, I am heartened that our Government has continued to follow through on its commitment to support our people with the further enhancement of the Assurance Package. Many residents I engaged over the Lunar New Year celebrations, including those at private condominiums, have expressed appreciation for the support.
Sir, we must not take for granted our fiscal and economic strength, which has allowed us the capacity to navigate uncertainties better than other countries. Budget 2024 plans for a long-run GDP target growth of 2% to 3%, given Singapore's mature economy. As last year's growth was low at 1.1%, along with an outlook that remains challenging, can the Deputy Prime Minister share his thoughts on the sources and drivers of the factors supporting this more optimistic long-term growth forecast and how we can better achieve this target?
To sustain economic strength, our businesses must be able to seize opportunities as they come. Yet, they repeatedly highlight labour and talent shortages, and this is also echoed by the SBF, that contrasts against the reality of continued low birth rates that are below replacement levels and jobs that are unattractive to our citizens. How may the Forward Singapore ethos apply so that the pursuit of economic growth, which may require more talents and foreign labour, that is not at all costs?
While Government revenue in FY2023 was overall better than expected, I note that GST collections were $1 billion lower than estimated due to weaker imports. Should this continue, can the Deputy Prime Minister assure Singaporeans that other sources of revenue remain robust to support future expenditures and that there will be no further GST hikes in the foreseeable future?
The expected top-up of funds is $20.4 billion in FY2024. This follows from $24.3 billion in FY2023. The Deputy Prime Minister had explained last year that a considerable number of these funds were drawdown funds, where spending is certain to fulfil commitments today and on an ongoing basis. Can the Deputy Prime Minister clarify the time horizons for the utilisation of these funds to benefit Singaporeans? As the FY2022 figure was much lower at $6.3 billion, can the Deputy Prime Minister also share if he expects such higher levels of funding and if the run-rate going forward will be at these higher levels?
I now turn to focus on accelerating the growth of our local businesses and SMEs, as they are the backbone of Singapore's economy. Some business owners say that they face "cost of survival" pressures, in tandem with the high cost-of-living pressures faced by individuals. I, therefore, welcome the Budget's support measures that bolster near-term resilience, such as the 50% corporate income tax rebate as well as the newly introduced and generous $2,000 cash payout for non-profitable firms with at least one employee under the Enterprise Support Package. Enhancements to the Enterprise Financing Scheme are also noteworthy.
Notably, the Budget has avoided more populist moves by going beyond handouts to encourage SMEs to transform for the longer term. Businesses are, by nature, economic entities which transform the use of limited resource to produce goods and services that the market demands. Those who can do so are better off and thrive in this new digital and green economy. As such, I am glad to learn of the enhanced initiatives, such as allowing SMEs from more sectors to benefit from green loans and the Energy Efficiency Grant. This is consistent with my suggestion at last year's COS debate for Government support to be more inclusive on transformational initiatives.
Another key thrust of Budget 2024 is the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. This is a decisive push for mid-career workers to upskill and reskill, so that they can contribute in higher-value jobs and more exciting roles, in line with the broader transformational agenda. Crucially, for SkillsFuture to be attractive, a mindset shift is also required by SMEs to see beyond the potential short-term constraints, like time-off given for staff development and, more importantly, to complement the programme by investing in training and job redesign for the longer term. This will be a win-win situation for SMEs and their employees.
Yet, while much is touted for SMEs to venture beyond their comfort zones, the fact is that transformation is challenging, especially in a high-cost environment, because the payback is uncertain and, often, not immediate. As such, more funding from the Budget, by itself, is insufficient. As most SMEs lack a dedicated strategy or training department, targeted facilitation is needed to guide them on how to effectively leverage Government support for meaningful transformation, so that they can learn by doing to build up expertise over time.
As the key nexus between the Government and SMEs in driving engagement and advisory, there is scope to improve the execution and effectiveness of SME centres and even TACs to support this agenda. I will elaborate on this at the Ministry of Trade and Industry's COS debate.
Sir, I will now turn to thriving in a digital age. Singapore has made significant strides in our progress towards becoming a Smart Nation. But as the technology space is ever-evolving rapidly, so must our efforts. Sir , I am heartened that Budget 2024 supports our National AI Strategy 2.0, in advocating for Singaporeans to see AI as a friend to increase productivity and enrich lives, instead of a foe that threatens livelihoods. As is always said, AI will not replace humans, but the person using AI will.
