Hansard, Monday, 6 March 2023

1 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Social and Family Development whether the Ministry will consider studying the estimated costs of providing the cash component of the Baby Bonus to single unwed parents.

Mr Deputy Speaker, my response will also cover the Parliamentary Question (PQ) for oral answer also filed by Mr Louis Ng1 which is scheduled for Sitting on or after 7 March. I would invite the Member to seek clarifications if need be. If the question has been addressed, it may not be necessary to proceed with the question for future Sittings.

Please proceed.

Mr Deputy Speaker, while single unwed parents do not qualify for the Baby Bonus Cash Gift, Parenthood Tax Rebate and Working Mother’s Child Relief, we extend Government benefits that support the growth and development of their children. These include subsidies for education, healthcare, childcare and infant care, the foreign domestic worker levy concession and the Child Development Account. HDB also assesses their requests for housing holistically, based on their individual circumstances.

It is not an issue of cost, let alone whether we will study it, but that each of these policies reflect prevailing societal norms and values, that of parenthood within marriage. In addition, those in need of assistance can approach their nearest Social Service Office.

Mr Louis Ng.

Thank you, Sir. And I thank the Minister for the reply. I have seen first-hand the suffering and pain that single unwed parents go through. So, could I ask for the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) look at it from two different perspectives.

One, for the cash component of the Baby Bonus, it really is not a luxury for them, but a lifeline. Our own data shows that single unwed parents under age 35 have a median salary of $700. So, when the child is born, the mother and child, with $700, what can they really do? I hope we can provide this cash component because it really is a lifeline for these parents.

Two, for the Working Mother's Child Relief and the Parenthood Tax Rebate, I hope MSF can look at this not from a fiscal cost standpoint, but one of stigma and discrimination. Minister Indranee, Minister of State Sun Xueling and myself saw first-hand how single unwed parents were in tears when they spoke about this stigma and discrimination. I think this policy of not providing this tax rebate and tax relief really reinforces the stigma and discrimination. So, I hope again, that we will relook this, not from a fiscal standpoint, but how giving them this relief and tax rebate can help to remove that discrimination.

I can understand how Mr Louis Ng feel for single unwed mothers. I think Members in this House feel the same. But policies are implemented, fit for purpose. And even when they are not used up for its intended purpose, policies cannot be reduced, reused or recycled. They must be implemented for public accountability, for the purpose it was intended.

Therefore, if they need support like the areas which the Member has mentioned, our Social Services Offices (SSOs) provide psychological support and social support. Please seek them. If they do not know where to go, I hope Members can point them to where these are.

Mr Louis Ng.

Thank you, Sir. I do agree with Minister – the policies are there for a purpose. But policies can change and that is why in this Budget, we changed the whole rationale of the Working Mother's Child Relief. We thought at first it was to help the higher-income mothers to have children, but now, we are changing it to help the lower- and middle-income mothers. So, why can we not change it to help the single unweds as well? It is not a big group. I do not think a lot of single unwed parents pay taxes because again, the median salary is about $700 for those under age 35. They cannot be paying taxes. But this is about really removing the stigma and discrimination.

I have raised this for many years now. Every year when I raise it, they said we will review it. I hope we sincerely review this and change our policies.

I note that the Member said the numbers are small. Does the Member want the number to be big? Because we must make a distinction between support and incentive. There is always this worry that that could happen, but more importantly, our policies must reflect the social norms and values of parenthood within marriage. If that shifts in future, certainly, we will move with it.

We have several PQs to get through, Mr Ng. I will allow the last short supplementary question, please.

The short supplementary question is this: we did equalise the maternity leave; we did provide the CDA component. I do believe that that did not result in a spike in the number of single unweds. I believe, in Japan as well, when they provided more support for single unwed parents, that also do not result in a spike in single unweds in the country. I do not think so as well. I do not think people have children just because —

Mr Ng, a short clarification, please.

Thank you.

Well, the Member did not put a question, but he put his opinion across again. I think he has reflected the needs of the unwed mothers – and all of us should feel the same. But we also have to reflect the needs and the reflections of what social norms are. As I mentioned just now, if social norms change, that too will change.

2 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Health (a) in the last six months, how many local nursing homes have not been able to maintain the required ratio of care staff to residents for (i) Category I (ii) Category II (iii) Category III and (iv) Category IV residents respectively; and (b) what are the Ministry’s plans to assist the nursing homes to meet the level of staffing and level of professional skills required.

Sir, all nursing homes inspected within the last six months met the required staffing ratios. Nevertheless, many healthcare institutions, including nursing homes, face a tight manpower situation, as healthcare workers are in great demand throughout the world.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) works with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) to attract jobseekers into the community care sector, including nursing homes. They also work closely with nursing homes to develop healthcare workers professionally. This includes the Community Care Traineeship Programme for their newly-hired local healthcare and therapy assistants; and providing subsidies through AIC-appointed Learning Institutes for a range of developmental and skills training programmes. In addition, we are stepping up efforts to recruit foreign nurses to work in Singapore.

Mr Giam.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. The Lien Foundation's long-term care manpower study found that the compensation of local nurses, local nursing aides and healthcare assistants in the long-term care sector, is low compared to their counterparts in hospitals. Are there any plans to bring local Intermediate and Long-term Care (ILTC) staff's pay and benefits up to, at least, the level of the restructured hospitals, so that they can better attract and retain local staff?

Secondly, among the nursing homes, are there salary norms that are set by the Ministry of Health (MOH) that they are supposed to meet and what is the compliance rate of this among nursing homes?

Sir, I thank Mr Giam for the questions. We do regularly review the compensation for all the healthcare workers in all the sectors, as well as whether there is a significant variance across the norms. This is a matter under review. I do not have any specific announcements about plans to review at this point in time, but it is an ongoing work. We will update the House at appropriate junctures.

I do not have the data for compliance rates amongst the different providers in the long-term care sector. If the Member would like to file a specific question on that, for oral or written answer, I would be happy to provide the data.

Mr Yip Hon Weng.

I thank the Senior Minister of State for his reply. I just have a very short supplementary question. The waiting list for nursing homes is long, as I understand it. Are there plans to incentivise care staff from the acute hospitals to perhaps try a stint in the nursing homes to help beef up the manpower there?

Sir, I thank the Member for his question. The skill sets for the acute hospitals and the long-term care sector, while there is significant overlap, are not exactly the same. And we should not see the pool of manpower as completely fungible between the two. We do also have needs within the acute care sector as well.

So, the real answer is to increase the overall recruitment and bring people into both sectors.

No other supplementary questions? Alright.

3 Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance (a) whether he can explain the rationale for adjusting the Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) rates for higher-value properties on and after 15 February 2023; and (b) how does the imposition of a condition that the Option to Purchase has not been varied on or after 15 February 2023 before allowing the prevailing BSD rates on and before 14 February 2023 to apply help meet the policy consideration.

Mr Deputy Speaker, the revised Buyer’s Stamp Duty or BSD, rates will make our BSD regime more progressive by having higher rates when buyers purchase more expensive residential and non-residential properties.

The transitional provision and its three conditions are similar to those implemented for the Budget 2018 BSD rate adjustments, and past Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty or ABSD, rate adjustments. These conditions are designed to ensure that the prior BSD rates apply only to pre-existing Options to Purchase or OTPs, that are granted on or before 14 February 2023, even though they are exercised shortly later. There is a condition that the OTP should not be varied on or after 15 February 2023 to minimise gaming by buyers hoping to circumvent the revised BSD rates.

Buyers who are unable to fulfil the conditions of the transitional provision due to extenuating circumstances may submit an appeal to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).

Mr Lim Biow Chuan.

Thank you, Sir. May I ask the Senior Minister of State, I understand the rationale, but there are certain parts of it which I cannot understand, which is the part about variation. For example, if the parties cannot complete for reasons that are not within their control, for example, if it is subject tenancy and the tenant wants to vacate, they cannot vary their contract because it has not impact on the progressive nature of the Stamp Duty. Or if, for example, the parties cannot complete because the bank changes the date. How does that impact this provision to make Stamp Duty more progressive?

I mean, at the end of they, the variation must go to the root of the policy considerations. Which is that you do not want parties to game the system and to avoid the progressive nature of the increase in Stamp Duty. So, perhaps, the Senior Minister of State can confirm, if the terms of variation do not go to the root of the avoidance of the Stamp Duty, can parties still proceed with the variation.

Sir, I think the Member raised a valid point that in some situations, the variations to the OTPs are genuine and minor. So, for this kind of situations, as I mentioned in my main reply, they can submit an appeal to IRAS and IRAS will consider if there is justification to provide flexibility. IRAS has done so for the majority of appeal cases it received so far.

However, when we set the criteria, we have to cater to a range of different possibilities, including cases where people are deliberately trying to avoid paying higher BSD. So, I think we need to strike a balance.

Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.

Just a quick clarification. I understand the motivation just like the hon Member, but it strikes me that why do we not just give a little bit more buffer on the front end? Perhaps some individuals will game the system? But rather than go through the exhaustive appeal route which in the long run, ultimately, would not matter if we give them an extra month. In the end, it eases some of these short-term appeal considerations, but in the long run, ultimately, it is still going to be progressive.

Sir, I think what Assoc Prof Jamus Lim raised is different from what Mr Lim Biow Chuan raised. Mr Lim is not asking about the duration. We do provide some time in the conditions that the OTP is exercised on or before 7 March, or within the validity period, whichever is earlier. So, it is not that there is no grace period provided.

But what Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked is a slightly different thing. He is asking if there is a variation to the OTP that has been signed.

As I explained, we do need to cater to a range of scenarios and possibilities, so we state the conditions upfront, so we do allow appeals and IRAS has approved the majority of appeals it has received so far.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, perhaps a short supplementary question.

I am so grateful, Sir. I am still not very sure how it works. Supposing parties agree to complete on certain date, but the buyer cannot get his financing on time and ask for one extra month, so, what does he do? They have to write to IRAS – because they have already paid the stamp duty when they exercised option, but he cannot complete the transaction because he cannot get his funds on time, he then has to write to IRAS about that increase in stamp duty or can parties negotiate on their own? How does IRAS expect them to solve this?

Sir, I think I have explained this several times. The appeal process is to consider the circumstances of each transaction case by case. I hope the Members, both Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and Mr Lim Biow Chuan understand why it is very difficult for us to spell out upfront what are all the detailed situations, because it is going to be case by case. But as I had given Mr Lim the assurance, if there are genuine cases and the changes are not major, they are minor changes, do surface to IRAS and IRAS will consider if there are justifications to provide flexibility.

4 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) what is the total value of the festive grant for 2023 contributed by the Lee Foundation that will be disbursed to ComCare recipients; (b) what are the qualifying criteria for receiving the grant; (c) how many recipients have benefitted from the grant; and (d) in the last five years, how many of such ad-hoc grants originating from private donors have been disbursed through the Ministry and what is their total value.

Mr Speaker, the Lee Foundation provides a festive grant during Chinese New Year to persons who do not qualify for ComCare but were referred to them by the Social Service Offices (SSOs). In 2023, they disbursed about $82,000 to about 680 of such persons.

The Hong Leong Foundation and Shaw Foundation also disburse CNY festive grants annually to ComCare Long-Term beneficiaries. They averaged about $960,000 per year over the past five years.

Mr Singh.

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Just one supplementary question for the Minister. The Minister shared that the Lee Foundation festive grant – which I came to know about because one of my residents received a letter and he did not know when the grant was going to be disbursed to him. I think I heard the Minister say $82,000 and 680 recipients, and they received it because they applied for ComCare assistance but they did not qualify. So, am I right to say that only 680 people applied for ComCare and all of them got the festive grant?

For 2023, 680 of such persons who did not qualify for ComCare and they were referred to – all of them, yes, the 680.

Any more supplementary questions? None?

5 Mr Yip Hon Weng asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the trends of youths radicalising via gaming, chat and social media platforms; and (b) what are the steps taken to strengthen the tracking and identification of extremist messaging and ideologies on such platforms.

Sir, the number of self-radicalised youths has increased and they are getting younger. From 2007 to 2014, only one self-radicalised youth, aged 20, was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Since 2015, there have been 11 self-radicalised youths aged between 15 and 20 who were detained or issued with Restriction Orders under the ISA. They were exposed to extremist and radical content through a variety of online platforms, including gaming, chat and social media platforms.

The Government has blocked access to some websites that perpetuate extremist messaging and ideologies. Separately, under the amended Broadcasting Act which took effect on 1 February 2023, the Info-communications Media Development Authority can direct social media services to disable access to content instructing or advocating terrorism or violence. As announced during the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI)'s Committee of Supply debate this year, MCI will study further measures to strengthen online safety on other services, including gaming platforms and app stores.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will also be introducing later this year, legislation to combat online criminal harms, which will cover content that incites terror-related activities.

But despite our best efforts, it is not possible to block all extremist content, given the vastness of the Internet. New extremist content and new sites are constantly popping up. Determined individuals will find ways to circumvent our blocking.

We have therefore been working with community partners, such as the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) and Inter-Agency Aftercare Group (ACG), on outreach efforts to strengthen the community's resilience to extremist ideologies.

The public, particularly family members and friends, also play an important role. They can seek help for someone close to them whom they are concerned has been radicalised, or report suspicious behaviour by calling the ISD Counter-Terrorism Centre hotline at 1800-262 6473; or 999; SMS to 7199; or using the "Report" function in the SGSecure app. The identity of the informer will be protected. Early reporting will allow the authorities to intervene quickly to avert a tragedy, including to the radicalised person. If the person is only in the early stages of radicalisation, he or she may simply be referred for counselling and may not need to be detained under the ISA.

Mr Yip Hon Weng.

I think the Minister of State for his response. Just a short supplementary question. What is MHA's our overall engagement strategy to counter radicalisation especially for youths, for example, by engaging some of the stakeholders. Specifically, can the Ministry give further details of how it is working with families of these youths to prevent radicalisation.

Sir, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Indeed, MHA, specifically ISD, have been working with other Government agencies and community partners to reach out to different segments in the community, to raise public awareness of the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation. So, such upstream efforts are important, preventing radical ideology on taking root in our society. This is especially important for youths, who are impressionable and more easily influenced.

Like what I shared earlier, we work with community partners, such as RRG and ACG, where they reach out to youths and families to have sessions and forums. They also have visits to the RRG resource counselling centres, we did online engagement during COVID-19 and we also reached out to the youth and families via physical engagements after we have recovered from COVID-19. For example, the RRG arranged a visit to ISD Heritage Centre for 50 youths and we also engage youths of Indian Muslim Social Service Association. When doing these, we also asked the media, we invited the media and we usually have good media coverage to share the messages. We also engage in online engagement.

That is one and we also work with our Government agencies such as the Ministry of Education (MOE) – a key partner of our counterterrorism and counter-radicalisation efforts, where we look at how we collaborate with MOE schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) on such efforts.

For example, in 2022, ISD organised at least 69 counterterrorism and counter-radicalisation outreach events, both online and in-person for more than 2,300 participants, including student leaders, educators and other school staff. We also engage the principals, educators and student leaders and we also work with school counsellors and student welfare officers – as of 2022, over 350 school counsellors and school student welfare officers.

At the end of the day, we will continue this journey. We have been engaging families, youths and as many people as we would like and are able to. Recently, we engaged a group of religious leaders and we are happy that they are more than willing to help us in this effort.

What is key is that, as I shared in the MHA's Committee of Supply, we will continue to enhance our operational capabilities and our outreach efforts. In fact, this Thursday, I am engaging another group of stakeholders as part of the counter-terrorism and counter-radicalisation efforts. We hope that more Singaporeans can come onboard this journey and play a part. Most importantly, look out for your family members, look out for your children because today, our children spend a lot of time online and you never know what they come across because self-radicalisation is a process. For some, it can happen quickly, for others, it is a process and it is a journey, but we want their journey to be a positive one and a healthy one.

6 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for Manpower what is the rationale for requiring both employers and doctors to submit an incident report after an occupational disease has been diagnosed but requiring only the employer to report a death or injury arising from a work-related or workplace accident.

Mr Speaker, under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, doctors are required to report to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) patients with occupational diseases (ODs) caused by their work environment or activities related to their work, but not patients with workplace injuries. This is because unlike workplace injuries, a person diagnosed with an OD may have already moved on from the job that caused the OD or be working for a different employer, or may not be working at all, at the time of diagnosis. Requiring doctors to submit such incident reports ensures that these cases are not missed out, helps to expedite the work injury claims process and safeguards employees' interests, as insurers and MOM are informed in a timely manner.

