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Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems 1 Dr Choo Pei Ling asked the Minister for Digital Development and Information (a) what measures are in place to secure Singapore’s space-based critical information infrastructure dependent on satellite and space systems; (b) whether the Government has established or plans to establish cybersecurity and resilience standards required of satellite operators; and (c) what contingency plans are in place in the event of disruptions to these satellite operators.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Sir, today, over 99% of our Internet traffic is transmitted internationally via submarine cables, and domestically via terrestrial cables and radio networks. In Singapore, specific enterprises may use satellites as a secondary channel for communications or environmental monitoring.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems The impact of potential disruptions to satellite services today is therefore limited. For example, operational systems in the aviation and maritime sectors are primarily supported by terrestrial connectivity networks, with satellite communications serving as a secondary mode of communications.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems As cybersecurity threats to space systems are expected to evolve, the Government will work closely with the industry to enhance the security and resilience of Singapore’s space infrastructure.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Dr Choo.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Thank you, Speaker, and Senior Minister of State. I have three supplementary questions.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems First, as reliance on satellite-enabled systems grows, is there a role for strengthening domestic capabilities in satellite cybersecurity monitoring, threat detection and attribution? My second supplementary question: given that satellites are difficult to repair once launched and may rely on legacy or unpatched systems, what is the Government's assessment on the resilient risks? My third supplementary question: and how are these mitigated over their life-cycle?
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Sir, I thank the Member Dr Choo for her supplementary questions. My sense of her questions is they stem from a concern around the resilience and security of our digital connectivity infrastructure, which is understandable. The digital connectivity infrastructure is increasingly essential for our economy and our daily lives.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Let me set the context and elaborate on the point that I made earlier. More than 99% of our Internet traffic is via non-satellite means. Unlike other, perhaps, larger countries, Singapore is a hub for submarine cables. Most of our Internet traffic to other parts of the world is via submarine cables. We are a very submarine cable-densed hub in the world. That is the first point.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems The second: within Singapore, domestically, we have very robust digital connectivity infrastructure. We have fibre optic cables to almost every home and every business. In fact, Singapore is probably one of the world's first countries to have fibre optic cables to every address. That was more than 15 years ago.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Complementing that is the mobile infrastructure networks. About five years ago, we rolled out the 5G standalone network, making us probably one of the first countries in the world to have nation-wide coverage of standalone 5G mobile coverage.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems These networks complement one another, and security and resilience are built into these networks in their design. So, 99% of our Internet traffic is through submarine cables to other parts of the world, and within Singapore, through the terrestrial networks, primarily fibre optic cables as well as our radio networks, which are mobile networks.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems That is the context in which we look at our digital connectivity infrastructure.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems On top of that, we participate actively in international bodies that set standards for resilience and cybersecurity for the space industry, for example, international standards, such as those from the International Organization for Standardization, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Satellite operators and their partners adopt cybersecurity and resilience standards relevant to their specific use cases, such as for information technology, aerospace and telecommunications. And users that transmit sensitive data would also adopt stringent data encryption policies to protect the data in transit.
