1. Statutes (Misc. Amendements) Bill Mr Speaker sir, May I draw the attention of this House to the Bankruptcy Act, which Clause 13 of this bill seeks to amend. This clause makes changes to the adjournment of bankruptcy cases in court and to bankruptcy applications. I have two questions for the Minister: – Firstly, can the Minister provide us with the number of bankrupt individuals sent for debt restructuring schemes, against the number of those  [ Read More ]

Mr Speaker sir, On the ministerial pay review headed by Mr Gerard Ee, I have only two major points to make. My priority in Parliament remains to be on sustainable economic growth and healthcare cost. My remarks in Parliament, including this statement, are ultimately geared towards speaking up for Singaporeans in these areas. 1.  My first point relates to the formula of pegging the ministers’ base pay to 60 per cent of the median income  [ Read More ]

Mr Speaker sir, I welcome the government’s proposal to exempt court-ordered maintenance payments to a woman from tax. I believe that this will go some way to relieving the burdens that single parents face in Singapore today. However, I would like to query the Minister for extending tax relief for Research and Development expenditure to R&D incurred overseas. Would this not lead to an exodus of R&D activities and investments away from Singapore? I also  [ Read More ]

Mr Speaker sir, I support the aims of the amendments to Section 69C of the Telecommunications Act to further promote competition in the telecommunications services market, namely, in empowering the Minister to issue a separation order to a telecommunication licensee. Amendments to Section 69B, however, extends the power of the Minister to allow him to order remedial actions on a person who acquires the assets, business and shares in a telecommunication licensee. Accordingly, the Minister  [ Read More ]

Mr Speaker sir, Employees, whether they are Singaporeans or migrant workers, deserve fair compensation when they suffer from work-related accidents or occupational diseases. Therefore, I am encouraged to learn that this amendment will expand the coverage of the Work Injury Compensation Act to include diseases that are the result of an employee’s exposure to chemical and biological agents. Mr Speaker, could I just seek a clarification from the Minister – what exactly counts as chemical  [ Read More ]

Mr Speaker sir, I support the spirit behind the Special Needs Savings Scheme, which this bill seeks to create, in that the Government is not leaving it to trust funds provided by private companies for the care of children with special needs. However this scheme does not go far enough. It is a very small step, though in the right direction. It is not clear how this new scheme is very much different from the  [ Read More ]

Mr. Speaker Sir, I support the motion. Sir Stamford Raffles may have founded Singapore, but it was our forefathers’ qualities of drive, determination, enterprise and resourcefulness that helped built Singapore to be a trading capital of the East. But it is, we the descendants who have carried on the good work and make Singapore to be what it is today. We must recognize and acknowledge the contributions of each and every member of our society  [ Read More ]