On the other hand, there is no need for doctors to report workplace injuries as the link between the injury, the workplace accident and the employment relationship is generally more direct. Hence the responsibility is placed on employers and occupiers to report these injuries, so there are two reporting channels.

Mr Louis Ng, a short supplementary question, please, because we have to end at about 11.00 am.

Thank you, Sir. Can I just ask how is MOM making sure that there is no under-reporting of workplace injuries?

Well, I thank the Member. Firstly, I think on the regulation than 10(1)(a) and (c) of the Workplace Safety and Health (Incident Reporting) Regulations, employers and doctors who fail to report diagnosis, for OD, for example, can be fined $500 for the first offence. They could also be jailed up to six months or receive a fine of up to $10,000, if they do not report. So, the laws are there, mandating reporting of injuries as well as ODs.

And at the same time, I think the Member is also aware that when we amended Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), for example, we have now closed some of these loopholes, where now you have to report from day one of your medical certificate (MC) as opposed to in the past you could – there were some doctors who gamed – some employees who gamed when they did not have to report short duration MCs for example. We have closed the loopholes as and when we find them and we would like to work with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), members of the public or even employees themselves, who could also report to us some of these cases so that we can better understand if there are any loopholes. But at this moment, it does not look as such because we have closed as many loopholes as possible and reporting is mandated from day one.

I assure the Member that the process is in place, but what is more important is that we want to keep the process lean so that it reduce the amount of duplication. The Member himself, also said in this House during the Committee of Supply that some of our healthcare workers already quite stretched. So, the last thing we want is to add administrative burden to them when we do not really need it.

Order. End of Question Time. The Clerk will now proceed to read the Orders of the Day.

[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.]

[(proc text) Order read for consideration in Committee of Supply [7th Allotted Day]. (proc text)]

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Christopher de Souza) in the Chair]

Head X, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin.

Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head X of the Estimates be reduced by $100".

Sir, last year, at the start of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY)'s Committee of Supply (COS), I had raised the issue of the need to safeguard and refresh the social compact that we have assiduously built in Singapore over the years.

I believe that our core values of building a caring and inclusive, multiracial, multicultural and multi-religious society remain sacrosanct among Singaporeans. However, it is undeniable that, as each new generation of Singaporeans come to the fore, we will have to continue to evolve as a society and refresh our social compact.

This House will recollect that, emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic last year, we observed a series of highly emotive discourse on issues of race, social economic status and nationality.

We know that views on issues of social importance are progressively becoming more diverse across a wider spectrum of Singaporeans. Our youths, who form the bedrock of our future, are decidedly more seized with such issues and are inclined to speak their minds, even on sensitive issues of race and religion.

Our demographics are also fast changing. The proliferation of inter-racial and intercultural marriages in Singapore will lead to a new generation of Singaporeans that will hold a fresh perspective on racial and cultural identity. An ageing population will require us to review our national policies to address the issues arising, but also to consider how Singaporean families fundamentally function as a foundational unit that is entrusted with bringing up the next generation and caring for our seniors.

Sir, even as we grapple with the changing trends and needs in our society, we must be mindful that discourses on highly emotive issues of social importance can serve to deepen fault lines in our social fabric, if not carefully calibrated. We must never take for granted the social harmony that was painstakingly built over successive generations of Singaporeans since our Independence.

Having said that, I remain optimistic, that discourse that is constructive and respectful can allow us to better reflect upon how we could refresh our social compact and strengthen our sense of national unity and identity. As we have shown to have done in our history, we can harness diversity as an agent for unity, rather than divisiveness.

Sir, the launch of the Forward Singapore exercise by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in June last year presents, in my view, an excellent platform where we can gather the diverse voices of Singaporeans, encourage a constructive exchange of views and work towards refreshing our social compact. The Unite Pillar led by Minister Edwin Tong, in particular, is well placed to tackle these issues head on.

I, therefore, invite the Minister to update us on his experience so far as a lead for the Unite Pillar in the Forward Singapore exercise, as well as to share with us MCCY's strategies to ensure that we can create a Singapore, where every citizen belong, is able to maintain strong bonds with one another and is able to contribute collectively to build a strong, inclusive and cohesive society in a country where all of us can proudly call our home.

[(proc text) Question proposed. (proc text)]

Mr Saktiandi Supaat. Please take your two cuts together.

Thank you. Mr Chairman, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our Malay/Muslim community, with the support of all Singaporeans, has become more successful. 8.5% of the Malay population have a monthly household income of $15,000 or more in 2020, compared to 2.6% in 2010, and I am confident that figure will continue to rise.

We must therefore think of how we can contribute to the larger society. The Malay/Muslim community, like any other group in Singapore, does not exist in isolation.

(In English): Mr Chairman, in English. I have some suggestions on how the Malay/Muslim community can expand its contributions to the nation as it does better for itself.

First, we can enlarge the beneficiaries under the existing initiatives led by Malay/Muslim organisations like M3, by extending the mentorship programmes and uplifting workshops to other less-privileged Singaporeans, they could provide valuable inter-community touchpoints.

Second, the sharing of cultural heritage should not be limited to Racial Harmony Day and major festivals. Post-COVID-19, I look forward to the resumption of mosque open houses and other events at which Singaporeans can gain an understanding of our diverse cultural fabric.

We should also learn from the best practices of Muslim minority communities in other countries. Are there any takeaways from the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS) held in September 2022?

How can we encourage individuals, organisations and our religious institutions to step forward, and play their part in fostering social harmony and in building a better Singapore? How can we share stories of successful Singaporean Malay/Muslims abroad even more? They carry our Singapore flag in other countries in various fields. Can we scour more globally those that have ventured abroad and have contributed to Singapore's Gross national product versus Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Statistics from 2010 to 2020 show that our Malay Singaporeans are able to secure better jobs and give their families a better standard of life today.

Just like how the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted lives and livelihoods, our exit from the pandemic will similarly bring about new economic uncertainties and challenges. China has just reopened its economy to the world earlier this year. Increased geopolitical tensions have worsened the uncertain outlook.

In the same way that the Government and self-help organisations such as the AMP had supported the Malay/Muslim community throughout the pandemic, in the form of skills upgrading and re-skilling opportunities, I am sure our Mala/Muslim professionals will not be left to navigate today’s uncertain waters alone.

Can the Minister provide an update on the extent of the ongoing and upcoming global and domestic challenges, and how are we preparing the Malay/Muslim community for the possible opportunities? What are the plans to better support our Malay/Muslim professionals to ensure that they remain employable and can progress in their chosen careers?

I have a few suggestions.

First, as the world has re-opened, we should encourage our Malay/Muslim professionals and workers to be adaptable and experience new challenges. Perhaps the Ministry can look into the statistics of, and opportunities for, our Malay/Muslim professionals to go abroad for overseas secondments and training opportunities. Can we form partnerships with a few Temasek-linked companies to meet specific targets?

Second, perhaps we can think about how to further utilise the SkillsFuture Credit scheme between 2015 and 2020.

Finally, we can look at ways to further enlarge emerging and growth sectors and increase the number of professionals in those sectors. Thank you.

Mr Chairman, in Malay please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Who is the Malay Singaporean and what are his contributions to the nation? The truth is, the Malay community is a diverse community, with many talents. The Malay Singaporean is a CIO at the IMF. The Malay Singaporean is Singapore's favourite footballing son. The Malay Singaporean is a top trade negotiator. The Malay Singaporean is the Asian idol. The Malay Singaporean is a navy officer, an army officer, a police officer, an SCDF officer, a healthcare worker. The Malay Singaporean is the champion of the side hustle, from gifted photographers to thriving home based business that bring joy to customers.

To be sure, the Malay community faces challenges, and there are niggling issues including deep rooted prejudices that we still find troubling. But rather than crippling us, we have become a role model in managing challenges and diversity as a community and other communities learn and can learn a lot from us, whether it is in setting up self-help groups to improve education outcomes or bringing down drug abuse.

In an increasingly noisy and uncertain world, by practicing the values of our culture including humility, respect, moral and ethical living and family, we can continue to set an example. How do we best harness the talents of the Malay community and inspire and motivate ourselves to build a community of success, and to be recognized for our contributions to the nation?

Mr Chairman, in Malay please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, I would like to seek clarification as well as share a suggestion on some matters related to the Malay-Muslim community. The first is about the Community Leaders Forum (CLF). The CLF was formed in October 2003.

The objective of the CLF is to provide a platform for Malay/Muslim social agencies to further strengthen and enhance the coordination and collaboration between these agencies so that the Malay/Muslim community can better benefit from their programs and initiatives.

I would like to ask the following questions about the CLF. First, what is the status of the CLF? Second, is the function of CLF still relevant after the establishment of M3? Third, what is the difference between these two platforms and whether, there is duplication between them?

The second point, Mr. Chairman, is about the Malay-Muslim Community Development Fund or MMCDF which was established in 1991 to assist Malay/Muslim organisations in their efforts to empower the community. The questions that I would like to ask the Minister is, first, when was the last review conducted for the MMCDF and when is the next review? Second, what is the amount of funds that distributed and also the number of organisations that received these funds in the past five years, that is, from 2018 to 2022?

Next, I would like to touch on efforts to help the Muslim community understand, embrace and deal with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues in Singapore.

At the beginning of 2022, PERGAS formed a special task force team for LGBT issues. Among the efforts held by PERGAS are dialogue sessions with Muslim individuals from the LGBT community and also provide guidance to the Muslim community in Singapore on facing and managing this issue. As I said in my Committee of Supply speech last year, I welcome PERGAS's initiative.

Mr Chairman, in November last year, this House passed an amendment bill to repeal section 377A. I would like to make a recommendation for MUIS to support as well as collaborate with PERGAS to enhance the effectiveness of their initiatives on the LGBT issue.

The fourth and last point is about the efforts on the part of the Minister and the ruling party Malay/Muslim MPs regarding the use of tudung for uniformed groups in the public service.

Mr Chairman, there have been several times when the tudung issue was raised in this House, the Minister in-charge of Muslim Affairs, either the current or the previous one, has said that such matters should be discussed in a closed session or behind closed doors. The last time this was said was two years ago during the 2021 Committee of Supply debates when it was recommended that nurses in the public health sector be given permission to don the tudung.

I would like to seek clarification from the Minister whether, even after the Government had allowed nurses in the public health sector to wear the tudung, are this often-mentioned closed door sessions still ongoing, perhaps discussing with the Government to consider the wearing of the tudung for other uniformed groups in both ministries of Home Affairs and Defence? If there is, how many sessions have been held and, if no, why? That is all, Mr Chairman.

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, Malay/Muslim organisations (MMOs) play a vital role in providing support for the community and are valuable Government partners.

Veteran MMO leaders have contributed a lot to the community's development. We are greatly indebted to their contributions. However, to ensure MMOs' continued relevance and success, leadership renewal must become a key focus area for any organisation.

One example of leadership renewal is the Tunas Bersama M³ programme. This programme was established to nurture the next generation of MMO leaders, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and networks to lead the Malay/Muslim community and their organizations.

May I ask how can the Government enable the next generation of community leaders to make more impactful contributions to the community and country, including for example driving evidence-based interventions, equipping MMOs with relevant skills to ensure corporate governance and financial sustainability within MMOs?

How can the Government support the MMOs' planning so that their efforts and programmes continue to be relevant for this generation and the next?

How can MMOs play a greater role in nation and community building, and are there plans to support synergised efforts among MMOs as well as encourage collaboration with non-MMOs?

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr. Chairman, a strong and resilient family is a cornerstone in the development of highly confident individuals and children, and a successful society. Apart from the efforts and initiatives at the national level to help various groups in our community, including strengthening families and marriages, programs carried out by M3 also complement the efforts within the Malay/Muslim community.

Presently, more than 100,000 individuals have participated in more than 250 programs organized by M3 in 11 neighborhoods, involving around 700 volunteers. As the former chairman of M3@Towns, I have witnessed the development and approaches of M3 which are now more extensive and has a greater impact on the families within our community who participated in M3 programs and initiatives. Presently, each M3@ Town has its own characteristic and creates programs customized to the town's demographics. This was evident during the exhibition and sharing session at the recent M3 Forum.

For example the initiatives at M3@Chua Chu Kang, are based on a strategy to build current and future leaders of families. This strategy is called Nakhoda Bahtera (Captain of the Ship), in which family leaders steers the future of their families in navigating the ocean of life containing waves of challenges. However, in order to build strong family leaders and resilient families, we need all hands on deck.

Can the Minister share the initiatives that can enable our partners and community organisations to better support married couples in building strong marriages and families?

Dr Shahira Abdullah, please take your three cuts together.

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] The Bersamamu Programme is a great initiative by the Naib Kadis that aims to guide and support a newlywed couple for the first two years of marriage.

While the program has been successful in providing much-needed guidance and assistance to couples, I believe that there is a need for a female perspective to be included in the program. This can be particularly important in situations such as in conflicts where couples may feel more comfortable speaking to a woman or may have concerns related to women’s issues.

Therefore, can I suggest having a female marriage counsellor in the partnership to provide a different perspective and set of experiences that can be valuable in helping couples navigate the challenges of marriage? Second cut.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Wakaf Masyarakat is a noble initiative which is a form of endowment that is dedicated to social and community projects. Can the Ministry explain how donors can be encouraged to donate to this fund?

Another concern is whether the establishment of Wakaf Masyarakat will increase competition and create donation fatigue or affect donation streams for other social service MMOs. It is imperative to strike a balance to ensure that other social service MMOs are not adversely affected. I do understand that a certain portion of the Wakaf funds is allocated to MMOs. However, how is the Ministry exploring ways to ensure that the Wakaf Masyarakat does not detract from other charitable efforts but instead complements them? Next cut.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] As asatizahs shift to secular careers, can I ask the Ministry how we can encourage their continued contribution to the religious development of the community?

I would like to suggest building a network of asatizahs which could possibly be a scale up of the Asatizah Youth Network (AYN). This group can have regular meetings, conferences, or other events that bring them together and enable them to share their knowledge and experiences. It can provide mentorship opportunities and help asatizahs stay engaged with the community and give back through their knowledge and expertise. Asatizahs who have shifted to secular careers may be interested in mentoring younger members of the community who are pursuing religious education or careers. The network can also provide opportunities for asatizahs who have shifted to secular careers to teach or lead Islamic programs on a part time basis.

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] History has taught us how many Muslim minority communities all over the world are not only able to adapt in non-Muslim countries but also enjoy success that makes their country proud and benefits its plural society in general. In fact, there is a specific jurisprudence in Islam to deal with the contemporary realities experienced by Muslim minority communities. Muslim minority communities in countries like Singapore face many unique challenges that differ from the Muslim majority communities.

Now with many ideologies that are more divisive, the challenges we face are becoming more critical and it is important that we address these issues together with all Muslim minority communities globally.

Thus, the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS) held last year aims to enable sharing within a scientific framework for Muslim minority communities when facing the challenges of today. We need to continue this effort to learn from the experiences of other Muslim minority communities to drive and support the development of the Muslim Community of Success in Singapore.

Therefore, can the Minister provide an update on how MUIS plans to develop a body of religious knowledge in Singapore following the ICCOS Conference last year?

Dr Wan Rizal, please take your two cuts together.

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singapore is a multicultural and multireligious country, where people of different ethnicities and faith can coexist peacefully. Our asatizahs play a significant role in the Muslim community.

They are a key pillar who serve as guides to enable Malay/Muslims to practice our faith confidently while being integral members of the larger Singapore nation.

They provide contextualised religious guidance for our community and offer sound religious advice on contemporary issues. This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they navigated and rallied our community with calmness and compassion.

They provided much-needed support and guidance during an extremely challenging time. However, I believe, beyond the pandemic, our asatizah have the potential to significantly impact society as a whole. We have seen how the many mosques in Singapore, driven by our asatizah, work closely with the community at large. One example is Masjid Mohd Salleh. Recently, asatizah from the mosque has collaborated with Geylang Market Traders Association and Wisma Geylang to organize public motivational talks related to mental health.

Could the Minister share how our asatizah can make more meaningful contributions beyond the Muslim community to benefit the larger Singapore society?

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, some segments of our community still need more assistance than others. One particular group is those who live in public rental flats. Project Dian@M3 is an initiative launched in December 2021 to support Malay/Muslim families living in public rental flats across M3@Towns to achieve stability, self-reliance, and social mobility.