On the international stage, we are well-positioned to have an outsized influence on the responsible development of AI, amid bigger global powers competing for AI leadership. These are opportunities that Singapore must capture to stay relevant. Yet, while we pursue opportunities in AI and other frontier technologies on one end, we must have the right foundations in place, manage risks well and leave no one behind on the other.
As it is said, the art of progress is to preserve order amid changes and to preserve change amid order. While a myriad of services, such as healthcare, postal and transportation, continue to be refreshed by new technologies, with a "digital-first, but not digital-only approach", it is crucial for the pace of change to be well-ordered, thoughtful and empathetic, especially for our senior residents and vulnerable communities.
A digital society must also be reliable and secure for our residents and businesses to truly thrive within. As we mature as a digitalised nation, organisations must step up their service resiliency and recoverability, with more robust contingency and crisis management plans. As more systems become interconnected and interdependent, especially those in Government agencies that we rely on daily, greater IT-related and cybersecurity risks could have systemic impacts across our society and economy.
We will need to continue doubling down on multistakeholder efforts to bridge the digital divide as well as to manage the risks in this journey. The Public Accounts Committee, which I am a member of, has also highlighted these key points in its recent report. I hope more will be done in this area to frame future actions and public expectations.
With digitalisation, scams have increased and surged. From the Anti-Scam Command to the ScamShield app and the Online Criminal Harms Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been relentless in its fight against the scourge of scams. This has helped to keep losses flat at $650 million last year. Nonetheless, the amount is still significant, and cases have soared by 46% to an unprecedented 46,000 cases!
I had previously emphasised the importance of an "all-hands-on-deck" approach by stakeholders in the ecosystem and would like to recognise the combined efforts of MHA, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), banks and telcos in reducing phishing scams and swiftly introducing measures to counter malware scams.
But that said, scams are most prevalent and increasing in areas, such as jobs, e-commerce and fake friend scams, where they exploit victims' emotions and psychology for them to willingly part with their money. Our agencies must be even more agile and responsive to combat scams with private sector and international partners. As this has been a key issue impacting public safety and trust and which my residents are concerned about, I hope to hear more targeted measures in this area.
Sir, lastly, I will touch on enhancing our social resilience and empathy.
Youths form a crucial part of our society and are the Singapore's future. The trend of drug abuse by youths is therefore worrying, as the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) reported more than half of new abusers arrested last year were below the age of 30. More concerning is that this trend extends from previous years, amid a backdrop of more permissive attitudes towards cannabis globally, as well as the continued emergence of new psychoactive substances and increasingly rampant use of vaporisers.
The formation of an Inter-Ministry Committee on Drug Prevention for Youths in 2023 was a good move. I look forward to its plans to curb this alarming trend.
Key to our social fabric, too, is community cohesion. Regrettably, the issue of noise has continued to cause friction in our neighbourhoods, with monthly complaints in the last year averaging over 2,000 cases, more than five times higher than pre-pandemic levels.
I spoke on this issue at prior debates and understand work is still ongoing to establish a new unit dedicated to tackle protracted noise disputes and to enhance the current regime where mediation is voluntary. While I look forward to an update on its progress and measures, I urge for all Singaporeans, aided by our agencies, to exercise restraint and empathy so that we can continue building cohesive and resilient communities.
Sir, I will now conclude. Singapore, like other countries, faces similar pressures like cost of living, on top of more unique challenges as a small island-state dependent on an open economy amid a trying global environment.
Yet, we have always been able to navigate obstacles better than others to emerge stronger. Thanks to good governance and financial strength accumulated from our Reserves and its prudent use along with the diligence of those who came before us. I am glad that Budget 2024 did not succumb to populist and unsustainable initiatives. Budget 2024 is underpinned by fundamentals that is principled, disciplined and pragmatic.
While there are challenges ahead, I have no doubt we can surmount them in the uniquely Singapore way, as one united people. Budget 2024 has been a fitting first instalment to realise the Forward SG goals. I support the Budget and I am confident it will enable Singapore and Singaporeans to forge ahead with resilience and optimism, towards a shared future together.
Mr Speaker : Mr Vikram Nair.
6.20 pm
Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang) : Mr Speaker, I support this Budget. Some of the bigger challenges Singaporeans face in the coming year include the rising cost of living and economic uncertainty, with retrenchments on the rise. While the causes of these issues are global trends, the Budget introduced by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong provides important measures to address these challenges for us in Singapore.