Securing Singapore’s Critical Information Infrastructure Dependent on Satellite and Space Systems Singapore participates actively in many of these committees. This space is evolving, the space technology is evolving rapidly, especially with commercial endeavours in this area, and Singapore continues to monitor the trends closely and participate actively.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm 2 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) how many preschools currently offer extended care services beyond 7.00 pm on weekdays and whether this number has increased compared to five years ago; and (b) what specific alternative care arrangements are available for parents who do not have flexible work arrangements, live-in domestic helpers or familial support to pick up their children by 7.00 pm.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm To cater to the needs of working parents, preschools providing full-day services are required to operate from 7.00 am to 7.00 pm on weekdays. Preschools have the flexibility to extend their services beyond the standard operating hours, based on factors such as parental demand and the availability of resources, such as manpower. Today, around 20 preschools operate beyond 7.00 pm on weekdays. This is a decrease from 40 preschools in 2021.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm We recognise the challenges that parents face in balancing their caregiving and work commitments. For parents who require additional caregiving support outside of the standard preschool operating hours, there are alternative options available. These include paid and community-based options, such as babysitting services.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm To support parents in accessing flexible work arrangements (FWA), the Government has worked closely with tripartite partners to encourage employers to provide a family-friendly work environment. This includes the launch of the Tripartite Guidelines on FWA requests in 2024. The guidelines set out the process for employees to formally request for FWAs, and employers to consider them and aim to better support working parents in their caregiving needs.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm Mr Giam.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm Sir, for a worker finishing work at 6.00 pm in the Central Business District and reaching a heartlands preschool by 7.00 pm is often a logistical impossibility, unless they take taxis every day. And since the work inflexibility, commuting costs and the lack of domestic help disproportionately affect lower- and middle-income parents, does the Minister of State agree that rigid cut-off times could exacerbate social inequality?
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm I have some suggestions. To avoid teacher burn-out, would the Ministry consider requiring one's preschool per HDB estate to offer care until 7.30 pm, staffed by ancillary care assistants? This could provide a safe environment for dinner and unstructured play without increasing the workload of core educators.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm And secondly, has the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) conducted a proactive survey to gauge the actual interest in extended hours? Without this, we cannot assume that demand is low, just simply because parents may have simply resigned themselves to the current reality and are making career sacrifices in order to cope.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm Speaker, I thank the Member for his questions. I think the first point with regard to employees ending at 6.00 pm and having to make it to the preschool to pick up their children, I empathise and I understand that some employees, some parents will face that constraint. Which is why I think the emphasis on FWAs is all the more important. I think we want to get to a state whereby the relationship and the common understanding between employers and employees, as a society, is as such – that we do support the caregiving needs of all our working adults, especially working parents. So, I wish to double down on the need and the emphasis on FWAs.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm I thank the Member for his suggestion of setting a preschool per estate that operates on extended hours. I do not think ECDA or the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) will have a firm view either way on this. I think the key thing here is that the decision to extend operating hours is a business decision that we have left to the preschool operators. The preschools today are actually free to charge. They are available and they are allowed to charge for the extra hours beyond 7.00 pm, depending. This is because we understand and we recognise that for the preschools to run beyond the operating hours, there will be additional demands on them, staffing requirements, additional resources, costs. And therefore, they can charge.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm However, we have not seen that. The data over the last five years bears itself that the number of preschools offering that has actually come down, which may suggest that there may not be a demand for that. And I will highlight that 20 preschools is actually lesser than the number of constituencies that we have.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm I think the decrease, based on what ECDA understands, can be due to a variety of factors. First, of course, there may be lower parental demand. It may be the case, as we have observed, that flexible arrangements is setting in. More parents do get those flexible arrangements from their employers and therefore, there is not such a need for that. The preschools may also face very real manpower constraints, such as preschool educators themselves or educators themselves having to go back to their own families and their own children at 7.00 pm.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm Another reason may also be because parents themselves recognise that it is important for them to spend enough time with their children and not leave the children in the preschools for too long a period. I reference a study made in 2024. This is the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG LEADS) that found that the longer the children stayed in preschools, beyond 40 hours and significantly beyond, we start to observe that their literacy, their numeracy achievements do have some impact. And I think generally, parents do recognise that too many hours in the preschool is not a good thing. More family time is useful.
Number of Preschools that Offer Care Services Beyond 7.00 pm From MSF's perspective, we strongly encourage our parents to spend enough quality time with their children.