The initiative was launched in three public rental blocks, one each in M3@Bedok, M3@Geylang Serai, and M3@Jalan Besar. Currently, the pilot run covers only three rental blocks. At M3@Jalan Besar, I have seen the positive impact of well-organised and highly synergised efforts from the volunteers and the multi-agency task force.

I am encouraged when residents shared that they are getting support in terms of employment advice, children's education and they are working towards owning their own flats. I hope we can do more, but I also understand its challenges.

We may need to recruit more volunteers and at the same time ensure that inter-agency task force is not stretched until its operations on the ground becomes affected.

Nonetheless, I would like to ask the Minister, what is the outreach and progress for Project DIAN so far, and are there plans to further scale up the pilot run to include more blocks in other M3@Towns?

Mr Mohd Fahmi bin Aliman, please take your two cuts together.

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, to support and encourage the spirit of volunteerism, it is important that incumbent efforts are coordinated between public agencies and community organisations.

Project DIAN is an M3 initiative to showcase the community’s Determination to support households in public rental flats through the integration of assets within the community and the instilling of values. The DIAN Ambassadors Program was launched to support families residing in rental flats by understanding their needs and aspirations to help uplift their situation.

How do Project DIAN Ambassadors support their target families? Are there resources that Project DIAN Ambassadors can tap on, so that they can better engage these families, and are these resources sufficient? If not, could more support be provided to ensure that our ambassadors can run this program better?

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, in building a Malay/Muslim Community of Success, it would be important for us to further strengthen our social compact. One way to do this would be for the Government to work closely together with the community partners.

Last year, at AMP 4th National Convention, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong noted that Malay/Muslim organisations need to collaborate strongly with one another, as well as the Government, to address social issues that are increasingly becoming complex. With the formation of M3, it seeks to harness strengths from the three agencies, mobilise community assets & resources as well as collaborate with Government agencies & Malay/Muslim organisations to address the community's challenges, particularly in the area of last mile service delivery. The establishment of M3 is step in the right direction as coordination and resources are amalgamated to better serve our community.

Therefore, how can we expand the network of community partners to better serve the needs of the M3 beneficiaries?

Mr Sharael Taha, please take your two cuts together.

Thank you, Chairman. In Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, a good education remains fundamental to helping both individuals and families achieve success and social mobility. Therefore, it is important for the youth to have access to education. While the more affluent have access to supplementary classes like private tuition, the lower income families may not be able to afford it.

Hence, MENDAKI has played an important role in helping lower income Malay/Muslim children and youths in this regard. Good education begins from young and I am pleased that in 2018, MENDAKI launched the KelasMateMatika@CC to help parents guide their preschool children aged four to six years old on the basic numeracy concepts to prepare their children for primary school.

For school-going children, students have MENDAKI Tuition Scheme which provides affordable tuition for as low as $10 a year for students who meet the eligibility criteria.

How have MENDAKI programmes such as KelasMateMatika and the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme been successful in enabling our children and youths to fulfil their educational potential?

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] At the M3 Forum held in February, we saw how the 11 M3 towns rolled out many initiatives to uplift the Malay/Muslim community.

As each town has different demographics and is unique, M3 volunteers have tweaked and designed programmes around the four Focus Areas to meet the needs of our community in the towns.

M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol for example, have launched 12 new programmes last year such as HashTech and Learning journey where youths were mentored by professionals in the technology and engineering industry to expose our youths so that they develop skills required in the growth industries.

M3@Pasir Ris-Punggol also launched BTS (Back To School) programme where kids from lower income families were provided with schooling essentials, textbook and connected to Mendaki Tuition Scheme. We will continue to monitor their academic performance over the year.

All these initiatives to uplift the community is only possible through the efforts of its volunteers, who come from all walks of life. Some of them have benefitted from MENDAKI initiatives and programmes, such as scholarships, bursaries, awards presented to students for their achievements.

How can we encourage more youth to join as volunteers and contribute back to the community?

(In Malay) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, flagship programs such as the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme and KelasMatematika are now well known in the community, serving students across all levels from preschool to university. A hallmark of the MENDAKI programs has been the mobilization of volunteers and the community, to bring up the community. In other words, it instills the spirit of cooperation and sense of ownership in the effort to achieve progress for our Malay-Muslim community.

While progress is being made, we must keep pushing ourselves to achieve even more. How can we do more to reduce the barriers that prevent students and parents from enrolling in the programs and getting the most out of it. How can we further improve the quality and consistency of our community engagement? How can we do more to support our children even earlier in their educational journey? How can we continue to work with our community, and also cooperate with other communities to pool resources and do joint projects for our mutual benefit? How do we respond to the shifts that the education system will go through moving forward?

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Sir, mentoring programmes provide emotional support and career guidance to mentees so that they can achieve their aspirations.

Last year I was quite happy when my younger sibiling who was studying at university told me about signing up to be a peer mentor with MENDAKI. Mentors can help their mentees to overcome life challenges and give career guidance to assist them in their professional lives.

One youth mentoring programme is the #amPowered Programme. In 2022, there were plans for #amPowered to be gradually introduced in the ITE colleges and M3@Towns.

May I ask how has MENDAKI's overall mentoring approach, model and plans evolved over the past two years and what are the targets and KPIs which MENDAKI hopes to achieve through these programs?

What are the timeline and plans for the #amPowered Programme to be expanded to all M3@Towns and ITEs, to make it more accessible to the community?

Minister Masagos Zulkifli.

Chairman, our Malay/Muslim community has played an integral part in our nation-building. Generations of community and religious leaders toiled alongside our fellow countrymen to build Singapore. It is this spirit of citizenry that has carried us far as a society, where everyone steps forward and contributes.

We strive to build a Community of Success based on "three Cs": Character, Competency and Citizenry. I shared how we strengthened our character and developed our competency in previous Committee of Supply debates. This year, I will share about the third "C", Citizenry.

Citizenry comes from a sense of belonging and responsibility to Singapore – our country and its people. It is about coming together to build a better future, being confident in our abilities to make positive changes and showing care for one another. By all and for all. Regardless of race, language or religion. By being active citizens, we become a vibrant and contributing community who uplift those around us, forging a stronger Singapore. Chairman, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our theme this year is "Contributing Citizens, Stronger Nation". It reflects our roles and obligations to one another as citizens of Singapore. This theme exemplifies the spirit of the Forward Singapore movement where the Government rallies Singaporeans to come together to strengthen our social compact.

A core pillar of our social compact is the role of the family. It is through the family that we learn how to take care and fulfil our obligations to one another. Hence, the family provides the foundation to nurture and develop a sincere sense of collective responsibility, one that binds us as our fellow citizens. This sense of collective responsibility drives us to be contributing members of the community and society. This, in turn, strengthens trust between one another.

During MSF's COS Debate, I spoke about the three “S” for all families – Stability, Self-Reliance, and Social Mobility. Within the span of just one generation, many Malay/Muslim families have been able to achieve these three Ss largely because we emphasised education. This is also because of the efforts of our community leaders, who had set up MENDAKI forty years ago. They understood the importance of education in uplifting our community. Today, the education levels in our community are higher. More families have been able to achieve stability, self-reliance and social mobility. In the journey towards success, our community does not leave behind our cultural and religious values. This is because MUIS continues to develop our asatizah's talents and strengthen our religious infrastructure to nurture our character.

I am proud of the success of our Malay/Muslim community, who are also actively contributing to Singapore. Let me share how we will continue building this strong sense of citizenry.

First, strengthening the foundation of the family.

Second, nurturing future religious and community leaders.

Third, expanding the community’s contributions to the nation

We are committed to building stable, strong and resilient families. Mr Zhulkarnain asked about initiatives that support the building of strong marriages and families. As the saying goes, we need to go upstream if there's an issue downstream. The Bersamamu programme led by Minister of State Faishal has helped to strengthen the relationships of more than 20,500 couples. This is due to the strong guidance and support from our Kadis and Naib Kadis (Muslim marriage solemnisers). They undertook learning journeys to INSPIRASI Hubs (AMP and PPIS) and PPIS Vista Sakinah last year to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by young couples and those who remarry. The lessons learnt helped our Kadi and Naib Kadi to provide proactive and effective support to couples.

Dr Shahira suggested including female perspectives in the Bersamamu programme. All religious leaders, including Kadi and Naib Kadi, are trained to provide guidance that addresses the different needs of brides and grooms. Should couples require specialised support from specialists, they are referred to other relevant agencies and services such as PPIS, AMP and Temasek Foundation Project ARIF. We acknowledge that women would also like specialised support from female religious teachers for some matters that they face. We will endeavour to provide this support services for them.

The delivery of the Bersamamu programme is further strengthened by the Marital First Responder Training Programme. This programme empowers members of the community to support couples with marital issues. More than 300 members from the Malay/Muslim community, comprising community and religious leaders as well as volunteers, have been trained to support couples and encourage them to seek professional help if required.

Mr Faisal Manap asked how we can support individuals struggling with issues of gender identity. In matters relating to religion and morality, we should refer to the Mufti and our asatizah. They have guided us to extend our kindness to one another, including to these individuals. Muis will continue to enhance the capabilities of asatizah to better support these individuals and their families with sensitivity. This is on top of the training for asatizah who serve in the education and counselling sectors so that they can provide effective support to these individuals and their families.

All these community efforts will further strengthen our national programmes that seek to support the building of strong families. Senior Minister of State Zaqy will elaborate how we can further contribute to society by developing our competencies.

The spirit of self-help and gotong-royong has always been deeply rooted in our community. As the Malay saying goes, "We carry the burden together regardless of its weight". This spirit of collaboration was the driving force that established the M3 network and various Malay/Muslim organisation (MMOs). The MMOs provide programmes that not only benefit the Malay/Muslim community, but also the broader society. Minister Maliki will elaborate on the contributions of our MMOs in his speech.

To empower our MMOs, among others, we must continue to support and strengthen their leadership core. Ms Nadia asked about efforts to develop our future community leaders. The "Tunas Bersama M3" programme grooms future MMO leaders and equips them with critical skills. This includes building networks and synergy with others, which will help the community more effectively and systematically. I have personally heard the ideas from these leaders which are not only refreshing, but also emphasise synergy in collaboration.

Our religious leaders also play an important role in guiding the community. Last September, MUIS organised the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS) to empower not only Muslims in Singapore, but also Muslims in other minority communities, to lead their lives as good Muslims and good citizens in a plural society. ICCOS offers a construct of how we, as a minority Muslim community, can contribute to the peace and prosperity of our nation. To Mr. Zhulkarnain's and Mr. Saktiandi's queries, MUIS is developing a body of religious knowledge to empower our asatizah to guide the community confidently and contribute to the nation.

Our efforts to develop this body of religious knowledge has attracted interest from religious institutions overseas. During my recent visit to Egypt, the Al-Azhar University and Egypt’s Dar Al-Ifta expressed their support to Singapore's efforts. They also expressed interest to work with MUIS to develop this body of knowledge. MUIS had set up the Research Programme in the Study of Muslim Communities of Success (RPCS) to expand this body of religious knowledge for minority Muslims. One of the pioneer research fellows of the RPCS is Ustaz Fathurrahman Dawoed. He studied the factors that contributed to an observed over-reliance on halal certification. His research findings help our asatizah to guide the community to preserve our common spaces. This will facilitate social mixing and forge trust between different religious groups, while upholding our religious principles.

MUIS will provide greater support to the RCPS research fellows to develop Singapore's future religious leaders and thinkers. They will be given training opportunities in research methodologies and data visualisation, along with mentorship with esteemed local and international experts. Muis will also establish a digital repository later this year. It will contain resources on Islamic and social sciences covering emerging issues related to Governance, Society, Science and Technology. This repository will help our asatizah provide religious guidance with conviction and able to address contemporary issues in society.

On matters related to religion, Mr Faisal Manap asked for an update on the wearing of the tudung in the uniformed services. As Prime Minister had explained in his National Day Rally speech in 2021, the SAF, Home Team and other uniformed services will remain status quo. These officers wield armed force and enforce the laws of Singapore, and are secular arms of the State. Therefore, they must always be seen to be fair and impartial and performing their duty without fear or favour. This is especially important when responding to incidents that have racial or religious undertones.

Dr Shahira asked how our madrasah graduates can continue serving as asatizah and contribute to the religious development of the community. There are currently over 600 undergraduates pursuing degrees in Islamic Studies and related programmes overseas. After undergoing the Postgraduate Certificate in Islam in Contemporary Societies (PCICS) programme and certified under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS), they can teach or work at religious institutions such as MUIS, Syariah Court, madrasah and mosques. MUIS is also studying how to connect these graduates to the relevant institutions. To attract asatizah to continue serving in the Muslim religious sector, MUIS is developing the Common Salary Guidelines to review the salaries of asatizah, and ensure competitive remuneration that is commensurate with their qualification and job functions. MUIS will share more details later this year.

To Dr Shahira’s query on the Singapore Community Wakaf (WMS), the WMS will support the long-term needs of the Muslim community, including our religious institutions and the development of our asatizah. The WMS will garner funds mainly from legacy planning and planned giving by the community, hence does not compete with MMOs who mainly fundraise for ad-hoc donations.

Mr Chairman, in English please.

(In English): Dr Wan Rizal asked how our religious leaders can extend their contributions to benefit wider society. Besides guiding the community, they play an important role in providing solutions to current issues in society and rallying the community for the common good. Their efforts have been recognised internationally.

The Fatwa Committee led by the Mufti Dr Nazirudin was conferred the Al-Qarafi Award last year by the General Secretariat for Fatwa Authorities Worldwide from Dar Al-Ifta, the prestigious religious authority in Egypt. This was in recognition of the Mufti and the Fatwa Committee's strong leadership and outstanding contributions in guiding the community on various contemporary issues during the pandemic. The emphasis on peaceful co-existence in their religious guidance was also recognised by international religious scholars.

Thus far, I have shared how we build strong families and strong leaders. These two pillars strengthen each other and provide an enabling environment for our community to thrive and contribute to the nation. In this regard, I agree with Mr Saktiandi and Ms Mariam that we must not only thrive as a community, but actively give back to the larger society. Many professional bodies, such as lawyers, doctors and educators, are helping to uplift the community.

Captain Jaffar Hassan and his team of Malay/Muslim pilots from the Airline Pilots' Association Singapore are the latest group of professionals who have stepped forward to contribute. They partnered MENDAKI to guide our Malay/Muslim students on career pathways in the aviation industry and have since extended their programme to Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA) to benefit other communities.

Many Malay/Muslims, having done well for themselves, are also contributing at the national level. For example, Dr Nadjad Abdul Rahim is an operations and product development director of Cellbae Private Limited, whose team developed Singapore's first antigen rapid test for COVID-19. He also mentors youths pursuing careers in science and conducts outreach to vulnerable families.

Ustazah Kalthom Muhammad Isa is the Registrar of Muslim Converts Association and contributes to the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) by providing counselling to affected family members of those detained under the Internal Security Act. Her efforts help to address our national concern of combatting extremism.

Mr Abu Bakar Mohd Nor is Chairman of M Kapital Holdings. He was previously Chairman of M3@Tampines but has since widened his contributions by serving at the national level as Chairman of the Tampines Central Citizen Consultative Committee.

These individuals do not just inspire us with their success, but also their deep commitment to uplifting others. Our community's contributions across various sectors in society, is something we should celebrate and be proud of.

Indeed, we are a community that live by the ethos of Rahmatan Lil Alamin, or "Blessings to All", actively seeking to build bridges to reach out to those beyond our own. During Ramadan last year, the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) raised more than $180,000 to support close to 7,000 disadvantaged families from different ethnic and religious groups. They worked with various partners, such as temples, churches, mosques and the Singapore Association for the Visually Handicapped to pack and distribute essential items for families. RLAF not only reached out to the vulnerable but cultivated stronger bonds among Singaporeans.

Mr Chairman, the Malay/Muslim community has made significant strides over the decades, achieving stability, self-reliance and social mobility. Many have become successful and progressed in life. I encourage them to give back to the community and keep the spirit of care and citizenry. Through M3, professionals and volunteers from all walks of lives lend their expertise and skills to help the community. While we pursue our aspirations, let us remain connected with those around us, like our neighbours and the wider community.

All of us have a role to play in uplifting the community. It is when each of us become active citizens that we become a community where we are each other's keeper – looking out for one another, extending a helping hand. So, I urge everyone to step forward to uplift others. We can only build a stronger Singapore, together. [Applause.]

Minister Dr Mohamad Maliki Osman.