In relation to the rising cost of living, significant financial assistance is being given out each month through a range of vouchers and, for the lowest income earners, the amounts being given out would be more than enough to cover the rising costs. I am not aware of any other governments who are giving out such generous amounts to such a wide part of the population, but this does seem to be a direct way to address the issue.
The matter of retrenchments is one I wish to address in more detail. I am advisor to several unions, including the Advanced Manufacturing Employees Union. This is a union that started with being a union for the metal industry workers but has since repurposed itself to reflect the development of industries and the workforce it represents. The evolution of this union is a reflection of the numerous waves of disruption it has helped the employees weathered over the years. In this capacity, I am aware of the frontline challenges and efforts of our unions in dealing with retrenchments.
The labour MPs who spoke just before provided important examples of the work of our unions in dealing with retrenchment. And I encourage all employers and workers who are not already working with NTUC, to do so.
According to the advanced labour estimates released by MOM on 31 January 2024, the number of retrenchments in 2023 spiked to 14,320, more than double the record low of 6,440 in 2022. Notwithstanding this, the unemployment rate remained at a relatively low rate of 2.7% in 2023. The MOM report also indicated that this was partly due to "global economic headwinds on outward-oriented sectors such as wholesale trade, IT services and electronics."
However, statistics also showed that most retrenched workers re-enter the workforce within six months. Overall, employment continued to grow in 2023, albeit at a slower pace than 2022, which suggests the post-pandemic spike in employment was moderating. Most of the employment growth was in domestic-facing sectors.
The upshot of these figures is that, against the backdrop of rising retrenchments, Singapore's economy is doing alright and there are opportunities for our workers to take up. The continued growth of our job market has been possible, thanks to the creative approach to developing our economy, as outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat earlier in his speech.
Singapore has had some unique features in its employment market that have helped keep our unemployment rates low.
First, there is less legislation and regulation as compared to many other markets. So, while this means less legislated employment rights for workers, it also means that employers are less concerned about making employment offers and employ people here.
Second, the efforts of the Government to bring in new business and industries have kept investment in Singapore robust, creating new jobs and many of these companies provide higher wages and drive up the general wages across the country.
Third, as there is currently little in way of direct unemployment benefits, people who lose jobs are highly motivated to find new jobs and do so. In this way, we create an environment that is conducive for job creation, hiring and incentivising people to work.
If one looks at the macroeconomic employment figures, the data looks alright for Singapore. The labour market remains tight with low unemployment, which means people who wish to work will have opportunities to do so. Yet, notwithstanding the macro picture looking alright, there will be individuals who will still face disruption in their lives.
For those retrenched or facing unemployment, quite often, the cause has nothing to do with their own work performance but rather due to structural reasons, including their jobs or businesses getting disrupted.
In several earlier speeches in this House, I had spoken on how business cycles and lifespans of companies had gotten shorter, and industries and companies can go from boom to bust in a matter of years. This has already made the idea of lifetime employment with a single employer to the exception, rather than the rule, for many people in the private sector.
Today, there is another development. Even if the industry and company remain, that does not mean the job will be there, and jobs are getting disrupted in a wide range of industries.
In the technology sector, for example, some of the jobs getting disrupted by AI are, ironically, the jobs of computer programmers and engineers. Even in the movie industry, there was a dispute between the production houses and actors with arguments about whether and to what extent the industry was permitted to use the digital likeness of actors. This was part of the reason large numbers of actors and workers in the media industry went on strike in the US.
Against this backdrop of even more challenges coming into the job market, I support the proposal for greater support for the unemployed. It appears that what is being envisioned is payouts to those who may be unemployed. This is not an easy area to navigate and even private providers of unemployment insurance in places like the US have stopped providing this. This suggests that they have not been able to find a financially sustainable way to provide this service.
Much of the feedback I have received from this also includes suggestions that the Government should have limits on the amounts that may be claimed and the duration, so that people are properly incentivised to return to work as soon as possible. The scheme should perhaps start as a safety net of last resort, to cover people who may have more limited resources and should take into account factors, such as whether the employee received retrenchment benefits from their previous employer.