Oversight of Wakaf Management 3 Dr Hamid Razak asked the Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs (a) what governance and oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure wakaf assets are managed faithfully in accordance with donors’ intentions while remaining financially sustainable; and (b) how has wakaf management evolved in recent years to address challenges such as fragmented assets, rising maintenance costs, and redevelopment constraints in land-scarce Singapore.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Sir, under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA), the ownership of all wakaf assets is vested in the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, or Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS). The wakaf assets are managed by Warees Investments, a subsidiary of MUIS, and the appointed mutawallis, in accordance with the intentions of the wakif or donor.
Oversight of Wakaf Management There are clear governance mechanisms in place to ensure that wakaf assets remain financially sustainable and are managed with accountability and transparency.
Oversight of Wakaf Management First, all mutawallis must be approved by the MUIS Council and have the competencies to maintain good governance and long-term sustainability of the wakaf they oversee.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Second, Warees and the appointed mutawallis must comply with audit requirements set out under the AMLA, as well as undergo periodic checks by MUIS that religious guidance by the Fatwa Committee has been adhered to.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Third, the MUIS Wakaf Disbursement Committee, which comprises members from the MUIS Council, monitors and reviews annual wakaf disbursements, and makes recommendations on the allocation of wakaf funds, in accordance with the wakif’s intention.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Wakaf management has indeed become more challenging over the years. Amidst rising costs and development needs, MUIS and Warees strive to keep rents affordable, while performing their fiduciary duty to ensure sufficient financial returns for the wakaf beneficiaries.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Where tenants face challenges paying rent, MUIS and Warees engage them to understand their situation and explore repayment plans. For some wakaf properties, MUIS and Warees have also undertaken asset enhancement and redevelopment initiatives under the Wakaf Revitalisation Scheme to optimise financial returns while sustaining their heritage value. Recent examples include The Red House at East Coast Road and Jamae Chulia Heritage Development at Mosque Street.
Oversight of Wakaf Management MUIS will continue to review and enhance wakaf asset management to ensure that our wakaf assets can sustainably support their intended beneficiaries.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Dr Hamid.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the Acting Minister for his reply. I do appreciate the challenges faced in unlocking the assets and to create greater value. In my interactions with members of the Malay/Muslim and the Indian/Muslim community, they have expressed interest to find out how the value from these wakaf assets can be used to uplift the community over time.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Secondly, I would also like to ask the Acting Minister, how does MUIS and its subsidiaries actually engage diverse segments of the Muslim community to ensure that their views are heard and incorporated into the asset management as well?
Oversight of Wakaf Management Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. These are very good questions indeed. In fact, we often hear and meet the community leaders, and they ask about such questions.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Essentially, the returns from the building rentals, as with any other forms of income generated from the wakaf assets are distributed to beneficiaries in accordance with the wakaf deed. So, we have to be very clear about that and we follow what is in the wakaf deed.
Oversight of Wakaf Management In 2024, a total of $11.3 million was disbursed to the wakaf beneficiaries, which include the family members of the benefactors, as well as mosques, madrasah, community organisations and charities. Depending on the intention of the wakif, these returns may be used to build and maintain mosques and madrasahs, support the poor and needy, and also, fund the development and welfare of the community.
Oversight of Wakaf Management In fact, I have been very fortunate to be involved in the development of wakaf back in the early 2000s, when I was in the MUIS Council, where I was actually looking after the wakaf aspect of MUIS work. I saw how the community worked together, with MUIS leading the community, to see how the returns go back to where it is supposed to be and to the community. Fast forward to today, the Member will see a vast development in that space, whereby, not only have asset or wakaf revitalisation and asset enhancement or optimisation been done, but also looking at the historic value of the wakaf.
Oversight of Wakaf Management All I can say is that, the community, in fact, has benefited a lot significantly from these wakaf returns. Sometimes, I discuss with the mosque leaders, community leaders as to how they have been using the returns and I am very happy to see that such returns are something that they look forward to because that helps, not only in how they manage the mosque, but also that helps in the way they reach out to the community and benefit the community.