Mr Chairman, as our Malay/Muslim community continues to progress forward, we strive to capitalise our assets and facilitate active citizenry within the community, to look beyond our own needs and contribute to greater causes.

To do this, we will nurture a strong ecosystem of giving back in the Malay/Muslim community.

First, we will improve coordination across public agencies and community organisations. Second, we will develop a strong volunteer corps with the right knowledge and skillset. And third, we will build a strong network of community partners for broader and deeper impact in the community. Mr Chairman, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Our community is united in supporting the vulnerable group and are constantly finding better ways to uplift them. Often times these families face complex issues that require support from many different government and non-Government agencies. We will improve coordination across public agencies and community organisations, to provide more integrated wrap-around support for this vulnerable group.

For instance, Project DIAN@M³. We launched Project Dian in December 2021 to strengthen support for Malay/Muslim families who stay in HDB rental flats. Through Project DIAN, we focus on three groups of families who stay in HDB rental flats. First, the elderly who live alone; second, middle-aged parents with adult children, or multi-generational families; and third, and young families with young children.

The third group of young families is our key priority. They have an average of three children or more, with the mean age of the oldest and youngest children at 11 and four years old respectively. Some even have children who are even younger. During our house visits, we further observed that some children demonstrate developmental delays. Some also, did not attend preschool or missed school regularly.

To provide more targeted assistance to this group, we launched the DIAN Ambassador programme last October, to provide home-based support to Project DIAN families with children between 3 and 6 years old, over a six-month period. Mr Fahmi asked how the DIAN Ambassadors support the target families and are equipped to engage this group. The DIAN Ambassadors will visit the families fortnightly to read with the child and engage them in activities that allows the child to play while learning which assists in the child’s cognitive and social skills development. The DIAN Ambassadors will also involve the young parents, to empower them to support their children in early childhood education.

We work closely with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to plan the curriculum and educational materials for the children, as well as to implement a robust programme evaluation approach. To measure the progress of each family, SUSS systematically evaluates the case notes recorded by our DIAN Ambassadors at every visit, and will conduct interviews with family members to better understand their situation. Additionally, KidSTART helps to train our DIAN Ambassadors on early childhood development to enable them to effectively interact with these children and provide appropriate intervention. Since the DIAN Ambassador programme was piloted, 30 volunteers have been trained and we look forward to developing subsequent batches of volunteers.

Dr Wan Rizal asked for an update on Project DIAN. I am happy to share that Project DIAN has reached out to over 70% of Malay households in its pilot phase, and has identified young families that could be channelled to our DIAN Ambassadors programme. However, the journey for our DIAN ambassadors has not been easy. Some face challenges in fostering trust with the families. Nevertheless, they persevere and give their best effort for the young children in these families. I thank all our ambassadors for their passion and dedication.

Having said that, Chairman, we do have some early success and are confident that this programme brings about tangible impact on the lives of some of these Project DIAN families. For example, through Project DIAN, Siti (not her real name), a housewife, was referred to the e2i and NTUC to improve her employment opportunity and support her family. Siti's youngest son, aged six, benefited from our DIAN Ambassador programme through the developmental intervention. Her child has shown progress and interest in learning new things. Siti’s 8-year-old daughter also receives weekly tuition coordinated by the M³ Engagement Coordination Office (M³ ECO) and this 8-year old is now much more focused and confident in her schoolwork.

Given the early success of Project DIAN, we will expand the programme to three more M³@Towns, that is, M³@Chua Chu Kang, M³@Jurong and M³@Tampines. Through the expansion of Project DIAN, over 500 more Malay/Muslim public rental household will be engaged, up from approximately 250 households today.

Chairman, the volunteers' passion is the bedrock of an active and vibrant community. To support the growth of our M³ programmes, such as Project DIAN, we will not only increase our pool of volunteers, but also ensure that each volunteer is well-supported with the knowledge and skills so that they can contribute effectively.

M³ ECO was set up for this very purpose. M³ ECO has put in place a robust Volunteers' Capability Building Framework, to equip M³ volunteers with the right skillsets to engage its target group of families. Since its inception in September 2021, over 150 volunteers have gone through the training programmes. They became more confident in engaging and building rapport with the residents. They provide useful information to these families based on their needs. Besides basic skills training, we also organise specialised trainings with certain Government agencies, where our volunteers are equipped with specific knowledge about Government policies and schemes that could benefit the families. For example, training programmes conducted by HDB focus on the Government’s housing schemes which the volunteers could share with these families.

I am heartened that the number of volunteers across the 11 M³@Towns have increased from 700 to 800 this year, and they have reached out to close to 7,000 Malay/Muslim households across those towns. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, each bringing their unique experience and expertise to serve those in need. We hope they will continue to be an inspiration to many more to step forward and join us in these programmes.

Mr Chairman, in English please.

(In English): Mr Chairman, for the impact on our community to be further broadened and deepened, it is critical that we expand and strengthen the network of community partners that give back. Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman and Ms Nadia Samdin asked how we broaden our web of partners, including supporting synergies among existing organisations, as well as with new groups.

Today, our network of established Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMOs) and Indian/Muslim Organisations (IMOs) support many vulnerable segments of the community and we thank them for all their efforts. They play an important role of corralling resources and implementing programmes to meet the diverse needs of our community and fellow Singaporeans.

To Ms Nadia Samdin’s question, beyond the individual contributions that each MMO and IMO makes, they can play a greater role in community building through collaborative partnerships. For instance, last December, the Singapore Muslim Women’s Association, or PPIS, collaborated with the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday Memorial Scholarship Fund Board (LBKM) to launch a new postgraduate scholarship to support women in achieving their aspirations. The scholarship is open to women pursuing further studies in STEM, community work and gerontology, among other relevant options. The $15,000 scholarship is co-funded by the organisations and will be given to one recipient a year for 10 years, starting this year. This collaboration is an example of community efforts to grow more female role models within the community and we do encourage many more MMOs and IMOs to come together in partnership to offer more scholarships and programmes for the community.

Beyond existing community organisations, we must also cultivate new partners to harness their influence and capabilities. This is why the other Malay/Muslim leaders and I have been actively engaging different groups to listen to their views and share avenues within the M³ framework where they can contribute. Last year, we engaged close to 30 different groups, including youth organisations, social service agencies, union leaders and groups from different occupations.

I met close to 30 financial advisors to discuss how the Government can partner the community of financial advisers to improve the community’s financial literacy. I was very heartened that many of them were keen to share their knowledge with residents on the ground and we invited them to conduct financial literacy talks at out M³ Towns. Similarly, the volunteer lawyers under M³ organised legal sharing sessions for residents and guide them in applying for a Lasting Power of Attorney. On the medical front, the doctors and healthcare professionals from the community also stepped forward. For example, Dr Fadzil Hamzah works closely with M³@Tampines and asatizahs at Ghufran Mosque to conduct talks on prenatal health.

Such collaborative partnerships between the Government and various community nodes often have a multiplier effect on the community. To strengthen and deepen synergy, we actively look into creating platforms to share ideas and strengthen ties across our network of partners. This is why we started the M³ Forum – to serve as a platform for M³ partners and volunteers to come together to take stock and reflect on past work done, while forging new insights and partnerships for the road ahead.

Last month, our second M³ Forum saw over 400 participants from more than 25 public agencies and community organisations, of which, 15 were new partners borne out of fresh collaborations over the years. For example, through this year’s M³ Forum, the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM) and M³@Jalan Besar are coming together to promote youth empowerment, by providing youths with resources for personal and professional growth. I urge more Muslim community groups to come forward to be part of the M³ family to reinforce a network of care for our community.

Mr Chairman, I have shared our efforts in nurturing a culture of active citizenry within the Malay/Muslim community. However, this cannot be achieved overnight, nor by the Government’s efforts alone. Building a contributing community requires close partnerships between volunteers, public agencies and community organisations. And, at the heart of it, the dedication and passion of this coalition of partners towards a common goal of creating a better future for our fellow Singaporeans.

Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad.

Mr Chairman, our Malay community can be proud of the significant progress that we have made over the years. As more achieve success, we must continue mobilising and rallying one another to contribute back, inspire others and help those in need. With this spirit of togetherness, we can overcome challenges, achieve our aspirations and lead meaningful lives. To empower a capable and contributing community, we will provide a strong educational foundation for our young; nurture a strong community spirit through youth volunteerism and mentoring; and help Malay/Muslim professionals fulfil their potential and enable them to inspire others to pursue their dreams. Chairman, in Malay please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Education remains a cornerstone for success as it opens doors to opportunities that help us reach our aspirations. MENDAKI will help our children and youth fulfil their potential by regularly improving our education and developmental programmes. Mr Sharael Taha and Ms Mariam Jaafar asked about the effectiveness of MENDAKI's programmes.

A key programme run by MENDAKI under the auspices of M³ is KelasMateMatika or KMM.

This programme has supported close to 4,000 children, aged four to six, since 2018. It also builds parents' confidence in assisting their children in Mathematics. In the last three years, about eight in 10 students who joined KMM were prepared for Primary 1 Mathematics and did not need to enroll in the Learning Support Programme for Mathematics (LSM). This is encouraging because a joint study by MENDAKI and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) showed that a strong educational foundation in Primary 1 has a long-lasting impact and correlates to how well our students do at PSLE.

Besides early exposure to Math, KMM students will join specially curated coding camps and learning journeys to inculcate Mathematics into their everyday lives.

KMM classes are conducted both physically and online to make them more assessable to children and their parents. This year, we are targeting to enrol 2,500 students into the programme. Special sessions will be organised at targeted preschool centres including all 15 mosque-based kindergartens.

Another programme that has become synonymous to MENDAKI's academic efforts is the MENDAKI Tuition Scheme or MTS.

Last year, MTS supported more than 7,600 students across Singapore. I am happy to update that we have launched the 100th MTS centre at Greendale Primary School last February. Since last year, we have also reduced the MTS fees to just $10 per year from $210 previously. With the opening of MTS centres in the neighbourhood and more affordable fees, I hope more will join and benefit from the programme.

Besides academic achievements, it is important for our youth to have a good social support system. Besides their families, mentors can guide and help our youth expand their world view. As they become more aware of available education and career pathways, we hope that they will set higher goals and work hard towards achieving their aspirations.

In my COS speech last year, I announced that the #amPowered mentoring programme will be launched in all Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs) and M³ towns progressively. To Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin's query, the #amPowered programme are currently available at the three ITE Colleges and across three M³ towns in Jurong, Chua Chu Kang and Marsiling-Yew Tee.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were forced to shift our mentoring sessions online. This made it challenging for our youth to build strong connections with their mentors. Fortunately, from this year, the mentoring sessions can be conducted physically. We have also infused experiential learning and community building activities into our mentoring programme so that our youth can be exposed to more educational and career opportunities and be more cognisant of current issues.

Throughout this year, MENDAKI will organise at least one youth mentoring programme in each M³ town. So, all these will be provided. This will make it easier for our youths to sign up for the programme, no matter where they reside in. MENDAKI is currently evaluating our mentoring programmes to understand how far our youth have benefited from them.

Through these education and mentoring programmes, we hope our youth will excel in school and build strong foundations and network to set themselves for greater achievements in the future.

Mr Chairman, in English please.

(In English): Uplifting a community requires each of us to play a part. At the centre of our education and mentoring programmes is a strong, dedicated team of volunteers who understand the needs of the community. In the past three years, more than 1,000 volunteers were deployed across MENDAKI programmes to engage beneficiaries at different life stages. Therefore, our volunteers need to be equipped with the necessary skillsets and expertise to engage the beneficiaries effectively. One of our volunteers is Ms Nur Alwany.

Ms Alwany was a recipient of the Tertiary Tuition Fees Subsidy (TTFS) when she undertook her studies in polytechnic and then the university. She wanted to give back and first volunteered with MENDAKI in 2016 for the KidsRead programme and, subsequently, with KMM.

As a KMM facilitator, Ms Alwany builds her students' interest and capability in basic numeracy though fun and engaging ways. She also encourages her students to actively participate in her class to build their self-confidence.

For her dedication, MENDAKI encouraged Ms Alwany to attend a family conference by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) last year. Through the conference, Ms Alwany gained better insights into the needs of her students and was able to apply the lessons she learnt to her role as a KMM facilitator.

I have met many like Ms Alwany, who had benefited from MENDAKI's programmes, and now feels a sense of duty to help others. I am heartened by their generosity and spirit of gotong-royong. This virtuous cycle of support will be the engine of our community's progress.

Mr Sharael Taha asked how we can encourage more youths to come forward as volunteers. Last year, as we celebrated the achievements of our students, we made a call for them to step up and make positive contributions to the community. MENDAKI has established the YOUth@M3 platform to engage TTFS and Anugerah recipients at the respective M3 Towns to encourage them to befriend and help their peers. I am heartened that over 130 youths have so far indicated their interest to be volunteers across our M3 towns.

We will continue to support the passion and energy of our youths to make positive changes they want to see within their community. It is through these volunteering opportunities that our youths develop skills, discover interests, build relationships and guide others to success.

While we create strong foundations for our young, we must also focus on supporting our Malay/Muslim workforce. As a community, we must continue supporting one another to improve employment and upskilling opportunities so that more can have good jobs and achieve their career goals.

I thank Mr Saktiandi Supaat for his suggestions and would like to update him that we have strengthened the partnerships across the M3 network and the Malay/Muslim Organisations (MMO) to support our workers. We established our employability networks involving agencies, such as NTUC e2i, NTUC Learning Hub, Workforce Singapore (WSG) and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG), to better assist our Malay/Muslim workers with their employment needs, and this covers from training to upskilling to landing job placements. Since establishing this referral process, we have reached out to close to 2,000 Malay/Muslim workers to advise and guide them on their careers.

MENDAKI has formed the Professional Networks programme for Malay/Muslim professionals to know others in their field, exchange ideas and help younger workers entering growing industries. Last year, MENDAKI connected with more than 400 Malay/Muslim professionals in the care, green and digital sectors.

This year, MENDAKI plans to expand its Professional Networks to include other in-demand industries, such as finance, sustainability and engineering. This will create more opportunities to connect our youths with professionals who can inspire and guide them to pursue a wide range of career pathways. I would like to encourage early- and mid-career professionals in these sectors to join our efforts to build this community network of success.

MENDAKI also shares best practices with other MMOs through the Community Leaders' Forum (CLF) to help them deliver more effective programmes. Mr Faisal Manap asked for an update on the CLF and the Malay/Muslim Community Development Fund (MMCDF).

The CLF serves as a platform to ensure efficient and effective management of resources by the various MMOs to avoid duplication of programmes and services. In 2022, more than 170 participants attended sharing sessions on programme evaluation, volunteer management and governance. This provided an opportunity for CLF partners to come together to contribute to the learning and development of best practices.

Since 2013, the MMCDF has been expanded to support project implementation and organisational development efforts of our MMOs. Through the MMCDF, CLF provides funding support for our MMOs to develop and implement programmes that uplift the community.

To the Member's question, our last review was in 2021, and, last year, we disbursed $900,000 in support of 47 such community projects. One such project supported by CLF was AMP's Micro Business Programme. The programme empowers individuals from less-privileged households by equipping them with trade and business skills to start or enhance their home-based business as an additional source of income. Beyond projects, MMCDF also supports initiatives to groom the next generation of leaders of our MMOs through the Tunas Bersama M3 programme. This is our way to build capacity because these are leaders who will be at the helm of the MMOs in charting the community's way forward in the near future.

MENDAKI will continue to work with the Government, fellow Malay/Muslim organisations, sector leaders and employees to ramp up efforts to empower the community, whether through M3 or through CLF, to gain good employment and, together, support all our community members who are in need.

Mr Chairman, Minister Masagos, Minister Maliki and I have spoken on the theme of Contributing Citizens, Stronger Nation, and how we intend to strengthen the foundation of the family, nurture future religious and community leaders, and expand the community's contributions to the nation.

As new challenges emerge, we must continue to build up and leverage our community support, knowledge and resources to become a Community of Success. As the saying goes, alone we can do so little, together we can do so much more. I am confident that our Malay/Muslim community will continue to forge forward as one and contribute towards the prosperity of the nation.

We will take clarifications on this topic now – about 10 to 15 minutes of clarification time – because the other MCCY political office holders (POHs) also have to respond to the cuts. So, could I invite Members, if there are any clarifications? Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.

Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Minister. I have two questions.

One, on the International Conference on Communities of Success (ICCOS). Moving forward, we also need to look at the online spaces, be it social media or online gaming platforms, which are the new frontier in the jostle for influence and ideologies. So, perhaps MUIS and its foreign counterparts can consider strategies to occupy this space and perhaps have a permanent ICCOS online platform for this.