Related to this, I strongly support the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. This, to me, seems to be an alternative but which could work quite well together with the unemployment support scheme. This provides a $4,000 top-up to the SkillsFuture Credit a person has and provides an allowance of up to $3,000 a month while a person is attending full-time courses. This is a helpful programme for anyone whose industry or job has been disrupted and needs to pick up new skills. The training allowance helps to take away some of the pain, particularly for lower-income workers, of getting a new job. Also, as there is no age limit on this, older workers can also take advantage of this, even after they have retired.
Along the theme of investing in our people, the ITE Progression Award also gives encouragement to our ITE graduates to pursue diploma qualification. This is an aspiration for many ITE graduates and the support of $15,000 will be helpful, particularly to those from lower-income families.
Another structural issue we face in our job market is that wages at the lower-income levels had been stagnating relative to those at higher-income levels. A number of measures have helped to address this issue, including rolling out the Progressive Wage Model and the WIS scheme, whereby the Government topped up salaries of lower-income workers. Both these schemes will continue with more generous funding available. WIS will now cover workers with incomes of up to $3,000 while the Progressive Wage Credit Scheme will also cover employees with an income of up to $3,000.
While most Members in this House support the WIS, I note the PSP does not seem to support it wholeheartedly and suggests this would create a "handout mentality". Instead, they advocated a minimum wage of $2,200 a month, which they call a "living wage". I respectfully disagree with PSP on this.
One of the reasons the Government is slow to impose a "blanket" minimum wage is that it is mindful that many of the lowest wages are in the lower-skilled sectors, affecting older workers and SMEs. If wages are pushed where a business cannot afford it, this may make these workers and the businesses they work in no longer financially viable.
What the Government has instead done is a two-pronged approach. For those industries with profits to sustain higher wages, the PWM is being rolled out and this is better than a minimum wage because it guarantees not only a minimum wage, but wage increments for lower-wage workers. For workers whose wages remain low or those industries or jobs that are not part of the PWM yet, the WIS will kick in to provide an income supplement. WIS does not impose a burden on employers but meets the employee's need for a higher wage. I believe this two-pronged model is a better one than the model proposed by PSP. Mr Speaker, in Tamil, please.
( In Tamil ) : [ Please refer to Vernacular Speech .] This year's Budget provides a wide range of support for those facing difficulties. In my speech, I focused on those who may face difficulties with job losses or job disruption. Based on the employment data last year, it was clear that the unemployment rate in Singapore remained low and jobs continued to be created. However, retrenchments also more than doubled last year from the year before, with most retrenched people getting a job within six months. This means that for those who lose jobs, there are opportunities out there and it is important to keep trying for new jobs.
In this Budget, the Deputy Prime Minister has introduced the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, which provides a $4,000 grant as well as a training allowance of up to $3,000 a month. For those who have lost jobs or who simply wish to retrain for better jobs, this provides support to do so, as it will cover course fees and also help subsidise some of the lost income with the training allowance. If you have just lost your job, this would be particularly helpful as you can continue to earn while you train.
The Deputy Prime Minister also announced that he is looking into unemployment support going forward. While schemes like that have had fallen short in other countries, I trust this will be important support for those who genuinely need it, especially if they are of limited means and did not receive much in way of retrenchment benefits or redundancy pay. Therefore, I think the training grant and allowance will be two important pillars of support for those who are between jobs.
( In English ): Mr Speaker, this Budget is an important one because it shows the Government "has our backs", and I have focused on the policies that help our workers. I support this Budget.
Mr Speaker : Miss Rachel Ong.
6.33 pm
Miss Rachel Ong (West Coast) : Mr Speaker, I would like to begin by extending my thanks to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his dedicated team for unveiling the comprehensive Budget 2024, aimed at alleviating cost-of-living concerns and promoting a more equitable and inclusive Singapore.
In my address today, I will concentrate on two primary areas: one, establishing a comprehensive SkillsFuture ecosystem that is inclusive; and two, ensuring equitable insurance protection for persons with disabilities and individuals on the autism spectrum. Before I continue, may I declare that I lead a consultancy that provides selected short-form courses funded by SkillsFuture.
The newly introduced SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme offers substantial assistance to mid-career individuals looking to transit into new industries while managing family commitments. Initiatives like the $4,000 top-up in SkillsFuture Credit, the extension of the Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy and the introduction of the SkillsFuture Mid-Career Training Allowance highlight the Government's dedication to aiding all Singaporeans in upskilling, including PwDs.