Oversight of Wakaf Management So, I must say that the returns of wakaf assets not only go back to where it is supposed to be. But with the value enhancement efforts and the returns that the community has gained have somehow helped to build the community. It helps in the development of the Malay/Muslim and Indian/Muslim communities, and beyond.
Oversight of Wakaf Management Also, the Member's second question was about how we engage the community leaders. Yes, indeed, we do. In fact, just to give the Member an example, I was also directly involved, I was helping Minister Masagos on the restoration works of the historic Jamae Chulia Mosque and the development and construction of Jamae Chulia Heritage. I remember the various engagement sessions we had. We tried to reach out to the Indian/Muslim community leaders, had many sessions, even went back and forth when they needed clarity, there were clarifications or even certain things that did not meet the planning criteria. We spoke to them and then, when there were constraints, we decided on an option that would provide a balanced outcome.
Oversight of Wakaf Management I must say that this process had not only reached, but also gave the community leaders the satisfaction that they are part of this journey. So, this is something that we want to continue to do. As the Member can see, the Jamae Chulia Mosque restoration has been completed and the Jamae Chulia Heritage is going to be completed soon. It is the pride of the community. And not only do we want to develop for today, I think the key, what I got from my engagement, is that the community leaders want to do this for the future generation as well.
Oversight of Wakaf Management So, I assure the Member that we will do our best to ensure that what the wakif would like to leave behind is not only acceded to, but we hold it with trust.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme 4 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development how SG Enable can support ITE graduates with disabilities to access suitable host companies under the Work-Study Diploma programme.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme Sir, under the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Work-Study Diploma Programme, trainees are hired by the participating companies as full-time employees and receive on-the-job training delivered by employers in tandem with classroom training by ITE.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme ITE graduates with disabilities participating in the Work-Study Diploma Programme may approach SG Enable for employment support from trained job coaches. They provide job support services, such as fostering workplace integration, and they also provide employers with practical advice on job redesign. SG Enable also connects interested inclusive employers with ITE to participate in the Work-Study Diploma Programme and offers disability awareness training to these employers to better support and integrate employees with disabilities.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme In addition to support from SG Enable, ITE also works with employers to ensure that necessary support arrangements are in place for trainees with disabilities. One example is for employers to provide step-by-step instructions for trainees who require more time to learn at work.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme Ms Yeo.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme Thank you, Speaker. For many young persons with disabilities and their families in the ITE system, the Work-Study Diploma pathway does offer very viable route towards a secure and meaningful future. However, given their condition, some may require a longer runway to secure a suitable host organisation, particularly as what the Senior Parliamentary Secretary had mentioned, if there needs to be job redesign or the workplaces to be properly resourced to be inclusive employment areas.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme Could I ask if the Ministry would also consider establishing and regularly updating a centralised repository of inclusive employers, for example, the companies recognised under the SG Enable Enabling Mark, to make this available to schools offering the Work-Study Diploma programme, especially, not just for the diploma but also for work attachments, industrial attachments?
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme The other one too: would the Ministry also consider working with the schools and SG Enable to provide flexibility, especially with the extension of programme deadlines for our persons with disabilities, especially if they are unable to find a suitable host organisation within the stipulated deadline or timeframes, for reasons unrelated to their academic merits?
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme Sir, I thank the Member for her supplementary questions and for her attention to this space, inclusive employment. On the centralised register, as she has correctly identified, the essence of this scope of work really is about the customised nature of providing job support. So, finding out students with disabilities what their specific areas of strengths, interests, motivations and possible career pathways are. That is a highly bespoke journey. I think we will double down on that front.