Second, on strengthening the foundation of families, I thank the Minister for the comprehensive reply. Lately, we read about a family violence case against a young child. Family units are complex. There are blended families – single parents, unwed mothers, grandparents or elder siblings – playing the parenting role. Are there any focus areas, perhaps consolidated focus areas, on this group of our community so that we do not forget them, perhaps focusing on parenting skills and working together with organisations like PPIS, AMP or BAPA?

Thank you. On ICCOS, I certainly agree. If we look at the population of Muslims living as minorities, their number is about 400 million. Many of them live in similar conditions like ourselves – as minorities in secular, progressive countries and protected by law, bound by the Constitution. This is one area where we can find synergy and work with similar communities. In fact, in the last ICCOS conference, many of them applauded our initiative to start the conversation going, including religious teachers. Therefore, one of the areas, this is a real concern for others, too, the online space, we certainly would develop that, specifically for Muslim minority communities.

Secondly, on families, as I mentioned in my Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) speech, we want to build fundamentally strong families and, therefore, we have to support the whole journey from the time even before they get married, to the time they have children and the time they grow up. And the Families for Life Council (FFL) is on the ground and going to expand national programmes, and I hope that whatever background we come from – from whatever communities – we tap on these national initiatives. At the same time, we will support those that have special needs, whether it is about family violence or relationship issues, FAM@FSC or Strengthening Families Programme@Family Service Centre, will provide them.

And then at the third layer, we also want and have been engaging Malay/Muslim organisations to provide culturally-nuanced and even religiously effective ways of addressing the issues, in addition to those that are given at the national level.

Ms Nadia Samdin.

Thank you, Chair. Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad earlier mentioned that the #amPowered programme will be progressively rolled out across all the ITEs and M3@Towns. May I ask if there are plans to involve companies in the private sector to partner the #amPowered programme to expose our youths to jobs in growth sectors like tech and finance, as well as entrepreneurship and other professional roles, please.

Sir, I thank the Member for her question. Certainly, we are always on the lookout for partners to help us expand the breadth and width of our programmes, especially to help our young be exposed to what is out there in the market so that they have some sense of what is needed, guided to pursue such careers, as well as being able to see the companies in action.

Last month, we announced our first private sector mentorship collaboration with MSD Pharma, some of you may know them as Merck, under the #amPowered@ITE programme. MSD Pharma is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Singapore and rated one of the best employers in the country since 2020. Through these programmes, our ITE students will receive guidance on how they can prepare themselves and be given a chance at maybe interning or visiting some of their factories or manufacturing plants.

Beyond ITE, last year we also announced the GIC MENDAKI scholarships, for example, even partnership with MiRXES so that we can have meaningful careers in finance and biotech, for example, as areas in which we want our Malay/Muslim kids to also pursue.

Moving forward, we look forward to more partnerships where we can expose our kids through various platforms. If any of you know of anyone who is interested, you can always refer corporates and partners to us, especially entrepreneurs and even SMEs to give our kids a chance to be exposed. So, yes, this is one way in which we want our kids to fulfil their potential.

Mr Sharael Taha.

I would like to thank Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad for sharing on the GIC scholarships. Is MENDAKI looking at more scholarships with the private sector, in order to create more stronger mentorship programmes for our Malay/Muslim youths?

The short answer is yes, we take what we can get. But I hope that we can certainly garner more who are interested to help uplift members of the community. And especially those that can give them wide range of exposures too, including internships, career guidance. I like the Merck one, because they are also committed to having professionals, up to 100 staff, who will come down and coach our ITE kids.

These are ways in which corporates can give back and I hope that we can get more on board.

We also got entrepreneurs too, like, Ismail Gafoor, who has also put in funds to support our young kids who need additional coaching in Maths, for example. So, there are ways in which corporates, large and small, who are doing their part to help uplift the community.

Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap. Did you put up your hand? You do not have a clarification? No? Mr Saktiandi Supaat.

Thank you, Mr Chairman. I have two clarification questions. One to Minister, with regard to the gedung-gedung ilmu, the repository for information resource for the asatizahs. I think it is a wonderful initiative and programme to step up our asatizahs.

Can Minister share a bit more about how we can extend it even further, beyond the subject matter and also beyond this year into next year? And related to that, what does it mean for the asatizahs' wages going forward? Does it help enhance their professionalism and does it also encourage more young people to go into that area as well, moving forward?

My second question is with regard to what Minister mentioned just now, the example of professionals like Malay/Muslim pilots coming forward to help as a body. Can Minister share a bit more on the efforts to gather more professional groups to help the community? And like he mentioned, helping even SINDA, going forward as well. He shared individuals and those are mostly locals, but the other element is also scouring more for overseas Malay/Muslims who have done very well abroad, brought Singapore's brand name to greater heights and —

Mr Saktiandi, could I ask you to ask your clarifications. Thank you, Mr Saktiandi. Minister Masagos.

Thank you, Chairman. The body of knowledge on Muslim communities, or those living as minorities, is very relevant to us, and also for societies that live in similar circumstances. When I broached this idea with the Mufti of Egypt, the scholars from Morocco, the vice dean of al-Qarawiyyin University, which is the oldest university of the Muslim world, as well as the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, they were very supportive and think that this is one area that we must develop more.

There is already a basic foundational knowledge on these issues on how to approach them. However, it has never been formalised and this initiative we now have undertaken is something that they want to support and they want to develop more of and contribute to.

We are starting on our own first, through the ICCOS. We have gathered religious leaders now who have interest to contribute to this body of knowledge, through their research. We now have really interesting books that they have contributed and never found applications for, and they now say, "wow, this is exactly what I wrote these books for".

At the same time, our own religious scholars are now undertaking post-graduate studies as well as contributing to this body of knowledge, through the RPCS.

So, we hope that putting this together as a repository, one day, as soon as possible, to have a body of knowledge which we can reference for future leaders, religious leaders, so that we can contribute meaningfully as a minority Muslim community in nation building.

Secondly, on the pilots. It was not a single person. I mentioned one person, but he was leading a group of pilots who were interested to motivate, mentor ITE students, to inspire them to go beyond whatever they are studying, to be able to fly, even if they are starting with a simulator. This was an initiative that was broached by them, and I never even thought about it and I thought it was a wonderful way of the pilots, dressed in their uniform, motivating our students. I see many of them, eyes really light up when they sit in the cockpit simulator.

Yes, I agree with the Member that there are many more professionals, even entrepreneurs, people who have gone overseas. Please come back. You have great ideas that can motivate and inspire our community, but as I mentioned in my speech, let us also contribute beyond. Let us also use these ideas, the expertise to also contribute to those who need it and they may not necessarily come from our community – like the pilots have done for SINDA.

Dr Wan Rizal. Then, I will take a final one or two clarifications on this topic.

Thank you, Sir, for your indulgence. I have a question for Minister Maliki. I am grateful that we are now expanding to more M3@Towns for Project Dian. I have seen the efforts, I think it is fantastic. In my cut, I mentioned some potential challenges in terms of manpower and coordination. Perhaps Minister can share what are the plans to mitigate this.

Chairman, I thank Dr Wan Rizal for his question. Indeed, it is not an easy effort to bring about the coordination to help groups of families which are living in very difficult circumstances.

Let me just recap. Project Dian is to help families living in our rental flats. We wanted to reach out to them. The first thing is we set out to understand the structures and process that need to be put in place. For structures, it is essentially what Dr Wan Rizal is speaking of. We created a steering committee made up of agency representatives. At the central level, we set up the ECO office, the engagement and coordination office of M3 and we established the steering committee made up of representatives from MSF, SSO, HDB, MOE's UPLIFT programme and the M3 agencies.

With this coordination effort, we brought it down to all the pilot towns and each pilot town has similar steering committees that has been established. This is so that the staffers at the local level coordinate, understand each other, understand each case that needs to be supported.

Within Project Dian, we have a group of volunteers. Dr Wan Rizal is absolutely right. The challenge is to get as many volunteers as we can because we literally were looking at knocking on every door of our Malay/Muslim households to understand their circumstances and the way they live.

Through the early efforts in the three pilot towns, we have been able to reach out to 70% of our Malay/Muslim residents there. We found three groups of residents.

The older folks who have been there for many years, the children who have moved out and from there, we look at the welfare and well-being of this group. The coordination happens between SSO and MUIS to ensure that they are supported.

The middle group are the ones who are middle aged with young adult children with potential for home ownership. For that we work with agencies like e2i, MENDAKI, to create opportunities for us to upskill and upgrade the adults, so that they can possibly find good jobs, increase their economic potential to be able to be home owners.

The third group is the one that I mentioned earlier, that requires a lot more attention. These are the young families, young families who are married and did not have the means to purchase their homes yet. So, HDB offers them rental housing. Within that space, we also want to make sure that we support the children. These young families have got a number of children, three to five children. That is really where the volunteers, the Dian ambassadors, come in actively, and they have been trained to help these families.

Dr Wan Rizal is right, we need a lot of manpower and that is why in my speech, I spoke about the call for more of Singaporeans out there, regardless whether you are Malay, Muslim or not, if you have the heart to want to help families in rental flats, help the children, uplift them, work together with us and join us.

A short clarification. Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman.

Thank you, Chair. Still on Dian and my question to Minister Maliki. When I really look at it, it is a great success. We have a very strong network in terms of using KidSTART and MENDAKI assets to help the preschool and children in early education. But in terms of madrasah education, I think there is a gap. Just wondering if there are any plans to get assistance to help our youths or our students in madrasahs to keep up in their own studies.

I think we support all the children in our Project Dian families, regardless of which school they are attending.

The key to it is to access the resources available and through our network of agencies, MENDAKI, MUIS and MESRA, we have a pool of volunteers, so any students in the rental flat families, whether they go to madrasahs or whether they go to our national schools, if they need educational support, if they need socio-emotional support, we will certainly assess the resources available to them and channel resources available to them.

We refer them to MENDAKI's weekend tuition programmes. We also have got volunteers who are prepared to do home-based tutoring and we have done that. We have a group of mentors from the IHLs who have already been recruited. Usually, what we do is when there is a request and we realise that there is a student in one of the rental flat homes, we will assess their need for educational support and we will look for the most suitable way of supporting them, even if it is home-based tuition. That is where we then tap on the pool of volunteers that we have. If it is centre-based weekend support, we then refer them to MENDAKI tuition programmes.

So, this help is available regardless of where they go to school.

Of more concern to us, really, is the very young children, for us to make sure that the resources are spent on them, to be able to enhance their ability for early childhood education so that their cognitive and social emotional development get supported right at a very early age.

I do not see any more clarifications. None? Then, we will carry on with the Committee of Supply for Head X. The next cut, Mr Baey Yam Keng.

Chairman, since 2011, I have been holding monthly KopiTalk sessions in a food court in Tampines North. For two hours each time, residents and members of the public can join and participate in the conversation. I would like to thank the venue operator, Koufu, for allowing us to use its space all these years, and even sponsoring coffee, tea and cakes.

The refreshments offered do attract some interest, but I believe that the discussion also gave us a lot of food for thought. Participants can raise any topics on top of their mind, and I will give my take and share what I know. Anyone present can also chip in to add to the discussion. I find it very useful to know what people are thinking of, worried about and concerned with, as well as their views and opinions on estate matters, current topics and national issues.

Last month's session was held a few days after Budget Day. I used the opportunity to share the key parts of the Budget and what residents can look forward to. In fact, when one retired resident was unsure of the benefits he could enjoy, I used the Support for You Calculator and showed him that he could expect $2,800 this year. He was very pleasantly surprised.

Besides such topical matters, what I found most useful is when we discuss community issues like corridor clutter, cat and bird feeding, noise pollution and so on where the community needs to come together to solve problems.

On a much larger level and wider platform, we have initiatives like Forward Singapore exercise and Singapore Together movement over the past few years. They aim to strengthen Government-citizen bonds and partnerships for citizen participation.

So, I would like to ask MCCY to share the effectiveness of these initiatives and the key outcomes that have emerged from these exercises.

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, please take your two cuts together.

Thank you, Chairman. Mr Chairman, I had raised at last year’s MCCY COS, about the Arts and Heritage Plans, which identified the priorities for Singapore’s arts and heritage development for 2018 to 2022. As 2022 marked the end of the first phase of the plans, I had sought an update from the Ministry on the next iteration of the plans.

Minister of State Low Yen Ling had shared at the time, that the National Arts Council (NAC) was in deep consultation with stakeholders on the Arts Plan 2.0 and that a public consultation will be conducted in the second half of 2022.

She also shared that MCCY’s objectives for the Arts Plan 2.0 were three-fold: first, to strengthen the role of arts in the wider local and global creative economy; second, to develop further ways for the arts to contribute to deepening our national identity, social cohesion and inclusivity; and third, to make the arts a distinctive factor that adds to Singapore’s attractiveness as a global city.

For MCCY’s Heritage Plan 2.0, I recall the direction was to enhance the heritage sector’s digital capabilities, showcase Singapore’s rich multicultural heritage beyond our shores to grow new audiences and markets for the sector and to work closely with our local communities and heritage enthusiasts and partners in the tech and creative industries to celebrate our unique local histories.

I therefore invite MCCY to update us on its refreshed Arts and Heritage Plans 2.0 for the next lap, show how the public and stakeholder consultations have shaped these plans, and also expand on MCCY’s efforts to increase arts access to various demographics in Singapore.

Mr Chairman, our National Monuments in Singapore form an indelible and integral part of our built heritage. These are monuments that are of such historic, cultural, traditional, archaeological, architectural, artistic or symbolic significance and national importance that the Preservation of Monuments Act allows the Government to preserve and gazette them as National Monuments. We currently have a total of 75 buildings and structures that have been gazetted as National Monuments.

These National Monuments preserve not only our history but a quick look at the list of National Monuments shows that quite clearly it also represents in many ways the unique social compact that we have built as a society. The Padang, the latest addition to the list needs no introduction as to the historical significance it holds for pre and post independent Singapore. Sultan Mosque, Sri Mariamman Temple, St Andrews Cathedral and Tian Hock Keng (天福宫) represent a short list of the many National Monuments that showcase the collective conscience of our Nation, as a multiracial, multicultural and multireligious society where Singaporeans of diverse cultural backgrounds and beliefs live harmoniously together as fellow citizens.

It is, therefore, imperative that we continue to ensure that we do our utmost to protect and to promote our collective heritage as we build on our social compact. I, therefore, invite the Minister to share more about MCCY’s plans to safeguard and preserve our built heritage, particularly our National Monuments.

Mr Xie Yao Quan, both cuts, please.

Sir, as the Arts and Heritage Sector emerges from a very tough three years due to COVID-19, it is an opportune time for the Ministry to work with the sector and looks ahead to the next three to five years and envisage exciting new possibilities for the sector. Is the Ministry co-creating a vision in the medium term with the sector?

Sir, there are exciting plans such as the University of the Arts to strengthen the talent development ecosystem in Singapore for the Arts and Heritage Sector in the years ahead. It is, therefore, critical that the sector also grows and develops new capabilities in order to provide and create exciting new opportunities for our future talent. Can the Ministry share its plans in this regard to support the sector?

(In Mandarin) [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, globally, the ongoing China-US rivalry and the Ukraine war, as well as global economic slowdown and uncertainty will affect Singapore negatively. Even if the Government works out a strategy, we may not be able to turn the tide. Hence, global uncertainty will inevitably have a negative impact on Singapore. What people are most concerned about is: if lives are affected, what will happened to our social harmony and cohesion built over the years under this immense pressure?

Hence, promoting local arts and culture is important in strengthening our sense of belonging and identity, as arts and culture carry our history and shared values, and serve as a bridge across different generations and languages.

During last year's debate, the Government announced that it would actively engage the community to promote arts and culture in Singapore. Today, a year later, what are the new developments in the Government's plans? How does the Government ensure that Singaporeans, young and old, can access and appreciate arts?

Sir, heritage and the arts play an important role in our national identity and help build unity and social resilience. We have always had a diverse societyand shared heritage provides that common space for all of us, regardless of race, language or religion. For new citizens, heritage, culture and the arts can help to anchor them to Singapore and to adopt our national identity.