This aligns with the objectives of the 2030 Enabling Masterplan to raise the employment rate of working age PwDs from 30% to 40%. It is imperative that PwDs have equal access to CET programmes to acquire the essential skills needed to excel in today's job market. I applaud the Government for its substantial support towards our PwDs in their CET endeavors. Job-seeking PWDs registered with SG Enable receive additional course fee funding support of up to 95%. Moreover, the rapid expansion of the Enabling Academy to offer over 700 accessible courses within just two years of its inception is commendable.
I am heartened by the collaborative efforts of the SkillsFuture team with disability advocacy organisations, like the Disabled People’s Association (DPA). However, despite the Government's robust backing for PwDs, obstacles still remain.
Discussions and consultations with PwDs conducted by DPA have revealed that many PwDs encounter difficulties with CET providers who are unable to accommodate their specific needs, despite the PwDs being willing to provide guidance on how to do so. This often results in PwDs being turned away or not receiving the necessary support to fully engage in CET programmes. Those who have enrolled in SkillsFuture initiatives have also shared instances where instructors may not address their queries adequately, possibly due to a lack of knowledge and resources. For instance, visually impaired individuals have requested screen-reader friendly document formats or image descriptions for diagrams, while autistic individuals have expressed a need for more specific and direct instructions.
We need to acknowledge the challenges that PwDs face in their CET journey. This should not be the experience of any individual in Singapore who seeks to enhance their skills and advance. To address these challenges, may I propose four key interventions?
First, require reasonable accommodation for PwDs. In CET, reasonable accommodations refer to measures that enable PwDs to participate equally without imposing an undue burden on training providers. In Australia, where Singapore's Skills Qualification Framework is modeled after, their approved training organisations (ATOs) are legally required to provide reasonable accommodations for PwDs in teaching, learning and assessment. However, this is not a requirement in Singapore, despite having ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2013.
SSG, in collaboration with the Enabling Academy, can work with training providers and industry partners to determine what constitutes reasonable accommodation. This can include discussions on which industry courses to prioritise as well as provide the technical assistance for adaptations. In addition, clear communication and accessible recourse should be made available for PwDs when they encounter difficulties with training providers. I propose that we start with ATOs and CET centres offering long-form or industry-recognised courses. This ensures that PwDs have access to courses that directly support employment or advancement at work.
Second, market technical assistance with the Capability Development Grant. We must raise awareness as well as the utilisation of SG Enable's Capability Development Grant among training providers. This grant provides funding for customisation courses for PwDs.
Based on the SG Enable’s Annual Reports from 2017 to 2020, only an average of 24 out of close to 1,000 training providers do so each year. This data is not available in the Annual Reports of 2021 and 2022. Many training providers outside the disability sector may not be aware of or are familiar with the grant utilisation. Without this knowledge, the grant's effectiveness is limited. To address this, both the grant and SG Enable’s consultancy services should be promoted together to boost utilisation.
Third, capability-building for inclusive CET design. We must better equip our adult educators with skills to create accessible course materials. Adult educators play a pivotal role in making learning accessible. As content developers, they share the responsibility for ensuring its accessibility.
The Institute of Adult Learning (IAL) offers programmes for adult educators to meet the qualification requirements to run SSG-funded certifiable courses. While Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles are mentioned in IAL’s diploma programmes, the current depth does not ensure proficiency in creating accessible course materials. By integrating UDL practices into course development and setting minimum accommodation requirements, educators can reduce the need for accommodations after.
Fourth, accessible information on course and accommodations pre-enrolment. Training providers should provide course information and accommodations in accessible format before enrolling to help learners make informed choices and prepare for course demands. Implementing these interventions will take time. But the launch of the Level-Up Programme presents an immediate opportunity to integrate inclusivity into our CET sector.
I propose for MOE’s consideration to require the relevant training providers, particularly those running courses that qualify for the Mid-Career Training Allowance, to work with the Enabling Academy on assessing reasonable accommodations for PwDs and where found reasonable, to make provisions. Doing so will underscore our commitment to PwDs in supporting their upskilling journey, on par with our support for those without disabilities.
Once more, I must applaud the Enabling Academy for your outstanding accomplishment in achieving and offering more than 700 disability-friendly courses within a brief time period. However, we aim to ensure that PwDs who possess the capability to do so are able to access the 29,000 courses available on the main SkillsFuture portal, provided that necessary accommodations are put in place.