SG Enable's Support for ITE Graduates with Disabilities to Access Host Companies under Work-Study Diploma Programme As to time extensions, I think we could take the suggestion back and explore her suggestion. But even if we were to grant time extension, I think it goes back to the first point that I mentioned earlier, and that is for each student, we need to really explore what the possibilities are. Because this area of work, again, on inclusive employment, is one that is highly bespoke.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths 5 Mr Cai Yinzhou asked the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies and Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will consider a total ban on flavoured tobacco to curb youth appeal; and (b) whether further tobacco tax increases is being considered to discourage smoking.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Health reviews our tobacco control policies regularly with the aim of keeping smoking prevalence as low as possible. We do not rule out introducing a ban on flavoured tobacco products in the future and implementing further tobacco tax increases.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths Mr Cai.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths Thank you, Speaker. Seven clear days ago, I filed this question, not knowing that a few hours later, the Prime Minister would raise cigarette tax, answering part (b) to the question. I have three supplementary questions for the Minister of State.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths In 2022, The Straits Times reported over 50% of cigarettes sold in Singapore are flavoured. This was noted to be far more than in other countries where the market share is typically 5% to 25%. There are also countless scientific studies that have shown that added flavours make cigarettes more appealing to youths, as they mask the harsh tobacco taste. Some flavours, like menthol, also interact with nicotine in the brain, making them more addictive.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths Given this, my three supplementary questions are: were there studies that found correlation between the popularity of vape and flavoured cigarettes amongst youths, which was due to the variety of flavours that they were sold in; two, are flavoured cigarettes in Singapore, more addictive, and what is the current market share of these cigarettes; and thirdly, are there plans to reduce the proportion of flavoured cigarettes sold or to entirely cut them out?
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths Thank you, Speaker. Yes, indeed, there is a large body of international evidence showing that flavoured tobacco products increase smoking initiation, particularly amongst youths. Because, as the Member had mentioned earlier, the flavours, like menthol or fruit, are used to mask the harsh tobacco flavour and this actually increases its appeal to the youths.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths He also mentioned about The Straits Times report, it is still fairly accurate that menthol cigarettes take up almost half of Singapore's cigarette market.
Ban on Flavoured Tobacco to Curb Appeal to Youths So, we are definitely not close to reviewing this. We are looking into this matter. As I mentioned in the earlier answer, we are reviewing as to whether or not we will introduce a ban on the flavoured tobacco products.
10.31 am 6 Mr Abdul Muhaimin Abdul Malik asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether parents of infants enrolled in the Early Childhood Development Agency's Childminding Pilot are eligible for other forms of financial assistance beyond the use of Child Development Account funds; and (b) what further financial assistance schemes were available to the parents to defray the costs of enrolling in such services.
10.31 am Besides the use of the Child Development Account (CDA) funds, the Government provides subsidies to ensure childminding services under the Early Childhood Development Agency's (ECDA's) Childminding Pilot for Infants are affordable. For parents who use these services full-time, for five days a week for four weeks, they will pay around $700 a month in out-of-pocket expenses. This is lower than the usual cost of childminding services today, which can be around $1,200 to $2,800 a month.
10.31 am Of all families enrolled, more than 80% have used their infant's CDA monies to defray the out-of-pocket expenses of childminding services under this pilot.
10.31 am Mr Muhaimin.
10.31 am Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have three supplementary questions for the Minister of State.
10.31 am The Minister of State mentioned that there is 80% of enrolled families that have used CDA monies to defray the cost. Can the Minister of State share what proportion of enrolled families come from lower-income households, those with per capita household income of $1,500 or below, and whether the absence of means-tested subsidies has been a barrier to participation for such families; and if so, what the Ministry intends to do about it?
10.31 am Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. Actually, I recognise the Member's concern for our lower-income families and that we are also acutely aware of this segment of society that we especially need to take good care of.
10.31 am I wish to highlight and inform the Member that the Childminding Pilot is actually a pilot. We only offer it at two centres currently and taking care of no more than 100 infants at this current juncture. The objective of the pilot really is for us to explore how to do this well and to scale this across the country, including how to make it even more inclusive for all children, for all income types as well as to understand what operators need to do to keep this a viable model.
10.31 am Therefore, currently, we only provide supply-side subsidies to the operators as well as on the CDA monies.