Could the Minister elaborate on MCCY's vision and plans over the next five years for the development of Singapore arts and culture? What are MCCY's plans to build on its current arts and culture programmes to develop even more vibrant and inclusive spaces in which people from diverse backgrounds, including new citizens and permanent residents can interact? Could the Minister elaborate on MCCY programmes that leverage on these spaces to, on the one hand, encourage interaction between our diverse communities and new citizens and PRs to build understanding amongst each other and social harmony; and on the other hand, to build a sense of rootedness to Singapore?

Mr Chairman, I use dialects routinely when I communicate with many of my residents every day and many of them are middle-aged to elderly residents. But I have also observed that in many families, most young children do not understand dialects. At best, a small number may understand dialects as they hear their grandparents communicate with them in dialects. But many may not speak or speak competently. I am concerned at this rate there may hardly be some any Singaporeans below 50 who will be conversant in our Chinese dialects in another 20 or 30 years.

The MCCY has previously affirmed that Chinese dialects are part of the Singapore Chinese culture and heritage. As part of the different Chinese migrant groups coming to Singapore in the early years of Singapore, our forefathers come from different parts of Southern China and brought their different dialects to Singapore, together with the dialect group culture. Our dialect group heritage is part of our Singaporean Chinese cultural heritage.

Beyond the speaking of dialect, it is important to preserve knowledge among all Singaporean Chinese of the cultural heritage of our dialect groups, which may include culture, customs and food.

How many of our young Singaporeans have good knowledge of the cultural practices of their dialect group? Recently, I asked a 13-year-old student, what is his dialect group. He shrugged his shoulders and said that he did not know.

With an ageing population and a younger generation who have a limited exposure to dialect, we are reaching a tipping point. Transferring culture and heritage does not happen overnight and the runway to do so is growing ever shorter. Once this culture and heritage dies off, there is no way of re-building it. We should ask ourselves whether we can do more to preserve this intangible heritage.

I applaud the existing efforts of many of our clan associations in the promotion of the use of dialects as well as the customs, practices and culture of our dialect groups despite the modern cultural challenges.

While our clan associations do offer dialect classes, offering dialects as a third language option at the MOE Language Centre and our Institutes of Higher Learning can be an option to instill interest and promote knowledge. NUS saw a great demand when they offered dialect modules in 2020.

Can the Government do more to enhance the learning and speaking of dialects as well as promoting the knowledge of our customs, practices and culture of our various dialect groups among younger Singaporeans?

Will the Government consider lifting the general ban on TV and radio dialect programmes which is in place since 1981 which can signal to many Singaporeans who take the cue from the Government?

Chairman, over the past years, numerous art spaces have been added to our cityscape. Today, we can see street art at Haji Lane, Far East Square and Joo Chiat. We have also been more experimental with different formats of art presentation, for example, iLight and Night Festival. Various interest groups have also organised their own independent art events. Each of these have added vibrancy and flavour to our cityscape, creating additional opportunities for Singaporeans to come together and enjoy art and culture. Not only that, but they also have given our art practitioners additional spaces and opportunities to explore their diverse talents and be more experimental with their art forms.

Art spaces will continue to grow in importance especially in an increasingly pluralistic society where pursuits of interest can be very diverse and when our fellow Singaporeans seek different ways to express themselves creatively and artistically.

Can MCCY share their intentions to provide more art spaces for our practitioners to experiment with different forms of art and art presentation? And how does the Ministry intend to inject more vibrancy into the cultural landscape by making art more accessible to Singaporeans?

Most art spaces and art presentations today tend to congregate in the downtown area, with relatively fewer art spaces or experimental art presentations in the heartlands. Apart from Passion Art events, are there plans for MCCY to create permanent art spaces in the heartlands or to bring experimental art forms to the neighbourhoods so that Singaporeans can immerse in art closer to where they live?

The Kallang Alive Precinct was first announced in 2019 as part of URA’s masterplan to rejuvenate the Kallang River. The precinct has been envisaged as a one-stop destination for Singaporeans to enjoy community sports, as well as world class entertainment and events.

Sports Hub is an important centrepiece in the development of the precinct and has been envisaged to serve as a focal point for international sports and entertainment events, as well as a social sporting venue for Singaporeans. The recent decision by the Government to terminate the public-private partnership with Sports Hub Pte Ltd (SHPL) is driven primarily by the need to integrate the operations of Sports Hub more closely with those of other sporting venues within the precinct so that we can achieve the sports and entertainment vibrancy that we have envisioned. I believe that Minister Edwin Tong had shared this in Parliament last year.

Chairman, Singapore SG has taken over the management of Sports Hub since last year and can MCCY thus share what are the developments that have occurred since last December and also the future plans of Sports Hub, and how it will feature as part of the Kallang Alive Precinct?

There have also been some concerns regarding how Sports Hub will balance the needs of different communities while operating the Sports Hub. Could the Government please share how SportsSG would balance the desire to host international sports and entertainment events at Sports Hub, while ensuring that it is still accessible to Singaporeans for community sports and also for community events as well?

Mr Xie Yao Quan, please take both your cuts together.

Sir, the Government has completed its takeover of the Sports Hub. What are the Ministry's plans for the Sports Hub this year, in the year ahead, in terms of both programming and infrastructural development as part of its roadmap to unlock the Sports Hub's full potential for Singapore and Singaporeans?

Sir, Minister had previously laid out the Government's significant efforts over the years in building up and maintaining community sports facilities and infrastructure. Minister has also affirmed the Government's commitment to continue doing so.

Can the Ministry share what are its plans to build new community sports facilities and to refurbish, upgrade and maintain existing ones so that Singaporeans can look forward to enjoying sports in the community even more conveniently?

Mr Mark Chay, please take both your cuts together.

Sir, in December 2022, the Government took over the management of the Singapore Sports Hub under a new entity, Kallang Alive Sports Management (KASM).

I will be the first to state that as a tenant of Kallang Wave Mall, there have been visible improvements in some areas. But, overall, I feel that there is a change in the vibrancy and energy of the precinct.

Not long ago, the Sports Hub felt like a ghost town, unless Jay Chou was performing. Today, programmes are organised for participants of all interests every day of the week. The public can access sports and fitness classes, rent equipment and use world-class facilities to pursue their sporting ambitions.

The events calendar looks vibrant, and many community events, local and international sports competitions and concerts are planned in the coming months.

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

KSAM is already delivering on its promise of more opportunities for locals to compete in and use its facilities. Just last month, the Ministry of Education (MOE) announced that the National School Games track and field finals would return to the National Stadium. It has been four years since that has happened.

With so much optimism and potential linked with the Sports Hub and KASM, I would like to raise the following points.

One, many of the facilities are used by the National Sports Associations (NSAs) for national team training. The anticipated increase in events at the Sports Hub will inevitably disrupt national training and national teams could potentially be displaced for several days if the facility is used for an event. Therefore, it would be good to enable more communication between NSAs, SportSG, KASM and event promoters to identify critical dates when national training should be protected, for instance, the period right before a national games or competition.

Two, I would like to encourage event organisers to, as far as possible, organise events after office hours or on the weekends for the very simple reason of making it easy for parents, who are their children's biggest fans, to watch their kids compete and perform. It would go a long way in growing Singapore's sporting culture.

Three, Sir, I spend a lot of time at the Sports Hub. I also spent a lot of time in SportsSG. An observation I would like to share is that people enjoy going to the Sports Hub simply because it is a lovely open venue to play.

However, I feel that the KASM can better beat its chest and let people know what is available. For example, how many members know they can rent a kayak from the water sports centre and go tubing on the Lazy River at Spash-N-Surf? I believe KASM's can and should do more to promote the ease of use of its facilities and it should explore collaboration with private vendors to increase the reach to the public. Instead of trying to deliver all programmes, I would encourage KASM to work with the existing tenants and NSAs to provide community programmes.

As a National Sports Association President, access to facilities for development and high-performance programmes is always at the forefront of my considerations. Therefore, I am encouraged by recent announcements of new sporting projects, such as Punggol Recreational Sports Centre and Toa Payoh Integrated Development that are part of the Singapore Sports Facilities Masterplan.

First, I would like to ask MCCY to provide an update on sports facilities planned for upgrading as part of the Masterplan. Second, as our society matures, can MCCY share how it plans to make these facilities accessible for persons with disabilities (PwDs) and the elderly? And third, can MCCY share its plans to collaborate with NSAs to use the facilities for training and competition during off-peak hours?

Chairman, currently, we have many pathways for our young football talents, such as ActiveSG Football Academy Development Centre, Unleash The Roar, Singapore Sports School, S-League Youth Teams under 12, under 14, under 16 national development squads and private clubs like Lion City Sailors.

How will all these pathways fit to ensure that we have enough young talents playing together at the right level and standard? What is the progress of the teams from Unleash The Roar? Are they performing well in the national schools game?

To support all the different talent development pipelines, there needs to be sufficient and proficient training, staff and coaches. How are we developing our coaching staff? Do we have the right quantity and quality of training staff and coaches? Are there enough development opportunities for our local coaches, such as training and overseas development?

Sir, in the 2021 COS debate, the Unleash The Roar project meant to rejuvenate Singapore football was announced. Since that time, I understand that the initiatives. such as sending youth teams to overseas training, establishment of partnerships with foreign clubs and other measures are being considered and/or pursued.

Since that time, however, the performance of our men's national football team has been inconsistent. They went from winning hearts for their never-say-die performance in 2021 ASEAN Football Federation Championship to crushing disappointment that followed their dismal exit from the 2022 tournament. I appreciate that it will take time to grow the ecosystem that will foster young talents and develop the skills of our local coaches and footballers, more than the two years since Unleash The Roar was announced.

In a recent podcast posted by Berita Harian, a former national player called for greater involvement of former players in developing the programmes for our local football scene. He also called for, amongst other things, a dialogue session among all stakeholders, setting achievable milestones for our youth teams and creating an environment for local coaches so that they can focus on coaching and not need to moonlight.

I believe that these are all sensible recommendations. While I understand the reasons behind recruiting foreign bond players to play for Singapore in the longer term, we need to focus on developing our local players, coaches and clubs. Local players who have dedicated their time playing for Singapore could be employed in various role where their experience could be relevant towards improving our system.

Therefore, I propose that the Football Association of Singapore and other relevant stakeholders engage in an open conversation, maybe a national conversation with our local players and coaches, both current and former.

Sir, regular sports participation is important in achieving positive health outcomes. Notably, in London, Oakland and Singapore, Active Citizens Worldwide (ACW)'s 2018 report indicated that sports and physical activity generate an estimated $454 million in savings annually and results in 19,800 additional years of healthy life and 575 fewer deaths in Singapore. This implies that a healthy lifestyle driven by the active lifestyle is essential in improving longevity and minimising healthcare causes. The study also noted that although people in Singapore tended to be less active as compared to other groups.

Therefore, can MCCY share its plans to enhance sports participation, especially amongst groups, which may have a lower rate of participation. Would MCCY also elaborate on how it aims to encourage groups, such as seniors and young children who may be less active in sports, to participate regularly in sports?

Over the years, Woodlands Sports Complex has become indispensable community spaces where Marsiling and Woodgrove residents who often go to. Its facilities cater to the needs of all age groups, playing an important part in bonding the family and community closer together. We often see parents bringing their little ones to the swimming pool for waterplay. Many friendships have been forged amongst the seniors too in these venues, be it through sports or by participating in the Active Green Harvest at the community garden located right next to the swimming pool.

I must credit ActiveSG for being a strong community partner of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC with whom we regularly collaborate to organise a series of community events that keep our residents active. Take the Sporting Wednesday at Woodland Stadium, for example, which encourages our Marsiling and Woodgrove residents to visit the stadium every Wednesday, from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm to participate in a series of sports, such as walking football and so on, along with fitness programmes, such as zumba, entirely free-of-charge.

In recent years, residents have feedback to meet that several of the facilities are often under maintenance and express their desire for the sports complex, stadium and sports centre to be rejuvenated.

How can the Ministry, ensure that community sports are more accessible to all especially for our senior citizens and to create more opportunities for family bonding as well as fostering a shared community spirit? Could SportsSG also work closely with MOE to explore opening up more school sports facilities to the public?

One example is the former Innova JC School site in Woodgrove Champion Way which some residents have expressed their interest in using the running tracks for their evening exercise. This space has great potential to be another community sporting venue, allowing residents to have more options without the need to travel all the way to the Woodlands Sports Complex.

Our youths are our country's young sprouts who will grow up to be tall oak trees to provide shelter to our communities and nation. Our youths have demonstrated amazing resilience and adaptability, amidst the challenges and pressures of COVID-19. They have demonstrated tenacity and a strong passion to act on issues that they care about.

In Punggol, our youths have used their own pocket money to 3D Print face shields for the community during COVID-19 and our youth networks have gone door-to-door to encourage residents to recycle well. This is not unique! In fact, data from the National Youth Survey shows that 90% of youths view contributing to society as an important life goal.

Let us work together to give our youths opportunities to become leaders who are confident and committed to Singapore and who have the heart to serve. Can MCCY share on the opportunities for youths to further develop their leadership skills, build strong networks and be involved in civic participation?

Sir, as our society progresses, our youths are also increasingly sophisticated and desirous of participating in Singapore's development. As an integral part of our population, youths should certainly have a say in how Singapore charts our future.

To do so, it is critical that our youths understand the key issues affecting Singapore, how different groups of fellow Singaporeans could have very different but no less important needs, how policies and legislations are formulated and the difficult trade-offs involved in such formulations. Such understanding will enable them to think more critically, be less susceptible to potentially biased opinions perpetuated by how social media algorithms are designed and make informed decisions for themselves.

At present, we have a range of youth dialogues organised by various Government and private entities. These are useful. But I believe that it is important to offer our youths a structured and more hands-on programme that facilitates deeper understanding of how policy makers think, how legislations are formulated, how other countries deal with similar issues, how is Singapore unique or maybe not so unique and what do we need to give up if we choose one priority over the other.

In this vein, would the Government consider reinstating the National Youth Forum or create the likes of it?

Mr Abdul Samad, not here. Mr Don Wee.

Chairman, the four self-help groups, namely, the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Yayasan Mendaki (MENDAKI), Singapore Indian Association (SINDA) and the Eurasian Association (EA), have been playing an important role in uplifting their respective communities through programmes and services for vulnerable families. Their support for youths and education is especially noteworthy. They also build mutual understanding and strengthen bonds across different ethnic groups while preserving their own cultural practices and traditions which make Singapore's heritage so rich, diverse and interesting.

What are MCCY's plans to engage our self-help groups and deepen collaborative efforts so as to strengthen cohesion among our communities?

Chairman, most Singaporeans live together in harmony. Neighbours are generally considerate and look out for one another. However, there is an increase in the number of disputes in recent years, with the common causes being noise disruptions, smoking, littering, hoarding, just to name a few.

At our COS debate last year, Minister Tong shared that the Community Dispute Management Framework (CDMF) was in the process of being enhanced. I support this as it is better for neighbours to first discuss their problems in the presence of a trained mediator early instead of allowing the situation to escalate.

At the MinLaw COS debate on 27 February, it was announced that disputes over noise issues, disputes that have resurfaced after mediation at the Community Mediation Centre (CMC), and disputes in which parties want to file a claim with the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunal (CDRT) must first go through mandatory mediation or the parties involved will be penalised.

Under the enhanced CDMF, how will MCCY proceed to assist in the other types of dispute cases not in the above three categories? What about cases involving religious practices that might cause racial or religious tensions, persons with mental health or suspected mental health issues? Some of the disputes have not been resolved for a long time, to the distress of neighbours. Can MCCY try to expedite the processing of these cases?

Chairman, harmonious neighbourhoods are what we all hope for and work towards. However, having some disputes is unavoidable. While we work towards minimising such disputes, we must also pay attention to improving the ways we manage disputes such as the CDMF. In the Committee of Supply 2022, MCCY announced that the CDMF was being enhanced. Can MCCY provide updates on the outcomes and ongoing efforts since then?

In addition to establishing guidance to encourage self-management of the disputes, the availability of legislative levers to the Government is also important, especially for cases where self-management is unsuccessful.

Perhaps to enhance CDMF, we should not only focus on efficacy and efficiency of managing disputes but also be sensitive to the fact that, neighbours in dispute more often than not will remain as neighbours. The mending and improving of relationships post-CDMF should also be one of the framework's key considerations.

Can MCCY shares its plans for managing disputes under the proposed CDMF?

Mr Xie Yao Quan, you can take both cuts, please.

Sir, the need for a stronger framework to manage community disputes and frictions in neighbourly relationships has grown over the years. We need clear principles to resolve disputes in a fair and balanced way, resolve these as early as possible, and yet preserve the agency and central role of residents themselves to manage the affairs within the community, while also supporting them with processes, resources and rules of the road that are more fit for purpose today.