It is crucial that in our endeavours to empower PwDs through the Enabling Academy, we must strive to avoid unintentional segregation in their CET pursuits. While the Enabling Academy is a valuable complement to SkillsFuture programmes, particularly for disability types requiring significant course adjustments, an inclusive SkillsFuture ecosystem should promote an environment where both PwDs and individuals without disabilities can learn together. With the technical and financial support from SG Enable and other Government agencies, we can establish a comprehensive and inclusive SkillsFuture ecosystem.
Mr Speaker, I would now like to address the crucial issue of ensuring fair consideration in insurance coverage for PwDs and individuals with autism.
Earlier this month, several Members and I myself brought attention to the necessity of enhancing insurance coverage for individuals with mental health conditions. We underscored the difficulties that individuals encounter when attempting to secure insurance for physical health issues that are separate from their mental health history. PwDs and individuals with autism encounter similar obstacles when navigating the insurance landscape beyond their existing conditions.
As MAS prepares to introduce guidelines for financial institutions to embrace fair and responsible practices towards customers in mid-2024, it is imperative that clear directives are established on how rejection, loading and exclusion criteria should be set for individuals with disabilities, autism and mental health disorders. These guidelines should elucidate the available avenues for recourse for individuals facing discrimination.
Presently, individuals have limited options for recourse, with the only available avenue being to appeal directly to MAS. However, the explanations provided by insurance companies in response to such appeals may be biased by their internal practices. To ensure a more impartial process, it is vital to institute an objective panel of third-party evaluators comprising of Government officials, industry representatives, medical professionals and disability experts to resolve disputes and foster a more equitable insurance environment. As we strive to raise the standards of equitable insurance coverage, I look forward to Singapore withdrawing its reservations on Article 25(e) of the UNCRPD in the near future.
Inclusivity is more than a mere goal. It is a collective journey that we must undertake as a united Singapore. This journey serves as a poignant reminder of our shared vulnerability. Anyone can face disabilities, whether temporarily or permanently, due to genetic factors or traumatic experiences. We are all prone to illness and health challenges that may one day impede certain functions. These proposed initiatives are not solely focused on ensuring equal opportunities. They are aimed at nurturing a society where every individual, regardless of their abilities or background, can flourish and make meaningful contributions.
Let us work together to establish an inclusive SkillsFuture ecosystem and guarantee equitable insurance coverage for all. With this in mind, Mr Speaker, I lend my full support to Budget 2024.
Mr Speaker : Ms Usha Chandradas.
6.45 pm
Ms Usha Chandradas (Nominated Member) : Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise in support of 2024's Budget Statement. In particular, I applaud the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Lawrence Wong, for his very clear statement in this year's Budget on the importance of the arts. As he has said, they help to express our unique Singaporean culture, strengthen our shared bonds and make Singapore a distinctive home. I thank him for his commitment to investing $100 million over the next four years to roll out the latest SG Arts Plan.
The Deputy Prime Minister has said that more diverse pathways will be offered so that every individual can strive to be the best possible version of themselves, and this statement was particularly resonant with me. He said that we must accord greater value to those who are skilled in technical hands-on abilities as well as those with the social and empathetic traits to excel in service jobs.
While the Deputy Prime Minister referred to the specific example of an ITE graduate who excelled brilliantly in his chosen path, let us also not forget the vast majority of people who work in non-white collar jobs who might not be superstars in their fields but whose labour and service is key to the functioning of our society.
Just as MOE encourages us to remember that every school is a good school, it must also be the case that every job is a good job, as long as it earns you an honest wage. And this is a point that many Members have made in the House over the last two days. While this Budget highlights ITE students, members of the arts community also face struggles related to their wages and the misconceptions attached to the value of their role in society and their work.
Just this past weekend after the Budget Statement, I saw an artist friend lamenting on her Instagram stories that a potential customer had enquired about the prices for her embroidery art. When she explained that her work was priced in a certain way because she had to personally commit 40 hours of painstaking work by hand, the customer replied with a flippant, "Alrighty, maybe I'll get it on Taobao."
To make things worse, the artist then found online stolen pictures of her work on Taobao, and these were being advertised by unscrupulous sellers who were purporting to recreate her designs for a fraction of her selling price. This kind of careless disrespect for artistic work is something that many working artists in Singapore continue to face.