10.31 am We recognise that for lower-income families, if they really need the infant care or childminding support, we do recommend them to go for our many, many infant care preschools. Our low-income families when they enrol in our Government-supported preschools, they will, as the Member is aware, receive a lot more subsidy options, including means-tested subsidies. With fee caps in our Government preschools, after preschool subsidies, our lower-income families can actually pay as low as $40 for full-day infant care in Anchor Operator preschools.
10.31 am That is $40 a month, a month, right?
10.31 am Yes, Speaker. Thank you very much. It is $40 a month.
10.31 am Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Order of the Day.
10.31 am [Pursuant to Standing Order No 22(3), provided that Members had not asked for questions standing in their names to be postponed to a later Sitting day or withdrawn, written answers to questions not reached by the end of Question Time are reproduced in the Appendix.]
10.32 am [(proc text) Order read for Resumption of Debate on Question [12 February 2026] [3rd Allotted Day] (proc text)]
10.32 am [(proc text) "That Parliament approves the financial policy of the Government for the financial year 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026." – [Prime Minister and Minister for Finance]. (proc text)]
10.32 am [(proc text) Question again proposed. (proc text)]
10.32 am Ms Diana Pang.
10.32 am Mr Speaker, I rise to speak in support of the Budget as delivered by the Prime Minister.
10.32 am What struck me about this Budget is not just the package of measures, but the signal it sends. In a more uncertain, fractured world, it reassures all Singaporeans that we can remain steady, confident and united, it reassures Singaporeans that we are always here to take care of each other. This Budget carries a clear "we first" direction, reminding us that progress is not just about growth in figures, but about shared responsibilities, stronger bonds and a social compact that is real in everyday life.
10.32 am Mr Speaker, if we take this "we first" direction seriously, then we must pay attention not just to the policy intent, but how these policies land on the ground, especially at transitional points where households and businesses are most exposed. In that spirit, whilst I will touch briefly on ComLink+, measures affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), I will focus my main remarks on the revised Preferential Additional Registration Fee (PARF) policies and the issues of transitional fairness.
10.32 am First, Mr Speaker, I support the enhancement of ComLink+, which is a scheme that helps families progress from public rental towards home ownership. But I want to raise the practical issues on transitional risk. Moving from public rental housing into a new home is not that simple. For some of these families, there is a degree of vulnerability as they encounter moving – there are renovation costs, furniture costs, new travel routines, childcare, school logistics and sometimes, a change in a workplace too.
10.32 am Some of these families may not yet be stable to absorb a sharp drop in social and financial support if they are immediately treated as having "graduated" out of ComLink+. It is only human nature that if families fear that by buying a home triggers an immediate loss of support, they may delay taking up the step of home purchase that the policy is trying to encourage.
10.32 am Mr Speaker, this is not a call to keep families dependent. It is the opposite. If we want families genuinely to take the difficult step from rental to ownership, or from assistance to self-reliance, we should make the transition predictable and safe. I hope the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) can share how support is tapered when these families transition out of ComLink+ and whether their family coaches can help with a transition plan, so they do not fall into gaps between schemes at their most vulnerable and most fragile moments of the transition.
10.32 am Next, Mr Speaker, the Budget also introduces policies that affect a large majority of SMEs. In doing so, the Government typically engage trade associations and chambers to gather feedback of on-the-ground perspectives. However, not all SMEs is required to be part of these bodies. Even the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), as the apex business chamber, only has compulsory membership for companies above the $0.5 million paid-up or authorised capital threshold. This means a substantial segment of the micro-SMEs may not be in the room when these policy feedback are being gathered, even though they are the ones who are most sensitive to cost and compliance changes. I therefore urge the Government to consider opening feedback channels you hear from these small and micro-SMEs, via channels, such as the SME Centres, so that in all fairness, the policy does not get shaped mainly by the larger companies.