Under the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) Committee of Supply (COS), announcements have been made about updates to the framework for Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) and the Community Mediation Centre (CMC). Can MCCY update on its work on the Community Dispute Management Framework?

Sir, we are a democracy of deeds and must continue to be so. Our social compact going forward must be anchored on active citizenry, volunteerism and ever broader and deeper actions to help lift up one another. Can the Ministry update on its progress and plans to rally both individuals and corporates to care and to give through the SG Cares Movement and National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) and other platforms.

Sir, the capabilities of our volunteers and the SG Cares Volunteer Centres are important to ensure effective service delivery. Thus, I would like to ask what MCCY is doing to expand and deepen the capabilities of our SG Cares Community networks.

Since they were set up in 2018, the SG Cares Volunteer Centres in their respective towns have been engaging and coordinating with community partners including schools, businesses and Social Service Agencies (SSAs) to better support beneficiaries in need but harnessing community resources and growing the pool of volunteers.

Therefore, could MCCY share its existing efforts to deeper in the capabilities of our SG Cares community networks to enable greater and lasting impact to be created.

Chairman, SG Cares Volunteer Centres are the coordinating hubs of all volunteers in their respective towns. Many good-hearted people are willing to step forward and offer their time and expertise to help. But it is not enough to just increase the number of volunteers. The challenge is sustaining their interest and engaging them meaningfully. Sometimes, the centres may not have the resources to engage them at the level which they are willing to serve. I would like to focus on an area that has very high need.

I understand from most of the SSAs in my constituency that there is a high demand for medical escorts, especially among the elderly, to help vulnerable patients keep their medical appointments at polyclinics and Government hospitals. Volunteers in this area are few, and in most instances, the staff in the SSAs have to handle this work, on top of their own work. They are stretched and tired.

The other challenge is matching the volunteers and the patients. We need coordinating personnel and a good IT system to draw up the schedules and match with those of the volunteers, including reserve medical escorts, in case a volunteer, who has been assigned to the senior, is suddenly unable to make it. We can imagine the coordination, administrative and IT support that this group needs. Without these resources, the matching process will be less efficient, the volunteers may not be activated as often as they would like to, to sustain their interest. Meanwhile, we have so many patients who need their help.

This is just one of a few examples of how the volunteer centres can be better supported. Different volunteer centres will have varying resource support requirements. How would MCCY work towards understanding the situational requirements and facilitate these volunteer operations? Our volunteers are a huge resource who should be valued and engaged meaningfully.

Chairman, established in 2018, the SG Cares Volunteer Centres has actively connected with local partners, such as schools, businesses and National Sports Associations (NSAs), to support people in need through community resources and volunteers. Therefore, I am asking MCCY to share their policies regarding enhancing our SG Cares Community Networks to create a more powerful and lasting impact.

Minister Edwin Tong. And we will take the clarifications at the end, after all the speeches.

Good afternoon, Mr Chairperson. First, I want to thank all the Members for their continued support for MCCY's work. Sir, unity lies at the heart of what we do at MCCY. Our work spans many sectors: arts, heritage, sports, youth, our community, volunteerism. And these are all threads which bind us to one another and give us a shared stake in building Singapore together. This unity has enabled us to achieve success as a country and also to be able to bounce back from crises.

As Mr Sitoh Yoh Pin pointed out, Singapore's social compact is based on building a diverse yet cohesive Singapore. Mr Baey Yam Keng also spoke about citizens coming together to solve problems at a community and also at a national level.

It was precisely to strengthen our civic bonds that we launched Singapore Together in 2019. It marked a shift towards deeper partnerships between the Government and Singaporeans and also amongst Singaporeans themselves. We engaged Singaporeans on national issues like women's development and also on our long-term land use plan, and partnered them to develop solutions on complex issues through citizens' panels and Alliances for Action.

Forward Singapore extends this collaborative style of governance to further the shifts needed to strengthen our social compact, because a sustainable social compact requires the investment and also the co-ownership of all of us in society.

Since the launch of the Forward Singapore exercise, over 14,000 Singaporeans from all walks of life have come together to discuss what we want to see for Singapore's future. And perhaps, more importantly, what each of us is willing to do, to get us there.

The contributions of Singaporeans will shape and strengthen the eventual recommendations and the outcomes of Forward Singapore. Under the Unite Pillar, our focus is to deepen our sense of belonging, strengthen our bonds and also entrench our sense of mutual responsibility and care towards each other.

One thing that came through strongly from all these conversations was that unity in Singapore's context entails embracing diversity. It is not about being the same but being able to engage across all our differences. And it is also about being stronger than the sum of our parts.

Participants spoke about deepening our shared culture, heritage and experiences. They spoke of creating opportunities for all of us to interact and connect with one another, and of how the arts and sports are integral in this respect. They spoke of bringing people across racial, religious and generational lines together, to work on issues that matter to them. My colleagues and I will address the various cuts raised by Members speak MCCY's work to strengthen our core identity.

Let me start with our arts and heritage which connect us across communities and across generations. They help us deepen our sense of a shared identity.

Sir, today, we have an established and vibrant arts and heritage scene. Our national cultural institutions, museums, galleries, as well as arts and culture groups offer diverse programmes throughout the year. In fact, recently, the Peranakan Museum and also the Children's Museum in Singapore reopened and opened their doors with refreshed and interactive exhibits to tell of our Singapore story.

We also continue to celebrate Singapore's intangible cultural heritage and traditional art forms. These include activities organised by clan associations or arts practitioners which feature dialects as suggested by Mr Dennis Tan. And as Mr Tan knows, that is already being done.

We have performances such as Nanyin and Teochew Opera by Siong Leng Musical Association and Nam Hwa Opera respectively. This is in recognising that Chinese dialects are part of the Singapore Chinese culture and heritage, even as the Government maintains its existing language policy of promoting the use of Mandarin as one of our four official languages.

The Government is committed to growing the arts and heritage sectors. Government funding has held steady in these sectors. Over the last 10 years or so, MCCY has committed public spending on arts and heritage at about $450 million every year.

In addition, during COVID-19, we rolled out the $75 million Arts and Culture and Resilience Package to support our practitioners during the pandemic and injected an additional $12 million to help ensure that our talent is preserved and support the continued transformation of the arts and heritage sectors.

Our arts spaces have also grown over the years. Just taking arts gross floor area (GFA) managed by the National Arts Council (NAC), this has increased by 35% over the period 2010 to 2020, and this excludes other arts spaces which exists in the private and commercial spaces.

We also continue to support arts and heritage organisations to diversify their income streams via fundraising, with the Cultural Matching Fund and the Sustain the Arts (stART) Fund.

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin, Ms Tin Pei Ling, Mr Raj Joshua Thomas and Mr Xie Yao Quan asked about our plans for the arts and heritage sectors.

Sir, the first edition of Our SG Arts and Heritage plans gave us a strong foundation, gave us a firm footing on which to launch the next chapter of the arts and heritage plans. Even during the pandemic, the sectors responded with resolve and enhanced their capabilities. As we emerge from the pandemic, we do want to consolidate the gains that we have made and unlock new opportunities that have come our way.

It is thus timely to embark on a journey together with the sectors to envision the future.

Over the past 20 months, NAC and the National Heritage Board (NHB) have consulted over 2,000 stakeholders on the next edition of Our SG Arts and Heritage Plans. Many more provided their feedback online and also during roadshows across the island. These engagements are important, as we want these two plans to be co-created and co-owned with the arts and heritage communities.

Through the process, I met many arts and heritage practitioners. They shared with me how the arts and heritage sectors in Singapore have, indeed, come a long way, as many Members here have appreciated, and how we can take these sectors, building on the strengths that we have, standing on the shoulders of the giants that have come before us, to take us to the next phase. Let me share some of the key shifts that we will be making.

For our SG Arts Plan 2023 to 2027, we will place greater focus on the Creative Economy. Mr Xie Yao Quan spoke about helping the arts sector grow and develop these new capabilities. We agree. We have heard from arts practitioners and observed during the pandemic that increasing collaborations between the arts and adjacent industries present many opportunities for Singapore artists.

They can cultivate new audiences and markets and develop new revenue streams. NAC will, thus, be looking at new focus areas, such as intellectual property rights, new business models and digital adoption. These measures will help artists and arts groups achieve greater growth and success. It will help them to deepen their reach to existing audiences and broaden their exposure to new ones.

In addition, with the upcoming University of the Arts, students will benefit from existing programmes offered by LASALLE and NAFA, as well as new programmes, to meet the needs of the creative economy. Our plans to grow the creative economy through our arts plan will, in turn, create better job prospects and pathways for our future graduates.

In the next bound, there will be greater focus on increasing access to the arts, creating more occasions for people to share meaningful experiences through the arts. And we will do this by adopting a data-driven approach to better understand the needs and preferences of audiences and also by expanding partnerships to increase touchpoints.

We will also leverage technology and innovation to expand the playing field for the arts. My colleague, Minister of State Low Yen Ling, will elaborate further on Our SG Arts Plan when she speaks.

On arts spaces, we agree with Mr Darryl David that spaces for the arts are crucial in the arts ecosystem. The Government has, in fact, been very deliberate in developing spaces for the arts, ensuring that they are used optimally and efficiently; that there is also fair access and inclusive opportunities, especially for new groups and younger practitioners.

We now have a diverse range of arts spaces. Artists can collaborate with one another at multi-tenanted arts housing spaces managed by NAC. MCCY and NAC also facilitate arts groups to take up direct leases on state properties and in commercial developments.

In developing arts spaces, we engage closely with the arts community and also work to co-create spaces and think of ideas on how to use these spaces with members of the community. We have been working closely with the arts community, for example, to develop 45 Armenian Street.

We set up a resource panel, and the resource panel comprises private arts practitioners: an actor, an independent music producer, arts academics and also a former chair of the Substation, to give their views, discuss ideas, think about what the 45 Armenian Street might look like.

Our shared goal, to ensure that the space will remain an inclusive one that supports artistic experimentation and development of young practitioners. We have received the Resource Panel's recommendations, and NAC will build upon these recommendations to guide the development and design for 45 Armenian Street. And this is one example. Another example is Kampong Java, another space that I have spoken about previously.

Sir, let me turn now to Our SG Heritage plan. Mr Sitoh Yih Pin asked about our plans to safeguard our National Monuments. Sir, we regularly restore our National Monuments to preserve the buildings for posterity and for our future generations.

I had announced in 2021 that we will be restoring the Istana main building and the former Istana Kampong Gelam. Restoration works for the main Istana building are expected to commence early next year.

The Istana has featured prominently in Singapore's transition from colony to sovereign state, and the upcoming restoration works will ensure that it will remain well-preserved and functional for its historical importance and as a venue for important state functions and community events.

The former Istana Kampong Gelam, which houses the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC), has also closed for restoration and a gallery revamp, following the MHC Closing Fest last year.

Two other National Monuments housing the National Museum of Singapore, and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, are also scheduled for restoration.

In addition to preserving our places, we have enriched the Singapore story also with treasures in our National Collection. Beyond physical objects and buildings, we have safeguarded and showcased our intangible cultural heritage.

We have also deepened our collaboration with Singaporeans through co-created exhibitions and programmes. Mr Hazmi Zin from Rumah Makan Minang, for instance, was one of 45 business owners who participated in the Kampong Gelam Citizen Engagement Project and his participation, along with others, has enriched our understanding of the precinct's cultural heritage.

For the second edition of Our SG Heritage Plan, we will make a bigger push to reflect a more layered understanding of the Singapore identity.

Design, such as fashion, craft and architecture, is an important expression of our cultural identity and a catalyst for creativity and innovation. We have some top-class designers in Singapore among us, and we want Singaporeans to see their works and be proud of their achievements. We will, therefore, expand the National Collection to include designs. We also hope to strengthen the ties between our museums and the design community and industry.

Sir, Singaporeans have shared with us their strong desire to be more involved in heritage. NHB will, therefore, explore new ways for Singaporeans to get involved in presenting and sharing our heritage with others. We will also support the heritage sector by using technology, and Minister of State Low Yen Ling will elaborate on this plan when she speaks.

Sir, like arts and heritage, sport brings people together. And we want to optimise our sporting facilities and spaces to encourage more people to come together, socialise, play together. In this spirit, we took over the ownership and management of the Singapore Sports Hub, to unlock its full potential, to make Sports Hub more accessible to all Singaporeans, and to achieve a deeper integration with the rest of the Kallang Alive Precinct.

We set up Kallang Alive Sport Management Company, or as Mr Mark Chay calls them, in short – and we all love our acronyms – KASM, which operates under the ambit of Sport Singapore. This will ensure a stronger alignment between what the Government aims to achieve and the key performance indicators (KPIs) that KASM will have to aspire towards.

Sir, this project has shown early signs of success. Mr Darryl David and Mr Xie Yao Quan also asked about the developments following the takeover and our plans ahead. Let me share some brief highlights with Members.

Under the new management team, we have had many activities in the past three months alone. And we took over on 9 December last year, so, just about three months. These events and activities include performances by live bands and dance groups as well as community events, such as the FunFam SportFest, a Big Walk event to usher in the New Year, and a Chinese New Year Stadium Waterfront Carnival.

Last weekend, I just at the Sports Hub, and I saw many casual joggers, kids with their families playing football and playing basketball. It rained a lot, but we could use the promenade – an area around the 100Plus track – to great effect.

Student-athletes have also been participating in the National School Games at the Sports Hub, competing hard, both at the National Stadium, as well as at the covered courts in the Sports Hub. In the coming months, members of the public can look forward to more of such activities, including some National School Games finals, the National Stadium Open Houses, as well as grassroots events.

Let me assure Mr Mark Chay that KASM is, indeed, working closely with all its partners, and that include the NSAs, to deliver more community programmes, but also to ensure that there is more synergy across the board. I thank Mr Chay for his efforts to market the Sports Hub's programmes. I want to assure him that we will also be stepping up on our communication efforts by leveraging social media, word-of-mouth, engaging our partners, work with more broadcasters to bring more Singaporeans to the Sports Hub, by raising awareness of the events and activities that we will have at the Sports Hub.

At the same time, concerts and marquee sports events have also experienced an upswing also in the same period of time. A few weeks ago, we hosted Westlife, which sold out for three consecutive nights. This was notwithstanding that, on one of the nights, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' were competing for eyeballs just across the road at the National Stadium. Both were sold out, both happened on a weekday night, no less. The two concerts welcomed more than 50,000 people to the Sports Hub.

In the coming months, Singaporeans can also look forward to world-renowned entertainment events, such as for those Members who are interested, Harry Styles, Blackpink as well as marquee sports events, such as the World Table Tennis Singapore Smash, happening this week and next, and the HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens, happening next month. We also have FIBA, which is the International Basketball Association, which will be having its Intercontinental Cup in Singapore for the very first time.

Sir, there is a whole suite of activities for everyone, from community and sporting events for children, youths, families and seniors, to international marquee events. And we, certainly, hope that Mr Mark Chay would not find that it will remain a ghost town for much longer.

The developments in the larger Kallang Alive Precinct, in other words, the areas outside of Sports Hub that can be used to synergise with Sports Hub is also on track, with the Kallang Football Hub, with four sheltered and three unsheltered pitches, and the Kallang Tennis Centre, comprising seven indoor and twelve outdoor courts, due to be completed later this year.

With these developments, we will move towards using more of the whole Kallang Alive Precinct in synergy, to offer a greater array of international sporting events, alongside local programming. For instance, we can combine the facilities at the OCBC Arena, Singapore Indoor Stadium and the new Kallang Tennis Centre, and be able to confidently bring in marquee sporting events, such as, for example, an ATP1000 sporting event.

In parallel, Singaporeans in the community can try out the sport at the community level, at community tennis sessions, for example, or tennis clinics for social competitive players and aspiring athletes, youth competitions and so on, activating the entire precinct, not just the Sports Hub, but the broader precinct that is Kallang Alive. So we will have a whole ecosystem of sports across a diverse range of sporting levels, all integrated with the other upcoming lifestyle and entertainment offerings.

For our national teams, let me assure Mr Mark Chay that the NSAs continue to be prioritised in the booking of Sports Hub and ActiveSG facilities for national team trainings. In fact, with the Government now taking charge of the Sports Hub facilities, we can better optimise the use of these facilities across various uses.