Better exposure to and awareness of the arts will help our communities to understand and, hopefully, better appreciate the important role that our arts workers play in our society. To this end, the Government's plans to make the arts more accessible to all Singaporeans are indeed very welcome. I look forward to the Committee of Supply debates that will allow us to further explore the opportunities presented for the arts community in this Budget Statement.
I will now move on to address two tax changes which were announced in the Budget, and I would be grateful for the Minister's clarifications on these. In this year's Budget, it was stated that in order to ensure parity in the treatment of royalty income, the current tax concession of taxing only 10% of gross royalties earned by authors, composers and choreographers or any company wholly owned by them will be withdrawn in phases, with effect from Year of Assessment (YA) 2027.
For YA2027 and YA2028, eligible taxpayers may continue to claim the tax concession based on higher specified rates but with effect from YA2029, the concession will no longer be available. Taxpayers will be required to report the net amount of royalties earned and will be taxed on them accordingly.
Looking at the legislative history behind this concession, I note that the incentive was introduced in the Budget Statement delivered in 1983. The then-Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, stated that this would be, "An encouragement to creative talents, such as authors and composers." He continued that, "the concession will enable local publishers to offer better terms to authors and composers living in Singapore and abroad." He continued that, "foreign talents will find it worthwhile to get their works published here."
In the year 2000, the concession was liberalised further to include royalty payments received by a composer, an author or a choreographer from music recording or film, dance or drama production businesses in Singapore. When moving the Income Tax amendment Bill in that year, the then-Second Minister for Finance, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, once again described these changes as being put in place to "encourage the development of the arts and innovation in Singapore."
Sir, I have some clarifications on the changes to the concession that have been announced in this year's Budget.
First, what is the rationale behind these changes? From 2024 Budget materials, it is stated that the change will "ensure parity in the treatment of royalty income", which is fair enough in principle. But if the original intent behind the concession was to provide an incentive to encourage creative work, then I hope that the Minister is able to clarify the policy intentions now behind the revocation of the incentive.
My second clarification is on whether the incentive has served its purpose in encouraging the work of authors, composers and choreographers? Would the Minister be able to share the impact that the incentive has had over the years? Finally, what is the expected effect of this change? Does the Ministry have a sense of what the projected increase in revenue collection will be as a result of the rollback of this incentive?
The next change I would like to address concerns the enhancements to the tax deduction for Renovation or Refurbishment expenditure, under section 14N of the Income Tax Act. The scope of qualifying deductible expenditure under this provision will now include designer fees or professional fees. This, to my mind, is important acknowledgment of the work of designers in renovation and refurbishment works, and offers a good incentive for businesses that pay their designers a fair and equitable wage.
That being said, deductions are still expressly disallowed on the purchases of antiques and any type of fine art, including painting, drawing, print, calligraphy, mosaic, sculpture, pottery or art installations. While general capital allowance deductions may be available for the purchase of artworks that qualify as "plant", the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has only clarified so far that qualifying conditions may be met in hospitality-related businesses, for example in clubs, restaurants and hotels. Artwork purchases in other types of settings, such as in offices, may not qualify.
I fully understand that the valuation of artwork purchases is a complicated area but there are ways to alleviate the risks associated with the subjectivity of valuation. One way is to rely on valuations from trusted and accredited valuers, and we do have a number of them in Singapore. Another way could be to expand the pool of skilled valuation professionals in the space. The Art Galleries Associations of Taiwan and Korea, for example, have formal art appraisal and valuation arms.
We have, in Singapore, our own Art Gallery Association of Singapore (AGAS) and, presently, it is entirely member-run. While I understand that the Government has committed some resources to supporting AGAS' work on an ad-hoc project-basis or on a reimbursement basis, more can be done to assist the association in expanding its work so that its operational capabilities are on par with what similar associations in the region are able to offer.
It would be a good start, for example, if the Government were able to empower or sponsor AGAS to commission a study on how the local art gallery ecosystem can better support our economy. This could be in the sphere of valuation or even in the area of general research into tax and economic policies which are relevant to the arts.
To conclude on this point, while I welcome the enhancements to the tax deductions available under section 14N, I hope the Government will continue to re-evaluate the conditions of the scheme in future and consider whether these conditions can be adjusted to encourage purchases of art in Singapore. Tax benefits such as these will certainly contribute to the development and growth of our visual arts sector.
Sir, notwithstanding these clarifications, I support this year's Budget and I thank the Deputy Prime Minister, once again, for championing the arts community in his Budget Statement.