So, to give Mr Mark Chay one example, SportSG worked with Singapore Gymnastics to ensure that our gymnasts could train at Sengkang Sports Hall, while their usual training venue at OCBC Arena Hall was activated to host the Singapore International Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup. So, we have one international gymnastics event at the usual training centre but, at the same time, we could use other spaces within our facilities across the island to continue the tempo of national training unabated.

Our plans for the Sports Hub and Kallang Alive Precinct are part of a larger Sports Facilities Master Plan (SFMP) to develop and refresh National Training Centres (NTCs) for elite athlete training and sports facilities across Singapore for all Singaporeans to enjoy.

Sir, Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked about our plans to enhance sports participation, Ms Hany Soh asked how we can ensure accessibility of community sports. Sir, we have seen more people participating in sports and exercise regularly. Let me just give Members a sense, based on our numbers. Based on our National Sport Participation Survey, residents who participate in sports and exercise regularly at least once a week has risen from 54% in 2015 to 66% in 2019.

Even during, or perhaps, in particular, during the COVID-19 pandemic period, this continued to rise to 74% in 2022, which are all very encouraging signs. These indicators show that more Singaporeans are keen to get more active.

In addition to the sport events at the Sports Hub that I shared earlier, the public also enjoy sporting activities across Singapore.

In 2022, 148 community leagues and competitions were organised across 19 ActiveSG Sport Centres and bear in mind that for 2022, or part of that period at least, we were not able to come out and do these events. But once we were able to, we had more than a hundred of such events and leagues going on at the 19 ActiveSG Centres across Singapore. This involved more than 13,000 participants, including young children and seniors.

Last year, we introduced the ActiveSG Cup which saw more than 1,300 participants across two sports – Basketball and Football. This year, we plan to introduce two more – Floorball and Volleyball.

Sir, we see the value in life-long learning, even in sports and active participation and exercise, and we want to cultivate this interest and this good habit from when we are much younger. Therefore, all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents aged four to 12 years old will receive a top-up of $100 worth of ActiveSG credits. This will apply to all who are ActiveSG members or sign up as new members between 1 May and 31 October this year.

Parents may use these credits to offset the cost of their children's ActiveSG programmes and cover their entry fees into ActiveSG facilities, such as our swimming pools. This, I hope, will encourage more children to play together with their peers, with their neighbours and their families outside of structured school sport participation.

We are working hard to build more and better sporting facilities throughout Singapore. We will enhance access and also step up on having a greater variety of programming at these facilities. Our hope is that every Singaporean will have ample opportunity to enjoy, engage and excel in sports.

To Mr Sharael Taha and Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap's questions on developing Singapore football, and I get this every year at every Committee of Supply, we launched Unleash the Roar! (UTR) in 2021 to develop a strong local pipeline of football talents.

This was intended to be and it is a long-term plan that we have put in place to grow the base of participation, to identify talented players from a young age and provide these talented players with rigorous training and structured opportunities to be coached well, to compete regularly and to have a clear pathway to the national team.

Let me elaborate on the next few steps that we have for our young talents.

Since 2021, we established 12 School Football Academies (SFAs), of which two, have dedicated programmes for girls. We will expand the number of SFAs and also increase the programme intake over the year.

These SFAs, together with the Singapore Sports School, the ActiveSG Football Academy as well as all private clubs and academies in Singapore, provide a broad base of participation for us to identify suitable talents. And this will be our foundational base.

We will put in place a national framework to systematically select and develop the best players from this broad base.

We will take the following steps. First, we will set up a national football development centre as the main training centre for all our national youth squads. Our best young footballers aged 13 to 17 will be drawn from all our available pipelines that I described earlier to these squads. This centre will be our primary pathway for selection to our national team. One central, cohesive path. Within this centre, players will be selected into core and also reserve teams, and we will review them periodically. Why? Because we do not want anyone to be too comfortable or too complacent and we want to ensure that throughout the squads, across the different age groups, there will be competitive tension.

These boys and girls will train and compete regularly as a team. We are looking at setting up a youth league that will give our players regular opportunities to be competing at high levels. They will also, from time to time, come together, to train as a squad, so that they can get to know each other, train and play together, and on occasion, also compete overseas for even further exposure.

These players will also be supported with a comprehensive suite of sport science, nutrition and sports medicine.

Second, I think Mr Faisal Manap and Mr Sharael Taha, raised these points on talent identification and scouting. They are important to us. We have a small population with a small base and we need to ensure that we have our eyes on all available talent all the time.

We will progressively roll out training on talent identification for coaches and strengthen our scouts' capabilities in identifying the best of our young footballers. We also want to tap on the experience of our ex-national players, our ex-national coaches, who already have an eye for talent, having taken part at the highest level of the game. We will invite them to be trained and to be part of our scouting network.

Third, on coaching. To ensure consistency in our training and development ecosystem, a common coaching syllabus is already being used, across all the SFAs and the national youth squads. More than 500 coaches and teachers have already been trained with this curriculum to date.

We will also introduce coaching licensing and renewal after coaches have acquired the necessary Continuing Coach Education hours. We will also find suitable opportunities for our coaches to learn from the best, to be immersed in the environment, so that they can have an experience of what it is like to be coaching at the highest levels.

For example, our partnership with Spanish LaLiga has allowed us to bring in experienced youth coaches from Spain to augment our local coaches, as well as provide overseas learning opportunities for them.

Last but certainly not least, we will launch the inaugural UTR scholarship later this year. Our best young footballers will be sent to overseas academies that offer good quality education alongside the best football training and competitive environment.

Sir, we know that receiving a good quality education is important for our young boys and girls. Therefore, through this stint, they will come back with academic qualifications that will allow them to continue future studies at the tertiary level in Singapore or overseas, even as they train and compete with the best amongst the overseas talents. We will start this programme later this year and we are considering a good academy in Europe to kick off this programme with.

At the same time, similar local scholarships will also be available for suitable footballers who choose to enrol in the Singapore Sports School. Through this, we hope to prepare them for future overseas scholarship programmes and opportunities, and also spur more footballers to be enrolled in a full-time programme for their football development. More details of the scholarship will be shared when ready.

For footballers with NS obligations, in other words, after they return, after they finish their stint, early enlistment is a possibility and one we have explored, quite successfully with several other footballers, for example, with Irfan Fandi. Eligible footballers can tap on existing support avenues to continue training and competing, whilst at the same time, fulfilling NS obligations.

Developing talent takes time and our focus is really on laying a strong foundation for long-term growth and learning. We are putting in place a systematic infrastructure to expand, to nurture and to develop this pool of young players at the base level, starting from when they are 13. The best will be identified and put into a national development centre, as I have outlined. They will play and compete and train regularly, both locally as well as overseas. Over time, this initiative will provide us with a steady pipeline of players to choose from. It will take time, and much as I know, all of us are invested in the outcome of Singapore football and I have heard the emotional, passionate speeches made by Members earlier. I would ask for our continued and all your continued support for this system to ensure that our younger players have a chance to progress and become the pool for future national team selection.

Sir, let me turn now to the management of community disputes. Many Members have spoken about this. The strength of our cohesive society, in my view, is not found only in what we have in common but also manifests in how we negotiate our differences and deal with conflicts that inevitably arise. Ms Joan Pereira, Miss Cheng Li Hui and Mr Xie Yao Quan asked about enhancements to the Community Dispute Management Framework (CDMF).

An inter-agency workgroup, led by MCCY, together with MinLaw and the Ministry of National Development (MND), have been conducting a review of the CDMF. Senior Minister of State Sim Ann and I have already spoken about the enhancements in different areas relevant to MND and MinLaw's COS debates respectively.

To pull it all together, let me reiterate how we are enhancing this framework. First, we want to promote community norms as our first line of defence. I think Senior Minister of State Sim Ann made that very clear and I too, reiterated that when I spoke in my MinLaw capacity.

Clearer social norms encourage the self-management of behaviours. As Senior Minister of State Sim Ann said, Municipal Services Office (MSO) has been working with partners to promote community norms for noise management recommended by the Community Advisory Panel on Neighbourhood Noise.

Second, we are looking at allowing dedicated personnel to leverage stronger laws and help these neighbours resolve their issues upstream. In other words, before it gets to the stage where it becomes intransigent or intractable, and they have to go to the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) or other adjudicatory tribunals to resolve their differences. For instance, this team will be able to conduct investigations, or direct residents to attend mandatory mediation or to stop the actions that are causing the nuisance pending the mediation or the adjudication.

As Senior Minister of State Sim Ann shared last week, MSO will be piloting this with disputes arising from serious noise disturbances between neighbours. We will also explore consequences for recalcitrant offenders who fail to stop the actions as required.

Third, we will increase access to community mediation and mandate mediation for certain types of disputes between neighbours.

Let me explain why we start with noise and we also pilot this project with noise. In 2022, noise-related disputes made up about 65% of all neighbour-related disputes registered for mediation at MinLaw's Community Mediation Centre. This trend, by and large, has been consistently the case over the past few years. In other words, they form the bulk of all cases registered for mediation.

In many cases, clear expectations on acceptable community behaviours as well as a mutual appreciation of what the parties are facing would go a long way towards improving the situation. Hence, we want to encourage disputing neighbours to find an amicable, mediated settlement of their disputes as far as possible. To support mediation services, we will expand the pool of mediators as well as forward deploy them as far as possible, into the community so, it is not just all centralised at the CMC.

We will also be giving mediation settlement agreements more teeth and standing, to encourage greater compliance with the mediated outcomes.

Finally, we will also enhance the processes and the powers of the Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT), as an avenue of last resort, to give affected residents faster and more effective relief. This we have to do, because with all these steps that we take, by the time a case ends up at the CDRT, there would have been numerous attempts at mediation, at reconciliation, and these probably represent the most intractable and intransigent of cases. We want an effective and efficient, speedy framework to deal with these problems. Those steps are what I had elaborated upon when I spoke at the MinLaw Commitee of Supply.

Sir, we have a comprehensive set of enhancements but they do not operate in silos, they work together to drive the right behaviour, and also actively facilitate the resolution of disputes at an early stage in a way that best preserves the relations between neighbours. Even strengthen the teeth on mediation and CDRT, and we mandate mediation, let me emphasise: even as we are looking at leveraging stronger laws, these should not be used as a first recourse.

We interact with our neighbours on a daily basis. Most of us want to live peacefully side by side with our neighbours. When disputes arise and intervention is needed, we encourage disputing neighbours to go through mediation as far as possible, allowing parties to talk to each other about the issues that vex them and through the assistance of trained and oftentimes, very effective mediators, find a common path. It helps to preserve, and in some cases, even mend and make better the relations between neighbours.

We will invite residents to share their views on this when we conduct the public consultation on the proposed CDMF enhancements later this year.

Sir, our diversity, which I have spoken about, and many Members of this House have spoken about on various occasions, must be harnessed for the common good. We need the diverse strengths and talents from the community to tackle the challenges we face as a nation and build Singapore's future together.

Our youths play a crucial role in this regard. Youths today are well informed, more prepared, more ready and they want to engage with us to discuss policies.

Ms Tin Pei Ling spoke about engaging youths. MCCY and the National Youth Council (NYC) have continued to engage and partner with youths on national issues in different ways. Let me elaborate.

These include policy co-creation platforms such as the Youth Circles and programmes such as the Youth Action Challenge that supports them, not just in talking about these ideas or listening to the suggestions, but in working with them actively to turn their ideas into action.

From our ForwardSG engagements, we continue to see a very healthy, sustained youth interest in policy-making and want to create more opportunities to meet these aspirations.

So, MCCY and NYC, are exploring ways to create more policy space, and also work on how to institutionalise involvement of more youths in policy-making and elevate their proposals for consideration onto a national platform. We will share more details when this is ready.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked about our plans to expand our youth leadership programmes to provide younger student leaders the opportunity to engage on national issues and build strong networks. NYC and the National Community Leadership Institute (NACLI), in partnership with MOE, piloted the inaugural Our Singapore Leadership Programme (OSLP) last year. This was a programme, as a pilot, for about 50 Secondary 4 students from MOE schools and madrasahs. It took place in December 2022. All the student leaders who participated in the inaugural OSLP came from different shools. In other words, we had about 53 students from 53 different schools.

"Leader" is defined broadly. Some were head of student councils; some were participants in their dance groups, and others, captains of their sports teams or members of the uniformed groups.

We brought them together. They came together to reflect on and discuss issues which confront Singapore. They talked about and grappled with trade-offs and the complexities of policy-designs; and they expanded their network of friends, people they can talk to, connections that they can make and forge new friendships.

We found this programme very successful, and we want to give more youths an opportunity to take part in this programme. From 2023, we will expand the programme to nominated Secondary 4 students from all MOE schools and madrasahs in Singapore.

For students from the institutes of higher learning, NYC will develop a new leadership programme. More details will be shared when ready.

Mr Xie Yao Quan has pointed out, and I agree with him, that there is value in having and promoting active citizenry, volunteerism and collaboration. And these traits must continue to underpin our society and our social compact.

Beyond youths, we are encouraging individuals and corporates to play an even more active role to come together, work for the social good, leverage on corporate purpose and uplift our communities.

We will therefore expand and deepen the capabilities of our SG Cares Volunteer Centres. We will resource them better, so that they in turn can support the various social service agencies that are under their watch and they are working with, so they can better channel volunteers and donations-in-kind to meet unmet needs.

We will also support businesses in their efforts to be a force for good for society as they design their business practices and operations in ways that benefit their employees, their stakeholders, and, of course, the wider community that they serve. Minister of State Alvin Tan will share more details when he speaks.

Mr Don Wee asked how our Self-help Groups (SHGs) are collaborating to enhance outcomes across ethnic communities. While the SHGs were set up to provide customised support for their respective ethnic communities, they also work together and strengthen mutual support across the different ethnic communities.

For example, the SHGs will launch a series of inter-SHG Youth Dialogues centring around themes emerging from the ongoing Forward Singapore exercise. This will happen in mid-2023. These dialogues will bring together young people from different backgrounds and different ethnicities and empower them to develop and lead ground-up solutions.

The SHGs will also create more opportunities for volunteers to interact, to serve with one another across the different SHGs. We do not have volunteers from an SHG that come from only a particular group that the SHG serves. It is open and we encourage all volunteers to come, from a broad spectrum of different ethnic groups to serve the broader spectrum of society through the SHGs.

These efforts by our SHGs embody the Singapore Together spirit – Singaporeans, diverse as we may be, stepping forward, working together and building a better nation.

Mr Chairman, to conclude, I have spoken about our various MCCY initiatives – and my colleagues that follow will elaborate on many of these and speak of various other measures as well.

But our principal focus is to deepen our roots and expand the reach of our arts and heritage. We do not do that just as an end in itself, but as a means to an end, to promote arts, culture and heritage, sporting participation and excellence, both at the community and at a professional level. We do this to foster neighbourliness, care and active citizenry, as part of the unique our Singaporean DNA.

These efforts speak to what it means to call Singapore our home. Our home is not just a physical space. It is also how we see ourselves, all of us, as connected and bound to others in Singapore through arts, heritage, culture, sports and religion.

It is about who we are as a people, our shared experiences, what we do to care for each other and look out for one another and the values we hold dear and live by.

These are the threads that bind us and hold our social compact together. These are the threads that run through each of us as Singaporeans.

Growing these aspects of Singapore is delicate work, but it is important and it requires the commitment of all of us, regardless of language, race, religion and social-economic background. On our part, MCCY will continue to work with all Singaporeans, join our strengths and inspire a collective action to build an enduring social compact where we stand and act as one united people, and we are proud to call Singapore our home. [Applause.]

Minister, I would like to extend my condolences. I know it is not easy after last night's development to talk about football. But you have been calm and uplifting. We very much appreciate that. Ms Hany Soh.

The Children's Museum Singapore, being the first ever Museum dedicated to children in Singapore was opened last year, aspiring to be a place of Wonder and joy for our little ones.

Last month, I joined 80 of our will Woodgrove residents and their children to visit the museum where we spent an enjoyable afternoon together partaking in activities, such as travelling back in time to the olden Singapore to experience life as our forefathers had and learning how various communities in Singapore celebrate birthdays.

Apart from Children's Museum, what other initiatives is MCCY looking into, to create additional opportunities for our young ones to understand our arts and heritage through play and learning experience.

Is MCCY working with MOE and PMO's Made for Families to explore more collaborations with a view to inspire more of our children to pursue arts as their passion, as well as deepen their knowledge of Singapore's tradition, traditional heritage and culture, and at the same time, encourage more family-bonding opportunities?